Joker relaxed in his chair, he just finished a few diagnostics tests on the Normandy after programming the coordinates for Omega in the navigation system, now he was waiting for the results from those diagnostics as it would determine what other work was needed on the Normandy along with the medbay. He watched as the numbers appeared on the screen in front of his eyes and he sighed, there were a few repairs needed to the core and the FTL drive needed a tune up, he had expected there to be some work but not enough work to keep them docked for a few days. These were the times when he missed being able to dock on the Citadel and get repairs done, at least there they could go to the casinos or one of the restaurants while they waited, getting work done on Omega meant the crew would have to be back before a certain time and the buddy system would have to be implemented. He sighed, as much as he wanted some time alone with Elissa the last place he wanted to take her was that pit, but at least this was better than nothing.
"Hey there, my sexy ornery pilot," said Elissa and he turned to face her, a grin on his face.
"Well, well, if it isn't my gorgeous war goddess of a commander," said Joker and he watched with delight as she blushed a deep pink color as she took her spot next to him in the vacant co-pilot's seat.
"Don't you have better things to do then come up with more clever repartee?" asked Elissa as she stretched out in the chair, yawning as she did so.
"Don't you have sleep to catch up on?" asked Joker, laughing when she stuck her tongue out at him in response.
"So what have you been up to lately?" asked Elissa as if they had not just seen each other about an hour ago.
"Just ran some diagnostics," said Joker as he studied the numbers again, opening his omni-tool and writing down the codes that appeared, "and I set course for Omega, as per your orders."
"Anything I should know about?" asked Elissa, tilting her head so she could get a better view of him, admiring how even in the dim glow of the consoles his appearance was only enhanced.
"Core needs a few repairs and the FTL drive needs a tuning," replied Joker casually, "means we're going to be on Omega for a few days, so get used to looking at crime and corruption."
"I got used to that after being on the Citadel," scoffed Elissa, "Omega I can handle, at least the crimes are out in the open instead of hidden by a veil of politics and kind manners."
"Yeah, no kidding," snorted Joker as he took off his cap and ran his fingers through his auburn hair, "At least we have a few days to have some fun."
"Fun?" asked Elissa wryly as she drummed her fingers on the armrest of the chair, "Like what, dancing? Eating at a dingy little eatery? Is that what you mean by fun?"
"Oh hell yeah," chuckled Joker, "And now that you've put those ideas in my head, we're going to do every single one, plus whatever else I come up with."
"What've I gotten myself into?" muttered Elissa, though she smiled brightly at him, she could not think of a better way to spend some time off than being with him in a nonprofessional atmosphere.
"You better figure that out, because you're in this for the long run," said Joker, blowing her a kiss from his position, "I have no plans of letting you go."
"And I have no plans of leaving," said Elissa blowing him a kiss back, and smiling when he pretended to catch it and gaped at him when he put it in his pocket.
"I'm saving it for later," laughed Joker when he saw her face and she laughed too, he loved these lighthearted moments that rarely seemed to come around lately.
"EDI's body's been taken down to engineering," said Elissa quietly, now looking at the millions of stars that surrounded her and the ship, "Tali says it'll be a few days of constant work but she'll be good as new."
"Constant work?" repeated Joker and he furrowed his brow, he did not like the sound of that, "Who'll do her job while she's working?"
"It's not just her, it's also Gabby with some input from Adams," said Elissa a small frown changing her entire demeanor, "So that's two full positions that we need filled in the meantime with very few people trained to do them, I think while we're on Omega, I'll make the announcement that everyone needs to learn the job of the man beside them. I know some already do, but we're short handed and need all of the help we can get, I'll even learn the basics of a few jobs at least enough to do it just in case we need some extra support somewhere."
"Sounds like a plan," said Joker thoughtfully, "I'm sure everyone'll be willing to at least give it a shot, I'll train Steve so he knows how to fly the Normandy in case I'm injured or something, and he can show me how not to outshine him while flying the shuttle."
"Is everything a competition with you?" asked Elissa, raising an eyebrow playfully at him.
"Well, most things are, I think the only thing that isn't is making love," said Joker waggling his eyebrows at her and she gave a short laugh.
"I'll keep that in mind," said Elissa rolling her eyes, she smiled at him.
"So what have you been doing while I've been running tests?" asked Joker, trying to keep his mind from wandering to earlier and the glorious time they had spent in bed.
"Over seeing the clean up of the medbay," said Elissa, "It's pretty bad, nothing was really spared, we're going to need all new equipment and some repairs to the structure itself are going to have to be made as well. It's just one thing after another, and I can't think of a way to pay for it all, I've been cut off from the Spectre account and the Alliance is a no go since I'm sure the moment I make contact with them there'd be trouble in one form or another. Here I was, thinking the Ardat-Yakshi army was going to be the big threat, turns out it's all this red tape and bull shit I managed to tangle myself up in."
"Babe," said Joker, looking at the frustration evident on her face, "if there's anything I can do to help you, just let me know, okay? You're not in this alone, just remember that."
Elissa gave him a weary smile, "I know, honey, I know and I appreciate you sticking by me. It's not easy, believe me."
"Ellie, you forget I've been there with you from day one," said Joker, "there aren't many people on this ship that can say the same thing, Miranda and Jacob might claim that right, but they were with you on day one from your second chance not the first go around. That honor belongs to me."
"And rightfully so," said Elissa, nodding in agreement, "the only other person who beats your record is my . . . my mother." Her voice faltered, she had yet to go and visit her mother, whom according to Chakwas had been moved to the crew's quarters on a stretcher with help from Garrus and James.
"You haven't seen her yet, have you," said Joker quietly, her face telling him all he needed to know, when she did not respond he continued, "We could go down together and see her if you like, I mean, EDI can manage the ship for a little while."
Elissa turned to him and a wide smile exposed her perfectly straight teeth, and the emotion in her eyes and in that smile made his heart skip a beat, "Yeah, I'd like that, and I think she would too."
"Good, then lets get down there," said Joker, easing himself out of his chair, watching Elissa as she got herself out of her own chair. When they were both up, she walked over to him and he took her hand in his lacing their fingers together as they walked down the CIC to the elevator, he watched her out of the corner of his eye, though she looked calm her eyes told him she was nervous about seeing her mother. He squeezed her hand gently in reassurance, she turned and gave him a small smile before they stepped into the elevator, and he pressed the button for the crew deck waiting for the familiar lurch of the elevator signaling its descent.
"What do I say to her?" asked Elissa, her fingers playing with a long strand of hair that had escaped her tight bun.
Joker looked at her with a puzzled expression, "What do you mean? You don't have to explain yourself to her, you haven't done anything wrong."
"I left her and the rest of my crew on a ship with an indoctrinated Ardat-Yakshi," said Elissa, her throat tight and voice thick with emotion, "I'm supposed to protect my team and my crew, and I couldn't even guarantee my own mother's safety. I let her down, after my dad died I swore to her that I would protect her, and I failed her!"
Elissa slammed her fist against the metal wall of the elevator, she wanted to cry to release this anger and pain but she could not bring herself to, no matter how hard she wished the tears to fall they seemed to mutiny against her and disobey her desire. Her breath was ragged and her she felt her heart race in her chest, she thought she might pass out and Joker must have sensed this as he put his arm around her shoulders, holding her against his chest.
"You didn't fail her," said Joker in her ear, "You couldn't have known that would happen, Ellie, none of us expected that to happen."
"Then why do I feel like the worst daughter to ever exist?" asked Elissa, looking up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"You think that's bad, I prevented my mother from leading a normal life," said Joker quietly, he had never spoken about his mother to anyone, no one had been important enough to know about her, "But that's a story for another time."
"I understand," sniffed Elissa, and the elevator dinged, they slowly exited the enclosed space walking past the medbay to the crew's quarters. When they entered, Elissa had to choke down a sob, her mother was laying in a cot her face bruised and small cuts marked her features her eyes were closed when they first arrived but as they grew closer her blue eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she saw Elissa and Joker.
"Hey, Jackie," said Hannah, sitting up as best she could, "Joker, always a pleasure to see you again."
"The pleasure's all mine, Hannah," said Joker, tipping his hat to her as he reached for something for him and Elissa to sit on, he found a metal trunk that was normally used to store armor and he pulled that over to Hannah's cot. He motioned for Elissa to sit down on it and she complied, her eyes never leaving her mother's and he sat down next to her, his hand resting on her thigh.
"How're you feeling, Mom?" asked Elissa, unaware that she had started picking her fingers again.
"Like I got trampled by an Elcor, but what can you do?" commented Hannah, she took a drink of water from the glass beside her and she studied her daughter's demeanor carefully, "I have a feeling things on Lilonani didn't go well."
"It was a trap," said Elissa, her voice barely above a whisper, "I knew it was, I knew the second we got to the monastery we were being set up, but I ignored my gut and went on with the mission despite that feeling. I feel like a complete fool." Elissa hung her head, unable to look her mother in the eye, her shame and anger too great.
"Why?" asked Hannah, her eyebrow raised as she watched Elissa.
"I've never been wrong about a gut feeling before," said Elissa bitterly, "and this time was no different, but I ignored my feelings to help Samara out, and you get hurt."
"Elissa Jacqueline Shepard," snapped Hannah, and her daughter's head jerked up to look at her mother's stern expression, "I got hurt because of my own stupidity, you're not responsible for this."
"Mom if I hadn't—" started Elissa before Hannah cut her off, taking her hand in her own.
"I was the moron who put her gun away, thinking I could talk sense with Falere," said Hannah shortly, "I screwed up and wasn't fast enough, you're not responsible for this."
Elissa sighed, she knew her mother was right but nothing she said was going to ease the guilt in her heart, "I'm glad you're going to be alright, Mom, I couldn't do this without you."
"I think you could, baby girl," said Hannah, smiling at her and then at Joker, "You have a helluva support system, especially this pilot here, he alone could convince you you could conquer hell and make it back to tell the tale."
Elissa and Joker laughed with Hannah, it broke the tension that had been growing between the three of them since they had started talking, and it felt good to laugh together.
"So what's the plan now, Jackie?" asked Hannah, a smile still on her lips.
"Heading to Omega," reported Joker before Elissa could answer, "We're meeting Admiral Hackett and doing some necessary repairs to the Normandy while we're there, maybe have a little fun while we're at it." He nudged Elissa in the shoulder and she nudged him back.
"Glad to know we're heading somewhere familiar," said Hannah, relaxing against the mountain of pillows someone had brought her earlier, she looked at the black circles under Elissa's eyes and frowned, "You need sleep."
"I can sleep later," said Elissa, brushing off her mother's concern with a wave of her hand, "There's still quite a bit I have to do before I can even think of sleeping."
"Hannah's right, Ellie," said Joker taking her hand, "You've done more than enough for one day, you should go up to your cabin, shower and sleep. You've earned some real downtime, for once in your life could you please not be so damn stubborn?"
Elissa sighed, she felt outnumbered two to one by her mother and boyfriend, "Fine, you win, I'll grab a bite to eat and then head to my cabin is that acceptable to you two?"
Joker resisted laughing at the defeated expression on her face, "Yeah, but I'll bring you something to eat after you've had a few hours of sleep, you can't eat if you don't have any energy after all."
"You're right, you're right," conceded Elissa, squeezing his hand gingerly, "I'll have something sent to you, Mom, hopefully Rupert can still put a meal together with the kitchen in such disarray."
"That man's a wonder in the kitchen," said Hannah admirably, "I wish he had been on the Kilimanjaro, I would've eaten in the mess a lot more than I did."
"Alright, Mom," sighed Elissa, "I'll make sure Rupert makes you something special, just sit tight."
"Like I have a choice?" commented Hannah wryly and Elissa felt a twinge of guilt in her gut when she said that.
"We'll see you later, Hannah," said Joker, standing up from the trunk, his bones creaking and he turned to Elissa, "Bed time, Ellie, mother's orders. The only orders that outrank any law in the galaxy."
Hannah and Elissa laughed, and he smiled, he could not believe that he was standing there in the same room as these two amazing women and he would not change that for the galaxy.
Joker found himself staring at the glowing field that surrounded the Normandy as they traveled through the relay awhile later. He knew they would be there sooner than Elissa anticipated, probably closer to lunch time than dinner time, she had always been terrible at gauging ETAs when it came to the ship.
"Jeff," said EDI, her blue orb coming up out of its station, "are you alright? You have been staring out of the windshield for quite a length of time now."
Joker turned around and faced her, "I was just thinking, lost in thought I guess."
"What thought were you lost in?" asked EDI.
"I've been replaying what Shepard said about Leviathan over and over in my mind," said Joker, looking back out of the windshield, "and about how Samara's bond mate set up this elaborate trap for both of them, it just seemed too well orchestrated for Remaldia to have been working alone."
"You suspect outside involvement?" asked EDI, her tone suggesting some level of curiosity.
"You could say that," admitted Joker, "Cerberus seems to be lurking in the shadows of this whole mess, but we can't pin them down without a doubt, it's all too circumstantial."
"Perhaps you should voice your thoughts to Shepard," suggested EDI, "she more than likely feels the same way and needs validation that she is right on some level. This validation might improve your romantic relationship with Shepard, and bring you two closer."
"I might just do that, EDI, thanks," said Joker giving the AI a small smile, "You know, this is the first real conversation we've had in a while, EDI."
"You are correct, Jeff," said EDI.
"Why have you gone from calling me 'Mr. Moreau' to 'Jeff' again?" asked Joker, reclining in his seat as he waited for his shift to end in the next few minutes.
"I feel that we have had a sufficient amount of time to move past our romantic relationship termination and can be just friends once again, or so that is what the extranet instructs," replied EDI, "I also thought it appropriate to give you and Shepard enough time to adjust to your new relationship before asking to be your friend once again. I want to do something special for Shepard as well, I know I am partially responsible for the termination of her own relationship with Major Alenko, and to atone for other past deeds."
Joker smiled, she might have her shortcomings when it came to organic interactions, but EDI tried her best to make up for them in her own way, "That's a great idea, EDI. Don't tell me though, unless of course you need help getting materials or something like that."
"Thank you for your approval, Jeff," said EDI, almost sounding happy, "I will get to work straight away on my surprise for Shepard, perhaps I should start calling her by her proper name as a start."
"Do what you think would be appropriate, EDI, and I'm sure Shepard will respond positively to whatever you do," said Joker and he remembered something she said, "By the way, EDI, what past deeds were you referring to?"
"I am not at liberty to divulge that information, Jeff, I am sorry," said EDI and she sounded sincere though he could not be sure.
"That's alright, EDI, I understand," said Joker, eyeing the orb suspiciously, "everyone's entitled to a few secrets, even you."
"Again, thank you, Jeff," said EDI, "Your shift has ended, I will continue to monitor our progress as we near Omega and alert you when we have arrived, will you be in Shepard's cabin?"
"Yeah, that's the plan anyway," said Joker standing up out of his chair, "Keep me posted EDI, though I'm sure we'll be fine."
"There is always a chance for failure, Jeff," said EDI and Joker sighed, somethings about EDI he knew would never change, and her pessimistic attitude was one of them.
"See you in the morning, EDI," said Joker as he walked out of the bridge, eager to slip into bed next to Elissa and sleep soundly.
Joker walked into Elissa's cabin and to his relief he found her asleep, not pacing the room searching for answers to questions she could not answer or tearing her hair out from worry, no instead she was in bed with a cocoon of blankets wrapped around her body. He smiled as he made his way to the couch, he placed the container of food he had picked up from the mess on the table and walked to the shower, eager to wash off the stress of the day. When he emerged a few minutes later in nothing but a towel, he saw that Elissa was sitting at the table holding a forkful of food in her hand.
"Hey, honey," said Elissa happily, turning when she heard him walking down the stairs that led from her bed to the upper platform, "Thanks for the food, it's really good."
Joker smiled as he sat down next to her on the couch, "Glad you like it, wasn't sure what you thought of dirty rice and shredded chicken pieces."
"I've never had it," said Elissa as she sipped some water, "but I'm really liking this dish, you're the best, Joker."
"Tell me something I don't know," said Joker, he leaned over and kissed her cheek, "You're a very convincing sleeper, I thought you were so deep in sleep you didn't hear me."
"I heard the door open," said Elissa, leaning her head on his bare shoulder, "How long do we have until we reach Omega?"
"We should be there in about ten hours or so," said Joker, kissing her forehead as he arm wrapped around her shoulders, and he noticed she was in nothing except her sports bra and panties, and this observation caused his towel to raise a little.
"Did you eat?" asked Elissa, it had been a few hours since they had last seen each other and she wanted to make sure he was not neglecting his own personal upkeep.
"Yeah, Rupert made me a few grilled cheese and ham sandwiches," said Joker, brushing his fingers lightly over where he knew her nipple was, feeling a rush of blood down to below his waist when he felt erect skin pressing against the fabric of the bra.
"Good," said Elissa, closing her eyes as his fingers worked their magic, "Did you see Samara at all today?"
"Not since the debriefing," said Joker, still focused on working her nipple, "I think she's still in her quarters, meditating and grieving, I don't think she's going to ask for a funeral."
"I don't either," admitted Elissa, as much as she wanted to give her friend peace, it was still up to her if there was to be a memorial or a funeral at all, "Are you ready for bed?"
"You get enough to eat?" asked Joker eyeing the nearly empty container, she nodded slowly, he could tell she was fading fast and he was glad she would get some sleep that night, "Okay then, lets get some shut eye."
Elissa led him over to the bed and handed him a pair of sweatpants he recognized as his own, he gave her a look and she shrugged, "I knew you'd be here, so I gathered some of your things."
Joker smiled as he pulled the pants on, they felt soft against his skin and when they were on he slid in bed next to Elissa, who quickly moved closer to him and he wrapped both arms around her as she rested her head on his chest.
"Thank you, Jeff," said Elissa, listening to his heartbeat.
"What for, Ellie?" asked Joker, yawning in the process.
"For everything, for loving me and not Commander Shepard," said Elissa and she knew he would understand what she meant.
"I love Commander Shepard, I mean she's part of you," said Joker, stroking her hair as he stared up at the star filled ceiling, "but you're more than just Commander Shepard, Ellie, and I love that part of you too."
"And I love you, Jeff, both you and your pilot self," said Elissa as she felt sleep overcome her body at about the same time she felt it hit him.
