Chapter 17
"Grrrrrr I look ridiculous" Joseph said looking in the mirror at the tux he was wearing.
"No you don't, you look very dashing and handsome" Miranda said rubbing a few wrinkles out of the suit.
"I hate monkey suits, I feel so wrong right now" he said pouting.
"Oh stop it Joseph, now come here and put on your bow tie" she said.
"I don't want to wear a tie Miranda" he said moving away from her.
"Joseph, get over here now and put on this tie" she said losing patience.
"No, and you can't make me" he said breaking into a sprint out of the room with her hot on his heels.
"Joseph get your ass back here now" she screamed chasing him through the ship.
"Nooooooo, and how the hell are you running on these grates in heels" he screamed dashing into the main gun battery. "Garrus, oh thank god you gotta hide me man" Joe said pleading with Garrus.
"Hide you from what Shepard" Garrus asked.
"Lawson...bow tie...right behind me" he said out of breath.
He was quickly thrown out of the room by Garrus who in turn locked the door behind him, nobody wanted to deal with an angry Miranda. After her showdown with Jack the crew had a new level of fear for her. She stood there staring at him angrily with her trademark raised eyebrow holding the bow tie.
"Get over here now Joseph" she said tapping her foot.
He begrudgingly walked over knowing he lost the battle allowing her to put the bow tie on him.
The shuttle pulled out of the Normandy with Joe, Kasumi, and Ashley on board, Ashley looking actually stunning in a blue dress with her hair down laughing at Joseph's uncomfortable form of being in a suit.
"So why isn't Miranda on this op again" Ashley asked.
"Turns out she actually did business with Hock before, us posing as couple would of raised flags, being that Miranda's a damn flirt when she's working" Joe said jealously.
"But you actually are a couple so how does that make sense" she questioned.
"What's the matter chief don't wanna pretend to be the girlfriend of bad ass...what's my name again Kasumi" Joe looked at Kasumi.
"Solomon Gunn, you have to remember Shepard" she said rolling her eyes at him.
"Right Solomon Gunn, got it" he said putting his game face on.
The shuttle landed as Joe and Ashley stepped off arm in arm while Kasumi remained cloaked. Ashley's face contorted in disgust seeing the huge Saren statue, Joe squeezed her arm lightly to relax.
"Good evening sir, Solomon Gunn here for the party" Joe said in his commanding voice.
"Very well sir, just a moment please" one of the guards said as Hock stepped out of the house.
"What seems to be the problem here" Hock asked the guard.
"We're not picking anything up on the scanner sir" the guard replied.
"Interesting, I don't think our guests would come all the way from Illium to cause us trouble" Hock stated.
"Donovan Hock" he introduced himself to Joe and Ashley.
"Solomon Gunn and my lovely wife Michelle" Joe said extending his hand that Hock didn't shake.
"Please, enjoy the party" he said walking back into the house.
Joe and Ashley followed while Kasumi snuck in cloaked searching around the house, Joe and Ashley helped Kasumi get the things she needed to get into the safe while mingling with the guests and blending in. Joe was a very good dancer unlike his brother Ashley had to compliment. When they finally got Into the safe Joe stripped out of the suit jacket, shirt, and bow tie tossing it away in disgust. He and Ashley grabbed their weapons attaching his Cain to her armor being that he wasn't wearing any. They grabbed the grey box and fought through Hock's guards making it out of the compound. Just as they thought they were in the clear Hock showed his gunship. Joe and Ashley took out the mechs and guards while Kasumi sabotaged the shields so Joe could take it out with the Cain. When Hock was dead they called in the shuttle for a pick up. Joe and Ashley agreed that Kasumi should keep the grey box as long as she was ready to deal with the consequences of having it.
Upon making it back to the ship as John ordered Joker to head for the citadel. Ashley headed up to the cabin to change out of her armor and dress, as she removed the armor John came out of the shower.
"Damn you look good in a dress Ash" he said staring her up and down.
"Thank you skipper" she said turning to him smiling as he approached her.
He grabbed her waist kissing her deeply pushing her up against the fish tank.
"Mmmm skipper, you couldn't wait for me to get out of the dress first" she moaned.
"Actually I want you to leave it on" he said reaching under the dress sliding her black thong down. "Hmmmmm, I didn't know thongs were alliance regulation" he said lifting her up kissing her neck.
She pulled his towel off throwing it, wrapping her arms and legs around his waist as he thrust up into her. Giving her slow deep strokes up against the fish tank tongues fighting for control as she forced him to the floor and began riding him wildly. Screaming and moaning each other's names until they were both spent passing out on the floor.
Joe walked into the room still upset with Miranda about the tie. "Where are your clothes Joseph" Miranda asked looking at him standing in front of her in nothing but suit pants.
"I eighty sixed them as soon as I could, you vile woman" he mock glared at her.
"Awww I actually liked the suit, and the tie was a necessary addition to the outfit" she explained.
"I'm not talking to you for the rest of the night" he said pulling off the pants climbing into the bed.
"Oh whatever Joseph your such a big ba-" she stopped "I think I'm gonna be sick" she said sprinting out of the room to the bathroom.
Joe hopped out of the bed her.
"Miranda are you ok" he called through the door hearing her violently wretch. She remained in the bathroom for ten minutes regaining her composure and brushing her teeth. She stepped out to see Joseph sitting by the door in nothing but his boxer briefs.
"Why are you out here half naked Joseph, do you enjoy giving every woman on board a show" she snapped at him storming back into her room.
"I was worried about you, I didn't think-" he was cut off by Miranda.
"You never think Joseph, you really didn't notice every female member of the crew that walked past you staring at that" she said pointing to the large bulge in his underwear.
"Miranda I don't care I was worried about you so I ran out to make sure you were ok, now are you ok"he asked remaining calm with her.
"I don't know Joseph, I've been like this all day, I have no idea what's wrong I never get sick" she told him. The light bulb in his head clicked on immediately.
"Ummmm, babe are you pregnant" he asked.
"God no, It's not even possible" she said shaking her head for telling too much.
"What do you mean not possible, you know when sperm fertilizes eggs women become pregnant" he explained like she didn't know.
"No Joseph you don't understand, I can't have children, I'm infertile" she said tears dripping down her face.
"Oh baby I'm sorry" he said pulling her into his embrace holding her tight " this changes nothing I still love you and I still want you" he said placing a soft kiss on her lips.
"I love you too Joey" she said laying her head on his chest.
"You should go see Chakwas, let her take a look at you" he suggested looking into her eyes.
"Later, right now I just wanna lay down ok, come hold me" she said walking over to the bed removing her suit.
"Sure baby, come here" he said getting under the covers wrapping his arms around her, holding her tight while she fell asleep on his chest.
Upon landing on the citadel John took Garrus and Thane with him to see Bailey, Bailey told them that Fade was working out of the warehouses and that a kid named Mouse may have more information on Thane's son Kolyat. They agreed to find Fade first as the warehouses than Dark Star lounge.
They headed to the warehouses meeting a Volus being guarded by two Krogan. The Volus was revealed to not be Fade but gave them the information on where to find him in the factory district. They arrived at the factory district they saw Fade who turned out Harkin, the dirty c-sec cop that hung out in Chora's Den. When he saw John and Garrus Harkin took off running having his guards and mechs attack them. They fought through the mechs and Blue Suns also dealing with three YMIR mechs. They had Harkin trapped, threatening him into setting up.a meeting wit Sidonis. Before they left Garrus put one in Harkin's leg informing him he would be back.
John went down to meet Sidonis as Garrus set up his shot, John tried continuously to calm Garrus down and try to steer him away from his thoughts of killing Sidonis. She Sidonis arrived John warned him of Garrus' plans him, after a full out confession of regret from Sidonis, Garrus decided to let him go thanking John for stopping him from doing something he would regret.
Back on the ship Joe was down in the cargo bay sparring with Jacob while Grunt and Jack watched from the sides working out. Miranda decided to finally go see Chakwas to find out what was wrong with her.
"Ms. Lawson how may I help you" the doctor asked.
"Hey doctor, can you run some scans and tell me what's wrong I haven't been sick in my thirty five years of life ever, so something is clearly wrong" Miranda said laying down.
Chakwas ran the scanner over Miranda's body three times to be sure.
"What do you see doctor" Miranda asked.
"Well, congratulations Ms. Lawson" she said with a smile.
"Congratulations for what" Miranda looked puzzled.
"Your pregnant dear" she said.
"No its not possible" Miranda said in shock.
"Well dear it clearly is according to the scanner, I checked three times Miranda, your pregnant" the doctor said noticing Miranda wasn't exactly happy about this news.
"Not a word of this to anyone doctor" Miranda said getting up.
"Ms. Lawson in good conscience I can't clear you for field work" Doctor Chakwas said staring at Miranda.
"Not a word doctor, do you understand me" Miranda said slipping on her ice queen mask.
Back on the citadel John and Thane made their way up to Dark Star spotting Mouse outside. They subtly convinced Mouse to give them the name of the person who hired Kolyat. They went back to the station and had Bailey bring in Elias Kelham. Upon interrogation Kelham gave up the targets name quickly after John went renegade on him. They tracked down the target Joram Talid and began to follow him, seeing him do all types of illegal and crooked things. Right before Kolyat was about to kill Talid John distracted him by calling his name. Kolyat shot Talid's bodyguard chasing him inside his apartment. John and Thane were able to talk Kolyat down as C-Sec arrived taking them back to the station where Thane and Kolyat began to make piece with each other.
Joe walked into Miranda's room after taking a shower noticing her not sitting at her desk but in the chair by the window.
"Hey Miri" he said walking over placing a kiss on her forehead " you feeling any better" he asked.
"Yeah a little" she said analyzing him.
"Jacob hits hard as hell, clocked me a few times in the jaw" he said changing his clothes.
"Nobody told you to start playing Fight Club in the cargo bay damn near every day, aren't you seeing your daughter tomorrow, you shouldn't go with a million and one bruises" she said looking away from him.
"You...your not comin with me" he asked looking at her.
"No Joseph you don't need me there, besides it may make her mom uncomfortable" she replied
"Ok babe whatever you say" he said kissing her lips before exiting the room heading down to engineering to help Donnelly and Daniels out.
Miranda's mind was working over time, part of her wanted this but the other part knew it shouldn't be. The mission was too dangerous to begin adding complications. Then she wondered how Joseph would react if she told him, would he be mad, happy, scared, she didn't know and all these questions needed answers. She would tell him when she time was right now all she had to do was hope Chakwas would keep her mouth shut.