Joker rouses from sleep at the sound of a soft chirping from his omni-tool. For a moment he is disoriented. His seat slopes at a strange angle, the lighting is off. He opens his eyes to find the helm's console replaced by a bed. Shepard sleeps on top of the comforter curled up in a ball facing away from him. Joker rubs his eyes and looks at the glowing orange omni-tool on his left arm. There is an incoming video call from Captain Anderson. He gets up as quickly and quietly as possible and moves to stand near her door. He hopes the bit of distance between them will keep Shepard from waking. He presses the holo button to accept the call.
"Joker? Joker, is that you?" Anderson says upon the call's connection.
"Yes." Joker says barely above a whisper. He glances at Shepard, who has not moved.
"Where the hell are you, Joker?"
"Uh…" He doesn't care to answer that question, even from someone he respects as much as Anderson.
"I tried contacting the Normandy, but there was no answer. Why are you not at the helm? Where is your relief pilot? Why are you whispering?"
Joker checks the time shipside to find that it is already seventeen hundred hours. He palms his face in frustration. He didn't originally expect to be in Shepard's quarters for any length of time, let alone four hours. In that time he should have remembered to contact his relief pilot.
"I'm shipside, Captain." Joker says. "What can I do for you?"
"I've been busy, Joker. Damn busy." Anderson explains. "I'm trying to get your asses back in the air, but I keep hitting walls. The Council and Udina have decided to solve the Saren problem with a blockade. They've been writing memos and scheduling meetings with embassies and drafting amendments to current regulations."
"As if that's going to change anything." Joker says in an angry semi-whisper.
"Exactly. I agree. Well, Udina's called it a night. He refuses to answer my calls, but we need to act now!"
"What can we do?"
"I think it's safe to say I've exhausted all… legal avenues. That's all I wish to say via comms. I want to talk with Shepard in person. Tell her to meet me in the Wards, at the nightclub called Flux. I'm headed there now."
"Aye, Aye, Sir."
"Thank you, flight lieutenant."
"And, Sir?"
"Yes, Joker?"
"Whatever the plan is, will you, uh…"
"Son?"
"Just remind her that she's got friends out there beyond the Normandy's walls. She could use a little encouragement."
"Absolutely. Anderson out."
The video screen goes blank as Anderson disconnects. Joker disengages the omni-tool, causing it go dark and disappear again. He looks over at Shepard's still form and bites his lip. She needs the sleep badly, but Saren is actively seeking the Conduit at this very moment. He approaches her bed and watches her sleep as he contemplates how to wake her. He has always had an aversion to physical touch, but for some reason right now he just wants to forget the Conduit and Saren and Anderson and lay next to her. He shakes his head. That's a stupid idea.
Fearful of his own train of thought, he attempts to rouse her from sleep by calling her name. "Shepard," he says quietly.
He closes the gap between them further. "Shepard," he says louder.
She stirs a little.
"Shepard. Wake up." Joker says.
She rolls from her side onto her back lazily. Her eyes open slowly.
"Shepard." Joker says again in a normal voice.
Her face turns toward the sound. She squints her eyes and studies him, as if trying to figure out who he is. She looks around her and down at her clothes. She touches the hem of the tunic and sits up. Her eyes move toward the clock on her nightstand.
"You're still here." Shepard states almost like a question as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.
"Of course. I, uh… I'm sorry to wake you. Anderson called."
"Oh?"
"He wants to meet you in the Wards. I think he has a plan to unlock the Normandy."
"Oh!" Shepard jumps up to her feet quickly. "Where?"
"Flux. A nightclub." Joker says. "It's twenty-two hundred hours stationside. He's headed there now."
Shepard moves past him quickly to check her face in the mirror and smooth out her hair.
"You look great." Ah, crap. Joker swallows hard at the thought he unintentionally vocalized.
She stops to look at him and a smile stretches across her face. "Thank you."
He shrugs.
"And thank you," Shepard adds. "For being such a hard ass. I feel a lot better."
Joker returns her comment with a half-smile.
"Alright." Shepard says. "If Anderson really does plan on getting the Normandy in the air, you better be ready."
"Right. I'll make my way to the cockpit now and stand by."
The pair head to Shepard's door. Before leaving, Shepard smiles at Joker, squeezes his hand, and says, "Wish us luck!" She moves quickly down the hallway and out of his sight. That same silly smile returns to his face, teasing the corners of his mouth, making it harder for him to deny the butterflies in his stomach.