AN: YELLOW, FOLKS AND It's another chapter of A SHEPARD REUNION! I hope you enjoy this unorthodox method of talking out your feelings whilst working out. So, it's been some time since I've updated this fic and I assure you, it's still alive and slowly breathing.
Now, before you ask, I would like to point out that they were still doing their pull ups when they had talked, I just did not add it the grunts or pants here and there, so just imagine them when ya reading it.
UPDATE: Never mind, I added the grunts instead! (p.s, by pinky aches from pressing the Ctrl button)
Disclaimer: Mass Effect don't belong to me, but I would kill for the ownership (I joke...maybe)
Shepard took off his jacket and started to stretch, much to Tali's delight. She watched as her lover loosen muscles and each time he flexed, a deep, satisfying sigh could be heard, as well as indicated, through her vocal piece. This followed with the blissful memories from back at the Normandy before they raided the Collector's base. She suddenly felt her face heat up at the thought and covered her face out of sheer embarrassment. There were several who also watched and commented.
"To think this was the one I've devoted 2 years of my life to bringing back." Miranda said. Tali turned to where Miranda was.
"And what is that suppose to mean?"
Miranda looked at where Tali was, but the quarian could feel that see was looking beyond her. She turned to see who it was that said that.
"It means nothing, Jack."
"Oh, don't you say that, barbie," Jack confronted, "I know what you're talking about."
"And what exactly do you think I'm talking about?"
"Don't be so roundabout, I know you want that piece of ass."
Miranda rolled her eyes, "Don't be so vulgar, Jack."
"C'mon, cheerleader. You know you're thinking of it."
Tali at the moment had no idea how to feel about it. She was split between feeling flattered or annoyed. As she was about to make that decision, Garrus cut in.
"Girls, seriously, don't talk about that in front our quarian friend here." he said. They both looked at Tali, "She's barely keeping it in as it is without you girls stripping her man with your eyes." The two gave an apologetic look to Tali.
"You two should just follow Shepard's suggestion and kiss."
All three girls glared at Garrus. Even though Tali's face could not be seen, the turian felt the daggers from his quarian friend.
"Unbelievable." Miranda let out.
"You're kidding me." Jack spat.
"What, everyone's thinking about i-Oof." Tali elbowed Garrus. He clutched his sides and look at his fellow dextro-acid friend, "R..right at the bullet-wound, damn you."
"You deserved that."
"You know I got this all recorded, right?" came the thief, who appeared in front of the four. They all looked at Kasumi, then backed to Garrus.
"You better tell your girlfriend to delete that," Jack said venomously.
"W-what are you talking about?" Garrus sputtered. Kasumi just stared at Jack. Tali used the opportunity to hacked into the master thief's omni-tool, searched for the data and delete it all in the span of 5 seconds.
As soon as Kasumi snapped back, she searched for the data and found it empty. She glared at her friend. "You didn't..." Tali only shrugged.
"Guys, some peace and quiet, please?" Shepard said.
"Why the sudden need for focus, Shepard? I would presume that trivial challenges like a pull-up record would be beyond you," Miranda remarked. They could hear a disgruntle HEY from Vega.
"It's not the challenge, it's the challenger." Shepard answered. On cue, the challenger walked in, her clothes changed to something more suited for the task at hand. Jane wore a blank tank top and yoga pants provided by the master thief after the war-hero said she needed a change of clothes. Eyes were on her as she makes her way to the gym area of the pad.
"Ready to go, Blue?" Jane asked. Shepard merely nodded. As they placed themselves under the bar, Jared and two people passed through the crowd and stood in front of the two challengers.
"Okay, guys, rules are simple," Jared started, "The first to reach 183 pull-ups win." Jared then gestured to the two behind him; Kaiden on his left, and EDI on the right, "These two will keep track on you guys. Kaidan will track John here and EDI to Jane."
The two took their position; Kaidan opening his omnitool for the time-counter interface, while EDI simply stood adjacent to Jane.
Jared looked back and forth to his wife and friend. "Ready?" The two Shepards nodded. Jared raised his hand and started the challenge, "GO."
Jane and Shepard held on to the bar and started their task, pacing themselves as they started their pull ups. To reach Vega's record, endurance was key. The two Shepards took their time pulling themselves up, each striding at the same pace. Only grunts were heard as their spectators stared in silence, besides some snide comments here and there. After reaching 30 pull-ups, Shepard started a conversation.
"So...(grunt) how's life." He said through grunts. Everyone stared at Shepard like he grew a second head. Luckily, Kaidan was really good at keeping track of things, so he didn't missed a beat.
Jane did not answer at first, seeing as she was trying to focus on the task at hand. But her friend's question registered, she shot a looked at Shepard, "Are you (grunt) freaking serious!?" she asked incredulously.
"It's a (grunt) good as time (grunt) as any."
Jane shook her head, "I swear, John, (grunt) for a guy (grunt) who can talk his (grunt) way out of impos- (grunt) -sible situations, you really (grunt) suck with your (grunt) timing."
"How else (grunt) did you think (grunt) I ended up in (grunt) those impossible (grunt) situations."
"You choose (grunt) now, while we are (grunt) in the middle of a chal-(grunt)-lenge, in front of all (grunt) of these people, (grunt) to ask about (grunt) my life when we could (grunt) have just talked, (grunt) oh say, maybe (grunt) after all this!?"
The Commander gave the Councilor his signature smirk. Oh, how she hated his smirk.
"You know what? (grunt) You want to know (grunt) how is my (grunt) life? Well, let's (grunt) go backwards (grunt), shall we? First (grunt), I met my (grunt) best friend (grunt) waay back (grunt) when from the academy (grunt), alive and well, (grunt) introducing him to (grunt) his godchild and (grunt) my husband for the first (grunt) time in years (grunt). Then (grunt), I was elected (grunt)as the next (grunt) Human (grunt) Councilor because (grunt) of an (grunt) idiot who (grunt) got himself (grunt) killed by turning (grunt) coat. Before that (grunt), I heard my old (grunt) home was (grunt) destroyed from (grunt) a Reaper (grunt) attack and (grunt) Earth is trying (grunt) to defend (grunt) itself, and (grunt) I used (grunt) the word (grunt) try loosely. (grunt) Couple of months (grunt) back, I heard (grunt) my best friend, (grunt) who was presumed (grunt) dead, came (grunt) back to (grunt) life; kicking ass (grunt) and taking (grunt) names, working for (grunt) a known terrorist (grunt) organization. Said friend (grunt) also never (grunt) bothered to (grunt) contact his (grunt) two best friends (grunt) for no proper reason (grunt). And almost (grunt) 3 years ago (grunt), I gave birth (grunt) to my (grunt) son (grunt) and also lost (grunt) someone I cared (grunt) about. How (grunt) do you (grunt) think my life (grunt) is going, (grunt) JOHN!?"
"You think (grunt) my life (grunt) was easy, (grunt) Jane? I woke up (grunt) to find out (grunt) 2 years of (grunt) my life (grunt) have been (grunt) taken away from (grunt) me. 2 (grunt) YEARS! And as (grunt) soon as I (grunt) was out of (grunt) the fire (grunt), I went (grunt) into the (grunt) frying pan (grunt), dodging bullets and who (grunt) knows what (grunt) for the guys (grunt) I hunted when (grunt) I was chasing (grunt) Saren. (grunt) I had to (grunt) go through (grunt) hell and (grunt) back, reliving (grunt) nightmares and (grunt) overcoming traumas (grunt) as well as (grunt) making sure (grunt) my team (grunt), MY FRIENDS (grunt), stays alive (grunt) throughout (grunt) the whole (grunt) ordeal. And the only (grunt) reason why (grunt) I never got a (grunt) chance to (grunt) communicate with you (grunt) two was because (grunt) Anderson did not (grunt) want to link me (grunt) with you (grunt) two from being (grunt) accomplices (grunt) if I ever (grunt) asked you guys (grunt) help. (grunt) It's not enough I had (grunt) to destroy a whole (grunt) star system (grunt) to prevent the Reapers (grunt) from coming earlier (grunt), I was detained (grunt) on Earth (grunt) for 6 months (grunt) and I did nothing (grunt) to prevent (grunt) the devastation (grunt) the Reapers (grunt) laid on (grunt) Earth. Earth, Jane. I (grunt) grew up on (grunt) Earth, and as much (grunt) as I hated about (grunt) the metropolis (grunt) I lived in, it (grunt) was still (grunt) home. So, (grunt) you're not (grunt) the only one (grunt) who lost (grunt) their home."
"I had (grunt) to go through (grunt) all these (grunt) trials," Shepard continued, "seeing friends (grunt) sacrifice themselves (grunt) for the greater good. (grunt) Friends who (grunt) deserved more than (grunt) anyone else, were able (grunt) to stop centuries (grunt) old feud just so we (grunt) could band together to stop (grunt) against (grunt) the threat. I lived (grunt) with their voices (grunt) echoing in my head (grunt), their faces (grunt) looking at me, haunting (grunt) me even in my (grunt) waking (grunt) hours. Every time (grunt) I made (grunt) a decision, I had (grunt) to weight (grunt) their opinions (grunt) on me (grunt) whether I (grunt) did the (grunt) right thing or not. (grunt) Just (grunt) recently, (grunt) I found out (grunt) Cerberus made (grunt) a clone (grunt) out of me. (grunt) Could you (grunt) imagine that? (grunt) Cause I (grunt) had to watch (grunt) a carbon copy (grunt) of myself (grunt) slipped past (grunt) my hands, seeing him (grunt) plummeting down (grunt) to his death. I literally (grunt) watched myself (grunt) fall! Now (grunt), I've finally (grunt) met with arguably (grunt) the 2 most (grunt) important people (grunt) in my life (grunt) coming back to (grunt) me with (grunt) their child. And (grunt) you know what (grunt) I see? I see (grunt) another reason (grunt) to fight. Another (grunt) reason to strug-(grunt)-gle. I will (grunt) do what-(grunt)-ever it takes (grunt) to trudge through (grunt) and make it (grunt) possible for (grunt) you and Jared's son (grunt) to live in (grunt) a cycle of (grunt) peace, even (grunt) if it means (grunt) to ex-(grunt)-change my (grunt) entire exis-(grunt)-tance to (grunt) destroy those (grunt) bastards! I can't (grunt) let them (grunt) get to me and (grunt)there is no (grunt) way will I (grunt) show the universe of (grunt) a weakened John (grunt) Shepard just cause I won't talk (grunt) about my problems (grunt) or share my (grunt) traumas. I don't wantv(grunt) anyone else to be (grunt) burdened with (grunt) these thoughts (grunt) just cause (grunt) I had a few (grunt) sleepless nights. (grunt) I have to (grunt) be strong (grunt), Jane. I cannot (grunt) let myself (grunt) lose it (grunt) or I will fall. Everyone (grunt) is depending (grunt) on me!"
"And it does not (grunt) have to be (grunt) that way, (grunt) John!" Jane cut in, "Look (grunt) around you. (grunt) These people (grunt) who have followed (grunt) you through (grunt) thick (grunt) and thing. These people (grunt) from all walks (grunt) of life were (grunt) united and had (grunt) stood beside (grunt) you through (grunt) your hell. (grunt) They did not (grunt) run away from (grunt) the troubles, faced whatever (grunt) traumas you are (grunt) facing and they (grunt) still manage (grunt) to try and put (grunt) a smile on (grunt) that ugly mug (grunt) of yours (grunt) just so they know (grunt) you're still (grunt) you. You are (grunt) still John (grunt) Shepard; Spectre (grunt), Commander (grunt), Hero (grunt) and Friend. (grunt) You don't (grunt) need to (grunt) keep yourself the (grunt) anchor of all (grunt) realities of this (grunt) war. They are (grunt) there to help (grunt) lift the (grunt) burden, not ease (grunt) it, lift it. (grunt) We are here (grunt). Now (grunt) and always, (grunt) John."
Shepard paused and snapped his head to her, his face etched with caution, "You truly believed that?"
"I don't just believe it, I know it. And you know I'm always right." She paused as well and smiled.
Shepard shook his head, "You know, only you can turn a work-out into a therapy session."
"You're welcome," Jane replied, "Oh, and one thing." Jane lifted herself one more time and turn looked smugly at Shepard, "I win."
For a brief moment, it felt like time stopped. No one said anything until EDI confirmed that Jane had done the 183rd pull up, making Jane the winner. Realizing the fatigue from all the pull-ups coming back to the commander, he suddenly let go and fell flat on the floor. The entire room was burst with laughter. Jane let go of the bars. She turned to her best friend, smiling mischievously, "Now, about that punishment."
Shepard could only breath out one word to sum up his predicament. Shit
I still got some other fics to work on, so followers of my work, please enjoy this latest piece. I hope ya'll also review, for every comment/critic counts!
TILL NEXT TIME~