Fire on the Horizon

Chapter 25: Mending Bridges

Kaidan was standing at the docking bay entrance to the Normandy. He wanted to make sure he could talk to Jane without being interrupted. He knew she had checked on Thane and that he had passed peacefully. He knew she had visited someone in the apartments above the commons. She had also talked to someone about medical supplies, and wow he felt like a stalker. Truthfully he had viewed her public itenary in the spectre system.

He finally caught sight of her walking towards the docking area. The doors opened and she smiled at him.

"Kaidan, hey. I wondered where you went. What's up?."

He had a whole speech ready for her, but instead he got off on the topic of integrity. Did he act with integrity when he took out Udina.

Shepard listened.

"If I hadn't backed down first, I feel like you would have taken me out."

Jane winced a bit. "I trusted you Kaidan. I knew you would listen."

Kaidan spoke for a bit longer then popped the question. Joining the Normandy. Jane agreed. The honesty of it was she had to think about the betterment of the mission. She needed what Kaidan could bring as a soldier. She needed him on her team, not just on a team.

"Shepard, I want you to know I'll never doubt you again."

They shook on it and Kaidan turned. They walked onto the Normandy together talking. It was nice for a few minutes. She was catching him up on what had happened and what was about to happen.

"We received a call to go meet with the quarian fleet. They need us, but I'm not entirely sure why. I'm sure, though I'm hoping it doesn't, have to do with the geth. We have a few stops along the way that we need to take. In fact, I need to check in with Aria as well as Liara. They both have a major task they need me to hande. "

As they walked down the halls talking, Joker turned his chair. He saw them walk through the CIC and shook his head. He thought of Jane as a sister, and the brother in him wanted to beat the holy hell out of Kaidan. Well, if it wouldn't lead to him shattering into a billion pieces in a very dramatic way. He would talk to her later though. Oh yes, there would be severe talking.

Joker watched as Jane paused in front of the map and Kaidan stood next to her. They were clearly talking about the next stops that were up as Jane pointed at the different areas of the map. That's when he saw it. A total facial expression change on Kaidan. A few minutes later he walked off the CIC and into the lift. Jane looked up at Joker and cringed a little as she started walking towards him. She got to the cockpit and actually took a seat next to him since EDI was handling things elsewhere in the ship.

Joker shook his head. "Young lady, you know there will be a talk when I am off duty."

That made Jane laugh a bit. "What did I do?"

"How about we start with the new addition to the crew? What is going on?"

Jane sighed and shifted a bit. She started playing and fiddling with something on the console in front of her.

"He wanted to join the crew. I felt like it was a good option. He is a good soldier. He can handle himself on the battlefield. He..."

Joker jumped in. "He points his firearm at his former Commander, former fiance, and now current Commander. What?!? All admirable traits right? I get you. Continue."

Jane frowned at him and shook her head. "Just play nice. You two have never been the best of friends. I understand. He is here as a member of the crew. Nothing more."

Joker made a scoffing noise. "So, what did you say that made mister cut out of cream cheese upset?"

She sighed "He asked if we could meet for dinner in the mess tonight. I told him that I wasn't sure. I was too comfortable and said the truth instead of the professional answer."

"The truth? So you told him that you would be rolling around with a half naked turian and couldn't make it for meatloaf surprise?"

Shepard laughed and caught herself. "Stoppppp. I wasn't that forward with him. I just told him that I needed to check in with a few people and Garrus and I had plans. Which is true. He has a plan that I am having my mandatory time to be left alone tonight. He still is on medical guard duty according to Chakwas."

She shifted in her chair. "He didn't like that. I think it was a bit of a shock. Anyway, he went to get his bags and items from the docking bay and move them into crew quarters."

Joker turned back to the console and nodded. Jane stood up and went to walk away. "Let me know when we get close to the fleet."

Joker called over his shoulder. "No problem. Just let me know if you need anything. Someone to talk to, bandages for when a turian takes that stick up his ass and beats a certain someone to death with it, cookies, milk, you know whatever."