Curious Jealousy- a F!Shenko Fic

Chapter Six: Bitter Dance

The meeting with Udina hadn't gone as expected. Out of all the Councilors, Shepard hadn't, honestly, expected Spartacus to be the one to step forward- to be the most promising ally. It was when he started on about getting the Turians on their- on humans- side that Shepard wondered if she had truly ended up in some greasy back alley somewhere between Dark Star and the Presidium. Had she truly even made it to the Embassy the first time- let alone the second time?

As it was, she stopped by Purgatory (another lovely bar that didn't give a damn what species you were, what drinks you ordered, or if said drinks would kill you) and downed another three shots of Ryncol (Sobriety be damned,Shepard thought on her way to the Normandy). Her parents may have raised her on high moral grounds, but she was at the forefront of a war, losing (already lost?) the man she loved, and would have to broker a summit between the major species. Her mother would have to get over it and, her father...well...Shepard wasn't quite sure what she believed about the afterlife, so she wouldn't touch that.

After standard decon, Shepard poked her head into the cockpit. "Joker, we need to get to Palaven's moon- Menae- ASAP." She pursed her lips and then said, "Apien Crest, Trebia System."

Taking an obvious sniff, Joker nodded. "Aye-aye, Ma'am."

Heading to the elevator, Shepard ignored her head and went to the cargo bay instead of her loft (Who needs sleep?).

There was a man who was appealing. At probably six foot three- probably five- inches and muscles everywhere, he screamed alpha male. He was only two (okay, four if you counted the two years she was dead- but shedidn't) years younger than her and had the confidence that Kaidan had always lacked.

"You just going to stand there or d'you want to talk?" James asked, a challenge in his voice.

Shepard walked around and leaned on a bench while he did his pull-ups. "I thought I might come down and check up on you, but I might stay for the show."

James gave her a cocky smile. "All this time, and you still haven't figured out how to make me blush."

She shrugged and let her eyes study him from head-to-foot, hoping that it might cause her to feel something...anything. "Hasn't stopped me from trying though, has it?"

James let himself fall to the ground (not that it meant she didn't have to look up, she still did) and gave her an appreciative look. "While you keep thinking of something, how 'bout we dance, Lola."

"Finally, something I amgood at," she laughed, following him to the center of the cargo bay.

Without preamble, James threw a punch- which Shepard promptly avoided. "What was up with you and the major?" he asked.

She was so shocked at the question that James landed a punch squarely on her jaw. That was the good thing about James- he didn't pull his punched because she was a woman or because she was Commander Shepard. He did what soldiers were supposedto do- he hit her like she was just another grunt in the military.

"Can't say that I know what you're talking about, James," she hedged, throwing her own punch which he promptly blocked with his right arm (which felt more like a damn steel pipe).

"Give me a break, Lola!" he scoffed. "I've been hanging out with you for six months, he made you act different."

"You mean that you've been babysitting me."

"Potatoes potatas."

Shepard sighed and punched him in the cheek. "We used to serve together- back on the SR-1 and before I died. We were something like friends...we all were on the Normandy- family." She lowered her fists and looked at James hard. "We had something of a falling out on Horizon. He believed I was working with Cerberus because I wanted to- didn't even take into consideration that they had resources that I needed."

James took a step forward. "You loved him."

Not a question. It irritated Shepard that he hadn't phrased it as a question. As though she were so easy to read- as though she needed his kind words.

Raising her chin, Shepard shrugged. "Like I said, he was family. I loved them all- I still do. Joker, Chakwas, Liara, and all the others. There's one thing you need to know, James, now that you're aboard my ship- aboard the Normandy." She closed the distance between them and stood chest to chest with him and, in that moment, she was the one towering over James because she was unleashing the full Commander Shepardmode on him. "Now you're family and I will die protecting my family."

With those words said, she turned on her heel and headed back to the elevator. Maybe a few hours' sleep wouldn't kill her. As it was, those shots of Ryncol had wore off. Plus, she needed to feed her hamster.

Behind her, James rubbed his jaw and chuckled. Under his breath, he murmured, "Chica locadoesn't even know how far she's gone over him."

Then again, what could he say of denial?