The Making of a Commander (Prequel to "At Long Last") Mass Effect Fan Fiction

Time Marches On

 Days turned into week, weeks into months. Tara had left, and Jane became more intent on graduating top of her class, and being referred to the "N" program. She spent her days pushing herself to her limits, and at night she made love to Grave with just as much ferocity. Two months before graduation, Grave turned in his list with the names of the five recruits he was referring to the "N" program, Jane was in the top three. He is hoping that this along with her being valedictorian of her class, will ease the pain of what he will be telling her tonight. His future Bond-Mate will be here in just over a month, and Jane will need to move from his quarters, and they will need to stop all physical contact giving her scent time to dissipate. He knew he should have told her sooner, but each time he had himself convinced to tell her, he would talked himself out of it, now there is no more time to procrastinate. He knew this was not going to end well.

Later that night, Grave was in his quarters pacing back and forth reciting over and over the speech he had planed, when Jane burst into the room pulling off her boots and cloths then rushing to him removing his shirt. "Jane, we need to talk, there is something I have to discus with you." He said as she slipped his pants to the ground. "later." She huffed then jumped into his arms wrapping her legs around his waist. Grave felt his plates shift, as he carried her to the bed. He laid her down, and slowly made love to her. He caressed every inch of her body, tasting her juices, inhale her scent, and allowing himself to linger inside her long than he ever had. He imprinted every inch of her beauty and strength to his memory knowing well this will be the last time they would be together.

"WOW!" Jane gasped, "That was amazing." she rolled over, and nuzzled up to him. Grave didn't move, he just laid there looking up at the ceiling. Jane could feel his heart beat quicken. "Is something wrong?" She questioned. Grave moved from her embrace, and sat on the edge of the bed. "Get dress, we need to talk." Grave stood, and walked over to his cloths, and began putting them on. Jane got quiet as she stood and slipped her pants, and shirt back on, then walked over to the couch and sat down facing Grave sitting in a chair across from her. She looked down by his feet, and saw her duffel bag. "What is this about?" She only barely managed to get the words out. Grave handed her a copy of the letters sent between him and General Victus. "Right after the first night we spent together, I searched for a way to end this contract without bringing dishonor to myself and my family." He lowered his head. "I have been unsuccessful, I am sorry Jane, if I had a choice...but I don't" Jane just sat there unable to speak, she was having a hard time processing everything. He did tell her in the very beginning, it was only for sex, but she was sure it had meant more. She stood, and walked over to him. His head still down she lifted his chin so she could look into his eyes. They were red and watery, she saw sadness, and regret then she smiled, she knew she was more to him than just a distraction. Grave stood up, and wrapped his arms around her. "I am so sorry Jane." He whimpered. "So am I" she said as she let him go, then reached down and picked up her duffel bag, she kissed him on his cheek then turned, and walked out the door. Jane slowly walked into the dorm, and up to an empty bed. Every recruits eye was on her, but no one said a word as they watched her empty the content of her bag into a locker. She wasn't sure how she was feeling, there were so many emotions going through her head. She was angry, sad, hurt, and she felt alone. She missed Tara so much right now, it was almost unbearable. She laid herself on her cot, burying her head in her pillow, and cried herself to sleep.

The next three weeks were just as hard for Grave as they were for Jane. More than once, they both had to stop themselves from running into each others arms. More often than not, at night when Grave couldn't seep he would open his window that face the field to try and catch Jane's scent as she would run the track late into the night dropping to her knees ever so often, and sobbing. More than once Grave would run from his room onto the field stopping just short of reaching her. She would glance over at him, stand, and walk away. Two weeks before graduation, Jane received her notifications that she is graduating Valedictorian at the top of her class along with being excepted into the "N" program. She knew this was not her hard work alone that got her where she was, but also because of Graves recommendations. Jane grabbed her letters, and rushed to the mess hall where Grave was sitting at his table. She slowly walked in front of him held up her letter, and smiled. Grave nodes, and smiled back. His eyes never left her as she turned and walked back out the mess hall door. A week before graduation, Grave and Jane were on the field with the rest of the recruits. Everyone turned as a shuttle landed just south of the track. Grave looked at the shuttle, then over at Jane. She smiled, and nodes at him. He walked over, saying something to his second in command, then walked to the shuttle. That was the last time Jane saw him until the night of graduation. Jane had just finished at the showers, when she saw Grave walking into her dorm carrying a bouquet of roses. Jane's eyes went wide, she hadn't seen roses since she was a girl. She hid just outside the door as she watched him tie two ribbons around the stems of the roses one gray ribbon the color of his eyes, and a green one that matched the color of her's, then he placed the bouquet on her cot. She waited until he left through the exit on the far side of the room before she entered through the door rushing to her gift. She lifted the roses to her nose, and inhaled, a card fell to the ground, she reached down picked it up and opened it. "My dear little Varren, I can not express how proud I am of you, and you should be just as proud of yourself. You deserve whatever your heart desires, I only wish I could have been by your side as you reach N-7 status as I know you will. I will always keep your memory in a special place in my heart, and I hope you will remember me as fondly as I will you. You are always in my thoughts. "G." Jane held the note to her heart, then untied the two ribbon, grabbed her cap and gown then headed back to the bathrooms.