Miranda spent most of her time fixing Shepard and all the mechanical stuff in her limbs. It gave her a lot of time with the commander. And with it a lot of thoughts she had tried to rid from mind. She had lost count of how many times Shepard had injured herself or how many times the electronics malfunctioned. It was as if Shepard's body rejected the alterations. That or the original Shepard had bones made of titanium, and flesh made of some alien material. With each operating session they grew closer.

Miranda listened to Jane talk about her old crew. She listened to how Shepard had felt and experienced all the missions she had only read reports of. She noticed how much Shepard actually left out of the official reports, which were always straight to the point and almost clinical in nature, compared to the emotion Shepard showed when she talked about her firsthand experience. All the lives lost that Shepard blamed herself for.

When that topic was exhausted she started asking questions about Shepard's old crew. Jane was more than glad to share. A little to glad. Miranda couldn't help but hang onto the adjectives Jane used to describe Liara and especially how fondly she talked about Tali. Jealousy was now a feeling Miranda knew very intimately. But her walls kept them contained. And she successfully averted any advance. For a while after the window incident Shepard continued to flirt relentlessly. Until she didn't.

Another feeling Miranda didn't know beforehand made itself present. Saudade, as she had figured out after some research, the feeling of longing for something you love after it's gone. After a week she was certain that, that was the exact emotional state she found herself in. Longing for Shepard's flirty nature. When it was directed at her of course.

A month of no flirting and she finally understood that it wouldn't just go away with time. She woke up every morning wanting to stay close to Shepard, and at the same time avoid her like the plague. So, she focused on work and the training sessions. It got easier to hide her growing feelings, and then it got harder, and then it got easier again. A regular old emotional rollercoaster. But when Jacob started in on trying to get closer again, she thought she had lost Shepard for good. Shepard and Jacob talked more and more and became something akin to friends. Could it be because Shepard had told him that she didn't want her anymore?

All the confusion she felt and couldn't navigate escalated until the day Shepard finally woman-ed up and forced her to see through the fog that was her emotions.

"JACOB GO LEFT, FLANK THE COLOSSUS. MIRANDA, STAY IN COVER ONCE YOU GET UP TOP AND WAIT FOR MY ORDER!" Shepard yelled out as she took out two more projections.

The training scenario this time was Virmire inspired. Shallow clear water, sandy ground, rocky valleys and green trees. Their location was a facility inspired by a place well known to Shepard. The Krogan cloning facility where Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko gave his life to save the rest of the team.

Shepard had requested the scenario to everyone's surprise. With the explanation that she needed to meet her demons head-on and deal with them. It didn't go as well as she had hoped. Shepard was angry at herself, which she took out with hard orders to both Jacob and Miranda. Yet they didn't seem too affected by her mood, they carried out the orders with deadly precision despite the tone.

Jacob ran left from their hiding spot, Miranda ran back towards the area they came from towards a ladder, while Shepard laid down cover fire and distracted the colossus.

Once Jacob hit the next cover he ducked down and ran hunched over toward the transmission tower to get up to a vantage point. From there he could take out the large target in the middle of the open spaced area in front of the team. As he ran up the ramp he was met with heavy resistance, shielded geth and rocket troopers. He sent a shockwave into the group that was meant to throw some of them off the platform, but their shields absorbed the impact, as a result Jacob took a few hits which, if he wasn't in a simulation, would have taken him down.

"I'm down Shep, sorry" Jacobs voice sounded through the comms.

Miranda met a similar situation, once she had climbed the ladder to the top part of the facility. Multiple geth troopers was dropped in from above as soon as she got situated. She managed to take down two of the seven troopers before they tore her shields apart and sent her down for the count.

"Same here Shep. Time to see if your upgrades can handle a little pressure and if they're combat ready." Miranda firmly said in her sexy Australian accent, which made Shepard smile and focus even harder on the fight. Jane always liked the bossy Miranda.

Sorry Shepard, I'll do better next time. For you. Miranda thought to herself. On the outside she kept up appearances and stayed cold and calculating. On the inside she was dying to get the flirty Shepard back.

"Please don't shock me again. Please don't shock me again. Please don't shock me again." Jane repeated to herself, thinking about their training session a few days back. It had hurt like hell when her right arm had shocked her to unconsciousness due to faulty wiring between the Element Zero infused metals and the pressurized joints.

Shepard discarded her assault rifle in favor of a shotgun. She then charged towards the geth at the transmission tower, as soon as she got out of the charge field she unloaded the shotgun into the group of enemies. Three targets went down before the shotgun hissed and ejected the heatsink. Before she reloaded she warped the shields of the last two targets and knocked them off the platform with a push of biotics. She had managed to take them all down before they got a clean shot in, her shields had been drained in the process though.

The troopers from Mirandas location had a clear view to the tower and started firing towards Shepard. She was hit in the shoulder by one and in the leg by another. The simulation electrified her muscles to feign real wounds. Jane threw herself behind a short wall, landing heavily on her good shoulder and finished reloading her shotgun. From her position she pulled at Jacobs leg and dragged him into cover. She administered a dose of medi-gel. A few seconds later Jacobs suit stopped the muscle lock-up and he was combat-ready again. He knelt behind the cover and used a biotic pull to get his weapon back he had dropped on the ramp.

"We're at a disadvantage here Shep, these troopers are at the highest difficulty setting to best simulate a real combat zone. It would be best to retreat to another location and take them down from two sides." Jacob suggested in heavy breathing. Jane surveyed the area.

Two troopers had stayed at Mirandas vantage point, with sights trained directly towards her and Jacob. The three other geth had gotten down to ground level and split into three positions. The colossus had moved towards another more secure location on the opposite side of the facility.

"They are trying to flank us and box us in, we have to split up. Get over to the railing and jump down, the supporting concrete below us should hide you from the geth but not the colossus. I'll distract the colossus if you can take out the two up top." Shepard ordered, Jacob nodded once.

"Okay on three. One. Two. Go!" she yelled and jumped out from her cover while Jacob followed her orders.

Jane charged a barrier around her armor, an ability she had trouble with since she had gotten her upgrades. It wasn't perfect, but it held up well against the colossus that had charged a plasma ball and fired it in her direction. She felt the impact deep in her bones, it rattled her skull and made her vision blur and her head swimming. Jane shook herself out of the daze and unhooked a grenade from her belt which she threw towards the leftmost geth trooper on the ground. Without looking she ran down the ramp dodging geth bullets and left to get out of the field of vision from the colossus.

She must have been hit harder than expected because her left leg was wobbling beneath her and her foot felt heavy. She ignored the sensation and slid in behind a rocky pillar. Jacob had already taken out the troopers up top while they had focused on Shepard running across the field, and now he was trying to avoid getting flanked by the last two geth on the ground. Shepard noticed another three targets incoming on her shortrange-vicinity-radar. They came from behind an opening in the rock wall behind Jacob, but she couldn't see them directly.

"Jacob behind you, I'll try to slow them down, but be ready!" She huffed out as she charged her favorite biotic ability, a singularity. But she had to throw it in a curve without hitting any obstacles on the way. She made a few quick calculations and decided that a right hand upwards curve had the highest possibility to succeed. It went flying with a beautiful blue tail behind it. Before it even hit Shepard had turned and ran parallel with the walkway the colossus was standing on.

She heard the singularity go off with a whump and a few shots go off. Jacob was an excellent soldier, even if she didn't personally like his connection with Miranda, she still thought of him as friend material, they shared a lot of the same ideas and were both loyal to their beliefs. A trait she found admirable even with the difference in who they were loyal to.

Jane reached the end of the walkway, jumped and twisted in the air as she sent a warp field towards the colossus. She hit it square in its targeting sensors. Shepard hadn't accounted for the colossus to be ready with another plasma projectile so soon. It hit her in the middle of the chest and down she went.

"FUCK!" She yelled and threw her weapon away in anger as the simulation flickered and the projections turned to blue wireframes and then finally disappearing. Jacob came running over, panting slightly and shot out a hand.

"We almost had them this time Shepard." He smiled as she took his hand and got pulled to her feet.

"It still wasn't good enough." She grumbled and stretched her leg, her foot still felt heavy.

"No, it wasn't. But that's what the training is for. Nice curveball back there, half a step to the left and you'd have hit the group straight on, seems like you're getting used to controlling your biotics through the eezo metals." He patted her shoulder still with a dumb grin on his lips.

"Always the optimist huh. But yeah, I've been feeling more at ease with it lately. Although I think my left foot is busted again. It feels like it doesn't react to my commands properly." Jane looked down at it and tried to make a circle motion with it. It jerked a bit when it was pointing left.

"Follow me Shepard we need to fix this right away to avoid breaking it completely." Miranda said clinically from behind them.

"You're a ray of sunshine today. Alright, let's go. Jacob dear would you please come and help me if I'm not back in a couple of hours. And tell my mom I love her please." The redheaded commander joked as she followed Miranda out of the dark blue simulation room.

"You got it commander. See you two later." Jacob waved and went towards the backwall with all the computers. On his way he picked up the practice weapons to deposit them in the hangers next to the consoles.

Miranda kept herself a few steps in front of Jane to avoid having her in her field of vision.

Why aren't you saying anything? You are so quiet these days. Did I really make you believe I wasn't interested? Or are you just waiting for me to make a move? Why is this so difficult to figure out? I wish I knew what to do with myself. With you. Miranda thought to herself.

After the first week or two of relentless flirting, which Miranda didn't indulge Shepard in. Jane had stopped her advances. And that more than a month ago. On one hand Miranda counted herself lucky she didn't have to deal with it, but a part of her missed it immensely. Ultimately it meant that Shepard had gotten the hint that she wouldn't be interested. Or at least the illusion that she wasn't interested. And then Shepard had gone and befriended Jacob. It just made the whole situation even more volatile since Jacob also notice the flirting had stopped. And now he had been doubling his efforts to get on her good graces again. Curse her genetically enhanced body, which she was sure was the reason for Jacobs interest at this point.

"Hey Miranda, can you tell me why I feel this tingling in my neck when I charge my biotics?" Shepard asked as she went over the specs of her mechanic parts on her omni tool.

"Here let me see that." Miranda instinctively said and took Shepard's hand in her own to turn the omni tool her way. It wasn't intentional, and Miranda didn't even notice that, once she had a clear view of the omni tool and could let go of the Commanders hand she didn't.

"Hmm, I see. Look, your biotics are still overheating the joints. It's not a major problem right now since it's only a few degrees above the norm, but it's enough to create the tingling sensation. If it compromises your focus I can look at it while we get your ankle fixed." Miranda explained, and she soon noticed her hand was still holding onto Shepard's. She immediately let go and continued towards the medical bay.

Jane was stunned for a moment before gathering her wits again. She tried to catch up to Miranda with her broken foot which proved more difficult than she first thought it would be. The commander couldn't help it, her eyes followed the bouncing hair, it looked so silky soft even after a hard training session. Her curves were captivating, and Shepard couldn't stop herself from following them down to her hips.

Thank whatever celestial being that made tight leather suits! Okay, relax. But look at her, what do I have to do to make her mine? She does seem to be impervious to your cocky charm… That's true. But look at her, she's already on the verge of breaking out of that "I'm straight"-shell… Hmm, you should still give her time to figure it out on her own, in the end it's still her that must admit it to herself… Right, but I can still look right? Yes, please don't ever stop looking! Wait, shit she turned around and now she knows you were checking her out.

Miranda hadn't been able to stop her internal battle with herself, and once they arrived at the operating table, or rather chair, she turned around. Noticing how Shepard's eyes were focused on her ass she tried getting Janes attention. After calling her name a couple of times and Jane still didn't react she got a little worried.

"Shepard? Are you feeling alright?" Miranda asked in that same clinical voice she always used when it was doctor time, but this time she had just the tiniest blush going. If Shepard's eyes were normal she wouldn't have notice it, but these new ones could discern colors from each other more precisely than any humans could.

"Huh, you were saying?" Shepard blinked once and focused on Mirandas eyes.

"You're impossible you know. Get on the chair and let's get this over with." And I find myself kind of liking the effect I have on you. And lately these thoughts have been less scary, and more, alluring. Okay, you can do this. It's just Shepard. And her skin. Her soft, soft skin. FOCUS!

Jane did as she was asked and hopped on the chair. Once she was seated Miranda started to delicately pull off the few armor pieces Jane had on with trembling hands. A pair of shoulder pads, chest and back armor and knee/shin pieces. The one on Janes left leg was the first go for obvious reasons. Miranda was extremely careful today which got Jane wondering. Had it been a minor injury Miranda would have been more careless and gotten it done quickly. But now she was shaking and operating slower than usual.

The commander remembered a particularly dreadful day where she had royally pissed off the bombshell. Jane had tried lifting the Mako while testing her biotics. It hadn't gone as planned. Jane managed to lift it just enough to make the suspension relax, then all hell broke loose when her arm started to smell burnt and her head began pounding as if it was hit with a hammer. Miranda wasn't happy when Shepard had to tell her what she was doing. The catsuit Australian had jammed the scalpel hard into her forearm, cut all the way down from elbow to wrist, peeled back the skin and dug around inside, without waiting for Shepard to prepare herself. Not even waiting for the anesthesia to take effect.

But with the foot thing she was too careful, too delicate. The omni tool that was built into Shepard's arm kept track of her vitals. Right now, it was monitoring her heartbeat, and the beat kept increasing in frequency the longer Jane spent coming up with horrific scenarios as to why her doctor was so careful in her current procedure instead of fast and effective as she usually was.

"Relax Commander." Miranda softly said without looking away from the injured foot.

"I'm trying" Jane replied as she laid back in the chair and closed her eyes.

"Then why is your heartbeat rising?" Please let it be because of me. Really Miranda? Yes!

"You're being too careful... That means something is worse than you though." Jane worriedly said.

"Hmm, you're not entirely wrong." It's not your foot, it's your head, Idiot. Just notice how I'm struggling with this, thing, and help me out! You're pathetic Miri. I know.

"Come on, that's not funny. What is going on." Jane asked anxiously.

"We may have to amputate." Miranda said seriously, Jane relaxed once she heard that.

"Ah, well, you can just build another foot, can't you?"

"Really Commander? That doesn't concern you?" Miranda had to look up at Jane, confusion marring her features.

"Uh, no? I mean take a look at this x-ray," Jane gestured to the omni to emphasize her point, "I can just get another one made right?" She asked oblivious to Mirandas intentions of making a joke.

"…" Miranda groaned and dropped her gaze to the foot again, "The one time I try making a joke to ease myself into this and she takes my words at face value and ruins my conviction so easily." She mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Jane curiously asked.

"Nothing Commander, lay back and relax this is going to sting." Miranda sighed, then proceeded to cut a small incision between the tibia and the talus bones.

How can you be this dense Shepard?

Jane clenched her jaw and focused on laying still despite the uncomfortable feeling.

"Ah I see what's wrong here." Miranda said out loud, "We have to replace the loadbearing ball-joint in here. It's fractured, most likely from the increased stress on your body when leaving the warped space around you during a biotic charge. I really thought this alloy would hold up better. At this rate we have to replace parts once a month which is far from ideal." Miranda said as much to herself as she said it to Shepard.

"That would be a waste of time in the long run." Shepard agreed.

"We need to find someone with the expertise to craft a stronger alloy to avoid something like this in the future." Miranda said as she propped up Shepard's leg in a brace meant to hold it still.

"Didn't Timmy send us dossiers on multiple experts in different areas?"

"Yes he did, what are you thinking? Mordin?"

"Exactly, I know he's not really known for his mechanic skills but he's one of the smartest scientists among a race that is known for their intelligence. He should be able to come up with something that is strong enough right?" Shepard looked at Miranda creasing her brows together in thought, she couldn't quite place it but when Miranda was concentrated and focused she had this glow about her. Something Shepard could get used to look at. The thought opened up for more scenarios. Miranda sitting on Janes couch reading a book in nothing but her jammies. Miranda building one of the many model ships Jane planned on getting for her collection, again in pajamas. Miranda failing at cooking and then getting annoyed only to try again and again, in the same outfit.

"Miranda?" Shepard prodded.

"Yes Commander." She raised a single eyebrow.

"I kind of want to see you in pajamas." Jane said, which was not what she had meant to say, but her thoughts had infected her words.

Oh god, did she really just say that? STOP ARGUING WITH ME. YOU. US! Whatever, and say something, this is the perfect transition to broach the subject of… of… Say it… Of romance.

"I sleep in the nude, so that's not going to happen" She said flatly. Is this the way you flirt? How did anyone ever stand being in a relationship with you? They didn't, remember? Right…

"… W-what? How can you say something like that with a straight face?" Shepard spluttered.

"Did I finally manage to fluster the great Commander Shepard?" Miranda said smugly and smirked casting a quick glance at Jane. Nonono, don't patronize her, be sexy Miranda, not smug!

"No… Fine, yes you did..." Shepard groaned and hid her face behind her hands. A silent moment passed between them. Both women wanted to say something. Jane was tired of acting like she didn't want Miranda. And Miranda was contemplating what Shepard's lips felt like against her own more than she wanted to admit. But none of them said anything, much to the others dismay.

Look at what you did, you have to say it now, otherwise you'll just get cold feet. NO, don't do it. The Operative tried to stop herself, but she utterly and totally failed. Come on Miranda, this is the perfect opportunity! Shut up! No, do it now!

"Shepard?" No stop, veer off this path.

"Mmm."

"Can I…" No don't say it, you'll have to live with the embarrassment for eternity... SHUT UP! You are no longer in charge!

"Can you what?" Shepard asked from under her hands in embarrassment.

For a few agonizing seconds the heartbeat monitor started beeping faster again. Jane was sure that Miranda was finally going to come out of her shell.

"Nevermind…" The Australian finally said as she went back to her task. Coward.

Jane couldn't keep up the act any longer, if Miranda hadn't done anything by now she would have to nudge her. Just a little.

"Miranda…" She started, and the Australians hands stopped any and all movement. Frozen in place Miranda mentally prepared herself to answer what she knew would come. "…we've been skating around this for a while now. Just. Just tell me what's going to happen with us. Tell me what you want." Jane carefully pried her hands from her face and forced herself to look Miranda directly in the eyes. The simulation of Virmire had drudged up more memories than intended, she had believed herself to be ready to face it. Questions she would never get answered brought with them a load of regret. And this thing with Miranda wasn't something she ever wanted to associate with regret. She had to ask. She had to know.

Miranda looked at the green color she herself had chosen. She was silent as she contemplated all the stuff that had happened between them during the last two months.

The brushing of hands. The longing looks they sent to each other when the other wasn't paying attention. Jane's relentless pursuing. And when she stopped all together. The intimate sessions on the operating table when Shepard injured herself. Well, intimate is a bit of a stretch. But that was the only time they were totally alone together. A mumbling Jane talking in her sleep. The occasional sound of Mirandas name in the moments when Shepard was unconscious. She knew she wasn't alone in dreaming of the other. But her lack of knowledge in these matters made her scared of what it could bring. Miranda had a million reasons to shoot her down, yet one very big reason not to. And now Shepard was here, asking her directly what she wanted. And Miranda tried to say that she wanted her. But it came out all wrong. "I don't know Shepard." When Shepard deflated she began berating herself straight away.

*sigh* You're just as impossible as Jane is. Tell me about it. You should have said "You Shepard, you're hat I want. Please ravage me" instead you went with, "I don't know", if I could kick your ass I would. Before she could completely ruin her own self-esteem, Shepard grabbed her belt.

"Well I know what I want." Shepard said with conviction as she pulled Miranda towards her, making her drop the tools she had in her hands. Miranda stumbled and bumped her hip on the chair as she fell halfway over Shepard. With their faces inches away from each other Miranda could see the shutter-like pupils of Shepard's eyes hone in on her lips.

This is it Miranda… I know!

She closed the short gap and fell into a state bliss she didn't know existed. She lifted herself up on the chair and straddled Janes hips. Janes hands tangled in her hair as their lips wrestled and tried to take the lead. Miranda had braced herself with a hand on each of Janes shoulders. Both women lost in each other after a two-month build-up.

See. Was that so hard? They both thought in unison.

A/N: Some time has passed, the urgent missions was put on hold due to Shepard having issues with her new body parts. I always have a problem with protagonists being impervious to damages, and if they get injured they always bounce back quickly. This process of Shepard training and malfunctions happening seemed more in tune with reality. Plus, I didn't want to spent multiple chapters/updates on telling about each time she got injured and fixed. So yeah, this is what happened instead.

Love Mr. Turtle