Chapter 1

Miranda's eyes fluttered open from her sleep. As the sight of Shepard's quarters came into focus, she turned around to see Shepard still sleeping silently, and that she had one of her arms draped over him. Smiling, Miranda silently mused over how they could sleep together, a privilege so many couples across the galaxy took for granted. Before the second Normandy's defection from Cerberus, the whole ship was bugged except for the Engine Room, making that the only place where Shepard and Miranda could have moments of intimacy. But since their defection, Shepard and Miranda had removed every single bug on the ship, allowing them to now make love in each-other's quarters.

Miranda turned to the clock to see that it was time for both of them to get up. Gently turning Shepard around, she planted a kiss on his lips as a means of waking him up. When his eyes finally opened, he was greeted with the sight of her pretty face up close, her long dark hair untamed, mussed and unkempt from the previous night of intense love-making. He smiled. Truth be told he thought she was very attractive in her current state, but then again, he always thought that about her.

"Hey"

"Good morning Daniel" Miranda responded pleasantly. "Sleep well?"

"Very. What time is it?"

"Late enough"

"Ah. Probably time to get up then"

"Pity" Miranda replied, to which Shepard grinned. He extended a hand and pulled her face close to his.

"Then again, we could maybe go without breakfast"

Miranda chuckled lightly. "Don't be absurd. You wouldn't have the stamina to keep up with me"

"Want to test that theory?"

"If you think you're up for i—"

Shepard cut her off with a fierce and passionate kiss that he only deepened when she moaned in approval.

-X-

"Well I must say, "Commander" Miranda said in a sultry tone. "That was quite a pleasant way to spend a morning"

Shepard grinned in response to that. "See? I told you we could go without breakfast"

"Yes well, unfortunately, business now takes priority. As it is the Normandy received a message that you might be interested in"

Shepard nodded. "I'll take a look at it. In the meantime, have Mordin and Chakwas—"

"They're still running tests" Miranda said matter-of-factly. "Mordin says that the initial results should be ready soon"

Shepard nodded. "Good. Anyway, tell Garrus that Jacob's finished that new weapon he's been working on and that he wants Garrus to help test it"

Miranda nodded. "Understood commander"

She walked off, but as she did, Shepard called out to her: "And Miranda…"

Miranda stopped and turned around. "Yes?"

"Let's use your quarters next time"

Miranda made a very suggestive smirk in response to that.

-X-

Shepard went down to the CIC floor and accessed his private terminal. Indeed, he saw one new message, titled: "Something you might be interested in" Opening it, Shepard saw that it was from none other then David Anderson. Shepard read the message:

Shepard.

The rumors go that you're not with Cerberus anymore. I'm relieved if that's true, and I also thought you might be interested in something:

Not long after your visit to the Citadel the Council began receiving reports of abductions in the Terminus systems, namely Turian military officials operating out in the area. We thought it was Cerberus, but until recently we couldn't prove it. Now our intelligence networks have located a Cerberus cell on Invictus. It's a world the Turians have been trying to colonize for years. That Cerberus has a cell there just confirms that they're behind the abductions.

I don't know what Cerberus plans to do to them, but since you're still technically restricted to the Terminus Systems, I figure that you're our best chance at stopping whatever's going on down there.

Good luck Shepard

-Anderson.

Shepard finished reading the message and furrowed his brow in distaste at the news of Cerberus in the middle of yet another morally dubious act. He found himself regretting his decision to leave them less and less.

In any event, Anderson was right. Shepard was probably those Turians best bet of release from whatever hells Cerberus had in store for them. Recalling grimly what the Cerberus cell he had shut down during the hunt for Saren had done to an Alliance admiral just for trying to expose them, Shepard made this his new number one priority.

Going to the Galaxy Map, Shepard set a course for Invictus.

-X-

Shepard had gathered most of his team into the war room to brief them on what exactly was going on. Anderson hadn't exactly given a large amount of information, but Shepard shared what he knew regardless.

"…So the primary goal is to find the prisoners and get them out of there. Taking out the cell is a secondary goal"

Jack scoffed. "Please. I know Cerberus. Those sons of bitches probably killed them all already or worse. I say we just focus on blasting them all straight to hell"

Grunt, the genetically engineered Krogan nodded fiercely in agreement. "I'm with the crazy one. Burst in and crush their soft skulls into the earth. Let them die with some honor"

Shepard sighed. He supposed that this was the price to pay for having a Krogan super-soldier and a bloodthirsty Cerberus-hating biotic on his squad.

"No. If there is any chance that the prisoners are still alive, and there is" Shepard said that last bit to Jack who just snorted in annoyance. "…then we save them first. Then we can worry about shutting the cell down"

Miranda stepped forward: "We don't know much about this cell, or really anything for that matter, but I still recommend that I go with you. My experience with Cerberus cells could—"

Jack cut her off. "Yeah, "experience". My ass. You're just nostalgic for your old child-torturing friends" Jack accused.

Miranda rolled her eyes in response. "Don't be absurd. I'm not with Cerberus anymore. And as I recall, it was you who killed most of those children in the end. So if you don't mind cease your spiteful pettiness for at least a moment while those of us that care focus on the bigger picture"

Jack's biotics flared up at that moment as her fists clenched into balls and her teeth grinded fiercely together. Miranda braced herself for things to get ugly, but as had been the case before, Shepard stepped in-between them.

"Jack, stand down."

"Fuck off" came the predicted response. "I want to tear that bitch's head off! Its been a long time coming!"

"No." Shepard said forcefully. "No one is attacking or hurting any member of my crew. No one."

Jack snarled. "Why are you always defending her anyway? She's a Cerberus bitch! You saw what those bastards did to me! You—"

"Yes, I did. But that wasn't Miranda, and she's not even with Cerberus anymore. She is not your enemy…"

"Bullshit"

Shepard continued as if Jack hadn't said anything: "…and so you will not try to attack her again. That. Is. An order."

Jack scoffed. "I don't take orders remember?"

"You do on this ship if you don't want to be floating in space"

Jack made a dark smirk in response to Shepard's threat. "Nice to see you have some balls "commander" Jack replied in a tone that made Miranda want to punch her. But she stayed her hand.

"I think you've seen what I'm capable of by now" Shepard said in a tone that was as cold as Miranda had ever seen him.

By now, the others were all witnessing the altercation, silent but clearly not at ease, save Grunt, who looked almost disappointed when it became clear that there would be no fight between the two Biotic ladies.

Jack nodded in response to what Shepard said, shot one last venomous look at Miranda and then stormed off, muttering a litany of curses under her breath. Shepard turned back to face the rest of his team. "I'll deal with her later. For now though, we have a job to do. Miranda, I agree with what you said earlier, so you're on the team. Garrus, you're coming too"

Garrus nodded silently in agreement.

"All right then, we're done here"

And with that, the rest of the crew filed out, Jacob only stopping to do his usual salute. Once only Shepard and Miranda remained, Miranda snarled and angrily hit the wall with a biotic charged fist.

Shepard walked over to her. "Hey, easy, easy. Don't do that"

Miranda turned around to face him, her pretty face taking on an expression of extreme anger that he hadn't seen on her too many times. It was never a good day when it showed up.

"Shepard, Jack is an unstable and psychotic individual who I wouldn't trust if my life depended on it" Miranda said hotly.

Shepard held up a hand. "Miranda, I know you don't like or her, or trust her, but I really would appreciate it if you two could one day work this out. I can't keep coming between you two like this and solving all of your problems for you forever. You need to learn to live with each-other"

Miranda scoffed in contempt. "So long as she does her job well and doesn't try to kill me, I have no problem with her. I can do my job fine without trouble. It's that feral animal you should be concerned about."

"Miranda, that isn't fair and you know it. Jack's been through hell…"

Miranda gave him an ice-cold glare eerily reminiscent of the look she had had when she had shot Wilson dead at the Lazarus Station. "We've all been through our own private hells Shepard" Miranda said darkly. "You, me, Jacob, Vakarian, Mordin, all of us. But none of us carry it with us everywhere we go"

"I don't think that's true Miranda." Shepard responded. "I think we've all been carrying a lot of emotional baggage around. Some of its been thrown off recently, but not all. Look, I'm not saying that Jack's justified to act the way she does, or that its not unpleasant to have to listen to because believe me, it is. But she's had it worse then most, and she's also had no positive role-model or moderating influence in her life. She has no way to deal with her problems constructively or even how to cope properly. She's almost child-like like that, mentally at least"

Miranda sighed in exasperation. There were times when she admired Shepard's almost saintly ability to see both sides of the argument and extend at least some sympathy to all parties. Now was not one of those times. What Shepard said had merit, she knew that, but the petty and angry side of her was incredulous that he would sympathize with Jack like he was.

"Look," he said, seeing the anger on her face. "I'm not asking you to become friends with her, or even try to do anything right now. Just think about what I said though, please?"

Miranda sighed deeply but nevertheless nodded in agreement. "Very well Daniel. I will"

He smiled. "That's all I can ask for"

Shepard pulled her close to him and they kiss one another passionately, relief of sensual pleasure consuming them and washing away the stress of the last few moments.

Author's Note: And that's the first chapter. I think most people can see where this is going. Still, I hope that you all enjoy it all the same.