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Today was like any other day... or so thought Joker.
He woke up beside Shepard and was able to get up without waking her. Took his shower and went to the cockpit and his so appreciated chair without bothering to eat breakfast because he knew Shepard would bring him his coffee and something to eat when she got up to eat her own breakfast. And probably they would end up eating together here despite EDI multiple complains about crumbs on the floor.
But then they received an urgent distress call coming from Grissom Academy and EDI had to wake Shepard, something that Joker hated because he knew how little sleep she was getting, and then there was all the commotion of getting to the academy ASAP and gathering the ground team for debriefing and everything else. Of course between all that breakfast was forgotten.
To Joker surprise Shepard left Garrus on the Normandy and instead took James and Javik with her. But what really really surprised him was seeing her staying behind in the fight and taking care of the bad guys with her sniper rifle instead of going to the heat of the fight and break skulls with her shotgun like usual. Something was odd…
James was the same as usual in Joker’s opinion but Javik was acting weird. He made her dove into cover pretty much every time someone started shooting at them and killed first the ones who were targeting her.
She wasn’t hurt. Joker had checked her readings twice in less than thirty seconds just to be sure. The rest of the mission kept going in this same beat. Expect for when they found Jack and she, out of love, punched Shepard. And then when they were almost done, when Joker was already getting the Normandy in position for pick up and took his eyes out of the video, Shepard was shot. Nothing serious for what he could tell but his heartbeat started racing out of fear nonetheless.
When the ground team got to the Normandy James carried Shepard to the med bay as quickly as he could and Joker was sure he heard Shepard scream to EDI saying that the elevator needed to go faster.
As soon as Joker was sure that the Normandy was safely away of harm he let EDI take control and raced to the med bay. His heart clenched at the memory of Shepard scream and he almost felt like the floor disappeared under his feet. The ride to the crew deck seemed slower than ever and he shared the need to scream at EDI like Shepard had done hours ago. When he finally got to the med bay and saw her sleeping soundly everything seemed to disappear. He barely heard the doctor talk besides the part that said “she is fine and with rest she will be okay.” He didn’t even noticed when he got so close to her, his feet moving on his own, and he just kissed her forehead and let himself relax for the first time since she went to the academy.
He wasn’t sure how much time he spent there just like that but he was sure it was more than what it felt like because his stomach was almost screaming for food. Haltingly he left her side to grab something to eat and return to the cockpit. She would be mad if she knew he had left his duties untended because of her and after this getting her mad was the last thing he wanted to do.
He set course to the Citadel sure that they all needed some shore leave and it would take a day or two before Chakwas could clear Shepard for active duty.
After getting everything in order he started checking for somewhere to take his beloved commander to dinner. They were together for almost and year now, counting with the 6 months they were apart because of her trial, and he didn’t remember the last time they spent together outside the ship. Not that the time they spent together in the Normandy was bad, it was quite good, and it became even better after he moved to her quarters… long sessions of lovemaking, cuddling and so much more. But between missions and calls and everything else they hadn’t enjoyed a real date like normal people. And she deserved it. She deserved to be more than THE commander.
So he got reservations for one of her favorite restaurants and asked Liara to pick up a dress for her. She wouldn’t be up to dinner tonight he was sure. But tomorrow he would drag her there if needed.
When they docked she was already up and sending everyone to a much needed shore leave making her way from the hangar to the crew deck slowly making sure everyone left until the only ones in the ship was herself and Joker.
Joker was waiting for her and when he saw her he smiled. That smile that made her heart beat faster. Her movements were careful, too aware of her wound even when she hugged her beloved close. He too was careful when he rested one hand one her waist and the other came to her neck and started soothing her with almost lazy movement of his fingers. He felt her relax against him and moving closer to him, still careful, and after pressing a soft kiss on his cheek she hid her face in the curve of his neck.
She was the first to break the silence saying they needed to talk and her body stiffened a little again. When she took a step back moving away from him and he saw her eyes he understood this was serious and would take some time. She pushed him gently until he was sitting on his chair again and she slowly and carefully sat in his legs. He resumed the soothing movements this time on her back and let his other hand rest against her thigh and he waited because he knew that when she was ready she was going to start speaking.
Her eyes were closed and she took deep breaths while enjoying his touch. She stayed like this for minutes until she felt prepared to talk.
“What do you think of having a family?”
The question caught him by surprise and he felt her stiffen more when his hand stopped moving on her back. He took his time to think because he knew how important this was for her and he kissed her head before starting to move his hand again in lazy circles on her back.
“I don’t know babe. Never thought about it… Between my disease and everything… it never came to my mind.”
He felt her relax a little and she readjusted herself in his lap to be able to look at him in the eyes.
“And now that you thought about it?”
Joker saw hesitation and fear in her eyes and he smiled just to reassure her that it was fine…whatever it was…it was fine and he was with her.
“With you? I wouldn’t mind…”
She hummed a little and smiled sweetly with his answer. She cuddled more and rested her head against his shoulder now completely relaxed and with that smile that seemed to melt his heart. When she murmured something that seemed a “that’s good” he looked at her with that expression that left no doubts that he didn’t understood what she meant it all that.
So she kissed him, moved his hand to rest on her stomach and said “Because you’re going to be a daddy”.
And that’s how this day couldn't become more unusual and more perfect in Joker’s eyes.