On the Other Side

by Ygrain

Summary:

The years when Connor Shepard wasn't exactly a book officer seemed long gone, until he found himself resurrected into another life by Cerberus, and on top of it, falling for the most improbable woman: a crazy biotic with a criminal record more extensive than her tattoos. Jack-Shepard romance, from both PoVs. A series of drabbles, hopefully chronological. Expect Jackisms.

Notes:

For the new readers: I'd like to point you to some other works of mine which are related and might be referenced - though you are, of course, most welcome to read everything :-)

Shepard's pre-Akuze life is featured in chapters 2 and 3 of Unmemorabilia, and be warned, this is a collection of stories where he doesn't exactly shine.

The events of Akuze are told in detail in Long Days, Long Nights, and the debriefing that followed is chapter 4 of the Anderson collection Between the Past and the Future. His convalescence after Akuze is chapter 4 of Unmemorabilia and a catharsis of sorts will be a stand-alone story A Measure of Things, but I'm afraid this plot bunny is still running free for the time being.

Shepard's first experience with Cerberus aka his revival and roots of his dislike of Miranda are set in chapter 1 of Unmemorabilia and further played on in Detrimental to the Mission, on a somewhat humorous note.

Chapter 1: Among the Lost

Seeing the supposedly prospective team member, Shepard seriously doubts the Illusive Man's sanity. Sure, he has read the dossier. Sure, he knew that the person had a long criminal record and probably wouldn't be easy to get on with. Sure, the display of biotic powers was more than impressive.

Except that the angry knot of biotics, skinny limbs, tattered clothes, extensive tattoos and leather… harness… seems so deranged that she might actually be nearing normalcy from the other side. – Ah yes, she, despite the name.

Probably.

There's definitely nothing feminine about her, and the quick glimpse of the Sleeping Beauty in the cryo must have been someone else. The lips have lost their fullness as they are twisted and baring teeth, there is only a mild swell to the chest under the leather straps, she stands crouched with her fists balled, her biotic aura glowing – Shepard suddenly finds in himself a certain degree of understanding for the recently demised Warden Kuril to keep Jack in cryogenic stasis. He would have done the same, though preferably in a mental institution. With very, very thick walls.

To his right, he hears Garrus producing subvocal sound, unmistakably signifying amusement; to his left, Taylor slightly shuffles and clears his throat.

Yeah, sure. If we don't take her along, we have just blown a prison ship and released dozens of dangerous criminals for nothing.

He sighs. Time to pull a Shepard – provided that she can be reasoned with.

He feels no little relief when it turns out that yes, she can.

As her face relaxes from the furious expression, her eyes are no longer narrowed. They are, in fact, large and deep brown and, surprisingly, very beautiful.

With hindsight, he realizes that he was lost as early as then.