FicWad

Arcee sat on the bed in her quarters, she had her knees up against her chest and her arms wrapped around them. It had been several hours since she and Airachnid had returned with Jack to the Defiant. The ship was in orbit around Tuchunka at this very moment while Soundwave was working on the Genophage cure. But even he stopped what he was doing to help Ratchet when he saw the state that the Commander was in. Ratchet had commented on the fact that Jack had lost a lot of blood and that they needed to work on him right away, so he cleared the medical bay as he and the spymaster got to work on the injured Prime. Airachnid had told her that she would stay close by and let her know the moment she had any news.

Therefore the femme was in her room and waiting to hear of Jack's condition, she would have been there waiting too but a part of her could not bare to watch if Jack were to die. It would be like living through the nightmare of seeing Tailgate die again, and she just couldn't bare to watch as she lost another partner. So there she was on her bed and thinking of Jack, and when her thoughts weren't on her partner, they were going over what she saw during her time connected to Airachnid's mind via the cortical psychic patch. She still could not believe it, well she could because she saw it, but it was still a lot to take in. She was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of the inter com activating.

"Arcee, it's Airachnid. Ratchet and Soundwave have just come out of surgery and they have told me that Jack will be fine. They aren't allowing anyone in to see him as they said that he needs the rest." Airachnid said, gaining a relieved sigh from the femme.

"Thanks for the letting me know." Arcee replied.

"Of course Arcee." the former Con finished as the inter com deactivated, leaving Arcee with her thoughts again. But after a long moment, the femme shrugged her shoulders and got off her bed and left her room, knowing that there was only one to settle this feeling that she had.

Meanwhile Airachnid was standing outside of the medical bay, looking in through one the large windows that surrounded the room. She was looking at Jack as he slept on the medical berth, she then shook her head. He wouldn't have been lying in there if she and Arcee hadn't let their past get in the way of the mission. The femme was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice another person standing only a few metres behind.

"Airachnid" the voice called from behind, making her turn round to see who spoke. A slight smile graced her lips as a Turian walked up to her.

"Garrus, it's been a while." she replied as he joined her and looked through the window.

"Yes it certainly has, so what have you been up too since we both left the Defiant several months ago?"

The femme looked over at Garrus.

"Well after what happened with Jack being arrested and the ship kept at Earth, I thought my talents would be best put helping others, making trouble for slavers and the rest of the filth that this galaxy has."

Garrus crossed his arms and looked at her.

"You may have heard that I did something similar for two years before we first met. It was during the time that I thought Jack was dead, little did I know that MECH was working on returning my friend back to us." the Turian said as Airachnid watched.

"Was it because of Jack, that you were out there fighting against the scum of galaxy?" she asked. Garrus nodded as he looked back at his friend lying on the berth.

"Yes, we did a lot of good back on the Normandy, stopping Saren and Sovereign. I guess I was doing it because I thought Jack would want me too, fighting the good fight you know."

Airachnid nodded in agreement.

"That's why I left and went out there alone, but that was not the only reason." She replied as Garrus looked back to her, his expression was one of curiosity.

"Which was?"

The former con sighed as she looked down at the ground.

"Let's just say I feel like I have a lot to make up for." she replied.

"I see, and what about Jack?" Garrus asked. The femme looked back at him, her eyes wide as the question surprised her.

"What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly.

"Well I noticed that the two of you had gotten close during our fight against the Quintessons." Garrus answered as he noticed her discomfort.

"Yes we did become close, but it wasn't meant to be." she replied, sadness evident in her voice.

"Why, because of Arcee?" he asked.

"Partly." she answered cryptically.

Garrus was about to ask further, when he noticed Arcee walk around the corner, looking at Airachnid.

"Well...I should get going, I have some….. calibrations to attend too. We'll talk later Airachnid." he finished awkwardly before walking away, leaving the femme confused until she realised why and turned around to see Arcee.

"We need to talk.". The Blue femme said as she looked at Airachnid stoically.

"Alright, but we should go somewhere more private." she replied, before motioning the blue femme to follow her. So both Cybertronians walked down the connecting corridor and entered the port side observation lounge.

Airachnid sat down on the sofa while Arcee stood in front of the large rectangular window that overlooked the planet of Tuchunka below. Silence followed for a long moment between the two before Arcee found her voice.

"So, I wanted to talk to you about…. well about what happened down on Thrull."

Airachnid nodded in return as she looked at the femme.

"I kind of guessed as much, since we both saw each others memories through the patch."

Arcee turned and looked at Airachnid.

"You saw mine too?" she asked surprised. The former Con nodded and gave her a slight smile.

"Yes I did Arcee, most of the memories went by quickly, but I did see the pain and suffering I put you through with the your torture, and the killing of Tailgate by my hands."

Arcee looked down and closed her eyes at the reminder of her dead partner.

"I know that it's a little late and doesn't really mean much….but I am really sorry for what I did to you and to all those you cared about." Airachnid said as her purple eyes met the blue femme's who had looked up at her from the ground.

"It isn't too late Airachnid, but it is not necessary since you weren't yourself. Primus, all that kept me going these past eons was the thought of extinguishing your spark. The incident with Tailgate had changed me, made me close myself off from everyone around me." Arcee spoke as Airachnid kept quiet and listened.

"It wasn't what you could call healthy, but I didn't want to get hurt again." Arcee carried on.

"But then you met Cliffjumper." Airachnid asked.

The blue femme nodded as she sat beside the former Con.

"I didn't expect it, in fact when we first met I found him to be annoying and reckless. But over time I started to really like him."

"Did you love him?" Airachnid asked softly.

"Yes… yes I did, so when he died it nearly destroyed me. Just like with Tailgate, all I wanted was to kill the one who took him from me." Arcee replied.

"….Starscream?" the former Con asked, the Autobot nodded in return.

"After I found out that it was that seeker, all I wanted was to send him to the pit. But it would be a few more years before I finally made true that desire."

"I heard about that, I am glad that that snivelling, cowardly piece of scrap is dead." Airachnid replied with a smile, gaining one from Arcee as her expression softened.

"How did you kill him?" the former Con asked as the Autobot looked out at the planet in front of them, remembering that day.

'Arcee looked around at the devastation around her, you could barely recognise the city of Washington DC, after the Decepticons had launched their attack on the unsuspecting Metropolis. Megatron had launched the attack personally while his army attacked the rest of the world. The disabling of his command ship, the Nemesis by Optimus and the star saber had made the Con leader furious. And so he upped his endgame by systematically bridging his troops to lay waste to the Human population centers as a final act of smite to his former friend. Each city was under attack by a legion of vehicons lead by one of Megatron's loyal lieutenants.

The femme had learnt that Dreadwing was leading the attack on London, Soundwave was attacking Beijing, and Slipstream was attacking Moscow. Luckily though, the damage to the Autobot base by the attack from the Nemesis was not as bad as first thought and due to Team Prime having the Forge of Solus Prime, Optimus managed to upgrade the ground bridge to space bridge level and send reinforcements to help defend each city. He sent the Dinobots to handle the spymaster, and Ultra Magnus and the Protectobots to deal with Dreadwing. But here at Washington, Megatron had unleashed Devestator, the combined form of the Constructicons and that was just his first wave. It had taken all of the Team Prime to take him down, but he had brought down half of the city in that time, luckily Agent Fowler and Ratchet had bridged the majority of the civilians out.

Right at this moment though it was calm and quiet as both sides regrouped. Fowler had sent word for the military to come and aid in the fight, though Optimus had refused at first. But the government agent had made his case and with the help of Jack, convinced the Prime that this was their fight too. Jack…its funny how much he had changed things for the bots since he first came across her, when she was in her disguise. He had said that he loved her, she knew that he didn't mean it back then. How could he, he didn't know what and who she was then and she didn't know him. To her he was just another human that needed protecting, and to him she was just a hot looking motorcycle. But that was just appearances though, and in the time since then, they had made quite the partnership. There was nothing she wouldn't do for him and vice versa.

In fact she had started to feel that there was something underlining their partnership/friendship. She could feel it every time they were together, every time he smiled at her, the spark inside her chest would warm at the feeling it brought out of her. The last time that happened was with Cliffjumper and still, even now as she thought about it. The femme could feel that it was different with Jack, like he meant more to her than her past partners. She couldn't explain it, but maybe that was the point. She knew that she got jealous whenever another girl would show attention to Jack, by Primus when he dated Sierra, she felt like squashing that up-herself little tart. But the femme held herself back due to knowing that Jack liked her. On the night of their big date over at Sierra's house, while her parents were away. Arcee had (under cover of her alt mode) driven them there and was waiting outside on the curb. The thoughts going through her mind at what Jack was getting up to with that girl were driving her mad. But she would persist, as long as Jack was happy. But then the strangest thing happened, after less than an hour Jack left her house and climbed on Arcee and they left without a word.

She had asked if something was wrong, but he would deflect the question with humour. The femme knew that something had happened between the two, but she would wait until he felt ready to talk about it. A couple of days later Jack told her that he just didn't feel right with Sierra and broke up with her. When his partner asked why, he just said that the human girl just wasn't the one for him, as he gave the femme a slight smile. It was the kind of smile that would make the Autobot's spark skip a beat. Arcee was quietly ecstatic that he didn't go through with it, and since then the two of them had never been closer…..well until today.

Arcee was pulled out of her thoughts by her com link going off. The femme placed a servo to her audio receptor.

"Arcee here."

The gentle but commanding voice of Optimus Prime came through the other end.

"Arcee, my sensors still have you waiting at check point beta. Why haven't you started your recon patrol?"

"Well I am supposed to be handling it with Jack, but he hasn't turned up yet. In fact I am getting worried Optimus. He is never late and he always lets us know if something is wrong." the femme replied with a hint of emotion in her voice.

"I was about to head out there and track him via the beacon in his communicator, if you will let me?" she finished.

"Of course Arcee, let us know once you have found him and be careful, the Decepticons may attack at any time." the Prime replied.

"Will do." the femme ended the call and activated her sensors, picking up a signal that could only be Jack's beacon. She then dived forward as her body parts shifted and compressed into the form of her motorcycle mode and she sped away down the road towards her partner.

It didn't take her long to reach her destination (Arcee always liked to floor it when there wasn't any chance of being spotted by civilians) and she braked hard when she suddenly saw her Human friend ahead.

'Jack!' she thought as she saw his body laying face down on the ground. She transformed back into her bipedal form, the concern on her face plate evident as she looked at him, but then her instincts and combat experience kicked in as she suddenly activated her cannons which replaced her lower arms and hands, as she scanned the area around her.

'This is a trap, but I don't care. If they have hurt my Jack, I will send them all to the pit. No matter who they are." she thought as she moved slowly toward her partner. When the femme got within a few meters of him, her sensors detected that he was unconscious but alive. She sighed in relief as she reached out to him, but was suddenly stopped by a familiar voice.

"Isn't that precious, I wish I had my holo-imager."

The Autobot spun around and charged her weapons at the Decepticon SIC himself.

"Starscream!" Arcee spat as her optics narrowed at the Seeker. The Con though just stood there casually and laughed.

"Oh, you do not know how hard it was not to end his life while waiting for you to appear. Like I did to Cliffjumper, remember?" he said as an evil grin grew on his face plate. The femme just gritted her teeth in response as her weapons became fully charged, and ready to fire.

"I don't think so." Starscream replied before clicking his fingers. Suddenly Arcee found herself surrounded by a group of silver vehicons, their weapons trained on her.

"Now that is more comfortable, don't you think Arcee? Well more comfortable for me anyway." the seeker gloated as the Autobot kept her weapons active, despite being outnumbered.

"Your nothing but a coward Starscream, how about calling off your 'bodyguards' and facing me one on one?" Arcee replied, gaining awkward looks from the Vehicons.

"Lord Starscream is no coward, you Autobot wretch." one of the troops said aloud, making Starscream visibly nervous.

"Mind your voice ST3V3. Remember that Soundwave hears everything." he commanded, gaining the soldier's attention which had left the Femme's, who silently deployed an arm blade.

"Yes lord….I mean Commander Starscream." ST3V3 answered before Arcee dived at him and sliced his head from his body as she fired at the other vehicons around her, who panicked as she shot down three more of their group. The Seeker dived out of the way and took cover as Arcee made short work of his troops before knocking down the last one. She then readied herself.

"Come on out Starscream, we all have to face our fate eventually." she called out while he hid behind a building feigning heavy breaths.

"This wasn't how this was supposed to play out." he replied irritably.

"And how's that then?" the femme replied as she tried to follow where his voice was coming from. Starscream quietly moved to the other side of the building as he gained a clear sight of the femme and smiled.

"I was supposed to kill the boy for Megatron, he has become an annoyance that my lord can no longer tolerate."

"What, Megatron can't deal with a 'simple' Human himself?" Arcee replied sarcastically and untruthfully, because Jack was anything but simple, especially to her.

"Not at all, it's just that my lord has more important matters to attend to, such as attacking Optimus Prime at this very moment." Starscream replied slyly. The femme's azure blue optics widened at that comment.

"And I will kill that boy now!" the Seeker finished, Arcee narrowed her optics at that comment as anger took over.

"Over my dead body Starscream." she replied gritting her teeth.

"That can be arranged!" he replied as he fired at missile at the femme. But she saw it and back flipped over the missile, itself exploding harmlessly against an empty building behind her as she landed and fired back at the spot that the attack came from. She then heard a transformation take place before a Jet flew out from behind the building in front and attacked her, but now she was seething and the femme ran at the jet and jumped up and grabbed Starscream's wing as he cried out.

"Let go of me, you filthy wretch!"

Arcee though held on and climbed atop of the Con as she deployed both arm blades and started hacking away at the Decepticon.

"Everything that goes up must come down!" she retorted as she broke through his armour and damaged his inner workings, causing explosions to rattle along his jet mode.

"AAGGGGHHH!" he screamed as he lost control and started to plummet back to the ground. Arcee jumped off just before the Jet came crashing down and due to her perfect dexterity, she landed on her feet gracefully and smiled as Starscream crashed into the ground and exploded. She then walked over to the billowing smoke and fire and saw his heavily damaged body as it was now back in bipedal form. Starscream was attempting to crawl away, but was wincing at every move that his body made. The femme then got above him and grabbed him by the opening in his chest plate and held him up to her face.

"Please show mercy, I am no longer a threat. You wouldn't kill a defenceless opponent now…would you?" he pleaded in a grovelling tone. But Arcee just looked at him and held her arm blade up, ready to strike.

"Sorry to disappoint you Starscream, but I won' fall for that trick twice." she replied stoically before plunging her arm blade through the Seeker's head, spilling energon all over the floor as his body started flinching. Arcee then watched the Con's red optics fade away before dropping his lifeless body to the ground with a loud clang. She then just stood there as she took in the moment. She had killed Starscream finally, but not for revenge for what he had done to Cliffjumper, but for threatening to kill the one person in this world that she cared for the most.

"…Arcee!" came a familiar voice from behind the femme as her expression changed to that of worried concern, she turned to see Jack getting up off the floor and ran over to him.

"Jack….you alright?" Arcee asked, not even attempting to hide her feelings.

"I'm fine." he replied before looking around at all the dead con's lying around them.

"I see you took care of everything." he observed as a smile graced her lips.

"Yeah, I also killed Starscream." she replied getting down on one knee, gaining the smile she loved to see Jack have on his face.

"That's my girl!" he answered back softly. The two just looked into each others eyes/optics for a long moment before they heard an explosion not far away and instantly realised what that meant.

"Arcee…we have to." Jack replied, as he his expression changed to one more serious.

"I know, are you alright to move?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"Yeah, lets go. Optimus will need us partner." he said, gaining a nod from the femme who transformed into her motorcycle mode. Jack then climbed on her and the two sped back towards the explosions as the final battle of the war was just beginning.'

Arcee was looking out of the window as Airachnid stared back at her with a sympathetic expression.

"So did killing Starscream help?"

"No, because by then, a lot had changed in my life. I had found a new reason for living." the blue femme answered.

"Jack." Airachnid replied, gaining a smile from the femme.

"Yeah, he helped me see past my need to avenge my partners."

The former Con sat on her side and rested her head against her hand.

"He certainly has a way of calming people doesn't he." she replied with gentle smile.

"He certainly does." Arcee replied as she looked down at the ground.

"But it did take me a while to learn it. I made more than a few mistakes down the line with the reprogrammed you…" she continued, gaining a look of appreciation from Airachnid.

"…and with Starscream. But I figured it out in the end." the blue femme finished as she looked back over at her fellow Cybertronian.

"He helped me in a similar fashion not long back, on Cybertron." Airachnid replied.

"I know, I saw that too. Jack helped you take down Shockwave, for what he did to you….and what he made you do." Arcee replied with a hint of sorrow in her voice. The former Con nodded slowly in response.

"…Esmeral." she said in a half whisper.

"I had no idea that you used to be an Autobot… before the Cons got their hands on you. If I had known then I guess that I…" Arcee said before looking away ashamed.

"Airachnid if anyone should be apologising between the two of us. It should be me."

The other femme looked at her in surprise.

"How could you have known, I mean no one in the Autobots knew what had happened to me since everyone in my garrison had been killed during the siege of Crystal City." Airachnid replied. Arcee though shook her head in response.

"It doesn't matter. You were completely innocent. I mean the things that Shockwave put you through, including…..the loss of your spark mate."

Airachnid looked away and out of the window.

"As I saw that memory, I felt that I knew her….your spark mate before." Arcee said, gaining a curious look from the other femme.

"It was from before the war. My sisters and I were visiting Crystal City and unsurprisingly had gotten lost, we were following my younger sister Chromia's directions. That's when we came across a white and red femme with green optics. She made an instant impression." the blue femme smiled as Arachnid listened intently.

"She seemed really kind and friendly as she helped us find our way to the main trans-hub. She told us she was on her way to meet her spark mate 'Air', but that she would be more than happy to help out her fellow Cybertronians."

Airachnid felt her eyes well up as Arcee described Esmeral to her, but she wiped away the tears before they could run down her face, gaining the blue femme's attention.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't.." the blue femme started before the former Con stopped her.

"It's alright Arcee, that sounds like my Esmeral. Air was her nickname for me."

Arcee placed a hand on the femme's shoulder in support, gaining a smile in return before a worried look crossed Airachnid's face.

"You said you saw everything, does that include…." she asked, hoping that Arcee wouldn't answer.

"Yes…..I also saw the night you spent with Jack." the blue femme replied calmly, confusing the former Con.

"Why aren't…" Airachnid started before Arcee cut her off.

"Why aren't I angry about it?" she continued as she looked back at Airachnid.

"Well for one, I saw the sorrow that Jack was in over the guilt and pain of being brought back to life and that was also partly my fault, because I pushed him away. At a time when he needed me. But you were there for him and helped him, like he did for you. When I saw you together, I saw two people who took comfort in each other. I know Jack cares for you." she carried on as she stood up and looked down at Airachnid, her face becoming stoic-like.

"But I need to know, do you love him?"

Airachnid looked at her, but kept her composure.

"Yes….yes I do. But you don't need to worry because I won't get in the way, since I know that he loves you." she answered honestly, which made Arcee's expression soften as her eyes widened at the former Con's comment.

"And I am already bonded to my Esmeral, but in the end all I want, is for Jack to be happy. Because I don't want him to have to go through life without the one he loves, not like I have."

Arcee then sat back down next to the other femme.

"Thank you Airachnid."

"Your welcome." the former Con responded as the two sat there in comfortable silence for a long moment.

"Well Airachnid the Decepticon maybe well and truly gone, but I would like to get to know the Autobot." Arcee said with a smile as she looked over to Airachnid who returned the smile.

"I'd like that." she replied. Arcee then sighed as she finally let herself relax.

"Well….that was the talk."

"I know….I could use a drink." Airachnid replied with a smirk.

"...Me too." Arcee replied as she looked past the other femme to the bar at the far side of the room. Airachnid too looked over at the bar and then looked back, a confused look on her face.

"Will it even effect us?" she asked.

"Only one way to find out." Arcee replied as she stood up and walked over to the bar. Once there she picked up a bottle and two glasses and brought them back over to the couch. She then handed a glass to Airachnid and then opened the bottle, pouring some of it's liquid into both glasses.

"What is it?" Airachnid asked as Arcee studied the label.

"Serrice Ice brandy" the blue femme replied before taking a drink from her glass. A large smile then graced her lips.

"Me likey!" the blue femme exclaimed as Airachnid drank from her glass before nodding in agreement.

"More please.." she asked and Arcee happily obliged as she refilled the other femme's glass and then her own.

PRIME EFFECT 3

Jack woke up to find himself lying on the berth in the medical bay with a sheet covering him. He sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. 'Not again' he thought as he looked around at his surroundings. He saw Ratchet with his back turned while he was working at a console, meanwhile at the other side of the room Soundwave was working on the Genophage cure with Bakara and Wrex watching him as the Krogan female was sitting on a similar berth with the Urdnot leader standing next to her, like he was her bodyguard. Jack slowly sat up as the Krogan turned to face him, a smile on his face.

"Jack, good to see you are awake my friend. We were fearing the worst when you were brought in."

Jack smiled in response as he tried to swing his legs over the side of his berth.

"And what do you think you are doing?" Ratchet asked as he walked over to the Prime after hearing Wrex.

"Well unless you plan on keeping me here, I would rather rest in my own bed if that's alright?" Jack asked. Ratchet pinched his nose in irritation but nodded in return.

"Very well, but first I would like to take a scan of you just to be sure that everything is fine."

"Okay."

Jack then looked down and noticed the scars over his torso. Ratchet activated his holo-tool and took scans before noticing the Prime's expression.

"You were bleeding out of every one of those cuts Jack. I managed to repair the damage but you will have those scars for a while."

Jack continued to look at his scars as Wrex chuckled.

"You think that's bad Jack, my body has even more scarring than that, but lucky for me, Bakara likes them." The Krogan said, gaining a glare from the female across the room. Jack smiled at the moment between the two as he watched Wrex get put in his place by a simple look from the other Krogan, he then looked over at Ratchet confused.

"Who brought me in?"

The Autobot medic never took his eyes off his holo-tool as he answered.

"Why Arcee and Airachnid of course, why what was the last thing you remember?"

Jack looked ahead as he let his memories wash over his mind.

"I was being tortured by Thundertron." he reminisced gaining a shocked look from Ratchet.

"The Captain of the Star Seekers, that's impossible. The Tidal Wave was thought destroyed after the battle at Aphelia four."

Jack looked at the medic, a matter of fact like look on his face.

"Well they were very much alive when I met them."

Ratchet then looked at him confused as Wrex just watched the conversation before him.

"Where were Arcee and Airachnid during this?"

Jack sighed heavily as he looked at the floor, as he felt somewhat ashamed.

"After Arcee and I landed on Thrull, we tracked the Autobot signal only for it disappear. So we split up to search the area, that's when Airachnid turned up. Then Arcee reappeared, we had an argument and she stormed off. Airachnid went after her, and then while I was alone, that's when I suddenly came under attack."

Ratchet and Wrex looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Jack.

"What?" the Prime asked.

"Well the two of them certainly didn't seem at all hostile when they brought you in. As a matter of fact, they were just quiet and I would say almost….respectful of each other."

Hearing this confused the Commander even more. He swore that the two femmes would have been at each other's throats, but then something else came to mind.

"Wait a minute Ratchet, why aren't you at all worried with having Airachnid on board?"

A slight smile grew on Ratchet's face, which was a rarity in of itself.

"Well after you were arrested several months back, Airachnid met with Optimus and told him everything in hope that she could take her place amongst the rest of us. The Prime did so happily, and I approved of his choice….after hearing of her tragedy myself."

Jack's confused expression then became stern.

"And you didn't tell Arcee?"

Ratchet looked at him stoically.

"Considering how she reacted to seeing Airachnid again, I think you know why we didn't tell her. We were just waiting for the most appropriate opportunity."

Jack sighed as he nodded in return.

"Yeah…..I guess so….Anyway." Jack started as he got off of the berth.

"I think I will retire for the evening."

The Prime then put on a t-shirt that was left on the side before looking at Wrex as he started to walk funny back to Bakara.

"Wrex, what's with the walk?"

The Krogan looked back and sighed.

"Soundwave, he got his tissue sample." he answered before feigning a wince.

"Lets just say that his scalpel went into places that it should have." Wrex answered sadly before walking back to the Spymaster and Baraka. Jack smirked at the comment, before patting Ratchet on the shoulder and walking out of the room.

He didn't get far when Garrus appeared before him.

"Jack, good to see your finally up and about." the Turian said gaining a smile from the Prime.

"Yeah, you know it takes more than some sadistic torture to keep me down." he replied, Garrus chuckled in response.

"You may be Human on the outside Jack, but your more like a Turian on the inside."

"Thanks Garrus, I'll take that as a compliment." Jack replied.

"As you should." The Turian said before his face became serious.

"By the way a few hours ago, Arcee and Airachnid were standing out here and lets just say that the atmosphere between the two was…..awkward to say the least."

Jack's eyes widened at his friend's news.

"Where did they go?" he asked, a hint of worry suddenly apparent in his voice.

"Toward the port side observation lounge, no one has seen them since." Garrus replied. Jack took a deep breath before heading off in that direction.

"Thanks Garrus."

The Turian nodded in return as he watched the Commander walk away, down the corridor.

A million thoughts ran through Jack's mind as he neared the observation lounge, he hoped that they weren't fighting. That would be the last thing he needed at this moment. He was nearly at the door when he heard something smash in the lounge. His eyes widened and his heart beats sped up as found he had started to run. He then hurriedly hit the control panel on the side of the door, making it open as he rushed in only to stop and stare in disbelief as the door close behind him, for he could not believe what he was seeing.

Before him on the far side of the couch was Airachnid, looking like she was not all there as she fumbled her glass, spilling some of it's contents over her t-shirt. This made her laugh out loud, meanwhile at the side nearest to Jack. He saw Arcee bending over the arm rest as she too was giggling while attempting to pick up the broken glass on the floor below. The Prime just watched for a long moment, completely gob smacked at the two before Airachnid looked round to him, a massive grin appearing on her face.

"Arcee, it's our Jack." she exclaimed, as Arcee pulled herself back up to stare at Jack. A similar smile on her own face, while she tried to keep her eyes on him.

"Jack, glad you ..hic-up.. made it."

She then looked back down to the broken glass, a sad expression on her face as she huffed.

"Sorry about the ..hic-up.. mess, I didn't think that this drink would effect me this much." she slurred as she looked back at the Commander. Jack though looked at the table next to them and saw two now empty bottles. He then sighed as he felt a smile grow on his face.

"Well, I am glad you two are getting on so well. I thought that you may have been fighting."

Airachnid looked over at Jack, or that is what Jack thought she was doing as she put an arm around the blue femme's shoulders.

"And why would we ..hic-up.. be fighting." she slurred as Arcee smiled back at her.

"Yeah, we are more like sisters right now. Your not making any sense Jack. Maybe you should have a drink." Arcee replied as she giggled before offering Jack a glass. The Prime though took the glass and placed it back down on the table.

"No thanks, and I think you two girls have had enough." he replied as he helped the blue femme to her feet, she held on to him as she couldn't keep her balance on her own.

"Awwww" Airachnid replied as Jack helped Arcee away.

"I think you should get some sleep Airachnid." the Prime suggested, as the femme watched them sadly.

"Sleep, but I don't even feel….."

Jack then noticed that the femme had not finished her sentence, so he looked back and sighed at the sight of her now on her back, and passed out on the couch. Arcee looked over his shoulder and giggled.

"Looks like I ..hic-up.. win." she slurred before Jack helped her sit down on the adjacent chair. He then walked over to a cabinet like storage unit and took out a large sheet, before placing it over the now sleeping femme. He then turned back to see Arcee was also now fast a sleep. The Prime rolled his eyes before walking over and picking up the sleeping femme in his arms. He then carried her out of the room to be greeted by a confused looking Garrus just a bit further down the corridor. The Turian was about to speak up but was cut off.

"Don't ask." Jack replied with a slight smile, Garrus just nodded in return before walking away in the opposite direction.

Jack entered his XO's quarters with her still asleep in his arms, he looked down at her, and saw the peaceful expression on her beautiful face.

'And here's me without my camera.' he thought as he then took her over to the femme's bed and gently laid her down on it, before pulling the covers over her body. She then began to stir as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Jack…..Jack is that you?" she said, barely above a whisper. Jack sat on the bed next to her.

"Yeah, its me Arcee. I just brought you back to your room, didn't want you sleeping in the lounge." he replied softly. The femme never opened her eyes as a smile graced her lips.

"Thanks…." she answered gently.

"Your welcome, now get some sleep. I will see you tomorrow." he replied, while getting up off the bed. The femme nodded slowly as she got herself comfortable.

"Jack…mmmmm… I love you." she said, making Jack look round suddenly as he heard her confession. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly agape. Did she really mean what she just said, or was it the drink induced state of mind that made her say it. Remembering how she was with the Prime, when he last saw her on Thrull didn't leave much room for interpretation.

Jack remembered the hurt and anger on the femme's face after she realised what had happened between himself and Airachnid. So could she really mean what she had just said. As these thoughts ran through his mind, he just stood there for a long moment before he walked back to her bed and lent down over the sleeping femme and gently kissed her forehead.

"I love you too Arcee." he replied softly before rising back up and walking out of the room, making sure to turn off the lights before the door closed behind him, he then sighed and walked over to the elevator, heading back to his own quarters.