A/N: I finally realized I've let this fic get ahead of me on AO3, but haven't cross posted it here. Anyway, here's Albatross. Bioware owns about all of what you see, I'm just borrowing it. Enjoy.

Sara Ryder was confused.

Really, she had no right to be after the whole Saving The World thing, but damn it, she had just done that and she deserved some free thought that wasn't about the Archon or Kett or anything of the sort.

Still, it felt wrong that one of her biggest thought processes after she had taken down the Archon was about companionship. After everything she felt like she didn't deserve it, that she needed to be alone forever to keep the Hero status up and going, especially if there were going to be bigger fights in the future.

But then again, Kandros was… Kandros. And it was very hard to not let her mind wander.

He had been the only entirely open person from the Nexus who was entirely in her corner out of the gate. And he was was at least attractive and kind and god, that voice. Two days prior, she was still reeling from the Archon fight. By the time she had reached the meeting place that Addison had chosen to speak with her, Tann, Kesh and Kandros, she was overexerted. She had nearly collapsed just inside the meeting room when he literally swooped in and taken her arm to steady her. And then had to go and be perfect and played it off like she had stumbled over a spot on the floor. It was like he had known she would take slight, momentary embarrassment over looking weak after everything, and she was endlessly grateful.

He was such a nauseatingly good person, despite his apparent efforts not to be, and she needed some of that in her mess of a life. The chase was going to be the complicated part, though.

"-And then that's when the hanar and I had a one night stand… … Oi, Sara are you even listening?!"

She snapped out of her reverie and glanced across the table she was sitting at

Gil Brodie was staring back at her. He crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow playfully. "You know I thought I was going to have to come up with more to that story and that's terrifying. Look, I know engineering talk gets dull and your eyes glassed over at least ten minutes after other people's do, but it is your ship we're talking about. She needs to recover, just as much as we do."

"Yeah," she said absentmindedly, which earned her a light kick under the table. "Ow! Look, I told you before that we're nearly swimming in credits and resources now. What the Tempest needs, it gets."

"Now you're back," Gil noticed. "Good. And shut it, you barely even felt it!" he countered. "So who's the lucky lad that you're all in your head about? Still the King of Exile Island? Because we've all said that's a bad idea, right-"

"He's better than he makes himself out to be, but as I told the others, pretty sure it's just sex anyway-"

"The bastard had hearts for eyes when we first landed here after we got the Archon? Not likely."

"Shut up!"

Gil took a swig from his beer, she relaxed a bit. She could always at least count on Gil to know when to shut up, or when to stop if he was just in a teasing mood. And her sex life was already complicated, she didn't want to think about the details and make it even stranger. The topic seemed to have been dropped after a minute when Gil had gone back to eating whatever the concoction that was supposed to resemble Earth food was that they had been sharing.

She was rescued again when she caught sight of blonde hair and a familiar body shape walking towards them out of the corner of her eye. "Scotty! They let you out already!"

Scott shrugged and looked away, all painfully feigned guilt. "Might have snuck out when I had a moment. Still in recovery but I need fresh air," Scott Ryder answered as he joined them. He sat in the remaining chair at the table. "And of course I'm gonna be like everyone and visit the hero of the century A.K.A my big sis!"

Scott laughed, then turned his attention to Gil. "You know, I've seen you around but I just realized we haven't met. Are you…. Reyes?" he asked.

Gil stared, then after a moment he let out a bark of a laugh that even he found undignified, if his following expression was anything to judge it by. "No, no, not remotely Reyes. Name's Gil Brodie. Good to finally meet the other Ryder face to face."

Scott nodded after a moment. "Same to you. Heard a lot about you so far. I guess I have you to thank for playing brother to her when I was, uh, indisposed."

Gil smiled. "Yes, anything for our girl here," he reached over and pinched Sara's cheek, which earned him her fork's prongs into his wrist.

Scott laughed. "Yeah, but, seriously man, thank you. We don't… have that many good people in our lives. It's good she got you out of the deal. She needs some of that dynamic."

"My pleasure," Gil answered, but the 'pleasure' was suddenly so loaded that Sara kicked him under the table for good measure.

Sara realized that 'service' before had just been loaded and concealed a groan.

To her horror Scott's smile turned to a smirk and he opened his mouth to reply.

She was in the process of covering her ears, at least, until another voice broke out.

"There you are, should've known, get back here, Ryder!" another voice called from off to the side.

Harry, Sara realized. Saved by the pseudo uncle. Go figure.

Scott pointed at her. "That Ryder?" he asked when Harry finally reached them.

Harry glowered, but there was no animosity behind it. Instead, he merely shoved one hand under Scott's nearest arm and pulled up.

Scott, to his credit, laughed again and let Harry drag him back towards medbay.

The remaining pair was silent for a while, and then Gil finally spoke. "Would it be weird if I admitted I would climb your brother like a tree?"

"Ew, Gil! Yes! That's my brother! My little brother!"

"I mean you have to admit he's attractive."

"He's my brother!"

"Yeah, well your brother is goddamn Adonis, isn't he?!"

"You're so fucking weird. What happened to not opening up to people with stuff like that?!"

"You passed the test, and shut it, you love me."

"I do," she admitted.

He grinned, victorious, then leaned back. "So who's the real MVP of your affections, Ryder? Anyone the crew knows?"

"I'm not saying shit," she countered. Which, of course, got absolutely ruined when she subconsciously looked towards the latest Apex setup. "Shit," she repeated.

Gil tossed his head back to laugh this time. "You're literally the worst liar. Now who's… " his jaw dropped, more to be dramatic to get a bigger rise out of her. "You like the bossman there, don't you? You don't go there all the time to check out missions, you go there to talk to him. That's adorable."

"I changed my mind. I hate you."

Gil rolled his eyes, then, suddenly a fair bit more serious. "You should go for it! You deserve a little romance if you want it after all you've done. And he seems like the sort that'll give romance back and not be a lying ass about it. Or anything."

"Someone would think you and the others don't like Reyes, Gil!"

Gil smirked, then glanced ahead, directly behind her. "Hey, Kandros."

Sara shot him a look. "Yeah, like I'd ever actually believe-"

"Brodie. Pathfinder."

She whirled around so fast her chair tipped back. And of course, Kandros was there as always to steady it before it fell over. Really, it was near impossible to swoon over anything with him. "Kandros! Hi! What brings you here?" she asked, a little too loudly for her own comfort.

"Figured I'd check in on everybody's favorite resident before I went off on an Apex mission. It's only right that the leader goes out on the first few runs on the new world. What about you two?"

"Team bonding, making sure the watering hole's not poisoned," she answered. She tried not to visibly flinch when she realized how bad the joke was. She was grateful that the corner of Gil's lips turned up, but he stayed quiet in response.

That was, until he got that devious look in his eye. He took another drink and leaned back. "Hey, Kandros. You have room for one more when you ship out? Sara here's been dying to get out and explore more, and I mean, she is the Pathfinder, so it would be nice to have her along by your own logic."

"Don't see why not," Tiran agreed. He looked at Sara. "You up for it? If you've got other pressing matters it's fine."

Sara searched for words for a few moments. Right, because at any age, being in an enclosed space for a time, and then in a situation where you had to stick together hadn't gotten embarrassing quickly. "Pressing? No. I'm taking a bit of a break. It's odd jobs here and there until that Primus asshole rears its ugly head. When do you – we leave?"

"Couple of hours from now. We're leaving on the Arbiter. Parked right next to the Tempest. It's short notice, but you'll probably be the most welcome face around."

"I'll be there," Sara agreed

Tiran nodded. "See you then." He turned and left.

Sara waited until he was out of earshot before she turned back to Gil. "I hate you. I actually hate you."

He grinned back at her. "You're welcome, Dollface. But why hate me? Are we in high school? You're not that terrible. You're not that far off, but you've got some game. But start asking me to do your hair and we're done. Besides, we do need to explore the place if it's gonna be home."

She rolled her eyes and got up. "Well, now that you volunteered me for a mission, I have to get my things. You're paying for our drinks, just so you know."

"You'll thank me someday. I mean, Meri-Dian has to have a little friend to play with, don't they?"

She flipped him off over her shoulder as she retreated.

"You two would make the most badass children!" he called after her. "And I'm telling Vetra!"

She merely raised her finger higher in response, then lost the battle with her own laugh that was threatening to come out.

By the time she had gotten back to her room, suited up and gotten the last of her things ready for the trip, her mind was going again. This time, thankfully it was more on the mission to come. She had been itching to explore since they had landed there and she and the team had charged through. Gil had at least given her that opening, too. She contemplated taking the others, but figured they had earned the rest.

She made it to the docks, and when she reached the Arbiter, she stopped and looked up at it.

Right, so it was a roadtrip by nearly all accounts, just with a very attractive friend of hers. She could handle it, but she was doomed.

Then again, she had been through worse situations with less desirable starting points- how they got to Meridian was Exhibit A.

She'd take those odds.