Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect.

Warning: The following story was written while under the influence of medicine.

A/N: I didn't particularly want to post this, as I don't feel it's that great. However, I spent awhile on it, and decided I didn't want to just let it rot away on my desktop.

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The music was going straight to Shepard's head just like the drink she was holding, but it still wasn't enough to block out the worries.

She gazed at the Rachni Queen, thoughts running amok through her mind. How could she decide the fate of an entire species? How could anyone be expected to do that? The Queen stood silently, awaiting her sentence. If she let them live, she ran the risk of going down in history as the one who brought back a species that had nearly destroyed the Citadel Council. Still, to eradicate a whole species on a possibility...she steeled herself and said quietly, "I'm sorry. I can't risk you becoming like your ancestors."

Shepard winced as she remembered the acid pouring down on the Queen, and took another swig of her drink as she closed her eyes. Causing the death of an entire species was a hell of a burden.

She drunkenly stumbled to her feet, the shimmering lights of Flux not helping her balance any. Shepard glanced around, looking for Kaidan. She desperately needed a distraction, and he was the perfect person. Shepard caught sight of him, slammed her drink onto the table and slowly made her way through the large crowd, surreptitiously pushing people out of the way with biotics. She stopped her approach for a moment, considering her actions. Would she do this if she was sober? Shepard shrugged her shoulders; she wasn't sober, so it didn't particularly matter. Stubbornly ignoring any doubts, she laid a hand on Kaidan's shoulder. He turned around, startled, relaxing when he saw her. "Commander."

Shepard rolled her eyes. She had figured they would be past that now.

Kaidan grasped her hand to help her up, using surprising force. She let out a most uncommander-like squeak as she tried to balance herself, and fell forward into his arms instead. This really, really wasn't what she intended to happen. Judging by Kaidan's blush, it probably wasn't his intention either. She gazed into his eyes, attempting to apologize, but no words came out. He slowly leaned forward, and she parted her lips slightly. As he bent down to kiss her, Joker's voice lanced out of the intercom. They jumped away from each other, composing themselves.

"I would prefer it if you called me Jane, Kaidan. Or at the very least, Shepard."

He nodded his head. "Of course, Com-" He stopped himself, quickly correcting, "Jane."

Rolling her eyes again, Shepard grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor, ignoring his protests. She grinned inwardly at his almost panicked expression.

"Commander!"

Shepard sighed quietly, deciding to overlook his inability to call her Jane. "We're off duty, Kaidan. Relax."

He shuffled his feet to the music, looking anywhere but at her. Irritation finally breaking through, she pulled him closer, determined to make him relax. Throwing her inhibitions to the wind, she danced wildly, smiling as Kaidan slowly began to loosen up. As her worries drifted away, a dim hope bloomed in her mind. Maybe, for at least a few minutes in her life, she could just dance.