A/N: Welp, I haven't posted fic in years, but I'm in love with a pairing that can't actually happen in-game, so I need to exorcise this ship the only true way I know how. This ended up with more plot than my usual straight-up smut, it's game-spanning and full of all the headcanon I could cram into it, but don't let the four chapters thing fool you, I build up to it, but porn happens, and it's pretty graphic. Sorry. If that's not your thing, I suppose you can stop at the end of two and call it good. ;)

Warnings: Graphic sexual content, of course, but not until chapter three.

Ryder felt many things, foremost being breathless excitement as the shuttle took them toward the Ark Hyperion; Cora, her brother Scott, Doctor Harry Carlyle, and Sara, elder twin and only daughter of humanity's Pathfinder, the man most say is responsible for the very existence of the Andromeda Initiative. The vids advertise the program as the next step, for humanity and beyond, an adventure unprecedented in its scope and scale.

She's ready for this. And more terrified than she's ever imagined she'd be.

Her father is already on board, taking care of last minute business, and Sara's certain she won't be seeing him again until they've jumped galaxies. Scott squeezes her hand as they sit side by side, his presence an anchor in a tremulous ocean of possibility and unknown danger. The seats are hard and uncomfortable but Sara sits on the edge of hers, looking out the transport's window, before turning her head to look across the shuttle at the two older members of their group; Cora Harper, her father's second, and Harry, the doctor she'd met a few times before at Initiative banquets and some of her mother's medical conferences. Harry's eyes meet hers and she grins at him, feeling her cheeks brush up against the inside of her helmet.

Harry smiles back, and it reaches his grey-green eyes. He's handsome and warm, and she remembers his wonderful humor on the occasions they'd spoken. Having him along makes Sara feel better, an automatic response she doesn't examine too closely as she goes back to gazing out the window, watching the Hyperion grow larger and larger at their approach.

Before long, the group docks inside the Ark's massive hanger bay. They were all in full combat armor, so they headed toward the mission lockers before they were to check in with medical.

Cora is all business and strategy, discussing protocol and procedure for what will happen when they all lay down for their extended naps. Scott humors her, listening attentively, but Sara feels her focus shift as a feeling of unreality narrows her vision to one sharp point. She fumbles with the latch on her locker, pulling it open and staring into the empty dark interior.

"You ready for this, kiddo?" Harry asks beside her, popping the seals on his chest plate. It slid free, revealing the top of his combat suit.

Sara pulled her helmet off and took a deep breath, smiling without meaning to. "Not really, Harry." Her voice dropped to a whisper, although she doubted anyone more than a few feet away could possibly hear her above Cora's booming narrative. "But don't tell anyone."

He nodded conspiratorially. "My lips are sealed."

Sara blushed as she realized her gaze had dropped to his mouth at his words, her eyes quickly darting back to her locker, and the task at hand. She hopes he didn't notice.

But Harry notices everything, probably part of his training as a doctor. He reached out a hand still encased in armored gloves and touched her shoulder as she set the helmet aside. "Hey, doesn't matter if anyone knows you've got cold feet. Look at it this way: in six hundred years, who's going to care?" He grinned, revealing perfectly straight white teeth, his eyes lifting at the corners.

She laughed as she pulled the rest of her own armor off, grateful to be free of it, at least. Her dad would care. 'Disappointed' would probably best describe his reaction if he were to find out, even six centuries in the future.

Next, they moved to a long bright room with beds lining both sides and beeping equipment. A medical team had gathered there to discuss connection to SAM, the very last step for the Pathfinder team before they entered their cryo pods. Harry pulled on his uniform gloves as he moved to join them, inclining his head toward Sara as he went.

"Don't worry, sis," Scott said beside her. "He'll help get us settled. It's his job."

Sara looked up at him, not sure if she was being teased or reassured. It could go either way with Scott. But his expression was serious, his lips pressing together in a firm line. He'd always been amazing at knowing what she was thinking, almost as if their connection was deep enough for them to communicate without saying anything. She smiled at him, thankful for his words and his unfailing empathy.

If she hadn't been so afraid of enclosed spaces or terrified of what was about to happen, Sara probably would have enjoyed the tech talk they were given, as, one by one, they were connected to the mission computer's artificial intelligence via the implants they'd all surgically received a few weeks earlier. Harry checked her vitals, running a final physical program from his omni-tool.

"Hello, Sara," a new masculine voice said. SAM.

"Um, hi."

"How are you feeling?" the disembodied voice asked. "Your stress levels are elevated."

"Just nerves," Sara was quick to respond, her eyes locking with Harry's. She swung her legs as she sat on the examination table, like a child would. "I'm excited!" she claimed, her voice just a little too bright.

"Everything checks out, here," Harry said, flipping his scanner off before he tapped at the orange interface. He probably had orders from dad to report when they were ready to go. It would have been nice to see her father, or even hear from him over comms, but Sara knows she won't.

Scott gets his final examination from Doctor Lexi T'Perro, an asari who has chosen to make the trip in humanity's Ark instead of that of her own race. He receives his injection, and she knows he'll be asleep before she is. The drugs take about three minutes to kick in and then it's lights out.

On his way toward the hall where their pods lie waiting for them, Scott stops beside her. They clasp hands, lightly bumping foreheads together as they'd done since they were toddlers. "See you on the other side, sis."

Sara has to bite her lip to keep from asking him to wait. She doesn't want to be alone. She remains silent as he turns to leave and she watches him until he disappears from view.

She turns back to Harry, who watches her quietly. He begins gently rolling her right shirtsleeve back so he can access her upper arm. Her breathing has sped up, and she feels her chest heave as he brings a needle close.

"Who's going to inject you?" she asks.

Harry smiles, eyes on his work. "I will."

Seemed a bit like a barber giving themselves a haircut to Sara, but she supposed it made sense for Harry. "At least you'll be in good hands," she laughs, but she means it. She finds the idea of them sharing the same experience reassuring.

He administers the shot then holds a cotton ball to her injection site before rolling her sleeve back down to touch her wrist. "Time to go," he says, helping her to her feet and then steadying her with a firm hand at the small of her back.

She's grateful to him as she realizes he's walking her to her pod, the waiting technician leaving at Harry's brisk nod.

"I'll be right here until you're asleep." Somehow he knew what she wanted before she could even ask him.

With his gentle urging, she settled back into the pod, desperately trying to tell herself that this was not in fact a coffin. "Thank you, Harry," is all she can think to say, her eyes desperate that his be the last thing she sees before oblivion.

"I'll see you soon," he says, and his deep timbered voice is the last thing she knows.

Time stretches. She doesn't dream.

She wakes to unfamiliar faces, disappointment lancing her as her eyes scan the cryo pod-lined corridor for Scott, her father, or a certain doctor.

Space is cold. Sara shivers, rubbing her upper arms with her hands. She wonders exactly how much time has passed, and how much more would be necessary before her subconscious stops connecting the feel of cold temperatures around her to the centuries she'd spent in cryo sleep. She couldn't get warm, which was ridiculous. Medically, her body hadn't even noticed the trip, it was the mental parts that were going to take some getting used to. Her eyes hurt, sore from lack of use, as if her pupils had forgotten how to transition from extreme dark to light. Rolling her shoulders, she sighed as she waited on another exam table for Lexi to clear her for duty.

Plans had gone awry. Half an hour later and the tightness in her chest is nearly suffocating as she walks away from the pod that holds her brother. She's worried sick that she'll never see him again but, at the same time, stubbornly convinced that of course she would. Scott was stronger than she was. He was going to be fine, he just needed more time.

Everything in the sterile smelling med bay was white; the walls, the ceiling, the light fixtures, even the gurneys. Sara was beginning to suspect the stark brightness was one of the reasons her eyes were hurting.

"Good morning, Sara," a voice welcomed her over the comms, the simulated inflections were soothing and novel. She was still learning the science, but right now she knew just enough to believe that her link to SAM was essentially a link to her father.

"SAM," she acknowledged, taking a deep breath, willing the tension to leave her body along with the air as she slowly released it.

"Cora is waiting to take you to your father via tram," he reminded her.

Right.

As she made her way back toward the front of the medical bay, she felt the corner of her mouth kick up in a smile as she noticed Harry for the first time tending a guy with crazy hair. His name turned out to be Kosta, and Sara snickered when she heard Harry direct his idea of post-cryo doctor-patient banter at him.

Harry's eyes tracked her movements as she approached. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Alright. But, worried."

"Don't be," he answered quickly. "Scott's going to be just fine."

Damn, it was really good to see him. "Thanks, Harry." She felt warmth spread, loosening the knot in her chest. "I'll see you later."

Next came a meeting on the bridge with the Captain and her father, followed by the mission lockers where she donned the armor she wore to board the ship at the beginning of this trip. Her eyes strayed to Harry's locker, feeling his absence along with her brother's. It seemed like only hours had passed since the four of them had arrived. She met the rest of the team there, and felt excitement building inside her as she focused on the mission, landfall on an undiscovered world in an entirely new galaxy.

She and Cora entered the hanger and her steps slowed as she noticed Harry, in full armor, packing medical supplies into a crate. "Hello again," she said in greeting, hoping her pleasure at the sight of him wasn't entirely obvious.

"You don't mind if I tag along? I know I'm not part of the team, but your father wants a medic on board for this one."

Sara noticed the pistol strapped to his hip, and felt a thrill that he had combat training. She hadn't been able to imagine that she'd get to spend time in the field with him. "Of course not, glad to have you along." She was.

Cora frowned. "This could get dangerous."

Harry's brows shot up, "Hey, I can handle myself. Wouldn't have survived this long if I couldn't," he said, snapping the lid of the crate shut before he lifted it effortlessly, as though he was trying to make a point.

Her father appeared, gave the team a pep talk, and then, surprisingly, pulled her aside. "Your brother's strong. He'll make it." For a moment the emotions were almost overwhelming. She swallowed hard, and nodded.

They were assigned to separate shuttles. She rode with Fisher, Greer, Kirkland, and Kosta, and her father went with Cora, Harry, and Hayes.

When the two teams finally met up again, everything had changed. Light half their fire team, Harry was forced to help them hold the shuttle. "Hah! I got one!" he said as he shot one of the new unidentified enemies.

First contact had been a disaster, and hostiles were everywhere.

Her father ordered them to split up; she, Cora, and Liam were to join him up ahead, and Harry was left to tend the wounded and use the shuttle to pick up the squad mates they'd been forced to leave behind.

Maybe having a doctor with them would have made a difference with what happened next.

Sara's world turned upside down. A kaleidoscope of flashing images and sounds; her father's shouts, Harry's terrified face, and then nothing but darkness.

She wondered if she wasn't still tucked away in her cryo pod, dreaming these nightmares. Perhaps Scott was the one who'd woke up safely and she was trapped in stasis.

The reality weighed her down like a ton of bricks. A title, responsibility she didn't want, and her father was just gone. She didn't understand how it had happened. Why couldn't they have taken turns with the helmet? Why did she feel like death?

Time moved on. She spent a restless night in her father's quarters, wrapped in one of his sweatshirts. She felt like an imposter among his things, going through his computer with SAM's help. SAM, the only thing of Alec Ryder she really had left.

At least she'd never be alone again.

They docked with the Nexus. A plan was formulated, orders were given, and Sara had a clear mission to focus on.

She saved her visit to the cryo level of the Hyperion until last thing, making it her final stop before she was to board a ship of her own and leave the Nexus.

More bad news.

"What do you mean, you're not coming with me?" Her disappointment was probably obvious, but she didn't care.

She'd come here to see Scott, or so she's told herself, but when she'd found Doctor Carlyle here, not even attempting to get ready to depart, she'd had to ask.

"Lexi and I have decided to swap jobs," Harry said, leading her away. His hand had returned to the small of her back, and he led her over to a less occupied section beyond the medbay doors. "What happened yesterday... that's on me."

"Harry, that's ridiculous..," she tried.

He cut her off, "No, if I'd been there with the shuttle sooner, things may have ended up differently. I need to accept my limitations, and it's looking like I'm getting too old to be out in the field."

Sara shook her head, but she could tell he'd made up his mind.

"Lexi is younger. Well, in asari years, that is." He was trying for a light tone, but it wasn't helping.

"So the plan is for me to board a ship I've never even seen before and head out into space with only Cora and Liam, and now the ship's medic is going to be somebody I barely know?" Resentments were beginning to pile up. She felt like a child in her disappointment, ornery and helpless.

"Hey, I've known Dr. T'Perro for years. You'll be in the very best hands."

But not his hands. "Years, huh?" She paused before continuing in a softer tone, "You guys aren't..," she trailed off suggestively, hoping he caught what she was driving at.

"Goodness, no," he laughed, and it wasn't until he did that Sara realized part of what she's feeling is the ghost of jealousy.

She folded her arms over her chest, feeling it lift as she sighed. "If that's what everyone thinks is best, I suppose there really isn't any point in arguing with you about it."

Harry's expression changed, softening. The pressure of his hand increased. "It's the right call. And I'll be right here if you ever need anything." He looked at her with sympathy and resignation.

For a moment Sara looked right back at him, unsure of what to say.

Withdrawing his hand, he stepped back in what Sara interpreted as dismissal. "This way I can look after Scott and let you know how he's doing."

Sara's teeth sank into her bottom lip and she nodded. "I'll be back when I can. Please let me know if anything changes."

His smile didn't quiet meet his eyes this time as he said softly, "Don't be a stranger."

Weeks went by, and Sara's team discovered the mysterious Remnant and the universe altering vaults, establishing the very first outpost in Andromeda to have a likely chance of succeeding. All the while Sara received updates on her brother's status from Lexi who kept communication up with Doctor Carlyle on the Nexus.

Sara had gotten into the habit of messaging Harry frequently herself, although she didn't let anyone aboard the ship know it, taking each and every report from Doctor T'Perro as news she hadn't already been in the position to glean. It had started out with Sara opening up her e-mail and staring at an empty page, needing a connection to the man she found herself wondering about more often than not. Mundane musings, usually as static as they were pointless, such as, what was he doing now? The answer was typically working; the man was a workaholic, arriving at the Hyperion's med bay around 0530 and taking the tram to new quarters on the Nexus usually as late at 2000 hours. From everything Sara had seen of the older man, he didn't have much in the way of a social life.

She texted him, telling him of things she'd seen and threats they'd faced, informal stripped down versions of the days' events dissimilar to her mission reports. She kept a running tally of all the things as they occurred to her that she hadn't imagined she'd miss from the Milky Way that now seemed like requirements for safety and sanity. His responses were quite often laced with humor and wit, and she appreciated the added opportunity to laugh or just smile at Harry's experienced but imaginative take on life.

They'd only just gotten the outpost up and running when Sara learned they were to report back to Tann. Leaving felt wrong, since the planet still had pockets of kett and a water issue that needed to be dealt with, but perhaps giving the vault some time to clear some of the radiation from the atmosphere wasn't such a bad idea.

She toyed with the idea of sending Harry a text to let him know that they'd be there that night, but decided against it. It was going to be late enough when they docked that he'd most likely be asleep, and she could feel the weight of her conscience reminding her that the lines between friendship and formality were still something she needed to determine. The closeness that was building between them after all the back and forth communication was new, and she didn't want to risk a proverbial step back by making assumptions and coming on too strong. She was certain that word of the Pathfinder team's return to the Nexus would reach him as soon as he arrived at work in the morning, so she ultimately dismissed the idea.

Being able to message him at any time had helped lessen his absence, but she was looking forward to seeing him in person again. She wanted to know if what she felt was as comfortable when it didn't need to jump distances.

When they arrived, most of the crew planned on heading to the Vortex, but Sara moved ahead of them, proceeding through the station's docking section. She rode alone to the Ark, deciding she'd grab a nap in her father's quarters. Her eyelids felt heavy, and fighting the drowsiness briefly, Sara waited for the door to seal behind her before she pulled off her clothes and spoke to the empty room. "SAM? Can I get a wake up call at 0800 if I'm not up by then?"

"Yes, Pathfinder."

But she needn't have worried. The next morning, or as early as she thought was acceptably decent, Sara took the tram to the cryo bay, heading straight for Doctor Carlyle.

"Good morning, Harry," she said, trying not to sound like an excited school girl. She couldn't pin down why she was so drawn to him. She wasn't sure whether it was his warmth, his smile, his wit, or a combination of all of it together. The fact that she found him so attractive didn't hurt, either.

His hair was neatly combed and he was wearing the uniform with the red that really brought out the flecks of grey near the irises of his intense eyes. "Hello, there. It's good to see you."

Sara felt warmth spread in her belly at his words.

Moving closer, he wrapped his fingers around her upper arm, steering her toward the bed where Scott lay resting. "Listen, I've just gotten some news. SAM has been able to establish a link to your brother..."

Talk then became all of Scott and SAM and the amazing opportunity she had been given to reconnect with her best and closest friend. She wasn't afforded as much time as she'd have liked, and the disconnect frightened her more than a little, considering all of the bad news she'd had to deliver. But she was grateful and Harry assured her that Scott was stable and well on his way down the road to recovery.

"Thank you, SAM," Sara said as she gave Scott a lingering look. Harry seemed as surprised as she was that the connection had worked. It seemed it was beyond him, since it was a technological breakthrough and not a medical one.

She turned to Harry, reluctant to go. Maybe she could put off saying goodbye, for now. "So... I've got some things to take care of, but... do you take a break for lunch?"

He looked startled for just a moment, but recovered quickly. "Yeah, sure. If you want, we could meet up in the commons around 1300."

Sara flashed him a smile, feeling a thrill down to her toes. "Great. I'll see you then."

The common area of the Ark was where the sleeping quarters and the dining hall were located. The dining hall was little more than an oversized cafeteria, with, for the moment, a very limited selection of food and beverages available through both vending machines and servers.

Harry was already seated at a table near a potted plant when Sara arrived. He had a cup of what looked like black coffee and a plate with some kind of sandwich on it. He stood as she approached, pulling out her chair. "Can I get you something? They've got ramen, I think."

Her cheeks colored with a mixture of embarrassment and happiness that he knew about her favorite guilty pleasure. It was cheap earth food, a dehydrated staple that came out of a cup and was nearly tasteless, but Sara loved the stuff.

She laughed, sliding into the chair he offered. "No, but thank you."

He helped her tuck her chair in before returning to his seat, dropping a napkin on his lap. "So what's next for you?" he asked.

Sara watched as he took a healthy sized bite of the sandwich. "Following a trail we picked up on Eos. Should be interesting to see where it leads."

He nodded as he chewed.

Sara looked down at her hands. "I've missed seeing you."

Harry swallowed his food and smiled. "Likewise, kiddo. I imagine you've been pretty busy."

Conversation moved on to her work and his, and about how they were going to end up tied together, she establishing a place for people to call home, and he waking folks up so those places would have people to fill them. He cracked jokes around bites of sandwich and she laughed at them, simply enjoying his company. The hour passed by far too quickly.

"Thank you for spending your lunch with me, Harry." Sara said, knowing it was time to leave, but reluctant to go, even so.

"No problem. It's nice having someone to talk to."

Sara clenched her fingers together, deciding to test the waters. "And I want you to know how much it means to me that you've been messaging me so much. It really helps keep me going."

He replied a little too quickly. "I get it. You miss your father."

Her brows drew together in confusion. "My father..?" Her eyes sought his immediately. His expression was almost wistful, and seeing it kept Sara from growing angry as realization dawned. "You think I'm spending time with you because you remind me of my dad." It was a statement.

His silence spoke volumes.

"Harry, I barely knew my father. So much for me thinking that you were good at reading people." She got up and he was quickly around the table after her.

When he reached her, Sara sighed, and turned to look up into his eyes, speaking plainly. "I like being with you because you're kind, and handsome, and funny. You listen to me when I talk, you let me be silly, put up with me when I complain, and you give me advice and reassurances when I need it." She blew air out of her lungs, feeling the hair around her face stir. "I know it's your job to be there for me, but I was kind of hoping there was a chance it could be more than that."

His eyes widened and he went very still as, having finished admonishing him, she slowly moved up on tiptoes and brushed a kiss over his cheek. The stubble there scratched across her lips, inviting her to do more. She had to tamp down the urge to move on to kiss his mouth. She wanted to explore the swarthy skin under his chin and down his neck, past where it disappeared beneath his collar. He smelled like a blend of soap and aftershave, and she had to fight to make herself step back.

His pupils had dilated and Sara found her hands squeezed between his bigger, stronger ones. "Sara. I'm sorry."

"Pathfinder, the crew of the Tempest is all on board the ship and ready to leave at your word," SAM said into the silence that followed. He hadn't used her private channel, and Sara wondered if he was trying to help break the tension, or if that was giving him too much credit.

"Time to go," she said with a weak smile.

Harry stepped forward and gave her a hug, surrounding her for just a moment with the strength of his arms.

She clung to him, feeling her eyes slide shut. She felt his chest rumble against her as he spoke.

"Be careful. And come back soon."