Sorry it took me so long! I was really busy! Please don't kill me!

I don't own mass effect!

Shepard stood as she possible could, hoping that, well she wasn't sure what she was hoping for.

"Why up so late commander" the pilot asked in a curious tone

Shepard did her best to look very interested in stirring her coffee, trying her best not to look joker in the eye because if she did she knew all too well she would break down and commander Shepard didn't have break downs, it just didn't happen.

Deciding to go for the safe answer she said in an even tone

"I was doing some paper work"

But as she said it the solider could partially feel joker giving her an arched look,

'Danm, he can always tell when I'm lying'

The pilot stepped forward and was leaning on the side next to the commander. Shepard took a quick side glace at the man next to her, his face was more serious then she had ever seen.

"Come on Shepard we both know you're lying; now tell me the truth, what's wrong"

Joker's stern tone made the commander almost give in and tell him everything…almost.

"I'm fine, really. There's nothing wrong"

Shepard did her best to keep her voice even but she knew her panic and sadness bled threw. And with another glace at joker she could tell he really wasn't happy at her no letting him in.
"Shepard, iv known you long enough to tell something's wrong not only that but EDI also mentioned that your stress level has sky rocketed"

At the mention of the AI's name Shepard knew she had to get out of there and fast

"Nothings wrong, really. Look I have to go…I've got things to do"

The commander grabbed her mug and almost ran to the elevator but just as she reached it the elevator boors slammed shut and EDI's voice echoed

"I apologise commander, Jeff has instructed me not to allow keep you on this floor till the problem has been resolved"

"God danmit EDI open these doors!"

Before the commander could even try to think of a way out she felt a hand on her shoulder, joker had caught her

"Shepard..."

The way he said her name and the worried look he was giving her broke down the final wall. There was nothing the once strong women could do to stop the tears that fell from her eyes. Joker was more then just a bit shocked.

"Shepard tell me what's wrong"

Shepard covered her face with her hands, she wasn't meant to cry and defiantly not in front of joker

"N...Nightmares" she stuttered "ever since I was brought back, they stopped when we blew up the collectors but they're back and worse"

Joker had never seen the commander look so sad and vulnerable it didn't sit well that some dream could do this to her

"Tell me"

Still covering her face the young women told the pilot all the saddening and horrific details of her nightmares, the blood, the pain, the death and him.

Joker remained quiet and just listened, the things he was being told where so shocking and saddening it made him even more worried about the commander but when she told him about her most resent nightmare, he couldn't hold back joker rapped his arms around the crying women, she was shocked at first but melted in to the embrace and cried in to his chest. She cried for the pain, the people she lost, the what ifs and for the love that would never be returned.

Once she had stopped crying as much she backed up but joker kept his arms on her shoulders and that's when joker knew, it wasn't EDI he was in love with, it was the woman in his arms and if he didn't tell her now he might lose her for good.

"Shepard…rose I need to tell you something"

Shepard's head snapped up it had been so long since anyone had called her by her first name 'this must be really important' she looked into his deep eyes and saw something she had only ever dreamed about seeing there
"rose" he whispered her names as he leaned closer to her "I love you" with that said the pilot closed the gap, the two kissed putting all the feelings they had kept from each other and themselves in to it holding nothing back. And they knew in that moment that they had someone to count one, someone to love and someone to stand next to them in the final battle.

Fin

I know joker was ooc sorry!

Please review! Hope you liked it!