Pendejo!

Steve stared at the picture of Robert. His vision blurred. Tears had returned. Shepard entered.

"Cortez... sorry to bother you, but we've got Cerberus activity." Steve brushed away his tears.

"I'll be ready in five." Shepard nodded.

"James, suit up. You're coming with me. If we've got Cerberus dogs, I need my bear. You take more bullets than my armor does."

"All right!" Liara came into the shuttle bay, in full combat armor. They all boarded the shuttle as Steve got ready to take off. As the cargo bay opened, Steve flew the ship out, landing on the surface as the Normandy returned to space. As they got off the shuttle, their was an obvious cannon firing.

"I'll go get a read on what they're firing at!"

"Get on it!" Shepard replied. Steve flew into the atmosphere, and found it. They were clearing the way for Cerberus to get into range. He relayed this information to Shepard, and got the coordinates ready.

"I need coordinates Cortez!"

"Uploaded!" The cannon fired, and Steve watched in silence as the cruiser disentegrated. It was an amazing sight. He loved watching anything that happened in zero gravity. Making it a Cerberus ship being destroyed, was amazing.

He flew back to the planet, to pick up Shepard and the crew.

Shepard pulled off his helmet, and looked around. They were waiting on Cortez with the shuttle, and he knew now was the ideal time to tell James what he was doing wrong.

"James, I need to talk to you."

"What's up Loco?" he asked.

"You're avoiding Cortez. Don't deny it, I know you're doing it. So quit it."

"Shepard, I can't let him-"

"It's bullshit James. He cares about you. We may not have much time left here, and if we all die, there's a lot you'll regret as you get blown to hell by a Reaper."

"What's that supposed to mean?" James crossed his arms over his chest.

"You care about him just as much as he cares about you. I could see that the moment I walked into the shuttle bay and talked to the two of you. Every time you step off that shuttle, he's listening for you. And he hates it, because you lie in battle! You never even told him how serious that injury on Palaven was!"

"I didn't need him to worry."

"That's your problem, both of you don't want the other to worry. Maybe you should both shut up and deal with the fact that no matter what you do, you worry about each other," Shepard said. James was listening for once, and he took what Shepard was saying to heart.

"I just don't know. I can't hurt him." Shepard growled and shook his head.

"Pendejo!" James jumped back.

"What? Wait... you don't even know what that means!"

"I know enough! James, you're avoiding the problem. You're hurting him by not talking to him. Goddamnit doesn't he deserve better? He lost his husband! And if he wants to let go of Robert for you, that's huge."

"I don't know Loco..."

"At least talk to him, all right? He's been a mess without you," Shepard replied. James nodded. Maybe distance wasn't helping anything. Maybe it was making things worse.

Cortez landed the shuttle, and Liara got on first, wanting to escape the yelling between the two men. Shepard and James joined. James went to the copilot's seat, and took a deep breath.

Shepard leaned again Steve's workstation, in a very smiliar manner as James usually did, and looked around.

"You know Shepard, that was amazing last mission. I never get tired of watching enemy ships disentigrate in low atmosphere." James looked up from his corner.

"Man, sometimes I worry about you." Steve's eyes lit up. James hadn't joked with him in days.

"I didn't think you cared Mr. Vega!" As James went back to work, Steve looked up at Shepard.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"You talked to him. I know you did. And thank you. Maybe he'll go back to normal."

"Or maybe he'll man up." Steve laughed.

"I doubt that Shepard. But I can hope." Shepard nodded, and went to the elevator. Steve couldn't stop smiling. He was just happy that James was back to normal.

James argued with himself as he ate, Garrus across the table from him.

"You're quiet today Vega."

"Just thinking Scars," he replied.

"You know how to think? That's news."

"Ah shut it Scars." James was honestly not sure what he was doing. He wanted to give in to what Shepard was saying and just go back to the shuttle bay and tell Steve everything. But, something stopped him. He was afraid. Not of being in love, not of having someone he cared about, but the fact that it was very possible that he would loose Steve. If James lived, and Steve died, he couldn't live with himself. And if he died... he'd never forgive himself.

"Friends. We can be friends. If we both survive this war, I'll tell him."