The CIC was the first place to visit upon waking up. The migraine had vanished, and my muscles were only a little sore yet. The cybernetics were thankfully still working.

"Joker wishes to speak with you, Commander."

I nodded to Kelly, passing by the private terminal. For once, the cockpit was quiet. The stillness was unnerving. "Joker?"

"Yeah Commander?" His chair turned around to face me.

"You wanted to see me?"

He nodded. "Yeah. About going back… we can take the long route if you want. I mean, no one says we have to go back to Citadel Space immediately. So long as we're on the way back, right?" He tilted his head to the navigation system. "We have to restock in Omega. Maybe we get robbed."

The corner of my mouth twitched upwards. "Joker…"

He tossed his hands up. "Hey, I'm just saying, things happen. And we do need to restock. After all that, the crew is half traumatized."

I couldn't deny that one. We could do some sort of side mission. For the sake of the crew's mental well-being, of course. My personal physical gain had nothing to do with it.

Or at least I could give myself some extra time to believe that.

And if Hackett didn't like it, he could send his men after me. The prick at least owed me a few days to myself for setting me up. He knew what sort of calls I would make. He knew of my history on Torfan.

"Set speed for half pace. We'll get there when we get there." I couldn't help but reflect his grin. "If the Alliance that sent me there knowing my personnel record has a problem with it, they can find me. Eventually."

"Aye aye Commander, en route to Omega." He spun his chair back into place, and I took my leave. I circled around the Galaxy Map, heading to the elevator, feeling the shift in gravity as we entered FTL.

"Commander, Mordin would like to speak with you."

I frowned and changed my route to the lab. I saw the salarian hard at work on something. "Need me for something, Mordin?"

"Ah, Shepard. Glad you stopped by." He stopped working and looked up at me. "The oils worked well, I hope?"

I nodded. "So far so good. No reactions either."

"I read new data as well. Fascinating studies. Seems all pairs react differently upon exposure. The subject requires more research. Perhaps you and Officer Vakarian—"

"Quit while you're ahead."

"Quite right. I've made another batch of the oil. Once it's ready I'll have it delivered to your quarters."

I nodded. "So what studies have to read so far?"

"Some pairs reported no allergic reaction at all, while others have reported severe outbreaks. As I said, test subjects too rare. Too few couples willing to come forward yet, given stigma."

There were some people, humans and turians alike, who had not gotten over the First Contact War. They treated the other species as inferior, and not worth the other's time. The stigma was slowly dying, but pairings were still rare. It mainly was the allergic reaction fears that kept a large portion away, besides the fact their parents would disown them.

That wasn't much of a problem in my case. Besides, we were just blowing off steam. It wasn't as if it meant anything.

"Hopefully more civilians will have the time to devote to the studies." I tilted my head with a smile. "Talk to you later, Mordin."

He returned the nod. "Shepard."

I retreated back to my cabin, checking my logs in the elevator to pass the time. There wasn't much to occupy our time besides float from location to location. The military could bitch all they wanted to at our pace.

I swiped away the windows as I entered the cabin, the silence pressing against my ears. For hours, the walls had been proving just how much reverberation they had, leaving an eerie silence behind. We needed to rest, we knew that, but… fuck if aliens aren't fascinating in and out of bed. Or in the shower. Or on the desk.

He had somehow untangled himself from the sheets before he passed out so he could go back down to his cot, walk of shame be damned. Hell, I could've sworn he strutted out of my door.

I couldn't believe I hadn't looked at him like that sooner. I just hadn't been interested in sex until the stress became too much. I had put too much into who I became after I joined the military. I had no interest in ruining it with rumors of frivolity. I wanted it known that I earned what I had. And that I'd kill to protect it. I touched the grooves in my cheeks. Intimidation had gotten easier since I was rebuilt, but I had still kept some integrity.

Until I saw him again.

I sat in an armchair, watching the fish I had managed to keep alive. That had been it. We had been so close on the first mission, I hadn't even noticed just how much. He was the one soldier who didn't flinch at my harsh, realistic point of view. In fact, I was surprised with how akin to him I had felt, knowing he understood duty before anything else. I had learned in those few months that turian ways of life reflected so many of my own views.

That was when I had started inviting him to my quarters. That small little closet on the Normandy SR-1. A month into our mission chasing Saren, he started coming to see me weekly, just as I would go see him. Then, after another month, it became a few times a week, and the last month, it was every night after our shift was over. I never had a best friend before. Only people that relied on you and you relied on them. I wasn't used to his militant loyalty, but I had no trouble accepting his friendship when we realized how alike we really were.

When I saw him after two years, knowing he was the first familiar face, everything I had felt came rushing back. Looking back on it, I hadn't even realized the emotions had caused me to flirt with him, in our playful banter sort of way. I did wonder at the time what Miranda's weird look had been. I hadn't realized until afterward that it was probably one of the few times she had seen me smile.

And then to find out he was one of the only people to stay loyal to me and help me despite my employer? It was a no brainer on who I would pick to fight off my growing stress. In fact…

I bit my lip, pulling up my keyboard on my omni. I tapped open a message. "I hope you're not busy. I have something for you and it can't wait."

It didn't take long for him to respond. "Something, hm? You got me at a good time. I'm not in the middle of anything… yet."

"We're still on shift, so get up here quick."

"As you wish, Commander."

Mm, Commander, was it? If that was what he wanted, Commander Shepard he would get.