AN: This one's coming out a day late - sorry! Out of town this past weekend, and my schedule has been all over the place. Schedule should resume like normal next week.

-O-

Shepard had a hard time falling asleep. She rationalized it was due to the prolonged period of unconsciousness that had accompanied the beacon dumping shit into her brain before attempting to blow her up - but she knew that was mostly an excuse. It was really because of the content of said dumping. And said content disturbing pre-existing nightmare material. The two had fed off each other, creating dramatic flashes that barely let her keep her eyes closed for longer than ten seconds before they were bursting open again.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw people dying. Heard their screams in the loud silence of the sleeper pod. So after two hours of attempting to get some rest, she'd torn out of it, taken a long, hot shower, and brewed some coffee.

That had been nearly five hours ago.

She'd sat in the mess, toured the decks, talked to the night crew a bit, and returned to the mess just in time for start of breakfast.

It was too late to try and get some shut eye, as people were beginning to crawl out of their pods and hit the showers. Williams stumbling bleary eyed offered some small amusement to her otherwise sleep-deprived state, especially when the Chief ran smack into Alenko on his way out of the showers and didn't even stop to apologize. Or register the collision.

Alenko's complete disregard for anything that wasn't coffee for the first five minutes of his 'wakefulness' had also provided early morning amusement when he'd casually ignored no fewer than three different greetings from the early shift crew. Only grunting once he had a cup in his hands before shortly disappearing into the showers. It was very reminiscent of the Captain, who'd come out approximately twenty minutes later and done nearly the exact same thing.

Of course, Anderson's morning routine had also included an arch of the eyebrow at Shepard slouched in the secondary lounge between the kitchen and the elevator, taking up half a bench. It was pretty obvious she'd been there a few hours, and Anderson undoubtedly thought she'd pulled an all-nighter. He wasn't very far off the mark, but it wasn't for the reasons he'd suspect.

Though maybe he knew that, too.

Anderson sat down across from her once he'd showered and gotten another cup of coffee and a muffin. "You gonna be here for the meeting, Shepard?"

She closed her 'tool and looked up at him. "Yeah."

"It's in thirty. No time to dodge off for shut eye."

Shepard glanced at Alenko as he rounded the corner, balancing a cup of coffee and a datapad in one hand and a plate of food in the other, hesitating for a fraction of a second before responding. "Couldn't get it if I wanted it."

"Ambassador Udina secured a Council meeting for 0900 hours, but he wants us in the office at 0800."

Shepard grumbled. Politicians always wanted everything yesterday from everyone but themselves. It didn't surprise her that Udina wasn't any different, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"It's 0630 right now."

Shepard discreetly kicked the Captain under the table. "I know what time it is."

He only grinned as he rose. "See you, Shepard. Alenko."

The LT glanced up from his seat a couple meters away and nodded, before diving back into his pad. She was almost curious what the hell had his undivided attention, but also grateful, as that meant a reduced chance at him having heard her admit to not being able to sleep.

He already had gotten enough of her personal life the day before, sitting in on her check up with Doctor Chakwas. She liked being open with her junior officers, but wasn't used to them knowing the details of her nightmares. At least the one he'd heard about was centered around whatever the beacon had burned into her brain and not her standard affair. Not to mention completely expected after a traumatic experience. Though her standard nightmares had been mixed in as well. She just hadn't confessed their existence as they weren't exactly something new.

Perhaps a lie by omission when the Doctor had asked after what she'd seen, but any other night, she'd have seen the burning towers of Elysium or the smoky skyline of Mindoir.

"You were up early, Commander."

Shepard jolted in her seat, unaware that she'd spaced off in the first place, as Alenko set his pad down. "You could say that."

He scooted closer on the bench across from her. "Last time I was near a misfired grenade and got caught in the shockwave, I was out for ten hours. Didn't sleep for two days."

His disarming, earnest smile made her relax, some of the tension bleeding out of her shoulders. He'd given her a way out of the conversation should she want it - and she took it.

"Fifteen won't make that three days then, will it?"

He shrugged. "I mean mathematically speaking..."

"Well," she breathed out slowly, "shit."

"Oh no," Williams said, entering the lounge, "It's too early in the day for 'well shit', ma'am."

Alenko's eyes sparkled at her before he turned to the Chief and said, "Ground team has to go to the Council Meeting with Ambassador Udina. In case there are questions."

Williams peered over her shoulder, pausing in her pursuit of breakfast to frown. "Shit."

"Exactly."

Shepard made a mental note to buy Alenko a beer next time they had shore leave - even if it was only a few hours.

Williams sat down across from Alenko, right next to her. "No offense, Commander, but you look like shit."

Shepard gave Alenko an odd look as he shook his head while grinning, and said, "Thanks."

Williams spluttered around a mouthful of eggs, and Alenko chuckled on the other side of the table as he handed the Chief a napkin.

"It wasn't a compliment, Commander."

"Sure it was," she answered. "You wouldn't insult a sleep-deprived XO at 0630, would you?"

"You've got an odd sense of humor, ma'am."

Alenko looked up with a serious expression. "Was the Commander being funny?"

Something in Alenko's voice made her swear he was poking fun himself.

For her part, Williams looked between the two of them and muttered something about O's ganging up on her.

"Were you being funny, Commander?"

This time, she called it. Alenko was a deadpan kind of guy. She could play along with that. "Why did Susy fall off the swing?"

Alenko didn't even miss a beat as he said, "Because Susy's a loaf of bread."

"You two shitheads enjoy your breakfast," Williams stood up, shaking her head. "I'm gonna go eat in peace."

Once Williams had left, Shepard said, "She must think I'm really pretty. Two compliments before 0800."

Shepard was more tired than she thought, she realized. Joking so easily. Or maybe it was the company. She discreetly cast a glance at Alenko as he drummed his fingers on the table, looking at nothing in particular.

"I guess I'm only a little pretty," he mused.

-O-

The little round table in Captain Anderson's office hadn't been meant to seat three marines in addition to the Captain for an extended period of time. Three people, tops - and even that would have been pushing the crowded boundary in Alenko's estimation. As it was, Shepard's elbow kept bumping into his, and the XO had a propensity to stretch her legs out, which meant Shepard kept stepping on his toes and muttering apologies as she put them back.

Her restlessness was starting to affect him, he realized, as Williams eyed him sharply when he stretched out his legs and crushed her toes.

They'd already been at the table for forty-five minutes and were bound to be late if they didn't leave soon for Udina's office, but Anderson wanted to go over all the details one more time. Filing a report with the Council on a Council funded mission that had gone to shit, resulting in the death of a Spectre at the hands of another, on top of the destruction of a rare Prothean artifact and well, Alenko could understand the caution. Better to make Udina wait so they didn't have to deal with his political bullshit rather than make the Council wait.

Alenko wasn't exactly eager to go hopping through the Presidium just to please some politician, so when the forty-five stretched to fifty-five and Anderson gave them five minutes to stretch their limbs and hit the head, he didn't voice a complaint. All three of them jumped up as soon as Anderson said 'dismissed' and were out of his office faster than he could blink, Alenko hot on Shepard's heels while Williams crowded him from behind.

Both women stormed the bathroom. Alenko veered off towards the lounge and sighed in relief when the single sofa was completely free. He sprawled out over it, one foot resting on the floor, fully intending to not move an inch until time was up and he had to. For now, he had every intention of being a log. He considered opening his 'tool but decided against delving into anything he'd have to give up so soon. Though he could review the data he'd collected from the beacon the other day...

"You've got five seconds till I sit on your face," Williams said, looming over him.

Alenko simply scooted down the cushion till there was enough room for her to sit down, bending the one leg still on the sofa to accommodate the Chief. She grunted her approval and fell onto the couch next to him.

Shepard didn't even announce her presence before unceremoniously picking up his foot, sitting down, and dropping the leg in her lap as she slouched downwards and closed her eyes. Her arms crossed over his knee prevented him from moving and giving her more space, but as she didn't seem to mind, he decided not to worry about it. And now he didn't have to hold the limb up himself.

"First person that reminds me of the time gets a boot in the ass," she said after a moment.

That was the only thing said for their entire reprieve. None of them moved an inch, lying and sitting in companionable silence. Enjoying the brief moment between meetings, none of them looking forwards to trekking through the Citadel from one political meeting with a hidden agenda to another. Which was exactly how Anderson found them four minutes later as he exited his cabin, hand moving towards and then dropping away from the comm chip in his ear.

"You know," the Captain said, and three sets of eyes lit on him, "I'd expect this from Shepard who didn't sleep for shit last night, but you two?" Instead of continuing the thought, he simply shook his head. "On your feet, marines."

Alenko and Williams rose first, and he held out a hand to Shepard once he was on his feet, which she accepted with a grateful smile.

"Udina's probably chomping at the bit," Anderson said once they were all on their feet. "Better not waste more of his time than we already have."

Despite the seriousness of the words, he said it with a sly grin. There certainly wasn't any rush in his gait as they exited the ship and headed towards the elevator down the docks that would take them to C-Sec HQ. From there, they hoofed it to the Embassy, not hurrying, but not dallying either.

By the time they arrived at the Ambassador's office, it was half past eight. The Ambassador's face was blotchy with barely constrained frustration - and Alenko got the distinct impression it wasn't the first time Captain Anderson had kept Udina waiting.

It was a shame that his first time aboard the station, let alone stepping foot inside the Presidium ring, was spent rushing through all the sites he'd have liked to take a while to appreciate. He perfectly understood the reasoning behind the meeting, and even agreed that to some extent, having the ground team as backup insurance was a good idea. Well executed, too, as Udina clearly hadn't expected the Captain to bring the ground team. Shepard tapped him on the shoulder discreetly and jerked her head a fraction of an inch, just in time for him to catch the wicked gleam in the Captain's eyes as he listed off half a dozen excuses for why the marines had every right to be there. Especially concerning the nature of the mission that had gone to shit, and did Udina want the Council to have questions that they couldn't answer because the ground team had been left aboard ship?

The Ambassador's face had gone an ugly shade of purple at having that question directed towards him and he spat, "Of course not!"

Only Alenko's considerable military training kept him from laughing at the outburst.

Shepard slipped discreetly closer to the Captain while Ambassador Udina continued his rant, but Alenko and Williams hung back. Neither eager to draw more attention to themselves, whereas Shepard, judging by the tone of her voice as she interrupted Udina, was tired of the bullshit and thought Udina should know as much.

Coming from anyone else, Anderson would have silenced them. But XO's were expected to step up to the plate and not take shit when it came slinging their way.

The Commander certainly didn't take shit.

By the time Udina hussled them out of the office and towards the aircars waiting for them - muttering under his breath at having to call another for the marines - Alenko was more than relieved to be out of the stuffy office. Only made stuffy by Udina's presence, considering the big open windows.

Once the door was closed for their aircar, destination programmed in and autopilot engaged, Williams heaved a sigh from the back and said, "And that's why I hate politicians."

"I think even politicians hate politicians," Shepard agreed.

Alenko glanced at her. "Probably for the same reasons everyone else hates politicians."

"Hidden agendas, political backstabbing…" Williams listed off.

Shepard picked up right where she trailed off. "The veins in their foreheads threatening to burst."

"Hey," Williams' head poked between him and Shepard, "you think Udina had these things programmed, or can we skip out?"

"No man left behind, Chief," Shepard jerked her head towards the aircar ahead of them.