"So what exactly are you going to do?"

Wrex turned to look at the barren wasteland behind him. It had been three hundred years since he had last set foot on the steaming rockpile that he called home. He turned back to Liara and gave a shrug.

"Not really sure yet," he responded. "Don't really know where to start."

"Well," the asari replied with a kind, genuine smile. "It's sad to see you go. I thought you'd stick around for a while at least."

"And what? Clean up some pissant geth battalions?" Wrex laughed. "I've got better things to do than dealing with gnats."

Shepard grinned at him. "We're going to miss you, Wrex."

"Shit, don't get sappy on me now, Shepard. You didn't really think we would all just stay together forever."

"No, but I never thought you'd be the first to leave."

"Can't expect me to hang around in your shitty cargo bay for the rest of my life."

The redhead stuck out her hand. "Working with you was definitely an eye-opening experience."

The krogan took her hand in his own and shook it with a grin. "Same. At least it was never boring."

"Thanks for everything."

"Back on Virmire," he started, his deep red eyes hard and serious. "We could've killed each other. I'm glad we didn't. After what I saw there… it's time for someone to drill some kind of reason into my people's heads. And I guess I'm gonna be the one to try."

"If anyone can, it's you. You can out-stubborn a rock."

"Let's see if I can out-stubborn the rest of the krogan. I owe you one, Shepard."

He turned to the others down the line. Kaidan shook his hand, said, "It was damn good having you on our side," and wished him luck. The hazy features under Tali's helmet showed a smile as she said her goodbyes. Wrex knew she would be the next to go, she could only put off her pilgrimage for so long. When he reached Liara, she reached out and took one of his hands in both of hers. He didn't pull away, the way he probably would have with anyone else. The little asari had somehow managed to gain his high esteem. She was a bit shy, but she was quick and smart and she was impressive on the battlefield despite what one would think. Liara gave his hand a squeeze.

"Goodbye, Wrex," she said with a smile. "You're going to lead the krogan to something great."

"Chances are I'm not leading them anywhere."

"I know you will. Take care of yourself."

Wrex gave a gruff snort and turned to Garrus. The turian was leaning back against the shuttle that had brought them all out to the borderlands of Clan Urdnot's territory, his arms crossed over his chest. He straightened as Wrex stood before him.

"I think I'm going to cry," he said in that dry, sarcastic tone Wrex had come to know so well.

"Try not to. I heard turians can only cry acid."

"I wouldn't know. I've never cried before."

There was a moment of silence and then Wrex barked a laugh and Garrus broke into a smile. Wrex gave him a friendly whack on the shoulder.

"You aren't so bad, Vakarian… for a turian."

"And you aren't so bad for a krogan. Try not to get yourself killed."

"Likewise. You won't have me covering your ass anymore."

With one last nod at him, Shepard turned and motioned everyone into the transport before hopping in herself. She stood at the open door as Garrus jumped into the driver's seat and the shuttle began to rise. The engine kicked up a thick cloud of Tuchunka's ashy dust and Wrex raised an arm to shield his eyes from it.

"Hey Kaidan!" he called over the noise. Kaidan poked his head out to listen. He pointed at Shepard. "Try to keep that idiot from running head first at anything that looks like certain death."

Kaidan laughed and Shepard gave him the finger. And then they were gone, speeding across the sky and out of sight and Wrex was standing alone on old Tuchunka soil that hadn't changed or grown anything new in ages. He turned towards the heart of Clan Urdnot's territory and started walking.

He was going to make things change or he was going to die trying.

So much had happened in the three months that had followed the defeat of Sovereign and its puppet Saren that Kaidan could barely wrap his head around it all. The Citadel had instantly begun reconstruction and repairs for the areas that had been damaged in the battle. The Normandy's crew had all gone through extensive debrief and had been issued an official pardon for mutiny. A memorial service had been held for all those who had given their lives in service with the Alliance, with a special ceremony for Ashley. She was awarded a purple heart and was posthumously promoted. Anderson was officially inducted as a Council member a few days after. The Normandy was reassigned a new mission. Then Wrex left, followed by Tali three weeks later. When she had left, Kaidan had found Garrus in the mess and the turian had mentioned that maybe it was time he started to think about what his next move was going to be. But, after that talk he didn't mention it again and didn't look like he would be leaving the Normandy anytime soon. Liara had also stuck around, often holed up in her room with articles and books and muttering about research notes. And as for himself and Shepard…

She was lying beside him, folded into the curve of his body, her head on his arm. He loved moments like this, where they were just side by side in comfortable silence. After so long a period of constant action and pain and fear, little moments of quiet and boredom and inactivity seemed like heaven. Her breathing was rhythmic and deep, but he knew she wasn't asleep, not yet anyway. Kaidan took a moment to look her over. Her long red hair was spread out over his arm and the pillow behind her like a rippling wave of fire. The freckles across the bridge of her nose stood out against her creamy skin, something endearing about the line of dots spanning over her cheekbones.

Kaidan bent and very gently placed a kiss on her lips. When he pulled back she was smiling, but it took her a moment to open her eyes and look up at him sleepily.

"What was that for?" she asked, shifting closer to him.

He didn't reply, he just kissed her again, lingering this time. She parted her lips under his and he tasted her for a brief moment. With his thumb he tilted her jaw up and deepened the kiss, his hand sliding back over her shoulder and down to her ass. Her fingers were in his hair, gripping, pulling him closer.

Kaidan pulled back gently after another few moments. He gave her a contented smile before slowly disentangling himself. "Mind if I use your shower?"

She didn't respond, but he wasn't really waiting for one. He had been using her shower a lot now. He dropped his clothes onto the floor and turned the hot water on full blast before stepping into the jet. He was wetting his hair through when he heard the shower door open and a cold blast of air hit him for a moment. Kaidan turned and found Shepard closing up after herself. She met his gaze and smiled.

"You woke me, felt me up, and then decided to take a shower?" she said with a grin. The overspray coming off of him was sprinkling her body in glistening water droplets that ran down her skin temptingly. "I don't think so. You've got to finish what you started."

She closed the already small gap between them. The water from the shower head trickled down over the both of them as his arms automatically wrapped around her. Her skin was soft and warm where it pressed against his own. Locks of her hair began to curl loosely as the water dampened them. Shepard leaned up and kissed him, her tongue flicking teasingly into his mouth as she slid her hands down his chest and scraped a fingernail softly down the length of him. He gave a quick laugh as she broke from him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you all hot and bothered," he said, pressing her further into him and kissing her neck.

"Well," she said on a gasp as he bit down lightly on her earlobe. "You did, so fix it."

"Gladly."