Progress is being made! Somewhat as well as some relationship development. I've also decided that for each chapter, I'll put down the song that really inspired the chapter. Now, I know not everyone is going to like my taste in music, but that's just how life is so please don't get all uppity with me over my music choices.

Song: Come and Get It - Selena Gomez

Disclaimer: Bioware owns, I'm just playing with their toys.

Chapter 10

"I think I'm in love." Astra stared with wide, awe filled eyes at the Asari before her. Now, Shepard had never been a fan of Asari, but she was so powerful! Only biotic that Shepard had ever seen with power even remotely close to this was Liara or maybe Kaiden. In this moment, Astra wished that she was more than just an infiltrator. She wished she'd been born a biotic. Sure, she knew these daydreamer's fantasies wouldn't last, but for now, she could dream as she watched Samara with wide sea form hued eyes.

"Shep, darling, you can give her goo-goo eyes when we're done here." Kasumi said, breaking into Astra's thoughts before bumping her shoulder against the Commander's. Shepard grinned before focusing on the task at hand once more. No more distractions. They had shit to get done.

It was officially break time. They'd gotten Samara after going on a crazy adventure that involved much fighting and an overwhelming want to just go home and take a long nap and that was exactly what Commander Astra R. Shepard had in mind. In the group of four went, walking through the airlock of the Normandy and into CIC. "Joker, stay docked, we still have to get Thane and see Liara. I just need a break from all the gunfire." She smirked, shaking her head and stretching her arms over her head, "Samara, make yourself at home. You are free to roam the ship as it pleases you." She cast a look over her shoulder at the Asari.

"Thank you, Commander Shepard." Samara inclined her head before following Kasumi to the elevator, which left Shepard alone with Joker and Garrus.

Green eyes turned to Joker, "Behave yourself while I take a nap." Turning away, she walked towards the elevator, listening to the soft chatter of the people around her and the thump of Garrus' armored feet. However, her escape was thwarted by Kelly calling after her with a list of people who needed to talk to her. Garrus waved a taloned hand at her in farewell and all she could do was make a face before she went to listen to what the overly peppy woman had to say to her.

Making friends with one's crew was hard. Mordin and Grunt now had stuff for her to do for them and well, she was exhausted. Her mind was always running a hundred miles a minute and it was like she couldn't ever just relax. The galaxy always needed saving and someone always needed something from her. Heaving a sigh, she leaned back against the wall by the elevator, looking at the door to her cabin with a look of trepidation.

In her gut, she felt as though someone might be waiting on the other side of that door for her and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out what it was. Then again, she could just be imagining things and going crazy. She liked that answer, it meant she was just getting paranoid and she shoved off the wall only to stop as the doors opened and the angry, seemingly flaming ice blue eyes of Garrus met hers and she opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it.

Astra was no fool. She knew what he was here to tell her and she nodded her head before he had a moment to speak. "EDI, tell Joker to set course to wherever it is, Garrus Vakarian needs us to go."

"Right away, Commander." She responded and Shepard let out a slow breath before looking back at Garrus and what she saw in his eyes scared her. For once, she understood why Turians were almost as feared as Krogan.

Had she made a horrible choice? He was so mad at her for saving Sidonis. The whole ride back to the Normandy had been awkward and tense. It was like he didn't want to be within a mile of her and as soon as they'd walked out of the airlock, he'd bee-lined it for the elevator and was gone before a word could leave her mouth. Now? She was sitting in the mess hall, staring at the doors of the main battery like a scolded puppy who just wanted to come back inside. However, she could not bring herself to go in after him. Astra knew that nothing good would come of it and thus, she sat and stared and waited.

It wasn't long before she thumped her forehead down onto the table and began to lightly beat it against the hard surface, causing a headache to bloom behind her eyes, but she just couldn't stop, at least not until she heard the sound of a mug being placed in front of her and slide until it bumped against the crown of her head. Her head and eyes shot up and there before her was not who she wanted and she was surprised.

"Miranda?" There was a note of question to her name, even though she'd meant it as a statement, however the other woman didn't seem to care that much.

"Drink it. It's your favorite, I think. Lavender tea with a spoonful of honey, right?" She sounded almost worried about how Shepard would take this random act of kindness, like Astra was some fat cow who would throw it back in her face, but all she did was smile, lift the mug and take a slow sip.

It was heavenly. "Yes, you're right. Thank you." She took another bigger sip before setting the mug down once more and looking wistfully at the doors once more.

"He'll come around, I'm sure of it." Shepard's eyes drifted toward Miranda and she raised a quizzical brow at her, "Shepard, he's your friend, has been for a long time. He's mad now, but he'll realize his friendship with you is more important." With that, the dark haired woman turned away and walked back into her office.

With a longing sigh, Shepard spoke to the air, "I hope you're right, Miranda." Closing her eyes, she leaned back in her seat, taking the occasional sip of the soothing tea before in her hands. It was a lovely of Miranda to do that for her and in that moment, Astra realized she'd taken a step towards being close to the Cerberus agent. Hopefully, when the time came for Shepard to quit, Miranda would stand beside her and defend her, but she wasn't holding her breath. Not by a long shot. As that thought finished and the last of her tea was drunk down, Astra laid her head on the table top, eyes still glued to that door, that door that would lead her to her nearest and dearest friend and with arms folded under her head, she drifted off into a fitful, uncomfortable sleep.