"Lieutenant Vega?"

Both of them jumped, and Regine hurriedly stepped back from him, breaking their connection, her face flaming as she bowed her head and turned back to the Memorial Wall. James growled a little at the interruption.

Joven… he thought, before turning back towards the speaker, and blinking.

An Alliance marine stood behind them, his dark brown hair plastered on his head, his eyes smiling at him. He carried a sniper rifle on his back, and he was grinning at him. James remembered his face instantly. After all, he stood beside him and Treeya on the exact same spot a few years ago.

"Milque?!" He gasped in surprise, "God damn, man! It's so good to see you!"

The soldier laughed before shaking James' hand and embracing him with one arm in a brotherly embrace. James patted Milque's shoulder as they separated. "The hell are you doing here, man?"

"Alliance told us to help us rebuild this colony." Milque said, his green eyes filled with mirth. "And… I decided to retire here, too."

"You're retiring?" James asked, shocked as Regine turned around to look at them.

The sniper scratched his head, "Yeah. You know, with all the craziness that happened on Earth, and the Reapers… well, let's just say I've had enough adventures worth a lifetime."

James nodded, "Yeah. I can understand that. It's just too bad, man. You're a hell of a shot. The Alliance is going to miss one hell of a sniper."

Milque laughed, "Yeah well, with Earth saved, there would be a lot more snipers available for recruitment now." He pointed at one of the buildings that the colonists were building, "Although I did decide to make a bar here. Nothing fancy, just a nice comfortable place to get a drink. Not like Chora's Den or Afterlife, you know. Just a nice, fun bar for people to just chill around with their friends over a few drinks."

He laughed, "Yeah. I know about you and your drinks, Milque." He looked over to the Normandy, "You know, I think I remember you saying that I owe you a drink. How about I get one of those great tequilas our Procurement Officer got and share it with you at your brand new bar, eh?"

"Sounds great, Vega…"

"Chris?"

The three of them turned around to see a woman, with black hair, walking towards them. Milque's face brightened when he saw her, "Amelia! Hey, come and meet my old commanding officer!"

The woman stood beside Milque and put her around his waist, while he put an arm around her. "Lieutenant, this is my wife, Amelia. Sweetheart, this is Lieutenant James Vega." He smiled proudly at him, "This is the man who saved my life."

Regine blinked as James took Amelia's hand and shook it, "It's an honor to finally meet you, Lieutenant. Chris has been telling me about you."

"Thank you, Ma'am. It's an honor to meet the wife of one of the bravest soldiers I've ever met." James said, and he looked back at Regine, "This is Dr. Regine Akira, she's one of our doctors in the Normandy. She was Christine's sister and April's aunt, Milque."

Milque blinked, "Oh? No wonder you looked so familiar." He held out his hand and Regine took it in hers, "Nice to meet you, Doctor."

"Likewise, Mr. Milque." She said. And Milque grinned.

"Anyway, we got to help some of colonist settle in. And I've got to check on my liquor supplies." The sniper laughed, "Come by the bar when you got time, eh, Vega? Just ask them for the Delta Bar. All of them know where it is."

James laughed, "Delta Bar, huh? Sure, Milque. I'll come by later with that tequila I promised you." He blinked when he remembered something, "Hey, man. Have you heard anything from Treeya?"

Milque nodded, "Yeah. She has a bondmate now. She helped around in Thessia during the war. I think she's still there for the rebuilding." He waved goodbye at them as the couple headed back to the colony, "See you later, Vega."

James chuckled as they watched him go, "He named his bar after our squad. I didn't know that man was sentimental."

Regine looked at him, "Treeya… she was the asari you saved. Did you love her?"

He shrugged a little, "Yeah… I think I did… once. But I guess… not anymore. We stopped talking when I left for Omega."

"I see." Regine said, looking down at her feet, "And now?"

James looked at her, her blond hair hiding her blush. And he grinned. He looked around, and saw a familiar looking bush, probably planted by a colonist. He looked at it and plucked a flower from it before heading back to her. He put it a few inches from her bowed face, and she looked up, her eyes blinking in surprise and familiarity.

"A gardenia…" She muttered as she took the flower from his hand and inhaled its scent. "I didn't know that they could grow here."

James smiled, "I remember that one of the colonists planted it here." He took her chin and brought her gaze to him. "Usted es la persona que amo, mi reina."

She blinked, "What does that mean, James?"

His spine tingled when she said his name again, and he smiled. "It means you should think about downloading a Spanish translator on your earphones, mi reina."

Regine blinked again, before smiling, and James bent down and kissed her cheek. Her face turned red at his action, and he drew back, smiling at her shocked expression. He winked at her before walking back to the colony, whistling happily, as she stood still by the Memorial Wall with her hand on her cheek.

Joven – fuck

Usted es la persona que amo, mi reina – You are the person I love, my queen