There's Cortez/Vega in this one.

"Oof." My head was pounding as I slowly woke up. "What a night."

"Shepard?"

I opened my eyes to find Mordin leaning over me.

"Jesus!" I dropped off the side of my bed hitting the floor hard.

Mordin walked around the bed to look down curiously at me.

"Damn it, Mordin, I've asked you not to do that." I pushed myself up off the floor.

"My apologize."

I'm guessing he wasn't that sorry. "We were up all night partying, how are you so awake and not hung over?"

"Salarian. I don't require much sleep."

"Yeah, I know, but you'd think you'd sleep more than an hour to recover from last night."

"Did." He informed me. "Slept for an hour and a half."

"Oh, a whole half an hour longer."

Mordin shrugged. "It's morning. Thought you'd like to be awakened."

Aside from scaring the hell out of me, it was nice to wake up and see Mordin first thing.

"Who else is awake?" I asked.

"Unknown. I have yet to look."

I cocked my head. "Yet to look?" I glanced around my room. My bed showed signs that I wasn't the only one that had been sleeping in it and I saw a datapad I knew to be Mordin's resting on the night stand.

He'd been sleeping beside me and I wasn't conscious to see it?! Not fair.

I heard a low pained groan coming from my bathroom. I looked to Mordin.

"Ah, should mention. Javik passed out in bathroom."

"You saw this and just let it happen?"

Mordin shrugged. "Seemed harmless. Made sure didn't pass out in hot tub."

The prothean was barley sitting up on my bathroom floor. At least he didn't barf on or in anything important. "Is it time to rule the galaxy now? Kneel before Javik." His head lulled a little. "I…had a…dream. Fifty thousand years had passed. It was horrible. I was alone. The primitives had evolved. They ruled the galaxy. Salarins, turians, and…the asari."

I crouched down before him. "You really don't like the asari for some reason."

"There was one, 'Liara'. She had these eyes. And that voice, And she was…blue. No, no…it was just a dream."

"Denial." Mordin crossed his arms behind me. "Not good defense mechanism. When realization takes over, very stressful."

Javik sniffed the air. "I smell primitives." He stared at me as if he'd just noticed I was there. "It was no dream."

"Sorry to disappoint you." I stood up. "Are you okay in here?"

"Bah, leave me, primitive."

I turned to Mordin. "You heard the last member of the superior race."

Mordin and I walked from my room to find Liara and Garrus sitting across from each other.

Liara saw me first and Garrus turned to see what she was looking at.

"Shepard." He said tiredly. "Did we break anything last night? I don't suppose you need anything around here…calibrated."

I'm pretty sure I groaned.

"Yeah, okay. Maybe I should stop saying that word, but only if Liara stops saying 'by the goddess'."

I had to laugh at him changing his voice to badly sound like Liara's.

Liara must have been pretty out of it, because she ignored him and asked. "Was someone making tea? I could really use some tea."

Mordin nodded. "Tea. Not hang over cure. Helpful none the less."

"Garrus, where's Tali?" I asked as Mordin headed down stars.

"She's still recovering. She was pretty drunk last night. She kept talking about a tattoo she got with an omni-tool."

I contemplated that. "Omni-too?"

"She did say that." He stood up. "I'm gana check on her."

Liara followed his lead. "I'm going to find some tea."

My stomach chose that moment to growl. "I'll go with you, Liara." I hurried after her. "I hope James' making eggs."

"He makes eggs?"

"The best." I could already feel my mouth watering.

I was very, very disappointed when I came down stairs and there weren't any eggs

I furrowed my brow. "Does anyone know where James is?"

Miranda, who was sipping tea, pointed to one of the many bedrooms. Unlike all the other rooms, this door was shut. "Along with Cortez."

"Why're they?" My hung-over brain wasn't putting two and two together.

Mordin answered me. "Copious amounts of alcoholic beverages and an explanation of sexual tension."

"Please tell me you didn't explain sexual tension to them." I rubbed at my forehead. There was that headache.

He stared at me for a moment then said. "All right."

I hated myself, but I had to know. "What did you tell them?"

"This oughta be good." Jack opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer.

"You can't possibly be drinking more?" Miranda looked horrified.

Jack flipped her the bird.

"Sexual tension." Mordin's voice cut in. "Occurs between those with a close and flirtatious relationship. James Vega observed many times sharing sexual humor with Steve Cortez. Common to deny such feelings."

God, if Mordin noticed it, it must have been bad.

"About damn time." I mumbled.

"My very sentiments. Sexual tension can cause distractions. Reaper battle close. Cannot afford distractions."

"Wait a fucking minute." Jack cut in. "You convinced those two to fuck because of the damn Reapers?"

Miranda 'tsk'ed in disgust at Jack.

Mordin shook his head. "Added bonus' as you humans say. I simply suggested the idea. Offered advice. Offered to forward vids and diagrams."

"Oh, good God." I buried my face in my hand. Jack was laughing her head off.

"Was not aware Cortez was once married."

"Tell me you didn't bring that up."

Mordin scowled. "No, no, Cortez told me. Informed me that he didn't require my assistance, already knowledgeable. It's hard to distinguish some human emotions, but I believe he spoke in an awkward tone."

"I don't think 'awkward' is an emotion." Miranda smiled behind her tea cup.

"Embarrassed then?"

I debated on what to say. This conversation could go on for hours if I didn't stop it. "Sure."

The salarian thought this over. "Did inform Vega of possible lubricant substitutes in pinch."

Jack, at this point, was laughing so hard, she had to hold on to the table to keep herself steady.

I looked at Mordin. He was observing Jack and explaining how to prevent hiccups from laughing too hard. "Well, good for James and Cortez." And at least some of us were in semi-functional relationships. Garrus/Tali, Joker/EDI, and now Cortez/Vega.

Savior of the galaxy and all I had was a hot as hell salarian who wasn't interested in me in the slightest. How was that fair?

"Jack." I interrupted her laughing fit. "Do me a favor and check on the others. Make sure they're all still breathing."

She cocked an eyebrow at me, shot a glance at Mordin, then smirked. "Sure thing, Shepard, but if any of them are passed the fuck out, I get to blast them with some biotics."

"Miranda, make sure she doesn't kill anyone."

Sensing something, she caved. "For you, Shepard."

Once Jack and Miranda left, it was just Mordin and me in the kitchen.

"Clearly, you have something on your mind." Mordin broke the ice.

"What makes you say that?"

Mordin tucked his hands behind his back. "Making same ticks when wanted to talk back in the Tech Lab."

I puckered my lips. A down side to his identic memory. "Do you ever get the feeling something's not going to end well, no matter how hard you try?"

Mordin gave me a curious look. "Can't say I have. Try not to dwell on it."

"When we went into the Collector Base, I knew we were going to win. We were all going to come back alive." I'd almost lost Mordin. I'd barley saved him from slipping to his doom. "I wasn't worried, I wasn't nervous, and I wasn't scared. But now?" I sighed. "I don't know. Something just doesn't feel right. Maybe I'm just tired. Maybe I haven't done enough. Have I done enough?"

"Shepard?"

"Mmm?"

"Single handedly united a galaxy."

I shook my head. "No, I."

"Gave many a symbol to rally behind. Made genophage cure possible. Convinced hated species to co-operate. Gave quarians back home world. Stood against impossible odds. Held the line."

I smiled despite myself. "Personally prefer to finish job and go home."

He nodded. "Always best to return home."

We were silent again.

"Still plan on collecting sea shells when this is over. Your company would be appreciated."

I stared wide eyed at him.

"Also promised Eve to visit."

I still stared.

"Tuchunka perfect place to find suitable varren pet."

"Mordin Solus." I stood in mock indignation. "Are you trying to bribe me into doing something?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps want to try human."

My brain was trying to process what he'd just said. "Are you saying that to humor me or are you promising me something you think I won't be able to collect?"

He looked a little annoyed.

"I'm being serious. A year ago you turned me down." And it had really hurt too. "I don't want to get my hopes up."

Mordin effortlessly moved his lower eye lids. I knew that gesture. I had attempted it myself. "Shepard. I do not give false hope. Bad policy."

I pulled him to me in a tight hug. I just held him as tight as I could without hurting him.

"Shepard?"

"Yes?" I whispered against his neck.

"Should release me. Probably."

"Do I have to?"