If there was one thing Joker hated about Shepard, it was that she never, ever forgot a conversation. Ever.

It wasn't the first time he'd ever danced with EDI, but it was the first time he'd been surrounded by people he actually knew. It wasn't that he was embarrassed…he just wasn't used to dancing. His moves were awkward, rickety and creaky. Fortunately, EDI didn't seem to mind, looking pleased that he'd bowed to peer pressure in the form of Shepard's 'it's a chance to wave your arms, Joker.'

Shepard, naturally, was 'waving her arms' with Alenko off to one side. The song on the stereo was peppy dance music, but theirs was a slower kind of dance, less gyrating and more shifting from foot to foot. He barely heard Alenko ask if Shepard was feeling alright, barely heard her admit to having a headache. At that point, Alenko produced a couple pills which Shepard, without argument or need of persuasion, popped dry.

He hoped she was just having tension headaches. Goodness knew he was having them; the number of people who knew about the upcoming assault on the Illusive Man's base was extremely limited, and those who knew also knew that once they had the Catalyst data, it would be time to push to retake Earth. All of this would happen in a very short span of time, because while the galaxy had pulled together and was holding…they couldn't hold forever. They were slipping by inches.

Shepard knew because she was a big part of the upcoming assault. He knew because he was her pilot. EDI knew. Alenko probably knew, or he'd be fussing more about Shepard's headaches, trying to determine the root cause, instead of just quietly passing her a couple pills here and there to keep her functioning.

Joker glanced back at Shepard and Alenko. She now stood leaning against Alenko, much closer than the dance called for, as if waiting for the meds to take effect. After a few more moments, Alenko leaned over and murmured something in her ear. She kissed his cheek, then slipped off the dance floor and out of sight.

Probably to a dark room to give the pills a few minutes to work. Alenko withdrew from the dance floor to a quiet corner. "Hey, I need a word," Joker told EDI, indicating Alenko. He didn't exactly avoid the biotic these days, but he never went out of his way to be around him, either.

"Of course, Jeff," EDI smiled, withdrawing to the couch to people-watch.

"Hey," Alenko said, looking up at Joker's footfall.

"She okay?" Joker asked.

"Yeah, just another headache. You know."

"Yeah, I know," Joker agreed, then sat down because it was awkward to just be standing there. "How about you?" Joker knew little about Alenko's migraines, except that he had them and that they were pretty bad as headaches went. That was probably an understatement, so Joker never said anything like it out loud.

Alenko cracked an eye. "Every couple days, now," he admitted. "Can't be too much longer, though."

Joker nodded.

"Is the Normandy ready? Or…should I say is EDI ready?" Alenko asked, glancing back at the dance floor. Jack had abandoned Steve, who had apparently snagged EDI instead of just sitting down for a break. EDI didn't look as if she was having quite as much fun with a new partner, though she did seem to be enjoying herself.

"Yes on both counts," Joker answered. "At the drop of a hat ready."

"Good," Alenko nodded.

They passed into silence that didn't seem too awkward. It didn't seem to require being filled. The friendly silence remained in effect until Shepard reappeared, looking as if she felt better.

"Looks kind of somber in here," she observed, pausing to kiss Alenko's temple before dropping onto the couch with him. "Thanks, Kaidan."

Alenko nodded, wrapping a hand around one of hers.

Joker looked away, the squirm of guilt wriggling to let him know it was still there. He pushed against the knowledge that if it hadn't been for him, they wouldn't have lost more than two years together, wouldn't have had the heartbreak and pain.

"It's okay, Joker," Shepard said, her tone almost bleak. When he looked up, he found her expression matched her tone, that helpless look as if she would take away the pain and distress if she could, knowing full well that she could do nothing of the sort.

"I'm fine," he lied with a shrug, Anderson's insistence that he 'take care of Shepard' ringing in his ears.

Anderson should have said it to Alenko. Maybe he had.

"I've got a deck of cards around here. How about some Skyllian Five for old times' sake?" Shepard asked, getting up and fishing the pack of cards from behind the bar.

"Shepard, cards are the one thig you suck at," Joker pointed out, Alenko nodding agreement.

She gave them both a beautiful smile, the kind of smile that could stop someone walking in the opposite direction. "Practice makes perfect, right?"

"Who wants to be perfect, though?" Alenko asked philosophically as Shepard returned to her place beside him, shuffling the cards idly.

"Might not hurt to be professionally perfect," she shrugged.

"Deal me in." Joker refused to get dragged into this kind of philosophical debate, especially after the mess that was Thessia.

He hoped that asshole Leng was on the Illusive Man's station. If he was smart, he wouldn't be, but Joker hoped he wouldn't be that smart. Because third times were a charm, and this time Shepard would take the little shit down. Leng was batting zero-two as far as killing Shepard went. He couldn't see Leng getting lucky enough to actually do it on this third try. Shepard, on the other hand, would be gunning for Leng specifically, although as a secondary objective. She hadn't been gunning for him specifically at any point previously; now that she was…Leng's luck was about to run out.

It couldn't happen soon enough.