Samantha

James was waiting for Samantha the moment she arrived back at the ship. She had stopped by the Alliance requisitions office on the Citadel, grabbing some much-needed supplies – including extra uniforms and a spare pair of boots – on her way back to the Normandy. She also checked with Alliance HQ on the station, where she was informed she would be staying aboard the Normandy, in addition to the rest of the retrofit team. They'd even picked up some extra crewmen, which would help a great deal, as most stations needed to be staffed at all times, and they barely had enough to staff the ship for just one shift. Nevermind that plenty of them were like Samantha and had never actually served on a ship before.

James took the duffel bag she'd been handed with her supplies as she stepped out of decontamination and onto the ship. "Hey, Traynor. Did you see her?"

Samantha smiled, allowing him to carry her stuff. Such a gentleman. "Yes, I did. It was touch and go for a moment there, but our new doctor found me and snuck me in."

He frowned. "They weren't gonna let you in? But Shepard got in."

She shook her head. "I'm not on any lists, and I'm not her direct superior. Nor am I a Spectre."

He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess you have a point. So… how'd you get in, then?"

Samantha smiled sheepishly. "Doctor Chakwas let me sob on her shoulder and then asked me a few questions to determine I was who I claimed to be, then just walked me right in."

He smiled. "I just met her. Seems like good people. And muy bonita for an old broad, too."

Samantha grinned. "You know, I couldn't agree more."

He chuckled for a moment before his expression turned… worried? She wasn't sure what she saw there. "Listen, Sam…"

"Yes, James?"

He sighed, stopping by the lift. "I have to… reprimand you."

Her heart stopped for a moment. "You… you what?!" she spluttered.

"Just, look. Consider yourself reprimanded for your yelling over the comm, okay? Anyone asks, I reamed you good. I'll put it in your file. But I get why you did. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since we left Earth, and it's not like you're combat-tested. But if I don't, then Shepard has to, and I hear she can be a real hard-ass when she wants to be. So. Consider yourself reprimanded, alright?"

Samantha considered him for a moment. Finally, she straightened, nodding, a half-smile pulling at her lips. "Very well, lieutenant, I shall tell anyone who asks how you really let me have it, reamed me good, shagged me right against the table."

He blushed. "Ay!"

She smirked. "Oh, is that not what you meant? Pity. Because you know, if I was going to sleep with a man, you'd be perfect. Go big or go home, right?" She reached over, taking her duffle bag and hitting the call button. She was feeling such relief - and such fatigue - that it had pushed her right over into Giddy Flirt.

He shook his head. "So I should tell Ash about this, then?"

Sam looked over her shoulder. "What makes you think I won't? Honestly, I think it would make her so jealous that she might try to out-do you. Could be fun."

He laughed. "This is gonna be interesting."

She just smiled, stepping onto the lift. "Indeed. And James?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He smiled. "No problem, Sam."

The doors closed, cutting him off from view. Samantha sighed. Her nerves were still frayed, and she hadn't actually spoken to Ashley, but she was feeling better, and this was allowing room for other, more mundane feelings to come through. Namely, she was hungry, and tired, and in desperate need of a shower. But first, she had to stake a claim on a bunk. They were shared, but she could still choose an ideal location, and claim a locker that was close-by the bed, and maybe even sizeable.

Twenty minutes later, Samantha emerged from the ladies' restroom clean, a fresh uniform on. She had just remembered about her overnight bag that would have her toothbrush and pajamas in it, and intended to seek it out so she could wear something other than her uniform and use something other than the crap toothbrush the requisitions officer had issued. But the smell of food caught her before she could get on the lift, and she followed it to the mess hall, seeing James sitting at a table, a magical thing in front of him.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed, walking up behind him. "You got pizza?"

Turning to look at her, he grinned. "You want some?" Her stomach rumbled loudly in answer. He threw back his head and laughed. "Yeah, okay. Go ahead, pull up a chair. Even I can't eat this whole thing myself."

She took her first bite eagerly, making sure every bit of sauce and cheese made it in her mouth. It was divine, and she had a hard time not moaning as she chewed and swallowed. Feels like I haven't eaten in weeks...

James snorted. "Some lady. I see why Ash likes you so much."

Sam opened her eyes, glaring at the big marine even as she took another bite. "I'll have you know," she said, talking around her food, "that I can be completely ladylike when I choose to. I simply do not choose to at this time."

He laughed, shaking his head as he pulled another slice from the box. "I'll believe it when I see it." He took a bite, considering her for a moment.

"Okay, I know that look," Sam said. "What do you want to ask me?"

He shook his head, smiling slightly. "How'd you meet Ashley?"

Samantha sighed. "I was visiting my parents on Horizon when the Collectors attacked. Ashley was there as an Alliance representative. It was… fun, until the Collectors attacked. We lost a lot of people."

James nodded. "I was on Fehl Prime when they were hit. Very few of us made it out, and none of the colonists. I… I kinda hate talking about it. Sorry I brought it up."

Sam nodded. "As do I, but it's alright. Good to bond over shared experiences, yes? Besides, we were lucky. Shepard saved the day, and Ashley made sure my whole family made it out. We just… kept seeing each other after that. She was supposed to be a fun fling while I was home on leave. I never expected I would propose to her a year later. But I just… I love her." She shrugged. Sometimes things could be that simple.

James smiled, holding up the can of beer he somehow had on the table next to him. "Well, here's to love then."

She raised a brow. "I can hardly toast without a drink, James."

Joker chose that exact moment to step around the corner from the lift, calling out, "Yeah, James, what the hell? You were supposed to wait for me for the beer and pizza, and here I find you, sharing it with someone else? And toasting something, no less? Bastard."

James laughed as he reached down, pulling a beer out of a cooler Sam hadn't seen and tossing it to Joker before handing one across the table to Sam. "You were too slow, Joker! A pretty girl took your spot."

Joker chuckled, sitting down next to Sam while cracking open his beer. "Can't blame you for that one. Sam's alright. I've been torturing her during the entire retrofitting process, and she's been dishing it out just as well as she takes it."

Sam giggled. Lifting her beer, she said, "Love? Like you were saying, James?"

James grinned, hitting hers and Joker's beers. "Love. And sex. And beautiful women."

"Amen to that," Sam murmured, taking a drink. Perhaps it would all be okay. Perhaps they could get through this. Certainly, these two made it feel familiar, like eating pizza and drinking beer with her brothers. Maybe… maybe they could get through all of this after all?