The next four days passed in a blur. They hardly got to see each other—Shepard was in and out of the embassies all day, presenting evidence and begging for an audience with each race's governing body. Shepard, Kaidan, and Joker were called to the Alliance headquarters for a vid comm with Hackett and the members of the Alliance Command to ascertain where humanity stood in the wake of the Battle of the Citadel, as it would be called in the history books. Anderson came in about halfway through the conference and provided Shepard with some much-needed backup, for which she was eternally grateful.

Wrex, for his part, was hooking up with old contacts and allies back on Tuchanka. His brother, Wreav, had been keeping the clan leader's seat warm for him ever since the bad business with Jarrod had forced him off-world, and the little bastard hadn't changed at all these many years, if the reports he was getting were even half-accurate. The clans were still constantly battling for territory, still hoarding supplies, still trading females, still killing each other in the name of 'honor'. There were many krogan, however, who were tired of all the in-fighting and longed for a real war, something that would give them a purpose again. Well, Wrex thought, he could certainly deliver one of those. It would be hard, climbing back up into power, but he thought he could do it. Getting the clans to unite under one banner, though, would be a different story.

The stresses of the day faded once evening came and they returned to their room. They'd discuss the events of the day and, while she was turning into a brilliant diplomat, she'd listen to his advice, too. Most of the time it turned out to be good advice, like when he'd suggested mentioning to the volus that the Council was dragging its feet, which got their ambassador interested—Din Korlack wanted to get one up on the Council races so much that he was willing to believe Shepard in the hopes that when the war was over, it could be said that the volus were there from the beginning.

None of that sort of talk was allowed in bed, though, when they did everything they could to make each other forget that there was anything else beyond their door. With her warm body wrapped around him, Wrex couldn't find the motivation to think too hard about the way his chest seemed to swell until it almost hurt, but it was a good ache; he'd only felt anything like it once or twice before, but not with this intensity. There was a name for it, he knew, but he didn't dare attach the term to it, or to Shepard, without taking the time to consider what it might mean. That line of thought would be waiting in the wings for a long time, though—Urdnot Wrex had never been one to spend much time on introspection.

On the fourth day, Shepard arrived at the room later than usual, and flung herself on the bed with an angry huff. "What?" he asked, because this break in routine seemed to call for him to say something.

"The Council has received reports of geth in the Omega Nebula," she intoned, quoting what Valern had told her only an hour ago. "They want me to leave tomorrow to investigate."

Wrex sat on the bed next to her head, and she reached up for his hand. "I have to go back to Tuchanka, get to work on this alliance." She sighed and closed her eyes. "This wasn't going to last forever, you knew that. Besides, civilian life doesn't suit the likes of us, Shepard."

"No kidding. We'd both be insane within a month." She slid her hand up and down his forearm, pressing her head against his leg. He wasn't quite used to being touched so much, but he was going to miss it. "It was nice, though, while it lasted."

"Mmm-hmm," he rumbled. "Still have one more night. Any ideas on how to spend it?"

"A few," she said with a smile. "But I really have to get some sleep eventually." The swelling in his chest made his breath shallow and his head light when she pulled him down beside her. Anything he might have said after that stuck in his throat, and besides, it was too big to talk about right now. There was always time.

The next morning, they went to the docks with Liara. Garrus had gone back to C-Sec to await the Council's decision on his Spectre application, Tali had hitched a ride back to the Migrant Fleet, Kaidan had been called to another assignment and had left the night before, and Liara had signed on with Shepard for one more mission before heading back to Thessia. The young asari had gotten a taste of the soldier's life and found it to her liking. Wrex felt a little better knowing that she and Shepard would be watching each other's backs, and that Joker would be flying. He'd come to trust and like each member of their team for different reasons, and hoped they'd all have the chance to work together again.

"Wrex," she said, and there was something else catching in her throat that she wanted to say, but couldn't. They'd talked about this, of course. She hadn't liked what he had to say on the matter, but had to admit he was right. After the Battle of the Citadel, Shepard became something more than human, more than a soldier. Her name was known across the galaxy as the one leading the charge against a wholly new threat, larger than anyone had seen since the Protheans. The one thing that might keep the salarians, and perhaps the turians, from taking her seriously was finding out she was carrying on a relationship with a krogan. It was unfair, but there it was. So now, in front of others, she couldn't say the goodbye she wanted to say, and he could tell it was eating her up.

"Shepard," he replied, and shook her hand, allowing himself one lingering moment before letting her go back to the Normandy. Liara put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I'll take care of her, Wrex."

At the last minute before the airlock closed, he had an awful feeling of foreboding and he had to restrain himself from abandoning his plan in favor of following her.

Had he known what was going to happen, he would have.

/SECURE COMMUNICATION 34902: Cmdr J. Shepard/U. Wrex FROM SSV NORMANDY TO [ERROR], TUCHANKA/ALLIANCE NOTICE: Any attempts to intercept this transmission will be prosecuted by Systems Alliance High Command, Arcturus Station./

/BEGIN TRANSMISSION/

JS—Wrex? You awake?

UW—Am now.

JS—You could just turn the pinging off, you know.

UW—Could have been important.

UW—Is it important?

JS—Not really, just up late and wanted to talk to someone. How's the unification project coming along?

UW—Slowly. Had to bash a few skulls when I got here, but I think I can kick Wreav off his throne soon.

JS—He has a throne?

UW—Built it himself. If his head gets any bigger, he's gonna need a wheelbarrow to carry it around.

JS—Bet you'd look hot on a throne. :)

UW—What the hell is that?

JS—What the hell is what?

UW—That symbol.

JS—It's a smiley face.

UW—Doesn't look like any face I've ever seen.

UW—Nevermind, I see it now. What's it for?

JS—To show you I'm smiling right now, since it's hard to show inflection in text.

UW—Oh.

UW—So you think I'd look hot on a throne?

JS—Hell yeah. I could buy a gold bra and pretend to be Princess Leia to your Jabba the Hut while you feed people to thresher maws.

UW—A gold bra? Now that's an idea I can get behind.

JS—Only the best for you, babe.

UW—I'm almost 500 years old, Shepard.

JS—It's a term of endearment, like 'honey' or 'sweetie'.

UW—Please don't ever call me that in front of people.

JS—What? Would it kill you to be a little mushy with me?

UW—I'm going back to sleep.

JS—You'd do that? Just leave me all alone out here . . . in space . . . in the middle of the Amada System with nothing but some big-ass ice planet for company?

UW—Crap.

JS—Come on, give it a shot.

UW- . . .

UW—Okay, fine. I miss your hands.

JS—Why my hands?

UW—Don't make me do this.

JS—No, now you have to tell me. What is it about my hands?

UW—They're small, and I like your fingers.

JS—Really?

UW—Yeah.

JS- . . .

JS—Awwww! I feel all warm and fuzzy now.

UW—I will put you in the varren pit if you tell anyone I said that.

JS—Too late, I already told Liara. She says hi.

UW—I hate you.

JS—No you don't.

UW—No I don't.

UW- :)

JS—I think yours would look more like :]

UW—You may be right about that.

UW- . . .

UW—You asleep already?

UW—Shepard?

UW—It's been thirty minutes, message me again when you get back into comm range.

/END TRANSMISSION/

/SECURE COMMUNICATION 35423: U. Wrex/Cmdr J. Shepard FROM [ERROR], TUCHANKA TO SSV NORMANDY/Urdnot Clan Leader Notice: Do not attempt to intercept our transmissions or we will hunt you down. Don't test us. You've been warned./

/BEGIN TRANSMISSION/

UW—I heard about what happened to the Normandy, it's all over the extranet. Liara called me yesterday and told me what Joker said, about you getting spaced. If you're out there, send me something and I'll send an extraction team.

UW—Hell, I'll come myself if you tell me where you are.

UW—Come on, Shepard.

UW—Don't be dead.

UW- . . .

UW-Please.

UW- . . .

/END TRANSMISSION/