"Okay, deal me in."

"Do you even have any more credits to gamble with?"

"Does that matter?"

"It does when you don't have any credits left to buy your own drinks, Vega." Kaidan replied, "Or anything else for that matter."

"I'll have enough." James said, "Come on, just deal the cards."

Kaidan shuffled the cards in his hands; James had suggested they'd play a poker game in the Lounge once they arrived back on the Normandy. According to James, the poker table was barely being used, and he thought it was a waste. So, Kaidan agreed solely to take his mind off things.

"Hey." Kacey said as she entered the Lounge, "What are you guys up to?"

"Playing poker, Lola." James said, "Wanna play?"

"Sure." Kacey replied as she took a seat on the other side of the table, between Kaidan and James.

"Nice to see you're willing to relax." Kaidan smirked, "You normally take a lot more convincing."

"Yeah, well after staring down a Reaper, I think I need a distraction." Kacey mused as Kaidan handed out the cards, "That was a pretty tense situation."

"That's putting it mildly." Kaidan replied.

"I'm sorry for giving you another heart attack." Kacey apologised.

"Hey, those risky stunts of yours are part of your charm."

"And makes for one hell of a story." James added, "So, whose placing the first bet?"

"I will." Kacey said, "Let's start with…twenty credits."

"Okay, okay." Kaidan mused, "I'll do twenty five"

"And I guess I'll have to do thirty." James said.

Kaidan looked at his own cards. He kept his expression neutral as he observed Kacey and James; Kacey's face was unreadable while James' expression was one of lost in thought.

"Raise." Kacey mused.

"How much?" James asked.

"Thirty."

"Damn, you sound confident." James mused.

Kaidan couldn't help but laugh. He knew very well that Kacey could be quite the devious player when it came to poker, and that you couldn't trust everything she said or expressed regarding her cards. She was good at bluffing and luring an unsuspecting player into a false sense of security. While James was easy to read, Kacey was a lot harder to read and was more than able to trick him into folding.

"What's so funny?" James asked.

"Oh, nothing." Kaidan replied, "Call."

"Call." James said as Kaidan began to put three cards down on the table, "So, I've got to ask; how?"

"How..?" Kacey questioned.

"How did you two hook up?" James asked bluntly as Kaidan looked at him, shocked, "Look, I'm not questioning it, just confused."

"Confused?" Kaidan said in disbelief.

"I mean, you're not as crazy as she is." James mused.

"That's the only issue?" Kacey smirked.

"Hey I'm just curious."

"And nosey." Kacey smirked, "Look, it's a long, long story."

"Ten years in the making, huh?" Kaidan mused.

"Ten years? You two have known each other for ten years?" James asked.

"Pretty much." Kacey said as she gazed at the three cards on the table.

"Come on, surely you guys have a story to share." James said.

"Too many." Kacey mused as James gave her a look, "Oh alright alright! I'll share one."

"Just one?"

"Just one."

"So..?" Kaidan mused as Kacey glanced at her cards again.

"Raise." Kacey mused as she threw more credits on the table, "So, got a particular one you want to hear about?"

"Hey, is this one each or one full stop?" James asked.

"Only one. Full stop." Kacey replied, "Choose wisely."

"Okay. Elysium." James said as Kaidan gave him a sharp look, "What?"

"If that's the one you both want to hear, then fine." Kacey replied, "You okay with that, Kaidan?"

"Yeah. I'll admit I'm curious as well." Kaidan replied, "Also, call."

"Argh! Fold." James replied, "So, what happened on Elysium?"

"Well, my squad was on shore leave on Elysium when the attack started." Kacey mused as Kaidan put the last card out on the table, "I was in a bar at the time, arguing with my CO."

"Why?"

"He was always an asshole and he always got drunk on shore leave." Kacey replied, "I stormed into the place and lost my temper. We were arguing and then the corporal came in, saying the colony was being raided. I ran outside and…I saw thousands of them."

"So there were thousands of batarians?" James mused.

"Wasn't just batarians." Kacey corrected, "There was turians and vorcha there as well. Even a handful of krogan."

"I only heard about the batarians."

"Makes sense when you think about it." Kaidan said, "The Alliance probably didn't want to kick up a fuss with the turians."

"Pretty much." Kacey replied, "It was easier to blame it all on the batarians. I mean, they did back all of those pirates and slavers. Anyway, the CO comes out, drunk, waving his gun around just as the defences are breached. Being the idiot he was, he got shot through the head. We got into cover and took out the vanguard force."

"It was your first time taking command, right?" Kaidan said.

"Yep."

"That couldn't have been easy." James added.

"To put it mildly." Kacey replied, "We bought the colonists some time, and I knew that we weren't going to last if we didn't get help from the colonists. So, I tried my best to rally the colonists. We tried to shore up the colony's defences the best we could before the first wave came in. Our squad took point, we did most of the heavy fighting with the colonists in support roles or in the rear. Didn't want too many casualties."

"Casualties are unavoidable, especially if it was a raid that big." Kaidan mused.

"Yeah but we were doing well. The bastards took the comms down, but we managed to get a distress call through. It was hell on Earth." Kacey mused, "Then I got word that there was a breach in the barricade, those pirates were starting to pour through. I went to seal it off."

"On your own?" James asked.

"Yep." Kacey gave a half-hearted laugh, "Honestly, it was a crazy idea and the squad knew it. But at the time…well, what other choice did I have? I got there and fought like hell for hours before help arrived."

"Twenty-three hours is a long time to fight like that, especially on your own." Kaidan said, "How'd you do it?"

"Adrenaline mostly." Kacey responded, "It's hard to explain without actually being there. When you're in that moment, right in the middle of it, time just slips away. And you can put up a fight for an insanely long time. Seriously, when the reinforcements arrived and they picked me up, I was a wreck. Cuts, scrapes, bruises. My uniform was wrecked. I was so tired afterwards I fell asleep in the Med-Bay before a doctor could even look at me. Got one hell of an earful from the doctor too."

"I don't blame them." Kaidan replied, "I mean, holy shit."

"Damn, Commander." James added.

"And do you want to know the worst part?" Kacey smirked, "Ninety percent of our plan was improvised."

"Why am I not surprised?" Kaidan laughed.

"Nice." James mused.

"Oh and also…" Kacey said, showing her cards, "How's that?"

"A winning hand? Nice." Kaidan smirked, "But not close enough."

He showed his own cards as Kacey laughed, "Damn, a tie? And here I thought I had this in the bag."

"Looks like we're splitting it." Kaidan said.

"Fine by me. Good game." Kacey replied, "So, James; your turn."

"Turn?" James questioned.

"Come on, humour me." Kacey mused, "Tell us one story. Just one."

"Fine." James replied, "Though I don't have that many."

"Hey, any story is fine. Doesn't even have to be a mission." Kacey mused.

"Okay. I was on Omega after what happened on Fehl Prime." James said, "Just before I had to babysit you."

"You are, and were not my babysitter." Kacey scoffed.

"Exactly." Kaidan smirked, "That's my job."

James burst out laughing with Kacey following suit. He couldn't help but join them. It was a nice change of pace from all of the bleak news they were growing accustomed to.

"Good one, Major." James laughed.

"Fair." Kacey laughed, "That's a fair hit."

"I aim to please." Kaidan replied.

"Anyway," James said as he calmed down, "I got into a few fights with some batarians and a krogan. Didn't have a gun so I got into a fist fight."

"A fist fight with a krogan? Who won?" Kacey asked.

"I did. Barely." James replied, "Managed to smash him into a table and knock him out but it was a tough fight."

"I can believe that." Kaidan replied.

"That's all there was to it, really." James added, "What about you, Major?"

"Me?" Kaidan questioned.

"Yeah. Come on, you've definitely got a few you could share." Kacey replied, standing up, "While you think on that, I'm going to get a drink."

"Think we could all use one after the day we've had." Kaidan replied, moving over to the sofa with James in tow.

"Hopefully, we've got something good stashed in there." James mused, "Like rum, or beer."

"Not what I was thinking but sure." Kacey mused.

"I don't think we have any ryncol back there." Kaidan said.

"Ryncol?!" James exclaimed, "We're not drinking ryncol, are we? That'll kill you!"

"Don't be such a wuss, James." Kacey replied nonchalantly.

"That shit knocks humans out flat."

"Yeah it does." Kacey replied, "After…what, sixty glasses?"

"That was as far as you got last time." Kaidan mused.

James' eyes widened, "You drank sixty glasses of ryncol?!"

"Yeah, and?" Kacey said as she put two bottles on the counter, "I can hold my liquor."

"Yeah, well keep the ryncol away from me." Kaidan added, "I'd like to stay in control of myself, thanks."

"Not my fault you and Garrus can't hold yours." Kacey smirked.

"Hey, I can hold my liquor, but you and I both know ryncol is something else." Kaidan countered, "At least I didn't pass out after drinking it."

"That's because you had one small shot of it."

"I had one small shot of it and it knocked me flat." James interjected, "The fact that either of you could drink that and not be knocked out is impressive stuff. Explains why they send you two to fight Reapers."

Kacey laughed, "Maybe."

"What is that you've got there?" Kaidan looked at the two bottles on the counter.

"This one is good old human beer." Kacey pointed at the normal looking bottle, "While this one is batarian ale. Not as strong as ryncol, but close enough."

"Since when did you have batarian ale?" Kaidan asked.

"Several months ago, during the Collector mess." Kacey replied, "According to the bartender, I'm the only one who's managed to stay on their feet after drinking it."

"I'm not even surprised at this point." Kaidan replied, "Just…be careful."

"Relax, I'm only having one glass." Kacey replied as she poured the beer into the two glasses, "I might be crazy, but I'm not suicidal."

"Might be crazy?" James scoffed.

"Careful, I'll pour this over you." Kacey teased as she handed the pair their glasses, "So, Kaidan, story time!"

Kaidan took a sip of his beer before putting the pint glass down on the table, "Okay, how about that team training exercise on Chasca?"

"That is such a cop out." Kacey replied.

"Team training exercise?" James questioned.

"That's what Hackett and Anderson call it." Kacey replied, pouring her own drink, "More like baby's first suicide mission."

"Back then, both of us didn't see eye to eye." Kaidan mused, "So, Hackett sent us to Chasca on a mission as a quote on quote, 'team training exercise' to work our problems out. Chasca is a pretty hostile world, so we had to find a deactivated distress beacon to succeed."

"Sounds pretty straightforward to me." James replied.

"Except we came across a batarian crime syndicate on the planet and we ended up catching their attention." Kaidan said, "We fought our way through and managed to get back."

"And that was the last time we ever did a training exercise with either of them." Kacey finished as she sat next to Kaidan, "So, James. I've got a question for you."

"Okay." James nodded, "Shoot."

"So, after everything that's happened so far, do you still idolise me?" Kacey asked, "Or is Joker and Garrus talking out of their asses again?

James nearly spat out his drink; Kaidan couldn't help but chuckle as he drank. Nothing slips past Kacey. And there was no doubt in Kaidan's mind that she had known about it for a while.

"Ah…well…" James trailed off, "Yeah. It's hard not to."

"Is that right?" Kacey replied.

"After everything you've pulled off, yeah." James mused, "I didn't know you knew about that."

"Oh, she knows everything on this ship." Kaidan replied.

"Do I now?" Kacey smirked.

"You always do."

"Maybe." Kacey mused. Kaidan noticed her expression falter a bit as she spoke, making him wonder what was going through her head.

…

"You can be such an asshole." Kacey said.

"Oh I know, Lola. And I don't care." James scoffed.

"Why does Joker always talk about us?" Kaidan sighed.

"Because he's bored." Kacey replied finishing her glass, "He should be more invested in Garrus and Tali's blossoming romance instead of ours."

"Your's is more interesting, I'll admit that." James added.

"I bet."

"Well, I'm going to hit the sack." James yawned, "See ya."

"Night, James." Kaidan mused as the bulky marine left, leaving the pair alone. Kacey sighed as she stood up and put the glass in the sink.

"It's been one hell of a day, hasn't it?" Kacey mused, a melancholy look on her face.

"Definitely." Kaidan said, finishing his beer, "What's on your mind?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"It's obvious that you aren't feeling great." Kaidan replied, sympathetic, "You look a little pale and you seemed bothered by something. Well, a lot of things."

"I've been feeling a little off since I fell off that balcony." Kacey replied, "I'll be fine."

"Have you seen Doctor Chakwas?"

"Yeah." Kacey replied, "I…I also got news about my mom."

Kaidan's eyes widened, "Is she okay?"

Kacey nodded, "She's helping with the Crucible. Hackett told me when I checked in. And she's still mad at me."

"Still?"

"Still." Kacey replied, "Sometimes, I don't even blame her. She didn't want me involved in all this. I mean…fuck, all I do is give her one heart attack after another. Do one stupid thing after another."

Kacey walked back out in front of the bar, her left hand running through her scarlet hair. Kaidan couldn't help but feel sorry for her; but he kept that part to himself. She probably didn't want to hear that. Vulnerability wasn't something Kacey was known for.

"You always do what you have to." Kaidan replied.

Kacey sighed, "I'm not so sure I believe that."

"How so?"

"You honestly think everyone believes that I worked with Cerberus because I had to?" Kacey replied, "You certainly didn't."

"I know that." Kaidan replied, "But I also know that I didn't have the full story back then. What's brought all this on?"

Kacey turned to face him, arms crossed. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She hesitated and couldn't even look him in the eye. Kaidan stood up and walked over to Kacey. She looked at him, a look of vulnerability in her eyes.

"It's okay." Kaidan replied calmly, "It'll all be okay."

He hugged her; she collapsed into his arms in a brief moment of vulnerability. He didn't have all the pieces, but he had enough. Enough to do something about it. The fleeting moments of happiness from before had all but faded away from view, and left both wondering how to fix it.