Ryder thought she'd never get a break from being the Pathfinder. Even off duty, her work followed her, SAM was there, reminding her of that. Though she cared for the AI, being alone at times was something she craved for.

With Reyes, she felt almost like a human being. They both ran through the markets of Kadara, giggling to each other as they had angry residents swearing at them for bumping and barging past them. Ryder loved it, Reyes made her feel normal, even for a night. It was a welcomed break.

They got behind the markets and stood beside a ladder. "You first," Reyes says, he hooks the whiskey bottle to his waistband, making sure it was safe.

"Why me?" Ryder asks as she starts to climb. Reyes smacks her ass before she gets too high to reach.

"That's why," he huskily replies. Ryder rolls her eyes, they both start climbing the shacks of markets. "We're nearly there."

"Too bad, I don't have my jump jet, I could fly us both up," Ryder joked. Reyes climbs the last roof, holding his hand for Ryder.

"What's the fun in that?" Reyes asks. He then stands behind Ryder, putting his hands over her eyes. "Do you trust me?" he asks with a whisper.

Ryder shivers against him. "Of course I do, Reyes," she replies. Reyes slowly pushes her forward, Ryder stumbles but keeps her balance the best she could. They come to a stop.

"A view fitting for a queen," he slowly says as he pulls his hands away. Ryder's eyes adjusted to the bright sunset, the view was astonishing. The markets of Kadara were sprawled out with the badlands in the background. She could see the monoliths, and then at the end of it was the bright orange sun. It made the fresh water in the badlands look like steam as it shone down on it.

"A queen eh?" Reyes nods, he sits over the edge, patting the seat next to him. Ryder sits to the side, her back by his shoulder.

"I forget just how beautiful this place is," he comments as he takes a swig of the bottle. He then passes it to Ryder. "Do you miss home?"

Ryder takes a sip, she could still taste the horrid concoction Umi made. The whiskey was a welcomed taste, but she wasn't in the mood for more alcohol. "Yes, mostly for the friends and family I left behind. I miss your work as well. How about you?"

Reyes nods, looking out towards him. "I miss my mother. She'd loved Andromeda, I didn't have much else to leave behind when coming here." Ryder passes him the bottle.

"What happened to your mum?" she asks, turning to look at him.

Reyes went physically stiff being asked. Ryder was about to say she'd drop it but he starts talking. "After my father passed, she worked so hard to raise me. She was adamant she didn't need a man and worked three jobs to keep us fed and happy." He paused to take a long drink. "She got breast cancer when I turned twenty. Died two years later. I was... depressed for a long time." Ryder places her hand on his knee, he looks down at her, smiling. "Work filled a small gap in my heart, but then I got asked about the Initiative and joined without a second thought."

"I'm sorry about your mum, Reyes. You obviously loved her so much." Ryder saw his eyes glisten, he blinked back the tears.

"What about you? You only told me about Alec," he says looking at her. Ryder bit her lip, pulling the bottle from his hand to take a long drink.

"She died before we left, not long before we left either. She did work on biotic implants and eezo. Caused her to become sick and a... new form of cancer formed in her brain. There was no treatment, nothing they could do. She still worked as much as she could, loved my dad and us like nothing was ever wrong." She let a tear fall. "When she died, my dad went... quiet. He'd spend more and more time with SAM and his work. Then he joined the Initiative. Me and Scott both agreed to go as we had nothing left in the Milk Way. I needed a new start."

"You're mother sounds like a wonderful woman," Reyes comments. Ryder smiles and nods, wiping the tears away. They both sat in silence for about ten minutes before Reyes spoke again. "Is Andromeda everything you hoped it'd be?"

Ryder chuckled, she expected something, but this definitely wasn't it. "Every day is an adventure, even my days off are interesting," she says with a laugh and raises the bottle. She then passes it to Reyes. "What about you? What did you want to do once you got here?"

Reyes takes a drink, closing his eyes tightly before answering. "I wanted to be someone," he confidently answers. They both go silent again, Reyes feels Ryder shift as she moves to sit beside him.

"You're someone to me," she whispers. Reyes looks at her, her loving blue eyes dragged him in. She cared for him when no one else did. A Pathfinder caring for a smuggler with very little to his name. He lies, cheats and murders to make a living and she doesn't judge him at all for it.

"I love you, Ryder," he blurts. Ryder's whole body shifts back. They both glare at each other and Reyes downs the bottle, trying to shut himself up. Ryder smiles at him, almost laughing at how flustered he'd become.

"Reyes," she mumbles. He looks at her, fearing he'd just ruined everything they'd slowly built together. "I love you too," she finally replies.

Reyes didn't know if he stopped breathing or just died and came back, but his body felt rigid. Ryder looks at him with worry, waving her hand in front of him. He barely blinked. "You're scaring me," she whispers.

Reyes smirks, throwing the empty bottle over his shoulder and pulling her in for their lips to clash. Ryder laughs before kissing him back. They both tasted of smoke and alcohol, but it was a welcoming scent and taste. "Come on," Reyes says, getting up and pulling Ryder with him.

"Where are we going?" Ryder asks as they both make a quick descent back to the markets.

"My place, I want to show you how much I love you," he whispers as they finally make it to the bottom and he laces their fingers together to run back to his apartment. Ryder laughs the whole way, Reyes almost seemed different from just an hour ago.

They both run, stop, make out and repeat until they get to his apartment. Reyes can barely open the door with Ryder feeling every inch of his body. She grazes her hand over his hard bulge. He was suddenly very uncomfortable with clothes on.

They get in and slam the door shut behind them. Peeling their clothes off as they rush together in hysterics to the bed. Ryder pushes Reyes to sit on the end of the bed, she drops to her knees. Her nails trailed across his thighs. Reyes throws his head back, gently placing a hand behind her head.

"You're eager," she whispers. Reyes was about to give some sarcastic comment back but he hissed as Ryder slowly took him into her warm, wet mouth. He just couldn't talk if his life depended on it, he ended up holding her hair in his fist, trying with all his might not to pull.

Ryder uses her hand to massage what her lips couldn't reach. Reyes bucked his hips, forcing him in further. He felt Ryder slap his outer thigh as he nearly chokes. She finally pulls away, her lips giving a satisfying pop as she did.

"You're incredible," he mumbles, pulling her up and onto the bed. Ryder straddles him, she was horny enough to take him there and then. She lowers herself on him, Reyes rubs her hard nipples between his fingers. He grunts as she fully takes him, her hips already rocking in different directions. It was slow but very pleasurable.

Ryder leans over, pushing her ass lower so he doesn't leave her hot folds. She kisses him, her tongue playing against his, Reyes moans deeply in his chest, she can feel the vibration.

He digs his nails into her hips when the riding becomes too slow for him, he flips her so he's on top. He goes deep and hard for a few minutes before pulling out and pulling Ryder off the bed. She was about to turn herself over so he could fuck her from behind, but he stop her. "Close your legs," he murmurs. Ryder looks at him with a raised brow but does as he asks and closes her legs.

Reyes bends her legs so she has to lay on her side and her ass lined up with the end of the bed. He then goes back inside her, Ryder groans in pleasure. It was so tight but too good to stop. "Do you love me?" Reyes asks as he fucks her hard. Ryder is moaning too loudly to even hear. "Ryder!" he shouts, she snaps her head up at him.

He glares at her, still moving hard into her. He then drops his thumb between them, finding her clit deep in her closed folds. "Do you love me?" he asks again.

"More than anything," she moans. Reyes keeps rubbing her clit, it was too much for Ryder. She squirms under him, her walls clamping around his dick. "Fill me, Reyes," she begs.

He grunts as he leans over her body, pushing in one last time before collapsing into a moaning, sweating mess. Ryder holds Reyes as he slowly comes back to earth, he rocks his hips one last time before pulling out. Ryder sits up, her hips aching from the awkward but amazing position.

"I'm going to shower, you joining?" he asks. Ryder smiles and nods. "I love you, Sara," he whispers as he kisses her.

"I love you too, Reyes," she replies. Reyes watches her head to the bathroom to get the shower started, he sits on the end of the bed. How was he meant to tell her the truth now? His secret could ruin all he had with her and he just couldn't imagine his life without her now. These feelings were new to him, he wasn't used to loving someone in this manner. He loved her that much it nearly hurt.

"Fuck," he mutters to himself. He needed to figure out how to handle it all.

A/N: We finally got an "I love you!". Reyes's true identity will come out in the next chapter, it could go either way for him and his Pathfinder.