Kaidan headed towards the Starboard Observation Deck, where he was told Kacey was hiding. He was surprised to hear from Joker and EDI that the ruby-haired commander had taken refuge there as opposed to her own quarters. It was unusual, but by now, Kaidan had learned to expect the unexpected with Kacey.

As he entered, he found her gazing out the window with a bleak yet dreamy look on her face. It was like she was miles away, someplace so far from here. She breathed a heavy sigh as he approached, a more grim expression on her face.

"How are you feeling?" Kaidan asked.

"I…I don't know." Kacey sighed, not meeting his gaze, "It just…hasn't been the best day."

Kaidan's eyes widened at the revelation, "Today…it's today, isn't it?"

Kacey nodded, "Four years since the Battle of the Citadel. Since we defeated Sovereign."

"You remembered?"

"Like I could forget." Kacey mused, "That vision from the beacon is etched into my mind, I can't unsee it. No matter how much I try to."

"Guess it doesn't help that you're seeing it in the past and in the present."

Kacey shook her head, a despondent sigh leaving her lips, "Yeah, pretty much."

The pair sat in silence, letting it hang in the air. Kaidan glanced at both Kacey, who looked both upset and lost in thought, and the deep dark abyss of space, with its millions of stars and almost serene nature. The window was pointed away from the chaos of the battle for Rannoch, so it was nothing but them and the radiant stars.

"All seems so calm from here." Kaidan mused after several minutes passed, "Just like it was four years ago."

"Definitely." Kacey sighed, "And now, all those people are going through hell, in so many different ways."

"Yeah. I want to be fighting alongside them, but I want to be here. You know?"

"Trust me, I know. Thinking of anyone specific?"

"I heard from my mom a week or so ago. She's fine, but my dad is still MIA. He's presumed…"

"What happened? You said they got out of Vancover." Kacey asked.

"He left my mom at the orchard and reported for active duty." Kaidan explained, "It's all we know, but it's, uh…it's enough. She's alone in this now. In all…this."

"I feel for you, Kaidan. And I'm glad you told me. There's strength in camaraderie, in empathy."

"Thanks, Kacey. You're right." Kaidan replied, "But what about you? Heard anything from your family?"

"Only family I've left is my mom." Kacey replied, her expression unreadable, "I haven't heard from her since before the war started."

"Not once?"

"Nope. And even if I did, I don't think she'll want to see me anyway." Kacey replied, "Last we spoke…she wasn't happy with me."

"I think she would." Kaidan replied, "Even if it's just to make sure you're alright."

Kacey scoffed, "Maybe. Who knows?"

The silence between them returned. Kaidan observed Kacey carefully; she looked distant, her eyes glazed across the window, staring off into the distance. She was clearly lost in her thoughts.

After several more minutes of silence, Kaidan broke the tension in the air, "I know you've got a lot on your mind. Whatever it all is, you can talk to me about it. Doesn't matter if it makes sense or not. Whatever it is, I'll listen."

The statement had brought a sense of surprise to Kacey's face, a wave of realisation washed over her face. She widened her eyes a bit as she broke out of the trance. She looked at him briefly before sharply looking away, despondent. She clearly hadn't expected him to say such a thing. She sighed as she leaned her head against the window frame.

"I just want this to all be over. Everything." She breathed,

"Everything?"

"The war, all of these fights…I'm so tired of all of this. Of everything like it. I…I'm just so…so done. After everything that has happened these past four years…*sigh* I just can't anymore."

"I don't blame you. I'm surprised you've kept yourself together for this long."

"Same here." Kacey sighed before giving out a mirthless laugh, "Sorry, I just…I've been having some…I've been in these weird depressive moods for a while now."

"It's okay Kacey." Kaidan replied reassuringly, "How long–?"

"Since I was arrested." Kacey interrupted, "Being trapped in a small room for six months does that apparently."

"It was that bad?"

"After a while, yes." Kacey mused in a melancholy tone, "I can't point to where it started, when it started. The days started to blend together, and I mostly spent my time in that room or in interrogation. Questioned over and over."

"Questioned about what? Working with Cerberus?"

"Mostly. Some of the people in Alliance Command who, lets just say they have a strong dislike for me, wanted to charge me with four counts of mutiny, several counts of breach of protocol, you know the works."

"Four counts of mutiny? How?"

"One for stealing on first Normandy, another one for co-operating with Cerberus, and two for mouthing off to the higher ups at Alliance Command." Kacey said, "And before you ask, you aren't in any trouble."

"Last I checked, I also committed mutiny by going with you." Kaidan replied, "Why wasn't I–?"

"I covered for you." Kacey sighed, still staring out of the window, "They tried to drag you and Joker into it, tried to court-martial all three of us for that. I wasn't going to let them drag you and Joker down with me so I told them it was my idea. And that I 'abused' my authority to make you go along with it. That you were just obeying orders, nothing more."

"Why? Why would you do that?" Kaidan asked, "You put your career and freedom on the line–!"

"I wasn't going to throw you under the bus, no matter how angry I was with you." Kacey replied, "Besides, it doesn't matter. Not anymore. I doubt they'll give a damn about that after the war."

"Kacey–"

"Kaidan, it's fine." Kacey said, looking at him, "And besides, we've got bigger problems than my mood swings."

"Kacey, we both know that's not true."

"We?"

"I know something is going on, that there's something you're not telling me." Kaidan said, "There's something bothering you, and I just wish you'd tell me."

"Maybe I don't want to talk about it." Kacey replied, "Maybe I don't want to talk about my stupid problems while people are dying!"

"Kacey, why are you shouting?"

She sighed as the realisation hit her. He looked at her with concern, her eyes looking at him like he was crazy. She looked away sharply.

"I'm sorry, Kaidan." Kacey said after a few minutes, "I know you're worried about me because you care. I know that. I…I don't know…"

"Hey, it's okay." Kaidan said, holding her hands, "After we destroy the Reaper base on Rannoch, maybe we can have this talk. You know, talk about it properly."

Kacey contemplated it before replying, "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Okay, so," Kaidan said, "Why don't head upstairs and continue with the story? You know, to take our mind off things for a bit?"

"Yeah, let's." Kacey said, stepping away from the window, "So, after helping Miranda, Garrus and I went to the Citadel. First thing we did was talk to Bailey to try and get some info on this 'Fade' character. Suffice to say, it was an…interesting ordeal."