James Vega woke with a start. His heart was pounding in his chest, his breathing was ragged and it seemed that Morning Glory was in residence in his pants too. His eyes darted around the room as if an enemy lurked in every corner, ready to pounce. Or at least he was looking around in fear that someone had witnessed what had happened. His cheeks burned with shame.

It had felt so real. He licked his lips, thinking that he'd be able to still taste Shepard upon them, only to grimace. His mouth was dry and grim and he coughed to clear his throat. He'd fallen asleep on the couch, his head right back on the edge of the sofa and he suspected he'd snored something awful and he dearly hoped no one had heard him. But the rumble felt through the soles of his boots that preceded the veritable thunderstorm that was Wrex negated that feeling straight away.

He checked the time. It was early, but not massively so. Joker was still in almost the same position as he was in when James had looked at him last. Was that before or after he'd decided to go in the hot tub? He shook his head, he really wasn't sure.

Flashes of the dream ran through his head in that moment. That blonde hair, the way the water ran down that slender back, those calm and amused brown eyes. James shivered at the thought, and not in a good way. He felt like he'd crossed the line despite the fact he'd done nothing. Sure he'd thought about it, but Shepard wasn't the only woman he'd fantasied about in his life. But that dream had been something else, and he was suddenly very aware of how uncomfortable it made him.

Shit! Could he ever look Shepard in the eye again, after this?

'Good morning James.' Said a pleasant voice as it emerged from the kitchen. James blinked and looked up, it was EDI and was suddenly aware of the massive boner he currently had. He dearly hoped EDI wouldn't notice, it was a vain hope, but if he didn't draw attention to the tent pole in his boxers, maybe she wouldn't notice, or at least he hoped she'd be discrete about it. Plus talking might calm it down enough for him to escape her scrutiny. It wasn't that he didn't trust EDI, but he got the sense that she was always watching.

'Hey EDI.' He replied, a little bit of the embarrassment washing away with the simple interaction with the AI.

'You appear to the second one awake this early, despite the fact that you alcohol consumption was second only to Jack's.'

James frowned. 'Second?'

EDI nodded. 'Yes. Samara awoke about an hour ago and is meditating upstairs. She seems quite refreshed after last night's festivities. Although I suspect that the others may not be able to say the same.'

James laughed at that, he could feel his hangover brewing at the back of his skull. It threatened to be monstrous one too. But some things were worth it in the end, except for the almost world endingly bad and sinking feeling that he got from a superbly erotic sex dream about his boss.

'Any idea where everyone else is?' He enquired, trying to keep the conversation going and EDI was happy to oblige, though he tried not to react when EDI said that Shepard and Major Alenko had gone to bed together in Shepard's room. She then started to theorise on everyone's behaviour and sleeping patterns after the extreme consumption of alcohol. James allowed her to talk, not paying that much attention to her, but listening enough that if she asked him any questions, he would be able to at least bluff his way through an answer. EDI was nice enough, but she could be pretty intense until you told her to stop. But James's mind was upstairs, in Shepard's room and a moment of cold dread settled in the pit of his stomach.

What if it wasn't just a dream? Was it possible that maybe he had actually done those things, been so drunk that he hasn't remembered them until afterwards when he'd passed out, and then dreamt about it? He had no idea, although sometimes he dreamt of things that he'd before, and they'd seemed real, or at least as real as when they'd originally happened. He had to find out. He looked at EDI; he could ask her if anything happened. She was an AI, she didn't need sleep and she suspected that her sexy robot body had enough sensors to cover the whole apartment. James took a breath and opened his mouth.

'Morning all!'

James sagged; the moment was lost as Traynor appeared with Steve in tow. The pair has been asleep in the study and it seemed that Traynor had woken Steve up as he had a decidedly grumpy look on his face. Steve Cortez was not a morning person. James had learned that quickly and to steer clear of him until he'd had his first cup of coffee. After that, the rest of the crew seemed to rouse, and as they got up, James's anxiety grew while the bulge in his pants diminished, all but Shepard and Kaidan.

'Estaban...you look like shit. How 'bout I make you some eggs?' He leant over and asked his friend, who merely nodded weakly in return. It was a good excuse to get out from under everyone's attention.

Typically, Shepard was the last to make an appearance. Kaidan had arrived first, he had nodded to James as he cooked eggs for everyone, whether they wanted them or not...who didn't eat eggs the morning after the night before? But past the nod of greeting, the Major didn't seem to do or say anything else to him or anyone, save cursing the coffee machine. Apparently Shepard hadn't bothered to change the filter, if his cursing was anything to go by. And he took his plate of eggs with a gracious smile. James studied him while he handed over the plate, looking for any hint of that hungry, predatory gaze James had encountered in that dream. But none seemed forthcoming, nor was there any hint that anything untoward had happened between them. It made James frown.

Was it a dream? I dunno, is the Major that much of a player? He'd played the guy a number of times at poker, and James could often tell if he was bluffing. Kaidan was just too nice and honest to be a hugely successful liar. He wasn't so sure, but then he stopped. He remembered and hoped that Shepard would appear soon, she'd provide him with all the answers he needed. Or at least her neck would.

James almost shuddered when he remember seeing the Major biting down on the Commander's neck, she'd had a lovely, big love bite there that Kaidan had worked diligently on. If the Commander was in her civvies, he'd be able to see if she had it. If not that he was off the hook.

But what if she had? Or what if she wore her uniform this morning? The high collar would hide it. He cursed, once again feeling bad for what had happened, real or imagined. He felt terrible because she had broken him. Shepard had smashed down his barriers and laid him bare as a creature of want and need. Yeah, they had flirted a lot for fun and she'd questioned him on it, hell he'd even outright asked if the flirting was having a negative effect on her and Kaidan, she had laughed and told him 'Not even remotely' but still she flirted with him. It was confusing sometimes. She was confusing. He was confusing. He'd become so attached to Shepard, in more ways than he thought possible. She was his hero, his commanding officer, his unofficial N7 trainer. But she had also become his friend and confidant, and he admired her in more ways than he could say. But there was an animal attraction too. One he'd had before but never this intense, especially for someone who was already deeply involved with someone else.

'Eggs, James?' Shepard's voice rolled over his shoulder and he glanced around with a start before quickly looking away. He hadn't heard her come in.

'Yeah, sure.' He spooned half the eggs on to an empty plate and handed them to her without looking at her.

'You are a star! I could kiss you!'

James felt his cheeks flush at the comment. Her lips had been so soft and she'd tasted so sweet.

'Hey!' Kaidan had protested in mock indignation, earning sniggers from Miranda as she slipped tea at the bench. James got the sense that Shepard did something to placate the Major but he still didn't dare to look, however, he found himself a little heartened by Kaidan's reaction to hearing what Shepard was saying. It was hardly the clear acceptance and encouragement that he had gotten before.

Was it a dream? Maybe it was. But I have to be sure. The last half of the eggs went onto another plate for himself and with a deep breath he followed Shepard to sit down at the kitchen table. He still couldn't look at her, but took a few deep, calming breaths and dug deep to find his courage. After all, he had to know.

James Vega looked up to see Commander Freya Shepard eating as if she'd been starved and attacking the food with the military precision of a full tactical strike. Biotics, he shook his head, they ate like horses, their powers kicked like mules and yet they seemed to get thinner rather than bulkier. It was also something of the least charming light to see the Commander in. Stuffing her face with food that would put a hamster to shame and he couldn't help but almost laugh at the scene. But what really made the scene so funny was what Shepard was wearing.

She always looked like a petulant teenager when she wore that N7 hoodie. A black t-shirt was always the choice for underneath and completed with a pair of old, black combats and her boots.

Shepard looked up, as if she felt eyes upon her, and he glanced over the pale expanse of her neck, her unblemished neck and suddenly James felt exceptionally foolish. It had been a dream, a very real, very arousing dream...but a dream all the same and suddenly he felt as if he no longer knew the woman before him. It was odd, to have imagined her stripped bare before him, hearing her say things and having her do things that felt so real...suddenly James Vega felt his connection to the Commander weaken. Was what he could imagine more real than what he had? He thought he knew Shepard, but there was suddenly much he didn't know about her.

He saw her frown as her eyes found his, the green eyes of her mother, the formidable red-headed Admiral Hannah Shepard.

'James, are you ok? You look...' as Shepard searched for the words, she reached up to push a strand of that thick, blonde hair behind her ear, she didn't finish the sentence.

'Lola. Can I ask you a personal question?' James interrupted, the idea coming so quickly that he was amazed he'd never thought of it before. It was a wild idea, but he had to make something real happen, to prove that the woman before him was better than some lurid fantasy, that what he could make up in his head was nothing more than the palest imitation of the real thing. He had to know that they were still friends and could remain so, even if he felt a base attraction for her.

'Of course you can James.' She replied, her look of concern deepening.

'How come you never talk about your dad?' he asked.

Commander Freya Shepard blinked, clearly surprised and James watched a whole range of emotions cross her face. Each micro-expression more real and vivid than anything he had experienced in that dream and in that moment he knew that whoever that was, who had worn the face of his friend, it wasn't her. It was no more her than that Cerberus clone had been. She hadn't said a word, but James understood and nodded.

'What was he like?'

And with that, she put down her fork, took a breath to collect her thoughts and she began to speak.