It had been a couple weeks since they went to Purgatory, they had stopped and resupplied before heading back off into space. With no more serious missions at the moment, their next stop would be the Citadel. The Commander was going to recruit the best thief in the galaxy. A woman by the name of Kasumi Goto, a woman from Japan. Shepard also needed to talk to the Council, specifically Councilor Anderson.

"Shepard, we are approaching the Citadel." EDI said, and a light alarm went off in his room. He groaned, and wished he could have at least five more minutes. He hasn't slept nearly enough since he woke up on that Cerberus base. He stands, and shuffles his feet towards the door to his cabin. He got into the elevator, and quickly made his way to Mess.

Logan was already awake, sipping on a beer, and eating what looked to be a sausage. He looked up to the Commander, and did a single nod. It had been three days since they had met, yet he could tell he was beginning to gain the man's respect. For that, he was glad. There were few people the Commander wanted to be on the bad side of, and Logan was one of those people.

He grabbed a piping hot cup of coffee, asked Gardner for scrambled eggs and some bacon, and sat down at a table. A datapad was in his hand, and he quickly read some news. Apparently, the news of Purgatory's destruction was already being cast into the galaxy, and some inmates and guards had been rescued by whomever was in the area, or just so happened to be passing by. He was glad that the guards had been rescued, but the inmates worried him. He was glad that majority of the scumbags in there had been eviscerated in the blast. He was usually a very compassionate human being, but to be there in the first place was a clear sign that one was not a good person, and did not deserve said compassion.

He noticed Garrus come through the door, and a big smile couldn't help but come onto his face. Garrus was the only person on the ship that he truly trusted. The hunt for Saren was one of the most stressful times of his young life. He had been twenty five when the mission began, and just a bit over twenty-six when it was over. He should be twenty eight, but still remained the same age, physically, and mentally. Garrus was only a couple years younger than he, having been in the police force for a couple years.

The two men were too young for all of the shit they have seen. Whether it was the husks that Cerberus had produced, or the Geth slaughtering innocent people with that synthetic apathy, or even the sight of Saren shooting himself in the head. They had missed their chances of being normal young men of their species, and instead carried the role of being soldiers of the galaxy. Both were unhappy with their current alliance with Cerberus, but it was that much more bearable now that they had one another's backs. It would always be easier when a friend is behind you.

His mind lingers to Tali, and he feels his heart hurt. He hadn't heard from her, recently, and knew she must be busy. The idea of her being hurt in Geth space made his breath hitch, and he quickly put his eyes to the table. His heart sped up, and he breathed deeply. His feelings for her was left unspoken, of course. She was a young woman on her Pilgrimage when they had met one another, and they were of different races. He hadn't wanted to overstep any lines. He didn't know if she felt the same towards him, but he certainly hoped so. It was something his mind went to, often. Mostly about how it would work. If he could feel this strongly for her without seeing her face, did it really matter?

She, Garrus, Liara, Wrex, Ashley, Kaidan, Anderson, and Hackett were the only men and women that he trusted with his life. Without even a single question. They had all proven their loyalty to him, and that his faith in them was not misplaced.

"What is it that you Humans say? 'Penny for your thoughts?'" Shepard was drawn out of his thoughts by the flanged voice of Garrus, who smirked at the expense of the Commander.

"Asshole. Take a seat. Plenty of space. Even for annoying Turians." Shepard said, and gestured an arm over the empty seat across from him. The Turian sat down in the chair, and placed his dextro food down on the table. He stuck his fork into a weird purple slab of mystery, and began to chew on it. He seemed to enjoy it, as he closed his eyes and hummed.

"That looks like shit." Shepard said, and cracked a smile. Garrus' eyes snap open, and he glared at the Commander.

"You seriously want to compare foods, squishy?" Garrus sarcastically said. He had picked the term up from Wrex, knowing that Shepard absolutely hated being called that.

"I am not squishy. Salarians are squishy. Hell! Hanar are squishy." Garrus openly laughed at the man's outrage, satisfied that he had successfully gotten under the man's skin. Shepard realized he fell right into Garrus' trap, and glared at the Turian across from him.

"At least I'm not covered in plates, you chicken chested bastard." Shepard said, and took a sip of his coffee, sighing after he did so. Garrus nearly choked on his food, and quickly coughed once he was done swallowing.

"Shepard, you know I don't know what a chicken is. I kinda don't wanna, now." He said, and they both laughed together. Shepard was happy. This was like the old times. The two of them shooting the shit, and making jokes at one another's expense. It was even better when the rest of the crew joined in. No one had been spared. Even Tali-the youngest and most innocent of the entire crew-hadn't been spared by the merciless crew of the Normandy. He remembered how bashful he had been when she first joined the Normandy. The jokes often flew over her head, and she would be left wondering if it was personal. Of course it wasn't, and they made sure she understood it was a joke. Towards the end of the search, she had joined in on the ribbing, and eventually became one of the quickest wits on the ship.

"Say, you don't suppose we should invite Logan over here, Shepard? I reckon it'd be best if we tried to learn more about him. Especially the way he is on the battlefield. We thought Wrex was the most dangerous bastard we've seen with a gun?" They heard Logan chuckling, and saw him take a large bite out of his sausage. He took a swig of beer right after, and belched fairly loudly.

They watched as he stood, walked up to the counter, and waited about a minute or so. Mess Sergeant Gardner handed him a plate, and Logan nodded his head. The muscular man walked by the table, nodding his head to the two men, before leaving the Mess Hall. They watched him disappear around the corner.

"Well, at least we know he can heal everything she'll do to him." Garrus said, slyly. The two friends burst into another round of chuckles, and began to rag on each other more.

Logan made his way out of the elevator, and walked the short distance to the biotic's lair. She had taken over the bottom of the engineering deck, whereas he took over the first level of it. He was a minute from her, walking the slowest he could possibly muster.

Unlike the others on the ship, maybe not Miranda-or Shepard-he was totally fine with speaking to Jack. He had known girls just as dangerous as she, namely...His heart pangs with the memories. He stops thinking about her, as he finally reaches the small woman. She looks up from her spot, and stares at the plate in his hand.

"You know, you don't always have to do this for me." She said, and motioned her hand towards the plate. He holds it out to her, and she looks back into his eyes. She took the plate, and the utensils that he held in a pocket. He sat on the floor, his back against the wall, and put his head back against the metal. He heard her subtle moans and excitement at eating. He also heard when she was done. He looked over, and his hair bobbed over his eyes. He tilts his head, allowing it to shift.

"I'm still surprised the food doesn't taste like ass. Haven't had a cook like this in a long time." Logan said, and she looked over to him. She looks down at the plate.

"Why do you continue to do this?" She asks, and looks back at him.

"Because no one else on the ships gets you." He responded back, simply. She looks at him, and her eyes suddenly harden.

"You think you're gonna come down here and fuck with me like that?" He looked over. One thick eyebrow rose, as he was clearly puzzled.

"What, you don't think I know what you're doing? Trying to butter me up by telling me you understand, and that you know what it's like?!" She yelled, and stood suddenly. He stood as well, and took a step forward.

"Darlin', that's not my intent-" She held up a hand, and he stopped. He knew not to push, and to await her response. She looks at him, and he sees the pain that she carries. He knew this was a very touchy conversation, and he would have to be careful about how he responds.

"If you just want to mindlessly fuck me, tell me so. Meaningless sex means nothing, and can remain that way." He chuckles, and immediately she is confused.

"Darlin', if ya had lemme finish, I'd tell ya what I meant by it. Listen. You and me? We're not like these guys. The hero, the 'perfect' bitch, the egghead, the sniper, and the meaningless crew around us. You and me? We're killers. We've done some bad shit." He looked over to her, and noticed that she had grown quiet. She didn't know what to say.

"I know that you've been hurt. Hell, I've gone through my fair share of shit. I just wanted to let you know that you and me? We're all we got, right now. I've got your back." He said softly. It was true. She reminded him a lot of him, once he had escaped the Weapon X facility. His face seemed to reflect his inner turmoil, as she nods.

"Uh...Thanks, Logan. I actually kinda like talking to someone more of my speed." Logan looked down at his boots, and back up to her.

"Don't mention it. Just...Try not to destroy the ship next time you get upset." He held out a large hand, and her own small one goes in it. She shakes it firmly, and they both nod. He turns to leave, and she watches him go.

"What a confusing son of a bitch." She muttered, and swore that she heard him laugh as he left.

He came back up to his own room, and looked at the lack of belongings that ranged around the room. He looked down at his hands, and wondered what the fuck was left of the shit he once held close to him. He shook his head, and passed it off. He didn't have jack shit that was left.

He quickly typed away an email. Something that he refuses to do, regularly. He figured that a night at his favorite Earth bar would be nice. Even something so meaningless, it would still help to be there. One last time.

He had no idea what the hell the Collectors were capable of, and he didn't much care. He had lived long enough, and experienced enough, to basically accept whatever came towards him. Whether that meant death or life, he was at a point where he didn't much care what the fuck happened. Enough for one more beer at his favorite bar, but not enough to actively feel anything else.

He heard the elevator open, and the sound of someone receiving an email. He turned, and heard the door open. Shepard walked in casually, wearing a pair of jeans, and an N7 sweatshirt.

"Shepard." He greeted.

"Logan. How're you holding up?" Logan sighed, and paced around his room.

"Fine. Looking forward to docking. I'm pent up. Need a beer. Maybe some sex. Both'd be nice." He chuckled darkly, and the Commander's left eyebrow rose. Logan looked over and chuckled more.

"Don't look at me like that. You look like you need the same. Hit up a bar with me while we're there. We can get you straightened out." Logan said, and the Commander thought about it. Despite being uncomfortable talking about things so personal with someone he had just met-that wasn't fair. Logan had saved his life multiple times since they had met, and clearly cared about him. In his own way. He smiled, and relented.

"Alright, Logan. Just try not to get us killed." He said, and Logan chuckled.

"Can't promise you shit, Shepard. You just came down here to talk?" He asked, and Shepard nodded.

"Made it a habit of mine to know my crew. We might not return from this mission, Logan. Dropping your guard to these people may prove to be worth it. I just don't want to regret not doing so. Even the Cerberus ops are risking their lives. It's worth the time and effort, no?" He asked, and Logan nodded. He had a point, despite both of them absolutely hating Cerberus. It was not time to bring up the past. If they were to get things done, they had to play nice. Not being able to settle something for a much larger threat was simply immature, and not something the Commander planned on doing.

"So...Shep...I heard your heart beating a little quickly in the Mess Hall. Thinking of a certain someone?" Logan's shit-eating grin stretched across his face, and the man in question suddenly began to blush.

"I forgot you had sensitive senses." The Commander replied easily, and crossed his arms. Logan chuckled, the throaty sound echoed in the small, metal room.

"That didn't answer my question, Shepard." He was grinning again, and Shepard quickly rubbed his brow with his hand.

"Not that it's any of your business, Logan, but I do hold feelings for a certain someone. Hopefully you'll meet her, sometime soon." He said, and Logan nodded. His face became serious for a second.

"There's a lot of ways to get to know someone. Forget the bullshit the movies pull. The best way to understand someone is fear. I've seen you in times of fear, Commander, and you soldier through it. If you like this girl, chances are she's of good stock." He says, and the man nods. The girl he was referring to was of good stock.

"What about you, Logan? I saw the way you looked at Jack. Seems to be more than just your lower half making you feel that way." Shepard shot back, his own grin on his face. Logan rolled his eyes.

"Har-har. Jack is a good woman. I hate this soft shit. She's hot. She's someone I get. She's more than what she shows. There." He said, as if ending the subject. Shepard just laughs at him, and Logan's face becomes red in anger.

"Look, Shep-" Shepard held his hand out, and shook his head.

"I'm not laughing at you, Logan. I'm just imagining how Jack would respond to this. Listen, I get it. The girl I'm talking about isn't exactly your run-of-the-mill kind of girl, either. I've seen her make a man's head look like mashed potatoes, and seen her drone electrocute someone until their skin was fried. I get it." Logan's eyebrow rose at the last part.

"So she's a techy? Figures that you'd go for a nerd." He shot at the Commander, who feigned as if he was hurt.

"You wound me, Logan." They share a laugh, and continue to talk for a little bit. Despite Logan not usually talking to people, he felt comfortable around the Commander. He reminded him of Charles, to be truthful. A paragon to the people that cared about them. Ultimately good, even in the face of horrible evil. He respected the man. He didn't completely trust him, yet, but he respected him.

When they had finally reached the Citadel, they had to go in their armor. They were on official business. Shepard wore his typical Onyx armor with an avenger assault rifle holstered on his back. Garrus stood to his left, with his mantis holstered on his back, and a predator on his hip.

Logan looked at the back piece of his armor, which had been fixed by Jacob Taylor. The man was Cerberus, but from what Logan had seen, he was a decent kid. A little weakness to his stomach, but he was young. The mission would see to that little bit. Logan nodded to the dark-skinned man, and held his helm in his hands. He looked over to the ground team, who were clearly waiting for him. He grunted, and placed his helm on his head.

As soon as they got onto the station, Logan asked if they could sidetrack for a quick second. They quickly made their way towards the shops, and Logan held up a hand.

They stood in front of an Elcor vendor who was smoking a cigar. He was confused for all of a couple seconds, before pushing the thoughts into the back of his mind. He nodded to the massive alien, attempting to hide his laughter at the sight, and the Elcor slightly returned the gesture.

"With false exuberance: good evening, sir. Welcome to my store. Curiously: what is it that you're looking for?" The Elcor droned out with the species' typically monotone voice. Logan refrained from chuckling, and saw the Commander and Garrus having a harder time with it, as they had turned their backs from the counter.

"Just a stogie, bub." An Asari quickly appeared from nowhere, and handed Logan a cigar. He grabbed it, and threw a credit chit on the counter.

"Keep the change." He said, and could hear the Elcor's pause.

"Genuinely: thank you sir. Have a fine evening." As soon as they were out of the store, Garrus and the Commander burst into laughter, and Logan chuckled lightly. People obviously stared, as two well armed men wiped their eyes from laughter. He was surprised by their knack for humor, as they both were soldiers to the T. He was glad, though. Rather than forget who they were before all the shit hit the fan, they both seemed to take it in stride. Something he was beginning to respect.

"So...This friend of yours...What's his shtick?" He saw the Commander's eyes soften for a second, before hardening again. That was strange for him.

"Councilor Anderson is a good friend of mine. Always someone I looked up to. Doesn't fall into the bullshit that your average politician likes to delve into, and is straight as a straw. One of the few people I completely trust." He said, and Logan nodded. If the Commander trusted him, he knew there had to be a good reason as to why.

"Has no issue with Shepard's choice of company, either." Garrus said, dryly. Logan chuckled a bit at Garrus' tone. He couldn't help but agree, though. He noticed that people were beginning to seriously begin their xenophobic ideologies. He wondered if there was some sort of correlation between organizations like Cerberus starting to become serious power players.

"Another thing him and I agree on. Udina tends to disagree." His voice laced with hate at the name, and Logan couldn't help but look over to the Turian who simply shook his head. As they walked, Logan lit his cigar, and began smoking it. Due to his mouth being uncovered by his helm, it was easy for him. He took a deep drag, puffing the smoke away from him once he took it out of his mouth.

"How long have you been smoking, Logan?" Shepard asked the man, who turned to him. He took another drag as he thought about it. His first cigar...

"Can't tell ya, honestly. Probably since I figured out what a cigar was." He said, nonchalantly. The two other men blanched. This man has been smoking for almost three centuries.

Despite that, Shepard's thoughts lie elsewhere. His mind thought of Tali, and the times he spent with her on the Citadel during the search for Saren. He remembered bringing her to lunch when she had nothing else to do, and feeling the chemistry between them really begin to develop. He missed her, dearly.

He couldn't lie, seeing her on Freedom's Progress really screwed with him. Ever since he got there, he's been wondering what else could be said. He hadn't revealed how he felt, as he figured that would have been a costly mistake. He didn't want to lose her friendship. He didn't want her to feel as if he was pushing for more than what she wanted. A small part of him believed that she felt the same way, and his entire being wanted to believe that was true, but he just didn't want to be the one pushing. He was older than Tali, not by much, but he was still older. Not to mention, he just didn't want to make it awkward. Not without knowing beforehand.

When they were riding the elevators to the Presidium, Logan put his cigar out. Since he didn't wanna put it out on the nice elevator, he put it out on his tongue. The sounds of his pain echoed in the small elevator, and the other two grimaced. That had to have hurt.

"Fack you guyth." His tongue had a giant hole in it, and he spoke funny. The other two would have chuckled, had he not been standing there with a hole on his tongue. It healed fairly quickly, but it was still quite disturbing to see. One of the things about Logan, really. Getting used to a man who could be blown apart by whatever weapon, or method, of doing so, and him being completely fine. He remembered seeing the man's skull, and seeing his eyeball heal back into the socket. While it was incredibly fascinating to watch the process, it was also incredibly disgusting.

They finally reached Anderson's office, and Shepard looked over to the two men.

"Listen, I need you two to hold your tongue in there. I get that you both have...Colorful language when you'd like to-and believe me-I'd love to tear these guys down a peg, but I need the Council on our side. Understood?" Logan twitched at the tone of Shepard's voice, but nodded. He needed to appear this way to the public, rather than appear casual.

As they walked through the door, they saw a black man standing, and looking out towards the Presidium.

"Oh, Commander! We were just speaking about you." The pleasant, rich voice of the man was Heaven on the Commander's ears. It has been much too long since he heard the man's voice, and the presence of the man was immediately soothing to him. Anderson was the closest thing to a father Shepard has ever had. He was there with him from the very start, seeing the potential in the young kid who enlisted at eighteen.

"All good things, I assume? It's been a long time, Anderson, too damn long. I hope the past two years have treated you well? You look great in those fashionable clothes." He said, and lightly punched the man's arm. Anderson chuckled, and shot a grin back at the younger man.

"There have been some rough spots, trust me. It's damn good to have you back, though, Commander." He said, and his eyes told the Commander all he needed to know.

"We've heard many rumors surrounding your return...Some of them are unpleasant." The Salarian's voice broke into the reunion, and even Logan felt a tinge of annoyance at this fact. He wasn't one for sappy moments, but from what he had gathered, Anderson was one of Shepard's only human friends.

"We called this meeting so you could explain your actions, Shepard. We owe you that much. After all, you saved our lives from Saren and his Geth." The Asari councilor said, and Shepard turned. He lifted the helmet off of his head, and placed it on his hip, where it magnetized.

"The Collectors are abducting human colonists in the Terminus systems. Worse, we think they're working for the Reapers." Shepard's rich voice called back to the Asari, who stood a little straighter at the names he threw out. Logan's icy eyes darted between the separate councilors, noting that they didn't believe the man.

"The Terminus systems are beyond our jurisdiction! You Humans knew this when you left Council Space." The arrogant flanged voice of the Turian Councilor, Sparatus, echoed around the chamber. Logan heard Shepard's teeth grind together, and noticed his breathing was much deeper than normal. Anderson noticed as well.

"You're missing the point. The Reapers are involved as well." Anderson said, and Logan saw the outrage on the council's faces.

"Ah, yes. Reapers," He used his hands to use air quotes, a strange sight, but one that was entirely unwelcome, "The immortal race of sentient starships allegedly waiting in dark space. Thought we already dismissed that claim." Condescending amusement was clearly in the Turian's voice, and Shepard's heart exploded in activity. He began to sweat, and his face was clearly becoming red.

"Shepard, no one else but you saw the vision on Ilos. Only you and your crew spoke with Sovereign." Shepard shook a little bit, and Anderson felt as if he needed to reassure him.

"I believe you, but without evidence from another source, the other counselors believe that Saren was behind the Geth attacks." He said, and Shepard's eyes fall back to the Council, who stood there expectantly.

"Okay, go back to Ilos and talk to Vigil. Or just look at what's left of Sovereign...The technology is clearly far beyond our own!" Shepard said, desperately trying to keep his cool.

"The hologram on Ilos is no longer functional, and there is nothing to suggest that Sovereign was not a Geth creation." The Salarian quickly dismissed the Commander, who needed to take a second for himself.

"The Geth are capable of remarkable technological achievements, Commander Shepard. This is, most likely, the reason that Saren had recruited them." Ever the Asari, the councilor attempted to rationalize this, rather than realize that there was no rationalizating. The Commander's fist began to grip so tightly that his armor began to crack. Logan's lips pull a small smirk. Seeing the Commander so worked up was something he had been waiting for, rather than the humor he was accustomed to.

"This Reaper theory proves just how fragile your mind is, Commander. You've been weak minded since the beginning. First you were manipulated by Saren, and now? Now you're being manipulated by Cerberus." The Commander's eyes began to twitch, and Garrus and Logan both take a step closer, so as to grab an arm each if need be. Anderson laid a hand on the man's forearm, and look him in the eye.

Shepard's heart drummed against his ribcage. His insides were on fire. His blood was boiling. A bead of sweat dripped down his cheek. His limbs were light, and his head was clouded. His hands were closed hard enough that he could hear his knuckles straining. He was trembling. That much he was aware of. He has been humiliated, and insulted by the very fucking people he had saved. They would treat their savior like a dog who had just shit on their carpet?

"How about this, Councilors? Saren was an organic. The Geth would never accept him as their leader. They only followed him because he was Sovereign's agent!" He practically shouted at them. Anderson quickly turned his head, and lifted an eyebrow. Shepard was rarely one to lose his temper, but certain things got under his skin extremely quickly. Being undermined and doubted was amongst the top of his list.

"Saren was a compelling and charismatic individual, Commander. He had convinced the Geth into this story about the Reapers, and he did the same to you." Shepard took a very deep breath at this one. Breathing through his nose, even the Councilors heard it.

"It was all apart of his plan to attack the Citadel. The Reapers are just a myth. One you refuse to accept is just that. A MYTH." The Turian spoke down to Shepard, who had begun to pace in his spot.

"We believe that you believe that they exist, Commander. However, that does not mean that they do." She stated as if she ended the entire conversation. Shepard looked up to them, and his angry eyes settled on the Asari.

"I kept Saren from conquering the Citadel. I sacrificed human lives to save all of your asses. You're going to do this to me? The one man who pulled your ass out of the fucking fire?" He shot at them. Barely concealed rage twisting every word. Logan chuckled quietly to himself, Garrus beginning to smirk with him.

"We find ourselves in a difficult position, Commander. You are working for Cer-"

"I'm not working for them, Councilor. I am working with the Illusive Man, and my own goddamn team, to save lives that you aren't willing to save." The Commander interrupted, and the Asari patiently held her hands up.

"Please do not interrupt me, Shepard. They are an avowed enemy to the Council. This is treason. A capital offense." Her voice hinted at a suggestion. The Commander paused and froze. He looked at them as if they had all grown a second head.

"That's too goddamn far. Shepard's a damn hero. I'm a part of this Council, too, and I refuse to let this whitewashing bullshit continue!" Anderson's eyes were smoldering flames. Clearly more concentrated and controlled than the much younger Commander, but he was nearly as pissed.

"Maybe there is a compromise. Not a public acknowledgment, given your ties, but something to show...Peripheral support." Shepard snorted, and Logan began to chuckle aloud.

"Shepard, if you keep a low profile and keep your operations to the Terminus system, the Council is willing to offer you your former Spectre status." Sparatus said, clearly disgusted by the idea of the Human being back to his old position.

"Ooh, do I get to write reports?" Shepard snapped at the man, sarcastically. The Turian gave him a single scathing look, knowing that the man would tear him apart if anything else was to be said.

"Your reinstatement shows that we, the Council, personally support you." The Asari said, seemingly pleased with her cleverness. Shepard nearly rolled his eyes at the woman's confidence in her mental abilities, and his lip pulled back into a sneer. He quickly controlled his face. Hiding the rage he felt behind his eyes, he looked back up.

"I accept your offer." He tried to keep sarcasm out of his voice, but it was much harder than one would believe.

"Good luck with your investigation, Commander. We hope for a quick resolution, and a quick end to your relationship with Cerberus." They fade out, and Shepard's arm immediately snaps. He grabs the helmet on his hip and throws it with every single ounce of strength he has. It smashed into the wall, and the visor breaks from the force. His cybernetic enhancements greatly enhanced his already formidable strength.

"Useless pieces of shit!" He stormed the room, and growled to himself. Logan looked at the sight with amusement, but he was just as annoyed. He always hated slimeball politicians, and he felt for the Commander. The Council would doom them all with their stupidity, that much could be seen. Garrus placed a heavy hand on the man's shoulder, and Shepard turned quickly.

"Shepard, I get it. You're pissed, but right now isn't the time. You know that." He said, and Shepard immediately realized where he was. He slowly approached his helmet and lifted it. Logan looked at it, and an eyebrow rose a bit.

"Nice throw, Shep." He commented. He heard Anderson chuckle a bit, and they all look to the man.

"Well. That went better than I expected. Knowing you, I expected a verbal lashing. We both know the Council won't do shit. This was symbolic. Politics." He practically spit the last word out, causing a smile to fall onto Shepard's ground team's faces. Logan chuckled.

"Even if they don't help, there's no point having them as an enemy. Although I wonder if I should've saved those ungrateful assholes." The Commander replied, and Anderson nodded.

"So, you wanna introduce me to this interesting man over here? I already know Mr. Vakarian, good to see you, son." The Turian in question nodded respectfully to the man, and Logan stepped forward. Anderson was a couple inches taller than he, but wasn't nearly as built. The two men shook hands.

"Anderson, this is Logan. Logan, this is Anderson." Logan nodded respectfully, and the man did the same.

"Good to meet you, son." Logan looked at the man.

"Ditto." Anderson looked at Shepard questioning the man's attitude, but just got a chuckle.

"Anderson, we need to talk about-Shepard? What the hell are you doing here?" An unpleasant man said, as he walked into the room. Logan looked at the man, and his guard was immediately up. His eyes narrowed as the man walked forward, and Shepard forced a smile onto his face. It was as if someone spray painted it there.

"I stopped by to see how Anderson was doing. Not that it's any of your goddamn business, Udina." He said, turning to the much shorter man. Udina was even shorter than Logan, and frail in build. Logan chuckled at the Commander's attitude. A good man that takes no one's bullshit. Garrus and Anderson smirked at the Commander's less than subtle way of telling to man to fuck off.

"You don't have to cover for me, son. I invited Shepard here to speak with the Council. We just finished our meeting." Anderson said, watching the little man's face redden.

"You what? Anderson, do the words, 'political shitstorm,' have any goddamn meaning to you?" The Commander stepped in front of the man, and placed an arm on Anderson, ushering him behind the Commander.

"Don't talk to him like that, Udina. Not while I'm around. By the way, they reinstated me as a Spectre. They're just happy I'm staying out in the Terminus system." The Commander challenged the much smaller man to say another word on the subject, one that the man in question was not willing to push.

"Yes...I can see how this 'arrangement' can be beneficial to both sides. You really shouldn't have taken a step like this without me, Anderson." The Commander stepped forward to defend Anderson's honor, but the man held up a hand.

"I don't answer to you, Udina. I'm above your payroll. Now how about you go to your office, and take a little to think long and hard about that. Hmm?" Anderson's eyes were intense, and Logan laughed at his expense.

"Of course, Councilor. Good day to you both." He said, clearly ignoring Garrus and Logan.

"What a shithead." Logan said to himself, and relit his cigar. He took a drag, and the men looked at him. Shepard chuckled, while Anderson just nodded slowly.

"Sorry about that. He's still upset he didn't get the Council seat, and I need to put him in his place from time to time." He said, looking over to the Commander.

"Udina's always been a pain in the balls. What's different now?" The men all shared a laugh. Shepard realized he must be going, and so he stood for a second.

"I wish I had more time to catch up, Councilor. I've gotta get moving. Have to recruit a master thief. The usual." He said, and the two chuckled. Logan and Garrus stayed put, as the two men walked a bit forward, apparently wanting privacy for a couple moments.

"Shepard, it's damn good to have you back, son. Your presence in the galaxy is only going to make things better. It was good seeing you. Make sure you stay in touch." He said, and the two shook hands. Shepard met back up with the two, and nodded to them.

"Now, let's head back to the ship. I'm pretty sure I saw an Asian woman's face on a terminal that didn't belong there." Shepard said, and they made their way out of the Presidium. Easily walking back towards the shuttle to the docks, Shepard looked over to Logan, who had finally finished his cigar. With two thick fingers, the man flicked the cigar a good distance away from them, and blinked uncaringly.

When they spotted the advertisement screen, they noticed the lights on it flickering, and obviously tampered with.

"Ooh, this should be interesting." Garrus said, and his mandibles twitched in amusement. Logan grunted, and shifted his weight to his other foot. Shepard approached the screen, and the image changed to that of a hooded Asian woman.

"Please tell me your password, Commander Shepard." She said, a tone of amusement and mock seriousness in her voice.

"Silence is golden." He shot back, just as amused as she was. She grinned widely.

"Good to finally meet you, Commander. My name's Kasumi Goto. I'm a fan." She had a tinge of admiration in her voice, and the man nods. He smiles gently.

"Has Cerberus filled you in on the mission?" He asked, and his eyes harden at the mention of the organization. Even hearing it could darken his mood.

"Honestly? I'm shocked they didn't come to me sooner. Although, that could be my fault. I am pretty hard to find." She flashed him a mischievous grin, and he chuckled lightly. Garrus also had to cough to refrain from doing the same. Logan was fairly bored by it all, and wished he could grab some booze.

"So...What's with the password, and the sneaking around? You in any trouble that I should know about?" Shepard asked with a raised eyebrow, making the thief laugh.

"I'm the best thief in the business, not the most known. Need to watch my step to keep it that way, don't I?" Her question brought a smile to his face. Even if thievery wasn't among his top ten favorite list of what people may do in life, he was willing to admit that she was an amusing character, to say the least.

"I also needed to make sure that this was legit. People don't exactly just come back from the dead, you know. I have no doubt now, you're the real Commander Shepard." The advertisement went dark, and he was completely confused.

Logan had already smelled, and heard where the woman was. So, he elbowed the man in the side, and pointed to where she was. The Commander chuckled, and she had a smile on her face, clearly amused by his utter confusion.

"I thought we should wrap this up. You look pretty funny talking to an advertisement, you know. I'll see you on the ship, Shepard." She said, and suddenly disappeared from sight. A disembodied laugh was all that could be heard. Logan growled, and his eyes darken.

"You think she's going to help in any way, Shepard?" He asked, and turned to the Commander. The man looked up at Logan, and simply raised an eyebrow.

"None of us have seen her in action, Logan. Relax. I'm sure TIM wouldn't have suggested her if he wasn't confident in her skills." He said. He was disgusted by his reasoning, but it was true. The Illusive Man was much too proud to suggest people who would hinder the Commander on his mission. He stared darkly at the Normandy, and nudged his head in the ship's direction.

"Come on, you two. Let's get the hell outta this armor, and take the night off. First round's on me." Logan's smirk grew on his face, and he looked over to the two. Immediately they were on guard, and in fear of what he might do in the upcoming future.

He quickly took his helm off, and placed it in his locker. He looked over to the Commander, who was doing the same thing. He cracked his neck, and started with the chest piece. It fell off of him, and landed on the floor with a dull thud. His back piece also did the same. He placed them together, hearing the click sound that ensured they were connected. He placed them back in the locker, before taking his gauntlets off. He opened and closed his hands a few times. Moving down to the legs, he quickly proceeded to take off the heavily armored boots, and placed them at the bottom of his locker, before throwing his leg and shin guards in the locker with them.

He turned to the other two men in his underwear, and a plain white undershirt that he had found. He was also wearing socks. The two men chuckled at his appearance, until he growled at them. He turned, and walked into the elevator, ignoring the people who stared at the man's lack of clothing.

When he had finally thrown on the crewman's pants, he stood straight, and threw his boots on. He walked over to where the powerful biotic was holed up, and walked down the stairs. The sound of his boots clunking against the stairs dragged her attention from the datapads to the sound. Upon seeing him, her eyes lightened a bit, but she quickly put her mask of anger back on. Logan nodded to her.

"Hey." She said, pretending to be completely disinterested. He chuckled, and she snapped her eyes back towards him.

"Something funny?" She challenged, and stood up. She was short. Standing at five feet and three inches, she was much shorter than he. Something he was surprised by. Since the health of the human race has been so much better, humans had been becoming taller. Their diets were at the most protein-based since the stone age, bringing the average human male height back to around six feet, if not more. The average woman stood around five feet and eight inches. Clearly, she was left behind the curve.

"Yeah. You." Her skin began to glow blue, and he cracked a smile. He closed his fists, and straightened his wrists. With the horrible sound of metal scraping against metal, his claws were out, and she looked down at them.

"What the fuck? Listen. I don't know what you find so goddamn funny, but I'll fucking tell you now. I'm not some joke. I've killed better people for a lot less." She threatened, and he took a step forward. Without even pausing, he was right in front of her. She looked into his eyes, and couldn't lie to herself. She was very turned on right now.

"You don't gotta act like the big baddie around me, darlin'." He whispered into her ear, and hovered his lips close to hers for effect. She felt her heart pound against her chest, and she wanted more than anything to grab him. She felt like she was in a trance, and he pulled away.

"Commander's giving us the night off. Meet me at Flux if you're brave enough." She watched his-admittedly-very nice ass as he turned around, and walked away. His broad back and shoulders made her quiver in anticipation, and want.

"What the fuck am I doing?" She asked, as she finally snapped back to reality. She stood straight, and decided to wait. If she went there too soon, she'd seem like she really wanted to go. Even if she did, she would never let Logan know that.

When she finally had made it to the club, she grimaced at the music that was being played, and downright sent dirty looks at the people around her. They were all the same. Idiots who had to spend their time with people they don't know to make themselves feel better. Escape their lives, and the entire bullshit. Despite hating them, a part of her envied their ability to do that. To just be able to forget about their lives, and pretend as if they weren't who they truly were. She shook her head, and continued towards the bar, scaring away anyone who was stupid enough to look her way.

Her heart sped up a little at the sight of Logan's broad back. He was leaning against the bar, obviously waiting for a drink. She quickly composed herself, but couldn't help noticing that he was chuckling at something. Right when she was going to announce her presence, he cleared his throat. She wondered how the fuck he does that, but that's a question for later.

"How long have you been watchin' me?" He asked, and turned around. He leaned back against the bar, and put his elbows up, lazily. A cigar hung out of his mouth, and he seemed to be in a decent mood. She stared at his chest, and his arms, and back up to his face. Lifting an eyebrow, she let her dark eyes meet his own icy ones. All in all, he wasn't a bad looking man by any means. He had wild hair, and a very outdated facial hair style, but it fit him. He looked wild. Feral. Untamed. It drove her wild. He had a strong jaw, thick eyebrows, and a regular nose. He had smile lines around his lips.

"Too goddamn long. You're one ugly motherfucker." She said, and he laughed. She cracked a small smile at the man's reaction. She was disappointed, though. She was really hoping it would bother him. She wasn't going to lie, a bit of her was still pissed off at him for what he had done earlier. He knew she was attracted to him, and totally got her going. Was she that easy to get to? She wondered if it was just him, or any guy like him.

"Hey, whatcha gonna do? Not all of us can be pretty." He turned back towards the bar, as the Asari woman handed him two drinks. Two beers were in his hands, and he turned towards her. He handed her one bottle, and allowed himself to get closer to her. He smelled her scent, and was surprised by how feminine it was. He hadn't paid attention, before, but he wasn't exactly sure what he expected. Sure, he didn't just expect her to smell bad, but he didn't expect her to smell like a feminine soap. They were shoulder-to-shoulder, and he really got a look at her.

If he was to be honest...For a bald chick? She was pretty hot. Mix in the attitude, and the biotics? She was wildly hot. Her dark eyes, with the makeup, definitely were a strong point of her face. Next were the tattoos. He wouldn't lie to himself, she got him going. But, three centuries of hormones and bodily functions has given the man a near saint-like patience when it came to women, and his attraction to them. He heard her heartbeat, and he could smell her scents whenever he was around. She wanted him. She just didn't know what his game was. He smiled at the thought of it. Maybe it was just a game. Maybe it wasn't.

"So...You gonna say something, or you just gonna smile like a fucking idiot all night?" She asked him, and he chuckled. He took a deep swig of his beer, and sighed in content.

"Well, darlin'...I'm not exactly an Asari on the dancefloor, and I'm shit at conversation." He said, and looked over to her. She laughed at his honestly, and nodded. If it was one thing that they had in common, it was their lack of tolerance for bullshit. Logan left it to the Commander to talk, and to ask questions. He didn't need to know shit, and he didn't need to tell people shit. He needed to do what he needs to do, and that's it. That's always how he's been, and that would probably never change. She was the same way. Talking was for politicians, cowards, and weak people. Well, that was what they thought.

"I used to love dancing. Hell, I'm probably shit at it, too. Who gives a fuck what meaningless people think?" She shot back at him, and sipped her own beer. He nodded his head. She had a point, there was no reason to consider what people he didn't care about thought about what he did.

With that, he drank the rest of his beer, and let her finish hers. He put his cigar in an ashtray. When she placed her drink down, he closed a large hand over her small wrist, and pulled her to the dance floor. He could see her energy change as she began to ascend the steps. She seemed to drop a ton of weight off her shoulders, and began to bounce loosely to the beat, eventually getting a feel for the rhythm. He grimaced at the songs they were playing. He always hated dance music, but, he couldn't deny he was having a good time.

For nearly a half hour they simply moved to the music. He was having fun, he wasn't gonna lie. She laughed at his shitty dancing, and he was mesmerised by her sultry dancing. She moved to the music extremely gracefully. It was surprising. With her personality, he expected her to dance like a dude. He watched as she threw her hands up in the air, and her hips swayed back and forth. A burst of longing began to settle in his lower regions.

She obviously saw him watching her. When she really began to put on a show, she watched his movements slow, as he continued to stare. She smirked to herself, as she began to purposely show off as much of her body as possible to him. While she wasn't even buzzed, she had entertained the idea of clawing at Logan's back as he pumped into her. She was going to get what she wanted. She always did...

When a particularly steamy song came on, she shamelessly pressed against him. She felt a spike of nerves as he originally froze, but within a second had his rough hands on her chest, as she grinded against him. Her shape melded into his, as he danced to the beat with her. When he felt it get a little too hot, he made a weak attempt at pulling away, but a shamelessly mischievous smirk fell on her face, as she pressed into him even harder.

He had to stifle a groan, as people began to whistle and watch them. He tuned them out, and ran his hands up and down her toned stomach and hips. He could feel her skin begin to heat up underneath his hands, and the primal side of his brain began to scream in protest. It was attempting to break free. He had two options here: Give in, and make this a night she'll never forget, or back out. The second was probably the best idea, but it was too good of chance to pass up. He wouldn't be the pussy to back down once it got this far. Not even close.

She continued to press against him, completely feeling him against her. She felt his hard...Well...Everything. She smirked, as she felt something rubbing against her thigh. She turned, and immediately looked into his eyes. Her dark ones met his intense icy blue ones. They press against one another again, and she continues to grind against him. He growls into her ear, something she heard over the loud music. She quivers at the sound, and her own wild eyes look up to his. A hungry look was in his eyes, and she returned it.

"Let's get outta here." She whispered to him. Despite them only speaking for a couple weeks, she knew this man was someone she'd lay. It was obvious from day one. She was very attracted to him.

They walk past Garrus and Shepard, who simply watched them with a majorly confused and disgusted look on their faces.

"Shepard...?"

"Yeah?"

"What the Hell was that?"

"I believe the psychotic biotic found her match." Their faces pale at the thought, and they both blank. They both look at each other, before spinning around.

"Bottle of your hardest!" They cry out at the same time.

When they had reached her spot on the Normandy, they were immediately stepping into action. She grabbed him, and pulled him closer, kissing him roughly. He growled as she bit his lip, and pulled away, the pain mixing with the pleasure that began to burn through his veins.

"I ever tell you how hot that sounds?" She asked, as he quickly ripped her pants off. He noticed she didn't wear underwear, and he chuckles. He quickly lifts his shirt over his head, and she acts immediately. She pushed him on the bed, and landed on top of him. She kisses the middle of his chest, before looking in his eyes, and trailing down to his stomach, and then even lower. She smirked as she grabbed his pants, and pulled them off of him. She sat up, and looked him in the eyes.

"Ready for a night you won't forget?" She asked. Her voice was thick with desire, and her chest rose and fell with the frantic beating of her heart.

"You talk too fuckin' much." He said, and she smiled. When he had her on the cot, her belly down, and her back up, he noticed how vulnerable she seemed. He growled softly, and leaned over her. Biting into her neck, he felt her shiver underneath him.

After a lot of alcohol, the two gentlemen finally settled down. Garrus looks over to Shepard, who is lying against the bar. The man in question looks up to the Turian, and sends a questioning look. Garrus chuckled.

"I think I threw up in my mouth a little when Logan and Jack left. If it weren't the most dangerous Human in the galaxy, and the most dangerous biotic in the galaxy, I would totally cockblock him." He laughed, and Shepard sat up, joining in on the laughter. It was true. If it was one thing that Garrus Vakarian was good at, it was totally cockblocking a man. It was extremely entertaining to watch the master go to work. It was one of Shepard's favorite past times. When it wasn't directed towards him, of course.

"It's good, Garrus. If they just wanna blow off steam, it'll help for the mission. Make them focus, ya know? Am I making sense?" He asked, as the alcohol clearly made its way into his system. His words were slurred, and he wasn't sure what he was saying, really. Garrus nodded, clearly understanding.

"Yeah...Yeah. I agree. It's like calibrating a gun...The gun would still fire without the calibrating...But would it be as efficient?" Garrus asked, making the Commander look over to him, his mouth agape.

"Garrus, you're a genius!" The Commander shouted out, stupidly. Garrus and he clanked shot glasses, and quickly threw them back. The bitter taste of alcohol wasn't even an issue at this point. They both were drunk beyond comprehension, and didn't even notice the-usually-bothersome properties of the beverage. The Commander slammed the cup down, and sighed loudly in content. He looked over to his friend, who looked back over to him.

"Oh, we're so gonna regret this, tomorrow." The Turian said, and they both laughed. Garrus looked over to the man, and the one sober part of his mind suddenly came forward.

"So...Shepard, my best friend. My Commander. The most dashing, daring, and the second most handsome person on the Normandy..." Garrus began, and the Commander laughed.

"What's going on with you and a...Certain Quarian...? I know for a fact that you two are not, 'just friends,' as you like to put it." The Commander was floored by the question. In his drunken stupor, things really became clear. Sure, he was piss drunk, but that didn't mean he wasn't the same person. He really searched for the answer for this one.

"Well, wha-what do you mean? Like, do I find her attractive?" He looked over to the Turian, who drunkenly waved an arm.

"No...No...I mean *hic* do you like her?" He shot a shit eating grin to the Commander, who sat at his stool for a moment, absolutely floored by his question.

"Tough question, man. I think I do...Is that a bad thing?" He looked over, and saw Garrus looking at him, as if expecting more than just that. It was hard to get serious while in this state, and he quickly just broke out into a stupid fit of giggles. Garrus joined soon. It was true. Tali was a good woman, even if she wasn't human. She was fiercely loyal, attractive as can be, and her very presence seemed to calm him. She was possibly the most positive influence to him on the original Normandy. Between Kaidan, Garrus, and Wrex, they constantly were up to some form of mischief, and she managed to reign him back a bit.

"Not even a little. I'm happy for you, Shepard. After all the bullshit that's been thrown your way, a *hic* girl like Tali is what you need. Strong, smart, and spirits those hips." Garrus said, and Shepard nodded. He poured another shot, and Garrus did the same.

"I'll drink to that. To us!" Garrus said, as if he wasn't the one to voice his opinion. Shepard and him smash their glasses together, or planned to, because they had completely missed each other's glasses.

"And to Tali's hips, for being a sight that drops jaws all around the galaxy!" Shepard said, and the two old friends began to laugh even harder.

They, in their drunken foolishness, were a center of attention. They loved it. Both of them made their way to the dance floor, and drunkenly began to dance. Of course, Shepard couldn't dance while sober, so his drunken state didn't help whatsoever.

"Garrus, I'm about to pull the ultimate power move." Shepard said, as he swayed to the music, gently.

"What is is, Commander?" Garrus swayed to the music, and Shepard held up a hand. He took a deep breath, and began doing-quite possibly-the goofiest dance Garrus had ever seen. Laughter broke out all over the dance floor, and Garrus bent over, quickly running out of breath. Tears streamed down his face, and Shepard ignored them.

"Ya know what? I'm gonna call it *hic* the Shepard Shuffle!"

Sorry, my dudes. Since this was clearly a filler chapter, I had no idea what to fill it with. What do you guys think? Should I have held off with Logan and Jack? Problem is, attempting to write them accurate to their characters really pressured me. Let's be real, when Logan is into a chick, she knows. He doesn't give a shit. That's the epitome of the character. Jack's the same. When she wants someone, she's utterly shameless about it. So, I have no doubt that they'd be attracted to each other, and I have no doubt a-possibly-deep relationship would start off as nothing but sex between a man and woman who are clearly attracted to one another. Review, and tell me what you think. I'll get going on chapter four, and attempt to publish it a week from today.