A muscle in her jaw twitched. "People wonder sometimes," always, "why Kaidan and me are friends. The how of it, cuz fuck knows we're not alike most other ways."

In more ways than showed. In more ways than she'd ever admit.

"Commander died and I fucked right off. Did what wounded animals do and found a nice dark hole to crawl into by myself. The rest, they thought I needed space cuz even I thought that I wanted to be left alone. Kaidan's the guy who showed up and wouldn't take 'get the fuck out' for an answer."

He'd seen it. The thing she didn't want anyone to see. That she was afraid that without Shepard the rest of the crew would cut her loose and so she'd done it first. Under her control so it wouldn't hurt so much. Jack didn't fit. They'd only put up with her for Shepard and now that asshole had died.

"He's the guy who was there. The one who fought with me and made me understand that I was their crew. We were a crew. And we don't ever leave ours behind." Jack's voice softened a little. Grew a little quieter. "Drove me fucking crazy when he was stuck here for four months without a goddamn word. Those fucking gnomes.. "

She took a breath. "Ain't the same as yours but yeah. I probably would like that Logan guy."