Post-Winter Soldier and -Thor the Dark World. Post ME 3. Infiltrator, Colonist, War Hero, Paragon Shepard (with Renegade tendencies). Not canon compliant.

Disclaimer: Neither Avengers nor Mass Effect is mine.

"" – talking

'' – inner thoughts

By the time they made it back to the quinjet where the rest of the team was waiting, SHIELD was just beginning to arrive on scene. The other Avengers glanced from Shepard to Steve questioningly as she walked aboard behind him, but otherwise kept their comments to themselves. The fight had been draining for everyone, and even Tony found himself disinclined to start up a round of twenty questions. Thus, the flight back to Avengers' Tower went by in relatively peaceful silence, if one was able to ignore the tense glances everyone kept shooting at the inert form of Barnes laid out on the seats.

Their arrival at the Tower was heralded by a veritable deluge of medical professionals as they all stepped forward to examine the wounds on the returning heroes. Shepard and Steve dodged their efforts with the ease of long practice in favor of following the stretcher James had been placed on as he was wheeled further into the building. He was deposited in a sealed, Hulk-proof room with several reinforced viewing windows before the doctors scrambled to clean and stitch the man's wounds. They left as quickly as possible once they were done. Shepard and Steve found themselves alone, sitting on a bench in front of one of the windows where they could easily keep an eye on their unconscious friend.

"You know, when James gave me that number I really wasn't expecting for his friends to be the spirits-damned Avengers."

Steve briefly glanced at the tired smile on Shepard's face before turning his gaze back to Bucky. "Can't say I'm surprised. He never was the best at sharing important details, 'specially when under pressure. Guess some things just don't change." He scrubbed his arm harshly against suddenly burning eyes. "I really can't thank you enough for what you've done for him," he murmured wetly, "and I don't just mean for the rescue. Your actions proved that you really care for him, and I can't tell you how much it means to know he's got more than just me in his corner unconditionally." Steve took a steadying breath as he paused to collect himself. "But you also don't know what he's done, and I need to know you won't hold it against him when you find out his history. It would destroy him to – "

"Steve." Shepard's tremulous tone stopped him in his tracks, and he turned to face her once again. He watched as she finally removed her mask and turned to face him fully. Tears were already wending their way down her freckled cheeks while a smile fitfully flitted about her lips. "I know who he is, Steve. Between Hydra and the Avengers, he wasn't that hard to recognize. The Winter Soldier." She tilted her head in the direction of the window. "But I don't really know the Winter Soldier, Steve. I know a man named James, and he's my only friend in the world. And it probably doesn't say a lot about my morals, but I don't really care what he's done. Besides," her fragile smile contorted and froze into a rictus grin as her eyes turned dull and dead, "how could I, of all people, blame him for the lives he's taken when I've killed so many more by my own choice?"

A similar anguish that spoke of untold horror and war was mirrored in Steve's eyes as he gazed solemnly at Shepard before his jaw set in determination. "Make that two friends in the world." He stuck out his hand suddenly, face set stubbornly.

Shepard's eyes widened in shock as they flickered between the hand held steadily in front of her and the Steve's mulish expression. A wide grin slowly bloomed across her bruised and battered face as she reached up with her good arm to return Steve's gesture with a strong grip.

"Friends." She agreed in uncertain happiness.

To everyone's relief, James was fully himself when he woke up several hours later. Shepard and Steve had immediately gone in to see him, but James had grown so quiet and tense in her presence that she had retreated back outside to allow him to speak with Steve alone. She'd be lying if she said it didn't hurt when he flinched away from her.

After a tense hour spent waiting, Steve finally exited the room. "He wants to see you now." He told Shepard earnestly as he squeezed her shoulder in support.

Taking a deep breath, she stood up and entered the room. James was sitting on the stretcher against the wall looking absolutely miserable as he leaned his elbows on his knees. He wouldn't even look up at her as she gingerly sat down on the empty end of the stretcher.

"I'm sorry!" He blurted out.

A suffocating silence grew between them before Shepard responded. "Gonne have to be more specific kid, there's a whole lotta things to be sorry for today." Shepard spoke roughly, mouth set in a grim line.

She watched his fists and jaw clench before he forcefully relaxed them. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"For everything?" He asked uncertainly, a hint of hysteria creeping into his voice. "I got you involved with Hydra. They sent a squad to capture you because of me. I tried to kill you!" His voice rose unsteadily at the end as he reached over to grab her arm, insistently angling the wound towards the light to better expose his guilt. "You almost died, because I thought it was okay for me to play pretend and be human again. What a laugh, the Winter Soldier being human!" He spat bitterly with a snarl on his face. "I knew they were after me and I didn't mean to stay so long, but you – " He choked on his words and dropped her arm as if it burned before he buried his head in his hands, body shuddering uncontrollably.

Carefully, Shepard scooted closer to James and put her arm around his shoulder, dragging him closer until he was leaning against her side. His muscles were rigid and inflexible under her touch.

Keeping a relaxed grip on his shoulder, Shepard quietly murmured, "I'm sorry." James flinched under her hand.

Continuing, she said, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner. And I'm sorry I let them take you." Gently tapping his bandaged arm with her unoccupied hand she said, "I'm sorry I shot you earlier. And I'm sorry you think it's okay for others to treat you like you're less than human. You don't deserve that. No one ever deserves that. But you know what I'll never be sorry for?" She shifted her grip on James' shoulder and turned him so they were face-to-face. He barely glanced up at her through his scruffy hair. Solemnly, she leaned down to better meet his gaze. "I'll never be sorry I met you when I did, kid. I had nothing and no one when I met you, you know that?"

Disbelievingly, he finally lifted his head and met her gaze, mouth tight with some unnamable emotion.

"I've lost so many people, James. I'm so tired of losing people. Please don't push me away because you think you don't deserve me. Please." Her voice caught in her throat and the skin around her eyes tightened in grief.

In standard James form, he answered with action, rather than words.

Shepard nearly toppled over as James surged up to engulf her in a bone-crushing hug. Gingerly, she folded her hands over his back before returning the embrace just as desperately.

For the first time since she'd stepped off of the Normandy, Shepard felt like she was home.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Reminder that there is a drabble series continuation of this story. If you liked this, check out 'The New Houseguests.'