What are the Chances - Part One Chapter 1- Wild One, a mass effect fanfic

Vancouver, 2173

Lex's hand was in a competition with her head to see which one could hurt more. She couldn't decide which was winning. When she tried to get up and suddenly felt like a ten inch nail was being driven through her skull, she was sure her head was the winner. When her hand automatically set itself, fist down, on the bed to steady herself and she felt like someone was running a burning hot piece of sandpaper across her knuckles she called it a tie.

She sat quietly with her head in her hands for about five minutes before she realized something wasn't right. As she raised her head and looked around, she saw that she wasn't in her bed at the barracks. She looked at the space around her. The white tile walls and stark grey floors were her first clue, but the dead giveaway was the hum of the Mass Effect field blocking the entrance to the room and making her head want to explode.

"Great, the drunk tank, again." She whispered, and sighed. "I wonder what the hell I did this time."

"You kicked ass, that's what."

Lex looked over to Marks in the cot next to her. Of course she would say that. Although trouble seemed to find Lex wherever she went, Marks actively hunted it down. She wouldn't be surprised if Marks started whatever it was that landed them in the tank. Not that she wouldn't take responsibility for her actions. Whatever happened, Lex was not the type to allow herself to be lead into trouble. Marks was just good at pointing them in the general direction. Lex chose to join in. What could she say? Hanging out with Marks might land her in some sort of trouble ninety-five percent of the time, but she always had fun getting there. Or at least, she thinks she did. She couldn't remember most of their adventures.

Whatever she did to get herself locked up last night, she could tell by the state of her knuckles that someone out there was probably not looking good today. She hoped they had at least deserved it.

"How exactly did I kick ass, Marks?" she asked in a whisper. The pain in her head not allowing for much more than that.

"Oh come on, Lex. You've got to remember. It was great." Marks said excitedly. Marks was five foot nothing, and yet she never managed to get wasted. And she never seemed to have a hangover. Lex hated her for that. She'd asked Marks how she managed it, but all she said was that it was easy when she didn't drink like every glass was the last one she'd ever have. Lex was pretty sure she didn't possess that part of the brain that told the average person to stop drinking when they had enough. She hadn't found enough yet.

She sighed, and tried again. "Let's pretend I got wasted and can't remember a thing. I know, impossible. Who did I kick the shit out of last night?"

"That would be me, Private."

Lex was up and at attention in a blink of the eye, while Marks was still trying to figure out where the voice had come from. She'd been wrong. The man that walked around the corner towards the front of their cell looked good. In fact, she could swear she'd never seen anyone look better. Black eye and all. In fact, the bruise made him look sexy as hell. She couldn't think of one thing that man could do that would make her want to hit him. His hair was black and styled in this old fashioned cut she couldn't recall the name of. It should have made him look ridiculous, but she didn't think that was possible either. And his eyes, well the one eye she could see, were the most beautiful shade of light brown she had ever seen. Who makes brown eyes look sexy? This guy was not for real.

First lieutenant Sexy (yeah, that title fit perfectly) was studying her face. Oh god, did she look as bad as she felt? She wondered if there was a mirror somewhere she could see herself in. What the fuck was wrong with her? Was she still drunk? Why couldn't see take her eyes off of him? She tried to drag her eyes away from his face and to the wall in front of her, where they should have been.

"Sir." She replied as she raised her hand to salute. "Oww." The pain in her hand causing her to give what she was sure was the most pathetic salute in human history. She looked quickly at First Lieutenant Sexy, certain that he'd have a look of disgust on his face. She was sure he thought she was a disgrace to the uniform, which thankfully she had not worn to the bar last night. Instead his brow was furrowed and he had a look of concern in his eyes. Was he worried about her? Her stomach fluttered and for once she was sure it had nothing to do with her hangover. What the fuck?

"You should get that looked at, Private." He said, a warm smile on his face. Wow, he looked even better when he smiled. (Stop it, jackass. You're in trouble, not waiting to be asked out!)

"Yes, sir."

He started to turn and walk away, then hesitated. He took a few steps back towards the entrance of the cell, right in front of the field. "Oh, and Private, just one thing. If I had grabbed your ass last night, I would have made sure you knew it was me." With that he winked at her and walked back around the corner he had come from earlier.

Lex stood there, mouth hanging open staring at the spot he had been standing at. She looked over at Marks who was practically doubled over. Tears were running down her face and it looked like she hadn't taken a breath in a while. Finally Marks started to howl with laughter. She fought the urge to punch her laughing cell mate, and asked "What? What's so fucking funny? I punched an officer, Marks! I could get kicked out for that shit."

"Ha! You wish you'd just punched him. It's a good thing you were three sheets to the wind, because he wouldn't be walking today after you went all blue flame on him and threw his ass over the bar."

"I did what?" Lex wanted to crawl into a hole and die. She started to mentally plan out what she'd do after being kicked out of the Alliance. There was no way she was heading back to New York. That much she knew. Maybe she could find a job in Vancouver. Or move to a colony. Being a farmer wouldn't be that bad, right?

"Oh relax, he's not going to report you." She said, as her laughter eventually faded into light giggling. (I'm not going to hit her, I'm not going to hit her.) "Seriously, Lex. Did you see the way he looked at you? I swear I was tempted to ask if you two wanted to be alone."

"Shut up."

"No really, he couldn't take his eyes off of you. I don't think he even noticed I was in here with you." She was starting to laugh again. "Of course, I think you forgot I was in here too. You were practically drooling. I don't think I've ever seen you do that."

"I swear, Marks, shut up!" Lex could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. She was in full on blushing mode and her face felt like it was on fire.

"Oh, that was great. Best night, ever. Best morning after, ever!" Marks said, as she came to stand by Lex and pat her on the back. "You, my friend, always deliver when it comes to making a night worthy of a great story. Best part is that he really didn't grab your ass. That was all me."

Marks was on her ass in a blink of an eye. Lex hissed in pain as she grabbed her right hand and pulled it up to her chest. She was pretty sure she had succeeded in turning a fracture into a full on break, but it had been worth it. Marks was lucky she was still breathing. Marks looked up at Lex and started laughing again. Lex hoped they let her out soon, or she'd be looking at murder charges.

"Thank you, sergeant. I'm just going to have a quick talk with her and then you can let her go." Kaidan shook the officer's hand and started towards the direction he'd been told he could find his attacker, as they'd called her. Every step he took was a reminder of the night before. He'd wanted to stay in. He was exhausted after a long week of training, but his squad mates had insisted on dragging him to the bar with them. Something about him not knowing how to relax and have fun. (So what? I'm dedicated. That's not a bad thing.) They had just gotten to the bar when he saw her. She was pretty hard to miss as she got up to stand on a table and dance.

"Wow." He gasped as he looked at what he could swear was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. Her black jeans seemed to be painted on her perfectly toned legs, which went on for miles. Her flat stomach peeked out from under her tight fitted tank top. (That tank has got to belong to her little sister!) Her breasts were threatening to escape as they swelled and bounced while she danced. Her skin was a perfect alabaster and her red hair seemed like a flame waving around her. She glanced in his direction, and smiled. (Am I breathing? Breathe!) Her emerald eyes focused in on him as she stepped down from the table and headed towards the bar.

"Hey, put your tongue back in your mouth LT. Someone's going to step on it." Jones cracked.

"Huh?"

"Heh, I think that's too much woman for you, Alenko." Harped LaRue. "That there is a woman that doesn't know what protocol and responsibility means. Or, she just doesn't give a fuck. Either way, not something you can handle."

"You have no idea, what I can handle LaRue." He said as he turned to the bartender to order a beer. Of course, he had no plans to prove him wrong either. A girl like that was the last thing Kaidan needed in his life. He turned back to see where she was and was shocked to see her waving at him. He smiled and started to raise his hand, until he realized she wasn't looking at him but past him.

"Another pitcher and some shots, Jack!" she yelled to the bartender as she came up next to Kaidan. (Oh yea, I'm an ass.) Kaidan decided to go find his buddies before he really embarrassed himself. He spent the next few hours trying to relax. The guys liked to get on him about never letting loose, but they were a good group and he enjoyed their company. They talked about past nights out and the trouble they would get themselves to on training missions. Kaidan tried to listen to all the stories, but he spent most of his time trying to keep an eye on that girl.

"Come on, Alenko. Just go over there and ask her to dance already." Perez said as he dug an elbow into Kaidan's rib. "You haven't stopped looking at her all night. It's getting a bit sad."

"I'm just worried about her. She looks like she's had too much to drink. Right?" He strained his neck to see her as some people moved in front of him and blocked his view.

"Of course, Lieutenant Responsible!" sighed LaRue.

"Oh yeah, she's hammered. I think that one can out drink us all." Jones said as he looked over at the girl by the bar.

"I'm going to go check on her. Make sure she has a ride home." Kaidan said as he got up from the table.

"Uh huh. I'm sure you'll be happy to give her a ride, Alenko." Perez yelled at his back, as Kaidan reached the bar. (This is stupid. What am I doing?) He tried to stop himself and turn around but his feet wouldn't listen to his brain. He just had to talk to her. He would just ask her if she was okay, and offer to call her a cab. That was all. He wasn't looking for anything else, he didn't have time for any of that. He was just about to tap her on the shoulder when she turned around. (Shit, if looks could kill! What did I do?)

"Grab this, asshole!" That was all he heard her say as her fist slammed into his face. Shit, she could hit. He was just starting to recover from the punch when he felt himself lifted off the ground. The familiar tingle of biotics on his skin, and then he was slammed against the wall of bottles behind the bar. That was all Kaidan remembered until he woke up at the hospital. His entire body felt banged up, and there were several spots that stung. The nurse told him they had spent an hour digging pieces of glass out of his back.

And now he was going to go talk to the woman who had done this to him. His squad mates had filled him in on what happened after he was knocked out. It had taken all three of them to hold the girl down, but once they had her under control she had passed out. She was still passed out when the police had arrived and the medics were loading him into the ambulance. She had been going on and on about Kaidan grabbing her ass and her not putting up with that shit. He swore to them he hadn't even touched her. They, of course, found it hilarious.

"Told you she was too much for you to handle, Alenko!" LaRue said as he tried to hold back a chuckle. "I tell ya, the hot ones are always crazy."

As he neared the corner before her cell, he heard her speak, barely above a whisper. "Who did I kick the shit out of last night?"

"That would be me, Private" he started to answer as he rounded the corner. He had about a second to see her slumped down on her cot, looking miserable, before she shot up to attention. The move was so crisp, it was hard to reconcile with the obvious hang over she had. The biggest surprise, however, was that she still looked gorgeous. Her hair was a wild mess, her clothes were stained and ripped, and her knuckles were bleeding. And she looked beautiful. She brought her injured hand up to salute and winced in pain. Kaidan felt the sudden urge to go up to hold her. To make the pain go away and make sure she never got hurt again. He wanted to find out what caused her to drink so much that she could barely function, and do so on a regular basis apparently, and make that pain go away too.

He looked into her eyes and he saw her shock at his worry. What was he doing? This girl, this tiny thing, because now that she stood there alone and unmoving she looked nothing like the wild woman who, in her words, had beat the shit out of him. This girl was a subordinate. He should be chewing her ass out. Especially after the sergeant had let him know that he was on a first name basis with her, that's how often she spent the night in the drunk tank. She'd been lucky she hadn't been kicked out of the Alliance before last night. He should have reported her the moment he found out she was a marine. Instead, he'd asked that no charges be brought up against her and that she'd be released when she woke up. Apparently she'd knocked the common sense right out of him last night, and now he was throwing the regs right out the window.

"You should get that looked at, Private." Why was she staring at him like that?

"Yes sir!"

"They are going to let you out of here in a bit, soldier. I just wanted to make sure you could actually manage to get yourself out of that cot before they did. I'd advise you to not drink so much the next time you go out, but I'm told that advice would be wasted on you." He sighed. Why did her behavior bother him so much? He didn't even know her name. Thinking it better so as to not risk getting her in trouble later, when his friends started to tell everyone what happened. Which they were probably already doing. It's the blatant disregard for the uniform, that's all. He looked at her lips, really paying attention for the first time. They were full and sensuous, with a natural hint of rose color to them. (I bet they taste …gah, stop that!) He had to leave.

And he had every intention of just leaving as he turned to walk away, but for some reason he turned right back around and walked up to the field that kept them apart. Apparently his brain had decided to stop listening to him again, and from out of some place in there he never let out came "Oh, and Private, just one thing. If I had grabbed your ass last night, I would have made sure you knew it was me." With that he winked at her and walked back around the corner. It took all the control he had to force himself to leave the station and not wait for her. As gorgeous as she was, LaRue had been right. He couldn't handle a girl like that and he didn't stand a chance with her either.

"Alright Shepard, out you go. You're lucky that guy didn't want to press charges, and trust me I tried to get him to." The sergeant was saying as he turned off the field blocking the door of Lex's cell. "One day you're going to walk right into trouble you can't handle kid, and it's going to kick you on your ass."

***Just a quick note to avoid confusion. In my head, Kaidan was able to join the Alliance as a commissioned officer, because of his training and schooling at Brain Camp. In this chapter he is in his first year of service, and using the ranks from the game, that would make him a First Lieutenant. Which is about two ranks below his rank in ME 1. Shepard enlisted at 18, and would be in her second year, so she is just a Private.***