Dedicated to my father who helped edit.

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One-shot.

italics-Kaidan's thoughts

"And so Anderson tells me 'I punched Udina' and I'm like 'Whoa what!" Shepard bangs her hands on the table, imitating the voices of Anderson and herself. "In order for you to get away, I had to punch Udina.' Literally, my jaw flies open! I can't picture Anderson punching the Ambassador. Damn, I wish I was there."

Kaidan shook his head, laughing. Liara covered up her giggle, sitting at the far end of the table. Garrus' mandibles fluttered, struggling hard not to chuckle. The entire Normandy team was at Flux, even though they were still doing slight repairs from Sovereign's attack. Flux barely had any damage, and the keepers were surprisingly fast when it came to fixing things.

"I can't believe the Captain would do such a thing." Tali piped in, amused.

"Me neither but…" Shepard shrugs, taking a sip out of her non-alcoholic drink. "That's why he's a Captain." She raised her drink. "To Anderson!"

"To Anderson." They agreed as they raised their glasses.

"So what's our next assignment?" Garrus asked, intending to stay with Shepard for as long as he could. This entire experience with her has led to some quite interesting stories to tell and he had learned a lot. He almost began seeing the Normandy as a second home.

"Erasing the Geth off the face of the galaxy." Shepard said, taking a huge gulp out of her drink. "A simple task after taking out Sovereign but…I ain't complaining." Shepard recalled the long heated argument she had with Anderson regarding the Reapers, but held her temper at bay with Anderson's promise to not let the matter rest when speaking to the Council.

Shepard set her drink down, leaning forward. "Say…where do you guys picture yourself in five years?"

"Five years? Why not two years?" Tali asked, pondering as to where she would be at.

"Two years is too short of time." She shrugged.

"Well, after we take care of the geth, I'm going to finish my Pilgrimage. Find a good ship…and meet my father. It has been awhile." Tali paused and gave a little smile that she knew her friends could hear in her voice. "And use the Geth technology to take back our home world once and for all. It would be wonderful for my people to be the ones to finally end the scourge of the Geth. Recapturing our home world would be a magnificent bonus."

Wrex chimed in. "Probably just stay a bounty hunter. Nothing else better to do and this is my job. I'm satisfied with just this, its what I'm good at. What the krogan do as a race doesn't bother me anymore and politics were never my strong suit. The simple life of a lone warrior is a fine calling."

Wrex hated to admit it to anyone, not even these little creatures who he had come to view as friends, that he would miss them and was finally feeling a part of something special.

Liara nodded politely and her optimism got to her. "I'm going to keep on researching the Protheans and Reapers in order to help get more evidence and scrounge up more clues. Perhaps when my research gets the proper funding as it should, I can have my own lab and base of operations. I will share all I learn and find freely and without hesitation to help all the species of the galaxy." Liara stopped and shook her head feeling all eyes on her.

"Sorry…I guess I kind of got carried away a bit. I know it sounds naïve, but its right and its what I want."

Despite the awkward silence Garrus shrugged and decided he might as well keep the conversation rolling. "I was thinking of becoming a Spectre. But if that doesn't work out, then I'd go back to the Turian military and lead my own team of commandos to fight the evils of the galaxy. There'd still be red tape but leading a group of elite soldiers is something that I have always wanted to do. Besides, being part of a government sanctioned team is the best way keep the filth off of you. It might take awhile but I've got to try."

Shepard smiled at Garrus, knowing that Liara was not the only one being naively optimistic, but she also knew that Garrus would always do the right thing. Just as long as he doesn't do it the fast and easy way, he will be fine, she thought. Shepard then realized that she would greatly miss the Turian. She quickly suppressed the feeling, not knowing where it had come from.

Kaidan, realizing that the group was expecting him to continue story telling, nervously held up his drink and said, "To Ash, Jenkins, and all of our fallen comrades." Knowing that he had avoided revealing what he wanted most, Kaidan drifted off, deep in thought…

He's always wanted to settle down someday. With the right woman at the right time. Perhaps even some kids. Just to relax…be with that one you love…and eventually…a family. A fantasy perhaps, but it had always been at the back of his mind. And now that he was with Shepard…

In the mountains of a tranquil planet a comfortable cabin in the woods. The smell of bread in the oven and the sound of chopping wood.

Kaiden was unable to suppress a chuckle as he realized that he never could decide which of them would be baking and which would be chopping wood.

He can see two small figures playing nearby. One a girl. One a boy. Children. He smiles. He now has a clearer idea what they look like…one looked like him…the other a little Shepard clone.

Another chuckle.

But would Shepard ever want to settle down? To stop being the Commander and just live a simple happy life?

He glanced at her from beside him, taking in her features. That just made him smile all the more. Shepard notices him, and raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"Where do you picture yourself in five years?" He just had to ask.

"Well…to be honest…I find myself, relaxing. Taking a break from saving the galaxy. Less exploration, and maybe even stay at home once in a while." Shepard shrugged. "Just an idea…never really pictured myself out of the Alliance but it's a nice thought."

And that's when Kaidan knew, he had the right girl.