Waiting
By eternalshiva
Disclaimer - Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 is not my property, but is the property of Bioware and the writers who created them. It is not the intention of this fan fiction author to participate in financial gain through this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
AN - Tumblr posted.
Everything ached.
Kaidan pressed his face into their bed, the eerie darkness of the broken cabin veiled him in a thick and unwelcoming blanket.
Had it only been six hours since they had shared that desperate kiss? Was it only this morning where they had lain entangled in the very sheets he now clutched in sorrow?
His arms wrapped themselves around the simple white pillow, her scent still lingered despite the smoke and grime that slid across the Captain's Cabin. His eyes squeezed shut, he could almost feel her touch against the back of his neck, fingers fluttering while she hummed an off-tune lullaby after they had made love the night before.
He could hear her voice lingering in the darkness - words she spoke when Thessia fell, her confessions of love, her fears that gripped even his own heart.
Her laughter.
Kaidan rolled over, still clutching the pillow, breathing in her essence. Vanilla and gun oil. A strange combination but so very Shepard. He sat up, his eyes adjusting to see her model ships freed from the glass, her fish tank was empty - the glass broken in the crash but Spacer the Hamster was still safely tucked away in his cage. It squeaked for his owner, searching for more pellets the major was sure.
Kaidan laughed.
Why was he laughing? He wasn't sure - his ribs ached with each soundless guff of air that escaped him but most of all, his heart ached.
Silence fell from his lips as he laid back down and stared up at the stars through the windows of her ceiling, laughter forgotten. A knot bobbed up and down in his throat, his hand covered his eyes and for the first time since the whole universe had gone to hell three years ago, he felt the burn of un-shed tears.
Where was Shepard? He couldn't bare the thought if she didn't pull through this…
The lights flickered to life, the hum of the Normandy startled him out of his misery momentarily.
"Hey, Kaidan." The comm rippled like water across the void of her room, Joker sounded better than a few hours ago when EDI had gone dark and he realised she was gone.
"Hey, Joker." Kaidan tried to clear the strain in his voice but her scent etched itself further into him.
"Looks like I got communications up. Hackett is looking for you, he's got good news on the Reapers and Shepard."
Kaidan stood up, straightened his BDUs and marched himself away from their memories for just a moment and straight to the War Room. His relief was evident -Good news on Shepard… he narrowed his eyes, determination replaced the hollow ache in his bones and hope filled him again.
"Patch him through."
Get home. Find her because she's waiting for you and you can't break another promise to her.