After my last Shenko which kinda turned out to be kinda anti-Shenko, I thought I needed to try my hand at a pro-shenko piece. The ending (the part with Shepard and Kaidan) was changed considerably from the first draft. It was much more intense and playful than the final result and while I like the original, it just didn't fit with the softer characterization in the beginning...so I wound up with what I call romantic mush(fluff for others), but I wanted to at least honor the couple with one happy fic post ME2 so this is it, even if I do personally consider it a little weak.
Shepard and Kaidan have a talk 3 days after Kaidan rejoins the Normandy crew...post ME2. One-shot. Romance. Rated M.
I do not own Bioware:
The Walls have Eyes:
"I'll meet you there in a few minutes," she had said.
Her quarters were larger than those aboard the original Normandy. They even housed an aquarium. Gazing through the glass, Kaidan noted that it was void of any fish.
"A perk from Cerberus no doubt...meant to seduce Shepard into joining them willingly," he thought.
He smiled. He knew Shepard well enough to know she hated being manipulated. There was no doubt in his mind that the lack of fish was her stubborn refusal to give into Cerberus's enticements.
"Good girl, " he whispered.
Turning, he noticed the model ships that lined the display case between Shepard's terminal and the bedroom. Between the various designs sat a small replica of the SSV Normandy SR-1. Kaidan smiled wistfully. That ship contained some of his happiest memories. It had housed more than a crew...they had been friends...and family. Now it was only a memory.
He placed his hand on the glass and traced the outline of the ship. In his mind he could see Ash at her station. He remembered the look she gave when she had some new tidbit of information that she was just dying to divulge. He often thought most of it came from Joker. If anyone on the ship had access to what was going on, he did. At times he wondered if anything on board were truly secret.
His vision expanded to include Wrex, Tali, Garrus and Liara. With time they too had become a part of the Normandy family, even Pressley had come to accept them. His mind floated recalling the others on board...Chakwas, Jenkins and the other Alliance soldiers that had served on the prototype frigate. They had all become important to one another during their time aboard the Normandy, but that was all past now...this was a different ship and for the most part a different crew.
But as it was then so it was now...they were all held together by Commander Shepard...the woman he loved.
He hadn't planned it...hadn't gone looking for it...but he had been inexplicably drawn to her from the start.. Her returned interest had thrown him for a loop...it had been unexpected, and with time, the simple flirting had blossomed into love.
His hand slid down the glass leaving the miniature Normandy suspended in the air.
"It's as it should be," he thought. Forever, the model ship would cruise the skies never to know the tragedy of it's own destruction.
Sighing, he took a step back and panned to the right, only to freeze in shocked silence. His picture sat silently atop Shepard's desk. He swallowed hard. If she had kept his picture, why had she avoided him for the last three days except to select him for squad detail?
His gaze returned to the miniature Normandy. Had she simply surrounded herself with what seemed familiar to help her adjust to the two years she had lost? Or was there more to it?
"I forgot exactly where I picked that up....could have been the citadel...maybe Omega...not really sure which." Shepard's voice came from behind him as she entered the room.
"Huh." Startled, he turned around.
"The replica of the Normandy...I don't exactly remember where I purchased it," she reiterated.
"Oh...yeah...it's perfect...looks just like the original," he responded.
"It's my favorite...with good reason." Admiration could be seen in Shepard as she gazed at the ship.
Kaidan smiled. He did not doubt that Shepard saw her experience on the Normandy the same way he had...the same way they all had. It had been more than a ship...it had become their home.
"Yeah, it's my favorite too." Kaidan shuffled his feet careful to avoid glancing back at his picture. He didn't want to make Shepard uncomfortable if she wasn't ready to talk about their relationship yet.
"You wanted to talk, Shepard." Kaidan was still unsure of how to address his former commanding officer. His rank was now higher than hers...not that it mattered...she had not rejoined the Alliance, nevertheless she was still a Spectre.
"I don't really know how to say this, so I'm just going to come right out and ask...Why are you here?" she asked.
Kaidan felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Did she not want him here? Was this what all of this was about?
"Uh...I'm afraid I don't understand, Ma'am." In his nervousness he reverted back to his days as Shepard's Lieutenant and addressed her as her subordinate would.
Ignoring his regression, Shepard clarified, "Why did the council and the Alliance send you here?"
It wasn't the conversation he wanted to have, but he was glad that it was only about his assignment and not that she didn't want him on her ship.
"They still don't believe in the reapers, but they do believe that you were responsible for the end of the human colonies disappearing. They know you get things done. They still believe in you. They want to be connected...that's all." He watched for Shepard's response and was rewarded with a furrowing of her brow.
"What you really mean is that they want you to keep an eye on me," she stated.
"I'm here to help, Shepard and to keep them informed of what we're up to...I'm simply a liaison between you and the Alliance and to a degree the council...though you could report to them yourself if you liked," he explained.
"And Cerberus?" she asked.
It was the word Kaidan had dreaded to hear. He had no choice but to be honest.
"I have orders that if I find any evidence of Cerberus's involvement, I am to report to Anderson as soon as possible," he admitted.
Shepard shook her head.
"Figures...no one trusts me...did the world go mad when I died...I saved the citadel for heaven's sake...there's no reason for them not to trust me,"
she stated, angrily.
"You know why they don't trust you," Kaidan answered.
"I cut my ties with the Illusive Man...I even sent them the data that could help them take Cerberus down. What more do they want?...What more do you want?" she asked.
"Me!" Kaidan was a little shocked at the rise in his own voice.
"Yes, you!" Shepard punched him in the arm.
"Owww, what did you do that for!" Kaidan rubbed quickly across the spot that had connected with Shepard's fist. He was sure it was going to leave a bruise.
"You didn't trust me on Horizon...maybe you still don't trust me," she stated.
It was the conversation he wanted to have...the conversation they needed to have...he just didn't know it would start with Shepard punching him.
"I was confused...the woman I thought I knew was working for an organization I thought she never would...what was I supposed to think?" he asked.
"That maybe I knew what I was doing," she answered.
"With all due respect Shepard, How could I know that it was the real you? Or that you weren't being controlled by Cerberus?" he asked.
Shepard lowered her head. He was right. How many people come back from the dead? He had no way of knowing if she was real or if she had been compromised. A part of her had to admit she didn't want to argue about it. Two years had been wasted...two years had been lost...she didn't want to waste two more minutes arguing.
"Okay, I'll give you that, but what do you think now?" she asked.
Kaidan looked hard at her. When he had gotten past his shock at her apparent partnership with Cerberus, it had been easy to trust in her again simply because he had wanted to.
"I think you're the real Shepard, and you're the same Shepard that you've always been," he answered.
It was all that she had wanted to hear...all that she had needed to hear. Relief washed over her, and the somber mood that had rested upon her since her awakening faded away. She felt her peaceful side rise to the surface, and for the first time in a long time she felt alive again.
Kaidan watched as her countenance changed. The strange little smile that played across her lips was hauntingly familiar. Seeing it always seemed to make Kaidan's heart break just little. It was so beautiful and yet so sad.
"It's a relief to know that you believe me, Kaidan...you don't know how much it means to me," Shepard said softly.
'I'm really sorry about Horizon, Shep...I was..." he started.
"Don't...it's over...we don't have to speak about it again. We don't have to waste any more time," she interrupted.
Kaidan laughed softly, rewarding Shepard with a smile of his own, " It's has been a long time...at least for me."
"Maybe it hasn't been as long for me, but it still seems like an eternity," she replied.
She caught his eye and Kaidan froze. He couldn't pull his gaze away.
He had always played it safe...let Shepard make all the advances. He didn't want her to feel pressured...to feel as if she were obligated to continue a relationship with him, but gazing into her eyes he was slowly being overtaken by desire...he was slowly losing control. For the first time in his life he decided to make the most uncharacteristic move he could make. Taking a step forward, he pulled Shepard into his arms and planted a kiss on her parted and yielding lips. She groaned in response.
Pulling away she looked at him. She had never told him how she felt...she had simply assumed that he knew.
Not wanting another moment to go by without him knowing the truth, she whispered, "I love you."
The words answered the question that had plagued him for the last two years...Had they really been in love or had it just been him?
Pulling Shepard even closer he spoke softly in her ear, " I love you too."
For that one moment, Shepard thought she could have been held by him for all eternity, but she missed more than just his embrace. She wanted to be with him...needed to be with him. Taking him by the hand, she led him to the bed.
"I don't want to waste anymore time, Kaidan...we don't know how much we may have left," she stated.
Laying her down, Kaidan joined with her. Lost in the sound of joy at being together again and oblivious to the world around them, they gave in to the rhythm of their reconciliation.
"Admiral Hackett, gave the coordinates...all we have to do is inform Commander Shepard," Joker said.
"I would not advise that, Jeff," EDI said.
"And why not?" he asked.
"Commander Shepard is in a meeting with Commander Alenko," EDI responded.
"So...what's that go to do with anything?" asked the pilot.
"They are quite loud," EDI answered.
"Oh God, they're not arguing again are they...I do not want to have to deal with Shepard's mood if they are arguing again. Horizon was bad
enough," Joker responded.
"They are not arguing, Jeff...but they are quite loud," the A.I. stated.
Joker looked slowly at the A.I. "You don't mean...oh crap...here we go again!"
Joker looked down at the control panel and then a puzzled look came over his face.
"Hey EDI...you actually seeing that...I mean do you record or something..." he started.
"Jeff," EDI interrupted.
"What?" he replied, "I was just asking."