AN: You may have seen a story with the same name popping up on your feed last week. I decided to start over and write from the very beginning. I felt I couldn't really find a tone for Kaidan and Shepard otherwise. So I hope you guys kick back and enjoy the story!

Chapter One

People, keep on learnin'
Soldiers, keep on warrin'
World,keep on turnin'
Cause it won't be too long.
Powers, keep on lyin',
While your people
Keep on dyin'
World, keep on turnin',
Cause it won't be too long.

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Higher Ground

The Normandy was a stunning ship, it's glossy black and white surface gleamed in the Vancouver sun making it look eerily new. Commander Sara Shepard reviewed it with eager eyes through the large window pane of the Alliance base. It certainly was a beauty, she had thumbed though the schematics when Captain Anderson had requested her presence aboard the vessel. The ship was a prototype melded together from an Alliance cruiser and something the Turians had had stashed away in their armada.

The Citadel Council had had sponsored it's commission years ago and to see the finished results docked right in front of her was astounding. The Normandy was more than just a space craft, it was an olive branch between the two cultures and Shepard hoped that this marked the start of a smoother relationship between the two species.

Over the past six months it had been captained by David Anderson, a war hero whom had been the first Marine to graduate through the N7 program. Over the years Shepard had heard a lot about Anderson and she had come to view him with a slight reverence. The man was everything she strove to be as an Alliance officer, the perfect role model as it were. Which was why she had been surprised when she'd received his request for her transfer as his XO to The Normandy. She hadn't realized that her own reputation would spread that far through the Alliance, she certainly hadn't expected to show up on Anderson's radar.

Heavy footsteps behind her alerted her to the presence of someone else heading towards the docking lounge and she turned in time to see Captain David Anderson taking long purposeful strides towards her. Shepard straightened up immediately, placing both of her feet together, her shoulder's turning rigid and taunt as she saluted her superior officer.

"Sir." she greeted as Captain Anderson returned the salute meeting her cornflower blue eyes with his own dark gaze.

"At ease soldier." Anderson uttered in his gravelly voice, taking in the young Alliance officer in front of him.

His new executive officer looked different from the picture they had on file and Anderson had to admit the new look suited the slender woman. Her cherry red hair had been chopped into layers that ended at her jawline, framing her pale features. The tight bun that she had been sporting before that hadn't done her striking appearance any justice. The style made her look everyone of her twenty nine years. Her navy blue uniform was crisp and freshly laundered, the gold lining glittered in the florescent lighting that hung above them. The patches on her athletic shoulders revealed her rank

Shepard linked her fingers behind her back, following Anderson's movement so that the two of them were back at the window staring through it at The Normandy.

"What do you think Shepard?" Anderson asked in his low tone.

"I'm intrigued to see what the experimental drive core can do." she informed her superior officer trying to keep the edge of excitement out of her voice. "And to try out the stealth capabilities."

"Captain Rowlands said you had a thing for ships." Anderson supplemented into the conversation, his arms crossed over his chest.

Shepard bowed her head for a second. Her hair falling over her features shielding her expression from Anderson's view. The truth was after what happened to her family on Mindoir, she didn't like to stay too long in one place. She had served on numerous frigates over the years as well as planet bound bases, being stuck too long with her boots on the ground made her feel uneasy.

"I do when they look like this." she answered instead.

"I've gotta feeling your gonna be putting The Normandy through her paces." Anderson responded with an amused lilt before he turned his whole attention onto Shepard. "You ready to meet the crew?"

The Vancouver sun was both a blessing and a curse as the crew of the Normandy stood outside their vessel in the height of the afternoon. For Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko the heat felt wonderful on his tanned skin as he stood to attention awaiting the arrival of Captain Anderson and their new XO. Kaiden loved this place. The city was always bustling with life no matter what time of day it was and the views from his parent's apartment were always spectacular. He had spent God knows how many hours of his shore leave sitting out on the balcony and watching the world pass by with a cold beer in his hand. As a native to Vancouver he was used to the consistent warmth that had swept over the city during the summer months.

Joker however was not. Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau was standing beside him propped up on his crutches, which in turn helped him to support his upper body with the help of his leg braces. His friend was a stubborn wiseass at the best of times and Kaidan enjoyed the blunt, unbridled humour that sprung from Joker's lips. The two of them would sit on the bridge bantering like they had known each other for years despite the fact that they had only been thrown together by circumstance six months ago when they had each begun life on The Normandy. Kaidan chanced a glance at his friend, pursing his lips together as Joker shot him a dirty look, as if blaming him for the twinge of red sunburn that was beginning to manifest upon his sharp features despite the fact he was wearing his trademark cap.

"Jesus, how do you live here?" Joker complained, shifting irritably from side to side causing his crutches to creak at the sound.

"Quite pleasantly." Kaidan responded, keeping his chin tipped high like the rest of the crew. "Besides a little sunlight will be good for you."

They had been awaiting the arrival of Captain Anderson and their new XO for the past fifteen minutes and still there was no sign of either party. Kaidan was used to this behaviour and took it in his stride, Joker however was growing more irate with every passing second. His bearded jaw was clenched and his teeth gritted, markers that Kaidan associated with pain. He was sure he wore the same expression during one of his horrendous migraines. He also knew that Joker hated attention being drawn to his illness. He refused to think of the word disability, it was not a word he associated with the talented pilot that was Flight Lieutenant Moreau.

"Are you offering to rub the lotion into my more sensitive places?" Joker snorted bringing Kaidan back to the present. "Because sweetheart you ain't my type."

"You don't have a type." Kaidan pointed out. "Unless it's electronic."

"Digital love is the best way to go. None of that whining about how your never there, you get to tune in whenever you want..." Joker said with conviction, poking Kaidan in the foot with one of his crutches. "Don't pretend you don't have something dirty stashed away somewhere for those long, lonely nights."

"When would I get the time?" Kaidan reminded the other man. "When I'm not with you I'm working on Alliance reports. I barely get time to sleep let alone the other thing"

"All work and no play really does make Alenko a dull boy." Joker said, his lips twitching with amusement.

Kaidan rolled his eyes in response to the comment as the metal doors to the docking bay hissed open. Already his training was taking over, his muscles were pulling his back straight until he came to stand at his full height. His large hands came to rest at his sides as he stood patiently waiting his turn to be greeted by his new XO. He ignored Joker's snickering at the sudden change in body language and focused instead on keeping his gaze front and centre.

"This is Staff Lieutenant Alenko, he is also head of The Normandy's marine detail." Captain Anderson introduced Kaidan as he preformed a seamless salute. "Alenko this is Commander Shepard."

Kaidan didn't think he could hide the surprise on his handsome features when he came face to face with the new XO. Over the years he had heard stories of Sara Shepard and he had never been able to determine fact from fiction. Pushing all that aside Kaidan couldn't imagine how someone so fresh faced could have survived that traumatic Thresher Maw attack on Akuze. He thought that she looked more suited to a career in communications or engineering as opposed to the hardened soldier that apparently lurked underneath the surface.

Shepard's cherry red hair was swept across her pale forehead threatening to fall into her eyes at any given moment and Kaidan felt an almost uncontrollable impulse to reach out and brush it back behind her ear. Her cornflower blue eyes regarded him with interest and within seconds of meeting her gaze he realized how wrong his first assumption of her had been. There was a darkness in those eyes, it was vivid and haunting sending a jolt spearing right through the very core of his soul. He wondered if anyone else could see it or whether his own experiences had granted him the power to recognise when someone else was in a similar position. His own history with BAaT had shaped the person he was today but he had never let it control him. He sensed Shepard lived by the same mantra.

"Your the biotic." Shepard stated with a small smile playing over her pert pink lips as she stuck out her hand to shake Alenko's as she had with the previous members of the crew.

Alenko was interesting. She had read his file, the same way as she had read everybody else's before coming here today and she was intrigued his potential. Although she had met several Asari over the years, she had yet to see a human biotic in action. They were rare, the same way Element Zero was these days. There was a whole host of special commendations in his file which showed that he went above and beyond the call of duty.

The holo on his file didn't do him justice. In the flesh Kaidan Alenko was taller than she imagined, his shoulders and chest were broad and he fit into the Alliance fatigues rather nicely. He had a gorgeous olive complexion and inquisitive chocolate coloured eyes that bored directly into her own.

"Yes Ma'am, that would be me." Kaidan answered politely, reaching out to take his XO's hand.

His skin was warm to the touch, his handshake reassuring and confident. She could feel the callouses on his fingertips as they grazed her palm and she suppressed a shiver at the thought of what they would feel like smoothing over her curves.

It's been far too long, she chided herself as the two of them withdrew from one another.

In reality it had been over three years since Sara Shepard had engaged in any sort of sexual activity and her last encounter had been less than satisfying. After Akuze she had felt numb and broken. The Alliance had put her on leave pending psychological evaluation after the massacre of her entire unit. Her ex Kyle had been back in town and she had needed to feel something so badly. Her grief wasn't an excuse for her actions, she wasn't the type of person to jump right into bed with someone.

Usually she had an iron clad grasp on her control. She'd felt worse after that night, dirty, used and hungover. There was shame when she looked in the mirror, she hadn't recognised the woman starring back at her. It had taken her a while to get back on her feet but she had reasoned that the sort of behaviour that she indulging was beginning to spiral out of control. She was betraying their memory by acting the way she was and that knowledge made her sick to her stomach. She owed it to them to be the best that she could be. She vowed their sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.

"Commander Shepard, this is Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau..." Captain Anderson supplied as they moved further down the line.

Joker was already leaning forward on his crutches, his large hand enclosing around hers as he shook it with enthusiasm. Alike Kaidan he had heard the stories surrounding his XO's reputation and he was curious to see if they were true. If they were then he bet they were in for one hell of a ride.

"Joker." he corrected Anderson with his wry grin. "I heard you killed a Thresher Maw with your bare hands."

"It was with a grenade launcher." Shepard informed the Flight Lieutenant, her expression remaining completely blank as she spoke.

Joker winced inwardly as he released the Commander's dainty hand and watched her move onto to the next member of the crew.