Huerta Memorial
eternalshiva

AN - Prompt by Htewing on behalf of samann80 from the Hold the Line forums.

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.


Shepard walked through the hospital with a weary, bone tired step - there was only one thing she was looking forward to and it was the only thing that kept her moving through the last mission.

She nodded to the doctors passing her by, eyed the patients still lingering in the hallways and wondered why the prestigious Huerta Memorial Hospital only had two rooms. She shrugged, her fingers flickering over the console to Kaidan's door and opened them. She peered in expecting his smiling face but there was no pleasant hello to send a shiver down her spine; she pouted when she realised that his whiskey brown eyes were closed, his jaw slack in a peaceful sleep.

She looked over her shoulder, fully stepping into the room and watched the doors close before raising her omni-tool to lock it; considering the doctor had just left from here, she didn't expect anyone to return immediately. She tipped toed the best she could in combat boots to his bed and stood close to him, watching him sleep.

Ironically enough, this reminded her of their first night together - he'd slept like the dead after their acrobatics and had introduced him to biotic play. To say he was surprised was putting it mildly; he'd gone from nervous to lustful in the span of a few seconds after she had fired her biotics and let it wash over him in a demonstration.

It was worth every second, she smirked; her fingers skimmed the blanket over his navel, sighing softly in relief that the bruising was all but gone, just an ugly yellow stain marred his abs. Her touch fluttered against his skin, careful not to wake him - her eyes drank in the very sight of him, he soothed her worries without even needing to talk.

He shifted slightly, Shepard pulled her hand away quickly as though she was guilty of something and her eyes met his unexpectedly. There was an awkward pause at his sleepy blink and she sheepishly smiled, trying to think of an excuse as to why is was nearly molesting him.

"Shepard?" Kaidan rubbed his face with an small stretch that rippled the muscles across his chest.

Maker, that has to be illegal in some part of the Universe,she thought while biting the inside of her cheek.

"Kaidan, hi." Shepard tried to peel her eyes off the expanse of skin that was exposed but she wasn't fairing well, especially with that devastating sleepy smile he was shooting her way. She shuffled from one foot to the next, her fingers twisting together with no where to put them.

"You got my messages?" He blinked again, looking around the room for the time.

"No, I'm not really here - this is just a dream," she grinned, feeling impish at his confusion. He was making this far too easy. Kaidan arched a brow, his smile still lingering on his lips.

"I see your sarcasm is still intact," he chuckled while she gave him a lazy shrug before turning to find the one chair in the room to pull up to his side. She sat down and leaned forward, observing his face.

"Your face is still all bloody," she shook her head unimpressed with the hospital staff while reaching for the glass of water that was sitting close to him. After a short hunt through the small dresser in the room, she pulled out a piece of cloth and poured some liquid onto it to dampen it. She turned and travelled the small space between them and hovered in wonder for a moment, if she should really do this. She shrugged mentally and reached for his face, wondering how this could possibly be seen as anything else than just a commander helping her senior officer out with some much needed cleaning.

Yeah, we'll go with that, Shepard.

Her touch was gentle as she wiped away the grime and dirt that seemed to have been overlooked. Kaidan stilled - she was closer than he had expected and it unsettled him, he could see every detail of her face. His eyes wandered carefully, trying to keep her from noticing that he was watching her full lips, noticing that they were pink from a nervous nibble she would always abused it with and he certainly didn't want her to know that the dusting of freckles that kissed the bridge of her nose was still something that fascinated him.

He swallowed hard, ignoring his baser instincts to pull her into his arms. "Yeah, I'm stable again and going to be released soon so I'm off their watch list," he managed to reply without making an idiot of himself.

"Still, it's been over a week." Her fingers grazed his face, trying to feel out the bruises on his skin, trying to see the damage and how it changed what she remembered. No, it was all the same - if not a bit thicker with age. He was still whole, thankfully.

"Shepard," his voice didn't really register, she raised a brow in response, her eyes wandering over his face as she traced gentle slow patterns over his cheeks, followed the length of his jaw with the tip of her index. She could see his lips moving but her mind had wandered to something much more dramatic.

He almost died.

You almost lost him.

Why are you still toeing the line of what ifs and could be?

That knowledge pushed her to her limit, her eyes flicked to his, confusion apparent on his face and for a split moment everything was clear.

What are you waiting for, Shepard?

Her hand slipped over his bare chest, Kaidan hitched his breath, not sure what this meant. Her eyes met his once more and he could see the questions, the heat and the need in them.

"Kaidan..." she whispered, he swallowed almost painfully, the air was far too thick for him to breathe in. Her fingers traced his sides, feeling each muscle in a slow tempting dance that had burned itself into his memory.

"Yeah?" he whispered back, licking his lips, bringing her attention to them, she reached for them and touched them lightly - her brow knitted together slightly.

"I know things are really messed up between us right now," she murmured and he nodded slightly, not wanting to discourage what she had to say, "but I need you right now, and I need to know if you want me. We can talk about the repercussions later, is that okay?" She didn't dare to look at him in the eyes in case he said no, she didn't want him to see her dejection. There was a pause, a silence no longer than a second but it was enough for her to rethink her actions and she felt sudden and powerful guilt. She shouldn't put him in this sit-

His lips met hers in a passion unbridled by her own - tongues warred for dominance as he pulled her up and into the bed, she straddled him willingly. His fingers gripped her hips and slid along the curve of her ass with an appreciative groan and a thrust of his hips. His erection slipped between them and Shepard felt her eyes roll with the sensation.

Three years, three years too long to be separated.

She unbuttoned her pants and with great effort and a helping hand from Kaidan managed to get them off, along with her panties, without either one of them falling out of the bed. She moaned when he nibbled her neck, sucked the skin of her pulse point and thrust again, this time only his boxers was the barrier between them.

She hissed when his fingers dug at the flesh of her thighs, his humping becoming less and less controlled as she plundered his mouth in her haste. His name fell freely from her lips between desperate kisses and he murmured hers in her favourite tone. She rolled her hips against him, slow and hard to calm him and it worked for just a few moments.

"I need you, Shepard." He moaned, gritting his teeth while she rubbed her wet labia over his covered erection. "I want you." he whispered before capturing her lips in a heated kiss. Her fingers found the edge of his boxers and she pulled them down far enough to free his erection for access - her nimble fingers grabbed him with no gentle touch and pumped him hard and fast just to hear that one specific moan that made her toes curl. She wasn't disappointed when he obliged her with it.

His eyes snapped open, and the depth of his lust was made apparent, her movement stilled in surprise when his fingers curled into her hips and he lifted her up, her fingers still grasping his erection. He used her shock to position her above the tip of him, their eyes met and the corners of her lips curled in approval.

He entered her, in one swift motion, her weight deepening him inside her and she cried out in pleasure at the long forgotten sensation of him inside her. Kaidan bit his lower lip in a feeble attempt to control his need but her slick entrance and strong walls that wrapped around him was his complete undoing. He felt her thighs stiffen as she started to move against him, she squeezed down while rolling her hips, the sensation almost too much for him.

"Ah fuck, Shepard - I'm not going..." he couldn't finish his words, she let out a long stuttering moan as her speed increased, her hands fell flat against his chest and her nails dug into the flesh. His name became a mantra filled with pants and whispers, another shuttering moan swelled his pride and he thrust faster inside her.

"Right there," she moaned again but this time he could feel her quiver, her chest widen in a breath she could barely exhale and her orgasm ripped through her in a wave that nearly drowned her. Feeling her ripple around him, Kaidan followed through with his own pleasure, shouting with a heavy breath.

Shepard leaned down against him, her forehead against his shoulder as he gathered her closer into his arms. The steady rhythm of his heart slowed along with her and she sighed.

"Well," Kaidan murmured, kissing her temple, "I guess that answers the big question about us." His fingers traced a delicate non-sense pattern against her back while she shifted into a more comfortable position with him still deep inside her.

Shepard grinned, looked up into his eyes - they twinkled with confusion, happiness and a deeper emotion she couldn't quite identify.

"Yeah, it does," she kissed him.

Neither of them noticed the blushing Dr. Michel stepping away from the large and unobstructed windows of Kaidan's room.