This is a new series inspired by this picture: art/Can-t-I-Have-You-Both-345709441 but not about a male Shepard having to choose who to sleep with.
In this story Shepard's past gives her trouble sleeping. She asks a friend an awkward favor, but ends up in an interesting position by the end of the first game.
May have sequels for the second and third game.
"What about Shepard?" Anderson asked.
"Reports say you found her in an abandoned house outside of London." Udina said.
"Yes, her and another girl by the name of Kelly Chambers who is currently attending MIT to get a doctorate in psychology."
"It says here that under your care Shepard enlisted right out of high school where she was the valedictorian, and she was on Elysium during the first wave of the Skyllian Blitz where she single handedly held off enemy forces till help arrived." Admiral Hacket said.
"She's a hero that everyone looks up to, she's the perfect choice."
"Fine, I'll make the call."
As Shepard walked through the Normandy she continued to talk to the girl that had been like a sister to her for her entire life, "Yes Kelly I have all of my gear, this isn't the first time I served on a ship."
"You have your sleeping medication?" Kelly asked from her dorm room at MIT.
"Yes I have my medication, although I need to get my prescription refilled. I'll do that next time I'm on the Citadel."
Kelly lowered her voice, "You have Olaf?" she asked referring to the stuffed snowman Anderson had bought her after they had seen an old vid of a Disney movie.
Shepard lowered her voice as the Turian specter called Nilus walked passed her, "Yes I have Olaf. You have no idea how hard it was to sneak him aboard without anyone noticing. And I had to bribe one of the women in the women's bunkroom to take responsibility for him if he gets found."
"You know, one day you're going to have to let people know that A. you have a sleeping condition, and B. you sleep with a stuffed snowman."
Shepard entered the cockpit and found Joker talking to Kaiden, "True, but for now I'd rather keep the whole 'super awesome war hero' status."
"Whatever, oh it looks like your ship is about to leave the system. Be careful and remember to call." And with that the call ended.
"Who was that?" Kaiden asked, looking Shepard up and down.
"My sister," Shepard said, avoiding his gaze.
To say that she had had a rough childhood would be an understatement. Before Anderson had founder her and Kelly at the ages of eight for Kelly and ten for Shepard she had been attacked multiple times by gang members. So she never liked it when men looked at her like Kaiden was right now.
"If you don't want me to kick you off this mission, stop looking at me like that." She said, covering her usual timidness with an 'unbreakable soldier' facade.
"Joker tell Shepard to meet me in the conference room." Anderson said over the com.
"On my way." Shepard replied.
"What's with her?" Kaiden said as soon as she was out of ear shot.
"Have you read any of her file?" Joker asked turning to the other man who just gave him a 'why would I?' look. "Huh, well if you had, you'd know that she didn't really have a childhood," Joker said motioning for Kaiden to take the co-piolet seat, "Here, read up and learn why you shouldn't look at her like a piece of meat."
Hours later they were in the hanger bay about to touch down on Eden Prime, "Ok everyone, we don't know what to expect so be ready for anything." Shepard said, not wanting her earlier outburst to make her seem unprofessional.
"Got it commander." Kaiden said, forgetting her earlier outburst and concentrating on the mission.
"Shit shit shit." Williams said as she ran from the Geth drones. She heard gunfire up ahead as well as some explosions, so she guessed that whoever it was, was still alive and might be able to help her.
She guessed right when she saw two other Alliance soldiers round the corner and open fire on the drones.
"Thanks, ahem, sorry. Gunnery Chief Williams of the 212th." She said saluting.
"Commander Shepard," Shepard said, looking at Williams much like Kaiden had looked at her, "Where's the rest of your squad?"
Williams's face fell, "All dead mam, I'm the only survivor."
"Well I just lost one of my men a few minutes ago. We're here looking for the beacon."
"I know where it is. Come on I'll show you."
Several hours later.
As the Normandy headed to the Citadel, Shepard made her way to where Williams was cleaning her gear.
"Hey commander, I wanted to thank you for saving me on Eden Prime, and for giving the ok to join your team. Though the thought of filling another person's shoes is a little unnerving." Williams said when Shepard approached her.
"No problem, and don't worry, you'll do fine." Shepard said with a smile.
"Thanks. Anyways, did you need something?"
"You have a minute to talk?"
"As long as you aren't planning on backing up that shameless ogling you did on Eden Prime, sure." Ashley said with a smile as Shepard's face went beat red.
"You noticed that?"
"One would have to be blind not to."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Hey, if I reported everyone that looked at me like that, half the people I've been stationed with would be on report." Ashley said with a smile, "So I take it that you're into women?"
"Is it a problem if I am?"
"As I said, as long as you keep it to looking I'm fine."
"Well as long as I don't need help getting to sleep I can do that."
"Uhm, excuse me?" Ashley asked.
Shepard was like a deer in headlights, "Did I just say that out loud?"
"Yeah. What'd you mean by it?"
"Sorry, it just… I have sleeping problems, and I take medication to help me get to sleep. But whenever I ran out at home my 'sister' would usually sleep next to me. It isn't sexual, it just helps me relax knowing that I'm not alone anymore." Shepard said, nervously rubbing the back of her neck.
"Anymore?"
"When I was five my parents were in an accident that killed them both. I lived on my own till I found Kelly, she was living in an abandoned building outside of London, and we sort of became like sisters. When I was living alone I had to be careful of the gangs and sleep with one eye open, and even after Anderson took us in I would have trouble sleeping. But having Kelly next to me just… calmed me down enough to sleep." Shepard said, a smile forming on her face.
Ashley smiled to and nervously looked away, "Ok. Well if you don't make it a habit of losing your medication, aka you just look for a reason to sleep with me, or you don't pull rank on me, I would be willing to help you… IF… you get me new gear." She said with a sly smile.
"That almost sounds like black mail."
"Only slightly."
Anderson watched as Shepard interacted with Williams from his quarters. He had been hoping she would open up to her. She needed a friend who would just be a friend and not more. He leaned back in his chair as he remembered the few 'friends with benefits' she had had during high school. He frowned as he remembered how they would usually leave her because of her sleeping problems. They never understood that she wanted someone to sleep next to her but not with her.
"Ten minutes till we hit the Citadel relay." Joker's voice said from the loud speaker.
With that, Anderson shut down the terminal and headed to the cockpit.