I'm so happy that I got out two chapters in two days. Don't expect it to continue hehe. So yeah, Shepard is a woman and you'll learn more about her in this chapter along with lots of internal dialogue from Ashley.


Chapter Two:

Thinking Things Through

Gunnery Chief Williams wearily made her way towards the sleeper pods, mentally grumbling to herself about Wrex's comments. Stupid krogan. What the hell does he know? I wasn't staring.

Yeah you were, came Ashley's mental version of Wrex's voice.

"Shut up," mumbled Williams.

"Arguing with yourself there Chief?" Alenko said from his orange panel, causing the Chief to jump slightly.

"Me? Yeah, sort of," Ashley mumbled, undoing her military regulation bun.

"Perhaps you need a moderator," Alenko said, powering down the diagnostics station.

"Sorry LT, this is private argument," Williams responded with a yawn, and accessed the pod she wanted. "Hey, where is the Commander's pod?"

Kaidan chuckled, "Shepard's got her own personal quarters with a bed and everything."

"Alright, I'm hitting the hay," Ashley responded and eased herself into the machine. "See you in six Alenko."

The sleeper pod closed, and the gas worked quickly to force Ashley into a slumber. While the Chief appeared to be at peace, her dreams were a completely different story. Again and again, Ashley was bombarded with images of Shepard, but instead of being disturbed, Ashley found herself being comforted by seeing her CO's face. The dream kept showing Shepard's blonde hair that flowed past her shoulder blades, the brilliant blue eyes that could be seen across the room, the perfect white teeth, the pink lips that sported a small scar at each edge, and the very powerful legs and thighs that created the butt that Ashley had admired before.

Ashley awoke suddenly as the gas vented from the pod. As the door hissed open, Ashley found herself wishing that the dream had not ended. What the hell is the matter with me? I can't seriously be attracted to Shepard! That goes against my own religion, how can I take this seriously? Ashley sighed heavily, and threw her head into her hands.

"It looks like the sleep didn't help you come to a solution," Kaidan noted as he made his way to his own pod.

"Not at all," Ashley said. "All right fine, maybe you can help LT."

"So now you want my help?" queried Kaidan with a raised eyebrow.

"Only if you can keep a secret."

"Hey, don't worry about me," Kaidan assured her. "Nobody really talks to me anyways."

Ashley hesitated before finally gathering up enough courage, "What do you know about Shepard?"

"Raquel? Ah, well, let's see. Pretty sure her parents were both in the Alliance. Her mom is actually still stationed on the SSV Kilimanjaro I think. But ah…" Kaidan trailed off.

"What?" queried Ashley, eager to learn more.

"Well there was an incident on Akuze. You see, the Alliance was trying to colonize the planet, but lost contact with the pioneer team. Shepard and her team went to investigate, when they were attacked by thresher maws," Kaidan explained.

"Maws? As in more than one?" Ashley asked incredulously.

Kaidan nodded gravely and lowered his voice. "Shepard was the only one that survived. Her entire platoon was wiped out, and by the time she was found, she was delirious."

"How did she even survive?" Williams queried.

A shadow appeared over the two marines. Oh shit, thought the Chief as she looked up to see Raquel looking down at them with her arms folded over her chest."I ran Ash. I ran like a scalded dog. I didn't shoot, I didn't radio in, I ran and ran and then ran some more."

"I'm sorry ma'am, I just wanted to get to you know you better without making you uncomfortable," Ashley lied.

"I keep an open door policy, and that goes for everybody onboard. Questions, comments, concerns, anything at all, you can just ask me," Shepard said before turning around to visit the med bay.

Probably going to see that asari doctor. But something tells me that I couldn't talk to Raq about my dream. "Well that's the story," Kaidan said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Anything else?"

"I heard she got transferred a few times after Akuze, but there were no explanations," Kaidan paused to yawn. "Well Chief, I need some shut-eye. If you want to snoop some more, I'm pretty sure Liara has accessed Shepard's file."

"Me? Snoop?" Ashley asked in mock surprise. "Never."

Kaidan shrugged and activated his pod to rest. Fat chance that I'm gonna ask that asari for info on Raquel. From what I hear, she's just as interested as I am.

Good Lord, did I just admit that I'm interested in Shepard?

Yeah, you did.

Why am I even attracted to her? I've never shown interest in women before, Ashley thought as she made her way to the elevator in order to go back to her station.

Maybe because the skipper isn't like any other woman you've met.

Did I just try to justify this madness? That's no excuse!

No, but maybe it's a reason.

Stop, stop, stop right there. This ends right here and now. Besides, there's regs, she reasoned as the elevator opened to meet her.

Ah, but she's a Spectre.

That's right! Wait no! Get a grip Williams! You just…like her combat techniques…yeah that's it!

Sure it is.

Shut up!

The inner voice was quieted and the elevator finally opened to the lower deck. Ashley decided that the only way to not focus on Shepard was to upgrade all the rifles of the crew. When the Chief reached her table, she found a pistol and an assault rifle with a note on them. "Ash," read Raquel's stilted scrawl. "Just got these two sweethearts from our last stop at the Citadel. They're both Spectre gear. I just need the pistol to be configured for little old me. (You know what I like). Keep the assault rifle for yourself!"

"Raquel bought me Spectre gear? Kickass!" exclaimed Williams aloud.

Wrex laughed darkly, "If I didn't know any better, I would think that Shepard is hitting on you."

"If you didn't know any better? Just what do you know?"

"Is that jealousy I detect Williams?" the krogan asked, drawing more dark chuckles.

"Shut up Wrex," Ashley said coldly. "I have enough shit to do and think about without having to worry about you."

"Suit yourself," Wrex rumbled.

Ashley returned to her table and examined Raquel's new pistol. The Chief began by folding and unfolding the sidearm to gauge its speed. If Shepard used this as a sidearm it would be fine, but her pistol is what she thrives on. Ash quickly disassembled the pistol with ease and lubricated the slide mechanism before putting it all back together. All right then, now to check the pistol's trigger. Hm, a bit heavy and slow, noted Williams, and went to work.

The Gunnery Chief was just finishing her work, when Shepard came to peer over her shoulder. "Can I help you ma'am?" queried Ashley, trying to ignore the warm feeling growing in her chest.

"Just coming to make sure you really do know what I like."

Ashley chuckled, remembering the note. "I think she's up to snuff now," Ash said, handing the pistol over to her CO, enjoying the brief contact of finger to hand. I feel like I'm an idiot. What is wrong with me?

Is it so wrong to want to love and be loved?

Yeah kinda!

Maybe you should apply what Shepard has said about aliens to everything.

Oh no you don't. Don't go twisting what Raquel said trying to find a backdoor. I won't let you.

Because?

Because…I…uh…

"You in there Chief?" queried Raquel, snapping the Chief from her thoughts.

"Sorry ma'am, I'm just distracted," Ash said quickly, diverting her gaze.

"By what?"

"I…uh…I'm not sure exactly. It's just," Ashley sighed heavily. "You'll think I'm insane."

"Try me," Raquel said, sitting in an empty space on the gun table.

Ashley was not expecting the Commander to be so blunt. Yes you were, you know everything about her. "It's just…when I look at you, I see somebody that inspires everyone around her."

"Why thank you Ash," Raquel said, blushing slightly.

"But it's more than that," Ashley said hurriedly. "God has blessed you with beauty both in person and on a battlefield. I can't stop myself from admiring how you can nail somebody between the eyes and look so beautiful at the same time."

Raquel blinked and leaned further back on the table. "Wow Ash, I uh-"

"You must think I'm crazy and I'm sorry I uh…I should go," the Chief blubbered, running towards the elevator and slamming the button.

As the door rolled open, Raquel put her hand on the Chief's shoulder to stop her from running any further. "Chief, wait. I'm sorry if I was so taken aback, but it took me awhile to process what you said."

Ashley and Shepard stepped into the elevator, leaning against opposite sides of the machine. "I don't know what it is about you skipper, but you make me feel…well that's just it. I'm not even sure what you make me feel."

"Ash, I'm going to level with you. Nobody has ever said anything like that to me before," Raquel began. "I've had people fawn over me for a bunch of different reasons, and people have claimed to have even loved me. None have meant a single thing, and none have had any true meaning to it."

"I wouldn't look to much into this Raquel," Ashley stated as the elevator opened. "Hell, even I'm not sure what's going on."

"When you figure this out, you know where I'll be," Raquel said as she exited the elevator.

"What are you saying Commander?"

"I'm saying that I don't mind when you're staring at my ass," Raquel said with a wink and then slinked towards her quarters.

Lord, you are a cruel man indeed.


Thanks to all that have read this far and i hope you'll keep reading! Oh, and please review so i can make it better!