Title: First Came DutyAuthor: blackcherryangelGame: Mass EffectCharacters: Blakely Shepard & Kaidan AlenkoDisclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters. All are the property of Bioware.

As Shepard stepped into the empty mess she realized there was something very stimulating about sneaking off to have a lot of play with her work for a change. The soldiers were on their shifts so there was very little activity. Only two men sat around a table checking out the extranets. She had come to expect Kaidan to be there working. He must already be at the Mako. She took notice of Kaidan after Doctor Chakwas told her that he sat at her bedside for the entire 15 hours she was out after Eden Prime. After a few slip ups and one showdown where he demanded that she choose between Liara and himself, Shepard recognized that Kaidan was interested in her. No contest between the two. Kaidan refused to act on his attraction. It was for the best. If Kaidan came on to her too strong she would have dismissed him immediately.

"Message for you, Commander." Joker voice interrupted her thoughts. The Alliance knew better than to be pushy. Shepard was helping the Alliance out as a favor to Admiral Hackett.

"What now?" She wondered out loud. She thought she'd have the support of the Alliance for her quest to stop the Reapers. However, the Alliance made it clear that they agreed with the Council. Saren acted alone and Sovereign was just and advance warship.

"Nothing horrible." Joker said. "Well, maybe. It's your mother. The channel is a variant of the one she used last time."

"Is the line secure?" She asked.

"Yep. All taken care of."

"Patch her through to my room, Joker." Shepard turned around and headed back into her room. She didn't bother putting her pack down because this conversation would not last long. Her recent history as Hero of the Blitz then Savior of the Citadel cause a strain on her relationship with her father. Her mother loved her success, but she couldn't be bothered to make it the Memorial for the Fallen to mark Shepard and her team saving the Council from Saren's attack. What did she want now? She hoped her dad hadn't gotten worse.

"Mother?" She opened a side pouch and stuffed one of her boots into it one then the other. Her family had never been close. Every four years her family ended up in a different place. Eventually, her mother got out of the military to raise her full time, but Shepard never believed that it was by her choice.

"I'm glad I caught you before you headed to the base." Her voice held a overly sweet tone which was the opposite of who her mother was. "Will you make it home this year? We missed your birthday."

There was silence. Her mother understood perfectly how the military worked. So, she couldn't have expected her to drop everything and catch the first shuttle home. Something else was going on here. However, Shepard had more important things to deal with at the moment.

"You're always somewhere helping people." Her mother continued. "I assumed the Alliance has you doing something, but there is such a thing as shore leave. You need to use it." Her mother added. "I'm so proud of all you accomplished, but when are you coming home?"

"My mission isn't over yet. I'm a Spectre now. I defend all of Citadel space not just human interest. Things are going on out here that I can't discuss with you."

"Did you get your gift?"

"It was lovely." She planned on wearing the jeweled bracelet tonight.

"This last batch of drugs seems to be working. I'll keep you posted on your father." Was that resentment she heard in her mother voice? "You were bred for greatness, dear. It's in your DNA." She was glad her mother couldn't see the change in her features. Her mother gave up her military career after getting married and having a baby. Her father didn't want her mother to reenlist again anyway. Mother reminded her often that she ended her career because her father was rising in the ranks so quickly. Then a failed mission changed their lives forever.

"You say that every time, mother." Shepard said. "Tell dad I love him." She switched frequencies. "Joker, kill the transmission.."

"Remind me I want an invite to the family reunion." Joker said.

"Joker!"

"Okay sheesh. Killing transmission."

"I will." Her mother said. "Next time I'll call when your father is still here. I know he would . . ." The line went dead.

Kaidan was in his usual place when she exited her room this time. "Ready Commander."

"Yes. My mother wanted to chat."

"How's your dad?"

"Stable. New meds. They seem to work fine." Shepard wasn't comfortable discussing her family, but if Kaidan wanted a relationship with her he need to know about her family too. Dating didn't come with a manual. So on this exercise, Kaidan had her at an advantage. She'd never been in the position to date anyone. She was deployed so much it was hard to have a relationship with someone who wasn't in the military. And the higher she rose in rank the more she was unwilling to risk it. Also, she didn't want to be thought of as one those women who slept their way to the top.

"That's good to hear." Kaidan said.

"My mother wants me to come home for a visit."

"Nice. But, that's not happening."

"Duty first." Shepard said.

"We're Marines."

"Sacrifice is what we do." She continued. "Besides when I'm finally granted shore leave, we're going to some remote planet resort where we can get lost for days and focus on each other. I need some time alone with you."

"Well, I hoped we'd head to Earth. See some of the historical sites. Remember what we are fight to save."

"Seems like you have somewhere specific in mind to take me."

"Actually, I do."

Kaidan rounded the corner towards the elevator. Quickly, Shepard gave his ass a slap. "Damn soldier." She whispered into his ear. "What have you been feeding that thing?" What am I doing? She stopped to think how highly inappropriate it was. What if one of the soldiers got up to leave and saw her. She turned back to make sure both men were still at the table.

Her hesitation was costly. Kaidan rolled her onto the floor. Her pack slid to the side and she found herself pinned under Kaidan which wasn't a bad position. She went to raise up, but her a pain shot through her arm. She couldn't move. Kaidan had her wrist in a pressure point grip against before she could before she could speak.

"Hey..." She started to say as his mouth swallowed whatever the rest of the words were going to be. She moved upwards towards him, but he pressed her back down. He kissed her one more suppressing any response she would have made. Shepard allowed her body to relax enjoying a brief moment of pleasure between them. She used her free hand to pull Kaidan's body on hers. She felt pressure, but their armor prevented the contact she craved.

"I don't know if it is hand to hand combat for them or a mating ritual." Kaidan gave her a smirk. "The way Garrus spoke of it I couldn't be sure, but it is effective."

"Kaidan, if someone comes."

"No one is coming yet."

Shepard looked at him. There wasn't time for this. She chided herself for enjoying this too much. Kaidan's lips slid along the scar on her cheek. Shepard tried to free herself again only to have a throbbing pulse shot down her arm. The pain was annoying more than anything else. However, one wrong twist and she would be in trouble.

Suddenly, he stopped. "I'm going to have to remember that move later tonight." He helped her to her feet.

"Oh, you will pay for that later." Shepard said getting up off the floor. Kaidan picked up her pack and tossed it to her.

"Promise?" He chuckled.

On the elevator ride down, his hand found hers. Their fingers intertwined. She tugged his hand then brought it close to her heart. He looked at her with a wanting that broke through every barrier she had built up over a decade. He was always there for her. She couldn't help but be so proud of Kaidan. Shepard didn't know what she'd do without him.

"You're worried?"

"It's only going to get harder, Kaidan. How are we going to prove to the Council that the Reaper threat exists?"

"Anderson believes us."

"One vote can't override the Council's decision." She said.

"You're a Spectre. You can continue to look into this if you want. I know you want to."

"But the Alliance has us chasing down Geth. And if I don't continue to play nice with the Alliance what's to stop them from breaking up my team." Kaidan's confidence in her gave her the strength to do what was necessary when personal doubts in herself flared up. "The Alliance only has us doing this to keep me from sounding the alarm about the Reapers. Anything to keep me from the Reapers."

"Your team doesn't answer to the Alliance." He said.

"But you do." Shepard waited for his response. There was none. Kaidan took her into his arms holding her as best he could with the armor and packs. Shepard snuggled into his embrace. This is home. I hope we are forever.

"I'm going to make this work between us." He said.

The elevator came to a stop. Time to end the romantic moment. Shepard let go of Kaidan focusing her mind on the mission. She had to give Tali strict orders that they were to remove the threat. Intact if possible, so the engineers could examine it. If there was no way to remove it, then destroy the target. No planet exploration with a team of two. Yet wasn't the reason she was going to the base was so that at last she could have some intimate time with Kaidan? Shepard realized her life got more complicated with each passing day.