3.

A few hours of 'people watching' later and Isabelle and Stuart had come up with some brilliant stories for various people around the commons.

"Okay, what about this guy?" Isabelle said her eyes looking at a Turian who was sat at a table alone and had been there for a good few hours. "What do you think? Stood up or just one of those sad kind of people who eat dinner alone?" She asked Stuart who laughed.

"Weren't you eating dinner alone until a few hours ago?" He grinned, Isabelle playfully hit his arm.

"As a matter of fact, I was not eating!" She grinned and Stuart laughed.

"Ah yes, because food makes all the difference." He agreed sarcastically, she just poked her tongue out at him before she glanced back over to the Turian, suddenly she felt, and heard, a low grumble come from her stomach.

"Oh…" A blush rushed to her cheeks. "All this talk of food has made me realise just how hungry I actually am!" She laughed Stuart smiled at her.

"You know, I'm pretty hungry too, shall we order something?" He said picking up a menu Isabelle glanced at him suspiciously for a few seconds before nodding and picking up a menu herself.

"Sure." She smiled.

Once they'd both ordered Isabelle took in a deep breath and allowed it to happily leave her mouth sitting back in her chair.

"So where are you from then Stuart?" She asked thinking back to the fresh air of earth.

"I was born on Earth, in America, New York? Do you know it? I lived there until I was 18 then I signed up to the Alliance and since then I've been dotting from ship to ship. What about you Isabelle?" He explained she smiled at him.

"Of course I know New York! So you know what it feels like to take a nice deep breathe of Earth's atmosphere then? Nothing quite like it is there?" She smiled looking out over the view. "I was born on Earth too, from England though, London to be exact."

"Ah, well yeah although most of New York is 'new age' now and they've got those air convertors, you know the ones that help the o-zone and all that… Though every now and then I used to make a trip out to the outskirts just to get some nice, non-filtered air."

"Yeah London's like that too now, I often go back just to get some a little sense of where I'm at sometimes I guess." Isabelle smiled looking down to the plate of food that had just arrived in front of her.

"So you didn't mention what you're up to now? Where do you work? Are you in the Alliance?" Stuart questioned as the pair of them ate their food.

"Uh, that's a long story… I signed up but something went wrong and now my father won't allow me to sign up to any ships or to do any fighting, so I'm trained to be Alliance but uh, I work in an office here on the Citadel… What about you? What ship are you on at the moment?" Stuart eyed Isabelle for a few moments as he seemed to be summing her up.

"Hah, mine's a long story too." He said his thoughts seeming to come to a quick end. "I served on the Provenance but something… happened and now I… Well I can't really say, bit of a military secret I guess." He glanced up at her a bit glumly. "Sorry." He mumbled Isabelle just let out a chuckle as she finished her food.

"No need to apologise, you're like a modern day James Bond" she laughed, "sorry I love old vids." She grinned he laughed along with her.

"Oh no need to be sorry, I love 'em too, in fact James Bond is one of my favourites." The laughter they were sharing between them was softened by the Salarian waiter coming over and placing the bill on the table.

"Oh I'll get this…" Stuart said reaching out for it.

"I don't mind paying if you'd like me-" Isabelle started.

"Don't be silly Isabelle, I honestly do not mind." Stuart cut her off.

"Oh well at least let me pay my half…" She said her hand moving to rummage through her bag but Stuart caught it and placed it back on the table making her eyes move up to meet his.

"It's my pleasure to buy you dinner Isabelle Trufello." He smiled she grinned back at him giving a soft nod before moving back into a comfortable place in her chair, he took his hand from hers once more and she felt a sudden coldness that she didn't before she'd felt his touch. She moved her arms up to lean her elbows against the table placing her chin in her hands.

"So… does that mean this was a date?" She smiled at him as he paid the credits over; he looked from the bill over to her and smiled.

"I'd like to think so… Yeah." Isabelle didn't think her smile could get any bigger until he moved in a little closer to her leaning in to kiss her. Just as Isabelle's eyes closed and she moved closer to him Stuart's hand slipped on his napkin and he fell forwards knocking one of Isabelle's arms out from under her causing her to slip and fall off of her chair as her forehead smacked against the table she roughly fell sideways off of her chair and on to the floor.

"Isabelle!" Stuart yelled out blushing deeply as people started to stare over at them. He lifted her torso up and held her in his arms as he sat beside her, Isabelle was slightly dazed by the bash but didn't seem too hurt.

"Owch." She laughed out looking up at him.

"I'm so sorry," Stuart said before looking up at the Salarian waiter. "Could we have some ice over here please?" The waiter nodded before rushing over with a bag of ice.

"It's fine," Isabelle mumbled as Stuart held the ice up to her head. "I'm fine, thank you." She said moving to sit up and, with some help from Stuart, stand up.

"Well this has definitely never happened to me on a first date before…" Isabelle laughed as she stood up and thanked the Salarian waiter, who had also helped stand her up.

"I'm so so sorry." Stuart repeated Isabelle just laughed.

"It's okay, I liked it…" She smiled at him and he returned the look. "Well, maybe not the whole head-butting a table bit but the rest was great!" She laughed he let out a laugh too but his was slightly less convincing.

"Let me get the taxi with you, honestly it's the least I could do…"

"Oh no you don't need to do that." She shook her head moving to hold the ice against it herself now instead of Stuart holding it there.

"You really think I'm going to let you go home alone? What if you have a concussion and pass out in the cab?" Isabelle eyed him for a moment before nodding.

"Okay then." She smiled as he put his arm around her walking over to hail a cab.

"There… Happy? No concussion, no passing out in the cab, I'm fine." She smiled at him as they climbed out the cab and stood in front of Isabelle's house.

"This is where you live? It's nice." Stuart looked around the house.

"Thanks… I'd invite you in but my FENRIS mech isn't fond of strangers." She grinned at him, he laughed and shook his head.

"Oh I couldn't I should get back…" His voice faded away as he pointed back behind him.

"Ah yes, back to your 007 life." She winked at him still holding the ice to her head, Stuart laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, although I must have missed the one where James Bond nearly knocked out his date." He laughed, Isabelle laughed too as he moved in and took the ice away from Isabelle's head. He placed his hand on there and gently rubbed his thumb over the area.

"Well, at least there doesn't seem to be a bump." He smiled at her she smiled back her green eyes moving up his face to look into his deep blue ones and there was that pang again, Stuart needed this woman in his life his hand slipped down her face and rested on her cheek as she moved closer to him their bodies now inches from each other. Stuart's eyes moved to look at her plump rose lips as she tiptoed to move her face to meet his and finally as if it had been meaning to happen since the pair first set eyes on each other they kissed. A gentle beautiful kiss that was swiftly deepened by Isabelle brushing her tongue against his lips he moved his hands to the back of her head as the pair interlocked. They pulled away from each other but only by inches as they still stood with their bodies touching just staring into each other's eyes.

"Damn those James Bond duties…" He whispered with his eyes slowly closing once more as he wished he could stay with her, Isabelle laughed before moving in to kiss him briefly on the lips once more then moved away.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Stuart Wilson…" She grinned stepping away from him.

"And you Isabelle Trufello. Oh and…" He lifted his arm and with a bright orange glow his omni-tool started up, Isabelle's also flashed as she lifted it up to find he was hailing her.

"Contact me when you wake up tomorrow… I want to know you haven't got a concussion." He smiled, Isabelle laughed.

"I promise." She said before waving goodbye as she walked into her house.

"Where have you been?" Isabelle's father was still up when she came in.

"Out." She growled her high from being with Stuart suddenly in a free fall.

"Where? Who was that you were with? We need to talk Isabelle, or did you forget about the scene you made in the embassies today?" He growled Isabelle just ignored him and went to walk past him and up the stairs.

"Isabelle, do not ignore me! You were out- What on earth happened to your head Izzy?" Her father reached out and caught her wrist pulling her over to him so he could look at the large red mark that had now produced on her head.

"I tripped and hit my head it was an accident! Isn't there a fleet you should be running somewhere?" Isabelle growled pulling herself away from him.

"Yes as a matter of fact there is but instead of rallying that fleet in preparations for the war, which by the way you aren't supposed to know anything about so I'd appreciate you not warning every man woman and child about it! I have had to leave that duty to the Major while I sort out my rebellious child!" He growled Isabelle just rolled her eyes.

"Isabelle you mustn't keep using my name to get yourself into the embassies, if you're not careful people are going to start thinking you're a terror threat and then you won't be able to go anywhere because you'll be locked up!" Her father growled. "And you wouldn't want that would you?"

"no…" Isabelle mumbled quietly.

"Would you?"

"No!" She spat out at him.

"Well then will you please promise me you will stop chasing this foolish dream Izzy?" He growled Isabelle threw him a glare but more because she knew he was right.

"Yeah whatever, maybe…" She grumbled out he sighed brushing his hand through his hair.

"You always were as stubborn as you're mother Isabelle and just know that her damn stubbornness is what got her killed." He spoke venom Isabelle glared at him with such a force she was sure he felt it.

"Yeah well I'm not her Dad! I'm not going to turn out like her; I'm not her so stop bloody treating me like I am!" Isabelle yelled at him just as he went to speak again there was a knock at the door. As he went to answer it Isabelle went to leave but he grabbed her wrist once more.

"You stay right here missy…" He growled opening the door to reveal Major Daniels.

"Admiral, I'm sorry to bother you at home but…" His eyes moved from the Admiral to his hand that was still wrapped firmly around Isabelle's wrist then to the scowling face of Isabelle herself who glared at him when his eyes landed on her. She was surprised to see a look of worry on his face as he looked at her then his expression changed again as he looked back to Isabelle's father.

"It's fine Major what is it?"

"There seems to be some problems with the Turians and one of our ships, MSV Johannesburg, on Luna base, the brass has asked if you would mind going up there to see what's going on?" He explained, Isabelle's father sighed as he turned on Isabelle.

"We will continue this another day Isabelle." He growled as she snatched her hand away from him.

"There is a ship leaving from Bay D-21 in twenty minutes sir." Major Daniels continued.

"Major I'm sorry to ask you this but would you mind staying with my daughter tonight? As you can probably see she's had a bit of a fall and hit her head, I don't want her staying alone just in case-"

"I'm fine father." Isabelle cut him off.

"Be quiet Isabelle!" He growled back at her, Major Daniels just looked between the two with worry etched back in his face.

"Of course not Admiral." He nodded before saluting Isabelle's father.

"I'll see you both in a couple of days." He moved over to kiss Isabelle on the head she winced slightly as he brushed the bruise on her head before he left.

"So Major Daniels… What's your first name? I feel stupid calling you by your rank when I'm not even in the bloody Alliance anymore." She growled.

"It's- uh- Andrew, Andrew Daniels." He stuttered out.

"Right, well Andy, you don't mind me calling you Andy do ya? Look just, don't get any ideas, I'm going to bed now and Patches," The robotic dog walked up beside Isabelle with an electronic groan. "Will be sat outside my bedroom door all night, he sees you so much as a foot too close to it and he will attack."

"Y-Yes ma'am, I mean no ma'am, I w- I won't come anywhere near your bedroom Miss. Trufello." Isabelle eyed him suspiciously before nodding.

"Good, now good night Andrew."

"Goodnight Miss. Trufello."