November 15, 2183

SSV Normandy – Orbiting Ilos

Shepard climbed into the driver's seat of the Mako. Wrex's massive form was seated behind her. The empty seat to her left was for Kaidan when he finished his last minute checks on the mako.

Settling herself in, she could actually feel Wrex's stare burning a hole in her back. She looked over her shoulder, "What?" she snapped at him.

A smile snaked across his face showing a nearly endless row of crooked teeth, "I was wondering when he would finally pin you."

Shepard could not stop the heat from rising in her cheeks, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Wrex's low chuckle filled the small Mako, "And I didn't see that look Alenko gave you when you were climbing in. I forget you humans aren't supposed to enjoy mating."

"It's not that we don't enjoy it. There are just regulations against… mating in the military," She stammered.

Wrex leaned back examining Shepard, "If I had a fertile battlemaster as powerful as you I would not leave your bed until I had you pregnant. Alenko is dumb man for not bedding you since Eden Prime."

"Dear God," Shepard swore hiding her burning face behind her hand. She suddenly wished she had her helm on.

"Humans aren't like that, Wrex. Most of the time humans have sex just to show love for one another. Kaidan wasn't trying to get me pregnant."

Wrex lit up when he realized his trap had been sprung.

"So he did bed you," His laughter rumbled through the mako.

Shepard's mouth opened and closed for a second. Finally she glared at him. "You realize that he and I could both get in trouble for that. Just don't say anything."

Wrex struggled, "Yet another thing I don't understand about humans. I don't care who you bed, Shepard, just as long as you get Saren in the end."

The hatch opened and Kaidan climbed in next to her, "Everything looks good to go."

He glanced at Shepard who was furiously staring at the controls, and then looked back at Wrex, "Did I miss something?"

"We were just discussing how accurate of a shot you are, Alenko," Wrex grinned wickedly.

Shepard wanted to crawl into the console, "Wrex," She warned.

Confused Kaidan looked from one to the other, clearly left out of the joke.

"I'm alright I guess, I always hit the target."

Wrex chuckled, "That is good to know. Looking forward to seeing some pups around here."

Confused Kaidan stared at Wrex, "Do what?"

"Joker!" She shouted into the mic as her cheeks burned red, "What is our ETA?"

She'd rather face a legion of Reapers then face one more moment listening to Wrex taunt Kaidan with innuendos, especially when it was about her.

December 4, 2183

SSV Normandy

Despite everything they had done the crew of the Normandy had only been given a couple short days of shore leave, or perhaps because of it. The brass simply could not let it slide that they mutinied and stole the Normandy, but an insufficient shore leave was probably a just punishment for saving the entire galaxy form annihilation.

It had not stopped Shepard from giving her crew a reward from their hard work. She had declared if the Council and the Alliance were not going to give them the furlough they deserved then she was going to take it upon herself to give them a reward. She had commissioned Joker to find a twentieth century radio station to play over the ship's comm system; food and beverages were provided in the cargo bay for the crew to enjoy.

Chakwas wanted to do a last minute check on her medical supplies before she headed down to join the revelry. She hoped she had enough pain killers for the many hangovers in the morning. Going through the countless cubbyholes in the med-bay she stumbled upon her private reserves, her bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy stared back at her, temping and daring her. Rescuing it from the back of the cubby she turned it over in her hands admiring the way the soft light of med-bay shone on the lovely blue liquid. It was about time she cracked the bottle open and she knew the perfect person to share it with. She had no doubt Shepard had parted herself from the crew to allow them to have a good time without their commanding officer looking over their shoulders. But if anyone here deserved to cut loose for just a moment it was the Commander.

Bottle in hand she went in search for Shepard. A duet of loud off key singing followed by laughter greeted her just as she stepped through the med-bay doors. Glancing around the corner she saw Shepard and Kaidan sitting alone in the mess hall. Shepard had her hand over her mouth as her shoulder shook in laughter, her cheeks bright red and her eyes were squeezed shut as tears leaked down the sides. Kaidan was laughing just as hard, his forehead on the table nestled in the crook of his arm. A half empty bottle of dark amber liquid and two shot glasses sat between them. It seemed Shepard was having her own private party with her lieutenant.

Smiling, Chakwas retreated back into her med-bay, there would be plenty of time for them to share a drink, Shepard needed to be young and in love for once in her hard life. placing the bottle back in its home, she gave them a silent prayer.

"May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet, enough trials to keep you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to keep you happy."

Kaidan's cheeks were flushed and his lips were numb. He was drunk, and by the way Shepard was giggling he knew she was too. Shepard may have not been a dead serious woman but she never giggled.

Raising his head from the crook of his arm he smiled broadly at Shepard, "Dance with me."

Shepard's eyes were watering from laughing and her cheeks were rosy, "Dance? Here?"

"Yes, c'mon!"

Standing he stumbled and grabbed the edge of the table for support, causing another outburst of laugher from Shepard.

"Why Lieutenant, you seem to be intoxicated."

Pushing his hand on the back of her chair he leaned over her. She drew her lashes half close and parted her lips, begging him to come hither. Closing the distant between her and him, he denied her the kiss at last minute, "Not nearly as drunk as some."

Crying out in frustration she rose up to try to steal her kiss. Instead Kaidan grabbed her forearm hoisting her up to her feet bringing out his omni-tool at the same time to change the radio station that was playing in the mess hall.

Shepard cocked an eye brow at him, "Tango music?"

"Do you not know how to tango?" Kaidan asked not able to hide his slight disappoint.

Falling against him, wrapping one arm behind his arm and clasping his hand she grinned. "Kaidan, haven't you figured out by now I love tangoing with you?"

December 18, 2183

Arcturus Station

An old priest was saying something about the honor of a soldiers sacrifice. How for thousands of years they stood between the innocents and countless armies. "Their deaths ensured the survival of the human race. Commander Zody Shepard was no different. She died so that so many might live."

These words meant nothing to Kaidan. He stared blankly ahead, hating the priest. He did not know Shepard. He had been picked by some administrator type for his gift with pretty words, not for any personal connection to Shepard. He did not know how she tearless wept for every soldier she lost. He did not know how sometimes, she would whisper in her sleep the names of her family and friends she lost on Mindoir. He did not know her trademark smirk that slid across her beautiful face when she got her way. Kaidan knew these things and no gentle words from a holy man would make him feel better about losing her pointlessly. She had battled a synthetic god only to taken out by a surprise attack by a still unknown enemy.

The surviving crew of the Normandy was in attendances, as well as several high ranking Alliance officers. But it was the crew of the Normandy who grieved the most for Shepard, some more than others.

Trying to make himself concentrate on something else, Kaidan looked around. Most of the people at the funereal were military personal. After Mindoir, Shepard had no family, but she had made up for that by making herself a family in the Alliance and the people she met, humans and aliens alike.

Kaidan spied the alien members of the Normandy sitting together. Garrus sat silently staring forward, solemn. Liara's head was bowed, praying perhaps. He had not thought the asari to be very religious. Tali's head was also bowed but he could see her shoulders shaking. She seemed to be crying. Watching the young quarian giving into her emotions almost made him do the same. He looked away quickly pushing the lump in this throat back down. He felt like he was silently suffocating.

Finally, the priest finished his eulogy and it was time for them to give their farewells. With Pressly dead that made Kaidan the highest ranking officer from the Normandy. That meant he was at the head of the line. He stared at the dull grey coffin. He knew it was empty. The Alliance had searched for days to try and recover her body. Finally they had given up so they could proceed with the funeral. He did not want to think of Shepard lost in the cold blackness of space.

He numbly stepped forward and saluted Shepard's empty casket, the click of his heels echoed through the silence room. As a last thought he reached up and unpinned the star he had received for saving the Citadel and the Council. He stepped closer to the casket and slammed it hard on her casket, imbedding the star so that it could not be pull it out. There were several shocked gasps at his action, but he ignored them and turned sharply to let Joker step up to the casket.

"Kaidan." Joker's whispered stopped him.

Turning back to his crew mate, he saw Joker had also unpinned his star and was handing it to him. Joker had Vrolik syndrome, his legs were the worst but imbedding a metal star to a metal casket would probably shatter his arm. His right arm was already fractured from where Shepard had grabbed him up throwing him into an escape pod.

Joker did his own version of clicking his heels and saluted the casket. As Kaidan did the honor of imbedding Joker's star on Shepard's casket. After them every single member of the Normandy did the same. A salute, click of heels, then they unpin their star and imbed it onto Shepard's casket.

From the side Kaidan watched them all mimicked his action and knew it was a much better why to honor his beloved Shepard than some fancy words spoken by a man that did not know her. In the end her casket was nearly covered with silver stars. She meant a lot to all of them and to each one something different.

Author Note: I hoped you enjoyed my little tale. Please let me know what you think. Love it, hate it? I want to know!