A/N: I really wanted to put something up in preparation for Andromeda (I'm in Europe so it will be Thursday for me), so here's a chapter. It hasn't been proof read or anything (It's 1.30am and I'm really tired), but lemme know what you think in a review! Also, I am currently editing all the previous chapters. New paragraphs and chapters might come of it, so keep an eye out.

Enjoy :)

"Come on, Kaidan! We've been walking around for ages.'

Kaidan let out a sigh. It seemed Pandora wasn't one for simply holding hands and taking a walk along the beach. For the half hour they had been walking, Pandora was fidgeting and almost bouncing on the heels of her bare feet in the sand. She wanted to go swimming, simply to see how dense the water on Earth was compared to the other beaches she had missions on. Kaidan had told her they could go swimming tomorrow, to enjoy the water, not do a risk assessment for future missions. He was finding it hard to get her to relax and remember she was on shore leave. And now, she was bringing up the activity she wanted to do most that day.

"So where's the shooting range? Is it far? Are you sure they'll be open? Come on, I've endured torture today!"

He couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter at the questions she was bombarding him with. The torture she was referring to was the trip to the first clothing shop she could find earlier that morning. She left the apartment by herself and navigated her way around the surprisingly crowded area. When she returned, she didn't say a word, only stuffed the bags she had with her into the back of Kaidan's wardrobe. Now, she was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a simple black tank top, with her N7 hoodie tied around her waist. She had kept her big black combat boots, which were now hanging from the tips of her fingers, and her dog tags.

She looked up at him with her puppy eyes and pouted her lips.

"Could we not get lunch first? You know, let ourselves relax first before we go blowing up things?"

"Blowing up things is relaxing!"

She caught the look he was giving her and rolled her eyes, moving to stand a little closer to him so that they shoulders were brushing against each other. With a sigh, she let her head rest on his shoulder and squeezed his hand.

"Fine, fine. Where to? Please no where that'll make me feel like more of a scruff than I already am."

"Don't worry," he said, laughing. He gestured to his own clothes; jeans and a leather jacket over a blue Alliance t-shirt. "I'm not looking great either."

Pandora moved her head back up high enough so she could whisper into his ear.

"I disagree. I think you look utterly-"

"We'll just go to this place me and my mom used to meet at."

"You're such a kill joy."

"It's what I do best."

"Again, I'll have to disagree. I think you're best doing-"

Kaidan sighed, a happy smile stretching across his face.

As they walked down the streets, still hand in hand, neither worried about being seen by superiors, Pandora couldn't stop the look of wonder taking over her face. This was her home planet and it was beautiful. Although she didn't like Kaidan getting to say 'I told you so', she now understood how everything could be viewed differently out of her armour. She saw the tall buildings, and they weren't on fire. She saw children run by and they weren't being chased by monsters or men with guns. Earlier, when she had gone out to get clothes, she didn't take the time to look where she was even going. Now, she took it all in.

She was so caught up in her sightseeing that she didn't realise Kaidan had pulled her around a corner into a café. A light tug on her hand got her attention and they both approached the counter.

Pandora's nose sniffed the air. It smelt like paradise. Kaidan tilted his head, asking what she wanted without needing to use words.

"Kaidan, I'll have a coffee. Just coffee. My god, that coffee smells so good."

It took him a few moments of nagging to succeed in getting her to order a sandwich, reminding her that this was lunch. As they stood their with their food, Kaidan looked around for a table, while Pandora watched the foam in her coffee pop and deflate. With his eyes squinted, Kaidan gazed around the room. His eyes landed on a table occupied with one person just as Pandora looked up. She smiled momentarily and started to move towards the table, but when she looked back at Kaidan and saw his facial expression, her smile dropped.

"Oh, shit." he said sharply, but quietly, turning his head so he wouldn't be in view of the woman sitting at the table.

"What is it? What did you do to her?"

Kaidan glared at her and bit his lip.

"That's my mother, Pan!" he said frantically. Had he not been so panicked himself, he would have laughed at how comical Pandora's face was as it drained of all colour.

"Oh, shit."

"I know. Is she allowed to know who you are or do we bullshit?"

"I'm not bullshitting to your mother, Kai. Don't be silly. It's not a big deal."

"Yeah, but if we tell the truth as to why you're with me it will be a big deal. You're Commander Shepard!"

Having enough of his distressed state, Pandora nudged him with her shoulder so he would start walking. She felt okay about meeting his mother. She heard him breath deeply and then remembered that not all mothers had the same behaviour as he own, and maybe she was jumping head first into meeting Mrs Alenko too confidently. The nerves took over.

The dark haired woman look up from her data pad and gasped with a smile when she saw her son. Obviously, she had yet to notice Pandora.

"Kaidan! You should have told me you were going to be here!"

He placed his food tray down onto her table and moved to the side, letting Pandora come into view. She awkwardly stood there, unsure of how she was supposed to approach his mother. She never thought that maybe not everyone was as laid back as her own mother. She already regretted not asking Kaidan what kind of person his mother was. And now the fear that the older woman might hate her seeped into her mind and rendered her thought processing skills useless. Mrs Alenko noticed her purposefully standing at the front of the table, and completely misunderstood the distance Kaidan had made between them, assuming that Pandora was actually a stranger.

"Sorry, love. This table's taken."

Pandora watched as Kaidan refrained from slapping himself in the face and groan. She let out a small unexpected laugh, startling both Alenkos. If someone had told her last year that she would be in this situation, Pandora would have kneecapped them.

"Mom," Kaidan began, taking Pandora's tray and placing it next to his. "This is…uh…my girlfriend."

He sat down opposite his mother and tugged Pandora so hard into the seat beside him that she let out an 'umf'. Mrs Alenko's eyes widened.

"Well, why hasn't this lovely lady been mentioned to me before, Kaid? Oh, sorry! I must introduce myself! I'm Dorcha Alenko. And you are?"

Dorcha was beaming across the table at Pandora, making the marine feel even more uncomfortable. Where was that confidence she had only moments beforehand? She quickly gave Kaidan a look and then briefly closed her eyes, hoping for the best.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm, uh… Pandora Shepard."

She held her breath.

"Oh, you just be related to the Commander Shepard, surely? Sorry, I'm sure you get that a lot."

Kaidan laughed nervously and looked away from both women.

"Um, actually… I am Commander Shepard. Commander Pandora Shepard. Human Spectre, blah blah blah?"

She had tried to sound like she was in control about it but failed dramatically. It was humiliating. But her words didn't get a reaction, instead more of a blank stare and an open jaw that was directed at her and then to Kaidan. He still wasn't looking at them; the billboards outside were far too interesting.

"This is a joke." Dorcha stated after a few moments, which finally brought Kaidan's attention back. "Kaid, if you were afraid of disappointing me you don't have to go and rope your commanding officer into playing house. I don't mind if you have no one yet; you still have plenty of time."

Although it was probably an extremely inappropriate time to break into a fit of laughter, Pandora did anyway, almost squirting her coffee out of her nose. Kaidan turned and glared at her.

"I did not rope her into anything, Mom," he said sternly, his fingers pressed so hard into his sandwich that there would be holes in their place. "I actually have a relationship with Pan, okay? Just don't go spreading it around."

"My son is in a relationship with the Commander Shepard."

"Yes, now can we please stop talking about it?"

"Commander Shepard, Kaid?!"

Pandora, who was finding Kaidan's patently fiasco entertaining threw in a 'yep' while keeping her focus on stirring the steaming milk into her coffee. After five minutes, Dorcha seemed to have gotten over the initial shock, but only barely.

"Well… Isn't this romantic?" Dorcha gushed. Pandora mentally said 'no'. "It must be exciting, being forbidden from being with each other. It's like that old vid about Romeo and Juliet. Oh, but of course you two won't be killing yourselves. So maybe it isn't-"

"Mom."

"Oh, yes. Sorry. Anyway, are you enjoying your shore leave, Pandora? My boy better be treating you like a princess."

Pandora could feel Kaidan's biotics flickering, struggling to keep them under control. His mother was humiliating him and it was hilarious. If only Dorcha knew that where they were headed next was to a shooting range, per Pandora's request.

"Mother," Kaidan grumbled louder, gradually getting annoyed with her. 'Listen, why don't we come out some time this week? Then you can interrogate us."

Pandora didn't move her head, only moved her eyes to the side in Kaidan's general direction. She stared at him as if he had two heads.

"What a fantastic idea! How about you come over to your old folks' home tonight and join us for dinner? I'm sure your father would love to meet Pandora."

"Well, uh-"

"How about seven o'clock? Will that do? Yes, that'll do. Come with appetites, won't you? I'm going to do a feast tonight!"

She stood up from the table, smiling down at the two soldiers and swung her large handbag over her shoulder.

"Now, I'm off to do some shopping! I'll see you tonight, kids!"

She exited the café leaving Pandora slightly wide eyed in her wake. When the Spectre turned to look at Kaidan, he was grimacing, eyes glued to where his mother had just been. When he noticed Pandora looking at him, he bolted up straight and gave her a fake smile.

"She grows on you?" he said hopefully, mimicking Pandora's words about her own mother. Pandora rolled her eyes and waved him off, letting out a small laugh.

"Shut up and finish your sandwich. I need to go shoot things."