A/N: Many thanks to the Bards of Thessia and Thedas, for their continued support and encouragement as I've picked this story up again. A special shout-out to SilentStormSociety (go read her stuff) for helping with a few sticky bits and her patented butterfly effect, and to Eltas Aldaron 31 (go read her stuff) for joining me on writing dates and making every day just a bit better.


Fingers stiff and stomach rumbling, Williams reluctantly put her tools away. Her mind had not yet settled, but her body needed a break.

Ashley stared mindlessly at her left boot as she waited for the lift. Hearing the familiar swoosh of the doors sliding open, she moved forward without raising her eyes, stopping short when she met the resistance of a soft body. Lifting her head, she realized that she'd walked right into Comm Specialist Traynor, who was looking back at her with a very charming smile.

Given her current mood, it would not have been surprising if the marine had simply nodded curtly in response. And yet Ashley found herself slowly smiling in return.

Apparently that was the only invitation Traynor needed. Placing a hand on Ashley's upper arm and lowering her chin ever so slightly, she looked up through those unbelievably thick lashes. "Lieutenant Commander. I've been hoping to run into you again. I haven't seen you in the lounge since that first time we met."

"I've been, um, busy, I guess." Ashley shifted her weight from one leg to the other, subtly leaning away from the shorter woman.

"Too busy for a drink, Lieutenant Commander?" The way the specialist continued to use Ashley's rank felt strangely intimate, almost seductive. And somehow she'd managed to close the gap between them without even seeming to move.

The marine took a reflexive step back, her shoulder hitting the wall of the lift behind her. "Traynor -"

"Please, call me Sam." How does she purr like that?

A deep breath. "Traynor, I'm flattered. Really I am."

"I'm not trying to flatter you, Lieutenant Commander. I'm trying to ask you out, maybe get to know you."

Peeling the other woman's hand off her arm and handing it back to her, Ashley slid away, her back rubbing along the wall as she did. A deep breath. "I can't. I'm with someone."

Sam rubbed her hands together, her chin dipping downward. "Ah." Tugging at the front of her uniform, she pivoted towards the door as the lift's motion slowed. "I apologize if I crossed any lines then."

"Not a problem, Traynor." Ashley's arms hung more loosely at her sides than they had just a moment before. "- Sam," she corrected herself, garnering a small smile from the specialist.

The lift door opened, and Williams hurried around the corner in the direction of the mess, hoping she wasn't too late to catch Shepard. Traynor exited more slowly, casting one last appreciative glance at the marine's backside before following her to the mess.

Jack and Shepard sat companionably at opposite sides of a small table in the corner of the mess. The biotic sat low in her chair, legs sprawled out wide in front of her under the table. Shepard leaned forward, eyes twinkling and chin propped on a fist, listening attentively and delightedly to whatever tale Jack was boisterously recounting.

Ashley entered the mess just in time to hear Jack exclaim, "And there I am, knuckle deep in this fucking hot asari commando, when - "

"Hey, Williams - thanks for getting the smart choke on my shotgun seated right. Been working on that sonofabitch for days, but the damn thing wasn't cooperating. You are a master!" The unexpected imposition of Vega's bulk blocked her view of Shepard, his low rumbling voice the only thing she could hear.

"Yeah, yeah, no problem, Vega. Only needed a simple tweak. Any time." Ashley distractedly pushed past the hulking Marine, continuing on to the commander.

"- no fucking way! You did not!" Shepard pounded the table as both women exploded into laughter.

The sound rankled Ashley, although she still couldn't pinpoint exactly why. Couldn't? Or wouldn't? She focused on lowering the shoulders that she hadn't realized she'd tensed up as she approached the table. Noting with a twinge of disappointment that the former crewmates were nearly done with their meal instead of waiting for her, she grabbed an empty chair from a nearby table and dropped it next to Shepard, sitting down a bit too hard.

Shepard leaned over to brush her lips against Ashley's cheek, still chortling. Ashley found herself turning to meet the chaste peck with her own slightly open mouth, engaging her commander in a deep, and definitely inappropriate for the mess, kiss.

Pulling back and breaking the kiss, Shepard stared searchingly at Ashley. She moved forward once more to place her mouth near the marine's ear, keeping her voice as low as she could. "Ash, maybe there's a more appropriate place for this?"

Ashley's eyes darted towards Jack, whose usual smirk was hidden behind a fist pressed hard against her lips which did little to hide the biotic's shaking shoulders. "Oh god. Shepard -"

Shepard stood, taking her lover's hand as she did. With a warning glare to Jack, she pulled Ashley to her feet. "Let's get you something to eat. But something you can take with you - you're coming with me."

The lieutenant commander allowed herself to be led towards the galley, picking up a sausage roll and apple while Shepard waited. The commander took Ashley's hand again, moving towards the lift.

On the way, Shepard slowed as she approached Traynor's table. Samantha opened her mouth in greeting, the words dying in her throat as she saw Shepard's and Ashley's hands linked. One perfectly formed brow quirked upward, her mouth forming a silent "o." Shepard grinned, and stopped just long enough to jerk her head wordlessly towards Jack in the corner of the mess. Sam turned around in her seat to follow the nod, and when she swiveled back to face Shepard, she wore an eager toothy smile.

Chuckling quietly to herself, Shepard continued on to the lift. Ashley would only shake her head in disbelief.

OoOoO

"Sit. Eat." Shepard gestured vaguely to the table as she moved towards the liquor cart.

Ashley sat, unwrapping her dinner and taking a bite, followed immediately by another, bigger bite. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. She was halfway through the roll when the sound of a heavy glass hitting the table caught her attention.

"Seems like you could use this."

Ashley lifted the tumbler to her nose, taking in the bouquet of her favorite scotch. She raised her eyes toward her lover, one brow raised slightly.

"Seemed like you could use that in particular." The corner of Shepard's mouth quirked upward. She straddled the chair across from Ashley. "So. Want to talk about it?"

Williams shook her head once, mouth still full. "Eating." Somehow she managed to form the words while simultaneously chewing.

The commander nodded, taking a sip from her own glass as she leaned back, crossing her right ankle over her left knee.

The sausage roll was consumed in no time, followed quickly by the apple. Holding the tiniest bit of core between her grease-stained fingers, Ashley looked forlornly about, wishing she'd grabbed more food when she had the chance. With a low chuckle, Shepard rose, retrieving something from her desk. With a flourish, she presented Ashley with . . . a stick of beef jerky.

Dropping the sad little apple core, Ashley eagerly reached for the proffered gift, inelegantly gnawing a chunk off. Rather than retake her seat at the table, Shepard grabbed both tumblers off the table and moved towards the L-shaped couch, gesturing with one elbow for Ashley to follow her.

Still chewing on the jerky, Ashley sat in the corner of the couch, waiting for Shepard to get comfortable next to her before resting her legs across the commander's lap. The commander sat quietly, continuing to sip on her scotch as Ashley finished the last of the dried beef. Shepard maintained her silence while the marine took a few swallows of scotch, until finally Ashley let out a long sigh.

With one hand on Ashley's knee, Shepard tried again. "So. Want to talk about it?"

Ashley seemed to suddenly find something very fascinating in the bottom of her glass. Shepard waited.

Brown eyes flicked up to emerald. "You and Jack -" Ashley's focus dropped back to her glass again.

"Me and Jack?" Shepard gave Ashley's knee a reassuring squeeze.

"Were you two. . . Did you. . ." A quick breath. "You seem very comfortable together." Ashley cringed inwardly at her inability to say what was really on her mind.

"Ah." Shepard lifted her hand off Ashley's leg for a moment, leaving it hovering a few inches above her knee before settling down again. She continued in a carefully modulated tone. "We went through a fuck-ton of shit together, Ash. She saved my ass more than once, and I did the same for her."

Ashley chewed on her lower lip, considering her next words. "I know you were alone for a long time, Sloane."

"Yeah. We both were, Ash." Shepard looked expectantly at her lover, seeking some hint as to whether to continue. Receiving a nearly imperceptible nod, she considered her next words carefully. "You remember I told you about her. Before, during that thing with the Collectors, when I spent a few days with you."

A pause. "Yes." Ashley closed her eyes, trying to recall the specifics of that discussion and only partly succeeding.

"I told you I had to convince her I didn't want to fuck her."

Ashley opened her eyes, searching Shepard's expression for a clue as to where this was headed. A longer pause this time. "Yes," she repeated.

"It's because I may have given her the wrong idea one time."

Ashley bolted upright. "May have? What does that mean?"

Shepard sat up to keep her eyes even with Ashley's. "Before Horizon. Before I saw you. When I was unsure of so many things. It wasn't anything, but I almost… I thought I wanted… just for a moment I was…" Shepard took Ashley's hands in hers, locking eyes with her. "But I didn't. I didn't want her, Ash. I only wanted you." Ashley sat silently. "She was pretty pissed off at the time. It worked out, though. She knew where I stood. And things were better for it. I am definitely not interested in her. And she's not interested in me. I think maybe she's a little interested in seeing if she could get a rise out of you, though."

The marine shook her head slightly, chewing the inside of her lip. "I think it worked."

The commander leaned forward, barely brushing her lips against Ashley's. "There's no one else, Ash. There will never be anyone else for me." The marine moved in, kissing Shepard hungrily. As she reached one hand toward the back of her lover's neck, Ashley noticed a rather large grease smudge on her forearm. Which led her to another mark on the back of her other hand. She sat back abruptly.

"Shit. I'm a mess. Give me just a quick minute to shower off, love?"

"I can do you one better." Shepard rose, taking Ashley by the hand and pulling her to her feet. "I can join you. And hopefully it won't be quick."

Ashley raised one eyebrow, a smile bending her lips upwards as she allowed herself to be tugged towards the shower.