A/N: Smut-alert.

Ashley

"I do not know whose wheels you've been greasing, but I have a writ here to discharge you from twenty-four-hour care to an apartment. Directly from the Council."

Ashley looked up as Dr. Michele came to stand next to her bed. The lieutenant-commander had been lying down and reading, thinking about Udina's offer and her conversation with Thane two days before.

"Wheels? What?"

Dr. Michele raised an eyebrow, handing over the datapad in her hand. Ashley read it, eyes widening. "The Council is housing me in an apartment?! Holy shit… I thought the best I'd get would be Alliance barracks that smelled like showered marines!"

"Well, apparently Councilor Udina has taken a special interest in you, and thought you would be more comfortable spending your free time in your own space." The doctor crossed her arms. "Did you put him up to this?"

Ashley looked back up from the datapad. "What? No! He came in here, offered to make me a Spectre, then left! I didn't even say much!"

The doctor sighed. "These politicians think they know better than doctors…"

Ashley scratched the back of her neck. "So… if I go, can someone else use this bed at least? I'd free up space, yeah?"

Dr. Michele gave her a look, one that reminded Ashley of her mother. "If I let you go, will you be here every day for your therapy and check-ups?"

"Scout's honor," Ashely intoned, putting on her best Serious Face.

"Hmmm… All right, fine. You may go today. But if you are even one minute late you will be checked right back into this hospital and I will not discharge you until you can do a backflip with no medication. Understood, Commander?"

Ashley blinked a few times, processing the threat. She had never onces been able to do a backflip. "Understood, Doc."

"Very well. Now. You have a visitor, who I imagine can help you move your things into your new quarters."

"Ashley!"

Before she could really see who the opening doors revealed, a very warm and familiar Samantha was practically on top of her in the hospital bed.

"Sammy?!"

She couldn't get much else out as her lips were suddenly covered. That delicious smell of cream enveloped her, hot and sweet; warm, calloused hands caressed her cheeks, her shoulders, her waist; familiar lips molded to her own, causing a thrill to run down her spine. Her own hands traced familiar curves of face, hips, and thighs. She kissed that woman back as hard as she could.

"Jesus, get a room, you two!"

Sam pulled back, breaking the kiss and breathing heavily, washing Ashley in her gorgeously familiar breath. "Sorry," the other woman breathed, her eyes twinkling, letting Ashley know she was far from sorry. Near the door stood Shepard and, miraculously, Timothy.

"Hey Miriam, Tim," Ashley greeted, knowing she wore the biggest shit-eating grin on her face. Her hands tightened on Sam's hips as the communications specialist began to pull away further. "Where you goin'?"

Shepard snorted, moving fully into the room. "Doc said you needed moving. Mind if we help?"

Sighing, Ashley let her head fall back on the pillow, loosening her hands and allowing Samantha to get up. "Sure, why not? Doc won't let me lift more than ten pounds at the moment, and she meant business about me being checked back in if I disobey her orders."

"Well," said Samantha, her voice a small purr. "We can't have that, now can we?"

"Gross, Sam, Jesus," her brother said with fake disgust, his eyes twinkling the same as hers.

Ashley snorted. "Like that's the worst you've heard from us."

"I doubt it'll be the worst I'll hear today," he quipped with a wink.

Shepard clapped her hands, rubbing her palms together as she looked around the room. "Well, I can see you're all a big happy family. Why don't we get you into this swanky new place and get some pizza or something, yeah?"

Ashley sat up – slowly. She was still on some pain medication, and it tended to make her dizzy if she moved too quickly. "Yeah, okay. Not like I have a whole lot of stuff here."

"Do tell me you at least have shoes?" Samantha asked, looking at Ashley's bare feet before her eyes searched the room.

"I… you know, I don't think I do… Haven't had the need to visit Alliance Requisitions."

Shepard chuckled. "All right. I'll give them a call, have a delivery made. In the meantime, get some hospital slippers and let's get this show on the road!"

The door opened on a modest studio apartment. A furnished studio apartment.

Shepard gave a low whistle. "Damn, LC. This place makes my cabin look like a tent out in the woods. Who's dick did you suck to get it?"

"What the hell did I do to deserve this?" Ashley agreed quietly, looking around. A large bed was up against one wall, a small kitchen in the corner with a dining table against the wall. A door near the bed opened on a decent-sized bathroom, and in the middle of the large space was a living and sitting area. Shepard and Timothy moved into the apartment first, setting down her Alliance delivery of requisitions on the bed before going to take in the apartment's best feature with identical low whistles of admiration: a spectacular view of the Presidium through floor-to-ceiling windows along one entire wall.

"This will be… interesting," Samantha murmured, her hand tightening in Ashley's hand.

Ash smirked, pulling the woman suddenly into her arms and kissing her deeply. Pulling back, she kissed the tip of her nose. "I look forward to seeing what kind of trouble we can get up to here," she whispered, letting the blushing specialist go before going to look out the window with Shepard and Timothy.

"So," Shepard said as Timothy wandered off, going to speak with his sister.

Ashley's eyes slid sideways to look at her friend. "What?"

Shepard shrugged, looking back out the window. "I got your email. Udina wants you as a Spectre."

Ashley nodded. "Yeah. I… haven't given him an answer yet."

Shepard nodded. "It's a good thing to give it some thought. But it's also a big honor. A Williams, the second human Spectre… would be hard to turn down. But…"

"I'd have to deal with the fucking Council," Ashley finished.

"Yeah. The fucking Council." Shepard paused, staring out the window for a long moment before continuing. "Well, let me know what you decide. I want you back on my ship – but only if you want it."

Ashley turned fully to look at her former commander. "I… I'd like to be on your ship, Skipper."

Shepard turned to face her, as well, eyebrows raised. "Really? You wanna work with the Cerberus traitor?"

Ashley shrugged. "I've accepted that you cut ties. Sam speaks highly of working with you. You saved her brother, who is my bro. I… I'm convinced you're you. I still need time, but… I think that's enough to start fresh with, don't you?"

Shepard nodded, a small smile pulling at her lips. "I do."

Ashley mirrored her friend's nod, turning back to look at the view. "So… thanks for keeping my fiancée safe."

Shepard snorted. "No problem. Honestly, she's good, Ash. She keeps us well-connected. She's the one who figured out we should go to Grissom. And I know one of the people under her gives her a lot of shit, and she remains professional, doesn't complain to anyone. She works hard, gets all her work done during her shift, and knows just how to flirt with the chain of command without actually bypassing it. And she's fucking smart. Makes me look like a troglodyte."

Ashley raised an eyebrow, smirking back at her friend. "You got a crush, Skipper?"

"And what if I do?" Shepard challenged, smirking right back.

Ashley just shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're fucking hopeless, Skipper." Sobering, she examined her friend's profile. "Have you talked to Liara yet?"

Shepard sighed. "Yeah. We're… tentatively together? She helped me out with a meld after a particularly rough mission I can't go into the details about. On Eden Prime. And it… well, it turned intimate pretty quickly."

"That's good, right? Sex is like the glue that holds us together or some shit, right?"

Shepard shrugged. "It's only been two days since. We don't talk, we just kinda… sleep together, then go do our own thing during the day. I'm honestly still not sure where we stand. I told her about Kelly, and she's not happy, but… I don't know. I don't even know what I want. Why'd I have to fall in love with someone else?"

Ashley shrugged. "Because you have a huge capacity for love, and hardly anyone to throw it at?"

Shepard snorted, shook her head, looked away. "I'm worried about Kelly. If Cerberus finds her, they'll execute her. But I can't ask Liara to look for her. I just have to… hope. No news is good news. Or something."

Ashley put a hand on Shepard's arm. "You'll figure it out, Miriam. You and Liara can do what most people can't — you can share your minds with each other directly. You should do that more, until you understand each other. Most of us have to do that with words."

Nodding, Shepard sighed. "You're right. I'll… I'll try talking to her later. For now, I promised you pizza. And you haven't seen your fiancée in weeks. How about I take Sam's brother with me to get it? We'll even walk, give you a few extra minutes."

"You are a true friend, Skipper," Ashley responded solemnly. "Getting my future brother-in-law out of the house so I can fuck his sister."

Shepard laughed out loud at that, shaking her head at Ashley's giant grin. Turning, she addressed Tim. "C'mon, kid. Let's go get that pizza, leave these two alone to catch up."

"Eeeewwww yeah okay," he said, following her out the doors while pantomiming puking.

"So," Sam said, lifting a brow at her as the door slid shut behind Shepard and Timothy.

Ashley smirked, taking a step for her fiancée. "So."

"We have, what… twenty minutes to ourselves? Thirty?"

Ashley closed the distance between them, grabbing Sam by the hips and reeling her in until they were flush against each other. "I really don't think I'm gonna last that long, baby, but I'll try."

Sam laughed, snaking her arms around Ashley's neck in a way that made the lieutenant-commander's heart fall right through her stomach. "Silly girl – you'll be done quickly, and then you'll spend the rest of the time on me."

Ashley pouted. "Greedy."

"Oh, just shut up and kiss me, Ashley."

"Yes, ma'am," Ash purred, dipping her face the few inches required to catch Sam's lips in a kiss. Cream and heat and the smell of military-issue soap washed over her, and she groaned her approval. Her hands roamed, pulling Sam's shirt out from the waistband of her fatigues.

"Oh God, Ashley, hurry up. I need to feel you," Sam moaned as the LC's lips found her throat. The needy tone took all of Ashley's remaining restraint from her. With a growl, she lifted Sam's shirt and bra over her head in one move, depositing them unceremoniously on the ground as she piloted the specialist to the closest surface – a couch.

"Yours, too," Sam panted after another searing kiss. "I want your skin."

"God, me, too," Ashley sighed, allowing the distance required for her t-shirt to be removed.

"Oh… yes…" Skin slid along skin like warmed velvet on a cold winter's day. Hitting the couch together, they lay out on it, Ashley quickly beginning to kiss and bite her way down to Sam's beautiful – and bountiful – breasts. Someone somewhere once said "more than a handful is a waste." Well, whoever that had been could kindly suck Ashley's left nut. Sam had way more than a handful, and Ashley couldn't be more delighted to hold them, bury her face in them, kiss and bite and lavish them with attention. If they'd been small she would also love them, by the mere fact that they belonged to Sam. She had never been discerning when it came to tits. All kinds were magnificent to one Ashley Williams.

But Sam's were special. They were, quite simply, Sam's.

"God, Ashley," Sam moaned when the LC's lips closed around a stiff nipple. She laved it with her tongue as her hands searched for the button and zipper to Sam's pants. But something wasn't working quite right…

"Dammit," Ashley murmured, pulling back to see what the problem was.

"You forgot the belt, didn't you?"

Ashley blushed, taking care of the offending accessory with a flick of her wrist. "Shut up, Doofus. You forgot my damn boots the first time."

"Touché – ah!" Sam yelped as Ashley shoved her hands inside the now-open garment, lifting the comms specialist's hips and almost roughly removed them – just the way she knew Sam liked. Pulling her boots off with them, Ashley soon had a gorgeous, splendid, silken-skinned goddess splayed out naked before her.

"Stop drinking me in with your eyes and do something about it, Commander," Sam purred, twisting in a very feminine and flirty way to make herself look even more inviting.

And the use of her rank? Sploosh.

"Fuck, Sam," she said, hurrying with her own pants. At least sweats are easy, she thought to herself.

Samantha just giggled, the laughter turning into a contented sigh as Ashley slid atop her again. Their breaths mingled as they kissed, and for a time they were lost in the feel of skin and tongues and teeth and lips, hands roaming, pinching, squeezing.

Ashley was very much present as she dipped her hand between them, however, quickly finding the bountiful thatch of hair between Samantha's legs. She swallowed Sam's groan as she pressed forward, circling her clit, feeling her own core pulse at the feel of how wet Sam was. Growling possessively, she pushed forward, up, and in, filling this delicious creature in her arms, accepting the woman's pleasured shriek into her mouth.

Sam's tongue quickly followed her cries, plundering Ashley's mouth as the LC filled her up, over and over, finding every spot she had come to know so intimately that she didn't even need to think about it. She just went where the moans, sighs, and digging fingernails told her to go.

No more words were spoken… unless one counted Ashley's name filling the space between them whenever their kiss was broken. Ashley swallowed Sam's cries when she came, her blood boiling, her body spurring her forward, deeper, working Sam and drawing out her orgasm, working her up to a second and drawing that out even longer.

"Oh God, stop, Ashley," Sam panted finally, breaking the seal of their lips, her sweet breath washing over the LC.

Ashley backed off, stilled her fingers, the thumb she had over Sam's clit, relaxing her body so they lay pressed together. Her neck was stiff but she didn't care. Compared to some of their other acrobatics during sex, this had been her taking it easy – Dr. Michele would just have to accept that. Ashley would gladly go to an extra couple of days of physical therapy in order to fuck like rabbits with Samantha.

Sweat gathered at Sam's temples, trickling into her hair. It also gathered on her upper lip, mingling with the taste of her mouth as Ashley pulled them into a languid kiss. Pulling back, she looked into brown eyes so dark they looked black, smiling at her with such love, such adoration, that Ashley was momentarily struck dumb. She just… looked, for as long as she could. Fate had very nearly separated them, but here they were, together, affirming their love, their lives. This was important. This was what they were fighting for, what Ashley was healing for.

"Having Earth-shattering realizations without me, Ash?" came Sam's soft, hoarse voice, her warm breath washing over Ashley with each word.

The lieutenant-commander grinned, the moment leaving with her blessing. "Just… looking. You're so fucking pretty."

"Flatterer – oh…" Sam cut herself off in a sigh as Ashley gently removed her fingers from Sam's drenched folds. Wiping them quickly on her own stomach, she kissed the woman lying in her arms tenderly, damp fingers caressing her cheek.

The kiss quickly grew heated, however, Ashley's burning need insisting on directing them. Samantha seemed all too willing to follow along, her hands roving, her tongue dancing, her breath taking on that needy quality as she exhaled that always told Ashley that it was on.

They rearranged, Samantha sliding on top of her, eyes twinkling as she kissed and sucked her way lower and lower. "Oh, I have missed you, Ashley," she murmured, her eyes taking in the silken, glistening folds of the LC's most intimate area. Ashley's whimpers filled the room as her fiancée dipped her head down to take care of the LC's poor neglected body.

"I have something for you," Ashley said, pulling her shirt back on. Shepard had messaged her saying she and Tim were on their way back so they better have clothes on.

"Oh?" Samantha was already dressed, in the bathroom trying to fix her mussed hair in the mirror. They had both already brushed their teeth and washed their faces of Ashley's lingering scent.

Ashley went to the opaque bag the hospital had given her to carry the few things she'd acquired while staying there. Literally everything else was issued by the Alliance. She'd had nothing else with her when she was admitted to Huerta. Withdrawing two small packages from the bag, she made her way to the bathroom with one of them, where Sam was wetting her hands so she could smooth out her hair. Dropping to one knee unseen, she held up the box that held the ring she'd special-ordered for Sam. It was simple, white gold to match her own, with a decent-sized emerald in the setting. It had cost a tidy sum, but Ashley had never done anything like pay rent or had to maintain a full wardrobe outside her issued uniform, so she had quite a savings built up.

Sam didn't notice at first. "Ash?" she asked, turning, presumably to see what had happened to Ashley, only to squeal with a jump when she saw a smirking LC on one knee.

"So will you marry me back, then?"

"Oh get up and come here!" Sam exclaimed, hitting Ashley's shoulder as the lieutenant-commander regained her feet. She then held out her hand, and Ashley pulled the ring from its box, sliding it home on Sam's ring finger.

"Another perfect fit," Ashley murmured, wrapping her arms around her fiancée. They kissed deeply, Ashley filling up with all kinds of protective and possessive feelings. Mostly, though, she was relieved, and comfortable, and pleasantly satiated.

"Ashley," Sam murmured, resting her head on Ashley's shoulder. "I love you." Ashley just held her, swaying softly to inaudible music, her head resting against Sam's hair, surrounded by her familiar scent.

After a few moments, however, they pulled apart. "I have something else for you, too."

Sam tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "What is it?" she asked suspiciously.

Ashley just chuckled. "Nothing terrible, I promise. Here." She took the second small package, handing it over with much less ceremony.

"It's heavy," Sam noted, immediately opening the box to find… "Coconut oil?"

Ashley blushed. "I figured you didn't have any on the ship, and it's not exactly easy to find on the Citadel either. So I ordered you some." She shrugged, feeling a little foolish.

"Oh, Ashley, you beautiful woman," Samantha sighed, pushing herself into the LC's arms once more. "So thoughtful."

Ashley smirked, hugging the short woman to her. "It doesn't hurt that it makes you smell like a damn cookie."

The sliding of the door opening interrupted them. "She smells like a cookie?" Shepard asked, pizza in-hand. "I've never noticed."

"She uses coconut oil on her hair and face," Tim answered, moving to the table to put down the drinks he carried. "It smells like macaroons whenever she walks by you."

"But I haven't been able to since we left Earth," Sam explained, leaving Ashley's embrace. "Kind of hard to get on a military frigate." Examining the jar, she continued. "My skin has been tight for two weeks straight. It's going to drink up twice as much as normal the first time I use it, probably. My hair even more so."

"Just don't leave it where someone else can use it," Shepard cautioned, setting the boxes down on the table next to the drinks. "Personal property is difficult to keep from becoming public on a ship as small as ours."

Ashley snorted. "Ain't that the truth. C'mon. That shit smells amazing. I've been eating hospital food for two damn weeks. Let's eat."

"You're complaining? We've been eating military rations for two weeks. I think we win," Sam countered, going to seat herself at the table very properly. Ashley smiled goofily at her as she began serving herself, piling slices of pizza onto one of the disposable plates Miriam and Tim had brought back with them.

"Damn, Williams," Shepard murmured, coming to stand beside her. "You got it bad, if you're looking at her like that while she serves pizza."

Ashley hit her snickering friend on the shoulder. "Shut it, Miss 'I can't sneeze without catching feelings for every girl who's ever looked at me twice.'"

"Ouch! And I was gonna tell you it looked good on you. But no more. Sappy-ass romantic. Hope the sex was good, at least?"

Ashley grinned, winked, and walked over to the table amid Shepard's guffaw of laughter.

Later that night, Ashley lay in Samantha's arms. They'd thoroughly ravished each other again, taking their time now that they had it and were not so desperate. Now they simply lay together, stroking each other's skin, breathing each other's scent, and just… being with each other. Sam had cried some tears to have Ashley whole and healthy in her arms, but now even that was done. They had regained some degree of normalcy, and they basked in it.

But the moment didn't last. "Ashley?"

"Hmmm?"

"I know I haven't said anything, because I was just so happy to see you. But I do know why you got this apartment."

Ashley's heart immediately sped up. "I meant to talk to you about it next time you called…"

"But you emailed Shepard…"

Ashley sighed, rolling off of Sam and propping her head up on her arm. "She's a Spectre. I… wanted her opinion before I talked to you about it."

Sam, mirroring her position now, knit her eyebrows. "Why didn't you want to talk to me about it?"

"It's dangerous, Sam. You just watched… this happen," she said, gesturing to the still-obvious bruising on her own face and neck, "and I didn't want to worry you while I was still debating."

"And are you still debating?" Sam asked after a moment.

"I… I haven't given him an answer yet," Ashley admitted. "I can't decide. But he obviously wanted to up the ante, if he got me an apartment."

"He's treating you like you're already part of them," Sam said.

"What?"

"I looked into it. Spectres not out on assignment are given an apartment when on the Citadel. Few use it, but each is entitled."

"Huh…"

"Ashley, you're already a marine. I doubt I'll be more worried than I already am if you decide to take him up on his offer."

Ashley searched the woman's dark eyes for a moment. "It's different from being a soldier, Sam. I'd be a target. I'd be the second human Spectre ever. I… I couldn't ask you to-"

She cut herself off when Sam gently cupped her cheek. "Ashley, I want you to be happy, and to do the things you want to do. Do you want this?"

"I don't know," Ashley answered honestly.

Sam nodded. "All right. Well, just let me know what you want when you figure it out, deal?"

"Deal," Ashley nodded, smiling.

After a moment, she cocked her head to the side. "I just had an idea. Unrelated. How long can I keep the apartment?"

"It's… always yours. Until you're not a Spectre anymore. Why?"

"You said you weren't sure what was gonna happen to Tim, right?"

"That's right. I'm sure we'll find a place for him, but his program is disbanded for now, and he can't go home like most of the others – Horizon is still dark. And he can't stay with the biotic students – they're training for battle."

"What if he stayed with me?"

"With you?" Sam asked, turning over, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Yeah. I have this apartment now. May as well use it. I could take care of him, at least while I'm here. And he's technically an adult, can go or do whatever he wants."

"That's an idea… And you guys are such good friends. I believe the word you both use is 'bro'," Sam said with a smirk.

Ashley winked. "What can I say? I've never had a brother before. It's nice. Just wish we knew what was going on at your house. And with my family..."

"I know, Ash," Sam said softly, moving closer and wrapping an arm around Ashley's bare waist. "I keep looking for them, but I just haven't found anything yet."

Ashley wrapped her arm around Samantha, pulling her into a hug. "I know, baby. Let's… let's just not worry about it for now. I'd rather enjoy this while it lasts. The Normandy's leaving tomorrow, right?"

Sam groaned. "Yes. Stupid diplomats and their stupid need to be on our ship. Why do we have to be the mediators? Ugh."

Ashley smiled. "Well, at least you'll smell nice for them."

"You think I can make them all agree with each other just by smelling like cookies?"

"Sure. Who doesn't like cookies?"

Sam giggled, bringing a smile to Ashley's lips. If she could listen to that laugh for the rest of her life she'd die happy. Knowing they'd get married and do just that, even if they didn't survive this war, was a comforting thought amidst a sea of worry. She held onto it as they fell asleep. It gave her hope, and that was in short supply these days.

A/N: So I totally ended up writing an Ode To Tits in there. But who doesn't like tits? Even the gay men I know are fascinated.