Lauren rolled over and groaned. Her stomach turned and her head pounded. "A little too much party," she mumbled to no one, as she tried to rise from her bed. After a few failed attempts, she stood and padded toward the bathroom of her small apartment. Before she got there, something caught her eye...more specifically, someone. Lauren saw a man sprawled out on her couch.

She quietly stepped toward the sleeping form. His hair was dark and Lauren closed her eyes in disbelief. "Oh shit..." she whispered. She started to shake his bare shoulder. "Kaidan...wake up!"

Kaidan turned his head to face Lauren. He didn't look shocked or upset. Didn't he know what must have happened? Lauren was mentally cursing herself for getting so hammered. "Kaidan!" she quietly shrieked. "Why are you here?"

"Are you feeling better?" he said without answering her question.

She sat in exasperation by his feet. "No...just...Oh my God! No! What the hell are you doing here?"

Kaidan yawned the longest yawn ever and Lauren nearly shut his mouth for him in frustration. "I was about to leave the party last night and I thought you had already left," explained Kaidan. "But I found you at the transport stop passed out. I picked you up and brought you home. You were surprisingly coherent on the ride over, so you told me where you lived. When we got here, you started vomiting all over...including on my shirt. I stuck it in the wash and helped you to bed. I cleaned up your mess and fell asleep out here."

Relief began to calm Lauren's rapid heartbeat. "So nothing happened?"

"Besides you barfing on me? No." Kaidan smiled in a way that Lauren couldn't help but being irritated with herself for finding it disarmingly handsome.

"Ok...did anyone see you take me home?"

Kaidan laughed. "I had to make sure Jenkins got home too. He was kind of attached to you starting at oh...I would say 5 seconds after you made your rounds at midnight."

"Oh my God..." Lauren rubbed her temples. "When did we leave?"

"I'd say 4...You and Jenkins were outside together at the transport stop, but asleep. Good thing you weren't alone, you could have frozen."

Dread refilled Lauren. "Please tell me..."

"You behaved yourself with him...mostly. Your dancing was...uh, suggestive, but you were both lit up pretty good, so I doubt he remembers much either. And you weren't exclusive with him...if that helps."

Lauren hands covered her face. "No, Kaidan, that doesn't help."

"At least you made it easy to get you into your pajamas..." Kaidan was sitting up now and thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Why didn't you just leave me in my clothes?"

"Fine. You want to sleep in your vomit. I'll remember next time." His tone was definitely a little shorter as he stood and walked to a closet to retrieve his now clean shirt from the machine. "I'll be going then."

Lauren hated the way she felt...all conflicted. She didn't want him there, but she didn't want him to leave either, and she definitely didn't want him to put his shirt back on. Her way of dealing with it was to sit there and say nothing.

She kept saying nothing as he pulled on his shoes, folded the blanket he had used and got his coat. When he finally reached the door, she met him there. "Thank you," she said quietly as she grabbed his forearm.

Kaidan's stern look thawed slightly. "Don't mention it." He was close...close enough that it jogged Lauren's foggy memory of the previous night. She had kissed him...as well as several other soldiers, but they hadn't had the same effect on her because she wanted to kiss him again...wait, didn't she tell him she wanted to just stay friends? Shit.

Her eyes scanned his face, searching for a way past her own words. His eyes seemed inscrutable, his face betrayed no emotion. "I.." I want you to stay, I don't want you to leave..."I'll see you tomorrow, Kaidan," she said finally, letting go of his arm.

"Yep. Bye, Lauren." He walked away and Lauren closed the door. She quietly banged her forehead against it in turmoil. "You stupid dumbass," she cursed herself. "Fucking, fucking idiot. I'm never drinking again..."

x-X-x

Kaidan arrived at home to be greeted by his mother in the living room. "You were out all night?" she asked. "Must have been some party..."

"Yeah, you could say so. I have to tell you something though..." Kaidan was interrupted by his father, who entered the room.

"What's that?" said Aaron Alenko.

"I...requested to be a part of the Normandy's crew when she takes off. Capt. Anderson approved it, so when everything is ready, I'll be leaving Earth."

Aaron nodded his head approvingly. "That's good news. I'm proud that you're taking initiative to reach for something like this. This is a good assignment, Kaidan."

Ivy looked a little sad, but smiled nonetheless. "I'm glad for you, dear. I'm glad you aren't letting your past hold you back."

Kaidan smiled knowing it was his past that had a integral part in building this new future.

x-X-x

"Shepard, here's the final crew list," said Anderson, handing Lauren a datapad. "There were a few surprises on there...like that pilot you seem to know. He's an arrogant little shit, but I'll be damned if he doesn't deserve to be. He's got talent."

Lauren chuckled at Anderson's succint assessment of Joker's little stunt in which he actually stole the Normandy and outmaneuvered everyone trying to catch him. "Joker does have an ornery streak," Lauren replied.

"I'll be honest. The biggest surprise was Lt. Alenko," the captain said. "I wanted him, but he had seemed to show no interest until New Year's Eve, a few weeks ago. I completely understood his desire for an Earthside assignment after Akuze, so I wasn't expecting him to ask me to join the crew that night...or ever for that matter. Did you have a hand in that?"

"No, sir, I don't believe I did," said Lauren. "It was as much a surprise to you as to me. I talked to him about it months ago, but got nowhere."

"Well, no matter, with his experience, I'm putting him in charge of crew productivity. He'll answer directly to you," stated Anderson. "Most of the crew is there to make sure all the systems running the ship are working properly. His eye for tech will be a benefit for him and he'll be able to see when someone isn't performing to their utmost. His biotics will be useful in a fight, as well as his field medic skills...you know it's a small crew so everyone has to commit to at least double duty."

"Yes, sir..." Lauren was glad Kaidan was on the crew, but that hadn't helped the awkwardness she now felt around him. It was like BAaT all over again. She wished she didn't have to talk to him, but now as his superior officer, she had to.

"You are in charge of the armory. Procure weapons, armor, tech as needed. You'll also be leading any ground teams. We have a few grunt soldiers, like Jenkins and Gladstone," said Anderson, looking pleased. "This is shaping up real nice, Shepard. We've come a long way in a short amount of time. I think we'll be ready for launch next week."

A/N: Before you get upset...I never said where Lauren and Kaidan slept soundly at the end of the last chapter :) Thus ends the introductory chapters...we shall start with the beginning of ME1 soon!