Author's Note: I was not expecting this many people to read this story. Honestly. But thank you so much! Especially Andamarthiel, PillarofNormandy, and QueenFreckles for following, and to HappySticky, hollietta, and PillarofNormandy for favoriting! If you would like to see something, like oh I don't know... a certain situation... I'd be more than happy to try and fit it in to the story. Just shoot me a message. Anyway, enjoy!

Unlatching the armor on his shoulders, Kaidan was absolutely disgusted. Feros had not been kind to anyone, but he was glad the colonists had been saved. At least most of them. Fai Dan had sacrificed himself for everyone else, and it had been a little hard on Shepard. He could tell that much already as he watched her remove her own armor.

And then suddenly he was reminded why he was so glad to be getting a few days of shore leave. He felt some of the Thorian Creeper muck slide down his back. He shuddered and scowled. He heard Shepard laugh and immediately scowled at her.

"Oh come on, Alenko. It'll wash off." she said, just as a chunk rolled down her arm. Even though they were all wearing bodysuits under the armor, they could still feel everything. He saw her try to hide the disgust and then it was his turn to laugh. "Cut that out." she snapped.

"It'll wash off." he repeated, his tone very teasing. He'd completely forgotten about the third member of the party who cleared his throat a little menacingly. Kaidan suddenly straightened his back as Wrex glared before walking to his station. He'd been the brunt of the attack but he was surprisingly clean of the muck.

And now it was just the two of them, and Kaidan did his best to respect his Commanding Officer's privacy as she began peeling off her body suit. He did, however, get a small glimpse at her backside, spotting something red along the left side of her rib cage. So she had a tattoo... Alright. He quickly snapped his head back to the corner before she could spot him, though. They both stepped into their respective showering spaces and Kaidan was aware that she could have easily just gone to her quarters to shower. But perhaps she was just as disgusted with all the chunks as he had been.

Kaidan pulled on a spare uniform when he got out, leaving his hair damp as he reached over to wash off the armor. Shepard promised him he'd get a new set when they went back to the Citadel, seeing as he was quickly becoming one of her favorites on the team. It was partially because of his biotics, he knew, and the other part... Well he'd just not think about it right now. She was in the shower next to him. He shook it off quickly, for fear of needing another shower. He focused instead on scrubbing the plates clean, glad that they didn't scuff easily. He set them to dry and then turned to walk out of the room.

"Kaidan?" he heard Shepard call out, just as he was about to go through the door. He paused.

"Yeah?"

"Mind if I talk with you when I'm done with the Council?"

"You know where to find me." he said, then walking out. With a smile on his face. Though it only lasted a matter of seconds until he saw someone lurking around the corner of the main deck. With a sigh, he prepared himself for what was surely coming his way.

"Hey, is Skipper still in there?" Ashley came out, following the Lieutenant as he walked back towards his station.

"She is. Do you need to talk to her?"

"Yeah."

"I'll tell her to go find you, then." he said, walking down the stairs. Ash was still right behind him, and he knew that it was so she could get to her own work station. At least until he passed the elevator and realized she was still following him. He paused and turned half way to look at her. "Do you need something from me?"

"Joker said we were heading back to the Citadel. Thought I'd hang out up here for a bit since we're not officially on duty for another three hours." She folded her arms over her chest. "Why, am I going to bother you if I stand here?"

"I'd really like a little time to myself before I start talking." he sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"That's a shame." came a third, familiar voice. Kaidan's stomach flipped and without thinking his eyes flew towards the source of the voice - just over Ashley's right shoulder. "I was hoping we could talk." Shepard smiled as she came up besides Ashley. Kaidan could only stand there, struggling to come up with an answer before Shepard spoke again. "Chief, I believe you have work to be doing."

"Yes ma'am." Ashley saluted crisply, turning quickly to walk away. Though when she was turning towards the elevator, Kaidan saw her flash an excessively wide grin at him. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Thanks..."

"Can we still talk, or do you need time?"

The tone in her voice indicated that she wasn't just going to be talking about the mission, and that alone made him even more nervous. It was hard enough to stay focused after... their date? He still wasn't really clear on what had happened. He suddenly remembered she'd said she was going to contact the Council, and he doubted the conversation had been that fast.

"We can talk now. But weren't you going to contact the Council?"

"Nah. I can always talk to them in person." Shepard moved to take a seat near the orange screen. For safe measure Kaidan sat with one seat between them, though he would have loved to sit right next to her. "You were working yourself pretty hard today, it seemed like there was something on your mind that you wanted to get out."

He took a pause to think about it. Had he been working any harder than usual, or was she just trying to get him to tell her what was on his mind? Kaidan was already suffering from the lack of adrenaline, and in the back of his head he could feel a migraine coming. It wouldn't bother him for another half hour, at least. Maybe more if he ate soon.

"Kaidan?" he was snapped out of his thoughts, and he looked up, letting out a nervous laugh.

"Sorry. I guess I do have a lot on my mind." he said quietly. Unintentionally he rubbed at the back of his neck again, maybe to try and push back the migraine.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" her voice grew softer, quieter. Her body, he saw now, was turned towards him, with her elbow propped up on the back of the seat so that her hand could properly hold up her head. It pushed her cheek up so that her right eye was a little smaller.

"Guess I'm just thinking about when we talked last." he said, voice equally as quiet as hers. There was probably no one in the area but them, though for the sake of making sure someone didn't tattle, they had silently agreed to be quiet about it.

"Hm." she nodded, and crossed her leg over her knee, glancing to the orange screen.

He couldn't tell what she was thinking, and so he just watched her. She had a nice facial profile. Her nose was a little smaller than it looked from the front, but he found himself looking at her lips. They weren't pale like they'd been last time. They were a dark pink color, now. And glossy. Definitely not what he'd seen last time. She turned to look at him again and he was only now starting to notice everything else. The small freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were a nice shade of green, too. Maybe he hadn't noticed it before because her eyelashes seemed to contrast the color so nicely. He cleared his throat out of habit, not sure what to say.

"Alright don't tell anyone, but the only reason we're going to the Citadel is so I can see an old friend for her birthday." she muttered, smiling a little because she'd leaned in closer.

"Am I allowed to know the name of said friend?"

"Sam Kirkold. I grew up on Arcturus with her. Our parents were good friends, so naturally we saw each other often." Shepard grinned as her voice grew bolder and cast her eyes down to the floor. "We got into a lot of trouble then, too." Her eyes flicked back up to his and he swallowed to force the blush to stay beneath his clothes.

"I'm sure your parents are glad you're much more well-behaved, now."

"I'm not that well-behaved. I just have more authority and a better sense of when to let loose." she chuckled, sitting back again.

"I'll bet you have some good stories, though."

"Someday I'm sure you'll get to hear them all." she said, her voice going soft again. If that wasn't an answer to his question, he didn't know what was.

"That's... Very reassuring."

"Hm. Well don't let it get to your head." she smirked, moving to stand up. "I should probably go talk with some of the others, before someone starts prying." she sighed and glanced up to the ceiling, indicating that she was talking about Joker. Her eyes fell back down and she smiled. "We can talk more after dinner."

"I'd like that." he said as she walked away. And he did enjoy watching her walk away in this manner. He just hoped it wouldn't become a sight he'd get too familiar with.