Disclaimer: Mass Effect doesn't belong to me, nor do I intend to profit from this work of fiction.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far! They keep me going :) Also, I update this one my tumblr account faster that I do here, brandnewandancient dot tumblr dot com, under the stuff I've written page. As an FYI.
Kaidan couldn't get a handle on Shepard. Most women were loose and relaxed after a night like the one they'd shared. She'd been on edge all morning, snapping at everyone that crossed her path. He'd cornered Garrus after she had barked at the two of them to suit up, and stalked away.
The turian had reluctantly informed him that she'd been told a former squad mate was stationed on the planet they were heading to, and it had just gone silent, a possible Collector attack. She was worried about Ashley Williams, her gunnery chief from the SR1.
Kaidan just grumbled, and went in search of Shepard before they were due at the shuttle. He found her alone in the armory, checking on her weapons of choice. "Hey there," he murmured as he sidling up to her, placing a warm hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him.
"Not now, Kaidan," she muttered, not quite meeting his eyes, jerking away from his touch.
He frowned, more determined than ever to get her to talk. "Yes, now," he said, stepping closer to her, his armored body boxing her in. He heard the irritated sound she made deep in her throat, and without another thought, he dropped his lips to hers, smiling against her as she slowly responded to him.
She sighed, her fingers catching the edges of his armor plates, pulling him closer. She was alarmed at the ease in which she could lose herself in him, drawing warmth and comfort, and a more primitive need from him. He was doing an excellent job of distracting her from her purpose, holding her close, his lips moving over hers in a soft caress.
He groaned softly as she pulled away from him, and looked up at him with a hint of a smile at the corners of her lips. He felt his heart stutter in his chest at the look in her blue eyes, "What are doing to me?" he wondered, smoothing a hand over her hair, cupping her cheek with his palm.
She exhaled quietly, holding his gaze, "Whatever it is, it's not altogether unpleasant."
He chuckled, and released her with some difficulty, and rubbed his thumb over her chin. "I think I like it, though," he said.
She raised an eyebrow, but smiled, and surprised them both when she reached over and laced her fingers in his, squeezed his hand briefly before releasing his hand and picking her pistol up off the weapon bench. "Let's go kill some Collectors. I have a bone to pick with them."
According to Garrus, Shepard was having some sort of breakdown in the shuttle bay. He'd been warned to just leave her alone, but he'd always been a glutton for punishment, he thought to himself as he waited for the elevator door to slide open.
He'd had the foresight to tuck and roll as soon as the door opened, and narrowly missed his head being taken off by her helmet as she hurled it across the space, striking the wall with a resounding crack. "It's just me, cher," he called, his temper spiking when a burst of dark energy exploded near him, missing him as he rolled again. He clenched his teeth, and peered around the edge of the support he was hiding behind.
Her face was a mask of fury, her blue eyes blazing. Her corona of dark energy was surging erratically about her, and he could see the sheen of sweat coating her skin with the effort she was expending to control her fury. She wasn't very successful; anything near her that wasn't tied down had been lifted from the floor, wheeling about erratically. "Get. Out." She ground out from between clenched teeth.
"Remember talking about knowing my limitations, Shepard?" he asked, moving stealthily around, just out of her line of sight. "You're at yours. I can see it." He flinched as a crate slammed into his last location, sending empty thermal clips and weapon parts skittering across the floor. He moved around again, trying to flank her, "Shepard, Williams was acting like a bitch. I get it." He jumped out of his cover and rolled into a safe spot further in the room as she uttered a roar of fury and flung another case his way. "Don't you think she was kind of within her rights, though?" he asked reasonably, trying to infuse some calm into his voice. This was a new situation for him, he'd never had to talk someone down before, had never cared enough to do so.
"I was DEAD!" she snarled, her chest heaving, "I couldn't just pick up a comm. and say, 'Hey, I'm fucking dead! Don't worry about a goddamn thing!" She stumbled as she stalked after him, the effort of maintain her barrier wearing her down.
He stepped out of his cover, "I know, but it's sound far-fetched, doesn't it?" He charged up, his right arm glowing blue as he batted the crate she tossed at him away. He calmly walked right up to her, and reached through her barrier, pulling her close to him. "I'm here for you, it seems," he murmured quietly, and held her gaze for many long moments before her aura dissipated, and the levitating object clattered to the floor.
She slumped exhaustedly against him; her legs felt as it they wouldn't support her. "Can you just take me to my cabin, please?" she whispered before unconsciousness took her.
"Maudit," he swore softly, catching her before she toppled to the floor. He scooped her up, with every intention of taking her to see Dr. Chakwas.
She woke up in the elevator, and protested when he curtly informed her she was going to see the ship's medic. "Please, just take me upstairs. I have some energy bars and water, that's all I need."
"Fine, but first sign of passing out again, I'm dragging down to see Chakwas," he muttered, reluctant to set her back on her feet once inside her spacious room. He decided to compromise, and set her on the bed, and went in search of the energy bars she vaguely said were in a desk drawer. He dropped a few in her lap, helping himself to one as she fell on them ravenously.
He perched on the bed in front of her, sitting cross-legged as she polished off the energy bars. She lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "You don't have to stay," she mumbled with a sigh.
"No," he replied, smiling as he leaned over her, sliding his hands up her legs to the fly of her pants, "But I'd like to." He pulled her pants down her hips, and his teeth worried his bottom lip, his eyes sliding over her smooth, bare flesh. She smiled up at him through her lashes, her eyes half closed. He pressed a kiss to her nearest ankle, his lips working up her muscular calf, past her knees, his teeth scraping against her inner thigh, making her squirm under his hands.
His thumb found her hot center, and he slid along her folds, before he dipped his mouth to her, stroking her with his tongue, making her gasp. Her back arched against the mattress, her hips arching up to meet him, her groan deep in her throat as his tongue slipped inside her, making her cry out. Her fingers flew to his hair, curling around his salt and pepper locks, her back bowing deeply as a moan broke from her lips. He smirked against her as his tongue stroked her sensitive nub, felt her thighs quivering next to his cheek.
She moaned softly, her breath leaving her in short, mewling pants, her fingers tugging hard on his hair. Her eyes met his as she climaxed with a soft cry, her hips arching up off the bed. He pressed one last kiss to her before urging her to sit up as he tugged her shirt off. "You, too," she murmured, watching him appreciatively as he undressed for her, admiring his hard chest and abs, his sculpted thighs and calves.
He raised an eyebrow as she reached out a hand and tugged him down to her, her warm hands sliding over his back as he covered her body with his. "I want you inside me," she whispered before fusing her lips to his, her breath catching in her throat as he slid into her with a groan. She met his every thrust, her muscles clenching him tightly with every stroke.
"You're mine," he whispered harshly, his teeth clamping down on her throat, his tongue stroking the pulse beating wildly there. She gasped in surprise as his sudden possessiveness, and the sharp increase in his tempo. Her fingers dug into his back, her hips arching up to meet his as she climaxed, her head falling back into the pillows. Her soft sigh drove him mad, and with a great shout, his own orgasm pulsed through him.
They lay together in a sweaty heap, their fingers stroking the others arms, side, neck, cheek; their eyes met and held each other's gaze. He shifted and rolled to his side, tucking her in close to him as she dozed exhaustedly. "You know, I think I could fall for you," he murmured into her hair, surprising himself to say the words out loud.
She snuggled into him, drowsy and relaxed, "I think I'm more than halfway there," she whispered back with a sweet sigh as sleep took her.
