Disclaimer: Mass Effect doesn't belong to me, nor do I intend to profit from this work of fiction.
Shepard lay next to Kaidan, sweaty and spent, her breathing gradually returning to normal as his fingers trailed along her arm as he held her. "We're heading to Ilium tomorrow. Can't say I'm excited about it. An assassin and a Justicar."
He chuckled, "Feel free to leave me behind while you recruit the Justicar," he murmured, rolling into her, burying his face in her hair. He inhaled deeply, she smelled of coffee, gun oil, and sex, a delicious combination to his way of thinking. "She might be tempted to shoot me," he pondered, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face.
She giggled, a sound so rare from her that they both looked shocked to hear it, "Don't worry, I won't let her shoot you," she murmured, her face turning red from embarrassment.
He propped himself up on his elbows, and studied her, "Chérie, je ne savais pas que tu étais inquiète," he purred quietly, leaning over her to drop light kisses over her face.
She laughed quietly, and pushed him away playfully. "Huh, I guess I do care," se replied softly as she pushed on his shoulder, and rolled atop him, straddling his waist, rubbing herself against him. "After all, you keep me limber."
"Encore?" he chuckled, "Si tôt?"
"You started this," she accused, a mock stern expression on her face, "Now it seems I can't get enough of you." She leaned over him, and pressed her lips to his, "Again," she demanded softly.
"Tout pour vous, ma chère."he whispered against her petal soft lips, his hands lifting her hips, pulling her down to impale her on his thick erection with a low groan.
Her head dropped back as she reveled in the feel of him buried in her slick center, a moan breaking from her lips.
"Commander, you are needed in Operative Lawson's office," EDI's unexpected voice filtered through the cabin, interrupting them.
"Merde," Kaidan swore, his face murderous. "Je vais la tuée!"
"Not if I kill her first," she growled, sliding off him reluctantly, looking at him wistfully. With a groan, she stalked around the room snatching up her fatigues, jumping around on one foot as she stuck one leg in her pants, then the other. She threw her shirt over her head and slipped her feet in her boots as she tucked the hem of her shirt into her pants.
She glanced longingly at the bed, at him as he sat watching her, "See if you can find any monitoring devices in this room. I swept it a few days ago, but..."
"With pleasure, cher," he replied, giving her a raised eyebrow and a nod of assent, his omni-tool flaring to life.
She stalked out of the cabin, and snapped an order for the crew deck. She found Miranda sitting behind her desk, and scowled at her. "Remember who gives orders and who follows them on my ship?" she emphasized each word, biting back her temper.
"Yes, the Illusive Man gives my orders first and foremost, then I report to you, Commander," Miranda replied silkily, not at all flustered by Shepard's temper. "And he wishes me to speak with you on an important matter," her pleasant Aussie accent grating on Shepard's nerves.
"And what might that be?" Shepard questioned, striving for patience, resisting the urge to blow something up.
"The Illusive Man is concerned that your...relations with the human mercenary is distracting you."
"Stop right there," Shepard ordered, thrusting her face into Miranda's, "First, what I do on my own time is my business, feel free to tell Timmy-boy that," she drilled a hard finger into Miranda's shoulder, forcing her back a step. "Secondly, if I find anymore monitoring devices in my cabin, I'm throwing the entire Cerberus crew out the airlock and taking this ship to the Alliance. My Spectre status has been reinstated, so I can take care of the Collectors on my own," she said cheerfully, inwardly thrilled as the color drained from Miranda's face. As far as threats went, it was an effective one, even if it wasn't strictly the truth.
She crossed her arms and looked at the Operative, her expression relatively mild, "You do realize Kaidan is an expert at tech, right?" Miranda blanched a second time and a scowl crossed her features.
Miranda glared at her for a moment, and sighed, "Very well, Commander." She stood, and walked around the desk, and leaned a hip the desk, "There is another matter. I find myself in the uncomfortable position of asking for your help."
Shepard ground her teeth and only just resisted rolling her eyes, "Of course you do. What is it?" She listened patiently as Miranda explained the situation about her sister, and assured her they would take care of it.
She stood shoulder to shoulder with Kaidan, Miranda behind them. She could hear the grinding of Miranda's teeth as Kaidan leaned into her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear on an effort to get a rise out of the Operative. She ruthlessly suppressed a shiver as his husky French accent slid down her spine.
"You're trying to distract me," she whispered out the side of her mouth.
"Oui," he breathed into her ear, his voice felt like a caress over her skin, "There is the added benefit of making Lawson extremely uncomfortable," he smirked.
Shepard snickered, if Miranda clenched her teeth any harder, she would dislocate her jaw or crack a tooth. They stepped forward as the airlock pressurized, and walked out into the docking tube. "Lawson, go meet your contact, I have an old friend I want to see first. Alenko, with me."
Miranda grumbled under her breath, but said nothing, eyeing the pair suspiciously. She stalked away with one last glance back to glare at them before flouncing off.
"Alone at last," he murmured, snaking an arm around her waist, pressing his lips to her ear. She laughed quietly, and turned her head so her lips met his.
"Let's get this over with so we can get back to the ship," she said, pulling away from him with some regret. They made their way to Liara T'Soni's office, and Shepard chuckled when she heard the formerly shy and somewhat naive asari making an inventive threat over her communicator.
"Never thought I'd here you threatening someone, Liara," Shepard said by way of greeting, always a little uncomfortable around the asari. She accepted Liara's embrace, and the kiss on the cheek. It seemed Liara hadn't gotten over the crush she'd had on Shepard on the original Normandy.
Kaidan growled a little, he wasn't too pleased at the young asari pawing at his woman, even in if it was under the pretense of greeting an old friend.
Liara glanced up, and saw the human merc for the first time, "Oh, hello." She looked back and forth between the pair. "Oh," she said, as she saw the predatory gleam in Kaidan's eyes. "Oh!" she exclaimed when she saw the cocky smile on Shepard's lips, the hungry look in her eyes. "Oh," she murmured a bit wistfully as Shepard stepped back beside Kaidan, and he wrapped a possessive arm around her waist, baring his teeth when he smiled at the asari.
Liara was clearly flustered, "I... Well, certainly wasn't expecting this," she murmured to herself. She straightened her shoulders and moved back behind her desk, sat down behind her terminal. "What can I do for you, Shepard?"
"I need some information about an assassin and a Justicar," Shepard replied, leaning on the desk.
The rest of the time spent with Liara was somewhat less awkward, and se gave them valuable information about both individuals. She also gave Kaidan several appraising looks, curiosity apparent on her face.
"You crushed your asari friend," he murmured as they walked away from Liara's office. "She may never recover," he heard her snort, "I know I wouldn't."
She laughed, "Hard to believe." She smiled at him, and slowed her brisk pace at the serious expression on his face. "What is it?"
"Shepard, I..." he shook his head and brushed passed her, "Let's just get this over with."
She reached out and stopped him with a firm grip on his hand. "Hey," she said softly, and held his gaze. She saw several emotions swimming in his eyes: desire, passion, anger, and something else she couldn't, or wouldn't, name. "Kaidan, me too," she whispered, letting her reciprocating emotions show, and felt his grip tighten.
"I don't know where this is going, Shepard. But I intend to see it through," he gave her a quick nod, and released her hand. He took a deep breath, "After you, Shepard."
She wasn't certain if he meant at that moment in time or of his meaning was more significant.
