Bioware owns all! Everytime, everywhere, everybody. And again a big thank you to Star, without her you would never get your smut! You would be smutless. On the up side though the chapter would have been a lot shorter. But it's not so...

A Witness

"I don't care Shepard." Kaidan yelled.

"I know you don't want to give it up, but we have got to figure out how it works." Shepard answered calmly.

"You didn't even discuss this with me, you just told Joker to head for the Citadel." still yelling.

"I knew you wouldn't like my decision, so yes, I didn't discuss it with you." still calm.

It was a good thing they were alone in the bedroom, because his anger was not abating. "We are a team, hell we are more than that. You always discuss everything with me. How could you disregard my feelings in this so easily?"

"It wasn't easy, but you have to understand. I need to get these enemies, this is personal. I don't want to wait. I want them now. I want them to pay." She said strongly, but still calm.

He grabbed her by her shoulders. "Shepard, they will take this and investigate it yes, but they won't share. You won't get the information you want from them. If in any way they can tie it to the Reapers the council will never release it and certainly not to you!"

"I need the information, Kaidan. I need to stop these beings from taking people." she said pulling away from him.

"Damn it! Why don't you ever trust me? Why is it always a fight with you? I can't believe you would go behind my back like this, that I would have to find out from Garrus!"

She didn't answer him right away. Kaidan could see her concentrating real hard. She took a deep breath. "So your not angry that I want to give it up, your angry that I didn't tell you myself?"

"I am very angry that you want to give it up. I am angry that you didn't tell me. I am angry that you didn't ask me for my opinion. And I am very angry that you don't trust me enough to do this my way for once." He said, still loud but the level was dropping.

"And your way would be...?"

"Let me, Garrus and Adams keep trying to work it out. Between us we have excellent skills and we will be able to work it out. I am just asking you to give me time." Kaidan said finally in his normal voice.

He watched her eyes, he could see that she was angry, but surprisingly she had not lost her temper. He just realized that for all his yelling she didn't even raise her voice. She was concentrating hard again breathing deeply. He was about to ask her about it when she said,

"I do trust you Kaidan, I always have. This is something I will have to think about and I will let you know my decision before we get to the Citadel."

"So we're still going to the Citadel, doesn't that mean that you haven't changed your mind." He was getting louder again.

"No, we were going to the Citadel because I was called back there by the Council. I told Garrus about handing the item over because it had to be safely packed." she told him.

"I still can't believe you would decide to give it up without taking to me. You know, I think your right, I think I am more angry that you didn't talk to me about it first."

"Yeah well I was trying to avoid having an argument about it." she said looking rueful.

"Cause you know your wrong." Kaidan said trying to push her buttons now.

"I am not wrong Alenko!" she snapped, then caught herself. "I just want the information." she said calmly again.

"Alright, that's it, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked.

"You were angry there, just for a moment, then you stopped, that is not like you at all, what is going on?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She turned to leave but he grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him.

"I am not going to let you go until you tell me what is going on." Kaidan told her.

"There is nothing going on, now let me go."

"No."

"Kaidan, you let me go, now!" Shepard said slowly.

He knew she was really starting to get angry now, she hated to not be in control. And she especially hated when he used his strength on her. She was starting to struggle now and she was getting some purchase. He moved them over towards their bunk so he could trap her against something. She tripped him thinking he would lose his hold on her but instead it landed her on his bunk with him on top of her. It gave him the edge he needed to keep her pinned. Of course she could get free if she wanted to hurt him, but he was counting on her not wanting to injure him.

She started to struggle in the most tantalizing way. It was hard for him not to let go and run his hands down her body, but he would never find out what was going on that way. On the other hand he couldn't prevent his body from reacting to hers either. If he let her go now though the only thing he would get for it was dropped on his ass.

"Kaidan Alenko you let me go this instant or I will..." Her struggling was making it harder for him to concentrate, but if he gave in now he would never know what was wrong.

"There! There it is, you wonderful temper, I thought you had lost it. Here I was yelling in your face and your temper never showed. Now tell me what is going on!" He looked in her eyes and the anger was gone. She stopped struggling and she looked guilty.

"I was trying not to be 'that bad'." she said softly.

"What do you mean 'that bad'?" Kiadan asked.

"When I went into see Doc when I was infected with the mucus, she was worried about my anger. I asked her if it was that bad, and she said it was. I was trying not to be that bad. But it was really hard before. You yelling in my face, and I so wanted to let you have it. I don't think that I can keep it up. I don't think I can pretend that I am not angry when I am. I don't think I cannot yell back. It's not easy at all."

"Yeah it's not healthy either, you could give yourself stress illnesses. What made you decide to try that. Did you talk to Doc about it?"

"No I was just trying to yell inside, and not outside that's all." Shepard told him.

"Well I think we need to go back to the way it was okay?"

"You're sure about that?"

"Yeah, holding in your anger, especially your anger, yeah that's not healthy, Shepard." Kaidan told her.

The next thing he knew he was flat on his back halfway across the room and she was striding over to him.

"Don't you ever pin me down like that again or I will give you something to remember me by that will not bring a smile to you face mister. If I want to give that tech over to the Citadel scientists I will and you will just shut up you mouth about it. I am in charge here, not you!" But her words didn't have the impact she wanted them to, because she wasn't really angry anymore. He waited until she was close enough and grabbed her so she fell on top of him.

"Yeah, it only works when you're really angry my dear." he said huskily to her.

"Well I was thinking that all the yelling that was going on in here, no one would dare come in here. And it would be a shame to put what my struggling had caused to waste." she said as he felt her hands start to travel up the sides of his body.

He lifted his head to look into her beautiful eyes and then dropped it back down and groaned.

"Yeah, you're going to shoot me down again aren't you soldier boy?" Shepard said to him.

"You know if it gets too quiet in here they are going to have to check to see if we killed each other. There is no lock on the door, and suspecting that we are fraternizing and confirming it are two different things." He said as he gave himself the pleasure of running his hands up the sides of her body.

"You know Kaidan, one of the things I like about you is your practicality." she said as she got up off him."

"Why thank you Shepard." he said as he stood up.

Shepard went over and stood right in front of him, so he was looking deep into her blue eyes, and he hears her say "it's also one of the things I hate about you." And she knocked him back onto his ass, turned and marched out of the room.

"So Commander we received a Letter of Commendation for you from the planet Prenadee from a Jacob Smith. He thanks us for sending you so quickly to investigate the deaths of his colonists." The asari Councilor said. "I believe this is something the Alliance requested you check out."

"Yes Ma'am, I was in the area when we received the request from Alliance Command." The fact that I was on the planet before they asked they didn't know. "I was glad to help Ma'am" Shepard said.

"And what did you find out in your investigation?" The Councilor asked.

"The colonists were killed by vorcha, there was a dead vorcha found on the scene. We followed the trail of the vorcha ship, but when we got to it there was only a debris field leading us to believe that the ship had a catastrophic failure." Shepard said, not the exact truth, but it was the one they felt safe giving. "It's all in my report Ma'am." She was hoping they wouldn't take time to read the report, since they called her here. If they asked for the item they found, she would have to give it up, and she told Kaidan this morning that she wouldn't.

"Yes your report was most illuminating." Here it comes thought Shepard. "Well do you think the vorcha are invading council space or was this just one small group?"

Shepard took a deep breath in relief. "I believe this was just a band of mercenaries Ma'am, not an invasion force." She looked at the other Councilors but it appeared none of them had actually read the report, not even Anderson, who got it twice since the report went to the Alliance too. She had always suspected that reports were skimmed so when she wrote this one she buried the fact that they found something and were studying it, in the middle of the report not bringing any attention to it as she normally would have. This way they could investigate the item without interference. It looked like her assumptions were correct, no one actually read the whole report. There was a good chance some clerk at the Alliance might read it eventually, but he wouldn't understand the importance of it and wouldn't realize he had to forward it to someone.

"Well Shepard, as usual you do us proud. Please continue your outstanding work." The asari Councilor said dismissing Shepard.

"Yes Ma'am, I will"

As she left the Council Chambers she received a message on her omni tool from Kaidan with coordinates on it. She had given everyone shore leave and it was up to Kaidan to find a place for them since she had to go to the meeting. Walking over to the transport hub she secured transport and locked in the coordinates.

She recognizes the apartment as soon as the transport landed. It was the same apartment she had gotten from Barla Von. She walks up to the door intending to press the alert button when the door swings open and she is pulled inside.

"What took you so long?" he asks. He pulls her close, his lips on her neck.

She shivers as his lips touch the tender spot under her ear. Oh he knows I love that. She closes her eyes and tries to form the words to answer his question but his lips drive the thoughts from her head. "Councilors, you know. Oh!" She can't stifle her moan as he moves down to the hollow of her neck. She still has her armor on and it quickly becomes clear that further exploration is impossible.

He groans. "You have to take you armor off; it's seriously interfering with my attempt to bend you to my will."

Shepard laughs and pulls away from him. She heads towards the bedroom undoing her armor as she walks. "Take off your boots now, they always cause a break in the mood" she tells him. He sits in the chair across from the bed and removes his boots then sits back and watches as she removes hers. She pulls off her chest piece, slowly lifts it over her head knowing his eyes are following her every move.

She unhooks the bottom half of her armor and begins to remove it slowly first one leg, then the other. She can't help but notice his breathe quicken. She slowly walks over to him wearing the reinforced shorts and tee shirt that everyone wears under their armor. He grabs her hips as soon as she is in range, pulling her towards him and she sees the lust in his beautiful brown eyes. She feels his hands working their way under her shirt and dances away.

"Stand up" she tells him. He stands. She walks over to him, and he reaches for her. She pushes his hands away. "Just wait," she tells him. She walks behind him and begins to undress him, slowly removing first his shirt, then his pants, discarding them onto a nearby chair before moving back in front of him. Making sure she stays just out of reach, she very slowly raises her shirt up over her head. She notices his lips part as if he can't get enough air, and runs her fingertips under the waistband from mid stomach to her hips, slowly pulling them off and tossing them away. She reaches around to undo her bra and hears him breathe in sharply as she falls free of her restraints.

As she slowly walks towards him, he reaches up pulling her into his embrace. He still wears his underwear so she slides her hands down to remove the offending garment before moving back into his arms. She feels his hands slowly move down her back, his lips slowly working on her neck again. She moans and feels him smile against her neck. She breathes deeply, drawing in his musky scent, closing her eyes as she feels his hands travel to her backside which he squeezes before lifting her up. She puts her legs around him as he walks over to the bed and lays down with her. She runs her fingers up into his hair pulling his lips up to meet hers. As she explores his mouth she feels his hands manipulating the softer parts of her body in an attempt to keep time with his rhythm. She feels the heat build in her depths as his pace quickens. Her hands try to find purchase on his back as he sends her over the edge. As the fire still courses through her body she hears his sharp intake of breath as he plunges into the fire with her.

As she slowly ascends back to reality, she feels the weight of Kaidan's body on hers. She feels the heat of his breath on her neck where his head rests. She feels his heart beating against hers. She feels content.

Sunlight streaming in the window wakes Shepard from her sleep. She had just thought of something too, something important. She tries to capture the thought, but it's fleeting and she can't quite grasp it. Kaidan has her trapped in his arms as he sleeps and she is unable to turn from the sun. She feels his breath on the back of her neck. She groans and takes the sheet and puts it over her head trying to block the sunlight. Although the sheet only partially blocks the sun it is enough that she can close her eyes and attempt to go back to sleep. Just at she is about to fall asleep the thought returns.

"Documented!" she says aloud.

"Mmmrrm" Kaidan mumbles into the back of her neck and pulls her closer to him.

"Kaidan, wake up."

"Mmm huh." he acknowledges but clearly not waking.

"Kaidan it's important." He kisses the back of her neck, gives her a hug and settles down again clearly not attempting to wake up.

"Alenko up now!" she snaps out and he sits up right away pulling her with him.

"What? What's going on?" he asks her.

"Remember when we talked right after Eden Prime." She asks him.

"Shepard, tell me you did not wake me for a trip down memory lane."

"Seriously do you remember what you said?"

Kaidan yawns, "in what context?"

"When I asked you if you were a career man."

"Yeah I said something about being a biotic and not going undocumented..." and he realizes where she is going with her questions.

"Right you told me that biotics don't go undocumented, which means that we can find the colonies that have any or multiple biotics and check on them. We might get lucky. Come on, get up. We have to get going." Shepard tells him.

"Shepard, it is 0500 hours ship time, you gave the crew shore leave until 1800 hours tonight. We will not be able to leave before then." he reminds her.

"Yeah but we can get the information from the Alliance archives and decide where to go first." She starts to get up but he pulls her back down into the bed.

"Shepard, ship time is Citadel time, since the Normandy was, and the Solice is, assigned to the council Spectre that is sitting in this room ignoring her boyfriend. The Alliance archives won't be open for hours and there is no guarantee that they will be able to provide the information as it was pretty damaged during the fight against Saren."

She frowns at him. "Well there has to be something I can do now."

Kaidan grins at her wickedly then pulls her towards him and commences working oh her neck.

As she feels his lips gently work on that sensitive spot under her ear she says "you know you always..." she catches her breath feeling the heat race down her body, before continuing "Always shoot me down when...oh, wow... Kaidan..." her hands clutch at his chest as he works towards the nape of her neck.

"You have something you want to say to me?" he whispers against her neck, his hands explore her body as his lips and tongue continue their manipulations.

"I wan...umm...I, oh...uh, ah..." She surrenders to his superior will.

The Solice lands on the planet Scolankton. Wrex and Garrus walk behind her as she heads for the spaceport office.

"Tell me again why I couldn't stay on the ship with Alenko and Adams as they work on the item?" Garrus asks her.

"Because I am just not in the mood for Liara today, she always acts weird right after shore leave." Shepard tells him.

"That's because she is jealous of the Lieutenant spending time with you." Wrex says.

"I don't think that's it Wrex. Maybe she just doesn't have a good time on shore leave." Shepard tells him.

"No it's the mating that bothers her." Wrex informs her.

"Wrex, I so don't want to talk about this on so many levels. Please can we just forget about it."

"So I can go and get Liara and stay with Adams and..." Garrus says but is cut off.

"No! Now lets see if we can find the biotics, with any luck they are off working somewhere together." She tells them as they enter the office.

"Bernard Harrison at your service Ma'am. Not everyday you get to meet a Spectre." the gentleman stood as they entered.

"Mr. Harrison, I understand you have three biotics living in this small colony." Shepard asks him.

"Well four as of yesterday. Little Jenny Mattherson just showed her powers. The doctor had been watching her since her ma was accidentally exposed in the 2170's. She was fitted with her implant, but hasn't gone to training yet. Somehow her implant activated prematurely and our biotics, Ronnie, Tesla and Codin, went over to show her how to control it." Harrison explains

"So they are all together, where is this?" Shepard asks him.

Mattherson farm, it's about twelve clicks due east of here.

"Thank you Mr. Harrison." Shepard says and leads the others back outside.

"Garrus you go in and get the mako ready, Wrex tell Kaidan to suit up. If I have an untrained human biotic I am going to need him. You might as well get Liara too, Wrex. Garrus after you get the mako ready, you can stay here with Adams and solve that other mystery for me." Shepard tells them.

Shepard heads over to the spaceport control room to see if there is any way to find out if a stray ship has landed recently. She is disappointed to find out that the control room consists of a desk, a chair and a data pad, that's it. Cursing the backward colony she heads for the ship and sees the mako coming down the ramp. Liara in her red armor and Kaidan in his new camouflage armor walking down the ramp behind it.

"Did Garrus and Wrex bring you up to speed?" she said to them as she started to climb up the mako.

"Yes, do you know how old this child is?" Kaidan asks.

"No, I didn't ask, but he said that the mother was exposed in the 2170's so she can't be more then thirteen."

"That would coincide with puberty, it makes sense, why they didn't get her to training earlier..."

"Well the control room consists of a desk, chair and data pad, why do you think?" Shepard tells him as she drops inside the mako.

Ten minutes later Shepard is looking out the scanner at the farm and she sees gunfire.

"There's gunfire, they are here." she alerts the others.

Wrex stops the mako so they can approach on foot hopefully surprising the kidnappers. Shepard drops down followed by Wrex. Liara and Kaidan follow right behind him.

"Okay Wrex we take the front, Kaidan, you and Liara the rear, remember there are civilians in there, watch your aim."

She walks slowly keeping cover trying to get sight of one of the villains. Walking close to the house she takes a peek around the front and sees a shuttle with two vorcha carrying a body towards it. She pulls out her sniper rifle and gets them both with one shot each. The body drops to the ground and the shuttle takes off before the door is fully closed.

"Shit, Wrex get Kaidan, tell him I need him up front then take Liara and see if you can find any stragglers or survivors." Shepard tells him then runs over to the body on the ground making sure she still keeps her eyes out for anyone who might have gotten left behind.

The body has a field that resembles the one Kaidan had activated on the Salice around it. Shepard sees that it is a young girl maybe eleven or twelve years of age. Her eyes are looking at Shepard with fear in them. Still watching the area around her Shepard talks to the girl.

"Jenny if you can hear me, my name is Commander Shepard and I am here to help you, no one is going to hurt you now."

Shepard sees Kaidan come around the corner also alert for stragglers. He comes over and checks on the girl while Shepard keeps watch.

"Young lady..." Kaidan says.

"Jenny, her name is Jenny." Shepard tells him.

"Jenny, my name is Lieutenant Alenko and I am a medic. I am here to help you." then to Shepard "I don't know what to do to break the field. I have some ideas how to disrupt it, but I wouldn't want to use them on a child that has been traumatized."

"Well we have to try..." as she is talking the field dissipates and the child starts screaming.

Shepard looks at Kaidan. "Well?"

He reaches down to help the girl but she screams louder and pushes away from him heading for Shepard.

"You better get Liara, my child skills are nonexistent." She tells him as she takes the girl in her arms.

"What are you going to do if we have kids?" he asks her.

"Don't you know what to do? Besides, stop the Reapers first, then maybe I'll take a class." she tells him.

"A class, Shepard?"

"Kaidan, get Liara, you can question me about my parenting skills later, but you better bring chocolate."

Shepard rocks the girl in her arms telling her everything will be alright. The girls crying slows. Liara comes around the side with Wrex and Kaidan in tow. She takes off her helmet and sits down in front of Shepard and Jenny.

"Jenny my name is Liara, you want to come sit with me, so the Commander can do what she has to do?" Liara's gentle voice is more inviting than Shepards. Jenny looks up at Shepard who nods at her and then she moves into Liaras arms. Shepard activates her comm.

"Joker lock in on my signal, I need Dr. Chakwas here for a colony child that had been trapped in a stasis field."

"Shouldn't we be going after the vorcha Shepard." Wrex asks.

"What we have here is a real live witness Wrex, besides survivor first. Did you find any other survivors?"

"No Shepard, we didn't."

Liara had been able to calm the child and convince her to allow Kaidan to check her out. He ran into the house and came out with a blanket to wrap her in.

"Can we talk to her?" Shepard asks him.

"No, she is in shock, we will need to get her to Chakwas."

The ship appears as he is talking and proceeds to land in a field that has something green growing in it. Kaidan lifts the girl with Liara still holding onto her so as not to upset the child. They walk over to the ramp where Dr. Chakwas is coming down to meet them.

"Her name is Jenny Matterson, Doc. She is a biotic, untrained." Shepard tells her.

"She was trapped in a stasis field when we found her, the field dissipated on its own. Her vitals are fine but she is in shock." Kaidan adds as he puts her down on the gurney the doctor has brought.

"Jenny, my name is Dr. Chakwas, I am going to make you feel better." Jenny had Liara hand held close to her and was not letting it go.

"It appears that I am coming with you doctor." Liara says.

"Okay, let's get her inside." Dr. Chakwas pushed the gurney back into the ship.

Shepard pulls her helmet off and tosses it into the ship.

"Let's get Garrus and go over this place with a fine tooth comb. If there is anything here, I want it." she tells the men.

"What about the ship?" Wrex asks.

"We can't take the child on a search mission that might get us killed. We won't be able to release the child until she is stable, and shock is not something to mess with. I think we are stuck this time."

"But we were so close this time." Wrex says.

"Not close enough." Kaidan says as he looks at a colonist's body.

"But this time, we have a witness." Shepard says with satisfaction.