A/N: Hey guys :) This chapter doesn't have too much action but it's more parts from the DLC and a few of my own added bits. Hope that's okay!

Onward!

Chapter Six

Some guy named Khan wound up being the person who sold the mastermind the gun Shepard picked up. The voices were distorted but clearly these were the ones involved, and the group vowed to get to the bottom of this. Kaidan himself wondered why anyone would go through so much trouble to kill Shepard. He'd known the man for a while – years – and he couldn't think of who would go through this much trouble and risk so much.

The only way into the party Khan was hosting, though, was to dress up for the occasion. Three of them could go – Shepard and two others. Kaidan was relieved Shepard picked him despite the fact he himself didn't like dressing up as much as Shepard hated it. He would be damned if he let the man go here alone, though. Brooks also came with them since Tali and EDI would probably be noticed if they were the ones sneaking through the vents so they could get Khan in his panic room and interrogate him.

Kaidan was looking forward to getting to the bottom of this. He was looking forward to putting it behind them so they could get back to their shore leave they so desperately needed.

As soon as this was over Kaidan was going to bring in Dr. Chakwas to thoroughly examine Shepard and make sure he hadn't really overdone it with using his biotics while he was already under strict instructions not to, and when he was hurt as well.

At the moment, though, he joined Shepard on the red carpet leading into the casino, where the party was being held. Shepard eyed him up and down, a slow grin forming on his face and Kaidan felt his ears burn despite the fact he was currently doing the same to Shepard. He rarely ever saw the man in formal attire after all. Then again he rarely ever saw him in anything other than his Alliance uniform.

Kaidan himself was guilty of that as well, he knew.

"How come I've never seen you dressed up like this?" Shepard asked as they walked next to Brooks toward the Casino's entrance.

"I've got to have some secrets," Kaidan replied with a sly grin, causing Shepard to shake his head and laugh as they pushed through the front doors. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs while Brooks went over the plan with them, before she took off on her own.

Kaidan and Shepard stayed at the bottom of the stairs a moment longer.

"Think this will work?" Kaidan asked.

"It's all we've got," Shepard replied.

"Not exactly reassuring."

"Sorry. But if not we'll think of a plan B."

Kaidan nodded, fully believing the commander when he said that because that was what Shepard did – he always had a backup plan, no matter how crazy or reckless it was, and that relieved Kaidan just as much as it worried him.

"Shall we?"

Kaidan nodded and the two walked up the large staircase toward the interior of the casino.

They were told to mingle. Kaidan nervously looked around. As he once told Shepard, he wasn't very good at mingling. People thought him too quiet and shy, which he was, in a way. It never worked out very well and he tended to avoid parties all-together, especially if it meant he had to dress up.

Except right now he couldn't avoid the party, because someone was trying to kill his commander and there was no way he was letting Shepard out of his sight, even if it was to a party. Besides, he knew Shepard was just as uncomfortable as he was, never one to go to parties as the man rarely ever drank unless it was to celebrate something, or in the privacy of his cabin. Shepard was just as uncomfortable as him, hating dressing up, so if he could do it, Kaidan could too.

So he had to endure this party. At least he had Shepard at his side, which was always an excellent confidence booster, as he was coming to find out. Once he told the human ambassador (before he went evil and sided with Cerberus and tried to have the Council killed) that he was selling them out, and that was because of Shepard's influence and the fact his commander had in fact been standing right next to him. He never would have voiced such a bold opinion otherwise, he knew.

"Okay, mingle," Shepard said, frowning, "I can do that."

"Sure can," Kaidan said with a nod.

Shepard shrugged and walked up to a random woman who instantly included him in her conversation. Shepard looked out of place in the discussion about show biz but he handled himself well enough. Kaidan watched quietly from the sidelines until Shepard managed to get away.

"Let's not mingle with them again." The mild irritation in his voice and the scowl on his face had the sentinel laughing.

Kaidan grinned. "Agreed."

Instead they went around to the other side of the casino and placed a few random bets on holographic races. Shepard won two, lost one, and walked away. Kaidan quietly followed after him.

Eventually Brooks called them upstairs because she was having trouble with the vent. Shepard helped disarm a camera and the wiring connected to the vent, and then returned to Brooks. She gave him some kind of contact lenses Liara made for him (it was supposed to help him see the wires in the floor or something like that) and Kaidan had to admit they looked a little freaky on him. He was used to bright blue eyes – not bright, glowing gold. It made him look all the more intense.

After that they were free to mingle again. Kaidan noticed the dance floor right next to them and all the people dancing, but he knew Shepard wouldn't go for it. Shepard hated dancing and wasn't very good at it because he never tried, but Kaidan thought it might be fun… and when would they ever get the chance to do this again?

Besides, this was also their shore leave and they were there to relax. What better way to relax than to let loose and look ridiculous on the dance floor? He had no way of bringing it up with the commander, though, because the words got lodged in his throat.

Shepard must have noticed his gaze, though, because he sighed, grabbed Kaidan's hand and led him toward the dance floor. Kaidan couldn't stop grinning the whole time.

They danced for a few minutes, to two different songs, both too fast for them to really get close to each other or anything, and then Shepard walked away. Kaidan followed after him, still unable to stop smiling.

"You enjoyed that too much," Shepard muttered.

"Nah, I enjoyed it just enough," Kaidan said.

Brooks interrupted Shepard from replying, asking him for help downstairs because there was a guard right below her. Shepard sighed and he and Kaidan wandered downstairs to distract the guard. Shepard wove a tale of a fake red sand drug addict in the men's room and the guard left to take care of it. Then they were free to mingle again.

"You know… we could just mingle with each other," Shepard said, eying an empty table.

Kaidan nodded, smiling. "Yes, we could, Commander."

They walked toward the empty table and sat down across from each other.

"So… anything new?" Shepard asked.

Well this is mildly awkward.

But in a good way, because it was just the two of them and it had been a while since they just sat down and talked.

"Not really," Kaidan replied. "You?"

"New people trying to kill me. Fell through a fish tank."

Kaidan shook his head. "Yeah. I saw that."

And let's never let it happen again.

"Tali was very upset that I broke their floor."

"Yeah, she told me as much."

"I think I need to make it up to her."

"She'll get over it," Kaidan said with a shrug. "At least you're okay." A pause. "You are, right?"

Shepard shrugged. "Hurt like hell when it happened but I'll live."

You better. But I'm still sicking Chakwas on you, you reckless idiot.

Kaidan nodded. "Good, I'd be upset if you died during our date."

Shepard smirked. "Is this a date?"

"Why not? You're dressed up, I'm dressed up, we danced, we're talking…"

"Alright, fine, a date," Shepard said with a chuckle.

"I think this is our first one," Kaidan pointed out as the realization dawned on him. One could maybe count their dinner together at the Presidium as a 'date' but he didn't really count that, as that was when they decided to give this a try.

"Is it?"

"Yeah… not much time to go on a proper date while you're leading the war for survival."

And when you're always being so damn reckless.

"I hear that," Shepard said with a smirk. "I like to think we make up for it in the time we do manage to spend together."

Kaidan grinned. "Oh, that we do, Commander."

"This is nice, K." Shepard's voice was soft, quiet. A tone full of sincerity and Kaidan found himself relaxing.

"It is. We should do it more often, after the war."

Shepard's gaze darted away briefly, before he nodded. "Yeah. We should."

"There is going to be an after, Ryan."

There had to be, right? Otherwise, what were they fighting for? Death? An honorable demise? No, hell no. There was going to be a later, an after, and he was going to go spend it with Shepard and make up for lost time.

"Maybe," Shepard agreed with a sigh. "I just hope…"

"Yeah…" Kaidan said, capturing the twitching hand across the table, "we all do."

It was about that time Brooks decided to contact them again. A few minutes later they joined her in the panic room. Kaidan cracked his knuckles and circled around the desk while Shepard told Khan that they did not want to hurt him, they only wanted answers. Honestly Kaidan could go for hurting the guy – he was part of the reason Shepard's life was being threatened at the moment, and that was not okay.

When he walked around the desk, though, he found Khan to already be dead. He spun the chair around with a sigh. "And here I had this good cop routine all planned out."

Shepard quirked a brow at him. It was that moment the vid screen above Khan's dead body turned on and a distorted figure began talking with a voice scrambler.

The guy spoke of how he wanted Shepard dead and how he was going to take away everything he was and everything he had. Then it ended and Brooks couldn't trace the call, and Shepard stormed out of the room with a scowl on his face. Kaidan quickly followed after him.

Like hell, you're not doing anything of the sort.

"Great party," Kaidan commented as they returned to Shepard's apartment, "though not so fun for the host."

Shepard shook his head. EDI and Brooks headed toward the back of the apartment and began working on finding what little data remained. In the meantime Kaidan followed Shepard upstairs.

"You okay, Ryan?"

"Yeah. Just… Tired."

Kaidan nodded, watching him. "Maybe you should sleep."

Shepard's scoff was bitter. "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

"Don't even joke about that," Kaidan snapped, glaring.

Shepard sighed and scrubbed a hand across his face. "Sorry. I just… I'm gonna shower. Hate dressing up."

There was more to it than that, Kaidan knew, but he wasn't going to push the matter at the moment. Instead he took a step closer to Shepard.

"Think I'll join you, Commander. Never know who might be lurking about."

Shepard smirked, hands reaching for him, lightly tugging at his shirt. "In my shower, Major?"

"Mm, yes. Can never be too safe."

"I hear that."

It was just the two of them. Everyone had left for the night except Garrus, who insisted on staying to make sure no one tried to break into the apartment. Shepard begrudgingly gave him one of the downstairs bedrooms before he joined Kaidan upstairs. Tomorrow they were all going to regroup and think of another plan. Kaidan was fairly certain they all realized how exhausted Shepard was, the commander practically swaying on his feet. Finally they left and Kaidan all but drug him upstairs.

"Sleep," he ordered.

"There's too much to do," Shepard said, even as he lay down, body doing what his mind argued against.

"That wasn't a suggestion."

"I think I'm in charge here," Shepard said, blinking at him.

"Not when you're dead on your feet. I'm having Chakwas come in the morning."

"What? No. I'm fine," Shepard said, instantly struggling to sit up even as Kaidan place his hand on the commander's chest, halting him.

"No," he said quietly, watching him, "you're really not."

"Kaidan-"

The sentinel's eyes narrowed. "Do you know how lucky you are to even be alive?"

Shepard's mouth snapped shut.

"Exactly. So just… don't argue with me." He took in a breath, fingers curling faintly into the fabric of Shepard's shirt. "Just… let me take care of you."

Shepard was quiet for a long moment, before he nodded, relenting with a sigh as he dropped back down on the bed. Kaidan didn't remove his hand, though, finding comfort in that contact even though he knew he should really pull away. Shepard was okay, he himself was okay, everything was okay.

Except it's not.

Shepard had done very little today except walk around the casino and still he was exhausted. His wounds were closing nicely but Kaidan knew he had to still be sore. And he'd used his biotics when he wasn't supposed to, and he hadn't been checked over by Dr. Chakwas yet.

"She's going to come in the morning," Kaidan said. "And you're going to submit to any tests she wants to run."

"Oh, am I?"

"Yes. You are."

Shepard sighed, almost pouting. "I'll do whatever she wants as long as it doesn't get in the way of this investigation."

Kaidan took in a breath and nodded, knowing that was all he could hope for. It was too much to ask for Shepard to sit this one out even though he wanted to tell him to do exactly that. To just sit this one out for once and let the others handle it, but Kaidan knew he wouldn't go for that. At all.

Kaidan turned the lights off and crawled into bed next to the brunette.

Shepard's mouth was fire down his chest and stomach, igniting and tingling in all the right ways, and Kaidan's eyes snapped open as he gasped, hands reaching for the source of that heat. Shepard easily slid back up the length of his body, a grin plastered on his face as he captured Kaidan's mouth with his own.

"Good morning," he said.

Kaidan tried to respond but found himself moaning as Shepard eased back down his body, sitting on his legs, fingers teasing the line of his sweat pants. He wasn't sure when he'd lost his shirt but thank God it was gone.

Shepard stopped, then, easily sliding away from him, a smug grin plastered on his face as Kaidan tossed him a quick glare.

"Don't stop," he said almost petulantly, like a little kid.

"I'd love to continue, K, but someone decided to have a doctor come see me in the wee morning hours," Shepard said with a breathy laugh as he landed a quick kiss on Kaidan's lips before he crawled out of bed.

"What?"

It was hard to think at the moment.

I think I said something like that…

Right?

"So you'll just have to wait until later and be a good boy until then. Think you can handle that?"

Shepard's look offered a challenge and Kaidan smirked.

"What's my prize?"

"That depends, K – what do you want?"

"Oh. I can think of a few things."

Shepard grinned. "All in good time. Right now Chakwas is waiting downstairs. I came to wake you up." That sly smirk was back. "I take it you're sufficiently awake?"

"Goddamn right I am," Kaidan all but muttered, finally managing to sit up. "Where did my shirt go?"

Shepard looked across the room, near the Jacuzzi.

"How did…?"

Shepard's face was the picture of innocence even though Kaidan knew it was a lie.

"Is this payback?"

"For Chakwas? Why, Kaidan, I would never dream of such a thing."

Kaidan rolled his eyes, getting to his feet. He crossed the room and picked up his forgotten shirt, turning to find Shepard gone. With a sigh he pulled the shirt on, fixed a stiff situation further down his body, and left the room, heading downstairs.

He found Dr. Chakwas sitting with Shepard on the couch in the living room, checking his pupils and everything. The orange glow of her omni-tool flashed as Kaidan entered the kitchen, intent on getting some coffee to help… take his mind off things.

After he'd started a pot he joined the two of them in the living room.

"Where's Garrus?" he asked, remembering that the turian stayed there last night even though, as Shepard kept saying, it was completely unnecessary.

"Tali and him went to get breakfast," Shepard said, scowling at Dr. Chakwas' omni-tool, leaving Kaidan frowning as he plopped down next to him.

"Everything okay, Doc?"

"His oxygen levels are low," she said. "And his heart-rate is elevated."

Kaidan frowned. "Is that bad?"

Well, she wouldn't be mentioning it if it was good.

"I will need to run further tests." Now she glared at the commander. "I told you not to use your biotics for a while."

Shepard scowled. "It was like two times and the alternative was getting blown up with a grenade. I don't think that's very good for my health either."

"Yeah, how's his wound?" Kaidan asked.

She shook her head. "It's healing quite nicely on its own. I could administer medi-gel but I don't think it's really necessary. That's not what concerns me."

"You're concerned?"

Of course she is, you idiot.

It was why he'd called her down here, after all – because he himself was concerned.

Shepard leaned back into the couch cushions. "I'm fine," he muttered, folding his arms across his chest.

"You're not," Chakwas said, causing Kaidan's spine to stiffen. "I don't think you understand the severity of the situation." Her gaze slid toward Kaidan. "Perhaps you can talk some sense into him."

Kaidan sighed. "It's not that easy…"

"Still here, guys," Shepard muttered. "And I'm fine."

" 'Fine' is a relative term," the doctor said. "I know you have your duties as a commander, but the truth of the matter is that your system is barely stable at the moment. If you use your biotics again it could trigger a multitude of side effects inevitably ending in your system shutting down."

"Shutting down?" Kaidan echoed.

Why do I really not like the sound of that…

Even Shepard's expression contorted in confused worry.

That's not good.

"Yes," Chakwas said seriously. "I'd put you on medical leave if you weren't already on shore leave."

Shepard shook his head. "You're overreacting."

"I'm afraid I'm not, Commander."

I knew it was bad!

He just hadn't thought… it'd be this bad.

Then again, it was bound to happen. Shepard never rested. Kaidan himself knew the risks of being a biotics – overdoing it was always a concern because the biotics would draw energy from the rest of the body, which would eventually shut down vital functions and could potentially lead to death. But Kaidan was careful – all biotics were, except Shepard.

In truth Shepard couldn't afford to be careful – Kaidan knew that. Understood it on some level, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"I'll make sure he rests, Doc," Kaidan said sincerely, even as Shepard tossed him a look, halfway between a glare and irritation.

I don't care. You're resting.

Enough had already happened on this shore leave, after all. Kaidan was going to be damned if he let Shepard overdo it under his watch. There was only so much a person could take before…

But he wouldn't let that happen. He'd already failed once; he wouldn't fail again.

No matter the cost.

Shepard was worth it.

A/N: And there's that chapter. I hope it sounds okay! I'm kind of doing this as I go because I found that the more I try to plan things out, the worse of I usually am in writing them :P So you're getting it raw ;) Hope that's okay. Thanks for reading and please review!

~Muffy the Dough Slayer~