Sorry about the long wait folks I've been out of touch with civilisation let alone my editor or fact checker and I had a bit of writers block so as the title says this is just a bit of filler. I'm going to be home a little more so I should get back to updating quicker. Hope you guys dont mind this chapter, not my best work but I hope to hit the next chapter with a bit more gusto.

Chapter 7

A little filler

Travelling to the Artemis Tau sector only took a day but we had to stop and scan most planets in each system since we had nothing to go off of except that Liara was excavating in the sector and nothing else. Spending time on the ship is pretty boring as I don't have any official duties. I tended to go down to cargo bay and workout as there was weights and equipment behind the Mako. I also worked on my Biotics by moving things around and practicing my precision. Wrex tended to stare at me as I used my Biotics like he was analyzing me as an opponent. Ashley helped me learn more about working on my weapons.

Getting super bored I tended to hang around whoever wasn't on shift, usually Garrus but I started to hang out with Ash as well and we started playing poker with Garrus. One night when we were playing down in the cargo bay Shepard happened to come down and find us playing. "Hey since when do you guys play Skillian Five?" She asked us as we froze thinking we might have gotten in trouble.

"Uh, were sorry?" I say uncertain of what I should say.

"Calm down you aren't in trouble, I'm just wondering why you didn't invite me."

"You want us to deal you in?" I ask.

"Sure why not. Just be nice I haven't played in a long time so go easy on me."

Thinking I'd heard about something like this I decide I might not be so cautious with her. After an hour Shepard had taken us all for everything but our clothes and seemed pretty intent on taking them as well. Getting frustrated as I'm usually a pretty good poker player I get up to leave. "Well now that you have reduced me to an out of work cop without any savings I think I better leave before you add nudity to my list of recent accomplishments."

Getting a laugh from most everyone except Shepard; who just looked at me up and down and blushed said "Well we could always change to strip poker then to make it fair." I stop so quickly I slip and fall on my ass much to everyone's amusement.

"You're kidding right? I mean I'm not sure what regs would say but I'm pretty sure that's not allowed." I splutter from my seat on the cold floor.

Everyone keeps laughing apparently not noticing Shepard's embarrassment as they are too intent on my stupidity on the floor. "Maybe I'll need to get everyone drunk before we try that one." Shepard says recovering quickly.

Trying to save face I bolt for the elevator trying to pound the button to make it go quicker. Making my way into my room I sit at my desk in the corner flustered and not sure what to do with myself. I strip off my shirt and leave just my fatigue pants on as the ship seemed to run the internal a little hot. Finding a distraction on the extranet I start reading a book off my omni-tool when I hear a knock at my door. Getting up I go to the door and open it to find an extremely mortified Shepard standing there blushing. "What's up?" I ask.

"Uh...um you" Not comprehending a word she is saying she simply indicates my shirtless state.

"Oh sorry." I grab a sleeveless shirt and throw it on.

Seeming slightly less terrified she walks in and I notice she has a bottle in her hand. "I wanted to apologise I didn't mean to embarrass you Milo."

Slightly taken a back I wave my hands like a moron saying "Ah don't worry about it I just get flustered easily when it comes to good looking women saying things like that." Suddenly realizing what I just said I get incredibly red in the face as Shepard lets out a small laugh as she also gets red "Uh I mean to say that… Ah hell I got nothing Shepard, your just really attractive and I'll look more like an idiot if I saying anything else."

Sitting on my bed she just laughs at me and says "Don't worry I appreciate someone who actually compliments me like that rather than just hearing them whisper 'She has a great ass' as I walk by." She says the last bit with a bit of venom in her voice.

"Well if you like I could compliment your ass but I try to wait until you're out of earshot first." I say in a joking tone trying to lighten her mood.

Giving me a small smile she says "No that's alright but at least I know where your looking now so maybe I'll just put you on point from now on so you aren't distracted by me out front."

Laughing at her joke she seems happier and starts laughing as well. "Well I don't think you came to just hear me act like an idiot so what's up Shep?"

Waving the bottle to me she says "Figured I'd share this rum with you as an apology. It's pretty old, turn of the century from the Dominican."

"Well damn Shep you sure know how to twist my arm. I love rum especially dark rum, I've even had some from the Dominican from around that year as well it's excellent."

"Great then grab some cups and lets break this sucker open."

Grabbing some real crystal sipping cups I keep for this sort of thing I make my way over to sit beside Shepard on my bed. As she starts the rum into my cup I suddenly look at her with suspicion and say "Wait you aren't trying to get me to play strip poker now that were drinking are you?"

Looking thoughtful for a moment I go red and she starts laughing "No just a coincidence."

"Ok then pour away my captain." Sipping my drink I admire how smooth it goes down. Shepard takes a drink but seems to be studying me. "What? You still thinking about me with my shirt off?" I say teasingly.

"Actually I was wondering about your tattoo's. What does this one mean?" She says pointing at my right arm were my claddagh was.

Getting quiet for a second I point at design saying "Well this is called a claddagh. It's an old Irish symbol. It's made of hands, a heart and a crown. The hands represent friendship, the heart love and the crown loyalty."

"Wow. I just thought it was something random, that's really cool. Why did you get it?"

I look at my cup in my hands and take a minute before I reply "It was on mine and my wife's wedding rings. I'm Irish and she liked the design so much we had rings made like it. After we got married I had it put on my arm."

Looking a little ashamed she says "I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I saw in your file what happened to her."

Waving it off I say "No it's alright. Garrus always says I need to talk about it sometimes. Says it's not healthy to keep it bottled up inside."

Trying to change the mood she asks about the fact that I have a chain and Irish knot attached to the top of the tattoo and asks me about it. Getting up I make her squeak as I take off my shirt to show her that it runs across the top of my back all the way to my left arm were I have an emblem of crossed daggers over a rose inside a badge. "It's supposed to be like an old chain that people wore a long time ago. The left arm is just something from the old cover of a band that I really like." After she asked about all my other tattoo's on my body somehow making me keep my shirt off.

We quickly empty the bottle and once we started falling over and into each other we realized that we were drunk and decide to call it a night. Getting up she suddenly falls over right on top of me. Giggling she lifts her head up above mine and looks into my eyes. Damn she has beautiful bright emerald green eyes. Gulping I fidget a bit as she seems to be interrogating me through my eyes in total silence. Looking like she is contemplating what to do I see her eyes kinda roll back in her head. Oh crap! "Crack!" Her head nails me on mine and we both go out like lights.

Waking up in the morning the first thing I notice is a massive headache. Groaning I try to rise up then realize that I'm not on my bed and something heavier than a blanket is on top of me. Gah what the hell! Shepard is passed out on top of me snoring lazily and clinging to me like her life depends on it. Bahahaha she looks to cute. She is curled up into me in the fetal position and seems content to sleep the day away. Clearing my throat I bring her to consciousness with a start. "Bah what the hell?" She yelps falling off me sideways as I start laughing hysterically.

"You passed out last night and nailed me in the head with your own and knocked me out. At least that's what I think happened. You did somehow manage to get my shirt off though." Seeing her go six shades of red made me break down into more hysterics.

"Oh cram it you!" She says throwing my shirt at me while tears roll down my face as she waits for me.

Putting on my shirt I compare notes on what happened the night before confirming that we both recall nothing else awkward happening. Satisfied she thanked for drinking with her and beat a hasty retreat trying to avoid people seeing her leave my quarters.

After puttering around my room I go out for breakfast and am just sitting down to eat when I hear this over the intercom "All specialist and ground team members report to the comm room. We found the doctor and are going in for extraction." Jamming a piece of toast down my throat. Well this should be fun.