A/N: Publishing this second chapter a bit early since the first was rather short. Enjoy! (Revised 5/28/16)

Shepard sat on a bench just outside the hall where she had agreed to meet Kaidan. She had run a few errands, but wanted to be sure she made it there before the ceremony concluded. The wind was in her hair, and the sun shone down on her, warming her skin comfortably. As she waited, she put on her head phones and listened to her favorite symphony, Beethoven's Seventh. She loved old-fashioned music, literature, and art. No matter what else happened or where ever she was, those things would always be there for her.

As she listened to the symphony, she began checking up on local events. She was given a few days leave to explore before she began her new assignment, and had always wanted to hear a full symphony in concert using traditional, acoustic instruments. The instruments used in space were always electric versions, which she felt couldn't possibly do the music justice.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a sea of navy blue and gold uniforms emerge from the building. Her heart began to speed up with anticipation, which caught her off guard. She had always been very independent, a trait likely attributed to the frequency with which she moved during her upbringing. She had never been romantically involved before; she hadn't seen the point. She knew it would end as soon as her parents had to move to a new assignment, or the boy's for that matter. She had joined the Alliance about a year or two ago, and had been far too focused on her new career to even notice the amount of marines who had been interested in her. The unfamiliar feeling of her heart beat fluttering fascinated her. This must be what 'butterflies in your stomach' feels like. She had read the phrase many times, but never before could relate to it.

The first movement of the symphony came to its conclusion, and as if on cue, Shepard heard a husky voice behind her.

"There you are," Kaidan said, the sun glistening in his amber eyes. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, actually, your timing was perfect," Shepard said as she removed her headphones and closed the applications on her omni-tool.

"Listening to music?" Kaidan inquired, smiling.

"Yeah," Evelyn let her voice trail off. She didn't really share this hobby with anyone else she met, and felt too embarrassed to offer the information without specifically being asked. Part of her hoped he would, and part of her was nervous as to what his response would be. Why should you care what he thinks? What's going on with you? She thought to herself.

"Anything good?"

Kaidan curiously asked.

Good? She thought. "The best," she replied. "My absolute favorite. Beautiful music to accompany a beautiful day." She managed to avoid saying exactly what she was listening to, but Kaidan pried more, asking her what specifically what it was.

"Beethoven's Seventh Symphony," she replied, blushing a bit. Not many people knew about her love for classical music.

"Seventh Symphony?" Kaidan responded curiously, "I mean, I've heard of Beethoven before, and of, I think, the fifth and the ninth symphonies, but not of the seventh."

"It's not nearly as famous as it should be," Evelyn smirked. She was pleased that he knew of Beethoven, was slightly familiar with his works, and hadn't laughed at her confession. "You should listen to it sometime."

"I will." Kaidan smiled and Evelyn's heart raced even faster. You fool, calm yourself down. You're a soldier, he's a soldier. He's just here to show you around, that's all. Stop acting like this is the start of one of those classic romance novels you secretly read.

"So, Evelyn, right? May I call you that?" His voice snapped her from her thoughts.

"Sure, Kaidan," her naturally pink lips beamed at him.

"Great. Are you hungry? There's this amazing café with the best view of the bay. It's also kind of tucked away, so it shouldn't be insanely busy with all the graduates and their visitors like some of the other places."

"That sounds wonderful," Evelyn like the idea of some place quiet. She had never been a huge fan of crowds, and was glad there were less of them here on base than on a space ship or station. She noticed, though, that Kaidan didn't have any family to meet with like many others did after his graduation. Surely his parents would have come, right? She figured it wasn't her place to ask; she didn't know him well enough yet to pry into what could be something very personal.

Kaidan offered his hand to help her up, and instinctively, she took it. Such a gentleman, she thought. Ugh, you have got to cut back on the romance novels, Evelyn.

Kaidan opened the door to the car and ushered Evelyn in, and noticed her cheeks were a bit pink. Is she blushing? Kaidan thought as he closed the door and moved around to the driver's side. Did I make her blush? No way, Kaidan. Don't get your hopes up. You're just showing her around town. You don't even know the girl yet. Kaidan got in the driver's seat and turned on the car. The familiar sound of The Beatles came on loudly in time with the engine. He liked to listen to his rock and roll at full-blast.

"Sorry!" Kaidan exclaimed as he turned the volume down.

"That's quite alright," Evelyn replied, giggling. "It's just 'A Day in the Life,' after all."

She had correctly identified the song from barely hearing a measure; Kaidan was surprised and impressed. "You know The Beatles?!" Maybe I do have a chance with her. The thought excited him.

First, they visited a small café which overlooked the English Bay. Shepard was amazed at how fresh the chicken on her sandwich tasted - food that she was used to having on space stations was rarely not frozen. Kaidan and Evelyn barely stopped chatting while they were out together, and the more time the two spent together, the more they realized all the things they had in common. They both preferred tea to coffee, and cats to dogs, among other things.

After lunch, they went to Stuart Park and walked along the bay. Shepard was in awe at the scenery, but Kaidan's eyes were focused on her smile and eyes. Huh, now they look green, he thought, mesmerized by the way they seemed to change color.

Kaidan chose a part of the park where you could rent a canoe to take around and see other parts of the gorgeous scenery. He had his favorite spot, where he would often go to reflect on things when he was a teenager.

"Shall we?" Kaidan said, gesturing towards the small boat.

"Sure! Though, I have to warn you, I've also never been on a boat," Evelyn replied.

"A lot of firsts today, eh?" He smiled.

"I suppose so." Her grin stretched a mile wide. This was probably as happy as she had ever been. And with someone I barely know, she , spending time with Kaidan feels so natural. Organic. It doesn't at all feel like spending the day with a stranger. Kaidan, already in the canoe, carefully guided Evelyn onto the boat with his firm, strong hands. "Welcome aboard, Shepard." He said, smirking.

"Thank you, Alenko," she replied back, as if in character. She would have lost her balance getting in if it weren't for Kaidan's guidance and strength. He took the oars and began to row them out a short distance from the shore.

"So, where are we headed?" Shepard inquired as the water rippled gently around the canoe.

"My favorite spot. You can only get to it by boat." Kaidan's husky voice spoke, not even slightly strained as he rowed.

Their conversation was very light as they traveled along the shore. Evelyn was in awe of the Earth's beauty and it left her lost for words. Kaidan watched her as her silver eyes sparkled, reflecting shades of blue and green in addition to grey. It pleased him to see her so happy and full of wonderment. A few minutes later, they had finally arrived.

"Well…Here we are." Kaidan dropped the oars and wiped a few drops of glistening sweat from his forehead. Shepard was left speechless at the sight of her surroundings. The piney woods glowed in the sunlight, and lush green brush cascaded over the side of the cliff, a natural work of art. When she didn't reply, Kaidan continued. "I used to come here all the time as a teen. Few people tend to row all the way out here. I always found solace here."

"It's incredible," Evelyn said, a bird that matched the color of her crimson hair catching her eye. "Not just the scenery, the wildlife, too," she said, pointing out the bird. Finally, she turned back to Kaidan, light dancing in her silver eyes. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"Anytime," Kaidan replied. The two continued to converse, losing track of time. Before they knew it, the sun had begun to set, and Kaidan noticed Evelyn shivering. Without hesitation, he began to unbutton the jacket of his dress blues, wearing a simple navy blue undershirt beneath it. Shepard noticed that he wasn't excessively burly, but his muscles were toned and strong, and she found her heart began to race again. "Here," he offered her his jacket, and she took it and wrapped it around her, thanking him.

"I suppose I ought to start rowing us back." Kaidan said in response to the setting sun. "We don't want to get caught out here once the sun has already finished setting. It can get pretty dark." He smiled, his amber orbs glistening. "I'm sure you'll enjoy the sunset on the way back, though." And she certainly did. The sky was painted beautiful shades of orange, red, purple, and blue. The clouds were almost a faint pink, outlined with a bright red. As Shepard and Kaidan approached the shore, the stars began to shine atop the horizon, indicating that sadly, this day was coming to an end.

But there certainly can be more days like this. Evelyn smiled, allowing herself to finally give in to the thought of spending more time with Kaidan, and forgiving herself for feeling attracted to him. Her blissful thoughts were suddenly interrupted by her stomach growling loudly; she hadn't realized she was hungry until now. Kaidan's face showed that he heard her, and the two chuckled.

"Let's get you some dinner," he said with his deep voice. "Steak?"

"Steak sounds amazing." It was one of the things they discovered they both loved that day. Evelyn continued to wear Kaidan's coat, and it dawned on her that to any bystander, she and Kaidan probably looked like a couple. She grinned, not minding the thought at all.

After dinner, they returned to base, and Kaidan walked Evelyn to her apartment. It didn't surprise him to learn that she lived on his floor, seeing as he met her waiting for the elevator. As they approached her door, Kaidan stepped closer to her deliberately, though it might not have appeared that way to Evelyn. She's so beautiful. He cleared his throat slightly, nervously. "Well, uh, I guess this is good night. It was a pleasure, Evelyn."

Shepard beamed back at him and spoke appreciatively. "I can't thank you enough for showing me around today. I wouldn't have known where to start. I had a great time today." She paused before she hesitantly continued. "I'll see you around, Kaidan, ok?"

"You can count on it," Kaidan responded, planting a gentle, but firm kiss on her cheek. He turned the corner and walked away, too afraid to see or hear her reaction.

If he had turned around, he would have noticed that in spite of how dark the corridor was, it was obvious that Evelyn was blushing a shade of red not too far from the color of her hair.

A/N: Again, thanks to anyone who might be reading! I hope you enjoyed this, and please feel free to send me any feedback you may have!