Chasing Starlight – Chapter 20 – Stay

A/N: Thank you to everyone who left a review! I'm sorry if I didn't reply - it looks like ffnet is being goofy again about this! I truly appreciate you all though!

I hope you enjoy this chapter. :) I'm particularly excited about the next one!

"Can we talk about what happened?" Evelyn's soft words pierced the silent apartment, barely more than a whisper, somewhere between confident and nervous.

Kaidan turned his body to face her, sighed, and sat back down next to her on the sofa. "That's probably a good idea."

Evelyn blinked up at him, trying to figure out where to start. A million questions raced through her mind. Does he regret it? Does he still want to be with me? Does he…love me? Or is he leaving me? Was this all a mistake?

Kaidan let out a light chuckle as he watched her. "You know you get a certain look when you're asking yourself a million questions and analyzing things in your head, right? Let me help you." Kaidan took her nervous, fidgeting hands into his warm, strong, certain ones. "I don't regret a thing. I'm sorry if I gave you mixed signals a minute ago, I'm just…being my usual cautious self, I guess."

Evelyn smiled slightly. "And I'm being my usual over-thinking self. Good thing we're communicating with each other." She giggled lightly.

Kaidan traced circles on the tops her Shepard's hands with his thumbs. "Yeah…"

The slight crease in his brow and downward angle of his head suggested he was worried about something. Evelyn ceased her light-hearted attitude, matching his seriousness as she spoke. "You're worried about what happens now, aren't you?"

Kaidan nodded. "Aren't you? I was uncertain before Pressly came by, but with the news that we're going to be court-martialed…what if they ask about our…relationship?"

"I won't lie," Evelyn stated matter-of-factly. "But I also won't volunteer any information unless they specifically ask if you and I are romantically involved."

"That's fair," Kaidan admitted. "I wouldn't lie to brass, either. Not that it would do any good. I'm sure someone figured us out. I guess we just have to hope they don't ask, then."

Shepard nodded in agreement before continuing. "We need to be even better about keeping things separate from work when we return to active duty," Evelyn noted. "I still want you on my crew. You're an incredible soldier, Kaidan."

Kaidan smiled widely. "Thanks, Shepard. There's no place I would rather serve than the Normandy. You're right, we'll do better. But for now, we're not on active duty, and I want to take advantage of this time as much as possible…that is, if that's what you want." Kaidan scratched the back of his neck.

Evelyn cupped Kaidan's chiseled jaw in her light fingers, and their eyes met. "There's nothing I want more than to spend my shore-leave with you."

Kaidan's mouth gently met Shepard's. Their lips lingered, firmly but gingerly pressed together. Evelyn's breath hitched in her throat and her heart skipped a beat as Kaidan's hands smoothed across the back of her head and intertwined with her hair. He tugged on her crimson locks gently, pulling her in closer as their kiss grew more passionate.

Evelyn's omni-tool pinged, indicating a new urgent message, but the two ignored it. Seconds later, Kaidan's did the same, and the pair gave it the same lack of attention. Almost perfectly spaced like the first two potential interruptions, a third occurred, this time both their 'tools going off at the same time. The two reluctantly withdrew for air. "You should probably check that," they both stated at the same time, giggling afterward.

The first message they had each received was the time for their courts-martial tomorrow – 1000 hours for Kaidan, 1100 for Shepard. The second was a message both had been copied on concerning personal affects aboard the Normandy. Shepard's didn't warrant a reply; she had everything she needed for leave in her apartment. Kaidan, however, needed his things. As Kaidan's fingers deftly typed out a reply, Shepard raised a single eyebrow. "You don't have a place to stay on the Citadel, do you, Kaidan?"

The handsome lieutenant sent off the message and brought his attention back to Shepard. "No, I usually spend my leave back on Earth in Vancouver." He sighed. "I asked that my things be delivered to C-Sec Headquarters so I can pick them up. I have no idea how long I'm going to be here or where I'm going to stay."

"You can stay here if you want to." The words tumbled out of Evelyn's mouth. No matter what she did, they were out there and couldn't be picked up and shoved back in. Shepard's complexion both paled and reddened; she couldn't believe what she had just said. Kaidan's lack of response and slightly dropped jaw certainly didn't help her embarrassed apperance, either. "I mean, that is, if you want to. You, uh, you don't have to, that is." She bumbled, in an ill-fated attempt to recover the situation.

Kaidan gently gripped Shepard's leg just above her knee. A wicked smile crept across his face, his eyes darkened mischievously. Evelyn's eyes met his for a second before quickly flickering away to her fidgeting hands. She obviously wasn't used to this, was clearly very nervous, and as much as Kaidan wanted to tease her, he knew it would be more compassionate to stow away the coyness and just be honest with her. The deviousness in his smile softened, and his eyes twinkled with joy; he knew her well enough to read her, to know what she needed in this moment. "I would love to stay here, Shepard. Thank you for asking." He took one of her tiny pale hands away from the other and planted a kiss atop the back of her hand. She exhaled, all the tension and uncertainty leaving her body, and smiled widely, full of joy and excitement. Kaidan stood, placing a kiss on her forehead. "There are a few errands I need to run before I can settle in though. I need my stuff, for sure, but I'm also going to stop and pick up some medical supplies to change the dressing on you injuries, as well as something for us to eat tonight and tomorrow morning at least.

Evelyn smiled sweetly. "You don't have to take care of me, you know."

"But I want to," Kaidan said warmly.

As he headed for the door, Evelyn stopped him with her voice. "Before you go, you should check the cabinet in the kitchen closet to the breakfast bar."

Kaidan smiled and headed through the kitchen. The cabinet door squeaked as he pulled it open, punctuated by his chuckle. "There's enough medigel, gauze, tape, and bandages in here to give first aid to an entire platoon!"

The cabinet door closed and footsteps approached Evelyn. Her lips turned upwards. "I figured as much. One less errand for you to run."

Shepard look up towards Kaidan. He planted a gentle kiss on her lips and smiled warmly. "I'm going to be doing that as much as possible, you know."

"What?" Shepard inquired sweetly.

"Kissing you. Everywhere." Kaidan grinned, kissed her on the cheek, and headed out the door.

Kaidan's boots clanged heavily on the metal floor in the hall outside the apartment. He would be thankful to be inside soon as he was carrying plenty of provisions. They weren't necessarily heavy, but he looked a bit like a homeless person considering he was carrying a giant backpack and bags full of groceries - the layer of sweat, dirt, and bits of dried blood didn't help much either. He clearly needed a shower.

He set one of the bags down gently as he lifted his omni-tool up to the door to unlock it, grateful that Shepard had given him the digital key. The short silence that would usually result from his stopped movement was instead filled with the mellow low hum of what sounded like a string instrument. The muffled sound grew in clarity and volume as the door to the apartment slid open, revealing that Evelyn was not on the couch where Kaidan had left her a few hours ago. He moved as quietly as he placed the bags on the counter, the cold groceries in the refrigerator, and laid his backpack on the arm chair in the corner of the living room. Intrigued, he followed the imperfect sound down the hallway in search of its source. A pause between notes occurred, accompanied by a soft sigh as the notes were repeated in a correctional manner. The door to the bedroom on Kaidan's right was open, as were the windows inside, allowing lilac light from the Citadel to fill and tint the room.

Crimson locks, which Kaidan just now noticed were beginning to grow longer, glowed in the purple light as their owner faced the window, seated in a small oak chair with an ornate backing. A toned feminine arm moved up and down, wrapped around a slender black neck, and the other bowed in and out to the side. The source of the sound was obvious now; Evelyn was playing some sort of instrument.

Kaidan silently, patiently, waited for a break in the music to knock gently on the open door. "May I come in?"

Evelyn turned her head over her shoulder, her silver eyes reflecting bits of violet light, smiled warmly, and nodded, welcoming him in. Kaidan walked around to the other side of the chair. An electric cello, dark purple in color, rested against Evelyn's figure. She set the bow on the window sill and gently moved the cello onto its stand, only a few feet in the corner of the room. Kaidan smiled widely. "I can't believe I didn't know you played. You don't have to stop because I'm here, you know."

Evelyn eased back down into the chair and grinned up at Kaidan, who was now standing behind her. "I can't believe I never told you. And that's alright, I was finished for now anyway. I'm a bit rusty; it's been awhile since I've had time to play. What I could really use right now is a shower."

Kaidan chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Heh, yeah, me too. I think some of the people at the store thought I was a homeless guy."

Evelyn placed one hand on the back of the chair, propped herself up, and tousled Kaidan's hair with the other hand. "I don't think I've ever seen your hair this messy, to be honest."

Kaidan laughed, as it was now even messier, and his eye caught the bandage on Shepard's bare shoulder. Dark reddish brown liquid seeped through the white fabric; it needed to be changed. "I need to grab some gauze and tape; your bandage needs changing."

Before Kaidan could head out of the room, Evelyn's voice caught his attention. "There should be some in the bathroom attached to this room." Kaidan couldn't help but laugh; of course the stock in the kitchen wasn't all of her supplies.

Kaidan offered his arm to Evelyn, and she took it. She limped through the room to the bathroom, Kaidan following her gentle lead. The room wasn't large, but the shower certainly was. A gorgeous tiled, walk-in shower, with two heads and a nice bench inside.

"It's practical." Evelyn stated plainly before Kaidan could even react. "If I'm injured, I can sit on the bench, use the hand-held showerhead to clean myself off."

Kaidan laughed. "That doesn't explain the size of it." He smiled coyly.

"Well, I mean, there used to be a tub there. One of those combo shower-tub units. But stepping in and out of those is a hassle when injured, so when I joined the Alliance, I had them take the tub out and just extend the tile down to the floor, so…" her voice trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

"I have an idea," his husky voice breathed as Kaidan supported Shepard. "How about I clean off your wounds in the shower? Maybe even -"

"Join me for a shower?" Evelyn bluntly asked, her neck and face flushing pink.

Kaidan kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "sounds perfect."

A/N: Oooh, it sounds like things are about to get steamy! XD Buuut I plan to updated Project Phoenix again before this one...sorry! ;) Of course, we'll see how the writing muse works, you never really know!