Happy Halloween for those who celebrate it. :D This is for whichever lovely reviewer who wondered if they would go trick or treating. I'm sorry I forgot who it was because it was lost in my messages, but let me know and I'll add you to this note :P

EDIT: It was, of course, for the lovely gracie21.

Kaidan has to almost shove his fist in his mouth to keep the laughter from bursting out at the sight of Shepard's costume. She looks ridiculous, and almost unrecognizable. The costume is all frills and pastel blue and white and a big frou-frou skirt. Shepard looks like a girl; years younger and not at all like his usual tough-as-a-krogan wife. She has even scrapped back her dark hair and put on a pretty blonde wig, with her pale skin and dark blue eyes she almost looks angelic.

She's dressed as Little Bo Peep, and together they have dressed Andy as a lamb. Kaidan had fought a pitched battle with flailing baby limbs and dirty diapers to get him into that costume, and he is awfully proud of this small accomplishment as a father. Vega had bet him that his nephew would be cuter, but Kaidan was confident there was not a baby in the world better looking than Andy right now. He gurgles happily under his lamb's wool beanie in Shepard's arms, little wisps of dark curly hair poking out. Kaidan picks up his wife's shepherd's crook from the floor.

"Shepard, you look adorable." Kaidan reaches out to hand her the crook and as he does so, he tugs her baby-blue and white bonnet over her eyes a little. She makes an annoyed face, but can't hold it. A brilliant smile bursts across her lips, lighting her whole face. Kaidan kisses her then, their little lamb cradled between them.

"Ugh! Will you guys stop for once? Uncle Garrus says you and Mommy should be allowed to kiss 'cause you love each other but ew."

Kaidan's eldest son tears down the hallway, and forces his way between their entangled legs. His little head only comes up to Kaidan's hips but the boy inherited Shepard's determination and he stubbornly shoves them apart.

Kaidan easily scoops him up, Alliance soldier costume and all, to dangle him upside down and plant big sloppy kisses all over his face.

"No, Daddy! Stop! Ew! Uncle Garrus says I'm tough and a good soldier and soldiers don't get kissed by their Dad! Eww! Mommy, make him stop!" He's squealing but giggling loudly at the same time; Kaidan laughs and plants him on the floor again when Shepard pretends to smack Kaidan on his arm. Andy shrieks with joy at all the excitement, and drools all down his little chin.

"Hmm. I don't take orders from Lieutenants, you know." Kaidan says, and strokes the stubble on his chin. He mock considers the six year old, walking around him in a circle as if it was a parade inspection.

"But Dad, I'm a Commander now. Mommy said so, she's pro-prom...promoted me." The six year old stumbles over the big word a little, but stubbornly gets it out. His little face scrunches in annoyance at Kaidan's fumbling of his rank and Kaidan marvels that despite how everyone says he resembles his father, in that moment his son is all Shepard's moodiness and perfect surly face.

"My apologies, Commander. But I still don't take orders from Commanders." Kaidan says, and straightens the boy's combat shirt. Kaidan and Shepard had searched for weeks for a miniature version of the Alliance blues; in the end Shepard had just ordered one of the Alliance outfitters to make him a small authentic costume. It looks almost exactly like Kaidan's own, except on a tiny scale.

"You take Mommy's orders." The dark-haired boy pouts.

"Ah. Well, good point there, son." Kaidan just throws Shepard an amused look, she shrugs and smirks as if to say, 'oh yeah. Your ass is mine, my dear.'

Shepard jiggles Andy a little and straightens his soft lamb shirt. "Come on you two, me and the lamb want some candy. And you are the official candy carriers. We're just here to look cute. LT, you better put your costume on. We promised we'd meet the crew at six." Shepard says.

Kaidan hands the smaller pumpkin candy basket to his eldest son and goes into the living room to throw his costume on over his sweater and jeans. When he comes back Shepard dissolves into peals of laughter.

"Daddy, what are you supposed to be?" His son tugs a little on the sheet Kaidan has thrown over himself. His eyebrows are furrowed quizzically.

Kaidan frowns, a little disheartened. "I'm a ghost. Can't you tell?"

"It's just a white bed sheet with eye holes cut out." Under his mop of curly hair his son's cobalt eyes are deridingly unimpressed. Kaidan was sure he'd been hoping Kaidan would have dressed as a turian; he was obsessed with his Uncle Garrus lately.

"I thought it was neat." Kaidan says with a little sad note to his voice. He wanted to be a cool dad, not the lame kind that embarrassed his kids.

Shepard kisses him on the cheek, through the sheet. "You look very spooky, darling. I love it. Ghost story, huh?"

Kaidan grins. "Hey! You got it!"

"Of course, your mom told me the meaning of your name."

Shepard opens the door. It's cold; red and orange leaves drift in the wind, but it's clean and good and fresh. Down the street there are shrieks of laughter and happy children. She shoos the little boy out, then Kaidan follows, making sure to pick up the biggest candy basket.

With Andy in her arms and her little soldier by her side, Shepard leads the way on their quest for candy. Kaidan thinks he has never had a better Halloween as he jogs to catch up with his family. Together they walk down the street, side by side.