Just a stupid drabble from tumblr uploaded here for posterity's sake. Future fluff.

Inspired by the blog imagineyourotp prompt.

"Ok, Lola. So you just follow my lead, alright?"

James synched a console to his playlist, and Shepard watched, biting her lip.

"Jimmy, I don't know," she said, frowning pensively at the gentle, dulcet tones now filling the empty ballroom. "I don't follow anyone's lead."

"Not what Kaidan says."

"What?"

"Nothing. Anyway, you can follow me for a few hours a week, can't you? God knows you get enough of your kicks grinding me beneath your boot during N training."

Shepard hummed, smoothing her shirt over her rounded belly and trying to ignore the nervous flutters there.

James grinned and crossed over to her, looking ridiculous in sweat pants, white shirt and bare feet in the classy ballroom. He'd borrowed the cavernous room for their use from a friend of his, the wide space perfect for them to practice in peace. With the widespread devastation and rebuilding effort of Earth not many people were in the mood to throw ballroom parties anyway.

"Or you're goin' to trip over your own or Kaidan's feet at the wedding and fall flat on your face." James tried to cajole her and simultaneously soothe her nerves, bending down slightly to look her in the eyes. "Not gonna look like such a hot bride then, right?"

"I guess not," she agreed reluctantly. "It's just I'm terrible at dancing!"

"I know, Lola. But didn't you always promise him you'd learn?"

She had made Kaidan a promise many years ago that she would go dancing with him. She supposed their wedding was as good a place as any. Shepard counted her blessing every day that she was still able to walk at all, let alone dance. Recovery from the Crucible had not been easy.

"Fine," she said briskly, bouncing on the balls of her bare feet like she would to warm up for a fist fight. "Let's do this shit. You touch my ass-" she warned and held a fist up, flaring her biotic corona, "-and I'll punch you into next Tuesday."

She was only joking though, a small smile twisting the corners of her lips and James laughed that bear laugh of his, light dancing in his kind hazel eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. "You're a scary person, even all little and fat."

He placed his hands around her back and waist and she rested her palms on his large shoulders.

"I'm not fat, you pig," she protested, offended and punched him hard in his muscly chest. Kaidan had learned to shut his mouth when anything remotely relating to the weight she'd gained during this pregnancy came up. Seemed he hadn't filled James in yet. "It's the kid."

"Sure." James laughed, his self-preservation instinct obviously on the fritz. "And it's not all those waffles Kaidan cooks for you either."

"Shut up, Mr Beefy." Shepard huffed, trying to ignore the sting to her feelings. She was an N7, she was kickass, she was in peak physical condition. She still jogged and did biotic exercises as much as she could. She would kick James Vega's muscle-bound ass even pregnant if she had to. That wall was begging for his face smooshed into it.

"You just watch 'til I pop this kid out. I'm gonna ride your ass so hard in Rio you'll beg for a Banshee to come save you."

"Never, Lola." James grinned wickedly, a sharp slant to his mouth. "You can ride me any day, just don't tell that boyfriend or should I say soon-to-be husband of yours."

"Nah." Shepard sniffed, putting on a lofty expression. "He knows I'm too good for you."

"You're so sharp, Lola. Careful you don't cut yourself on your dry wit."

James pressed a button on his omni-tool and the music switched to a waltz number. He re-positioned his hands on her waist, and despite his flirty words there was no heat in his touch. Shepard clung to his shoulders and idly thought that being held like that would be what it would be like to be held by her long dead brother, if he had been allowed to grow into a man.

James started shuffling, and forced her foot back with a step forward. "Alright now, one, two, three." He counted out the steps and she lurched, trying to keep up with him. "One, two, three. Just follow my feet ok? And the rhythm of the music."

"Gah. This is so hard. I look dumb." Shepard fretted, annoyed at herself. She was going to be the worst bride, she thought. Kaidan was far too sweet to put up with her bad moods and even worse dancing skills.

James frowned at her stricken expression, and patted her back a little gently. "You look great, like a graceful swan, alright?"

"A fat one."

James stopped dancing and she took the opportunity to smooth her shirt over her belly again, not enjoying the way she'd grown lately and her ill-fitted clothes. She hoisted her blue sweat pants up from where they slid down her hips slightly and wished to Ash's god that she could shove her armor on.

Stupid, sexy Kaidan. Stupid fat little baby. Stupid waffles with maple syrup that he knew she loved and too much sugar. Stupid Shepard getting herself in a jam again.

Stupid, dead Anderson that couldn't be at her wedding, she thought with a tear to her heart, the still deep wound ripping open again and again and leaking blood into her lungs so much that she thought when she spoke the blood should bubble up.

Sometimes she still couldn't breathe through the grief and she would be transported to those dark days she lay burned and catatonic in that makeshift hospital bed, Kaidan begging her to speak to him and she didn't know how to speak without crying and just never stopping.

Her dad had died and she had shot him. He told her she was a good mom.

And most of all, fucking stupid Jimmy Vega making her dance when she wanted to call the whole thing off and tell Kaidan's mom to go screw herself with all her nagging about getting married.

The only thing that stopped her was Kaidan's face when she said 'yes' finally.

She loved him, she did. More than anything and for one-thousand lifetimes and past eternity. She would never be with another man again. She just didn't understand his need for a piece of paper and public embarrassment.

"I was just teasing you Lola, you know." James said gently. "I didn't mean anything by it. You look very pretty and Kaidan really won't care if you can dance or not."

"I know." She sighed, hating the way she was feeling and the rush of anxiety the thoughts of the baby and the wedding were bringing on. She should be able to do this, no problem. They already had a quiet little almost five year old who had them running around ragged, for god's sake. This one should be no big deal. She was a dancer at heart, but with biotics, not footwork.

What's a wedding to scare her when she'd faced down a Reaper on foot and walked away the victor?

"It's just- I think we're crazy to be getting married now." Shepard crossed one arm beneath her breast and rested her other arm on it to gnaw her nail ragged. "It's not the right time."

"How can it be the wrong time?" Jimmy laughed, baffled. "You have two kids together, you've been solid as a rock for years."

"I dunno. Maybe…maybe this is just cold feet. I don't know how to do a wedding."

"Lola, this isn't an N7 op." He placed his hands on her shoulders, comforting her in a firm squeeze. "This is your wedding. You show up breathing and with a smile on your face and you'll make Kaidan the happiest pendejo alive."

Shepard nodded wordlessly and he positioned them again to continue their awkward waltz shuffle. She found herself glad that he had told her to take off her shoes and he had taken off his. If she hadn't his feet would have been very sore the next day.

"He talks to me, you know." James said sometime later as she finally got the hang of following his feet and she knew he was talking about Kaidan. "And he's excited but trying not to show it because he knows you're nervous. Just relax and everything will be fine."

"Ok. You're right. I'm being stupid."

"I think you're just a worrier and you need to relax and just dance with me."

Shepard let a small smile escape and for a moment rested her head on his shoulder, and as he gently stroked her hair, her anxiety melted away. At least for the moment.

"Say, Lola?"

"Yeah?"

Shepard pulled back to see his mischievous grin. "Don't suppose you'd give it all up, run away with me and we'd rule Omega like pirate king and queen? After all, I'm teaching you to dance."

"Sure, Jimmy. Sure. The minute Kaidan decides to throw me in for a younger, blonder, less bitchy model, I'm yours. You want the kids too?"

"Oh, so you haven't broken it to him yet why our little solider boy has a mohawk?"

Shepard's giggle echoed around the large ballroom as she unsuccessfully shushed herself.

"Ah, that's ok." He shrugged in that guileless way of his. "I would be waiting forever then, eh? Because I haven't seen a couple more in love than you two. He wouldn't throw you in for anything."

Shepard smiled and held tighter onto his shoulders, the music drifting to their ears pleasantly. "Guess so."