Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Implied smut. Trigger warning for mentions of death and violence. Yes, the title comes from Everything But the Girl's 'Missing'. My head-canon Kaidan is a Vanguard with Sentinel abilities just as Regan is an Infiltrator with minor biotic abilities.

…

Like the Deserts Miss the Rain

Kaidan Alenko had gone and done it. Enlisted into the Navy just like his father four years after the disaster at Brain Camp. Biotics got excellent signing bonuses and having just finished a Bachelor of Engineering, he was going straight into officer training, which made the enlisted man Preston Alenko happier than a pig in mud. Still in Toronto until tomorrow because he'd booked a motel room and the next flight to Vancouver left at 8AM, Kaidan made his way to an Irish pub popular with off-duty Marines so he could ask some questions on what to expect.

It wasn't hard to miss the soldiers – most of them wore the navy-blue BDUs or Alliance t-shirts – but Kaidan found himself staring at a slender woman with reddish-blonde hair who glowed a brilliant sky-blue as she peeled off the tops of three beer bottles biotically. Three mass effect fields at one time, handled with finesse that made the L2 raw with envy – no wonder she wore the darker blue t-shirt of an officer. Much to his surprise, once he saw past the light of the biotics, he noticed that she was about his age.

Maybe she's from that new Academy they're making noises about, he thought wistfully as he watched the Marines joke and poke a lithe, black-haired member of their group who wore the black, red and white of an ICA recruit. He'd made some peace with what happened at Jump Zero but the scars would linger for a long time yet.

One of the bottles floated towards the ICA recruit and he nudged it away. "I don't drink," he said sourly to the female biotic Lifted the bottle.

"Fair enough, Kai," she replied, sounding slightly offended. Then eyes blue as her biotic field swept the room and alighted on Kaidan, who realised he was still carrying the standard-issue duffel bag given to everyone on enlistment. "Carn take a seat and have a beer, rookie."

"Aren't you still in officer training, Shepard?" Kai asked dryly.

"Yeah, and in two years I'm gonna be a Lieutenant while you're still wondering why you haven't been promoted for all your N-School glory," Shepard retorted in her broad Australian accent.

Kaidan approached them, wiping his sweaty palms on the back of his jeans. "Yes, ma'am, I mean, thanks ma'am," he babbled.

Smooth, Alenko, show you're confident and collected, his inner monologue observed sarcastically.

"Just Regan – or Corporal Shepard if you gotta be formal," she answered as she floated the beer in his direction. Feeling the urge to show off, he activated his own biotics – a darker blue than Regan's – and caught the beer in mid-air.

"Nice catch," Regan said approvingly. "L3?"

"L2," Kaidan admitted. "I, uh, just get migraines."

Shepard nodded sympathetically as she patted the seat next to her. "I missed the L2 implants and Brain Camp by a year," she said quietly. "Thank fuck for that."

"You have no idea," Kaidan told her fervently as he sat down. "No idea at all."

"What's wrong?" Kai asked with a hint of cruelty in his voice. "Didn't get to call Mommy every day?"

Kaidan clenched his fists, instinctively knowing that if he punched this asshole, then he'd be on the ground with multiple broken bones. Shepard placed a hand on his shoulder warningly, the buzz of her biotics vibrating pleasantly through his body and distracting him from his anger.

"Pick on someone your own size, Leng," she said flatly.

"I tried, but you won't dance, Shepard," he retorted with a smirk.

"Unlike some, I got nothing to prove," was Regan's cool response.

"Ah yes, the great Corporal Shepard, protector of pretty boys who've never killed a man in their lives and think they're worthy to be Marines." Kai's voice was scornful as he regarded the pair.

"I've killed someone," Kaidan admitted softly, the words torn from his throat. "I'm the reason they shut down Brain Camp."

The soldiers' eyes immediately swung in his direction, a powerfully muscled woman with dark olive skin tugging the beer from Kaidan's still-active field and putting it on the table. "Have a drink and tell us," she said in a New Zealand accent with a hint of sympathy. "Most of us come from… rough backgrounds."

Kaidan picked up the beer and let his biotics shut down, impressed by the strength it would have taken to pull it from a mass effect field. Drinking the cool amber liquid, he let it soothe his throat before responding. "There was this turian guy, Vyrnnus," he confessed softly. "Brutal as hell. Denied us rations, biotically threw objects at us… One day, he broke a-a friend's arm as she reached for a glass of water with her hand instead of her biotics. She was just thirsty, you know?"

The New Zealander and Regan exchanged troubled looks. "That's pretty bad, though I've seen worse," the latter observed neutrally.

Kai simply sniffed derisively. "Liked her, did you?"

Kaidan found the guts to stare him in the eyes and go, "Yeah, I did. And when that turian broke her arm, I Charged him."

"You took out a turian merc with a Charge?" the New Zealander asked, sounding impressed.

"No. He challenged me to a biotic duel and then pulled a knife and cut me when I chose to maintain a Barrier," Kaidan answered softly. "I Charged him again… and then jump-kicked his head, breaking his neck."

His mind flashed back to Rahna flinching away from him when he tried to say farewell and the horror he felt on seeing the dead turian. His father had given him a beer and told him that new opportunities would come, bigger ones than Brain Camp; these Marines looked at him soberly, respect and sympathy in their eyes. Kaidan suspected that a couple of them might have killed someone in anger – or seen it happen.

Kai's mouth twisted but he said nothing derisive. Instead he raised his glass of water and saluted Kaidan almost mockingly. "Well, perhaps you're in the right place then, boy," the Chinese Marine observed dryly.

"S'pose I owe you one for saving me from Brain Camp," Regan said fervently. "If I'd been there – I'd've stolen a rifle and sniped the bastard."

"Only because you're lousy at hand-to-hand combat," Kai pointed out lazily with another smirk. "Remind me again why you're the golden child of Duntroon?"

"Because she dumped mystery meat over you in the mess hall," the New Zealander retorted. She looked to Kaidan and smiled. "I'm Lieutenant Ngaire Parata, the asshole in the corner's Service Chief Kai Leng and you've met Corporal Regan Shepard."

"Kaidan Alenko," the biotic answered with a salute.

"At ease, soldier." Ngaire looked more amused than anything else. "When do you go to boot camp?"

"Six weeks from now, ma'am." Just enough time to go home, scrap together the money for a decent gun and some body armour and prepare for becoming a soldier. Maybe.

"You got a weapon?" Regan asked quietly.

"Umm, not yet. They're not sure if I'm going to be a Vanguard or a Sentinel because I studied engineering." There was something about Regan that was slowly relaxing him – and it wasn't just the beer. Ngaire was treating him like a kid and Kai seemed contemptuous of everyone but Regan… Regan was treating him as an equal. Something in her eyes told him she'd been to some pretty rough places in her life.

Regan pursed her lips. "Assault rifle and heavy pistol then," she said thoughtfully. "When are you shipping out?"

"Tomorrow, 8AM- Err, 08:00 hours," he answered.

She smiled briefly. "I got an assault rifle that's too heavy for me – I use pistol, shotgun and sniper rifle as an Infiltrator-class – that might do you some good. It ain't fantastic, but it's a solid weapon."

Kaidan stared at her. "Why?" he asked.

"Because once a couple Alliance soldiers gave a gangbanger facing charges of attempted murder a chance," Regan said gently. "I believe in paying it forward."

"I… Thanks." Kaidan swallowed thickly, almost moved to tears. "I'll give you my motel address, so you can drop it off."

"Sure." Regan smiled at him and Kaidan blushed. She wasn't pretty, not with those broad, blunt features and ivory teeth that were chipped… but she was gorgeous nevertheless.

"It's not fraternisation until he goes to boot camp," Ngaire teased. "Hey Shep, think we should give Kaidan a welcome to the corps he'll never forget?"

Kai snorted contemptuously as he stood up. "Try not to forget we have exercises in the morning," he said curtly before leaving.

Regan gave him the finger behind his back. "Don't know what his malfunction is, but he's been treating me like shit since I got here."

"It's simple, Regan. You beat him at something," Ngaire answered firmly. "Until we showed up, Kai held first place in hand-to-hand and sniping. Now he's only first place in melee combat."

Kaidan eyed Ngaire's bare forearms. "Let me guess, you beat him in the hand-to-hand."

The New Zealander nodded with a grin. "I happen to hold the title for the Alliance Division of the World MMA Championship," she told him.

"I hear there's some grunt named Vega who's out to get the title," Regan teased. "Apparently he's muscle on muscle."

Ngaire nonchalantly curled the pecs on her right arm. "Sounds like the sort of guy I want to date."

"Shame it's fraternisation now," Regan said with a grin.

"Dammit!" Ngaire sighed dramatically. "Still, if Kaidan's interested, he's not at boot camp yet…"

Kaidan coughed awkwardly. "I, uh, should probably head back to the motel. I have to head back to Vancouver in the morning."

Regan nodded and brought up her omnitool. "What's your motel address? I'll get that assault rifle to you before you go."

Kaidan gave his address. He was still stunned by the kindness she was showing him; with an assault rifle, he could use his savings to buy a heavy pistol. "I… Thanks. Really."

The Australian smiled at him and he clenched his fist at the sudden surge of arousal. Ngaire was stunning with the sort of brash confidence that attracted Kaidan – but he only had eyes for Regan.

"Why don't you two just go off?" Ngaire suggested dryly. "I can tell where I'm not wanted."

Much to Kaidan's pleasure Regan blushed. But then she shook her head. "Because I'm gonna have to courier that rifle to him if I want to get back to base in time for some sleep. Kai's asking to get his arse kicked tomorrow."

"That's a cause worth going to bed early for," Ngaire agreed. "Nice to meet you, Kaidan. Who's like us?"

"Damn few. And they're all dead." Kaidan saluted as he said it. "My father's a Marine."

"Thought so," Ngaire said in satisfaction. "You carry yourself like one. Good luck, Alenko."

"Thank you." He smiled at the New Zealander before looking at Regan. "And… thank you, Shepard."

"Don't thank me until you get the rifle," she said huskily. "You might think it's shit."

"I doubt that very much," Kaidan whispered before setting down what was left of his beer and standing to leave. "I hope I see you again soon."

…

"Shepard."

The raspy velvet-on-gravel tones of Kaidan Alenko sent a shiver down Regan's spine. The newly enlisted biotic had driven what little ability in flirting she possessed out of her mind when she saw him a few weeks ago. She'd sent him the assault rifle by courier because if she saw him again, alone, they would have both missed their transport.

He was close enough for his biotics to buzz against hers. She stepped back blindly and hit a solid wall of muscle – Kaidan worked out, she'd noticed when she saw him wearing a tight t-shirt – and his arms wrapped around her. He was happy to see her, judging by the bulge in his jeans digging against the small of her back.

"Kaidan…" she whispered, looking up into warm brown eyes.

"I go to boot camp day after tomorrow," he rasped. "It isn't fraternisation until then."

They left the Irish pub and returned to the cheap motel where he'd stayed last time. Tonight there was no Kai to belittle or Ngaire to tease, so they were able to get down to business. Skin against skin, biotics shining in a sea-sky glow that they felt down to the bones, back braced against the wall as Kaidan took her to the brink again and again. Despite his nervousness as a soldier, there was no hesitation or blushing here, only the language of lips and hands and the desperate need for more.

She clawed his back as he left a very prominent love-bite on the side of her neck. There was no understanding this urge that brought them together, only that it was likely to be their one and only time, a hint of desperation and regret under the lovemaking.

Then they went to the bed and continued until the grey light of dawn filtered through the bent venetians. A quick shower, a quicker farewell and they parted ways.

It would be a full ten years before they met again and both would be irrevocably changed.