A/N: To the reviewer wondering about the crew seeing what was going on in the last chapter, I give you some clarification. J This is a long chapter, but a good one, I think. Enjoy!
HERS
Shepard woke up and remembered what day it was. April 11th. Her birthday. They were still about 2 days out from Virmire, so it was a space day. A day of nothing but routine jobs. Is it dumb that I still wish for a party and good time? No, I mean, we all have to let off some steam some time.
Shepard went up to the cockpit to see Joker. "Hey Commander!" he said, too cheerily. This immediately made her suspicious.
"Ok, Joker, spill it."
"Spill what?"
"Are you guys planning something for today?"
"Um, no. Do you have plans for today? With a certain lieutenant? Hmm?" Joker looked at her with a smarmy smile.
"No-no, why would I?" Shepard stammered, being caught off guard by the question.
"Oh, I don't know. The ship is just abuzz with a certain incident that happened about a week ago." Jokers eyes wandered around the cockpit, then looked directly at Shepard. "In the mess. During lunch. In front of Ash." He cocked an eyebrow. Shit! People saw? Shit! Shit! Shit!
A calm demeanor fell over Shepard's face. Inside, she feared the worst. "So are you here to tell me about regulations and relieve me of duty?"
"Hell, no, Commander!" Joker laughed. "I guess I'll be the one to tell you the crew has kind of decided to ignore it. Kind of feel like you deserve it, you know, for dealing with all the shit with Saren. Everyone needs some happiness somewhere. And to be honest, God, I don't know if I can deal with Kaidan anymore like this. The guy needs laid, badly."
"Um, I'll take that under advisement," Shepard choked. So a door has opened, sort of. Do I take it or do duty and regulations take priority?
She made her way back to her quarters to continue to prepare for Virmire. This mission was an unknown and a lot needed to be investigated. Before she reached her console, she saw a small box on her desk with a note.
Happy birthday, Hope you like this –K
She opened the box and there was an OSD. On the side were the words "Blasto's Revenge." It was the new Blasto movie and it hadn't even been released to the public yet! She burst out of her quarters and ran to Kaidan.
"Oh my GOD! THANK YOU!" She leaped into his arms and wrapped her legs around him. "This is the BEST birthday present EVER! How did you know? How did you get this?"
Kaidan's eyes were wide with surprise, but before he could open his mouth to say anything, Shepard hit the shipwide comm on his console. "Attention Normandy crew. Some of you may know that today is my birthday, and since we are on a space day, commander's prerogative, we are going to have a party. I have the new Blasto movie and we'll be screening it after dinner in the mess at 1900. I know you all have contraband alcohol on board, so bring it out. And Joker, I know where each of your three large stashes are, and if you don't bring them out, I'll write you up for insubordination."
Shepard looked back at Kaidan. "This is going to be so great! Now, to get Mess Chef Jennings to bring out real food for a change." And she was off.
The crew happily obliged Shepard and before she knew it, bottles were lined up along the mess hall table. Shepard allowed them to start drinking with their dinner, which ended up being surprisingly good. It didn't take long for her to start to feel tipsy though. Excitement for the movie and the hum of alcohol in her veins made her giddy. Alcohol always makes Blasto better.
The crew settled in to watch the movie, and Shepard found a place by Kaidan, who kind of looked like he had a migraine. Try as she might, Shepard started feeling sleepy. Right as Blasto was "enkindling" an asari spy, she fell asleep against Kaidan's shoulder.
When she awoke, she was back in her quarters in her bed. Her head was pounding, but she remembered having a dream about Kaidan. She wished she could remember.
HIS
Kaidan smiled down at the small box in his hand. It was a fortuitous turn of events that led him to this.
On their last stop at the Citadel, Shepard had sent him to the markets to pick up supplies and upgrades. He was near a stairwell when he heard a voice calling his name. "Lieutantant Kaidan Alenko! Hey, come here! I have something for you!" A man was waving.
"Hi! I'm sorry, you probably don't know me. I'm Conrad Verner. I'll be honest I'm one of Commander Shepard's biggest fans. I saw you on the news vids at her Spectre initiation ceremony. Wow! You must be so honored to serve with an amazing woman like that."
"Yes, I am. What can I do for you?" This guy was creeping Kaidan out.
"Well, I work as a prop designer for a movie company, and I had the best job ever a few months ago! I make armor for the actors and actresses in action movies. Anyway, I sure you know Commander Shepard loves Blasto movies, and I did the work for the newest one 'Blasto's Revenge.' The director liked my armor a lot. He said it looked really authentic. I just try to imagine how Shepard would look in it and the designs just come to me," Conrad gushed.
"Ha, just listen to me go on," continued Conrad. "Anyway, I know you know the commander's birthday is on April 11th, and I just got my advance copy of the movie. My wife told me it would make a great gift for Shepard, but I'm never going to get close enough to do that. Could you give it to her? I mean, you can say it's from you or the crew or whatever. I'll be happy just knowing that she got it and she can see my work." Conrad handed Kaidan an OSD.
"Thanks, I'm sure Commander Shepard will really appreciate it," Kaidan said genuinely.
That minute, Kaidan's mind worked up a plan. He was going to have his first date with Shepard. He would give her the box, secretly, and when she came to say thank you, he would suggest they watch it together in her quarters. He knew, after holding her hand in the mess, they needed to discuss what they were doing together, and where it was going.
Kaidan went to a grocery on the Citadel and bought some Peruvian whiskey, which he liked, and some other delicacies, because there was no way he was going to even try to serve her any of the crap from the mess hall kitchen.
Coming back to the present and smiling in satisfaction over a well-thought out plan, Kaidan looked around and quickly went to Shepard's quarters and placed the box on her desk. He went back to work and eagerly anticipated the evening.
He saw Shepard return to her quarters, and it took all of about a minute for her to burst back out.
"Oh my GOD! THANK YOU! This is the BEST birthday present EVER! How did you know? How did you get this?" Shock flooded Kaidan. He did not expect this big of a display. His mouth fell open as her body wrapped around his. Before he could get a word out, Shepard had already climbed down off him and announced a party to the whole ship. What are you DOING? This is not how it was supposed to go!
Shepard pranced off to talk to the mess chef, and he began trying to think of some way to salvage the plan, but when he saw the crew start bringing bottles out to the mess, he knew it was screwed. Sighing, he pulled out the Peruvian whiskey and placed it on the table. I guess another time.
Shepard reappeared in the mess at 1700 and told the crew that they could start drinking with their dinner, and she promptly opened Kaidan's bottle of whiskey and poured herself a shot. Throwing it down her throat, she shook her head and said, "This is great! Whoever brought it, don't tell me, but you have good taste! I think this bottle is mine."
Kaidan went to get his dinner, and feared what he would see. When he did, he felt sick. It was the food he had bought on the Citadel and thought he had hidden in the back of the freezer.
"Hey sweetheart, don't look so ill. Grub's good tonight. Apparently, the Alliance doesn't like us to find the good stuff. It was shoved in the back!" Jennings snickered.
Kaidan couldn't eat, and he definitely couldn't drink with the rest of the crew. Shepard, on the other hand, was having a great time. Maybe that moment holding hands was just that, a moment. A small indiscretion and now she's over it.
Shepard was already quite intoxicated when she came and sat down by him as the movie started. He tried to ignore the way she was touching him. Her hands kept alternating between resting on his shoulder and slapping his thigh when she saw something funny. She kept whispering loudly to him through the first half of the movie.
Suddenly, she became quiet, and he looked over. Shepard was asleep. Warily, he moved his arm up behind her on the chair. When he did, he caught Joker's eyes. The pilot raised his eyebrows encouragingly, and Kaidan placed his arm around Shepard, who sighed and snuggled into his chest. Kaidan smiled.
When the movie ended, Kaidan used his arm to help Shepard to stand. "Commander, it's time for bed."
Shepard stumbled, and Kaidan caught her. I guess I'm going to have to help her walk.
"You are nice, Kaidan," Shepard slurred as he helped her back up.
"Thank you, ma'am. Let's get you to bed," said Kaidan, opening her door.
The door closed behind them with a hiss, and Shepard became alert.
"Kaidan, what are you doing in my room?" She demanded, still highly intoxicated.
Kaidan eyed her. "I, uh, was just helping you get back to your room safely." He sat her on the bed.
"Oh." Shepard seemed satisfied with the answer. "You are very nice, Lt. Kaidan Alenko. Kai-dan A-len-ko." Shepard drew out the words. "I love you, Kaidan Alenko."
He had been taking off her boots and stopped when she said this. She's just drunk and doesn't mean any of it. He finished with her boot and stood up.
"Kaidan, I mean it." Shepard unsteadily wrapped her arms around his waist. "I want to marry you, and we will have sex and make babies and they will look like you and I will be Commander Alenko. Commander Rachel Alenko. That is what I'll be," she said resolutely, all the while slurring.
Her first name is Rachel! Gorgeous. Kaidan couldn't help but admire her beauty even while she wasn't in the best state. He laid her back on her pillow, and covered her up. She snuggled in and closed her eyes.
"I would give up my post for you, Kaidan. I would give up my life. I love you," Shepard said sleepily.
Kaidan walked away, smiling. "I love you too, Rachel Shepard," he whispered.
