HERS

It had been a long day. A long week. Shepard knew they had sent her out just to hunt Geth, but she knew she could find evidence of more. That's why they were there. That's why they had spent four days painstakingly searching the sector for more than just Geth strongholds. But so far, they had found nothing. Not even a stray Geth fighter. She pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to stay awake. I know there is something going on out here. Those ships don't just disappear.

Shepard's hand involuntarily began playing with the chain to her dog tags. Well, our dog tags. She pulled the chain out of her shirt and fingered the tags. She read her name on one: Shepard, Rachel Eden. A smile came to her face as she gazed on the other: Alenko, Kaidan Elijah. That night on her parents' balcony they traded tags as a secret sign of their engagement. We will have time to find a ring later.

Her heart fluttered a little at the memory, and then her mind returned to its work. She felt happy, content, invincible.

"Commander, we've reached Alchera. Board is green and we're running silent."

"Thanks, Joker. Keep me informed."

"Aye aye, ma'am."

Shepard got up from her desk and made her way out of her quarters to where Kaidan was working. He didn't notice her walk up, so she snuck up behind him, with her fingers making a gun, stuck it into his back. "Bang, you're dead."

Kaidan reached behind him, grabbed her arm, and twisted her around, so that now she was completely wrapped in his arms. She felt him breathing on the back of her neck and a thrill ran through her body.

"I don't think so, Commander," his low voice said quietly. "I actually feel quite alive right now."

Suddenly, the ship gave a lurch. "Joker!" Shepard yelled. "What the hell is going on?"

Before he could answer, weapons fire tore through the ship. "Kaidan, get your armor on. Now!" Shepard ran to her locker and put on her own. Fires were breaking out all over. I've got to send for help. Running past the sleeper pods, she stopped at the distress beacon and prepared it to launch.

"Shepard!" She heard Kaidan's voice behind her. She put on her helmet and pulled her wits together.

"The distress beacon is ready."

"Will the Alliance get here in time?" The ship lurched again and Kaidan caught her in quick embrace.

"They damn well better. I know they won't abandon us." She left his arms to grab a fire extinguisher. "We just have to hold on. Get everyone to the escape pods."

"Joker is still in the cockpit. He won't abandon ship. I'm not leaving either." Kaidan's voice sounded calm and firm.

"I need you to get the crew onto the evac shuttles. I'll take care of Joker." Shepard's voice was just as calm and firm. "Kaidan, go." I can't let him die, not like this.

He stood there not moving. "Lieutenant, move! That's an order!"

"Commander! Rachel!" Kaidan hesitated.

"Now."

"Aye aye." And Kaidan was gone.

Shepard took a deep breath and sent the distress beacon. She had to get to Joker.

Stepping in to where the Normandy's CIC had been was like stepping in to a horrible nightmare. There was nothing between her and open space. Consoles and chairs drifted silently in harsh contrast to the destruction around.

When she reached Joker, she stumbled over the body of her XO, Pressly. She shut her eyes in revulsion.

"Joker, we need to get out of here."

"No! I won't abandon the Normandy! I can still save her!" Joker looked desperate.

"Joker, get your ass out of that chair! The ship is lost. Going down with it won't save it."

"Ok, help me up." Another flaming beam tore through the ship, knocking them both off balance. Shepard grabbed Joker's arm to keep him from flying off.

"Shit!" Joker swore as Shepard felt his fragile arm break.

"Sorry, but a broken arm is better than a dead ass." She hefted him into the escape shuttle, and another round from the mysterious ship sent Shepard flying back away from the pod entrance. As the Normandy tore apart, its momentum pulled her off of solid footing into open space.

"Commander!" Joker shouted. Shepard hit the button to launch his pod just as the death blow hit the ship she loved. Explosions sounded all around her and blew her away from the wreckage into the nothingness of space.

Alarms started sounding in her helmet as she realized she was leaking air rapidly. Her body writhed as she tried to get a hold of the leaking seal. She tried to calm down, but the lack of oxygen was making her hyperventilate. Shit, this isn't supposed to happen. Shit, shit, shit!

It didn't take long for the air to run out. Shepard tried to gasp, but there was nothing to take in. Darkness closed in around her eyes. I can't die now. This isn't fair. I had just found happiness, something to live for. The breath she had been holding finally escaped her lungs as she capitulated to the blackness. "Kai…"

HIS

This tour of duty was much more pleasant than any other Kaidan had been assigned. So far it had been quiet and he enjoyed the time to allow his thoughts linger on Shepard, on Rachel. A satisfied smile creased his face as he remembered the previous night.

Her hands splayed on his abdomen, her legs wrapped around his as she eased herself onto him. Her head thrown back in ecstasy. The feel of her chest crashing against his as her moment came, holding him tightly, grinding against him.

"Bang, you're dead." It was the most pleasant death he could imagine. Quickly, he used an old wrestling-style move to spin her around and held her in a vice grip. "I don't think so, Commander," Kaidan said slowly, his words dripping with innuendo. "I actually feel quite alive right now."

They were jerked back to their duty when they felt the ship make a hard turn.

"Joker!" Shepard yelled. "What the hell is going on?"

When the ship lurched again, this time they heard the sound of explosions and fires broke out everywhere. We're under attack.

"Kaidan, get your armor on. Now!" Shepard bolted for her locker. Kaidan hurried through the tubes to reach his locker on the lower deck. He was pissed to see that someone had put that damn Phoenix armor into his locker. No time for that now. Got to get back to her.

"Joker! Talk to me!" Kaidan yelled as he made his way back through the tubes.

"It's some kind of massive ship I've never seen before. Shit! I can get us out of this, Kaidan. Hold on!"

He found Shepard standing near a console. "The distress beacon is ready."

"Will the Alliance get here in time?" The ship shook and Kaidan let her fall into his arms. He squeezed her quickly.

"They damn well better. I know they won't abandon us," she said as she pulled away. "We just have to hold on. Get everyone to the escape pods."

"Joker is still in the cockpit. He won't abandon ship. I'm not leaving either." I can't leave her now. She said we'd go down together.

"I need you to get the crew onto the evac shuttles. I'll take care of Joker." He couldn't see Shepard's face, but he knew she was serious. "Kaidan, go." No, not now.

He stayed planted, and he heard irritation in her voice. "Lieutenant, move! That's an order!"

"Commander! Rachel!" He wanted to reach out to her, but duty kept them at his side.

"Now." Her voice was hard and cold.

"Aye aye."

Time moved slowly as he gathered more crew into the escape pod. He finally latched himself in and they launched away from the Normandy. He looked out the porthole and saw the sad state of the wreckage, burning, exploding.

The massive ship was still targeting the beaten SR-1, and Kaidan saw a last shuttle shoot away. The cockpit escape pod. He closed his eyes in relief. She made it off the ship.