"Guess I'd better find a place to change." Shepard's voice was soft.

Kaidan wraps an arm around her and she leans in still looking at her jacket as if it was a cruel joke. She had never come to terms with the being relieved of command, being thrown in jail without a trial or being called a mass murderer by the people that had killed her family. But Anderson had come through for her again. 35 light years away and he was still looking out for her.

"Common. Let's go for a walk." He pulls her by her waist toward the water. She follows sluggishly, still lost in thought.

"So what was that about the kids at Ascension? That look you gave me?"

"I gave you a look?" Shepard replies still clearly not with it.

"Oh yea you did. What happened that made you look at me?"

They reach a small curve in the water and stop. Shepard gives her "what the hell shrug" and looks out over the water.

"There were these two kids there. Biotics in Jack's class. Prangley and Rodriguez, brave kids. They must have been like you and Rahna back at BAaT, he was so protective of her. "She shakes her head remembering the scene." EDI found some Cerberus files saying the boy was a "prime candidate" for indoctrination because he showed leadership potential. I couldn't let them go frontline after seeing that. You hadn't even woken up yet and these kids are only the second generation of biotics. I was supposed to tell those kids to go frontline with no unit experience. No basic military training just some tests and school reports."

"Sanders seemed to think they would have been ready." Kaidan pointed out.

"Good as she is she is she is not a field soldier. She hasn't seen what we have Kay. Those kids were good in a pinch but in draw out conflict?" She shakes her head." I couldn't make that call after what they went through, what I know you went through as a kid."

"So I was here, laid out on a bed and was still influencing your decisions on Elyssium eh?" He said with a teasing note in his voice.

"You and some pretty perfect teenager that I'll never live up to yeah." She gave it right back to him, a smirk on her face.

"Hey now that cuts deep." He made a grabbing motion at his chest. "I was sixteen and sealed off from the outside world. Besides I bet you have your fair share of teenage flings. You were the one who teased me about passing the nights there as I recall."

" Nope. Too busy getting shot at. "She said with complete sincerity. "That and I looked like a boy until my midteens."

Nice going Alenko.

"I find that hard to believe. I've seen the VI's they made of you. Not exactly execrated proportions there." He eyes her head to toe meaningfully.

"Seriously! When Anderson found me on Omega he thought I was a boy ."

" Ick. I really don't want to know how you proved otherwise do I?" He was mostly kidding.

Shepard makes a motion as if she was going to push Kaidan into the water, but her face was not angry.

"He scanned my thumbprint you pervert! When we get back to Earth he can tell you. You want the stories and he knows that one just as well as me. Hell probably better."

"That would be one hell of a victory party. Can't image we would find enough booze for all three of us."

"Come on. We got work to do while we are here. "She uploads Sander's files to her omni and checks her mail frowning. " You'd think with the entire galaxy gone nuts the council would make it a point to fast track their own officers who saved their asses." She gripes and starts walking.

"You saved their asses. I shot one of them." Kaidan reminds her. Falling in step next to her they leave the small park and re-emerge on the other side of the commons.

"No. You shot a scared ass who thought selling out other species would buy humanity some time. That reminds me, I might as well get another meeting done since Tevos can't be pulled out of her grief long enough to save the rest of her species it seems." Still walking Shepard is typing up a message. A ping replies back quickly and she gives a slight nod.

"Is this your lunch date?"

"Working lunch and yes. Wanna come?"

"Uhhhh Shep? I might be a little out of practice with dating but the third wheel kinda defeats the point."

What is she getting at? Or maybe you are just making too much out of it Alenko.

"So does asking a guy's doctor ex-girlfriend to watch over him but that didn't stop me." She retorts back.

"Wait you knew about Chloe? " He stopped abruptly. Somehow the idea had never crossed Kaidan's mind.

"Please Kaidan." Shepard rolls her eyes. "You are not exactly a social butterfly with the migraines. You were never stationed on a ship after SR-1 and you went to a new system every few months. When she came running over with Karin after Mars the pieces fell into place."

And she still asked Mitchell to watch over you. Good to know she is not a jealous prig unlike some people.

"That and she bought Garrus those chocolates so I got the vib she was on the rebound. I had to practically drag Tali away from scratching the poor woman's eyes out. And Garrus was as oblivious as usual." Sensing Kaidan's unease Shepard switched the focus off his ill-fated civilian relationship.

And you wanted to question her about how close she had gotten to Thane. Who she asked to look over you. Let's see who her mystery messages were going to then shall we?

Wondering just how far Kaidan could fit his size 13 boot down his own gullet he gestured for Shep to lead the way. She had invited him after all, but it typical Shepard fashion not divulged who nor where. Wordlessly she leds the way back toward the few remaining restaurants on the Presidium.

A/N Intresting chapter to end up on Valentines Day :)

gammasquad/2012/02/42-more-geeky-valentines/attachment/valentines-masseffect-commander-shepard/

And a lovely day to all you readers and lurkers. Thank you again for your support and as always I welcome feedback even critical.

-R