Waking up, Shepard wondered if EDI had been messing with the environmental controls again because she was distinctly warmer than she normally was any other time.
Of course, that was better than when EDI had decided to lower the temperature to see what effect it would have on the crew's efficiency.
She rubbed her eyes and wondered if she'd need to have another talk with the AI about the power of self-control and how inconsiderate it was to experiment on people. That was when she realized that there was something large and heavy across her abdomen and something- presumably a body- pressed against her back.
Despite all of the lost time, Shepard could have recognized those hands with her eyes closed with nothing more to go on than touch. A part of her wanted to go back to sleep for a little while longer and just linger in his embrace for as long as possible.
Despite her wishes, the more logical part of her brain reminded her that they were in the middle of a galactic war that was bigger than her and a renewed romance that was still just as against Alliance protocol as it had been on the SR-1.
Of course, though she was his superior officer while they served on the Normandy, he outranked her.
So, their roles were somewhat switched from the last time- a fact that gave Shepard more than a few chuckles.
Shepard carefully eased out from under Kaidan's arm and got out of bed with more than a little regret. That was about the point she realized that she was still in the fatigues she had been wearing when she came back from her last mission.
Well, apparently, it was shower time.
Something was wrong.
Kaidan kept his eyes closed as he tried to identify the problem.
The bed- at least, he assumed that it was a bed- was too soft and spacious to be a crewman's bunk or a sleeping pod. He had been pretty positive that, if memory served, he hadn't gone asleep by himself and, yet, he could tell that he was, in fact, alone.
He really hoped that it hadn't all been a dream and he was still at Huerta with nothing to do but watch the news and twiddle his thumbs.
It was a relief when he opened his eyes and he was in Shepard's personal quarters. Alone, true, but still there. Of course, he wasn't truly alone since he heard the shower.
He stretched leisurely and looked at the glass case holding model ships and a desk with an abused looking N7 helmet on...oh. He quickly moved his eyes away from that when he realized what it was- when it was from.
How could she fall asleep and wake up with that just in eyesight?
Oh, that's right, she wasn't really sleeping.
As the shower turned off, Kaidan felt his stomach clench.
What if his staying last night was a bad decision she made from sheer stress?
What if she was horrified to see him still in her bed?
The door to her bathroom opened and she paused at her private terminal to check her messages, which produced a small frown as her eyes moved from left to right. From her clothes- her normal black cargo pants and a tank-top that she wore under her N7 jacket- and easy set of her shoulders, Kaidan could tell that she was relaxed and at ease.
He had missed seeing that over the years.
She glanced through her display case and her smile widened. "Hey there, Major," she smirked, walking around into her living area. "I thought I was going to leave you a note and sneak out of my own quarters."
As she sat down on the bed beside of him, he sat up and wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer. Lowering his voice to the point that forced her to lean in, he said, "You could've woken me up at any time."
He heard her breathing quicken and saw her eyes widen. However, despite all of that, she recovered enough to sound somewhat normal. "You said you hadn't been sleeping well, Kaidan, and you looked so peaceful that I didn't want to disturb you."
Kaidan shrugged and decided to change the topic before he revealed too much. It was true that he hadn't been sleeping, but, with her next to him, he slept like there was nothing to worry about. "What's the message that made you frown like that?"
Shepard sighed. "Just Bailey wanting me to go to C-Sec as soon as I can. He didn't expand on it."
Kaidan dared to press a kiss against her temple. "The curse of being Commander Shepard, N7, and first human Spectre."
She smiled and pulled out of his embrace as she stood up. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. If only the second human Spectre wasn't such a bum," she snorted, softening her words with a smile before turning to walk away.
He smirked and got out of her bed, wrapping her against him. Leaning down, he whispered, "A bum, huh?"
She shivered again. "Oh yeah," she murmured, leaning her head back onto his shoulder, "a bum with a nice ass."
Kaidan chuckled and turned her around so she was facing him and lowered his face towards her. "Yeah?" he whispered, slowly lowering his mouth down to hers.
He could feel her sudden intake of breath as she leaned up to meet his kiss and-
"Commander, Admiral Hackett is requesting a vid-chat with you down in the comm room," Joker informed her over the comm.
Hope let her head fall onto Kaidan's shoulder in defeat. "How urgent did it sound?" she questioned, running her fingertips up and down his sides.
"This is Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett we're talking about," Joker said pointedly, "everything he says sounds like it's urgent."
"Tell him I'll be down in five," she sighed.
"Roger," Joker said, clicking off the comm.
Kaidan rested his cheek on the top of her head. "For someone who says that he approves of us, it sure seems like he's constantly interrupting us," he pointed out.
Hope sighed and, with that one exasperated breath, seemed to transform back from the woman to the soldier. She leaned up and gave him a small peck on the lips. "Duty calls, Major."
Shepard stood at an easy parade rest as she gazed at the holo of Hackett. "Commander, the Normandy needs to be repaired and her retrofitting completed," he informed her. "Flight Lieutenant Moreau-"
"Joker," she corrected him.
Hackett's brow creased in disapproval but, otherwise, showed no knowledge of her interruption. He continued, "-has informed me that you're headed to the Citadel."
"That's right, Sir," she confirmed.
Hackett nodded. "Once docked, you and your crew will be placed on shore leave for the duration of the repairs."
"But, Sir, there is a war-"
He stopped her mid-sentence with a disapproving look she recognized well from her childhood- it seemed like her father and Hackett learned that look from the same place. "I am well aware of the current state of the galaxy, thank you, Commander. This does not negate the fact that the tip of our spear is in need of repair. The ship aside, you and your crew are exhausting yourselves and will be no good for the war if you continue on in this manner."
Hackett stared at her, almost daring her to argue with him. Instead, she pursed her lips. "Can we negotiate when Shoreleave will begin, sir, or is it set in stone?"
"I'll rearrange the schedule and make it the second day of dock on the Citadel. That'll give you time enough to get all of your official business done." His expression softened a little. "Relax a little, Hope- everyone's worried about you."
"Gee, Sir, you sure this is about the ship at all?" she asked. "And, I'll have you know, I had a full eight hours' worth of sleep past night with no interruptions."
Hackett eyed her in disbelief. "None the less, Commander, this isn't a suggestion or even a plea- it's an order."
She rolled her eyes but snapped a salute. "Aye-aye, Sir."
"You are definitely Nate's daughter," he muttered in exasperation as he responded to her salute with one of his own. "Please try to leave the Citadel intact, Hope."
"No explosions?" she pouted good-naturedly.
"No," Hackett said firmly. "Be good."
"Sure, sure. Until next time, Admiral."
After a quick shower and change of clothes, Kaidan wandered up to the Helm. Sitting down in the co-pilot seat, he asked, "EDI find a new post?"
"Nah, I think she's talking to Liara about something." Joker shrugged. "I noticed that your sleeping pod was suspiciously empty last night and this morning."
Looking horrified, Kaidan wondered, "You check and make sure I'm in my pod?"
"I look into everyone's pod, man. Anyway, were you making up for lost time in Shepard's cabin?" he taunted, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"I'm sorry?" Kaidan gasped, turning a strange shade of red.
Joker sighed and looked away from the screens to look at his friend. "Were you guys sleeping together?" he asked slowly, as though to a child.
A chuckle from behind them had both men hunching their shoulders in horror. "Really, Joker?"
The pilot shrugged. "Inquiring minds want to know, Commander."
Shepard walked next to Kaidan and laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a secret smile before looking at Joker. "Okay, fine, I'll tell you. Yeah, we slept together all night long."
Joker grinned- his eyes practically disappearing. "How was it?"
"Best eight hour sleep I've had since I died," she admitted and took immense joy from Joker's immediate deflation.
"You mean you guys just slept?"
"That was what you asked, was it not?" Kaidan piped in.
Laughing, Shepard informed them, "Beginning on the second day of dock, the crew is on Shoreleave while the Normandy is under-going repairs. Plan accordingly."
After she walked out, Joker remained pouting. "You guys just cost me a hundred creds," he informed Kaidan sullenly.
"One day you'll learn not to make a bet on her, Joker."