Hello! I'm planning on updating again soon. This chapter takes place after the last one. I will be posting some Citadel DLC chapters, but they will be marked for potential spoilers. Loved that DLC. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, favorites, alerts and follows. It makes my day that people are enjoying this story. : )

PE

Stress Relief

"Come on, Major! Give her hell!" Private Marian Brada shouted from the sparring ring's side lines.

"I have fifty credits on you, Major!" Corporal Jones blurted out.

"Ha, hell no, my money's on the Commander. No offense, Major." Vega called out to him.

Kaidan shot him a weary grin. Nice knowing they have some confidence in me. Everyone who was off duty formed a cluster on the edges of the sparring circle that had been set up in the Normandy's main cargo hold. Kaidan shook his head. The support was nice, but he had a bad feeling about this fight. Some of the privates and corporals had only heard of Commander Shepard's prowess on the battlefield. This was the first time they would actually get the chance to see her fight. She could be brutal and ruthless when she needed to be. James had informed him before the fight an uncharacteristic large portion of the crew planned on attending their sparring match. Apparently the scuttlebug had been making its rounds pretty diligently. This was being called the 'match of the century' the first two human Spectres were meeting head to head.

The crew stood gathered around the ring. Each of them placing bets and calling words of encouragement or discouragement as the case was for both of them. Kaidan was taken slightly aback that he seemed to have a cheering section.

Shepard stood across from him in a simple working Alliance uniform: a uniform which matched his own. Kaidan couldn't help the smile that slipped onto his lips as he watched her. Shepard rolled her left shoulder and rotated her head from side to side. Her dark brown hair was pulled back away from her face in a twisted knot. Her light green eyes flickered from the sidelines to him. The corner of her mouth tilted upwards into her knowing grin. Though he did notice the dark circles under her eyes as well. The smile slipped from his face. Shepard looked tired and worn. Beautiful, but she had a lot riding on her shoulders. Kaidan wished he could help her, but this wasn't really the way he wanted to help her. Stress relief was good and all, but fighting each other…well, if it helped he would do it. Though Shepard had challenged him to this ridiculous duel was beyond him. She didn't have anything to prove to him or anyone, so why had she?

"Ready, Major?" She asked dropping into a crouch and yanking him from his thoughts.

Kaidan nodded and mimicked her stance. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Good." She nodded towards Garrus. The turian was standing on the sidelines near the center of the ring. He was refereeing the match. Garrus nodded back to Shepard and then raised his hands into the air.

The room went silent.

"Three rounds each ending with the pinning of your opponent. Biotics and hand to hand are both allowed. Kaidan, are you ready?"

"I am."

"And you, Shepard?"

"I'm ready, Garrus." Kaidan watched Shepard as she answered. That damnable knowing smile still played at her lips. She turned her eyes on him and her body tensed.

"Then begin." Garrus called taking a step back away from the ring. So did most of the others gathered around the circle. Kaidan noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye. His sole attention was focused on Shepard, who had a faint blue glow surrounding her.

Kaidan threw up his barrier without a second thought. Shepard was a hard hitter and he knew from fighting side by side with her that she liked to get up close and personal. She would come at him. Kaidan's eyes narrowed. So why wait. He gathered the blue energy into his hands flung it outward toward Shepard.

Shepard did not have time to dodge. Kaidan pulled her towards him. Sliding her feet across the mat, as she came within striking distance Kaidan released the hold on her. He kicked out with his left foot hoping to catch her in the chest. Thankfully she had her barrier in place otherwise the blow would have done more than bruise.

In the moment Kaidan's foot lashed out, he realized his mistake. Shepard still grinning charged forward the rest of the distance. She closed the gap in between them in the blink of an eye, dancing pass his leg to slam her arm full force into his chest.

The air rushed out of Kaidan's lungs as he hit the mats. He stared up the dark gray ceiling. He blinked. What the hell just happened? He felt something heavy on his chest. And suddenly he was staring up into vibrant green eyes in a freckled face split into an infuriating knowing smile.

"Has it been so long sense we last sparred, Major? That you would try a trick like that on me." Shepard stated.

"First round to Commander Shepard." Garrus' voice rang out. Kaidan barely noticed the groans and cheers of the crowd watching them.

Kaidan blinked and remembered exactly what had happened. "Get off me, Shepard." He growled. He did not like that she had taken him down so easily.

"Don't be sore, Kaidan." She said standing up and offering him a hand.

"Shit, Shepard. I'm going to be sore after that." He grumbled accepting her proffered hand.

She helped pull him to his feet.

"Ready for round two?" She asked clapping him on the shoulder. He shot her a glare. She was enjoying this a little too much. She raised a questioning eyebrow at his look. "What's with that look?"

Kaidan shook his head. "Nothing. Let's get this over with." She seemed awfully chirper for someone who only a few hours ago was ready to thrash the nearness living being.

A laugh escaped her. "Ah, Kaidan, don't be a wet blanket. Relax," she winked at him as she turned to walk away. "I'll go easier on you." She shouted at him over her shoulder.

Damnable woman. Kaidan thought as he dropped into his crouch. He replaced his barrier and waited Garrus to signal the start of round two.

Kaidan lay on his stomach a pillow tucked up under his neck and chin. His arms were crossed under the pillow. Everything hurt or at least it felt that way. A dull ache was starting behind his eyes; he could feel a migraine in the making. This one had nothing to do with his implants and everything to do with his throbbing back and neck muscles.

He shouldn't have felt this way, but it had been a while since he had taken the beating that he had in the sparring ring. On Mars was probably the last time…he squeezed his eyes shut. The hum of running water mixed with the quiet bubbling of the fish tank off to his left. He sighed and planted his face into the pillow hoping to block out the dim overhead lights.

Shepard had invited him up to utilize her shower and relax after their match. He wasn't a sore loser, just a tired and confused one. She had let him take a shower first as she had reports to finalize. He wasn't going to turn down a decent hot shower, a soft bed and a moment alone with Shepard. Her thoughts might be several worlds away, but…he smiled. He had confidence that he could bring her back to the Normandy and this room fairly quickly.

A warm hand caressed the small of his back, pressing gently but firmly on the muscles found there. A small groan of pain and pleasure escaped his lips.

"Is that too much pressure?" Shepard asked softly rolling her hand in small circular motions along his back.

"No, that's fine." Kaidan replied lifting his head slightly. A second warm hand joined the first moving up and down his back relieving the tension building up there.

"You know, you could have had me in the last round." Shepard said and he could hear the smirk in voice. Her breath was warm on his the skin of back. A shiver of desire rippled through his body. A soft moan escaped him.

Soft lips kissed his bare shoulder and he closed his eyes as her hands continued to soothe the tight muscles of his neck. Her fingers deftly danced around his implants. For several minutes she worked kneading and caressing. Kaidan smiled and relaxed letting the tension of their fight and the war drift away.

"You know, if you keep this up you'll put me to sleep." He whispered shifting his head to the side.

Shepard chuckled, "Maybe that's the idea." She replied leaning forward she rested her hands on his shoulders and leaned across his back to kiss his cheek. Her skin was warm and soft against his. Kaidan sighed and then smiled wickedly.

"What?" She asked noticing his grin.

Opening his eyes he abruptly flipped himself over. A yelp escaped Shepard as she landed besides him on the bed, the sudden movement having dislodged her from her precarious position. Kaidan threw his leg over hers, pinning her effective to the bed. He smiled down at her noting the look of surprise flickering in her eyes. He cupped her cheek with a hand letting his thumb trace the outline of her cheekbone. "Why, so surprised?" he asked playfully, "You told me to 'expect the unexpected'."

"So I did." She commented arching her neck slightly so that his fingers could slip behind her head and into her damp hair. Her lips were partly open and her bright green eyes flashed teasingly just as her knowing grin twitched at the corners of her mouth.

Kaidan's chest filled with so many emotions in that moment: love, desire, protectiveness, and pride swirled and blended together permeating his entire being. In that moment looking down into her eyes the words, "I love you," seemed inadequate. What he felt for her was so much more than love. Leaning his head forward he closed his eyes and touched his forehead to hers. "You could have won," She whispered gently. He shook his head brushing his nose against hers.

"No, you were always the better close up fighter." He replied letting her warm sweet breath wash over his face.

He felt her shake her head. "No, you should have won. You pulled your last punch. I saw you. You hesitated. Why?"

Kaidan sighed. "Because I couldn't beat you. I didn't let you win, Shepard. I can't fight you."

She shifted uncomfortably beneath him. "I can handle myself," She started.

"I know that. Don't get me wrong, Shepard. You will always beat me in a fight. I can't bring myself to go full out against you. I can't. It has nothing to do with what you can't handle. It's me." He stated evenly. He had been hoping she wouldn't have noticed that he pulled his last punch. Shepard still would have won in his book even without him holding back, it had been a subconscious hold back.

"You didn't want to hurt me." She said calmly. "Kaidan, you know that…"

"I know, I know, but I saw flashes of the coup all over again. Me, looking down the barrel of my gun at you. I would have pulled the trigger. I didn't want too. But I would have…I… I wanted then to trust you, I did trust you, but…I just…I don't know, Shepard. I stopped reacting and started thinking."

"Kaidan," His name was a soft caress to his ears. He sighed again and started to stroke her hair. His chest felt unbearably heavy suddenly. A grief so thick was building up in his heart. He knew that in his heart of hearts he would have pulled the trigger. He felt suddenly sick to his stomach. But just like when they had been sparring he had hesitated. Subconsciously, maybe he knew he never could have. But it still felt like he was lying to himself. He waited for her to get up and leave. To tell him to get out.

Shepard's hands on his chest brought him back to his senses. He opened his eyes and pulled back to stare at her face again. She was grinning up at him. Once again with that damnable know it all smile. "Kaidan, you could never have pulled the trigger. Just as I never could have pulled the trigger on you."

A little smile tugged at his lips. "You're sure about that, Shepard?" He teased right before his mouth covered hers.