Ashley
I had never gave much thought to marrying Shea until Chey mentioned it. Now I couldn't stop thinking and imagining it. She'd be in her dress blues or a custom fitted white tux. We wouldn't get married at a church. It would have to be somewhere special for both of us. "The Normandy." I decided. I could just picture it we would walk around the galaxy map and meet up before the path o the cockpit. Her midnight tresses be in a long ponytail instead of the bun she wears now, my dark brown hair would be down around my shoulders, blue and white flowers real or plastic would be threaded through. My veil would be simple and elegant. Our hands would be placed over each other and we kneel like in medieval times. We would write our own vows, when the officiate would say, rise Mrs. Shea and Ashley Shepard we would slowly rise and everyone there would be silent. Then we'd kiss and the whole CIC filled with our friends would erupt into cheers and applause. Then we would take the surprisingly slow elevator to Shea's quarters and have a quickie, then put on our reception outfits and once again descend to the cargo bay.
She holds my hand and we walk around the bay to our table. Chey would give a speech maybe read some poetry for us she did have a beautiful voice for reading. I would have taught her to dance by now and she would take me in her arms and we'd glide around the make shift dance floor. "Ash? Normandy to Ash, come in Ash?" Chey says breaking me from my fantasy. "Hmm? What?" I said. "Where did you go just now?" she asks. I blush a bit. "Somewhere beautiful, and someday in the not to far off future, hopefully." I said with a stupid grin. "Oh, and where would that be? Hopefully not naughty times with Shea, because I really don't want to hear about what you would do to my sisters body." She says. "I would never share that with you. If you must know I was just having a fantasy wedding with Shea. We had just been in the middle of the first dance as wives." I explained.
She laughs, "Sorry the image of my sister flailing about on a dance floor always makes me laugh. You do realize Shea can't dance to save her life, don't you?" she asks. "I am well aware of your sister's lack of dancing skills, but it was a Waltz and I had taught her well." I said. She raises her hands in surrender. "Fair enough, now what about the matter at hand. What should I do? What do you think she'd like?" she asks. "A day off and a fantastic dinner." I reply. "Ash are you a good cook?" I shake my head. "My sister's tell me I am a great cook." I respond. "Excellent you can make the fantastic dinner and I'll work on getting her the day off. It's perfect and maybe I'll even give her a nice back rub. To help ease the tension." She says. "Are you good at back rubs?" I ask. "Actually I am. Liana taught me everything she learned in massage therapy school." She replies.
"Well let's get this train rolling. What is Shea's favorite dish?" I ask. "You couldn't tell by looking at her, but Shea is a total foodie. She loves all kinds of food, so I would just look in the pantry and figure it out from there. Wait no there's one type of food she doesn't like at all. Seafood. She hates all types of seafood. So avoid that all together." She says. "Okay. I can do that. Should I make a dessert?" I ask. " Oh definitely dessert is her favorite. Pies in particular she loves pie." She says. I grin. "That is something else we have in common then. I love pie too." She looks confused. "Are we both talking about the same kind of pie?" She asks shyly. "No Chey, we are most definitely not." She groans. "I really don't want to think about that. God I wish I could kill something right now." She pinches the bridge of her nose. I laugh, "Chey are you being shy?" I tease. "Shut it, soon to be sister-in- law." She says which causes me to blush all over again, and once again get lost in fantasy weddings with Shea. "Great, I'm going to be seeing weddings in my head all day now thanks to you." She claps my shoulder. "Anytime sis, anytime."
Shea
Our hearts were heavy once we boarded the ship. Liara continued her silence, I excused her and nodded for Tali to follow her like I knew she would want to. "We won't be on Thessia for long, a week at the most." I said secretly hoping that it would indeed be in that time frame. Ash and Chey waited a bit after. " I know it's kind of a bad time, but Chey and I were talking earlier, and well we thought you could use a day off. I made dinner for you and Chey is going take charge of the ship." She said. "I don't get days off." I said. "Sorry sis, you don't have a choice in the matter you need a day to rest and recharge your batteries. That, and we worked really hard to arrange things for you." Chey says. "Okay fine. Are you sure you can handle running the ship?" I asked Chey. "Of course, we're already heading to Thessia, and it will take at least a day to get there. I did go to officer school too you know. I think I can handle it." She says. I only feel slightly reassured. "Alright. Just let me deal with the council first." I said. She nods and Joker connects the line. I shouldn't have been surprised that the council was not happy with Noveria, when were they ever happy with what I did.
"Why are you going to Thessia, we gave you intel that Saren was heading to Virmire. Your mission is to stop him, not go prancing about with the Asari." The Turian councilor said. "We are going to Thessia to have a funeral for Matriarch Benezia. You read the report she wasn't in control of herself. She used whatever strength she had left to break free and help us. She was an honorable woman and as such she will be laid to rest with honor." I explain to them. The Asari councilor Tevos was on our side she thought it would be best to do so. "Be as that may how does this help your mission?" The Salarian councilor asked. "It helps a member of my crew get some closure, which in turn will make it easier to have her at 110 percent. My crew needs to be mentally capable for my mission to succeed." I explain again. "Still.." I interrupt the Turian. "My ship, my crew, my mission, and my rules. Good day councilors." I disconnect from them.
"I am so fucking tired of them always trying to micromanage me. I'm sick of them always berating me for my every fucking decision." I grouse. " We know. We hate it too. We don't see there asses hanging out in the line of fire. They don't understand how crucial it is for soldiers to have a clear mind when they fight." Ash says comfortingly rubbing my lower back. "How about that dinner now?" she asks. "Please and Thank you." I reply and proceed her out the door and to the elevator to the mess. The meal she sat in front of me smelled and looked divine. "Where did we even get chicken from?" I wonder but then realized I didn't care it looked delicious. I took a bit and it was amazing. "You made this all?" I ask Ashley. She smiles. "I did, I got the ingredients on Noveria. Do you like it?" she asks. "I love it. If you keep cooking like this I may have to marry you." I said only halfway teasing. "We'll see Shea. It might just happen. Now eat. Your day off has just begun." She says.
After my very satisfying meal, Ashley and I watch the first season of an old TV show called 'RWBY'. "Chey suggested it she thought you and I might enjoy it." Ashley says. "I did, it was fun. What about you?" I ask. "I really liked it too, those weapons were crazy awesome." She says. "I liked the fight scenes the most, it looked more like an actual battle was like. And those girls have crazy mad skills." I said. I look at my watch it was 2002 hours. Ash had some of duties to see to, and we hugged and parted ways. I headed back up to my quarters. "Hey Shea, did you enjoy the show?" she asks. "I really did, is there more?" I ask. "Yeah, I have the second season. I'm still trying to find the third season. I'll send the second one to your data pad a little later. Now I would like to give you a back and shoulder massage. Pressly is in the CIC watching over things for now." I nod and remove my shirt, for my massage.