I do not own Mass Effect, or any of its characters or locations or like, literally anything.
Thank you for reading!
Night wind gusted cool against her skin. How long since she'd just relaxed and felt the wind? It moved differently through the soft fabric of her civvies in a way it never could through armor. It seemed to caress every part of her. Like Earth was welcoming her home.
Argos was waiting for her at the bottom of the ramp. He was Kaidan's father's massive wolf hound. She remembered when the Alenko clan got him, actually, because it happened right after Eden Prime. She'd come into the mess to find Ashley laughing and shaking her head at something Kaidan said. And back then, it seemed so impossibly long ago, she'd actually had to suppress a stab of jealousy. She'd asked what the joke was, and Kaidan had told her that his father just got a new pedigreed wolfhound and named it Argos in honor of his son. Ashley had to explain the joke to her. She didn't remember what it was but she knew it had something to do with an ancient Earth poem about a wandering soldier. Kaidan's father's little way to remind his son that he was expected to return home no matter how long it took.
Well, he'd made it. That had to count for something, right?
Argos stretched and rose to his feet. He was almost as big as Shepard. Almost twice as tall as a varren. Intelligent dark eyes studied her from beneath a mop of dirty-looking gray fur. She was sure he couldn't possibly be as filthy as he looked. Kaidan's mom wouldn't stand for that.
"Were you waiting for me?" she asked him. His tail wagged slowly. She had to suppress a twinge of fear, ancient and irrational. Wild dogs roamed the streets of the slums where she'd grown up. Where she ran with the Reds. They were as much a hazard in her youth as cold, heat, fire, and hostile strangers. She'd once seen a wild dog rip a little boy's throat out. But Argos was a pet. Tame. Right?
She walked past him without petting him and headed for the farmhouse. Argos fell into step beside her. This part of British Columbia didn't look nearly as ravaged as London. It wasn't the green paradise Kaidan described, but it wasn't a slice of hell either. The farmhouse looked a palace to Shepard's eyes. It rose three full stories and sprawled in several directions. The front entryway was grand, picked out with deep red bricks. She didn't go in the front door. That entryway was cold and sterile, and probably locked, and almost certainly dark. She went in the back door by the kitchens. It was a smaller entrance, and much less imposing. But as soon as she opened the door she was hit with a wall of light and sound that made her flinch into a wide grin.
Joker and Cortez were playing cards on the low table over by the entrance, near the big sofa. Liara sat next to them reading a data pad. The three of them seemed embroiled in a hotly contested debate about something called a Johnny Appleseed, whatever that was. Liara's reading did not keep her from firing off arguments in rapid response to Joker's prodding. Past the sofa there was a counter where people could sit and where, on the other side, people could prepare food. It was the outer edge of the kitchen. She'd had something similar in her Citadel apartment. But this kitchen was vibrantly red and white. Little ceramic tiles lined the floor and walls between the cabinets. It was, to her eye, an enormous kitchen. Kaidan's mother had referred to it as the "summer kitchen" and suggested using it to prepare food for everyone, since the regular kitchen didn't have room for all the extra people. James was seated at the counter arguing cooking techniques with Kaidan. But Kaidan stopped mid-sentence when he saw her come in. Their eyes met, and he stopped everything to just smile at her for a moment. Like the world stopped turning.
And then his smile widened into a grin and he beckoned her over.
"Shepard can solve this for us," he said. Oh, crap. Well at least she wasn't supposed to get between him and his mother. Elizabeth Alenko was on the far wall watching over something on the stovetop. Kaidan was chopping apples, onions, and carrots on the counter opposite James.
"Solve what?" she said. She smiled at the card players in passing and went to stand next to James at the counter. Argos followed her right inside. He turned around three times at James' feet and then laid down. She would have expected such a big dog to take up a lot of space but instead he just curled into a tiny ball with his head on his feet.
"Your boyfriend thinks apple fritters are a kind of fried breaded apple thing," James said. He crossed his massive arms over his chest. "Everyone knows they're like donuts, but just with pieces of apple in them."
"What makes either of you think that I have a line on what makes an apple fritter?" Shepard said.
"You've had apple fritters before, right?" Kaidan slid a plate of golden brown rings over to her. "Taste these and tell me if these are apple fritters. Vega here thinks these are something else entirely."
Her stomach clenched uncomfortably. Eating right now was either the only way to soak up those ill-advised drinks, or the worse idea anyone had ever had. Only by testing it would she know which one it was.
At least these smelled good. The fried ring felt gritty under her hand. When she bit into it, she could taste the sharp sweetness of the apple, the warm tang of the fried breading, the sugar that had been dusted on it while it was piping hot. She closed her eyes to savor the first food she'd had in months, months, that Kaidan cooked. The first food she'd had in months that didn't come out of a reddi-pack or a restaurant. It seemed wrong somehow. Like when spacers first felt the wind on their face and panicked, instead of relaxing into the sensation.
"Jeez, Lola, people are watching," Vega muttered. She opened her eyes in time to see Kaidan swat at him with a dish towel. Those two had obviously gotten closer while they were on their long journey home. Vega ducked like the towel was a real threat, which made her grin.
"Well, they're delicious," she said. Her eyes met Kaidan's and she knew he was thinking exactly what she was thinking. Celebrating was good, celebrating with these beloved friends was better than good. But a part of her was just counting the minutes until she could be alone with him. And, she saw, he was doing the exact same thing.
"But are they apple fritters?" Kaidan asked. She just smiled.
"I don't know. Honest." But then she turned to James. "But if you think I'm going to do anything, anything at all, to antagonize Kaidan when he's on a cooking streak you've got bugs for brains. I haven't had a real home-cooked meal since we had shore leave on the Citadel."
"Really?" Kaidan said, frowning. He turned to his mom. "Ma, you never had Shepard over for dinner?"
"I had to travel to her, dear, she only recently finished enough of her rehabilitation to travel," Elizabeth Alenko said. She didn't seem at all ruffled by the disapproval in her son's voice. "And we both had other priorities. We did go out to dinner several times in the city."
"That's good, loco, it means Shepard hasn't seen your baby pictures yet," Vega said. Kaidan swatted at him with the towel again. "Actually, Mrs. A, where are those baby pictures?"
"Watch it, Vega," Kaidan growled.
But his mother answered without even turning around or changing tone, "What do I get out of it?"
"A ticket to the gun show?" Vega asked. Kaidan growled, wordlessly. The big N7 marine just grinned and leaned out of swatting range. "Got any repairs you want done around here?"
"Come to think of it, yes," Elizabeth Alenko said. "Cerberus troops blew up a depot not far from here, and the fire spread out to our south fields. I've got a lot of salvage work to do out there. And I think some parts of the roof may need patching."
"Ma, I'll patch the roof," Kaidan said, a little desperately. She didn't turn around or otherwise acknowledge him. A calculating look flashed over Kaidan's features. "Liara? I don't suppose you'd have any embarrassing information on James Vega?"
"Of course, Kaidan," Liara said. She glanced over her shoulder at the lot of them. "I have embarrassing information on each and every one of you. But I don't have any chores for you to earn it with. Not right now."
"What do you have on me?" Shepard said, diverted. Liara's smile grew smug.
"That would be telling," the asari said.
"Yeah, telling is what I want," Shepard said. But Liara didn't rise to the bait. So she tried Mrs. Alenko. "Elizabeth, you'd show me any photos I wanted to see, wouldn't you?"
"Of course I would, dear." Her voice never did change. Shepard hadn't ever thought of herself or her crew as childish before. Maybe they just didn't hang out with enough of their elders to really get that perspective.
"Okay, you don't want to get into the apple fritter argument. I can respect that." James held his hands up as if to concede a point. She'd thought they were past this, but apparently he was going to beat this argument to death. It was the debate over biotics versus physical prowess all over again. "But loco over here is trying to make a pig roast without the pig. That's just not right."
"It's vat protein," Kaidan explained to Shepard. He went back to slicing apples. "Closest thing we have to real ham. Well, except for the dextro bacon. Which I'm making in addition to the rest of this because Tali and Garrus deserve to be part of this feast too."
"Garrus mentioned something about making dextro food," she said. Kaidan shrugged.
"Soon as he gets back, sure. But James here, he's gone all purist on me. Apparently he forgot that the eggs in his heuvos rancheros are powdered."
"Hey, but they didn't come out of a vat," James said. "Vat protein's got no flavor. In a real roast the flavor goes both ways. Apples make the ham taste good, ham makes the apples taste good. We're just gonna end up with limp apples."
"There's not a lot of ham lying around Earth right now," Kaidan said. "Or anywhere else for that matter. Vat protein is what we've got. Deal with it."
"Psssh." Vega waved this off. But he didn't pursue the argument. Kaidan put the apples and vegetables in a big black pan, covered it, then put the whole thing in the oven.
"I hate to think of you eating reddi-pack food while recovering from those injuries," Kaidan said. "Wish I could have helped."
"You can help now," she said. The corner of his mouth ticked up.
"Yeah, well, as long as we're here I can. Sure. But back on the Normandy? We'll have to see," he said. "It'll depend what kinds of supplies we can requisition. But instant meals take up a lot less space. You get a lot more nutrition per pound."
"Oh, the wonders of military life," Shepard intoned. "Don't worry too much. There was a nice veggie curry stand right near my rehab center. I got my vegetables."
"It's a good thing Hackett wants me for the Alliance, not the Normandy," Vega said. His smile at the two of them was small and wry. "Watching you two make googly eyes isn't my idea of a good time."
"You're just jealous," Cortez added from the couch. "Shep has good taste, yeah?"
"Boys, I'm standing right here," Elizabeth Alenko said. "And that's my son. Kindly refrain from barracks talk while you're in my kitchen."
She turned around and set the hot pan on the counter. It was tile, it could take the heat. The apples in the pan were coated in brown sauce and soft from the heat. She spooned out a bowl full and, deftly avoiding James' attempt at a grab, handed it to Shepard. She fished out a fork and handed it over as well.
"There, dear. These will perk you right up. I'm sure your leg is bothering you after all that flying around today," Elizabeth said. Kaidan started in surprise and looked from one of them to the other suspiciously, but his mother ignored him. Shepard wished she could. It was true. Her injuries were mostly healed, but not entirely. The unease in her stomach had distracted her from the pain in her leg, and back, and shoulder. But they did hurt. It was just a little pain, though, really. She could deal with pain. She just wished it wasn't so completely constant. "I wish we had some nice vanilla ice cream to go on top, but with the war. . . well. We still had some brown sugar and the good whiskey. Whiskey apples will get any soldier back on their feet."
Shepard smiled at her. Elizabeth's maternal ideas were entirely irresistible. She could see a lot of Kaidan in his mother. Or was that the other way around? She took a bite, obediently. And then another just because the damn things were so delicious. Soft and chewy, the apples tasted like cinnamon, whiskey, and hot butter. And they were sweet enough that she knew she'd be riding a sugar high all the way to forgetting about her aches and pains. If she didn't throw it all up first.
"God, that's good," Shepard said. Elizabeth smiled in genuine pleasure. It was the same smile Kaidan had when he was happy, and Shepard couldn't help but smile back. "If we stay here too long I won't fit into my armor anymore."
"Good," Elizabeth said. "Can't wear the damn thing anyway."
"True," Shepard smiled. But Kaidan was looking at her in renewed and horrified concern, so she added, "At least not yet."
"I'd like to try those," Liara said, coming over from the couch. Cortez started to get up too, but was roped back into the card game with an acerbic comment from Joker. Apparently they had some cash riding on the game. Figured. The asari took a fork from one of the drawers- trust Liara to note where the silverware was kept on her very first visit - and speared an apple out of the bowl. Then she made a face, and froze, and then tried to smile encouragingly. It didn't come out right.
"Not to your taste?" Elizabeth suggested gently.
"More for me?" Shepard teased. Liara swallowed, ruefully.
"I'm afraid that is a little sweeter than I'm used to," she admitted. "Much like the apple fritters. I am sorry, Elizabeth. I hate to be the picky eater."
Elizabeth spooned out three more bowls, shaking her head in denial of Liara's statement. She handed one bowl to James, and gestured for Shepard to take the other two over to the card players.
"I wouldn't worry about it, Liara," Elizabeth said. "It's a miracle of evolution we can eat each other's food at all."
"I'm afraid that isn't a general asari preference," Liara said ruefully. "It's just me. I find that my hips are all too eager to grow. My mother's genetics. I'd rather stay slim enough to fit in standard armor."
"Nothing wrong with it, Blue," James said, appreciatively. Shepard grabbed the two bowls from the counter and rolled her eyes. Liara turned to James and eyed him speculatively. Shepard didn't stay to see what James' habitual flirting would get him this time.
"I've changed my mind, Kaidan," she heard Liara say behind her. "I can think of a few ways for you to earn Mr. Vega's embarrassing secrets."
Shepard took the two bowls over to the low table and set them down. Joker nodded at her in acknowledgement, but his closed expression never changed. Cortez smiled beatifically, though.
"These smell wonderful," Cortez said. "I always was a dessert guy. I like this place. Dessert first, then dinner, then drinks."
"Yeah, you just get drunk enough to lose big at cards," Joker said. It was a weak joke, but he was trying. Shepard smiled at him encouragingly. Of all of them, Joker had lost the most. His father, his sister, Edi. . . She still hadn't told him how his sister had died. She probably never would. The report that crossed her desk about the asari in Huerta Memorial was for Specters only. Edi probably knew. But if Edi hadn't told him . . . well, she certainly didn't see any profit in it. Joker's sister was dead and no amount of grief or rage could change that.
If she could do anything in the world to help him grow out of his shocky sullen grief, she would. Maybe flying the Normandy around would be medicine to his soul. Soon, she promised him silently.
"You should give the apples a try, Joker," she said, gently. His eyes narrowed at this hint of pity. So she said, "Put some meat on those bird bones."
"Huh," Joker said. "You seem to be putting on enough meat for the both of us, Commander. Rehab not as much exercise as you're used to?
That was more like it.
Argos growled softly behind her. An alarm. Every nerve in Shepard's body tingled with adrenaline. Suddenly, none of the aches or nausea even registered. The world got slow. Argos was off like a shot, out the back door and into the night. Without pausing to think, she followed him.
Was is husks? Deep blue bodies glowing with Reaper tech like freak Christmas lights? Was it Cerberus? The last gasp of a dying organization, come to kill the first human Specters? Or something new, something else?
Ready for anything.
She'd been ready for anything for so long that the emergency protocols were ingrained, automatic, undeniable. She crouched next to the back door. Ready to spring into action. Waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark. Alive to the faintest scents, and sounds, and slivers of movement in the night.