Trish glanced at her omni-tool with a sigh, certain they were running late. Her eyes flicked over to her son, securely strapped in beside her in the self-driving taxi, his attention glued to the window and the sights whizzing by outside.

She frowned as her brain caught up and she brought up the time once more.

17:42

There was late and there was being in a different time zone altogether!

She navigated to settings, a handful of swipes and button presses and there it was: Thessia.

She glared at her son. He giggled, oblivious to her ire as he waved at something or someone outside.

She inhaled deeply through her nose, attempting to expel her frustration on the exhale. It mostly worked.

Her head hit her hands as she realised Nikki was going to break a rib laughing about this. Maybe she wouldn't tell her.

She set the time back to Citadel.

8:43

Much better. It was still going to be tight though.

If traffic was the only concern she wouldn't be worried. There was plenty of time for the cab to reach the nursery and then get to the conference centre. The first talk wasn't until 10:30.

The question was how long would it take for Nicky to settle into the new environment and allow her to leave. He'd seemed ok when they checked out the facility yesterday but…

She was probably being paranoid. He seemed to take everything in stride no matter how worried she was.

A soft smile stretched her face as she watched him. He was fascinated at everything flashing by, hands pressed against the 'glass' as if he wanted to reach through and touch what was on the other side.

She reached for her omni-tool once more, taking a moment to check she had the best angle and composition before snapping a pic for Nick.

She'd send it over when the soldier asked how their day went. Skip the bit about Nicky changing the time on her omni-tool while she was in the shower.

She groaned as the irony hit. Omni-tool. Shower.

Forget breaking a rib, Nikki was going to die laughing about this.

This was definitely being held in reserve for when her wife had a bad day.

The mocking laugh and superior: 'what did you say about child locking omni-tools?' Would at least serve a noble purpose rather than merely embarrass her.

Especially since she had put her 'tool on child lock mode before launching the colour matching game and handing it over to keep him occupied.

It was supposed to prevent him from accessing any apps that weren't on her pre approved list, apparently the settings tab was exempt from those restrictions.

That's the last time I install software after reading the reviews and not the source code. She lamented as the vehicle ground to a halt.

She unstrapped her mini demon, picked up the bags containing everything he'd need for the day and headed towards reception, barely managing to catch him as his hand wriggled out of hers and he attempted to run.

"Nicky, hand." Her admonishment slash command was heeded, his fist gripping tightly around two fingers, and she found herself wondering how someone so small could be so fast and strong.

The asari receptionist was pleasant and efficient, and far too charmed when Nicky pointed out she was 'bwoo'. In no time at all he was exploring a toy box and Trish found herself wishing he could have displayed just a smidge of separation anxiety.

Not a lot.

Not an eardrum destroying or time swallowing amount.

Just enough that she felt like he cared about her enough to miss her.

She swallowed a sigh and headed outside. Settling herself back into the taxi, she input the navpoint for the convention centre and focused her mind on the day ahead. Her presentation wasn't until tomorrow, but there were plenty of interesting topics today.

She glanced at her omni-tool and grimaced.

She was going to be ridiculously early.

...

Trish's brain was buzzing as she left the convention centre eight hours later. So many advances in technology. So many new ideas. How many of them could she adapt and include in her own designs?

Her thoughts whirled as she waited at the CRT point for a cab to pull up.

The biggest surprise had been the last talk of the day. A salarian company that she was sure had contracts with STG had announced a 'diagonal leap forward', a technological marvel 'free of prothean influence' and based on concepts from before their species discovered the mass relays.

Confused mutterings had erupted from the audience. Disbelief that anything so old could be considered anything but a step back.

Trish frowned, breaking free from her reminiscence as she overheard a fellow attendee claim the day was a waste of time.

"The best part about it was lunch." Retorted their cohort and Trish couldn't help but snort. That was such a Nikki comment.

Nikki. She shook her head fondly before her eyes widened with a surprised gasp as a memory struck from the blissful weeks between their wedding and Nikki's passing.

She had awoken one morning to find Nick staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. She took the opportunity to admire her new wife's mostly naked body until the soldier's head turned to face her.

"Babe? How much of your work is based on prothean tech?"

She'd been a little offended at first. The protheans had been a highly advanced species but not a lot survived from their time. They'd hardly been handed everything on a plate. It had taken hard work and ingenuity to reach the technological heights they lived in thank you very much.

"I'm not saying we didn't get there on our own merits, or you're not clever or anything, I just mean… If each project you've worked on could be summarised in two metres of algebraic formula… how many would have a letter representing prothean tech or concepts in the equation?"

Trish could remember laughing: "Oh sweetie, I doubt there's a gadget in Citadel space that doesn't have at least two letters worth of prothean tech in the formula!"

"Fuck." The spectre closed her eyes in dismay. "We are so fucked."

Clearly her wife needed a distraction and they WERE on their honeymoon after all, hardly an appropriate place to be thinking about work. So Trish had straddled her partner with a smirk and sultrily declared:

"Not yet, but you're going to be."

Fuck. What had Nikki known? Trish wondered. What did the salarians know? What was so concerning that (maybe) STG would discard hundreds of years of technological advances and start again from scratch?

A cab pulled up, doors opening and she stepped forward.

Out of nowhere, hands grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her back. Her vision darkened as a bag slipped over her head. Something tightened around her wrists and she was bundled into the waiting vehicle.

The whole abduction took around twenty seconds.

Trish might have been impressed with the precision if she wasn't busy kicking and screaming.

Trying to break free or at least catch the attention of any passersby in the hope they'd alert C-Sec.

The quiet hiss and thud of the doors closing sealed her fate. She knew these vehicles were soundproof.

The only thing shouting would achieve now was a hoarse throat and the ire of her kidnappers.

Her voice faded into ragged gasps for air as she fought against her rising panic, fought not to hyperventilate, fought for her brain to focus its substantial intellect on what the hell to do next.

She needed information. Who took her? Why? And where were they taking her? She couldn't see anything but she kept her ears pricked in case her abductors let slip any crucial information.

Alas they remained silent, she didn't even know how many there were or what species.

"Anyone going to tell me what's going on?" She tried fishing, hoping they didn't notice the quaver in her voice.

"Bit fucking obvious ain't it." Someone scoffed.

Not the most useful answer, but at least Trish now knew one of them was an english speaking woman. That narrowed it down to about a billion people.

As for why? There was no shortage of possible motivations.

She was an expert in her chosen technological field. She had high level clearance at Kassa Fabrication, one of humanity's most advanced weapons, armour and omni-tool manufacturers and developers. If her own achievements weren't enough then there was also the possibility of being used as leverage. After all her uncle was an Alliance admiral and her wife was humanity's first spectre, she couldn't even begin to imagine how many enemies the two of them had.

Her heart beat wildly inside her ribcage at the last thought. If someone was willing to kidnap her in a vendetta against Nikki then just how far were they willing to go? Was Nicholas safe or was he in danger too? What if he'd already been taken?

She felt the vehicle bank to the left and speed up, leaving the CRT lane behind. The force of acceleration pushed her back against the seat and something small and hard digged into her ribs.

Omni-tool. She realised, hope flaring in her chest. For all their professionalism, her abductors had made a rookie mistake.

She didn't have any combat programmes on her tool like Nikki did, but she could activate an emergency tracker.

She just needed to make sure they didn't realise what she was attempting or they'd confiscate her remaining lifeline.

Before she could consider putting her plan into action, the vehicle landed.

A three fingered grip guided her outside. The angle suggested a body too tall to be salarian or volus. Digits too slender for a krogan. That left turian and quarian.

She resumed struggling and five fingers tightened around her other arm.

Footsteps echoed as they led her across a metal gangway, leaving her fairly certain there were just the two escorts.

A faint hubbub of distant background noise assured her that other sentients weren't too far away, but she had no way of knowing if they were neutral or somehow aligned with her captors. All she knew for sure was that they were still somewhere on the Citadel.

Her elbow made contact with something soft and she quickly hid the vindictive smile that briefly flashed across her lips at the sound of swearing. The same woman as before.

There was a chuff to her left. She wasn't certain if it was concern, amusement or frustration but it sounded turian.

Despite the physical blow, neither of them released their hold. Instead leading her protesting form through several twisting corridors.

Eventually her guards paused at a door and before it even finished swishing open she heard a familiar voice mutter:

"Shit, I did not think this through!"

"Nikki? Is that you?" Confusion tinged her question as the brain struggled to process what the ears had already confirmed. However there was no doubt whatsoever in her next line as she yelled: "I'm going to kill you for this Nick! Get this blindfold off me right now!"

Almost immediately she was blinded by bright light as the fabric was removed and she blinked rapidly, her vision clearing to reveal a rather sheepish looking Shepard nervously biting her bottom lip.

"You can untie me while you're at it!"

A single nod from the N7 was enough for her bonds to immediately drop to the floor and she didn't waste any time rubbing her wrists to restore circulation, instead going straight for the slap.

"I probably deserved that." The spectre admitted as she rubbed her face.

"Probably? You kidnapped me outside the Citadel's largest tech conference!"

"At least I didn't do it in the middle of your presentation."

"I was on my way to pick Nicholas up from nursery-"

"I made arrangements for a babysitter."

"That's not the point! Do you have any idea how worried I was? I didn't know where I was, I didn't know where Nicky was, if he was safe or if they'd got him too... Do you have any idea how scary that is?"

"Sorry." Nikki responded contritely, her gaze dropping to the floor in shame.

"What the hell were you thinking!? No, scratch that. There's no way you could have been thinking when you came up with this plan. What's this all about Nick?"

The soldier lifted her head back up, at the same time bringing her hand out from behind her back to reveal two tickets clutched between her fingers.

"Surprise?"

Trish didn't look impressed.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"Tickets. Figured it was about time we had a proper date..." There was the slightest fraction of a pause before the spectre's eyes shone with mischief, unable to stop herself as her mouth added: "Blind date I suppose."

Trish just glared daggers at her.

"Right, not funny. Sorry. Uhh... I got dressed up all fancified and everything for you?"

"I noticed." Trish admitted.

In fact her brain had processed her wife's stylish tux about the same time as her hand was winging its way towards her partner's face. She'd just refused to let herself be distracted by it, or the lavish decor of the... bathroom? they were in.

Trish finally let herself look around at their surroundings and between the mirrors and washbasins on one side and the rows of doors on the other, there could be no doubt about the room's usual intended purpose, despite the elegance of its expensive contents. To her left stood Garrus, wearing the turian version of formal wear.

"You!" She seethed. "You couldn't have warned me? Said anything at all?"

"Hey, I was just following orders." He raised his hands placatingly.

"That is the worst excuse in human history."

"I'm not-..." He trailed off in the face of her renewed rage. Deciding against pointing out that following orders was considered a positive trait in turian society.

A snort had Trish glancing to her right, revealing the source of the earlier obscenity, and for a moment her brain faltered in disbelief. She wasn't entirely sure what she'd been expecting to see, but it certainly wasn't this.

She looked at Nikki who shrugged in a way that said 'don't ask', before her attention was drawn back to the tattooed woman wearing combat pants and a short blazer which had been left unbuttoned, highlighting the fact there was nothing but a black tie underneath.

"Got a problem Princess?"

"No, uhh..."

"Right, you've not been introduced!" Shepard interjected, stepping between the two women. "Trish this is Jack, Jack this is my wife. Be nice or I'll make you attend all of the cheerleader's inane safety briefings, including letting her redo the ones you've missed."

It sounded like a pretty strange threat but it seemed to work, the former convict and test subject taking a single step back. Trish's brain remained on lockdown a moment longer before deciding the best way to handle the bizarre situation was to simply ignore it and she turned her full attention back to her wife.

"So, where exactly are we?"

"The Citadel, Kithoi Ward... The Taralos Amphitheater."

"The Taralos Amphi-..." Trish trailed off as she snatched the tickets out of her wife's hand, eyes bugging out as she read them. "You didn't? Oh my... Nikki! I don't believe it, you got tickets for Les Mis!"

"Well, I knew you liked it and it is the 200th Anniversary this year." She was wrapped in a sudden hug as the civilian voiced her thanks. "So... I'm forgiven then?"

"No." Trish claimed despite her wide smile. "But you get a reprieve until after the show."

She suddenly panicked, although maybe the word was a little strong considering she'd been abducted from a public place less than an hour ago.

"Hang on, if you're wearing a tux aren't I a little underdressed?" She gestured to the work clothes she'd been captured in and everybody pretended they didn't hear the snort from Jack.

"Now that I can help with." Shepard stated as she took a step back and gestured to the cubicles with an exaggerated flourish. "Behind each of these doors is a-"

"Toilet." Trish interrupted and Nikki glared with mock annoyance, her lips twitching.

"Well yeah there's a toilet but..." She sighed, repeating her previous over the top hand gesture. "Behind each of these doors is an outfit of immense beauty for you to wear. Pick a door, any door, and claim your prize... Of course, if you don't like it you can always check out the others too."

"Do you have a preference?" Trish queried, watching closely for any subtle clues in body language.

"I like all of them babe and I know you'll look great in any of them, that's why I bought them. Pick whatever you like."

...

Nikki had always wondered how an amphitheater would work on a space station. Well, by 'always' she meant that it briefly crossed her mind back when she first glimpsed the attraction on a tourism billboard and again randomly whenever she spotted the destination on various public transport schedules.

Turns out it was situated in the middle of a sentient made park, much like the Presidium lakes only with less water features, smooth walkways winding their way between beds of vibrant flora. This combined with needing a permit to fly near the building took care of the worst of the noise pollution she was used to experiencing on Zakera ward.

She winced as she remembered Trish wouldn't have seen the beautiful surroundings on the way in, making a mental note to go for a gentle stroll around the park after the show so her wife could admire them.

Assuming, of course, that Trish didn't start the paperwork for divorce during the intermission.

There was little doubt she was still in the proverbial dog house. The stunning sight of her sexy wife in a silky dress was several steps ahead of her instead of artfully draped around her arm as they made their way to the block and row specified on their tickets.

Garrus and Jack had vanished, their part played, and she could only hope she wouldn't get a call to deal with whatever Jack decided to get up to on her shore-leave.

She let her gaze wander around the auditorium, taking in the architecture and mixed species audience as Trish talked to the asari-turian couple beside her. The open sky above them sparkled with the multitude of lights from the distant ward opposite.

Conversation trailed off as the opening bars burst forth from the orchestra and everyone looked down at the stage. Out the corner of her eye she saw the asari turn her translator off.

For the first couple of songs Nikki split her attention between the performance and her wife, who was sat enraptured by the show. It wasn't until the audience burst into applause at the end of Valjean's Soliloquy that Trish suddenly leant over to whisper: "Alright, you're forgiven. But don't you ever do that again."

The spectre beamed, but she couldn't help whispering back: "Well, it'd be a bit pointless getting you 200th anniversary tickets next year."

...

"Have I mentioned how beautiful you look tonight?" Nikki asked as the doors closed behind them on the otherwise empty hotel elevator.

"It may have come up." Trish answered coyly. "Personally I think you're just trying to avoid sleeping on the floor."

"Ah well, the floor's not so bad. At least I get to be in the same room as you."

"You're assuming I don't kick you out." The civilian declared poker faced. "Don't think I've forgotten how you kidnapped me."

"Corridors can be surprisingly comfortable," Nikki returned, completely unfazed. "And again... I would at least know I'm in the same hotel as you."

"What if I ask management to remove you?"

"The same ward is still closer than I get to be to you most nights." Shepard allowed good-naturedly.

"Hmm... and if- "

"You had me dragged to the nearest dock, strapped into a ship and fired out into space?"

Trish nodded. She hadn't been planning on going quite that far but if her idiot wanted to give her ideas...

"Well, in that case I'd have to console myself with the knowledge that I was in the same solar system."

"And if I tell the pilot to keep jumping mass relays until you disappear from known space entirely?"

"Doesn't matter where I end up." The soldier claimed. "My heart will still be here with you."

"Sweet talker." Trish finally gave in with a chuckle. "You're lucky I love you."

"Love you too." The instant declaration was sealed with a brief kiss, Trish pulling away long enough to claim:

"I love you more."

"Love you morer." Was the husky retort next time they parted for air. Shepard leaned in to continue where they left off but paused when Trish shook her head.

"That's not a real word." The amused sparkle in the brunette's eyes gave her away though and Nikki smirked.

"It is now. I love you morer than you love me."

"Hmm..." Trish gifted a peck on the lips as she considered. "But do you love me more than cake?"

It was the soldier's turn to pretend to think.

"I love you more than fruit cake." She allowed, deliberately naming her least favourite cake to provoke a reaction as the lift shuddered to a halt.

"You are a fruit cake." Trish laughed, it turning to a squeal as Nikki picked her up and carried her through the opening doors. Limbs quickly wrapped round the marine for support and they continued to trade childish jibes and increasingly adult kisses down the corridor.

Their passion didn't pause while the fumbling keycard unlocked the door, only ending when Trish dropped a leg to push against the back of the younger woman's knee, causing Nikki to fall against the side of the bed.

Slightly mistimed, only her shoulder blades landed on the mattress, her strong leg and core muscles preventing them collapsing on the floor. They stopped, breath laboured as they stared into each other's eyes. Love and desire staring back.

"I love you more than anything." Nikki declared tenderly, reaching up to brush a strand of hair away.

"Love you most." The older woman continued to insist but the soldier merely shook her head.

"Impossible." There was only a fraction of a second's hesitation as she traced her former widow's jawline, checking: "May I prove it to you?"

There was a groan.

"You damn well better!"

…

Author's note:

So I had this idea ages ago when I was rewatching the 10th Anniversary of Les Mis and suddenly realised that if 1995 was the tenth anniversary then the 200th Anniversary will be in 2185, aka during ME2.

Originally I was going to have them go to either Broadway or the West End, but was struggling to contrive getting them both on Earth. Then I saw the Taralos Amphitheater as a destination on a shuttle schedule and the Citadel is so much easier to get them to. I also like the idea of the rings of benches in roman style amphitheaters over individual chairs that you get in modern venues because lets be honest, an elcor and a turian are not going to be able to use the same seats and considering the amount of cross species liaisons it would not go down well if you tried segregating audiences into different blocks.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed.