Author's Note: Instead of offering excuses, I'll simply apologize for taking so long with this chapter. Thank you for sticking with me. Welcome to those who have added this to their favorite or follow lists; I hope you enjoy the ride. An extra thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter: kirabaros, Smileyyuffie, Kynlei, Vorcha Girl, Impslave, Jules Hawk, ela11, HeroInTraining, ShadowCrystal26, AmoldineShepard, KirikaClyne, and Kirsah. Your kind words keep me going - Thank you.
With no further delay ... Enjoy. - TLC
Chapter Eighty-Eight
The artificial sun was too bright, not because he had a headache, but because he just wanted to stay in bed a little longer. Beneath the blankets, he was the perfect temperature and his limbs tangled with Shepard's. There was no place else he wanted to be, no place else he needed to be. He pried his eyes open and took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of her and shared space. The room had a soft glow to it, and when he looked down she actually looked peaceful, rested. There were no nightmares plaguing her sleep. He pulled her a bit closer to him, and she sighed in her slumber.
He closed his eyes against the obnoxious morning light and simply let himself lie there, with her in his arms, and memorize the way it felt. He wanted to be able to focus on this memory when they were back on the Normandy, to remember how whole he felt, to remember what he fought for. It wasn't until his body's basic needs demanded attention that he begrudgingly released her. He moved slowly, cautiously, trying not to wake her. If she was sleeping soundly, she deserved to, and he wouldn't be the reason she woke before she was ready. He pulled on sweatpants before padding to the bathroom, closing the door gently behind him.
He finished in the bathroom. Tying his pants loose on his hips and scrubbing a hand over his face as he moved through the apartment to the kitchen. It took him longer than he cared to admit to start the coffee maker. He was glad Sloan was still sleeping and had missed his fumbling with the machine. He took his coffee and moved to the living area, starting the fire and falling carefully onto the sofa. He propped his bare feet up on the table and enjoyed a mouthful of the strong brew as he opened his omni'tool and checked the news and his mail.
He would have liked to have seen a message from his mother; it had been a while since he had heard from her, but he understood the signal to Earth was weak at best, especially out at the farm. He did have a message from his students near Chicago. He couldn't find words for the pride that bloomed in his chest. He quickly forwarded the message to Jack with a quick note letting her know her students, their students, were okay - at least for the time being. A final message remained, from Vega, there was a biotiball game this evening and he was informing Kaidan and Shepard that he would be over with some of the guys to watch the game on Shepard's full wall vid screen. Kaidan replied that it would probably be in James' best interest to call first, just to make sure Sloan and he could pull themselves out of bed and put some clothes on before company showed up. He chuckled as he hit send imagining Vega's indignant reaction.
His stomach reminded him he'd yet to eat as he closed his 'tool and went to the kitchen. He wondered how much longer Sloan would sleep, it was almost too quiet here when she slept but he would let her rest as long as she needed it. As he scrambled the eggs he received an incoming message from Chakwas. He turned, leaned on the counter, and opened the missive. It was a reminder. Shepard was still healing, and if Chakwas had her way would still be hospitalized. Her exact words: I think you're the only person who can make sure she rests.
He closed the 'tool; his eyes darted to the door to her bedroom and he sighed. He would have to do what he could to make sure she followed Chakwas' orders and finished healing. He was grateful Vega had made plans for them to stay in that night. He had to admit, it would be good for them both. Besides, inviting the guys would help alleviate her need to spend downtime with the crew during their leave. He turned back to the stove and allowed his attention to be captured by breakfast.
His focus was solely on his meal; so much so, Shepard managed to startle him as her arms wrapped around his waist. She breathed a laugh against his back as she stepped up against him, her forehead pressed between his shoulder blades. His free hand moved to cover her arms on his waist and they let the silence linger. He loved the way she felt against him, so strong but still soft.
He switched off the stove and turned in her embrace. She loosened her grip as he rotated. His hands came to rest on her hips as she tucked herself in against his chest. He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "Good afternoon," he murmured and he felt her smile against his skin. "Did you sleep well?" She nodded, looking up at him and standing on her toes to kiss him. Her tongue teased his lips and he allowed her to deepen the kiss. She tasted of spearmint and it mixed pleasantly with the coffee still on his palate. Her kiss was slow, and thorough, and set his heart racing as his hands slid over the curve of her rear, pulling her closer.
He ended the kiss, his tongue darting out to taste her still on his lips, as her eyes fluttered open. A slow smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she lowered herself from her toes. "Smells good," she murmured leaning over to look at the food on the stove. "Is there enough for me, too?" She shot him an innocent look, all soft smiles and batting eyelashes.
He laughed, throwing his head back with a loud guffaw. She chewed her lip, grinning and disentangled herself from him. She moved to the cupboard and retrieved a coffee mug for herself. His eyes lingered on the hem of his shirt where it lay just below her rear. He plated their breakfast and they sat together at the counter to eat. "Did you sleep well?" He asked around a mouthful of food.
"I did," she said, her eyes bright with relaxation. It was a look he hadn't seen on her in a very long time. "It was nice to sleep in a real bed and not a hospital bed, and, well, I've always slept well here." He nodded, and a content silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of their cutlery gently scraping the plates as they ate.
"So, I got a message from Dr. Chakwas this morning," Kaidan started. His voice seemed loud in the space, and Sloan paused for a heartbeat but said nothing. With a quick breath, she resumed her meal. She finished eating first and when Kaidan lifted his eyes to her, she had her mug in both hands and resting at her lips.
"You're quite handsome; have I told you that lately?" she asked him hiding her face as she drank her coffee.
He raised an eyebrow and shifted on his seat, feeling the flush reach his ears at her attempted subject change. "Dr. Chakwas says you need to take it easy," he answered her flirtation and she sighed, setting her mug down. She dropped her eyes, and Kaidan reached out and took her hand. "We both need to finish healing," he answered softly, and she nodded, lacing her fingers with his.
"Fine. We can take it easy, but," she paused and waited for him to meet her eyes, "she never said we couldn't have sex." Her gaze was defiant, and he grinned.
"No, she didn't," he agreed and she nodded, tugging his hand and leaning over the table. He kissed her gently; she nipped at his lip as he pulled away grinning. "However, Vega did message that he and some of the rest of the crew would be over to watch the biotiball game later." She pulled a face that was half disappointed and half amused.
"So, I suppose I'll have to put pants on," she muttered as she released his hand and stood. She cleared the table as he chuckled and drained the last of the coffee from his mug. "Shower?" She held her hand out to him. He slid his hand in hers and followed her to the bathroom.
"Sure, shower now, but before this week is over we're using that tub," Kaidan insisted as they passed the room with the hot tub. It was a luxury tub with more jets than Kaidan could guess at from a cursory glance. Sloan let a giggle slip from her lips as they reached the bathroom and she pulled him to her. He went willingly and wrapped her in his arms as she walked them backwards into the shower.
A short while later, Kaidan was on the couch in front of the fire with an array of snack food laid out and waiting for their company. He could hear Shepard humming to herself from the bedroom as she dressed. He had just settled in to review some reports from the Crucible when the door chimed. He stood and made his way to let their guests in. His bare feet making little noise on the hardwood floor. "Hola, Viejo, nice pjs," Vega said eyeing Kaidan's choice flannel pants and Seattle Sorcerers t-shirt.
"Doctor's orders," Kaidan answered as he stepped out of the way to allow the group to enter. He nodded at Cortez and Joker as they filed in behind James.
"Right, because I'm sure Dr. Chakwas ordered you to support the losing team?" Joker asked as Kaidan took the case of beer from him. "You have to know the Maestros are going to wipe the floor with the Sorcerers."
"Joker, I'm from Vancouver; the Sorcerers are my home team," Kaidan reminded him and Joker's response was an exaggerated eyeroll. "Sloan, the guys are here," Kaidan called towards the bedroom as the group moved their banter into the living room. Their presence filled the room, as well as the empty seats around the vid screen. Kaidan had the feeling this room had seen a lot of this kind of activity over the course of the years. He hoped they'd have more opportunities for this in the future. Vega fell onto the couch opposite Kaidan and stretched out. His arm along the back and one foot up on the coffee table. He clearly had no problem making himself comfortable.
Sloan entered the room without a sound. Kaidan met her eyes and they shared a smile. "Christ, Vega, could you take up any more space?" Shepard asked, startling them for a moment as she stepped over his leg. Kaidan reached a hand up, which she accepted, to help her balance as she maneuvered to her spot.
"Sorry, Shepard," James muttered, shifting over a bit as they settled back down. "Aw, come on; you, too?" Shepard's confusion played on her face and Kaidan glanced down at what she was wearing. She had pulled on one of his extra Sorcerers shirts. Kaidan grinned and pulled her more snugly into his side. "You're a Sorcerers fan?" James clarified.
"Oh, well, I guess? We never watched much biotiball on Mindoir, and I never cared for it once I left," she answered reaching forward to choose her own beer.
"The Maestros have been playing biotiball since before First Contact!" Joker argued pulling Kaidan's attention to him as he took a long pull from his bottle. "They're absolutely going to win today." He leaned forward and took a healthy scoop of the dip before dropping the chip in his mouth and crunching loudly.
"Ever since the Sorcerers acquired Donna Novotny from the Hackers, they've been unstoppable," Cortez added, and Kaidan felt Shepard sigh against his side. He glanced down at her and saw an easy smile playing at her lips and a warmth spread through him. She was enjoying every second of this.
"You just like the Sorcerers because you got the hots for the players," Vega teased as he reached forward and took a handful of the chips from the bowl. Stray crumbs and pieces broken by his paw fell, unnoticed, and landed on his chest and lap.
"And your love of the asari team has more to do with how they look and not how they play," Joker accused, his grin tinting his voice with humor.
"No! Well, not entirely," Vega countered with a chuckle and a shrug.
"So, Commander, still betting on the Sorcerers?" Cortez asked and Shepard sighed, sitting up straighter on the sofa for a moment.
She seemed to consider each person in the room for a long moment. Her eyes lingered on Kaidan's before she shrugged, and tugged on the t-shirt she was wearing. "I never bet against the home team." Kaidan couldn't stop the grin, and he leaned over and kissed her quickly. It was nothing. Minor. Barely noticeable, maybe even borderline foolish, but she'd just called his team her home team.
"I hope you're ready to eat your words, Vega! You know better than to bet against Shepard!" Cortez laughed, reaching over and fist bumping Kaidan.
"Okay, seriously, guys. You're in my house and I'm in my pajamas—"
"Technically, they're my paja—"
"Can it, Alenko." He laughed and watched as the group stared at her for a few heartbeats. Even he was curious what her point was. "We're so far off duty it's ridiculous. Please, call me Sloan," she insisted, dropping her hand to Kaidan's thigh.
"Uh, right Shepard," Joker acknowledged, disbelief heavy in his voice as he chuckled.
"Okay, Commander," Cortez offered, through a smile, "whatever you say."
Sloan rolled her eyes and leaned back into Kaidan's side as the group's attention turned to the screen as the game started. Her hair was braided and still damp from their shower; it felt cool against his side. For a moment, it was like he was outside himself. Like he was being given an opportunity to see the scene they created. They looked happy, all of them did. He realized they really needed this break more than he had thought they did. They'd all been worn down, exhausted from the constant fighting. It was just what the doctor had ordered. He came back to himself when Sloan looked up at him, her eyes warm and her smile sincere. Their moment was broken when Vega let out a sting of curses in Spanish.
It was an exciting game, punctuated by curses and cheers from either side's supporters. They laughed a lot, good natured teasing filled the evening as the score bounced from one team leading to the other. They still refrained from calling her Sloan, but the evening couldn't have felt more like family even if they'd made a conscious effort.
In the end, the Seattle Sorcerers won, and Kaidan and Cortez cheered, with Shepard joining in as an afterthought. Credits exchanged accounts as bets were settled, and Vega and Joker insisted that the refs had sided with the human team and cheated on their behalf. Kaidan rolled his eyes. "Thanks for helping me pick the winning team," Shepard tilted her head towards him and he kissed her quickly.
"Stick with me, and we'll win every time," he teased, pulling her closer.
She rolled her eyes, "What would I do without you?"
Before Kaidan could respond, Cortez answered sincerely, "She survived Akuze without you."
"She destroyed the human reaper and the Collector homeworld without you," Joker slurred, draining his last bottle of beer and falling into a rather uncomfortable looking slouch in his chair.
"She cured the Genophage while you were tucked in bed at Huerta," Vega chuckled, and Kaidan felt each statement like a punch in the gut.
"I saved your ass from the Collectors on Horizon, too," she added, wrapping her arms around his waist, her hug and her smile taking the sting out of her words and the entire ribbing session.
"My hero," he answered, leaning down and kissing her gently. The room broke out in loud groans and throw pillows bounced off them as the trio make gagging noises and joked about them getting a room. Kaidan felt her smile against his lips and he pulled back chuckling. Joker yawned, loudly, and Cortez stood checking the time on his 'tool.
"It got late fast," Cortez announced, yawning.
"Yeah, and tomorrow comes early," Vega teased as he stood. Joker followed, a bit unsteady on his feet. Cortez reached out and caught his arm as he nearly tripped over his own foot. "Woah, Joker, you okay, man?"
"Mmfine," he muttered, "Just thinking maybe I should have brought my personal assistance mech."
"You mean, EDI?" Sloan answered as she disentangled herself from Kaidan and stood.
"Yeah, she's mine," Joker flushed, dropping his head so his face was hidden behind the brim of his hat as Kaidan and Sloan met eyes, grinning.
"I'm not so sure what she'd say to that," Sloan said as she stood and wrapped an arm around her friend's waist. Cortez followed with Vega and Kaidan.
"She likes being mine," Joker was mumbling and Sloan laughed softly.
"I'm sure she does," Sloan agreed as they reached the door. She leaned over and kissed Joker's cheek. She looked to Vega, "You'll make sure he gets home safely? Or should we put him to bed here?" She glanced at Kaidan who shrugged.
"We'll get him home. I'm thinking you'd like some alone time tonight; right, Viejo?" Vega's eyes were gleaming and Kaidan chuckled. "You've got to make sure to uh … take care of the Commander."
"Not hungry or horny, Vega, don't you worry about it," Kaidan answered, surprised he remembered and brought up their poker game. Sloan's hand slid in his as they watched the trio leave. "Tell Liara we say hello," he called to his retreating form, allowing the door to whoosh closed as Vega turned to reply. Kaidan laughed looking down to Sloan.
"Want to tell me what that was about?" she asked, standing on her toes and pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth. He shook his head, turning just enough to capture her lips with his. His hands slid over her hips as her fingers carded his hair. She pulled away, breathing heavy. "Bed?" she asked, her eyelids heavy and Kaidan nodded.
"I'll follow you," he promised and she nodded. He watched her saunter into the bedroom and he cursed himself as he went and straightened up the living room. It only took a second to pick up the empty bottles and sweep up the crumbs Vega had left in his wake, but by the time he made it into their room, he found her fast asleep.
She'd stripped, his clothes were left from the door to the bed. His eyes danced over her form in bed. She was wrapped around a pillow, the blankets bunched at her feet. Kaidan leaned against the doorway and admired the way the lights from the Citadel played on her bare skin. He could look at her like this forever. She must have fallen asleep as soon as she hit the bed. Smiling, he toed off his socks and stripped to his boxers as he made his way to her. He slid into bed with her, replacing his pillow with his chest beneath her head. She shivered, her skin was cool to his touch. He reached out and Pulled the blankets up around them. The rush of his power warming him so she pulled him closer in her sleep. With her there, snuggled up against him, resting and healing, he needed nothing else.
Sleep came for him seconds later.