Curious Jealousy- a F!Shenko Fic

Chapter Forty-Five: Daydream

The apartment was in a decent area on the Citadel. As she walked in the door, Hope was informed that Anderson was on the QEC.

"Shepard," he greeted her, looking more than a little war-worn.

"Admiral, how're you doing?

He shifted his weight and smiled. "Day by day- only way we really can here."

That made her feel more than a little guilty. There she was on Shore leave while Anderson and everyone in the galaxy fought for their planets and lives. "Yeah." After a brief pause, she asked, "Joker said that you sent a message about this apartment?"

"I want you to have it. Take it off my hands."

Anderson's words made her heart and stomach clench…it was almost as though he was already anticipating not surviving the war.

"Are you serious?" she asked in a small voice.

"You need a place that's yours- somewhere to recharge, clear your head. Kahlee wanted us to settle down there. Thing is, the longer I'm on Earth, the less I want to leave."

His words were a lie- she could hear it in his voice. This was just a way to get his affairs in order.

This was almost like his parting gift for her.

"And I want as few loose ends out there as possible. Like I said, you'd be doing me a favor," he added.

And that was probably as close to the truth on his thoughts as she was going to get.

She looked out the window at the bustling traffic. "Thank you…that's very generous," she said, not sure what she was really feeling.

"It's practical," he shrugged; both of them knowing that he knew that she knew what he wasn't saying. "We need you in the best shape possible. Rested. Focused."

Shepard just shook her head, still not looking at him. "If you say so."

"And make yourself at home, damn it. It's yours now."

"Anderson-"

"Don't start, Hope. Just…give me this one. Been meaning to do that for a while."

There was no way that she could reply to that and keep up any sort of appearance. "Be careful out there, Anderson."

"You too, Shepard," he murmured, before turning off the comm.

The apartment was both beautiful and a little sad.

This was Anderson's farewell gift to her. Her heart hurt at the thought.

Despite that, she couldn't help but find her mind wandering.

What would it be like to always come home to a place like this every night? she wondered, walking slowly from room to room.

Despite how jaded she had become over the years, she was still able to imagine that life.

The workday had ended early for her so she had decided to stop for fresh vegetables and other supplies for dinner. She was usually the one who ended up cooking- partly because she usually got home before him and partly because he had such limited culinary skills.

She supposed that that was what she got for being with a marine.

As she stood at the counter and chopped the vegetables that she would cook with the steak (which was marinating in the refrigerator), she couldn't believe how far they had come since the end of the Reaper War only two years prior.

She had been promoted and had elected to be posted on the Citadel. She was usually home before Kaidan- that had quickly become the rule as opposed to the exception. It had become increasingly rare for her to come home after him.

There were times when she thought how overly domestic their lives had become. Two years before, they had been in the flagship of the war against the Reapers. At present time, she was head of the Interspecies Mediation Diplomacy Group- whose goals were to help all of the different species work together in all levels of the government (from C-Sec officers to dealings with the Council). She also, from time-to-time, went to Earth to assist in N-training. Kaidan taught a human biotic class on the Citadel and occasionally had to perform Spectre duties in other systems…then again, so did she.

"Hope!" Kaidan called out as he walked through the door. She could hear him hanging up his coat and kicking off his shoes.

"Cooking…well…working on it, anyway," she called back, chuckling.

Kaidan walked into the kitchen and promptly frowned at her. "I was planning on surprising you with dinner," he informed her, holding up his own bags.

She laughed. "Sorry, Kaidan, you'll just have to put it in the fridge." She stopped long enough to kiss him on the cheek before turning back to her vegetables.

He kissed her as he walked by. She didn't even need to look at him to realize that he was grinning from ear-to-ear when he saw the steaks in the refrigerator. "You sure know a good way to a man's heart." He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek next to hers. "Should I be worried?"

Humming, she leaned her head back onto his shoulder. "Of what? I'm cooking you dinner, after all- not anyone else."

"You seem to have a good grasp on how to keep a man. How many other men are wagging their tongues at your feet?"

"Oh, a whole stream of them," she joked, stepping away from him. "I just happen to know a good way into a Biotic's heart." She paused and then looked over her shoulder at him. "Hey, I forgot something up in the bathroom on the sink. Will you grab it for me?"

Kaidan frowned a little at her. "What is it?" he asked.

"You'll know it when you see it."

She waited until she was sure that he was up the stairs and followed silently. When she leaned on the doorframe to the bathroom, she gave a little half smile at the reaction that Kaidan had.

He had the datapad in his hands and was staring down at it with an expression of sheer bewilderment coupled with wonder. Hope could see his eyes moving back and forth as he read the words over and over.

"Kaidan," she prompted quietly.

Looking at her, he held out the datapad and asked, "Is this serious?"

She nodded. "One hundred percent," she confirmed.

He sat it down on the sink and took her in his arms. "Well…" he said, drawing out the word, "it's about time."

"Wait. What?"

That hadn't been the answer she had expected.

Kaidan smiled as he sat down the datapad and then walked over to take her in his arms. "Hope, we've been working on this for the last year or so," he pointed out.

"Happy?" she inquired.

"Beyond belief," he confirmed before stepping away from her. He got down on his knees, held her lightly by her waist and kissed her belly. "Just one more step towards normalcy. You, me, plus one more. Life can't get any better."

The internal VI informed her that she had a message, breaking her from her thoughts. She slowly made her way to the terminal and signed in.

Dinner at sushi place on me!

Hey Shepard,

I've got a few things I wanted to go over with you. With the Normandy in dry dock and the techs all over her, I figured we could meet up at that Ryuusei sushi place down in the Wards. I hear it's the best. Just remember to put on something nice- this is a pretty fancy place.

Joker

Pushing away from the terminal, she knew it'd either have to be dress blues or the little black dress. Since she was on leave, she made her way to change into the dress.