Dragon's Teeth: Mass Effect 1 (Shenko)

Chapter 30

Milky Way/Omega Nebula/Amada System

They'd been up and down the system they were currently in for four days and had found no sign of geth activity anywhere. A month into their mission and Callie was frustrated. They'd uncovered one geth outpost and nothing else since leaving Citadel space. Where the hell were the geth the Council assured her were out here?

Sighing her frustration, she left Pressly in charge of the ship before retreating to the crew deck. She was studying star charts at her console when Kaidan joined her in her cabin.

Smiling, she rose to greet him and planted a kiss on his lips, drawing him to her. She reveled in his warmth and his reassuring solidity as she slid her arms around his back pulling him closer. He felt like an anchor to her, her reason for being alive and her reward for having lived her life alone for so long.

Yet even now, after everything they'd been through together, she still couldn't tell him how she truly felt about him. She was still so unsure of her own judgement when it came to relationships that she didn't trust herself to speak aloud what she felt in her heart. After being abandoned by her parents and manipulated by Darius, she found it hard to trust anyone. Most of all though, she doubted herself.

Her feelings for Kaidan overwhelmed her, making her feel insecure and afraid. She could save innocent, nameless civilians, defeat an ancient alien AI, but when it came to relationships she was paralyzed with doubt.

"A shame we couldn't get shore leave." Kaidan whispered, his voice husky.

"Mmm." She replied as he deepened the kiss. Reluctant, she pulled back to stare into his beautiful honey-brown eyes.

"They promised us extended shore-leave after we finish the mission."

"Did they now?" He said, backing her into the cabin, closer to the bed. "How extended?"

"Forgot to ask." She said, her eyes locked on his lips, willing him to kiss her again.

"Shepard." Kaidan began, his body tensing.

"Kaidan?" She felt the change under her palms and looked at him, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"I know this is probably the worst time to ask this, but when this mission is over, do you want to spend shore leave with me?"

She could feel the unasked question behind the words he spoke. How she wanted to answer that question - but she couldn't force the words past her lips. Couldn't voice what consumed her heart. Instead, she took the easy way out he'd offered and answered what had been asked of her.

"Kaidan. I can't imagine a better way to spend shore leave than to spend it with you."

His gaze deepened as she spoke, his voice catching in his throat as she said the words he so desperately wanted to hear. Overwhelmed by his feelings for the amazing woman in his arms, he crushed his lips to hers, hungry for her touch. When she met his lips with hunger of her own, it took all his willpower to move them to the bed.

Naked, they explored each other with hands and lips, kissing each part as a precious piece of the whole that made them who they were.

Kaidan's heart swelled as Callie rained kisses across his brow and down his cheek. A feathery brush of lips on his skin that reminded him of the wings of a butterfly. She moved down his torso, moving lower, making gooseflesh rise on his skin even as his body trembled and his heart began to pound in anticipation.

Never had anyone explored him so thoroughly or shown such passion and desire for his touch. She made him feel normal, didn't make him feel like damaged goods for being an L2. Just accepted him for who he was and never judged him. He couldn't remember what life had been like before her - it was as though she was his whole reason for being and he never wanted to let her go.