A/n: This is my first Mass Effect fic. The one posted on here will be severely edited, as I tend to write only 18+ fics. Go to my profile if you want the complete version. There is a link to my account on AFF where I post adult content. This will include future oneshot lemons as well. I recomend that anyone that wants to write some adult Mass Effect fics go to AFF. There is a section for ME, but it's not got a lot of fics in it. Show your pervy pride, people! :D

That being said, I will try to say which chapters will be edited for content.

Parallax (n.)- An apparent change in the direction of an object, caused by a change in observational position that provides a new line of sight.

Commander Faith Shepard stared down into her third drink, her despondent countenance reflecting off of the liquid and mocking her with each passing second. The savior of the galaxy sat alone in a secluded corner of the bar. Her murderous hand stirred her deceptively sweet drink as she lost herself in thought. So much had been gained for humanity in the wake of her great campaign against Saren. She chuckled darkly as she sipped more of her drink. It must have shocked the shit out of everyone when she ordered that the Destiny Ascension be saved at all cost. Shepard had her own strange reasons for everything she did. And try as she might, she couldn't get what happened on Virmire out of her head. Having to choose which one of her closest friends would die made the orphaned Earth-born second guess her whole way of life.

Shepard never second guessed herself before.

After her crew dispersed for leave, the first human Spectre was left alone with her inner demons for the first time in a long time. The question of "what now?" addled her mind. Shepard was once again without a plan.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but is this seat taken?" a male voice brought her out of her musings. What was wrong with these men hitting on her? She thought she looked not interested enough.

"What the hell is wrong with…" Shepard stopped when she looked up to meet the honey-brown gaze of her Lieutenant. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she motioned for him to sit down.

Kaidan smiled brightly and looked around at the quiet corner booth. "Quite a nice setup you have here," he remarked before changing his tone considerably. "But, you definitely need someone to share it with. Drinking alone isn't much fun, ma'am". His dark brow furrowed in concern.

"Well, "she rolled her eyes, "until now, decent company has been in very short supply, Lieutenant". Shepard chuckled under her breath as her mischievous eyes met his questioning ones. Anyone that dared to approach her earlier other than her waitress was promptly rejected. It was funny to see the same men from earlier look in her table's direction with jealousy. Ashley would have laughed her ass off about the whole situation. Shepard looked down at her drink and sighed.

"Before we landed on Virmire, I told Ash that each time you kill it gets easier," she closed her eyes and downed the rest of the contents of the drink. Her hand slammed the glass back onto the table as she forcefully exhaled, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Hell," Kaidan leaned back, his thick arms moving to rest on the table. "At least let warn a man before you start saying things like that".

Shepard laughed bitterly and flagged the waitress over.

"Four shots of tequila," she said as Kaidan lifted his eyebrows at her. "Ash told me that when we went on leave, she wanted two things: tequila shots, and to see you get shitfaced".

"Alright," he sighed, "for Ash, then".

Shepard smirked. Getting the extremely self-controlled biotic to agree to a night they wouldn't remember was going to be fun. The waitress returned quickly with the requested shots. The Commander and Lieutenant both grabbed one and raised them for a toast.

"To Ash," they said in unison and downed the first shot. Shepard reached for another shot.

"To Kirrahe," she announced, "though the bastard took my Chief".

"To Kirrahe," Kaidan chuckled before downing the shot.

Shepard flagged the waitress over again. It was going to be a long night.

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A few hours later found Shepard and her lieutenant in the same corner of the bar, glasses and lemons littering the table. They toasted all kinds of things until they were, on all accounts, far beyond toasted. Reminiscing and having a serious talk seemed to help, so they decided to pay the bill and stumble back to the Normandy.

Shepard opted to slide out of the booth, the vinyl seat protesting as she attempted to scoot across its sticky surface. She braced herself on the table and the side of the booth and slowly stood. She looked over at Kaidan and watched him fail trying to stand up. After three tries, he finally succeeded.

They slowly stumbled out of the bar, holding on to each other. The journey to the elevator was riddled with wrong turns and missteps. Upon reaching the elevator, Kaidan reached to press the button and missed multiple times before finally hitting the mark, jamming his finger in the process.

"We are so shittin' fuckfaced," Shepard mistakenly slurred. The lieutenant looked at her and blinked a few times. His brain tried to assess her statement.

"You want me to do what to your face?" came his serious reply. They stumbled into the elevator and waited for the exasperatingly long ride down.

"Oo! I have an idea!" Shepard's eyes lit up. "Let's dance!" She began to inappropriately grind on her subordinate off beat with the ridiculous elevator music. Kaidan laughed and started dancing along, forgetting that the elevator was made entirely of glass.

The inevitable happened. Shepard lost her balance and fell against the wall. Her hands barely stopped her from face planting as her body automatically tried to rebalance itself by sticking her butt out and leaning over. Unfortunately, Kaidan lost balance as well and ended up draped over Shepard. He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"You're a horrible dancer," he smirked and stood back, allowing her to right herself. Her eyes grew wide with his accusation.

The elevator doors opened.

"I'll have you know that I'm very good," she narrowed her eyes. "In fact, I'm probably the best there is. I'm absolutely unforgettable."

"Then you'll have to show me, because I'm not convinced," he countered. They exited the elevator, still clinging to each other in order to facilitate walking. After a particularly nasty stumble, Shepard groaned.

"Bed. Now." she said breathlessly. The Normandy was so close.

"God yes," Kaidan replied. He hadn't been this drunk in a very long time and he feared what the next day would bring.

At last, they reached the ship, relieved that they could finally pass out. Neither one of them noticed the slack jawed paparazzo at the bottom of the elevator, shocked at what he had just recorded.