Disclaimer: Mass Effect doesn't belong to me, nor do I intend to profit from this work of fiction.


Shepard prowled around her cabin, refusing to allow the anxiety she felt gain a foothold in her thoughts. Her team was as ready as they would ever be, there were no more upgrades she could purchase for the Normandy. They were going through the Omega-4 relay and they were going to kick some Collector ass.

There was one more thing she needed- no, wanted- to do, and she looked up with a wicked gleam in her eyes as the object of her thoughts sauntered in with a smirk on his full lips. Lips she wanted to claim for her own.

"Te voilà," he murmured to her as he reached her, lowering his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

Her heart hammered in her chest, she loved this man impossibly, she wanted to see him safe above all else, she trusted him at her back unlike she had ever trusted anyone. If she was entering hell, she wanted him at her side, going right along with her. She gripped is shirt and jerked him flush against her, her mouth moving hungrily against his.

She needed him, his hands and mouth on her, in her, to feel alive as only he could manage. Her fingers trembled in her haste to undress him, to have him naked before her. He stepped back and she stalked him, the fiery expression in her eyes had his cock stiffening as he watched her.

He could read the desire and need in her gaze but also something more, an affirmation she had always been so hesitant to give, her love and commitment to him and him alone. His hands rested on her shoulders, his lips hovering above her on, "T'as besoin de ralentir, chère, pas besoin d'aller si vite," he whispered softly, in a complete reversal of their usual roles. He wanted to take his time with her, to love her properly in case these were their last moments together.

"No, I want you. Inside me, under me. Now." She maneuvered him backwards until his legs hit the bed and with her palm on his chest and shoved him backwards. She pounced on him, straddling his hips as she fused her mouth to his, her tongue slipping between his lips to tease his own, earning a low groan from him.

His hands snuck up her side to cup her breasts, kneading them until she moaned in need and frustration. She straightened and whipped her shirt over her head, tossing it aside, her bra following moments later. He licked his lips in appreciation and tried to sit up to take her beckoning nipple into his mouth.

Shepard had other plans, however, and roughly shoved him back amongst the pillows, "My turn," she growled, her hands gliding over his chest, kneading the thick muscle lying beneath the skin. She rocked her hips against his, felt the bulge of his thick erection straining against his pants, her hot center teasing him.

She heard his frustrated groan and she smirked before sliding off him. Her fingers tugged at the buckle of his belt, popping the buttons of his fly free. He lifted his hips obligingly as she pulled them down his legs, licking her lips when his thick shaft sprang free. She leaned forward and ran her tongue from the base of his dick to the very tip, his hips jerking towards her touch when she swirled her tongue over the sensitive head.

"Maggie, ma chérie," he groaned as her hand wrapped around him, her hot mouth closing around him, her tongue exploring the sensitive skin. The firm suction from her lips, the tight grip of her hand had his hips thrusting in rhythm with each downward glide of her hand. He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment before they snapped open when her other hand gently fondled his balls. She purred deep in her throat and he shuddered at the tingling sensation that shot up his spine.

A ragged moan sounded in his throat and he thrust upwards into the hot, wet cavity of her mouth, the pressure of her hand wrapped around him increasing ever so slightly. She squeezed gently when she felt his cock twitched, her gaze drifting up his torso to meet his.

Her mouth came away with a soft pop, a sound that seemed to echo on the quiet of the cabin, punctuated by his ragged breathing as he struggled to hold back. She lifted her head, her gaze holding his for a brief moment before pressing her lips to the head of his cock, her tongue gliding along the slit to make his hips jerk and a moan to issue from his throat. His finger twined in her hair, tugging gently to get her attention.

She licked him once last time and trailed a path of hot, wet kisses up his taut belly, to his chest, to finally fasten her lips to his in a heated meeting of mouths that communicated all the thing left unsaid between them, need, desire, passion, but also vulnerability, commitment, devotion.

She sighed against his lips and her eyes fluttered closed as the tip of his shaft slipped between her wet labia, pressing slowly into her entrance as she sank down. Her biotics flared, flirting against his own as her back bowed and her hips rocked against him.

She whispered his name against his lips and the tone of their coupling changed. Kaidan pushed up a sitting position, his arms wrapped tightly around her, his hands guiding her slow movements. Her breast brushed against his chest, her clitoris rubbed against his belly with every shift if her hips, sending tremors of pleasure shooting through her.

Her chest heaved as she panted, heard the sweet nothings he whispered in her ear, his accent sending a static shiver down her spine. He flared, a blue corona shimmering over his skin, the energy between them ebbing and flowing in a sensuous dance.

His breathing increased, his arms tightened around her and together their auras exploded outward as they reach climax together, her strong walls clamping tightly around him as he emptied into her with a shout. They rode the wave together, drawing out their pleasure as long as they could.

She gazed into his eyes and pressed her lips to his, "I love you," she stated simply, with a slight lift of her naked shoulders. "Always, no matter what happens today, I love you."

His arms tightened around her, "Je t'aime. Jusqu'au moment que le soleil ne reussit plus a ce lever, lorsque les étoiles ne brillent plus, je 't'appartiens." He sealed their words with a kiss, felt her sigh before she lay her head on his shoulder, her lashes fluttering against his throat.


Shepard surveyed her team before studying the holographic interface EDI had brought up. They needed to split up, to keep the Collectors distracted as Tali made her way through the heating vent. "Enough!" She snapped to end the bickering between Miranda and Jack, fighting over who would be a better leader for the second fire team.

She looked between Garrus and Kaidan, each natural born leaders, both had a tendency towards vindictiveness, but Garrus more so. Kaidan's had been shaped by his life as a mercenary and beneath the surface was a man with a troubled soul, but a forgiving one. Garrus, on the other hand, has a ruthless streak and a desire for revenge. She trusted them both, but Kaidan edged out the turian when it came to leading her squad. She wanted Garrus and Thane with her if she couldn't have Kaidan.

"Neither one of you will lead the second team. Kaidan, you're up." If he looked surprised, he didn't show it, just gave a jerk of his head in acknowledgement. Miranda scowled and crossed her arms over her chest, but she knew better than to argue. Jack shot him a sideway glance before smirking at the Cerberus Operative.

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Garrus, Thane and I will infiltrate here," she pointed at a location on the map. "Kaidan, you and the rest of the team will enter here we will rendez-vous in this central chamber. Grab your gear, we're moving out in two minutes."

The team nodded grimly, determination in the iron set of their jaws. Shepard lifted her shotgun from the table in front of her and pulled the slide back, slipping a thermal clip into the chamber and cocking it. She looked up as Kaidan approached her, his assault rifle resting in his hand, primed and ready to go.

"Prend soins de mon commandant," he murmured, his free hand coming up to lightly grip her chin, his thumb resting in the dimple of her chin.

"Only if you take care of my Major," she smirked at him and rose up on her toes to brush a brief kiss to his lips.

He returned her grin, "Envoye, ont va botter des culs."

She laughed as he started barking out orders for his team, hustling them towards their objective. She'd left her team in good hands, she was now certain. "C'mon Tali, it's time to head out."

The quarian sucked in a deep breath and nodded, checking her omni-tool one last time before they exited the ship. They made their way into the Collector base and Shepard and squad stood guard as Tali made her way into the tight space.

"I'm in, but it is hot in here," the quarian informed her.

"Copy that, it is a heating vent, after all," Shepard replied, gesturing for Garrus and Thane to move out. They moved through the eerily quiet base and a frisson of worry tingled up her spine. They hadn't met a single Collector yet and she was beginning to be concerned. She keyed into Kaidan's private channel, heard him curse softly to himself, his breathing heaving as though he was in the thick of things.

She turned the channel off, refusing to be distracted by him.

"Shepard! Something is blocking my path!" Tali told her, her voice shrill. "It's getting hot, Shepard!"

Shit. Shepard looked up at she spotted the first Collector, to far away for the range of her shotgun. "Find a control panel to clear Tali through," she instructed Thane, heard Garrus' "scoped and dropped," as the head of a Collector exploded on its shoulders.

She laughed at she charged across the field, adrenaline and battle fury coursing through her veins. She launched herself into on the creatures, slamming into it with lethal force, leveling her shotgun at his buddy behind him, emptying a round into his face. She heard Thane tell her that the gate had been opened, but there were more farther ahead. She signaled for him to take care of that nuisance as she and Garrus handled the Collectors that were now showing up to the fight.

They pushed ahead, sweat trickling down her spine as they moved deeper into the base. Finally they rounded a corner, hitting the last release for the heating vent, methodically picking off the enemies advancing on their flank as they waited for the door to slide open. When their shields were perilously low, after what seemed like an eternity, they tumbled through the entrance to the central chamber.

Shepard ran to the door on the other side, listening to the report of gunfire on the other side. "We're pinned down!" Kaidan shouted into her comm. "Get this fucking door open!" he barked, the tat-tat-tat of his rifle coming across clearly.

"You heard him, get it open Tali!" Shepard shouted, waiting with her weapon drawn for the door to slide open, "Give them some suppressing fire!" she ordered, switching to her SMG, laying down a spray of bullets to send the Collectors diving for cover while her squad rushed through the door. She leaned back against it when it slid shut, panting hard. Her eyes raked over her team, searching for injuries, thankfully finding none aside for minor scrapes and burns.

"Shepard, regarde," Kaidan called, inspecting a pod that housed one of the colonists from Horizon.

She stood beside him, studying the contraption, "They seem to be storing them, but why?" she exchanged a look with him, puzzling out the implications until the girl in the pod woke screaming.

Shepard gasped as she was melted by some sort of acid before her eyes, her eyes haunting her as flesh sloughed from bones. "Get them out of these things!" she ordered, slamming the butt of her weapon into the heavy glass. Kaidan nudged her aside, his fist glowing blue before a warp field caused the glass to shatter.

Dr. Chakwas fell forward, into Shepard's arms, coughing and sputtering. Shepard lowered her to the ground and moved to help the free the rest of her crew. She did a headcount when that task was complete, breathing a sigh of relief when she realized they were all accounted for.

As Chakwas recounted the tale of what had happened to the colonists, her resolve grew. This base needed to be destroyed, to eliminate all traces of the atrocities that had been committed here. And perhaps also to grant what the Collectors used to be, some measure of peace.

"Mordin! Escort Chakwas and the crew back to the ship, the rest of us are heading out." Her eyes raked over her crew, she needed a biotic, a powerful one. Her gaze rested briefly on Kaidan, but she knew he couldn't sustain a field like they required for an extended time without suffering from a severe migraine. She needed him on his feet and fighting. Samara or Jack were the remaining options. Samara's code would require her to do all in her power to protect the other fire team, while Jack was not so inclined. But she would use her rage to fuel the barrier if Shepard asked it of her. "Jack, you're on the barrier, Kaidan and Garrus with me. Miranda, you lead the other team. We'll see you on the other side."

Shepard heard the words pussy and bitch slung at the Cerberus Operative, but they almost sounded endearing, almost. She knew it was more likely that Jack didn't want to lose the chance to mop the floor of Miranda, but she doubted she harbored the same deep-seated rage towards the other woman that she once had. Jack sneered at her, "I'm ready when you are, Shepard."

She nodded and gave the signal to move out. Seeker swarms immediately began buzzing against the swirling dome of dark energy, but none got through. She shuddered in her suit as she heard the shrill scream of husks, shrieking at they bore down on them.

The face of one exploded seconds after the loud boom of Garrus' sniper rifle sounded from behind her. She felt the distortion of a warp field as it flew past her head, catching group of Collectors in the web of dark energy. She gathered her own energy in a pulsating ball, flinging it into Kaidan's, smirking at the resultant explosion that knocked Collectors from their feet.

"Hurry up, Shepard!" Jack's voice already sounded strained, and Shepard could see the sweat beading on her forehead. She couldn't hold the barrier up indefinitely and they would be in deep shit if she failed anytime soon.

"Alright, double time it people! Keep the enemy off Jack, but otherwise focus on suppressing fire. We need to get to our objective." Soon was left unsaid, but Garrus and Kaidan nodded grimly. The day's events were already taking their toll, between crash landing on the base and freeing the Cerberus crew. Not to mention the near constant use of her biotics, she could feel the beginnings of a headache forming behind her eyes. She could only imagine how Kaidan was fairing.

She fought by routine, her moves graceful yet ruthless as her biotics flared, her shotgun roared, grunting from the effort she expended to keep the Collectors off Jack. A Scion entered her field of vision and Jack froze. Shepard grabbed her by her shoulder and yelled, "Run! Go, go go!"

They sped past the husk-like creature and Shepard brought up the rear, listening for the telltale sound of a biotic freight train bearing down on them. A guttural roar escaped her throat as she flared brightly, sending a shockwave of her own pounding across the ground. They collided in the middle, knocking everyone within twenty feet to the ground. Shepard grabbed Jack to drag her upright, saw Garrus helping Kaidan to his feet. "There, we're almost there!" she pointed, nearly laughing with relief. They sprinted the last fifty feet, well aware of the hoard hot on their heels.

At the last minute, Jack turned and the barrier retracted for a brilliant moment before it exploded outward, incinerating everything in its wake. "Fuckers," she gasped, wiping the trickle of blood from her nose. She jerked her head defiantly at Shepard, indicating that she was fine. She swung around to see Kaidan hacking the door controls, her expression hard as they swung open, admitting the rest of her team to safety.

She allowed them a minute to regroup, to rest and catch their breath. She turned to Kaidan, taking in his pallor, the grim lines around his mouth, his lips set in a thin line. He was hurting and her heart constricted to see it. His bloodshot eyes met hers and his jaw bulged slightly, "Je suis correcte," he muttered through clenched teeth. He wasn't, any idiot could see, but he didn't want her to worry.

She nodded and swallowed, "Okay." Her armored fingers laced through his, gripping his hand tightly for a moment. Her shotgun came up to rest across her shoulder, "Already, this is it." Her gazed raked over her crew, briefly meeting the eyes of each person. "Thane, Kaidan, with me. The rest of you will need to hold here as long as you can. It won't be easy, but I believe in you. Now lets kick some more ass."

They boarded the platform that EDI assured them would take them to the energy signature at the center of the base. Kaidan let his eyes drift closed for a time, trying to keep the migraine at bay, ignoring the feeling of claws ripping his skull apart. He focused on Shepard, staring at her back, knowing they were almost through, almost finished before he could go home and crash into the sweet oblivion of sleep. So focused was he that it took a minute for her gasp of surprise to register and his vision drifted up to discover the huge metal monolith suspended by tubes, looking eerily humanoid.

"That's…large." Shepard muttered to herself, mentally counting the heavy ammo cartridges she still carried.

"I think we're going to need a bigger gun, Commander," he quipped, exchanging a sidelong look with Thane.

Shepard swore under her breath as more Collectors appeared. She shouted for Kaidan and Thane to wipe them out as she searched for a weak spot on the Human-Reaper. She let out a cry of triumph when she discovered the glass like tubes, and quickly blew out two of them. It dangled precariously, one more and it would fall. She fired her Cain, shielding her eyes at the resultant explosion, seeing Kaidan groan and double over as a bullet ripped through his shields and lodge in his side.

She leapt from cover, racing towards him, her weapon ruthlessly drilling a Collector between the eyes. Her omni-tool was already flaring to life to scan his vitals, her heart tripping in her throat at his weak pulse. She slapped medigel over the wound, her expression worried as he opened his eyes and looked up at her with glassy eyes. "Crisse que ça fait mal," he groaned, pulling his weapon up to fire a few rounds at the last remaining enemy.

She breathed a sigh of relief and turned her attention to blowing up the base. No sooner had she programmed the explosion, the platform on which they stood tilted wildly, throwing the trio off balance. Someone screamed as Kaidan slipped precariously to the edge and she threw herself down belly first, sliding after him, catching his arm just as he fell over. His hands wrapped around hers in a bone crushing grip and she felt something snap but adrenaline have her nearly inhuman strength as she braced herself and pulled him back up.

She wrapped an arm around his waist to brace him upright and they ran. Thane followed closely, bringing up the rear, firing blindly into seeker swarms gathering behind them. Joker met them at the airlock, and he was relieved that the ship was still space worthy, but that didn't slow her down for a second. Thane leapt across the gap, and she gripped the back of Kaidan's armor, flinging him with all her might, adding a push with her biotics. He tumbled to the floor and looked back just as she jumped, the ground crumbled beneath her feet as she went. Her arm hooked over the edge exhaustion finally setting in, her fingers scrabbling for purchase. He reached for her, terrified she would fall, knowing he was too weak from blood loss to do anything to save her. Thane reached her first, pulling her to safety and the airlock slammed closed after her.

The engines roared as EDI set off back through the relay. She caught her breath and glanced over to Kaidan, "We made it."

He smiled wanly and looked up as Chakwas rushed towards him, nodded, "Oui, je le savais."


Te voilà – There you are

T'as besoin de ralentir, chère, pas besoin d'aller si vite – Slow down, dear, there is no need to rush

ma chérie – Sweetheart

Je t'aime. Jusqu'au moment que le soleil ne reussit plus a ce lever, lorsque les étoiles ne brillent plus, je 't'appartiens - I love you. Until the sun fails to rise and all the stars have blinked out of existence, I am yours

Prend soins de mon commandant - Take care of my commander

Envoye, ont va botter des culs - Let's go kick some ass

Regarde - look at this

Je suis correcte - I'm fine

Crisse que ça fait mal - That fucking hurt

Oui, je le savais - Yeah, I knew we would