An AU ME piece. It's something I really wished it could have happened, but might not fall into place with the ME storyline.

And if you are picky with the itsy bitsy details, like why is Arcturus station on transit from Elysium to Earth, why is the Alliance HQ at Vancouver when it's supposed to be somewhere else… Just… Take it with a pinch of salt. =x It's AU after all!

What if! On the day Shepard receive the Star of Terra for her bravery in Skyllian Blitz was the first day she met Kaidan? Shenko fluffiness! Everything including Shepard and Kaidan belongs to Bioware. Ah well, at least there's the butt we all enjoyed. Please R&R. Still ironing out the grammar and verbs and spelling and what nots…

Magdalene Shepard's POV

Arcturus Station Barracks – Bunk 16A

The alarm clock started beeping.

I groaned. Great. I fumbled for the alarm clock and wince to see what time it is.

…

FUCK! It's 0650! I immediately sat up from the shock. My flight to Earth is at 0715! As I struggled to get up, I got dazed from the sudden movement and slammed my toe sharply onto my desk. FUCK! I groaned, as I hopped towards the desk and reached for my marine service uniform.

Which is unironed. Unstarched. And it looks like it just came out of the washer, all tangled up. I hazily remembered that I convinced myself yesterday night that I would have time to do this morning before I passed out on the bed from the long haul flight from Elysium.

I honestly don't mind wearing that out, but if my dad ever found out I wear a crumpled uniform, I winced. My mother is the XO for SSV Einstein while my father works as the Director of Alliance Intelligence. If one thing in the last 22 years with them taught me, my parents would have sooner skin me alive than see me in such an improper state.

Okay, don't panic, Shepard. Think. Think.

I still have my clean PT uniform, jacket and pants inside my duffel bag. Sure, they don't have my rank, my name tag or the N7 logo emblazon on them, but I just need something to wear to show that I'm part of the alliance to get abroad the shuttle. And maybe just my eyeballs for the retinal eye scan before I board. I could just find some reason to get my uniform done once I reached the Earth HQ.

I did a quick mouth rinse and quickly slipped into my PTs. I look at my long crimson tussled bed hair and frowned. I just gathered whatever I can into a bun, and slipped on an utility cap. Don't have time to gel them up properly.

I took a quick glance at the alarm clock before the door slide close.

Okay, 5 minutes. I can do this.

I straightened up my back and tried to walk as fast as I could without actually sprinting for the elevator to reach the docking bay. All the basics that my parents forced me to remember snapped me back into focus.

No matter what happens, I must set an example.

I met two marines along the hallway but given what I was wearing, they couldn't recognise me as their higher ranking officer, so they didn't stop and salute me.

"Hey, did you hear what happened last night?" I overheard one of them gossiping as I walked past.

"Yea! The Elysium hero is here at the barracks! I heard she can fill her uniform like nobody's business. Smoking hot. Heard she's in transit here to Earth to receive the Star of Terra."

"Yea, and Thomas tried to hit on her at the mess hall. Heard she did quite a number on his arm when he tried to grab her, and she neatly flipped him over onto the table."

"Ouch! Yea, her fiery temper is famed as much as her red hair. And she…"

I sped off before I heard out the rest.

I do NOT have a fiery temper! I thought as I went into the elevator and tapped angrily at the button to reach the docking bay.

That guy was being an asshole and couldn't take my hint to leave me alone when I have a severe lack of sleep and I just want to shove my dinner into my mouth as quickly as possible.

If I'm really ANGRY, he won't have just gotten away with a broken arm. Probably lots of other places too. Thinking of that disgusting guy flared my biotics a little.

I looked around for Docking Bay H89. By the time I found it, I was almost the last to get abroad. I ran up to close the distance, I did a quick retinal ID check and was promptly shooed into the shuttle.

The shuttle was almost full; I flinched as I walked along the aisle looking for a seat. Some marines were snoring off while some others were chitchatting amongst themselves. Either way, everyone is too preoccupied to notice the latecomer.

Almost towards the end of the shuttle, I noticed a lone guy, one hand leaning on the window supporting his chin, looking out of the window into the endless sea of stars.

As I walked closer, I noticed his stunning black hair and mesmerising brown puppy eyes. I have seen my share of marines before, but this dude have well-defined muscles, not too lean to suggest that he's weak, nor too muscular to be like a ripped gorilla. It's just nice and tasteful.

He seems to be a gentle, quiet person given how absorbed he seems in his thoughts and did not seem to give any interest to the marines on broad.

Perhaps he won't be as nasty and nosy as that Thomas guy.

More coming! Hope you enjoy this!