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"Almost time."
As if Kaidan knows my question before I ask, he continues. "You'll see. It's why I wanted our walk to end up here."
I shrug off the impulse to press him for more. It's something I'm still getting used to doing – learning to live in the moment. Not always having a plan or a mission that needs to be completed... so the next mission can start.
His arm wraps my shoulders and I can lean against his solid warmth. It's getting cooler now that the sun is starting to sink and it seems I feel the cold more than I did before.
We're on a bench looking west over London, or what's left of it. The air is clear except for some high cloud strata – a welcome change from the rainy weather we've been having this spring.
I might have started to drift off. The walk here took more out of me than I want to admit. Kaidan rouses me from it by taking my hand, murmuring, "Hey. It's starting to look pretty amazing."
Still unsure of what he was talking about, I lifted my head from his shoulder to the sight of the most goddamn amazing sunset I've ever seen. Maybe it's easy to impress a kid who grew up in space, surrounded by starfields rather than sunsets, but a glimpse of Kaidan's face tells me he's pretty awed as well.
Swaths of color band the sky and clouds, ranging from pale peach and purple to a vivid neon pink glow. I squeeze Kaidan's hand, but we watch the light show in silence. As the sun touches the horizon, the sky above it deepens to oranges and reds just as vivid.
He turns his gaze from the sky to meet my eyes and our mouths meet in a long gentle kiss. I'm not usually short on words but just not finding many right now.
"How'd you know it would look like that?"
He smiles, gathering me tight against him again. "I've been here a few times over the past months. It was kind of my go-to place just to be alone when they'd kick me out of your hospital room sometimes. I've always liked sunsets."
My attempt to nod is more like rubbing my cheek against his neck, but it feels good. "I remember you telling me about watching sunsets at your parents' place in Vancouver."
My good memory is rewarded with a kiss pressed against my temple. "Yeah. English bay, from the balcony... nothing like it. But this comes close. And I like the company."
"What, no beer? You should have brought provisions, Alenko."
It's so good to hear Kaidan's laugh. Some days are pretty grim, with me struggling to regain strength and learn to control all the new implants and muscle grafts. But he's always there, every halting step of the way.
"Next time. We can watch from the flat and I'll have plenty of beer. Might not be Canadian... but we'll pretend it is. There's that big picture window looking west. I picked the flat for that view."
I grin at him. "And for the elevator. One day I won't need it..."
He kisses me again as the sun finally sinks from view. "It was either that or carry your sorry ass up twelve flights."
"Hey, I'm getting better! I told the PT folks that I want to work on stairs soon."
Kaidan's voice turns serious. "You're making amazing progress, Shepard. Stairs will happen. Then next thing you know, you'll be wanting to go out dancing."
"Oh no." I sputter a laugh at the thought of it. "No dancing."
"You'll dance, Shepard. Maybe not out in public. But I'm going to dance with you. For many years to come. Put that on your long-term plan."
I don't tell him that right now the only thing on my long-term plan is one word.
"Kaidan."
"Love you too, Shepard."
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