Title: Let Me Help
Fandom: Mass Effect
Rating: PG
Length: 1098
Pairings: Kaidan Alenko/male Shepard, Elena Alenko/Michael Alenko
Content notes: Takes place 8 months after the end of the Reaper war (Mass Effect 3, destroy ending). Makes reference to the opening scenes of Mass Effect 2.
Author notes: This takes place at the Alenko family orchard in British Columbia, eight months after the end of the Reaper War. It is Shepard's voice.
Summary: Lending a hand... and an ear

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"That was great, Mom. I haven't had an omelet like that in a long time. Maybe since I was last here."

She looks a bit embarrassed at the praise and tries to brush it off. "It's probably just that the eggs are fresh."

I smile as Kaidan wraps his arms around Elena and gives her a hug. She looks so small next to him, but he's the one she always calls her little one. She's petite, but definitely not fragile. And I think she's working too hard to clean up after us while we're here. So much cooking.

"I think I'm going to take a quick shower – woke up kind of late this morning and didn't want to hold up breakfast."

He catches my eye and gives me a 'this is all your fault' look. If Elena could have seen my face, I'd have responded with an innocent 'who me?' look, but since I was facing the other way, it's a smirk that says 'oh you were definitely awake'.

"Sure, I'll help with the breakfast dishes while you shower. Then it's my turn."

Elena has just finished clearing the table, except for my not quite empty teacup. I bring it over to her at the sink. "Here, let me help with the dishes. Seems like the least I can do. My mom would have my head if she knew I was being such a lazy guest."

"You don't have to do any such thing, John. The term lazy guest seems like an oxymoron – you're supposed to relax and enjoy yourself."

I touch her shoulder lightly. "Please, Elena, let me help. Just this once."

Her smile reminds me so much of Kaidan's and I can tell she's relenting. "Okay. Just this once. I'll wash and you can dry. I doubt my dishwashing gloves would fit your hands."

"I don't mind getting my hands wet... or dirty for that matter. You live on a starship, chores come with the territory."

I don't tell her how surprised Kaidan was when he started spending nights with me in my cabin on the Normandy and realized I cleaned my own bathroom and shower. I guess he thought whoever pulled latrine duty took care of that too. Then he thought about it and understood that preserving my limited privacy was a clear priority for me.

"It's fine, John. The dishtowels are in the drawer on the right. It's not worth running the dishwasher for such a small load... I guess I got out of the habit of using it when we had so many power outages during the war. And rationing for several months afterward. I'm glad that got back to normal before you two came to visit."

She's pretty efficient, and hands me items as fast as I can get them dried off. "I'm sorry it took us so long to get here. I tried to convince Kaidan that I'd be fine and he should arrange a shuttle to come for a quick visit at least... while I was still in the hospital."

She pauses and looks at me directly. "John Shepard. He knew exactly where he needed to be. As much as I wanted to see my son, I would have told him to stay right where he was. Someone else needed him more."

I laugh... having had pretty much that same reply from Kaidan at the time. "He wouldn't hear of it."

For a moment, I'm back there in those early days. They told me I was lucky to be alive, usually just before breaking the news of some additional surgery that would be needed. I'd tried to minimize the doses of the pain meds. After all that time waiting for me to wake up at all, Kaidan deserved better company than a zombie in the bed.

My voice goes quiet as I focus on carefully drying the fine china platter. "He took such damn good care of me... helping me eat, bathe, exercise... I wasn't sure I was worth all the trouble."

I didn't notice that she'd stripped off her dishwashing gloves until I felt her wrapping her arms around my waist and hugging me. She looks up at me, her face and her voice both very serious. "I know Kaidan would disagree with that. John, you meant everything to him. If you hadn't made it... I don't even want to go there. Not again."

I have to look away as I realize what she's talking about. She isn't letting me go just yet. I scrub the back of my hand across my eyes and turn back to see understanding in hers.

"Yeah. I know. And just so you know... he means that much to me too."

Elena finally nods and releases me, patting my arm gently. "I know that. I've never seen him so happy. Sometimes... it seems so long ago now... before he joined the Marines, I wasn't sure he'd ever find whatever he was looking for. Or whoever. Michael was so worried - Kaidan never talked about having friends or being interested in anyone. Not after that one girl..."

"Rahna, yes... that sounded like it was a pretty rough time for him, after Jump Zero."

"I think he was afraid to get close to anyone. But look at him now..."

"Look at who, Mom?"

Kaidan's arm is around my waist now. Pressed against my back, he feels warm from the shower and smells like the woodsy-herbal shampoo we found in the bathroom.

"Hey, are you two talking about me?"

I turn in his arms and kiss his cheek lightly. "You'd better believe it. I know all your childhood secrets now, Alenko."

His cheeks and ears are turning pink before I let him off the hook. "I'm kidding, Kaidan. Your mom was just telling me how good it is to see you..." I pause, and decide I owe him the truth. "... to see you happy."

He nods, embarrassment slowly fading. "There were some hard times. For all of us, I guess. I dunno. It feels good to get past all that."

It occurs to me that maybe we aren't, really... not until we get some word about Kaidan's father. But Elena seems determined to keep her fears for him in the background, and I respect that.

Kaidan's hand finds mine, squeezing tightly, his voice quiet. "Yeah. Let's just let every day be what it is."

Elena finishes putting the last silverware into the drawer before adding to Kaidan's last words, looking slowly between Kaidan's face and mine.

"A gift. Each day with my family is a gift."

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