Dialogue the First

Serenity peeled herself away from the crowd, leaned against the wall, panting. Flushed, sweaty from dancing. Drunk. A hand on her arm. "I don't feel like dancing," she snapped and turned and stared.
In the background, the music throbbed wildly. The lights flickered. People laughed, shouted, cheered. Touched.
And here, in the dim light of the Dark Star, all Serenity knew was that she was breathing the same air as Kaidan. His dark, handsome face was still. His eyes met hers, held them, questioning. For one second, the thought that she should leave dominated. It would be so much easier to run, to take the pain she already knew than to risk everything....
Instead, she found herself whispering the words she should have said on Horizon. "Kaidan.... my love...."
He crushed her to him, claiming her with savage, hungry kisses. "Serenity." A whisper, more kisses, "Serenity," he whispered again.
She flung her arms around him, meeting his savagery with her own, his hunger with her own burning need.
He groaned her name again, between a rain of kisses. They paused briefly, panting for breath, clinging to each other as if they were drowning. "Over here," he took her hand and led her to the entrance of a nearby maintenance shaft.
They climbed up to the catwalks, raced past a Keeper to one of the maintenance rooms. Kaidan locked the door, turned to her. She could sense he was about to ask her a question. She pulled his face down to hers, quieting him with ferocious kisses. "No questions. No talking. Just love me, Kaidan. Please."
"You don't have to ask me twice." They were both wearing civilian clothes, tore them away.
She buried her face in his broad chest, drew her hands across the muscular planes of his back. "Kaidan." So familiar to her, so warm, so perfect.
He ran his hands over her body. Muscles, curves, a surprising softness here and there. He lifted her up to him, kissing her again and again. She let him settle her on his hips while he stood, wrapped her lithe legs around him. He balanced himself on the wall with one hand, holding her with the other. She reached down, guided him inside her, eager and welcoming.
He groaned softly. "It's been so long."
She smiled at that. "Too long," she agreed. With a soft cry, they began to move together. So much hunger. So much need.
With a growl, he moved forward, pressing her back to the wall so he could have both hands on her. Touched her everywhere. Her face, her hips, her breasts. Ran his hands along her legs, held her still so he could thrust into her as far as he could. Touched her hair, watched static make it fly away towards the wall, kissed her ears, her eyes, the beautiful curve of her lips. Buried his face in her neck. Whispered the words he hadn't meant to say. "Serenity... no one... there's no one but you..."
"Oh, Kaidan...."
It was the sound of his name on her lips that drove him over the edge. No one said it the way she did. Another wild growl. He held her close as she followed him over the edge, tightening the grip of her thighs around him almost painfully. She writhed in his arms, her hands wrapped in his hair, possessive as always, her head thrown back in ecstasy, choking back screams.
He sank to his knees with her still wrapped around him. Stared at her beautiful face, speechless.
She watched his face for a moment, then kissed him again before settling her head on his shoulder with a satisfied sigh.
The obnoxious commlink tone shattered their silence.
"You know, I really want to be surprised by that, but I just can't," said Serenity wryly.
He laughed, a bitter memory tinging his amusement. "Is that me or you?"
The commlink tone sounded again.
She shrugged, reluctantly untangled herself from him, walked over to where their clothes lay intermingled. Saw the flash from his jacket where it lay. "It's you."
She picked up her clothes, turned away. Acutely aware that it wasn't her place to eavesdrop on official Alliance missives. An uncomfortable feeling.
"Don't leave." He picked up his jacket, took a few steps away. "Commander Alenko here. Go ahead." Closed his eyes. Listened. Began to put on his clothes. "I'm on my way. Alenko out."
She was sitting on the floor, dressed, pulling on her socks and shoes by the time he turned back to her. She felt his eyes on her. Drew her knees up to her chest, folded her arms around herself, regarded him curiously with her head on her knees.
"Serenity - "
"You should probably go."
He nodded, turned, his joy of a few moments ago swamped by a sense of dark defeat. A deep, painful breath. With a wild cry, he turned back to her. Threw himself on his knees before her. Grabbed her hands, covered them with kisses. Saw the shock in her eyes. At last, he pulled himself away and with one last shuddering breath in her presence, opened the door and made his way back through the shaft to the main floor.
Behind him, Serenity slowly raised her hands to her face, disbelieving. His tears glistened on her hands. His kisses still burning her skin. Her wrists bruised from his mad, passionate act of devotion.
"Kaidan." She buried her face in her hands. "Kaidan."
She waited, giving him time to get away from her. Walked out slowly, snuck into the bathroom and cleaned herself off as best she could. Walked back into the world, hoped she didn't look as empty as she felt.
"There you are!" Tali took one look at Serenity's face, and threw her arms around her. "Um..."
Serenity let herself be wrapped in the friendly embrace, buried her face in Tali's shoulder. She wouldn't let herself cry.
"I thought you'd be a little happier...." said Tali lamely. "I'm sorry."
"No!" Serenity gasped. "I am happy! It's just ... it doesn't last. It can't, not now, not like this. But, yes, yes, I am happy. Thank you! Thank you so much..." Her shoulders shook. The world seemed to echo crazily around her for a moment, reminding her of all the people she had who really, truly loved her and cared for her. What had she ever done to deserve such friends? Such love?
"Well, you're welcome.... I think. And you should probably save a few thanks for Garrus, too.... You know, your heart is going like a bad drive core. Come and sit down, before I accidentally try to rig up a new power junction to get it back online."
Serenity laughed a little, sat down with Tali at their table. All evidence of Tali's access to the Citadel system was gone.
"Oh, come here, you silly...." Tali pulled her into a hug again. "Smile! Tell me you enjoyed yourself!"
"Oh, Tali... it was too wonderful for words."
"Then why do you look so miserable?"
"Because humans are very, very stupid sometimes."
"Sometimes? I'm amazed your species can successfully reproduce. Your mating rituals are incomprehensible."
Serenity laughed again. Almost a real laugh this time. She was starting to thaw out.
"Well, it will be a while before I can try again. But if everything is still such a mess, you know I'll happily risk the wrath of Citadel Security for you."
"Thank you."