Hey everyone, I'm really sorry that I been away form so long. This is a little filler, Brandon66 has been persuading me to write and he suggested that I write a little bit on Shepard's and Hope's relationship. This does happen after the current events that are going on but hope you like in and I should be able to write another chapter next week.

Shepard was in the house by himself again, Miranda had left to go for some reason he couldn't quite remember. Oh god, why had he drunk so much at the bar, Garrus was going to pay the next time he say him. Also he may have to apologise to Miranda the next day, he was sure word would get to her about how much he was flirting with the Asari barmaid who was on duty that night.

He would be in the dog house of the next week he could tell so with a due sense of dread, both of the arguments he would have with Miranda when she got home and the headache he was going to walk up with tomorrow, he stumbled his way back up to bed. He managed to kick off his boots but that was about it before he collapsed on the bed and passed out.

"Run Hope, Run! Don't look back just keep running! Shepard shouted as they ran dashed through the compound together. Suddenly the ground fell out from underneath then and Hope let out a piercing cry as they fell which woke Shepard from his dream. The dream had woken Shepard up with a start but then he realised that the crying was continuing and it was coming from the room down the corridor.

In a move that made his head spin he lifted himself up from the bed with a groan and made his way down to Hope's nursery. It was a small room decorated in blue's and green's which was a stark change from her purple filled room back on earth but little girls are always allowed to change their minds. The main change tonight was the image of a little girl huddled with her knees up near her chin, crying on her galactic themed duvet cover.

Shepard was a little unsure of what to do at first, it had been almost 8 months since Shepard had visited Miranda and found Hope was in his life and he still really hadn't had that much of a relationship with her, Hope had turned 4 only a month ago. Miranda had tried to encourage Hope and Shepard to have some bonding time but with all the errands he was getting sent on there hadn't been much time, there was still the fact though that his daughter was sitting on her bed crying and he was standing in the door like an idiots, 'Jesus Shepard it's not like facing down a thresher maw is it now'. At this point in time he'd probably prefer that.

Shepard made his way over to the bed and sat down causing Hope, who hadn't seen him to look up with a start.

"Hey Sweetie, What are all the tears for," Shepard said gently as he as he took the sleeve of his N7 hoodie to wipe away the moisture on Hope's eyes and checks as well as wiping up a large amount of snot that had started to protrude from her nose.

"I had a bad dream daddy," Hope snuffled with a whimper as she crawled towards him and settling herself next to him, wrapping her small arms around his forearm that was resting on the bed. Knowing the feeling all too well, Shepard collected her up in his arms and made his way towards the tall bookshelf that was one of the main pieces of furniture in the small room.

"Ok sweetie, you pick out a book and I'll read it to you, that always helps me with my nightmares", Shepard said as he motioned towards the set of books. Reading had always been a way of Shepard to escape his nightmares. How Miranda had laughed when she woke up to find him reading The Tales of Turpin the Terror, a book about a small boy set out on world domination.

Hope surveyed the lines of books and pointed to one of the books on the top shelf. "That one, The one that is blue and green" Hope gestured to the small book that was sitting there. Shepard took down the book to read the tittle 'The Artic Tern – tales of the sea'.

"Alright then, be prepared to be blown away by tales of pirates, shipwrecks and treasure" Shepard spoke, in his best theatrical voice. Hope giggled as Shepard settled down in the large armchair that as in one corner of the room. Once Shepard was seated Hope nestled into the gap between the arm of the chair and Shepard's lap. Just before Hope got to comfortable, Shepard had a thought. He took off his hoodie and wrapped it around Hope to act as a blanket just in case she got to cold. Once she was all tucked in he began.

"Once in a land long ago, in times of mages and champions, a beautiful pirate captain ended up shipwreck on the coast of a faraway country. She was travelling to adventure in the lands beyond but soon she found adventure in the city of Kirkwall…"

After 15 minutes or so Shepard had finished the first chapter and he looked down in find his captive audience yawning with eyes closed. Half way through the second chapter Hope was firmly asleep. Looking down at his sleeping daughter, all wrapped up with the N7 emblem of the hoodie appearing just next her shoulder, Shepard thought just how lucky he had been to now have a family. Soon Shepard found his own eyelids beginning to grow heavy and soon his head rolled back onto the back of the chair and whether in was the alcohol still in his system or the fact that he felt like he didn't have a care in the world about from the one that was in his lap, he soon fell asleep.

It was about 3:30 in the morning when Miranda had arrived home. God that man knew how to talk, she complained to herself as she placed her bag on the kitchen table and headed upstairs. She walked down the corridor to Hope's room just to check on her and saw that one of the lights was still on.

As she poked her head past the door frame her heart melted to see Shepard asleep in the armchair, book in one hand and the other cuddling Hope, who was curled up in his N7 hoodie and dribbling slightly on his stomach as she moved slightly to a more comfortable position. Miranda couldn't help herself; she raised her omni-tool and took a quick photo of the pair. Deciding it was better to leave instead of disturbing them she went off to her own bed, with documented proof that the saviour of the galaxy was a complete and utter softie but he was all hers.

Now from the story I think you can guess what game I've just bought recently and I hate to say I'm addicted :)

Be writing soon

Feni :)