Finding a way: Mass effect 3

Leaving Earth - the beginning of the end

Kaidan walked out of the briefing room at Alliance HQ in Vancouver, rubbing his temple from the blossoming migraine he was getting. He had just finished meeting with the Admiralty Board to give his testimony about Aubrey and what he knew of her connections with Cerberus. He hadn't seen her since Horizon and then the brief altercation on Arcturus, so there wasn't much he had been able to say that wasn't in the reports they already had. The only contact he had had with her that they didn't know about was the email he had sent after Horizon and her response, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell them about that.

The investigation and court martial proceedings had dragged on for the past six months as they brought in everyone who had served with her for questioning. He had been recalled to Earth a week ago and while it was good to be back, and in his home city no less, he wished it hadn't been for this reason. He'd be lying if he said he didn't regret how things had ended between them on Arcturus.

He looked up and saw Admiral Anderson walking toward him down the hallway with Aubrey and another marine behind. Just like the first time he had seen her on the original Normandy, she took his breath away. She had kept her hair in the shorter bob at her chin and all it did was serve to accentuate the graceful curve of her neck and shoulders. She was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. His heart ached with longing, but he buried the feeling.

"Admiral," he saluted, refocusing on Anderson as he approached and left Aubrey speaking with the other marine behind him.

"Major. How'd it go?"

He had been doing everything possible to defend Aubrey's decision to work with Cerberus against the Collectors. And even Kaidan had to grudgingly admit that the fact that as soon as she completed her mission, she had turned herself and the new Normandy over to the Alliance spoke volumes for her integrity, even if he still couldn't bring himself to trust her.

"Okay, I think, but it's hard to know, sir." His eyes drifted back over Anderson's shoulder to where Aubrey was looking at him. He felt his heart speed up and knew damn well that despite everything, he still loved her. "Shepard," he managed to say by way of greeting.

"Major," she replied coolly, a trace of sadness crossing her eyes.

"Lieutenant Vega, if you please..." Anderson asked, handing the Lieutenant a pair of cuffs.

"Do we really have to do this, sir?" Vega pleaded as he took the proffered restraints.

"It's alright, James," Aubrey said, turning and extending her wrists toward him voluntarily.

He snapped them into place and Kaidan heard her sharp intake of breath and saw the clenching of her jaw as she did. It was only then he realized they were cuffs specifically made to restrain biotics. They would be causing a feedback loop in her implant that would prevent her from wielding mass effect fields. He had heard they were quite painful for the wearer.

"Sorry, Commander," Vega mumbled as she relaxed with some amount of effort.

"You're not supposed to call me that, Lieutenant," she chided him with a small smile.

"Yeah, well...I said what I said, ma'am," he maintained defiantly.

"Admiral Anderson?" a woman called from the door. "They're ready for you, sir."

Aubrey took a deep breath and held herself tall as she followed Anderson through the doors. Even after six months in lock down having to defend every action and decision she'd ever made, she wasn't defeated. She may not have her rank or command anymore, but damn if she wasn't still a Marine.

And still stubborn as fuck, Kaidan thought, smiling slightly to himself as she walked past him, refusing to look at him.

"You know the Commander, sir?" James asked him as the doors to the briefing room closed and took her out of his sight again.