Finding a way: Mass effect 3

Aftermath

The next few days bled into weeks and passed in a blur. The Reapers had been destroyed, but the energy pulse released by the Crucible had traveled through the mass relays to do it, destroying those in the process. With only FTL drives, it was going to be a long trip home for the fleets of the other races, although with the Citadel in orbit above Earth many were staying to help with repairs and resuming Council business. The first steps in the long process of rebuilding and mourning the lost were taken.

The Crucible had not been selective in its targeting of AIs. The Geth had been lost. EDI had been, as well, but Garrus, Tali and Adams had been working to restore her program from back-ups in the Normandy.

Kaidan left the temporary Alliance HQ in Vancouver after another long meeting with the joint races military board and the Council discussing their progress on repairs to the Citadel and the relays. The crisp late fall air was refreshing and held a hint of the scent of snow as he walked to the hospital and made his way to the fourth floor.

"Hello, Major," the nurse at the front desk greeted him as he stepped off the elevator.

"Hey, Helen," he said, giving her a tired smile. After coming here daily for the past two and half weeks he knew most of the nurses by name. He walked the familiar halls to room 45B and opened the door. Aubrey lay peacefully on the bed, for all the world looking like she was just sleeping. Her body was healing faster than the doctors had expected so the number of tubes going into her body had thankfully dwindled to just a nasogastric feeding tube in her nose and her IV line. Unfortunately, the doctors couldn't explain why she hadn't regained consciousness yet. In the beginning, he'd refused to leave her side, but as time went on and she stabilized he felt like he could return to his duties, but still visited her every day.

He walked to the far side of the bed and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Hi, beautiful." He sat in the chair and picked up her left hand, cradling it in his. "Sure could've used your help with the Council today." He leaned forward and continued to tell her about his day and update her as if she were awake and could hear him. When he ran out of things to say, he just held her hand, resting his head on it where it was gripped between his. Please, honey, he thought, please wake up.

He heard the door open and pressed a quick kiss to Aubrey's hand, thinking that it would be Helen coming in to check her vitals and do her physical therapy. But when he looked up, Admiral Hackett was in the doorway. His face was stern, but there was a softer twinkle in his eyes.

"Major," he said.

"Admiral...sir, I can explain," he replied, quickly laying Aubrey's hand back on the bed and standing up.

"No need, son. Admiral Anderson told me of your relationship with Commander Shepard."

His eyes widened in surprise as he scrambled for a response to that. How long had he known? he wondered. "I have my resignation drafted, sir. Just haven't had a chance to submit it yet."

"Don't bother, Major. Request denied," Hackett said, moving to stand at the foot of the bed.

"With all due respect, sir, I will not be ending my relationship with Aubrey, so you can either accept my resignation, or you can court martial me."

The ghost of a smile touched Hackett's mouth, "Or, I can do neither."

"Sir?" he asked, still confused.

"Commander Shepard has saved this galaxy three times over, Alenko. I think she's earned some leeway. Plus, we don't know that she'll be able to return to active duty anyway," he replied, looking pointedly at her right leg, which ended in a stump at the knee. Her tibia had been so badly shattered that the doctors had been forced to amputate.