Kaidan had never been filled with such nervousness as he was the first day of school after the visit to the hospital. All he could think of was what his parents had said- specifically his father.
Outcast.
Freak.
Every loud noise spooked him- leading him to look wildly in whatever direction the sound had come from. He was worried that they (which he assumed was the Alliance) were around every corner, ready to take him away to whoever knows where.
It may have been his imagination, but he could practically feel everyone's eyes on him.
Like they knew.
The first time he saw his friend, Brian, was at lunch. He wondered if he still thought that Kaidan was still cool and magic. Taking his tray over, he sat down at the table and smiled at his friend.
"Hey, Kaidan," Brian said slowly, seemingly worried. "Everything okay?"
Kaidan glanced around the table and shrugged. "Mom and dad got into an argument this morning."
Brian's mouth dropped open a little. "Really?" he gasped. "About what?"
Kaidan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Dunno," he lied.
"Was it about your-"
Kaidan shushed him. "You promised, man."
Brian frowned at him, but didn't finish his sentence. "Well, was it about that?"
"Yeah. It was about that."
"You worried?" Brian asked, taking a big, nonchalant bite out of his burger.
What could Kaidan say? Should he tell the truth that he was more terrified than he could ever remember being? Could he say that he was worried that his parent's would do what Mimi's mom did to her- just throw him out to fend for himself? He unconsciously rubbed the necklace in his pocket through his jeans. What was he supposed to say to someone who knew his darkest secret?
Kaidan laughed, coolly. "Afraid of what?" he snorted. "Afraid of my awesomeness?"
Brian chuckled, rolled his eyes, and left the topic alone.
Kaidan had never been so glad to lie than he was in that moment.
The day had gone on way too. Kaidan had never been so happy as to walk home.
However, when he came to his door, he could hear shouting inside.
"Damn it, he's not going!" his mother shouted. "You'll have to arrest me before I'll let you take him!"
"Renee," his father tried to soothe her, "let's talk about this."
"Absolutely not!"
He felt her chin lower to his chest. He didn't mean for his parents to start fighting.
Then he heard a new voice.
"Mrs. and Commander Alenko," the voice said, the very epitome of calm, "I know this is a very trying time for your family. The Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training program is the best place for people with biotics to learn how to harness and control their powers. The Alliance is currently developing an implant that would aid in the ability to further control a person's biotics."
Kaidan heard something break. "I don't give two damns and a fuck!" his mother shouted and Kaidan winced from her words. "You are not taking my son to some damned station out in the middle of space!"
He backed away from his door, his eyes wide as he shook his head.
No, he thought, wondering where he could go to run.
Suddenly he stopped as he hit…something. Turning around, he looked up into the face of three men wearing Alliance uniforms. He turned and quickly ran into his house- not even considering that there was another talking to his parents. He slammed the door and stared into the faces of his two surprised parents and that of an Alliance soldier.
"Hello," the man said easily, "you must be Kaidan."
His mother hurried forward and grabbed him only to push him behind her. "You aren't taking him. He's staying here." She looked over to her husband. "Tony, please."
Kaidan's father stared hard down at the ground. He was not exactly happy about the situation he was put in. "Renee, I can't interfere with an Alliance directive," he muttered.
"You're retired," she reminded him.
"It doesn't matter, Renee." He walked over to her and tried to take her hand. "You have to let them take him. He needs to learn."
"No."
Kaidan stared at the ground and then nodded to himself.
It didn't matter that he was more scared than he had ever been.
It didn't matter that he didn't know when he'd next see his parents.
He knew that it was up to him to stop the fighting between his parents.
And there was only way to do that.
"Okay," he said a little loudly, just to be heard over his parents. Everyone quieted and looked at him. "Okay. I'll go."
Renee covered her mouth as the tears that had been held back fell free. Tony nodded at his son- knowing that he didn't decide to go because he wanted to, but because he needed to.
That was the first time Kaidan could remember seeing such respect for him in his father's eyes.
"Just let me go pack."
