A/N: This scene takes place after Joker leaves the restaurant in chapter seven of Beginning Anew
Hannah watched Joker leave through the glass doors of the restaurant, grateful that her daughter had one man in her life that would not walk away from her as easily as this Major Alenko seemed to be able to do. She turned back and eyed the Major, he was sitting at a corner table with a brunette waitress of about twenty-five or so, playing with her hair and whispering God knows what in her ear, then another waiter brought them each a drink and Hannah knew it was time to act.
"No one hurts my baby and gets away with it," growled Hannah to herself as she thought of a plan to not only humiliate Kaidan but also ensure that he would not repeat this action again. Instantly, she came up with a foolproof plan that would accomplish both of her goals, and she began to prepare her performance eager to try it out. Walking over to the table Kaidan and the young woman were sitting at she became distraught, tears in her eyes, which immediately caught the attention of the young woman.
"Oh my gosh, are you alright?" asked the young woman and Kaidan looked around at Hannah, his eyes wide with fear.
"Oh, hi," said Hannah, sniffling some, "Am I interrupting something?"
"Yes, of course you are," said Kaidan harshly, "What do you need, Hannah, I'm right in the middle of something?"
"I just wanted to let you know that the kids have been wondering where you are," said Hannah, a slight edge to her voice, "I've been telling them that you've been at work but they know you haven't been coming home at night, and I'm running out of excuses, Kaidan."
"Wait, you have kids?!" exclaimed the young woman, pulling away from Kaidan, "Is this woman your wife?!"
"What? No!" shouted Kaidan, trying to bring the waitress closer again, "There are no kids, and no wife."
"I'm glad you can so easily dismiss my daughter," snapped Hannah, tears still in her eyes, enjoying her role as the distraught grandmother, "She's deployed and you just run into the arms of some other woman, leaving me the grandmother, to take care of four kids all by myself! You should be ashamed of yourself, I thought you were better than that."
"Ma'am, I am so sorry, I had no idea," said the young woman, standing from the table, "You're such a dick!" She picked up her drink and dumped it on Kaidan's head then stormed off, much to Hannah's satisfaction.
Kaidan stood up, a sticky mixed drink running down his face and glossing his hair, he turned slowly to Hannah who was smirking at him with arrogance and triumph.
"What the fuck was that?!" snarled Kaidan, picking up a napkin and started to clean himself up, "You shouldn't have done that, I wasn't doing anything wrong, Hannah!"
"You were flirting with a girl that isn't my daughter, that's plenty wrong in my book," said Hannah sternly, folding her arms across her chest, "You are a real piece of work, Major."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Kaidan, messing with his hair, turing blue as his temper started to flare and activate his biotics.
"Do you flirt with other women because you want some validation or some bull shit like that?" asked Hannah, side stepping his question.
"What does that have anything to do with how you embarrassed me?" snapped Kaidan, glaring at his superior.
"Answer my question now, Major," said Hannah darkly, not letting him get the upper hand in this situation.
"Or what? What will you do to me, Hannah? I'm a Spectre—" started Kaidan before Hannah cut him off.
"You were an Alliance soldier long before you were a Spectre," said Hannah, "and unlike my daughter, you did nothing to really earn your promotion."
"I've done plenty!" snarled Kaidan throwing his napkin down on the table.
"Did you save an entire colony from Batarians on Elysium?" asked Hannah, "Did you stop Saren and the Geth? Did you bring down the Collectors or annihilate the Reapers? You couldn't even save those colonists on Horizon from being taken by the Collectors!"
"Shut up!" shouted Kaidan, his entire body enveloped in his biotic aura, everyone in the restaurant was now staring at them. Hannah could sense their eyes on her back but she was not about to lighten up on him, he needed to be straightened out before they left.
"You should remember who you're speaking to, Major," said Hannah menacingly, "In a single report I could ruin your military career and no one would question my authority on the matter."
"Bitch!" spat Kaidan, and Hannah knew she was getting under his skin.
"And then where would the great Spectre Alenko be?" mocked Hannah, "Probably in a bar doing tricks with his biotics for tips, such a waste, but at least you would have earned it."
"I've earned the right to be a Spectre!" yelled Kaidan, biotically flipping the table, causing everyone in the restaurant to duck for cover including Hannah.
"You've done nothing to earn the title of Spectre," said Hannah, standing back up, her face set with determination, "and you've done nothing to earn my daughter's love, I think you should stay away from her."
"That's for her to decide, not you," shouted Kaidan leaning against the wall, "and I might tell her what you made me do."
"What good would it serve you to tell her about your little display here tonight?" asked Hannah, indicating the table that was now on the other side of the room and the Maitre'D that was on his way over to them.
"I would tell her you provoked me," snarled Kaidan, giving her a deadly glare, "That all of this was your fault."
"And the vids that were filmed would tell her different," said Hannah simply, inclining her head to the group of teenagers that had their recorders out and Kaidan suddenly snapped to attention.
"I need to find her fast," said Kaidan to himself before turning back to Hannah, "Where is she?"
"She's with that lovely pilot of hers," said Hannah, resisting the urge to grin when she saw the effect those words had on him, "I hope he treats her better than you do."
"I hate you," sighed Kaidan angrily, "You and the rest of the crew are going to come with me to look for them, is that clear?"
"Hell no, Major," said Hannah, shaking her head, "I outrank you, and I say let the search wait until morning, that way she might have one nice night before she marries your sorry ass."
"I'm out of here," said Kaidan as he walked away from her, steaming mad, a snarl etched on his features.
"Not so fast!" said the Maitre'D angrily, his face pinched and red from rage, "Now, who was responsible for throwing that table?"
Hannah resisted the urge to laugh, between the angry Maitre'D and the drink drenched Major it was rather difficult to manage it, "I believe the good man was asking you a question, Major."
Kaidan glared at her but he did answer the Maitre'D though reluctantly, "It was my fault, sir, I'm very sorry and I'll do anything I can to help repay the damage done to your fine establishment."
Hannah smirked, he was giving the Alliance written line for instances such as this when a solider damaged public property, it had to be integrated into the handbook after so many young recruits destroyed bars and other eating establishments.
"Fine," said the Maitre'D obviously satisfied with the apology, "You will not only repair the table but you will wash dishes for the remainder of the evening, with no complaints."
Kaidan looked up and his face displayed the humiliation he was feeling about the tasks he was being told to perform, "Can't I just pay for the damages?"
"You know the rules, Major," said Hannah smugly from beside the Maitre'D, "it's up to the man in charge of the place what you're punishment will be and I think he's being rather fair considering you rattled all of these nice people."
She could tell he wanted to argue but his obedience to the Alliance regulations was unflappable, she knew he would go through with the punishment even though he was furious.
"Report to the kitchens now," said the Maitre'D, pointing towards a pair of doors on the opposite wall and Kaidan started off in that direction while Hannah and the Maitre'D watched him walk, his whole body stance radiating shame.
"Make sure he works," said Hannah, handing a small credit chit to the Maitre'D, "I'm not sure how much of a craftsman he is, so here's some credits for the table you'll buy after he mutilates this already mangled one."
"Thank you, Madam," said the Maitre'D pocketing the chit in his suit jacket, "I will make sure he is back at his ship in the morning, which one is it?"
"The SSV-Normandy SR-2," replied Hannah and she watched as the Maitre'D's face changed as he processed what she had just told him.
"That was Commander Shepard's XO wasn't it?" asked the Maitre'D quietly, noticeably afraid when he realized whom he had just sent back into the kitchens.
"Yes, and he is to receive no special treatment," ordered Hannah, and the Maitre'D emphatically nodded.
"I assure you he will be treated like a common vandal," said the Maitre'D placing his hand on his heart as if to promise her on his own honor.
"Thank you, sir," said Hannah, smiling, "If you'll excuse me, it's late and I must get some sleep before he gets back to the ship. Thank you again for all of your help, I'll make sure to mention you to Admiral Hackett and my daughter, Commander Shepard."
She nearly laughed again when she saw the Maitre'D's face, he was stunned and excited all at the same time and she left him standing there moving his mouth but words refusing to escape. When she got to the door she heard the kitchen doors open and she saw Kaidan walk out with an apron over his tuxedo and hairnet sticking to his dark hair, this time she laughed, it was impossible not to especially when his face looked like that of a broken lion.
"That's what you get for hurting my baby," said Hannah to herself as she left the restaurant, satisfied with her work, finally feeling like she was a mother again instead of just a soldier that happened to have a daughter.