Chapter Four: The Interview-Part 2
Chapter Summary: In which Marcus speaks again, Shepard begins nursing a hatred for politicians, all Anderson has to do is nod, and Anderson becomes David.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bioware, Mass Effect, etc. I only own the plot and Shep's personality. Don't sue me please.

"How was she?" Rita asked as David sank into his seat. He shrugged, conveying what the doctor had said earlier. She nodded in agreement, rolling her eyes.
"I told them that exact—"

"Hush."

Marcus's command was soft and made them both fall silent, watching as the questioning began.
Alex was still seated in the middle of the room at a small table, her feet dangling inches from ground. Beside her sat Lillian while Miss Zahn stood at the edge of the Council's table.
"Miss Shepard, we're going to ask you some questions. We will need you to answer to the best of your abilities on the datapad in front of you, okay?" One of the councilors explained. David frowned at their tone: they spoke as if they were talking to a toddler.
Alex nodded, glancing back at them. David gave her a reassuring smile and she turned back.

"Miss Shepard, can you tell us where you lived?"

She wrote down something quickly and handed it over to Lillian.

"Mindoir, on the farms."

"Shepard, can you tell us about what happened on Mindoir?" Another councilman spoke up.
David scowled, seeing Alex tensed up and vigorously shook her head. The councilman—the same one that asked the question leaned forward.

"Shepard, I know it might be difficult, but we need to know what happened there."

She remained steadfast, her gaze dropping to the table. Lillian leaned down next to Alex's ear, whispering in a hushed tone, although it echoed around the quiet room.
"Alex, we can help you."

She was unmoving, still staring at the table while the councilors began huffing in agitation.
"Shepard, can you tell us anything? Who it was that attacked the colony? How many were there?" Another councilman insisted.

"Why are they asking her when they know she won't answer them?" Rita hissed under her breath. David, also annoyed at how they were acting, turned to his captain.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" He asked. Marcus paused, frowning.
"I'm not sure…" He whispered back as the council began arguing amongst themselves.

"She won't speak—not now, anyway." One of them pointed out.
"But she saw what happened; we need to get that information." Another voice piped in. "And what are we supposed to do? Wait for her to start speaking again?"
"And there's the issue of her having no family." A third voice added. "So there is issue of where she will be staying after she leaves the council."

David's anger flared. They spoke of Alex as if she wasn't even present, and their words were affecting her: at the mention of 'no family' her eyes had grown and a few silent tears came out of her eyes.

"We could have her stay with a family on the station—it would give her a bed and some food while keeping her under our watch." Voice two threw out. There was a mixed reaction, most of it positive.
"There's a new Ambassador, a something-Moreau. He has a son and could hold onto her until we get the information we need."

Alex had turned to look at David once more. Tears had marked paths down her face and she looked just as scared sitting at the table than when she had been hiding on Mindoir. Her eyes were pleading for him to do something—anything to help her, but he knew it was hopeless. This was out of his hands.

"Councilors, if I may…" Marcus had stood up and quickly moved to the edge of the council floor. He waited until the middle councilor, one who had yet to speak, nodded before moving forward.
"I propose that Miss Shepard stay with my crew."

The proposal seemed to shock everyone—David and Rita exchanged wide-eyed glances before focusing on the councilmen.

"This is rather unordinary, Captain." The grey-haired man in the middle pointed out. Marcus nodded.

"These are unordinary circumstances, sir." He replied tactfully. "But I believe it would be in the best interest for everyone involved: this way you will be able to keep young Miss Shepard under the watchful eye of the Alliance for whenever she decides to speak again. She will be in a stable, safe place—"

"Captain, how on earth will she be 'safe' when she is on a ship that is supposed to be doing patrols around space?" Lillian interrupted. Marcus turned back to her and gave a small nod.

"Well, Miss Schmidt, it is true that the Hastings does a routine patrol throughout the galaxy; however, all of the combat that she sees happens on the ground of planets, with a ground team while the ship usually stays in the upper atmosphere. This means that Miss Shepard will be out of harm's way on the ship."

"And what of her education? Her health? And there is the issue of where she would stay—after all, Alliance ships are lacking in the space area." Lillian insisted. Rita quickly stood.

"I double majored!" She declared quickly. When all eyes turned to her, she seemed to regain her sense and calmed down a little. "I double majored in both medicine and education. Alex could take most of her courses on the net, but I would be able to help where it's needed. And, as the ship's medical doctor, I could also keep up with all of her physical and psychological needs and update the council via reports."

Marcus smiled at her before turning back to Lillian. "As for her room, there is a small space behind the medbay that we could refurbish into a room for Miss Shepard. She would have the space to herself, enough room for her to grow."

The council began nodding, seeing the reasoning behind Marcus's claim.

"But what of her guardian?" Schmidt once again asserted. "She would need a legal guardian."

"My Lieutenant, David Anderson, would be perfect."

David froze with his eyes on his commanding officer as the man put him in the spotlight. While he was not one to crack under the sudden amount of attention, he wished he had some warning.

"Anderson?" Voice two from the council spoke up. "Is this the same Anderson from—"

"Yes, I believe it is." Voice one interrupted.

David held back a groan. Of course the council was going to remind him of the mission—the mission that wasn't even his fault! He wanted to argue, but kept his mouth shut and instead allowed Marcus to continue.

"Anderson is not only my best crewman, but also one of the only ones that Miss Shepard has become fond of. I believe that he would not only be able to care for her, but that she would be more willing to open up to him sooner than if we stuck her with anyone else."

There was some murmuring among the men and women of the council, all of them leaning forwards in their chairs and sending glances between Marcus, Shepard, and Anderson. Finally, after minutes of deliberation, they sat back up.

"Commander Anderson, do you wish to adopt this child?" The middle councilman inquired. David hesitated, looking to Shepard first. She nodded encouragingly.

And so, speechless, David Anderson nodded as well.

"Good, good. Then it is by our decision that Alexandra Shepard be put under the care of Commander David Anderson and allowed boarding upon the Hastings."

There was a small murmur of proud agreement from the council, as if they had been the ones to come up with this brilliant plan. Marcus smirked proudly, going over and grabbing David's arm.

"Come along, we need to get some papers signed."

"I'm sorry for shoving all this on you unexpectedly, David." Marcus apologized, although he never lost his smile as he and David waited for the adoption papers. They were still in the council chambers, although the council had left earlier. Alex had refused to leave David's side, at first standing by him before he scooted back enough to allow her a seat on his leg. Rita sat across from them, trying to get Alex to smile.
David waived his apology off.

"Honestly, it's not that much of an issue. I'm just glad that you managed to come up with something to help her."

Alex was looking up at him when Lillian came back in, her hands full of papers. She sat next to Rita, spreading out the sheets and indicating the lines Anderson had to sign.

"Are you married, Lieutenant?" She asked, her eyes only flicking up to him. He shook his head.

"Divorced, actually. No children." Until now, he thought. A slight alarm rang in his head as it registered with him that he was going to be responsible for another person. He was going to be a father.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She whispered. There was a small silence as they continued going through the paperwork before she spoke again.
"I apologize for being so pushy earlier." She said. "I know I seemed pretty mean but you must understand: I'm trying to do what's best for Alex. I've seen kids like her get lost in the system."
There was a soft tremble to her voice that made her confession all the more vulnerable.

"I understand." David said.

She smiled. "Thank you. Now there is one question: do you want her to take your last name? She'd be Alexandra Anderson-"

Anderson looked down at Alex, who hadn't made any indication of her choice.

"I think she should keep Shepard." He finally said. She looked up at him curious, but with a small nod in agreement.

Lillian concurred, marking the appropriate boxes before showing the paper to him.
"After you sign here you'll be responsible for her."

David nodded and carefully signed his name.

Lillian looked over the paperwork carefully. "I think everything's in order. Take good care of her."

Anderson nodded, reaching over and shaking her hand as they stood, Alex sliding off of David's lap and grabbing onto his arm.
"Oh, and one more thing." Lillian reached into her pocket and pulled out a small card, handing it over. "There are a few shops on floor three-mainly clothing places. Just hand the cashier this card and she won't charge you. You can grab Alex some clothes and things, courtesy of the Alliance Adoption Agency." She explained. Anderson paused and looked at the card.

"Thanks." He managed to say. She gave them all one last smile before she bid her goodbye and left. Marcus turned to the group, giving Alex a wide smile.

"Well, I have to inform the crew and get your room fixed up so you guys can meet me at the ship. I look forward to having you aboard, Miss Shepard." He offered her his hand, which she carefully took and shook. To Rita and Anderson, he only offered a small nod before turning and leaving them.

"So, what now?" Rita asked. David looked down at Alex, the card still in his hand.

"Are you up for some shopping, kiddo?"

They had headed down to the third level, Rita leading the way to the clothing stores. The entire way Alex had refused to let go of him, wearily looking around as they walked. Had David not known the reasons behind her clinginess, he might have found it adorable.

However the reason for her clinginess and for her being in this position in the first place was still fresh on his mind, which was why he decided to change the plans a little.

"Rita, do you think you can get clothes in her size without her there?" He asked. Rita glanced over, but nodded.
"I'm pretty sure I could. They might be a little big, but they'd work."
"Alright, do it. Just a few pairs of pants and shirts—you know the drill. I'm going to give her some time to breath."

"Okay. Message me when you're ready to leave." She ordered, giving Alex a smile before leaving. The girl looked up at David, puzzled.

"I thought that you might want to sit down for a moment." He explained. She didn't respond, simply following him as they went by a small café table and sat.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?" He asked her. She shook her head, so he waived away the waiter that had been advancing.

There was a small silence between them before he leaned forward.

"Alex, I want you to be honest with me." He asked. "I need to know if you're okay with everything that just happened. I know it all went really quickly and you're probably trying to cope with it…"

As he had talked, she had been writing on a napkin with a pen he had given her.

I'm okay, I guess. I didn't like the council.

"I don't like them either." He admitted. "I think it's because they're politicians—all politicians suck."

She didn't smile, simply writing some more.

I'm sorry I'm so much trouble.

His stomach dropped as he read the message, noting how she had written something after only to have crossed it out.

"Alex, look at me." He ordered, his voice soft and firm, but kind. She looked up and he could see the guilt in her eyes.

"Alex, you are not trouble. What happened isn't your fault and I need you to know that."
She still seemed unsure, so he leaned forward. "Look, sometimes bad things happen to good people. We can't always help them, but that doesn't mean that it's our fault. I'm not going to say that I know what you're feeling, but I promise you that if you need anything—to talk, to cry, anything—I'm here for you now. You aren't alone in this."

She took in a shaky breath, her eyes teary as she finally nodded.

Thank you Mr. Anderson.

He gave her a small smile. "You can call me David if you want."

She finally smiled, although it still didn't reach her eyes.

Thank you David.

Notes: Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter :). Thank you to those who have reviewed (Gohan Roxas, yahiro365, and Thedarkstorm) and everyone who has started following the story! I'm sorry the chapter took so long but I wanted to get Alex as realistic as possible with her reaction to the trauma. I hope you all had a great holiday and have a great 2014!