Admiral Hackett wasn't happy. He'd read the reports on Rannoch and it sounded as if this 'Doctor Avalon' had almost messed up everything. He needed to talk to Commander Shepard and get everything all sorted out before word got out to the rest of the galaxy of the Alliance's recent 'unprofessionalism'.

Shepard appeared in front of him though the QEC and saluted him, "You wanted to speak with me, Admiral?"

Hackett nodded, "Yeah I did. You mentioned in your report about 'Doctor Avalon'? It sounds like she risked the entire mission."

Shepard frowned for a second and for a moment contemplated agreeing with him. But she realised that if she started complaining about her sister, Avalon would end up getting kicked off of the Normandy; no matter how much she might have disagreed with what her sister did, Shepard couldn't do that.

"The report is probably a little one sided, sir." she said, "When I wrote it I was annoyed and irritated with her and that anger rubbed off on the report. What she did was nothing I couldn't handle and what's important is we managed to get the job done." It was Hackett's turn to frown now; he had never known Shepard to cover up for anyone like this before but whatever it was she was hiding he didn't ask. The rumours about the commander still being with Cerberus had already gotten under her skin and he didn't want to make her feel like he doubted her judgement when it was so important for everyone to believe in her.

"Anyway, regardless of that little problem; I wanted to congratulate you on the alliance that you've made between the geth and the quarians. I don't know how you did it but I'm damn glad you did - we're gonna need all the help we can get." He didn't smile - he never smiled, but Shepard knew that he was pleased with her.

"The asari councillor has asked me to meet her on the Citadel." She informed him, "I think she might have an idea about where the Catalyst is."

The admiral nodded again, as if deep in thought, "Good. Keep me posted. Hackett out."

Shepard sighed as his image disappeared and she was left staring into space - literally. Until the voice behind her made her entire body cringe.

"Hackett in, Hackett out, Hackett shake it all about!" Avalon sang with a large grin. Shepard turned and just stared at her, "Are you always so hilarious?" the commander asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Only when the need arises - does he always do that?"

Shepard was confused, "Do what?"

Avalon crossed her arms and put on a gruff voice, "Keep me posted. Hackett out!" Her older sister had to refrain from face-palming.

"It's just what he does. It is standard communication protocol." she explained, "Does it really matter?"

Avalon shrugged, "Not really, although personally, I'd prefer if he danced the hokey pokey before he signed out - much more entertaining."

"Maybe you should ask Kaidan if he'd do it." Just the thought of the newly promoted major dancing the hokey pokey made the commander snigger. Avalon looked offended, "Maybe I will. He'd be great at it."

"Have you ever seen him dance?"

"He can't be any worse than you." They smiled together; releasing all of the tension that they had let build up since their argument in the shuttle bay. That seemed so long ago.

"So… we're good now right?" Avalon asked carefully, "I mean, I've proved that I can handle myself under stressful conditions and now we can carry on with life?"

Shepard thought about it, "Well it's kind of obvious by now that I can't keep you away from the action, and I'd rather be there to watch over you from the beginning then have you running into the middle of a Reaper fight."

Avalon let out a big WHOOP and then quickly covered her mouth with her hands. "Sorry!" she whispered, "I swear I wasn't like this as a professional doctor!" Shepard laughed, "Whatever. Go do me a favour and check in with Chakwas at the med-bay; see if she needs anything when we go to the Citadel." Avalon smiled and headed down the stairs but suddenly stumbled and fell down towards the war assets terminal; managing to stay upright by reaching out and pulling herself back up after a few seconds.

The commander watched and at the sight of her sister falling, gave a sharp intake of breath.

"Maybe you should ask Doctor Chakwas to check on your head as well - you might have a concussion," Avalon shook her head, "I'm fine. I just tripped." Shepard didn't believe her but her the doctor had turned away, humming under her breath as she walked back to the war room and out into the former tech lab.

Kaidan had been waiting frantically for an opportunity to talk to Avalon ever since the Rannoch ground team returned. He'd been waiting for them on the shuttle bay when everyone had tumbled out and the doctor seemed to be unharmed apart from a bloody graze that had dribbled down the side of her face. He would have rushed to her side at that very moment but then he caught sight of Shepard and suddenly he was rewarded with the dreaded 'look' and he'd reluctantly retreated back to his room on the observation deck.

But now that everything had been smoothed over with the Alliance and Admiral Hackett, Kaidan's urge to see Avalon had quickly been reignited. He supposed that the doctor would be back in the med-bay by now with Chakwas - perhaps getting her head patched up while she was there as well.

When Kaidan entered the and saw Avalon lying down on one of the beds his heart dropped and he rushed to her side. Breathing a sigh of relief when he saw her eyelids flutter as he approached, he turned to face Doctor Chakwas who was reading her monitor with a confused expression that was growing more intense with every word read.

"What the hell happened Doc?" He demanded, casting his eyes back in Avalon's direction. The young redhead looked physically fine aside from being a bit paler than usual. Had she picked up a bug? He quickly dismissed the idea - Avalon had been fine during dinner although he'd noted privately to himself that she had come across as a bit uncomfortable; he hoped he hadn't scared her off with his confession, even when she had confessed her feelings to him.

Chakwas was still frowning, "I'm not entirely sure, Major. She came in about ten minutes ago on Shepard's request to see if there was anything I needed but then she just fainted. I thought that maybe it was just physical exhaustion or mental stress from facing that Reaper but these readings look completely ordinary."

Kaidan wasn't convinced. Medical equipment was known to be glitchy or inaccurate; Avalon couldn't have just collapsed for no reason. Unless…

"Her biotics - have you checked her amp? Or her implants?" He got out his omni-tool to do his own readings but Chakwas was already nodding, "Of course. Her amp is stone cold; that's the confusing part. Before she collapsed she was telling me about how she'd managed to use her biotics to hover down a cliff and then to carry her back up roughly ten metres."

Kaidan rubbed the back of his neck, worriedly, "Her amp should be boiling after doing something like that. Something's not right here Doc."

The older doctor nodded in agreement, "It might be better if we take her to Huerta Memorial when we dock again at the Citadel."

"Again?" Kaidan asked, "But we only just got her discharged - and even that was early."

"And you'll recall that it was also a biotic related injury that made her wind up there in the first place." Chakwas reminded him, "In fact, now that you mention it I remember hearing her say that she had prototype L6 implants that she had designed herself."

He nodded slowly, "It's why she's able to manipulate much more powerful mass effect fields in the past. That and the amp that she designed."

"The amp that is completely indifferent, after its user just managed to biotically jump ten metres up."

"So you think it's down to her designs." Kaidan realised. Avalon had always been so proud of her brilliant designed amp and implants. Only now it seemed that they weren't so brilliant after all - they really were too good to be true.

"We'll have to talk to one of the biotics doctors at Huerta Memorial to be sure." Chakwas replied, "Her vital signs are normal, but I'll keep a close eye on them just in case. Tell Shepard about her sister's condition, but try not to worry her too much; I know what you two are like around our Doctor Shepard."

Kaidan swallowed and found his feet carrying him once again towards the door, "Do you really think it's nothing terrible?" he asked. He knew what he wanted to hear. He wanted to hear Doctor Chakwas tell him that no, she didn't think it was extremely bad and that she was sure a doctor at the hospital would be able to clear everything up and have Avalon discharged within a couple of days at the very latest. But he should have known better than to hope for something so positive and idealistic in the middle of a war. The look on Doc's face had him swallowing down disappointment again.

"I don't know Kaidan. The situation she is in is theoretically impossible. She just seems to be a hurricane of surprises; I just hope it doesn't crush her. For your sake as well as hers and Shepard's."

Kaidan nodded again; heading out into the mess hall and for the first time since Ashley Williams had died on Virmire, he found himself repeating a verse from the Bible that she had recited to him once.

"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future."

Avalon would be fine… right?