At first, I didn't recognize the name of Major Kaidan Alenko. I'd seen so many names in three years as a doctor, and changing from the clinic in the wards to Huerta Memorial, it would not have been easy for me to remember them all.

But then I saw the patient rushed into the intensive care wing, and through the bruised eyes and head swelling, I remembered him.

Three years, almost. Back to the small clinic on the wards, with limited supplies. Fist's thugs tried to silence me about the quarian who had information on Saren. And then, the Alliance Marines came through the door. I barely had a second to look at them before Garrus, the impressive C-Sec sharpshooter, shot the thug with the gun to my head.

A tall man, piercing blue eyes, stood in the front, ordering the thugs to release me, and gunned them down without mercy the second I was safe. A dark-haired biotic tossed a thug like he was a tennis ball across the room. A tanned woman cleaned up the rest with a shotgun. My first meeting with Commander Shepard, who went on to become a Spectre and save the Citadel from the geth. Might have called it humble beginnings, if he wasn't with Garrus saving me from thugs.

I didn't remember Kaidan, the biotic, too much. I don't think he said a word when I met him, just used his biotics on the thugs and allowed the Commander to speak.

And now he was a patient. I didn't even need to look at the charts to know it was bad: His head trauma and swelling were severe. The medic beside him said he barely had a pulse, blood pressure was low, cyanosis on his lips, multiple shoulder fractures, he was completely unresponsive. I had to move quickly, just as swiftly as Garrus did with that single bullet, saving my life. I started with his head, reducing the swelling and working on the contusions, aspirating the blood and relieving pressure. The Major's vital signs ceased to deteriorate, and I think that was the first time I started to breathe.

I continued. The door to the unit opened only once, when an Alliance doctor entered. Dr. Karin Chakwas, who'd served with him and Garrus back on the Normandy. At that point, I had the situation under control, but she knew the Major, and had more experience on biotic soldiers than I did, so I had her check his implant. The world outside faded as she and I worked.

He didn't regain consciousness when we finished our treatments, but his vitals recovered. I had another doctor monitor him while Doctor Chakwas and I went into the lounge to take a breath and discuss what we would do next.

"I'm impressed, Doctor Michel. There wasn't much for me to assist with." Doctor Chakwas had amazing skill and a technical hand, and my face flushed to match my hair.

"Thank you." I nodded to her, but Doctor Chakwas seemed to look towards the entrance. I followed her gaze and saw another man, Commander Shepard himself, walking up to her.

"Doctor Chakwas!" Relief was quite palpable in his voice when he saw her.

"Commander!" She smiled at him openly, and I left to allow them some more privacy. I saw her smile, though. The Commander then turned around and came to me.

"Doctor Michel! It has been a while. You look well." He had shown concern for me from the first minute I met him. Hero of the galaxy and quite the charmer. Not my type, but I could still be flattered.

After the pleasantries, I heard the Commander's draw in a sharp breath. He held it for a second, his lower lip sliding into his mouth.

"I assume you're here about Major Alenko?"

"Yes. Please, give me the update." His exhale was just as sharp, as if he didn't want to know. Nervousness was something almost everyone had in hospitals, it was one of the few things that stretched across species.

So I updated the Commander as I escorted him to the Major's room, I told him how strong his vital signs were.

"Not a surprise, Kaidan's tough as hell."

"I imagine with the missions you undertake, he'd have to be." Humor and jocular comments were often used by friends and family of patients like the Major, who were in such bad shape. I indulged when it happened.

"You can see him, if you like. He's still unconscious." I opened the door, and I watched the Commander's mouth gape slightly open. I motioned the other monitoring doctors out: I would be here if there was a problem.

"Shit." Profanity came out of the Commander's mouth as he gripped the sides of the bed. "Kaidan..." The Commander's breathing was very slow. He shut his eyes for a second.

"I...I'm not sure if you can hear me. But...we're not fighting, at least. That's something. Well, since I know you won't interrupt me with comments about Cerberus, I guess I can say whatever I want..."

I don't know if the Commander realized I was still in the room. He continued as if I wasn't.

"You're one hell of a soldier, Kaidan. I always knew that, but...seeing you in action again, damn. I...do not give up, Kaidan. Fight this, do not die. You know what we're up against, and the galaxy needs you."

Another sharp inhale.

"And...so do I. Beat this, Kaidan. That's an...oh, right, you outrank me now. I guess I can't order you. Still...do not...don't leave us." The Commander's elbows dropped, and he turned around and looked at me.

"If there's anything you need, Doctor Michel, let me know. Doctor Chakwas will be on the Normandy with me. Contact us anytime." He tried to be professional and stoic, but I'd seen enough patients to know when their eyes betrayed them.

He turned away and headed back to the patient lounge, and I called back in the doctor to keep monitoring the Major.

You've got such a wonderful friends, Major. Doctor Chawkas and the Commander both, and that was just within an hour of the Major's arrival. He would survive. I didn't know all of the details about Earth, but between his strong vitals, his close companions, and the need to save the galaxy, I was certain the real problem would be making sure the Major didn't leave before he was ready.

The Major's vitals remained strong after the commander left, steadily increasing. I was quickly glancing at the major's blood pressure when I noticed movement in his face. His eyes were still bruised, although the swelling was down significantly, but they started to flutter, just a little bit. Then, they opened.

He made some groans as I grabbed a light to check his eyes for awareness. His pupils contracted: A great sign.

"Hello, Major Alenko. Can you hear me?" Doctor Chakwas had told me Kaidan's L2-level biotic implants made him sensitive to bright lights and noise, so I kept my voice down.

"Where...where am I?" Quite a natural question, and so I answered. The Major was still squinting, but he slowly relaxed his eyes as I told him what had happened.

"So, John saved me." I didn't know the exact details, but it seemed to be so.

"He came to see you, too." I left out all of the parts about what he said: Even I knew that wasn't my place.

"Even with all that's happened, some things never change." While the Major laughed for a second, he turned his head away from me and looked out the window, and his mouth turned to a frown. Such a poignantly different reaction than the Commander. The only thing that was the same was the looks of despair on their faces. The Commander I could understand, but...what was going through the Major's mind?

"I can contact him, if you like. Let him know you've recovered."

"Knowing John, I'll bet he's waist deep in husks he's sliced in half with his omni-blade. On a...very secretive mission. Just hope he's careful, and working with the right people. I can send my own messages, Doctor. But thanks." A smile did not cross the Major's face. His head relaxed on the pillow, and I was certain he'd go to sleep.

Three years it had been since I'd seen him. I never spoke with the Major, so I truly had no comparison, but I always thought a savior of the galaxy, who did the impossible would be...not so jaded.