A/N: This chapter was a labor of love.
Seriously.
I finished it around 11 last night, uploaded it on here, and made my polishing touches through doc manager. As I clicked "save", something weird happened and I lost every single one of my changes.
Three. Different. Times.
I don't know about you, but when I go through and edit something, I really edit it, and it usually takes me a couple of hours.
I gave up at about 4 in the morning when my computer shut down on me to install updates.
I couldn't force myself to go through it a fourth time, not after I'd already wasted 5 hours making the same revisions. So, if this chapter seems unpolished or not quite refined, please don't hate me. I just got sick and fucking tired of editing it after all that bullshit last night and decided "Fuck it, it's going up as it is".
I'm still incredibly bitter about the whole ordeal.
Sorry for my random venting. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and I, for once, have the next chapter already done :) I'm just as shocked as you are. I just need to edit it (ha), and it'll be posted in a few days.
-razz
Shepard immediately brought her hand up to salute her former superior, temporarily forgetting that her status with the Alliance had long since been revoked, making the necessity to salute moot.
"Shepard?" Hackett's crackly voice was laced with barely concealed shock. "What are you doing here?"
His purple scar glared in harsh contradiction to the paleness of his withering complexion. Time worn wrinkles spindled throughout his emaciated face, crevasses permanently carved into his brow, personifying decades' worth of stress and responsibility. His lips were thin and anemic, and his side-leaning gait depended heavily upon his cane for support, knuckles white from the desperate clutch that gripped the handle. A perpetual exhaustion burdened his once commanding blue eyes, and Shepard felt a lump forming in her throat. She still couldn't adjust to his aging form. When did the Admiral get so old?
She tore her eyes away from her former boss, her emotionally vulnerable mind unable to contend with the reality of his newfound fragility. She stared listlessly at the ground, determined to ignore the shadow of his cane as it slithered into her peripheral vision.
"Sir, I apologize. I know I'm not supposed to leave the medical ward, but I, um… I just… needed a change of scenery. A breath of fresh air, y'know? I mean, sir, I don't even have any windows in my room; it was beginning to feel rather claustrophobic in there…" she fumbled over her words as her half-hearted lie tumbled from her lips.
Shepard stole a glance at Hackett's face, scrutinizing his features for any intimation of his judgments. He gifted her with an arched eyebrow, clearly skeptical of her poorly crafted fallacy, and set his mouth into a thin line. His chest rose with a deep sigh, nostrils flaring with the intake of breath. The Admiral held his lungful for an agonizing minute as Shepard shifted uncomfortably beneath his inscrutable gaze.
"That's a rather long way to walk to get some 'fresh air', wouldn't you say, Shepard?"
Shepard folded in on herself at the inflection of his tone.
"Admittedly, I got lost and just kind of… ended up here. Honestly, sir, I have no idea where I am." She proffered an embarrassed smile to her mentor.
It was a half-truth; Shepard really was lost by this point. She'd been recklessly fleeing down hallways without paying any heed to the direction she was heading. Shepard had always been atrocious at navigating her way around anything; if it wasn't for the nav system in her N7 suit, she'd have ended up lost in the throes of the galaxy or stranded on an unknown planet, wandering around in circles and utterly oblivious of which way was up.
"I see," his reply was terse with distrust. "Well, I suggest you make your way back to your room before someone recognizes you. The last thing the Alliance needs is a press conference with the media." He eyed her carefully, watching her sheepish disposition as she fidgeted with her hands, massaging each finger individually and purposefully avoiding his gaze. "I myself am on my way to see Major Alenko. Have you seen him?"
Shepard felt a heated blush ascend her cheeks, immediately giving away her actual purposes.
"I, um… I… Sir… he's… ah…" words rolled inarticulately off of her tongue as she scavenged her brain for some shred of intellect.
"Shepard?" he inquired as weariness claimed his features. He sighed heavily, scratching at his white beard, before speaking. "What did you do to the poor man this time?"
Her head snapped up angrily at Hackett's insinuation, her eyes ablaze with guilt fueled rage.
"I didn't do anything. Sir." She spoke through clenched teeth as she attempted to reign in her ire. She inhaled a shuddering breath to calm her nerves, reminding herself Hackett hadn't meant to insult her. "I mean, I didn't attack him or anything. I swear to God, I'm not some crazy person anymore. I just sort of… fired him. I think."
Her features contorted with confusion, once again trying to comprehend her mystifying actions, and she twisted her fingers into strands of mahogany hair. Her eyes darted around the hallway as she coughed uncomfortably.
"You fired him?" Hackett asked, not bothering to disguise his bewilderment.
"Ah… yes, sir. I don't really know what happened, to be honest…" She flitted her stare to the ground, focusing on her feet as the heated blush traveled down her neck.
"Did you fire him because he hasn't been training you? If that's the case, then you don't need to worry about that anymore. I was on my way to confront him about shirking his duties and responsibilities. From here on out, he should be completely vested in your training and exercises."
Shepard was quiet for a moment, combating the shame that strained her words. "Um… not quite, sir. I, uh, I was able to train myself a little, actually. I was really hoping that maybe you, um, could give me a different biotic trainer? One that has… a little less… history with me."
She looked up at Hackett and slightly upturned the corner of her mouth in a light smile, urging him to grant her request.
Hackett heaved a long sigh and shifted his weight at the uncomfortable cramp that began to stir in his weakened leg. "What happened, Shepard?"
"I'd really rather not talk about it, sir." The woman ran a nervous hand through her hair, her fingers combing the tangled strands, as she gave a one-shouldered shrug. "I've just realized that I've… emotionally compromised Kaidan's mission, I guess, and I wanted to submit a formal request for his replacement."
"Hmmm…" Hackett tapped a spindly index finger on his chin as he considered her appeal. He ran his gaze over her frail form, eyeing her entire disposition, before procuring his answer. "Request denied."
"What? Why?" Shepard jerked her head up and set her accusatory stare on Hackett, utterly dumbfounded that he had rejected her proposal before even considering it.
"Major Alenko has an unparalleled biotic talent and shows remarkable self-control and biotic manipulation – unlike anything I've ever seen from a human. He's also an exceptional teacher and has proven time and time again that he's a very capable and proficient mentor. He's perfectly suited for your specific needs."
Shepard nearly tripped over her desperate words, adamant to convince Hackett to empathize with her position. "But, sir, I really think that's a bad call-"
"It's not your call to make, Shepard," he harshly interrupted her, using a tenor that left little room for dispute.
She ignored him. "Admiral Hackett, you don't understand! There's too much shit between us now. Every time I see him, I can't concentrate, I can't focus, I can't train. Nothing is going to get accomplished." She spoke animatedly, her hands flying through the air to emphasize her earnestness.
"All the more reason to keep the Major on board. Using your biotics on the battlefield won't necessitate the most desirable of conditions; if you're able to get a grasp on your biotic energy despite the emotional complications with Kaidan, then you'll be able to handle any situation thrown at you." Hackett nodded at her to convey he was ending the conversation.
"Sir, it'll kill him."
"You don't give the Major enough credit. He's stronger than you realize – stronger than he realizes. I think this pairing will do you both some good."
Shepard firmly shook her head, auburn tresses whipping in front of her face at the frantic movement, and she sliced her hands in front of her body in disagreement. "No, sir, with all due respect, I refuse to train with him. Being around me is poisoning Kaidan; I won't keep subjecting him to that kind of hurt."
"I'm in charge here, Shepard, I make the calls. Know your place, Commander." He glared at her, daring her to try and defy his orders.
Shepard gawked at him, appalled that he had the audacity to play the trumping rank card in a cowardly attempt to win the argument.
"I'm not a part of the Alliance anymore, remember?" she spat at him, her voice thick with fury.
"But your actions against the Alliance place you under my jurisdiction and I can order sentences as I see fit. Would you rather stay in the penitentiary with the other rebellions to wait for your trial? That can take months."
She was aghast, her eyes wide with betrayal, jaw agape at his harsh threat.
"You wouldn't," her voice was a breathless whisper, disbelieving he'd subject her to sentencing.
"Shepard, this argument is over."
The finality in his inflection stayed Shepard's tongue, and she realized this was a dispute she had no hope of winning. She chewed her bottom lip, willing her mouth to silence the slew of obscenities she wanted to shout at him for his treachery.
He really would place me on trial. That fucking bastard.
"I swear to God, this is a bad idea. A really bad fucking idea," Shepard seethed at him, her jaw aching as she ground her teeth together.
How could he do this to her? To Kaidan? He just didn't understand!
"Shepard, if you so much as-" Hackett retorted, but was quickly silenced as the elevator door parted, exposing its sole inhabitant. "Ah, Major Alenko, just the man I wanted to see!"
Shepard groaned and felt her head drop low on her shoulders as she slumped with defeat. "Ugh, you have got to be kidding me."
She treaded to the side, granting Kaidan more room than was necessary to step off of the elevator. He raised a questioning brow, his features startled, as he slowly walked out of the elevator. Trepidation seeped from his broad form, his movements slowed with apprehension at interrupting the apparent quarrel. He shifted his gaze to Hackett.
"Ah, yes, sir. I'm sorry I, ah, haven't had the time to respond to your messages lately."
The Major gave a rigid salute, his tense body unwilling to move. He'd seen the gleam in Shepard's hateful stare, and he feared she was on the verge of another biotic breakdown. His implant instinctively switched on in preparation to shield his body from an anticipated out lash.
Shepard scoffed as she sensed the influx of energy, her heated stare boring into Kaidan, willing him to combust into flames with a thought. How had he even found her? Even she couldn't figure out where the hell she was.
"Really, Kaidan? Really? You're equipping your fucking biotics?"
"Just a reflexive precaution, ma'am," he spoke, wariness nipping at the heels of his words.
"Reflex my ass. Admit it – you're scared." Shepard jutted her chin out as she leered at him, defiantly folding her arms across her chest.
"Of course I'm scared, Shepard. You're prone to lashing out and attacking when you're upset," he spoke blatantly, as if it was an understood truth.
"Who says I'm upset?" she challenged, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I do."
Shepard rolled her eyes. "Well then, you'd be wrong. I'm not upset; I'm perfectly content."
"You look anything but content."
"That's just because I've been hobbling around on this bum leg. It hurts more than usual today." A weak lie, she knew, but she'd be damned if she let Kaidan become savvy to the fact that she was in a state of emotional upheaval over him.
"Shepard, can we talk? Somewhere…" he spoke exasperatedly, quickly flicking his eyes to Hackett, "…private?"
"I didn't think we had anything left to talk about."
"Well, maybe you don't, but I sure as hell do. You didn't exactly, ah, give me much time to respond earlier." He anxiously rubbed the back of his neck, desperately wishing that the Admiral wasn't standing there in silent observation.
"How was I supposed to know you had anything left to say? I gave you my whole monologue and then you just stood there, completely silent and unmoving." Shepard dropped her arms as she motioned towards Kaidan. "You didn't even look at me."
"Look, can we please go back to my room? I'm sure Hackett doesn't want to get in the middle of this…" He was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable.
"No, Kaidan, I'm sorry, but I can't do that," she shook her head, the lighting of the hall reflecting the redness of her swaying hair.
"Why not?" he whined despite himself, and he winced at his childish demeanor.
"Because I don't want to." She gave him a stern look, unwavering in her decision.
"So that's it, then? You just say all those things to me and don't even give me the opportunity to rebut?"
"You had your opportunity, Kaidan. You missed it," her voice was somber, saddened that he hadn't capitalized on her brief moment of indecision while she loitered in his room.
"Please don't pull that bullshit, Shepard. Of course I didn't respond; I was too shocked to even breathe. You can't just come gallivanting into my room, smiling and sweet, telling me how sorry you are for everything, and then just fire me and walk out for good. That's a lot of varied emotion to process in the twenty seconds you gave me to respond."
She flouted Kaidan and turned her gaze to Hackett. "Admiral, if we're done here, I'd like to return to my room now."
"We're done, Shepard. I need to speak with the Major anyway. You're dismissed." He gave her a stiff nod.
"Thank you, sir." Relief plainly exhibited itself on her face as she turned her back to depart, more than happy to leave this convoluted mess behind her. She paused mid-turn before sheepishly looking back at Hackett. "Um… sir? How, uh, how do I get back to my room?"
He smirked at Shepard as he gave concise directions, steering her to the desired destination. She absentmindedly nodded her head, turned on her heel, and limped down the path.
"Shepard, wait-" Kaidan called out, lunging after her as she made haste.
Hackett stuck his hand out and rested it on the Major's shoulder, holding him in place.
"Let her go, Kaidan."
He looked at the Admiral with wild eyes, desperate to chase after Shepard. "Sir, I can't. I have to talk to her."
"Give her some time to cool off. Let her think on it for a while, and I'm sure she'll come around."
Hackett smiled, he actually smiled at Kaidan, as he tried to comfort the frazzled man.
Kaidan whipped his head side to side, fervently disagreeing. "No, she won't. We both know Shepard better than that – she's stubborn and bullheaded. If she thinks on it, it'll only reaffirm her decision. I can't let her fire me, Hackett, I can't. Shepard… she's… she's still in there, somewhere. I have to help her, sir, I have to help her find herself. I won't let her down; I won't abandon her, not again. I can't." He couldn't prevent the urgency from creeping into his tone, his brow furrowing with determination and guilt.
"Major, she doesn't have the authority to fire you – I do, and I denied her request. You've nothing to worry about."
Kaidan gawked at the Admiral, shocked that he had turned down Shepard's demand.
"Sir, I…" he wasn't sure how to respond. "Thank you, sir. I can only hope that you're right." He ran a hand through his coarse hair, skeptical of Hackett's assertion.
"Just trust me on this, Major. She'll come around." Hackett patted the other man's shoulder, offering a taut smile of reassurance. He exhaled gruffly as he spoke, "Well then, now that that's settled, shall we go back to your room to discuss her training?"
"Ah, sir, I realize that time is of the essence and that I've failed in my recent duties to train her, but, ah, is it okay if we discuss this tomorrow? I'm not feeling well, sir, and I just need some time to… blow off steam." Kaidan shrugged his shoulders, staring listlessly at the wall behind the Admiral.
"Very well. Go take the day," Hackett motioned with his head, acquiescing Kaidan's request.
"Thank you, sir."
He turned to leave as Hackett's words trailed after him, "And, Major? Make sure they put the tab in my name. Seems like you've been through a hell of a day, and it's not even eight yet."
"Again, thank you, sir," Kaidan echoed himself, nodding towards Hackett before stepping into the arriving elevator.
He felt the beginnings of a migraine begin to wake from its slumber, slowly brewing behind his eyes. Kaidan lamented the fact that for the second time in a week, he'd resorted to alcohol to cope with his recent stresses and struggles, using it as a poor substitute for his headache medication. He discarded the nagging worry of impending alcoholism, instead focusing on his undeniable need to drink himself into oblivion.
It was evening now, and Kaidan had spent the better part of the day at the pub, nursing the growing migraine that thrummed in his head with copious amounts of alcohol, until the bartender kicked him out. Apparently, he'd overstayed his welcome and his presence enraged the locals, who glowered at him for his Alliance affiliation.
He really needed to find a new bar.
Kaidan clumsily traversed down a hallway as his feet marched him to his destination. His body seemed to have a mind of its own, doubting the sensibility and lucidity of his alcohol hampered mind. He trusted his legs knew their way back to his room, and he let them move of their own accord, not for a moment questioning the unfamiliarity of his surroundings. It hurt too much to think; the immense pain culminating within his cranium screamed at him for the mental effort.
He had a migraine – a head-splitting, outright debilitating migraine, worse than he'd had in years – and he was the drunkest he'd ever been. When drinking on someone else's credit, alcohol seemed to go down with such a sweet, beckoning taste. Oh man, was the Admiral in for one hell of a surprise when he received the bill.
He hadn't meant to take advantage of Hackett's generosity, but after the one-sided conversation with Shepard, Kaidan wanted nothing more than to drink until he couldn't even remember his own name, let alone Shepard's.
Kaidan saw a glimpse of the woman he so desperately loved all those years ago. He knew she still lived, that somewhere, buried deep beneath the outlandish, bi-polar bitch, her true, loving, wonderful persona resided, hopelessly trying to claw her way back to the surface. Her strength and resolve were weakening, her determination waning as obstacle after obstacle obstructed her path and fed the monster within.
He had to dig her out, to rescue her, to defeat the malice that lingered. Maybe if he saved her this time, honestly and truly saved her, it would eradicate the years of self-loathing and blame that eroded his psyche. He'd failed her so many times in the past: he'd doubted her, abandoned her, questioned her judgment and allegiances, betrayed her trust.
This was his salvation, his penance, his one opportunity to make right all the perceived wrongs he'd committed over the years.
The Major assessed the hallway with unfocused eyes. Despite the intoxication that warped his mind, Kaidan felt a nebulous sense of familiarity of the ward he was in, and, as he stumbled drunkenly down the hall, he tried to piece two coherent thoughts together to place his location.
His migraine pounded mercilessly against his skull at the endeavor, and he quickly ditched the effort to try and orient himself – his legs knew where they were going; he just had to trust them. He squinted against the sudden glare of the overhead lighting, and the intensity of the incandescent bulbs caused his eyes to water as the headache bludgeoned against his temples.
After several more unsteady steps, occasionally tripping over his own feet and stumbling into walls, Kaidan stood dumbly in front of a door that looked vaguely recognizable. He peered upwards, his gaze lingering on the disheveled wall above the door; a plethora of hairline cracks threaded throughout the foundation, a few pebble-sized chunks of plaster missing from the stress of a powerfully reverberating wall.
This wasn't his room. Where the hell did his legs take him?
He cocked an eyebrow when the green lock initiated, causing the rotors to groan their welcome as the door slowly slid open. A whoosh of chilled air blasted out through the opening and caressed his face with a hospitable brush of soothing cold, temporarily appeasing his throbbing head.
Kaidan's head lolled on his neck as he stared with unfocused eyes into the room. He could see the fuzzy silhouette of an overly beautiful woman, her features and form blurred by the obscurity of alcohol. She sat on a bed, one leg sticking straight out, unbending at the knee, and her back was slightly turned away from him, barring him from her sight.
"Look, I already told you guys that I'm not going to – Kaidan?" she turned around agitatedly, and Kaidan could barely distinguish a look of unveiled shock as it claimed her astonishing features.
Dear Lord, this woman was radiantly gorgeous; he almost feared that he had died and ran headfirst into an angel. Even through the haze of inebriation, he could decisively see her beauty. How could anything human be so utterly perfect?
He offered her a lopsided grin, momentarily stupefied by the pleasant trill of her voice as it lilted across the room and rang like sweet music in his ears. Maybe she really was an angel.
"What the hell are you doing here? Don't you have somewhere better to be?" Her eyes narrowed at him, brilliant specks of green shining out against the soft brown of hazel.
Kaidan frowned.
Such harsh words coming from someone so beautiful.
"Wow. You're beautiful."
The woman scoffed and shifted her weight, turning her torso to face him completely as she readjusted her awkwardly straight leg. Why did she insist on keeping the joint locked? Silly lady.
"Look, I don't know what kind of twisted game you're trying to play, but I'm not taking the bait. So why don't you just turn around and go back to your little hovel?" The pretty lady folded her arms across her chest and pouted like a five-year-old. Kaidan couldn't help but smile at her pathetic disposition.
"I actually thought I was going back to my place… But my legs, they got confused and brought me here. I dunno where I even am."
The lady looked sad and it bothered Kaidan; she deserved to be happy, to smile, and he was nearly overwhelmed with a sense of urgency to please her and chase away the pain that marred her beauty.
"Why do you look so sad? You're too pretty to be sad."
"The hell is wrong with you? You're talking really strange," she demanded of him, and the inflection in her tone caused the poor man to flinch. The slight movement ricocheted in his head, reminding him of his enfeebling migraine.
He looked at her thoughtfully, slowly identifying her appearance. His sluggish brain worked too hard to place her face, and the effort caused the room to spin. Kaidan swayed lightly on his feet, his equilibrium off balance as alcohol swarmed his overly exhausted brain. His vision swam as the headache thrummed at the fringes of his skull, and he was suddenly overcome with a violent wave of nausea. He staggered on unsteady feet and clumsily fell against the door frame, trying to catch himself before plummeting to the ground in an embarrassing heap.
"Holy shit! You're drunk?" she gaped at him, her features contorted with awe.
Unthinkingly, the Major nodded his affirmation, sending his head into a relentless stampede of pain.
"What the hell! You never drink! It was like pulling teeth trying to get you to have a drink with me at Chora's Den! Man, this is so unfair. You can go get plastered, and I'm not even allowed to leave the med bay. Next time, sneak me out so I can join, will you?"
"I'd like that," he smiled lazily at her, pleased that she seemed to want to spend time with him.
The distant click of a radiator humming to life disrupted his happy stupor, the altered air pressure invigorating Kaidan's headache. He winced with agony, scrunching his nose and squinting his eyes as spots of black peppered his vision.
The woman eyed him carefully, confused by his fleeting look of pain. "What's wrong?"
"My head," he barely choked out, words suddenly too tiresome to create.
"Oh my God, you poor thing. You're having one of your migraines. I'd forgotten how bad they can be," her agitated tone quickly gave rise to concern.
He saw her shadow dart across the room, bending the appearance of the flooring as her shade slithered more definitively into view. Kaidan lifted his head to look at her, worry etched on her stunning face, and the motion caused him to topple forward. The woman barely reached him in time to catch him before he collapsed on the ground.
Her arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, fastening him against her to prevent his fall, and Kaidan nuzzled his face into her neck, letting his full weight fall onto her sturdy frame. He breathed deeply through his nose; her aroma infiltrated his nostrils and he was dizzy with her scent. He knew that smell – it was one he'd been yearning to inhale for years. Kaidan draped his arms around her shoulders and held her close, simply enjoying the feel of her against him. It felt so right, so safe, so natural. It was where he belonged. It was home.
"Shepard," he breathed her name the moment he realized who this angel was, hardly believing that he was actually holding her. After denying himself the privilege for over a week, he was finally holding her. It felt so wonderful; why had he forced himself to rebuff such a fantastic connection?
"Kaidan… crushing me… can't… breathe…" she spoke harshly, her words strained with the depletion of oxygen, as she pushed lightly against him.
He suddenly realized that in his exaltation, he'd been forcefully clutching the small woman tightly against his chest, crushing her and strangling her lungs.
"Oh, sorry…" he sputtered an embarrassed apology.
The Major willed his arms to let her go as they solemnly fell back to his sides, and he looked down at his hands; they felt lonely and empty, aching to encircle her once more. Shepard coughed a few times as she tried to catch her breath, massaging her chest to open up her airway.
He wavered on his feet.
"C'mon, big boy, let's get you to the bed."
She snaked her slender arm around his torso and pulled his arm over her shoulders, allowing him to rest the majority of his weight against her as she guided him to the small bed. Shepard grunted with effort as she hobbled, her casted leg straining with exertion at accommodating the additional body mass.
"Agh, Kaidan, I'm sorry, but we're gonna have to move a little faster. My leg can't handle this much pressure…"
He nodded lazily, fighting to keep his eyes open as the pounding migraine consumed the remainder of his mental clarity. At long last, they were at the bedside, and Shepard gingerly removed her steadying arm and helped him sit on the edge of the bed, picked up his legs, and placed them on the mattress. Kaidan looked up at her and saw her determination as she carefully laid him down, her hand supporting the base of his throbbing head to prevent it from harshly falling against the pillow. Sensing his stare, Shepard flitted her eyes to meet his, teasing him with a small grin. Kaidan beamed at her, happy that his legs decided to bring him to her room.
"You really are beautiful, Shepard."
"And you really are drunk, Kaidan," she smirked at him, a hint of a smile toying at the edges of her mouth.
He watched as she slinked down to the end of the bed and worked adroit fingers on his shoelaces, deftly untying the knots and loosening the boots before tenderly removing them from his feet.
"No, no, that's not it," he vehemently shook his head, ignoring the stab of pain that flared in his temples, "Well, yeah, I am drunk, but you've always been beautiful to me."
Shepard looked up at Kaidan, her eyes alit with amusement and flattery. She smiled at him; the luminosity of the gesture lit up the entire room.
"You're a sweetheart, Kaidan. Now shut up and rest. I'll go get some things and see if I can make your migraine better."
She rose from the bed and moved to leave, causing anxiety to seize his chest. He reached out a strong hand and firmly grasped her arm, preventing her escape.
"Don't go. Please don't leave me again." He looked at her with terrified eyes, the notion of her departure sending him catapulting into panic.
Shepard brought a hand up to Kaidan's face, her fingers lightly tickling the stubble on his cheek in reassurance. He saw her hesitate, lingering a moment longer as she studied his face, dubiety flickering ephemerally on her features.
"I'm not leaving, you goof, I'm just going to get some meds. I'll be right back. I promise."
He simply looked at her, fearful this would be the last time he'd see her, that she would simply leave and not return.
She gave him a heart-melting grin that erased his worry, and he glumly nodded before muttering a quiet "Okay."
As she turned and left the room, he settled deeper into the mattress, trying to find a comfortable position without jarring his head. Closing his eyes, Kaidan desperately warred with the migraine as it resounded in his skull. Despite the gratuitous consumption of alcohol, his headache still throbbed and pulsed with each and every beat of his heart.
Weariness crept into his bones and sleep lured Kaidan to its depths, but he struggled against his body's desire to rest. He had to stay awake, had to see Shepard again. He couldn't fall asleep, not now, not after she promised to come back.
Minutes felt like hours as he adamantly staved off the beckoning rest. Despite his obstinate resolve, the allure of sleep called out to Kaidan, whispering promises of sweet relief from the mind-numbing pain that wracked his being. He fought, using every last shred of his willpower to resist the temptation, but sleep reigned victorious as the current swept his feet out from under him and shrouded him with a veil of unconsciousness.
