Chapter 2: Bonding

AN: I was saving the Remnant reactions for an interlude or something, but you all have been chomping at my heels for it, so I decided "Fuck it" and wrote it for the next chapter.

Citadel Station

Hannah walked around her apartment, her new guest trailing behind her.

"Impressed, kid?" she asked.

Whitley shook his head. "I don't think so. I feel like I've seen all this before."

Hannah ruffled Whitley's hair. "Oh, so we got a high class guest here, then! Maybe I should've put on my more formal uniform."

"This is a uniform?" Whitley asked, his tone confused. He couldn't recall seeing anything like it. Then again, something about the strange pattern on Hannah's pants seemed familiar.

"Course it is! No one wants to wear these things as a fashion statement!" Hannah replied.

"Hmm." Whitley said, looking around the apartment. "It's a nice place you've got here, Hannah. It feels very...I don't know the proper word to describe it. Cozy?"

"I'm glad. I don't usually live here often. Most of the time I'm stuck on some ship on assignment. I just keep this place tidied up for whenever me and my daughter come to the Citadel."

Whitley turned to her, suddenly interested in Hannah's past. "You have a daughter?" he asked.

Hannah nodded, taking a picture frame off a cabinet and showing it to Whitley.

Whitley took the frame from her hand, looking over the picture. Sitting on Hannah's lap, a carbon copy of Hannah sat. The only difference between the small Hannah and the actual Hannah was the little girl's tan skin. Everything else, the green eyes, the red hair, and their facial features seemed to be shared between mother and daughter.

"She looks just like you. Except for...uh…"

Hannah laughed. "I know. Got it from her father." Hannah took the frame and put it back on top of the cabinet. "So, whaddya want for dinner? I'm not the best cook around, but I could whip up some pasta or meatloaf in a few minutes."

Whitley shrugged. "I don't know. I'll take whichever you prefer."

A few minutes later, Whitley dug in ravenously to Hannah's cooking. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until food was laid in front of him.

After the two were done, Hannah turned to him.

"It's been a weird day for us both. You got any questions for me?"

Whitley nodded. "I never saw anyone like the doctor or Mr. Azon before. What are they?"

"Respectively? They're Asari and Salarian. I'm guessing you don't know what those are?"

Whitley shook his head.

"Ok. In the Citadel, there's many different alien species. Out of all of em, though, there're three big ones. The Asari, the Salarians, and the Turians. The Asari are usually native to a planet known as Thessia. They're an all female race, and they're usually considered the most influential species in the galaxy, cuz they've been around the longest, and they're usually described as 'elegant' and 'diplomatic'. Then, there's the Salarians. They're warm-blooded amphibians native to the planet Sur'Kesh. They're known for their observational capability and non-linear thinking. This usually manifests as an aptitude for research and espionage. Finally, there's the Turians. They value an extremely militaristic and disciplined culture, and are native to the planet Palaven, There is some bad blood between turians and humans, mostly due to the First Contact War. That bitterness is slowly healing, but many turians still resent humans, and vice versa, so be careful around em if you see one."

Whitley was fascinated. "And how was I able to understand the Asari and the Salarian?"

"The doctors took the liberty of putting a device in your ear that acts as a translator. It's one of the first things they check, as they can't really help a patient that can't understand what they're saying."

"Is there anywhere I can read all this?" he asked.

Hannah chuckled. "Sure. But not tonight, we gotta go to bed."

The Next Day, Azon's Cyberware

"And we are finished!" Ekol Azon exclaimed, touching up Whitley's new cybernetic eye. The boy blinked.

"This feels...strange."

"I'd be surprised if it didn't! Give it a few days, your body will soon adapt. I do hope you are happy with my work."

Hannah looked over Whitley's face. At a distance, it was very hard to distinguish his real eye from his cybernetic one.

"It's great! Thanks for your time. Your payment." she said, waving her omni tool over the counter.

"And with that, our business is concluded. Oh, and Whitley, do drop by sometime. I have some metal lying around here that you are free to utilize, long as you don't make any weapons, of course."

"Course I won't make weapons! What do you take me for!" he exclaimed, his face turning slightly red.

As Hannah and Whitley walked out of the store into the Presidium, Whitley turned to Hannah.

"So….guess this means goodbye, then?"

Hannah crossed her arms, looking up to the sky for a few moments. She then turned her head down.

"Nope."

"What?" Whitley asked, confused.

"You're staying with me, buster." she said, ruffling the youth's hair, dragging him into the Taxi.

Whitley sputtered. "Stop that, what are you doing?! Have you gone mad?! Are you kidnapping me?!"

Hannah laughed.

That Night, Hannah Shepard's Apartment

Hannah leaned over the wall, looking at her new guest. For the past hour or two, he'd been browsing the extranet, a look of awe over his face as he learned all about the galaxy he'd landed up in.

Hannah sighed. She didn't know what to do the moment Whitley had asked her if it was time to leave. Hard as it was to believe, she'd quickly gotten attached to the white haired boy. He was standoffish, and arrogant, and a little bit rude, but he was also very sweet, and, for as much of a brave face he put up, he was scared of what to do next.

Of course, there was a way to help him. But...would he be open to that?

Hannah took that moment to call Whitley's attention.

"Hey kid, we need to talk a bit."

Whitley nodded, turning off the monitor. "Ok, what is it?"

Hannah sighed. "Much as I like having you around, there's the issue that you don't have any documentation. We can take care of that pretty easily tomorrow, but there's a bit of an issue in that too."

"And that is?"

"Guardianship. You can only be emancipated and independent when you're 18. Below that, you have to be in the guardianship of someone, be it the foster system…."

Hannah chewed her lips for a few moments, before gathering up the courage to say what she had been thinking.

"Or me. I can have some temporary guardianship papers signed to look over you. They're temporary, and can be terminated at any time if you feel you don't want me to look after you anymore. Once you're 18, you can move out on your own."

Whitley was stunned. "But why? Why are you offering me this?"

Hannah smiled, ruffling Whitley's hair. "Cuz you're a good kid, and I don't wanna see you stuck in the foster system. So, whaddya say?"

Whitley smiled, a small heat in his eyes.

"Ok."

AN: This won't be the official adoption. This is just temporary guardianship. The official one will come a bit later, XD

Next chapter will be Remnant's reaction to Whitley's death. After that, I think I'll make a chapter where our favorite Commander meets her new household guest.