Chapter Text
Watching Elianna Shepard in action had to be one of the strangest things Kaidan had ever witnessed. The capable woman was a far cry from the tender-hearted girl from his past. She commanded attention, moving and speaking with an assurance that he found himself envying.
Similarly, her control in combat was a side of her he had never seen. Instead of staying in the back lines, in positions of relatively safety, she took the geth head-on, barely flinching as bullets punched into her armor or whizzed right by her, grazing skin on multiple occasions. She didn’t seem to notice her injuries as the metal creatures fell in twisted contortions, the bullets from her assault rifle expertly exploiting weak points.
It was awe-inspiring.
It was like following a stranger.
And yet… she had stopped when Jenkins fell, given him a moment to mourn, and reassured him, with a distantly familiar look of concern and sympathy, that the corporal would be remembered and receive a proper service. A touch of his shoulder was at once a comfort and a reminder to focus. She withdrew her hand almost immediately and he nodded at her as he snapped off a “Yes, ma’am” and turned his attention back to their surroundings.
His skin tingled, even under the armor.
Elianna – Commander Shepard – suddenly burst into a sprint as they crested a hill and he chased after her with a muffled curse. Focus.
At the bottom of the hill, a figure threw herself against a large boulder in a blur of white and pink just as Shepard tore down the slope to join her. Bullets rent through the air, slamming the air out of his chest, but she didn’t falter. Already, she was retaliating, squeezing off quick shots between waves of fire.
Even before the last geth fell with the crashing of metal on dirt, the dark-haired woman turned to them. “Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here, ma’am?”
Just as quickly as the fight ended, Shepard’s persona shifted again, all compassion and understanding as she gently probed Williams for more information about the beacon and the attack, coaxing out information without asking insensitive questions.
Kaidan stayed silent, scanning their surroundings for threats as the women talked, though he couldn’t help but listen to the conversation with one ear.
This was the Elianna he remembered. The one who could charm information out of anybody, whose consideration and thoughtfulness inspired loyalty in everyone who knew her.
The one who won the hearts of everybody around her.
It clearly had an effect on Williams, who accompanied them as they continued forward, shoulders resolute despite the chaos around them. It charmed information and supplies out of the various colonists they met, misgivings won over by her persuasive attitude.
His heart swelled with pride as she talked Ashley down from shooting the dockworker who had been smuggling supplies.
And other than the terse moment when they waited for any bombs they missed to explode, to take out the entire colony, the race to reach the beacon went smoothly.
It was larger than he had expected, rising well above their heads, pulsing with a faint energy that was beckoning, captivating.
Hearing Shepard calling for pick-up behind him, Kaidan stepped forward.
“It wasn’t doing anything like that when we found it,” Williams murmured.
He glanced at her as he moved closer. “Something must have activated it somehow.”
She shrugged, seeming satisfied with the answer and returned to Shepard’s side, but he frowned. What could have done that? And what did it mean for the beacon? Would it pass on secrets of the lost ages? Would it teach them wisdom and help them create new technology beyond what they could even imagine?
Around him, the humming grew louder as the beacon pulled at him, ensnaring him in a sudden surge of power, despite his struggle, until-
Something slammed into him, breaking his paralysis.
Elianna.
They fell, her arm looping around his waist, and he felt a familiar surge of biotic energy as she threw him out of harm’s way.
Biotically enhanced, she was even stronger and he rolled as he hit the ground, gasping for breath after having the air knocked out of him.
But that meant…
“Shepard!” He scrambled to reach her, but Williams grabbed him, holding him back.
He glared at her but she refused to budge. “No, it’s too dangerous.”
He could only watch as her body was lifted into the air, spasming, caught in the throes of whatever she had saved him from. Could only watch as the energy grew stronger, faster, as the beacon seemed to vibrate with intensity.
A blast rent the air and he leapt forward, breaking free of Ashley’s restraining hold. Shepard had been thrown onto her side, curled up and unmoving. He hesitated, then reached out, cautiously rolling her onto her back.
“Elianna?” His voice came out as a whisper.
She didn’t respond and he cursed, quickly stripping off his gloves and turning his attention to hers, hands shaking enough to make the simple task nearly impossible.
“Do you know the commander well?”
Startled, Kaidan looked up.
Williams shrugged, though her face turned worried as she glanced at the unconscious body. “You said her name. ‘Elianna.’ It just seemed a little less formal, that’s all. Sorry if I’m prying.”
“Ah.” He lowered his gaze back to Shepard as trembling fingers checked for a pulse. “Biotic temperance and acclimation training. We were both there.”
The answer was the same that Shepard had said earlier, to Captain Anderson, and yet it felt wholly insufficient, hanging in the air awkwardly, buoyed by everything from their past that he was leaving out.
A quiet hum announced the arrival of the Normandy and he turned, thankful for the interruption.
Williams glanced at the ship and then back at Elianna. “We’ll have to get her to the medbay.”
He nodded and carefully picked her up. She was lighter than he expected for an Alliance soldier, even in the armor, and he frowned as he adjusted to make sure she wasn’t jostled more than she had to be.
“Do you need help?” Ashley hovered beside him, dark eyes full of concern.
Kaidan shook his head. “I got it.”
He barely remembered returning to the ship, other than the feel of her in his arms, at once too heavy and too light. Still, silent. Barely a sign she was still alive.
Dr. Chakwas, bless her, was already waiting when they staggered in, gentle, professional hands carefully helping them ease his burden onto a bed. She pursed her lips as she checked the readings and hurried out of the room.
He took a shaky breath as he stood by the bed, watching Elianna’s face.
Her eye were moving under deathly pale lids. That was a good sign, right?
“You care for her, don’t you, Alenko?” Williams’ voice was flat, more of a statement than a question. Not that he was really surprised; she had already shown herself to be observant during their run on Eden Prime. And he hadn’t exactly been subtle about his concern. Not when it was his fault.
Even so, he said nothing. He wasn’t even sure how to describe the true nature of his relationship with Commander Shepard, and especially not to someone he barely knew, even if he was starting to consider her a friend.
The room was quiet for a moment before he felt a supportive grip on his shoulder. “She’ll be fine. You’ll see. Just… make sure to get some rest. I’m sure she won’t appreciate you collapsing from exhaustion.”
His lips twisted into a grimace as Ashley left; Elianna probably wouldn’t even want him in the same room, once she awoke. If she awoke at all. Even if she didn’t avoid him from what happened at Brain Camp, having to save him from his own stupidity would definitely be enough to earn her distaste.
He glanced down at the still woman. She seemed smaller than ever, her blond hair in disarray, her face pale and unmoving. She seemed more like the girl he had always protected, instead of the soldier who had saved him.
Without thinking, he reached out to brush a stray hair off her forehead before he caught himself, clasping his hands together and settling in a chair to wait for her to wake up.
However long it took.