30 Days of Shenko: 13-Denial

The galaxy's frustration was tangible. After a devastating war the likes of which none alive had ever known (save perhaps for Javik), people were clamoring to hear from the hero in the vids, the mysterious Commander Shepard.

The fact of her survival had been publicized almost immediately in an effort to boost the morale of a thoroughly worn down galaxy. Unfortunately, this meant that a seemingly infinite number of people were demanding all sorts of information about her and what she had done on Earth. As a result, her whereabouts were being heavily guarded by the very top of the chain of Alliance command; consequently, this meant that Brielle saw fewer than ten people over the course of her recovery. Not that she minded her privacy, of course. It was fun to laugh with Kaidan at the outrageous rumors being perpetuated by the vids these days.

Kaidan had become something of a guardian since the end of the war. Watching over her while she was out of commission, appealing directly to Hackett in order to maintain her privacy, helping her eat and sit up and keep her on schedule with her medication.

"Until Shepard decides she wants more visitors," Brielle overheard him say as she woke up one morning, "I'm not letting anyone in here. I don't care if you 'outrank' me, Colonel, you're not setting one foot in this door."

"If you continue to deny me access, Major, you will find yourself in a very sorry state indeed," the Colonel snapped back.

"I'd like to see you try," Kaidan said dangerously, "but you will have to go physically through me before that's going to happen. And if you do that, you'll have Admiral Hackett himself to deal with, and he'll make you a hell of a lot sorrier than I."

When the Colonel, in a towering temper, finally left, Kaidan turned around, his expression soft again. It was as if he hadn't even been yelling down a superior officer just moments before.

"Breakfast?"