In the context of the relationship between Shepard and the Virmire Survivor, there are two extremely important things that happen almost immediately after their fight on Horizon (assuming you have the Arrival DLC or Legendary Edition):
#1 - Hackett calls. Within the Alliance, there are only a very small number - fewer than can be counted on one hand - people who still believe in and trust Shepard...and one of them is Admiral Steven Hackett. Who is calling Shepard with an urgent, critical mission of the utmost importance to the whole of Citadel Space, AND it involves his long time best friend, AND Shepard's the only one who can be trusted with it. The VS has JUST gotten tearing through a new one saying you betrayed the Alliance, so here's Steven Hackett to help you reaffirm those very same ties and prove to everyone (including Kaidan/Ashley) that you're still loyal. He probably JUST finished debriefing the VS and found out what they said.
#2 - The VS gives one of the lost Horizon colonist's relatives your email. The Virmire Survivor has just finished spending ten minutes tearing you a new one. Damning you for working with Cerberus and alleging they're connected to the attacks, calling you every name but blessed. But when they cool off, and someone comes to them in a panic about their own missing family member, they turn it over to you. Both so you remember what's at stake, and because they still know if anyone in the galaxy can help them, it's still you.
