She saw bright lights above her, she heard the voices around her, speaking almost incoherently as they put more drugs into her system. Shepard tried to cling to her consciousness; she didn't want to go back in. But she also felt herself slipping. Anxious to see her again, only alive in her memory.
Soon the bright lights faded into darkness. Shepard opened her eyes and she was standing on a huge field, breathing heavily. Was it only a dream? She'd had it before…hadn't she? Shepard sat up in the grass, she saw a little girl down at the lakes edge, and she was playing in the water, splashing around in a little bathing suit while a taller woman played with her. She turned to Shepard and waved, gesturing for her to come over.
Shepard stood up and walked over, upon further inspection, she saw it was Liara, she stood tall in a two piece bikini with the little blue girl at her feet playing in the water still. Shepard gasped when the little girl looked up at her.
"Mommy!" she said ecstatically and launched herself into Shepard's arms.
"Kilo," Shepard breathed slowly. Shepard hugged her tightly to her. "But…where's Lani?"
Liara took Kilo from Shepard's arms. "Kilo, go see if you can catch us one of those tadpoles!"
Kilo nodded once before running to the water again, splashing wildly as she went.
"Shepard, we've been through this before," Liara said softly, "You have to remember what I tell you, or you'll never get to see us again. These will end, we don't have much time."
"Much time for what?" Shepard asked, she was thoroughly confused.
"You have to find…"
Things blurred and faded. Shepard gasped for air as she awoke. The woman standing over her had sweat on her brow. She used a cloth to wipe it away.
"Commander Shepard, what-"
Shepard launched over the side of the bed and vomited into the trashcan. She was also sweating heavily. The same reaction every time, the same conversations every time. But she always forgot what she was supposed to do. What Liara needed her to do.
"Commander Shepard, what did Liara say?" Doctor Chakwas asked; Kaiden was standing to the side, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Shepard with gentle eyes. He knew her pain, little did any of them know, Kaiden had to let his own love go, his love that died because he was saved. He'd wish it was the other way around.
"I don't remember," Shepard managed to choke out finally, Doctor Chakwas handed her a glass of water. "She said, I need to find something…but I don't remember what it was…"
"Do you want to try again?" she asked, she was hesitant. But Shepard shook her head. She hated seeing them, but not being able to help them. "Alright, we can try again some other time. If you think of anything that might be of-"
"Lani wasn't there…"
There was silence. "But I thought when they died Liara used the last of her biotics to place themselves in your subconscious." Doctor Chakwas said.
"Maybe…maybe Lani is still alive." Kaiden commented.
Shepard forced herself to her feet, "We need to go back to earth. Now," She turned to Kaiden, "Get up to Joker and tell him to change course immediately. I need to go to my quarters to see something."
Kaiden nodded once and left the room. "Shepard, you need your rest, you know you're drained after each of these treatments."
"I just need to see something, I'll rest afterwards."
With that, Shepard left the medical bay and went to her quarters. Once inside she sat down on her bed and reached into the bedside drawer. Inside it sat several important items to Shepard. One was a simple piece of paper, she pulled it out first and unfolded it. It showed four stick figures. Three were blue, and one was white. It was drawn in crayon with the words "Happee Berthdae Mommy!"
Shepard felt a tear drip down her face, she quickly wiped it away and pulled out the second item. It was a golden wedding band. Shepard and Liara had tied the knot, it had been so important to her to do so. Some human traditions were just what she needed. It was so much fun to see Liara's reaction to the affair.
The final was a picture. It held the four of them. Shepard and Liara, holding the girls, Lani and Kilo.
"I'll find you Lani. I swear it."