A pained groan was heard over the radio as Shepard picked herself up gingerly after a rather nasty run in with a Brute. She managed to make it up to her hands and knees before it felt like something was ripping her open through her middle, and she collapsed once more, her breath hissing through her teeth as she curled in on herself.

A short burst of static echoed through her helmet, followed closely by a panicked, "Shepard!"

She struggled to raise an arm and press it against what was clearly a fairly deep gash on her left side. Despite her heavy breathing, she still managed to mutter, "What was that, Kaidan? I don't think everyone heard that distress call."

"Hold on, Shepard, I'm getting a lock on you." Shepard couldn't help the slight quirk of her lips at the concern she heard in his voice. She winced as she shifted a little, pressing her left palm harder against her waist as she fiddled with her omni-tool settings on her right arm. She then ran a quick diagnostic test and sighed in relief as all other injuries seemed minor and superficial in comparison. Unfortunately her omni-tool also unhelpfully reminded her that she was out of medi-gel.

"You alright, Shepard?"

"I can hear you smirking, Garrus," Shepard chuckled weakly. "I'm in pain, you know."

It took a lot of effort to roll over and prop herself up against a nearby crate, but somehow she managed. All the while, Garrus took it upon himself to provide post-fight commentary, as if she hadn't experienced it first hand. She did, after all— "…flew right off the landing pad and into who knows where. You sure know how to keep things interesting, Shepard."

Sweat dripped off her nose and eyelashes as she chuckled weakly in response. Her vision grew hazy, and a chill crept into her bones as she realized just how much blood she lost. She was grateful for Garrus's rambling, keeping her grounded with the sound of his voice.

"Shepard, where are you?"

Kaidan's voice sounded from outside her helmet, somewhere above her current position, and she released the latch on her visor and groaned weakly, "I'm here…"

Garrus went silent, and Shepard assumed he was coordinating a pick-up with Cortez.

"Hey there." Shepard blinked slowly, a familiar pair of boots stopping directly within her line of vision.

She tilted her face up and saw Kaidan standing before her, set against the light of the planet's setting sun. "Hey, handsome…you're a sight for sore eyes," she struggled to say.

His chuckle warmed her as he knelt and ran a scan down her body with his own omni-tool and prepared his last dose of medi-gel. Her eyelids grew heavier. Kaidan had such a pretty face.

Two light taps against her cheek snapped her out of it, and she blinked wide eyes as she tried to focus on something…anything. "Stay with me, Shepard."

"…always…"

It was so quiet, an almost whisper that he nearly missed, but he heard it anyway and smiled fondly, kissing her sweat-drenched forehead as he worked on removing her light armor to get to her injury.

It was ridiculous. She'd been in worse situations before: Noveria, Ilos, the Collector Base — hell, especially the Collector Base, and here she was, feeling all lightheaded and…and swoony over what was best described as a small scratch. The great Commander Shepard taken down by brute stren—

"Augh!" Her body convulsed as tiny jolts of energy sparked through her nervous system like a Krogan charging, and she glared first at the hand that was applying the salve to her—wow, that's a lot bigger than a scratch — then at Kaidan's innocent look, "You jerk! You could've warned me."

The Alliance Major had the audacity to smirk, "I'm your medic. When we count to three, we're really lying."

"You're still a jerk, you stupid, pretty…jerkface," Shepard pouted petulantly, and Kaidan was tempted to kiss that too.

"I'm still you're medic," he said instead.

Shepard huffed, "I didn't vote for you."

Kaidan chuckled again, "Sorry, love. You're stuck with me," and Shepard felt her toes curl in response, an indication that she was feeling much better than she felt earlier.

"I want to refund this squadmate. He's too mouthy." Kaidan quirked an eyebrow and smirked at her before her brain had time to process what it was she said. It was his look. Oh…god damn, she loved that look. He made promises with that loo—

"Shuttle's here, Shepard," came Garrus's well-timed interruption over the radio. Sure enough they soon heard the low hum of the shuttle's engine as Cortez brought the Kodiak over to land nearby.

"Right. We'll have Chakwas patch it up some more when we head back to the Normandy," Kaidan said.

Then disregarding her squawks of protest, Kaidan heaved the injured Shepard into his arms even as Garrus jogged over and grabbed her gear. "Kaidan, you jerk! I can walk, damn it. Put me down!"

"'Jerk'. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means," here he adopted a hurt expression…and then he winked. Shepard felt like punching his pretty face.

Garrus eyed her side curiously, watching as the medi-gel worked its science on her wound. "So, Shepard," and even he could hear the smirk in his voice, "Eve's been inquiring. You think that'll leave a scar?"