A/N : First of all I would like to say thank you for all the response I got for this story. It made me really happy. If you all like it, keep leaving me your reviews and give this story a follow so you will be notify once I up the new chapter. So without further ado... Here the new chapter.
Chapter 2 : Revelation
It has been 3 days since Shepard woke up and saying she didn't remember anything for the past few years. Miranda Lawson and Dr. Chakwas have tried to understand why she forgetting the last few years of her life and they didn't come into any conclusion. Her implant is perfectly fine and both the Alliance and the Council has agreed to send in best psychiatrist in the galaxy to examine Shepard but Hannah refused all of them. She didn't trust any of them and there's only one person in her mind that she know can help her daughter remember again.
"Admiral Shepard." greets a blonde girl in blue blouse behind her.
"I thought I made it clear that you can call me Hannah. That is if you want me to call you Dr. Sinclair?" said Hannah as she turns around from looking through the window overlooking the city being rebuilt.
"Well… I thought since you bring me here as a psychiatrist, I should call you by your rank."
"Nonsense Maddison. I bring you here not only because you're a psychiatrist but also as Grace best friend. I thought she will open up more to you than a stranger."
"So… How is she?"
"Other than forgetting everything in the past few years? Her recovery is going well. Though despite she only woke up 3 days ago, she already anxious on working again."
"Still the same old Grace…" chuckle Maddison.
"Before you go see her, I just want to say it's nice to see a familiar face survived the war. I'm sure Grace is going to be happy when she sees you."
"I guess what Grace thought me all those years really help me… How's Mr. Shepard?
"You mean Arthur? He got graze by a bullet when he helped out the Alliance on the final battle but he's fine now. Now he busy rebuilding the family business and help fund rebuilding effort on Earth."
"Sometimes I forgot how rich Shepard's family is."
"That business is from Arthur parents. On my side of family, life was rough and when I joined the Alliance things got better. Grace is lucky that I met her father when he was still in the Alliance so she doesn't have to go through what I had to."
"Has he visits Grace yet?"
"No. I think he still scared that Grace still mad at him."
"Even if she did, I'm sure she will be happy to see him, given the circumstances."
"You probably right. I see if I can change his mind this time around.
"So you didn't tell her I'm coming?"
"Let just say it's my surprise for her. After everything, she deserves it."
"Roger that." said Maddison before she starts walking towards where Shepard room is.
When Maddison arrived in front of Shepard room, she just stood there watching Shepard deep in thought as she's eating her lunch.
"I'm pretty sure your mom used to tell you not to play with your foods." said Maddison as Shepard startled hearing her best friend voice.
"What are you going to do? Tell my mom?" said Shepard with a smile.
"No, but I won't let you live down the fact I managed to startled you."
"That was lucky."
"Whatever you say." said Maddison as she sit down next to Shepard.
"What bring you here?" asked Shepard after she took a sip of orange juice.
"Oh you know, I was in the neighborhood."
"Of course you are… I guess my mom called you?"
"Yes. She thought by having me here, you will more relax and maybe I could help you remember the last few years. But as your best friend maybe it's better if you don't…"
"Why's that?"
"What you go through is not something worth to live through it again. But I will help you remember again for one reason."
"What reason?"
"It's something you have to remember yourself."
After spending a few hours talking with her best friend, Maddison head straight to a café a few blocks from the hospital as she was instructed through an e-mail she received before she visited Shepard. The email came from Dr. Liara T'Soni, a name Maddison heard of before.
"You must be Dr. T'Soni." greet Maddison to an Asari who look deep in thought as she examining the datapad in her hand.
"You can call me, Liara. You must be Dr. Sinclair?" said Liara as she signals her guest to sit in the empty chair in front of her.
"Just call me Maddison, please."
"Thank you for coming. I wasn't sure if you will come."
"Maybe if I never heard of your name before I won't be coming."
"You heard of my name?" asked Liara in surprise.
"Grace, I mean, Shepard mention your name a lots in her email to me."
"I'm sorry I can't say the same.'
"No worry. I know Shepard. She never has been the one who talk about her personal life. The only reason she mention your name because I asked her to tell me about you."
"How did you know?"
"I know Shepard since we were 8 years old. I know when she's happy, stress or otherwise. After all I am a psychiatrist. Anyway how did you know about me if Shepard never mention of me?"
"I have my resources."
"Well Shepard did say you are a great information broker and a Prothean expert."
"What did Shepard told you about me?"
"Oh, I made sure she told me everything. But that wasn't the reason I'm here, isn't it?"
"No… How is she?"
"She's doing alright, considering. Why didn't you go see her?"
"I can't… It's hard seeing her there and knowing she didn't remember me. I guess it's better than have her die again." said Liara as she looks at the datapad in her hand.
"What are you looking at?" asked Maddison.
"This picture was taken after a party we had at Shepard apartment in the Citadel. This was the last picture I have with her…" answered Liara as she shows Maddison the datapad.
"She looked genuinely happy here. And that look of her face, she clearly deeply in love with you."
"Can you make Shepard remember again?"
"From my examination, I believe her brain just decided to hide all the things she went through the past few years. I'm not going to blame her brain for doing that. What she went through is something no one should have. But yes, I believe she will eventually remember."
"What if… I meld with her?"
"I would against that. I want her to remember it naturally. Some things can't be recovers just by showing them pictures, videos or in this case through the meld. She needs to remember it herself. So she knows exactly what she felt when she went through it. For example if you show her what you two had, she may believe it or think you are crazy. Even if she believe it, there's no assurance that she still feel the way she did because all you ever did is show your memories with her. She may felt the feeling you two were feeling through the memories but it's possible that she will think that what you want her to believe. It's best for her to remember everything again by herself, along with what she felt when she went through that memories."
"I see…" said Liara as a disappointment can be heard through her voice.
"There's a saying in human. It said "If you love someone, set them free. If it come back they're yours, if they don't they never were". She came back from death itself and she still loves you. I don't see a reason why she won't remember you again. It will take time, but you have all the time in the galaxy to wait for Shepard to remember you again." assure Maddison.
"Even if I do, there's no telling if Shepard have all the time in the galaxy to remember me."
"I'm sure before she draws her last breath, she will remember you. I will make sure of that."
"You can't possibly promise me that."
"I promise you. If I can't do it as her psychiatrist, I will do it as her best friend."
"Thank you." said Liara as she managed to smile a little.
Today would be Shepard last day at the hospital as Miranda and Dr. Chakwas has agreed that Shepard could continue her recovery at home. Shepard father, Arthur has dropped by for a brief moment to asked Shepard to continue her recover at their family estate house. It's a proposal Shepard couldn't refuse as it will give her some privacy.
"So are we going to have sleepover at your house tonight?" asked Maddison as she came to visit Shepard for the day.
"Do I even have a choice?" answered Shepard as she know her best friend request it rather than asking for permission.
"Not really. Unless you don't want to recovers your memories?"
"You know I do. All this media frenzy is driving me crazy. I didn't have a slight clue of what they are talking about when they saw me."
"Well, you are the savior of the galaxy. Whether you remember it or not, it's a fact. Soon enough they are going to build a statue in you honor. You know what, scratch that, they are going to build statues in your honor."
"Please, don't. At least not until I actually remember what I did rather than knowing it from what people are telling me."
"Couldn't agree more… So your dad dropped by yesterday?"
"Yeah. He wanted me to stay at our family estate. Well more like a command. It's not a proposal I could refuse anyway. It's a great place to have some peace and quiet for a change."
"All this not quite enough?" asked Maddison jokingly as she point around the silent room they are at.
"You know what I'm talking about."
The two friends continue their conversation slash therapy session before a slight knock on the door interrupt both of them.
"You can come in." said Maddison on behalf of Shepard.
As the door open, it reveals Liara standing in front of the room. Without even realizing it, Shepard heart skips a beat as soon as she saw Liara.
"Commander Shepard…" greet Liara as she walk towards Shepard and Maddison.
"I'm sorry. I still didn't quite remember your name."
"It's Liara T'Soni, you idiot." said Maddison without she even realizing the words that coming out of her mouth.
"Who are you calling an idiot?" asked Shepard as she was shocked hearing what her best friend just said.
"No one… That just stupid of me." said Maddison.
"I am so sorry for my best friend behalf. She has a knack of acting weird when she gets over excited." said Shepard.
"No, I do not."
"Speak for youselves."
"You two are still acting like kids." said a man in doctor uniform standing in the door frame.
"Hey Matt." greet Maddison as she saw Shepard former fiancée.
"Maddy, Grace…" nod Matt as he walks towards them.
"You do know that she going to kill you when you call her, Maddy." said Shepard.
"Opss. Sorry Maddison."
"Apology accepted." said Maddison
Realizing she's suddenly out of place, Liara slowly try to leave before being stop.
"Where are you going Liara?" asked Shepard as her right hand reach over Liara left arm. That action may seem nothing to Shepard, but for Liara it made her heart skips a beat.
"I…"
"I'm so sorry. Let's start over. Liara, this is Maddison, my best friend since I was 8 years old. This guy who 'pretending' to be a doctor is Matt. He and I… well we have history."
"I am not pretending to be a doctor." said Matt feeling a little offended.
"Oh, you know what she meant." said Maddison as she shoved him lightly.
"I feel like I don't belong here as you know who they are and not me." said Liara.
"I do know you. Well before I forget everything… I'm sure we are close friend."
"Yes… We are."
"So why didn't you stay here? We can talk a bit and maybe I will remember something from our time together? It seems to work when I talked with Dr. Chakwas and Miranda the other day."
"You remembered Dr. Chakwas and Miranda?" asked Liara.
"Yes. Well not all of it. With Dr. Chakwas, I seem to remember everything. With Miranda, I remembered how cold she was the first time I met her and how it changed when we saved her little sister. I still didn't remember the part when I first woke up from being 'rebuilt' by her though."
"Among other things." add Maddison.
"Now, who pretending to be a doctor?" said Matt jokingly.
"Hey! I am a doctor."
"A shrink more like it."
"Now who acting like kids?" said Shepard.
"Oh, shut it, Grace." said Matt.
"I thought when human separate from their partner, thing can be uneasy?" asked Liara as she saw how close Shepard with her ex-fiancée.
"Well for us, we chose our career than what we felt about each other. Neither one of us are willing to see one of us sacrifice our career for each other. So we decided it's best if we broke our engagement." explain Matt.
"There was no bad blood between us. Things can be a little awkward at times but no more than that." said Shepard.
"That what happen when two best friend fall in love. I'm happy that their friendship didn't get ruin when they broke up." add Maddison.
"Best friend?" asked Liara in confusion.
"We were best friend for two years before we realized both of us have a feeling for each other. We end up dating for a year or so and then we got engaged a few months after my N7 training. When I got a new order as the Normandy executive officer and Matt got an offer from big private hospital in the United States, both of us decided to break our engagement to give way for our careers." answered Shepard.
"We thought with Grace now a Commander and XO of the most advance ship in the entire galaxy and my career start to take a turn, it's best if we pursue our careers first." add Matt.
"When we met, you just broke up with Matt?" asked Liara.
"What? No! I think… I got early notice about 6 months prior I got station aboard the Normandy."
"Why so touchy so suddenly?" asked Maddison.
"What? I'm not… I don't know… I just have a weirdest feeling ever."
"You still didn't remember anything about Liara?" asked Maddison as she switched from being Shepard best friend to her doctor.
"No."
"Hmm… Maybe subconsciously you remember something?"
"This is not what happened with Dr. Chakwas and Miranda."
"It's not necessarily you will remember just because you look at them long enough or they tell you a story enough time."
"So what this means?"
"That is for you to figure out."
Shepard, Liara, Matt and Maddison continue to have conversations for a few hours more before Liara excuse herself. Matt also left a few minutes later as his shift started. With only Shepard and Maddison left, they continue their therapy session but Shepard still didn't remember a single thing about Liara.
It has been 2 months now since Shepard wakes up and didn't remember a single thing over the past few years. Her session with Maddison has helped her remember a few things and now she mostly remember her crew members but still didn't have a slightest clue over Liara despite she can feel something different whenever she saw Liara.
For Liara, it was hard seeing her bondmate didn't even remember even a tiny detail about her. She has decided to stay on Earth a little bit longer in a hope of having Shepard remember her in the near future. Mostly she just doesn't want to leave Shepard because there is something that she needed to tell her.
"Hey kid."
Liara was startled by her father as she waiting for her father arrival at a dock. Aethyta has decided to check on her daughter as she refused to go back to Thessia.
"You're thinking about the great Commander Shepard?" asked Aethyta as she sits next to Liara in the arrival lounge.
"Something you need to tell me?" asked Aethyta as Liara didn't respond to her previous question.
"No." answered Liara. Her voice was low and barely just above a whisper.
"So that kid I feel inside you is just my imagination?"
"How did you know?" asked Liara in surprise.
"All Matriarch and Justicar can sense when other Asari pregnant… Shepard is the father?"
"Yes…"
"Did she know?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I only found out about it a few days after she'd wake up. I didn't tell her because she didn't even remember me…" said Liara as she starts to cry.
"Shush now kid… She will remember you." console Aethyta as she hugs her daughter.
"Hey, Grace. What for dinner today?" asked Maddison as she walk into the living room where Shepard at.
Shepard didn't respond to Maddison question as she just sits there in the sofa holding something and clearly deep in thought.
"Earth to Shepard?"
"Huh?"
"What are you holding in your hand?" asked Maddison as she settles in the sofa in front of Shepard.
"I found this among the things my mother got from my apartment on the Citadel." answered Shepard as she show Maddison a ring with a beautiful gems on it.
"Beautiful gems. What is it? It's not a diamond or any gems that we usually found on Earth."
"I don't know but somehow I have a feeling in the back of my head that I know what is it."
"So?"
"Did someone propose to me or I was the one who going to do it?"
"I don't know, buddy."
"Don't tell me I never tell you?"
"Oh you did but I'm not going to tell you anything."
"Come on, Maddison."
"As your best friend, I would love to tell you but as your doctor I don't recommend it."
"Enough with this best friend/doctor thing. I need to know, Maddison." said Shepard in frustration.
"Listen, Shepard. You need to know? Then remember it yourself. I'm not going to tell you about it. I want you to remember it. Even if I tell you about it, it's not going to help you unlock your past memory. There are some things that better you remember it yourself than believing what people talking about it. This is such a thing… You love someone, Grace. If I simply tell you who and you don't remember anything, what going to happen? You have to remember it yourself." explain Maddison.
"I guess I can see your point."
"I know it's frustrating, Grace. But you will remember. You have done a great progress so far. All you need is time and eventually you will remember everything."
A/N : So how am I doing? This is probably the most complicated chapter I ever done so far so I hope you guys understand what I'm trying to tell here. If not please tell me and I will do my best to explain it to you or make you guys understand it in the future chapters. In the next chapter I will try to explain Arthur a bit more as I decided to introduce Maddison and Matt first. Anyway I have set a target that by chapter 5, Shepard will finally remember. That's is the fastest you going to get it but if I found any idea that will need to delay Shepard from remembering, I will give way to that idea first. Anyway even if Shepard remembers, this does not mean that I will put a stop to this story. I will continue to happy ending or doing a 'damage control', depending on how and when Shepard remembers it and how much damage has been done. Or maybe a bit of both because I'm enjoying writing this story as some of my ideas that doesn't seem appropriate for Forever After, I can just write it here… For my readers than been following Forever After, I promise you that I'm working on a new chapter for the story so that means I will put a hold on this story until I update Forever After.
