Her eyes flicker open almost spasmodically. She's lying on a cold metal slab, covered only by the lightest of hospital gowns. Sweet air flows into her lungs in a desperate gasp as her upper half jerks upright, arms outstretched. She reaches for him, but only finds a black-haired woman whose features are otherwise blurry.
"Damn it, Wilson. She's not ready yet! Give her the sedative."
She's pushed back down, too weak to resist the light shove, and all she hears is her own loud breathing.
"Heart rate dropping. Stats falling back into normal range."
The darkness starts to creep into her vision again and she can't bear it, she has to find him before she dies again. But the heaviness is already seeping into her limbs and she's no longer in control of her body as the lifelessness consumes her.
"That was too close. We almost lost her."
Everything is black.
This time when she wakes up it's more slowly. She floats lazily toward consciousness, where the periodic beeping of medical machinery cuts through the fog in her head like a blade. She's on a bed now instead of the metal plate, and she's fully dressed. She looks around the room and there's the black-haired woman, smiling patiently at her.
She tries to croak out a question, but her voice hasn't caught up with her yet. A hand goes to her throat as confusion turns the corners her mouth in a frown.
"Hello, Commander Shepard. My name is Miranda Lawson. I know you have a lot of questions right now, so let me brief you first."
"Garrus?"
She's finally managed a single word, her voice hoarse from death, and she's sure it's all she needs to say. However, the woman in front of her exchanges a look with the bald man standing off to the side who shrugs in response.
"Maybe one of her crew members?"
"Probably the turian she was with when we found her."
Her heart almost stops again, and she leaps from the bed, immediately stumbling to the ground. Her muscles are feeble and her whole body feels weak from unuse. From her location on the ground, she frantically clutches at the boots of the other woman in the room.
"Where?"
The woman is prying her hands off the expensive leather and trying to pull her to her feet.
"Be careful! I just restored you to health. Do you have any idea how many credits we spent on you? Billions. Now sit down and listen for a moment."
Burning anger shoots through her barely cognizant brain. This woman can't understand that only a moment ago she was dead, was dying, her lungs on fire and her hands numb but tightly fastened to the man before her, who she can just barely see through the tinted helmet, gasping and straining for air - a sweet relief he'll never find.
This black-haired scum can't possibly comprehend that minutes ago, she'd watched the only man she'd ever love sacrifice his life to spend a few fleeting seconds with her. To extend her own life, if only momentarily. So why the hell was she alive, and was there even the slightest chance that he could be too?
She needs water. It feels like the fire in her lungs has moved to her throat. Did they teleport her here? No, that's impossible. Or had their ship happened upon her just after she lost consciousness?
She tries to speak again, and it's mostly growling sounds. The woman before her makes a grimace and walks out of the room. She starts to panic and try to follow on shaking legs, but then the woman is back, handing her the best tasting glass of water she's ever had. She downs it without a thought and glares at the woman.
"Where is Garrus? Is he okay? I swear, if you let anything happen to him, I will tear your limbs off."
The words sound almost comical as she says them, but she has never been more serious. She's already preparing a Pull, her hands glowing blue.
"The turian?"
"Yes, the god-damned turian. Where is he?"
The woman's cool composure begins to crumble as she looks nervously at her companion, who has watched almost silently.
"Commander... Do you have any idea where or when you are?"
She shakes her head once. No, and she couldn't care less. Why are they stalling? She's shifting impatiently from leg to leg, her muscles strangely weak.
This time the man speaks.
"You're in a Cerberus lab. It's been two years since you died. The turian... Garrus... We found your bodies frozen together. Sent him back to Palaven."
She's immobilized, and her voice catches in her throat again, but not with thirst.
"He's alive?"
The man's eyes stare downward at the floor as he whispers the reply.
"No."
(A/N): I know, it took forever, and the ending is still devastating despite how long you waited for it. Please don't hit me. I hate myself for writing it too.