A/N: Thank you one and all for all the great reviews I've been getting, I'm glad that you all like this story. Here's chapter 3 so please enjoy.
Chapter Three – Crucible Pulse + Eight Days
"Who ever that is hovering over me like a vulture-" yelled Shepard as she was disturbed from her sleep.
"It's just me Shepard".
Shepard shot up. "Miranda, what wicked spell did you have to put on my mother to let you aboard?".
"No spell, your mother asked for me. She knew about how I brought you back to life so she thought I would be the best to see what I can do for you yet again".
Shepard laid back down and wiped the sleep from her eye. "Cybernetics?" ask Shepard.
Miranda nodded, "Also considering tissue regeneration and a bone regrowth program".
Shepard looked up at Miranda, her head buried in a data pad. "Miranda, you haven't changed a bit".
Miranda's eyes look at Shepard and she smiled, putting the data pad away. "Sorry, force of habit" said Miranda. They both laughed.
"It's good to see you Miranda".
"Same goes for you Shepard" said Miranda, bending down and reaching around Shepard for a hug.
"Anyone else come to see- wait, Sam was here with me last night" said Shepard.
"Oh, she'll be back, she just went to the loo when I walked in" releasing the hug.
Shepard adjusted the bed so she was more upright. "So anyone else here?" asked Shepard.
Miranda leaned in closer to her. "That would be an understatement. Think you're good enough for a bit of a trip to the mess?" asked Miranda.
"Yeah I think so".
Miranda walked over to the far side of the room and grabbed the wheel chair.
"Hang on, I'll lower the bed and jump on" said Shepard.
"No, don't strain yourself. I'll just use my biotics to lift you".
"Beats moving, I had to crawl to a table in the rubble of the Citadel using just my left arm" said Shepard.
"Shepard, you continue to amaze me" said Miranda, looking at the battered Shepard as she walked over to her with the wheel chair.
"Can you give me a hand with my uniform?" asked Shepard, "Pin up the legs and the sleave if you don't mind".
As Miranda helped Shepard slip on her shirt and Pants, pining up the legs and her sleave. "Cute panties and bra I saw Shepard" said Miranda.
"Ha, thanks, Sam got them for me before the Cerberus base assault. Not my kind of thing but she's totally worth it".
Miranda laughed. "You sound like a teenager, okay Shepard, I'm going to lift you up now" said Miranda.
As the biotic field enveloped Shepard, she floated off the bed and landed gently in the wheel chair. The doors to the med bay opened, it was Sam. "What's going on?" she asked.
Miranda wheeled Shepard over to her. "Just off to the mess, according to Miranda, the whole gang is there".
Sam bent down and kissed her forehead. "Miranda, mind if I push?" asked Sam. Miranda nodded and relinquished the wheel chair to Sam.
Sam placed a hand on Shepards shoulder as she came in behind the wheel chair. Shepard brought her hand up and touched hers in kind. Sam began to push and the doors to the med bay parted. As the bulkheads of the ship pasted one by one, and crew members step aside in awe, standing straight and saluting as she passed. Shepard returning the salutes.
As they rounded the next corner, a very familiar looking Krogan came charging down the corridor. "Grunt!" yelled Shepard.
"Shepard! Battlemaster!" yelled Grunt, "You look no worse for wear, in fact I'd thought you would look worse. Guess I owe that Turian ten credits" laughed Grunt.
Sam wasn't too impressed about the looking bad part, but Shepard on the other hand was bent over in the wheel chair laughing. "Oh Grunt, I love you" said Shepard.
Sam slapped Shepard on the head, "Hey!". Shepard padded Sam on the waist and smiled.
"I love you too my sweet".
"Shepard, everyone is waiting for you, even your mother, who wont leave me alone" said Grunt grumbling. Shepard just kept laughing as Sam pushed Shepard into the mess followed closely by Miranda and Grunt, as they entered a chorus of cheers and whistles echoed through the room.
Everyone was here, Jacob, Garrus, Karin, Samara, Kasumi, Tali, Jack, Zaeed, Kelly, Gabby, Greg, Kenith, Liara, James, Ashley, Steve, Wrex, Hannah, Hacket and even Javik. Even though he was buried in the far corner of the room.
"Grunt, where's my ten credits!" yelled Garrus. "She looks a lot better than anyone guessed". Everyone laughed, except Sam.
The party raged on for hours, everyone respected the situation that Shepard was in and didn't ask any questions about the crucible. They just partied and talked about the good old days. Shepard was so happy that all of her loyal friends had stuck by her for so many years. She couldn't ask for better friends.
Shepard clutched her head. Sam noticed while chatting to Hannah, she walked over to her. "Are you ok Shepard?" asked Sam.
Shepard looked up at her, "Sam, can you start calling me Jane?".
Sam look puzzled. "I don't think anyone calls you Jane".
"Well I want you too" replied Shepard.
Sam smiled, "Jane, are you ok?".
Shepard nodded, "I'm tired that's all".
"Alright, off to bed with you" said Sam, unlocking the brakes on the wheel chair.
"Ok, no arguing on my part".
Sam turned to the party behind her, "Everyone, Shepard has for the first time, admitted to defeat, and the party got her plastered".
"Well at least we don't have to watch her dance" yelled Wrex. Everyone laughed.
Shepard just shook her head. "Again, thank you for all your loyalty and support".
As the guest went to depart, Hannah and Hacket stepped into view of everyone. "Just before everyone goes, I have an announcement to make".
She walked over to her daughter followed closely by Hacket. "In honour of your achievements, you are here by promoted to the rank of Captain and once you are back to one hundred percent you will be given permanent command of the Normandy".
Everyone cheered, "Thank you, thank you all" said Shepard.
Hacket moved forward and put his hand out. Shepard graciously accepted it, giving him a firm handshake. "Shepard, your debriefing will be in one week from now".
As the guest departed, Sam and Shepard were the last two left in the room. "Ready for bed?" ask Sam, as she came in behind the wheel chair and started to push.
"Yeah, I've had it, but do I have to go back to the med bay?".
Sam smiled, "No, I got permission from the Doctor and Miranda to take you back to my quarters. I'll have no other person taking care of you but me".
Shepard looked puzzled, "You got quarters on the Kilimanjaro?".
"Yes, at your mothers request. I think she likes me".
"I know she wouldn't leave you alone. But that's a good sign. She only talks that much if she really likes someone" said Shepard.
The walk to Sam quarters wasn't far. The doors parted as they entered, Sam's quarters were immaculate, just like Shepard's. "Would you like a bath?" asked Sam.
Shepard nodded repeatedly, "You sure you don't mind? It's going to be a little awkward".
Sam smiled. "It's not like I haven't seen you naked my darling and you looked absolutely stunning if I remember correctly".
Shepard grinned ear to ear, "And if I remember correctly, so did you".
Sam pushed Shepard into the bathroom and got her facing the bath. Sam reached over and started the running water. Soothing steam started to fill the room, she turned back to Shepard. "I'll help you undress".
Shepard had managed to get her shirt off to Sam's surprise but was unable to unhook her bra. Sam pulled of Shepard pants and threw them in a heap on the far side of the room, along with her shirt, unhooking her bra and slipping off her panties. She noticed that they were the ones she got her. Sam saw the very frustrated and embarrassed expression on Shepard's face. The last thing Sam did was unwrap the bandages on Shepard's legs and arm. With help from Shepard's good arm, together they gently lifted Shepard into the steamy hot water. Shepard sighed deeply as Sam turned off the taps.
"Do you mind taking off the bandage on my face, it's rather uncomfortable?" ask Shepard.
Sam obliged without hesitation. Sam started to undress herself, noticing that this whole time, Shepard had not once taken her eye off her. "What?" asked Sam.
"Just wondering what I did to deserve you? and wondering why you are undressing".
Sam grinned happily. "I'm not missing out on a hot bath with a naked Captain Jane Shepard in it and to answer your first question, what haven't you done to deserve me. I couldn't fit the list on a toilet paper roll even if I tried" said Sam.
Shepard laughed. Sam finished undressing and slipped in behind Shepard. Shepard laid back into her lover and calmly closed her eye as Sam started to slowly wash her.
"We both needed this".
"No argument here" said Sam.
"Hey" continued Shepard; "I didn't want to mention anything at the party, but I didn't see joker or EDI?".
Sam was quite for a long time, still washing Shepard. "Sam?" asked Shepard again.
Sam sighed, "I'm afraid that EDI was…killed. When the crucible fired, it completely destroyed her AI core and wiped the mainframe clean; her body fell into a heap on the bridge. Joker isn't taking it very well".
Shepard shut her eye and placed her hand over her head. Sam noticed she was shaking a bit. "It wasn't your fault Jane, you had no idea what the crucible pulse would do".
Shepard dropped her hand and turned to Sam with nothing but sadness in her eye, she did her best to told back her emotions.
"Yes I did".
"What?" replied Sam.
"It's ah- complicated to explain but it was my fault, that's what I chose".
"You chose, you chose what?" asked Sam, intrigued to why Shepard though it was her fault considering she saved that galaxy and stoped the reapers.
"I'll umm- make sure your at the debriefing next week. I'm not- I don't-", Shepard couldn't finish her sentence before she started to sob quietly.
Sam straight away brought her into a very tight embrace. "It's ok Jane. Let it all out". Sam was hoping for this in a small way, Shepard wasn't much for emotional outburst like this. It will be good for her in the long run.
As Shepard regained her composure she spoke. "What about the Geth and the Mass Relays?".
Sam wasn't surprised that she asked about those two specific things. "The Geth have unfortunately met the same fate as EDI and the Mass Relays have been heavily damaged. Right now, the joint species fleet that came to earth is stranded in the sol system due to no functioning Mass Relays. Communications were only restabilised a few days ago".
Shepard was silent and didn't say a word. "Jane?" asked Sam.
"I wonder if I managed to do anything right. After the debriefing next week they'll probably take my new rank off me and demote me to private".
"Don't be silly" said Sam, releasing Shepard from her embrace and slapping her on the back of the head. "You're a god damn hero, to everyone. No one is going to have a go at you for doing what they all wanted you do, what they all knew you would to do. Destroy the reapers. It's exactly what you did. You gave trillions of lives, life. A continued existence to which everyone will be grateful for. If anyone says otherwise, you have more friends than I can count who would jump to your defence at a seconds notice because they believe you, I believe you".
Shepard reached for Sam's hand and kissed it as she brought it up to her moist lips. "That's one hell of a speech Sam, everyone on the Normandy would be proud with how far you have come, I know I am".
Sam giggled. "But my heart is racing. I don't like being the motivator slash get someone off there ass kind of person. That's your job. Your immensely qualified at it and always do it with ease".
They embraced each other in the bath for hours. Finally Sam spoke up.
"Lets get you dried and out of the bath, we are both getting so pruney".
Sam got out first and wrapped a towel around her self. Shepard had pulled the plug in the bath and the water was draining out as she got ready to give Sam a hand getting herself out of the bath. It was a bit more of a struggle this time. Both of them were giggling like a pair idiots and Sam couldn't keep her balance while Shepard couldn't keep her grip.
Finally getting Shepard in the wheel chair, dried off and dressed. Sam, still in her towel pushed Shepard to the bed.
"It's ok Sam, you go get dressed, I can manage this. At least it's level".
"Are you sure?" replied Sam.
Shepard just nodded and she set herself up for a bit of leap frog. Sam turned and went back into the bath room. When she returned, Shepard had pushed the wheel chair away and was sitting up in bed. She had also grabbed a hand mirror and comb from the bed side table and was fixing her hair. She did stop from time to time, glancing at the whole in the front of her face where her eye use to be.
"Is it bothering you darling?" asked Sam, as she walked over and flopped down on the bed beside Shepard.
"Not really, kind of like it actually. I'm thinking about going for an eye patch instead of a regrowth or replacement".
Sam was shocked. "What about your limbs?".
"I've decided on cybernetics. It's a more simple procedure and the whole thing will be a lot less invasive" replied Shepard.
"And how did you arrive at that conclusion?".
"Well, tissue and bone regrowth takes months, and there is no guarantee that my body would accept replacement limbs and what not. Cybernetics on the other hand, after a few operations and physiotherapy ill be up and around in just a matter of weeks. Fact". Shepard had now put the mirror and comb down and wrapped herself around Sam.
"If that's what you want my darling" said Sam, kissing Shepard on the cheek.
Shepard rubbed her eye. "Sam, if I said I was tried it would be the understatement of the century" leaning over and returning the kiss. "Do you mind if I just go to sleep, here, with you?" ask Shepard.
Sam looked up and nodded. "Of course, but before you do go to sleep, I have to replace the bandages on your limbs. Do you want me to leave the bandage on your head off?".
Shepard nodded as Sam go up. "I'll make arrangements tomorrow for an eye patch. Should make me more intimidating" said Shepard.
Sam laughed loudly from the bathroom. "Your intimidating enough my darling, you scared the hell out of me for the first few weeks aboard the Normandy".
Sam returned with fresh bandages. "How's the gun shot wound on your stomach?".
"That's ok. The patch that was put on it doesn't have to come off for another day or so and plus it water proof".
Sam nodded as she wrapped up her still healing lover. She crawled back in with Shepard who was now deep in the bed sheets lying down.
Sam came in close and held Shepard tight, kissing her on the neck as she buried her head in it. "Goodnight my darling" said Sam.
"Goodnight my sweet" said Shepard.