Just replaced this chapter as I didn't notice, strangely enough that the Normandy's famous doctor's name seemed to keep disappearing. To be on the safe side, I'm going to address her as Karin. Sorry if this is too informal.
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Shepard! Don't you dare say that, don't you leave me again!" Liara sobs hysterically on Shepard's limp form, the commander's eyes have now fluttered shut and she now seems to be having difficulty breathing. "I need you. Our baby needs you!" Ashley and Garrus had now pulled the tight vice off from the Commander and are now staring at the battered, broken Commander. It's hard to see such a strong woman torn apart and broken like this, they were struggling to breath themselves from anger and worry.
However it didn't take long for Ashely's alliance skills to come into motion. Wrex aswell as Jack had fetched the blankets and medigel. Miranda was already applying the medigel she had onto the commander's stomach which seems to be the most life threatening injury at the moment. This made Ashley's job a lot simpler, she ordered Garrus to call Cortez in for an immediate evacuation, while Javik identifies the disturbed and broken dead bodies of the mercs and Jack was informing joker about the situation at present.
Liara's heart seemed to beating way too fast for the asari to handle. Her vision was becoming blurry as she slightly swayed on her feet. Determined to be a type of comfort to her tortured love, holding her hand and praying to the goddess Shepard survives this gruelling incident. Ashely was quick to notice the now pale asari blink rapidly,sweat pouring down her head, gripping Shepard's hand in a death lock. 'How did I not see the cut on her head? That's a basic key step there Ashley' Williams thought to herself. Grabbing the nearest chair next to her that wasn't broken, she gently guided the sobbing asari onto the chair. Ashely knew she would not be able to get Liara to leave Shepard's side, that's a mission she didn't really feel like doing. So instead she checked Liara's temperature and as expected it was slightly above the normal temperature and started to tend to the wound on her forehead.
Liara didn't seem to notice the fast movements of what was occurring around her. Her love and attention was to the battered love of her life bleeding out on the table before her, with the feeling of helplessness giving her a dull headache that didn't seem to be leaving.
Shepard was sprawled across the stretcher on the floor of the shuttle. There was 3 drip bags attached to the Commander, with a breathing ventilator in place down her throat. Despite the struggle Miranda, Karin and her medical team did, the bandages applied to the commander's stomach were seeping through continuously with blood. One of Karin's assistants changed the blood transfusion every 15minutes while the other was attempting to stabilise the purple bruised and shattered ankle of the commander. Miranda and Karin have done all things possible for the commander. They have inserted the ventilator in order to save Shepard's life as a problem occurred while Karin was assessing Shepard's injuries, she had realised that the severely bruised chest was not the only after math shown because Shepard's rib cage was collapsing underneath this deep bruise and was therefore crushing the commander's organs.
Cortez was a decent and fast flyer of the shuttle, so it only took 7minutes for everyone to arrive in the Normandy's shuttle bay along with Karin and two assistants. The two assistants were out first carrying the beaten commander, followed by a dashing Miranda, Karin and Liara, however Liara seemed to be struggling to keep up with the bulge she had formed from pregnancy.
Shepard awoke approximately one hour later, although she was meant to be under sedation. Blurred figures were standing over her, with muffled voices shouting and demanding something to be done, what to be done, Shepard did not know. All that the poor commander picked up; that was eligible to hear, was some black haired woman saying in a rather loud and worried tone "she's waking up! Someone put her under before the structure collapses." Bleeps were quickening its pace after this, as the commander's heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. She felt a very big sense of déjà-vu currently. Something she had hoped will never happen again. The reconstruction of her body. 'This can't be happening. Not again. Where's Liara? What's on my chest. Why can't I breath? What's going on?' New questions were forming in the commander's head, at a very fast rate. The bleep of the machine beside her bed was almost one entire beep the elevation was so fast, until the commander was wrestled down reluctantly by a helping assistant and injected with a very strong form of a sedative.
Again Shepard awoke, although this time, it seemed to be less painfully but still very uncomfortable. Due to the last episode of Shepard awakening, she seemed too afraid to open her eyes, not until she hears that angel's voice of her beloved, so she knows that no matter the outcome, Liara's safe.
"Liara?" Shepard spoke out, voice croaked.
She heard footsteps, by the sound of it they were running pretty fast from a seat beside her and she felt a familiar, smooth texture of a hand that was now holding tightly onto her hand.
"Susan?" A voice asked, that could easily be identified as a sweet voice from Liara; even though the voice was full of concern and worry, Shepard could still recognise it in a heart beat.
"Am I in heaven? I'm kinda wishing I'm not because my chest is killing." Shepard half joked, still not opening her eyes. Liara gently chuckled.
"You're not love. You're in the Normandy's Medway, can you open your eyes for me? I want to see those beautiful emerald eyes of yours."
Shepard opened her eyes, although rather hesitantly and immediately started to blink rapidly from the bright light around her. An attempt to shield her eyes from the strain.
"That's it love. I'll fetch you some water." Liara hurried away to the other side of the room to fill a cup of water for Shepard.
Now that Shepard's eyes are open, the Commander took it open herself to judge the situation and condition she finds herself in. Looking down at her chest she immediately saw what is causing her such discomfort. Also it must have been the thing for concern the first time she awoke. A large machine was attached to her chest, that seemed to be beeping regularly. 'What is this?!' Shepard panicked to herself. 'I wasn't in that much of a bad condition was I?' Trying to sit up to see past the huge bulk on her chest to assess the rest of her body, she got caught halfway through the motion, as she cried out in pain. Liara almost dropped the cup she was holding in horror. 'That scream, again. I thought I would never have to hear that scream again.' Liara heard this scream twice in that horrible warehouse. She was next to Shepard's room, hearing everything that was happening, twice as loud also as the warehouse echoed. Running over to Shepard's side instantly, she saw what was causing such discomfort and agony. Shepard was in a sitting position;well half way up, with the chest structuring machine hanging half of the ceiling due to the wires being pulled by Shepard's movements.
Liara omni-tooled Karin immediately and not long after the doctor came running into the med bay. One look at Shepard and she was tempted to laugh, if Shepard wasn't in pain right now she would have saved an image of this on her omni-tool and would've put it as the Christmas card cover that she sends to the members and ex members of the Normandy. However she just 'tutted' at Shepard and released the mess, setting it up to it's original state.
"Shepard. You need not to move while you have this machine patching you up. Or you'll find yourself in a pickle just like you did now, which I'm sure you don't want. Have you not learned to control your curiosity yet? It get's you into dangerous situations as you full well know."
"Sorry doc." Shepard replied, her mouth forming a cheeky smile. "I like getting myself into dangerous situations, because the reward can be gorgeous." Shepard shot a look at the now blushing asari next to her.
"Well, some cases can oblige, but not this case. So don't move" Karin ordered. "Anyway, while I'm here I guess I should run some tests on you." With buttons clicked and waves with her omni-tool done, she turned to the commander. "Well you seem to be doing well all things considered, probably from your Cerberus implants, I expect. I'll get Miranda to confirm that but for now you're doing okay."
"That's great." Shepard said smiling, as a tiny audible sigh of relief escaped Liara's mouth. She was beaming with happiness. 'Thank the goddess.'
'So. What's this contraption thing doing?" She pointed to the structure on her chest.
"Well... This machine has actually saved your life and still is to be fair. Your ribs were collapsing and this.' She tapped the metal like structure 'is to support and heal your ribs until they can withstand normal day-to-day activities. In your case it should be a faster recovery than most if someone was to have the same problem because like I said before, your Cerberus implants heal your injuries and organs quicker. Overall your leg is in a brace and is almost completely fixed. Your stomach is healing nicely from it's 4 stab wounds and that's it. You'll be in this med bed for at least a week for your injuries to heal, in the meantime, I order you to rest."
"Aye, aye, doc." Shepard jokingly saluted, having regretted that move straight away, as pain shot up in her chest.
"Stop moving, Shepard," Liara voiced up, hating to see her love in pain.
"Okay. Okay. I will stop, as long as you stay and talk to me, until I fall asleep."
The doctor excused herself and left the med may, heading for some well deserved chow in the canteen.
"I'm so sorry." Liara sobbed up against Shepard's side.
"Hey, hey. None of that. It's not your fault. You couldn't have known that anything was going to happen, if anything I should have been looking out more clearly for your safety. I'm sorry." Shepard's eyes looked down in shame. Liara grabbed her face with her hands, gently as to avoid hurting her love further and spoke soothingly and equally, "if I don't get to apologise you don't get to either." Shepard attempted to pull away, guiltily for not helping Liara."I'm serious." Liara continued, determined not to let Shepard avoid her eye contact. "What you did in that warehouse was unbelievingly heroic and the most spectacular and sweetest thing I have ever seen. You're nothing short of amazing, I feel like the most safest person in the galaxy when I'm by your side. I love you and I know our baby will too. I know that you'll do anything to protect us from harm. I love you so much. My hero and the galaxy's savior."
Shepard had to blink back tears that were now forming in her eyes. She doesn't really cry unless it's in anger or despair, however this case seems to be an exception.
"I love you Li. So much. I will do anything for you and for our baby." This brought Shepard back into the real world with realisation. "Have you had the baby and yourself checked. Are you two okay?" She asked worriedly, grabbing Liara's hand. Liara smiled and nodded.
"We're fine love. We're both fine. You should get some sleep and we can talk more in depth tomorrow, we've said enough for today."
Shepard hates to admit it, but her lids were becoming harder and harder to keep open. Liara leaned in and kissed the commander on the lips. The kiss was a much needed kiss, full of love, concern and desire. When finally, the kiss broke Liara rested her head on the commander's forehead and they both smiled while looking into each others eyes. Liara felt overjoyed and grateful as Shepard will still be there for both her and their child. Shepard felt similar however she also felt blessed that the god or goddess had allowed her one more chance to support her bond mate and child and to spend the rest of her life with them;happy.