This time, Shepard woke in a hospital. As she came to her senses, she heard a persistent beeping. Her head throbbed in time with the noise. After an indeterminate amount of time (during which she fought down the panic that accompanies immobilization) she was able to open her eyes. The harsh glare of the light combined with white room (why were hospitals always white? Why couldn't they be more cheerful?) nearly blinded her. But then, she was pretty much used to that by now.
She didn't bother asking how long this time. She didn't want to know.
"Welcome back, Commander," a familiar, accented voice greeted.
Shepard squinted at the gray-haired woman. "Doctor Chakwas. What are you doing here?"
"Miranda called me, of course." She said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Perhaps it was.
"So what's the verdict, doc?" Shepard asked before a fit of coughing overtook her. She grimaced as her hand came away covered in a fine mist of blood.
Thane, whom she hadn't noticed sitting beside her bed, wordlessly pressed a glass of water into her hands, helping her sip at it.
She could tell by the way Chakwas froze that it wasn't good.
"Don't spare me the details, Karin," she whispered.
She heard Chakwas take a deep breath before turning to face her. "Honestly, Commander? I don't know. Your physical health keeps declining each time you sleep, but I cannot find the cause." After a moment of staring into space, the doctor continued. "Your cells are deteriorating rapidly. I fear if we do not find the cause and fix it soon…"
Shepard nodded once as the door swished open, admitting Miranda.
"They're getting impatient, Doctor."
Chakwas made a face. "Oh, very well. I suppose there's no dissuading them."
She rounded on Shepard. "But you are not to move from that bed, clear?"
Shepard managed a weak smile. "Crystal."
Before following the doctor out, Miranda nodded toward the corner of the room closest to Shepard's feet. Looking, Shepard saw the faint distortion created by a tactical cloak. Before she could even nod, the door was opening again, a familiar scarred face entering.
"Admiral Hackett." Shepard struggled to try and sit up, but her muscles were simply too weak.
"Relax, Commander." His posture was as formal and stiff as it always was, but his voice hinted at the emotions beneath. He nodded in silent greeting towards Thane.
In the silence that followed, he moved to the table beside the cot that the hospital called a bed and leaned lightly against it. It was as relaxed as Shepard had ever seen him. Though by the set of his shoulders and the tightness in the muscles of his neck, she knew it was all faked.
"I won't lie to you Commander," (Shepard silently dreaded what was to come. The words next were always along the lines of 'it's not good.') "There are a lot of people with a lot of questions."
He paused again, but Shepard merely sipped at the water.
"I would just like to know one thing. What happened with the Crucible? And if you are here, where's Anderson?"
Thane stiffened at her side. She just barely saw him from the corner of her eye. He wanted the answers, at least to the first question, as well.
Shepard took another swallow of water, contemplating the question. "The Illusive Man was there. Heavily indoctrinated, the Reapers had absolute control. Anderson died. So did the Illusive Man. I killed him." None of it was an outright lie. But neither was it the entire truth.
"I see." Hackett obviously knew a dodge when he saw one, but he didn't pry. "How is it that you survived?"
The tilt of his head indicated Thane as well, but he didn't voice his curiosity aloud.
Shepard allowed herself a small smile. "I am not sure of that myself, Admiral. But we are working on finding out. I promise, you will be one of the first to know."
If Hackett caught wind of the lie, he showed no sign of it. "Very well. The Council is waiting outside. They wish to speak to you as well."
Shepard smirked at the thought of the Council waiting in the hall, twiddling their collective thumbs. For a second, she could have sworn she saw a similar expression on Hackett's face, before the mask was back in place.
Putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, he squeezed lightly. "Get better, Erin. I will come to see you again once you are well."
He nodded to Thane once again and was out the door before she could formulate a response. Three figures entered before the door slid shut. Shepard found this odd. After all, did humanity not have a seat on the Council?
"Commander. It is good to see you are well," the asari Councilor, Tevos, began.
"Please," Shepard interrupted, taking a sip of water. "Just call me Erin."
Tevos dipped her head, even as Sparatus ignored her request.
"Commander. We would speak with you alone," the turian said with a not-so-subtle glance at Thane.
Shepard shook her head, taking a sip of her water. "If you want to talk to me, you will have to get used to Thane's presence."
All three pairs of eyes widened slightly (or a flickering of the mandibles in the case of Sparatus). Obviously, they knew who he was, particularly the salarian, Valern.
"Very well," Tevos said dipping her head in acquiescence.
Sparatus kept his mandibles close to hide any emotions. "We did not merely come to ask after your health, of course."
'Of course,' Shepard thought towards the turian.
"Many questions were raised after the Crucible fired, and only more have been asked since news of your return."
Sparatus raised a hand to stop Valern before he could continue. "But we are not here to ask any of them. They can wait."
Tevos nodded again, folding her hands in front of her. "Indeed. What we are here to do is to extend you an invitation."
When Shepard showed no sign of understanding, the turian Councilor sighed, linking his hands behind his back. "How would you like to become humanity's next Councilor?"
Shepard stifled a laugh. Were they serious? Her? A Councilor? Allowing none of her mirth to show outwardly, she answered. "Perhaps this discussion should wait until I am no longer incapacitated?"
Sparatus's mandibles flared in surprise, but the asari nodded. "Of course, Erin. Take all the time you need. We will be waiting."
As they left, Kasumi decloaked, but Miranda and Chakwas didn't reenter right away. Shepard sighed as she handed the thief the empty glass.