A/N: So sorry for the delay! Life has been crap these last few weeks. Anyway, thanks for sticking with this! I love everything I hear from you guys! Thanks for reading/reviewing/faving/following. Bioware owns the ME universe.
They lay together, wearing nothing but her sheets and sharing a stolen moment while the rest of the ship hummed beneath them. Thane looked down on the sleeping woman. She looked younger when she rested. He brushed a stray bit of hair off her forehead and kissed the exposed skin softly. Shepard sighed and shifted in his arms. Her nose brushed his chest and he smiled. He stroked her back and rested his hand between her shoulder blades.
Th-thump.
Th-thump.
Th-thump.
Th-da-thump.
Thane pressed his hand to her back harder, his brow creasing. Her heartbeat felt…off. He wasn't an expert in human anatomy, but it was different now than it the last time he had shared her bed.
Th-thump.
Th-thump.
Th-thump.
Th-da-thump.
No, it wasn't right. There was a hitch that shouldn't be there. He made a note to ask Mordin about it as soon as he was able. Shepard shifted, drawing his attention back to her. She was still asleep, much to his relief. Thane moved his hand away from her back and up to her hair where he coiled the silky strands around his fingers. A soft gasp followed by a sleepy cough made him freeze. She coughed again, this one waking her. She pressed a hand to her mouth as she tried to muffle the sound. Her body shuddered with the force and he held her tightly, his worry jumping up a few more notches. She heaved a ragged breath before looking up at him.
"I didn't mean to wake you," she said softly.
He was speechless for an instant; she was slowly dying and still more concerned for him. He was deeply touched as he spoke, "I was not sleeping, Siha."
"Mmm," she hummed. She made no move to leave the bed. Instead she cuddled closer and closed her eyes again, "I'm so tired, love."
"So sleep. I will be here."
Shepard kissed his chest, "You're always here."
Her breathing evened out as she slipped back into sleep. He pressed her closer to him, reassuring himself that she was really with him and he was not trapped in some perverse nightmare. He breathed in her earthy spice. He took another deep breath and couldn't suppress the smile entirely. The pain was still there, but the heaviness was gone, all because of the wonderful woman in his arms. His heart dropped painfully when he thought of her waning health. He couldn't lose her, he just couldn't.
"I noticed it when she was asleep."
"What about when she's awake?"
"No."
Mordin put his fingers to his lips in thought. "Not affecting ability to fight. Yet. Hmm."
Thane watched the salarian bustle around his lab, muttering half sentences and interrupting himself. He stopped suddenly and smiled.
"Can help. Out. Must work."
Without another word, Thane bowed and left the lab. He wandered back up to her room and found it empty. He fed her fish and straightened the bed before leaving. He wasn't sure where she had gone, but he clamped down on his worry. She was a grown woman and she was the commander of this ship. She didn't have to tell him every time she left her room. He could always ask EDI. No, that was not his place. Shepard would call for him if she needed him. Thane fixed himself a cup of tea and disappeared into life support. He would meditate until he was needed.
Three and a half hours. Where could Shepard be? She was still on the ship, he knew that much. EDI hadn't been able to give any other information, under the commander's orders. Thane thought of searching for her, but he kept stopping himself short. She was a grown woman and the commander of this ship. If anything had happened to her, someone would have told him, of that he was certain. He opened his eyes to stare at the drive core. He decided that he would wait another thirty minutes before he gave in and sought her out.
"Sere Krios?"
"Yes, EDI?"
"The commander is in the mess hall if you wish to speak with her."
"My thanks."
Thane pushed back from the table, carefully controlling his motions. He left the room and made his way to the mess. Shepard was leaning against the counter waiting for water to boil.
"Siha."
"Thane!"
"Where have you been?"
She looked down sheepishly, "I was meditating with Samara. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I did it on a whim."
He took her hand in his, "I am glad you are well."
"Am I ever? Now I know why you do it. I feel great." She smiled and gave his hand a squeeze before making herself a cup of hot chocolate. She raised the cup to her lips and took a tentative sip. He watched her closely. The stiffness that had held her ridged these past weeks was gone, as was the general air of exhaustion that haunted her eyes. She was still not as she was before, but she was better than she had been earlier.
"So what exactly is this?" Shepard asked as she gestured to the small device on the lab table.
"External monitoring device. Signal dampener. Will monitor vitals and give off energy pulse to counteract 'kill switch'." Mordin said proudly.
She smiled, "Great! Where will it go?"
"Above internal switch."
Without hesitation, she pulled off her shirt. "Set it up."
Mordin worked quickly and she was soon outfitted with a small black and blue device no bigger than her pinky. Mordin wiped the trickle of blood away. She pulled her shirt back on and set about carefully tucking it back in.
"Should help."
"Thanks, Mordin."
"Happy to help."
"Oh, um, I'm sorry for the things I said when you were taking a lung sample."
He waved it off, "Have been called worse. Actions appropriate in situation. Was never offended."
Shepard smiled at him, "You're a good man."
He smiled back and hummed in response. With a wave, she left his lab and made her way to elevator. She greeted Kelly and chatted while she waited for the doors to open. Bidding her yeoman farewell, she pressed the button for her floor. She whistled a melody on the ride up. She was still whistling when she entered her room. Thane looked up from where he was sitting at the desk.
"Hey, you. What are you doing?" She asked cheerfully.
"I was recording a message to Kolyat."
"I didn't mean to interrupt."
"You did not." He stood and took her in his arms, "You were with Mordin?"
"Mmhmm. He gave me a new little attachment that he said would help." She kissed the exposed scales of his chest.
"How are you feeling?"
"Good. Ready to hit that Reaper. We'll be there in twenty three hours."
"Are you sure you are well enough?"
"Yes. Even if I wasn't, I don't have much of a choice. I've put it off long enough. How are you? Did that treatment help?"
Thane smiled against her hair. This was a question she asked regularly, assuring herself that he was still alright. "Yes, Siha. I am as well as ever."
"Good. I need a shower and was dreading taking one alone." She looked up and grinned at him.
"Then let me ease your mind." He pressed his lips to hers and started walking her backwards to the bathroom.