In the Presidium Tower's medical bay, La'Dauna was folding the freshly cleaned bed blankets when the call came in. A request for assistance in the Council Meeting Chambers. A human woman had collapsed. With a silent curse and prayer that it wasn't Cara, she immediately volunteered and was on her way in moments.
The Chambers weren't that far from the infirmary, and La'Dauna arrived less than a couple of minutes from the time of the request. When she entered the chambers, she saw a small crowd gathered around a darker-skinned man leaning over Cara, trying to get her attention. Dauna noticed his demeanor with Cara was oddly intimate.
The room was quiet with worry, and Dauna heard the man ask, "Cara, are you okay?" while he held Cara's hand in his own, softly caressing the knuckles. Dauna raised a curious eyebrow, hearing the deep concern in his voice and seeing the affection in his actions.
As she made her way through the small crowd, she took note of the people around her. Most of them seemed indifferent at best, but a familiar woman in Alliance dress blues looked on with hidden concern. Hmmm, La'Dauna thought. Dauna made it through the group in time to see Shepard grin at the man for a second before that grin transformed into a grimace and groan. Cara's free hand reached up to touch the area above her left eye before she could be stopped. Dauna winced as she saw the blood on Cara's fingers.
The dark-skinned man grabbed Cara's hand and held it away from her face, "Don't worry, the doctor will patch you up."
"I will," La'Dauna agreed, coming up beside the two on the floor. "What happened?" she asked and knelt beside them, setting down her medical bag and opening the medical program on her omni.
Shepard's eyes tracked to the familiar asari, Did she know her? Cara closed her eyes. Her head was pounding and thinking hurt.
"She fainted or something. One second she was sitting in the chair; the next, she was on the floor," the dark man said, still holding onto Cara's hand.
"Open your eyes for me if you can, please." She watched Cara's eyes open back up and stare at her confused before blinking and shutting her eyes again. La'Dauna hummed and ran her scanner over all of Cara. A look of concern flitted across her features faster than anyone could notice. "Can you tell me your name?" La'Dauna asked.
"Cara," Shepard answered, her voice weak. She still felt odd and confused. Wait, I know this doctor, Cara thought before memory once again eluded her.
"Do you know where you are, Cara?" La'Dauna asked, attending to the wound above her browline.
Shepard slid her gaze over the room. There were others in the room. Most of them were sitting away from her and not paying attention. A couple of them were watching, an older, peevish man and a woman. Ashley, the name came to Shepard. "The Norma..." Shepard's eyes swept to three people sitting behind a curved table, "No, the Council," she corrected, blinking to clear the cobwebs. Her eyes found the familiar asari doctor again. Oh, Shepard thought, finally identifying her, Dauna?! "Heeeyy.."
"Well, she's definitely concussed," La'Dauna said to the man beside her, cutting off Cara. La'Dauna looked at the prone woman, who gave her a small smile in recognition. "I'd like to take her in for more tests. Her scan is concerning."
"We've got our own doctor who can look at her further," Anderson said. "You're probably just getting readings from her previously attended to injuries."
La'Dauna raised her brow, and was about to give this man a piece of her professional mind, when Cara spoke, speech slightly slurred, and only loud enough for the two closest to her to hear. "It might be... a good idea, Uncle Dave. Second opinion and all... considering..." Her voice trailed off when she caught La'Dauna's shocked look as she stared at Anderson. Oops, Shepard thought. A quick glance around the room showed that only Dauna had heard the slip. Shepard sighed and closed her eyes again. This was safer, Shepard thought.
Councilor Tevos spoke before the lingering silence could go on for too long. "Captain, I must agree with Doctor..."
"Onassis," La'Dauna offered.
"Doctor Onassis," Tevos continued, "that it would be a sound idea to take Miss Shepard in for further testing. Our facilities here are top of the line."
"Agreed," Ambassador Udina said, retaking interest in the situation when the Councilor spoke.
Anderson sighed and nodded his head, knowing he wouldn't change their mind.
"Good," Tevos said, glancing toward her fellow councilors. "We will continue with Lieutenant Commander Alenko's report and then call for a recess of one day. That should be enough time to get an idea of Miss Shepard's health." Tevos looked to La'Dauna for an affirmative.
"Yes, Councilor," La'Dauna said, drawing her stare away from the dark-skinned man and dipping her head respectfully to the asari Councilor. What in the Goddess' name has Cara gotten herself into now. She looked once again at... at Cara's Uncle Dave. She cleared her throat, "Would you mind helping with sitting her up? And, if you'd like, your doctor can meet me at the Tower's medical station. I'm sure they will be helpful to spot any differences in the current medical scan."
"Of course," Anderson agreed, glad this peace branch was offered since it was not required of the asari doctor. "Thank you," he added as he slipped his hands underneath Cara's shoulders and began lifting her into a sitting position.
Shepard's eyes opened, for a moment, as she was repositioned, then immediately closed as a wave of nausea swept through her. "Ugh," she groaned as the room spun for a moment, even behind her closed eyelids. She leaned back against her Uncle Dave and gritted her teeth and jaw until the feeling passed. Cara slowly peeked an eye open.
"How do you feel?" La'Dauna asked.
"Peachy," Shepard answered on an exhale. She felt terrible.
Anderson chuckled. "She'll be okay," he assured the doctor.
La'Dauna nodded. "Okay, help me get her standing," she told David as she grasped underneath Shepard's elbow and put a supporting arm around her back. She waited for him to do the same, and they lifted her.
Shepard swayed between the two for a moment before they both steadied her. "Nngh," she moaned.
"Careful, Cara," Anderson said, rubbing a soothing hand along her back. "I can help escort her to the medical bay if you'd like."
La'Dauna allowed the man to support Cara as she gathered her medical gear. "If you are able, I would appreciate the help."
"The Captain is not needed currently," Tevos said. "I'm sure Ambassador Udina will fill him in on anything missed."
"Yes, of course," Udina agreed immediately.
"Thank you," Anderson said to the Councilor. He pulled Cara's arm around his shoulders and headed for the door as she leaned against him. He stopped at Alenko's side, "Go with the Ambassador after you're finished here. Take Roberts and Chase with you. I'll meet you at the Ambassador's office as soon as I finish at the medical facility to get my update."
"Yes, Sir," Alenko said.
Anderson turned to the Council once more, "Is Williams done for now? I would like her to retrieve our ship's doctor to help with anything Doctor Onassis might need."
"Is there a reason you can't use your comms, Captain?" Councilor Sparatus asked, not trying to hide his annoyance.
"She's comms down currently. While on leave, she often helps a Doctor Michel in the Lower Wards. It gets pretty hectic there from what I understand, and distractions can be deadly."
Sparatus received a nod from each of the other Councilors. "Very well," he flicked his talons and wrist dismissively.
"Williams, with me," Anderson ordered as he moved toward the door. He saw that Doctor Onassis was already waiting for them. She held the door open for them as Ashley fell in line behind him.
La'Dauna hid her smirk at Williams's confused, but pleased, look. "This way." La'Dauna pointed to the left and led the way as David quietly talked to Williams. The doctor heard Williams give a "Yes, Sir," then footsteps changed direction towards the Wards elevator; they were heavier than she expected from the young woman. Turning her head, La'Dauna confirmed her suspicions when she saw Shepard leaning happily against Williams. David was nowhere to be found. "How's the patient?" La'Dauna asked.
"The patient feels like shit," Shepard answered, releasing a long slow breath. "My head feels like the Death Star exploded in it, and if the room doesn't stop spinning, I'm going to lose my lunch on Williams's dress blues," Cara peeked her eyes open, "which she looks amazingly hot in, don't you think?" La'Dauna gave her a raised brow and Cara continued. "However, I can't really complain, considering the company." She slumped further into Williams.
Ashley blushed and rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and focus on not puking, okay, " Ashley said with the tiniest bit of fond exasperation.
"Anything you say," Shepard agreed, resting and nuzzling her head on Ashley's shoulder. She closed her eyes, trusting Ashley to guide her as they trudged towards the medical bay. A low growl made her pop one eye open and look up at the woman supporting her.
"You're not forgiven yet," Ashley said in a low voice.
Shepard sighed heavily, closing her eye. "I know," she whispered in answer, her voice full of regret and sadness. But, Shepard thought, she did say yet. So, there's still hope, Cara, she told herself. A small smile of hope appeared on her lips then disappeared before anyone could notice.
La'Dauna watched the two women from the corner of her eye. She touched their auras with a non-intrusive meld, and the results surprised her. Although tenuous, an Intrinsic Bond had already established itself between the two women. La'Dauna would have to consult her medical books or ask her peers if they knew about anything similar occurring.
It was common for asari to form and develop Intrinsic Bonds with others quickly because of their race's ability to meld and share direct thoughts and feelings. Intrinsic Bonds between other races always took time because limitations to their communication abilities slowed down the bonding process. The Intrinsic Bond La'Dauna saw between the two women should have taken months, at the least, not days. She tucked the thoughts away as they reached the medical facilities front entrance.
La'Dauna led them to an empty room and gestured to the bed. "Let's get her settled so she can get some sleep. That should help with the concussion. We can do tests while she sleeps and after she wakes up if it's needed."
Ashley helped Cara over to the bed and into it, Cara still not steady on her feet.
"If you could help her get comfortable, I'm going to grab some medication for the pain and nausea and something to help her sleep," La'Dauna said. "I'll be right back." She was gone before Ashley could protest.
"You don't have to," Shepard said, trying to sit up and remove her boots.
"Lay down, you idiot," Ashley said, not unkindly, with a soft hand on Cara's shoulder to keep her down. Cara didn't fight her, and Ashley began removing the woman's boots.
"Thanks, Ash," Shepard mumbled with a soft smile that turned sad. "Sorry I screwed up your life. I didn't think…" she stopped, and Ashley paused in her boot removal to look at Cara. The sincerity in Cara's eyes made Ashley suck in a surprised breath. Shepard continued when she saw she had Ashley's full attention, "As soon as I saw you in the bar," Cara paused. "I didn't plan it, I swear." Her eyes fluttered shut, and she chuckled, "Moth to a flame, poof." Her speech slurred with pain and exhaustion.
Ashley thought she understood what Cara was trying to say, but she didn't know what to think about it or how to respond. So she took the woman's hand in her's and squeezed, then continued removing the last boot. "We'll talk later, Cara Jane Shepard," Ashley said, a small smile on her face.
The doctor entered as Ashley draped Cara's jacket over the one visitor's chair in the room. She applied a medical monitor to Cara's wrist and another to her temple then administered drugs for pain, nausea, and sleep. "There, that should help."
"That's nice, Dauna," Shepard said sleepily before passing out completely.
"Dauna?" Ashley asked, looking at the doctor with suspicion.
"La'Dauna Onassis," La'Dauna said, pointing to the name tag she wore.
"Oh," Ashley said, her eyes flickering to the name tag; suspicion still reflected in her tone.
"I've got other patients to attend to," La'Dauna said to distract Ashley, "You are more than welcome to wait in here. I'll be back by to check on her within the next hour. If you need anything, let the nurses' station know. They'll take care of it." And without waiting, she turned and left.