It had been nearly six months since the war with the reapers had ended, and Commander Jane Shepard had been found buried under a pile of rubble. It had been touch and go when she was rushed to the make-shift hospital, but the woman had been stabilized. The sound of the door whooshing open caught the attention of the older doctor currently checking said Commander's vital signs.
"Hello again, Liara."
"Forgive me for bothering you again, Dr. Chakwas."
"No need to apologize, dear. There's still been no change, no activity. As always, you are welcome to stay if you wish."
Smiling at the human physician, Liara sat down in the chair next to Shepard's bed. As always, when she visited, she reached out and took her hand, holding it gently with her own as she silently begged her lover to wake up. Normally, the prone human gave no response to her touch, but this time, the bandage-covered hand seemed to twitch slightly. Blinking, the Asari gave Jane's hand a gentle squeeze, gasping slightly as she seemed to return it.
"Dr. Chakwas!"
"Hm? What is it?"
Walking over to the monitor next to the bed, the older woman's eyes widened at seeing Shepard's brain waves, and when both of them turned back to look at her, bright gray eyes were peering back up at them.
"You're awake…oh thank the goddess."
Shaking off her shock, Dr. Chakwas immediately began her checks, making sure the Commander would STAY awake and not drift back into the coma she'd been in for six months.
"You had us worried, Commander."
"Sorry doc."
Hearing the woman's voice, though rough and quiet from not being used for so long, Liara let a choked laugh escape her. A gentle squeeze on her hand caused the Asari to look back up, blue eyes meeting gray, a gentle smile on the human's lips.
"Liara…"
Unable to contain herself, the prothean expert leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before resting their foreheads together.
"We were so scared…scared you wouldn't wake up."
"How long…"
"Six months. You've been sleeping for six months."
Wincing as the pain from her injuries began to set in as she tried to sit up, Shepard simply laid back again. Looking over at the sound of someone clearing their throat, she saw Dr. Chakwas with an eyebrow raised.
"You are nowhere near ready to be getting up yet, Shepard."
Coming over to the bed, the older woman gently lifted the upper half of the hospital bed to try and make her friend a bit more comfortable. Liara turned her head to the door as she heard her name being called outside, before turning back with a smile.
"I should go help everyone. Please, Shepard, do what Dr. Chakwas asks you…you still need to heal."
Letting out a sigh, Shepard lifted her hand in a two-fingered salute before settling back against her pillow and watching the Asari smile and leave through the door.
"She's been here every day since you were found."
"Every day?"
"Mm hm. She would sit here for hours, simply holding your hand and talking to you while you slept. You're a lucky woman to have someone so devoted to you, you know."
"Oh, believe me, doc, I know."
"Oh a more professional note…how do you feel?"
"Honestly? Like I got trampled by a battalion of overweight Krogan."
A light laugh escaped the doctor, and she sat down in Liara's vacated chair. The pair chatted for a bit before a large yawn overtook the Commander, and she shook her head.
"I've been asleep for six months…how the hell am I tired."
"Your body is still healing. Get some rest, and tomorrow we can tell the rest of your team that you're awake. If Liara hasn't already done so, that is."
Chuckling, Shepard settled back against her pillow and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep in minutes, her injured body demanding the rest. Two weeks later, the woman was up and moving, with the help of a leg brace and crutches to keep weight off her once-mangled right leg. Everyone was ecstatic to see her up and seemingly doing well, even Jack had locked her in a hug and expressed her relief at seeing the woman alive. Moving rather well for someone on crutches, Jane made her way through the rubble still covering much of London's streets, helping with what she could with her limited ability.
"Shouldn't you be resting, Shepard?"
Looking over when she heard the thick Australian accent, she chuckled and shook her head at Miranda.
"I rested for six and a half months, Lawson, I have to do something or I'm gonna go stir crazy."
"Not one to stay in one place long, are you?"
"Hell no."
"At least sit down for a minute."
Grumbling as the biotic procured a chair from somewhere, Shepard obliged and sat, her leg immediately thanking her for the break. Settling her crutches against the remnants of the wall behind her, Jane cast her eyes over the people working to clear rubble and get the mass relays up and working again.
"All this destruction…"
"You should have seen where we found you. I don't…I honestly don't know how you're still alive."
"Me either. I thought I was dead for sure."
Miranda sat down next to Shepard for a moment, settling on a chunk of broken concrete. The former Cerberus operative reached over and squeezed her hand in a show of support, having never heard the bold, brash Commander Shepard so soft spoken. Smiling at the show of friendship, Jane leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes for a few minutes.
"Of course, I'm glad you survived. I think your Asari was going to flay everyone with her biotics if we let you die."
Snorting a bit at the thought of Liara killing everyone had she died, though she knew her Asari lover was more than capable of doing so, Shepard cracked an eye open and peered over at Miranda.
"I think Liara likes everyone too much to kill them."
"Point taken. Plus, then there would be no one to try and save you."
After sitting with Miranda for a few more minutes, Shepard insisted on getting up and walking around some more, despite the protest in her leg. Shaking her head, the biotic walked off in another direction, helping move some large chunks of rubble. Eventually, the Commander made her way to the small apartment she'd been given when cleared from the hospital, and sat down on the couch, wincing when the pressure was taken off her injured leg. Leaning back against the cushions behind her, Jane closed her eyes and let her body relax.
"Can't freaking wait until this stupid leg is healed."
"You're lucky to even have that leg."
Looking over when she heard her lover's voice, Shepard smiled. Liara moved over and sat next to her, gently laying a hand on her leg and letting a gentle glow envelop the limb. With a low sigh of relief as she felt the ache being eased from her leg by the Asari's biotics, Jane reached out and laid a hand on top of the blue one.
"Was it really that bad?"
"Your…your leg was barely hanging on, Shepard. You were more life support than human for a few months after we found you."
"Damn…"
"I was so worried. By the goddess Shepard I thought I'd lost you…"
A gentle squeeze caused Liara to look up and meet the Commander's gentle gray eyes. As soon as their eyes met, Shepard reached up and put a hand behind the Asari's neck, drawing her into a gentle, loving kiss. Lifting her free hand, Liara buried her fingers into Shepard's hair, gripping lightly and letting all of her fear and relief pour out into their kiss. When they parted, the soldier drew her Asari into her arms and held her close, Liara's head resting on her shoulder.
"I love you, blue."
"I love you too, Jane."
Grinning at the use of her first name, the woman gave her lover's shoulders a squeeze, pressing another kiss to her forehead. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, the pair retired to the bedroom, with Liara helping the human along so she didn't have to use the crutches Dr. Chakwas had provided for her. Once seated, Shepard took the cybernetic enhanced brace off her leg and changed into clothes more suited for sleeping. Once situated, she laid back on the bed and closed her eyes with a sigh. The light whoosh of the bathroom door opening was heard, and when the light weight of her bondmate joining her in bed was felt, the soldier opened her eyes with a smile.
"I certainly hope you don't mind me joining you."
"Mm, not at all. In fact, I was hoping you'd stay tonight."
Propping herself up on her elbow, Liara peered down into Shepard's eyes with a gentle smile of her own. Brushing an errant strand of deep red hair out of the human's eyes, she leaned down to give the soldier a gentle goodnight kiss. Before long, the pair were curled together under the light sheet on the bed, Jane's arm snug around the Asari's waist, while the other's head rested on her shoulder, hand over her heart.