Shepard is alive! I hope you all are excited, I certainly am. I also am ecstatic to report that in only three days since posting the first chapter there have already been 100 views. That just blows my mind. Thank you all again. Please enjoy and review.

Chapter Seven

I held my hands out in front of me as a nurse put gloves on my hands. I had been made as sterile as possible and I was as ready as I was going to be. I nodded to Miranda. She could see how nervous I was and had been asking several times while I scrubbed up if I was ready. I was. I had to be.

Miranda stood in the doorway, holding it open for me. I took a deep breath and walked into the room. I stopped just inside and Miranda allowed the door to close. What I saw in front of me, stopped me in my tracks. There were so many machines and monitors crammed into the small room that I couldn't see her at first. But when I did spot a small amount of her fair skin, my heart stopped. She looked so fragile, I was afraid to approach her, fearing that the smallest tremor in the floor from my feet would hurt her further. A strangled sound left my throat at the sight.

Miranda gave me an empathetic look as she walked past me to her bedside. I followed, slowly right behind her. I winced as I got close enough to see the full extent of her situation. She was laid flat on a surgical table, tubes and wires sticking out of her mouth, nose, chest and arms. She appeared to be naked under a sheet which was pulled up above her breasts, her arms lying flat at her sides above the sheet. A healing incision traveled from the center of her clavicle, between her breasts and under the sheet. Her previously full head of long reddish-brown hair was now gone, shaved away and replaced with several healing incisions across her scalp. Her arms were wrapped in bandages; the skin just beyond the edges was raw and burnt. Under the sheet, where her legs should have been, were two large masses. I guessed that her legs were both broken, and I was looking at large leg braces, keeping them together.

"Shepard…" I whispered to her as my hands hovered uselessly above her. I couldn't take my eyes off her as I asked Miranda, "Is she in pain?"

"There's no way to know. Her brain activity suggests not but sometimes there is a spike which can indicate that she is in pain."

"Can she hear us?"

"It's possible, but I doubt it. Her brain activity doesn't change significantly when most people are in here."

"Most?" I asked, hopeful. I tried to squash it down before it would end up hurting me later, but I couldn't.

"She has elevated brain activity right now."

"Can she tell I'm here? Can she hear me?"

"I don't know, Garrus." She sighed. We stood in silence while I stared at her face, terrified she might disappear right in front of me.

"How long will she be like this?"

"We want to keep her sedated until her cloned organs finish growing and developing. We have been keeping her on a mild steroid regimen to increase the rate of development. If all goes well, I would like to see her awake in six to eight weeks." I did not like to think about going without seeing her eyes light up, or hearing her voice for that long, but I knew it was necessary.

"Can I have some time alone with her?"

"Normally, I'd have to say no. She's in too critical condition. But I think I can make an exception for you for a few minutes if you promise not to touch anything."

I nodded. "Thank you." My voice cracked with emotion.

"First, I have to tell you that you are the closest thing to next of kin that she has. If something happens, you will be the first person I contact and you will have to make life and death decisions for her."

"I'm not sure if that is such a good idea, Miranda." The apprehension in my voice was apparent.

"Why not?" I could see the confusion behind her face mask.

"I'm not even sure if she still loves me. I failed her. I let her die while the Normandy ran from the blast."

"Shepard knew, when she waged a war on the Reapers, that her chances of survival were very low. She knew when she ran for the Beam that she may not ever see you again. That's why she said goodbye to everyone before the final push." It was silent for a while. "She would be ecstatic that you survived."

"Can I have those few minutes, please, Miranda?" I was coming dangerously close to breaking down and I didn't want her to see that.

"Sure, I'll be just outside if you need me." With that, she turned and walked out.

I walked right up next to her bed. I could reach out and touch her if I wanted to, but I was afraid of breaking her more if I even breathed on her. She just looked so fragile. I couldn't take my eyes off her face, afraid she might just disappear.

"Shepard," I sobbed. The need for physical contact, unexpectedly overtook me and I found myself gently laying my hand on top of hers. One of the machines beeped, startling me. Her brain activity spiked. She must be in pain. I jerked my hand away from hers. "I'm sorry." I sobbed. "I'm so sorry…"

I stood there, crying and sobbing until I heard the door open again. I composed myself as quickly as possible, hoping desperately that Miranda would have a hard time reading Turian facial expressions, before I could get it under control.

I turned to see Miranda standing at the door. "I'm sorry, Garrus but your time is up. Also Admiral Hackett received a comm from Joker asking where you were. It may be best to head back to the Normandy for now and inform the crew and get some rest. I expect that she will be in much the same condition tomorrow." She must have seen the fear in my eyes at the thought of leaving her again. "If anything changes, I will comm you immediately, I promise."

I nodded. I knew that was the most she could promise.