Twenty three days after the final battle…
Shepard: -He opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is an unclear blue face. In a few seconds the image acquires total clarity, and Shepard smiles- Liara. -Before he could say anything more, she strongly hugs him- I see you too are glad to see me again -he is surprised to hear laughs that aren't coming from her. They are not alone-.
Liara: -She gives him a kiss on his cheek and whispers in his ear, amused- If you really thought you were going to get rid of me then you don't know me as well as I believed. You have visit.
The whole team was there. Shepard sits up.
James: Eh, Loco, you had given us a fright.
Cortez: The Commander always achieves it. I don't see why this time it was going to be different.
Wrex: Are you sure humans don't have a redundant nervous system?
Miranda: Don't look at me. I didn't add him any additional complement.
Zaeed: -Joking- I'm not so sure.
Jacob: Shepard manages to get out alive from the worst situations. We recognize it or not, he can take care of himself without us.
Samara: However, I don't remember he has ever rejected our help.
Traynor: Now that I think, he is always accompanied. Maybe he should prove his worth in solitary.
Shepard: Eh! I went up there alone!
Ashley: Of course, you completed the mission alone, but the rest of the time you had support.
Javik: In our cycle heroes proved his worth in solitary. Without help.
Liara: I did him half of the job… -Shepard looks at her, amused for all the scene-.
Tali: I think we all wish to listen how you did it.
Diana Allers: I could make a spectacular article.
Jack: Yes, Shepard. And don't exclude us. We cleared you the way.
James: Mostly me.
Garrus: Don't forget me, James. If I hadn't been covering your back you wouldn't have lasted even half a minute.
Grunt: You found it easy because the enemy had to focus on me.
Doctor Chakwas: Okay, you've already been for a while. Shepard needs to rest. You can see him in other moment, but now you have to go. -People had little intention of leaving-. Unless you want to go on a trip in a shuttle piloted by James, leave now.
James: Come on, doctor! That's not fair! It happened only once… -now they really begin to leave-.
Doctor Chakwas: -Looking at the wall- I know you are there, Kasumi.
Kasumi: How? -She deactivates the tactical cloak-
Doctor Chakwas: I figured it. Well, Javik has told me. -Kasumi leaves- Liara, you too. I have to check Shepard, to see everything is all right.
Liara: -To Shepard- I have something special for you. When you finish come to see me.
Doctor Chakwas: -When everyone has left- Finally I have a moment to speak with you, Commander. How do you feel?
Shepard: A bit sore, but nothing to worry about.
Doctor Chakwas: Nothing to worry about? Do you know from where they brought you? In what condition you have reached the med bay? How close to death you have been?
Shepard: Well, closer than the other time…
Doctor Chakwas: Hmm, I'm glad to hear you keep your sense of humor, but I thought the witty was Joker.
Joker: I've heard you.
Doctor Chakwas: -Startled- Joker! This is a private conversation. Turn off the intercom immediately!
Joker: But he will tell me later! I only wanted to be there when he woke up, but with so many people something could have happened to me. Okay, I turn it off.
Doctor Chakwas: Do you see what I meant? Anyway, let's go. And don't grumble…
Shepard: Yes, man. How are the others?
Doctor Chakwas: I think you've seen all of them. Apart from that the pride of some of them has been hurt, they're fine.
Shepard: By the way, no one has told me were we are yet.
Doctor Chakwas: Ah… We are in Armali. Hackett considered that Thessia, the last Council homeworld in being besieged by the reapers, would be in better conditions to regroup. Besides, the asari have the best scientists in the galaxy, and it will be easier to repair the relays beginning from here.
Shepard: Repairing them?
Doctor Chakwas: Yes. Charon's was left unusable. To reach here we searched for a functional relay, as close as possible to Earth. Joker can tell you.
Shepard: And what did I miss?
Doctor Chakwas: Almost nothing has happened in these twenty two days.
Shepard: Have I been unconscious so long?
Doctor Chakwas: Personally, what amazes me the most is that you're still alive. You had us really worried. There has never been so much stress in the Normandy…The one who has suffered the most is Liara. She believed you were still alive, and because of that we kept looking for you when even the Alliance couldn't find you… Shepard, she has been with you all the time. She stayed beside you day after day, telling you not to give up, to fight, that you weren't alone…
Shepard: -Thinking- Then not everything was a dream.
Doctor Chakwas: She refused to leave the med bay. More than one day I had to make her go out from here so that she slept a few hours. She was exhausted, and even so she still had strength to contradict me and stay with you a bit more. But today… It had been a long time since I saw her smile like that. This will really be the first day she rests since we left Earth… I've already finished. Everything is in order.
Shepard went to Liara's cabin, where he expected to find her, but he found a note telling him to go to his, in the first level of the Normandy. When he reached he found the blue beauty that was longingly waiting that meeting.
Shepard: Liara, I owe you my life. You've already saved me twice. Thank you.
Liara: Shepard, you don't need to thank me. -She approaches and kisses him-. We all thank you for saving the galaxy. And I thank you that you didn't give up. That you're back.
Liara looks away from Shepard for a brief instant.
Liara: I already lost you once, and it was… I couldn't continue. Nothing had sense. I couldn't have borne losing you again. Shepard, without you I don't… -Shepard hosts in his arms a Liara torn by the contained sorrow, but at the same time happy for having him there. She hugs him tightly. She had truly suffered a lot, and she needed above all that hug from the only person who could comfort her-.
Shepard: You know I promised -she raises her look outlining half a smile-. I wasn't going to let a mere scratch separate me from you -Shepard gets an affectionate push-. You're the best thing that has happened to me in my life.
Liara: I know. -Kidding- It's clear that without me you wouldn't have reached that far… -They both smile- I'm glad you're with me.
Shepard: I will always be.
Liara: I have something I want to give you. -She gives Shepard a N7 armor, exactly alike the one he had, but there's something that attracts his attention, an unusual shine-. Your armor was burnt. I wanted to get you one, and Hackett gave it to me. I went to see a friend to have it strengthened. Let's see if now you don't get so many "scratches".
Shepard: Thank you, Liara. I don't know what to say…
Liara: I do.
And the retained passion during the long wait took possession of them.