Shepard awoke sometime later in a hospital bed. Looking around, she saw Liara fast asleep in a chair next to the bed. She saw that the alien had her left arm and right leg immobilized by casts, a pair of crutches next to the chair. Shepard's expression softened. She was thinking about Liara's injuries, when she finally noticed her own. Her right leg was entirely immobilized in a cast, bandages crisscrossed her chest, almost entirely covering it, her right arm was in a sling, and she felt a pad bandaged to her right temple. In IV drip was taped to a vein on her left arm. She was sore all over. She looked over at Liara. Lines of dried tears had etched themselves on her cheeks. The machine next to her started beeping, then the IV began to pump a solution into her veins. Shepard felt sleep tugging at her, pulling her in.
"Liara." She muttered, before once again succumbing to rest.
Shepard wheeled herself out of the Council Chambers, making her way to the nearest elevator. Only now did she realize how many areas of the Citadel were not handicap accessible. At least the Council had met her at the bottom of the stairs. She was eager to get back to the ship, but she wasn't fit for duty as of yet.
Docs said to give it two weeks.
She shook her head, and punched the down button.
Maybe I'll head down to the Presidium. I haven't had time to really admire it yet. There's always been a mission taking priority. At least now I have some down time.
You say that like it's a good thing.
Maybe it is.
Says the person that's been avoiding it for her entire career. You have months of shore leave stockpiled.
That's because I… I couldn't stop moving, couldn't stop thinking about Akuze. Or Mindoir.
What's changed since then?
Liara.
An image of the blue skinned alien flashed through her mind. Shepard felt blood rush to her cheeks.
Probably should've imagined her with clothes on.
And why would I want to do that?
Shepard wheeled herself out of the elevator as the doors opened. She moved up to the railing, and stared out across the Presidium. She smiled. She'd been doing that a lot lately.
Shepard cycled through the airlock on the Normandy. It felt a lot like coming home again. After a month away, there was nowhere she'd rather be. She was greeted with cheers form her crew, all of whom were gathered in the C.I.C. Some faces were missing however. Wrex had returned to Tuchunka, and Tali had returned to the fleet. Shepard smiled all the same. It was nice that the crew would do this for her. She spent the next half hour enduring a torrent of handshakes, pats on the back, and congratulations. Through it all she couldn't stop grinning, despite herself. A gentle handshake from Joker, a salute from Pressley, a pat on the back from Adams, a smile from Chakwas, a bear hug from Ashley, and another hug, along with a subtle kiss from Liara. Gradually the storm subsided, the ship pulled out of dock, and the crew returned to their stations. Shepard retired to her quarters, where she was met minutes later by Liara.
"Shepard. It is good to see that you are alright." She seemed to fumble for words.
"I'm just glad that we can put this mess behind us." Shepard lay back in her bed.
"I never got to thank you properly."
"What do you mean?" asked Shepard, puzzled.
"Back on the Citadel, after Sovereign was destroyed. You…" She paused awkwardly, searching for words. "You saved my life Shepard."
"Liara," Shepard began, "I couldn't let anything happen to you. I had to do something. Anything." Shepard finished with a whisper. "I love you Liara." Liara was surprised by Shepard's admission, but not at all upset.
"I feel the same way Shepard." Liara leaned in and planted a kiss on the human's lips. A kiss that was eagerly returned.
Goddamn Mondays.
That was Shepard's first thought as she rolled out of bed to alarm bells. She checked the nearest terminal for a diagnostic. Then she checked it again, just to be sure.
"Shepard, what's going on?" Liara began to emerge from under the covers.
"We've been attacked. Get suited up. I'll meet you at the ops station." Liara grasped at once the severity of the situation, and nodded. They both dressed as quickly as possibly, Shepard finished first, and ran to the ops station. Liara followed soon after.
"Distress beacon is ready for launch." Shepard reported.
"Will the Alliance get here in time?"
"The alliance won't abandon us; we just need to hold on. Get everyone onto the evac shuttles." Shepard replied while trying to fix some loose wiring. Liara checked the terminal as well, then shook her head.
"Joker's still in the cockpit, he wont abandon ship." She stared at Shepard. "I'm not leaving either."
"I need you to get the crew onto the evac shuttles, I'll take care of Joker."
"Shepard-" Liara began, only to be cut off.
"Liara go." She looked back and pleaded. "Now."
"Aye-aye." And with that, she ran off. Shepard started towards the bridge, working her way past fires and hull ruptures until she reached the bridge.
"Joker. We. Are. Leaving." She barked after walking through a vacuum proof shield.
"I won't abandon the Normandy," he said through gritted teeth. "I can still save her."
Shepard shook her head.
"The Normandy's lost, going down with the ship won't change that." After a few moments of silence, he relented.
"Yeah okay, help me up." Shepard grabbed him and hoisted him towards the bridge escape pod.
"Watch the arm!" He grimaced in pain. Shepard shoved him into the pod, but was cut off by an explosion, and a beam of energy. She wasn't going to make it. Not in time. But she knew that Joker wouldn't launch the pod without her.
No-one else will die because of me.
She hit the override, and the shuttle launched away from the ship. A series of explosions tossed Shepard into space as the Normandy erupted. Shepard watched the shuttles escape. Knowing that, at the very least, Liara had made it out. To her relief, the strange vessel seemed to have disappeared. Her crew was safe. It was only then that she noticed that her suit was leaking air. That, and she was about to enter the atmosphere of the planet below.
Her instincts kicked in, and her body began to flail wildly; survival instinct at the most base. But throughout this, Shepard was calm.
They're safe.
That's it?
That's all that really matters.
No regrets huh?
Not at all. I have plenty of regrets. I'm just glad that I didn't have to make the list any longer.
An image flashed across her eyes. The blue-skinned beauty that had been the focus of her thoughts for several months now.
She's safe.
That's all that really matters?
I'm sorry Liara. I didn't want for this to end this way. Please….forgive me.
And then move on.
The suit had run out of air to vent, and she was entering the atmosphere.
Darkness crawled at the corner of her vision.
Now it's time to see who was right mom and dad.
She hovered over the boundary a second more, before slipping into the void.