AN: The next chapter is out. Not really much to say. I hadn't planned the direction of this chapter to turn out like this until I got to read the stuff Gib managed to dig up. Thank you for your continued support. I smile every time my email notifies me of a new review, favorite, or alert.

Mass Effect 3: Salvation
Chapter 3: Life

Liara T'Soni had been reduced to moving around in the confines of a chair. Her right leg had been shattered and her ribs had sustained significant damage. No one got out of there unscratched. Not even Javik whom she learned carried her with his own significant damage to his person. While he tended to always be harsh with her, she found herself constantly gravitating back for more. It was a nice feeling knowing someone who wasn't scared to be honest. Now here they were, sitting side by side with the rest of the crew in some rundown building the Alliance used as a med center. In the next room rested Commander Shepard, unconscious and under the care of Dr. Chakwas. But right now, most everyone's attention was on Joker, who had been taking the situation hard.

"So what does that all mean?" Joker asked as he rubbed at his scalp from under his hat. He didn't show it, but Liara knew he was in a bad place. After all, who wouldn't be?

"Well," Tali said as she fidgeted with a rock between her fingers. "Whatever happened attacked reaper technology. The geth and EDI had, well, reaper technology in them."

"I get that," Joker said as he shifted in his chair. Tali looked at him.

"So whatever of that technology they were based off of is gone," she said quietly.

"What? So she's some VI again, now?"

Liara tuned out of the conversation, her mind resting elsewhere. She placed a hand on her stomach, and glanced across the room at the door that led to Shepard's room. Ashley said she was barely conscious when they found her, and on the ride to a base, she had lost all consciousness. Ever since, she'd been asleep in that room. Though, at least she was under the care of a doctor Liara trusted. That Shepard was even alive was enough to thank the goddess for. She was worried, though, that it wouldn't be a long life.

However, she was pulled from her thoughts when Javik reached out to touch her arm. At first she thought it was an act of sympathy, but when she looked at him, she realized he was only reading her. Of course he would, she thought to herself. Asking would require listening. When he withdrew his hand, he was giving her another one of his disapproving stares.

"Does the Commander know?" he asked, and not quietly. The question caught the attention of Garrus who leaned against the wall behind him. Liara swore to herself as she lifted a hand to rub at her face.

"Know what?" the turian asked. And when he asked, Ashley looked over at them. This was getting ridiculous.

"What's going on?" she asked. Liara shook her head.

"Nothing. Nothing is going on," she breathed, giving Javik a 'say-another-word-and-I'll-kill-you' stare. His expression didn't change. He didn't even seem to be acknowledging anyone else in the room. Yet, here they sat, the entire crew's attention now on both him and Liara. The asari had no intention of answering his question, and having everyone focused on her was nothing short of uncomfortable. So, with a heavy sigh, she directed her chair to Shepard's room. At least it would be quiet in there.

Painful wouldn't even begin to describe the sensation that washed over the Commanders body as her consciousness slowly crept back. Her brain seemed to be aware, but she could not even open her eyes, even though all her willpower was focused on just that one task. In fact, nothing she tried to make her body do seemed to happen. Luckily, the focused effort took her attention away from her tight, burning skin and aching bones and muscles. She didn't know where she was, but she knew she was alive… somewhere. Where exactly would be a mystery to solve. If she could only open her eyes.

After many failed attempts at trying to move, she finally gave up and tried to relax instead. In was in that moment she began to hear something. What it was, she wasn't sure, but it sounded like it was approaching her. Immediately, her heart rate began to speed it. She had no idea what it could be. What if it was a husk? No, it didn't sound like one. Once again, she tried to force her eyes open or even tried to reach out to feel what was approaching her. Nothing. In the midst of her pure and utter building frustration, she instead tried to scream out.

It was in that moment she saw a distorted face, and in the familiar childlike voice, a whisper in her ear, "Was it the right choice?"

And then her eyes opened suddenly, and she was then looking up at the highly surprised face of a certain close asari. Lira took a couple seconds to process the abruptly awake Shepard before she lifted a hand to cover her mouth with a stifled exclamation, "Shepard!" Her blue eyes began to water and happy tears overtook her cheeks. She looked beaten, her face bruised and her eyes full of evidence that she had probably been worrying the whole time the Commander was unconscious. However long that was. Shepard wanted to reach up to her, wanted to speak, but she lacked the strength and her throat felt so dry that it might crack if she spoke.

"Commander!" the familiar voice of Dr. Chakwas echoed as the older woman rushed over to the side of the cot where Shepard lay. In one hand she held a bottle with a straw. She placed it in the Commander's mouth, and Shepard was relieved to drink the water contained in it.

After a few seconds, Shepard then tried to speak. "Liara," was all she managed to get out, and it was barely more than a hoarse whisper at that. The asari laughed softly despite her tears, leaning back in her chair.

"I'm here, Shepard. I'm here," she said as she reached out to place a hand on the Commander's shoulder. The contact, however, made Shepard flinch in slight discomfort and it was then that the smile instantly disappeared from Liara's face. Both she and Dr. Chakwas exchanged looks before the doctor stepped away from the bed.

"I'll go get everyone," she said with a soft smile as she moved towards the door. Shepard took the brief moment of privacy to reach over to take one of Liara's hands in her own, and it was then she realized just how bad she looked. Her skin was discolored and severely burned, and her cybernetics glowed under the worse parts of it all. She could not have been out long, because it all looked fresh. She did not have long to reflect on it as the various gasps of 'Shepard!' and the relieve noises of her crew echoed in the room when they entered. Liara released her hand and backed her chair up a bit.

"I knew you'd pull through, Lola!" the loud, excited voice of James rang. Shepard gave him a look before smiling a bit.

"James," she managed out in a playfully mocking tone. He let out a laugh as he patted the cot beside her.

"Well, I guess this means you owe me a date at the bar," Garrus said as he walked up to Shepard, giving her one of his famous grins. "That is, if we can find one that is intact." Shepard let out a solitary silent laugh, ignoring the pain the sudden movement stirred in her chest.

"I owe her a drink anyway," Ashley then piped up as she came closer. "My turn to see her hung over."

"She saw you, too?" It was Tali who piped up then. The tree of them smiled softly as they looked back at Shepard.

"Well, I just want to say," Garrus began as he folded his arms across his chest, "I'm glad you're down here with us. I wasn't ready to see if turian and human heaven was the same."

Joker then limped up to the side of the cot, smiling down at the Commander. "I don't know how you did it, Commander, but only you redefine the term impossible. And I brought you a copy of Vaenia, in case you want to use your new free time practicing." The pilot grinned furiously as both Shepard and Liara gave him equally flat looks.

"If I weren't in this bed," Shepard started before smiling at him and taking the vid. She then looked around the room. Javik loomed silently in the corner, but someone was still missing. "… EDI," she breathed. Everyone then went silent, and looked between each other. Liara wheeled up back beside Shepard.

"Shepard," she began with a light frown. "EDI ... and the geth they all lost their personhood."

"What?"

"Whatever you did caused them to regress. While they may very well still be AI, they will have to go through the process of, well, evolving to where they were."

Shepard cast a glance at Joker who was focusing on something particularly interesting on the rundown wall. She did not press further. Mostly because she was too exhausted to analyze every consequence of it all. She did not want to think about it right now, and lucky for her, no one else in the room wanted to talk about it either. It was best to cherish the happier moments.

"I think we should give them some time together," Dr. Chakwas then said as she tried to herd everyone out. They exited the room after bidding farewell to Shepard, the room going silent with the sound of the door closing. Shepard looked up at Liara who then took her hand once more.

"Elise," she whispered with a soft smile.

"How bad is it?" the Commander asked in reference to her face. Liara shook her head.

"Don't worry about that now." The asari leaned over her lover, placing a very soft kiss upon her raw lips. "I have something to tell you."

Shepard regarded her with a frown. "What is it?"

"Remember when we melded before the battle?" she asked quietly as she guided Shepard's hand to her stomach. The Commander's eyes widened as she met the gaze of the asari. Her expression was blank when it all finally sunk it.

"Y-you're…"