After
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Leave
Gaz sat alone in her room. The fish tank opposite of her bed supplied the only light on her freckled face. Her cat lay next to her, purring at her touch. A data-pad lay at her feet with a story half-way read. Her arms were wrapped around her knees – head braced on her thighs. Most of the crew was gone now. They had returned to their families or were working for the Alliance once more. Tali had returned to the Flotilla. Grunt to Tuchanka. Thane and Samara had journeyed off some time ago – no one hearing from them since. Jacob had taken a position back with the Alliance. Garrus had stayed with Shepard for a bit, but decided he was needed back home.
In short, the only person Gaz saw from her 'glory days' was Chakwas at the hospital – who would give her an update on Joker's status.
It had been one month.
According to Chakwas, it was a miracle he was still breathing.
Her omni-tool hummed slightly on her wrist, causing the woman to set her chin atop her knees and activate the holographic device. It was a message.
"Hiiii
-Joker."
Gaz stared at the message – a smile spreading across her face, as she slid on some shoes and made her way to the hospital.
–
"Can I have pants now?"
"Not until I've run a few more tests."
"How would pants inhibit a test? Actually...I take that back. Why do you need to test in my pants region?"
"Jeff – just let me do my job," Chakwas requested, waving her omni-tool over Joker.
"How would pants stop you from doing your job?" Joker narrowed his eyes in thought, "Unless you're secretly a prostitute."
"I clearly whore around whenever I'm not cleaning paper-cuts of paper-pushing Alliance soldiers," Chakwas commented, now typing on her omni-tool.
"I knew it. But wait...people still use paper?"
"So you found me out. And occasionally yes. But can you tell me another mystery few know. What's my first name?"
Joker blinked, before narrowing his eyes, "It's Karen. Why are you asking me this?"
"Shepard's first name?"
"Giselle but goes by Gaz."
"The Normandy's ship's AI's name?"
"EDI? What does-?"
"Why are we on Earth?"
"Because Shepard blew up a Mass Effect Relay and killed a bunch of 'innocent' batarians in the process."
"What happened because of that?"
"We got..." Joker's eyes narrowed, "...grounded. Shepard lost her rank and..."
"Yes?"
"We went to a bar to blow off steam..."
"Go on."
"Kaidan was there?"
"Was he now?" Chakwas continued typing on her omni-tool.
"Yeah he...he nearly killed me, didn't he?"
"Do you remember why?"
"Because he...he saw me with Shepard."
"'With' Shepard?"
"Don't play coy, Chakwas, you know what I mean."
"I'm not the one who suffered severe head trauma."
"He saw me holding her hand and shit."
A smile tugged at Chakwas' features, as she lowered her omni-tool, "Good, your memory appears in-tact."
"That was a test?"
"Very much so. Also, Gaz apparently just showed up. I'll show her in."
Joker silently watched as Chakwas left the room, leaving him alone with his confusing thoughts. After a moment, the holographic display on the door spun around, revealing Chakwas waving Shepard in to the room.
"I have a few other patients to check on. I'll be back soon," Chakwas nodded.
Shepard entered the room – her light brown eyes glued to Joker.
"Hi."
He waved, as Shepard pulled a chair up next to the bed, "How ya feeling?"
"Honestly like I just had the most amazing nap."
"I see your wit stayed."
"Hope you didn't hire Kaidan to beat the smart-ass out of me."
Shepard lowered her eyes a bit too quickly.
"Sorry – was that too soon? Cuz that was like ten minutes ago for me," he shrugged.
"Nah...sorry, it's just been a rough month."
Joker frowned, sliding his hand over her's – which lay on the edge of his bed, "What happened?"
"Everyone left. Later today they decide if I'm under house arrest or not. They've had a few more hearings since the original. All of which I've lost."
"I'm...sorry."
"Don't be. I'm just glad you're speaking and breathing on your own again."
"Ha. Well – can we go home now? I hate hospitals."
"Chakwas clear you for that?"
"Actually she didn't answer. She 'ran a few tests' and got me to admit Kaidan beat the shit out of me for holding your hand," he frowned, pulling at the bill of his hat.
"How are you feeling...honestly?"
"A bit tired and achy."
Chakwas re-entered the room, holding a data-pad, "Jeff, you are free to go. Just keep activities at a minimum for awhile. Nothing too straining, alright? Also – avoid stronger foods. We had to rebuild a good portion of your stomach, and it's not quite acclimatized to your system yet."
"Will-do, Doc. Now...pants?"
–
"I released Jeff today."
"Really? To Gaz?"
"Yes. They seemed quite smitten with each other."
"I'm just glad he's okay..." Kaidan scratched his forehead as Chakwas crossed her arms.
"Me too. You two were and will always be my favorite patients. I don't appreciate trying to kill each other."
"I know...I know..." Kaidan lowered his eyes, "I can't justify what I did to Joker."
"I understand in a sort of brutish way, I suppose," Chakwas shrugged, leaning on the wall to her right, as a nurse passed them in the hall, "You've been quite taken by Shepard since you met her all those years ago. You finally won her over, then she died," Kaidan licked his lips uncomfortably as she spoke, "Then she came back from the dead and you pushed her away-"
"She was basically a robot zombie working for a terrorist organization. I think I've seen Joker watch a film with that exact plot before."
"True. But it did hurt her. A lot. I've seen that woman dance through battle without a single hesitation. But after what you did to her? She seemed...off balance."
Kaidan shook his head, appearing frustrated.
"I understood your hesitation, though," Chakwas continued, "I asked Cerberus for a full medical examination to prove that Shepard was indeed herself, before accepting. It seemed too good to be true."
"Yeah. You...aren't going to tell them that I visited Joker, will you?"
"If I catch them talking about you in a negative fashion, I may attempt to rekindle your name in their presence with that bit of information."
Kaidan nodded slowly, "I should go. Alliance has a few things they want to send me off on soon, and I need to read reports before I accept."
"I also heard they're thinking of promoting you to Major?"
"Yeah...I don't feel like I deserve it but-"
"You deserve it. You helped take down Saren and that whole mess."
"But Gaz is a Commander still."
"She also has been screaming 'Reaper,' which makes people uncomfortable, then was dead for two years. When she came back, she technically was not with the Alliance. I've run the numbers in my head a few times. It makes sense."
Kaidan nodded again, before his eyes darted to a nurse who walked by, "Anyway, I should be going."
"Have a good day, Kaidan. Stop by whenever you feel like a chat."
"Will do."
–
AN: Oh...this chapter was somewhat fun to right. I love Kaidan/Chakwas and Joker/Chakwas. She's EVERYONE'S mom. I figured Kaidan is the sort to beat himself up over things, so he would visit Joker over his month stay in the hospital (since Joker was unconscious for most of it). In other news, this is getting really close to the end. Like one-three more chapters, max.
My next fanfics I'm going to do are going to stick with Gaz as the Shepard and basically just back-build my own little world a bit. I'm thinking a post-resurrection fanfic (probably short), one to cover the two years she was dead, and maybe a pre-Alliance one – though most likely I'd work that into another one. May do some stuff based off of ME3 (just finished) but still thinking.
Yeah.
Rated M for: Language, future sexual situations, future violence, and so I can have freedom without fear of scarring a teen for life.
Oh – and I don't own anything ever.