A/N ok, so I was planning on holding off uploading until I heard back from any of you wonderful people, and blackmail is a great plan, until you realize you've written another good ten thousand words, and you see the hit counter rising, and you hope that there are people waiting to see where this goes as much as you are dying to share it. So, I give you the next installment – a short one, but I hope you'll like it anyway! More to come tonight, in any case
This time, even the team of doctors which Kaidan had come to think of as the most negative people in the galaxy couldn't deny this was a positive sign. Judging by the smile wreathed on Dr. Chakwas' face when she finished her consultation with them, it was a very positive sign. Kaidan still held the hand that squeezed his back, not constantly, but every few minutes or so, to his face. He personally had decided that this day was better than any other he could remember, even better than the day they knew the Reapers were finally gone. And Kasumi was his new best friend, just because she had been there when it had happened.
The only cloud on his amazing beautiful horizon was that he would have to leave Shepard for a few hours today to arrange for his mother's housing and transport. Then he'd have to somehow, on this most glorious of days, when his heart wanted to sing with joy and happiness, find the strength and sobriety to comfort the woman who had helped make him the man he was today. He knew that his mother was likely aware that he was in love, she always seemed to have an intuition about him, although he was never one to talk about his affairs. Perhaps she would be able to find comfort in his happiness. Regardless, today he felt he could accomplish anything, he'd find a way to help his mother.
He was so deep in his thoughts he nearly missed it. It was so subtle anyway, it took repetition for it to truly sink in, but once he confirmed that no, his eyes were not playing tricks, he leaned closer, staring at the face of the woman he loved with his entire soul and watched as her eyes slowly blinked open. When he saw the awareness, the consciousness, the life in them, he knew she was back. He kissed her cheek gently, stroked her forehead, and whispered in a voice husky with the emotions welling in his throat, "Hi."
Her first thought was that he looked tired, but happy, and she was oh-so-glad that her decision to call the Normandy for evac before that final run to the beam had been the right one. He may be tired, but he was sitting here now, safe and whole, and that was the important thing. She realized she must be in a hospital, she could hear the sound of the machines around her and she didn't seem to be able to move, although trying resulted in more pain than she had ever experienced before. She thought that she had either had the worst nightmare of her life or she been on one of the most freaky trips a person could have. Her memories of those final moments, after the run to the beam, didn't seem to want to coalesce. She thought the Illusive Man had been there, and Anderson – her mind shied away from that one, too much pain there for now – and the child from her dreams. What the fuck did he have to do with it, anyway?
She sighed mentally, realizing she was tired, she hurt, and Kaidan - oh god how she loved him - Kaidan was here and with her. That was enough for now, she could rest. She closed her eyes again and slipped into sleep, this time a deep healing sleep.
Kaidan watched the emotions fly through her expressive eyes in those few precious seconds of consciousness. He saw the awareness, the love, the pain, confusion and then peace. He knew that the days ahead would be difficult. Although he had tried to shield himself from the doctor's reports in self-defense, he was aware enough of the struggles that lay ahead for her; the evidence was plain to anyone who had even rudimentary medical knowledge. He knew the fight ahead for Shepard may, in fact, be more difficult than any of her previous ones. Certainly more frustrating to her, if he knew her at all, since there wouldn't be anyone she could fling biotically or gun down with her shotgun in this fight. But he also knew that nothing would keep him from her side, helping her through them, just as he had from the beginning. They were a team – they had paid their dues, had their issues, but they would stand together now no matter what. He refused to consider any other outcome.
He stood up and headed out to let the doctors know of the latest development, thinking along the way that when he talked to his mother later, he needed to let her know that he had found the woman he would spend the rest of his life with. He hoped it would bring a smile to her face, finally.