A/N A big THANK YOU to my new follows! You have no idea what this means to me! I apologize for the darker tone of this chapter. I had to get through this stuff to get to the lighter things.
HERS
Shepard was done with Eden Prime. She called up to the Normandy to get a transport of the beacon. She and Ashley Williams were ready to get out of there. This mission had gone south fast, but it got worse when she turned to see that damn Lt. Alenko being pulled toward the beacon.
Why the hell is it glowing? I can't risk losing both men on my team!
She tackled Alenko and pushed him away from the beacon, which was humming and radiating with activity. Just before her mind was filled with horrific images, her thoughts drifted to that lieutenant.
I would do this for you again.
Then her world went black.
Hazy light began filling her lids as she regained consciousness.
"Doctor! Doctor Chakwas! I think she's waking up!"
Who is that talking? God, don't yell. I can hear just fine.
Shepard's eyes opened and she sat up. She was in the med bay looking at the friendly face of Dr. Karin Chakwas. "Commander, are you ok? How are you feeling?"
"I'm all right, doc. How long was I out?"
Dr. Chakwas starting talking about her condition when Shepard noticed the other person in the room.
Alenko. He looks worried. I hope I didn't say anything stupid while I was out. Wait a second, how'd I get back on the ship? Noticing his muscular arms, she wondered if he carried her, or if he and Williams called a med evac team. I could have been touching him, smelling him, leaning against him and I was freaking passed out? Shit.
Shepard starting feeling bad about how she had been avoiding him. He had never done anything wrong, and she prejudged him and here he was in the med bay worried about her. She remembered her last conscious thought. I would do this for you again. She knew right there was truth.
"You couldn't have known what would happen," she told him reassuringly. He smiled.
She smiled back. Yeah, he's still handsome. Too bad I jacked things up by being his XO.
HIS
Kaidan looked at the green glowing spire and felt an involuntary draw to it. His body was being forced in a direction that he didn't want to go, and his strength wasn't enough to stop it. Suddenly, another giant force pushed him from the relentless pull from the beacon. He crashed to the ground and saw Shepard being lifted in the air.
"Shepard!" What have I done?
"Don't touch her!" Ashley Williams yelled. "It's too dangerous!"
He thought the beacon would cause her body to explode the way it was making her shake. When the beacon exploded instead, Kaidan leapt into action, his training as a field medic kicking in.
"We've got to get her back to the ship!" Oh, God, no. I barely know her. This can't be the end. He couldn't believe the grief that was beginning to build in his soul. How many days had he known her? What, maybe 2 weeks?
A shuttle arrived and Kaidan made sure to secure Shepard's neck before lifting her onto the gurney. He caught a faint fragrance from her hair as he did.
She smells like the beach.
His guilty conscience wouldn't let him leave the med bay, even after repeated reassurances from Dr. Chakwas that the commander was indeed fine, and all she needed was time for her brain to recover from the trauma. Only slightly was that feeling relieved when Shepard began to stir.
He wanted to rush to her side, apologize for being careless, kiss her lips, take her in his arms…Embarrassment creeped up into his face as he bound those wandering thoughts.
Kaidan listened quietly until Dr. Chakwas finished speaking. He couldn't hold it in anymore. "You pushed me out of the way, and if it wasn't for me, well…" His voice drifted off.
"You couldn't have known what would happen," she told him, not unkindly. Warmth filled him and came out in a shy smile. When she smiled back, Kaidan thought the universe never looked brighter.
Too bad she's my XO.
