Omega Chronicles -23- Awakenings
She slowly opened her eyes and was thankful for the dimmed lights in the medbay. Her head was pounding and dizzy. She blinked repeatedly, trying to chase away the faint pain on the left side of her face. She took notice that it was covered by bandages. She felt her body coming awake, it was so heavy. She was propped up against a hard pillow, a sheet covering her legs, her left forearm encased in an intricately designed cast that looked like a thick, plastic spider web.
As she finally focused, she saw Aria's beautiful smile welcoming her back to the land of the living. Her lover's blue eyes were shining brightly as she greeted her. "I was starting to think you'd be sleeping forever, Commander."
Shepard let out a short cough, her throat still feeling quite raw, before she replied. "You could have woken me with a kiss, my Queen." She noticed the questioning look on the Asari's face. "Old human fairy tales cliché."
Aria nodded. "I'll keep it in mind."
The human looked around, the medbay was empty and the lights from the windows facing the canteen were very low. "Night shift?"
"Yes. I'm glad you woke up now. At least we won't be immediately engulfed by droves of people wanting to say hi and how are you and how do you feel and other useless questions."
The Commander reached for her bondmate's hand and held it sweetly. "I appreciate the chance to have some time alone with you too. Besides, I cannot imagine a better thing to wake up to than your eyes and your smile."
Aria almost cringed. "I sure hope you haven't suffered any brain damage that will make you spew out sappy stuff like that all the time from now on." Her hand squeezed the human's with affection, a small smile gracing the corners of her blue lips.
Shepard couldn't help asking. "How long was I out?"
"Less than 24 hours. I have to admit that Mordin truly worked a miracle on you. Again. I will end up owing that guy more than I can pay him if you don't stop trying to get yourself killed all the time." She seemed to be pensive for a moment before she continued. She looked intensely at the Commander. "There's someone who wants to see you."
The human had a half confused look on her face, which quickly faded as she saw Aria's eyes turn into infinite black pools and she felt her inside her mind, the sensation so welcome, so familiar and yet always so exhilarating. She greeted her with a wave of love so strong that it lifted the Asari's consciousness and encircled her completely. Aria absorbed it all and gave it back tenfold, for a long moment they were overwhelmed by each other, with each other, then the Queen slowly brought them down from the inebriating high.
As a sort of virtual curtain opened in the Asari's mind, Shepard saw right away their little ball of light making her way to be with them, dancing all around them, feeding on the love between them. Then she heard a voice, clear as a silver bell and just as sweet.
'Who are you? We are the same, but not the same. I feel it.'
Shepard's head spun out of control and she thought she would fall from the bed, her hand grasped Aria's so tight it almost hurt. A smile opened on her face, she let out a gasp as the air rushed out of her lungs and her uncovered eye was swelling.
The Queen felt it all so vividly and helped her calm down, a wave of peace pervading their joined minds.
The human was dumbfounded in pure happiness. Aria replied in her stead, giving her a few more moments to collect herself.
'This is your father.'
The little light shone even more brightly and pirouetted around Shepard. 'My father? What is that?'
Aria patiently explained. 'You were born of us. Both of us. You are part me and part your father. That is why you feel you are the same. Like you do with me.'
The Commander reached out to hold her daughter's ethereal form. She finally found her voice.
'We are the same.'
She encircled the little consciousness with all of her love and enjoyed seeing her bask in it. She materialised her avatar and her arms held her daughter softly. She felt her curiosity prodding her mind in so many different ways, absorbing details and notions and feelings, much more quickly than it would have taken her by formulating questions. Shepard adapted effortlessly and immediately shielded her precious girl from the things she didn't want her to see. All the violence and danger she had experienced in her life, all the painful memories, all the strain, the fighting, the harsh process of hardening she had to live through were stored away for the time being, to give her little light a chance at feeding and growing on all that was positive and warm and beautiful.
Aria's avatar was looking on, ready to help with whatever small obstacle or misunderstanding might come along, but she realised that it was not going to be needed after all. Shepard was proving once again to be an extraordinary creature. The Queen couldn't help smiling as her mind was encompassed in the exchange, the three of them flowing and melting into each other.
This felt so different than what had happened during her pregnancy with Liselle. She had left the father right away, never looking back. All she had wanted back then had been the genes to randomise her own DNA. As was always her habit, she had taken whatever she had wanted and had discarded the rest, leaving in a rush and becoming yet another ghost in someone's memory. It had been difficult to feed the growth of her first daughter by herself, but she had of course managed, with stubbornness more than with patience. This on the other hand. It felt so much more relaxed, so much more joyful. She felt whole, like she had never felt before. The realisation surprised her and for an instant she wanted to retreat and to erase that unknown, strange feeling. Just for an instant. Then Shepard's avatar raised her eyes and looked at her so deeply, so intensely, and she gave her such a loving smile as she was cradling the bundle of light that was the clearest, most beautiful embodiment of the bond they had chosen to share. Yes, this felt right. This felt perfect. She reciprocated the smile and met in their embrace. She willed their avatars to dissipate and they all fused together, living and breathing and pulsating as one for an infinite moment.
In the physical world, Shepard blinked and her tears were finally free to flow out of her eye and down her face. She had never felt such a powerful feeling of fulfilment, of pure joy. This felt perfect. She let out a wave of gratefulness that inundated their minds.
Slowly, gently, Aria started to let the meld fade as the human exchanged a few mental caresses with their daughter, leaving behind a promise to be back soon.
As the Asari's eyes turned back to their usual electric blue, there was a long silence between them. It had been an intense experience for both of them and they took the time to come back to the here and now, together.
Shepard found herself speechless. "Wow." It was but a whisper, under her breath.
Aria replied in the same tone. "Indeed."
The Commander fixed her dark eye on the Queen's and spoke in a husky voice. "Aria. You know I try to never ask anything of you."
The Asari's expression turned immediately to one of concern. She did not like this premise at all. Shepard went on, in an even lower tone. "But right now, I really need you to kiss me."
Aria's relief was like a sun on her face as she got up from the chair and elegantly sat down on the bed. Her arms moved to each side of the human's body, her gloved hands sustaining her weight as she leaned in. She stopped one breath away from her bondmate's face. She felt Shepard's arms circling her shoulders to pull her closer. "How could I deny you, when your voice sounds so inviting."
They grinned on each other's lips. The Commander's hand slid behind her neck, stroking her sensitive tendons there, drawing her near. Their mouths met in a needful kiss, softly at first, deepening quickly, their tongues hungry to caress each other, brushing together in hot, fluid motions. In the space of a heartbeat they were devouring each other, low moans escaping their throats, craving for more.
The doors to the medbay slid open.
With a sudden gasp, Liselle stopped in her tracks. "Oh! Not again! Why? Why do I always have to be the one catching the two of you in lewd acts? Why?" She threw her arms up in an overly dramatic way. Then her hands came resting on her hips and she just stared at them with a scolding look on her stunning, angelic face.
They stopped kissing and just looked at each other for a long moment. Aria whispered on Shepard's lips in a deliciously threatening voice. "This isn't over."
The Commander replied in one hoarse breath. "I'm counting on it."
They exchanged a sultry grin as the Maiden was making her way towards the bed. "And to think I just wanted to see if you needed me to take over for a little while. You haven't left this room for a minute, Aria."
The Queen gave her a caustic look. "And I'm not going to leave it now." She saw the half hurt expression on her daughter's face and mellowed just a tad. "But thank you for the offer."
Liselle stood by Shepard's side, she lay her hand on the human's thigh and caressed it sweetly through the bed sheets. "It's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"
Aria got up and rolled her eyes, her hand waving in the air in an annoyed gesture. "See? What did I tell you about visitors and useless questions."
The Commander couldn't help a short laugh. "Oh, come on. Give her a break, she's just being kind." She smiled and winked at the Maiden, who giggled lightly.
Aria still had a stern look on her flawless face. "See if you'll be willing to say the same thing when you have replied to that same question for the 400th time later in the day." She casually leaned against an empty bed, her arms crossed on her chest.
The human gave her attention to Liselle. "I'm feeling better, thank you... but what are you doing here? How -did- you get here?"
The young Asari explained briefly how she had arrived at the Citadel a couple of days before the attack, on personal business.
They were interrupted by the doors opening again, letting in Mordin. A wrinkly smile opened on the old Salarian's face as he saw that Shepard was awake. "Ha. Well done, Commander. You just won me a bet. Need to go and collect, be back in a minute to check your vitals." Just as quickly as he had walked in, he walked out, leaving a big question mark in the room.
Shepard laughed and commented. "I guess I'll have to ask him about that later. Wouldn't want to miss out on one of his funny stories."
In the space of a few minutes, certainly thanks to Mordin's big mouth, word had spread fast in the close confinement of such a small ship that the Commander was awake, alive and kicking. Members of the crew that were not on duty were standing outside the medbay, looking in through the pale windows, their faces smiling, some of them waved, some nodded their greeting.
The first to enter after Mordin was Garrus. He stepped surely towards the bed. Once there, he suddenly seemed uncertain as to what to do next. Shepard helped him out. "Hey, Vakarian. I heard you dug me out. Thanks. I owe you big time."
He nodded at her and replied in his low, pleasant, raspy voice. "Don't mention it, Shepard. You know I always have your back."
They exchanged a glance that spoke volumes of the deep friendship that had quickly developed between them.
The moment got interrupted by Wrex's booming voice, as the huge Krogan walked in and stood behind the Turian. "Shepard. You just cost me a thousand credits. Thanks."
The Commander smiled. "Is that your way of saying you're happy to see me alive?"
The Battlemaster's lips quivered in a giant smirk. "Yeah. You can certainly see right through me." He raised his hand and carefully patted her shoulder. "I'm glad I got to see you awake before leaving. I need to get back to Tuchanka. Thank you for the adventure. It was certainly one for the ages. Maybe we'll meet again someday. Until then, know that you have a friend and ally among the Krogan." He turned to give Aria a piercing look, he nodded at her as he spoke again. "This is a special one alright. Congratulations. Well chosen." He excused himself and exited the room.
As he was walking out, Jack was coming in. She was still sporting a few random cuts over her skin, that were healing quickly thanks to Mordin's expertise. She stepped next to Shepard's bed, nudging Garrus to make him move a bit out of the way. She looked at the Commander, all over, almost in disbelief.
Shepard noticed something in the way she was looking at her and addressed her Turian friend. "Can you please give us a moment?" She didn't even consider asking Aria to leave, she knew it would be absolutely useless, but she also knew that the Asari would never betray whatever was about to be said in the privacy of the medbay between Jack and herself. Jack knew it too, instinctively, and didn't mind the Queen staying.
Once alone, the biotic's voice was low and serious. "I never thought -I- would get out of this one alive. Let alone you. I was looking back while I was running from that blast. I saw it hit you. I saw you spreading your body as much as you could to shield Aria from it. I saw her falling and crawling back to grab your hand, trying to pry you from under the rubble. I saw her being engulfed by the second shockwave just as I was falling and cowering in that corner, hoping that there would be enough distance between me and the destruction. I should have come back to help you. I should have stood up and... I couldn't. I was paralysed. My skin was on fire, there was so much pain..." She lowered her face, seemingly unsure whether to go on in her confession or not. When she raised it, just a second later, there was a hurt pride in her eyes. "There was so much fear. I was paralysed by fear, Shepard. It hadn't happened in so long. I didn't know what to do with it. And so I did nothing. And I hate myself for it."
The Commander didn't reply right away. She extended her hand towards Jack, silently inviting her to take it. After a moment of hesitation she did just so. In a lightning fast move, Shepard yanked her and her tattooed body fell into the Commander's embrace, and Shepard held her there as tightly as she could, considering what little energy she had at the moment. Nevertheless, she did not let her go as she whispered in her ear. "You did nothing wrong. I have nothing but gratefulness for you. For your dedication, for your strength, for your tenacity, for your indomitable spirit. You are a remarkable, splendid, glorious human being. But that's all you are. You're not invincible, you're not immortal, you're not omnipotent, and I never expected you to be. You're only human, Jack. Once you realise it, once you allow yourself to just be who you are, the burden you carry will fall off your shoulders. And I will be there to celebrate your freedom with you. Until then, I will walk your path with you, and I will always be proud to call you my friend."
Jack was staggered for a second at the completely unexpected words, then her arms eagerly snaked around Shepard, between her back and the pillow, and she returned the embrace with all of herself, burying her face in the Commander's neck, drawing long breaths, her body betraying the relief, the gratitude, the deep affection she was feeling. They stayed like that for a small eternity.
They heard the doors opening again and Jack quickly regained her composure as Mordin was walking back in, a spring in his step, his pockets a thousand credits heavier. Pretending to ignore the awkward posture of the biotic, he approached Shepard's bed and brought his medical omnitool online to take a look at her vitals as he had promised earlier. He was very happy with his readings. "Excellent. Healing fast. Need all your energy for meeting the Council tomorrow."
There was a look of surprise on Shepard's face. "Meeting who? When?"
Aria commented in an almost indifferent tone. "Ah, yes. That is what I was forgetting to mention. I knew there was something. The Council wants to meet you, they want to give you a fucking medal or some such thing as recognition for outstanding services rendered to the galactic community. Or something along those pompous, pretentious lines. Jack will go with you, of course, and she'll get her own medal." She looked at the biotic, scanning her from head to toe. "You better wear something more than that, if you don't want them to pin that medal on right on your artistic tattoos, by the way."
Shepard stared at her. "What about you?"
"Me? As you humans like to say, it will be a very cold day in Hell before I stand in front of those conceited, self righteous assholes to be 'lauded' by them."
"But you want -me- to go."
The Asari glanced at the other two people in the room, a look of steel in her eyes. "All right. Everybody out. I need to speak to the Commander alone."
Knowing better than to talk back to the Queen, Jack and Mordin made their way out of the medbay in sure, fast strides.
Once the doors closed behind them Aria went to sit on Shepard's bed. Her voice was focused and cold. "Yes, I want you to go there. Not only. I want you to report back to me every single word that will be said during that meeting. Better yet, record it on your omnitool. I am curious as to how they plan to follow through in the wake of the Reaper's attack, and you, with your fabulous diplomatic skills and your winning smile, will be my perfect, charming spy."
Shepard brought up her hand and cupped the Asari's face, caressing it slowly. She nodded gravely, her eye never leaving Aria's. "Anything you need of me. Always."
The Queen caught her hand and brought it to her blue lips, kissing it softly. Her voice dropped an octave, smoothly. "That's my Commander."