And all these days I spend away

I'll make up for this I swear

I need your love to hold me up

When it's all to much to bear

- Landing in London, 3 Doors Down

Still standing in the hospital hall, Garrus incredulously blinked several times, unable to quite comprehend what Liara had just told him. Slowly, his brain seemed to catch up with his ears, and he flared his mandibles into the biggest grin he could remember having in a long while. Alenko's eyes were as big as saucers, and Vega had the cheesiest grin upon his face. Brian Potts looked bewildered.

Shaking the disbelief from his mind, he made a move to pass Liara and go directly through the door she just came out of, but as he did, the asari grabbed him firmly by the wrist and pulled him around to face her.

"There's a few things you should know before you go in there," she began. Garrus nodded fervently, not really looking at Liara, his eyes glazed over with the thought of wanting to brush her aside, make a beeline straight to Shepard's side, and hold her in his arms until the end of time.

"Listen to me, Garrus" she said aggressively. "Her body is still weak, and she may be a bit confused as to what's happened."

Garrus glanced over his shoulder. Brian Potts, the human Liara had "invited", frowned over the rims of his glasses. It seemed as if he was still perplexed. There was a chance Liara hadn't told him everything about the situation… specifically that Shepard was just in the next room.

"She doesn't know about her arm yet…," she finished.

The Primarch jerked his head back round at this last statement.

"You didn't tell her?" he growled, suddenly livid. Liara shook her head, placing her hands on her hips defiantly. "No, I did not. Her mind is still fragile, and she shouldn't have to be placed under any more stress… I'm certain you would agree."

Garrus sighed irritably and nodded. Of course he agreed… she made sense. Often times anymore, he believed that their young asari friend had finally learned to place logic in front of emotions, and make diplomatic decisions… no wonder she was damn good at what she did.

"Excuse me," came a small voice. Garrus turned around once more, Potts had cleared his throat and was shuffling his feet apprehensively. "Does anyone mind telling me exactly what I'm doing here?"

"Yes… I'm getting to that," Liara said, holding up a hand, and giving the human pause. "Give me just another-"

But what she was saying was drowned out in an outbreak of screams, the clattering of metal, and one unearthly roar of fury, coming from inside Shepard's room.

"Ahh, shit," Vega muttered.

"Shepard," Garrus whispered and swept by Liara in one swift motion.

Upon opening the door, he could scarcely believe what he was seeing.

The entire room had been thrown into disarray: tables stood upheaved, the curtain around the bed had been torn from the brackets, and even the vid monitor had was hanging lopsided on the wall, a spiderweb of cracks reaching its corners.

Shepard had a young orderly suspended in the air with what appeared to be an extremely controlled Lift. Somehow, someway, she was also Reaving, laying waste to the nurse's body. The nurse was crying out in immense pain, clawing at her throat, as every nerve in her body was ravaged. Biotics jumped off Shepard's remaining arm, surging around her outreached hand, and filling the room with static discharge.

Dr. Chakwas stood beside Shepard, urging her, begging with her to get back to bed, shouting over top of her continued bellowing and the nurse's increasingly quieter sobs. Her requests went unnoticed.

"WHAT DOES CERBERUS WANT?!" Shepard snarled. Garrus saw her eyes, they were glazed over in a blind rage. He had never seen her like this before and doubted she was fully comprehending what she was doing. Even in her weakened state she was a force to be reckoned with.

"ANSWER ME!" she bellowed again. Something had to be done soon… she was on the verge of killing the innocent nurse, or doing more damage to herself.

"Shepard…," Garrus said quietly, taking a step towards her gingerly, his hand reaching out slowly to her. She blinked once or twice, but didn't restrain her biotics.

"Aurora…," he said in almost a whisper, his subharmonics pleading with her. "Come back to me, Aurora."

A flash of recognition at his voice flickered behind her eyes, and almost sluggishly, the Reave wavered for a moment longer and then died. Shepard's eyes fluttered once more, and she turned to face him.

"G-Garrus?" she said in a feeble voice, still maintaining the Lift that hung onto the suspended and shaking nurse.

From the corner of his vision, he saw Liara take hold of the orderly with her own biotics. He nodded his head, chancing another step toward her.

"You can let go now, Aurora," Garrus said softly. Shepard scanned the room and at Chakwas, then at the small party that had gathered in the doorway, and then at the nurse in the air. Fear and anxiety took hold and she gasped. The last of her biotics dissipated as she jerked her hand back in horror at the havoc she had created.

She whimpered, staggered once and fell to her knees. Garrus moved instantly to her side and caught her in his arms, also dropping to the floor. He held her close, feeling her shudder, feeling her begin to sob uncontrollably into his chest. He nuzzled the top of her head gently, trying to console her.

"Sshh… It's alright," he whispered, keeping his head bent close to her ear. "You're safe… I've got you now…"

Chakwas let out an audible sigh of relief. Liara tended to the orderly who was still visibly shaken. Vega let out a long, low whistle, and Alenko leaned back against the door frame, closing his eyes. Potts looked on, disbelief and doubt written across his face.

In a far off and distant voice, Garrus heard him say, "She's alive?!" But his exclamation was ignored.

Garrus glanced up at Chakwas, looking for direction. It was imperative they get Shepard into bed at once and hooked back up to the IVs, as she had ripped them all out in her fit of rage and confusion. Chakwas motioned towards the hospital bed, and rubbed her forehead in exhaustion. Garrus shifted Aurora in his arms ever so slightly as he stood, and carried her to where Chakwas had indicated. Garrus set her down carefully on the mattress.

She grabbed a hold of the front of his clothing, tears still streaming down her face, and croaked, "Please don't leave me…"

Leaning his head into hers, he breathed, "Never…"

So a bit shorter than previous chapters, but still we see insights into fucked up Shepard is... Lots of info soon!