It took a few days but it didn't take long before Shepard could start to feel all the effects of her injuries.

Whether it was because she was starting to relax or whether it was because her body was now working to compensate now that there was an adequate supply of energy no one could exactly pinpoint why.

The Salarians had tried to map out areas of her brain that were most likely going to be permanently damaged but they couldn't be completely sure until the signs and symptoms would start to manifest themselves in Shepard.

By the third day, she started to have irregular breathing patterns which alarmed all the working specialists. The first assumption to present itself was that she was just having a panic attack maybe but when her breathing didn't return to normal and it continued to stop periodically it was obvious that something was wrong. Shepard protested against the oxygen mask presented to her but when she almost turned blue in the face because she couldn't for the life of her breathe, they stuck the mask on her and cranked it up to 6 liters warning her not to touch it unless she wanted to die by suffocation.

Immediately orders for a small device to regulate her breathing was given, putting the building of her arm cybernetics to completion on hold for a good while.

But this had just been the beginning. When her left arm healed, she found that she couldn't move it without tremors plaguing it. The Salarian doctor (strangely a specialist on humans) had analyzed it and had confirmed that there was no nerve damage to the extremity. However it was a different story when they decided to get an imaging of her brain while she tried use her left arm.

It turns out that in addition to her medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain being affected, her cerebellum had been damaged due to prolonged exposure to toxins. From that, they speculated that not just her movements would be shaky but that her sense of balance would be off as well, which wasn't apparent since she was and had been from the beginning of her recovery, in bed.

Shepard seemed to be taking it all in stride and when the Salarians had held a conference with her (in her room) about options for her full recovery, she refused to be rebuilt like she had been by Cerberus. They couldn't understand her decision but neither did they question it, although they did try to convince her otherwise despite being firmly rejected. The only thing she would accept was the device to help regulate her breathing.

"Long day captain?" Shepard smiled when Kirrahe came in rubbing the side of his head, she was sitting up in her bed with the oxygen mask still fitted to her nose and mouth. She immediately dropped her left arm to her side to hide the fact that she was still trying to control its movements even though she knew she wouldn't be able to.

"It's been...busy." Kirrahe relented and sank into the chair at her bedside. These visits had become regular and since Shepard couldn't go anywhere without dragging the large machine keeping her right arm alive, she was bedridden for the time being and welcomed visitors with enthusiasm.

Two weeks had passed by with no news of her crew and the Normandy, even with all of the up to date information that she was given about the outside world.

"The device to help regulate your breathing is almost completed commander. After a few tests are completed, we will schedule your surgery for the end of this week." he looked at her with a weary smile on his face.

"So it's going to be..." Shepard thought about it, "In three days?" she tilted her head to the side trying to ignore the wave of nausea creeping up inside her. It was nothing unusual by now and only happened when she made sudden movements.

"Yes." Kirrahe confirmed with a slight nod of his head, "Other than that there is nothing new." he shrugged his slim shoulders and relaxed back into his seat.

Shepard grinned, "Thank you very much for everything captain." she nodded to him slowly trying not to aggravate her nausea.

"Don't mention it commander." the Salarian returned her smile with one of his own.

-.-.-.-.

About a month had passed before everyone could say that Shepard was in the best condition possible (without the complete body buildup). Her breathing was back to normal and her cybernetics and biotic implants had been fixed or maintained. She could move her right arm with any problems (probably due to the cybernetics) but her left arm was virtually unusable.

Although the recovery time was shorter than most, it was only thanks to Shepard's willingness to actually adhere to the doctor's orders and the brilliant minds of the Salarians all working together.

"I'm...indebted to you all." Shepard bowed her head to all the Salarians that had been taking care of her. She was in a high spec wheelchair..er...hoverchair?

True to the Salarian doctor's words, her balance had been jacked up. Her coordination was intact however, which was something at least, but she couldn't stand up without falling over as if the room was spinning around. Sitting at all times was the only thing that would help.

"We could still perform more surgeries to bring you back as good as before." Kirrahe offered tentatively even though he knew what the answer would be. They all stood in front of her, a crowd of Salarians around a lone human being.

Shepard just smiled, "You know I'm just going to refuse." she answered with a small laugh, she flexed her right hand and then looked down at herself. It was so weird to be dressed in regular civilian clothing.

"It never hurts to keep trying." Kirrahe grinned, "So where are you off to now commander?" he asked. Although the Salarians had invited Shepard to stay with them longer, she refused that as well saying that she needed to learn how to be independent. So they had arranged a private apartment for her to stay at not too far from Alliance HQ in London, but well hidden and protected from prying eyes. 'It's the least we could do.' they had all said when Shepard had protested and they weren't taking no for an answer.

"I'll probably just take a little walk around the area before going to that place you guys have graciously set up for me." Shepard looked up at her new set of friends, "Keep in contact everyone, I'd love to have you over sometime."

Everyone said their goodbyes and watched as Shepard glided out of the doors in her chair. It was going to be her first time going outside in a month. They wished they could all be with her but that would only make her stand out more and she waved away their company saying that they had done enough for her.

It was understandable to want to be alone.

-.-.

Shepard squinted at the bright sunlight as she maneuvered her chair down the steps of the hidden hospital and after a quick look around, she made her way down the debris ridden sidewalk. It was a quiet neighborhood, and with the destruction that had occurred it almost looked like a ghost town. When she looked into the distance, she could see the colossal but still forms of the inactive reapers.

So she had done it. It was in a way unbelievable, even to her.

The day was cool despite it being the late afternoon and when a breeze brushed past her, she realized that she was cold, "Guess I gotta hurry to that place." she murmured and scrolled through the locations on her chair's navigation system that the Salarians had thought to make up for her specifically. She found the name of the apartment complex and pressed the button, the guidance arrows popped up immediately on the little screen beside her arm.

After another final look around and seeing no one in the area, Shepard suppressed a shiver and began to guide her chair down the street.

It was strange to be all alone, but it wasn't unwelcome.

When she finally reached her destination, she was a little surprised to see how elegant and simple the apartment complex was, it looked untouched by the war, either that or the Salarians had fixed it up for her...which she wouldn't put it past them to do something like that. It was a white building and she discovered that the place given to her was more like a 5 bedroom house rather than an apartment...what part of this was an apartment anyway?..those guys...they had lied to her.

Shepard frowned a little as she explored the place feeling a little guilty at the expenses they had clearly wasted on her. The place was fully furnished with an optimal level of security and there was even human food inside the fridge.

"They never miss a single thing do they?" Shepard couldn't help but smile a little as she shut the fridge doors and looked around. The place was too large for her but it would have to do for now. Suddenly her reflection caught her eye as she passed by a large mirror on her way upstairs to the bedroom and she froze.

The face that stared back at her almost seemed foreign. She had not looked at herself in the days she had spent with the Salarians, she hadn't wanted to for fear of...fear of what? There were no signs of trauma nor were there wounds or even scars visible. Those had most likely been corrected by surgery, but the gauntness of her cheeks, the paleness of her once tanned skin, the length of her overgrown hair...the expression on her face...It all seemed to be someone else.

"Who are you now?" she muttered to herself as she reached out her good arm to touch the mirror, her reflection. Her fingers met with cold resistance and she withdrew her hand after a moment. She hadn't wanted to think about anything while she was with Kirrahe but now that she was alone, it was harder not think about her situation.

What Kirrahe had said was right, there was no way she could return to being an officer, not the kind she was born and bred for at least. N7...

She could feel a scream bubbling up in the back of her throat but she pushed it down along with the anger threatening to take control of her. What would she do now? Should she have taken the countless offers she had rejected to rebuild her body? To fix her brain?

Shepard looked at the mirror trying to control her suddenly wild emotions, the reflection of herself stared back back almost as if it was making a mockery of her. The silence rang in her ears.

The expression on her face was enough to get her to look away. She had never seen herself look so pitiful. In a chair, unable to move freely, unable to even breathe properly on her own. What had she become?