AUTHOR: Elizabeth E. Carter

TITLE: RISING FROM THE ASHES

SERIES: Mass Effect

PAIRING: Paragon F Shepard / Liara

CATEGORY: action / romance
RATING: M for mature

SPOILER ALERT: ME2, some of the books, comics and ME3

SUMMARY: Sovereign is dead, the citadel in ruins the council is saved, but Shepard's task is yet unfinished, The Reapers remain a threat. And life is always in the balance (A rewrite of ME2-ME3 with quite a few changes thus it has slightly become an AU from cannon as most fanfictin is)

DISCLAIMER: Bioware owns the concept of Mass Effect and all of its characters. This fanfic is for entertainment and no profit what-so-ever

And a special thank you to my wonderful team of beta readers. Two of which are reediting the whole thing.

AN1: It seemed that Shepard would have been a bit more banged up than seen at the epilogue of the Paragon: saving the Council ending. I drew out the drama a bit more. Inspired by the Sam-bashing in SG1 episodes this pays homage to that as well. Sorry for lack of med-research, inspired as I said by scenes in Stargate SG-1 and Dr. Janet's Fraiser. And I wanted to incorporate some of the tec from what cannon Shepard was given in the Lazarus Project here, so that it more-or-less matches. Went though a bit of rewriting, so even if you've read this, parts have changed a bit.

AN2: Ash's lines inspired by Kim's character in the Undercity in Knight's of the Old Republic. Done in the classic ME developer way of their many many Easter eggs and homage to the general Sci-Fi genera. Looking back now I can see that my writing has evolved from this chapter into the later ones.

AN3: This was written way before ME2 was released and all we had were the rumors that Shepard beings the game dead, she gets a new crew with some returning familiar faces. She was to be given a new ship and that Cerberus will be taking a larger role in this one. So bare that in mind when you read the story. Later on I will merge cannon elements back into the main body. Also there are a few odd choices our hero makes but its plot devices I assure you dear readers.

MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME

Chapter 1: Rising from the Ashes

The image of the commander unloading her pistol into the chest cavity of the Saren-husk was burned in the chief's mind. Shepard had launched herself into the air, tackled the husk in a fluid movement that became a dark dance of death. The snarl of anger on the Spectre's face as she brought her side arm to full bear until it overheated and nearly exploded in the woman's hand. The bodies tumbled back to the garden's earth.

The sound of inorganic pain moaned above them, shifted, all around them, grinding metal against metal from behind. Liara summoned to her fingertips the power of a singularity, Williams lifted her assault rifle, her own implant attuned to the mechanics of the firearm set to overkill and aimed at the spot Shepard had fallen.

Shepard tossed the body from her even as detritus from the battle overhead rained down upon them. "GO!" Shepard shouted over the din of explosions. She accentuated her command with a forceful biotic push that sent both Liara and Williams across the quad.

The chief rolled to her feet just in time to see a massive chuck of Sovereign's hull cascade through the tower's shattered roof right onto the commander.

"NO! No it's not fair!" Ashley screamed. "You can't take her! It's not fair! You can't take her, you can't!"

Liara moaned "Oh Goddess no…please…"

The ground beneath quaked as even more debris crashed down upon the horror struck women. Smoke cloyed the air, sparks erupted, shrapnel fell and darkness consumed consciousness.

MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME

"They're here!" a voice broke out from the invading light now visible in the darkness of destruction. "Captain, I found them." A male voice called out.

Ashley opened her eyes, but it did little good, for the world looked as if someone had smeared it with grey chalk. It dawned on the young marine that something was wrong with her visor. She gingerly removed her helmet just as Captain Anderson knelt before her. He smiled at her, "It's alright, it's over. You're safe."

Ashley looked over the man's shoulder to see that Dr. T'Soni had her own helmet removed so she could breathe. Her blue eyes clouded with tears that had nothing to do with the smoking ruins.

"Where's the Commander?" Anderson asked.

Ashley swallowed the lump that had suddenly grown in her throat. Tears fell down the proud marine's face as she shook her head. "I….she…my fault…she chose…to save us…she should have shielded herself. She…she's…gone…"

Anderson winced; the words hit him like a physical blow. Shepard had been the best of humanity, their best hope to prove themselves to the Council - to the other races. Her orders to protect the Council had insured humanity a place on the Citadel Council. She had given so much of herself. Others had died today - a great many humans to protect the Council. Some would blame her choice, but Shepard must have seen the long reaches of her decision to protect the Council even at the loss of so many Alliance vessels. Because of that choice the Citadel and the Council were now indebted to humanity.

Liara looked to the spot where Shepard had been crushed. "She gave her life for ours." Liara spoke perhaps more to herself than anyone listening.

"She made a choice, Chief." Anderson said. "Just as she did on Elysium, just as she did on Virmire. She chose the Council, you and Dr. T'Soni. She died as she lived, a hero. Honor that sacrifice."

'Her blood is on my hands.' Ashley gave no voice to her thoughts. 'If she would have used her biotics to shield herself, she might have lived.' She looked at the openly weeping asari. The young archaeologist hadn't simply lost a commanding officer, or friend she had lost the love of her life, her intended. Ashley felt more guilt than before. 'I am so sorry…'

Broken and wounded, Ashley and T'Soni allowed the medic to lead them from the decrepit metal skeleton of what remained of the Citadel tower. More now than ever Williams resented the Council. If they had only listened to the skipper before Ilos... just listened... so much could have been avoided. All this death. Shepard would still be alive. She and Dr. T'Soni would be planning their nuptials. Instead a funeral lay in the future. It wasn't fair.

Liara looked back to the mound of sheered burning metal "It can't be…" She dare hope to trust what she thought she saw.

Anderson frowned; clearly the young woman was going onto shock. He gathered from the rumors he had heard that Shepard and Dr. T'Soni shared an intimate relationship. He had no idea how asari related to death, but he knew young lovers were reluctant to believe the one they gave their heart to was dead, even more unwilling to leave their bodies behind. "Dr. T'Soni..." he moved towards her then paused as he followed the young woman's gaze to the rubble.

Black and red moved against grey metal.

Black and red? The colours of N7 armour!

"Samantha!" T'Soni started rushing towards the debris.

"Skipper!" Ashley right next to her.

"I'll be damned." Anderson laughed with relief, awe and disbelief. "Shepard... how in the hell?"

Lumbering out of the detritus, clutching her side was none other than Commander Samantha Shepard first human Spectre. With a massive mega watt smile on her face. Blood slid down her grime caked face, but she was alive. Despite all the odds she lived!

Liara was at her side embracing the woman she loved with all her being, kissing her face frantically. "I believed you dead, Melethril."

"Owww!" Shepard moaned before she fainted.

"Oh!" Liara lessened her hold but only slightly. Samantha's weight was quickly falling upon her. Liara slight lithe form belied the strength inherent of the asari but the shock of seeing her beloved alive nearly caused the young maiden to buckle at the knees.

"I got you Skipper." Ashley's voice cracked with overjoyed elation. As Shepard had when on Virmire, now Williams carried the fallen comrade over her shoulder rushing for the medical-evac Mako. Upon entering the cabin she gently dropped the commander down on a gurney. "Medic!"

Dr. Chakwas rushed to the gurney pushing Williams to one side. "Shepard, can you hear me? Shepard?"

Williams and Dr. T'Soni ducked out of the way as a field medic rushed past on their flank intent on getting to Shepard's side. She quickly detached the locks on the hardshell cuirass and dropped it to the side out of the way. With a pair of shears she cut open the commander's tunic and sports bra. Blood gleamed from a four inch gash along Shepard's right side, where Saran-husk had plunged his talons. A second medic picked up the chest piece and tossed it to Williams who managed to catch her commander's armour before it clattered to the floor of the Mako.

"How's she doing?" Chakwas demanded still trying to assess the extent of Shepard's wounds. There was a regular menu of injuries: deep lacerations, extensive blood loss, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding, concussion and that was only what was evident on a cursory examination.

"Respiration is shallow, pulse is weak and erratic," the nurse answered.

Chakwas pried open Shepard's eyes, first the left then the right shining a penlight into them trying to assess head trauma. "Commander, answer me."

"I've lost the pulse."

"She's in de-Fib. Bag her." Chakwas announced suddenly. "I want an EKG and an EEG stat." She punched Shepard's chest to try and restart the heart's regular rhythm.

The medic quickly and efficiently attached leads to Shepard's chest over her heart as well as to her biotic implant which connected her to a medical scanner. The medical HUD bleeped to life, but made no other sound.

"Are we in?" Chakwas demanded still forcing air from the bag into Shepard's lungs.

Liara held her breath as she looked to the monitors showing a flatline, the single monotone note: an electronic death knell. She was acutely aware of Chief Williams pleading under her breath for her God to save the Spectre. Her own prayers were already being sent to the Goddess that her beloved be restored.

"Charge the paddles to one hundred. Take over." Chakwas shifted from her position over Shepard so the medic could take over the air-bagging that was helping Shepard to start breathing again. Chakwas took the paddles of the defibrillator from the nurse.

"Clear?"

"Clear." Said the nurse bagging Shepard. She lifted up and away from the body.

Liara jumped at the sound of the paddles discharging and seeing her lover's body jolt off the gurney.

"What've we got?" Chakwas handed the paddles to her assistant beside her.

"Nothing."

"Charge to two hundred."

"Charging."

Liara came to herself forcing herself out of the horror stricken daze of watching the medical team trying with near febrile desperation to bring Shepard back to life. Ignoring the protests at her movements and the threats that she would be forcefully removed, the asari moved towards her lover's head.

"Embrace Eternity." She uttered softly as her eyes went black. All the noise from Dr. Chakwas' team faded away she was dimly aware that the physician had ordered them to clear once more. Again the sound of discharging paddles echoed loudly but all of Liara's will was steeped in ferreting out the spirit of the Commander from the darkness of death. She would not allow her love to slip into the cold unknown, not when they had so much to live for.

"Pulse is back. Regular sinus." The nurse called out. "She's out of de-fib."

"Okay, let's get her in the infirmary, let's move."

"Joker! Get down here now!" Ashley barked the order. Despite the fact the pilot was technically a superior officer, the Gunnery Chief had no qualms about issuing the orders. She doubted the sarcastic pilot would even protest.

"Already on the away, Chief."

Liara remained touching Shepard's brow. Her mind mingling deeply with the Specter's. She deepened the bond drawing out the memories of her beloved, to their ancestral core. As they had when they first made love their spirits intertwined, their mind becoming one. In one desperate moment, fearful of what the future might be, Liara caused her nervous system to blend with that of Shepard's. If the love of her life was going to die, the asari maiden would hold a part of her to live on.

Whatever Liara was doing to Shepard it was stabilizing the Commander, Chakwas was sure of it. She knew the asari were able to blend their nervous system to that of another, generally this was for reproduction, but perhaps Liara was using such a method to connect Shepard's body to a stronger, healthier nervous system. Liara's heart seemed to be beating for both of them.

For a moment Shepard's eyes flickered open. The medic who was assisting with the breathing took the bag away, allowing for the commander to drawing a gasp of air. At the same moment Shepard inhaled Liara exhaled. Her eyes changed from full black to their usual azure blue.

"He-ey beautiful," Shepard managed to mutter as she quickly focused her eyes on the very worried look on her lover's face. Her consciousness didn't last long and just as quickly as she had woken she slipped back into unconsciousness, but at least she hadn't gone back into de-fib.

*Medi-vac, Normandy here ready for pickup, hatch is open.* Joker's voice came over the comm-system. *Med-bay on stand-by.*

"Good work, Lieutenant." Chakwas answered.

Ashley hadn't even been aware that there was a driver in the Mako and only became aware of so now because he was deftly maneuvering the ambulance into the bay where Normandy's Mako used to be parked. Chakwas and her team deployed from the vehicle, rushing Shepard out of the bay, into the lift and headed up for the infirmary. Liara was on their heels the whole time. Coming back to herself, Williams rushed for the lift just as the doors closed, berating herself for those few moments of unfocused worry because now she'd have to wait to catch the elevator on the return trip as the others were already gone.

When the lift returned she bound inside, leaving the worried voices of the crew behind her, and slammed the controls, lurching the lift into upward motion. As soon as the doors opened Ash was sprinting past the mess hall and sleeper pods to the rear of the second deck, still clutching the Commander's dented and bloodied cuirass, Ashley made for the infirmary.

The infirmary's surgical bay was a hive of activity: medics scurrying trying to get units of blood into the Commander as she was being prepped for surgery. Chakwas wasn't seen; no doubt she had made for the wash station to sanitize herself. While she was away, a nurse forcibly removed Liara from Shepard's side.

The effect was immediate as Shepard began flat-lining the instant Liara's nervous system was ripped from hers.

"What are you doing!?" Chakwas barked at the nurse who was attempting to sedate the struggling asari to prevent her from reaching the Commander's side.

Liara's hand glowed an electric blue as she summoned her power to send the nurse as far from her as she could.

"She's clearly hysterical, I thought it best to sedate her." The nurse said matter-of-factly, slowly getting to her feet and glaring at Liara.

"Don't! Dr. T'Soni, reestablish your link." Chakwas ordered. "Quickly!"

Glaring at the nurse the asari shoved past her to Shepard's side. Her voice a husked whisper as her hand touched Shepard's brow. "Embrace Eternity, Samantha."

Williams watched as Liara's eyes once more became completely black.

"Doctor I don't understand, why do you allow her near our commander?" The nurse stated bluntly as she disdainfully watched the asari woman and the unconscious figure.

"Asari can link their nerves system to another. Whatever Dr. T'Soni is doing is keeping Shepard stable and alive." Chakwas pointed to the monitors that were now reading normal pulse, sinus rhythm and heartbeat.

The nurse inwardly seethed that some alien was interfering, but outwardly seemed to concede to the older doctor, "I see..."

"We need to stop the bleeding, she has a punctured lung and God knows what else." Chakwas said, returning her attention to Shepard. "I am sorry Chief you're going to have to leave."

Ashley hesitated slightly. "Doc... I have the same blood type as the Skipper, we're both B-positive. Blood, bone marrow, organs, whatever she needs I'll gladly donate them. Just please... save her."

Changing her mind about ordering Ashley to leave, she nodded. "Your blood is greatly appreciated, Chief." Chakwas turned and commanded the nurse that had tried to sedate Liara only moments before." Marina, see to the transfusion."

Ashley sat upon one of the beds watching, or rather attempting to see what was going on in the surgical bay. Chakwas was calling for a plethora of medical equipment, ordering medics to perform various duties the Chief couldn't follow. Unlike her sisters she never got into medical holo-vids so she didn't follow the medical language Chakwas was issuing. All she could understand was that as long as T'Soni maintained the asari mind meld, Shepard was stabilized.

Nurse Marina grumbled, "Even if it's amazing it's still hocus pocus. That's not real medicine. I'm with you Chief; asari mumbo-jumbo has no place on this ship."

Williams didn't say anything at first; the nurse taking it as a sign of liberty to continue to speak openly. "That little asari girl playing at doctor with the Commander's life is deplorable. It's their kind that put the Commander in jeopardy in the first place."

Ashley glowered. "The Commander won't like it when she hears your comments about our allies."

"Our allies?" Private Marina Stevenson scoffed. "Humans died by the score to save the Councils' sorry asses... you of all people should hate them for what they did on Shanxi."

"Just draw the blood, Private," the chief ordered soundly. God did she really sound like that? It truly had an ugly sound to it. "Dr. T'Soni is a valuable asset to this crew. She's keeping the commander alive so Dr. Chakwas can save her life."

"Ma'am," was all the nurse would say. The Chief had pulled rank, if Marina didn't want a further disciplinary mark on her records she knew she would have to keep her tongue. She finished drawing blood from Williams and returned a little more sullenly to the surgical-bay with a fresh pint of blood in her hands.

Ashley thought of the Skipper's steadfast belief in their allies, in the ideals of galactic unity. Having seen what horrors humans had committed upon other humans perhaps Kaiden was right; Aliens are jerks and saints just like humans.

'I can see where your concerns are coming from Chief. But this is a multilateral mission, you're going to have to work with aliens whether you like it or not.'

Ashley recalled the mild rebuke from the strong woman now lying on the surgical table. Williams had said it wasn't going to be a problem and in truth it hadn't been. Or at least she tried not to let it be. The chief had a difficult time adjusting to the fact she was required to work with aliens. She had wanted to be posted on a ship for so long and she loved that she had been given that chance.

Even if it was difficult to adjust to the small cramped areas, communal sleeper pods, lack of fresh air, and utilitarian painted walls and bulkheads instead of open skies. The chrono telling her the time of day rather than just looking at the sun, moon or moons as the case might have been. There had been so much to adjust to those first days of their mission, and through it all the

Skipper was there to lend advice, offer a tutoring hand and even, when necessary, discipline. Williams would follow the Skipper on any mission, anywhere, anytime.

'When I need words from the head I go to Alenko, when I need them from the heart I go to you.'

The words had astonished Williams when the Spectre first admitted them, and they still did now. Shepard wasn't taken in by her own glory and hero status or the fact she was the first human Spectre. She seemed to have a very real perspective of herself. A trait Williams thought to be admirable. Shepard had taught her so much in the months they had served together. There were times when Ashley felt as if Shepard was molding her into officer material, for command. Even Alenko had commented on it. No other officer Williams had worked with had done such a thing so deliberately. Oh, they had promoted her to squad and platoon leader given her recommendations and commendations but not one of them took extra time out to guide her into the field-school of command.

Now this remarkable woman who had come to mean so much to her might be dying. If that happened, Ashley swore she would carry on in her Skipper's footsteps to honor her. She had sworn to honor her grandfather and father and bring honor back to the Williams name she would give no less of herself to the Commander. She would bring honor of the humans to the other species of Citadel space. She left med-bay for there was nothing more she could do but be in the way. Numbly she moved forward towards the open mess hall her mind replaying Shepard's fall and miraculous rise and near dead body on the gurney inside the belly of the Mako. There was just so much blood.

"Well? Does she live?" rumbled the deep bass of the krogan.

Made aware of another's presence Williams pulled her thoughts back from her own mind. In fact, the mess hall was filled with the bodies of the team, all them waiting for her to return from the med-bay. Wrex was leaning with his elbows on the table watching Ashley, waiting impatiently for her to speak. A worried looking Garrus paced, Tali was wringing her fingers fretfully; even Joker was there at the table fidgeting with a tired looking paper napkin. Lieutenant Pressly leaned against the bulkhead looking apprehensively towards the medical-bay, afraid what news Williams would bring them.

"She... she flat-lined twice. T'Soni... um, linked their nervous systems so basically she's the Commander's life-support. She's pretty busted up. I think something burst inside. She lost so much blood."

"Are you injured Chief Williams?" Garrus said nearly startling Williams that anyone would think of her when Shepard was so injured.

"Bruises, a mild concussion. I did a number on my wrist but it isn't broke."

Garrus pointed to the bloody tunic and cuirass Williams was still carrying. "Are you positive there is nothing more?"

"Wha..." Williams stopped speaking when she noted just how damp her tunic was. The blood was so thick it was still dripping onto her boot. Ashley looked decidedly green and ran from the mess hall, dashed into the head and emptied what little was in her stomach into the toilet. Wiping her mouth with the back of her trembling hand, she fell back on her heels, shivering.

The Commander's blood was all over her. It must have happened when she carried Shepard into the ambulance unit. Now the cool air of the bathroom, dry-heaving and the very real prospect of Shepard dying came cascading down around Williams in a spectacular blow. In the privacy of the stall the Chief wept.

Back in the mess hall Tali rose from her chair and picked up the red and black cuirass the Chief had been carrying and realized that the bit of hard-shell armor had to have belonged to the Commander. "Keelah!"

"What is it?" barked Wrex. He was never one for patience and these flimsy females, (even if one of them was a hardened warrior) didn't do his nerves any good.

The quarian dropped the cuirass onto the table. "This is the Commander's."

"Damn!"

Who swore first Tali couldn't be certain but they all had muttered the curse. The armor's chest plate had a long gash running from the right shoulder down to the left side. The metal was gouged and torn. Blood stained the edges of the now serrated metal like broken teeth of a fishdog. There were dents, carbon-scorch marks, deep cross-hatched scratches and melted fragments no doubt from biotic powers being unleashed.

"She still lives after that?" Wrex was the first to comment recovering from the shock of seeing the battered hard-shell. "I'll give Shepard this, she's one hell of a warrior."

"Her life is still in the balance." Tali said pessimistically. "If any of you have a deity, I would suggest offerings of prayer."

"The doc will save her." Joker said. "She has to. Chakwas is one of the best. She'll pull the Commander through. I'm not giving up on Shepard."

"We may have to accept the inevitable." Pressly, the current XO of the Normandy, spoke with a pragmatic but apologetic tone. "She's beaten the odds too many times for them not to go against her."

"Believe what you want Lieutenant Pressly. You might serve on her ship but you haven't fought alongside her, not as we have." the terse reply came from Garrus. "She does not give up; she will struggle to the last. She will not yield to death, and Liara will not allow it. If they are linked as Chief Williams says then it is this Joining that will save our Commander."

Joker looked up hope in his green eyes. "I don't get this Joining business. How can Doc T'Soni join her nervous system to the Commander's? I get the mind-meld thingy that helped sort out those hinky visions but this... this is way in the left field."

It was the turian who answered the question. "Typically such a Joining is for asari procreation; the asari are able to link their nervous system to that of another species of any gender. The bond isn't always physical but it is always highly mental. Liara has melded her mind to Shepard's twice in our company and the effect was profound as we have seen. Perhaps they have shared such Joinings, quite possibly more intimate ones privately. Liara's heart now beats for both of them. It is even possible that our young Prothean expert breathes for both of them as well."

"Wow. That's deep. Pretty handy for the Commander to have her own walking-talking life support system. It's gotta make things easier for the doc to patch the Commander back up." Joker commented, impressed with the abilities of the resident asari.

It was no secret to the crew of the Normandy, though they pretended not to notice, that their heroic leader had returned Doctor T'Soni's interest. Shepard was discreet about it, however. The only way no would notice the attraction between the two was if they themselves were utterly blind, clueless or stupid, or if they were so in love with someone else that they had no reason to notice. Scuttlebutt was they were a couple.

Lieutenant Alenko never stood a chance against the asari despite the fact he was in love with the Commander. He had, according to Williams, thought the strong friendship he held with Shepard was more than it was, but the Commander had eyes only for T'Soni. He must have misinterpreted the signs of the Commander's feelings for the archeologist to be for him. Hell if the relationship saved the Commander's life Joker wasn't going to say boo about it. He didn't think anyone, not even the ornery Chief Williams, would condemn it. Not now. Not even Pressly - the wooden man himself - seemed overly concerned about the interspecies relationship between the Commander and Dr. T'Soni. Apparently the other aliens on board accepted it readily enough for none of them even uttered a word of protest.

Williams gathered herself, her nerves back under control or at least the mask of it. She had taken a moment to use the shower, watching mutely as the blood, grime and sweat of the battlefield dissolved. She ran the shower a second time to clean her uniform as she had nothing else to change into. Even after being cleaned by the sonic scrubbers, Williams felt as if she was still covered in the Commander's blood. She doubted the phantom image would leave her anytime soon, if ever. Raking her fingers through her shoulder length black hair she discovered tangles and she cursed under her breath for the lack of a comb to un-snare them. It'd be a holy nest of knots later but there was nothing for it, her only choice was to tie it back as per regulations.

Time dragged its feet. It was a strange sensation as one hour slipped into four then into six, until Shepard was stable enough for Chakwas to call in reinforcements. Perhaps the ideal solution would have been to transfer the commander to the Huerta Memorial Hospital, but they themselves were already inundated with an overabundance of victims from the fallout of the attack on the Citadel, as was every other hospital and wards with Wards. Admiral Hackett, Captain Anderson and even Matriarch Lidanya however answered the call and sent over their best orthopedic, cardio-thoracic and trauma surgeons.

The damages Shepard sustained might have taken several weeks, if not longer, to repair had her surgeons not combined their collective skills when operating. Instead the projected surgical time was to be, miraculously, only seven days, give or take.

On later reflection Joker would recall how spooky it was that upon the toll of the Witching hour a week to the day latter, Dr. Chakwas emerged from the med-bay carrying the news of Shepard's fate. From her expression it was difficult to say what that news was. Chakwas and the three other physicians were beyond tired and stressed. Normandy's CMO turned to each of the other physicians and shook their hands, her voice sounded weary as she thanked each in turn.

"What's the news?" Garrus said rising to his feet as he watched the asari and two other human doctors.

The asari had to have been sent over from the Density Ascension. An expert no doubt in neuro-trauma and biotics. Of the humans: the male Garrus didn't recognize but by the look of his Alliance fatigues the man no doubt came from the Kilimanjaro - the flagship of the Alliance's Fifth Fleet under the command of Admiral Hackett. The other doctor, Garrus recognized immediately as Dr. Chloe Michelle, a woman who had once run a clinic in the Wards but was now practicing in Huerta Memorial. The latter waved to him in a mixture of shyness and bone-tiredness. All of their expressions were equally as grim as Chakwas's lined face. That wasn't good.

"How bad?" Garrus's voice took on a slight edge to it almost regretting it was soon as he saw Chloe flinch. He hadn't meant to sound that harsh he was just tired. He couldn't imagine how exhausted the team of doctors and nurses were.

Karin Chakwas took a moment to study the anxious faces in front of her. Garrus, Wrex and Williams, all looked worried. Pressly appeared to be waiting to hear the worst. Joker tired to remain optimistic and Tali's expression was of course unreadable, but the slightly hunched shoulders and bowed figure said much more.

It seemed that the entire time Chakwas was in the theater with her colleagues, Shepard's team had waited in the mess hall. Fortunately the sleeper pods were close but she doubted they had seen much use from the six individuals before her. Hell, she managed only a few hours of rest herself when one of the others had taken over.

"The Commander sustained extensive damage that could not be healed by conventional medicine." she said at last. "We had to implement many bio-synthetic procedures. To list just some of the minor injuries, she had a collapsed lung, five broken ribs, four sprained as well as a severe concussion. The massive trauma to her…"

"Doc please - do we have a Commander or not?" Williams demanded. "What's her status?"

"Commander Shepard is alive." She cut over the excited voices that her first statement had made quickly though. "There were complications however. Many of her major organs had to be replaced by cybernetics and bio-synthetics, as well as the bones in her right arm and leg. She's in recovery now. But she will pull through, thanks in no small part to Dr. T'Soni's ability to maintain a lifeline. She was literally the Commander's life-support; no machine could have done better."

"And you! Shepard's a live because of you. You did it!" Williams was all smiles. The Chief rushed the exhausted physician hugging her. "Thank you! If you're not the best damned doc in the Fleet I don't know who is."

"I didn't do it alone, Chief. And I couldn't have. You should thank the others as well."

Which of course they all did. Soon after the three took their leave.

"We gotta tell the crew." Joker struggled to his feet making a grab for his crutches, causing the braces on his legs to creak.

"I'll do it." Williams darted past the pilot making a bee-line for the bow of the ship communications.

"Yeah sure, take all the fun just because you can run." There were times when Joker loathed his bone crippling disease. Times like now when he wanted to be the one to announce the glorious return to life of their beloved leader. But even if he tried to run the hollow bones in his legs would snap and shatter. Besides, Williams was half way up the flight of stairs that led to the command deck before he even managed to sit back down. She must have taken them two or three at a time. In no time at all the click of the innership intercom opened up.

*This is Gunnery Chief Williams; it is my privilege to announce Commander Shepard is alive. Repeat the Commander is alive!*

All over the ship cheers of jubilation rang out above the thunder of applause and foot stomping. Soldiers hugged one another, slapped each other on the back, and toasting their skipper. Once more Shepard had bested the odds and came out on top.

"When will we be able to see her?" Garrus asked of the doctor.

"Maybe a few days. Her body needs to recover; the surgery was only half of it. She isn't fully recovered just yet. But the signs are good. I've placed her in a medical induced coma for the duration. When she's able to have visitors it will only be one at a time and no longer than two minutes. Not yet. She needs a lot of rest. She's not completely out of the woods yet but she's getting there. She's tough- a survivor - but she still needs to recuperate like any mortal."

"Where's Dr. T'Soni?" Tali asked looking around the human female for the asari. There was no sign of the graceful archeologist. She rather doubted Liara would willingly leave Shepard's side anytime soon.

"She exhausted herself with the link and is resting," Chakwas answered. "Something I'm also going to go do. If you excuse me there's a shower and sleeper pod with my name on it."

MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME

Below deck crew members had rolled out a keg of contraband moonshine from a well hidden still. Or at least the Commander ignored it for the most part. As long as there were ships to sail the seas or the stars there would be contraband brew as well. No one dared to exploit the blind eye the Spectre had turned and abuse her feigned ignorance to drink on duty or become derelict, but right now it was time to celebrate and they didn't think the Commander would begrudge them this celebration.

Someone had a fiddle, another had an Irish harp and still another had a harmonica. Chief Engineer Adams had even pulled out an asari dulcimer. Someone kept time by using a work bench as a make shift drum. Old Earth sea shanties rang out cheerfully as crew members allowed themselves the frivolity of dancing in the manner of ancient sailors when the tall ships still ruled the oceans of Earth.

Even Wrex join in the festiveness, belting out an old krogan tune of the glory of a hard won battle in some long past war. Garrus watched in amazement at the humans' ability to lose themselves in the moment of music, dance and drink.

But what was not to celebrate? Sovereign was dead and so to was Saren. Best yet, Shepard was alive. The Reapers were still out there, but civilization had a greater chance of winning the war with Shepard leading from the front. Garrus knew the Spectre would not stop until the dreaded foe was vanquished for all time. He vowed as did everyone else on the Normandy to be with her every step of the way.