The Wating Game, Part II

Part II, I’m awake but not quite here

90 days since the reapers had been defeated

87 days since Shepard’s body was found

51 days since the major relays were repaired

44 days since the Normandy came home

And only 7 days since Garrus and Shepard were reunited. Well physically anyway.

That was probably the bit that hurt the most. The fact that Shepard was right next to him, yet completely unaware of his existence or even the world around her. Locked in her own mind, unable to move or even function without help from those goddamn machines hooked up to her body.

“You can’t sit here all day Garrus” Liara told him for what seemed like the 100^th time this week. “You need to get out a bit”

That’s easier said than done…

“I know Liara, it’s just…” Garrus started

“Listen, being in this room all day and night will only worsen your mood, you need to get out, find something to take your mind off things, even for a while” Liara advised him with some sympathy. She was right though, he knew it and she knew it. He couldn’t sit in this room forever, not while there was so much to be done, even with the reapers gone.

“Any change you let me know right away” Garrus told one of the nurses who simply nodded curtly in reply. Just before leaving the room, he looked back one more time at Shepard’s still form, the ever so slow rise and fall of her chest being the only indication that there was still life in her. He looked at her with guilt before finally leaving the cold, clinical room behind him.

The two left the hospital which was part of a huge spaceport orbiting around earth, one of the few fixed ships in orbit. Here was arguably the best place to be for coordination of fleets, construction and general movement throughout the galaxy, and with the current mix mash of species who had come to take earth back, finding some sort of order was hard to come by. Here all the remaining leaders of each species worked together to try to coordinate and rebuild the galaxy from what was left behind, including people such as Primarch Victus and even Urdnot Wrex. It was only fitting that this spaceport had been renamed the SS New Horizon

“When was the last time you ate anything?” Liara asked as they walked

“I’m fine Liara” Garrus replied with exasperation which only gave him a strong look of doubt from his Asari friend.

“I’ll take that as not for a while” She replied “Come on then” she took him to one of the central part of the port where there was food and supplies were being distributed. As much as he was annoyed by it, he had to give her credit. Liara was trying her best to make sure everyone from the team was okay. After everything they’ve been through it was only logical that Liara would want to look out for her team. It was actually proving to be quite comforting at times.

Like Shepard’s room, the spaceport had a very clinical feel, which was not a feeling Garrus particularly liked, not that he would show it of course. However, hiding what he really felt had been a skill Garrus had become quite skilled at nowadays.

As he was picking up some food, which looked just as appetising as the dextro rations found on the Normandy, a familiar voice came to his side.

“Hey Scars” Vega greeted as he grabbed some rations for himself

“Vega” Garrus replied simply

“Were you with Shepard again?” he asked, looking slightly in his direction to try and gain a little bit of eye contact

“Hmm” was the only reply Garrus gave. He knew Vega’s intensions weren’t bad or intrusive. He was only trying to talk, whether it was simply trying to help or just to make small talk, Garrus didn’t know. He just didn’t want to partake in it.

“You know, they cornered off this section for us a few decks up, give us some privacy you know?” Vega commented “Would you rather go there?”

While he would much rather go back and sit with Shepard, Garrus agreed, besides it might feel slightly better being among friends than being here. With Liara quickly joining the two, they went up 3 decks to their designated section on the ship. Here there were a few rooms with beds along with a communal room fitted out with sofas, extranet terminals and even a tiny cooking area. There was also an observation lounge much like on the Normandy.

“It’s not much but it’s nice they were able to offer it to us” Vega commented, even Garrus had to agree it was generous of the Alliance to give up a section of the deck just for them. Although Garrus couldn’t help to think that this was part of their ploy to keep the team on the site so that they could be scrutinised with questions, advice and anything else the Alliance needed from them.

“There’s a bed for you down at the end Garrus” Liara told him, who simply thanked her in response. “I’ll leave you to it”

The room was small but thankfully did not have the same clinical feel as the rest of the ship did. After having eaten and read through the onslaught of messages he had on his omni-tool, Garrus eventually crashed on his bed, not having realised just how tired he really was, and fell asleep.

Garrus woke up a couple of hours later, he guessed it was either late at night or the early hours of the morning, judging by the fact the ship’s day cycle hadn’t commenced yet. He knew he hadn’t slept for very long. He had begun to develop a form on insomnia during the war and now it just stayed. Not wanting to stay in his room or go back to sleep either, Garrus wondered out and scanned his surroundings, almost like he would if he was entering a battlefield for the first time.

It seemed like everyone was either asleep or elsewhere because there was no-one in the common room and hallway seemed pretty quiet. Garrus finally took a glance in the observation lounge. Like the one back on the Normandy, there was a long sofa in front of a huge window which looked on to the abyss of space.

As Garrus started to walk in, he was met by a voice.

“Hey Garrus”

Slightly startled at first, Garrus walked round to the front of the sofa and sat down, only to find Tali sitting at the other end, her knees hugged up to her chest.

“Hey Tali” he replied, he looked at her for a minute. Although he couldn’t see her face he had known Tali long enough to know what she was possibly feeling. He wasn’t going to ask if she was okay, it was a stupid question. “What are you doing here?” was the only other question he thought to give.

“Can’t sleep”

“I know the feeling”

For a while the two were just content to sit in each other’s company, looking out into the depths of space in front of them.

“It’s weird, isn’t it? The peace” Tali commented “We’ve been under so much pressure, our lives on the line so many times that for it to just be peaceful…”

“May take some getting used to” Garrus finished with somewhat of a dry laugh “But I’m sure you’ll manage, it’s not the worst thing you’ve had to do anyway”

“That’s true” another small, dry laugh. Then another silence followed. Though this one slightly shorter.

“I went to see Shepard, I’ve just come back actually…” Tali said, some hesitation in her voice “I tried to speaking to her, told her about Rannoch, how it’s safe thanks to her…”

“What do you mean you spoke to her?” Garrus interjected, utterly confused at her ramblings

“That’s what the nurses said to do” Tali explained, turning to face him slightly “Apparently, she can hear things, even if she can’t respond” Garrus questioned her for a minute and Tali felt it “I know you think it’s stupid but it helps so I don’t need to justify it”

“You sure she can hear”

“I don’t know Garrus” Tali sighed “But it’s better than staring at her body”

The two stayed in the observation lounge for a while longer before Tali finally decided to call it a night and try and get some sleep. Garrus thought he should do the same but instead left the deck and headed back down to Shepard’s room.

Nothing had changed, her body was still lying there, hooked to all the machines in the same clinical room. Garrus pulled up a chair and held her hand.

“I don’t know if you know it yet Shepard but we won, you did it” Garrus said, holding her hand tenderly in his. Tali was right, this did feel weird. He sat in the silence for a while, finding the words.

“I miss you” He finally uttered “If you can hear this, I miss you and I need you to wake up, please Shepard”

And that’s how everyday would end from that point. Garrus would come down to her and just talked to her body who could not reply.