Garrus started awake at the alert siren that went off from the machine next to his ear, he'd not meant to sleep but the anxiety ridden deprivation was too much for him. He looked over at Shepard and started to his feet grabbing her hands as she pulled at the medgel pads and electrostatic wires used to monitor her heart. She made a gurgling protest, the incisions across her face made it impossible for her to speak. 'It's okay.' He said, coming into her eye line, fear fulled eyes met his. It was possibly the first time he'd seen her panic, an amazing feat given what they'd been through. 'It's okay, Shepard, you're in hospital.' He paused as she stopped fighting with him. 'Or something that does hospital like duties.' He stroked his fingertip across her forehead, the only part not scarred.

He looked up as the doctors came into the room, saw what had happened and began to hook her up again. She took a sharp breath from the discomfort and he squeezed her hand gently. 'I…' She stopped and closed her eyes for a second.

'Don't try and talk, it'll only hurt until the scars are a couple of days old. Take it from someone who knows.' She looked at him and gave a faint smile, tired and half as if it was aimed at something through him and then her eyes glittered.

'No kiss?' She asked through a jaw that didn't move much.

'Ahh, yes, Sleeping Beauty, I remember.' He smirked and gently kissed her forehead. 'Now go back to sleep.' She squeezed his hand tightly. 'I'll still be here when you wake up.' He promised her gently. She closed her eyes and he found it strange that she would ever take an order from him, even one as small as go to sleep.

OoooO

She woke up again as the doctors began to change the medgel on her wounds. A few more applications and she could try eating real food. Kaidan and James turned up and the three of them had an easy three way banter in which she could participate by wrinkling her nose or rolling her eyes. She had a tough time concentrating, but that was to be expected and Kaidan left when she fell asleep mid flow. 'Hey, I started looking at that thing we talked about.'

'What thing?' Garrus asked with a frown. 'You mean the house?' He asked after a moment.

'Yeah, the Alliance want her close by, they tried for an army base, or what passes for one these days but I said no.' Garrus flashed a faint smile. 'They've got a couple of places close by fast medical help. For, well you know.'

'Yes I do, the thought makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up… so to speak.' James grinned at that. Okay I'm going to trust your judgement on that. Pick one.'

'I'm no house decorator.' He said with a grimace.

'You are now, one with no Reaper damage would be ideal.'

'Now there's a tall order.'

OooooO

Shepard was dreaming, he could always tell because her eyelids fluttered as if she was trying to wake up. He waited for a long moment before reaching out to touch her shoulder. She gasped and her eyes flew open, it took a moment before she looked at him. 'Same dream?' He asked gently and she shook her head, taking a deep breath, lying back on the bed. 'It's natural, your brain will need to process what happened to you, they say you dreamt a lot whilst hooked up.'

She took a breath. 'I remember.' She said softly, her lips barely moving. 'Just images. Cycling in my head.' She shook her head. 'Like flashcards.'

'Probably the machine data using your brain as an outlet.' He said soothingly.

'It only happened in the dark. It felt like the beacon.' Garrus nodded, that didn't surprise him either, direct taps to peoples brains tended to feel the same but he trusted her judgement, even as she was.

'Then we should ask Javik I imagine.' He suggested.

'You mean before he and Liara make a little distraction?' Garrus smirked.

'Ahh, so you do remember.' She nodded. 'I had questions but those I forgot.' She offered and smiled before wincing.

'Easy now, smiling is a very advanced skill.' He grinned at the dark look. 'Well we can't have eternally cheery Shepard, what would your audience think?'

'I have an audience?' She asked him after a moment.

'You remember I said we'd live off the proceeds of the vids?' He asked. 'Well I sold a couple. If it makes you feel better neither of us has to work again.' He wasn't surprised at all by that except by how much they made.

'I don't know how I'd cope.' She said.

'Well, not having to run off on world ending missions would be a start. And these long breaks you take between missions I could certainly do without.' She chuckled and then winced. 'Take it easy, I don't know if I can put you together again if you broke.'

'All the kings horses and all the kings men.' Garrus looked at her blankly. 'Childrens rhyme, you should learn those, Junior will like them.' He laughed faintly, it actually pleased him that she was thinking about things like that, or at least remembered.

'I think Junior will be best served by knowing that Daddy does other things better.' She pursed her lips in a way that showed she was amused without outright laughter. 'Oh… okay, uhh.' He coughed. 'Well maybe not those things.' He was unsure of himself in the bedroom, but that stemmed from some real difficulties present between their species, but thank goodness he was strong and she was flexible.

'I missed you Garrus.' She said fondly and reached out to take his hand.

'Shepard.' He paused for a moment trying to think about what to say. 'You are the most wonderful person I know, losing you was… hard.' He nodded quietly to himself, he didn't need to let her know what he had gone through, she already knew. 'I want us out of here as soon as possible.'