Heyyyyyy, I am back after my long hiatus. I wanted to take some time to work on my Fable story that I had neglected for so long. But I am back to wrap up this story. Just a few more chapters to go and I promise there will be a happy ending. Thanks to everyone for reading!

Miracle Chapter 19

Come Back To Me

Miranda Lawson watched from the debriefing room window of Vancouver's frigate docking bay as the long lost Normandy eased into port. The ship looked worse for wear and it surprised her that the Normandy made it back home so quickly. After its month long disappearance, many in the Alliance had counted it among their many casualties. But the crew of the SR-2 was nothing if not tenacious. Beside her, Jack shuffled on her feet and checked the time, again.

"What is taking so long?" The biotic growled out in annoyance.

"Admiral Hackett wanted to greet them personally," Miranda answered in a clipped tone. "To thank them for all that they have done."

"He can do that later," Jack snapped. "There are more important things to deal with."

At the mention of it both women glanced out the window at the mostly rebuilt hospital just next door. The crew needed to be told about Shepard.

"It shouldn't be too much longer," Miranda said, hoping to soothe the temper of her team member. Not because she was concerned about Jack; they were hardly friends, but because she was about to break bad news to the crew and she did not want Jack agitating them further. Movement caught her eye and she turned to see the leader of the Krogans enter the room.

"Have they arrived yet?"Wrex asked as he moved to join her by the window.

Miranda nodded. "Admiral Hackett is debriefing them now."

"Of course he is," Wrex snorted and crossed his arms. "Has he told them anything?"

"No. He said he would let me handle it."

"I don't blame him," Wrex turned around and sat down next to Jack. "They are not going to be happy."

"There is always hope," Miranda replied automatically.

"That sounds like something she would say," Jack spoke up from her position on the couch.

Miranda did not reply but instead took a deep breath as the bay doors opened. Admiral Hackett led the way with Major Alenko quick on his heels. The rest of the crew followed closely behind, all in the same shape as their ship. When everyone had entered the room, all eyes fell on her and she nearly faltered under the weight of their hopeful gazes. She studied each of them in turn while Wrex greeted the crew and welcomed them home. Her eyes fell on the blue eyed boy with his hand gripped tightly in his father's. The boy caught her stare and smiled with such a heartbreaking innocence. Miranda nodded at Jack and the biotic stepped up to do her part that had been decided on when they first learned the Normandy was returning. Jack knelt down in front of Shepard's son and waved awkwardly. Perhaps choosing Jack to distract the almost four year old boy was not the best idea, Miranda mused. But someone had to do it; the child did not need to know all of the horrific details about his mother's condition.

"You must be Matthew," Jack asked the boy who nodded mutely, his eyes full of hesitance. Miranda recognized the look of mistrust that all former Cerberus operatives held after escaping the tyranny of the Illusive Man. She felt the dead weight of guilt for being the one to place in the Illusive Man's service in the first place. Shepard's forgiveness had done little to ease the regret. If it had been her child taken from her, she would have killed the person responsible for it.

"My name is Jack. Your mother has told me a lot about you."

Matthew brightened at the mention of his mother.

"Mama said Cerberus took you too." Maybe Jack was the best choice after all, they certainly had plenty in common.

"That's right, and I got out just like you did." They shared a smile full of mutual understanding and Jack won Matthew's trust in that moment. "Are you hungry? They've got burgers in the lobby."

Matthew's smile grew and he patted his stomach with his free hand. He looked up at his father in concern.

"Will you be okay if I go?"

Kaidan glanced at Miranda and at her slight nod he realized what was going on and turned to gaze down at his son fondly.

"I think I can manage for a little while."

Jack held out her hand and Matthew placed his tentatively inside. Jack met Kaidan's stern expression that clearly read: If my son gets hurt I am coming after you.

"Don't worry, Major. We will be just down the hall," Jack promised and led Matthew out the door and down the battle stained corridors. His little vice echoed back into the room.

"Can we put cheese on the burgers?" He asked excitedly and Jack's laughter was the only response they could hear before the door closed. Kaidan wasted no time getting to the point of their gathering.

"Where is she?"

The rest of the crew turned their stares on her expectantly. Hackett must have told them that Miranda would explain about Shepard. The admiral cleared his throat and nodded for Miranda to start. She stood straight and clasped her hands behind her back as she struggled for the best and most comforting words.

"Shepard is alive and being kept at the ICU ward of the hospital next door."

Audible sighs and light shouts of relief filled the room as the crew celebrated the survival of their beloved Commander. Several team members patted Kaidan on the back and congratulated him on being "right" but he was the only one not celebrating.

"ICU?" He whispered and everyone quickly silenced at the realization of his question.

"Yes. Her injuries were…beyond extensive," Miranda answered while attempting to keep her voice steady.

"What do you mean, extensive? Is she going to be okay?" Garrus asked from Tali's side.

"We found her under a massive pile of rubble," Wrex answered for her, unconcerned with his bluntness. "It was a miracle she was still alive."

Kaidan had leaned back against one of the nearby walls and Miranda was becoming rapidly concerned with his sudden paleness.

"The surgical staff and I have taken care of most of the superficial damage," Miranda explained, rushing to ease their worries. "She has over a dozen breaks and fractures in various places but those have started healing without much help from us."

"So what's the problem?" Liara questioned, her voice growing more irritated with each word.

Miranda sighed and continued on.

"There are a few major issues. For one, her legs were crushed beneath the rubble and even with the multitude of surgeries she is going to need…it is unlikely that she will walk again."

Stifled gasps filled her ears but no one made an effort to speak.

"She is also in a…unique comatose state. She has come out of it a few times by herself but we have not been able to wake her up on our own. Now this is not necessarily a bad thing. Our scans are showing regular brain activity so she should not suffer any brain damage from the coma. Look at it as her body is trying to heal itself and she just doesn't have the energy to stay awake right now. This may change."

"It may change?" Joker snapped. "Are you saying she might not ever wake up?"

Miranda hesitated before responding and the mood in the room dropped instantly. Her silence was all the answer they needed.

"There is always a possibility of that," she confirmed quietly. "But I am very positive about the situation and I believe she will come out of this." She looked at each one of them so they could see her confidence, even if it was based more on hope than any signs Shepard was showing of recovering. They needed to believe that a miracle could happen, especially when Shepard was involved. "I am not giving up on her."

"Can I see her?" Kaidan asked as he steadied himself and pushed off of the wall. Liara tried to help and he gently, but firmly, shrugged her off.

"You can all go see her but only a few at a time."

"I will take you to her room," Wrex said and gestured for the crew to follow him. Miranda waited as the rest of the crew walked past before reaching out and grabbing Kaidan's arm to pull him to the side. She waited until everyone left before speaking.

"Major, there is something else we need to discuss."

"What is it Miranda?" His tone was gruff and his brown eyes were tinted with red rims.

"We need to talk about the baby."

His brow furrowed in confusion and he removed his arm from her grasp.

"You mean Matthew?"

Miranda narrowed her eyes. "No I mean Shepard's baby…do you not know?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Major…Shepard is pregnant."

His eyes widened and he stepped back with his hands clutching the back of the couch he had fallen against in a white knuckle grip.

"When…?"

"She is about ten weeks along."

He remained silent for a very long time and Miranda waited respectfully for him to recover. He finally brought his gaze off the floor and back to her.

"Is the baby okay?"

Miranda nodded slowly, afraid she might be putting too much stress on the officer's fragile state of mind.

"The baby is fine, for the moment. But the pregnancy is causing some…complications that the other doctors believe to warrant a termination of it."

"What?!"

"They believe that the pregnancy is significantly affecting her ability to heal and it may be keeping her from having enough strength and energy to wake up. The other doctors suggest that aborting the child will help Shepard recover much quicker and will help her come out of the coma."

"Is it affecting her?" He growled out in frustration.

Miranda directed her answer to a more general idea. "Pregnancy is draining all women…" She began but Kaidan would have none of it.

"Is it hurting Tara?!" He snapped, his whole body shaking and it startled her to see the usually calm Major so furious.

"It is setting her back," Miranda admitted and she did not miss the look of pure agony that crossed his features. "But that does not mean I am in favor of termination. When we found Shepard, she made me promise that I would save the baby and I am going to do my best to save them both, if you will let me try."

"Wait. She already knew about the baby?"

Miranda nodded mutely.

"Why wouldn't she tell me?" She asked more of himself than of her but she felt the need to answer anyways.

"She probably didn't want to worry you. You know how she can be sometimes."

His frown deepened and he did not reply and she hesitated to bring it up but it needed to be said.

"Major, if Shepard does not wake up within the next few weeks or so, you will need to make a decision about the baby."

He shook his head, unwilling to except the possibility.

"I just want to see her," he said. "I'm not making any decisions right now and I would appreciate it if you did not tell anyone else about this."

"Of course, Major. I will take you down there."

"I hate seeing her like this," James said, his voice bounced down the halls where Kaidan and Miranda were walking. Kaidan closed his eyes to block out the dangerous images of his lover, broken and bloodied, lying amidst the debris. Tara was alive; he could handle everything else. Or so he told himself.

"I feel just horrible for Kaidan," he could hear Liara express to the rest of their companions. He and Miranda rounded the corner and everyone fell silent; eyes downcast to the floor.

His body was numb as the nurses suited him up and he did not, could not, feel his feet as they carried him into the room. Shepard blended into the equipment that hung out of her from a variety of locations. Her skin, as white as the sheets that draped her, glistened with perspiration. Her hair was pushed back from her face, hidden behind her back; he was grateful they hadn't cut it off. She looked so fragile and helpless, tied down to the bed by injuries that he should have been there to prevent. The dripping of the IV drowned out all other sound as he reached her bedside. His hand trembled as he reached for hers. The fingers he touched were lifeless and cold and it struck him that he might actually lose her again. Kaidan collapsed to his knees and his head dropped to her side, the sob stuck in throat burst through the dam of his superficial strength. How long he sat there, soaking the blankets with his pain, he did not know.

"Please wake up Tara," he repeated over and over again but no answer was given. She remained still and motionless, a battered body in place of the spirited warrior he loved so desperately.

A loud commotion brushed the edges of his awareness and a small body burst through the door. Matthew rushed towards him, Garrus quick on his heels.

"Matthew, No!" Kaidan shouted and reached for his young son.

"I'm sorry Kaidan," Garrus apologized. "He snuck right past us."

Kaidan scooped up his little boy and headed out of the room.

"I want to see her!" Matthew cried out and tried to squirm out of his father's iron clad grip.

"No." Kaidan's rough, tear clogged voice reverberated in his chest and startled his son. Matthew looked up at Kaidan and took in his glistening cheeks, unsure what to make of it.

"Daddy, please." When Kaidan only shook his head, Matthew peered over his father's shoulder and cried out to his mother, "Come back to me, Mama! You promised!"

The door slammed shut behind them, leaving them unaware of the pale, fragile woman with trembling fingers struggling to bring her back to life.