Her Final Decision Hasn't Been Made Who: Shepard and Stephanie Where: Freedomtown Park When: Wednesday, October 12th - 12am What: Shepard's Return Rating: Mild for mentions of injury
It had been over a month since Shepard was returned to her own world (in this timeline, anyway), literally to the second that she left, back on the battlefield on Thessia. Fighting the good fight. She had dismissed her time in Freedomtown as some kind of fanciful dream, an escape from her reality, but deep down she knew that that wasn't true. Still, she battled on, saving as many forms as life as she could, from all walks of life, from every civilization and from every world and after her final battle, when the last decision was about to be made...
She was transported back onboard Knowhere, mortally wounded and near death. She was so out of it that she wasn't even aware of what happened, just that she had to keep moving. She had to save the galaxy. She clumsily got to her feet, her vision blurred as she staggered, her thoughts full of the friends and alliances that she had made, the lover she would leave behind. "Wake up" a voice told her. She had one of four choices to make, all of which would result in her death. She was prepared to die, always had been; but knew that whatever decision that she would make would alter the course of history.
If only she was where she was meant to be.
"....Jane?"
Stephanie didn't know Shepard personally, but she'd fought beside her, and had helped look for her when the woman was first noticed missing. She'd been on her morning run, hair haphazardly tied back and wearing gray sweatpants and plain white tee, when she saw the wounded woman staggering through the park.
"Shepard, are you ok?"
Shepard herself was dressed in her full body armor hunched over as she walked, her hand covering the wound to her abdomen. She didn’t register her first name. Only Liara ever called her by her first name, and only in their private moments. She did register her last name, however, and instinctively raised her pistol (as much as she could, given the pain that she was in). Her vision was blurred and her hand was shaking. She blinked to try to clear her vision. What do you think? was the first thought that came to mind. She collapsed down onto one knee, her gun still trained on Rogers. "Who are you?" She asked, with as much force as she could.
"Commander..." She said, tone changing immediately to a more military cadence, as the soldier in her could see that clearly, Jane was rattled and confused. "I'm Captain Stephanie Rogers, we're aboard the Knowhere space station. I served beside you in the battle against the Badoon and Thanos. I just want to help you."
"Captain Rogers," Shepard repeated, blinking through the fog in her mind. She knew the name, and as the face became clearer, she lowered her weapon. "I, uh, appear to be seriously wounded." No shit, Sherlock.
Stephanie grabbed her phone and tapped in a few quick numbers, before rushing over to help the other woman, gently placing an arm at the small of her back. "I just sent for help. A doctor should be here soon... c'mon, let's sit you down, ok? I can do some basic first aid until they get here."
Stephanie had been in a dark, dark place for a while now... but when it came to saving a life? Especially the life of someone she fought beside and respected? You bet your ass she could snap out of it, at least temporarily.
"Sitting down isn't going to be a problem, so much as getting back up," Shepard grunted. Still, she let Rogers lead her over to a park bench and slumped down into it. She leaned back as much as she could, trying not to put too much pressure on her abdomen. She closed her eyes. "Mm. Nice bench."
"What happened to you?" Stephanie asked, her question bearing two meanings: Jane had obviously gotten hurt... but she'd also vanished for weeks beforehand.
She reach down, using her strength to easily tear a strip of cloth from her thick sweatpants, and moving to look at Jane's stomach, which was obviously where she'd been hurt. "Can you let me wrap this around you? It'll do until the medics arrive..."
Shepard nodded, moving as much as she could to allow Stephanie to wrap her wound. She had several, but the one to her abdomen was the most extensive. She'd suffered a lot of blood loss. "I was sent home," she explained simply, grunting when Stephanie started to wrap her wound. "It was almost over."
Stephanie lowered her voice to a soft, comforting tone, placing a hand on Shepard's shoulder once she'd wrapped the wound.
"You just hang in there, soldier. I swear to you, we're gonna get you through this, alright?"
Oh god... the poor woman! She'd gotten lucky enough to go back home, only to get pulled back here AGAIN! Stephanie felt her heart break for Jane in that moment.
"I was..." ready to die Shepard almost said. She couldn't die now. Wouldn't allow it. She blinked, trying to stay conscious. "It was almost over... it was almost done. Why am I back here?" She said with a mix of anger and sadness.
"Because tough cookies like us don't die easy." Stephanie said with a sweet little smirk. "The medics will be here shortly. We'll get you back to your healthy, stunning self in no time."