Curious Jealousy- a F!Shenko Fic

Chapter Twenty-Three: Promises

Shepard had paused long enough to put on a spare pair of BDUs (that she kept in the Spectre office) before she went to the hospital. She would shower when she was back on the Normandy…she just needed to be at the hospital for Thane.

Problem was, like when Kaidan had been brought to Huerta, all she could so was stare at the door. She couldn't stand it- the death, the pain…the loss of her friends.

It never seemed to stop.

"Can I help you?" a doctor asked, looking like he had been working for forty-eight hours in a row and was ready to collapse.

"The drell in that room," she gestured to the room in front of her, "how's he doing?"

The doctor stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head. "I don't know if-"

Sighing, she revealed, "I'm Commander Shepard."

"His son," he began again with no hesitation, "Kolyat is in there saying his last goodbyes. You might want to say yours."

Squaring her shoulders, she marched into the room and then stumbled to a stop at what she saw. Thane was laying on the bed, his labored breaths echoed through the room, and Kolyat stood at the foot of his bed with his head bowed in prayer.

"Thane," she whispered in a broken voice.

Kolyat raised his head and hurried over to her. "Commander Shepard."

"Kolyat…why isn't your father wearing an oxygen mask?"

"He…asked me to take it off so he could be more comfortable." Kolyat blinked both sets of eyelids before whispering, "I don't think that it'll be very long."

She pursed her lips before composing herself enough to say, "I'd like to be here…he was a good friend."

Kolyat nodded. "I think he'd like that."

"Shepard," Thane gasped. "It seems that I won't be joining you again…I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to apologize," she assured him. "You've done more than enough."

Thane struggled between a laugh and a cough. "If that was the…only qualification…-" he broke off into another cough before continuing, "then you would no longer be in this fight."

"Thane-"

"That assassin should be embarrassed," Thane interrupted. "A terminally ill drell managed to stop him from reaching his target."

"I'll pass the word along," she promised, wiping tears from her eyes.

Thane shook his head. "Do not mourn me, Shepard…I was dead long before I met you. It wasn't until I met you that I was able…to cherish what little life I had left. This isn't your fault."

"You didn't have to do it, Thane!" she all but sobbed. "We could have handled it!"

"Your life- and that of the Salarian Councilor- is worth much more than mine,"

"No," she choke out, trying to contain her anger. "No one's life is worth more than another."

Thane simply shook his head. "There is something…I must do before…before I am no longer able. I must-"Thane coughed, breaking off his words, causing Kolyat to bow his head once more.

Kaidan stood in the doorway and wished that he had a little more courage. He wanted to stand beside of Shepard and comfort her as she dealt with the loss of another friend. This time was almost worse because she was watching him die. Her barely trembling shoulders told him just how much pain she was in.