Liara barely noticed the years passing. They bled into one another until eleven full cycles had gone by. She couldn't rightly remember the first few, having concealed herself away from the new world in her grief. Joker and EDI had tried to coax her from her office/living quarters aboard the Normandy for the first couple of months, but had soon left her to her pain, interrupting only to ensure she was keeping herself fed and watered.

Not even the strange changes in hers and everybody else's anatomy could interest her enough to coax her from her self imposed solitude. What did she care for her all round enhanced senses and ability to think, move and heal faster when there was no longer anybody to think, move and heal with?

Time passed, a city of sorts was built and a society created. Peace reigned and Liara returned to her first love, archaeology, in order to ingratiate herself into the new order of life. She immersed herself in her occupation, striving to learn everything she could about the planet she now called home. But it wasn't a home, not really. Not without Shepard.

She'd learned to live again, to function, to socialise, but on the inside she knew it was all an act. A vital part of her was missing. Her very core had been dimmed by the loss of her lover, and it was plain for all to see that she wasn't the same asari she used to be.

The initial torrents of tears had long since dried up, the pain numbed to a point where it felt more like a distant memory rather than a red hot knife through her heart. Where once it felt as though the pumping organ was trying to claw its way out of her chest, now there was merely a jagged scar that only slightly tightened with every thud. Even when she would sit and stare out of her bedroom window and give in to the past, let it flood her mind and fill her with sadness, the pain would not rise above a dull whine. Time could do that. Time could heal all things. And time, for an asari, was something that trickled by like sand through open fingers.

She sat there now, her eyes glazed over, her chin held in the palm of her hand. Just remembering.

"Shepard? Shepard, wake up..." Liara shook the commander gently until Shepard opened her eyes a crack, seeming to take in her surroundings before opening them fully and meeting Liara's worried gaze.

"I was thrashing again, wasn't I?" Shepard shook her head and rose onto her elbows. "I'm sorry."

"Its all right," Liara soothed, pressing her palm against Shepard's chest and leaning down to kiss her mouth, "No harm, no poultry. Isn't that what you humans say?" She chuckled.

Shepard smiled and reached up to run her hand over the ridges of Liara's head, her fingers tracing one of the grooves to the back of her neck where each ridge tapered off into a surprisingly soft tail that she liked to roll between her fingers. She pulled the asari down and kissed her, revelling in the softness and intoxicating taste of her lover. Liara responded enthusiastically, the tendrils of her thoughts gently brushing against Shepard's mind. As the commander opened her mouth to Liara's exploring tongue, so too did she open her subconscious to allow the asari entry as they began to meld.

Liara's consciousness enveloped Shepard's like a warm blanket,enfolding all her thoughts and worries in a cocoon that lessened them somehow. The uncomfortable feeling of being open and vulnerable was quietened by the whispers of love and desire Liara projected. Neither words nor emotions, the whispers were like a mixture, telegraphing themselves both physically and mentally to Shepard, allowing her to feel secure in the spiritual embrace.

Through this unrivalled link, Liara was able to read Shepard's every desire, and she did so shamelessly, seeing images of the commander's wants and needs as clearly as if they were a hologram projected before her. She smiled against Shepard's lips when she saw a particular vision that enticed her enough to re-enact it.

Without breaking their kiss, she gently pulled Shepard's arms from around her neck and pinned them just above the commander's head on either side, interlacing their fingers together in the process. She shifted her body, pleased when Shepard parted her legs and allowed the asari to settle her hips between them. As always, she was awed by the molten heat and slick wetness she could feel there, and gently gyrated against Shepard's centre, eliciting a groan from the human that further ignited her own passion.

Before Shepard, Liara had never imagined that she could be so bold, so sensual and sexually dominant. She'd been as naïve as a schoolgirl when they'd first met, giggling and getting her words mixed up and saying the most embarrassing things. Now here she was, confidently taking control in her quest to please her lover.

As if Shepard had read her thoughts, and indeed, she probably had, Liara found herself being overturned and was suddenly beneath Shepard's strong, muscular frame.

"What makes you think you're in control, huh?" Shepard teased, and proceeded to assert her own dominance by squeezing a hand between their bodies and cupping Liara's sex By nature, an asari clitoris is slightly more elongated than a human's, and as such Shepard could feel it brushing against the inside of her palm, which she teasingly began to move in slow circles, the rough calluses stroking the asari's bud to full bloom. Liara bucked against her, groaning as pleasure radiated outwards from her centre.

Shepard caught images depicting Liara's state of mind as her palm continued to tease the asari, clearly displaying her desperation for more. Happy to oblige, Shepard kissed her soundly on the lips before descending down her body, pausing only to shower the asari's full breasts with plenty of kisses and flicks of her tongue. She took a dark nipple into her mouth and sucked it until it was hard, caressing the turgid flesh with her lips and swiping the rough flat of her tongue over the tip. Liara arched her back with a gasp, wanting, needing more. Shepard continued down, Liara's long fingers entangled in her wild, sleep-messy hair, urging her on.

When she reached the apex of Liara's thighs, she stopped to inhale the intoxicating scent emanating from the slick, glistening folds. The musky aroma was more potent than any she'd experienced before, strong and addictive like a heavy dose of Hallex.

"Shepard...please..." Liara begged, her head thrown back and her eyes closed. Shepard smiled and lowered her mouth to the pulsing treasure between her lover's legs. Liara bucked as soon as she made contact, her lips enfolding the protruding clitoris as her tongue raked over the tip. She sucked and pulled at the tender nerves, feeling Liara's reactions and resulting sensations through their unbreakable link.

"I love you, Liara..." She murmured against the soft and velvety flesh whilst she gently pushed her fingers inside, eliciting another roll of Liara's hips and an accompanying whimper from the asari.

"I love you too, Shepard...take me..."

Tears streamed down Liara's face, silent tears that went almost unnoticed. Marriage, old age, and a lot of little blue children, Shepard's voice echoed in her head, I'll always come back, Liara...

"You lied to me, Shepard..." The asari managed to choke out, "You lied..."

"Support systems are at a critical level, Shepard, it would be advisable to land as soon as possible."

"Shut the hell up." Shepard growled, eyeing the rapidly falling numbers on the console with annoyance. She should have known this heap of junk wouldn't be able to hold out long enough for her to complete her mission, but the offer had been too tempting to pass up. A small ship able to jump light years without the use of a mass relay? She'd leapt at the chance to test it. Turns out it was too good to be true. Sure, the thing had managed to make the jump, but the ride had been far too bumpy for the apparently weak frame.

"Shepard, there is a small planet with an agreeable atmosphere within range, should I upload the coordinates?" Shepard rolled her eyes. This VI was by far the most irritating she'd ever come across. Not even the Shepard VI could compare. It had a penchant for asking her approval on every single decision that had to be made. Perhaps she was biased, though. After being on the Normandy with EDI, any VI was bound to seem like a low tech gimmick.

Forcing patience, she searched the alliance database for information on the planet, but surprisingly found nothing, indicating it was a previously unexplored world. Checking the data gathered by the ship's scanners, she found the VI was right, she would be able to breathe down there, even though the oxygen levels were quite low. The synthetic DNA intertwined with her own would make it possible by altering her body's chemical make-up, allowing her to adapt fast and survive on the low oxygen intake.

When she'd thrown herself into the crucible's beam, she hadn't quite thought about how it would alter the universe. She hadn't known she would be alive to see the changes. Nobody had been more surprised than she when she'd woken in the rubble that was London city, a little worse for wear but otherwise fighting fit.

The Reapers were gone, but nobody could give a clear account of what had happened between Shepard's 'suicide' and her subsequent awakening. The most popular theory was that the whole universe had disintegrated and rebuilt itself, combining organic and synthetic DNA to create what the catalyst had called synthesis. Shepard had explained what had happened up on the Citadel countless times, but it was a while before anybody believed her words weren't the crazy ramblings of a PTSD sufferer. And even then, only because they could find no other explanation for the obvious differences in the world around them.

Shepard couldn't have cared less about all the changes except one, and that was the absence of her lover, Liara T'soni. She'd searched endlessly for the asari, flying from country to country, checking the hospitals and morgues, fearing the worst. But not a trace could be found. She took small comfort in the fact that neither Joker, EDI or the Normandy had been found either, and had ascertained that as all three had still been aboard the ship during those final hours, they could still be alive.

Of course, finding them in deep space had become impossible with the destruction of the mass relays, and so Shepard had waited, using the vast wealth she had amassed over the years – not to mention the hefty reward the council had presented her with for saving the galaxy – to fund projects designed to create new ways to travel the universe. Eleven years later, here she was, solo piloting what the creators had dubbed the Jack Rabbit, on account of the massive jumps through space it was said to be capable of.

"Capable my ass," Shepard muttered, hurriedly charting a course for the unknown planet, seeing for the first time how it resembled earth with its abundance of green and blues and wispy white clouds.

"Shepard, you have approximately sixty seconds to enter the atmosphere and locate an adequate landing area. My sensors have ceased to function, I will be unable to assist." the VI explained in her dull tones. Shepard smirked, welcoming the sudden swell of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"Not a problem." She replied.

"Dr. T'soni, there's been something of a complication at the dig site..." Liara raised her eyebrows at the face on the vid-comm, the image flickering due to the unstable connection she received so far from the comm-towers. She'd purposely had her home built as far away from other people as was politely possible, preferring her own company ever since they'd crashed here. The majority left her alone, knowing the reasons behind her self imposed solitude and respecting her privacy. She was grateful for that.

"Well, you see, a ship has crash landed in the middle of it..."

"What!" Liara blurted, craning her neck as if she might be able to see evidence of his claims behind his head.

"About an hour ago, Doctor, the craft headed straight for it. We're lucky there was nobody in the pit at the time."

"Nobody was injured?"

"No ma'am, but the crew are wary of investigating..." the man looked somewhat uncomfortable as he made the admission, making it all too clear that he was also averse to dealing with the problem. Liara sighed. It was the weekend, she was officially off the clock and would prefer to stay home where she could have peace.

"I'll be right there." She muttered.

When Liara arrived at the site, she found the crew gathered around the pit, gazing down at the smoking wreckage that resembled more of a scrapheap than a ship. She joined the site manager at the edge.

"Has there been any activity?" She asked, gazing down at the once sleek machine.

"No, Ma'am. A couple of the guys tried to approach it but there must be some kind of defence up because they couldn't get within three feet of it, some kind of forcefield held them back."

"Hmm, interesting..." Liara murmured before leaping gracefully into the pit. She slowly approached the wreck, noticing - with a pang of nostalgia - the alliance emblem emblazoned on the side. As she moved closer, she could feel the effect of the forcefield. Walking was becoming difficult, like wading through water. Eventually she came to a complete standstill, unable to get any closer.

Focusing her thoughts and calling upon her seldom used biotic powers, Liara began to take the invisible barrier apart, bit by bit, as if pulling down a brick wall. The air around her crackled with blue energy and her eyes, now black, stared unseeingly, as if she were viewing something nobody else could see. In actual fact, she was seeing the intricate mechanics of the forcefield and easily exploiting its weaknesses until it began to shimmer and fail. She released the flow of energy when the barrier had been fully eradicated, pleased with her efforts.

"Shepard, the barrier has been breached. It would be advisable to wake and arm yourself accordingly."

Shepard groaned. Her body ached from being thrown around in her seat and her head felt as if she'd gone ten rounds with a krogan and lost every time. The VI's voice grated on her last nerves, only increasing the incessant pounding of her brain. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out for, but considering the pain it hadn't been long enough to heal, not even with the advancements of her synthesis DNA.

She unsnapped her belt and climbed unsteadily to her feet, using the console to keep herself upright when the cockpit began to spin around her. She groaned again, wishing she was still unconscious. At least nothing had been spinning then. Moving to the back room, which was nothing more than a bedsit with the barest of necessities, she grabbed her gun and holster and fastened it around her waist as quickly as she could. Catching a look at herself in the mirror above the tiny sink, she grimaced, "Looking your best as usual, Shepard," she said to herself, fingering the dark circles under her eyes and running a hand through her short, unruly hair. "Best go and meet the welcoming committee, whoever they are."

"Somebody call law enforcement, there is no guarantee the people aboard this craft will be friendly." Liara spoke to nobody in particular, but a few of the crew went off to do her bidding. That taken care of, she took a step towards the ship, fully intending to open it up. But at that moment she heard a loud hiss as the cabin pressure was released, and seconds later a hatch swung open on top of the craft, a gloved hand pushing it over until it landed with a resounding metal clang against the roof. The hand was replaced by a head, or more specifically, the back of somebody's head, where dark, messy locks roamed free and lightly tickled the stranger's neck at the ends. Broad shoulders followed, then the subtle curve of female hips and finally, two long and muscular legs, all encased in a very familiar looking bodysuit.

Liara's heart seemed to have stopped beating. She couldn't hear it, she couldn't hear anything. The whole universe seemed to have been rendered silent. The stranger was silhouetted by the slowly sinking sun, and obviously hadn't realised that the party was behind her. Turn around, Liara silently begged, believing it far too good to be true but needing to know anyway. As if she'd heard the silent plea, the pilot slowly pivoted until she was facing Liara and the rest of the crew, her face still shrouded in darkness.

There was a soft gasp. The stranger took a shaky step forward, her hand reaching out even though she was too far away to make contact, and then a deep but wholly feminine voice whispered, "L-Liara?"

Liara couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak. Her whole body seemed to have stopped responding to her brain's commands. Her blue eyes were wide with shock. This couldn't be. She'd finally gone insane. She briefly wondered whether she'd always been insane and the past eleven years had been a figment of her imagination, or if she was at home right now, having made the final leap overnight. Hysterically, she hoped somebody would stop by and find her.

But no, this was real, it had to be. She hoped to whatever Gods existed that it was. That that was really her Shepard sliding down the side of the vehicle. Her Shepard who was carefully stepping closer. Her Shepard who was wrapping her in strong arms, crushing her against a chest that housed a rapidly beating heart, the pounding strong and true, each a testimony to how very alive her Shepard was. She felt wetness on her neck, realised her Shepard was crying silently and kissing her shoulder whilst her hands roamed over the asari's body, the touch entirely non-sexual and more about ensuring that Liara was really there.

Eleven years of pain seemed to have lifted from Liara's shoulders. Making her feel light for the first time in so long, she felt as if she could fly. She clasped the back of Shepard's neck with one hand, feeling the tension in the muscles there and wanting nothing more than to work them out. But later. They had all the time in the world now. She smiled and gently pulled Shepard's face away from her neck. He gazed into two piercing eyes, the colours of the irises so light they were almist white. The area around them was reddened by tears and the expression in them one of a soul tormented. Shepard reached up to gently run her thumbs beneath Liara's eyes, and it was then that she realised she'd been crying too.

"You came back..." Liara whispered, her forehead pressed against Shepard's.

Shepard smiled wearily, her mission complete, her life now free to live with the woman she loved. "I told you I always would...I'm sorry it took me so long, Liara." Emotion laced Shepard's words, making her voice croaky and uneven. She licked her dry lips and her gaze briefly shifted to Liara's mouth.

"Oh, Shepard," Liara sighed, more out of happiness than exasperation. "Kiss me."

And Shepard did.

One year later...

"Liara! Have you seen my tie?"

"Have you checked the drawer?"

"First place I looked!"

"The bedroom floor? I remember taking-"

"I remember, its not there!" Shepard grinned wistfully, remembering the night before when she'd come home from policing the streets of the new world to find Liara very naked and very aroused. The tie had been one of the first things to go, removed by Liara's very talented hands and used for much more exciting purposes than keeping the collar of her shirt together.

Shepard moved from room to room, searching hurriedly until she came to the last where she spotted it almost immediately. "It doesn't matter, Liara, I found it!" Chuckling, she stepped into the room and headed for the tie, which had gotten itself into a rather sorry predicament.

"Now, little one, are you going to give it to me or am I going to have to come in there and get it, hmm?" Shepard smiled down into the crib that held their daughter, yet again feeling a sense of wonder at what she and Liara had created. Shiara T'soni-Shepard had one end of her papa's tie clasped securely in her plump little hand, and the other end in her mouth where it was receiving a very thorough gumming.

Shepard reached into the crib and gently tugged the end from the baby's mouth, rebelliously risking a tantrum. The tie now had a healthy dose of drool added to its limited qualities.

"Eugh, you can keep it." Shepard decided, not really angry in the least with her daughter. She found she couldn't get angry at this perfect little creature with her mother's eyes and Shepard's nose, and knew without a doubt that the older Shiara got, the tighter she would have her papa wrapped around her little finger.

Shepard felt hands sliding around her waist then, and the welcome scent of her lover assailed her senses as Liara embraced her from behind and kissed the nape of her neck.

"Is our daughter being mischievous again?" the asari teasingly asked.

Shepard turned her head to deliver a kiss of her own to Liara's waiting lips. "Isn't she always?" She replied with a smile. "I guess I'm going to work without a tie again." She sighed dramatically.

"Hmm, good, its sexier this way..." Liara grinned, reaching her hands up to undo the top few buttons of Shepard's shirt.

"You would say that." Shepard smirked, turning in Liara's arms. She gently cupped Liara's face in her hands and gazed deeply into her lover's eyes. "I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too, Shepard," Liara breathed, "Go, keep the new world safe...but come back to me..."

"Always..." Shepard replied, and sealed it with a kiss.