Note: This is a continuation of the story of FemShep and Liara. If you want background you can read Where's Shepard and Please Wake Up. You don't have to, it's just FYI. Hope you enjoy and would love to hear from you.

Liara MOVE! Yelled the commander as the Reaper guarding the beam to the citadel shot its red laser. The sound that would never be forgotten that rocked her to her bones always blaring before the laser shot out. She saw Liara fly through the air due to that damn red beam. The commander was relieved to see that Liara put up a barrier before she hit the concrete wall she was thrown into. Running as fast as she could, dodging the red beam, the sound filling her ears where she couldn't hear anything else, she looked over her left shoulder to see if she could see Garrus. He was nowhere to be found.

The commander knew that she had to press forward. Knew she had to make it to the beam, to fire the weapon that would destroy the Reapers and save the galaxy from extinction. Suddenly all Commander Shepard saw was red. The pain she felt was so sudden. It came and went so fast it was hard to decipher exactly what just happened. It felt like her skin was on fire ….

"NOOOo!" Elly screamed as she woke up into a sitting position, gasping for air.

"Elly, it's alright, you're alright, you were dreaming", says Liara

Panting, Shepard works to catch her breath.

"Easy", rubbing her back which is soaked with sweat Liara continues, "it's okay, you're safe"

Elly places both hands to her sweaty head and lets out a deep sigh as she lets her legs hang off the right side of the bed.

Liara continues to rub her back as she shifts positions to sit next to the commander, placing her head on her shoulder. It's over now, you're safe". She kisses her shoulder.

"I – I'm sorry Liara."

"Goddess, what for?"

"I don't want to ruin our vacation and that is exactly what I am doing."

Liara cups Elly's cheek into her hand and leans in to kiss Elly lightly on the lips. "You could never ruin our vacation. We are together that is what is important."

Elly is just amazed at how lucky she is to have Dr. Liara T'Soni in her life. She met the young asari archeologist almost three years ago now. Mission after mission, they have fought together, saved the world together and for the first time in their relationship, they are on vacation together.

It has been four months since the Commander woke from her coma with the help of Liara. Liara and Garrus found the commander's body on one of the Citadel arms after the Reapers were defeated". Physically she healed quite nicely, but she was in a coma for 8 days. Trapped in a memory where she saw her Mother and Father and childhood friend die over and over again on Mindoir, Liara appeared to her in her memory to guide her out. The commander owed the asari so much and she felt so guilty that she was having a nightmare on their first night of vacation together. She had hoped that the nightmares would have stopped or at least slowed down now that the fighting had stopped, but the commander still had them almost every night.

Liara sensing that Elly is beating herself up raises Elly's chin so she could look into the commander's emerald green eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

With a deep breath in and out, "It's the same old crap," says Shepard as she stands and walks to the bathroom to wash her face.

Liara had hoped a vacation would revive Elly, but she has never seen her looking so tired. All of the ceremonies Elly had to attend, all of the congratulations that were given by people, completely wiped out the commander. She was best suited for leading her troops and squad mates into combat, not making small talk to people she didn't know or care to know. The public knew the commander as the savior of the galaxy. Elly could not stand it that the council and the Alliance military were fine having her be the face that saved everyone everywhere. Elly knew it took her crew, her squad and all of the alien races that she worked her ass off to convince to help take back Earth. It was a galactic team effort, not one person. But in the end, everyone wanted a picture with Commander Shepard. Liara felt it may be too much a burden to carry.

"I don't think I will be able to get back to sleep. I think I will read a bit." Hearing Elly speak to her snapped Liara back from her thoughts.

She saw Elly walk out of their bedroom and turn on a light. Liara wasn't sure if she should follow or leave Elly alone. She is such a private person, maybe I should leave her alone. She needs you Liara; you need to go to her. Even if you just sit with her, it will be enough.

Making up her mind, Liara decided to make some tea for both of them and join Elly on the couch. Their cabin, which was more of a two-story house, over looked a beautiful lake. The moon danced off the surface of the water. After all of the celebrations that were required of her, the commander was ordered to take two months of shore leave. So Liara thought what better way to get away with her lover than a nice romantic getaway. Not a lot of people were around, which was perfect. The last thing Liara wanted was to have people asking for autographs or pictures with Commander Elly Shepard.

"What are you reading?" asked Liara as she handed Elly a cup of tea and sat next to her.

Sighing and putting the datapad down, "I don't even know. I have re-read the first page like three times and I still don't know what it says." Elly just stared out the windows that faced the lake, watching the reflection of the moon, blowing on her tea to cool it.

"Now that we have settled in a little bit, what do you want to do on our first full day of vacation tomorrow?" asked Liara

Elly didn't hear Liara. She just stared straight ahead, blowing on her tea.

"Elly?"

"Huh?" Oh sorry Liara, what did you say?"

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"I always wake up right when the red beam hits me. I saw you get thrown, I couldn't see Garrus and bam, I am hit with the beam and my skin is on fire. I don't see anything after that. Then I wake up. At least it was this one and no t some of the others."

The theme of the commander's dreams changes. Some nights Shepard has the same nightmare, waking in the same place each time. Other nights she will dream of things that happened when she first met Liara. She will dream about losing Liara or Ashley on Vermire, instead of Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko. When she died in the Normandy SR1 explosion when the collector ship found them, she dreamt about suffocating over and over again as she was thrown clear from the ship before it disintegrated into little pieces, this was her least favorite of her nightmares. She always woke up choking and gasping for breath, since that is how she died, suffocation because her oxygen hose leaked. The list could go on and on. What Elly didn't know was why they kept coming when the galactic threat was now over.

"You have been through a lot Elly. It will just take some time to process everything."

"It's been four months. The Reapers are dead, my mind knows this, so why the hell am I still dreaming about it? And why don't you have any nightmares?"

"I have an occasional nightmare Elly, but I didn't have an entire galaxy looking to me to solve their problems or to save them. You are finally starting to slow down Shepard and with that your mind is adjusting. You no longer have death at your door to occupy your thoughts on how to stop it. You have to give yourself time to process. "Shepard just stared outside saying nothing.

Liara pressed, "Elly?"

"What?"

"Talk to me."

"I have a better idea." She set down her mug, grabbed Liara's mug from her hands and set it down, then looked the asari in the eyes, taking her hands into her own.

"Elly, don't think I don't know what you are doing."

"What?" Elly said with her sly grin.

Liara knew Shepard did not want to talk about her nightmares, not tonight. So she let it go.

Elly leaned into Liara kissing her deeply. "I really do love you, you know that T'Soni."

"I love you too Shepard."

Elly moved her lips to Liara's neck, up to her jaw line then finally finding her supple lips again. Passion grew in both of them. It had been too long since they had been together. Elly was happy to distract the good doctor from their discussion.

Feeling Liara's arms squeezing her tight, Elly replied by whispering, "I think we should take this into the bedroom."

Wandering in the woods, Shepard recognized the place. The trees had no leaves on them; they were falling, gently gliding in the air piling on the ground as they landed. She continued to see dark shadowy figures, but they had no real shape. Anytime she approached one it would disappear. "Hello?" Yelled Shepard, but there was no reply. She kept running, but felt strange, as if almost moving in slow motion. Her legs felt like they were weighted down. Seeing a light ahead Shepard runs toward it. Reaching the light source, she sees a door in the ground where the light is trying to escape. She opens the door and is suddenly under the crawl space of her home in Mindoir. This is where she hid when she was sixteen years old when the Batarians attacked. Only now she was her adult self, lying on her back looking up through the floorboards at two Batarians holding her mother while another Batarian approached her. She could see the long blade he held. Her mother being defiant by no longer struggling. Shepard tried to scream, to move but there was no room to move. The crawl space was not meant for an adult. She saw the knife plunge into her mother, blood starting to spill as she collapsed to the floor. Shepard tried to move her hands up to somehow break through the floorboards, but as she tried to reach up, hands from the ground protruded and held her in place. Her arms, wrists, shoulders, legs, ankles, feet and forehead were all held in place from something under her, under the ground. She could not move. She could not make a sound. She looked up and locked eyes with the figure that just killed her mother. It was Liara with the most evil grin she had ever seen.

Liara looked at Shepard through the floorboards playing with the blood soaked knife. It was dripping as she held it with such esteem. Shepard could tell she was trying to figure out her next move. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. With a quick biotic pull, Liara lifted a section of the floor boards away and threw them against the wall. She slowly kneeled down looking over Shepard's body, as if trying to determine where to strike first.

Shepard's breath coming fast and hard now. She can't move, can't believe what she is seeing, needs to get out, but can't. The last time she felt this vulnerable was when she was spaced, slowly suffocating to death. Struggling against the hands that held her in place, she cried out "Get off of me! Let me go! Let me go! Liara don't! Please Liara!"

Liara woke in an instant hearing Shepard screaming. She looked over and saw Shepard laying still, but struggling at the same time, as if she couldn't move. "Elly, Elly can you hear me? Elly, wake up honey you are having a nightmare."

Not wanting to touch her or shake her awake, Liara went to the bathroom to grab a washcloth. She wet it with cold water, hoping Shepard would soon wake. Liara had learned not to try to wake Shepard when she was having a nightmare. The first time she shook the commander awake, Elly sat up swinging just missing Liara's head. Liara was quick enough to duck. Shepard couldn't believe that she almost hit Liara and told her to never wake her like that, just let the nightmare take its course. And if she absolutely had to wake her, to quickly run away out of arm's reach. Liara was ready to do that if necessary. As Liara returned, damp washcloth at the ready, Shepard seemed to stop struggling and her screaming subsided. She was just breathing heavy as if she was running.

"Liara no!" Not able to move, Shepard had no defense against the knife wielding Liara. She knew she was going to hurt. She knew from the look in Liara's eyes that she was going to suffer and it would be at her lover's hand. As Liara knelt down, Shepard could see that she was contemplating where to cut first. Wake up Shepard wake up! This has to be a dream it has to be. Shepard's eyes grew wide as Liara raised the knife ready to strike, with one last scream of "Noooooo!" Shepard woke.

Panting, trying to catch her breath, Shepard looked around to see if she knew where she was. She recognized the bedroom as being the cabin they rented for her shore leave, but was surprised to not see Liara lying next to her. Maybe she is in the kitchen. Wiping her brow and shaking off her dream, Shepard started to stand up. Suddenly she was thrown against the wall and held there in a stasis field. Once again, she could not move her hands or legs. Her head was laying flat against the wall, but she could move it side to side to try to see what was holding her.

The Illusive Man appeared from the bedroom door. "Hello Shepard, it's been a long time."

What , what is this? "I killed you you son of a bitch." The Illusive Man looked just as he did that last time Shepard saw him. His face covered in what looked like black veins running from his scalp down to under his shirt collar, on both sides of his face.

"Yes you did, yet here I am. I have a friend with me, I think you two know each other." The Illusive Man pointed to the bathroom which was dark. Standing in the doorway was the outline of a figure. Squinting, Shepard could not make out who it was. It was only when the figure started to move, that Shepard knew it was Liara before the dim light in the room showed it to be true.

No, No, Liara no, not you. "No Liara!" As Liara approached the captive Shepard, she too had the same black veins running up and down her face. How can you be indoctrinated? Shepard thought. "Please Liara, don't do this. Let her go you bastard!"

"Elly, Elly please wake up. You are safe; you need to wake up Shepard." Liara was growing more and more concerned. Shepard's breathing was fast and shallow; it looked as if Shepard could not move again even though she was struggling. She wanted to wake Elly especially because she kept calling Liara's name, she was scared at what Shepard was seeing.

With that evil grin returning, Liara sauntered up to Shepard not speaking, but her eyes said everything. Her eyes were pitched black, much darker than when the two of them meld. This darkness could swallow you whole, make you lose yourself and never return; this darkness was pure evil. Struggling as much as she could, Shepard could still not move. She was exhausted from trying, but didn't want to face what was inevitably coming. Liara was standing almost nose to nose with Shepard, still with that damn grin. The black lines on her face looked like they were alive and growing, moving along the beautiful blue asari. Her Liara was gone now; there was nothing she could do. But she pleaded nonetheless. "Please Liara, please don't do this, you can fight it." Tears coming now, Shepard knew that she would never be heard. That her Liara was no longer inhabiting the body that stood before her. Looking at the asari she saw the knife, the bloody knife she saw moments ago. Liara was taunting her with it. Trying to figure out the best place to start on the Commander's body. Starting at her collarbone Liara slowly, slowly inserted the knife, though not too deep, moving the knife down, between her breasts, slowly cutting toward her belly button. Shepard let out a gut wrenching scream.

"Commander Shepard WAKE UP!" After hearing Shepard scream as if she was dying, Liara had had it with trying to rouse Elly with words. Readying her biotics for a shield, Liara stood next to Shepard and started to shake her shoulders. "Shepard, you wake up right now!"

Trying to catch her breath, Shepard looked down and saw the blood flowing from her body. A small pool starting to form beneath her feet which were still planted firmly against the wall with the rest of her. Liara was half way through her second long cut. Shepard felt as if she was going to pass out, breathing becoming more difficult. Seeing Liara just grin at her while the Illusive Man looked on was more than she could bear. A little bit of relief came when the knife was pulled out of her. Liara lifted her hand and placed it on Shepard's chin, getting a good grip as her fingers and thumb pressed hard feeling her lower jaw. Shepard saw the knife being raised eye level when her screaming began again…..

Shaking Elly was not working. Liara tried the washcloth on her face, but Shepard was not responding. Liara was frightened. She ran to the kitchen to find a bowl. She filled it with water. Hearing screaming from the bedroom, Liara almost dropped the bowl. It sounded as if Elly was being tortured. She has never been so scared. Running back to the room, she somehow managed to keep most of the water in the bowl. Taking a deep breath Please Goddess let this work she threw the water onto Elly's face.

Still screaming Elly jolted awake. She was off the bed in a split second reaching for her gun which wasn't there. Liara shielded herself. "Shepard, it's me, it's Liara!"

Standing, eyes and head darting around the room hands raised as if ready to block a blow, Liara was not sure that the commander was actually awake. "Elly you are safe now, you are safe, can you hear me?"

Seeing that she did not have a weapon and wondering how she was suddenly so wet, Elly started to recognize her surroundings. She could see Liara in the bedroom, she could see that Liara had a shield up, but Elly didn't know why. I was just in this room.

"Elly, can you hear me?"

Liara is that really you? She is talking, she doesn't have black lines on her, I don't see a knife. Looking around the room and poking her head out of the bedroom door to see if anyone was in the family room or kitchen, no one else is here; Elly concluded in seconds that she must have been dreaming. She could feel herself shaking. I am so tired. I am tired of being tired. When will this end. I can't take much more of this.

Looking at Liara, Shepard tried her voice. It was shaky and hoarse, "L-Liara?" Shepard's knees buckled.

At hearing Shepard speak, Liara took down her shield and moved toward Shepard catching her just in time to ease her to the floor.

Shepard on her knees grabbed Liara around her waist and almost squeezed the wind out of her. She was shaking. Liara returned the embrace, holding Elly tight, stroking her hair and resting her cheek on the Commander's head.

"It's ok now Shepard, you're safe, you're safe now." Goddess how much more of this can she take?

Minutes passed, Shepard didn't speak she just held Liara. Her shaking subsided, but now the tears came.

Trying her voice, Shepard said, "I am so tired."

Holding her Liara responded "I know Elly. It is going to be alright."

"You don't know that."

Liara not sure how to respond, just waited.

Sniffling and wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, Elly looked up at Liara, "I mean it Liara. I don't know if this is going to get any better. I can't put you through this."

Liara has experienced this before. She knew Shepard was trying to push Liara away as if she was protecting the asari. Liara would have none of it.

"I know what you are doing Shepard, and it is not going to work. We will get through this together."

"Liara"

Grabbing Elly's face with both of her hands, Liara locked eyes on Elly. "No Elly. I am not going anywhere. I am not letting you go, don't you dare ask me to."

The tears flooded. Elly didn't know what to say, all she could do was cry. She grabbed Liara's waist again and buried her face into the asari's torso.

Liara sat with the Commander in her arms until morning. Liara was able to shift into a more comfortable position, leaning against the wall before Elly fell asleep in her lap. It was when Liara was able to see the light from outside flowing into their bedroom that she knew it was morning. Morning meant a new day, a fresh start. Morning meant renewed hope. Goddess, please release Elly from her nightmares, give her comfort and peace. Please help me to be her strength.

Hi all hope you like the story so far. I am always looking for ways to improve and suggestions are welcome. Thanks.