Note: This is my take of mass effect, it is more focused on thoughts, dialogue and romance. Missions and details of battles will be not featured so often in this story. My main objectiveis to show the pain, love and sacrifice shepard and Liara both make for the world.

Work in progress...

Her blue body, teasing me. The sheet barely covering her back, the stars are the only light and it works perfectly with the asari's body. Looking at her lover, looking at her life and how it all worked out for the better.

Alexis Shepard thought back to how she got so lucky, that fatal day she ran into Liara, saving her from that Krogan, from a really bad situation. Shepard couldn't believe the liking she had for the asari when they first met, she instantly knew that
/Liara would mean something important to her... Just not this important.

They hit it off very well, it was love at first sight. Every mission together, every last stand they had and every night talking, getting to know each other, it was magic.

Shepard couldn't believe how lucky she got, Liara was just so different. She was naive but so smart, brave but shy. Shepard knew instantly that this beautiful blue woman would change her for the better.

It's been months since there fight with sovereign and the team has been able to relax for a while;

Kaiden was dead, he wouldn't have let Ashley stay back. And even though she blames herself for his death, Shepard is the one with the weight onher shoulders.

Ashley has been getting drunk at the bar, with tali and Garrus. The days have not been easy to her and Shepard has made it a point this off time to connect with her.

Garrus and tali have been great, they're dating but it's being kept on the down low due to ranking in the systems. Occasionally Shepard and Garrus go shooting for a bit, while tali teaches Shepard about some techs.

Urdnot Wrex was just very eager to jump back into battle, but in the off time, he taught Shepard everything he knew about krogans.

As for Liara, she was stuck to shepards bed. Going over their future, their plans after the war. How they would settle down somewhere, somewhere very quiet. Enjoying retirement with their little blue children, but even for Shepard; she knew that wasn't
/true.

Shepard has been having nightmares lately, nightmares that she feared was just a glimpse at her future. She saw war, she saw people's lives being taken away from them. She saw her crew members fighting along side her, every step she took, but she

also saw them fall to the war. She didn't know what was coming, nor did she know when, who and why but she was gonna try and stop it with all her might.

All she definitely knew, was that this crew, this family was all she was gonna need.

Shepard awoke a couple weeks ago, having Miranda and Jacob ' guided ' her to safety. She didn't know what to think, or what to feel.

Sitting in the room with the two ' Cerberus ' agents, Shepard couldn't help but feel lost, feel angry and all she wanted more was for everything just to make sense.

" Where is my crew? " Shepard asked impatiently.

" Off, doing there own things " Jacob replied not taking his eyes of his terminal.

" I figured, I mean where?! "

" We will not answer any questions till you talk to the illusive man " Miranda replied.

She felt as if no time has passed, but 2 years HAVE passed. She pondered about her crew members, did Tali and Garrus finally tie the knot? Was Wrex a leader now? Was Joker still flying around anything he could get his hands on? And Liara!

" Where is Liara? Is she okay? I need to find her.. Now " Shepard said trying to get out of the room.

Her mind was running, her thought were gonna explode. Is she alive? Did she watch Shepard die? Did she move on?

That's the question that Shepard feared the most, what if Liara found someone else to love? What if her and shepards love wasn't even real? What if... Liara waited and waited.. And she had to deal with the after math of Shepard dying...

" Shepard, please relax. T'soni is fine and she's safe, right now you need to wait for the illusive man. " Jacob said trying to block the exit door.

She wanted to cry, to screamand kill who ever was responsible of killing her. She promised Liara, she promised her she'd come back... Her blood began to boil even more, she HAD to get to Liara.

" Back off and let me out, I need to see her. I'll come back when I'm done. "

" Commander, that's not how it works. "

" I do not give a shit, understand? I've been gone for 2 years! I'm going to find her first, fix it and then save the world "

" We will not allow you to leave, just be patient Shepard, I swear "

" I dont know who the fuck- " she was cut off due to the intercom.

" Commander Shepard, come to my office " This ' Illusive ' man said.

Getting up, Shepard wanted this to be all over. Her blood was reaching its peak and she wanted to murder everyone. She knew there was no way out, so she put on a straight face. Her thoughts running wild, wanting tojustgo see Liara, she

just wanted toescape this dream.. This.. Life.

Heading into the office a hologram of the illusive man came to life and from that moment, Shepard knew she wouldn't get to see Liara for a while.

Miranda and Jacob explained everything to her, how the collectors destroyed her went back home, Garrus was off the grid. Wrex was back on his home planet and Ashley was promoted in the alliance.

They wouldn't give her anything on Liara, they wanted her to focus on their first mission. The illusive man didn't want Shepard to be distracted, he needed her to save the entire galaxy.

She got joker back and it was so good to see him for Shepard. She needed a familiar face for this Cerberus facility. She didn't trust anyone but him, they even have an AI called EDI but Shepard knows they're just trying to spy on her. Keep her in

check.

Nights haven't been easy for her, she tosses and turns, craving her mates love, her warmth and her sweet words. Shepard has laid in bed countless times, traveling all over the galaxy, getting lost in the stars, getting lost with regret and guilt.

She wondered if Liara knew she was alive and if she did... Why hasn't she tried to reach out to her yet, with thatShepard couldn't take the questions anymore and headed to Miranda's Office.

" I need you to tell me everything, now " Shepard demanding her andstopping in front of her desk.

" Commander. What would you like to know? "

" Stop with the bullshit Lawson, where is Liara? "

" Shepard, I have told you countless times- "

" No! I need to see Liara, I need to know if she's okay, if she still needs me "

The room was quiet and it looked as if Miranda was thinking of something as she looked at Shepard hard.

" Are you always this selfish? "

" Selfish? How am I selfish!? You're the one hiding Liara from me! "

" No Shepard, I am not hiding her. Did you ever think, she was hiding from you till she wanted to be found? "

Now that got shepards attention, it was as if Miranda was trying to hint at something but Shepard couldn't point it out..

" No, she loved me. I loved her, I still love her. If you want me to fight, fight this ' war ' then I need to be in control, I call the shots and i need the people I love close to me "

" Shepard, do you ever listen to anyone but yourself, they said you would sacrifice yourself for yourteam but.. I see none of that. "

" You know shit about me Mir- "

" But that's the thing commander, I do know you. I have studied you for two years, every time you woke, you cried out for Liara. I know your favorite food, I know what you're allergic to, I know what your mind and heart craves. I know you. " Miranda
/claimed keeping her cool, hands in her lap with a smirk on her face.

Shepard could feel her blood boiling again, if Miranda knew all of that, why wasn't she letting her find Liara.

" Miranda I'm done- "

" Commander, listen. Liara, she might not be the woman you still think she is. Shit happened and people changed, remember; you died and she had to live. Would you really put her back through that with everything we're doing here?For now,It'd

be best if you just focused on the mission right now, in a couple weeks, we'll head out to Liara "

Shepard said nothing, new questions have entered her head. She knew what Miranda was doing, but she couldn't help but think if this woman, was right. Shestormed out and headed straight for her cabin, she couldn't understand what was happening.

Did Liara move on? Did Liara not love her? Was she trying to avoid Shepard, was she trying to run away and hide? Should she just let Liara go and let her live a normal life?

For now, she'd be on her best behavior till she got to see Liara, then everything after that, is a mystery.