A/N: Hey everyone. First, thank you for reading. I truly appreciate you taking the time to look at my story. I know there are many out there, but that you have taken the time to read this is truly appreciated. First, this is a Mass Effect story set in and around the series. It's about my OC, Riley, who has been separated from her mom who also just happens to be the galaxies biggest hero.

Anyway, all characters belong to BioWare and I thank them kindly for inspiring this story simply by creating such wonderfully enriched characters with engaging back stories in the first place.

The Citadel and the Council were saved, albeit at the cost of nearly half of the human Alliance fleet and the hundreds of lives aboard those ships. Yet, even through loss and rebuilding, Shepard and her crew could still find reason to celebrate. They took down Saren and the Reaper, Sovereign, throwing a wrench into whatever the Reapers had planned.

Out of everything that was destroyed on the Citidel, her apartment had been spared and small as it was, it was a good place for her and Liara to begin their lives together. ""Li?" Shepard walked into the entry of her penthouse. "I'm home!"

Liara came around the corner from the kitchen. She was wearing a nearly see through white silk tunic with matching fitted pants, barefoot and an apron, "Hello Jane." She walked over to Jane and pecked the Spectre on the lips, "Everything is almost ready."

Jane held Liara out in front of her and whistled. "Damn! I have got to be the luckiest woman in the galaxy." She smiled, taking in the beauty of her asari bond mate.

Liara blushed, "No Shepard. I believe that I am the luckiest woman in the galaxy."

Jane grinned, "How about we both be the luckiest women in the galaxy.

Liara grinned back, "Fair enough. How many people are coming?"

Jane set her bag down near her desk, "I don't know. All of our Normandy friends for sure. I invited my parents, but they were visiting Riley and I don't know if they'll make it in time."

Liara looked down, her smile fading, "It would be nice to meet Riley someday Jane. You've only shared bits and pieces about her and I would love to actually get to know her."

Jane met her eyes and smiled lightly, "I'll take you to meet her as soon as this mess is all cleaned up and the Council can spare me. I promise."

"I would just like to know if I am acceptable to her." Liara stammered.

"She's nine years old, just about anything is acceptable to her right now." Jane tried to assure her lover.

Liara frowned.

Jane noticed Liara's reaction and sighed, "Li, I'm sorry. What I meant is that she's probably not even thinking along the same lines as you. Human children don't mature in the same ways asari children do. Liking you or disliking you is not even to going to be on her mind."

As Jane finished her sentence, there was a ring at the door, "Ah crap! Someone's early, I haven't changed yet. Can you welcome our guests? I'll be right out."

Liara untied her apron and threw it in the kitchen as she went to answer the door. As it slid open a distinguished, older version of Jane stared back at her. Captain Hannah Shepard smiled and Liara caught her breath at the unexpected attendance of Jane's mother, "Captain! We didn't think you were going to make it."

"Liara, how many times have I asked you to call me Hannah?" The older woman came in and threw her arms around the surprised asari. "You look lovely."

"Thank you." Liara was just about to close the door when Hannah stopped her, "Wait," the older woman leaned out the door and was mumbling to someone around the corner when Jane came in the room, instantly recognizing the woman leaning halfway out the door.

"Mom?"

Hannah stepped back in at the sound of Shepard's voice, "Janey?"

"I thought I heard your voice. What's going on out there?" As Jane took a few steps closer to see who her mother was talking to as a petite little girl looking the spitting image of Jane shyly walks forward.

"Surprise!" Hannah smiled to her daughter.

Jane's mouth dropped open and she held her breath. "Oh my god! RJ! We were just talking about you." She picked the little girl up and hugged her tight carrying her over to Liara.

"Liara, this is Riley Jane, or RJ for short." Liara smiled at the visibly uncomfortable girl who gave a shy smile back. "Riley, this is Liara." Riley looked at Liara and then down at the ground. "She's brutally shy and obviously didn't get that from the Shepard side." Jane grinned at her mother.

Taking Riley's small hand in her own, Liara looked at her. "Hello Riley Jane. It is a pleasure to meet you." She looked at Shepard then back to the little girl and smiled, "Jane, I have never seen a human child look so much like their parent, she is your exact copy." Liara mused.

Hannah chuckled softly, "Wait until I show you baby pictures of the two of them. You won't be able to tell the difference at all."

Jane smiled, "Where's dad?"

Hannah rolled her eyes, "Parties aren't his thing but spending time mulling over a drive core is. He decided to stay back on the ship, he'll see us at dinner tomorrow night."

As they were chatting, the bell on the door chimed again. Jane put Riley down and rushed to answer.

Riley leaned into Hannah's side and hid her face but not enough to observe her mother and the guests that she was inviting into the small space.

"Garrus, Tali come in. Oh my god Wrex, I don't think there's enough room for a Krogan in here."

There was a thrall of laughter.

"It's okay Shepard, I didn't come for the seats. I heard you had overstocked some Rhyncol and I'm here to help you with it." Wrex grumbled. As he turned away from Shepard his eyes landed on Riley.

"Shepard, who's the runt?"

Jane followed Wrex's stare to Riley who looked like she was ill. Walking over she took the girls hand guiding her back to the group, "None of you knew this obviously but I have a daughter."

Tali inhaled slightly, "Keelah! We had no idea. Well, at least I didn't." She put her three fingered hand out and placed it on Riley's head, gently patting.

Garrus giggled, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was looking a tiny version of you Shepard."

Riley went ashen as Wrex bent lower and looked her in the eyes. She tensed up at the sight of the big krogan and shook a little. Liara noticed right away the child's discomfort and she instinctively moved in to protect the girl. "Now Wrex it is not nice to scare children." She put her hand gently on Riley's shoulder and pulled the girl back. Jane noticed this right away, but didn't have time to think on it as the door buzzed again, she moved to answer.

Riley had never seen other species apart from the pictures in her text books and as they all milled through the small apartment, she studied every one of them closely, her eyes always making it back to the asari that rescued her from the uncomfortable situation with the first krogan she ever came in contact with.

As all of the adults were chatting amongst themselves, she sat quietly on the couch. Folding her petite hands on her lap, she studied everything around her. Being in her mothers world was an entirely new experience for the young Shepard and she studied every small detail that helped her further understand who Jane Shepard, her mother, was.

Unknown to Riley, as she was looking around, she had also become the focus of someone else's attention.

Liara watched the shy little girl studying the environment around her. She looked at the way Riley moved through the small space, trying to remain unseen, sneaking peeks at the pictures on the walls or the books on the shelves.

"She's really a good girl." Liara hears in her ear causing her to jump a little, " She's quiet and reserved and has wonderful manners. They teach them very well at the Academy, perhaps a little too well." Hannah chatted casually to the Archaeologist. "I thought it would be nice if she got a chance to see her mother, before she goes out on a mission again."

Liara looked at Hannah thoughtfully, "How long has it been since they saw each other last?"

Looking at Liara, a certain sadness in her eye, "Riley hasn't seen or talked with her in nearly two years. Janey used to go for birthdays and a holiday or two, but she's missed the last two birthdays and hasn't shown at all for holidays or free days."

Liara frowned, trying to understand, "Free days?"

"Free days are when the children get a chance to get away from the school a bit. Their parents usually come for a visit every other month to spend the day with their kids. There's a barbeque, games and awards are handed out. It's a big deal."

"Oh. I see." Liara hummed.

"Riley's received excellent scores and she received a very high award for her class. John and I came to see her receive it, but Jane was on a mission and understandably couldn't make it, but how do you explain that to a child? I see these moments and the lack of her mother affecting Riley. She's withdrawn considerably since last John and I saw her and I suspect there's a feeling of rejection that she's struggling with." Liara looked from Hannah to the shy girl sitting on her couch, "I'm sad for my granddaughter and I fear that she's never going to get to know the Jane you and I know. So I brought her here, hoping that maybe you could help me bring them together again. I'm sorry if I'm overstepping my bounds. I just...please help?"

Liara was taken back by the candid request of Jane's mother. "Hannah, I do not know how much I can help. Riley is a subject that Jane avoids sharing with me. I do not know why, but there's something about her relationship with her daughter that she finds difficult to discuss."

Hannah bit her bottom lip, "I know why Liara and I want to fix it. They're like oil and water and they have absolutely nothing in common. Jane has always had a fondness for the discipline of military life where Riley is a gentle soul who thrives in an intellectually stimulating environment. I find it interesting that you and Riley are very similar and yet she avoids her own child. Something inside tells me that you can help with that," Hannah puts her hand on Liara's shoulder and gently squeezes, "you and Riley have a great deal in common, especially when it comes to your mothers."

Liara frowns but nods and looks Hannah in the eyes, "Benezia wasn't always distant. Just always a Matriarch...if I can help Jane avoid being the kind of mother that Benezia was to me, then I will."

Hannah gave Liara a genuine smile and put her arms around the asari whispering, "That's all I ask, thank you so much."

As the gathering gets larger and more guests arrive, Liara steals away to get to know Riley. She moves quietly to where Riley is seated, "Hi."

Riley looks up startled, "Hi."

"What are you reading?" Liara asks the young girl sitting on the couch, her nose in a book.

Riley closes the book, brushes the hair from her eyes and stands up, "I'm sorry, I'll put it back." Riley turns to the bookshelves behind her. Hiding and not drawing attention to herself is something that she had become very good at, so the fact that someone took notice of her is very unsettling.

Before she can make a step to replace the book on the shelf, Liara stops her by putting a hand on the girls shoulder,"Don't put it back. It is mine and I do not mind that you are looking at it. Your mother has not told me much about you, how old are you?" Liara had no idea how to talk to a child, much less a human child, but as soon as the statement left her lips, she regretted it. She was certain that Riley's feelings would be further hurt at the thought that her own mother doesn't speak of her. By the Goddess Liara, you are horrible at social situations, even with children.

Riley gave a sideways glance to the asari, "I'll be nine in April, the eleventh, same day as my mom."

Liara closed her eyes and sighed. Just wonderful, lets try a different subject, something that won't completely ruin the feelings of the poor child. Hmmmm, 'intellectual' Hannah said.

Liara shifted uncomfortably, "Do you like to read?" Nodding to the book still in Riley's hands.

Riley nods sheepishly, "Yes ma'am."

Liara sits down on the couch, her hand still on Riley's shoulder gently guiding the young girl to sit next to her.

"So do I. What kinds of stories do you like?" Liara pulls her legs up, tucks them under her and leans back into the couch, getting comfortable. As soon as she gets comfortable, as if by magic, Riley's body relaxes as well seeming to sync with the asari's.

Riley thinks for a moment, then, almost smiling, "I like to read stories about people in far off places having big adventures, like the people in Jules Verne's stories, and I like Harry Potter. He's a boy wizard who is an orphan and he's sent off to learn magic in a school for magic children."

"Really? This Harry Potter sounds very interesting." Liara says, engaging Riley in a topic the little girl obviously loves, "Would you say these Harry Potter stories are your favorite?"

"Sort of. We are sort of the same. He goes to a school called Hogwarts and I go to the Systems Alliance Academy." Riley starts to get excited and animated, "I don't know magic but he does and his parents died, mine are still alive, well my mom is, I don't know my dad but Harry lives with his really mean aunt when he's not at school, but most of the time he's at school where he's happy, but I'm not happ...uhm... I have some of the books if you want to borrow them." Riley tenses and shifts uncomfortably knowing she's said too much.

Liara, processing all the information the young girl spewed kept Riley on the subject of her likes, "I think I'd like that. Or, maybe you could just read them to me. I love to be read to almost as much as I like to read. How about you?"

Riley loses her smile and casts her eyes down again, "We only read aloud in English class. Most of the time we read by ourselves."

By the Goddess Liara, speaking with this child is like walking through a minefield. How can speaking to a child be so incredibly cumbersome.

"Oh eally? No one reads to you at school?" Riley only nodded. "Your mother loves to read and sometimes we read to each other." Liara shuts her eyes tightly, grimacing as if in pain. I did it...again.

Riley sits frowning but saying nothing and Liara has to remind herself that Riley barely knows Jane, having spent most of her life in an Alliance Academy separated from her mother and her family. This may even be the first time the young girl has been genuinely asked about herself and her interests. Liara gently takes the book that Riley has in her hands, pulls Riley into her so that girl's back is against her, lies the book on Riley's lap and begins to read.

Riley, having never experienced this kind of nurturing intimacy before, stiffens at Liara's direct touch. "I am very sorry Riley, am I making you uncomfortable? I only want to read this to you, that is, if you would like me to." Riley turns her head slightly so her emerald green eyes meet Liara's deep blue and after a moment relaxes and nods yes. Excited at the display of trust Riley is showing her, Liara places a soft kiss on Riley's temple and begins to read aloud. Riley flushes red at the tender display from the asari and relaxes more, resting her head lightly against Liara's shoulder as she listens to the asari's melodic voice in her ear.

After a moment Liara stops reading and looks at Riley, running her fingers casually through the girls hair and whispers, "I have seen some of these places with my own eyes and maybe someday, if you would like I can take you to see where these people used to live?"

Riley smiles, "What do you do? Why do you study them?"

"I am an Archaeologist and I study these people because they are truly fascinating and they can tell us a lot about who we are and why we are here."

Riley became interested and began to open up to Liara, "Do you have adventures?"

"I have had lots of wonderful adventures while on digs." Liara says, simply enjoying the time she is spending with the daughter of her first love. "Perhaps someday when you are older you can accompany me and maybe even help me log artifacts. You could be my assistant."

Riley casts her eyes down, the fire dying in her emerald green eyes, "I'd like that but I'm sure I wouldn't be allowed. I'm going to join the Alliance."

"You are sad about that? I would imagine that you would want to follow in your mother's footsteps." Liara smiles. "She has many adventures as well."

Riley sighs to herself, "I don't want to fight. The younger kids, my age, are taught academics until we turn fifteen, then we move into tactics and maneuvers training. We're allowed one elective every year and my choice has been music. It's been my choice since I was five years old. I play the piano and I'd rather be a pianist when I grow up, but I have to do what my mom and the Academy want me to do and there's no room for the arts on a battlefield." Riley said the last part as if quoting it, as though she were an automaton trained to say exactly the right thing.

Liara is horrified to hear that humans train their children for battle from such a young age, practically infancy for an asari. She puts her arms around the girls shoulders, "I see."

Riley looks into Liara's eyes, "When I'm old enough, mom wants me to join the Alliance and that's why I'm in the academy. They will help train me to be a great Commander one day, like she is or maybe Captain like Nana."

Liara could see as clear as if she were looking through glass that what Riley said and how Riley felt were two entirely different things. In just mere minutes she sees that this child is not cut from the same stone Jane is. She gently brushes the girls hair from her eyes. Riley's eyes tear up and she turns her body into Liara's, curling up against the young asari, wishing she could stay in Liara's lap forever, having never known what it felt like to be touched or nurtured and Liara can see that the young girl craves it.

Liara puts her arms around Riley, hugging her tightly, "If this life is not what you want, then you should say something Riley." Liara rests her cheek on Riley's head.

Riley sniffles and then whispers, "I can't."

Liara pursed her lips, "When I was a child, I was expected to follow in my mothers footsteps also. She was a very powerful Matriarch amongst my people but I know I am not meant to be a Matriarch. She and I are so different. She thrived in social situations where I am unsure and lack confidence. When I got older I was given more responsibility for myself and began to make my own choices. Sadly they were not the choices that my mother approved of and she was very angry, but eventually, she came to respect my decisions."

Riley sighed against Liara's chest, "I can't. I don't want to disappoint her. Aren't you sad that you made your mom mad at you? That you disappointed her?"

"Of course I was. I am more sad that I thought for so long that I had actually disappointed her. Before she died, she told me how proud she was of me. It made me feel very good to receive her approval. It all works out for the best."

Riley sighed heavily, "Can I tell you a secret?"

Liara, "I am very good with secrets and I promise I will not tell a soul."

Riley gets quiet and pulls back, looking Liara in the eyes and whispers, "I don't think my mom likes me very much."

Liara is shocked. She holds Riley's face so that the little girl is looking at her, "This is not true."

"It is too. I'm a disappoint to her and I know for a fact that she doesn't want me. She was raped and then I was born and I shouldn't even be here."

Liara had known from her melds with Jane that the Commander was uncomfortable in sharing the events surrounding Riley's conception and she always respected Jane knowing that her bond mate would share with her when she felt the time was right and was most comfortable.

Liara's eyes fill with tears and her heart hurt at hearing Riley's feelings. "Riley, how can you know these things?"

"I heard Nana and Papa arguing one time when I came for a visit. Also there's a boy in my class, his name is Wilson, his biological mother was raped and when he was born she gave him to the mommy and daddy that he has now. Sometimes I wish my mom could find someone who wants a girl and then she could give me to them. I wouldn't mind and I would promise to be good for them so she could be proud of me. Maybe I could ask her, or you could ask for me. I asked Nana to, but she said that I was being silly. I just want to be happy and I want my mom to be happy."

Liara's brows knit and her eyes welled with tears as she silently listened to the young Shepard and the hurt behind what Riley was saying. She sniffed and swallowed her fury towards Jane. This would be a discussion she would absolutely be having with the Commander.

Liara put her hands on Riley's cheeks, "I am certain your mother loves you and there is no way she would ever consider giving you up for adoption."

Riley wipes her eyes, "That's what I am afraid of. I don't think she loves me at all and she is much happier without me. I think that's why she hasn't come to see me. The last time she visited...," Riley couldn't finish the sentence, "She-she's happy here with you and...," Riley looks at Jane laughing casually with her friends in the corner, "...I complicate things."

Liara sighed and uttered out, "What do you think you could possibly have done to make her unhappy?"

Riley meets Liara's eyes, her lip quivers, "I was born."

Liara could only blink. It shocked her to hear this bold answer from a child, and not just any child but Jane's child, "By the goddess Riley," Liara pulls the girl to her chest, "there is no way. I know your mother, and there is no way that your birth ever brought her anything but joy."

Riley shakes her head against Liara.

Liara gently pushes the girl back, "You must trust me on this. My species is able to see peoples memories and your mother has very happy memories of you." Then pulls the girl against her once again.

Riley, having never been cradled like this, nuzzles her face into Liara and cries. Liara wraps her arms tightly around her and showering the little girl in loving kisses.

"I can imagine that you feel that this is a difficult subject to share with your mother, so you keep it inside of yourself?"

Riley nods her head slowly and Liara gently rubs the little girls back.

"I think you and I have a great deal in common." Liara whispers into Riley's hair, "We both have mother's that we do not wish to disappoint and we feel we have failed them by not being the daughters that they wanted."

Riley sniffles.

Sighing, Liara rubs the little girls back, "I will help you talk with your mother."