Warning: Contains spoilers for "Lair of the Shadow Broker" and "Mass Effect: Retribution"
The M rating is for later chapters in this fic.
The events of this fic take place between ME2 and ME3.
Players: Urania Jane Shepard and Liara

Liara was late. Shepard toyed with a loose thread on the shoulder of her dress as she stood in front of the kiosk. Were all asari bonding bracelets so expensive or was it just Ilium? How many clips or containers of medi-gel would one pair of bracelets buy? A thousand? One pair alone would pay for a nice new missile launcher or suit of armor. The cost was a moot point. She didn't need to get married, bonded or whatever it was asari did. She didn't need that complication when so much else was at stake. Shepard almost felt ashamed just looking at the bracelets. Still, it was a nice, far away dream. She smiled, shook her head and began to walk away.

"Can I help you, ma'am" The asari attendant asked.

"I'm just looking. Thanks." Shepard turned around, determined to use the woman's polite exchange to flee, but the attendant interjected.

"First time?"

Shepard pulled the hair back over her ears and blushed ever so faintly. "Am I that obvious?" Shepard smiled clumsily. "Thanks, but I'm just looking -"

Something caught the Spectre's eye, a man walking across the commissary, a man so familiar, but it couldn't be.

"Kaidan?"

It just couldn't be.

"Shepard. I'm sorry for being late, but I got so wrapped up in work that … " Liara looked haggard, but still managed to hold herself in a demeanor of grace. "Forgive me … again?" Liara chuckled.

"Shepard?"

Shepard looked a million miles away. "Where did he go? He was right there." Shepard turned around.

"Did you see him?"

"See who, Shepard?"

"Kaidan. I just saw Kaidan walking on the other side of the commissary. Did you see him?" Shepard looked at Liara with a frightening earnest. Liara eased over to her lover and took her by the shoulder.

"Shepard? Kaidan's dead. It was just someone who looked like him." Liara gently pulled her friend toward her. "Come on. Let's get something to eat."

The Spectre looked deeply into the crowds that filled the shopping district. "I could have sworn …" Shepard laughed at herself for a second. "You're right. Come on, let's go. I'm starving. You're late by the way. " Liara shook her head as she smiled.

"You don't say."