A/N: Hey guys, I know I keep starting up new stories but this is just a one shot. I have started new chapters for Origins and I Renegade so hopefully I'll have those finished up soon. I have fresh ideas for both of them, and hopefully they will work out with the base I've already founded.

So this one shot is just for the end of ME1 involving Liara, Katelyn Shepard, and the immediate following of Saren's and Sovereign's defeat. I always felt that ending was lacking, and I wanna toy with it now. I let my mind wander too much and this is what wandered into my brain this time.

After Battle

"Move!" Katelyn Shepard yelled as she saw a large piece of Reaper debris heading straight for their location on the Presidium. She didn't have time to think as Liara and Ashley noticed what was happening. They quickly spun around and began to run in the direction of the Citadel Tower elevator.

There was no time to look behind themselves as Ashley and Liara ran side by side. The sounds of the Reaper crashing through the walls and high rise ceilings was like an angry explosion, deafening all other noises around them. The floor shook and shuddered and large chunks of metal hit the ground hard and heavily.

Liara lost her footing as she tripped over a risen crack on the floor. She gave a yelp of shock, one barely heard by the Chief as she began to fall forward. That was when the heaviest piece of the fallen Reaper crashed onto the ground, making the world feel as if it were going to turn upside down. Liara looked over her shoulder as she scrambled to her hands and knees not seeing sight of Katelyn anywhere.

"T'soni, get down!" the young Ashley Williams called out as she dove for the Asari. And that was when the world went completely dark. One moment Liara was struggling to understand the situation, and the next she felt sharp pain and then there was nothing.

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Katelyn did not fair much better. One moment she yelled for her team to move, and as she began to run herself a small chunk of the ceiling or wall crashed into her head. The world went spinning as she staggered on her legs as all feeling went numb. She didn't make but two steps forward before she realized what loomed just above her.

She tried to call forth her biotics to protect herself but was unsure if it was even working. She felt a renewed sense of pain as something stuck into her leg as she fell forward on to her knees. All she could see through the blur filling her vision was Liara's retreating form. The only rational thought that passed through her mind was as long as the asari lived.

She rolled onto her side as the world shook violently around her as she laid on her side, watching large fuzzy objects crumble around her and embed themselves onto the Citadel floor. She began to wonder if she was dying but she couldn't be sure. She had never come close to the sensation before. But she still wondered.

That was until her vision began to darken. Maybe it was the end, but suddenly she felt as though she had seen all of this once before. She fought to keep that single thought as the world faded, the loud noises dimming to a dull roar.

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Who knew how long time had passed by. Shepard groaned once as she slowly pushed herself up by her hands. She slowly opened her eyes, her sight unfocused at first. She felt a slight sting in her left eye, unable to see with it. She reached up with her gloved hand and carefully wiped at her eyes. When she looked down at her hand there was blood but her sight in both eyes finally started to focus more.

She felt pain in her head as she assumed she was injured by whatever hit her before she passed out. She also felt pain in her leg as she slowly got to her feet. She had no time to focus on it however as she looked around feeling a growing fear in her gut. "Liara, Ash!" She called out as her first few steps were wobbly and unbalanced.

She heard no reply. She began to panic as her fear focused more on Liara. She never felt such a fear before as she began to search through the rubble all around the citadel tower. "Liara!" She called out again, this time more panicked. She had to find her, she had to make sure Liara was safe.

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"They're over here!" a human c-sec officer called out as he removed some debris creating an opening. Inside Ashley and Liara sat dejectedly. They had tried raising Shepard on their comms but had no success. They could only assume the worse. Before they got trapped under the rubble they had seen the large chunk of Sovereign crash to the floor, about where Shepard had been.

Anderson came into sight as he knelt next to Liara. "Where's Shepard?" he asked as her head lowered even further. She felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest, leaving a gaping empty hole. It was like all the life within her was gone, leaving nothing more then a broken woman.

Anderson glimpsed at Ashley who only shook her head. He frowned, feeling the loss of a great hero, despite her ruthless ways. She had saved the council, and the citadel. She had never given up fighting despite everyone else not believing her. He carefully helped Liara to her feet while another c-sec officer helped Ashley to her own.

They began to slowly limp away from the rubble. Liara felt tears streak down her cheeks as she took a sharp intake of air. She felt pain knowing they were walking away without even so much as a search for Katelyn. But she stopped as her brows furrowed, wiping back the tears. "Wait.." she said quietly as she pulled away from Anderson.

She looked over towards where the largest of the debris rested as she focused her eyes. Anderson looked as though he were about to say something but Liara cut him off, "I heard someone." She said firmly. The rest stopped as they turned around looking in the direction Liara searched. They didn't know what they were looking for, and Ashley raised her gun just in case of surviving geth.

Liara began to limp away from the group, her heart pounding in her chest. She could have sworn she heard her name. As she crept ever closer she heard it again. "Liara!" The others heard it this time too. Liara didn't even wait before she broke into a run, forgetting the pain in her legs as she climbed over fallen objects.

"Katelyn!" She cried out as she crawled up to the top of a small hill of fallen stone and metal. Katelyn emerged from the other side as Liara got back to her feet practically throwing herself onto the injured human. Anderson couldn't help but smile at the sight.

Katelyn threw her arms around Liara's shoulders, the fear turning to large relief as she held Liara close. She felt Liara's arms wrap around her back. She didn't even have time to think beyond that brief moment of relief before Liara's lips crashed against her own.

It shocked the others below but Katelyn didn't refuse the action in the slightest. She kissed Liara back just as deeply, more then happy to share the feeling of relief in their kiss. The kiss lasted only moments before Katelyn pulled back looking Liara over closely.

"I thought I'd lost you." Kate said with left over panic as Liara held tightly onto the Spectre. Liara felt new tears run down her cheeks, tears of her own relief. She merely shook her head as she glimpsed down at a shocked looking Ashley and curious Anderson. The two c-sec officers with them were just simply confused.

When Liara finally pulled away to get a better look of Shepard as well she quickly went from relieved to worried. "Goddess, you're bleeding!" she all but yelped. Liara reached up to the hair line on Shepard's but never touched the injury itself. Shepard just gave her a dismissive look.

"I'm fine, really." Shepard muttered in dismissal. She slid her arm over Liara's shoulders as she started to lead them back down the rubble they had climbed up onto. Liara just gave a look of slight frustration at the human's shrug off of her injuries. Instead of starting to lecture Katelyn on her injuries she simply let herself be lead back to the group of four waiting on them.

Anderson perked a brow at Katelyn as Ashley eyed the pair suspiciously. Liara flushed brightly realizing that her public display moments ago would raise questions. Katelyn simply grinned as she limped slowly next to Liara. "I'd prefer... for right now we keep this between the six of us." She stated quietly but carefully.

The c-sec officers simply shrugged as Ashley waved her free hand once. "I'd imagine if I said anything you'd have me at gun point, Skipper." She half teased. Katelyn shook her head once as they all slowly made for the only available exit. Liara merely leaned further into Katelyn feeling a bit embarrassed now.

Anderson just smiled and shook his head. "Your secret is safe with me." he finally replied. He knew Shepard was trying to be discreet. He could only assume for media sake. Otherwise she wouldn't have allowed such public affection to start with.

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"What's the damage doc?" Shepard asked as she sat the edge of the medical bed. She had been promptly led to sick bay by Liara and Ashley once aboard the Normandy. She was hardly in a position to protest against it. She was a bit bloodied, her ribs were hurting, and she had a gash on the back of her left leg.

Dr. Chakwas finished typing something out on her data pad before looking up to the young marine and freshly make Hero of the Citadel. "Well no broken bones, but I suggest taking the next several days off." the older woman stated firmly. She knew how impatient Shepard was, but she would make it abundantly clear that she was not to do much of anything major.

Shepard sighed as she glimpsed to her right seeing Liara being attended to by a nurse two beds down. Out of the three of them who fought on the citadel tower, Shepard was banged up the most. Ashley got away with a few scrapes and bruises, Liara received a cut of her own on her left leg, and a bruised wrist.

Shepard's head was wrapped in a bandage, her leg cleaned, stitched, and also wrapped up. She was bruised up a bit and a few scrapes but was otherwise lucky the bump to the head was the worst of it. Chakwas gave her instructions on caring for herself before reminding her to take the next few days off from her duties before letting her go.

Katelyn glimpsed at Liara once who was still being patched up herself, being one of the last people to enter the medical bay. There were others on the ship who were in more need then even Shepard so there had been a line waiting in the mess hall. Liara's eyes met Shepard's a moment as the Spectre slightly limped by before leaving the medical office and made a straight walk across the mess and to her quarters.

The Spectre sighed as the door to her room hissed closed. She had long since been changed out of her armor and into loose fitting gym clothes. Her N7 t-shirt and shorts to be precise. She spotted a data pad on her little round table that she didn't recall leaving there and picked it up. Several messages were listed on the little glowing screen as Kate sighed.

She would have normally put up more of a fight on Chakwas wanting her to take the next few days off, but actually, she wanted the next couple days to herself. She was more then exhausted and she didn't feel like dealing with the media. Then there was the council who wanted to see her as soon as possible. Again, Katelyn sighed.

She tossed the data pad onto her bed as she stood at the end of it. She didn't even hear the door to her room open or close as she did. So as she rubbed the bridge of her nose feeling a head ache from either her injury or the thought of dealing with so many people, she was surprised to feel a pair of arms wrap around her mid section.

At first she was about to take a defensive posture, but in that split moment she felt a bit of pain in her ribs that made her grit teeth as she cringed. "Goddess, I'm sorry!" Liara said in both embarrassment, and guilt. Katelyn shook her head as she felt the asari about to let go but raised her own hand to keep her from doing so.

"It's alright, just a bit tender." Kate muttered quietly as she turned to face Liara. Liara looked guilty despite Katelyn's words. Kate tried her best to give a smile to the asari, to assure her everything was fine. But Liara didn't seem to believe it, or so her expression told.

Kate sighed. She let her mind wander for a brief moment as she looked Liara over once, noting the small bruises she got during their fight on the Citadel. "You know..." Shepard started as she looked Liara in the eyes again. "When I thought I... that you were..." she continued but Liara began to say something. Katelyn shook her head as she cupped Liara's cheek. "Let me finish.." she pleaded quietly. Liara simply nodded.

Katelyn took a steadying breath. She had never felt so attached to someone before and she had to get what she wanted to say out. "When I thought I had lost you, I never felt so scared in my life." Katelyn finally said as she gave a solemn look. Liara frowned some as she pressed her cheek further into Kate's hand.

"I can fight geth, crazed Rachni, look a Thorian creeper in the face, and even fight Reapers and not feel an ounce of fear... But the thought of losing you was beyond my comprehension." Katelyn added. Liara gave her a small smile as her arms tightened slightly around the Spectre's back. She was still being gentle, as to not hurt the woman, but she pressed herself further into her all the same.

Katelyn half smiled as she slid her arm around Liara's shoulder as she leaned in herself. She gently pressed her lips against Liara's. Liara responded, as the kiss was slow, and gentle within itself. The kiss broke if only a moment as they looked into each other's eyes. "I think I may be falling for you, T'soni." Katelyn said matter of factly, but a hint of teasing as well.

Liara flushed deeply. "Me too." She said shyly suddenly. Shepard smiled more lopsidedly this time as she pressed their lips together again. This time the kiss was much deeper, and aggressive. Shepard back up towards her bed, pulling Liara with, ignoring any pain she felt in the process as they sat onto the bed, Liara straddling the human.

As the moment grew more heated, Katelyn had to wonder how someone like her could end up with someone as caring, and kind, as Liara. Despite all rational odds of a pair like them making it, Shepard could only think one thing: She would not complain.

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The end. I just had this idea floating in my head... and I had to urge to write but I couldnt figure out what to do for my other stories... Figured this would work for now, and say: Hey! I'm still alive lol

hope you all enjoyed, comments are always welcome.