Lili pulled herself closer to Garrus. The Reapers were finally gone, for ever. She now had time to focus matters else where. She wanted to say something and didn't know how he would take it, but she had to try. She sat up and turned to face him.
"I-I have to tell you something.."she hesitated but had his full attention. "Well, I have thought about it and..." she trailed off. 'Just say it! she thought. "I want a-a famly." she blurted. He starred at her and blinked. Lili covered her mouth.
"Uh..." he managed. Lili turned away, tears down her face.
"I know that it may not be possible, but I-I just really like you and just want to know more from my parents. I found a datapad after the raid with a letter they had left for me if they died sooner, and didn't tell me it." she whispered. "It said for me to be happy and enjoy life. To be with somebody who cares about me and have a family." she continued. "It told me they would be proud of me no matter what. After that I read meassages my friends left me. Mahi," she said. "Wrote for me to be happy, that no matter what we'd always be friends. While Devu told me, that he had a crush on me and that if he died, to be happy with somebody else." Lili paused. "Do you know how hard it is to live up to those promises? To be happy, and fight a war. Trying to manage so much and have time for yourself. My family and friends died to young. I miss them so much and just want to have what they wanted for me." she paused again, and turned back to him. Her eyes filled with tears. She continued. "Not only for them, but for me. Please? That's all I ask. I-I love you" she managed to beg. There was silence. Lili stood up to leave but felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, so to be face-to-face with him.
"I understand. Of course." he told her, wiping the tears off her face. Lili said nothing. She looked at the ground. She looked back up and hugged him, still silent. They just stood there, silent, for the longest of time.
Lili walked around. She was bored out of her mind. Practicing her katana fighting always helped her calm down, but this time it hadn't. She had worked out an agreement with Garrus. She wasn't thrilled about it but it wasn't that bad. Only three options were avalible unless one of them was an asari. No kids, adoption or have somebody "help". So she had gone along with the "help" option. In the message Mahi had left, it had convinced Lili she needed to continue the Shepard bloodline. Lili cursed under her breath and fell onto the couch.
"Of course." she muttered and rolled over onto her side. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
When Lili woke up, she pushed herself up and sighed.
"Damn it." she thought. She sat there and clutched the locket that Mahi had given her after the suicide mission. Lili could still feel her friends' touch, she could hear Devu's and Mahi's voices in her mind. She blinked.
"You said you would come and talk to me if I needed you." she whispered. "I need you now." she added. Her friends appeared and she gave a soft smile as she turned sixteen once more.
"What?" Mahi asked, her voice soothed Lili's nerves.
"I just need to be with you guys." Lili explained. Mahi sat down next to laid her hand on Lili's shoulder.
"Of course. We understand." Devu told her. Lili looked at him.
"Thank you." Lili replied. Mahi moved her hand.
"Hm. You do know something, right?" she questioned. Lili turned to her and gave her a puzzled look. "She doesn't know Devu."
"W-wait. Does this have anything to do with my future. Because I wanted that." Lili hissed.
"Not that you moron. Of course you know that." Devu laughed. "Mahi, she's not stupid. Now give her the damn gift."
"Fine." Mahi snapped. She handed Lili a box. Lili took it in her hands and opened it. There was a datapad and a vid but there was also a picture. It was from her sixteenth birthday. She gave both of them a hug after setting the gifts down.
"Thank you." she murmured. Mahi took her by the shoulders and sat her down. Devu leaned down and gave her a kiss.
"It's what friends are for. Even if we are dead. I think you may have something in the living world for you." Mahi said. Her friends began to fade and Lili woke up in the place for the living.
Lili walked about her home. She had finally found someplace. She still had her ship but she also had a nice house on the ground. She smiled when a little girl came up to her.
"Mom." she said. Lili leaned down to her. She had the most pretty green eyes possible.
"What?" Lili asked.
"I need your help with my homework." the girl explained.
"Of course, Laura." Lili told her. "Anything for my daughter." she thought and fallowed Laura to her room. Lili's omni-tool beeped.
"Hello." she answered.
"Hello Commander." a voice replied. She knew this voice.
"Kasumi, it's been to long." she replied.
"Yes it has been. Well you still up for a party tonight. I'd like to meet little Laura." the thief said.
"Of course. Just make sure everybody comes. I don't want a repeat of the new years party I threw on the SR-2 that one year." Lili sighed.
"That was bad. But everybody's coming. We'll see you later." the thief ended. Lili's omni-tool faded.
"Who was that?" Laura asked.
"An old friend." Lili told her. "Now, where's this homework you have?"
Lili poured herself a glass of wine and went over to greet the people that were already there. Kasumi was interested in Laura, more then Lili had thought. But Laura was a one of a kind. The green eyes alone reminded Lili about Mahi and Devu. But only Lili knew one certain thing about her daughter.
Lili took a sip from her cup as she went to greet Ashley, Tali and Liara. Ashley and Liara gave her a smile, Tali gave her a hug since her suit.
"It's nice to see you all again. It's been to long you guys." Lili told them.
"Everybody is just glad to see you so happy. And Laura is adorable." Ashley replied.
"She is. I take it Kasumi is with her." Tali said. Lili nodded.
"Your daughter may just turn out to be a thief." Liara interrupted and pointed over at Kasumi and Laura.
"Maybe. I should go." Lili said and saw Kasuumi teaching Laura how to cloak.
"Just like always. Why, to stop them?" Liara asked. Lili shook her head.
"No, let them have their fun." Lili replied. "I have to go get somebody." she added and began to walk off. She slid the door open and entered her house. Lili set the glass of wine on a table and kept walking.
"Get the hell out there. The party is started and everybody is there." she ordered.
"Fine." the person replied. Lili looked at him and gave him a kiss.
"You know this was your idea, Garrus." she said. "I think Jack challenged Zaeed to a drinking contest." she added.
"My money is on Jack." he replied.
"Let's go see who wins, shall we?" Lili whispered and grabbed her drink on the way out. This night was almost perfect. All she needed was her other friends. She had thoughts of her friends that had died. But she was happy that part of their family could come. She had messaged Kolyat and Mordin's cousin. As well as the friends she had that were alive and they had brought some of their family or friends. Lili smiled as she sat down to watch Jack and Zaeed drink. Her guess, Jack would win, but Zaeed was tricky. Lili shook her head and sighed. Her life had gotten only better, even with so many dead.