Prothean Archives, Mars, Sol, 24 hours before Day Zero
"If this all ends tomorrow, what happens to us?"
"Marriage, old age, and a lot of little blue children?"
Again and again, Liara played the surveillance log from that day on Hagalaz, the last day Shepard had spent as member of Cerberus before turning himself in. It had felt like the world was going to end, the Reapers already at the Alpha relay; it was only a matter of time for their world to shatter. And yet, this moment had been the happiest she had ever been, for the last two years.
She'd been here, in the Prothean Archives on Mars, so close to Shepard, and yet so far away. Her work was supposed to help the Alliance, the Republics and the Galaxy. And Shepard. She'd already lost him once, losing him a second time just couldn't be an option.
Wiping away a tear, she got back to work. Shepard was still on her mind, just as were the Reapers. So many things, happy and sad memories dominated her thoughts.
Illium, 2185
"Shepard. It's so good to see you again."
"Liara."
Both were speechless as they ran towards each other. What had been two years for Liara had only been two weeks for Shepard. Acting out of instinct, she kissed him, and he returned the kiss. The last time she had seen him, he had been in a body bag that was being handed over to Cerberus. The last time she had seen him alive, he had helped her into a rescue pod before setting off to find Joker. And here, he was again. Like a miracle.
As they kissed for longer and longer, she remembered the day he had freed her from the Prothean trap on Therum and, most importantly, the hours before their mission to Ilos. Humans were so special, and he was the most special of all of them. Humans would have called him her boyfriend, but the Asari term, she felt, expressed the intensity of their connection so much better. He was her bondmate.
"I waited two years for this moment, Shepard.", she trembled, barely able to believe her luck. "Don't ever leave me again."
"I won't, Liara, I promise. Once the collectors are dealt with, we can be together again."
Hagalaz, 2185
"I can't pass on this opportunity, Shepard. Using the resources of the Shadow Broker network to fight the Reapers is the chance of a lifetime."
The old Shadow Broker, a monstrous Yahg, lay there, dead in his own blood. Liara was standing at the console, setting herself up as the new Shadow Broker. Shepard stood behind her, watching. As she turned around, he had already stretched out his arms to reach around her.
"Whatever happens, I want you to know that I love you, Liara."
"If this all ends tomorrow, what happens to us?"
"Marriage, old age, and a lot of little blue children?", he quipped. Of course, it was nothing but a dream, but still a dream that was better than the soul-crushing reality.
She kissed him, knowing that this might me their last meeting in a long time. "Stay here. I can hide you from the Alliance."
"No, I'm sorry. When the Reapers come, when the Galaxy burns, the Alliance will call. I can't refuse them and I promised Hackett I'd turn myself in. I will."
"I understand, Shepard. But when the Reapers come, I will help you. And we will meet again.
Prothean Archives, 2 hours after the Fall of Earth
Amidst all the chaos in the burning archives, the destruction and death, Liara looked at a DataPad showing the arrival of a Vessel with Alliance IFF. It was the ... "SSV Normandy SR-2"? Goddess, it was Shepard. In this dire hour, he had come here.
She was interrupted when a Cerberus trooper put a gun against her head from behind and ordered her: "Drop the pad and put your hands up."
Liara dropped the pad as she was told, but instead of raising her hands, she ducked, turned around and smashed the trooper against a wall with her biotics. She drew her pistol and shot the trooper before he could reach his gun again. Alarmed by the commotion, two other troopers ran towards the room she was in. Both carried assault rifles, and so Liara saw no other way of escape than through the air duct.
As she crawled through the air duct, constantly chased by the Cerberus troopers, she heard shots from the room below. Down there, three men in Alliance armour were advancing through Cerberus lines. With the last Cerberus trooper in the room down, she knocked the grille out before she jumped down.
The troopers that chased her went after her down, but she threw a biotic singularity trapping them and downed them both with a double shot from her pistol.
The man in N7-armour removed his helmet, revealing the face of no one less than Shepard. Seeing him, Liara almost shed tears of joy.
"See, Liara? I came back.", he quipped, attempting to play over the massive emotions that roared inside him. He'd found Liara again, but at what price?
She put her arms around him and held him tightly: "Oh, Shepard. Now, the Reapers stand no chance." Equally, she tried to console herself. The facade held for a moment before she cried out: "I'm so glad you're here."
