The creature bounded past, attaching itself to the wall behind them. Shepard's gun followed as she renewed her shields and sent a wave of energy at the monster. It hit straight on and the thing began to float in the air as Liara and Tali joined her in pelting it with shots. Suddenly, it dropped to the ground, still for a moment before leaping at Shepard, its red eyes bright and glaring as it screamed, "Kill!"
Shepard woke with a start, sitting upright in bed, gasping. She took a moment to steady herself and rubbed away the nightmare from her eyes. Staring at the door to her quarters she felt Liara stir beside her. They were in the Normandy, floating around the remnants of the citadel and forced to stay on the ship for there was nowhere else to stay for the few that remained.
"Jocelyn?" Liara called hesitantly, yawning and sitting up, too. "What is it?"
Shepard took comfort in her lover's warmth beside her as the asari rested a hand on her back. "Just another nightmare," the commander replied, "It's fine." She lay down again and Liara wrapped her arms around the woman, her slender fingers running through Shepard's short red hair.
"Was it Saren again?" the asari asked, though she already knew the answer. Shepard nuzzled her head into Liara's chest in reply. "Give it time, Jocelyn, your mind just needs to process everything that happened still."
"You've said that every time, Liara," Shepard chuckled quietly. But she sobered as the images of her dream filtered in front of her eyes again. She clutched at her lover, the one thing that was steadfast beside her even as everything else was either being replaced or rebuilt. "I love you, Liara," she whispered after a moment.
"Shhh," Liara cooed, planting a kiss on Shepard's hair and rubbing her shoulders gently. There was a smile in her voice as she replied, "And I you."
Shepard smiled and softly kissed the asari's light blue neck. Their bodies fit perfectly together, legs intertwining, arms holding one to the other. Shepard's lips brushed against Liara's cheek as their mouths found each other.
It was a gentle kiss, an understanding one. One that slowly grew into a practiced movement that never got old. Their tongues twisted together as their mouths moved as one. Shepard rolled on top of the other, her knees on either side of Liara's slender hips. Her lips trailed across the asari's jaw and throat lightly as her hands slid down Liara's sides and found the hem of her light sleeping shirt.
Shepard slowly rid her of it, tracing kisses up her stomach to her breasts. Liara shivered slightly as the human took one into her hand, rubbing her thumb on the nipple and making the blue-skinned woman moan softly.
Smiling quirkily, Shepard looked up at Liara. "You know if you make too much noise, everyone on the ship will hear," she chastised.
The asari just shuddered as the commander's tongue ran over her nipple. "Jocelyn," she pleaded quietly. Shepard slid out of her own shirt, lifting her arms over her head, but she winced in pain as her shoulder pulled where she'd been injured fighting Saren. "Jocelyn!" Liara said again, but this time in concern.
"I'm fine," Shepard panted, clearly not fine.
"Lie down," Liara commanded, helping Shepard onto her back. "Dr. Chakwas said you might still have some trouble with that. Here, I'll do what I can." Liara's deft fingers poked and prodded at Shepard's shoulder then gently massaged the places where it was tender and tight.
Shepard chuckled lightly, staring at the ceiling. "You always seem to be taking care of me," she muttered.
"Why is that funny?" Liara asked, her eyes scrunched in a cutely curious way.
"I have no idea," the commander said, suddenly serious. She turned her face towards the asari. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Why? You have no reason to be sorry."
"For not being able to take better care of you."
Liara smiled slightly, her fingers now just tracing circles on Shepard's shoulder. "You already have so much to take care of. It's my job to watch over you, Jocelyn."
Shepard sighed and closed her deep green eyes from Liara's kind stare. "I know…" she trailed off, not wanted to delve into the "but's" and "maybe's". The asari kissed her cheek and snuggled in next to Shepard, her blue head resting on her lover's bare chest and one arm resting on her stomach. Shepard covered Liara's hand with her own and took a deep breath, a faint smile playing on her lips even with the conflictions playing in her heart.