A/N: My goodness, it's been ages since I've made ANY fanfiction at all!

To get back in the game, here we are with a totally new realm of fanfictions for me. I played my way through the Mass Effect Trilogy and was so dissatisfied with the ending (like everyone else) that I NEEDED a FemShep/Liara happy ending. It is happening.

To any of my loyal followers who haven't given up hope on my other stories, Dirty Blood may get some new chapters soon... not sure just yet. I may be persuaded if there's anyone who has read it and wants to know that Lily/Bellatrix isn't dead forever lol 3

Anyway! Welcome back to me! And here we go! :D

"Doctor T'Soni…" Samantha Traynor's voice with its admittedly adorable accent came from the other side of the door. She would not open it though. She could not let anyone else within… they would ruin what was left. It was as if Liara T'Soni had turned the old Captain's quarters into a ruin for her to hide away in by herself. If she didn't lock herself in a Prothean defense bubble or get found by Cerberus, she could simply stay here surrounded by the scent of her lover for the rest of her 900 year life and pretend that none of this ever occurred… she could just wait here… for however long it took Shepard to return this time.

It was a good plan, she thought… until they forced the door open. It was her father that walked in then and Liara was forced to wonder just how long she had been laying there. She had not eaten in however long it was… so hopefully not a week, that was a bit much, to not eat in a week.

"Come on, kid…" Matriarch Aethyta said, sitting on the bed, looking over her daughter. "You have got to pull through this." Liara's face was covered in tears and the Matriarch sighed softly, picking her up. As the older Asari pulled the girl to her chest, she also pulled her mind into her own. As fond as Aethyta was at poking fun at her daughter, even she knew when was an appropriate time. She kept dirty feelings, less than wholesome memories of Benezia, out of the shallow bond that she shared with her daughter, showing her something sweet and calming: a beach at sunset, the feeling of sand between bare toes and the love she felt for Nezzy who giggled, smiling and splashing, a young Maiden out having fun with her bondmate at the time. One hundred years of romance, punctuated with a baby who was now 109 herself… It was an old memory, but Liara could tell from the intensity of the emotions that it was one the matriarch brought to her consciousness often.

"I cannot… I cannot lose her again." Liara sobbed into her father's chest, breaking down into a ball of tears.

"You won't, Little Wing…"

"I already have. Don't you see that?" Liara almost yelled, but her words were choked by tears.

"Well… uhh… I don't want to uhh… get your hopes up, but… all of my commandos and… all of the Shadow Broker's informants are looking for her. You made using those terminals pretty easy, kiddo." Her father said, rubbing her back lightly as she held the young Asari close. "Losing them hurts the worst…and it doesn't get any easier… but you're not going to feel any better laying in her room. You need a shower, kid… some food, knowing you, you probably need to do some work, distract yourself."

"I do not wish to move." Liara said firmly and Aethyta chuckled.

"Well that insinuates I'll let you continue laying here until you die. That isn't going to happen." She said, lifting the Asari maiden into her arms and carrying her, despite the struggling, to Captain Shepard's shower. After a considerable struggle, the Matriarch got the girl to part with her clothes after she promised to let Liara wear Shepard's sweatshirt if she showered. Liara finally agreed and gave herself a shower since it was either that or her father washing her like she was only 30… not going to happen.

The shower was admittedly very needed and stress relieving, but Liara broke down into tears more than once and nearly vomited twice as she thought of herself showering while Shepard lay dead and alone someplace. After about half an hour, she stepped out of the shower wrapped in a towel. Aethyta had gone poking around Shepard's room and handed Liara a decent amount of clothing when she appeared, the N7 sweatshirt on top.

"Thank you…" Liara said in a tired voice that was hoarse, from crying, and weary. She dressed herself and followed Aethyta downstairs, knowing the alternative was being dragged, carried, or worse. She refused to let the remaining crew see her in such a dishonorable way.

Everyone grew quiet when she walked into the mess hall so she turned on her heel and headed for her office. "If you're so intent on feeding me, dad, I'll be working; just bring me something." It was Garrus that appeared next, however. He placed a meal on a table nearby and touched her back gently.

"I know you're not a fan of crowds… or many people in general." He said gently. "But if you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. I loved Shepard too… maybe not the same way, but she was very dear to me. We will find her. She's been lucky before. We just need one more time." She swallowed hard and nodded gently.

"I'm going to find her." Liara whispered and he smiled, touching her head affectionately before leaving her alone. Everyone knew Liara liked her alone time… aside from Aethyta, so most of them left her be for the next few hours. The Matriarch would pop in to bother her every so often, but it was so much like whenever Shepard would come to her after each mission and look for attention while she was busy that… it was almost welcome.

"You're thinking too much, Little Wing. You're special, but even you can't go without food." It had been hours and Liara had completely forgotten that Garrus had brought her dinner. She relinquished the computer screens, taking her food to her bed and eating it under the watchful eye of her father.

"I did something… horribly selfish… I should not have done it and… I don't regret it, but…" She sighed, looking at her food.

"What would that be?" asked Aethyta as she sat the on the bed beside her daughter.

"Before she left… I bonded with her… one last time… just to… say goodbye… but when I noticed that… I could just…"

"Ohhh man, kid…" Aethyta pulled the younger Asari into her arms and held her close.

"I do not regret it." She repeated as she leaned into her father's shoulder. "I will always have a part of her with me… it's just… I remember, growing up… how I wanted my dad there… sorry." She gave a half smile and kissed Aethyta's cheek.

"No, that's fair. I wanted to be there too, but the older you got, the less it seemed like you'd ever want to know someone like me… Your mother was far nicer than me and I was nowhere near as smart or influential as her…"

"I want my child's father to be here with us." Liara said firmly and Aethyta smiled.

"I'll get her back for you then."