New York, Earth 3 years after the Reaper war...

Maven Shepard was tired. She lay on her bed in her apartment which was free of anything pertaining to her time in the military. She tucked her hands under her head. Her hair -a raven-black silk curtain that fell to the center of her back when worn loose- hung in a braid over her shoulder. She wanted to sleep but she knew that if she closed her haunted violet eyes the nightmares would return. This time there was no one -and certainly not a powerful, purple-skinned, badass and very sexy asari crime lord- to save her from the nightmares like she had in the hospital.

"Aria...I wish you were here." Maven whispered. Her eyes closed despite her attempts to keep them open. The nightmares instantly unfolded.

The Afterlife Club, Omega...

Aria T'Loak sat on her couch, her ancient eyes closed in meditation. She opened them and stood up. She felt uneasy. She warped herself to Maven's apartment. She watched the raven-haired traumatized woman toss and turn fitfully on the bed. Aria closed her eyes then opened them again. They were twin pools of black.

"Embrace eternity, Maven." Aria whispered before sliding into the traumatized ex-soldier's mind.

Maven's mind, Maven's apartment

It was chaos. Maven hid behind a half-destroyed wall clutching her head. A gentle, spectral hand touched her brow. A powerful consciousness swept away the chaos leaving only blackness which to Maven's traumatized mind was even worse. She lashed out.

Maven! Stop! It's me. You're safe! Aria's voice rang in Maven's mind.

Aria? Maven asked tentatively.

I'm here, Maven. Aria's vast consciousness answered. Maven awoke. Her haunted eyes met Aria's ancient gaze. Tears flowed freely from the tormented violet eyes. Aria held Maven, gently stroking her raven hair which was now free of the braid. Gradually Maven slipped into a nightmare-free slumber. Aria used her biotics to lie down on Maven's other side. Maven slept on, sheltered in the arms and mind of Omega.

A/N: The italics are for mind speech