AN: I needed a place to keep all my vignettes about Lycoris and the T'Soni girls. This story will update sporadically and jump around a lot in time. Each chapter can be read on its own without the others. But I have SO MANY IDEAS about what the next generation gets up to, and so... yeah.

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Moments In Time

AKA I suck at titles hardcore

. . .

"Seriously, Mom? Do I have to?"

The line of Liara's shoulders tensed and her fingers curled tighter around the steering wheel of the skycar. "Yes, you have to," she said, summoning what little patience she had left. Her youngest was always a handful, but this afternoon, Benezia seemed determined to wear on her last nerve. It had started this morning, when she had refused to leave the bathroom after her allotted time, and come to a head on the way home from school. "Your father cleared her schedule to meet you at Armax Arena, and that's where you'll be going."

Benezia let out a dramatic sigh, and Liara caught a glimpse of her eyes rolling on the rear display screen. "But what's the point? It's not like I'm going to be a commando when I grow up."

"Right, like you have what it takes to be a commando," Diana snorted from beside her. "You wouldn't last a day out in the field."

"I would too! Remember who won our last match?"

"Only because Dad was on your team…"

"The scoreboard doesn't lie, Diana. You got your nose rubbed in it, Miss Wannabe Huntress."

The knot in Liara's chest pulled tighter. Her daughters' bickering didn't usually bother her, but today, their argument seemed tense instead of playful. To her surprise, Athena interrupted before things could get out of hand. "Can the two of you shut up? I'm trying to read this message from Corrie."

"Damn it, The, can you even go a few hours without saying her name?" Benezia huffed. "Corrie this, Corrie that, blah blah blah. You just saw her at the embassy. If you love her so much, why don't you marry her?"

Loud, smacking noises came from the back seat, followed by an exaggerated cry of pain. Liara didn't even need to check the screen to see what had happened. "No biotics in the car, girls," she said, trying to summon what remained of her frayed patience.

"Sorry, Mom," Athena said from the back seat. The apology was grudging, but it did the trick. Her daughters remained blissfully silent for the next two minutes.

Unfortunately, the peace didn't last. "This is such a waste of time," Benezia complained. "I've got more important things to do. Unlike these two losers, I actually have a social life. But do I get to hang out with my friends like a normal person? No. Instead, I have to spend all day listening to my history tutor ramble about Dad like she's some kind of Goddess made flesh while the whole class stares at me, and then instead of going to the Presidium with everyone else, I have to do combat training. What's the point? It's not like there's another race of machines out there waiting to harvest us."

This time, the silence that filled the skycar wasn't peaceful. Without saying a word, Liara pulled into a different lane and reprogrammed their destination. They were only five minutes from the apartment anyway. She had been hoping to delay this moment, to give her youngest a few more years of freedom and peace. It was the reason she had sacrificed so much during the war, so that a new generation of asari children to grow up free of fear and loss. But if Benezia was old enough to ask the question, she was old enough to receive a proper answer.

"Hey, where are we going?" Benezia asked, gazing out through the side window. "This isn't the way to the arena."

"No, it isn't. You and I are staying home today. Your sisters can go without us."

"Really? Great! It's about time I got an afternoon off."

"Mom?" Athena asked in a soft, hesitant voice. "Are you going to…"

Liara remained silent, but she looked around the side of her seat and gave a small nod. A shadow fell over Athena's face, and Diana cast her eyes down into her lap. Neither of them challenged Benezia or started any more arguments until they arrived at Tiberius Towers. The car came to a stop, and everyone climbed out, Benezia more enthusiastically than her sisters.

"So, do I have to stay home, or can I go to the Presidium? If I hurry, I can still meet everyone before…" She suddenly seemed to realize both of her sisters were looking at her, and her brow furrowed. "Why are you all staring at me like that?"

Instead of answering the question, Diana turned toward Liara. "Do you want me to send Dad home? Athena and I can practice on our own."

Liara stroked one of her hands down the side of Diana's arm and gave her a reassuring smile. She looked so like her father, especially when she was concerned. "Thank you, but no. I'll talk to her later. Benezia and I need some time alone."

Although Diana and Athena gave her worried looks, they followed her instructions without protest. The two of them started off down the strip and disappeared into the crowd while Benezia watched in confusion. "What's going on?" she asked, turning back with a frown. "They look like they've seen a ghost."

Liara took a deep breath. Benezia's observation was more accurate than she knew. "Come with me," she said, pressing gently at the small of her youngest daughter's back. "We need to have a talk."

Benezia's confusion turned to nervousness. She dragged her feet as they entered the building, only following reluctantly. Liara tried not to let her own reluctance show on her face as they took the elevator up to the top floor. Even though she had done this twice before, she still didn't feel prepared.

At last, they arrived at the apartment. Liara gestured for Benezia to sit down on the living room couch, and she obeyed, eyes darting nervously back to the door. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier, Mom. I was an ass. I know you and Dad are busy, and you just want to spend time with me..."

"It's not that simple, Benezia," she said, removing her gloves and tucking them into her pocket. "Yes, that's one of the reasons your father and I train with you and your sisters, but it isn't the only reason. You're old enough to understand."

Benezia's look of confusion returned, and her lips twitched down into a frown. "Understand what?"

Liara stared at Benezia for several long moments. Although she didn't have Shepard's eyes like Athena or her broad shoulders like Diana, she could still see so much of her bondmate in their youngest daughter. Her heart ached, and she reached out to cup Benezia's soft cheek. "I'm going to share a memory with you. I've already given it to your sisters. Now, you're old enough to see for yourself."

"You want me to see your memories? Which ones? What are you going to show me?"

"It's difficult to explain. Meld with me, and I'll guide you."

Benezia hesitated, but at last, she dipped her head in acknowledgment. "Okay."

Liara let her hand fall from Benezia's cheek and cupped the side of her neck instead, caressing the folds there and making sure her palm was pressed against skin. "No matter what you see, please remember that you're safe." She inhaled one last time, gathering her courage and preparing for the pain she knew would come. "I love you, my Little Wing. Embrace Eternity!"

Fire. Showers of sparks rain down above her head. She ducks, rolls into cover, but even the sound of gunfire isn't enough to drown out the screams. Shrill, otherworldly screams from the twisted versions of her own people.

"Banshee, stay back!"

But the warning doesn't come soon enough. Before she can fling the energy swimming along her arms, her feet leave the ground. Cold claws curl around the back of her head. Black eyes. Rotting teeth. Grey, twisted flesh like dying branches. She struggles, tries to fire her pistol, but it isn't enough. She's going to die… Please, Goddess, just let me die. Don't let me become one of these things...

A shockwave of energy rips her from the monster's arms. She goes flying, lands hard on her back in the rubble. Shepard is standing over the creature's corpse, pulsing with blue light.

The memory flickers out. She feels Benezia's consciousness tangled within hers. Breathless, terrified. Heart pounding too fast. And even though it hurts, even though it goes against her every instinct as a mother, she continues.

"I can't shake them! Talon 5, going down. I repeat, Talon 5 goi- aaargh!"

The sky blooms crimson, edged with black smoke. The gunship spirals toward the ground, exploding in a brilliant blaze. Tears sting her eyes, but she blinks them away. Her pistol barks, firing at the horde of oncoming husks. But bullets aren't enough to stop them. She summons her strength, her rage, and sends them back with warp after warp, determined to spill blood for the commandos who died to carry her this far.

'Mom?' Benezia's voice, afraid but hopeful. 'Did she...'

'Yes. Aside from your father and our squadmates, no one we fought with that day survived.'

"...nyone on this frequency? This is Lieutenant Kurin. My squad is trapped!"

"This is Shepard. Give us your location!"

"I repeat, is anyone on this frequency?"

"We read you. Give me your lo-"

"The Lieutenant's down, our whole zone is collapsing! What happened to Shepard? Did they make it to the temple?"

"I saw them… wait, I've got a Reaper inbound! Ahhhhh!"

She looks into the sunset as shadows fall across the sky. Giant arms reaching beyond imagining. The bright flare of light that always means death.

"Please? Is anybody there? Goddess, no-"

Silence. The radio cuts out.

At last, the meld ended. Liara removed her hand from Benezia's neck, blinking the blackness from her eyes. She opened her arms, and Benezia fell into them, shuddering and shaking and sobbing into her shoulder. "Mom... what… what was that?"

"That was Armali during the war," Liara said. Her own eyes were damp, but she focused her attention on comforting her daughter. "Only a few minutes away from our estate. You've been to the temple many times."

"And all those people… the thing that almost killed you…"

Liara ran her hand up and down Benezia's quivering back. "The lucky ones died. The unlucky ones became Banshees. I know you've been told that the Reapers used our own people against us, but you needed to see. Needed to understand."

Benezia remained silent for a long moment. "What about Earth? Were things there just as bad?"

"Worse. Your father's homeworld suffered even more losses than Thessia. The horde of monsters you saw coming after me are what the Reapers did to her people. During the final battle on Earth, I climbed over so many corpses that they stopped registering."

"I didn't know." Benezia pulled away from her, still unsteady. She braced one elbow on her knee, and the other arm came up to brush her tears away. "I'm so sorry."

"I wish I hadn't needed to show you, Little Wing. It's a memory I would love to bury. But I can't afford to forget. The galaxy can't afford to forget." Liara reached out, resting her fingers over Benezia's shaking hand. "Why don't you go upstairs and lie down? Both of your sisters needed the rest of the afternoon to themselves after I shared Thessia's loss with them."

"I… yeah. Okay." She stood on shaking legs, but hesitated before leaving. "Mom? Will you send Dad up when she gets home?"

Liara nodded. It wasn't at all surprising that Benezia would want to see her father after what she had witnessed. "I'll make sure she checks in on you."

"Do you think she'd meld with me, too? You know, if I asked?"

The question tapped into a well of emotion. The fact that her daughter saw the importance of her history despite the horrible things she had witnessed touched her. Liara stood, drawing Benezia into her arms. "I am so proud of you, my love. Yes, your father will meld with you. And not all of her memories of the war are bad ones. Some are beautiful. Ask her to show you how she cured the genophage, or how she brought the quarians back to Rannoch and reunited them with the geth. In fact, ask your Uncle Wrex and Aunt Tali to show you the next time you see them. I'm sure they would be honored to share it."

"I've seen Diana meld with Aunt Ashley before," Benezia said cautiously. "Is that why?"

She nodded. "One reason, yes. Ashley has shared a great deal of her memories with Diana, good and bad. Any of your Aunts and Uncles would do the same for you. When you feel ready, ask them."

"I will." Benezia untangled from her arms and stepped away, wiping away the last of her tears with her sleeve. "Mom… I'm proud of you, too. For saving the galaxy with Dad."

Liara laughed. "So, I've finally found the secret to earning my daughter's approval. And it only took saving the entire universe to do it. Go upstairs, Benezia. I'll tell your father to check in on you later."

With one last look, half smile and half sadness, Benezia turned and headed for the stairs. Liara sat back down on the couch and closed her eyes, leaning her head back. Her relationship with her youngest daughter wasn't perfect, but it was always loving. Beneath the self-centeredness that so often came with youth, Benezia was growing up to be an admirable woman.

Liara broke from her thoughts when her Omnitool vibrated around her wrist. She opened her eyes and answered the call, pulling up Shepard's image on the glowing orange screen. The concerned expression on her face reminded Liara of Diana's worried frown from earlier. "Hey there. The girls told me why you kept Benezia home. Are you both okay?"

"Yes, Shepard. Benezia handled it as well as I could have hoped. She showed an interest in learning more about what happened during the war. Don't be surprised if she asks to join with you sometime in the next few days. And you might want to invite Miranda over for a visit soon. She and Benezia have always been close."

Shepard smiled, but the wrinkle in the middle of her forehead didn't disappear. "And what about you? How are you holding up?"

Liara sighed and closed her eyes. The first time she had shared her memories of Thessia, she had barely held herself together long enough to comfort Athena and send her to bed. Afterwards, she had collapsed in Shepard's arms and cried herself to sleep. "I'm fine, I promise. Picking the wound open again always hurts, but it heals faster every time. I suppose practice has made it easier."

"Okay. But I'm still putting you in a hot bath when I get home and fixing you a glass of wine."

Her shoulders drooped at the thought of sinking into the warm water, and she smiled. "Only if you join me."

"What, you think I'm going to let you have the jacuzzi all to yourself? Of course I'll join you. The girls and I will be home in a few minutes, okay? I love you."

"I love you, too."

The call ended, and Liara switched off her Omnitool. Her memories of Thessia still lingered in the corners of her mind, but instead of faltering, she allowed herself to feel grateful. Grateful that she was alive. Grateful for her wonderful bondmate. Grateful for her three beautiful daughters, and her large extended family. This was what she had fought for. What so many had died for. And though she would never forget the cost, their hard-won victory was worth it.