DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything related to Mass Effect, Bioware, or any of that stuff. I promise. Or ME3 wouldn't have ended that way, obviously.
Ellanis Shepard woke up slowly, greeted by the sun rising. She immediately scanned the room for threats, and once again came to a suprisingly simple thought.
The war is over. And I'm alive.
Sighing, she began the laborious process of dragging herself out of bed, only to have a small sound of discomfort come from next to her. Looking around, Ellanis remembered yet another large, yet simple fact.
Liara T'soni is mine.
With a smile, Shepard leaned over and kissed the sleeping Asari on the forehead, then silently crept over to the bathroom. She turned on the water and stepped into the cubicle, allowing the warmth to wash over her body. Unable to break certain habits, however, that particular comfort is shortened as her shower rapidly comes to a close. Toweling herself off, she walks back into the room and begins to strap on her armor. Hearing Liara clear her throat, Ella looks back over her shoulder. "Yes, Liara? Did I wake you?"
Liara shakes her head and looks worried. "You didn't wake me. But why are you putting on your armor?"
The redhead blinks, and immediately looks down. Standing in that posistion for a moment, she then looks back at Liara with a surprised look on her face. "I... I don't know."
Sighing, Liara gets out of bed. Walking over to her partner, she begins taking the armor off with her biotics. "Ella, you need to pay more attention. The war is over, now come back to bed." Wrapping her slender yet strong arms around Ellanis, she held her for a moment before taking her hand and leading her over to the bed.
Ellanis shakes loose of the grip, then looks guiltily at Liara. "I can't sleep anymore, you know that. Once I'm awake, I'm a goner."
The asari just sighed again. "You need to start breaking these war habits my love. You need to be just like everyone else now."
"Liara, I don't know how anymore. I was always Commander Shepard. Commander Ellanis Shepard. That's what I was for years. That's what I've been since Saren, since the Collectors, straight through the Illusive Man and the Reapers themselves! I fought them all, helped rebuild, and now what? Nothing? Live a tiny existance, let myself be taken care of, disposed? Even if I can spend the rest of my life with you, Liara, I can't spend the rest of my life sitting around."
"Then do something. Something exiting."
"Like what? Press and publicity hound me everywhere I go. I've learned how to deal with it, but..." Ellanis reaches out and gently strokes her wife's cheek. "...you've always hated it."
"Ella..." Liara leans into Shepards pale-skinned body. ::I can't let you waste away like this. Not after everything we've been through.::
Ellanis almost jerked at the sudden mental contact, but then relaxed and responded. ::Liara, what do you want me to do? Everyone thinks I'm unnatural and awe-inspiring, but I just want to be human again.::
Liara smiles up at her partner. "Then we'll have to teach you."
AN: I've been rolling the idea of getting back to Legends Rise somewhere in the back of my mind, but I don't really have time to sit down and dedicate myself to that right now. So I decided to write this story, about a Shepard who can't cope with everything being over. Hope you guys like, and please review. You'll get a shoutout in the next chapter's AN as a thank you.