Seeing as I skipped the important stuff last time...

The characters herein aren't mine, they belong to BioWare. I promise to hand them back unbroken when I've finished playing.

The story is mine though.

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"Thank you Feron, I've received all the data. I look forward to hearing from you again tomorrow. I should also be able to visit sometime next week."

Feron nodded, smiled by way of goodbye and severed the link.

"A man of few words isn't he?" Shepard observed.

Liara peeked over Shepard's personal terminal and around a model ship. The Commander was sprawled comfortably on her bed, reviewing her latest attempt at the R&R roster. Moving to join her, the asari barely suppressed a giggle as Shepard scowled and further mangled the end of the pen that was dangling from her mouth.

"You'll get ink poisoning if you keep chewing on the pen like that."

Shepard sighed and threw the pen down in disgust. "I have no idea how Miranda does this so easily. Every time I think I've figured it out, I realise I've left no engineers on board or Legion and Tali are both scheduled for the same watch."

Liara settled on the edge of the bed and examined the mess of scribbles, crossing out and corrections littered across the schedule. A gift for paperwork was not amongst the Commander's many strengths.

"Why not give it back to Miranda then?"

Shepard rolled over and settled her head on Liara's thigh. "Because I need something to do or I'm going to go nuts. Between Miranda taking care of day-to-day operational issues and you looking after most of my correspondence, I have nothing to do."

Liara had practically taken over the Commander's personal terminal six weeks ago. All of a sudden it seemed every Admiral in the fleet, and anyone else who happened to have the right security clearance, wanted a copy of Shepard's report on the Alpha Relay incident. Incident. Such a sterile word for a impossible decision that had resulted in the deaths of 300,000 people and almost destroyed the woman she loved.

Writing the report had been hard enough for Shepard and Liara couldn't stand watching the anguish it caused her every time she checked her personal messages to find another request for the report. And another. And another.

Shepard raised a hand to Liara's face, touching her cheek gently. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Realising she had drifted off into her own little world Liara smiled and captured the Commander's hand, placing a gentle kiss on the palm before tracing a finger along the scar neatly bisecting it.

"Your hand appears fully healed. I hope you're not planning to pick a fight with another glass any time soon."

Shepard playfully rolled her eyes at Liara and flexed her hand a few times. "You do nice work Doctor but I'll be happy to keep my collection of scars at the current number for a while."

"A long while I would hope" Liara replied, her eyes belying a more serious tone than her voice implied.

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The soft glow of the fish tank played across the room, slightly lightening all but the deepest shadows. Cast in faint relief, Shepard began to stir in her sleep. Sensing her disquiet Liara edged closer to the troubled human, resting her head on Shepard's shoulder and gently laying her hand on the woman's stomach. The Commander sighed quietly and relaxed, her own head rolling towards the asari's until her cheek pressed lightly against Liara's forehead. Tonight would be a good night it seemed.

It had been almost two months since Liara had promised she would stay as long as Shepard needed her. Making sure the Commander finally got some much needed rest had been the asari's first order of business. It quickly became apparent that Shepard was barely sleeping, so Liara took to spending every evening with her. Some nights they would talk for hours before Shepard would eventually drift off and Liara would return to her own quarters.

The days when Shepard had spoken to someone from admiralty always heralded the worst nights. One particular evening about two weeks after Liara had decided to remain on the Normandy, she had arrived at the Commander's quarters to find Shepard curled up on the bed sobbing. Liara simply held her and finally, hours later, the woman drifted off to sleep wrapped in the asari's protective embrace. Liara stopped going back to her own quarters after that night.

There were still too many nights that ended with Shepard erupting from sleep covered in a sheen of sweat, eyes wild and darting. Sometimes Liara could soothe her back to sleep, gently running her fingers through the woman's hair until she finally calmed. Other nights Shepard would disappear, not returning until early morning. Liara never asked where she went, though the Commander's occasionally bruised and swollen knuckles hinted at a cathartic workout in the ships gym.

Liara listened to Shepard's breathing as it slowly deepened and satisfied the woman was going to sleep through the rest of the night she allowed herself to drift off as well.

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"Wait, we're going where?"

Liara smiled serenely and remained silent, knowing the reaction it would cause. As if on cue, Shepard lunged forward on the lounge, hooked her arm around the asari's waist and pulled Liara off her feet and into her lap.

"Commander!"

Shepard grinned as Liara blushed, her blue skin edging a shade closer to purple. Pressing her advantage, the woman leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of Liara's nose. Satisfied she had sufficiently flustered the young scientist, Shepard settled back into the cushions and waited for Liara to compose herself.

"I've booked us a table for dinner tonight. We're going to a little cafe just off Edroki Plaza in Kithoi Ward on the Citadel." Liara looked like the cat that had just swallowed the canary and Shepard loved her all the more for it.

"Tonight huh?" Shepard glanced at her watch, a sly look crossing her face as her left hand idly traced random patterns on Liara's thigh. "That gives us a few hours to kill, maybe we could do something to work up an appet..."

Liara's answer came in the form of a fierce kiss cutting Shepard off mid sentence, her lips crushing against the Commander's. Breaking off the kiss, the asari locked darkening eyes with Shepard. "I'm open to suggestions..."

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Shepard hadn't been to Kithoi Ward before, but it was much like the rest of the Citadel at the moment – partly destroyed during the titanic battle with Sovereign. She noted Edroki Plaza seemed to have gotten off lightly as Liara led her towards their dinner date. Several other areas of the ward, including the Council Central Archives, had been heavily damaged and were still closed off as repairs continued.

Feeling decidedly under-dressed in her civilian attire, Shepard wished she had bought a weapon along but Liara had been quite firm on that point – a pistol just wouldn't "work" with Shepard's outfit. Cutting an athletic figure in dark blue jeans and a knitted fawn coloured v-neck sweater, the Commander appreciatively trailed her date, admiring the white and purple tunic Liara had chosen for this evening, particularly how it clung to her in all the right places.

The cafe was little more than an alcove set halfway down an alley. Business had been slow since the battle and there were few other diners, a fact Shepard was extremely grateful for. In a rush of chivalry Shepard made a show of seating Liara at their table, only realising afterwards that her own seat would leave her back facing the entrance.

Shrugging off her soldiers habits, Shepard focussed on enjoying the night with Liara. Besides, she'd seen Garrus and Miranda attempting to discretely trail them since they left the shuttle bay. The Commander made a mental note to speak with both of them about their covert surveillance techniques, particularly Garrus. A sniper rifle, even folded up, was still rather noticeable.

The cafe menu proved surprising, offering a small but carefully selected range of traditional meals from a variety of cultures. Shepard opted for an asari vegetable dish, while Liara chose a complicated salarian tapas-style meal. The food was delicious and, at the suggestion of their waiter, perfectly accompanied by a refreshing white wine from Illium.

Liara poured the last of the wine into their glasses and sat back in her chair, toying with the stem of her wine glass. She smiled at the woman opposite her, revelling in how relaxed she looked. For the first time in months, Shepard looked truly at peace. Returning the asari's smile, Shepard raised her glass and took a nervous breath.

Time suddenly turned to molasses. The hairs on the back of Shepard's neck bristled. Liara's face froze in a mask of shock and fear as she flared into biotic brilliance. Garrus bellowed a warning. Time shattered into a million shards, refracting a million moments at once.

Smoothly standing and turning in one motion Shepard prepared to drop into a combat stance so practised it was automatic, reaching for where her weapon should be... Unarmed and unarmoured, the Commander stood little chance. Three bullets tore into her chest, punching the air from her lungs. A fourth round struck her in the temple, briefly flaring her world a brilliant red before blackness encroached and she crumpled to the floor.

A powerful biotic wave swept across the cafe and surged towards the Batarian, picking up tables and chairs as it advanced. The hapless attacker disappeared beneath the pile of furniture, a brief scream fading into the clatter of glass, metal and plastic smashing against the far wall. Garrus warily advanced on the pile, carefully shifting pieces of debris with the barrel of his sniper rifle until he found what he was looking for.

"He's dead. Very dead in fact." Garrus looked thoughtfully at Liara. "Remind me never to piss you off."

Every moment seemed to collapse into the next, with no clear sense of progression. Miranda sharply issued orders into her comms. Garrus stood guard over Shepard, constantly scanning the area for any hint of further attack. Liara cradled the Commander's head in her lap, desperately trying to staunch the bleeding from her wounds.

A sea of C-Sec officers flooded the area, almost everyone they had it seemed. Liara wouldn't let anyone touch Shepard, relinquishing her care of the Commander only when Doctor Chakwas arrived with Jacob and a security contingent from the Normandy.

Shepard was hastily stabilised and stretchered to a waiting shuttle, bound for the Normandy's medical bay. Liara assisted Doctor Chakwas with her triage of the Commander, numbly following her orders as the doctor fought to save the woman's life. Time only seemed to return to normal when Miranda led an exhausted Liara back to Shepard's cabin, directing her to get some sleep. The Commander was in a coma but she was alive.

Liara stepped into the shower fully clothed, bracing herself against the wall as her tears fell freely. Stripping off her stained tunic she huddled under the hot spray sobbing uncontrollably as Shepard's blood washed from her hands and arms to spiral down the drain. Finally the water ran clear and she could cry no more. Stumbling to the bed – Shepard's bed – Liara all but collapsed into a deep sleep.

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"The bullet that struck her temple was little more than a glancing blow. The slug itself caused no damage to the brain, however," Doctor Chakwas paused, weighing her words carefully, "the velocity of the round caused a shock wave inside the skull. The Commander's neural pathways have been severely disrupted and there is no way of knowing if the damage is permanent or not."

The heavy silence was oppressive, broken only when Garrus grunted, and waved a hand at the medical equipment surrounding Shepard. "All this technology and we still have no way of knowing if Shepard is going to recover?"

Doctor Chakwas looked intently at the Commander for several long moments before turning to lean on her desk. "It's not that simple, unfortunately. The scanners can monitor physical signs, brainwave activity but they simply cannot tell us if what made Shepard who she is has survived the trauma or not. We have no way of knowing."

"Yes, we do." Liara sat by Shepard's side holding the Commander's hand, slowly tracing and retracing the scar on her palm. Finally raising her head, she met the eyes of Doctor Chakwas, Garrus and Miranda in turn.

"I can meld with Shepard, reach into her consciousness to evaluate the damage...to see if she is still there."

There was a slight uncertainly to Liara's tone, Doctor Chakwas voicing the concerns of them all by moving to the asari's side and placing a hand lightly upon her shoulder.

"Are you sure Doctor T'soni? We already have one crew member incapacitated, we don't need another."

"Melding with an unconscious mind is very rarely performed by my people, and even more rarely spoken of. Aside from the impropriety of invading an essentially defenceless mind, it requires more...subtlety than usual."

"Subtlety?" Miranda regarded the asari carefully, sensing she wasn't quite telling the whole truth.

"It is a difficult process to explain at the best of times. Do not worry, I would not put the Commander at any risk, nor myself." Liara returned her attention to Shepard, hoping her lies sounded as confident to everyone else as they had to her.

An unconscious mind was easy to meld with, that much was true. Yet as only one mind was active in the joining a far greater amount of energy was required to maintain a stable link. Too much energy however and the unconscious mind would be overwhelmed. It was a very delicate and dangerous balancing act.

Doctor Chakwas gave Liara's shoulder a light squeeze. "Alright, but only if you are certain." Liara nodded under the doctors penetrating gaze, not trusting herself to speak. Seemingly satisfied the doctor moved to stand by her desk, ready to intercede at a moments notice.

Liara closed her eyes sapphire blue and opened them infinite black. She fixed her gaze on the Commander's face and clasped the unconscious woman's hand to her chest. Focussing the entirety of her being on the contact between them she let her mind step into eternity.

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"Commander?"

In Liara's mind, she was suspended in darkness. No, more than just darkness for that was simply an absence of light. Her consciousness was surrounded by black. Quelling her rising fear the asari concentrated on casting her mind into the void, gently feeling for any trace of her bondmate. After what seemed an age she finally touched a presence at the very edge of her reach.

"Shepard."

Little more than a loose collective of primal instincts the presence shied from Liara's thought, though it remained close enough to still sense and observe the alien intrusion. Liara could feel herself tiring rapidly and slowly withdrew herself from Shepard's mind. On a desperate whim she paused before fully withdrawing and set a single thought free - "I love you".

A lone tear trickled down Liara's cheek as she blinked and opened her blue eyes to the expectant and concerned gazes of the others. "I...she...it is too soon to tell. Something of her remains, I could sense it. But...perhaps in a day or two I can say more."

Liara sagged forward, her energy all but expended by the one-sided meld. Doctor Chakwas hurried to the asari and quickly examined her, proscribing in no uncertain terms that a good sleep was required.

Garrus walked Liara back to the Commander's cabin, pausing outside as they reached the door. The turian hesitated and began to say something before thinking better of it, instead opting to reach out and gently place a hand against Liara's cheek. The asari's eyes welled with tears at the simple gesture.

"Thank you Garrus."

The turian nodded, dropping his hand back to his side. "The Commander is going to come through this, she has to. Shepard always gets the last shot in any fight."

Smiling sadly Liara retired to the cabin, leaving Garrus to summoned the elevator for his return to the Main Battery.

"You're four shots down Shepard. That's a score we need to settle."

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The days passed slowly with little change in the Commander's condition. Liara threw herself into investigating the Batarian attacker she had killed, calling in favours from all corners of her extensive network. Feron patiently endured her frequent comm links for updates, knowing that the hunt for information was the only thing keeping the asari even vaguely together.

Days became a week, then two. Life aboard the ship continued as usual, but anyone familiar with the Normandy and her crew could sense something was wrong. The medical bay was given an almost reverential wide berth. Liara, Garrus and Miranda visited daily and always alone.

Sixteen days after the attack Doctor Chakwas approached Liara as the asari was seated in the mess, presumably to eat though a quick glance at her tray showed she had put far more effort into rearranging the meal than eating it.

"I know Mess Sergeant Gardner isn't the best cook..." the woman ventured as she seated herself opposite Liara.

Dropping her cutlery in defeat, the asari pushed the tray away. "No, it's not that. I guess I'm just not hungry tonight."

Feeling the appraising eyes of the doctor upon her Liara kept her own eyes downcast, only raising her face when the doctor reached out to grasp her hands. It was then the asari saw the hope in the doctor's eyes. Tempered, but it was there.

"I think it might be time to try another meld, if you are willing."

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Doctor Chakwas, Miranda and Garrus clustered nervously around the doctors desk, quietly watching Liara as she approached Shepard and stationed herself at the head of the unconscious woman's bed. Taking a final look at those gathered in the room Liara lightly placed a hand on Shepard's brow, ducked her head slightly then lifted it again, eyes blazing black.

Suspended in darkness Liara reached out with her mind, both surprised and pleased to meet a slight resistance this time. Looking deep within herself she painstakingly crafted a scene to fill the black, a beautiful valley she had visited once as a child. Her Mother had never stayed long in one place and consequently neither had Liara. Something had struck her with this valley though and she never forgot it.

Concentrating all her energy, Liara released the image into the void around her, creating an impression of the valley in the consciousness she shared with the Commander. She hoped her creation would act as a beacon to Shepard, drawing her from the darkness of her own injured mind. Maintaining the image cost more energy than the asari had anticipated and she felt herself rapidly tiring, her valley beginning to loose cohesion.

The final wisps of her valley slowly faded away as Liara expended the last of her energy maintaining the link. Just before the darkness took back its domain a faint thought brushed against the asari's mind.

"Liara?"

Liara gasped as the room came back into focus then just as quickly faded again, her legs buckling beneath her. She would have fallen were it not for Garrus standing ready beside her. Gathering the trembling asari in his arms he gently lifted her onto the bed next to Shepard's. Her normally vibrant blue skin had a distinct grey tinge and she was cold to the touch. Fighting against her exhaustion Liara managed to whisper one word before a deep sleep claimed her.

"Shepard."