A/N: ok, I know I marked this complete, but the reaction was so overwhelming I decided to continue it. This will probably go on as long as you guys keep sounding off saying you want it to (or not…). And if you have any special requests, feel free to leave them in the comments section and I'll work them in as best I can :)

Warning. This chapter may just give you diabetes. I'm a hopeless romantic like that. Blame tayg, Akernis and Theodosius. They shamelessly encouraged it.

PS: hold your horses re: Nova et Vetera already… it'll get some lovin' over the weekend ;)

Peace. Six months after the end of the Reaper War, four after my life was whole again, we finally have it. Miranda, Chakwas and their team of doctors have finally allowed you home; even though you have been walking, talking, laughing for weeks, they do not trust that you will not somehow break yourself again. I am actually silently grateful that they kept you hospitalised, knowing how you throw yourself into the fray.

Our friends have busied themselves making your apartment ready for you to come home to. The door opens, and you look around in pleasant surprise – the place is sparkling, new additions from every member of the crew making its utilitarian feel a distant memory. I hear you snort and glance over, seeing you shaking your head, an amused smirk on your face. Your gaze is fixed on Garrus' present, a perfect replica of the trophy you sardonically gifted him all those months ago. Well, a replica insofar as the "Second Place," and a pouting stick figure scrawled on the bottle goes.

You walk up to Tali's contribution, gingerly tracing a finger over the rising Rannoch sun, completely lost in its gentle, clement hues. "Thank you, Shepard. Because of you… I have this," reads the hand-carved inscription below the photograph. It is a view from her home, which we shall certainly visit when you are able to travel again. The look on your face, the rapture at the vista you fought so hard for, your bliss at your sister's serenity, they draw me into you. Everything about you is at once alluring, fresh and radiant; I wrap my arms around you, resting my cheek on your strong shoulders. You hum at the contact, and I feel your smile as lean your head against mine, your slender fingers gently caressing my crest. We stand like this, unspeaking and unseeing, for an unknowable length of time – for once, because we can. No more rushing, no more fighting, no more pain. Just… each other.

"Thank you for keeping me company, Ashley. I know Shepard would have appreciated having the day alone with Garrus and Tali – they have so much to catch up on."

Ashley smiles, although the look which comes across her face puzzles me a bit; it is almost… smug. She lays a gentle hand on my shoulder, even as she passes me the bag containing the fruits of today's labour. Although I sighed when Ashley practically squealed in excitement at the new mods on sale for the Black Widow, I know you would probably love what she got you. Ashley slaps the door open with her free hand, winking and giving me a gentle push, even as she turns me around.

"Have a good evening, Liara… T'Soni." She laughs as she walks off; what strange company you keep, Shepard. My bemusement swiftly gives way to surprise, as the bag slips from my fingers, its contents spilling haphazardly onto the floor; Garrus and Tali are nowhere in sight. The living room is completely dark, save for the row of candles adorning our dining table. The table itself is set for two, although the banquet weighing it down could probably have fed the Normandy's entire crew for a week. By the warm glow of candlelight, I can make out rose petals adorning the chairs. There appear to be some on the floor, but the light does not extend far enough for me to see where they lead.

Confused, I reach for the light switch, only for your gentle hand to grasp my wrist. You use your hold on me to turn me around slowly, pulling me into you. Your smile is bewitching as you lean in, your lips brushing oh so tantalizingly against mine; my knees are instantly weak. I want to take you in right there and then, but it seems you have other things on your mind. You lay the soft pulp of your finger against my lips, the smile never leaving your face as you practically carry me to the dining table.

"It would be a pity to let such a culinary feat go to waste, Dr T'Soni," you tease, as I reluctantly leave the comfort of your embrace and sit. You pour some wine, refusing to allow me to serve myself as you delicately portion food onto my plate. I had forgotten your aptitude in the kitchen; the day you taught me how to make the perfect fillet mignon seems so long ago. The food is divine, the wine delectable. It is such a welcome change from field rations and the drudgery of hospital fare.

Throughout the meal, during the natural pauses in conversation, I catch you gazing at me, a silly smile on your face and devotion, enchantment and worship in your eyes. You always look away so quickly when this happens, a darling rosy hue coming to your cheeks. How I could possibly be so lucky to engender such emotions from you, I do not know; I wish you knew how much I adore those looks. I almost tell you not to be embarrassed when you realise that I am watching you, but your blush is almost as beguiling as your adoration.

When you finish eating, you stand, laying both hands on my shoulders as you tenderly kiss my neck.

"I'm going to get changed. Come find me when you're done," you whisper. Your breath is so teasing against my skin – I reach to grab your hand, but you are already gone. I do not know whether to be frustrated or excited; I still have yet to finish my food. Quickly, I manage to clear my plate, not wanting to leave leftovers in case you worry the meal was not to my tastes. I stand and spin around, hurriedly heading towards the corridor leading away from the living room. It is not till I have taken a few steps that I realise the rose petals which I had seen on the floor earlier are tracing a path to that very corridor. My heart skips a beat in my chest; the petals feel so velvety underfoot, the texture slowing my eager stride.

I turn the corner, and my breath catches in my throat. A string of parchment dangles from the ceiling, running the length of the corridor to our bedroom. I recognise the script on them; it is in traditional asari longhand. How you have managed this, I do not know. As I wander forwards, my eyes feasting on the sight and my mind devouring your saccharine words, I feel like I have been transformed back into the naïve, inquisitive archaeologist I was before all this started.

It is a record of our time together; the laughs, the stolen moments aboard the Normandy, the tranquil embraces in defiance of the strife around us, the sensual kisses. I feel my cheeks heat ever so slightly as one of the notes teases a memory of my first attempt at baking; it was your birthday, and Ashley had insisted a surprise party would be incomplete without a cake. You were so gracious; despite only having just made my acquaintance, you refused to hurt my feelings, instead steeling yourself, wolfing down two large slices. It was not until I tasted it myself that I started feeling so ingratiated towards you, started grasping who you really were under all the armour you wore.

Other messages stir yet more memories; the beaches of Sri Lanka, the soft, white sand underfoot, the dazzling blue waves lapping carelessly against our feet as we walked, our fingers intertwined. Then, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, a treasure so oft-overlooked in the face of larger, more galaxy-renowned names like the Smithsonian and the Agora of Athens. You looked so content just to see me wander those halls in barely-contained glee. You showed me the sights of Earth; Thessia was to be next on our agenda – I feel a stab in my chest as the image of my home burning rears its ugly head. But you saved us, and Thessia will be rebuilt; restored to its splendour and dignity for you to revel in.

Finally, I reach the door to our bedroom, my head light from all those jubilant memories your words have evoked. My heart is warm, and I am not even conscious of the dizzy smile which has plastered itself across my face. I need you, now. In anticipation, I tap the door open, but all the foreshadowing in the galaxy could not have prepared me for the scene within.

You have painstakingly transformed our ceiling into the night sky; the stars twinkling, every bit as inviting and alluring as they were the night we shared before the assault on Cronos station. In the background, so softly I almost have to strain to hear it, the soothing, harmonious asari music I first shared with you following the fall of Earth plays. You are leaning against the dresser, your arms folded and your head tilted to the side, the smile on your face so wide I worry it will split it in half.

"Enjoy the trip, Liara?" Your voice is soft, the tone reticent, almost as if you are unsure of yourself.

"Of course, Shepard. I've savoured every second. But… I… why are you going through all this trouble?"

The trail of rose petals ends at the threshold of the room, and you extend your hand towards me, unable to hide the joy on your face as you guide me in. I feel an object in my hand, and I look down, somewhat puzzled as I see that you have handed me a seed.

"Because, my dear, although I've joked about this many times and planted the seeds of this conversation, I realised over the two months I spent longing for you that I never actually showed you just how you are my life."

I feel my heart stop as you drop to one knee. Ashley once showed me vids of human customs when I asked her about marriage. Emotion wracks my body, my throat is dense with it. With my hand covering my mouth, I can barely contain a cry of joy, let alone the tears streaming down my cheeks. I almost lost you twice; now this, this prospect of a lifetime with you fills me with more euphoria than a single person should ever deserve.

"Liara T'Soni," you manage, even as your voice cracks and your eyes glimmer under the light from the stars. "Words could never even begin to express what you are to me. You are my all, my best friend, my nourishment, my harbour. My life was an oblivion before you entered it, and I can no longer bear the thought of going on without you here, with me."

You take a deep breath, which hitches in your throat as you produce a box and open it. Contained within are an asari bonding bracelet and a beautiful diamond ring, the symbols of our peoples. You choke on your next words, even as your tears start to fall and your eyes dance.

"Marry me, Liara."

I pull you to your feet and into a fierce embrace as I laugh and cry into your neck. For a while, I am unable to speak, but eventually, I manage a whisper into your ear.

"There is nothing I want more in this world, Shepard. Yes… forevermore… yes."