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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Liara shifted uncomfortably on the medbay bed and slowly opened her eyes. By the Goddess, she felt awful. The room finally stopped spinning and she managed to focus her vision.
"Doctor T'soni! Good to have you back amongst us."
The asari smiled weakly as Doctor Chakwas approached her bed. Casting an appraising eye over the young scientist, Doctor Chakwas helped Liara to sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the bed.
"How are you feeling?"
Taking a moment to assess herself, Liara groaned and gave the doctor a rueful grin. "I think this must be what a hangover feels like."
The doctor pursed her lips and gave Liara a stern stare. "You had us all quite worried for a while there, I had difficulty raising your core temperature again after you passed out."
Bowing her head slightly Liara felt a pang of remorse for her actions. "I am sorry to have caused you concern Doctor Chakwas but I thought if I told you the truth... it was worth the risk."
Doctor Chakwas lightly touched Liara's knee. "As it turns out, yes it was. Not that I altogether approve of your deception."
The asari slowly raised her head, tears already threatening to spill down her cheeks. Giving Liara's knee a reassuring pat, the doctor stepped to one side, allowing a clear view of the Commander. The woman was still clearly unconscious but there was a marked difference in her appearance. Colour flushed her cheeks and her face appeared more relaxed somehow.
Tears now tracking silently down her face Liara struggled off the bed and, aided by Doctor Chakwas, moved to Shepard's side. Sitting in the waiting chair – a place of vigil for what seemed too long a time now – Liara laid her head on the woman's shoulder and closed her eyes, sleep claiming her a short time later.
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Shepard remained unconscious though her vital signs were strong and her brainwave patterns indicated her state was far closer to a deep sleep than true unconsciousness. Liara visited for several hours every day, talking quietly about her childhood or the various discoveries she had made on her archaeological expeditions.
When she wasn't with Shepard, the Shadow Broker was on a comm link with Feron or staring crease-browed at the latest reports to come in. Information on the Batarian assassin had been easy to find, almost too easy.
Nothing to date indicated the attack was anything other than opportunistic. Shepard had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or the Batarian in the right place at the right time. News of the attack had polarised the galaxy, furthering the divide between Shepard's supporters and her detractors.
Distractedly toying with her food, Liara gave up for the night and deactivated the datapad. Her meal long since cold she pushed her tray away and rested her head in her hands, lightly massaging her temples.
"Small wonder you have a headache, frowning like that for so many hours a day." Giving the asari a friendly smile Doctor Chakwas set her dinner tray on the table and settled into the chair opposite Liara.
Starting slightly at the unexpected company Liara returned the Doctor's smile. "What? Oh, it is nothing. I must be getting tired, all the words just keep swimming together." Liara hesitated before continuing on. "You must be sick of me asking by now..."
Reaching across the table to grasp the scientists hand Doctor Chakwas shook her head. "Not at all Doctor T'soni. The Commander's condition is largely unchanged, with the exception of a few short periods of what appears to be a dream state. Her neural pathways are repairing themselves however it is a slow process."
Hope briefly flashed in Liara's eyes. "Do you think she may wake soon?"
"I'm sorry, but I really can't say. The Commander is definitely on the mend, but as to when she will wake... I can't give you an answer to that I'm afraid."
Bowing her head in a nod of acceptance Liara sighed quietly. "Of course Doctor, I should not have even asked."
Doctor Chakwas gave the asari's hand a brief squeeze. "Nonsense. It's a natural enough question to ask in situations such as these."
Smiling tiredly at the Doctor, Liara squeezed the woman's hand in return before breaking the contact and reaching for her datapad. "I do not wish to keep you from your meal and I feel it is time I went to bed. Goodnight Doctor Chakwas. And thank you."
Doctor Chakwas watched Liara as the asari left the mess area, her shoulders rounded with the weight of worry she carried. Wishing she could give Liara the answer she so desperately wanted the Doctor turned her attention to her meal.
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"I'm sorry I can't explain it better than that. Something just isn't right with the data and I can't see what it is."
Liara stared at Feron's image on the screen, a debate raging within her. Finally making up her mind she nodded at the drell. "Alright. I will leave for Hagalaz immediately."
Simply nodding in response, Feron terminated the link and Liara was left gazing at her own reflection. Taking a deep breath to gather her resolve she quickly packed a few essentials and started making the necessary arrangements for her travel with Miranda.
Doctor Chakwas greeted Liara warmly as the asari entered the medical bay, raising a questioning eyebrow when she noticed the small bag in Liara's hands.
"Are you going somewhere Doctor T'soni?"
Moving to the Commander's side, Liara gently stroked the woman's hair a few times before answering. "Yes, I am needed on Hagalaz for a day or two. Feron has uncovered some... anomalies in the reports we have been receiving about the Batarian who attacked Shepard."
Leaving her hand resting lightly on Shepard's brow Liara turned to face the Doctor. "If there is any change..."
"I will let you know immediately, I promise." Doctor Chakwas could see the indecision in Liara's eyes and quietly placed herself opposite the young scientist. "You have done all that you can here Doctor T'soni. The Commander is in no danger of getting worse and she will not begrudge you leaving her for a day or two to further your investigation of the attack."
Briefly meeting the Doctor's eyes, Liara nodded once before placing a gentle kiss on the Commander's cheek. Turning quickly she left before she could change her mind, making her way to the hanger and her awaiting shuttle. As the Normandy slowly faded into the black of space Liara pulled her gaze from the window of the shuttle before the tears in her eyes had the chance to fall. Blinking several times to clear her vision, Liara set about analysing an interim report Feron had sent her on the anomalies he had found.
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Dozens of reports flashed across the screen in front of Liara, her drawn features illuminated by their glow. Quickly disregarding one report, retrieving another, the asari worked in silence. Paragraphs were extracted for comparison, word patterns were analysed. Working as though possessed she failed to notice Feron standing at her side until the third time he said her name.
Turning to face the drell she wearily passed a hand across her face. "I'm sorry Feron... you were right, there is something wrong here but it is going to take a while to work out what it is."
Feron could see that the asari was exhausted. Hardly surprising given that she not slept on the shuttle trip to Hagalaz nor since she had arrived over a day ago. Concern for his friend well masked by his impassive features the drell held out a datapad towards Liara.
"I've specially reconfigured this to auto-synchronise with the databanks here across a highly secure comm link, and all current reports are loaded on it. You can continue your analysis back on the Normandy as though you were here."
Reaching for the datapad, Liara smiled tiredly at the drell. "Are you trying to get rid of me already Feron?"
"Not at all, I just don't want to find myself in trouble with Commander Shepard for sending you back asleep on your feet."
Bowing her head slightly at the mention of Shepard's name, Liara activated the datapad and quickly flicked through a few reports.
"Thank you Feron, this will be very useful. I suppose I should organise my return to the Normandy now that you are kicking me off my own ship." Laughing softly at the drell's exasperated sigh she linked arms with him. "Come, let us share a meal before I leave and you can tell me how you managed to reprogram that VI."
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Still lost in thought and entirely focussed on her datapad as she made her way to the medical bay, Liara almost walked straight into Doctor Chakwas.
"Ah Doctor T'soni, I was just looking for you. I was hoping to stop you before you went too far in the wrong direction."
The asari's head whipped up and her heart leapt into her throat. Doctor Chakwas smiled and gently turned Liara around back towards the elevator.
"Commander Shepard woke up late last night. I released her from the medical bay this morning, at her insistence. You can find her in her cabin, resting comfortably in her own bed if she knows what's good for her."
The look in Liara's eyes was all the thanks Doctor Chakwas needed as the asari hurried away, trembling hands clutching her now all-but-forgotten datapad.
Forcing herself to pause outside Shepard's cabin Liara closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shaking hands smoothing her tunic as she fought the urge to cry. Opening the door she stepped across the threshold, her gaze immediately falling on the Commander. Lifting her head slightly from the pillow to see who her visitor was Shepard's face lit up with emotion. She propped herself up on one elbow as Liara moved slowly towards her, the woman's eyes following her every step.
"Hey. Well, if you aren't a sight for sore eyes." Shepard's voice was raspy from lack of recent use but it was the sweetest sound Liara had ever heard.
Abandoning all pretence of self control Liara cried out softly and all but ran to the Commander's side, pulling her into a powerful embrace. Wrapping her own arms around the sobbing asari, Shepard murmured quietly "It's alright..."
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Liara stopped short in the hanger and fixed a firm gaze on the armoured woman beside her. Shepard met and held the asari's stare, before slowly winking and flashing a cheeky grin.
"I understand that it is supposed to be a surprise but is all this secrecy – and that - really necessary?" Liara gestured towards a strip of black cloth, a blindfold, that dangled nonchalantly from Shepard's right hand.
"It will be for a short time, yes. Now quit arguing and get in."
Shepard stepped up into the Kodiak and turned, offering a hand to Liara. Sighing in resignation, the young scientist grasped the Commander's hand and was pulled into the shuttle and a warm embrace.
Kissing the asari lightly on the tip of her nose and grinning again, Shepard slowly forced Liara to back up until her calves bumped into the edge of a seat. "Sit tight, it'll only be a short trip." Another kiss, this time to Liara's forehead and the Commander moved into the cockpit, disappearing from Liara's view.
Settling into her seat Liara quietly reflected over the past two weeks as the shuttle door closed and the engines sequentially fired. Apart from some initial stiffness and tenderness where the bullets had struck her ribs the Commander had recuperated quickly once she had regained consciousness, showing no apparent ongoing ill effects from the attack.
Liara gazed at her reflection in the shuttle door window. Ordinarily the window would be transparent but Shepard had engaged the electrostatic tint, turning the heavy plastic an opaque bronze. The Commander was clearly serious about her surprises. Resigning herself to the fact Shepard had her at a complete disadvantage, albeit an exciting one, the asari closed her eyes and waited.
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"Hey, you haven't gone to sleep on me have you?" The Commander's tone was wounded as she stepped into the passenger area.
Liara smiled and opened her eyes. "After that landing?"
Shepard pouted and scowled at the asari before a broad grin engulfed her face. "Yeah yeah, everyone's a critic."
Liara stood and stretched languidly, pretending not the notice the appreciative manner in which Shepard's eyes roamed over her body as she did so. Closing the gap between them the woman drew Liara into a gentle embrace and softly kissed her.
"Ready for your surprise?"
Liara nodded, sudden nervousness flaring in her stomach. Shepard gently tied the blindfold in place, carefully adjusting the cloth to make sure there was no way the asari could peek. Unable to resist the temptation the woman placed a kiss on the nape of the Liara's neck, chuckling softly at the surprised squeak the action elicited from her.
The shuttle door hissed open and warm, fragrant air flooded the small compartment. Frowning slightly beneath the blindfold Liara tried to remember where she knew the delicate scent from. Cautiously stepping forward as Shepard led her to the edge of shuttle the asari relished the feel of the fresh air against her skin.
"I'm going to hop down then help you out ok?" The question was obviously rhetorical as a moment later Liara felt the shuttle jolt slightly as Shepard disembarked. A strong arm suddenly circled her waist and Liara cried out in surprise as the Commander swept her out of the shuttle and into her arms, slowly turning a full circle before lowering the asari to the ground.
With one hand pressed firmly against Liara's lower back and the other caressing the nape of her neck Shepard leaned in and engaged Liara in a deep kiss. Temporarily deprived of her sight as she was the asari moaned softly in surprise as the Commander's lips met her own. Shepard gradually moved her hand up Liara's neck, fingers tracing delicately along the folds of skin until she reached the knot of the blindfold. Deftly untying it, the woman gently drew the cloth away and pulled back from the kiss.
Taking a moment to steady herself Liara opened her eyes and blinked a few times in the sunlight. When Shepard was certain the asari had adjusted to the light she stepped to Liara's side, one arm still circled around her waist and her eyes fixed on the young scientist's face.
Recognition slowly dawned across Liara's features as she took in the valley before her. "By the Goddess... Shepard!" Were it not for the Commander's arm around her waist Liara would have fallen to the ground as her knees buckled. "How did you...?"
Shepard drew the asari closer, supporting her as Liara wept joyously against her shoulder. "EDI helped me find it. As soon as you told me why I had an image of a place I'd never been stuck in my mind I knew I had to find it."
Many discussions, and one very heated argument, had taken place in the days following Shepard's recovery. Liara had told Shepard of the melds and of her projection of the valley image into the Commander's mind but not of her own collapse. When Garrus inadvertently mentioned it Shepard was less than pleased with the risk Liara had taken.
Liara had calmly stuck to her assertion that the risk had been worth taking, even going so far as to list the number of times Shepard had risked her life for others with no thought for her own safety, most pointedly when the original Normandy had been attacked. The Commander's case had collapsed at that point, a "but that's different" frozen on her lips. Gathering the smug asari into her arms Shepard had commenced truce negotiations with a kiss.
"Thank you for bringing me back here Shepard. You have no idea how much this means to me." Wiping away her tears Liara smiled as the Commander flexed her arm and pulled the asari into her body. Rapping a knuckle lightly against the Commander's breastplate Liara squirmed in her embrace. "Is this still necessary? It would be much more comfortable hugging you instead of your armour."
Releasing the asari from her hold the woman laughed teasingly. "Yeah, I can probably take it off now. I just figured better safe than sorry after our last date." Shepard regretted the words the moment they left her mouth as Liara's face crumpled and her eyes filled with tears again.
Barely containing the sob that was welling in her chest the asari spun away from Shepard and walked stiffly to a nearby tree, lightly resting a hand against the rough bark as her slender frame shook with emotion.
"Of all the stupid..." Shepard muttered to herself and took a step towards Liara before thinking better of it. Stripping off her armour in record time she left it piled haphazardly on the ground and smoothed out the wrinkles in the lightweight combat suit that she wore under her armour.
Liara was still leaning against the tree and staring down at the valley when Shepard joined her, the woman stopping slightly behind the asari's left shoulder.
"Liara. I... it was a thoughtless thing to say, I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget... it's a coping mechanism, common amongst soldiers." Not knowing if there was anything else she could say the woman dropped her gaze to the ground, eyes idly roaming over grass and pebbles, her brows knitted and jaw clenching.
Shepard heard Liara take a deep breath and sensed her turning. Soft fingertips gently traced the Commander's jawline before Liara applied light pressure to her chin, raising the woman's head and turning it towards herself.
The depth of emotion in the asari's eyes caught the Commander's breath in her throat. Raising a hand, Shepard tenderly laid it on Liara's cheek, her thumb brushing away tears that still stubbornly clung to the smooth blue skin.
"I love you Shepard and I can not bear the thought of my life without you in it."
Brushing her thumb one more time across Liara's cheek the Commander's hand moved to capture the blue fingers still resting lightly against her own face. Intertwining her fingers with the asari's Shepard gently led her back towards the shuttle and slowly dropped to her knees in the fragrant grass, drawing Liara down with her.
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Dappled sunlight danced lazily around discarded armour and clothing, lightly stepping across bare skin with a lovers touch before quietly bowing out to lengthening shadows. Watching the final rays of sunlight play softly across Liara's face the Commander knew she had found what she had been looking for her whole life.
Peace.
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A/N: This concludes the third and final chapter for this particular story. I've left myself an open window in case inspiration strikes again but I've achieved what I set out to do – wrap up the post-ME2 romance between Liara and Shepard to my satisfaction.
Apologies for any spelling or grammatical errors, being your own proof-reader doesn't always work out. Hope you've enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoying writing it (: