Episode 4: Liara witnesses just how much of a doofus Shepard is with their daughter. Again.
. . .
There was another report from the agents placed in the Salarian Union. Even though their influence had waned after the war, the crafty salarians, both the politicians and their surviving support structure in the STG were tirelessly trying to put the Union back on top. Over the last two years the Shadow Broker had to interfere with some of their more outrageous plans at least fifteen times. And despite the failures they had persisted.
Liara reclined back in her chair and away from the warm orange glow of the terminal. Despite Glypth's constant assistance in sifting through data, she Liara was beginning to grow tired of the monotony. For many years her work had been deeply fulfilling. She did have a cnack for cataloguing, deciphering patterns in the raw data, combining seemingly unrelated bits and pieces to form a cohesive hypothesis. Applying what she had learned from her academic career as an archaeologist in combination with her skill and experience as an information broker proved to be the perfect fit. She could make a difference and be good at what she did. Liara was exactly where she wanted to be.
But then… Then there were the peaceful, calming years after the war. The years, not weeks or months, she could spend with Shepard. Simply being there, together. Liara could still remember the bonding ceremony as one of the happiest days of her life. Another one being the birth of their daughter. Finally, that silly promise Shepard had made her on the Normandy right before she left for certain death again… Finally, that ridiculous at the time promise of "marriage, old age, and a lot of little blue children" had magically come true.
And that was where Liara heart was calling her now. The reports and data and helping the whole galaxy did not cease to be important to her, but at the same time it all somehow seemed insignificant next to Athena's smile. Her little, tiny fingers and happy gurgling noises when she was just a baby. The first time she looked into those huge green eyes so much like her fathers, Liara was transformed. The first time Athena slipped off her blanket and crawled across the room with incredible speed. The first time she stood up on her own grasping with her small hands at the fabric of her father's pants. The first time she spoke, the first time she called for her.
Those moments became her life now. The silly promise made real. A family she couldn't have dreamed of having.
Liara listened for the sounds outside of her study. The private smile that formed on her lips grew as she recognized the voices. There were some noises imitating real-life sounds and an excited squeal of a toddler. Some more sounds that grew louder and quieter, rising above the noise was a high pitched command, followed by a rush of footsteps.
Unable to resist and frankly needing a break Liara got up from her chair and left her office. She moved through the corridor to the archway leading to the living area, careful not to attract unwanted attention to her presence too soon. Liara stood at the precipice of the room frozen at the sight before her.
In the middle of the large living space barefeet on the enormous rug was the famous Commander Shepard. Although, right now she was nothing like what the vids had made of her. Shepard was dressed in knee-long cargo shorts and a loose sleeveless tee. That look was a far cry from her usually strict military attire. But, of course, that was not the most drastic of changes compared to the image she had put on for the public eye.
A blue-skinned asari toddler was perched on her broad shoulders. Athena had her still a bit stubby legs scrunched up around the tough neck of the soldier and her little hands were weaved into the messy red hair. Liara almost given up her cover when she saw what her bondmate had dressed Athena into. It was completely Shepard's idea in the first place. Custom-made, sturdy and easy to clean black and gray onesie spotted a stripe of white-red over Athena's right sleeve. The words inscribed in big letters across child's chest and belly were obscured by Shepard's scarlet locks, but Liara knew perfectly well what was written there.
'FUTURE MAKO DRIVER'
Indeed, it could only have been Shepard's idea. Liara leaned her head on the wall knowing her face to be shining with adoration and happiness of the moment. The fidgeting of her daughter caught her eye. Pulling at the tiny fistfulls of hair like the reigns of a tamed animal Athena exclaimed in the most adorable impersonation of her father:
"Go, Normandy, go!"
Immediately Shepard's arms went wide to imitate wings, she ducked a bit and trotted forward swaying from side to side, but keeping her head straight. She was making ship noises, whooshing and whizzing, which sounded like she had been taking some lessons from Tali on proper ship impersonation techniques. She made a small loop around the coffee table, then she turned and slid past the couch towards one of the Prothean statues placed along the wall.
"Enemy ship is approaching, Commander!" reported Shepard with a worried tone in her voice, but a huge grin on her face. "What are your orders?"
"Go pew-pew!" happily squealed the captain swinging one of her tiny fingers towards the relic.
'The ship' promptly obeyed the command. Shepard pulled her arms forward, made guns out of her hands and motioned them in make-belief shots. Along with that she had provided the audio portion of the firing solution.
"Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!" rattled on 'the Normandy' shifting to the left in avoidance of return fire, then there was the loud "Kaaaah-booom! Kubduuu-ghhh-duh-shhhh!" of the explosion and the final report: "The enemy ship destroyed! Mission accomplished!"
Athena yelled "Yeeeeeey!" as Shepard had coaxed her from her shoulders and into her arms. She smirked down on her brave little Commander.
"Victors deserve a proper salute and recognition!"
With that she had gripped Athena and thrown her gently up in the air. Their daughter laughed and giggled landing safely back in Shepard's arms. She gripped the little asari bundle close and swirled them around coaxing more ecstatic shrieks out of her. After two full rounds Shepard pulled Athena back to her chest letting her perch on her arm and play with the metal tags that hung from her neck. She was visibly out of breath after however many rounds of this game, only the last of which Liara had witnessed.
"Now, what do you say the victors go grab some snacks? It is hard work keeping the galaxy safe."
"I wanna icekrem!" demanded 'the Commander', though under the expectant gaze of the green eyes she amended bashfully: "Please?"
"Alright, but only one big spoon. And we'll have to keep this a secret from your mother." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper to the child's utter delight.
"Oh, no, I don't think so!" interrupted Liara moving away from her hiding spot at the threshold.
Both guilty conspirators turned towards her. Shepard gave her a sheepish grin and Athena beamed extending her arms and making grabby hand gestures.
"Mama! We play Normandy! Wanna go?"
"No, I would not want 'the Normandy' to be broken from exhaustion, would I?" Liara reached out and let the child migrate into her arms. A second later another set of strong arms enclosed around them both. Shepard dropped her forehead to meet Liara's. Her red locks were damp and sticking to her temples, she smelled, too, but in the moment Liara could not pull away. Nor did she really wanted to.
"You are impossible, Shepard. How many times do I have to tell you not to spoil her so much? Ice cream before dinner? That is no way to properly raise a responsible child."
"You know that I can't help it. I mean, how can you ever say no to that face?"
They both looked down at the giggling and strangely proud child for once content at being relatively calm and quiet. Still, Athena was looking at them with those enormous green eyes on the round face and a mischievous smile that she surely had inherited from her mother. Liara sighed - half indescribable contentment, half - pretend irritation.
"I find it exceedingly difficult. However, someone has to be the voice of reason in this family. And since your father is a goof as the humans say, I had to take on the role."
"Hey!" protested Shepard in mock indignation, then she snorted and leaned in for a fleeting kiss. "I am going to take a shower if you can watch her, humm?"
"We will start the dinner. No worries, right my dear?" cooed Liara to her daughter as they separated and headed in opposite directions. Three steps in Liara stopped and turned calling to her bondmate in the doorway. "Shepard!"
"Yes?" She half-turned leaning on the doorway to the bathrooms.
"You… You are a great father, Shepard. I don't want you to ever doubt that. Even if you sometimes spoil Athena too much, you are the best father to my daughter I could have wished for. I love you."
"I know."