Bioware owns all.

Authors note: A big thank you to everyone who has been following the story so far and especially those who have taken the time to leave reviews and messages. I appreciate each and every one of them. A bit of a disclaimer before I start this chapter: You will get your first shot of the Violence and language that this story is rated M for in this chapter in the later part. Just a heads up.

Chapter 4

Matt Shepard sat at his desk overlooking the parade ground at the Vancouver Alliance base he has been stationed at these past 60 years. In his hand was his favorite picture of his late wife, Ashley Williams. Ash always wondered why he liked this picture so much. She used to tell him she looked like a tubby in it. The simple truth is that he loved everything about it. He loved the way the sky lit up a bright orange contrasting the deep blue of the ocean off in the horizon. He loved the way she looked in that little summer dress he bought her when they arrived in port on their vacation. He loved her carefree smile that he never got to see enough. He loved how the wind was coming off the ocean just right to make the dress hug each and every curve she had and how it fell against her shoulders, dropping down against her breasts. It pressed against her stomach showing off the slight bump he put there as she carried their first child. The smile was her laughing at him for bringing up his omni tool to take the picture as he told her that he would keep it with him forever. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on which made what he was thinking about all the more painful.

Brunch that morning had gone as well as he had expected. Liara and Tessa and her sisters had joined them to introduce Tessa to his side of the family. He called each his kids ahead of time to explain how this new family development had happened. While they all had their reservations about Tessa, they each were very friendly and went out of their way to make the young asari feel if not at home then as comfortable as she possibly could be under the extreme circumstances. Though, he could not say the same for Tessa. She was combative, sarcastic, and, well, pretty much not a fun person to be around. She went out of her way to make Liara as uncomfortable as possible. While Shepard understood her anger at her mother and him for that matter, he just had a hard time understanding how a daughter of Liara could be so outspoken and rebellious. Laughing to himself, he guessed that meant it was his fault.

What Tessa's behavior did do was make him thankful again for his own kids. They were so unlike Ash and himself; it was unreal. David was the only one of the 3 to even go in the Alliance or serve in space. The difference being where Ash and himself were grunts more comfortable on a battlefield, David was always more comfortable at a desk. Of course, he still thrived and seems perfectly happy sitting on the Alliance Defense Counsel even if he would have been a sure win if he had wanted to run for the Citadel Counsel when Dr. Amanda Kenson retired. Their eldest, Kaiden, found his calling in city planning during the major rebuilding of Earth, and he spends most of his time traveling from city to city helping to decide the best way to clean up the mess left behind by the reapers or to convert their dormant structures into part of the city itself. Then there was his baby, Kara, who was beyond sweet and seemed content to just take care of her parents and then her husband once she had decided to marry. Of course, that makes the fact that her only child would be the one who would take after her grandparents and excel at military life so much more satisfying for a grandparent to watch. Officers Training, N7 training, years of special ops, he couldn't be more proud of her.

So when Kara pulled him aside during brunch to inform him that her daughter didn't take the news of a new Shepard very well, it couldn't have caught him more off guard. She always seemed very mature and level headed; he couldn't understand why she would have a issue with something that happened 70 years before she was born. He kept thinking that maybe she wasn't ready. Maybe, he should take the Normandy himself and just have her as XO. He knew that wouldn't work, and no matter how much he hated the idea of sending her off he couldn't stop thinking about that last conversation he had with his late wife.

I stood at the doorway watching her as she looked out the window. The gray streaking her brown hair more than ever. Her fire and passion had aged into the kind of warmth and understanding only the best of us ever achieve. We both knew her time was limited to days. Like so many of those involved in the actual ground battle in London, her health was compromised. The alliance doctors did all they could, and I know she is at peace and anxious to finally find out what is out there after this life ends. Damn it though, I am not; I need her, fuck do I need her.

"I can see you standing there you know." She looks over at me and smiles.

"Sorry, I was mesmerized by your beauty." Smiling at her as I walk over.

"Uh huh. I know I still have it. you don't need to convince me." She tells me.

"You will always be the only one for me." I give her my usual reply.

She frowns this time instead of smiling. I stand by her bed and wait for her to organize her thoughts. "I know we haven't talked about this before, but I think we need to finally address the elephant in the room." She looks at me serious now telling me I am not getting out of it this time.

"What's that dear?" I ask her.

"You're 126 years old, and you don't look a day over 40." came the reply. "Don't get me wrong, it's made all those times you just wouldn't take no for an answer a lot easier to handle." She tells me, the smile back on her face. "The simple truth of the matter is whatever Cerberus did to you when they rebuilt you has seriously fucked up your life span. I wouldn't be surprised if you hit 300 and are still going strong." She looks at me again seriously; her eyes pleading with me. "You have to promise me you won't be alone all that time. I couldn't handle it."

"And who would want a washed up old soldier like me?" I ask.

"Liara" She replied right after I said it.

"What are you talking about?" I ask shocked.

"Oh, come on. She has been crazy about you since the first time she tried to get in your pants, I mean head, back on the SR-1. She has that 1000 year asari life span, and she would keep you gainfully employed in service to the shadow broker." the smile back on her face as she tells me all this.

"Ash all I have ever wanted is you. All I will ever want is you. I'm afraid that is just the way it is." I tell her taking her hand in mine.

"Just think about it for me, will you please?" she asks before changing the subject. "I also need to talk to you about Ashley."

"What about her?" I ask.

"Stop treating her like she's made of porcelain. She's the only one who joined the real navy out of our whole family. Don't you see how much she's like us? She needs to be on a ship. Matt you have coddled her enough. She is up for her own command. She has earned it and you know it. Give it to her." Ash told me.

Ash sighs and says, "I'm getting tired, Matt. It seems I can't even have a conversation anymore without wearing myself out. I think I am going to take a nap. If I don't see you again in this life, know I will be waiting in the next. Oh Captain, My Captain." With that she laid back down, and I let her drift off to sleep for the last time.

So, he gave her the Normandy. Wiping the tears back from his eyes.

"Excuse me, Admiral?" he is interrupted.

"Yes" came his reply. "Oh its you Ashley. Come on in."

"I just wanted to inform you that asari… Are you OK, grandpa?" she asks him in mid sentence.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about your grandmother." Shepard tells her.

"I'm sorry to have to bug you" she tells me with pity in her eyes "but that asari girl is making a really big scene about being on the Normandy, and I think you need to go out there and handle it."

"Is that an order, Commander?" He asks her smiling up at her standing in front of me.

"No sir. Just a Suggestion, Sir." she snaps to attention and smiles at the same time.

"Alright then, let's go see what's going on." was his reply.

"Mother, I am an Asari Commando and the best Biotic they have ever seen. I know I can help them. I should be on that ship not following you around like I am some stupid kid right out of her parents house." I hear Tessa yelling.

He sighs to himself as he walks over to where the two of them are talking way louder than they need to be.

"Tessa this is not our decision. If Admiral Shepard wants you with us that's where you will be." Liara replied calmly.

"I am a better than any of them, mother. Why won't you ever give me a chance? He doesn't have any trouble sending his granddaughter. Why should he care if I go?" Tessa goes on.

"Don't bring me into your little temper tantrum, girl. I have earned everything I've been given." Ashley spoke loudly to the asari girl.

"Yeah. I am sure being the great Admiral Shepard's prized granddaughter had absolutely nothing to do with it." Tessa mocks her rolling her eyes.

"Tessa please!" Liara isn't able to keep the panic out of her voice now. Shepard figures she knows that her daughter is past the point of leaving quietly. He is starting to get nervous himself and is entirely unsure of what to do.

"Listen here you little brat..." Ashley starts before being interrupted "who are you calling brat you spoiled human bitch!" came Tessa's retort.

"That's it. I am so done being nice to you, girl." Ashley starts walking over there.

"Please, Tessa. You are embarrassing yourself and me." Liara begs her.

"Oh I am soooooo sorry mother. I didn't mean to embarrass you! What can you expect though with a Mother who spends her whole life lying to you, and a Father who doesn't give a varrens ass about you. Maybe if you would have given it to him a little better, he wouldn't have stayed with that human…" Tessa rants before being interrupted again by Ashley.

"You are so dead, cow." the faint blue surrounding her as she balls her fists.

Tessa lowers her voice and practically growls her answer. "Oh bring it on, monkey!"

"Tessa do not do this, please." Liara puts all the strength she can muster into that one sentence.

"Come on, mom. I am a 93 year old Asari Maiden with daddy issues, just be thankful I don't spend all my weekends in hanar/elcor gang bangs." Tessa is grinning now eyes trained on Ashley. A strong biotic field is pulsating off her.

"ENOUGH!" Shepard shouts walking between them. "Calm down, Ashley!"

"Like hell I will!" she replies

"I said to stand down, Commander. NOW!" Raising his voice again.

She realizes who is talking to her and snaps to attention. "Sir, Yes, Sir."

"Make sure your crew is ready to ship off, Commander." Shepard orders her.

"Aye Aye, Sir" Ashley responded with a salute before turning around and walking back toward her crew.

"Awww, why did you do that pops? It was just getting fun." Tessa turns her attention toward her father.

"You're right. The fun is just starting." Shepard replies to her while he starts to remove his dress blues. "Only difference is now you get to take up your daddy issues with daddy himself."

"Shepard, please don't hurt her." Liara pleads to me.

"Psh, Don't worry mom. Savior of the Galaxy or not, he is still just a human. No matter how strong his biotics are, he can't beat an Asari." Tessa tells her mother feral grin spread back across her face. "Let's do this old man."

"She is stronger than I was at her age Shepard." Liara tells him. He can't tell who she is worried about; all he does know is that it isn't going to matter.

Shepard surrounds himself in a barrier and tell her to come at him. She moves quicker than he thought she would sending out two warps right away as she moves in to engage him. He dodges them easy enough and block her biotic kick with his barrier. She immediately sends a shock wave right for him. He shows surprise on his face as he lets it hit him bringing down his barrier. Tessa laughs victoriously and launches a full biotic kick right at his chest. Calmly standing there, He looks right into her eyes and waits till the very last minute. Drawing all his biotic strength into his arms, he catches her kick, and, before she can react, he pivots on his back leg drawing all his strength and biotic power into a throw and releases it point blank at her chest.

She registers surprise right before he connects. Shepard's throw goes right through her barrier and sends her flying about 30 feet through the air. She lands hard on her hip and side and screams at the pain. Not giving her a second to recover, he shifts his power to both legs and covers the distance in a single leap. Bringing his weight down on top of her, she looks up and realizes she is in serious trouble. She tries to protect herself from his attack by curling into a ball. He purposely lands slightly to the right of her and brings all my strength down through his fist and into the ground next to her face. The earth explodes at the impact and he watches her face register that he could have killed her with that one punch.

Her eyes get really big and she whispers, "You shouldn't be able to do that."

"And yet I just did." was his reply just as quietly. "I know this may seem a bit of a shock to you, but maybe I want you to go with Liara and I so I can spend some time getting to know you. Now would you kindly go to your ship and wait for us to leave tomorrow."

"Yes, Father." was her simple reply.

Shepard stands up realizing that all eyes were on him as Tessa retreats away toward the hanger. He looks over at Liara and sees her looking at him with tears in her eyes. As he starts to walk over toward her, the last thing he hears before talking with her is Grunt's unmistakable laugh.

"Heh, heh, heh. Fucking Shepard. It's good to be back."