A/N: Special thanks to Wolfamodais for the encouragement. He comments on each chapter, which I encourage the rest of you to try and do as well. I TAKE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS SAY INTO ACCOUNT. FACT. I'm new to writing and appreciate all the positive feedback. I must be doing something right! Enjoy guys... oh and a little bit of sexual themes between two woman here. If you have an issue with this don't read but lets be honest if you don't like Femshep/Liara romance what are you doing here? 3
Claire Shepard was the first one in the house to wake up. opening her eyes she looked around. Something was amiss. She sat up in bed. Wait, what? Claire revolved her shoulders and stretched. She swung her legs off the bed. Claire couldn't help but stand up quickly and start jumping around. I feel great! Better than great! She felt her left arm a bit sore and saw a small scab on it. She figured Liara had given her the cure. That meant... Liara is home! Claire smiled and was going to rush out to find Liara when she caught a whiff of herself. She was desperately in need of a shower. As she shed her clothes, and stepped into the shower it just so happened a, now restless, little red asari had woken up and had decided to explore her new home. Rose saw the stairs. She crawled up them, not tall enough yet to use them right, and once she made it to the top she turned towards Claire's bedroom.
Rose could hear Claire singing in the shower quietly. Rose was mesmerized by the beautiful voice and stepped into the bedroom. She heard the water shut off and the sound of the shower door opening. Rose crept forward not sure what she would find. She turned at the bathroom doorway and witnessed shepard toweling off, her back to Rose. Rose was going to turn away, when she saw something. This lady had a mess of string on her head. Rose smiled at the strangeness of it. It was beautiful though. Rose desperately wanted to touch it now. She gasped as the little water droplets were wrung from the hair. Claire stopped when she heard the gasp. Wrapping the towel around herself, she turned with a smile on her face.
"Liara I don't know what you did but-" Shepard stopped when she didn't see her Blue standing there. She looked down slowly and saw a small asari. Claire backed to the wall, with a hand over her mouth. Not much surprised Claire anymore, but a little RED asari definitely did the trick. What? How? Shepard didn't understand but had a small feeling this was the voice Claire had heard in the background of the call. Claire stepped forward a little. The two stared at each other for several seconds before Shepard knelt down and slowly approached the girl. Rose slowly stepped forward as well. She began to reach for Claires fiery red hair. Claire recoiled a bit. Rose put her hand by her side. Her bottom lip quivered. Claire saw what she had done and touched the little girls arm.
"I'm sorry, don't cry. Uh... go ahead you can touch my hair," Claire reassured the red asari. Rose perked up and ran her hand through the red, shaggy locks. Rose squealed in delight at the soft material. Claire laughed a bit. She seems normal enough. Claire touched the girls other arm. Rose looked at her.
"What is your name, love?" Shepard asked. The asari smiled.
"Rose!" the asari replied. Shepard thought of that for a moment. A red asari? Named after a red flower? Thats cute.
"Rose huh? You mind if I get dressed? Then we'll see to some breakfast. Huh?" Claire smiled when Roses stomach rumbled. Rose clutched her stomach and looked up at Shepard with a nod.
"Ok wait here, while I get dressed. Don't come out till I tell you." Shepard warned. Rose nodded and sat on the floor obediently. Shepard flashed her a smile. Claire quickly got dressed. Liara has a lot of explaining to do. Once she had finished putting on her N7 t-shirt and black cargo pants, she returned to the bathroom, to find Rose still sitting on the floor, waiting for her. Shepard wasn't sure what to do. Pick her up? Grab her hand? Rose stood and opened her arms to be picked up. Claire created a sigh a relief. Claire scooped up the little one who resumed touching her hair. Claire smiled at Rose and took her downstairs. Shepard could hear Miranda snoring in her room. Shepard bit back a laugh.
" Who dah?" Rose asked.
"That is Miranda. Shes a doctor." Claire explained. Rose nodded. Smart.
"Doctor." Rose confirmed. Claire carried Rose downstairs and through the living room, quietly. Claire's eyes rested on her Blue, who was still sleeping on the couch. Rose wriggled to be put down. When her feet touched the floor, Rose wandered over to Liara and kissed her cheek. Claire's eyes widened. Rose looked at Claire and pointed at Liara.
"Mama." She whispered. Claire was stunned.
"Liara is your... mama?" This confirmed her thoughts from earlier. Liara had brought a kid home. She needed answers, however she wasn't going to let Rose starve and Liara needed the rest. Claire led her to the kitchen. Rose looked around, uncertain. When Claire pulled a chair out for her at the table, Rose eagerly took it.
"Ok... breakfast breakfast... uh... do you like pancakes?" Claire asked. "I can make some pretty good pancakes. If you want that is... do you want them?" Claire had no idea what she was doing. Rose merely tilted her head to the side. My god, this girl is adorable.
"Yeah you want pancakes. Oh! I know what you'll like. Bacon. and toast. And OJ. Are you as starving as I am?" Rose laughed at Shepards rambling. Claire laughed as well and tapped Roses nose. It didn't take long for Rose to enchant people. Claire up started the oven.
Liara woke to the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen. She sat up and felt around for Rose. In a dazed state she stood. Liara headed to the sound of laughing. She almost tripped over the backpack on the floor. Liara sighed and continued. As she peered into the kitchen she saw the most beautiful thing in the world. Rose was sitting in Shepards lap, trying to get at the bacon, Claire was holding just out of reach. Claire laughed and took a bite, before finally passing the Bacon to Rose. She took a big bite, as she watched Claire cut up her pancakes for her.\
Liara rested her head on the doorframe. She watched her family fondly. It was better than all of her many dreams.
"You know bacon isn't easy to get right? Nor is orange juice. I hope you atleast saved some for me. I see you met Rose." Liara said with a smile on her face.
"Mama!" Rose exclaimed, her hands in the air. Liara glanced at Shepard to see what the response would be, but Claire merely smiled and nodded.
"There's plenty here. Rose is the sweetest little thing. But before we all sit down, we should wake Miranda, and then I want an explanation. Like as to why my eyes are as to why you're a 'mama' now?" Liara stared into Shepards eyes. They were no longer green. Now they were a cerulean color. Liara didn't realize there would be side effects to the cure but it made perfect sense. As Liara turns to wake up Miranda, she wonders how she's going to explain all this. No matter what happened however, Rose was going nowhere.
Nothing could beat the look on Miranda's face when she met Rose. Liara had brought Miranda downstairs to the kitchen, after Mirandas initial surprise of seeing Liara, and was going to introduce them, when Rose bounded out of the kitchen to show Mama the origami bird Claire had made for her. Miranda had all but shrieked at the sight of the red asari. Liara glared at her, then picked up Rose.
"Thats very nice, Rose!" Liara said. Rose smiled and hugged her mama. They walked into the kitchen to sit down, with a dazed Miranda following them. Upon seeing Claire up and about Miranda's eyes widened.
"Shepard! What are you doing out of bed? You need- Your goin- How?" Miranda was speechless as Claire danced around the kitchen. Rose laughed. Claire took a deep bow.
"Liaras cure worked! I'm feeling better than ever before. But, I want to know somethings. Why don't we all sit down and Liara will explain." Shepard took Rose and set her in her lap as she sat down. Liara could only smile at that. Shepard already loves little Rose. Everyone settled down and Liara began her tale. She told of the fight with Jay, meeting Ramirez, the conversation with Dr. Rangala...
"Claire," Liara said gently placing her hand over her bondmates. "The cure did more than... well cure you. It... also gave you..." Liara couldn't say it. Luckily she didn't have to.
"An asari lifespan..." Shepard breathed. 1000 years. Miranda gasped.
"How is this possible?" Shepard asked. Liara dropped her head.
"I didn't get any specifics. Enya said it cost her her entire lifespan to figure out-" Liara began.
"So let me get this straight. You gave Shepard an unfamiliar substance, and you had no idea what the effects would be?" Miranda asked. Liara glared back at her.
"I was desperate ok? Rangala was the last hope we had. If I had to do it again I would!" Liara exclaimed. Rose put her hand on Liaras. Liara saw worry in the little red girls eyes. Rose didn't like yelling. Liara gave her a weak smile.
"Liara, were not accusing you. We just want to know specifics." Shepard said soothingly.
"If you would allow me to examine the remaining vials I can get those." Miranda suggested.
"You may have one of the vials. The other stays in our safe." The suggested safe was behind a photo of Shepard and Liaras bonding. Miranda and Shepard both nodded.
"Liara. I am not mad. On the contrary this is a great blessing," Claire said. "I do however wish you had talked to me first." Liara nodded sadly. "Hey...I'm not angry. I am very happy. Do not worry. I'm just trying to take it in. This is a big change." Liara looked at her.
"I can not imagine how you must be feeling," Liara started.
"How do you think? I just found out I can live a thousand years with the most beautiful woman in the world." Shepard smiled. Liara could only smile in return.
"Now what about this little one!" Shepard said as she poked Roses belly. Rose giggled.
"When Rangala said she was going to give me the cure, I had to accept a gift. I didn't think much of it at the time, but soon she explained it was her clone." There was a collective gasp.
"Rangala had desperately wanted a daughter but couldn't have one because she was an Ardat-Yakshi." another gasp. "She cloned herself and imprinted the best traits of each species into her DNA. For instance she has the regenerative capabilities of a full grown krogan, and has a resistance to all disease just like the Vorcha. Her mind is as intelligent as a salarians, she thinks like a human, and in time will have the patience of an Asari. In return for the cure, I had to adopt Rose." Liara looked lovingly at the little girl. "Once I met her I discovered her red skin. Enya had said when growing Rose that she had flawed somehow and created this color skin. She thinks it was her Ardat-Yakshi DNA." Miranda thought for a moment.
"Can she bond? I mean is she an Ardat-Yakshi as well?" Miranda asked.
"Yes she can bond. Enya says she managed to keep Rose safe from that aspect of the DNA. I guess thats where the red skin comes from." Liara explained. "Rose will be able to have a partner when she grows older, it will be completely safe for her partner. She can even have children." Liara rested her head in her hands and looked at the girl fondly. Rose was smiling and doodling on some paper.
"When I met her and saw her skin, I cried. It was so cruel. I now love it. She is so beautiful and creative. The neglect was what bothered me most." She explained how an AI fed and bathed the girl for three years.
"She never left the room in 3 years?" Claire asked, clearly shocked. Liara nodded. Miranda had anger in her eyes. She could relate to Roses position.
"Once I recovered from my initial shock I sat with Rose in her room. I fell in love within ten minutes. I showed her the outside world and we drew pictures for hours as Enya got the cure ready. She collected pine cones for me to examine. It was if we were spending the day at the park." Rose held up her picture she was doodling to show to everyone. It had a black stick figure with red squiggles coming out of its head and a small red figure. The black figure was holding a frying pan and appeared to be flipping pancakes. Everyone save Miranda laughed, the latter merely smiling.
"So... Rose lives with us now?" Shepard asks.
"Of course, Claire. She is our daughter now." Liara stated. Liara was prepared for an argument but Claire surprised her. Claire turns Rose around to face her. She looks deeply into the little red girls eyes.
"You'll live with us now, Rose. I'll make your breakfast every morning, buy you gifts for christmas and your birthday. I'll tuck you in at night and teach you everything I know. Liara and I are your new parents. I'll always be there for you. Always." Claire leaned in and kissed Rose on the cheek. Rose reciprocated but on Claire's lips.
"Mama too?" Rose asked. Shepard hugged her.
"Yes love."
Liara had tears in her eyes. Shepard had just shown her a side that rarely came out. The little declaration was both beautiful and moving. Even Miranda had a few tears. Liara could only remember one other time that Shepard had spoken this way: when Shepard had proposed. Rose giggled when Claire started to tickle her stomach. Liara couldn't believe she would get to experience bliss such as this with her family for 1000 years. It was too good to be true.
"And that is Auntie Miri." Shepard said pointing at Miranda. Miranda stiffened at the nick-name. Shepard passed Rose to Miranda who held the red asari, awkwardly. Rose peered into the australian womans eyes. Miranda smiled at the girl. Rose reached and ran her hand through the womans black hair. Miranda actually laughed. Roses curiosity, creativity, and cheerfulness caused anyone she met to fall in love. Liara knew her little Rose was going to show the whole world her greatness, one day.
Liara stood in the shower, sighing under the hot water. She desperately needed this. Liara leaned against the wall of the shower. She wondered what Miranda was doing now. Miranda had taken one of the vials of the cure and went to her room to begin analyzing. They would soon know the specifics.
"Room for one more?" came a familiar voice. Liara smiled. Claire.
"Whos watching Rose?" Liara asked as Claire stepped into the shower. Claire placed her hands on Liaras hips and kissed her.
"She fell asleep about ten minutes ago. Shes in her new room, I gave her one of my tee-shirts as pajamas till we get her some new ones." Claire explained.
"Oh! I left her bag in the car-" Liara said.
"Don't worry, I got it." Claire kissed her Blue again. Her left hand moved up and cupped Liaras breast. They kissed hungrily, missing the skin on skin contact. Liara wrapped her arms around Claire's lower back, moving down to her rear. Claire broke her lips away for only a second.
"I love you Liara T'soni." Claire breathed.
"I love you more, Claire Shepard."
"To the next 1000 years," Claire said. They resumed making love in the shower, Claire turning off the water as Liara pushed her to the floor.
A/N continued: Again, if you have any suggestions for me or ideas for the story, leave a comment or send me a message. I'll take each one into consideration. Thanks guys, hope you enjoyed!