Garrus-Thane-femShep love triangle
Chapter 25
Palaven
I'm sorry…this chapter is massive. If there are too many typos, my apologies…but I'm just not up to going through the 86 pages that this took. :/
The word that Shepard had two lifemates spread like wildfire through the ship. Very few were actually surprised. There was something so immense about her that they knew she was too much for one man alone. Joker, however, was not pleased that he lost the betting pool. The closest date on when they'd get together without going over belonged to Commander Kirrahe. Joker grudgingly asked EDI to forward the winnings from his account to Kirrahe's.
On the next mission out Legion and Tali were taken. Everyone's aura's were in turmoil. Garrus and Thane shot cold looks at each other and they each made their way to Shepard's side. She held her hands up to each of them. "I know things are hard right now, but neither of you are in any condition to come with me. Aura's don't lie. If you want to come with me on future missions than we are going to have to work things out between us. So long as your aura's are in turmoil you will not be leaving this ship…at least not on missions. I expect you two to remain civil while I'm gone," she said, giving them each a hard look. "If anyone gets hurt, my ass is sleeping in life support…alone…tonight. Am I making myself clear?"
The men refused to look at each other, but they both nodded at her. She pulled them each in for a brief kiss and headed to the shuttle with her team.
Once underway Tali turned to her. "Are you sure leaving them alone together was the right move to make?"
"I know it's exactly the wrong move to make," Shepard said with a sigh. "But aura's don't lie and I'm not going to risk the mission by ignoring my system." When the shuttle landed she turned to Tali for the good luck kiss. Her skin was flushed when she put her mask back in place. They started down the incline. They were sent to destroy mechs protecting boxes of supplies. A dropship unloaded three YMIRs. She told them they were each to take on one. They had to save as many cargo boxes as possible.
Tali and Legion deployed their drones towards their perspective targets to draw their attention away from destroying the precious cargo. Shepard shot out a rocket from her rocket launcher. The YMIRs turned to face their aggressors and the fight began in earnest.
Thane and Garrus watched their lifemate board the shuttle and disappear. They gave each other a cold and calculated look. "Rec room?" Garrus asked.
Thane clasped his hands behind his back, squared his shoulders and nodded. Thane followed Garrus from the cargo hangar. It didn't bother him in the slightest that Garrus was leading and he was following. He wasn't a headstrong youth. He knew what he was capable of.
A cold chill went up Garrus' spine. He wasn't all too sure he liked the idea of the assassin at his back. He'd read Thane's dossier. The drell was a silent and deadly opponent.
When they entered the Rec room they were not alone. Thane grunted. His calm, cold voice rose just loud enough to be heard. "Everyone out. Now."
The men and women looked from Thane to Garrus and back to Thane. They gathered their belongings and all but ran from the room.
"EDI," Thane instructed. "Lock the doors, no one is allowed in."
"Right away, Sere Krios," EDI responded.
"It's Thane, EDI," Thane reminded her.
"Understood, sir," EDI said.
Thane sighed and shook his head. He was married to the captain and many had a hard time seeing him as an individual rather than the captain's husband. He was guessing the damned turian was going to run into the same problem before long. Every time he saw the damned turian his mind automatically went into kill mode and he pictured all the different ways he could easily dispatch the godsdamned interloper. He knew this fight was not going to be an easy one. He had to keep it firmly in the spar category and that would not be easy. Unlike sparring with his wife, he knew the turian wanted nothing more than to wipe the floor with him. He wasn't worried the turian would beat him; he was, however, worried that things could get out of hand and he did not want go to bed without Shepard in his arms.
Garrus looked Thane over. The drell was not much bigger than Shepard, and that left him with a definite size advantage over the drell. He certainly had the reach…but he was pretty damned sure the drell had the flexibility. The drell was several years older, but his calm, cold confidence and well honed body showed no weakness. Garrus was under no illusions as to how difficult this fight was going to be. Made even more so because he knew he couldn't kill him. But damned if he wasn't going to try to put a hurt on his pretty-boy ass. In all honesty, he was relieved his wife's other lifemate was a drell…far better than another turian…it could have been Nihlus. Spirits forbid… that would have worse than hell for them all. There was no way things would have ever had a chance of working out if she were bonded to two turians. Turians, by nature, were just too aggressive and too unbending. Their only hope lie in Thane's calm, grounded demeanor and Shepard's soothing touch.
The men sized each other up. This fight wasn't about their dislike of each other…well, not solely for that reason and it was certainly not for the purpose of dominance. This fight was a way for them to size up the other's capabilities in defending and protecting their lifemate. Putting a hurt on each other was a satisfying bonus.
Garrus removed his heavy armor and they foamed up, putting on full micro-foam protective gear, from head to toe. Then, they turned and faced each other. "Shepard stays out of this. This is between us…talk of her is off limits. No powers or tech, just you and me," Thane said coldly.
"Of course." Garrus responded. He knew bringing up Shepard was the one thing that could turn this fight from a sparring match into something much deadlier. It was hard enough knowing the other man had carnal knowledge of her…but to rub that in…well, things would not end well for any of them.
Unbeknownst to the two of them, when Joker had heard about them going into the rec room, he exited the bridge and went to the mess; he pulled up the camera feed to the rec room and started a betting pool. Nearly everyone on the whole damn ship filled the mess to watch the captain's two husbands duke it out. Wagers flew: Thane. Garrus. Tie. Double knockout.
The men circled each other, looking for signs of weakness. "I saw your dossier…assassin," Garrus sneered. "Assassins are cowards, hiding and shooting people…never giving them a chance to fight back."
"It was expedient. They never would have stood a chance against me…Archangel," Thane stated matter of fact.
"You are small for a man, Krios," Garrus said with a smirk.
"Do you really want to go there, Garrus?" Thane asked calmly. "I've been trained to kill since I was six years old. I know every inch of this body and what it is capable of. I can do things with this body that your top-heavy, plated, cumbersome body couldn't do on its best day," Thane said with a shrug.
Garrus charged and Thane…just wasn't there. Garrus pulled up, spun around, and they faced off again. They slowly began to learn each other's style, each other's moves. The battle took on a harder edge. Thane ran, jumped up, and aimed a kick at the turian's chest. Garrus knocked the foot away and stepped into Thane. Thane twisted his body, grabbed hold of the turian's crest as he flipped over the taller man's shoulder; the turian was spun around, yanked off his feet and landed hard on his hands and knees, his head smarting. His hand shot out for the drell's ankle. The drell twisted as he fell, his foot shooting out for the side of the turian's head. Garrus rolled out of the way. He felt the breeze from the foot that nearly knocked him senseless. Thane followed the kick through, rotated his body and landed, in full squat, on the balls of his feet, never completing the fall. In a fluid movement he stood and fell back in a stance.
Round by round they continued. Thane knew he could end it in a heartbeat. He only had to depress two nerve bundles in the neck and the fight would be over. Depressing even one of those would end it; both would knock the turian out cold. But winning is not why he was doing this. He was doing it to work out his frustration, yes…to help Garrus work out his frustration, yes…they needed to do this to help come to terms with each other, to perhaps even develop a respect for each other. But he also needed to see what the turian was made of. How much he could take and give. He had to depend on the man to be able to protect Shepard…because eventually his health would decline to a point that he would no longer be able to protect her.
The viewers were engrossed in the heated battle. They shouted out each time their chosen man struck a blow or tossed the other. But the battle had been going on for over an hour and both men were winded. They knew things had to come to a head quickly…preferably before Shepard returned and put an end to it.
Thane did not want the turian to lose face...well, okay he did…but that wasn't the point of the battle. He wanted them to be seen strong as a unit. That could only happen if there were not a clear winner. He also knew they were being watched. There were very few rooms on the ship that lacked surveillance. He sprung at Garrus, his hand shot out and depressed one of the nerve bundles on his neck lightly. "Please don't move, Garrus. We are being watched. Don't look at the camera," he said quietly. "Put your hands on my shoulders and pretend we are struggling…I've no doubt a betting pool has been made, Joker bets on everything." He released the nerve and put both his hands against the turian's shoulders. "Have you worked out your frustration enough for today?" Thane asked. The turian gave a slight nod. "Do you have confidence that I can protect our lifemate?" Again the turian nodded. "Shall we end this in a draw, so that we can remain strong as a unit in the eyes of the crew?"
Garrus thought for a moment. With that last move, it was made obvious that Thane could take him down if that had been his goal. Despite his dislike of the man, he couldn't help but respect the man's abilities as well as his mature and thoughtful attitude. Garrus had not even considered being watched…or at the very least didn't care and paid no attention to it…nor did he think about how the crew would have seen them if either were to win. He had been too intent on beating Thane to think of anything else. Garrus nodded again.
"OK, then let's fall down on our knees, release each other and drop to the mat in exhaustion. Then we will get up and shake hands. Ready?" Thane asked quietly. Another brief nod and the battle ended.
There were several boo's as the viewers watched the pair shake hands. The pot was shared between the 'tie' winners. EDIs voice alerted everyone that Shepard was returning to the ship. The group broke apart, heading back to their stations as quickly as they could.
When they heard EDI's warning Thane and Garrus sped out of the rec room and back to the cabin. The first thing they noticed was the chair next to Thane's terminal had been moved and the closet was larger. A second desk and terminal was installed on the far wall next to one of the sofas. Within the closet was a third section holding a vast amount of turian clothing. He watched Garrus' jaw drop and could well remember his own feelings when he'd discovered his wife had done the same for him. Thane removed his leathers and pulled on slacks and a shirt and darted out the door as Garrus looked through his new things.
All in all they had been able to save 17 of the 20 crates. Not perfect, but acceptable losses. In the shuttle on the way back to the Normandy, Shepard couldn't help but fret over what she would find. "EDI are my husbands in one piece?"
"Yes, Shepard. They commandeered the rec room for awhile. I could discern no real damage to either of them when they departed."
Shepard settled back in her chair in relief. She really hadn't wanted to spend the night in life support.
Thane was there to greet her the moment she stepped from the shuttle. She walked up to him, grabbed his chin and turned his head slowly in both directions, searching for signs of injury.
"I'm fine," he said and pulled her in for a hug. His mouth found hers and his tongue slipped in for the prize.
Garrus stopped cold for just a second when he spotted the embraced pair, and then he made his way over to them. Shepard turned and looked up at him. "Wow. Don't you look nice," she said, taking in his blue and red leisure suit. She released Thane and Garrus pulled her into his arms for his own hug. He lifted her chin up for a brief kiss.
It took every bit of reserve in him not to turn away or show his bitterness over their situation. He wanted to show the crew a united front even if it tore at him…and it tore hard.
When she pulled back she gave them both a big smile. She was so relieved to see them in one piece. Despite what EDI had said, she expected to see some damage. If there was damage, it was not anywhere seeable. Both men just looked at her and sighed. In the elevator she told them she would catch up with them later and headed to the armory. Garrus gave Thane a look and shook his head. The men stayed in the elevator and rode it up their cabin.
"Did you wish to speak with me privately?" Thane asked.
"Yes," Garrus said a bit uncomfortably. "Hmmm…It's galling for me to say this, but I wanted to – er… thank you for what you did today…For everything." He would not even go so far as to publicly acknowledge the drell could have beaten him. This was as far as he was willing to go. A man did have his pride, after all.
Thane nodded in understanding, uncertain if that was all the turian had to say to him.
"Look…I don't like you. I can't. I've loved her for too many years. This…sharing her…it's too raw…too painful." Garrus closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "But I don't hate you. I did at first, don't get me wrong. But the things you've said, you've done…your actions since then speak well of you, and I find myself in the uncomfortable position of respecting you." The words left a foul taste in his mouth. "In light of that I will offer you a tip. When it's time for her to read auras before a mission, wipe everything from your mind and focus only on the love you have for her. It doesn't always work, but it works more often than it doesn't…and know that was difficult for me to share with you...If that means anything at all."
"Yes, it means a great deal. Thank you for your honesty," Thane said bowing his head in acknowledgement. "…and trust that I know what you are going through, for I feel it as deeply as you do."
Garrus gave him a brief nod. "If you see her before I do, let her know I'm at the forward batteries."
In the beginning their allotted alone time was awkward. They didn't do anything so juvenile as hang a sock on the door, but dividing time was an uncomfortable conversation. Eventually, as the next few weeks rolled by they settled into a pattern of alternating days to spend time with her alone. Not the whole day. But the hours between 9am-1pm was set aside specifically for alone time. That left their mornings free to breakfast together and get their morning fitness time in and still lunch together after 1pm. If a mission prevented that time, the next day was theirs. She could be with either or both of them before or after those hours, but those hours became sacred. Eventually, as they settled in to things the schedule would probably be chucked in the bin; but right now, in these early days, it was very badly needed and adhered to.
The crew marveled at how well they had come to terms with their new lives, but that was because they were determined that was all the crew saw. The crew did not need to see them angry, sad, bitter or divided. For moral's sake they needed the unity.
Their next few missions were smaller ones, but Garrus' advice paid off, much to the disappointment of the rest of the squad. For the sake of the trio, this was a good thing. They were able to learn how to work together as unit, to become as good as they had been as separate pairs.
During one of their alone days Shepard broke the news to Thane that she and Garrus were going to be married. Thane hadn't been surprised by the news, he knew it was coming. He knew her well enough for that. He also knew it was only a paper, the real marriage had happened when they when they completed the binding. Nonetheless, it was still painful to hear. When she asked if he wanted to be there, he didn't even have to think about it. They needed to remain united through everything. He would support her, despite the pain. He just told her not to expect him to give away the bride. That he would never do. She laughed, flung her arms around him and gave him something else to think about.
Garrus was down in the forward batteries. And since he had a moment, he decided to comm his dad and let him know he was okay. "Dad," He said slowly. "I wanted to let you know that all the targets were taken care of. Commander Shepard and her team showed up and lifted my ass out of the fire. I was injured, but am fine now. I am with them on the Normandy."
"It is good to hear your voice again, son. I thought Commander Shepard died?" he asked.
"She...ah...came back. Not much can stop that woman, not even death."
He grunted. His son was not telling him everything. He'd look into it later. "Are you on your way back to Palaven?"
"No…well, maybe. That depends on you," Garrus said cautiously. He really was not looking forward to this conversion.
He sighed. "Speak your mind son. Why does your coming home depend on me?"
As his wife would say, rip the band-aid. "I've found my lifemate, dad." There was a long silence on the other end of the line.
Garrus found his lifemate? He'd only known one man who'd ever found his lifemate. It was next to unheard of. That his son would find his was just…inconceivable. "Are you sure? You have bonded?"
"Yes, dad. I'm sure. We are bound. I love her more than life itself and there is nothing that I wouldn't do for her," he said honestly. Garrus heard a muffling; his dad had covered the comm connection. Then he heard the shrieks of his mother and sister. His dad must have told them. 'damn women' he heard his dad mumble.
"Son! Your father just told me the wonderful news! Are you going to bring her back home so we can all meet her? What clan is she from? Do we know her family?" his mother asked excitedly.
"Umm...no. You don't know her family. Look, it's not quite what you're thinking. I'd love nothing more than to bring her back for you to meet. In fact, we're discussing where we are to get married. She wants a traditional wedding, rather than just the binding…and I do too. I want the world to know about us."
"A wedding, did you hear that?" his mother shrieked in joy. He could hear the tears in her voice. "Do you intend to have the wedding here?" she asked hopefully.
"That depends on you all…more specifically...dad."
"Why would your dad care where you hold the wedding? I think he'd be pleased if you had it here, wouldn't you dear?" she asked her husband.
He heard his dad agree, but seriously doubted that agreement would last more than a blink. "Mom, I think you better sit down."
His mom grew silent. "Is she pregnant? Am I going to be a grandma?" she asked quickly.
Garrus' mouth dropped. Pregnant? He'd never even thought along that route. He wasn't sure it'd even be possible…though through no lack of trying on their part...or on anyone else's part. "No…at least I don't think so…I don't know. That wasn't why I asked you to sit down. I asked you to sit down because of who she is."
"Well, spill it son…don't keep me waiting!"
"She's not turian, mom." Rip the band-aid…rip the band-aid…rip the band-aid. "She's human."
"Human?" his mom sputtered. "Your lifemate is a human? How is that even possible? Can you be mistaken?"
He could almost see her fanning herself. Garrus chuckled. "There is no mistaking a lifemate, mother. I've never before been so at peace…she grounds me. I feel whole, complete. I feel like I've come home when I'm with her…like I've finally found where I belong…where I was meant to be," he said with a smile.
"A human has grounded you? I've tried for years to ground you. Well, that's something at least." He heard his father grumble in the background.
"I won't be getting any grandbabies, will I?" she asked sadly.
"I don't know, mom. We're sure giving it the old turian push," he told her. He heard his mother gasp, his father give out a harsh bark of laughter and his sister giggled.
"Are you bringing her home brother? I want to meet her." his sister said loudly.
"Yes, son. I want to meet her too." his mother said. He could hear his father grumbling louder. "Oh shush," his mother told his father. "What's our daughter's name?"
Here goes. Second plunge. "Commander Shepard."
His sister squealed in delight. "Wow. When you go human…you go all out." his mother said stunned.
"A Spectre!" his father growled. "No. Absolutely not. I don't want her here."
Garrus closed his eyes as the pain washed over him. He knew it would go something like that. Still, a part of him had hoped. "I know how much you despise Spectres, dad. But Shepard's not like other Specters. She does not abuse her power; she prevents others from abusing theirs. She's not like anyone else. She's a peacemaker. She has a heart as big as one of Palaven's moons and the determination needed to save the world. She wears that world on her shoulders like it is her cross to bear alone. I have no intention of letting her bear it alone. If you do not wish us to be a part of your lives, we won't be. But I have no intention of ever leaving her behind. She's a part of me. She goes where I go." He could hear his sister and his mother tearing into his father and his jaw dropped. That was unheard of. He was the patriarch and no one ever gainsaid him. His father probably didn't know what hit him. He couldn't help but smile over the thought. He imagined the look on his father's face right now would be priceless.
"Bring her home, son. You'll have your wedding here." His mother said with determination and conviction. "Does your wife have any family?"
"No, mom. Not in the way you think. Batarian slavers killed her family long ago. We just have a few crewmate friends…and someone else."
"Someone else?" his mom asked curiously.
"Um...yeah. There is one more thing you really should before you decide for sure we can have the wedding there." Here goes, he thought. Final plunge. "She has a second lifemate."
Silence blanketed the connection. "Is this some weird sort of joke we are missing?" his mom asked.
"I wish with all my heart that it was," he told her honestly. "Shepard has two souls. Each soul has a lifemate. We don't know why the fates have played this game with us, but neither of us can walk away from her. We wouldn't even think about it. When I first found out about him I wanted him dead. But Shepard is…as I said she's a peacemaker. She has this ethereal quality about her…I can't describe it really, if you choose to meet her you will see. You will love her like I do; you won't be able to stop yourself. I'm doing a horrible job explaining this…explaining her."
"Her other husband is a drell. He is an amazing soldier. Calm and stoic, practical yet severe. He's probably the soldier you wished I could have been, dad. I think you'll like him a lot. It's all still very awkward, but we're making it work. He..um…also has a teenage son. I guess that makes him my son too." Garrus chuckled. "The fates have decreed we are a family. To have me you must accept them all. I will leave that choice to you."
"I think I'm already in love with her! And you must bring the boy too!" his sister yelled.
"I think this is more up to mom and dad," Garrus said with a small laugh. Spirits love his sister.
"I will meet your paragon of virtue son and decide for myself what kind of person she is. I'm a damned good judge of character," his father said crisply.
"I will not let you say anything to hurt her, dad. She's my lifemate. So, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but I will defend her by any means necessary and I know Thane will too. How you treat my wife while she's there will decide if we ever step foot on Palaven again," Garrus said matter of fact.
His father gave a small smile of pride. His boy was growing up. About damn time. Maybe this Shepard was good for him after all. "I won't say anything intentionally mean to your wife, Garrus."
"At least I'll get one grandchild out of all of this," his mom said with a laugh. "That's fine. Send me a list of their names and species and I'll make sure we have everything they need. We'll have the wedding indoors, so they aren't exposed to our radiation, but make sure everyone brings their suits for when they are outside."
"Of course, mom. And thank you for everything you've done. I can't wait to see you all. I love you," he said and cut the connection.
They were making a brief stop at the Citadel for gas and supplies. The Citadel was one of the better stops for multi-species needs. Illium was the best, but there were things they needed to do at the Citadel.
Shepard put on an emerald green dress. The main strap was a twisted band of emerald and gold that looped around her neck in halter style. The neckline plunged past her navel in the front and to her hips in the back. From breasts to hip the gown was lined and molded to her, her breasts pushed together by thin bands of gold that ran the width of the plunge. An emerald danced in her navel. The skirt was angled. It came to just below her hips on one side and then angled down to the floor on the other. She wore her gold magbelt low across her hips with her carnifex snapped to her back and gold pumps adorned her feet. She topped it off with gold and emerald dangling earrings and a gold necklace with an emerald pendulum that swung low, kissing the tops of her breasts. The husbands' collective jaws hit the floor. They made a bee-line for their wife, each wanting to be the first at her side. They shot each other cold looks when they ended up in front of her together. She looked from one to the other, smiled and wrapped her arms around both of them, sending soothing thoughts through her touch. They each put an arm around her, closed their eyes, and held her close. Thane took her right arm, Garrus her left. She was unsure why they tended to choose those particular sides, but she reasoned it may have had something to do with the placement of their bond marks, which could be clearly seen on her shoulders if close enough. Those were her only scars that have never healed. She'd been born with them and she would die with them.
The crew was free for a few hours of micro-shore leave. Shepard and Thane had made arrangements to meet up with their son, Kolyat. They needed to tell him about Garrus and bring him aboard the Normandy to meet him and get a tour. She also wanted to check in with David, tell him about Garrus and see if he could make it to the wedding either in person or via holo.
Their first stop was to David. He embraced her warmly and shook the hands of both men. He led them to his table and got them each a drink. He thanked her for the intel she'd been sending back. Nothing incriminating on Cerberus yet, but she was still faithfully sending reports about her missions to the Alliance and the Council just as she'd always done. He had asked Garrus about his face. Garrus shot a look at Shepard and when she nodded he explained to David that he'd kissed a rocket and then told him how Shepard had kept him alive afterwards. David smiled at his child and patted her hand. He'd always known she'd never lost her powers; he'd gone along with her ruse because he had been against how the military had treated her.
"I always enjoy your visits, child. But I suspect you are here for another reason."
"I remember how surprised you were when I commed you and told you Thane and I were getting married. Will you tell me what surprised you the most about that?" She asked him.
"Besides the suddenness?" he asked looking between the three of them.
"Yes, David, besides the suddenness. Why else were you so surprised?" she asked again.
David gave her a hard look and she nodded her encouragement.
David sighed, "Because I knew how much you and Garrus were in love. If you were going to marry someone, I thought it would have been him."
"And why did you think Garrus and I were in love?"
David looked uncomfortable, but Shepard nodded for him to continue. "Because of the way he looked when he thought you'd died. Because of how you looked at each other when you stepped out of Sovereign's debris. I don't know, child. I could feel it. It surrounded the two of you like this impenetrable field." He looked at Thane apologetically. "I'm sorry, son. I don't know why she wants me to say all this in front of you."
"Because he knows already, David. I guess I just wanted to see how much you knew. As you know, Thane is my lifemate. But I've also come to discover something that will be highly unbelievable. I have two souls, dad. And each of those souls has a lifemate. Garrus is my other lifemate. You were right in what you saw …in what you felt. Garrus and I were so busy reading wrong signals that we didn't find each other until right before we lost the first Normandy. Everyone else knew all along what we were too blind to see."
"Yeah, I know. I lost a killing in the betting pool," Anderson said with a smile.
"Eh tu Brute?" She shook her head and gave him a big smile.
David sat stunned for a moment and the husbands chuckled. When he gathered his wits about him he looked in turn from the two men and back to Shepard. "Two souls…two lifemates. That's hard to wrap my head around…I guess it's been much harder for the three of you. I can't even imagine what you're going through. No one should have to go through that. I'm surprised-"
"That Garrus and I haven't killed each other?" Thane asked calmly.
David nodded.
"Yes, well…hmmm…it's been a trying time for us all…and I'm more than sure killing each other has crossed our minds a time or ten. Definitely not something I recommend for grins and giggles... but that being said, I'd rather share her than not have her at all," Garrus replied.
"And that brings us to why we are here today." Shepard gave Thane's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Garrus and I are going to get married on Palaven. We would like you to be there in person or holo to give me away."
Anderson smiled. "I couldn't be there for your first wedding," he said looking apologetically at Thane. "It happened too quickly. But I'll be there for this one. I think Udina would love to rule the roost for a few days in my absence. When did you want to do this?"
"I had hoped to leave here and head directly to Palaven," she admitted.
Anderson looked down for a moment and then slapped his hand on the table with a smile. "Well then, let's get a move on it. Do you want me to fly out with you or would it be more expedient for me to take another ship?"
"No...no. Come with us. We are about to go tell our son about Garrus and the wedding and I intend to strong arm him from Bailey so that he can come too. I will need to bring him back afterwards anyway." A megaton smile lit up her face and she jumped up and threw her arms around David. "Thank you, dad!"
The three men gasped in unison, their hearts slammed painfully in their collective chests…and they were all damned thankful they were sitting down. His little girl needed to turn that smile on Udina and Council, David thought…they'd be putty in her hands.
"Okay, then," Anderson cleared his throat. "You go talk to your boy and I'll have a word with Udina and the Council. "Garrus, were you going with them? Did you want to stay? Or did you have something else to do?"
"I've got something else I need to take care of before we head out." He shook David's hand, kissed his wife and told them he'd catch up to them later.
Thane and Shepard made their goodbyes and left. "There's something I need to do before we meet up with Kolyat, husband and I'm not sure if you want to come with me."
"What did you need to do?" Thane asked, not being able to think of a thing he wouldn't want to be at her side for.
"I need to pick up a ring for Garrus," she said gently.
"Ah," Thane said with a nod. "Do you know if he will wear one?"
"No. The ring will signify my vow to love him. What he does with that vow is up to him."
Thane closed his eyes a moment. He knew she loved Garrus, but it was still hard to hear. "Do you know his size?"
She held up a piece of ribbon she'd pulled off one of her garments. "I used this when he was asleep."
They headed to one of the local jewelers who helped them find a metal that was a good match for thulium, the soft silvery metallic element present in trace amounts in both the carapace and pebbling of a turian's skin. She had in engraved with friends & lifemates along with an infinity symbol. Thane took the box and placed it in his pocket. They were going to ask Kolyat to be the ring bearer.
They made their way over to C-Sec. Shepard was getting so many hot looks from both men and women that he put his arm protectively around her and glared at anyone who got too close. They cut the pair a wide berth, even if they couldn't stop staring at the unusual couple. One turian ignored Thanes stare. He could smell turian on her as well as the drell. He looked at both of her shoulders. "I cannot believe your mate would allow this to happen. What kind of turian lets another man touch his woman much less mark her?" he asked derisively.
Thane moved his arm to the front of Shepard and pushed her gently behind him. "I think you need to move on friend. NOW," Thane said quietly and coldly.
A chill went down the turian's spine. He wasn't sure why and knowing the little drell put it there angered him. "This has nothing to do with you little drell, I was talking to the woman. I want to know who her mate is."
Thane took a step forward. "I am her mate. Do you have a problem with that?" he asked icily.
"Well, if you intended to share her, you should have just said so. What do you want for a night with her?" he asked the drell.
Rage like he'd never felt before settle in the pit of his belly. Shepard sent a wave of power at the man, toppling him on his ass and wrapped her arms around Thane tightly, sending soothing, calm thoughts to him. It wasn't working.
Bailey and Kolyat rushed over to the downed turian. Kolyat looked into his father's eyes and knew he was about to explode. He'd never seen that look in a man's eyes before and knew he never wanted to again. That it came from his calm, collected, and stoic father unnerved him greatly. He whispered something to Bailey and they removed the turian from Thane's sight.
But Thane was beyond reason. All the anger he'd been keeping bottled up was building to a crescendo and there was no stopping it now. "Get me an interrogation room now and cut the surveillance," she instructed Bailey when he returned. Bailey looked at Kolyat who nodded and gave a worried look in Thane's direction. "Will you be safe?" He asked her quietly.
"Thane would never hurt me. Until I can calm him, it's safer if we are alone." She told him.
"Are you sure, Shepard?" Kolyat worried. He took a step closer to the pair and stopped when he saw his father bristle.
"Stay back. It will be fine. He is in a...battlesleep. He doesn't see you. You are just another man approaching his mate. Show me to a room, please."
She led Thane to the room and closed the door behind them. She scanned for surveillance, found it clean, but set her omni tool for dampening and encryption just to be safe. She stepped out of her dress, and pressed herself against him; she pushed out and merged their auras. His white-hot rage hit her hard, she held him tight to keep herself from hitting the floor. She focused on her love for him, her desire. She unsnapped his shirt and peeled it off of him. He didn't move, didn't look at her. He didn't see her. That worried her.
She dropped down unsnapped his pants and pulled them down, lifting each leg to remove them. Still he didn't move. She ran her hands up taught thighs, past his flaccid shaft to his chest, she slid her breasts against his cool scales, her nipples tightened and she gasped in pleasure. She ran her tongue along his cheek fringe and nibbled it. She wrapped her arms around him and moved sensually against him, her hands trailed down to his muscled ass. She gripped it and moved him against her. She felt him twitch.
She nibbled and licked her way down his flat belly to his hardening shaft. She grasped it in her hand, blew a hot breath on it and touched her tongue to the small slit. She slowly lowered her mouth on him. She ran her tongue around the head of his shaft and suckled him. His hips thrust into her. He grabbed her shoulders painfully and yanked her up, slamming her against the padded wall. Fury pulsed out of his every pore. His mouth came down on hers hard. She could taste her own blood, but met him with equal fervor. He had her pinned tightly to the wall. She brought her legs up and wrapped them around his waist. She closed her eyes. Damn, this is going to hurt. Her eyes popped open in pain as he drove himself into her core. He was too big for a quick entry and the pain was brief but immense. Tears fell silently down her cheeks, evaporating as pain turned into pleasure. His grip on her hips was painful, but drove her desire hotter. He slammed into her faster, harder, nearly brutally, using her to slay his demons. She could feel the tension building, her body tightening. She stiffened and cried out his name as an orgasm shattered through her. He threw back his head and bellowed as he spent his rage inside of her. His head fell forward and he bit into her shoulder. She held his head to her and he suckled the wound. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and continued to lick and suckle her until she came again. He felt her answering bite, a peace and calm filled him as tears ran down his cheeks.
"The smell of your desire woke me. But I was not myself. I'm so sorry, siha. I felt your pain and I couldn't stop. I tried. I never wanted to hurt you. Forgive me, wife," he implored her.
"There is nothing to forgive. Nothing," she said as she poured her love and understanding through their connection and through her touch. "I understood what was happening, where you were. I could have found another way to redirect you, but I wanted you…and I would do it again in a heartbeat." She rained kisses on his face before latching onto his lips for deep, hot kiss.
When his shaft finally released them he stayed in her for a moment longer, savoring the last of their aftershocks. He withdrew and continued to hold her in his arms. He could feel her fingers running over his head ridges, massaging them, soothing him. "Gods, how I love you," he whispered into her ear.
She pulled back to look him in the eyes. "I love you, husband. I love every damned thing about you. Everything. Don't ever forget that." She placed a gentle kiss on his lips; they released each other and pulled their clothing back on. They looked at each other, nodded, he laced her arm through his and walked into the hall.
As they left the room Bailey and Kolyat took their real first look at Shepard. The way that dress moved on her was a sin. She smiled at them and their jaws hit the floor. Thane chuckled and squeezed her hand before releasing her. "I want to thank you both for your assistance. I'll try to explain things to you better later, Bailey. Right now we need to speak with Kolyat." She'd already arranged it with Bailey for Kolyat to have time off if he wanted to come with them to Palaven. Bailey nodded, not trusting himself to say anything without squeaking like a pubescent boy. He returned to his desk and pretended to act busy while he waited for his senses to return.
She turned to Kolyat and held out her arms. He flushed and walked into them, giving her a tight hug. She felt his hardness against her belly, but she chose to ignore it. He was young. He pulled back and ran his fingers through her hair, in the guise of pushing it out of her face. Her hair felt so soft and silky against his fingers. He would never forget the feel of it. He dropped a soft kiss on her lips, released her and stepped away. "I was so pleased when I found out you were returning to the Citadel. It feels like I've been waiting to see you for a long time," he said with an eager smile. He glanced at his father and nodded. He saw Shepard's pointed look, sighed, and walked over to his father to shake his hand in welcome.
Thane's eyes narrowed as he observed his son. Kolyat was painfully in love with his wife and that didn't bode well. He prayed his son would not do anything that would destroy what they were trying to build. He heard his wife ask if they could borrow the room again. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. When she turned to look at him he shook his head no.
She noticed Thanes eyes were wide with alarm, and she couldn't fathom why he didn't want to talk to Kolyat in private, but she nodded, made her goodbye to Bailey and they walked over to Apollo's and ordered lunch.
Thane sighed in relief. No way in hell did he want his son in that room. He wasn't sure if the air had been scrubbed yet and he couldn't risk his son being exposed to Shepard's desire and pheromones or even his own. He wasn't sure what it would do to the boy, but he was pretty sure none of them would come out of that unscathed.
As lunch was finished and they started on their deserts, they told Kolyat about Shepard having two souls…and about her second lifemate, Garrus.
Kolyat tried to hide the flash of anger over her having a second lifemate. He knew she would never be his, but the dream remained. He felt his mood begin to lighten as they continued to tell him about the wedding on Palaven. "Garrus? As in Garrus Vakarian? The turian that helped you take down Saren?" he asked in awe. Stories flew all over C-Sec about the trio that took down Saren, Sovereign and the geth. They were larger than life heroes. He smiled when she nodded. "I've been given leave to go with you to Palaven for the wedding?" he asked excited. That would give him two to three weeks with her.
Shepard nodded to him again. "Go get your things and meet us at the port entry in 15."
Kolyat nodded and took off at a near run. She smiled. The exuberance of youth.
Thane looked at his wife dazed. She was so stunning, so vibrant, so giving. Even despite their unusual circumstances, he was the luckiest man alive to have her.
They met up with a smiling Kolyat. Thane grabbed one of his bags and they entered the Normandy's airlock.
When they were aboard the ship, she laced her arm through Kolyat's and took him to the bridge to meet Joker. She then took him to the CIC to see the galaxy map and to meet Kelly. Kelly was enthusiastic and full of smiles as always. She rode the elevator up to show him their cabin. He looked around in awe at the sheer size of the room. He flushed when he noted the massive size of the bed. He could almost picture her naked, legs spread waiting for him slide into her. He groaned and tried to shake the image out of his head.
She led him out of the cabin and down to the lower levels. She introduced him to Zaeed, and then showed him the cargo hangar and the shuttles. She took him to the rec room and told him he could make himself at home and visit here as often as he wanted to.
They headed back to the elevator and she took him to the main floor. She showed him where the mess was and told him he could help himself to anything he needed.
She introduced him to Samara, she shook his hand and told him with a light laugh that it was nice to no longer be the only blue being on board. She then took him to meet Kasumi who put him at immediate ease. Kasumi was easy to talk to…and she loved to talk. Shepard figured they'd get along famously. She then showed him where he could put his things. She put him in the life support chamber. She had a terminal installed at the table for him and showed him the view of the drive core. He was astounded at the sheer size of it.
Their next stop was the forward batteries. Garrus turned around at their entrance. He walked up to Shepard, swept her up in his arms and gave her a deep kiss.
Kolyat looked over at his father, he could see the pain in his father's eyes, but he was stoic and calm as always. Kolyat took his father's hand and squeezed it. Thane squeezed his son's hand back in gratitude and the father and son were able to have a brief bonding moment.
Garrus turned to meet the boy. "Sorry about that, I haven't seen her for awhile…"
Kolyat gave him an understanding smile. "Trust me when I say that I completely understand." And he did. If he had the right to greet Shepard with a kiss, nothing would prevent it from happening and he wouldn't care who saw it.
Shepard introduced them and the men shook hands. Garrus waved Kolyat over and began explain the big guns and the technology behind them. Kolyat listened enraptured.
She and Thane bid them goodbye and left them to their discussion of guns.
"EDI do we still have my old bed?"
"Yes, Shepard. I thought there might be a chance that we would still need it."
"Good call. Have it set up in the Port Cargo. We will be having Councilor Anderson joining us. Have a desk and terminal set up in there as well. Also, can you try to get word to Wrex on Tuchanka and Liara on illium...let them know about the wedding? I'd love for them to come if they can."
"Right away, Shepard," EDI replied.
"Shepard, can you come see me?" Miranda commed.
When she walked into the XO's room she was surprised to see Miranda in the middle of packing.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes. I heard about Councilor Anderson's impending arrival and thought to give him my room for the duration of his stay," Miranda told her.
"Wow. I was going to offer him our room. I put a bed down in Port Cargo and figured we'd bunk there for the time being," Shepard admitted.
Miranda looked horrified. "You are the captain of this vessel. You shouldn't give your cabin up to anyone. Not to mention there are three of you in that cabin. Stuffing all of you down in Port Cargo is insane. No. Absolutely not. He's taking my cabin. I'll be fine down in Port Cargo for the time being. Besides, it is familiar turf for him. He stayed in a cabin just like this one on the old Normandy." Miranda assured her.
She thanked Miranda for her kindness and left her to her packing. Miranda could not have surprised her more. It seems there was more to the woman than the arrogance let on. EDI informed her that Captain Anderson was in the airlock.
She greeted David with a warm hug and proceeded to give him the same tour she'd just given Kolyat. Kolyat was tickled to meet Shepard's mentor. Anderson was a remarkable soldier with an amazing career under his belt…and now he was an actual Councilor for the council races. Kolyat was in the presence of legends and it was as humbling as it was thrilling.
David was humbled that Miranda was willing to give up her room for him, but he told her he would be fine down in Port Cargo. She waved him off, she already had her stuff down there, and she just needed to switch out terminals. David said he would help her, so she and Thane left the two of them discussing the Normandy and Shepard.
She took Thane's hand and led him to the elevator and then on to their cabin. She didn't want any surveillance to pick up her words. "I wanted to ask your permission to do something. I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it, but I think in the end it will go a long way in helping Kolyat out…with his future."
Thane looked at her intently for a moment. He wasn't sure he was going to like the direction of this conversation. He knew of only one way the future could be involved. "Yes, wife?" he asked cautiously.
"I want his memory pictures. If I can see them, I will know the route for him to take with his life. Maybe then both you and he can be secure in his future," she said softly.
He was afraid that was what she was going to say. What she hadn't said was that he could be secure in his son's future before he died. He would love to be secure with his son's future, but he hated the means to acquire that security. Not only would she be putting herself through a lot of pain, but she would be kissing his son. Granted, that was less intimate than the other two options, but he wasn't sure if his son could handle it…or if he could.
"Husband," she said sending calming thoughts through her touch. "I will sooth him as best I can. In this instance I think the good I can do for him can far outweigh the effects of one little kiss."
"I don't know, siha. The boy is in love with you," Thane pointed out.
"Maybe, maybe not. It's probably hero worship and infatuation. Regardless, maybe I can see his future wife in the pictures. If he knows, maybe it will lesson what he thinks he feels for me. Either way wouldn't it be worth it to see that he has the most fulfilling future he can have?"
Thane sighed. He needed to know his son was secure before he died. He knew there was no better way. Regardless what his son felt, he knew his wife would feel nothing. The lifemate bond was absolute. He grudgingly nodded his acceptance. In the long run, this would be the best thing for his son, regardless of how awkward it was now. "I don't believe I'll be joining you for that. That is not something I relish seeing for the rest of my life." She gave him a big smile, a deep kiss and left to go find Kolyat. Thane followed behind her. He may not want to see his son kiss her, but he was going to be there when the pictures hit her. He would not let her go through it alone. She was doing it for their son.
"EDI is Kolyat still will Garrus?"
"No, Shepard. He has returned to his quarters," EDI replied.
"Thank you EDI."
Shepard commed Kolyat. "May I come in?"
"Of course," Kolyat told her.
She walked in the room and the door swished closed behind her.
Kolyat felt himself heating up. He had been looking up human mating rituals on the terminal when she commed him. He couldn't keep his mind from the picture of her naked on the bed, only he wasn't exactly sure what a human woman looked like naked. Now he knew. Now he could picture what she looked like naked on the bed…waiting for him. He was hard as a rock and she walks in through the door. Talk about karma biting him in the ass.
"Kolyat, I wanted to do something for you, if you want it. I asked your father and he has agreed to let me do it…if you agree, that is. I will ask that you keep what I'm about to tell you to yourself. You can always talk to Garrus or your dad, but other than that, no one. Are you okay with that?"
Kolyat looked at her in confusion but cleared his throat and nodded.
"I am…different from anyone you will ever meet. I have…abilities. One of those abilities allows me to see memory pictures. It will show me the pictures of your future. If I see them, I might be able to help guide you down the path of a better future. Are you interested to see what your future holds?" she asked him softly.
Kolyat was stunned. It was hard to believe such a thing was even possible. He knew she was an amazing woman…but he was beginning to see that she was far more amazing than he ever would have guessed. "What do I have to do?" His voice cracking and betraying him. Her nearness was driving him to distraction…especially since he had just been picturing her naked…welcoming him between her legs.
"This is the part you may be a bit uncomfortable with. I need to absorb enough of your DNA for the pictures to be sent to me. Sex is out of the question, blood is too intimate and disturbing for my tastes. I'm sorry, Kolyat, but I would need to kiss you. Is that something you can accept?" she asked him gently.
Kolyat's eyes opened wide. He'd never kissed a girl before and the woman of his dreams just asked to kiss him, could life get any better? He felt his shaft jerk as it grew heavier. He wanted nothing more than her kiss…okay…maybe more, but he knew that would have to remain in his dreams. He nodded to her not trusting his voice to words.
She approached him slowly; she could tell he was nervous. She hoped this was not going to be his first kiss. That deserved to go to someone special. She placed one hand on his soft cheek and the other on the back of his head. He was taller than his father, so she pulled him down to her level. She sent soothing thoughts through her touch. She slid her lips softly against his, she applied a bit more pressure, but he still didn't open up. She ran her tongue along his upper lip and nipped his lower lip. He gasped and she slid her tongue into his mouth. She sent soothing thoughts as she rubbed the ridges on his head, trying to sooth him more.
He pulse raced and fire shot to his shaft, it jerked hard and grew heavier. He pulled her into his arms when he felt her tongue slide along his. He deepened the kiss and his hands slid down to cup her ass, pulling her into his hardness. He ground himself against her, unable to control what she was making him feel. He felt his balls tighten and he knew he was going to lose it, but was powerless to stop it. He bucked into her again and cried out into her mouth as an orgasm tore through him.
As soon as his world came back into focus, he was beyond mortified at what had happened. She held him quietly as she absorbed his DNA, and continued to send calm and soothing thoughts through her touch. When his heart beat slowed she ended the kiss and backed away.
She knew he was probably feeling incredibly embarrassed by something so natural for the young. Her best course of action was to pretend she didn't know. "Thank you for allowing me to kiss you, Kolyat. I-"
The pictures tore into her head and she fell to the floor in agony. Kolyat rushed to her and pulled her into his arms. He didn't know what to do or why she was in pain.
Thane felt her pain and rushed into the room. He tore off his shirt and reached his hands out for his wife. Kolyat instinctively pulled her tighter to him before sighing and giving her to his father. He unsnapped the top of her dress and pulled it down. He was careful to keep her dress in place in the front and use his arm to shield her breasts from Kolyat. He pulled her back up against his bare chest and crooned love words to her as she rocked in pain. Her body glowed blue and gold, shining and sparkling as she siphoned from her husband. Her hands grasped his arms and she leaned back into him for as much skin contact as possible.
Kolyat was stunned by her pain, her sparkling glow, by the breast that was revealed to him when she leaned back against his father. His father moved his arm and recovered the breast, but the sparkling glow danced around her like magic. He'd never seen anything like it. He reached out a hand and tried to touch the glow. His hand passed through it, but he was sure he felt something inside of him move. "What is happening?" he asked his father in concern and awe.
Thane gritted his teeth. When he walked into the room he could smell his son's desire and pheromones. Not something he'd ever imagined he would be smelling. It wasn't his son's fault. Shepard had a way about her that brought almost everyone around her to their knees. It was, however, disturbing. "The pictures bring her pain, Kolyat. She wanted to help you, but there was a price to be paid for that help."
"She never told me that it would hurt her," he said quietly.
"No, she wouldn't have," he admitted.
Shepard held out her hand for Kolyat. He grasped it and gasped when he felt her pull from him. She sent him soothing thoughts, not wanting him to feel guilty over her pain.
Kolyat felt himself begin to harden again. The pull he felt was the strangest sensation. It was both intimate and impersonal. He found he was a bit disappointed when she released his hand and the sensation faded.
When her glow subsided Shepard put her hands over her breasts and let Thane resnap the coiled strap back into place. Then she pushed off him and rose to her feet. She offered him her hand and pulled him up. She wrapped her arms around him and brought him down for a kiss. His arms tightened around her before he released her.
Kolyat couldn't help but notice that his father was as aroused as he was. Not something he wanted to think about and most certainly not something he cared to see. But probably something he was going to have to get used to seeing, nonetheless. Just as he was sure he'd have to get used to having a permanent rock in his pants for the duration of his time aboard the Normandy. He watched as his father pulled his shirt back on.
She led Kolyat to the table and sat down across from him. Thane stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. "I'm still trying to sort through everything, but from what I can see your future can go in one of two directions. You can return to Kahje, study with the priests…you will eventually marry and have a family. Or you can stay with C-Sec and become a decorated officer…one of the best. You would make a name for your species. Here is where I run into some fuzzy pictures. I see several pictures of you somewhere shiny, but whoever is next to you is fuzzed out. Then I see more pictures of you on the Citadel, again whoever is next to you is fuzzed out. I've come to associate the picture fuzzing with a lifemate. I think if you go the C-Sec route and do not return to Kahje that you will find your lifemate. This is only a guess on my part based on my own experiences. If this is your lifemate, I did not see any children, I'm sorry. Keep in mind your future is constantly changing. With science the way it is, you may well be able to have children; at the very least she can birth a clone. I will be looking into this myself in the future," she said, flashing a smile back at her husband. She turned back to Kolyat. "So, the choice is yours. Stay with C-Sec, make a name for yourself and possibly meet your lifemate; or return to Kahje, join the priests, marry and have kids." She squeezed Kolyat's hands and rose from the table. She wrapped her arms around Thane and smiled up into his eyes.
Kolyat looked from Shepard to his father and noted the dazed look on his father's face. He couldn't help but smile. Shepard could take his father down as easily as she did him. He was stunned by what she'd told him. He had felt so bad over what he had nearly done to that rotten turian that he was considering returning to Kahje and joining the priests to repent for his behavior. If he went that route he would marry and have kids. The thought made him smile, but he couldn't bare the thought of being so far away from Shepard. He hadn't known that he could have that big of an impact on C-Sec…that he could better the name of all drell. And the thought that he might meet his lifemate…to have what his father had…minus the second lifemate, of course…it was almost more than he could hope for. But he also knew he was going to take the risk.
"I'm staying with C-Sec. I was thinking about joining the priests to repent…but I feel the better path for me is with C-Sec. If I can do good…if I can influence how drell are seen…it is worth it. The chance of meeting my lifemate is just an added benefit." He walked over to his dad and Shepard and wrapped his arms around them. "I can never thank you enough for what you've done for me. I will never forget any of it." He dropped a soft, lingering kiss on her lips, gave them another brief squeeze, cleared his throat and stepped back.
They told him they'd meet up for dinner and left him to his privacy. As the doors were closing on the elevator, she saw Kolyat dash into the men's room with a set of clothes and a towel over his shoulder. She couldn't help but smile. Then a thought occurred to her out of the blue. She remembered when she had stolen Garrus' scars. And an idea took hold that she could not shake.
As they entered their cabin they noticed Garrus had not yet returned. He pulled her into his arms and slipped his tongue into her mouth. He pulled her tight against him and set fire to her veins. He gave a tug to strap of her dress and it unsnapped, pooling at her feet. She backed away towards the bed; he followed, throwing his clothes off as he pursued her. He kicked his pants aside, amped and charged her. He pulled up just in time, picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. He jumped and landed on top of her. She pushed out and merged their auras. He worked his way down her body, loving her with is mouth and tongue. When there was no doubt she was ready for him he crawled back up the body he worshiped. She wrapped her arms around him and rolled them over so that she was on top. He slowly lowered her down upon him until she was fully seated. When she nodded he showed her just how much he loved her.
Shepard closed her eyes and forced the sight. She could see his beautiful purple and light blue aura marred by the ugly black death spots. She placed her hands on his chest and began to wish he wasn't sick, that the illness was gone, that she could take his illness from him, and that she could stop his pain. She repeated those thoughts over and over again, her hands grew warm even as her body began to tighten, she stiffened and they cried out together as their orgasms overtook them. She fell to his chest and held his head to the wound he'd made in her shoulder. She shuddered as her body stiffened, another orgasm rocked her. She bit into his shoulder and suckled the wound. He groaned and bucked against her, but they were tightly tied. She ran her tongue along the small marks and he shivered. She smiled and lay against his chest. Her hand warm between them. She continued the litany in her head as they rode out the aftershocks. She watched the small black spots travel up her arm. She marveled at the sight of it, wishing she could share it with him…with anyone. She sat up with him still deep inside her, placed her second hand on his chest, it warmed and black spots began to climb both her arms. She wished she could make them travel faster. It was taking too long, he would get suspicious.
"What are you doing, siha? Your hands feel warm, are you okay?" he asked concerned.
"I love you husband. You are so beautiful, every inch of you…every part of you seen or unseen. There has never been anyone more beautiful than you."
Thane flushed at her words. He didn't think he was beautiful, but he remembered well when she'd told him he had the body of a god. "You are more beautiful that I am, wife."
She scanned his aura; nearly all the black spots were gone. She placed her hand over what she thought might have been his liver, to absorb the last of the death spots. "That's not even possible, husband. You know how much I love you, don't you? That I'd do anything for you?" she asked him sincerely.
He nodded. "As I would do anything for you."
"Do you know CPR, husband?"
"No, siha…only an idea of what it is. I was trained to take lives not save them," he said sadly.
As the last death spot traveled up her arm she disconnected their auras. She took both his hands in hers, placed them on top of each other and placed them over her chest. "Normally, for humans at least, and probably most species if you know where their heart is, you would do 30 chest depressions to 2 breaths…but in my case 15 chest compressions about two inches deep, then tilt my head back, seal my nose with your hand and my mouth with your mouth and give me two breaths. 15 and 2 husband."
"It is good to know…but why tell me all of this, siha?" His shaft released her and she rolled off of him. She moved away from him. He sat up alarmed. "What's the matter, wife?"
She knew she couldn't wait days or longer for her body to heal her from the deadly disease she had taken on. She needed it purged quicker. The only way she could think to do that was by making kicking it into overdrive. She focused her energy on the black spots, making them grow…making them consume her organs.
Thane touched her and she pulled away. Her body was turning red, and burned to the touch. "Shepard, what's happening?"
"Stay back, Thane! Don't come near me yet. Don't try to heal me yet…it would take too much to heal. I won't hurt you." She took her last bit of energy and dashed to the bathroom. "Lock the bathroom door do not let him in EDI."
"Yes, Shepard. I am not happy to comply with this command. Your vitals are erratic and your temperature has risen to a deadly high."
"EDI – you must keep this from Cerberus…If I tell you something, scrub your data banks afterwards if you can't keep this from everyone. No one must ever know…my husbands…Dr Chakwas…but no one else."
"Understood, Shepard."
"If Thane comes near me my body will …..siphon his energy to try to heal itself…" breathing was getting more difficult. "It would take too much…It would kill him…I have stolen Thane's death…his Kepral's Syndrome. It would take several…days for my body to heal from it…or longer. I can't wait that long. I've-" she gasped… "I've advanced it. Soon..." She wheezed. "Soon I will die from it." She took shallow, panting breaths; she began to see stars at the edges of her vision. "Alert Dr. Chak…was…now. Don't let any…one…in…until…I'm…gone…..will…heeaaal." She sighed as a final breath rattled from her body.
Thane was beating on the bathroom door, yelling at his wife when Garrus ran through the door.
"What the hell is wrong? I felt her pain. Is she in there?" Garrus demanded. "For spirits sakes man…put on some damned pants…Dr Chakwas was right behind me!"
Thane ran over and pulled on his pants. "I don't know what happened. She started burning up, told me not to touch her, and ran into the bathroom. EDI won't let me in!"
Garrus beat on the door, told her to get her head out of her ass and let them help her.
"Yeah, I'm sure that will work!" Thane said in exasperation.
The door slid open and Thane darted in beneath Garrus' arm. He turned her over on the floor. There was no pulse. He did as she instructed and started CPR.
Chakwas burst through the door, shoved Garrus out of the bathroom doorway and moved in beside Thane. She asked him to stop for moment and he moved back giving her room to work. She held a small gun over Shepard's heart and pulled the trigger, shooting adrenaline into her heart. Then she flipped on her omni-tool, and scanned her chest. She punched more commands into her omni-tool. They watched as two dots of light appeared on either side of her heart. "Clear!" The doctor yelled and electricity arched out, Shepard's body jumped and spasmed. Shepard took in a ragged, harsh breath as Chakwas scanned her again. The doctor nodded and stood up. "If there are any other complications, feel free to notify me, but she'll be right as rain in no time." The doctor smiled at their stunned faces and left.
Thane dropped down and picked her up in his arms and carried her to the sofa. Her breathing was still very erratic. He sat down cradling her in his lap. She glowed as her body siphoned from him. There saw as much gold as there was blue in her glow, it was stunning to see. Garrus dropped down beside them, pulled Shepard's legs across his lap, he pulled up his shirt and placed them against his belly. He removed his gloves and rested his talons on her legs…she began to pull from him as well.
As her glow faded her eyes opened. "I don't suppose you will let me up to get dressed?" They shook their heads.
"What the hell happened?" they asked in unison.
"I can hopefully show you better than I can tell you. If I promise to show you will you let me get dressed?"
The men looked at each other, nodded and then released her.
She got up, stretched as seductively as she could and then sashayed over to her clothing. She bent over to retrieve them and smiled as she heard them get up from the sofa. By the time she stood up they were both at her side. She ran her fingers down their hard lengths and squeezed. "Don't you think you're a little overdressed?"
They were both naked and back at her side in record time. She pushed out and merged their auras. They pulled her to the bed and laid her down one her back and began worshipping her body from head to toe. A pillow was placed under her hips and Garrus' tongue swiped through her folds and flicked her nub. Her hips bucked. The men talked softly a brief moment, but she couldn't make out what they said. Garrus nipped her inner thigh while Thane suckled her breast. He ran his tongue to her other nipple and suckled it as Garrus dipped his tongue deep inside her. Thane licked and nibbled his way down her belly as Garrus curled his tongue up and rubbed her spot just perfectly. She groaned and her hips jerked. Garrus angled his head down a little to give Thane more room. Thane spread her lips and revealed her hidden nub. He flicked it with his tongue as Garrus rubbed her internal spot. Her hands flew to both of their heads, holding them to her as she keened in ecstasy. She ran her fingers along their fringes as they increased the rhythm and pressure. Her body coiled. The guys pinched themselves hard. Thane wrapped his lips around her nub and suckled, her body stiffened, she screamed and bucked as a massive orgasm ripped through her. They soothed her gently with their tongues and then smiled at each other.
She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at the two men she loved with all her heart. "I've never felt anything so pleasurable. Didn't even know it was possible. I don't know whose idea that was…but thank you. Thank you both. I…I love you." She didn't do this very often, because of the discomfort, but after receiving the most intense orgasm of her life, she felt the need to have both of her men inside her. "Grab the lube, Garrus."
When their heartbeats slowed, the aftershocks subsided, and their shafts released her, she disconnected them; they lay next to her in bed, content to just hold each other... She finally sighed and sat up. It was approaching dinner time and they had guests they had to attend to, but first she had a promise to keep. "Get dressed boys, I promised to show you something…and I'd rather do so before we meet up with our guests for dinner." She gave them each a smack on the ass and jumped from bed before they could reciprocate.
She led them down to the med-bay. The men looked at her questioningly and the doctor gave them a concerned look. She took Thane by the hand and pulled him over to the doc. "I want him scanned. Program for any anomalies."
"Why are you doing this, siha? I can assure you I've not gotten worse. I haven't gotten noticeably worse since you gave me…for awhile now."
Chakwas scanned him with her omni-tool. "That's not possible," the doctor said shaking her head. She scanned him again. "I think I need to get this bloody thing recalibrated. She directed Thane over to another machine, it scanned his body and a holo display of his body popped up.
Chakwas was stunned. The display showed the same results her omni-tool had. She shot a look to Shepard. "Did you do this, Commander? Is that what happened earlier?" When Shepard nodded, the doctor turned to Thane. "What do you see Thane?"
Thane looked at the holo. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be seeing. "Nothing," he answered in confusion.
"Precisely so. What do you suppose you should be seeing on the scan?" the doctor inquired.
Thane rotated the holo. What was he supposed to be seeing? His eyes popped open in surprise. "I don't understand…is your machine broken?"
"No, Thane…it's not. Your disease is gone," she told him matter of fact.
"That's not possible. I'm stage 4, it's too late for remission," he pointed out.
"You're right, it was too late for remission…but you are not in remission. You do not have Kepral's Syndrome at all." The doctor turned to Shepard. "Do you want to tell him or should I?"
She turned to her husband and put her hand to his soft cheek. "I suppose it's too much for me to hope that you will just accept the good news and leave it be?"
He gave her a hard look and then his eyes opened wide. "What did you do?"
"I think I know just what the little minx did," Garrus stepped in.
Oops…she'd forgotten he was there.
"Do you see the scar free part here? She discovered she could-"
"Garrus! I'll tell him."
Thane put a finger to her mouth to shush her and turned to Garrus. Shepard shot Garrus a hard glance and he held up his hands.
"I know when to keep my mouth shut…I don't intend to be in the doghouse tonight. I think our wife should be the bearer of these tidings." Garrus folded his arms in front of his chest and waited for her to get to the telling.
"Rip the band-aid…I stole your death."
"What? That doesn't even make sense."
"I discovered quite by accident that I could heal or at least steal someone's wounds. I inadvertently transferred some of Garrus' scars to my own face. I heal fast, so it wasn't noticeable after a couple of hours. But…before you get mad, you know I can't die…or can't stay dead."
Garrus stood up taller. "What the hell do you mean by that?"
Shit. She forgot he didn't know. "I'm sorry, I forgot you didn't know. It's one of my abilities. If I die time either resets allowing me to do a thing again…that is how I can know things before they happen, because I've already lived through them …or I just wake up later completely healed…or mostly healed…sometimes there are issues I need to work through, dying isn't easy even if I can come back from it."
"Don't forget to tell him that there's no guarantee you will come back from it," Thane pointed out.
"Thane! Do you want to be in the doghouse? I can tell my own bloody stories." She turned to Garrus. "Yes, there's no guarantees and yes, dying hurts like a son of a bitch. Have I covered everything well enough?"
"So you decided to take it upon yourself, without asking either of us, to steal my disease from me and give it to yourself. Do I have that right?" he asked, giving her a hard look.
Yup. That pretty much summed things up in nutshell. She nodded.
He closed his eyes. How was he supposed to protect her from herself. "Why did it affect you so much worse than it did me?" he asked in confusion.
Oh dear. "Because it was degenerative and so far along, it would have taken me too long to heal from it and siphoning from you would have killed you…the exact opposite of what I was trying to do. So, instead I focused my energy on advancing the illness to its final conclusion. In my defense, I knew I wouldn't die even without your or Dr Chakwas' help. And no, I wasn't technically dead."
"You had no pulse…the doctor had to jam adrenaline into your heart and shock it into beating. That sounds pretty damn dead to me, Shepard," Garrus pointed out.
"Garrus! You're not helping," she said coldly. "I was in limbo while my body healed itself, which is why you two didn't keel over dead. Did you think of that? I was only mostly dead…not completely dead. Scratch that. I was in limbo…not dead at all," she corrected quickly.
Thane looked at the doctor. "I want her scanned."
Chakwas looked at Shepard. "He's right, I should scan you. Will you let me scan you, Commander?"
"Yes, fine…if it will make them feel better."
The doctor flipped on her omni-tool, scanned and frowned. "Commander?" she questioned looking pointedly at the two men.
"You might as well say what you're going to in front of them…I doubt I could get them to leave right now anyway. Do I have Kepral's Syndrome?"
"What? No. She is disease free," the doctor assured the men.
"I don't suppose you two would mosey on out the door now?"
They each shot her a hard look and she held up her hands. "I didn't think so…figured it couldn't hurt to ask."
"Commander…the scanner if you please." Chakwas followed her to the scanner, punched in what she was looking for and a holo of Shepard's body appeared. The doctor hit a few more keys and blew up her ass.
"Well, that's flattering. Thanks doc."
"Oh hush…it wasn't your ass I was looking at. Do you see these two small areas?" Chakwas asked.
"Yes, but I don't know what I'm looking at," she admitted.
"You're looking at something that shouldn't be there. I need to run some blood work."
"I don't understand, I heal from everything. Is it some kind of cancer?"
"I'd say more along the lines of parasites. You have two of them," Chakwas said with a smile.
"Ok, I'm obviously missing something here, doc…because I wouldn't think parasites would be a smiling matter…especially not ones that size."
"The matter should take care of itself within the next 9 to 10 months," the doctor assured her.
"Why do I have to live with parasites for the next nine or ten months? Can't you do something about it?"
"Will these parasites hurt her?" Garrus asked.
"I don't know, Garrus. That's why I want to run blood work. I want to make sure they don't hurt her."
"Why run blood work, can't you just remove them? Will they hurt her to be removed?" Garrus asked agitated.
"Wait a minute." Thane said. "Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?"
"I guess it all depends on what you think I'm telling you," Chakwas told him with a smile.
"If it's what I think...you threw me with the nine to ten months, because it's seven to eight months for drell…are you telling us she's pregnant with twins?" Thane asked holding his breath, not even daring to hope.
"I am…and it shouldn't be possible. I need to run blood work right away. I'm guessing Thane's the father, since your chemistry is more compatible…but without blood work I won't know for sure. If Garrus is the father of one or both babies, there could be some complications we would have to discuss."
This was beyond the realm of possible. Shepard sat down on an exam table and held out her wrists. "Bleed me dry, doc. But my blood results do not go beyond you and Mordin. Period. Do not record the results in your terminal, because I cannot know if Cerberus has a tie in. And only speak of the results in Mordin's lab, as he's already disposed of spyware."
"EDI scrub anything you hear in regards to my blood work if you can't keep it out of Cerberus hands. I will never again be one of their experiments. Understood?"
"Understood, Shepard…and congratulations."
"Thank you, EDI."
Her husbands' stood behind her, each touching a shoulder while the doctor took several vials of blood.
"How soon will we know paternity?" she asked.
"Provided you have only been with these two men-"
"Very funny, doc." Shepard rolled her eyes.
She asked her to lay back on the table, she swabbed Shepard's lower belly, put a dab of anesthetic gel on her and inserted a long, thin needle. Using the hologram she gently touched it to the first mass. She withdrew the needle and inserted a second, gently touching it to the second mass. She placed a drop from the first syringe on the scanner nodule of one of the smaller machines on a back table. When a light flashed she flipped to another nodule and placed a drop from the second syringe. "We should know momentarily if the embryos are dextro or levo."
A holo screen popped up, words, numbers, and letters began filling up the screen. "I'll be damned," the doctor said. "It's just not possible," she said shaking her head.
"Well?" they all three asked.
"Oh…sorry. It appears you are each going to be a father. Congratulations. I will discuss with Mordin any possible dextro complications and we will work up a plan of action. Go…eat your dinner. I will talk with you later tonight." The doctor started humming as she gathered up her reports and walked out of the med-bay.
Shepard spun around on the table and hopped down. She wrapped her arms around her husbands and they just stood there holding each other while they absorbed everything they were just told. The impossible had happened…not that that was an uncommon occurrence with Shepard…but the depth of emotion left them stunned and exhilarated…and scared out of their wits. The were in the middle of a war with the Collectors…and soon another war with the Reapers…they all needed to be at their best and she was pregnant.
Garrus pulled her chin up to look her in the eye. "If the…dextro baby endangers your life at all, I do not want you to keep it," he said quietly. "I would love our child more than anything, but not at the risk of your health. And if something happens, Shepard…know that I will love any child you bless us with as my own," he stated matter of fact.
Shepard released Thane and pulled Garrus into her arms. Garrus lowered his head, placed a tender kiss on her lips and then rested his forehead on hers.
Thane for once was not bitter over the attention and affection she was bestowing on another man. He felt empathy and sadness for what Garrus and his wife…for what they may have to go through. What all of them may be forced to come to terms with. He gave both their arms a squeeze to let them know he was there for them. Garrus looked down at him…really looked at him and nodded. He opened his arm and Thane walked into their embrace, becoming a part of it. Perhaps this pregnancy would bring them together as a family faster than anything else ever could.
"EDI…go ahead and spread the news. Please also forward the news to Urdnot Wrex and Liara." She'd rather everyone learned at once the same story, rather than spreading like a chain of wildfire scuttlebutt.
By the time they left med-bay they all had smiles on their faces that nothing could wipe off. They made their way to the mess. As soon as Kolyat spotted them he jumped up from the table and headed their way. He stopped in front of Shepard. He looked down at her in wonder then took her face between his hands and lowered his mouth to hers.
Thane put a hand a Garrus' agitated arm and shook his head.
The kiss was a soft movement of lips…it lingered for a moment. Kolyat wanted nothing more than to slide his tongue between her lips. He knew what she tasted like and he craved the taste. He pulled back slowly and wrapped her into his arms. He knew she could feel how hard he was and he didn't care. The need to bury himself deep inside of her was undeniable…and while some part of him wished that baby were his, another part of him was happy for his father…and envious. He knew his father would not abandon this child…at least not voluntarily. He released Shepard and looked at his father…then he walked into his father's arms.
Thane whispered into his son's ear-hole. "I am free of Kepral's Syndrome, Kolyat."
Kolyat was stunned. That wasn't possible. He pulled back far enough to look into his father's face. "How?"
"You can tell anyone that asks that I went into remission…but between the two of us, let's just say I had a guardian angel looking out for me," he said as his gaze fell lovingly on his wife.
Shepard…he should have known…Kolyat sighed…his love for her knew no bounds. It seemed there was nothing that magnificent woman couldn't do…Apparently, there was no such thing as impossible to her. He gave his father another brief hug and then held his hand out to Garrus.
Garrus chuckled at the boy's love-sick expression. He was sure he wore that expression too many times to count…truth be told he was sure he still did. Garrus took the boy's hand and pulled the scamp in for a hug. The boy was his son now and he'd become much more tactile and expressive since Shepard.
Shepard moved in and put her arms around Garrus and Kolyat. Thane joined in for a family hug. Shepard had been Thane's saving grace. She woke him, she gave him her love, her innocence, her revitalizing blood, her soul, Garrus – well nothing's completely perfect, she'd given him his son back, a new lease on life, took his disease from him, and was going to bear his child or children. He was so full of happy, he just couldn't contain it. He grabbed Shepard's hand, pulled her into his arms, spun her out, back into his arms, ran his hand down her back, over her ass and hooked it behind her knee, pulling it up the side of his leg and dipped her down, kissing her in front of everyone.
The cheers, hoots and hand claps were nearly deafening. Garrus came up behind Thane. "I so need to learn how to do that. Teach me when you get the chance."
Thane smiled and nodded, "Just don't expect me to kiss you." He chuckled when Garrus blanched.
They made their way to the table. David gave her a big hug and congratulated her. She teased him about being a grandfather now, but he loved every minute of it. Her husbands sat her down across from Kolyat and went to get their food. They returned with platters stacked high. Booze flowed freely, though Shepard limited herself to a single glass of wine. Even Kolyat joined in for the drinking and the toasts. Thane and Garrus, however, limited their intake. They knew they would be talking to the doctors again soon and wanted a clear head.
As the evening moved on, they moved the party into the rec room, some of the group split off to play cards, the rest gathered at the sofas to watch vids and talk among themselves. Eventually, Shepard received a comm. It was time to face the doctors. They bade their goodnights and took the elevator up to Mordin's lab.
Mordin and Chakwas had their heads together when the trio walked in. They looked up and Mordin hurried to their sides, shaking hands with each. "Shepard, Thane, Garrus. Congratulations. Babies doing fine now. Surprisingly. But future coexistence is…problematic." He looked over at Chakwas and she nodded. "We've run the simulations. Researched. News is not good. Dextro embryo will eventually poison levo embryo and Shepard. Possibility of survival…low. Also, anomaly in your blood."
Shepard looked questioningly at Chakwas, who shook her head.
"Mordin, I'll survive," she told him.
Mordin shook his head. "Not possible Shepard."
"Let me put it this way. I can't die. Or I can't stay dead. I stole Thane's Kepral's Syndrom and died from it. Yet, here I am."
Mordin's eyes opened wide and he looked at Chakwas who nodded. He flipped on his omni-tool and scanned her. "Perhaps that explains the anomaly."
"What anomaly?" she asked concerned.
Thane and Garrus put a reassuring hand on her shoulders.
"You are not human," Mordin stated.
"Excuse me?"
"Humans have 22 pairs of autosomes, one pair of sex chromosomes. You have 23 pairs of autosomes. Not human."
"That's crazy, Mordin. That would have been picked up on before now. Could the extra set of chromosomes be artificial or given to me by Cerberus when they resurrected me?"
"Doesn't work like that. Born with chromosomes. Probably dormant until triggered," Mordin told her.
"What would have triggered it? My death? Doesn't make sense…I've died many times," she said in confusion.
"Unsure of trigger. Cross-species fertilization not possible naturally. Not human. Makes sense. Sorry, Shepard."
"Mordin…I look exactly human. I bleed human. If I'm not human, then what the hell am I?" she asked in agitation.
"Vela, your blood might be red, but it is not human. Human blood could not do what your blood does to us," Garrus told her gently.
"You drink her blood?" Mordin asked horrified. "Oh...lifemate bond. Yes. Understood."
"Garner your power, siha. Show them," Thane encouraged.
Shepard amped her power. She glowed golden and blue and she let it die.
The doctors looked at each other wide eyed.
"I will run more tests. Will need more blood," Mordin said enthusiastically.
"Be careful with this information. I do not want any records or information getting back to Cerberus."
"Understood, Shepard. Part of STG once. Know what to look for." Mordin nodded at her. He crossed his arms and paced.
"Mordin," Chakwas said.
"Sorry. Distracted. Dextro embryo."
"Remove it," Garrus said. "I will not have Shepard or the other baby put in danger. I will love the other baby as my own, Shepard. You know I will. Please don't risk everything for it," he implored her. He knew her. Knew how she thought. Knew she would fight to keep his baby. He had to make her understand it just didn't matter to him. It would break his heart, yes. But it wasn't worth watching Shepard go through pain as she became sicker.
"That is an option. But there is another. Risky, but doable. Embryos lack umbilicus like human embryos. Can pull out dextro embryo. Encase it in membrane bubble tissue. And reintroduce it to womb. Will be painful. Must come in every other day. Flush bubble. Amniotic fluid transfusion and dextro nutrient additives needed to survive. If membrane ruptures…poisoning problematic," Mordin explained.
"If we can get to you soon enough, the damage can be mitigated if not reversed," Chakwas added. "I'm sorry, Shepard it's your only option if you want to give both babies a chance to survive."
"Do it," she said.
Garrus pulled her around to face him and lifted her chin up. "Don't risk this, vela. I love you. You don't need to put yourself through this."
Thane put his hand on Garrus' shoulder and shook his head. Garrus nodded and sighed.
"We will support whatever choice you make, Shepard," Garrus said in defeat.
"How will this happen? I want it done now."
"There are two ways we can do this, Commander. One is more risky the other a lot more painful," Chakwas told her. "We can inject a local into your cervix, dilate it and go into your womb that way or we can insert a large needle through your abdomen."
"Give me the needle…even I know opening my cervix could lead to miscarriage."
"Okay," Chakwas said. "We'll do the procedure in the med-bay. We'll take samples of your amniotic fluid and more blood and Mordin can run more tests. "If you are sure you want to do this now, let's be on our way."
Mordin grabbed a few extra supplies and followed them out the door. They rode the elevator down in silence. Her husbands held her close. In the med-bay she stripped down to her panties and bra and lay down on the table. The men moved to either side of her, brushed a kiss on her lips and held her hands.
Chakwas unwrapped a massive syringe. Eight inches long and incredibly fat. It looked like a stake and she could feel herself tense. Thane looked at Garrus and nodded. They did their best to send soothing thoughts to her through her touch.
Mordin flipped on the scanner and pulled up a holo. He zoomed in until the embryos were about the size of a fist.
Garrus' mandibles fell and his mouth gaped open. He'd never seen anything like that before. Thane too was enthralled. Scans had improved significantly even in the past twenty years.
The embryos were highlighted. One red one blue. Because they weren't attached to an umbilicus, they free floated within the fluid filled womb and they needed to be able to keep track of which was the dextro embryo. A long, hair thin needle was inserted into her abdomen and gently touched the blue embryo. They reran the blood scanner for verification. The blue highlighted embryo was levo.
Garrus looked at the red embryo…his baby…a baby he never thought possible. He felt a deep love for it bloom inside of him. He hoped she would be able to carry his baby to term, that nothing would happen. But if it did, despite his love, there was no choice to be made. Shepard's safety came first.
Chakwas rubbed her belly with something cold and astringent smelling and then applied a numbing agent. After a couple of minutes she inserted small syringes full of a local anesthetic around the area the larger needle would enter her.
Chakwas spread her hand against Shepard's belly and place the monstrous needle against her. "Are you ready? Try not to move."
Shepard nodded. A dot of blood welled up and rolled down the side of her belly as the needle sunk through her skin. The pain was overwhelming. She clung tightly to her husbands' hands, her body siphoning, sweat beading on her forehead and running down the side of her face.
Once the needle pierced her uterus, the red embryo and a fair amount of amniotic fluid was drawn up into the syringe. The needle hurt worse as it was being pulled out than it had going in. She gasped and cried out in pain. Shepard felt the immediate loss of the baby and tears slipped down her cheeks. She'd been unaware that they'd even been connected, but the loss was undeniable. She'd felt them from the moment of their conception and hadn't realized it until now. Mordin took the needle and inserted its contents in a tiny membrane. It was drawn back into a wider needle. Damn, this was going to suck hard.
Chakwas sent her a worried look. "This is going to hurt a bit more. But we are almost there, Shepard," she said as she applied more local to the site.
Shepard nodded, "Bring it on." Though inwardly she cringed…it was a bravado she did not feel. Shepard metabolized the local too fast, it did no good. When the needle slid in this time a hoarse scream ripped from her throat. She heard a thwack as her husbands slammed heads trying to bend over her to comfort her.
Thane rubbed his head and nodded to Garrus. Garrus bent low over her and turned her face to look at him. "If I could bear this pain for you I would, vela." He gently brushed her sweaty hair back from her face. "Remember the night before Ilos?" When she nodded, he continued. "You were rather drunk and came to see me in that tiny black lace scrap. You need to wear that again," he said, clearing his throat. "When you were lying against me the scrap shifted and I could see your tight, puckered nipple through the lace. I had never seen a nipple before. It entranced me as much as it made me ache to touch it. I remember saying 'so beautiful' and you agreed, thinking I was talking about the stars." He glanced over at the doctors, who were doing a good job of ignoring him. He looked at Thane who nodded for him to continue. "Stars were the last thing on my mind. When you passed out I carried you back to your bed, when I laid you down, the lace parted, exposing your breast to me. It was so white…so full. I had to touch you. I couldn't stop myself. It was so soft, so resilient. Your nipple hardened as I ran my thumb over it. You groaned and thrust your breast into my hand. I nearly lost it. I wanted you so bad…too much…I covered you up and ran from your room like my pants were on fire…at least it felt like they were. Can you forgive me?"
She gasped as the needle withdrew. She could feel her baby again. She placed her hand on the side of his face. "Nothing to forgive. I already knew what happened. I saw it in your memory pictures," she said with a smile. "Not much can be hidden from my scrying eye…but I thank you for distracting me. It helped."
"Intriguing," Mordin said.
Everyone in the room turned towards him.
Mordin looked at them. "Oh. Amniotic fluid very dense, thick. Full of nutrients. Not human consistency. Womb adjusted to the lack of umbilicus. Found another way. Intriguing."
"You and your babies are a picture of health, Commander," Chakwas said, drawing their attention.
You could see the thin outline of the membrane around the red embryo. Shepard closed her eyes a moment to picture what she wanted to happen and then opened them. She created a barrier bubble within a barrier bubble. The red embryo glowed blue and gold, its membrane completely within a barrier bubble. The interior of her womb was also encased within a blue and gold barrier bubble. Both babies were secure and protected. And like the mantra that was a continuous litany at the back of her mind, these barrier bubbles would become as unnoticed as breathing.
Mordin turned to them. "Glad all is well, Shepard. Must return to lab. Lots of work to do."
Thane helped her off the table. He dropped to his knees and ran his tongue along the path of blood to the needle's entry point and kissed it. He then laid his head against her belly, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, wife."
She ran her hands along the ridges and valleys of his head, filling her touch with her love.
Garrus moved to her other side, put one arm around her, rested his head on her shoulder and his hand on her belly next to Thane's face. "And I love you, wife."
She rested one of her hands on Garrus' arm, while the other one stroked Thane's head. "I love you."
They stood there a moment in peace before they backed away and allowed her to get dressed. They made their way back to their cabin. While Shepard and Thane hopped on their terminals, Garrus moved to his and commed his parents.
"Dad. I need you to get mom and Solana. I need to speak with you all." He grimaced as his dad turned his head and bellowed for his mom and sister. In the next moment the screen was filled with his family's faces.
"Garrus! We did not expect to hear from you until you arrived." His mom gave a worried look. "I…is something wrong? Are you not coming?"
Garrus chuckled. "Things are more right than I ever could have expected and we are on our way to you. Did you receive the guest list?"
"Yes. Everything should be ready by the time you get here."
"If everything is okay, why did you comm?" his father asked as taciturn as ever.
"Maybe I just missed the sound of your voices."
His father sighed in exasperation. And his mother waved her hand in his face.
"It's good to hear from you even if you just commed to say hello," his mother assured him.
"Well, it's more than just hello. I wanted to be the first to tell you that you were going to be grandparents." He looked at everyone's shocked faces. The silence worried him. This was not exactly how he expected things to go. Then, his mom and sister squealed. They jumped up, wrapped their arms around each other and jumped up and down in some sort of strange female dance. Okay…well, that was better anyway…more along the lines he was hoping for.
"Do you know for sure it's yours?" his father asked coolly.
His mother and sister turned on him, reading him the riot act. He was glad they did, because he was furious enough to rip the stick out of his father's ass and kill him with it.
"Dad…you are crossing a line. I don't care if Shepard gives birth to a krogan. Okay, if that happened I'd care…she'd have some explaining to do…but the point is any child of Shepard's…any child of Thane's is a child of mine. We are a family. End of story. Shepard is carrying twins. It just so happens that I sired one of those babies, but even if I hadn't they would still be my children…as much as if I'd sired them. Have I made myself clear?" he asked his father in barely contained rage.
Shepard and Thane looked at each other and nodded. The approached Garrus on either side and draped an arm around him to show their support.
"We may not be conventional, Mr. Vakarian, but fates have made us a family…and I think we make a very good family. Your son is a remarkable man, Mrs. Vakarian, and I can't imagine my life without him. Solana…good to see you too. Can't wait to meet you all."
"This is my wife's other lifemate, Thane Krios."
"Good to see you Mr. & Mrs. Vakarian…Solana. He said with a bow of his head."
Shepard took hold of Thane's hand and they walked off to give Garrus more of an illusion of privacy. They could hear his sister squealing again.
"I hadn't realized how stunning Shepard was. Spirits, brother…did the fates bless you! And the drell…he's gorgeous too. Where's the boy?" Solana asked eagerly.
"The boy, Kolyat, our son…doesn't share our cabin with us, Solana. You'll meet him soon enough," Garrus told her with a chuckle.
"Solana's right son…you were blessed. I can't wait to meet my daughter…and son…and grandson… And I can't wait for those grandbabies to be born. You keep them safe, Garrus! Don't let anything happen to that precious family of yours!"
"Of course I will keep them safe, mother."
"As will I!" Thane added.
"I'm a big girl you guys…I can take care of myself," she piped in.
"I love you…I'll see you in a few days," he said and then disconnected.
He got up from his desk and caught Shepard yawning. He and Thane nodded to each other and they made their way towards the bed. Clothes were peeled off and discarded, leaving a trail behind them; they climbed into their bed, each man rested a hand against her belly, content to just hold her.
"Just so I make myself clear, being held at night is sweet and endearing…but I expect some loving come morning," she warned them.
Come morning they gave her just was she needed…what they all needed. When they finally rolled out of bed she put on a purple workout push up bra and a pair of skin tight sweat-wicking shorts, padded a bit at the hip bone and they headed to the mess. They had a leisure breakfast and talked with their friends for a bit while their food settled.
Kolyat had been stunned when he saw Shepard so scantily clad. He was hard as a rock and couldn't imagine what his dad and Garrus went through on a daily basis with this woman around.
She asked Kolyat if he wanted to borrow one of his father's workout suits. He agreed. It would be a little short in the arms and legs, but it didn't matter when working out. She watched father and son leave and her heart welled with happiness.
She and Garrus hopped the elevator when it came back down and headed to the rec room. They helped each other with their stretches. She was atop the balance beam when Thane and Kolyat walked in. Kolyat stopped and watched in awe as she twisted, turned and flipped on the narrow beam. She nodded to them and did a flip off the end of it. She walked over dabbed her face with a towel, took a swig of water and moved on to the uneven bars. Her time with these bars would come to an end before very much longer. Kolyat just stood there watching as she maneuvered the bars, wrapping around them. When she spread her legs and jumped for the lower bar he damn near swallowed his tongue. No one had the right to look as good as she did.
Kolyat noticed his father and Garrus sparring. He wanted to watch them, but his eyes kept returning to Shepard. When she flipped off the bars she headed over to Kolyat, wiped her brow, took another swig, and pulled him over to the equipment rack. She tossed him some guards and put her own on. Then she held up her hand and beckoned him. He felt himself flush and then stepped out on the mats to meet her.
Like she'd done with Garrus earlier, she held his hands and she showed him how to stretch together. She then began to teach him some of the earlier moves Garrus and Thane had taught her. He caught on fast. They began basic rounds; she let her guard down several times on purpose to give him chances to take her down. It was the only way he was going to learn. A few of those times she showed him how she was faking just to draw him in so she could take him down. No matter how many times he hit the mat, he jumped up eager for more. Eventually, she let him toss her to the mats. She snaked her foot through his pulled up and he landed on top of her, the breath knocking out of him.
She opened her eyes in shock. His hardness bit into the heat of her. He was looking down at her, his eyes dilated and turbulent. His mouth a few scant inches from hers. She could feel his pulse hammering through him.
Thane stopped cold, praying his son would control what he was feeling. Garrus took advantage of Thane's distraction, darted in and tossed him to the mats.
Shepard knew she had to handle things delicately. She did not want to embarrass the boy, but she did want to distract him. She was pretty sure he was about to kiss her and she could definitely feel him moving against her core. "What's the matter, Kolyat? Not used to being taken down by a mere girl? Care to give it another try?"
Kolyat stopped cold, his mouth a breath away from hers. As much as he wanted to bury himself in the woman that he loved, having Garrus and his father kill him was not at the top of his to-do list today. He shook his head and smiled. "Cheap trick, Shep. But I know it now, so will be looking out for it." He got up and offered her a hand.
Thane dropped back against the mat and sighed. Damn she's good. One look at Garrus and he was pretty sure she'd just saved his son's life twice over. Some transgressions couldn't be forgiven…some lines could not be uncrossed. He was equally glad he didn't have to kill his own son.
"She has to nail everyone with that move at least once!" Garrus told him. "We've all been taken down by that foot of hers." And Garrus could remember exactly what he felt laying there between her legs that first time.
She and Kolyat went a few more rounds and then they joined the older men in rounds. Kolyat was surprised how much faster and harder she struck the older men. Garrus was no match for her speed and agility, but she had to watch out for his strength, longer reach and legs. Watching her and his dad square off was a sight to see. Both were fast …both were agile and were of a similar height. Their sparring was almost a sensual dance. After a few rounds she aimed a scissor kick at his head, he spun her legs, she twisted her body, flung her legs out, pushed against his shoulders and they tumbled to the mats, his father flat on his back with his head between her legs as she landed on her knees. His father's hands trailed up the back of her legs to her ass and he squeezed it. Damn he would give anything to be his father right now.
Garrus cleared his throat and tilted his head towards Kolyat. They laughed nervously.
She sat back on his chest. "See, Kolyat? Even a woman can take down the great Thane Krios," she said with a triumphant smile.
"Where did you learn that move, wife?" Thane asked in a strangled voice. He wanted nothing more than to taste his woman, her scent was tantalizing him.
"I didn't…I improvised," she admitted breathlessly.
Garrus reached out a hand and helped her up. "Quit torturing the poor man…you already took him down, no need to rub his nose in it." Garrus stopped. His mouth dropped. "Sorry, that metaphor just went somewhere horrible."
"You and I have a very different idea of horrible." Thane whispered to Garrus as he rose from the mat.
Garrus' mouth dropped open again. "That's not what I meant!"
Kolyat burst out laughing and pretty soon they were all laughing.
Garrus turned to Kolyat, "Let's dance." Kolyat nodded and the two faced off. Garrus worked well with Kolyat. Not too easy…not too hard. He gave him pointers here and there as the match continued. Eventually, he let Kolyat throw him to give him experience throwing a larger man.
Kolyat turned to his father and beckoned him. Shepard was sitting on her beam, Garrus stood between her legs and they conversed quietly, watching while father and son went a few rounds. Thane showed him a new way to throw someone and he let his son take him down.
Garrus gave her a hand down from the beam and they all made their way to the sofa, plopping down in exhaustion. This was the first time they hadn't torn out of the rec room in a sexual frenzy…albeit it came close once. The next two weeks were certainly going to be an exercise in patience…but well worth it.
After lunch they took Kolyat to the firing range. In actuality it was just a long, narrow room they'd found on the ship that served no apparent function. It was being used for storage. With EDI's and Legion's help they were able rearrange the storage areas they already had to make room for the additional crates. Legion then set up all the equipment needed to turn the room into a holographic firing range. Shepard even splurged on the latest artificial guns that shot out holographic ammunition. They had the weight and feel of real guns, but the dynamic cinemagraphic display that enhanced the entire experience. Though real guns could be used with practice clips and had been up until today. Today the shipment of AG arrived and they were all eager to try out the new guns and harnesses, which allowed return fire and the ability to use biotics against the holoenemies. She had purchased 6 of each type of weapon: 3 Carnifexs, 3 Phalanxs, 3 Eviscerators, 3 Claymores, 3 Locusts, 3 Tempests, 3 Mattocks, 3 Vindicators, 3 Widows, 3 Vipers and even a heavy weapon, the grenade launcher. She also purchased a longbow just for grins and giggles.
With the room being narrow, no more than six people could use it at any one time. She chose the people she knew would be the most eager to try it out. She, Garrus, Thane, Kolyat, Zaeed and Jacob when David turned her down. Ear plugs were required because she programmed in full auditory, tactile, and visual displays. She and Garrus chose holo bottles for target practice, much to the surprise of everyone else. They linked their units so they could compete directly and chose Palaven as a backdrop. Zaeed and Kolyat chose mercs and Jacob chose standard bullseye targets. Zaeed and Kolyat put on the prerequisite sensors, because they chose to have the holo-mercs return fire. The, they linked their units to have a broader playing field and worked together as a team. Thane chose the longbow to try something new. He programmed in varen for a target. He became very proficient with the longbow very fast, and he switched the varen out for geth hoppers to raise the difficulty and then added a second arrow. Firing two arrows that actually hit targets at the same time was difficult to all but the best, and he was determined to master the technique. She quickly fell in love with this room. The virtual display was better than reality. The room became such a big hit with everyone that they had to pre-schedule times in advance to use it.
Kolyat also spent a lot of time one on one with Garrus, who was teaching him C-Sec protocol and procedure. Kolyat had commed Bailey who agreed to allow him to enter the Academy on his return and he wanted to know as much as possible beforehand. Garrus seemed to be enjoying the time with his new son…some days he spent more time with the young man than with his wife. Thane was pleased by the time Garrus was spending with his son in more than one way. That it gave him a lot more alone time with his wife was certainly an added bonus. Which he was, of course, quick to take advantage of.
The week it took to get to Palaven was an enjoyable break. Even Joker would invite Kolyat to the bridge, teaching him different things about flying the Normandy. He also spent time down in engineering with Gabby, Ken, and Tali learning about the Normandy's propulsion systems. It was also nice that she was able to spend time with David. Overall David was enjoying his stay, spending time with Miranda and Jacob, of all people, as well as Samara and Zaaed.
Every other day she hit the med-lab with one or both of her husbands to have the membrane flushed and refilled and to have the babies monitored. Special attention was being paid to the development of the turian baby due to the drastic physiological differences between the parents. They assumed some corrective in-utero procedures may be needed. She had told Mordin she wanted it primarily turian genetically if possible. He told her he would give the baby gene therapy as needed during gestation to ensure as many of the human genetic traits as possible remained dormant. That was the best he could do without it having been bio-engineered from the start. This work could be done during the membrane flushes.
During her last med-bay visit she'd invited Kolyat to join them. He was in awe at what she had to go through to keep the babies healthy. It was estimated she was impregnated by both men the day Garrus became her lifemate. Her ovulation had hastened and strengthened the heat. She was 7 weeks along. Arms, legs, eyes and head could be easily seen on the embryos.
They made their way to the mess for lunch. Kolyat was making a lot of friends aboard the Normandy. Today he was talking to Tali excitedly. Shepard couldn't help but smile. A part of her wished he was fully trained so she could keep him aboard the Normandy with them. She would miss him when he went back to C-Sec. Maybe someday he could be a part of her crew.
EDI had informed her that both Wrex and Liara were heading to Palaven. She had to admit she was a bit concerned about Wrex. She had to hope he would behave himself. That he was part of the hero team that took down Seran, went a long way in his favor, but she was pretty sure she'd need to use her Spectre status to keep him out of too much trouble. Hopefully, it would not make things worse between her and Garrus' father.
"ETA to Palaven 67 standard minutes. Sure you're up for this, Commander? I can turn her around if you have cold feet." Joker said over the ship-wide comm.
"Thanks Joker…I feel the love."
"Hey…Just doing my job. Not every day you get to join into a family whose patriarch is sworn to hate all Spectres. Wouldn't want to be in your shoes. Just saying, Commander."
"We'll see who has the last laugh, Joker. You'll be disembarking with us if I have to haul you out kicking and screaming by your beard. You'll be there to see every bit of the fun."
"I can't leave my baby; I'm all she's got."
"Your baby has EDI, who will take the best of care of her," Shepard pointed out.
"Of course I will. You have nothing to worry about, Jeff," EDI assured him.
"You're no fun, Commander," Joker said glumly.
"Hey! She's a lot of fun," Kolyat said in her defense.
Thane and Garrus looked at each other and smiled. More fun than Kolyat would ever know.
"Any more fun and she'd kill us," Garrus said.
"I heard that," Joker snickered.
"I need to get ready," Shepard said and made her goodbyes, her husbands following in her wake. By the time she'd made it to the cabin she was fraught with nerves. She began pacing, nearly jumping out of her skin in panic. She was not usually one to give into panic…but this was big. Real big.
Garrus looked at Thane questioningly. "I've never seen her like this."
"It's the pregnancy," Thane explained. "It will cause emotional upheaval. We will be in for quite the ride."
"I'm right here you know." She paced some more in agitation.
Garrus looked at Thane and smiled. "I think she needs to blow off some steam," he said as he began to pull off his clothes. Thane joined him and together they began to stalk their wife.
They worked together to give her a massive orgasm and she leaned back against Garrus as she cradled them both inside of her, savoring the aftershocks. Thane leaned forward and suckled her breast. She moaned and rubbed the contours of his head. She reached up behind her with her other hand and cradled Garrus' cheek. "Thank you. I guess you were right; I did just need to blow off some steam. I'm still worried…but I no longer have a freak on…at least not a huge freak."
Thane lavished attention to her other breast and she groaned, grinding herself down on them. She pulled his head up, nipped his lower lip and dove her tongue into his mouth. Garrus slid his talons up her rib cage to her breasts. Molding them, he rubbed his thumbs across her nipples and rolled them when they hardened. He trailed one of his hands down her belly, through her tight curls, and danced his blunted talon over her hidden, swollen nub. They all cried out as her pleasure washed over them. Thane grabbed her hips and moved her against them as their tongues dueled. When they felt her body begin to tighten Garrus tapped Thane and shook his head. She groaned as she came close to release and they stopped. When her body relaxed Garrus nodded and they began to work her up again. When she tightened they stopped.
Her eyes popped open. "This is payback, isn't it Garrus?"
Garrus chuckled. "Yes, perhaps. But it is a payback that is biting us in the ass as well since you have kept us connected. Every time we get you close to coming so are we. But I think you need this, vela. Perhaps in the end you will thank us. We just have to be able to last through our own torture," he purred.
The vibrations of his purr traveled through her and she shivered. They worked her close and stopped so many times she was fit to scream, her body shaking uncontrollably. Garrus and Thane were shaking just as hard, if not harder. Their shafts had released her some time ago, but they were so hard and thick inside her she barely noticed. Garrus nodded to him and Thane grabbed her hips raised her and slammed her hard down upon them. Garrus worked her swollen nub as he licked and nibbled her neck and shoulders. Thane moved from suckling her breast to her tongue. He was so swollen, so heavy he gasped and cried out with slightest movement against him…and he was moving her hard and fast. They were all crying out and he knew this was going to be time none of them would ever forget. He felt her body stiffen and he nearly cried out if relief. Waiting for her to come first had become painful.
She screamed as the most powerful orgasm she'd ever had arched through her body. Her internal muscles grabbed the men as tight as any fist could. Their bellows joined her screams as they exploded within her. Their shafts locked tight, but they continued to erupt as wave after wave of the orgasm swept over them. Their heads fell to her shoulders and they bit into her. She cradled them both, encouraging them to take more. When Garrus pulled back she lowered her head and sank her teeth into Thane's shoulder. She and Thane continued to suckle until another until another orgasm shook her.
They tumbled bonelessly onto the bed when they were released. She was too relaxed, too tired to even remotely care what Garrus' father would think of her. Damn their hides…that was the best orgasm she'd ever had. "You were right. That was needed more than I knew. That was the most insane orgasm I've ever had…and if I was any more relaxed I'd be in a puddle."
The men moved close to her and wrapped her in their arms.
Thane had tears on his cheeks and she kissed them away. He ran his fingers through her wet hair and kissed her forehead. "I've never felt anything as intense or beautiful as that. I will treasure the memory forever. Thank you, Siha. Garrus," he acknowledged with a nod.
"I love you, vela. If we ever manage to top that…I think it'd kill me." Garrus was thankful Thane could give her the pretty words that he was no good at.
When they rolled out of bed this time, she was calm, cool and collected again. She hit the bidet to refresh herself and they all squeezed into the shower for a quick wash down. Sex didn't even enter their minds…as they soaped each other up. Okay, more precisely…the men soaped her and she soaped them. And that wasn't exactly true…sex entered their minds, they were just too relaxed to act on it…and perhaps a lack of time played a small part in that decision. A quick dry later and she was storming through her closet.
She poured herself into blue leather pants and snapped up the matching blue with white trim leather vest. It had a plunging neckline and was cut up to reveal her sapphire bejeweled navel. She wore silver and sapphire dangle earrings and a simple silver chain looped through itself with a sapphire dangling like a pendulum over her cleavage. She slung a matching mag-belt low on her hips. She twisted back and forth in front of the mirror trying to see if anything could be improved.
"You look ravishing," Garrus said pulling her into his arms. "I'm glad you chose to wear our clan colors. It will mean a lot to the family." Garrus was wearing a blue dress suit with silver trim under his armor.
Thane wanted to show solidarity too. He wore a blue dress suit with light grey trim. He pulled on one of his lightly armored leather suits, also blue and took his breath mask in hand and an extra one for his son.
Shepard stepped into her own metallic blue-purple armor. She snapped on her Viper, Mattock, and Phalanx. "Stop by the armory and pick up a Predator for our son." Thane nodded, pulled her in for a kiss and told her he'd meet her at the airlock.
"Standing by for docking protocol. Shuttles are ready and awaiting our arrival." Joker alerted them.
"As soon as we are docked, I expect you suited up and at the airlock."
"Yes, Commander."
Shepard could all but see the faces Joker was making at her right now.
"Shepard, Wrex and Liara have arrived and are awaiting docking as well," EDI informed her.
"Thank you EDI."
She turned to Garrus. "Are you ready for this?"
He put a hand to either side of her face. "I want to apologize now for my father. If he's disrespectful to you I will drop him on his ass and we will never return."
"You don't have to do that, Garrus. Your dad does not have to like me. I'm a big girl," she assured him.
"You are my lifemate. My wife. The love of my life. He doesn't have to like you. But does need to be civil and respectful. Anything else is unforgivable," Garrus said, pulling her in for a kiss.
"You worry too much, Garrus. It will all work out," she said, giving him a hug.
"It had better." He paused a moment. "Try to keep in mind; I'm far from the only one that will knock him on his ass if he behaves badly."
"Thane," she nodded.
"Sure, but also: Kolyat, Wrex, Liara, Tali, Ken, Jacob, and probably just about any of the others. I even think Legion would. If an AI could fall in love…well, I'm not all too sure that it isn't in love with you. In any event you are bringing a veritable army of friends that love you. My father better be on his best behavior or he won't know what hit him."
They made their way down to the airlock. She looked around at her friends. "Those of you without full helmets take your happy asses to the armory and trade them out for full helmets. The radiation here is too strong for anything less." She watched half her friends work their way towards the armory. "The rest of you start moving out. We will surely need to go through a security checkpoint before we can board the shuttles. I'm a Spectre, you're with me. Remind them of that if they balk at your side arms. I've already left instructions for your clearance, there shouldn't be a problem. Legion, you have special clearance." She repeated her instructions for the rest of her friends as they returned from the armory.
She smiled at Kolyat when she saw that he elected to stay behind. Kolyat froze and just stared at her. She walked up to him, slipped her arm through his, nodded for her husbands to move ahead and followed them off the ship.
A trio of turians stepped up to greet her as she stepped out of the airlock. They introduced themselves and offered their hands as per human custom. This shocked and intrigued her. If this had been an old earth movie, she was sure they would have rolled out the red carpet. They told her that she was a VIP, a dignitary and ambassador for the human race, a Spectre for the Council; she was to be awarded top preferential treatment. Including a ride on the palatial shuttle to the Vakarian manor house. Perhaps it was just a way to keep an eye on her, but she appreciated the gesture anyway.
Thane was also greeted with a 'Sere Krios' and a hand shake. He was the dignitary and ambassador of the drell while he was here.
She heard Wrex's booming voice and looked over to see him and Liara heading their way. Several turians following in his wake trying to get him to stop and submit to scanning. It was hilarious but also dangerous. She headed Wrex off.
"Shepard! My good friend! I thought you were dead. Seems even the void can't hold you!" He pumped her hand enthusiastically, nearly ripping her arm from its socket, while the turians finished their scans.
Garrus stepped up to draw Wrex's attention from his abused wife. "Wrex! Good to see you again."
"Garrus! You scamp…you finally did it. I wondered when you'd get your quad together and-"
"Wrex, I'd like you to meet Thane Krios, Shepard's other lifemate and our son Kolyat." Garrus broke in.
Wrex pushed Garrus aside eyeballed the small drell, taking the measure of his stoic and cool demeanor. Wrex could feel a confidence and power emanating from the drell. Then his name hit him. Krios. Damn if he didn't know that name. Wrex whipped his hand out and pumped Thane's enthusiastically. "Thane Krios…you have made quite the name for yourself. I should make you an honorary krogan!" He said slapping him on the back. Thane, being quick and graceful, didn't stumble or blink an eye. He shook Kolyat's hand briefly then bellowed, "Shepard! You did good. You got the pup, but you also got Krios."
"Hey, now wait a minute!" Garrus complained.
"Just like old time, eh Wrex?" Shepard cut in. He was always giving Garrus a hard time, trying to push his buttons.
Wrex barked out a laugh. "Don't you know it. Now point out the turians I can eat. Or don't. That could be more fun."
Shepard shook her head. "Not a one Wrex. I told them you'd be on your best behavior…"
"Why'd you go and say a thing like that?" Wrex grumbled.
"That's the only reason they allowed me to invite you. While you are here you are a dignitary and ambassador of your people. As such you will be given the respect of that rank. And they are holding me personally responsible for you."
"Can't believe I'm standing on the homeworld of one of the most hated enemies of my people and I can't kill anyone. You sure know how to kick a man in the quad, Shepard," Wrex growled.
Shepard gave him a dazzling smile. "Thank you, Wrex," she said pulling him in for a hug. "I've missed you like mad," she admitted giving his jutting lower lip a kiss. He swung her around like old times and congratulated the three of them on their new family.
Kolyat was in awe of the krogan. Though he tried not to show it. He was huge and aggressive and one of the three that brought down Seran. But he melted just like everyone else when Shepard smiled at him.
She turned to Liara and gave her a big hug and peck on the lips. She promised they would get together as soon as possible. Shepard asked Liara and Samara who wanted to be the ambassador for the asari during their stay. Since neither wanted the title the role fell to Samara, as a matriarch and justicar she was already a representative of her people.
Tali was the ambassador for the quarians, Mordin the ambassador for the salarians and Legion was the ambassador for the geth.
Shepard took Garrus' arm and followed the turians into the shuttle. Thane, Kolyat, Mordin, Wrex, Legion, Samara and Tali followed.
The shuttle was massive and beautiful but very utilitarian. It rode like a dream. Joker was missing out. As they left the hangar bay Garrus began pointing out buildings and locations to them. The buildings had a metallic sheen that sparkled in the late afternoon sun. It looked like a city of silver...or mirrors. It was breathtaking. She could make out the fortification walls that surrounded the port city and the soldiers that looked like ants patrolling them. Garrus pointed out the waterways that wound their way through the cities. She could see little people like water bugs wading in the steaming water. It must have felt like a hot bath. The higher elevations had cooler rivers, but the radiation would prevent outsiders from enjoying it. Their shuttle followed one of the waterways into another city. Garrus was excitedly pointing out museums, a zoo, his favorite restaurants and various other places he'd like to take them to if they found the time. The Vakarian manor house sat on a slight rise overlooking much of the city below. It wasn't huge, but after living so long in the confines of a spaceship it looked massive. He explained how the house had been in his family for generations, always passing down to the eldest son. He didn't have to tell her that it would have been his home.
"I'm sorry, Garrus. It seems I've complicated your life far more than I knew," she said sadly.
Garrus turned to her in surprise. "What? Why the hell would you say such a thing? You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, wife."
"The house…it was to have gone to you. I wouldn't survive well here and Thane and our children probably couldn't survive at all. If you stay with me you would lose that. I'm sorry."
"If I stay…Spirits, vela! I would never walk away from you. And I'm not sorry in the slightest. I don't want to be here. If I'd wanted to be here I'd have stayed in the turian military. But I chose to leave as soon as I could. I told you, I'm not a very good turian. Palaven is where I grew up. I will always have memories of it. But it is not my home. My home is with you and where ever we end up. I have uncles and cousins who would gladly take the house. Don't ever think I had to give anything up to be with you. There is nothing I want but you." Garrus sucked in his breath at her smile and then pulled her in for a searing kiss.
The other turians grunted and turned away. Public displays of affection were just not done. And what they were doing with their mouths? Could nobody leave Palaven and come back sane?
Kolyat saw sadness in his father's eyes, so he pulled his attention away from the couple and began pointing sights to him out the window.
Their shuttle may have been the last to take off, but as dignitaries they were the first to land. "This is it," she told them. "Helmets on. Check your seals." She and Garrus were the first off the shuttle, which felt really wrong to her. She was always the last. His parents, sister, staff and guards were waiting for them.
Despite the excitement in his mom's and sister's eyes, introductions were made, handshakes and nods given. Everything cool and regimental. When the last of the dignitaries were greeted, his family bade them follow and returned to their home. Mrs. Vakarian moved in an odd, stiff gate, her husband's arm around her. The staff and guards would greet the rest of the guests and show them to their quarters.
Once inside, Solana showed the rest of the dignitaries to their quarters, his parents led Kolyat to Garrus' room. Garrus pointed out his terminal and other items Kolyat could use during his stay. Mrs Vakarian told him a member of the staff would come get him shortly for dinner. She then led her son to the master bedroom and bid them to enter.
Shepard sent a shocked look to Garrus who squeezed her hand reassuringly and nodded. She thanked his parents. Mrs. Vakarian nodded and told them she or Solana would come and get them when dinner was ready.
When the door closed behind his parents Shepard said, "I hadn't expected this to be a turian custom as well. I feel kind of guilty stealing their bedroom." She admitted. "Hope your father doesn't add that to his list of reasons to hate me."
"I imagine he will be surprised to learn humans share some turian customs. Of course, I never thought I'd be sleeping in my parents' room. You are a high ranking official. You will be treated as such…provided my father minds himself. You will probably also be treated to the best seat at the table and the choicest cuts of meat."
"Well, considering those things usually go to your father, that makes everything so much better. Where can I put my armor?" she asked looking around the pristine and utilitarian room. He walked over to a wall and slapped a button. A closet door slid open, it was empty. "Oh stars…I stole their closet too?"
Garrus chuckled. "No, this one is always left empty…never know when an important guest will stop by."
All three of them removed their armor. She opened up her arms and they walked into them. After a moment she asked, "It looked like your mom and sister wanted to talk to me…but they didn't."
"Yeah…since it's so close to dinner, they will get to know you afterwards. Look, I'll be right back…I want to have a quick word with my parents." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and headed for the door.
"Garrus…"
"Yes?"
"I know turians are more…"
"They have a stick up their ass?"
"Well…I wasn't going to say that…but do you want me to stop showing you affection unless we are alone? I don't want to make you embarrassed or your parents uncomfortable."
Garrus' mouth fell open and his mandibles dropped. Quick strides took him back to his wife. He tilted her chin up and peered down into her eyes. "Do not ever stop showing me affection…I don't care who is watching. Same with Thane. If they don't want to see it, they don't have to look. But I am damn sure going to kiss you whenever the hell I want to. We are in love. You're our lifemate. If they don't like it they can go to hell."
"I'll try not to show you too much affection in public, Garrus. They might not understand," Thane said drolly.
"Ooh…I have a comedic rival. I'm all a tingle," Garrus said with an exaggerated shiver.
She gave him a loud smack on the lips, spun him around and gave him a smack on the ass…"Get out of here you goof…see you soon."
When he slipped out the door, she spun around, grabbed Thane and started spinning him around the room with some dance moves she had been working on with Kelly. Thane chuckled and let her lead for a bit, as he was unfamiliar with the dance. Then, he assumed control and led her in a common dance on Kahje. Eventually, they slowed and their bodies swayed to music only they could hear.
"My body cannot even hold the amount of love I have for you, Thane."
"I live for these moments. Just the two of us. I can close my eyes and pretend that it is like it was before with us. Just us...only us."
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Don't be…It was never your fault. I may not like that I have to share you, but I like Garrus. I mean, it could have been so much worse. Your second lifemate could have been Wrex."
She smacked his chest in horror. "I love him, but that's a horrible thought," she shivered. "I think I just threw up in my mouth…wanna kiss me?" she asked with a laugh.
"Always," he said, his mouth slanting over hers, his tongue mating with hers in a slow, sensual dance. "See the power you hold over me?" he asked taking her hand and placing it over his racing heart. "All I have to do is look at you or think about you and I am lost. Tu-fira, siha. You are a part of me, wife. You are in every breath I take… my heart, my soul, every pore and cell in my body and still I cannot get enough of you," he said, running his tongue along the shell of her ear. She shivered and clung to him.
The chime of a comm interrupted them. 'It is me, Solana, can I come in?"
They groaned and then sighed.
"Of course you can," Shepard said.
Thane spun her around and kept her firmly in front of him, hiding his very evident arousal, as Solana entered the room.
Solana came forward with her hand out and an eager smile. Shepard smiled back. This was one Vakarian she would have no problem liking. Solana stopped, hand out and just stared. Thane chuckled. "You'll get used to it, Solana. Well…maybe not, I'm still trying to."
"What are you talking about, Thane?" Shepard asked as she stepped forward and shook Solana's outstretched hand. The moment she made contact she froze. A strange feeling washed through her. An odd pull. This girl was special in some way…She needed to know why. "Solana, I feel a connection with you. I think we are going to be great friends. You are going to be a large part of my future. I can feel it. I just don't know how yet."
Thane was starting to get worried.
Solana was enthralled. This powerful warrior woman…this legend wanted to be friends with her. Said they were connected. It was beyond anything she could have imagined happening. She'd come because she had to meet her. She couldn't wait until after dinner. The way she talked, the way she moved…it was so vivid…so sensual…so addictive. Yes, that was the word. Shepard was addictive.
"I'm going to ask you something that is going to sound strange. If you could see your future, would you want to?"
Thane groaned. Why did his wife feel the need to help everyone? This was their host's daughter… Garrus' sister. What good could come of it? "Siha…wife…do you think this is wise?"
Yes, that was strange and the gorgeous drell's words made her even more curious. "Absolutely. Who wouldn't?"
"I can attempt to tell you the future…if you will let me see your memory pictures."
"I'm not even sure what that means. If I had any I would let you see them."
"You have them…they are in your head. I am…different. I can do some pretty…unique things. I can retrieve those memory pictures…but I need for you to trust me. I know you don't know me and that is asking a lot. But I'm hoping the fact that your brother trusts me will help you to trust me."
"I don't know why, but I do trust you and it has nothing to do with my brother."
"Siha, please think about this. She is our host's daughter. What if you see something that will lead her down a path they do not want her to travel?"
"I know Thane, and that concerns me. But I feel the need inside of me to do this. I think I have to. I do not think there is a choice. There is more at stake here than we know."
To say Solana was intrigued would be stating things mildly. This was a mystery she had to unravel. "I want you to see the memory pictures. How does it happen?"
Shepard gave her a soft smile. "That will be the awkward part. I need to absorb your DNA to access them. The easiest way for me to do that is to kiss you."
"I do not know what a kiss is," she said in confusion. "But I will do it if it helps you."
"Oh dear. Okay. Watch." She spun around, put her mouth to her husband. He refused her entry. She ran her tongue along his upper lip. She nibbled his lower lip. She could feel his heart racing, but he still refused her entry. She moved to hide her hand from Solana, ran her fingers along the hard length of him and squeezed. He sucked in his breath and she slipped her tongue in his mouth.
Thane might not approve of what she was doing, but he could take no more. He wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss. When he pulled back, he whispered into her ear, "You don't play fair, wife."
"Perhaps not…but they were rules you established already." She remembered all too well their morning breath kiss.
When she turned, she saw the stunned look on Solana's face.
Shepard smiled at her warmly. "That is, essentially, a kiss, but it won't be that intense. You should ask Garrus what he thinks about them. You can get back with me later if you decide you want me to retrieve your memory pictures."
"No. I mean…it's okay. I don't want to wait. I'm too curious." Oddly enough she was as curious about the kiss as she was about the memory pictures…but that she had every intension of keeping to herself.
Shepard approached her slowly, giving her time to accept or reject what was about to happen. Thane turned his back. He didn't want to have the memory of her kissing someone else, but he would be there the instant she needed him.
Shepard placed one hand on the young woman's neck and sent soothing, calming thoughts to her. When she saw her start to relax, she placed her other and at the back of her head and gently placed her lips on the turian's mouth. She ran her tongue along Solana's upper pliable lip. When Solana gasped she slipped her tongue into her mouth and gently ran her tongue along the side of Solana's. She continued to send soothing thoughts through her touch.
Solana relaxed further and wrapped her arms around Shepard, like it was the most natural thing in the world to do. She had never felt anything so strange, yet so exciting and compelling. She was surprised and confused about the desire she was feeling. She wasn't in to girls…at least she never thought she was. And that this was her brother's wife that she desired was all kinds of awkward. But she was powerless against the kiss, powerless not to respond to it. Her body swayed, her tongue danced and she was lost. She felt an odd sensation building and then she cried out as a strong wave of pleasure tore through her body. She didn't know how that could have happened, and she was mortified.
Shepard sent calming thoughts to the girl and didn't release her until she was relaxed again.
"Please think nothing of it. You are young and full of life. What you experienced was natural and nothing to be ashamed of…Please trust me in this."
Solara nodded shyly. She did trust Shepard. There was something about Shepard that just drew her in. Made her feel everything was going to be okay.
Thane cringed when he heard the girl climax. A part of him wondered if his son went through the same thing…but he knew that was a question he never wanted an answer to.
Solana's eyes opened wide when she saw the drell slip off his shirt. Hot damn, he was gorgeous. She hadn't realized she would like an alien's body. She was 22 and a solider, but had lived a sheltered life under her father's rule.
Garrus stepped through the door and stopped dead in his tracks. His sister was wide eyed and staring at a half naked Thane. "Thane…would you mind telling me what is going on?"
"Our wife has done it again," he said simply.
Shepard grabbed her head and crumpled. Thane and Garrus caught her before she hit the ground. Thane sat down and dragged Shepard into his arms.
Garrus unsnapped Shepard's blue leather vest and helped Thane remove it. Her breasts sprang free, Garrus groaned and grew hard. He settled her against Thane and she began to glow gold and blue.
Solana gasped as much at the sight of human breasts as the strange golden glow. Shepard was stunningly beautiful, yet so alien. And that glow… "I've never seen a human biotic, do they all glow so golden?"
"No, Shepard is the only one I've ever seen do that. She used to have a blue glow like everyone else, but something changed."
He looked from his sister to his wife. "Tell me she didn't, Thane."
Thane shook his head. "She did."
"Damn."
"My thoughts exactly," Thane admitted.
"You couldn't stop her?" Garrus shook his head. "Spirits! Scratch that, I don't know what I was thinking when I asked that. Shepard is a force of nature."
Shepard grabbed Thane's arms and the glow deepened.
"What is she doing, Garrus?" Solana asked.
"If I tell you it goes no further…do you understand, Solana? Not to mom…definitely not to dad…not to anyone."
"I would never betray Shepard's trust, Garrus. She means a lot to me," Solana admitted.
Garrus rolled his eyes, "Another one?" he asked Thane. Thane nodded.
"Shepard apparently wanted to help you. That's what she does. The price of that type of help is intensely painful to her."
"She never told me it would hurt her," Solana admitted.
"No...she wouldn't. Right now she is siphoning energy from Thane to heal herself and help take the pain away. She heals fastest with skin on skin contact. Because of my carapace," he said tapping it, "it would take longer for her to heal. If Thane wasn't here to help her, I suppose I'd have to take my pants off to give her the skin she needs…and well, that would be a little awkward in front of you, sister."
"You're telling me," Solana said. "It is so amazing that she can do that. Does it hurt?"
"No, it can feel rather good. Go ahead, touch her arm."
Solana squatted down next to Shepard and laid her talons against her arm. Shepard flared and she felt a small pull. As the pull grew in strength, a pleasure started to buzz through her. She pulled back because she was afraid she might embarrass herself in front of her brother. That had felt too damn good. "That's amazing…She's amazing."
Shepard's glow faded and her eyes opened. Garrus helped her on with her vest and gave her a hand up. He then gave Thane a hand up. Thane turned around and drew on his shirt.
"I knew it! I knew it had to be something big." She pulled Garrus down and whispered something to him. He looked confused, but nodded and left the room.
"I need you to wait a moment and then I'll explain what I saw in your memory pictures." She beamed a smile at Solana who gasped and nearly passed out before she realized she was holding her breath.
"Do you ever get used to that?" she asked Thane.
Thane shook his head. Shepard just looked confused.
The door slid open and Garrus returned with Kolyat at his side. Kolyat looked from his dad to Shepard to Solana, back to Shepard. He froze. His eyes darted back to Solana. Shepard walked over to Kolyat and smiled. Kolyat sucked in his breath and forced himself to breathe. Shepard took his hand and led him over to Solana. She took Solana's hand and placed it in Kolyat's. "I wanted to introduce you two. Kolyat, this is Solana Vakarian. Solana, this is Kolyat Krios…your lifemate."
A stunned silence hit the room, and then Garrus started laughing his ass off. "Spirits, this is so damned funny! Dad's going to shit and try to kill us all." Then he started laughing even harder. "You realize he had a husband all picked out for you already…the son of a friend of his. He hadn't told you yet. He thought you might try to run if you knew. Now you're going to marry a drell…my son, no less… and leave Palaven…it's positively rich…I can't wait to see his face."
"Perhaps we should wait to tell your dad…maybe until after the wedding," Shepard suggested.
Thane sighed. "I don't think that's an option anymore. They won't be able to hide their feelings or the heat," Thane said pointing to the pair in question, who were in the middle of a very deep, very thorough kiss.
"I'm guessing we will be having two weddings now." She paused a moment. "You know I can't really be blamed for this. They would probably have found out tonight anyway. The pull is undeniable…well, except to you Garrus…I seem to recall you did a damn good job denying it."
"Not fair, Shepard. You were my Commander. I spent too many years in the turian military," Garrus reminded her.
"I was captain of the ship, Garrus. But you were not an Alliance soldier. I was never your Commander," Shepard pointed out.
"Damn. Wish I'd have thought of that sooner."
"I think things turned out for the best," Thane interjected.
"You would think that, you took her-"
"Garrus!" Shepard interrupted. "I think we need to break the party up before they give us a show they will be embarrassed about later," Shepard said, nodding towards the young couple. Kolyat's jacket was unsnapped and Solana was busy exploring his chest while they kissed.
Thane walked over to the pair and depressed the nerve bundle in each of their necks. They separated without fuss. "Garrus, please collect your sister. I will deal with our son."
Garrus grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her from the room. Her eyes didn't leave Kolyat until the door closed.
"I need to go to her dad."
"I know son. I know exactly what you're feeling and what you're going through. If we were anywhere else, I wouldn't care. But our host is her father. He must be told before you bond. Anything else is unconscionably rude. "
Shepard commed Garrus. "Garrus, do you think it would be too rude to speak to your parents now? I'm not so sure waiting until after dinner is a good idea. Not sure they are going to make it through dinner."
"Spirits. You're right. I'll find out where they are and then I'll come get you."
A few minutes later, he strode through the door, his sister held tight in his grip. "Let's get this done." Then his unbandaged mandible flared. He couldn't wait to see his father's reaction.
Shepard walked up to Garrus and tore his bandage off. His talons went to his cheek. "I've been meaning to do that for some time. Your face isn't going to fall apart or slide off. You're healed, Garrus. You have been for awhile. One of the benefits to drinking my blood. The scars too will fade in time…unless you let me take them away." He glared at her and she held up her hands.
Kolyat looked at Shepard. He still loved her. He knew he always would. She was his first love; she gave him his first kiss and inadvertently his first real orgasm… not manually induced. But he no longer felt the desire to bury himself between her legs... well, maybe that wasn't exactly true…But there were other legs that held his attention now. Legs that he wanted wrapped around him for the rest of his life.
Garrus towed his sister, Thane walked in the middle and Shepard laced her arm through Kolyat's and took up the rear.
"I'm so happy for you, Kolyat," she said flashing him big smile.
Kolyat swallowed hard. Not even having a lifemate spared him from the effects of Shepard's smile. But it made a weird kind of sense since even his fathers weren't spared. His second father was now his brother…did that make his father his brother too? Did it make Shepard a sister? Hell no, if he could never think of her as a mother, he sure couldn't see her as a sister. He'd dreamed of her, masturbated to her picture…to her memories, he'd kissed her, had an orgasm against her, fell in love with her. Mother or sister? Not ever happening.
He shook his head. He was a little nervous about the meeting to come…but nothing was going to keep him from his lifemate. He had to be near her…had to protect her…the need to claim her was clawing at him…he was hard, aching and his ability to think straight long gone.
Solana tugged at her arm. What right did her brother have to keep her away from her lifemate? He had his. He knew what she was going through. Did he really have to drag her in front of mom and dad like some naughty child?
When they reached the sitting room, Shepard closed her eyes and forced her sight. She needed to get a read on the situation. His dad's aura was blue with strokes of orange and red. Practical, calm, but aggressive. His mom was…she stopped cold…dying. Her head was completely black and the black was bleeding down into her lavender aura. She quickly released the sight. Garrus pulled up in front of his dad and drew his sister protectively behind his back, while still keeping a firm hold on her. She and Thane stepped protectively in front of Kolyat.
"What the hell is all of this about, son?" his father demanded. "You know protocol and this is not it."
"This is too important for protocol, dad."
"Nothing is too important for protocol. And why is your sister behind your back?" he asked coldly.
"I'm protecting her from you."
"That's ridiculous," his father said losing patience.
"Rip the band-aid," Garrus said under his breath.
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It means, get it over with quick rather than drawing it out. I know you had future plans for Solana, but you need to cancel them. Solana has found her lifemate."
The silence that greeted him was deafening.
"Just because you have found your lifemate, doesn't mean your sister has."
"It is because I have found my lifemate that she has found hers."
"Who is he?" his mother asked. She caught sight of Kolyat and then began fanning herself. "Oh dear. Not again."
"I suggest you get someone here to marry them right away if you want anything official. I don't think a damn thing will keep them from bonding tonight…we will be lucky to get through dinner without a scene."
Garrus' father stood up. "I think you have gone far enough-" His mouth dropped open when he saw the drell being held back by his parents. "You've got to be kidding me. A drell, Solana? This can't be happening. First Garrus, now you. What the hell is wrong with this family?"
"You!" he said pointing at Shepard. "You have brought this all down upon us. You have ruined this family!"
Kolyat's brain snapped back into his head. "Do not talk to her that way, sir." Kolyat pulled Shepard behind him and stood tall facing off with his new father to be. Thane, Garrus and Solana also moved in front of Shepard.
"I think we've heard enough from you, Father," Solana said.
"You will apologize to our wife, dad."
"'Our' wife, do you hear yourself, son? She-"
"Now," Thane said coldly.
A chill went down the older man's spine. He'd read up on Thane Krios. Garrus had been right, he was the type of man he would have liked Garrus to be. Krios would have made a fine turian. He had a healthy dose of respect for the man.
Shepard moved them all aside and made her way up to her new father. "You obviously don't think much of me, but that is why I came. I intend to change that. No one has control over who the fates have chosen for them; nothing is more precious or more treasured than a lifemate. " She gave him a big smile, took his hand and stripped the glove from it. She placed his talons over her bare belly and rested her hand upon his. She sent soothing and calming thoughts to him through her touch. "But this is pretty damned close. This is our future. Your grandchildren are resting below your palm. Things may not have worked out the way you'd hoped for your son or for your daughter, but aren't these grandchildren worth getting to know? Can you not accept them into your heart and love them as only a grandparent could?"
Shepard needed him to feel them as she did. She needed him to be invested, connected. She pushed out and merged their auras. After the slight disorientation she felt his anger and bitterness, but she also felt his sadness, his loss of control, his love for his family…a love he rarely allowed himself to show.
"Touch me. Touch my skin," she told everyone in the room. Kolyat was the closest to Garrus' mom, so he helped her up and led her over to Shepard. He placed her talons next to her husband. When she felt all of their hands she began to glow gold and blue as she forced the merge of all of their auras. The massive amounts of emotion nearly took her to the ground. She locked her knees until she could pull them into some semblance of order; she made another push and merged with her babies. They didn't have feelings yet, but they had presence. A strong presence. She glowed brighter still as she lay everything bare for everyone. The love and desire she, Thane and Garrus shared, the overwhelming need of two newly discovered lifemates, the quiet fortitude of a woman forced into her husband's shadow, the love of a father who couldn't show it, the presence and life-force of two precious new souls awakening to the feelings surrounding them. Finally, she shared herself, she let go of the love and strength and conviction that she held for everything. She raised her head and closed her eyes. Her arms held low and away from her. She sparkled so bright she was nearly blinding, her feet no longer touched the floor… the power she was unleashing so intense everyone touching her began to rise with her. Then her head fell forward her glow faded and she collapse slowly, all but floating to the floor.
Kolyat and Solana came to their senses faster, the heat in their blood burning out the emotional daze. Kolyat reached out and pulled Shepard into his arms as she fell. He cradled her to him, tears falling down his cheeks. She had shared something more intimate, more powerful, more sensual, then anything he'd ever experienced. Solana came to his side and brushed the hair back from Shepard's face. She brought her forehead to Shepard's in love. Shepard glowed faintly and began to draw from them. As she siphoned her glow intensified and so did the pleasure it gave. Kolyat grew hard again. Not because he wanted Shepard and not because of the need to bind…it was just a reflex of the siphoning and the pleasure derived from it… Just as Solana could not help that her tiny muscles began to clench. Shepard's glow faded. She held these two amazing people close to her heart and sent soothing thoughts and love to them through her touch. With their minds momentarily cleared… their hearts pure, they loved her back.
Kolyat lowered Shepard to her feet and released her. He and Solana watched her walk into her husbands' arms. They put their arms around each other and just held each other quietly. Solana noticed her parents were doing the same. The emotions had just been too intense to not hold someone you care about.
After a few minutes Mr. Vakarian stood up, he flipped on his omni-tool, talked privately for a moment, then disconnected. He walked over to the young couple. He held his hand out to Kolyat and Kolyat shook it reverently. The young drell had shown backbone in standing up to him in Shepard's defense. He knew he would protect his daughter…a lifemate… even more aggressively. "You will be married after dinner. I will have a special license brought to the manor. After that the evening is yours. Welcome to the family, son."
Vakarian turned to face his son and the rest of his new family. He caught Shepard's blinding smile and it nearly took him to his knees. He wondered briefly if anyone could survive this woman. He wasn't sure just what he felt as he made his way over to the trio. She had given him so much…shown him so much that he was humbled and in awe. Normally, neither of those would sit very well with him. But he wasn't feeling very normal right now. His step and heart were lighter than they'd ever been and he wondered if she hadn't changed him on some fundamental level.
He stopped in front of the human and peered down at her. Both men stood taller, ready to defend her. He looked them both in the eyes and shook his head. Then he looked back down at the small human. "I was wrong about you. I was wrong about a lot of things." Vakarian ignored his son's shocked expression. "I think you are just what my son needs." He looked at Thane and nodded an acknowledgment. "I think you both are. He is a good man with great potential and I think you are both the key to his mastering it. I look forward to hearing about what you accomplish together." He placed his talons on her belly. "I look forward to seeing my grandchildren." A look of wonder filled his craggy features. "I felt them. I felt their strength. It was…hmmm…amazing." He dropped his hand and cleared his throat.
He returned to his wife's side and helped her up. "Let's adjourn to the dining hall." Apparently dinner had been delayed so long because there were four dinners served. The lower ranks ate first soldiers, staff, and then her friends. Then the ambassadors ate…finally it was their turn…the family.
There was a literal feast of drell, human and turian delicacies. Being the curious sort and a bottomless pit, Shepard ate some of each. The turians were at first concerned when they noticed her eating their food. Garrus assured them turian food would not affect her and they sat in awe as they watched her eat and eat. They couldn't quite fathom where she put it all. They knew biotics ate more in general…and she was pregnant, but it was still a sight to see. Shepard was rather impressed with the turian and drell cuisine and knew she'd have to pick up supplies and add more items to their shipboard menus. She also made a note to pick up some quarian food for Tali so she didn't have to triple filter everything she ate. And while she was at it she'd grab some asari and salarian food. This mission was dangerous and the least she could do was give them a few amazing meals. The cook won't know what hit him.
When dinner was finished they adjourned to a sitting room with the other ambassadors. Cards, vids, booze and conversations flowed. She smiled at Wrex and kissed his jutting lip in thanks for his good behavior. The turians were stunned both that she would do that and that he would allow it. But they came to understand with Shepard anything can and should be expected. And they were surprisingly more okay with it than they thought they would be. Garrus and his father were showing Thane and Kolyat a turian game similar in nature to earth billiards. This gave Shepard the opportunity to sit down next to Mrs. Vakarian. "Mrs. Vakarian, will you trust me? I'd like to help you."
Juslie patted her hand. "Call me Julsie or better yet, call me mom. You're my daughter. Of course I trust you …though I'm not sure how you could help me."
Shepard gave her a soft smile. "Will you trust me enough to let me hold you? I know most turians don't show a whole lot of affection in public, but I can ease your headache if you let me hold you."
"We females tend to be a bit more expressive than the men." Julsie said patting her hand. "I wasn't aware you could tell I have a headache. I thought I was doing well hiding it."
"You are. I…um…see things a little better than most people. I doubt anyone else is aware," Shepard assured her. "Please let me do this for you…mom."
The older woman smiled and nodded, Shepard lifted her arm and the older woman lay against her. Shepard wrapped her arm around her shoulders and placed a hand on her head. She placed her other hand next to the first and cradled the woman to her bosom. She pushed out and merged their auras. She pictured what she wanted to happen. She no longer had to wish it or think about it, she just had to picture it. Ugly, black death spots began to crawl up her aura, they made their way up her arm and disappeared out of sight. She knew exactly where they were going. She sent relaxing thoughts through her touch.
Julsie felt the soothing heat of the hands upon her head. The human, her daughter, was soft and comfortable to lay against. She was so happy that her son found this wonderful, loving, giving woman. Originally, she had been appalled about the two lifemates, she also knew it had to be hard on the men, but seeing them together, she knew…as her husband had said…that they were just what her son needed. She liked Shepard on sight. Felt drawn to her. When she had brought them all together and laid everything bare, she opened her heart to the woman. Shepard had walked into their lives and done more for their family than anyone had ever done. Sure, she was going to lose her daughter to a lifemate, but she had gained so much more.
Thane smiled and pointed out the pair to Garrus. His smile fell when he saw the dawning look of horror on Garrus' face.
Shepard felt the eyes of her husbands upon her. She glanced up and saw Garrus heading their way. She smiled and put up a gold and blue barrier bubble around them. Garrus stopped cold, his hands against the bubble. "Don't do this, vela. Think of the babies," he pleaded.
She gave him another soft smile. "I am thinking of the babies, husband." She poured stronger relaxing thoughts into her mother, who essentially fell asleep against her side. She did not want her new mother aware of the growing tension.
Everyone joined them at the bubble curious as to what was going on.
"Garrus why are our wives embraced on the divan?" he asked and touched a talon to the golden, shimmering barrier. "And why is there a barrier up?"
Garrus turned to Thane. "She's at it again. My mother…she is sick. She has Corpalis Syndrome…it's a degenerative neurological disease. There is no cure for it."
Thane's eyes shot to his wife. She had healed him and it had killed her. "Siha, why?"
"I cannot leave her to suffer. And I cannot leave him alone." She looked down at her new mother and scanned her aura. Lavender laced with white. She watched the last of the black leech into her aura and travel up her arms.
"What is happening, Garrus?" his father asked concerned.
"Shepard is healing mom," he admitted in defeat.
"That's not possible. There is no cure," his father stated resolutely.
"She's not curing her. She's absorbing the illness from mom's body and giving it to herself. Shepard has Corpalis Syndrome now," Garrus said in a strangled voice.
Shepard lay the older woman back on the sofa and stood, her legs wobbly. She took a shaky step and fell to her knees. She smiled at her husbands and used the table and sofa to leverage herself back onto her feet. She shuffled painfully over to the edge of the bubble and stood before her husbands. She placed her hands against theirs, only the bubble separating them. "Alert Chakwas and Mordin."
Tears fell from her husbands' eyes. They didn't care who saw them. "You didn't have to do this, vela. You shouldn't have risked yourself…the babies."
"I didn't risk the babies. They are fine," she tried to assure them.
"What happens to them when you die?" Thane asked her.
"Nothing. The doctors won't let it go that far. They are strong. I feel them. They agreed with my choice," she said as her body wavered. She poured more energy into the illness. Her body lurched. "Do not watch me husbands. Thane…look away. This is not a memory you need to have."
Thane shook his head. "You should have thought of that before you …you- Siha, I love you," he said trying to grip her hand through the bubble.
She stumbled and fell to the ground, her hands sliding down the bubble. The men slid down with her to keep contact.
"You ever do this again and I'm going to take the stick out of my ass and beat you with it," Garrus said as fresh tears trailed down his plates.
She chuckled weakly, "Promises…promises..."
Her body spasmed and convulsed. She fell away from the bubble and hit her head against the table as her body heaved and bucked.
The men beat and tore at the bubble as their hearts broke to watch her suffer and die. Kolyat dropped to his knees beside his father, clawed at the barrier and watched in horror as Shepard's body arched and twisted upon itself.
"She'll be fine," Thane said in a choked voice. "It's just hard to see."
"How can anybody be fine after this, dad?"
"She's Shepard…she has to be," Garrus said quietly.
Solana wrapped her arms around Kolyat and held him as his hands gripped the barrier.
Shepard's body arched up, bowed tight and relaxed. The barrier bubble winked out. Thane shot to her side, moved her away from the table and started depressing her chest. Tears coursed down his cheeks, landed upon hers and rolled towards the floor. He gave her his breath and resumed the compressions. Within a few standard minutes Chakwas and Mordin burst through the door. Mordin scanned the babies as Chackwas shot adrenaline straight into Shepard's heart. Chakwas lined up the laser points on her chest. "Clear!"
Julsie was groggily waking up and her husband went to her side.
Shepard gasped and choked. Chakwas sat back in relief. She hadn't wanted to shock Shepard's heart, not again so soon. She had been worried about the babies.
"Babies fine. Strong signs. Death not good, Shepard. Stop dying. Stressful to body," Mordin admonished her.
Mordin and Chakwas moved their attention to the Julsie. They gave her every scan they could think of and a few that didn't cross their minds…as necessary, that is. They told him they needed to do some blood work, but as far as the scans showed Juslie was free of disease. Torlin Vakarian thanked them and assured them he would get her to their doctor for the blood work.
Mordin and Chakwas looked at each other and shook their heads. "This event must never be known. Not by anyone. Tell your doctors that you are taking her to another clinic for experimental treatment. As time goes on you can tell whomever you like that she is responding well and in remission. Until then, continue to support her when she walks in public. The price Shepard would pay for her love and generosity is too high," Chakwas informed him.
"Of course," Torlin said, nodding his understanding. He held his wife and looked over in concern at the woman who gave so much to his family…to him. He owed her a great debt he could never repay.
Mordin held up a syringe seeking permission to withdraw some samples. Julsie nodded her consent. He smiled and bobbed his head in time to the patter songs playing in his head. When he had the samples he needed, he thanked them and left, deep in conversation with Chakwas. They didn't have the Normandy's labs, but they never went anywhere without their kits…and they did have EDI.
"What happened, Torlin?" Julsie asked. "Last thing I remember is Shepard was taking my headache away."
Torlin smiled down at his wife…his now healthy wife. "Shepard did take your headache away, Jewels. She took your disease away too. She is fine now, but she died for us, Jewels… I can never repay the debt I owe her." He said
Julsie's eyes opened wide and her mandibles dropped. "How is that possible, Torlin? She doesn't look dead. And diseases don't just disappear…you can't just take one away like it's a suitcase."
Torlin shrugged. "It's Shepard. She's a Spectre, she can break any rule she wants."
"So she saved me?" Julsie asked in awe.
"That's what she does," Garrus, Thane, and Kolyat said together.
Thane pulled off his shirt; Garrus held it in front of Shepard as they awkwardly removed her vest. Thane curled her up against his chest, his shirt and arm covering her breasts. Garrus, Kolyat, and Solana laid hands on her, her golden glow brightened as she siphoned from them.
As her glow dimmed, her eyelashes fluttered open. Thane spun her around and crushed her to his chest. Garrus wrapped his arms around both of them and they held each other, trying to come to grips with watching her die.
Kolyat smiled, backed away and put his arms around his lifemate.
When they had themselves under control again, Garrus held up Thane's shirt in front of Shepard while she and Thane put her top back on. Thane pulled on his shirt. Garrus rose and helped them both up. They walked over to the seated couple to check on Julsie.
Julsie jumped up and pulled Shepard into a tight hug. She placed her forehead against Shepard's and squeezed her hands. "I can never thank you for what you've done for me. What you went through for me. I never would have let you…you know that, right?"
"I know…That's why I didn't tell you what I was doing," she said with a smile. Julsie sucked in her breath and nodded.
When his wife stepped aside, Torlin looked down at Shepard, held out his hand and then sighed. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but he wrapped his arms around her awkwardly and gave her a hug. "I will never forget what you have done for this family…for me. I owe you a debt I can never repay."
"No, dad, you don't. There are no debts within family," she reminded him and hugged him back.
Torlin's mandibles flared wide. He clamped them tight when he noticed his son watching. He cleared his throat, released the human and stood back stiffly.
Garrus and Solana looked at each other in surprise and smiled.
A comm notified them that a government official had arrived. He walked briskly into the room, he handed the special license to Torlin, who looked over it and nodded. Torlin handed it Shepard. Shepard, Thane and Garrus looked it over and agreed to its contents.
The official sat at a table with the couple before him. He asked the couple if they wanted to say anything. They didn't have any vows, so they just said a few words from the heart to each other. He asked them what name they wanted to go by officially. After a brief discussion they settled on Vakarian-Krios.
Thane was surprised, but not hurt that Kolyat decided to take Garrus' name too. He was a second father to the boy and since it was also his lifemate's name, it just felt right to Thane. He couldn't help but wonder what his wife would do with her name once she was wed to Garrus as well. Whatever she chose, he would support her.
The couple had their iris' scanned, signed the license and were wed. The kids suffered through two rounds of toasts and ditched the party…the heat had other plans for them this night.
They spent another hour with the older couple and then Garrus showed them to the other sitting rooms so that they could spend some time with their friends and crewmates. Shepard made her rounds, careful to leave no one out, not even Legion.
She had surprised him one day aboard the ship by bringing him more pieces of some of her older N7 armor so that he could better repair himself. She had asked him if he wanted her to order him some male N7 armor, but he refused. He seemed to only want armor that had been hers. He was able to use a back plate to patch up the hole. She wasn't sure how he did it; he kept the old scraps of armor intact, added the new piece and somehow it all fit together and looked like it could have belonged on him. He was a marvel of ingenuity.
She liked him a lot. And no matter how many times she was corrected about him being an it, she continued to call it a him. That is how she saw him. He was one of her crew, an equal…a friend. And she adored him. She lavished the same affection on him that she did on anyone else, touching or kissing his face flaps. He was like an adorable floppy eared puppy cocking its head. Too cute to resist.
He had adjusted to her eccentricities fast. Her husbands even joked that it flapped its plates as often as possible just to get more of her attention lavished on it. Her husbands could be so silly at times.
By the time she'd made it through all of her friends, she was exhausted. She excused herself, told her husbands to stay and enjoy themselves, and made her way back to the master bedroom. Her husbands followed her out. "I'm a big girl…I can make this walk all by myself, you know."
"You are mistaken, wife, if you think I wish to remain out there without you at my side. I was only out there to be with you…If I had my way we'd have been alone in here much sooner," Thane told her softly.
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Garrus admitted. "We watched you die tonight, vela. We just need to be near you."
They peeled off her blue leather suit, stepped out of their own clothing and joined her on the bed. She pushed out and merged them. They lay to either side of her and ran their hands down her body. The difference between their hands and their touch sent a wave of goosebumps following in the wake of their fingers.
"I think she likes this, Thane."
"I do believe you are right, Garrus."
That they liked it too was a given. They each took a breast and she cried out as two very different sensations hit her at the same time. Garrus' thicker, slightly rough tongue and firm, pliable mouth and Thane's hot, moist mouth, teeth, flexible tongue and lips.
She ran her hands down their bodies and slid her fingers over the evidence of their arousal. Their hips bucked into her hands as she increased the pressure and temp of her movements.
As they continued to lavish her breasts with attention, they trailed their hands down her flat belly through her tight curls to her core. Thane found her hidden nub while Garrus dipped a talon into her, moving against the spot that drove her mad.
They worked their mouths slowly down each side of her body until their tongues replaced their fingers. She screamed and bucked as they moved within her and against her. When her body started to stiffen Thane suckled her nub. She held tight to their heads as the orgasm tore through her. She fell back against the pillows. "You are really going to kill me if you keep doing that to me."
"No, wife. We are going to love you. You do the killing all on your own."
"Ouch." Then, a wicked smile played on her mouth. "Your turn gentleman."
When aftershocks ended and heatbeats settled, the men curled up around her and placed their hands on her belly. She had given them a connection to their babies they had never thought to have. She kept them merged long enough to allow the babies and daddies to feel each other again and then she released it. They couldn't wait until she was far enough along to feel the babies move.
"Do you know what you are going to do with your name tomorrow after you are wed?" Thane asked quietly.
"Is there something you both prefer?" she asked curiously. She really hadn't thought about it. To the military she would always be Shepard. Though she had taken the name Shepard-Krios after she wed Thane.
"I will stand behind any choice you make, siha."
"As will I, vela."
"Perhaps I should follow in the steps of my children. Shepard-Vakarian-Krios. What do you think?"
Both men smiled into the darkness. Each relieved she would have their name, no matter how old fashioned the concept was.
"Do you think I should put plain old Thane Krios to bed and become Thane Shepard-Vakarain-Krios? We could become the SVKs?"
"Plain old Thane Krios can come to bed any time he wants to. He will be welcomed with open arms…or perhaps I should say open legs," she said with a laugh.
"SVKs? Sounds like some clandestine organization …hey – wait a minute…plain old Garrus better be welcomed too."
"I'll think about it."
"Why you little-" he said as he poked at her. She giggled. He poked again; she giggled and tried to move away.
"What't the matter?"
"I'm ticklish"
"What is ticklish?"
"If you touch certain places on my body in a certain way it will make me laugh."
"hmmm…," he said "I need to find out more about this ticklish." He began searching out ticklish spots.
When Thane joined in she started tickling back. They'll rue the day they started this…because now she knew their weakness…she knew their tickle spots. Who knew two such dangerous men could be taken down by a mere tickle…they sure hadn't known. The looks on their faces when they discovered they too were ticklish was priceless.
Come morning, Thane awoke her with kisses and they all enjoyed a little morning love. Breakfast was going to be a bit later due to protocol of 4 meals, so Garrus showed her the closet where a blue dress and her blue workout clothes were hung. He had sent someone back to the ship to gather up some more clothing for them last night and she was so excited about not having to wear the same outfit as yesterday.
When they were in their workout suits, Garrus took them to a sparring room. It was massive. A few soldiers were already sparring, but for the most part it was empty. Some dummies of various sizes around the outsides of the room, but it mostly consisted of mats and padded walls.
Garrus tossed them micro-foam guards and they began their stretching together. The turians had never seen pair stretching so snickered at what they considered must be odd, human behavior. Then, Thane and Garrus faced off. While they were sparring she began a series of flips and backbends…a gymnastics set that got her blood flowing.
The turians stopped their match. They couldn't decide who to watch, Shepard's bizarre actions or the drell-turian match. Both were equally interesting to them.
Shepard looked over at the pair of turians and waved them over.
They looked at each other and walked over to her.
"Let's dance, boys."
They gave her a cold look. "Turians don't dance."
"Oh, I don't know about that," she said looking at her husband. "I think it is more accurate to say they've never tried. But that isn't want I meant anyway. I'll take on either or both of you."
They looked at each other and laughed. "The little human wants to spar."
"She's a dignitary, we might hurt her."
"Boys, I'm beginning to think you're afraid of me."
They laughed harder. "No, just afraid of reprisals if you are injured, little human."
"You would actually need to touch me to injure me and I don't think you're capable of it."
The smiles left their faces. They nodded to each other. One stepped away.
She shook her head. "Both of you."
She stood, knees slightly bent as they began to circle her, sizing her up. She tuned out everything but their every movement. She saw them gather themselves and knew they were both going to charge her at the same time. She waited…timing crucial. Three…two…wait for it…one…She jumped up, kicked out her legs, doing a mid-air spit and slamming them both under the chin and sending them stumbling backwards, one of them hit the mats jarringly. She'd gotten their attention.
The match then became more difficult. She'd never sparred with two at one time before, so she had to rely on her wits and flexibility. Above all, she had to keep moving so as not to make herself a target. She used their legspurs and fringes against them. More than once she'd grabbed hold of their head fringes to spin them to the mats. It was dirty on her part, but with two against her, she had to use what she could. More times than they could count they ended up doing a bit of damage to each other because by the time their moves followed through, she just wasn't there anymore. She was relying solely on Thane's style of fighting and her own improvising. She didn't have the reach needed to fight turian style. Not against turians.
Eventually, they nodded to her in respect and quit the mats. She turned to her husbands and threw down the gauntlet. Garrus shook his head. "You just had a tough match; you're too tired to take on both of us. Thane took the last round, he's up."
"I'm never too tired to take you both on," she said seductively.
Garrus' mouth opened then closed. He felt himself grow hard. "Take her down, Thane."
"My pleasure...you're going down, siha."
She licked her lips. "I'll go down...for your pleasure."
Thane closed his eyes and ground his teeth hard, straining to hold in a private memory he did not wish to share. When he was able to control himself again he shot her a vindictive glare. "You will pay for that."
"Promises…promises."
Word had spread about her taking on the two turian soldiers. More turians came by to watch her spar. They flowed around each other like ribbons. They would each manage to send the other flying, but a twist of the body and they never hit the mats. With the last move, Thanes' body followed through and for a moment he had his back to her…that was all she needed. She launched herself at him, put her hands on his shoulders and lifted herself. He spun around and they toppled to the mats, his face buried between her clenched thighs. He lightly nipped her and blew hot breath on her. Her thighs fell open. He took a deep breath to calm himself, which was the last thing he should have done. The smell of her desire…her pheromones tore through him. He was shaking as he crawled up her body and pinned her arms. He ground against her, the need for her too intense. He lowered his head, intent on capturing her mouth.
With him in a position they understood, the turians hooted and cheered. They began to laugh even harder when they saw Garrus pluck Thane off of her. He knew the moment Thane had become lost to her. It happened to both of them too often to not be able to read the signs. Thane took deep breaths, now that he was away from his wife his head cleared. He nodded to Garrus and watched as Garrus took his place on the mats against their wife.
Thane still needed an outlet… he was too worked up. He caught the eye of one soldier and nodded. The soldier stepped on the mats. Thane tossed him foam guards and they faced off.
With the two matches going at the same time, the viewers couldn't decide who to watch. Garrus was the patriarch's son…the guard was the Captain of the guard. Most of them hadn't got to watch Garrus spar in a long time. They were surprised that he didn't seem to be holding back, despite sparring with his wife. That showed her great respect.
By the time they quit the mats, the human and the drell had earned their respect.
"I would give anything for a shower right now," Shepard said wistfully as they entered the master bedroom.
"I'm sorry, vela. The radiation in the water…wait. I remember we have a guest shower…it's filtered. Grab your things." Garrus led the way to the guest shower. As luck would have it the small room was unoccupied. Garrus locked the door as his wife stripped and stepped under the cascading water. The men were quick to join her.
Refreshed and sated they made their way to the dining hall. She greeted Kolyat and Solana with a hug. When Kolyat embraced her he whispered, "Thank you, Shepard. You have given me a priceless gift." His lips moved against hers softly, sensually. She could also feel his hardness, but this time she assumed it wasn't for her.
"I know exactly what you're going through," she said smiling up at him. He stood for a moment stunned and then shook his head.
"Yes, you do. Not sure how you can handle two though…it'd kill me," he said with a flush.
She squeezed him tight. "I love you, Kolyat. I'm glad you found each other."
"I love you too, Shep. Thanks." He squeezed her a moment longer. He did still love her. He always would. At least now he could tell her without feeling guilty. His lifemate was his world now and he couldn't be happier. He released her, hugged both his fathers and returned to his lifemate.
The youths were glowing and their eyes kept finding their way back to each other. She smiled at her husbands. Things were no different with them. That the kids were 22 and 17 didn't matter. A lifemate was a lifemate and it was hard to keep your hands and eyes off of them.
She made her way over to her new mom and dad. She pulled them each in for a hug too and placed a kiss on their mandibles. Torlin pulled back a bit and lowered his forehead to hers. Then he cleared his throat and moved stiffly away.
Garrus and Solana just stared at each other stunned. That their father would allow the embrace, was shocking, that he would return it and accept the kiss was unbelievable. That he gave her affection given only to a mate or small child was inconceivable.
Shepard gave them a blinding smile and returned to her husbands. Her husbands grinned at the smile-shocked couple.
Thane pulled his wife into his arms. "He's still in love with you," he said quietly. He was concerned. It shouldn't be possible. The lifemate bond was absolute. Thane was waiting for her to deny it like she always did.
Shepard pulled back to look into his eyes. She opened her mouth then closed it. She paused for a moment and then nodded. "I'm not blind, Thane. I see everything. I choose to ignore things that could lead to discomfort or embarrassment. I know he's still in love with me. Your soul helped to create him. He has a part of you inside of him. That part of you is what draws him to me. I feel it too. Not like he does," She was quick to correct. "But I feel you in him. I didn't raise him as a mother and due to his love he will never see me in that role. But I also know what he feels for me is muted compared to what he feels for his lifemate. You won't ever have to kill him on my account, husband."
"You see far more than I realized," he told her.
"Far more than anyone realized. I know Wrex loves me as family, Liara's in love with me, Tali's in love with me, Kaidan is love with me, Samara's in love with me – but will fight it with everything in her, Jacob's borderline, Legion is infatuated, Kelly's in love with me, Bailey's infatuated, Joker loves me as family, Solana's infatuated…there is nothing I don't see. I don't feel. I just choose to pretend not to know. I feel it is in everybody's best interest."
Garrus' mouth dropped open. He hadn't even been aware of some of those people's feelings. "If you know so much, why couldn't you tell how much I loved you?"
"Because I loved you. My heart was on the line," she said releasing Thane and pulling him into her arms. "I was so afraid of losing you that I couldn't or wouldn't see what was right in front of me," she said and pulled him down for a kiss.
He pulled her in tight and deepened the kiss. He didn't care that his parents were watching, he wouldn't care a room full of turians were watching. He wanted nothing more than to kiss his wife.
She pulled back. "I'm glad you finally decided to step up to the plate, Vakarian. I wonder how long it would have taken us if you hadn't."
They sat down at the table and continued their quiet conversation.
"You kind of caught me off guard with what you were -er…doing. But I knew in my heart that things were going to change that night. I couldn't fight it any longer. I avoided you as long as I could, but it was tearing at me. I needed you fiercely and I was going to tell you that night. I was going to do whatever it took to convince you to love me back," Garrus admitted.
"What was she doing that caught you off guard?" Thane asked.
Garrus looked at Shepard. She blushed, but nodded.
"She was standing in front of the observation lounge window touching herself…pleasuring herself…I could smell her and…I lost it," Garrus whispered to Thane.
Thane sucked in his breath and grew hard as a stone. He could see her in front of that window; legs slightly parted…"Gods…I'd have lost it too. But why didn't you…" He wasn't sure why he was asking these questions, but he was pleased they hadn't gotten together that night.
Garrus looked at her again; she flushed brighter but nodded her consent. "She was very drunk that night. I would have preferred to have waited until she had rational thought, but when I smelled her desire I …couldn't take any more. She smelled so good…I had to taste her. I would have taken her that night. I had just marked her as my mate. She merged us and the need to be inside of her was unbearable…but she passed out as soon as…hmmm…as soon as she came. I took her to bed and lay beside her. I had intended to finish what we started when she woke up…but the ship came under attack."
Thane shook his head. She had only been his first because of the attack. If the attack had been delayed… "Talk about timing."
Kitchen staff filled their plates high with food. She made sure she was dished some drell and turian tidbits as well. They continued to talk softly amongst themselves as they fed each other.
"What about you two?" Garrus asked.
"I felt her the moment she walked into the port at Illium. I was drawn to her and followed, trying to figure out why a dead Spectre knew of me and why I was so pulled to her. When she boarded the ship I snuck through the emergency hatch and followed the pull until I found her room. I dropped down to confront her and caught her all but naked, about to take a bath. She fainted when she saw me. I picked her up, laid her on the sofa, and covered her with a blanket. When she came to she sat up and we were so close I could feel her warmth and taste her breath. The pull was so strong I couldn't move."
Thane grabbed his head and started breathing hard, fighting to control the memory that sought to break through. When he pushed it back, he sighed in relief. "Sorry, a memory nearly slipped out. …It was not something I cared to share. She caressed my cheek, probably read me." He darted a look at her and she nodded. "Then she merged us. The feelings overwhelmed us and reality slipped away."
They looked up when they saw the Vakarians sit down at the table across from Kolyat and Solana. "We have a gift for you," Torlin said. "Had you been turian I'd have had a house built for you on our land, but we thought this would serve you better," he said as he handed Solana the e-pad.
She flipped it on and her mandibles spread wide. She ran around the table and hugged both her parents. Her father stood stiffly, but allowed it. She turned to her husband. "I've been honorably discharged. Released from military service. I don't have to finish my last three years!" She ran back around the table. Kolyat stood up and took her into his arms, brought his mouth to hers and gave her a scorching kiss.
Shepard hadn't even realized the problem. Though now she could see it clearly. Each turian had to give ten years of military service. That was a very thoughtful gift, indeed. "Guess I won't be coming for you early after all."
Thane looked up at her sharply. Why would that have anything to do with her coming for him sooner?
"Sorry, Thane. You I will come for sooner…I meant Garrus."
He understood her need to be with her lifemates, but he had really been hoping for a few years of just them before she found Garrus.
"What are you talking about, vela?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. You have obligations."
"Why don't you let me decide what I think matters, especially if it has something to do with me."
"Later then, when we have more privacy."
Garrus nodded. He put the rest of his and Thane's food on her plate, stood up, hugged his son and sister, handed the tray of food to Thane, made their goodbyes, took her hand and led her from the room.
Okay, she thought…privacy coming up.
When the door closed behind them she proceeded to tell him what she and Thane had discussed.
Garrus' mouth hung open, his mandibles dropped. "Kolyat," he choked out.
"I know," she said and then told him how they hoped to correct it so that he could still be born.
Garrus was having a hard time wrapping his head around all that she'd told him. It just seemed so impossible. But he knew, if anyone could pull it off – Shepard could.
Then it dawned on him. "You could come for me sooner too?"
"Maybe…but some things need to play out for other things to happen. My coming for you early will not affect an anchor point," she said and explained to him what she meant by anchor point. "But could have repercussions on other things. You need your training for one or you would be no use to me on my missions. Could I come for you a couple years shy of your service ending like Solana, yes...possible. But Kolyat needs C-Sec…he will need it even if his life unfolds differently. You are the best one to teach him about C-Sec and help him out there; you had at least five years at C-Sec. That being the case, I could come for you after your first year at C-Sec. Then there is Dr. Michel. If I'm not searching for you, will we find a reason to go to her clinic in time to save her? Wait. That's a non-issue. I'll see it in your memory pictures."
"That leaves Saren…if you are with me on Eden Prime you will see what he did, how far gone he is and you will still want to go after him. Since they didn't let you finish your investigation, there won't be an affect if another guard handled the case. What else? Damn…Dr. Heart. If that didn't happen in your first year at C-Sec then we will not hunt him down and stop his …Wait…non-issue. I'll see that in your memory pictures too. I won't know the story behind him, unless that happened in your first year, but I will know that we have to go after him."
He put a talon against her mouth. "Almost everything you need can be seen in my memory pictures. I want you to come to me at my 8th year of service. Shhh…before you say anything about Kolyat, keep in mind you are going to disappear for 2 years. I would never return home to Palaven. C-Sec will remain my only option when you are gone. I will have a year and a half of C-Sec under my belt."
Thane looked up in shock. He hadn't even considered Shepard's disappearance. "What will I do without you?" he asked, a tear slipping down his cheek.
She put her arms around him and held him tight. "You will survive like you always do. Like I need you to. We may have Kolyat or other children who will need you…Perhaps you can join C-Sec with Garrus. You will need each other. I know it's not ideal, but if there are kids, they will need that stability. It's a long time from now," she assured him. "And I'm coming back…so you all better have your crap together…Archangel."
She turned to Garrus, "Why did you choose that particular time?"
Garrus looked around uncomfortably and pried at his suit collar. Then he sighed, walked over to her and lifted her chin up. "Because the thought of being with another woman when I know my lifemate is coming for me is...er – hmmm… unpleasant." He glanced over at Thane, embarrassed by his admission.
"I told her the same thing," Thane reassured him.
Garrus nodded in relief and dropped a kiss on her upturned lips. "How does it work?"
"I will need to make a mantra with an exact date, time and place of where you need me to be. I will add the word kiss to it, so that when I feel you nearby I will know I'm supposed to kiss you. Of course, that will start the heat."
Garrus counted back the years, trying to think of anything significant that happened about that time. "Yes!" he spread his mandibles wide. "There is a tradition on my dad's side of the family. Whenever a Vakarian turns 15, they are taken to a specific restaurant in celebration of them joining the military. It is never skipped. My sister will become 15 that year."
"Let me get this straight you want me to walk into the middle of a turian family party and kiss you in front of turians that probably don't like humans?"
He nodded. "That about sums things up."
"Okay…if you think I'd make it out of there alive…"
"I would not let anyone hurt you, siha."
"We would be a bit outnumbered, Thane…and you'd probably be a bit upset that I walked up to a turian and kissed him." Then she turned to Garrus. "And you…what were you like back then? What would you have done if some human walked up and kissed you?"
"If it was just any human, I'd be disgusted. But you are not just any human. I would have been drawn to you right away. The kiss would begin the heat and I would be hard pressed not to take you right there in the restaurant. The point is…that is the most definite date I can give you for that time period."
She pulled out her folded paper that held Thane's mantra and flipped it over. Write the exact place, date, and time. When he handed it back she read it, committed it to memory, and began a second litany in the back of her mind. She folded the mantra back up and put it away. Two litanies and two barrier bubbles…the back of her mind was pretty busy.
"I think it's time we got ready for our wedding, vela. I'm going to check in with my parents, I'll be right back."
When the door closed behind him, she asked thane about the ring. He assured her he'd already given it to Kolyat and had explained to his son what he needed to do according to human custom. There was more he didn't tell her, but she would find out soon enough.
She stripped off leisure clothes, took the blue dress out of the closet, and shimmied into it. It had no straps, her bond marks displayed proudly on her shoulders. The bustier pushed her breasts up and out. The bustier had a series of diamond cut outs going down the front and back, expanding with size the lower they went. The smallest one began in the middle of her breasts, showing a peek-a-boo of where they met in the middle. The largest one encompassed her sapphire imbued navel and dipped down to her pubic line. The dress' metallic glow shimmied when she moved. The skirt clung to her hips like a second skin down to mid-thigh when it flared loose and flowing down to her toes and training out behind her a bit.
Thane pulled her into his arms and drew her in for a kiss. She could feel his body shaking with need. She carefully lifted her skirt and fell to her knees. She did not merge them this time. This was solely for him. She lavished all her love on him. She pulled back when he told her to and suckled the tip of him until he cried out and spent himself inside her mouth. She closed his pants over his hardness and he pulled her up into a heated kiss. "Gods… what you do to me, wife."
Garrus walked into the door. He could smell their desire. "Spirits! Can't leave you two alone for a minute." Thane stepped away and Garrus took his first look at her in the dress and his mouth fell open.
"Now you see," Thane said pulling out his tucked in shirt to help hide the effects his wife had on him.
"Now I do. With her around I have to make sure all of my shirts hang low," he told Thane. "You look good enough to eat, vela." Garrus noticed his wife turned nearly scarlet. "What's the matter?"
She burst out laughing. "In human culture "eat" can be a crude way to describe…the, er…amazing things your tongues can do to my…um…lower reaches."
Thane and Garrus looked at each other in confusion for a moment before their eyes opened wide and they smiled. "If that is the case, then I can't wait for this evening to come to an end so that I can eat my wife."
She blushed harder and laughed with embarrassment. "Stars…I should never have told you that, Garrus…I doubt you will ever let me live it down."
"Not a chance." He said as he ushered her out the door. He led her to a very large parlor. All of her friends were already seated inside to the left of the isle. Turians lined the seat on the right side of the isle. Thane slipped past them and took a seat near Solana, who was also saving a seat for Kolyat. David and Kolyat were outside in the hall with them. They nearly swallowed their tongues when they saw the dress she had on. Tali and Liara stood at the front on the left side, Wrex and Legion stood at the front on the right side. She was surprised. It looked like a real, old-fashioned earth wedding.
Garrus smiled at her. "I talked with Miranda, told her I wanted to give you an human wedding. She helped with all of this." Kolyat placed a bouquet in her hands and slid a gentle kiss against her lips. Garrus gave her a brief kiss and rushed down the aisle to stand at the front. It was all so sweet…so perfect.
Bag pipe music started blaring from the comm. She looked up as Miranda shot out of her chair and ran over to Ken. He turned red, nodded and put in the correct melody. She burst out laughing. A Scottish dirge at her wedding. Thanks Ken. Won't forget that.
David held out his arm and led her slowly down the aisle. Kolyat followed, pillow in hand. When they reached Garrus, David hugged her tight, hugged Garrus, and then placed her hand into Garrus'. He bowed and made his way back to his seat.
The turian presiding did his best with the unfamiliar words. They spoke the traditional vows, minus the obey...neither one was good with that concept and then spoke a few words from the heart. When it came time for the rings, Kolyat stepped up with the rings displayed on the pillow. When the rings were taken, Kolyat made his way back to Solana.
Both of their eyes opened in shock. Neither knew the other had gotten a ring. She slipped the ring on his far left finger and pledged herself to him. He slipped his ring over the third finger of her left hand, next to Thane's, and pledged himself to her.
You may now kiss the bride. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a steamy kiss no one would forget. They turned around for their wedding picture. When it was taken, she nodded to Thane, waving for him to come up and Kolyat too. She stood with Thane and Garrus on each side of her and had Kolyat sit in a chair in front of them. They all placed a hand on Kolyat and they took their first family photo. Then she had three chairs arranged in the front. She, Thane and Garrus took the chairs. Solana, Kolyat and her new parents all stood behind them and a final shot was taken.
A dextro cake was brought in and the couple cut off a slice for each other. Shepard gave a wicked smile and after Garrus took a bite of it, she smashed it all over his mouth and laughed. His eyes shot open and narrowed. He took her slice of cake and smashed it against her lips. A big dallop of frosting dropped into her cleavage and she yelped. He dipped his tongue down between her breasts and scooped it up.
Everyone on the wife's side hooted and clapped. There were a few chuckles and grins from the turian side, but that was as far as it went.
As they were scanned and signed the license, Garrus shocked her. He had signed the name Garrus Shepard-Vakarian-Krios. When she told Thane he smiled and said he'd get his name changed as soon as they got back to the Citadel. They were now the SVKs.
The staff came in and moved the chairs to the sides of the room and dancing music was put on. The turians found their seats. Garrus and Shepard moved out on the dance floor to have the first dance, as was custom. Half way through they waved for others to join them and Thane cut in. As he spun her away from Garrus he asked her if she wished they'd had a wedding like this. She assured him she didn't need all this…that she loved their wedding and wouldn't have changed a thing about it. She followed it up with a searing kiss. And told him she wished there was a wardrobe closet nearby. He chuckled and agreed wholeheartedly.
She knew it was going to be a long, exhausting night. There were a lot of people here and she intended to have at least half a dance with each one. Her next dance went to David and then she pulled Torlin onto the floor. He was stiff at first and nearly refused her out of hand…but a wide smile on her part made him crumble. He began to relax and enjoy himself. Of course, he would never tell anyone that. She pulled Julsie onto the floor next. Juslie was quick to learn the moves, so she taught her a few she could do with her husband. She whispered that she knew he would cave if she pushed him enough to dance with her. Then she moved onto Kolyat, who spun her off into a drell dance. She settled against him and let him lead. She was familiar with this one.
Kolyat closed his eyes for a moment enjoying the feel of her in his arms. Then his eyes sought out his lifemate and he smiled at her. He gave her a few more turns, tilted her head up, dropped a gentle kiss on her lips, thanked her, bowed, made his way to his lifemate and spun her onto the dance floor. Shepard let them have the dance. She grabbed Wrex , who awkwardly moved and griped the whole time. Of course, it didn't stop him from holding her close. Always trying to get a rise out of Garrus.
She then broke in and stole Solana from Kolyat.
"I know he's in love with you, Shepard. And I don't blame him…or you. You're an extraordinary woman…easy to love. It would not be easy being your lifemate. Too many people love you. Not sure how my brother does it…or Thane."
"I'm sure there's just as many who would like nothing better than to see me dead," she said with a laugh.
"No doubt. Thank you, sister. Thank you for bringing him…for bringing us together. And thank you for teaching me how to kiss," she said with a laugh. She tilted Shepard's head up and laid her forehead against her.
Shepard showed her a few sensual moves to use on Kolyat later. They hugged and Shepard searched out a new partner.
It was a long, tiring evening, but she'd gotten to every last turian and friend. Legion even surprised her. He had apparently researched the moves to an old earth dance and she laughed as he twirled her around the floor. He was surprisingly graceful. When he dipped her at the end, she reached up and kissed his headlight.
There had been no official dinner, just trays of every food imaginable laid out on tables along the edges of the room. Shepard discovered just how spicy Salarian food could be. Her throat nearly closed up in protest…but she'd eat it again for grins and giggles. It was actually good…when she wasn't choking.
She made her way to a chair, took off her shoes and propped her feet up on a second chair. Her husbands were quickly at her side. Thane sat down, put her feet in his lap and began to rub them. She closed her eyes and moaned in ecstasy. Her feet were so damn sore from the shoes and the dancing. Garrus started rubbing her shoulders and between the two of them she could swear she'd end up in a puddle on the floor.
Thane looked at her critically then glanced at Garrus. "I think it's time to call it an evening. She's done in."
"I can't," Shepard said frantically.
"Spirits, vela…you look like you're ready to drop. Why the hell not?"
"My feet. I can't walk…they hurt too much," she admitted sheepishly.
Thane put her feet down and bent to pick her up. Garrus beat him to it. "It's not a good idea, Garrus. Let me take her."
Garrus shook his head, took a few steps and swayed. "You're right…I drank too much. Take her."
Thane took her from Garrus' arms. That bade their goodbyes and made their way to the master bed room.
Garrus held her up off the floor while thane peeled the dress from her body. He then removed the tiny scrap that covered her tight curls. She was so close…smelled so good…he darted in and ran his tongue through her folds and flicked her nub. She moaned and her hips bucked. Garrus pulled her away.
"I was going to eat her, Thane. I already told her that," Garrus grumbled.
Thane picked her up and carried her to the bed, and laid her down gently. "I think we can both love on her Garrus. Besides, you will be lucky if you don't fall asleep on top of her.
The men removed their clothing, crawled into bed with her and showed her just how much they loved her. They fell asleep with their hands on her belly. Tomorrow after breakfast they would be heading back to the Normandy, at least the crew was. He was going to take her to a few sights before they returned. Shepard needed a visit to the med-bay and they had still had a hell of a lot of work to do…play time was just about over.
Garrus woke her up come morning and they had a final love scene on Palaven. When breakfast was over she made her tearful goodbyes to Liara and Wrex…she apologized for the tears…the babies were making her emotional.
When Solana was done with her goodbyes to her parents, Thane stepped up, hugged Julsie and shook Torlin's hand. Shepard moved in and hugged and kissed them both. "I love you both and will miss you. I promise I will keep in touch…if you want me to."
"Of course we do," Julsie assured her.
She smiled at them both and stepped away so Garrus could make his goodbyes. He hugged his mother and held out his hand to his father. His father shook it and pulled him in for an awkward back-slap kind of hug. "You did good, son. I think you will have your hands full with that one…Have to wonder if you and Thane will be enough. But you were right, I do like her."
"Bite your tongue, dad. No more lifemates allowed. And I know full well you love her just like everyone else does."
Torlin grunted, pulled away and put his arm around his wife. Everyone but the two turians slipped their helmets on and headed out to the small shuttle that awaited them. The palatial shuttle had already left with the rest of the dignitaries.
Garrus instructed the pilot to head to the Stroilik Museum. They were able to remove their armor because the next stop had hangars to land in for tourists. They looked out the window amazed at the glittering city below. According to Garrus all cities had fortified walls still in use.
They pulled into the hangar and proceeded through a security check-point. When her Spectre status was verified her group was allowed to retain any weapons they had on them. As they wandered through the gallery, Garrus and Solana pointed out paintings, sculptures and artifacts that had special meaning to the turian culture. Paintings and scultptures tended to have broad, bold strokes. It was different than the types of art she was used to seeing. It was stunning in a utilitarian way.
When they were back in the shuttle, Shepard asked Solana what she wanted to do now that she was out of the military. She said she thought she'd join the C-Sec academy with Kolyat. As lifemates they'd be teamed together. Lifemates may not be common, but everyone knew not to separate them. Getting them to allow them both into the academy would be tricky part. She would pull any strings necessary to see that it happened.
Next stop was the Cravitus Zoo. They stepped back into their armor and headed out into the mid-day sun. Shepard was stunned by the strangeness of the animals within. They all had metallic shells or plates, sometimes in the oddest areas. Some were almost cute, others walked out of a nightmare. One such monstrosity was a huge, bear-sized beast with a long pointed snout, with two rows of sharp pointy teeth.
She felt an odd pull towards it. She rose over the protective barrier and moved in towards the beast. It snarled at her and showed it mouth full of teeth. It charged at her, swinging a massive paw at her. She didn't move. It stared at her with cold, beady eyes and snapped its teeth. It began to stalk her. She held out her hand and encased it in a stasis bubble. She hadn't wanted to do that, but she needed to get close enough to try to merge with it. She could feel its pain, but couldn't tell where the pain was coming from. When she stood next to the massive beast she pushed out and merged their auras. Alien feelings washed through her. Unorganized, hectic. She sent relaxing, soothing thoughts to the beast. Then she closed her eyes and forced the sight. The creature had a brownish tan aura with reddish tints. But she could see the problem. Something was lodged in its…no his neck area. She opened an area in the stasis bubble so that she could feel the creature's neck. No good. The damage was to the inside not the outside. She opened the bubble at the top of the creatures head and touched his facial plates. She sent more relaxing, soothing energy to him through her aura. She slowly worked the bubble lower over his head, rubbing him and soothing him as she went.
She held her hand out and threw up a barrier bubble around them in case the zoo keepers made it in before she was through. When his whole head was free she stroked the hard muzzle. He opened his mouth and grunted. She glowed, sent more calming energy, removed her glove and slowly put her hand into the huge mouth. By the time her hand reached the back of his throat her whole arm up past the shoulder was submerged between the needle sharp teeth. Her hand felt the obstruction. She began siphoning from the creature even as she started healing him. She pictured the obstruction being forced out as it healed in behind it. The creature had to be feeling double pleasure at the moment, the lessoning of pain as well as the pleasure of the siphoning. When the obstruction popped out into her hand she slowly withdrew her arm. Ew. Her arm was all slimy. Thank god for the armor. A broken, sharp bone lay in her hand. She threw it to the ground and put her glove back on.
The creature rubbed his head against her. She expanded the barrier bubble forcing the zoo keepers back through the door they'd entered from. She threw up a barrier field in front of the door, if they charged back in someone would get hurt.
She released the creature from the stasis bubble. He rocked himself against her and she tumbled to the ground. He lay down next to her, put a massive paw on her belly and rubbed his snout into her. She laughed, moved his paw and pulled herself up by hanging onto one of his plates. He rolled over on the ground; she straddled him and rubbed vigorously at his exposed, tough skin. When she got off him, he rose and shook himself. She walked over to his uneaten food with him at her heals and picked up a huge slice of something she didn't want to identify. She held it out to him and he gently took it out of her fingers. It was time to go. She headed for the protective barrier. He gobbled another piece of meat and charged after her. He rocked into her again, she glowed briefly and kept her balance.
He grunted and gave off two higher pitched mewls at her. She couldn't resist that. She turned around, walked up to the beast and pulled his head down. She wrapped her arms around as much of his neck as she could and touched her helmet to his hard nose. Then she returned to the barrier and rose over it. The beast charged at the barrier and rose on his hind legs, placing his paws as close to the barrier as he dared. He knew better than to touch it. She reached her hand out, nodded and waved to the beast. He swung his massive head up and down and waved his paw.
When her feet touched the ground her husbands were all over her. The beast let out a savage roar and charged the barrier. He stumbled back as bolts of harsh energy struck him. He stood, shook himself, bounced back and forth on his front legs and readied for another charge. She asked her husbands to back off for the time being. She raised her hand and waved. He waved back and mewled.
When they were out of the beast's sight her husbands began shaking her, clutching her to them and yelling at her. Kolyat and Solana joined in.
Garrus eyed Thane…"You're a biotic…learn to do that floaty thing."
"Trust me when I tell you that I intend to do just that."
"I wasn't in any danger."
Their eyes opened wide in shock, well at least the two sets of eyes she could see. "Not in any-" Garrus sputtered. "You had your arm in its mouth up to your neck. If it bit down-"
"I have my armor on and I shielded myself…but it wasn't necessary. He wanted my help. He asked for it. He had a broken bone lodged deep in his throat. It was infected. I had to help."
Since his dads were so busy griping Kolyat pulled her into his arms and crushed her to him. "You scared the hell out of all of us, Shep." He placed his head against hers and released her. He looked at his fathers. "I don't know how you do it. I swear she'd put me in the grave if she were my lifemate." He turned a worried look to Solana. "Tell me you won't ever do anything like that."
"Not ever." She assured him, her mandibles spreading when he sighed in relief.
That is when they looked up and noticed the crowd of people watching them and pointing at them. The crowd made its way steadily closer like it was approaching a wild animal.
"Crap." Garrus looked at Thane; they each grabbed one of her hands and took off at a run. Garrus in the lead, they darted in and around various displays. The crowd followed. They took a sharp left as soon as they lost the crowd and he led them down into a tunnel. They opened the door at the bottom and slipped inside. The lights came on by the time the door closed behind them. Besides them, the room was empty.
She looked around in awe. She tried to break free from the hands that held her, but they wouldn't let go, so she pulled them along with her. They were under a massive aquarium. This enclosure was more designed for tourists, because turians weren't fans of being under tons of water. She looked through the clear permiglass walls at an alien underwater nightmare world. Where the creatures within made sharks and crocodiles look like cuddly kittens.
Garrus and Solana shivered. "The things I go through for you, wife," he said in a strained voice. Thane squeezed her hand and released it.
She pulled Garrus into her arms. "I'll make it up to you later," she said seductively as she pulled him down and placed her helmeted head against his.
He crushed her to him tightly. "See that you do."
Kolyat groaned and Solana chuckled. Garrus pushed her at Thane as he made his way over to a storage closet. He hacked it and started sorting through its contents. Thane held her tightly. Guess they didn't much trust her left to her own devises. But she was uncertain what trouble she could get into in the underground room.
Garrus returned with three long coats. He tossed them to the drell and Shepard. Thane helped her with her coat then drew on his own. Thane had researched human wooing customs and used them as often as he could. Her smiles were worth it. Garrus rolled his eyes. Shepard was far from helpless and probably resented the hell out of being coddled like a child. He cocked his head curiously when he noted the soft smile Thane received. I'll be damned. So that's how the game was being played. He hadn't even known the rules. He'd have to research that later. It was time to level the playing field.
The coats had zoo emblems on them and the cowls could be pulled up far enough to shield their heads. With luck they could make it back to the shuttle without the crowd noticing them.
As they left the underground chamber her husbands didn't hold her hand, that would look too strange, but they did walk very close to her. They passed a few more enclosures as they made their way back to the shuttle. One held monkey like creatures that shrieked and chattered as they walked by. Another enclosure held massive pterodactyl type birds with plated carapaces, sharp teeth and huge leathery wings. The final enclosure they passed was a petting zoo for children. Various harmless plated animals stood within while children squealed and giggled over them. Apparently, zoos were zoos no matter where you went.
As they neared the exit a small child ran up to them. He thought she was a zoo official. The child was shaking and crying. She squatted down and the child looked into her helmeted face. His eyes grew wide. She held her finger up to her face in the universal shushing sign. She picked up the child and balanced him on her hip.
"What's the matter sweetie?"
"I lost my mommy and daddy."
She pushed out and merged her aura to his and sent calming soothing energy to him. His eyes opened wide and he placed a sticky hand against her helmet. She took off her glove and he grabbed her strange, odd fingers, marveling at their alienness. "My name is Commander Shepard and I will help you find your parents." She moved her hand to the side of his neck and connected herself to him via touch and aura. She felt a slight pull and began to follow where it led. It was like a childhood game of hot and cold. Eventually, the pull was strong enough that she could follow it directly. She saw a turian couple frantically waving their arms about talking to another turian with the zoo's emblem on his shirt. Shepard put her glove back on and waved Garrus in the couple's direction. He sighed, pulled the couple away from the official and pointed in their direction.
The couple made a beeline for their child. She tried to put the child down, but he wouldn't let go of her. She saw the shock register on the couple's faces when they saw who held their child. She tried to hand the child over to his mother, but he held on tight. He grabbed her helmet and lowered her head to touch his. She gave him a tight hug, then he turned and held his hands out for his mother.
Shepard introduced herself and shook their hands. Garrus spoke quietly to them to calm them down. They handed her a datapad, she nodded and gave them her autograph. They left the couple talking excitedly amongst themselves. They needed to take their leave before the couple drew too much attention to them.
When they climbed aboard the shuttle Shepard, Garrus and Thane helped her remove her coat and armor and she fell bonelessly onto the seat. Garrus directed the driver to their final destination. Erataka's …one of his favorite restaurants. It catered to tourists as well, so had levo food on the menu.
They pulled into a tourist hangar so that armor wouldn't be needed. He signed his new full name on the waiting list. Shepard received a ping on her omni tool, she opened the screen and a turian greeted her, asking her to bring her group forward. The manager's mandibles flared wide and he bowed his head at her, telling her how pleased they were to have her grace their humble establishment. They were escorted to the second floor VIP section. Thane held out her chair to seat her, Garrus grumbled and they all sat down and poured over the menu.
With their orders placed, they talked quietly until Shepard was pinged again. She raised the screen and Bailey's face popped up. He'd just heard about her string pulling and wanted to relay the information personally that both of the kids were accepted and enrolled into the academy. They would begin training as soon as they returned. It was all a formality, he said. With the training they already had they would surely graduate within a couple of weeks. Shepard thanked him for letting her know and signed off. With sparkling eyes and a wide smile she gave the news to the kids. The lunch became a celebration.
When the food arrived they tore into their meals. Garrus and Thane absently continued to feed her food from their plates as they ate. She shared her food with Thane as well...she even fed Garrus a few bites to the shock of his sister. She shared with Garrus only if she knew whatever she was eating wouldn't affect him. His digestive system was getting used to small amounts of levo food. He didn't get much nutrition out of it, but he did enjoy his wife feeding him from her plate.
As the meal came to an end, their plates were removed and the manager asked if they wouldn't mind a picture being taken to go up on their VIP wall. She stood in the middle of her husbands behind their seated children for the picture. They were thanked profusely, asked her to sign it and refused payment for the meal… lunch was on the house.
They headed back down the stairs to the restaurant's lower level. The vid screen halted its program for a special news bulletin that showed someone's omni-recordings of her deeds at the zoo. They looked at each other, grinned and fled the establishment before the connection to her could be made. They piled aboard the shuttle and made their way back to the port city and the Normandy.
In the Normandy's airlock she asked EDI to have a couple of crewmen standing by to collect their armor. When the decontamination protocol ended and the doors opened she handed their armor to the crewmen and asked Kolyat and Solana to join them in medbay.
Mordin and Chakwas were ready and waiting when they filed in. She stripped down to her bra and panties and climbed up on the table. Kolyat tried his best not to show that he'd just swallowed his tongue. It was always a bit of a shock to see so much of Shepard's soft, white skin. Solana a bit in awe herself smiled and hugged her star-struck lifemate.
A holo popped up of Shepard's body and Mordin zoomed it in to display the babies on the screen. Shepard released the barrier bubbles that surrounded the babies. Mordin drew several vials of blood as Chakwas inserted massive needle into Shepard's abdomen. She cried out as she squeezed the life out of her husbands hands.
Everyone watched intently as the needle pierced the membrane and withdrew the amnitotic fluid. She removed the needle and handed it off to Mordin. She inserted a new needle. Shepard bit her lip trying not to scream when it pierced her skin. It extracted a bit of amniotic fluid and refilled the membrane. Chakwas left the needle in place, unscrewed the syringe and inserted a longer, hair thin needle that Mordin had prepared with the gene therapy mixture. She blew up the picture of the dextro baby until only it could be seen in the screen. She maneuvered the large needle until it was near the baby. She pierced the baby's leg with the tiny needle and injected the contents. Shepard gasped as the needle was withdrawn.
Kolyat watched a bead of blood travel from the wound and work its way down her belly. Kolyat was shocked to his toes when Shepard take it. "Take what?"
"My blood. Take it."
Her husbands were just as shocked. Kolyat looked to them and they nodded. He turned to his lifemate. She was uncomfortable with the idea, but it seemed to have a special meaning to the trio that she couldn't comprehend. Since her brother was accepting it, she would too. Though she was damned sure going to ask him why later. She nodded to her lifemate.
Kolyat looked at Shepard's white belly and blood that marred it. Thane turned his eyes away. Some things he did not need to see. Kolyat bent over Shepard and ran his tongue along her belly, careful to catch every last drop. When his tongue reached the needle hole, she held his head and told him to drink. He suckled the small wound and more drops of blood coated his tongue. He could feel it rushing through his veins, revitalizing him. She released his head and he stood up looking down on her in wonder. Her blood packed a hell of a punch. He looked up at his fathers. "What just happened?"
Thane sighed. "What I tell you two must never go any further and I can't speak of it in here. Come to the cabin with us and we'll try to answer your questions."
"We'll meet you there in 30, if that's okay." They smiled and nodded. Kolyat grinned, grabbed his lifemate's hand and dashed out the door. When he reached the life support chamber he was using he was surprised to see that a bed replaced the cot he had been sleeping on. It wasn't a large bed, but certainly had room enough for two. He pulled Solana into his arms and gave her a searing kiss. They tore off each other's clothes and he put the new energy Shepard's blood had given him to good use.
As Shepard dressed the doctors assured them that she and the babies were in optimal health. They thanked them and made their way to their cabin. In the elevator the kisses grew hot and the touches bold. They stumbled into the cabin, clothes trailing behind them.
When they were sated and enjoying the aftershocks, the men asked her why she had chosen to share her blood with their son.
"I wanted to protect him. I'm not sure of the dangers he will face in C-Sec. But it was the only thing I could think to do to protect him."
"We only have a few minutes…get dressed." Shepard reminded them.
After getting dressed, she walked over and pulled out two shot glasses. She grabbed a knife and sliced her palm. She sucked in her breath from the pain and held her bleeding wound over the glasses. When the wound started knitting closed, she sliced it again.
"What the hell are you doing?" Garrus asked grabbing the knife.
"They need more. I need to do this for them. It's not like I will be able to do this often…I need to protect them when I can." She took the knife gently back from him and sliced her palm again. When both shot glasses were filled, she rinsed off the knife and her palm in the sink. The cut was already scabbing over. She rubbed a dose of medigel on it and the scab melted away into pink puckered scar tissue. That too would heal soon.
When the comm chimed she told them to come in. Kolyat and Solana entered the door hand in hand. When the door whooshed close behind them Kolyat's nostrils flared and his eyes shot to Shepard. He began to move towards her.
"EDI! Scrub the air immediately!" Thane ordered. Gods…why hadn't he thought to do it sooner? He had let his guard down because Kolyat had a lifemate…
Shepard started to move towards Kolyat. Thane grabbed her and held her back. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I can help him…I can sooth him…"
Thane looked into his sons eyes and shivered. "Not right now you can't. At least not in the way any of us but Kolyat would appreciate. Do you remember what happened to me on the Citadel? He is going through something similar."
"Shit. Do you want me to put him in stasis?"
Thane nodded.
Solana moved as if in a trance. She was affected by the smell of Shepard's desire and pheromones too. She had been drawn to her from the start, it had gotten worse since they were linked through the kiss. But she was able to fight the effects of the pheromones. "Why can't he fight it like I can?"
Thane sighed. "Because of me. He is half of me and half of his mother. My soul helped create him. That draws him to Shepard as it would draw her to him if she had not found me. Our souls have connected and with that connection the pull to him is muted. The part of me within him cannot connect with her, so it is like a dangling live wire. When he found you he was able to ground that wire to some extent. His soul belongs completely to you in every way. But there will always be a part of him, the part that is me, that will belong to Shepard. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I should have scrubbed the air before you arrived."
"Do not worry about it. I know he loves her; he has always been completely open and honest with me. I am drawn to her myself. If I didn't love her so much myself, this story might have had a very different ending…but she is an amazing woman with incredible power. She is like this huge magnet drawing everybody to her. And we are both very thankful that she is your lifemate and not either of ours." Solana watched the stasis bubble wink out and saw her lifemate gather Shepard into his arms. She smiled.
"I'm so sorry, Shep. I don't know what came over me. I couldn't…it was like something else was controlling me."
"Kolyat, you have nothing to be sorry for. The fault was ours not yours. It was never your fault. We are all at the mercy of the forces that created us."
"I heard what my father told her, is it true?"
"Yes, we believe so."
"So if you weren't bound to my father we might have…" The thought was both appealing and frightening.
"Possibly."
"Then I'm so glad you have him. I would never want to hurt my lifemate."
"Nor would I. Are we good now?" She asked gently stroking his head.
He lifted her head and placed a light kiss on her lips. "We are good. I feel better knowing it is not my fault. I prefer the blame to be yours," he said with a smile and spun her towards her lifemates.
She grabbed Solana in a hug. "Are we good too?"
Solana nodded and pulled her in tight. "I cannot begrudge him his love when I love you too…just do us all a favor and keep the pheromones to a minimum around us," she said with a laugh.
Shepard couldn't agree more. "Now, before we get on to more explanations, I have something I'd like each of you to drink. I know the thought is appalling…but I love you both and it is my way of protecting you." She pointed to the two shot glasses on the table.
"Is that what I think it is?" Solana asked in surprise.
"Yes. Will you drink it?" she asked hopefully.
Kolyat and Solana looked at each other. The both remembered well what Shepard's blood had done for Kolyat and that had just been a trickle. They walked over to the table and picked up the shot glasses. They clinked them together and downed the contents. They closed their eyes as the rush hit them. It was absorbed through their tongues, mouths, and throat. By the time it would have reached their stomachs there was nothing left. They could feel it move through every part of their bodies. The feeling was indescribable.
While her husbands were busy watching the kids, she slipped around the corner, grabbed two more shot glasses, sliced her wrist for faster flow and filled up the two glasses. She ran her wrist and the knife under cold water and slipped a dose of medigel over her wrist so that it would knit up faster. She carried the two shot glasses out and handed them to her husbands. They glowered at her but took them. "Neither of you have gotten this much at one time…figured we'd make it a family tradition," she said with a smile.
They looked at her, their eyes going soft and emptied the glasses. The effects of the blood hit them just as hard as the kids; apparently you could not build up a tolerance. As the blood was absorbed into Thane his biotics flared, the blue shining with flecks of gold. He sparkled. Okay, wow. She had not expected that to happen. He looked at her in shock.
The kids looked at each other then at Shepard. They were just as stunned by what they saw happen. She grabbed their hands and pulled them over to one of the sofas. Then she sat down on the other and patted the spaces next to her.
Her husbands joined her, each placing a hand upon her thigh.
"I'm not even sure how to go about telling you what I'm about to tell you. I'm still trying to absorb the truth of it myself. You know how I have two souls…two lifemates. You know that I'm eccentric…that I'm different from other people. You have felt the effects of my blood. I can feel and know things I shouldn't be able to feel or know. I became pregnant naturally with babies that shouldn't exist. I have other… differences that I don't care to go into…but all these differences seem to stem from one fact that I have only recently been made aware of. Apparently, I'm not human. I never have been. I thought I was. Never questioned that I was, but I'm not. We don't know what I am. More tests are being done on my blood and amniotic fluid. We are hoping the results will eventually lead to details that are lacking right now." She paused for a moment and then looked at them closely. "Does my not being human bother you in any way?"
"Why would that bother me?" they asked in unison. They looked at each other and laughed.
"Shep, you have always been so …I don't know…larger than life. More there. More alive. More…vibrant than anyone else. To call you a mere human is a disservice to you. Maybe I'm the wrong person to ask, but I've never seen you as a human. You were always The Shepard. You were always more to me." Kolyat's cheeks flushed a bright red and he cleared his throat.
Solana squeezed her lifemate's hand. "He's right. I felt it the moment I met you too." Solana rose from the sofa and dropped to her knees at Shepard's feet. She laid her head in Shepard's lap.
Kolyat moved the table aside and dropped down next to his lifemate. He laid his head on Shepard's other thigh. He could smell her scent and it toyed with his senses. A part of him wondered if she tasted as good as she smelled, but he tamped down on that part of himself and just enjoyed the feel of her hands moving against his head.
She cradled them both to her. These two precious, beautiful young people who meant the world to her. She ran her hands along the ridges of their heads. Pouring her love into her touch. She was going to miss them when they were gone.
Thane nearly lost all reason when he saw his son's head turn and his eyes close as he breathed in Shepard's scent. He knew his son was memorizing her scent and it nearly sent him over the edge. Pictures ran through his head of different ways to kill a drell and his hand twitched with the need to break his blue neck. Kolyat's head settled and no one else seemed to notice. Waves of calm washed through him and he knew his wife was responsible. He wasn't sure if she knew what happened or if she was only responding to his tension, but he wouldn't put it past her. She had a way of knowing things. He loved his son…most of the time, but he was thankful that he would soon be moving on with his own life far away from Shepard.
Before Shepard, Solana had never been all that tactile…more so than turian males, but still more reserved than she was now. Shepard had brought out a need to touch and with her lifemate also being very tactile, she found she was enjoying touching immensely. In fact, she was beginning to think she couldn't touch enough. It was something she proved to Kolyat when they stepped into the elevator.
The moment the door closed behind the young couple her husbands stripped her and tossed her on the bed…her blood hot in their veins.
Shepard placed a large order of supplies that would be picked up at the Citadel when they arrived. Their larders would be stuffed with food for every species. She even added an order for Krogan since they were due to be picking one up soon.
The next few days were both exciting and sad…knowing that it would all be ending too soon. Solana joined them on the mats and they began working in teams or practiced sparring with more than one opponent. They spent a lot of time teaching the younger pair new moves. Kolyat was becoming a lot more graceful and beautiful to watch. The young pair quickly learned just how sensual the sparring could be. On more than one occasion they rushed from the rec room hand in hand. The older trio hot on their heels, though there was a time or two they just sealed the rec room after the younger couple's departure.
The firing range was a huge hit with Solana. A couple of times a day they made their way down there, kicking out whoever was using it. The kid's training came first. They wanted to make sure Kolyat was proficient in all the various weapons. Garrus spent a lot of training and drilling the kids on C-Sec protocol. Being in the Academy sucked and he wanted to make sure they passed their testing right out of the gate.
Shepard met with Legion privately every few days. When Mordin joined the crew he began to come to the secret meetings as well. So much was riding on the geth and salarians. So far no one was the wiser and no one had found out about the meetings. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to keep it up, but was determined to for as long as she could. Until things were settled more, she didn't want anyone else finding out what was going on. That included her husbands.
Joker alerted them that they were waiting for docking clearance at the Citadel. Shepard was nervous, sad, and excited. Her mind going in several directions at once. She'd spent a lot of comm time with a realtor, trying to pick out the perfect flat for the young couple. She'd paid for it in full, they'd only need to cover taxes and utilities, both of which she'd covered for the first year. Her VIP status allowed her to purchase a lower level flat. It had a large hot tub but also large dehumidifiers she'd purchased specifically for Kolyat. She hoped like mad they'd like it. She had yet to tell her husbands. Her husbands didn't know just how wealthy she had been. Recent expenditures had taken a massive chunk out of her wealth and she was pretty sure there would not be much left by the time she was through. But, since money had a way of falling in her lap she doubted she would be in the poor house for long.
When the airlock released them Bailey stood to greet them and let them know he would be escorting the couple to the Academy. She told Bailey she'd bring them right back. She took Kolyat and Solana's arms and led them to the elevator. A few floors up the elevator opened and she led them to one of four doors. She hugged the couple close and handed Kolyat the key and motioned for him to open the door. They stepped in and looked around the fully furnished home.
"I wasn't sure what you would like. You can change out any of the furnishings that you want. I had them leave a list of the suppliers' names on the kitchen counter. Other than that, I hope you like your new home. It's paid for in full and the first year of taxes and utilities have been covered." She held her breath awaiting a response.
Their eyes grew wide as they looked around.
"This is all ours?" Solana said in little more than a whisper.
"Shep…you didn't." He looked down at her in awe. When she nodded, he picked her up, crushed her to him and spun her around. He dropped a hard kiss on her lips, his tongue slipped into her mouth, he couldn't stop it from happening, he was just too excited and gods he still wanted her…but he did recall himself quickly and no one but them were any the wiser. He released her and treated his lifemate to the same. This time he didn't have to stop himself.
The couple grabbed hands and tore off to explore their new home. Live plants and trees grew up the walls, soothing water trickled over rocks. Two rounded staircases led to an upper floor where the master bedroom and an exercise room were located. The closets in the master bedroom were filled with new clothing for both of them. Clothes for every occasion. There were two bathrooms, one in the master that had a massive hot tub and one down stairs that just had a shower. The kitchen had nearly every appliance imaginable and a connected dining room. Vid screens of various sizes adorned every room. There was an entertainment room with a bar and a billiards table with a library and office connected to it. There was a massive living room in the front. The long hall that led from the main door of their home to its inner sanctum was set up to be used as an electronic firing range like they had on the ship. Complete with a small closet that stored several artificial guns.
Garrus and Thane were floored. The kids were not aware of the massive amounts of money their new home cost, but the men could hazard a pretty good estimate. The lower levels were immensely expensive and only purchasable to dignitaries, ambassadors and other top ranking officials.
"How?" was all Garrus could say.
"My family lived on Mindior and yes, it was only a farming community. But my parents...owned the place. They were, um...Mindoir's monarchs." She admitted quietly. "The family wealth was immense. I've never touched it until now. I never had to. I was incredibly wealthy in my own right. Money just falls in my lap," she said with a shrug. "I would have bought us one too…but we rarely leave the ship." She paused a moment and wrapped her arms around both of them. "Someday I want us to have a home of our own."
They looked at her in utter shock, then dropped to a knee and bowed their heads. She fell to her knees in front of them and pulled up on their chins so she could see their faces. "Don't ever do that to me. I took great pains so the Alliance would never find out who I was. No one outside of Mindoir knows of my status anymore. I'd like it to remain that way. Mindoir, as I knew it, is gone. My family and friends are gone. I helped Mindoir rebuild itself, but I am an absent ruler. I do my duty by them, but I haven't been back for a long time. This is my life now. And what I'm doing is far more important than anything I've ever done. I love you, and I do not want anything to change between us."
"But you are a Queen...royalty." Garrus said reverently. Position, rank and titles were always of major importance on Palaven. He would love to see the look on his father's face if he ever discovered his son had married royalty.
"And were we on Mindoir, that would mean something. And you both would be my kings. You would be considered royalty too. We are and always have been equals."
"We would be King consorts," Garrus corrected.
Shepard shook her head. "You would be whatever I decreed you to be, but it is a moot point. We are not on Mindoir and I would rather the galaxy not remember who I was. In my heart the royal line died out on Mindoir a long time ago. I will still do my duty to my people in absentia, and maybe...if the galaxy ever stops needing its ass pulled out of the fire, maybe I can retire and we can return to that life...or perhaps our children will choose to, but for now it must remain in the past, forgotten by all." She pulled them up. "You are my husbands, my lifemates, my equals. I love you. End of story," she said with finality.
When the young couple returned, excitement danced in their eyes.
"Spirits, Shep…you've thought of everything! The kitchen is even filled with levo and dextro foods." Then she looked uncertain. "You don't mind if I call you Shep too, do you? Or do you want me to call you mom?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.
"Of course not! And don't you even think about calling me mom! Shep or sis is just fine with me."
"Sis…I like that. Sis it is," she said, her mandibles spreading wide.
"I've left any artwork desired up to you. There is money in an account for you, just comm the designer listed on the counter and he will set you up."
"Tour's over. Let's get your two asses down to Bailey before he thinks I kidnapped you."
Solana ran and grabbed the second key card from the counter and pocketed it. "Promise me...if you are ever on the Citadel that you will stay with us. We won't take no as an answer."
"You got it, Solana."
When they got back down to Bailey's desk, they made their tearful goodbye and she watched them walk away with a heavy heart. She already missed them terribly. Her husbands hugged her close until she was able to rein in her pregnancy intensified emotions.
Hand in hand the trio walked back to the Normandy…each deep in their own thoughts.
