Joker stared miserably at lights of New York from the vast windows of Alenko's penthouse, thinking of his sister. It had been so long since he'd seen Hilary; the last time had been during Christmas of '84, when he'd been grounded after Shepard's death. Everything had fallen apart, the crew had split and everything he'd work for; every ounce of respect he'd busted his ass to gain was forgotten and he was once again nothing but a joke to the Alliance. Even Anderson, with his newfound position on the Council, hadn't been able to pull strings for him.
It had been bad enough living with the guilt over Shepard dying to save him, reliving her death every single time he closed his eyes as she clutched helplessly at her throat, suffocating while he watched with no way to save her. His morale sometimes dropped so low that he'd wished she'd have just let him go down with the ship. The galaxy needed Commander Shepard. It wouldn't even notice if Jeff Moreau was gone.
Joker had fallen into a depression like nothing he'd ever known. He'd drunk himself into a blackout more nights than not. He'd paid for things he wasn't proud of and had depleted almost every credit of savings he had. Rock bottom had finally come when he'd left a bar without paying his tab and he'd gotten arrested for punching the bartender.
His father had been the one to come to his aid, bailing him out and bringing him to Tiptree for Christmas. It had been years since he'd celebrated the ancient Christian holiday. His mother had still been alive. Jeff had long since forgiven his father for leaving his mother on Arcturus with a twelve year old could who could barely walk, and he'd made his peace with his stepmother Audrina, but things were still oddly tense. He could not suppress the niggling feeling in the back of his mind that he did not belong with this family of three. He wondered if Audrina thought of him as the damaged reminder that his father had been married to another woman.
Hilary was another story. The feisty little girl with the dark hair and freckles had an innate way of disarming a person, speaking with surprising clarity in her young age. He'd nicknamed her "Gunny" when she was six, because she was always saying how she wanted to be a pilot and fly those "ships with the big guns". Joker could not deny the pride he felt that his sister wanted to follow in his footsteps.
That Christmas, he'd been surprised to find the adorable little girl with the big teeth was rapidly growing into a young woman at thirteen years old. Gone were the round cheeks of her childhood; Hilary had grown nearly a foot in the time since he'd last seen her (A birthday party in '82). His father and Audrina had gone into town to pick up a last minute shipment that had flown in from the Citadel. Despondent over his recent woes, Jeff had drifted miserably through his father's farmhouse, too stubborn to use his crutches and had fallen into his sister's room when his stepmother's damned cat had run between his legs. Thankfully, he'd stopped his fall by gripping the door handle.
When he'd reclaimed his wits and had looked around Gunny's room, he was filled with awe as he realized that, rather than the trashy posters of teen heartthrobs that most thirteen year old girls seemed to love, her walls were covered in printed off news articles.
Flight Lieutenant Jeffrey Moreau Hand-Picked by Captain David Anderson to Helm Cutting Edge Alliance Ship
Commander Shepard Commends Crew for Their Role In Defeat of Spectre Saren Arterius
His eyes had burned and his throat had caught embarrassingly as he'd realized that Hilary collected news articles that mentioned him.
"Jeff?" Her voice had come from the hallway, surprising him. He'd thought she'd left with her parents.
"Sorry Gun," He'd sighed, "Had a little fall."
"Are you okay?" Her blue eyes had filled with concern. "Should I get your crutches?"
"I'm fine," He assured her, nodding to the walls of her room. "Nice collection kid. A little stalkerish, but y'know, nice." Gunny had grinned at him with a familiar gleam in her eyes.
"Well, not every girl can say her brother's a famous pilot," Hilary replied, sitting beside him on her bed. "I can," she added proudly. Joker had stared at his sister in disbelief, giving a derisive chuckle.
"I'm not sure if that really applies anymore, Gun," he told her, sighing. "Since Shepard—" He stopped himself, eyes widening. It had been the first time he'd spoken of her since the memorial on Earth. "Well, you know…she was a hero. I was just her pilot."
"You're a hero, Jeff," Hilary had insisted, throwing her arms around him carefully (she knew not to squeeze too hard). "You want to know why I collect these news articles? It's not because of Shepard…or the Normandy – although the Normandy was awesome –"
"You bet your ass – er –butt it was…shit, sorry!" He realized he'd again sworn and groaned. "Shoot."
"Jeff, I'm thirteen years old, not five." Hilary rolled her eyes, "But, the real reason I collect this stuff is you." Earnest blue eyes met green. "You're my hero."
Joker would never admit to it (and if anyone called him on it, he'd say they were a damn liar), but he'd gotten choked up to the point where he couldn't speak and had put an arm around Hilary's slim shoulders, pulling her tightly into his side and feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time; hope.
That night he'd stared at his reflection in the mirror, eyeing the dark eyed stranger with the grim expression on his bearded face. This wasn't him. Yes, he was still a smart mouthed asshole with the disposition of a pissed off Varren. He was Jeff Moreau, and damned if he was going to disappoint that little girl. If Shepard had taught him anything, it was that if you inspired just one person in your life, then your life was worth something.
He'd vowed to do better; be better. For Hilary. One week later, Cerberus had found him and had given him an offer he couldn't refuse.
And now, Hilary was gone. The lights of New York glistened in the dark of the night, reminding him of the stars he'd become so familiar with. And Hilary would never be able to see a sight like this; she would never become the pilot she'd been destined to be and he would never see her smile again.
But Shepard was alive. She was a little tired and more than a little broken, but she was alive. She was still fighting. Joker's eyes fell to his bandaged right hand, purple and swollen from his display of anger at the hospital that morning. An embarrassing reminder than he was weak. He'd fallen back into old habits, drinking and sleeping around to push away reality. Hilary would not have wanted this for him. Dad wouldn't have wanted this for him.
His mother would have been appalled by his behavior.
In that moment, he would have done anything just to have her hold him; something he'd always hated as a kid. Jeff had never enjoyed being coddled, fiercely independent and inherently defiant.
How many second chances could one man get?
Joker turned away from the window, glancing around the empty room. Javik was lurking in the kitchen, furiously messaging with Liara's Drell Baby Daddy. Liara was passed out in the guest bedroom in some asari pregnancy induced coma. Garrus and Tali had left hours ago to check into their hotel. Shepard was finally asleep after an exhausting and grueling physical therapy session. Joker had attempted to encourage her as she struggled to lift her leg using a light weight.
"Really, Commander?" He'd quipped, "Is the Savior of the Galaxy gonna be brought down by a five pound leg weight?"
Green eyes had narrowed on him, promising death. "Joker," She'd spoken in a low, lethal voice. "Every time I lift this leg from now on, I'm going to use the image of me kicking you in the balls as inspiration until I'm strong enough to actually do it."
It had killed her, he could tell, being so vulnerable; feeling weak, but Jeff knew better than to pity her. He, of all people, understood the frustration one could feel toward their own body.
The shrill ping of an Omni-tool pierced the air, making Joker lunge for it, glancing toward the bedroom where Shepard slept.
It was Alenko. Joker sighed, quickly pressing the "Answer" button. Kaidan's image appeared before him.
"Oh, Joker…uh, hey," The Major said tiredly, looking confused.
"Hey…" He replied, trying to sound nonchalant and ending up sounding like a kid going through puberty.
"Is Shepard around?"
"Oh, uh…she's in bed. Physical therapy was kind of rough," He told Kaidan, who nodded, wincing.
"I would have called sooner, it's just been…busy here," He explained. "Listen Joker, can you tell her to give me a call when she wakes up in the morning? It can wait."
"Yeah, okay," Jeff answered.
"Hey, are you alright?" Kaidan asked, sounding concerned.
Joker waved him off. "Yeah…fine. Don't worry about it. I'll give Shep the message."
"Thanks," Kaidan told him sincerely, before the connection closed.
"Okay, that was kind of weird," Joker muttered, sneaking a glance over at Prothy, who was murmuring to himself in some indiscernible babble as he typed furiously on his own Omni-tool. The only recognizable words Joker was able to make out were "damned Drell" and "Kahje". He shook his head, turning toward the bedroom where Shepard slept. He should probably check in on her and make sure she was actually asleep.
The door was cracked open and he could see the faint light from the bedside lamp peeking through, indicating that Shep was awake. He groaned, wondering if he'd have to sedate her to make sure she actually did sleep. Carefully, he inched the door open, peering in, and saw her sitting up in the bed, facing the wall opposite him. Her auburn head was bowed, shielding her face and her shoulders were slumped. He almost backed out, wanting to give her privacy until he heard a faint sniff; then another.
Shit.
Joker had never seen Shepard cry. They'd worked together for three years (Well, technically it was closer to one and a half since she'd been out of commission for two of those years) and she had never ever showed that kind of emotion in front of them. He'd seen her pissed to the point of violence; that he could handle, but if there was one thing Jeff was terrified of, it was a crying woman.
The fact that it was Shepard made it all the more horrifying.
He didn't say anything as he stood in the doorway, toiling over what to do, but she must have sensed him there, because she turned to face him. His eyes fell to her tear soaked cheeks, raw and red eyes muted from their normal brilliant green.
"You okay?" He heard himself ask lamely, lingering near the door and ready to flee at the first opportunity.
"Yeah," She answered in a hoarse voice. He nodded, starting to back out when her face crumpled and she shook her head. "No…fuck."
Son of a bitch.
Resignedly, Jeff crossed to the bed and sat beside her, awkwardly putting his hands on his knees. "Um…look, Shep, I wanna help, but I'm pretty useless when it comes to this stuff. You want to talk about it?" She didn't look up as she tiredly handed him an unfolded piece of paper with scratchy masculine scrawl.
Shepard-
I always wanted to be a Dad. When I married my wife Cynthia before I started N7 training, we talked about having three or four. I didn't have any brothers or sisters, so I always figured I'd make up for it by having a big family. Well, Cynthia and I were pretty young and more than a little naïve. It didn't work out. She wasn't willing to leave her job on Earth and I wasn't willing to resign myself to a desk job at the Alliance.
After I met Kahlee, I hoped we might get the chance to have kids together, but it didn't work out the way we'd hoped. We both had our careers and our duties and that was that. Timing was never on our side.
Back when I was stationed in the Terminus Systems in '70, we had to intervene when batarians attacked a little farming colony. Mindoir. It wasn't pretty, and we were too late to save most of the victims, but we finally found a man and his daughter running out of the forest. The man was hurt, dragging his girl behind him…a scrawny little thing with two messy red braids in a flannel shirt.
I promised him that I'd take care of his little girl before he died.
That day, my wish came true. I became a father. In that skinny little girl, I found what I had been looking for. A family. And so began the daunting task of parenting a teenager who had just lost everything. She shut me out…she resisted everything I tried to give her. Until one day, she came to me and asked me for a favor. She wanted to enlist in the Alliance. I made a deal with her. I told her if she trusted me, and gave me a chance to help her, she could enlist as soon as she was old enough.
In that little girl, I have felt more pride than I have ever felt. I have known more fear than I have ever known. And, I have known more happiness than I ever dreamed.
Perhaps, I didn't deserve the love I received from that brilliant, special girl. I hadn't been there when she was born. I had not seen her take her first steps. I did not hold her hand on her first day of school. But, I was there when she graduated from high school. I was the person she came to when she was in a bind. I was there to hold her when she cried, and sometimes, if I squinted hard enough, I could pretend she was really mine. I've never thought otherwise.
In you, Alexandra Jane Shepard, I have truly lived. You gave my life meaning. You saved me, Alex. I have watched you grown from a skinny little girl with messy braids into a formidable woman, who commands both respect and awe. You became my better when you were made a Spectre, and I am damned proud to call you my daughter. To me, you'll always be that little girl in the flannel shirt with the bright green eyes.
The apartment on the Citadel is yours to keep. I just hope it's still there for you. I've also put away an inheritance for you. It will be in your savings account.
Thank you, Alex, for giving me the greatest title I have ever had to privilege to earn.
Father.
All My Love,
Admiral David Edward Anderson
"I didn't…know you guys were that close," Joker admitted, folding the paper and handing it back to her.
"We didn't advertise it," Shepard sighed, putting the paper back into the envelope. "He always said paper letters meant more than email because if you cared enough to write it out, it was worth reading."
"He was a good man," Joker agreed, looking at the door for a fleeting moment, longingly.
"He was my dad," She said, her face falling once again as she buried her face in her hands, shoulders moving with each sob.
Joker knew his escape wasn't going to happen, sighing as he tried to figure out what he should do. Hesitantly, he put his arm around her, half expecting her to haul off and punch him in the face; do some real damage to his skull. As she was wont to do, Shepard surprised him by putting his arms around his middle, resting her cheek against his chest with her head positioned just below his chin. It was an uncharacteristically female response, and Jeff wasn't exactly the soft and cuddly type, being, for lack of a better word, breakable.
Sure, he'd cuddled with women after sex, but that was, well, after sex.
Somehow though, his arms found their way around her, cradling her body protectively. For a woman who cut such an intimidating figure in armor, she was surprisingly small; so excruciatingly human in that moment. This was something Joker had avoided for years, admitting that the Commander was a woman. Oh, it wasn't like he hadn't checked out her ass as she'd walked away from the cockpit time and again. But, he had not allowed himself to consider her as an actual female. He had not allowed himself to admit that she was beautiful; that she was amazing; that he wanted her.
At least, he hadn't in a very long time.
But she was all of those things. And nothing had changed; nothing could change. He was still grieving over the loss of EDI. She was in a serious relationship with her fellow human Spectre.
He had nothing to offer her but a shoulder to cry on, and a fragile one at that.
Kaidan closed the line, both disheartened and relieved. On the one hand, he was glad Shepard was resting; she undoubtedly deserved some well-earned sleep. On the other hand, there was the matter that she was now the sole kin of three orphaned children. Kaidan loved kids, always had. He was patient and a good teacher, and he'd always liked watching a child's eyes light up as they learned something new. He supposed if he hadn't gone into the Alliance, he would have been a teacher. Conatix had put the kibosh on that right away.
He knew that Shepard wasn't going to be able to turn them away. They'd had many a conversation that indicated that she wanted to fill the void that the loss of her own family had created. He'd just always assumed it would be one step at a time; maybe marriage and then a nicely planned out pregnancy.
Not that he would even think of asking her not to take the kids. Kaidan knew how important it would be to her; her only blood relatives left. Shepard was surprisingly tight lipped about her family. All she'd really told him was that she'd grown up on a farm on Mindoir and had an older brother and a younger sister. Her father's name had been John and her mother, Hannah. She'd never mentioned anything about an aunt and uncle on Earth.
Miranda, of course, had filled in the details for him. Kate Hathaway had been the sister of Hannah Shepard. The women had remained close, but after the attacks on Mindoir, Kate and her husband Mark had lost contact with their niece. Upon some minor digging, Miranda had found that Shepard had actually been placed under legal guardianship of one David Edward Anderson, which was an even bigger surprise.
Though it had always been clear to Kaidan that Shepard and Anderson had a working history together, neither had ever indicated that he'd raised her from the age of sixteen on. Of course, being in the military, they'd probably thought it better to maintain a professional distance. He didn't blame them, since he knew the last thing any soldier wanted was to be accused of getting preferential treatment.
This also filled Kaidan with more guilt at leaving Shepard alone. She was dealing with not only the loss of her mentor and respected superior; she was grieving a father figure. He understood, having buried his own father five months earlier. The Captain had been given a full military service, complete with a twenty-one gun salute. Though they'd had their differences, Kaidan would miss his father's stoic face; his honorable disposition and his wisdom. Captain Alenko had loved to dispense wisdom to his only son. Kaidan would have gladly listened were he here today.
Kaidan decided to call his mother first thing in the morning. He had something to ask her. But it was nearly ten in Vancouver. His mother would be asleep already; she was an early riser.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone step out of the shadows; a familiar figure. He smiled, turning to see Miranda standing just inside the door, dressed in an Alliance issued warm-up suit with her dark hair pulled up at the crown of her head. Her blue eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of the common room.
"Any luck with Shepard?" She asked, taking a drink of water and crossing to perch on the arm of an overstuffed chair. Silently, he shook his head, crossing his legs and glancing at the cross trainers on her feet. It was almost comical, seeing Miss "Genetic Perfection" Lawson dressed down in workout clothes with a slight sheen of sweat on her flawless face.
"Do you always work out this late at night?" He chuckled.
Miranda flushed a little, shrugging. "An old habit, from when I joined Cerberus. Most of the time, I didn't get free time until later at night, and so I would run to blow off steam and think." Her eyes widened in horror. "I must look frightful."
"No," Kaidan assured her, laughing as he put his feet up on a coffee table. "It's kind of nice. You seem almost…human."
"Bite me," Miranda snapped, though she too was suppressing a smirk. Growing serious, she fixed her eyes on his face. "Kaidan, do you think Shepard will take them?"
"Yes," He answered truthfully. "In a heartbeat."
"Good," Miranda nodded, sinking to sit in the armchair. "Are you okay with that?"
"Of course," Kaidan answered instantly. "I would never deny Shepard the chance to reconnect with family. She thought she had no one."
"It's just…three children are a lot of work," She told him honestly, "They're her family, but this affects you too, Kaidan."
"I wouldn't leave her, if that's what you're implying," He returned, defensively. Miranda nodded, giving him a small smile.
"I'm glad." Her eyes met his squarely. "And I know you wouldn't leave Shepard. You're a good man, Kaidan."
"Five months ago, you called me an infuriating stuffed shirt," He reminded her, winking.
"Five months ago, you were," She insisted in a dry voice. "Of course, I was probably no b—"
An alarm started to go off, sending shrill wails throughout the fortress of the shelter. Both people sprang from their seat, ready to take action against the person who had intruded. It was the alarm that indicated someone had slipped past the security station at the main gate and was heading toward the building.
Abby Williams appeared in her pajamas, curly hair wild around her face and her threadbare pink robe haphazardly thrown around her body. Kaidan reached the weapons locker first, punching in the code and tossing Miranda a pistol.
"Do you think you'll need it?" Abby asked, horrified, glancing toward the dormitories with wide sable eyes.
"Better safe than sorry," He pointed out, nodding toward the main hall. "You go and block the entrance to the dorms. Activate the emergency locks while Miranda and I deal with this. You and Oriana make sure the kids stay calm."
Stricken, the woman nodded, fleeing and rushing back the way she'd come, already pulling up her Omni-tool to alert Ori. A surge of biotically charged adrenaline coursed through Kaidan's body. He noticed a faint blue aura around Miranda as well. Catching her attention, he motioned for her to take cover on the right side of the door while he hugged the right. The door slid open as both stood poised to attack as a small form stumbled through the door and collapsed on the floor in a heap. Kaidan held his hand up to stop Miranda from rushing toward it, waiting until person uncurled and it became apparent she was unarmed.
Kaidan could tell by the quickly forming pool of blood around her that she was in bad shape. Holstering his pistol, he fell to his knees, checking the stranger over. The wound was on her side; she'd been stabbed. Looking up, he met Miranda's eyes.
"Get Abby. And Dr. Fallon." He ordered, putting pressure on the girl's wound and trying to get her to look at him. Her dark eyes fluttered in an attempt to focus. "Steady…" He made his voice as soothing as he could, "Stay with me. You're safe…you're safe." Her blood stained hand covered his, gripping the wrist. That's when he noticed the faint blue light emanating from her wound and realized she was a biotic.
"Help…" Her weak voice was barely audible. "They're coming…they're coming for me…"
"Who is? You're safe here," Kaidan repeated. Her brows furrowed as she looked up into his face, reaching up with her other hand to touch his cheek. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Kaidan…is that you?"
"Kaidan?" He echoed in confusion, staring down at her in wonder. "How do you know me…?"
Suddenly, it became clear to him. The dark eyes. The glossy hair. The subtle lilt of an accent in her words. Kaidan gasped in both surprise and horror.
"Rahna."
Liara found herself wide awake, opening her eyes to a darkened room with nothing but the dim light of the city for illumination. It was becoming a habit, finding herself awake at the most inopportune times and then sleeping when she shouldn't. Soon, she suspected, it would get worse. She would be able to feel the baby move and her body would hurt. Aethyta had been all too forthcoming about the woes of pregnancy; sometimes to the point of making Liara cringe. Still, she had become close with the asari who had "fathered" her, and had even become fond of Aethyta's gruff, brutal honesty.
This insomnia was likely caused by something other than the child growing in her womb, however. It had been just over two weeks since Feron had left for Ilos to retrieve more data. Liara had fully intended to go herself, but both Javik and Feron had insisted that it was a one person job and Feron had added that as her Operative, he should go. (In truth, she was convinced he was being overprotective with her condition which was both infuriating and endearing.) Liara had become accustomed to having the weight of Feron's body beside her at night, and after four months together, she'd become dependent on his presence in her bed.
When the war had ended, the couple had slipped so easily into a relationship, it was almost as if it had simply always been; perhaps it had, from that first meeting on Omega. For two years, Liara had lived with a horrifying mix of nightmares that were a muddle of vague images containing both the view she'd had of the immovable Commander Shepard choking to death in the infinite expanse of space and the vision of Feron being hauled away by the minions of the former Shadow Broker. There had been a seemingly endless stream of tears she'd shed for them both, and then, the almost crippling relief when they'd saved him. Though, it wasn't until just before the final push in the war that Feron had confessed to having any feelings for her. For so long, she'd pretended that it wasn't like that; that he was just grateful to her for saving him. She'd almost feared it wasn't genuine.
Truly, Liara was tired of bottling up her emotions. It had been a defense mechanism for most of her life and she was sick to death of it. Benezia had never been the type to be outwardly emotional; a trait she'd passed on to her only child. She'd loved her mother dearly, but they had never been particularly affectionate with one another. Benezia had an image to uphold and a daughter to groom into the very image of a perfect future Matriarch; something Liara had never been interested in being. From the time she'd learned to read, science had been her passion. The meager information available on the Prothean Empire had infatuated the adolescent asari. She'd read every text she could get her hands on and decided that she was going to abandon the life her mother had planned out for her and pursue her passion for knowledge.
Benezia had flown into a rage to rival the Goddess herself and had warned Liara that all ties would be cut. Defiantly, Liara had stood her ground and gone her separate way, removing herself from the Matriarch's life. It had been strange at first, making her own decisions; thinking for herself. The asari were not a forgiving people, however, and Liara's relative youth made it difficult to gain respect, especially without the support of her influential estranged parent. Being a pureblood didn't help her case much, either. If it hadn't been for the support of her colleague and former mentor, Dr. Passante, she would have never been published.
Now was not the time to reminisce about the lost years of her early career, however. There were more pressing matters; such as how she was going to be able to sleep. Her eyes fell to the clock, glowing light amber in the dark room.
1:37 A.M.
Earth time was a bit strange, and it was odd to watch the humans arrange their itineraries according to the position of Sol. On the Normandy, there had been little concept of "day" and "night", though the Earth time format wasn't exactly foreign since it had always been displayed on the SR-1 and the SR-2 beside the GST (Galactic Standard Time) clock.
Liara hesitated only briefly, before pulling up her Omni-tool and pressing the call button. It was answered immediately, bringing Feron's vibrant features into focus. He looked concerned.
"Is the connection secure?" She asked, more out of habit than actual worry. It was a valid precaution. If she were ever exposed as the Shadow Broker, they would both be in a great deal of danger, especially with Feron's history. He'd burned bridges with many people over the years, being an information broker. It was important that they maintained their privacy.
"Yes," He affirmed. "All of the security tech is at full capacity."
Liara nodded. "Good. I am sorry for bothering you this late, but—"
"Liara," Feron interrupted her dryly, "You worry too much. As usual…"
"Yes," She agreed. "It's just…" A quick huff left her as she sank to sit on the bed, frustrated with herself. "Oh, this is so absurd…"
"Are you feeling alright? The baby…?"
"Is fine," Liara assured him, "She is quite the little troublemaker, but she is not why I am calling." He waited patiently, folding his arms while she gathered her thoughts. "I missed you." Her voice was quiet with both embarrassment and sincerity, face surely turning a violent shade of lavender.
Feron surprised her by laughing aloud. "You never cease to amaze me, T'Soni…is that all?"
"Is that all?" She fired back indignantly, mortified. She was trying to pour her heart out to the person she'd pledged her love to; was having a child with. The room was suddenly alight in glowing blue hues radiating from her body. "It's everything, you insensitive, silver tongued—"
"Easy, Arashu," He stopped her, taking pity, though he was still grinning, the infuriating wretch! "I was only teasing you."
Liara's face fell, eyes welling up involuntarily. Feron's eyes grew wide with panic, hands going up in surrender. "No, no!" He cried, shaking his head. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He let out a sharp curse beneath his breath. "Goddess of Oceans, I didn't mean to do that!"
"I can't sleep!" She blurted, overwrought from exhaustion and distress. "I've gotten so used to you being there when I sleep, that I can't when you're not with me!" Burying her face in her hands, she was slightly humiliated at her complete lack of control over her emotions. The asari midwife had told her that in comparison to humans, asari pregnancy hormones have three times the effect. It was not uncommon for Liara to cry these days; it seemed the smallest things could set her off.
Ads about cruelty towards varren...
Knocking over a pile of datapads…
Seeing a quarian without their mask…
Running out of the single greatest invention of humans; ice cream.
It was pathetic really, and Liara rationally knew she was overreacting to Feron's teasing; their banter was one of the things she most enjoyed, in fact, but her body wasn't cooperating with her mind.
"Oh Goddesses," Feron sighed, wincing, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"I know," She sniffed miserably; "I just can't seem to help myself lately."
"For the record, I miss you too," He admitted soberly, all traces of his earlier joking gone. "It's been hell these past two weeks, Liara. I find myself waking up and reaching for you only to realize you aren't there." His voice lowered dangerously. "When I see you next, you'd better prepare yourself, because we won't be leaving the bed for at least two days."
Despite herself, Liara laughed through her tears. "That, I look forward to." She swallowed, wiping under her eyes with the back of her hand. "I shattered a window today."
Feron's eyes widened. "How?"
"Well, actually it was her," Liara touched her middle, gesturing down. A startled chuckle left him. "At the flight station…when I got your message about Hilary Moreau…" She trailed off, feeling her eyes burn for a moment again, thinking of Joker in the other room. He was reeling, no matter how much he tried to hide it. Shaking her head, she pushed the urge away, biting her bottom lip to keep it from quivering.
"Oh," His voice filled with understanding. "So, that's what you meant when you said she's a troublemaker."
"Hmm, yes," Liara acknowledged, her lips curving in a melancholy smile. "Thank you for letting me know, though."
"Always, Liara," Feron told her earnestly. "Droney and I—"
"Feron…" She groaned, though she was unable to suppress a smirk. "His name is Glyph."
"I like mine better," He insisted, grinning again with his usual cheek. "Fine," He sighed dramatically, "Glyph and I will be en route to Earth no later than Thursday and we should arrive early Saturday morning. I talked to Javik earlier, while you were napping." He sounded a little sheepish. "He told me about your trouble sleeping…"
"But how could he have—?"
"Liara, it's Javik. The guy can read everyone like an open book," He reminded her, snickering. "He acts like he doesn't care, but he does. You're like the daughter he never wanted."
"Feron!" She cried, laughing helplessly. "I am not!"
"When we started…" Feron cleared his throat, "Well, when we became…us…he told me that in his cycle, if a male betrayed a female, it was punishable by—"
"Death," They finished together, chortling.
"If that isn't the old adage of a father threatening his daughter's suitor, I don't know what is." Feron shook his head fondly. "I adore that Prothean bastard."
"You two have become good friends," Liara agreed, beaming. For all Javik's bristly exterior, she considered her theory that he had a soft heart confirmed.
She made a note to give him a kiss on the cheek (which he would hate).
"As Joker would say," She continued, "a bromance." Her brows rose in realization. "Oh, Goddess…you and Joker in the same company…Athame help us."
Feron's eyes drifted past her focusing on something. "Oh great…I should go. Glitch is lighting up," He grumbled. "Is it too much to pray it'll malfunction and shut off?"
"His name is Glyph," Liara half giggled. "And I need him. Go on. I have kept you long enough. Hopefully your daughter behaves herself and doesn't shatter any more windows."
"Theia, this is your father," Feron said, adopting an authoritative voice and making her snort, "Please be a good little girl and don't make your mother break things. She is letting you live in her for free—"
"Feron!" Liara gasped, now crying from laughing so hard. "You are impossible."
"—and tell your mother if she behaves, I will make it worth her while…"
"Oh, by the Goddess." Liara scoffed, waving him off. "Go, fix Glyph. I will talk to you tomorrow."
"I'll check in when we get on the way." He grew serious. "I love you, Liara. Vu de'ei alaya."
"Yes, I love you too," Liara breathed, reaching toward his projection, yearning to feel his hand in hers. "Soon."
The faint orange glow of Liara's terminal screen was the only light in the room. She was poring over the final plans for the battle to come. They would arrive on Earth in less than twelve hours. She knew she should be asleep, but her mind wouldn't shut off. A million thoughts ran through her mind.
She thought of her childhood on Thessia; sitting on her mother's bed watching her get ready for her day. One of her most treasured memories was putting on her mother's headpiece and staring at her reflection in the mirror, pretending she too was a grown Asari Matriarch. Sneaking out to the park across the street and digging until her clothes were beyond repair, praying to the Goddess she'd find some artifact. Her mother would then scold her, telling her that there were more important things in life than dirtying up one's clothes and hands.
She thought of the fight she and Benezia had gotten into when she'd informed her mother that she was going into Archaeology. Benezia had railed at her, stating that it was embarrassing for her daughter to go traipsing through the galaxy for the bones of dead people when she had a duty to her people to lead. They hadn't spoken until her mother's death.
She thought of meeting Shepard, being welcomed into her life and her crew. For the first time in over a century, Liara had friends. Real friends. It was strange to be unconditionally accepted by so many people. Even Javik had started to come around since Thessia.
The thought of losing even one of them…
She couldn't bear it. They were all so dear to her. And then, of course there was Feron. Her employee. Her friend. The person who had shown her that she was more than just a soft spoken weakling. He'd sacrificed everything for her to save a woman he didn't even know. Granted, he had betrayed her a few times on the way, but she'd owed it to him to save him. It wasn't until she'd seen him again, did she realize just how deeply she'd cared for him. On her old Shadow Broker base, she'd found herself checking in on him constantly to make sure he was alright. She told herself she was just worried for his well-being after his ordeal, but sometimes she did wonder if maybe…
But then, of course, she buried those thoughts deep within the confines of her mind.
The sound of her Omni-tool nearly made her fly out of her skin as she leapt to answer the call. To her surprise, it was Feron on the other end, his image appearing before her.
"Feron!" She exclaimed, attempting to maintain some composure. "Is everything alright? Are you in trouble?"
"No," He sighed, "I'm sorry for bothering you so late."
"Nonsense," She insisted. "What is it?"
"I've been thinking about things…" He cleared his throat nervously. "About us."
"Us? What do you…?" Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh no! You're unhappy working for me, aren't you? You're working for someone else? A better offer?"
"Liara," he interrupted. "Even if I got a better offer, I'd never leave you…er, your service, that is."
"Oh, I see." Her voice was quiet, though she prayed she'd done a passable job at keeping the disappointment out of it.
"What I'm trying to say…Liara…is, after this is all over…well, I…" He cleared his throat again, "I just couldn't let you go off to battle without you knowing the truth."
"The truth?" She sighed, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. Had he betrayed her again?
"If one or both of us die tomorrow, I can't bear the thought of never telling you how I feel." She waited, watching conflicting emotions cross his colorful features. He looked up once more, soberly. "Liara, I…care for you."
"I care for you too, Feron," Liara replied in confusion, frowning. "I don't see how—"
"No, Liara." His voice was low. "I…" He sighed in frustration. "I love you."
Her breath hitched as her hand fluttered to her mouth. "What did you say?" She whispered, both afraid of the answer and thrilled by the possibility.
"I'm in love with you," He continued. "I always have been since that day you found me on Omega. I've been a bastard, Liara. I've made so many mistakes in my life…"
"We all have…" She told him gently.
"No." He shook his head. "Before I met you, the only thing that mattered to me was survival at any cost. I regret so much of my past."
"You've changed," Liara insisted, wishing she could put her hand on his shoulder to reassure him.
"I have," He agreed. "You changed me."
"No." She shook her head vigorously. "You changed you. Or perhaps, it was always inside you to be a good, honest man. Maybe you just needed a gentle push…"
"Or a biotic shove," he chuckled. "Anyway, I just thought you should know the truth. I'll let you get back to—"
"I feel the same way for you, Feron," Liara heard herself blurt. "I realized it when you sacrificed yourself for me…when I knew you were willing to die for me…for her."
"She's special to you."
"She is," Liara agreed, "My dearest friend. My…family."
"Do you love her?" Feron asked, watching her curiously. Liara smiled fondly.
"I do…but, not in the way I thought I did. When I met Shepard, she fascinated me. I was infatuated with her…fancied myself in love. She did not reciprocate, though we did become extremely close. When she died, I was lost." She took a breath. "Shepard was the only person who had really ever understood me. I…I couldn't let them take her body."
"I understand," He nodded, and she knew he did. It filled her with warmth, yet made her want to break down and cry all at once.
"If we live through tomorrow…"
"Don't talk like that, Liara," He interrupted sharply, "You will live. You have to promise me you'll live."
"I can't make that promise," She answered sadly, meeting his eyes.
"You can," Feron insisted. "Promise."
"I…" She nodded, sagging tiredly in her chair and ignoring the burning in her eyes. "I promise…and when I do," She swallowed, "when I do…live…I'll come to you and then maybe when can finally stop waiting for life to begin."
"I'll be waiting. I'll always be waiting, Liara."
"I…" She faltered, standing and reaching toward his holographic image, fervently wishing it were really him standing there. "I love you."
"And I love you, Arashu," He replied, giving her a sad smile. "Fe Kalahira niv'e mirdei s'ute."
"What does that mean?" Liara asked, wiping at her eyes futilely. Feron swallowed.
"Loosely translated, 'May Kalahira bring us together for all eternity." He smiled. "As for Arashu, I will tell you when you come to me."
"Goodbye," she choked, unable to stop her tears.
"Not Goodbye," He corrected, hoarsely, "Vu de'ei alaya…I will see you soon."
"Vu de'ei alaya," Liara echoed, bowing her head when the image faded, leaving her in the faint glow of her terminal once more.
Garrus was in awe of the gleaming metropolis that comprised much of Earth. In some ways, it reminded him of the Citadel; always moving. The industrial landscape oddly made him feel at home. Since his parents were both gone and Solana wasn't exactly on great terms with him, he thought about settling down here and starting a new life; away from C-Sec and Archangel; away from Palaven. His eyes fell on Tali's unmasked profile as she read over a message from the Admiralty Board.
A twinge of fear lingered at the periphery of his mind as he faced the very real possibility that it might not work out between them. Their run in with her former fiancé – or whatever quarians called them – had made all too clear, the differences between turians and quarians. They were from different worlds; had been raised on different sets of principles and laws. Tali was an Admiral. She was highly respected within her people and she had worked so hard to give them back the world they'd lost three centuries prior. Maybe it would be better if she did end up with someone like Zev'Nimah, even if he did give off a weird asshole vibe. (Of course, that could have been the fact that Tali was supposed to marry him and not so much the fact that he was a dick.)
The reality remained that Tali's people could turn on her for fraternizing with a turian. They could cast her out. Garrus could never give her children. He couldn't give her the life she'd fought for.
And that scared the shit out of him.
"You're quiet tonight," Tali's gentle, natural voice came from her spot on the king sized bed. She set the datapad aside, smiling at him. Garrus still wasn't used to his own reaction to her beauty. Honestly, it wouldn't have made a damn shred of difference to him if he'd have never seen her sans mask, but now that he had…there was no denying it.
He wasn't sure he could live without her now.
"Hmm," was the only response he could manage as he set aside the gun he was cleaning without looking at her. His mandibles twitched as he heard the soft shuffle of her rising from the bed and moving toward him. Garrus fought the urge to turn and wrap his arms around her waist so he could hear the gentle ebb and flow of her heartbeat.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt her hands on his shoulders and her breath at his cheek. "Perhaps you should join me on the bed…" She purred, bringing every nerve in his body to life. There was nothing he wanted more than to scoop her small body into his arms and press her into the soft down of the bed, and…
Wrex in a bikini.
Joker in a dress.
Yahg.
Mordin and Aria T'Loak having sex.
He forced himself to picture repulsive things and calm his body down before he actually took Tali up on her offer. It wasn't that he didn't want to (Spirits, that was an understatement). For the first time ever, Garrus was terrified to screw it up and he didn't want to jump into sex with Tali. Joker would never let him hear the end of it if he knew, but Garrus wanted sex with her to mean something. He wanted special.
Shepard had once said, "Having sex too soon is the fastest way to kill a relationship."
He knew she'd been right, and he certainly hadn't been chaste during his time with C-Sec. Hell, the people who worked there jokingly referred to it as C-Sex. This was the first time that sex wasn't important to him. (And maybe he was a little scared about her not liking it.)
Garrus quickly got up off of the chair he was sitting in and turned to look down into her face, taking her delicate hands into his. His eyes roved over the sensual curve of her hip, accented attractively by the embellishments on her Enviro-suit.
"Tali, you have no idea how bad I want to take you up on that offer…" He sighed. Tali's smile disappeared, replaced with an expression of worry.
"But?"
"I want our first time to last...be special," He brushed her cheek gently with his knuckle. "I don't want to rush."
"Garrus," Tali's voice was firm, though she didn't sound angry. "It's been going on two years since our first…since that time after my trial—"
"Good times," He smirked, remembering the feverish night. Not one piece of clothing had been removed and yet, they'd both left the Main Battery grinning from ear to ear (or so he assumed since he couldn't see Tali's face).
"—I want to be with you, Garrus," she continued. "Now."
"Look," Garrus closed his eyes, picturing the vorcha porn Joker had sent him as a prank to calm his body down. He was about a hair's breadth from giving into her. It would be so easy… "I think we need to sort some things out."
"Okay…" Tali answered, though she looked a bit wary.
"The reason I was so freaked out about your ex—"
"Garrus…" She sighed in exasperation, moving away from him. "It wasn't like that!"
"Just hear me out," he pleaded. "Seeing that guy…it kind of made me see that maybe I'm not right for you. That maybe you should be with someone who can give you the life you deserve."
"You listen to me, Vakarian," She told him fiercely, holding his face in her hands and standing on her toes, "I never wanted to marry Zev'Nimah. My father and I argued horribly before I left for my Pilgrimage because of it. It's part of why I was so determined to succeed. I thought, if I could bring something of great value back to the flotilla, I might gain respect and perhaps my father would void his contract with Zev'Nimah. He died before we ever got the chance to discuss it."
"I see," Garrus finally returned, lamely. That had done nothing to make him feel better.
"Do you see?" Tali asked, forcing him to look into mesmerizing golden irises. "Garrus, it wouldn't have made a difference. I wouldn't have married Zev regardless. I had no intention of ever marrying him. He was a dear childhood friend to me. Nothing more." She gave a soft chuckle. "Father would have expired when he realized I'd fallen for a turian vigilante." She brought his forehead down to hers. "Archangel…"
Garrus wanted to bury his face in the crook of her neck and memorize the feel of her skin; the clean, appealing smell of her body. "It's not going to be easy for us, Tali," he pointed out, holding her by the waist. "We're going to face prejudice from all sides; your people…my people…the Council. You may lose your Admiralty position." He looked into her eyes imploringly. "I can't give you babies."
"We can adopt," Tali inserted tenderly. "Plenty of baby krogan to choose from now."
Despite his spinning head, Garrus managed a laugh. "I draw the line at krogan, Tal…maybe a nice, docile human baby or an asari."
"Maybe a turian," she grinned rubbing her cheek against his. "We can put blue markings on his face to match his daddy."
"Yeah," Garrus chuckled, "and a little quarian girl. Nothing screams cute like a baby in a mask."
Tali cracked up, smacking his arm. "You ass. We don't get our suits until we reach adolescence. The new ones might not even need them."
"Perfect," He laughed, drawing her into his chest and resting his chin atop her head. "And where will we live with these little scamps? Certainly not on Rannoch…" He let out a skeptical grunt. "Or Palaven."
"The Citadel?" Tali suggested.
"Could work…" He allowed amiably, kissing one of her crests. "Could work."
"So, now will you take me to bed?" Tali whined impatiently, pouting up at him. Garrus ran his thumb reverently over her full lower lip.
"No." His voice was low, "I still want to wait. You won't need the suit soon…we're in no rush. I want it to be special."
"You are a romantic," Tali kissed him. "I'm a lucky girl."
"Yes, you are…" Garrus agreed jokingly, earning a smack.
A moment later, she gasped, clapping her hands together. "I know what we can do!" She abandoned him, rushing toward the bed and her Omni-tool.
"I'm afraid to even ask…" He murmured, following her reluctantly. Triumphantly, Tali scanned through her Omni-tool before finding what she was looking for.
"We can watch Fleet and Flotilla!" She exclaimed. "There's a bottle of dextro wine in my bag…" She was already digging through said bag as he watched her in slack jawed wonder. He'd been honorable and now he was being punished.
Yep, should have just given in and let the poor girl have her way with him.
Shepard woke the following morning to the sun pouring into the vast windows of the penthouse, bathing the bedroom in brilliant oranges and pinks. She blinked, taking in the beauty of it. It had been a long time since she'd watched a sunrise on Earth; years. She was vaguely aware of something lying across her middle and looked down to see a dark head of messy hair. For a moment, she wondered when Kaidan had gotten in from Phoenix…until she felt the rough bristle of a beard brush her arm and realized she and Joker must have fallen asleep after his uncharacteristically kind gesture last night.
Shepard's eyes widened as she wriggled her way out from under the slumbering doofus.
"Really?" She muttered, scrambling off the bed and reaching for her cane as her muscles protested. Rolling her eyes at the sprawled out man in the bed, she carefully left Joker to his sleep, almost grinning at the sight of his discarded hat on the floor beside the bed. She quickly snatched it up and put it on her head, taking slight pleasure in the fact that he would panic when he couldn't find it.
Her eyes fell on Javik, who was asleep sitting up in a chair with gun in hand. A rush of sympathy washed over her at the sight as she gently pried the rifle from his grasp, careful not to startle him and flipped the safety switch before setting it on the dining room table. The Prothean did not rouse, simply shifting a little and muttering something in his sleep about 'filthy primitives'.
Shepard slipped quietly into the kitchen and opened the fridge, feeling a thrill of gratitude at Kaidan's efficiency. His kitchen was always stocked, clean and (no joke) everything was labeled. It was adorable and irritating all at once. Shepard was not organized by any means. It was one of the things that drove Kaidan crazy was coming into her quarters or office and seeing things strewn about with no rhyme or reason. Drove him nuts.
Shepard removed the eggs and milk from the fridge along with butter, an onion, some ham and a block of cheddar cheese. Setting the can aside, she took a seat on a stool and turned her attention to an old love. Cooking.
It had been something she'd loved since childhood; waking up early on Saturdays and Sundays to help her mother make breakfast. Hannah Shepard had been a fabulous cook; everyone knew it. It seemed like their house never lacked for company, hoping for a taste of Mrs. Shepard's famous meals. Alex's personal favorite had been steak broiled with bacon wrapped around it. If there had been one skill Hannah had insisted on her girls having, it was cooking.
"You can always get by if you can cook for yourself." It had been her mantra.
Within minutes, the kitchen was filled with the scent of cooking food as Shepard lazily flipped the fourth omelet.
"Shit!" Joker's voice came from the bedroom, making Shepard snicker as she adjusted the brim of his SR-2 cap on her head. "Shep! We have a problem!" His voice grew louder as he hobbled closer to the kitchen, nearly tripping over Javik's extended leg. "Have you seen my…" His voice trailed off as he caught sight of her. "…hat?" He finished lamely, panting against the doorframe.
"Your hat?" She asked casually, glancing over her shoulder at him. "Nope." With a glare, he crossed over and snatched it off of her head, messing up her auburn mop of overgrown hair. "Oh relax, you big baby," She laughed. "I made you breakfast." She nodded to the plate closest to him.
"Wow, this looks great," He exclaimed, forgetting his earlier distress. "I didn't know you could cook."
"I didn't know you were a cuddler," She answered swiftly, giving him a wink.
"What are you…?" His eyes widened. "Shit."
"I smell food…" Liara's groggy voice came from the doorway.
"Here's yours," Shepard told her, glancing out at Javik's sleeping form. "God, he sleeps like the dead."
"Too soon…" Joker warned with his mouth full, scarfing down a forkful of hash browns and washing it down with some apple juice.
"This looks incredible," Liara murmured, sitting beside Joker and taking a tentative bite. She moaned, making Joker give her a suggestive look. "Nothing has ever been so good…"
"Putting that one away for future use," He chuckled, pointing to his head.
"You're disgusting," Shepard laughed, moving toward the coffee maker.
"Don't pretend you weren't thinking it, Shep," He added, "You have a sick mind just like mine."
"Yeah, but I have a filter."
"Details," he brushed her off dismissively. She opened her mouth to retort when she heard the sound of her Omni-tool.
"Shit, that's Kaidan." Grabbing the cane, she managed to get to it and hit 'answer' just before her default picked up.
"Hey!" She grinned at the sight of him, though her smile dissipated when she saw the grim look on his face. "Uh oh…"
"I am so sorry I didn't get to you before you fell asleep last night," He sighed. "Something's come up."
"I forgive you. Now come home," She ordered, trying to get a smile out of him.
"Listen, Shepard…we had a woman show up on our doorstep last night…she'd been stabbed, screaming for help." She saw him swallow.
"Oh, God…" She brought her hand to her mouth in horror. "Is she going to be okay?"
"Yeah, the doctor said it's not a deep wound and no vital organs were affected. We gave her some Medi-gel and she's resting…" He took a long breath. "Shepard, it's Rahna."
Shepard dropped her fork, vaguely hearing it clang on the floor.
"Apparently, her father was attacked by those people that were behind the terrorist attack in London. Killed. She managed to escape, but barely." He rubbed at his eyes.
"Who are they?"
"Some kind of cult," Kaidan explained. "I couldn't get much out of her, but I've been on the line with Hackett all morning. Security will have to be tripled for the ceremony next week. You also are going to need a security team with you whenever you leave the penthouse—"
"No," She protested, "Absolutely not."
"Not an option," He cut in. "Hackett's orders, not mine. Kahlee Sanders is being put forth as the new human Council member, and she agrees with him."
"This is shit!" She thundered, looking at her companions for support.
"Might not be a bad idea, Shep," Joker offered. "You are kind of the most famous person in, well, ever now…"
"Ugh!"
Liara stared at her with dark eyes, looking slightly haggard. It was evident she hadn't slept well. "I think he's right," She agreed sensibly. "Naturally, these people would target you. I will do some research into it later. I…ugh." She deflated, resting her head against her hand. "I'll look into it," she settled in a weak voice.
"Okay fine," Shepard huffed. "Security. Yippee. What else?"
Kaidan's face paled slightly, making her nervous as he stepped aside and Miranda came into view.
"Good morning Shepard," She smiled brightly, though it did not reach her eyes. Shepard braced herself for more bad news. "I have some information concerning you. What you do with it is your choice." Liara perked up at the word "information".
"Go on," She sighed, pouring herself a mug of coffee.
"Those three kids that were brought in…the reason Kaidan came here in the first place…" Miranda smoothed her hands over the front of her uniform.
"What about them, Miranda?" Shepard asked, turning on her full 'Commander' voice.
"We found their only living relative," The brunette explained cautiously. "Are you familiar with a Katharine Hathaway? Maiden name Ellis?"
"Katharine Hath—" Shepard began, cutting off. "Wait, Ellis? Kate Ellis?"
"I believe so, yes," Miranda affirmed with a slight nod, glancing nervously to the side.
"Kate Ellis is my mother's sister!" Shepard's mind was racing. She'd never actually met her aunt, but they'd spoken over vid comm when she'd been a kid back on Mindoir. Kate had stayed back on Earth with her husband. "She's alive? How is she related to the—"
"No, Shepard." Miranda's voice was pained. "She and her husband were killed by a drifter just over a month ago. Her three children, Molly, Tyler and Cara escaped and had been running for weeks, living on their own."
"Oh my God…" The words barely came out of Shepard's mouth as more than a breath. Those kids were her cousins. She'd never even seen the younger two. She hadn't wanted to go and live with them after the attacks; it had been too painful at the time. She'd wanted to break ties with her former life.
But now…
Her only family.
"The Alliance wants to split them up, put the oldest in foster care. The younger two would be assigned to—"
"No," Shepard interjected. "Absolutely fucking not."
"Wait, what?" Joker's voice cut in.
"Do not make any rash decisions," Liara inserted. "Remember, Shepard…you're still dealing with physical therapy…and some symptoms of Post Traumatic—"
"They're my family, Liara," Shepard told her sharply, swallowing the lump in her throat. "They're coming to me."
The asari nodded, smiling reassuringly at her. "I know. Just making sure you were sure."
"I'm sure," Shepard said without hesitation. "The answer is yes, Miranda."
To her surprise, Miranda smiled warmly at her, eyes glistening. "I'd hoped that's what you'd say."
"I'm not sure how much better off they'll be with me," Shepard admitted hesitantly, trying to will her pulse to slow. "But at least they'll be together."
"And it's not like you won't have help," Miranda added quietly. Shepard looked up, glancing around the penthouse. There was room; they would make it work.
They'd have to.
Goddess, these chapters are monstrous! Sorry! :)
