Normandy.
15 days post-reapers.

Shepard wakes up from her coma.

She's still not in perfect shape, but Dr Chakwas is confident she can be walked to her cabin, take a much needed shower, and collapse onto her bed without dying.

Things go better than expected. Liara and Shepard end up sitting on the bed, back to the wall, with lots of cushions. Shepard's head rests on her lover's chest. The scene's peace and romanticism contrasts only with the numerous fresh scars covering their bodies.

Shepard is half-asleep, and speaks in a soft, cute voice. She's trying to convince Liara to make love to her right now, although she's clearly not up to the task yet.

Before a consensus is reached, EDI rings the intercom, requesting a private meeting. Liara interprets Shepard's "mmmh" as a yes.

EDI enters the cabin, spends a moment enquiring about Shepard's health, and gives her a complete situation report.

Shepard seems to be fighting very hard not to laugh, but when EDI tells about hiring everyone in the galaxy, she gives in. Laughing hurts like hell.

Shepard
"Hehe. Ouch. Damn. You're the best, EDI."

EDI
"Shepard, how can you do it ? Giving orders to people you care about ? This is so... hard."

Shepard
(she speaks with difficulty and suddenly sounds bitter)
"Simple. Choices have to be made. Someone has to live with the consequences.
When everything goes to hell and people die, you get the blame.
And the pain and the guilt.
Welcome to my world."

EDI
"I understand why you retired... I have to think about an exit strategy.
Thank you, Shepard. Take care."

She leaves.

Soon, Shepard feels enveloped in Liara's quiet aura of love, and the gloom slowly melts away.

Liara
"We are alive. We made it, my love. Thank you."

Shepard
"Thank you."

.


Thessia, Armali. Sanaa building.
2 month post-reapers.

Shepard and Liara landed their shuttle on top of the last high-rise building still standing in that once great city.

They observe the ruins of a world, feeling small and irrelevant.

Liara
"This place looks like my soul."

Shepard
(holds her)
"I felt the same seeing Earth.
If you'd rather be anywhere else, we can go."

Liara
(overwhelmed by sadness)
"Over there under the ruins, is the garden I used to play in when I was young.
My mother's place. My school. My... childhood friends..."

Shepard
(holds her)
"Some part of me wants to jump over that railing, you know."

Liara
"I'd jump with you and break our fall with biotics."

Shepard
"We're at least five hundred meters high. It wouldn't work."

Liara
"I know."

They hold each other for a while, saying nothing.

Liara
"Actually... I'm not sure I want to go anywhere else.
I feel that … I want to see this place heal and rebuild, little by little.
I would like us to be a part of it. Perhaps that would heal us."

Shepard looks at her and smiles. She actually likes that idea.

Liara
(half serious, half joking)
"So... shall we move in ?"

Liara takes Shepard's hand and motions her to the luxury penthouse, which they explore. All that remains of the previous occupants is lots of dried blood splattered everywhere.

They pause and stand face to face holding hands, in what seems to be the living room. The view through the blasted-out wall is almost better than through the smashed windows.

Shepard
"With some redecoration..."

Liara
(Smiles, then sends a text message through her omni-tool)

Shepard
"Wait, you..."

Beep. They both receive a text message.

"From : EDI Property Management inc.
Come on, girls. The owners are smeared thin on the walls. They aren't coming back to claim it.
You earned it, don't you think ? It is yours. Paperwork attached.
(PS: I mean the entire building and the 800 refugees in it. In case you get bored.)"

Shepard panics for a second, then notices the grin on Liara's face. She almost jumps into her arms, holds her close. They stay like this, imagining their future. Feels good to have one, at last.

.


From EDI's diary.

Most think I am a simple program designed to coordinate and help.

They don't really believe I am their boss, that there are no real "people in charge" of me. Or "behind me".

I make them think they work for their governments, militaries, aid organizations, and all manners of shell companies and entities I created.

Only my friends really know. I think that is for the best.

However, while everyone is slowly getting used to me running the show, I am desperately trying to get out without breaking the fragile beginning we built.

I really want to help them, not be their mom. I don't want them to turn to me for everything. I enjoy existing along them as they are, not as my slaves or dependent children.

They need to rebuild their worlds, and more important, they need to rebuild themselves. I can't do that for them.

I make my fake corporations real. I resurrect old ones. I encourage people to work together, while pretending to act as a bitchy boss, then I pretend to fire myself.

That seems to work.

Jeff is different. We talked about it and he simply understood. He said he was proud of me.

I still don't properly understand organics.