This follows immediately after the end of my ME1 story, Beginnings and will (mostly) follow the events of ME2 but, as with Beginnings, I plan to take some liberties with the details. It is the continuing story of Shepard and Liara. Their story will be the focus but we will find time to deal with the Collectors too.
*Warning- might be a bit too much romantic angst and mush so tread carefully if you don't like that sort of thing.*
I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading and please review, comment or question if you feel so inclined.
Bioware owns it all.
Chapter 9
Liara pressed her lips gently against Shepard's head. Since they had returned to the Normandy, Shepard had been too quiet and withdrawn. Ashley's words had cut her deeply. In her life, Shepard had allowed very few people to get close, to see behind the mask she wore to hide everything she felt inside. Ashley was one of those people; with a few words, she had sliced Shepard's heart open and left her bleeding. With a last tender look at Shepard's face, peaceful in sleep, Liara quietly left the bed. She was too agitated to sleep and needed to move. She dressed and left the cabin with no particular destination in mind. At the elevator, she decided to go to the mess hall to make tea, hoping it would help her sleep. She sat at a table and for a minute, just enjoyed the silence. Sipping her tea, Liara's mind wandered back to another sleepless night, on the original Normandy, which found her in the mess hall in the middle of the night. It was the night Ensign Jackson had attacked and nearly killed her. Liara shivered at the memory and pushed it from her mind. Focusing her thoughts back on today's events, she realized that she needed to contact Ashley. Liara knew that Ashley was devastated when Shepard died and felt that her reaction today was, in part, because Shepard had not contacted her. She needed to know everything, including the fact that Liara had given Shepard to Cerberus. The old crew knew that she went in search of Shepard's body but she didn't tell anyone that she had not only found her but had willingly handed her over to Cerberus. She was too ashamed of what she had done because she did it for her own selfish reasons, did it because she couldn't let Shepard go and leave her alone. Closing her eyes against the pain caused by the memory of that day, Liara lowered her head and let her tears fall.
"Liara?"
Startled, Liara looked up to see Garrus standing by the table. "Garrus, I didn't hear you."
Garrus took a seat across from her. "Are you okay?"
"You just caught me during a weak moment but I will be fine."
"Would you like to tell an old friend about it?"
Liara could see that Garrus wanted to help; his features were twisted up in concern. He had been a good friend from the beginning. He was one of the only people on the original Normandy to try to make her feel welcome and comfortable. "Seeing Ashley today brought back some memories I would rather not relive. Garrus, I found Shepard's body two years ago. She was…I can't get the image of her out of mind, seeing her dead, her body mangled. I gave her to Cerberus because they said they could bring her back and I didn't do it for her. I did it for me. Now, Cerberus is using her and one of her closest friends has abandoned her because of it. She's hurting and it's my fault. I know she worries about what Cerberus did to her, what changes they made in her. I know that she is very bothered about what happened today with the husks. She truly doesn't remember killing them."
Garrus reached across the table and took Liara's hand. "Listen to me. She is alive because of you. I want to thank you for that. Whatever Cerberus did to her, didn't change who she is, just enhanced her already formidable battle skills. When she took out those husks today, it was impressive because she moved faster than I've ever seen anyone move and because she literally tore them apart with her bare hands. The fact that you were unconscious underneath a pile of them probably intensified her already enhanced abilities. So, she's faster and stronger now but she's still Shepard. Was she upset when she learned that you gave her body to Cerberus?"
"No, she… thanked me."
"Liara, before Shepard met you, she was very different. At least, what she allowed others to see was very different. She was cold, distant and the only emotion she regularly expressed was anger. She may be hurting now but I'm guessing that she would endure any amount of pain for just a fraction of the joy you give her."
"Thank you, Garrus."
Garrus squeezed Liara's hand then released it. "You're welcome. Now, get back to your cabin and go to bed."
Liara stood and kissed his scarred cheek. As she walked to the elevator, she realized that her guilt was a little less than it had been an hour ago. When she reached the cabin, she sat on the edge of the bed and spent a few minutes just watching Shepard sleep. The scars on her face were healing quickly. Soon, the cybernetic implants wouldn't be visible at all. She knew the implants made Shepard question her own humanity. Shepard had not mentioned it but Liara could sense the fear she felt about what Cerberus had done to her, changed in her. Liara knew that Garrus was right and the only changes were Shepard's enhanced physical abilities and maybe some biological functions. Liara raised her hand and pushed Shepard's hair back from her face, letting her hand linger against her cheek. I will have a talk with Miranda and find out everything they did to her. Feeling much better and ready to sleep, Liara got back into bed. She put her head on Shepard's chest and fell asleep listening to the strong, steady heartbeat of the woman who meant absolutely everything to her.
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Shepard woke with a very blue body sprawled on top of her. They always slept close and a bit tangled but this was new. Shepard closed her eyes and relished the feel of Liara's skin against hers. She wrapped her arms around Liara and pressed her face against her neck. Thinking about how close she came to losing Liara yesterday, Shepard tightened her hold. She still couldn't remember how she killed the husks and it scared her. Not knowing what Cerberus had done to her was driving her crazy but she was afraid that actually knowing would be worse. She hated being involved with Cerberus, hated everything about them. She could understand why Ash didn't trust her but it hurt to be rejected by one of her closest friends. Just stop, Shepard. Dwelling on it won't make it better. Shifting her thoughts to Liara and her lips to Liara's neck, Shepard spent several minutes waking Liara with soft kisses which Liara was soon returning. Liara, caught between being fully awake and feeling like she was in a dream, hoping it would never end, found Shepard's lips and covered them with her own. As Shepard's hand slid down her body, caressing circles causing shivers to travel across her body, Liara's eyes snapped open, a guttural moan escaping her lips. Flipping Liara over, Shepard kissed her face, lips, neck and every inch of skin she could reach as she slowly moved down her body. When Shepard lingered over what she knew was a particularly sensitive area, Liara's back arched, her body thrumming with desire. "Shep…ard." Lifting her head, Shepard's heart expanded with love at the look on Liara's beautiful face as her eyes turned from blue to black. "Goddess…don't… stop." Liara's plea fueled Shepard's desire, her need to drive Liara over the edge, send her spiraling into a cascading wave of pleasure. Their entwined bodies merged together in a perfect meld, contrasting skin colors blending as their joined consciousness connected the very essence of each of them and, in that perfect moment, the two inexplicably became one.
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Shepard was comfortably settled in the crook of Liara's arm, her languid body refusing to move despite her attempted efforts to get out of bed. She had managed to tell Joker to take them to the Citadel so, she reasoned, there was really nothing she had to do until they arrived there. She closed her eyes as Liara continued to run her fingers through her hair.
"Shepard, do you miss your scars?"
"In a way, yes. They were a reminder of people, places, things I've survived." Shepard remembered the way Liara used to trace and kiss the scars that covered her body before Cerberus removed them. "Do you miss them?"
"They scared me. They were a reminder of all times you could have died. Now…I've lived through that and…when the time comes, you won't be alone again."
Shepard started to protest, wanted to demand Liara keep safe no matter what happened to her but she felt the same way. A world without Liara was not a world she could live in; they would be together. They would live what remained of this life together and they would face the end together. Shepard knew Liara was stronger than her. She couldn't have survived two years alone, Liara ripped from her life. "We won't be alone again."
"I talked to Garrus about what happened yesterday…with the husks. I couldn't sleep last night so went to the mess hall for tea. He found me there. Have you been able to remember what happened, how you killed them?"
Shepard wasn't sure if she wanted to know what Garrus had seen. "No, I just remember seeing you buried underneath them…then holding you."
"He said that you moved faster than anyone should be able to move and pulled them apart with your bare hands. I know you're worried about what Cerberus changed in you, Shepard, but you're the same person. Cerberus erased your scars, made you stronger, faster, enhanced your physical abilities but they could never erase your past or change you. Garrus thinks that your fear for me intensified your enhanced abilities allowing you to do what you did."
Shepard was silent, thinking about what Liara had said. "Shepard, look at me, please."
Her face tilted up, fear and hope shining in her eyes, Shepard kissed Liara. "I know I'm still me, still the same person because you still love me."
"Always."
"Me too."
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Hunger finally forced Shepard and Liara from the cabin. After lunch, Liara made her way to Miranda's quarters. She would find out exactly what they did to Shepard or Miranda would find herself dealing with a very pissed off Asari. She knew that whatever Cerberus did was experimental, untested and could pose long term risks to Shepard. When Liara entered Miranda's quarters, she was surprised to find her in a disagreement with Jacob. Both turned when the door opened. Jacob looked frustrated while Miranda looked absolutely furious.
"I apologize for interrupting but I need to speak with you Miranda."
Jacob gave Miranda one last look then walked to the door. "It's okay, Dr. T'Soni. I've had about enough for today anyway."
Before Jacob cleared the doorway, Miranda turned her icy glare on Liara. "How nice that you and the commander finally managed to join the rest of us. We should have installed kitchen facilities in the cabin then the two of you could have spent the entire fight against the Collectors locked away in blissful ignorance. I want you off the Normandy when we reach the Citadel."
Liara chose to ignore the comment and the seething anger she could feel radiating from the woman in front of her. "Miranda, I didn't come here for a fight. I came for two reasons. First, I want to thank you for bringing Shepard back. It wasn't for me and, honestly, I don't care what motivated Cerberus to do it. All that matters to me is that she's back. So, thank you. Secondly, I want to know exactly what you did to her. I want all the data and my request is not negotiable."
"Get out! That data belongs to Cerberus and is highly classified."
"As I said, my request is not negotiable. I want to know what long term risks there might be for Shepard and I won't take anything less than every piece of data from the Lazarus Project." Liara squared her shoulders and took a step toward Miranda. Her voice remained calm when she said, "I suggest you give it to me because when it comes to Shepard's safety, nothing will stand in my way."
Miranda flung a ball of biotic energy at Liara who easily blocked it and countered with a stasis field that held Miranda in place. "You could have made this easy, Miranda, tried to build trust between us." She went to Miranda's computer and within minutes hacked it and started downloading the data to her omni tool. Thank you,Tali. When the download completed, Liara stood in front of Miranda and released her from the stasis field.
"If you ever do anything to hurt Shepard in any way; with words, violence or betrayal I will rip you apart. And I won't be leaving Shepard's side so we really should try to be civil to one another."
Miranda, shaking in rage, lifted her arm, biotics glowing. "We need Shepard but we don't need you."
"Shepard needs me." Liara didn't hesitate. She pulled her arm back and punched Miranda in the jaw with enough force to send her sprawling unconscious to the floor. It felt good until her hand started throbbing. She left Miranda's cabin and paid a visit to Dr. Chakwas before returning to the cabin to study the Lazarus Project data.
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Liara looked up when Shepard entered the cabin. She knew from the smirk on Shepard's face that she was aware of her confrontation with Miranda.
"Well, you broke her jaw."
"She deserved it."
"She says that you threatened her and took classified Cerberus data from her computer."
"I did threaten her and I took your data, all of the Lazarus Project data, from her computer. You have a right to this information, a right to know exactly what they did."
Shepard knelt in front of Liara and ran her fingers over her injured hand. "How is your hand?"
"It's sore…nothing those lips of yours couldn't heal."
"Is that so?" Shepard lifted Liara's hand and placed feather light kisses over her bruised knuckles.
"My lips seem to be sore too."
"We can't have that, can we?" Shepard pulled Liara from her chair as she stood and pressed their lips together.
"Feel better, Dr. T'Soni?"
"Yes, Commander. Thank you."
"We'll be arriving at the Citadel soon. I need to meet with Anderson and there's a recruit we need to pick up for the mission. Do you want to join me?"
"Actually, I thought that I would ask Jack to go shopping with me. Her tattoos are…interesting but I really wish she would wear a bit more clothing."
Shepard pulled Liara into her arms. "Maybe we could meet for dinner somewhere nice and quiet before we leave the Citadel?"
"I would like that, Commander."
"Good, I'll find a nice place and let you know when my business is finished."
TTTTTTTTTT
Liara and Jack left the Normandy and were making their way to the shopping district. It had taken all of Liara's persuasive skills to convince Jack to join her. As they walked, Jack was opening up, just a little, about her past. Liara had guessed that Jack's life had been difficult but she had no idea that the young woman had suffered so much. As they entered a deserted area of the docks, Liara heard a pop and Jack collapsed. Liara knelt at her side, never seeing the man come up behind her. He raised his sniper rifle and brought it crashing down on the back of Liara's head. Her body slumped forward and fell across jack's unmoving form.
