Pretty short chapter but I think it introduces things nicely with still enough fluff to keep me happy. It will get darker soon, promise. Keep reading and reviewing please! Suggestions and comments always accepted.

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It was morning, very morning as he slid back into bed to try once more to fall asleep. He'd been grateful that Astraea required his attention at least once during the night; it made his sleeplessness feel justified. But she was almost too content. For most parents the saying 'slept like a baby' was enough to elicit some sort of violent reaction from one or both of the sleep deprived adults, but for Shepard the saying held true. Astraea slept peacefully, only waking occasionally, and even when she did wake she never screamed or cried. She would whimper from time to time but mostly she required a bottle or a change and then settled back to sleep. It was shocking. Their roles had almost been reversed. It was him who was waking up in the middle of the night fighting for air, sweating profusely, sometimes with tears in his eyes. He could only ever remember fragments of his nightmares, and they all involved the Reapers, or that citadel child that acted as a Reaper in disguise. He would often walk over to Astraea's room to comfort himself, just watching her sleep. It reminded him the war was over, had been over for more than a year. He'd won his peace.

He lay on his side, pulled up the covers and placed his hand over Liara's empty space. She'd been asked to give a guest lecture at the University of Serrice's main campus discussing her and Javik's book: Journeys with the Prothean. It had been a battle getting Liara out the door, she didn't want to leave Astraea but Shepard had been insistent. It was good for her to get out of the house and it was only a weekend. Shepard could handle it, and after the first few hours of screaming, Astraea had accepted the impromptu father daughter weekend. Liara would be back this evening and he found himself giddy with anticipation. He always seemed to sleep better when he felt Liara's warmth beside him. The nightmares still plagued him and he could always feel Liara reaching out when they joined, but he kept it locked away. Afraid to see it himself. Most times he would wake up without disturbing her, but every so often he would violently shoot out of bed, his heart racing as he recovered his senses and tried to figure out where he was. Those were the times when the concerned look on Liara's face worried him most. He would recall only pieces to her but she could always sooth him with just her touch, and the feeling of her breath on his neck as she nuzzled tightly against him, never letting go. She was his anchor, and he missed her.

He was unable to shut off his brain and lingered somewhere between being asleep and being awake and so absorbed in his own thoughts he hadn't heard the door open, and his wife slide in beside him. He could no longer hold back his smile as she started to brush her fingers through his hair. He wrapped his arm around her waist in response and pulled her closer able now to feel her breath on his skin. His eyes were still closed when she planted a soft, amorous kiss on his lips. His smile grew; he opened his eyes and was met by her beautiful pools of blue serenity.

"You're not supposed to be back until tonight." He said in a tired, raspy voice.

"I missed you." She stroked his scruffy cheek with her thumb.

"I'm not complaining." He heaved a contented sigh. "How was your trip?"

She nudged a little closer so their foreheads touched, and she closed her eyes. "Very well. Javik was his usual approachable self so I did the majority of the talking. He only made one young student cry."

Shepard let out a low chuckle as he ran his fingers down Liara's back.

"There was something else though." She said as she opened her eyes and met Shepard's. "They offered me a position at the Univeristy's campus here in Armali. A professorship."

"What did you tell them?"

"I told them I would talk to you." She looked at him, seeking approval she didn't need.

"Okay…well…Do you want to do this?"

She snuggled closer. "It is a big decision, and I don't want to be away from you or Astraea."

He let out another soft chuckle, "You didn't answer my question."

She sighed and smiled warmly, "Yes. I do."

"Then it's settled, Professor Doctor T'Soni."

She placed another kiss on his lips. "I was serious when I said I did not want to leave you two. But I would only teach a single class, and they're giving me complete access to their library and artifact collection. I could do a lot of work from home…"

He cut her off with a laugh, "Would you relax? I'm happy for you. That's all I want, for you to be happy. Besides, now Astraea will have an 'in' at the University." He gave her a genuine smile, one that made her melt. "And I'm fully aware of how hard you academic types work."

She responded with a weak punch to his shoulder before snuggling against his chest.

"So you missed me, eh?"

Her hands slithered up and around his neck, resting at the back of his head while she played with the short hair there. Her lips lightly brushing along his throat before making their way to his mouth. He swallowed hard at her motions.

"Yes." She was less than an inch away from his mouth and he could feel her words vibrate against him. "Very much."

He was completely awake now and his hands found their way further down her body, working their way under her nightgown. He could only think of one thing to say.

"Show me."