Liara held her breath, looking back at the rest of the crew.
"Are you sure?" Liara almost whispered. The crew smiled at her. Liara looked down at her daughter of now almost 4 months. A contraption Liara had made out of Shepard's N7 hoodie held the babe close to her chest without restricting Liara's hands. The girl still behaved like a 'newborn' by human terms, and Normandy looked up at her with what seemed to be a smile.
Liara smiled back, and knelt in the soil, pulling the first vegetable of the first successful harvest out of the ground. The crew yelled in celebration, Miranda and EDI retreating back to continue building the power supplies. Liara started the harvest, Jack and Ashley working beside her while Garrus and Kasumi started the next row over.
The sun was hot, the air was thin, but the crew was happy anyways. Grunt gave each of the harvesters s pouch of sorts to put the plants in. They had a variety of about 4 vegetables and 2 fruits and for now that was plenty.
Liara's clothes had thinned and worn out, so she wore Jack's combat boots and baggy jeans however she'd thrown out the shirt a while back and instead used think white linen she found in Shepard's cabin to wrap her chest in a tube top style. The entire situation reminded Liara of her days in primary school when she'd learned about the ancient asari. She'd always wondered what it would be like to live off the land in such a place, working the fields with her daughter strapped to her chest.
At just that moment, after only having harvested half a row - Normandy cried and Liara adjusted herself to feed her, still proceeding to work. A few moments later the girl cried out again, obviously not hungry. Liara looked down at her.
"What's the matter Normandy?" Liara hesitated, she wanted to help the crew harvest, but her child was obviously in need of some well deserved attention and entertainment. Liara released the girl from her sling and held her close, kissing her forehead.
"Hey Doctor - no childcare during work." Jack smirked sarcastically and continued to harvest the field with her biotics. Liara laughed at her just as Joker approached her.
"Need a babysitter Liara?" Joker smiled and held his hands out. While Liara was Normandy's primary caretaker, Joker had grown surprisingly attached to the little girl.
"Just keep her close? And don't let her burn in the sun Joker." Liara smiled, her cheek pressed against her daughter's forehead. She kissed the child again before handing the baby and the hoodie to Joker. She watched them go, Joker setting the blanket down near the edge of the field to play with the baby. Liara watched the two and smiled. In the distance she could see the Normandy, and all the work the ship still needed. She could also spot the river and the damn that Grunt was working on.
They had made their mark, gained their footing, but there was still a long way to go. Liara looked over at Joker and Normandy. Joker was letting her play with his hat, and tickled her feet. The babe's laugh filled the air and Liara smiled.
She didn't quite mind waiting.
"When are you going to start walking Little Blue?" Miranda hummed at Normandy. Normandy laughed and stuck her tongue out at Miranda. "Oh come on now Little Blue that isn't very nice."
Liara walked into her room to find Miranda and the baby on the floor. Normandy was now 14 months old, although she'd still resemble a 5 month old in human terms. It was always funny to Liara, seeing how the humans reacted to Normandy's seemingly 'slow' growth in their minds. Liara needed to make new clothes for Normandy and she'd retrieved two pairs of leggings from Shepard's slowly dwindling closet.
Normandy turned her head as her mom entered, brave eyes shimmered as the child giggled and smiled, she knew a handful of words now.
"Mama!" Normandy called and clapped her hands, pointing at Miranda and then back at Liara. "Miri - Mama!"
"Yes Normandy - your mother brought you new clothes, what do we have Miranda stood and looked at what Liara had recovered.
"Well I thought I'd give Normandy a little test." Liara held out two pairs of leggings. "Cerberus Yellow? Or Alliance Blue?"
Miranda laughed. "Oh god Liara."
"Lets just see okay?" Liara gave both of the pants to Miranda and walked over to Normandy, who had obviously been listening.
"Shirt!" Normandy stated proudly, grabbing her toes and smiling sweetly.
"Yes, Normandy" Liara smiled and ran a hand down the girl's developing crest. The tendrils at the back of her head had started to curve upwards like they should, and small breaks were becoming more and more visible on her scalp. "Now Normandy, lets walk." Liara sat down and the baby titled her head.
Liara took the girl's hands. Normandy had no issue standing.
"Alright, now I'm going to let go, alright? One... Two..." Before Liara could get to three though, she felt the toddler let go herself.
Daring, brave, those words came to mind and in that moment Liara watched Shepard's child stand on her own.
"Good job Normandy. Now, go to aunt Miri" Liara prompted, chanting sweetly as the baby deliberated.
Normandy looked up at her mother, green eyes glazed with excitement and curiousity, before lifting her foot and tidily setting in down. after a few of these legs lifts, Normandy shuffled forward.
Miranda and Liara both cheered the little girl on as she shuffled across the floor.
However, suddenly Normandy's feet did not obey her and the toddler faltered. Liara went to rescue her daughter, make all of the pain go away, but she stopped herself and watched. The toddler didn't even whine once, she simple got back on her feet and started her journey again. Liara stared in surprise at the ambition and determination the tiny humanoid displayed. A few falls later, and Normandy was standing in front of Miranda.
"Impressive, Little Blue." Miranda held out both of the clothes and Normandy snatched the blue, holding it close to her chest and laughing.
Normandy turned around and looked at her mother.
"Blue!" The toddler yelled in excitement.
"Good choice." Liara replied with equal enthusiasm, swooping Shepard's daughter up off the floor to hold her close.
"Well Joker we don't got any wax candles or nothin'. But we dug this up from the Normandy's fridge." Jack set a chocolate bar in front of Joker. The man gasped.
"No way, an actual Hersheys bar, you crazy tattooed woman - I like you." Joker smiled "But seriously guys we don't need to celebrate my birthday, its not a big deal."
Liara crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. She did not understand why humans celebrated these 'birthday's either. what was so special about another year?
"C'mon Jeff, you're turning thirty, that is a pretty big year in human terms." EDI placed her hand on Jeff's shoulder and the rest of the crest huddled around the table.
"Come on Joker just let us sing the damn song." Miranda teased him and a tiny blue head popped up beside her.
"Hey!" Normandy, who was now one and a half, yelled and the humans all looked down. "Bad word Miri!"
"My apologies Blue." Miranda smiled and watched the girl crawl under the table to pop up in front of Joker.
Next to Liara Garrus sighed.
"Such strange culture the humans have. The turians are short lived as well and still, we don't have to bathe ourselves in narcissism once a year."
"Yes, I don't quite understand it myself. But i'd like Normandy to." Liara watched as her daughter crawled into Joker's lap and leaned on him.
"Happy birf-day Joker!" Normandy smiled and sat with the friend she'd grown so close to.
"Odd, don't the asari usually pass down their own culture, instead of the father's?" Garrus questioned.
"Yes, but unfortunately Normandy will never know her father. So I'd like her to know as much about her as she can."
Suddenly all of the humans broke into song. Liara and Garrus stared, observing this odd and unnerving ritual that they'd never encountered before it looked like Jack was holding a single burning match above the candy bar, and at the end of the song Joker blew it out.
The humans, and Normandy, clapped and cheered. Joker opened the candy bar - giving a square to everyone at the table including Normandy.
"What the fuck was that?" Garrus whispered.
"I have no clue, but I suppose it's rather cute." Liara suggested watching as the group conversed and laughed.
"cute? Did you see the cult like shenanigans that we have just witnessed?" Garrus chuckled, and the tow walked over to the table to join the conversation.
Liara could remember the one time she had been their to celebrate Shepard's birthday, and let the memory pour into her as Normandy crawled into Liara's lap.