"When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching- they are your family."

- Jim Butcher

Soften Steel

Wrex was a krogan battlemaster, bounty hunter, and the leader of clan Urdnot. Hundreds if not, a thousand people, beasts, and monsters had died by his hands. He could handle a band of mercenaries single-handed but he really didn't know how to handle... this.

"Hello," Butterfly waved her hands in front of the mighty krogan. Although the big guy was holding her by her shirt with his big talons, she still smiled and giggled as if she was enjoying swaying in the air.

"This is Shepard's brood, right?" Wrex asked Garrus.

The turian tried to hide his chuckle. "She is as fearless as her mother."

"Or just stupid like her father," In a straightforward tone, the krogan suggested without noticing the girl's frown.

No one was really sure what happened. In just a blink of an eye Wrex found himself on his back. Butterfly was above him headbutting him.

It didn't hurt a bit. And although Butterfly's forehead was bruised, she didn't notice. Instead, she yelled at the battlemaster furiously. "Don't call my daddy stupid!"

"Did she just... use Biotic charge!?" Liara exclaimed.

Garrus' mandibles almost dropped to the floor. He was speechless as Dr. Chakwas spluttered.

"Impossible, human biotics normally doesn't start showing their abilities until they're five or six. But she is... This is too early!"

"She has a gut, I like it!" The krogan laughed, despite his position. "You would make a fine krogan like your mother. Now I know how you broke out from your egg without claws."

"Human doesn't breed like that, Wrex," Dr. Chakwas tried to explain.

As usual, he didn't listen. "Uncle Wrex could teach you to shoot shotguns. Let's go find something or someone to shoot."

But Liara didn't agree. She took the girl from the battlemaster quickly. "She is too young for that, Wrex. The recoil could hurt her. And Shepard would kill you if anything happened to Butterfly."

"Spoilsports," Wrex grumbled.

The Commander stepped out of the elevator to see Garrus trying to help Wrex up. It wasn't an easy task, though. A full-grown krogan in armor could weigh a ton.

"What's happening?" Shepard asked, slightly amused. The battlemaster didn't look so gorgeous in this state.

Garrus' mandibles moved as he tried to suppress the laugh. "This old guy badmouthed Butterfly's daddy, so she charged him with a biotic charge."

"Really? But she is too..."

"-Young. I know. I still can't believe she did it."

After numerous pushes and pulls, the turian finally realized it was useless. "I'll go find some tool in the shuttle bay. A jack might come in handy."

When he left, the mess hall went silent. Wrex felt a little intimidated by Shepard so he tried to smirk.

But she didn't even smile. "Where's my girl?"

"In the med bay. Her forehead is... Doc wants to make sure she didn't suffer any brain damage or something," the battlemaster replied.

She couldn't believe Hackett was right. "Let's me guess. She headbutted you."

"Not hard but she did it right. Use the hardest part of the forehead, not the entire face. Did you teach her?" Wrex asked, sounding hopeful.

Grabbing his hand, Shepard laughed as she finally helped him get up. "That taught you to not mess with the Shepards'."

"Shepard? I thought she was Alenko's."

Hands pulling him lost their grip causing the Krogan to fall back to the floor.

"She is mine." Hands on her hips, the Commander protested.

"Come on. Even I know what you were up to. The walls and floor of your cabin back in the Normandy SR1 weren't so thick. And you both couldn't keep your hands off each other," Wrex teased.

Cheeks red like a tomato, Shepard wanted to yell but Butterfly came out of the med bay. No matter how badass she was, she would behave in front of her daughter. She had to shut up.

"What? I didn't know the great Commander Shepard didn't curse in front of her daughter." The krogan rolled his body and finally stood up. It was hard for his kind to get up when lying on their back, but not impossible.

Truth be told, he stayed on the floor to troll Garrus.

"You don't know a thing about parenting," Shepard snapped.

"Give me some advice. I might need a tip or two if the genophage's cured," the big guy asked nicely.

"You really believe a cure is possible?"

"The females survived the test. I know it won't be easy but they're the best chance for the krogans."

Shepard had doubts. "The test they passed through... It was brutal. I saw a lot of their bodies in that lab on Tuchanka. How could they survive long enough for the salarian STG to find them?"

"You saw the vid I got from my inside source. They're still alive. Those pyjacks stole them from Tuchanka and are holding them captive." Wrex began to raise his voice. After all, he was still a krogan. "I want them back, or Palaven could burn for all I care."

The turians needed the krogan army to help them retake their homeworld. Wrex took advantage of the situation by demanding a cure for the genophage in exchange for the troops. The Primarch, desperate from losing his home and men, agreed but the salarian leader, Dalatress didn't. She feared a repetition of the krogan rebellions and Shepard didn't think she was being unreasonable.

"Easy, Wrex. I didn't say I wouldn't help you. I just don't want to see you miserable if something happens." Dalatress was right about one thing; the krogans had hot tempers. The Commander had to calm him down.

"Me... Miserable? Come on, this parenting businesses softened you. Better find some ass for you to kick before you turn into mommy of the year. Wait... When was the last time you got laid? You looked quite effective after..."

Shepard covered Butterfly's ears with her hands. "Stop right there, old man. Your dirty mouth is corrupting my girl."

Wrex made a funny noise. "Women."

Before their conversation went any further, EDI interrupted.

"ETA Sur'Kesh in fifty minutes, Shepard."

And then, the battlemaster forgot everything else. "Ha, finally! Let's go down there, Shepard."

"Alright," She rolled her eyes before kneeled down to talk to Butterfly. "Be a good girl and stay with Chakwas. If I can, mommy will bring you a souvenir or something... if we have time, of course."

Whisky-brown eyes blinked. "Have we ever had enough time, mommy?"

That question was simple and innocent, but somehow it felt like she was implying something more.

"I don't know B, but I will do my best to make time."

Thank The Lonely Traveler for beta.