After four months on an Alliance frigate stepping out of a shuttle onto the Citadel was almost as good as breathing real air and feeling the sun on her skin. Recycled air and the false sun rays would do nicely after such a long time aboard the SSV Belfast.

Chief Engineer Andrea Lark released the top button of her Alliance blues, finally she'd have a peaceful shore leave free from mass effect fields and reactor cores. She slung her luggage over her shoulder and headed from the docking bay towards the elevator. She shuffled inside and was soon joined by a number of other Alliance soldiers who she assumed were also on shore leave.

Four months wasn't a long tour but the Belfast wasn't what she used to be, and maybe with reluctance she supposed the chief engineer wasn't all she used to be either. She'd longed for this time off and couldn't wait to eat real food or sleep in a real bed, but most of all see her only child.

Andrea knew moving out to the Citadel had been a big change for Catherine, after all Eden Prime couldn't be more different. There the air was clear, the people were all human and everyone knew each other closely, especially in the small settlements that scattered the rich, green countrysides.

Maybe life would have been better for Catherine on Eden Prime?

Andrea thought back to those days when Catherine had cried day after day. Until their shuttle ride to the Citadel. She'd quietened growing strong as they travelled the distance. Catherine had been fourteen then and didn't want to leave her friends and what little was left of their family, but Andrea had forced her to start a new life on the Citadel.

It wasn't like it had been easy for her either. Every thought of Eden Prime: of those lush green fields and bright blue skies was like a torturous pull on her heart strings. She'd left the Alliance, started a new life on the colony, started a life with him. David had been her everything. Soon after they'd married and had Catherine. Then, after all those years together, he was gone.

Moving out to the Citadel meant she'd be able to see Catherine more often and keep up with work. Maybe it had been selfish bringing her out to the Citadel, but she couldn't bare the thought of never seeing her daughter even if she hadn't gone on tours until Catherine had been old enough to get a job and live on her own. Andrea couldn't have been more proud if she tried, her little girl was always so resilient.

Andrea closed her eyes and felt the smooth movements of the elevator, listening to the soft hum of the machinery and the breathing of the soldiers beside her; those low sounds always seeming to lull her mind, so familiar after living on an Alliance frigate.

The elevator doors soon opened onto the Presidium. She came to a thin railing at the edge of the walkway and carefully rested her arms on it. The view of shimmering water and bright flowers was welcome after the cold, dark, metallic life out on the SSV Belfast. Even if this wasn't real like the colony worlds, she was happy to finally be outside in the sunlight.

Remembering her way around the Citadel, she eventually approached Catherine's building and promptly made her way inside towards the elevator. Where she was joined by an Asari and a Salarian. When Andrea had lived on the Citadel years ago, they'd had separate apartment buildings for each of the Citadel races. It was surprising, but she was glad to see the integration among the species. They all had to live together as one society, it was nice to see it in practice.

After a short walk down the corridor, she arrived at her daughter's door. She only had to knock once before the door flung open.

"Mum!" Catherine squeaked, a smile spread across her pale face.

"Catherine," Andrea let go of her luggage and wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders. Her daughter was still much smaller than her, something she was glad of in a way. Always her little girl, even if she was in her mid twenties.

Catherine's deep brown eyes beamed at her as they parted from their welcoming embrace. Those eyes she got from her Father, while most other things – her dark brown hair, pale complexion and even those small dashes of freckles across her face she'd gotten from her Mother.

After placing her luggage away in Catherine's spare room Andrea returned to the living room, fully unbuttoning her shirt, revealing her white vest underneath, she sank into an armchair. "So, anything new?"

Catherine seemed to shy away and gulped a little at her Mother's words. "Yeah, actually there's something I need to talk to you about."

Andrea raised her eyebrows and sat forwards in her chair. "Oh no, you aren't pregnant, are you?"

Choking a laugh Catherine shook her head her loose brown curls jumping along as she did, "No, no not pregnant."

Andrea sighed in relief, but was then overcome with many more worries. "So... what is it?"

"I've been seeing some one recently."

"Oh?"

Andrea's heart lightened, the idea of her dear daughter telling her of her new boyfriend was rather welcome. Catherine hadn't had any serious boyfriends in a while, when she stopped to think about it Andrea had been concerned for her only child. She was pretty and smart, why weren't boys lining up for her daughter's affections? Then again, maybe she was pleased that her dear Catherine wasn't suffering from any man troubles.

"Yeah..." Catherine tucked her long hair back behind her ear nervously, Andrea noted how Catherine had always done so before admitting something adverse since she was little. Now the shy demeanour of her child was starting to make her increasingly weary of what she was about to tell her.

Twiddling her hands together Catherine glanced up at her Mother, "But they're not... well they aren't ... human."

Andrea frowned for a little longer than she'd wanted, processing her daughter's words. "Not... human?" She'd heard it all, she'd listened to the words, but it would take a little more thought. "...You're in a relationship... with someone who isn't... human?" She asked, repeating the question in her mind a few times as Catherine kept her gaze on her fiddling hands in her lap before slowly meeting her Mother's dark brown eyes. She nodded.

It was difficult to measure her Mother's response. Catherine stayed silent for a few moments, studying her Mother's face, she couldn't be sure if she was upset, shocked, worried, angry, or if she felt anything at all?

"Is it your Asari friend?" Andrea broke the silence.

"Hestia?" Catherine smiled, testing the waters seeing if her Mother smiled along. However it seemed Andrea refused to break her frown. "No, no, we're just friends."

"I see."

Taking a deep breath she met her Mother's deep stare, "he's a Turian." Searching for a response, Catherine kept her Mother's gaze, but she'd mastered the power to hide her reactions from her years in the military where a good poker-face had gotten her far.

"...A Turian?"