Chapter 12

Rated M for Language, Sexual Content, Adult Themes

Warning ! Quite dark, proceed with caution.

Contains FemShep/Liara

This story is about an extremely damaged woman, struggling with love, loss and eventually redemption. She is not exactly likeable, nor should she be.

Author's note: Dear audience, hopefully you don't hate me too much for the delay, but my life is once again fucked beyond comprehension, so much so, that I didn't have the motivation to write anything. But here's the next chapter regardless.

'Ariadne.'

That voice would haunt Shepard no matter where she went or how hard she tried to hide from it. Shivers went down her spine every single time Liara opened her mouth, always reminding her of those beautiful months they had spent together.

Without even thinking Shepard spun around and threw her arms around the unsuspecting asari, hugging her as tightly as she possibly could, with no intention of ever letting go.

Liara didn't even hesitate when she wordlessly initiated the meld with the surprisingly strong girl clinging to her. Both of them felt wave upon wave of love and tenderness flow through the mental link between them. Only after the first few moments had passed did they start looking through each other's memories.

To her own surprise, Ariadne did not even attempt to hide what had transpired with Aria earlier that evening. She felt it would have been a betrayal to hide anything from Liara and even though she wasn't quite as angry with the scientist as she had been, she wanted her to know, that had she been there for her when she had woken up from her absence nothing would have happened with the queen of Omega.

When realization struck, Liara immediately severed the meld. Unsure about the feelings raging inside her, she felt it best to study the dark haired girl, before saying something she might later regret.

Ariadne was obviously doing her best to avoid matching Liara's gaze, but was failing miserably.

The younger of the two had to swallow a few times, before she could muster the courage to finally break the silence.

'Why weren't you there for me?'

'Why didn't you wait for me?'

'I did. And when you didn't come back to where you belong, I thought you didn't want me anymore.'

'Oh is that so? And where exactly do I belong, Shepard?'

'Don't call me that. Don't pretend you don't belong to me.'

'Well apparently you have someone else to fulfill my role now. How is she in the sack by the way? Must be pretty fucking good, if the two of you are already having kids.'

By now both of them had stepped away and tears were threatening to fall. Shepard knew only one thing, though. She couldn't live without Liara any longer. Separation from the blue beauty was not an option; she was like a drug to her.

Ariadne was close to hyperventilating at even the notion of her precious Liara not being there for her. She would beg on all fours if she had to.

'I've been an idiot, come back with me. I need you Liara, without you I'd bloody die.'

Despite the overwhelming sense of betrayal and anger, the look in Ariadne's eyes was too much for the asari girl. Quickly she closed the distance between them again and cried silent tears into the dark hair of her one true love.

Aria sat alone in her quarters, waiting patiently for Shepard to come back. She had her whole approach planned out. First she would seduce her, and then she would start a meld and show her more of their perfect daughter already growing inside of her. Once she had really seen what beauty the two of them had created, everything would go back to the way it was before. Shepard would forgive her and eventually they would start a new life together, away from all the atrocities of war.

The now former queen of Omega was rudely ripped from her fantasies by the chime of the door. Her lover slowly shuffled into the room with downcast eyes.

Without raising her gaze, she started talking in a slow and steady manner.

'Listen, I'm still pissed off, that you didn't think to ask me if I even wanted a kid. Furthermore you tried to hide her from me, and would have done so even longer, had I not had a nightmare. But with all that said, I hope you can forgive me for running out on you?'

Aria didn't even bother responding, but flung herself onto her lover and pressed open mouthed kisses all along the smaller girls jaw. A disapproving sound from the doorway made her look up.

'What the fuck is she doing here Ari? Get that skank out of our room!'

'It was mine and Ariadne's room first, bitch.'

Before the situation could escalate any further, Ariadne had to somehow resolve the tension, before things got out of control.

'How about the both of you shut up for five seconds?'

Both of the blue women turned and gave her withering glares, but they both agreed to hold their tongues.

'Liara is going to stay on this ship, is that clear? I need her in my life, okay? And you are not to harass or be cruel to her in any way, are we understood?'

Tears started running down the matriarchs face.

'If she stays, then I'm leaving.'

'You will do no such thing, not with my child in your belly.'

Aria slumped onto the bed and continued weeping.

'Is that it? You don't love me anymore? You'd rather have some younger girl in your bed?'

Shepard became angry at that remark and threw Aria back onto the mattress, before pouncing on top of her and kissing her on the lips as fiercely as humanly possible. Liara simply stood awkwardly by the side of the bed for a few seconds, before deciding that it might be better if she just left.

'I'll give you two some privacy…'

Shepard looked up with a predatory scowl and growled from the very bottom of her throat.

'Get back here Li.'

Ariadne patted the empty space next to her and pulled Liara on to the bed when she was in reach.

'Tonight both of you will stay with me.'

Neither of the asari dared make a sound of protest, so they simply accepted their fates and rolled as far away from their commander as possible, before falling asleep.

And despite the fact that the three of them weren't on very good terms, Shepard could not think of a happier time in her life.