Chapter 21

Ash had dozed off on the couch, a data pad next to her, she had been reading every bit of info EDI could find about the ardat yakshi. The tiny asari was completely harmless at the moment and would be for years. If the monastery and places like that taught them self control she wondered what level of self discipline it took to graduate? Or how long? She needed to talk to Falere to find out. She also wondered if the girls parents were still alive. What would asari law say? Though Ash didn't give a rats ass what the rules were, she would not abide by anything that would lock a tiny child away.

She glanced over at her still sleeping wife to see Yanis was awake and watching her.

"Good morning little one."

"Hi."

"Are you hungry?"

Yanis nodded shyly.

"Lets see about some breakfast then we'll go find Falere." The small asari smiled and slid out of the bed. Alex mumbled something and rolled over. Ash was glad, her wife needed to sleep.

"EDI no alarms. No one wakes her up….for anything."

"Karin concurs," replied EDI. Using her name in the cabins activated her sensors and deactivated privacy mode.

The new Spectre led Yanis to the mess to find Liara and Falere sat at a table drinking tea. Falere immediately stood up and scooped the small girl into her arms.

Ash grabbed a cup of coffee and two bowls of cereal before joining them.

"I did not have the opportunity to thank you and your bond mate yesterday," said the older ardat yakshi still hugging Yanis.

"We wouldn't have left anyone there," said Ashley honestly. Except anyone who tried to stop them. "You're safe here, both of you."

Falere bowed her head, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Ash passed one of the bowls to the little girl. "Would you like a tour of the ship?"

Falere nodded still shocked at how they were being treated. Liara had even told her that she would be monitoring her info systems while she was on missions. Once she learned how to do that. It was true she had relaxed when Falere told her that she could have left but she declined while her sister was still there and also Yanis, who she'd taken under her wing when she arrived. Besides becoming a commando had never appealed to her. She noticed Liara reach across the table and rest her hand on the humans arm her eyes going black, they were having a very private conversation. It took a very strong bond for an asari to initiate a meld without asking permission first and a huge amount of trust.

Ash nodded as Liara broke the link, some of her questions answered.

"Falere, why do the they look like little Hanar?" whispered Yanis stirring the cereal shapes in her bowl.

Ash was suddenly furious, her three year old daughter knew what Blasto Flakes were.

"They are shaped like a movie character," said Liara with a gentle smile.

"Blasto is a Hanar Spectre," added Ash.

"Like you and Alex?"

"EDI do you have any in your memory banks?"

"Yes I do."

"Okay, tonight we are going to watch it together." said the Spectre.

EDI walked over to the table, "I hate to interrupt but there is an urgent call in the vid room." Ash nodded leaving the asari to Liara and the AI.

""Miranda?"

"Ashley, where's Alex?"

"Resting, you know how hard she pushes herself."

"I do."

The woman was pacing, "What's wrong?"

"I think my father has my sister."

"What! How?"

"When we left the Shadow Broker's ship Ori went to visit Jack at Grissom, before it was attacked. We arranged to meet after but I got delayed by the bloody reapers. She wasn't there!"

"What do you need?" asked Ash without hesitation.

"A Spectre's code and when I find that Son of a Bitch I'll need back up.

"Here," Ash transmitted her ID code, "We'll be happy to kick down a few doors."

"Thanks." Miranda's image vanished.

If the ex Cerberus operative thought she could uncover her sisters location solo then she'd have to trust her judgment. Jack obviously didn't know her girlfriend was missing, Liara had lost touch with many of her agents.

"EDI please send everything we have on the ardat yakshi to Morden. If anyone can help them it's him."

"Info sent," said EDI.

Ash went to check on Riley and her squad before doing her wife's usual walk around. The longer Alex slept the better.

The N7 officer was impressed. "How on Earth were you never in a Rapid Response squad?"

Ash chuckled, "You know who my grandfather was?"

Riley nodded.

"That's why."

"And now you out rank every one who ever overlooked you because of that."

The new Spectre hadn't thought of that and smirked, "I do, don't I. Take it easy."

"Your doctor will make sure of that." In all things medical, Karin's word was law.

"She even orders us around." Ash's first stop was Liara's room to keep her promise of a tour.

"Trouble?" asked Liara.

"Miranda, she's trying to find her sister, they got separated."

"Can I help?"

"I think she has it covered." Ash turned to Yanis who was spinning on a chair. "Hey, kiddo want to meet our ship?" Although EDI had been with them she doubted that they'd realized that they were one and the same.

"Hello Yanis," said EDI through the ship's comm system.

"Your ship TALKS!"

The Shadow Broker smiled at the total awe in the small girls voice. She glanced at her friend and knew from her expression she was thinking about her daughter and what she'd think of EDI. Liara left her terminal and rested her hand on the Spectre's shoulder.

"I know you miss her."

"Miss who?" asked Yanis timidly.

Ash opened her omni-tool and showed her a picture of her and Alex with Geena sat in between them.

"This is our daughter." Yanis who was far too young to know anything about the birds and the bees simply accepted that two human woman could have a batarian baby. A moment later the little asari had wrapped her small arms around her waist.

"Thank you," said Ash kissing the small blue crest, "I needed that."

Falere looked away with tears in her eyes knowing the two Spectre's would care for the young ardat yakshi. To see such compassion after the slaughter at the monastery, she looked up to see Liara.

"They will protect her. No one will hurt while they are around."

"I believe you." Neither said anything about losing to the Reapers or the possibility of anyone dying.

"And I'm giving you both new identities so as far as anyone knows you died with your sister." With all the destruction the Reapers had caused it was easy to make Yanis an orphan that they had rescued and then adopted.

"I don't know what to say," admitted Falere, the instructors and guards hadn't treated them badly but she had never been treated as an equal. The Justicars who brought them though didn't care. Yanis had been shaking like a leaf when she had been dropped off. She had no idea who the tiny asari's sister was, she figured the Justicar had killed her at least she had drawn the line at eliminating the small girl.

"Thank-you does not seem enough."

"Many things will change," swore Liara quietly, the Justicar order was going to be disbanded, if in fact any survived and By the Goddess they were going to find better ways of dealing with ardat yakshi.

Ash had been listening with half an ear, "So where do you want to go first?"

Yanis thought for a moment, "Are there any windows?"

"Cockpit it is, do you want to tag along?" Falere nodded.

The tour didn't last that long, the ship wasn't that big. The two asari were introduced to all the ground team except Javik. Abby and Cassidy knew they had acquired a new niece just by watching Ash with her.

"You know," commented Abby after her sister had left, "There are going to be a lot of kids needing homes when all this is over."

"True," agreed Cass, hugging her wife from behind. "I wonder what a baby Hanar looks like?"

"What?" spluttered Abby, turning around.

"Or a Volus? Or an Elcor? Or maybe a Vorcha…."

"Okay now you're messing with me."

Cassidy grinned as she gently cupped Abby's face, "You will be a wonderful Mom, no matter what our kids are." Instantly the combat medics eyes filled with tears, she really hoped that they all survived to make that dream a reality.

MEMEMEMEME

Alex woke up alone, "EDI….."

"Both your wife and Karin ordered me not to disturb you," said EDI accurately guessing what the Spectre was going to say.

"Of course they did," sighed Alex, sitting up and running her hands through her hair. "How are our guests?"

"Falere is with Liara and Yanis is on her way up with Ashley."

"I hope they're bringing food."

"Affirmative."

"Thanks EDI, anything I should know?"

"Nothing urgent, we are currently heading back to the Citadel."

"We do need to drop Riley and the commandos off," said Alex stretching, though she wished she could keep the N7. She also needed to tell Tevos what happened to the beacon on Thessia personally. Then she was going to hunt down Kai Leng and kill him, get the Prothean VI back, finish the super weapon and destroy the reapers once and for all.

"Easy peezy lemon squeezy. Not," she muttered to herself as her wife came in with the tiny asari carrying a huge bowl of Blasto flakes. One look at Ash told her that Geena wasn't an only child any more. They did need to talk it through properly later but Alex wasn't going to let anyone hurt Yanis ever again.

Family was the reason why Alex was fighting so hard, they were her anchor, her strength and the future.

TBC….

A/N. Hi guys. I really am sorry for how long this took to update. I didn't realize how long it had been. This is more fluff than anything but I wanted the crew to have a little down time without rushing off on another dangerous mission. Though I am wondering if you guys want me to do Leviathan? Thanks for reading. Please review. Stay tuned. Have fun T-Rex :)