Raina enters the mark shop where Jess works with baby Beni in tow. The small bell dings when she opens the door.

"Hi there, how can I help….oh my goddess." The asari front desk worker steps out from behind the counter to look at the baby in the carrier. "She is so precious."

"Thank you. This is my niece."

"Oh yes, you must be Raina. You are as beautiful as Jess says you are." She winks at her.

Raina feels the heat in her cheeks. "Thank you."

"I'm Sage. Can I get you anything? Jess is almost finished with a client."

"I am fine thank you. "

"Okay. Well you and the little one can sit over there."

"Thank you Sage."

Raina cannot help but stare at Sage. The asari has a mark the runs from the side of her neck under her shirt. She is not sure what it is but it looks beautiful. The psychiatrist has been thinking of getting a mark but she is not sure what she wants. Something to symbolize her family perhaps she is not sure. It would be easier if she were in the military or perhaps a commando, then she could start somewhere, but she is just not sure. Her father never got one and she spent her career in the Alliance. She smiles to herself when she thinks about Jess' tulip. How she likes to trace the mark with her tongue. Suddenly feeling hot she is happy for the cooing coming from little Beni. Her thoughts turn to her little niece.

"Are you happy little one?"

She swears baby Beni smiles but she is probably too young for such a feat.

"We are going to the park soon little one. Won't that be fun?"

Raina hears someone clear her throat. She looks up and sees Jess with a great big smile on her face. "Oh hi."

"Well hello." Jess leans down and kisses Raina on the lips. "How are you?"

"Good, how are you?"

"I'm good. I just need to clean up my station and I will be ready to go." She looks at the blue bundle of joy. "How is little Beni?" She touches the baby's foot which produces a wiggle.

Raina looks at Jess. "I thought we could grab some lunch and eat it in the park"?

"Great idea. Why do you look so flushed? Are you feeling all right?"

Raina looks down at the baby. If only Jess knew what she was previously thinking. "I'm good."

Jess touches her shoulder, "Okay then. I'll be fast."

Raina smiles as she watches Jess walk away. She looks down at baby Beni. "That was Jess little one. She is the asari that I love. Yes. I am very lucky to have found her. Very lucky indeed."

Little A knows where to find her. The commando is in the clearing that years ago became her and Mia's spot. It is off the path that leads into the woods from the Shepard/T'Soni backyard. She sits on a fallen tree looking out into a meadow of flowers. It is like a sea of blues, yellows and whites. The birds chirping and the trees rustling make this spot a peaceful one. Little A often comes here herself when she needs to think.

She sees Dava sitting on the log looking out at the sea of flowers. Without a word she sits beside her and takes her hand in her own then leans her cheek on Dava's shoulder. She enjoys the silence with her friend and waits.

Dava with her free hand wipes at her cheek. "Let me guess, Rose."

"She told me what happened. I'm sorry."

"I'm not. I knew the type of person Shayna was or rather is. I …" Dava shakes her head.

Little A waits.

Dava sighs, "I guess I thought I could change her and that was my mistake."

"She is a bitch."

Dava laughs a little. "Be nice."

"Sorry."

"She has a very good side Aethyta, one that cares, one that is unselfish. She does not show that side of her to very many people and not often enough."

"You are too kind Dava."

"No. She is just too angry right now. Until she figures out things with her father, I am afraid her anger will only grow."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"How can you be so stoic in all of this after what she said?"

Dava smiles a little, her eyes looking far beyond the meadow. "I am not stoic Aethyta. I never expected to be with Shayna the rest of my life. The longevity of our people is both a curse and a blessing. To find someone to be with the rest of my life now in my young age would be very rare."

Little A sighs, "I know what you mean."

Dava squeezes Little A's hand. "Tell me."

"I can feel Kaya pulling away from me."

Dava turns to look at her, "What?"

"It's okay. Her studies and career are very important to her as they are to me. They are pulling us in different directions right now. I haven't heard from her in over a week. I am not even sure when she is coming home."

"I'm sorry Aethyta I had no idea."

Little A shrugs. "It's okay. I am fine with it. Besides it is as you said. A curse and a blessing. If we do part ways, perhaps there will be a time that our paths with intersect again. Who knows. Or I could be misreading her entirely and she is not really pulling away. Our schedules are so busy it's hard to stay in touch especially when she is off planet."

"And when you are busy worrying for the rest of your family instead of yourself."

Little A rests her head against Dava's shoulder again. "I know. I know I need to stop doing that but I can't seem to help it."

"There is nothing wrong with wanting the people you love to be happy just don't let it bring you down when they are not."

"Yeah."

Dava takes in a deep breath and lets it out.

"After we spoke I told Mia that you wanted to see her," says Little A.

Keeping her eyes toward the meadow, "And?"

"She was happy to hear it. She is being released tomorrow. She and Donna will be staying with my parents."

"That's good. I…"

Little A lifts her head and looks at the commando, "What?"

Dava locks eyes with her, "Is Mia sick?"

Little A swallows, "What?" She breaks eye contact.

"After the explosion when I was trying to stop the bleeding she looked, unwell. Is she sick Aethyta?"

Little A does not answer.

"Aethyta?"

"She does not have a terminal illness if that is what you mean."

"But there is something, isn't there?"

Little A looks at her, "It is for her to tell you." She can see that Dava gets her meaning.

"Okay."

"What will you do now?" says Little A.

"About what? Shayna? Nothing. We are done. There is no need to draw it out. If she wants to be friends we can work toward that, but right now I don't need that kind of friend in my life."

Little A nods.

"I don't mean to sound harsh."

"That is not harsh. Calling her a bitch like I did, now that is harsh." She smiles at the commando.

"Walk a mile in her shoes Aethyta."

"What?"

"It is an Earth saying. I think my Dad heard from it from your Dad. Walk a mile in their shoes before passing judgment. Shayna's Dad is pretty domineering at times."

"You can say that again."

"Think about what that must be like Aethyta. To have a father who constantly pushes you, expects nothing but perfection from you. The pressure must be enormous. I don't know how Liara and Shepard were with you and your sisters, but I saw how Miranda wore her daughter down, how she continues to do so. I fear if she doesn't change her ways she won't just lose Shayna, but Rose as well. I don't agree with a lot of what Shayna says and does, but I can see how and why she has become the person she is."

"She can't blame her father for how she is Dava, that's just an excuse not to take responsibility for her actions."

"Agreed. But it is a factor Aethyta. Our experiences make us who we are. How we think, the conclusions we jump to. We are imperfect people, every one of us. Some people cannot get past their upbringing, some can. I believe it is a constant struggle."

"There you go again spouting wisdom beyond your years." Little A hugs Dava's arm and rests her head against her shoulder once more.

After a few minutes of silence Dava says, "I was thinking about what you said about the Ardat-Yakshi."

"What about them?"

"Do you forget that they are victims too?"

Little A sighs, "No. I was just trying to get it through your thick skull that they are very powerful and you should never feel guilt over what happened. I know it is a disease they do not welcome or want. It is a curse of our people."

"Akira was working on a cure you know."

"I know."

"But I killed Shadow before she could see if it worked."

Little A sits up and looks at Dava. "Don't you dare."

"What?"

"Don't you take that on as blame Dava. You did what you had to do."

Dava stands, "You weren't there Aethyta."

Little A stands with her. "I didn't have to be! I heard all about it. I lived the after math too Dava. I saw what she did to Mia, to you. You had to kill her." Little A's hands start to shake.

"I'm not so sure."

"Goddess Dava. You give compassion to a bitch like Shayna and yet you don't give it to yourself. Why? Why is that?"

Dava opens her mouth then closes it as she averts her eyes.

"It is not your fault Ardat-Yakshi exist. It is not your fault there is no cure. Stop taking on things you have no business taking on. I swear between you, Raina, Mia and my Dad you carry the sins of the galaxy on your shoulders!" Little A is yelling. "I am sick of it! The pain you cause yourselves is just…"

"Hey, hey." Dava places her hands on both of Aethyta's shoulders.

Little A is breathing heavily.

"Hey?"

"What?" Little A finally looks at Dava.

"I'm sorry."

Suddenly overwhelmed Aethyta starts to cry.

Dava pulls her into a hug. "Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you so upset. What is going on?"

Little A pulls away and turns her back on Dava. "You are not the only one who sees things Dava." She wipes her face and turns to look at the commando. "I see the pain in my father's eyes almost daily, my mother's eyes and my sister's eyes. I see the same pain in your eyes. When will you all just stop punishing yourselves?"

"We all have our flaws Aethyta."

"Yes we do Dava. But I am sick and tired of seeing good people suffer for things they have no control over. Just like you can't stand to see Shayna and her anger, I cannot stand to see my family members take on pain that isn't theirs! Or you take on pain that isn't yours! I'm sick and tired of seeing the people I love suffer because they don't think they are good enough! They don't think they are good enough to find love, or good enough to live. It's bullshit!" She turns towards the meadow and screams at the top of her lungs. Little A turns to look at Dava who is standing still as a statue. "I wish this galaxy wasn't filled with such pain but I often wonder if people create that pain because it is all they know and they find comfort in it. Well I am not comfortable with it Dava! Not one bit. You deserve good things. You deserve to have someone better that Shayna T'Jala in your life. And yes I am going to say it. You deserve to have someone better than Mia. I just wish you could see it. I wish you could see what I see when I look at you. Just like I wish Mia could see what I see when I look at her." Little A's eyes fill with tears. "But you're right Dava. You were right when you said I can't help everyone."

"Aethyta I didn't mean…."

Little A continues, " I became a Doctor to help people and so many times I see the people that mean the most to me suffer and I can't do a damn thing about it. And do you want to know what the worst part of it is Dava?"

Dava slowly shakes her head.

"The worst part is I am more selfish than Shayna because…" her voice breaks. Little A shuts her eyes tight, a tear trickles down her cheek. "I don't want anything bad to happen to me." She starts to cry into her hands.

Dava moves to her, "What…what are you talking about?"

"Don't you see? I'm the only one in my family where nothing bad has happened to them. And I am grateful for that and at the same time I feel guilty about it. It's like I got some pass or something. My sisters, my parents, what they have experienced…" Little A bites her lower lip to keep it from trembling, it's not working. "I don't want anything bad to happen to me. And I feel bad because of that, how the hell does that make any sense?"

"Oh Aethyta," Dava pulls her into a hug.

Little A holds her tightly as her shoulders shake.

"You are not selfish Aethyta. You are the most unselfish person I have ever met. You put your family and your friends before your own needs. I see you do it all the time. You are not selfish."

Aethyta continues to cry.

"And you don't have to feel bad because you don't want bad things to happen to you. I don't want bad things to happen to me either." Dava tries to lighten the mood a little. "You are not selfish." Dava kisses the side of her head and holds her close.

A few minutes pass. Little A composes herself enough to stop her body from shaking with sobs. Suddenly tired by her outburst she steps out of Dava's hug and moves back to the fallen tree limb and slumps down on it. She holds her head in her hands.

She feels Dava sit beside her and wrap her arm around her shoulders.

Little A angrily wipes at her tears. "You deserve better Dava. I'm sorry Shayna hurt you, but I'm not sorry you aren't with her. You deserve better, I just wish you believed it."

Dava takes her hand as she looks out toward the meadow. "Thank you Aethyta."

Little A lets out a mix between a cry and a laugh, "For what?"

Dava nudges her shoulder, "For being such a good friend."

"Did you get enough to eat?" says Jess. She and Raina along with baby Beni are sitting on a blanket in the park not too far away from a sandbox and swing set where young kids are playing.

"I did yes. How was your meal?"

"It hit the spot thanks." Jess lies down on her back. She places her hands behind her head and crosses her ankles. "What a beautiful day."

Raina smiles as she holds baby Beni. "It is."

Jess turns onto her side and props up on her elbow. "Are you going to see Mia tomorrow when she is at your parent's house?"

"I'm not sure." Raina holds up a toy in front of Beni. "Do you like this?"

"Are you going to avoid her the whole time she is here?"

Raina shoots her a look.

"What? I'm just asking."

"I don't know. I have things I want to talk to her about but tomorrow might be too soon."

"Because she is recovering."

"Yes because she is recovering. Why? What's the big deal?"

Beni looks a little scared.

"Sorry little one, Auntie Raina doesn't mean to sound like such a grouch."

Jess touches the back of Beni and looks at her, "Maybe Auntie Raina wouldn't be a grouch if she just talked about what is bothering her, right little Beni?"

Raina sighs.

Jess looks at her and smiles. "You know I am right." She sits up and crosses her legs in front of her. "May I?"

Raina hands the baby over to Jess.

"Why don't you do a dry run with me?"

"What?"

"Come on," says Jess. "Pretend I'm Mia. Talk to me. Why are you so upset with me?"

Raina looks at the baby then at Jess. "No."

Jess' smile fades when she looks at Raina. "Why not?"

Raina starts to busy herself with packing up the garbage. "Because I don't want to."

"Don't you ask your patients to roll play with you? I thought that was a technique that you liked to use."

Raina shoots her a look that could stop traffic, "I am not your patient and you are not my Doctor."

Baby Beni starts to cry.

Raina didn't mean to sound so angry. "I can take her."

"Nope. I think you have done enough honey." Jess tries to keep her tone nice but Raina can hear the disappointment. The asari stands and sways back and forth to try to calm Beni down.

Raina fights the heat behind her eyes. She gathers up the garbage and places everything into a bag.

"It's okay little one; Auntie Raina is usually this stubborn. Yes she is, oh yes she is." Jess is making funny faces at Beni. She stops crying and starts to coo at one of Jess' faces.

Raina ignores the jab and stands up and heads to a waste bin where she discards the garbage. She takes in a deep breath and lets it out. She returns to Jess and Beni.

"You want to walk a little bit?" says Jess.

"No. I think I should get her back."

"Raina, come on."

Raina looks at the time. She has been gone for two hours. "Don't you have to go back to work?"

"Not for another hour."

Raina is upset. She knows she shouldn't be but she is.

"I didn't mean to upset you Raina. I was only trying to help."

"I don't appreciate you throwing my work back into my face like that."

Jess sighs as she sways from foot to foot. She continues to make faces at Beni. "When you talk about that technique Raina your face lights up at the progress of your patients. I just thought you might want to try it that's all."

Raina clenches her jaw closed. She picks up the blanket to fold it.

"I apologize Raina. I was just trying to help and be a sounding board for you, that's all."

Raina looks at her. "We were having such a wonderful time I don't understand why you had to bring up my sister." Raina grabs the bottle cooler she brought for Beni and slings it over her shoulder.

"So there are things I am not allowed to bring up now is that it?"

Raina doesn't hear accusation in Jess' tone. In fact it sounds pretty ridiculous. "No. I'm sorry." Raina sighs. "I didn't mean to react like that. I know you are trying to help me and I appreciate it, I do. I guess I didn't realize how sensitive I am when it comes to Mia."

Jess looks at her with raised eyebrows.

"Okay okay, I know I'm sensitive. I'm sorry." She approaches and leans in to kiss Jess. She is happy when the asari closes the space. "How about that walk?"

Jess' face lights up. She looks at Beni, "Yay! A walk! Let's go little one.