The glass of orange juice is cool in Ashara's hand as she sits on her balcony surveying the horde in the distance. For years, the local government has tried to keep the press away from her home, but the interest surrounding the imminent birth of her daughter has overwhelmed their best efforts. For months, various extranet sites have been doing a brisk business taking bets on what her name will be, and right now, Ashara's convinced that the only thing keeping the host of paparazzi on the other side of the wall isn't basic decency but a state-of-the–art security system.

It's in part because of the intolerable media circus that would ensue at a hospital that they've decided to have the baby at home. Doctor Chakwas has agreed to be the attending physician, bringing along with her from the Normandy a number of their old friends. With Ashley, Tali, and Joker joining Garrus and Aethyta at their house, Ashara has had her hands full playing hostess while the doctor goes over some final preparations with her bondmate.

Though she'd wanted a few minutes respite, she's still pleased when she hears the unmistakable sound of Tali walking up behind her, the movement of her suit distinctive to a practiced observer. They've spoken a number of times by comm since her break-up with Garrus but this is Ashara's first chance to talk with the quarian alone and in person in quite some time.

"Tali. How're you doing?"

"Not bad, Shepard. It's a little difficult seeing Garrus again, but I wouldn't have missed this for anything."

"I'm glad you could come. You and Ash are like family to us."

"What about Joker?"

"Well, he's more like the uncle who won't stop telling embarrassing stories at dinner." Apparently, that concept transcends species because Tali laughs long and hard. "He seems better then the last time I saw him. A bit more sociable and a bit less angry at everything." It's a change she's glad to see. Over and above the concern she still has for all of her former crewmembers, she feels particularly responsible for Jeff because of her role in EDI's death.

"Ashley told me that there is a human saying: 'Time heals all wounds.' I think it has healed at least some of his."

"What about yours?"

"They do not sting as much as they used to."

"I'm glad to hear it. That first breakup, it's always hard. You feel like it'll never get better until finally it does."

Tali sighs beneath her mask. "It is hard though, to move on, to find somebody else. For a quarian, your ship is your world. And the Normandy… how can anyone who wasn't there know what it was like?"

Ashara shakes her head. "I'm not sure they can." It's part of why, despite the different roads many of them have travelled, her crew still feels like a family. That sense of a bond that can't be replicated is a powerful thing.

Tali looks away from her, out over the horizon. "I was always jealous of you and Liara. Of what you had with someone who understood what you'd been through. I think that's why I let Garrus fool me. I wanted the same thing."

"He didn't mean to hurt you, you know. He still feels like crap about how things turned out."

"Good. He should."

"I thought you were feeling less angry?"

"I am. The first few months, I spent my time planning how to plant explosives under his car." Ashara laughs in sympathy and Tali turns her gaze back to the distance, trying to explain her feelings. "When I came to the Normandy, I felt so young. You, and Garrus, and Wrex, you were all so much more experienced and even though you made me feel at home, I felt like I was faking it, that I was pretending that I belonged. I had to work really hard to get past that and when I realized that Garrus had been humoring me, I went back to being that overwhelmed kid again."

"Anything I can do to help the healing process along?"

"You can tell me what's going on with Jack and Miranda. I talked to Samara after the funeral and she thought something was up with the two of them."

Ah, there's incorrigible gossip she knows so well. "It's definitely something but I'm not totally sure what." To be fair, since a call with Miranda two months ago that was somewhere between awkward and hilarious, Ashara's not sure either of the two principals knows what's going on either. "They like each other, they hate each other, who the hell knows… There's an Alliance conference on new developments in the use of biotics in combat next month they're both going to be at. Maybe things will be clearer after that."

"You can't give me more details? Tease," the quarian sulks.

"Sorry, Tali. If it'll make you feel better, I can tell you the name Liara and I have picked out for the baby."

The quarian immediately brightens up. "Ooh. Go on."

"It's going to be Moira. Moira Shepard T'Soni." In asari culture, daughters take their mother's last names, with their father's names sometimes being used as a middle name. "It's a human name, but it sounds pretty asari as well. All the vowels, I think. And it's also for Mordin." She's lost so many friends; more than she's likely to ever have children, but she's glad to be able to honor at least one of them in this way.

The outline of a smile is visible beneath Tali's mask. "That's nice. He was a good friend. I wish I'd had more time with him."

"So do I." With his numerous interests and philosophical outlook on life, Ashara suspects he would have adapted to peace better than many.

Off in the distance, she hears the sounds of bickering. "Anyway, I should go," she tells the quarian. "Someone needs to make sure Joker and Aethyta don't kill each other."

"So, I'm just saying, doesn't the actress in 'Shepard Does Illium,' really look a lot like her? I mean, sure, the commander probably didn't defeat the Eclipse sisters by fucking them into exhaustion, but what do I know? I wasn't there."

There's a crackle of biotic energy followed by a yelp of pain from Joker. "Hey, what was that for?"

"For perving on the father of my granddaughter."

"But you were the one who was comparing her breasts with Captain Williams'."

"That's different. I'm family."

Oh yeah, that's definitely a conversation Ashara wants to be a part of. Why doesn't she go see what someone else is up to.

"It's your call Garrus. She's still ticked at you, but not homicidal."

The turian chuckles grimly. "Best I can hope for I guess, Shepard."

As he leaves the sitting room, Ashley pours herself a drink and takes a seat next to her old commander. Tali's presence in her crew and her close relationship with the quarian have made her a member of "Team Tali" in the break-up, but she'd definitely be happy to see her two old friends bury the hatchet.

"Sorry about the drama, skipper. I left most of the crew on shore leave back in the city, but Tali and Joker insisted…"

"Don't worry about it, Ash. I'm glad to have you guys here. Truth is, I can use the distraction. Considering some of the things we've been through, I'd be lying if I said I'd never been this nervous, but it's been a while."

"Aw, you'll be a great dad, Shepard." When Shepard first became involved with Liara what felt like a lifetime ago, it hadn't sat right with Ashley. She didn't quite trust the asari and something about the first human Specter dating an alien… Jesus, she'd been an idiot back then. Now, she can't imagine Shepard with anyone else, and she's thrilled for both of them.

"Thanks. You know me though… I want everything to go right."

"So, what are little asari like anyway?"

"Apparently, somewhat less rambunctious than humans, according to the books I've read. Good thing I guess, since their childhoods last for decades. I mean, asari kids can still be a handful, but we humans have something of a bad reputation on that score. Still better than the krogan at least."

"Poor Wrex. Just how many does he have at this point?" The thought of the old warrior chasing a horde of small krogan around the house brings a smile to her lips.

"Hey, he's the one who wanted a Genophage cure. He could have made a deal for something else."

"Maybe eggs and sausage." Shepard chuckles and Ashley figures this is as good a time as can be found on such a day to bring up a more serious topic. "Listen, Shepard. Can we talk work for a minute?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Do you know anything more about this attack on Kasumi? I appreciated the heads-up after it happened but has there been any new information?"

Shepard shakes her head. "Not much. Kasumi didn't know any of her attackers. The fence who set up the meeting swore to her that their corporate credentials were good, but we can't get any more details from him because he turned up shot in the head after the attack. Meanwhile, ExoGeni claims they don't know anything and from what Liara's sources tell her, that's the truth. Plus, nobody we've talked to can figure out a clear motive. I mean, maybe somebody she stole from carried a grudge, but who's pissed off enough to risk bringing all of us down on their heads?"

"I don't know." Ashley can see the concern in Shepard's eyes about this mysterious threat and she feels lousy. She didn't mean to worry her friend today of all days. "Let me help; see if another Specter can't shake something loose."

"Thanks, Ash."

"Hey, speaking of new developments, I've got some good news for you." Ashley's not exactly looking forward to this conversation, but it'll change the topic and besides, Tali can't keep her secret forever. She loves the quarian like a sister but she leaks gossip from every port on her suit.

"Really? What is it?"

"I've been seeing someone."

Shepard smiles at her. The commander has been on her case intermittently to try and have more of a personal life. "That's great. Who is it? Anyone I know?"

"I don't think so. His name is Michael Bennet. He was in one of the N-7 units during the war and before that," she pauses, dreading saying the words, "He defected from Cerberus."

For an instant, Ashley almost worries Shepard might pass out from laughing so hard. Then, she kind of wishes she would. "Really? He was with Cerberus? Because a Specter once told me that you can't trust those ex-Cerberus types. You never really know where their loyalties lie."

Ashley winces but she can't say she didn't earn it. Shepard forgave her a long time ago for mistrusting her after the commander came back from the dead, but this news is just asking for some ribbing. "Go on, ma'am. Get it all out of your system."

"Are you sure he's not a husk? You need to check for that sort of thing."

"Anything else?"

"Does he have an evil clone?" Shepard brushes a tear from her eye. "No, seriously, Ashley, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, skipper. So we met…"

Before she can continue, Doctor Chakwas walks into the room. "Shepard, we're ready."

If you missed the brick joke about eggs and sausage, refer back to chapter 8. I should apologize for my sometimes questionable sense of humor, but really, I think the problem may be hereditary. Wait until you see the bad pun I have for the next chapter title.