There is not one cloud in the beautiful blue sky. Arelia T'Jala is relaxing this morning by the pool in the back of the estate she shares with her bondmate and bondmate's sister. Her pregnancy is going along well. There are about four and a half months left before she and Miranda will have a small bundle of blue joy.

Her thoughts turn to her daughter Shelby as her hand slowly rubs her tummy. Her daughter was just over 90 years old when she died almost two years ago. There are days when Arelia does not think of her daughter and other days like today where she does.

"You ready to go?" asks Miranda. She leans over and gives her wife a kiss on the cheek. She sees the asari has been crying. "Are you alright? Do you feel alright?"

Arelia wipes a tear from her cheek. "Yes yes I am fine Miranda."

"Then why are you crying? Are you in pain?"

This will be Miranda's first child. Ever since Arelia got pregnant the human woman has been a bit overprotective not wanting anything to happen to her bondmate or her unborn child.

"We don't have to go Arelia. We can stay here if you are not feeling well."

Arelia holds Miranda's hand. "I am fine really. I was just thinking of Shelby."

"Oh." Miranda places her other hand on top of Arelia's. "I'm sorry."

"It is quite alright really. And to answer your question, yes I am ready to go."

"Are you sure? I mean, we can always visit Shepard and Liara later."

"I am quite sure. Please Miranda do not worry so much. Now help me up."

Miranda takes the asari's hand and pulls her up out of the chair. She does not let her go just yet. She wraps her other arm around her and gives Arelia a very passionate kiss.

"Hmm what was that for?"

"I love you Arelia."

"I love you too."

Walking hand in hand the couple packs up the sky car with prepared meals that Oriana made and they make their way to Thessia Medical.


"Hi Traynor."

"Commander."

"So did she do anything out of the ordinary?" asks Ashley.

"No Ma'am. She performed her duties and has been off duty for about twenty minutes now."

"You set the tail right?"

"Indeed I did Ma'am. The minute Petersen leaves the Normandy she will be followed."

"And her omni-tool?"

"She will not detect my program."

"Good, good work Traynor. I will keep in touch."

"Aye Ma'am."


The hotel room was as luscious as they come. Upon entering the room there is a couch with matching loveseat and chair in the main area. Adjacent to the main room are three bedrooms each having their own private bathroom. This is what Councilor Tevos expected when she made arrangements to come to Thessia to assist with Liara and Shepard.

She enjoyed her nice long hot bath without interruption last night. This morning she is on the couch reading a book on her data pad in her robe. She smiles to herself enjoying the peace and quiet. She does not remember the last time she read something for the pure enjoyment of it. Her smile quickly fades when she hears a knock at the door. Juliana her head of security walks out of her room to see who it is.

The head of security normally sleeps in an adjacent room, but seeing how this one is so large; the Councilor felt it only right that the asari take one of her rooms.

"Councilor, it is Dr. Liara T'Soni."

The Councilor sits up and sets her data pad down. "Please show her in, I will be with her in a minute." She enters her room to get dressed.

"Please come in Dr. T'Soni. The Councilor will be with you shortly," says Juliana.

"Thank you." Liara looks at the main room and wonders where she should sit.

"Would you like anything to drink, some tea perhaps?"

"No thank you Juliana."

The asari commando stands in the corner of the room. She will ensure that no harm comes to the Councilor.

The Councilor walks in the main room. "Hello Liara."

Liara nods in respect, "Councilor Tevos."

Tevos sits down across from the other asari. She waits until the she sits. While taking a sip of tea she notices that Liara seems nervous. "What can I do for you?"

"I apologize for disturbing you Councilor."

"It is quite alright. I trust you are feeling well?"

"Y-Yes I am thank you. And you?"

"Just a small headache."

Liara takes in a deep breath and lets it out. "I wanted to thank you for your help."

The Councilor nods. She studies the former archeologist. "That is not why you are here."

"No not really."

Tevos waits.

"I want to ensure that whatever you saw in Shepard's mind …"

"You have my word Liara."

Liara adjusts her dress as she shifts on the chair. "I appreciate that."

The Matriarch knits her brows slightly. "Was there something else?"

Looking straight at her Liara says, "I want you to tell Shepard she can no longer be a Spectre."

Tevos takes another sip of tea watching the asari. "Has she sent you?"

"No. But I know she does not want this."

Setting her tea down Tevos says, "I see."

Liara tries to calm her nerves. She sits quietly.

"I would like to help Liara I would, but unless Shepard tells me herself that she no longer wants to be a Spectre I cannot just take it from her. Besides, it is not her fault this happened to her. Do you not think this would be perceived as some sort of punishment?"

"I don't care." Liara sits up straighter. "She has done enough Councilor."

"I understand …"

"You understand nothing!" Liara shouts.

Juliana moves a bit closer to the pair.

Liara notices the movement and turns to the Councilor. "I…I apologize."

"If I may Liara," says Tevos.

The asari looks at the Councilor.

"Discuss it with Shepard. If she does not want to track down Scorpion I will not force her. I would not do such a thing."

Liara opens her mouth to speak, she wants to yell at the Councilor to blame her for having Shepard accept the position in the first place, but she knows the blame lies with her. She closes her mouth and just sits there.

"How is she doing?"

"I'm sorry what?"

"How is Shepard doing?"

"She…ah.." Liara doesn't finish the sentence.

"She has not woken yet?"

Liara feels the heat behind her eyes. She does not want to cry in front of the Councilor. She stands, "I hope she wakes today. I will not keep you Councilor. Thank you for seeing me." She nods in respect then walks toward the door.

"Liara?"

She turns.

"I am sorry for what has happened. I will do as you ask if she requests it."

Without saying another word Liara leaves the Councilor's hotel room.


"Hello," says Petersen.

"Still on schedule?"

"Yes we are."

"Detection?"

"No No," she says quickly "no detection."

"See you soon."


Liara enters the hospital room to find her father sitting next to Shepard's bed.

"Has she woken up yet?"

"Not yet no," says Aethyta.

This time Liara cannot help her tears from falling. "Why hasn't she, I mean she woke for such a short time last night I do not understand?"

The Matriarch clears her throat and stands from the chair. "Why don't you sit down Liara? I am sure she will wake up soon. You have to try to remember that she has been under for four days. Hell she might not wake up until tomorrow.

Liara snaps her head at her father. "She has to wake up today." More tears are falling.

Aethyta places her hand on Liara's shoulder. The asari covers it with her hand. "Shit kid don't listen to me. I am sure she will wake up today. We just have to be patient."

"Where…where are the children?"

"Tali is watching over them at home. I didn't think Raina would really want to come back here after…"

"After what?" Liara stands and starts to pace.

"What?"

"They should be here."

"Why Liara?"

Liara stops with hands on her hips. "Why?"

"Yeah except for your own selfish reasons tell me why."

"What? How dare you say that to me!"

Aethyta strides closer to her daughter, "Listen Liara."

"No you listen! I am their mother and they should be with me and their father!"

"Even if one of them is afraid of her!" The Matriarch matches the loudness of Liara's voice.

"What gives you the right? Who asked you here? Why are you here Dad? What do you want?"

"I ..ah…I want to be part of your family Liara." Aethyta takes a step back.

Liara is shaking she is so furious. She is exhausted, her headache is back and she wants her bondmate awake. She is about to yell some more when she glimpses the hurt in her father's eyes. "I..I'm sorry. I didn't mean.."

"Nah forget it. I can leave Liara."

"No! I mean…please don't. I …am just upset and I did not mean to take it out on you. You have been a great help to me Dad. I..I am very sorry."

With a wave of her hand the Matriarch gives her daughter a small smile.

Liara looks past her dad to see Shepard tossing and turning. She quickly moves to the bed. "Elly?"

Shepard's eyes are shut tightly and her arms flailing at an unknown assailant.

Liara shields herself after getting brushed with a half fist in the shoulder. She places both hands on Shepard's shoulders, "Elly wake up!"

Aethyta joins her daughter by holding down the human's hips to restrain her movements as best she can.

"No No leave her alone!" yells Shepard.

"Elly wake up!"

The machine that is monitoring her heartbeat starts to sound an alarm. Soon two asari nurses and a doctor are filing into the room.

"What is happening?" asks the doctor.

"I think she is having a nightmare," says Liara.

"Hide you have to hide!" yells Shepard as she continues to thrash around "Leave her alone!"

"What is that?" asks Aethyta.

"It is something to help her sleep."

"Wait a damn minute!"

"Dad?"

The doctor stops what she is doing. The two nurses are trying to hold Shepard down.

"She needs to wake up not sleep more!" yells Aethyta.

"She could hurt herself. This is the best thing for her," says the doctor. She starts to place the syringe in the tubing attached to Shepard's arm when a small blue energy strike knocks it from her hand. The doctor looks toward the Matriarch with shock.

"Don't look at me."

"Please help me wake her," says Liara.

The alarm on the machine is very loud. The doctor turns it off checking the display. "If she does not calm down soon she could have a myocardial infarction."

"What the hell?" asks Aethyta.

"A heart attack," says Liara. "Elly wake up honey please wake up.

Shepard's thrashing has slowed a little but the rapid eye movement has not.

"Can't you give her something to wake her up?" asks the Matriarch.

"She really needs to wake on her own especially after what she has been through," says the doctor.

"Elly wake up!" In her desperation Liara slaps her across the face hard.

Shepard's body stops. The heart monitor still displays a higher than normal pace.

"Elly wake up." Liara shakes her shoulders.

"Liara."

The asari feels her father's hand on her shoulder which she quickly brushes off. "Elly you wake up or so help me Goddess!" She slaps her again.

"Stop!" yells the doctor.

Aethyta grabs Liara by the waist and pulls her away from the bed.

"Leave me alone!" She tries to fight her father but the Matriarch is too strong.

The doctor runs a scan. One of the nurses dabs away the blood on Shepard's lip.

"Get off me!" Liara forms a blue bubble around her that pushes her father off of her. She only needs a few seconds. She runs toward the bed and grabs a fistful of pajamas "Captain Shepard wake up!"

Aethyta is on her again to pull her away when the doctor, the nurses and father and daughter gasp. Shepard snaps her eyes open. They are unmoving. They are staring at the ceiling.

Liara shrugs away from her dad. She cups Shepard's cheek in her hand. "Elly? Elly can you hear me?"

"Heartbeat is slowing," says the doctor. The two nurses back away a little to give the asari room.

"Elly honey look at me."

Shepard blinks once then again.

"Elly?"

She slowly turns her head toward her bondmate. "Liara?" Her throat is so dry she is not even sure she is heard.

"Yes Elly it's me." Liara kisses her on the lips. "Welcome back."

Aethyta asks the doctor, "How is she?"

"Her heartbeat is slowing, it should be within normal parameters soon by the looks of it. We will continue to monitor her."

"Thank you Doc," says the Matriarch.

Shepard looks at Liara. Her brow knit in confusion.

"Elly can you hear me?"

The human blinks a few more times. She raises her hand. The asari takes it. This surprises Shepard because she jerks at the contact.

"What is it Elly?"

Shepard just stares at her. Her ocean blue eyes are just as she remembered. "Are you real?" It hurts to talk her throat is so dry.

Liara squeezes her hand. "Yes Elly I am real. We are all real. You are in the hospital."

Shepard moves her head to look around. She notices the doctor and the two nurses for the first time. They all give her a smile. She looks back toward Liara and sees beyond her a Matriarch. "Aethyta?"

The Matriarch pats Shepard's leg, "The one and only."

Liara lets go of Shepard's hand to grab her some water but the human will not let her. She grips the blue hand hard. "It's okay Elly, I am not going anywhere. I just wanted to get you some water."

"I'll get it." The Matriarch pours some water into a cup with a straw and hands it to Liara's free hand.

The doctor says something to one of the nurses then she along with one nurse leaves the room, while one nurse remains.

"Here drink some of this."

Shepard loosens her grip on Liara's hand a little. As she sucks in the water through the straw her eyes do not leave Liara's.

The asari gives her a reassuring smile. "It's okay honey. You are safe now."

Almost as if she is reading her mind Liara says, "Raina is fine."

Shepard lets out what sounds like a small whimper, very uncharacteristic of her. Her eyes start to water quickly. With her free arm she drapes it over her eyes to cover her face.

Liara looks at her father.

"Uh..yeah..I'll just…I will be outside. Let me know if you need me," she leaves the room.

Liara touches Shepard's arm, "It's okay Elly, Raina is safe and sound. She is at home with Mia. Tali is watching them.

Shepard's body starts to shake. She lets out a sob.

"Move over honey."

Shepard moves over as Liara climbs into the bed. The asari holds her tightly while Shepard weeps. "It's okay Elly everyone is safe. You're safe now. You kept our daughter safe."

Her only reply is more weeping.


"What is it Blake?" says Razor.

"Our first asset has been detected. Is the second in place?"

"Yes, has been for some time."

"Activate them."

"Will do."

"How is the planting?" asks Blake.

"Good. Could not get inside, but the main areas of the home are in range. Got the car as well."

"Good that's very good. Are they still in the hospital?"

"Yes. The asari visited the Councilor earlier."

"Oh?"

"Wants Shepard to step down as a Spectre."

"I see. What did the Councilor say?"

"She said she would not fight it if Shepard requested it."

"Well I guess we will just have to make sure that doesn't happen."

"I heard that."

"Stay out of trouble."

"You know me."

"Yes…Yes I do." Blake ends the call.


Aethyta has been in the hallway outside of Shepard's room for about a few hours when she sees a striking human woman and an asari walk toward her.

"Hey where do you think you're going?"

"Excuse me? Who are you?" asks Miranda. Her tone is not nice.

"I'm asking the questions here." Aethyta takes a step closer to the human woman. "You look good enough to eat sweetheart."

"What?"

"Ah," says Arelia, "perhaps we have the wrong room. We are looking for Dr. Liara T'Soni and …"

"You got the right room. Still haven't told me who you are. Though you look familiar, have we met somewhere before?"

"Are you kidding me?" Miranda is flabbergasted.

"What is going on out here?" asks Liara.

"These two are t…."

"Are our friends," says Liara as she places a hand on her father's forearm. "Hello Arelia," she hugs her asari friend. "Miranda." She gives her a hug as well.

"I am sorry for my Dad."

"Dad?" says Miranda.

"You got a problem with that?" says Aethyta ready for a fight.

"Please," says Liara. "Yes. She only recently arrived and with everything going on I have not had a chance to inform everyone."

"You were that bartender on Ilium," says Miranda.

"I knew we met. You are still yummy as ever."

"Dad!"

"What? Just saying."

"Dad, this is Miranda Lawson and her bondmate," she emphasis the word bondmate, "Arelia T'Jala. This is my father Aethyta."

Miranda and the Matriarch just stare at each other, though one has a smile while the other is not at all pleased.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Aethyta," says Arelia.

Liara pokes her father's ribs with her elbow.

"Huh? Oh yeah…yeah.. nice to meet you."

"Liara we were wondering if you and Shepard were taking visitors?" asks Arelia. "We brought some food with us that we can give to you or drop off at your house."

"That is very kind of you thank you. And yes. She has been awake for a few hours now. I do not believe she will be released until tomorrow though. Please come in." Liara notices her Dad is not moving and continues to stare at the human. "Come on Dad." She grabs her arm and drags her into the room.

Miranda mumbles something under her breath. She relaxes a little when she feels Arelia's hand snake around hers.

"Elly look who's here."

"Hello Shepard," says Miranda.

"Hello," says Arelia.

Shepard nods.

"How are you feeling?"

Shepard looks at her wife.

"She is pretty tired still," says Liara.

Miranda helps Arelia sit in a nearby chair. "You are looking good Shepard. When we heard what happened we were very concerned."

Shepard again looks to Liara; the asari is not straying too far from her bondmate. Shepard does not reply. She just continues to scan the room with her eyes. She is not really looking at her visitors, more like through them.

"So Liara," says Arelia, "The Councilor came here isn't that right?"

Liara looks at Shepard, the human's eyes snap onto Arelia. "Y-Yes that is correct." She feels her hand being squeezed. "It's okay Elly."

Knitting her brows Miranda asks, "What's the problem?"

"I am sorry Liara did I say something wrong?" asks Arelia.

"Ah.. just .." the asari lowers her voice when addressing Shepard, "Elly everything is okay."

The look in Shepard's eyes is a pleading look. A look asking why, why would the Councilor be here? Aethyta picks up on the tension.

"So Miranda is it? How long you two been married?"

She looks at Arelia who gives her a small smile and a nod to reply. "A little over a year now."

"How's the sex?"

"That's it!" Miranda strides over to stand toe to toe with the Matriarch. Arelia slowly stands up. She sees how nervous, no scared Shepard is. She knows the Matriarch is trying to lighten the mood.

"Miranda."

No reply. Her gaze does not waver.

"Miranda, we need to leave."

"What why? Are you okay?"

"I am fine. We need to leave." Arelia nods to Aethyta when her bondmate is not looking. They exchange a knowing glance.

"Oh okay sure." She turns her attention to the Matriarch. "We are not finished."

Rather than further egg her on, Aethyta just nods with a smile.

Arelia touches her arm, "We will bring the food we made to the house."

"Thank you."

Arelia and Miranda leave. Aethyta laughs under her breath when she hears the whispered expletives coming out of the human's mouth on the way out.

"Elly everything is fine."

Shepard is shaking her head.

"Yes calm down honey."

"Why..why was she here?"

Aethyta steps in, "She was here for me."

They both look at her.

"Yeah. You know we go way back Shepard. She is taking some time off, well as much as the Asari Councilor can do that. She stopped by to say hello to me."

Shepard looks between Aethyta and Liara.

Going along with the lie Liara says, "That's right Elly. See I told you, everything is alright."

Shepard loosens her grip on her bondmate's hand. Her eyes return to scanning the room as if she is expecting someone to appear or something to happen.

"Why don't you see if you can get some sleep Elly?" Liara places her hands on her shoulders and gently pushes her back. Shepard does not let go of her hand.

"I gotta go kid. You need anything?"

"Uh.."

"I will tell them you love them."

"Thank you Dad. Please tell them we hope to be home tomorrow."

"Your stuff is over there remember?" Aethyta points to a small suitcase in the corner of the room by the bathroom. She brought Liara a change of clothes, pajamas, the essentials.

"Thank you."

"Take care Shepard." Aethyta leaves the room.

Liara climbs into bed with Shepard. The human woman moves over to give her room. Her left hand still holding onto Liara's right hand as if letting her go would cause her to plummet into her nightmare. Liara on her side lays her left arm over Shepard's torso. She is watching her bondmate. Even while lying on her back, Shepard's eyes continue to scan for threats.

"Shh Elly close your eyes. We are safe here."

Shepard looks at her as if a lost child, it breaks Liara's heart.

"I am here. You can sleep. I will keep you safe."

Shepard raises her eyebrows asking if she is sure.

"Sleep now, it's okay."

The retired captain finally closes her eyes. Liara feels her body relax a little. She hopes her dreams are sweet but prepares for the worst as she allows her eyes to slowly close.