Notes:

Alban Arthan - Druid festival of the Winter Solstice, means 'Light of Arthur' (Gaelic)

Anam Cara - Soul Friend/Mate (Gaelic)

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Inanna - pinnacle of Asari blending, perfect unity of two spirits into one (from 'real world' Sumerian Goddess of Love, Fertility, and War)

Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

SILC - Synthetic Intelligence Life Codes (previously known as Geth)


The End of an Era

Council Offices, CGC, Widow System – 20 Oct 2189

"In my wildest dreams, I never envisioned our meeting would be so cordial, Rae; it went far better than I believed could be possible." Relief evident in her tone, Shepard showed the councilor her teeth in a happy grin. "Thank you for arranging and guiding the discussion." She suddenly huffed out a laugh. "After my chat with him this morning, I knew Councilor Osoba was on board, but I seriously doubt anyone could have predicted Jara would step up as such a staunch supporter of my departure."

A devious grin appeared on the face of the normally reserved Councilor as she admitted, "Well… I could have done so, actually." As Shepard's eyebrows raised in question, Tevos explained, "While you were speaking with Osoba, I called the others to let them know what was coming. I requested they provide alternatives if they were opposed to your departure. If they wanted you to stay, it would have been their job to change your mind, as I had no intention of denying your request." With a tiny chuckle, she concluded, "Jara simply asked how she could help you… and I told her all she had to do was publicly affirm your decision, however she chose to do so."

"And Valern, apparently, was the only one able to come up with an alternative in the few hours between your call and the afternoon session." Shepard shook her head and smiled. "Leave it to the Salarian to be the rapid thinker in the group; that's pretty typical."

"Yes." Rae turned pensive for a moment before continuing, "And I believe he was also prepared for the reply you gave concerning the Raloi. Your response did not seem to surprise him in the slightest; if it did, he certainly did an excellent job of concealing the fact."

"Yeah, he didn't even blink." Shepard chuckled. "He certainly didn't appear to be disconcerted by my reply, did he?"

"No, he did not." Tevos stood and came around from behind her desk to embrace Shepard one last time before her departure. "Travel well, Samantha. Just so you know, after you left the meeting, the Council also voted and opted to let you keep your apartment here, if you so desire… As a bonus for your exceptional service to the Council and the galaxy at large. However much you may choose to disbelieve it, we honestly do think no one else could have done what you did, Spectre Shepard, and everyone here would still like to see you, at least once in a while. Be well, and congratulations, my friend. Please try to not be a stranger to our doorstep."

"Nor you and yours to ours, Rae." Shepard took a deep relaxing breath and smiled. "Speaking of which, we are having two parties in December to celebrate a couple of Human holidays. We have a solstice party on the 21st and a Christmas party on the 25th; you are invited to attend either one, or both. We'll give you a shout as the dates get closer, but make sure it's on your calendar. Obviously, should your schedules permit, you and Sha'ira are more than welcome to remain as our guests the few days in between, as it has the potential to be one extended celebration. Oh! And feel free to bring Nizia along with."

"We would be honored, Samantha." The grin on Tevos' face widened. "I suppose I can live without seeing you for a couple of months, if necessary."

Shepard laughed and replied, "Oh, I don't know if you'll have to wait that entire time without seeing or hearing from us, but we'll see." She paused and became more solemn as she closed, "Take care of yourself, Rae. You're a good friend… and you should know that if you ever need a hand – no matter what it is – you can call on Liara and me and we'll get to you as soon as we can. Even if I'm no longer an active Spectre, helping one another is what friends do."

Tevos gave her Human friend one more hug, this one tighter and lasting longer. "Thank you, Samantha. For everything." Releasing her, Tevos gave her a little push toward the door. "Now, go to Liara… and figure out how to enjoy your well-deserved personal time as a family member of House T'Soni."


T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 18 Dec 2189

The invitations had gone out and, as expected, the Normandy had gone to Sol for the holiday. Karin had been dropped at the CGC, where she jumped onto a shuttle with Nizia, Tevos and Sha'ira – all traveling to Armali for the duration. The foursome, arriving on Saturday night, had arrived before the majority of the guests, so they would have almost two full days to catch up and reminisce before the rest began flying in on Monday afternoon.

After all the hellos, the group broke apart to get settled into their rooms, but Nizia held back. Shepard sensed Tevos' First wished to speak with her, so glanced at Liara. "I'll catch up, Blue. See you in the lounge." Giving her bondmate an understanding glance and a quick nod, Liara went on her way, leaving Shepard and Nizia alone in the foyer.

"So… What's up, Nizia?" Shepard met the Huntress' eyes. "I'm getting the distinct impression you want or need to speak with me about something."

"I simply want to thank you, Shepard." Nizia smiled and reached out her hands in greeting, to which Shepard quickly responded. As their hands fell apart, Nizia continued, "I have never seen the Councilor so at ease, smiling and relaxed, in all the years I have served her. Obviously, after all this time, she is much more to me than an employer; she is an ally and loyal friend, whose happiness is important to me… which, as of late, seems to be largely because of you."

Shepard smiled softly, shaking her head. "My bet is the one most responsible for Rae's happiness is Sha'ira. Being able to spend all that time together on the Ascension, even under the circumstances, had to be what truly brought them together. I never would have imagined Sha'ira giving up her position as Consort. To this day, it still surprises me."

"While that may be true, I was there with them." Nizia chuckled. "Believe me when I say their most frequent topic of conversation was you. Always discussing how you surprised them at every turn, always concerned for your safety and how you were holding up… How you were the miracle that somehow fell into their lives in our time of greatest need." Nizia paused and took a deep breath. "It may not be my place to say it, but I will anyway, because I believe it important that you know. She loves you, Shepard, and would do anything within her power to aid you."

"No." She suddenly held up her hand, stopping the words about to come out of the Human's mouth. "It is a truth that cannot be denied because, I will admit, I feel exactly the same way about you. It is not a lover's love, but one of deep, residing respect and admiration for the person you are and the sacrifices you have made for us all – and not just during the Reaper War."

Nizia huffed and continued, "I would say it had its beginnings as far back as the events on Elysium, which you shared with us on a particularly difficult day on the Citadel, following the death of Matriarch Benezia. Our love for you only grew deeper from that point. After your melds with us, the Councilor told me we needed to watch over you, as you were likely the key to all our futures. She does not jest about such things, and what she said about the Council belief as to your singular importance to our victory is absolute truth, Shepard. There is no denying it, so please, do not try."

Shepard simply stared at the Huntress in a moment of silence before dropping her chin to her chest. When she raised her head again, a few tears were evident on her cheeks, which she made no attempt to wipe away as she finally spoke. "Those were exceedingly difficult days, which I am grateful to have behind us, Nizia… and thank you, for expressing the true depth of Rae's feelings… and yours… towards me. It is true friendship that binds us… deeper than any work relationship should have ever become… even though I don't honestly understand how it happened."

Nizia actually chuckled before responding, "Welcome to being Asari, Shepard. The bond you have with Liara and the sharing of the melds with Tevos and me? It develops relationships to a much deeper level than any ordinary Human could ever gain, because you truly learn a person's mind, in a way that can only be done when you reside within it. I have never heard of another Human delving so deeply… with this Inanna you and Lady T'Soni share. Knowing how you were brought back after Alchera, the… improvements… made to your physical body during that process? Now, you actually are part Asari. In that way, you are extraordinary, Samantha."

A warmth grew in Shepard's chest as she listened to the Huntress' explanation and she smiled. "Extraordinarily lucky… to have Liara and friends like you, Nizia. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Shepard." Nizia gave her an approving nod before adding, "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, when you have so many other guests already here. Please, go to them and visit while I drop my things in my room. I'll join all of you for the celebration shortly."


T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 21 Dec 2189

The biggest surprise of the actual holiday, Alban Arthan, was the early Tuesday morning arrival of a SILC shuttlecraft, which landed in the far southwest corner of the parking apron. Shepard, Liara and Riana went out to greet the new arrivals; Riana broke out in tears upon realizing the passengers were guests from the Monastery as Falere and Aresia – accompanied by Samara and Legion as their escorts – disembarked from the craft. As Riana greeted her sister and friend with hugs, Samara approached their hosts, Liara and Shepard, and dipped her head in greeting.

"I want to thank you both for making this happen," Samara began, an uncharacteristic smile on her face. "I never would have thought to ask the SILC to help us in this manner and it has been a blessing… and not just for me. It is wonderful that the residents of the Monastery can once again visit with and receive support from their families and friends. It is a marvel that it happened so quickly."

Liara smiled in return, answering, "We had a lot of help, from people like Matriarch Mozia… and you, Samara. Without your petitions to the Justicar Order and the changes that have taken place, none of this would have been possible."

"Then, congratulations belong to our joint efforts; yet that does not diminish my gratitude for the invitation here and the required coordination I know it took on your part to make this holiday visit a reality." Samara's smile grew as she reached out her hands, palms up. "Thank you."

Liara's face took on just a hint of blush at the thanks of the Justicar; she reacted quickly, laying her hands atop those offered. "You are most welcome, Samara." Her eyes shifted to Riana and her sister, who were happily chatting away between multiple hugs. "But, obviously, I must admit to somewhat selfish motives driving our request. It has been far too long since Riana has been able to simply spend time with Aresia, without more urgent matters shoved to the background but still clamoring for her attention. I love being able to make her so happy."

"They are not the only ones you have aided in this manner, Liara." Samara's voice grew soft as she continued, "To be able to spend time with my sole remaining daughter, without concern for her safety or my previously existing duty to turn her over to Monastery justice, is a gift." Her eyes shifted from Falere back to the couple before her. "A gift granted me by Shepard's unwavering wartime assault on my Justicar beliefs and by your postwar efforts to ensure the Ardat Yakshi still have a voice in our new order. I still find the changes hard to believe, while every day in my heart and soul, I continue to thank everyone involved in making this happen. To me, it truly is a miracle."

Shepard smiled and laid a hand gently on Samara's shoulder. "I'm glad we could be a part of the transition, Samara, but surely you realize your openness to change was no small part of that miracle. Right?"

Shepard was shocked when the Justicar actually smiled and let out a small chuckle. "I suppose you are correct, Captain, but enough talk. I am ready to enjoy your planned festivities and spend what relatively little time we have with my daughter."

"Excellent idea, Samara!" Giving a shout of welcome at everyone still standing on the parking apron, Shepard took Liara's hand and led the group into the house.


Over the course of the day, the new arrivals got settled into their rooms and renewed interrupted friendships – Aresia, in particular. Besides Riana, she also touched base with all those from days past, when she had been allowed occasional visits to the T'Soni Estate with Riana, and then again when she served aboard the Aletheia as a member of the Broker team. Having the opportunity to visit yet again was the best gift anyone could have possibly given her, and she was beyond happy. There were obvious absentees – such as Matriarch Benezia and Iryna Velros – but Aresia chose to focus not on those losses, but on everything they had gained.

With the SILC stepping up as guardians and chaperones – once the test period had been completed to everyone's satisfaction – the number of visits the Monastery residents were allowed had increased dramatically. There was virtually no limit to the number of escort platforms the SILC could provide, so visits were becoming a regular event. Liara had approached her, asking about the new rules, and Aresia had nothing but positive feedback.

"They are absolutely wonderful, Liara! In contrast to how things used to be… and then the isolation of the war? There is no comparison! The SILC are wonderfully competent, and actually friendly during the trips without sacrificing their watchfulness. My mother always had other duties that pulled her away… and the Justicar numbers had already been dwindling, so there was never enough of them, in comparison to all of us. Now, we can travel nearly at will. Of course, that most certainly takes into account our trustworthy status, since our small group remained at the Monastery voluntary, through a period of no oversight, when it would have been easy enough for us to slip away to some unknown destination amongst the stars…"

Aresia likely would have continued on – for some indefinite period of time, based on her enthusiasm – but not for Liara interrupting. "That is wonderful, Aresia!"

"Yes, it is, but I am unsure if that privilege should be granted to new arrivals… though I do hope the option would become available, once they have been at the Monastery long enough to gain sufficient control over their condition." Aresia hesitated a moment before adding, "You know, I did make a suggestion to Headmistress T'Sori… that we give the SILC some land, and they occupy Lesuss with us, both as part of the payment for their services and to increase the availability of mobile platforms at the Monastery."

"That's an excellent idea, Rez!" Liara smiled widely for a moment before her eyes lit in excitement and she completely changed the direction of the conversation. "Oh! Speaking of new ideas, there's someone else arriving this afternoon who you absolutely must meet… and talk to about your gardens! I'd wager she can give you a hand with the whole high temperature issue, by helping you to enrich the soil and maybe even help the plants become more heat tolerant!"

"Is that even possible?" Aresia eyed her with distrust, thinking Liara had taken on a bit of Shepard's tendency to spin wild tales as a joke. "Or are you kidding me?"

"No, absolutely not." Liara chuckled and continued, "She's an agrobiologist we met. You'll understand more when you meet her!"


Adrien Burns had been surprised – astonished, as a matter of fact – and had taken a few days to respond to the invite, unsure how she felt about attending such an intimate affair with yet more people from Samantha Shepard's life. Shepard had finally managed to convince her by listing the number of people coming for the festivities to whom Adrien had already been introduced.

"Not everyone attending will be a stranger, Adrien," Samantha had prompted, "You already know most of the family, from Mom's promotion party… and it's time you meet the rest. Face it. You've been accepted as a Shepard now, whether you're ready for it or not!"

With that, Burns had shaken her head in defeat, but held a hesitant smile on her face as she finally responded in the affirmative. "Fine! I'll come. Jeez."

Even with their recent conversation in mind, the truth of Shepard's affirmation proved itself within thirty minutes of Adrien's arrival at the Estate, with Sharon Culver searching her out in the common area. "Hey, Burns. Good to see you made it." She grinned as she added, "Last time I talked to her, Shep hadn't heard back from you yet and didn't know whether or not you'd actually come; as for me, I had absolutely no doubts you'd be here. This is your family now, and Shepard's don't turn their back on family. Never have, never will."

Adrien simply shook her head, answering, "You too, Sharon?"

"What do you mean, me too?" Culver tried, but failed, to sound peeved. "It's plain as the freckles on your nose that you're a Shepard. Who gives a rat's ass where you came from? You do realize that even Sam is more clone than not, right?" The answering expression on Burn's face told Sharon more than any words she could have offered; the sudden realization that Adrien did not know caused Sharon to immediately huff a quiet, "Ah, shit."

Scrubbing her forehead with the tips of her fingers, Sharon sighed. "Well, fuck. Come on. Let's go find a quiet corner so I can share all the sordid details of what happened to Shep immediately following the destruction of Sovereign at the Citadel. It's obviously a story that you need to hear, and I believe you'll feel a whole lot better about your place here when I'm done."

While the rest of the group remained at the party in the commons, Culver led the way upstairs to Shepard's private study. Pouring them both a drink, Culver pointed at the two chairs in front of the fire. "Grab a seat and take a big swig. You might need it to hear what I have to tell you."

Once seated, Sharon followed her own advice and took a nice long draw on her scotch before beginning the tale of Alchera. She told Adrien about the memorial service and the obvious absence of a particular Asari, who was very much alone in her conviction that Shepard was not dead. She presented the modified version… about the kidnapping gone bad and how Cerberus had been the ones to locate her and nurse her back to health. "Shep's body was virtually destroyed, Adrian; all that remained was her head, neck and the left side of her upper torso. Everything else had to be replaced with cloned parts… parts that were modified with Krogan and Asari DNA to boost her biotics and her physical stature, all done so she'd have a better chance of survival in the coming Reaper war."

Adrien sat and stared, open mouthed in surprise for a few moments, before snapping her jaw closed. "What the Hell, Sharon?" She blinked a couple of times in shock before continuing, "So, no matter what she looks like – how she acts and moves – she's not fully Human anymore?"

"Well, she is, and she isn't." Culver actually chuckled before adding, "She still looks and acts like a Human… one who has never been known to do things in a normal way. And, even though she didn't really have a say in the matter, her recovery at the hands of Cerberus and that twisted bastard Jack Harper was no exception. That's probably why she has so much empathy for you; she really does understand your origin story, as well as the kind of shit the Illusive Man did to people, all in a misguided effort to create his vision of the ideal Human." Sharon huffed. "But Shep is every bit as Human as you and me… she's just had a bit of genetic enhancement that normal people can't afford."

"The kind normal people shouldn't be able to afford, you mean." Adrien shook her head. "I know better than most just how bad things can turn out when you cross DNA. But, every once in a while, like a few of my plant experiments and, quite obviously, a few of Jack Harper's people experiments, you simple get lucky and things turn out okay… or even better than okay."

"Yeah, well… the Asari cross species genetics most of the time when they make kids, so it can't be all bad." Sharon smirked, "And no matter where folks come from, there are always exceptions; some with the best beginnings can still go bad… and some with the worst start in life can end up being the best of all of us."

"Yes," Adrien nodded. "And Shepard is definitely the latter of those two."

Sharon's expression turned a bit wistful as she looked at Adrien, surprising the woman when she said, "And so are you, Adrien Burns. You took a bad beginning and made your own choices, made your life your own… and I commend that. Now, you are a co-governor of a brand new, first-time joint colony with the Krogan, and helping the galaxy rebuild. You're making great strides in agrobiology that will help any number of garden worlds prosper…" Sharon paused and huffed, a grin coming to her face as she added, "And I like you… a lot. Maybe even more than a lot. So, if you're willing, and I'm given the opportunity, I would like to get to know you better, Adrien."

Adrien blushed at the compliment but remained silent for a moment, thinking about the tone of Culver's words. It was an obvious offer of friendship, but Adrien also thought, as impossible and unexpected a notion as it seemed, that Sharon Culver was offering, just perhaps, a chance at more. Unsure of how to respond to the vague statement, she answered just as obtusely. "I'm a busy woman, Sharon. But, should you somehow find the time to make your way to Gellix, I would not turn you away, that's for certain." She shrugged and teasingly added, "I'm just not sure how much time I could devote to an unplanned visit, so you might want to give me a bit of advance notice."

"I can do that. Wouldn't want to go all that way and not be able to spend time with you." Sharon smiled sheepishly as she added, "But advance notice would necessitate me having your contact information, wouldn't it?"

Adrien laughed and opened her omnitool as she sarcastically responded, "Subtle, Culver… really, really subtle. But I guess subtly is simply not one of your strong suits."


At the start of the evening meal, Shepard delivered the first of what was to become a traditional Alban Arthan speech, giving thanks to the ancestors and remembering those they had lost. As she closed, Shepard made a point of mentioning their latest near fatality. "I still thank the Gods that Livos was not taken from us on Rayingri. Her survival alone is worthy of this celebration, but we also have all the other reunions… and new unions… which have finally come to fruition over the course of this past year."

Her eyes moved across their visitors from the Monastery, then Livos and Zan, before settling on Nayla Axoni and Lyana T'Geya. "Every single person in this room deserves all the future happiness they can find after the wartime sacrifices we have all made. The ability to enjoy such things is exactly what we fought for."

Shepard drew a deep breath and smiled widely. "But listening to me blather on is not why we're here. We're here to enjoy one another's company and to have a good time, so, let's eat and enjoy the evening." She raised a glass in toast. "To all our family and friends, may the best of our past be the worst of our futures!"


T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 25 Dec 2189

Shepard, as usual, had risen early and gone downstairs to visit Leyana in the kitchen. Handing her a hot cup of Sol coffee, the Master Chef greeted the woman with a grin. "Good morning, Captain. Military habits die hard, even on a holiday, I see."

"Yes," responded Shepard with a smile. "Doesn't matter what time I go to bed, either… unless I'm really, really tired. Then, I can pretty much sleep anywhere, anytime."

"The reason I make a point of it is because your mother is apparently the same and is already up and waiting for you in commons." Leyana chuckled at the expression on Samantha's face. "She just came through, maybe five minutes ago. Didn't beat you by much, so don't let her tease you by saying otherwise."

"Thanks, Leyana." Shepard raised her cup in salute before turning to leave. "I'll keep that in mind."

As she made her way through the house, Samantha smiled as she observed all the Christmas decorations that adorned the rooms and passageways. Her Asari family had whole-heartedly embraced her Sol celebrations and had been more than happy to help her decorate the house. It felt odd, in a good way, not having to jam the holiday into a stolen time period between missions, and the rewards of Shepard's retirement were already proving to be immeasurable. How do you put a qualifier on being in one place long enough to have all your friends and family able to visit at some point during the holiday?

Her face held a huge smile as she walked into the common area, seeing not only her mother, but Sharon Culver as well, already sitting at one of the tables and chatting with some of the commandos. Culver was the first to see her, standing and opening her arms to receive her morning hug from the lucky woman. "Merry Christmas, Sam."

"Same to you, Sharon." Shepard smiled at her before turning toward the sound of her mother's voice coming in from the side.

Hannah's face also held a loving smile, her eyes shining brightly with the arrival of her birth-daughter. "Good morning, Sam. Sleep well?"

"Always," answered Shepard, moving closer to give her mother a hug, accompanied by a quick kiss on the cheek. "And you?"

"Here?" Hannah chuckled as the hug fell away. She and Sharon returned to their seats, Samantha joining them at the table. "I always sleep like a dream. This has apparently become my home away from home, even though I don't make it here nearly as often as I would like."

"Your time's coming, Mom." Shepard smirked as she added, "Even you will have to retire sooner or later… though, I imagine it will be a lot later, given your excellent work with the Defense Committee." With a slightly embarrassed grin, she added, "I'll admit I've been keeping tabs through our contacts."

"Have you, now?" Hannah chuckled. "Don't you have better things to be doing?"

With that, Samantha broke out in a laugh. "Not really! I'm still trying to figure out this whole 'being a supportive spouse' thing! It's a lot different than being a military commander, that's for sure!"

"I spoke with Livos yesterday." Hannah nodded, a tiny smirk trying to shine through, but kept well in check as she continued, "She is surprised at the level of restraint you are showing, staying out of her business as Captain of the Guard. She applauds your efforts, as do I."

"Well, I've been pretty busy working on other things… and hiding that fact from Liara has been extremely difficult." Shepard grinned and shrugged, "So I can't dwell on it, but you'll see what it is, once everyone is up and we open presents."

"Ooohhhh. Secrets! I love it!" Hannah smiled and waved her hand, indicating the entry to the common room. "Your Aunts Kay and Karin have finally decided to grace us with their presence. Ready for breakfast?"

"Absolutely!" Samantha jumped up and turned toward the door. "As soon as I wish them both a very merry Christmas and have Riana fetch Liara!"


It wasn't terribly long after everyone at the Estate had eaten when Aethyta, Mozia, and the group from the Armali townhouse arrived for the celebration. They all made their way to the large common area, arranging themselves around the rather large tree in the center of the room. Most of the commandos had already given their gifts to one another independently, as they all wanted to participate in the exchange, but felt the number of packages under the tree would have been overwhelming. As such, just Samantha's immediate family had gifts there, including the usuals, of course, as well as their newest family addition, Adrien Burns.

So, here she was, sitting amongst the eclectic collection that made up the Shepard family. Aunts who weren't really aunts, an Asari spouse who was more kind to her than most Humans she had ever known, and an Asari father-in-law who was cruder, yet more lovingly protective, than any other being she had ever met in her entire lifetime. Adrien had already delivered her gifts – being live plants from her genetic experiments, which couldn't exactly be shoved in a box and placed under a tree – so she was largely a spectator in the remaining gift exchanges going on.

Finally, there were only two gifts remaining under the tree… those belonging to Liara and Samantha. Uncharacteristically, Shepard told Liara, "You first."

Giving Samantha a look of surprise, Liara moved to the tree, reached underneath, and handed a rather small box to her siame. "I know just how much fun this will bring you, Sam… all I ask is that you be careful with it."

"Careful?" Shepard took the box cautiously, almost like she expected it to explode in her hand. "What in the galaxy did you get me?"

Liara raised her brow markings and smirked. "I guess you'll simply have to open it and find out, won't you?"

Shepard chuckled. "Okay, I guess I will, then, since you're not going to even give me a hint."

She peeled away the paper on the relatively small, flat box and pulled off the lid. Inside was a brochure that shocked the Captain. "What in the…?" Shepard suddenly jumped up off the floor and whooped. "You've got to be kidding me!" She grabbed Liara up in a hug, lifting the surprised, yet gratified, Asari off her feet.

Laughing, she asked, "I take it you like it?"

"Gods yes, T'Soni!" Shepard shook her head in absolute disbelief. "I had no idea the Asari even made ground motorcycles… I figured everything now would be hovercycles!"

Hannah immediately laughed, finally understanding Samantha's reaction. "A damned Asari motorcycle? Liara… I did tell you about how she crashed one and almost died, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." Liara grinned at Hannah, adding, "But that was because of her eezo exposure, not her lack of driving skill. Trust me, I've been a passenger in vehicles with Sam driving, to include being on the back of a motorcycle." Her grin changed immediately to a smirk as she finished, "I'd trust her more on a motorbike than in a skycar, any day of the week!"

Shepard pulled out the brochure and showed it off. "Check this beauty out! It's a high-performance ground motorcycle manufactured by some company called T'Sariba… with a biotic response suite!" A huge grin split across her face and she hugged Liara again, commenting, "My only hope is that it comes in blue… not just the burgundy red in the picture… That is my new favorite color, you know."

Liara's heart swelled at just how much Samantha appeared to love her present, believing Samantha's reaction to be a better gift than whatever could possibly be in the last box remaining under the tree. Smiling at the happy woman, Liara explained, "It is fully customizable… which is why there isn't one sitting outside waiting for you. We have to go to the factory so you can pick your options and get the neural-biotic link aligned to your physiology."

"Wow!" Shepard was still wide-eyed with joy and surprise, but a scowl started to form as she asked, "Does that mean I can never teach you to drive it?"

"Absolutely not." Liara shook her head. "Not that I ever want to be more than a passenger, hugging you from behind but, should you desire to share, the system is capable of being coded for up to three different drivers, so no more frowning." She leaned in and gave Shepard a chaste kiss. "Merry Christmas, Siame."

"Thanks, Anam Cara. Now, it's your turn!" Shepard's face held a devilish grin as she slid the box across the floor to her bondmate.

"Goddess, it's heavy enough!" Liara's face held a puzzled expression, getting absolutely no clue through the link. Looking at the grinning human with a smirk, she used their link to remark on her Siame's achievement. {Apparently, I am not the only one who has developed some level of finesse at setting memory barriers.}

{Well, I have an excellent teacher, you know.} Shepard grinned mischievously and said aloud, "So, go ahead! Open it!"

Pulling the paper away and opening the box, Liara stared at what sat before her in confusion. "You got me… a toolbox?"

"Yes… with the House T'Soni crest on top… but open it up, Li." Shepard laughed and continued, "Trust me. What's inside is much more significant than the box that carries it."

Releasing the latches, Liara lifted the top and gasped before whispering, "By the Goddess, Shepard! Is this what I think it is?"

"You tell me," Shepard said. "You're the archaeologist. I talked to a bunch of different people to put it all together. Does it have everything you need to return to your career of choice? With me being retired now, Mozia taking care of business until you at least become a Matron, and Liv taking over as House Captain…" Samantha paused and grinned as she watched understanding begin to bloom on Liara's face. As tears of joy began to leak from Liara's blue orbs, Sam concluded, "There's absolutely no reason I shouldn't be able to accompany you on digs, wherever in the galaxy they may take you. No more wandering caves alone, Liara. You're going to have at least me as company… if not a whole team!"

Liara rose from her sitting position and crushed Shepard in an embrace that said it all; of some surprise to the assembled crowd, she held her lips to those of her bondmate for a rather extended period of time – much longer than her usually chaste public displays of affection. Upon releasing her, she declared unabashedly, "This is the best present ever, Samantha! Thank you!"

Shepard huffed and smiled, moisture welling in her own eyes as she huskily replied, "I do my best to keep my promises, Ionúin Álainn. I am exceptionally grateful to all those who helped us along the way, to ensure I was able to keep this one. To have the opportunity to give you back your profession and secure our future together? I can think of nothing more important nor more rewarding than that."

Liara stepped back and surveyed the group of family and friends in the room, smiling exuberantly as she did so. "Thank you, all of you, for everything you have contributed to get us to this day. We love you all… but enough talk. It's time to enjoy what remains of the day and to not waste a single moment of the wonderful future before us!"


End Note: Thanks also go to all of you, my wonderful readers who have stuck with me over the course of seven books and all their accompanying quicks and shorts. I love you all, love hearing from you and reading your comments. Thus ends Forging the Future.

The next book – The Archaeologist – will obviously center on Liara, with Shepard's loving support along the way. The timeline is unknown, as I am going to take a little bit of a break to get my thoughts together and finish my outline, but I will promise you this: I will be back, eventually, with the next chapter in the Chronicles of Samantha Shepard!