Ashley sighed and took a drink. She was meeting Liara at the café to go over what she'd found. Which was absolutely nothing.
She sighed again and drained her bottle.
"Need a refill?"
Ashley looked up to the asari bartender who'd butted in that one time she'd been here with Thane.
Thane, who was now dead.
"Yeah. You got the stock, though?" Ashley looked around pointedly at the still-smoking destruction from the Cerberus coup attempt the day before.
"If this place was full of customers, no. But it's not, so I do."
Ashley glanced around. The asari was right. "All right, fair point. I could use another drink. You got food, too?"
"Some pre-made stuff survived the assault. You want anything in particular?"
"Surprise me. As long as it's not, like, poisonous to humans?"
The asari let out a laugh. "I'll see what I can do."
Half a minute later, Liara appeared in the seat across from Ashley.
"Have you found anything?" she asked without preamble.
"Squat," Ashley said. "No video footage matching her face, no security scan records match her new ID. It's hard to prove if she left – tons of shuttles and personal vehicles left the Citadel while Cerberus was fleeing."
"I wonder where they all went," Liara said. "I, too, have found nothing. It is so strange. Only during the war with the reapers could information trails dry up like this."
"Here you go- oh."
Ashley looked up to see the bartender back with a plate and a bottle. But she had frozen, eyes planted on Liara.
"Um. Thanks," Ashley said, reaching for her stuff. The asari seemed to shake herself out of her spell, handed the items over, and stalked back to the bar without asking Liara what she wanted.
"That was rude," Ashley said, looking up at Liara.
Liara was still, eyes on the bartender's retreating form. She wasn't frozen the way the bartender had been, but there was something… forced about her calm. Suddenly Ashley could see the information broker in her friend, and it was momentarily terrifying.
"Liara?" she said.
Liara's eyes snapped to Ashley.
"What's up, Liara?"
"She works for the asari government," Liara said. "She is here to spy on me."
"She what?"
"She is also my father."
Ashley stared at Liara. The asari calmly picked up her datapad and began scrolling.
"Stop staring, Ashley," she said after a moment.
Ashley pursed her lips, then finally looked down at the food that had been brought: steak and a baked potato, probably kept fresh in stasis but now steaming. She had absolutely no appetite.
"Have you ever spoken to her?" Ashley asked, opting for a sip of her beer.
"I have eaten here," Liara said, not looking up.
"Liara."
"I have not spoken to her about anything else."
Ashley rolled her eyes. "Does she know she's your father?"
Liara finally looked up, blue eyes fixed on Ashley. "Of course. Why else would she take this assignment after leaving Thessia due to disagreement with the same matriarchs she now spies for?" She returned to her datapad.
Ashley frowned and stared down into her bottle. "You should talk to her." She looked up to see Liara still buried in the pad. She reached over and touched it, pushing down gently until Liara met her eyes again.
"Ashley, I have work to do."
"Bullshit. You're using this to distract yourself and you know it."
Liara sighed and put it down. "What do you want from me, Ashley?"
Heat flushed through Ashley, and she let herself speak from what she was feeling. "Look. I know this has nothing to do with me. But if my dad were alive and available, there is very little that would keep me from him. You have an opportunity, Liara. One that not many get to have. I know asari live for a thousand years so it's hard to take the bull by the horns when the time comes, but this war has evened that shit out. We could all die tomorrow. You really wanna die not taking advantage of this opportunity to get to know her?"
Liara pursed her lips. "It is terrifying," she finally said. "I have researched her more than anyone else and I cannot answer my most burning question: why did she leave?"
"She could. You might not like whatever answer she has, but she could answer it."
Liara stared into Ashley's eyes for a moment. "What if she is disappointed in who I have become?"
Ashley almost laughed, but managed to keep it to a small smile. "She left, Liara. She ain't perfect, either."
Liara took a deep breath and got to her feet. "All right." She paused next to Ashley and put her hand on the marine's shoulder. "Thank you, Ashley. For all I am a patient asari… sometimes I can be as bull-headed as a human."
Ashley snorted. "Go on," she said, shaking her head. "I'll be here if you need the support."
Liara nodded and left. Ashley tucked into her steak, her appetite suddenly flaring to life.
"Ashley."
Ashley started out of a doze and fell out of her chair. Someone laughed. As she got to her feet, Ashley saw it was the asari bartender.
Ashley scowled. "I see you two are comfortable with each other."
The bartender crossed her arms and smirked. Liara rolled her eyes. "Ashley, this is Aethyta."
"Matriarch Aethyta," the asari said. "Not that that piece matters for shit. Matriarchy are a bunch of assholes."
"You keep giving me reasons to like you," Ashley said, checking her father's jacket to make sure it wasn't soiled from the floor.
Aethyta snickered.
"Ashley," Liara said, and something about her tone made Ashley stop and look down into her friend's eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Ashley, they're back."
Ashley froze, eyes wide, not daring to say the words. "They're back? That means…"
"They found them, Ashley. They're alive, they rescued the Council, and they found your family."
Ashley whooped out loud, throwing a fist in the air in celebration. Then she reached out and pulled Liara into a bear hug.
Liara stood still and stiff for a moment, then seemed to relax and hugged Ashley back. Ashley, knowing Liara wasn't necessarily used to physical interaction, released the asari quickly, merely holding her shoulders and grinning down at her.
"Liara!"
"I know. Ashley, I missed the message. I was distracted." She looked over to Aethyta for a moment. "It was sent two hours ago. We should go. They're back on the ship already."
"Holy shit. Yeah. Okay." Ashley paid for the meal while Liara gave a quiet goodbye to Aethyta. Ashley would have to ask about that interaction later, but given it lasted for several hours and distracted Liara, she assumed it had gone well.
Ashley barely kept herself from running to the cab station, and her knees bounced the entire ride back to the dock. She ran from the cab, Liara at her heels. She chomped at the bit in decon.
She was through the CIC in a matter of moments, thankful the lift wasn't as fucking slow as it had been on the SR-1. One floor down had them on the crew deck, and Ashley was off the lift at a run.
"Miriam!"
She found the commander at a table, talking to a couple of people while still in half her armor. Ashley hit her friend at storming speed, engulfing her in a hug and lifting her off the ground for a moment. Then she released her, ready to ask where everyone was.
"Ashley!" Ashley turned to see the people Shepard had been talking to were her sisters. Then it was her turn to be engulfed in a hug.
"You guys stink," she said happily, pulling armloads of her sisters closer to her and burying her face in someone's hair.
"We've been through some shit," Sarah replied from somewhere in the mass of Williams sisters.
"Literally," Ashley shot back, knowing she had the happiest grin on her face.
"Are they always like this?" she heard Shepard ask.
"Best friends half the time, mortal enemies the other half," came Beth Williams's voice. "It's been like this since the second one was born." Ashley lifted her head to see her mother standing just outside the door to the medbay, Chakwas a step behind her.
"Mom!" she shouted, extricating an arm and holding it out. Beth grinned and limped over, allowing her eldest to pull her into the happy mess of her embracing daughters.
Ashley's heart was so full. They'd been on Earth when it was attacked. They all somehow made it out alive and intact, only to be abducted during the coup. And here they were, alive and intact once more. How the hell had Ashley gotten so lucky?
There was only one person missing. Ashley loosened her grip, and her family did likewise, allowing her to pull back a little. She looked around, frowning.
"Where's Sam?"
It was Shepard who answered. "Cleaning herself up," she said. She was standing with an arm around Liara's shoulders. They'd clearly had their own small reunion embrace while Ashley had been focused on her family.
She gave Liara a quick but tender kiss, then extricated herself. "Come on, I'll take you to her," she said, motioning Ashley back toward the lift. Ashley nodded and followed.
"We'll see you at home, Ashley," her mother said. "We want to clean up and settle in, too."
"I will help you," Liara said. "I would like to speak with you about something."
Beth looked intrigued, but said nothing, merely nodding her welcome of the help.
Ashley was too eager to see Sam to ask about what in the world Liara could want to speak to her mother about. Instead, she followed Shepard to the lift.
"How is she?" Ashley asked as Shepard hit the command for the top floor.
"Good, I think. Tired. Fell asleep on the shuttle ride back." Shepard gave her a look. "She's pretty cute."
Ashley grinned. "She really is."
"After Chakwas patched her up, I sent her up to my cabin," Shepard said after a moment. "Seemed fair to give her some privacy from the communal showers."
Ashley nodded. "Nice of you."
Shepard smirked. "You have no idea," she said as the doors to the lift opened. They stepped out onto the walkway and Shepard stopped.
"I'm spending the night in Liara's cabin," she said, giving Ashley a pointed look. "I'll see you in the morning for coffee and a debrief at 0600." Then she turned and got right back on the lift.
"Holy shit, she's letting us fuck in her bed," Ashley whispered to herself. Then she turned and went through the door into the captain's cabin. She didn't want to waste any time.
Ashley had never been in here while it was Shepard's. Sure, she'd inspected the entire ship when it was in dry dock, but it had been empty then, all personal effects boxed and shoved into nooks and crannies because nobody actually wanted to trash Shepard's stuff. Shepard might've been a prisoner but she was also a war hero.
Ashley took a second to look around. A hoodie was spread on the back of the desk chair. Models of ships were spread out on Shepard's desk in various states of disrepair. Ashley chuckled – she knew that was one of the ways Shepard destressed. Something about working with her hands, and a problem that definitely had a solution. It wasn't Ashley's thing, but she could see the appeal when explained like that.
The bed was made in proper military style. Ashley wondered idly if there were new sheets to be had somewhere? It was only polite to change the sheets after sleeping in someone else's bed. Especially if you were doing more than sleeping.
Ashley grinned and turned around to see the door to the bathroom closed. Listening carefully, she could hear the pattering of the water. She noticed some clothes piled unceremoniously on the floor, next to a basket of personal care items. Tucked inside was the jar of coconut oil Ashley had gotten for Sam.
She smiled, reached out, and gave a knock on the metal door.
"You are not getting me out of this shower for anything less than a promotion, Commander!" came Sam's muffled voice.
"How about a kiss?" Ashley said loudly.
"Ashley?!" The door slid open, and a dripping wet and very naked Samantha appeared. Ashley barely had a moment to enjoy the view before Sam was pulling her down into a tight embrace.
Ashley just held her. She felt a tear tickle at her eye but made no attempt to stop it. She'd been so scared. She'd watched Thane die. She'd waited and fretted about her mom and sisters. She'd tried and failed to keep from imagining all the ways Sam could die out there in the field. And against all odds, she had her family back and her fiancée in her arms, and – for this moment, at least – everything was all right.
"Oh, your dad's jacket!" Sam squeaked, and pulled away. "The water will ruin the leather!"
Ashley let her pull back, using the distance between them to slide the jacket off. "There," she said, hanging it over Shepard's hoodie on the chair. "Now come here and kiss me."
Sam took a step back, eyeing the shower. "Why don't you come get me?" she said, a wicked smile spreading over her lips.
Ashley grinned. "Yes, ma'am." She toed off her boots – she'd learned her lesson with those the first time they'd gotten naked together – and had the rest of her clothes off very quickly. Then she was in the shower with Sam, warm skin sliding on warm skin, hot water cascading over them, and a hot tongue immediately exploring her mouth.
She hummed into Sam's mouth. "Eager, are we?" she said as they parted briefly. Sam's hand was on her breast, tweaking the nipple, her other hand buried in Ashley's hair.
Sam didn't reply, merely plunging her tongue back into Ashley's mouth. She pulled Ashley's hair, and Ashley's scalp ached with the tension, but it was pleasant, and real, and sent a shiver down her spine despite the hot water and the steam in the air.
Ashley wrapped her arms around Samantha, pulling her close, losing herself for a moment. This was real. Sam was here, in Ashley's arms, very much alive as she pulled and pressed and moaned at Ashley's touch.
Sam's hand encircled Ashley's wrist. "I need you," she said in a low voice, and then latched onto Ashley's throat with her teeth.
Ashley cried out at the onslaught of teeth on her skin, then moaned at the slick wetness between Samantha's legs. Sam wrapped both arms around Ashley's neck and practically climbed her like a tree.
Ashley was almost taken aback. In fact, had she not been pinned down by her fiancée, she might have actually taken a step back in shock. As it was, however, she could only internally marvel at this unusual display from Sam. Samantha had never been shy about what she wanted, but she had never before demanded like this. It was hot, yes, but not the playful sort of thing their lovemaking usually was.
I suppose she has a lot of tension running through her, Ashley thought, thinking of her own needs after firefights. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug. And aphrodisiac.
"Ashley, now," Sam said, and pushed harder. Ashley allowed her fingers to slide inside of Sam, and Sam's eyes closed as a moan escaped her lips.
Ashley's knees went weak as Sam's feet physically left the floor, but it wasn't because she couldn't take the weight. She walked Sam to the wall, pinning her against it and giving her a knee for purchase. Then she put a bit of space between their torsos, pulled her hand out, and grinned at Sam's whimper of frustration.
"I got you, baby," she said, and then she plunged three fingers inside of her.
Sam wailed into Ashley's mouth. Nails raked Ashley's back. They breathed each other's warm, moist air as Ashley worked Sam up to her climax once, twice, three times. Finally, Sam collapsed, boneless, against her.
Ashley could not have imagined a better way for this mission to conclude.
Ashley had long been able to sleep well anywhere, a habit picked up as a marine. She had also always been a light sleeper, however, another military habit.
She awoke with a start, not quite sure what had awakened her but aware of everything around her within seconds.
She was in Shepard's bed, naked. Sam's warm body was next to her. The light was low, the blanket bunched down around her feet. She was cold, skin puckered into goosebumps now she was awake – space had no heat, and spaceships remained only warm enough to keep one comfortable when covered head to toe in a uniform. They were basically the equivalent of a crisp autumn day at all times.
She ignored all of it except Sam, however, who was sniffling and crying quietly next to her.
"Hey," she said softly, reaching for her fiancée. "Sam, baby, come here."
Sam let herself be pulled into Ashley's lap, and Ashley petted her hair and made soothing noises. She pulled the blanket up around Sam, tucking her in while also covering her own freezing feet. She didn't ask what was wrong – nightmares weren't uncommon after one's first ground mission. She didn't tell Sam to hush or stop crying; Sam's feelings were for Ashley to hold, not to stop.
Her heart broke a little, though. This was the beginning of something Ashley knew well for herself. The nightmares, the flashbacks, the PTSD – she'd experienced all of it. She had ways to cope, and lots of therapy, and it rarely had her awake at night crying anymore. But in the early days she'd barely slept and had finally needed to medicate herself with the help of Chakwas after she lost her entire unit on Eden Prime. She still had nightmares about it sometimes, though lately they'd been mixed up with imagery from the attack on Earth.
Her heart broke to see Sam experiencing that now. She knew it was painful. She knew it was scary. She hoped with all her heart Sam did not turn into herself or Shepard or James, or, God forbid, Liara, who had gone from sweet and innocent to aloof, seasoned, and cold most of the time.
So she held Sam and soothed her, but made no attempt to halt her tears. She didn't want those to be difficult for Sam to produce. She didn't want Sam to ever think those were a sign of weakness, even though Ashley herself was careful who saw her own for that very reason.
"I'm sorry for waking you up," Sam said softly after a while. Her tears had subsided, but she still occasionally sniffled.
"Hey, it's okay," Ashley said, leaning over and dropping a quick kiss on Sam's hair. "I wish you would've woken me up sooner. Was it a nightmare?"
Sam nodded. "It was so awful. I can't get the image out of my head."
"Do you wanna tell me what it was?"
Sam took a deep breath. "Someone sacrificed herself for us. For me. I was pinned down and I couldn't move. These biotic reaper monsters were coming for me and she attracted them all to her and took them out. But she took herself out with them."
Sam shuddered with a sob, and Ashley wrapped herself around her as best she could.
"Oh, it was awful, Ashley. All that was left of the lot of them was a pile of ash. But the monsters were gone. She was deathly afraid of them, and she destroyed them."
"Sounds like a pretty brave person," Ashley murmured.
"Yes," Sam nodded. "She knew she wasn't going to make it out of that. She knew she could hide and let them take care of me and then go on to someone else. She could have dispatched them from a distance, one by one, and lived. But I would have died, and that was somehow unacceptable to her."
Ashley's heart dropped into her stomach several times at this story, but she couldn't stop Sam. She had to know, even if it killed her to imagine her sweet Sam in that kind of situation.
"Did you see this in your nightmare?" Ashley asked.
"Worse. It was a pile of ash, but half the woman's face is on top of it, and her eye is staring at me, just like she did right before the explosion." Sam shuddered again, tears overcoming her.
Ashley's heart broke. She gathered Sam up into her arms, bringing the blanket with her. She tucked it around herself, making a cocoon for the two of them. It wouldn't actually keep the monsters at bay, but it could comfort them for a little while.
Ashley sent a prayer of thanks to the real hero, this nameless woman who did keep the monsters at bay, saving her Sam and bringing her back into Ashley's arms.