"Shore leave? We're in the middle of a war, Admiral. None of the repairs on the docket are urgent, it's just normal wear and tear-"

"That you're going to have the Normandy put into dry dock for before they turn into anything more. And being in the middle of this war is all the more reason to take a few days off."

"But sir-"

"That's an order, Commander. And if you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for your crew. You've been jumping from one side of the galaxy to the other and back again ever since the Reapers hit Earth. The downtime will do you all some good. Understood?"

Shepard huffed and leaned against the terminal, knowing that Hackett was right. They had been running themselves into the ground, madly dashing about the galaxy trying to put out one fire after another. "Yes, sir."

Hackett's hologram regarded her for another second before he nodded. "Good. Hackett out."

Shepard didn't move for a few moments after the display winked out, instead closing her eyes and trying to find some measure of peace. Hackett was right, she knew, and they did need a break. But taking time off while people were dying all over the galaxy…

With a sigh, Shepard reached over and hit the comm button for the cockpit. "Joker?"

"Yeah, Commander?"

"Set course for the Citadel. I'll spread the word among the rest of the crew but we're due some shore leave while the Normandy gets some maintenance." Joker's whoop of excitement brought a smile to Shepard's face as she left the war room for Liara's cabin, finding his enthusiasm contagious despite her misgivings. Her doubt faded slowly as she walked, replaced with ideas of just how she and Liara could spend a week without the war to distract them.

The door to the Shadow Broker's mobile command station slid open to reveal Liara typing furiously at her terminal, gaze darting back and forth between several different screens. Glyph whirred his normal greeting as Shepard crossed the room, stopping once she'd reached her bondmate's side. She stared at the text scrolling rapidly across the displays. It might as well have been gibberish, for as incomprehensible to her as it was, and she smiled with a touch of pride at everything that Liara was capable of.

Finally, Liara looked up and leaned over to kiss Shepard on the cheek. "Everything all right? You were talking to Hackett for a while."

"Mhm." Shepard wrapped an arm around the asari's shoulders and dropped a kiss on top of her crest. "I told Joker I'd spread the word, but it's been about five minutes now so I give him about another…" She pretended to look down at the imaginary watch on her wrist. "Five… four… three… two… one…"

Right on cue, the overhead comm crackled to life. "Attention Normandy crew! We are currently en-route to the Citadel, ETA 28 hours, where we will enjoy a week of shore leave while our lovely ship gets some much overdue TLC. So buckle up and get ready, because we're going to throw one hell of a party! Oh and sorry, Commander, too slow!"

The commander chuckled as Liara raised a brow marking at her. "Shore leave? Now?"

Shepard shrugged. "I said the same thing. Hackett's orders, though, and nothing I could say was going to sway him. And the ship is overdue for some maintenance, especially with the mileage we've been putting on her." She smirked down at her bondmate. "So you have until we get there to wrap up all of this," she gestured at the monitors, "because if I have to take a vacation, so do you."

Liara looked down at the keyboard and then back up at the screens. "Glyph can keep things going at this point, that's not really a problem. But… what are we going to do for a week?"

"Hmm." Shepard pretended to consider for a moment, then made her move. Before Liara even had a chance to say anything, Shepard had spun her around so they were facing each other, pressing her back against the bank of monitors and claiming her mouth with her own. She kissed her slowly, thoroughly, one hand snaking its way up to the underside of Liara's crest while the other circled her waist and drew the two of them together. Deft fingers traced slowly through the sensitive crevices between ridges until Liara moaned quietly into Shepard's mouth, and the commander finally pulled back. She flashed a crooked grin at her bondmate. "I'm sure we'll think of something," she murmured.

Breathlessly, Liara reached up and wove both of her hands into Shepard's hair before pulling her back in.

"Fuck," Shepard breathed at as she flopped onto the bed in the room of the apartment that she and Liara had claimed as their bedroom. "Nothing ever goes according to plan for us, does it?" A clone of herself… well. Even after everything they'd seen over the last few years, that particular occurrence had been pretty low on the list of things the commander had ever expected to run into.

Liara made a noise of agreement as she mimicked Shepard's move. "It's… Certainly not how I was expecting to start the week."

"Right… At least they're letting me wait until morning for debrief." Shepard reached an arm out for her bondmate, pulling her in until Liara was nestled against her side, head cradled against her shoulder. "Are you all right?" She asked softly.

There was silence for a moment before Liara responded. "I don't know," she admitted quietly. "Right now I think I'm too tired to process any of it. I… just want to sleep. Like this."

"Yeah," Shepard agreed, and managed with some effort to get the blanket pulled up over both of them without leaving their embrace. "I love you."

"Love you too," Liara murmured back, pressing a kiss to Shepard's jaw before snuggling back in. They whispered quietly to each other for a few moments, gentle words and touches meant to reassure each other that they were both still whole. Exhausted as they were, it didn't take long for sleep to claim them both.

Shepard dreamed.

Falling. She was falling, and watching herself fall at the same time, some strange sort of double vision. One long, endless fall, never hitting bottom, just the backdrop changing.

Through the floor of the Council chambers to where Saren's reanimated corpse waited.

Through Alchera's atmosphere to the surface far below.

Off the side of the Alliance building on Earth as part of it collapsed.

Off the barricade on Menae after the Brute charged it.

Down, down, down with the pod on Utukku as the ground caved from beneath it.

Off the bridge on Tuchanka as the Reaper's energy beam disintegrated it.

Slipping from the ledge on Thessia.

Through the fish tank at the restaurant.

Off of the Normandy's cargo ramp.

Shepard woke with a strangled cry, sweat plastering her hair to her forehead, heart trying to beat it's way out of her chest, and found herself alone. With a frown, she rolled out of bed. Not me. I'm not dead. Alive. I'm alive.

She stepped into the bathroom to splash cold water on her face and towel some of the dampness from her hair. Even as she wondered where Liara was, she heard a few quiet strains of music filter through the apartment, and followed them out to the living room. She smiled slightly as she saw her bondmate plucking at the keys of the piano one by one, and quietly crossed the room to her. Shepard slipped her arms around Liara's waist from behind and rested her chin on her shoulder. "You couldn't sleep either?"

Whether Liara had heard her coming or felt it through their bond, she showed no surprise at the sudden embrace. "No, I… nightmares," she said simply, leaning back into Shepard's arms.

"Yeah, me too," Shepard sighed. "Trying to figure out when exactly I started making a habit of falling…"

Liara chuckled softly. "Funnily enough I was about to ask you the same question." Shepard only grunted in response before turning her head to press her face into the crook of Liara's neck, letting the familiar scent soothe her and calm her still-racing heart. Liara, in turn, covered the commander's arms with her own, wiggling hand in between them until she could interlace their fingers, squeezing gently. "Krae, I know this one really wasn't your fault, but just the same… Do you think you can try to stop with the constant falling?"

Shepard laughed softly despite herself. "Yeah. Yeah, I can do that." Knowing they both needed a change of topic, she nodded down at the piano. "You didn't tell me you could play."

Liara's attention returned to the keys. "Actually… this is the only song I know." She picked at them one-handed again, more confident this time as she sounded out the melody, and Shepard loosened her embrace to move to her side, watching. "There was… always something more important to do. Ruins to uncover, intel to gather…" She glanced up at the human with a smirk, and when she spoke again her voice was full of wry humor. "A commander to save."

"Ha. Ha," Shepard drawled. "You can't fool me, you just couldn't sit still long enough."

"Perhaps," Liara acquiesced, a smile drawing the corners of her mouth up. "I learned this song on one of my first digs… We were stuck inside during a storm, and I was so restless." She played the last few notes and stepped back from the piano. "One of the others- Dr. Olena- taught me to play this song on her keyboard while we waited. I've always loved it."

"It's pretty," Shepard murmured. "Makes me think of Ilos, for some reason." At Liara's questioning look, she shrugged. "Don't know why, it just does."

In the silence left after Liara stopped playing, Glyph had settled in on top of the piano, and after a few moments began broadcasting the same tune, albeit a more elaborate version. With a gentle smile, Shepard took one of Liara's hands in hers and then pulled her in against her, swaying gently in time with the music.

"Ah, the legendary dancing skills of Commander Shepard," the asari teased as she leaned her head against her bondmate's shoulder.

Shepard scoffed. "I can slow dance just fine, thank you. It's that nonsense they expect in the clubs after I'm already drunk that causes problems." Liara snickered before pulling back to look up into Shepard's eyes, and the commander took the opportunity to steal a kiss. "This is nice," she murmured. "Too bad we can't do it more often."

"Yes, well," Liara answered, starting to turn away to hide the pain in her eyes. "Maybe after…" she let the thought trail off before she completed it.

Shepard knew how it ended anyway, and caught Liara gently by the elbow, turning her back around and taking both of her hands in her own. "Every day after," she whispered. She shook her head when Liara opened her mouth to protest, instead focusing her attention to the ring and bracelet that adorned the asari's left hand. "I'm sorry we haven't had time to make this official," she sighed, tracing over the bracelet's inscription with one finger. "The best laid plans and all that…"

Liara hummed thoughtfully, prompting a raised eyebrow from Shepard. She regarded the human seriously for a moment before venturing, "Is there anything stopping us from doing it while we're here? We have the time, everyone's here…"

Shepard stilled, her grip on Liara's hands tightening almost imperceptibly. "I…" Longing spilled through their bond, a swell of love and yearning so strong it almost made Liara dizzy with its force. "I would love nothing more," the commander whispered. "But only if you're sure this is how you want to do it. If you want to wait, do it properly, we-"

Liara rocked up onto her toes and covered Shepard's mouth with hers, effectively silencing her overly-talkative bondmate with a kiss that didn't stay chaste for very long and left them both breathless when it finally ended. "We can't keep ignoring the fact that one or both of us might not make it through this alive, Krae," she said softly. "And I don't want either of us to be left with any regrets or should-haves if the worst does happen." She took a step closer, slipping her arms around Shepard's neck. "But even disregarding that, all I need, all I want… Is you. The how doesn't matter. Does that answer your question?"

"Yeah." Shepard's eyes shone with adoration, and she drew Liara in for another kiss. "You're amazing, you know that?" She grinned suddenly, and Liara yelped in surprise as the commander grabbed her by the hips and lifted her up, nudging blue legs around her waist. "And I'm gonna show you just how much before we go back to bed."

Liara and Shepard spent as much time together as they did apart the next few days. Shepard's debrief with Hackett had resulted in a few extra days being tacked onto their shore leave so the Normandy could be thoroughly checked over for anything that Shepard's doppelganger and her minions might have tried to plant in her systems. Which gave ample time for their friends to pull them into outings, both together and separately. It was strange, after so long deployed to have an abundance of free time- but it was a good strange.

They made plans for the ceremony in between, having decided to have it at the apartment since there was ample space for everyone. They arranged for food, drinks, and music afterward- Joker had taken to referring to it as "the party to end all parties," which Shepard had just chuckled and shook her head at.

Liara had also managed a few surprises that she'd kept hidden from her bondmate. The first was a set of tungsten wedding bands that she'd managed to sneak off to pick up when Jack had dragged Shepard off to Armax arena. Plated with platinum and inlaid with a pearlescent blue strip, they both matched the engagement ring that Shepard had bought for Liara and met Alliance standards for duty wear. Despite Shepard's assurances that she didn't care about a traditional human marriage or the rings that went with it and that Liara didn't even need to wear the engagement ring, Liara knew the human would still be touched by the gesture.

The second surprise had required much more secrecy and effort, but would be far more rewarding. Liara had taken over Shepard's debrief vidcall with Hackett under the guise of discussing the Crucible's progress. Which had been true enough, at first. But after Shepard was out of earshot she had managed to convince Hackett to also give a certain rear admiral a few days of overdue shore leave for a specific event.

And when Shepard and Garrus ambled back into the apartment one afternoon, bantering back and forth about their latest shooting contest (that Shepard had won, again), Liara simply hid her self-satisfied smile behind a cup and coffee and watched. It took a moment for the commander to realize that there was another human in the apartment, sitting across the coffee table from Liara. It took her another four or five to realize who it was. And then her arm slipped down from it's place around her best friend's shoulders in shock, and she stared, mouth agape.

"Mom?" Shepard finally managed to croak out. "What are- when did-" Seemingly unable to get an intelligible sentence out intact, she looked over to Liara. "How?"

Liara only tossed her bondmate a wink as Hannah Shepard crossed the room and folded her speechless daughter into a hug. "You didn't think I was going to miss my only child getting married, did you?" the older woman asked, pulling back to hold her daughter at arm's length and look her up and down. "You look good, kiddo. Liara's been taking care of you, I see."

"She has," Shepard agreed easily, smiling over her mother's shoulder at Liara and mouthing thank you. "And now you can meet Garrus too, finally," she added, gesturing to the turian. "Garrus, my mom, Hannah."

"Pleasure to meet yo-" Garrus cut off in mid-sentence as Hannah bypassed the hand he was holding out to shake and pulled him into a hug. "Oh. Well then." His mandibles flapped a bit in confusion.

Shepard chuckled. "Sorry, buddy, should've warned you that she's a hugger," she apologized as her mom pulled Garrus over to the sitting area. After a quick detour to the kitchen to grab some coffee for the two of them, the commander followed, passing one mug to her best friend before settling in on the couch next to Liara and wrapping an arm around the asari's shoulders. "You are literally the best," she whispered into Liara's aural, punctuating the words with a kiss on her cheek.

Liara didn't get a chance to reply though, as Hannah pulled the two of them back into conversation. "So Liara said you're having the ceremony here?"

"Mhm," Shepard replied around a sip of coffee. "Best man," she pointed at Garrus, "mostly just because I wanna see how well he cleans up," she joked as the turian grunted in mock indignation. "Liara won't tell me who's standing with her."

"Patience was never your strong suit," Liara teased, elbowing the human gently in the ribs. "It's Tali, if you must know. We're going dress shopping tomorrow, and you are not invited."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Hannah cut in, motioning to the garment bag hanging from the stairs. "Admiral Hackett had me bring along a new set of dress whites for you."

"Just as well that I don't have to worry about shopping then. Maybe we can meet up with Grunt tomorrow, Mom. If he doesn't set another C-Sec car on fire…"

Their conversation stretched on into the evening, well past the time Garrus finally excused himself and through dinner and a round of hot chocolate. Finally, after one too many yawns Shepard took pity on her mother and took her up to get settled into one of the apartment's many bedrooms.

When she came back downstairs Liara was still nestled into the corner of the couch, and rather than having her move to snuggle, Shepard laid down with her head in her bondmate's lap. "I don't know how you managed it," she said, looking up at the asari with a smile. "But I'm glad you did. I don't think there are words for how happy I am that Mom'll be here for the ceremony."

Liara made a quiet noise of agreement as she worked her fingers into the human's hair, gently sorting out the tangles she came across in the short locks. "I did have an idea, when Hackett agreed to her shore leave. I haven't said anything about it to her yet, though, I wanted to hear what you thought on the matter first… and I didn't want to spoil the surprise by asking you before she got here." At Shepard's raised eyebrow, she continued. "Since any Alliance officer of high enough rank to command their own ship can perform marriages, and any asari matriarch can carry out a bonding ceremony… I thought we might have our respective parents blend the two?"

A slow smile spread across Shepard's face, revealing adoration and awe as she reached up to gently touch Liara's cheek. "Every time I think you can't surprise me any more, you do it again," she whispered. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."

"Well… Saving the galaxy a few times didn't hurt anything," Liara teased. "But you do have to answer one more question."

"Oh?"

Liara shifted slightly to pull a small velvet box from one of her pockets, and carefully flipped it open before holding it in front of her bondmate so she could see the rings. "Marry me?"

Shepard's smile was nothing short of radiant, then, and Liara was sure that hers was much the same. The commander pushed herself up into enough of a sitting position that she could pull Liara down for a kiss. "Absolutely."

They'd planned the ceremony for the day before the last day of their shore leave. Neither one of them were under illusions that most, if not all of the crew would be hungover the next day and not in any way fit for service. The bar had been stocked with alcohol, there was enough food to feed an army of krogan (at least that's what Shepard hoped), and extra beds had been set up in various bedrooms so everyone would have a place to crash.

None of that knowledge helped soothed Shepard's nerves as she smoothed over the ribbons of the medals pinned to her chest for what had to be the thousandth time.

"Too many damn medals," she muttered, glancing in the mirror at the turian standing behind her. "Should I just leave them off? I should just leave them off…"

"Shepard, take a breath," Garrus advised. "You've checked them over so many times I've gone cross-eyed from watching you. They're immaculate. And you're not going to care once you get out there and see Liara, trust me."

Shepard glanced over her shoulder sharply. "You saw her dress?"

Mandibles twitched in a suppressed turian grin. "Tali might have sent me a picture."

"Garrus…" The name came from Shepard's lips as a near growl.

Her best friend raised his hands in mock surrender. "Look, the sooner you stop primping and get out there the sooner you'll get to see it."

"I'm not primping," she grumbled, straightening her jacket one more time before finally turning away from the mirror. "I'm preparing."

"You prepare for battle, Shepard," Garrus ribbed her good-naturedly as they walked toward the door. "This is your wedding." He paused, hand on the door knob. "You ready for this?"

Shepard's shoulders finally relaxed, and she stood a little straighter as she thought about what waited for her on the other side of the door. "Hell yeah I am." As Garrus opened the door, she took a step forward before pausing and tossing one last shot casually over her shoulder. "We're gonna talk about you and Tali later, though." Ignoring the turian's muted sputtering, she strode out of the bedroom and out into the living area where their friends awaited them. She tucked her hands into the pockets of her uniform to hide her fidgeting while Garrus stepped over to the adjacent door and rapped lightly on it before stepping into place at Shepard's side.

When the door opened a few moments later- an eternity, to Shepard- the entire galaxy narrowed and she and her bondmate were all that existed. Garrus had been right, some far-distance part of her brain said, her medals could have been upside down and backwards and she wouldn't have cared, because Liara was an absolute vision. She'd always made a point of making sure to regularly tell the asari how gorgeous she was, and she absolutely meant it, but now… Shepard didn't think that Athame herself could have looked any more exquisite no matter what artist rendered her.

The dress was nothing short of a masterpiece, and Shepard dimly wondered who had tailored it and how much it would cost to retain them. The high collar and fitted style were that of traditional asari formal wear, though that was where the resemblance ended. The sleeves stopped at the shoulders, replaced by loose criss-crossing straps that dropped to just below her elbows. A V had been cut out from below the collar, teasing just enough cleavage. And the bottom of the skirt had somehow been scalloped and layered so that it flowed constantly when Liara walked.

And the colors…

The bottom of the dress started out a light cream, fading up into red as it rose to Liara's knees before changing once again to purple as it reached the V and moved up to her arms and neck. Shepard had never before seen anything like it, and suddenly she felt like a walking cliché. Her mouth was dry, she had to remind herself to breathe, and she wasn't entirely sure that her legs would support her if she tried to take a step forward.

Thankfully she didn't have to, because Liara was suddenly in front of her, the coy look on her face telling Shepard that her bondmate knew exactly the effect that her appearance was having on her, and the commander reached out trembling hands to grip Liara's.

"You look absolutely stunning, Li," she whispered, one side of her mouth curling up in the lopsided grin that she knew Liara loved.

The asari smiled back warmly, reaching up to brush back a lock of unruly hair from Shepard's face. "You look rather dashing yourself." She glanced across the room to where Aethyta and Hannah waited, before returning her gaze to the soldier in front of her. "Shall we?"

Shepard nodded, and hand in hand they made their way across the room, through the crowd of their friends- their family. Excitement and love bounced back and forth across their bond, and neither of them was sure of who it had originated with. It didn't matter.

Shepard tried to pay attention while her mother spoke a few words of introduction. She really did. But try as she might, her awareness still honed in on the person before her, the one she was about to willingly pledge the rest of her life to.

You ready for this? Garrus's words echoed through her mind.

She had never been more ready for anything.

Apparently that didn't extend to paying attention though, because Shepard was suddenly aware of nearly every pair of eyes in the room on her, and amusement trickling through her bond with Liara. She grinned sheepishly. "Uh… sorry, missed my queue, I guess." She cleared her throat, and suddenly the piece of paper on which she'd written her vows and tucked neatly into the inside pocket of her jacket was forgotten. "Liara," she said softly, looking down at their joined hands and then back up into her bondmate's eyes, "being loved by you, and having you to love… Is the greatest gift that I never in a thousand years would have dreamed of being granted. When I say you're my better half, I mean it. You've seen me at my worst, and you've picked me back up from it. You've been my strength when I have none. When I can't find any other reason to keep going, you're the one I cling to. As long as I have you," and here was where the growing lump in Shepard's throat finally got the best of her, and her voice cracked slightly as tears of joy teased at the corners of her eyes, "I know I'll always find my way home." She took the box that Garrus held out to her, pulling the ring from it first. "I give you these as a symbol of my love and devotion to you." She slipped it onto Liara's finger, both of their hands trembling slightly as she did, and then pulled the bracelet from the box. "Let them serve as a reminder that no matter what we go through together," she flipped the bracelet over to show the new inscription on the opposite side of the original, "I am yours."

You are my light in the darkness.

She clasped the band around Liara's wrist, gently sliding it into place before looking back up at Liara's face to find tears in her eyes that matched the ones in her own. Gently, she brushed an escaped one away with a thumb before letting Liara take both of her hands again and waiting for her to speak.

"Krae," Liara began, voice trembling with the first few words before gaining strength again. "Losing you, being without you, and then getting you back…" She squeezed both of Shepard's hands firmly. "I think it makes me the luckiest person in the galaxy. You have been my center of calm in the storm that the last few years have been. My anchor, when I was adrift and thought I might lose myself. I thank the Goddess every day that we were given a second chance at life together, even as chaotic a life as it is." There were tears running freely down Shepard's face now, and Liara had to make a visible effort to continue speaking as Tali placed the twin to Shepard's box into her palm. "You say that I'm your better half, but… You're mine, too. With you, love, no matter where we are… I will always be home." The ring came out of its snug spot, and slipped easily onto Shepard's waiting hand. "I give you these as a symbol of my love and devotion to you. Let them serve as a reminder that no matter what our future holds…" The bracelet followed, and Liara smiled tearfully up at her bondmate as she held it out for Shepard to read before fastening it into place around her wrist. "We will face it together."

If you believe in anything, believe in us.

A glance at Hannah showed a sheen of tears in her eyes as well, as she stepped forward and put a hand on each of their shoulders. "I wish you both a lifetime of memories together. That you may solace in each other when times are hard, joy together when times are good. Be each other's first and last line of defense, the safe haven that the other needs." Hannah pulled them both in for a quick hug then, before stepping back to let Aethyta take her place.

The matriarch held up a long piece of ribbon made of some shimmery material, and Shepard and Liara raised their left hands and clasped them together around the middle of it, forearms pressing against each other. Slowly, Aethyta began to wrap the ribbon around their joined hands and arms, speaking as she did.

"Bonding is a lifetime commitment." One end of the ribbon wrapped around both of their hands, followed by the opposite end. "A joining between an asari and her partner that only death can break." Another circuit, this one around their wrists. "But with commitment comes a blessing- the ability to know and be known down to the very essence of one's soul." A third, final pass, encircling their forearms and ending with Aethyta tying the ends of the ribbon into a knot just above their elbows. "I haven't known either of you very long, I know. But Shepard's second conversation with me ended with a threat… and a promise that she would never let anything, even me, harm Liara." She smiled at them then, laying a hand atop the part of the ribbon around their hands. "And that is more than enough to earn my blessing." Without warning, the ribbon lit up with the blue glow of biotics, and it quickly spread downward until the entire length was aflame with blue fire. Shepard watched in awe as it slowly consumed the ribbon that bound them together, almost expecting it to burn. But it didn't- it was merely warm, though it did cause a slight tingle. It did, however, leave a mark behind it- somewhere between a tattoo and a scar, leaving a mark that would forever tether the two of them together.

The matriarch's final words came as the biotic energy finally reached the knot at their elbows and the last of the ribbon disappeared. "May the Goddess bless you both." With that final benediction, the seriousness evaporated from Aethyta and she reverted to her normal irreverent self. "And now, gentlebeings, these two are officially hitched! You know what that means!"

"Just fucking kiss and get it over with already so we can start the party!" Jack's voice echoed from the back of the room.

Shepard laughed and shook her head before wrapping an arm around Liara's waist to pull her in, dipping her head down to capture the asari's lips with her own. They were both laughing in sheer joy when they pulled apart, and the commander swept her bondmate up into her arms and spun her in a circle before setting her back down and whispering in her ear. "I love you so fucking much."

"And now," Shepard announced, after an affirming nod from her wife, "we celebrate!"

Grunt had been among the first few to come offer his congratulations. "Mom!" he shouted boisterously, and if Shepard hadn't known better she would have thought he'd already gotten into the ryncol stash. He picked her up in a bone-crushing hug, and then turned to Liara with a chuckle that bordered on a cackle. "Dad!" he said, and repeated the gesture.

"Well… that's not gonna get confusing later," Shepard muttered to Liara, only half joking, as the krogan lumbered over to talk to his new-found "grandma."

"It could be worse," Liara replied, unable to keep the smile from her face.

Aethyta appeared seemingly from thin air next to them, pressing a shot glass into each of their hands. "Drink! And then go mingle," she urged, disappearing as suddenly as she had come.

With a shrug, Liara tossed the shot back, and Shepard followed suit before offering her arm. "Shall we?"

"We shall." The asari tucked her hand into the crook of Shepard's elbow, and the two of them set off together to talk to their guests. The night wore on as they spent time with each of their friends, camaraderie and laughter abounding. Slowly, the crew disappeared one by one to go to bed, until Shepard had stifled a yawn one too many times and Liara finally decided enough was enough. She rocked up onto her toes to whisper in Shepard's ear.

"If my bonded would like to take me to bed," she breathed, "I think I could make it worth her while."

Shepard's eyes lit up with new life at the suggestion, and she took Liara by the hand and started toward their room. "I think I can manage that."