Notes:

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)

Nasketa - Serrician three-berry herbal blend; mix of Yalthe, Ou'talas, and Elatenu bush berries (Thessian/description sourced from CDN Food and Drink List)

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

Movers and Shakers

CGC, Widow System, Serpent Nebula – 16 May 2189

"Then, I do believe, the issue is settled." Tevos looked around the table at the remaining Councilors. With the three interested parties – the Turians, Krogan and Humans – all on board with the agreement, there was nothing else to be discussed during the special session. "If there are no objections from any of our other members, we can conclude this meeting and get back to our Saturday. Anyone?"

Tevos' gaze swept eagerly around the table, wanting this over and done with so she could get back home to Sha'ira. They had plans for the afternoon that Rae had absolutely no intention of missing. Hearing no further comments, she quickly continued, "Excellent." Her attention focused on Shepard for only the briefest of moments, giving the woman a slight nod. "Thank you, Spectre Shepard, for bringing these petitioners before us… and you two…" Her eyes moved to the unexpected pair at the end of the table. "Ms Burns… no… correction… Governor Adrien Burns and Governor Khel Brek. I wish you the best of luck. Bringing peace and order to a world such as Gellix will be no easy task." She gave them an appreciative smile as she added, "But I am sure the two of you and the forces you will have at your command will be up to the task."

Councilor Osoba unexpectedly interjected, earning a glare from Tevos, yet again. "With our decision, I do have one more announcement." The warning flash in Tevos' eyes prompted him to continue without awaiting her permission to speak, so he immediately added, "I just want everyone here to know that I will be sending Admiral Shepard, in her position as the Alliance Liaison for Interspecies Coordination, to oversee the beginnings of this joint venture." He looked at the two newly appointed Governors. "I'll give you some time to get organized, so you can expect her arrival in approximately 30 days."

Immediately picking up on the look of annoyed surprise on Samantha Shepard's face, Tevos interjected quickly, hoping to prevent the Spectre from doing, or saying, anything rash. "As is well within your authority to do, Councilor… but, to ensure Council interests are also represented, I will appoint Spectre Shepard, being the agent who brought all this to us, as her escort and transportation, aboard the Knight Shade." She gave him a challenging look, almost daring him to object, as she asked, "Acceptable?"

Instead of objecting, Osoba simply smiled and replied, "Of course, Tevos." Looking to Shepard, he added, "I'll certainly not stand in the way of a quick mother-daughter reunion. I imagine you two haven't had too many opportunities to see one another over the past few months."

Samantha gave the man a forced smile. "No, we haven't and, quite honestly, the timing couldn't be better. We can spend the week together and end the trip with a summer solstice celebration at the Estate… assuming she can get a few days off at the end of the mission?"

"Oh, absolutely." Osoba smiled in return. "I'll see to it, personally."

Once the meeting had concluded, Brek looked at the Spectre and said, "Bakara wants me stop by for a chat… I'll be sure to be back aboard ship in plenty of time for our evening departure, Shepard."

"Sounds good, Brek. You heard my lunch invitation, so you should have plenty of time. Besides… that's what's good about having my own ship. I don't have to leave until I'm damn good and ready."

Brek chuckled. "I can see why Overlord Wrex likes you, Shepard. You don't mince words." With a quick wave of his hand, he turned and headed down the corridor, seeking out the Krogan Councilor's office.

Shepard turned and was about to ask Adrien if she wanted to join her and Ashley Williams for a late lunch, when her omnitool chirped. A very brief message flashed across the private message screen: 'Please come to my office and bring Governor Burns with you.'

Looking at her clone… sister? – Shepard still hadn't managed to wrap her head around the recent developments – she stated, "Tevos would like to see us in her office. Come on."

"See us? Why would she want to see you and me, in private… and not Brek, as well?"

Burns had a worried expression on her face, so Shepard smiled and attempted to ease her concerns. "I don't know… but what I do know is that I trust Tevos with my life, so whatever it is, it will be okay, so let's not keep her waiting."

"Thank you for coming." Tevos smiled and waved her hand at the refreshment bar. "Please, help yourselves." Looking directly at Adrien, she added, "Shepard can show you where everything is, she's been here enough to make herself quite at home."

Shepard chuckled. "Very true… even before I was officially an Asari Spectre, instead of a Human one." In answer to Adrien's questioning glance, she continued, "Besides Admiral David Anderson, Tevos was my biggest supporter on the Council. The Human piece of shit Udina turned out to be in Cerberus' pocket, so it's no wonder he tried to block me at every turn… especially after I turned my back on the Illusive Man and took the Normandy with me."

Once they had their drinks – Shepard with a mug of Kaffe and Adrien with a glass of juice – they moved to the sitting area and made themselves comfortable on the couch. Adrien smiled and asked, "Councilor, what is this juice called? It's wonderful!"

"Nasketa," Tevos answered, taking a seat across from them. "A three-berry blend, produced on the outskirts of Serrice, from Yalthe, Ou'talas, and Elatenu berries." She smiled and took a sip of her own tea as she added, "Definitely a childhood favorite in most Asari households."

Shepard leaned back and relaxed into the couch, sipping her Kaffe before bluntly asking, "So, what's up that couldn't wait, Councilor? Something has you concerned."

Tevos placed her cup down and forced herself to remain relaxed as she took a moment to study the two women sitting before her. When she finally spoke, she was rather direct and to the point. "What I need to know, Adrien, is who are you… really?" She held up a hand to forestall any immediate reply as she continued, "And please, do not begin our relationship with a lie, so let us simply assume that was a rhetorical question. I wish to speak before you say anything."

Her focus flitting to the Spectre, she continued, "The two of you bear an uncanny resemblance… and, Shepard… remember that only Valern and I remain of the original Council from six years ago, when we first met you…" Her eyes flicked back to Adrien as she resumed, "… the original you."

Immediately returning her attention back to Shepard, Tevos got to her main point. "And, I do believe, you recently concluded a hunt for what remained of your clones…" She left the statement hanging in a suddenly tense silence. After a moment, she smiled. "Please remember that we are also friends, Samantha… not just Councilor and Spectre … and I owe you more than one debt of life. I would never betray your secrets – even to the Council in closed session. They are your secrets and not mine to reveal. That said, I honestly believe I have discerned the one thing that Dominic couldn't quite grasp… the reason for his hesitancy."

She turned her penetrating gaze back to Adrien as she concluded, "You, my dear, are a clone. One who, for reasons which will certainly be revealed as our relationship grows, Samantha opted to not kill. I trust Samantha's judgment implicitly; so, if she chose to not only keep you alive, but to go so far as to back you for a joint governorship with the Krogan, I had absolutely zero qualms or concerns regarding that decision and was happy to support the appointment."

Shepard was the first to respond to the declaration, drawing a deep breath before asking, "So, do you think Valern knows the truth as well?"

Tevos looked at the Spectre in surprise and chuckled. "Seriously, Samantha? I just blew your biggest secret of the year wide open… and that's the question you ask?" The tension that had been building evaporated in an instant. With a smile spreading across her face, Tevos shook her head and continued, "Valern? No. If you remember when David had to… take you into custody… Valern took no notice of the promise bracelets you and Liara were wearing, even when he was staring right at your cuffed wrists as you released her from your hug. His focus is singular, and if something doesn't pertain to the matter at hand, it simply passes by, unnoticed."

"So, why the meeting, then?" Shepard asked quizzically. "Something must have you worried."

"Absolutely." Tevos sighed as she said, "I did not expect Dominic to bring your mother into the equation and Hannah is generally not nearly as unobservant as Valern… especially, I do believe in this case. Have you told her yet?"

"By the Gods, Tevos!" Shepard groaned and wanted to melt into the couch. "How in Hell do you always manage to poke your finger onto the one spot that hurts the most?"

"I am sorry, Samantha… no harm was intended; quite the opposite, actually." A frown crossed the councilor's face as she misinterpreted Shepard's reaction. "I assume she did not take it well?"

"No, no, no…" Shepard shook her head and waved her hand to indicate the guess was in error. "I haven't had the chance to tell her yet." Letting out a sigh, her shoulders slumped as she explained, "Liara and I had just decided to invite her to Thessia for summer solstice… and tell her then. Now, it seems, those two things need to happen in reverse."

"And, since it just came up, you haven't had a chance to sort it all out with Liara, yet." Tevos smiled softly. "I don't believe you need to worry about it, Samantha. I have every confidence the two of you will be able to figure it out."

As they had spoken about Hannah Shepard, Adrien had gone a bit pale. She finally interrupted them. "Wait. You're telling your mother? Don't you think that's something you should have told me? Perhaps even thought to discuss with me, first?"

Shepard closed her eyes and took a deep breath, so Adrien wouldn't see what would have otherwise been an impatient eyeroll. "Yes, yes… and yes. I was planning on talking to you about it when we came out next month, but Dominic turned the whole plan on its head! With him making Mom go out there… Well, she'll immediately see right through any smokescreen you could possibly throw at her. Who do you think gave me the intellect you thanked me for?"

Her gaze shifted, boring into Tevos as she added, "But I wanted the chance to talk to Liara, first, so we could decide what we wanted to do before speaking with Adrien about it."

"Apologies, Samantha." Tevos replied meekly. "I obviously didn't think this though, before asking you both to come here. But I, too, realized the implications of involving your mother… which is why I immediately appointed you as her escort to Gellix."

Shepard leaned back on the couch and dropped her head against the back, staring at the ceiling. "Gods. Sorry, Rae. You did do that, didn't you?" She quickly pushed herself into an upright position again. "What a freaking mess." She ran her fingers through her hair before looking back at Adrien. "But nothing we can't fix."

"Life can never be easy, can it?" Tevos gave her a wry grin.

"No… it's not… but where's the challenge in that?" Shepard relaxed a little and let herself see the humor in the situation. Chuckling as she raised her head, she added, "Look, Adrien. My mother is one of the most level-headed people in the galaxy… and she and I have an absolutely wonderful relationship; we're not only mother-daughter, we are also best friends. No matter how I try to explain this situation to her, it's going to be a sizeable surprise… but it can't possibly even come close to me coming back from the dead after what happened at Alchera. My guess is that once she has a few moments to get over the shock, Mom will take it in stride." Samantha suddenly grinned. "So, you'd better be prepared to gain the mother you never had a chance to have. I imagine it won't be long before she declares you a Shepard and welcomes you into the family. You ready for that?"

Adrien simply sat in silence for a moment, her mouth agape at both the transformation she had just seen in the Spectre and in her prophesy that Hannah Shepard would accept her as a daughter. Once she had her wits gathered back about her, all she could think to ask was, "Are you serious? You honestly believe she'd accept me that easily?"

"I introduced her to my Asari fiancé, without the slightest bit of warning, and Mom hardly batted an eye. I can't imagine she'll treat this any differently, especially if we have some time during the trip to talk about it. By the time we hit the ground on Gellix, she'll be as ready to meet you as she can be."

"I guess, I'll just have to take your word for it, Spectre." Adrien shook her head and blinked a couple of times as her mind whirled with the possibilities. "When you showed up on Gellix, I thought you were there to kill me… or, at the very least, take me into custody." Her eyes glistened as she looked at Samantha, whispering, "Now, it seems, I have not only gained a sister, but possibly a mother, as well? I never dreamed…" Adrien simply stopped speaking, the events finally becoming too overwhelming for her to form words.

Tevos chuckled quietly, a wide smile of patient understanding on her face as she said, "That's because you'd never been introduced to Spectre Samantha Shepard, miracle worker."

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

"Shepard." Jat's huge bulk blocked the early morning light coming in through the doorway of Samantha's home office as she looked up. She was going to miss him and the second team but, quite honestly, with things in the galaxy finally beginning to settle into a new normal, she knew it was time to let them go their own way.

"What's up, Jat?"

"Got a couple of minutes to talk?"

"For you? Always." She shut off the terminal screen so it wouldn't distract her and pushed back from her desk, waving a hand at one of the larger couches. "Make yourself comfortable… because the expression on your face tells me this is more than a 'couple minutes' conversation."

Chuckling, the new Krogan Spectre moved into the room and eased himself down onto the couch closest to him. "First off, I'd like to thank you for supporting me as the first Krogan Spectre. I never thought I'd see the day, much less be the Krogan selected for such an honor."

"The Krogan did a lot for me… for the Council and the whole damned galaxy… during the past few years, Jat." Shepard grinned, adding, "It's nothing less than you deserve after helping us beat the Reapers."

"I remember Grunt saying something to me about being lucky to be working with you…" Jat offered up a huge, toothy grin. "About you always finding the best fights. He wasn't kidding!"

Laughing, Shepard shook her head. "I would have much rather missed the war with the Reapers… and the Quarians… but we have to work with the hand we're dealt, don't we?"

"Yes, we do…" Jat became more serious as he continued, "And, speaking of which, we've just been dealt Gellix. I'm thinking with the Krogan contingent there and all the criminal activity on the planet, maybe there's space in one of those facilities for a Krogan Spectre. Go in, clean up a few Blue Suns and take back one of those old supply depots as my base of operations. What do you think?"

Surprised by the suggestion, Shepard just stared at the newest Spectre for a moment before finally answering, "You know, I didn't give much thought to where you'd end up… I guess I had just assumed you'd go to Tuchanka… but I think going to Gellix is a damned fine idea, Jat!" Shepard huffed. "Damn. I wish I had thought of it and brought up the possibility with Adrien." She paused briefly before asking, "You want me to approach her with the proposition, or do you want to take care of it yourself?"

"If I'm gonna be a Spectre, I need to be able to handle my own negotiations, Shepard." Jat chuckled again. "Even those that don't start or end with a head-bashing." He pulled his massive shoulders up into the Krogan version of a shrug and added, "But, I would like to talk over a few things with you… to get an idea of how you went on the hunt for personnel… how you arranged for funding to pay them… all those pain-in-the-ass details that come along with the honor of being appointed a Spectre. I'll need a good staff to run and hold my base if I'm gone on a mission. The last thing I want to have to do is take back my place every time I need to leave the planet for an assignment."

"Shouldn't be a problem, Jat." Shepard smiled. "Liara and I can use our resources to help you line up a good, dependable staff… and security force. You willing to work with the SILC? My bet is they'd be more than happy to help you out, with no more payment required than mining rights at one of the nearby defunct facilities. Keep that in mind while you're selecting which depot to… requisition… for your headquarters."

"Huh." The Krogan sat in stoic silence for a minute, then responded, "Perhaps I should talk to the SILC first… let them decide which facility pair to select. Why should I make my brain hurt thinking about it when they can use their collective analysis to figure out the best locations for us to work as a team?"

"Well," answered Shepard. "I'd talk to Adrien and Brek about it first. If they agree to a Spectre station with SILC support, then hit up Prime Legion for the partnership." Samantha grinned as she added, "You can even tell him I sent you."

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 20 May 2189

The House T'Soni corvette transporting Gabriella Donnelly and her children to their home in the Sol System was scheduled to make a 3-hour stopover at the CGC on their return trip from Sol. The stop would allow House T'Soni to stock up on some critical supplies, available nowhere else, while also giving the commandos accompanying the Human woman a chance to go out for lunch and enjoy some personal shopping time as well. The trip was less than two weeks away when Gabby learned of this, so she immediately asked if they could stop at the CGC on the way out instead of during the return leg of their round trip.

"I would love the opportunity to visit with my Mea're, Senior Chief Petty Officer Tamiko Miyazaki! I haven't seen her since Kenneth's funeral… and would love to have time to get caught up a bit." 18 January… seems so long ago… and yet, at times, it feels as if it were just yesterday.

"What a wonderful idea, Gabby!" Lyessa beamed at the young woman. "If you confirm the visit with Tamiko, I'll be more than happy to rearrange the flight plan for the trip. It's no trouble at all!"

After checking and confirming that local time on the CGC was early evening for Tammi, Gabby went to the comms center. Of some surprise, she discovered Specialist Traynor was inside, changing out a power relay that had developed an intermittent short circuit. "Sammi! I didn't expect to find you here, but since you are, can you do a favor for me?"

She activated her omnitool and called up the address of Tamiko's personal comms device in her home. "Would you place a vid-call for me?"

Sammi entered the codes and address, then activated the transceiver. "There you go, Gabby," she smiled. "If you need anything else, give me a shout. I'll be under the console on the end."

Gabby gave the comms tech a grateful smile; sitting in a chair in front of the monitor, she only had to wait a few seconds as the signal bounced through several comms buoys. As connections were made, a puzzled face resolved itself on the monitor, to be instantly transformed into a radiant smile as Tammi saw who was calling her from Thessia. "Gabby! It is so good to see you!" Before she could reply, Tammi said in a worried tone, "Wait, nothing's wrong, is there? Babies okay? Everyone doing okay?"

Gabby could hardly contain herself. "Everything is fine, Tammi! I've got a limited amount of time here, so listen up. In just under two weeks, I'll be returning to Earth… Scotland, to be precise. So, the Aletheia will be stopping over at the CGC for three hours on the way through Widow. What do you say to a visit? We can have lunch together, catch up on everything we've been doing. Please say yes… I don't know when I'll have another opportunity…"

Tammi held her hand up as she interrupted, "Say no more! Lunch sounds wonderful!" Realizing just how short that three hour window would be, and knowing Gabby would be traveling with a pair of babies and all the paraphernalia that went along with moving them anywhere, she added, "I'll make arrangements for a shuttle with a pilot and we'll come directly to the Asari diplomatic docks to retrieve you and the kids!" She paused for a moment before adding, "I'll take the whole day off and prepare our lunch ahead of time, so we can come straight to my apartment and simply relax… that way, we can maximize our visiting time! I can hardly wait to see the twins, Gabby," she gushed. "I can't believe it's already been two months since you gave birth… I bet they're growing by leaps and bounds!"

"They are growing, Tammi… it's just hard for me to see, being so close to them nearly every minute of every day." With a small grin, she said, "I've gotta go, but I am really looking forward to seeing you!" She waved, then cut the connection; with a sigh, she started making her way back to her quarters to continue packing. She was still astonished at all the things she had accumulated during her relatively short stay at the Estate. Amazing, how much stuff I need for just two little ones! What's it going to be like when they get older?

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

N7 Harley Creath was conflicted… on the one hand, he was over the moon happy for Gabby Donnelly. She had managed to secure a great position, working remotely on propulsion designs for T'Sere Shipwrights, and was making ready to return to Earth so she could raise her children at the Donnelly homestead – a dream come true for the young woman, given her unfortunate circumstances. On the other hand, he was downright unhappy that she was leaving the T'Soni estate. During the months she had been a guest of T'Soni household, he had grown quite fond of the charmingly brilliant propulsion engineer, so he had made it a point to spend time with her at every opportunity, particularly during at least one of the daily meals, provided the Knight Shade was on station.

Now, having become a member of the newly appointed Spectre crew of the Huli, he had been caught unprepared when Jat had unexpectedly announced they would be leaving that afternoon, so they could be on Gellix by mid-week. As a result, today could very possibly be Harley's last chance to visit with Gabby before she made the trip back to their homeworld. There was little chance the Huli would be returning to Thessia before the Aletheia departed for Sol on the first of June, so Harley had purposely delayed getting his own breakfast, simply having a cup of coffee while sitting in a chair near the entrance to the dining hall.

Movement through the large entrance caught his eye; it was Gabby, carrying Malcolm, with one of the ever-present commandos following closely with Belle. The N7 rose quickly to intercept her, saying, "Good morning, Gabby! All packed up for the ride back to Edinburgh?" The smile he received was brilliant enough to outshine the sun.

"Harley! No, not quite yet… though, I think I'm almost there. It just seems like I have so much more stuff than when I arrived in January!" She looked down at the bundle in her arms before adding, "Of course, most of the new things come along with having to take care of a baby." She smirked as she made a point of looking at Belle, tucked in Dayna Axessi's strong arms. "Having a pair of 'em just adds to the fun!"

"May I prepare a tray for you, Gabby, and join you for breakfast?"

"That would be wonderful, Harley," came the jubilant response. "I'd really enjoy having breakfast with you one last time before you leave." Her initial cheer faded as she added, "I heard the news as soon as I came downstairs."

Harley nodded as she moved to the table furthest from the buffet line – it was in a corner of the room and afforded her a bit of privacy if she needed to nurse either of her children. The N7 knew, after many mornings of sharing a table, what she liked to eat for breakfast; he prepared two trays with practiced ease, poured them each a hot beverage – Kaffe for her, coffee for himself, then skillfully took both trays to the now familiar table to sit beside her.

They talked as they ate, with Harley expressing his regret that this would be the last time for them to enjoy each other's company while dining together.

For her part, Gabby had grown to enjoy Harley's company during her meals. As much as she loved being among all the commandos at the estate, being able to talk with another Human – a man – made her incredibly happy. That he never looked upon her as being anything less than a very desirable woman boosted her self-esteem more than anything she could imagine.

Kenneth, the absolute love of her life, was dead and buried. There was still a ragged hole in her heart that hadn't healed… maybe never would heal, but Harley didn't seem put off by the young widow's still fresh sense of grief for her husband. He had treated her with respect, patience and understanding as he got to know her, to the point where she felt sure she developed a friend for life. And, had we been given additional time, maybe even a bit more…

They had finished their meals and were each enjoying seconds of their chosen beverages. Gabby dipped her head, as if embarrassed to share her thoughts. After a few moments, she leveled her gaze at him and said, "Harley, I have really enjoyed your company during our meals here… it means a lot to me to have found a Human friend here among all the Asari, and I truly hope that you won't forget about me once I'm gone."

The man's look of surprise at her statement was priceless. Reaching under the table, he gently grasped a soft hand sitting atop her thigh and gave it a tender squeeze as he said, "It would be easier for me to forget how to breathe than for me to forget about you, Gabriella Donnelly." He studied her face for a clue to her reaction; after a few moments, he wordlessly leaned towards her.

Of some surprise, Gabby closed the remaining distance and applied her lips to his cheek for a quick kiss. A teasing grin crossed her face as she leaned back and said, "Maybe that will help you remember me."

Pulling back, he grinned mischievously. "That was a bit unexpected. You just guaranteed I won't forget about you, Gabby."

With a quiet giggle, she leaned back towards him and whispered in his ear, "I would be crushed if you did forget about me, Harley Creath, because I will certainly not forget about you! Promise me… you'll come visit when you can?"

"You have my word, Gabby." Before he could stop himself, he whispered so softly she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. "I believe I would enjoy eating breakfast with you every day for the rest of my life."

Sad brown eyes gazed back at him. "That's an idea that would take some getting used to… though, to be honest, the future possibility has crossed my mind." She paused for a moment while studying his face. "But there are so many obstacles to such a path. I am still mourning Kenneth… and not yet ready for another man in my life… not like that, anyway. Then, with me returning to Earth and your new position with Spectre Jatok, I'm not sure how it could ever work. Right now, it doesn't seem possible." She huffed and a tiny smile started to play at the corners of her mouth as she quietly added, "… but, with everything that has happened these past few years… Shepard returning to us… actually ridding the galaxy of the Reapers… I've come to believe there is nothing in the galaxy that is truly impossible, Harley. We'll just have to wait and see what the future has in store for us."

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 30 May 2189

"Mozia… Dad…" Liara looked at them in alarm as the door opened to admit the unexpected guests. Such a surprise visit was extremely unusual, so the Matriarchs simply showing up without advance notice was cause for honest concern. "Has something happened?"

"Oh, something happened, alright!" Aethyta's gruff but happy voice immediately soothed Liara's worry. "Your House Armali Captain of the Guard went and committed the worst of rookie mistakes!" She laughed as she and Mozia separated, to reveal Nayla Axoni and the Armali Strike Force Captain, Lyana T'Geya, standing behind them… holding hands with their arms held out for inspection.

"By the Goddess!" Liara's eyes were immediately drawn to the beautiful, matching bands that encircled both their wrists. "Promise bracelets!" Liara looked at the nervous couple and, in her surprise, blurted out, "When did this happen? Who asked who?"

Nayla's eyes were downcast as she replied, "I know I should have formally requested your blessing first, Lady Liara…"

"But you already knew you had it Nayla, so not another word!" Over the initial shock, Liara positively beamed at the couple, hugging first Nayla and then a rather astonished Lyana. "Congratulations! Let us simply enjoy the occasion!"

"Truly?" Nayla stared at Lady Liara in disbelief. "My actions are an unforgiveable breech of protocol…"

"Over a union that's been in the making for what?" Shepard stepped forward with a smile. "Six years?" She laughed and added, "Took you long enough!"

"Yes, it did!" Liara immediately joined in on the teasing. "Perhaps I do need to reconsider your position in my House, if it takes you that long to make a decision."

"What? A joke regarding proper protocols?" Aethyta gave Liara a look of surprise before turning to Shepard and continuing, "See what you've done? You have corrupted my Little Wing with your disrespectful sense of humor! Nezzi would have been totally appalled!"

"Oh, Dad…" Liara rolled her eyes and gestured with a wave of welcome. "Come in, come in. This is cause to celebrate… and here I am, leaving you standing on the stoop!" She stepped back and turned to her Steward. "Lyessa… please tell me you knew about this and we are adequately prepared?"

"I had absolutely no idea this was coming, Lady Liara…" She grinned and dipped her head in reverence to their young leader. "But I most certainly know better than to not have reserves available for just such a surprise. With Chef Thegos and a bit of help from the commandos, we'll have an appropriate lunch feast prepared and set out in no time. Not to worry."

Turning back to her guests, Liara stated, "Make yourselves comfortable, and I'll have your bags moved to your rooms…"

"Don't be ridiculous, Liara." Mozia smiled. "We are neither so important nor so feeble that we can't make our own way to our suite… assuming you haven't decided to do some remodeling and torn apart our normal room?"

Before Liara could answer, Nayla picked up where the Matriarch left off. "And the other commandos are already moving our gear to the regular quarters. We don't want anything special in the way of rooms…" She looked over at her Promised as she continued, "With everything happening, Ana and I are actually looking forward to a little bit of normal."

"Well, alright then." Liara grinned. "Make yourselves comfortable and we'll see you in the dining room for lunch at…" She paused, glancing at Lyessa.

"Our normal lunch time, Mistress." Lyessa responded. "That still gives us more than an hour to prepare."

Aethyta chuckled. "And plenty of time to drop our bags and head to the lounge…" Seeing the surprised looks from almost everyone given the morning hour, she added, "… at noon, you idiots… for lunch and a celebratory toast to our newest couple."

"May 22d… The date should make for a beautiful, late spring bonding ceremony, don't you think?" Shepard smiled softly. "Gives them nearly a year to plan everything."

It was late by the time Shepard and Liara had retreated to their own rooms, after a wonderfully long afternoon celebration… which had then transitioned into an evening event on the beach, with a number of fire pits with a variety of fish and vegetables roasting over each.

"Yes," Liara answered as she closed the distance between them. "The weather may still be a little on the cool side… like tonight… but I certainly didn't mind the excuse to stay snuggled warmly against your side as we walked about, socializing with everyone."

Shepard smiled as a seeking hand slid inside the shirt she was in the process of taking off – trapping her arms behind her back – and pushing her bra up, to softly caress her breast. "That's cheating, T'Soni…"

"Why?" The Asari very purposefully blew a warm breath across a quickly stiffening nipple, making Samantha groan with desire as Liara continued, "You cannot honestly tell me tonight didn't remind you of our own promise ceremony… and that you weren't already thinking about doing exactly what I've started here, Siame." Liara boldly pushed Samantha against the closet wall, sliding her free hand down Shepard's abs to quickly press fingers into their target, images of what she planned to do with the Human passing easily through their link. "Do you remember the sensation we felt when we first discovered how our already amazing link of Inanna expanded even more with our bond?"

"By the Gods, Anam Cara …" Shepard's eyes nearly fluttered closed with the complete and absolute sense of adoration pouring into her mind, her knees threatening to give way as a nearly overwhelming pang of longing ripped through her core. She braced herself against the wall and whispered hoarsely, "How could I possibly forget that?"

"You can't… and won't…" Liara pressed her lips to those of the Spectre, slipping her tongue into an eagerly awaiting mouth. {Because I will always be here to remind you.}