Three Little Lovebirds

Chapter 27 – A Beginning

"Your apartment can be reached via the elevator in the atrium annex. If you have any further questions, there are information terminals located here and in each bedroom. On behalf of Sentis Accommodations, I would like to thank you for your patronage. We hope you have a pleasant stay."

The Selena avatar disappeared back into her pedestal, leaving the three of them alone in the shining white foyer. Lucy scanned the room until she spotted the plaque labelled 'Penthouse' above one of the many doors.

Shepard had been very careful about selecting where they were going to stay. Aside from being a bit fancy, she'd also wanted somewhere romantic, with a fully furnished kitchen and, most importantly of all, three double bedrooms. It was vital for so many reasons that each of them had a space they could call their own, and this seemed like the ideal solution. From what she'd seen, each bed was easily big enough to accommodate two or more people, if it came to that. On the flipside, by making sure there was enough sleeping space to go around, it was clear that she wasn't demanding anything of anyone.

Having a proper food preparation area had also appealed to her. She'd always wanted to try her hand at cooking, yet had rarely had the opportunity since enlisting. The military wasn't known for producing great chefs, after all. Hopefully, though, any meal she served would be judged favourably compared to the tasteless rations they got on the Normandy. It was difficult to see how she could make anything worse, short of handing out plates of animal dung.

As for a romantic view, well, she'd already seen that one, and it was absolutely breath-taking. Lucy couldn't imagine anything more beautiful against which to frame their time together.

With the rose clutched firmly in one hand and duffel sack in the other, she boarded the elevator.

"Oh my god..."

The apartment certainly didn't disappoint. As the ladies disembarked from the lift, they found themselves in a huge, open-plan room, complete with an indoor water feature and the very latest in fashionable, modern decor. Lucy didn't even know where to begin; her eyes flitted from one lavish item to the next, struggling to take it all in. The fountain in the middle rose out of a circular hot-tub, although it was probably closer to a swimming pool in terms of its size. Everything else in the room radiated out from that central point, like the spokes of a great wheel. On the far side of the bath, safely out of any kind of splash zone, was what looked like the main living area. An array of seats surrounded several coffee tables and faced away from the centre, out towards a huge, semicircular glass wall. Beyond the window lay the awe-inspiring vista of Kithoi Ward, stretching away into the distance and seemingly going on forever.

To the left of the seating area was the kitchen. Lucy couldn't make out the details, rooted to the spot as she was by sheer amazement, but it appeared to be equipped with everything she could possibly need and twice as much again that she wouldn't, but would certainly enjoy playing with. Like everything else in the suite, the worktop followed a curved pattern, arcing out alongside the wooden decking which surrounded the jacuzzi. The section closest to the water seemed to be a fully stocked bar, complete with its own set of bar-stools and recliners, presumably so the wealthy elite could lounge by their indoor pool and sip whatever expensive beverage they preferred.

Taking a tentative step forward, Lucy realised that the floor was set out like a gently inclined amphitheatre. The area in the middle occupied a lower level than the chairs on the far side, which in turn were a step down from the perimeter; a space left clear of any furniture for ease of access to the other rooms. Even this area wasn't lacking decadence however; every free section of wall without a door seemed to house a magnificent work of art. There were paintings of every style, from every culture imaginable. Asari landscapes, human abstracts, turian portraits, even some pieces which, bizarrely enough, appeared to be the work of krogan artists. Now there was an oxymoron if ever she'd heard one. Still, she had to admit, once you got past the initial shock, they were really quite beautiful in their simplicity; forgoing fancy techniques for big, bold brush strokes.

Everywhere Lucy looked, something else new and exciting caught her eye. Right next to the exit from the elevator sat a particularly interesting sculpture. Lucy couldn't place its race of origin, but its tapering, needle-like form intrigued her. She followed its bulbous contours, her gaze being drawn upwards towards its tip, and what she saw made her gasp aloud. The ceiling was one giant window! From their high vantage point, above the other towers of the Ward, there was nothing obstructing their view of the Serpent Nebula. It swirled around the Citadel, dwarfing the colossal space-station with its infinite vastness like some titanic, interstellar leviathan. As she stared out into the depths of space, it seemed to suck her in, and for one dizzying moment it felt as if she was free-falling towards Tayseri Ward at incredible speed. It took a moment of silent concentration for her to dismiss the vertigo and bring herself back down to solid ground.

"Oh Keelah, this place is...it's huge!" Tali was the first to break the reverent silence, running her hand over the walls as if to make sure they were real and not some opulent illusion, "On the Flotilla, a space this size would house at least forty people."

"It is exceptional." Liara agreed. By nature, the asari was more reserved than Tali, but Lucy could see the child-like excitement sparkling in her eyes as she slowly took in their surroundings. The joyful reactions of her partners helped alleviate some of Shepard's worry. She had been concerned that it would look like she was needlessly showing off her newfound wealth, or somehow trying to bribe the other women. In truth, all she wanted was to do was ensure their stay was as comfortable as possible.

"I suggest we find a place to store our belongings." Liara continued.

"Huh?" Lucy only half-heard the Asari; her wandering mind was only dimly aware of what was going on. Liara was right of course; as eager as she was to explore everything the suite had to offer, they should unpack and freshen up first. "Oh, yes, of course! If I remember the floor plan correctly, the bedrooms should be through here."

"Well, if they're anything like the rest, I doubt we'll be disappointed." Tali added, following Shepard and consciously trying to keep her eyes in their sockets.

As expected, no luxury had been spared in their sleeping quarters. The beds themselves were easily 8square feet in size, and came with their own computer terminal that functioned as both a digital tour-guide of the immediate area and the controller for a variety of heating, lighting, and built-in massage options available. Each room was lit by a set of programmable luminescent panels in the walls, creating a sense of general illumination without any harsh shadows or bright, singular source points. Even the floor itself was decadently designed, being constructed from some kind of smart polymer which, at the press of a button, could transform from a rigid, wooden surface to a blissfully soft shag pile carpet.

The bedrooms were adjacent to each other, arranged in a row along the right-hand side of the main living space. They were separate rooms, each having its own door, but were connected together by a communal balcony which ran the length of the exterior wall. Lucy was thankful that she wasn't afraid of heights; being situated in the penthouse meant it was a long way down to the ground if someone chose to peer over the safety railing.

The Spectre set about unpacking her meagre collection of belongings. She'd had to bring all her personal effects with her off the ship so the Citadel technicians would be free to come and go as they pleased. There wasn't much; some clothes, a few books (Lucy had always liked the feel of real paper, and had spent almost a whole years savings on acquiring the antiques), general toiletries, and most important of all, the framed photograph of her parents. It was the only picture she had of them, and one of the few things she'd escaped with when their home colony was attacked. Ever since then, it had gone with her on every tour of duty. Smiling fondly, she gave it pride of place on the nightstand by her bed, right next to Liara's rose, which sat in a tiny vase, filled with water.

Sticking her novels in the drawer of the same bedside unit, Lucy finished up by stashing her clothes away. She couldn't help but laugh at the incongruity of a few crumpled sets of navy slacks, hanging in a wardrobe designed to accommodate the full dress collection of an ambassador's wife. There was never any way she could hope to fill it, but a few more items would hardly go amiss. It had been too long since she'd had a chance to indulge her feminine side, what little of it there was, at any rate. Still, if there ever was a time to do so, that time was now.

Lucy glanced at the clock; it was only 12:23 according to galactic standard time. Humans were lucky really; one 20 hour period on the Citadel was only marginally longer than the standard terran 24-hour system. With so many planets out there, all with different rotational period, trying to adjust to local time was always a nightmare. It seemed odd to her that the Alliance had yet to adopt the Citadel's decimal clock. Military crews returning from prolonged periods in deep space often suffered from so called 'shuttle-lag', sometimes for several days at a time as their bodies readjusted. Fortunately, that didn't matter so much on the Wards. The denomination 'day' carried little significance; there was no night time, and as such, the citizens tended to maintain whatever sleep schedule was most convenient for them. It was a blessing really; no matter where you were on your internal clock, there would always be shops and restaurants open.

Having woken up less than four hours ago, Lucy was far from feeling tired just yet. Being the commander of the Normandy, her on-duty time was more flexible than the rest of the crew's, and she'd tried to make sure it coincided Tali's and Liara's as much as possible, provided that she wasn't needed for any particular tasks. She counted off the timetable in her head, having memorized her partner's rotations, and concluded that none of them had been awake for more than six hours. That left plenty of time for shopping, and maybe a nice meal out before they would have to think about retiring.

Feeling pleased that everything was coming together, Lucy went to check on the others.

Liara had just finished folding the last of her lab coats, regrettably the only outfits she owned other than combat armour, when an excited Shepard came bouncing through the door.

"This place is incredible!" The Spectre beamed, "You know, I told the rest of the team that I would go and drag them back to the ship at the end of the week, but I think they're the ones who are going to have to pry me away."

Liara couldn't remember ever seeing Lucy more relaxed than she was now. Watching the hero of humanity roll around on the bed and giggle to herself was a slightly surreal experience, but one that warmed the asari's heart to its very core. Lucy needed this so badly. The Spectre never complained, but Liara had always been able to see the toll their mission exacted on her partner. She carried such a heavy burden on her young shoulders. Liara had lived three times Shepard's lifespan, yet she could not fathom what it must be like to have such responsibility thrust upon her. She marvelled at the fact that Lucy could continue going at all, knowing what the price of failure would be. Yet here she was, enjoying herself, seemingly without a care in the galaxy.

Perhaps it is a human thing? She thought. Maybe their shorter lifespan means they have to focus on making the most of the present, rather than devoting time to worrying about the past or the future.

Liara suddenly noticed that Lucy had rolled onto her back, and was peering up at the asari with a curious expression.

"What?"

"Oh n-nothing," Liara blushed slightly. She had been caught staring again. It was fortunate that Shepard did not seem to mind. "I was just thinking..."

"About what, darling?" Lucy flipped herself over again so she could look at Liara properly. The asari swallowed nervously; she couldn't trust herself when their eyes met like this. Shepard's emerald orbs always reduced her to a puddle of jelly. She could already feel her legs threatening to give way under the smouldering gaze, and was only able to stop herself from falling over by quickly perching on the edge of the bed.

"H-How much I..." Liara was still getting used to the fact that she was able to say these words aloud. It was a privilege that, up until a few days ago, she'd never thought she'd be able to have. "...love you."

Lucy was silent for a moment. Without breaking eye contact, she reached out and softly brushed her fingers across the asari's brow. The rest of Liara's world seemed to recede into the distance as she felt the feather-light touch on her skin. She sucked in a steadying breath, knowing instinctively what was about to happen.

"You know," Lucy murmured. "I never properly thanked you for that flower you gave me."

Snaking a hand around her lover's neck, the Spectre gently guided Liara's head to her's. The young asari had a brief sense of warm breath on her cheek before their lips met and every other sensation ceased to exist. When they kissed like this, all notion of time disappeared from her mind. Everything revolved around the point of contact between them, and the delicious feeling of her soul mate's tongue against her own. Liara closed her eyes, and hungrily returned the favour, blissfully aware of every minute movement they made against each other.

At long last, flushed and panting, they separated. Liara instantly missed the feel of Lucy's skin on hers and was pleasantly surprised when the Spectre pulled her into a firm hug. Sighing contentedly, she wrapped her arms around the Spectre's torso and nuzzled into her offered neck. It occurred to her then how truly miraculous Lucy's power over her emotions was. She had felt so powerful when they were kissing, delighting in the fact that she could bring pleasure to the woman she loved, and now, cradled in that same woman's arms, she felt safe and secure; as if nothing in the universe could ever hurt or damage her.

"You've been so wonderful these past few days." The Spectre whispered, emphasising her words by tightening the embrace. "I-I don't want to sound patronising, but I'm so proud of you and Tali...for putting up with me and my stupid ways." She placed another kiss on one of Liara's crests. "Thank you darling. Thank you so, so much."

It wasn't until drops of moisture started splashing the back of her neck that Liara realised Lucy was crying; something she'd only ever witnessed once before, not long after they met. She remembered how much it had pained her to see Shepard in such distress, even back then when they hardly knew each other. Now though, it felt like someone was gouging at her heart with a rusty blade. It was almost more than it could endure, but this time, she knew not to hesitate. Her soul-mate was upset, and it was her job to find out why and put it right.

"You are not stupid Lucy!" She said, the words laden with such conviction that she sounded more angry than understanding. Wincing at her harsh tone, Liara desperately thought of what she could say to comfort her partner. She didn't even know what had suddenly caused Lucy to become so unhappy. After a second spent wracking her brains however, she realised what she had to do. With a forwardness that was quite unlike her usual self, the asari encouraged Lucy to stand. "Come on my love. W-What was that human saying you taught me...'A problem shared is...?'"

"...a p-problem halved?" Lucy sniffled.

"Indeed. Well...a problem shared with two is a problem, um, thirded." Liara gently steered Lucy out of the bedroom. "I think it's time we all had a proper talk."

She didn't stop to analyze what she was doing, because she knew that if she did, her resolve would probably abandon her as suddenly as it had arrived. Instead, Liara trusted her instincts, and guided her lover to the next room along.

Tali was humming quietly to herself when they entered, engrossed in the control panel next to her bed. She didn't immediately notice the pair standing in the doorway, and after a few seconds, Liara politely cleared her throat.

"Is that you Lucy?" The quarian said, looking up with barely contained excitement, "You will not believe the stuff you can do with this thing! I think I've found a way to...to..."

Her words trailed off when she saw the Spectre's puffy red eyes, and the way Liara was holding her.

"Keelah, what's wrong!?" Tali quickly hurried over. If she was at all self-conscious about displaying affection in front of the asari, it didn't show. She took a place at Lucy's other shoulder, seeking out the Spectre's hand with her own and gripping it firmly. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know..." Lucy sobbed, allowing herself to be sat down on the bed. It was only partially the truth, but she didn't want to burden the others with her problems. After all, how could she tell them? How could she admit that despite everything they'd said, she still felt so guilty it made her sick to think about it? It was laughable really; here she was, cradled between the most amazing, understanding, kind-hearted women she'd ever met, and she still couldn't convince herself that this was right. The very fact that she could feel self-pity at a time like this made her even more disgusted. Damn it, she was the luckiest woman in the galaxy, why couldn't she just make herself realise it?

"You do not have to hide anything from us." Liara whispered, brushing several loose strands of hair behind Lucy's ear. Silently, she glanced at Tali, hoping she could convey the message 'Save me!' using only her eyes.

"Please my love, let us help you." Tali shuffled closer. It was times like these that she hated her suit and how it prevented her from being able to kiss her beloved, or whisper in her ear. "I can't bear to see you like this. Please...tell us what's wrong."

Lucy looked at her partners through tear-filled eyes. She knew that heroes weren't meant to have insecurities; weren't ever meant to doubt themselves, but right now, she didn't feel like a hero at all.

"Oh god..." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "...I-I can't help myself...I just, I-I-I...I don't deserve..." She could feel herself giving in to the urge to break down completely. "Please...I h-have to know..."

"Know what?" Liara was aware of tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as well, and marvelled at the fact that they hadn't come sooner. Were it not for the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she was certain that she'd be a weeping wreck as well. "What do you want us to say!?"

Tali took a more practical approach. Standing up, she grabbed Lucy by the shoulders with such intensity that the Spectre looked up in surprise.

"We love you Lucy!" She yelled, so loudly her helmet's audio filter whined in protest. "Keelah, can't you see!? The only person you're hurting here is yourself!" By now her voice was breaking too, but she hardly seemed to notice. "Please, please, stop putting yourself through this unnecessary pain. Damn it, just...just let us love you!"

Lucy was so startled, that, for a moment, she forgot that she was crying at all and simply stared at Tali. The young quarian's lean frame shook in the wake of her impassioned outburst, like a dry leaf in a stiff breeze.

"Oh Keelah, please, just let us love you."

Suffocating silence filled the room as Lucy gawped, first at Tali, then at Liara. A random scrap of trivia she'd read on the extranet many years ago fluttered through her mind. She remembered reading that the human psyche was naturally resistant to change, be it a change of circumstance, a change of opinion, or a change of personality. At that moment, she realised that the small part of herself which thought that this would never work was scrutinising her partners, desperately searching their faces for some sign of insincerity, some token of resentment which would allow the doubt to continue festering away. That tiny, dark part of her brain was clinging on to the status quo for dear life. However, no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't find anything but love. The truth was that Tali and Liara really did love her, unconditionally.

Lucy could almost hear the sliver of doubt die inside her. It wouldn't be missed.

Like a ray of sunshine, her smile pierced the storm clouds which had threatened to envelop them. A blue hand offered her a tissue, which she gratefully accepted and used to wipe away the residue of her sorrow. Liara's face was also streaked with tears, but she grinned back at the Spectre, hope shining in her eyes. Lucy didn't think she'd ever looked more beautiful.

The bed sagged slightly as Tali sat down next to her. Lucy turned to face the quarian, who was still quivering, as if unable to believe what she'd just done. With infinite tenderness, the Spectre took her lover's trembling hands in her own. Bringing them up to her lips, she placed a single kiss on each finger in turn.

"Thank you." It wasn't enough, but it was all she could think of to say. "Both of you, I...I don't know what I'd do without you."

Liara rested a hand on her leg.

"You will never have to find out."