Ashley was taken aback by the couple's request. A part of your relationship? She asked herself. Do I like both of them? Yes. Can I satisfy both of them? Maybe. Am I stable enough for this? I… don't know… She counted to three and started speaking.

"I… w-would like that. A-a lot." She scratched the back of her head nervously.

Liara held her arms open for a hug. "Come here, Ashley." She smiled warmly at her new partner and looked at her lovingly. Ashley dashed into the Asari's arms and rested her head on her shoulder, then began sobbing uncharacteristically. The blue alien rubbed the soldier's back affectionately. "Let it out, Ashley."

Shepard wrapped her arms around the two of them, making it a group embrace between the three of them. They stood like that for fifteen minutes before Ashley stopped crying.

"Thank you both so much." She wiped her eyes and gave a weak smile. "I hope you like poetry."

When it was time for bed that day, the three of them boarded the elevator up to the captain's quarters. Liara was the most confident of the three, but she still had some lingering anxiety in the back of her head. Jane was absolutely terrified and her hands were shaking uncontrollably. Ashley was just happy that she didn't have to be alone anymore.

They walked into the small room, took turns undressing in the bathroom, and finally lied down on the bed, Liara on the far right, Ashley in the middle, and Jane on the far left. The blanket was pulled up to breast level for all three women. Jane and Liara turned to face Ashley and were laying on their sides. Ashley closed her eyes in an attempt to fall asleep.

"Good night, Ashley." Liara said and started petting the Lieutenant-Commander's long, dark brown hair.

Jane caressed her cheek with her first two fingers. "Sweet dreams, Ash."

"Night, Jane. Night. Liara." Ashley said quietly and started dozing off.

Liara was the next to drift off to sleep, leaving Shepard alone with her thoughts. She dreaded being alone, scared of the silence. She shifted onto her back and stared out of the skylight above the bed, the stars rushing past as the ship sped through the Milky Way Galaxy. Her eyes slowly closed and she fell asleep an hour and a half later.

Siha… Nightmares. Again. Kepral's Syndrome is… not kind… Thane. That was for Thane, you son of bitch!… That bastard, Leng. Amonkira. Lord of hunters…

"Jane?"

Grant that my hands be steady…

"Shepard?"

My aim be true…

"Sweetie?"

And my feet be swift. And should the worst come to pass…

"Shepard?!"

Jane shot up, panting and saw her bondmate's blue, worried eyes. She held the blanket close to her in an attempt to feel safe from the visions that haunted her.

"Another nightmare?"

"Yeah..."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Thane..."

"Oh, Shepard," Liara wrapped her arms around Jane, leaning over Ashley, who was sleeping peaceully for the first time in months.

"I loved him so much..." Tears began rolling down her freckled cheeks.

"He loved you very much."

"I know." Jane let her feelings out as she bawled her eyes out, Liara holding her close, Ashley sleeping well.

– – –

Ashley stood in a bright, white, seemingly boundless space, pacing about, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. She walked to what she thought was the north, judging that fact based on where the light was coming from. She walked for what felt like hours until she heard a voice behind her.

"Ash," A man's voice said gently.

Ashley spun around and her expression brightened when she saw the man, who had features similar to hers.

"Dad!" She rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around his upper body.

He hugged her back and stroked her long hair lovingly. "You've grown up so much! And you reached L-C!" He patted her back with pride.

"I missed you…." She tightened the hug and grabbed handfuls of his shirt, not wanting this moment to end.

"I miss you, too, sweetheart."

She begins to tear up. "I don't want to leave."

"You have to eventually, Ash… For now, just let the moment be."

Ashley buried her face in his shoulder, his body heat warming her. Memories of her father, both good ones as well as bad, began flooding back to her. She remembered how they enjoyed poetry together, the day she left for boot camp, and the last time she spoke to him before he passed away.

"Is this Heaven?" Ashley asked.

"No."

"What is it?"

"A plain of existence, where many spirits are destined to wander until they are re-introduced into the cycle of life."

"Is this where you live?"

"No."

"Where do you live?"

"I am allowed to pass between many plains, including the one you reside on."

"Is there a Heaven?"

"Yes."

"Have you been there?"

"Once, the day after I passed."

"Was God there?"

"Yes."

"What was he like?"

"Kind and loving, yet also a commanding presence."

"What about Jesus?"

He looked up at the sky, and saw that the light in the sky had dimmed almost to the point of darkness. "I'm sorry, I must go."

Ashley squeezed him tight. "No! Please don't leave me!"

He kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek, the phased out of her arms. "I'm sorry, Ash. I will see you again soon, I promise."

"Goodbye…."

"Goodbye." He faded away, then the dream was over.

Author's notes: Please note that I do not believe in God or a concept of Heaven, I simply wished to represent Ashley's religious beliefs, along with her desire to see her father again.