As morning brought Jane Shepard back to the world, she became aware of everything around her. She blinked her eyes open to see her bondmate sound asleep. She smiled and slowly turned her eyes downward. There was newborn Nala, nestled up against her mother's chest. Shepard took Liara by the waist and Nala rolled onto her back. Shepard gazed at her with unending fondness. She was such a beautiful baby. The newborn asari suddenly groaned in her sleep and twitched a little. "Shhhh, we're here baby girl. I've got you." She hugged her close and the child settled and snuggled into the warmth of Jane's bare chest. The human sighed happily and planted a gentle kiss on Nala's forehead before settling down again and dozing back off.
She woke again when the tiny asari cried out with discomfort. Liara had woken at the same time and traded a quick look of love and greeting with her bondmate. "What's wrong my love?" Liara said comfortingly. She was flailing just a little and looking back and forth between them.
"Nothing smells bad, that narrows it down," Shepard commented.
"I think someone's hungry," Liara crooned. She pulled the covers away and lifted their daughter in her arms. She carefully set her down atop her chest and she quickly latched down on her mother's breast. Liara bit her lip at the sudden unfamiliar sensation of Nala's suckling, but quickly smiled while she looked on her daughter.
Shepard lay down next to her on her hand. "Not too strange is it?"
"A little unusual, but it's actually sort of pleasant."
"Remember, doc says we have to switch off. Don't get too fond of it," Shepard teased.
"Don't worry," Liara replied. Nala eventually finished and her mother carefully returned her to her spot between them. They both couldn't help but look down with love at little Nala. She blinked up at them curiously with her shining green eyes.
"Hello little one," Shepard said. Her tone was one Liara had never really heard her use. Shepard had always been a little guarded with her affection, it was part of being a hero. She'd gotten more and more comfortable the longer the war had been over, and she'd always been far more so around Liara. But the way she spoke to their daughter, the way her eyes softened with affection was something new and wonderful.
Shepard held out a finger to little Nala and she stretched out a tiny hand to grab it. "Hm! Baby girl's got her papa's grip." The newborn asari made a little noise while Shepard gently moved her finger around. "Guess what? We're gonna show you your new home later today. You'll get to meet grandma and grandpa, and your big sister Nezzie. Sound like fun?"
"Mmnmm," Nala cooed, not quite sure what to make of all the strange sounds she made, but it wasn't a sound of unhappiness, just uncertainty.
Liara gently stroked her cheek. "We hope you love them as much as we do." In response, Nala let out a noisy belch that made both of her parents devolve into helpless giggles. She joined in quickly as well, lightly kicking her tiny legs in glee.
"I think that's the sign it's time to head for home," Shepard commented.
"I need a shower first, and I think we might need breakfast too."
"All right. You shower, I'll watch her. Then we switch?"
"Perfect."
Liara vanished into the bathroom and Shepard was left alone with her daughter for the first time. She took her in her arms and gently rocked the child back and forth, humming quietly to her. Nala's eyes drooped and she looked up with infinite love at what was to her eyes a benevolent, incomparably beautiful goddess. Shepard listened to the water running and was content to simply hold her baby girl at long last.
Liara finished up and traded places with her. Even though she was so very young, Nala could still tell who her mother was. This shining figure of blue, so warm and so sweet smelling that gazed down upon her like no other could. "I haven't thought of this day very much before now. Daughters were always something so far away." Nala blinked up at her, unable to understand but soothed by her voice. "Most asari would say I'm young for this, but I don't care. I wanted a child with your father and her alone. I did my very best to give you everything I love about her." Some small thing made Nala giggle and Liara couldn't help but do the same. "And I can already tell, you are more wonderful than we ever could have dreamed. I love you, Nala T'Soni."
After a quick breakfast and a half hour or so of filling out paperwork, they flew for home. The newborn asari napped in her mother's arms, tuckered out after the first leg of the journey. Liara hummed to her, keeping her as comfortable as she could. Jane Shepard didn't think it was possible to love her bondmate more, but her soft angelic singing voice and the way she turned to look at her with eyes that asked "isn't she wonderful?" proved her wrong.
Hannah and Aethyta all but ran from the house when Shepard set the skycar down. By the time she and Liara were out, they had reached them with love on their faces. They wordlessly mouthed, unable to think of what to ask. Liara smiled and showed them the bundle of blankets in her arms. Hannah gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "Oh…oh my god. Oh look at her! Just, look at her!" Nala was awake and looking around, in wonder at the sounds and sights of the beach.
A sly knowing smile crossed Aethyta's face. "I am. I think I recognize a certain someone's eyes."
"Oh!" Hannah held out her arms cautiously. "May I?"
"Of course." Liara carefully passed her the newborn asari. The bundle was pleasantly warm.
"Hey…hey there. I'm your grandma Hannah." Nala cooed and reached up towards her with a tiny blue hand. Hannah felt tears in her eyes and let the newborn take her finger with her hand. Aethyta leaned over Hannah's shoulder and beamed at her baby granddaughter. She leaned closer, then stuck her tongue out comically. Nala giggled. Aethyta crossed her eyes and she laughed louder, the pure perfect laugh it seemed only babies were capable of.
The asari matriarch looked between Jane and Liara. "I like her."
Nezzie the cat trotted outside in search of the rest of the houses populace and meowed noisily. Shepard laughed and scooped her up. "Hey you. Come say hi." She held her next to Nala and the two sized each other up. The cat craned out her neck and sniffed the unfamiliar child. "This is your little sister." Nala reached out to her and Hannah carefully placed hers on it as well. She knew how babies could be around animals, and wanted to insure she didn't squeeze too hard. But she didn't, she cooed at the feeling of the cat's soft fur and gently explored her head. Nezzie continued to sniff and lightly nuzzled her outstretched hand. Nezzie, even at less than a year old could tell, this was a new baby. She was part of the Shepard-T'Soni pride now. Jane set her down and she marched around the others before going off to explore the dunes.
"Glad they get along at the very least," Liara commented. Hannah passed the newborn back to her mother. Nala seemed happy to be back with her.
"Come on inside, you've got two more guests we don't want to keep waiting," Aethyta said. They went back indoors, a little confused to find Nala's expectant godparents.
"Shepard! Liara!" Tali exclaimed, shooting to her feet ahead of her husband. She stopped short and nervously fidgeted. "Is…is she…?"
Liara smiled knowingly and gently opened her arms to show her the newborn. "Yes."
Tali stifled a squee and leaned over to see better. Nala gazed up at her with wide eyed curiosity. To her young eyes Tali was a very strange being. "Garrus, Garrus come see!"
The Turian got to his feet and approached cautiously. "I'm not sure what she'll think of her first Turian." He stepped into her view over Tali's shoulder and the newborn's eyes widened. "Hey little miss." Nala stayed silent. Garrus awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Hold on, hold on let me try something." He moved one mandible to the side, then back, then the other, then both. Nala made a little noise of interest. Garrus wiggled both and went "Mnmnmnm!" The baby asari laughed and happily waved her arms. "Heheheh, works every time."
"This is aunt Tali and uncle Garrus," Liara said. "If we're ever not here, they'll look after you."
"Like she was our own," Garrus affirmed. "Here, come sit down."
"Lunch'll be ready in about an hour," Aethyta said, coming back inside with Hannah at her side.
"And you two aren't allowed to help in any way," Hannah instructed. "Sit back, keep her comfy, enjoy the summer air." Shepard and Liara looked at each other, shrugged, and settled in.
The house was quickly alive with gentle ocean breeze, happy chatter, and the smell of two culinary artists hard at work. Nala stayed in Liara's arms, awake but dozy.
"Nice not having to carry and eat for two anymore?" Tali asked.
Liara nodded. "You have no idea."
"You two won't have to deal with that any time soon," Shepard commented. "Unless we have some sort of major medical breakthrough."
Garrus and Tali looked at each other for a moment, trying to gage the other's reaction. "Do you…? Uh…" Garrus started.
"I don't want kids Garrus," Tali said simply.
The Turian let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank the spirits." He turned back to Shepard. "Don't get me wrong, Nala's adorable, but I would not be a good dad. Not right now anyway."
"And I'm not giving birth. Just…just no," Tali said.
"Maybe Garrus can carry instead," Liara teased.
"There's an idea. I'll just squeeze the kid out of the stick up my ass." Everyone laughed and Tali hug-headbutted him. Nala suddenly wriggled and cried out.
"I know what this is about. Someone needs changing. I'll be right back." Liara carried her upstairs and Shepard turned sideways on the couch.
"So, how are things on Rannoch?"
"Really fantastic! We've been experimenting with new therapy techniques to reinforce our immune systems," Tali said.
"Any big successes?"
Garrus turned to his love and smiled (a very hard thing to detect on a Turian,) "I'll put it this way. I kissed my wife for the first time without worrying at all a few days ago." Tali mewled with happiness and snuggled up against him. "I don't think I can ever go back."
"With a little luck, you won't have to," the quarian said. Garrus closed his eyes and rested his chin carefully on her head. "Garrus, you can act as smooth and tough as you like. I know for a fact you're just a big teddy bear."
"Hmhm, only for you babe. Only for you."
Shepard was doing her best to stop from crumpling into a heap. She loved them, and loved how they loved each other. "*Ahem!* Speaking of smooth and tough, I'm gonna be here for a week or two, but after that I'm gonna need to stretch my legs. You two wanna tag in for the next round in the arena?"
"Sure, I could use the exercise," Garrus said. "What do you think?"
"I'd love to."
"What's the layout?"
"Urban combat, room to room."
Garrus pensively flexed his mandibles. "Sounds all right. While your crazy ass is getting shot at, my crazier ass gets to pick 'em off from across the room."
"And, I talked to the reps, asked 'em to put in a little something special for you."
"What is it?"
"A nice, big, classy antique shop."
Garrus practically fell over laughing. "Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"
"I don't get it, what's so perfect about it?" Tali asked, displaced a little by his hearty laughter.
"Oh Tali, you haven't lived until you've emptied a mag into that kind of playground."
"*sigh* seriously Shepard, thank you for keeping him out of trouble."
Liara appeared at the top of the stairs, baby Nala in her arms. "Most of the time she seems to get him into more trouble," she commented.
"Yes, but it's better trouble."
The asari walked carefully down the stairs and Shepard started to move her legs to the side. "Here, hold on." Liara held the child out to her and Jane took her. The newly changed infant blinked up at her.
"Hey little one. Just a second, lemme make room for your mama." Shepard sat up and permitted Liara to sit behind her, creating a big cuddly pile.
The asari gently buried her nose in Shepard's soft red hair. She loved the scent of her shampoo, she'd always associated it with her, ever since the first time they were together on the original Normandy. While Shepard had been asleep, Liara couldn't help but run her fingers through it. It was so unlike asari crests, but so wonderful in its own way. Now it was long and luscious, and she just couldn't get enough of it.
Nala snuggled up to her father and let her eyes droop for a little snooze. Shepard smiled and started humming a lullaby, one she was surprised she still remembered. Liara held her bondmate and daughter tight, enjoying the song almost as much as Nala. Garrus and Tali were silent, more than content to watch the beautiful scene in front of them. None of them knew, but Hannah and Aethyta had paused in their work to look on as well. All of them were used to rough family lives, but now, here, things had changed. The addition of a new fledgling member had made them realize, a family didn't have to be related by blood. And there wasn't any other they'd rather be a part of.
