(The comments and messages about wanting updates are super touching, glad everyone is liking this so far. Here's a long as hell chapter to make up for the last very short one.)

And It All Seemed Harmless: Chapter 5

Liara didn't even know when she started crying, but tears were streaming down her cheeks by the time she reached the Spectre's side. Oh goddess Shepard, please be okay she begged silently as she grabbed the Spectre's hands, holding onto her love for dear life. She hadn't even noticed Aethyta's presence until she looked up and saw the other asari standing with an amused expression on her face a few feet away from the Spectre.

"What happened?" She sniffled, her voice breaking, as her red eyes met Aethyta's.

Aethyta found herself amused by the new development, that her daughter was obviously involved with this renegade spectre, but all amusement faded when she met Liara's concerned eyes. She had met Liara a handful of times, for small periods of time, and yet she had always been impressed with the asari's calm head and diplomatic demeanor. Looking into her eyes now, all she saw was panic and unbridled fear. This shit was serious.

"Alcohol overdose. She drank a shit-ton and then this bitch roofied her."

Liara's eyes flashed with concern and then her expression steeled to one of pure anger. She leaped up and took a swing at Aethyta, which the asari dodged, catching her wrist.

"Liar!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down kid. Why the fuck are you trying to hit me?"

Liara was absolutely seething. Though Aethyta still held her by the wrist, it was obvious she wasn't done fighting.

"You bitch! I'm an information-broker. I have access to the cameras in here. I saw you give Shepard a different drink than the one she ordered!" Liara screamed as she attempted to lash out with her free hand, biotics swirling.

Aethyta calmly caught her other hand and used her own biotics to stifle Liara's, her grip securing the smaller asari so that she wouldn't lash out again.

"Word of advice kid, don't try your biotics on a Matriarch." said Aethyta harshly as Liara continued to struggle against her. "And listen up. I was trying to protect your little Cerberus friend here. I was cutting her off. She was getting real fucking drunk so I gave her some flavored nutrient water to try and sober her up. I wouldn't ever fucking dare and roofie somebody! Now focus, I'm not the issue here sweetheart, the issue is your friend overdosed!"

Liara looked up at Aethyta, distrust still evident in her eyes but at the very least she had stopped trying to attack her. Pain and guilt were also evident in her face, and for a moment, Aethyta regretted being so harsh. She released Liara gently and placed her hands on her shoulders, looking deep into her sapphire eyes.

"Listen to me. She's going to be okay all right? I know what to do. I see this sort of shit all the time. I am a bartender after all."

Liara nodded and blinked away tears as she looked back at Shepard. The spectre still hadn't moved.

"Where is she?" Liara's voice was so quiet Aethyta nearly didn't hear it.

"What?"

" . who did this to her." Liara snarled, her voice shaking with the absolute anger that was coursing through her.

Aethyta took a deep breath. As much as she wanted to unleash the full blood rage of her daughter on the asari that lay crumpled in the corner, that wasn't important right now.

"Later. She won't be getting away. We need to get your friend some help. Now. Help me carry her to the bathroom."

Liara nodded, and raced to Shepard's side, eager to do everything possible to help the Spectre though she was obviously still shaken. Internally, she was grateful Aethyta was giving the orders. There was no way she would be able to keep a clear head when Shepard was like this. She knelt next to Shepard and slung her arm under one of Shepard's, supporting her left side as Aethyta moved to support her right.

As Liara got closer to Shepard, her tears began to soak her face as she saw the spectre's condition close-up. Shepard usually looked so peaceful asleep, but even unconscious, the spectre couldn't seem to find peace. Her face was pale as if she had seen a ghost, and her features were tense as if she had just been punched in the gut. Dark bags underneath her eyes were displayed prominently by the unhealthy hue of her skin, and her usually vibrant hair looked more like the color of blood than the fire it usually portrayed.

"Oh Shepard." Liara whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. The bags under her love's eyes definitely hadn't come from an alcohol overdose. She hadn't been doing well. And it had come to this. Goddess, what did I do? I could've prevented this, I could've kept her safe. She sleeps when she's with me. She wouldn't have come drinking tonight had it not been for me...

Liara leaned in and kissed Shepard's temple softly, choking out a small "I'm sorry" over the other woman's skin. If Aethyta noticed the gesture, she didn't acknowledge it and instead began to lead them both out of the room towards the bathrooms.

"Brush her hair over her face. Don't want "The Hero of the Citadel's" drunk ass face on the cover of every tabloid this side of the galaxy."

Liara obeyed and gently brushed Shepard's hair over her features as Aethyta continued.

"People need hope. Need to believe there are invincible people out there. Shepard's damn close to being that person but even heroes lose their mind sometimes. They don't need to know that though."

Liara nodded, though at the moment she didn't have a single concern for anyone else in the galaxy but Shepard. In fact, she hated them. Hated them for making her love be an impenetrable hero every day even though she was only a human. Shepard gave them everything, and yet they always wanted more. And goddess, she was so young. Too young to hate herself for the decisions she had made. Too young to have seen the horrors Shepard was accustomed to viewing.

Aethyta pushed open the bathroom door with her foot and barked out a warning that whoever didn't leave in the next ten seconds, would be eating their meals through a straw for the next six months if they could get their face back out of their ass to eat it. An asari and female human rushed out in nine, leaving the three alone in the room. Aethyta guided Liara to the counter and hoisted Shepard up, her arm supporting the Spectre's legs as she sat her beside a sink. Aethyta turned the sink on and began running cold water as Liara stepped closer to the spectre, hooking her arms around the woman's waist and holding her upright. Shepard crumpled against Liara, and her head fell into the crook between the asari's head and shoulder.

"Careful kid she might throw up."

"I don't care."

Aethyta chucked.

"I would."

Cupping some of the cold water in her hands, Aethyta looked up at Liara whose grip around the Spectre had only tightened, her knuckles turning a light blue as they gripped the soldier's waist.

"I'm about to try and wake her up a bit with some cold water, you might want to move."

Liara shifted a bit, but she didn't remove the spectre's head from her shoulder and Aethyta strongly believed she wasn't about to.

"Suit yourself. But change when you get home so you don't get sick."

Liara raised an eyebrow at the parent-like command but said nothing. Aethyta turned and set her hands below the faucet, allowing the frigid water to pool in her hands for several seconds before she splashed it up into Shepard's face. Liara yelped as the water hit her, but stayed still, scrutinizing the soldier's face for any sign of consciousness.

"Did it work?" Aethyta asked though the answer was plainly written across the younger asari's face.

"No. No it didn't, should we try again? Or maybe we should just take her to the hospital or...or the Normandy! They have an excellent on-board doctor."

"Calm down. Let's do it again. If she doesn't wake up we can take her back to her ship and see what the doc there wants to do."

Liara nodded quickly and placed another kiss on Shepard's forehead before she even realized what she was doing. Water splashed her face as she began to pull away and she yipped in surprise.

"Goddess! What was that?"

"Just splashing your friend." said Aethyta emphasizing the word friend as if it were now a euphemism. "Not my fault your face was there too."

"You couldn't wait two seconds?"

"Time is of the essence sweetheart."

"If time is of the essence we need to get her to a hospital. Not the bathroom in the seedy bar she overdosed in!"

"Firstly, not a seedy bar. Secondly..."

Aethyta was cut off as Shepard began coughing violently, her body jerking against Liara's. Liara immediately dismissed Aethyta's presence and began patting Shepard's back, whispering hushedly in the soldier's ear as she regained her breath.

"Fuuuuuck." slurred Shepard as she attempted to sit upright. The entire room looked more like a bad jump through a mass relay than a bathroom, and her vision was a blurry mess of colors and shapes. To her surprise, a warm body was pressed up against hers and she sighed a bit, suddenly struck with the sad remembrance that Liara's body used to fit this well against her own. Well at least she wasn't completely alone at the moment...

As Shepard tried to get her bearings, her stomach turned and she lurched forward, her head bobbing as if her neck were no longer strong enough to support it.

"I'm gonna be sick..."

Liara sprung into action, lifting her love off the counter and leading her to the largest stall as fast as she could. Shepard took two steps and nearly fell, holding onto Liara for dear life.

"Not going to make it..."

Liara dropped to her knees and gently brought Shepard down alongside her, guiding the soldier's head to the toilet a split-second before her body started quaking with deep retches. Liara gathered Shepard's hair in one hand and wrapped her free arm around the soldier beneath her breasts. She covered the soldier's body with her own in an attempt to protect her love from the vulnerability she would inevitably feel, and Shepard's body relaxed underneath her. As the retching subsided, Shepard's head fell against the seat as if she had no further strength to even sit up. Liara began to stand so she could lift up the soldier before a pitiful sound broke her heart. Shepard was starting to cry. Her body shook almost undistinguishably, but the soft whimpers coming from the woman were unmistakable. Liara immediately resumed her position over the soldier's body and began placing desperate kisses along the soldier's back.

"Oh Shepard...goddess, Shepard. Please, please be okay. I'm so sorry...so sorry..."

Aethyta stepped over cautiously to the stall doorway and leaned against it, disputing whether or not she should interrupt the tender scene playing out before her. If she had had doubts about the type of relationship the two shared before, she certainly didn't now as the Spectre's whimpers faded to sniveling breaths under the asari. Liara relaxed just as Shepard did, but it was obvious she had no intention of stepping away from her now as she wrapped her arms tighter around the woman beneath her, her head nuzzling into the soldier's blood-red hair.

"Is she going to be allright?" Aethyta was surprised that the other asari had even noticed her presence, and she didn't even bother to dislodge her head from its place against the soldier's head as she addressed her.

"Should be. She just threw her guts up and I'll bet you anything those guts included both the roofie and a good percentage of the drinks she had recently. May be a bit too much alcohol in her blood still, but if she doesn't get cold and unresponsive again chances are she'll be fine."

Liara sighed in relief and loosened her grip a bit, tilting her head so that it lay comfortably on the soldier's back.

"But um, well, I don't think she should be alone tonight. Just in case, well in case she didn't get everything out and shit starts going bad in the middle of the night. She'll need someone to take her to the hospital if something like that happens. And even if it doesn't get that bad, it's not going to be a good night for the kid either way. I'd offer to take her, but well, I don't know her all that well and I think the kid's had quite enough unfamiliar asari for one night..."

"I'll take her." Liara stated quickly as if Aethyta would auction off the Spectre's company if she didn't answer quick enough. Aethyta sighed in relief, glad that she would be taking care of the soldier for the night. She had a feeling Liara would want to, especially if they were in a relationship, but something seemed very off about that relationship...

"It's later."

"Excuse me?"

Liara sighed indignantly as if she had given Aethyta plenty information to help her understand what she was talking about.

"You said that later you would tell me where that bitch went."

"Right." muttered Aethyta rubbing the back of her neck nervously. In all honesty, she had forgotten about the other woman. She could very well have died by now from the injuries the Matriarch had inflicted.

"Well?" Liara said raising her head from the spectre though she did not remove her arms from the woman's body.

"She's still in the back room. Laying in the corner."

The fiery hate Aethyta had witnessed in Liara's eyes earlier resurfaced and she couldn't help but feel a bit fearful for the other asari. That bitch had no idea who she fucked with.

"Will you watch Shepard? I need to go have a word with her..."

Aethyta shook her head. She could just imagine the hate Liara must be feeling...if someone had done that to Nezzy...well that someone wouldn't have lived to tell about it. But this wasn't the time or the place and she couldn't let Liara suffer the consequences her actions might have.

"No. You need to stay with your girl. You're the only thing keeping her calm right now and she needs that. I don't want you ripping that bitch's head off either, no matter how much she deserves it. If you kill her, I don't know who she is. She could be someone important and you don't exactly have Spectre status like your girlfriend there. You are not going to jail over that bitch do you understand me?"

Liara nodded ruefully though Aethyta could tell by her eyes that she hadn't listened as well as she had hoped. Liara was a powerful information broker, if she wanted to kill someone and keep everyone from knowing about it, she probably could.

"I already did a number on her anyway kid. And what I did would come off like self defense, not cold murder. That's why she's still laying there. Trust me, she got what was coming to her."

"It's not enough." Hissed Liara, though she seemed to acknowledge the fact that she couldn't afford to leave Shepard at the moment. Shepard had completely crumpled though one of her hands was clutching at the blue arm wrapped around her chest.

"It's enough for now. Ruin her life later. I don't think Shep there would want you turning into a killer over her anyways."

Liara's eyes flashed with panic and sadness, and seemed to withdraw from Shepard a bit, letting the Spectre hang in her arms rather than against her body. Did I say something wrong? Aethyta mused, though she knew now was definitely not the time to explore that. Her daughter's face had become shrouded with guilt and pain, while a now neglected Spectre was beginning to shake.

"Hey! Pay attention. The kid needs you! Don't you pull away from her."

Liara snapped to attention, though her eyes filled with tears. Dammit I'm doing it again. Pulling away from her when she needs me. That's how she got into this position Liara. Aethyta mentally slapped herself for once again upsetting Liara, but at the very least, Shepard had relaxed again, sighing as she relaxed into Liara's arms.

"Hey um, you okay kid?"

"Who me?" said Liara a bit taken aback by the question. She hadn't been okay in two years...

"Yes you. Who else would I be asking? I know she's not okay but it's not like I can ask her any questions right now."

"I ummm...I...it's not important. We need to stay focused on Shepard."

Aethyta nodded though she was a bit hurt by her daughter's refusal to confide her. Not like she knows you're her father you prick. Relax. We got bigger problems.

"All right. How about we get her out of here then? I'll go back into the bar and chase everyone out, then you can bring her in and set her on one of the couches while I call a taxi."

Liara nodded and Aethyta set to work, walking out of the room with an authoritative sneer that would be sure to scare any patron still left.

Liara took the moment of privacy to sit back on the floor, pulling Shepard with her to rest in her lap. The soldier's head was limp against the asari's breasts and their legs lay splattered against each other's. Liara's strong heartbeat entranced the Spectre, and her previously erratic breathing slowed to one more reminiscent of sleep than poisoning. Shepard lay motionless for a few minutes before she jolted up, her head whipping around in confusion. A few moments passed before she noticed the blue arms wrapped around her and she immediately attempted to escape, pushing away as if she had been kidnapped. Liara's arms did not yield however, and she began to calm the Spectre as quick as she could.

"Shepard! Shepard! It's me Shepard, Liara."

Shepard relaxed at the mention of her lover's name, though when her eyes met the asari's, her intoxication still barred her from complete understanding. Her green orbs swirled with confusion and disbelief, though there was a child-like hopefulness about her features, her face lit by the mere idea that Liara was there for her.

"Li...Liara?"

"Yes, yes Shepard I'm here." Liara's voice broke as she responded to the Spectre, her eyes filling with tears once more. Shepard cocked her head in response, the confusion in her eyes only increasing as her head bobbed a bit due to her jilted depth perception of the moment.

"Why areya crying?" she slurred, though her words were etched with concern.

Liara choked on a dark chuckle, disbelief spreading to her. Shepard had no right to be worried about her right now...And yet, she was.

"Goddess, I don't know." she said, wiping at her eyes at the same time that Shepard attempted to, though her movements were still jerky and uncoordinated and she only managed to swipe at the blue skin, the gesture melted Liara's heart. "Never mind that, how are you feeling?"

"Tired Li." she slurred again, her head rolling back onto Liara's chest.

Liara sighed in relief at the Spectre's voice. Maybe everything was going to be all right.

"Well the taxi will be here soon Shepard. You can get some sleep at my place."

Liara looked down to see if the Spectre had any response to that news, but the soldier didn't respond.

"Shepard?"

Once again the soldier didn't respond, and Liara felt the familiar panic she had been feeling all night begin to spread through her chest.

"Shepard?!"

Shepard's body had gone limp against her own, and Liara struggled to her feet, lifting Shepard with her. Aethyta was taking too long, she needed to get Shepard home now.

She burst into the bar, Shepard securely in her arms as the matriarch locked the doors behind the last stumbling Volus that was bumbling on about a biotic god.

"Everything all right kid? Something happen?"

"She woke up and she talked to me, she was actually talking for a bit but then she stopped moving and she just seems so weak we need to get her home now, please can we go?" Liara said in a rush as she scurried up beside the Matriarch.

"Slow down kid, it's okay. She's still pretty intoxicated, she'll probably bounce between consciousness a lot, but she's responding to basic cues and waking up when you need her to. Let me call the taxi and we'll get out of here okay? I'll help you get her to your apartment and then take off from there."

Liara nodded and moved to set Shepard down on a metallic grey couch close to the exit. Though she loved holding Shepard, she didn't have the muscular endurance her lover had, and she was afraid that if she attempted to hold her for too long, Shepard would experience an unfortunate meeting with the floor.

She stroked Shepard's hair as Aethyta spoke with the taxi company, cringing a bit at the bits of explicit language that Aethyta threw in as she arranged for their transportation.

"Wait so when the fuck you gonna be here? Oh all right, hurry your ass up and maybe you'll get something extra. No I do not mean sex. Do me a favor, why don't you send me a driver that isn't a dick?"

With a click Aethyta hung up the phone, muttering something about "taxi dicks that think they're as important as emergency vehicles." Liara took the free moment to slide down beside Shepard on the couch, resting her head on her soldier's chest as she folded one of the Commander's arms atop her shoulders. She took a few moments getting comfortable, shifting until she found comfort with a leg curled around the soldier's body, her arms gripping her midsection with the intention of not letting the soldier go. She didn't think she could.