It was a beautiful day

Granted Illium was always beautiful rain or shine. Liara glanced out the window of her office wishing she could be like one of the random civilians she saw outside. She was sure none of them was having a meltdown at the moment. Although she kept her frantic state hidden behind her rigid and commanding posture and cool yet intimidating facial features.

She lazily brings her attention back to the pleading human who was on the other end of the holo-call. He had the decency to slightly flinch when she brought her gaze back to him. He clearly saw the lack of interest in his excuses reflected in her hardened gaze so he held his tongue cutting off the rest of his speech.

Liara just looked at him for a moment letting him sweat a bit. 'Honestly I don't have time for this, she'll be here any moment I'm sure.' Not wanting to waste another second Liara decided to end this call.

As she was drawing to then end of her gentle prod, which was really a poorly concealed threat she heard the door to her office swish open.

"Either you pay me, or I flay you alive... with my mind." Quickly hitting the end button on her omnitool she took a breathe trying to compose herself before turning around.

But a second turned into two, and two stretched into thirty and Liara still didn't feel like she was ready.

"Liara?"

Goddess it sounded just like her, that same tremulous alto that warms Liara's soul and makes her heart stutter a half step. What was she thinking she couldn't do this, she couldn't turn around and face the ghost that has haunted her for the past two years. Her shoulders shake as a quiet dry sob racks her body. She would not cry, she refused to cry she had to be strong, she wasn't the same naïve archeologist from two years ago.

"Liara..."

This time the voice is much closer and laced with concern. Liara feels the warmth of an arm slip around her waist and she can't help but lean into the embrace. Her pseudo confident demeanor shattered into a million pieces from just one touch. How did she think this was a good idea?

"Liara look at me... please."

Oh how she wanted to but she couldn't, not yet, Liara had to compose herself first, she had to start putting distance between them or all she worked for would have been for naught.

"If... if I turn around, I'm afraid that you won't actually be there, that you're just another figment of my imagination."

Logically Liara knew this was false. She got the email from Miranda one month ago. She remembers reading and rereading the two simple sentences at least a hundred times. 'Subject is awake. The Lazarus Project was a success.' So logically she knew that Shepard was alive, and Shepard was here in her office, but her heart that was battered from two years of morning and longing refused to believe it.

A shudder passed through her body as a nose nuzzled the side of her neck.

"It's me Li, I promise I won't disappear if you turn around, and you know I keep my promises."

Taking one more breath Liara finally wills herself to turn around, and not even an inch away is Shepard and her toothy grin that is firmly plastered on her face.

"See I'm still here, I told you I would be."

For a moment Liara indulges on her wants and brings a hand up to trace a path down Shepard's face, starting from the old scar on her left eyebrow, past her amethyst eyes that held a tint of red around the pupil, that same red tint was present in the scars that adorned her cheek. After her confirmation that Shepard was here Liara began to remove her hand from her loves face only for it to be covered by Shepard's hand and placed back on her glowing cheek. They held each others gaze, Liara's searching and Shepard's inviting. Allowing herself to be selfish one more time Liara slowly leans in letting her lips brush over Shepard's, a thrill running through her spine as Shepard pressed closer firmly fusing their lips together.

As the kiss continued Liara found the lines she had mentally etched between them begin to blur, she was forgetting why she couldn't let this happen. Goddess she wanted this so much, this is everything she dreamed of for the last two years only to have it snatched away as she woke up in cold sweats and images of Shepard's mangled body dancing in her mind. But here she was, solid and warm and alive!

'... but for how much longer?' That thought pulled her out of hazy and hope filled thoughts. Pulling away from the lips she prayed every night she could kiss again Liara took a step back needing to put some distance between them physically before she could begin to rebuild the emotional barriers she had built.

'How much longer until she's off on the next fatal mission to save a galaxy that would not heed her warnings?' Liara thought to herself, 'After she leaves this office she'll be back on the path of the collectors, back on the path of what Cerberus had deemed a "suicide mission."and this time there would probably be no coming back.' Her heart lurched in her chest, aware of the sharp pain of loss making its appearance again after finally turning it into a distant ache. She had worked so hard to prepare herself for the possibility of Shepard coming back, she thought she was ready, she thought she was strong enough to let her go. It was almost funny how with one touch every wall she worked to erect for two years began to give way.

"Shepard..."

"At your service Ms. Croft." Shepard smiled cheekily giving the asari a slight bow.

And in that moment Liara knew that pushing Shepard away was going to be harder than she originally thought.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

MC: Sup everyone, I wasn't planning on writing a part two to this but RJRelentless put this idea in my head. And yes I left it open ended enough that I may (like a 85% possibility) write a part three to this. I hope this sort of lived up to your expectations RJay! Also you guys got a slight taste of my Shep in this story, although all you really know is her eye color and morality preference, maybe I'll write a separate little one shot to introduce her. But I'll see you guys next time! And don't forget to review! Finally sorry for any layout or grammar errors since I'm posting this from my phone.