Part 2, Chapter 1, Citizen:
It's funny how two words can change your entire world. "I'm pregnant," Liara said. Holy shit.
Shepard looked into her wife's eyes. Blue-within-blue, they radiated the same joy and happiness as her beaming smile. She knew this was coming of course. They'd been trying since the wedding. But trying and doing are always two different things.
An Asari tapped into the nervous system of her mate. She used that unique spark to randomize half of her genetic material. The two halves joined and became an embryo, unique, the sole product of her mother's cells but subtly different. After that, however, conventional biology had to take its course.
There had already been two false starts. Liara was sure she had conceived, she just knew somehow, but the embryo failed to implant and grow within her. This time, however, they'd cleared the biggest hurdle in an Asari pregnancy. In just under 11 months Shepard would be a mother. Or is it father? Oh, who cares!
Liara's facial expression changed. Shepard returned to the present, she's waiting for me to say something. Before Liara could ask her what was wrong Shepard took her face in her hands and kissed her. "We're going to be mommies!" They embraced. This is, this is, Shepard tried to put her feelings into words, incredible. That's an understatement. This is exactly what you've wanted for years, so why can't you just embrace it and be happy? This had been happening more and more lately, Victoria just couldn't enjoy life like she used to. What's wrong with me?
"I'm so happy," Shepard heard Liara say. Again, Shepard pulled herself out of her introspection and redirected her attention to Liara.
"So am I," responded Shepard. She didn't think she was lying. She did feel happy, just not as happy as I should be. "We're going to have to baby-proof the estate," she smiled.
"We have plenty of time for that," Liara responded as she pushed Shepard back towards a chaise, "Right now I have something else in mind." Victoria fell backwards and landed awkwardly on the chair. Liara straddled her and kissed her passionately. Liara had mentioned Asari get like this during pregnancy, but this is way more aggressive than I anticipated. She wasn't complaining in the least.
Shepard could already feel the first tingling sensation that preceded the bond. For a blissful moment she forgot her worries about not being happier about the baby. Everything is alright when I'm with her, she thought. She could feel Liara's hot breath, Liara pulled her closer. She's not even going to wait to get my clothes off, thought Shepard. She smiled. The bond strengthened, she could feel Liara's consciousness probing her senses. She felt urgency.
Victoria was opening herself for Liara when there was a rap on the door. The bond was broken in an instant. Shepard gently but rapidly picked Liara up and placed her on the chaise. Liara pouted until she recognized Shepard's expression; the game face.
Shepard's thought process accelerated wildly. No one just comes up and knocks, thought Shepard. The groundskeeper was off, taking a holiday with her granddaughters on Illium. Besides, she always pings Liara's omni-tool first if she needs to talk to us. None of the other estate employees were on-site today either.
Kelly didn't stay in the guest house more than once a month anymore, normally when Aethyta was visiting Thessia, and she wasn't here today. Even when she is here she's usually sequestered with the Matriarch, that minx, thought Shepard with a smirk.
Visitors normally announced themselves at the entrance to the estate grounds, linking into Shepard's or Liara's omni-tools through the terminal placed there for that purpose. The estate's security system should have spotted an intruder. Mostly just kids trying to sneak into the "Savior of the Citadel's" home on a dare. No. This was more serious. There's someone at the door, and they know their business.
N7 training took over. Shepard moved with purpose. Leaving a confused Liara behind, Shepard pressed herself against the wall and moved silently towards the main foyer. Shepard was generally well regarded, worshiped even, by the majority of the known galaxy. However, she wasn't without enemies. It could be thugs from (insert mercenary company name here), come for revenge for their comrades I've personally killed, she thought. Or is it the Illusive Man sending assassins to repay her betrayal? Was it Batarian vigilantes seeking revenge for the Bahak system? Human supremacists, pissed off that I've married an Asari? Fundamentalists offended that I took a wife? That would be almost charmingly antiquated, thought Victoria. It only once crossed her mind that this situation might be a completely benign misunderstanding. That's crazy talk. It was dismissed.
She approached the door. The frosted glass showed a human silhouette. She crouched. Victoria was unarmed. Stupid, you left your pistol upstairs! However, she was a powerful biotic in her own right. She gathered a powerful mass effect field in her right hand as she opened the door with her left. With a quick jerk the door was open and Shepard stared into the face of Miranda Lawson.
Victoria and Miranda locked stares. Victoria's jaw dropped, the blue mass effect field disappeared from her hand with a faint pfft. Holy shit! Miranda is alive! A heartbeat later Shepard began collecting data. Miranda looked just as stunning as the last time she saw her. China-doll white face, perfect cheek bones, silken jet-black hair, the best body genetic manipulation could buy, all wrapped in a tightly fitted business suit that showed little skin but hinted strongly at what lay beneath. Or, rather, what didn't. She's missing an arm!
Miranda noticed Shepard staring, "The replacement will be ready next week. It's nice to see you too Shepard." She smiled. "May I come in?"
"Please," Victoria heard herself say. Miranda picked up a small parcel with her remaining arm and stepped over the threshold. She looked around, assessing her surroundings. Miranda and Victoria turned to see Liara smiling from an adjacent room. Half of her body remained concealed by the doorway, her dominant hand conspicuously behind her back. Victoria smiled, that's my girl, ready to crush our guest if I was taken out!
"I come in peace. Please forgive the unannounced visit. I strive to maintain a low profile," she smiled at Victoria, "Old habits die hard." She looked at Liara, still behind partial cover, and said, "Your security system is top-rate Liara. It took me several minutes to break into it." Liara scowled. "I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"