A/N: Final chapter folks! This one comes decidedly after Lair of the Shadow Broker AND Arrival, so spoilers if you haven't played either of those DLCs.

I'm ending this story here because I'm not quite confident enough to stray outside the realms of canon as yet. While I, like many of you, have my ideas and wishes of how ME3 will play out, none of them are well-formed enough for a fully-fledged story to form in my mind. That said, if any of you have prompts for characters/situations that I have missed, I would be more than happy to attempt them :)

Thank you all so much for the reviews/alerts. I appreciate it more than you know.

"Liara! How have you been?" Shepard asked once her cabin doors had opened, stepping forward to embrace the woman.

"I am well, thank you." Liara smiled when they parted. "How are you? I heard a story about a bar fight on Omega, though I'm certain that had nothing to do with you...?"

Shepard smirked. "Me? Would I punch a drunk Turian ranting about how humanity has ruined the universe?"

"You're lucky you have Aria on side, Shepard. She was only too willing to cover it up for you."

"Well I do seem to make a habit of having friends in high places. How's everything going?"

"Well, thank you. Feron is currently engaged in a battle of wills with the VI." Liara waved her hand and chuckled. "But it is of no matter now. I bought the police report from Omega, you have to see it. I think it will make you laugh."

The Asari produced an OSD seemingly out of nowhere and moved over to Shepard's private terminal before she could stop her. The minute she took a seat in the chair the picture frame flared to life.

"Kaidan." Liara breathed, reaching out for the frame. "Oh Kaidan. I didn't see you last time."

Shepard stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, surprised by her friend's reaction. She would have expected less of a reaction; Liara and Kaidan had never been particularly close while on board the first Normandy, for... obvious reasons. But then, who knew what had gone on between them when she'd been gone? For all she knew the two of them had found comfort in each other... which was a place she didn't want her mind to be going right now.

Shepard rubbed the back of her neck and shook her head in an attempt to clear the unwanted images. "Liara, do you know where I can find him? I've been looking but there's nothing."

"It's classified." Liara sighed, still looking down at the picture.

"Liara, I'm a Spectre. The word classified has as much meaning to me as..." She paused, looking for a suitable example. "Siha."

Liara's eyes widened. "Who is calling you Siha?"

"I have a drell on my crew too." Shepard said, coming to lean against the desk. "He still won't tell me what it means."

"It is a fitting term." Liara smiled. "But it is not my place to explain."

Shepard sighed. "Is there anything you can tell me?"

"The last I heard of Kaidan was that the Alliance sent him to coordinate the GARDIAN calibration on Horizon." She said, watching as Shepard flinched slightly. "That is the limit of my knowledge. He is obviously very important to the cause, his files are locked up tighter than even yours."

"So he could be anywhere." Shepard stated quietly and then chuckled dryly, throwing her hands into the air. "I can't believe I know the Shadow Broker and I still can't find him!"

"What happened on Horizon, Shepard?" Liara asked, setting aside the picture and the OSD. "You don't have to tell me, but..."

"No, you should know. God knows everyone else does." Shepard stood. "Come sit with me and I'll explain."

It took Shepard a while to get the whole story out. She hadn't recounted the entire conversation out loud before, those she discussed it with had either been there on Horizon, or had got the abridged version at a later date. She made it through an entire glass of wine before she'd even got to him leaving her behind. Liara had listened better than she could have hoped for, just letting her talk and get it all out. Shepard had noticed her moods fluctuate as she spoke, going from guilt, to horror and anger. Mostly anger. At herself or at Kaidan, Shepard couldn't tell.

"I knew I should have told him about your body. I thought he would tell the Alliance but I should have known better than that." Liara sighed, sipping her drink. "He never quite believed you were gone, you know. Perhaps it's easier for him to believe you were never dead."

"I sometimes wish you had told him. I've raged about it often enough since I saw you last, that you kept that information to yourself when you could have helped the man I love."

Liara's head jerked up. "Present tense?"

Shepard nodded slowly. "Despite all my better judgment, yes."

"Interesting." Liara said quietly. "In that case I truly am sorry."

"No, don't be, please. After every session where I've beaten the hell out of my shower wall, I've realised that the information would have placed an incredible burden on him. Can you imagine if he'd known and it hadn't worked?"

Liara frowned as Shepard's breath hitched and her face fell. "Oh god. Oh god Liara. What if it hadn't worked? I've been so focused on being angry that I haven't even thought about it!"

"You have every right to be angry!" Liara countered. "I made the decision to let Cerberus do what they would with you, you had no choice in the matter."

Shepard looked the closest to tears that Liara had ever seen her. "Something could happen to him now and he'd never know the truth..."

"Ssh, Shepard, it's okay." Liara said, moving fluidly to gather the other woman into a hug. "You'll find him, I just know it. Feron came back to me, Kaidan will come back to you. The universe owes you that much."

Shepard took a deep breath, nodding against Liara's shoulder. "You're right." She said, adding a very quiet 'you have to be' afterwards.

"I am certain that, wherever he is, he will have heard of the Omega-4 relay opening. He'll know it was you, and he'll know you came back. It's not a stretch to imagine that he'll have been alerted to your upcoming trial either."

Shepard stiffened. "You mean the trial that I'm currently avoiding at all costs? I can't tell you the number of pointless missions I've dragged my crew to as some excuse not to go back."

"Go to Earth, face the trial. I have no doubt he'll be there for you, even if he claims to have a different purpose." Liara said as she sat back.

"You make it sound so easy." Shepard groused, running shaky hands through her hair.

"If I told you the truth, you would never leave this room again." Liara shrugged and then laughed at Shepard's scowl. "You know I am only joking. While there is no easy route through the coming months, of course, the one I have suggested it as valid as any other."

Shepard nodded slowly. "Can I talk you into another drink?"

"I think perhaps I should be going. I'm not sure I trust Feron to be alone with the drone much longer than this."

The pair walked slowly to the door together and embraced for a final time before Liara wordlessly entered the elevator and disappeared out of sight.

Shepard sighed, leaning her head against the doorway. "Come back soon Liara."