Thessia

"So, this Shaw guy is really in line to be the next councilor?" Shepard asked. Liara had just relayed everything Feron had told her about the situation.

Liara nodded. "It would appear so."

Shepard shrugged. "Well there's nothing we can do about it. Not while you're like this, why not leak the information to the Alliance from here?"

Liara sighed. "He's one of the most powerful members of the Navy. I fear the desired effect will not happen based solely on leaked documents and that's assuming they circulated the Alliance before he hid the truth again. This needs a personal touch. I believe a plant job will work quite well."

"Plant job?"

"We should actually have Shaw himself be caught with the incriminating evidence." Liara clariafied.

Jane smirked. "It would certainly be harder to contest if he was caught red handed with it."

"Exactly. We should..."

"No Liara. You have plenty of operatives who can do this. Even Feron could handle this."

"The baby will be fine. All we're doing is going to a party, nothing a pregnant mother hasn't done before."

"Going on missions for the Shadow Broker is exactly what pregnant mothers don't do."

"Well I am the Shadow Broker. So technically..."

"Liara!"

"None of my operatives can get the job done. Certainly not as easy as you can."

"Well i'm not leaving your side when you're like this."

"Which is exactly why i'm coming with you."

Jane sighed. "This is crazy. Do I need to remind you what happened last time?"

"Yes, last time we nearly died. But...it did end with us engaged and making love after taking down the most dangerous man in the Terminus Systems and saving thousands of innocent lives." She reminded her. "And, didn't you have fun?"

"It's not about me, Liara. The only thing that matters to me is keeping you two safe."

"Shepard, I think I can manage one trip to Earth. And I want to do this just as much as we need to do this."

Jane had to admit she wanted to do it too. The thought of someone with Cerberus ties having a seat on the council sickened her. And Liara could handle one party, especially if Jane did all the work. The Commander sighed. "Fine."

Liara smiled. "Excellent. We'll leave in the morning. We just need to pack."

"No guns." Jane said sternly.

"Of course not."

Jane laid awake in their bed. Her dreams used to keep her up but Shepard no longer thought about the war as often, certainly not as much as she used to. No something else was disturbing her.

Shepard rolled over and brushed her hair from her face as she watched Liara sleep. The asari could always fall asleep quickly much to Jane's jealousy. Liara always looked so beautiful when she slept, well to Shepard she always looked beautiful. But there was a certain grace about her Shepard only saw when she slept.

Liara rolled over to face her lover and roped her arms around Shepard. At first Jane thought she woke her until she realized the asari was still asleep. The human reached her hand down and placed it over Liara's swollen belly. Inside she could feel her daughter stirring. Jane sighed and carefully crept out of bed without waking her wife.

Jane wiggled her toes when they hit the cold floor before padding in to the kitchen. She opened her omni-tool and entered a number she hardly ever called.

It rang for a brief moment before the call was answered. "Hannah Shepard." her mother said.

"Hey mom." Shepard's tone was awkward, she hadn't spoken with her mom since her wedding.

"Jane?"

Shepard cringed at the sound of someone using her first name. "Yeah it's me. H-How are you?'

"Oh i'm doing fine. This is a surprise. How are you doing sweetheart?"

Shepard paced back and forth. "Okay."

"Just okay?"

"I wanted to tell you something I probably should have told you months ago."

Hannah paused. "Alright, I'm listening."

"Liara is pregnant, Mom. I'm gonna have a daughter."

"Oh honey! That's incredible!"

Jane smiled. "Yeah."

"Is that why you called? To tell me?"

Shepard cleared her throat. "Well yeah that and..."

"And?"

"Mom, I... I don't know if I can do it."

Hannah spoke softly, a motherly tone Jane had heard maybe twice before. "Oh sweetheart, nobody is really ready to have a child. But there's no doubt in my mind you will be an excellent mother."

"Father, technically." Jane corrected her. "When you decided to have me, what made you think you were ready."

Her mother paused. "Jane, I think I should tell you something."

"Alright."

Hannah exhaled. "Your father and I never planned on having children. We were both in the navy and neither of us knew anything about kids."

"I don't know anything about kids! Great, so i'm gonna turn out just like you two." Hannah didn't say anything and Shepard instantly regretted the insult. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that."

"It's alright, sweetheart. I know your father and I were not the best parents. I wish there was more I could give you, but I know you can do this."

"Thanks. I should let you go."

"Honey, I'm really proud of you. Of both you and Liara. Tell her I said hello."

"I will."

"I love you." her mother said.

"Goodbye Mom." Jane hung up and sat down at the kitchen table. Great, so on top of the stress she now finds out she was an accident and that she's probably gonna be just like her own parents. Shepard laid face down on the table before a sleepy but soft voice spoke out from the darkness.

"Another bad dream, love?" Liara asked rubbing her eyes.

Shepard sat up. "No."

Liara strolled next to her and sat down at the table. "Are you alright, Shepard?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You should go back to bed you need your rest for the trip tomorrow morning."

"So do you." Liara reminded her.

Jane nodded. "Yeah I know."

Liara laid her hand over Jane's. "Talk to me. I know when something is bothering you. Is it the baby?"

Shepard knew she should tell her. But what could she say? She was never very good at admitting weakness even to Liara, and the asari had too much to worry about without having to add her wife's cold feet to the list. But Shepard had to tell her wife. "Liara, I'm...scared."

"Scared?"

"About having a kid." Jane clarified.

Liara softened her breathy voice. "Is this what you've been hiding from me during our melds?"

Shepard nodded. "You have enough to worry about."

"Shepard it's alright. I'm scared too. But there's no doubt in my mind you will be an excellent father to our daughter. If there's one thing I've learned about you since the war ended it's that you sell yourself too short."

"What do you mean?"

Liara smiled. "You can do anything my love. It's past time you realized that. You saved the galaxy three times and you're worried about being a parent?

Jane laughed. "Maybe you're right." They rose to their feet and Jane wrapped her arms around her lover and kissed her tenderly.

"I know I am." Liara hummed when their lips came apart.

"I love you so much, Liara." while Jane's concerns were far from being levitated, being honest with her wife helped. It always did. However she knew she also had to find someone who wasn't Liara to help her deal with this, and it clearly wasn't her mother. She needed someone who knew her very well...someone like Miranda Lawson.

The asari smiled and watched as Jane dropped to knee and planted a kiss on her belly. "We really should settle on a name." Liara said.

Shepard rubbed her stomach. "Anything but Jane."

"May I ask you something...Jane?" Liara said quietly and her wife looked up, startled by her wife using her first name. "You never have told me why you dislike your name."

"Some things just don't have a reason behind them."

"Is this one of those things?"

Shepard rose to her feet with her hand still on Liara's stomach. "No."

Vancouver

"And how does this one look?" Miranda asked.

"Hot."

Lawson sighed. "That's what you said about the last dress, Jack."

"Well you looked hot in that one too."

Miranda spun around. "Which is better?"

"Shit, I don't know, Cheerleader. Do I look like a girl who wears dresses? And since when do you?"

"This is our first real adult outing with other people as a couple." Miranda said as she turned around to allow Jack to unzip her. "Zipper."

Jack pulled the zipper down. "That was some pretty adult stuff we did this morning." Jack chuckled.

"It certainly was." Miranda agreed as she stripped out of the expensive blue dress. Lawson smiled. "I got something for you."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm." Miranda hummed and threw the bag on the bed next to her lover.

Jack removed the gift from the bag. A form fitting red dress. "Are you kidding?"

"Just try it on, Jack."

Jack groaned. "Why do you care what Kaidan's girl thinks about us?"

"Why don't you?"

"Cause she's a bitch."

"You say that about everyone, Jack." Miranda reminded her. "We've been dating for over a year. I think we can both manage one night in a dress. Don't think of it as dressing up for Alice. Think of it as dressing up for me."

Jack smiled. "If you put it that way. Fine." she stripped off her clothes and grabbed the red dress.

Miranda watched her as she awkwardly changed into her gift. In truth Miranda couldn't care less about what Alice thought of them, this had nothing to do with her. They had been dating for over a year, and it had been nearly two since they first made love. However in all that time Jack and her hardly had nights out with other people besides Kaidan. Lawson didn't see this a just a double date she saw it as married life practice. Not that she expected anything to change if Jack said yes. They were not what anyone would consider a regular couple. But there was an aspect of the union Miranda had admired ever since seeing Liara and Shepard tie the knot on Thessia. A promise to stick together no matter what. And Miranda could no longer picture her life without Jack.

Finally Jack finished getting dressed and turned around to face her lover with an awkward expression on her face. She crossed her tattooed arms. "Well?"

Miranda smiled and rose off the bed. "God..."

"It's terrible I know..."

"You look beautiful, Jack."

"Bullshit." Jack said but she couldn't deny the blush on her cheeks.

Kaidan stepped into their room not even giving Miranda who was still in her underwear a second glance. He had seen them both naked more times than he could count. "Hey I..." then he saw Jack. "Whoa." Jack turned around to face the man. "You look amazing, Jack."

"Doesn't she?" Miranda said.

"Shut up...and thanks." Jack said

"I came by to tell you Alice got caught up at work. We're gonna go tomorrow. That work for you two?"

"That's fine. Gives me more time to teach Jack how to walk in heels."

"Keep dreaming, babe."

Miranda laughed. "Go ahead and strip."

Kaidan left them alone and Jack's eyes softened as she undressed. "Miranda..."

Jack rarely used her real name and the sincerity in the biotic's voice caught Miranda's attention. "Yes, Jack?"

"I'm really glad I gave you a second chance."

Miranda smiled. "As am I."

"I guess what I want to say is, you...you make me happy. Like really fucking happy. Happier than I've ever been."

Lawson rose to her feet and took Jack in her arms. "Are you alright?"

Jack held her close. "That's what i'm trying to tell you, cheerleader. I am. I don't say it enough cause i'm too much of a pussy to admit how much you mean to me. But I fucking love you."

"Where is this coming from?" Miranda asked, Jack wasn't acting like herself and it was worrying her.

"I just don't wanna lose you because I was too stupid to tell you."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Then tell me where you went yesterday."

Miranda pulled away. "Is that what this is about?"

Jack nodded. "Just be straight with me. What were you doing?"

For a second Miranda considered proposing right then. But it was hardly the right time. "Jack, you don't need to worry about it."

"I am worried about it, Miranda!"

Lawson sighed. She'd have to be honest with Jack about something otherwise her lover would never let up. Jack could be very paranoid but Miranda always understood why. "It's a surprise."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "A surprise?"

"Something I think you'll like."

"Is this a 'I found your mother on Eden Prime' type of surprise?"

"No. I learned my lesson." Lawson hooked her finger under Jack's chin and lifted her eyes. "Just trust me."

Trust came as easily to Jack as killing a Reaper. But there was something in the biotic that wasn't there before she and Miranda had started this. "I do trust you."

"Completely?" Miranda pushed further.

"Completely." Jack repeated.

Miranda smiled. "Good. Because I fucking love you too."

Jane and Liara had landed in the Canadian city just one hour prior but already they were on the move. On their way to meet one of Liara's broker agents to get their hands on an OSD containing the evidence they would need.

Shepard took a look around the city as they moved together, she had her arm wrapped around Liara as support. "Haven't been here since the war. This is where the Alliance kept me in lock up."

"I still can't believe they did that to you."

"They had their reasons."

"I suppose. But It's still horrible to think of you being a prisoner."

Shepard watched as the skycars soared overhead. It was amazing how much progress Earth had made in just under two years. The races of the galaxy had not only defeated the biggest threat any species had ever known but they were also able to rebuild the most wide spread devastation in history in a shockingly short amount of time. Yet another impossible feat they accomplished by working together. Uniting the races had resulted in a second renaissance. While the Citadel was under construction the council had been out of power but the races had proven they didn't need them to work together. Still a corrupt human in the new council seat would no doubt hinder the excellent inter-species cooperation the period of reconstruction had fostered.

"Who are we meeting?" Shepard asked.

Liara smiled. "Feron."

Jane groaned. "Great."

"You two really need to get over this foolish grudge."

"That's not exactly what I'd call it."

"Feron is my friend, Shepard." Liara reminded her.

"He's also in love with you." They arrived outside of the small cafe they were using as a meeting site. "Well I guess we better get this over with."

Liara shook her head. "After you my love."

Jane and Liara made their way inside and Shepard instantly spotted a slender middle-aged man wearing an expensive suit leaning against the wall across from the entrance but there was no sign of the drell. He pointed to a table and limped over to it. Jane and Liara beat him to the table and Shepard watched the balding man hobble into his seat across from them. "When Feron told me the Broker was sending Commander Shepard I thought he was full of shit." He extended his arm across the table. "Rupert Morat. It's an honor to meet you, Commander"

Jane shook the older man's hand firmly. "We were told to expect Operative Feron." Liara said harshly.

Morat smirked. "The drell couldn't make it. Something about a batarian demanded his attention. So he asked me to drop off the intel here for you and make myself scarce. But I couldn't pass up the chance to meet the savior of the galaxy."

"That's a hell of a limp you got there, Rupert. Were you in the Alliance?" Jane asked.

Morat chuckled. "Me? Nah. My knee was blown off by a crazy woman about 15 years ago. A hazard of working for the most notorious information broker in the galaxy I suppose." Morat's brown eyes shifted to Liara and the asari squirmed. "Feron didn't mention you'd be bringing your..." his eyes traveled to Liara's stomach. "Companion. All he told me was Commander Shepard was picking up the drop. The Broker doesn't usually employ pregnant asari."

"He also doesn't usually employ me, But I owe him a favor. And where I go she goes." Shepard said.

"The great Commander Shepard in debt to the Broker? Interesting."

"Why don't we worry about the matter at hand." Liara said harshly.

Morat's posture straightened. "Of course." he reached into his suit jacket and placed an OSD on the table which Jane picked up. "Everything you need to put an end to Charles Shaw's political endeavors is in that OSD. Unfortunately the Alliance isn't cutting loose anyone with Cerberus ties these days. The war took it's toll on able bodies and I guess beggars can't be choosers. Still, no way they put any ex-Cerberus on the council."

"Any advice on how to get this on the Admiral?" Jane asked.

Morat grinned. "Sure. But you might not like it."

"Oh?"

"Shaw likes his women. And I don't imagine you'll have to work to hard to get his attention, Commander. Just shake your ass his way and you can get him all to yourself."

Liara spoke up. "Any alternatives?"

Morat's icy gaze fell on the blue woman. "Not that I see. You might want to leave your companion out of this one, Commander. A pregnant asari isn't exactly gonna draw Shaw in."

Liara crossed her arms. "I'll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself." she said with disgust.

The man's eyes widened. "Wait, I know who you are! You're Matriarch Benezia's daughter. Liara wasn't it?"

Jane wished she had a gun. "This is hardly relevant." Liara said.

"It's just weird. The Broker had me tail your mom when she was working with Saren. Strange that you'd be working for the Shadow Broker yourself now. What exactly is your connection to him, Shaperd?" Morat asked.

"I think we better go, Shepard." Liara said as she rose to her feet.

"I think you're right." Jane said.

"Been a pleasure, Commander." Morat said with a sly grin. "See ya around."

"I doubt it." Shepard grabbed Liara's hand and led her out of the cafe.

Morat watched them vanish outside before he opened his omni-tool and ended the recording. "Something tells me that's going to be very useful." he said to himself.

Notes- I'm back! Sorry but I had to take a week off for the holidays. I hope you all had an amazing holiday! Thanks to ReavansMask for helping me out big time with this chapter. You should all go read their new story "The Battle for Omega" because it's awesome. So tell me what you thought of this chapter in the reviews.