AN: Hello, everyone! Welcome to the re-written version of Star-Crossed Lovers! I left the original version up in case anyone wanted it, but this one is way better, and canon-compliant. I hope you all enjoy.

This chapter switches between Athena and Lycoris's perspective multiple times, but it also has some omniscient perspective parts where the parents are talking. Hopefully it's not too confusing. Please keep in mind that this was once a stand-alone work, and that's why the flow is a bit different than the other chapters.

. . .

Chapter Eight:

When the door to Athena's bedroom slammed open, it triggered multiple reactions at once. Lycoris leapt up in surprise and flailed as she tumbled off the bed. Athena sent a singularity rocketing toward the intruder with one arm, clutching the sheets over her breasts with the other. And Benezia, the unfortunate interloper, screamed as she dangled in midair, head bumping against the ceiling.

"Athena, put me down! Lycoris, tell her..."

Athena aimed a glare at her younger sister, completely unsympathetic. Benezia had always been an annoyance, but this was one step too far. "What are you doing in here, Nezzie? Get out!"

Benezia stopped shouting and rolled her eyes. "I can't leave while you have me trapped up here, stupid."

Athena continued to seethe. Apparently, even being pinned to the ceiling wasn't enough to fix Benezia's obnoxious attitude. She turned to Lycoris, who had managed to clamber back onto the bed with shaking limbs. The sight of her lover in such a state of panic tugged at her heart. She rested her palm on Lycoris's naked thigh, re-establishing the meld that had been broken. Sinking back into Lycoris's mind was a relief even though her lover's thoughts were a terrified mess.

'The, what are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? What the fuck are we gonna—'

'It's all right, Corrie. She can't do anything while I've got her trapped. I think I'll leave her up there for a while. Maybe it will teach her to knock first.'

"Stop talking through the meld," Benezia hollered down at them. "It's creeping me out!" Reluctantly, Athena broke skin contact and withdrew from Lycoris's mind. This time, a painful emptiness started throbbing inside her skull as soon as they detached, but she gritted her teeth against it. "And if you're not going to let me go, at least tell Lycoris to take her dick out and put some damn clothes on. Gah! This is even sicker than when I catch Mom and Dad."

"Everyone need to stop shouting. Some of us are trying to sleep." All three of them turned, Benezia with some difficulty, to look at the fourth figure standing by the door. Athena let out a sigh of frustration when she saw that Diana had joined their awkward little party. She had hoped her other sister would remain asleep through the noise, but apparently, she had no such luck.

"Well, shit," Lycoris grumbled beside her. "See, this is why I didn't want to do it here. No annoying sisters. But you were all, 'No, Corrie, I need you to fuck me now. No one could possibly ever catch us in a million years—'"

"I do not sound like that!" Athena protested. She blushed furiously, trying to wrap herself in the bedsheets as Benezia made a disgusted noise from the ceiling.

"Yes you do," Lycoris and Diana said at the same time. They shared an awkward look.

Lycoris cleared her throat. "Hey, Diana. So..."

"Don't – don't even talk to me right now, Cor. I just—I can't. My sister... Fuck." Diana folded her muscular arms across her chest and straightened her shoulders, trying to look intimidating, but the misshapen imprint that her pillowcase had left on the side of one blue cheek ruined the effect she had been going for.

Benezia coughed, causing Athena to glance back up at the ceiling. "So, now that we've all said our friendly hellos, can somebody get me down from here? Come on, Di."

"You're on your own, sis. I finally fell asleep through Athena's screaming, and then you came in here and made things even louder. Fuck all of you, I'm going back to bed and pretending this was a bad dream." Still muttering under her breath and lifting her middle finger in a rude parting gesture, Diana stomped back down the hall and slammed the door to her room.

"One down, one to go," Athena said, her embarrassment giving way to anger. "Benezia, I swear, if you go to Mom and Dad about this, I'll warp you so hard you'll be walking backwards."

She was pleased to see Benezia's eyes widen with fear. "Look, it was an accident—"

"Varren-shit," Lycoris said. She was trying her best to put on a brave face, but Athena could tell she was actually terrified. Even if they hadn't melded moments ago, the nervous tremor traveling through Lycoris's body and the slight break in her voice would have given her away.

Athena put a hand on Lycoris's shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. The urge to sink inside her lover's mind returned, and her throbbing headache grew worse when she resisted. "Corrie's right. You did this on purpose, Benezia. I don't know why you're trying to ruin my life, but I don't care. Promise you'll leave us alone and that you won't tell Mom and Dad."

"Will you let me down?" Benezia asked hopefully.

Athena thought about it. Buying her sister's silence might prove worthwhile. Aria's reaction to the discovery of their relationship had been underwhelming, but she doubted her own father would feel the same, and she had no idea how their mothers would feel. "Maybe," she said after a long moment. "I'm serious about this. If Mom and Dad find out..."

"Too late."

The sound of yet another unwelcome voice made Athena's stomach lurch. Having Benezia barge in was one thing. Her parents—both of them, standing shoulder to shoulder at the door and threatening to melt her with their stares—were far, far worse. Her father looked furious, while her mother's expression was merely surprised. Beside her, Lycoris flinched and dove under the sheets, huddling into a ball. Athena froze with indecision. She wasn't sure whether to scream at everyone to get out, comfort her hiding lover, or start spilling out excuses.

'Who am I trying to fool?' she thought, sinking further beneath the covers as well until only her eyes were peeking out. 'There isn't any way out of this. We're doomed.'

"Mom, Dad, tell Athena to let me down!"

"Nezzie?" Liara stepped into the room, staring up at the ceiling with what Athena thought might actually be a hint of amusement. "How long have you been up there?" With a quick tug of biotics, her mother brought Benezia back down to the ground.

"Oof!" Benezia grunted as she tried to regain her footing and some of her dignity. "I've been trapped up there since I caught the two of them Embracing Eternity a few minutes ago. Ask Diana if you don't believe me."

"Benezia, room, now," Shepard barked, her voice tight with barely-controlled fury. Athena's heart sank. She had thought Lycoris's fears were overblown before, but faced with her father's anger, she was afraid as well. It was an extremely rare occurrence, and she had no idea how to deal with it.

Benezia frowned and started to complain. "But Dad—"

"Now!"

Biotics flaring in annoyance, Benezia flounced past their parents and out into the hallway. That left her and Lycoris alone on the bed, huddled together beneath the covers. Athena shifted closer, groping out to find Lycoris's hand. Shaking fingers laced with hers, squeezing so tight it was almost painful, but she didn't care. She squeezed back, trying to gather her courage. Lycoris wasn't going to be any use in this situation, so it was up to her to protect her lover from her parents' wrath.

As she watched them enter the room, Athena caught a glimpse of her mother stroking her father's tense arm. "This is what's going to happen," Liara stated firmly, turning the caress into a gentle massage. "You're going to call Thea, and don't you dare yell at her. She and Aria can come get Lycoris. Before they leave, all of us will sit down and talk."

Lycoris finally peeked her head out of the covers. "I—I could just go, Doctor T'Soni," she said in a shaking whisper. "My hovercar's in the garage. You don't need to call my parents."

Shepard frowned. "Oh, I think we do."

Again, Liara stepped in as the mediator. "Go call Thea, Shepard. I'll handle this."

Shepard heaved a frustrated sigh and turned toward the door. "I still have a few things I need to say to Romeo and Juliet here, so this is just putting off the inevitable."

Lycoris's already-furrowed brow knitted further in confusion. "Romeo and who?"

Athena understood the reference, although the pounding pain radiating through her head suddenly made it hard to speak. It was distracting enough that she had difficulty remaining scared of her parents' reactions. "Human literature. Star-crossed lovers. It ended badly," she summarized, wincing in discomfort. "Oh, Goddess. I—I don't feel well... Mom... My head, everything hurts..." She squirmed part way out of the covers and hunched forward, resting her elbows on her thighs and burying her face in her hands. A warm palm tried to rub the center of her back, but she could tell from the unsteady motions that Lycoris was fighting the same problem.

Immediately, her mother's calm expression shifted to one of concern. "So, Benezia wasn't exaggerating. Breaking a mating meld abruptly can be very painful if you do it incorrectly." Liara sat down on the edge of the mattress, and Athena leaned into her, forgetting her nakedness. She was emotionally and physically overwhelmed, and even though she knew she should be embarrassed, her first instinct was to seek comfort. She rested her forehead on her mother's shoulder, blinking away a few tears.

"I know it hurts, but this is nothing unusual," Liara said, dropping a kiss on top of her crest. "The headaches should go away soon. I'll get you both some water and pain relievers. Then, I want you two to get dressed and wait up here. I need to speak with your father."

"Mom?" Athena whispered, unable to stop herself from asking. "Is Dad going to be really upset?"

Liara gave her a tired smile and shook her head. "Don't worry about that. I'll speak to her."

. . .

"Well, you look absolutely thrilled to see us," Aria drawled as the front door opened to reveal Shepard's sour face. "Is this a special occasion, or have I just forgotten how grumpy you usually look?"

"Yeah, almost as thrilled as I was to see Lycoris defiling my daughter," Shepard mumbled. Still frowning, she stepped aside to let Aria and Tevos through the door. "And I'd cool it with the sarcasm, T'Loak. I'm really not in the mood today." She headed toward the kitchen, not bothering with a single glance back over her shoulders.

They ran into Liara coming down the main staircase on their way. "Were you just with the girls?" Tevos asked, giving her a worried look. "Both of them are all right?"

"Apart from matching headaches, they're fine," Liara reassured her. "I told them to get dressed and wait for us upstairs."

"What about Diana and Benezia?" Shepard asked.

"I didn't check on Diana, but I could hear music coming from behind her door. She's probably trying to catch up on the sleep she missed. Benezia is still sulking in her room. She can wait until after we've dealt with Athena and Lycoris." Liara opened the door to the kitchen and let the others pass through, reaching into one of the cabinets to pull out four wineglasses.

"Good idea," Shepard said, eyeing the glasses with approval. She headed for the liquor cabinet, letting one of her hands brush briefly against Liara's hip on the way. "I think we could all use a drink, but you go sit down. I'll handle it."

Sensing that Shepard needed some menial task to occupy her, Liara allowed her to take over and went to sit down with Aria and Tevos.

"So, what happened, exactly?" Tevos asked. "Shepard didn't say much when she called. She just told me to pass my Omnitool to Aria, and then there was a lot of swearing. So far, all I've managed to figure out is that you caught Lycoris and Athena in a compromising position."

"That's a polite way of putting it," Shepard grunted. "Neither of you had any idea that this was going on?"

"I suspected Lycoris was seeing someone," Tevos said, "but I had no idea it was Athena."

Aria gave a telling clear of her throat, and all three of them turned to look at her. "I knew," she admitted casually, as though she wasn't at all afraid of their reactions. "I caught them in bed together at our place a few weeks ago."

Shepard stopped rummaging around in the cabinet and turned around. "You what?" she snapped, nearly shattering one of the bottles with the white-knuckled tension in her grip. "Explain."

"What is there to explain? They're sexually mature maidens, Shepard. Experimenting is normal for our people at their age."

That didn't help. Shepard's eyes narrowed further, and her shoulders bunched. "And you didn't think this was information we needed to know?"

Aria leaned further back in her chair, still the picture of calm. "No. I didn't. Lycoris and Athena are old enough to have private lives of their own."

"Wine, honey mead, or shots?" Liara asked, standing up to take the bottle from Shepard's hand before she could break it.

"Shots," Aria and Tevos said in unison.

"Don't even bother getting out shotglasses, these are fine," Aria added with a nod at the wineglasses on the counter.

A minute later, all four of them were drinking shots out of inappropriate glasses with the open bottle in the center of the table. "Goddess, I needed that," Tevos said after a long swallow. "I knew this day would come, but I didn't expect it to happen quite like this. What do the rest of you think we should do?"

"Nothing," Aria said from above the rim of her own glass. She returned Shepard's glare with a slow blink to show that she would not be intimidated. "They're adults. We're shipping them both off to Thessia for University in a couple of months. I'm not going to start dictating Lycoris's behavior now."

Shepard folded her arms over her chest. "Fine. Do what you want with your kid, but I'm locking Athena in her room until it's time for graduate school."

A smug grin played across Aria's lips. "You go ahead and try that, Shepard." She paused to take a healthy swig from her glass. "I'll be over here, laughing at you while you do."

Tevos poured herself another refill. "Is Shepard usually so uncomfortable with all this?" she asked, directing the question at Liara.

"Unfortunately, yes. I had to do almost all of the sex talks," Liara sighed, a little resentfully. "I don't know whether it's a human thing, or just her own hang-ups, but..." She gestured helplessly with her hands before returning her attention to Shepard. "You need to respect Athena's choices. She isn't a child anymore, and threatening to lock her up, even as a joke, isn't helpful at all."

"Who's joking?" Shepard muttered under her breath.

"I think I know why you're upset, Shepard," Aria said. "You're just upset because you found out that your oldest daughter is a pillow-biting bottom."

Shepard's jaw dropped in shock. Liara snorted behind her hand, able to see the humor in the situation. Tevos pinched the side of Aria's arm through her jacket. Hard. "Aria! That was completely—"

"True," Liara admitted. "I used to monitor her extranet usage, for safety's sake."

Aria's smirk grew wider. "Guess she takes after Mom, huh? Oh well, your middle kid looks like she's growing up to be a fine fashion-forward top. No idea where she picked that up from, considering what you wear, Shepard."

"You know, some people have perfectly nice sex without the power dynamics or labels," Shepard said hopefully. "In fact, some people are late bloomers, or aren't interested in sex at all. So, you know, that's also a possibility for Diana..." She looked at Liara, who slowly shook her head no. "Well, fuck. Since you're the expert on our daughters' sexual preferences, Doctor, what on earth has our youngest been looking at? Just please tell me it's not something horrible."

"I honestly have no idea about Benezia," Liara said. "Athena must have taught her how to clear her extranet history with that scrub program Tali designed."

Tevos and Aria turned to look at each other, communicating wordlessly. "Pillow queen?" Aria finally suggested.

"Pillow queen," Tevos agreed. "A bossy one."

Aria laughed. "Good work, Shepard. You've fathered a kinky bottom, a surprisingly well-dressed top, and a spoiled prima donna. Way to go for variety there."

"I'm not listening!" Shepard shouted, shoving her fingers in her ears. "La la la..."

"I agree that this is more information about our daughters' sex lives than we needed to know, but at least we can have a calm, rational conversation about safety with all of them." Liara made sure to stress the words 'calm, rational conversation' so that Shepard could hear them over all the noise she was making.

Aria waved her hand dismissively. "Athena will be fine. I've gone over the ropes with Lycoris. Literally."

That was enough to cause Shepard to stop chanting. "Wait, what?"

"Do you want to see your girl walking around with unintentional ligature marks?" Shepard was too stunned to offer a response. "I didn't think so."

"I'm shocked Corrie listened to a word you said," Tevos said skeptically. "She's at the age where everything her parents say is suspect."

Aria shrugged. "Well, I had to say something, even if I was mostly talking at her instead of with her. She forgot that her credit chit is still linked with our bank account. I can view a copy of her statements on the extranet."

Tevos frowned, looking disappointed. "Wait, that's what those charges were for? I thought you went birthday shopping a little early."

Aria gave her a predatory grin, showing off even white teeth. "Unlike our daughter, I know how to hide my purchases."

"Now isn't the time for flirting, you two," Shepard grumped. "We need to agree on what we're going to say to Athena and Lycoris."

"We can't shame them about this too much. I don't want Athena feeling guilty just because someone," Liara paused to kick Shepard under the table, "refuses to recognize that she's grown up."

"Not yet," Shepard protested. "She's not grown up yet..."

"Grown up enough to experience her first mating meld, and who knows how long this has been going on."

"So you actually caught them joining, not just fooling around?" Aria asked. "In that case, the first order of business is to make sure neither of them is pregnant."

Shepard looked ill at that, and Liara gripped gently beneath her elbow to steady her. "I'm sure Athena and Lycoris were responsible..."

"They'd better be," Aria said, looking upset for the first time so far that night. "Tevos and I gave Lycoris the damn pills ourselves. If she hasn't been using them, you won't have to kill her, Shepard, because I will."

"She has been," Tevos added. "At least some of the time, anyway. That's how I knew she was seeing someone. Aside from taking an unusual amount of medigel, she's been going through the hormone blockers we keep for her in the kitchen cupboard. I noticed her rummaging around in there and checked."

Liara let out an audible sigh of relief. "I'm glad Lycoris had some with her. I had no idea Athena was sexually active, and I don't keep any around the house." She scrunched up her face, reliving an unpleasant memory. "I always hated them."

"Don't you dare tell Athena that," Shepard said. "We can't give them any excuses to slip up."

"What should we tell them, then?" Tevos asked.

"Take precautions against DNA mapping, don't mix sex with drugs–" Liara shot Aria a glance, as if waiting for her to interrupt, but she only responded with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey, just because I've done certain things doesn't mean I want my kid doing them too. She's supposed to be better than me. Besides, I only sell drugs these days, I don't actually use them. I'm on board with the 'don't Meld while high as balls' rule."

"High as... what?" Tevos did a double take, and then cleared her throat. "Where did you hear that phrase, I wonder?" She and Liara both glared at Shepard.

The Commander rubbed the back of her neck, chastened for the first time that afternoon. "How about we just tell them to knock it off and call it a day?" she suggested hopefully

"Absolutely not," Liara said. "I suppose we should say something about sexually transmitted infections..."

All the blood left Shepard's face, leaving her even paler than usual beneath her freckles. "Oh God, I don't even want to think about that."

"And maybe some general bondage safety guidelines, considering what Lycoris bought on the extranet," Aria added.

Shepard clutched Liara's arm with one hand and the edge of the table with the other, sagging forward as though she was going to topple over. Liara passed her glass over. "Here, have another drink. You look like you need it more than I do."

Shepard downed the alcohol without comment.

Tevos ignored the dramatic response and continued brainstorming. "We should add something about making sure you're alone and unlikely to be interrupted before Melding."

Liara blushed. "That's a little hypocritical for the four of us to say considering some of the risky things we've done, isn't it? Besides, after having Benezia barge in on them, I'm sure they'll keep their extracurricular activities far, far away from other people for a long time."

"That's another mess we have to clean up," Shepard groaned. "What the hell are we going to tell Nezzie about all this?"

"That it's rude to interrupt, and she should mind her own business. I suppose she's due for another safety lecture as well."

"And Diana?"

"Poor Diana has been through enough. We'll leave her alone to recover."

Once Shepard had gotten a little of her color back, Tevos stood up from the table. "So, should we divide and conquer, or present a united front?"

"Divide and conquer," Liara suggested, standing up as well. "I don't trust Shepard around Lycoris right now. Sorry, love," she added as Shepard gave her a sour look. "You can have the bedroom, and we'll bring Athena down here."

"I'm all for that," Shepard said. "I'm not exactly excited about returning to the scene of the crime."

"A little weird, though, isn't it?" Aria pointed out. "Having a sex talk with my kid in her girlfriend's bedroom... At least, I'm assuming Athena's her girlfriend. Maybe they're just friends with benefits."

"No, no, no, I don't need that in my brain while I'm trying to have a rational conversation," Shepard insisted. "You take the bedroom. Go."

"I don't care where this happens," Tevos said, "but it needs to happen sooner rather than later. Who knows what they've been doing up there while we've been talking down here?"

Shepard immediately bolted for the kitchen door. "Come on, hurry! Just leave the glasses, they'll be fine..."

. . .

"You know, we could just leave," Lycoris suggested. She stopped her nervous pacing, bracing her hands on the windowsill and gazing down at the strip below with a longing expression. If she stayed at the T'Soni-Shepard apartment until her parents arrived, she doubted she would survive the afternoon. Commander Shepard's expression from a few minutes before could only be described as furious, and her desire to protect Athena was all that kept her from attempting escape. 'Still, if I could get her to run away with me...'

"My hovercar's outside. We could climb out of the window, drive away..."

"And then what?" Athena asked, sitting up in the middle of the bed. "Where would we go? We'd have to come back home sooner or later."

"Anywhere is better than here," Lycoris muttered, although a small part of her was thrilled. Her heart fluttered at the thought that Athena had even considered the idea of running away with her, no matter how stupid and far-fetched the suggestion was. "I've seen the vid footage of your dad on Rannoch, and I don't want to stick around long enough for her take me out."

"I'm fairly certain my Dad isn't going to kill you," Athena said, managing to sound only a little skeptical. "Besides, Mom promised to try and calm her down."

"Thanks," Lycoris mumbled, sagging forward to rest her forehead against the cool glass of the window. "That's really reassuring."

The sound of bedsprings and rustling covers came from behind her, and Lycoris relaxed just a little when she felt Athena's hand stroke her arm. It was a gesture clearly meant to offer comfort, and it loosened some of the tension in her shoulders. "Everything will be fine, Corrie. I promise. The next few minutes are just going to be awkward."

"That's a massive fucking understatement." She turned around, reaching out to cup Athena's cheek. It was warm to the touch, and she ran her thumb over the soft purple blush at its point. "I don't think your Dad would kill me in front of my parents, at least," she said, forcing herself to believe her own words. "She can be mad at me all she wants. I'll take all the blame, but I won't let her stay angry at you, The."

"You'd better be careful, Corrie. Coming to the defense of my honor and staying to protect me? A girl might start to get ideas."

Athena's words sent a jolt straight through her heart. She dipped down, dropping a kiss beside her neckfolds and nuzzling the soft, rippled skin there. Athena sighed and tilted her head, offering more access to her neck.

The sound of a throat clearing from the doorway made Lycoris jump back and flatten herself against the window. Commander Shepard stood in the doorway again, looking much the same as she had the first time. A deep frown was carved into her face, and her arms were crossed tight over her chest.

"Dad!" Athena stammered in surprise. "We weren't... I was just..."

"Give them some credit, Shepard." Lycoris breathed out a small sigh of relief when her father nudged Shepard out of the way. She and Aria sometimes had their differences, but she was grateful to have at least one person on her side. She knew her Dad wouldn't be mad at her for melding with Athena, and more importantly, her presence meant that Commander Shepard would be less likely to commit murder. "They're not stupid enough to try anything when they knew the four of us were coming upstairs."

"It sure looked like your daughter was trying something," Shepard complained, but she stepped aside so that Liara and Tevos could follow them into the room. Lycoris studied her mother's face, trying to gauge her reaction, but she didn't see any signs of disapproval there. All she could pick up on was mild concern. Tevos gave her a soft smile, and a little more of her nervousness faded. It seemed as though both of her parents were prepared to support her.

"We're not angry with either of you," Liara started to say.

"Speak for yourself," Shepard muttered.

"Shepard! As I was saying, we're not angry, and we only want to talk about a few things to make sure the two of you are being safe." Lycoris caught Athena giving her a withering look. Obviously, this was their punishment for getting caught. "Athena, please follow us to the kitchen for a few minutes. Lycoris, Tevos, and Aria will join us afterward."

Lycoris slumped her shoulders, unhappy with the arrangement. She didn't feel comfortable leaving Athena alone, even though Liara's response had been more than kind and Shepard seemed more grumpy than homicidal. She couldn't resist stealing a worried, longing glance at Athena's retreating form as her lover joined her parents in the doorway. "Hey, Casanova, eyes up," Shepard barked, and Lycoris felt the bizarre urge to stand at attention.

"Wait, who?" she asked.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Liara said, hurrying Shepard back through the door with a gentle push. Lycoris remained trapped by the force of the Commander's stare for several more seconds, and she swallowed nervously. Even without being told, it was clear to her that Shepard expected them to have words later.

As soon as Athena, Shepard, and Liara had left the room and closed the door, her father flipped aside the rumpled covers. Lycoris groaned in embarrassment, hiding her face in her hands. Although she and Athena had done their best to clean up while getting dressed, the sheets were still something of a mess, and her cock—which Athena had thankfully taken a moment to clean in the en suite bathroom—was lying out in full view.

"Not a bad choice, kid," Aria said. Her face remained blank, without a single twitch. "A little pricey, but you can't afford to be stingy about your sex toys. This was a bad choice, though." She used her biotics to lift the small, clear bottle of complimentary lube that had come in the Pandora's Toybox bag and sent it flying towards the center of Lycoris's chest. She caught it with a horrified look, completely lost for words. "You want something water-based for this material. Don't cheap out next time and buy something decent."

"Aria," Tevos said, and Lycoris peeked up in time to see her mother shoot her father a warning look. "I know you don't want to have this conversation, but stop trying to sabotage it. We have more important things to talk about."

"What, do you want all those credits to go to waste?" Aria's forehead tattoo scrunched, but when Tevos didn't waver, she gave in. "Okay, babe. You're right." Lycoris stood tall as her father turned back toward her, trying not to look as terrified as she felt. "Look, kid. You're a pureblood. Your Mom and I made damn sure you knew what you might be in for during sex decades ago. Just please tell me you're not pregnant, and neither is she. The last thing I need is a shared grandkid with Shepard right now... What? I'm not going to lie!" she added when Tevos clicked her tongue in reprimand.

Lycoris dipped her chin, rubbing awkwardly at her upper arm. "We're not," she mumbled. "Don't you trust me?"

"Trust has nothing to do with it. I've been with purebloods before. Even your Mom's gone baby crazy on me a couple of times, and her Dad was a turian. Melding that deep might seem appealing right now, but don't let it fuck with your head. Not everyone can be the model of self-control like Liara, and even she ended up with three kids."

"Well, Benezia's annoying enough to have been an accident, that's for fucking sure," Lycoris muttered under her breath.

Tevos gave her a sympathetic look. "I know you're an adult now, Corrie, but you're still so very young. Please listen to us. It's true that your maiden years are a time for excitement and healthy sexual exploration, but you have to be responsible about it."

Heat crawled across Lycoris's cheeks, and she couldn't meet her mother's eyes. Remembering her near-miss with Athena, a mistake that had almost taken place despite her pills, only made her embarrassment worse. "Goddess, I already told you, I'm not pregnant and I didn't knock her up!" she said, a bit more frantically than she had intended. "I take my pills when I feel like I can't handle it. I don't like it, but I'm not stupid."

"You need to take them every time, not just when you feel like you can't handle it," Tevos insisted. "It takes a lot of practice to know how far to push without crossing the line."

"Do you take them every time?" Lycoris asked before she could think better of it.

Tevos nodded her head. "I took hormone blockers regularly with my first girlfriend. Your father and I don't use them now. Maybe you won't have to either after a couple decades of practice, but for now, you should keep taking them."

Lycoris was quiet for almost an entire minute, considering everything her parents had said. "Did the two of you decide to have me on purpose?"

"You were planned," Aria hedged. "Sort of."

"Sort of?" she repeated.

"The two of us did plan for you, kid. The planning stage was just short." Aria paused, facing away and staring at the far wall. "Your sister was an accident."

Lycoris held her breath. She had grown up knowing about her deceased sister, who had been murdered several years before she was even born, but hearing her name was a rare thing. Aria had shown her holos a couple of times, and shared a few stories in her more nostalgic moods, but it wasn't a subject she visited often. "I don't regret having Liselle. I loved her more than anything, just like you and your Mom. But I was completely unprepared for a child at that point in my life. Trust me, you don't want to be thinking about kids for another couple centuries at least."

"I'll take my pills," Lycoris whispered, unsure what else to say. She was relieved when her mother reached out to squeeze her father's shoulder. She didn't know how to offer her Dad comfort, but she was glad someone did.

"That's good to hear, Corrie," Tevos said after a few moments of silence. "Do you mind if I ask whether Athena is the only partner you've had so far?"

"No!" she answered a little too quickly, glancing from side to side. Then she remembered that it was her parents she was talking to, and her usual bravado wasn't necessary. "... Okay, yes. Just her."

Aria breathed out a sigh of relief and broke her stare with the wall. "Thank the Goddess. I don't want Shepard coming after you for giving her daughter some kind of horrible disease." Lycoris made an offended face, but her father ignored it. "It's a joke, kid. Athena's a good choice. Just try not to aggravate Shepard for a while, okay? I'm the one who will have to deal with her when you do."

"I would be more afraid of Liara, to be honest," Tevos added, and something about the statement made Lycoris suspect that Doctor T'Soni had hidden depths.

"Yeah. You really don't want to piss off your girlfriend's parents, kid. If you do, you're on your own." Aria gave her a light biotic tug in the direction of the door. "Head downstairs to the kitchen. Shepard and Liara have to be finished with their boring lecture by now."

Unsure whether she was reluctant to face Shepard and Liara again or relieved to be going after Athena, Lycoris walked between her parents and out into the hallway. She stared back over her shoulder when they didn't follow.

"Don't worry," Tevos said, remaining in place. "We'll be right behind you. Just give us a moment."

"If you start making out in here, I'll let Benezia out of her room so she can interrupt you," Lycoris said, trying to ease some of the tension. She didn't like the secretive glances her parents were sharing with each other.

"I guess some annoying behaviors are inherited," Aria said. "Now, get moving."

Once she was through the door, Lycoris didn't head for the stairs. Instead, she rested her back against the wall outside the bedroom, breathing shallowly and listening close. A beat later, her parents started talking again, unaware of her presence.

"You're thinking about Liselle, aren't you?" she heard her mother's voice say.

"I never had this conversation with her, Thea," Aria whispered back. "I taught her a lot of things. How to pilot a shuttle, how to shoot a pistol, the easiest way to kill someone with biotics... Never to trust anyone. Maybe if I'd taken a couple of minutes to talk with her about choosing a decent partner, even just for casual sex, she wouldn't be dead." She paused, and Lycoris didn't need to peek inside the room to picture the subtle strain on her father's face. Aria wasn't emotional often, but talking about Liselle was one of the very few things that could bring on a visible expression of pain. "Our kid did all right this time, babe. I'm proud of her."

"It does seem rather fitting," Tevos said. "I can't think of a better surname for our grandchildren than T'Soni... in a couple more centuries, of course."

Lycoris flushed, but she didn't have time to be embarrassed over the comment. An audible smack and a soft hitch of breath told her that her father was headed toward the door, and had probably stolen a quick grope of her mother's ass on the way. She sprinted down the stairs as quietly as she could, hoping to get enough of a head start for a proper alibi.

. . .

"So."

"So...?" Athena shifted awkwardly as her parents stared at her from across the table. Her face burned with embarrassment, but she wasn't willing to break eye contact. That would be giving in, and she couldn't back down in front of them now. Not when there was so much at stake. Melding so deeply with Lycoris had solidified a lot of her confused feelings. She wasn't willing to let anyone challenge their relationship, undefined as it was.

"So," her mother said, trying to move along the floundering attempt at conversation. "Here we are. I suppose we knew this conversation was coming sooner or later."

"You make it sound like a big, traumatic event," Athena mumbled.

"It doesn't have to be." She noticed her mother aiming a reassuring look at her father, who still seemed doubtful. Shepard's brow was furrowed, and one of her legs bounced in agitation, shaking the whole table. "We care about you and want to make sure you're being responsible."

'Sometimes I wish you cared just a little bit less,' Athena thought, but she didn't say so out loud. Instead, she stared longingly at the abandoned, half-empty bottle within arm's reach. Alcohol would make her situation more tolerable, but even though she was of legal age, she knew that asking at this particular moment wouldn't be appropriate.

"Okay," Shepard said gruffly. The bouncing intensified. "These are the new rules. If I ever catch you and Lover Girl again, I'm throwing her out the window and locking you in your room until you've earned your first Doctorate. Got it?"

Athena started to protest, but she didn't have to. Her mother immediately came to her defense. "Shepard!"

"Come on, Liara. Do you really want Aria to be our first granddaughter's other grandparent?"

"It's not your decision," Liara said icily. Athena was somewhat relieved to see her father's shoulders slump in response. "Besides, Aria and Tevos told us that they provided Lycoris with hormone blockers. Athena, has at least one of you been using them?"

Athena sighed. As distasteful as the subject was, she could at least offer that honest reassurance. "Yes, mom."

Her annoyance must have shown on her face, because Liara jumped in again. "I know some asari dislike them, myself included. But until you're much more experienced or willing to accept the responsibilities of parenthood, one of you needs to keep taking them."

Athena's irritation changed to surprise. She hadn't expected her mother to speak so candidly about her own experiences. "You don't like them either?"

"I hate them," Liara said.

Shepard stopped brooding, and her eyebrows raised in alarm. "Don't tell her that now!"

Liara ignored her. "So while I sympathize," she continued, "you shouldn't use that as an excuse."

Athena remained silence, digesting the new information. Despite becoming a parent so young, her mother was usually the picture of responsibility. It was strange to hear her admit that she hadn't always been perfect. "So, you didn't use them when you were my age?" she asked.

"I hadn't experienced the mating meld yet at your age. But when I met your father, I only used hormone blockers intermittently. I suppose the threat of death looming over our heads made me extra careful, but looking back, I was showing very poor judgment. Even when you're experienced, mistakes are easy to make."

Something about the tone of her mother's voice made Athena suspicious. "Mom, was I...?"

"No," Liara said in a rush, anticipating her question. "We were eager to start our family after the war."

However, her father's face had an equally guilty look. Athena's eyes narrowed. "Benezia?" she asked.

"We were thrilled to have her," Shepard said, "but she wasn't exactly... uh... planned."

Athena's face split in a malicious grin. 'At last, sweet revenge. The next time I see her, I'm going to milk this discovery for all it's worth.' "Oh? That's really interesting, Dad."

"Your sister was a welcome surprise," her mother said, trying to gloss over the awkward admission. "We already had two daughters, but we were in a comfortable enough position to take care of a third. You're still in school, and you're far too young to carry a child safely. In fact, your Aunt Karin had to monitor me closely while I was pregnant with you."

Athena was only half-listening to her mother's explanation. Instead, she studied her father. Most of the anger had faded, but the worry that had replaced it was almost worse. It made her stomach churn, and she looked away, staring down at her hands as they rested on top of the table. "Dad," she said, softer than she had meant to speak. "You're not mad at me... are you?"

Shepard sighed and ran a hand through her hair. It was a familiar gesture, one she made when she was thinking deeply. She was obviously judging her words before she spoke. Eventually, she seemed to give up and sag her shoulders, looking across the table with such a naked expression that Athena felt her stomach lurch. There were so many emotions displayed on her father's face that she couldn't even begin to sort through them.

"I'm not mad. I just—I want you to understand..." Her father paused, reaching out to grip her mother's hand. Liara looked surprised, but she didn't object, running her thumb affectionately over Shepard's knuckles. "You've always been smart, Athena. Just like your mother. But I've been around a while, especially by human standards. There are some things I want to make sure you know, even though it's uncomfortable for me to talk about them."

"Dad..."

"Just hear me out for a minute. Then I promise you can skulk away and try to forget how awkward this conversation was. There are all kinds of people in the world, and lots of them have sex for different reasons. But when you have sex, you should know what your reasons are. The first time I had sex, I did it because I was curious. Then, I did it because it felt good. Those are valid reasons, and there's nothing wrong with them, but they're not the best reasons."

"Shepard," Liara murmured, but her voice trailed off when Shepard glanced at her. Athena saw a moment of silent reassurance pass between them before her father turned back to her.

"The best reason to have sex is because you're in love. You care about the other person, and you want to show them. And they should respect you and care about you, too." She paused to smile at Liara. "Your Mom taught me that. Not only does it make the physical side of things better, it makes your life better. It makes you better."

Athena shifted a little in her chair. As awkward as her father's speech was, it was almost reassuring to see the bond of love between her parents. It made her more confident that she could find the same thing for herself. Lycoris's face flashed into her mind, and she couldn't help smiling.

"I hope you keep using those hormone blockers with Lycoris," her father continued. "I hope you've told her and shown her what you like so you can enjoy yourselves as much as possible. I hope you've asked her about her limits, and I hope she's asked you about yours, too." The silent, 'And if she didn't, I'll kick her ass,' was implied. "But most of all, I hope you find out what it's like to love someone, whether Lycoris is it for you, or whether you go on to meet somebody else in the future. Loving your mother and being loved by her has changed my life, and me, more than I can express in this horrible speech. And thank God that's over, Liara, because I think I might pass out..."

As Shepard slumped back in her chair, Liara leaned over to kiss her temple. Athena couldn't hear all the words her mother whispered in her father's ear, but she could read some of them in the movement of her lips. "I am so proud of you, love."

For the third time that day, the sound of a throat clearing in the doorway startled her. Athena whipped around to see Aria leaning casually against the wall. Her arms were folded over her chest, and for once, her smile wasn't dripping with sarcasm. "Nice speech, Shepard. You were listening to the end of that, right, kid?" She nudged Lycoris, who was half hiding behind her, and Athena's smile became a broad grin. Even though she had known Corrie would be all right, it was still a relief to see her.

"Yeah," Lycoris said, cheeks tinged with a blush beneath her tattoos. "I heard, Dad."

"I've got one more thing for both of you," Tevos said, stepping past them into the kitchen and activating her Omnitool. "I'm loaning you a book from my library, Corrie. Both of you should read it."

"Which one?" Liara asked.

"The Considerate Top: The World of Sexual Dominance and Submission. Why?"

"Oh, good. That one has a bondage safety chapter."

Athena shared a horrified look with Lycoris. She had known about Aria and Tevos's odd preferences, of course, and the proof that her parents were sexually adventurous was unavoidable, but hearing confirmation was an entirely different thing. Part of her still preferred to imagine that her parents never had sex at all despite the large amount of evidence to the contrary.

"Oh, come on. You two don't have to look at us like you've just downed a bottle of ryncol without cutting it," Aria said, unable to hide her amusement. "Besides, did you actually think I wouldn't find out about your little playdates in my dungeon? I wasn't born yesterday, and your clean-up left something to be desired. If you're going to sneak things that aren't yours, the least you could do is put them back exactly where you found them so you don't get caught."

Athena avoided everyone's eyes after she caught a glimpse of her father's nauseated expression. "I'm so sorry, Matriarch T'Loak. We only went in there once-"

"Twice," Aria corrected.

"Twice," Athena admitted. "We... we won't do it again. Promise."

"I should probably clarify that your father and I don't often use the dungeon either, Lycoris," Tevos added. "It's mostly a showroom."

Lycoris gave a visible shudder. "I don't want to know, Mom. Really."

Shepard hesitantly raised one hand. "I vote we all end the conversation here and agree to never, ever speak of it again."

"Good plan," said Liara, getting up from the table and heading over to the liquor cabinet. "I think all of us could use another bottle. Wine this time?"

"Actually, I could use some ryncol," Lycoris muttered.

Tevos clicked her tongue in rebuke. "I don't think so. The only thing you're going to do right now is fly home."

"By myself?" Lycoris asked, obviously reluctant. Athena felt a wave of warmth pass over her as Lycoris aimed a concerned look in her direction.

"Yes, by yourself. You need to take your Skycar back, anyway."

Lycoris looked as though she might object until Liara made a suggestion. "Athena can walk you out. And Lycoris, you've always been welcome here. That hasn't changed."

Athena gave her mother a grateful smile. In the end, things had gone better than she could have hoped. Her father's mild panic aside, both of her parents seemed prepared to accept Lycoris as her lover and treat her with the same respect as always. "Thank you," she mouthed at them as Lycoris took her hand and started dragging her out of the room. She didn't object to the slightly rough treatment. After such an awkward, exhausting conversation, she was eager to escape as well.

. . .

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Athena asked, letting their linked hands swing gently between their bodies as they walked. "My Dad didn't kill you, at least."

Lycoris sighed as they reached the front door, turning so that she could hold both of Athena's hands in hers. "No. Well, it was bad, but it could have been worse. You were right. We should have told them sooner. Maybe then they wouldn't have barged in on us like that."

"Could you repeat that please?" Athena teased, leaning forward and bringing their faces close.

"Yeah, yeah," she huffed, not really all that upset. "I said you were right. It's not a big deal." She was rewarded for her admission when Athena's soft, warm mouth caught hers in a kiss. She expected it to be a quick peck, and a small sound of surprise escaped when she felt a warm tongue press against her lips. That didn't mean she objected, however, and she allowed Athena to explore for a few moments until she remembered what had happened the last time they were in this position.

Athena laughed at her when she pulled away and glanced nervously over her shoulder. "My parents are going away in a few days, you know. Mom's headed for Serrice next week, and Dad needs to drop by Vancouver for some meetings."

"Oh?" Lycoris said, trying to sound seductive, although the second fearful look she cast behind her to ruined the effect. "So, you'll have this big mansion all to yourself? Wait..." She groaned and closed her eyes, tipping her head back in exasperation. "Why the hell didn't we just wait to try out my new cock then? We wouldn't have gotten caught!"

"You're looking at this the wrong way," Athena said, not sounding at all repentant. "We''ll have this big mansion all to ourselves."

"You and both your sisters," Lycoris pointed out. "I still think we should stick to my place. "

"My bed has a better headboard."

Lycoris sighed. She couldn't stay mad when Athena was smiling so sweetly at her. Her nervous frown turned into a smirk, and she used her biotics to tug Athena into her arms. "Babe, you know I don't need a headboard to tie you up." Athena practically melted against her, and Lycoris laughed. "Wow. You are so easy."

"Only for you..." The plaintive tone in Athena's voice was obvious, but Lycoris reluctantly let her go. She hadn't quite forgotten the warning look Commander Shepard had sent her as the two of them darted from the kitchen.

"What, you didn't get enough earlier?" she asked, pretending to sound exasperated. "The sex was so good that the two of us almost got carried away. Don't tell me you're still not satisfied?"

"Exactly! Melding with you was so good that I want to do it again, and again, and again..." Lycoris's resolve wavered when Athena pressed back against her, pulling close and tucking into her shoulder. The tease of her lover's breath was difficult enough to resist, but when Athena grazed a patch of open skin with her teeth and latched on, Lycoris felt her knees threaten to give.

Just as her legs started to buckle, she became aware of being watched. She purposely kept her muscles loose and relaxed instead of tensing them with surprise. Only the threat of certain death – and death was certain if she took Athena back to her place after today's fiasco – was enough motivation for her to untangle herself from her lover's arms. "In a few days, I promise. Call me tomorrow?" she said in a low voice, hoping whoever was watching her couldn't hear.

"Oh, I'll call you." Before Lycoris could stop her, Athena leaned forward and kissed her again, draping both arms around her neck. When she pulled away, Lycoris half expected to see the red dot of a sniper rifle trained on her forehead. "But you won't like it," Athena whispered into her lips. "Or maybe you'll like it too much. We'll see." With one last longing look, Athena pulled out of her arms and headed up the stairs, adding a deliberate sway to her hips. Even though she knew they weren't alone, Lycoris couldn't resist stealing a few glances before she disappeared.

"Smart move. If you had gotten any handsier with her, I would have had to kick you out the door. Literally."

Lycoris stood up a bit straighter as Shepard stepped into the entryway from one of the adjoining halls. She rubbed nervously at the back of her neck, avoiding the Commander's eyes. "I wasn't – I mean, she was... Oh, never mind."

Shepard sighed. "Sometimes, I wish Athena was a little less like her mother," she said to herself, shaking her head. When Lycoris gave her a confused, nervous look, Shepard refocused her attention and crossed her arms over her chest. Suddenly, Lycoris realized where Diana had gotten her body type, and where Athena had gotten her eyes. "Anyway. You. If I find out you broke her heart, I won't hesitate to break your face."

The two of them stared at each other for several long, drawn-out seconds.

"I love her, if that makes a difference," Lycoris blurted out in a rush. She hadn't expected this to be the way she said the words, but as they tumbled out, she couldn't help but feel good about them. Even though she still wasn't sure of Athena's feelings for her, she couldn't deny her own anymore. She wasn't ready to tell Athena, but part of her wanted someone else to know, even if that someone was her would-be girlfriend's father. Their relationship had stopped being only about sex after their first time, or perhaps it had never been just about sex at all. She remembered the images that had flashed through their joined consciousnesses, the tender emotions she had felt, and how protective Athena had been of her afterward, even in front of their parents. Surely she had to feel something, too...

Shepard's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare tell my daughter you love her unless you damn well mean it."

"I mean it," Lycoris said. This time, her voice didn't shake.

Shepard didn't smile, but she stopped frowning as well. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I am."

With a sigh of resignation, Shepard turned away. "Just remember that a lot of people with guns love her, too. And all of them know how to make bodies disappear."

Lycoris swallowed around the nervous lump in her throat. "Understood, Commander."

"Good." Obviously feeling that her message had been imparted, Shepard turned and headed back down the hallway, leaving her to stand by the door just long enough to make it look like she wasn't running away.

. . .

"So, how did the threatening go?" Aria asked as Shepard came back into the kitchen. She stared down into her glass, spinning the dark red liquid and watching how it clung to the sides.

"Well, I caught them necking, but aside from that, it went pretty well."

"I suppose Lycoris is persistent," Liara said neutrally, leaving her hands folded in her lap.

Shepard pulled a face. "Well, it was actually Athena who was... you know what? Forget it. In fact, let's forget this entire day."

"It wasn't that terrible," Tevos protested.

"Speak for yourself."

Liara's eyes darted between them. "You and Aria are more than welcome to stay the night, Thea. Platonically," she added, taking note of Shepard's flat expression.

Aria didn't seem disappointed. "Finding out our kids are fucking is a huge libido killer anyway. For once, I'd rather watch an old vid and play some kind of drinking game."

"We could watch Vaenia?" Tevos suggested. "It's old, but a classic."

"What would the drinking game be?" Liara asked.

"Drink once for every xenophobic stereotype or comment, twice for every 'Embrace Eternity', three times whenever one of the leads claims 'our relationship is over', four times for every threesome."

Aria and Shepard objected at the same time. "We'll die of alcohol poisoning," overlapped with, "God, please, nothing with sex in it. Not after this afternoon."

Liara put forth a new proposal. "One of the old Blasto movies? The one with the elcor, The Jellyfish Stings? That came out during the war. It's definitely old."

"That one has a sex scene, too," Tevos pointed out.

Shepard shrugged. "Yeah, but it's between an elcor and a hanar. That's bizarre enough for me to handle."

A grin spread across Aria's face. "You know, after several centuries of living and a wide variety of partners, I've still never been with an elcor."

"That's probably a good thing," Shepard hastened to reassure her.

"A very good thing," Liara agreed. "What's the drinking game? Thea?"

Tevos thought about it for a moment. "One drink every time Blasto violates regulations, two drinks every time his partner says the phrase 'by the book', three every time something is set on fire, four every time he calls the female elcor some kind of awkward pet name."

Shepard reached for the half-empty bottle in the middle of the table. "All right, let's get started. I've got some memories I need to erase."