A/N: This story takes place 5 years after the destruction of the Reapers. This is assuming the Destroy ending and that Shepard lives and the Normandy finds its way back to Earth. The Mass Effect Relays were damaged, but could be repaired. This also follows after the events of 'Exodus of Omega' and you will see a return of some of the characters and pairings from that story.

A special thanks to Tayg for reading through my rough draft & listening to my crazy ideas and to Bebus and Theodur for their continued support & encouragement!

Thank you for reading and I really appreciate any constructive reviews or PMs!

Chapter 1: The Return

It had been eons since the remaining creatures were disturbed, let alone challenged. They had become use to the quite, dormant state of watching the galaxy unfold before them. Catching only glimpses of the outside world from fragments scattered across the galaxy. Biding their time when they could come out of hiding and take back the seat of power that they had once held. Over time, their numbers had dwindled and they had been hunted and harvested by what they had once created.

Their reality was now total darkness, freezing cold, complete silence, and it was what they had known for thousands and thousands of years. Hidden away, deep in the oceans of a forgotten world, they sat dormant and became the watchers of what seemed like time itself. Forced into seclusion by the very machines they had created, hidden from the threat of extinction by a compulsory harvest to consolidate advanced species into one, they had watched this cycle repeat for countless eons. Even though they were extremely powerful, their only defense against the devastation was seclusion.

The darkness cannot be breached…

Reaching out with their minds, they focused on the orbs that they had sent throughout the galaxy. Many worlds had unknowingly received the mysterious spheres that could pulsate and hypnotize the possessor. Some of the species that they watched were easily influenced through the devices and some were almost immune, but all allowed the creatures to watch and track the progress of the cycles. They used the ones that they could control to hide all traces of their existence, carefully erasing themselves from time.

There is no war, only harvest…

Leviathan, a crude name to be called for ones that had once been held in the apex of power. They had been absolute rulers and all species that were subjected to them bowed before them to serve or were completely wiped out. That was before the darkness, before the harvest and before the Reapers. Now they were no longer a myth, they had been exposed by humanity. They were asked to be a weapon that this cycle hoped would be an answer to the harvest. Now they were called Leviathan and tasked to destroy the Reapers like the rest of the sentient creatures that were facing extinction.

They once again would have to combat the old machines, the Reapers, which were now aware of their former master's presence. Now, a champion had found them, one that seemed unlikely to win, but had their enemy scared. This unlikely threat came from such a weak species, but she possessed something in her that no one before had matched, absolute determination and the belief in herself and her kind that the Reapers would be destroyed. She would be watched, she would be the catalyst to the end of the harvest, and she would be known to Leviathan as Shepard.

Shepard… the anomaly that will make the Harbinger pay its tribute in blood…

To the watchers, the destruction was beautiful, red, flaming and all encompassing. Leviathan observed as the Reapers fell and Shepard seemed to sacrifice herself to end their threat. All synthetics were destroyed in one continual wave that spread out from the Citadel over Earth across the galaxy. The indoctrinated and their masters all met the same fate, a quick death… an end to the harvest.

One woman had ignited the fury that would stop the cycle and bring the Reapers systematic extinction of sentient creatures to a halt. The fear of discovery that had accompanied Leviathan over time and driven the creatures into hiding was no longer needed. A sudden empowerment surged through those that had endured. Their numbers were few now, but their intellect and powers were immense. They would speak as one and they would rise again. Time and patience had been their ally, now they would use both to reclaim what they had lost so long ago.

We are Leviathan… we will bring order to chaos… and we will rule again...

The first rays of light were just starting to stretch across the skies of Thessia, slight hues of orange and pink and then a fiery gold that would slowly replace the still and quiet of the night. Commander Shepard was up early, sitting outside of her large estate, watching the scene unfold. Lush gardens that were her backyard and a small lake in the distance would all be revealed by the arrival of the sun. The peace allowed her time to reflect back on everything that she currently had and the price she had paid to attain it. Shepard looked down at her hands which still showed some of the scars from the blast and curled them into fists. Five years… has it really been that long?

"Shepard… Where are you?" Liara T'Soni's sleepy voice called out from inside the couple's home.

Hearing her footsteps on the stairs and Liara's soft voice, Shepard was brought back to the present and smiled at the thought of her wife, dressed in a silky, pale yellow nightgown, walking downstairs to find her, "I'm out here Liara… I couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake you… you looked peaceful and I know you haven't been sleeping well lately."

Liara eagerly joined Shepard on their deck and shivered slightly in the early morning air. She was still making the adjustment to waking and happily accepted Shepard's embrace and her warmth. Liara was not surprised to find her bond mate outside, as it had become one of her favorite spots of their home. "Were you having trouble sleeping? Are you nervous about the ceremony?"

Liara had been teasing Shepard about the completion of the Shepard Memorial in London since she first heard of it and new full well that her wife did not see herself as the hero that others did. It had been an ongoing joke between Liara's father, the now re-instated Matriarch, Aethyta and herself and was quick to draw a groan from the normally stoic Commander Shepard. "Father said the memorial is breathtaking, but your statue in the courtyard is a little overblown." She gently nudged her lover and laughed slightly.

"No, I'm not nervous… I just can't believe that they made me into a statue," she was tired of the ribbing, but couldn't be mad at Liara. "Maybe I should pull in some favors from Councilor Bakara and Councilor Tevos and have one made for the fearless asari that stood by my side through it all," it was her turn to tease Liara.

Knowing full well that Shepard's threat was empty, Liara's expression remained unchanged. The galaxy saw her wife as a hero, someone that always beat the odds and could be counted on to save the day and Shepard was uncomfortable with that role. Liara knew the truth; she shared Shepard's thoughts and her deepest secrets and emotions… Shepard had suffered deeply. The sacrifice was not easy or welcomed and it constantly weighed on her. Liara instead chose to answer her lover with a soothing kiss and a gentle stroke of her arm.

They both laughed at the exchange and Shepard continued with her thought, "It will actually be good to see the crew again… it's been too long. The last time we were all together was our wedding and I was still pretty banged up from the explosion."

Wincing at the mention of yet another one of Shepard's brushes with death, Liara was reminded of her nightmares about never seeing Shepard again. She would always wake up feeling ice cold and gasping for air, with an overwhelming feeling of loss. The warm body curled up next to her and a reassuring meld were the only things that could console her.

Seeing Liara's pained expression, Shepard reflexively moved her hand to touch the slight mound that was protruding from her belly. She smiled as she felt her daughter move at her touch. "Did you sleep well or was she kicking you all night again?

Covering Shepard's hand with her own, Liara gently kissed her wife. "She settled and let me sleep. I am rather hungry though and we would be quite happy to have some of your scrambled eggs and toast," Liara emphasized the word we and widened her eyes a bit, as if to appear to be begging.

Shepard gave a mock sigh and held Liara tightly, "You know that I can't say no to you… I'll go start on the eggs." Shepard reluctantly let go of her spouse and started walking to the kitchen, "Have you talked to Thea and Aria yet? Are they still planning to meet us at the Destiny Ascension for the trip back to Earth?"

Turning to go back upstairs, Liara called out to Shepard, "I will go make sure we are packed and yes, they are going to meet us at the space port... Please don't forget the extra Tabasco sauce in my eggs."

Shepard shook her head and started cracking eggs into a large mixing bowl. She reached for a whisk and the Tabasco sauce, Tabasco sauce… Her daughter loved spice already. The thought of her daughter making Liara eat spicy food caused her to laugh suddenly… Her daughter, her life with Liara… and now a statue to commemorate the worst decision that she ever had to make… What did I do to deserve all this and why a damn statue? Refocusing on the eggs that she had been whisking, they appeared to be the right consistency and she poured them into a large frying pan to cook. She had done this so often over the past ten months that it had become part of her daily routine. Once the baby comes, I wonder if she will ever eat another egg smothered in hot sauce again! Lucky for Liara I can do this in my sleep!

Obviously upset with the caller on the other end of her comm line, Aria T'Loak was pacing back and forth in her home office on Thessia. She had no patience for bad news or excuses, especially from one of her agents. "I don't care about some Prothean ruin being found on Watson… What I care about is the delivery of my damn eezo, Drace! You use to be reliable, what the hell happened!"

Ganar Drace was expecting Aria to be upset, but the krogan was in no mood for her tirade either. "It's not that easy Aria… Ever since that orb was found, there hasn't been any contact from the mine… The workers are not responding at all."

Hearing the elevated tone of her bond mate's voice, Thea Tevos cautiously walked into Aria's office and made herself comfortable on the sofa. She knew Aria was trying to prove her point and was amused at how worked up her lover could get. Intentionally trying to be seductive and lighten Aria's mood, Thea narrowed her eyes and spread herself across the sofa with her dress slightly askew.

Taking in the scene of her lover and rolling her eyes, Aria did not want to let the krogan off the hook because of Thea's presence. She continued with her angry tone, but in her mind, she was enjoying the view. "Really, if you are having problems with the workers, then get new ones! That mine has been left unattended since the Reapers moved in and destroyed the population on Watson. I will not hear that another group has suddenly intruded on my territory Drace. Get me my fucking eezo and don't talk to me until you've secured it."

Sensing that the conversation was just about over, Drace decided to appease the boss and take matters into his own hands. Besides, the planet of Watson in Sigurd's Cradle had once been called a garden paradise and he was tired of the view from Omega. Drace drew in a breath and lowered his voice to his most commanding tone, "Aria, I am heading there personally to see what the delay is and how to get things back on track. You'll get your shipment."

That was all she needed to hear from Drace, "You're damn right I will… Aria out." She terminated the call and then gave Thea her full attention. Aria didn't give Thea time to sit up and instead pounced on top her, unzipped her dress the rest of the way and found her favorite spot on her lover's neck to suck.

Excited by Aria's actions, Thea put up almost no resistance to her aggressive behavior until she remembered why she had been looking for her; they had an appointment with Shepard and Liara. Thea panted out her protest, "Aria, are you done yet? We need to get going… they are expecting us on the Destiny Ascension."

Aria was not interested in anything else besides Thea at that moment and her anger had dissipated into want, "They are just going to have to wait… You're the fucking asari councilor Thea… and it's your fault for teasing me."

Thea moaned as Aria continued the playful exploration of her exposed breasts. She was the as asari councilor after all and this was one of the perks of the position… they were going to be late.

The Destiny Ascension, known as the flagship of the asari fleet and one the symbols to the asari people of their perseverance. It was there when Sovereign attacked the Citadel and had endured through the Reaper War as well. It was one of the largest and most secure dreadnaughts ever built. Now it would have the honor to take Earth's champion and Thessia's most famous daughter to commemorate their victory over the Reapers.

Commander Shepard and Dr. Liara T'Soni arrived at the Destiny Ascension, hand-in-hand and ready for the journey back to Earth for the opening of the Shepard Memorial in London. Admiral Hackett, with the newly appointed council was to present the 'Savior of the Galaxy' with the honor of opening the memorial. The building itself had been constructed to serve as a reminder of the Reaper threat, the unification of the galaxy and also as a clinic for those still coping with the devastating war. It was immense and had been placed where Harbinger fell.

"Hey kid… over here!" Looking pleased to see the couple, the gruff, deep voice of Liara's father called to them from the entrance of the dreadnaught.

Liara rushed over to Matriarch Aethyta and hugged her father firmly. Since the end of the war, the two had become close and Liara had helped the once disgraced Matriarch return home to help rebuild and serve as a key voice in the Thessian government. Looking her over, Liara saw the dignity and pride with which she held herself and could also see what had drawn her mother to her. "Are you here to see us off, Father?"

Beaming slightly from her daughter's reception, Aethyta relaxed and donned her usual abrupt demeanor. "No kid, I am joining you at the ceremony. I am representing the Matriarchs… and I wanted the chance to watch that wife of yours squirm." Aethyta laughed and gave Shepard a light punch on the shoulder.

Use to the ribbing from her father-in-law, Shepard rubbed her shoulder in mock pain and shook her head. "It just gets better and better," the sarcasm was dripping from her.

Readdressing Liara, Aethyta reached out to touch her granddaughter's form, "She still treating you alright? You know she should be spoiling you like mad with that baby coming. Are you two ever going to tell me what you're naming my grandchild?"

Before the couple could respond to Aethyta, they were interrupted by the arrival of Neota, Thea Tevos's assistant. "Greetings Matriarch… Commander Shepard… Dr. T'Soni. I was sent to inform you that Councilor Tevos has been detained."

Aethyta burst out into laughter, making Neota and Liara both blush, "I'll bet she has… those two never stop… you'd think that they're newly bonded."

Still purple in the face from her father's outburst, Liara attempted to defend Thea, "Really Father, I'm sure she has a legitimate reason. It has not been easy for Thea, being the only surviving member of the council."

Shepard had actually joined Aethyta in making lude comments and chuckling, "Sorry, honey, but I'm with your Father on this one." She only stopped when Liara shot her a threatening glance.

Attempting to change the subject, Liara decided that they should not wait on the arrival of Aria and Thea. "I think we should get ourselves settled and I would love to get a tour. I have not been aboard for many years. Shepard, you might even find it interesting too."

Shepard knew to go along with her wife, "Okay, Liara… we get it, we will stop. Aethyta, why don't you show us this ship, I've actually never been aboard before… although I have saved it a few times." Quickly taking her place at her wife's side, Shepard reached for Liara's hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

Aethyta led her family to their luxurious quarters and let them get settled in. "Don't you two get any ideas now. I'll stop back in 30 minutes for that tour and you had better still be dressed. I do not need to walk in on you again." Already heading for the door, Aethyta made a quick departure.

The couple was left staring at each other. Liara's cheeks had once again taken on a purplish hue and Shepard was left shaking her head remembering the unfortunate incident. "Sometimes I wonder why we didn't leave your Father on Omega."

Liara had been right… Shepard had enjoyed the tour of the ship. It was immense and very different from the Normandy. There were multiple floors to accommodate both dignitaries and their grandiose tastes and areas for commandos to train with the very best equipment available. Shepard appeared wide-eyed with excitement and was very impressed with everything. Her tone was animated as she talked to Liara, "Tali would've loved to see this. Do you think that a member of the quarain Admiralty would be allowed on board?"

"I am sure we could get Tali a tour," Liara answered and then thought to Garrus and his love of weapons. "Do you think that Garrus would want to check the weapon calibrations too?"

Still grinning, Shepard thought for a moment at Garrus probing around the asari flagship, "Probably."

The couple was on their way back to their room when they ran into Aria and Thea. Shepard gave Liara a knowing smirk and a playful nudge when she saw the approaching couple.

Nearly three hours late, Aria T'Loak and Councilor Thea Tevos finally made their appearance on the Destiny Ascension. Neither apologized or offered an explanation for their delay, but both were in a very good mood.

Immediately noticing Liara's bump first, Aria could not hold back her comment to Shepard, "Nice job! How much longer until junior appears?" She instinctively reached her hand to Liara's stomach, caught herself and stopped.

Seeing Aria's reaction, Liara quickly took her hand and guided it to her belly. She continued to hold it until her daughter moved. "There she goes again. She is always on the move." Liara's eyes showed warmth and friendship for Aria.

Aria's eyes widened at the touch and she took a step closer to Liara and allowed the younger asari to place her hand. They had shared a meld once and the bond between them had not faded. "She is strong, like her parents." Aria felt Thea place a hand on her shoulder and she was sure that she was smiling. "Don't you get any ideas love… let's leave domestic life to these two."

Thea kissed Aria's cheek, "We will see… for now we have a ceremony to prepare for. Congratulations to you both. We need to get ourselves settled, but we will join you for dinner."

Catching Thea's arm, Shepard offered the councilor a warning, "Aethyta will also be joining us too."

Thea rolled her eyes. Aria and Liara's father were notorious for bringing out the worst in each other and their time together usually ended up with one or both of them passing out from consuming too much ryncol. "Thank you for the warning Shepard… until later."

Noticing that it was just the two of them, Shepard leaned over to Liara and wrapped her arm around her waist. She lowered her voice slightly and ran her lips across her wife's cheek, "I think this could be a long trip. Maybe we should head back to our quarters too and get some rest."

Liara did not need to join her mind to Shepard's to understand what she really wanted and grinned at her lover's intent, "Let's go."