Disclaimer: -flaaaails- I own NOOOOTHING.. ; Seriously I dont own Bioware or Mass Effect. This is purely fan based and no profit is to be had.

A/N:

Raaawr. I'm hyper. Anyways, so yes another chapter is in order. I have decided to try and keep this story going best I can until I run out of ideas. At least until it starts sounding boring xD

Anyways! Wont keep you all waiting. =3

Chapter 9

Liara had decided to take a quick detour before she went up to see Kate. She had already seen Tali and even got a chance to say a quick hello to Garrus. He was pretty busy working on something on the crew deck though, and he seemed determined to get it done before the day was out. But he promised to catch up with her in the near future.

She had asked Edi to take her to the CIC. She knew Jeff 'Joker" Moreau would be in the cockpit. He was pretty loyal to his duties she knew that much. The only time he seemed to be away from the cockpit was when he was sleeping. He loved to be at the helm as much as he could get away with. Kate had long since giving up trying to tear him away from it.

She walked past the dedicated crew working away at the stations and scurrying about the CIC doing their duties. She was noticed by them all however as they gave her a quick glance as she walked by them gracefully towards the cockpit. She had a light smile on her face.

Once she reached her destination she stopped behind Joker and cleared her throat lightly. Jeff blinked as he peered around his chair. "Liara T'soni!" he said with a huge smile on his face. He slowly got to his feet so he could give the Asari a small quick hug. She returned the favor in kind, being gentle to not hurt him. "Been a long time, Blue! What's up?" he then said before seating himself back in his chair.

Liara blinked at the apparent nickname. He had never called her Blue before but she shrugged it off. "Kate invited me up for a tour and drinks. I figured I'd come say hi at least." she said warmly. Joker gave a cheeky grin to the young Asari. "Drinks usually lead to re-inactments of a vid called Vaenia." he teased. Liara was completely lost on the reference.

"You know, the Commander hasn't been the same without you though." Joker then said as he took on a more serious look. Liara frowned lightly at his words. He adjusted in his seat as he shook his head. "Sometimes she spaces out on duty, other times she just looks down right depressed." he said to further what he already said.

Liara sighed lightly as she looked up and out the window that showed nothing but the distant stars of the galaxy. She too had such moments. Some nights she found herself crying to sleep. She was a train wreck the first few months following Kate's death. Tali had been one of the few that helped her through it. She was grateful to the young Quarian.

She was at a loss for words though. Joker could see it in her vacant expression. She had lost herself in a different world. She never took the time to wonder how this all effected Kate... To not have her there when she first woke up, and when she was set out on a near impossible mission. Kate was strong, but she knew Kate had come to rely on some support from Liara.

"I suppose I had better go make things right then." Liara said as she bowed slightly to Joker. Joker gave her a slight salute. "Take care of yourself, kid." He said with a small smile before he turned back to his duties. Liara made quick haste for the elevator. In truth she wasn't sure if she should even bring up what Joker had mentioned.

VWVWVW

Shepard had just poured two glasses of traditional Earth red wine when she heard a chime at her door. She quickly closed the lid on the bottle as she turned and walked towards her steps that led to the upper portion of her lofty cabin. "It's open." She said knowing full well who was behind that door.

It swished open to allow Liara in and Kate smiled at her presence. She had changed into a long dress with long fingerless gloves. Kate had always found Liara's modesty one of her best traits. She watched Liara step into the room as she glimpsed around at the spacious cabin. It was much bigger then Kate's old quarters on the original Normandy.

"Did you enjoy the tour?" She asked lightly as Liara stepped further into the well lit room. Liara smiled as she nodded, Shepard stepping up into the office area of her room. "It's beautiful, Kate." She replied as she looked towards her office area. As usual Kate's room was tidy, though her desk was strewn with data pads and files. She noted all the model ships she had seemed to collect mounted on a clear glass wall above her desk.

"I'll give Cerberus one thing, they know how to make a ship." Kate admitted as she took to leaning against her desk, folding her arms characteristically over her chest. Liara stepped closer to Kate before reached into the collar of her dress before pulling out a silver chain. "I.. had to go through many people.. but I found your tags." Liara said as she started to pull them off.

Kate held a surprised look as Liara handed them out for Kate. She never even thought about her old Alliance military tags this whole time. She reached out slowly as she took them into her hand and examined them. They were a little dented but relatively in tact. She shook her head as she sighed a little.

Liara watched her as her facial expression spoke multitudes of emotion. At first shock, then perhaps disappointment or irritation, to a small smile. She then grabbed the chain with both hands before looping it around Liara's head to let them rest onto her neck. "Thanks Liara... But you keep them. For luck." Kate said as rested her hand over her old tags.

Liara looked down at the hand before she glimpsed back up at Kate a little confused. Kate saw the expression before she took to resting against her desk. "Something to remember me by when I'm not around." Kate then shrugged. Liara only nodded before she tucked Kate's tags back into the collar of her dress.

"I saw Joker, he seemed happy to see me." Liara decided to lighten the conversation as Kate watched Liara wander over to her fish tank. Shepard had taken to buying some fish off the Citadel. It helped her think sometimes just watching them swim about. "He asked if we were going to act out some vid called Vaenia.." Kate glowered at the comment Joker had made. She'd have to remember to give him a lecture later. "Leave it to Joker." she muttered.

Liara turned around to face Kate as she tilted her head. "How are you really doing Kate...? Joker seemed concerned for you." Liara then questioned. She didn't know the extent of how Kate was doing. After their fight on Illium... and after all that fighting to get to the old Shadow Broker, they never really... just talked.

Kate frowned at the question posed to her. She honestly didn't know how to answer it. "What can I say, Liara? Between dieing once, being brought back to life, forced to work with Cerberus... I'm sorry I ever yelled at you back on Illium, I just... It's effected me you know?" Shepard pushed herself off her desk as she made her way back down the stairs.

She moved towards the coffee table as she looked down at the wine glasses. She stared at them for a moment as she wasn't sure whether or not she should offer one to Liara or not now. "Everything feels like it's spiraling out of control." She then added as she picked up one wine glass and offered it to Liara. Liara slowly made her way towards Kate as she gently took the glass.

Shepard grabbed the second as she inelegantly drank the whole thing in one go. Liara frowned at the woman before she set hers back down on the table without so much as a sip. Liara wasn't even sure what to say. Things fell silent as they both just drifted off into their own thoughts. "The crew seems to respect you at least?" Liara tried. Shepard scoffed as she threw her hand up in the air dismissively.

"Lets face it, they only respect me because they fear me, and I'll admit, that's how I like it." Kate said coldly. She turned her back to Liara as she wandered over next to her bed as she stared up at the ceiling. "Yes, Miss Lawson mentioned she was surprised you aren't with... Jack." Liara said as she watched Kate stare out the ceiling window. Kate sighed. "You wonder the same thing too don't you?" She asked with a quiet tone.

Liara took on an irritated look and was about to speak but Kate beat her to it. "You want to know why I fell in love with you?" Kate then asked as she turned to face Liara. Liara looked a bit taken back now. She had wondered that in the past, but she was so focused on... mourning the woman before her for the past two years. She had never seen Kate be as kind to anyone else aside from herself she'd admit it. But Liara nodded.

"Because you never feared me." Kate said simply as she sat down on her bed. Liara looked at her a little puzzled. "Because I never feared you..?" she asked not understanding. Kate nodded as she bent over, elbows resting on her knees as her hands folded together.

"Everyone else keeps me at arms length because they fear me. They respect me because they fear me. They don't dare go against me because they fear me." Kate started as she stared at the wall opposite of her bed. She took on an old angered look. One that said she disliked the galaxy. She really did most of the time.

"And here you came, falling into my lap, and it was like... no matter what happened, no matter what I said or did, you just.. kept coming back. You kept asking me questions, talking to me like I was no danger or threat." she continued. Liara just listened. She knew Kate wanted to get it out in the open. Like it was something she kept locked away for so long and it was struggling to break free. She'd rather say it on her terms.

"I've killed people without regret. No remorse what so ever. I'd shoot them and move on, no second thought, not even a first thought. I killed Wrex, because he was ready to turn against me. After I took command on Torfan, I was ready to kill every single Batarian, and I didn't care if I got the whole god damned ground team killed to do it. I ordered Alenko's death like it meant nothing, and you know what?" Kate gritted her teeth as she let out a shaky sigh. "It didn't mean anything at all." she finished.

Liara frowned, but she said nothing. "I fell for you because you saw past these things... You chose me, out of a galaxy full of people, you chose me. You treated me like a real person, Liara. Something I had never felt before. You cared enough to see how I felt all through the hunt for Saren, and you stuck with me still after. You weren't afraid of me, and I have to wonder why." Kate finally looked up at Liara, expecting an answer.

Liara swallowed hard. She never knew Kate felt so much before. She seemed so flustered by it. She looked back on it as she thought. Kate had been dismissive of her when they first met. She even acted coldly, but Liara was so fascinated by the young woman. Their first meld to unlock what the Prothean beacons had burned into Kate's memory Liara could see a world of other things.

She knew Kate was no one to anger but she still didn't fear her, Kate was right. She saw the good in the woman, rather then the bad. "Because, despite all that anger you can do, and have done so much good. Despite your aggressive nature, despite everything you've done... You see people, Kate... You've helped people in ways you don't seem to understand." Liara said. "You've saved lives, you've never harmed an innocent, not on purpose." she continued.

She fidgeted where she stood as Kate's eyes never left her. "You're the only hope this galaxy has to survive the Reapers, and you coud have told them all to fuck off, and yet here you are fighting for them. Even if they don't believe you." Liara then said. Kate frowned at the word Liara used. Was she really that bad of an influence?

"Kate..." Liara then said quietly as she moved to sit next to the woman on the bed. She reached out with her exposed fingers to trace the side of the woman's cheek. "I admire you for your strength, you determination. You may see yourself as someone horrible but I see someone who would die again to keep everyone alive. You've helped everyone on this ship and then some. You got them all out alive during your mission on the Collector base. You rescued your kidnaped crew, destroyed the base, and told Cerberus where to stick it." Liara sighed as Kate grabbed her hand gently.

Liara was right of course. Kate spent this whole time loathing herself, regretting past decisions. Liara had a bigger impact on her then she realized. She kissed the palm of the Asari's hand. She then stood up as she shook her head as she felt frustrated still. "Honestly, I take it back... I'm tired of people fearing me.. I'm also tired of no one else believing me." Kate then said.

Liara stood up now as well as Kate turned to face her. "Yes, I heard what Ashley said to you on Horizen... I'm sorry Kate, I would of thought she would've believed you at least." Liara said trying to sound comforting. Kate just shook her head with a heavy sigh. She wasn't sure what to do anymore.

"So what is it you do want, Kate? If all the fighting stopped tomorrow, what happens to us? I don't think I could deal with you dieing again." Liara said quietly. Kate gave her a surprised look. She thought she had made herself pretty clear the night before. She decided to go along with it though.

She moved closer to Liara as she gave her a serious, but more relaxed look. "I dunno, marriage old age, and allot of little blue children?" Her tone changed dramatically from annoyed to a serious but teasing one. Liara flushed heavily as she shoved Kate in return. "I'm serious, Katelyn Shepard..." Liara muttered in annoyance as she turned away from the human. "I was being serious too." Kate replied as she watched the Asari.

"Goddess willing Kate, I know you. Once the Reapers do finally come you'll be the first to dive into the fray." Liara said almost mournfully. She turned around again fighting back tears at the thought of losing Katelyn again. She couldn't bare the thought of it. "If we're going to do this, I need to know you're always coming back." She said with the most serious tone she used yet this whole conversation.

Kate pulled Liara close to herself as she held her firmly. Liara glowered slightly at the woman. Could she take nothing seriously? "I'm always coming back." Kate said with a deadpan tone as she inched her head closer to Liara, her lips brushing against soft blue skin on Liara's neck. Liara shuddered slightly as felt feather light kisses on her throat and chin. "Are you.. sure?" Liara asked as she gave squeezed the human's arms to keep her balance.

Kate was relentless, Liara would give her that much. "I haven't stayed dead yet." Kate said as she nibbled along the other's jaw line. Liara's arms found themselves around Katelyn's shoulders as she gave out a soft whimper followed by a heavy pleased sigh. "You.. make a compelling arguement.." she was losing her control and quickly forgetting why she was irritated with Kate to start with.

Kate smirked some as she let her hands roam down the woman's side. She had lost control long ago. It was like she wanted to forget their serious discussion before and just simply be with Liara. She heard another quiet moan from the Asari as her hands played at her lower back. "Oh I'm just getting started." Kate said huskily as she pulled the woman closer, blue eyes suddenly turning black as she let out a gasp.

Kate had managed to push Liara forward as they fell onto the bed and it was all it took to make Liara forget herself altogether.

VWVWVW

Ok end chapter. I hope it went smoooothly. I wanted to have a serious discussion between the two of them. Change up the original cabin scene in the DLC. No worries though! More is to come. Oh sooo much more.

Until next time x3