Hello all,

This marks the 8th chapter of my story, and I'd like to say one thing.

A few months ago I ventured onto this site, to find Femshep/Liara stories. I'd written about half the content of what is now chapter one, as I felt the characters from Mass Effect needed some decent closure.

Not only did I find enjoyable stories, but I was very lucky to meet two kind individuals who encouraged and helped me to write, and even publish, something I probably would not have dared on my own.

They put up with my weird ideas, horrible punctuation, messed up tenses, and strange or just awkward questions. Thanks to them this story exists. These two truly embody the friendly and helpfull spirit of the FF community, and I am gratefull to call them my friends. - Thank you, Vector 71 and Bebus.

Chapter 8, Floating part II

The sun stood at its zenith, then started a slow descent, and the pair opened up Karli's bag. They'd prepared a little lunch with sandwiches and water, and Liara was eager to try the much discussed peanut butter jelly sandwiches.

"Mmm.. this is very tasty, Shepard! First it is sweet, then the peanut taste is... delicious!" She studied the sandwich from both ends, trying to choose which one of the flavors she liked best, finally decided she just wanted the mixture of the two. Her crest bobbed as she greedily chewed on a huge bite.

Karli laughed, a warm, free laugh, when she saw Liara enjoying the new sensations; both of them take delight in exploring cultural differences between their species. Shepard was never going to forget the first time she'd tried asari ton, a native Thessian fish, which had tickled all her senses, and was now a favorite whenever she could get it. Sadly, with the war and the damaged relays, it had been over a year since she tasted the fish.

Looking up over the water, Liara noticed the absence of other vessels. "There are no other boats on this lake, Karli, I assume everyone is working and rebuilding. Should we feel bad about not doing anything today?"

Karli propped herself up on her elbows, and gazed over the smooth lake. She turned to her bondmate, intently locking eyes with her for a full ten seconds, before she spoke, slowly, very deliberately.

"Liara, my love, think of all the stuff we have done. We have earned this day a hundred times over. Remember what I told you right after the Mars archives? All work and no play? The work is finished, let's enjoy our play time together."

Those final words held a mischievous sparkle, and while she spoke them, Shepard's right hand moved up on Liara's leg. She brushed the dress aside, and placed her hand on her lover's inner thigh, where she proceeded to gently massage the soft blue flesh.

"Mmmm..." Liara hummed in approval: her thigh, just like a human's, was a very sensitive area.

She enjoyed the feelings for a few seconds, then initiated a union: 'You mentioned Mars, let me share with you a fond memory I have of that moment...'

"Liara, what are you doing?"

It was the first night after they hurriedly left Mars. Kaidan had been seriously hurt by the Cerberus Synthetic, and was in desperate need of medical attention. Commander Shepard needed to see the Council; two reasons why the Normandy was speeding towards the Citadel.

Karli walked in on Liara, who busied herself arranging the bed in her work room on deck three. The asari slowly turned to face her, and gently took both Karli's hands in hers.

Liara's face was laden with expectation: "Shepard, before we go any further, there is something I need to know. It's been six months, should we continue where we left off?"

"I would like that more than anything Liara," sighed Shepard, delighted that the cerulean alien was obviously intent on pursuing their relationship, "there were more reasons I was happy to see you on Mars".

"Good! I was getting worried." Stepping forward, Liara hooked her arm around Shepard's waist, her eyes twinkling, as she leaned towards Karli.

"It is fantastic to see you again." Liara's voice hummed with erotic promise, she pushed herself forward, placing her lips on the human's. Karli was pleasantly surprised by her lover's eagerness, and quickly answered when she felt Liara's tongue against her lips. Her arms trembling, the human ran both hands down Liara's sides, enjoying the luscious curve of her body. She finally rested her hands on the asari's waist, pulling Liara's hips onto hers.

Shepard's voice was a whisper, her gaze fixed on Liara's beaming blue gems: "Liara T'Soni, my Blue, I don't want to go back to the top floor, by myself, while the person I care for most in this entire galaxy is on my ship, just a few steps away. There are a few reasons I fight this war, but when I close my eyes and think of the future, I see your gentle face. We want to make this relationship work. The war will be here for us. Let's face it together."

Liara did not need the bond to read all of Karli's emotions. 'Goddess, she... what did she say? Care for most in the galaxy? Fate has brought together...'

She gave Karli a coy smile: "What do you suggest Shepard?"

"My cabin has enough room for two, we want to be together, let's start today. Come upstairs and move in with me."

Deeply pleased with Karli's answer, Liara employed her most sensual voice: "I would love to be in your cabin, ... Commander."

Liara sent Shepard her emotions of that moment: joy, exhilaration, but above all, a wonderment to be wanted. Shepard took it all in, and replied, 'Of course I wanted you, back then and even more now. Did you doubt that?'

'No, I did not doubt it. But... I was just an ordinary asari, spending all my time on dig sites, it was hard to understand what you saw in me. You! When you came to my cabin, and persuaded me to "move in", I knew you were very serious about... me.'

Karli turned to her right, and tenderly touched Liara's cheek. 'You were never ordinary to me.'

The swans drifted by, their white feathers a reflection of the clouds.

Liara separated their connection, intensely staring at the birds floating by. She blinked into the sun, then started to sing, softly at first, and after a few seconds, with more conviction. Shepard glanced at her mate, and quickly turned off her translator. The words were asari, and of course she could not understand them, but it was delightful to watch Liara be so at peace.

Her voice echoed over the park's water, promising visions of exotic worlds and alien exploits.

Shepard laid back down, and closed her eyes. The entire galaxy disappeared, only the scorching heat, and Liara's voice held meaning.

'That sultry, seductive voice... might just be the best thing about her... no wait, perhaps her smile... aw, what the heck, I'll take the entire package... let me ask her about the language...'

As the asari laid herself next to the human, she felt the time was right to bring her own news. Touching Karli, she fused their minds together.

'Karli, let me tell you about a decision I made yesterday. But first, could you go back to touching my thigh?'

Shepard grinned, and happily obliged. 'With pleasure, my love.'

She placed her right hand back on Liara's inner thigh, deliberately putting three fingers on the edge of the asari's lacey hipster, as she proceeded to gently caress Liara's delicious skin.

"Oh!" A barely audible moan escaped the asari's lips; within their union Shepard could feel Liara's arousal, and her increasing heart rate.

'You are one hot asari, better cool down a bit!' Laughed Karli, while she scooped a bit of water and splashed it on her unsuspecting lover.

'Waghh!' Liara jumped when the water hit her face. They looked at each other, then broke out into fits of laughter.

Still giggling, Liara pulled Shepard onto herself, 'Come here brown eyes!' and shared the memories of her day in the park.

Shepard lit up when she experienced her lover's intimate thoughts about being with child, and immersed herself in Liara's warm feelings about becoming a mother. To feel life growing within oneself, to be a part of that huge cycle of life, both women became extremely aware, and warmed by their ability to create new life.

Twirling around her partner's hopes and dreams, Karli had no desire to leave, and Liara wanted her to stay. The pair merged their souls in a vibrant embrace, and they remained, two sparks, bound by love.

Slowly they drifted back to the level of conscious thought.

The first to break the silence was Shepard: 'Am I addicted to our union?'

'Our Union is a wonderful thing, Karli, I enjoy it as much as you do. I love to travel your thoughts and emotions, and I do believe it is marvellous we can be so open to one another. Actually, unlike an asari, you have never learned to build any barriers, so our sharing goes deeper and smoother, to my understanding.'

Karli's beaming smile radiated through their bond: 'Liara, what you are saying, er, thinking, is that asari are trained to hide certain things during a joining. And because I lack that training, you can more easily visit any corner of my mind, right?'

A wave of affection touched Shepard; Liara's obviously thrilled with their very special connection: 'That is correct, love, and in return I cannot do anything else than open myself to you completely...'

Liara shifted their focus to the other issue: 'What about my decision on the broker? Being the broker was a welcome distraction during all those months you were in coma, but with the end of the war, there is no clear purpose to the network. And I am certainly done with it.'

Karli's answer was very short: 'I believe it is the right decision, but what about Feron?'

'Feron can take over as the broker, if he wishes. But the network, I would like to give or sell to a party that can do good with it.'

'The Council', offered Karli, 'and that means Tevos. It's... odd how often I've mentioned that name in the last 24 hours.'

'Careful now,' smirked Liara, 'there is only one asari I want you thinking about.'

'Ha! Well you -

Shepard stopped mid-thought, and within their bond, Liara felt her partner's consciousness slip away.

'Goddess, it is happening again!' She quickly looked over to Karli; the human had her eyes closed, her entire body relaxed, she actually looked at peace. Liara did not panic, she had seen this many times over. 'She is on her back, her breathing is regular, all I can do is wait.'

The asari studied Shepard's features, while she moved herself closer to her. She carefully embraced the limp woman, and placed her forehead against Karli's: 'I am going to take care of you. This damned universe keeps trying to kill you, and I will not stand for it anymore. The next person who wants to send you on a suicide mission will have to deal with me!'

Her biotics flared as a response to her iron determination, but she hardly noticed it. 'You are the love of my life, Mandein.'

After a few minutes, she gently laid Karli back down, and checked her Chrono. 'Ten minutes, she should come out of it soon.' Carefully she re-arranged Shepard's hair, letting her hand linger on the ear.

'Goddess, she is beautiful... who would have thought I would be in a relationship with a human? Before she freed me on Therum, I never even considered love, and look at us here...'

She noticed the muscles around Karli's mouth starting to twitch. 'Good, she will be back shortly.'

Karli opened her eyes, and quickly closed them again. "Ow, that sun!" She took a few deep breaths, then opened her eyes again, carefully. "How long was I gone?"

"Twelve minutes love, about the average. How do you feel?"

"Uh, not bad actually. A slight headache, that's all."

Concerned, Liara offered: "Shall we head back to the hotel, and you can lay down for a bit?"

Karli's answer was a firewall of determination. "No! I am done laying down. I was dead for two years, then I was a 'guest' of my very own Alliance for six months, and now I have been in the hospital for nine months. My health is an uncertain thing; I'm going to take a chance on living!"

She was a bit shocked by the ferocity in her own voice, and quickly added, apologetically, "We'll just be careful."

Her words struck a chord deep within the asari. Liara was reminded of the time after she'd handed Karli's body over to Cerberus, the awful years when she'd believed that Shepard was no more. And just a few months ago, the excruciating time spent by her partner's bedside, waiting for her to wake. 'She was dead, I held her cold corpse, she was truly dead. Goddess!'

In a quivering, soft voice, she replied: "We have been through so much... I love you Karli Shepard."

Karli sensed Liara's turmoil, and gently planted a kiss on her lover's forehead. "I love you too, Liara T'Soni."

"Shepard," started Liara, "The war is over, the reapers are gone. I am not the shadow broker , and it appears you cannot be the Vanguard anymore. We have to start thinking what we will do on Thessia."

She continued, her enthusiasm building: "Teaching at the university has always been in the back of my mind. And I still want to write that book with Javik, having the opportunity to be co-author with a living Prothean is too good to pass up."

"What?" she shot at Shepard, who snickered at the mention of Javik's name.

"You sure you want to work together with mister gloom and doom, love? You know he is going to push your buttons all over again." 'He's ok, but I will not tolerate the way he treats Liara.'

"It... it might not be easy, indeed," replied a hesitant Liara, "perhaps we can write and compare notes over the extranet."

"Much better," agreed Shepard, "I don't want bugs in the house."

They shared a laugh at that, and Karli continued: "It appears I have a job as the Council's peacekeeper, and hopefully they will have very little need of my services. And I'd love to volunteer in rebuilding Thessia," a thought popped in her mind, "oh Blue! What do asari call their own language?"

Liara looked surprised by Shepard's sudden change in topic, but she replied: "Just like on Earth there are various dialects and languages. Ninety percent of the population of Thessia speaks Arlas, and it is the common language in Armali and surrounding areas. Why are you asking, Shepard?"

Shepard thoroughly enjoyed it when Liara was her scientific self, and spewed out facts and observations. It reminded her of the shy archeologist she'd met a long time ago, an archeologist who'd managed to stage such a charming offensive, that it had been quite clear from the very start that she'd be completely defenseless against the endearing personality of Liara.

"Liara... " Karli couldn't form any words. She leaned in, and kissed the cute archeologist. The asari responded in kind, and their tender kiss stretched out until they were both out of breath.

"Mmm... Blue? Shall we slowly head back? I'd love to get an ice cream before we eat in the hotel."

"Ice cream? What is that, Shepard?"

"Ha! you are in for a treat. Now grab an oar. Let's try this rowing thing again."