"Shepard! I found my home! It's a little damaged but it's there!" Liara said excitedly as she bounded into Shepard's hotel room. The crew had decided they could stand to stay on Thessia a little longer even after the Commander was healed.
Liara probably would have found her home sooner if she hadn't been Shepard's moral support during all of the rehab and bandage changes. But Liara didn't seem to mind and Shepard certainly hadn't minded having the asari with her.
"Really? That's amazing, Liara. I was afraid you'd tell me the Reapers had completely demolished it. I would really like to see it," Shepard said honestly. A bright smile appeared on the Shadow Broker's face.
"Good, because I would really love to show you," the asari said brightly.
"We'll go now," Shepard said, getting to her feet. It was a relief to be able to stand without shaking or feeling like her knees were going to give way any second. The Commander was wearing her N7 hoodie accompanied with a pair of black cargo pants to match.
"I was hoping you'd say that," Liara said. She looked extremely happy and the stress of helping Shepard regain use of her body seemed to have melted away. The two clasped hands as they left the hotel room.
Since Shepard didn't know the way Liara drove. Shepard was expecting something gorgeous, it was only obvious considering the asari and what Shepard had seen of other asari worlds and other parts of Thessia itself. She was blown away by just how gorgeous Liara's childhood home actually was. Her gaze fell upon the fields Liara had mentioned on the Citadel.
The home itself was at least three stories tall and had gorgeous windows, at least the ones that weren't knocked out thanks to the Reaper invasion. It shared similarities with other asari buildings Shepard had seen. She glanced over at Liara, expecting her to still be smiling. However, the smile had faded to be replaced by a depressed frown.
Gently, Shepard squeezed the asari's hand.
"We don't have to get out of the car..." Shepard said slowly.
"No, no. I'm fine. It's just... it has been a very long time since I've been here," Liara said before opening the door and climbing out. Shepard followed the asari's lead.
The front door was slightly ajar but no amount of hacking would open it the rest of the way. Finding it to be a good test of whether all of the rehab had truly worked, Shepard moved forward. She rubbed her hands together before pushing the doors apart. She pressed her back into one part of the door and shoved at the other part once it got wide enough.
Eventually the door cooperated and opened fully. Shepard moved away then gave a smile to Liara before gesturing for her to go in first. Liara wordlessly nodded to her lover before stepping inside.
There was no telling how long the building had truly been abandoned. Dust could be found everywhere along with broken glass. The lights didn't work which forced both women to use the flashlights on their omnitools. Liara led the way through the house, her face still showing sadness.
"I can't imagine how beautiful your home was before the war, Liara. I'm sorry you have to see it his way," Shepard said softly as they entered what the Commander could only guess was the kitchen.
"I knew it would not be untouched when the Reapers descended upon Thessia. But it also looks better than I feared," Liara said softly, her hand trailing along the top of the island counter top in the middle of the room. Shepard's boots thumped on the floor as she walked up behind the asari and gently embraced her. Liara smiled lightly before leaning back into the marine.
"You must think I'm so selfish. I have a house, a stable home I grew up in. And you were left to fend for yourself on the streets," Liara said, frowning.
"The streets were my home. I haven't even seen what the Reapers did to the streets I grew up on. But you aren't selfish at all. It's a lot to take in," Shepard said, shaking her head before lightly pressing a kiss to the asari's cheek.
"Would you like to see my room?" Liara asked before things could get too dreary.
"I would love to see where my Blue Angel slept when she was a child," Shepard said honestly, releasing the asari. Liara blushed purple again at the nickname. She had once looked up the term 'Blue Angel' on the extranet and found references to a squadron of planes, not ships but planes, that would fly during air shows and show off complicated and beautiful maneuvers in the sky. She had managed to find a couple of videos and had ended up entranced. She had never worked up the courage to ask if it was just a coincidence that Shepard used such a nickname. Similar to how she hadn't been able to ask her mother about the phrase 'Little Wing'. It had taken speaking to her father to learn where the nickname had come from.
"Then follow me, Shepard," Liara said. She felt a little sad that she didn't have a term of endearment for Shepard but none seemed to really stick. The best she had was using the Commander's first name.
Shepard followed the asari dutifully up the stairs. She couldn't help but smile when she found herself on the third floor. The two were faced with a long hallway. There were five doors, two on each side of the hallway then the fifth at the very end of the hall. Shepard guessed correctly that Liara's childhood room ended up being at the end of the hall.
As with the front door, Shepard used her enhanced strength to push open the door. Inside it seemed that Liara's room had been kept exactly how she left it when she'd had the falling out with Matriarch Benezia. There was a large window looking out across the fields and the bed was situated near said window. She could just imagine a little Liara sitting on her bed and just staring out across the land.
A desk was pushed up against one wall though the terminal was completely dead as was to be expected. Liara vacated Shepard's side to walk to the bed. The Commander watched as Liara folded her arms across her chest and bowed her head. The asari's shoulders shook a little bit as silent sobs racked her body. So many memories and the sight of her childhood home in ruins seemed to suddenly hit the young asari.
"Hey, hey," Shepard murmured, gently turning Liara around. She blinked as the asari threw her arms around the human's neck and sobbed into her hoodie. Shepard protectively put her arms around her lover, murmuring things like 'it's okay' into the asari's crest.
Tears splashed on Shepard's hoodie but she didn't give a damn. She held her lover tightly, continuing to whisper reassuring words.
"I'm-" a hiccup interrupted Liara as she tried to speak. "I'm sorry, She- Kate. I did the same thing I did after my mother died..."
"Hey, you needed to let it out. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a lot to take in. Your home is in ruins," Shepard said, gently rubbing the asari's back comfortingly. She felt rather than heard Liara swallow thickly as she tried to get a cap on her emotions.
"So is yours and you haven't fallen to pieces," Liara said, frowning as she used her palms to wipe the tears from her eyes. Shepard looked at her lover fondly, gently rubbing her cheek.
"Earth is my home planet but I haven't actually seen the place I grew up. You have. It's different," Shepard said. She leaned down to gently kiss the asari's lips.
"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Liara said, sniffling softly. Shepard shook her head.
"No, I'm really not. It's different. Honestly, it is," Shepard said. She kissed the asari's forehead tenderly.
"I... can I check and see if there's anything in the closet?" Liara asked hesitantly.
"You don't need to ask my permission. Go on ahead," Shepard said. Liara bowed her head in thanks before turning to the closet across from the bed. She forced the door open then crouched down. Shepard heard the unmistakeable sound of rummaging as Liara looked through her childhood practically.
While Liara was busy Shepard walked to the window and looked out. A light smile formed on her face as she again thought of a younger Liara staring longingly outside, wanting to dig to find pieces of the past.
"Ah!" Liara exclaimed in surprise. Shepard turned around and quickly made her way to the asari.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I found the photo album my mother made for me before I went to study to become an archaeologist," Liara explained softly, sitting back on her heels as she removed the datapad turned dedicated photo album. Shepard crouched down next to the asari.
"May I see?" Shepard asked softly.
"O-of course," Liara stammered, biting on her lower lip. She activated the datapad. The first picture was of a literally baby Liara. She was just a bundle of blue skin with a barely formed crest. Shepard couldn't help but think that was what their little blue children would look like. A smile formed on the Commander's face.
"Well at least I know just how adorable our kids will look," Shepard remarked. Her smile widened when Liara blushed once again.
"I... well. Yes, but I think they will be cuter than I was," Liara said, attempting to turn the tables on Shepard. The attempt made Shepard chuckle.
"You've set the bar pretty high when it comes to cuteness, Liara," Shepard said.
"Flatterer," Liara said, amused.
"You know me," Shepard said, rubbing her lover's back. Liara 'turned the page' in the album to a picture of a slightly older Liara wearing a little labcoat.
"You weren't kidding, even back then you wanted to be a doctor of some sort," Shepard remarked.
"Yes. I got into so much trouble. She probably thought I was foolish for wanting to become an archaeologist," Liara said, sighing lightly when she remembered how much had been hidden from her.
"I don't think so. She probably thought it was cute," Shepard said.
"Easy for you to say. Your mother didn't hide one of the most important artifacts in the galaxy from you."
"I was there, Liara. I know how much it hurt to find that beacon there and knowing your mother had files on that place. But as I said before, she was trying to protect you in the best way she knew how. Don't blame her for trying to protect her only daughter."
"She could've protected me more if I had known about it sooner..."
"We don't know such things. C'mon, show me more pictures of little Liara."
"Oh, fine," Liara said, giving up the light argument as she turned the page.
Together the two sat and went through the entire album. Though Shepard had seen the memories that accompanied the pictures, she had not seen the form of Liara that had acquired those memories. It was... nice.
"Thank you, Kate. For... letting me come here," Liara said, getting to her feet. Shepard followed the other woman's lead.
"Don't thank me. There's no way I could say no," the marine said with a light shake of her head. She paused as her omnitool vibrated on her arm. She frowned slightly then brought her arm up, engaging the omnitool.
"Hey Commander. We uh... we received a message a little bit ago from an old friend of yours. Says she has need of your help and will aid you in return," Joker's voice came from her arm.
"Who is 'she'?" Shepard asked, her thoughts immediately going to Samara.
"The Pirate Queen of Omega herself," Joker replied.
Whoops... wrong asari...
"Alright Joker, thanks. Let her know I'll call her when I get back on the Normandy," Shepard said.
"Aye ma'am," Joker said. Shepard dropped her arm then looked guiltily at Liara.
"Now what kind of favor would Aria T'Loak require of Commander Shepard?" Liara asked.
"I may or may not have offered to help her take Omega back. Considering Cerberus was still holding on to it tightly when we destroyed the Reapers, and I doubt they were part of Cerberus that had been Indoctrinated... well," Shepard said, shrugging sheepishly.
"This may actually be a chance to find out what Cerberus is doing. I say we don't delay," Liara said, smiling a little as she cradled the photo album to her chest protectively.
"Or we may just end up wasting our time taking back that wretched hive of scum and villainy," Shepard remarked dryly.
"Cerberus is Cerberus, even if they don't know what the other hand is doing," Liara said.
"True... And besides, I see no reason why I shouldn't repay Aria for helping me get those mercs to work for a good cause," Shepard said, rubbing her jaw in thought.
"A favor for a favor for a favor. Constant favors. I know the feeling well. Come," Liara said, leading the way out of her bedroom with the photo album still tucked against her chest. Shepard smiled to herself as she followed the asari.