A/N: Inspired by Evanescence "Bring me to Life", Salser's amazing story "Forever as One" and my own loss… Title inspired by Garbage's verse from "My Lover's Box."

Firstly thanks again to all those who reviewed, added and fav'd. You ladies/gents are all stars. Brittsis keep them coming, people are reading.

Thanks to Salser for proofing, you're the best! I'm hoping to get into the Salser/Tayg story bribe so bear with me…

Bioware owns all, I just make them cry.

Piece by Piece

Meanwhile, back at the Normandy's memorial wall.

"What the hell was that?" a clearly stunned Ashley asks.

"What happened to all that Asari crap about 'cherishing' the time spent together… Most species don't live as long anyways…What, just because she can't accept her deathwe can't move on?"

Ashley clenched her fists in anger and almost instantly regretted her tirade.

"I'm sorry, it's… it's just the Skipper you know…"

What the hell?... Oh fuck… Shit… Is that? Fuck, GETH? Remember your training Williams, God, just take cover… Alliance soldiers, thank God. Is that… is that her? Christ, it is… Shepard, Hero of the Skyllian Blitz. Wow.

Spectre Nihlus is dead. Apparently by Spectre Saren's hand. Spectres. Black Ops always go bad, hidden shit stinks more than what's in the open, at least I can pick up on what I see… Very mature, Williams.

I never trusted the aliens. Is Shepard blind? They aren't Alliance, and never will be. Turians, seriously? Does she even know about the First Contact War? I can see why Shepard wants Miss Prothean Expert on board, she knows shit, I get it. But fuck me, Skipper, her mother's a traitor and we don't know where her loyalties lie.

'Yes Ma'am, we won't have a problem with the ali… I mean non-humans aboard.' Jesus Christ… I hope you're right.

What the… What the fuck? Cerberus? Is this for real? Am I dreaming? Is this a Collector drug? You're a traitor! Plain and simple! Nothing you could say will make me change my mind. Alliance colours run in my blood. You stand here with your Cerberus lackeys and tell me you're not with them? Bullshit!

'I have no idea what Cerberus is doing here.'

Shit Skipper, Anderson trusts you… should I?

Coré, what the hell? Fuck that bitch I'm gonna…

Shepard… Tennyson… that must have cost a fortune. Here you are, ready to forgive me, and here I am, undeserving.

Udina, that spineless weasel. I knew there was a reason behind my promotion. Why didn't I see it? He wanted the Skipper dead, and wanted me to do it. I'm a joke… My career's a joke…

Ashley is snapped out of her thoughts by a hand rubbing on her forearm.

"She's hurting, a lot… We can't hold her to it, she's not herself." Despite not being able to see Tali's eyes, Williams could have sworn that the Quarian was crying.

Looks and nods of approval were exchanged, and then the mournful group disbanded.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It's been two days. Two horrible days since they tried to declare you dead. You promised, so I don't believe it. I'm tired, but I can't sleep because I don't know where you are. I'm hungry but I don't want to leave my terminal in case… no I don't want to leave my terminal for when I finally receive intel on you.

She scans the vast array of monitors again, something she has done repeatedly, over two dozen times, in the last hour alone. According to the crew's technical reports, the Normandy is almost space worthy.

What does it matter if I have no one to fly home to?

"Glyph, perform another galactic system scan immediately."

Glyph comes to life and hovers around its boss. Learning a hard lesson from the last time its presence was requested, it was sure to stay out of "swatting range".

"Dr. T'Soni, I apologize but the scans performed at this instant produced the same results as requested 17.14 minutes ago. I have not yet picked up any intel regarding Commander Shepard, but will continue my scans."

"Thank you Glyph, that will be all."

'You sure you don't wanna do anything more exciting?' Goddess, that lop-sided grin makes me melt every time. You know it too. I still can't believe daughter of Matriarch Benezia, of the House of T'Soni, and High Consultant to Athame's Priestesses of Armali, can be utterly swayed by a smirk. Mother would be so ashamed.

'I love this place, reminds me of where I grew up… Oh the trouble I got into, digging for ruins in the grass. I was lectured for hours by my mother for it, but… she did buy me my first history book the next day.'

You looked utterly amused, I can see you're internally laughing 'your ass off' at me but I appreciate your composure, poorly contained as it is.

'Shepard… I… I'm glad we could spend this time together… I doubt we'll get much more.' The weight of this war finally hits me. You won't be able to keep your promise, and it was selfish of me to ask you to do so. I believe in you, but we have a whole galaxy to convince. You are but one woman, a human, the newcomers…

'Liara… What ever happens, what ever lays in store for us, there's something I want you to know…' Shepard nervously fishes though her black cargo pants and pulls out a bracelet, then suddenly drops to one knee…

Goddess is that?...

'Liara T'Soni, daughter of Matriarch Benezia and Matriarch Aethyta, I hereby declare my undying love for you, in front of all these people, and humbly ask you for your hand, finger, errr wrist, uhhhh… because I want to spend my life with you, and uhhhh…. Will you be my bondmate?'

We are again back in your quarters. I don't think I've ever seen you falter. I would have never imagined a Krogan head-butter, Banshee pummeler, and Brute wrestler would be so shy as to confirm what you already knew. I am yours, so long as we both draw breath, I am yours.

Your kisses are mesmerizing. Amidst the war, I cannot help but feel selfish. You are my bondmate.

You trace my jaw line with kisses, I'm internally begging for more… Even without our joining you sense my need, my desperation, and instinctively kiss your way down my neck, to my chest, to my breasts… You're gentle hands trace the length of my body, tease the wetness of my slick folds, before finally entering me.

'I love you Shepard, more than you can ever know.'

Knock knock…

'Please Shepard, please…. Ah… there… yes.'

Knock knock…

'Goddess I'm so close… don't stop… Goddess… yes!'

"Liara, are you ok?"

"Uhhh.. Dr. Chakwas… ya… yes, I'm fine, I mean I'm ok." Goddess I can't believe her timing… almost as bad as Joker's. A clearly aroused and stammering Liara feels like she has been instantly warped back to the "awkward scientist" days.

"Is there something I can help you with, Doctor?"

"Liara… I think you've known me long enough to call me Karin, and as far as I know, you haven't left your room since 'the ceremony'. So… I've got food, perhaps a bit of alcohol, and an ear to lend. If you'd be so kind as to indulge an old woman's prerogative, please open the door."

I am hungry, and I could use some cheering up. Ok… I'll do it.

Liara reluctantly steps closer to the door and deactivates the lock.

"Thank God you opened the door, this stuff weighs a ton. I thought myself bent over a barrel with you but then the door opened."

"I'm sorry… I don't have a table to accommodate you but perhaps you could put this down on the bed."

"Indeed child, I will." Chakwas struts over to Liara's "office bed" and carefully deposits the food, glasses and most importantly, the bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy.

After seating herself comfortably she motions to Liara to also take a seat. As far as the good doctor was concerned, they were in for a long one.

"Pull up an office chair if you will dear girl, but please, sit."

Liara complied as the older doctor poured the brandy into the glasses she had brought along with her. Liara sniffed the drink, much to Dr. Chakwas' amusement.

"Next you'll tell me you're a Prothean expert AND brandy connoisseur. Well I'll be damned… Shepard really struck gold with you. Speaking of which, did I ever tell you about the first time I ever met her?" Chakwas said with an eyebrow cocked.

"It was on the hunt for Saren, before she took over for then Captain Anderson, Nihlus had not yet been killed… and before she became a Spectre…?" Liara replied, looking like a deer struck by headlights.

"Yes that's what the official records say, but no... David dragged some filthy street rat into my office one day and told me to patch her up, and that she'd just tried to rob him. Funny story indeed…"

TBC I promise, you all are the best just RL is in my face in a big way so hope it's soon. This chapter took a life of it's own.