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."

Oh my, I'm on a roll as I didn't update for like over a week, so here's another chapter to make up for it. Thanks for the reviews, adds and fav's. Seems this little story has taken a life of it's own thanks to your encouragement.

There will be sexy times in this chapter, but as I cannot write gratuitous smut I'll do my best to convey emotions felt during what I think is true love-making, which will hopefully make up for the lack of graphic descriptions.

Writing this felt like waking up in a crowd completely naked…

Thanks to Salser for proofing, you're the best!

Bioware owns all, I just make them cry.

Piece by Piece

{"Roger that Lieutenant… Joker to all Normandy's crew, we're leaving this shit hole, strap down, strap in, or strap on, whatever floats your boat, we are outta here, Woooooooooo!"}

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

The cockpit was now filled with the crew, support staff, pilots, engineers, security, and Shepard's squadron crew.

"Heading for the DMZ relay… Still can't believe anything near the Krogan home world is… well… green." Joker's glee suddenly fades as he looks over at his co-pilot's empty seat.

At least Cerberus let me fly again, but this ship… cancer, I can definitely do without.

'It's spying on us, Commander. Just be careful that you don't end up doing a sequel to Vaenia, cause you know, you did cost them a shit load… They may want royalties sometime…'

'It's just mad cause I greased its cockpit cams, at least all its footage of me now looks like a dream sequence. A sexy dream sequence…'

This AI is insane if she thinks I'm going to unshackle her… God damn it, shit… shit they're everywhere, fuck, the Cerberus Cheerleader is gonna be pissed. EDI's unshackled and saved well, me... And the ship… She's alright.

This is amazing! I barely have to fly the ship, and she can catalogue all my "extranet bookmarks" in a nano-second, gotta love quantum computing!

Oh my God… Ohhhhh myyyyy Goddddd. A sexy robot body? How did I not know about this? Shepard thinks I knew? A sexy robot body! Come on!

I love her. I do. An extreme emotional attachment to a ship? No, more like an extreme emotional attachment to EDI.

What the fuck happened? A flash of red… that's my explanation? What the FUCK happened to EDI?

Mirroring Garrus at the Memorial Wall, Liara gently rests her hand on Joker's shoulder, sensing his shift in demeanor. "We'll figure this out Jeff, Shepard isn't gone, and neither is she."

Goddess, we're so close.

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

The fleets have been ordered to Cronos station. Thank the Goddess we got that lead. But this is it, isn't it? The beginning of the end? I don't know how you do it. I can sense your despair every time we meld, and it is only getting worse. I'd give my life for your security, your confidence and for that extra drive you need to push on.

EDI will not tell me where you are, although I have a pretty good idea. Your door is locked, but you wouldn't have given me the override code had you not wanted me here. Goddess, you look so deflated stroking your helmet…

'I thought I felt a bullet graze me during that last fight. Good thing my biotic goddess was quick with her barriers.' You look up at me half-jokingly. 'Liara… I love you, and you mean everything to me… but I'm scared. Scared that I'll have to break my promise to always come back to you. I'm scared I won't be able to give you all those little blue children… And I can't face a universe without you.'

Your eyes pierce through my soul right then and there… and break my heart.

'What I want most, is…' I choke back a sob… 'is for there to be a galaxy left, with you in it to raise our daughters in. Shepard, I may have 900 years ahead of me, but the day you leave me eternally is the day I die… I can't and won't do it again.'

As I take a few steps closer to you I start unfastening my armor. I slip off my gloves and start unzipping my top. You look at me with the same awe you did three years ago, and every time since. I have never felt so desired, wanted and loved as through your eyes. I slide my pants off, and unbuckle my boots, casting them both aside. I am wholly me, just me, forever me, just for you.

Your gaze never leaves mine. I reach out to you, grasp your hand and pull you towards me. Your arms circle my waist, you hold me close as I nuzzle your neck, kissing you softly along the ridges of your jaw. I lead you over to the bed while snaking my hands under your shirt, lifting it up over your head. Your breathing deepens, staggers while your eyes devour me whole.

'Goddess you are intoxicating…' I unfasten your pants. Your wanton desire for me is unmistakable. You release your clutch on my hips and let your hands roam upwards, over my breasts. You once again lift your head to meet my eyes. Your piercing stare tells me everything you are feeling, your love for me, your worry for my future and your desperation to keep me safe; I only hope you know the way I look at you conveys the same exact thing.

I push you back onto the bed and crawl over you.

'Liara, my god, you are the most perfect being I've ever seen. I love you so much it hurts.'

Of all the times we've made love I've never seen you look at me with such want. I press my lips upon yours and slip my tongue into your mouth. The sensation is electrifying. As we deepen this kiss I feel your hands wander over my back. I press myself into you as much as possible, yet it's never close enough. I capture your breast, and roll your nipple through my fingers.

As our eyes meet I stop my ministrations. I need to feel your soul, your love, and in return, my love for you. Despite our closeness I feel so far away; being so close pains me as I cannot get physically closer to you, I want so desperately to be one with you.

You flip us over and I can feel your weight on me. I look up into your haunting eyes; pleading with you to stay safe. Our lips join again, Goddess I throw my entire being into this kiss. As we break the kiss in desperate need for air I grip your shoulders, Goddess I can't lose you again, I won't survive.

I feel your mouth descend onto my body, over my breasts, taking a hardening nipple into your mouth. "Shep-p-ard… more, please more." I can feel you smile into my breast as your hand roams every so slowly and teasingly over my body. You push into me with ease, then lift your head to look back at me as you start your slow, rhythmic pace in and out of me.

I catch your chin as you are about to kiss my neck. I want to look into your eyes as you make love to me. With every deepening thrust my eyes speak to you; they tell you I want you, I love you, I want a future with you, I'd do anything for you, I'd die for you, but I want to live for you.

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

{"Communications from the Alliance has been established. Shepard and Anderson are alive. Traynor out.}

Liara's eyes widen in shock. How is that even possible? I thought the Alliance confirmed Anderson's death as we left the system. What else have they gotten wrong?

Joker is madly inputting commands into his flight console and again looks over to the ghost that is his co-pilot. Snapping out of his day-dream he opens the comm.

{"Hitting the DMZ relay in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Welcome to Earth everyone!"}

TBC Ok I said 1, maybe 2 more chapters then it's a wrap… but I STILL have a flood of ideas that could continue this story, if enough people are interested. Like can I really kill EDI and the Geth despite a destroy ending? Reviews, comments, your ideas and feedback are most welcomed!