A/N: Hello all! Thank you so much for the wonderful welcome back reviews and private messages. I am glad to be part of this community, you all rock!

The poem that is written in this story is written by a fellow Fanfiction writer. She graciously agreed to allow me to include one of her original poem's titled 'Standing' (I use a portion of it). Her name is Evadne Anderson and if you want to read Dragon Age fanfiction I highly recommend looking up her work. She writes under the fanfiction author name of Raven Sinead.

Thank you again to everyone who has contacted me, who has followed and favorite'd me. Your support leaves me speechless. You will never know how much it means. Thank you.


THESSIA

Early lunch with Amy Brickman, the Skyball scout for the New York Strikers went very, very well. Mia is still on top of the galaxy as Shepard lands the sky car.

"Just remember Mia that is one team, there may be other offers you might want to hear."

"I know Dad but seriously I could be working out with them within three months, three months can you believe it!"

Liara touches Shepard's arm, saying goodbye to their second oldest daughter to pursue her dream will be very difficult for the human whether it is in three months or three years.

"I can't wait to tell everyone!" Mia leaves the sky car before Shepard has a chance to turn the thing off.

"You okay?" asks Liara since Shepard is not moving.

"It's really happening isn't it?"

"If not with this team then another, yes I suppose it is."

Shepard takes Liara's hand and kisses it. "I am so damn proud of her." Her voice cracks a little. Liara gives her a hug.

"It's going to be okay Elly. Everything is going to be all right."

Shepard kisses her quick on the lips, "As long as I have you."

They get out of the sky car and enter their home.

"Wow, how many?" asks Mia.

"Twenty-three," says Little A.

"What are we talking about?" asks Shepard.

"There are twenty-three different messages for me asking to meet with me, isn't that great! I'm going upstairs to listen to each one. I better start a file; I want to look up each team that is calling me." Mia runs upstairs taking two at a time.

"Twenty-three?" Liara asks Little A.

"Yep. It's been ringing pretty much nonstop the last few hours."

Raina puts her arm around her Dad, "You okay Dad?"

"Yeah fine honey. How are you doing?"

Raina just smiles, she knows her father is hurting but does not push it. "Good. Would you like something to drink, a beer perhaps?" Raina gives her shoulder a squeeze.

"That would be great thanks, I'll take it outside." Shepard walks out to the backyard and sits in her Adirondack chair.

"She okay Mother?" asks Raina.

"She will be, let's just leave her be for a while."

"She wanted a beer."

"Sure go ahead, thank you Raina." Liara gives her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"So Mom, do you think Mia will be moving out soon?" asks Eva.

"It looks like it may be sooner rather than later, why honey?" Liara sits on the couch.

"Just wondering. It is going to be so weird without her here." Eva sits next to her.

"Yes it is. How is your poem coming along? Shouldn't you submit it soon?"

"Yes. I well …I have something, do you want to hear it?"

"I do!" says Little A. She sits on the chair across from the couch.

Raina comes in after giving Shepard a beer. "I want to hear too." She sits on the floor.

Eva smiles she is suddenly a bit nervous.

"It's okay honey, go ahead," says Liara.

"Okay," Eva lets out a breath as she brings up her omni-tool. She punches a few buttons to get to the poem she wants, "Umm, this is how I see yours and Dad's love for each other." Eva clears her throat and begins.

Come to me,

my knight in fractured armor,

rusted, ripped, betrayed,

torn by teeth of indiscriminate blade

that cannot judge the heart beating beneath

all pure and glass and fragile, fragile faith.

Battle-brother, come unto me now,

clamor calmed and enemies but dust,

see me in my nakedness and lust;

let me hold you in the aftermath and pain,

stitch our skin together,

see that where you bleed I bleed,

see our wounds as matched and paired.

I can give to all the world

and I choose you.

Do you feel it ~

No one heard Shepard enter through the sliding glass door. Her eyes are welling with tears, "That was beautiful Eva."

Everyone looks to her standing there.

"You liked it?"

"Oh honey, I loved it." Shepard walks over. Eva stands so her father can hug her. "I cannot say I understand everything you wrote, but it is beautiful, just beautiful.

Liara stands and joins her bondmate in the hug of their third child.

"And you know what?" asks Shepard, "I do love your mother like that." Shepard looks Liara in the eye, "I love you with everything that I have." She kisses her as they both hold Eva.

"Okay, okay you guys, I need to breathe here," laughs Eva.

Shepard hugs her hard then starts to tickle her. "Can't breathe huh?"

"Tickle fight!" Little A starts to attack her sister.

"No! Stop stop stop," laughs Eva. She is trying to get away but her Dad has a good hold on her.

The doorbell rings.

Laughing and getting out of the way Liara says "I'll get it."

The asari opens the door. "Dad!"

Aethyta hears the loud laughter coming from inside.

"You having a party and forget to invite me?"

"Not at all, it's a tickle fight. Come in."

"What the hell is that?" Aethyta enters.

Liara grabs her father's arm and gives it a squeeze as she walks to the family room.

"Okay enough, enough," says Raina. "She can't breathe."

Eva looks like she is laughing but nothing is coming out.

Shepard lets go and Little A stops her tickling so Eva can catch her breath.

"So a tickle fight is watching someone laugh?" asks Aethyta.

"Grandpa!" Raina hugs her. "How are you?"

"Good. I don't get it."

"You missed it," says Liara. "A tickle fight is where you tickle each other until the other one gives up."

"Yeah except this time we ganged up on Eva," says Little A.

"Uh huh."

"It is so good to see you Dad, have a seat," says Liara. "Can I get you anything?"

"Here you go," says Raina. She hands her grandfather a glass of Ryncol.

"Thanks, now that is a great grandkid."

"Ha Ha she is your grandkid not great grandkid, grandpa. Get it?" asks Little A.

Everyone looks at the youngest asari in the room with blank faces.

"Oh come on did no one get that?"

"I did," Shepard gives her a nudge in the shoulder. "Good one."

"Thank you."

"So you all really like it then?" asks Eva.

"Yes," says Liara, "I like that one the best."

"What is going on?" asks Aethyta.

"Eva just read us a poem she is going to enter into a contest," says Little A as she sits next to her grandpa and makes the asari put her arm around her. "It was really good. What have you been up to while we were gone?"

Aethyta smiles a little, "Where is your main squeeze? Have you gone the distance yet?"

"Dad!"

Little A punches her grandpa in the stomach, not too lightly.

"Hey no striking the Matriarch." She kisses Little A on the forehead.

"I wanted to see how everybody was doing after your trip," says Aethyta.

Everyone's eyes dart between Shepard and Liara. The human sits down in one of the chairs, "It went well."

Liara sits on the arm of the chair and touches Shepard's back. "It was a beautiful service."

"I'm sorry you two. I know how much she meant to the both of you."

"Thanks Dad."

"What about you Raina, Abby doing okay?"

"As well as she can," says Raina. "Brandon and her kids have been there for her."

"Good, that's good."

"What have you been up to Dad?"

"Oh not much, same old shit."

"Nice grandpa," says Raina.

"Sorry."

"You guys!" Mia comes running down the stairs. "Twenty-one teams want to talk to me, twenty-one!"

"What happened to twenty-three?" asks Eva.

"Same team called a few times. Oh my Goddess! Can you believe it!"

Eva gives her a great big hug. "I believe it of course. You have worked so hard."

Raina and Little A are next to give their sister a hug.

"We have some wonderful children Elly don't you think?" Liara whispers in her ear then gives her a kiss on the cheek.

"Yes we do."


EARTH

Oriana Curtis is celebrating her birthday today. The young sister of Miranda Lawson is surrounded by her two sons, Hunter who is 94 and Tanner who is 90. They both married wonderfully beautiful women which have given her five grandchildren. They are also celebrating her move. Oriana is moving back to Thessia to live in a wing of the estate that she shared with Miranda and Arelia before moving to Earth with Mark to start their life together.

It has been in the works for over six months. Mark died a little over eight months ago and Oriana has not felt like herself since. Both her sons were worried about her so they called their Aunt Miranda. The ex-Cerberus operative spent a few months with Oriana on Earth and after much discussion and a heart to heart with each son, Oriana decided to move back to Thessia, if even for a little while. She is not selling her home, in fact one of her grandkids, Jeff who is Hunter and Bonnie's oldest child will be living there while she is gone. She leaves on a transport ship tonight after the party.

"You okay Mom?" asks Tanner.

Oriana sees Mark in her second son, blonde hair and blue eyes. "I'm fine honey thank you. And thank you both for this party.

He leans down and kisses her cheek. They are enjoying Hunter's backyard and the beautiful weather in New York. "It was our pleasure, besides I think Bonnie and Renee did most of the work, right Hunter?" says Tanner.

"You got that right; all I do is the barbequing."

"That is important too honey," says Bonnie as she kisses her husband on the lips. "You need anything else Oriana?"

"No thank you Bonnie." Oriana stands; she checks her omni-tool for the time. "I probably should get going." She approaches Tanner's wife, "Thank you Renee for everything."

"Do not mention it. We are all going to miss you. Happy Birthday."

Each grandkid lines up for a hug and kiss as Oriana makes her exit. Both Hunter and Tanner take her to the transport ship.


THESSIA

Shepard is woken by a sound she has not heard in a very long time. It is her omni-tool beeping a particular beep. She grabs it as quickly as she can so as not to wake up Liara.

"Elly? Is that?"

Shepard is sitting on the floor. "Shh." Liara watches over the human's shoulder.

The message is not very clear. "Shep….this ….Eli. …..help….."

"Shit I can't understand anything," says Shepard.

"Bring it to the room I can clean it up."

They both enter the secure room.

Liara starts to do her magic at a console. "Was that Eli?"

"Yeah it was. What the hell is Grunt's son doing calling me?"

Shepard got word over a year ago that her Krogan friends Wrex and Grunt were killed by a thresher maw on Tuchanka. It was not during a Krogan rite of passage it was a hunt. Though it sounded farfetched, Eli, Grunt's oldest son said it was true.

"What's taking so long?"

Liara knows Shepard is anxious and nervous, she is too. "Two minutes."

Shepard starts to pace. It is the middle of the night. They fell asleep in each other's arms talking about the different teams Mia brought up. There were five teams from Thessia, three from Palaven and the rest from Earth. Of course Shepard wants Mia to stay on Thessia, but the young asari is very interested in living on Earth. The human bit her tongue because of how excited Mia was. She knows she needs to let go it just hurts so damn much.

"Here we go," says Liara. She plays the message.

"Shepard, this is Eli. We need your help. Cannot discuss this way. Need you to meet me. You know the place. Eli out."

"Is that it?" asks Shepard.

"That's it."

"Shit."

Shepard moves back to the bedroom. She grabs her big duffle bag from the closet and starts packing.

"What are you doing?"

"You heard him Liara, I have to go."

"Without discussing it?"

Shepard stops her packing to face her bondmate. "You heard him Liara I have to go."

"Alone?"

"Well yes if I have to."

"Mia is about to be signed by a professional Skyball team, Raina is nearly finished with her dissertation and let's not forget our other two children."

"Then you stay."

"You have no idea what you are getting yourself into."

"Liara I have to go don't you understand?" Shepard resumes her packing.

"I am trying to understand Elly I am. I know how much you miss Ashley."

"This has nothing to do with Ash."

"Doesn't it? You want desperately to have anyone from your crew still alive I know you Elly."

Shepard stops. She looks at Liara. "What are you talking about?

"You think that by using your special channel, a channel only Wrex and Grunt knew that one of them must be alive because they would never tell their children. You want one of them alive."

"So what if I do! Is that so terrible Liara?"

Liara composes herself. "You need to think Elly. It is quite possible Eli knows your special code."

"That doesn't change anything Liara; I still need to see what's going on. He is obviously in trouble and I am needed."

"You are needed here."

Shepard turns to face her fast, "What if it was you? What if you were in trouble and one of our daughters called Miranda or Arelia? They would help Liara and you know it."

"Elly stop." Liara takes her arm gently, "Just stop and think for a minute."

Shepard blows out a breath, "What?"

"Wrex and Grunt are not alive."

Shepard looks away, "I know that."

"I do not want you to set yourself up for a fall. You will only get hurt."

Shepard places her hands on either side of Liara's shoulders, "Liara. I need to know what is happening with Eli. Regardless of how he got my code he used it which tells me he needs help."

"Do you even know what is going on with Tuchanka?"

"No what?"

"I have no idea Elly and that is what scares me. You do not know what you are getting yourself into."

"Liara, you can say that about my entire military career. You think I studied the reapers before I killed one?"

"No Elly I did."

Shepard sits next to her bag on the bed. "What exactly do you suggest Liara? You can't come with me."

"No I cannot. What I can do is contact Feron and see what he and Bria can find out about what is happening on the planet. If there is anything out of the ordinary, they will know about it."

"Good Liara that's good, good idea." Shepard stands and starts to pack once more.

"You might as well stop Elly."

"You know I have to go Liara, there is no need to argue about it."

Liara turns Shepard around. "The next transport ship to Tuchanka does not leave until the afternoon Elly."

Shepard smiles a little. "Oh."

Liara takes the duffle bag off the bed and places it by the door. "Let's go back to bed after we respond to the message."

"Shit I didn't even think about that." Shepard blows out another breath. "Thanks Liara. I promise I will keep my head."

"You better, I quite like it."


Miranda is up early. She is cooking breakfast for her bondmate Arelia and their two kids Shayna and Rose. Over the years she and Arelia have taken cooking classes much to their daughter's delight. It is Shayna in fact who is like her Aunt Oriana, very good in the kitchen. The asari of 101 years insists that she cook dinner at least once a week for the family. Though Miranda is quite pleased with sitting back and eating or ordering take out which is how she survived before she met Arelia, she thought it was high time she learn how to prepare and cook a meal the proper way. She is surprised at how much she likes it and compares it to her lab work.

Every ingredient has a purpose and there are some that mix well together and others that don't which is the case with her work in the lab.

"Something smells good."

"Morning Arelia."

The human stops and pulls Arelia close for a long, slow kiss.

"Mmm didn't realize I was part of the menu."

"You are always part of the menu." Miranda kisses her quickly this time then returns to her cooking.

"Should I wake the girls?"

"Not yet, this won't be ready for another thirty minutes. I just need to finish this then it goes into the oven."

Arelia pours a cup of coffee. "You want a refresher?"

"Sure."

Miranda pours the egg looking substance into a pan and places it into the oven. "There." She sits at the breakfast bar with her bondmate.

"You excited for today?" asks Arelia.

"I just cannot thank you enough for letting Oriana move back in here."

"We have been over this Miranda. I know the girls are looking forward to it as am I. I have missed Oriana being here. It will be like, what do you humans say, the good 'ole days?"

"Yeah something like that." Miranda's smile fades.

"So what is it then?"

"I am just worried about her. I hope it will be good for her to be here."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"I wonder if taking her away from her kids is really the best idea."

"You told me yourself that Oriana said she feels like a burden to her boys, that they have their own families and don't have time to worry about her or take care of her."

"She did say that, but that does not necessarily mean it is true."

"I see."

They sit in silence for a bit.

"Why don't we see how it goes," says Arelia. "See how she does Miranda. We do not work like Oriana's kids do. We have the time to take care of her."

"I know." Miranda's eyes well up which Arelia sees.

"Hey." The asari places her arm around her shoulders. "She is going to be okay."

Miranda shakes her head, "You didn't see her when I was on Earth."

"She loved Mark very much. Everyone responds to grief differently. She just needs time Miranda."

"I hope you're right Arelia, I hope you're right."