A/N: Man, at this point I should have just called this fic "Cotton Candy" for as fluffy as it is. XD Oh yeah. So I should warn you, the beginning of this chapter . . . yeah it contains pure, sweet smut. O_O Apparently I have a lot of sexual frustration built up from the lack of a girlfriend. XD

Chapter 9

Shepard was in heaven. To see a sea of blue between her legs in the dim light, to feel Liara's mouth so hot against her incredibly aroused centre, to feel beads of sweat trickling down her face, to run her hands over that beautiful cerulean crest . . . heaven. She groaned in pleasure as two fingers penetrated her, caressing the sensitive tissue within with practiced ease.

"Liara!" she gasped, writhing beneath the asari's tongue. "Goddess, Liara, I'm going to come . . .!"

Liara purred against her, and the vibration in combination with a biotic pulse pushed Shepard over the edge. She cried out as ecstasy flooded her, and she came long and hard into Liara's awaiting mouth. Shepard arched off the bed, gasping for air as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. Liara extended the orgasm with continued ministrations until Shepard begged her to stop. She fell back on the bed, panting and temporarily unable to move. Liara seemed to have that effect on her. She felt the asari climb up the bed and settle gently over her. She had taken very pleasant advantage of the "no clothes in bed" rule she was enforcing.

When Shepard managed to open her eyes, Liara was giving her a very pleased smile. "Look what I did to you," she said and leaned down to run her tongue along Shepard's lips. Shepard allowed the asari's tongue in her mouth and enjoyed the intense taste of herself in Liara's mouth. It was wonderfully erotic. She moaned softly into the other's mouth.

"Goddess, Liara," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her bondmate. "Is it healthy to be this addicted to someone?"

"Let's hope so, Commander," she said in that seductive voice of hers. "Because I have no intention of letting you get over me."

Shepard ran her hand along Liara's back and up to the sensitive skin at the back of her neck, pulling her in for another kiss. It had been seven weeks now since waking from her coma, and they had made love at least twice a day since hitting the six week mark, despite insistent warnings from her salarian doctor. Shepard just chalked it up to him not understanding human resiliency (or perhaps just her resiliency), nor the powers of asari seduction. Which were considerable.

Liara pulled back to give Shepard a slightly concerned look. "I probably shouldn't have awakened you at three in the morning, should I have?"

Shepard put a finger over Liara's lips in amusement. "You can wake me up any time you want. Broken ribs and face be damned. I just hope you're okay. You are the pregnant one, after all."

Liara giggled softly. "I was having trouble sleeping, so I started watching you for a bit. Then I just couldn't resist. You looked so peaceful and beautiful. All your troubles looked so far away. In that moment, it was just you and me. And I was the only one in the universe with the power to touch you as only I am allowed to do. I wanted to feel what it was like to know that even in your sleep, you were still mine. That I could still reach out to you and it would be okay."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a tad possessive of me, Miss T'Soni," Shepard said in the most coy voice she could muster.

Liara's eyes darkened several shades. "I was merely stating a fact. You are mine, Commander Shepard."

"Well 'turnabout is fair play,' as they say. So I guess I'll just have to be as possesive and addicting as you," she said, rolling the asari beneath her.

She took a moment to enjoy a look of excited anticipation flutter over Liara's face. It was intoxicating. Hell, everything Liara did was intoxicating. She wasted no time running her hand down to the azure awaiting her touch. Liara opened her legs in preparation, the simple action making Shepard's body forget it had just climaxed. She ran her hand over her bondmates incredibly wet centre and smiled when Liara's eyes rolled shut in pleasure.

"Goddess, Liara, you're so wet. So ready for me," Shepard whispered, running her tongue along Liara's neck.

"You make it . . . difficult to behave," Liara said, her voice deliciously ragged.

Shepard began slowly circling Liara's wet azure, enjoying each frustrated groan escaping those beautiful blue lips.

"Did you need something?" Shepard asked with a teasing grin.

"I'm going to mmm-! make you pay for this, Commander," Liara rasped, digging her fingertips into Shepard's back.

She cried out as Shepard slipped a finger deep within and removed it just as quickly. Shepard nibbled Liara's neck, enjoying the sounds it elicited. "Serves you right. You're the one who woke me up at three in the morning," Shepard whispered unapologetically.

When Shepard slid her finger back inside Liara, the asari shamelessly drove her hips up into Shepard's hand.

"Should I stop teasing you, Love?" Shepard crooned in Liara's ear.

"Goddess, yes!" Liara all but growled.

Shepard lost all will power to continue torturing her beloved asari. She thrust two, then three fingers inside Liara and increased the speed of her ministrations. Liara cried out again, arching off the bed, and sending out a biotic pulse. Their minds and bodies linked in an instant, melded together as one. Unable to deny her own arousal, Shepard began undulating against Liara's leg in rhythm with the thrusts of her hand, and before long they were moments away from climax.

Goddess, I love you Nicole . . .

I love you Liara. I love you, always and forever.

Goddess you feel so . . .

Wonderful . . .

Every muscle in their bodies tensed then convulsed as they came in unison. They cried out each other's names both mentally and verbally as ecstasy flooded through them, drawn out by Liara's practiced biotics. Shepard buried her face in their pillow, her fluids running down Liara's leg as she rode her hard, clinging to the sheets with her free hand. She felt blue fingernails dig into her back. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was aware that that would leave a mark, but the thought only intensified her orgasm. Sensing this, Liara raked her fingernails along Shepard's back, leaving an even longer mark. They clung to each other, coming undone, falling into sheer ecstasy as one. Shepard could feel Liara's endless love flooding into every part of her, and she returned the same until neither of them could discern where the other began or ended.

"Goddess, Liara . . .!" Shepard panted when their orgasm finally began to subside. "Are you a dream? How could this be real?"

Liara ran a hand through Shepard's damp hair, replying, "If this is a dream, then let us never wake."

Shepard lifted her head to kiss her bondmate again. The kiss lingered for some time, though they were beginning to feel the lull of sleep.

Their breathing evened out and they relaxed into their sleepiness. Liara held the meld until they drifted off together; sated, and completely happy.

"Tali, I need your help," Shepard said, looking at the hologram of Tali's face. Tali was back on Rannoch, helping her people with the rebuilding of their world.

"I don't care what you say, I won't go on another suicide mission with you."

"What? No," Shepard laughed. "I need your help hacking into Glyph. But I need to make sure Liara won't find out. Think you can do it?"

Shepard could practically see the sarcasm showing through Tali's indigo helmet. "This is me we're talking about. Of course I can. What did you have in mind?"

"I need him to play our song on the piano when I propose to her. But it needs to be at the right time. I'd just ask Glyph to do it for me, but you know him. He can't keep a secret to save the damn galaxy."

Tali giggled. "I will on one condition. I want all the details on what you have planned."

"You drive a hard bargain," Shepard grinned. "But you have a deal. Then again, are you sure you can handle all the details? I mean, Liara and I have a reputation of ending up naked whenever either of us does something romantic."

Tali just about choked on her tongue she coughed so hard. "On second thought, how about I get the abridged, family-friendly version?"

Shepard laughed. She just couldn't resist the temptation to embarrass Tali. It was just too easy. "Say, do you think you could get your hands on some Rannoch Lilies? I happen to know those are Liara's favorites."

"I think that can be arranged. When were you planning all this?"

"One week from today."

Tali about choked again. "Maybe a little more warning next time?"

"Tali, if we can take on the reapers and win, I should think you can get me some lilies. Unless you're saying you're not up for the challenge?"

"Oh it is on," Tali said with a competitive edge in her voice. "See you in a week, Shepard."

The hologram went dead and Shepard grinned craftily. It really was a gift of hers to be able to get what she wanted. She just hoped it would work on Liara. She was about to go to a lot of trouble to hear that magical "yes" uttered from Liara's sweet blue lips. She flipped the comm back on and a minute later Ashley's face appeared.

"Hey Commander . . . look I know why you're calling and I'm sorry," Ashley blurted out. "I haven't stopped by to see how you are doing and I'm really sorry. I've been on Earth helping rebuild and the Alliance hasn't given me any time off yet because it's been so crazy on Earth, and you were in that coma for three weeks and-"

"Take a breath Ash," Shepard laughed. "That's not why I'm calling. I knew the Alliance was keeping you busy, and of course you're a Spectre now. I'm calling because I happen to know you have a girly side and can help me with a grand, ridiculously romantic gesture."

"Oh. What . . .? Oh!" Ashley exclaimed, a look of excitement passing over her face.

"I have a very important mission I need you to do. Like, Earth-shatteringly important."

"Whatever it is, I'm on it, Skipper," Ashley replied without hesitation.

"Good. Roses. I need roses. As many as you can possibly get me. Do you think it would be too much to have a giant neon sign?"

Ashley laughed. "I think it would be pretty cheesey. So you're finally going to pop the question, huh? I'm a little surprised you waited this long. I thought for sure you'd do it the day after Ilos."

"Yeah, well not from wanting. Do you know any interior decorators?"

"Um . . . well my sister, but . . . why?"

"Because I'm horrible at decorating things. And I want to do up the entire apartment. Too much?"

"Nah, girls love that shit."

"Girls love that shit . . .?" Shepard teased.

"Girls love that shit, Ma'am," Ashley endulged.

"Good. When can we get your sister to the Citadel?"