A/N: Yay! Thank you for the ideas on what to do for this chapter! E-Hug to all my wonderful reviewers! ^_^

P.S. Sorry it took me so long to update, I had food poisoning over the weekend. TT^TT So to make up for it there will be some sweet gooeyness at the end. I wasn't going to write a lemon . . . but ya know. It was just too darn sweet to resist. X3 And don't worry, I'll be introducing the twins to the gang in the next couple chapters. ^_^

Chapter 36

"Where are they?!" Liara heard her father bellow from downstairs.

She moaned against Shepard's lips in irritation. Their daughters had just slipped off into an afternoon post-lunch nap in their crib, giving her and Shepard a few precious minutes to get in some much-needed making out. They knew Aethyta was due back from the Citadel any time now, but they had hoped to have at least a little more time. Their twins were now two weeks old to the day, though, and Liara knew Aethyta felt bad about missing the birth due to Citadel politics.

Shepard chuckled and pulled back from the kiss. "Sounds like your father's home. I thought she was supposed to be on the Citadel for another two weeks?"

"Oh you know Aethyta. She does what she wants. It's probably only going to get worse now that she's a Matriarch again," Liara said. She let out a little regretful sigh at having her make-out session cut short. After giving Shepard a few more quick kisses, she resigned herself and headed downstairs to greet her father.

The Matriarch was already at the base of the staircase when Liara rounded the corner and she looked to be in quite the mood.

"Damn salarians were the ones barely hit by the Reapers, but by the way they're acting, you'd think they're on the brink of extinction," Aethyta growled. "I just spent the last two weeks arguing with the damn dalatrasses about putting a couple hundred communications satellites on loan to the asari just to get the extranet up and running a little more smoothly on Thessia. You'd think I just asked for the deed to their entire fucking planet. I even wrote up a two-hundred page loan agreement that included how we would pay it back and when they would get the communications satellites back. I'm at my damn wit's end. I think I may need Shepard on this one. Those fucking dalatrasses aren't budging."

"Why?" Liara asked incredulously.

" Because they all have sticks up their collective asses, and because they're putting their own interests above the interests of the Council races. And with the quarians now joining the Council and possibly the krogan, they want to secure as much power as they can before it's divided among more races. I never liked salarians."

"Would you do the same in their position?" Liara countered.

"Of course not!" Aethyta snapped. "Helping allies helps yourself. It's in their best interest to secure allies, especially allies who are known for their ability to keep the peace. The galaxy needs that right now more than ever."

Aethyta's business posture and tone immediately disappeared when she entered the bedroom and saw the crib. Liara stood a few feet away, fidgeting a little nervously as her father leaned over the railing and looked at the two little sleeping bundles.

"Well look at you," the matriarch crooned in a voice Liara had never heard before. She didn't even know her father was capable of sounding so tender. "Who are the two cutest little granddaughters in the universe? And who's the best granddaddy in the universe? Me? Oh why thank you."

Grinning and rolling her eyes, Liara crossed to Shepard and leaned back into her arms. Her bondmate rested her chin on her shoulder as they watched the Matriarch fussing over their twins. After a minute or so, Aethyta turned to them.

"So when am I babysitting so you two can have sex?"

Liara knew by now she should probably be used to this kind of thing from her father, but it did little to stop deep purple from permeating her cheeks. "Aethyta!" she tsked.

"What? Kids are the number one libido killer in the galaxy. I'm just sayin', if you want some alone time, that's what grandfathers are for."

"How about in two weeks?" Shepard replied.

Liara turned and swatted her chest with an embarrassed giggle. "Shepard, don't encourage her!"

"What?" Shepard said with a mischievous grin. "I'm not going to turn down alone time with the most wonderful woman in the galaxy."

Liara's blush deepened. If they were alone, Shepard's adoring praise would be welcome, but in front of her father it was . . . awkward.

"Oh for goddess' sake, Kid," Aethyta said in her best scolding tone. "Just be happy I'm offering you two some alone time. You aren't going to get a lot of it now that you're parents."

"Oh we'll find a way," Shepard said in that decisive tone of hers. Liara giggled again.

Aethyta chuckled. "I'm sure you will."

O=O=O=O=O

Later that night after a big dinner Aethyta prepared by way of apology for missing the twins' birth, Shepard and Liara retired to feed their girls, change diapers, then get in some alone time. All their friends were planning to start stopping by, so they had a feeling their alone time would be scarce in the oncoming weeks. Liara stepped out out of the bathroom to see Shepard sitting next to the crib softly singing an Earth song she didn't recognize. The lyrics were dark but the song was undeniably beautiful.

"As the riders loped on by him, he heard one call his name
If you want to save your soul from Hell a-riding on our range
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
Tryin' to catch that Devil's herd, across these endless skies

Yippie yi aaaay
Yippie yi ohhhh,

Ghost Riders in the sky."

Liara was mesmerized. Shepard's voice soft and gravely, yet rough and gentle all at the same time. Her bondmate never ceased to amaze her. Warmth blossomed in her heart and she leaned against the door frame and a loving smile played across her lips.

"Oh Shepard . . ." she whispered.

Her bondmate glanced up and gave her a sheepish grin. She stood and crossed to Liara, wrapping her in an embrace.

"They're out like a light. I guess all that excitement with Aethyta wore them out," Shepard said, kissing Liara's nose.

"Where did you learn that song?" Liara asked, nuzzling her nose against Shepard's.

"My dad used to sing it to me when I was little. I don't remember much about him, but I remember that song. He learned it from his dad and him from his and so forth. It's an old Shepard tradition I guess. Gotta pass the song on to my little ones."

"That's a lovely sentiment," Liara whispered, teasing Shepard's lips with a kiss.

"Isn't it? It was my favorite song growing up. Always wished I could have heard the -"

"Shut up and kiss me, Shepard," Liara growled. Shepard complied with a cheeky grin and Liara bit her lower lip for her efforts.

"Ow, hey!" Shepard said in mock-despair. "And I was going to put your balm on you and everything."

Liara pressed the container in Shepard's hands with another wicked grin. "I was going to demand you apply it, actually."

She squeaked out a quiet laugh when Shepard suddenly picked her up bridal style and carried her to their bed. After settling Liara under the blankets, Shepard stripped off her own robe and climbed in next to Liara. She opened the container of balm and began rubbing the gel-like substance onto her hand. Aethyta had been kind enough to bring a few bottles with her from the Citadel, and despite the implied innuendo that came with it, Liara was grateful. It was commonly used by asari and human females to help with soreness after birth, to ease any swelling, and to help heal any tearing. After warming the balm on her hand, Shepard settled next to Liara and lightly kissed her.

"Ready, Love?" Shepard asked.

"I think we've established you have free access to my body, 'Dear'," Liara replied with a soft smile.

Shepard brought their lips together again for another sweet kiss, slowly lowering her hand beneath the covers until it rested between Liara's legs. Liara let out a soft groan of pleasure, both from the contact, and from the balm itself. It made her skin feel both cool and warm, and slightly tingly. Her pleasure only increased as her bondmate began massaging it into her folds and opening. Shepard deepened their kiss as she continued her gentle ministrations and soon their tongues were writhing together. When Shepard began ever so gently giving her the stimulation her body was already desperately craving, Liara groaned again into their kiss.

Shepard suddenly stopped, causing Liara to whimper from the lack of movement.

"I don't want to hurt you," Shepard whispered, her brow lined with concern.

"Goddess please don't stop now," Liara breathed, encouraging Shepard's hand by spreading her legs further apart. "You won't hurt me, I promise. It feels amazing. Just don't . . ." she faltered for a moment, but she could see understanding in her bondmate's fuchsia eyes.

"Penetrate? I know, Love. I've got you."

Shepard went back to her gentle task at hand and soon Liara's breath was hitching as she climbed closer to the edge with every gentle stroke. Though it had only been a little less than two months since they were last intimate, her body was already desperate for Shepard, as was evidenced by the ease of her ascent.

"I love you, Liara T'Soni," Shepard whispered in her ear.

Liara soared, carried away by the current of Shepard's love. She tumbled into the human's mind to share the orgasm her bondmate gave her, and moments later they were both groaning softly in pleasure. Shepard ceased her ministrations much sooner than she usually did, sliding her hand down to cup Liara protectively. Though she wanted more stimulation, she knew Shepard was just being careful, and that knowing caused her to burrow deeper into her bondmate's mind, sending endless waves of love into Shepard. Liara entangled their bodies in an embrace and exhaled a sigh of sheer bliss. Just as she found the perfect spot in Shepard's arms, with her lips rested against her lover's neck . . . she bit Shepard.

Shepard yelped and pulled back to give her a mock-affronted glare. "Hey! What was that for?" she demanded.

"For using balm as an excuse to cheat. I'll get even for this. Make no mistake, Commander."

Shepard leaned down with a chuckle and placed a series of kisses on her lips. "Oh sorry. I guess I better not 'cheat' again with the balm."

Liara snuggled back into her lover's arms with another contented sigh. Shepard's words were a lie if ever there was one, but she looked forward to future balm-applications nonetheless.

"I love you, Nicole Shepard."