I wrote this chapter pretty quickly but I loved it so much and I wanted to share it with you guys. I hope you enjoy it, the next chapter is going to have a lot more action and excitement in it, so make sure to keep reading!

Please read and review.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4 – Memories

She watched the stars quietly, staring up towards the twinkling lights that hung above the small colony she called home. A smile crossed her freckled face as she felt soft fingers entwine with her own, gentle kisses placed on her almost bare shoulders.

"Have you ever wondered what's up there?" Selena asked the woman that lay on the grass beside her, turning her head lazily towards the pale skinned girl that stared at her with dark brown eyes.

"Not really." She giggled, Selena sighed heavily.

"Not even a little. You really want to spend the rest of your life in the same place. A quiet, uneventful life studying plants and medicine?"

Alex shrugged. "I like studying plants and I like the quiet." The woman smiled widely, turning to lay on her side, her elbow digging into the soft dirt below her as she rested her head on her open palm. Selena Shepard shook her head, then turned her gaze back towards the stars.

"I don't."

"That is probably why my mother does not like you very much. She says you are a bad influence." Alex giggled again, a sweet sound that made Selena's heart flutter. She turned to the younger woman, her mouth open in disbelieve.

"I am not a bad influence." She started, feeling somewhat hurt. "Your mother is just boring." Sheppard replied, a small smile parting her lips as she stared up at the night sky once more. "I want to go on adventures, I want to go way up there, meet new interesting species, explore dangerous exotic planets and save people from bad guys!" Alex watched as excitement played across Shepard's features, her young face seeming to light up as she spoke. The younger woman shook her head.

"You watch too many vids."

Selena grinned, her white teeth almost showing behind the lopsided movement of her lips. She tore her gaze away from the stars to look at Alex, gazing at her lovingly as she spoke.

"Would you come with me? If I did go?"

Alex smiled back at her, but said nothing, instead closing the space between them as she pressed her lips to Selena's.

Sheppard smiled sadly at the memory, a strange fluttering in her chest making her shiver. She wrapped long slender fingers around the coffee cup that contained the now cold brown liquid, sighing loudly as she stared out the large windows of observation deck.

Her shoulder ached, a dull throbbing making her skin hot and itchy. When she had arrived back on the Normandy, Liara had dragged her to the med-bay, resulting in a long lecture from Doctor Chukwas about staying focused in the battlefield, her stern voice laced with concern as she finished cleaning the angry red wound that was slightly charred around the edges. If the stab wound had been any higher, the blade would have pierced the Axillary artery. Shepard was silent as the doctor spoke to her, scolding her much like a mother would her child. Doctor Karin Chukwas was one of the few people that knew about the commanders past, and there was no one Shepard trusted more to patch her up when she was injured.

The soft hiss of the door made her look behind her, a warm feeling suddenly settling in her chest as Liara walked in. Her bare feet soundlessly beating against the cold metal of the ship.

"I was wondering where you disappeared to." She said, taking a seat next to Selena. "I missed you at dinner."

"Yeah, sorry." Selena replied, placing a hand on Liara's leg and smiling tightly. "I was in a vid conference with Hackett. It took a little longer then I expected to explain everything that went down on the colony."

Liara nodded, her lips thinning and brow furrowing as she thought to herself.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

The question brought Liara out of her quiet musings.

"Excuse me?" She asked, confused. Sheppard chuckled.

"Penny for your thoughts, it's an old human expression. It means what are you thinking?"

"You humans have the strangest sayings for things." The Asari said innocently. "But I did want to ask you something." The young maiden turned to her lover with worry filled eyes. Shepard leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her soft blue jawline.

"You know you can ask me anything Liara." Sheppard said, staring into the Asari's bright blue eyes.

"What was your relationship with that woman?" Shepard's eyes dropped at the question, her hands clenching in her lap. She sighed and looked away from her mate, biting her lip. "I saw the way you looked at her…and the way she looked at you."

"That is a…difficult question Liara." Shepard stood, walking to the large bay window that looked out into space. She leaned on the windows metal frame, resting her head on the cook of her elbow. "We were together…back on Mindoir. We grew up with each other. She was studying to become a doctor. Following in her parents footsteps" Shepard's voice sounded distant as she spoke, her eyes unblinking as she stared out into the black abyss.

"Did you love her?" Liara asked. Shepard was silent for a moment, then she nodded, a small smile on her lips.

"Yeah. I did."

There was another long silence.

"Do you still love her?"

Shepard turned, her eyes slanting angrily at the question.

"How could you ask me that Liara? After everything we have been through. I love you and only you! Do you think I am going to leave you for some old girlfriend? After everything!"

Shepard hardly ever raised her voice, especially when it came to Liara, but in her sleep deprived state, she found it hard to keep control of her emotions. She saw a flash of fear in her lovers eyes as the coffee mug she held in her hand flew across the room, smashing against the wall with a loud clatter. Shepard looked between the mess of glass on the floor, to Liara and sighed, falling back towards the window and sliding down the glass, pushing her forefinger and thumb into closed tired eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose my temper."

She felt small hands wrap around her torso as Liara embraced her, the Asari's chin resting on the commanders uninjured shoulder, holding her tight.

"All this time I thought she was dead. I thought she was killed in the attack all those years ago. Then she turns up on some random colony…working for Cerberus!"

"We have defeated them before...we will defeat them again."

For a moment, they just sat there, the hum of the Normandy's engines purring through the silence of the observation room. Shepard rested her head on Liara's shoulder. A rare moment of weakness.

"What is it Garrus always says." Liara asked, a hint of humour in her voice. "Just like old times?" The Asari's voice changed ever so slightly in an attempt to mimic the Turians deep vibrating voice. Shepard could not help but laugh, a throaty chuckle that made Liara smile.

"That was awful."

"No half as awful as your dancing." Liara came back, only half joking. Shepard moved her head and let it rest against the window, turning her face to gaze at Liara, a boyish smile painting her features. A flush of purple made its way to warm Liara's cheeks.

"What?"

"I am so lucky to have you Liara…you know that?"

The Asari smiled, and their lips met.

A nice tender moment between the two lovers, before things get dark and sinister. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Looking forward to seeing what you think. :)

Please read and review. :)