Greetings! I finally got around to completing this chapter. I worked on it in little pieces whenever I could because I could never find the time to just sit down and write for any length of time. So, if it feels a little disjointed in places, I apologize. I really wanted to address what people have been doing since the Reaper War in this chapter, so basically I was trying to get through as many cameos as I could. Is it just me, or are these chapters getting longer? This one is over 5,000 words... geez.
Two things I need to address real quick. First, I know that in ME3 Tali and Garrus are together, and Kal'Reeger is dead. Well, I'm bringing Kal back to life because, let's be honest, killing him off in an email was a cop out. And I'm not pairing Tali and Garrus. Normally I hate going against canon, but since this story's existence is apparently out of canon anyway... Hell, you can imagine that they were together and things didn't work out if you want. Point is, don't expect them to be together in this story.
The other thing is concerning ME3. Obviously, I was deeply upset by the ending of the game. I doubted for a while that I would even bother continuing Shepard's story. But Shepard deserved better, and I plan to give it to her. So, yes, I will continue the main trilogy. Yet, don't expect it too soon. A lot of planning and time went into "All Things Pass" and "Sub Specie Aeternitatis." I plan to give the final part just as much time and consideration. I will dabble with "After" while I gather my notes for the other piece though. As always, when I have news to share I will update my profile information.
Ok, and I just realized that I lied. I have a third thing to talk about. I actually want to ask for suggestions on the next chapter. Some people expressed disappointment of not seeing scenes from within the 10 year jump. I could do a collection of short scenes spanning those 10 years all placed into one chapter, or I could just skip ahead again. Would people rather have a collection of short scenes (like a bunch of snapshots) or just the next long chapter? Suggestions would be welcome.
As always, my door is open for comments, criticisms, etc. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
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Scrunching her face up at the noise of the alarm clock, Shepard felt as if the annoying sound was drilling itself right between her eyes. Groaning softly, she rolled to the right, unwrapping her arm from around Liara, and hit the alarm. Once blessed silence reigned again, she regathered Liara in her arms, pressing her cheek against her wife's shoulder. Taking a deep breath, savoring the scent of Liara, the warmth of their bodies pressed close, Shepard enjoyed a few more minutes of lying in bed before beginning her chaotic day. Liara shifted slightly, snuggling closer to the commander and drifting back to sleep again. After a moment, Shepard kissed Liara's shoulder blade, let out a reluctant sigh, and stealthily slipped out of bed, padding quietly to the bathroom.
After showering and getting dressed, a pair of long black pants and a nondescript purple shirt, Shepard went to the kitchen to start breakfast. Benny came into the kitchen not long after; her presence at such an early hour might have been surprising if it weren't her birthday. She still wore her pajamas, Blasto night pants and one of Shepard's old shirts that was too big for her.
Sliding two chocolate chip pancakes onto a plate and looking over her shoulder, Shepard said, "Ah! There's my birthday girl." Bringing over the plate and setting it in front of her daughter at the table she added, "I'll get you some butter and syrup."
Benny smiled down at the pancake that smiled back up at her with a face made of chocolate chips. As Benny ate happily, Liara joined them in the kitchen as well, grabbing her usual cup of tea before joining their daughter at the table. After making sure her family was fed, Shepard sent Benny off to get ready for the party and turned her attention to the preparations for the rest of the day. She was responsible for the food at the party, including the birthday cake - of which there needed to be two: a regular one for the majority of the guests and a dexro-amino one for the handful of turian classmates in Benny's class. Because of the diversity of Bekenstein, Benny's class held a variety of students: asari, human, turian, volus, and even an elcor. These races all had similar enough standards of development to allow a mixed class. Shepard had even been told that having a human parent meant that Benny would adapt to develop at a rate similar to a human child; the asari had the widest range of adaptability when it came to speed of learning. However, other species were absent from the mixed class for special reasons. Salarians, for example, required a hyper advanced level of education that moved at a pace other species could not mimic. Quarians, having just regained their home world, were still in the process of rebuilding and readapting, and thus children stayed on the home world. And krogan had their own special brand of education.
In addition to handling the food for the party, Shepard also had to do prep work for later that evening when family friends would be coming for a smaller party. Her crew had been just as diverse as Benny's class and preparing a full meal for so many different species was certainly a challenge. Yet, Shepard loved to cook and took pride in feeding her family and friends.
The party itself, however, was hell. At least, it was for Shepard and Liara who had to keep up with fifteen children, all of various races. Fights broke out every now and again, shouting matches followed by a few shoves and name calling, but those were quickly quelled with a stern look and a reprimand to behave. Worse for Shepard were the parents. Some dropped their children off, but others stayed to keep an eye on their kids. As Shepard was bringing a tray of snacks out and setting them on a table, two mothers, a turian and asari, and a father, human, approached her to compliment her on the effort put into the party. However, the second she turned towards them, tucking a loose strand of black hair behind her ear, she heard them all gasp.
"You're - you're her!" the human man stammered.
"Commander Shepard!" the asari added.
She wanted to groan. People recognizing her had been her main reservation about allowing such a large party. The school Benny went to had been more than gracious, helping keep her and Benny's identities secret from reporters and even other parents. They never allowed the media on school grounds and made sure not to draw attention to the fact that Benny was Shepard child. The most the other parents knew about Benny was that she had an asari surname, but that the other parent was a human. But it was no secret that Commander Shepard lived on Bekenstein and commanded the United Galactic Military, and one look at her face was all it took for them to instantly recognize her.
Putting on the smile of the gracious hostess, Shepard said, "Thank you for coming to our party. I'm Benny's mother." As if she couldn't see their awe-struck faces she held out her hand to the parent nearest her, the turian mother. They were hesitant of course, insisting on pointing out who she was and stammering thanks, but Shepard deftly redirected the conversation away every time. By the time they parted ways, she hoped that she had managed to make them forget her fame. Shepard was no stranger to the scrutiny of the media, of having people's attention constantly on her, but she didn't want that for her daughter. As long as people were too busy gawking at her to pay Benny any mind, Shepard would consider that a victory.
By the time all the guests had left, the backyard looked like a battlefield, food scattered everywhere, wrapping paper tumbling in the wind, and toys flung every which way. Shepard forced Benny to take a nap before their other guests arrived, though her daughter protested, preferring to play with her presents. But Shepard stood her ground and Benny reluctantly went to her room to nap. Meanwhile, Shepard and Liara tidied up the backyard and made the house presentable.
Flopping down onto the couch in the living room with a sigh, Shepard said, "Days like this make me feel old. Remind me: why did we agree to throw such a big party?"
Coming over to the couch, Liara sat down and laid her head in Shepard's lap. Looking up at the human with sapphire blue eyes, she said, "Because you can never say no to Benny when she really wants something."
"Ah, right," Shepard agreed, a yawn cracking her jaw. "Well, I hope you don't judge me too harshly; she is my only daughter, after all."
Liara's eyelids closed slowly and she seemed only half there as she murmured, "Excuses." A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Shepard couldn't help a similar feeling of weariness, and she decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to rest her eyes as well, just for a minute. She felt immensely relieved as she sank into the couch cushions and let her body unwind. I'll rest for five minutes and then get up and finish getting ready for our guests, she vowed to herself. Five minutes was all she needed to collect herself.
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Shepard awoke to the sound of the doorbell echoing throughout the house. In an instant her eyes were open, her body tensed for an attack, and her right hand going for her gun holster. Yet, almost within that same second her thoughts recognized the interior of her home, the feel of Liara's head resting in her lap, her own back pressed into the couch cushions. Benny sat on the floor in front of them, playing with her new toys quietly. She lifted her head at the sound of the bell and was on her feet in an instant.
"I'll get it!" she exclaimed, racing for the front door.
Blinking in confusion, Shepard let out a slow breath and willed her heart to slow its frantic pace. Liara shifted, raising a hand to her furrowed brow as if soothing a headache. Shepard stroked Liara's head gently while her thoughts rearranged themselves in her brain.
From behind the couch she heard Benny open the front door and let out a squeal of delight. "Aunt Tali!"
As Liara rose to a sit, Shepard got to her feet and turned to see her old friend in the doorway, Benny wrapped tightly around the quarian's waist.
"Happy birthday, Benny!" Tali said, her arms seeming to completely envelop the child's shoulders. When Shepard approached, Tali's masked face tilted up and she said, "Shepard! You look tired."
Grinning, she answered, "Years of intense military training never prepared me for a children's birthday party."
"I suppose it didn't," Tali said with a laugh.
It was then, as Tali and Benny's embrace ended and the quarian straightened, that Shepard noticed the small qurian in a blue environmental suit hiding behind Tali and peering into the house shyly. He clutched a small present to his chest protectively. Smiling broadly and kneeling down to be more on height with the child, Shepard said, "Rael, is that you? You've gotten so big! Do you remember me?"
The last time she had seen Tali's son was on the quarian homeworld of Rannoch. He had been only four at the time, and she had seen him outside of his environmental suit. Liara and Benny had not been on that visit with her.
His eyes glowed behind his blue visor as he timidly nodded his head. "You're my Aunt Shepard. Mommy's sister."
Shepard's heart nearly melted at that. Her real family might be gone, but she had gained an assortment of brothers and sisters in her friends. Putting a hand on Benny's shoulder, Shepard said, "That's right, and this is your cousin, Benny. She's only two years older than you."
Tali urged Rael to step out from behind her and stand a little closer to the little asari. The children stared at each other like two strange animals evaluating each other. Then Rael held out the present, offering it to Benny shyly. Smiling, she accepted the present with one hand and grabbed Rael's hand with the other, tugging at him to follow her.
"Come on, Rael," she said happily. "We can play with my new toys!" She led him over to where she had left her toys in the living room, passing Liara as she came to join the other adults. Tali greeted Liara and the three of them chatted while the children played, until Joker arrived with EDI in tow. When Benny saw him, she rushed over to the pilot and practically leapt into his arms. After several treatments and surgeries, his bones could withstand much more force and he no longer walked with a limp. He would never be able to push himself physically, but his day to day life was much easier. Benny stole his cap, laughing, and ran, calling for Rael to run with her. The two children darted from the room, forcing Joker to chase after them, with EDI's help, if he wanted his hat back. Liara agreed to help them as well, leaving Tali and Shepard by the door.
"Kal couldn't come?" Shepard asked.
Tali shook her head. "No, he was needed back home. It took a bit of fighting on my part to be able to sneak away for this. I'm glad I could bring Rael though. It's about time he and Benny met."
Shepard was about to agree when she was forced to answer a knock at the door. At the sight of Garrus, Tali nearly knocked him over in her rush to hug him. The turian looked similar to how he did during the war. As far as Shepard could tell, turians didn't show much signs of outward aging. He wore his United Galactic Military uniform, all black and silver relief, making an impressive figure; Shepard had forgotten that he was not on shore leave as she was, and must have come over as soon as he was off-duty. As one of her admirals, Garrus worked long days, as tirelessly diligent as he had always been. He was a good leader and more importantly, someone she could trust without a doubt.
Tali released him from her crushing embrace and promptly hit him on the shoulder. Garrus blinked in surprise and asked, "What was that for?"
"For not coming to visit me on Rannoch," she answered with a slight edge to her voice. "After all we've been through, I would think you could peel yourself away from work long enough to visit!"
Mandibles twitching, Garrus looked down at the floor guiltily. "Ah, sorry," he apologized. "Shepard keeps me pretty busy running her military."
"Whoa, whoa," Shepard said, throwing up her hands and backing away. "Don't drag me into this, Garrus."
Giving his best innocent expression, Garrus changed the topic by holding up a long box that he carried with him. "This is for Benny. Should I give it to her now? It's a model of a turian cruiser."
"You're welcome to give it to her now, if you can catch her," Shepard replied with a chuckle. "I think half of the house is trying to catch her and Rael. She will be thrilled to see you though."
Tali laughed too and added, "I can already tell your daughter is going to get my son into so much trouble, Shepard."
Shepard grinned slyly and shook her head. "What can I say? She takes after Liara in that way."
Tali offered to help Garrus find the kids while Shepard spotted another guest heading up the walkway to the house. She recognized her mother-in-law immediately and waited patiently at the door to greet her. In the wake of the Reaper War, finding Liara's other parent again had been easier said than done. After they had met for the first time on the Citadel, there was still a lot left unsaid in Aethyta and Liara's relationship. And when the Citadel was repurposed to use against the Reapers, Aethyta had disappeared from the radar.
Shepard and Liara had already been married a few months when Feron sent them word that he had found Matriarch Aethyta. Liara, obviously, had been conflicted about tracking her down ̶ unsure what else she could say to the woman who had never been a part of her life. Unsure whether she even wanted her in her life. But Shepard had urged her to at least meet with Aethyta again. She knew what Liara never said: that she wanted to know her other parent.
Aethyta, too, had seemed reluctant to reconnect. She obviously knew little about being a parent and likely didn't want to start so late in life. Shepard remembered sitting at a cafe together, holding Liara's hand as they sat across from the matriarch and told her about their wedding, about their plans for the future. And when they told Aethyta that Liara was pregnant, that she would have a grandchild someday, the older woman's eyes suddenly filled with tears.
"Krogan don't cry," she had said, ashamed and wiping away the tears.
"You're only half krogan," Liara reminded her gently, reaching across the table to lay her hand on top of her parent's.
Aethyta was quiet for a while before saying, "Will I get to meet her? Can I hold my grandchild?" That was when Shepard and Liara told Aethyta that they wanted her in Benny's life. Since then, Shepard knew that there was no one else in the galaxy who Aethyta loved more than her granddaughter. She had even moved to Bekenstein in order to be close to them.
"Commander," the old asari greeted as she climbed the front steps to the door. She carried a large, wrapped parcel in both hands. It must have been nearly three feet long and over a foot wide. Aethyta spoiling Benny with expensive gifts was nothing new, however.
"Aethyta," Shepard said back with a smile. "It's good to see you."
"Likewise." She walked into the house and peered around. "Where's the birthday girl?"
"Running her aunts and uncles ragged, I imagine." Just as Shepard answered, Liara appeared around the corner and spotted them standing in the doorway.
"Mother," she said, eyes narrowing at Aethyta.
Shepard heard the asari mutter under her breath, "How many times have I asked her to call me Father?"
Crooking a finger, Liara gestured for her mother to follow her. "We need to have a talk," she said in a stern voice.
Frowning, Aethyta glanced at Shepard and whispered, "I did something wrong again, didn't I?"
No doubt Liara planned to chastise Aethyta for teaching Benny inappropriate phrases. Shrugging with an apologetic smile, Shepard answered, "I'm afraid so."
Aethyta muttered something about overprotective parents, but followed after her daughter anyway. Shepard returned to the party, catching up with her friends and starting dinner at the same time. After accidently falling asleep, she would have to work hard to serve the food on time.
After a while, the rest of the guests arrived. First Ashley, with two of her three sons in tow. The oldest was nine and the other eight. Benny knew them both already, and their play quickly turned into rough housing. All four children ran around the backyard, tackling one another and climbing trees. Ashley had remained in the Alliance, as Shepard knew she would, but had been raised to the rank of rear admiral. Her family and Shepard's had managed to stay close over the years, and their children really were like cousins.
And finally, the krogans arrived. Shepard grinned from ear to ear as she greeted Wrex.
"You look well, Shepard," he said with a nod. Then gesturing behind him he added, "I brought your whelp with me."
Grunt growled softly at being called a whelp, but had enough sense not to talk back. His head plate had started to fuse together so that his crest looked more like Wrex's, but his blue eyes were still distinct for a krogan. Wrex had once joked that Shepard was basically Grunt's mother, since he didn't have a real birth mother. "You took him on his first hunt, you taught him how to be a krogan, you brought him to his home world - you're the boy's mother and father, Shepard!" he had said.
At the time she had laughed at the joke, unaware of how true those words were. It wasn't until she had almost lost Grunt in the Reaper War that she realized how much she thought of the young krogan as hers. Coming out of the Rachni lair, thinking that he was dying because of her decision, all she had been able to say was, "They're killing my boy. I let them kill my son." When he emerged from the cave covered in blood, but alive, she had nearly wept from joy.
When she greeted him, she lightly touched her forehead to his, as intimate a gesture for the krogan as a kiss on the cheek. Grunt cast a look around to make sure no one had seen the expression of sentimentality, and assured that no one was watching, he smiled at Shepard.
Other old friends couldn't attend for various reasons. As the human councilor, Miranda had a hard time getting away from the Citadel. Jack was still with Grissom Academy and doing well, from what Shepard had heard and seen, but she seldom left her students. Besides, Liara was not fond of having the foul-mouthed convict anywhere near their daughter. Kasumi had fallen off the map, reappearing only once or twice over the last ten years. Samara, similarly, had disappeared in fulfillment of her oath and had little interest in leaving asari space. Chakwas was currently on assignment and couldn't make it to the party, but the doctor still visited from time to time. James had opted to join the Galactic Military with Shepard and Garrus, but he was currently on assignment out in the Traverse. The rest of the people Shepard had served with were either dead like Mordin and Thane, or had gradually drifted away with time.
The friends gathered in her house were like family though. And it made Shepard incredibly happy to know that her daughter would grow up within such a colorful and trustworthy family.
After dinner, everyone sat down to watch Benny open her presents. She squealed in delight over the turian cruiser from Garrus and the kids all fought over a virtual game from Tali. When it came to Aethyta, Benny's eyes widened at the size of the box and she eagerly unwrapped the gift. Shepard sat nearby with Liara in her lap, both smiling at their daughter's excitement. The kids all gathered around eagerly, urging Benny to unwrap faster.
Yet, the second the paper had been torn away, several of the adults gasped.
The reason the package had been so large was because inside was a shotgun ̶ a Scimitar, but obviously custom made because the steel plating was a pale blue rather than the typical white. Shepard was familiar enough with the gun to know that it was one of the lighter models and capable of rapid fire. She also knew it was deadly at close range.
"By the Goddess!" Liara exclaimed. "What were you thinking, Mother?" She jumped to her feet immediately and stared down Aethyta. Shepard also rose and quickly snatched the gun up before Benny could take it in her hands.
Aethyta looked genuinely shocked at their reaction. "It's a krogan tradition to give a child their first gun when they turn ten," she explained. "My father gave me my first shotgun when I was ten. I thought it would be a nice family tradition."
Shepard heard Wrex let out a growl. "If I had known I could get the girl a gun, I would have brought one of my own. If anyone is giving her her first gun, it should be me or Shepard. The honor falls first to parents and then to the clan leader. Secondary relatives have a lesser claim." Grunt nodded in agreement.
Shepard let out a frustrated sigh. "No one is giving Benny a gun, Wrex. You know I respect krogan traditions, but she's too young."
"Fighting is in her blood," Aethyta pointed out, stubbornly.
Turning on the older asari, Shepard's stare cast a dire warning. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Benny perk up at Aethyta's words, listening intently. Benny knew who Shepard and Liara were, what they had done, but only in the barest terms. Shepard didn't want to fill her daughter's head with tales of fighting and adventures, making her think of war as some romantic game she could play. She certainly didn't want Benny to think she was destined to play such a game. If she chose to be a solider or something like that, it would be of her own free will; not because she felt pressured to follow in Shepard and Liara's footsteps.
Liara saw the dangerous look in Shepard's eyes and quickly intervened. "Mother, we need to have another talk about appropriate grandparent behavior," she said, motioning for Aethyta to follow her out of the room.
The matriarch grumbled while getting to her feet. "Talk, talk, talk. She's too much like Nezzy." But she followed anyway, if a bit reluctantly.
Once they were gone, Shepard gave Ashley a pleading look. Catching on, Ashley cleared her throat and pushed a large, square present box towards Benny. "This is from me and the boys. It's equipment for a traditional Earth sport. We'll teach you how to play. The boys love it!"
With the help of her friends, Shepard distracted Benny from the gun incident, and soon it seemed as if her daughter had forgotten about the gift that had been taken away from her. Ashley showed all the children how to play baseball, and soon Benny and the boys were completely engrossed in the game. While they played, the adults sat around catching up until it was time for everyone to leave. EDI and Joker left first, saying that they would see Shepard at the base on Monday morning. Then Ashley gathered her boys, though Benny protested loudly, and said her goodbyes. Tali also gathered up Rael to leave, but Benny begged for them to stay, saying that Rael could have a sleepover with her. Shepard offered her friend the guest room, and once Rael joined sides with Benny, Tali eventually consented.
When Wrex and Grunt left, Shepard walked them to the door saying, "I appreciate you guys not bringing guns for Benny, even though it is a krogan tradition. We just don't want to push Benny down that path."
Wrex's red eyes stayed on her even as he tossed his head with a snort. "Everyone must make the decision to fight or not to fight in their own time. For krogan, we decide much sooner than other species."
"When did you decide to fight, Shepard?" Grunt asked.
An image of Mindoir, of her hometown burning, leapt to the forefront of her mind. "Sixteen," she answered quietly. "But humans aren't considered adults until eighteen."
"Speaking of being an adult," Wrex said suddenly, "I wanted to ask: when do you want Benny to perform the Rite?"
Taken aback, Shepard stared at him wide-eyed. "The krogan Rite of Passage?"
"What else?"
"Benny isn't a krogan, Wrex!"
He gave her a level look. "I said during the war that if you cured the genophage, I would make you a full-fledged krogan, Shepard. I kept that promise. Besides, you keep saying that I'm supposed to be her damn uncle or something. No one of my blood will be clanless."
Gaping at him in disbelief, she said, "I never even completed the Rite, Wrex! I don't have a clan! And the other krogan won't like this at all!"
Wrex's voice rumbled in his chest, a noise that passed for amusement amongst krogan. "I think curing the genophage and summoning the mother of thresher maws to take down a Reaper is more than enough to complete the Rite. And the krogan respect and thank you for that Shepard. I accepted you into my clan a long time ago. All of Tuchunka knows that you are Urdnot Shepard. Any krogan would gladly welcome your daughter into their clan."
Grunt nodded his agreement. "We respect strength. They accepted me because I was strong. They accepted you because you were strong too."
As if that settled it, Wrex went on, "There's no rush to prepare her for the Rite, yet. But it won't hurt to pick out her krant. I got a good look at your friends' pups today, but I don't know if they will do. Quarians make better engineers than fighters, but those human boys might grow up strong. We shouldn't rely on them just yet though. Grunt will join Benny's krant, of course."
Again, Grunt nodded. "You helped me with my Rite, Shepard. I will make sure Benny makes it through too."
Blinking, Shepard was at a loss for words. They sounded dead-set on turning Benny krogan. Accepting an outsider into their clan would be no small gesture either. And Shepard couldn't deny that she liked thinking that she was a krogan now too.
She caught sight of Liara walking towards the door with Aethyta. Knowing her wife would not like overhearing about plans to pit their daughter against a thresher maw, especially after the issue with the gun earlier, Shepard urged the two krogans out the door. "Let's not mention this in front of Liara just yet," she pleaded. "We can talk about it when Benny gets older."
Grunting, but saying no more on the topic, Wrex and Grunt said their goodbyes and left. Shepard turned back around just as Aethyta and Liara reached the door. The older asari looked more than a little annoyed, but she cleared her throat and said, "I wanted to apologize for bringing a gun for Benny, Shepard. Liara told me how you both want her to go her own way." She glanced at Liara, a warm smile spreading across her lips. "And I guess I can understand that. But mark my words, that girl is a fighter. She's got too much of the both of you in her to be anything else."
"Thanks, Aethyta," Shepard replied. "I know you meant well. You should hold onto the gun. Maybe she will want it when she's older."
Nodding, Aethyta said, "I'll do that."
After all the guests had left, Shepard, Liara, and Tali helped the kids build a fort out of blankets and pillows in Benny's room so that they could camp out on the floor. Once they were done, the adults stood in the doorway, watching Benny and Rael dart in and out of the fort with toys in their hands. Standing behind Liara, Shepard wrapped her arms around her wife's waist and rested her head on her shoulder.
Tali leaned against the side of the door, and though Shepard couldn't see her friend's face behind her helmet, she thought that the quarian was smiling. "They've become friends so fast," Tali mused quietly.
"They have," Liara agreed. "It is like they have known each other all their lives."
After a moment of silence, Tali's voice became more serious and she added, "I know what it's like to be worried that who you are will be bad for Benny." She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "Sometimes I get so worried that I will be just like my father and get too caught up being a good admiral and let my son down. I know I'm not like him, but... I can already see people looking at Rael as if they are expecting him to do something great any second. I don't know if he feels pressure or anything, but he's going to notice eventually. And if he doesn't become the leader everyone expects..."
"He'll feel like he doesn't measure up," Shepard finished grimly.
"Exactly."
Frowning, Shepard said, "It's hard knowing that she's one extranet search away from finding out everything about who Liara and I really are. It's hard knowing that she's one careless mistake away from being dogged by the media. It's hard knowing that no matter how much we tell her that we want her to do whatever she wants, she's going to know that the rest of the galaxy expects her to take up our mantle. And the hardest thing is knowing that I can't protect her from that." Reflexively, Shepard hugged Liara a little tighter. The asari responded by laying her hands over Shepard's arms and leaning into the embrace.
"It will be hard," Liara agreed. Shepard knew that she was probably thinking of her own mother and how so many people expected her to follow Benezia. "But they have each other," she added, inclining her head towards the children, who had settled down inside the fort to giggle over a comic book together. "They have each other, just like we all had each other. Together we got through the darkest of times." She smiled warmly, her sapphire eyes sparking with hope. "Together they will find their way."