Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Mass Effect 2."

Author's notes: Well this was fun to write :P I hope you enjoy, lovelies.

"Attachments"

Chapter eight "Staying on Hagalaz"

"I guess we should explore the rest of this place. See what you have to keep track of," Shepard grinned. Liara gave her a soft smile back. Shepard's heart thumped crazily when she took her hand in hers. Connecting back to the main room with all the monitors, Shepard and Liara went up a set of stairs in the rear, where Feron apparently was taking up residence. He was resting on the sofa inside, the info drone bothering him.

"Can you take him with you?" he begged when the couple walked in. Liara laughed and held her hand up. The info drone bobbed closer, and she tapped a few commands into its optic link.

"I've got him, Feron. Just rest up," she urged. Shepard gave a wave as the prone drell watched them walk off. Shepard was glad to see Liara smiling now. This huge secret ship was hers, and their enemy was dead. And Shepard couldn't forget the kiss they'd shared once the Shadow Broker had fallen. Liara had fallen into her arms as easily as she once had. She was hopeful.

Each time they shared a joke and smile, Shepard's heart surged. Excitement surged through her blood as well and she was wondering where she was going to sleep tonight. With Liara or on a sofa next to Feron. And Jack. The ex-convict was exploring herself, rifling through some of the dossiers on file in the large monitor room. Continuing down the connecting hallways brought them to a new area of the ship.

"This cafeteria is too big for you two," Shepard joked once they'd found it. Liara poked through a few pots left on the stove, which thankfully was off.

"I think this is dextro-based…." Liara noted, looking in the pot's contents, pouring it out.

"Anything good?" Shepard asked. There were a few refrigerators lined up like soldiers along the far wall. There was a stack of mre's inside, but she wanted something better.

"I think this is levo-based…ugh, this stew is old," Liara complained. Shepard sidled up next to her and took a whiff.

"In the trash," she agreed. Liara laughed and leaned against her side. Before she knew it, Shepard had her arm around the asari and they stared at each other as they pressed close. Liara looked surprised but pleased and Shepard's eyes hooded. They leaned closer and Liara's lips parted for a kiss.

"Shadow Broker! I found some food you may want!" The information drone bobbed up beside them and Shepard could have smashed it. Liara gave a nervous laugh but passed a hand up Shepard's back. She shivered at the contact before their bodies separated.

"Can you monitor the front corridor, info drone?" she asked. The drone bobbed in agreement.

"At your service!" it crowed, before darting away.

Shepard rummaged through the other fridge. Jack walked in and raised an eyebrow at them.

"Find anything good?" Shepard asked her. Jack shrugged. She had a few datapads tucked under one wiry arm.

"Think so. There any coffee in this bitch? I've got some light reading to do."

"I'll make some," Liara offered, finding the instant coffee maker. Jack gave her a wry grin and sat at one of the tables in the large cafeteria.

Shepard watched the liquid dripping into the pot and tried not to lick her lips. A real cup and with her beautiful girl. Shepard hadn't taken on the Collectors yet, but she felt like she couldn't lose. After pouring a cup, Shepard offered a mug to Liara and Jack clambered over eagerly. Liara moved toward the end of the cafeteria and toward the other corridors.

"Come on, let's continue," Liara murmured. Shepard took a hearty gulp and regretted it when the hot liquid threatened to burn her throat. She swallowed hastily.

"Looking for the living quarters?" she ventured. The shy look Liara gave her filled her with confidence.

"Maybe. I can't sleep at the monitors," Liara fretted. A few pokes in nearby rooms told her smaller ranking operatives had stayed there. When they found the Shadow Brokers bedroom, it was apparent he had wanted them very close at hand. It was right next door to the operative rooms.

"Guess he wasn't keen on their privacy," Shepard mumbled. Liara took in the humongous wide bed in the Shadow Broker's quarters with a gasp.

"That could sleep ten," she said. Shepard laughed.

"Well, he was a huge yahg," she agreed. Liara set her mug down on the nightstand and sat gingerly on the edge of the mattress. There was a deep indent in the middle, no doubt from supporting the yahg's weight. Liara yelped when she shifted balance and pitched toward the middle of the bed, sprawled in the indentation. Shepard laughed.

"I'll get you out," she offered. Liara reached for her offered hand and let herself be tugged out of the prison of the lopsided mattress.

"You're always helping," she noted. Shepard rubbed the back of her neck.

"Well….."

Liara's lips split into a smile, and she reached to cup the side of Shepard's cheek with her palm. Shepard blinked. "I never said I didn't appreciate it. You coming to my aide…"

"Only for you," Shepard murmured. The moment shifted to serious, and both blinked at each other. Then Liara moved past her but brushed deliberately against her hip. Shepard's body ached.

"We'll find somewhere else to sleep." Shepard said. Liara kissed her cheek. They found an underling's nearby bedroom, a much smaller bed waiting. Liara remade the bed with new sheets she found in a nearby linen closet.

"There….that's much better."

Shepard sighed and tugged her breastplate off. She was startled when Liara moved to help her, moving down to her gauntlets, then her greaves and other leg pieces. Soon, Shepard was in her fatigues and uniform shirt. Liara eyed the Cerberus insignia with a raised brow but didn't question it. As a Spectre, Shepard could get away with the insubordination. Sort of. She was still friendly with the Alliance, and Cerberus was clearly not a friend of theirs. Shepard settled her armor in the armor locker across from the ex-worker's bed and gave her ex-lover a nervous smile.

"Aren't you….." Liara began when Shepard's comm went off. She gave her a rueful smile.

"Miranda. Wanting to see where we are, I bet."

"Go ahead," Liara said. She stayed leaning near her and Shepard took that as a good sign.

"Miranda," Shepard greeted her. The operative's voice came through the comm link.

"Is the situation contained? Or are you talking to me from a cell in the Shadow Broker's prison?"

Shepard snorted. "The day is won. Liara wants to stay on the ship, and I'll be staying with her. At least for tonight." She gave Liara a look as if to challenge or verify. Liara only smiled at her. Warmth flooded through Shepard. Oh god, that look.

Miranda coughed. "Is Jack staying there as well?"

Shepard figured Miranda was keeping tabs for the Normandy's team's sake. Then she caught a hint of worry. "She can stay if she wants. Don't worry, Jack will return to bother you when she feels like it."

Miranda stifled a few words then gave a shaky laugh. "As you wish, Commander. See you tomorrow."

Shepard turned off her comm and regarded her smiling girlfriend. "I hope I wasn't too presumptuous."

Liara leaned forward and kissed her lips shortly. Shepard smiled when they parted. "I was going to ask you….but yes, please stay."

Shepard smiled and took her hand. They walked to the main cavernous room that housed the Shadow Broker's wall of monitors. Both paused staring at the middle of the floor.

"We need to get rid of that before it starts to stink," Shepard lamented. The Shadow Broker's body lay, burned and broken. Liara made a noncommittal sound and moved to the short staircase and peeked into the back room. Feron was scrolling through messages on a datapad and sat up.

"Are there any more mechs on this ship or did we destroy them all?" she wondered. Feron laughed and scrolled through the datapad. A small pitched warning sound vibrated through the chamber.

"There's a few left. I'm calling them here for you," Feron said. Liara gave a sweet smile.

"Want to help with this?" she offered. Shepard got on Feron's other side to help support him to his feet. He leaned on Shepard, gasping.

"With what?"

The mechs that had been alerted filed up in line in the main room. Liara clasped her hands behind her back and addressed her command.

"Lift that and carry it to the ship's edge outside, please."

The mechs fluttered and got to work, dragging the Shadow Broker's body down the hall. Between them, they managed his weight. The wind outside was still sharp, tugging at them as they followed the mechs. They positioned the Shadow Broker's corpse against the edge railing of the side of the ship.

"Wait," Liara called to them. The mechs paused in their work. "Want to take a parting shot?" she asked Feron. Shepard walked Feron closer and he gave a sigh.

"Yes," he admitted, and aimed a kick at the corpse. Liara put her boot against the side of the massive shape and gave a shove.

"Please, toss that over the side," she ordered. The mechs pushed and tugged and eventually the corpse disappeared over the side, falling into the storm cloud below. Feron gave a sigh, leaning against Shepard.

"That was satisfying," he admitted. Liara laughed.

"It was. Let's get back inside."

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After dinner, Shepard found the liquor stash in the cafeteria. Apparently, the operatives had hid it away for their own enjoyment. Jack crowed and went looking for glasses. Feron declined a cup, leaning his head on one hand at the table.

"No, thank you."

"Will you be alright the rest of the night?" Liara asked him. Feron nodded.

"I'll manage. I'm going to sleep in the back room I was working in," Feron offered. Shepard looked to Jack as she downed her glass in one long gulp. She held out her glass for another sample of brandy.

"I'll crash with you, if you don't mind," Jack said. Feron looked shocked but shrugged.

"If you want," he said but looked shy. Shepard raised an eyebrow but looked toward Liara. The beautiful asari was slowly sipping her brandy. She never had been one for drinks. Shepard took a long swallow. Liara took her glass and Shepard took the bottle as she went to check the wall of monitors in the main room.

Liara read a few messages and scrolled through a few scrolls. Shepard read one monitor out of curiosity. Lazarus jumped out at her, and she opened the document. Shepard's shoulders slumped as the document appeared to be a medical analysis of her body's reconstruction. Including pictures.

"What is that?" Liara asked beside her, and Shepard looked nervously to her. The fight was over, the day was won. There was no getting around this but out in the open now.

"Well, you'd have found out soon anyways. It's all in here."

"Concerning what?"

"Concerning….my new attachment."

Liara swiveled her chair toward Shepard. Shepard waited. Liara seemed to be collecting herself. She set her glass down on the edge of the desk and took Shepard's hand. Shepard squeezed it.

"I know….I saw what they'd done to you," Liara murmured. Shepard flushed uncomfortably. This had to be gotten past. No more avoiding it. Or they wouldn't have a chance.

"And you saw…those times," Shepard murmured. Liara looked up at her. An uneasy look was on her beautiful face.

"I did," Liara said. She looked at their twined hands. She made to lower their hands, but Shepard held on gently. She knelt in front of Liara's chair and peered up into her face.

"You were away, but I still….couldn't help myself. I'm so sorry…" Shepard began. Liara touched the side of her face. Her face was very sad but resolute.

"You never had this kind of hunger before. Not with me…."

There, Shepard caught a trace of Liara's uncertainty. They'd made love many times before her death on the Normandy SR-1, but Shepard's new body had compelled her to be with other women. It had hurt Liara.

"I did, with you. It's just…..more now," Shepard made out. "This thing they put on me, it wants more. And they knew that."

"Why do this to you?" Liara wondered. She trailed her fingers along Shepard's freckled cheek. Shepard blinked. She ducked her face into Liara's touch.

"I don't know. But it's part of me now and I've barely got a grasp on it. I just….I want you to know, those two times happened so fast. I didn't have a say. My body just needed to release," Shepard stammered. She couldn't say it hadn't felt good when it had. Luckily, Liara didn't pry further.

"I can't stand it. That second asari had all of you and your last time was with her," Liara fretted. Shepard rubbed the back of her neck, guilt descending on her.

"I didn't even get her name," she muttered. Liara turned her chin up and leaned down. Their brows touched. Shepard's hand cautiously ran up Liara's thigh and stayed there, warm and heavy. The touches were comforting, and Shepard wanted to draw strength from it. She wanted to kiss Liara. When Liara's next words were "Your last time was with her….I want the next time to be with me," Shepard's heart surged.

She stood up and pulled Liara into her arms. The asari murmured, her arms wrapping around her waist. Shepard kissed Liara's cheek and to her lips. Their next kiss was long.

"It will be….with you. For all of the times," Shepard insisted. The hesitant hopeful smile that spread across Liara's face was encouraging.

"Good. Show me," Liara murmured. Shepard's heart hammered in her breast. She cast a look around the large room where the yahg had fallen.

"Here, wuh," her brain threatened to short-circuit. Liara laughed and kissed her burning hot cheek.

"In the bedroom. Take me there," Liara whispered. Shepard grinned and leaned down. Her hands slid down Liara's back and to her rear, urging her to hop up. Shepard patted her ass as she carried her lover to the operative's bedrooms, to the room Liara had commandeered. Liara's legs wrapped around her waist, and she held onto Shepard's shoulders for the ride.

Once there and the door closed, Shepard almost appeared uncertain. She set Liara to her feet, looking everywhere but her. "Liara, I…" she began. Liara leaned up and caught her lips in a kiss. Shepard leaned into the kiss, opening Liara's lips with her tongue. They kissed deeply and Shepard almost jumped when one of Liara's hands ran down her hip and dangerously close to the bulge in her shorts.

"You feel impatient. But I need to see," Liara murmured. A curious glint was in her eyes. Her fingers trailed up and down her uniform shirt and Shepard's breast heaved.

"Go ahead," Shepard groaned. She took a deep breath. Liara unbuttoned her uniform shirt, running her hands over the familiar abdominal muscles. Liara looked down between them. Cerberus had done a remarkable job rebuilding her. All the lithe muscles were the same with only a few stray orange lines beneath them. Liara's fingers ghosted over her lover's torso curiously and up to her breasts. Shepard caught her wrist with a wry look after she shrugged her sports bra off.

"Down here," she urged, gently moving Liara's hand to her waist. Liara unbuckled her belt and looked up into her eyes as she unzipped her fatigues. Shepard throbbed, waiting. She blushed and had to look away when Liara gently tugged her boxers low. Her shaft bobbed up, unrestrained in the cool air. Shepard's face was turned back to her with two fingers. Liara gave her a small smile.

"You're still you. Still Shepard. Just with….more," Liara finished. Shepard gasped when one of her hands curled around the base of her shaft, tugging her experimentally. She throbbed in Liara's grasp and the curious look on the asari's face was too cute. But Shepard was close to bursting and Liara had only just touched her.

"I can't….wait…" Shepard sputtered. Liara stopped grasping her, merely holding her. She leaned up to kiss Shepard eagerly.

"You want to be in me, don't you," she murmured. The asari's liquid sweet nothing melted in Shepard's ear, and she throbbed eagerly.

"So much," Shepard agreed. She fumbled with Liara's lab coat and the asari laughed, helping her. Seeing Shepard this eager was proving an ego boost to her damaged pride. Shepard wanted her this badly and it had been too long.

"Well, I'm not going to wait. It's been two years…." Liara melted in Shepard's arms as they kissed, hot and heavy. Shepard surged against her, all power and shifting muscles. Liara pressed against her, trying to undress. Shepard kicked her fatigues off and tried to help. It took several deep kisses and several attempts before Liara was as naked as Shepard. Shepard's cock throbbed between them and Liara blushed when she felt it press into her hip.

Even though Shepard was more than ready, Liara was touched by the reverence in her lover's eyes. Shepard was looking at her with admiration and awe. That she saw her as something so valuable touched Liara more than she could say. Her strong arm went low around Liara's waist, and she lowered her to the operative's mattress, climbing after eagerly.

Liara's thighs spread around Shepard's hips and she sighed against her lover's shoulder as she pressed against her. Shepard grunted beside her ear as she thrust, trailing precum against her thigh as she tried to line up. Liara sucked on the side of Shepard's throat as she tried to concentrate, giggling when Shepard grunted above her. She leaned up one elbow and reached between them, gripping the base of her shaft to line up.

Liara's high gasp when her cockhead finally started to split her apart was rewarding to Shepard's ears. She paused, mouth open as her cockhead was clasped in hot clinging silk.

"Fuck," Shepard muttered, eyes rolling back in her head. Liara moved against her, and Shepard leaned on her elbows, pushing in deeper. Liara cried out beneath her, and Shepard groaned. Her cock throbbed as she burst, spurting warm come into her lover's azure. That she came so quickly didn't trouble Liara, in fact, it made her feel so utterly satisfied about herself. Shepard had wanted her so much that she couldn't control herself. Shepard's face was bright red as she sputtered and moaned above her, face a mask of apology.

"Liara, I…." she gasped. Liara leaned up and kissed her lips.

"It's okay," Liara murmured against her. "I know you have more for me…" Her knee hooked around Shepard's hip and she pressed up, taking her as deeply as she could. Shepard groaned when she began to harden again.

"Is this okay? I'm not hurting you…." Shepard murmured against her shoulder. Her thrusts were long and deep, going as slowly as she could. Liara's other thigh wrapped around her waist.

"No…never…. Shepard," Liara moaned. The edges of her eyes swirled with black up at her. Shepard nodded, a wry grin spreading her lips.

"Go ahead," she urged. When she blinked, Shepard was falling into Liara's mind, barely hearing her "Embrace eternity." Lust, passion and love poured from the asari. Shepard basked in her true feelings, offering her love and gratitude back. Any stray traces of hurt from the other asari Shepard found, she tried to soothe with her feelings.

"It's you, Liara. Only you," Shepard thought. "You're the one I want. The one I love…."

Liara arched beneath her, and their bodies twined harder against each other. When Shepard felt her lover coming, her thrusts picked up speed. She could feel the swollen area inside her lover in the meld and angled to thrust against it on each push with her hips, aiding the asari through her orgasm. Liara screamed beneath her, fingers clawing at her back. Shepard's feelings trailed through smug satisfaction before her cock demanded her attention for another orgasm. She came roaring her pleasure.

Liara's fingers trailed up and down the dip of Shepard's spine when she collapsed against her. Her thighs had fallen open, but she held Shepard against her, her weight warm and welcoming.

"Shepard," Liara murmured, eyes clearing of the meld. As they slowly parted, Shepard grinned against her shoulder. Her hairline was wet with sweat and her bangs plastered against her brow.

"God, I don't even know how to thank you," Shepard groaned. She felt satiated and so good. She stretched her legs into the mattress. Liara sighed when Shepard made to withdraw, a whimper pulled from her throat. Shepard throbbed, heart placated at the sound as she tugged out and pulled Liara against her chest. Liara curled up close, wrapping a leg around her hip to keep her close.

"Maybe I should be thanking you," Liara said impishly. Shepard gave a careless laugh. A lot of the wrongs between them had been righted, or at least were set on the right path. She had felt it in the meld. Liara loved her. And she had offered her feelings when they'd been joined.

"Oh? Care to elaborate?"

Shepard grunted when she was pressed to her back. Liara leaned above her and kissed her. Shepard groaned when her hand dipped between them toward her shaft.

"Maybe I could show you…"

Shepard fell onto her back and gasped.

End for now

End notes: Just imagine. Space coffee. Might be better than earth coffee :P Hmm…. Like it, drop a review.

Pen 6/05/2021