Today… is my wedding day! Ancestors it's finally happening! I love ********* with all my heart and soul. Nothing feels real. Our house. The ground. Nor the air. I feel… I feel. I just feel. I barely got any sleep last night. So many thoughts running through my head. Before ********* woke up, I sneaked out of our room and into Ashley and Liara's room. The reason is I want the first time for ********* to see me today is when he lifts the veil off of me. This past month has been the best of my life. I can't wait to be married to my love. Yesterday, the wedding dress finally came. It took longer than we expected because of some special design features I wanted. It will be totally worth it.

The sun is almost up. Liara is a morning person while Ashley hides from the light in her mountain of pillows. We whisper about the plan. Liara will quietly go down into the kitchen and collect Kara's muffins and bring them to me for breakfast. I already told the boys to try their best to keep ********* away from me. In his culture it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. It's a stupid thing really, but I am not taking any chances.

These muffins are to die for. I could smell these all day and never tire. The taste is even better. My jaw and tongue still get tired from having to actually chew my food, but the flavorful reward is worth the exercise. On the surface is powder of something ********* says it reminds him of cinnamon and as Mordin puts it "sucrose crystals." The fluffy texture is contrasted by the crunch of nuts. I wish Liara and Ashley could share in my experience.

Liara asks me "so how do you feel? Are you excited?"

"Excited isn't a strong enough word. I feel so much. Thrilled, nervous, happy, worried, tense, euphoric, I feel like my nervous system is going to explode from having to feel literally everything."

Liara says "I can't even imagine it."

I ask her "have you ever felt anything like this before?"

Liara thinks… "Maybe when Shepard proposed to me. It felt like my entirety was electrified and my only outlet was the word yes."

Ashley pops her head out from the mountain range of pillows "Can you guys keep it down? A girl needs her beauty sleep."

I apologize. Ashley collapses back into the bed. Liara and I softly chuckle. Trying hard not to awaken Ashley. My father and auntie Rann will be coming over this morning. I'll have to get the boys to distract ********* so I can show them our house. Roan and his family will come over too. Maybe the guys can have a short fishing trip before the wedding. I have no idea how they manage to get little winged insects to sit still long enough to tie them in a rod, but apparently fish swimming in the nearby creeks will love it. If the catch anything Raon will cook it up. I wonder how fish taste? I like meat. Will it be easier to chew? A different flavor? Will father and Rann like it? Good thing I have a lifetime to explore with my cherished husband.

Yawn… Where did this sudden sleepiness come from? I couldn't get a wink in all night and now, I think Ashley has the right idea. I'm fighting a losing battle to keep myself awake, but the blankets look so cozy. Liara gently pushes me into the mattress still warm from her body heat. She says "get some rest. You'll need the energy later and it will make your special moment come quicker."

"I" YAWN… Ashley needs a beauty sleeping partner.

It's hard to tell the difference between these two black haired human women. Both of them smother themselves in the comforter, barely allowing their noses room to breathe. I myself only need 6 hours of sleep. A habit I developed from many long nights working on digs as an archaeologist. In my youth, I was so obsessive and would not stop working until I finished my task. One night when the planet I was staying at with two full moons, I dug the entire night. Time disappears so fast. It's only when members of my crew pulled me away from the dig and forced me to rest. It was worth it. I found an ancient relic that is now on display at a national museum.

My morning routine consists of gently stretching and self-applied biotic fields to assist in flushing residual build up in my muscles. I try to quietly leave the room. The daunting part is the door handle. As much as I try to slowly twist the handle, sounds of metal parts changing orientations can be heard. Attempt to rationalize it as soundwaves being conducted along my bones to my ear do not silence the thoughts 'I'm waking Ashley and Tali up.' The doorway opens a measly 6 inches, enough for me to slip through. After my obstacle, I close the door.

The hard part is over. My biotics levitate me down the stairs to avoid the creation of creaking sounds. Asari adolescents are masters of sneaking out of the house. I pass by Grunt and Wrex who are passed out in the living room. I need not have fear disturbing the slumber of the two living tanks. Kalros could roar right outside the porch, and they'd still be asleep. I pour myself a glass of water, take out a protein bar from the levo food section, and have breakfast on the porch. It's not long until my bondmate joins me.

Shepard asks "see any bluebirds?"

I tell him "not yet."

Shepard shivers "it's cold out here."

I tell him "I like it. After decades of breathing in hot dusty air from dig sites, it feels novel. Asari are always looking for new experiences."

Shepard says "I still can't believe you shifted dirt in the heat for that long."

I remind him "asari feel time differently than humans. Literally. It's in our brain structure."

Shepard asks "is that how you are able to put up with me for so long?" My dashing Commander steals the protein bar from my hand and takes a huge bite. It's fine. I never finish them anyways. I stare out into the field, taking a deep satisfying breath in. The crisp morning air feels so nice flowing into my nostrils and down to my lungs.

Shepard asks "do you need a blanket?"

I answer "no. I'm about to head in."

Shepard asks "what would you think about getting a place like this?"

I tell him "It's beautiful but not for me. I'm a city dweller."

Shepard says "me too. Maybe it's being raised in a spaceship or that most of my experience outdoors involves shooting someone, but I need the city life. Besides the Council wouldn't want me anywhere else."

I chuckle "I still can't believe you're making them give you whatever you want."

Shepard says "I saved the galaxy three times. I should get whatever I want."

I ask "what happened to the cute innocent by the book Shepard I fell in love it?"

Shepard says "he took a vacation when he realized how the rules weren't for the greater good."

I warn "careful, you are starting to sound like the groom."

Shepard throws his head back "God I hope I don't become jaded as he is. While ********* is… what's the word… not a pollyanna, but…"

I reply "I do not believe there is a word for his odd combination of optimism reined in by his freighting pragmatism."

Shepard says "we'll after hearing some of the bullshit he went through, I'm surprised he was still ebullient. Did he tell you about 75 year mortgages? They rarely lived that long back then."

I sarcastically ask "I didn't know I am bonded to a lexicomane."

Shepard says "I read."

I ask "do you even know what that means?"

Shepard claims "It doesn't translate." He never fails to make me laugh.

I responded "he was deeply hurt. When he granted me permission to meld with his mind, I could feel the frustration lingering in his subconsciousness. Most people's brains have multiple 'voices' like your metaphorical angels and demons on your shoulders, constantly fighting. His conscious and subconscious mind were in full cooperation to leave. Terrifying to think about."

Shepard says "well now he gets to have the life he deserves. It's a sweet deal when you think about it. Basically, a whole new world. They can make a new country from scratch without the baggage of tribalism, war, etc."

I tell him "You know those will emerge right? It's not going to be peaceful forever."

Shepard says "but do you think it will ever get as bad as his world?"

I reply "I really hope it doesn't."

Shepard says "in any case, he has a good life ahead of him."

I suggest "we should stop by time to time and visit. While nothing is really keeping all of us together anymore, I don't want to lose the connections we built."

Shepard says "times are changing. We are going to drift apart but we'll have each other's backs when it matters."

I said "I hope so… Do you think ********* might have any second guesses?"

Cortez and I pull a quickie in the half bathroom upstairs. We feel a little guilty being the first ones to celebrate our love in this house, but I secretly love the guilt. Cortez biting the towel to keep himself quiet awakened something in me. After we clean up, I crack the door open to see if the coast is clear.

I utter "whoa."

Cortez's head gets under me in a different way, peeping through the doorcrack "what is it?"

Garrus runs around in front of a slow-moving force. The turian tries desperately to push back the unstoppable groom. "you're not supposed to see her or you'll jinx it."

********* slowly comes trudges into the hallway, his movements are slowed by the living weights around his ankles. Grunt and Wrex have tight holds on his ankles, their scaly bellies rubbing against the carpet. *********'s determination gives him the strength to drag the krogans across his floor.

"Low vibes only attract bad vibes if you let yourself lower the vibe. I want to see my wife. It's our wedding day!"

Garrus says "she said no."

********* stops, about to sob "but I love her so much."

Garrus looks so guilty it's funny.

With that going on out there, I carefully close the door.

Cortez says "As much as I would have liked a wedding, I'm glad we didn't have to go through that planning."

I nod my head "That would bring back my migraines. Babe, help me get through this window. I'll use biotics to ease your fall."

Cortez teases "finally I get to be on top for a change."

Something is wrong. The amrita dripping sensor in the back of my head detects a disturbance in the force.