Aftermath

Chapter 30

Liara found Shepard in the walkway leading to Dock 34 where she had left word she'd be waiting. Shepard was leaning on the railing, staring out into the mid-morning sun. The Asari stopped a moment to admire her bondmate. She looked strong and confident, even in her relaxed pose. She found herself smiling as she realized how much had changed once again in the past year. Loosing Shepard, finding her again, wondering if she'd ever be whole again. And now seeing her retuned to the strong, confident woman she knew filled her heart with enough joy to burst.

"Are you staring at my ass again?" Shepard's teasing voice broke her from her musings. Shepard hadn't turned but had somehow sensed the approach of her partner.

Liara shook her head at the crass human humor. She stepped up next to her and smiled. "I will admit to admiring the view."

Shepard grinned in return. For a moment their gazes drifted out of the huge docking bay windows to where the sleek form of the Normandy rested in dry dock.

After a moment, "Was their something you wanted to show me?" Liara prompted, unsure why exactly they were meeting at the dock.

Shepard's grin slipped away slowly and her brow furrowed. She rubbed her scar, her gaze wandering to her boots. Liara lifted an eyebrow knowing something was up.

"Well now that the celebration is over everyone will be going their separate ways again. I thought it would be nice to get everyone together one last time for old times sake."

Liara looked confused. "Ok... but you want them to come here?"

Shepard finally brought her gaze back to Liara's, a crooked smile tipping her lips. "Actually..."

Liara heard the sound of the airlock door opening behind her and she turned, startled to see all of her friends lining the entry to the Normandy. Liara looked back at Shepard, confused. "I don't underst..."

Her voice trailed off as she didn't find Shepard where she thought she'd be. Instead she had to drop her eyes lower and found Shepard in front of her on bended knee. "Liara, we've been through hell and death and more hell and death. And still, since I've known you, I've felt this... this spark, this thrill, this undeniable joy. I want to spend my life with you. I want to build a future and a family with you. More than that, I want everyone to know that we belong to each other. Marry me?"

Liara was silent a moment. She looked at Shepard and knew that in a galaxy of uncertainty the one thing she knew without question was that she loved this human... this woman who was kneeling before her. She stared into those clear blue eyes she loved and the silence lengthened.

"Are you going to answer the woman or what?" Wrex's rough voice broke the silence.

Liara broke into a grin, "Of course." She pulled Shepard to her feet and into her arms. "Of course the answer is yes. I am yours, Jess. Forever."

Shepard's face lit up the room with a huge grin and their friends erupted in cheers.

Admiral Hackett performed the traditional human ceremony to a Normandy shuttle bay filled with friends and familiar faces. Afterwards the party began, the bay filled with music and boisterous chatter as war stories were shared amongst friends who'd spent the better part of the last four years wondering if they'd ever live to be free from war again.

Shepard took a moment from the laughing and dancing and laughing about her dancing to step back and survey the room. She felt a pang in her chest as she thought about the faces that weren't with them to celebrate. The ones they'd lost along the way. But greater still was the feeling of swelling pride and love for those that she had fought with that still stood by her side... her crew, her friends. They would be bonded for life not by the force of war but by choice. Amongst all of the other terrible choices war had brought, they chose to fight for each other. Peace was just a happy side effect.

And for Shepard, that was something worth living for.

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