Thanks for your reviews. I saw some people wanted a Shepkarian ending, so here it is

Rated M, I own nothing. If you have time, please review.

OoOoOo

Liara T'Soni has always considered herself a good information Broker. In fact, a few people are well aware of just how good she truly is. They even have a name for her, one she assimilated from her predecessor long ago.

The Shadow Broker.

So, therefore it was of some surprise to her that she was so woefully unprepared for the individual that has just taken down the majority of her personal guard and in so little time. For the first time in years, Liara feels a touch of panic as well as an underlying sense of respect. No one has been able to impress her since…

Well, since the individual that saved them all from extinction. Countless lives saved by the sacrifice of one, and it still humbles her each day to know that she has this opportunity and power by the grace of one person.

Shepard.

Her blue eyelids flutter closed for a moment from their normal staring at her console screens to allow herself the chance to recollect an old and dear friend. So many images flash before her of moments in battle, in friendship, and for Liara; a love unrequited.

She had been painfully young and naïve then, not that she wasn't still young by her species standards, foolishly hoping against hope that a certain Human was going to save them all but fall into a relationship with her.

Granted, she smiles for a moment at the thought, Shepard did just that except for the relationship aspect. It simply had not been meant to be, she thinks momentarily, for her heart belonged to Vakarian.

The same Vakarian likely, that has been obliterating her forces. Though she finds it rather odd, for she has last heard that he still favored sniper rifles but his use of an assault rifle here could be in homage to Shepard. Liara opens her eyes to stare at the screen. Her doubts are quickly replaced with certainty when the helmeted figure pauses to waved cheerily at one of her cameras.

Why Garrus is storming into her base instead of just calling, she isn't entirely sure. It seems extreme, but he has been rather reclusive toward anyone since Shepard's passing. So much so, in fact, that several of her teams had come back from keeping tabs on him nearly empty handed. Liara straightens her back as she sits in her chair, behind the desk that holds nearly all the galaxy's pertinent information and waits.

Five, she thinks with wry amusement while loading her gun and tucking it in her lap.

Four, she counts hearing the sounds of explosions directly outside her door.

Three, she tilts her head to hear the echoes of someone shouting for help better.

Two, she exhales a breath she did not realize she was holding until the tell-tale silence that fills the room.

One, Liara sets her face into a neutral mask.

The door opens, green lock spinning madly and is greeted by a Turian in full armor with the familiar blue flashing under florescent lights.

She has to admit that Garrus certainly has kept in shape.

Garrus takes a moment to glance around the room, she presumes him to be looking for further threats. She needs none for she is the most deadly thing on this ship and he should know that by now.

"So you're Dr. T'Soni?"

Liara blinks in reaction to a voice that was clearly not Garrus', and a question that is a dead give-away this turian does not know her.

Carefully she inches her hand around the gun, suddenly on edge with this intruder.

"I am," she responds stoically, inkling her head politely. "And who might you be?"

The turian shifts uncomfortably as two squad members; a human and a Drell flank him. His voice warbles for a moment which she can hear his embarrassment. "Right, sorry about that. My name's Vakarian."

She arches a brow at the response, she had it partially right. He was Garrus' offspring and she had heard reports he had children several years ago. Liara had been filled with fury at the time that he had moved on from Shepard at all. Let alone only giving it five years. Still, it had not been her place then as it was not now and also… Shepard had loved him. Liara understood then as she still does, that Shepard would want him protected no matter the cost.

Liara had obliged on that respect a few times.

"I see. I had thought you were Garrus," she admits without reservation. She cannot recall any threat she might have posed in the past for the Vakarian family, so it would stand to reason he is not here to harm her. Still, she keeps the gun in her hand at the ready.

"Ah," the young Vakarian hums non-committedly, "Dad mentioned you would remember him. Said it would keep you from 'flaying me with your mind'," he rumbles out dryly.

Liara smirks in response. "He was correct."

"Ohhhkaaaay," the human interrupts worriedly, "this is going well."

The Turian looks at his squad member pointedly. Suddenly his attention is back on Liara, who relaxes into her seat with predatory eyes gleaming.

"And, may I ask, why are you looking for me?"

The Turian nods before replying, "I am in need of your assistance. As you know, Commander Shepard allowed the cure for the genophage. With the passing of Urdnot Wrex and the succession of Urdnot Wreav, we have received word of another Krogan rebellion possibly occurring. I have been tasked to stop it."

Interesting, she ponders quickly, I had heard of such a thing but I had not given it much thought. Still, this was Garrus' son and he needed help. What to do? It was truly no concern of hers what the Krogan did with the ten worlds that Wreav had quickly pressed the council for. Ten worlds filled with the births, blood, and sweat of the Krogan who still held quite a grudge it would seem.

"My father tells me that you were with him and Commander Shepard," the turian alludes something softly Liara does not quite place.

"What Commander Shepard did was for the good of the galaxy," Liara whispers harshly at the perceived insult to her late friend, "and I was there when she made the call. I was there the day she defeated the reapers when she shoved your father at me while he was heavily wounded. I was there," her voice rises with each word until she is nearly shouting, "when she told him she loved him and he said the same."

She catches her breath, for she is now panting with exertion. Her eyes have gone wide and she stares at the turian with his companions still seeing the remnants of her time with Shepard. Her time blazing across the galaxy with only hope and a gun to guide them; Liara feels her heart constrict painfully in her chest.

The Turian for his part says nothing; he slowly unclasps his helmet and takes it off.

Liara can only gasp in surprise.

He looks every inch the turian, except that his plates are so very wrong. They are not the same hardness, she can tell from her distance, as his fathers. No, they are much softer like leather instead of bone. Their color is that of another person she has thought about a great deal in the passing years. Instead of gray they are flesh colored. The edges of his plates are more muted than pronounced, and his bottom teeth as he opens his mandibles are blunted. She sees that his fringe is also somewhat shorter than an average male turians.

Her eyes search his face, noting the familial bright blue markings underneath eyes that are wholly Turian. All except their color, which is so very human that Liara can only tremble as the pieces start to fall into place.

"You…," he starts trailing off for a moment in contemplation, His features flit between confusion and such bittersweet yearning that Liara has to blink at the sight. It is as if he desperately wants to know something, but does not have the words. "You really knew my mother?"

"H-how?" She chokes out stunned.

"Well," he quips back amused, "to hear EDI tell it, it wasn't easy."

"Are all of Garrus' offspring like you?"

"Half-turian and half-human? Yeah."

"There were five of you born, correct?"

He bobs his head in a familiar fashion, "That's right. I have four brothers and one sister," his plates shift uneasily, "all born with a few weeks of each other."

Liara lets the gun in her hand drop, sliding off her lap and clattering to the floor. The shock on her face she quickly removes and turns into one of downright rage. Her blue finger quickly presses a few buttons on her console as she holds one finger up on the opposite hand toward Vakarian.

"Who wants to tell me," she begins deceptively calm, "why the species of Garrus Vakarian's offspring…SLIPPED THE FUCKING NET!?"

She flashes a look up toward the stunned faces of those in his group before glowering at her screen. She glowered because it was certainly not pouting…

She feels a little humbled today.

Liara is a good information broker, but sometimes she thinks she works with idiots.

She blinks up at them owlishly, "Krogans, you say?"

"Uh… yes?"