The Prompt: FemShep/Liara, High School AU

High school femShep, star athlete, falls in love with quiet, bookish Liara. Bonus for slumber party naughtiness.

The Fill:

She understood she was pretty much screwed. All those others things, the fleeing from her company, then seeking it out and trying to pretend other was all a clear sign. From hiding under a table in the library, to crawling beneath the movie seat theaters (which was hands down the most disgusting thing she'd ever done), to practically shoving poor Miranda from behind the cashier so she could take Liara's order and make the coffee just how she liked it and make sure that the foam did not form a heart because that would have been way too much in her pathetic sad existence.

It was worrying, to find herself sweating so much around just one person.

To say nothing of the time spent daydreaming about her.

She was a sick young woman, straight out of a dumb romantic comedy. Like that that Blue Velvet Love movie that she'd watched, with a hat and heavy jacket to better hide her identity. Only without the happy ending. She couldn't even get a scene from the Vaenia holovid.

Tortured with young puppy love that made hearing every sickening song played on someone's omni-tool awful. The butt of jokes from her friends, and even from that mean asari. The one that worked at Omega, and came by for coffee and seen Shepard staring openly at Liara. The one who would always ask why she didn't just screw one of those asari dancers she watched, when Jane and her friends snuck into the Omega using fake IDs only to be kicked out after paying for drinks that never showed up.

Her life was in this terrible limbo of hoping for interest, and the depression that followed when she received none. "Hello, Shepard." Always the last name. Never more than polite. Never even mentioning any of her games, her scores, her interests, their shared classes.

Oh, and that once Jane had pretended to be Liara's mother's notary public, that one time when she'd been in the Alliance message office, though she was not licensed and just there to pick up a package, and horrified that somehow Liara would walk in and say, hey, don't you go to my school? Right. I'll just take this stamp here and sign this and you can be on your way. Because that was the smart thing to do, rather than say, the smoking woman that always curses at me is in the back, maybe you can ring the bell.

Now she'd done some kind of possible intergalactic crime, because she'd been circling the periphery of Liara T'Soni's life. Which was also probably a serious crime. Because she had no social graces, and smashed beer cans on her forehead with her friends and noticed at first how punctual the asari girl who went to her school was. Always at seven fifteen with her coffee, waiting for school to start just as the others did. On the dot. Looking wonderfully well-put together and not at all hungover as many that stumbled in here were. Clean and wholesome, and deadly distracting, as she'd learned as her friend Garrus began squawking at her, Shepard, Shepard, your sleeve's on fire!

Considering she'd been in short sleeves, there were basically no excuses for acting this way.

She was not the quarterback anymore. Not the graceful tennis player who could serve like all hell. The best defense on the soccer field. No longer could she step onto the basketball court and just shoot hoops at ninety-five percent accuracy. Or running laps and beating the others, taunting others until Joker (envious, obviously) threw a stick and nearly made her run into Miranda, who'd been stretching for cheerleading later, and was sick of her shit.

She was also this pathetic creature that made excuses and told lies to go to the library. Where Liara was at, constantly. How the others had joked about her being such a nerd. Maybe she could help you with your homework, Jane. Liara running for the student council presidency didn't help.

At work, Jane would find herself gazing at the blue girl bent over a book, mouth pursing in some thought that Shepard would kill to know, and burn herself on the steamer. And not care, even as she yelled and drew attention, because it made those big blue eyes look up at her. Not admiringly, admittedly, but with alarm. For her safety. She cared.

Maybe she could make something happen with her. Not just creepily be this figure in the corner of her eyes that had to turn and begin perusing or talking to strangers when Liara noticed her. She had been through worse, what with the death of her father so many years ago, and just needed to play it cool. Right. Thank about your old man's funeral.

At least Liara had no idea about her effect on Jane. She seemed to exist in some separate bubble that this mortal could not comprehend. A bubble that she twitched and gestured in, making spare eye contact and more than one walking into Shepard, who dropped whatever she was holding at the slightest contact. Then they would stammer out some apologies, with the asari practically running away as Jane had a panic attack.

Everything smart and clever left her head when those blue eyes were spotted. Then she would be forced to stand there, conscious of every part of her body, sometimes with lasagna now on her shoes. While someone like her lab partner and fellow Cerberus employee Kelly would be standing right nearby to make a smug expression and remarks like 'at least she noticed your existence!'

Liara's fingers did not touch her's when she paid for the tea she bought only two fifths of the time, and that was the worst thing ever.

"You guys have to be my wingmen. Because I'm terrible."

Miranda nodded, not in the least bit amused or trying to make Jane feel any better. "She is. Once she accused me of trying to ruin her life because I was working at the 'wrong cash register.' You are not 'going to die alone, because of me.' You're going to die alone because of you."

She looked across the cafeteria, unable to help it. Every day, they would sit in the unofficially designated places, Shepard perfectly placed to see her perfect profile, her eyes intense as she talked to her friends, sometimes turning dreamy over what could only be imagined because she didn't have the courage to go over to that table. The last time she'd spoken to Liara, she'd told her that she would vote for her, and completely thrown the asari off and nearly cause her to choke right there at the water fountain.

"Oh, thank you, Shepard." Looking all disoriented, like Jane had begun speaking in tongues or something. Shepard left her, conscious of every part of her body, had she always walked like this, delighted that she'd actually exchanged words with Liara.

Her look must have been extra pathetic, because Williams was shaking her. "Stop staring."

"You're going to stab yourself in the eye again, girl scout." This from Jack, who was currently aiming a glob of ketchup towards Miranda's flawless white cheerleader outfit. At least accidentally pushing a French fry into her eye wouldn't hurt as much as pissing off the cheerleader.

Not even being hit by Grunt, the krogran she'd once saved after finding him stuck in a drainage tube outside the public pool by her house, on the football field hurt as much as Miranda's pinches. And at least you could jump on Grunt's back and he'd be a sport about giving those piggyback rides. Which, rest assured, Miranda was not. Although, that had never stopped Jack from trying.

Garrus knew even less about girls than she did, despite his story about that turian female he'd hooked up with last summer at camp. He seemed to act the same aloof way with everyone.

Ashley was smart, self-composed, but very reluctant to get involved in Shepard's schemes/love life. "It always backfires." "It never backfired! Except that one time we borrowed your Mom's car."

Vega didn't have it in him to even admit how he felt about Cortez.

Who knew what the hell was up with Jack. And Miranda. Especially together where they'd nearly stab each other with some Freudian instrument.

Joker had some flirting thing with that Edith girl, but she had the feeling Liara might not appreciate having paper footballs thrown at her and take turns exchanging crude jokes at study hall.

And this was to whom she turned for advice regarding her love life.

As usual, when lost, she turned to the blue star that had made her walk into her own locker. She knew all those people sitting at that table. Was even tenuously friends with them, if only to nod at when they passed in the halls. Maybe they could help her?

Tali was definitely nice. Even if she regularly had them all fleeing in shop class as something in her section caught fire. Usually a birdhouse that she wanted to improve. Or in auto repair, where she was much more competent and usually would help Shepard not start a fire.

Jacob was also on the football team, and had some sort of distorted friendship with Miranda, but always found himself with Kasumi, whose flirting never seemed to lead anywhere.

There was always that exchange student, Javik, who just about cursed anyone that came too close to him. Yeah. That dude was definitely beating women off with a stick. Though, Liara was determined to talk to him, and once Shepard had stopped a confrontation between them. Even that blue glare had felt wonderful as she pulled an apology from Javik for some insult about asaris he'd made.

That mean asari, with purple skin, told her to just quad up and tell her. Buy some booze and get her alone. But don't do it anywhere around here, kid, no matter how funny that might be.

She picked at her latest burn and callous. And whatever the hell this bump with its little red marks was. While creepily watching Liara. Stop. Oh, please, stop. She's doing her homework. Ahead of time. For some bizarre reason, bits from a song her mother would sometimes play, 'Under Pressure,' and it would scurry into her head. The soundtrack to her life. It seemed pretty fucking ominous.

There were words she could form, could string together, and win Liara over. From the way she devoured and studying books, textbooks and history and biographies and non-fiction, prose might be the way into her heart. Or maybe she was into heroes, larger than life figures that did not pine over girls, but when they did, did so in a dignified way that did not involve asking the scarred shop teacher that surely had spent time in prison, what type of poetry asari normally liked. Complete with holding a datapad for notes, as behind them Tali lost another napkin holder to the sander.

There were worst things than this. Being brought before the school board was always a terrible ordeal. She could have gotten another speech aimed specifically at her by the head Coach. Nothing had spilled on her during Chemistry, while Doctor Mordin waited before excusing her to the nurse, wanting to see what happened. Professor Thane hadn't thrown any pop quizzes at them during Theology and Social Sciences that had them flailing at all those multiple choice questions.

Really, Shepard knew there were worse things than pining for a pretty girl. But that didn't stop her from walking around the Citadel with her chin on her collarbone as her bag hung listlessly at her side.

She was back at the Alliance message service, that huge office full of people coming and going. In various states of joy or rage or grief. There was even a coffee shop inside, and the woman working the front desk took such pity on her that she sighed over Shepard's teenage angst and poured a cap full of what had to be some sort of whiskey inside her coffee mug.

"So. Going to be here long? Because you're kinda scaring some of the customers, kid."

"Girl. Girls: how do you get them to like you? How do you know if they like you?"

Those brown eyes allowed no room for comprise, and Shepard didn't even have time to pull out her pad of notes. "Oh boy. I'm too old for this shit."

Then she ended up poking at the terminals and packages and watching the people pass by. With her face practically mashed against the window as couples passed by, giddy and happy in their love. Drinking more of that awful tasting coffee.

But going into work buzzed was a nice change. Usually, if she was drunk it was with her friends after they'd bribed the shop teacher Mister Zaeed into buying them booze, and were hanging out beneath the bleachers. In front of people, in daylight, it was a strange thing to experience. People probably smelled it on her, and that was the last thing she needed. That, and paranoia.

And Liara, stepping through the door right now though she almost never came in the afternoons.

Any goddesses, gods, spirits, and otherworldly things hated Jane. There was no other explanation for an ass kicking this extreme.

I am drunk and she is right there, sober, and looking at me.

"Hello, Shepard."

What would those role models in her life say to her, if they were at all competent and worth listening to?

"Hi."

There was a question in Liara's eyes: why was she on this side of the store rather than manning the cash register? But that meant that she actually paid attention to where Shepard was normally located.

"I need. This crate here." So she was forced to move a crate that probably weighed as much as her from one side of the store to the other. And then back, after the Illusive Man ordered her to, and left her feeling like a sore-backed loser. Wretched it out of shape and leaving her deformed.

Shepard was the Hunchback of Notre Dame; this is how badly her life had been warped. People would recoil as she walked down the street, dragging one leg, tongue dangling, one eye swollen, mouth contorted, that poor girl. She should have been drowned in a well. Did that make Jacob and Miranda those talking gargoyles? Was Javik that goat? Was it better to have only seen the cartoon movie, rather than read the book? As Liara had probably done.

She was a misshaped weirdo, dragging around a crate rather than ringing bells, and back standing near Liara. Who was looking at her curiously. That song was going around her head like a terrible merry-go-round. Wonderful, this new mental tic. Because she definitely didn't have enough of those, thanks brain chemistry.

What she needed was a motorcycle or something. Or a bunch of scars. Something that made her a badass and an excuse to act slightly weird. Rebel without a cause. A good back story that explained her oddities, rather than having the doctors throw their hands up at her Mom and recommend general therapy.

Should she lean against this incredibly heavy crate full of books, probably? So glad to be wearing this apron and a belt, because her mind was offering up images of her pants sliding down while she pushed this thing across the store.

"Hi, Liara."

They had things in common, enough for small talk. All the things they've been through together…like Shepard perhaps ruining her mother's business. Samara, the ethics and philosophy teacher would have failed her in an instant had she heard.

…Thank god Liara didn't know that Shepard had switched P.E. period just to get a chance to share a class with her. Only to learn Liara didn't like any of the same sports. To her vast dismay, and the laughter of her supposed friends.

"Hello, Captain Shepard."

Almost cheeky. Incredibly, disturbingly hot. Two words, and Jane was mush.

Shepard decided not to even try leaning against anything. And she normally loved to lean against things. "What are you doing around here?"

"Studying."

"Yeah. You do that a lot." What a stupid thing to say. Miranda was right, as always. She was going to die alone because she said ridiculous things like this and looked awkward in dresses and never knew how to do anything with her hair. Or talk to women in a romantic way. The only jock that didn't get laid, even though she totally tried her best.

So, are you single? Do you like women? Would you be willing to wait for me to finish my shift, and then go out for a movie? Can I hold your hand and tell you how pretty you are, while giggling like a moron?

"Have plans later?"

"Homework, I suppose." A nervous look that Jane couldn't read.

They clung there, on a precipice. Below dangled awkwardness, more stilted 'hi's,' another year of memorizing the freckles scattered beneath her eyes. Above them, the chance at a relationship, to hold hands, and press Liara against a locker for a kiss between classes, and to have someone really cheering for her in the stands in a way that her friends couldn't match.

She really, really wanted to trap Liara into a corner, and make out with her. No words necessary.

Pressure. Pressing down on me. Pressing down on you. Fuck.

"So, I was wondering if you'd like to hang out some time, like, with other people—"

Shepard dropped her book bag on the table, stealing attention away from Jack's latest story of vandalisms and drunkenness. A story which did not bode well for any of them. "I talked to Liara."

"Dear God. How?"

"I was drunk. It was yesterday afternoon, and she came into the store."

Her coworkers were stunned. As though they could still expect more dignity from Shepard at this point. "You came to work drunk?"

"Do you do that often, Jane? Actually that would explain a lot."

"I have plans with her." The expected looks pulled the next words from her mouth. "It's a slumber party. I said I'd invite other people."

"…I can't tell if this is good or bad."

"Bad." Miranda said firmly. "Horrible."

"Awful," Garrus echoed. "Just awful. Even I know that isn't going to work."

"But you guys have to come. Except you Garrus. This is an all girls' event."

"Thank the Spirits."

Vega nearly swooned to the ground with relief, as Ashley's hand trying to get the remains of the ketchup bottle slowed to a stop. Jack was furious. A night not spent knocking over mailboxes and getting wasted? Unacceptable. "Just ask her out and leave us alone."

"Yes. For once, Jack is right. Why are we being dragged into this?"

"Because you're all my friends. Close, dear friends that I would totally do this for."

"You can't use the guilt trip on any of us. An entire night. With you watching Liara and trying to ask her out." Williams seemed to be experiencing some flash-forward of what the evening would consist of. It was not a good sign, either.

"But you have to come! I said there would be others there! That I would bring others. I'll look insane if I show up alone."

Jack pointed a spoon in her direction. "Lemme get this straight, you want to fuck this Liara girl?"

"Not exactly. I want to date her. Okay, and fuck her."

At this, half of the people before her seemed to shudder. The actual table moved from the force of their disgust.

"Too much, Shepard." Amazing, how that unexpressive turian face could reveal so much in moments like this.

"But more than that. I want to do the whole dating thing. Sickeningly sweet stuff like leaving her love notes and holding her hand. Happy?"

"Not particularly. But if you're trying to fuck this asari chick, I have to tell you, bringing along a bunch of people is not going to help your chances. You have to get her alone. And Miranda's such a kill-joy, she'll probably chaperone you two. Then all three of you can be miserable.

"So, hey. Maybe we can show up." Jack was trying, and that just about broke Shepard's heart. She had to grin at her friend. A grin that wasn't diminished by the rolling eyes and rude gestures with her hand.

Miranda was all suspicion. "Who is showing up? I'm not helping you with this Shepard."

Jane stood there, in her school jersey and jeans and leather jacket. A girl without hope. "Please? C'mon. You're my friends. My pals. My crew. You know how much I care for you all. What with helping with your own families and everyone's assorted father issues."

That I know all about, and you know that. So perhaps you guys should not screw me over right now, guys. All the bottles she'd hidden, the tests she'd helped, the stains and messes metaphorical and otherwise she'd cleaned. And now they couldn't find an evening free for her? Was she so terrible? Were her chances so bad? They would prefer to watch TV that evening and go to bed at a normal time, rather than spend the night having fun. Or hopefully fun rather than just drooling at Liara.

Who might be wearing pajamas. Revealing pajamas. Or cute one that she would imagine stripping off the entire night.

"Why would anyone want to spend an evening watching you pine over Liara?"

Her friends, that could see through her so well so often.

Shepard had a somewhat lie, somewhat half-truth at ready. "I have a friend that works at Omega. She'll totally get us in. But only if you guys come with me."

As usual, Shepard found herself bending others to her will. Spines crushed with concern and guilt and care. Then she ran away to find any female acquaintances that would be interesting in coming. She was so thrilled at her plans coming together that it didn't matter if that Aria asari would probably sic a bunch of scary mercenaries on her if she came anywhere near that nightclub.

This wasn't the first time a game of Spin The Bottle had emptied a room she'd been in. At least this time she went along with the tide, rather than laughing it off and punching a wall as soon as she'd been alone. Though, to be fair, they all had to restrain running away as soon as Jack had spun that bottle, and it had slowed down horribly, enough for them all to see it come to a gentle rest. Pointing at Miranda. Whose face slowly turned to terror, as Jack grinned, and pounced.

All of it seemed to happen in slow motion. Tali literally covered her eyes, as Shepard could only sit there beside the rest of them.

The asari kindly asked if they should be separated, as they began rolling around, Jack's laughter barely heard over Miranda's yelling. Ashley threw popcorn at them, yelling at them to knock it off before they broke something. Edith sat there, politely watching. Kasumi had brought her omni-tool, to preserve the scene for tomorrow. In a circle, they looked like village elders or Romans watching the lions set on some poor bastard.

"Get off me!"

"Make me!"

Too bad Kelly was working, and missing all this. For the past year, she'd been making bets on how long it took for either Jack or Miranda to snap. Jane owed her ten credits.

Despite the cursing, and attempts at biting, she actually felt a bit envious.

But, of course, after that, the slumber party had to take a different turn. "Is your Mom home?"

Liara managed to pull her eyes away from the two on the ground. "What? Oh yes. Should I get her?"

"What the hell was that? Did you just lick my ear?!"

"You loved it. Even your nipples are hard."

"Stop looking at my chest! Oh, two can play at this game."

And that was the moment Shepard knew to intervene. Goddamnit, these two even talking about having sex in Liara's room, how completely unfair. This perfect room with its white furniture and way of smelling like the bookish asari. The shelves of books that she'd expected. And the lack of stuff animals.

She wasn't even going to get a chance to play Spin the Bottle, because someone was going to break it over someone else's head. So, then, what was the point of even being here, if she wasn't going to get a chance to kiss Liara, why even continue being here? As much as she loved this room. Everything in it, even the books in languages that she couldn't read. But sitting on this bed, building up more complex fantasies wasn't helping her in any tangible way.

"Okay, you guys! I was thinking we should head out now!"

"You swear you can get us into that place, girl scout?"

"Of course. I have a connection."

Jack's brown eyes were still unconvinced. Even as she yanked at Miranda's hair, and Ashley finally began throwing pillows to break it up.

Shepard kept wanting to touch things in the room, in the large house. Different from her own with its broken in furniture and dents on the walls from her or Grunt running into them, with or without their football helmets. The crumbling arch in the kitchen because every time she entered and left she'd hit it with her right hand for good luck. The squeaking stairs with the messed up step that she tripped on twice a day. When she and her cousin had been twelve and had gotten into a duel with fake guns that shot real pellets that could really ruin a wall. The bathtub with stains on the bottom from cleaning up after so many elaborate Halloweens. The talking mechanical skull on her desk that Vega kept taking to scare people with whenever he was over.

At least now they had an alibi for their whereabouts. And she'd gotten inside Liara's bedroom. Not exactly scoring a touchdown here, but definitely gaining a few yards. Every little bit helped. And now she was leaving with Liara, going out to some club that would probably involve them getting beaten up and the cops called out to escort them home.

Until they ran into Liara's mother sitting downstairs, before a terminal. "Are you all leaving for the evening?"

"Um. Hello, Mother."

"Hi, Missus T'Soni."

Which got her looks form both of the asari. Why the hell draw attention to herself that way? Hi, I'm trying to get into your daughter's pants. Nice house you have here.

"We were just going…out for a while, ma'am." Ashley was the best around parents. Something about her exuded competence to older people, and they never knew about the time she'd once gotten drunk with Vega and passed out beneath his family's pool table.

She got the feeling that Liara's Mom was glad that her daughter was sneaking out. Actually proud of her. Smiling at her kid, and telling her, "Be back before breakfast, please. Do you need any credits?"

It was like when they were little, and being given coins to put into those arcade games. Only they weren't high on sugar and waving around balloon that their angry friend with the shaved head would pop and laugh at the scared look on the other children's faces. Back when she'd practically been a sworn enemy, until her and Jane were ten and realizing how much they both liked bumper cars and kept seeing each other around. The typical language of sullen pre-teens, 'hey' and 'what's up,' until they were both trying out for the young football team. A nice memory, that made her forgive all those times Jack had drawn on her face in permanent marker while Jane napped in the locker room.

"So. You're Jane Shepard."

Oh, god, what did that mean? She was a sweaty horrible mess that was helping this person's only child get drunk at some sleazy bar. A monster. "Yes, ma'am."

"Mother."

The two asari exchanged look that only family could give. One that she could remember giving her own mother, during those odd moments when she was home and Hannah wanted to have a talk about where her daughter's life was headed and someone else was there. Only she had a feeling Benezia wasn't going to begin yelling at Liara for giving her that look after nearly burning down the garage with Cortez and her cousin John, during one memorable summer break?

Everything was so much more peaceful before she'd hit puberty. After you got pubic hair and periods, it all went downhill and you found yourself panicked over how much you sweated and what it meant when the girl you liked wore a tight shirt and maybe smiled at you during lunch. But Liara's mom seemed to not be appalled by Jane, thus far. A good sign for her wrecked self. The older asari practically held the door open for them.

Better than having to shimmy down the gutters. Like Jack. Who was currently slipping and falling what had to be five feet at least to crash into a bush. To Miranda's laughter and Benezia's alarm.

"I'm okay. Back off, cheerleader."

"And here I was hoping you broke your neck."

This they said, right in front of Liara's mother. Great going you guys. If this ruined her chances with her favorite adorable bookworm, she would make sure these two suffered as they never had before. Bash their heads together, like in the Three Stooges. She's sweet and brilliant and now I will never get to see her naked because of you two.

"Are you alright, Jack?"

"Knock it off. I'm fine."

She was completely sober, yet the others still took the keys from Shepard before they even got to her hovercar. Kasumi was the one to steal them, and for once no one lectured her on her kleptomania.

"I don't think so."

"Just sit in the back seat, skipper."

Embarrassing her in front of Liara, who was all confused and looked . "What's wrong with Jane's driving?"

The rest of them laughed. And shoved Jane into the backseat. It was a horrible, cramped ride. She practically had to spend the entire trip on Edith's lap. Liara was on the other side, separated by Miranda and Jack who pinched/slapped/punched each other at every sharp turn. Any attempts at conversing ("your Mom seemed nice") were ruined by Tali turning up the radio and everyone singing along to the horrible pop song. Then another. Then another. Until the football captain was clawing at the windows like a hamster trying to escape its cage. Thank god she'd worn extra deodorant and was wearing clean clothes. Boring casual clothes that she regretted. Why hadn't she worn a dress, or nicer shoes? Everyone else actually looked, if not ready for the club scene, less likely to be mistaken as that shady someone that sold red sand in the parking lot.

When they got there, she was already beginning to regret this entire trip. Because that was her entire life. Jane Shepard: regret and worriment and hoping that she didn't sweat too much while staring at Liara. Nice to meet you.

They fell out of the car, already looking like drunks. Drunken clowns crammed into a tiny vehicle. Her legs were dead, in a coma, and she had to lean against Edith and Miranda until she could support herself.

Aria seemed to sense her arrival, and had her sneer all ready when she saw Shepard and her friends hanging outside. Jane definitely felt like the skeezy drunk dealer then. "What are you doing here? Did I tell you not to show up again?"

The look on Liara's face matched the purple asari. A disturbing fact that Shepard was forced to tuck away in her brain. They exchanged looks, then both looked away and tried to play it off. Aria not saying a word to her fellow asari, exactly, but talking to herself. "So, that's the Jane Shepard, then, huh?"

"What?"

"Well. I guess you can come in. But if any of you puke, you're all gone."

Liara had to say that her admiration of Shepard began on the football field, followed by watching her defend Samantha and Edith from some bullies, and then see her throwing a basketball perfectly through a hoop without looking at it nine times in a row. Between being such a gifted athlete, she was also humorous, and with a kindness that gave her entire species credit. She could make batarians get along with the elcor and the volus, then go run around chasing some varren with the other 'jocks.'

But her attraction, nay, downright obsession, began when watching Jane behind the wheel of her scarred hovercar, so badly damaged that its front had a sneer. Not because the Captain was a good driver, no, she was awful, frighteningly awful. But once, they'd been trapped in traffic, Liara in a car with her Mother behind the wheels, had seen Jane in her own car. Unnoticed. Liara had spent that time watching Jane tapping her hands on the steering wheel along with the music playing unheard. And slowly watching Shepard lose her mind as the temperature only rose, and no hovercar ahead moved an inch.

Yelling, collapsing behind the wheel, only to rise and begin removing clothes, desperate, face a brighter red than her hair.

It seemed to be some type of purgatory, to sit there, nearly drooling at the sight of Shepard. Separated by layers of metal. Unseen. She was all freckled, muscled lean skin, sweaty and breathtaking in that thin shirt that revealed her shoulders and arms. Then tugging at that shirt, showing off the tips of these small, perfectly rounded breasts, practically pointing them towards the open window. At Liara. Panting. Head lolling, and then her collapsing against the door. Awkward and desperate and beautiful.

So very alive.

She'd already known the captain well enough, but had never seen her so revealed. Like part of her soul had been exposed to Liara, at that perfect time. A twist of fate that she wanted to explore, and believe in.

Liara practically fogged up the window, with her face nearly pressing into the glass. Thankfully, Benezia hadn't seemed to notice. Though she took notice of Liara's cursing when traffic began moving just as Shepard was removing her belt and presumably preparing to take off her pants.

Since then, she'd noticed the peculiar shade of red that was her hair, brown in darkened rooms and tinted orange in the sun. When she was bent on the football field, ordering others in that voice, distracting Liara so badly that Tali had to stop her from poking herself in the eye with a pencil as they somehow found themselves outside, studying. Edith would keep count of how many times Liara would grow quiet/flustered/anxious when Jane was in sight, and the number was worryingly high.

When Shepard got a job at Cerberus, working the cash register and as a barista, it seemed like fate was having a laugh at her. Avoiding the place was out of the question, since it was practically next to their school, and the quiet calm place was one of her favorites on the Citadel. Of course, after Jane began working there, and especially after her friends began showing up, it became much louder. So now nearly every day she had to come face to face with that freckled visage.

Had to see those green eyes focused on her, seeing down to Liara's awkward soul that squirmed. As though it wasn't bad enough to watch her during their physical education classes, even when Jane would run off in the wrong directions, sometime getting so distracted she'd run into walls.

Jane, who looked great in her school uniform with the dark jacket and her football number on the back. 7, in red. Jane, who had the eye of half the student body as she won another game as Liara watched from the bleachers. Jane, who'd actually talked to her and asked if she and some friends could come over to her house for a 'sleepover.'

'We'll tell ghost stories and eat junk food until three in the morning when we pass out in our sleeping bags. It'll be fun.'

She continued curling the sleeping bag tighter, knowing it was fruitless. It would have been smart just to spread it out, on the floor, on her bed, but she had no idea what this was even going to consist of. Her mother had been infuriatingly smug, smiling at Liara's panicked questions over what happened during something like this.

"Is there anyone in particular coming over?"

"Why? No. Just people from my school. Mostly humans. "

All those years had given Benezia an uncanny ability to read others. "So. Who is it?"

"Who is what?"

"The person that has you agreeing to all this? Is it that Shepard person you talk about all the time?"

"No—I don't talk about her all the time. She's not even my friends, let alone—never mind. Mother, please don't say anything to her. Or to anyone else."

"…"

"…Mother?"

Everything on the extranet was either all confusing human interactions, most of which involved discussing boys, and/or turned pornographic. The asari section was even worse.

What if that's what Jane wanted to do? What if that's why the others were coming over, to engage in some inter-species orgy? Of course she would be expected to join in, and while a large part of her was curious even after watching those holovids, she wasn't quite ready for such a thing. When she allowed herself to picture becoming intimate with Shepard, there wasn't a crowd of people watching.

Of friends and acquaintances.

All she wanted ultimately, was to be alone with Jane.

So she was forced to call her Father. The father she'd only recently gotten to know after following Jane and watching her go into the Alliance message service full of humans, and watch Shepard talk to her. She'd slipped closer, after Jane had left, wanting to know who this asari was.

A guilty, "Hi there."

"Hello."

The way the older asari began looking alarmed and uncomfortable only made Liara more determined to find out who this person was. The wary look in those brown eyes.

"…did Benezia send you?"

"You know my Mother?"

"Oh, fuck."

"Who are you?"

"You're Liara, right? T'Soni?"

"Yes. How do you know me?"

"…you know, I don't, really."

"But you know my name. And my mother. And Shepard."

"That poor red-haired kid? I guess so. Sometimes she hangs out here. I think she wants to join the Alliance. And you must be…oh. Heh."

'Poor' was not the way Liara would have ever described Shepard. Always with friends, laughing, the star of every group she was in. 'Charismatic,' 'Charming,' 'amazing' were all better adjectives. "What's so funny? And how do you know my Mother? Were you a Commando, an acolyte of hers?"

A sharp inhale. "Not exactly."

"Are you spying on the Alliance?"

"Goddess, kid, keep it down."

"Don't call me 'kid.' I am an adult by asari standards."

"Maybe you should head home, Liara? I don't think your Mother would approve of you hanging around here."

"Around Alliance soldiers? Or around you?"

"Probably both."

She'd felt this suffocating, smothering in her chest. There were very few people Benezia outright would be so discomforted about her talking about. "…who are you?"

"You know, the last thing I want is your Mother coming down and here and yelling at me."

"I understand."

Which made the other asari laugh. "You want some coffee?"

Liara came back the next day, and not just for the chance to see Shepard outside of school and Cerberus. It was strange, to talk about nothing, the oblique comments and simple questions, and when Aethyta brought things that had been sent to her, messages, childish reports and drawings she'd made when no older than ten years old. Those old questions she'd had about her Father came back to her, the answers of course nothing what she'd expected when she was a girl and looked to every asari she saw, hoping to see a hint of familiar features. She and Aethyta had similar crests, some faint similarity around the cheeks, but otherwise they looked little alike.

For all the betrayal she felt coming here and possibly hurting her Mother, it only her feel closer to Benezia as well. See the stark contrast between the two asari, and realize how much she owed the blue-skinned Matriarch.

"You talk to your Mother about me?"

"No. It seemed safer not you. She rarely mentions you. Only that her bondmate was another asari."

"Sometimes, I don't blame her. You look like her, you know. More of her voice, anyway."

It was strange, to talk to her Father. To be treated like an adult by a parent. Even if Aethyta was nothing as she'd expected Benezia's bondmate to be like. She'd imagined a scholar, someone younger than Mother, graceful and sweet and…prone to hugs? To letting Liara stay up late until she fell asleep at her desk and have no problems with their daughter ducking out of another dinner where she would be expected to be just as witty and self-controlled as Benezia, rather than flustered over every comment and trying not to stick an elbow in a gravy bowl.

With Aethyta, it didn't even matter when she'd accidentally hit the wrong switch and shut the electricity off in in this message service/coffee house. All her Father had done was laugh and make sure Liara was comfortable while they waited for the Keeper to turn everything back on. Even talking about Shepard, which should could hardly do with her Mother—whose reaction could go either way. Of course, her Father wanted to go into lurid detail about how to woo Jane, "She's pretty hopeless about this sort of thing. I'm sure you can peel that lettermen jacket off her easily."

It was easy to talk about what Jane had asked to that gruff voice on the other end. Even if it did feel like blasphemy to talk to her Father in the same house that her Mother was in.

"Aren't you about three decades years too old for this?"

Given her vague plans, her 'no' was very adamant.

"Oh. I get it."

For once, Liara didn't even want to deny it. "I've never…melded with anyone before. Or anything similar."

"Not even—"

"No, Father. Don't even begin naming things."

"I see. If it helps, I'm surprised your panties don't burst into flames every time she looks at you."

Which just about had Liara dropping the phone and fumbling around with it as Shepard never did with a football. "She does not look at me like that—no. Does she?"

"Hah. It's pretty funny to watch you two staring at each other and trying to play it off, I have to admit."

"We do not do that. Jane has only been polite. Professional." Except for that time she'd gone in to Cerberus early, and she and Miranda had found Jane inside the storeroom, curled up around a bag of coffee beans. And when something of hers would catch on fire.

But otherwise, there was a dignity and strength to Shepard that no one could come close to even approaching. It wasn't so surprising that she would be smitten with this human next to her. Laughing, nudging her, as Liara's heart rose and dropped with every word and smile. She'd spent so long wanting to be this close to her, hoping Jane would even make eye contact and have a real conversation with her rather than exchanging hi's in the hallways. Even their elbows kept touching.

Liara was here, crammed into the same booth as Shepard, their shoulders touching, smelling beer and too-sweet alcohol that Aria had sent over with an oddly cruel smile, and sweat and perfume. Whatever Jane used to clean her hair with, the smell of her clothes. It took a lot of constraint not to rest her head against a shoulder, especially when Shepard began teasing her for not drinking.

"So, are we going out there to dance or what?"

There was a sharp inhale from everyone else at the table, excepting Liara. Who was tasting the beer, and finding it nowhere near as appealing as the others did.

"Oh, god." Jack covered her eyes with overblown dramatics. "Here comes the Shepard Shuffle."

Miranda actually began laughing at that one.

"What, c'mon you guys. Get out here with me. And don't name the way I dance, that makes it so much worse. Like any of you can do better."

"Oh, please."

"At least I don't look like that 'Wendy's' girl from those old commercials. The Wendy's girl. Doing the Shepard Shuffle."

"Fuck you both. I may, will, look ridiculous, but at least I'm having fun."

Though, to be fair, both of them were better on the dance floor than Shepard. If you wanted to be perfectly honest. But none of them had her charm or allure. Oh, goddess, she was definitely smitten if seeing Jane like this still was deeply attractive. A little drunk and pretty, under the changing lights moving above. The shade of her hair changing every few seconds. Was she looking at Liara? Was she going to just dance in that group of friends, or would she find someone to personally dance with? That Samantha girl, a member of the chess club that Liara also belonged to, she wasn't here, but it wouldn't take much to ask for her to come, if the looks she sometimes gave Shepard were any indication. Beautiful, awkward as a bird with broken wings, and still single. Waiting?

Foolish, and hopeless. Liara took another drink.

Then she headed for the awkward shuffling figure with the perfect shoulders.

Someone had opened a fire extinguisher unit, and made this technically a foam party. A horrible foam party that turned her dancing even worse. She was like the loser in all those teen movies, the nervous one that needed to drink and let go of her problems, but she had no glasses to take off and symbolically throw away, and she was the quarterback of the football team. And she didn't have much trouble seducing herself, thank you very much holovids. Still, it was better than being trapped in one of those old, old Indigo Girl songs her Mom and John sometimes sang along to.

Normally, she was very cautious of herself on that dance floor, but now moving anything was a risk of a broken tailbone. And she was trapped here, by all the people, and the inability to move. Years of training and running endless laps, all ruined from one night where she'd break every bone in her body. For so long, Shepard had dodged the odds and ignoring endless warnings from the School Board Council, and now here was the bill that she had to pay.

She could see her Coaches, Anderson and Hackett, asking her heavily bandaged form if it was worth it. Blink twice for yes, once for no.

The socially awkward jock football captain girl lesbian who couldn't talk to woman. If someone cared enough to record her life and other people cared enough to sit there and watch it, Jane could create a whole new archetype for those teen holovids.

This is what she thought of, while she did a terrible bump and grind that didn't match the beat of the music at all.

And her jeans were soaked, and oh, fuck, Aria was going to be so pissed about this. It felt like someone had also broken pipes, spraying water everywhere. If it was one of her friends, and it was caught on a security camera, they would all be dead within the week. Like a gypsy curse.

I am still out here, and only moderately buzzed. That's good. I am destroying those social boundaries that constrict us. Evil curses or not. I am an inspiration to others.

Jack and Miranda ran through the stuff, sliding around gracefully and throwing foam and drinks at each other. Laughing, and actually looking non-homicidal for once. "Go you, princess." "Shut up you disgusting animal." She was pretty sure the writhing, flailing figures she saw on a table later were those two. Maybe. In the darkness and twisting lights, people became distorted.

Tali was sitting at a table, yelling at Williams, both of them wasted. Kasumi was laughing at all of this, while Edith just watching with an incredible patience for them all. She was the designated driver, and they all worshipped her for the promise of getting them home safely.

And Liara was.

Right here.

They were practically the same height, which had disadvantages and advantages. Harder to stare at her chest. Which also had its own branches of good and bad. Could see right into those eyes, and for all her stumbling, Jane did love looking straight into that blue gaze.

I met her in the hallways, between classes. A week after school had started, and I had been promoted to team captain, and that must have been why I didn't notice her right away. During pep week, when everyone was supposed to be full of team spirit and they could all watch Miranda's smiles strain until they snapped. Liara had slipped on some water spilling from that ancient pool, while these assholes were laughing and taunting her, and I stepped in. Along with my friends.

She looked so alone.

But now she is not, because I am here. She looked at me then like I was a hero. I want to be a hero. I want her to look at me like that again. That's what I want, more than any of the other stuff, even holding her hand in public and kissing her and almost as much as I was to fuck her.

Liara is right here, and we're together, in public, with a bunch of drunken people making out and dry humping. It is awesome. Anything can happen.

Like. Me moving in close and trying not to lick my lips and do anything weird. And her moving in closer. Fuck.

I am kissing her.

I am kissing her, and this is actually happening.

That would be the thing she remembered that night. Especially after she had a few more drinks. Just Liara's mouth, warm and smooth, increasingly less nervous. Perfect closed-mouthed kisses that somehow became even better when tongue became involved. She was careful to touch the back of the asari's head, unsure what was up with the head crests. What if it hurt to touch them? What if it was an erogenous zone that drove her to humping Shepard, and Aria to definitely kick them out?

Other things besides Liara were flashes of another universe.

She could remember Miranda desperate trying to get her attention. Grabbing her sleeve, and begging her. "Don't let me take Jack home. Because I am serious thinking about it. All those tattoos means she has a high tolerance for pain, right?"

Shepard managed to tear herself away from Liara to try and wrap her mind around that. "What—what?" A new, terrifying detail to Miranda's life that Jane now had to find a way to live with.

Shepard remembered someone (herself) calling the guys and asking that they come down, because girl's night was so awesome that they could even be girls tonight. So long as they were awesome too.

Garrus showed up. And Vega, who was trying his hardest not to appear with Cortez, what, make out with you, whatdoyatakemefor, okay fine, sure. Then falling asleep on the bar to Esteban's dismay. Poor Jacob, who was somewhat of a lightweight and who ended up giving Kasumi an uncomfortable lap dance, while Tali watched and then tried to do the same for Kaidan. As in, make Kaidan give her a lap dance. Which was something they all had to watch, in confusion and fascination at the two dorks feeling each other up.

This taken in-between going out there in that wet dance floor with Liara. Sometimes, like a siren call, they could hear Aria's threats and insults towards everyone she saw as she nearly slipped on the foam.

She felt invincible. A drunken god. One that could still not however keep up with the music. Unlike Liara, who had that asari genetics or something that made the normally uncomfortable brainy alien all graceful and even more beautiful, stunning.

Somehow, they managed not to fall on their asses. Maybe the traction on her shoes saved them. They'd saved her life so many other times. Like climbing roofs of apartment buildings, and when egging houses and needing to run away from those egged houses when C-Sec was called. She'd worn them when she and John had tried to get out of a dumb lesson on entomology that Hannah had tried to force them into and had dressed like twin Napoleans in hopes of getting sent to therapy and for people to walk on eggshells around them.

It hadn't gone well, but was less of a disaster than when Garrus' uncle Saren, who was headmaster at a rival school had tried to woo them over to his side. 'The Dark Side,' Ashley had hissed to a nodding Kaidan, while she and John stuffed their faces, Garrus got into another fight with his Father and Saren, and they all ended up shoving finger food inside Tali's suit to take with them.

Someone was crying, and someone else was saying, "How come every time we go out somewhere, something is set on fire and one of us ends up crying?"

"Because you're here!"

Which choked Jane up, until Liara decided to hold her hand and inform her that if anything, she was a good luck charm.

"You're amazing, Liara. You make my day. Every time I see you, my day can actually begin. And throughout the day, it's like this switch that wakes me up and makes me so glad to be alive. Because you're here, on the Citadel, and that I know you."

"S-Shepard."

"This is good water. I'm not just saying that because I'm drunk. It's cold. And I like the bottle it came in."

"Do you really feel that way? About me?"

"Of course. I practically jump on you and cream my jeans. Okay, that one I'm blaming on the booze."

Liara looked like she was about to have a stroke. Right there, at this table, and fall headfirst into foam on the ground. Then they would have to go to the hospital, all pretty drunk except for Edith, who was out there somewhere, with Joker. Sorry, Missus T'Soni, that we almost killed your daughter. Thanks for the extra credits, though. That we spent on drinks. Why are we soaking wet? It's a long story, but it involves us and a mean asari at this sleazy club. But, so, do you think your daughter actually likes me? Because we were kissing pretty heavily out there, but that stroke kinda ruined the mood.

Then Benezia would strike her down, and solve all of her problems right there.

"That's really- Do you think you can come over again?"

Here she was, shivering, in a t-shirt and underwear. On a balcony. Goosebumps didn't even begin to cover it.

There was frost on the windows. How the hell did the Citadel get so freezing?

Shepard tried to bring to mind other moments in her life of overwhelming warmth and heat. Summer, without air-conditioning, trapped in her car and waiting for Jack to sneak out of her room or Miranda to finish doing inventory. When her cousin John would come over, and they would end up trying to one-up one another, the inevitable playing 'Hot Frying Pan Chicken' to see who had the higher threshold of pain-until they were both screaming and unable to use their right hands for a week. When her sleeve had caught on fire and she'd been sure she was going to die for one brief moment, and had developed instead an appreciation for life that last until she went into the break room and saw that the Illusive Man had given her a double shift on the next five Saturdays.

She'd had a good life. Not long, but majestic, in its own way. She'd made out with Liara, and let's face it, that was going to be the peak anyway.

The captain of so many teams thought about her job, that warm building. Thought about how she'd made coffee for Liara yesterday evening, and actually included a heart made of foam. One that the asari had only noticed after she'd sat down, since she'd been so busy looking at Jane, only to give a start and stare up at the barista. Surprised, and embarrassed.

Perhaps that was the entire reason she was here.

Doing something so blatant and sickening enough to make even Jack and Miranda gag had they'd learned about it. It was a dumb little thing, one that she was afraid Liara would be horrified about, but then she'd found the asari waiting outside Cerberus for her.

"Captain Shepard."

That voice, breathy and shy. Which had driven Jane crazy, actually feel blood rushing to between her legs, and drove her to grabbing Liara for another kiss. This time, she tasted like coffee and grabbed Shepard by the hair to kiss her back.

A nose against her own, mouth brushing her lips. "You. You get better every time I see you."

The nicest thing anyone had ever said to her, hands down. "Liara. Do you think we can go somewhere?"

Now the asari was nuzzling against her as Jane's knees disappeared. "Where?"

In fact, all the muscles in her legs were just gone. Anywhere. "Your house? Maybe. If your Mother's gone."

"I think she is. Not that she would even mind you being there. She's been waiting for me to—find a. Friend? I suppose."

"Well. Can't disappoint your mother."

Liara looked at her evenly. "I suppose not."

It was a great day. Even though school had been awfully awkward. No one making eye contact, saying anything. Flinching over every passed ketchup bottle. But quiet. Nice, in its own way. They didn't even mock Shepard for her dancing last night, or for making out with Liara. Miranda didn't even show up, and when her younger sister was questioned, said that she'd been too sick, plus someone wrote some unfortunate words on her face in permanent marker.

"So. How was everyone's evenings?"

"I'll kill-no. Nevermind." Jack slowly sat down, still trying to deal with things. Beneath the torn clothes, you could see something written in a precise clear hand, and it was not a compliment. No one dared tell her about it and all pitied the person who might be in the same room as her when she finally saw.

Tali was sneezing, loudly, all the way across the cafeteria.

Liara gave her a small smile, before becoming distracted by a Kaiden, who was awkwardly trying to talk to the quarian.

Shepard grinned around her spoonful of pudding. And Ashley hadn't even minded her taking it. "We should totally go due the club scene more often."

For once, William's hair was literally down. "Skipper. Shut up."

Kelly was also completely okay with what had happened, considering she'd gotten to second base with Samantha in the bathroom. Reportedly. "Does that mean you're Gilligan?"

"When it comes to Shepard, we're all Gilligan."

Garrus was poking at something which might have once been an animal. "I'm going to assume that's a bad thing."

"Yep."

Vega managed a laugh, despite the fact that his eyebrows were gone from the turian and Estaban gluing his face to the bar. "Does this mean we're going to get hit by some coconuts."

Joker didn't even have the energy to make the joke they all expected. Truly, it was a grand day for changes. She didn't even care when she slipped in the locker room when getting dressed. Or that the Professor Mordin nearly burned down the lab again when he tried to use her work as an example of what not to do. An inner peace had awoken in her, and Jane felt very much like a modern Siddhartha. She could look into the trail of water that she'd slipped in when she was changing, and feel only connected to whatever asshole had decided not to clean this up.

Compounded with being able to go to Liara's house. Just them, as the evening grew.

Walking there, smiling at each other. Shepard looking like a goober and Liara sweet. No one ever stared at them, let alone pointed and gaped as Jane had expected, if she'd ever gotten the asari's attention. There should have been rainbows and Keepers dancing in the streets. No dirty looks from the C-Sex, and when they hurried past that Alliance message service/café, rose petals should have flown out the door, rather than annoyed soldiers.

Benezia didn't appear to be home, but perhaps they didn't check thoroughly.

While Liara looked on, unreadable, as Jane called her Mom and told her she'd be at a friend's house for awhile. Yeah, awhile? Right. Hannah sounded preoccupied, either from work or perhaps her own love life, something that Jane's mind skidded away from instinctively. Just like that, she felt back to being an archetype from a teen drama; lying to her mother (who was gone often and let her daughter foster independency that led to climbing on roofs) to get laid while her girlfriend's Mom was gone. Plus the possibility of some step-Dad or Mom's boyfriend to deal with. Ugh.

At least Liara's Mom, while being a little scary, didn't seemed to be adding such psychological issues to her kid. No, she left plenty of food in the house and little notes that made Liara shake her head at the condescension and nickname…and asari commandos to stake the house, as Jane learned while making sandwiches for them both, looking out the window, and seeing the scary people doing perimeter checks. As well as double-takes when they saw Jane.

"Are they here often?"

"Oh, yes." Bitter.

Ah, they both were teenage clichés with Mother issues. Hadn't Jack told her that was the best kind, when they'd once gotten in a disgusting, weird conversation about girls. "Them, and the ones that are so uptight they ignore their Daddy issues," the bony, bald girl had told her and a confused Williams as they sat on the curb outside a store, drinking soda. Years and years ago. Her interest in Miranda now becoming clearer.

Here, in her room. It was different when it was just them. Together, as it became night. Tenser, in some way without anyone there to separate them. They could make out on the many couches scattered around, up against that painting, on her Mom's desk. One of them could have tied up the other, say, on the kitchen table and fucked them with a serving spoon while making it rain cereal onto the person's naked body. Screwed in a bubble bath. Weird whatever.

But instead of sex in a moderately exotic place, the two sat there in this room. They talked of nothing, schoolwork and classes, rather than what should have been addressed. How far was this going to go? Were they going to leave each other, ravished and shamed, like their friends had done to each other, but with a better conclusion than allergy medicine being exchanged and obscene facts scrawled onto each other's skin?

When she kissed Liara again, it was when the news was on, and there was too much droning about stocks for her to stand it anymore. Any distraction, even dropping her math book onto her foot, would be welcome. Especially that mouth that opened beneath her own, all eager and demanding, practically asking why it had taken so long for Jane to finally make another move.

Pulling away, shaking, "I just don't want to ruin this."

"Oh, Jane, you're not." Her kisses could actually make Shepard feel confident about everything. "You could never ruin anything. You're such an amazing person, Shepard. I've never met anyone like you."

Then it became a struggle to not suffocate beneath Liara. Who beneath the asari-girl-next-door, was very gropy. And unafraid to yank off Shepard's shoes and socks. Who liked exploring even the backs of her knees, as Jane found her belt being undone and her head shoved into a pillow. Going to be fucked raw by those blue fingers, after being exposed and pushed into a mattress.

But wasn't this the same Liara, who for all her kindness, made sure she always had her supplies perfectly arranged, homework done thoroughly, a dislike for the sloppy as witnesses when once getting annoyed with Jane leaving her jacket hanging on a bench during gym. After gym, really, when everyone was half-naked and horrible conscious of their bodies, and the horror of being seen in her underwear and shirt by Liara drove her to just about hiding in her locker and frantically putting her pants on at the same time. As Miranda rolled her eyes, perfect in that cheerleader getup she wore throughout school until she'd change into her Cerberus outfit. Jane tried to imagine what her Type A friend would do in this situation, and realized that she had been, and was still trying to recover from it. Hell, she had yet to send any messages to Jane's omni-tool, which was never a good sign.

"This isn't going too fast for you, is it?"

"Oh, no, please go on."

She was wearing that jacket now, dark with red on the sleeves and lining. Shepard hadn't been undressed by another person since…she was a small child perhaps? Even her friends, when sneaking her incapacitated self into her house, past her mother, had left her dressed. Or in some undressed state that she'd done to herself. But it was comforting, to find herself being taken care of this way. It took a lot of trust to let someone yank your pants and not take your underwear with them.

In her underwear, shirt, bra underneath. On Liara's bed. Her heart could give out, and it would be the best day of her life. Trying not to have her voice muffled by a pillow as her ass was grabbed. Satisfying, even if she was trying to wrap her mind all around this. She was the one with issues, either lying there like a dead fish, or being what Liara wanted and was now the sub of the relationship. Not a role she would have figured, but what the hell? Being undressed and groped by a beautiful woman she'd fallen in love with wasn't exactly torture. It was just strange, to have Liara practically sitting on her and dictating what they were doing.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you look in this? Sometimes, I'll see it in the halls and my heart rate increases. Even before I see your face. Your face. The way you always look so confident. When you smile. I love your freckles."

All she could feel was the weight of her. "I love yours. Are they freckles, even? I don't know a lot about asaris."

"I can teach you." A fact, rather than just a come on, as Liara began feeling her up. "Is this alright?"

"Perfect."

Her nipples, between Liara's fingers.

"And your hair. I know everyone has probably compared it to fire."

Fuck. The pinching.

"Not really. Except when Jack calls me fire crotch."

Only a few layers separated her skin from the asari's, and Liara was looking to take care of that. "I've waited so long to have you here, Shepard."

Her eyes were darkened, shifting to black as Shepard could only lay there with hands on her tits, still horny, and increasingly scared.

Liara noticed, and began kissing her. Light, gentle. "It's alright, Jane, I'd never hurt you."

Lost in the shifting irises, the white of her eyes darkened.

I love you I love you were those thoughts even her own anymore. She felt smothered, cradled, something peeling back layers in her head, digging through her skull oh I love you too so much

But they could both hear the front door opening, as Jane looked around for her pants. And was not able to find them. It was like half of her nightmares put together. Half-naked before Liara, about to be embarrassed and possibly beaten, and still not finding clothes no matter how she looked. With Liara sitting there, mouth open. Probably imagining the scene that would occur. Getting grounded and Jane physically thrown out.

"Where are my pants?!"

"Forget it. You can hide under the sheets. Or the bed."

"Or the closet." Jane yanked open the doors. "No. It's full of books! Liara, your nerdrity is going to get me killed."

"Shepard, calm down."

"Even under your bed is filled with datapads and holovids! Is that-"

"What? No, no, Shepard, it won't be so bad—Goddess, someone's coming up the stairs."

"Okay. I'll stay here. You distract them, and then I'll find something to wear and sneak out the door when your Mom's…cooking? Or something."

So Shepard ran out into the balcony, heard the lock hatch behind her, and immediately began hating her decision. When she looked back, she watched Liara leaving the room. And then saw her jacket lying on the bed. Right there. Evidence of her being here, and of her dumbassery.

She hid behind a flower planter, and regretted risking fate by saying that she'd be cool with dying here.

Which reminded her of years ago, when she'd been in a car accident with her Dad. An accident no one could be blamed for. It wasn't like anyone had been drunk, and she could rally against drunk drivers. There wasn't even a disease or cancer she could find a cause in. No moral lesson to some dumb accident that could happen to anyone. Her Dad, Jeff Shepard, had died almost immediately, and had been given military honors at the funeral with a lot of flowers and crying. Jane had been in a coma for a few days after a serious scare where she'd been technically gone for two minutes. When she'd gone to the funeral, she was still limping, bandaged, and trying to understand what had happened. The last thing she remembered was the sound of her father saying 'fuuuuuuu', which had echoed throughout her head for a month and summed up the entire experience.

The other driver had been alright, but a kid in the other car had also died, a boy who'd Jane had only seen in pictures afterward. She'd slipped past death by the skin of her teeth, really. Now she was back there, clutching her knees, wondering if she'd see that kid and her Father in some afterlife.

The Citadel would be the last thing she'd ever see. It was a nice view, too. Free of those asari commandos, who were probably taking a break after deciding that it was getting late, and what the hell, who would attack the Matriarch's daughter, and especially who'd bother with that skinny red-haired girl? No one else in this estate, just cars passing by from a distance.

Macabre, and ridiculous. Her poor Mom. Losing both a spouse and her only child. Due to another dumb accident.

When someone opened the door, she was sure it was mirage, and practically broke her neck looking to see what her imagination would conjure up.

"Liara." The voice was cigarettes and whiskey, and for once, Aethyta wasn't angry. "Did you know there's a half-naked girl on your balcony?"

"Yes, Father." Liara cringed, before grabbing Shepard and pulling her inside. Inspecting her, asking the human if she was alright, oh, Jane, here's a blanket. Here's another blanket.

"Hey. I know you."

Warmth, blessed warmth. She practically sank in Liara's arms as well. Head first into her chest, which would have been horrible to do in front of others, Shepard still knew. "Hi. You know Liara?"

"Sure. I mean, she's my kid and all."

"Wha—oh. Hi, then. Mister T'Soni."

"It's not like that."

"Shepard. Your lips are turning blue."

Aethyta patted Liara on the shoulder. "And what do you do about that?"

"Oh."

Then she was being suffocated by Liara's mouth, those blue eyes still open and inspecting her even through the awkward kiss.

"I'll leave you two at it, then." The sound of footsteps, muttering. "Thank Goddess and the architects that these apartments are so soundproof."

Then she was raising her voice, informing Benezia floors below that the Shepard kid was staying the night, and would probably be around for breakfast, so don't freak out if you see her tomorrow morning.

"Oh." Benezia sounded perfectly pleasant, even as she yelled back. "Liara finally took a lover?"

"Yeah. 'Bout time. Not a bad choice, I guess. At least Liara's not in some titty bar, giving lap dances to mercenaries. Though, I still think Liara can probably do way better."

"She seems polite enough. At least Liara likes her. But she's always been impressed by the tragic type. I just hope neither get hurt from melding. Did Liara ever watch that 'Vaenia' holovid?"

"I don't think so. You know what a prude she is."

"You think they want dinner?"

The voice slowly drifting away, gradually. "Let's just let them be. Besides, we're going to be too busy to eat too."

The back-and-forth was enough to definitely ruin whatever mood they'd been going for. Jane pulled away by an inch. The blue-skinned alien's hands were limp, and her face horrified. She looked ready to collapse. Or run into the balcony herself.

"Uh. Thanks for saving me."

"You're still freezing."

"Yeah. I'm still trying to deal with this. Knowing who you're Dad is."

"At least you haven't seen them making out."

"…wow."

"Yes. I know. It seems that they've rebonded during their time on the Citadel. After Aethyta met me. It's been very strange. But my mother appears happier."

"That's sweet. And she didn't murder me."

"Of course not. Neither of my parents would hurt you, Shepard. None of my family would hurt you. Accept maybe Aria. She sent some threatening messages."

"…what?"

"Aria's one of my half-sisters."

"Aria's your sister?"

"Half-sister. Very half. Her Father's a hanar, and, you know, it's not important."

But Shepard had to prod the wound. "You two talk? Have conversations?"

"Oh, sure, she says I'm wasting my time studying 'the Enkindlers.'"

"…"

"Are you smiling? Oh." Liara sighed. "Shepard, would you like to come to a family dinner some time?"

"Yes. And not just to see you and Aria talk. But to you know, be close to you."

"Oh, I know. Wait until the family dinners."

"I can't wait. That sounds pretty awesome."

"And your family?"

"You should meet my cousin, John." Then she had a horrible vision of Liara seeing John. Who was all tall and had that cool scar rather than one that made it look like Jane had plucked too many eyebrows. Who could do as many pushup as her, but could do them shirtless without getting in trouble with the cops for doing that in public. John, who had plenty of women and men dropping their pants for him. John, who was sweet, and oblivious to the way others trailed after him.

Liara might have some chance however. Who was not into asari? Who would not be into Liara?

"Well. Maybe. . His family moved to Mindoir a while back, so I don't see him much anymore. And he's a year older, going into the Alliance. Now he's too old to hang out with us."

"…"

"What?"

"Is age a problem with you?"

"No. Wait. I know you're in those University classes. How old are you?"

Liara was biting the inside of her cheek, measuring Jane up. "How old are you?"

"Eigh—no. Seventeen."

The asari was actually a little pale. "Those would be Earth years?"

"Yep." Old cultural classes popped into her head. Droning on, the average age of the asari, their lifespan so much longer than humans…And Liara, going through the school and attending such high ranked classes and old, old adults went to. Except for things like lunch and P.E. The long hours spent working on what looked like several, several theses. "How old are you?"

"…Ninety-six."

Jane eyes widened, to take in all of Liara. "…In Earth years."

"Roughly. Yes." Liara was clenching her hands together. Wincing.

"That's okay. We can work through that. It's not a huge deal. You asari are just the ultimate cougars. You're still younger than my grandparents. Hey, you can totally buy us beer!"

She now had a girlfriend that was really putting things like the word 'statutory' in new perspective. But Shepard felt more mature from being with her, at least. No longer would she torture her Mom by not using her seat beat until they were both yelling at each other, never actually discussing anything. She would iron her clothes rather than deciding to let gravity take care of it. Floss and study more and take her future seriously.

Dating an adult. A real adult.

"So you're okay with the age difference? Truly?"

"Yes. You were always the more mature one. Except when you're blushing, and squirming."

"Only when you're around."

"So. Um. Should I call my Mom and tell her I'm spending the night?"

"Sure, if we can move past what happened. Then we can have breakfast together, tomorrow."

"Oh, that'll be fun."

"Here's your jacket."

"I don't think I'll need it. Now." She leaned in very close to Liara's face, taking in every dark line radiating from her pupil. "What were we doing before?"

"Are you sure about this, Shepard?"

"Yes. Just go slow."

"Of course. You're still cold."

Liara ended up reaching for her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. Then pushing her back onto the bed as those eyes swirled black.

"What's going on with that?"

Her underwear was being rolled down, her shirt sliding off.

"It's for the meld. A sign of our joining."

"Joining?"

Surprising, how professional Liara looked even when removing a bra. And even while she groped Shepard, taking particular interest in her stiffened, practically chapped nipples. Kissed down her stomach and dipped a tongue into her bellybutton. Then touching over Jane's freckles, one by one, as Shepard began undressing Liara, and discovering that her breasts were even better than she'd imagined. The tips purple, and that was a new interesting fact to add to Shepard's increasingly empty head.

A head that Liara was beginning to brush against, both physically and mentally. Connecting in a way that she'd never felt before, having walls torn away, having memories peeled away. More than just that. Emotions. Worse than changing for gym. A mouth pressed into hers, and they didn't need them to exchange any words.

Does this feel alright, Shepard, I am not hurting you am i

please please don't leave

Never

'Meld,' she'd called it. 'Joining.' She could feel Liara, what Liara was feeling. Both the weight and pressed down upon. Warmth that was more than just having a hand between legs. Their hands, their legs, their wetness, their damp clit. Both, so close.

Liara pulled away, briefly. "Don't worry, I will be very careful not to map your DNA."

When she woke up, she had no idea where she was for the first thirty seconds. Just saw white furniture, and assumed a hospital. Then Liara's hand was flopping onto her chest as the asari rolled over again. And Shepard remembered where she was and what had happened.

Between Shepard's tendency to sleep-fight, and Liara's sprawling, they really made a mess of the bed. And the surrounding area. At one point, they'd both pushed the other onto the floor, to wake up with groggy apologies and weird rug burn. Then they'd crawled back into bed, and had sex again until they fell back asleep, practically spooning.

At least it hadn't hurt, the sex. Despite what she'd heard and read about with a man and woman, and the first time supposedly being all painful and bloody. With Liara, it had only been smooth heat and once clenching her legs to nearly bruising the head between them.

Her omni-tool, when checked, had sixteen missed messages. Most of which were from Miranda, who was deciding to rise from her grave in a blaze of control issues concerning Cerberus, and general panic. Conspicuously silent on her absence yesterday, and free of any and all mentions of Jack. So of course Shepard had to send her several messages about how much Jack had missed seeing her, and had spent yesterday worried about her and kept going on and on about their wonderful night…which struck Miranda silent again.

This done before Liara had woken up, rolling over to accidentally hit Shepard in the head and stop her maniacal giggling.

"You awake?"

"Are you?"

"Nope." Shepard tumbled back into the bed, reaching for Liara. Who was already wet, and squirming against her palm.

"I dreamt of you. Us."

"We should—get up. Shepard. I'm serious."

"Call me Captain, again."

"In the shower. At least. Please."

Being with an adult meant that there would be more multi-tasking, clearly. She had to calm herself, and not be totally amazed that she was here, in Liara's bathroom, about to have a real shower, not one from being shoved into the gym bathroom when Liara was passing by. Towels in the cupboard. It would be very creepy to just stand here on the cold tile, both naked, sniffing her soap.

Both of them stepping into the shower, and trying to act like it was completely natural. Then staring at each other, again, naked, and now wet. They nearly died there, having slipped to fall onto the wet floor after Shepard had grabbed Liara's hands and shoved a knee between her legs. At least Jane got to be physically on top during that one, both soaked, her hair hanging down into her eyes as they ground against each other.

Afterwards, they lay there, and tried not to drown.

Still melded, which was different when they weren't having sex. Less desperate. More comfortable. Liara soothing her so it didn't feel like her heart was about to burst. Which was nice, since dying here would be a strange thing. All her friends at the funeral would high-five her body.

Stop worrying about your age. I'm the one that should be concerned, if anything.

I guess I should listen to you. Since you're so wise. Wizened.

Just hand over the soap.

Then getting dressed and trying to walk down the stairs holding hands. The walls lined with awards and pictures of Liara. Lots and lots of them. Adorable. Even the ones of her failing at some sport that wounded someone else. The missing teeth and birthday cakes with gifts of datapads and books, gangly adolescence, Liara dropping the smiles for something sullen and telling the world she was not amused.

Downstairs, it was different in the light of day.

Also, she now regretted not fully dressing. Not just because she had to get to school in an hour, but just because she would have liked her arms covered. And real pants.

Together. In the kitchen. It was almost funny. Them all being there. Liara's mother and father completely unembarrassed. And in pajamas of varying states of length. It was awkward, to sit here, all of them knowing what they knew. Looking at each other over cups of coffee and plates of toast.

Liara had been torn between ever coming down for breakfast, and allowing Jane to go. Forcing her into a pajama shirt and pants, rather than letting Shepard go down in her tank top and underwear. Which she'd mostly considered only to see Liara panic. "Don't worry, Liara, only you and my doctor get to see me undressed." Then she practically had to pull Liara off her, as the asari wanted to make good on that vow.

"Did you two have a good time last night?"

And Liara was right. Completely on the money about how this would all go.

Being correct brought no satisfaction to that face, however. Jane nearly dropped her toast onto her lap, rather than just get crumbs all over.

"Mother. Can you not ask questions like that?"

Aethyta gave a low whistle. "That bad, huh?"

"No, it wasn't bad! I just don't want to talk about it. It was personally—not that we necessarily. Oh, forget it."

Shepard nudged the milk towards her.

It was sorta nice, to sit here and be uncomfortable. With Liara. And her family.

She hadn't been uncomfortable with her family in years, even during holidays. There was too big a gap, especially with John having left. In a year, she'd been out there with the Alliance as well. Helping save humanity, probably by counting supplies and surveying whatever outpost she was sent to.

But she would still stay in contact with Liara. Hell, she might even get to work with her cousin.

It was way too soon to say, but Shepard had loved waking up in that bed, loved sharing room with her, eating next to her. She could see them, in maybe a few years, with an apartment, Liara either in school or teaching or whatever. Maybe she'd get a job at C-Sec, eventually, like Garrus was thinking about doing. Stay near this place, and start a life with Liara.

Come here for family dinners, just to see Aria interact with the rest of this family.

"Alright, Liara. We're not asking for the grizzly details."

"There—oh, goddess, forget it." Liara then decided to just look into her bowl of cereal. Which she didn't touch much of, and made Jane feel like a pig as she finished her own bowl and toast and eggs, as the adults left the table to get ready for whatever they did.

But they did see Liara and Jane off, as they paused before fleeing the building after getting dressed. Shepard, wearing borrowed clothes that they'd both enjoyed seeing her put on. "I'm broader in the shoulders, but you have the bigger chest."

"Your legs are longer."

"Liara, you're practically drooling. Go on."

"We really do have to start heading out." Liara really did have this dom-streak, Shepard was beginning to find, as she was led around. Her collar straightened and her chest felt up under the pretext of wiping out any wrinkles.

Shepard fumbled with sending a message on her omni-tool informing her mother that she was still alive, while also pulling on a jacket and trying to find her backpack.

"You can leave your old clothes here, so you don't have to bring them to school."

Jane hoped she didn't look like a jackass as her eyes became half-lidded. "Does this mean I will be spending another evening in your presence?"

Just that was enough to turn Liara shy. Even as she took Shepard's hand and began leading her towards the door. "If you want."

A shyness that left her as she stood there, taking her coat off the rack. Looking at her parents, who were in the living room. Politely waiting for their daughter to say whatever was weighing on her before they all headed out.

"Since you insist on questioning us, it was not bad," Liara told them, as Jane shifted her weight. "It was amazing."

She could feel her mouth setting in a grimace. "Liara?"

"And we did it three times, so stop trying to pity us!"

Then she dragged Shepard away before slamming the door shut behind them.

It was a brand new day, and Liara was holding her hand.

A day in which Liara's parents knew way too much about their sex life, as would the other students as soon as they took one glance at Shepard's smug face. No matter how exasperated Liara was, seeing her smiling like that. Especially as they got to the school, with her friends waiting outside the doors.

Miranda was the first to react. Disgusted. "Now we're never going to hear the end of this."

"I'll have you know that Liara's the bragging one."

"Shepard."

"Oh, it's not as though Miranda doesn't have any stories to share, right? In fact, maybe we should all sit in a nice group circle and discuss the night before last. Really reflect on our decisions that evening."

Now everyone was glaring at her. Which Shepard happily ignored in favor of her favorite person in the entire galaxy. Who reluctantly gave into the wet kiss Jane planted on her mouth. And together, they were able to ignore Jack's heckling and Garrus telling them enough already, Tali giggling and EDI making little cracks with Joker as someone, Kasumi probably, took pictures.

Pulling away took will that Shepard would have to learn to cultivate. More years than even Liara had, as the asari also had a problem breaking up their moment. Already, Jane missed that mouth she knew she would only spend ever more time fantasizing about during spare moments.

"So. Guess I'll see you at Gym?"