A/N: Welcome to DE4!

For those of you who have read DE1-3, welcome back! For those that haven't, I suggest reading them first.

I write DE with the assumption that you have actually played the ME games and are at least passingly familiar with the lore. I don't go out of my way to explain culture or tech or any of those types of things already explained by the games, and I do not apologize for any spoilers.

DE4 covers events from the end of the Reaper War to 217 years afterward. The story begins in the 217th year, and this is considered the 'present.' Much of this story is told in flashbacks, so there will be jumping back and forth between timelines. I will head each section that involves such a jump by the amount of time that has passed since the end of the war. 'Present' will refer to the 217th year. 'Past' will refer to any time prior to that. 'PW' refers to 'Post War'. Hopefully the transitions will be easy and self-evident as you read.

There will be a DE5 as well. For both this story and the next, the tale is entirely my own canon. This is my version of events as I see them happening. It will not take into account any DLC, present or future. My explanation of the Reapers and the reason for the Cycle are completely my own, and have nothing to do with synthetics or mysterious leviathans. If you want to keep the meaning of the Reapers a mystery, or want something that goes true to Bioware's canon, then you will be disappointed by this story and I suggest you do not read it.

For the rest of you, sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully, it will be worth the journey.

On we go!

DE4: Aftermath

Present: 217 Post War

The asari looked out the window of the small shuttle transport, watching the craggy cliffs sail past below. The ocean was the color of slate, waves coiling around worn rocks, polishing them to satiny rainbow hues. Here and there, white beaches were nestled in the shadows cast by overhanging trees, and curtains of climbing moss.

"Didn't figure anyone was out this far from Beaty Shore," the man piloting the shuttle said amiably. He was a rather rotund human, red-cheeked and affable enough. "You sure these coords are right?"

The asari smiled to herself. "The location is correct. We are nearly there."

"Folks like their privacy, I take it. Can't say as I blame 'em. Everyone says the Reapers are gone, and it's been two hundred years and all but…you hear stories, you know? Like that rumor last month that one was found in some Traverse backwater-…well. Personally, I hear stories like that and gotta wonder as to the sanity of those tellin' 'em. Then again," he laughed. "Half the stories of the war I can scarce believe, either. Say, not to pry, but you old enough to have seen the war? I'd sooner trust tales from those what seen it with their own eyes, rather than that garbage they pile up on the extranet."

"We are nearly there. It is just to the west," the asari said, ignoring his question. A pair of tiny blue hands suddenly reached out, patting the window as if enjoying the sounds her palms made on the glass. Leaning forward, the little girl then pressed her nose and mouth to the window, dark green eyes wide as her tongue squished out against the cool surface.

"No, baby…don't lick," the asari said with a patient smile. Drawing the child a little away from the window she pointed out the house as the shuttle neared it. "You see? That's where wài gōng and wài pó live."

The baby didn't seem to care, more intent now on chewing on a tentacle of her stuffed hanar, making contented sounds.

The shuttle lowered to a landing, the pilot helping her with her bags as they exited the vehicle. Though it was not yet quite noon, the sun had warmed the air nicely, the sea offering an occasional cool breeze. The asari, daughter on her hip, paused and looked out toward the cliffside where several birds were hovering and calling to each other around the old, broad heddeck tree. From one of its strongest branches, a rope still hung, a smooth and polished patch of wood beneath it showing it had been there some time, years of use wearing the bark away.

When she turned back toward the house, another asari had emerged onto the porch, directing the pilot to put the bags inside before coming down the steps to meet them. Smiling, the young mother embraced the older tightly.

"Mama, it is good to see you."

"I am so glad you are here, Irie," Liara replied. Kissing her cheek, she loosened her hold and smiled at the little girl. "This must be Lily…"

Hearing her name, and completely unabashed, the child leaned forward, thrusting her hands out toward Liara, her sodden hanar toy dangling from her pudgy grip. Laughing, Liara accepted the child into her arms.

"Look at you, little one! She is so beautiful, Irie. I am so sorry we could not come to visit, to see you when she was born-"

"It is all right, Mama. We understood. How is she?"

Liara, shifting her granddaughter onto her hip, looked solemnly toward the house. "There are good days, and there are bad," she said. "She is sleeping right now. Come, inside. I have some tea on, and she'll need to wake up soon to eat something."

The pilot reappeared out of the house where he'd deposited the bags, bidding a polite farewell to the pair as he headed back to the shuttle.

Inside, the house smelled like ehlas blossoms and mint spice, with the faintest hint of the sea air outside. A warm and familiar smell, it was nonetheless lacking a particular autumnal undertone that had been persistent throughout her childhood. Irie's father had never smoked in the house, yet somehow the scent of her cigars had still worked their way into every crevice of it. The lack of that particular smell now seemed heavy and foreboding.

Though Irie had not lived in this house personally since she was five, somehow it had always seemed the most like home to her.

"I am sorry Evik was not able to make it," Liara said, passing the child back to her mother so she could finish attending to the tea. "I know Del would have liked to have seen him again."

"He is sorry he could not be here, as well," Irie said. "He tried rather desperately to get off-duty, but it fell through. He sends his love."

"Mel and Dae should be here soon, but for the moment I have the two of you all to myself." Liara finished setting a tea tray and carried it toward the living room. "Come. I want to hear how you are doing and dote on my beautiful granddaughter while I have the chance."

As the two older asari talked and sipped at their tea, little Delilah 'Lily' T'Soni played quietly on her blanket with a few toys, babbling softly to herself as she seriously considered their imaginary adventures. Liara watched her with soft eyes, shaking her head a little.

"She reminds me of Mel at that age," she said. "Always so intent, everything in its place. She used to make little stockades with her blocks, and then smash them happily to pieces."

Irie smiled faintly, but an odd expression still lingered in her eyes. Expert at reading her children, Liara set her teacup down, reaching over and taking her daughter's hand.

"What is it, Irie?"

"It is nothing, Mama. Just…silly regrets and fears, I suppose. Come. Help me set up Lily's pen. We can put a vid on for her and I will help you with lunch. Knowing Mel and Dae, they will show up hungry."

Past: Five months Post War

The Citadel was still undergoing clean-up and repairs, but in most sections of the Presidium and Wards, life as usual had resumed. The remaining two Councilors, along with the heads of government for most species, had decided to leave the great station in orbit around Earth, rather than move it back to its prior location.

Huerta Memorial was still extremely busy, but they were not dealing with the wall-to-wall numbers they had been inundated with only months ago. As the relays reactivated and allowed intergalactic travel once again, a lot of stable patients were ferried back to care facilities on their home worlds or at colonies. Only the most critical cases remained, or those who called the Citadel home to begin with.

Liara stepped off the lift at the top floor of the hospital, heading toward the private room that Del had been transferred to from the Orizaba. Barely had she gone ten steps than someone stepped in her path. Miranda did not look happy.

"She's bloody goddamn stubborn!"

Liara lifted her brows. "Shepard? You say that as if it were a surprise. What has she done?"

Miranda didn't reply, just pointed a stern finger at a pair of double glass doors that led onto a veranda overlooking the Presidium lake. Liara lightly touched her arm, then headed that way.

The veranda was large, dotted with lounges and comfortable benches. It was meant as a waiting area for family that had loved ones in the hospital, but right now only one figure occupied it. She was standing at the railing, still dressed in scrubs, looking out over the view.

"Shepard," Liara said softly, walking to her side and lightly touching her arm. "Del, you should not be up just yet. Why did you leave your room?"

There was a long, silent moment before she replied. "Can't keep laying there."

"I know it is frustrating, but you are still not healed. You will only prolong your recuperation if you do not follow Helen and Miranda's advice."

Shepard looked at her, and as she did Liara reached up, toying momentarily with the choppy locks of growing hair, before she pressed her palm lightly to Del's cheek.

The protective burn casts had come off just two days before. Chakwas had done a more than admirable job repairing Del's face without removing every scar. The red, uneven surface of the still healing burn spread from the side of her forehead down her left temple, across the cheekbone, and over part of her cheek, but it was far fainter than by rights it should have been. Without the repairs, the entire left side of Del's face would have been a grotesque, half-melted parody of itself.

Her left eye was still missing, and it looked like it would remain that way indefinitely. While it played havoc with her depth perception at the moment, a surgery to implant a cloned or synthetic eye would be at least two hours of utter torture, with Del conscious and feeling most every moment of it. For now, an archaic eyepatch covered the scarred, empty socket.

Del took in the news of her possibly permanent condition with apathy, barely showing an interest in whether or not she'd ever see again on that side. Then, Del's interest in most things since she'd woken up was minimal at best.

It would take time, Helen had told Liara. Waking from a coma wasn't just like turning on a light bulb again. Even Shepard couldn't expect to be up and running perfectly immediately after coming too, and Liara knew that Del's slow progress was only adding to the woman's frustration. She wasn't used to being invalid. She didn't do well with idle.

Lightly, Liara slid her arms around Del's waist, gently kissing the corner of her mouth before she inclined her head. "Come. At least sit down for a little while. We can stay on the veranda."

Shepard let herself be led to one of the soft benches, sitting with only a faint grimace and sigh of relief. Liara sat next to her, winding her in her arms and giving her a faint tug. Del didn't resist, resting her head against the asari's shoulder.

"Garrus came by earlier," Del said after a long moment. "He says I got hit in the face with that MHD just so I could be as stylish with my scars as he was."

Liara chuckled, rubbing her shoulder. "Of course that is why you did it. I suspected that all along."

To her relief, Del gave a faint laugh as well, before she sat up again and looked at Liara. This time, it was her fingertips that traced the asari's face, her good eye searching along the sky blue of Liara's.

"Liara, I'm sorry about my order to Vega," she said after a moment. "I know how much it upset you, me leaving you behind on the run like that. I just-"

"I know, Del," Liara said softly. "I would have followed you every step of the way."

"I know you would have, but I had to know you were safe. I had to know that you had a chance."

Liara looked down a moment. "I saw it when that MHD hit you. I thought that my entire world had ended in that moment. I thought you were gone-…"

Her eyes grew damp, a tear breaking free before she almost impatiently swiped it away. Shepard reached out, stroking her cheek again.

"Hey…I'm here. I'm here, and the war is over, Tianlán. We won."

It was true. While ships were still scouring the more remote reaches of the galaxy on the chance that a Reaper or two had not been destroyed, the war itself was done, the Cycle of elimination halted. Hackett had given Shepard a full debrief a few days ago on everything that had transpired.

Why, then, didn't it feel like victory? Shepard should be rejoicing, celebrating. They had done the impossible, accomplished the miraculous. She was alive, Liara was alive, and they were together –finally together with no looming threat that promised to tear them apart again.

So why was it that she felt so empty? Why this lingering, troubled feeling that refused to lift- a feeling that she had forgotten something, that the fight wasn't yet done?

You've just been wound too tight for too long, Del. You live every day with the kind of tension you've had over the last three years, it's hard to let that go, to relax. That's all.

"I know that we did," Liara said, taking Del's hand and gripping it tightly. "We can finally…finally have our life together, as we had always hoped."

"Li, what is it? What's wrong?" Del asked. Liara forced herself to meet her eyes, reaching up and brushing back the silver lock of hair that was also beginning to regrow. Then she drew a deep breath, squaring her shoulders a little.

"There is something I must tell you," she said. "Something…I must confess."

"Confess?"

"I did a horribly shameful thing to you, Del. I did it out of fear, and desperation, but that is not an excuse. Despite all my faith in you, all my hope, I was so terrified that I was going to lose you- and I very nearly did."

Shepard stared at her. "What could you possibly have done? Shameful…? I don't-"

"I am pregnant, Shepard."

She said it quickly but firmly, trying to be matter-of-fact. Inside, every fiber of her quailed in preparation for Del's reaction. Disbelief, then anger, accusation, mistrust…she was steeled for all of it, and it would only be what she deserved.

Instead of an explosion, however, Del was almost infuriatingly neutral. "The gift? In the prison?"

"Yes," Liara replied. "To do such a thing without the knowledge or consent of the father is…unthinkable, among my people. Deplorable. I-I very nearly asked you, but I was so afraid you would not agree, and I-I knew that…if I were to lose you, I would not be able to go on. Not unless I had a reason. I am so sorry, Shepard. It was incredibly selfish of me-"

"Stop, Liara." Shepard took hold of her shoulders, looking at her sternly. "Stop. Hey. You are the least goddamn selfish person I know, dong ma?"

"But what I did-"

Shepard cupped her face, drawing her in and kissing her. When it broke a moment later, they stayed close, heads bowed together.

"I love you," Shepard said softly. "Nothing will change that, you hear me? Nothing."

"You are not angry?"

"No. I'm…kind of reeling a little bit, but angry? No. I…holy fuck, we're having a baby!"

Liara let out an incredulous laugh, covering her mouth the instant after and blushing. She had expected a thousand different reactions from Shepard, but never had she hoped it would be this one.

Del hugged her tight, kissing her cheek. "We're having a baby," she said again, a wide grin on her face.

"Yes," Liara said, tears falling despite her relief.

"She's going to be the most goddamn perfect ass-kicking little blue nub this galaxy ever did see."

Liara laughed again, and Del once more hauled her in, hugging her tight, before she almost abruptly drew back again, staring wide eyed at her wife.

"Can I see her?"

"Can you…?"

"A meld, you know. I read somewhere that bonded parents sometimes do that, that the child can be 'felt' through that connection, and…can I?"

"I-…oh! Yes, of course. A brief one, for now- you are still recovering your strength."

She took Del's hands in her own again, holding them tight to stop her own fingers from shaking. As they opened up to the meld, she could feel Shepard's familiar spirit settle within hers. She shivered a little at the sensation, both finally feeling as if they were whole once again.

It was a very shallow meld, with no probing for deeper memories or experiences. Unprotected, the unborn asari was strongly attuned to her mother, and would feel these memories and experiences as well. There were ways to protect the developing child from unpleasant or more romantic stimulus during full Joinings but in return, the child would be isolated, her spirit not felt by her parents in return. Such a protection completely defeated the purpose here, so they had to keep things light for now.

The little asari was like a spinning white light, darting and bumping against their two minds like a little fish, radiating joy and happiness and pure innocence. At first, Del seemed almost intimidated by it, withdrawing a little the first time the infant 'bumped' against her. Liara wrapped them both in her love and patience, and Shepard tentatively moved forward again, carefully blanketing the happy little light with affection.

Hey there, little one. I'm…I'm your Bába.

The light spun and bounced and darted about, shining with untainted joy. After a moment, Liara carefully withdrew the meld and reality returned. Del blinked rapidly a moment, then self-consciously wiped the back of her hand over her good eye, clearing her throat.

"Bába?" Liara asked gently. "Is that Chinese?"

Shepard cleared her throat again, then nodded. "Figured it'd be less awkward than 'Daddy' or 'Father' considering…well, my silly human gender hang-ups."

Liara laughed softly, hugging her tight again. "I think it is just beautiful… Bába."

"There you are," Nan's impatient voice preceded her as she strode out onto the veranda. "You are not supposed to be out of bed yet, Del. You're not recovered yet, and you're going to make yourself ill."

Liara got to her feet, helping Del up to hers.

"It is my fault, Nan," Liara began, but the older human woman was having none of it.

"She's stubborn enough on her own, Li, and according to Miranda you were still downstairs when she decided to go on her little stroll. Come on, sweetheart. Back to bed before I have security escort you there-"

"Li's having a baby," Del said, taking Liara's hand.

"Don't think that for one second that excuses you from…what?" Nancy's eyes widened as she looked between the two.

"A baby, Nan," Shepard said with dry humor. "You know those soft little helpless things that cry and eat all the time?"

"Oh, my goodness!" Tears began to well in her eyes as she clasped her hands under her chin, all but bouncing on her toes. "Oh…oh, my goodness! I don't believe it!"

She caught Liara up in a big hug. "Oh! I am so…my goodness gracious, inside, both of you! You both need rest and food, and I want Helen to look over you-"

"She has already done so, Nan," Liara said. "I assure you, we are fine-"

"And we're going to make sure you stay that way! Oh, Del…I'm so happy for you, darling! For both of you!"

She all but herded the couple back into Del's room, where Miranda and Chakwas were both waiting impatiently. Del reluctantly climbed back into the bed, allowing Helen to hook up the monitors again while Nan exuberantly shared the news of Liara's condition with Miranda.

By the end of the day, there won't be a damned soul on this station that doesn't know, Shepard thought with a sigh as she leaned back on the pillows. Stubborn was one thing, but she was feeling the effects of even her short jaunt out to the veranda. Her body was aching and exhausted, but her heart and mind were spinning.

Li's going to have a baby…I'm going to have a daughter.

Though she still felt the joy and wonder of having touched the tiny, pure little spirit, it didn't take long for her anxieties and fears to start resurfacing. She knew nothing about being a parent. Her own were loser junkies who hadn't even bothered to name her. She was a rough-and-tumble, foul-mouthed marine- hardly a 'father figure' by any stretch of the word.

Quite suddenly, that little glowing ball of happy and innocence became the most incredibly terrifying thing that Shepard had ever faced...and that included the Reapers.

Fuck…what am I gonna do?