Shepard tip-toed quietly into the room, searching the bed for the familiar form of her bond-mate. It had been a long night for both of them with Liara attending to her duties as broker and Shepard just trying to survive her tiny daughter's idea of fun. After a day spent alternately trying to file her paperwork and playing a game of hide-and-seek with her crew treacherously abetting her mischievous child, she was exhausted.

She crept to the side of the bed, slipping out of her boots and perching on the edge to watch Liara sleep. With a young child aboard these moments were becoming rare indeed; she'd put Beni to bed nearly an hour ago and was rather surprised she hadn't found a way to sneak into her parent's room just yet.

Shepard reached out a tentative hand to brush Liara's face tenderly, smiling at the way she murmured sweetly in her sleep. There was no question in her mind that this was precisely what life was meant to be. She stood and made her way to the wardrobe, stripping of her clothes to change into a nightgown; she missed the nights where they could sleep skin to skin, curled around each other but there was no telling when a certain little asari might wake crying from a nightmare and she'd rather not have to bolt through the ship naked.

Liara sighed and rolled toward her when she finally climbed into the bed, resting her head on Shepard's strong arm and twining her legs with her lover's calves. Shepard smiled softly, this was something else she missed dearly. Beni always did like to sleep in between. She stiffened when she heard movement outside the door, reaching toward the bedside table and the weapon concealed there; the one that Liara must never find out about lest she send her to the couch permanently. She stilled when she heard a little sniffle; Beni, probably upset because the door was locked for once.

Shepard looked regretfully at Liara, found her awake and smiling back ruefully; nothing for it but to let the little one in. She shrugged as she disentangled herself from the covers and made her way to the door; no sooner had she opened it than Beni bolted into the room, jumping up onto the bed and wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. Liara whispered something soothing and drew her close, rubbing her back gently.

Shepard slipped in behind her, wrapping her arms around her daughters waist and drawing her back a little bit to give her mother some breathing room; Beni turned immediately and buried her face in Shepard's chest, wiping her face on the soft fabric. "What happened?" Shepard whispered, sharing a look with Liara over the child's head.

"I thought th' reapers were coming to take me."

Shepard wished Beni had been on the council when that actually been a pressing fear, but it would hardly be smart to say so. Who had been telling tales again? Probably Joker; of all of them he seemed the most likely to go telling a toddler war stories. Maybe she should talk to him tomorrow about suitable bed-time story material.

"Papa wouldn't let that happen."

It had been strange at first, to be called "papa"; she hadn't been sure if she would like it, but now she found it was her favorite title. There was something about her daughter's slurred "papa" that trumped even that feeling when she had first been named a Spectre.

Beni hummed softly, pushing her tiny feet into Shepard's stomach to warm them. Shepard winced, knowing full well she was going to wake up bruised and beaten tomorrow. Nothing for it, she'd had worse.

"You make a good papa." Liara snorted softly and Shepard gave her a mock scowl. "Da-. Of course. Nothing to it. Not much different from looking after this crew anyway."

Liara was scowling ferociously; no swearing in front of the baby. That had been another tricky adjustment. Shepard's breath left her in a huff as Beni kicked in her sleep.

"Perfect kidney shot." Shepard winced, "she'll be a soldier yet."

Liara snorted, reaching out to brush her hair back from her face, "Poor darling. I'll keep her near me so you can rest."

Shepard glanced at the child curled in her arms, unwilling to surrender the pleasure so easily. "No. She's fine here." Shepard growled in frustration seeing the space between her and Liara. "I just don't understand why she has to take the middle."

Liara laughed outright, stifling it quickly when Beni twitched. "There will be other nights, Shepard."