Author's Note: If your a first time reader of this work, I want to caution you that this work is very left of Cannon. It was started far before the release of Mass effect 3 and largely ignores the game entirely. You won't see any reference to Star Brat or the galactic battery, and the Protheans are very very much dead and gone. With that said, I recommend reading my other three works in this order; Rain, To Hold on or Let Go, Of Preparation and Parting. It will give you a better understanding of where this work is really situated in the Mass Effect Universe.

Mass Effect and it's character's are Bio Ware's. I just like playing with them.

The Sea and the Rose

It had been three years since the Reapers had been defeated. Every species in the galaxy had paid a terrible price during the long war, but now they were rebuilding. Now it was time for finally enjoying life. For building life.

The cafe was small, but pleasantly warm and private. It was and known for the best human cuisine on New Ceylon. She looked down at her krono, 2:55pm. She still had some time. She closed her eyes and let the atmosphere surround her scenes. She heard the soft murmur of conversation. She could sense no air of hesitation, terror, strife, but just the casual enjoyment of life. She smelled the sweet hint of curry mixed with the tell tale scents of late autumn. She felt the world at peace around her. People of all species were enjoying their late day meal.

Yet she was getting nervous. I hope she was not tied up in the meeting or mobbed again.

She gently tugged her green and brown salwar kameez, her hand touching the small box in her pocket. She enjoyed this outfit not only because it seemed very close to traditional Asari dress, but also it was also perfect for the cold weather outside. The trees all throughout New Ceylon's northern continents were alight with their fire, and light snow had begun to fall signaling that yet again that change was in the air.

Construction on New Ceylon could have only been described as running at break neck pace. Every day there was constant change and building. The galaxy had seen so much destroyed and taken away that building, growing, and restoring was not only order of the age, it was the need. Yet in the little cafe, the dint of the world was turned off, and for a moment, its guests could enjoy some of the well-earned and deserved peace.

She took a sip of her tea and its flavor strong with citrus notes caused her to smile. Years ago, she would not have enjoyed the drink the way she did now. She could tell by the taste it left on her palette that it had been perfectly brewed and was some of the finest teas that could be had. She stole another glace down at her Krono again, she was growing concerned and impatient. 3:05pm. Her heart had begun to sink slightly at the thought that powers beyond her control may have caused her to be alone for the afternoon.

Then a warm gentle hand touched her shoulder.

"Doctor." The voice held a distinctly thick Indian dialect. She turned around to noticed that it was the cafe's owner Samesh Bhatia. She smiled broadly at the kind and generous man, and he smiled broadly in return and then he moved to the side. The view made her heart skip.

There she was. The Captain had always been an imposing figure, yet she always had an air of acceptance to those close to her. She was dressed in a heavy double breasted military coat. The collar turned up to help ward off the cold, and the curiosity of passers by. Yet the coat wasn't bulky enough to hide her beautiful physique honed by years of intense combat and biotic training. Everything about her dress was non-descript. No rank, no medals, no formal military designation of any kind. But at the same time it gave her off right away with N7 pins on the collar and the dark green walking staff in her hand. The Captain's messy fiery red hair peaked underneath the trim non-descript military hat she wore, and her emerald eyes were alight with life, but the pupils of her eyes were mismatched. One was a dim red glow, the other had just a faint hint of blue. They told the story of her soul.

"Thank you very much Mr. Bhatia. We appreciate your consideration for our privacy." The Captain said warmly.

"Think nothing of it Captain." He smiled and turned towards Liara. "I must say Doctor, you look radiant." He walked back through the curtains, closing them tightly behind him granting the two precious privacy.

The Captain and Liara stood there for a moment. Looking at each other. It had been over six months since they had last seen each other. And before that, their time together had been even more sporadic because both of them had been too busy, too needed, to break away and take time for themselves and each other.

The Captain, set her walking staff against the wall and went towards her angel and embraced her. The love of her life wrapped her arms around in turn and gently kissed her lips. She drank the sweet scent of orange and dune grass that filled her senses. "I've missed you Liara." She said quietly.

"And I have missed you El'Jaid."

Captain El'Jaid Shepard looked in to Liara T'Soni's blue eyes for a moment before parting to undo her heavy coat. It had started to become too warm for her to stand. She hung it on a coat peg, quickly checking the inner pocket. She was dressed in strict type formal dress suite, that mimicked the cut of the Cerberus type she had worn years ago. Like her heavy coat the outfit was plain.

She smiled when she looked back to Liara. "I'm glad to see you enjoying the gift. You are breathtaking."

Liara took her hand and squeezed it smiling sweetly." You know me well. And I see your enjoying your staff."

El'Jaid smiled. "It comes it handy throwing the odd passers by off. But at the same time it feels right to have it during curtain...occasions."

Liara had found that particular item on one of her most recent expeditions, and had given it to El'Jaid. It was ancient, at least 50,000 years old, yet looked practically new. It was a Prothean formal staff. These staffs were only given to high ranking or highly decorated individuals. While it was uncommon for a healthy human woman of El'Jaid's age to use a walking staff, it had been custom for Prothean woman to do so. The head was small and rounded made of shined platinum, and up the side of the staff an inscription was embossed in red copper which read, She who brings dawn and burns away darkness. It described El'Jaid to the hilt.

Liara smiled, "Well love, you are part Prothean, if even only part of your mind."

El'Jaid smirked, "So you keep reminding me. It must be the only reason your attracted to me."

Liara came closer with an impish smile on her face, and remarked with a wink, "Its only a very small part." She lightly brushed her lips against her Captain's.

The two sat down and Samesh silently came by and took their orders. Over lunch they talked about their lives over the past six months. After the war Liara had gone back to her research on the Protheans, and had started teaching in an Asari University part time. But now her focus was on how the Prothean's had lived, rather than how they had died. A change in her own perspective.

El'Jaid had taken up teaching at a multi-species military Academy. It wasn't the ideal situation for her, but there were benefits to it. Not being shot at on a continual basis was one of them. She said nothing of her Specter status, but that was unlikely to change, though the Council had been less and less inclined to call upon her; something she was satisfied with.

"How is Feron?" El'Jaid asked.

"He is well. Busy as always. The last time I spoke with him, he sent his regards." Liara had let him take over the reigns of the Shadow Broker Organization fully. While part of her missed it; the excitement of knowing everything going on in the Galaxy, part of her enjoyed being a 'normal' person again.

"Is Garrus and Joker doing well?" Liara asked.

El'Jaid thought for a moment, lost in memory. Garrus and Joker were two of her closest friends. "Garrus is doing well, Executor of Council-Security on Esthasia. I have heard that he has changed C-Sec up a lot, less formal restrictions and protocol, but still it's a Paramilitary Police and Security Agency. And Joker, well he is the Chief instructor for the flight arm of the Academy." She smiled reflecting on Joker. "You know, no one has yet beaten Joker and EDI's flight scores. I don't think anyone ever will."

After seeing the performance of a combined helmsman and 'VI' team displayed by Joker and EDI, the various species of the Galaxy had taken to the pairing solution. However, so far, no one could match Joker and EDI. Moreover, no one had really figured out why.

Liara rolled her eyes. "You can take the pilot of the ship, but your can't take the ship out of the pilot. Next you will be telling me that Joker is writing a book."

El'Jaid coughed as she drank her tea from a small bowl. Her face a light red "Well, since you mentioned it..."

"Oh Goddess no!" Liara burst out laughing with El'Jaid.

Liara wiped a tear from her eye and then leaned forward wanting to hear how El'Jaid's meeting with the Alliance Staff had gone. "So did they accept your retirement? How did the meeting go?"

The Staff of Admirals and Generals had the seven of the most senior Alliance Military leadership, and they directly reported to the Alliance Parliament. They decided on such cases like court martial, military treason, and promotion. In El'Jaid's case, wanting an 'early' retirement ranked right up there.

El'Jaid looked down at her plate and scowled. "Admiral Mikhailovich said that 'due to the need for leadership in the Alliance that they cannot grant me an early retirement'." She was frustrated. After all she had done for the Alliance, after stopping the Reapers, and helping the Galaxy rebuild; she just wanted to have her own life. El'Jaid clinched her hands into fists.

Admiral Mikhailovich had been promoted after Admiral Hackett had been killed in action while defending evacuation transports from Earth. Since El'Jaid was apart of the Alliance Navy, he was the head of the staff for the meeting.

Liara frowned. She knew El'Jaid had been pushing for an early retirement. She knew El'Jaid was tired of being in the spotlight. She just wanted to have some of the peace she had earned. Liara knew there was nothing she could say. She just reached across the table and grasped one of El'Jaid's clenched hands. "Its ok, at least we have a few days together."

El'Jaid wanted to scream that it wasn't enough. That it wasn't fair. But she bit back. Life isn't fair, you can only take what you can, and she had this time with Liara. She took a deep breath, then smiled back at Liara. "Yeah."

The two finished their meals and then got ready to go out. El'Jaid helped Liara with her own lighter coat and head scarf and then dressed in her own heavy coat and hat, making sure to turn up the collar again. Before they left El'Jaid entered in 1000 credits for the lunch tab. It was far above what the bill was, which was nothing. But Samesh deserved it for not only his generosity but also his concern in keeping their identities private. Privacy was a luxury to both of them now. One El'Jaid was more than willing to pay for.

They pasted through the busting cafe. El'Jaid couldn't help but smile at the pleasant scene of people simply enjoying a meal with out worry or fear. They were half way to the door when Samesh came running behind them. "Captain Shepard! Dr. T'Soni! Please wait! You paid me too much!" He cried.

Both Liara and El'Jaid froze in their tracks. And Samesh stopped as if he hit a brick wall realizing what he had done... Every person in the cafe' turned in their direction. Astonished. Speechless.

El'Jaid sighed. It couldn't turn out to be a better day could it? She mused as she turned towards Samesh who was pulverized with shock as he realized what he had done.

She smiled at him knowingly. "Mr. Bhatia I can't ever pay you enough for your unequaled service. The price that your wife Narali paid at Eden Prime has no amount that can be paid." She Smiled as a tear came from Mr. Bhatia's eyes, and he smiled with both respect and admiration. "Thank you Captain Shepard, Dr. T'Soni. Thank you."

Liara gently tugged on El'Jaid's arm, a sure sign that it was time to go, before they drew any more attention to themselves.

"Shall we go now? I want to see your home." Liara asked innocently.

"I thought you would never ask." El'Jaid said.