A/N: Quick note - My version of Shepard is female, colonist/warhero/paragon. Short brown hair tucked just beneath the ears with medium blue colored eyes. She is paired with Liara. Anyway, on with the story :)
4/28/11 - This chapter has been recently updated as of this date.
"We've done enough already! How many more modifications are you planning to make?" Jack grumbled, leaning over a roll of carpet as she began to roll it across the floor.
Miranda stood proudly with her hands on her hips, observing her now baby proofed office. "Just this last carpet. The tot's not going to want to spend her whole time in a playpen."
Tali had just finished putting down soft blankets and various toys and stuffed animals in the playpen that had been placed on the right side of the office where Miranda once kept a single swinging chair. She and Kasumi had set the pen up, while Jack was tasked with baby proofing various cabinets around the office and now rolling out a carpet. Even Kelly had a job, she placed soft cushions on the corners and sharp edges around the desk and cabinets. They had all decided Miranda's office would be the safest place for the baby to stay, although all intended to help keep eye on her.
"Make sure it's rolled out completely. And make it straight, no kinks showing." Miranda ordered Jack.
"I don't see your ass on your hands and knees helping out. In fact, you haven't done a thing!" Jack growled at her. "It's your god damn office."
Miranda raised a brow in amusement. "Your right it is but your the one who offered to help. And I have been doing a job; making sure you all have set up everything correctly and is guarantied safe for the baby. It's good to see you finally doing something around here, Jack."
Jack shot her a glare and then worked out the protrusions in the carpet. It was satin white and soft to the touch, almost cushion like made for comfort. "What's the carpet for anyway? Your own little touch to your new office?"
"I believe the carpet is to protect the little one's knees." Kasumi intervened. "The metallic floor would surely leave scrapes and be most uncomfortable for her to crawl on."
"She's exactly right." Miranda affirmed as she watched Jack work.
"Well fuck." Jack responded, working the last of the knots from the carpet. Once it was flat and perfect to Miranda's standards, she stood up and gave a hard pat on Tali's back, holding her hand in place and looking directly into her mask. "Why don't we just stick her in a bubble? Seems to work for Tali when she's crawling around fixing the wires n' shit in my living space."
"I could unfix them and let you be electrocuted if you'd like." Tali countered, holding a stuffed toy in her hands.
Jack laughed and patted her back roughly, "I'm just fuckin' with you bubbles. Anyway, when's Shepard s'posed to be here?"
"Attention, little baby blue is on board. I repeat, baby blue is on board." came Joker's voice over the intercom.
"Eeeee! I'm so excited you guys!" Kelly squealed. The women rushed out of Miranda's office and made their way to the elevator leaving her behind. "Hey, wait for me!"
"Thank you for the announcement, Joker." said Shepard, scowling playfully at him. In her arms she held her one and a half year old daughter. Her skin pigment was the same as Liara's and her eyes were a softer shade of midnight blue in which she inherited from Shepard. Liara stood lovingly beside her with a diaper bag draped over her shoulder. The two adults were both dressed as if they were going to a fancy restaurant, Shepard wore black slacks and a long sleeved top similar to that of an captain's uniform. Liara wore a long sleeveless silken dress that hugged her figure, arm length elegant gloves, and around her neck she wore a fine rope of silver with a diamond pendant attached to it.
"Crew's gotta know we have some precious cargo aboard." Joker said with a sly grin. "Don't worry commander I've got my 'baby on board' sticker right here." He pulled out the yellow triangular sticker from a console on the arm rest of his chair, peeled back the paper and slapped the sticker onto the window next to him. Shepard only shook her head while Liara giggled at the pilot. "Your not actually going to be flying anywhere are you?" the asari then asked.
"No ma'am we'll be docked here on the citadel until you two return." Joker answered. Liara let out a sigh of relief. Her pregnancy had not been easy. She was left alone without the support of the one she had given her heart to. Over the passing trimesters she had become sick due to an extreme amount of stress encountered as being the shadow broker, among the worry for Shepard who had departed shortly after hearing of the news to fight in the reaper war. The worry over Shepard and the heartache she had caused only made things more complicated for the expecting asari. She suffered through the effects caused by stress during pregnancy and as a result it triggered a premature birth. Born three months early, the baby was kept in the hospital under intense care until her body and organs fully developed. Liara had stayed at her daughter's side everyday and night, constantly fearing she would lose her baby due to development concerns and thus became over protective of her. The commander had felt terrible guilt for her absence in a time Liara had needed her most and felt even more so remembering the harsh words she used when she was presented with the news of the pregnancy. She was gone for almost two years fighting in a war.
Now three months after the defeat of the reapers, she had been able to jump aboard the role of a parent. She wanted to be a part of her daughter's life and wanted to be there for Liara through all and everything. She wanted to mend their altered relationship, wanted to find peace and make it to the happily ever after...Shepard began reflecting back on the memories, risking her mission to be there, promising Liara she would return, seeing her daughter in an incubator with a supportive breathing mask attached to her little face...
Her thoughts were suddenly pushed aside upon hearing what sounded like a thundering stampede makings it's way toward the cockpit.
"Shepard!" Tali exclaimed as she strolled up to her and Liara. Catching sight of the quarian, the child's face lit up and she blabbered excitedly as she reached out to her. "Hey there little one!" Shepard handed her daughter over to Tali with a smile and the child's little arms wrapped around the engineer's neck affectionately. The rest of the ladies had finally caught up to her, and they all greeted Shepard and Liara.
"Woo yeah now it's a party! I got all the ladies up here, commander your not the only one getting some action tonight." Joker stated with a wide grin. Shepard rubbed the back of her neck shifting her sight away from everyone as the other women only gave Joker glares. Jack was tempted to make a dirty comment regarding the pilot's 'bone' problem but with the little ears listening in Shepard would surely have her ass. Keeping her mouth shut she snickered to herself.
"Commander, Liara, we really hope you enjoy your special getaway." Miranda said, ignoring the pilot. "Your little girl will be spending most of her time in my office which, with the help of everyone here we made absolute baby proof."
"Yeah, you didn't do shi-" Jack began until she was met with a smack to the back of the head provided by Kasumi. She rubbed the back of her head as she turned and glared at the Japanese thief. Miranda smirked at the action while Kelly awkwardly stared off in the distance as if she didn't notice, fearing the short-tempered psychotic biotic.
"Well..." Shepard said uneasily, "I appreciate the thoughtfulness that you ladies provided us with this opportunity. Are you sure your up to this? Little Rheia can be quite the handful."
"Of coarse we are, Shep!" Kasumi commented as she ventured away from Jack. "By the way you two look great."
"Thank you." Liara said as Kasumi was handed the diaper bag. "Please call us if anything is to happen. Everything she will need is in the bag; clothes, diapers, formula, jarred food, and-"
"Yeah yeah we know how babies work they eat need to be changed and be put down for naps, simple enough." Jack interrupted her.
"I doubt anything will happen, miss T'soni. Doctor Chakwas is aboard, but I will inform you regardless." Miranda told her. Liara gripped the strap of the diaper bag beginning to feel uneasy of the situation. Though she knew Tali had the most experience with taking care of her daughter she was unsure about the others.
"Thanks. Well I suppose we should be heading off." Shepard said. Tali handed Rheia back to her parents as they kissed her goodbye. Liara was a bit reluctant to leave her behind. She had never left her daughter in the care of others before and it was the child's first visit aboard the Normandy. As Shepard handed the girl back to Tali, Liara's hand was met with a soft squeeze afterward by her lover. She glanced at her and the commander's expression offered an 'everything will be okay' look.
"Have a great time, Commander, Liara." Miranda said with a smile.
"Going on a romantic getaway... How lovely!" Kelly daydreamed as her eyes twinkled in thought.
"Wave bye-bye to your mommy, Rheia." Tali said waving as the child mimicked her hand gesture.
"Have a good time, yada yada and all that mushy stuff." Jack said with her arms crossed.
"No worries, Shep! Enjoy your time away with your lady." said Kasumi happily, swinging the diaper bag over her shoulder.
"Take care you guys." Shepard replied as she slid an arm around Liara's waist pulling her close. As they left the Normandy and the airlock closed behind them, Shepard placed a kiss on her lover's forehead. "Don't worry, I trust the crew with my life... They won't let anything happen to her, I know it. She knows Tali best, I'm absolutely sure she will take good care of our little one."
"I know, Rey... I trust Tali, and I'll admit I'm worried about the tattooed woman but I believe you." Liara told her, wrapping her arms around one of Shepard's and rested her head against her shoulder as they began to walk. Shepard gave her another kiss and held her hand.
"I know Miranda and Kasumi have had experience with children. Kelly might have, I'm not sure. Samara has definitely, and she's... most understandably absent from the situation." Shepard said, trying to reassure her. "Let's enjoy our time off together. We'll be back home in three days. Oh and Jack's crazy as hell but she won't do anything stupid."
"Oh my god! Your gonna drop her!" Kelly hollered as she held her hands up to her face in terror. Tali, Kasumi, and Miranda all reached their arms out toward Rheia as she was hovered in the air, ready to catch her if she fell. She hovered above them being pulled slowly toward Jack who was using her biotic power to lift the child. She giggled happily, waving her arms and kicking her feet obviously enjoying the act of being biotically lifted in the air.
"Relax! She likes it." Jack told the worried women as she focused on the biotic trick. "It's no different then tossing a kid in the air and catching her."
"Jack are you insane?..." Miranda snapped. That's an understatement, she thought to herself. Jack only responded with a slight manic cackle just to piss the cheerleader off.
"Put her down this instant!" Kasumi demanded as she and Tali struggled to stay beneath the hovering toddler.
"Oh Keelah..." Tali said worriedly. Kelly had long but hid her eyes from the sight, too afraid to watch. Jack grinned and guided the child through another lap around the room and then brought her down safely into her arms and to everyone's relief. Kelly sighed heavily as did the other three women. Rheia giggled happily and pointed at the ceiling trying to let Jack know she wanted more, but Miranda had snatched her from Jack's arms.
"Come on cheerleader don't be a pansy! She was having fun!" Jack exclaimed, flailing her arms as she spoke.
"You could have dropped her and she would've been seriously injured." Miranda countered with a disgusted face.
Jack sighed, standing with her arms crossed and a look on her face worn by that of an defiant child. "Okay, it was dangerous. But I'm not sorry."
"You would be if you had dropped her." Tali said with slight threat in her voice as she adjusted the toddler's shirt which had been rolled up over her belly.
Jack frowned and clenched her fists for a moment and took a deep breath, "I was having fun with the kid." she admitted as she exhaled, releasing her balled fists. "I promise, no more biotic levitation, let me keep an eye on her for the first few hours. You know, take her on a tour of the ship."
The other four women exchanged glances, nobody said a word. Noticing, Jack folded her arms over her chest and spoke up. "Come on you assholes."
"Fine, but you better have her back here in three hours." Miranda said harshly. "She'll need a nap. And again, watch your language. She doesn't need to be going home with new vocabulary words calling Shepard an a-hole."
Jack snickered as Miranda handed the child over. "Alright alright. Later, ladies." Jack took Rheia with her and left Miranda's office. Tali, Kasumi, and Kelly looked at her incredulously. She just shrugged her shoulders. Then it occurred to her, Jack didn't know anything about the different areas of the ship beside the mess hall, restroom, and her dark hiding hole beneath the engineering deck where quite a few exposed dangers lay. Wait did she just let Jack walk off with a toddler? Oh shit.
A/N: If anyone is curious as to Shepard and Liara's past concerning their child situation, I am contemplating the idea of writing out a separate back story of what happened between the two. I have the plot laid out in my head but I'm struggling with adding it within a believable timeline of the mass effect story so far though it is vaguely mentioned above. Oh and as for Samara being absent, fear not because I do have plans for her to appear in this story in later chapters. It wouldn't be complete without her appearance. :)
Hope you all have enjoyed so far!