The New Chapter

“Lot’a stuff you don’t know about me, Sadie. Lot’a secrets.”

“Secrets? I love secrets.” Sadie remarked as the bartender of the Rhodes saloon handed them each a bottle of beer

Arthur chuckled at her enthusiasm as always, before clinking the neck of his beer against her’s. He enjoyed drinking in Rhodes more than in Valentine. For one thing, it smelled less of shit, plus, there were far more fools to rob in this town. Fools less likely to fight back.

“I’m sure you do. Don’t mean I love tellin’ ‘em.”

“Oh c’mon Arthur. Don’t be such an old mule. Ain’t gonna be nothin’ compared to what I’ve seen you do.”

“Killin’ an’ robbin’ fools is a bit different to the shit I got stored up here.”

Sadie rolled her eyes as she watched Arthur tap the side of his head with the tip of the beer bottle, before taking his first swig.

“You’re tellin’ me you’ve actually got stuff stored beyond that thick skull of yours? I sure as shit don’t believe that!” She laughed, and for a moment Arthur found himself smiling along with her. Well, more of a smirk considering he had to keep up appearances.

Arthur found that Sadie had ways of catching him off-guard, and even lowering his barriers. His fondness for her was well established now, yet he still wasn’t sure how comfortable he was letting her see the real him.

Mary had seen that side before, which had been the beginning of the end of that romance.

Not that Mary and Sadie were comparable in any way really, apart from Arthur’s interest. Where the former was timid, dependent, and rather sweet, the latter was outspoken, smart, and fiery.

“As surprisin’ as that may be for you to hear, I certainly do. Insultin’ me ain’t gonna make me spill any secrets though.”

“You’re no fun at all, Arthur!” Sadie huffed, before finally taking her first swig of beer

“Oh yeah, then why are you here?”

“I seem to remember you beggin’ for me to join you, actually.”

“Is that right? You an’ I remember this very differently. In fact, I think you followed me here without askin’,” Arthur produced a smirk that made Sadie push him in the shoulder. It was firm but well-intentioned.

“You ass. You know that ain’t true. An’ no, I suppose you ain’t borin’ neither. Now, tell me a secret. I swear on my late husband you won’t hear me whisperin’ it to Uncle by the fire later.”

“Whisper it to that old drunk all you like. He won’t remember by sunrise.”

Arthur and Sadie both laughed at that. He found her snickering to be rather endearing, especially since it had the same rasp as her voice. She really was a thing of beauty.

“Fine, what about one peek into your journal? I know you said never, but maybe now?”

Sadie played one hell of a tough bargain and Arthur knew she’d only stop hassling if he actually did it. So, reluctantly, and with a loud sigh, he reached into his satchel, pulled out the book, and handed it to her.

She looked at it as if he was handing her the elixir of immortality and when she took hold of it, she handled it as if it might fall to bits if she grasped too tightly. Arthur leaned down on the bar, sipping at his beer and watching his companion flicking through some early pages.

Back in those days, it was just him, Dutch, and Hosea. His talents for writing and drawing had improved significantly since then. So much so that when Sadie came across an early scribble of a raccoon, she asked if it was a dog.

‘One peek’ turned into a full hour of reading through Arthur’s musings. They’d even sought out a table to rest their legs, and every so often he’d disappear to get them another round of drinks.

Sometime later, when he wasn’t paying attention, Sadie stumbled across some of the things he’d written about her. About his fondness for her. His favourite things about her. Arthur didn’t even realise until it was too late to stop her.

He’d half expected her to rib him for his ‘sensitive’ side, but Sadie simply closed the journal, shuffled herself closer to him, and rested her head on his shoulder.

Arthur blinked in surprise, but still placed an arm around her shoulder. It felt natural like it belonged there. Like she was at home in his arms.

Arthur sat on the edge of his camp bed, casually listening to the chatter around him. Molly and Dutch were finally having their heart-to-heart inside of his tent. Hosea was sitting by the fire telling another of his engaging stories to some of the younger members of their crew, all of whom listened intently to every last detail. Tilly, Mary-Beth, and Karen were battling it out at the domino table, seeing who would be the one to get out of chores the following day. He looked across the way at John’s tent where we saw Abigail stroking her hand through Jack’s hair as he slept. 

Despite being on the run from the Pinkertons, Arthur felt a sense of sanctuary descending on their base of operations. He’d monitored the mood as he always did these days and had noticed that more people were laughing, joking, and the camp itself was rather harmonious. That may have been due to the lack of a certain snake, who always managed to flare tempers. 

Micah was still in the Strawberry jail cell and even Dutch seemed to have realised that maybe it was best to leave him there. There had been a discussion before fleeing Horseshoe Overlook where Hosea had managed to convince Dutch that Micah had been bad news since joining them.

In secret, the wise old man’s theory was more than that. While out hunting the large grizzly bear they’d talked at length about Dutch, the plan, and Micah. The latter was a subject he had long been suspicious of and Arthur was inclined to agree. He hadn’t done anything good for the gang and ever since he’d joined they’d had six months of being on the run. They did, however, keep this conversation from Dutch, as their leader would be unlikely to believe them considering their lack of proof

Sooner or later Arthur knew he’d be riding into Strawberry to collect Micah, but if he delayed for long enough, perhaps he’d arrive just in time to watch the hanging. 

That thought brought a smirk to his lips. He plucked the cigarette he had been smoking from them and let himself chuckle while exhaling the plume of smoke he had inhaled. Nobody was likely to ask him what he found so funny, and even if they did he knew he could just bring up an old story about Bill making a fool out of himself. 

He reached into his satchel and pulled out his journal, preparing to write a new entry when a certain someone walked past his tent. 

“Hey, Arthur.” 

Sadie was walking back from guard duty and was heading towards the bedrolls. She tipped her hat in his direction and gave him a smile when he looked in her direction.

“Mrs. Adler.”

“How many times, Arthur. Sadie. I ain’t Mrs. Adler no more.”

“Well, you know what they say, Sadie. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” 

“You certainly are an old dog, Mr. Morgan. Old an’ mean. Maybe you need puttin’ down if you can’t learn no more, huh?”

Her quick, sharp reply made Arthur chuckle out loud, and choke on the smoke he’d just inhaled. 

“Well, you got me there, Sadie. Point truly taken.”

“I’m glad we have an understandin’, in that case, Arthur. Night now!” 

“Night Mrs. Adler.” 

When Sadie turned and gave him an almost playful glare while tapping the revolver holstered at her hip, Arthur smirked again. That last one was too hard to resist, but he knew to change the way he greeted her from now on. What a find Sadie Adler had been. A chance meeting at that. She’d done wonders for the group in what little time she had been riding with them. He couldn’t deny he felt a certain affection towards her; a bond even. She walked away shaking her head and Arthur opened up his well-loved journal to start writing his new entry.

“It has been a hard road since Blackwater. We’ve lost some good friends along the way. Mac and Davey. Jenny. The Pinkertons seem intent on wiping us out, yet, despite all of the hardships and losses, our group seems happy. We’ve settled down on the bank of Flatiron Lake which has made for peaceful surroundings. I went fishing with Dutch and Hosea a few nights ago, and for a couple of hours, it felt like the old days again.

For the first time in many months, Dutch seems to be himself again. He is fiery and filled with youth, and perhaps most importantly of all, he is thinking straight again. We may make it out of this alive. My hopes are that his plan will lead us out west again before the land is tarnished by further industrialisation. 

Despite everything, I feel positivity in all those around me and a sense that all is well around the camp. Mrs. Adler has been a fine addition to the group. Somehow, despite the terrible losses inflicted upon her, she continues to function. She works harder than everyone else and I have seen a more fierce side of her too. I would not recommend finding yourself on the other end of her barrel. 

Vvvvvvvrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmppppppppp!!!

The call of the Reaper. It was a blood curdling, metallic, unnatural noise which sent a chill through Alexis’ spine. The dirt and disintegrated rubble of buildings beneath her boots made it difficult to run, but she had no choice. If she stopped she would be killed.

Shepard. Running will not save your species. Extinction is not optional. All will be indoctrinated.

Harbinger’s voice, mixed with Sovereigns. It was a terrifying sound. It shot through the ears and put untold pressure on the skull; like a splitting headache. It felt like they were right behind her. Over her shoulder. In her head. The beams shot from the Reapers struck the ground around her, sending piles of rubble and bodies into the air.

Alexis could only run. She had no armour on to protect her. No weapons to fire. All of those dying around her were faceless. There wasn’t a single voice she recognised, except one. It sounded so distant to her; as if it were calling from another planet.

“Shepard!”

It echoed as the world around her was turned into dust. Now even her boots were gone. The Commander had never felt so vulnerable. So alone.

“Shepard!”

The voice called again. It was so familiar, yet Alexis could now figure out who it was, or where it was coming from.

Suddenly there was a crash up ahead of her. Artificial limbs deploying and stamping into the ground, causing miniature earthquakes beneath her bloodied feet.

Vvvvvvvrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmppppppppp!!!

Another Reaper with eyes only for Alexis. Now there weren’t even troops around her. She was all alone in a dark, dusty world. No landmarks were visible other than the towering creatures of destruction. Her legs faltered and sent her sprawling into the ash and rubbled. She had fallen, and would no doubt pay the ultimate price.

“Shepard!!”

The voice was more urgent than before and closer too. Recognisable. The sweetest, softest tones that her ears had ever heard. Alexis looked up and saw Liara’s sweet smile beaming back at her.

The thunderous steps closed in around her, but the noises had been silenced. All at once her fear melted into nothingness, as Liara reached down, took her hand, and pulled her back to her feet.

The Reapers were closing in around her, ready to end her life and the last ounce of hope for the galaxy; yet she found sanctuary in the Asari’s arms.

The lights of their weapons flashed, and without a sound, everything went black.

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Alexis awoke, gasping for air, drenched in sweat. Her mind was buzzing with anxiety as she leaped from her bed and raced across the room to grab the M-3 Predator from her desk drawer. Her breathing was rapid and in the darkness, the shadows seemed to be closing in around her.

“Alexis. You’re having a night terror.” Liara called out, quickly moving to flick the switch of her bedside lamp; illuminating the room. Banishing the shadows.

In the corner, crouched behind her desk chair, was Shepard. The pistol was ready to fire in her shaking hand, with her index finger stroking the trigger. Liara was used to these night terrors now, given Shepard’s diagnosed PTSD, it wasn’t a shock.

It still upset her to see her wife this was: drenched in sweat, tears in her eyes, panic written on her face.

“Th-the Reapers... The noise... I can’t...”

Liara moved out of bed, avoiding applying too much pressure to the every-growing bump.

“Shhh. Listen. No, really listen Alex... They aren’t here. It’s just you and me. They can’t hurt us now, Shepard. I’d never let them... Just... Deep breaths...” Liara threw caution to the wind, knowing that no matter what state her wife’s mind was in, she’d never lay a finger on her; wrapping Shepard up in a tight cuddle.

Alexis was clearly exhausted from a lack of sleep, so she was quick to slump in the Asari’s clutches. The pistol dropped from her grip and was put back into safety mode thanks to Liara’s biotics. The tears that had been welling in her eyes spilled out as the Commander started to cry.

Shepard was vulnerable which only made the Asari hug her even tighter. Before the Reapers had been destroyed, Liara had never imagined that the strong, brave, and fearless Commander Shepard could have shown suchcharacteristics. She’d never seen her cry, not even after leaving Ashley on Virmire. 

Not before the suicide mission to destroy the Collector base.

Not at Anderson’s funeral.

Yet, here she was, bursting into tears thanks to the troubles that plagued her mind and startled her awake at night.

“Shhh. We’re okay, Alex. You, and me, and our baby. The Reapers are gone...” Liara continued to talk the distraught Commander down from the point of her highest anxiety. She laid soft kissed into Shepard’s slightly damp, matted hair to calm her further.

The Asari knew for a fact that they’d likely be up at the same time tomorrow night, and the night after that, and the night after that. Alexis was seeking counseling, but it would be a long, drawn-out process to repair the damage done by the Reapers and the war.

Shepard might never fully recover, but like her physical recovery, Liara was going to be there every step of the way.

Using her biotics to augment her strength, Liara carefully lifted Alexis up, cradling the human in her arms as she walked them both back to bed. She set Shepard down and then crawled into her side, switching the light off again, and pulling Alexis into her arms.

“I can’t come back...” Scott grumbled, looking across the table at his older sister. He looked dejected, but Sara knew he was just trying to make her feel sorry for him. That wasn’t happening.

“Too right, Scott. You suck at this!” She mocked playfully, as her brother carefully rested the small plastic ball back into the centre of the five blue midfield players on his side of the table football pitch.

Liam had somehow managed to procure a used, but pristine table football table, as a present for the Tempest’s victorious crew. The competitive nature of the group had meant a tournament had been suggested within minutes of the game’s arrival.

Lexi, Jaal, and Peebee had been surprisingly good at it, compared to the other humans on the crew who had some idea of how to play it. All, however, had fallen to the Ryder twins who were now in the final. To begin with there had been no stakes, however, as the competition had heated up, the prize the winner would gain was well worth playing for.

As the brother and sister knocked the small plastic ball between their sets of staunch plastic players, the others crowded round to see who would score the next goal. Sara’s easy, laid back approach paid off again as she eased the ball through to her twin red strikers and sent the ball fizzing into Scott’s net.

“That’s five to nothing!” Vetra, who had been the unofficial commentator, announced.

“I hope you’re ready to hand over a year's supply of chocolate rations, Scott...” Sara sniggered.

Only then did Peebee step closer to the table and take hold of one of Scott’s lines. She was tagging herself in to fight in her brother’s corner, which wasn’t surprising given how close they had been getting recently.

“Oh, I see! Two against one huh?” Sara remarked, knowing she’d already knocked Peebee out in the semi-finals after a tough game.

It wasn’t long before play restarted and, unsurprisingly, her brother and his new teammate pulled a goal back with some classy spinning.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Scott cheered enthusiastically, pumping one of his fists into the air.

“Five to one! Maybe little Ryder isn’t out just yet!” Announced the Turian, before play quickly resumed.

Scott and Peebee then scored four more goals in quick succession as the handicap of being one against two started to show. At least now the game had been leveled up to five-five, Scott could return to playing alone.

Yet, when it was clear Peebee was staying by her brother’s side, Cora evened up the playing field by stepping in as Sara’s partner.

“I never knew it could be this way,” Sara whispered softly as she curled up next to Cora. The other’s arms were soon looping around the Pathfinder’s frame, pulling her even closer until Sara had one leg and one arm hooked over the blonde.

The sheets had never felt so soft before, not just because she was still fuzzy from the bliss they’d shared over the evening, but also because she had someone to help keep it warm.

All of the lights in the Pathfinder’s quarters were out, meaning the only light was coming from the infinite space glowing through the window behind them. It bathed their love in the light of billions of stars and added to the splendour of yet another perfect night.

Sara had been catching up on much-needed sleep since Meridian, and ever since they’d defeated the Archon, Cora had been by her side; holding her in those strong, safe arms. Not a night went by where they weren’t nestled in a tangle of limbs.

No sleep had ever been sweeter.

Ryder let out a soft sigh as she felt Cora’s splayed fingers glide through her loosened brown locks, which the blonde loved doing, as much as Sara adored having it done to her. Whenever they had more than a few minutes of alone time, she always pulled her hair from its usual ponytail and savoured the feeling of Cora’s fingers combing through it.

“It is pretty special, isn’t it?” The blonde replied. Even when she was quiet her voice still had a soft rasp that Sara found adorable. Ever since meeting Sara she’d felt a connection to her, despite having to hide it for quite some time. Questions would no doubt have been raised, and it may have been wrongly assumed that the lieutenant was seeking preferential treatment through a relationship with her Pathfinder.

That, however, was no longer the case. Meridian had gifted the human girls the quiet time they both deserved. The night after the Archon had been defeated, Cora had finally revealed her feelings for Sara, who had previously shown interest. She was overjoyed to learn that the rumours about Sara and Peebee being an item weren’t true.

The rest was history. The whispers, which happened rarely, were easy to ignore. What she shared with Sara was too special to let the opinions of strangers bother her.

Sara let out another sweet sigh as Cora’s fingers left her hair, grazed over her cheek, and then lifted her chin. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the kiss and smiled when she felt the blonde’s lips press softly against her own. A second, third, and fourth followed, each tender and filled with adoration until Sara pulled back slightly.

“I love you...” The Pathfinder whispered. For something neither of them had said so far, those three small words slipped out so easily. Warmth spread throughout her heart when uttered them, almost sub-consciously, yet she felt no regret.

“I love you too, Sara...” Cora replied seconds later, before somehow finding a way to cuddle her beloved even tighter than she already was.

-------------------------------------------------------

Sleep found them both swiftly after that and Sara awoke to find she was in the same position as she had been every night since Meridian; Cora’s little spoon. She nestled back into the ex-Asari Commando and was met with two gentle smooches on her shoulder.

Moving was the hardest part of their mornings. Duties be damned was what they both wished they could say, but Sara had Pathfinding to do, and Cora had to watch her back every step of the way.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Harper. Good morning, Pathfinder. Should I have the crew gather?” SAM’s voice came from the small console on Sara’s desk, drawing a collective groan from the warm, comfortable lovers. 

They shared a shower despite the fact their desires needed to be put on hold for later, helped each other get dressed, and Cora completed her usual duty of brushing out Sara’s ever-growing locks just like she always did. The brunette tied it up in her practical ponytail and turned to embrace her lover one more time.

The crew obviously knew about their romance, but they needed to be professional, or at least as professional as Sara could muster.

One final drawn-out kiss.

Foreheads pressed together affectionately.

Eyes closed.

They whispered their adoration for each other one final time, before leaving the comfort of Sara’s quarters behind for another day. They both knew they’d be back, however, with clothes scattered all over the floor, and another night of love to share together waiting for them.

One day, they promised, they’d stay in bed.

“What if I don’t see it?” Liara asked with a soft giggle, the type which still made Alexis’ heart soar after all these years.

The Asari had been pacing while they holo-called, which Shepard knew was down to her lover’s excitement. They’d been apart for a month now, with Liara needing to stay at Shepard’s apartment, where she kept all of her Shadow Broker equipment, while Alexis and the Normandy crew visited the site of the New Citadel construction.

“You’ll see it, Liara. I promise. The Normandy is difficult to miss.” Alexis jested with a bright smile, which in turn caused a beaming grin to appear on her wife’s lips.

“I know, I know... I’m just anxious. Goddess, I’ve missed you...” Liara replied, still smiling.

Knowing Alexis would be home soon had her heart fluttering in her chest like it always used to when Shepard visited her before they became romantically involved.

“You hardly mentioned it! You know, just every day since I left...” Shepard joked, again feeling a surge of pride and pure joy when she saw and heard Liara giggle; even if it was just the Asari’s hologram.

“You’ve been spending far too much time with Joker. Sarcasm hardly fits in with the rest of your personality.” Liara teased, without managing to keep a straight face for more than a few seconds.

“I’ll let him know. Sadly, I don’t think I want to find another pilot. People tend to avoid my crew, knowing how often I get into scrapes.” Alexis said, before flopping down on her bed. “So, are you sure you don’t want to tell me this important news you have?”

“Quite sure. It’s not the kind of thing one shares over a simple holocall. Besides, I like making you wait...” The Asari responded, with definite flirtatious connotations to the last few words.

“You getting flirty with me there, T’Soni?” Shepard remarked with a grin. A callback to the old days.

“Firstly, yes. Secondly, I think you’ll find that for the past two years it’s T’Soni-Shepard. Perhaps you’ve forgotten our wedding day?” Liara shot back, still as quick-witted as ever.

“Let’s stick with the first one for now.” Alexis grinned and rolled onto her stomach, looking more like a teenager than a veteran N7 Spectre. “What’re you wearing?”

Liara simply rolled her eyes at that. Shepard could see exactly what she was wearing: Alexis’ black N7 hoody.

“Yeah yeah! But what else?” Shepard then snickered, while nibbling almost coyly on her bottom lip.

“I could show you, but, as I said, I like making you wait.” It was Liara’s turn to bite her lip this time, while Shepard let out an overly dramatic sigh.

“You sure do know how to make a girl crazy, Liara. I’m...” The human began before Liara finished the sentence for her.

“... so damn into you. As I am for you, eternally.”

The couple shared a moment, despite the distance between them, where their eyes met and their hearts thumped in perfect synchronization. No further words were needed as both girls lost themselves in the other’s gaze. Sadly, it didn’t last long.

“Commander? You wanted to let me know when we were approaching the relay? If you and Misses Commander don’t mind the interruption.”

It was Joker over the coms. Alexis sighed again, as she desperately wanted to reach through the screen and cup her wife’s cheek. It would not be long now, that was for sure, but after spending an entire month apart, even a single minute felt like a century.

“I’ll be looking out for the Normandy, my love.” Liara murmured in her softest voice, which Shepard mimicked without even realising it.

“I know... You’ll be in my arms again before you know it.” Shepard made her final reply, before pretending to catch and consume the kiss that the Asari blew at her. Shortly after, the call ended.

Liara placed one of her hands against the window which looked out onto the rest of the city, while the other fell naturally onto her slightly round stomach; feeling a swell of maternal pride as she did so.

“Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me.” Miranda said, knowing the very last thing Jack would do was trust her. Yet, she also knew that her feelings were driving her insane and her sister was not going to let her escape telling the tattooed biotic about them before the galaxy (potentially) ended.

Jack was predictably skeptical and even snorted in derision. Sure, they’d been civil to each other for most of the party now, but she was only behaving herself for Shepard’s sake. The host had slipped away some time ago with a giggly Liara on her arm. Ashley and James were probably in another room playing hide the M-8 Avenger. Grunt, Wrex, Garrus, and even Javik were no doubt finding something to shoot or break, while the others played poker or some other boring game.

Jack and Miranda had been sat at the bar for most of the night now, catching up on events since they’d last spoken, the night after the Collector base. Well, Miranda had been doing most of the talking, while trying to extract whatever details she could from her mouthy companion. Jack didn’t like sharing, even if the perfect bitch wasn’t working with Cerberus anymore. “Good one, bitch. If this wasn’t Shepard’s place or party, I’d have already painted the wall with you.” She remarked, while simultaneously noticing how beautiful Miranda’s eyes were.

“Thing is, Jack, I don’t think you would now.” Miranda shot back confidently, with a sure half-smile on her lips. She slid down from her bar stool after that and beckoned the tattooed girl to follow her. “Now, will you get your head out of your ass and trust me? If I fuck up, I give you permission to do whatever you’d like.” Jack rolled her eyes and quickly downed the last drops of her whiskey before easing herself down onto the floor with a lot less grace than Miranda had. She followed the ex-Cerberus agent as they walked out of the bar area and into the living room until they were stood before the large windows looking out at the Citadel.

The station’s night cycle was in full swing and below them, they could see thousands of lights, in hundreds of colours. It was rather beautiful, but that still left Jack confused. She looked at Miranda and saw the other gazing out at the shimmering nightlife, but as she was about to speak, the other got there first. Not with words, however, as Jack discovered.

Miranda’s hand cupped her cheek which she would have flinched away from before, but now she appreciated how warm and soft the touch was. Then, without a second’s hesitation, Miranda leaned in and pressed a deep, yet brief kiss onto Jack’s lips. It was over before the tattooed girl could properly react, and she was simply left blinking.

“What in the actual fuck...You bitch!” Was her first reaction, but this time she was the one who stopped Miranda from saying anything. Jack pushed her body into the other’s sending Miranda stumbling back into the glass behind her, and as she felt the ex-Cerberus agent’s hands on her rear, Jack buried her fingers into those long, straight locks, and kissed her back.

It lingered this time and was far more meaningful than their first. The one thing that annoyed Jack was that Miranda had made the first move.

She had been planning to do the same!

“There is a certain taste to it...” Sara remarked, having taken a sip from her coffee mug; not wanting to offend Jaal. She looked towards her twin, hoping he’d have something to add.

“Uh, yeah. It’s...Uh...” Scott was the less subtle of the two Ryder siblings, so instead of stuttering out a half-baked comment, he decided to take another fake sip; against his better judgment.

Jaal remained hopeful and almost puppy-like as he looked from one Ryder to the other to see if they were enjoying the beverage he had prepared for them.

Scott and Sara had come to Helius with a stash of their favourite coffee, which they had started working their way through shortly after Scott woke up from his coma. Yet, they had not packed nearly enough. Their Guava Java blend was almost gone entirely, and no matter who they asked on the Nexus or even Kadara Port, nobody seemed to have any.

Jaal had obviously overheard the siblings lamenting at the loss of their favourite morning treat, so he had offered to try and find them an Angaran alternative. The pair were sampling his first attempt, which was far from palatable. 

Sara was trying her best not to wince at the bitter, sour liquid she’d just sipped from her cup, while Scott wasn’t even letting the concoction breach his lips. Unfortunately for both of them, SAM stepped in.

“Jaal, it appears that the liquid you extracted from Drak’s garments was not a suitable base for your coffee substitute. Might I suggest simply using water next time?”

Sara, who had some of the liquid in her mouth, went wide-eyed and spat it all over the kitchen surface, before practically hurling herself at the tap for water. Scott was more fortunate but was still horrified to learn what Jaal had done.

“Jaal! What the hell?!” Sara spluttered while rinsing her mouth out with water.

The Angaran seemed perplexed to see such a reaction from the siblings.

“I do not understand... I asked Liam how humans liked their coffee prepared... Was this not the correct method?” Jaal said, innocently. He hadn’t realised that Costa was setting him up for a practical joke at Sara and Scott’s expense.

Before he could say anything else, even an apology, the Ryder twins were marching down to the tech bay.

“Liam you ass!!” Sara shouted.

“You’re so done, Costa!” Scott followed.

Jaal decided not to race after them and instead picked up Scott’s mug from the kitchen counter, before drinking from it. He let the flavour set in, before proudly announcing to himself:

The galaxy was smouldering but would recover in time. The Reapers were gone for good this time. Earth, like many of the other homeworlds, was a ruin. When the crew of the Normandy landed on the surface they hadn’t expected to find their commander amongst the rubble and ash. Even if they did find her, they were expecting to be burying a body.

Alexis, through some miracle, or as Garrus had put it, through sheer stubbornness, had survived the battle. It had taken its toll on her, but even Liara had to admit she’d seen Shepard looking worse. Goddess knew she hadn’t even been recognisable after the first Normandy had been destroyed.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Shepard would not be dying. Not again. Not on Liara’s watch.

With the Citadel permanently out of commission they needed to travel to find a hospital, and the urgent medical care Shepard required. Yet, millions needed the same. Pop-up medical facilities were erected throughout the Milky Way and were quickly filled with the sick and wounded.

Many offered treatment to Shepard, considering she had been the hero, but it would have been at the expense of others. Liara knew Alexis would always put others in need before herself.

Fortunately, they were given a slither of hope when Karin Chakwas and a young medical protege named Alana McGregor joined the crew.

Despite the months that had flown by, Liara still remembered the words Dr. Chakwas had used to describe Shepard's condition, after her lengthy surgery aboard the Normandy. It both relieved her and haunted her.

“If it had been anyone else, or any longer, there would have been nothing we could have done.”

Liara thanked the Goddesses she’d found Alexis when she had. The thought of losing her soul mate again did not bear thinking about.

The road to repair would be a long and grueling one for Shepard. According to Dr. Chakwas, it would have been quicker to name the bones which hadn’t been fractured or broken, than those which had. They’d held calls with Miranda, who had helped calibrate the Cerberus implants within Alexis to aid the healing process; but Liara knew it would likely be years before Shepard had fully recovered physically.

Mentally was another thing altogether. Liara was going to be there every step of the way for the Shepard. Now that the threat of total annihilation was no longer hanging over them, they had time to fully explore the romance that had been growing ever since their first meeting on Artemis Tau. Maybe they’d even go through with the promise of little blue children.

The Asari stayed by Shepard’s side for as many hours as she possibly could, even during the period the Commander was deep in an induced coma. She’d read to her. Books, news reports, messages from friends and loved ones; anything she could get her hands on. She would often drift off in the chair beside her beloved’s bed, instead of returning to Shepard’s quarters to sleep alone in their bed.

As days became weeks, and weeks dragged into months, Alexis was eased from her coma and slowly but surely, she became responsive. The first words she’d heard Shepard say since they’d last seen each other on Earth still made Liara smile and tear up a little.

“Can you stay?” Alexis had asked through a drained, exhausted voice.

Just hearing the love of her life’s voice again, no matter how weak it sounded, made Liara sob with joy.

Sara looked down at the bag which Cora had left on her bed, blushing like crazy as she took a second glance at some of the items her girlfriend had purchased for her from the newest outlet store on the Nexus. Her heart raced as she gazed at beautiful lingerie, made up of stunning lace. They were far from garments she was used to wearing, since sheer thongs were considerably less comfortable to sport while out on missions, and until she and Cora had become an item, she’d had no reason to own anything sexier than cotton.

The Pathfinder pulled out the matching bra and thong, both coloured black, and placed them on the bed before grabbing the next item her lover had ‘provided’. She sighed as she ran her thumb and index finger over a soft, thin, woolen texture; more than content to feel the fabric against her skin. The thigh-high socks would no doubt add to the alure of the overall outfit, and even Ryder had to admit she would look good sporting them.

The final items in the gift bag completed the outfit: a thin, white blouse which looked like it would be a tight fit, even though her bosom was far from considerable, and a tiny, red, plaid skirt which was unlikely to reach much below her rear; length-wise.

Just as she’d placed the skirt and blouse down, Ryder heard the door to her room open; and soon after the sound of footsteps approaching her.

“Do you like them?” Cora asked; the gentle rasp of her voice making Sara’s heart flutter.

Their relationship had developed far beyond the bounds of submissive and dominant, with each deeply in love with the other, but they still regularly played their roles behind closed doors. Sara knew just by the tone which was used that Cora was feeling dominant, so the Pathfinder found it easy to settle into her own ‘character’.

“Y-yes Ma’am.” The brunette replied. She tried to turn and face Cora, but before she could the blonde was upon her, and the lieutenant’s strong arms snaked around her waist.

“Are you going to wear them for me tonight? For our date?”

Sara looked over the outfit once more, knowing just how revealing it would be once on her body. Before she could answer, however, she felt Cora’s soft lips press into the side of her neck. It made Ryder pause, shudder, and gasp oh-so softly. The words she had been preparing to say were lost as soon as her lover gave her skin the lightest brush with her tongue, yet she still managed to shake her head.

The blonde didn’t seem too phased by her submissive’s negative response, knowing that once Sara conquered her nerves, she’d feel amazing. She knew all about the Pathfinder’s secret love of exhibitionism, and that the outfit she’d hand-selected for her earlier would give her so many thrills.

“I can’t hear you, Sara. Are you going to wear it for our date tonight?” Cora repeated, as calm and tender as ever to settle her girlfriend down.

“No Ma’am... I don’t think I can...” Came the reply. The blonde could hear anxiousness in the young girl’s voice, so gently ran her fingers up and down Sara’s toned stomach through the thin material of her Initiative sweater.

“Is that a ‘No, and that’s final’? Or is it a ‘No, but secretly I’m thinking about how tiny that skirt is, and how easily someone could get a glimpse of your cute butt’?” Cora replied in turn, pulling the slightly shorter girl a little closer to her.

Even without being properly able to see Ryder’s face, Cora knew her girlfriend was flustered. As Sara looked over her shoulder her cheeks were a deep shade of red, clearly keen on option two. The blonde knew just what to say next to give the Pathfinder the extra push she needed.

“You know, if you’re a good girl and wear it for me tonight at dinner, I’ll reward you. With your favourite toy...” She let her words linger before whispering the last few into Ryder’s ear; letting her lips brush lightly against the other’s lobe. “...all tied up and helpless.”

Sara, usually so goofy and confident, was a completely different person when she was alone with Cora. If anyone had witnessed them together behind closed doors, they may even have referred to the Pathfinder as timid.

The offer her Dom made had Ryder biting down coyly on her bottom lip. As an obedient submissive, treats were not something she lacked, but the specific details of the prize on offer here practically had the brunette salivating. Suddenly the shortness of the skirt, the tightness of the top, and the erotic ensemble she would be wearing beneath were inconsequential. It was so easy for Cora to push every one of her buttons.

“Well? Do we have a deal, Sweetness?”

Again, Sara’s heart tingled in her chest, but this time it was caused by the use of her pet-name. This time instead of shaking her head, Ryder nodded and followed it up with a shy whisper, which in turn brought a warm flutter to Cora’s chest.

Sara awoke from the best sleep she'd had in weeks and slowly opened her eyes so she could gaze around her quarters. Everything was as it should be, including the disheveled, discarded items of clothing that remained scattered over the floor. Not all of them belonged to her. The vibrant purple jacket gave clear indication of who slept beside her; not that she needed to know. Peebee. The mere mention of the Asari's name brought a smile to her face and a flutter to her heart.

The human rolled over and found that Peebee was awake too, possibly before she was. The Asari looked like she was trying to find something profound to say. Something romantic? Sara smirked and raised her eyebrows, as if casting an expectant gaze down upon the other. Peebee looked straight back at Sara and comically stumbled over her words; there really was no way of explaining how it felt to wake up next to the Pathfinder.

“Uhh, so... Good morning.” The Asari finally remarked, although SAM was quick to interject.

“Technically it is afternoon.”

“SAM...” Sara playfully scolding the advance AI while trying not to laugh at Peebee’s less than impressed expression.

“Shut up, SAM.” Peebee retorted, rather like an angry teenager who was unable to think of a better response.

“Of course, Pelessaria.”

A loud clang followed as Peebee launched one of her pillows over towards Ryder’s desk, aiming for the small SAM module. Had SAM been a physical being it would have been a direct hit, but all she achieved was knocking a metalic ‘Andromeda Initiative’ mug to the floor.

Of course she knew there was little chance of the shot actually doing anything to shut SAM up, but it was in her nature to be rash with that sort of decision. The Asari looked back at Ryder with a shrug that said ‘I’ll pick that up later’ before Sara found herself pinned beneath her lover.

“I swear I’ll pull that implant out of your skull if it gets any sassier. I’m the sassy one. Everyone knows that. Second place is up for grabs, I mean maybe Jaal but then again Cora has a bit of a ---”

Sara leaned up and planted a soft, lingering kiss onto the Asari’s lips. Sometimes Peebee could talk. And talk. And talk. Fortunately Sara now had a foolproof strategy for dealing with it. The simple kiss tailed off after a few seconds leaving a brief window of silence where the pair allowed themselves to enjoy the feeling of closeness.

“Maybe Scott.” Peebee mumbled, leading Sara to snort with laughter and then break into a hearty giggle.

“So I’m not even in the top...” Sara briefly counted in her head. “Five?”

Peebee’s eyes lit up with their characteristic mischievousness, but she didn’t answer immediately.

“Well, at least i’m not last, right?” Sara’s eyes narrowed as she watched her lover’s smirk growing. For once the Asari was remaining quiet, right when Ryder didn’t want her to. 

“Fine. No more Remtech.” Sara threatened, before folding her arms.

“That is ill-advised, Pathfinder. Undiscovered Remnant sites may hold the key to a greater understanding. Not just of Meridian, but also the entirety of the Heleus cluster.”

“Ha!!” Peebee annouced victoriously, as Ryder’s humourous ‘threat’ was rebuked by SAM.

“That doesn’t require Peebee though, right SAM?” Sara replied calmly. She asked the AI module, but was staring right up at the Asari with a shit-eating smirk.

“Of course not, Pathfinder. Although Pelessaria’s insights into the Remnant are helpful and interesting, that doesn’t mean I couldn’t offer you the same insights.”

“You wouldn’t..” Peebee muttered to Sara, glaring down at the other girl.

“I might...” Ryder retorted while biting down on her bottom lip to stop herself from cracking up once again.

“Fine.” The Asari ‘dismounted’ the human and climbed off the bed. Instead of wearing her own clothes she grabbed the black and grey ‘Pathfinder’ hoody that Sara often wore around the ship and slipped it over her bare figure; covering everything that Sara had been ogling.

“Peebee... I’m joking!” Sara complained as her lover abandoned her, taking all the warmth away from their tangle of limbs.

“Where are you going?” She then asked with a slight hint of worry in her voice. Alec’s death was still plaguing her thoughts and emotions - this was not abandonment on the Asari’s part but the human was still feeling delicate.

As ever Peebee replied with her jovial chirps. “You’re such a dork, Sara. I’m not going anywhere. Promise.” With that she returned to the bed she now shared with the Pathfinder and positioned herself cross-legged near the foot of the bed.

“Not even slightly tempted to return to your quarters now we’ve had a new pod installed?” The human responded, before turning around and laying back so that her head rested in Peebee’s lap.

“Kallo changed the access code and won’t tell me what it is. So you are preettty stuck with me now.” The Asari seemed genuinely happy about her new set-up. Ryder had affected her in a way nobody ever had before. As she looked down at the human she felt her heart tingling - something Lexi had told her was normal - and yet, she still didn’t really understand how it had happened.

How had she fallen into a situation where she could be happily attached to someone with strings aplenty? Then again, did she need to understand? She loved Ryder and that was all that really mattered,

A short period of silence had ensued as Peebee experienced one of her regular internal back-and-forths, which was suddenly ended by a sudden outburst which caught Sara by surprise.

“I love you.”

The Asari then closed the distance between them, curling inwards towards Ryder’s lips. Just before the pair clashed she muttered something that had Sara snorting a laugh.

“And not just for your Remtech...”

The short kiss that followed was full of adoration and fondness, but as ever, SAM was going to interject.

“Pathfinder. It would be wise to get out of bed soon. We do have an important task to start today.”

“Ughh. Since when did you become my parents? You’re going to be late for school Sara. The ark is going to leave without you Sara.” Ryder remarked, mocking her father’s voice somewhat, before sitting up and huffing. Even then she knew SAM was right.

“Oooh. Gossip?” Peebee inquired as she rose to her knees and rested her chin on Sara’s right shoulder.

“Okay. I probably shouldn’t tell you before I tell everyone else...” Sara started.

“But you’re going to anyway. Good call!” Peebee interjected with a playful jab of her index fingers to Ryder’s flanks. The human yelped and playfully swatted her partner’s hands away.

“Peebs... You know my Mom died before we came to Andromeda?” Sara asked, knowing she’d told the Asari about her mother’s disease, and even some of the memories she’d relived thanks to SAM.

“Yeeaaahhh?”

“Well... She’s... Not dead...”

“Okay, even if she didn’t die before we left, I’m pretty sure you humans don’t keep on living past one-hundred and fifty at the best of times.” Peebee jested, but Sara only gave a smirk in response. That wasn’t like Sara.

“No, Peebs. She’s alive. In Heleus. Dad put her into cryo before we left and filed her under a different name. Scott and I found her pod - and now we’re going to search for her cure.”

“Holy shit, Sara... This is huge. Huger than huge. The hugest?” Peebee asked rhetorically, or maybe to herself. “So that’s our new goal?”

“Well, the goal of anyone who wants to stick around. It’ll be alongside Pathfinder duties, but with Scott joining us, we’ll have an extra pair of hands to help out around here.” Sara sounded determined as she finally managed to peel herself away from her favourite Asari.

“SAM, call a meeting?” Ryder began before looking at the state of her room, including the raunchy, discarded panties. “In the meeting room...”

“Of course, Pathfinder.”

Sara had to settle for her ‘AI’ branded long-sleeve top and all-purpose pants - both in the Initiative’s blue and white colour scheme since Peebee had sauntered off wearing her favourite hoody. She did look adorable in it though, so the human wasn’t too upset about the loss. Besides, she knew for a fact that the Asari was wearing nothing else beneath it. That war information worth storing for sure.

She’d quickly popped into the galley to grab a quick breakfast snack bar which she ate on the way towards the operations section of the ship. It was a nice kind of odd not having to worry about the Archon anymore. It meant as Pathfinder she could get back to her real job, rather than hunting a crazed, exaltation-happy alien leader across star systems.

As she entered the research room, she decided to approach the round table and check up on a couple of things. She knew that she was the only one on the Tempest even close to being ready for the meeting she’d just arranged. Kandros had sent her a couple of reports, including a detailed debrief on the previous day’s actions on Meridian. The APEX strike teams had also reported in. Kett scrambling. Retreating. Those were music to her ears, or rather, her eyes.

Then, suddenly, a noise caught her attention. It was the hiss of a door opening. The entrance in question was the door to the biolabs, and out stumbled her twin brother - Scott. Sara caught a fleeting glance of the toned body of the second human enhabitant of the plant room - Cora. She watched as her brother looked over his shoulder and grinned at the ex-Asari commando who winked coyly at him in return.

As Scott approached Sara the door to the biolabs closed, leaving the siblings alone in the research aream. The female leaned down on the circular table facing her brother who slipped his hands into his pocket. The silence between them only lasted a minute.

"When did that happen?" Sara quizzed her younger brother, although the grin on her face showed that she was happy for her twin.

"What, Cora and me? Maybe you could tell me about you and Peebee at the same time?" Scott fired back. He was always quick and sharp with his whit; usually able to catch Sara out.

"Hey! I was going to tell you! But then ..." Sara defended before her brother finished the sentence for her.

"Shit hit the fan. Don't worry, I'm not upset. Honestly? I'm half-happy for you, and half-surprised you managed to pull someone like her." Scott's shit-eating grin only grew as his sister pretended to be offended.

"Like you can talk! Cora's beautiful! You're not even average. In fact, Mom always said you were the ugly twin." Sara lied, while trying and failing to hide her own smile.

"Oooh, I see. It's jealousy." He jested, knowing exactly which buttons to press to make Sara as flustered as possible.

Unfortunately for him, she had a killer weapon in her arsenal.

"I'm jealous? You're the one who fantasised about having an Asari Matriarch sweeping you off your feet and taking 'care' of you." Sara probably should not have gone there given Scott had only been fourteen at the time of that particular revelation, and she had been sworn to secrecy. At least nobody was around to hear her say it. Well, nobody except Peebee who had quietly slipped into the research room while the siblings were exchanging the playful banter.

The Asari's eyes widened as she heard Sara fire back the winning quip and snorted at the thought of Scott wanting an 'elderly' Asari mothering him. Scott turned and saw Peebee standing there in Sara's Pathfinder hoody, covering her mouth as she quietly snickered away. "It's funny because..." She could barely get her words out as a laughing fit ensued. "It's.. It's funny because..."

Now Sara and Scott were starting to crack up too, granted the latter was a little red in the face.

"She'd... you'd be... You'd be the same age as her great-great-great-great-great-great grandchildren." After managing to spill the words through her incessant chuckling, Peebee slid down the wall and held onto her stomach as she continued to laugh. Scott's shade of red darkened as the Asari put it into context for him. She'd made it sound like he had daydreamed about old women, granted he had, but Asari aged incredibly well; it wasn't like it was with humans.

"What's this about great-great-great-great-great-great grandchildren?" Came the booming voice of their resident Krogan, Drack. He'd been walking across the bridge between the cockpit and the research room when he'd heard the sound of laughter.

"Uh it's nothing, right?" Scott replied and practically glared at Sara to confirm this fact. Sadly for him, Sara was cut off before she could speak.

"I believe Scott has some sort of attraction to older women." Jaal answered Drack as he stood in the doorway of his 'room' with folded arms and a sly smile. Drack responded with a deep, hearty laugh before he approached the now-red human and gave him a firm pat on the back, causing Scott to stumble forwards slightly.

"Oughta come with me to Elaaden sometime, kid. I know plen'y of Krogan women who'd love a young, squishy human play-thing." He half joked, just as Liam and Gil walked through the rear door.

"Wait, are we selling Scott to the Krogan? Takin' one for the team there bud." Liam quipped as Scott buried his face in his hands and muttered "Oh my god..."

"Do you think we'll get much for him Drack? I mean he's probably not enough on his own, but there are some parts I've been looking to get my hands on to make some improvements to the Nomad." Gil piped up jokingly, always happy to join in on a good ribbing session.

"Probably not as much as I could get for him. Trust me, I have contacts." Vetra, who had arrived just behind the two human males, remarked with her usual Turian purr. "Also, why are we selling Scott? Could we sell Sara at the same time? I could probably fetch more for them both. Some people like a good pair of twins." She swiftly added, forcing Sara to stop laughing for a moment.

"Hey!"

"Nu-uh! That one is mine, Vetra. You can have Liam instead. Or maybe Lexi? What do we need a doctor for anyway?" Peebee stepped in now that she had stopped howling with laughter. It wasn't much of a shock to see her coming to the older twin's defence considering all of the crew knew about their relationship. The kiss after the battle on Meridian had seen to that.

"Not even a day since I patched you up after the Archon, and you are already trying to get rid of me Peebee?" Lexi arrived, followed by Suvi and Kallo; all of whom had come from the front of the Tempest. The Asari doctor moved to Drack's side and gave one of his large hands a subtle squeeze that nobody seemed to notice - apart from Sara. She felt herself screaming with internal happiness. She knew it would happen eventually!

“So what were we talking about?” Suvi asked as she entered the room with Kallo and spotted Scott looking totally mortified.

“Well basically Scott has a thing for Asari Matriarchs. Or maybe older women in general. Hard to tell at this current juncture.” Peebee replied to the scientist and everyone else who had only heard pieces of the discussion.

“Well they are famed for their beauty, and aparently that grows as they mature.” Kallo responded sensibly.

“Can’t argue with that. Met some pretty good lookin’ Asari in my time.” Drack added. Sara definitely saw him briefly glance down at the doctor by his side, just before the Pathfinder’s gaze moved to Peebee. Damn right she thought to herself. "How about we put him back in the freezer, and then in another four-hundred years Lexi can wake him up and make his dream come true." Peebee suggested as she looked at the other Asari, only getting a deadpan look in return. Lexi then looked over at Scott who was practically curling into a ball with embarrassment.

"I'm good. No offence, Scott."

"None taken, Lexi." Scott mumbled as he looked down at the floor and prayed somebody would end this conversation. Thankfully for him Cora emerged from the bio-lab in her initiative fatigues and drew everyone's attention. The ex Asari Commando looked back at the rest of the crew and then to Scott, who was still bright red. The blonde raised an eyebrow, seemingly rather confused.

"Hey Cora, did you know that..." Peebee started gleefully before Sara interrupted her, not wanting to embarrass her brother any more. He'd learned his lesson.

"Annnyyyway. Meeting? Scott and I have some pretty big news."

"Well, spit it out Kid. Some of us don't have that long left." Drack joked and then looked down at the Asari by his side who appeared to be less than impressed with him. The Krogan simply grinned at her and gave her a playful nudge.

Once all the crew were at the top of the ramps and in a circle around the meeting room table, Sara directed her SAM unit to play a certain memory belonging to her father. “SAM, can you play the vid?”

Of course, Pathfinder.

"Sara, I thought we made this for us! I didn't realise we were going to be letting everyone else watch it." Peebee jested, drawing some knowing glances and snickers from those around them. The Pathfinder pouted at her Asari, knowing that no such footage existed and that her lover was simply trying to make her blush; which she had succeeded in doing.

"Hey, just putting this out there... I'd watch that." Liam remarked with a light shrug. Scott, who was now standing next to the crisis expert blinked and gave him a light elbow in the ribs for his trouble, causing Liam to wince; pretending that the male Ryder had injured him. "Hey! What was that for?" He then asked, although he already knew the answer.

"She's my sister, man." Scott replied, before rolling his eyes. "Nobody else agrees anyway, right?"

Vetra, Jaal, Suvi, and even Cora raised their hands; although the latter only did so to toy with the brother. Probably. Sara was left half-mortified that they were even talking about a sex tape featuring her and Peebee, and half-smug knowing that at least four people on the crew had pictured her in such a way.

"Blushing is a real Ryder thing, it seems." Jaal commented, before Sara made an attempt to steer the conversation back to where it was meant to be.

"SAM, can you play Dad's last memory to distract everyone, please?" Sara asked before stepping closer to Scott. Sure, he knew that their father had died on his first mission in Heleus, but it would be different seeing it firsthand.

Alec: "And how's Ellen?"

SAM: "She remains in cyrostasis. As you hoped it has suspended the progress of her disease."

Alec: "Make sure her pod is on the Hyperion. Don't use her real name."

Alec: "I'll tell the kids when the time is right."

Darkness, shift to Habitat 7, moments before Alec's death. He removes his helmet and puts it on his daughter.

Alec: “SAM.. Transfer Pathfinder access. Encrypt memories...”

Alec then takes hold of Sara’s shouder, while struggling to breath.

Alec: “There’s still hope for your mother...”

As Alec takes his final breaths, the vid fades.

Sara winced as she watched the footage back again. She swore she could still feel Habitat 7's toxic atmosphere depriving her lungs of oxygen, and making her fear that she'd come all that way over six hundred-years just to die on her first mission. Then she'd remembered thinking about Scott and wondering if she'd ever get to see her brother again. She had no memory of what had happened after Alec had given her his helmet, but looking back at her father's memory, she actually felt something she never had while growing up; his love.

In a single moment of selflessness he had given up his hopes and dreams in Andromeda so that his daughter could survive. He'd given her the chance to see the beauty of a new galaxy which was something he had dreamed of for so long, he'd been the reason she had gone on to find the Milky Way species a home, and to find love. No matter his stubbornness or his inability to show his true feelings, her father must have loved her, and Scott. Probably more than he ever let on.

Scott seemed to have taken seeing the final memory rather well. His breathing appeared steady and his eyes were tear free, but then again, as she looked down she saw that his hand and Cora's were latched together in mutual support. Sara knew him better than anyone, even though she had told him of their father's fate while he was still in his coma, it had been completely different seeing it happen.

"Okay, so let me get this straight, Kid. The mom that you thought was long dead in the Milky Way is actually here?" The hulking Krogan asked, look down at the Pathfinder.

"Yep. Scott and I found her pod, and that's the reason I wanted to call you all here. My job as Pathfinder still isn't done - not by a long shot, but now I have something new to aim for. Mom's status pod is all that's keeping her alive right now, but we're going to find a cure. It's up to all of you if you want to help me and Scott in that mission. Trust me, I won't take it badly if you choose to part ways here." Sara looked around at each and every member of the crew, and was overjoyed when she didn't see a single hint of hesitation.

"Well, if you want to keep using my ship, then I suppose you're going to have to drag me along for the ride, Ryder." Kallo was the first to speak up.

"Chance to see more of Andromeda? I'm in. Got nothing better to do." Liam was next.

"Well somebody is going to need to be here patching you up and being the stern, considerate voice of reason..." Lexi shrugged but was definitely smirking. "Just... no more dying, okay?"

"I'm in, Kid. Just keep the Kett comin'." With Lexi on board, Sara wasn't surprised that Drack was staying too.

"With so much beauty left to see, I wasn't planning on leaving until you have me physically removed, Ryder." Suvi jested, drawing a snicker from Sara.

"Sid wants your autograph, and I'm pretty much a guaranteed fixture here now." Vetra replied.

"I suppose the Tempest probably is better off if I stayed, plus, I've never had easier poker games. I could really make a living out of beating all of you. Well, all of you apart from Jaal."  Gil boasted playfully, causing everyone to roll their eyes in near-perfect unison.

"Well, after what we saw on that station? I've... got a lot of answers to find too. Of course, only if you would still like me here."  Jaal spoke up. It was no wonder he wanted to keep exploring, after what they'd learned about the Angarran creation at the hands of the Jaardan.

“Jaal, you don’t even need to ask. You’re our friend, remember? And Gil needs his ego knocked a litte bit.” Sara replied before her gaze turned to Peebee.

“Do you even need to ask?” The Asari replied.

“I want to hear you say it.” The Pathfinder fired back.

“Wellll... I could be tempted.” Peebee chirped, adding a wink for good measure.

Sara poked her tongue out at her partner before looking to Scott and Cora. She knew her brother was coming, and be extention her second-in-command, so gave them a determined nod.

“Well, okay then. Class dismissed. Go back to recovering from hangovers, and or making out.” The Pathfinder announced. Her crew soon disbanded and scurried back into their hiding places. Scott and Sara were readying to return to bed with their respective partners before Lexi got their attention.

“Scott, Sara? Could I have a word please? In my office?” The Asari doctor then looked at Cora and Peebee who had paused on the ramp. “I won’t keep them long.” She added for their benefit, before her attention returned to the twins.