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“You holdin’ on tight, Blue?” Vega asked the Asari riding on his shoulders.
“Si, Papa,” the three year old giggled.
Vega smiled up at her. They were walking through Alliance HQ on Earth. He began humming a song, smiling proudly. His daughter was dressed in a pretty yellow dress, with yellow shorts on under it, and yellow socks and shoes. She loved wearing yellow. She was holding a bouquet of yellow roses, dandelions, and buttercups.
“Hey, Vega!” A familiar voice called out to him from one of the offices he’d passed by.
“Hey, L2!” Vega smiled at Kaidan, as the biotic came out of his office and started walking with him. “Thought you had the day off?”
“Yeah, well, Bennie and I thought we’d bring flowers to Liara,”
“Mama loves yellow,” The little Asari with her bright blue eyes proudly held out her bouquet to show off.
“Yes, she does,” Kaidan said, smiling up at her. She was a little Liara in miniature. It never ceased to amaze him and everyone else how much the little girl looked like her mother. “Those are very pretty flowers. Did you pick them all yourself?”
“I picked the buttercups and dandelions. Papa cheated and bought the roses,” she said, sticking her tongue out above her father’s head. “Mama’ll like my flowers more.”
“Yeah,” Kaidan said, winking at Vega. “Bet she will,” He touched Vega on the arm. “See you in a few days, LT.”
“See ya, Major. Come on, Blue,” he moved his shoulders a bit to rebalance her slight weight. They continued to walk through Alliance HQ, stopped a few more time by James’ friends and coworkers. They commented on how pretty Bennie was, and how nice her flowers were.
Walking through the building was the quickest route to their destination, and also, it was June and hot, and the building was air conditioned. Vega stepped outside again, and raised a hand to take his sunglasses off his collar and put them on. He got his bearings and continued walking. They were in view of their goal.
“Mama worked with you and Shepard?” Bennie asked, but he knew she knew the answer.
“That’s right,” Vega smiled. “Think you can walk now, kiddo?”
“Si,” He put her down and she held her bouquet in one arm, and her held her father’s hand with the other. Her face took on a thoughtful look. “Is that why Mama here?”
He smiled down at her and stroked the back of her small blue hand with his thumb. “Si, baby. That’s why Mama’s here.”
They were coming up to the Shrine of the Saviours. The shrine had them all, all of the Normandy crew, with Liara standing in front of Vega. At Hackett’s direction, Vega and the Asari were looking at each other, just like Alenko and Shepard. And, though you couldn’t see it from down here, both couples were wearing wedding rings, even though L2 and Loco never had a chance to make it official, and Vega and Liara only had after the war. It was also where the ashes of Commander Shepard were buried. There was place for them all. All his crew, if they wanted it. Legion was here, Mordin, too.
“Can I run, Papa?”
“Yeah, careful, though,” he smiled and let her hand go. Her bright blue eyes shone as she ran toward the shrine. He already knew that he’d be buried here when it was his time. He thought it was what they all wanted. He knew Liara had.
He caught up to Bennie and put a hand on her shoulder. “You ready, Bennie?”
She nodded and he picked her up so she could put the flowers at Liara’s feet. “Happy Birthday, Mama!” she said, wrapping her arms around Vega’s neck and nuzzling the side of his face with her small crests.
“Feliz cumpleaños, Doc. Te echo de menos,” he leaned his head against their daughter’s crests.