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It wasn't exactly large but it didn't really need to be.
There wasn't much in it but they would hardly be there anyway.
They could afford bigger and better, but all things considered, it would have been a waste of credits.
Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, and dinette. The place was not much larger than the Captain's quarters on the Normandy , but it was just the three of them.
The small cozy apartment was perfect.
Ashley was first to wander through the door, looking around from floor to wall to ceiling with wonder, “Ooo, this is nice!”
“You like it?” Liara eagerly asked, following in behind.
“Yeah!” The little girl answered.
She quickly scampered over to the couch, one of the few furnishings in the apartment, and clambered up onto the cushions.
Ashley sat in the center of the couch, her legs crossed looking at the blank video screen on the opposite wall with youthful anticipation.
“Great! Because this is our new home when we're here on the Citadel.” Shepard announced as she strolled into the apartment last.
The sight of a happy Ashley sitting on the couch brought a smile to her face, a sentiment shared by Liara who wore the same enamored look.
The couple stood at the entrance and held one another, hip to hip, relishing the moment with their newly adopted, though completely unaware, child.
Liara pointed toward a small connecting juncture behind the couch “And if you go through that door right there , you'll find a bedroom that is all for you!”
The juncture split in two. To one side was the door to Ashley's bathroom, and on the opposite side was her bedroom.
The living room went straight into the dinette and small kitchen, beyond the living area was Shepard and Liara's equally bare room and bathroom.
Last was the small patio just past the dinette that overlooked a park and water fountain a few stories below.
The apartment was tucked away in a quiet enclave of residencies located in a quieter section of the ward, out of sight of the craziness of the ward's main thoroughfares or the Presidium.
“It's kinda bare right now, but there's a bed and dresser. We haven't had the chance to get much else.” Shepard added.
“Oooo!” Ashley muttered, leaping off the couch and running toward her bedroom.
Liara and Shepard followed Ashley as she darted into her room. She was mid-wallowing in her plain sheets by the time the pair made it to the doorway.
Liara uttered a giggle and Shepard cracked another grin. “An entire bedroom for you! Now it just needs some toys and stuff to fill it!” Shepard said, turning her attention to Liara and speaking casually to her fiancee but clearly enough for Ashley to hear her, “I can't imagine when we'll have time to get more toys.”
Liara tapped an exaggerated finger against her cheek and gave it a theatrically long thought, “I do recall that human holiday is tomorrow, presents, toys, a jovial elderly, obese man in red?”
“You mean Santa?” Shepard asked coyly to the sudden sound of giddy shrieking.
“Christmas!” Ashley cried, rolling out of her bed, bounding her way over to Shepard and Liara, then presumed to bounce around the bare floor.
“Yes, that's the one!” Liara answered, “Christmas, that is a very popular holiday on any human world!”
The eager bouncing responded, “Yes! Yesyesyes!”
Shepard grinned and nodded, “Yeah, I think we can do that, but we better hurry, Christmas is tomorrow! We've been so busy, we just forgot about it!” Shepard fibbed. The team had been busy with the expanding war between Earth and Palaven, but neither she nor Liara had forgotten; furthest thing from it. The pair had been planning at night, between missions. They would tuck Ashley into her little bed in the Captain's quarters at night and then sit in bed trying to plan and find time to get back to the Citadel in time for the holiday.
Liara bent down to Ashley's level, taming the excited child. “Let's get ready so we can go shopping, okay?”
“Yes!” Ashley was a blur, dashing to her clothes to hunt for a jacket.
While Ashley was distracted with getting dressed, Shepard quietly conferred with Liara, “The tree is being delivered while we're out?” she whispered.
Liara subtly nodded, speaking out of the corner of her mouth, “Yes. We have a few gifts from Santa already sitting in our closet, but they feel a bit…inadequate.”
“Right, we'll go look around the shops. She's little, she’ll want all the stuff she sees!” Shepard muttered before turning back to Ashley who was trying to get her arm unstuck in her jacket sleeve. “Ash, honey, ready?!”
“Almost!” She struggled a bit, flapping the sleeve till her hand popped out the cuff, “Ready! Let's go!” She commanded, taking the lead to guide Shepard and Liara out of the apartment to the adults snickering.
》☆《
Zekara Ward was a hive of shoppers.
Christmas may have been a human-centric holiday, but did not stop the shops of the Citadel eagerly embracing the human tradition, regardless of which species owned the store - credits were credits and humans spent a lot this time of year!
Shepard strolled through the toy aisles of Morland's Toys n’ More, where you “find many good toys, yes!”
Ashley sat atop her shoulders pointing out items she liked, while Liara hung back a step, following and listening. She claimed to have been looking over their latest after-action report while Shepard and Ashley shopped, but that was more fibs.
Liara followed with her Omni open, ordering the items Ashley pointed out along with clothes and some educational items that no five-year-old would ask for.
“Look at that! You can mush it and make things!” Ashley suddenly pointed in the opposite direction, nearly toppling Shepard over with her momentum.
“The playdough?”
Shepard inspected the small containers and the plethora of colors. She caught Liara in the corner of her eye,immediately going to work searching the net for the soft clays.
Shepard shuttered to think about how much Liara had already spent on gifts for Ashley. “Guess I'll find out when it hits our account.” She thought, pushing the worry away for now.
Shepard carefully shifted Ashley off her shoulders, placing her on the ground, leaning over to whisper in the girl's ear. “You know who we should find gifts for?”
“Who?!” Ashley whispered back, excited to have secrets.
Shepard pointed a finger carefully over her shoulder at Liara, who was still nose-deep, searching her through Omni-tool.
“Yeah!”
“We gotta break away to shop for Liara without arousing suspicion,” Shepard said, acting coyly.
Any reason would suffice, Liara wouldn't fall for it anyway. “You're gonna tell Liara that you want me to take you to go meet Santa!”
“Okay!” Ashley giggled, able to contain her excitement as well as any 5-year-old. “Lira, we're gonna go see Santa!”
Liara dragged her attention away from her Omni with a bewildered look, “Huh?”
“Santa,” Shepard said with a bit of insistence, and a look that hinted there was more to Ashley's request.
“O-oh, okay! Well, you two have fun while I read over this report.” she signaled back.
Shepard and Ashley slowly made their way to the center of the ward shopping plaza, stopping by various shops and boutiques, looking at the various bits and baubles, stuff that would snag the eye of any child.
Shepard guided the little girl away from the poorly made chotchkies for more stout sentimental items.
They came to a quiet shop filled with antique woodcraft items.
This seemed right up Liara's alley. Simple, strong, with heart and soul, “Perfect!”
Shepard and Ashley looked through the store. The strong scent of wood lingered in the air.
Ashley piped up, pointing at a modestly sized box.
“Oh, this is pretty!”
The wood was a swirl of deep dark grains against the lighter wooden body with a pristine lacquered finish. An elegant brass trim ran the upper and lower lips.
“That is pretty.”
Ashley nodded, “Yeah, it sorta reminds me of her. Lira likes old things!”
Shepard scoffed with a chuckle, “Are you saying Liara is old?!”
A mischievous giggle and an emphatic head shake, “No!”
Shepard laughed at her little antics and reached out to inspect the box. She flipped the lid to a velvet black interior. “Honey, I think Liara would like this!” She closed the lid and carefully handed it to Ashley to take to the check-out counter.
“And I know exactly what to put in it!”
》☆《
Liara slowly waded through the crowds toward the center plaza.
The area had been built up as a wintery land of snow and lights, candies, and red faux buildings. “Goddess, humans really enjoyed this holiday. It's such a festival of fantasy!”
The line to meet the patron Saint of the holiday - Santa - went back down the ward corridors. The line was no longer just humans, other races had joined in the festivities and waited in line.
There were ample amounts of young quarians and asari waiting; even the odd turian, to which no one outwardly minded. Even with everything going on - the war between Earth and Palaven, no one wished to spoil the festive atmosphere and goodwill of the holiday.
Liara stumbled on her pair of humans near the front of the line - it wasn't hard to miss Ashley sitting atop the redhead's shoulders.
“I finished that report!” Liara announced, sliding up beside Shepard.
“Yaay!” Ashley cheered and nearly tossed herself off Shepard’s shoulders and into Liara's arms.
“Oof! Goddess!” Liara yelped, catching Ashley as she came tumbling with down.
She quickly adjusted the child in her arms, getting her arm under Ashley's rump to hold her up. “Have you two been waiting in line this whole time?”
“Oh yeah! While time! Right Ash?!”
“Uh-huh!” Ashley said with a telling giggle.
“Oh wow! Well, it's a good thing I'm here because I believe we have a large ‘delivery’ headed to the apartment; and I think Allison should go make sure it gets inside. What do you think, Ashley?!”
“Yeah! Yeah, Lira and I stay here for Santa!”
Shepard let out a merry laugh and elated sigh, “Okay. You two have fun! I'll be waiting back at home.”
Liara's soul lit up at the idea of ‘their home’. A modest beginning, one that would one day be much grander and a hive of activity!
With her fiancee gone, a small bag in her hand, Liara turned to Ashley in her arms, “We should go get Allison a present after you meet Santa. Yeah?!”
There was a sudden elation in Ashley when she nodded, trying to contain her secret that Liara was aware of but trying not to let go of the little girl she knew.
“Yes!” Ashley hissed with excitement.
》☆《
Liara let go of Ashley in the middle of the floor decorated to be a snowy field, surrounded by comically large sweats along with hanging tinsel and garland. She watched her little ward run toward the jovial elf - whatever that was - in red, sat on a throne of false wood and toys as antique as some of her archeological findings.
There were a few queer looks subtly tossed her and Ashley's way. An asari caring for a human child was a first for many.
Liara was sure the galaxy had long grown accustomed to someone else holding on to a small blue child.
Liara paid it all no mind, she was too enamored watching Ashely climb up into the red man's lap and begin to regale him with hopes and wishes.
Ashely's list of youthful fantasies given to Santa, Liara held her small hand while they went from store to store, looking for something for Shepard, something Liara found a tad daunting. What could she get for someone who had so few wants?!
The only shop they avoided was the woodcraft shop that Ashley insisted they go nowhere near!
The pair wandered in and out of stores. Running low on places and in desperation, they walked into a pet store. Ashley found a VI-enabled automatic fish feeder to ‘keep their fishies alive’. A nice practical gift, but not exactly what Liara had in mind.
“Lira! Look! She would like one of these!”
Liara came around the corner to the low-walled glass pen with Ashley hovering over the top. “Oh! Umm… I don't, maybe?!” Also not the gift Liara had in mind.
“It's cute!”
“Are you sure, sweety? I mean that's… kinda-”
“Yes!” Ashley exclaimed, turning on her heels, striking Liara’s hesitation down with her big, brown, sad eyes.
“Goddess, okay, I get what Allie meant, unfair.”
Unable to say no, Liara and Ashley returned to their quaint quiet apartment, present for Shepard in a festive vented box in Ashley's protective arms.
Liara made sure to take the lead opening the door.
“Allison, we're home!”
“Yeah, we're home-” Ashley quieted mid-announcement the second her eyes hit the beautifully lit tree in the corner of their apartment and the stack of well-wrapped presents carefully staged underneath.
Shepard knelt down next to the tree, fixing the bow atop a present. “Welcome home! I did a few things while y'all were out. Do you like it?”
Ashley stares in wonder at the slowly shifting light and polished baubles that hung for the boughs. “It's so pretty!” Ashley's drifted off. She took a seat next to Shepard, gazing up at the tree.
Liara took a seat on the floor on the other side of Ashley.
The couple shared a silent look while Ashley took in the Christmas tree, the moment was perfect.
Liara reached behind Ashley and took Shepard’s hand, gently massaging her palm.
“Ashley, sweetie, we have something to tell you.”
“Yes, we do.”
Her face was a gape, trying to look up at Liara and Shepard, curiously listening but still enthralled by the Christmas tree.
“We… umm,” Shepard fumbled nervously over her words.
Liara gave her human's hand a firm squeeze, along with a bright smile and an encouraging nod.
“Ashley, we've adopted you. ”
No sweeter words could be spoken, no quicker could the tear roll down Liara's cheek. Ashley wasn't the daughter Liara ever expected to have, but she meant the world to her all the same.
Liara couldn't resist the urge to hug her daughter any longer, “That's right, we are your parents, now and forever!” Liara whimpered, holding Ashley tight.
Ashley was quiet, she was thinking, “But what about my sissies, and-”
“We looked, honey! I we spent so many days and countless sleepless nights looking! We sent out an infinite amount of urgent requests, nothing. Every colony, registry, everywhere.” Shepard wrapped her arms around Ashley and Liara, holding them both tight, “That does not mean we will ever stop looking! Maybe one day, but for now Liara and I are here for you and only you, we love you that much!”
“We will take care of you, always!” Liara said with a kiss against Ashley's forehead.
Shepard could see the cogs in Ashley's young mind trying to make sense of it all. She quickly blurted out, “How about we open a gift? One each till tomorrow morning?” Shepard asked, desperate to keep the evening a joyous one.
The offer distracted the little girl, “Ooh, yeah!” Ashley scrambled over to the box she and Liara had come home with. “Here here here, we got this for you!” She said, ready to bust at the seems with giddiness.
Shepard inspected the festive print on the cardboard box, noticing the vents. Her face twisted in confusion as she carefully opened the box.
Shepard’s brow pinched and her mouth fell open as she looked in the box that rustled when opened. “D-did you two buy me a hamster for Christmas?!”
“Yeah, he's adorable!”
Liara chuckled nervously and gave her fiancee a pensive smile, “Merry Christmas, love!”
Shepard laughed and nodded. The brown and white, whiskered face peered up her and immediately hid within the thick layer of litter in the box. “Thank you, he is adorable! But we'll need to get him a cage for the Normandy , because we definitely can't leave him here!”
Shepard chuckled and pointed out the small gift atop many others, “Ash, honey, give Liara the one you got her.”
“Okay!”
The little hand carefully picked up the gift and placed it in Liara's palm. She carefully pulled the delicate bow while Shepard spoke.
“There is something kinda… wrong… here, Ash.”
Liara pulled the bow and slowly unwrapped while listening to Shepard make a roundabout point.
“See, my last name is Shepard.”
The colorful wrapping paper fell onto the apartment floor.
“And Ashley, your last name is Shepard too!”
The wooden box was beautiful and elegant.
“But I know someone whose last name is different, and I think it's time to fix that!”
Liara opened the bronze clasp, opening the lid.
“Oh… Goddess!” Liara breathed as she stared in disbelief.
“Ashley, pick a present to open!” Shepard said while Liara gawked in the box.
The sound of glee echoed off the walls as Ashley delved directly into the largest of her gifts.
》☆《
Liara and Shepard sat on the small headboard of Ashley's bed. Liara rested against Shepard's body and hummed a gentle tune while she delicately ran a fingers over their little girl's hair while she slept peacefully in her bed along with her stuffed mooing elcor and her brand new, much larger, stuffed mooing elcor brother.
Liara reached up to cup Shepard’s face, guiding her human's lips toward hers. The shimmer of an engagement ring in the human fashion wrapped around Liara's finger. “Merry Christmas, my love.” She tenderly whispered, pressing their lips together.
Shepard placed her hand atop Liara's, the asari bangle, an exact copy of Liara’s ring, hung from Shepard's wrist. She placed several kisses against her fiancée's lips and whispered in Liara's aurals more words that brightened her sol.
“Merry Christmas, mama.”