[Veetor is surprisingly hard to write about so this may not be as good as I would like.]

Shepard looked up from the datapads strewn across her desk when she heard the whoosh of the door. Her eyes shot straight to the rather shy Quarian that had just entered her quarters. "Veetor. What are you doing here?" she stood slowly from her chair and resisted the urge to cross the floor to him.

Veetor rubbed the elbows of his suit slowly. "I-I, uhm, wanted to see you before you left the fleet." His voice was tinny as it echoed from his helmet. "I didn't get the chance to thank you for not giving me over to Cerberus." His head dropped to stare at his boots. "I don't think I could have recovered if you had." He sighed and turned to leave but was caught by Shepard's firm grip. She had crossed the room quickly!

"Veetor, don't go." Even though her voice was softer than when she barked commands to her squad, he could hear the firmness clearly. "I couldn't have lived with myself if I did something like that to you. You don't deserve anything like that." Her eyes cut to his shoulder. Looking into his eyes through the mask was uncomfortable, not with these feelings running through her. She had admitted to herself long ago that she had kept him from Cerberus for reasons other than just being a good person.

"I just…thank you." Veetor shook his head, he felt ashamed that he didn't have the courage to tell her how much she meant to him. Ever since Tali had brought him back to the fleet he had fleeting memories of the beautiful human woman who had protected him even though she didn't know him. His doctor just told him it was hero worship, but he knew she was wrong. He could see the way she looked at him when no one was watching, even if she tried to hide it.

She shocked him when she pulled him into a tight embrace. Shepard burrowed her face into the crook of his neck as she held him. Veetor smiled a little before wrapping his arms around her. She was the one that had helped him through his recovery, even if she was never there for it. Her strength was his. "Shepard… I need to tell you…" he began, but was stopped quickly when she pulled back to look into his eyes.

"How many antibiotics are in your medicine regiment?" She asked bluntly.

Veetor searched her expression for any hint as to where she was going with this line of questioning, but found nothing. "Plenty. W-why?"

Shepard smiled, cupping his face with her hands. "Because I want to see you, not your mask, if that's possible."

The corners of Veetor's mouth spread wide across his face. He felt a sudden surge of pride as she held his face in her calloused hands. He could think of nothing greater than linking suits with her, but would he survive taking his helmet off? "How clean are your quarters?"

A blue orb materialized to his left, it blinked as it responded. "Shepard asked me to scrub her quarters of any parasites before docking with the Migrant Fleet, Veetor." The feminine voice blanked out as the orb dissipated.

"Thank you, EDI!" Shepard blushed furiously. At least she never told her why she wanted her quarters scrubbed. She had hoped she would get to talk to Veetor before Tali's hearing but wasn't able to. She was going to invite him to the Normandy, but never had the chance.

Veetor grinned at her embarrassment. He found the courage to hold her chin in his hand to bring her eyes back to him. They needed no words now, and for that he was grateful. She cared for him, he could see that clearly.

He stepped back and cautiously brought his fingers to the clasps on his face mask. "I think this will be worth it, even if I do get sick. Just to see your face with no filters is worth so much to me." And with that, he released the clasps and with a release of air he pulled the mask from his face and placed it on the floor next to his feet.

Veetor reveled in the feeling of air rushing past his bare face, but seeing Shepard with his own eyes was breathtaking. He stepped closer to her, almost afraid to touch her. He didn't want this dream to end if it was a dream.

Shepard crossed the floor and was on him quickly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed into his beautiful, unmasked eyes. "Thank you." She breathed before brushing her lips across his.