2 days after the Collector Base was destroyed...
"It's been a long trip, started with a fight against Saren and the Geth, and then to me dying by the Collectors, then resurrected back from the dead two years later to only destroy the Collectors". Shepard chuckling as he sat in his chair near his desk at the right side of his bed. A datapad on the desk with information vital to show proof of the Reapers, and the threat they truly pose towards all life. The proof he needed to make the council see how far their heads were up their butt puckers. Shepard laughing at himself remembering how Mess Sergeant Gardner told him that and what he thought about the alliance and the council.
"Commander I know you like to drift in space, but we need to dock somewhere to get more repairs done unless you want to fight Reapers with holes in the ship" Joker said with his sarcastic humor through the comms in the captain's quarters.
"Very funny Joker, plot a course for the Citadel" replying back to Joker with a slightly annoyed tone of Joker's poor attempt at humor.
"ETA 12 hours Commander..." as the comms shut off and Shepard was in silence again alone in his room.
Walking over to his terminal as he turned it on and began to sit down, he started writing a message to Councilor Anderson about his arrival and the information he had about the Reapers.
After he sent the message his mind began to drift and he suddenly forgot about the Reapers, the Collector's, the Geth, and all the problems he was faced in the past and began to think of Tali. Tali and Shepard were close back on the old Normandy but now their relationship is a lot bigger than he could have ever thought possible. He always liked Tali; but after a while on the old Normandy he started to love her and his feelings were stronger for her, but he never thought it to be possible because of her Pilgrimage, so he never told her back then how he truly felt towards her.
Shepard always wondered if Tali felt the same way he did on the old Normandy; he was always happy when she was near and she seemed to feel the same at least to him. As he continued to think about her, he wondered how she was doing since their first intimate encounter occurred, hoping she was not very sick for he would feel terrible on his part. He got up from his chair uploaded the data about the Reapers into his Omni-tool and the walked to the elevator. As the doors open he walked in and pressed the button to engineering.
As the doors opened, he was greeted by Ken and Gaby. "Hello, Commander" they both said together. Shepard just gave them a simply nod to them and walked passed them, heading right for Tali.
There she was, standing in front of her console with her lovely figure as cute as ever; at first he felt it to be odd to love someone of another race, but eventually he got over that feeling once it did not matter to him after his feelings developed. He walked up behind her, but as he was about to speak, Tali cut him off.
"Shepard, are you trying to sneak up on me you're not doing a very good job" she giggled, turning around to face him with glowing eyes focused on him.
"Tali how are you feeling since after we has our intimate moment together" as he held one of her hands.
She blushed and put her other hand over her mask embarrassed "Oh, Shepard....I'm doing fine. I had a fever, a nasty cough, and my nose was filled with something I couldn't even describe…" letting those words sink into him "But it was worth it" she said to him with a pleasant tone that relieved Shepard as he grabbed her other hand and brings her closer to hug each other.
"Ms. Vas Normandy, how about you come to my quarters and help me with some work?" asking suggestively as he grinned looking at her bright eyes staring up at him.
"Shepard!" she playfully slaps his chest "What if I refuse?" she asks sarcastically as she nestles her head in his chest
"Captain's Orders." he said as he was looking down at her, while holding her in his arms he could feel her legs getting weak as he was holding her up from failing.
"Come on, Let's go" he whispered to her as they made their way to the elevator and keyed the panel to go back up to his quarters "Good thing I still have some antibiotics left over from what Mordin gave me." she said as she held him and giggled.
He walked her over to the bed, where she took off her mask to get rid of what was hiding her beauty; they laid down together, as they both held at each other lovingly on the bed. "Tali?" he said in a soft voice she looked at him, concerned "Yes?" as she looked up at him. "Did you know I loved on when we were on the old Normandy?" he asked looking down at her. "I had a feeling you did." She replied as smiled at him. "You always came to talk to me, helped me on my Pilgrimage, my Trial, and then helped my people. I knew you cared then it's just better that can show me now." She said appreciatively as she moved close to him.
"Shepard, I have told you so much about me and my family; you never said anything about yours..." she paused for a moment "You don't have to tell me if you don't wa-" before she could finished. "No it's fine you deserve to know" he said.
He cleared his throat before speaking. "I never had a family; it was just me, mostly" He began thinking back to his childhood. "When I was born, my parents raised me for some time, but something happened to them and I was on my own." he looked down at her with shame and sorrow hanging over him.
"I joined a gang on earth called the Reds, it was my only chance to survive and I was force to do things in order to continue surviving." he pauses as she looks at him, interested. "So, how do you get into the Alliance?" He smiled at the curious look on her face. "Eventually, when I reach the age of 18, I was trying to leave the Reds. They wouldn't let me go, so I fought my way out. An alliance recruiter saw me fighting them off and helped me and afterwards asked if I was alright; he eventually asked if I wanted to joy the alliance to better myself. I accepted and I never regretted it." He looked back down at her. "Because I found you." She smiled up at him, nuzzling with her head up against his chest. "I glad you accepted too"
He smiled as he kissed her forehead, hearing her say that to him just made him even happier than he already was when he and Tali were together before hitting the Omega 4 Relay. "You know Tali, before hitting the Omega 4 relay, when you came up to me as nervous as you were and fidgeting with your hands trembling, you were so cute." she moved up to his face, smiling "It because I love you, and you're the first person I've ever felt this way with before." She kisses him. "You know, I just never suspected you to pounce on me like you did," as a big grin appeared on his face and started to laugh, Tali slapping his shoulder as she blushed from embarrassment "I couldn't help myself...You brought it out in me" as she pouted innocently he kissed her, cherishing every moment they had right there.
Akuze, Shepard still dreams about it; it haunts him every so often as he ruffles around in the bed "Look out! Thresher Maw!" a soldier yells out in his dreams as he watched his whole squad die in front of him. Expect for him. Most men would have been scarred emotional, and become unstable, especially after seeing a Thresher Maw attack killing his squad. It also managed to damage the distress beacon they place on Akuze; he was trapped on Akuze for a long time. Shepard would not allow himself to go mad; he had to stay focused and determined to survive. He did; one of few to ever survive Thresher Maw attack on foot.
He woke up violently, breathing deeply with sweat pouring down his face; his hands shaking looking around his room, seeing if he was still dreaming. He slowly calmed down, and looked to his right to see Tali still sleeping there soundly. He was thankful he didn't wake her. She was so innocent while she slept; so beautiful and loving. He heard her saying something in her sleep. "S-s-Shepard..." slipped out of her lips he smiled at her, thinking about how she is dreaming about him. He lay back down and nestled next to her. He kissed her forehead before he went back to sleep, knowing his dreams of Akuze weren't coming back tonight with her here.