Next Time

Tali felt nervous.

No, that was an understatement. She felt terrified.

Her thick fingers paused once they groped the locks of her helmet. Of course she would be terrified. Here she was about to escape from her security blanket and expose herself to mere air that could send her to the medical bay, if not kill her.

Her eyes watered at the thought. She wasn't sad for her own life's sake, she felt sorrow for Shepard. He meant everything to her. If anything happened to her because she risked exposing herself for him no doubt he'd blame himself. Tali had seen him when he blamed himself for Kaiden's death, for half their crew when the first Normandy was destroyed, and when their new crew were taken by the Collector's. He always kept a strong face in front of the others. But when Tali watched him close, when he thought no one was nearby and watching his stone walls crumbled. The expressions on his face always tore a hole in her chest. She didn't want to bring him that kind of pain.

Shepard noticed the shy woman's hesitance. "Tali?"

Hearing her name spread from his luring lips made her heart beat faster than it already was. Her hands began to shake. She would be okay. Just as she's calculated every change and improvement with the ships upgrades and maintenance she's been just as careful with her research. She didn't have to be scared of getting sick from the air. But there was no guarantee of how she would react upon contact with Shepard, every Quarian's case was different

"Tali," Shepard whispered. His voice was deep, soft but still stern. The young alien's eyes shifted to his lips as he spoke. Her tongue grazed the edges of her own lips as she fantasized about the commander's own lips touching her skin. Oh how she wanted to rid herself of her rubber prison and touch him.

"Y-Yes?" She croaked. Why did her throat suddenly feel so dry?

Shepard placed a large hand over her own. "We don't-not until you're ready. I told you before," he smiled, showing off straight white teeth, "I'll wait for you."

"N-no!" Tali almost jumped to her feet. Her hands dropped from her mask to the bed and she gripped the sheets. "I want this, Shepard. I-I, it's just I'm a little-I mean it's my first-no, what I mean is-"

A soft chuckle escaped Shepard and Tali wanted to melt. It was so rare to see Shepard smile let alone laugh. To see him do so made her heart flutter and her feelings for him stronger. "I want you, Shepard."

His face turned serious but not threatening like it normally did, but it still held on to a faint smile. He shifted his hand to her thigh and rubbed it ever so slightly. The feel of his touch, even through her suit, sent shivers down her spine and an almost painful throb between her legs.

Bacteria, viruses, all microorganisms be damned she wanted Shepard, no she needed him. She could not think of anyone better to be her first.

With new found determination and fear of escaping her safety net gone, Tali quickly groped for her helmet again and unsealed it. Her heart skipped and her stomach lurched as she heard the pressure of her helmet hiss out and escape. Tali watched Shepard's face. A grin slowly grew, the side of his cheek wrinkling, and he leaned forward eager to see what lurked behind the mask.

Doubt and new fear struck the Quarian. Would Shepard's smile vanish when he saw her face? Would he tear himself off his bed and storm out of the room in disgust? Or would he kick her out?

Panic flooded into Tali's delicate frame. Shepard is handsome, it is only right he would want to be with a beautiful woman. What if he didn't find Quarian's beautiful? A Quarian couldn't match the same beauty as an Asari. Tali knew the other women in their crew fancied Shepard. Miranda was gorgeous; she literally was created to be the perfect woman. Her breasts were larger than Tali's, her buttocks full, her silky hair dark and her voice elegant and sexy. Everything about her was better than Tali. She's seen the way Miranda has looked at Shepard.

There was also Kelly. She too was beautiful and has the personality of gold. She's always spoken to Shepard, invited him to dinner and coffee. She and Shepard have that communication chemistry. He could always turn to her if need be.

And finally there was Jack. The woman was dangerous albeit very loyal to Shepard. He helped her escape the prisons she's loathed so much, both the physical and mental confines. And he helped her find peace by aiding her rid of the horrid facility she grew up in. Jack didn't care for love or friendship, after having been betrayed by both, but she still felt lust. Tali once overheard Shepard and Jack once down in the engineering bay, she offered sex to Shepard. Tali was on the verge of heartbreak when she heard Jack's offer, but then she nearly dropped the wires in her arms and wanted to do a happy dance when she heard Shepard refuse. He always had her as a sex only and no strings attached outlet. And hidden behind many tattoos and unfitting hair style jack's face is actually quite pretty, beautiful even.

Any three of those women were more fitting for Shepard should he not find Tali beautiful.

Fearing rejection, Tali paused again. Her fingers shook and she let her hands drop down to her lap, her thick fingers twirling nervously. She was scared again, terrified. Shepard would see her and find her disgusting. He had been in a short relationship with Liara before, Tali couldn't match her beauty. What if their relationship ended before it could ever start? She realized she couldn't stop talking; she even dwelled on why she spoke so much.

Shepard sensed her hesitation again, but he knew not for what reason. He assumed Tali was merely nervous about the whole thing. He didn't blame her. Normally, he would have given Tali more time to prepare herself mentally. But time wasn't on their side. He did everything he could to give the rest of his crew a peace of mind before confronting the Collector's one last time, and he knew Tali wanted this. She just needed a bit of reassurance.

A strong hand reached for Tali's quivering fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze. Tali felt her eyes moisten and she was glad she still hadn't taken off her mask. Instead of getting impatient and forcing her he simply waited. She returned the smile Shepard was giving her, but then she felt stupid knowing he couldn't see her smile, her face.

Swallowing one last chunk of air, Tali cursed herself as she began talking about how she needs to describe her feelings so precisely, a consequence of no one being able to see her face. She noticed Shepard's hands reach for her mask and gently pulled it away.

The sudden exposure to the air felt strange and Tali had to squash the urge to yank her mask from Shepard's grip and place it back on her face. Her heart continued to race and she braced herself for Shepard's reaction. She started when she felt something brush her cheek. Looking down she saw Shepard's hand. He hadn't shun her away nor marched off. Relief, happiness, eagerness, so many emotions were running through her she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She loved him. Tali'Zorah vas Normandy loved her captain, John Shepard. She placed her hands on Shepard's handsome face and shoved her lips onto his, the sudden impact throwing a very unsuspecting Alliance commander onto the mattress.

Very surprised by her first move, Shepard chuckled slightly, his laugh created a vibration on his lips which seemed to have stimulated Tali further.

Their kiss deepened. Tali felt strange at first, and panicked slightly when she felt Shepard's tongue enter her mouth. She had heard of such kisses, but hadn't really thought of experiencing her first. The awkward feeling faded and she soon found herself enjoying the touch of Shepard's tongue on her own. She feared she was too inexperienced for him so she tried to mimic what he did, though it was often difficult to concentrate.

Her heart skipped and her skin shivered as she felt his hand's rub her shoulders. She slowly realized her environmental suit denied her the feel of her love's skin. Her breath caught in her throat and another shiver tickled down her spine as she felt him nibble on her bottom lip. She eagerly reached for the back of her neck, groping and searching for the appropriate places to press to unlock her suit, then pressed something on the omni tool she quickly summoned. Her prison was maddening; she needed to feel his skin on her own. The throbbing in her groin intensified and needed attention soon, she even felt the area grow damp.

Tali gripped at the neck part of her suit and began to pull, her eagerness pulled the suit off painfully and she winced. Shepard's hand gently moved her fingers aside. He didn't break the kiss, but his tempo had changed. It was faster, hungrier. His strong arms lifted Tali's smaller frame and gently pushed her onto the mattress. With strong, yet gentle hands the human Spectre slowly pulled the skin tight suit from Tali, he bent forward and kissed her skin as he freed her from her prison.

Tali felt a new form of madness. The kisses Shepard planted on her skin felt like nothing she has ever experienced. She needed more, but mentally scolded herself to bear the maddening pleasure and just enjoy it, should she not drown in it first.

Feeling his wet lips explore her nude skin made the throb stronger, sending an electronic signal from her groin to her brain. A weak moan escaped from the young Quarian. Shepard pulled the suit off to her waist. To pull the rest off of her he needed for her to sit up. His hands gripped her waist and lifted her up onto his lap. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of her breasts. Admiring the alien color of her skin and the inviting color of her nipples, the buds erect and hard with arousal, Shepard parted his lips and took a nipple into his mouth. He carefully tasted the bud, teasing it, stroking it with his tongue.

Tali gasped from the increased pleasure, her head leaned back and her eyes rolled back. Shepard chuckled again, the vibration exciting the alien more. The sound of her sighs and moans aroused him and he groaned as he felt his pants tighten.

At last he freed her of the environmental suit and he was able to finally observe the completely nude Quarian. She was beautiful. A small grin grew on his face as he noticed Tali's eyes drift downward, she was shy. Her meekness and the beauty of her alien body brought more pain as his pants felt tighter.

Shepard grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his shoulders, but the neckline suddenly hugged the bottom of his chin and he couldn't untangle himself from the cloth. He was about to rip it apart until he felt warm fingers envelope his own, aiding them in removing the offending clothing. Shepard and Tali admired each other for a brief moment. Tali's thick, uncovered fingers trailed along Shepard's smooth muscular skin, her fingers tracing along the many scars he sported.

The skin of his chest broke with goose bumps after the coldness of the air registered. Tali's fingers felt warm and the heat radiated off her skin onto his own as she continued to trace her fingers along his chest.

Tali felt like a child. She's never touched another person, no matter the race, like she was now and she couldn't stop her exploring fingers. Shepard's skin was soft, even his scars. But she mostly enjoyed adding pressure to her touches. There was something soothing about feeling the hardness of his muscles, like his hard body could protect her from anything.

Her touch was beginning to make Shepard feel more eager, more primal. He lifted Tali again and spun, leaving her on the mattress and him on top of her.

Tali flushed as she felt Shepard return to kissing her neck and collarbone, then he whispered into her ear. His voice was quiet, comforting even. "You're beautiful."

Tali felt her eyes moisten. It had been so long since she's ever felt this happy. Another moan escaped her lips and her groin was growing more painful with need. She gasped when she felt him leave a trail of kisses and cooling saliva down her body.

The pleasure was blinding, she gripped Shepard's short hair and squashed the urge to push his head downward when he stopped and focused his tongue's attention on her breasts again. Her breathing escalated and she felt her skin moisten with sweat. Why was she feeling like this?

Shepard switched, his tongue seeking her other nipple but he still played with the previous one with his fingers. Tali wanted to scream. Not a painful scream, but one of pleasure and frustration. The commander's actions felt fantastic but it was maddening at the same time. She needed to feel him and very soon.

The feeling was mutual. The Alliance officer assumed he left Tali more than ready. Now he had to rid himself of pants. He cursed his belt and whoever invented them, belts served no other purpose but to delay a hasty unclothing process. Belt off, zipper down and Shepard nearly fell off the bed as he kicked his pants off.

Tali suppressed a chuckle.

Shepard grinned back, his mood increasing beyond its threshold as he finally rid his lower half of its tight prison. Tali was just as eager as he.

Tali whispered his name and her fingers laced down his chest towards his lower belly. She paused for a moment but then she gripped the elastic waistband of Shepard's skivvies. She blushed as she admired the bulge covered by the white material and she bit her lip when she felt the throb in her crotch demand attention.

Heart pounding in her breast and sweat rolling down her face Tali pulled the last bit of clothing off Shepard. Her eyes grew slightly in surprise, this was the first time she had ever seen a male nude, human or quarian. She couldn't complain though, she rather enjoyed what she saw. But she couldn't help but feel worried, it didn't look like Shepard and her would, well, fit. But she didn't want to stop. Not with Shepard kissing her again and trapping her between his warm, hard body and the soft, damp mattress. She felt Shepard on her thigh and she moaned. She needed him. Now.

Shepard parted her legs with his knee between kisses. Tali felt nervous again when she remembered his size. He positioned himself between her legs and kissed her once more, his free hand cupping her face. Tali's heart wanted to pump out of her chest as she felt his hand grope her inner thigh. His hand slid easily, her skin very moist from her body's fluids. She was ready.

Shepard entered her slightly. Tali felt a pressure in her loins, but felt no pain and no pleasure. Her body wanted him, all of him. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulled and he entered her fully.

The pressure did change to pain and Tali bit her lip. She didn't want to show pain. She didn't want Shepard to stop but yet she wanted the pain to stop. Her legs tightened around his waist and her fingers gripped the bed sheet. Shepard whispered something in her ear but she didn't hear it. She lifted her fingers to his broad shoulders and ran them along his back.

She felt Shepard pull out of her slowly before thrusting into her once more. It still hurt but it wasn't as bad the first time, perhaps her body was adjusting. He thrusted again, Tali didn't want him to see her face, the pain was still there. She wanted him to stop but her body still demanded more.

Both their breaths were elevating and Tali didn't know if she was going crazy. Her mind didn't seem to be able to recognize pain anymore for not it felt good, great actually.

Shepard noted the change of Tali's expression. The grip of her fingers on his back increased. His tempo increased, sweat poured into his eyes and he was quickly reaching his peak. It had been over two years for him despite being unconscious the whole time, but he didn't have the endurance to last much longer. It didn't help with Tali feeling so tight and so warm. Her moans added to his arousal, but he refused to climax before her. He wanted to satisfy her for her first time, he needed to. They would be reaching the collector's ship soon.

He was nearing his end and he hadn't felt Tali reach hers yet. Perhaps if he increased his speed further, however there was the danger of that pushing him over the edge.

He pulled out of her and his member twitched, he hated to stop now and judging by Tali's face she wasn't happy either. He gave her the best smile he could muster. He easily scooped her up and exchanged positions. Tali looked unsure of what to do with her on top of him. He sensed her uneasiness and guided her onto him. Tali moaned aloud when she felt Shepard enter again.

Tali still wasn't sure what to do. It was one thing to have Shepard on top of her, she merely laid under him while he did the necessary actions. She felt his large hands on her waist, guiding her to move her body upwards. She complied, using her thighs to hoist herself up. His fingers pushed her waist downward, signaling for her to slide back down. She followed his lead and continued the motions. The constant movement created an ache in her thighs, but even a Quarian's endorphins turned the pain into pleasure. Tali became too engrossed in the sex that she jumped when she felt something warm and wet on her breast.

Shepard was sucking on her nipple and Tali felt her lower regions spasm, her hips buckled, heat coursed from her groin to her entire body, she winced when her body suddenly had the urge to urinate.

Shepard grunted. Tali's inner walls tightened and he couldn't hold back any further. Having reached his peak he sat up and kissed Tali. It was a simple kiss, simple yet passionate. Her face was covered with sweat and her lips felt warm, almost too warm. Remembering the risk Tali was taking brought a sickening, cold stab in Shepard's gut. Fearing she grew ill he placed a hand over her forehead, worried her antibody enhancers weakened. If she got sick he'd-

Tali placed her three fingered hand on his chest, she was still breathing heavily but she tried to calm her breathing with Shepard. She smiled, signaling she wasn't ill. They remained still for a few moments, watching each other, synchronizing their breathing. The sweat glistening on Shepard's muscular body made Tali want to melt again.

He pulled her closer to him, placing her head on his chest. He felt drained his legs and arms felt like Gardner's gumbo. He didn't know if he wanted to sleep or light a cigarette (a strange urge since he was not a smoker), but he remembered Tali next to him and squashed his post coitus nicotine urge. Sleep it was.

His eyes opened when he felt Tali stir. "Something wrong?" He asked.

Tali twirled her finger on Shepard's chest again, she loved feeling his hot skin against her own. "I-we never played the music I brought."

Shepard laughed. "Next time."

Tali smiled. Her medication would last for several more hours which gave her time to stay with Shepard a little longer. A smile grew on her face; there would still be a next time with Shepard.

A/N: Well I finally fixed the typos of the story and added a little more details here and there. I'm really liking the idea of adding more one shot chapters to this story. I'm planning on releasing this story onto the infamous fan art website just to prevent any more people from thinking they can release my and other ffnet authors stories as their own.