Written for a tumblr user who wanted a female Shepard and Tali's wedding on Rannoch


The sunsets were beautiful on Rannoch.

They flew down in separate shuttles; Tali insisting that they follow the archaic human tradition of not seeing each other on their wedding day. Shepard didn't mind, though time was short. They shouldn't be making this stop at all, but she couldn't imagine facing the end of the fight without officially declaring that she and Tali were each others. That somehow this brilliant, beautiful, shotgun toting Admiral wanted to pledge their lives together.

The orbital traffic controllers had been surprised to see the Normandy. But the ship wouldn't be there long, just enough to fly the shuttles down to the very spot Tali declared would be their future home.

"You ready for this?" Cortez asked from the pilot seat as he set the shuttle down.

"I was ready the moment I saw her throw grenades at Fist's assassins," Shepard said with a smile. She didn't pursue the young quarian back on the SR-1, thinking Tali didn't need the complications while on her Pilgrimage. But the two years Shepard had been dead changed Tali. She was stronger, more sure of herself. And the moment she realized that Tali was flirting with her, Shepard knew she didn't want anyone else by her side.

The shuttle doors opened, and Shepard closed her eyes, making sure everything was ready. Something old: the antique locket Tali had bought her as a gift during their last shore leave was around her neck. Something new: her lacy underwear, which were really starting to itch. The sooner she was out of them, the better. Something borrowed: Shepard picked up the bouquet of purple flowers that Liara had given her, telling Shepard she needed to return them once safely back on the Normandy. And something blue: Her dress blues, pressed, crisp and ready for any inspection.

She stepped out of the shuttle and watched the other shuttle land. Garrus stepped out first, wearing civilian clothes for once. "No armor at the wedding?" Shepard asked with a laugh.

"Please, Shepard, if I'm marrying you two thanks to an extranet license, I'm damn well going to look good doing it," Garrus said.

Shepard gripped the bouquet tightly as Tali stepped out of the shuttle. Her normal violet scarves and veils were replaced by ones of deep maroon, the color of quarian blood, their color of passion. She had arranged them differently, allowing the fabric to flow around her, a look impractical for fighting, so one Shepard had never seen before.

"You're beautiful," she whispered before she could stop herself.

Tali tilted her head in a way Shepard knew meant embarrassment. She reached out her hand and Shepard took it, bringing it to her lips. Tali's environmental suit covered her hand, but Shepard knew it was the gesture that mattered.

"Bosh'tet," Tali said playfully. "You're going to make yourself cry and ruin your make-up. I can already hear our future babies making fun of us."

Babies. Shepard's breath hitched on the word, thinking of Tali round with child, thinking of herself nine months pregnant. It could happen. They defeated Cerberus. They could defeat the Reapers. They would defeat the Reapers. And then she and Tali could live a life in peace.

"Ladies, I hate to remind you but we're on a schedule," Garrus said, placing his hands behind his back.

"Right," Shepard said, moving so she was standing right next to Tali. Their fingers intertwined.

Garrus took a breath. "Shepard, do you accept Tali as your mate?"

"Yes," Shepard said, squeezing Tali's hand.

"Tali, do you accept Shepard as your mate?"

"Yes."

"Then thanks to power given to me via the extranet, I declare you mates," Garrus said, his mandibles flaring wide in a grin. "Now I heard there's something supposedly about kissing a bride…"

Shepard laughed and simply wrapped her arms around Tali. Instead of returning the embrace, Tali reached up and unsealed her face mask.

"Tali…"

"Just one kiss, Shepard," Tali said, tugging slightly on Shepard's uniform jacket. "Please."

Shepard looked at her mate, her lovely lilac skin with her bright glowing eyes. She carefully placed her hands on either side of Tali's face and gently kissed her. The kiss was shorter than she'd like, but they'd have time for lingering later, in the safety of their cabin.

Once the kiss ended, Tali smiled gently, her lips curving in a way Shepard knew was only for her. And then the mask went back on.

Shepard glanced around one more time, picturing what this land would look like in a few years. With a house, maybe a garden. And their babies, both quarian and human. It was a future worth fighting for. But now it was time to hop back onto the shuttle and head to the Normandy.

"Come on," Shepard said, putting her arm around Tali's thin shoulders, while Tali slipped her arm around Shepard's waist. "We have a galaxy to save."