Chapter 2: Home Sweet Home.
When John woke, He was alone. Not to his surprise of course, He knew Tali needed her suit after a while outside.
Shepard went to the shower. The hot water felt good over the multiple scars scattered all over his body. Bullets, knifes, the Crucible going critical; so many scars. His thoughts went to the Crucible when he destroyed the Reapers. The Crucible exploded, nearly destroying the Citadel and the Mass Relays. When he woke up, he was burnt badly and broken. He couldn't breathe without pain shooting through his body, much less move. He could hear search parties calling his name, but they were so far away. As they were getting farther away, Shepard could feel his blood pouring over his seared flesh. He felt his life, and his hope, leaving his body. Just when he was nearing his end, He heard footsteps approaching. He couldn't see who it was and he didn't know if they saw him. He could only lay there and pray. Then He heard her voice:
"Shepard, I love you and I wish I could have seen you one more time…Keelah se'lai, Ne'Bahnté." Tali's voice broke and John could hear her crying.
'Tali! I'm Here!' Shepard wanted to say but he couldn't utter even a single groan. He could hear Tali turn to walk back to the search party. They were moving away. They were not going to find him unless he did something, fast. He dug deep in his heart and into every fiber of his being and could only force one word from his lips, "TALI!"
The pain shot through every fiber of his being. He felt every broken rib, every blistering burn, every fracture in his skull; but it worked. Tali found him moments later and got the rescue team to him. He passed out after that and didn't wake up for another 7 months. Tali never left his side.
April 11, 2187, Shepard woke up to Tali's hand on his chest. She was sleeping. John smiled and placed his hand on hers. She didn't wake up.
It took another month of physical training and psychological therapy to get John back on his feet. Finally, in early June, John Shepard returned to the NORMANDY hand-in-hand with his Ne'Bahnté, his love, Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy.