Still Breathing

Chapter 4

Joker was right, it had indeed taken the Normandy about a week of space flight to make it back to the Sol system. They touched down in a makeshift spaceport outside of London. Tali's head was absolutely awash with emotions. She was at the same time excited for any news on Shepard and gut wrenchingly terrified of what she might find. But she had to know, and she told herself this repeatedly as she made her way down the docking ramp and into the main area of the port.

As they checked into customs Tali looked at the city around her. It seemed like a nightmare. Rubble littered every corner of her vision, most of it appearing as though it had been cleared from somewhere else, but no one could find space to dispose of it all. As far as she could see, not a single building was left without damage, and very few were entirely intact. Most people walking around the port looked like refugees and there was a general sense of confusion as lines formed behind information kiosks to find news about loved ones and friends. Garrus strode up next to her and said "Vega and I are going to head to the kiosks to see if we can find anything. Liara said she was going to try and find one of her contacts". Tali nervously nodded to him. She wasn't quite sure what she should do. Everything looked like one big mess to her. Then she noticed her omni-tool alerting her to a new message. She opened it up and found it contained only one line of text: an address and a room number.

"What is it?" asked Garrus.

"I… don't know, there's no sender name. It's just this address" she answered.

"Hmm, well that's a bit… suspicious" the Turian said thoughfully. "My instincts smell a trap, but I don't think anyone even knows we're alive".

Tali opened up a map of the area and found that the address was a building in a refugee area inside London. "it looks like the area is heavily populated" she said. "I'll go check it out while you and James check the kiosks".

"Hmm, alright. But keep you short range comms online and call for help if you need backup" Replied Garrus. The Quarian nodded and went to hire a transport.

While Tali rode through the air in the sky car she got a better glimpse of the ruined city. From her new vantage point she could see clearly the crumpled form of the citadel lying in the middle of London and her heart sank. It was hard to fathom anyone on board the wrecked station could have gotten out alive and she started to feel that familiar sorrow building up in her chest. She almost considered asking the driver to turn around as emotions took over in her head, but by then they had almost arrived at their destination. As the cab touched down she apathetically payed the driver and he set off to find another passenger.

Tali stared up at the building before her. It was one of the few structures in the area that was still mostly intact, with only a few big chunks missing out of the bricks and several broken windows on the side. She noticed someone being carried on a stretcher through the front doors. 'A hospital?' she thought. Her mind began to race. Could Shepard be in there? Was he okay? Was he in its morgue, or a bed? A thousand possibilities of what lie ahead rushed through her mind as she slowly made her way through the door way and checked her omni-tool to find the correct room.

Tali made her way up several flights of stairs before stepping out into a busy hallway. It was very clear now that this was indeed in a hospital, with patients being pushed in wheelchairs and hobbling along with IV stands rolling beside them. Outside of several doorways stood doctors flipping through clipboards and jotting down notes. As she walked down the hall towards the room number she needed to find, surprise flashed across her face when she recognized a familiar figure leaning against the wall of the hallway.

"Wrex?" Tali gaped. He was the last face she expected to see in a hospital designed for humans.

Wrex turned to meet her stare and let out a bellowing laugh. "Well I'll be damned" he nearly shouted. As he grinned the Krogan thumbed towards the room to his right "He's gonna be happy to see you I think".

"H…he…?" Tali stammered out. 'It couldn't be' she thought. She started to sweat as she walked forward, completely unprepared for what she might find. Then, as she crossed the threshold into the room she beheld one of the most wonderful sights she had ever seen and made a sharp gasp.

"Shepard!" she exclaimed breathlessly. To anyone else, his body would have been cause for concern. Shepards's face and arms were covered in bruises, stitched up gashes could be seen in several places, and along his neck and shoulder were several burn marks where skin had been seared away. But to Tali, who had up until now guessed that he was dead, his current condition was a welcome sight. He looked up at her with a smile accompanied by astonishment. "Tali…" he uttered in disbelief. The Quarian rushed over to his bedside, threw herself into a loving hug and let out a mixture between a laugh and a sob as tears began to well up in her eyes. Shepard groaned involuntarily as her weight pressed down on his chest.

Tali jumped back at the sound. "Ah, Sorry!" she apologized and settled for taking his hand into hers and squeezing gently. "Shepard, I thought… I thought…" she struggled to get the words out through small sobs.

"Yeah, so did I" he said with a soft smile and squeezed right back.

"Keelah Shepard" she said as she rested her visor against his hand. "Don't ever do that to me again".

"I know, I'm sorry. C'mere" he apologized as he lifted his arm to bring her into a hug. "Gently" he added. "My ribs are still healing". Tali gave a soft laugh in between teary sniffles and slid in to embrace him, resting her head on his shoulder and letting out a soft sigh.

After a few moments Tali shifted to rest her visor against his for head. "Shepard, when you put me onto the Normandy and rushed off…" she said quietly. "I thought I was never going to see you again".

"I know" he responded at equal volume. "I thought it was a one way trip too".

"I'm glad it wasn't" Tali whispered.

They heard a laugh come from the doorway and realized Wrex was leaning against the frame. "Heh, yeah. Leave it to this pyjak to save the galaxy three times and live to tell about it" he remarked grinning. It was the outside presence of their friend that suddenly reminded Tali of the massage on her omni-tool.

"Wrex, are you the one who sent this to me?" she asked abruptly as she brought up the address and room number on her holographic display. Wrex shook his head. "Nah, not me. I hate using those things" he answered. "Didn't even know where you were until now".

"What is it?" Shepard inquired, leaning in to see the message.

"It was how I found you. Someone sent me the location of this room as soon as we touched down in the port" she informed him.

"That's strange, no sender" Shepard pointed out.

"I know, but… I guess it doesn't matter now" she said.

Wrex shrugged. "If they sent it to you they must be friendly" He remarked. "Or at least not wanna kill you". The two of them nodded in agreement.

"I guess you're right" accepted Tali.

"So who made it back with you on the Normandy?" Shepard asked. "Is everyone okay?".

Tali nodded again "pretty much everyone made it through the crash alright. Garrus, Liara, James, Joker" She listed.

Shepard sighed in relief, then raised an eyebrow. "The crash?" he inquired.

"It's a long story" Tali replied, she then opened up her omni-tool to swipe her fingers across the holographic display. "I suppose the others will be wanting to know you're okay" she said and began sending messages to the crew members, informing them of the good news.

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Aria T'Loak sat with her legs crossed on a long, black leather couch with a data pad in her had. A female Turian approached her as she looked up from behind the screen.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

"It looks like Tali'Zorah was able to find him with the address you gave" she answered.

"Good, now Shepard can't say I owe him anything. Everyone's back to being one big happy family" she said with feigned disinterest.

"I don't get it. What's the good of a favor he doesn't know you gave him" The Turian asked.

"You have a lot to learn Nyreen" said Aria haughtily. "I never show my hand if I don't have to. And I can keep this card tucked away until I need it".

Nyreen frowned slightly. "I would have thought you'd done him enough favors, lending him your little army for the war" She said.

"Yes, well. A few extra points here and there can't hurt" the Asari stated coolly. "Besides, it's not as if it took much effort on my part".

"If you say so Aria" the Turian smirked as she turned to leave. She suspected that a certain Council Spectre had rubbed off a little good will on the crime lord during their last meeting…