"Hey Doctor Chakwas, how are you doing?" I asked.
"Good. I'm sorry if I was unprofessional. I didn't know I needed to talk to someone that much." Doctor Chakwas said.
"It's okay. Are you hung over?" I asked.
"A little." Doctor Chakwas admitted.
"I've never had a hangover in my live, actually. I even tried getting as drunk as possible to see what a hangover felt like." I smiled at the memory.
"What happened?" Doctor Chakwas asked.
"I wasted some money, got drunk, and my liver probably died." I said. "I got some work to do. Talk to you later?"
"Hopefully." Doctor Chakwas smiled.
"Got drunk enough with the Doctor last night?" Joker asked.
"Why? Was it noticeable?" I asked, going down the elevator to see Tali.
"Does the phrase 'My name is Donut, I drive the ladies nuts' ring a bell?" Joker asked.
"That is a proven fact." I laughed, leaving the elevator. I decided to see Jack, and I stood there for a minute, both of us looking at each other, Jack over her shoulder and me leaning on the wall, arms crossed.
"I'm not saying sorry." Jack said.
"Didn't expect you to." I said.
"Why do you keep coming down here?" Jack asked. "You got the cheerleader."
"I-" I began.
"You must want something. Everyone is out for something. I've been used too many times to think you're different." Jack said, standing up and pointing at me.
"What do you think I want?" I asked.
"I don't know!" Jack yelled. "Why don't you tell me?"
"I can't tell you because I don't want anything. I like you as a person, as a friend." I said.
"I'm not your friend! I don't have friends!" Jack yelled.
"What am I then? An acquaintance?" I asked, then dodged a vicious punch that would've destroyed my skull.
"You're an asshole that won't leave me alone!" Jack yelled, kicking me in the side. I grabbed her leg and was going to say something, but she brought her other leg up, hitting the side of my face. Both of us on the ground, she jumped on me and began to hit me, but only succeeded in giving me a nosebleed before I grabbed both of her hands and got on top of her.
"Calm down!" I said, holding her arms above her. Jack was taking deep breaths, very angry, but soon started crying, making her make-up flow down her face. I helped her up and sat by her on the bed, comforting her.
"I-I... I don't...I just feel so bad. This guy died for me like a f*cking idiot, just to save me." Jack sobbed.
"He wasn't an idiot. I'd give my life to save you." I said. Jack looked up at me, her eyes darting around, looking me over.
"You're serious. You're serious, you f*cking idiot. Why would you die to save me?" Jack asked.
"Because, you're my..." I began. "Are you my friend?"
"I dunno, Shepard." Jack said, burying her face in my chest. "I just don't know."
"Do you hate me?" I asked.
"Less than other people." Jack said.
"And I like you, so that makes us friends." I smiled. Jack started to fall asleep, so I eased her down into her bed. I kissed her on the head, and said "Goodnight Jack." Jack drowsily mumbled something along the lines of 'f*ck you, Shepard.'
"What was all that noise?" Gabby asked.
"Nothing." I said.
"Why is your nose bleeding and there are smears on your shirt?" Donnelly asked.
"No reason." I said. "Hey Tali."
"What happened down there Shepard?" Tali asked.
"Nothing, nothing at all." I said.
"We heard metal being hit with a tremendous force, shuffling, crying, and then you come up with make-up smears on your shirt and a bloody nose." Tali said. "What did you do with Jack?"
"Don't get perverted Tali." I sighed. "I want to talk about you, not about what I may or may not have done with Jack."
"Why do you want to talk about me?" Tali asked, walking towards the freaky blue fog engine.
"I want to see if you're still my friend or not." I said.
"Why do you care?" Tali asked.
"Because, I like you. We went through hell together, and became friends. Don't tell me that at least one part of you likes our friendship." I said.
"Part of me likes our friendship, but a bigger part of me wants to like you more than that." Tali said.
"Part of me does too, but you can't get out of your suit, and-" I said, trying to be gentle and failing.
"You don't want to date me because of my suit?!" Tali yelled.
"No, it-it-it...shit." I said, and Tali pushed me. "If I didn't like you, why would I have gone through so much for you, with you? I cleared your name and saved the galaxy with you."
"But you don't want to date me because of my suit?" Tali asked.
"No, that came out wrong. I don't want to hurt you. It nearly kills me to do this to you, it breaks my heart to break yours." I said. "No damn suit could stop me from loving you, but I never really thought that way about you because it would hurt you."
"Forget the damn suit, forget the dangers then. Who would you rather be with?" Tali asked. "Think about that, and the next time you see either Miranda, Jack, or whoever you chose, tell us. The ship is small, though, so you can't lie about it."
"Okay." I said. "See you Tali." I went back to my Cabin, to clean up. The stains wouldn't come out, so I threw it out. I took a shower, the whole time wondering who I really wanted to be with. All of the girls like me, as far as I knew. Jack was tough and not very girly, which I liked. Ashley wasn't girly either. I had been through hell and high-water with Tali, and I knew her most. Miranda had looks and my previous love for her. It would be a very tough decision. I went to my private terminal, and, of course, there was a message from Miranda asking me what the hell was going on. I also had a message from Ashley saying she was sorry for what she had said, saying she couldn't lose me again.
"Damn it Ashley." I said, leaning back in the chair. "Why the hell not tell me that before I go head over heels for others?"