So they headed to the Far Rim of the galaxy, boarding the main fleet ship. Annie couldn't help but feel a little nervous about all of this, especially as they were welcomed aboard. Tali had been marked as Tali vas Normandy, apparently a shameful name since it related her to a human ship. On top of that, because Annie was her captain she was to speak on Tali's behalf. But that was the least of their problems.

"We are here, Tali Zor'ah vas Normandy, to discuss your treason against the fleet by sending active geth parts back during your travels." The head of the council announced to the two women and the audience of quarians.

"They were deactivated!" Tali snapped but the Council seemed quick to ignore her.

"You sent active geth parts to your father and now he and his ship have gone silent. We have been unable to reach him for two days now and-"

"What!" Tali squeaked as Annie found herself getting angry.

"You mean to tell us that her father had been missing this entire time and you wish to waste it talk rather than finding if he's alright?" Annie hissed at the Council towering over them.

"Captain, we understand that you are new to our customs but this is how we must proceed." Annie shook her head, images of her past running through her head. If she had had a chance to save Tali's father, to get to him before they did, then she would ignore any protocol they had in place, human or quarian.

"No, we're going to find Tali's father. And when we do we'll come back with proof that Tali is innocent." They were big words, and seemed to make Tali uneasy as they stepped from the ship to a shuttle that would drift them towards the dark ship of Tali's father. But Annie couldn't help herself; she couldn't just let them tell Tali she was grounded. She deserved better than that, especially if there was a chance of saving her father.

Unfortunately, as they got aboard they realized what had happened. Tali had delivered the parts to her father completely deactivated, but her father was the one that was reactivating them. He was attempting to reprogram a geth, to try and get some sort of leg up in this war between them. But in the process they had given off a signal that alerted the geth to their threat. The synthetics had boarded the ship, killing the scientists onboard…including Tali's father.

"No!" Tali shouted, falling over the man's body before quickly turning to his omni-tool. "No, he's not dead. There was always something, always a backup life support system setup. He wouldn't just die…he wouldn't just leave me," Annie bent down, resting her hand on Tali's shoulder as the quarian turned to hug her. Tears filled Annie's eyes at she tried to soothe Tali's trembling. As a child Annie never had much time to mourn for her family. She was forbidden to cry with Mira, forcing her to become numb to the pain and realization that her family was no more. Even when she was freed it was still hard to understand it, to understand anyone's loss. But watching as Tali's body fell against hers, shaking in sorrow, Annie found it difficult to keep herself from collapsing in front of her.

Suddenly, there came a beep from the body as Tali's father's omni-tool lit up to show a holographic recording. Tali…if you are listening to this, then I am dead. I never wanted for this to happen but we tried to play God and we failed. I'm sorry. But you have to get to the main server, cut off the program to keep the fleet safe. I love you, Tali, and I'm so very proud of you. There was a bang in the background as the holograph was suddenly cut off. Tali sniffled, looking at his body before clenching her fist.

"Come on," she said firmly, running the group to the server of the ship. They deactivated the signal and killed the remaining geth before returning to the main ship. The Council was waiting but Tali pulled Shepard to the side with a nervous look. "Annie," she said, "what my father did…" her voice started to quiver as Garrus reached up and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She glanced towards him, seeming to smile before turning back and clearing her throat. "What he did…I can't tell the Council. He doesn't deserve to be remembered that way."

"But…what else are we to tell them? It's all we have for you case."

"You'll find a way, captain," Garrus smiled, "you always do." Annie smirked and nodded, the group being lead into the main room again as the Council asked the group what they found. Annie glanced nervously at Tali before turning back with a sigh.

"It doesn't matter what we found on that ship," she started, getting a surprised gasp from the crowd. "Tali has proved her loyalty to her people time and time again. She risked her life during her pilgrimage to provide essential information that allowed us to go after Saren. She helped me save the Citadel from a Reaper attack and then returned with vital information on the geth. This woman has done nothing more than put her people first."

"Her loyalty was never in question, captain," one of the Council members stated. "Simply her morals." Annie bowed her head, shaking it as she looked up at them again.

"Her morals are for the betterment of her people. Every day she risks her life for the fleet. Our mission requires going through the Omega 4 relay. It's suicide but I've never seen her once falter in her actions. She should be proud to be called Tali vas Normandy with how smoothly the ship runs with her aboard. She is a warrior as well as a friend and if you care for her as I do…as my whole crew does…then you should have no need to question her morals." There was a pause as Annie finished her speech, feeling Tali grip her forearm nervously. The Council turned to one another, whispering some before glancing back as the head Ambassador cleared her throat.

"The Council hear by drops all charges towards Tali Zor'ah vas Normandy," Annie gave a sigh of relief as the crowd gave a surprised applause. Tali turned, embracing Garrus in the excitement as Annie smirked, the room quick to disperse. Slowly the pair pulled away, glancing through one another's breathing masks, seeming to forget about the world around them.

"I can show you guys some private places on the Normandy if you want," Annie remarked obnoxiously, startling the two as they jumped away. They were quiet on the walk back to the Normandy, but Annie could swear she saw them holding hands out of the corner of her eye.

But when they returned and Annie made her way back up to her quarters she found she wasn't able to shake her feelings about Tali's father. The girl had been so broken about his death, but also seemed to grow stronger by his last words. Annie wondered if Liara had done that for her as well as when her mother, Benezia had died. She wouldn't say she was jealous of the two, she simply realized how little she had coped with her own family's death.

"EDI?" Annie called, flopping onto the bed on her back as she looked through the skylight in her room.

Yes, Commander?

"Shepard," Annie corrected with a small sigh, "could I talk to you…off the record?"

Certainly, though if you are looking for a therapist's response I might recommend calling up Kelly. Annie smirked, shaking her head as she watched the stars drift by.

"I'm not really sure I'm looking for a therapist's input. I just…I just want someone to listen. You know?"

I do, it's written into my programming. Annie smirked at her bluntness before giving a small sigh. Did she really want to dive into this? Wouldn't it be easier to just ignore it like she had for so many years? The commander gripped the amulet of her necklace, warming the oozing material in her palm.

"I feel like I've missed something. When my parents were killed…I never had the ability to mourn for them. My brothers and father had always raised me to be tough and strong and so during my capture I tried to keep to that but after everything that happened I just sort of felt…numb. And now that I'm free from all of that I feel like I should be able to react differently. I feel like I should be able to mourn their deaths but I still consider it as just an event that happened, like they were nothing but strangers to me. Half the time I feel like all I know is anger and sarcasm."

What about Liara?

"All right, and lust too," Annie smirked, resting her forearm across her forehead as her eyes closed lightly.

No, I do not mean lust. Though that is apparent at times too. I mean love. I can see it in how your body temperature rises whenever you two speak, this entry got a particularly strong reaction: "Goddess, I love them." Annie opened her eyes at the recording of Liara's voice, sitting up.

"You record our conversations?" She hissed.

I record everyone's conversations, it's required by my programming. Fortunately, no one programmed what I was supposed to do with them so no one else knows. But however it is that you humans describe love, I believe you have it with Liara. Not just for Liara but your whole crew. You respect and care for them as they respect and care for you, like a family would. Annie felt a sudden rush of tears appearing in her eyes as she blinked, one slipping out of the corner and down her temple as she gave a small chuckle.

"You think so?"

As an AI I do not give my input without well-tested evidence. So yes, Shepard I think so.

"Thank you," Annie sighed, letting her eyes close again with a small smile. "But if I find you recording another one of our conversations I will tear you out of this ship with my own two hands."

Understood, Shepard.

"Oh and EDI? I hope you know you're one of those people. Part of the family." There was a pause and for a moment Annie thought she had actually been speaking to no one but herself.

Joker wishes to know where our next destination is, Annie Shepard. Annie laughed, sitting up and wiping at the few tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Just Shepard, EDI. When we save the galaxy I'll consider upgrading you to Annie."

I'll look forward to it.