Tali turns on her suit's cooling system, as she leans over the top of the SR-2 holding sheets of metal in place, as James welds it back into place. To her left, on the opposite side of the ship, Donnelly does the same for Daniels. "Hold it still," Vega requests, leaning in closer to the sparks.

"You're too close!" Tali warns as the sparks smack against his helmet.

"Shit, shit, shit!" He jumps back letting go of his tool. The sparks stop flying as Tali struggles to hold up the half-welded sheet. James continues his cursing as his gloved hands rub soot across his face. "Damn that stings."

"I warned you." With a loud creak, the metal moves down. It slips from her hands, ripping off the back end of the ship. It takes a bit of the outside wall it was already welded to, down with it. "Bosh'tet!"

"I think that's the perfect sign, that it's time for a break!" Donnelly calls out as he finishes welding his sheet. Daniels slides off the ship, landing steadily on the ground. Donnelly starts in on his bottle of water. Daniels playfully shoves past him before walking over toward Tali. "Heads up!" She calls out, throwing Tali one of her safe drinks.

The quarian catches the can awkwardly between her two larger digits. "Thanks, Gabriella!"

"Anytime admiral." The human engineer gives a half-hearted salute.

Tali cracks open her can. Bringing it to her lips, she freezes as her suit clinks against the metal. Embarrassed, Tali pulls the can away from her. Determined she tries to play it off as if she didn't just forget that she still lives in her suit. "Oh, do you have-"

"A straw?" Gabriella offers, holding one up already.

"You're the best." Tali announces with an unseen grin.

"She's certainly is." Donnelly adds with a grin as he comes up behind Engineer Daniels.

A chorus of groans escapes the other three present. "Alright, alright keep your flirting to private quarters?" James waves Donnelly away grabbing a water bottle for himself.

Casually sipping her drink, Tali watches the three humans joke around. James was the loudest of the three. He wraps his arm around the engineer's shoulders. Donnelly pushes him away with a laugh. Daniels elbows him in his side, a gesture copied by Vega. The three were talking about something, and just like always Donnelly ends up at the butt of their jokes. At least some people are able to have fun. In spite of everything.

Her eyes wander away from the trio slacking off at her feet. Instead they take in all the shades of green, and blue the forest offers. The leaves turn and twist in the wind. All clinging to remain on the branch. Each second they survive a moment of life earned. Another second of them taking the tree's resources. How long can they survive like that? Back home all trees lose their leaves eventually. On Earth there's a handful of trees that retain their leaves all year round. Would these leaves still be fighting for life when winter comes around for this planet?

Would they?

Bird like animals cry out. They catch Tali's thoughts, making off with them as they fly off into the distant sky. "Tali?" Liara's voice pulls her attention back down. "Have you seen Javik?"

"No." Tali slides down the Normandy. She makes sure to avoid the large sharp metal hanging off the edge. One bad move and that could cut through her entire suit. Now that's not a way she would like to go. "I haven't seen him all day. Was he supposed to be helping out with repairs?"

Liara pinches her eyes. "No, but I know he and Vega have been talking a lot lately. So I was hopeful he was out here with you all." She side-eyes James, who promptly looks above him, squinting at the sun with his arms crossed. Whistling a lovely tune to tune her out. Liara leans back and crosses her own arms. Her blue eyes fix onto the side of James' head. "Do you know where he is?"

The whistling stops. "Nope. Haven't seen him." Tali rolls her eyes. Could he be a worse liar?

"I suppose I'll just have to keep searching then." She says through clenched teeth. "Thank you all for your time." Liara begins to walk away. She stops on her heel and turns around. "Why is that hanging-"

"We're fixing it!" Daniels announces as she leaps over and presses the hanging metal back up against the ship. With a nod, Liara gives her thanks and walks away. James shrugs, dejectedly.

"Guess that's all for our break."

"And here I haven't even finished my drink." Tali adds letting her head hang to the side. She sets her drink into the grass, and walks over to the side of the Normandy. Tali taps her fingers against the ship as she thinks about her day. The lights in the main battery have been flickering, she'll have to see what's going wrong with those, finishing these repairs, check the communication systems again for Liara, make sure the ship's exhaust is still working, dust out the engine room, and see what else Adams for her ever growing list. She likes being busy, but being still for so long, was starting to wear her down. Tali misses the stars in a way she never expected to before.

"You alright, Sparks?" Tali jumps as Vega's hand grazes her arms. "Eh! Sorry, was just trying to offer ya a hand."

Tali taps her head against the ship. "I'm fine. Just remembering how perpetually busy I am."

"Do you need more of a break?" James asks, with a frown.

"Yes." She bumps her head against it again. "No." Another bump. "We have to finish this."

"We can wrap this portion up!" Daniels pipes up.

"Hey, don't be throwing more work onto my plate. You want to be out here all night then whatever, but I would like to rest tonight!"

Daniels elbows him. "You weren't planning on sleeping anyways." A blush spreads across Donnelly's face. "And if you still want that plan to work out you better help me finish this up before tonight." The woman offers Tali a soft smile. "Go on, we've got it covered from here."

Wrapping Daniels up in a hug, Tali sighs, "Thank you."

"No problem, just don't forget to clear out the ducts later."

"Of course not." Tali chuckles nervously. She turns around to see James standing still, giving them space. Her jump must've made him nervous. Offering a show of no ill will Tali asks, "Want to walk with me?"

"Where are you walking too?"

"Away from here."

"I'm there."

The stroll starts off easy enough. All the ground around the Normandy was already mostly beaten down. At first everyone was nervous about going outside. Without knowing which planet we were on, it was difficult to predict the dangers. Yet as days passed by there were no predator animals that had come near. If an attack would happen, people expected it to be within the first two months. After that, Liara encoruaged people to go out in pairs. Safety's always a priority after all.

As a result there were walking trails throughout the woods that lead from and back too the ship. James pushes a branch high above them. Drops of green water drip off. They land squarely ontop of Tali's suit. "Shit, sorry!"

She waves him off casually. "It's fine. The cloth is culturally significant. It's not the last defense of my suit. So I'm fine. A little water won't destroy the fabric. It's been through fires with Shepard before, and came out fine."

"That's some sturdy fabric there."

"Yeah." She taps her fingers against her legs. "It has to be."

"Oh that's right." He scratches the back of his head. "Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"I'm quarian, James. I'm used to people forgetting about our immune systems."

"What? Nah, I wasn't talking about that. I remember that. I just meant sorry for bringing up the fact that the geth can't help you out anymore."

"Now I wish you had just been talking about my immune system."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. I've just been trying not to think about home."

"I get you, there's a lot to think about."

"Your world faced massive destruction, mine we had just won back. My people were only just now getting used to the air there, again. I don't like the idea of them sick, and hurting."

"I don't think anyone does. It kind of feels like that's what's keeping everyone down. Wandering what kind of troubles are happening back home."

"I would have thought it was the fight between Joker and Garrus."

"That wasn't a fight Tali, and it wasn't just some cabin fever either." James says, suddenly sounding deadly serious. "It was almost a slaughter."

"Garrus wouldn't do that."

"He needs to learn to get used to hearing what Joker said."

"Shepard's not dead."

"And maybe she's not, but we don't know and I'm willing to bet most of the worlds don't either."

"That's an unsettling thought."

"She's an N7 trained, spectre. Plus not just any spectre, but the first human spectre. She's a record holding, legendary name, and she blew up the alpha relay." James clicks his tongue against his teeth. "There's no way she's surviving and the army is announcing that to the world. Not unless they plan to have her take the fall for all the damage the reapers caused."

"They wouldn't do that! Shepard has been warning them for years."

"I don't think the politicians back home will care about that Tali." He rubs the bottom of his chin. "I'm willing to bet my right hand, that they're already setting Shepard up for the fall. She was on trial when this all began anyways." He smacks his hands under his arm pits. "The real question is if the council will follow suit."

Tali balls up her hands. If Shepard survived she would be branded a criminal all thanks to what? Politics! No. She couldn't let that happen. When they get out of here, she'll have to contact her people. As an admiral, she may be able to pull some weight behind the commander. Their resources would be focused on rebuilding, but maybe their influence could be enough to sway everyone else away from action against Shepard. No. The quarians just got their home back, and none of the council species has ever cared about them before. Even with them having helped won the war nothing may change in that regard.

There has to be a way.

"Do you think we'll ever make it home." Speaking of ways.

"Yes. I believe we will." Tali stretches her arms out above her head. "Do you wish you had been part of a different crew during the war."

"Do you mean for that final fight?"

"No. Maybe. Mostly I mean, do you regret being assigned to guard Shepard?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"No."

"Welcome to the crew."

"Bit late in the game for a welcoming."

With a smile Tali leans her head back, and lets the drops of water fall across her helmet. With closed eyes, she imagines them cold. Trailing down her skin, like they do back in the fleet's showers. Will she be able to feel rain on her skin by the end of her lifetime?

"Why did you join Shepard's crew?"

"I was trying to barter with the Shadow Broker. Actually I was trying to meet him."

"Him! How did that work out for you?"

"Poorly. Instead my messages to him were intercepted. Saren-"

"Oh the turian spectre turned traitor."

"Yes, him. He sent people after me. Shepard came in with a turian and a krogan at her back. The four of us made short work of his little team." Tali rubs her arms, down. Water droplets fall free from the edges of her suit. "That alone told me that she was unique."

"Not many people can get people from those species to work together."

"No one could get the whole galaxy to work together the way she did. So tell me, Vega, what do you plan to do when we get off this planet?" She was pracitcally daring him to throw his own hopes onto the weight of the burden on her shoulders.

"I'm not sure. Go home and check on my people. Take Cortez out so he can learn how to relax finally." He shrugs. "I don't mind waiting." Just like that he shakes the weight off her shoulders. They all want to go home, but Vega, he's not going to waste her time, asking when they will.

She laughs. It's such a freeing feeling, that she can think to do little else. "I'm sure you're the only one."

"We'll get out of here, eventually."

"You sound so positive about that."

"Because we've got you on it. I may not understand the technical lingo you sling around, but I can see that you're brilliant Tali. If anyone is going to get this ship up and moving. It's you."

"Thanks Vega."

They walk back towards the ship. Vega gestures over towards his spot. "Want to help me finish these holes? We can keep talking."

Tali smiles, as James elbows her playfully. "Sure. Anything to keep me from heading back down to clean out the airducts."

Vega lets out a high whistle. "Ooh ooh oh. Can't keep you from those." He teases. Muscles tense as he lifts another metal sheet.

"Yes you can." Tali picks up the safety mask and slips it over his head. "It keeps me from having to pick out all the specks of dust from my suit's filtration system later."

He shrugs, and holds the sheet over the fist size hole. "What's the best way to go about this?"

"On quarian ships we would shave the metal in a corner of the sheet and saved the rest."

"Sounds like a plan, Sparks." James starts to saw the bigger portion off the metal sheet. They get back to work. James saws the larger portion of metal off. He holds the odd angular piece over the hole, lining it up to perfection in his eyes. Tali grabs the sharp end. She holds it steady as he starts saundering again.

The pair of them chat and work. Some of their conversations were continuations from earlier topics. Others switched between jokes, to deep philosophical chats. Tali pulls the extra edge up. He saws it off with ease. They continue on like that, switchign effortlessly between work and casual conversation. It feels as if they had covered a hundred different topics by the time James finished the repair.

"You two seem to be getting along quite well today." Liara chimes in with a frown. They fix their stares on her. She straightens her posture. "Lieutenant Vega, could you give me an update on the progress you and Javik have made with the ouside of the ship?"

"I thought he would have already told ya."

"It seems he's too busy to be found."

On instinct alone, Vega and Tali look at each other. Something was absolutely going on between Liara nad Javik. The prothean doesn't avoid people. If he's dodging Liara then it must be something serious. Tali leans her head to the right. It wouldn't be emabressment, would it? Vega shakes his. His eyes open wider, and he puffs out his cheeks. Anger was a reasonable expectation. She's just doubtful because there's been no shouting. "Quite close indeed." The asari mutters to herself.

"Well it seems you two don't wish to vocalize your thoughts." Liara lets out a huff. "I'll have to keep searching. There's only so many places he can hide." She marches off in a hurry.

Tali raises her hands and calls back out, but Liara rounds the corner without hesitation. Vega pats Tali's shoulder. "Let her go. We're finished here for the night. Want to grab some grub?"

Her stomach growls even as she thinks about the military rations awaiting her on a plate with what little dressing Kaidan has left for dextros. "It's not much."

"Nah it's not much, but I know I just heard your stomach growl." With a casual shove between them the pair head for the kitchen.

Kaidan greets them with a grin. He waves them over, before cheerfully grabbing a plate away from the couple dozen laid out on the coutners, and a second from the shelf above them. Levo, and dextro. He really has it all down to a T.

Taking their plates, the pair thanks him. James leads her towards the table farthest away from the kitchen area. Tali raises an eye, that he can't perceive. Why? The commons area was mostly empty. They could have sat anywhere, even with Donnelly and Daniels who were on the far right side of the table right next to the kitchens. Tali waves a hand at the pair, as she takes her seat. The pair waves back.

Vega leans closer as she sits. "Hey Tali does the lieutenant look alright to you?"

"He hasn't looked well since the crash."

"Maybe Chakwas should examine him."

A shiver crawls down her back. Yes, Kaidan hasn't been looking well, but he was getting weekly checks just like the rest of them. If something was wrong, Chakwas would know. If it was important Liara would be getting involved. "He attends weekly meetings with her. If he needed help, she would know. He's just tired." Even though it's her words, Tali doesn't believe them. Kaidan looked physically unwell. If Vega has noticed as well, then it wasn't just her misconstruing human appearances. Somehow that made her even more concerned. Her stomach twists.

"Maybe." James whispers, clearly not believing her either.

Desperate for a change, Tali racks her brain for a change in subject. Thankfully James was doing the same. "You know I think this is the most we've ever talked." It's a simple topic, but one that could carry their thoughts away from their latent concerns, and her fears.

"I think you're right. I can't imagine why."

"Different circles. You and Garrus were usually the two going on missions with Shepard."

"Ah, well, she does have her little inner circle." Okay maybe this wasn't much better. "She clearly thinks highly of you too. After all you wouldn't have been invited to her apartment otherwise."

"Yeah, that party was pretty fun."

Her mind flashes back to the bright lights. The music a distant memory in her ears. Tired eyes stuck watching the pair of them dancing together. They were all dancing, but her eyes were enraptured with her best friends dancing together. Shepard's hair flew through the air with little friction. It looked so soft then. Tali had stopped herself from reaching out to feel it. Those red, eye catching strands would feel like little more then the arm coverings of her suit. She would never know how soft that hair is, or how Garrus' jaw would feel if she'd trace her hands along it. There's no way for her to touch them.

They already had each other.

"It was fun." She repeats, feeling that same longing she thought she buried away months ago.

She finishes funnel the rest of her food through her suit's filters. Her chewing slows as her fork taps against the empty plates. James was watching, with a sad puppy dog look on his face. Ah, puppy dogs. They had looked so cute in the photos Shepard showed her. James was cute too, but his muscly frame wasn't the one she finds herself fantasizing about. Even now her mind betrays her.

With a cough, Kaidan makes his prescence clear. He offers up his free hand in an apologetic manner. "Tali, I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation but," he holds out a plate. "I saw that you two were done eating, and well, Garrus hasn't been down today." He pulls one of his hands off the plate, still holding it out with the other. Nervously scratching the back of his neck Kaidan asks, "could you take this plate up to him?"

"Garrus didn't come down today?"

"No. I'm sorry for asking, but with Joker sleeping in my room with me, I'm not sure if Garrus would want to hear from me."

"If he's mad at you for any reason, it would be 'cause you threw up that shield of yours and stopped him from killing Joker." James cracks his knuckles. "Which he should be thanking you for."

"James."

"Sorry, I'll butt out."

"Of course I'll take it up to him Kaidan."

"Thank you Tali." Kaidan starts to salute, but stops himself. His warm brown eyes, glance at something behind her. A haunted look passes across his face, before he bows, excuses himself, and flees back to his counter. Looking at the wall behind her, Tali is met with an emotionless grey wall. Nothing there. Why had he looked so scared? Maybe someone does need to say something to Chakwas.

James stares at her with a concern expression. "Is something wrong?"

"Want me to go with?" He holds out his hand, offering to take the plate.

Tali nods, but carries the plate herself. It would be better not to go alone. The brief walk to the stairs is met with nervous glances. There's an uneasiness that permeates the air whenver anyone starts walking too close. An unsettled problem that everyone is waiting for someone else to deal with.

The hall feels cold, and shut off as Tali takes the final step onto Garrus' floor. He's becoming a ghost. The thought comes out of nowhere. It strucks her as rude, and awful. She can't help but agree with the intrusive thought. James is on her heels. She can feel the warmth emenating from him. Cautiously she knocks on the door. "Garrus I have your dinner."

"You can have it Tali. I'm not hungry." Garrus calls out, muffled by the sealed door.

Touched by his concern, she smiles. She knew he still cared. What happened with Joker was just a moment of anger getting the better of him. "You need to keep up your strength Garrus. I'm leaving it here." She gently sets his plate on the floor in front of the door. With one last look at it, she runs her hands down the side of the door. Her heart half expects it to open then. She waits for Garrus to step out, and hug her. For him to admit what all feels wrong and they sit and talk for the rest of the night. The way they used too when Shepard was out on missions. Instead the door remains shut.

Hesitatant, she drags her feet. James waits for her at the top of the stairs. He offers her a hopeful smile, his hands nervously stuffed into his pockets. A cool guy, trying to keep his nerves hidden. Tali's meant dozens of people like him. One of which was hiding away right now. As she approaches, he holds out his arm. She waves it down. "I'm fine." With a nod he pushes himself off the wall.

"Hey Tali," He whispers with a small smile on hsi face. She snaps her head back around to see, Garrus leaning out the door. Risking it, Tali waves at him. Garrus freezes, his talons digging into the plate. Several times his head goes back and forth between her, and the plate. James crosses his arms. Seemingly having decided, Garrus picks up the plate. With his other hand he casually waves back at her. Then turns in a hurry back into Shepard's cabin.

In silence James walks her back down the stairs. Tali holds her arms close to her chest. Their steps echo in the silence as they head back down towards the fourth floor. His arm looked smaller then before. Turians have always had compacted bodies, but it was so thin. Could they even get thinner? How much of a turian is muscle? With humans it's easy to tell, their flesh does little to try their or protect their bodies.

"Hey, you there?" James' hand crosses his vision.

"Oh, yes. Sorry I was thinking."

His head bobs up and down. "Yeah I figured. Hey I'm gonna go, and find Javik. I need to update him on what we got done today. You gonna be good here?"

She nods. This was her domain after all. Few people know as much about the Normandy's engineering deck as she does. Perhaps Donnelly, but that made enjoys climbing through her guts a bit much. Tali adjusts the hood of her suit. It's a minor fix, but it helps her feel put together. No one here could read her facial expressions, and none of the humans have really pick up on the minor ways to read a quarian's emotions by the way their suit looks. The angle of their hoods as a sign if they want to talk or not. None have notice that on days where she's really sad her suit won't be wiped down completely clean.

No one here would notice if her hood was a little to far forward. They won't make an assumption about her emotional state. At least, not based off of that. "Hey Tali." Joker casually greets as she walks by him towards the Normandy's main engine.

Her steps slow as her mind registers the sudden greeting. "Why are you down here Joker?"

"What I'm not allowed to explore the ship?"

Gabriella begins, "You are. You just,"

"Don't." Donnelly finishes.

"Kaidan is being really odd frankly. I keep waking up to him talking to himself." Joker crosses his arms and leans back. "His implant has to be slipping."

"That's not funny, Joker."

Joker rubs a hand along the top of his hat. "Trust me. I know."

"If you're going to hang out down here help out."

"Sure!" Almost too excitedly, Joker stands up and starts hobbling over towards one of the gauges. He taps it a few times before pronouncing that it looks all good.

Daniels moves on to checking the water pipes for leaks. Joker stands behind her, talking loudly about the musty smell. Donnelly, climbs into the Normandy's guts to inspect them. Joker has a story about when he climb through those to get away from the collectors. A tale they've all heard. When Adams starts to talk about what else needs to be checked, Joker interrupts with questions of his own. Whenever any of the engineers asks him to stop touching things he pipes up with 'I'm the pilot', as if that gives him the abilty to superceed their demands. Tali was half ready to throw him out, by the time he started going on about how EDI had taught him all about the Normandy.

"Actually," Tali smacks the front of her helmet as he starts up again. "Why is this clogged?" Tali pauses in her wrenching. She slides out from under the exhaust system to see Joker leaning over the safety railing towards the engine's main system. He struggles reaching the pipe, as Tali stands back up.

She brushes her hands clean. "What do you mean?" She asks getting close to his side.

He gesures towards a pipe with black sludge leaking out of it. "This."

Tali crawls under the railing, and stands under the pipe. "You're right. It's clogged, but not just that." Adams moves over to watch her climb up the wall. She spreads her weight across two of the lower pipes so she doesn't break them. "It's disconnected. Barely, but that's enough for to keep power from reaching the appropriate places." She grabs it and shakes it a little more loose. "Joker hold this." She orders, bending it just a bit. He tries to reach it, but his hands slip. Adams huffs a warning as he goes to lift Joker up, and hold him over the rail. Joker wraps his fingers around the pipe.

"I'm positive this isn't safe."

"If I clean it, I can reattach it. This might be what's keeping us from flying."

"Really?" Jeff asks, sounding shocked.

Tali whistles, and Donnelly runs over with a detachable scrubber. Backing away from the drip area, Tali shoves the scrub in first. Carefully she scrapes away at the gunk. It's tough at first. Whatever was in there, had dried and harden. After a few intense minutes of scrapping and scratching it finally starts to break. Once she was past the dried out walls, the rest of the sludge starts to free fall. Tali's never been so thankful for her system's filter. If Joker's gagging was any sign, the smell was horrid.

Once it's cleaned, Adams lowers Joker back onto his feet. Tali catches the pipe from his hands and pushes it back into place. A soft thrum sounds off as soon as the pipe is back in place. Eagerness and joy erupts in Tali's chest. She crawls back up onto the engineer deck, and starts to run out of the room. As she goes, she tosses a small remark over her shoulder. "Joker you need to get up to the deck! We might be able to fly now!"

Tali runs up the stairs, and back towards Liara's room. Along her way, James calls out. She almost runs by him, but she starts to turn, before ultimately deciding to jump half way. She land in his arms, spinning him with her weight alone.

"Whoa there. Where's the fire at?" His questions sounds as if it's only half serious so she gives him a lighthearted answer.

"No fire! We figured it out!" She leaps out of his arms. He smiles at her with a confused grin. Tali starts racing back towards Liara's door, feeling as if she could leap over the dining tables if she needed too. Of course she side steps them instead.

A flurry of knocks ring from Liara's door. The asari opens it with a, nervous frown. Tali can't wait to clean that expression straight from her face. "Liara!"

That nervous frown, become an look of fright. "Tali! Is something wrong! Did another incident occur?" She grabs Tali's shoulders, looking past her out of fright.

Tali shakes her head, and gently pulls Liara's hands off of her. "No. This is good news!" The women step inside of Liara's room. Waiting for the door to shut, Tali keeps her bouncing on the balls of her feet. After the quiet snp, of the door locking the flood gates of Tali's excitement, open. "We may be able to fly again! Right now!"

Liara shakes her head. "Tali that is quite the claim. Are you sure? Have you all tested the ship?" Then as if a larger concern had been dragged to the forefront of Liara's mind, the asari's eyes grow wider. Quietly she asks, "Have you told anyone else the news?"

"The other engineers and I were working on it. Joker was down there, and I ran into James on the way back up."

"I see." Liara rubs her chin as she glances back to where Glymph would usually hover. "For now, we'll hold some minor trials. No point in announcing anything until we know for certain. Please make sure everything else on the ship is secure enough for travel."

Disappointment drags Tali's smile away. "It would be easier to secure everything if everyone knows too." Tali closes her hands as she realizes, Liara wants this under wraps. "I thought you would be more excited about this Liara."

"I would be if we had the outside of the ship repaired. With the way things are now," her voice drifts off as she picks up a clipboard with several math problems written out on it. "There are times I wished I had taken a few engineering classes."

"I can fix the ship Liara."

"I know."

"Do you?" Tali throws out her hand, using it to express her anger. "Because it seems like you don't believe me."

"Tali I'm not trying to fight with you."

"Then why are you doubting me?"

"I'm not."

"Oh so the quarian who grew up on ships can't figure out how to get your ship up and running again?"

"I never said that Tali!"

"No but you implied it. You can't do everything by yourself Liara!"

"I wouldn't still be trapped here if I was by myself!"

"You can't actually believe that."

Liara lets out a heavy breath as she looks up at the ceiling. No answer leaves her lips. Not even a single breath escapes past her lips. The answer was obvious. Not only does she believe she could do this all alone, but she probably thinks she would already be halfway back to Earth and Shepard's side. Tali punches the door's button with the side of her fist. Of course the great Liara would believe that. Who knows better then the shadow broker? Stomping away, Tali's anger flares as Liara doesn't even try to stop her.

Joker passes her on the stairs, heading up towards the cockpit."Hey where are you going? Don't you want to see the show?"

Tali stops on the steps below him. "Liara will be there, micromanaging everything like she always does." Should she go back to the other engineers? The idea of being surrounded by the ship's inactive parts fills her with dread. What if their fix didn't work? If this is another failed attempt at getting the Normandy up and running would she be able to accept that? Would the crew continue to be paitent? No, she's spent too much time down there. Plus it will be the first place Liara would look for her. No. A need to be away from everything and everyone floods through her body. In a rush, Tali rushes up the stairs past Joker.

"Gee, what crawled through her filtration system." She ignores the human's mutterings, heading for the one place where she wouldn't be judged.

The hall is just as cold as it had been earlier. Taking a deep breath, she walks over to the door. Politely, she raps her knuckles against the cold steel. "Hey Garrus." She paitently waits, but only silence greets her. "I just wanted to let you know that I miss you. Things haven't been the same since you stopped coming out." She twists her hands around each other. "And I wanted to be the first to let you know that we may be flying again soon. Joker is going to test out some repairs we did this afternoon.

Sitting on the floor, Tali braces her back against the door. "Garrus? Didn't you hear me?" Silence. "I thought you would at least be excited about seeing Shepard again."

"I don't think she would be excited to see me."

"What? Of course she will be!"

"Tali I'm, I don't feel like myself."

"Oh." She rubs her arms nervously. "Is it because of your fight with Joker?"

"No. I think this problem started years ago."

"Oh." Tali rubs her knees. "You know Shepard said that once."

No response. Not wanting the silence to creep back in, Tali pushes on. "It was right after she blew up the Alpha relay." Tali gently rests her head against the door. The back of her suit doesn't give. Just having something solid behind her felt comforting, as she closes her eyes. Shepard had been a wreck after the mission. She holed up in her room for a few days, claiming she was studying the colony attacks, to try and perdict the Collectors' next move. They already knew what they would need to do next. Still it was the way Shepard kept herself busy. Distracted. Garrus tried talking to her a few times but after each talk he always ended up right back in the main battery.

Eventually Tali got involved. She felt useless standing back and watching her two closest friends try and work through whatever Shepard was expirencing alone. Now she's not really sure what her motivation had been. Maybe it was guilt, for having not been there. A growing sense of uprootedness getting the better of her. Perhaps it was just her anxiety, whispering lies about how if she didn't help then the two of them may stop talking and so she would lose one of her closest friends. She wrings her hands, as the emotions come back.

It was definitely the last one. Swallowing a stone in her throat, Tali continues. "When I went to visit her, I invited her out. She didn't want to go. Didn't want to open her door. I could hear water running in her bathroom, and I thought, oh no did I disturb her while she was undress." Tali sighs. "But I didn't leave. I just kept pointing out how it would be nice to touch some solid ground, see a planet with it's own star so far away from our homes. No one else around."

Tali lets out a little, nervous chuckle. "Not sure why but that got her to open the door. I remember looking at her, and thinking 'Oh Shepard'. Her face had red tear stains going down it, and her eyes were puffy. Then I saw her hands and they were rubbed raw. She had been scrubbing them, all the way up to her shoulders. Just wiping again and again at them with a rag.

Every beat of silence adds another brick to the wall of tension building between them. Her heart beats faster, drumming away to this sorrowful song.

If she doesn't speak now, will they ever talk again?

Scared, and unsure of what to say, Tali confesses the one guilt she's been hiding from everyone. "I think I killed Legion!"

"What?"

"I wasn't able to stop my people from going back to war with the geth. I'm not sure if I did everything I could have, to stop them."

"Your people have been at war with them for ages."

"Yeah, but when Legion was taken I just waited for someone to save them."

"Tali, you wouldn't have been able to stand up to a reaper by yourself."

"No, but if I had brought our little alliance to the open, maybe then my people would have realized that the geth didn't want to continue the war. Maybe they wouldn't have turned to the reapers. Maybe,"

"Maybe Legion would still be here."

The door slides open. Tali scurries to stand up. She bits her tongue as panic ignites in her chest. Garrus was a mess. His armor was entirely discarded. Instead waht he wears his Shepard's old N7 jacket, barely zipped up halfway. It's long sleeves stop midway between his wrists and elbows. It's baggyness almost covers up how much weight he's lost. She could see it through the part of his upper chest the jacket wasn't zipped up over. Turians were mostly muscle. The fact that his chest was much smaller then before, was a sign of extreme starvation and dehydration.

Tali was at a lost for words. She reaches out to him, considering hugging him, but stops when she notices the blue blood leaking out of a wound on his hands. "What happened?" Her voice cracks as she pulls his hand down from the doorpane. Blue turian blood, squirts out form a cut on the side of longest talon.

"I was picking up a mess. There's no more bandages in here." His voice grows softer, as if he wasn't all that confidant in his words. Tali squeezes his talon. The spurting blood slow as Garrus sharply intakes air.

"That hurt?" She looks up to see him turn his head away. "Garrus what-" her words hitch in her throat as Tali's eyes finally notice the dried up scars on his hands. "We have to go see Chakwas."

"I was kind of hoping you would." He rubs the back of his head with his other hand. "You know, for the bandages." He shrugs maddenly casual with his uninjured shoulder. Tali gently pinches the bleeding flesh just under his talon a little harder. "Ouch."

"We're going." Her stomach churns as her eyes flicker back towards the dried up scars.

"Okay."

"How long has it been bleeding?"

"Well I was cleaning up the mess before you arrived. The glass embedded itself into my flesh pretty soon after." Garrus pulls his talon free. Pinching it with his other hand Garrus looks the cut over. "It bled a little bit then, but the squirting didn't start until I pulled the glass out. Which was around the time you came to deliver the news."

"You've been bleeding this whole time!"

"I was going to clean the door while you got the bandages but," His mandibles flare a little. "Hopefully the door won't be stained by the time we get back." Tali shakes her head furiously. The idoicy of this man! How could he just think that that's okay! Even turians must have some sense of self preservation. Oh who is she kidding. A whole civilization where every single person is taught to die for the continuation of their species, of course they don't.

"I can't believe you." She mutters as she guides him down the stairs by his hand. There were a few crewmates still lingering in the hall, by the kitchen. The late eaters who preffered the quiet night life. Most of them were the third shift crew who still had some sense of responsibility or patterns keeping them awake even without work to do. That lack of clutter in their life, gives them all plenty of time to stare at Garrus. She meets their gazes with a glare. They can't see it, but that doesn't stop her from staring them down. Garrus' own head hangs down as he holds his cut. A few heads turn away. However a handful of brave souls continue to stare, uncaring of Garrus' feelings compared to their need to sate their own curiosity.

They were in front of the medbay when the ship lifts. It shakes about, throwing Tali against Garrus' arm. She lets him go, as he crouches down to try and balance himself. Blue blood spurts across his uncovered chest. He holds his talon closer. Tali notices how careful he is to not let any of the blood land on Shepard's clothes. She leans against the medbay door. It takes time to steady herself against it. When she finally regains herself the shaking stops.

An loud ping echoes throughout the ship. "Good news all! We can float. Heads up, we'll be testing full on flight capabilties later tonight. If that didn't make you lose your lunch the next test will."

Garrus shakes his head, chuckling at that. "I guess your fix worked."

"Liara probably won't see it that way."

"Tali," She waves him quiet.

"I don't want to talk about it right now Garrus. The door opens with a quiet shushing sound. That is not correct. Tali cocks her head back to look at the door panel above her head.

"Tali? Garrus? To what do I owe the pleasure?" Chakwas asks, standing still with an upopen bottle of wine in her hands. She was a few feet between her desk, heading for the door. Clearly she was about to join the cheers of people outside. Stopped dead in her tracks by the pair. Garrus stares up at the ceiling as Tali holds up his bleeding talon. Chakwas smilies pitifully at them. "Come inside. I think I still have some bandages."

She sits Garrus in her extra chair. Opening the drawer by her knee, Chakwas pulls out a large bandage roll. Tali follows her hand as it gestures towards some disinfectant. The quarian rushes over towards the sink, grabbing the bottle. Speedwalking across the short distance, Tali holds the bottle out a little awkwardly. Chakwas continues to pinch the bottom of Garrus' talon as she takes the bottle away from Tali. Using her teeth, the doctor unscrews the bottle in her mouth. She holds the cap there, as she pours the disinfectant over Garrus' talon. He hisses in pain. "Care to tell me how the cuts on your hand happened."

"There was a mess."

"What kind of mess?" She asks casually as she passes the bottle back to Tali.

"A glass mess."

"Glass is what cut your talon?" She wipes the blood away with a grey washcloth that was hanging off the shelf above her.

"Yes." Tali quietly places the bottle back where it came from.

Chakwas gestures with her chin towards an alcoholic wipe. Tali passes it over. "Was it the same glass that cut whole palm of your hand?" The doctor throws the washcloth back onto her counter. Blue stains now settling into the grey fabric.

"It was a large shard of it."

With careful force, Chakwas holds up his palm. She carefully scrubs away at the dry blood, as she points at the large scars on his palms with her pinky finger. "This wound isn't fresh like the cut on your finger. How long ago did it happen?"

"A few days."

That earned him a raised eyebrow. "You've been cleaning the same mess for a few days?" Has he even been taking care of himself? No. Tali already knew that he hadn't. Anxiously she bites her lip. Garrus' head hangs even lower now.

"I wanted to wait until the wound was healed a bit first."

"Uh huh." Chakwas spins around in her chair throwing the bloody, alcoholic wipe in the chemical waste bin. "Let me be frank with you officer Vakarian."

"I'm not-"

"You should have seen me days ago about that first cut. The fact that you haven't, coupled with the knowledge that you've been hiding in Shepard's cabin ever since your fight with Joker, well I have more then a few concerns." She whirls around in her chair again. "Tali I think you should go. There's a few words I need to have with him."

"Oh, uh, I'll just go. Then." Tali walks away.

She freezes in the door way for a moment. Garrus hangs his head. In the chair across from Chakwas. The doctor gives her a friendly wave goodbye. Neither even attempts to stop her. With a heavy heart, and a guilty concious, Tali steps out.

Her exit is met with cheers. A crowd had formed in the dining area. Everyone was clapping, and cheering. A few ere even jumping for joy. It almost feels overwhelming as she takes in the sight of them all. Almost every single person on the ship was there, huddling together. A few were crying tears of joy, while others let out loud whoops of joy!

Hands surround her. Tali quickly finds herself pulled into the center of the celebrations. Adams holds her steady, as she's shoved towards the other engineers. Gabriella hugs her as the hip hip hoorays begin. Donnelly wraps his arms around the other three engineers' shoulders, holding them all together. Tali lets out smiles as they all jump and cheer together. There was a new kind of energy in the air. All the doom and gloom is now cast aside, as they accept a real chance of them all going home.

A door opens and all the excitement runs cold. Tali looks around, spying Liara stepping out of her room. Everyone waits stalk still for her announcement. With a serious expression, Liara walks over towards the crowd. Quietly she looks over the crowd. Carefully meeting everyone's eyes before clearing her throat. "I'm sure you all heard Joker's announcement. It's true we have flying capabilities again." A sharp cheer erupts from the crowd. It's silenced by a simple hand raise from Liara. "However the longer test that Joker had planned for this afternoon can not take place. There are too many holes in the hull for us to truly test the Normandy."

The cheeriness of the crowd dies, as nervous whispers erupt. "So as of this moment all personnel not working on vital operations and maintenance must now help repair the outside of the ship."

Silence overtakes the room. Time slows to a crawl as the news is processed.

Behind Tali, someone dares to break the quiet. "So that means we're almost home right?"

"It means we can start heading back. There's still some repairs that need to be made to the engines so we can gain full speed." She smiles at Tali, "But I'm sure our engineers will get us back soon to full power soon. After all, there's no one I trust more."

Beaming with pride, Tali smiles back at Liara. For a moment all felt right in the universe. The ship could fly. They were on their way off of this planet, and while there's no guarantee that the relays will still be working. In fact she was willing to bet an entire fourth of the quarian fleet against them right now. Still being able to move was better then being stationary. Finally she'll be able to see the stars again.

"We're all going home." With unfiltered joy, Tali watches the Normandy crew celebrate. She's so caught up in the festivities that she's completely forgotten about the med-bay altogether. They're all going home!

Apparently, I like doubling the word count for this story. XD

As always all reviews are appreciated. We'll be back to Grunt and Shepard in the next chapter.