It hadn't even been two full days before Shepard was already returning to the ship, he was of course in a wheelchair, at least for the next few days or until he felt good enough to stand on his own. Tali and Garrus along with the rest of the crew were waiting to meet him when he arrived, all of them were happy to have him back but one was just a bit happier than the rest. "Welcome back Commander!" half of them yelled while the others just clapped and smiled excited to see the legendary Commander Shepard alive and well even after everything he's gone through.

"Thank you all, but first before anything I have something to say to all of you," He sat forward in the wheelchair wishing at that moment that he could stand up with them. "I know the media likes to say that I was the one who won the war and that in the history books I'll probably be one of the main people to be mentioned, but that's not right," he paused looking at all of his crew. "I wasn't the one who won the war, it was all of us, all of the different armies, species, and everyone here on this crew," he then looked at Tali and gave her his classic smile that is more like a smirk but whatever.

"Some of you helped me more than others, but you all helped me in some way, and I just so happened to be the lucky one to be put into the position to be able to end the war," he again paused taking a quick breath. "So while everyone else talks about how it was me who won it all, I will always tell the story truthfully, about how the bravest crew out here joined some lunatic on a journey to do a suicide mission in an unwinnable war," that got a laugh out of everyone including Joker who was leaning against the door to the airlock.

"Alright now that I got that out of the way how about we all go somewhere special and celebrate this incredible win," everyone cheered at that as no one really expected the commander to want to go on leave somewhere. "All right then I guess it's settled, Joker find us a nice planet to go take some very well deserved leave on and get us there as quickly as possible," Joker gave Shepard a quick salute before he hobbled his way back towards the bridge, at least until Grunt picked him up and carried him the rest of the way, against his will of course.

"The rest of you better go get everything you need for a well-deserved vacation," he told the rest of them as they all ran off to go and pack their things. "So how long are you planning to make this shore leave exactly?" Garrus asked leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. "Well, I figured since everyone has been working for about three straight months we should at least get two maybe three weeks off at whatever planet we go to," Garrus smiled at Shepard when he finished talking. "Well that's certainly one way to make your crew happy," the Turian then headed towards the elevator to go pack his own things leaving just Tali and Shepard as the remaining two in the airlock. "So why don't we head upstairs and start getting everything ready ourselves?" Tali just nodded and helped wheel him to the elevator ignoring his complaints about how he can move just fine.

"Just be quiet and let me help my boyfriend," this caused him to go silent for the entire elevator ride. 'I'm gonna get her when we get back into the room,' already planning something in his head as they rode up in the elevator. When the slow elevator finally made its way up to the captain's quarters the pair made their way into the room and Tali left Shepard at the top of the stairs as she packed both of their things up not letting him get up to help. However, he had already planned his revenge and was just waiting for the right moment, which came as she was walking by him towards the bathroom to get their things out of there. As she was walking by he waited until she was even with him before he reared his hand back and slapped her on the ass as hard as he knew was safe to do without hurting her in any way.

Tali paused after he got his revenge frozen in both shock and surprise at his sudden slap. "John," was all she could say at the moment as she was still thinking about what she wanted to say, "Yes dear?" he replied using that, 'I have done nothing wrong,' voice. "You had better get a salarian, geth, or human scientists to get working on a cure for us because next time you do that it better be on bare skin," this caught John completely off guard when she said that. "Wha.." Tali however just continued to the bathroom and kept packing everything up leaving her stunned human boyfriend to figure out what she had just said. But, out of the corner of her eye as she was in the bathroom she could see him quickly typing on his Omnitool, 'Oh I wonder whatever he could possibly be sending that message to?' she thought sarcastically.

The next two days were uneventful as everyone waited on the ship to arrive at the destination that Joker had planned for them. He told everyone that the planet had a little bit of everything except people, "It's mostly uninhabited so if you're up for a challenge or get bored just build a house or something,". As they were approaching the planet everyone was gathering up their bags and getting ready to begin their shore leave, that is everyone except two people. "Listen Garrus there's something I want to tell you," he knew he and Garrus were alone as he had brought him up to his room where no one could spy on them or listen in on their conversation.

"You can tell me anything except that you're gay for me, then I'll just punch you in the mouth," Shepard laughed smiling at his best friend, "No I'm definitely not gay and especially not for you,". Garrus gave a look of hurt on his face at Shepard's comments but decided not to say anything more as it seemed Shep' wanted to tell him something actually important. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I'm planning on proposing to Tali while we're here on shore leave," Garrus smiled at the commander, "And you're nervous,". Shepard would never admit to something like that but, yes, hell yes he was nervous. He didn't have a doubt in his mind that she would say yes but there was still that voice in the back of his mind telling him that he wasn't good enough and it wouldn't work out because she's a quarian.

"Hey listen, it's gonna be fine," Garrus put a hand on John's shoulder, "I understand you think that she might say no or something could go wrong, but you're commander fucking Shepard, you faced down a Reaper and won with barely a scratch on you, you asking the girl who worries herself to death over you to marry you shouldn't make you nervous,". Shepard brightened up at his best friend's words of wisdom, "Thank you Garrus, how did I ever find a friend like you,". "Well you didn't I found you," they both got a laugh out of the joke before hearing Joker come over the speakers.

"Commander we'll be landing on the planet in about 30 minutes," "Understood Joker," John then looked at his Turian best friend and slowly stood up from his wheelchair which he had been doing over the last half a day and he was just about back to full strength already. "You know you're gonna be my best man right?" Garrus chuckled at his comment, "Of course who else is gonna take all the other women's attention?" they both laughed again as they made their way toward the elevator ready to rejoin the group and begin their shore leave. "This is gonna be a vacation I remember for a lifetime," Shepard said as the elevator began its decent towards the CIC deck.