I Do Not Own Mass Effect Or any of its Characters

Chapter Sixteen: Where Good Intentions Lie

After spending most of the previous night at the bar Garrus's head was pounding. He sipped on some medication to help with his light hangover and rested his head on the table. After a short while he was joined by Kasumi.

"How you holding up?" She asked, taking a seat next to him. Garrus shook his head and replied.

"I'm good. Just feels like someone's pulling at the back of my skull plate." Kasumi tilted her head to the side a little.

"um, ouch…" Garrus nodded his head and explained.

"A very delicate place." Kasumi offered a sheepish smile and rubbed Garrus's shoulder.

"Have you tried yoga? It helps." Garrus looked up and thought for a second. That was a human exercise or something like that.

"Sorry, never tried it." Kasumi looked him over and stood. She stretched her arms before heading for the exit.

"If you want you can join me, I can show some of the basics. Just wear something loose." Garrus considered her offer. It was better than just sitting around waiting for this headache to go away.

"Aw, what the hell." Garrus grumbled before standing and following after Kasumi.

Wayne checked in with Dr. Chakwas to pick up some medication for Tali before heading back to her quarters in engineering. She was sitting up with her back against the wall. Tali coughed twice and commanded in a nasally voice.

"Medicine! Cough syrup! Now!" Wayne bent his head as tried to restrain his laughter. He made his way to Tali, sat next to her and grabbed her blanket draping it over her shoulders. Tali gave Shepard a quick hug before wrapping it around the both of them.

"Cuddle time over Medicine time now!" Tali ordered. Shepard handed Tali the tube of meds and was taken back at how ferocious Tali grew as she scrambled to attach it to her mask's injection port. Tali downed the entire tube in one long slurp that ended with her leaning back against the back of the wall.

"Okay, continue the cuddling." She purred. Wayne backed up to sit next with Tali, wrapping his arm around her. Tali readjusted the blanket around them and rested one of her hands on his knee cap.

"We never finished our conversation." Tali mused. Shepard cracked his neck and asked.

"which one?" Tali traced her fingers around his knee, nervous to continue. Clearing her throat Tali answered quietly.

"the one we were having about how we grew up." Shepard offered her a light smile as he held her hand. She looked up into his dark eyes and asked innocently.

"I was just wondering what your parents were like?" Shepard looked upward to the ceiling, trying to think of a good enough answer.

"Hmm, the best way to put it…old fashioned. Sort of like Lara I suppose." Tali's head tilted to one side asked with curiosity oozing off of every word.

"Really, how so?" Shepard again thought of how to better word this. There was a brief silence before he continued.

"They were stuck in time, real turn of the century Earth born types. Ma and Pa didn't appreciate the way our world was going, that was why they settled on Mindoir…it reminded them of how they were raised." Tali gave a light smile sat forward and asked.

"How about Lara, how did you meet her?" Shepard clasped his hands together, and answered automatically.

"Well, you know she took me in…Lara was a friend of our family ever since the beginning. When my parents first relocated to Mindoir she helped them to settle in. When me and my sis were born she would babysit us, take us camping when we were older…she was like a second mother to us." Satisfied with the answer Tali smiled. After a while of cuddling a mischievous look crossed her face and she asked sweetly.

"Was there ever a girlfriend?" Shepard jumped a little at the sudden question. He coughed once and repeated the question to Tali. She smirked at his reaction and replied.

"There had to have been at least a couple." Shepard just shook his head and solemnly said no. Tali merely looked him over and shrugged.

"Really?" Shepard offered a smile but it was empty. Tali had learned that often times when Wayne would smile he wasn't really smiling. It was like he was wearing somebody else's face, not his own. It was painful for Tali whenever he smiled like that. Looking to him now Tali wondered if this was a lie? Tali went against her better judgment and pushed the question.

"Not a single one?" She asked playfully. Wayne smiled again and patted Tali's head.

"I think the medication is kicking in…you're acting more like yourself." With that Shepard stood and made for the exit. Before he could leave Tali called out with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"What does that mean?" Shepard turned and winked as his only answer leaving Tali to think over what they just spoke about.

Tarak sat alone in the cargo bay. Jentha's favorite part of their cruiser. He sat there alone sharpening her knife. Sharpening and sharpening until he dropped the knife letting it fall to his side. His second was gone…his true second. Looking to her hand carved name was enough to set Tarak on edge. He picked up the knife and was about to sharpen it again but he was interrupted by his new recruit. Tarak refused to call him his second…that was a title of honor among batarians…honor. Gru fetched up a seat to Tarak and threw him a data disk.

"The schematics you requested, Boss." Tarak popped the disk into his Omni Tool's data drive. A detailed 3D blue print of C-Sec Command materialized into view. Right away he started to mark weak points and areas of interest. Gru beamed and gave a wide smile to Tarak.

"That was a pretty hard job, Boss. Took me some time to crack the files but it was worth it." Gru said earnestly. Tarak paid him no mind while he continued to work and uttered under his breath.

"Jentha would have done it in half the time it took you." Gru let out a low growl, tilting his head to right. Tarak noticed the gesture but simply ignored it. Gru propped his feet on a nearby crate and said lowly.

"You know, Boss…with respect… I am your second. You could show more respect to me." Tarak continued marking high value targets on the blue print representation. Once he was done he threw the spry kid Jentha's knife.

"Read the name." Tarak commanded. Gru squinted down at the engravings and mumbled to the point it was barely audible.

"Louder." Tarak ordered. Gru narrowed his upper set of eyes and spat.

"Jentha." Gru threw the knife back and leaned forward with his head at a complete right angled tilt. A direct challenge and insult to Tarak.

"That is the name of my second, boy. Not many honor or remember the old ways of the Four Pillars but I do. My second is dead. You're just some punk kid who is taking on her responsibilities" Tarak uttered with spite. Gru kicked the crates he had sat on and barked.

"Ever since that human died you've grown soft! We could have killed that old woman the other night if you had just listened to me! You could have avenged her but…" Tarak returned to sharpening his knife and calmly replied.

"Foolish kid. It's much more than something as petty as revenge, something so much more." Gru, fed up with Tarak's attitude hissed.

"Fuck it then." And stormed out of the cargo bay. Tarak looked upward and closed his lower set of eyes.

"Something so much more."

Wayne rifled through his old things and found what he was looking for. An old fashioned picture from his time on Mindoir. It was partially burnt and there were signs of fading but it was still intact. Good enough so that he could see the happy adolescent faces of himself, his sister Leslie and his good friend Chuck. In the middle of everyone was...well…she was there. This photo was taken during the first month that Syla had started her pilgrimage and she removed her face plate for it. Wayne suddenly felt uneasy looking at this photo, the events of today's conversation with Tali replaying in his head. Without their masks both looked so alike…it was…well Wayne didn't know what it was. All he knew was that he had just lied right to Tali's face.

I told you not to take off your mask. Wayne thought to himself as his middle and index finger lightly ran across the surface of the photo. He cursed to himself and locked the picture back into his lockbox. Why did he go through all the trouble of searching for that damn thing…only bad came from it. Wayne hid the lockbox back in in his desk drawer and locked it. Reclining back in his chair Wayne mused.

"Why the hell did I lie about that…" In his time Wayne had told a very select amount of people about her. In truth in the past five years there was only one other person that knew and she more or less witnessed it.

Wayne had been so lost in thought that it barely even registered that his Omni Tool comm had been going off. When he returned to reality Wayne heard Joker continually calling his name from the Omni Tool.

"Joker, what you got?" Wayne said briskly. There was silence.

"Uh, Commander, we got a visitor…" Joker said off handedly. Wayne narrowed his eyes…

What kind of visitor?" Wayne said hoarsely. Joker's voice fumbled a bit until EDI finished his sentence.

"I believe it is Doctor Liara T'Soni, Commander." Wayne went white faced. He could only hope Tali would behave herself.

For most of the day Garrus was sore. The things Kasumi had him do…they weren't meant to be done! Garrus now had a firm respect for humanity and their workout regimen. He sat at the port observatory window tending to his arms, legs and whatever felt sore. He gave Kasumi a once over and couldn't believe that she was still so energetic.

"Maybe I should have started you out slower…"Kasumi mused as she drank a glass of milk. Garrus rubbed his arm and fired back.

"No, no…I'm fine really!" Garrus patted his arm a final time before sinking back into the couch. Kasumi downed the last of her milk and did a single back flip, grabbed the milk carton and put it back into the fridge. Afterword Kasumi started to balance on one hand and said.

"So, about your little problem, I was thinking…" Garrus sat forward and asked.

"What problem?" Kasumi switched hands and replied.

"You know…your problem…Tali. How's that going for you?"

"I don't know…I mean I tried something really stupid…I mean really stupid but I stopped." Kasumi smirked and said with mirth.

"Because you're a decent guy…decency and good intentions won't get you far."

"Yeah but Shepard and Tali are..." Kasumi stopped him right there and continued.

"But a lot of women like decent. You're a good man Garrus, you just have to be patient. The right time will present itself." Kasumi stood up right and started to walk off. Garrus kept his eyes locked on her, like a shark.

"Um…yes…" Kasumi asked as she turned to face him. Garrus never once budged and leaned in closer.

"What's up?" Kasumi questioned. Again he said nothing. Getting a little freaked out Kasumi waved and poked Garrus in the face.

"Earth to space man Garrus…hellooo…" He moved suddenly and said in monotone.

"I'm waiting for it."

"For what?" Kasumi remarked. Garrus made a quick look around and said in a near whisper.

"You know…it! You cloak, throw something, steal something and cloak…I'm prepared this time!"

"You mean like this?" Kasumi's voice rang from somewhere. That is when Garrus realized he was talking to air... With that Garrus swiftly took inventory and dove for cover. Utter silence. Garrus's eyes darted from corner to corner. Once he was sure it was safe he jumped upward, tripping on something and falling down. Luckily there was a soft cushion that comforted his fall. Garrus laughed. Nothing happened to him this time! At least he thought…until looking down.

"Hey, uh…hi there…do you mind uh…mind getting off ?" Garrus had bowled over the cloaked Kasumi and somehow straddled her. At first he was going to comply with her request but an evil clicking of his mandibles began…

"So long as you promise never to cloak in my presence again." Kasumi obviously flustered tried to worm free.

"Promise to stop scaring me, to stop throwing things at me and to stop stealing my brandy and I'll…" There was an all familiar snap of a camera in the distance. In unison both Kasumi and Garrus turned to face the doorway. Joker was standing with a digital camera in hand and devilish smile spread across his face.

"EDI, I just sent you a photo, could you copy it to your internal memory?" With that Jeff walked away laughing. Garrus moved to the couch, looked to Kasumi and managed.

"Can you uh…" Kasumi interrupted Garrus.

"Pretend that never happened?" Garrus could only nod his head…

"Yeah...yeah I can." Kasumi muttered, taking a seat next to him.

A/N

Sup Peoples! I haven't had sleep in over twenty five hours! I hope you're enjoying the fic! Constructive Criticism Welcome!