I

The Citadel existed in a fixed point in space. It did not rotate nor did it have any orbital pattern. This of course meant that there was no actual night or day on the Citadel. Instead the management that ran the day-to-day opperations made it regular procedure to brighten and dim the light fixtures at specific intervals in order to simulate a rising and setting sun. The original intent was to help new arrivals better acclimate to life off world; however, the practice ended up serving a secondary function, and that was to let all working stiffs know when it was time to loosen that tie, forget about work and blow off some steam at the Silversun Strip.

It was common knowledge amongst all Citadel inhabitants that the Strip was the number one spot for anyone looking for a good time. It offered a wide variety of activities including dinner, dancing, games of chance and live shows, as well as a plethora of shopping outlets. The aesthetic of the Strip felt something like Las Vegas crossed with a bucket of glowsticks. There was tons of neon lighting, dozens of bright and flashy holographic advertisements, big attention grabbing window displays, as well as just a general atmosphere of thrill and excitement.

With all the amusements the Strip offered, Shepard's only real wish was that he was in a better state of mind to appreciate it. His conversation with Admiral Hackett had left something of a bad taste in his mouth. More than anything else it was the timing of it that he found the most frustrating. Why did this have to happen now? Could it not have waited just one more day? Tonight was supposed to be a very important evening, something he'd been planning for weeks, and now...Well, there was no sense in putting it off anyway. He would follow through with his plans and enjoy himself as much as he could. He would do his best to make sure everything was perfect, exactly as he envisioned, and then, when the timing was right, he would blow the whole thing to pieces. There was little else he could do.

Shepard was half in his own mind, carefully negotiating his way through the throngs of people, when he happened by a Saronis Applications kiosk (one of several convenience oriented shopping centers located througout the Strip). One of the clerks, a young, human fellow with bronze skin and spiky red hair, made eye contact with him as he approached. The young man smiled, stepped out from behind the counter and then immediately approached Shepard with his hand outstretched.

"There he is," said the young clerk, taking Shepard's hand and shaking it vigorously. "There. He. IS. How ARE you today, sir?"

Caught completely off guard, Shepard could offer little more than a confused smile as he accepted the young man's handshake and struggled to match his face with a name.

"Do I know you?" he asked eventually.

"No, but I know you."

"Is that so?"

Shepard relaxed a bit as the scene started to gain focus. He'd been recognized, that was all. The young clerk had probably seen him in a vid, heard his name on a news story and realized who he was. It used to happen a lot more years prior, but not so much these days. All stars eventually fade. It doesn't matter if you're an award winning actor, a number one pop star or the savior of the galaxy, everyone has their five minutes and eventually everyone's clock runs down. Notoriety was never something that mattered all that much to Shepard anyway and he was thankful for the day when the buzz around him began to die down. Still, on the occasion that someone did recognize him and request an autograph or a picture, he'd always graciously accept the attention and do whatever-

"Yes, sir, I've seen you before," said the clerk merrily. "Rather I've seen your type before. You're the kind of man who's looking to ugrade his omni-tool software. Well, you're in luck, friend, because Saronis Applications has got you covered."

It was then Shepard realized, now unfortunately far too late, that he'd walked unwittingly straight into a sales pitch.

The clerk pulled a palm sized touch screen out of a pouch at his hip and swiftly stepped to Shepard's side.

"Now how are you set with translation software?"

Shepard sighed. He knew he should just walk away, but the gentleman in him felt that he needed to listen to the clerk for at least a moment or two. It had something to do with the fact that he had already stopped. There had to be some sort of science behind it, a mathematical formula that explained the correlation between forward momentum and one's own innate ability to disregard salesmen.

"I already updated my translation software last month," answered Shepard, barely able to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Of course you did, a nice, upstanding, responsible guy such as yourself," replied the clerk. "But I bet it wasn't with this. Introducing SL7, the latest language software from Saronis Applications. Now you might be saying to yourself, 'Why should I switch? The language software I have now works just fine,' but in this day and age with alien integration at an all time high why settle for 'just fine?' You want the best. You want cutting edge. Don't end up looking like a fool thanks to glitchy, out of date software. The new SL7 from Saronis Applications is compatible with all known languages and dialects. I'm talking turian, asari, batarian, hanaar, and of course human. It also functions up to .4 times faster than the average brand and offers a deeper and richer localization function, allowing for a more pure, more natural form of communication. That little cutie you've had your eye on? Don't risk an awkward encounter thanks to unreliable software. The speed and efficiency of SL7 is guaranteed to help sweep her off her feet."

"No thanks."

Shepard's feet began to move, but before he could gain any precious momentum, the clerk stepped in front of him, once again stopping him cold.

"Of course. What am I saying? A good looking guy like you. You already have a sweet heart, don't you? Let me guess. You got yourself a hot, little asari chick, right? Well then could I interest you in this?" In one swift movement, the clerk pulled another palm sized data pad from his pocket. "It just so happens that every in store purchase of SL7 comes with a copy of Thessian Love Vol. 3. featuring over 200 poems and sonnets straight from the motherworld, guaranteed to impress that sweet little asari girlfriend of yours."

"And which asari girlfriend might that be?"

The sudden arrival of a distinctly feminine voice was enough to halt the sales pitch and catch the attention of both men. Turning they found the owner, a young quarian woman standing a mere few feet behind them with her arms folded across her chest. Like all quarians, she wore an envirosuit. It was black and form fitting with cloth accents at the hips and shoulders, violet ones with elegant white whorls. Like most new quarian arrivals to the citadel, she was in the final stages of adaptation and no longer needed her helmet and visor. Instead she wore a simple breathing apparatus which was visually speaking not unlike the one Shepard wore when missions took him out into the vacuum of space or to a world with a hostile atmosphere. Her skin was a lovely shade of light purple and she had long, shiney black hair that peeked out from beneath a traditional quarian head scarf and flowed in elegant waves down to her shoulders. Her eyes were like two pearls, solid white with an almost ethereal glow to them, and at the moment they were fixed right at Shepard and impatiently waiting for an explanation.

"Tali, honey," said Shepard with small, slightly nervous laugh. "I was just coming to meet up with you."

The clerk, connecting the dots and realizing his error, naturally offered no aid, instead giving Shepard nothing more than a quick pat on the shoulder and a 'Gotta go.' Shepard rewarded the clerk's cowardice with a scowl at the back of his head before quickly returning his attention to his still waiting quarian girlfriend.

"How was work?" he asked innocently. When Tali didn't respond and instead remained keenly staring with arms folded, he offered her kind smile. She had apparantly only heard the end of his conversation with the clerk and was only a little confused. No big deal. "It's not how it sounds" he said confidently. When Tali again didn't reply, that confidence quickly faded. "Seriously, it's not how it sounds, " he repeated, becoming serious. "I was on my way to meet up with you and this guy...he reeled me in. It was a trap-a sales trap and he wanted to sell me- sell me some software and the software came with poems and I tried to leave but I-"

Shepard probably would have rambled like that for hours if Tali hadn't at that moment started to giggle.

"Oh I wish I could have kept that up longer," she laughed. "The look on your face..."

"What?"

"It's alright. You can relax. I heard the whole thing."

Frowning sightly, Shepard put his hands on his hips.

"That was not funny," he declared grouchily.

His tone combined with the serious look on his face ultimately served no function other than to cause Tali's giggles to come roaring back in full force. Shepard was about to protest a second time when there came a sudden booping sound from Tali's omni-tool as it unexpectedtly sprang to life.

"I'm afraid I do not understand the Commander's displeasure, Miss Tali," came a synthesized voice. The light from the omni-tool flashed in time with each word spoken. "I thought your deceptive ruse was quite humorous."

"Why thank you, Dec," replied Tali, politely. "I thought so too."

"You are quite welcome," answered the voice.

The war against the Reapers wasn't the only conflict to be resolved by Shepard's actions. Thanks to some off the cuff diplomoacy skills the 300 plus year war between the quarians and their synthetic creations The Geth had mercifully come to a peaceful end. Once the fighting stopped the two races began what would become a record setting rebuilding process on their homeworld of Rannoch. Not only that, but by downloading themselves into the suits of volunteers, the Geth were able to help thousands of quarians strengthen their immune systems at a rapid pace, making them stronger and healthier than they'd been since even before the war. Tali had initially been resistent to the idea, but after seeing the results the appeal of being able to live a life free of the confines of her envirosuit became too great to pass up. Her 'immunity specialist,' as they were called, was a Geth who had taken on the handle Decibel or 'Dec' for short. Over time the two developed a good natured report and at this point could even be called friends. Shepard had always been supportive of his girlfriend's decision, and it was only moments like these, with the two reveling in his distress, that he wondered why.

Observing Shepard's expanding frown, Tali decided to make peace. Moving in close, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body to his.

"Don't be mad," she said sweetly. "Come on, kiss me." She tapped the cicular plate on her breather, right over where her mouth was. "Right here, on my filter."

"I don't think I want to," replied Shepard, turning away in mock hurt.

"Oh come on," Tali laughed. "You have to admit it's funny. Big, strong Commander Shepard terrified of little, old me."

"You joke, but I've seen you mad before. It's not pretty."

"Not with you."

"Oh yes, with me."

"When have I ever been angry with you?"

"There was that time I tried cleaning your visor."

Tali was silent for a moment, quickly processing Shepard's words. Her eyes then widened as she quickly recalled the forgotten memory.

"Okay, that time I was mad," she said, finally.

"I was trying to do you a favor."

"You put it in the dishwasher."

"It was a momentary lapse in judgement."

Tali giggled again and Shepard, letting go of his faux anger, placed a loving kiss in the center of her forehead.

II

In all the known galaxy, never had Shepard ever met a woman like Tali'Zorah. Brilliant and sweet, funny and caring, she had an inner strength that humbled him. His reasons for fighting had always been many, but if he was being honest, his greatest reason, the one that kept him going, forced him to get up everytime he got knocked down, had always been her. She had been with him throughout all of his ups and downs and had faith in him even when he didn't have it in himself. She was the love of his life and getting to be with her at the end of the Reaper war was a greater reward than he ever thought possible.

"Alright out with it now," said Tali as the two walked arm and arm down the busy strip. "What's this big surprise?"

"Patience," smiled Shepard. "You'll know it when you see it."

"Well, can we stop for something to eat first? I'm starving."

"Hold on now. Just a bit further."

Fortunately for Tali's stomache, Shepard was true to his word. His big surprise turned out to be reservations at a restaurant, but not just any restaurant.

"Ryushi?" exclaimed Tali. It was just as Shepard said. The moment she saw the bright neon sign and lavishly decorated main entrance, she knew: this was it. "It's finished?"

"Grand opening," declared Shepard. "And guess who made sure we got the first table?"

"Oh I love you!" Tali pracically shouted the words as she threw her arms around Shepard's neck and hugged him tight.

Ryushi was the restaurant Tali had dreamed about going to all throughout her pilgrimage, a high end sushi place that was fancy, upscale, well-to-do and all other similar adjectives in between; the kind of place that most people could only dream about dining at. Shepard had seen to the place's initial closing during the war and then it's total destruction when he fired the shot from the Crucible that killed the Reapers, but now the repairs were complete and he was ready to show the woman he loved the time of her life.

"And this time I promise no gunfire," added Shepard.

"Or fallilng through the floor?" smirked Tali.

"Or falling through the floor," promised Shepard.

Dinner was of course wonderful, even better than Tali could have ever hoped. Had she attended the place back when she first found it, she would have had to make due with awkwardly cutting her food up fine and negotiating the pieces into the small intake port in her air filter. Now, thanks to Dec and her greatly improved immune system she was capable of removing her breathing apparatus for short periods, allowing her the ability to enjoy herself the way she always wanted, to eat her fill and not make a spectacle of herself in the process.

"That. Was. Amazing," gushed Tali, laying her chopsticks down across her plate.

"I'm glad you liked it," said Shepard with a smile as he gently wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"Thank you so much. I really thought you'd forgotten about this place. Keelah, I'd nearly forgotten myself."

"It was important to you. That was reason enough to remember."

Tali's eyes shined with warmth and affection as she reached across the table and laid her hand over Shepard's.

Shepard took a deep breath and a troubled sigh escaped his lips. Here with Tali, having such an wonderful evening, he never wanted it to end, and yet it had to. It was finally time.

"Tali, there's something we need to discuss," he said, taking a deep breath. "I saw Admiral Hackett today..."

III

Hackett's face was solemn as he shifted in his seat and placed his hands on the armrests of his chair. Finally he spoke.

"It might seem crazy, coming all the way out here like this when I could have just as easily contacted you via the Alliance Social Network," he said, "but somehow I thought it would be in bad taste. I needed to do this in person. I needed you know how important this was to me. I came here to ask for your help."

"Help with what?" asked Shepard, showing his interest.

"Cerberus."

The name hit with all the force of a freight train. Shepard had not given one moment's thought to the terrorist group since the end of the war and never expected to again. Hearing it now shook something inside of him and left him feeling cold. Cerberus was undoubtedly the great shame of the Systems Alliance. Originally they were a black ops group, however they went rogue at the conclusion of the First Contact war. Their ideology served an Earth first mentality. They believed it was humanity's destiny to expand from one side of the galaxy to the next and control all interests within. Their attitude concerning alien life was at best indifferent and at worst openly hostile. Over the years they grew more radicalized and their actions became more and more extreme. All in all, the paramilitary group was said to be responsible for over 300 acts of violence against Citadel and Alliance Systems, including sabotage, espionage and assassination, and their science division performed hundreds of illegal and unethical experimentations on both willing and unwilling test subjects. Their greatest crime, however, came when they turned on the galaxy itself and aligned themselves with the Reapers. They were by far the darkest spot on humanity's resume.

"For the past three years," continued Hackett after a breath. "The Alliance has been hunting down and systematically eliminating the last remaining Cerberus cells one by one."

"I thought Cerberus died along with the Reapers."

"Yes and no. The bulk of their army fell when the Reapers were destroyed, wiped out along with the rest of the indoctrinated forces; however, a few factions remained. Once the fighting ended, they went deep underground. They mainly stay off the radar, too afraid to kick up any dust lest they bring the wrath of a still very much unified galactic army down upon them. Their a shadow of their former self, but nevertheless they've still managed to make trouble here and there, disrupting relief effort, raiding isolated colonies, that sort of thing."

"I can't believe that after everything that's happened...why would they even still want to fight?"

"Their a bunch of lunitics. Always have been. Even the death of the Illusive Man wasn't going to change that. One by one we've been shutting down the remaining cells. According to our intelligence reports there should only be one left. And I want you to take them out."

"Me?"

Hackett gave a solemn nod.

Shepard thought for a moment and then quickly shook his head. "No," he said brusquely. "No, I'm sorry Admiral. I'm retired."

"I know that."

"Then send someone else. It sounds like you've been doing well. Why send me?"

"I already have someone ready to oversee this mission and I'll send them if I have to, but...Listen to me, Shepard. I could send someone else and I'm confident that the job would get done but...Shepard, I'm almost 63 years old. I've held this position for longer than I should have and next year I plan on putting this chapter of my life behind me come hell or high-water. But the truth is the only way I'll be able to enjoy the years that follow is if I know in my heart that Cerberus is dead and buried. The bastards came to power under my watch and they nearly destroyed us all. All the damage they've done and continue to do...at least some of that falls on my head."

"Admiral..."

"Please, Shepard. I know it's not fair to ask you this, but we are so, so close to ending this. The last thing I want to do is fall on my face now that I'm this close to the finish line. You're the finest soldier it has ever been my pleasure to command and sending you is the only way I'll know with absolute certainty that Cerberus will get buried once and for all. Please, Shepard. Will you do this for me?"

IV

"No," said Tali firmly.

"Tali..." began Shepard.

"Don't Tali me. No. You're retired."

If the tone in Tali's voice didn't make it obvious enough that she was upset, the fact that she had begun furiously wringing her hands sealed the deal. It was a nervous tick that she'd had for as long as Shepard had known her. The way she grabbed her palms and twisted her fingers, pulling and squeezing at them over and over...It was the easiest way to tell if something was deeply troubling her.

"I know I'm retired," answered Shepard after a moment.

"I mean how dare Admiral Hackett even ask this of you. You killed the Reapers. You saved trillions of lives. You nearly died. Wasn't that enough?"

"Tali, please-"

"So what did you say? You told him no, right?"

For several agonizing moments, Shepard was silent. Leaning back in his chair, he absent-mindedly scratched the short hairs on the back of his head as he averted the quarian woman's gaze.

"Not exactly," he said finally."

"And what does that mean?"

"I told him I had to think about it."

"What's there to think about? You're not really considering his offer?"

"I already have."

"And?"

Again Shepard fell silent. The conversation was not going nearly as well as he hoped. Leaning forward in his chair he laid his hands on the table.

"I want...I need to do this."

"You can't be serious."

Shepard gave no reply. The look on his face said it all.

Leaning back in her seat, Tali folded her arms in front of her chest and looked away angrily.

"So what was this then?" she asked bitterly, her eyes beginning to shine with angry tears. "You take me to dinner, drop this bombshell on me then just take off and I'm supposed to be all fine with it?"

"Of course not. I had this dinner planned for weeks. It was a surprise. I swear this not how I wanted things to go."

"But you're still leaving."

"No! I mean, yes. I mean...not exactly."

"I thought you were happy."

Her words were like a punch in the gut. All at once Shepard felt this great fear, as if he were losing her. He couldn't let that happen. Getting up from the table he circled around and quickly placed himself back in Tali's line of sight. Getting in close he kneeled in front of her and swiftly placed his hands over hers.

"I am happy. Tali, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. These past few years with you have been the best of my life, and I want to have a hundred more just like them...but I can't ignore this."

"I can't lose you."

"I know. That's why I need you to come with me."

"What?"

"Years back, during the final push on Earth you pleaded with me not to leave you behind. I couldn't take you with me then, but I swore to myself that if I made it back alive I never wanted to be apart from you again. Believe me when I say I'm not going anywhere unless you're by my side. Admiral Hackett asked me to do this as a favor to him. And now I'm asking you to do this as a favor to me. Please...I need you to say yes."

Tali sat back in her seat and for several moments, she said nothing. Suddenly her omni-tool bleeped to life.

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, Miss Tali," said Dec, "but in fifteen minutes you will need to resume wearing your breathing apparatus."

"Thank you, Dec," answered Tali. She met Shepard's gaze for a moment then swiftly extracated her hands from his before grabbing for the small digital menu sitting in the middle of the table. "I need some dessert," she declared.

V

The rest of dinner was quiet and the walk back to the apartment the two shared was even more so. Shepard did not press Tali to make a decision nor did he try and change the subject. He merely gave her time. It was late in the evening now and the two of them were getting ready for bed. Shepard was reading, sitting on the edge of the bed in his typical t-shirt and flanel pants. There was the sound of running water from the bathroom and a moment later Tali entered the bedroom sans breather and wearing a loose fitting, black, satin nightie. Shepard didn't turn only continued to read up until he felt the jostling of the mattress as Tali took a seat beside him on the bed. She took a deep breath and then she spoke.

"Shepard, may I ask you something?" she said.

"Of course," answered Shepard, setting his datapad down beside him.

"You told me Admiral Hackett's reason for wanting you on this mission, but what is yours? Why is this last mission so important to you?"

For several seconds, Shepard quietly turned the words over in his head.

"I guess, like the Admiral, I feel somewhat responsible," he said finally.

"But why? Why should you feel responsible for anything Cerberus has done?"

"Because I helped them."

"You mean the battle against the Collectors? Shepard you didn't help them, you used them."

"No. That may have been what I told myself, but it's not true. I compromised back then and I've always wondered if it was really worth it."

"You were trying to save the colonies in the Terminus systems, your people. They were in danger and no one else was willing to help them. I would have done the same thing in your position."

"It's more than that." Reaching out, Shepard took Tali's hand in his and watched as their fingers entwined, as her three perfect digits wrapped lovingly in and around his five. They were so different and yet they fit together perfectly. "Tali, Cerberus..." he continued after a moment. "Cerberus represents everything that's wrong with the galaxy. They represent everything wrong with humanity. I can't allow them to go on existing. I need to know that they're gone, and the only way to know for sure is to do it myself."

"Taking down this last Cerberus cell will give you peace?"

Shepard nodded and the room became silent once more. Tali took a deep breath and then she spoke.

"Okay then," she said with a smirk. "Let's go get the bosh'tets."

"Really?"

Tali nodded.

Shepard smiled. He kissed the back of Tali's palm.

"I don't deserve you," he said.

"Of course you do," answered Tali, almost sounding hurt. "I wish more people cared the way you do."

Leaning forward, Tali placed her free hand on Shepard's cheek. Leaning in, she kissed him softly and for several moments the two stayed that way, relishing in the feel of one another as their lips gently made contact again and again. Slowly but surely their kisses began to gain intensity as their mutual yearning for one another grew. Wanting to be closer, they began removing their nightwear. Articles of clothing fell to the floor one after the other. Naked skin made loving contact as together the two fell to the mattress in a warm embrace. Their love making was slow and sweet that night as the two took their time, wanting to savor every precious moment.

They were so different and yet they fit together perfectly.

Finally, after what felt like a life time the two lay spent against the covers, holding one another in the darkness.

"I love you, Tali," said Shepard huskily, his words awash with pure emotion as he pulled her close.

"Besah le'noshka," answered Tali.

At the sound of the alien words, Shepard's brow furrowed slightly.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"Besah le'noshka," repeated Tali, not understanding his confustion as she repositioned herself against his chest. "I've said that before, haven't I?"

"I don't think so."

"It's another keelish phrase that doesn't really have a direct translation. It's a term of endearment, something you say only when you feel the deepest affection for someone. When you say it to someone, you are saying that they are your life. They are you. When you are with them, you are home."

"Well then besah le'nooska to you too," said Shepard, smiling.

Tali giggled.

"Noshka," she corrected.

"Noshka," clarrified Shepard. "Belah..."

"Besah."

"-se'noska."

"..le'noshka..."

Tali giggled.

"You'll get it," she said, kissing him again.

For a while they stayed like that, holding one another and just enjoying the blissful silence of the bedroom, until very reluctantly Shepard extracated himself from Tali's grasp. It was time. He knew what had to be done. Sitting up, he turned and sat on the edge of the bed. Raising his hand he summoned his omni-tool and began typing in the proper frequency to contact Admiral Hackett as Tali crawled across the bed and took a seat beside him. He was just about to hit send when he stopped.

"Are you sure?" he asked Tali.

"Like I told you before," answered Tali. "Where ever you go, I'm with you."

The two shared one final kiss before Shepard returned his attention to his omni-tool. He made one final tap and a few seconds later there came a bleeping sound.

"Admiral," he said into the device. "This is Shepard. I'm in."