Tali began to fear more and more as the days wore on. John's condition wasn't getting much better, and they hardly even spoke to each other. Neither one of them had the energy to talk at extensive periods of time, so it was an aching silence. The only times they did talk were in short whispered favors and, "I love you's." The other times, they just drank in each other's existence. Keelah, I didn't come all this way just to watch him die.

She never left his side once, however. Garrus actually managed to bring her a surviving recliner to sleep in and tubes of nutrient paste. She was also grateful that he also made it very clear to others that Tali was the one to say when visitors could come in. Most days she would just ban outright anyone, just so she could keep John to herself. Except for the doctors, of course. It was hard to watch him have a coughing fit or even groan painfully. She would even begin to have nightmares about waking up one morning to find him not breathing.

She was a little on edge and she wondered why the doctors allowed her to stay in the room at all, but then they told her that his emotional condition was strengthening from having her near. It was inspiring his body to hang on a little longer. After hearing that, she vowed to always be in his sight.

To hide any potential negative reports from John, she only allowed herself to be informed of his condition whenever he was sleeping. She clenched her jaw when she found out his immune system was weak and way below normal levels. Tali thought she had it bad, but when she also learned about him being malnourished and genetically modified, she simply couldn't imagine what he was going through. She hated this sudden reversal of roles in their relationship, at least she was able to walk around.

Doctor Chakwas was an excellent doctor and knew more about Shepard's cybernetics than anyone else in the Alliance, so she made sure that she was incorporated into caring for Shepard, as well as helping out with the other patients in the hospital. She's already done multiple tests and gave multiple reports, so whenever Tali could get the chance, she would read the old doctor's charts on him.

As of right now, that's what exactly she was doing. She sat in the recliner while Sol's rays dripped through the window and onto a chart that she held in her right hand, a tube of nutrient paste in the other.

"I always wondered how those things tasted."

Tali jumped from the sudden break in silence.

"Sorry I scared you," Shepard chuckled with effort.

"Oh, no John! I'm just worried that something bad might have happened," Tali tried to explain as she set the chart down on top of the machine below the window.

He let out a painful laugh, "Y-you're so cute when you're flustered!"

Tali wrung her hands in her lap, the tube of paste rolling over her forearms. "I'm sorry, I'm just so worried."

His gaze immediately softened, but he remained silent. He knew Tali too well, and she needed to get something off her chest.

"What's wrong?"

"John," she began slowly, "I've been on a crazy ride of emotions...You keep getting threatened with death ever since you ran off to the Citadel...And I just can't handle it...First, you're dead, then you're not, and then you're dead again. I keep thinking that I've lost you every time I think of that nameplate, your message...I just can't stop worrying! I can't stop wondering when it will stop!" She let a few tears fall as his arm grabbed her leg feebly.

"Tali, I'm so sorry I put you all through that...I didn't mean for it to be that way. Believe me, I want it to end, too. I couldn't stop wondering if you were alive when I first woke up." He paused for a moment and pointed at her. "But you clearly have had it worse than I did. I mean you're mask is broken. I can only guess why. But at least I have the luxury of knowing now that you will be alright-"

"Don't say that, you will be alright, too!"

Shepard gave a said sigh. "Tali, I can't make you a promise that I don't know if I could keep. One way or another, you will get your answer. Even if I do manage to make it out of this bed, I won't be the same...did the doctors tell you about my genetics?"

"Yes, but I don't care about that! Why would I?"

"Tali...What am I?"

She was caught off guard by the simple question, but she recovered quickly to give him a straight and honest answer.

"You," she said with emphasis, "are the Savior of the Galaxy! But more importantly, you are the man I love! I told you before that you should not ever forget that."

"But am I even a man, anymore?!"

She blinked.

"I don't know if I can even protect you if I get out of here. I just keep giving you pain on top of pain...I don't know if I could ever make up for it."

Understanding hit her. John felt guilty for making her worry, and he himself is worried that Tali might blame him for it. His idea was to protect her even more, to keep her close so she could, "forgive," him. But now he doesn't know if he could do that. Now that he is his own species.

He feels like he's been reduced to nothing more than an animal...

Tali was going to explain to him how very wrong he was.

"John Michael Shepard!" She said sternly. The used of his his middle name gave a strong desired effect as he looked fearfully at her. She remembered how he told her the use of the middle name in most human cultures were used to frighten children if they done anything wrong, and she was happy to see that it worked on him. It's time for a lesson!

"How dare you think so low of yourself? If there is one thing that is wrong with you is that you can't learn to forgive yourself! You do so much for me just by lying in that bed being alive than by doing anything else. I love you! Not just for what you do for me, but just by being you!"

Tali looked satisfied at what she said and was surprised at herself as she put both of their worries to rest, a worry that Tali didn't know she had. Perhaps all she needed was a little bit of confidence.

Shepard craned his neck in shame. "You're right, I need to stop beating myself up. Thank you, Tali, for telling me that."

"You can be such a butt, sometimes," she laughed, "But thank you, too. I love you."

"I love you more."

"Are you...okay?"

"Better, just still hungry."

Tali laughed lightly as she remembered what started the conversation in the first place. A few silent moments passed and Tali watched the slow rise and fall of Shepard's chest as he lulled back into a deep sleep. Soon a light rap at the door took her attention and she got up to answer it. She opened the door and was surprised to see no one there. Are my audio systems malfunctioning?

She jumped when a small hooded woman with an oxygen mask appeared out of thin air and tackled her.

"Tali! I missed you so much!" Kasumi spurted out as she squeezed her quarian sister.

"Kas? Keep it down, John's sleeping!" Tali pushed against her and kept her at arm's length. But with the extra space in between them, Kasumi snuck something purple in between their faces and smiled with glee.

"I came by with this!" Tali's eyes averted and focused on the odd object. She slowly recognized it as a clean, functional, new visor.

She took it in her hands and looked it over, "Where did you get this?" Tali asked.

"I heard about your mask from Garrus, so I went to your auntie to request a new one! She's such a lovely woman." Kasumi's tone dropped slightly as Tali looked over the visor. "She misses you, you know...We all do, we're very worried about you. I heard that you haven't left since you came back, nobody's seen you since...I'd thought you would at least want to see your auntie once her search party came back."

"I really did. But I have to stay here, for John. He needs me," she responded as looked lovingly back over to him.

Kasumi giggled and skipped a little on her toes, "You know, Shep's really lucky that he found someone like you. You guys are so cute together!"

Tali curled a corner of her lip as she looked back to the new visor, "I just wish he could leave this place, but his condition is holding him back."

Suddenly she stood ridged as perhaps one of her best ideas ever made came to her, which Kasumi took obvious notice of.

"Tal, I know you too well that from this frozen stance of yours that you have a bomb idea to drop! What is it?"

Tali turned around slowly and looked deep into the Master Thief's smirking eyes with a smirk of her own, "Can you ask the doctors for a curtain to hang up in here?"

The thief's eyes dropped to confusion for a moment before Tali continued, "And can you ask my lovely auntie for a spare men's enviro-suit? Preferably black with some red cloth?"

Kasumi's face lit up, "Girl, I am on it!"

Then she disappeared, the door opened and closed with seemingly no one touching it.

TWO DAYS LATER

Shepard woke up to the sound of a sewing machine whirring on the other side of the curtain. It has been going on awhile and though he would hate to admit it, it was giving him a slight headache, but he never voiced it out loud because he could tell how special the project that Tali's been working on was for her, although he didn't quite know what the project was himself. His mind wandered to what it could be. Curtains for the house? A blanket? Clothes? Special clothes? His face blushed furiously as he drove the last thought from his mind. His quarian lover had told him that what she was working on was a surprise, but with the new thought, his mind tried to steer from anything close to it. She wouldn't do that, besides, I'm sick, she wouldn't want to risk my health. Yeah, that card is off the table.

Whatever it was, he was told the project should be done within the next couple days, and Shepard ached for the day when the noise would stop. But his mind trailed to his own surprise for her back on Rannoch. His own project that he had the geth working on after storming the Cerberus base. Project: Bitter Cup. He tried to imagine what would happen once he revealed it to her, either he was going to get slapped or get hugged so hard that his spine would break, or maybe not his spine...

He shook the thought from it as he noticed something off about the room, only a few moments until he was aware of an unseen presence. He smiled. "Kasumi, stop staring at me."

The woman uncloaked from in front of the curtain which was behind the recliner. She furiously stomped her right foot, "Again?! How do you do it?!"

"Honestly, you've done it so many times now that it's getting predictable." The sewing machine's whirring grew louder, interrupting them. Shepard squeezed his eyes into a squint, "What are you two working on over there?" He said, trying to keep the pain out of his tone.

"I'll tell you our secret if you tell me yours."

"Kasumi, you wouldn't!" Tali yelled from the other side of the curtain.

"I'm joking!" Kasumi responded, although she looked very conflicted about if she was being honest.

Shepard shrugged with his cheeks and smiled, "No luck, then." Kasumi growled and flung the curtain between them, "You are such a pain, Shep! Fine, no secret breaking today!"

Speaking of secrets.

Shepard curled an empty tube of dextro nutrient paste into the crack between him and the wall. He felt guilt run through him as he hid it. He couldn't help himself, he felt like he was starving to death in there. He told himself he wouldn't risk his health in front of Tali, but seeing her able to eat whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, kept making him squirm in jealousy. Besides, he didn't feel like he got any bad reactions. Maybe it was because he ate in small doses so that it was harmless. Whatever it was, the paste tasted delicious and it didn't do much to satisfy his hunger. I might have to sneak another one at some point.

"Is everyone back from their search parties, yet?" Shepard asked.

"Oh, yes. The last of Tali's Auntie's parties got back a few hours ago," Kasumi answered.

Shepard smiled as he proposed an idea for them, "Speaking of parties, you guys should go have one, you have been cooped up in here for too long, especially you Tal."

"Remember John, there's never a dull day with you."

"You're just saying that," he said with a roll to his eyes.

"No Shep, she's right, but don't worry, you'll attend a party soon enough."

As if on cue, the loudest knock in all the galaxy came to the door, making it feel like Shepard's brain was being split in two. Kasumi marched back from around the curtain and went to the door to open it. Her eyes went wide as two krogan with helmets marched in, followed by a more respectful quarian woman.

"They expected us to wear those little mask things? If-Battlemaster!" Grunt shouted, interrupting himself as his eyes laid on Shepard.

"Hey Grunt," Shepard murmered as he massaged his temples.

"How are you kicking?" Asked the other krogan, Wrex.

"Still kicking," Shepard smiled.

"That's what I like to hear! Too bad you could die from a few little germs now, though...But hey, at least you got our little miss Zorah here to help you through it!"

The sewing machine stopped whirring as another familiar voice sounded, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with my niece, where is she?"

Tali emerged from behind the curtain in excitement and embraced Raan in a warm hug, "Auntie! I'm so glad you could visit!"

Wrex turned to his own quarian niece and squeezed her and Raan into a large group hug, "Little Tali! You worried us so much! I see you got your face fixed!"

Tali's eyes glinted to a smile and she hugged him back, "I missed you, too, Uncle Wrex!"

"Uncle?" Raan queried.

"Not by blood, but by bond," Wrex answered as he released. Raan darted a few cautious glances to the krogan, obviously he didn't know what bond actually meant in quarian culture, so Shepard stifled a chuckle.

"I see," Raan said. "Tali, I need to speak with you outside."

"Can it be in here?"

Raan looked skeptical, obviously this had to be Admiral business, but judging from recent events of the galaxy being more united, she was probably wondering if it was okay to reveal sensitive information. But then again, she was in a room with her most trusted allies.

"Alright...we need to start preparing to go back to Rannoch," she said.

"Not yet," Tali exclaimed. "It's too early! Not without John!"

"I'm sorry?"

Tension started to bubble the room, Shepard and Tali haven't officially revealed their relationship to her auntie yet, so the air began to feel a little heavy.

Crap.

It was Wrex who broke the silence delicately, "Well this is awkward."

Tali wrung her hands nervously, "We'll talk about it later. Just know that I can't leave just yet."

Raan's eyes narrowed suspiciously towards her niece but did not pursue the matter any further. "Alright, when the Mass Relays are repaired, I'll try to delay the departure as much as I can."

After Shepard and Tali had reunited, he brought her up to speed with what little talking they had. He told her all about what had happened since the Crucible firing, the Mass Relays being damaged was one of them. "How much longer until then?" Shepard asked.

"Not for about three months," Raan answered simply.

Shepard whistled slightly, "You are preparing early."

Raan gave an unseen smile and replied with some mother-like wisdom, "You can never be too prepared, Shepard."

He in turn curled the corner in his mouth in agreement, "This is true." God knows how many times I had to pull myself out of a situation because I wasn't fully prepared.

The group continued to talk for awhile until the sun was at its peak in the sky, the sky exchanging its golden morning colors for pure blue ones. Only faint traces of smoke were seen outside and clouds were growing on the horizon, it was going to rain within the next couple days.

"Anyways, I think I've taken up enough of your time," Raan said, stretching her toes.

"You never do, why don't you stay awhile longer?" Shepard asked.

"I have to apologize Commander, but as I recall, I have preparations to make. You get well soon. And Tali," her quarian niece turned to face her, "We need to talk later."

Shepard noticed his lover gulp as her auntie closed the door.

A few moments of an awkward silence ensued and Tali started tapping her visor in thought. Everyone's eyes followed her, prepared to give any support or suggestions whenever she finally decided to speak. This was natural for the team, Tali always gave off some sort of, "Protect me," feeling. Making Tali upset was like kicking a kitten, it was as awful as it sounded. Good thing this cat has some dangerous claws.

Once again, Shepard was reminded how lucky he was to have gained the most beautiful person in the galaxy. Even though he is the only one to have ever seen her face, she was a treasure to be kept beyond death, away from anything too dangerous. His attention was grabbed when Tali finally did begin to voice her thoughts.

"Keelah, what am I going to do?"

"You can always say he is going to check up on how things are going on Rannoch..." Wrex proposed.

"That's an idea."

"...and then hide him from everybody for the rest of his life."

"Uh, no."

Shepard really wanted to help her, but his, "boy scout," side was tugging at him. He didn't want to lie to Admiral Raan, doing so would probably just bite him in the ass. The only thing he could think of possibly doing was just simply telling her the truth. His idea may or may not get shot down in flames if he proposed it, but it was an idea that would be made easier for his own plan once he got out of this place. That is if he managed to gain Raan's approval.

"Tali, you love me, right?"

"Of course?"

"So nothing can come between us, not even your Aunt Raan. I think we should just rise up and tell her the truth."

"B-but John, what if she doesn't approve? She most likely won't approve! Think about it! I'm an Admiral, she'll think about my duties! If not that, then my happiness! We place heavy emphasis on families, John, we can't have chil-" she didn't finish her sentence, she didn't need to. She slapped her hand over her speaker light.

Shepard was surprised that she thought so far ahead, but then again, he thought about it, too. It wasn't something he was ready for, so he figured a relationship like theirs could be just fine without the prospect. But given what Tali just said and how she reacted, it seemed a little bit like she would've liked the idea. Damn it. Differentiating DNA and Amino Acid Chirality Biochemistry stuff that Shepard hardly understood came back to bite him. He cleared his head before he responded.

"So what? We want to be together. It's not her decision to make."

Tali let out a few groans and tapped on her helmet to help make up her decision. If Shepard was honest, he too was afraid that if Admiral Raan, the thing that was second best to a mother for Tali, would disapprove. Heh, just imagine what my project would think as well, maybe even do, I might just wind up dead anyways.

Shepard's mind went to a specific time when Tali sat at a bar getting drunk after they started to crack down on Cerberus. That was the day his project actually started, a steely resolve that he needed to set things right, he just hoped what he did was the right thing.

Tali made up her mind, "You're right, John, you usually are. I'm just scared of what she might say."

"Would it help if you told her in here, where I can help out if need be?"

"Well, she won't be back..." She slowly trailed off, causing an eyebrow to lift from Shepard, "...in a few days."

She inhaled sharply and he noticed the confidence starting to bubble up in her, he love that. The sheer determination that just somehow manages to come from nowhere and fill her with excitement, Shepard beamed, her happiness was his happiness.

"Yeah, we'll tell her, even if she forgets, we'll tell her. No better time than then," she said confidently, then marched behind the curtain and the sound of furious whirring began again. He noticed a little smirk come from Kasumi as she followed her. Both Wrex and Grunt shared a confused glance at each other and looked back to the curtain.

"What are they working on?" Grunt asked. Shepard just gave a shrug.

"Come take a look, it's a surprise for Shepard!" Kasumi said from the other side. Wrex and Grunt shared another glance and swished away the curtain with their large hands, away from sight of Shepard. The moment they stepped in, both krogans gave a large, hearty laugh.

Oh come on! Now I have to know what it is! Grunt fell back through the curtain and grasped his stomach with raging laughter.

"Is it bad?" Tali asked frantically.

"Oh no! Little Tali! It's good!" Wrex said as he gave a cool chuckle, "I just can't wait to see it when it's done!"

Shepard waited until Grunt was cooling down from his round of laughter before hissing a whisper, "Grunt? What is it?"

Grunt gave a few more giggles before answering, "Well Battlemaster, let's just say the attire's special!"

"Grunt! That's too big of a hint!" Tali screeched.

The images started flooding back to Shepard and his face blushed furiously as he desperately tried to push them away. Oh no. The card is back on the table. He groaned as he tried to tell himself that it wasn't what he thought it was. Besides, why would she show off to Wrex and Grunt of all people? They don't even look close to humans or quarians. Still, the thought still stuck to what it could be. I need a tube of dextro paste, and to eat all in one go, so I can die...like, right now.

Kasumi started pushing the krogans out of the door before they could reveal any top secret information, even though she couldn't possibly move them. The krogans complied and walked out of the room with Wrex echoing his last sentence out the door, "Good luck, Shepard!"

Shepard tried to squeeze the thoughts out of his mind but they still lingered there. He wasn't going to complain if it was what he thought the surprise was, but he had his health to think about, he would most likely die. Well, at least I would die happy. He just needed some medical reason to try to put it off.

As if on another cue, a doctor walked into the room with a chart in his hand, specifically Doctor Philanskis.

"Hey Do-" Shepard started to greet.

"Hey Philip! Come check out this surprise that Tali is making Shepard!" Kasumi said and she grabbed the doctor by the coat and pulled him behind the curtain. Shepard snorted indignantly. Why does everyone get to see it but me? I mean, I know it's a surprise and all...wait...Philip? Philip Philankskis? What, did his parents hate him? Bah, nevermind, let's hope he calls it off if it is what I think it is.

"Wow! I believe this will definitely improve Shepard's health, both physically and possibly emotionally!"

"You think so?" Tali asked.

"Absolutely!"

Dammit.

The Doctor emerged from behind the curtain. "Anyways, I have to check up on him. How do you feel, Shepard?"

Shepard thought for awhile of the past day. He oddly did have some more energy than most days. He had been talking more and he wasn't in as much pain. "Come to think of it, I feel a lot better now. I still feel like death, don't get me wrong, it's just not as bad anymore."

The doctor lifted his lips and hummed a single curious note, "Let me check."

Philanskis glance over the machine next to his bed and started reading the data that was compiled there, his eyebrows raised in a soft surprise, "Tell me Shepard, has anyone fed you anything different than your normal diet? Because it seems to be adding a large amount of nourishment."

Shepard thumbed the empty tube of paste in his hidden hand. That wouldn't make sense, I'm human, this couldn't possibly help me. Shepard thought long and hard whether or not he should reveal the tube of paste to the doctor. It couldn't possibly be the reason why he felt like he was somewhat improving, but yet again it was the only thing he ate other than his regular diet. His little shoulder angel convinced him that the doctor should know about it.

He lifted up the tube and gave it to the doctor, "I sneaked one from Tali...I'm sorry. It was foolish of me."

Philanskis inspected the tube, "Dextro? Wait a minute..." Shepard looked on as the doctor rifled through his charts, expecting bad news. Soon he stopped on one paper in his clipboard. "Here! It makes sense!"

"What makes sense?" Shepard asked, surprised.

"Something the Geneticists gave me, I know little but I know enough to propose a theory."

"Hit me, doc."

"If whatever happened to your body really changed your DNA to not just a basic human state, but a basic life state, then you must have evolved in a way that makes you more accepting of...well...everything!"

That was a rather quick theory, doc, but it seems a little problematic. "If I'm more accepting of everything, as you put it, then why would I be sick? Why would I need an immune system? Why can't I eat any other food?"

"I haven't thought about that...again, it's just a theory, I need to take this down to the scientists...They'll be thrilled!"

The doctor stopped talking and launched from the room, leaving a very confused Shepard, and a very angry Tali.

"You snuck a dextro tube of nutrient paste from me?!"

"Tali, I'm sor-"

"You could have had a bad reaction, you could have been poisoned, you could have died!"

Silence ensued. Any mention of Shepard potentially dying was still hard on her, so naturally her anger began to ebb slightly to sadness.

"Tali..."

"You're lucky that it's good for you, but it was only luck. Don't do something like that again, you're worth more than that." Shepard was reminded of the similar phrase after the Leviathan mission. Again he felt guilt.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

Tali took a deep breath, she didn't want a repeat of what happened. "Okay, I forgive you," she said quietly. "But don't ever pull something like that again!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Guess I'll have to start ordering for two, now," Tali said as she launched back behind the curtain to continue working on her surprise. Kasumi glared at Shepard from where Tali disappeared, mouthing some words at him, "Watch yourself, or I will gut you!" Shepard lifted his arm and pinched his index finger and thumb together, and extended the remaining three fingers in an OK sign.

"The surprise should be done by the next couple days," Tali called, still somewhat annoyed.

"Can't wait."