Author's note:
Want to start off by saying I'm extremely sorry for the lack of updates and that I seriously doubt that I'll be able to get better about updating normally. Not only do i have the typical writers block, and feel more motivated to write other stories but I have also noticed a drastic decrease in free time since getting my job as a laborer for a construction company(who would have thought right?). I wake up at around 5 AM and get home around 7 PM and by that time all I have energy for is to crawl to my couch and fall asleep T-T
But Tali is my space waifu so I simply refuse to let this story die...just going to be pretty slow on updates.
Also going to take this time to respond to some (extremely appreciated) reviews:
Snek-Lord - assuming you are talking about the "death" at the end of Mass effect 1...that is a very good question. This story is written as I go (except for some plans I have set for certain parts) so all I can say for sure is that I do intend on following the story of mass effect and having him "die" at the end of Mass effect 1 as I lack the confidence to change such a fundamental part of the story.
Talimancer88- They're already together, just have to get Shepard to understand that .
Someone- I read over and consider (almost) every review when writing this story because I only really have half of an idea what I'm doing here. I also really appreciate that you think I do a good job writing a yandere as I spend a fair bit of time "researching" the topic.
Before each mission there was always a simple routine all active squad members went through. Check and clean any and all equipment, stock up ammo and medi-gel, and report to the meeting room for a quick debrief on the upcoming mission. Simple really, all of it.
It was anything but simple for Tali however as her head pulsed with every step and she suppressed the urge to vomit every time she bent over to pick something. She wanted to do nothing more than just lie in the soft bed she shared with John and snuggle up to him as she she felt his presence give her a feeling of bliss that was sure to block out her all of her current symptoms but she couldn't. Another mission had popped up out of the blue and from what she could gather from John's quick shift in mood and sudden seriousness it was imperative that they completed it quickly and successfully. That's why she decided to tell a little white lie and say she was feeling good enough for mission, she would do anything, brave any hardship if it meant that John would be able to complete his mission, to be content and happy.
While it was very true that John's happiness was extremely important to her there was another motive deep in Tali's mind, so deep it might as well be called instinct. Due to the nature of this mission John had decided that all available squad members would be accompanying him on this mission rather than the usual two he brought with him(which usually consisted of Garrus and Tali). Tali's eyes narrowed in determination as she thought about the two females that would be joining them on this mission.
I'm sure they think they can use this as a opportunity to get closer to him, to steal him
I won't let them take him, I won't
She knew that Liara was already aware that John was taken but would that truely be enough to stop her from trying to take him for himself? Of course Ashley had no idea of John's current relationship status and Tali was sure that even if she did know that wouldn't stop her from trying to steal what was rightfully hers.
She mumbled to herself darkly as she sat on a container near the Mako while cleaning her shotgun. "I wonder how common friendly fire is in the alliance, would the occasional misfire cause that big of a commotion?" Wrapped up in her dark musings she failed to notice that someone was occupying the same container as her while waiting for squad to finish preparing for the mission
"Enough of a commotion for your resident former c-sec officer to notice" Garrus lowly growled while he glared at her with a strange mixture of concern and contempt.
Tali's whole body tensed up and her head snapped at a eerily fast speed to make eye contact with the Turian sitting next to her. She chastised herself in her head for letting him catch her red handed, it looks like operation secure the commanders love via selective friendly fire would have to be cancelled...or at least put on temporary hold.
Was I really so deep in thought to not notice this bulky bosh'tet sitting right next to me?
How long has he been sitting there, How much did her hear?
Keelah how did I not notice the oppressive aura of smugness?
Uncaring of the slight mental breakdown Tali was most likely going through right now Garrus continued "I really do have to ask, are you just trying to do any crime you can think of at this point? I mean you already have the quite the resume at this point"
Tali cocked her head slightly? Crimes? Unless dispatching of enemies on a combat mission was considered murder she was sure she was innocent. "C-crimes? It's not a crime to have the occasional... extreme thought is it?" she broke off eye contact and glanced nervously to the left "Everybody has them r-right? doesn't mean they actually carry them out"
Garrus sighed "There are so many things wrong with that sentence that I'm not sure where to start but moving past those extreme thoughts, which no they are not normal, that wasn't what I was referring to" Garrus leaned in slightly and Tali could practically feel the anger radiate off him "I'm not sure what it's like in those backwater ships you call home but in the rest of the moderately civilized galaxy it is considered a crime to drug and rape someone" he hissed with obvious hate.
Tali gasped and started to fidget and tremble. Normally she would be filled with righteous fury after hearing someone calling her home a "backwater ship" but right now she couldn't care less about the fleet. Somehow the last person she wanted to find out about her methods of entering a relationship with John knew every single detail and was staring her down.
"I-I...How d-" Tali tried to question how exactly Garrus found out but was quickly cut off as Garrus asked and answered the question for her.
"How do I know? I know because believe it or not the commander has people he feels comfortable talking to other than you" He brought up a hand and forcefully placed a finger on her faceplate and pointing accusingly at her "comfortable enough to tell them that not only did you drug and raped him but that he also thought they had encouraged you to do that!" He put some more force behind his finger and shoved her head back slightly, enough to further get the point across that he was extremely angry with her
Tali simply had no idea how to respond how could she? "y-you did tell me...t-to"
Garrus cut her off again "Don't" he leaned back into a normal sitting position letting Tali regain her much missed personal space "Don't even think about finishing that sentence" Garrus sighed and let his face fall to the palm of his left hand "Let him know he's off the market" he chuckled at himself "spirits how could I have been so damn stupid, of course you wouldn't know what that meant."
Tali looked down at the floor, to ashamed to continue looking up. "h-how was I supposed to take it?" she mumbled weakly "how else could I have made him mine and mine alone?"
Garrus chuckled more, not the smug or satisfied chuckle he was associated with but instead one filled with disbelief and regret "I meant that you actually confront him with your feelings, with maybe a dash of seduction on the side" he lifted his head back up and looked at her again "I suppose it was foolish of me to think a obviously deranged maniac would understand, so my bad"
Tali wanted to be angry at Garrus, wanted to hate him but she simply couldn't. She wasn't ashamed to admit that she was extremely satisfied with herself at first after bonding with the commander but afterwards she came to regret it immensely for all the pain she knew she caused John. The way he was hurt,worried, and angry after the ordeal was apparent no matter how much he tried to hide it for her sake. She had got caught up in her own selfish desires that she had quickly lost sight of what was truly important to her, his happiness. The fact of the matter was that at this moment Garrus was right and perhaps John's happiness was important to him as well.
Tali felt a tear roll down her cheek as he choked out her response "I...I'm sorry" she found the willpower to bring herself to look back at the Turian "I know that I...that I hurt him and I'm sorry...I really am" she continued to stare at the Turian as she felt more tears roll down her cheek
She watched as the glare in his eyes softened and he seemed to ease up before she heard another chuckle come from him, this one far warmer than the previous ones "I suppose that's a start" Tali's eyes widened slightly and she felt herself calm down as Garrus's mood improved "Alot of work to be done sure, but as long as you realize what you did was wrong, in so many ways, I think there just might be a tiny scrape of hope for you...maybe" he said with his normal smug tone, one that Tali thought she would never be happy to hear
Tali felt a slight smile form on her face "Well gee thanks for the words of encouragement Garrus, you sure know how to cheer someone up" she moved to push herself off of the container but in the process she stumbled a fair bit and nearly fell, and this was caught by Garrus
"Apparently not enough encouragement to get you to walk normally...be honest with me Tali how sick are you feeling right about now?" before Tali could even respond he added "Actually scratch that tell me how willing you would be to go on this mission if our other female squad mates weren't joining us"
Garrus barely caught the low grumble and muffled "bosh'tet" before Tali responded "I would sooner headbutt Wrex if it meant I got to skip out on this mission"
"Let me guess, you're worried that one of those "bosh'tets" as you call them will make a move on him during the mission?" he didn't even need to get a vocal answer as he saw Tali tense up again and begin to twirl her thumbs "Right, thought so. Well then I suppose I'll just have to do you a favor and keep the bosh'tets at bay while you actually rest of your sickness" he sighed "don't worry I'll inform Shepard...or whatever you call him now, I'm sure he'd let his favorite crazy person sit this one out"
Looking past the crazy remark that he often used when talking to her Tali felt a overwhelming sense of gratitude but she couldn't help but wonder something...
"w-why would you do so much for me? Are you not angry with me anymore?"
"Furious actually, but for some odd reason the commander seems to actually have quite the thing for you so I'd rather not see you faint on the battlefield or worse" the Turian also rose off the container before continuing "Personally I don't have a thing for crazy women but it seems Shepard does, so as his ever reliable squad mate It's my duty to keep his safe."
As Garrus finished speaking he noticed that the rest of the squad was already loading up into the Mako and that the Commander had just arrived from the elevator. Shepard looked around briefly before his eyes landed on the pair of dextros and he began to make his way towards them with a smile.
"Don't tell the others I said this but are my two favorite squad mates ready to roll out?" he glanced back almost jokingly to see if anyone else did hear that comment and noticed that Wrex was staring dead at him before quickly turning his head back around "Well Wrex looks like he might shoot me any moment now" he said with another lighthearted chuckle.
"Don't be to full of yourself Shepard, Wrex is ready to shoot anyone pretty sure all Krogans are like that" he could have sworn he heard a deep rumbling growl from across the room but decided to ignore it as he continued "and to answer your question your top squad mate is ready to go but Ms. Second place is going to have to sit this one out"
Shepard turned his attention to Tali but before he could ask anything Tali practically exploded
"Second Place? Listen here you sleazy Turian Bosh'tet just because you have a rough idea on the very basics of how to shoot a sniper rifle doesn't make you the best squad mate, and not to mention that attitude that you seem to think is cool, and"
As Tali continued to rant and argue about her placing on the favorite list Shepard turned his attention back to Garrus "Everything alright with her?"
"The opposite it seems like she's still recovering from your fun activities from last night" Garrus quipped with a slight nudge and chuckle "Of course she tried to but on the big girl mask and go anyway but I talked her out of it she really does need her rest"
Shepard nodded "Understood, Thank you for looking out for her Garrus" He slapped the Turian's back "Now get on the Mako, I'll be right behind you after I defuse this little timebomb" he said after glancing towards Tali, who was still ranting about how awful Garrus actually was.
"Yes sir commander sir" Garrus mockingly saluted and made his way towards the mako. Shepard watched him walk off before turning back to face Tali
"oh and who actually thinks being a c-sec officer is even that cool? might as well be some store security" Tali continued to ramble before noticing that she was alone with John. "Sh-Shepard I'm sorry but I don't really think I have what it takes to join you after...well after last night" she finished weakly.
"Okay and what part about that are you supposed to be sorry about? Go ahead and go get some rest" Shepard said with a smile that almost seemed to mock her for thinking she had anything to be sorry for "I'll be back before you know it, believe it or not I'm actually a fairly competent commander"
"I-I know that!" Tali blurted out "I wasn't trying to say that you need me to keep your safe or anything I just wanted you to know that I really wanted to be down there with you and I'm really sorry that I couldn't an-"
"Your so cute when you ramble" Shepard looked around to ensure no one was watching before leaning in and kissing the top of her face plate " Don't worry I understand now go get some rest, that's a order" he said with a soft smile before quickly turning and making his way to the Mako.
"Y-yes sir" Tali weakly stumbled out as as she watched Shepard enter the Mako. She turned and made her way towards the elevator happily thinking to herself
Everything will be alright
Ending notes- Okay I originally intended to actually write all of the Virmire mission and all but I felt like it was important to get some closure to the whole rape fiasco and help push forward the Friendship(?) between Garrus and Tali. There were some ideas I had about Virmire that invloved Tali being on Virmire but I decided against it for two reasons
1. As pointed out in a review the immune system of Quarians needed to play a larger part, it wouldn't make sense for Tali to be ready for a mission right after getting sick
2. I finally decided that while I want Tali to be extremely possessive and obsessive I wanted there to be plenty of fluff so I decided against some of the ideas that would have made her a complete maniac ( For example I thought about changing the situation on virmire to change so it was possible to save both Kaiden and Ashley but Ashley would die anyway due to some manipulations from Tali)
Anyway again it may be a fair bit of time before another update for this story happens (I've been really wanting to write a yandere fanfic for the anime my youth romantic comedy is wrong as i expected and continuing my yandere overwatch fanfic) but this story IS NOT DEAD