AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! Happy N7 day! Here's a chapter for ya that's nice and wholesome. As for a chapter this sunday, while I am hoping to still be able to get it out, my Aunt's English Shepherds had a litter of puppies, and as we've been expecting, we got the last of them last Saturday. And she is quite the exhausting handful. And not potty trained yet. Yay. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter. Hope for a chapter come monday, but please don't be too upset if there isn't one. Oh, and the descriptions of the Quarian "Realk" and their patterns, credit goes to Calinstel. I really had to dig to find those descriptions again.

Tali'Zorah vas Neema

We had been on Omega for the better part of the day, and John has been out the entire time helping Samara track down her fugitive. Curiously, Garrus had returned relatively recently to work on the Normandy's guns. As for what I've been doing, there honestly wasn't much work to be done. I was doing what little I could do to see off the rest of the sickness. Which, fortunately, wasn't much at all. And ever since I learned about the decontamination unit, I've been skirting the limits of what the body can handle as far as immuno-booster doses and antibiotics. Which is more than I've been needing to fight off the sickness. The truth of the matter is that I've barely been able to stay on my feet all day, fighting off sleep. I've been considering taking stims, but that might be too many chemicals in my bloodstream for one day.

Fortunately, there hasn't been much work to do in the first place, so I was essentially forcing myself awake as much as I could with short bouts of just passing out in port observation, spending time with Kasumi. I would be 'pressured' into revealing details of the night I showed John my face, and in exchange, Kasumi would give me… um… advice… about human men… It'll be some time yet before I can put any-well, most of it… to use. My body needs to adapt to him more, I need to be fully healthy, no hint of disease, and the medications running strong in my system.

A small hand on my shoulder shook me as I had been dozing off again.

"Tali?" Kasumi spoke gently. "EDI just chimed in. Shep's back."

"Hmm? Wha-... Oh… right," I shook my head as I sat up straight, hand to my visor, right over the forehead. "Thanks, er… Kasumi," I blinked my eyes wide several times, fighting off sleep yet again. I stood and almost lost my balance, staying on my feet thanks to Kasumi. I thanked her again and left to find John. Or maybe I should just ask where he is. And at that moment, the elevator opened, Samara disembarking, her stance more rigid than before, and appearing bruised. "Samara," I called out. She turned, the same stoic, emotionless face as always. But her body language was off. Those not used to reading body language might not notice, but someone who's entire society is dependent on it? Samara's is significantly off. And I don't know why. But John's back on the ship so if nothing else, he's ok.

"Yes, Tali?" Her voice was as stoic as her face, which only made the strangeness of her body language more concerning.

"Um… Where's John?"

"He is waiting to take the elevator up to his quarters. He allowed me to make use of it first. Now please, excuse me. I need to meditate."

"Of course. Thanks, Samara." She turned and continued to the starboard observation, and I entered the elevator, already being called upwards. So I went along for the ride. My sluggish arms weren't going to complain. The elevator went on up to CIC, the door opening to show John waiting, looking a bit tired, and a double take in surprise to see me.

"Oh! Tali," he greeted, stepping into the elevator.

"Hi," I yawned. "John. Did you and Samara find the criminal?"

"We did. She's dead. Why don't we talk in our quarters? You seem tired."

"Medications," I shrugged. "And sure."

"How's the sickness coming along anyway?"

"More or less gone now. Or I just have so many meds in my system that I can't feel any of the symptoms."

"Or much anything?" John chuckled. "Sometimes the best ways to help you get over a cold is just to take something that knocks you the fuck out. You can't feel your sinuses clogged if you're not conscious."

"That… is true," I joined the chuckle. The elevator came to a stop, we disembarked, the decon unit ran its course, and we entered our quarters. Oh. Our quarters. I did just call it that. We went down to the sofa and took our seats beside each other, John releasing a deep breath as he took his seat, shifting as he seemed to adjust for sores, an arm going around my shoulder.

"So… Morinth. Mirala…" he trailed off, seemingly in disgust.

"Mirala?"

"Her birth name. That Samara gave her."

"Wha-Oh. Oh! Keelah, that's horrible!"

"Yeah. Yeah, it is."

"How did you catch her?"

"Long story short, Aria gave us a lead as to who the last kill was, found her hunting ground, a few things to lure her in, and I was the bait. Going into a club and getting her interested enough to invite me to her apartment for Samara to catch her off guard."

"...What? Isn't that a bit much just to catch a serial killer?"

"She's more than that. It's something that stretches back to early Asari history. Ardat-Yakshi. A genetic disorder that kills through mind-melding. You can see how dangerous that would be on Omega."

"You were the bait for what is quite literally a sexual predator?" I exclaimed, coming out of my stupor.

"The years have made her careful as hell. And all her kills make her stronger, apparently. We had to get her somewhere closed off and with her guard down. Between the fact that pretending to be her next victim would fulfill both of those, and Samara's insistence that knowing what she was did a great deal to keep me safe? I was confident enough," John explained.

"It was still awfully dangerous."

"Sure, but what isn't in this line of work? And all I really had to do was show off a bit to get her attention, then act like I liked what she did and thought the same way. In the apartment she tried to start her mind games, but, well, I just thought of you," he grinned. I dropped her real name as Samara broke down her door and the two had quite the impressive biotic scuffle. Samara, obviously, won in the end, snapping Mirala's neck. Call me paranoid, but after Samara left, I put a pair of bullets in her skull. The ability to genuinely screw with someone's mind is freaky and freaks me out."

"As it should. Keelah," I murmured. "I wish you had told me."

"I didn't want you worrying about me. If I knew you were worried, I'd be more worried, and like I said, mind games freak me out. I'd rather not take chances," he shrugged. I didn't really have a response for that, so I just rested my head on his shoulder. "As tired as we might be, there are still a few hours in the day, and I'm hungry. How about we grab a bite from the mess and take it up here?"

"That sounds nice, John." We stood and made our way down, grabbing our meals and taking our leave. John had explained that his seasoned meal was a kind of fish from Earth, a 'Sam Mon,' I think. As for myself, sterilized Turian poultry, Louza. We returned to our quarters, took our seats again, and started working on our meals. John even waited for me to finish preparing so that we could eat together. We continued with our meals in relative silence. As I chewed my own food I watched as John ate his 'sam mon,' his silverware easily cutting the fish into bite sizes, as well as the seasoning covering it. Naturally, I wondered how it would taste, regardless of the fact that even if not for Quarian immune systems, I'd never safely get to find out. Eventually, we finished our meals and returned to comfortable positions on the couch, myself leaning on him as he leaned back against the couch.

"Hm, there's an idea," he mused out loud.

"Hm?"

"Remember last time we were just chatting up here? After Kasumi's heist?"

"I do. When we talked about our people's history. Like on the old Normandy as well. What about it?"

"Well, I've got a few questions I wouldn't mind asking. And I'd be happy to answer questions in return."

"I'd be ok with that."

"Good. I'm just going to brush my teeth first. I figure as soon as we're done, we're going to sleep anyways," he shrugged. I shifted my weight off of him, allowing him to stand and move towards the bathroom. And a thought came to mind. I pulled down my Realk and unsealed my mask, taking in a nice, deep breath of the cabin air. Quickly, I removed the rest of my helmet and laid it all to rest on the small table in front of the couch. I simply waited to hear the bathroom door open again. When it did, I couldn't help but hold my breath, both fighting my own nerves and to surprise John. He stepped down, turned to the couch to see me staring right back at him, a nervous grin. He blinked twice, rapidly.

"You sure?" He asked.

"Yes, John. I'm sure." He smiled at my response and continued to return to his place. When he did sit, I began moving to kiss him, but he must not have noticed, as he put a hand to the back of my head, gently rustling my short hair, pulling my forehead against his lips as he left a soft, gentle, kiss upon it. Why did that feel so… sweet? We shared another smile before he granted me the short kiss that I was looking for. It's still an incredible sensation, but, as difficult as it was, I held myself back. This was a conversation we both wanted to have. Anything else can wait.

"So, the first question that's been on my mind. I already know that you call the cloth a Realk, and that the patterns represent a Quarian's clan. Do the patterns themselves represent anything more beyond the clan itself?"

"Oh, they do, actually. While all clan patterns are unique, they all are built off of the same base elements. Straight lines for firmness, circles for linked choices or change. The diamonds like on Auntie-Raan's Realk show firmness, yes, but also making hard decisions while able to return and perhaps change such decisions. If a Clan has wavy lines, they don't believe in simple choices," I explained. "Clan Zorah's pattern is primarily straight lines and circles, obviously. The lines are long, but gently begin to curve into spirals. That indicates a firmness in our decisions, though an understanding that it can return to the beginning, but it is never quite the same. We move towards our goals, facing the same challenges, though they may take different forms." John nodded his head.

"Interesting. I think I understand. I see how it's fluid in the sense that it doesn't dictate the views or specific decisions involved, just their dedication yet open-mindedness of holding them."

"Precisely. I believe it's my turn next."

"Go ahead." I took a minute to think of a good question I could ask him. I think I'll start with this.

"You and Councilor Anderson are very close. Is he to you as Auntie-Raan is to me?"

"He… essentially is," John shrugged. "He and my dad were best friends even before they enlisted. They got separated for a while after dad washed out of N7 training, David kept going. Not separated out of hostility, mind you, dad just went on to continue his service while David went through with N7. By the time I was born, dad was actually serving under David. All my life he's been an uncle to me."

"And Auntie-Raan was the one who took me from my mother when I was born and put me inside my bubble."

"So, like a sister to your mother like David was like a brother to my father," John remarked. I simply nodded.

"So, next question…" John began. "Well, I would ask about Realk colors, but I think I've already pieced together that they symbolize profession or expertise. So. How about… your earlier life? What kind of things would you do in your free time? That you haven't already told me, that is."

"Hm. Well, other than studying, I'm sure. My parents, father especially, encouraged much of that. But in my free time where I wasn't in my studies? You remember Kal, of course. He was a childhood best friend. So was Lana. She was on Freedom's Progress and Haestrom. Lana'Shalgur. There were games we'd play as children, alongside others around our age. Seekers was one. Two children are tasked as seekers, with the goal of finding where all other children have decided to hide," I explained.

"Oh! Humans have a game almost just like that. Except there's only one 'seeker.' Hide and Go Seek, is what we call it."

"I suppose we involve two seekers because of how much our society stresses, and requires, cooperation," I mused. "But other than games like that, sometimes I'd go down to the Rayya's engineering, watch, and ask questions to learn from some of the engineers. There were specific areas that were safe for children, particularly those interested in an Engineering future, to go, observe, and the engineers present were capable and willing to answer questions, as they worked." I paused. "My turn. What did you do in your youth?"

"Hm. That largely depended on where I was. Outside of my studies, or the physical training I wanted to start after I reached my teens? If I was on the ship a parent was serving on, I'd make use of the extranet when in buoy range, for… any number of things. And when not, I'd play games or watch movies that I had downloaded while in buoy range. Mind you, free time like this was probably more common than your own, but uncommon by the standards of most human kids."

"And where else would you be?"

"Arcturus. Sometimes planet side on a number of worlds with my parents. For the latter, we'd just go see the sights, generally be out and about. But for Arcturus? Most of the other spacer kids, even those not planning on joining the Alliance themselves made use of the simulators all the time. War games. Simulated dogfights in Alliance Fighters, simulated large scale navy battles, or a classic boots on the ground sim. More or less just another First Person Shooter game but in full VR gear."

"You must have spent plenty of time there," I remarked.

"Can you tell?" John chuckled. While at the end of the day it was always a game, sure, even during free time, it was just early training for those planning to enlist. VIs would evaluate players and supervisors might chip in as well if they ever saw fit."

"I believe that's your turn then."

"Let me think…" John trailed off. Quiet, for a moment. "If you had to pick one place in the entire galaxy to go and see, to visit. Where would it be?"

"Well, Rannoch, obviously, but I suspect you were thinking of somewhere that's safer to travel," I answered, a hint of sadness creeping in.

"Hey, we'll get you there. I promise you that. But I was thinking of places outside the Perseus Veil."

"Well… I'm not sure if there's any one place I'd want to go. You've told me so much about Earth and your people that I must admit I want to see it for myself someday, but I've also heard the most beautiful things about Thessia. I think-No, actually. Do you remember on Virmire? The beaches we saw? You told me about the beaches you've been to. That's something I think I'd like to experience someday. Admittedly, without the suit, but to experience nonetheless."

"Then you've given me an idea. I've heard about environmental simulators on the Citadel. Large rooms that, would probably not be too difficult to turn into clean rooms, and simulate different environments. Like miniature versions of the simulator on Pinnacle station and with less shooting. We could go to one of those next time we're there. Let you feel rain, wind, beaches, you name it. And I'll be there to tell you how it compares to the real thing."

"If we have the time… yes. That sounds like a great idea."

"Then consider it done," he grinned, lowering his head so we could share another kiss.

"Now, same question. Where would you want to go?"

"After going to Rannoch with you and going to one of those sim chambers with you? I want to say… huh. While I think I'd like the jungles of Sur'Kesh, I think I'd actually want to spend a few days wandering around Palaven."

"Why's that?"

"A few reasons, I think. First, I think it's because the Turians simultaneously bear so many similarities and differences with humanity. It's almost like what their society is, Humanity could have turned into at several points in our history. Second? Their environment evolved them into those carapaced flightless birds. I want to see what it turned their wildlife into. And third, their society is rather similar to that of the Romans of Human history. I've already been to Rome. I want to see what other similarities to them I can find in their cities."

"That would be interesting, I think. From an outside perspective, your first contact war seems almost like the squabble of siblings more than true war, after all."

"Did it now? Wonder what Garrus would think about that," John chuckled. "Well, I'm actually out of questions now. You can ask away if you have any."

"I can't really say that I do," I shrugged.

"Well," John yawned. "Well, then I'm almost ready to get some sleep then."

"Almost?" I looked up at him, brow raised.

"Almost, because I refuse to waste the time that I can see and feel you on something as trivial as sleep," he remarked. I must admit, a blush came to my cheeks.

"Good. Because I refuse to waste that time myself," I smiled. I reached my hand up behind his head and pulled his lips down to mine. Both our lips parted without hesitation, and it surprised me almost as much as it did the first time I removed my mask for him how… eager I was in our kissing. How quickly I found myself atop him. Holding him as close as physically possible, and reveling in him doing the same.

Damn this mask. Damn this suit.