Wedding Day

(a short about Shep's and Tali's wedding day on the Normandy)

"You can kill a Reaper. You came back from the dead. You went through a relay that no one ever has, successfully I might add. You took out the collector base and none of your team was killed. Yet you are nervous about being married to the woman you love? I don't know about you but that seems a little messed up to me." Garrus said. Coiln couldn't stop his hands from shaking.

"I'm not nervous, I'm happy." Colin argued.

"…right."

"You are not helping." Garrus smiled.

"I know."

"Want to know something funny?" Colin asked trying to distract himself.

"Sure."

"Everything good that's happened to me has happened to me on the Normandy." Garrus thought about it for a moment.

"I think I can say the same thing. Alright let's get you ready, it's almost time to head down to the Cargo Hold."

-

"You look beautiful, Tali." Tali looked up to see Kal standing at the door.

"Kal! I'm so glad you could make it. Sounds like you've been working on my name."

"Of course." The smile in his voice was evident. "I wanted to thank you for choosing me to give you away." Tali went over to him.

"Thank you for accepting. It means a lot to me."

"You almost ready?"

"More than ready." Tali felt two hands rest on her shoulders. When she brought her own hands up to touch them there was nothing there.

"You think your mother is here?" Kal asked. Tali's control over her voice slipped.

"I know she is."

-

Colin looked out over the crowd in the cargo bay. Almost everybody he knew was here, even those he really didn't want. He wouldn't let that ruin his day. This was going to be Tali's day. They had done the best they could to incorporate as much Quarian customs into the ceremony as they could. That was the only reason that Colin was wearing his full suit. That's also why Shala'raan was doing the ceremony. Garrus leaned over.

"I don't know if you're still nervous or not but don't worry about it. Females, no matter the race, always take awhile to get ready." Colin chuckled.

"Ain't that the truth."

"I need to ask a favor from you."

"What?"

"After you test her flexibility can you tell me what she looks like?"

"Garrus." Shepard warned.

"What? I don't think there's a single person…" Music started over the COM interrupting Garrus. Colin sent a mental thank you to EDI. Everybody turned around to get their first glimpse of Tali in her wedding dress. When she came into view there were several gasps from the audience. Shepard's jaw dropped through the bottom of his helmet. She was beautiful. Her normal hood and garb was replaced with white. She had a sash around her waist that was purple. All the garments had the design of her normal garb. Colin did a double take at the Quarian that offered her his arm.

"Um, Colin, isn't that the dead Quarian we saw on the Alarie?" After he blinked a few times, the color of the Quarian's hood changed back to red.

"Remember that other Quarian when we pick up Tali? That's him." Garrus looked at the Quarian thoughtfully.

Walking toward Colin, Tali saw that he had dressed in his suit. He also had a sash around his waist that was a mixture of blue, black, and red. She giggled quietly to herself. She knew the blue was for his scars and the other two colors were for his armor color. They were his colors as the purple around her waist was hers.

Just before Tali made it him Colin took one last look at Garrus to make sure he wasn't going to do anything. Knowing what Shepard was doing Garrus gave him a smile. As Colin's eyes moved away from Garrus they froze just over the Turian's shoulder. Standing behind his best man was the man he made that promise to all those years ago. He gave the Commander a smile. Behind the man was a Quarian, Tali's father. Noticing something out of the corner of his eye Colin turned to see that Tali had frozen on the few steps up to him. Kal had already taken his seat but Tali was looking at her father behind Garrus.

"Dad?" she whispered. He nodded to her and motioned for her to go to Colin. There were several quiet conversations going on between the Quarians in the audience. Tali looked over to where her maid of honor, Kasumi, was standing. Standing behind Kasumi was another human woman and her mother. When Tali stood across from Shepard he could see tears streaming down her face. Tears were also making their way down Colin's face. The man and his wife were here for him.

Tali's Aunt couldn't speak. Two of her closest friends that were dead were here for their daughter's wedding. Garrus had looked behind himself to see what Colin was looking at that made him cry and was staring slack jawed at the Quarian. Shepard coughed trying to push the emotion back enough so he could perform the ceremony. Shala'raan shook her head. It was apparent that they had made a huge effort to be here, better start the wedding.

"It has been decided that this wedding will be performed as a Quarian Bonding ceremony by the Bride and Groom." Her voice rang out. "This ceremony is relatively short due to necessity in the fleet. Colin Shepard, Tali'Zorah, we are all gather because you wish to be bonded?"

"Yes." They both answered.

"Do you both do this from your hearts?"

"Yes." Again they both answered.

"Coilin, if you both were to have your suits rupture would you put her life above your own?"

"Always."

"Tali?"

"Only if I can beat him to it." Colin smiled.

"You never will." Shala'raan smiled.

"Colin with your right hand hold Tali's right hand. Tali with your left hand hold Colin's left hand. You have both made the choice to become one as hard as that might be. Will the man and maid of honor please step forward to remove their sashes."

Garrus made to move forward but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. The Human and Tali's father moved to Colin. The man's wife and Tali's mother were already working on Tali. After a moment the two humans stood on Colin's left with his sash. Tali's parent stood on his right with Tali's sash in their hands. Reaching over Tali's and Colin's crossed arms the Humans and the Quarians twisted the two sashes together. The two wives stepped back. The two fathers wrapped the now twisted sashes around the point where Colin's and Tali's arms crossed. Working together they knotted the sashes tying the two together.

After they finished the two Humans went to Shepard and the two Quarians to Tali. The man and his wife wrapped their arms around Colin.

"You kept your promise to me. You went beyond that promise. I thank you for that. Now let me make a promise to you. I promise that you will only be able to have one child with your wife. Take care of your family like you took care of mine." The man said.

"Don't worry too much we will help keep your wife safe and when you have a child we will watch that child too." The wife added.

"Thank you so much." Colin whispered.

Tali watched her parents approach her. They too hugged their only child.

"I'm sorry I wasn't a better father. You have done more than any Quarian in history. Keep this path and you will change the galaxy. I have always been proud to be your father. I have always loved you and always will." Tali's father said.

"My gift to you, my daughter, is that you will have a child with this man. We will always be watching over you. You've grown up so much. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you physically but I want you to know I was always there. My parting words to you. Love your husband like I loved mine. Love your child like I have always loved you." The two Humans and two Quarians faded from view. The cargo bay was silent. Tali slipped her hand from the knot. She brought it up to the Colin's mask.

"Forever?" Colin put his hand on hers.

"Longer."

This is the end of this short story here's a little something that randomly came to my mind, a alternate ending:

"Commander we just received a report that a Reaper is attacking a colony." EDI said over the COM.

CHAK!

Colin turned to see Tali finish putting a heat sink into her shotgun.

"Why did you bring a shotgun to the wedding? I didn't see it on your back, should I even ask where you were keeping it?" Tali's eyes sparkled.

"Let's go kill us a Reaper!"

Weird I know.

Thanks to you that waited so long for this to be finished. I hope you enjoyed this journey with me and I hope putting the last three chapters out at the same time works. More stuff will be coming. Just a question of when…I hate it when that happens…