Author's Note: a bit more exposition. Don't worry there will be more action soon.

Chapter 11

"How are you doing?" Garrus asked taking a seat next to Sean in the mess hall.

Sean sighed. His heart still ached from Kate's death. He wasn't over it. He would never be over it. She didn't deserve it.

"Hey, don't be hard on yourself." Garrus said clapping a hand on Sean's shoulder.

"It takes time." Sean said, twirling his food with his fork.

"I understand. So how are you holding up?" Garrus said tearing at his food.

"Better, I guess." Sean said, uncertain. He felt so alone.

You're not alone. His mind replied.

Kate's gone.

And she took a chunk of your heart with her. So are you going to let it hurt forever or let it heal?

I have no one.

Are you crazy? You have Shepard and Garrus. Hell, you even have Tali. She feels for you.

How would I know?

Have you thought of talking to her? She managed to be there when you needed her the most. Think about it.

You're right. Sean thought, his mind and mood beginning to clear.

"You look better." Garrus said, giving a turian equivalent of a smile.

"Yea, I have you guys." Sean said patting Garrus on the back.

"If you just want to talk, feel free to swing by." Garrus replied.

"Thanks." Sean said entering the elevator. He had to thank someone else.

As the elevator doors opened he smiled. He casually walked into the engine room.

"Oh, hi Sean." Tali said, looking up from her station.

"Hey, Tali." He said, stumbling over his words. He blushed as he tried to remain calm.

"How are you doing?" She asked sheepishly.

"A lot better. Thanks for asking." Sean said slowly making his way to Tali's side. "Listen," he began, his head dropping, "I'm sorry you had to see that side of me. I-" Tali reached down and took hold oh Sean's hand, clasping it between both of hers.

"It wasn't you. I was what that man wanted you to be. You proved him that you were different, you were better."" She said, her voice calm.

"I had someone there to help me." Sean said smiling back, taking Tali's hand and squeezing it between both of his. There was a long pause as they both looked quietly into each other's eyes. Sean's heart fluttered as he saw the words sink in to Tali.

"I-" Tali said, as she pulled her hand away, "I just-"

"No I understand." Sean said, his heart plummeting. "I get it." Sean slowly walked out of the engineering.

"Sean…" Tali began, but it was too late. Sean was already gone and into his room, defeated.

Sean let the door shut as he flopped onto his cot.

Why did I do that? He asked himself.

You had feelings for her, you still do. His mind replied back.

She obviously doesn't like me.

Something felt off in his room. Sean looked up and began to scan the room. He slowly stood up. Reaching for his concealed blade, hidden just below his belt line. He noticed a small flicker of light glancing off a cloaked surface. Someone was spying on him. He made his way over, but relaxed his posture hoping that would throw off the cloaked figure. He snapped his arm out and managed to get hold of the spy's throat. The person gasped in fear as they were lifted off the ground. The cloak melted away revealing a woman. She was wearing a tight black one-piece with a hood over her head, obscuring her face. She had a purple tattoo that stretched from her bottom lip to her mid-chin.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Sean hissed, his hand slowly closing on her throat. She feebly tried to scratch at his hand, as an attempt to break free. "Speak!" He commanded.

"I'm Kasumi Goto. I serve on this ship." She said, air barely passing from her lips.

"Bull shit!" Sean said throwing her to the ground and drawing his pistol. "EDI get Shepard down here now!" Sean said. He turned his attention back to the spy, "What are you doing here?"

She lay on the ground, propped up by her elbow. "It's just what I do. This is how I get to know the people here." She said weakly, massaging her throat.

"What's going on here?" Shepard commanded, bursting into the room.

"Commander, this woman has been spying on us." Sean said, his eyes not leaving the spy.

"At ease Sean, there's no threat here." Shepard said relaxing.

"What?" Sean said, confused.

"I said at ease!" Shepard yelled.

Sean reluctantly lowered his pistol, "What is going on here, Commander?"

"She's a friendly, I recruited her back on the Citadel."

"She was spying on me! How am I supposed to trust her?" Sean asked.

"She's a thief. What do you expect? Now fix this." Shepard commanded, crossing her arms across her chest. Sean didn't move. Shepard glared at him until he turned and reluctantly offered his hand. Kasumi took it. "The last thing we need here are hostilities on this ship. Understand?" She said.

"Yes ma'am." Sean and Kasumi said.

"Good." Shepard said. She then stepped out of the room.

There was a quick silence that was broken by Sean. "What the hell were you doing in my room?" He asked again, anger still obvious in his voice.

"Like I said, it's how I get to know the people on this ship." Kasumi said.

"Everyone?" Sean said his curiosity piqued.

"Basically. I even saw your feeble flirt attempt." Kasumi teased. Sean tensed. He was going to have to be more careful now that Kasumi would be watching him. "Hey but don't feel too bad, she likes you too." Kasumi said.

"What do you mean?" Sean asked quickly.

"She talks about you a lot. She's constantly wondering how you're doing. Plus she always looks your way whenever you enter the room." Kasumi said.

"Really?" Sean said, stunned. "I'm an idiot." He mumbled burying his face in his hands.

"You just have to show her that you deeply care about her."

"What do you mean?"

"Shepard rescued Tali and saved the galaxy with Tali always at her side. If Shepard were male, Tali would be falling all over him."

"Well I need to work on that then." Sean said. "Thanks, and sorry for the bad first impression."

"We all get caught sometime. I'm just glad it was you and not a armed guard." Kasumi said stepping out of Sean's room and cloaking herself.

"Just don't let me find you snooping around in my room again." Sean warned. He sat down at his desk.

Time went by and Sean relaxed. The pain of losing Kate still bit him. He wished he could talk to her one more time, to iron out the mistakes and words he had said. His heart began to ache. He needed to distract his thoughts, and basic maintenance on his weapons did that. Sean casually began to take apart his pistol and clean the individual parts.

"Mr. Mason, Miss Lawson wishes to speak to you in her quarters." EDI said appearing before Sean.

"Alright." Sean said standing up. He slowly meandered to the Crew Deck. He took a deep breath as he reached Miranda's door. The door opened and Sean made his way in, standing before Miranda's desk.

Miranda casually looked up from her terminal, "Please take a seat." She said gesturing to a seat.

Sean sat down in the padded chair. "What's this about?" He asked, shifting in his seat.

"I need to test your mental health." Miranda said curtly.

"What?" Sean sputtered, astounded.

"You suffered a great loss, I need to see if you are still capable of performing properly." Miranda stated, pulling up a new document on her terminal.

Sean was appalled. How could Miranda attempt such a thing? He was still damaged, no one else on the ship dared to even speak of the event to Sean's face. "What? So you think I'm messed up?" Sean said, his voice rising.

"I wouldn't assume that. I just need to do a simple test." Miranda said, her face staying emotionless.

"Go to hell!" Sean yelled, angrily standing up. "I don't have to put up with this! Yes I lost someone important to my life, but that doesn't mean you can assume I need to be tested. Fuck you!" Sean yelled leaving the room. Sean ran into Garrus as he exited the door. Garrus stood wide-eyed and mouth agape.

"What happened in there?" Garrus asked, shocked to see Sean so angry.

"That soulless bitch" was all Sean could say before he stomped off back to his room.