Author's Notes: I am SO very sorry that it has taken me this long to update, but with my work and the husband's work it has been very hectic. And lest we forget about the new DLC for Mass Effect that you can purchase from XBL and the PSN called Citadel. If you have not played it, I highly recommend that you do. Now, I want to warn you that this chapter contains language, smut, and a threesome. So if that isn't your thing, then feel free to not read. As always, reviews are much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Sadly. I wish I were Casey Hudson.

Tali leaned against the backside of the panel, pressing her head back against the wall with her knees pulled up towards her chest and sighed while fiddling with the screwdriver in her hand. She was a master at working on ships, especially engines, but she had never had an opportunity to work on jump drives before. Even with EDI's help it was taking longer to install them then it should have. EDI had offered to go in instead, seeing as how the Normandy was technically her body, but they decided it was best if Tali went simply because Tali could feel if she stepped on or broke something whereas EDI wouldn't. While she waited on some numbers from Garrus, she thought back to when she practically forced Shepard to watch Fleet and Flotilla, her cheeks burning from embarrassment. She was a Quarian, she shouldn't have those types of feelings for another female but truthfully she couldn't help herself.

Ever since Shepard had picked her up during her chase for Saren she had felt the undeniable draw towards her, but was too much of a huhinaceo to make any such advances on her. Besides, she had expressed great interest in Liara, the beautiful and intelligent Asari, and then somehow her attention had shifted to Garrus, the strong and patient Turian. She still was uncertain as to how Garrus and Shepard had begun their relationship but she was all too aware that Garrus, during the hunt for Saren, had already developed feelings for their Commander. Apparently he had more guts than she did to pursue a relationship with her.

She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks as she thought about what she had let slip at the party in Shepard's apartment. She couldn't help but think of what Shepard had said the next day after they were back on the Normandy and what had happened, blushing profusely.

She was tinkering around with the engine, running some diagnostics with EDI and Adams before hitting the Kronos station, though they still had a few other things to do before then, when she felt a light pressure on her arm and she turned around to the bright green eyes of one of her closest friends who was wearing a small smile on her lips.

"Got a minute to talk Tali?" Shepard asked, removing her hand and crossing her arms over her chest, looking at the console over Tali's shoulder. "Unless you're busy. I can always come back later." She gave a nervous laugh and shook her head.

"No, it's fine really. We're just running diagnostics to make sure this girl is completely up to and ready for the imminent battle." Keelah, why am I so nervous? She thought to herself, wringing her hands.

"How's it coming?" Tali tilted her head, her nervousness forgotten momentarily, and tapped on her omni-tool. She brought up a holo and gestured at it with her three fingered hand.

"Really well," she exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet, jostling the holo. "The engine is running smoothly and we've even installed a few upgrades. The Normandy is more than ready, Shepard." She smiled at her from behind her mask and felt pride at her work. Shepard laughed, a deep throaty laugh, and suddenly Tali was nervous again. She cursed herself mentally, screaming at herself for her untimely feelings.

"That's good to hear." Shepard paused for a moment tilting her head and looked at Tali with that small smile still bringing her lips up in a soft curve. "Can we talk privately?"

Tali's handed started sweating and her heart began to beat faster. "P-privately?" she stammered. Shepard nodded and jerked her head towards the doors.

"Can you meet me in my cabin in a few minutes? There's something I want to talk to you about." If Shepard could sense her nervousness she wasn't letting on. Inside, she felt like her stomach was doing flip flops and she tried to slow the rate of her heart but was failing. Keelah, I'm in trouble.

"Sure, I'll be up in a few." Shepard gave her arm a light squeeze, which sent an electric shock up her arm and throughout her body, then turned away nodding at Adams, Daniels and Donnelly. Once Shepard was gone she took a deep breath and rubbed the spot where Shepard had touched her and turned back to the console with a million thoughts flying through her head. Once she felt calm enough she headed up to Shepard's cabin, pausing slightly before getting into the elevator.

Perhaps she could just tell her that something had come up and she wasn't able to meet her. No, if Shepard wanted to talk to her she would endure it, whatever it may be. When the doors opened in front of Shepard's cabin she closed her eyes and sighed. She stepped out and knocked on the door, waiting patiently for a reply. When she heard Shepard call she opened the door and stepped in, looking at the fish and smiled. They were still alive.

She walked down the stairs and started when she saw Shepard pouring two glasses of alcohol and her stomach started flopping again.

"I've got this dextro wine. I keep it up here for Garrus, but I thought you might like to have some. I've even got a straw for you," Shepard said, smiling at her. Tali smiled and shook her head in embarrassment.

"Thank you." She took the offered drink with the straw and sat down on the couch which was unbelievably comfortable. Much more comfortable than the furniture in the lounge. No wonder Garrus is up here all the time, she thought feeling a spike of jealously before quashing it quickly. She had no reason to be jealous. She had been too nervous and it was not Garrus' fault. She looked up as Shepard sat down next to her and sighed, taking a sip from her glass. She moved over a bit, trying to move away from the heat of Shepard's bare leg and pressed herself against the arm of the couch; bringing up one of her legs underneath her so she could face her. "You said you wanted to talk?" Shepard glanced at her and took another sip from her glass and crossed her legs.

"Mm," she said, leaning back against the couch and watched Tali for a moment as she fiddled with her straw. "I wanted to talk about something you said at the party."

She managed to get the straw where she needed it and took a deep drink before looking at Shepard again. "About what?" She tried to sound nonchalant but her voice betrayed her by coming out as a squeak.

Shepard turned so that she was facing her and took another sip of her drink before setting in down on the coffee table. "When I found you in the bathroom, which I have to admit was probably one of the best moments of the whole party, you said something and I've been curious about it ever since." Now she felt like she might die from embarrassment. She was hoping this would never be brought up. How could Shepard be so calm about this when she herself thought she was going to melt right through the couch? She must have sensed her nervousness now because she reached out a comforting hand and laid it over hers. "If you don't want to talk about it, we can talk about something else Tali." She looked into her green eyes and felt her breath hitch in her throat.

Garrus was so damn lucky to have her. If he ever did anything to hurt her, she would personally find him and shoot him with her shotgun. Shepard was always so understanding and calm about everything. Even now in her utter embarrassment she felt like she could tell Shepard anything and everything and she would just sit there and listen without judgment.

"No, I'm okay really." She licked her dry lips behind her mask and took an even deeper drink from her wine. Already she was starting to feel warm and tingling.

"When you said, "Garrus, but you're with Shepard… oh the three of us? Well…" I was wondering if he had actually asked you that or not." Her cheeks burned hotly and she almost dropped her drink into her lap. She looked down and finished her wine. When she looked up again Shepard was finishing off her glass as well.

"I was drunk Shepard," she said, reaching for the dextro wine and pouring herself some more as Shepard poured herself another glass.

"I know, but did he ask you or is that a fantasy of yours?" She was so taken aback by the question that she actually dropped the bottle but Shepard's fast reflexes grabbed it before it could land. Her cheeks felt as if they could melt right through her mask and she was suddenly very warm. It was also getting hard to breath but she took another large drink from her glass before looking at Shepard.

"Well um-I- that is we- oh Keelah," she said and ran a hand over her mask. She felt Shepard warm hand on hers and she looked up at her, tears of embarrassment in her eyes. She knew Shepard couldn't see them and for that she was grateful.

"It's okay Tali, really. You have no need to be embarrassed about it. We all have fantasies." She shook off Shepard's hand.

"He mentioned it in passing," she whispered. Shepard lifted her head and made her look at her.

"I never said I was offended or was opposed to the idea at all Tali." She stopped fidgeting and stared at the human woman in front of her for a moment before shaking her head.

"You don't have to say that just to make me feel better Shepard," she said sadly. What Shepard was doing was completely unfair and hurtful.

"Would I do that to you Tali?" She cringed at the tone Shepard used and instantly felt chagrined. Could Shepard really be saying what she thought she was saying? "Look at me," she said, forcing Tali to look at her again. Her green eyes burned into her glowing ones. She felt she could lose herself in those bright, green orbs. "Would I do that to you?" she repeated her question and slowly Tali shook her head, earning a soft smile from the human woman.

Shepard lifted her hand and ran it over Tali's hood and down her arm in a feathery light caress. At her touch, she felt her heartbeat speed up and felt her core become hot from arousal. It was a good thing she decided to keep the nerve-stim pro installed, she thought. In her haze, she managed to work out a coherent sentence. "Shepard, you're with Garrus. We shouldn't," she said, biting back a sigh as Shepard took her hand in hers and laced their fingers together. She'd never been touched like this before and it was taking all of her self-control to not whip off her mask and enviro suit. Shepard brought herself closer to Tali. So close that Tali could see the faint scars that lined her cheeks from her reconstruction, the lightest of her freckles dotting her face and the flecks of gold in her eyes. In that moment she decided what she wanted.

"I was thinking we could indulge all of our fantasies," Shepard breathed, leaning in closer, pressing her body against Tali's. She blinked and felt her stomach muscles clench in excitement.

"You mean…" Shepard pulled back a fraction of an inch and gave her a half smile.

"If you're okay with it." She felt like she was spinning, but in a very good way. She was about to ask a question when Shepard answered it for her. "I've already talked to Garrus."

"Then why did you ask me?" she questioned, leaning towards her again, missing the heat from her body.

"I wanted to hear you say it." Tali took a deep breath and reached out a shaking hand to run her fingers through Shepard's hair, something she had wanted to do for a very long time. She was surprised at how soft it was on her fingers.

"I want to," she said, sliding her hand down over Shepard's arm, loving the feel of her soft tanned skin under her hands. Her body was aching with the need for Shepard to touch her.

"Want me to call him?" All she could do was nod and watch as Shepard typed out a message on her omni-tool and within seconds there was a faint ping back. That was fast, she thought quietly.

Shepard took Tali's drink from her and set it on the table then turned back to her, leaning into her and lightly ran her hand over her suited arm, sending jolts of electricity throughout her body and she felt more alive than she ever had. She slid her hands into Shepard's hair, relishing in the silky strands sliding over her fingers. She could hear Shepard's breathing in her ear and longed to feel it against her skin.

She didn't care if she got sick, she wanted to feel Shepard. She wanted to know what her lips tasted like, to feel her tongue against hers and feel her hot breath on her neck. She pulled back for a moment and reach for her mask, taking in the burning look of Shepard's eyes, and unclipped it.

Shepard reached up and brushed her hand away, slowly taking the mask off. She set it on the table as Tali unhooked her hood from her suit and let it fall to the floor. When Shepard turned back to her, she carefully ran her hands through Tali's dark black hair.

She leaned in to kiss Shepard, but she pulled away a worried look on her face. "I'll take some antibiotics. Besides, on Rannoch I linked a Prime to my suit so I shouldn't get very sick at all," she said, calming Shepard. Her heart warmed with the knowledge that she was worried about her.

She leaned towards her again, slowly, and looked into her eyes for the first time without her mask. She was even more beautiful, if that was possible. She paused, unsure suddenly. What if Shepard didn't think she was attractive? Shepard must have noticed her hesitation because she pressed her warm palm against her cheek and gave her a soft smile.

"You're beautiful," she whispered, running her fingers over her skin. Tali closed her eyes and sighed into the touch. She moaned softly when she felt Shepard's soft, rosy lips press against hers. She felt like her heart was going to fly out of her chest and she was going to explode. Slowly, she traced her tongue over her lips noticing that she tasted like something sweet. When Shepard opened her mouth she ran her tongue against her slightly rough one eagerly.

She felt herself being pressed back into the arm of the couch and Shepard's hand twining into her hair as their tongues danced against each other, battling one another, as Shepard pressed her body flush against Tali's eliciting another moan from her when there was a loud knock on the door in the otherwise quiet room. Both women pulled away from each other, their faces flushed.

"Yes?" Shepard called out, placing her hand on Tali's thigh which made her core warm.

"It's me," came Garrus' deep voice from behind the door. "Can I uh, come in?" Tali bit back a giggle at the way he asked. She'd never heard him sound nervous before. Shepard smiled at her.

"Of course." The door opened with a quiet whoosh and she heard Garrus walk in slowly. Shepard got up and went to him, speaking to him in quiet whispers. She couldn't make out what exactly what they were saying, but she refused to turn around. Afraid that she would lose her courage to do this and instead bolt. A moment later Shepard and Garrus came down. Shepard sat next to her again and Garrus sat next to Shepard. Tali didn't look at Garrus, but felt his eyes on her.

Shepard grabbed a glass off the coffee table and poured Garrus some of the dextro wine. Tali watched as their fingers brushed against each other and felt another spike of jealously, before squashing it again. She knew what she was getting herself into and she wouldn't allow herself to be fooled into thinking otherwise.

She was surprised when Shepard leaned into her and began lightly running her hand over thigh in front of Garrus. She knew what they were going to do, but it was still new to her and part of her was embarrassed while the other part of her was screaming for her to just let go. She took a moment to chance a glance at Garrus who was watching Shepard's hand on her thigh, taking a slow sip from his wine. He was dressed in his civilian clothes and his eyes were burning with intensity.

She'd always liked Garrus and if had been anyone else who had asked about this, she would have said no. There were many nights where she had fantasized about herself and Garrus in the engine room or the gun battery, but mostly she had thought about herself and Shepard with the occasional thoughts of the three of them.

She decided to let her "freak flag fly" as Jack had said once and leaned forward, turning Shepard's face towards hers. She looked into her eyes before leaning forward and pressing her lips against hers sighing into the kiss. Shepard ran her tongue over her bottom lip and she sucked on it, earning a moan from Shepard which made liquid pool between her thighs.

Shepard grabbed one of Tali's legs and lifted it, without breaking the kiss, and pressed her body against hers tangling her hand in her mass of black hair. Bravely, she ran her hand over her shoulder and down Shepard's chest, gently squeezing her breast while thumbing over her hardened nipple.

She felt Shepard's fingers ghost over her own nipples and she moaned, opening her mouth even wider to accommodate her tongue. She let her hand travel downwards over Shepard's body, over her stomach and down towards her hip, grabbing it and squeezing it with her three fingers. She felt Shepard moan into her mouth and did it again, squeezing harder and pulling Shepard toward her.

Shepard pulled away from her mouth and began nipping at her earlobe making Tali shiver. "Are you cold?" she breathed into her ear. She shook her head and she laughed a deep throaty, sexy laugh that turned her on even more. She had her hand wrapped in Shepard's fiery red strands when she felt Shepard's wet mouth begin to suck on her pulse point, nearly driving her over the edge and she pulled at her hair.

She felt her knee pressing against Shepard's warmth, felt the heat emanating from her center and pushed against it moaning when Shepard groaned against her neck. She shifted her body so that Shepard's leg could do the same and felt the familiar tightening of her stomach muscles biting back a cry of ecstasy. She wanted to hold on; she didn't want to go over the precipice yet.

She heard a quiet rustling and then the sound of a zipper being pulled and she opened her eyes. Garrus had set his empty glass down and was undoing Shepard's dress as Shepard was undoing the seals on her suit. At some point Shepard had lost her heels but Tali focused on the feeling of Shepard's mouth on her neck and her leg between her thighs.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the air leaving her seals and felt the cool air of the cabin on her skin, but she couldn't concentrate. Not with Shepard touching her like this. Shepard removed her leg from between her thighs and pulled away, with a sad moan from Tali only to be divesting herself of her clothing.

Tali sat and watched her, mesmerized by the sight of her naked Commander in front of her. She'd fantasized about her a thousand times, but it was nothing compared to the real thing. She felt a pair of hands on her and watched as Garrus' hands grabbed her arms and lifted her up against him as Shepard leaned down to help her out of her suit.

As Shepard worked on the other seals, Garrus ran his hand over her back, lightly scratching the skin that Shepard had exposed, while he turned her head to the side so he could run his tongue over her collar bone. She moaned from the contact from both his tongue and Shepard's hands, squeezing the flesh on her hips.

She titled her head up and caught Garrus' lips with hers, sliding her tongue between his sandpapery lips as he pulled her into his lap, pressing his erection against her throbbing center. She felt his hands pulling at the fabric of her suit, careful to not tear it as she needed it, exposing her body.

She wasn't sure what made her do it, but she reached for Shepard and urged her head down so she could kiss her and pull back to slide her hand between herself and Garrus, rubbing his hard cock. She felt Shepard's fingers pluck at her hard nipples while Garrus groaned and reached between them to rub her clitoris through her suit. Immediately, she felt herself coming and tried to control the muscle spasms. It was too much. She needed them now; on the bed.

She pulled away and stood, divesting herself of the rest of her suit and pressed herself against Shepard as she walked them both to the bed, her mouth never leaving Shepard's. Carefully, Shepard pressed her down into the mattress, leaning over her, her legs on either side of her hips and ran her tongue along her jaw and down towards her collar bone, sucking gently as her fingers found their way to her clit, rubbing her in circles. She felt the heat building again but prayed that she would be able to last longer than she did last time.

Her hand found Shepard's slick heat and reciprocated the motions, sliding a finger in between her folds while rubbing her swollen nub earning a loud, deep moan from her. She felt the bed shift as Garrus kneeled on it, behind Shepard, while she licked away at Tali's nipples.

The head of Garrus' cock touched Tali's fingers and she used her free hand to rub him while he rubbed against Shepard's lips, his cock leaking light blue fluids. He groaned and leaned forward, pulling Shepard's hair to the side and began sucking on her neck. Tali's breath was coming out in gasps as she had another orgasm, relishing in the soft pads of Shepard's fingers slowly rubbing het clit in circles while her tongue did something amazing against her nipples as she herself stroked Garrus.

She felt Garrus slip inside of Shepard and moaned, tracing the outline of his cock buried deep within her pussy. She pulled Shepard's mouth up to hers and kissed her deeply. She wanted Shepard's fingers inside of her so she guided her hand to her entrance and gave her a pleading look.

Above her Shepard's body was being rocked back and forth as Garrus worked himself in and out of her, grunting with pleasure, while his mouth was still attached to her neck. Tali found it extremely erotic to see him fucking Shepard in front of her and pressed against Shepard's hand, urging her fingers to slide inside of her, thrusting her hips upwards and moaned loudly when her index finger slowly, in sweet torture, began working itself inside of her, her own pussy muscles clenching around Shepard's finger while her thumb still ran in slow circles around her clit.

Tali lifted herself a fraction of an inch to wrap her wet mouth around Shepard's hardened nipple, sucking roughly as she felt Shepard slide another finger into her wetness both of them groaning from the pleasure they were receiving.

As Garrus' movements sped up, his rough skin and hip plates slapping against Shepard's soft tanned skin, Tali matched his thrusting against Shepard's hand. The combined sound of Garrus' cock sliding in and out of Shepard, the feel of Shepard's strong thin fingers fucking her and her mouth sucking and licking hungrily at Shepard's nipples was enough to send her over the edge again her hands grasping Shepard's arm as she threw her head back in utter ecstasy as she rode out another orgasm.

Shepard slipped her fingers out of her and pulled away from Garrus earning a displeased groan from him, but with one look he quieted.

"Garrus, lay down," she said, her lips swollen and her cheeks red from pleasure and sex. It wasn't a command but more of a request and Garrus did as she asked lying back on the bed, his three fingered hand slow stroking his length as he looked at both the naked women in front of him. Shepard looked at Tali and without speaking she knew what she wanted.

She lifted herself to her knees and turned to Garrus. He reached out a hand to steady her as she positioned herself above her length. Slowly she lowered herself onto him, letting her body get used to the intrusion. He was very large and she felt herself stretching to fit him, moaning from the immense pleasure twining with pain. She felt his hand caressing her trembling thigh, felt the ridges and incredible bumps on his cock, and looked at Shepard who was sitting up near the headboard, her legs splayed open running her fingers between her folds watching as Tali took Garrus deep into her body.

Once Tali had Garrus' buried inside her up to the hilt, she started rocking forward and touched her clit watching Shepard the whole time with little glances at Garrus whose eyes were shut and was groaning loudly, hips his thrusting upwards to meet hers in a slow but steady pace.

She watched Shepard slide two fingers inside of her slick heat, rubbing her clit and plucking at her nipples. She wanted to taste her, to run her tongue over Shepard and bring her to completion with her own mouth. Her tongue flicked out over her lips, her hips speeding up over Garrus at the thought of how she would taste on her tongue.

Instead Garrus reached for Shepard and pulled her towards him, forcing her to sit on his chest with her feet touching the headboard and relaxing back against Tali as she worked his cock in and out of her pussy. She watched as he gripped her ass and pulled her forward to run his tongue along her folds eliciting the most delicious sound from her throat.

She reached forward, leaning her weight against Shepard, and ran her hands over her nipples plucking at them as Garrus worked his tongue inside of her, his main finger pressing on her clitoris.

She came, hard, around his cock and he groaned loudly from the spasmodic clenching of her muscles around him while Shepard cried out as an orgasm finally crashed into her. Tali clamped her mouth down on Shepard's neck, sucking on her pulse point, as she continued to rub her own clit and fuck Garrus.

She wanted to taste her, badly. So badly she felt another orgasm wash over her, making Garrus' hips buck underneath her jostling Shepard slightly. She pulled away from him and took Shepard by the shoulders, pulling her off of him and laid her on her back, kissing her way down her body running her tongue in circles at the divot in her belly before going lower.

She let out a breath against Shepard's pussy and tentatively pressed her tongue against her clitoris. Shepard cried out and wrapped her hand in Tali's hair, thrusting her hips upwards. She took that as a good sign and did it again.

She looked up and saw Garrus lean over Shepard, pressing his cock against her lips and watched as Shepard opened her mouth and began sucking on him, drawing deep rumbling sounds from him. Tali reached between her own legs and pleasured herself at the sight, while running her tongue down Shepard's pussy, licking at her.

She slipped her tongue inside of her and pressed deep, licking at her insides drawing out a moan that was muffled by Garrus' cock thrusting to the back of her throat. She sucked on her lips, thrust her tongue into her and rubbed her clitoris in different intervals loving how Shepard's hand in her hair tightened right before she came. Tali wanted to taste her orgasm so she slipped her tongue back inside of her to feel her tight, wet, warm pussy clenching around her tongue as she came again.

Garrus pulled away and they all laid there for a moment before Shepard moved toward Tali who waved her off saying she was spent. She watched as Garrus grabbed Shepard and thrust into her, how he stretched her from behind as he fucked her, tugging on her hair as their cries of pleasure echoing in the small cabin.

The site of Garrus fucking Shepard in front of her was too much and start touching herself in time to his thrusts, using her three fingers to go as deep as they could. It was amazing to watch how they fit against one another, how in tune they were to each other. He pulled Shepard back against himself, his hand tangled in her red hair, as his other hand kept a firm grip on her hip, pounding into her. He leaned his head down and clamped his mouth down on her neck, biting deep and they came as one.

Tali felt as if the world was exploding around her for the umpteenth time that night as she came again watching as Shepard and Garrus' reached their own climaxes, their bodies shaking, their breath coming out as deep gasps as Shepard cried out Garrus' name, her hand on her clitoris.

All of them fell back on the bed in a tangled heap of sweating bodies, trying to catch their breath.

She felt, since she could no longer keep her eyes open, Shepard's arm around her waist pulling her back against her naked body as Garrus' snaked his arm about Shepard's waist, the three of them cuddled together on the bed. It was the best night of her existence.

Garrus' voice brought her out of her revere. "What?" she asked, feeling slightly breathless at the memory. She'd been sick for a few days, but she was pleasantly surprised that it was mild and not something overly serious.

"I said I have those calibrations for you." She giggled. He and calibrations but she needed them if she was to get the jump drives back online. They hadn't been used in ages, but it was his idea. Without the Mass Relays they could still use jumps to get there faster. It, obviously, wouldn't be as fast as using the relays but EDI had said they could be there in two weeks once the drives were back online and not just for emergency, out of fuel jumps.

She looked at her omni-tool and smiled. Yes, that was what she needed. They would be at Earth in just two weeks if this worked.

She couldn't wait to see Shepard again.

Miranda pushed open the door to Shepard's quiet room and peaked in. She was awake, sitting up in bed and reading something on her omni-tool which made her mouth turn up in a smile. She looked up as Miranda made her way towards her, a steaming bowl of something in her hands.

"Dinner?" Miranda nodded and pulled a small table over her lap and placed the bowl in front of her. Shepard looked at it and then back up at her, one of her eyebrows raised. "Um, what is it?" Miranda laughed and handed her a spoon.

"Wrex made it for you," she said laughing even harder at the look on Shepard's face as she peered down into the bowl filled to the brim with strange vegetables and a meat like substance.

"It's not going to kill me is it?" Miranda shook her head.

"No. I made Jack taste it first, which was surprising considering she's not really into weird stuff, but she liked it and Wrex gave her a bowl. I didn't ask what it was though. Sorry Shepard," she said as she sat down in a chair next to her bed.

"If you say so." Cautiously she dipped her spoon into the, well, she wasn't quite sure what to call it except gunk and lifted it to her lips blowing on it to cool it down before dumping the contents into her mouth. It really was good, but she didn't want to ask what it was for fear of it coming back up later. "Not bad actually. Surprising from Wrex." Miranda opened her omni-tool and read through her messages while Shepard ate.

"I see you got your omni-tool to work despite my telling you to leave it alone," Miranda said glancing at Shepard who had turned hers on while she ate so she could read. Shepard gave her a sheepish smile and finished off the last of Wrex's gunk and pushed the bowl away.

"I couldn't help myself. "

"I noticed." She grabbed the bowl and tossed it into the nearby sink making a mental note to wash it later. "Anything noteworthy?" Shepard tore her eyes away from something and glanced at her.

"Just a message from Garrus. Not recent, but I find it's nice to re-read my messages." Miranda nodded and looked away for a moment.

"I received a message from your friend, Dr. T'Soni, earlier updating me on the Normandy's status. Apparently they are working on installing the jump drives." Shepard gave her a questioning look. "Remember when we would run out of fuel because you swore up and down that we could make it back to the system on nothing but fumes and EDI had to jump us to nearest fuel depot?" Shepard smiled and gave a small laugh, earning a look of mock disapproval from Miranda. "I figured that would jog your memory, Commander. Anyway, more to the point. The jump drives can be used in place of the Mass Relays since they are severely damaged at this point and currently there are no efforts in repairing them, at least nothing that I have heard. It's not as fast, but it beats traveling at subluminal speed the whole way here. In the simplest of terms the Normandy will make a series of jumps using its own mass effect fields to propel itself to a different location, much like when EDI jumped away from the Collector ship that the Illusive Man so thoughtfully sent us too. According to Dr. T'Soni the Normandy should be here in less than two weeks."

Shepard sat back, chewing on her lip thoughtfully, and turned the information over in her mind. Her ship, her crew, no, her friends would, or at least could, be here in two weeks. "How many jumps would it take or do they not know yet?" Miranda crossed her legs, coughed, and shook her head.

"There is something that you should know Shepard," she said as she reached for a glass of water. "There is something wrong with EDI. Tali told Dr. T'Soni it's almost as if she is malfunctioning, but not completely. So for now, EDI cannot predict how many jumps it will take until the drives are installed." Shepard jerked her head towards her, bringing her brows down over her eyes.

"EDI? But EDI should be-" she started to say but cut herself off. If EDI was alive, then she failed. Vaguely she heard Miranda say something to her, but her thoughts were whirring to loudly in her own head. The voice of the Intelligence reverberating through her mind, over and over again.

"Wake up," a voice said above her as she tried to stand, but failed.

"What? Where am I?" she asked, looking up at the voice. It was the boy, she boy she had seen on Earth and in her dreams. Was she dreaming now? Was she dead?

"The Citadel. It's my home." She stood, grasping her side in pain and looked around. She'd never seen this part of the Citadel before. In the distance she could see the terror of the Reapers, destroying the fleets, and killing thousands of people. It disgusted her.

"Who are you?" The boy looked at her for a painfully long moment before answering.

"I am the Catalyst." What? That didn't make any sense.

"I thought the Citadel was the Catalyst," she said, laying voice to her own thoughts. Was the Prothean VI wrong?

"No," the boy said, agitation barely detectable in his voice. "The Citadel is a part of me." She stepped towards him, bending slightly.

"I need to stop the Reapers. Do you know how I can do that?" The pain was too much, her vision began to blur but his voice jerked her back.

"Perhaps. I control the Reapers. They are my solution," he said turning his back to her and walking away.

"Solution?" she asked, following him to the middle of the platform. It branched off into three locations but she didn't know for what purpose. "To what?" He looked over his shoulder at her.

"Chaos. The created will always rebel against their creators. But we found a way to stop that from happening. A way to restore order." She continued to follow him, heading toward the blinding blue light that seems to be traveling downwards in an infinite loop. Suddenly she was filled with anger at his words. Fucking bastard.

"By wiping out organic life?" Finally the little bastard stopped and turned around to look at her, his eyes show his contempt for her. They still thought she was powerless.

"No," he ground out. "We harvest advanced civilizations leaving the younger ones alone." He starting walking again and she groaned in pain. "Just as we left your civilization alive the last time we were here."

"But you killed the rest!" she cried as she hobbled towards him, trying to keep up.

"We helped them ascend so they could make way for new life, storing the old life in Reaper form." He stopped again and looked up at a giant Reaper to prove his point. She wanted to strangle this corporeal form in front of her.

"I think we'd rather keep our own form," she said breathlessly. She was bleeding out and that was one of the number one causes of death for soldiers. She'd be damned if she was going to die here and now before destroying those giant, metal bastards. He looked up at her in slight shock at her words.

"No, you can't. Without us to stop it, synthetics would destroy all organics. We've created the cycle so that it never happens. That's the solution." That was probably one of the dumbest things she had ever heard.

"But you're taking away our future. Without a future we have no hope. Without hope, we might as well be machines; programmed to do what we're told." He looked away from her and back out to the raging war that he refused to see as the Reapers fault.

"You have hope. More than you think. The fact that you are standing here, the first organic ever, proves it." Well at least he acknowledged her accomplishment. "But it also proves my solution won't work anymore." No shit, she thought angrily, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"So now what?"

"We find a new solution." She looked at his back for a moment, confused.

"Why are you telling me this? Why help me?" He looked back at her again.

"You have altered the variables."

"What do you mean?"

"The Crucible changed me," he said turning to look at the infinitely looping blue light coming from the Crucible. "Created new… possibilities. But I can't make them happen. If there is to be a new solution, you must act. It is now in your power to destroy us." She looked toward the conduit he looked at. "But be warned. Others will be destroyed as well. The Crucible will not discriminate. All synthetic life will be targeted. Even you are partly synthetic." Although she knew he was right, she couldn't think of any reason not to destroy the Reapers. They deserved it, but she needed more information than that.

"What exactly will happen?"

"Your Crucible device appears to be largely intact. However, the effects of the blast will not be constrained to the Reapers. Technology you rely on will be affected, but those who survive should have little difficulty in repairing the damage. There will still be losses, but no more than what has already been lost." That answer was just as vague as the first.

"But the Reapers will be destroyed?"

"Yes, but the peace won't last. Soon your children will create synthetics and then the chaos will come back." Perhaps there was another way, except for the simple fact that he was forgetting that she had already made peace between the Geth and the Quarians. She made her choice. She didn't need to listen to anymore.

She hoped EDI would forgive her and that the Geth would forgive her too. She chose to destroy the monstrous bastards.

"Shepard? Shepard are you alright?" She broke out of her memory at the sound of Miranda's voice. She looked at her. "Jesus, Shepard what happened?" She swallowed, trying to wet her dry throat, shaking away the memory.

"I was remembering something."

"What was it? I mentioned EDI and you practically fell into a catatonic state," she asked, her voice laced with worry. Shepard rubbed the side of her face, something she did when she was thinking, and looked back at Miranda, her brows still lowered over her eyes.

"When I was on the Citadel, I spoke to someone. Something maybe. It was the Intelligence that Leviathan created. They said they were the Catalyst. They said that if I destroyed the Reapers it would also destroy all synthetic life which includes EDI and the Geth. If EDI is alive then I failed," she answered in barely more than a whisper. Miranda immediately reached out a hand and grabbed hers squeezing it.

"Shepard, no. You didn't fail. Tali found a way to fix EDI. EDI was more or less dead, but she is fixed, thanks to our little Quarian genius," she said urgently. "You didn't fail, Commander." Shepard looked at her, a million questions flying through her head. "I'm not going to pry about what happened on the Citadel. You'll tell me on your own terms but I know of something that can cheer you up and perhaps convince you that you didn't fail." She cast Miranda a questioning eye.

"What could that be?" Miranda hopped up and began pulling the sheets off of her. She turned and pulled out a wheelchair from behind the curtain and helped Shepard into, carefully hooking her IV to the pole.

"It's a surprise." Shepard wasn't really a surprise type of person, but it was worth a shot. Carefully Miranda wheeled her out of the room and down the hall.

"Is this really necessary? I can walk. Your cybernetic implants are a miracle worker you know," she said, looking up at Miranda and smiling at her.

"Let's not push your healing abilities just yet. Besides, once we're at our destination then you can stand and I'll give you some privacy." Privacy? What the hell was she talking about? They stopped in front of two large doors guarded by some Alliance soldiers, who looked too young to have to be serving, and Miranda nodded at them as they opened the doors for them, saluting Shepard. "Alright, when you're ready just press this button. I'll be outside waiting until you're done. Or I might go pester Jack." Shepard laughed and watched Miranda disappear through the doors.

Slowly she stood, getting dizzy at first before getting her balance back. She looked at the console in front of her which was blinking at her. This was a comm-link. Curiosity finally took over and she pressed it. It took a moment for a full connection to be established but when it was ready she smiled and leaned forward towards the person standing in front of her swathed in blue, the War Room on the Normandy clearly visible in the background.

"Shepard?" the voice answered. "Shepard is that really you?"

"It's me, Garrus. It's really me."