Shepard walked out of the warehouse, carrying Haku piggy-back style. Shepard walked forward, turning a corner and coming face-to-face with a C-Sec officer. Immediately, the officer pointed a gun at Shepard.

"Identification!" The Asari Officer barked.

"C-Commander S-Shepard. This is P-Private Haku P-Pilgrim." Shepard stuttered, false tears coming from his eyes. "W-We found a d-dead man b-back there. I-I tried help, but he..."

The female officer patted Shepard's shoulder. "You're really tore up for the Savior of the galaxy."

"Seeing civilians killed, even after seeing everything else, especially killed like that." Shepard shook his head, then wiped his eyes with one hand, the other on Haku's leg. "Sorry. I haven't seen action in years."

The Officer nodded, then turned to her human partner. "Help this guy out."

"Sure." The human nodded, taking Haku. "Man, she got beat up real bad. What happened?"

"A man attacked us." Shepard lied. "I tried fighting back, but he ran off."

"Alright. We'll get the rest of this cleared up later." The Officer said. "I'll go look at the scene."

"You might not want to do that." Shepard said. "Really nasty."

"I can handle it." The Officer said. Five minutes later, she was vomiting while an ambulance pulled up, taking Haku.

"Sir, you can't stay in this ambulance." The medic said.

"Well, ma'am, I'm going to."

The medic sighed. "If you do we'll have to charge you a fine."

"How much?"

"Ten-thousand credits."

Shepard walked into the ambulance, taking Haku's hand. "I'll pay it." Shepard said, brushing hair from Haku's closed eyes.

The drive to the hospital was a silent one, Haku never waking and Shepard never saying a word, only holding Haku's hand. Once in the hospital, Shepard had to wait in a waiting room, drinking coffee and reading a women's magazine.

'This,' Shepard thought, 'is ridiculous.'

"Shepard, what the hell happened?" Shepard looked up at the turian voice, seeing Tali standing, arms akimbo, in front of him. "You're covered in blood, and Garrus says there's a dead man that's been killed more brutally than anything he's seen this year!"

Shepard looked down at his clothes, realizing that they were, indeed, ruined.

"I'm sure that you read-"

"That complete and utter load of crap report." Tali said. "You don't cry. You haven't shed a tear in years."

"My friend was assaulted by a murderer." Shepard said, putting his magazine down. "Of course I would cry. Crying is a healthy expression of-"

"You. Don't. Cry." Tali said.

Shepard sighed. "What do you think happened?"

"I don't know. I want to know, but you're being a stubborn bosh'tet." Tali said. "Shepard...John, did you kill that man?"

Shepard paused, looking at his blood-soaked shoes. If he lied to Tali, it could add to his guilt. But, if he told the truth, she would see the monster hidden behind the facade Shepard had thought he kept up around her.

'She saw through it,' Shepard realized, remembering the sentences Tali had said seconds earlier. 'She knows everything.'

"What's done is done. Whatever happened in that warehouse is over, and the only one who knows what happened is me." Shepard said. In the reflection of a mirror across the waiting room, Shepard realized that his eyes were growing cold.

Tali sat down, taking Shepard's hand.

"Shepard, you can tell me anything. I know you're in a dark place, doing bad things to bad people. But I'll stick with you through everything," Tali said. "But if you keep lying to me, if you won't let me help you, I'll never forgive you."

Shepard's eyes went wide when he realized that she was telling the truth. Shepard leaned forward, putting his head in his hands, the picture of a man finally realizing that, not only was he in over his head, but he was also running out of air.

"I did it." Shepard said, tears dripping onto the floor. "I killed that man. It's a blur...I lost control. He hurt Haku."

"Are you in love with Haku?" Tali asked softly.

"I don't know anymore. I lost everything but you and Garrus. My daughter's taken away from me, my ex-wife built me up to be an infallible hero just to be knocked down..."

"Hell, Shep," Michael said, walking in with Isabella. "Don't you know pimps don't cry?"

Shepard sat up, nearly smiling.

"I heard your clothes got messed up, and C-Sec took your gun." Michael smiled, holding up a briefcase. "Guess they didn't know legendary thief Michael was in town, eh?"

Shepard stood, taking the briefcase. "Are one of my suits in this?"

"It is a suit." Michael said. "Try it on."

A few minutes later, Shepard walked out, wearing a coal jacket and pants with a blue pinstripe jacket and black loafers. Shepard had a tacky red tie on, which caused Isabella and Tali on.

"What?" Michael asked.

Shepard looked down at the tie, quickly taking it off and tossing it in the trash.

"I only wear," Shepard said, "the best."

"You look good, Shepard." Tali said approvingly.

"Yeah." Isabella smiled. "I got some clothes for Haku. Girl clothes, of course."

Shepard ran a hand through his hair. "I think I need a haircut. I don't want to look like such a businessman."

Isabella stood in front of Shepard, running a hand through his hair. "Man, your hair is longer than I thought. Give me five minutes."

In exactly five minutes, Shepard looked much younger.

"How'd you do that?" Michael asked.

"I'm talented. By the way, do you want me to fix your hair?" Isabella asked.

"No way." Michael said. "That look doesn't work on me. I tried it when I worked for you."

Isabella looked blank. "Sorry, but I don't remember."

Michael shrugged. "It's okay."