The three stood in the airlock as it cycled through the decontamination process. Shepard could only dwell on what happened back on the Bermuda, how Grunt had saved his life as well as the life of his friend Garrus. He couldn't figure out whether he did it because secretly, deep down inside that callous, hardened heart of his, he actually cared about his friend and battle-master, or if he was only keeping him alive for the battle ahead so that he could crush the life out of him. Neither he, nor Kelly, or the most experienced psychologist in the galaxy could read the mind behind the thick skull plate of the tank bred Krogan. He decided to bury the thought when the airlock doors opened. Before Shepard could even take one step forward, something leaped into his arms nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Keelah! Oh Keelah, Shepard!" Tali struggled to speak through her tears as she sobbed heavily, resting her head in his chest. This only made him struggle to fight back tears of his own as he returned the affectionate embrace; tightly wrapping his arms around her back.

Shepard felt his throat swell as he said the first thing that came to mind. "Tali..." he said softly.

"Oh Sh-Shepard... I-I thought..." Shepard lifted her head with a single finger placed under her chin.

"I'm still here Tali. I'm not going anywhere..." Grunt seemed annoyed, if not disgusted by the loving gesture and snorted loudly as he stormed off back to his quarters. Garrus watched the angry Krogan stomp his way to the elevator and simply shook his head.

Shepard finally broke their embrace and gently laced her hands in his. He was caught off guard when he felt a pit in her glove. He glanced at it to notice a charred hole. The bare skin of her hand was exposed. "

Tali! Your hand!" He exclaimed. She gasped when she noticed the breach.

"Oh Keelah!" She quickly placed her right hand over the hole in her left glove.

"We should get Chawkwas to look at that right away." he said with concern. Tali was more disappointed that they couldn't hold each other a little longer than she was worried about the suit breach. But she knew this wasn't something to be taken lightly. After all, Quarians never know how sick they will get when exposed to outside air. And since she was in the presence of a Turian, it only succeeded to further her concern.

...

Tali sat up on one of the medical beds while Chawkwas drew some blood from her arm to check for infections. Shepard stood on the right side of the bed caressing the palm of her right hand.

"Wouldn't it be faster to use the biological scanner?" Tali questioned.

"Yes, but I want to be thorough, Miss Zorah. Especially with you being Quarian." Chakwas replied. She finished extracting a sample of Tali's blood and then walked over to her microscope and squeezed a drop from the syringe onto a small pallet of glass.

"How bad is it Doc?" Shepard said as he watched Chakwas peer into the microscope.

"There's definitely some foreign matter in your blood Miss Zorah, you'll probably feel the effects in an hour or two. I won't know the full extent of the infection until then." Chakwas walked back over to the bed where Tali sat. "Commander, with your permission I'd like to keep her overnight for observation. Just to be safe."

"I feel fine at the moment Doctor Chakwas. I can still perform my duties." Tali said as she tried to hop off the bed. Shepard stopped her and wrapped his arm around her back and slowly laid her down.

"She's right Tali. We won't know how sick you are until the symptoms hit you. I don't want to any take chances. Rest here for tonight. For me." Tali grabbed Shepard's free hand and tried to lift herself up.

"No really I'm alright, I can-" Shepard placed his hand on the side of her helmet.

"Captain's orders..." he said lovingly.

Tali replied in almost a whisper. "That's not fair Shepard..."

"I know..." he said with a smile as he leaned in to kiss her visor. "I'm gonna go check on Garrus. I'll see you later Miss vas Normandy." Tali squeezed his hand one last time before she let go and watched him as he left the med bay. Mordin was standing outside waiting for him.

"Shepard, my sympathies for Tali'Zorah's condition." Shepard reached up with one hand to gently rub both of his exhausted eyes.

"She's doing fine at the moment. But thanks. I heard you both found what the Illusive man talked about." Mordin reached behind his back to reveal the small canister containing the unknown, fluid-like energy.

"Yes. Still uncertain. Can identify most elements at first glance. But this one... mystery. Will analyze in lab." he explained.

"Alright, let me know when you figure it out." Shepard replied. Mordin walked off toward the elevator and Garrus rounded the corner, passing him. He seemed a little distressed. Shepard assumed he wanted to explain how on earth he managed to sneak a peak at his girlfriend.

"Shepard, I know you wanna talk about what I said so...lets do it somewhere private." Shepard narrowed his eyes and followed Garrus into the main battery. Garrus locked the doors once they were both inside.

"OK, now before you freak out, please let me explain." Garrus said nervously. Shepard took a step back and folded his arms.

"Explain why you decided to have a peep show staring Tali'Zorah vas Normandy?" Shepard retorted.

Garrus raised his arms and flexed his mandibles. "I-It wasn't like that I swear! I was looking for you a-and when I went to your cabin she was just, just there without her suit! And well, everything else!" Shepard didn't know if he wanted to continue this. But how could he not? After all, he felt that seeing Tali's face as well as the rest of her body was a privilege that belonged to him and him only.

"So your saying it was an accident?" Garrus seemed slightly relieved for a second.

"Yes! That's exactly what I'm saying." Shepard began to rub his forehead and sighed.

"Lets...just pretend it never happened." Garrus couldn't believe he got off the hook that easy.

"Phew... Thanks Shepard." Shepard turned around to leave and just as the doors opened, Garrus stopped him for a second.

"Uh, hey Shepard!" The Specter looked over his shoulder. "Please don't tell her I told you." Shepard just smiled and continued to walk as the doors sealed behind him. His smile turned from genuine to mischievous. He wasn't going to let Garrus off without getting even with him in some way and he knew just how to do it. But that would come later. He had more important things to attend to right now. And he decided that contacting the Illusive man would be at the top of his list.

...

"Joker open a channel to the Illusive man."

"Roger commander, patching you through." Just as he expected, the table merged with the floor and the imaging grids came online as he stepped into the center of the room. When the process was finished he could see the Cerberus leader not sitting in his chair, but standing up and looking out the front viewer at the burning star in the background.

"Shepard, I take it your mission was a success?" The Illusive man said not turning around to face the image of the Spectre

"It was. Someone reprogrammed the Bermuda's security mechs and slaughtered the whole crew. Almost got us, too."

The Illusive man turned to the side and Shepard could see the shadowy figure take a drag from his cigarette. "If this guy was born a hundred years earlier he would have lung cancer by now..." Shepard thought.

"I see..." The Illusive man replied. "I suspected as much. I hope you managed to recover my...investment."

"We did."

"And the Bermuda?" The figure said taking a few steps closer to the Spectre's image.

"Destroyed, whoever reprogrammed the mechs put the ship into a nose dive toward Ruam. From what I gathered he was obviously insane, rambling on about being thehand of God." Shepard replied. The Illusive man sat back down in his chair and tapped a few controls on the arm.

"I'm sending you coordinates to a Cerberus research facility. If you would be so kind as to deliver the power source yourself once you've taken care of your business on Tuchanka. Sooner than later I prefer. Due be careful with it until then." The Illusive man cut the channel and Shepard remained still, remembering that it would soon be time to land on Tuchanka and participate in his duel against his friend Grunt. Or, at least that's what he was hoping to still think of him as. A friend... His chain of thought was replaced by thoughts of Tali. He couldn't wait to check on her, but she was probably sleeping by now, and he knew that he should do the same.

...

Returning to his cabin, Shepard entered to find everything in its usual place. The Space hamster still hiding in its little cave, the photo of him and Tali on the desk next to his terminal, and the fish weren't dead. Thank Christ. He decided that a hot shower would be the best way to relax before he hopped in bed. He slipped of his armor one piece at a time. First his chest plate, his shoulder guards, arm guards, all the way down to his grieves. When he was fully undressed his stepped into the hot stream of water letting it flow down his face.

He shifted his position and gazed over at the bathtub he had recently installed over by the wall. It made him think more of Tali. Every time he took a shower she would take off her enviro-suit and relax by submerging herself into the soothing warm water of the tub. He began to feel more and more lonely as he stared at it imagining the image of the unmasked, uncovered beauty of his lover. He knew she was only two floors below him, resting peacefully in the medical bay, but it didn't seem to dismiss what he was feeling.

What love he felt for her he thought. He had only been away from her for a few hours and already wanted her back in his arms. Maybe this love they shared was more than just a temporary relationship. Maybe he wanted more. Maybe she wanted more. Maybe they could be more...together. These thoughts brought an intense warmth to his heart. But would she really want to be Mrs. Tali'Shepard vas Normandy? Of course he knew she would say yes in a heartbeat, but then where were these feelings of doubt coming from. Did he really love her? Yes, he knew he did, and he knew she felt the same way about him. But he asked himself a simple question... Would it work? A human and quarian? Never being able to touch her when the mood struck him? Or create children with her for that matter?

For now he decided to sleep on it. He had just pulled his crew through a mission that nearly killed them and he still had a suicidal battle with Grunt coming up. He was absolutely exhausted. Rest became his only concern at that moment.

He stepped out of the shower and dried himself then put on a pair of briefs he had laid out on the counter. He went over to his terminal to check his messages real quick. Nothing new except something from the rest of the crew back on Illium, wishing him the best of luck in his match. At least they're rooting for him, but Grunt still had the home field advantage. He closed the terminal and walked over to his bed slowly. He laid down, through the sheets back over himself and looked over to the right side of the bed expecting to see Tali lying next to him. She wasn't. She was still down in med bay. Hopefully sleeping better than he was.

He quickly drifted off to sleep. All the excitement of the day overcame him. As he eyelids slowly shut he whispered one last thing before darkness took him. "Good night, Tali..."

...

Back on Illium things were far less exciting. Miranda was still embarrassed about what she had asked Jacob. It's been years since they were together and she thought she had moved on. But seeing Shepard so happy and in love with Tali seemed to awaken feelings long forgotten. Perhaps she wanted to share that kind of happiness. But is that what she really wanted? Or was she simply envious. Maybe even both.

Miranda's mind had been strained by these thoughts as she walked out of the eternity bar all the way to the vista. The sun was setting and most of the crowds had dispersed. She happened to glance over at the stairs leading to Liara's office and decided to check up on her. After all, they hadn't spoken since their first follow up when Shepard retrieved vital data on the Shadow Broker for her. And before that, when Liara had turned over the Spectre's body to Cerberus. Liara also shared a past relationship with him. Maybe she could find comfort in talking with her about "Lost love."

She briskly walked up the stairs, catching a glance at Liara's new secretary who nodded in acknowledgment of her presence and motioned for the door with an open hand. Liara was accessing her console while occasionally taking a sip from a glass filled with clear fluid next it. It seemed she didn't realize Miranda was in the room until Miranda began to sit down in the chair opposite of her. Liara raised her head.

"Miss Lawson! This is an unexpected visit." Liara said as she leaned back in her chair.

"I don't mind you calling me Miranda Miss T'soni. As I hope you don't mind if I call you Liara."

Liara smiled. "Of course not." Miranda leaned forward in her chair.

"So how have you been?" Miranda asked. Liara frowned and leaned forward, placing her elbows on the desk.

"If you are referring to my well being, I am fine. If you are referring to my work, however, it is as it has been. I've made very little progress in discovering the whereabouts of the Shadow Broker. But I haven't given up yet. I can't... I owe it to Feron..." Liara said as she stood up and walked over to the balcony. Miranda decided to change the subject.

"Liara... I know you had a past relationship with Shepard... And I know it isn't easy to talk about..." Liara dropped her head.

"Yes..." was all she could say at the moment. Liara turned back around and took her place once again in her chair.

"How did you move on?" Miranda's question brought a small tear down Liara's cheek. She felt stupid for asking such a question. Liara responded after wiping the tear from her face.

"Sometimes...you can't have the one you love... But if you can't have him...you can do the next best thing and look out for him."

The way Liara said this sounded almost depressing to Miranda's ears, but it was true. Life isn't always fair. Maybe she couldn't have Jacob, but she wouldn't let that make her give up on finding love. She could still look after him as she has for the past few years they've served in Cerberus as well as with Shepard. Shepard... She suddenly started to worry about him. He's tough, but Grunt was more than a match for him. She gazed at the starry sky outside the room seeing that the sun had disappeared from view and thought about Tali.

"Don't die on her Shepard. She needs you more than any of us ever will..."