Liara's mattress is the most comfortable thing a guy could wake up in. The velet sheets along withnfeel of her smooth legs crossing over my bare pelvis, the sweet smell of her arms around my neck filling my nose as I wake up. Soon I will be waking up to this every morning. Just have to defeat the reapers. The prize is worth the challenge.

Getting up is hard, but I make it through. I tried making food like ********* taught me and failed miserably. Liara laughed it off and ordered us breakfast. Our meal was short as I had to return to the ship. I wish to stay but Ilium charges ridiculous fees if I overstay. I kiss by bondmate (she doesn't like being called a girlfriend and this context doesn't mean married) and return to the ship. Joker and ********* are discussing something when I walk in.

"Hey commander, how was your night?" My pilot asked.

"Better than either of yours" I smugly said.

"Well, you needed it" ********* said.

I ask "What are you two talking about?"

********* "family. Joker told me his family made plans in case the reapers invade, and we shared stories about our dads. Shepard, what was your father like?" ********* asked.

"I never met him, although the stories my mother told me made me never want to meet the damn bastard" I bitterly said.

"What was his personality like?" ********* asked. I sense he is fishing for ammunition.

I said "he was a goofball but was childish, immature, didn't have any money, shouldn't be trusted" ********* cocks my head to the side and give a sly smile.

"Why are you smiling?" I ask. I'm sensing something very wrong.

"Do you remember how I can time travel? I don't have any kids and when I do, I plan to be there for them, but you seemed to turn out ok. I can make an exception" he said, Oh god. He's not serious, is he? I can feel my face becoming pale.

"NO!" I scream.

"Son you should treat your potential father with more respect" he advises.

"DON'TYOUDARE!" my voice reaches a new decibel.

"Relax I'm messing with you. It didn't happen. I met your Mom. She didn't recognize me" he said.

"When did you meet my mom?" I asked.

"At your funeral" he answered.

"Oh yeah. I keep forgetting I had one of those" I rub my tired eyes.

"How did you not go? I've been to all mine and most were touching." He said. I look at him strangely.

"Sorry the conversation made me think I was talking to the guys at the guild. I forgot you aren't like me" he explains.

"That was hilarious" Joker said.

"Thanks Seth" ********* attempts to bump fists.

"Whose Seth?" I ask.

"Your pilot?" ********* looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Dude my name is Jeff. I told you this" my pilot said.

"Right sorry. In my universe your character was modeled off a comedian named Seth Green" ********* explained.

I'm getting worried "********* Is something wrong? You never act this way."

"I've been feeling funny lately. Maybe I should rest. It's been a while since I recharged my batteries" ********* has trouble getting up but resists my efforts to help him. He trudges down the hallway. I should check on him later.

A couple of days passed. I've decided I'm going to activate the geth unit. I need to learn more about it, but I'm not doing it without ********* besides me. Whenever he's around, I feel safe. It's probably due to him being able to bench press a planet. I'm joking, I think. It's been a while since I saw him last. No one else has seen him either. I wonder where he is. I'm going to ask Garrus. He should know. I head down to their room and just as I'm about to knock on the door, Tali steps out.

"Oh Shepard, excuse me. What are you doing here?" she asked.

Make up something. The plot of that movie I saw last night "I got a mission I thought ********* would be interested in. A project connecting a human mind to a computer went bad and I've been asked to help. Is he in there?" I ask.

Tali blocks my path. "He is but you can't go in." She's rather defensive.

"Oh! I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Interrupt what? OH NO! We're not doing that. ********* is sick." she said

"He is? I thought he couldn't get sick" Shepard said.

"Apparently he can. We forgot he wasn't vaccinated for matriarch flu."

"Liara was having a flare up on our double date. Oh, shit that can be very bad. My mother lost a childhood friend when she was young. Is he ok?"

"Dr. Chakwas said he's doing well although she doesn't have much experience with this condition. It's been a long time since a human contracted matriarch flu. Thank the ancestors adults handle it the best. His fever is below the danger zone and heart rate is good. He'll need a few days to rest and recover."

"That sucks." I'm up to date on my vaccines but I don't want to risk it. I pull out my omnitool and videocall him.

"How you doing bud?" I asked.

"Uhhhghgh. I've been in worse conditions, but I still hate this" he said.

"Can't you change bodies or something?" I ask.

"Only if my energy is at its peak. My body is using it to fight the infection. I'm stuck like this until I'm healthy or dead" he said.

"Tali, I really like you. But I hate feeling like this. Please put me out of my misery. You have my permission to remarry. You've had love, go for money the next one. Just make sure he isn't handsome like me" I beg.

"I'm not going to do that" she said.

"Use the pillow. It will only take a few minutes" he said.

"No! Besides, I want to take care of you. Quarians do for each other all the time" she said.

"You just like seeing me tired. What is it about women loving when their man is tapped out?"

"I should go."

"For someone who hates being sick, you seem to be tolerating it just fine." my caretaker said.

"I'm not actually afraid of getting sick. I'm afraid of what happens if I get too sick."

"Why? What happens?" she asked.

"I don't want to relive the past. Tali, sweetheart, thank you for taking such good care of me. I hate being a burden. You know I could just kill myself and reset to when I don't have this virus in me, and I'll be fine."

"You're welcome. And please stop talking about that. It makes me feel bad. Besides, you would take care of me if I got sick, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, sweetheart. I wouldn't leave your bedside."

"Then consider this payment in advance." Tali nuzzles into my snotty face. Being with her makes me feel a warmth inside that I can never get enough. I even tried to replicate that feeling without her and I can't. I'm so lucky to have such an awesome girlfriend who cares enough about me to make me feel better when I'm down. It's sad how rare that is. Everyone should have a partner even half as amazing as she is. Tali is truly the best. I love her.