by Chrysa

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or DS9 Paramount and about five billion other people own them. I own this story and the characters I invented. I do not think the TPTB would like it anyway. Please do not sue me. ^_^

Special Acknowledgments: This story is inspired by Cath Weller's "Love and War" I'd completely forgotten about Tiron until I read her story. I would also like to thank her for allowing me to use the Dead Zones. Special thanks go to Traci Hemenover for creating the DS9 encyclopedia from which I got a lot of my info.

If anyone thinks this is good enough for public consumption you have my permission to put it on your site. Please tell me first though.

This takes place some time after The Begotten and assumes that Kira's affair with Shakaar has been over for a long while. This story is rated PG-13 because of language. Not a lot mind you but I think it's better to be safe than sorry.

Sit back, relax and don't spill that soda on your keyboard!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

For the Glory of Love

By Chrysa
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Tonight it's very clear and we're both standing here
There's so many things I want to say
I will always love you
I will never leave you alone
Sometimes I just forget say things I might regret
It breaks my heart to see you crying
I don't want to lose you
I could never make it alone

CHORUS
I am a man who would fight for your honor
I'll be the hero you're dreaming of
We'll live forever knowing together
That we did it all for the glory of love

You keep me standing tall
You help me through it all
I'm always strong when you're beside me
I have always needed you
I could never make it alone

CHORUS
Just like a knight in shining armor
From a long time ago
Just in time I will save the day
Take you to my castle far away

I am the man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero that you're dreaming of
We're gonna live forever knowing together
That we did it all for the glory of love

We live forever knowing together
That we did it all for the glory of love

We did it all for love

Glory Of Love
Peter Cetera

* * * * * * * * * * * *
2279 Trill Homeworld

A summer breeze drifted down the stairs towards him lifting the curtains of the balcony doors in a gentle caress. The moon and the stars in the night sky smiled down on him. The night birds and insects sang their own special song.

There was another sound in the night.

He could hear her, his beloved Nilani, screaming up ahead. *Hold on! Just a few more steps.* He clutched at his side where Jarril had stabbed him. The jeweled hilt of the dagger in his good hand twinkled as if to encourage him.

"TORIAS!"

"He's dead, Nilani. Now we can be together."

*Just a few more feet.* The balcony doors beckoned to him. He leaned heavily against one, knowing that his strength was starting to fade.

There they were. Jarril was holding Nilani down but it was taking a lot of his strength to do so. She was fighting with everything she had.

Torias aimed.

"We can be together, Nilani, just like we were meant to be."

"Never, you psycho!"

Jarril's expression turned from one of love to one of intense hatred. From his jacket he produced a wicked looking knife. "Then if I can't have you no one will!" He raised his arm, the blade glinting in the moonlight.

Nilani looked up at the maniac pinning her. There was no escape. Her eyes widened as the knife started to descend. *At least we'll be together, Torias.* She closed her eyes waiting for the knife to slice into her.

Jarril stared down at Nilani with wild eyes. His mind caught up in his fantasies. He never heard the swish of air behind him. He never realized that the pain in his heart wasn't intense joy, it was Torias' dagger. All he knew was that he was a moment away from achieving his greatest dream when the world went black forever.

Nilani felt something heavy fall on her. Opening she saw the night sky then she saw Jarril's head next to hers. *I'm alive. O Gods, I'm alive!*

"Nilani?" His voice was weak but it was music to her ears.

"Torias." She wiggled out from underneath the dead body of Jarril and looked at it for a moment noting the dagger. Gently, she pulled it from Jarril's back and wiped it clean on the skirt of her white silk dress. Calmly, she walked over to Torias, who sat leaning against the door clutching his side. Dimly, she could hear the others rushing up the stairs as she kneeled next to her beloved and cried on his shoulder.

"Torias! Nilani! O Gods thank you they're alive!" Reeka was the first to reach them whipping off her scarf and using it to bandage Torias' wounds. Bailan and Durbad started towards Jirral.

"Don't bother. He's dead." Nilani held up the dagger. They nodded and left the body for the authorities.

"Nilani?"

She smiled gently at Torias. "He's gone, sweetheart." Kissing his forehead and putting her arms around him to support his weight she said, "He'll never bother us again." Nilani held the dagger, hilt side, towards him. "I think this belongs to you."

"I love you."

"And I love you. That's why I agreed to marry you."

Torias smiled weakly, "Betcha' never thought your wedding would be like this."

Nilani laughed, "No, I knew it'd be terrifying but not like this. I'm glad it turned out the way it did, though." She held the hand holding the dagger. "Love conquers all you know. If we had died we still would have been together. We're alive and we're together now."

"Love conquers all, huh?" He raised an eyebrow.

She nodded, smiling.

"Hmmm." He kissed her as the transporter took them away to the medical center.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

2373 Deep Space 9
Monday 0900

She didn't had much warning, just the sound of his running footsteps towards her. As Kira turned around all she heard was, "Breathe deep!" Before she was caught up in a passionate kiss that left her breathless.

Literally.

Knees weak and gasping for air, Kira sagged against him. He was watching something behind her while supporting her weight. "Good morning to you too, Odo." She raised an eyebrow in surprise. *For a guy who doesn't like humanoid mating rituals he certainly can kiss!*

Odo finally sighed in relief and looked down at her. "Good morning, Major. I apologize but he was following you and I couldn't think of anything else that would effectively deter him." Actually, Odo had thought of several things when he first saw that Nut Boy was following Kira but this was the one he'd wanted to do the most and could get away with.

"Him? Him who?" Kira, still in Odo's arms, bent back getting an upside down view of the Promenade.

Morn...Quark...Leeta...Tiron...Whoa! Back up! Cotton candy pink hair, half bald head, beakish nose *and* he was looking right back at her!

"Oh holy Prophets protect me, it's him!" She snapped back up and looked horrified into Odo's face.

"He's back and he's watching you!" Replied Odo in a sing song voice.

"Shit! I thought we'd gotten rid of him for good last time. What am I gonna do?"

Odo steered her toward Security and away from Tiron's unnerving stare. Sitting her down, he got Kira a raktigino which she gratefully gulped down.

"What the hell is he doing here?"

Odo quickly consulted the computer. "Officially, he's here on business." He snorted. "Unofficially, I'd say he's here to catch the one who got away."

Kira sighed, "Odo, I *really* hate to impose but..." She gave him a pleading look that melted his heart, so to speak.

Odo gave her an understanding look and a small smile. "It's all right, 'Sweetheart.'"

She gave him a relieved smile. "Thank you, 'Sweetheart.'"

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"So, Kira!" Dax came up behind her at the Replimat as she ordered lunch. "Kiss-n-tell! Kiss-n-tell!"

"Dax, what are you talking about?" Kira picked up her hasperat, ginger tea and PADD and sat. Digging in, she started to read only to be startled when Dax yanked the PADD out of her hand.

"Odo runs up and kisses you in full view of everyone on the Promenade and you're wondering what I'm talking about?" She held the PADD hostage. "Spill woman."

Kira collected her thoughts as she chewed on her lunch. Before she could speak, a shadow fell across the table.

"Major, it's good to see you again." Tiron's smooth-as-silk voice felt like a noose tightening around her neck as Kira looked up and greeted him.

"Well, it appears that you and Chief Odo are still happy with one another judging from that kiss he gave you this morning." He gave her a tight smile.

"Yes, we're *extremely* happy with one another." She shot Dax a look as she sipped her tea.

Dax, picking up on her friend's hint, smiled brightly at Tiron. "Yes, they're devoted to one another. They're thinking of making it official sometime soon."

"Dax!...That was supposed to be a secret." Kira smiled sweetly at her friend. *I'm gonna kill her. I'll beat her to a pulp and then I'll kill her.*

"Really," Tiron's strangled voice caught her attention. She felt something twist uncomfortably inside as she gazed into his face. He looked ready to explode. "Then may I be the first to congratulate you."

"Thank you." She said quietly.

"I have an appointment I must get to. Good day, ladies." Tiron turned and stalked off.

Kira turned to Dax the words she was going to say dying in her throat as gazed at her friend's face. "Dax, what's wrong?"

Dax shuddered before speaking. "Be very careful, Nerys. You see a lot of stuff in three hundred years. After awhile, you get a feeling for these types of things. Trust me." She handed Kira back her PADD. "Be very careful."

The twisting feeling inside Kira got worse.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Tiron stalked the halls until he found a secluded comm station. He put a call through to the captain of another ship.

"Irarla."

"Tiron." The face on the screen was that of a beautiful woman, a face that belonged on a princess not a smuggler. Light purple hair framed a feline face. Sharp silver eyes gazed at him and small fangs glinted slightly in her ship's lighting. Behind her slim body, a tail swished back and forth. "Have you located your target?"

"I have, I'll show him to you tomorrow. Once you see him and know what he is you'll be able to find me a weapon to use against him?"

Silvery eyes smiled back at bottomless black ones. "Of course, I may even have it on me now. I've never met a species that's invulnerable to death yet. And anyone can be taken out at a *price.*"

"Promenade 1000." He shut the station down, thinking dark thoughts.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Tuesday 0800

Right on the dot, Major Kira stepped through the doors, grabbed the precision placed cup of rakitgino (two measures of kava, of course) and PADD, and sat in the chair across from Odo propping her feet up on the desk.

All this in the space of thirty seconds. Odo delighted in watching her and he relished the time once a week when he had her all to himself.

His high spirits took a slight nose dive as he saw Tiron stop, stare at them for a few moments, and then walk away.

Kira, noticing Odo's expression, said, "He's been following me since I left my quarters."

"Do you want me to arrest him?"

Kira waved off his concerns. "He's only annoying me. I'm not worried, yet." She looked down at the PADD. "So what's first?"

"Well, aside from the two lab mice who want to take over the universe..."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

0900

"Good morning, people," Sisko's cheerful voice boomed as everyone sat. "Let's get down to business so I can give you the good news."

Half and hour later he gave them the good news by passing out PADDs to everyone. "This is going to be posted throughout the station."

IT'S PARTY TIME! ^_^
WHEN: THIS SATURDAY
TIME: 1900 HOURS AND GOING
ON UNTIL QUARK THROWS
US OUT OF THE BAR!
ATTIRE: FORMAL. NO UNIFORMS!

"The Sullivan will be arriving on Friday night. They need to unwind and so do we. Captain Aries and I decided that a party would be a good idea."

"Ooh, a dress up party! We haven't had one of those in a long while, Benjamin."

"I thought it was time to give everyone an excuse to get fancy." Sisko smiled. "Everyone's invited and I even got Quark to take out the Dabo tables to make a dance floor."

Odo looked impressed. "How did you manage that?"

Sisko's smile became sneaky. "Oh, I have my ways, Constable. Any other business? No? Dismissed."

Kira and Odo were the last to leave. She sidled up to him and told him about yesterday's incident. He looked at her in surprise."

"So...we're engaged?"

*His eyes are so blue.* Wondering where that thought came from Kira replied, "I think so. That's what Dax implied. Is he still here?"

"Unfortunately." *Or fortunately depending on how one looks at the situation.* "In that case, since we have to make and appearance at it anyway, would you allow me to escort you to the party?"

For a second Kira looked into Odo's eyes and felt her pulse start to race. "Yes, I think I'd like that."

He smiled at her and headed off for Security. *He's got a beautiful smile. Why doesn't he do it more often?* It was a puzzle that plagued her all the way to Ops and through her shift.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

They stood watching as Odo interacted with the Ferengi bartender.

"You want me to take *him* out? I'm not sure whether to applaud you or have your head examined." Irarla said impressed.

Tiron turned to his partner. "Only one woman has ever turned me away and that's Kira Nerys. She wanted to be with me but she couldn't because of *him*. If I can get rid of him then we can be together." Tiron smiled in ecstasy.

Irarla twitched her whiskers and nodded. *Can anybody say LOONY?! I'm pretty sure women have turned you down before, you nut. Kira was probably the catalyst that made your mind crack, poor lady. But what do you care, Ira? With the money Tiron's throwing at you, you can retire and become queen of your own world.* She smiled sweetly. "I'm sure when Kira sees the lengths you've gone to she'll just...fall all over you." *Fall all over you and rip your head off, that is.*

"Can you find something to do the job?"

"Yeah. I've got just the thing. All you'll need is a place to set it up."

Tiron looked down at Odo, a nasty smile crossing his face.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Wednesday 1600

"Okay, Major, how does that feel?"

Kira raised her arms and while the gauzy white ankle-length coat moved up her breasts, enclosed in a black bodice, didn't.

"It's much better. Thank you."

Since civilian dress parties were rare, Kira decided that she wanted something sexy but comfortable. Looking in the mirror she decided her choice was a good one. The coat was light, transparent and belted at the waist. Her pants were white as were her shoes. Her bodice and gloves were black. Standing still Kira gave the appearance that she was wearing a dress, which would make Dax happy to no end. The pants underneath made Kira happy to no end.

"Well then, Major you can go change. Are you sure you want white? This fabric doesn't dirty or wrinkle easily but accident's do happen."

"No, I like this. It's one of your best creations." She lovingly fingered the coat.

"Why Kira! That's high praise indeed! I'm touched. It'll be ready tomorrow after your shift."

"Thanks!" She disappeared behind a curtain.

A head poked out of one of the dressing rooms. "Is she gone yet?"

"No!" Garak hissed and pushed the head back. "Stay in there! She'll be out any minute!"

"Here you go Garak." Kira carefully handed him the outfit. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good day, Major." Garak sighed. *What *is* it with these two? Where I come from, you tell a woman how you feel and face the firing squad. Sometimes literally. * "Come out. Come out wherever you are."

Odo poked his head out of the dressing room.

"It's safe, Odo. Come on."

He came out, tugging a little on his collar.

"Not bad, Constable. The black brings out your eyes, the white compliments your skin tone and the cut emphasizes your physique."

"It really looks all right?" Asked Odo nervously turning around in front of the mirror.

Garak reached over and fixed a lapel. "Yes, you look great. You'll be the perfect offset to Major Kira." Tugging a little here and there, he murmured absently. "Perfect couple." Aloud he said, "Does it fit all right on your form?"

Odo stared at himself for a moment. *I look...nice. I can pretend I'm not a freak and that she can love me. For one night I can hold her in my arms and just be a man in love with a woman.* "It fits perfectly. Won't bother my shape at all."

"Good! Good." Garak put Kira's outfit down on his desk. "You can pick it up after your shift tomorrow."

Odo nodded and returned to the dressing room.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1800

Dax pulled out her favorite pantsuit. A beautiful storm blue that that reminded her of the night sky on the Trill homeworld. It was a present from Curzon after his death. When she'd received it there had been a note attached:

Blue looks good on you, Jadzia *Dax*. Congratulations.

Crafty S.O.B. that he was, Curzon had known that she would request the Dax symbiont.

Checking the left inside pocket Jadzia found the card. She'd had it laminated. Smiling fondly, she checked the suit. With the knowledge that Curzon had loved her, the suit was even more special. Not only was it a congratulatory gesture, it was Curzon's way of apologizing and showing his love the only way he knew how.

"Good, no problems there. Now onto the next step."

Walking over to the dresser, Dax pulled out a thin plain box. Another present from Curzon.

In the box were two items. A jeweled dagger and an arm holster. She tested the springs on the holster and fitted it on her arm. Finding no flaws on the dagger Jadzia calmly fit it into the holster.

Both articles had been passed down from one Dax host to another since Lela Dax had used it to protect her husband from an attacker. Now it was Jadzia Dax's and if she had to use it, she decided, might as well make sure the skills were still there. She pulled on the jacket and fiddled with the weapon.



"Dax here. Go ahead."

"Dax, it's Kira."

"What's up?"

"That weirdo's following me and I think I'm gonna kill him."

Jadzia smiled and tried not to laugh. "Well, I think Odo's going off shift in a little while. Ditch Tiron and hide out in his quarters."

"Good idea. Kira out."

"Good." Jadzia murmured as the channel closed. She held her arm out and tensed her hand in a certain way. The dagger shot out and embedded itself in the center of a dart board she'd set up yesterday. She smiled her Mona Lisa smile. "Very good."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1945

Odo made his way to the Habitat Ring after a hard day's work.

"Hello, Constable."

Odo nearly groaned aloud. *The man is *everywhere* it's insane! But...if he's with me then Kira must've given him the slip.*

"Hello, Tiron." He ducked into a turbolift hoping that Tiron would miss it.

No such luck.

*He's got to be part Changeling.* "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Must be hard for the two of you, working such demanding jobs I mean. It doesn't leave you much time together."

The turbolift stopped and Odo shot out like a disruptor bolt. Unfortunately, Tiron shot right out with him. Feeling that he had to say *something* Odo replied, "No, we don't have much time together. It just makes the time that we do spend together that much more precious and inventive." *My quarters! Thank the Prophets!*

What happened next was totally unexpected. Just as he was about to punch the lock code, the door opened to reveal Major Kira. Major Kira in a robe, barefoot, and with a smile on her face that nearly made Odo lose cohesion.

"Odo, darling!" She launched herself at him and they nearly fell over in the hall. She kissed him passionately. "I have *such* plans for you!" She looked at Tiron as if noticing him for the first time. "Why hello, Tiron. Visiting someone?"

Tiron, for his part, was taking the situation in stride. He looked as if his head might explode all over the hall as Odo dragged Kira into his quarters.

"That was close." Kira said as the doors closed. She looked at him and as their eyes met they both realized how close they were. Her arms were still around his neck, feet off the floor; his arms holding her pressed against him. Abruptly, they let go of each other. Both of them stared off in embarrassment in opposite directions without really realizing that the other was uncomfortable.

"So...um...Major what brings you here-dressed like that?"

Kira looked down at herself. "Tiron was following me all day. I finally gave him the slip and Dax suggested that I hide out here. Apparently, it was a good idea since he looked like he was pestering you."

"Yes, thank you." Odo looked around his quarters. *Say something you idiot!* "Have you eaten yet?" *Not profound but it's a start.*

"No, as a matter of fact I haven't."

"Sit, I'll make you something."

Kira gave him a surprised and delighted smile. "I didn't know you cooked!"

He gave her a self-deprecating smile and moved off into the kitchen. "I learned a lot when I was human. Dax was kind enough to teach me. There are some floor pillows in the bedroom. I never got around to acquiring chairs." The sound of pots and pans could be heard as Kira headed to the bedroom.

The bedroom was neat and looked lived in...casual, happy even thought Kira as she hunted for the pillows. It showed a much different side of the straight-laced, button-down Constable she knew and was friends with. Opening a drawer she found a pair of neatly folded red pajamas. For some reason this pleased her and she picked them up for further examination.

*I never knew he liked red. They're so soft.* Kira suddenly sniffed the air. A scent she didn't recognize lingered in the room. She looked back down at the pj's and sniffed them. It was his scent, she realized. Odo had put his pj's away as usual and then been changed back into a changeling. *He never did his laundry. There wasn't any point. So his scent had lingered on his clothing. Probably in the bed, too.*

"Did you find them, Kira?"

"No, is Tiron still out there?"

"Yes, I just checked with the computer. It seems as though he's planted himself in the hall for the night." Odo came through the door as he saw her with his clothing. "I would have offered but..." He gestured towards the robe.

"Oh this?" Kira opened it. Underneath was her uniform. "When the computer told me Tiron was with you I replicated this and waited by the door." She smiled carefully folding the night clothes.

"Well, it was very effective. You're welcome to use the room and the pajamas. In fact, until Tiron leaves it my be a good idea if we stay in the same quarters together." Odo wanted to shoot himself out an airlock as soon as the words left his mouth.

Kira surprised him by nodding. "You're right." She stood and chucked the robe. "Now, where are those pillows?"

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Thursday 0500

At the computer's annoying chime Kira snuggled deeper into the bed.

Then she woke up.

*Okay. This isn't my room. Where...Oh yeah, Odo's bedroom.*

Since she wasn't on duty for another two hours she decided to look around a little.

The bed was framed in dark R'sala wood shaped so that there were no rough or pointed edges. The dresser and attached mirror were constructed the same way.

Looking over the dresser Kira found everything neat on orderly. Not wanting to disturb anything up top she opened one of the drawers. In it she found a large book, a holo album.

*The way he acts one would think he'd never deign to keep personal momentos.* Delighting in finding out the little things she never knew about her best friend, Kira opened the album.

There were no holopics from the Occupation. *Like anyone would need pictures to help them remember that time.* Kira flipped through the pages. Apparently, the holos had been taken by various people and given to Odo. She came to several holos of everyone on the station, even Quark. She quietly laughed at some of the memories that cropped up.

Not all of the holos had been taken on the station either. There was one of Odo and Mora Pol down on Bajor and one of them on another planet. A few others were taken on Earth. Kira flipped through a few more pages and stopped.

Against a sign that read Welcome to Starbase 231 stood a smiling Odo and a woman. She was a very beautiful woman of Asian decent with long black hair and eyes, light almond skin and a bright smile. Her Starfleet Security uniform fit her a little closer than a glove and did very little to hide her curves. A flare of jealousy blossomed in Kira as she saw how close the mystery woman and Odo were standing. Not close close, but close enough to make her wonder if there was far more to that Security conference than Odo had said there was. *Kira get a grip! This situation is just making you think and feel things that aren't really true.*

Closing the book, Kira failed to notice a piece of paper fall out and flutter to the floor. Carefully, she placed the book back into the drawer and made the bed.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"The time is 0630 hours."

Odo did not want to reform. The thought of having to face Tiron and his annoying comments and insinuations were enough to make Odo want to shoot himself through the wormhole. Hell, why not just shoot Tiron through the wormhole and save everyone the pain? Then again, with his luck, the Prophets would just spit the guy back out.

*At least you get to spend time with her. She's yours for a little while. Be thankful for that.*

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

With a start, Odo reformed. He saw Kira in his pj's, which looked *extremely* good on her, sitting on a floor cushion, smiling at him over a cup of raktigino.

"How-how long have you been there?"

"For about fifteen minutes. I came out here and saw you on the viewport sill."

Odo stared at the floor, mortified.

Catching the look, Kira immediately put down the cup and went over to him. "What's wrong?"

"I-it's just I'm sorry. I'm not used to people seeing me in my natural form anymore. I'm sorry if it startled you."

"It did at first." Odo seemed to shrink in on himself. "No, that's not a bad thing!" She tilted his head up and looked directly into his eyes. "You're beautiful like that!" Kira gave him an exasperated sigh when she saw his disbelief. "Have I lied to you since Vaatrik?"

Odo shook his head.

"Good. Do you know why I sat here for fifteen minutes and watched you regenerate? It wasn't because you're a fascinating case study." She smiled at him. "I watched the sun shine on you and it was like watching the sun rise on the ocean."

Odo looked into her brown eyes and saw the sincerity of her lovely words. He found he couldn't speak.

Seeing him at a loss for words, Kira kissed him on the forehead. "You're my best friend, Odo. You never have to be ashamed with me. I have to get dressed and go to work. Meet you back here afterwards?"

He nodded.

"I'll see you later then."

Shaking himself out of the acute paralysis he'd developed; Odo got up and went to work.

He went with a smile on his face.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

0658

"Morning Nerys."

"Hi, Dax. Ops."

The turbolift gracefully slid up its tracks with a mechanical whir that both women had long ago learned to ignore.

"Did you hide out at Odo's?"

"Yeah. I didn't know you taught Odo how to cook. He's wonderful."

Dax raised an eyebrow and gave Kira a surprised but pleased smile. "I did. He was tired of replicated food so I offered to teach him." *Kira stayed for dinner, eh? I wonder...* Leaning against the railing Dax watched her friend like a hawk. "So...How were the hours in between dinner and breakfast?"

Unconsciously, a very peaceful expression spread over Kira's face as she thought about last night. After dinner, she and Odo had talked for hours about any subject that caught their fancy. In those few hours Kira had learned more about the enigmatic man she called her best friend than in all the years she'd known him.

"Informative."

Dax's eyes widened. "Really?"

"I learned things about him I never knew before." *Except the name of that damn woman!*

The turbolift was slowing to a stop. Dax sidled up to Kira and angled her head to whisper in Kira's ear.

"So, did he wear boxers or briefs when he was human?"

"JADZIA!"

Dax bolted out of the turbolift laughing as Kira chased her waving a PADD.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1400

The last component clicked into place.

"There." Irarla breathed and looked up at Tiron.

He smiled. "Perfect." In fact, the whole area was perfect. It had taken several days of intense scanning to find an appropriate place in the Dead Zones.

"Okay." Irarla stood up and looked around. *Yup, this place is a real fixer-upper.* "The fields will block anyone trying to scan for you." She pointed to the controls affixed to the wall. "This activates and controls both fields. How you get Odo here is your problem."

"Don't worry. I know exactly how to get him here." Tiron smiled at her. "Thank you. Your payment is on your ship."

"Good bye." She vanished in the shimmer of a transporter beam.

"Yes. Good-bye and good riddance." Tiron sighed happily; secure in the knowledge his plan was utterly secret. Or at least it would be when the fake latinum on Irarla's ship blew up as she traveled through the Gamma Quadrant. *Today, life is sweet.*

His laugh echoed through the Dead Zones.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1700

"Hello, Major!" Garak smiled as he got up from his desk. "Your outfit is all ready and so is yours, Odo."

Kira turned. "Hi, Odo." Her face grew puzzled. "You're actually wearing clothes tomorrow? I would have thought you didn't need to."

"I wasn't. But the Captain suggested I try a tuxedo this time. I tried to morph one but they're too complicated and it takes all my concentration. So, I opted for actual clothing."

"Ahh. Well then...Garak?"

As if by magic, the Cardassian tailor produced two white boxes. "There you go. Anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you, Garak. Major?" Odo took Kira's box and they walked out of the shop together.

Out on the Promenade, Kira hooked her arm through Odo's and surreptitiously looked around for her shadow.

"He hasn't been seen all day. His ship is still here, though."

"So it would be a good idea to keep up the act."

"Probably."

Kira nodded. Actually, she was looking forward to relaxing in Odo's quarters, to finding new things to make him laugh, to...to just be with him. Kira's eyes widened and she snuck a glance at Odo. *Me and...no, he's just doing this as a friend. The situation is just driving you off the deep end, Nerys. Your just getting caught up in the act.*

* * * * * * * * * * * *

1800 Promenade

"So, Old Man, what do you think about Odo and Kira?"

Dax looked up from the salad she was eating. "What do I think?"

"Yes."

Sisko watched as Dax gave the question the attention it deserved. A few bites of salad later he got an answer.

"They're insane."

Which wasn't the answer he was expecting, the look he gave her told her so.

"You asked."

"Uh, yes, well..."

Dax gave an exasperated sigh and sat back in her chair. "They have to be, it's the only explanation that makes sense! Anyone can see that Odo practically worships the ground Kira walks on-"

"Evening Captain, Dax. May we join you?

Sisko and Dax looked up to see Bashir and O'Brien standing next to their table. Behind them was Quark with a tray of drinks.

"Of course." Sisko gestured to the empty seats.

"Have you heard from Keiko, Chief?" Not quite sure whether she should keep ranting about Kira and Odo, Dax opted for a safer topic.

"Oh, she and Molly are having a fine time on Bajor."

Quark put the tray down and sat. "Now that we've gone through the prerequisite chit-chat, what were you saying about the Major and the Constable?"

Safe topic now thrown out the window, Dax continued her tirade. "Odo worships the ground she walks on. She turns to him for advice, friendship, just about everything!"

"Everything except the one thing that really matters." Chipped in Bashir.

"Exactly! He's too scared to tell her and she's too blind to see it!" Dax viciously stabbed her lettuce.

Taking a swallow of his drink, O'Brien added, "Just observing them one would think they were married."

Dax, Quark and Bashir nodded.

Sisko, still not quite believing his ears, asked, "And from all of this you four can conclude what?"

Four pairs of eyes turned to him expressing varying degrees of the well-isn't-it-obvious?! look.

"They're insane!!"

Sisko threw up his hands in defeat.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

2200

Kira lay on the floor once again clad in Odo's pj's and reading a PADD or, more accurately, staring at the PADD. She tried to get her eyes to focus on the paragraph she'd been trying to read for the past three hours. For the sixth time, Kira failed miserably as her mind drifted in an entirely different direction.

The object of her distraction sat atop the sculpture with the perpendicular arches reading his own PADD with much more success.

Kira slowly sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees. She studied Odo's face, marveling at how he could form such perfectly realistic hair when he swore he couldn't form nose ridges. Kira decided she liked his face the way it was. *Wouldn't be Odo any other way.*

A feeling Kira couldn't quite identify descended upon her filling her with warmth as she watched him. She sighed.

At the sound Odo's eyes immediately looked up. Their eyes locked and Odo saw in hers an emotion he couldn't quite identify which put him on the alert.

"Is anything the matter, Major?"

Kira's smooth brow furrowed as her mind stopped its wandering and focused on his constant use of her title.

"Are you that ashamed of your name that you can't bring yourself to use mine?" She asked softly a sad smile gracing her lips.

Odo's head snapped up and his face showed the shock he was feeling. "You-you know my name?" She nodded. "How?"

"Dax and I were hunting through the archived files for something and I came across your old file." Kira got up and leaned against the sculpture. "The only thing different between your current file and the old one is the name. The new one says Odo and the old one says Odo'Ital."

Odo slid off the sculpture and walked over to the viewport. He wrapped his arms around himself in an unconscious protective gesture. Staring out at the stars he was appalled to feel himself shaking.

Kira stayed silent allowing him to regain his composure.

"Do you know what odo'ital means?"

She winced at the pain in his voice. "Yes, I learned enough Cardassian to be able to have a halfway decent conversation...or shouting match." The small chuckle she heard made her feel a little better. "Why did they name you 'nothing?'" Kira edged closer to him careful not to breach the protective barrier he'd erected around himself.

"Originally, it was 'unknown sample.' The scientists thought it was funny. After they learned I was sentient they split it like a Bajoran name."

"People can be very cruel. Does it bother you?"

"It used to. After awhile I realized that 'nothing' couldn't do the job I do. All the friends I've made have forced me to realized that I am valued, cared about. I'm not 'nothing.' I'm Odo. I will never be 'nothing' again."

Kira smiled at the confidence she heard. Stealthily, she came up behind him and gently turned him around. "When I saw the name I knew that it wasn't the way I thought of you. You were never 'nothing' to me." She looked down searching for the right words. "Ital sounds like the Bajoran word K'tal. There's no accurate translation for it. The word itself has many meanings depending on how you use it." She took one of his hands in her own. "I've found that a human word comes closest to it though."

Odo would have stopped breathing if he'd been humanoid. "What word is that?"

Kira blushed slightly. "Angel."

"Angel?" Odo smiled happily, his whole face lighting up with a sudden beauty. "I've been called many things but never that before."

Kira nearly forgot to breathe as she looked into his eyes. *Oh Prophets...*

*Tell her! Tell her!* Odo ruthlessly clamped down on that part of his heart and mind as he looked down at her face.

She hugged him tightly. "You've always been an angel to me. A guardian angel always watching over me."

Odo held her just as tightly. "Thank you," he whispered.

Kira leaned back for a moment. "May I call you that once in a while?" She asked shyly.

Touched, Odo smiled down at her. "Of course."

"Good." She leaned back into his embrace.

They held each other for a long time.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Saturday 1830

Kira, clad in her bathrobe, sat at her dressing table humming and putting the finishing touches on her make up. She smiled at her reflection in satisfaction and stood up to claim her outfit from its box.

Her humming took on a questioning note as she opened her box to find a tuxedo nestled in the white tissue paper.

"Must've picked up the wrong box when I left this morning." Just as she was about to call Odo her door bell chimed.

"Who is it?" She walked out to of the bedroom.

"It's Odo."

"Come in!" Kira held the tuxedo in front of her as he came in holding her white box. "What do you think? The pants are kind of long but I can probably roll them up." She grinned mischievously.

Odo raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "I'm sure you would look wonderful. I, on the other hand, would look very odd in your clothing beautiful though it may be. Quark would take pictures and have a field day with it."

The image of Odo standing in heels with her clothes on made her burst out laughing.

"Thank you *so* much for your concern." Odo said in a pained tone. This only made her laugh harder and after a moment he joined her.

Kira presented him with his tux as he handed the box over to her and turned to leave.

"Odo, wait."

He turned.

"You can change here. If you leave now you'll have to race back to your quarters, change and race back here. It's a complete waste of time when you could change here and we can just walk out together."

Odo nodded. "I hadn't thought of it that way. Thank you." He looked around for a place to change.

"You can stay out here. I'll go into my room and I won't come out until you say it's all right." She skipped off to her room, box in hand.

Odo stared off after her, a smile on his face and love in his eyes. He lay his clothing out on the floor and slowly liquefied. Sunlight on water flowed across the floor and into the clothing. For a moment he stayed there enjoying his formlessness. Slowly the clothing began to fill out, upper body, lower body and appendages. Back as the Odo everyone loved or despised, he lay there for a moment, hands behind his head, and listened to the sounds in the bedroom.

*I wonder if I should ask her to dance.*

* * * * * * * * * * *

Promenade

Tiron looked around at the rapidly filling Promenade as he sat at a table. Idly sipping his synthale he searched the crowd for Kira and Odo.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

*I wonder if he'll ask me to dance.*

Kira fixed the collar of her coat and looked at herself in the mirror. Excitement shone in her eyes, there was a glow to her face, her heart was racing, she had those fluttery Terran insects in her stomach.

*Either I'm sick or I'm in love.*

Kira's lovely brown eyes widened as those last two words sank in and rang with truth. She dropped stunned onto her bed.

*I'm...in love...with Odo.*

After a few moments of shock she smiled with joy, feeling freer than she had in years.

A knock at the door startled her.

"Kira? Are you all right?"

She wanted to laugh with her joy, run through the station proclaiming her love.

*But what if he doesn't love me back?*

The look he had given her last night when she named him...maybe that was just happiness and friendship. What if he could only love her as a friend? Despair washed over her. She couldn't tell him. At least not until she was sure he could love her.

"Kira?"

She gasped. "I-I'm coming! I had to find my bracelet." Kira composed herself and walked over to the door.

It was all she could do not to drag him into her arms and down to the floor as the door opened to reveal him in his tux.

Odo stared down at her in concern. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes."

Odo studied her carefully for a moment noting her bare wrists. "If you're sure. Let's go, we're already late." He presented his arm to her.

Tentatively, she took it and they left.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Promenade 1915

The Promenade was crowded and the party was in full swing. The crew of the Sullivan was having a marvelous time mixing and mingling with the DS9 staff and the transients currently on board.

The senior staff had already staked out a table and left one officer at it at all times. Right now, Dax and Bashir, decked out in the beautiful storm blue pantsuit and tuxedo respectively, were sitting at the table.

Sisko and Kassidy were off dancing. O'Brien and Quark were at the bar talking discussing the rules of Tongo.

Dax, normally the calm cool one, was fidgeting like a child and Bashir was being more like a parent than a date.

"Jadzia, darling, relax. They'll be here."

"I'm excited by the fact that they're *not* here. Maybe he told her how he feels and they decided to stay in or maybe he told her and they ran off to Bajor together *or*..."

"Or maybe they were just late because they're coming through the doors right now." Remarked Julian pointing.

Dax's fantasies of her two friends finally being together and happy deflated like a balloon. "Darn."

"I'm sorry, Jadzia, you can't win them all."

"Or maybe you can," she murmured. The Trill's keen eyesight zeroed in on Kira nervously picking at nonexistent dirt on her coat and jumping whenever Odo leaned over to speak to her. She stood and motioned the two over to the table.

"Evening, I hope you two are enjoying yourselves," said Odo as he pulled out a chair for Kira.

"We're doing just fine. Is anything the matter? You guys are twenty minutes late," replied Dax watching Kira flinch slightly.

Odo looked over at Kira. Seeing that the proverbial cat had her tongue he answered. "Kira lost the bracelet she was going to wear."

Dax looked at Kira's bare wrists and murmured, "I see she found it."

"Yes, she did." Odo said softly still watching Kira.

Suddenly, Kira came to life. "Julian," her voice holding just a tinge of desperation, "would you like to dance?"

Taken off guard, Julian stared at her blankly before agreeing. As they headed off to the dance floor Dax turned to Odo.

"What happened?"

"Like most beings in this universe, I don't have a clue."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Tiron was touring the second floor of Quark's when Odo and Kira arrived. He hung back allowing the crowds and the shadows to hide him.

*She's beautiful. Look at how she flinches when he speaks to her. I knew she loved me; she's frightened of him. I am doing the right thing.*

Now, all that left was to wait for the right time.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The two sat at the table making small talk while Bashir and Kira danced.

It was a very interesting sight, Dax watching Odo and trying not to smile. Odo watching Kira and trying not to obvious about it. Bashir watching Dax and wondering what it would take to make her notice him. Kira watching Odo wanting to be in him arms instead of Bashir's. To the casual observer it was quite a spectacle, everybody watching everybody.

Looking up from Odo's face Dax noticed a young Asian woman with a finger placed across her lips making her way to their table. With her was slightly older woman with blond hair trying desperately not to laugh. Dax's smile grew broader as recognition set in, laughter bubbling up inside her.

Odo, eyes only on Kira, never even noticed. Something sharp jabbed him in the back.

"Reach for the sky! This is a stick up!"

Odo's eyes grew wide, not turning around he calmly said to Dax, "I know why we're fighting the Dominion, Dax."

"Really, why?"

"Catsy didn't invite them to one of her parties and now the Founders are pissed."

Dax couldn't take it anymore; she nearly fell off the chair laughing as Catsy smacked Odo on the shoulder.

The other woman, Captain Stella Aries, sat down next to Dax, blue eyes flashing mischievously. "Scary thing is, Dax, honey, I think he's right. How have you've been beautiful?" They hugged.

"Oh hush, both of you!" Catsy stuck her tongue out in indignation at them. Then she turned her indignation on Odo. "Where's my hug dammit?!"

Chuckling, Odo got up and hugged her. Then he took a look at her dress. "I could have you arrested for indecent exposure."

Catsy looked down at her dress, a long black one with strategically placed slits. "Like hell you are. I'm not exposing anything indecent." She wiggled her hips at him. "Everything I have exposed is perfectly decent."

Everyone laughed.

"I thought you were still on Starbase 231."

"Well, I was," she replied as they sat. "Then I get this deranged call from Stella--who had obviously been drinking!--begging me to transfer over to the Sullivan. Well, naturally, I took advantage of her in her weakened and vulnerable state." She smiled smugly at Aries. "I got a jump in rank to Commander and became head of Security. On 231 I was only a subordinate and a lieutenant commander."

Now Aries was smiling smugly as well. "And a trouble maker. The head of the base practically begged me to take you off her hands. Your parties were getting too wild."

Catsy rested her head on Odo's shoulder and looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. "My commanding officer was the husband of Captain Lockhart. He was just jealous because my parties got me more arrests than he got in a week the old fashioned way." She smirked. "Lockhart wasn't getting any."

Odo gave her a scandalized look. "Are you serious?"

"Very."

He grunted. "Maybe I should try that."

"What? Getting some?" She gave him a devilish smile. At Odo's exasperated glare, Catsy merely winked seductively. Turning, she leaned over the table and took Dax's hands in hers. "So, how are you, Dax? I haven't seen you since Curzon, that old Casanova."

"I'm fine. I didn't know you and Odo knew each other. When did you meet?"

Odo cleared his throat. "Well, it depends on how you look at it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when Starfleet took over I attempted to establish contact with several other security officers. I actually got a favorable response. Catsy and I met when I was chasing a criminal her way and she was chasing one mine."

"So he called me up and said, 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine.' Within a week we'd nabbed both perpetrators."

"We didn't meet face to face until I went to 231 for a security conference. I was human at the time."

Aries looked over at Dax. "It was her birthday."

"You mean the one I missed? Darn it! I love your birthday parties."

"Yes, I was sorry you missed that one. It would have been much more interesting had you been there."

"What happened?"

"Well..."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Kira and Bashir were making small talk as he whirled her around the floor.

"Well, Kira, I hope this week hasn't been too much of a strain on you."

"Hmm? Oh, it's been a little frustrating but Odo's been a big help." Her voice faded as she watched two women come up to the table and greet Odo and Dax. One she recognized as Captain Aries, the other...THAT WOMAN! The one in Odo's picture! Jealousy surged through Kira.

Bashir felt the slight stiffening of his dance partner and calmly twisted them halfway so that he could see what had upset her.

"Oh, my." If his eyebrows could have gone up any further they would have disappeared into his hairline. There was a woman with long black hair, stunningly attired in a dress that revealed nothing but suggested a whole helluva lot, laughing and hugging Odo who was smiling and hugging her back! If that wasn't enough, as the two sat down she put her head on his shoulder!

"Apparently, there's more to Odo than meets the eye." Bashir commented trying to make light of the situation until he saw the look in Kira's eyes.

"Indeed, do you want to sit? Great." She dragged him back to the table.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"-and there he was naked as a jay bird and hugging a tree as if his life depended on it! Now, don't give me that look, Odo! You were laughing just as hard as I was when I showed you the security video the next morning."

Unbeknownst to those at the table Kira and Bashir stood at an angle behind Odo and Dax. Captain Aries was laughing too hard to notice and Odo was treating Catsy to his best Constable glare. Fortunately, for Catsy it had a twinge of humor to it letting her know he wasn't really mad. Catsy giggled and swatted at him playfully.

*He's never like that around us.* Kira watched their by-play with envy. *It's as if he's a completely different person.* She thought.

*No, he's the same person.* An inner voice shot back at her. *Only a different side and one not really allowed out to play.* Kira refocused on the conversation.

"...and I didn't have the heart to arrest him. It was practically my fault in the first place! So, I replicated him a blanket and let him crash at my place."

"So, then what happened?" Asked Dax.

"Well, I woke up in the middle of the night to check on him nearly tripping over Stella, who was parked on the futon, in the process." Catsy's face grew quiet and a sweet smile graced her lips. "I came out to check on him and I heard him mumbling."

Odo leaned back in his chair not bothering to stop her. Only people at the table knew his secret.

"There was this beautiful woman that he loved with all his heart. She had...brown eyes and hair like a red, red rose," Catsy's voice grew hushed as she recounted the story. "Bajoran, I think. So strong and full of life. She could never love him because he was a changeling--he wasn't at the time, I think it was the alcohol talking. Anyway, he was describing her in such detail that I took out my drawing pad and started to sketch her face. Then he said her name..." She turned to Odo excitedly, "What was her name again? It was so beautiful. Something like Clarice or Arlyce but more exotic somehow." Catsy chewed on her lower lip thinking. "Something with an -ys in it."

"Nerys?"

At the sound of her voice Odo's eyes went wide and he turned in horror.

Catsy's face brightened up as she turned. "Yes, that's..." Her smile froze and her eyebrows shot up.

Through the sound of his world crashing around him, Odo heard Catsy lean forward and quietly say, "Damn! I never dreamed I'd be so accurate."

"Odo..." Kira stopped at a loss for words. Finally, she gave up on saying anything profound and opted for buying time. "Do you want to dance?"

"Of course." Like a prisoner on his way to his execution, Odo followed out onto the dance floor. Tentatively, they held each other and started to sway to the music.

Catsy stared at them for a moment before turning to Dax and Bashir.

"Did I do something wrong?"

The two friends smiled back at her. "No, you did everything right." Said Dax.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Tension ricocheted between them as soft romantic music played. Kira stared at Odo's chest while Odo stared at the top of her head waiting for the ax to fall.

Finally, the waiting was too much for him. "Kira? Nerys...I'm sorry. You were never supposed to find out. I've tried my best to hide it from you all this time." He felt her shudder in his arms. Thinking it was from disgust Odo began to withdraw his hands from her waist. Kira surprised him by locking onto his wrists with a deathgrip that would've broken a humanoid man's.

"Kira?"

"How long?"

"I knew for sure when you became involved with Bariel." *May was well tell her the truth.*

She shuddered again and pulled his arms around her. Resting her head on his shoulder she asked, "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Odo looked down at her helplessly. "I-I didn't want to ruin our friendship..."

"And?"

"She said you could never love me."

Kira leaned back in his arms a frown lining her face. Odo gasped at the tears slowly winding their way down her cheeks.

"Who told you that?" She demanded angrily. "The woman at our table?"

"Catsy? No," Odo shook his head. "If anything Catsy always encouraged me even though I wouldn't listen. "He gently wiped the tears from her face. "Do you remember that moon in the Badlands?"

Kira nodded not understanding what that had to do with the here and now.

"The Founder that impersonated you made me believe you were dying. I wouldn't leave even when you ordered me to. You asked why I wouldn't go and I said it was because I loved you."

"How did you know it wasn't me?"

Fresh tears sprang to her eyes as he confessed. "Because you said, 'I love you too.'" He smiled sadly at her. "When it was all over she said you could never love me because I'm a Changeling and you're a Solid."

Kira hugged him fiercely. "Has she ever loved a Solid?"

Odo was surprised at the question. "No."

"Has a solid ever loved her?"

"No." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Kira gently kissed his cheek and leaned back smiling. "Then she doesn't know what the hell she's talking about does she?"

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Catsy and Dax stood off to one side watching Kira and Odo. They'd ditched Stella and Bashir after the two started to discuss the latest tennis pros on Earth.

"Well, at least it's all out in the open and she doesn't hate him." Dax said hopefully.

Catsy chewed on a carrot stick. "If I don't see some lip action soon I'm not gonna be happy."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Odo held Kira away from him, mouth hanging open and reason totally blown out of the water.

"What are you saying?" Suspicion was evident in his voice but there was also a small glimmer of hope.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"He's holding her away from him! What does that mean?!" Dax clamped onto Catsy's right forearm.

"I think that's a good thing, Dax," Catsy replied in a strangled voice as pain shot up her arm. "Let go!"

Dax let go and Catsy rubbed her arm furiously to get the blood circulating again. A flash of sliver caught her eye and she looked up into the throng of people moving around the upper level of Quark's, instincts screaming a warning. Catsy straightened up and started paying even closer attention to the party goers.

Most people were caught up in their own affairs, talking and drinking merrily. Some were watching the dancing couples and a few were paying close attention to Kira and Odo. Without conscious thought Catsy scanned those people in particular noting the hopeful looks on their faces silently cheering the Security Chief on.

All except one.

Tiron.

Even after all this time he still reminded her of a flamingo with that pink hair, but that was an insult to flamingos everywhere. She started to walk towards Odo and Kira speaking quietly into her commbadge not wanting to cause a commotion.

"Catsy where..." Dax's voice trailed off as she saw what Catsy was looking at. She, too, started to walk towards the couple.

Not realizing he had been spotted; Tiron took a small device out of his jacket.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Kira nearly laughed at the comical expression on Odo's face. "You mean you hadn't guessed yet? And here I thought you could read body language." She shook her head. "I must say I'm a little disappointed in you, Constable."

Odo still wore the disbelieving expression on his face. Kira sighed, "I'll say this so that even you won't have any doubts." She smiled. "I-"

**********

Several people besides Catsy and Dax were moving in on Kira and Odo. Armed security guards were moving in on Tiron.

**********

"Love."

**********

Tiron aimed.

**********

Dax and Catsy started to shove their way into the crowd.

**********

"Yo-"

"Odo!" "Kira!"

**********

Tiron fired. The projectile headed straight for Odo.

**********

Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Catsy and Dax both took flying leaps towards the couple. Dax caught Kira around the waist and they went down.

Odo turned to face Tiron as Catsy slammed into his back. She screamed in pain as the projectile tore into her flesh.

**********

Tiron was furious. *Damn meddlers!* It wasn't a total loss he realized as Odo held the woman that had saved him in his arms as they sat on the floor. Quickly he hit his commbadge.

**********

Kira and Dax lay stunned for a few moments. Suddenly, Dax cursed and rolled off Kira. She ran back onto the dance floor of Quark's

Kira rolled into a defensive stance and headed for Odo who was tending to Catsy. Relief flooded through her as she saw that he was all right. Relief quickly followed by a sense of shame at her selfishness. Odo was safe at the expense of his friend who was bleeding from a wound in her back.

Dax frantically searched the crowd. *Where is he?* She caught sight of him tapping his comm badge. She raised her arm and aimed.

Kira tried to run towards Odo and winced in pain as she realized her ankle had twisted in the fall. She opted for limping towards him. "Odo."

He looked up at her, relief briefly showing on his face before concern for his friend won out and he looked back down at her pale face.

"Is she going to be all right?" Kira could see Bashir and a medical team running towards them. Odo looked up again to answer. To Kira's horror he and Catsy started to shimmer and disappear.

*Almost got him!* Dax thought as she started to flex her hand.

"K'TAL!"

Dax's eyes shifted to Kira distracted for just a split second.

Bad move.

She looked back just in time to see Tiron disappear in a transporter beam.

"NO! Damn!" Dax yelled in frustration and turned to Kira who was staring at the spot Odo had been in, oblivious to the world. Bashir was kneeling down next to her treating the sprained ankle.

Captains Aries and Sisko were speaking quietly to Odo's second-in-command, a man named Silves. A Security team was clearing Quark's.

Dax walked over to Kira and touched her arm. She gasped at the emotion in red head's eyes as she turned. Dax pulled her friend into an embrace trying to give the smaller woman some of her strength.

"Don't worry, Kira. It'll be all right."

"How do you know?" The words were part challenge part pain. The tough-as-nails Resistance fighter grappling with the terrified-woman-in-love. Dax smiled slightly.

"I'm Dax. I know everything." She replied lightly. "We'll get him back, Nerys, we'll get him back."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

PAIN!

Catsy wanted to scream until the pain ran away and went somewhere else or until she could run and hide from it.

Whichever came first, she wasn't going to be picky just as long as the pain left.

*I'm going to get whoever did this and kick his ass all up and down the Milky Way! Then I'm going to rip him to shreds and THEN I'll kill him. Slowly and painfully.*

She groaned. *Death to the infidel! No, wait, that's from a novel I'm reading. Great. I'm injured *and* I'm hallucinating. What could happen next?* She tried to roll over onto her back only to be stopped by gentle hands on her shoulders.

"Don't. It's lodged into the left side of your back a few inches below your rib cage.

"Odo." Relief filled her; she wasn't alone. "What is it?"

Odo examined the object though narrowed eyes. "It's dull gray. Designed not to be noticed. You're not bleeding too badly right now."

"Look at it closely. Does it look like the top can screw off?"

Gently, he grasped the object and twisted the top, wincing as she gasped in pain. "Sorry."

"Can't be helped. Is there a pulsing red light and a lot of space between that and the top?"

"Yes."

"I think it may be some sort of modified hunter probe. Take the explosives out and insert a homing device and presto you have a tracer."

"Those aren't-"

"Aren't designed to hit flesh. I think he added that for the sadistic fun of it. Don't pull it out!" She cried when Odo started to remove the probe. "Didn't you take first aid?!"

"No, it'll be all right. I can shift my hand to plug the wound better until Bashir finds us." To demonstrate he held out his hand.

Nothing happened.

Odo stared in horror at the appendage for a moment then he looked around wildly.

"What are you looking for?"

"The source of the quantum stasis field of course!" Came the snide and superior sounding answer. Both captives looked towards the voice and saw Tiron smiling smugly at them across a chasm. "Aw. Is the big bwave Constable scared?" Tiron laughed. "Look up, Odo."

Mounted to the ceiling were two similar looking cylinders. Compact portable force field units.

Odo glared at the smuggler, murder in his eyes. "You'll never get away with this," he growled.

"But that's the best part! I already have!" Tiron crowed. "They'll never find you in time. By the time they do Nerys and I will be long gone. If you'll excuse me, I must finish readying my ship for my lovely guest." With that, Tiron stepped through a hole in the wall and disappeared.

There was silence.

"Hello! Woman flat on her face here without a clue!"

Odo looked down at Catsy. "I'm sorry. He just makes me want to..."

"Beat him to a massive bloody pulp, vacuum desiccate his remains and throw him into a reactor core?" She replied mildly.

Odo found himself smiling despite the dangerous situation. "Something like that."

"I know the feeling well. Now tell me everything you can about where we are before I lose consciousness or something."

Odo took a closer look at his friend noting her pale skin, sweating and shallow breath. Not knowing what else to do, Odo took off his jacket. In vain, he tried to rip it into strips. "Seems I underestimated Garak's tailoring abilities." Touching the lower half of her skirt he asked, "May I?"

Catsy nodded painfully and nearly shrieked as his arm jostled her. "You know, I've always wanted you to rip my clothes off. This was not the way I pictured it."

Odo chuckled. "This certainly wasn't the way I pictured it. I'm going to use this as a bandage." He started ripping the skirt into strips. "We're in the Dead Zones." At her confused look he elaborated. "It's a section of the station that O'Brien hasn't been able to reclaim from the destruction the Cardassians caused when they pulled out of Bajor."

"Ahh. I see."

Trying not to move her any more than necessary Odo gently wrapped Catsy's midsection. He looked around a little more. "We seem to be walled in. It was a hallway but there's a huge pile of debris behind us. Ahead of us is a sharp drop and then the rest of the corridor. The only thing connecting both sides is what looks like a bridge. Above us are the two portable forcefields."

"How-how far is the drop?"

Odo scooted as close to the force fields as he dared and looked. "It's got to be at least three levels deep. I can't see anything."

"How far do the force fields extend?"

"What do you mean?"

"Take my earring and throw it at the field. How far does it extend?" She heard the annoyed hiss of the field.

"There's about a two meter space."

"Hmmmm. Psycho Boy might want to get up close and personal before he leaves. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll bring a guest." Catsy was thinking furiously; it was the only thing keeping the pain at bay. "Odo?"

"Yes?"

"The quantum stasis field. You've had to deal with it before?"

Odo looked at her for a moment debating on how much to tell her. "Yes."

"What exactly does it do?"

"It locks me into whatever shape I'm in until someone shuts if off."

Catsy looked at him in horror. *If no one shuts off that field...*

"Odo how long?"

"Four hours."

*Shit.*

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Promenade

The senior officers and Captain Aries, still clad in their party clothes, stood in a circle.

"I've got the scanners on the Sullivan pointed to the surrounding space. They haven't found anything yet. All of my available crewmen are at your disposal should you need them."

Sisko nodded his thanks. "Your sensors probably won't find anything. I'm willing to bet Tiron still has them on the station somewhere. Remember, he was out to get Odo."

"No." Stated Kira. Everyone turned to her. "He's out to get me and Odo was in the way."

"Well, in any case, Aries bring your crew aboard and let's get that search going."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

*Two hours.* The quiet words screamed through her mind. *We need to find a way out of here before time runs out and Odo blows away into dust.*

Still lying on the floor, Catsy watched Odo pace back and forth. For the past two hours they'd bounced ideas off each other on how to get out. In theory, the ideas usually worked. In practice was another story. Each attempt met with dismal failure leaving both occupants of the impromptu prison depressed and frustrated.

"Odo...Odo...ODO!"

"Hmmm?" He paused long enough to give her a distracted glance and continued pacing.

"Would you stop that?! The constant back and forth is starting to make me sick."

"Sorry." Odo sat down next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Still like crap. Only it's a slightly higher level of crap than it was an hour ago. Pain's lessened a little. What's the deal between you, Kira and Tiron anyway?"

"I didn't realize you knew him."

"Flamingo Head? Yeah, I banned him from 231 when he wouldn't stop harassing the female clientele of the Jazz Palace."

"He's done this before?"

"Tiron took the phrase 'a girl in every port' a little too literally. I've never seen him do anything like this though."

Odo sighed, "He was here once a few years ago bothering Kira and not taking no for an answer. We pretended that I was her lover. We caught Quark trying to take a holopic of her." Odo smiled fondly at the memory.

Catsy smiled as well. "What did you do?"

"Well, we found out he was going to use it for a sex program. So we took the program and fiddled with it. Instead of Tiron finding a ready and willing Kira he found a ready and willing Kira body...with a Quark head!"

Their laughter echoed in the Dead Zones.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

OPS "Captain, all the search parties have reported negative findings and the sensors can't find a trace of them."

"That means they'd have be in a shielded area or in a place with a lot of interference," said Dax.

"The Dead Zones!" O'Brien's face lit up with his revelation. "There are bound to be several uncovered power sources, among other things, that can mask their signals."

"So what are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Kira started to run off but Dax stopped her.

"Nerys, we don't know *where* in the Dead Zones Odo and Catsy are. The Zone covers a huge number of sections and levels *and* it's wrecked beyond repair."

"It's too dangerous to blindly send search teams in," stated Bashir. "There are too many unstable areas and hidden pitfalls. It would also take too much time. From what you told me of Catsy's condition, Kira, she hasn't got that time."

Kira ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "There has to be a safe way in there."

"Unfortunately, Tiron's the only one who knows it," said Aries. "But we can be sure of one thing. He'll be coming back after you."

"Then I guess we'll just have to give him what he wants."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Promenade

Kira stood alone in the middle of the Promenade waiting for that Pah-Wraith to come and get her.

"Come on you bastard. Come and get me," she murmured. Aloud she called, "Tiron! Darling! Where are you?"

"Right here, my sweet."

She felt something press against her neck and then the world went black.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Okay, Benjamin, she's moving." Dax said into her commbadge as she watched the red blip that was Kira on her tricorder moved. She crouched further into the shadows as Tiron carried an unconscious Kira past her.

"Are you sure you want to do this alone, Old Man?"

"Yeah. Anything else might get someone killed. Besides, I got that tape O'Brien gave me. I can make Tiron believe I've got the whole station coming up behind me."

As soon as Tiron was out of sight Dax followed.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

She was getting weaker; she could feel it. Catsy watched Odo for a moment as he sat propped against the wall like a discarded toy. *I look like hell but Odo looks as if he's gone ten rounds with the Devil himself and lost.*

Odo's skin had gone gray, cracking in some places as if he'd gotten a paint job that wasn't done right. His hair was getting that I've-just-been-electrocuted-look and he was shaking.

Silence surrounded them as thick as a blanket. Seeing that Odo was starting to slip further into despair, Catsy broke the silence.

"So, Odo, you and Major Kira." Relief flooded through her as the mention of Kira seemed to pull Odo out of the doldrums. "I hope she's all right." Worry crossed his face like shadows on a pond.

"Don't worry. From what I've seen of your Nerys she can take on a fleet of Cardassians and give'em hell."

Odo smiled at her. "She has. It's one of the reasons I love her."

"Does she love you?"

His eyes took on a glow that made Catsy catch her breath. "Yes, I think she does."

Catsy weakly held her hand out to him and squeezed gently. "Then you aren't allowed to give up, Odo. We'll get out of this." She smiled mischievously, "Besides, I have to give her that footage of you as a wedding present." She chuckled as he moaned and gave her a disparaging look.

"You wouldn't dare."

"You wanna bet?"

"I don't bet."

"You should. You'd be surprised. So would Quark."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The constant back and forth motion woke her up and nearly made Kira lose her lunch.

"Oh my darling we'll have such a wonderful life together."

Kira, finally getting control of her stomach, opened her eyes. At first the sight of the floor confused her but she came to the quick realization that she had been thrown over Tiron's shoulder.

*I just hope he's taking me to Odo.*

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Odo?"

"Yes?" His voice had gotten raspier and from the corner of her eye she could see that his skin was beginning to flake.

"Are we having fun yet?"

A weak sarcastic laugh was her only answer.

"Odo? I think I hear something." Catsy craned her neck towards the force field.

Odo, curled up against one of the walls, painfully straightened out and crawled over to her. "Do you think..."

"Maybe. They're coming this way. HELLO! ANYBODY OUT THERE?"

"Just the happy couple!" Tiron's voice wafted up to them. A few moments later he appeared carrying an unconscious Kira.

"Nerys!" If looks could kill Tiron would have been charred meat.

Carefully, Tiron made his way across the bridge and placed Kira on her back, her face towards them, on the deck. Tiron stood in front of the two captives and smiled. "Well, looks like things here are progressing quite nicely."

"Still can't take no for an answer, eh, Tiron?"

Tiron bent down and squinted at Catsy. "Security Chief Catherine Hino, what an unexpected pleasure!" His eyes shifted between Odo and Catsy and his smile became even wider. "You know, I should thank you for banning me from Starbase 231. I would never have come here and met my darling Nerys otherwise."

"You'll never get away with this, Tiron!" Odo growled.

"Really? Who's going to stop me? You two? Those pitiful officers in Ops?"

The two men started to insult one another. Although the verbal sparring was entertaining, Catsy only gave it half of her attention. She was watching Major Kira.

Specifically, her clan earring.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

*Damn heels. I knew I should have worn boots.* Dax looked back down at the tricorder and discovered that Kira's signal had stopped moving. Up ahead she could hear Odo and Tiron yelling at each other. Dax was impressed; she never knew Odo had such a vocabulary!

Knowing that timing was everything Dax crouched down and waited for a sign.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

On. Off. On. Off.

The part of Kira's earring that was attached to her earlobe was blinking. Anyone looking at her would either not notice it or think it was a trick of the light.

More importantly, Tiron had not noticed it.

*Homing device.* A surge of hope ran through her veins Kira was bait, the others would be showing up soon. Catsy nearly gasped as Kira opened her left eye and looked around. Catsy quickly looked at Tiron and Odo.

Had they noticed?

Nope. They were still going at it. Man, could those two sling mud!

Catsy looked back at Kira. The supposedly unconscious maiden in distress was looking at a point above Catsy's head.

*The generators. She's looking for a way to disable them.*

Kira's eye shut was Tiron glanced over at his prize. Then he went back to insulting Odo.

Kira's eye opened again and locked onto Catsy's. The dark brown eye searched black ones and in the space of a few seconds both women knew what they had to do.

Kira groaned and started to roll onto her left side.

"Nerys!" Tiron swooped down on her in delight.

"Nerys!" Odo got as close to the force field as possible.

Unnoticed by either of them was Catsy. Painfully, she reached behind her, grabbed the probe and started to pull.

It was as if a million red hot pokers were suddenly shoved into her. After a few moments she felt a warm liquid running down her chin. Blood, she realized. To keep from screaming, Catsy had bitten so hard on her lip that she had drawn blood.

Finally the probe came free. With a pain filled shriek that startled everyone, Catsy rolled over onto her back and threw it.

Kira used that moment of surprise to savagely backhand Tiron out of her face.

There was a flash of light as the probe hit a generator. Sparks rained down on Catsy and Odo as the stasis field collapsed. Immediately, Odo liquefied and started to heave himself against the remaining force field.

"Odo, don't worry about me! Help Catsy!"

Mortified that he had forgotten his injured friend, Odo slithered over to Catsy who had fallen unconscious and wrapped himself around her waist to stop the river of blood flowing out of her.

Tiron kicked Kira in the stomach so hard that she hit the force field and bounced off it, falling halfway across the bridge. Tiron prepared to kick her again when the sound of shouting voices caught his attention. Snarling, he hauled Kira up against him and kicked the bridge so that it fell into the abyss.

"They'll be too late." He whispered against her ear.

"We'll see about that." She stomped on his foot and elbowed him hard in the stomach.

Howling in pain, Tiron fell to the ground. He had barely enough time to breathe before Kira was on him trying to beat him to a bloody pulp. Tiron punched back and soon they were rolling across the ledge.

They came to a stop in the middle, Tiron's hands on Kira's neck choking the life out of her despite her efforts to stop him.

"KIRA!"

The new voice caused him to look up. An enraged Trill had made it to the other side of the chasm. The sound of the shouting voices told Tiron that the cavalry wasn't too far behind. Looking at the woman closely he saw that she had no weapons on her save a tricorder. He smiled evilly and continued to throttle Kira.

"Let her go!"

"How are you going to stop me? By throwing that dinky tricorder?" He laughed.

"No, by throwing this." Dax threw up her arm and flexed her hand.

The glint of steel was all Tiron saw before he was clutching at his heart and gasping for air. His eyes stared into Dax's in shock. Cold blue eyes filled with rage and something more, as if other souls were inside her seeing through her eyes, stared back at him.

"Never again." It was the last thing he heard before the darkness claimed him forever.

As he fell forward Kira, who had been sucking in great lungfuls of air, reached up and grabbed the lapels of his jacket and put her foot in his stomach. Praying she wouldn't fall off the edge; Kira rolled backwards and threw Tiron off of her.

The only sound he made was that of his body hitting the wreckage of the Dead Zones.

Kira lay there for a moment just breathing and thanking the Prophets that she was alive. The babble of oncoming voices suddenly stopping caught her attention. She rolled over in time to see Dax putting a tape recorder back into her pocket.

Dax looked at her, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine for a woman whose just been in a life or death situation."

"Great." Dax pointed to a wall. "Turn off that forcefield we need to get them out of here."

Scrambling to her feet, Kira lunged for the controls mounted on the wall Dax was pointing to and turned of the field. Rushing to Catsy's side, Kira was relieved to feel a faint but steady pulse. Then she turned her attention to Odo.

"Odo?" She started to reach for him but pulled back not wanting to hurt him further. "K'tal?"

To her everlasting joy and relief a small amber tendril reached up and caught her wrist. Written in the tiniest Bajoran letters were the words "I love you."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Infirmary

A container of liquid sunlight sat on one of the biobeds. On the other lay a sleeping Catsy slowly recovering from her brush with death. Between the two, sat Kira one hand on Odo's container the other holding Catsy's hand.

Dax watched the trio as Bashir patched up the scratches she'd gotten running around in the Zone. "Will they be all right?"

"Hmmm? Oh yes, Odo just needs time to recuperate from the stasis field. Catsy's lucky to be alive considering the amount of blood she lost among other things. She'll be as good as new in a few days."

"Tiron?"

"Dead. That dagger you put in him did it. The fall into the wreckage just mangled his body. Security's holding it until the investigation is done."

"I hope I get it back soon. It's been with every Dax host since Lela, protecting us and those we love."

"Have you had to use it often, Jadzia?"

"Only this once and I hope I never have to use it again."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Two hours later

"Is he all right?"

Kira turned from Odo to see Catsy looking at him in concern.

"There's been no change."

Catsy smiled, "I'm not surprised. From what I've heard even a short time in a quantum stasis field will keep them out for hours." She squeezed Kira's hand. "Odo's a tough cookie. He'll be up before you know it."

A low rumbling was heard and both women laughed as they realized it was their stomachs.

"I guess in all the excitement we never got a chance to eat." Said Kira rubbing her stomach.

Catsy glanced up and saw Dax heading their way. "Dax! Lunch?"

"Gods, yes! I'm starving!"

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lunch happily deteriorated into a gossipfest bringing Bashir out of his office three times to tell them to keep it down or else.

"So, he was really naked hugging a tree?" Asked a disbelieving Kira as she ate her hasperat.

"Swear on all the gods, Odo hugged a tree naked." Catsy crossed her heart. Then she gave them a wicked smile. "And from what I saw he's got a great looking--"

"CATSY!!"

"Smile! A great looking smile! Goodness Dax, what did you think I was going to say?" Catsy looked intently at Kira's face and sighed happily. "I never dreamed I'd be so accurate."

Kira frowned, "Accurate about what?"

"My drawing of you."

Kira's mind flashed back to the party. Odo's shocked face looking up at hers and Catsy's awed comment swam into her thoughts. A look of understanding came to her face.

"Have you seen it?"

"No."

"No? I would've thought he'd show it to you. He was ecstatic when I gave it to him." Dax saw an idea flash behind Catsy's eyes. "Go to his quarters and bring me the picture. I'd like to compare it to the real thing."

"I-I don't know if I should."

Catsy urged her towards the door. "Go on! Go on! I'm sure Odo won't mind and if he does, he'll have to through me to get to you." She flashed a delightedly wicked smile. "Even injured I can still put up a really good fight."

As Kira left laughing, Dax turned to Catsy. "What are you up to?"

Catsy took a bite of her sandwich. "I'm just helping them finish what started last night. Besides, have you seen Kira's eyes? "She's exhausted physically. I'll consider it a triumph if she forgets about the picture and just goes to sleep."

Dax looked over at the Changeling in the jar. "I hope she comes back."

"So do I."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

His bedroom was the same as she'd left it the day before. *Had it only been the day before?* Kira shook her head. *Seems like a lifetime ago.*

Over the course of a half hour she searched the bedroom from top to bottom. Exhausted, Kira plopped on the bed, feet swinging back and forth.

"Where on Bajor could that drawing be?" She looked down as her boot nudged something on the floor.

It was a piece of paper.

"This had better be it or I'm gonna scream." She picked it up.

Kira stared at the drawing in amazement. Against the backdrop of the wormhole was her smiling face.

"Well Catsy, you were incredibly accurate."

Catsy had gotten everything down to her clan earring perfect but there was something more to the drawing.

There was a softness to her smiling countenance a-a *romance* to it that made her look beautiful in a way Kira had never thought of herself as.

"I've never seen myself this way." Kira got up and headed to back towards the Infirmary with renewed energy. *This is how Odo sees me. How he's always seen me. That's how Catsy drew me this way, through *his* eyes.*

As she entered the Infirmary her feet led her to the morgue instead of recovery.

Tiron's broken body was revealed to Kira as she opened one of the body drawers. She looked down at the drawing in her hand and then at Tiron anger flashing in her eyes.

"You saw me as a prize to be won when there was never a competition for you to enter. You sought to posses my body and spirit and to win my heart when it belonged to another. And yet...and yet I have to give you some sort of *thanks* because if you had never come here I would never have known he loved me!"

The forcefield protecting Tiron's body from decay shimmered and flashed as Kira angrily beat against it trying to get at the dead man underneath. She wanted to tear him apart. To inflict the same pain she had suffered when she saw Odo disappear in that transporter beam. The pain she felt when she saw Odo dying behind the quantum stasis field, and as she waited for Bashir to tell her Odo was all right. "I HATE YOU!!"

Finally realizing that the dead can feel no pain Kira stopped. Exhausted, she leaned against the field. "You would have taken him away from me. You would have taken Odo away and I would never have known that he saw me this way.* Tears formed in her eyes. "I would have lost everything and never have known."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The sound of sobbing reached Catsy's and Dax's ears. Dax looked over at her friend in confusion.

Catsy, for her part, calmly turned to Odo's jar. "Odo? Odo, honey, it's time to get up."

The golden gel that was Odo stirred sluggishly for a moment then became still.

Catsy grew slightly irritated. "You've been asleep too long. Get up, Odo."

Bashir came out of his office. "What on Earth is happening out there?" He started to head towards the morgue when Dax stopped him. "Julian, go back to your office. Everything's fine."

Bashir started to protest until he saw the look in Dax's eyes and Catsy's irritation directed at Odo. He looked at the Trill. "The insanity's going to stop soon?" He asked in a childlike voice.

Dax smiled at him. "I think so."

A smile brightened Bashir's face. "Can I stay in here with you guys?"

Dax, never a sucker for a puppy-dog face, gave in just this once. "Sure, the more the merrier."

Meanwhile, Catsy's patience had reached it breaking point. "ODO! Get you beautiful golden ass out here RIGHT NOW!"

As if shocked by an electric charge, Odo came out of the jar and reformed. He gave Catsy a *look* to which she smiled sweetly and pointed to the morgue.

The sound of Kira's sobbing registered on him. Odo shot like a torpedo towards her, brushing past Bashir and Dax without a word.

"Come over here and stop spying!" Catsy flashed a pleased smile at them as they sat down next to her. "It's not nice to interfere with other people's lives."

Dax smacked her on the arm and Bashir stole the other half of her sandwich.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Kira felt his presence behind her. She handed him the drawing and kept sobbing.

Odo looked down at it and then at her. Wordlessly, he drew the sobbing woman into his arms and held her until she stopped.

Hiccuping, she looked up at him. "You could have died."

"I know."

"I would have lost so much." She touched the drawing. "Never would have se-seen you look at me this way. Never would have re-re-re," she started to sob again.

"Never would have realized how much I mean to you?"

She nodded and held him closer. Odo kissed the top of her head and waited until she'd cried herself out.

"Nerys?"

"Yes, K'tal?"

His heart soared as she said his new name. "I think you're overlooking the fact that I'm still here."

Her tear stained face peeked up at him from beneath her brilliant red hair. "That's true." Her face lifted further to expose her lips.

Gently, Odo cupped her face in his hands and absorbed her tears, consciously making her apart of himself. Kira smiled back up at him, running her hands over his and down his forearms. Odo looked from her eyes to her lips and back again.

"I love you."

"And I love you."

He looked into her eyes for a moment silently asking a question before voicing it. "Will you marry me?"

Kira's eyes answered him before she spoke. "Yes."

The two looked at each other for a moment frozen, each waiting for the other to make a move.

"Oh for goodness sake kiss her already!"

Startled, Kira and Odo looked over to the doorway to see Catsy, carried by Bashir, glaring at them. Next to Bashir stood Dax trying valiantly not to laugh.

"I didn't get myself shishkabobbed just so you two could stand around like mannequins! I wanna see some lip action dammit!" Catsy glared at them a moment longer before she broke into delighted laugher. She was jounced slightly as Bashir joined her. Dax gave up trying to be valiant and doubled over in laughter.

Kira and Odo joined them, she with her boisterous laughter and he with his gravely chuckle. After a moment they looked into each other's eyes, the laughter dying and the world dropping away as their lips met.

They didn't even notice Catsy and Dax's applause.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

3 months later

The crowd on the Promenade was easily the biggest the station had seen in years. People from all over the quadrant were there. The voices of many races had mingled into a low roar that could be heard several levels away.

Right now, however, the area was as silent as a tomb.

"By the power vested in me by Star Fleet, the United Federation of Planets and as Emissary of Bajor, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

As Kira and Odo kissed, the Promenade erupted in cheers.

Flanked by an honor guard consisting of the senior staff officers and Catsy dressed in formal civilian clothes they made their way to Quark's for the gigantic reception.

Several toasts were made. First Sisko, then Quark who'd been best man, Shakaar who had given Kira away, and finally, Kai Winn who reluctantly blessed the marriage.

As everyone drank to the Kai's toast, Sisko leaned forward and tapped Catsy on the shoulder.

"Yes, Captain?"

"How did you get Winn up here? Last I heard she was going to publicly denounce the marriage."

Catsy, clad in a hunter green silk dress that made her hair look like space itself, gave Sisko a crafty smile. "Let's just say that you can learn a lot from a drunk changeling-turned-human. The Kai was a naughty girl with some Cardassian officers during the Occupation."

Dax, overhearing the conversation turned wide eyes to Catsy. "You don't mean she was a..."

"I'm not saying a word but I think that the conclusion you're drawing is a safe one."

As one, the three of them turned to Kai Winn. As if sensing their scrutiny, the Kai turned and looked at them. Seeing their knowing smiles she turned red and fled the gathering.

"I'll download everything I have on her to your personal files, Captain."

"Excellent!" Like a child with a new toy, Sisko ran off to find Kassidy and tell her.

The two women watched him run off.

"I'm sorry Stella couldn't be here," said Dax. Captain Aries was on assignment near Earth and could not be there for the happy occasion. Her gift of a two week stay at Risa had come with Catsy.

"Yes, she really wanted to be here. I'm sending her footage of the wedding though. By the way Dax, beautiful choice on Kira's dress."

The wedding dress was a gift from Dax. Trillian silk colored in the rust of the Dahkur province hills and the green of the Kendra Valley grasses. On her waist was a belt Keiko had loaned her. The buckle was the gold of Bajor's sun and tied in what was called a lover's knot.

Dax sketched Catsy a half bow. "Thank you. The necklace you gave her is exquisite."

"Well, I just followed one of Earth's wedding traditions. Something old: her clan earring, something new: the dress, something borrowed: Mrs. O'Brien's belt and something blue: the necklace." Catsy's eyes twinkled merrily. "The blue sky of Bajor *and* it matches Odo's eyes."

Catsy and Dax laughed and got out of the crush at Quark's only to walk into the crush on the Promenade.

The gigantic reception progressed for several hours.

Music blasted over the PA system and several dance floors had been set up. O'Brien had been afraid that the sheer amount of people attending the wedding would put too much stress on the old Cardassian structure. When everyone started dancing, forget it; O'Brien had run up to Ops carefully monitoring the internal structural stress. Only his wife and a game of darts had lured him out.

A betting pool had started on how long it would take for Kira to get pregnant. Catsy had started the longest conga line in history before there were so many twists and turns that it collapsed in on itself like a black hole. O'Brien and Bashir had launched the biggest dart tournament in history. Quark was making money up the wazoo so he was a happy camper. Sisko and Kassidy were discussing the pros and cons of Starfleet life while they danced and Odo's deputies had arrested 36 criminals with outstanding warrants.

"Consider it a wedding present," Catsy said when Odo found out it was she who had pointed the criminals to his deputies.

A lively tune came over the PA and Odo swung her out onto the floor.

Catsy laughed, "So you did learn something while you stayed with me."

"Well, I learned fast so you would stop bugging me about it," he shrugged. "Then I discovered I liked it." Odo smiled. "I'm glad you came for the wedding. Kira was so happy you could be part of it."

They swung past Kira and a now happily married Shakaar who were laughing at something. Looking over to a corner of the dance floor, Catsy and Odo could see Morn trying to drag Quark onto the dance floor. The Ferengi was gesturing wildly and looking around for help but everyone was too busy laughing and Dax was holding a holocamera and taking pictures. Odo and Catsy doubled over with laughter. Finally, Quark broke free and escaped into a holosuite locking himself in. The disappointed Morn turned and started hunting for a new dance partner.

It took a moment for the dancers to recover and continue across the floor.

Merriment danced in Odo's ice blue eyes as he looked at his friend. "Have I thanked you for intervening with Winn?"

Catsy thought about it for a moment. "I think you have once or twice but I'm vain enough to want to hear it again," she smiled.

"Thank you for running interference with Kai Winn."

"Aww, shucks. Tweren't nothin' Sheriff." She replied in her best Western voice. Shrugging, she added, "I'm not above a little creative persuasion now and then. Especially if it's for a good cause. Besides,after you went to the Kendis shrine she could hardly go against the will of the Prophets now could she?"

The music ended, as everyone clapped Catsy and Odo made their way over to Kira and Shakaar. The two women hugged and the men shook hands.

"Edon, I don't think you've met Catherine Hino." Kira said as she gestured towards Catsy.

"Everyone calls me Catsy." She said as they shook hands.

"Quite a party you and Dax are throwing here. I don't think I've seen so many people celebrating since the end of the Occupation."

Catsy smiled, out of the corner of her eye she saw Dax and Bashir walk up. "Dax, tell him how easy it was to set this up and get a crowd in here."

Before the Trill could open her lovely mouth Quark stepped up with a tray of drinks and a cautious look around for Morn. "Are you kidding me? You couldn't keep people away once they heard that Odo had finally got the girl and was marrying her! People from all over contributed money for this shindig." His eyes glowed. "And I made a HUGE profit on it."

Catsy raised an eyebrow at him. "Half of which goes to the War Orphans Fund, remember?"

Quark waved her off. "Of course! Of course! But it's still a HUGE profit." He turned and looked at Kira and Odo. "What the hell's wrong with you two?"

Everyone looked at the newlyweds, who were wearing shocked expressions on their faces.

"Everybody knew?" Odo whispered in disbelief.

"And nobody told me?!" Came Kira's outraged voice.

The crowd of friends started to laugh.

"For 'the best lawman in the quadrant' he can be pretty obtuse can't he?" Smirked Quark.

"I'm surprised at you, Nerys. For a child of the Occupation I would have thought you'd be more observant of your surroundings." Scolded Shakaar, who ducked and laughed as Kira chucked a glass at him.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

4 hours later.

The happy couple, now dressed in civilian clothing, headed for one of the Promenade airlocks through a crowd of well wishers and confetti throwers. At the top of the steps they stopped. Kira turned towards the airlock, her back to the crowd and threw her bouquet.

The crowd watched breathless as the flowers sailed in a graceful arc and landed in the arms of --

Morn?

The tall Lurian looked down at the bouquet in his hands and then up at the surprised crowd. He looked around and spotted Quark at the edge of the gathering. The little Ferengi shrieked in terror and ran like a maniac to the nearest holosuite to lock himself in with Morn right on his heels.

As the crowd chased after them to see what would happen, Kira and Odo disappeared into the airlock and onto the runabout.

Catsy and Dax, watching from the second floor, turned and headed back to Quark's at a leisurely pace.

"What are we going to do now?" Asked Dax.

"Place a bet on the baby pool and get smashed of course. I hear the Sutherland docked a little while ago. They've got this guy on board who can do incredible things with fire." Catsy smiled mischievously.

"Ooohh. Fire! Fire! Fire!" Dax said in her best Beavis imitation.

They laughed and Dax waved at someone in the distance.

"By the way, Dax, this is for you." Catsy handed her a slender box.

Surprise suffused Dax's face as she opened it. "My dagger and holder! I've been bugging Security for these ever since the investigation concluded." She examined the articles closely. "What did you do to them?"

"The blade broke when Tiron hit the bottom of the Zone so the hilt ended up a few feet away from the body. I asked Odo for the hilt and the holster when the investigation concluded. Then I sent them off to Trill to the family who had originally made them. They were happy to be of help."

The two women stopped at a viewport and stared out at where the wormhole would normally be.

"They did a pretty good job cleaning it, too. I'd almost forgotten the inscription on the hilt." Dax showed it to Catsy and translated.

"Oh, so that's why we went through all this." Catsy smiled as the wormhole flared open bathing the women in its soft blue lights.

"Yeah." Dax looked down at the inscription again and smiled as she read it aloud. "'We do it all for the glory of love.' "

THE END

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