By F. Carthew 31/05/97
"Nerys, you can't hide from him forever!" Dax spoke firmly to her friend as they enjoyed a few quiet drinks in Quark's. The two women were off duty at the same time for a change, and although Jadzia could certainly have been having a more arousing time with her fiancee, she was spending some much-needed quality time with her Bajoran friend instead. "You have to let him know how you feel, whatever that is."
"But _I'm_ not sure how I feel!" Kira took a swig of her drink and sighed. Ever since the alternate Odo had told how Odo felt about her, she had been wrestling with herself, night after night after night. Sure, Shakaar was now out of the picture, a knowledge that gave her a certain amount of relief, but was she really ready for a relationship with her dearest friend? "It's just that he's so.... Loving, so kind." She shook her head in amazement. "I've been thinking about the last few years, and it's like everything he's ever done has been saying 'I love you'." She stared into her drink morosely. "And I was too stupid to notice."
"No, just not looking." Dax reached out and held Kira's hand, smiling. "We all noticed eventually, but you were always busy with someone else. Recently Shakaar, but before that there was Bareil." She saw Kira's expression fall and nodded gently. "We know you loved him, that he was very important for you. And while Shakaar helped you step away from his death, none of us really thought he was right for you." He expression brightened. "But Odo is, and you know it. He loves you; He wants to care for you for as long as you'll let him. And he'll love you until he dies."
"Dax... that scares me." Kira looked up at her friend and grimaced. "I've never really been loved before. All the men I've known have wanted me to be something else, a person I'm not. Odo just wants me to be myself. That scares me." She sighed, and heard Dax do the same.
"Nerys, I think that a person can only be happy being themselves. If that's what Odo wants, doesn't that mean he's the best person for you?" She knew it wasn't an easy position for her friend, but one that Kira had to investigate. "Have the two of you tried to talk about it yet?"
"We've tried to spend more time together, but work keeps getting in the road." Nerys blushed a little. "He's coming over tonight actually, to talk about our relationship." She chanced a glance up at her delighted friend. "I think he's as nervous as I am."
"Then take it slow." Dax tightened her grip on Kira's hands. "Don't rush ahead of yourselves. Give Odo the chance to finally show you what real love is like."
"Like you and Worf?" Kira teased, trying to lighten the conversation a little as Dax grinned happily. "Just as long as Odo doesn't make me a regular visitor to the Infirmary, I really don't mind."
Jadzia giggled and leaned forward. "Ah, but think of what he could do!" As Kira stared at her in amazement, she held up a hand. "But that's not important at the moment. When is he coming over?"
"In." She checked a nearby chronometer and stood. "In half an hour."
Jadzia nodded and walked her friend back to the habitat ring. "Now, take your time, and don't be nervous. He's your friend, that hasn't changed. You're just seeing if it can go further, that's all. What are you planning to wear?"
Kira rolled her eyes. "My uniform, what else?" At Dax's look she sighed. "Okay, maybe my favourite shirt and pants. Will that do?"
"It's better than your uniform." Dax smiled gently as Kira opened the door to her quarters. "Just be gentle, that's all. He cares about you deeply, so he's probably just as nervous as you are." She reached out and hugged Kira quickly before turning and walking down the corridor.
Kira entered her quarters and looked around the well-lit room nervously. She considered lighting some candles, but decided that this would be a little too oppressive. Besides, she wasn't really a candles and wine type of person. Changing quickly, she tided the few objects that were out of place, more out of nervous tension than necessity. The ringing of the door-chime made her jump, and after a last glance around, she opened the door.
"Come in." She smiled as Odo stepped nervously into the room. "Odo, take a seat, please."
The man nodded and sat nervously at one end of the lounge, practically on the edge of his seat. After a few moments of silence, he glanced at Kira. She was obviously as scared as he was. Taking his courage in both hands, he smiled. "We... we were going to talk, about what happened on Gaia."
She smiled, relieved that the tension had at least been eased. "I guess I should tell you that I'm a little worried about what you... Your counterpart said to me on the planet." She stared back at the floor, suddenly fearful. "It scared me."
"I see." Odo's agony couldn't have been more obvious if he had screamed and collapsed on the floor. He stood, staring at the wall. "I promise I won't scare you again, Major."
Kira stared at her friend in disbelief as he turned to leave. With a speed she didn't know she possessed, she reached the door before him, baring his exit. "Odo, what's wrong?" She scanned his face, seeing the anguish in his eyes. "Odo, it scared me then, but not now. I've had time to think now, to understand." She placed a gentle hand on his arm, ignoring the wince that went through him. "I want to get to know you, to discover the person you really are. I used to think I knew you, but now I realise that... That I barely even know who you are. Please, give me a chance to see you."
Odo gazed at the woman he loved, the women he'd never thought would ever know how much he cared about, and felt something snap inside his heart. She knew how he felt, and it didn't repulse her, didn't even frighten her now. She wanted to know him, to spend time with him, to share with him. At that very moment, Odo wouldn't have cared if every Founder who ever existed had offered to accept him back. He didn't need the Founders anymore; he had her, the woman of his dreams.
Bending his head slightly, he breathed "Then I think we should start
like this," and gently kissed her, opening his mouth a little under hers.
They moved together slowly, arms reaching... drawing... holding... until one
thing led to another, and the two people gravitated towards the bed, their friendship
not just intact, but transformed to something stronger as they became lovers.
Odo 'awoke' the next morning to find himself alone. Drawing his shape together with dread, his mind began to race, wondering if the actions of the night before had destroyed everything that he held dear. Stepping into the main room, he saw Kira standing in darkness looking out the window, the light of the stars illuminating her face. "Nerys?"
She turned her head and smiled, holding out a hand to him. "I thought you were going to sleep all day." Drawing him over to the window, she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him gently as his hands ran slowly down her back. "Did you have a good sleep?"
Odo nodded his tension and fear evaporating in an instant. "I've never had better. How about you?"
She smiled, a new radiance blossoming across her face. "I want to sleep that well every night." The smile became nervous. "How...how do you feel?"
He kissed her passionately, pushing her back against the window while she wrapped her legs around his. "I'll love you for the rest of my life, Nerys." His voice was rough with desire as they gazed into each other's eyes.
A blue light filled the room and they realised the wormhole had opened, bathing them in its radiance. But before they could move together, a klaxon blared and the 'red alert' light flashed into action. "Sisko to Kira."
Nerys slipped from Odo's arms and punched a button on her computer console. "Kira here. What's happened, Captain?"
His voice was tightly controlled, but his words sent shivers through the lovers. "It's the Dominion, Major. They're massing in Cardassian space. Starfleet has ordered us to stop them -- at any cost. I need you and Odo in Ops now. Sisko out."
Kira and Odo stared at each other for a moment, before Odo morphed into his uniform, his head hung in shame. "I'll be leaving Major. I'll see you in Ops."
"Odo!" Her voice betrayed her panic as she grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her. "Odo, I care about you, very much. I think I might even love you too." She was speaking in a whisper now, and Odo allowed a shimmer of hope to spring in him. "We'll take care of this now, but I don't want to lose what we found last night, especially not because of the Founders."
"We won't, I promise you." Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed her fingers gently. "I've wasted too much time already."
A sharp grin crossed her face. "Good. Now let's go kick some Founder butt!"