A/N: This takes place the day after season 6 episode 8 "Resurrection".

A/N II: This is the first thing I've ever even attempted to write on DS9, but it was a simple little thing that I thought was needed at the end of the episode. I'm still going through DS9 (bet you can't guess which season I'm on), so if I have shattered cannon or misrepresented characters I'm sorry. That being said, the Kira/Sisko relationship is hardly addressed at all in the series, especially when you think of how close the other command teams are in Trek.

"Do you ever think about her?"

Sisko looked up from the PADD's full of reports he and Kira were reviewing from the day before. "The Intendant? Can't say that I do."

Kira snapped out of her daze slightly. "No. The other Jennifer."

Sisko twirled 90 degrees to face forward and rested his elbows on his desk and laid his chin in his hands. He sighed. "Not much. Like I said, she wasn't my Jennifer," he paused, and wondered what his first officer must be going through with the departure of Bareil. "But, in the first days and weeks after I saw her? After she died before my eyes? I never stopped thinking about her."

"Her, or your Jennifer?"

"Both, I guess. Losing Professor Jennifer was…. Losing an opportunity. Losing a dream, a fantasy. It still hurt. Even if she wasn't my Jennifer, she was real! I touched her, I held her, I kissed her. But at the end of the day, my feelings for her were a by-product of my feelings for my wife. I only felt things for the Professor because of her connection, her similarity, to my Jennifer."

"Some of the things I really liked about this Bareil-" Kira gestured toward the PADD she was holding- "were the things that were exact opposite from… my Bareil. Vedek Bareil. The Vedek was serious so much of the time, and so deep in his faith that I felt I couldn't reach him, and I could never be… good enough for him in that regard. With Mirror Bareil, I could teach him. We were equals. We had both done things we weren't proud of, but he was going to make something out of his life, as I have.

Kira continued, "And in all honesty, I hadn't thought of Vedek Bareil in some time. Not since Shakaar." She didn't mention Odo.

"There's nothing wrong with that, Nerys. You are moving on with your life, as Bareil would have wanted. In fact, I believe he asked it of you. "

"I doubt he intended for me to move on with his mirror universe evil twin."

"Maybe not. But maybe that's a step towards truly moving on that you need to take. Maybe now you'll be able to picture yourself loving someone who is not Bareil at all. You said you were attracted to some of the most un-Vedek Bareil like qualities of him," Sisko covered Kira's hand with one of his own. "You will love again."

Kira vaguely wondered if Sisko might also be talking about himself. She had a few tears in her eyes- for herself, for Vedek Bareil, for mirror Bareil, for Sisko. She wiped them quickly off her face. "I'm sorry, Captain. I'll excuse myself and we can continue this meeting at 0900."

Kira stood up. "We can continue this meeting at 0900, Nerys, but only if you call me Ben like I've asked a hundred times."

"I'll try, Ben."

Just before the automatic doors opened towards Ops, Sisko called after Kira, "Oh and Nerys? Next time Jadzia invites you for dinner, I would be happy to accompany you, as your friend. Until you are comfortable inviting the Constable, that is."

Kira turned to him and smiled, "It's a date, Ben."

"That's Emissary to you, Major!"

End