A/N: I am still not entirely sure where this is going, but I hope you like it, and thank you for the reviews. :)

"I shouldn't think night will fall too slowly," Bashir mused hopefully. He sighed and watched Garak.

The Cardassian tailor nodded agreeingly. "Hmm...?" he said, having not really been listening to the doctor's words.

Bashir threw him a wry smile. "You weren't listening," he said playfully.

Garak nodded hesitantly. "I do apologise, doctor," he said softly, but Bashir was caught up trying to figure out how genuine the apology had actually been. Garak speaking again disturbed Julian's train of thought. "I would make an awful patient," the Cardassian announced, referring to his ability to pretend to not listen.

Bashir smiled at his friend. "You've already been my patient," he subsequently reminded Garak.

For a short moment, Garak remained quiet. A smile on his lips, he said simply, "I had not forgotten, young doctor."

Bashir nodded and held up his hands, feigning surrender. "I know, I know." He smiled.

"After all, how could I possibly forget that day?" said Garak, and Bashir was left to puzzle over whether or not the alien's words were to be answered or if they were a rhetorical question.

"Cardassians don't forget," was Bashir's response, and to which Garak beamed.

Then, he sighed and laid back against the tree. "It is rather cold," he announced, looking a little contemptuous with his present surroundings.

Bashir raised an eyebrow. "Garak, stop complaining."

"I cannot simply suffer in silence," the Cardassian said with emphasis.

"When it gets dark - finally," Bashir said, trying to reassure his friend, "you'll probably get tired anyway." He wasn't really one for the prospect of having to put up with an inic

Garak did not look particularly convinced regarding Julian's suggestion. "The human mind may work that way, but I assure you, a Cardassian could never be so conquered by his environment."

Bashir rolled his olive-hued eyes. "You're the one complaining of the cold," he reminded Garak.

Garak kept quiet and watched the equally silent trees, annoyed that the young human officer had managed to out-think him. But that would not be for long. Garak tried to formulate numerous comebacks.

"And," Bashir went on, "you have all those scales. All I've got is a blanket and this uniform."

Garak tilted his head to one side, both amused and perplexed. "The scales are not for thermal regulatory purposes," he said bluntly, his pale blue eyes challenging the doctor to give his side of the discussion.

Bashir blushed, his cheeks slightly reddening. "Regardless," he breathed, with an empty gesture of his hands.

"Now who's moaning?" Garak quipped.

Bashir huffed impatiently, turned his gaze up to the skies. "It is certainly getting darker," he decided, but he wondered if he was saying what he was really seeing.

"Ah, doctor," said Garak, sounding deflated. "Your judgement may have been hindered by hope."

Bashir looked back at Garak, considered. "'Hindered by hope'?" he mused, rubbing his chin. "That's quite good. Did you make it up?"

Garak smiled. "Of course," said blandly, his face giving nothing away. "I made it up right there and then."

Bashir rolled his eyes. He sighed, lay back against the tree. Looking up at the stars, he sighed. Finally, darkness had sufficiently won the battle with light and he closed his eyes. Garak, however, was enjoying no such luxury. He was watching Bashir, had been for some time. The doctor lay peacefully, his silver thermal wrap around him protectively like a shiny coccoon.

It was cold. The air was chilly and wind whispered past Garak's position on numerous occasions, and he even went so far as to ruffle his usually perfectly uniform hair, letting the wiry but thick strands hang over his vulnerable ears. When he breathed out the slightly thicker air, little rings of water vapour would appear before him. A shiver ran through his body, and his continuous fidgeting was cause enough to rouse Bashir early from his peaceful sleep. As far as he, and the planet, was concerned, it was still the dead of night.

"Garak?" Bashir spoke drowsily. "Have you not slept at all?"

The tailor ignored the slightly scathing tone of the question. "I couldn't get comfortable."

Bashir smiled grimly. "I know what you mean," he lied; he didn't want Garak to know that while one of them was about to suffer from hyperthermia, the other was having one of the most wonderful sleeps of his life. He regarded Garak, then said, "Even the Cardassian beds on DS9 are more comfortable than leaning against a tree stump."

Garak shook his head. "No, that was not that problem. I can't believe how cold it is on this planet."

Bashir shrugged. "Different species, different requirements."

Garak nodded in agreement.

"You should have used your thermal wrap," Bashir told him.

Garak grinned. "I'm afraid that would have been quite impossible, my dear doctor," he said.

Bashir cocked his head to one side, as if to say 'Oh?'"

"There was only the one," Garak continued explaining. "At least, that I managed to find in the runabout."

A look of built suddenly flashed across Bashir's face. He had assumed that Garak did have a blanket, but that he wasn't wearing it because it was unfashionable. Just as he opened his mouth to apologise, however, Garak had stopped him. He held up a hand. "Don't blame yourself, Julian. I'll just have to learn to stop complaining."

Bashir frowned. "I wonder what they're doing back on DS9."

Garak was helpful for the subject change. "Nothing of vital attention, I should think " Garak answered.

"I never knew how... isolated I would feel. This planet... the temperature... the carnivorous reptilian megabeasts." At the last comment, both Bashir and Garak had a little grin.

"I certainly am glad I have you here, doctor," Garak announced happily.

Bashir smiled. "Me too."

Garak suddenly looked terrified. "Oh, I believe I am becoming sentimental," he exclaimed.

Bashir frowned lightly in amusement. "Garak, that's nothing to be ashamed of."

Garak grinned. "I am not ashamed, doctor, no. I am confused, is all."

"You've got nothing to be confused about."

Garak shrugged his shoulders, lay back down and sighed. "I do wish night would hurry up."

"Yes, well," said Bashir, adopting a regal tone, "time is relative, and it won't listen to you. Besides, it already is night, but you can't get to sleep."

Garak harrumphed. "Oh, doctor, you humans and your science."

"What about it?"

"It'll be the end of you," Garak warned him, a glint that was more playful than advisory in his eyes.

Though Bashir did not think Garak's advice was meaningful, he knew that the Cardassian never said anything if not for a reason. "How do you mean?" Bashir questioned, looking a little indignant. "Science was the beginning for us."

"Yes, but," Garak mused, "great discoveries cannot be made without even greater consequences; great love cannot be had without even greater sacrifice."

Bashir found himself thinking of his homeworld's history. The Roman Empire, one of the greatest dynasties known to man, would not have earned its place on the map had it not been for its ruthless leadership and the massacre of many opposing powers. The New World would not have been discovered and made what it was now if the first settlers had not sought the extermination of the native American Indians. Nuclear power would have been a far away dream had the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima not taken place. The Saturn-V would never have reached the moon if the US had not recruited Nazi engineers onto their space program.

He nodded and thought. "I understand what you mean Garak, but sacrifices have to be made." He shrugged. "Its the greater good."

"Now I remain sentimental and yet you have become solid as a rock," Garak pointed out, looking directly up at the Milky Way's outermost arm.

Bashir smiled. "I wouldn't go that far, Garak," he said, "but, I suppose you are right."

"I wasn't aware that I was often wrong, doctor," said Garak, that same mischievous look on his face.

"Garak," Bashir said, settling himself down to sleep.

"Yes, doctor?"

"Goodnight."

Garak, across from him, underneath the large fern, closed his eyes. "Goodnight, doctor."