Disclaimer: Paramount owns everything except my original character.

Summary: Malcolm and Aisling are faced with a difficult decision that will forever change their lives.

"Do you think he's more powerful than you this time?" Malcolm asked while they impatiently waited for the turbolift to arrive at the bridge.

Aisling shook her head, "What we did increased my power almost twenty-fold and our little tickle fest actually helped as well," she shrugged, "I guess sexual intimacy isn't the only way I can gain energy, though it is the fastest and strongest."

Malcolm nodded then preceeded her into the bridge once they arrived. He immediately moved to his station while Aisling moved to the helm.

"No damage, so far," Malcolm's fingers roamed over the board as he armed torpedoes, "But it seems that he only wanted to get our attention."

Aisling nodded. Hoshi's station chirped and she immediately moved over to it.

" We're being hailed." She didn't wait for Malcolm to respond before she began to put it onscreen, "Onscreen."

Malcolm and Aisling both steeled themselves for the ugly sight of Graften. Then Aisling paled and fell over in a faint once the face on screen came through clearly.

"What the-" Malcolm rushed over to Aisling while the figure on screen helplessly looked on.

"Oh dear! I didn't think she'd take it so hard." The figure was female, though the physical features were indistinct in gender.

Malcolm gathered Aisling into his arms and gently tried to revive her, "Take what so hard?"

The woman smiled, "I'm Aisling's niece and her sole living relative."

Malcolm's mouth made a nice 'o' before he looked back down to Aisling. Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked a few times before she stiffened in his arms and came fully alert.

"Malcolm," she allowed him to help her up, "Am I dreaming?"

"No Aisling, you're not. It's really me! I'm with the faction that has been trying to find you for so long! We've been tracing Graften's movements for the past few months and finally found him yesterday." The woman excitedly explained.

Aisling still leaned against Malcolm for support, "But you're dead."

The woman laughed, "Goodness no! I'm quite alive and well. You remember Caromer right? Well he was there when the accident happened and he agreed to let me come into his body. We never had the time or found another body for me to transfer into after that because we were on the run so I'm still here, in his body. It's really been quite an adventure living with him in the same mind. I didn't realize we could exist for so long within someone else's mind. It's quite fascinating!"

"Jenna," Aisling started to regain her color, "Back to the current situation."

"Oh yes, yes of course! Well, after some 'discussion' with our lovely friend Graften he told us where to find you in this dream scape and so here we are."

The woman, or man, or whatever, clapped her hands together and grinned even bigger. She went on to explain a few more things, though her ability to stay on one topic faltered. Aisling turned her attention back to Malcolm. He was already studying her features with a shielded expression on his face.

"Jenna," Aisling looked to her niece again, "Would you give us a few moments alone."

Jenna blushed but said no more before the screen blinked out.

Malcolm released his hold of her and moved back to his station where he took care of the torpedoes. Aisling watched his movements silently for a time before she moved to stand beside him.

"What're your thoughts, Malcolm?"

"About what?" He didn't look up from his board.

Aisling sighed, "About me going back with my niece and ending these dreams for you."

"Oh that," Malcolm finally stopped his movements and sat back in his chair, "It is your life and you do with it what you will."

Aisling nibbled her lower lip and nodded. She knew Malcolm was keeping his disappointment to himself and was trying to put up emotional barriers against her leaving. If she went with her niece she knew she would never see Malcolm again. She had no idea where her niece now resided or where they would end up. If she stayed she would never see her niece, her friends, or her world again. She would have to find an alternate way of staying though, because having her conscious presence in the ship itself was rather risky.

"Do you want me to go?" She interupted her own thoughts with her question.

Malcolm frowned, "Aisling, does it really matter what I want in this situation? You thought your niece was dead and now you find she isn't. You thought your life was in danger and now it isn't. You're saved and can return with your niece to wherever it is you came from. There is no reason for you to stay when you are faced with such facts."

Aisling frowned and clenched her fists. She knew what she would have to do in order to stay, but it would be entirely up to Malcolm as to whether or not she'd end up staying.

"What if I want to stay?"

Malcolm's entire demeanor changed and his eyes flew to hers for a brief moment before he grew shielded again and looked away, "That is your choice as well."

Aisling unclenched her fists and leaned forward to rest her hands on his shoulder, "If I stayed I would have to transfer my consciousness into your subconscious. I cannot leave it within the ship itself. Even in the time that I've been here I've felt bits and pieces of my memories break away because the ship is an inanimate, vast object while a mind is more finite."

…

"So you would be in my mind like Jenna is in Caromer's mind?" Malcom questioned after a few agonizing silent moments.

Aisling nodded, "Yes, but you wouldn't feel any different, think any different, or act any different. Bascially I would only 'come to life' with you being aware of it while you slept. Almost like it is now. Except whilst in your mind I would 'appear' to you wherever your mind took us."

"But would you be aware of what I did while I was awake? Could I communicate with you then?" Malcolm's face was scrunched up into a concentrated frown.

Aisling nodded again, "The communication between us would be more like impressions. Like when you smell something and it reminds you of something in your childhood, or something seems familiar but you don't know why. We could communicate in a similar manner. It's difficult to explain but it makes perfect sense once it's happening."

Malcolm grew silent again, leaving Aisling in the dark. She desperately wanted to stay with him. He brought her such happiness and she felt more alive with him than she had ever felt on her own world surrounded by familiar people.

"Could I ever get rid of you?" Malcolm's eyes wer soft when he asked but the words stung none the less, though Aisling knew it was a question that needed to be asked.

"If there came a time where you wanted to be a sole being once more you would tell me and I would either find another being to transfer into or if the situation warranted it, I guess I would just allow myself to pass away."

Malcolm frowned at her answer though one of his hands came up to touch hers on his shoulder. It was a comforting gesture but she was still uncertain about her future. She felt like her life was on the edge of a chasm with Malcolm being the only one able to either push her into it or pull her out.

"Aisling," she looked back at him from her wandering thoughts, "Is that what you really want?"

Her heart clenched in hope as she slowly nodded, "Yes, Malcolm, that is exactly what I want only if you want it to."

He stood and stepped closer, using his hand to tug her arm around his waist. He pulled her into a arm embrace while he kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes and soaked it up. She hoped this wasn't a goodbye hug.

"Then get your niece back," he leaned back enough to look into her eyes, "And tell her that your staying here."

Aisling's entire body lit up, both physically and emotionally, as she squeeled in delight and threw herself into Malcolm. He laughed as they fell back into his chair. She placed frantic kisses across his smiling face and as if on cue the screen blipped into life again and Jenna's smiling face looked down on them.

"I got the feeling that you might decide that Aisling," she sighed though she still smiled, "I suppose its natural for you to prefer contentment to unsurity, if that's even a word."

Aisling drew back enough to smile at her niece, "I'm grateful for your efforts to find me, Jenna, but for the record back home, I was never found."

Jenna nodded and giggled, "I like makig up stories so I might say we found you but something grandiose happened in which you were lost. Oh this'll be great fun! I know Caromer will be quite upset with me, he always moans and begroans my antics but I know deep down inside he's amused." She opened her mouth to continue on her tangent but when she saw Malcolm deeply kissing a happy Aisling she cleared her throat, "Yes, well, I'll continue this conversation with myself after I say goodbye I suppose."

Aisling laughed as she pulled away from Malcolm, "Thank you again, Jenna, and I hope you have a splendid life."

"Yes I know I will, and I deeply hope the same for you both as well." She gave a lititle wave before the screen blipped out again and they were left blissfully alone.

Malcolm gathered her close again and was content to merely hold her for a few moments before he spoke again.

"When will you make the transfer?"

Aisling sighed, "When you wake up you'll be taking me with you."

Malcolm nodded. They fell silent again until Aisling moved to stand up. She held out her hand for Malcolm, a soft smile on her face. He took her hand and stood, though a question was obvious in his eyes.

"Let's celebrate." She tugged him toward the turbolift with a 'come hither' gleam in her eyes.

Malcolm gladly followed.

Please let me know what you think. There's probably one more chapter then its finito! Hope you've enjoyed it thus far.