I went to see Picard in his Ready Room the next day. The conversation was short. He told me that I was released from my commitment to helping with the Sandorian proceedings. With Sebastian committed to proceeding with the shapeshifter reintegration, there were few sticking points remaining, and none I could help with. I left his office with his words ringing in my head. We'll drop you off wherever you want to go.

I had an inkling of where I wanted to be but I wasn't sure left. When I left the Ready Room, Will stood from the Captain's chair.

"Do you have a minute?" he asked.

I nodded and followed him into the Observation Lounge. I immediately found myself enveloped in a hug.

"I was worried about you," Will said when he released me.

"So was I," I said, smiling for the first time in what felt like weeks.

"I should never have let you go."

"It was my decision," I reminded me. "Not a very good on, but still…"

"Well, the talks with Grey are being cut short so we'll be out of here in another day or two. You'll never have to see this place again."

I looked past Will out the window, at the planet down below us.

"I'm staying here, Will," I said softly.

"What? I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you."

"I'm staying here." Louder this time. "I can help. Sebastian wants me to be an advisor on the shapeshifters, on their school and how to get them back into society."

"You can't say here!" Will exploded with more emotion than I had expected. "Tasha, this place has been a nightmare for you. You're not thinking straight, you must be in shock…"

"Will. Will!" He stopped talking. "I'm thinking straight. I've thought about this a lot, actually. Since yesterday, at least. Ever since I lost my shapeshifting, I've been so scared. I was too scared to fight back when we were taken. I honestly considered doing what they asked and turning against the shapeshifter school. But then I heard them torturing Sebastian."

"That wasn't your fault."

"Of course not. But I had to do something about it. I finally got the courage to fight back. Just me, not with my powers. And now I'm not quite as afraid anymore. I think that if I stay here and actually try to do some good, to help people, maybe I can figure out who I am."

"I know who you are."

"I don't. I've spent my whole life jumping from place to place. I've never done anything worthwhile. Not like you."

"Tasha—"

"I'm not going to spend the rest of my life wondering what I could have done!"

Will looked down at me, his eyes unreadable. Finally, he said. "Is this really what you want?"

"It is."

"Then good luck." He sighed. "The Enterprise isn't leaving orbit until the day after tomorrow. Maybe I can get you dinner again."

I grinned. "I'd like that."

I had one more stop to make before returning to my quarters. I stood outside the door for a full minute before I finally pressed the button.

"Come in."

Sebastian was sitting on his couch.

"Tasha?"

"Hey."

"I… didn't expect to see you again."

I took a deep breath. My heart was pounding but I knew this was right.

"I made up my mind," I told him. "I'm staying."

The End