AN: This one is going to be a two-part little story. There is a great deal of the set-up here, and much more of the happenings will take place in the second part. This can be read alone, but it will be enriched by reading it along with my other Lwaxodo stories.

I own nothing from Star Trek.

I hope you enjoy! If you do enjoy, please do let me know! I love sharing with you! (And knowing I'm not alone with these stories!)

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Odo was meant to stay on the Enterprise for a week or so longer with his wife, Lwaxana, and their son, Veta. However, they had been called away in something of an emergency by the Federation. Lwaxana was one of the strongest telepaths—even for a Betazoid—that the Federation knew and employed. She worked undercover to gather intelligence, and Odo had been promoted to an undercover job where, as her husband, he had the perfect cover to get close to her targets and examine their defensive and offensive capabilities with the safety screen of simply being a doting, loving husband.

The one part of the whole thing that required no acting at all was the part of the doting, loving husband. There was nothing in the world that Odo loved and treasured more than his wife and family—even if he'd once falsely believed that Lwaxana was the most annoying creature in all the galaxies. Now, of course, he realized that was a great testament to her acting abilities, since he couldn't imagine being happy without her now that he knew how wonderful she truly was.

Seven days prior, Lwaxana underwent a procedure to have two embryos, created from her DNA and Odo's DNA, implanted into her uterus. The Federation considered the pregnancy of great interest, since scientists could benefit from the data on the success or failure of the procedure, as well as information gathered about the first known half-Betazoid and half-Changeling pregnancy—and any resulting offspring.

Two days before, tricorder scans confirmed that both embryos had attached, but one appeared to likely be in the process of detaching—something that had, originally, led them both to want to remain aboard the Enterprise a while longer and under the direct care of Lwaxana's physician for the time being, Dr. Beverly Crusher. Doctor Crusher had also put in her recommendation that they not be relocated until things were stable, but the Federation had contacted Lwaxana with the request that she be willing to fulfill this request.

There were to be two individuals travelling to the Gamma Quadrant from the planet Adeltin. It was a small planet that remained mostly disconnected from everyone and everything. Their secrecy raised curiosity, but the fact that one of their ships had recently been involved in the exchange of some rather questionable communications had raised Federation interests. These two individuals were scheduled to be stopping at Deep Space Nine. The Federation's hope was that their isolation would mean that they wouldn't recognize Lwaxana as Betazoid—and therefore telepathic—or that, in recognizing her as a Betazoid, they wouldn't realize how truly impressive her telepathic abilities were, and they wouldn't put much effort into disguising their thoughts. Lwaxana, too, was a professional at getting people to underestimate her simply by tricking them into not taking her seriously.

Odo had no doubt that she could work her magic on the Adeltin individuals, but he was concerned about her current health and well-being.

Rather than resting aboard the Enterprise, under her doctor's care, Lwaxana was travelling in a private yacht provided by the Federation, under the guise of simply being provided transport back to her current home as an important Ambassador.

"We're visiting Dr. Bashir immediately," Odo informed Lwaxana, when they'd disembarked from the yacht at the station. "Just to be sure that you're well enough, Lwaxana, for whatever may arise. Then, you can get started on your business, and I can go about mine."

"I would like to lie down a bit, Odo," Lwaxana protested without too much true argument. "I should rest a little before…I have to be diplomatic."

"You can rest on a biobed, Lwaxana," Odo said. "Mr. Homn—please take our things to our quarters. If you could take Veta…I'm sure they'll have space for him in the nursery."

"Oh—oh, no! Odo…no!" Lwaxana said quickly, hugging their baby boy to her as though he'd suggested throwing him out of an airlock.

"Is there something wrong with the nursery, Lwaxana?" Odo asked.

Lwaxana nuzzled Veta's head. The child, empathic and very in-tune with his mother, nuzzled her back and rested his head against her, basking in the free-flowing flood of affection from his mother.

"They won't pay attention to him there, Odo," Lwaxana said. "It's nothing against the facilities, Odo. I'm certain they're wonderful. It's just…he does enjoy putting everything in his mouth, these days, especially if you're not looking, and he could choke or…or…"

Odo sensed her discomfort quite strongly. He also understood what she wasn't saying—perhaps what she didn't even know, herself, just yet. Lwaxana had once had a daughter, Kestra, who had died from an accident when Deanna had been very young. Lwaxana blamed herself, entirely, for the accident. She blamed her lack of vigilance and care for the accident. As a result, she could be a touch overbearing as a mother, since her trauma often led her to want to try to control every aspect of her children's lives to ensure them health, safety, and happiness. She was usually able to recognize her own actions and reactions, and to try to temper them, but Odo suspected that everything was being heightened by the fact that they were waiting to find out if they would lose, entirely, one of the babies she was currently carrying.

Odo could practically feel her unease and discomfort crackling in the air around him. He could feel that she was desperate, too. He simply nodded.

"I understand, Beloved," Odo said. "Mr. Homn, then, will watch Veta while we visit the doctor."

"Would you, Mr. Homn?" Lwaxana asked.

The tall man nodded and accepted the baby along with everything else he was already carrying. He had no problem balancing all of it, which was a feat few other individuals could have accomplished. Veta, for his part, squealed in happiness. Next to his parents, Mr. Homn was Veta's favorite person. The giant man paid him great amounts of attention, doted on him, and played with the baby the entire time he had him in his care, unless the little boy was sleeping, and then Mr. Homn watched him sleep—just the kind of vigilance that would put Lwaxana's mind at ease for now.

They stood and watched as Mr. Homn took Veta and their things in the direction of their living quarters. Lwaxana waved at the baby, watching her over Mr. Homn's shoulder, and blew him a kiss. Odo waited with her, deciding not to do anything that would further irritate her already delicate mood. Then, when they'd disappeared from sight, Odo rested a hand on his wife's back and led her to see Dr. Bashir.

Bashir was quite busy tending a number of minor problems. Odo and Lwaxana had been given a little privacy with a curtain and a somewhat removed biobed, and Odo helped Lwaxana change. Resting on the bed, Lwaxana looked as if she might have chosen to sleep there if she were given half a chance.

"There hasn't been any blood at all, Odo," Lwaxana said, rubbing her stomach where she imagined their little ones were nestled. Odo followed suit and covered the same spot, their fingers somewhat intertwining. "Not since the transfer, and Beverly did say that was entirely normal, at the time."

"What about the pain, Beloved?" Odo asked.

"There's been no pain there," Lwaxana said. "No cramping—not like she said there might be. And my mind is so busy—but it's not the same as it was. I'm adjusting to it, and I don't feel the fear, Odo. Not from the babies."

"What do you suppose it means?" Odo asked.

"I don't know," she said sincerely. "Maybe it's gone. Or…" Lwaxana broke off and smiled. "Oh—if you're there, Little One, know that your Papa and I will be happy to hold you as long as you'd like to stay. We'd love for you to stay a long while, Little One, and we'll spoil you…both of you."

Odo felt an ache inside him that he'd been feeling for days. He didn't know how humans felt at times like these, but he felt as though the only thing he wanted most was to ease any ache that Lwaxana felt. He wanted their little ones to be strong and healthy—and he wanted their mother to be the same. He wanted to bundle his whole family up and take them somewhere comfortable where there was nothing but love and happiness for them to share.

"What seems to be the problem?" Bashir asked when he finally had time and energy to devote specially to Odo and Lwaxana.

"You have spoken to Dr. Crusher?" Odo asked.

"I have Lwaxana's information," Bashir confirmed with a nod. "And I understand that you'd like to keep everything private until you're both ready to disclose it, or it becomes necessary to disclose it from a medical perspective."

"Oh—I don't care about privacy," Lwaxana said. "I'm a Betazoid. There's no such thing as privacy, really. I don't even know why we're here, really."

"We're here because you're not well, Lwaxana," Odo said, a little more sharply than he'd really intended. She gave him a look that said she'd noted it, too. "Doctor—you are aware of the fact that it appears one of our two embryos is detaching." Bashir nodded. "It's nothing personal, but we would have preferred to have remained aboard the Enterprise until we knew what was happening and Lwaxana had been fully cared for and restored to full health…however, certain obligations have required our return to the station."

Bashir smiled and held his hands up to stop Odo.

"Why don't I just…take a look and see what's going on?" He asked. He asked the same question to Lwaxana with a raise of his eyebrows, and she sighed and nodded. He renewed his smile. "Just relax, Ambassador."

"Lwaxana, please," Lwaxana responded.

"Lwaxana," he said. Odo watched as he probed her belly gently. "Are you having any pain? Cramping?"

"Nothing," Lwaxana said. "I've had none of that since the day after the transfer."

"That's good," Bashir confirmed. "Mental anguish—it was noted in your file?"

"I have more going on in my mind than I know what to do with," Lwaxana said with a laugh.

"I could give you something to try to help with that," Bashir said.

"No," Lwaxana said quickly. "No. Please. I would rather feel them than miss even a moment with them."

Bashir scanned her with the tricorder. Much like Crusher had when Odo had been studying every possibly-involuntary flinch of her facial muscles, Bashir looked somewhat confused by the tricorder. He covered it over quickly, said nothing about it, and rescanned Lwaxana two more times.

"Is there something wrong, Doctor?" Lwaxana asked, finally.

"I would like to collect a few samples for analysis," Bashir said. Lwaxana waved her hand as if to say she didn't care one way or another. "I'd like to share these results with Dr. Crusher, and I'd like a little while to discuss them with her before there's any sort of official diagnosis."

"What's your preliminary diagnosis," Lwaxana asked, halfway sitting up in palpable alarm.

Bashir held his hand up as a gesture to calm her.

"You have two attached embryos, Lwaxana," he said. "However—they're…unusual. Based on what I read from Dr. Crusher's report, it looks as though…well…I don't want to say, exactly."

"Doctor—I do hope you realize that I am Lwaxana Troi…" She broke off abruptly and sighed. She looked tired—too tired to finish what she was about to say as her typical introduction to people who offended her in some way, or who simply didn't know her. "I know what you're thinking. I've known since you started thinking it. They're both detaching. They're dying…and I'm losing both of my babies."

Odo felt Lwaxana's sadness and heaviness. He felt he could barely hold his form against the weight of it pressing down on him.

"No," he said. "That isn't possible. Dr. Crusher cleared Lwaxana before we left, and she specifically said something about strong life signs."

"Please don't misunderstand," Bashir said, interrupting. "That's the reason that I would like the chance to talk to Dr. Crusher and discuss what we're both seeing. Lwaxana—please—my thoughts are only me trying to work out what I'm seeing and what it might mean. They're not even a tested hypothesis. If you would like absolute honesty, since you'll find it out one way or another, I will be entirely honest with you. There are strong life signs from both embryos. At the moment, they appear the same on the readings and scans—which is to say that neither appears typical of what we might expect, but then again…as Dr. Crusher noted in your file, we don't know what typical is, exactly. We have never seen a Changeling, or even a half-Changeling, in-utero. I'd like to gather a few samples for analysis, and I'd like the opportunity to discuss a few things with Dr. Crusher. Then, I'll be happy to discuss our collective beliefs with you."

"I have—things I need to do," Lwaxana said with a sigh. "Tell me what you need, and let's get this over with."

"Later this evening, I can discuss with you what we find," Bashir said. "Or, if you prefer, I can find you and let you know as soon as I know something. Unless, of course, you have some pressing problem in the meantime, and then you should absolutely come back."

Lwaxana shrugged.

"Fine," she said. "I'll find you or…you'll find me."

Odo felt the familiar ache. He stayed with Lwaxana as she offered samples and, for good measure, he offered a sample of his own in case studying it might help either doctor to better understand their offspring. Then, he helped Lwaxana to dress again, and he followed her out into the corridor.

In the hallway, unbothered by what anyone might say or think, Odo caught Lwaxana's arms and pulled her close to him.

"What will you do now?" Odo asked.

Lwaxana gave him the best smile she could muster, but he wasn't certain he believed it.

"You'll go and get updated on the station security," Lwaxana said, her voice soft and low—and meant only for him. "You'll do your rounds, and you'll keep us all safe, Odo. I'll go and—change my dress, feed Veta, and freshen up for the Adeltins. With any luck, they'll be a bunch of fools, and I'll be done in time for some dinner."

"We'll dine in our quarters," Odo said. "Unless you'd rather eat at Quark's."

"I think I'd like to be alone, Odo…if that's alright," Lwaxana said, brushing her fingers against his face.

"Is that—alone with me?" Odo asked.

"Always with you," Lwaxana said, nodding her head gently. Odo understood. She didn't want to perform. She didn't want to put on for anyone else. She would do her job, and she would do it well. More than likely, the Federation would know what they wanted to know about the Adeltins before the night was through. Lwaxana would put on a smile that nobody else could see through, and she would charm the Adeltins. Nobody, more than likely, except for Odo, would ever know how badly she was hurting. When she was done with her work, though, she would want to put it all down and rest as simply Lwaxana.

Odo caught her hand in his and kissed it. Her smile was a bit more sincere at the gesture.

"Beloved—the life signs for both of our little ones are strong," Odo said. "You heard Dr. Bashir. I think we should focus on that. Let's focus on the happy news."

He saw the flash of sadness in her eyes.

"Just—promise me, Odo, that everything will be OK?" Lwaxana said.

"I wish I could, Lwaxana," Odo admitted. "I truly wish I could."

"I don't mean with the babies," Lwaxana said, shaking her head. "I don't mean that I expect you to promise me that they're strong, and healthy, and that they will be. I only mean…"

She broke off.

"What, my love?" Odo asked.

Lwaxana's smile was warm, and he felt the warm feeling of love inside of him that she brought to him. He felt the happy tingle of simply being near her and knowing, beyond any doubt, that he was loved by her.

"If—I can't do this, Odo…if it turns out that I can't carry our children…just promise me that everything will be OK," Lwaxana said. "Promise me that you'll…that you'll still love me, Odo, even if I fail at this…"

Odo leaned and kissed her. She returned the kiss, and this time Odo held it longer than he normally would.

"No matter what happens," Odo offered, "you have already carried our children, Lwaxana. You have already been their mother. You've failed at nothing, Beloved. Beyond that, you have made me the happiest Changeling in all the universe. And I'll always love you."

She laughed quietly.

"You might be the only Changeling, for all we know," she offered.

"But always the happiest," Odo said. "Will you be OK?"

Lwaxana nodded her head.

"I'm fine," she said. "I have to feed Veta so that he'll enjoy his day with Mr. Homn. Then, I have work to do."

"If you need me…" Odo said.

"I'll see you for dinner," Lwaxana said. She sucked in a breath and straightened her back, rolling her shoulders backward. She immediately looked different. She put on a smile that Odo didn't fully believe, but nobody else would have doubted. "Be careful, Husband, and have a good day at work. I think I shall—go to Quark's to enjoy some entertainment. You should stop by—in case there's anything to see."

Odo smiled at her. She would disguise her work, of course, as play, and he would stop by to keep the peace—and to keep an eye out for anything he should report to the Federation.

"I will see you soon, Wife," he assured her. He accepted a kiss on the cheek and one last affectionate stroke of his face before she disappeared, walking away from him. He watched her disappear, entirely, before he headed for his office, already hoping that the Prophets, or whoever might be responsible for such things, saw fit to hear and grant the insignificant wishes of one Changeling and one Betazoid.