Chapter 16

Now

"When exactly is she?" Riker asked Q.

Q thought for a second. "About the early twenty-first century."

"Where?"

"San Francisco, although not for long."

"Why is that?"

"Because she and an acquaintance are about to find themselves in some trouble."

"Exactly who is this acquaintance?"

"Riker, I do believe you are being a bit intrusive!"

Riker became angry. "When a member of this crew is missing, it's my job to find out all I
can to get them back. I don't think that's being intrusive!"

Q was offended. "Having trouble choosing, are we? Why don't you just pick a woman?"

"Dammit, Q!"

Deanna stood up and put her hand up between Q and Riker. "We're not helping Vicki Ann
any by screaming at each other. Both of you are upset over what's gone and you're taking
it out on each other. It would do everyone a lot of good if we all calmed down."

"Listen to her, Riker. She's right."

Riker sighed and sat down. "We have to get her back before she pollutes the timeline."

"Don't worry about that, Riker. She already has. She was meant to pollute the timeline."

"How do you know that?"
"Because I was there!"

"Are you telling me that your younger self has interacted with and will interact with Vicki
Ann?"

"Yes. I had been wiped from my memory, but being near the Guardian has made me
remember."

"Q, are you saying that you knew Vicki Ann before the experiment?" Deanna asked.

"Yes," Q replied. "But I didn't remember."

Picard interrupted. "Are you saying that someone erased your memory?"

"Not only erased, but replaced. They took out all the memories pertaining to her and
replaced them with false ones."

"Who did this to you?" Picard asked.

Q, who was now leaning against the table, weak from exhaustion, replied, "The Q."

"Why?"Deanna asked.

"They knew of her prophecy long before then and there were those who would stop at
nothing to prevent the prophecy from coming true. Therefore, I was a threat to their plan.
They know that I would try to stop them if I knew who it was."

Riker, shocked, put his face in his hands. "Oh my God, this is deeper than we thought.

"Q, is there anything else that you can tell us about where Vicki Ann is?" Picard asked.

Q sighed. "Yes, but I would rather not. To do so would expose not only secrets of the Q,
the acquaintance involved, and myself. Really, Jean-Luc, do you want to know all of my
secrets?"

Picard grew impatient. "Q, I want to know if Vicki Ann is all right and I want some evidence
to back up your answer. I will not play games when it comes to a member of my crew!"

"I will consider it, Jean-Luc."

"Q!"

"Mon capitaine, if she was meant to go to that timeline, then we won't be able to get her
out any sooner than we're supposed to."

Picard sighed. "Unfortunately, Q, you may be right."

Julian Bashir was closing the infirmary for the night when the computer announced that he
had a message. "Incoming message from the Enterprise."

Julian smiled as he went into his office. It was probably Vicki Ann. She had probably just
finished her shiftand gone back to her quarters. She would whine about no shore leave and
how much she missed him. He sat down at his desk and turned on the viewer. To his
surprise, Deanna's face appeared instead of Vicki Ann's.

"Hello, Julian."

Something was wrong. He could sense it. How, he didn't know. Deanna's face looked
normal and showed no sign of stress, but he knew something was wrong. "What
happened?"

"Vicki Ann is missing." Deanna then explained about the incident with the Guardian.

"Oh my God," Julian gasped.

Deanna tried to comfort him. "Q is confident that she will be fine and that it's part of the
prophecy."

"Are you sending a rescue?"

"Starfleet agrees with Q and therefore, is not sending a rescue mission."

"One officer isn't enough to send a team after when you're in a war."

"Exactly. We're going to stay a little longer here, just in case."

Julian nodded.

"Julian, I just want you to know that we're all worried about her. You're not alone. If you
need to talk to someone. . ."

"I know, Deanna. Thank you."

"You're welcome. If we find out anything, you'll be the first to know. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Julian cut the link. He put his head in his hands and cried.

Q sat on Vicki Ann's bed, glancing around the room. Everything was as she had left it. On
her night table was a framed picture of her and Deanna and another of Bashir. Around the
rest of the room were various other pictures; on her desk was one of Jadzia and Worf and
one of Lwaxana and Vicki Ann's new baby brother; on her dresser was one of himself, Q,
and little q (he had given her that one). Her viewer was up on her desk, a letter started to
Bashir. Q read the letter.

"Dear Julian,
It's nice to be back, but there's one thing missing: you. I know, real mushy, but it's true.
Your picture is right beside my bed, so you are the first thing I see in the morning and the
last I see at night. By the way, in case you hadn't noticed, I borrowed your robe. I took it
while you were at the infirmary the day I left. It smells like you, so I sleep in it every
night. I refuse to wash it, for fear it will lose the scent. Enough of that. So, how are
things at the station? I know, things probably haven't changed much since I was there.

I talked to mother. She is absolutely ecstatic. She asked when the wedding was (just
kidding). She did hint, though, with her subtle, "You're not getting any younger, dear." I
told her your cover story and she told me that you were no good if you had to wait ten
years to get married. I managed to convince her otherwise, but I'm sure she will still push
the subject."

That was it. She had never finished. Her closet was full of uniforms. Looks like she just did
the laundry. Q jerked as Vicki Ann's alarm clock went off. He smiled as he recognized the
song she had programmed the clock to play. It was the one Riker had written for her and
played the night of the party. He smiled. Vicki Ann would tease the hell out of him when
she got back for all of his sentimentality. He couldn't wait.

Deanna walked down the corridor. Beverly had asked her to get some files from Vicki Ann's
computer. She used her security code to enter. When she walked in, she was startled
when she saw someone in there, sitting on the bed. She heaved as sigh of relief when the
person stepped into the light.

It was Q. He smiled at her. "I'm sorry I startled you."

Deanna smiled back. "It's all right. I'm just a little shaky, that's all. I mean with everything
that's going on."

Q nodded.

"You're worried about Vicki Ann, aren't you? Even though you've been there and know
what happens, you also know that things could change."

"How did you know that?"

"Lucky guess."

He laughed. "You're right, though. With so many that wish to stop the prophecy, she's in
danger no matter where she goes."

"It must be tough, knowing what can happen and not being able to stop it."

"It is."

"Q, I know you won't tell the captain, but would you tell me about the timeline where she
is?"

Q glanced out the window and then back to Deanna. "As I said, I didn't remember anything
about Vicki Ann. But now, my memory has returned. I rescued Vicki Ann and an
acquaintance from execution."

"Q, exactly who is this acquaintance?" Deanna asked.

Q sighed. "My relationship with Vicki Ann has enabled me to trust you. The acquaintance is
Guinan."

"What exactly was the situation?"

"Well, it all started when Vicki Ann moved in with Guinan."

Ezri Dax walked into the infirmary. She wanted to check on Julian. She had been very busy
the last few days and hadn't been able to talk to him much. As far as she could tell, Julian
was hiding his real feelings about Vicki Ann's disappearance. Julian was working at his desk
in his office. He was burying himself in his work as much as possible. Ezri smiled. That
sounded like something Vicki Ann would do. It was amazing how much the two of them
were alike. She peeked her head in the doorway. "Julian?"

He looked up and forced a smile. "Hello, Ezri. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Ezri frowned. "I came to see how you were feeling."

"I'm fine. Why?"

Ezri sat down across from him. "Julian, Vicki Ann, the woman you claim to love, is missing
with no hope of rescue. You shouldn't be feeling fine."

"Ezri-"

"Julian! This isn't a joke. This is serious. If you don't start dealing with this, then I'm going
to have to report you to Captain Sisko and have you relieved of duty. And since we're in
the middle of a war, I would say that wouldn't be a good thing."

"But, I'm fine. I already told you that."

"I'm a counselor, Julian. I know that in situations like this, people often lie to themselves
and other people about their feelings. My guess is that's what you're doing now."

"That's Jadzia talking, isn't it? You're basing your hypothesis on my past behavior."

"Yes, I am."

Julian leaned back in his chair and sighed. "You're right, Ezri. I am lying about my feelings.
I just didn't want to worry you."

"It's natural for you to be upset in this situation."

"I know, but I-"

"Julian, it's me, Dax. You can tell me anything."

Julian sighed again. "Okay, Ezri. Yes, I am worried about Vicki Ann and I'm angry that
Starfleet isn't doing anything about it. How's that?"

"It's a start. For now, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead and leave it at that."

Julian walked into his quarters. He started to ask the computer for lights, but then decided
that he liked the dark better in this mood. He went over to the replicator and got a cup of
tea. Deciding it reminded him too much of her, he put the tea down on the coffee table
and sat on the couch. He stared out the window, hoping that the brilliant light of the stars
that was filling the great void of space would fill his own void. The void he felt inside
because Vicki Ann, his friend, the woman he had fallen in love with, was gone. He dare not
speak the fears he felt inside, afraid that they would come true if he did so. He feared
that she was gone forever, just as Jadzia was gone.

Memories flashing in his mind threatened to bring tears to his eyes as he fought to remain
calm. He remembered the day he had met her, how he had been taken by her beauty and
intimidated by her reputation, but had been immediately at ease because of the warmth at
which she smiled at him, a complete stranger. He remembered her eyes and how they
always sparkled when she smiled and how their color grew darker when she became angry.

He remember how their relationship had begun in a whirlwind and had almost suffocated
them with its intensity. They had quickly found out that they were made for each other
and no matter how quickly they had been brought together, it was meant to be. She had
become the light of his life, her letters and messages giving him enough joy to sustain him
for a lifetime.

He remembered the little things, too. The day he introduced her to Tarkalean tea. The
night they stayed up talking. How she looked while she lie asleep, with the light of the
stars illuminating her face. How she looked in that red dress she'd worn on their first date.
The warmth of her body against his under the blanket in her quarters. The sound of her
laugh. The unrestrained passion of their first kiss.

His hands reached out, unconsciously for her for comfort, but all they found was the rough
fabric of the couch. His fingers grasped the back of the couch as if he were at the edge of
a cliff and was afraid he might fall off. He felt the tears begin to sting his warm face as he
gave up fighting and let his grief consume him. He laid his head on the back of the couch
and sobbed for his light to return and never leave again.

Then

Vicki Ann jerked awake with a terrible feeling of sorrow. She gasped for air and wiped the
sweat from her face. A face flashed in her head. Julian. She had dreamt about Julian. Her
chest felt tight and she could barely breathe. She felt as if she been sobbing
uncontrollably. Gods, what he must be going through. Not knowing whether I'm alive or
dead. Not knowing where I am and if I'll return. The thought brought tears to her own
eyes. That's it! I've got to find a way home and quit trying to find out why I'm here. I
have to act normal, as if I know absolutely nothing about the prophecy. I have to find
away to get back to where I belong. She looked out the window. It was near dawn. She
got out of bed, dressed, left a note for Guinan and went in search of a way home.

Vicki Ann walked and walked, not finding anything that might help her get home. She
ended up sitting in a bench in a park and watching the sunrise. A short while later, she
noticed someone approaching her. It was Guinan.

"What were you thinking? Coming out before dawn, all by yourself? And looking for a way
home by yourself? This isn't as safe as your home."

Vicki Ann nodded. "You're right. I wasn't thinking. But, I just had to get out of there. I've
decided that I'm going to forget about the prophecy and find a way home."
"That sounds like a good idea. I might be able to help you with the part about getting
home."

"How?"

"I can contact my father and get us passage to the Guardian."

"Really?"

Guinan nodded.

"And you would come with me?"

"Yes, after all, like I said, this place isn't as safe as where you're from."

Vicki Ann hugged Guinan. "Thank you, thank you!"

"Just promise me you'll do one thing when you get back."

"Anything."

"Say hello to your friends for me. Especially the captain and Mr. Data."

"I will, I promise."