Author's Note: Thanks for the suggestion, SpaceRoses.

Epilogue

Ezri Dax stepped into the infirmary, looked around briefly, and then headed toward the sound of people talking and moving about. She arrived at the small room where Lieutenant Sedtha was recovering to find Bashir, the chief medical officer from the Enterprise, Crusher, several nurses, Commander Raza, and Odo all crowded in. Ezri stayed outside the door, in the corridor, watching as Bashir and Crusher eased the injured woman from her bed onto a hoverstretcher.

Sedtha was conscious now, aware of what they were doing, but staying still and silent until she had been moved. She looked much better than she had even the day before, Ezri noted. Some of the colour was returning to her pale blue complexion, and the dark circles framing her eyes were fading.

Once she had been moved, Commander Raza stepped forward, took her hand and asked how she was doing. Sedtha nodded with a small smile and said she was fine, but Ezri could see the strain and fatigue in her face. All of the survivors of the Kejada had that, although Vael didn't show it, or experience it to the same extent.

They were all leaving now, on the Enterprise, bound for starbase seventy-five first. After that, it was anyone's guess where they would go. Certainly, they would not see active service again soon, even though three of the four were physically healthy enough to return to duty. Of all of them, Ezri would have only allowed Vael back to work, and even then, it would have taken some pressure for her to do so.

"All right," Crusher said with a smile at her patient. "Ready?"

Sedtha nodded.

"Let's go, then."

"Thank you, Doctor Bashir," Sedtha said as the nurses began to move her stretcher.

"You're welcome, Sedtha," Bashir replied with a smile. "You take care of yourself."

She nodded.

"I will."

Ezri stepped back as the medical staff, Raza, and Odo, along to provide security should it be necessary, moved past her. She smiled at Sedtha and bid the other woman goodbye, then watched until they had left the infirmary. Bashir joined her in the corridor, smiling down at her.

"Why didn't you just transport her over to the Enterprise?", the counselor asked.

"I didn't want the shock to her system. Neither did Doctor Crusher. I admit it isn't the most private way to travel between station and ship, but the best for her in the end."

Ezri nodded. She looked around, noting how quiet the infirmary suddenly seemed. And how relieved Bashir appeared to be. The Blessing Way had left three days ago, taking her two doctors with her, leaving Bashir alone to tend to Sedtha, who, by that time only required one doctor. Still, it must have been tiring, Ezri thought.

"What can I do for you?", he asked, turning to her with a smile.

"Actually, I just came to talk to you."

Bashir's smile grew.

"You timed that well. Come on. Let's go for a drink."

They found themselves in Quark's, on the second level, away from the noise of the dabbo table and the bar.

"I wanted to know how you were doing," Ezri said.

Bashir chuckled slightly.

"I'm fine," he replied. "It's certainly an adjustment. Now I have some understanding of what it's like to be in your shoes."

Ezri smiled at that, taking a sip of her drink.

"How about you?", he asked.

"Back to normal," she replied. "Better than normal, really. After all of that, it's actually become easier to deal with Dax's memories."

"What about Hin'Adri?", Bashir asked. "Are you still seeing her?"

"I catch a glimpse of her once in awhile instead of my reflection. Nothing that scares me, though."

"That's good," Bashir said.

"And you?", Ezri asked.

"I have strange dreams," Bashir admitted. "I'm usually a woman."

Ezri laughed, shaking her head.

"Considering that the two hosts immediately before you were women, maybe that's not so surprising," she said.

Bashir grinned.

"Probably not. Shan told me before she left that she woke up one morning and couldn't figure out if she was a female scientist who thought she was a male religious leader, or a male religious leader who thought he was a female scientist. I suppose we'll all sort it out, eventually."

"Eventually," Ezri agreed. "That's what the joining counselors on Trill always told me. Eventually."

"I suppose that gives us a lot of time," Bashir said.

"Our whole lives," Ezri agreed.

He raised his glass to her and Ezri lifted hers, touching the rims.

"Here's to us," Bashir said. "Julian and Ezri."

"To us," Ezri agreed. "And who we are now, extra memories and all."

Bashir grinned.

"Hear, hear."