Dax had transported straight back to her mothers and was now sitting in her childhood room in a state of semi-shock, her fingers gently turning the bronze Klingon earrings Lenara had given her whilst aboard DS9. He mother, having already been told of the meetings outcome, came in occasionally to check on her daughter often bringing in tea, in the hopes that her daughter would at least drink it, unsure of what else she could do.
A couple of days later and Jadzia was preparing to return to DS9, a transport ship would be leaving early the next morning and she fully intended to be onboard. The sooner she left the better as far as she was concerned. She paused in gathering up a handful of PADD's, at a knock on her open door.
"May I come in?" asked a familiar voice. Dax looked up briefly, to see Lenara standing in the doorway, before turning her back again "Your mother let me in" she added biting her lip in consternation "I hope that's okay"
Dax shrugged and made a noncommittal noise, though made a motion with her hands for Lenara to come in and take a seat, but otherwise continued her packing. Kahn sat on the bed, her head lowered, hands clasped tightly in her lap leaving them both in an uneasy and somewhat awkward silence, only marred by the sounds of Dax attempting to continue her packing
"Why did you come?" asked Dax in a strained voice a short time later, her back still to Kahn, so she wouldn't see the tears evident on her face "What good do you think it will do?"
Kahn was quiet for some time formulating her reply "Because you deserve a better explanation than I gave you before, you offered up your heart and I trampled on it without at least telling you why, all because I couldn't face the consequences" there was a long pause before her quiet voice continued "because I can't pretend that I don't want to be with you anymore" her voice cracked "that you coming here upset my resolve…or what I thought was my resolve, to adhere to Trill laws, to ignore what my heart was demanding of me" she added with a dry laugh
Jadzia partially turned "You've changed your mind?" she asked a hint of anger evident in her voice "Is that because you truly want to, or because you think it might make this whole mess easier?" she asked "I shouldn't have come, you made your decision and I should have respected that, I don't know what I was expecting out of all this…it was so stupid of me and arrogant, to think my turning up here would make any difference" she continued in a mutter to herself, slinging the PADD's in her hand into the open bag beside her in frustration. She was determined to hold her resolve on the matter, to be angry at Kahn, for it was easier than allowing her emotions to boil over to the surface, for fear of being consumed by them entirely. Finally she turned fully, to find herself mere inches from Lenara who had stood and moved towards her as she had talked, tears falling softly down the woman's face. Dax's heart melted "No, don't cry, oh gods Lenara, please don't cry…" she trailed off softly as she ran her hands over Lenara's hair and used shaking fingers to wipe the tears from her face, even as they moved close their foreheads coming to rest on each others, before embracing fully.
"Oh Dax, I'm so sorry, so very sorry!" Lenara cried into her shoulder
Dax tightened her grip "D'you think it matters now?" she asked softly with a slight smile into Lenara's hair, continuing her soft caress and inhaling her scent "Do you think I care if you couldn't then but will now?" she whispered "All I want is you, whatever else I may have said today, nothing else matters!" They stayed that way for several long minutes, until after awhile Dax pulled away slightly "How did you know where my mother's was?" she asked, the question had been plaguing her for some moments
Lenara looked up at her "You have some good friends on that space station of yours, I was contacted by Major Kira and Commander Sisko…who insisted on calling you 'Old man' she mused thoughtfully to herself "highly strange" she continued "As well as Dr Bashir, anyway, they all sent subspace messages that told me exactly where you were staying, they seemed very insistent that I know" she added a smile quirking her lips
Jadzia smiled briefly "Benjamin was a young friend of Curzon's in his later years, and always called him 'Old Man', I guess he just never saw it as something he ought to change…it's meant as a term of endearment" she explained before continuing "If you were so eager to come and see me before I go, then why did you leave before?" she questioned softly her eyes shining rather too brightly with unshed tears, as they focused somewhere on the floor.
Lenara touched gentle fingers to Dax's chin, raising it until they were looking into each others eyes once more, her gaze flickering searchingly across Jadzia's face. "Because I felt I had to, that I should…but it was never what I really wanted. I felt so pressured by my brother, by Trill society, so much so that I forgot to truly consider what I wanted" she answered finally then paused for a moment letting her fingers delicately graze a trail down Jadzia's spots "which was you" she finished in a whisper her fingers continuing their gentle exploration across the contours of Jadzia's cheek, nose and down over her lips. "How in my right mind could I ever have voluntarily given you up? After all we've been through…in this life and the last?" she asked wondrously
Jadzia allowed a genuine smile to blossom on her face "Really?" she asked "You're willing to face exile from Trill, deny the Kahn symbiont further hosts…for me?"
Kahn looked at her "For us, yes" she replied simply "of course my brother will have a heart attack, but I'm sure he'll get over it." She added in a dry tone
Jadzia smiled even wider "That is…fantastic!" she cried ecstatically, lightly picking Lenara up by the waist and spinning the around in childlike glee before setting her down "Well, not that Bejal will likely have a heart attack!" she added as an amused afterthought before leaning in and kissing her gently. The kiss felt oddly familiar despite their hosts being different, for a part of them both it was as if they were still Nilani and Torias and that nothing had changed, but for the most part they were still Lenara and Jadzia.
Some time later Dax was sitting on her bed in a patch of golden evening sunshine leaning up against the wall, her long legs stretched out in front of her, all thoughts of packing momentarily forgotten a gentle, but satisfied smile gracing her lips as she gazed fondly down at Lenara Kahn who was laying in her lap, her fingers idly rifling through Kahn's fairer hair which had been uncharacteristically turned loose for the time being. She gave a contented sigh, Lenara turned her head to gaze up at her "What is it?" she queried the fingers of her right hand gently tangling themselves with Jadzia's.
"Nothing, I just feel..." she paused searching for the right words, Lenara waited patiently "whole" she finally concluded "Like you said before, when I'm not around you, it feels like a part of me is missing, but with you..." she trailed off not needing to complete a thought felt so strongly by both of them. Kahn smiled and murmured her agreement as Dax bent her head and kissed her. Eventually they fell asleep, happily entangled in each others embrace, contented smiles on both their faces, exhausted from the past few days of emotional turmoil.