Keiko was on cloud nine. That's "cloud" nine, not Deep Space Nine. The time she'd spent on Earth had been incredible. After years of serving in a teaching capacity aboard the Enterprise and then Deep Space Nine it was amazing to feel real terra-firma beneath your feet, real perfect 1G gravity. Real sun rays.

But deep down she was still that career driven, daring, and courageous woman she'd been back on the Enterprise when she'd first met Miles. She knew deep down Earth wouldn't be their final stop as a family. She knew there'd be another port of call.

"Miles, I've had the best news!" she exclaimed crashing through their door. There was still a few hours before Molly would be back from school and Kira-yoshi back from day care. She wanted to celebrate as man and wife first.

She almost pranced through the living quarters and into the dining area, not even registering she hadn't heard a response to her greeting. She'd been given an amazing opportunity. Starfleet was giving aid in the rebuilding of Cardassia Prime, and she; with her botany skills; had been chosen as a member of the team they were to send to the Homeworld of their former foe in order to help with the reconstruction efforts. She hadn't thought she'd ever want to leave Earth, especially not for a hot humid alien world populated by the people who nearly killed her husband, and her family on numerous occasions. But the thought of leading a team, real frontier botany that could change the fortunes of a dying race… it was too big an opportunity to give up. Maybe there was time for one more adventure? (See: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Worlds of Deep Space Nine: Cardassia by Pocket Books)

"Miles?" she called out, stopping at the dining room table her mind finally catching up with the silence.

There was an uncomfortable beat of silence. If they'd been anywhere but Earth she'd be starting to assume the worst. Miles always had Wednesdays off… he should be home.

There was a second uncomfortably silent beat. "Miles?" she called out, a slight edge of desperation now in her voice.

"I'm in here," Miles finally replied.

Keiko gracefully moved around the furniture she and her husband had designed and replicated themselves and worked the control on the door to their bedroom.

The door slid open obediently; revealing Miles sat on the corner of the bed. He looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Her voice said: "Miles is everything okay?" but her mind screamed: "What the hell has happened? Are you okay?!"

She sat beside him on the bed.

"I don't want to stay on Earth any longer," he said, as if it explained his mood.

Keiko's arms were around his shoulders now and he finally looked up into her loving eyes. Those eyes that said she understood, even when he hadn't told her what was going on.

She knew teaching was a drastic change for him. She knew he might miss space beneath his feet. She had just hoped the challenge might have kept him satisfied.

She embraced him fully now. "Why Miles what's happened?"

Miles didn't want to talk about. Keiko was the strongest, smartest and bravest woman he'd ever met, but he wasn't sure she could handle what he knew now. It was a burden, one only O'Brien would bare.

For the first time in a long time, Miles let his head slip into the nook of her neck and he began to cry.