Chapter Six

Marina jumped and spun around when someone touched her shoulder.

"Lieutenant? Is everything all right?" Dax's eyes were full of concern. "You've been really tense today."

"Sorry… I'm just... It's just…" Marina shrugged. "I know this is going to sound strange but, I had a bad dream last night, and it's really bothering me."

Dax crossed her arms. "When people have dreams around here, they tend to be important. Do you want to talk about it?"

Marina glanced down at her work. "Well, I'm not quite finished with my scans of--"

"We don't need those finished until tomorrow. Come on." Dax nodded towards the door. "Let's go to Quark's. Worf is meeting me there in a few minutes, and I think Nerys is going to be there, too, and maybe some of the others." She lightly laid her hand on Marina's shoulder. "You can trust us, you know. Come on."

Dax's eyes were warm and friendly. Marina smiled at her. "All right. Thank-you. I needed a break." She followed the Trill woman across the station and into Quark's bar.

Immediately, Marina cast her eyes about for Julian, but he was not there. Worf, Kira, and Jake Sisko sat at one of the tables. Now there's an odd group, Marina thought.

Dax and Marina crossed the room and sat down with their friends. "Marina's got something on her mind today, so I let her off early today," Dax explained.

"Julian's not here. He and the chief are in the holo-suite," Kira spoke up.

"Oh, all right." Marina linked her fingers on the table.

"So… what's on your mind?" Jake asked.

Marina blushed lightly. "This probably sounds lame, but, I had this really bad dream last night. It's got me really upset--and a bit worried. I'm a psychogenotron. My dreams are usually partially based on reality."

"Do you wanna tell us about it?" Dax asked quietly.

Marina was quiet for a moment. "I--I guess so."

Jake felt sorry for her. She looked really nervous. "It's all right," he joked. "I won't write it down."

Marina laughed. "Thank-you, Jake." She took a deep breath. "Okay, so I dreamed I was standing on a beach, and it was really windy, and I kept hearing this voice in the wind. I recognized the voice… I think it was Jake's. Not yours, Jake, the other Jake's--Jake Harris's voice."

"You mean that big bully guy? The bald guy?" Jake asked.

"Yes, that's him. He came aboard the station with me."

"He is a fine warrior," Worf spoke up. "I've seen him practicing his combat skills. But he possesses no self-control and a terrible temper."

"He's mean," Dax agreed.

"Go on, Marina," Kira said, watching the young scientist carefully.

"I kept hearing Ensign Harris laughing. Then I turned around and I was in a forest. It was still really windy. And I couldn't find Julian… I was looking for him. I kept calling his name. Then everything was dark and I was in a blue cave. There was a man in the shadows. He kept asking me my name. I kept saying, 'I'm Marina, I'm Marina,' but he wouldn't listen. I got tired of it and screamed, 'Where are the others? Where's Julian?' He laughed at me, and his laugh was a lot like Harris's, but not…" She paused, not really wanting to say the rest.

"Yes? And then?" Worf asked.

"Let her catch her breath," Dax whispered to her husband.

"I don't know if I can go on." Marina rubbed her arms and hugged herself, feeling suddenly cold.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Kira said firmly.

"Perhaps this would help." Someone set a glass in front of Marina.

"I don't--I don't drink alcohol," she said, looking up at Quark.

"I know that. It's milk. The kind humans like."

"Oh. Thank-you." Marina smiled gratefully and took a sip of the cool, thick milk.

"I must admit, I'm very curious." The Ferengi sat down across from her. "Whenever you feel like it, please continue your dream. I have a feeling people would pay bricks to participate in a holo-suite program based on your dream."

Marina shuddered. "You won't have that feeling after you hear the next part."

"So you are going to tell us, right?" Quark asked.

Marina sighed. "Yes. Maybe I'll feel better if I just let it all out." She felt a chill run up her spine at the thought of what she had dreamt. "The dream moved back to the beach. I was wearing a white dress. Julian was standing beside me--and the man from the shadows was standing in front of me. I just--I just shoved Julian aside and kissed that shadow man!"

"Gross," said Dax.

"Then my dress turned black, and the sea turned red. And I was alone. All alone. The sun set really fast, and I was alone in the dark, dressed in black. And I could still hear Jake Harris, laughing in the wind. Then I knelt down in the sand and cried. I knew that I had done wrong, that I had destroyed everything that was right and good, and I was alone." She took a deep breath, feeling suddenly dizzy. The memory was too vivid, too near.

"Are you all right?" Kira asked, frowning.

Marina found that she couldn't focus. "I-I don't know." That was no dream, was it? That was a vision. "Captain Sisko… he's the emissary. Does he know about visions?" Her voice was quiet, distant.

"You mean, you think your dream was a… vision of some sort?" Jake asked.

"Yes. I think I need to go talk to the captain." Marina took a deep swallow of milk and stood shakily. Oh, God, please don't let me hurt these people.

"Marina, are you all right?"

Suddenly, strong, slender arms were around her, holding her close.

"What's wrong, darling? What's wrong?"

Marina was fighting back tears. "Julian, my dream… I dreamed I betrayed you, all of you, and all was lost. I was alone, and you were gone. Please, don't leave me. Don't let me leave you." She clung to him like a lifeline, angry at the tears that came unbidden.

"It's all right to cry," Kira said suddenly and quietly.

"I don't like crying in front of people," Marina said into the doctor's chest.

"Sit down." Julian helped her gently into her chair and knelt beside her. "Now tell me about this dream."

Marina told the tragic story again. "It felt so real, Julian," she finished. "I don't think it was a dream. I think it was a vision. I have psychogenotrosis, so I can sense things. I think I've unconsciously picked up on something, something that might happen, something… bad."

Julian stood quickly. "Come on, Marina," he said, his eyes intense. He took her hand. "We need to see the captain."

(LINE)

Marina sat on Julian's couch, her head on his shoulder. "So, Sisko thinks this has something to do with the Dominion?"

"It would seem so." Julian brushed a strand of her hair back and kissed her just behind her ear. "Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to you."

"So you and Kira and Odo are assigned to watch me?"

"Yes."

"You're not… you're not…"

"Dating you because it's my job? No. Certainly not."

"Good."

They were both quiet for a moment.

"Miles mentioned that he'd like to see some of your holo-suite programs," Julian spoke up, desperate to make Marina smile again.

She did.

Julian tilted his head to one side, capturing that soft, sad-eyed smile in his memory. "Would you like to show us one now?"

"Why not? Maybe it can get my mind off that stupid dream. Vision." Marina shuddered.

"Come on." Julian stood and pulled her to her feet beside him. "Since I'm so dashing, I think I'll let you pick which program you wish to show us."

"You are very dashing." Marina wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly for a moment, then let go and started walking towards the door.

"That's all?"

She spun around. "What do you mean?"

"A simple hug? That's all I get for being very--very, mind you--dashing?"

There it was again, that smug arrogant smirk that she loved. "Wellllll, I guess you can get more."

Julian walked up to her until they stood toe to toe. "Elaborate on more."

"How about this?" Feeling impulsive, Marina grabbed him by the face and kissed him soundly. To her satisfaction, he returned the kiss with vigor.

When she was in the arms of the man she loved, nothing could steal her joy.

"Hello in there!"

The couple laughed.

"Deja vu," Marina whispered.

Julian rolled his eyes. "Indeed. Now come on. You need to pick out the program we'll be using today."

Marina followed him into the corridor, where they were joined by Miles. "I've already picked it. I think I'll introduce you guys to the Playground today."

Miles snorted. "The Playground?"

Marina nodded. "It's one of my favorite programs."

"Do you have the costumes for it?" the engineer asked.

"You don't need any," Marina explained. "It's just… a playground. You'll see."

"Sounds interesting." Julian gave her a crooked smile. "Lead the way, Lady of Shallot."

A few minutes later, they were standing in the holo-suite--in a playground. It was a classic park, complete with swings, slides, seesaws, and merry-go-rounds. The sky was gray-blue with rain clouds, and a cool breeze whipped across the playground.

"Nice," said Miles, crossing his arms. "Now where's the action?"

Marina smiled. "This is it. It's just… a playground."

Julian stepped forward, looking around. "There's such… atmosphere to this place. The cloudy sky, the wind, the dark trees in the distance…" He turned to face Marina. "Well done, lieutenant."

"So… what are we supposed to do?" Miles asked skeptically.

Marina shrugged. "Just play."

"Play?" Miles frowned.

"Yes, play. It's a playground." Marina laughed quietly.

"You should bring Molly and Yoshi here," Julian suggested. "They would absolutely love it."

Miles' face brightened. "Yes. They would." He turned to Marina. "Would you mind if I had them come now?"

"No. Not at all. I love children."

Julian suddenly had a vision of Marina holding a baby, her baby, but it wasn't blonde like her. It was dark-haired, like him…

"What's the matter, Julian? Didn't you hear her?"

"Wh-what?" He cleared his throat.

"Marina asked what you'd like to do first."

Marina bit her lip, smiling. Julian looked so cute when he was confused.

"Uhm, well, I think I'd like to try the swings." He quickly regained his composure and smiled that smug smile Marina loved. "I haven't been on a swing since… I don't know when."

Marina held out her hand. "Come on then." Together, they started towards the swings. Marina looked back at Miles. "Coming?"

"I think I'll go get my family first. They're going to love this."

(LINE)

"Stop! Stop pushing Molly! I think I'm going to be sick!"

Molly giggled and stopped pushing the merry-go-round so her parents could get off.

Marina and Julian watched from the swings. "They're pretty happy, aren't they?" Marina said quietly. "The O'Briens?"

"Yes. They are." Julian smiled as he watched his best friend playing with his family.

"I don't understand why you don't have a family already," Marina said, swinging slowly.

"It's just that… I haven't found the right woman I guess. Not yet." Unless it's you.

"I see. I know what you mean. It was always my dream to settle down and have a family." She picked up speed. "And it was my sister's to travel the galaxies. I guess we got each others' dreams." She was soaring now, almost parallel with the horizon when on the upward swing.

Julian just sat quiet and still. "So… you want to have a family?"

"Yes." What is he getting at? Marina wondered. Did she dare to hope that he was that serious about their relationship?

There it was again--the image of Marina holding that baby, that dark-haired, green-eyed baby.

Julian smiled. "Me, too."