Paige is B-A-C-K! And I have a new chapter with me! Whoever's excited, raise your hand! Wow, that's a lot of hands. JK! All right, now I'm gonna try to make this one long...ish.... I have a short attention span, okay? It's not easy for me to right long chapters! But I like to read long chapters, and I'm suppose to treat people the way I want to be treated. So there. Anyway, after my little rant, here's the new chappie!

Chapter Five: Uncomfortable Visit

Sisko

Commander Sisko woke drowsily that morning feeling stiff but refreshed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes absentmindedly and said, "Computer, lights." The computer obeyed, and the room was instantly bright. Something seemed wrong as he donned his red-topped Federation uniform that morning, and as he exited his room, he found Jake already up.

"Hey," Sisko greeted his son. "What are you doing up so early?"

Jake looked confused. "Early? This is when I usually get up. What are you still doing here?"

Now Sisko was confused. "Computer, what time is it?"

The computer's monotonous voice replied, "Approximately 0630 hours."

"I can't remember the last time I overslept," Sisko exaggerated and turned to leave. "See you later, Jake-o! I've got to go!" Jake just shrugged and walked over to the replicator to get himself some breakfast.

Sisko briskly glided through the hallways until he came to a turbolift. He stepped inside and ordered, "Ops." Then he noticed that he was standing next to a familiar face. "Marda?" Sisko asked, recognizing Jake's old girlfriend. Her face froze in panic, and she thought for a moment that she had been caught. She felt Sisko's eyes on her, and she forced herself to look up.

"It is you!" Sisko said smilingly. "Nice to see you again." Then Sisko looked the girl over. Marda was just as he remembered her, except for her face. It was screwed up in fear and anxiety, plus the strain of trying to hide it. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Marda answered too quickly. Sisko glanced at her suspiciously, and the turbolift halted at Level 11: Marda's stop, apparently. She gratefully stepped out and hoped that Sisko wouldn't stop her. But of course. . .

"Marda?" Sisko called after her. She stopped in her tracks begrudgingly and slowly turned on her heel to face him. He had one foot outside the turbolift and one in. "If you need anything while you're here, you come tell me. Okay?" She nodded vigorously. Sisko smiled and said, "Have a good day." Then he stepped back into the turbolift, much to Marda's relief. However, she had not forgotten her manners.

"You, too, sir," Marda said. Then she sped off down a hallway to who-knows-where. Sisko contemplated the uncomfortable visit all the way to Ops as he listened to the hypnotic sound of the turbolift's gears turning.

When he arrived in Ops, Sisko found almost everyone already on duty. They seemed to be almost waiting for him. Sisko just made his way over to Dax as if everything was normal.

"Hello, Dax," Sisko greeted the young woman. "What's happened today?"

Dax

Sitting in Ops, Dax and O'Brien chatted about what was happening on the station. One by one, more people reported for duty and were added to the conversation. An hour passed this way, and a young Ensign Todd pointed out that Sisko had still not shown up.

"That's right," Dax realized.

"There hasn't been a day yet that Sisko hasn't been here right on time," O'Brien remembered.

"Where could he be?" a security officer suddenly chimed in. Everyone took time to ponder this.

"Well," Dax rationalized, "I'm sure he has a good reason. I'll bet he's fine."

"Yeah, he can take care of himself," the Chief put in, carefully tinkering with the replicators. "I wouldn't think too hard about it; he'll be here."

Still time passed, and the crew went about their day, just slightly more tense than usual. Then, all of a sudden, Sisko arrived as if everything was normal. Everyone looked at the turbolift when he arrived and immediately the room felt more relaxed. All was well, and the crew went back to work.

Sisko was at Dax's side instantly. "Hello, Dax," Sisko greeted her. "What's happened today?"

"I could ask you the same question," Dax pointed out, "but not much. I have the results of the blood tests ready for you, if you'd like."

"Ah," Sisko remarked. "In my office, then."

Bashir

Garak regained his consciousness early in the morning. However, he had remained in bed until Doctor Bashir had reported to the Infirmary. Bashir was not exactly surprised to find Garak awake, but he was a bit relieved. He had some good news now, finally.

"Garak!" Bashir exclaimed. "How do you feel?" He picked up his tricorder out of instinct and scanned his Cardassian friend. He was fine, just as Bashir had expected, but of course he would like to take some further tests.

"Mmm. . ." Garak responded. "I suppose I feel. . . awake." He smiled at the young doctor. "And I feel curious as to what I am doing in here."

"Well, you were found in your shop, unconscious," Bashir explained, "so you were brought to the Infirmary. You haven't been here very long."

"Ah," Garak said. "And how is my humble shop?"

"Fine, as far as I know," Bashir answered.

"Am I ill, Doctor?" Garak asked.

"Well, no," Doctor Bashir admitted, "but I'd like to run some more tests."

"Of course you would," Garak agreed smartly. He looked around at the other patients on raised beds in the Infirmary. "What happened to Major Kira?" he asked as his eyes settled on her limp figure, all bandaged and weak.

Doctor Bashir looked up. "She lost quite a bit of blood when she was shot."

"Shot, Doctor?" Garak's face seemed genuinely concerned as he turned to gaze at his friend, but he was infamous because of his skillful lying.

"Someone apparently shot her with a phaser," Bashir explained. "We don't know much about what happened to either of you."

Garak pivoted his head to look at the unconscious Kira once more. "Believe me, Doctor, neither do I."

Okay, now what did you think? PLEASE tell me! Give me advice too, I kind of just make this up as I go. . . . And I absolutely LOVE to see the number of reviews increase! It's so much fun to click and read what someone else thinks! I mean, I know what I think, but that isn't important. What's important is that my readers love it, and I can't know HOW to make you love it til you tell me! So review please!