In the days that followed, the cure for the Arimur plague was multiplied and given to those that were still ailed by the plague. Areas that still carried the plague through the air were quarantined and gaseous forms of the antidote were sprayed about them in order to destroy it completely, as instructed by Heva. While Heva still lay in sickbay, the Admiral came to decorate her and Beverly with medals in honor of their work and to Heva for saving the rest of the galaxy from Lore's plan. She accepted it laying back on the bio bed and sighing.
Despite being thankful for the gratitude shown to her and Beverly for the work they did and for her destroying Lore before he could continue, she still felt as though any minute he would walk through the door and take her again. She looked over at Will who sat talking to Deanna, his arm in a sling, a pad in his hand with his report. She wondered what would have happened to him if she hadn't told the captain what to do in order to severe the link. What would have happened to all of them if she allowed Lore's control to continue instead of enduring the pain she did to return to normal? What of Data? She said all of those horrible things and even if they weren't her own words, she was sure that they still stung him deeply.
Deanna turned to face her and as though reading her mind, she excused herself from Will. He looked over at Heva and understood immediately. He nodded at her and smiled as he left sick bay. She smiled after him and made room for Deanna to sit beside her on the bed. "How are you feeling? Deanna asked. Heva looked away and out the window watching the stars twinkle by them. She wasn't sure how to answer and she was sure Deanna knew that. So, she replied with the only one she could think of.
"I'm not sure how I am. I still feel afraid…I feel as though even though Lore is gone that he will still find a way to come back for either Data or for me. He violated me in a way that only the Borg could duplicate. And I feel weak for being so shaken up by it. I know that it's normal considering the damage that's been done. But what's troubling me is that he tried so hard to get me to betray Data and if I hadn't tried as hard as I did to fight against it…I would have whether or now I was willing to. If I was only more careful I could have stopped him sooner and gotten the cure to Beverly, gotten the information on his ship to the Captain and he would've been caught sooner."
"You can't blame yourself for not getting to him sooner. You are only one person against a being stronger than yourself. The fact is you still fought as hard as you could and you did end up stopping him. Millions of lives are in your debt because of that." Deanna took Heva's hand and held it tightly, looking at her friend with solemn eyes. Heva smiled weakly back at her and sighed. "How's Data…I haven't seen him since I got my medal.
"He's been on duty. He told me to tell you to meet him in his quarters as soon as his shift was up. He gets off in about an hour. Do you think you're ok to walk?"
"I think I can manage. I've been laying here for almost a day and a half…it seems like so much longer. Either way, Beverly has done an exemplary job in healing me. I just feel a little sore is all. I don't think she'll scold me too harshly if I leave a little early." she looked down and began to feel afraid that things between her and Data had somehow changed. What if instead of bringing them closer together, this tore them apart somehow?
What if he never forgot the way Lore had almost kissed her? What if he couldn't put the fact that she defended Lore and was so cold to him because of it out of his mind? Would he keep in mind that she wasn't herself and that underneath she desperately wanted to cry out and tell him that she was still there somewhere? All of these questions burned into her heart and though she tried to smile, Deanna saw past it all and put a hand to her face. "Heva," she cooed soothingly. "Don't worry. Just go and see him, everything is going to be alright. He loves you. That fact hasn't changed in the past year and I know it didn't change in one week. No matter how traumatic things have been, you two will be just fine."
Heva leaned forward and hugged Deanna, shutting her eyes tightly to keep the tears of gratitude from retreating. "Thank you, Deanna. You're a wonderful friend." she said, slightly sobbing. Deanna rubbed Heva's back and held her comfortingly for a while, knowing that she not only needed it but that it was the best thing for her.