"Feel better?" Sisko asked.
"A bit."
"Ah good, raktajino double sweet?"
"Erm no.. Orange juice please."
"Orange juice? I didn't know you liked it." Ben said with easy cheer in his voice
"Oh.. Bashir got me into it."
"Oh ok. Bits or no bits?"
"No bits."
"Ok."
"One Raktajino, one orange juice not bits and some ratatouille" Ben ordered.
"Ratatouille?"
"Yeah its a old French dish, I didn't know we had it in the replicators until yesterday, its nice, do you want some?"
"No thank you Captain."
"Please call me Benjamin." Sisko said with his usual warm smile and his hand spread casually.
"Of course sorry."
"No need to apologise."
The drinks materialised from the swirling light of the replicator then the Ratatouille followed with steam wafting from it, Ben handed Kira her drink then took his plate and Coffee over to the table, where Kira sat fidgeting.
"Quark, why do you need twenty crates of Spring Wine?"
"Because Odo, I have a Bar to run."
"Yes but as I recall you have two hundred crates on the station already."
"Are you going somewhere with this Odo? I am a busy man."
"Yes. Why would you need such a large amount of Spring Wine when you already have an even larger amount in the Cargo bay and yu have only opened, One crate out of the two hundred?" Odo asked cocking his head to the side.
"The Bajoran's like their uh Spring Wine and the endless partying has made demand so much greater than before." Quark replied as he got a little jittery.
"Then why is only one crate open Quark."
"Because the... bar is full of it already."
"Oh really? Your manifest doesn't state that."
"Well you know Rom. He's forgetful."
"You did you manifest."
"No, Rom did, I was.. On Ferenginar with the Nagus and my mother."
"Quark, your manifest was submitted after your trip."
"Yes because Rom forgot."
"Hmm, I see. Well seen as your bar is full to the brim with Spring Wine, I can get rid of that open crate in Cargo Bay Five."
Odo turned and began to leave with a annoyed grin on his unusual face.
"NO! WAIT!" Quark Screamed.
"Hmm Yes Quark?"
"Come to think of it we sold a lot of it last night and I need the twelve bottles that are in that crate."
"But the crate is extraordinarily heavy for twelve bottles."
"How would you know?"
"Because, it's sitting in my office."
Sisko, threw his napkin on his white plate after he wiped the red mess off his dark-skinned face, he beamed across the table at Kira, obviously wanting to know more than what she had told him over lunch.
"So, Bashir was doing your physical?"
"Yeah."
"I thought you had your physical last week Kira?" Ben asked as he put a obnoxiously confused face on, Kira gulped he knew, she knew he knew and she hated lying to him.
"I've got a bit of a headache, would you mind if we went some place quiet for a while? You know somewhere without a crowd?" Kira asked as she tried to drop a hint that she didn't want to talk about it here.
"Yes of course, will my quarters do?"
"Mine are closer."
"Ok, lead the way." Ben said stunned at how quick he had got Kira to tell whatever it was that was troubling her.
They walked in silence for most of the way, they spoke occasionally as they past people but only shop-talk, Kira was visibly uncomfortable which was evident by the bead of sweat that formed on her forehead, the way she couldn't keep her hands still and because she wouldn't look Ben in the eye as they walked.
They got to her Quarters, she unlocked the door, entered and removed her shoes before retreating to a redish coloured armchair in the far corner which stood far apart from the two-seater sofa and the other armchair, it was far from where Ben sat on the sofa, the distance was unnerving and Sisko began to feel uneasy but kept up his cheerful image as he knew it would benefit Kira.
"So... What is going on Kira."
"Are you asking as my boss, The Emissary or my friend Ben?"
"As your Friend, Nerys."
"Well.. You know that Lieutenant-Commander Sericius and I were.. seeing each other but he was arrested two weeks ago."
"Yes, go on."
"It's difficult Ben."
"Well, you can tell me when your ready if you like."
"No, I need to tell someone before I go insane."
"Ok, well take your time."
"Cye has been arrested and charged and the-" Kira began sneezing she had a fit of sixteen and Ben's face became washed with realisation but he allowed Kira to continue and kept quiet.
"And the arrest was made here and I well I went to. Bashir and well I'm- I'm." Kira began to stutter and splutter.
"Your Pregnant." Ben finished for her he couldn't force her to upset herself, the sneezing had told him all he needed to know but he didn't want to be so direct and cold about it as to not let her tell him herself.
"Y-e-s." Kira acknowledged before tears burst from her eyes, Ben instinctively rushed over and hugged her, as unprofessional as it was she needed it and he wouldn't put professionalism ahead of the needs of his friends and crew.
Kira cried for three hours but Ben didn't leave even when his communicator bleeped he ignored it. It was so weird so unlike Kira to breakdown, to be as wounded as they come and loose her feisty nature to one of a damaged child but she was lost and Ben knew how that felt.
After another two hours Kira began to ease up, she wiped her eyes with her hand and gave a some-what broken smile to Ben.
"It's okay Nerys, it'll all be fine." Ben tried to make her feel better.
"I.. I'm alo-ne. I didn-t once thi-nk that I'd be alone and pregnant."
"Kira, your not alone," Ben started with a compassionate smile. "Your have all of us, Ezri, Bashir, me, the O'briens, everyone."
"But.. what will they think? I'm pregnant by a traitor."
"Yes but you didn't know that he was a traitor! You didn't know any of it so how could they judge you when all you did was fall in love?"
Kira nodded and smiled at Ben before straightening up and grabbing a tissue.
"Take as much time off as you need Kira." Ben said.
"That's not necessary, I work while pregnant with Yoshi and I think it might just help."
"As you wish."