To The Journey

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it's not mine. This is an AU story.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Homecoming

Tasha was nearly bowled over by Jadzia Dax, who didn't even seem to notice she was there as she tore into the runabout. She heard what sounded like a fight starting, and hurried into the back to see Jadzia and Worf embracing passionately, and Julian looking a little disheveled.

"What happened?" she asked in an undertone, though she doubted the now-smooching couple would be aware of an explosion five feet away.

"I had to stop Dax from tackling him before she re-broke the ribs I spent half an hour fixing," he said ruefully. "She's stronger than I am, apparently, but I did accomplish my goal."

"You're also underweight." One of the consequences of being put in solitary was no rations, as if the amount provided wasn't small enough, and Julian had spent eighteen of his thirty-seven days in the camp in solitary. Unfortunately, the runabout's power reserves had been drained by the continuous orbit and their battle with the Jem'Hadar and they didn't have enough in the reserves to use the replicator for more than medical supplies and still be prepared for a fight. Everyone, especially Martok and Duval, was dying for a taste of real food, but she could tell Julian was literally starving. The form-fitting uniform he'd arrived at the camp in was more than a little too loose on him.

He shrugged a little, not denying her statement.

"Look, I'm sure there are other doctors on the station."

"Three."

"In that case, I'm taking you down to the replimat for some food."

A look of longing crossed his face. "Do you know how good that sounds? I am so hungry."

"In that case, what are we waiting for?"

"I should shower, change -"

"Julian, we're both a mess. Let's go get something to eat."

"I'd argue more if I didn't want food so badly."

"You know it. Come on."

"Uh-uh." He took her shoulder and pushed her gently behind him. "I'm leading."

"You are?"

"I live on this station, I know where everything is, and I don't want to waste time getting lost." He didn't mean to be sharp with her, but the more they talked about getting a meal, the less he was able to imagine away his desperate hunger. Now he just wanted to eat. He could almost taste the food.

They were on the Promenade in three minutes, and at the replimat in another two. Unfortunately, the station had just stood down from an attack and everyone was mobbing the place at once.

Julian closed his eyes, breathing in the scents in the room, but that only sent a pain through his stomach. He bit his lip, trying not to double over, and felt Tasha's hand on his arm.

"Don't torture yourself."

"It's going to take half an hour to get to the replicators." He tried to keep the despair out of his voice, but he was almost close enough to touch all that wonderful-smelling food and yet it was all off-limits.

"Is there a place we can be served quicker?" She knew he was hungry, and that standing here watching everyone else eat was torment to him.

"I could probably bribe Quark to put us at the head of the line." This was said with a small smile.

She laughed. "Not a Federation man?"

"Ferengi."

Tasha laughed. "Well, in that case..."

Julian had lived on the station for long enough that his instincts were dead-on, and they had food within five minutes. Julian drew in a deep breath of the meal in front of him, as if to savor the aroma, then couldn't wait any longer and picked up his fork and dug in ravenously. He felt the first huge, hot mouthful all the way down to his stomach. It was so good. Across from him, Tasha was eating with just slightly less enthusiasm.

His eyelids were drooping by the time he was done. His hunger hadn't been letting him sleep well for weeks, and now that his stomach was blissfully full his body was longing for rest.

"Come on, Julian." Tasha gave him her hand and helped him to his feet. "Where are your quarters?"

He mumbled a location into her ear, and she led him to the turbolift and to his room. He landed on his couch as his legs gave way.

"Come on," she said again. With no small difficulty, and leaning heavily on her, he managed to get to his feet and walk the last few feet. He collapsed on his bed, fast asleep before his head hit the pillow. She smiled. He was so much a baby brother, young and sweet and naive and needing someone a little older and more experienced to lead him around sometimes.

xxxxxxxxx

"Well, look what the cat dragged in."

Odo, standing behind his commanding officer, looked at Tasha as though she might be offended, but she laughed and hugged her old friend. "It's good to see you too. How've you been?"

"I think I'm going to go gray before my time running this station," he said only half joking.

"Is there a formal declaration of war?"

"Not yet, but I doubt that means anything. If they want to attack, formalities won't mean anything. By the way, have you seen my CMO anywhere? He's nowhere I can find him, and his communicator isn't up-to-date so I can't contact him or use the computer to locate him."

"At the moment, he's unconscious. Almost fell asleep on his feet."

"In that case, I'll talk to him later. How is he?"

"Besides tired?"

Ben laughed lightly. "Exactly."

"He could stand to gain a few pounds. He lost some weight in the camp."

"O'Brien was shocked. They spend a lot of time together off-duty, and he never suspected a thing."

Tasha sighed, lowering her head. He noticed. "What is it?"

"I'm wondering if anyone noticed I was gone. Oh, they'll know by now, I sent them a message telling them where I was - and, I suppose, where I wasn't. But it's been six weeks. I know she wrecked my personal life, broke my engagement. What could she have done on the professional side? I have connections. I'm a tactical officer trusted by several Admirals in Starfleet Command. What could a Changeling do with that power?"

"Whatever it is, it won't be completed," Odo said in his gravelly voice. "There haven't been any strange orders from Starfleet Security or anything else going on in there."

"Well, that's good news anyway."

"The Enterprise is six hours out. You can assess the damage then." Benjamin picked up the conversation again. "Until that point, I might suggest you take an example from Julian. Borrow some guest quarters."

"Just what is it you're implying?" she asked teasingly.

"That you look terrible. Now go to sleep."

"Yes sir!" She mock-saluted him.

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A door chime woke Tasha out of her sleep. "Oh, go away," she mumbled.

It chimed again, more insistently. "All right, all right. I'm coming."

She remembered she had fallen asleep naked, having no desire to put her filthy uniform back on after the longest shower of her life. She hurriedly replicated a dressing gown and answered the door.

Silence.

Data stood in her doorway, just staring at her. On impulse, she took a step forward, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him firmly on the mouth.

His hands wrapped around her back and he leaned into her, deepening the kiss. They were still standing in the doorway, but in that moment the whole station could have been watching for all they cared.

Tasha was breathless when they broke apart. "God, I've missed you," she gasped when she could speak again, pulling him inside the door.

"And I have missed you."

"Oh, come on. How long have you known I was missing?"

"Two weeks."

"What?"

"We discovered two weeks ago that you had been replaced. But really, I have had cause to miss you for nearly the entire time you were gone. Your replacement was not an adequate substitute."

She wished she had a mirror, because whatever it was he saw on her face, it caused him to burst out laughing. "That was not what I meant. I was never intimate with her."

"Data, you don't have to lie," she said softly, stepping back from him. "It doesn't count as cheating if you thought it was me."

"No lie," he said, matching her tone. "She would not - the day she returned she broke the engagement, and then she would hardly speak to me. I am uncertain why. Perhaps she was unable to replicate your actions in certain areas."

"Maybe. Or maybe she couldn't fake my feelings for you. Maybe she couldn't pretend convincingly to love you as much as I do." She kissed him again. "Do you know if the Captain's expecting me?"

"He said to tell you to 'check in when you are ready'."

"Never could fool him, could we?"

"I never could. It appears you put your robe on rather quickly."

"Yeah, so?"

"It is sloppy. Perhaps it should be removed."

"Yeah." Her eyes met his. "It should."

xxxxxxxxx

"So tell me something, Captain."

After finishing her 'activities' with Data, she had taken a quick shower and replicated the new uniform, which was still strange to her, even though they'd been implemented a month ago. It had taken her an additional twenty minutes to get to the bridge because she was stopped every ten feet by someone welcoming her home. She had finally made it to the Captain's ready room, only to be on the receiving end of one of the greatest displays of emotion she had ever seen from the reserved man. He was now sitting, however, with her on the other side of his desk.

"What is it?"

"How did you know it wasn't me?"

"Data didn't tell you?"

She blushed. "We, ah, didn't get around to it."

If he noticed her discomfort, he didn't let on. "I think it was Geordi that figured it out. Everyone knew you weren't acting like yourself. He realized it had started about the same time you came back from the Gamma Quadrant and was able to put the pieces together."

"Remind me to thank him."

"I will." He smiled warmly. "It's good to have you back."

I know this is a little short but I had to put some kind of end on this thread of the story before I took it in a new direction.

Please review. I write for its own sake, but I would like to know people are reading and enjoying this.