Prologue

Nerys looked out at the pool of Changelings as the liquid slowly turned from green to gold, the color change spreading from where Odo had stepped into the link. Hugging her arms around herself she sat down on a rock, not yet ready to beam back up to the runabout. A part of her hoped that he would suddenly appear. That he would decide curing his people was enough and they would go back to DS9, content and in love again. Nerys balled her hands into fists, letting her long nails cut into the palms of her hands. She knew that he might be able to see her still, or was aware of her somehow, and she didn't want to cry. No, to Odo it simply looked like she was staying to make sure everything turned out alright. Nerys let her mind wander. Onto Odo and what they had. The nights spent in her quarters, the mornings where he woke her with a kiss, the dinners where she always felt embarrassed being the only one eating. Odo had taken to reading or doing something with his hands at dinner so that she felt less awkward. He always knew too, no matter how much she hid it, he always knew when she was unhappy.

Shaking her head Nerys realized the planet was gold as far as she could see. Odo had done it, he had saved his people. Checking the time she realized that nearly two hours had passed. Blushing slightly at the realization she had stayed far longer than she should have she whispered, "Good job Odo" before beaming up to the runabout. There, she had covered herself. Now he would be sure she had stayed to make things went well. Nerys knew she couldn't let him know how heartbroken she was. This was his future. He needed to be back with his people and it wasn't her place to stand in the way.

In the link Odo saw and felt Nerys tell him good job before leaving. So she had stayed just to be sure he was safe. It stands to reason since the last time he was here his people had been sentencing him. A part of him wanted her to be staying in case he changed his mind. In case he realized he couldn't live without her. The truth was he couldn't, but he told her he was leaving forever so that she would get on with her life. Odo knew that his task would take time, and he couldn't bear the thought of her pining after him and waiting for the months or years it could take. Giving himself back over to the link Odo began his task of changing the minds of his people.

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