The Remedy

Disclaimer: I do not own DS9 or any of its character, although I sometimes wish I did! Please take note, this is a fan fiction. This will not be published or violate copy write law in any form.

Note to the Text: This is funny. So far I have planned three Dax and Kahn fanfics, but none of them really go with one another in sequential order, so you do not have to read one to understand the other because they are, each one set in a different universe and if you take them a chronological you might get confused because they contradict each other. Thanks!

Chapter One: An Untold Story

"You think you know a story, but you only know how it ends. To get to the heart of the story you must go back to the beginning."

Year 2373

Deep Space Nine, the Alpha Quadrant

Major Kira Nerys walked down the promenade at a sedate pace. Thankfully, it had been a quiet afternoon with very little wormhole activity to worry about. It was almost evening, though the stars outside the windows of Deep Space Nine gave the illusion of almost constant night. It had been a strange day. The beginning of the workday had been normal, but the afternoon had sported a reception set up to be hosted to welcome a visiting group of Bajoran officials. Every senior staff member had been expected to be present and like normal, every officer had showed up in their dress uniforms. Today was the welcome and tomorrow would be the negotiations with the Emissary. The day had ended with the reception and now that the festivities were over, the senior staff were off duty.

Kira had been released from her work, with no real place to go in mind yet.

"Dabo!" Echoed out from the inside of Quark's bar to meet her.

As she passed it. There was always someone winning on the Dabo wheel, despite Quark's best attempts to cheat everyone who played the game. Only a small fraction of his profit came from losses at the wheel. Under normal circumstances, the major found the game and those who played it to be despicable, but for some reason today she was curious to find out who was winning all of that money off of Quark. Quietly she walked into the bar coming to stand next to Constable Odo, who was leaning stiffly against a support beam while watching the spectacle take place.

"Odo." Kira nodded in acknowledgement.

"Major." The constable inclined his head in return.

"It must be quite a game. You can hear the cheers all the way from the promenade." Kira mentioned, her view of who was winning the game obscured by the crowd gathered at the wheel. "I bet Quark's not all too thrilled about someone taking all of his money."

"He's dealing with it." Odo gave her a curt smile.

"Who's the winner?" Kira asked smiling at his side.

"Commander Dax, who else?" Odo replied.

"Figures." Kira said. "Excuse me, Odo."

"Major." The constable gave her another nod.

And the major walked past Odo and began getting closer to the wheel. She finally ebbed in between two raucous spectators and came to stand beside the stations science officer.

"I'm winning." Jadzia turned to her with a beaming smile.

"I could tell." Nerys replied echoing the grin on the Trill's face. "You can hear the cheers all the way out to the promenade."

"Would you like to play?" Jadzia asked, a childlike gleam to her cobalt blue eyes.

Kira shook her head. "No, I am not all that interested in gambling."

"You really should give it a try. It's a lot of fun." Jadzia tried to coax.

Kira sighed and slowly walked up to the wheel, Dax smiling encouragingly the whole time. Finally up to the wheel, Kira took a hold of one of the main spokes and albeit reluctantly, gave the wheel a hard spin. The ball on the wheel flew and bounced and finally landed on the appropriate square.

"Dabo!" The crowd gathered around the game shouted again and then broke into a chorus of cheering for the major.

Dax slapped Kira on the back with another smile. "See how fun that was?"

Kira smiled and nodded lightly.

Quark grumbled as he came near them, a serving tray of empty glasses in one hand. "That's another one. I don't know why I let you play, you're bad for business. How can a decent Ferengi expect to make any profit?"

The Trill commander leaned over and awarded the Ferengi bartender a sympathy kiss on the cheek. "I know and I thank you for letting me play the game anyway."

"Well, when you thank me so nicely." Quark murmured as he returned to the bar to continue serving drinks, a little spring in his step as he went.

Major Kira Nerys who was sitting beside Dax at the table laughed, shaking her head as Jadzia bowed as to her applauding audience. Even after years of friendship, the Trill's lighthearted antics could still manage to make her laugh. Their personalities were a contrast to one another, maybe that's why they were such good friends. Kira had a tendency to be more serious, always focused on what bad could happen while Jadzia was almost the opposite, like a blithe child most of the time unless it was a time where she was required to think seriously. Other than that, her willingness to face the more worse off side of life was quite often placed on a high shelf, off to the side until needed. Jadzia lived life for what it was, to the fullest everyday.

To some extent Kira admired her ability to live almost as if there wasn't a greater care in the world until the time of reckoning, until that one moment when seriousness was needed. It was like a check and control type of thing and the Trill had it down pat. Kira watched as Jadzia reached out to spin the wheel again and sent it on its way around in a few fluid circles. Oh, well, Kira sighed mentally. Even if she didn't have that conditioned ability, at least she had a friend who did.

Though she admired Jadzia's zeal for life, Kira did not discredit her own personal approach to life. She was cautious and she had never regretted it. That caution had kept her alive throughout the years, had helped her survive and she would never regret having it. The Dabo wheel was hurled one last time, but his time Dabo was not won. The crowd 'oohed' and Jadzia shrugged with a smile on her face.

Quark appeared again, this time with a full tray of drinks. He bent over the table Jadzia and Kira had settled at and set a black hole down in front of the Trill.

"First one of the day." Jadzia quipped.

"I'm surprised Lenara hasn't broken you of that habit." Kira shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"She likes me just the way I am." Jadzia replied taking a sip of her drink.

"Lucky for you." Kira said with a smirk.

"Anything for you, Major?" Quark asked in passing.

"No, thank you. I don't plan on staying." Kira replied.

Quark nodded and moved on, answering the calls of other thirsty gamers waiting at their tables for their drinks.

"So, where are you headed after you leave here?" Jadzia asked as she took another long sip of the dark beverage.

"My quarters, probably." Kira responded. "I received a new volume of Ija Beru's poems just last week and I have been struggling to find time to read it. Now would be as good as a time as any, I guess."

"Do you have dinner plans?" Jadzia asked setting the empty glass back down on the table quietly.

"No, why? What did you have in mind?" Kira asked suspicious of the smile playing on Dax's face. She knew that smile.

"Would you like to have dinner with Lenara and me tonight?" Jadzia asked. "I know she won't mind."

"Oh, I don't want to impose." Kira replied shaking her head. "Thank you, but I should probably get the crew schedule for this next week organized tonight anyway."

"Alright." Jadzia nodded, her smile disappearing momentarily, but reappearing almost as quickly and just as brightly. "Have fun with those crew schedules this evening."

"I'll try." Kira said standing up. "I'll see you tomorrow morning on the bridge, commander."

Jadzia raised her hand to her head in salute and mock seriousness. "Aye, major. See you at 0500 hours!"

Kira nodded and left Quark's bar. Jadzia sat there for a moment more, staring in to the bottom of her empty glass and the table beneath. It had been a relatively calm day, but a long one. Everything had been peaceful for a couple weeks now. The humdrum of everyday life on the bridge was a blessing in disguise, really. As long as it meant no blood had to be shed, that was the most important thing. The Trill commander would take an easy day at Ops any day rather than the promise of bloodshed over the wormhole. She to admit though, her desire to embark on so adventure to another place on some ridiculous mission was growing with every stagnate hour.

Despite the yearning in her burning for adventure, Jadzia was happy with her life on the station. Life on the station was something she treasured. The senior staff, her friends, had become her family; even more so to her than some of her own blood relatives. Deep Space Nine had become her home, one not easily left or forgotten and her job had become what she lived to do. But the complete other half of her world was working in the Science lab, perfecting her latest theory at this very moment.

Lenara Kahn, her friend, her love, her wife, her everything. She had become all of that and much more over the last few months. Lenara completed her, sustained her, and gave her a new will to be careful. The last thing Jadzia wanted Lenara to have to go through would be a repeat of what Torias and Nilani had. No, she deserved so much more than that. She was worth more than that to her. Jadzia's love of thrill and adventure would have to play second fiddle to the caution she was prepared to institute out of respect for the feelings of the one she loved. This pattern would have to continue so long as hostilities between the Federation and the Dominion remained at a standstill until some type of agreement could be reached. Yes, she would be careful…at least for now.

Jadzia swallowed as she sank into further thoughts of the one person who commandeered her affections above all. To the green eyes which changed color based on her mood from the most even and speckled of greens to the clearest of all brilliant blues. Or of the perfect smile, made all the more perfect when it was directed at her. The silken golden-brown hair, fairer than the strands of any costly fabric on any planet's market. And then there was the complete and wonderful ensemble of the woman herself. There was nothing that could make Jadzia feel more complete than the feel of Lenara in her arms. The last thing she wanted to do was leave Lenara to be a lonely widow again…like Nilani had been. It would not be fair to her.

"I though you'd back me up!" O'Brien complained as he and Bashir stepped down the stairs from the holodeck.

"I would of, but I didn't expect you to go right for the command control station under a mirage of enemy fire!" Bashir shot back as they reached the ground floor.

"It was a dodge tactic!" O'Brien argued.

"It was suicide!" Bashir retorted as the two of them made their way over to where they noticed Dax sitting at a table.

"What did he do this time?" Jadzia asked with a characteristic smile.

"He dive bombed a Jerry base without any back up." Julian answered pulling out a chair and sitting down beside Dax.

"I would have had backup if you would have helped me." O'Brien grumbled signaling for his usual from Quark.

"And I would have helped you if you would have given me fair warning." Julian reprimanded.

"Oh, bugger me!" O'Brien sighed rolling his eyes as Rom handed him his logger.

"Sounds like you guys had quite an afternoon." Jadzia interjected.

"Boy did we ever!" O'Brien shook his head before he took a long draft of his drink.

Dax stood up and pushed her chair in. "Well, I hope you boys have a better evening."

"Where are you going?" Julian asked sipping on the tea he was brought.

"I have a dinner date." Dax smiled down at them.

"Have a good evening." O'Brien added with a nod.

"I will." Jadzia grinned.

Julian returned the smile. "Good night, Dax."

"Have a good night, boys." Jadzia replied coyly as she turned on her heel and left Quark's.

It would be a great night…she was planning on it.

------

Jadzia entered her quarters quietly, setting her shoes by the door and unbuttoning the choking collar of her dress uniform. She used two fingers to separate the edge of the collar from where it was determined to stick to the tortured skin of her neck. For some reason she always felt like a dog in this uniform, fully fitted with the collar and everything.

She meandered comfortably over to the replicator and placed her order. "One bottle of Ginger wine with two glasses and a flute of Ktarian Merlot, please."

The beverages materialized. Jadzia picked up the bottle of Ginger wine first and the two glasses and carried them over to the small table in her eating area, then returned for the glass of merlot. She paced slowly back in forth in front of the bay window and the view of the stars she loved so much. She set the glass down on the coffee table after quickly draining it of its contents as she continued to walk to and fro.

Jadzia could not believe it. A feeling had struck her that had not plagued her since she met Lenara for the second time: nervousness. She was nervous. The calm, cool commander always eager for jokes, wild parties, gambling, and fighting was…nervous. Having the full unsheathed blade of a Bat'leth in the hands of a murderous foe pressed against her throat couldn't invoke this same feeling in her as this.

One of her hands dove into her pocket to toy with the little black box resting there. Jadzia pulled it out and ran her fingers over the velvet skin of the container reverently. It was an heirloom, a jewel that she had bartered for during her last trip to Dahkur with Kira just last month. The moment she caught sight of it in the shop, she knew it was what she wanted for this night when it came. It had taken more than an hour of debate between the silversmith and herself to end in parlay over the just the right price.

Jadzia took a deep breath. She had to calm down. This wasn't characteristic of the audacious Trill who treasured every day as a new beginning and every risk as a new opportunity. She wasn't used to feeling like this. But love has a tendency to do that to you, a little voice in her mind replied and she had to smile. It was right. Whose ever voice it had belonged to, from Lela to Curzon, it had been right.

Just then the door opened automatically and Lenara Kahn walked in leisurely. She entered and smiled when she saw Dax standing before the window, framed in galactic light.

"It's a beautiful evening." Lenara said as she walked over to where Commander Dax stood and stopped in front of her with a contented smile.

"It's not anything compared to you." Jadzia said releasing the breath she wasn't aware she had been holding.

"You flatter me." Lenara stated in sophisticated banter. "Though I am sure the good doctor would agree I could use some improvement."

Jadzia reached out and took her hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's your first year working as an assistant in the infirmary and I am sure you're doing splendidly. You have to remember you're learning something new, so it'll be trying at first, but Julian says you're doing magnificently. In his own words, 'No one takes a blood count like you'."

Lenara smiled and nodded. "You're right. I'm being silly. It's only natural I would feel a bit inadequate at the first try, that's normal when you start any job. "

"Exactly." Jadzia nodded closing the distance between them in one step. "Now, I've had a long day and I've worked hard, what do I get for it?"

Lenara shook her head, but with a benevolent smile in place. "So you expect a reward for your hard work? "

"I figured you wouldn't object seeing how special this day is for us." Jadzia replied.

She brought one hand up to Lenara's face, running her fingers delicately down her spots while grazing lovingly over her neck and jaw line. Lenara closed her eyes and leaned into the tender touch. There was nothing she could remember in her whole life that made her feel this whole, this alive, this absolute. Jadzia watched the other relax as she held her. She truly was beautiful, everything about her from the way she woke up beside her in the morning from the time they settled down for bed at night, there was nothing she would trade for the experience of holding her in her arms like this.

There was no such comparable form of riches that could even come close to the wealth standing before her, nothing she valued more than the heart of this amazing woman she was very fortunate to call her own. Forgetting everything else, Jadzia leaned forward and captured Lenara's lips in a affectionate kiss. I was magically and none could miss the spark that flew down their spine's at first feel of the other's touch or the warmth that gradually spread through them. But it was a short kiss and it ended almost as quickly as it had started.

Jadzia smiled as she pulled back and opened her eyes. "Thanks for the reward."

Lenara smiled warmly. "Anytime."

Jadzia motioned to the table in the eating area and the chairs that surrounded it. "Would you like to sit down."

They walked over to the table and Dax pulled out a chair for the scientist. Then she leaned over and poured a glass full of Ginger wine, handing it to Lenara when she was finished.

"Thank you." Lenara nodded courteously.

Jadzia walked over the replicator and placed another order, this time for food. "Two plates of Deppa pasta with a bowl of Scavean sauce and a basket of bread."

The food materialized and Jadzia prepared to show off a newly acquired skill. She balanced the plates on one outstretched arm and carried over the basket of bread in one handand the bowl of sauce with the other.

"Oh, let me help you." Lenara offered pushing her chair back.

"No, don't get up." Jadzia said moving very slowly over to the table. Once there she safely set the bread down and then went for the other dishes one at a time. "I've been practicing."

"I'm impressed." Lenara replied as the plate of pasta was laid down in front of her with ease.

"I hoped you would be." Jadzia smiled as she poured her own glass full of the honey colored Ginger wine. When she was finished she raised her glass to the woman before her. "To you, in honor of everything you've accomplished and to us, in honor of everything we've achieved over the last few months."

"Indeed." Lenara raised her glass to clink with Jadzia's. "To us."

Both took their first sip of the golden-brown liquid, letting the natural sweetness of the Ginger Wine flood their senses. Lenara set her glass down first.

"Well, this looks delicious." She said spreading her napkin over her lap. "A traditional Trillian pasta dish, how appropriate."

"You once told me it was your favorite traditional dish." Jadzia replied as she wrapped some of the long golden strands of pasta around her fork.

"It is." Lenara replied spreading the hot white sauce eagerly over the bed of steaming noodles.

They ate in relative silence. The air between them was comfortable as they enjoyed their food, together without a care in the world. After they were finished, both Lenara and Jadzia cleared the table and piled the dishes back into the replicator for recycling. Lenara dropped her plates off first and came to stand before the window, looking out into the stars as Jadzia took care of her plates.

"It really is beautiful from space." Lenara commented, crossing her arms in front of her chest for warmth. It got so cold here.

"The stars?" Jadzia asked as she quickly jumped over to take care of her merlot glass.

Lenara nodded. "The constellations." She remembered bitterly. "Even the wormhole, does not look so imposing from up here."

"I suppose not." Jadzia came to stand beside her. "Or perhaps I've just become to used to seeing it all the time."

Lenara smiled in memory. "It was on this day six months ago when I made the decision to stay on this station with you. Do you remember?"

"How could I ever forget?" Jadzia thought back as she enveloped Lenara in a warm embrace. "I had come to your quarters to see how you were recovering from your injuries and Bajal was here. He thanked me for saving your life and left, albeit reluctantly. I sat down and handed you a bottle of Risian perfume, the brand you had told me you liked. Then I knelt down in front of you and asked you to stay here with me. You were hesitant at first." Jadzia's smile faltered for a moment, reflecting only a shadow of her former mirth. "We fought about it and I left, angry. I moped around all the rest of that night. I was sure you were going to leave me."

Lenara reached up and touched her cheek. "But I didn't leave you."

Dax smiled again as she held that hand to the side of her face. "No, you came to me that evening and told me that you were going to stay with me. It was one of the happiest moments of my life when I heard you say those words."

Jadzia brought the hand to her lips and kissed it caringly.

"I couldn't bear to leave you and I didn't know if I could go through losing you all over again just for the sake of society." Lenara said sincerely. "So I stayed and I've never regretted that decision."

Jadzia held the hand to her cheek respectfully. She was honestly elated that Lenara had made the choice she had, but a part of her was still a bit unbelieving, doubtful that this dream she was living really was real. "Not even after all that's happened?"

Lenara saw the doubt in those crystal clear eyes, the love and hope for it to continue. Without another thought, Lenara leaned up and kissed Jadzia gently, hoping for the action to say more than her words ever could. She tried to pull back, but Jadzia leaned forward and deepened the kiss from an affectionate one into one of passion. It lasted only for a moment before they separated, still leaning their foreheads against one another.

"I have something for you." Jadzia finally spoke up, breaking the embrace and leading Lenara over to sit on the couch.

"A surprise?" Lenara asked with a knowing smile. "How did you ever manage to keep the secret?"

"I didn't." Jadzia replied. "I just told everyone I spoke to not tell you about it."

Lenara smiled. She knew the woman before her by now. Knew her habits, however strange the klingon ones were, she accepted them as another charming part of her Jadzia Dax. She knew her enough to know that keeping secrets was not her strong suite. Jadzia reached into her pocket and pulled out the small velvet box and Lenara gasped in response as it was laid in her hands.

"Open it." Jadzia said.

Lenara opened the box and what she saw took her breath away. It was a silver necklace with a diamond star hanging from it.

"Dax, where did you ever find this?" Lenara asked in awe as she removed the chain and its star carefully, setting the empty box down on the coffee table.

"I found it in Dahkur last month with Kira." Dax explained. "It reminded me of the Nobian star. Do you remember it?"

"Vividly." Lenara stated as she attached the silver chain around her neck.

"It's beautiful on you." Jadzia said earnestly.

"Thanks." Lenara replied with a genuine smile.

Jadzia leaned forward and met her in another kiss. It was a kiss of the world, a moment in the pristine clearness of space where time seemed to stop only for them. Lenara brought her arms up to wrap around Jadzia's neck as she pulled her closer. It was like there was no one else in the world except for them. It was a time for love and it was there's to have despite the consequences of any society or government. They were here, together. This was real, not a dream. Jadzia pulled Lenara closer and moved her lips from the mouth of her partner to her chin and neck. This was a night only the two of them could experience: their first experience together in the station. Truly, in both this lifetime and the last, love was the most beautiful feeling someone could have. It conquers all and brings stark military nations to their knees with a sigh. Amazing, that such a humbling feeling could belong to two individual souls.

It was there's to have and they would do with it what they pleased.

Author's Note: I wrote this because there are very few Jadzia and Lenara fanfics on and I just wanted to add my own twist on the story. Likes? Dislikes? Complaints? Questions? Please read and tell me what you like and what I can improve upon! I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks!