Standard disclaimer
applies. Paramount owns it. I have fun with it. Don't steal it from either
of us
JADZIA
I stretched my arms over my head and yawned, "Worf!" I called groggily. He'd left the light on in my bedroom, *again*, and it woke me up.
"What is it?" my eyes were squinted and I could barely see him come in the room, fastening his sash over his shoulders.
"You left the light on."
"Why then did you not it them off?"
"Because *you* left it on."
Worf groaned, "Computer, decrease lights."
I smiled and snuggled into my pillow, "Thank you Wait a minute, what time is it?"
"A little after 0200 hours," he answered.
"What are you doing up so early?"
"Captain Sisko wants me to supervise the alpha shift battle drills," Worf sat on the bed next to me, "What are you doing today?"
"I'm working with Rom and Miles on creating some effective mines. I'll probably be home late."
He nodded, "I might go home and rest between shift drills. With all that is going on, I have not had much sleep lately."
"Go home?" I asked, "When's the last time you went there?"
"I do not *live* here, Dax," he pointed out.
"I know, but, you've spent every night for the past month here with me, I'm starting to get used to you."
He gave me a gentle smile, "Very well."
"Good. I'll see you later today, at least, I'll *try*."
Worf tipped his head and planted a kiss on my cheek before leaving. I figured I could get at least three more hours of sleep before I had to be up again. Worf wasn't the only one not getting much sleep, with the Jem'Hadar threat looming over our heads, every officer on the station was working double, sometimes triple shifts. It was nice, hell, it was wonderful, having him so close to me, but I rarely got to see him.
I couldn't wait for this to all just be over. Worf and I scheduled to go to Earth together next month, I was finally going to meet his family. I knew them, and they knew me, but a meeting like this was very monumental.
Every since we left Gaia, I had been thinking a lot about our future together. It's been almost a year since we first got together, and I can safely say that Jadzia Dax has never loved anyone the way I love Worf now. And I can also safely say that I can't imagine being without him. It's been one hell of a year, and we did start out a little unsteady, but, that was to be expected.
So, that day as I sat and listened to Rom go on and on about his upcoming marraige to Leeta, I made a decision. I was going to marry Worf. Next month, when we go to Earth, I would let him know that I was ready to belong to him fully, that I wanted to be his wife.
WORF
"Here are the duty assignments," I handed Dax a padd, "I feel as if I am forgetting something," I nervously stroked my beard, "Remember, the Chief hasn't had a chance to realign the jyro stabilizers, so avoid any sharp turns."
Dax cocked and eyebrow, "I can handle this, Worf."
"I know," I said, trying to convince myself of it. Command wasn't exactly Jadzia's strong suit, yet she was going to be commanding the Defiant as it deployed the minefield at the entrance to the wormhole. Normally, I would command, but Captain Sisko needed me on the station.
"Three days, then I'll be done. Don't worry yourself to death while I'm gone."
I nodded, and nervously looked around the bridge. She was seated in the captain's chair, and I stood over her. There were several crewmen walking about, "If the Dominion attacks while you are still deploying the field.... "
"I'll have to count on you to keep them off me."
"I will do what I can. Just be careful."
"Worf, I don't *plan* to get killed out here."
I was not in the mood for her jokes, I was genuinely worried about her.
"Is there anything else?" she asked.
I shook my head, "No."
She took her hand in mine, "I'll be *fine*. You take care of yourself, Commander. It's only three days."
My hand gently squeezed hers, and I left the Defiant. This was not good. Not good at all. Jadzia had been working for the past two weeks, day and night on the minefield. The worse part about her being on the Defiant at this particular time, was that I would not be there to watch her, to make sure she was okay and protect her if necessary. She was alone, and I knew I would not get any sleep those three days, even if her gentle scent was embedded in the sheets.
~~~~
Later that evening, Captain Sisko met with Weyoun. After the meeting, he called myself, Martok, Dr, Bashir and Major Kira into his office. There would be an attack, tomorrow. There was no way that the minefield would be finished in time, so not only would we be defending the station, but the Defiant as well.
I was assigned to weaponry, and when the first wave came in, I was ready. Starfleet sent no reinforcements, so it was just us and the Rotarran, Martok's ship. As I was firing, I forced myself to focus on the battle, focus on destroying ships. All I thought about was Dax, defenseless and vulnerable, an easy and valuable target for the Dominion. This had all happened so fast, we were now fighting for our lives against Cardassia's new allies.
The station took heavy damage, but we had successfully kept the enemy at bay, and Jadzia had just reported that the minefield was in place. The tide had turned in our direction, and I was now confident that we would prevail. That is why Captain's Sisko's words came us such a shock.
"We ve done all we can here. Notify all remaining Starfleet personnel. We're evacuating the station. "
A deadly silence fell over ops. Kira locked eyes with Sisko, and she looked as if she'd cry. Evacuate? In the heat of battle, when a victory was so close at hand? It made no sense to me yet, I did not outwardly object.
" Major Kira, Mr. Worf, I need to see you in my office."
We quickly follwed Captain Sisko up the steps. The door closed with a hissing sound behind us, I know this comes as a surprise, to me just as much as to you," he let out a painful sigh, "Starfleet is willing to *sacrifice* DS9 for now," I could tell by his tone that plan didn't thrill him, "The plan was to fight long enough to get the minefiled activated and then get out. Mr. Worf, you re being assigned to General Martok s ship, the Rotarran. We need a Federtion liaison among the empire, and you re the best man for the job."
"I curtly nodded, Aye sir."
Sisko turned to Kira, "After we've gone, I want you to send out a welcome message to the Dominion, and then activate program Sisko 197."
"What will the program do?"
"He smiled, I'm returning this station to Dukat in the same condition he gave it to me," he sighed again, obviously not ready to say the good byes that he knew were in order.
"Dismissed."
JADZIA
I could feel the adrenaline pumping in my body. I had just been ordered to bring the Defiant back to the station. I assumed I'd be heading to my post in ops, taking my place in the battle. However, Just as we docked, I got a comm from Ben that did *not* make me happy.
"Sisko to Dax."
I activated the small screen on the command chair, "Dax here".
"We're evacuating the station, prepare a crew roster for the Defiant, you'll be serving as my first officer."
I stared at Ben, maybe I'd heard him wrong, "Excuse me?"
"It's over Old Man. All Starfleet personnel will be permanently assigned to the Defiant. You'll be my executive officer."
*I'd* be the XO? That was Worf's job, "What about Worf?"
"He's going to serve aboard Martok's ship."
I silently sucked in a sharp breath. I wanted to demand an explanation, but I knew now wasn't the time. My stomach hurt, this was too much, too fast, I'm certain Ben could see the disappointment in my eyes, "Oh, I see I'll get right on it. Dax out."
Slowly I stood from the chair. My hands were shaking. We were at war, and Worf would be gone. It could be months before we saw one another. I knew I should be completing the crew roster, but, instead my feet guided me back to DS9. My heart was pounding, this couldn't be any worse. What if he was gone already, I wouldn't get a chance to say good bye, or to tell him I love him? I had to see him, I *had* to.
There he was. I could see his foreboding frame come down the corridor towards the Defiant's airlock. He was pushing through the crowd, and so was I, "Worf!"
"Jadzia," we finally stood before one another, "You should be on the Defiant."
There he goes again, always telling me what I *should* be doing, "I heard you're not coming with us, that you've been assigned to Martok's ship."
"It may be some time before we see each other again."
"Worf, we may never see each other again," I said helplessly.
"This is war, we must put aside our personal feelings and focus on the task at hand."
That had always been so much easier for him than me, "I've been through my share of wars, I know what I have to do," I gripped his arms with my hands, all of a sudden right now seemed like the perfect time to tell him, especially since a vacation to Earth was out of the question, "But before you leave, I want you to know that the answer is yes."
"Yes? Yes to what?"
"Yes, I will marry you. That's what you've wanted from the begining, isn't it?"
I could see how stunned he was, "Yes, yes it is."
I tried to smile, though I wanted to burst into tears, "Then when all of this is over, we'll get married. And if that doesn't give you a reason to survive, I don't know what will."
I kissed him, one last time, before we parted.
WORF
I was supposed to be on my way to upper pylon one where the Rotarran was, but, instead, I was headed to airlock six, the Defaint s airlock. Swarms of officers were on thier way there, and I wished they would just get out of his way. I did not have much time, and there was no way I could leave without saying goodbye to Jadzia.
"Worf," I heard her voice, and amzingly, she was right there at the airlock, Waiting for me, no doubt.
"Jadzia," Dax pushed through the crowd to get to me, "You should be on the Defiant."
"I heard you re not coming with us, that you ve been assigned to Martok s ship," she said.
"It may be some time before we see each other again..."
"Worf, we may never see each other again."
"This is *war*. We must put aside our personal feelings and focus on the task at hand," I did not like to shield myself from her, but right now it was best. I did not want her to see how desperate and helpless I was feeling.
"I've been through my share of wars," she said, momentarily lowering her eyes, "I know what I have to do. But before you leave," she gripped my forearms, " I want you to know that the answer is yes.
"Yes," I nervously looked around, realizing there was not much time left, "Yes to what?"
"Yes I will marry you. That's what you've wanted from the begining, isn't it?"
My eyes widened. This was unbelievable, did I just hear what I think I did? Did Jadzia, terrified of commitment Jadzia, just agree to marry me? "Yes," I said, my voice filled with awe, "Yes it is."
"Then when all of this is over, we'll get married. And if that doesn t give you a reason to survive, I don't know what will," Jadzia cupped my face in her hands and gently kissed my lips. She turned and left, stepping back into the airlock.
Slowly, I started down the corridor, letting what she said sink in. Jadzia Dax was going to be my wife. My *wife*. I turned back around and entered the airlock, "Jadzia!" She faced me. I swept her up in my arms and kissed her powerfully. A single tear fell down her cheek, "I love you," I said against her lips.
"I love you too."
"I have to go."
"I'm going to miss you."
"I will miss you, as well."
Jadzia stepped back and squeezed my hand, "It won't be long now, promise. And when this all ends..."
"We will be married."
~The End~
Have something to say about this story? Visit the Discussion Area!
Go back to the Archive