By Noelle Morrow

Standard disclaimer applies. Paramount owns it.

I have fun with it. Don't steal it from either of us

WORF

"...We managed to escape, we always escape. I just wish we could score a few victories once in awhile. All in all, though, I'm managing. It would be a serious overstatement to say that I'm fine, because I'm not. I'm just taking things one day at a time. I miss you, Worf, I love you. Write me as soon as you can, and take care of yourself, I mean it. I worry about you constantly. Don't make me a widow before I'm even married."

I had read Jadzia's latest letter for the fourth time. Every night, after my duty shift, I went to my room and read the letters she sent me. It took me hours to fall asleep each night, I worried about everything, I worried about my family on Earth, I worried that we weren't doing so well in this war, and I worried about Jadzia. If only we could be in the same place, then I could keep an eye on her, protect her. Yes, I know Jadzia doesn't *need* my protection, but I wanted to give it anyway.

Jadzia and I had seen each other twice since we parted on the station. She immediately wanted to begin making plans for our wedding. I told her that it could wait, but she insisted on talking about it, she said it gave her something positive to look forward to.

Surprisingly, she was the one who suggested we have a traditional Klingon ceremony. I pointed out that she was not Klingon, and her response was that she'd had five Trill ceremonies throughout the years, and was ready for a change.

The next morning, Martok called me into his office, he was wearing an unusual smirk, "We have a new course, heading 175 mark 9."

"Aye sir, I will make the course correction," I turned to leave, but he stopped me.

"We'll be rendezvousing with the Defiant, I have a meeting with Captain Sisko."

I spun around and faced him, "When do we arrive?"

Martok laughed, "I see *that* got your attention. Tomorrow morning at warp six."

"Warp eight, perhaps?" I asked.

He continued to chuckle, and placed a friendly hand on my shoulder, "All in good time, my friend. I know you're anxious, but she will be there."

"It has been several weeks since we have seen one another," I said to myself as I stroked my beard. I had carelessly allowed it to grow wild, and I knew Jadzia liked it trimmed. I would have to do so before tomorrow.

"The way things are going, it may be a long time before you have your wedding. Even with our combined Klingon and Federation fleet, we are unable to defeat our enemy. We score a few minor victories here and there, but the Dominion is far outweighing us," Martok sighed, "Aah, but it is not over yet. And the minefield is still in tact, that is a plus for us."

"We will *not* fail," I said definitely, though I did not totally believe it.

"I am glad you have faith, my friend. We're going to need it."

~~~~

Nights aboard the Rotarran varied for me. I got along exceptionally well with the crew, and sometimes I would stay in the mess hall for hours listening to stories and drinking blood wine. I felt like a real warrior, as if I truly belonged.

Then there were times, times like tonight, when I lied awake in my barrack, noticing how the rivets in the ceiling bore a striking resemblance to Trill markings. Each morning, I would get up early to read the battle reports, I would scan the list nervously, making sure the words, "U.S.S. Defiant- Destroyed," were not there.

I considered reading her letters again, perhaps that would make the time pass. I knew I would see her the next day, but the night hours would not seem to end quickly enough.

JADZIA

"You can smile, you know," Ben said

I tried to force it back, "You're meeting with General Martok, what's so great about that?"

"His first officer."

That did it. My face burst into a giddy toothy grin that made Benjamin laugh, "I never imagined the Old Man would get married."

"We've got two hours until they rendezvous, let's talk about something else," I said.

"Okay," he headed for the replicator for another cup of raktajino. I didn't know at the time, but Martok's ship was only minutes away, not hours Ben was trying to surprise me.

"So where do you think Starfleet will be sending us next?"

"I don't know, but if I have anything to say about the matter, we'll be going right back to the front lines."

We touched our mugs together, the prospect of fighting the Jem'Hadar face to face until they were all dead was very fulfilling at the moment.

"Well said, Captain. And my ship will be at your side."

I knew that voice anywhere, it was Martok. And if Martok was here, that only meant--

"Worf!"

I didn't care about inhibitions, my lover was standing right there, and I wanted desperately to be in his arms, Automatically, my feet propelled me toward him and I jumped into his arms, literally. He cradled my body and we kissed one another. Our eyes met, and I smiled at him for a moment.

"Tell her," Martok said gruffly to Worf.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"It can wait," Worf eyes shifted from mine to Martok's, and then to the floor.

"No," the General demanded, "It cannot," he stood before the replicator, "Raktajino- It has been weighing heavily on his mind."

My hands nervously traversed his broad shoulders, "What is it, Worf, what's wrong?"

With a sigh, he let me stand on my own feet again, "It is about our wedding."

That's it? I'd been waiting to hear some huge revelation. "You're getting cold feet?"

Without hesitation, Worf blurted, "You have scheduled the ritual sacrifice of the targ to occur after the wedding feast has been served."

This was so typical Worf, now I knew why I missed him so much, "We haven't seen each other in five weeks and that's the first thing you say to me?"

"We agreed it would be a traditional ceremony," he said gently, as if I didn't know, as if it weren't my idea.

"Okay, have it your way. First we'll shed blood and then we'll feast."

"As it should be."

"He has been unable to speak of anything else for days," Martok added.

I looked up adoringly at my lover, and rested my hands on his shoulder, "He is such a worrier."

"Take it from me, Old Man," Ben spoke up, "A small wedding is the way to go."

"Well, you get married the way you want," I nuzzled my body close to his, "And I'll get married the way I want."

Worf took my hand, I knew he was ready to leave, "I'll see you later Captain."

"Try not to break any bones," He added jovially. I crossed my fingers and smiled in response as we left together.

"So, are there any other concerns I should know about?" I teased Worf as we walked down the corridor. He answered me by backing me against the bulkhead and planting another kiss on my lips, this one a lot more passionate than the previous. I gripped his shoulders tightly, not ever wanting this to end, but, it did.

"Well, " I began, panting once it was over, "I guess you missed me."

"I did. Very much"

"This is hell," I whispered, as I touched his face, which was still only centimeters from mine, "I never realized how hard it is being apart until I had someone to be apart from."

"I know exactly what you mean"

"Come on," We linked hands again and I led him down a series of corridors. The last time we'd seen one another, five weeks ago, I beamed aboard the Rotarran with Ben, and the time before that we were both on Starbase 375.

"These are my quarters," Worf noted.

"Yes, they are," I said as we entered, "I wanted to stay here, is that okay with you?"

"Of course. We will be living together soon, anyway."

I grunted, "I don't know *how* you and I are going to stand one another on a full time basis. We barely get along when we live apart."

"We *do* get along."

"Worf, I don't think you and I have gone a single day without having some type of dispute."

"We have not argued in five weeks," he pointed out.

"We haven't *seen* each other in five weeks."

Worf came near me and folded me into his arms, "We get along well enough. We survived a year together and we are both still alive."

"The way this war is going, that might change."

"Do not speak like that, Jadzia."

I pulled myself away from him, "Fine."

He narrowed his eyes, "How have you been?"

"Okay, I guess," I sat down in the small desk chair, "Do you know what I really want to do?"

"What?"

"I want to get in a runabout, you and I, put the thing on warp nine and not stop until we're years from anything related to the Dominion or the Federation. Then we could be together, get married, and just be happy. It's a dream I have sometimes."

"I often have a similar dream."

"Why don't we, then?" I said, "We could get away from all this, just forget about it."

Worf shook his head, "You do not want to do that, and neither do I. We could not live with ourselves if we ran away, warriors do not run away."

"I know. I try to remember what you said, about focusing on the task at hand, but it isn't easy. I miss you."

Worf sat on the other side of the tiny room, "You have not been crying about this, have you?"

"And if I have?"

"You are stronger than that, Dax. You should not let something like this situation bring you to tears."

"Why can't you be compassionate, just once in your life?"

"If I were, would I be the man you fell in love with?"

I laughed a little, "I guess not. "

Worf lowered his voice, "I do not want you to cry because, because I could not bear the thought of it."

I blushed, "You know, you amaze me. You like to act like you're *so* hard and uncaring, and that nothing bothers you. I know better. I know how you *really* are."

"And you are the *only* person who knows."

"Your secret's safe with me," I whispered.

We shared a moment of silence, but it wasn't awkward. It was filled with emotion and promise. I turned my eyes from him for a moment, then looked back up at him seductively. I stood and placed myself on his lap, "So, you want to break some bones?"

"I thought you would never ask."

~finis