"You broke up with Ezri?"
"No, Ezri and I were never involved. We were just resurrecting Jadzia. If only I had known how much she had loved me..."
"Who had loved you? Jadzia?"
"Yes. At least that's what Ezri and I were able to figure out. She can't balance out her symbiont, and there I was, encouraging Jadzia to take over her completly! And here she comes now." He gestured over to Ezri. She plopped down next to Miles. "Hi Chief. Hi Julian."
There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment or two. Then Ezri sighed, "Are we just going to sit here and be silent?"
"You remember what we said before this happened." Julian said sadly. "That we couldn't go back. We were right."
Ezri nodded. "Julian, I want to thank you for something."
This took Julian by surprise. "What?"
"You've helped me balance out Jadzia's feelings and mine by giving me insight into which are mine and which are hers."
"And what feelings are yours?" asked Miles.
"Various," replied Ezri. "I think Jadzia was a little colder then I am, all in all. I am now completely Benjamin's pupil, after being first his mentor and then his equal. Worf and I are friends, but I don't think we'll ever be anything more then that. I think he's been thinking about Commander Troi lately, but from what I last heard, she's involved with Commander Riker. But the greatest difference puzzles me a lot."
"What's the difference?" asked Julian.
Ezri pointed towards Jake Sisko, on the other side of the bar. "Him."
It took a moment for it to sink in.
"Him?" demanded Julian. "You're in love with him?"
"Yes." said Ezri, "and that is definitly not Jadzia. I realized just a while ago that I had feelings for him. I think that's what really spilt us up."
"You're in love with Jake?" Miles practicly yelled.
"Miles!" they both hissed at him. "Keep it down!"
One look at Jake's face across the bar and they all knew he had heard every word. Then he got up and approached.
Ezri fled.
Jake gazed at Miles and Julian. They both simultaneously pointed after Ezri. Jake took off.
Ezri made a dash for the turbolift. She had barely reached it and spoken a destination when Jake leapt into the turbolift with her.
Julian, Miles, and Quark gazed at the now innocent-looking turbolift doors. "Hold it," said Quark, who took the next turbolift.
"Maybe there is still some hope that you and Ezri can stay friends." offered Miles.
"I hope so," replied Julian.
In the turbolift several moments passed in silence. Then Ezri asked, "What did you do that for?"
"I need to tell you something," Jake replied. "Remember when we first met?"
"Dax or Ezri?"
"Ezri. When you spoke to me, I felt something. Every time we exchanged words, I felt a shiver. I assumed it to be just a crush, and that it would stop when I met another pretty face. But I've seen a ton of girls since, and it didn't."
"I noticed you felt uncomfortable. And I got nervous interacting with you."
"You started avoiding me," Jake continued. "I missed you, and thought I had spent too much time on the station. So I went on field interviews. Traveled all over the quadrant. Dad started to get worried. He demanded to know what was wrong."
"What did you tell him?" asked Ezri nervously.
"I told him how I felt about you, and he told me a lot which I don't remember any more." The turbolift doors opened, and they stepped out into the corridor. "I love you, Ezri." Jake blurted out suddenly. "Well?" he demanded when Ezri didn't respond.
"You got it out..." Ezri started. She turned towards Jake. Then she acted on complete impulse. She lunged forward and kissed him.
She hit him so hard he nearly staggered back. His arms flew around her and he kissed her back.
Then they heard Quark. "Excuse me, Mr. Sisko; are you going to pay for that drink you ordered?"
They turned torwards the turbolift, where the Ferengi was standing, trying to look angry and more or less failing.
Jake pulled out several strips of latinum and handed them to Quark. "Thank you," he replied before redirecting the turbolift.
Jake pulled Ezri closer. "Now where were we?"