House of Mirrors - RogueAquarius (2024)

Chapter 1: Family Reunion

Chapter Text

It was a slow day in Quarks that was part of a longer stretch of quiet days for the station in general. Julian wasn't even bothering to play darts, just watching Miles go at it while Jadzia entertained a crowd.

"So there's this anomaly and..." Jadzia began ominously, only for her voice to suddenly brighten, "...nothing happened!"

The small group that had been hanging around the senior officers looking for some exciting stories groaned audibly. Julian imagined he was one of the few who wasn't going stir crazy yet.

Back in medical school, he'd been all but allergic to boredom. It was part of why he'd made the admittedly impulsive decision to come to DS9 in the first place. He still cringed at the thought of how he'd said he wanted to practice 'frontier medicine' to Kira.

He was deeply happy that he hadn't explained she had the wrong impression. Bajor wasn't the frontier in his mind. This sector of the quadrant was. Even before the wormhole opened and the Gamma quadrant had become more than the mythical wilds beyond reach.

“Christ on a crutch, Jadzia. We're not supposed to talk about that," Miles grumbled from behind his pint. His work was still a veritable mountain, thanks to the less than stellar state of the station. He was due for some fun, but there simply hadn't been any to have at the moment since the holosuite's offerings were feeling a touch stale.

"Oh, lighten up, Miles," Jadzia said, lazily throwing a dart that landed well. Their game was half-hearted, much like the story she'd told. Julian was only keeping score due to his inability to do otherwise.

Thoroughly disinterested, Julian's eyes drifted up to the second story. Garak was there, pretending to drink but really just people watching. A semi-routine occurrence now, much like the calculation Julian was doing in his head.

Miles was probably going to want to linger in the bar for a minimum of forty-five minutes. Garak would remain for a maximum of thirty. If Julian left to join Garak, Miles would be an absolute wanker for a week.

Julian debated what strategy to deploy to get Miles to leave early when Jadzia nudged him hard in the ribs. He pretended like it hurt. It hadn't been a light tap, and love her as much as he did, she needed the occasional reminder that not everyone was as tough as a Klingon.

"Juju!" Someone called loudly. It was a lower female voice that resonated with operatic precision through Quarks.

"Ex or current misses?" Jadzia asked playfully. Julian could only frown. He'd never heard that voice before and wasn't sure why Jadzia seemed confident it was aimed at him. No one called him anything like that. He turned to look a half-second before a bronze form decked in red collided with him.

"Couldn't bother to pick me up?" the woman demanded as she gave a hug that threatened to crack ribs. Literally. Julian could tell that an average human would have been screaming in pain where he only found it uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" Julian asked in complete shock. She had a similar complexion to him with black hair and the same odd eyes. Her build was also on the lean and lithe side, her curves small but visible with a sweet face and long neck.

There was a lot to take in, but his eyes lingered on her clothes as she broke away from the hug she'd foisted on him. A tunic and pant set with a subtle gold geometric pattern, embroidery, and a particular style to the cut. Especially the neckline that showed off just a bit of collar bones. It looked positively Cardassian, but more specifically like a certain resident tailor had made it.

"Eh? I know you're mad, little brother, but that's a bit much!" she said, irritable as she stepped back from him. She crossed her thin arms over her chest, and an alert went off in Julian's head. Something about the clothes tugged at him though he couldn't say what.

"You have a sister?" Miles and Jadzia demanded together in very different tones. Miles was offended at not knowing. Jadzia was delightfully livid about not being in on the gossip.

Julian said nothing, his mind scanning the woman's features as he tried to understand what her game was. She was clearly an augment. Her strength alone proved that, and she really did look like him too.

It made him question if she were a later creation of the Adigeon Prime facility. Perhaps they'd used his or his parent's DNA to create a new subject to experiment on since his procedure had gone well.

"I know I haven't been around, but this is cold," the woman said unhappily.

"Miss… I feel like there's been some kind of… Well, that is to say, I don't actually know you. So I'd like to take you to the infirmary and see if we can't get this sorted out," Julian said gently, putting on his professional manner with practiced ease. He didn't know what the hell was going on, and it was a bit disturbing. As much the possibility of a long-lost sister as the way she looked at him. She didn't seem to consider him a stranger at all.

"Juli-" she paused, eyebrows knitting. After a sigh, she seemed to steel herself then spouted a string of what sounded like gibberish with a somber expression. Julian took it in, his UT giving an error tone through the whole thing.

It clicked suddenly. She hadn't been speaking nonsense. It was cryptophasia, twin speak. She'd been testing him.

The woman's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Julian knew he'd failed but couldn't do anything about it. He was too busy fending off the knife she seemed to produce from nowhere. He brought his arms up to shield his vitals, but that was all he could do.

This woman wasn't giving him even an inch—her inhuman reflexes conspiring with his habit of never performing at capacity. He wondered if this was going to be how he'd die as the knife sliced into his forearm.

It wasn't until the last moment that Julian realized she wasn't going to kill him. The blade grazed him lightly, slicing through his uniform and into his skin. How intentional that was, he couldn't be sure. From above, a kanar glass came streaking down to shatter where she'd been standing a moment earlier.

Garak followed, landing between him and the woman. Julian had known he was drinking on the upper level but hadn't expected such a quick reaction and was thankful for it.

Julian half expected Garak to let out a hiss or some kind of quip, but he was utterly silent. His eyes were trained on the woman. She likewise seemed to be staring but easily dodged Miles' attempt to grab her from the side.

She let Miles' momentum carry him past her with only a small movement. Thankfully she didn't follow up with the knife, or the Irishman might well have ended up dead. Jadzia's response was more measured. She'd stepped back and used her com.

"Miss, I'm genuinely sorry that there's been some kind of misunderstanding," Julian began. He wanted to diffuse the situation if possible. Something he wouldn't have thought possible until a fraction of a second earlier.

Despite how she'd attacked, she wasn't moving in for another attempt. Her stance was nimble and defensive, foot position suggesting her next move would be a dash for an exit. She didn't seem interested in further confrontation but held her place anyway.

Why was simple to see, Garak had her attention but wasn't her chief focus. No, that was Julian's wound and her knife on which his blood lay.

"Surrender your weapon!" Odo's voice rang out. Compliantly, with her eyes now fully riveted on Garak, the woman dropped her knife and went down on her knees. Her hands were behind her head when Odo surged forward to envelop her like a golden wave.

"It was another test," Julian said in astonishment.

"I beg your pardon, dear?" Garak asked. His were eyes still on the woman as Odo carried her off unprotesting. It wasn't until she was out of Quark's that Garak relaxed and turned to look at Julian properly.

"She thought I was her brother and tested my identity, and when I failed," Julian gestured to the gash, "she cut me to check if I was a changeling. I think."

"Or you're in shock and making up a story for why a crazy woman tried to stab you," Garak said bluntly. His breathing was ragged and his pupils tightly constricted, full fight mode Julian realized. Garak had viewed the woman as a threat. Still seemed to, going by his continued vigilance.

"Sorry, thank you for your help. I should have said that first," Julian said quickly.

"I'll escort you to the infirmary before you ruin any more of the carpet," Garak said with a dismissive shake of his head for the thanks. Julian nodded, disinterested in his own injury but thinking. He'd need to run some tests on the woman, but those could wait.

First things first, he needed to make sure Garak hadn't ruined his knees with his heroic rescue. It would be just like him to sweep in like that then hide any resulting pain.

Once they were in the infirmary, they bickered. Garak insisted Julian check himself for poison then refused medical treatment despite limping a bit. Julian only convinced him to allow it by pointing out that he'd need to be in top shape if his sister - if the woman - was a crazy assassin like Garak assumed.

Chapter 2: Julia

Chapter Text

Despite the scene she’d caused, the woman who named herself as Julia Bashir was entirely co-operative after her arrest. Sisko had some very loud things to say when Julian explained the circ*mstances of his injury and his thoughts on the matter.

“So she’s a mentally unstable augment?” Sisko asked as he scrubbed a hand over his face. It was not an easy situation.

“Not that I observed, Sir. From what I can tell she might be operating under an incorrect assumption or false memories, but at present she’s behaved in a rational and measured fashion,” Julian said, despite the knot in his guts. Medically there was a huge difference between having an incorrect understanding of one's identity and mental instability. He wasn’t entirely sure that would matter in this case however.

“And you don’t want me to report her existence?” Sisko asked.

“Section 31 would be alerted if you did, Sir. I think it's better to assess her ourselves before painting a target on her,” Julian explained. Only Garak had seen enough to know she was an augment so far. Miles and Jadzia had only heard her claim of kinship and found her to be a trained fighter. The story was still controllable for the moment.

“Doctor, why exactly do you think that's something we should do?” Sisko asked.

“She’s pregnant, Sir,” Julian said flatly. The commander's eyes widened for a moment as the empathy he’d been restraining took hold. Sisko was a good father and Julian knew he’d use a lighter touch in a family matter. Even if Julia wasn’t actually his sister he didn’t want her and her child to end up locked in some asteroid facility or made into hunting dogs for Section 31.

“Fine, figure out what she’s capable of and have her mental state thoroughly assessed,” Sisko conceded finally. It wasn’t an ideal option but he’d rather regret sheltering someone in good faith than in turning out someone in need.

“I’ll see to it, Sir,” Julian replied resolutely. He hadn’t had any time to run tests yet but he was glad for his memory. The cut of her tunic with pleated gore to accommodate an expanding waistline and the slight pregnancy rash on her wrist had been clue enough. She’d willingly confirmed it when queried on his behalf by Odo.

With Sisko’s begrudging blessing Julian made his way to security. Odo buzzed him through with a cold look but said nothing. Julia was waiting for him in the same outfit he’d last seen her in a few hours earlier. Beside her on the bench was an ignored set of clothes reserved for more long term ‘guests’ of security.

“I apologize about what happened before, Dr. Bashir. I thought my brother had been replaced by a Founder again,” Julia said amicably. Sitting demurely on the security cell’s bunk she looked absolutely harmless. It was honestly disconcerting how at ease she seemed.

“Well, it is what it is. I’d like to take a blood and tissue sample if I may,” Julian asked instead of demanding. She wasn’t exactly in a position to refuse, but he wasn’t in the habit of antagonizing people needlessly.

“You may,” Julia said simply. Julian couldn’t help a little flinch when the small opening was created for her to reach out so he could take samples. He knew of augments and their terrifying combat prowess, but he’d never seen it in action. When Julia had cut him it had been an eye-opening experience.

“I’ll see if we can't figure out what's going on,” Julian offered. He’d already run down most of the probable scenarios but there were still too many options.

“From where I’m sitting it can only be a simulation or that I’ve found myself in a parallel reality. Though obviously, run your tests. I could just be a madwoman,” Julia said cheerfully. Julian opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. From her perspective those probably were the only reasonable options.

“Dr. Bashir… my only question is about your status in Starfleet, and if my presence might complicate that,” Julia said flatly, eyes alight with concern. Julian paused, about to say a polite denial, until he realized the implications. If anything she said was true, she was his augmented sister. There was no way he’d get out of being checked over with a fine-tooth comb once the report was filed.

“No, it was revealed a little while ago by accident... by my parents,” Julian answered honestly. The news was old though and had been spread publicly. There wasn’t any point in hiding it.

“The disaster duo, at it again,” Julia said with dramatic irritation. Julian couldn’t help but laugh at that. He wasn’t used to others looking just as put out by his parents as he was. Even if it was an act, it was a comforting one.

“Tell me… your brother, was he like me? I mean, my parents had the procedure done because I wasn’t...” Julian started only to falter.

“Because he was learning-delayed and my father is a pompous egomaniacal ass? Yes. I got it because I was painfully average and our mother’s sense of fairness, which wasn’t at all vanity, made her feel I should too. Father bemoaned the expense but agreed,” Julia replied with a bitter smile.

“You weren’t learning-delayed or autistic?” Julian asked, scandalized.

“Dr. Bashir… When I attacked you, it was half-hearted at best. Since you don’t have to hide your genetic status, why didn’t you defend yourself?” Julia asked.

“Honestly, I’ve never trained to fight. I mean, I’m handy with a phaser between academy training and my reflexes but I’m so used to holding back that…” Julian realized that he could have died because he was too used to hiding his secret to fight back properly. That was sobering.

“You remind me of Juju so much it's painful,” Julia said with a long-suffering sigh.

“Not a fighter either then,” Julian said as he stowed the samples he’d taken and considered if he needed more. It would be better to get it all done at once rather than test Odo’s patience with repeat visits.

“He’s a doctor like you. He had crippling imposter syndrome after he found out about what had been done,” Julia said, looking pained.

“That… I can understand. Jules.. He died-” Julian stopped in surprise. He wanted to tell her everything he was feeling. She wasn't even doing anything really but he felt kinship all the same and a sense of familiarity. How awful his parents were, the stress of being augmented and having to hide it, he felt she would understand.

“Julian, am I a ghost? An imposter living in the skin of another woman?” Julia demanded. She wasn’t sitting anymore but standing at the barrier. A move she’d made in the blink of an eye.

“What? No, you're yourself obviously-” Julian said quickly, only to freeze. She’d undergone the same procedure as he had.

“It’s not the same,” Julian said weakly and hated himself for it.

“Our parents were willing to drown us like unwanted kittens in a river, Julian. Both of us. No child was ever going to be good enough for them, which is their flaw, not yours,” she said gently with steel in her eyes.

“That-” Julian faltered. He’d never spoken about that part of it to anyone but his parents themselves. They’d looked at him with incomprehension and acted like it was a crime not to force him to change to fit their ideals.

“You can't know that, not about me,” Julian protested.

“Can’t I?” Julia asked with knowing eyes. Instead of saying anything further she offered him a data chip that she’d produced from seemingly nowhere.

“I’d suspect your tailor gave you extra pockets but Odo would have found anything on you,” Julian said, amused despite himself.

“He found a lot of what was on me,” Julia said with a smile.

“Obviously you shouldn’t trust me nor the chip. Make sure you use a secure console that isn’t connected to the main system, but do take a look, little brother,” Julia finished. Julian hesitated but finally signaled for Odo to open up an access again and accepted it into a sample container. Like she said, he shouldn’t trust it and that ruled out touching it until it was examined.

“Alright, but I have questions about your clothes,” Julian said finally. He’d wanted to ask since he first entered but was still struggling. Julian was too familiar with Garak’s work to be convinced her outfit had come from any other source.

“Vulcan and Andorian stitching techniques in a Cardasian pattern on a custom Tholian silk blend,” Julia offered, doing a little turn so the hem of her tunic ballooned playfully.

“And yes, Garak made it for me as you can already tell,” she added after he grimaced.

“Why?” Julian asked finally. If it turned out she was from an alternate universe then all bets were off as to the state of things. He doubted it was like the mirror one going by her behavior and good health that didn’t limit the possibilities. Garak wouldn’t make an outfit like that for just anyone.

“Oh! Right, you don’t know these patterns. My brother and his Garak are about to become uncles in a few months,” Julia said with a cheerful grin.

“Who's the father then?” Julian asked in utter shock. A moment earlier he’d been concerned it was Garak but now he was totally adrift.

“Reginald Endicott Barclay III,” Julia said proudly.

“You're lying,” Julian said, scandalized. He had absolutely nothing against Reginald, hardly knew the man really. Reginald was intelligent and hard working. He’d published an innovative paper in his field.Something Julian only knew because of what he’d heard from Geordi LaForge. Data’s friend had painted a sympathetic but unflattering picture of Reginald as a socially awkward wreck with a holo addiction. Julian couldn’t imagine the man with Julia, let alone as a father to her child.

“Hey, you have no room to judge me. NONE! My child's father is a total sweetheart! Yours is an emotionally-constipated iguana!” Julia shot back, aiming a finger accusingly.

“Garak is not an iguana!” Julian shot back feeling absolutely indignant in a cheerful way. He added not giving him a sibling to his list of grievances with his parents.

Chapter 3: Fantasy

Chapter Text

It was two days before Julian was done running tests on Julia's samples. Not because it should have taken that long but because he kept scrutinizing the results and rerunning them.

He understood on a certain level that his sense that she was family wasn't itself healthy. It was a reaction to the hole in his heart his parents had left, and he'd been quietly trying to fill with friends and lovers.

That the tests declared that the woman was not just his twin but a semi-identical twin should have been irrelevant. They might be as close as opposite-sex siblings could be genetically, but that was it.

Instead, he found himself fretting about how she would be treated. She was an augment, Starfleet wouldn't take kindly to that, but she was expecting. The idea that she might be mistreated had his mind ablaze with worry.

"Dr. Bashir, I feel I'm not entertaining you today," Garak observed, not sounding irritated though. Almost as if he'd expected as much.

"My sister-" Julian stopped as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He hadn't said it aloud before, but now he felt the weight of it crashing down on him.

"So you confirmed that much of her story… Have you confirmed how that circ*mstance came to be?" Garak asked carefully.

"No, we talked a little then… Well, I had things to do and couldn't stay," Julian lied. He didn't imagine Garak actually believed him, but the other man let it go. The truth was that Odo had intervened and insisted he leave rather than chat amiably with a prisoner. It wasn't the first time it had happened.

"I see… forgive my vanity, but I had noticed her clothes which seemed rather like something I would have made. Did she perhaps have a version of me she was acquainted with?" Garak asked casually, and Julian held in a chuckle. He could understand being curious, but it was kind of cute to see Garak being so blatant about it.

"She did. She said her versions of us were going to be uncles soon. Apparently, you made that outfit with her pregnancy in mind," Julian confirmed.

"Would you like to talk to her?" Julian asked impulsively.

"I'm curious as to why you're extending me an invitation, doctor," Garak replied, mask firmly in place.

"It occurs to me that I can only confirm the genetic aspect of her story. The possibility she's from another reality isn't something I can confirm or deny yet… So I'd rather you try to see if you notice anything strange or helpful talking to her. I trust you to be considerate of her condition, unlike… other parties who will take an interest," Julian said honestly. He wasn't entirely sure who he was referring to. Section 31 was high on the list, but really, Starfleet intelligence and pretty much anyone he didn't explicitly trust was too.

"Why, that almost sounded like praise, my dear," Garak said lightly.

"It was Garak. I trust you," Julian replied flatly as his combadge beeped to let him know his break was over. He left Garak in stunned silence as he rushed to dispose of his tray and get back to work.

Garak, for his own part, had already known much of what Julian had just informed him. The meaning of the embroidery was clear. Julia was a beloved sister to some version of himself. The Cardassian patterns themselves didn't indicate the affection, only the relationship. Still, he knew how much of a pain the techniques employed were. He must have absolutely adored her to go to that much trouble.

It wasn't something that could be replicated either. Not even by a similarly skilled artisan. There was no frame of reference for it. He'd never made such a garment, not so much as doodled one. Family was not something he was accustomed to having. Still, the design fit his tastes to a disturbing degree and made him feel inspired.

Then there was the stance the woman had taken when she probed Julian. Human and Cardassian anatomy had some specific differences in tendon and muscle placements and attachments. They did not move in the same way as each other physically, yet he could see it—the influence of a Cardassian hand on her form. Someone with order training had given her pointers.

He'd already made up his mind that he'd have to speak to her. Interrogate her, if he were honest, but now he hesitated. Julian trusted him and was clearly affected by the fact she was pregnant. Garak wouldn't have done anything to endanger that state, but now he hesitated to even upset her.

Julian trusted him with his sister's well-being. Even if the new attachment running that deep that quickly seemed farcical, he couldn't ignore it. When he finally went to the security office later that day, it was with permission.

"I'm making a recommendation she be held in stasis," Odo grumbled as Garak passed.

"Why constable, that seems rather harsh," Garak said mildly. From what he knew of augments, he understood that it was a wise precaution in unstable individuals. Still, he hadn't noticed anything telling about Julia's behavior. It was decisive and brutal, but she'd probed Julian verbally before initiating the physical test.

"She walked out of her cell to inform me of a security exploit yesterday before walking back into it," Odo growled.

"That seems like an entirely polite thing to do. Really, I should think you'd praise her for it. Most prisoners don't assist their jailers in making their prisons more sound," Garak needled with a grin. It reminded him of his first encounter with Julia. She'd handled the possibility of Julian being a changeling remarkably. He honestly would have applauded her if he hadn't been seized with a protective rage at the time.

Leaving Odo to fume, Garak continued on to find her sitting placidly on the provided cot. Being in the holding area was uncomfortable after his own stay, but he fought that feeling down. Instead, he turned his attention to the task at hand.

Looking at Julia, he was once again struck by the depth of the resemblance. She was a pretty thing for a human, much like her brother. Despite being in drab garments of long-term prisoners this time, she wasn't much diminished. The clothes she'd worn before were obviously superior and highlighted her charms. Still, she wore the prisoner's outfit with calm dignity.

Really, she'd make an excellent model. Given an opportunity, he wanted to take a holo of her to use as an advertisem*nt for his shop. It would look absolutely fetching beside one of Julian.

"Shall I call you Garak?" Julia asked, sounding amused.

"That would do nicely," Garak conceded. He, in turn, was left a bit wrong-footed, not wanting to call her Bashir due to the connection to Julia but unwilling to use her first name. Both would bring a feeling of intimacy, and he didn't need to fall into that trap like a novice.

"Please feel free to ask me anything. I don't have anything to hide you're likely to care about," Julia continued, not seeming to care if he acknowledged how she'd be addressed.

"You seem quite calm about the situation," Garak commented.

"Well, it's not like the air is toxic or everyone I know is some kind of childish evil caricature of themselves. Finding myself in a place where I apparently never existed but is much the same is mostly… amusing, really," Julia replied placidly. Garak took his time observing her. She was well-rested and alert, with no signs of explicit discomfort aside from boredom.

"Do you genuinely believe you've found your way into a parallel dimension?" Garak asked. Interrogation was typically synonymous with torture, but that was intentional obfuscation. Instilling fear in an opponent had its advantages even before the game began.

"I'll admit it's a bit against the odds, but it's the only reasonable explanation since I ruled out a simulation on the first day," Julia answered. Garak was curious how she'd done that but didn't probe. It would be a waste of time if she were simply delusional.

"So tell me, do you have a means of proving that you're from a different dimension?" Garak asked.

"Not exactly, but there is the matter of how it occurred. There was an issue with a benign anomaly. I ended up teleporting from the ship I was on instead of docking. I can't be sure without access to sensors, but that's likely part of how this mess came to be," Julia said with a shrug.

"I'm sure Julian will come up with a method of determining my point of origin. Once he gets done being hung up about whatever has him running in circles in his head," Julia added.

"I suppose you're right," Garak said simply. He felt awkward, Julian had asked him to talk to Julia, but there weren't set questions to be answered. She'd explained how she thought things came about, but that wasn't evidence. It would have to be investigated. The lack of a set goal made the entire venture rather tenuous, too easily derailed.

"You look like you want to ask about my original clothes," Julia observed smugly. Garak suppressed a flinch. She was correct, but nothing she said would be meaningful if it turned out she was implanted with false memories. Still, he could deduce certain things about her mental state from further discussion.

"Yes, I have to say I found myself curious. Celebratory garments like that are common, but the embroidery was a little off," Garak conceded.

"It's possible there's a discrepancy between the meaning where I'm from and here. Or that you got a bit creative. This is my first personal pregnancy but not my first time carrying a child," Julia explained. That would cover the differences he'd noted.

"Did you perhaps carry chief O'Briens child?" Garak asked archly. He'd watched that situation with amusem*nt.

"What? No, it was yours and Julians," Julia said, making a face like she disapproved of Chief O'Brien. Really, it was astonishing how pleasant Garak was finding Julia. As her words sunk in, Garak, for a very brief moment, wondered if he'd blacked out with his eyes open.

"Pardon me but, you said it was mine and?" Garak ventured, knowing he hadn't heard wrong but feeling he must have.

"Julians. Mila was the one who insisted you use a surrogate. She felt like a birthing pod was too insecure," Julia said simply. Garak nodded. That did sound like something his mother would say.

A living woman was a better defense than a bit of machinery in an emergency—much more mobile too. For the first time, Garak wondered if, assuming her story was true, it had actually been him who had given her combat training.Tilting his head, he could just imagine Mila braiding Julia's hair and giving her knife lessons. She'd look as pleased as anything to find a daughter-in-law who would happily learn from her.

It was an attractive picture. Particularly since he had an arm around Julian's shoulders while they watched. Both safe from his mother's meddling while she fussed over Julia in the fantasy.

"Well, I've truly enjoyed chatting with you," Garak said, getting up to give a respectful goodbye. Even if she was absolutely mad, she was interesting to talk to. Julia returned the gesture of parting with good form, her grasp of Cardassian manners no surprise.

Alone aside from the ever-watchful eye of Odo at the monitoring station, Julia was left with her thoughts. Once Elim was gone, she let out a long sigh. It seemed like Julian and Elim were idiots about each other in any reality.

Chapter 4: Loved by All

Chapter Text

"Ms. Bashir, I find myself in an awkward situation regarding you," Sisko said unhappily. It had been a week since Julia Bashir had appeared out of seemingly thin air. Two days since Julian had, in fact, worked out a way to confirm she was a visitor from an alternate universe but not the mirror one.

"It's been made clear to me that your stay in a holding cell was entirely voluntary," Sisko added as he sat down, hands steepled. Odo had sent him a laundry list of Julia's polite observations of security weaknesses. A list he had engineering struggling to deal with as quickly as they could. Her explanation of how to disarm the security field with a hairpin had been alarming, to say the least.

"I apologize if I've caused you discomfort, Commander. I genuinely didn't plan to visit this version of the station," Julia replied, looking contrite. How exactly that mattered when the issue was her repeated jailbreaks, Sisko wasn't sure.

"In the interest of not creating larger problems, I've decided that while Chief O'Brien works on how to send you back that you'll be allowed to move freely on the station. The only limitation is that you can't leave without express permission. Is that acceptable?" Sisko asked.

"Entirely, though I'd like to request family quarters. I don't know how this Julian feels about it. Still, even if he's not interested in living together, I may need them. Depending on how long things take to sort out," Julia replied, patting her stomach. Sisko nodded, already aware she was pregnant and feeling a little sorry for her. She was taking things well so far, but he didn't imagine it was easy.

"Is there anything else you anticipate needing?" Sisko asked. Julia was thin like Julian despite being a few months along. Seeing her so skinny made him want to start making her some proper food and send it over. He appreciated that not all women put on as much weight or at the same time during pregnancy, but she was skinny as a rail.

"... Not exactly, but I've noticed that the station lacks many public facilities. On the one I'm familiar with Dr. O'Brien has a botanical bay," Julia explained. Sisko couldn't deny the station didn't have much in the way of public places outside of the promenade.

"I'm an engineer, among other things. So I was hoping I might make use of an empty cargo bay or two to keep myself occupied—Idol hands and all that," Julia requested.

"If you coordinate with Dr. O'Brien, then I'm sure an arrangement can be made," Sisko agreed tentatively. Miles had broached the idea at one point, but there hadn't been time. He was too busy keeping the station from falling apart or imploding.

If Julia wanted to take over, it would give her a benign activity to occupy herself with. One that could be easily monitored.

"Give me three, and I'll include a fresh foods facility. You'll never have to replicate earth herbs again," Julia added with an impish grin. Sisko found himself smiling in turn. Perhaps having a second Bashir around wouldn't be so bad. This one at least seemed to appreciate cooking properly.

"I appreciate all the consideration you've shown me, Commander," Julia said politely. Sisko stood up and escorted her out once they sorted a few details. Her false but accurate identity was registered as a limited profile in the station's system. She couldn't access much, but replicators and doors would recognize her normally.

Julia smiled at the senior staff as she was met by Odo, who escorted her out of ops. Sisko was being nice about things, but that didn't mean he trusted her. A good move in her book. Out of habit, she found herself studying the most interesting thing near her. That was, unfortunately, Odo.

"Your staring," Odo grumbled. He was disconcerted by the intensity of her gaze, which was trained on his hands. Most beings would look at his face.

"I apologize. I was merely observing your artistic choices," Julia replied, pulling her eyes away.

"Artistic?" Odo scoffed.

"Unless I'm mistaken, your appearance is a choice as it's not based on a specific individual," Julia replied without missing a beat.

"You're trying to develop a report, so I'll be less suspicious of you. It won't work," Odo said coldly. He hadn't been pleased to find out he was hosting an augment. Particularly after he was told that he couldn't use any lethal preventive measures.

"I was trying to be polite since we're strangers butprophets and stars. You're just like the face blind curmudgeon I know," Julia said and laughed despite the harshness of her words. Odo was taken aback. It wasn't unusual for people not to like him, but few insulted him to his face.

"What do you mean face blind!?" Odo demanded. He was aware his visage wasn't pleasant, but her words stung more than that. It wasn't an evaluation of his appearance but his observation skills which he prided himself on.

"If you had to describe my brother, what would you start with? Species, skin tone, height, most likely outfit? I was being literal. You don't register faces the way humanoids do. It's why you have such trouble with them, but your hands are immaculate," Julia said dismissively. Odo harrumphed but didn't have anything to say in reply.

"What an interesting opinion from asolid," Odo grumbled a moment later as his irritation got the better of him.

"Prove me wrong,pudding," Julia shot back, gesturing at her own face in challenge.

Odo said nothing, filing away pudding as an insult to look up. Odo was not the least bit sorry to see the backside of Julia when he finally delivered her to her new quarters.

Annoyed, Julia set about taking stock of the essential items that had been provided. A lot of things would need to be added, but it was a start.

She wasn't alone long. Julian had said he'd meet her and turned up after a few minutes.

"I just passed Odo in the hall. It seems you're making friends," Julian said mildly. The changeling had been fuming and muttering darkly about desserts.

"That's lovely. I really have the Bashir family charm," Julia replied blithely.

"Julia, Odo isn't someone you want to make an enemy of," Julian chastised lightly. They weren't exactly close, yet he felt like they were. Like he didn't have to mind his words with her. It was refreshing in a lot of ways. Not unlike how he could talk with Garak, though less limited in scope.

"Julian, he's not going to trust me no matter what I do. Honestly, he shouldn't, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to give him sh*t when he's rude. I had no reason to do that where I'm from either," Julia replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Alright, but just keep what I said in mind. Honestly, it seems like a lot of people rubbed you the wrong way back on your DS9. Why were you coming to visit if you disliked it so much?" Julian asked. He hadn't asked before, but it had bothered him.

"I was visiting my baby brother because I wanted to see him," Julia said with a roll of her eyes. As if it were the most natural thing in the world to turn up on a death trap full of people she didn't like just for him.

"As for why I'd originally left… I got tired of watching him be bullied when all he wanted to do was make friends. We got into an argument over it, and I left," Julia explained, angry dulling into melancholy by the end.

"That's- I'm sure he appreciated you being worried for him even if he didn't show it," Julian said, putting a reassuring arm around Julia's shoulders. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and it felt nice. He was tactile by nature, but it wasn't something most people would tolerate without some kind of romantic relationship. To just offer and receive affection without it being more than that. She pulled away, expressing a mix of melancholy and maybe guilt.

"Probably not… Honestly, I'm not even sure he would have welcomed me on the station. We hadn't spoken in months, and then I decided to surprise him," Julia admitted as she sat down on the provided sofa. It was a terrible thing with too thin padding. It would have to go.

"Look, even if he was behaving like an arse, I can't imagine him not wanting to see you. He's… He's probably worried sick and looking for you. I know I would be if you suddenly disappeared," Julian said as he joined Julia on the couch. He didn't like to talk about that part, that there were people who would be missing her.

Julian waited to be rebuffed but only found kind eyes that matched his own smiling at him. Like the easy affection being allowed to worry about someone was new. She didn't treat him as clingy or cloying despite how briefly they'd known each other.

"You're an absolute sweetheart, Julibeans," Julia said and ruffled his hair.

"Hey, come on," Julian said, recoiling playfully.

"Older sisters privilege," Julia replied lightly.

"Older by what? A minute? We're twins," Julian shot back.

"Two minutes and eighteen seconds slowpoke," Julia shot back with a mock scowl, hands going for Julian's hair again. Julian retaliated by tickling her ribs.

In the doorway, Garak observed, wondering when they'd notice him but content to watch the pair. He could hardly complain, seeing how Julian lit up. Years seemed to fall off of him as he tussled playfully with Julia. It left Garak mildly uneasy.

As Julian had said, his counterpart would be worried, looking for her. Elsewhere there was a version of himself that regarded her as a treasured member of his family. A reckoning was bound to come.

Chapter 5: Fortunes Fool

Chapter Text

Two weeks after Julia's arrival and integration onto the station, Julian moved into family quarters with her. He'd resisted at first, then justified it as him helping to keep a friendly eye on her. Not to spy, but just to look after her.

Her pregnancy was proceeding well, though not precisely typically. The child, like its mother, had augmented traits, and Julian monitored its development closely. That was what brought her into the infirmary and had her lying clothed on a biobed—a prenatal check-up.

"Okay, so, definitely twins," Julian cooed as she showed Julia a projection of the tiny lives inside of her. Julia was too happy to speak, just slapping his arm and emitting a high-pitched noise. He gave her a hug, pleased to be able to share the moment.

He enjoyed helping with pregnancies more than he'd ever admitted. Saving a life was grand, but helping start a new one was just different somehow. It was the closest he ever got to experiencing something spiritual.

Garak held Julia's hand with a blatantly nervous expression on the other side of the biobed. Like he didn't quite understand why he was there.

"Come on," Julian rolled his eyes and signaled Garak to stand closer. He looked at Julian like the UT had gone offline.

"Come here, you," Julian growled before just grabbing Garak's arm and pulling him in to join the hug.

Julia had been absolutely ruthless in her insistence that Garak be included in their new odd little family unit. A state of affairs she hadn't really needed to twist Julian's arm about. Not that she'd hesitated the few times he'd been a little slow to agree. It was starting to become a habit, a comfortable one.

"Oh! You're both going to help me pick names!" Julia declared, hugging them both painfully tight. It was moments like these where she'd forget her augment strength that reminded both of them of it. It was almost funny how much power was hiding in her thin frame.

"That's quite the honor," Garak mumbled. Julia let them go finally before sliding to the end of the biobed and hopping off.

"We have a few tests to go over, but everything looks splendid," Julian said, herding Julia into his office. Garak saw the opportunity and gave a grateful nod before turning to flee. It had taken a few days to spot the rhythm, but though Garak liked affection, he could only take so much before he was overwhelmed.

Mainly Julia's when she was excited. He obviously enjoyed it, but after a while, he would get anxious. Casual cuddles while they all watched holo's on Julia's couch apparently didn't have an upward limit, though.

"So, everything about your current pregnancy is moving forward at a reasonable rate given your genetics. The only thing I've had trouble with is sorting out some of your results. I'm inclined to believe you've carried a hybrid child before," Julian said gently. He'd initially thought Garak might be the father of her current child until that was dispelled. Now he had to wonder if that might have been the case previously.

"I did act as a surrogate before," Julia confirmed. Julian couldn't help a slight flood of relief. Garak didn't bicker with her, but it was obvious that they got along remarkably well.

"Julibeans, you're making an "I'm overthinking it" face. Kindly tell me what's on your mind," Julia said, one eyebrow raised in amusem*nt. He really hated that nickname, almost as much as he adored it.

"I thought you might have… Well, you get along so well with Garak. I thought you might have had a relationship with the other one… and that you might want one with this one too," Julian admitted. Julia tilted her head in incomprehension for a moment before something clicked. He could all but see it blossoming in her expression.

"Julian! SHUT UP!" Julia cried out, utterly scandalized even as she started laughing. Julian felt himself shrivel in embarrassment. She had told him who the father of her current child was. He just couldn't picture it. Garak on the other hand would make a great partner. Really, he couldn't understand her taste at all.

"Little brother, how do Cardassians flirt!?" Julia demanded, smacking him on the arm in excitement again. Not as hard as earlier, but unfortunately on the same spots, which stung all the more for it.

"Debate," Julian muttered as he rubbed his abused arm. Julia sighed and shook her head. Between the two of them, she definitely knew more about Cardassian culture. Though, to be fair, she had the benefit of a Garak who wasn't just messing with her half the time as her teacher.

"Think about it a little more, Julibeans, then get back to me when you figure it out," Julia said with condescending concern. This time she patted him gently on a safe part of his arm before getting up to go. She made the Cardassian gesture of farewell, and Julian stood up to return it.

It was one of the many things she insisted on in addition to incorporating Garak into their lives. Cultural lessons. Something that Julian was deeply thankful for even as he struggled.

It was rewarding, though. Julian had been startled to learn that male Cardassians went through a sort of pregnancy sympathy. A state that left them carving physical contact and quality time. Thankfully Julia had explained it and how to ease into offering Garak support.

Stars knew Garak never would have admitted to such a thing and the Cardassian medical database was woefully inadequate on such topics. As trash as it was about psychological conditions thanks to Cardassian ableist exceptionalism, this condition didn't even have an entry. He watched Julia go with a thankful smile.

Conversely Julia was smiling like a gremlin as she made her way out of the infirmary. Julian needed soft nudges and time to think unlike Garak. Garak needed to be tied down and beaten with the obvious until he learned the lesson or her arms gave out. That or she'd have to use the nuclear option and summons Mila. That woman would have the pair sorted and breeding in an oct.

Julia discarded the idea for the moment though. It wasn't appropriate to push all the heavy lifting on someone else. It was only the sound of a commotion that brought Julia out of her scheming thoughts.

Outside at the entrance to the infirmary, nurse Jabara was busy blocking a very distraught man from trying to enter. Julia noticed the commotion and immediately headed over with a smile on her face. She hoped it was a rowdy Klingon. She hadn't had any fun in days.

"Sir, you need an appointment for non-emergency consultations," Jabara said evenly.

"Non-emergency!? It's a paternity notice originating from this infirmary! I want an explanation!" the man shouted. Julia looked at him, not finding her hoped-for source of amusem*nt. Instead, she found herself facing a human male, a very familiar one. Reginald Endicott Barclay III.

"Reginald?" Julia asked in a whisper. Neither Reginald nor Jabara realized she'd come over or heard her.

"Honey!" Julia all but shouted, surging forward inhumanly fast to envelop the man in a hug.

"Who!?" Reginald cried out in alarm. Julia had risen up on tiptoes to press their foreheads together before releasing him back to arm's length but still holding on. The panic in his voice broke her out of the moment, and she let go, backing several steps away.

"I'm incredibly sorry, that wasn't appropriate," Julia said, looking completely crestfallen.

"Oh… Did you mistake me for someone, Miss?" Reginald asked, disoriented enough to forget his original purpose for a moment.

"In a manner of speaking," Julia agreed, hand gliding over her abdomen.

"Well, I'm sure I don't resemble the lucky fellow that much. Perhaps you should get your eyes checked," Reginald said, trying to make a joke with a nervous smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Julia asked as the air around her took on the feeling of an impending thunderstorm. This did nothing to help Reginald's social anxiety, and he swallowed nervously.

"Just… you're gorgeous and… I'm me?" Reginald offered, flinching as if he expected her to yell at him. Instead, he found himself being dragged out of the infirmary. Her hand locked on his biceps like a vise.

"Miss! I'm s-sorry if I-" Reginald stammered as he panicked. He wasn't exactly a muscle bound hulk, but she was pulling him along like a toddler. Fortunately, the trip wasn't long, and she deposited him at a Replimate table before sitting opposite him.

His first instinct was to make a run for it, but she pushed him back down with one hand when he tried. Seriously, for such a thin woman, her muscles must have been made from piano wires.

"Please don't hurt me," Reginald said with a terrified smile as he held both hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry I've scared you. I'm a little overwhelmed too, and I didn't want to have this conversation in front of my brother," Julia said, scrubbing her face in her hands.

"What exactly do we have to discuss? I honestly don't know you, and I'd remember if I did," Reginald asked, mystified. For however short a distance, being kidnapped by a beautiful woman was not doing anything good for his blood pressure.

"The reason that paternity notice was generated," Julia said bluntly. Reginald wanted to say something, a lot of things, really. Despite that, no words came out of his open mouth. He'd never contributed to a sperm bank. He also wasn't about to flatter himself that anyone would bother going to the effort of stealing his genes.

Reginald also knew with unfortunate certainty that he'd never done anything that would have caused it to happen the old-fashioned way. Particular not with a woman as lovely looking as the one in front of him. He wasn't a social person.

"So, essentially, I'm not actually from this universe originally. I'm from an alternate one. The Reginald Endicott Barclay III, who is the father of my children, is genetically identical to you," Julia said bluntly. Reginald closed his mouth finally. Didn't that just figure?

"So you're from the universe where I'm suave and have good hair?" Reginald asked. The idea was absurd on a couple levels but also kind of reassuring. At least one successful version of him existed. Somewhere.

"Sauvé? On our first date, he tried to impress me by ordering in Italian and got it wrong. Of course, he didn't admit that and choked down this really terrible seafood pasta instead," Julia started, her expression exasperated but softly fond. Reginald felt embarrassed for his counterpart. That sounded like something he'd do.

"Then I asked him to dance, and he agreed, but between his nerves and the pasta, he ended up throwing up onme ," Julia said and giggled without looking particularly disgusted.

"Is this the part where you both get abducted by aliens and or a teleport malfunction resulted in this? Because I'm confused," Reginald said honestly, gesturing at Julia's abdomen. She only laughed harder at that, actually snorting a little. It was a cute sound.

"No, this is the part where he ran out of the restaurant like his ass was on fire. Luckily I caught up with him before he could hail a shuttle and kissed him. He'd probably have resigned or gone AWOL from the Enterprise to avoid me if I hadn't," Julia said, expression turning nostalgic. Reginald was getting the very distinct impression she might have been in the infirmary for non-physiological reasons.

"That's an interesting notion of romance," Reginald acknowledged. If working himself into an anxious wreck and publicly humiliating himself was in vogue where she was from, then he'd be quite the Casanova indeed.

"Oh, stars no! That was terrible, even the kiss. Though honestly, that garbage seafood didn't taste that much different coming up as going down. I really messed up when I said I'd have what he was having," Julia said, laughing again.

"You have lost me completely," Reginald said honestly.

"I was a civilian consultant for a couple months on the Enterprise. I'd already decided that I loved y- My Reginald long before that disaster date. We had already spent tons of time together in the holodeck, eating lunch, you reading on my couch with your legs hanging off the back. You didn't freak out until a label was put on it, and it took some doing to get past that moment, but he and I did," Julia explained. Reginald found himself nodding along. He could see something like that working even for him though he had no idea why Julia would bother.

"Well, like I said, lucky fellow," Reginald said despondently. He'd found the idea of a better version of himself comforting, but this was different. This was a similar version of himself, who was just doing better in general. That was a bitter pill to swallow though he wasn't sold on the idea that he wasn't talking to a gorgeous crazy lady.

His eyes drifted to Julia's hands, looking for a wedding band. Not everyone used those, but he knew he would want to. She caught him looking and gave him a sad, knowing smile.

"We're not together anymore… He panicked and left me a month ago. I think he found the pregnancy confirmation and just ran for it," Julia said sadly. Reginald was dumbfounded. He'd been upset when he got the paternity notice, but that was because he thought it was an error or a prank. Someone trying to make fun of him.

"Then he's a goddamn idiot, and you can do better," Reginald said firmly, reaching across the table to take Julia's hand. She was physically strong, frighteningly so, but still just a human being. He could see she was hurting.

"It's kind of hilarious that you're saying that about yourself," Julia offered with a weak smile.

"I am not. I might be a coward, but I'd never run out on someone like that," Reginald said, leaving the especially you unspoken. He didn't people well and usually avoided the fix-ups people tried to foist on him. Listening to a woman talk about how she enjoyed his company was getting to him. Especially since she was making adorable expressions at him as opposed to the contempt he was accustomed to.

Julia didn't even seem bothered when he knocked over the condiments in a fit of nerves and then the fake flower centerpiece in his scramble to fix the first problem. She just waited until he gave up then calmly put them back in place. Like she'd done it a hundred times before and still didn't mind.

"Let me walk you back to the infirmary," Reginald said, standing up and offering her a hand. She accepted and linked her arm with his when he offered. Once they were back, he was confident that the CMO would fix whatever mind control, parasite, or mind-altering substance was giving her delusions of finding him attractive in any universe. Until then, he resolved himself to be a version of himself that deserved to stand next to her. If only as a friend while she was in need.

"JULIA!" a man called as they approached the infirmary doors. Reginald flinched, wondering if this was her actual partner. Looking at him, there was a strong resemblance. Julia had mentioned not wanting to talk in front of her brother.

"What?" Julia asked, petulant but defiant. Reginald moved his assumption a tick closer to brother. He didn't have siblings, but he'd observed that they had a particular way of talking to each other.

"Jabara said you dragged off someone random-" the man stopped, seeming to finally notice Reginald.

"I'm Julian Bashir, CMO. Your Reginald Barclay," Julian intoned flatly. For a very real moment, Reginald had a feeling he was about to be murdered.

"What did you tell him?" Julian asked Julia.

"Everything," Julia responded. Julian's expression was blank for a moment before he let out a theatrical groan and grabbed Reginald's arm. It seemed that pant wetting terror-inducing strength ran in the family.

Chapter 6: Dinner with the Family

Chapter Text

Reginald had faced a lot of odd situations working on the Enterprise. It was par for the course. Really, were you even really in Starfleet if you didn't nearly get murdered by an exotic species at least once a quarter?

Sitting at a comfortable dining table in tastefully decorated quarters, Reginald sincerely wished some kind of mosquito monster was trying to eat his face. Or that an airlock would burst and suck him out into the void.

Instead, he found himself still sitting in front of a lovely meal with two very displeased men across from him. Julian Bashir and Just Garak were a doctor and a tailor, respectively. Still, he had the very distinct impression they knew exactly how to get away with murder.

"Stop glaring, you two. He's not the one who knocked me up," Julia said irritably as she passed a bowl of salad forcefully toward them. The pair received it with nothing but gracious looks for her in contrast to the cold ones he was getting.

"Be that as it may. Tell me, Reginald, what is that you do on the Enterprise?" Garak asked. His tone of voice suggested that no answer would be sufficient but not answering wasn't an option.

"I-I'm a systems engineer. Rank Lieutenant," Reginald replied and was happy he didn't choke on his words. That Julia was holding his hand to comfort him under the table was helping. She'd done her best to fend the pair off on his behalf, but they hadn't been able to get out of dinner. Somehow.

He still wasn't sure how he'd ended up agreeing to it. The tailor had been talking, and his anxiety had hit a level where his memories turned a bit fuzzy.

"I'd ask if that pays well, but it's a Federation posting," Garak said dismissively. Reginald swallowed. He half expected Julian to say something, they were both Starfleet, but bizarrely the doctor just nodded in agreement. Silence descended as everyone but him put food on their plates.

"So uhm… Alternate universe contact… That data was fascinating," Reginald ventured. Julian had confirmed Julia's story somewhat accidentally. Rather than taking her word for it that he wasn't the offending Reginald, Julian had scanned him. His particles had turned up with the local signature.

"Not that anyone would believe you, but you're not to speak of this. With anyone," Julian warned.

"I won't. I mean, you're right. No one would, but I mean, don't you need more help with this? If you're going to return her? Data or Geordi would be a godsend," Reginald said quickly. Garak and Julian shared a look, apparently communicating silently.

"We can't let too many people know. That you know isn't something we planned for. The fact she's an augment makes this a very fraught situation," Garak responded this time. Reginald just nodded, still trying to wrap his head around that one. Julia was gorgeous and funny. The fact she was intellectually on par with a computer and strong as a bull just made the idea she'd willingly gotten with someone like him more confusing.

"Well, I'll ask for a temporary transfer and do whatever I can to help," Reginald offered, finding a little bit of courage. Both men gave him a withering look until Julia pushed her plate dramatically to the center of the table.

"Reginald, let's go eat somewhere with a less toxic atmosphere," Julia said as she got up and headed for the door. Despite knowing he was about to offend Julian and Garak further, he sprang up after her without a second thought.

"I'm sorry about them. They're new to being a family, so they don't have a lot of experience not being abject ass hats," Julia fumed.

"Well, I'd be pretty mad if that other Reginald came waltzing in too. It's probably tough to separate us intellectually since we're genetically identical," Reginald offered. Julian had also confirmed paternity which had been when the man really iced over.

"I'll talk to them later, make them see reason. You don't have to hang around here because of my situation. It's not your fault on any count," Julia said, irritation mellowing a bit.

"I didn't offer to because I felt like it was. I'd just like to help, if you don't mind," Reginald said, not able to look at her despite feeling a bit bold.

"Thank you. I appreciate it, and I certainly don't mind. You're not exactly like the Reginald I'm familiar with, but you have your own charms," Julia assured him. Reginald felt himself start to blush violently. The best he'd hoped for was a favorable comparison, not a compliment on his own merits.

"Where is this?" Reginald asked as they came upon a set of cargo bay doors.

"The botanical bay or I should probably say the future home of the botanical bay. It's very much a work in progress," Julia said as she led the way. Inside there was an interesting series of pipes and other infrastructure. Only a relatively small patch of grass was actually installed.

"Try and find us a nice spot," Julia said cheerfully. Reginald complied. Thankfully, with only a thirty by forty space, there weren't a lot of choices involved. Julia turned up a few moments later with a blanket and a basket, and soon they had a picnic set out.

Sandwiches and lemonade were a nice comfortable dinner. Despite how the prior attempt at a meal had gone, Reginald found himself starting to relax a bit. Julia was next to him instead of directly in front, like a date would. Like someone who expected him to entertain them. That took a lot of the pressure he usually felt off.

"This is a project the Commander was kind enough to let me work on. Chief O'Brien had a pretty good design for one planned, but I'm working with his wife Keiko to expand and refine it a bit. Have anything fun going on project-wise?" Julia asked after she was half done with her sandwich.

"I've been doing some work with the shield array, mostly theoretical at the moment. I had an idea about a way to weaponize it in an emergency. So far, I can't get the simulations up past forty percent. It has to be at sixty before I can request a testing lab to give it a go with the real thing," Reginald offered.

"That sounds like a ball to work on. If it's not classified, maybe we could collaborate while you're here," Julia chirped. Reginald nodded, feeling almost comfortable. He liked questions about his work, especially fairly specific ones. Nebulous ones like 'what do you do' or 'how's it going' always made him anxious.

"Maybe I could take a look at your project too… or just help lay pipe. I don't really know anything about botany," Reginald offered and got an approving nod.

"That's sweet of you to offer, and many hands make light work," Julia said, laying back on the blanket. Above them wasn't much of a view—just the dura steel plates of the ceiling and an odd net.

"What's that for?" Reginald asked, gesturing with his free hand.

"Hm? Ah, it's aviary netting. Keiko wants to use insects and birds to manage the plants. It's not visible now, but the ceiling has a projection coating and will display a sky once the bay is finished. The net will keep the birds from smacking into it," Julia explained. Reginald nodded, picturing how the whole thing might look once it was done. It was a rather pleasant mental exercise.

After they both finished eating, Reginald felt relaxed. Gordi had meant well, but Reginald had known he didn't actually get him or like his company much. Being around Julia felt different. Like she wasn't just tolerating him but actually enjoying his company.

There was just one problem. Despite his issues with social cues, it wasn't like Reginald was unobservant. He just never knew what he was supposed to do with the things he saw. Now he was facing that same issue and needed to make a choice.

It would be easier to do nothing. To ignore what he felt tearing at him and demanding a voice. On another occasion, Reginald likely would have done precisely that. Only this time, he felt like he needed to ask for Julia rather than himself, and he wanted to be a good friend to her.

"It's none of my business, but I want to ask. You seemed happy to see him when you mistook me for him. Why?" Reginald asked. It had been bothering him even when he thought she was possibly crazy. That part and her willingness to defend the other him didn't make sense, and he could see something about it was bothering her.

She might resent him asking, but he felt like leaving it alone wouldn't fix the issue. Better she was mad at him for a little while then carry whatever was eating at her around.

"That's… complicated. He didn't know I was an augment, and though I was planning to tell him, I suddenly found out I was pregnant. I didn't realize my birth control implant was damaged, so it wasn't something we planned for, and I couldn't tell him about one but not the other," Julia explained.

"So I… I did what I always do when I can't handle saying something. I wrote up a report of sorts to explain everything. How I'd become pregnant, what kind of effect my augmentation would have on it, what my abilities actually were. I was planning to talk to him properly but give him that too, over dinner," Julia continued, wiping at her eyes. She wasn't quite crying, but they were definitely forecasting rain.

"I didn't even think about hiding it, and I guess he found it while I was at work and… When I got home, he was gone, and I couldn't reach him. I don't even know which part freaked him out. What I am or the baby, maybe both. I waited for a bit. I hoped he'd contact me, that we'd talk," Julia said, and now tears were flowing. Reginald offered her a hand like she had to him before. He didn't try to say anything though he wished bitterly he knew how to comfort people.

She sat up once more and gave him a smile. Like he wasn't hopelessly ruining things.

"I knew there was a Reginald here, but when I saw you, I just… I wanted it to be him. I wanted him to have found me and come to take me home," Julia said, breaking into a heavy sob. Reginald felt frozen in panic, not sure what to do. Gingerly he offered her a hug and found her just melting into his arms.

Adrift Reginald just held Julia while she cried, not even making soothing noises. He didn't know what to do and felt like it was best to just let her cry herself out naturally.

Back in Julia and Julian's quarters, the sound of crying issued softly from a com badge. Julian and Garak were both sitting on the couch listening with mortified expressions. Neither one of them had trusted Reginald as far as they could throw him, and Garak had modified Julia's badge to work as a listening device.

They'd both known that the situation had to be stressful for her, but they hadn't realized how much.

"She told me she wasn't on good terms with my counterpart. That they'd argued, and she'd left. This must have been why she suddenly decided to visit… Oh, f*cking stars. I don't think he even knows she's expecting, and she's trapped here with us," Julian said as he got up to pace, thoroughly panicking.

"Doctor, we are doing everything we can. Admittedly, those efforts are limited, but I know neither of us intended to keep her despite caring about her. She's kind and doing her best to hold together, but this isn't her home," Garak said awkwardly. Trying to be sincere without letting on that he had his own pain.

Julia had invited him into her life and Julian's by proximity. She'd even invented some ridiculous medical condition to convince Julian to be affectionate and spend more time with him. She was an absolute treasure.

The idea of returning to how things had been before she arrived left Garak feeling cold. Despite that, he wasn't lying. He wanted to help her get home. He was too profoundly familiar with the pain of that loss to do otherwise.

"I know, but… What if they aren't looking for her? What if he treats her poorly because he has no idea that she was missing or what she's gone through?" Julian said, worrying himself into a lather.

"He knows because I certainly do. That tunic was to celebrate her pregnancy, and I doubt she'd try to sneak onto the station. At least concerning me," Garak said simply.

"Is it strange that I want to beat the sh*t out of myself if he's mean to her?" Julian asked as he flopped back down on the couch, cuddling up to Garak out of habit. He'd started doing it for the other man's benefit, in deference to his condition, but it was soothing to Julian too.

"No, my dear, though apparently, Julia would prefer a bit more decorum from us. I supposed we were a bit heavy-handed with Reginald," Garak said with a sigh.

"I guess… I honestly expected one of them to notice we were joking. I mean… It was too much, but Reginald just had that look on his face. Like he was on an execution block," Julian said with a chuckle. He had been vexed at first when he thought the man might be the responsible Reginald, but he'd relaxed when he figured out that wasn't the case. Mostly anyway. The 100% match on the DNA had been annoying too. He'd thought there would be some variance since they weren't the same person.

"We'll have to apologize to Julia," Garak said with a sage nod.

"And Reginald," Julian added. Garak looked away playfully refusing but gave up when Julian started nudging him with his shoulder.

"Fine, and Reginald," Garak agreed.

Chapter 7: Picnic with Friends

Chapter Text

After apologies were made and Julia forgave Garak and Julian, which took a couple days, Reginald found himself temporarily transferred to DS9. He was also just down the corridor from the Bashir family residence and issued a standing dinner invitation. He hesitated to accept at first but found that things settled into a comfortable sort of acceptance after a few somewhat awkward meals.

Julian and Garak were both brilliant in their own right and didn't seem bothered by what most would call his social awkwardness if they were polite. Julian even commiserated with him a bit on the point and apologized a second time. Apparently, he wasn't great with social cues either.

Reginald didn't know what exactly to make of suddenly having a friend and two acquaintances. It was a first, and they were weirdly okay with him easing into things, not demanding he join debates or riffing on holo's they'd all watched.

When he didn't know something, they explained. If he hadn't seen or read something, they gave him copies. It was the oddest experience. Garak even surprised him by managing to get Julia and Julian to behave when he realized Reginald hadn't seen the movie before.

Likewise, transferring into DS9's engineering department wasn't as much of an adjustment as he expected. Miles O'Brien was familiar and easy to work with, leaving him to do things independently as assigned. That everything was falling apart, if not actively on fire, also set some meager expectations for performance, which helped. Just showing up and not breaking down in frustration or tears was considered good for a newcomer.

"Good man Reg, keep at it," Miles said in passing. Reginald nodded, enjoying the fact he didn't need to stop for small talk. The other engineers were similar. They'd say something pleasant in passing but not actually engage in conversation unless it was about work. Everyone was busy.

Despite the massive workload, they would help out if you asked. It gave everything a much more mellow feeling than the Enterprise. Honestly, Reginald felt that if it weren't for the constant threat of death and vole attack that DS9 would be the best place he'd ever worked. It was still in the top three.

The only downside to the matter was that outside of infrastructure repairs, his primary task was figuring out how to send Julia back to her reality. Miles was working on it too with input from Julia and Julian. Reginald was mostly double-checking everything and performing systems repairs to make tests possible.

To that end, he was crawling in yet another jefferies tube. This one had come up negative for bio signs which put it at a solid 75% chance he wouldn't find himself face to face with a vole.

Like his growing lack of concern about an animal attack- It was such a strange thing to find himself fitting in for a change. Especially since he was working to rip away the reason it was even happening.

If he helped the project succeed, Julia would be gone. He couldn't imagine maintaining any of the strange circ*mstances that had conspired to create the current one. Not on his own.

Despite that, if he hindered, let alone failed to help her, he wouldn't be able to look at himself in the mirror again. Having friends was turning out to be more difficult than he'd have ever imagined before.

"Reginald?" Julia called out. Reginald tried to sit up to attention. Inside the jefferies tube. As he flopped back, he wasn't sure if the metallic ring was the panel he'd bashed himself on or inside his skull.

"Ah, sorry, shouldn't have startled you like that," Julia said sweetly. A moment later, her thin hand closed around his ankle and pulled him out.

"Got yourself good, hold still," Julia continued placidly. A tricorder's hum broke through the ringing, and a moment later, Reginald could think straight again.

"Concussion?" Reginald asked, hoping it wasn't. Julia could patch him up easily enough, but she wouldn't tolerate an argument about going to the infirmary for anything semi-serious.

"I'll let Julian know to expect you," Julia replied.

"Damnit…" Reginald grumped but wasn't going to argue. Julia could, and would, carry him if it came down to it.

"Sorry, I went the easier route of engineering over medicine," Julia said, giving him a comforting pat.

"How is engineering easier?" Reginald asked, genuinely confused.

"Ships don't generally spontaneously develop allergies or refuse to take their medicine," Julia answered with a grin.

"Now, Garak noticed you forgot your lunch, and we both know that if you don't have one, you'll forget and just not eat. So here it is," Julia said, placing a bento box down on Reginald's chest. She wasn't wrong, and he had to fight down a smile.

It was honestly kind of sweet how fussy Garak was about food and making sure people ate. It was a thankless bit of cat herding between him, Julia, and Julian. None of them was particularly good about keeping a schedule for their own wellbeing.

"Julia? You helping out today or just passing through?" Miles called out.

"Passing through, it's a parents club day. If you can get away for lunch, join us in the botanical bay," Julia called back.

"Oh! Right, Keiko was talking about that. I'll try," Miles replied, then with a wave, got back to his task. Reginald felt a pang of regret. Julia was technically having his children, but he wasn't really the father. There were things related to that he couldn't really participate in.

Or at least not much as a friend. Not that he likely would have. Being surrounded by children and chatting parents seemed like a recipe for disaster for him.

"Family is welcome to, Reginald. Feel free to come," Julia added with a grin.

"Okay," Reginald said and found himself smiling back. His smile had a tint of disbelief, and he didn't actually plan on going, but being invited felt terrific. Julia gave him a pat before standing to go. Reginald watched her retreating form with a grin plastered on his face.

"Bashir to Barclay, you have an appointment. Kindly don't make me come get you," Julian's voice cut in over the com a few minutes later. Reginald let out a groan but resigned himself.

"Acknowledged," Reginald said, but the smile was back. A few corridors away, Julia smiled as the conversation was transmitted discreetly to what would come up as a UT receiver. It was a little larger than that. Rather than only audible signals, it also transmitted via bone conduction.

She'd figured out quickly that Garak had essentially bugged her com badge. It was kind of cute that he'd gone to the trouble of adding that to what amounted to Sisko's tracking device. He was a scrappy sort, always working out little tricks with minimal resources that made the things he pulled off look like magic.

It had taken her three scans and resorting to a physical inspection of the badge to figure out how he'd altered it. Conversely, she was stuck with compensating for lack of talent in that area with tech.

Fortunately, she was quite talented in that respect. A few lines of discreet code and the custom UT implant allowed her to listen whenever predetermined targets of interest used the system to communicate. Turn about being fair play and whatnot.

Arriving at the botanical bay, Julia steeled herself for the event. Social engineering was very much a science, but it worked like an art. Art wasn't her best subject. The parents club was the key to her future plans, and she needed it to gain its own momentum and become self-sustaining.

"Feeling nervous?" Garak asked as he arrived. His sibilant Kardassi washed over her soothingly. Unlike her brother, who was still stumbling with second tongue and formal speech, she was already fluent. She excluded it from her UT's auto-translation.

"Kira's going to be here," Julia said simply. She got along famously with Keiko, but Kira was another story. It wouldn't be right to exclude her. She was a part of the O'Brien's extended family, much the same as this universe's Reginald was part of her own.

"You two did get off to a rough start. Perhaps if I were absent, you might mend fences as that one insipid poet of yours said," Garak said with a smile.

"You do know that I'm aware that you quoting a piece of literature means you like it, right?" Julia asked archly. Garak looked positively scandalized.

"Perish the thought, I was merely trying to communicate with you as you'd be most comfortable," Garak said as if deeply wounded. Julia gave him a shoulder bump, and they both laughed. He could get pretty playful with her but never quite bickered. There was a great deal of affection between them but a clear line.

"Hm, of course, you're the epitome of culture and consideration. As for Kira? I'd rather we enter arm and arm. She can get stuffed if she has a problem with my family," Julia said the last part with a wicked grin. Garak sighed but still extended his elbow to her.

"Very well. I suppose continuing tensions will at least get me out of being offered any of the questionable potluck food," Garak said with a shiver as they entered. The bay was still rather barren, but the grass area was notably larger. It had taken on a park-like appearance with empty planters around the border and in a few strategic spots.

As word of the project has spread and Julia started getting to know people on the station, the residents had begun sharing their thoughts. Keiko had conceded that DS9 lacked a decent "outdoor" space. She'd been ready to give up a portion of the bay as a sacrifice to the common good but, fortunately, it hadn't come to that.

Sisko had been gracious enough to grant an additional bay to compensate for the loss. He agreed with the idea of increasing non-commercial public space. He also didn't want the farm and the promised fresh herbs threatened by a downsizing.

"Over here!" Julian shouted as soon as they entered. Julia couldn't help but laugh. He could have come over to get them, but he was sitting on the picnic blanket like he needed to hold it down. Julia waved back but unlocked her arm from Garaks midway.

"Keiko!" Julia said excitedly, dashing over toward the O'Brien's blanket. She could practically hear Garaks unimpressed eye roll at her little ploy. Not that he tried to stop her. They had a tacit agreement on him not calling her out on her bullsh*t when it came to engineering time with Julian for him.

Keiko greeted her warmly, and Kira gave her a minimum of courtesy. Keiko was aware of Julia's machinations, and they shared a knowing look after glancing toward Julian and Garak. It took a lot of work to pry Garak out of his shop to do anything at all. Especially if it didn't involve Julian. That was a far cry from a healthy personal life or relationship, though.

Keiko was Julia's best ally in her campaign to lure the dragon from his lair. Getting to garden had been too much for Garak to resist, and Keiko was Keiko. None could break the gravitational pull of her sweet disposition once they were caught. They now had regular gardening dates planned, which was a big step toward ending his social isolation.

"I can't believe you support that," Kira muttered, not quite low enough to suggest she didn't want to be heard.

"Why?" Julia asked bluntly, putting on an innocent expression. Keiko sensed danger and gave Kira a look. Apparently, it didn't translate to Bajoran, or Kira simply didn't care.

"Seriously? Which one do you want me to start with? It's a disaster on both sides," Kira said dismissively.

"Kira, I don't actually like you, nor do I care about your opinions about my family. Your Keiko's friend, not mine. So please remember that and try to conduct yourself politely as I do. There's no reason to be rude even if we don't get along," Julia said coldly despite a smile.

"Right, go along to get along, very Federation," Kira said with a bit of a sneer.

"Kira, I happen to agree with Julia," Keiko said firmly. Kira didn't back down, but she did look troubled for a moment.

"She didn't have any problem being rude to Odo," Kira replied. Julia held in a sigh at that. She hadn't known either person well originally, so the connection was a surprise.

"Which time?" Julia asked. It wasn't frequent, but Odo did spy on her, and she made a point of calling him out.

"You called him a pudding! Tell me that wasn't a slur," Kira said hotly though she kept her voice down.

"Seriously? Yeah, I was pissed off. Have you not noticed his tone when he says solids?" Julia asked, genuinely a bit surprised. She'd only done it once, but it seemed to have left an impression.

"That doesn't make it right," Kira said, though not with much conviction. She apparently was somewhat aware of the fairly intense amount of pots calling kettles black in this case.

"I will apologize for that, to him, but not for anything else," Julia said dismissively. She hadn't thought of it after the fact, which was as close to forgetting something as her memory would allow. She hadn't said anything like that afterward either, but she hadn't tried to make peace by any means.

"Well, I guess that's something," Kira said darkly.

"Kira, I think you should apologize for being rude about Julian and Garak," Keiko said tentatively despite Julia shaking her head. She wasn't looking for an apology, mainly since it would likely just start another argument. Julia would be perfectly fine with cold civility or even ignoring each other.

"What? It's an obviously a bad idea," Kira growled. Julia looked at Keiko, silently chastising her for continuing the discussion. Keiko dutifully looked away, abandoning all responsibility.

"Think what you like," Julia said with a sigh. Kira looked annoyed with that but didn't say anything more.

"Ah, while it's fresh in my mind. Odo, stop pretending to be a basket. I'd like to apologize to you," Julia said, unamused. Obligingly Odo shifted into his humanoid form, assorted finger foods, and cutlery in his lap.

She'd had fun loading him down back in her quarters. Playing chicken with a shapeshifter never stopped being fun. He was going to smell like ranch dressing for hours, at least.

"You needn't bother," Odo grumped. Kira had the decency to look a bit embarrassed. Invading Quark's privacy was something no one really cared about, but this time he'd incidentally eavesdrop on her too.

"I should have apologized at the time, but I was angry and… well, frankly, I still am. That doesn't excuse what I called you, however. So though it's rather late and someone else had to point it out to me, I do apologize, and I know it was wrong," Julia said. It was genuine, if not exactly enthusiastic.

"Very well… I'll excuse myself," Odo said. He was very aware of all the curious eyes directed at him. Despite how visible he usually was, he always felt awkward if he lingered after showing his abilities. Julia looked at him, gaze stony for a moment before letting out a groan. She was so sick of dealing with him.

"For f*cks sake, you're just going to sneak back," Julia hissed in irritation. Kira opened her mouth like she wanted to say something then closed it. Pretty much everyone knew that Odo very well might.

"Just. Stay. You can observe me without creeping about or turning into my couch cushions. Hell, you can come over and have dinner and watch a movie if you want. Or just watch everyone eat since you don't. I genuinely don't care, but the sneaking needs to stop," Julia said, leveling a baleful glare at him. Kira and Keiko pointedly looked away and said nothing leaving Odo on his own.

Odo was used to a certain amount of wariness, if not fear from solids. Either because of what he was or his position as head of security. Even Quark, who'd become rather numb to both points, had never just railed at him quite like that.

Odo didn't check, but he felt most of the people in the vicinity were now staring at him. Disapprovingly.

Despite not wanting to, the pressure of it got to him, and he liquified. Once that happened, he just flat-out ran for it.

Retreat was the only avenue left to preserve even a shred of his dignity. Perhaps they'd mistake it for him leaving in outrage rather than scampering after buckling under the weight of embarrassment.

"Julia-" Kira started, only to fall silent. She wasn't really sure what to say. She'd be absolutely pissed if Odo did something like impersonate her furniture. That balanced against a flare of protective instinct after seeing him run off in humiliation and left her in a weird place.

From across the gathering came the sound of clapping from scaled hands followed by Julian giving a delighted whoop of approval. Kira just stayed silent, glad Odo had missed that bit but not really able to defend him.

"Oh, f*cking stars… I'll… talk to him later. Tomorrow," Julia said, flopping on the blanket. Keiko gave her a reassuring pat.

"It's good you stood up for yourself. I like him, but he can be kind of… Problematic," Keiko commiserate.

Chapter 8: A Chat

Chapter Text

At home, Julia found herself in the middle of a comforting pile. Julian and Garak hugging each other and her without acknowledging they were hugging each other and Reginald on the other side. He didn't actually embrace her but sat close and sort of leaned against her.

Julia hummed and rested her head on his shoulder. Instead of pulling away, he took things a step further and held her hand. Julia couldn't help smiling.

There was an odd sort of comfort in his presence that was different from the Reginald she'd dated. She'd been the one to court him and had enjoyed that slow hunt. This one was actually making moves of his own, though not romantic ones from what she could discern.

He was sweet and trying to show care in ways that weren't natural to him. She appreciated that though she felt a little guilty. All three men had been pampering her since the incident with Odo that afternoon, but she wasn't upset. At least not in a serious way. Telling the changeling off had actually made her feel pretty good.

"I can probably figure out something. There has to be a frequency that would make it too annoying to stay shifted," Reginald muttered darkly. He hadn't been present during the reaveal of Odo's more choice of surveillance form but was appalled to know he'd been sat on him at least twice.

"He's not a raccoon getting in the trash," Julia replied softly and couldn't help laughing.

"I know. Unlike a raccoon, Odo should know better," Reginald replied.

"Well, develop it anyway so long as it's not lethal. It wouldn't hurt to have it broadcast at points of arrival and less secure areas," Julia conceded. Defending against changelings wasn't easy, but it was doable, and she'd been helping out with that as a side project.

"I'll talk to him about it… I really never thought much about it when he was just harassing Quark," Julian offered.

"Likely because Quarks earned that level of vigilance," Garak added, and everyone snickered. Even Reginald, who'd only been on the station for a few weeks, was aware of the Ferengi. He'd even witnessed some shenanigans.

Quark deserved to be viewed with caution in Reginald's book. What He still couldn't place why everyone thought Garak was some kind of malevolent spy. He chalked that up to the general ill feelings toward Cardassians and an inside joke between Garak and Julian. Some people really would believe just about anything.

"I'll handle it myself, Julian… Now I think. I'm feeling like a walk," Julia said, slithering out of her brother's grasp. As she got up, he stayed where he was. Garak immediately moved to take over the warm spot while Reginald scooted away.

Despite the change in seating, Julian didn't move and just started holding Garak instead with a content look on his face. Julia smiled but wanted to sigh. Things were progressing with the relationship but not quite how she expected. Instead of becoming lovers Garak and Julian were growing closer and sliding into physical intimacy without moving beyond the platonic in that respect.

With her own set of idiots, she'd given them a hard push, and things had fallen together, but her Garak had Mila and a few friends as social support. This one didn't have enough of a safety net for her to feel comfortable with enacting more pointed schemes—no giving Julian candy that would turn his mouth blue for the moment.

"Are you sure you want to go on your own?" Garak asked even as he snuggled in comfortably.

"Yes, thank you," Julia said simply, fetching a sweater. Her quarters were kept at the maximum temperature safe for humans out of consideration for Garak. It left the rest of the station feeling outright cold whenever she stepped out.

She gave a little wave to the men on the couch as she left. It was nice to see Reginald not immediately jumping up to leave the moment she did. He was making progress in finding his own comfortable social rhythm.

Odo was working on reports when he was informed that Julia was requesting to see him. He felt a flash of discomfort at the news, but it didn't show on his face. He had found the female Bashir uncomfortable to be around since she first arrived.

A feeling that had only deepened as she integrated into the rhythm of the station with apparent ease. Despite attacking the CMO when she arrived, few people seemed wary of her. Including Julian, despite being the victim. He really didn't understand solids.

"Constable," Julia said, sitting down without being invited after a few awkward beats. The situation didn't improve as he continued to find himself at a loss for words. Sisko had given his permission to surveil Julia as a precaution but had expressed irritation when he heard about the park incident. The Commanders' sentiments toward her, much like the CMO's, were inexplicably positive and growing more so as time passed.

Odo couldn't help but wonder if this wasn't an effect of the charisma that had been attributed to the eugenic war era augments. He didn't see it, but he was hardly an expert.

"I lost my temper, and while what I said was true, it wasn't an appropriate venue for the conversation," Julia said finally. They lapsed into silence once more.

"The incident with your couch was an accident," Odo admitted after the tension reached an almost physically painful level.

"You accidentally impersonated a seat cushion?" Julia asked, clearly not believing him.

"Quark was requesting furniture, and I had reason to believe he was enacting a scheme. I didn't realize that particular furnishing was yours," Odo explained. It turned out the scheme had been nothing more than trying to sell the replicated items as Ferengi antiques. Odo had scoffed at the idea of as he felt reasonably sure those would just be replicated counterfeits too. He'd actually let Quark off with less of a chastisem*nt than usual because of his amusem*nt with the notion of genuine knockoff antiques.

"Perhaps you might have told me that when you realized you were in the wrong place," Julia offered with a flat expression. Odo cringed internally. That would have involved him not panicking when he realized as much.

Odo hadn't been trying to spy in remaining undercover. He'd simply wanted to sneak out without making his error known. Mistakes like that weren't a frequent occurrence for him, but in some ways, that only made them more challenging to deal with.

It had been a poor decision not to reveal himself immediately, just as she said. Once he missed that window, every passing moment had only grown more horrifyingly awkward.

"I assure you, that incident will not be repeated. I may not trust you or agree with federation surveillance laws, but… I don't generally resort to such an invasive level of it without cause," Odo said, getting as close to an apology as he ever did.

"I supposed thinking Julian and Garak were about to start f*cking on top of you is punishment enough," Julia replied archly. Odo visibly flinched at that. He was occasionally in the mortifying position of witnessing solid couplings, but he'd never been that close on such occasions. Being sat on had been awkward enough. When the two had started cuddling, he'd lost his form.

"I take it that similar incidents are the reason for your existing hostilities toward my counterpart where you're from," Odo ventured. It was curious to know there was another entire universe with another him.

"What? Oh, no. There were some issues, but it wasn't quite the same. We just didn't really get along," Julia explained, looking a bit nervous. That was interesting. She generally looked composed in his experience. Disconcertingly so even when she was in a holding cell.

"Why was that?" Odo asked out of curiosity. He regretted it, knowing she'd probably answer. Like Julian, she didn't seem to have much of a filter.

"Well, there was a misunderstanding. Partly because I think I missed a couple things back home," Julia started. Seeing Odo and Kira here had put things she hadn't been able to figure out into perspective.

"I'm like my brother. I find debate, arguments, stimulating . You and I had some fairly large philosophical differences. We'd get rather heated about them at times, and I misread the signals during my first few months on the station and made a pass at you," Julia explained. Before everything went to absolute hell in a handbasket, Garak had been making jokes about how Odo should offer betrothal gifts since they were already acting like an old married couple.

"I don't see how that would cause that much of a problem," Odo trailed off. As much as he didn't trust her, Julia didn't strike him as the type to hold a grudge just because her interests weren't returned. Though that might have been because Julian wasn't, and they were relatively similar people from what he'd observed.

"Well, we didn't see less of each other, and we were already in the habit of arguing. It just kind of soured after that. It likely didn't help that I had problems with Kira because she was rude to my brother. It was just kind of… unfortunate," Julia explained. Odo paused. He could see how that might have gotten exceedingly awkward if his other self held similar regard for the major.

"I get that you're not him, and I shouldn't let that relationship inform this one. I mean, honestly, you're pretty alike, but it's not like I can't tell you apart. It's just… weird to have history and yet not. Your invasion of my privacy is still bullsh*t, but I've been a lot more hostile than you deserve," Julia said and felt wrung out. Messing with Odo when she spotted him lurking was what he deserved on a certain level. What wasn't fair was to take out frustrations on him that weren't about him.

"My invasions of your privacy are due to the fact you've given me a reason to believe you're plotting something," Odo bristled defensively.

"What exactly?" Julia asked, genuinely curious.

"You've been pointedly ingratiating yourself with senior staff and put yourself in a position to have access to tools and materials you shouldn't. Agricultural products in particular," Odo said flatly. It was hardly a secret, so he said it just to try and intimidate her a bit. Even when he technically had nothing, the occasional pointed warning would shake up a suspect enough to make a mistake.

"Odo, I'm an augment who has extensive engineering, linguistics, and science training in general. You're severely underestimating me if you think I'd need that level of resources to cause trouble," Julia said flatly. Odo felt himself flinch a little at her deadpan look. The moment where he'd declared she wouldn't get past his security again, only for her to pull out a hairpin and disable the holding cell shielding with a smug look still vivid in his mind.

"So I should just trust that you have no ill intentions," Odo said dismissively.

"Obviously not, but you're going about it wrong. I'm not like Quark, who's going to act for profits. Watching me and taking note of what I do is a reasonable precaution. The thing is, it's not enough. You need to involve others, experts in the fields you have suspicions about," Julia explained.

"Like if I have some kind of plot in the works involving the botanical bay, your best allies are Keiko and Miles. They'd be able to figure out if I were doing something untoward. A skilled psychologist would be your best bet to figure out if I'm manipulating people, things like that," Julia finished.

"Why suggest this?" Odo asked. It was like how she'd probed the security in the holding cells and reported the issues. It didn't make sense.

"Because if I leave, my brother is going to depend on you and Garak to cover his considerable blind spots and look after him," Julia said like it should have been obvious.

"You seem to care about him a great deal," Odo said to try and push the conversation away from the current track. Julia's words had a weight to them that he found rather uncomfortable.

"This Julian isn't the brother I grew up with, but I adore him all the same. I feel like I have two brothers rather than one now," Julia said with a shrug. Odo could read discomfort again. There was more to it.

"You don't exactly act like a sister," Odo ventured.

"How so?" Julia challenged with a smile. It wasn't exactly a secret that he didn't have any experience with family.

"I'm not an expert, but I'd say you act more like a parent," Odo countered.

"Oh… Well, I might at that. Our parents were pretty dismal," Julia conceded unhappily.

"I imagine they seemed inadequate," Odo ventured. If Julia was going to reveal any kind of prejudice against unaltered humans, this was likely a good place to probe.

"Inadequate? They abused Julian," Julia shot back sharply.

"God, you don't even… They would reduce him to tears almost daily. Acting as if he were broken just because he didn't develop according to their schedule. As if anyone could learn normally under that kind of pressure," Julia growled, not really addressing Odo as she spoke. She'd slid into a state of dark musing as memories started flashing unbidden to the surface of her mind.

Tears stung her eyes. Back home, she didn't think about it much anymore. They'd both moved past it with time and effort. Here though, this Julian, he'd been alone and suffered for so much longer than her brother. It was hard not to just hold him and cry sometimes.

Odo watched in mortification as Julia cried. He'd thought she might say something disparaging about normal humans. Odo hadn't expected anything like what he'd just heard. He didn't have any experience with family, but he understood being forced to perform and being found inadequate.

His early days being experimented on were a pain that was never far from his thoughts. He'd just never considered that Julian Bashir might have gone through something similar. After a few minutes, Julia thankfully felt better or decided to stop and whipped her eyes.

"Look, what I said stands. Don't sneak into my home, but if you want, you can come and observe. I know you want to do it with me unaware, but unfortunately for you, that isn't going to work. I'll know if something is even slightly incorrect in appearance or placement," Julia said simply.

"Your brother doesn't seem to share that ability," Odo observed.

"He doesn't call you on it out of habit… and honestly is kind of oblivious. He fixates and loses situational awareness in a way I don't. It's a difference in temperament rather than ability," Julia said with a shrug.

"I'll keep that in mind," Odo said and wondered if he should dismiss Julia. It was an odd situation to find someone in his office of their own volition.

"You do that," Julia said with a roll of her eyes as if she didn't believe he'd listen. Without prompting, she got to her feet and headed for the door, only to pause.

"Yes?" Odo inquired, wondering what she could possibly still have to say.

"If you like Kira, give it a shot. I don't know if it will work out, but you'll regret not trying a lot more than getting turned down. What if's are much more painful than failure," Julia said, then finally departed.

Odo stared at the space she'd vacated for a few long moments. His first instinct was to dismiss what she'd said outright. Kira was a solid and had romantic entanglements with her own kind. Julia's advice, though, hadn't been predicated on the notion of success but of catharsis. That knowing would be better than not.

That gave Odo pause. He couldn't deny that the possibility tended to fill an unbecoming amount of his idle thoughts. Being turned down might well help him bring an end to that.

Beyond that, Julia was herself a solid. One who seemed to be considered attractive by the standards of her own kind, and she'd apparently expressed romantic interest in a version of him. She and her brother seemed to have rather pronounced xenophilic tendencies and weren't Bajoran, but it at least suggested there was a possibility for success.

Odo made a personal note to increase the amount of scrutiny she was under even as he found himself smiling slightly. If she thought she could lull him into complacency, she was wrong. That didn't mean her advice wasn't worth considering.

Chapter 9: Translations

Chapter Text

Julian's date seemed to be having a lovely evening. They'd watched a public orchestral performance in the park section of the ever-expanding botanical bay first. Now they were enjoying a lovely dinner at Irak Ir-Zehl (far horizon), the Vulcan restaurant.

Beside them was a Kal-toh set. Julian hadn't even bothered trying to ask her to play. She'd taken one look at it and frowned before pointedly looking away.

"I've heard you're friends with a spy," she cooed.

"Really? How odd. I can't say that I know any spies. Though I do know an excellent tailor," Julian quipped back. His joke failed to land rather spectacularly, but oddly it didn't seem to matter. They'd barely exchanged a hundred words the entire night, but she was looking at him in a way he'd almost want to classify as fond.

Julian was busy stifling a yawn. Usually, this was the part of the evening where he was talking too much. His date would look annoyed, and he'd focus on getting drunk enough to overlook it. Inebriation made him less chatty, which would usually convince his date he was at least worth f*cking.

"Oh f*ck, I've been gettingmyselfdrunk to get laid,"Julian realized with mild horror. It was one of many less than ideal things he'd learned of late.

"I do play one in the holo suits occasionally," Julian ventured. He didn't want to banter about Garak with this woman. He was trying very hard not to think of the Cardassian already without directly bringing him into the conversation.

Garak was fine. He'd just caught a cold and was probably in his quarters resting. Alone. Without anyone to look after him. The same as he'd do even if the condition were severe.

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" she chirped. Julian nodded and held his spring wine a little too tightly, a finger tapping in rhythmic irritation on the glass. She didn't try to follow up on the comment, just continued eating. As if the exchange constituted a conversation rather than a dismal parody of one.

"Should we get dessert?" Julian asked with a smile, actually looking at the dessert menu as he said it. He wasn't trying to get a discreet confirmation of sex, just trying to end the date faster.

"Sounds good," she agreed. Julian ordered something random when the waiter happened by and didn't even hear her order.

Two months earlier, he knew that things would have gone very differently. He'd have tried to fill the silences, talked about himself, his work, and making an effort to try and build something. To aim for a relationship.

Hope springing eternal even though experience had taught him, he was going to be lucky to get a second date instead of just a hookup. He'd been touch starved and lonely on a good day even without his social awkwardness.

Since Julia had appeared, he'd found himself awash in affection and platonic contact. Not just with her either. Keiko and Garak were all willing to share different kinds of intimacies after Julia talked to them. Even Miles was inclined toward the occasional pat or shoulder hug now.

It was funny how much difference Julia made in his life without even doing all that much. All it had taken to change things was a few quiet conversations about boundaries. Something entirely basic that a group of adults had somehow managed to avoid doing for years.

He was still a little lonely, but it no longer was a sharp-edged ache. He still wanted a partner, but the idea of finding one no longer had an all-consuming urgency to it. It would be fine if he took his time actually finding someone he liked and who found his company enjoyable.

"Walk me to my quarters?" she asked with a playful tone. Jolted out of his reverie, Julian pasted on an apologetic smile.

"Ah, sorry. I've got to be getting home. Plans with family," Julian said, not bothered by the disappointed look. He wasn't interested, but he'd be damned if he wasn't at least polite. She hadn't done anything wrong. She was just wrong for him.

After exchanging a final round of good nights, he was on his way back to Julia's. He'd rather head up to the H level and check on Garak but knew better. The Cardassian was proud and wouldn't welcome even well-meaning intrusion in his weakened state. That didn't stop Julian from thinking wistfully about it.

Julian half hoped that Julia and Reginald would be up watching a holo. It was still pretty early, and he didn't feel like sleeping. Hell, he'd even take hanging out with Reginald on his own, really. They'd started getting along pretty well, and it was better than sitting up alone worried about Garak.

Walking into the shared quarters, Julian found himself staring at a strange scene. Julia was reading a pad in an armchair while the couch was occupied by a single form swaddled in blankets. A holo documentary about early human fashion was playing unwatched.

Julia put a finger to her lips to forestall a question. A few moments after a flurry of finger movements, a text arrived to Julian's own pad.

"Garak fell asleep, don't wake him up, dumbass," Julia's message read. Julian nodded and had to fight down his curiosity. He'd never seen Garak just sleeping naturally and wanted a look. Despite that, he took Julia's warning to heart.

Knowing he was wearing too much cologne for a Cardassians heightened sense of smell, Julian immediately excused himself and took a shower. When Julian returned scent-free and clad in pajamas, he found that Julia had left the living room.

Julian felt a sharp jag of irritation at that. The living room was one of the most vulnerable places in their quarters. Garak would be deeply unhappy to be left unguarded in such an exposed position.

Then again, Julia had probably been guarding him for hours already, which wouldn't have been easy. She was starting to show a bit now, and his nieces had taken to sitting on their mother's bladder. He really should have asked her if she needed a break before just wandering off to shower.

That didn't change the fundamental problem with the scenario, though. Julian considered possible solutions for a moment before heaving a reassigned sigh. He clicked his translator off before heading over.

"Garak, it's Julian. Please wake up," Julian said softly in Kardassi. He sat beside Garak, taking his wrists as he startled awake.

"It's Julian," Julian repeated. Garak looked at him with blurry eyes before nodding, and Julian let go of his wrists.

"I could have hurt you," Garak complained. Julian didn't doubt it, he knew Garak kept a couple knives on him, and there were at least two of Julia's in the couch. Not that his strength alone wouldn't have been an issue.

"But you didn't. Now be good. You're not sleeping on the couch," Julian said as he slid his arms under and around Garak. He was hardly weightless, but Julian managed to carry him the short distance to his own room and deposit him on the bed. The couch was fine, he'd fallen asleep on it a few times, and Reginald was a regular guest, but it wouldn't do for Garak.

"Honestly, I could return to my own dwelling," Garak muttered though he wasn't trying to get up. Julian smiled, enjoying as always the smooth, clear sound of Garaks' untranslated voice.

"Humor me, my dear tailor," Julian said wryly as he settled the blankets around Garak more comfortably.

"Where will you sleep?" Garak demanded, sounding almost petulant.

"The couch-" Julian started only to get a glare. No, Garak wouldn't think well of him sleeping in the open any more than he'd enjoy it himself.

"I can bed down on the floor in here," Julian said instead. That idea didn't do anything to diminish Garak's disapproval.

"What? I'm open to alternatives," Julian said. As a last resort, he could always go lay next to Julia. Her bed was a queen size, and he couldn't help but think she'd gotten it expressly for the title. His own was just a full.

"The bed is big enough. Just sleep… next to me," Garak said the last part hesitantly. Julian swallowed nervously but then nodded.

"Yeah, alright," Julian agreed. It came out casually in English because he wasn't as calm as he looked. In his chest, his heart was pounding.

Unaware of his turmoil Garak slid over a bit and lifted the edge of his blankets to invite Julian to share them. It was already warm by human standards, but Julian slid in without a second thought.

After spending weeks easing into a casual physical affection with Garak, Julian made a mistake. Instead of laying down next to him, he slotted himself in against Garaks back and put an arm around him. It only took a few seconds to do, but nothing short of time travel could fix it after it happened.

"Is… Is this okay?" Julian asked.

"I'll take what I can get, my dear healer," Garak muttered sleepily in reply. A few moments later, deep even breathing informed Julian that Garak was asleep or feigning it convincingly.

Julian wondered if Garak had realized his translater was off. Julia had been on him about being a lazy ass when it came to languages, and he'd started putting in the effort to correct the problem. Kardassi was a very intricate language. It took him nearly a month to learn the spoken form alone. He was still getting the hang of the physical aspect of 'second tongue,' as the gestural portion was called.

With the spoken portion learned, he'd taken some time to understand related nuances. Like how the UT normally butchered it. That was important to know to fix diplomatic issues that might arise.

Kardassi had six words that translated to 'my dear' through the unforgiving filter of the Federation Standard translation matrix. Once, he learned that Julian had assumed Garak was using the diminutive generally reserved for children or friends. It was a playful word that he'd felt fit the other man's habit of teasing him.

That was not the word Julian had just heard. No, that had been closer to dearest in Standard though it was a thin connection at best. It was a declaration that the person spoken to occupied the place of honor in the speaker's heart. It wasn't typically used except as slang in poetry to refer to the state as personified.

Julian felt tears forming, and even if that wouldn't have undone him, 'healer' undoubtedly would have. Doctor was a professional title. Healer was an informal word drawn out of the few surviving fragments of the Hebitan language still present in modern Kardassi.

Healer was something almost spiritual in nature and spoke to the entwined nature of the soul and body. A concept that modern Cardassia didn't embrace.

Julian didn't know exactly what to make of the words, but it also didn't matter. Knowing Garaks memory was as good as his own, Julian subtly locked his arms around the Cardassian on the off chance he panicked and tried to slink away. In the morning, theyweregoing to talk about it.

Chapter 10: Morning

Chapter Text

When morning came, Elim woke up to a familiar mammalian scent and a delicious warmth. He didn't forget things, not really, but the cold and fatigue had muddled his thoughts. It was only the tan arms embracing him that assured him that he hadn't dreamed of being carried to Julian's bed.

"Morning," Julian muttered, his hold tightening in a hug for a moment before releasing.

"Good morning," Elim returned tentatively. He understood that Federation values were such that it was possible to spend a night platonically. It was just strange to find himself in such a situation. The intimacy of sleeping beside someone wasn't something he'd experienced before.

"Don't try to escape. I'm going to get us breakfast," Julian said with a yawn. He climbed out of bed but resettled the blankets before departing. Elim, for a moment, tried to think of how to do as he'd been forbidden. Unfortunately, there was no convenient method.

The bedroom exited to the living room, which was visible from the kitchen. He would be caught. He was also wearing loungewear, thanks to Julia's machinations.

That made it a foregone conclusion that his goblin of an adopted sister had hidden his actual clothes in hopes of just this sort of situation. A situation that was not dire enough to warrant running barefoot through the halls in his pajamas.

It was honestly embarrassing how easily she'd manipulated him with the promise of a bottle of Latian wine from Prime and fashion documentaries. She couldn't drink because of her state, but Reginald had joined him and even joked a little as they watched the holo. Between his cold and the alcohol, he'd been as helpless as a hatchling.

The worst part was he didn't regret it. He'd been content between the physical comfort of Julia's presence, the warmth of the room, and the comradery. A state of being he'd found almost foreign after so many years in isolation.

"Here we are," Julian beamed as he came back holding a tray. Elim sat up only to find that instead of being expected to exit the bed, the tray had legs. Julian sat it across his lap with a grin.

"I'm not so infirm as to require-" Elim bit back on his bitter denial of weakness. Julian had a mischievous look about him. Perhaps Julia wasn't the only one with a scheme in mind.

"What?" Elim asked.

"Breakfast in bed is considered a treat among humans. Something you do to show appreciation to those you care about," Julian said simply, sipping raktajino. Elim tilted his head in confusion. He wasn't aware of such a practice, his only familiarity with the notion being bed service in hospitals.

"Very well, I'll accept in the spirit of the gesture," Elim agreed. Primarily because he was hungry but also in part because he was still in reasonably good spirits.

"Good, after you eat, I'll draw you a bath, then we can spend the day reading or whatever you'd like to do in bed," Julian said with a grin. Elim blinked slowly. No, they certainly wouldn't be doing whatever he liked.

"Healer, are you of the impression I require a nursemaid?" Elim asked archly. He was still stuffy and a bit miserable, but it wasn't anything serious.

"For what? You're hardly sick," Julian said innocently. Elim didn't entirely trust him, but the idea of laying in bed reading certainly had an appeal. He had been suffering a bit, but he might have hidden the symptoms a bit better than usual from Julian.

"Consider this simply as me expressing my appreciation of you," Julian added.

"Very well," Elim agreed reluctantly. He could always leave later, and it wouldn't hurt if he did it on a full stomach. Taking his time with his breakfast, he enjoyed the view, as it were. Julian was seated next to him, shirtless, reading from a pad and sipping raktajino.

Once Elim finished, Julian took the tray away and returned with a robe and a small tub of bath supplies. It seemed he hadn't forgotten his promise to draw a bath. Elim felt a little uncomfortable with the idea at first, but not because he disliked baths. If anything, the entire scenario was just too lovely. Honestly, if this was how Julian treated his paramours the morning after, then the man should have had to fend them off with a pain stick.

"Pick a scent, if you want," Julian said cheerfully as he offered an assortment of bath products. Interestingly they were all of Cardassian make. The scents were all pleasant enough, but he picked the unscented one. He didn't use fragrances unless he had a particular reason, and lying in bed didn't qualify.

"You don't have to go to any trouble," Elim said flatly.

"Will if I want to, but this isn't any trouble," Julian chirped before disappearing into the refresher. Elim laid back, looking up at the ceiling and considering the situation. Were he back home, he'd assume he was about to be murdered or divorced. However, as things stood, he didn't have a relationship with Julian that the other man should have viewed as significant enough to warrant such a farewell.

Taking advantage of Julian's absence, Elim sent Julia a slightly panicked inquiry about human customs. He knew a great deal of them, but it was absolutely impossible to know all of them. They embraced far too many of their historical cultures, and strangely, unlike the layout of their starships, it was information that was difficult to get ahold of.

"He's just pampering you. Accept it like a good dragon," Julia wrote back. This answer did not instill the greatest of confidence in Elim about Julian's intentions. It did, however, irritate him enough to be distracting.

"It's ready," Julian called. He stepped out of the refresher a moment later, looking rather pleased with himself. Elim got up and headed in, earlier fears put aside. He was curious why Julian seemed so delighted with himself. The reason wasn't hard to figure out.

The refresher was dimly lit not by the overhead light but by flower-shaped candles floating in the bathtub. Music was softly playing, and while the water wasn't scented, there was a pleasant one in the air from the candles.

Somewhere in the middle of his more paranoid thoughts, Elim gave up. He didn't understand what was going on, but it also didn't really matter. The water was just shy of dangerously hot to a human and perfect for him, and he let himself enjoy soaking after a quick sonic to clean himself. Whatever it was that Julian wanted, he wouldn't mind helping, and if he was going to die, then there were worse ways to go than happy.

Outside the room, Julian was in the kitchen, neatly slicing fruit into artful shapes. The only thing he could reliably make when it came to cooking was food poisoning, but he could do fancy cutting stuff. Julia was at the dining table, eating an apple and watching him with interest.

"You're thinking too loudly," Julian muttered though he knew she'd hear him.

"I'm just wondering if I need to make myself scarce tonight or go get your dowry out of the storage bay," Julia replied evenly.

"Haha, it is to laugh," Julian shot back. Despite that, it did strike a nerve.

"Am I doing too much? I don't want to scare him," Julian asked.

"I mean, Cardassians don't date, but he's probably got human expectations about you. Sooo I'd say talk to him and make your intentions clear," Julia said. She was going to keep Garaks' panicked sociological questions to herself.

"I feel like that was a yes," Julian said, deflating a bit.

"Julian, seriously. Your copying marriage proposal customs out of like six different books and just mashing them together. How would you feel if someone started courting you like they did in the Han Dynasty then switched to Regency England?" Julia asked.

"Okay, point taken… Also, I would definitely appreciate you not being in tonight," Julian said, feeling embarrassed but not scared or ashamed.

"Not a problem, little brother. I'll take off after I get dressed. The room is soundproof, so don't worry about the neighbors," Julia said like she was commenting on the weather. Julian cringed a little to hear that from her but was no less thankful for it.

"Thanks… Seriously, a dowry?" Julian asked jokingly.

"You bet, I'm not going to let you go to the altar in anything less than style," Julia replied sweetly, and they both laughed.

"Now, I'm going to get dressed. You go sweep your dragon off his feet," Julia said, then trotted to her room to make good on her word.

Elim was dressed in the clean set of pajamas Julian had left for him when he got back. Fruit plate in hand, Julian grinned before leaving it on the dresser to make it easy for him to snack.

"How lovely, thank you," Elim said as he took in the artful arrangement. If only Julian put half as much thought into his wardrobe, he thought wistfully.

"So uhm… It's been brought to my attention that I sometimes, like right now, might give mixed or confusing signals," Julian started, trying to ramp up his courage. He knew Julia was right, but that didn't make it easy.

"Ah, so there's been a misunderstanding?" Elim asked softly.

"Yeah, kind of," Julian agreed and winced at himself. Yeah, nothing ambitious about that wording.

"To be blunt, I don't really know much in the way of modern Cardassian customs. I've only really read classic literature, and you tend to enjoy messing with me, so I'm never sure about what I'm doing," Julian explained. Elim felt a mild pang of regret at that. He hadn't deceived the good doctor as much as he assumed. He had definitely withheld information for his own profit and amusem*nt, however.

"So forgive me for being crass, but I'm going to try and make my intentions clear. It's nothing you should consider yourself beholden to. There my feelings, but if you want, we can discuss what you'd like and what you want after," Julian continued. Elim felt a bit sick to his stomach but nodded in agreement. Some of the classic Terran media they'd watched had detailed the splitting of social circles and places of entertainment after the end of a relationship.

Julian hesitated again, which wasn't a good sign. He usually only did that when he felt like what he was about to do was unpleasant. There were few things he liked less than hurting someone's feelings.

Elim had to wonder if Julian would claim the Replimat as his personal domain due to its proximity to the infirmary. Julian could have it. He was the only thing that made it worth visiting.

With a sigh, Julian reached up and gave his earlobe a few squeezes to disable the UT implant. Instead of Standard, English, or Arabic flowing from his lips, Elim heard Kardassi without the tinny sound the UT typically gave it.

"My name is Julian Bashir. I'm a Lutient with Starfleet and CMO of the space station Deep Space Nine. I graduated salutatorian at Starfleet Medical Academy, and I'm a genetically augmented human," Julian introduced himself. He studied Elim's face as he did but couldn't read it, which he'd expected to an extent. It was better than laughter, at least. He was aware his spoken Karadassi was technically sound, but his accent was northern and a bit off.

"I would be honored if you called me Julian," he finished. Cardassians didn't date, but they did have an initial overture of interest before formal courtship. It was usually preceded by gifts if the pair weren't well acquainted and more affectionate gestures like making food or grooming if they were.

If they were well received, or the interested individual was bold, the next step was what he'd just done. Offering a formal introduction and the use of his first name. Partial acceptance would be if Elim agreed to use it but didn't offer his own name. Full acceptance would result in the offering of his first name in return.

Like his other gestures, it was antiquated, but he didn't need to worry if Elim would recognize it. It was featured prominently in three generations of the Never Ending Sacrifice.

Elim let the words wash over him gently. The translator usually gave Julian a rather sophisticated but cool and tinny southern accent. The more gentle rolling northern fit him better, allowing the warmth in his eyes to be heard in his words.

Julian's body language and use of second tongue likewise was simple. It reinforced his words rather than hiding something or modifying them subtly. Honesty didn't translate well in Kardassi, but Julian managed it beautifully.

Elim wasn't sure if Julian really knew what he was doing, the full meaning of his combined gestures. It would be easy to mistake it for something lesser like human dating rituals, but for a change, his mind was silent.

Rather than rushing to find fault, Elim found his eyes riveted to Julian's. He saw nothing in them but warmth and love. Instead of answering right away, Elim placed his hands on the sides of Julian's head just behind his ears and gently brought their foreheads together.

"Anshwar, this is anshwar," Elim admitted for the first time. Julian had run across the term in books but not an exact explanation of the gesture. Elim had used that ignorance to his advantage, expressing the affection he dared not let the other man know of once before.

"Anshwar," Julian repeated gently. Elim let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and took his left hand away and held it up at his side. He didn't look, too ashamed of how it trembled. Julian pressed his own against it without needing to be told. This came up in books all too often, along with the significance of the duration.

As the moments ticked by, Julian made no move to pull his away. He'd expected to be teased or lectured, maybe even half accepted. That they'd have an argument about Federation values vs. Cardassian social norms.

The raw moment of vulnerability was something he'd ever expected. As Elim's fingers fanned apart tentatively, Julian drew in a sharp breath of surprise. He slotted his fingers together with Elims without hesitation.

"My name is Elim Garak. I've held many aliases, but that one is my birth name given by my mother. I'm a tailor by trade at the moment, but I've held other occupations as needed," Elim began, unable to offer a succinct explanation of himself.

"I'm known for specific skill sets, but truthfully, my best work was always done in data analysis and programming. Security architecture in particular," Elim continued. He'd show that much of himself before, but no one had ever really understood its significance.

"I don't deserve the honor of using your name, but I offer my own to you. Elim, to do as you wish," Elim finished.

"Elim," Julian said sweetly. He hadn't said it aloud since that night where he first met Tain, but it had lived on the edge of his tongue ever since.

Nothing had changed, but it would never be the same again either. For the first time in his life, Julian didn't feel like he needed to do anything. It was fine to savor the silence left behind in the wake of the name. To breathe with Elim and just be for a few moments.

"Julian," Elim said finally, the name spoken like a sigh.

Chapter 11: Evening

Chapter Text

"Reginald… Can I stay at your place tonight?" Julia asked over the com. Reginald was glad she'd called rather than coming in person. He'd been so surprised he dropped his soda in his lap at the request.

"Yeah, no problem," Reginald said, ignoring the puddle of cold spreading from his crotch and down his pants. It probably should have been unpleasant, but he honestly couldn't feel anything.

The fact that half the alpha shift was watching him was also somehow forgotten. They'd all been taking a quick break after a shift meeting. Grabbing snacks and complaining about never getting the scent of burning electronics out of their hair. Normal stuff.

No one laughed. Likely because Miles O'Brien was holding up a hand to stifle them.

"Oh my god, thank you," Julia said, sounding relieved.

"Sure," Reginald agreed numbly. The second the com made the disconnect noise, a firm hand clapped him on the back.

"Good for you, Reg!" Miles said brightly. Around him, general whoops of appreciation and catcalls went up. Reginald turned beet red and tried to think of an explanation. Everyone looked happy for him, but they had misunderstood the situation pretty profoundly.

"Look, man, take the rest of the day off. You need to change your jumper anyway, might as well make yourself presentable for the lady," Miles said. Reginald just nodded. He really did need to do something about his clothes. His shift only had an hour and a half left on it anyway.

Without a second thought, Reginald took off for his quarters. People gave him odd looks as he passed, but he didn't pay it any mind. The fact that it looked like there had been some kind of explosion in his pants totally lost on him.

Sliding into his quarters, he tore his jumpsuit off and went straight for the refresher. He got a wash in then a sonic on top just in case before putting on some casual clothes. He didn't have any illusions about why Julia was coming over, but he still tidied up in a rush. He was at her place all the time, and her couch and blankets always smelled nice.

After a quick sniff check, he determined the same could not be said of his own. He also didn't have spare pillows. Figuring out what to do about the furniture took a panicked database search. He turned up a quick protocol and enacted it.

While that sorted itself out, he started chucking every bit of clutter he was sure wasn't crucial in the reclimater. Everything else went in a bin that he shoved in his closet to hide. Pillows were replicated along with fresh blankets, which were then washed to soften them up.

By the time his shift would have ended, Reginald was happily sitting on a couch that didn't smell like anything more than fabric in newly tidy quarters. Unfortunately, that left him time to think until Julia called again or showed up.

He wanted to make a good impression, she always let him hang out at her place, but that was all. That everyone else in engineering thought something was going on was as burdensome as it was flattering. He didn't have that kind of chance with her, and even if he did, she was going to be leaving eventually.

Reginald laid back on the couch, turning the past few weeks over in his head. He genuinely liked and felt comfortable with Julia. She found his work interesting, invited him along to things, and didn't make him feel pressured to perform socially. She just encouraged him and let him make his own choices which was a new experience.

"Julia to Reginald, did you want to grab dinner? I can bring something over if you're not feeling going out," Julia's voice cut in. Reginald, that was another thing he liked about her. She used his proper name. She could have called him Reg like Miles did, and he wouldn't have minded that, but he liked it better that she didn't.

"Bring over whatever you like. I'm feeling a documentary kind of mood," Reginald replied with a smile. The last of his earlier tension drained out of him. It was his turn to pick what they watched, and he heard her make a happy squeak. She knew him too well.

They were both into how it was made docu-dramas where they went over the historical significance of various things from starcrafts to landmarks. They were fun and showed detailed schematics, exploded views, and other engineering p*rn that did nothing for Julian and Garak.

Well, Garak seemed to enjoy complaining about the lack of information security they represented. It turned out he'd done some security systems work back in the day. Reginald didn't blame him for changing jobs. That kind of stuff was a thankless pain in the ass.

"Be there soon!" Julia chirped and ended the connection. Reginald felt a flush of warmth in his face and chest. It would be nice to have an evening where it was just the two of them. He liked Julian and Garak, but he was still most comfortable with Julia. Hopefully, the other two would be doing something fun on their own.

When Julia arrived, Reginald met her at the door. She was beaming impishly over a pile of Vulcan take-out boxes. Stacked most logically for travel, but a little unwieldy all the same.

Seeing her hit him just as hard at that moment as it had the first time he'd ever laid eyes on her. She'd appeared like a bronze whirlwind. Sweeping him into a hug and looking at him like he meant the world to her.

This look wasn't the same. She wasn't mistaking him for anyone. There wasn't any adoration, but he didn't miss it either. The delighted amusem*nt in her eyes was for him and no one else.

Julia didn't stand on ceremony and immediately slid in around him. Brushing her hip against his in the process without hesitation. A minor intimacy that didn't cause him to jump or panic.

"I got the usual plus all the deserts this time. I mean, one of them has to actually be good," Julia giggled as the boxes swayed.

"Let me-" Reginal said as he tried to help. Just his luck, he barely managed to get ahold of anything, and it nearly slipped from his grasp. Julia was a blur of motion as she deposited what she was holding on the table then came back to help him.

Somehow none of the food ended up on the floor. The real miracle was that Reginald found he was laughing instead of mortified.

"Logically stacked my ass. I'm demanding a bag or bringing my own next time," Julia said as she chuckled.

"So, eat at the table like civilized folks or on the couch like base savages?" Julia asked as if nothing had happened.

"Base savages who use forks instead of fancy sticks," Reginald said as he fetched silverware. He could use them, but he'd rather concentrate on the docu-drama rather than his utensils.

"Illogical! I love it," Julia called. She was setting the boxes up on the coffee table in front of the holo set.

"Does the Andorian restaurant serve dessert? I can't stand most of their food, but that might be fun to try next time," Reginald offered. One of Julia's favorite things to do was order one of everything on the dessert menu and share them with everyone. It was becoming a ritual of sorts whenever they tried a new place.

"Oooh! I have no idea. I'll have to check the menu later," Julia said thoughtfully. Reginald took a seat on the couch, placing down the silverware. Julia got cups and then joined him.

Usually, when they were at her place, the couch was pretty crowded. Four adult humanoids took up space, but it was cozy rather than cramped. Reginald's couch wasn't quite as large, but it was more than roomy enough for two adults to sit without touching.

Reginald felt an unexpected pang of regret at the realization. He'd gotten used to sitting so close their shoulders and knees sometimes touched. The moments where Garak and Julian would get a little rowdy, and she'd scoot up against him. Content to just stay there while hissing curses at the pair.

"Here you go," Julia said, handing him a cup. Instead of moving to the side, she sat down next to him. Not quite as close as usual, but not far away either.

Everything fell into place like it usually did. They ate, talked about the food, half watching the holo. Reginald had picked one they'd already seen. They were short. They could watch a new one once they were less distracted.

"Oh, I forgot to ask! Do you need me out by a certain time or need to go to bed early or anything?" Julia asked as the first episode ended. Reginald was taken aback for a moment, not sure why she was asking. The fact that she was trying to be considerate of his schedule sunk in a moment later.

"No, I've got tomorrow off. Did you want to do something? With me? There's that orchestral thing in the park," Reginald asked before he could think better of it. They had done stuff before but always with Julian or Garak along, if not both.

Reginald was actually reasonably sure she'd already gone to that event with Garak. It was just the first date-like thing he could think of, and it tumbled out. He knew even as he said it that it was a bad idea.

Even if he didn't get flatly turned down, she wasn't interested in him like that. Not that it would have mattered if she was. He understood that she was going to return to her home dimension eventually. The only thing he could do was invite heartbreak on himself.

Despite that, he didn't try to take the invitation back. Most of his limited romantic experience was one-sided pinning for people who likely didn't even realize he felt anything. The other half had been a few very fraught relationships with people he'd been through some kind of trauma with.

His feelings about Julia were different. There were no life and death stakes, and she'd already reached past his defenses. He simply enjoyed being with her and would take anything she was willing to give.

"That sounds great. Did you want to go to the afternoon performance or the evening?" Julia asked with a smile.

"The afternoon one if you don't mind. Maybe we could get lunch at that new cafe," Reginald said enthusiastically. Date or just as friends, he was happy to spend more time with her.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Julia agreed. The next episode of the show started up, and they fell back into watching and chatting while they ate. After a few episodes and agreeing that the churro things in a berry sauce needed ice cream, a problem presented itself.

Reginald could not for the life of him find a comfortable sitting position. Not spending a lot of time on his couch, he had never given much thought to its long-term comfort. Given how it was bothering him now, he couldn't even imagine sleeping on it.

He looked over at Julia, about to comment, when he noticed a second problem. She was tall and particularly long-legged. There was no way she could fully stretch out. She was also squirming almost as much as he was, which meant she was uncomfortable already too.

"You take the bed," Reginald said firmly. The bed was visible from the couch, and Julia glanced over at it appraisingly.

"It's better than this thing," Reginald added, forcing a smile. The station didn't have anything like a civilian hotel, but it did have a hostel for freighter crews and the like. He didn't even want to think about her staying the night in a place like that.

Reginald didn't doubt Julia's ability to defend herself. He just didn't want her in a position where she needed to. Ever. He'd rather go stay there himself, and that place scared him.

"It's a full. We can split it," Julia said matter of factly. Reginald felt his mind fill with static. Just a wall of white noise replacing coherent thought.

"Sure," Reginald said, numb to his body but still hearing his own voice.

Chapter 12: Pillow Talk

Chapter Text

Julia found it all too easy to slip into bed beside Reginald. She could tell him apart from the father of her children easily, more so in the dark even. His scent was just a bit off, the way he breathed, a thousand little things that sang a song to her enhanced senses and filled her with a kind of melancholy.

The bed was slightly small for two adults, and Reginald was lying beside her stiff as a board. Really, it was kind of adorable. He'd fallen asleep against her often enough on movie nights that this shouldn't have been such a leap.

Then again, it wasn't like Julia missed the blush or how his pupils had expanded on seeing her. He wasn't forward, but he clearly felt something or was developing feelings about her. Only time would tell if anything would come of it, though.

"Would it be alright if I held you? I have to sleep on my side, and I forgot about my body pillow," Julia asked softly. It wasn't a lie. That really was how she usually slept.

Her pregnancy would take only two-thirds of the time of a standard human one. That had led to her body changing rapidly. She could have just clutched a pillow though, she didn't have to embrace Reginald.

"Oh, I didn't even think of that. Yeah, do whatever you need to," Reginald replied. No stutter or panic at the request. Julia smiled, knowing he probably was too concerned with her wellbeing to consider how he'd feel. She'd relent if he seemed uncomfortable.

Admirably Reginald didn't flinch when she rolled over to cuddle him. He even relaxed a little, which was a good sign. It was soothing to hold him. She'd missed the feeling of another body next to hers at night.

Cardassian infants, even hybrid ones, were very sensitive. It was best they not be separated from her or their close relatives. That had meant sharing a family bed with Julian, Garak, and even Mila.

The boys took it in rotations with Mila, so it had worked out well. No one was ever completely burned out from want of sleep, and the children bonded beautifully.

Julia missed that time deeply. Of chatting with Mila in service Kardassi, the way the babies smelled, the simple volume of casual touch. Experiencing that omnipresent intimacy had only deepened her craving for contact and left her bereft afterward.

"Julia-" Reginald started softly only to fall silent.

"Yes?" Julia asked. She'd expected him to say goodnight or to remain silent. His tone suggested he was struggling with something which would mean a conversation.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but… I feel like you're choosing to stay here," Reginald said after a pause.

"Your bed?" Julia asked archly.

"This reality. Miles is pretty close to a reliable solution which means you probably figured it out as soon as you got access to the sensor data," Reginald began. He wasn't wrong, but it had taken her two weeks to confirm her models for safety's sake.

Julia's math was never wrong but still relied on her perception, which could be flawed. Applying the correct formula wouldn't amount to sh*t if you were blindsided by a random variable.

"I thought you just wanted to fix the station up first to prevent complications, but… Is that all it is?" Reginald asked. The question had been bothering him for a week. Julia didn't really hide her abilities as an engineer. Yet, she steered away from conversations about how to get her back.

He'd brought it up to Miles, but the man was absolutely besotted with the sheer volume of repairs Julia had affected. Not to mention the system workarounds she'd come up with.

Julia claimed that O'Brien's counterpart had taught her how to deal with the integrated Federation and Cardassian system. That she'd say she "learned from the best" every time someone asked how she came up with something had Miles treating her like a long-lost daughter.

"It sounds like you have a suspicion about my motive," Julia replied rather than answering.

"Honestly, I don't. I know you like it well enough here, but when you talk about home… I can hear the longing in that. I don't think you'd stay here, but I'm just kind of worried. Like that maybe you're delaying because it won't really be pleasant when you go back. More so than you let on before," Reginald admitted.

Julia froze, shocked by the assertion. Silence stretched for a few moments before finally, she let out a tired sigh. Leave it to the man with the social skills of a ham sandwich to see through her completely. At least this time, Garak and Julian would be too preoccupied with each other to spy on her.

"Things are messy back home for a lot of reasons, but I'm not really stalling. Some of the early tests were communications to let my family know I was alright and that I'd be a while," Julia explained, not bothering with direct confirmation. He'd earned an answer, but that didn't mean he'd won the full bare facts.

"Like you suggested, it's to fix the station. I'm responsible for more than my own life, so I can't take the kind of risks I would otherwise," Julia explained. She wasn't going to get into the specifics of it, but those were the broad strokes. Being cautious because of her pregnancy was a legitimate motivation.

"Okay… I just worry about you. You spend a lot of time taking care of others. I don't want you to feel like you can't or shouldn't tell us stuff. Like you'd be a burden if you did. I get caught up in my head a lot like that. Not that I'm saying you have problems like I do-" Reginald was cut off by a sudden warmth on his cheek. Julia had kissed him. His brain whited out with elation.

"Thank you, Reginald. It's delightfully considerate of you. Now, let's get to bed," Julia said gently to end the conversation. She settled back, head on his chest so she could listen to his heartbeat as she fell asleep. The staccato rhythm it was currently pounding out was a bit stimulating. Really, he was affected astonishingly easily.

"Goodnight, Reginald," Julia prompted.

"Goodnight, Julia," Reginald replied softly. A moment later, she felt a soft touch on the top of her head. Reginald had kissed her, and suddenly her own heartbeat was mirroring his. It seemed he wasn't the only one easily affected.

Chapter 13: Family Chat

Chapter Text

Julia woke early, as much from habit as the pressure on her bladder. The girls seemed to have mistaken it for a waterbed. Heading for the fresher, she took her time, knowing mild nausea would soon build into something predictable.

As she reached the door, she glanced back toward the bed. Reginald was still asleep, a similar but ultimately different man from the father of her children. This Reginald was dear to her, but it wasn't easy.

Julia didn't want to end up in a situation where he thought he was just a replacement. Something a bit hard to do because of how uncertain her feelings were. How could she say with certainty that she really saw him just as he was? That no part of her saw his affection as replacement for the man who'd abandoned her so suddenly.

"f*ck…" Julia growled, feeling helpless. After a brisk bout of morning sickness, she finished up her absolutions and took a quick sonic. Once she changed into her previous day's clothes, she headed to the dining table after getting a low sugar lemonade from the replicator. It would help settle her stomach though food was off the table for a while yet.

"Uhm… Morning?" Reginald said tentatively as he came out of the sleeping area.

"Morning," Julia replied lightly with a smile.

"Would you like to get breakfast together?" Reginald asked. They had plans for later, but he wouldn't mind spending the whole day with her.

"Hm… Yeah, but I need to drop by my place to change and razz my brother. Think you can wait an hour?" Julia asked with an impish grin.

"Razz him for what?" Reginald asked, wondering what he missed.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you!?" Julia said, looking mortified.

"Reginald, the best thing happened! Julian is together with Garak and possibly engaged to him," Julia said, slapping the table with her free hand. It was her habit when she was genuinely excited about something.

Thankfully she didn't target his arm like she would her brothers. Reginald had caught one of those slaps once and thought he was going to die. Julia Bashir was not a light touch when she forgot her strength.

"Oh," Reginald said as he processed the news. It was nice, but he wasn't sure exactly why it was important. Then the fact that Julia had needed a place to sleep over finally sunk in.

"OH!" Reginald said in surprise. It seemed like the pair were jumping straight to the honeymoon. Good for them. That explained why Julia wanted to go over and tease Julian. He didn't exactly understand it, but Reginald knew she felt a need to mercilessly harass her brother about Garak.

"Yeah, we can go when you feel like it. Takes me a little while to feel hungry anyway," Reginald agreed.

"Alright, I'll go now and see you in a bit," Julia said brightly. She gave Reginald a shoulder hug before dashing out. Reginald watched her go with a goofy grin on his face.

Julia had a special bounce in her step as she headed for her quarters. Quarters her brother probably still hadn't realized she'd procured expressly for him and Garak to occupy long term. He was a genius in a lot of ways but an absolute dumbass in others.

The fact she'd designed her room as mother-in-law quarters for Mila likely not even occurring to him. It was the larger room and nicely appointed but still understated. The Mila she knew was solidly service class and wouldn't appreciate anything too impractical. It was also absolutely chocked full of secret caches for weapons and what not.

When Julia reached the door, she discreetly engaged a visual feed from the interior. A projection of the kitchen and living room appearing in her vision, invisible to anyone else. Julian and Garak had a perfectly good bed at their disposal and should be in it. Despite that, she wouldn't put it past her brother or Garak to have defiled most available surfaces after so long.

Thankfully a mostly clothed Julian was sitting at the dining table. She walked in and was immediately hit by a slightly minty musk. Going by the density of the f*ck mist in the air, she knew her plan had come to fruition and that the couch needed a deep clean.

At the table, her brother looked at his scones and jam with a dopy look while he sipped tea. Only wearing pajama pants, one would be forgiven for thinking he'd gotten into a rather rough fight going by the bruising and teeth marks. The languid way he moved and how his pupils were still blown screamed freshly f*cked, however.

"Is Garak still alive? You look like he's going to have PTSD from your libido," Julia said teasingly. Julian seemed to wake up a little bit at the joke and properly register her presence.

"He's napping, and I was careful… ish. He's pretty damned sturdy," Julian said, trying to be brazen but blushing all the same.

"Yeah, yeah. Also, classy move, shirtless at the table," Julia teased. She knew Julian wouldn't do anything hurtful to Garak even if he lost himself. Really it was kind of a relief that he'd let himself go to such an extent. He was painfully repressed by necessity with more fragile partners.

Julian's free hand went to his neck. He managed to hide absolutely nothing in doing so. Julia thought it was cute that he tried anyway.

"You know, it occurred to me that you don't use the UT for Kardassi. You could have told me he was declaring his love every time he called me dear," Julian complained.

"Your ear for it is still terrible if that's all you've picked up on. He's been calling you ba'ssheer , his treasure, not Bashir . The. Whole. Time," Julia said smugly.

"Wait, with Kardassi grammar- He's been calling me "my treasured healer,"?" Julian demanded with wide eyes.

"Yep," Julia agreed.

"YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME!" Julian shouted, looking completely embarrassed.

"Really? You actually needed me to tell you that?" Julia asked archly. Julian cradled his head in his arms, knees coming up to his chest.

"Obviously," Julian muttered without meeting her eyes.

"Like you need encouragement to fall dick first into a relationship. Not knowing Garaks feelings wasn't the problem, little brother," Julia countered. Since things were already in motion, the gloves could finally come off, and she was all but grinning.

"What the f*ck Julia?" Julian asked, mortified by the assessment.

"Oh, come on, you were already in love with him. You just didn't take a shot because… Well, you didn't think he could love an augment," Julia said plainly.

"That's… He would have found out, and I was scared," Julian admitted unhappily. He was good at hiding his abilities, up to a point. A stronger partner was more dangerous to him than a fragile one. It was easy to get lost in pleasure and do something outside human norms if he wasn't concerned about damaging the other party.

"And you're too sweet to have been worried he'd use it against you. You were worried you'd drag him down with you if it came out," Julia added. Julian just nodded at that before sighing. That possibility still lingered but wasn't something that bothered him anymore. In a lot of ways having his career hamstrung by the reveal had been freeing.

"Thanks for the push… I shouldn't have needed it, but I did," Julian said after a few moments of comfortable silence. Like learning Kardassi, there had been a lot of things he avoided out of habit rather than necessity. It was nice to start shaking those chains off finally.

"You were too accustomed to hiding to do otherwise," Julia said with a smile and sad eyes.

"Did you do something like this for yours?" Julian asked. He usually didn't ask about his and Garak's counterparts, but he was curious.

"No, I just gave you candy that stained your mouth blue. It's a sign of arousal in Cardassians, and Garak kind of lost it when you popped one in your mouth during a debate over dinner," Julia said with a grin. The amount of prep work that had gone into getting this set together had been no small feat. Her idiots had only taken one dinner fix-up and five minutes with a replicator.

"That's completely devious," Julian said with shock written across his face. Julia smiled. She'd also told him they were breath mints that Cardassians found pleasing to ensure their strategic use. Her brother didn't need to know all of her tricks, however.

"There's a sack of it in the cupboard," Julia offered. Julian looked at her in disbelief, then shoved a scone down so fast it was amazing he didn't choke before darting for the cabinet.

Julia was shocked to see her brother move at his top speed for what might have been the first time ever. It figured that he'd do something like that for sex but let himself get gutted like a trout when it came to self-defense. Candy in hand, Julian darted back to his bedroom in a blur.

Julia chuckled, knowing that Julian could make a Vulcan in pon far cry uncle if he really cut loose. Garak had lamented putting on weight recently, but he would probably thank the State for the energy reserve now.

Done with her first task of teasing Julian, Julia went to her room and put on fresh clothes. That done, she headed back to the dining table since she didn't trust any of the softer furniture to come up clean under blacklight.

With a bit of time to kill, she started going through her mental list of tasks she needed to complete before leaving. Lost in thought, the doorbell caught her off guard.

"Hi," Reginald said when the door slid open. He sounded surprised despite being the one to ring, but Julia just smiled in amusem*nt.

"Hi, have a seat at the table while I grab my bag," Julia chirped. She'd invested in soundproofing the bedrooms, so she wasn't concerned about the awkward sounds that were undoubtedly about to start up. She and Reginald would be blissfully ignorant of any carnal happenings so long as the door was shut.

"Did you get a new air freshener? I smell something kind of minty," Reginald asked as he took a seat. Julia was glad she was facing away from him and could take a moment to compose herself.

"Maybe it's one of Julian's colognes," Julia offered placidly.

"It smells pretty good. I might have to get some myself," Reginald said cheerfully. Julia had to run to her room to keep from bursting into laughter on the spot. She didn't mind, but she doubted Reginald would be quite so pleased by the smell if he knew it was a mixture of Human and Cardassian sexual pheromones.

Chapter 14: Blissful Hours

Chapter Text

Elim felt entirely boneless as he laid in Julians, no, his and Julians bed. The offer to cohabitate had come during the early hours of the morning, just after he was presented with a lavish meal. One he'd eaten like he was starving to death.

On a certain level, after the first two times, Elim had expected he was going to be sore. The couplings hadn't been the brusque quickies haunted by shame and the contempt of anatomical familiarity he was accustomed to.

Julian's style of lovemaking had started out as inquisitive mapping. His treasured healer had an idea of Cardassian physical limitations but scoffed at not knowing his lovers in detail.Elim had had every range of motion and inch of hide gently tested and teased. An examination so thorough yet gentle that he'd been a little worried about his sexual compatibility with Julian.

Interspecies relationships required accommodation, but he'd despaired a little at how to approach the issue. Julian had been physically gentle as well as verbally. Then the regenerator came out.

"Love, you're gorgeous, but you are an absolute mess of scar tissue. I'll leave the dermal marks if you like, but the muscle damage has to go," Julian had said firmly. Elim had balked but relented after a gentle twist of his arm from Julian had elicited an involuntary hiss of pain. He'd half-forgotten about that old hurt.

Cardassian medicine wasn't far behind the Federations but was a bit different. An issue that didn't matter much since Elim had always been subject to Obsidian Order patch jobs. The finest in "it will do" field medicine to get operatives on their feet but little else.

Then there was the issue of recovery. Aside from just after the surgery for the implant, and that unfortunate business about having a building dropped on him, Elim had never really been granted time to heal. Combined with the cursory nature of his treatments, it made sense he was in bad shape.

After the medical treatment ended, Julian had given him a massage that made him rethink his earlier misgivings. Beyond the kneading of muscles into pliantness, there had been stretches that had gotten some kinks out he'd feared were permanent.It was foreign, but Elim felt like he could get used to being treated like something precious. Eventually.

The second time had come after nearly an hour and been more firm but still exploratory. The regenerator made a second appearance, another massage, snacks, then a nap.

Elim fell asleep feeling satisfied and frustrated. He couldn't help wondering if this was just how Julian was or an unneeded concession to his greater age.

The pattern changed the third time, but not strictly for the better. It started with a scan and a stretch instead of ending with one. Elim was about to snap something rude at his lover when a set of blunt mammalian teeth closed with surprising force on his neck ridges.

It didn't take a genius to realize after the nearly bruising session that followed that Elim had misread Julian's intentions. He hadn't been treating him delicately out of fear or contempt for Elim's age. He'd been preparing him lovingly, like a craftsman about to embark on his finest work.

Why Julian had been so careful initially about range of motion was also duly explained. His human lover wasn't as strong as Elim, but he was almost terrifyingly flexible. Julian also enjoyed being taken roughly (by human standards), it turned out. Thank the State.

Fortunately, though it took Julian a little while to get comfortable, he was willing to do the same in turn. He was just so accustomed to holding back that it took time to adjust his sense of what was appropriate.

"Your up, darling?" Julian asked sweetly as he returned. He was carrying a tray-bearing a meal called brunch. Elim had despaired, expecting human fare, but was treated to the sight of a Cardassian meal.

Elim noted that, fortunately, Julian's mouth was no longer stained blue. He was reasonably sure he didn't have the strength to so much as walk to the refresh. Despite that, seeing Julian covered in love bites and scratches was convincing other parts of him another round wasn't impossible. The blue certainly would have pushed Elim over the edge.

He really was going to have to figure out a way to reward Julia for that naughty little trick. That and a multitude of other things.

"Hm... You know my dearest treasure, if you insist on spoiling me, I'll become accustomed to it," Elim threatened playfully.

Julian couldn't help the lecherous grin that Elim's words drew out of him. Really, the man was lying with nothing but a bit of silk sheet covering very little. Languid and smug as a satisfied cat. If he were Cardassian, Julian wouldn't have needed candy to turn himself blue. Not with a view like that in front of him.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, love," Julian replied. He restrained himself to a kiss on Elim's chufa before pressing his forehead to it in anshwar. He knew he had another round or two in him, but it wouldn't be quality work.

Julian didn't mind rushing a solid eighty percent of his life, but this was worth taking time with. Elim always was.

"Whatever shall I do with you?" Elim asked with a dramatic sigh.

"I was hoping for a long cuddle then us going on a proper date," Julian said as he settled in on the bed.

"That sounds wonderful, but... It feels inopportune, but we really do need to discuss how public you want our affairs," Elim said unhappily.

"Though you might not be subject to Bajoran censor about it, your Starfleet colleagues likely won't appreciate the change," Elim added.

"Wow," Julian said, openly looking surprised.

"Wow, what?" Elim asked. He hadn't expected Julian to be completely oblivious.

"No, it's just... I'm usually the one out of the loop, not you," Julian said, tilting his head.

"What loop?" Elim asked, mildly affronted.

"There was some push back already, but it's... kind of dissolved? I don't know. Honestly, Julia's social dark magics are not mine to question," Julian started, looking like he was trying to figure out what to say exactly.

"Push back? If anything, I've noticed people being oddly polite to me," Elim countered.

"Starting about two weeks ago?" Julian asked. Elim could only nod. He'd tried to look into why but the gossip mill had been oddly silent on the point.

"I have no idea what she did, but it was something about standing up to a prylar in the Bajoran temple," Julian continued. Julia was an atheist like him. She'd definitely gone there to enact an apparently successful plot.

"That's the most I could get out of my nurses. Since then, they've just been... Not fawning, but more than nice? Like they actually like me now. Which was kind of saddening because I thought they did already," Julian explained. Elim put his food aside, cuddling to help assuage his lovers' emotional distress was more important.

"Even if that's the case, do you believe that Cheif O'Brien and Commander Sisko won't have any issues?" Elim asked, genuinely uncertain now. He'd know Julia was in the midst of social maneuvers, but he'd thought it was to simply affirm her place in the local hierarchy. It was an expected thing for Cardassians.

"Miles is complicated, but he's already given me a blessing of sorts. Sisko... it's weird, but he's on board too. Like, asked me if we plan to have kids and if we needed family quarters of our own," Julian said with a shrug.

"...I had noticed that Julia took a copy of her betagram to his office after her last appointment. She's also been encouraging him and O'Brien to touch her stomach," Elim said as something dawned on him. Both men were devoted parents and helpmates. She'd been softening them up using her gravid state to her advantage. He mentally tipped a glass of Kanar to her.

"I'm happy about it. Things like that make me uncomfortable, but... I trust her to have our interests at heart and not hurt anyone," Julian said with a sigh.

"What kind of thing?" Elim asked with a raised ocular ridge. It was odd how Julian could be so comfortable next to an Obsidian Order agent yet put off by what seemed as yet to be a relatively simple scheme.

"Social engineering. Its... I'm terrible at reading cues and things like that. So even though I know it's not inherently wrong, it still makes me uncomfortable.

"I understand," Elim agreed. He didn't, but it wasn't something that would lead to a fun argument, so he let it go.

"Aren't you hungry Elim?" Julian asked. He'd noticed the untouched tray set to the side.

"Mhm, but I'd rather get that cuddle now. We'll have a meal together later," Elim countered. With a grin, Julian happily complied.

Elim envied Julian his ability to just let things go. Despite his gratitude about a variety of topics, Elim knew he would have to investigate what happened and have a serious chat with Julia.

It could way a few days, though. Not even wild riding hounds would drag Elim away from Julian and their unions' first blush of bliss.

Chapter 15: Questions

Chapter Text

When Elim finally got around to looking into what happened at the Bajoran temple, he was mildly shocked. A prylar had been removed, forced to return to Bajor, along with several other personnel changes. All apparently the result of internal decisions of the temple.

Elim didn't have any trouble locating snippets and impressions, but a complete story was eluding him. When using informants failed to produce results, Elim resigned himself to an old but trustworthy method.

He brought several bottles of springwine to the promenade merchants guild meeting. That immediately started loosening tongues up, and the story that came out was truly odd.

"I was just shocked. I mean, Dr. Bashir was skilled, but I didn't know he could have been posted anywhere and chose to come here. I honestly thought it was a punishment. I respected him because the poor man just kept plodding along doing his best, but... I didn't give him the respect he deserved," Reika, the grocer, said with surprise plastered on his face.

"I feel bad for not trying to befriend him. He really did try," Tila, the jumja still cart owner, said sadly.

"Right? Honestly, though, he took such an awful risk just to help people, even without that strangeness about Starfleet not liking him because of his genes or something. On top of that, I had no idea those medical supply kits were something he was paying for," Dallia, the florist, added. Somehow it had been revealed that the monthly shipment of medical kits to Bajoran doctors had actually been a personal arrangement of Julians rather than a Federation donation. The paperwork had checked out, and Julian had sheepishly admitted it to Elim in bed.

"And you! Really, if you'd told us you were a retired programmer… We probably wouldn't have believed you. Really Garak, I'm sorry," Reika cut in.

"Well, thank you," Elim said blandly. Somehow he'd gone from (definitely) maybe being an Obsidian Order agent to former programmer turned artisan in the public eye. His feud with Dukat had been oversimplified to a reaction to the other man's abhorrent behavior during the occupation and at present.

"Honestly, even if the other bit had been true, it's not like you're not helping. You've done a lot for the station and us over the years," Dallia offered. Elim just nodded, feeling a little sick to his stomach. Like everything else, his actions' publicly known broad strokes had been recast into a positive light. The transmutation occurred not directly because of Julia but through social pressures. How and why she'd manipulated things into such a state of affairs was unclear.

Even the rumors of why he was an exile had changed drastically, taking on almost pleasant connotations among the Bajorans. The leading theory was that he'd called Dukat a rapist to his face during the withdrawal. His dressing down of Dukat's behavior toward Kira lent an air of plausibility to the notion among them.

The information was interesting but the ends were not enough to discern the means or the ultimate goal. Still lacking a better idea of how to apporch the case Elim turned to an old standby. Namely, accessing the records of a few of Odo's listening devices from the temple.

The recordings didn't explain the genesis of the individual alterations but the sea change they resulted in. Julia had politely asked for a natal chart for her children from a prylar. The man had insulted her, but she'd remained calm until he added some comments about him and her brother. That was when the claws came out.

Julia, when she felt like it, could project her voice to an astonishing volume. Rather than a private quarrel, she'd turned it into a spectacle for everyone in the temple and likely half the promenade. That was when things took an odd turn.

Instead of addressing what was said, Julia dressed him down by quoting scripture in fluent Bajoran. She'd followed that up by demanding to know how he could dare to speak for the Prophets at the foot of the celestial temple itself. It left the man speechless, which was when the rest of the congregation stepped in.

Bajorans, particularly the ladies, tended to be what one could politely call feisty. They took offense at him refusing a mother a natal chart then launched into what he'd said. The prylar was lambasted for disparaging people the Emissary trusted. Ones the Prophets had clearly placed on the station to help.

Elim felt like someone had turned the gravity off as he lost all emotional sense of direction while listening. Much of what was said was twisted somehow, but all of it was at least partly true. More to the point, Julia hadn't said anything to directly defend him or Julian. The Bajorans did it of their own volition.

Now Elim felt like he actually understood what Julian meant about finding what Julia did uncomfortable. Despite observing her closely, he hadn't seen the temple incident coming. None of what she'd been doing had struck him as out of the ordinary.

It was only with the benefit of hindsight that the threads began to draw together in his mind. Instead of arguing, Julia asked people who said negative things why they thought that way. He'd mistaken that for a refusal to flirt, his Cardassian bias and her usual behavior conspiring against him.

Julia hadn't been refusing advances. She'd been manipulating public opinion. Likely leaking information strategically along the way to help things along. It would only take a few hints, and some paperwork left conspicuously out to reveal any number of Julian's good deeds.

She'd done the same with his reputation but capitalized on the lack of evidence. By asking for proof instead of arguing, she'd shaken the foundations of others' assumptions. It had probably only taken knitted eyebrows and a pitying look to get people to feel they'd been reading too much into things. To make the idea of a former Obsidian Order operative seem like nothing more than a flight of fancy on the part of the gossip mill.

Honestly, Elim was caught between a desire to buy her flowers as thanks or take Julian and run. The two weren't really mutually exclusive, though. He could have the flowers delivered while they were escaping.

It was only the gentle way she looked at him and her brother that let Elim fight down his paranoia. Julia Bashir was a woman with the potential to be a frightening enemy, but she was not his. More to the point, he was no less dangerous.

Despite that, Julia had not simply entrusted her brother to him. She'd actively worked to help them get together. He wouldn't betray her without cause, no matter how much her methods got under his skin.

Unfortunately, the reveal didn't mean Elim could get away without discussing things with her. Too much was going on, and he couldn't clearly see the endgame. Instead of being mysterious like he usually would with Julian, he sent her a text requesting they meet discreetly.

Julia replied with an invitation to join her in the holosuite for her regular workout. Elim arrived at the appointed time and entered to find himself witnessing an odd sight. Rather than a jogging path or something like a classical battle, Julia was wielding a length of rope with a blunt weight on the end against six opponents.

That itself wasn't strange, but it was a bit odd that they were all mannequin-like. Roughly humanoid but devoid of features and the same color as the monotone background. It made the fight rather nauseating to watch as the geometric terrain shifted. Only hints of movement gave away her opponents.

Julia whipped a knife from a hidden pocket and stabbed one in the approximate location of an eye socket. It fell to the ground, turning a slightly darker shade. Elim watched with interest as she used the rope as snare and club. Even without her strength or reflexes, she would be more than capable of delivering a killing blow with it.

The weighted end of the rope cracked another one's head fatally. Interestingly the bodies didn't disappear, cluttering the ground and providing a new hazard.

"Computer pause program," Elim said flatly. He was deft with various weapons himself, but ones like that took a different degree of flexibility and ranges of motion. It was ill-suited to the stiffer Cardassian form.

"You didn't learn that from Mila," Elim observed dryly when she paused. Neither of them pretended she hadn't long been aware of his presence.

"She taught me knives and poisons," Julia replied placidly. Calm wasn't strange for her, but Elim recognized her current state as something a bit different. This was Julia unmasked, or as close as she'd likely ever get.

Julia's eyes were searching, constantly appraising her surroundings, and they lacked Julian's warmth. Neither cruel nor kind, simply observing and remote as stars in a night sky. It would likely take her a few minutes to calm down and slip her social mask back on.

"Did she teach you how to make tea as well?" Elim asked. There was a table with a set and a little heater for the pot nearby.

"No," Julia said with a thin smile.

"Excellent. She's the only person I know who can make it into poison without adding anything but water," Elim said with a shiver. That won a little snort from Julia.

"Shall we sit and chat, elder brother?" Julia asked. She spoke in Kardassi, using the form that indicated affection.

"Thank you, little sister," Elim said without a smile. He used the same form in acknowledgment of the bond she'd asserted with her own words.

Julia put away her training weapon with care. To a less experienced observer, she would have appeared unarmed. Elim knew she wasn't, however. She had at least three knives on her. He'd sewn in the pockets for them himself.

Not that she was significantly less dangerous without a weapon. Elim kept his stance neutral as Julia divested herself of everything but a single blade and some hairpins. It was customary for a lady to keep at least that much on her.

Anyone who mistook the hairpins for ornamental would deserve their fate. One was struck quite deeply into the eye socket of a training dummy. Julia sat down first and poured for them both before gesturing for Elim to join her.

"Ask your questions, elder brother," Julia prompted.

"I've traced data intrusions to nonexistent terminals in public places. Found ongoing communications with the Feranginar government. A series of communications to Cardassian space and Sisko looked pleased to see me yesterday. I'd very much like an explanation of that," Elim explained.

"Really? Can't say I was expecting that last one," Julia said though her smug expression suggested otherwise.

"Seriously, Julia? What in the hebitian hells did you do? He smiled at me," Elim demanded. As if Sisko's smile was tantamount to an assassination attempt. Julia choked on her tea. Calling her name without permission was a grave insult unless one were family.

"Elim, you f*ck-" Julia growled, coughing but apparently delighted anyway. Using his name in return confirmed the familial relationship.

"Ugh… I've been working on him since I arrived. Nothing major, just letting him be part of my pregnancy. It's why we have that giant pot of gumbo in the cooling unit," Julia said dismissively.

"He does have a soft spot for children. Blessing them is the only Emissary duty I see him not actively hate," Elim confirmed.

"Oh, you have no idea. He cooed when I let him feel the girls kicking. Not to mention how he flipped out about the baby pictures," Julia said, chucklingly. She didn't mind Sisko's interest in her pregnancy. She wouldn't have used it as leverage if she did. He was an excellent father and, despite his enthusiasm, didn't overstep the boundaries she set.

"The betagrams were rather darling," Elim agreed. He's stood like a statue through them, but that had been his nerves getting to him. Being part of a family was a foreign experience, but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate it. Even if things hadn't taken a romantic turn with Julian, he'd have been happier than he ever expected with that alone.

"Beta- Oh, no, I meant I showed him the pictures of my brother and the other you's kids. I wanted to soften him up about you two getting together. Thankfully the little devils you two spawned look like angels in holo's," Julia said, chuckling until two scaled hands suddenly landed on her shoulders.

"You. Have. PICTURES?" Elim said, eyes round as saucers.

"How dare you not show me those first!" Elim hissed. Julia broke into laughter, reaching for her pad.

"Right, because you wouldn't have turned cobalt blue and taken Julian on a replimat table if I did," Julia chided. Elim didn't calm down until he was happily shifting through various pictures of the family. There were plenty to be had, both of the children by themselves and with the adults.

While Elim was lost in rapture scrolling through pictures, Julian was at work not far away. A subspace com had come in, so he'd retreated to his office to accept it. He'd assumed that he'd been contacted by a researcher or fellow doctor but instead found himself looking at an older Cardassian woman.

"Good afternoon madam, I'm Julian Bashir, CMO. How might I be of service?" Julia said, automatically slipping into Kardassi. He hadn't had many opportunities to use it with anyone but Julia since he wanted to surprise Elim. He was a little excited though he expected a scathing rebuke if he got anything wrong. Cardassians were not shy about defending their culture.

"Huh, passable, and you're as pretty as I remember," the woman said flatly. Her pale blue eyes bored into him mercilessly, but Julian was made of sterner stuff than that. Elim had given him a far worse look when he dared profane the Never Ending Sacrifice.

"I'm flattered you think so, but I'm afraid I can't recall us having met," Julian said carefully. The last time he'd denied knowing a woman, he'd been slashed with a knife and gained a sister. He wouldn't mind a couple more siblings like Julia, but he felt like this woman was more inclined to the form than the latter.

"That's because we haven't. Your family's matriarch contacted me to inform me about the possibility of an enjoinment between you and my son. I just received the confirmation of intent. Expect me to arrive in a week. Try to have all of the gifts and dowry in order," the woman said shortly, and the connection broke.

For several moments, Julian's brain was screaming at him while he processed what had just happened. Finally, a choked whine escaped him, and he hit his com.

"JULIA!" Julian shouted in confused fear.

Chapter 16: Never Idle

Chapter Text

The Bashir/Garak household was in turmoil for several hours after Mila's call. Instead of being in their shared quarters, they were in the back of Garak's Clothiers. Elim was busy on his personal console.

Julia and Garak had been working on the problem since he reported it, but Julian had to finish his shift. He'd only had to suffer his sister's relentless grilling for fifteen minutes.

"The signal just cut. I can't say why, but it had nothing to do with me!" Julian whined after the fifth time he had to repeat the conversation verbatim. It wasn't hard with his augmented memory but was making his nerves worse.

"Brother, if you offended her like that , I'd disown you!" Julia hissed in irritation. Behind them, in his workroom, Elim was deaf to the squabbling. He was too busy working through the files of a subspace telecom network. Breaching three security nets to get to it had cost time, but he got lucky. The log of the secured channel his mother had used wasn't scrubbed yet.

"By the seven sands!" Elim moaned. Julia and Julian immediately stopped bickering. They ran to the doorway and looked at him in apprehension.

"We're okay, Mila cut the com herself!" Elim called from the back. He'd gone from a nervous wreck to a puddle of relief in his chair. Across the room, Julian felt a release of tension so profound he had to dash for the refresher and throw up. He had not, in fact, hung up on nor been the victim of circ*mstances that would make it seem he'd hung up on his future mother-in-law.

"Thank the stars," Julia said, slumping into a chair. Julian came back and joined her in the seating area just in front of the dressing rooms. Elim stayed in his workroom.

"Okay, how bad is it actually? Like, besides preparing a guest room. What gifts and how much of a dowry?" Julian asked, face in his hands. Instead of answering, Julia started laughing.

"Kindly answer, little sister. I'm good, but it's not easy to smuggle everything we need… which my mother well knows," Elim moaned. He recognized a test when he saw one. The trouble was that it wasn't just for him but for Julia and Julian as well. His mother would have accounted for them.

"What did you think all my calls to Cardassian space were for Elim? Thought I'd developed a pregnancy craving for good kanar?" Julia asked archly.

"Wait, when you said you had my dowry..." Julian started only to trail off. Julia was grinning at him.

"You've already prepared one?" Elim asked, coming to join them.

"What kind of matriarch would I be if I let my pretty little brother look like a beggar in front of our inlaws?" Julia asked smugly.

"How could you have afforded it? Cardassians use currency, not to mention smuggling really wracks up the costs," Julian asked, shocked.

"Does it now?" Elim asked archly, giving Julian a probing look.

"What? I do shady things too... sometimes," Julian protested. Julia and Elim both looked at him adoringly, knowing he didn't have a shady bone in his body. Even if he broke rules, it would have some kind of noble or at least innocuous reason behind it.

"Back to the matter at hand. He has a point in questioning your funding source," Elim said sternly. He'd meant to ask her a few related questions earlier but wasn't about to admit he'd been sidetracked by family photos.

"It's really disappointing that you think I'd pay a smuggler's mark up," Julia grumped.

"How could you avoid it?" Elim asked. Julian was clearly burning with questions but let him take the lead in questioning for the moment.

"By not bothering with a middle man. I made friends with Leeta and Rom, and they introduced me to their Grand Moogie. She agreed to sponsor my Ferengi Alliance citizenship, and I sold some of my personal tech designs to fund the acquisition of a small import-export company that services the outer Union colonies," Julia said matter of factly.

"What!?" Julian and Elim asked at the same time.

"What?" Julia asked, confused by the reaction.

"There's no way you could own a company licensed by the union," Elim said flatly. A citizen had to be the owner, and the system ran too tightly for Julia to manipulate it to that extent. The owner had to appear annually on Prime for renewals.

"I don't. I'm just the majority shareholder and own its assets. The owner, Raeen Orlen, is my silent partner. I bailed him out of some fairly serious debt, so I had quite the advantage during the negotiations," Julia explained. Elim wanted to refute that notion, but he couldn't. Business law was not his area of expertise.

"Anything I want, I just have the company acquire then forward it," Julia said as she pulled something up on her pad.

"These are all the files related to my company. Just ignore the enjoinment offer. I already turned Orlen down," Julia said as she passed the pad to Elim. He immediately went to the enjoinment offer, wanting to make sure his sister hadn't been insulted.

"When did you do all of this, and what technology designs?" Julian asked.

"Well, timeline-wise, it took the full first month I was here to get the designs sold and make friends with Moogie. I used the stipend Sisko gave me to cheat at poker and win enough to file the patents the first week," Julia said, looking thoughtful as she pieced the timeline together in her head. Quark hadn't interfered since she'd bribed him generously to get a seat at a high-stakes game and paid some customary hush money after. He really did respond well to people who respected his culture.

"Finding a distressed company took a week. Buying it took two. That was kind of a lucky break, Orlen is a nice man, but he really didn't have a good head for business. Excellent captain, though. I left him in charge of operations but took over the finances portion," Julia said, smiling. She'd used some of her winnings to contact a union business expert who'd hunted that down—no sense in doing everything herself. Not when she could just hire someone capable.

"And you sold what designs exactly?" Julian asked flatly.

"A sonic toothbrush based on that Ferengi oral hygiene complications paper you wrote, a UT transmitter with a better harmonic spread, and an air filter that can tackle that weird musk on Klingon ships," Julia explained. She had identified the chemical signature of said musk but not the origin. Her guess was pheromones from the live food storage, but she hadn't felt like investigating that closely back home. Finding out it was an issue in two universes had been a laugh.

"Oh… Okay…" Julian said, obviously relieved. Julia gave him a comforting pat. It was a bit insulting, but he had seen her working on phaser improvements and weapons sold easily. She couldn't exactly blame him for thinking she might have used one to score some easy money.

While Elim was busy reviewing paperwork and cross-checking laws, Julian fetched tea and snacks from the shop's replicator. Pulling up his hygiene paper, he had Julia walk him through how she'd addressed the issues he'd noted in her brush design. They chatted amiably on the subject for nearly an hour.

"I can't believe it's all legal," Elim muttered. Orlen's proposal had been lackluster but not insultingly so and likely the best the man could do. That assessment had only taken a few minutes. The volume of paperwork involved with the sale had taken significantly longer.

Julia hadn't had enough money to buy everything outright but had managed to negotiate with the company's creditors. Paying the immediate fees due and penalties as well as submitting a revised business plan had convinced them to back off. That had been her leverage to get the majority shareholder position.

Interestingly though, most of her money had gone into buying and refurbishing the company's two small cargo ships. It took Elim a moment to wrap his head around that choice. He ran his shop efficiently, but that didn't make him a business expert.

Thinking about it, he could see the appeal. Even if the company buckled, Julia would still own the ships outright. That would leave her with tangible assets and in a decent position to find a new business opportunity. The paperwork would take time, but it likely wouldn't be hard for her to find a new "owner" and start another company.

The only real downside Elim could see was that she wasn't making much money from it yet. The profit margin was low after aggressive debt repayments and investment in repairs or improvements. Thankfully the company was technically out of the red, even if it wouldn't make her rich.

"Your current assets are negative," Elim noted, distracted. He'd only needed to glance at her account to notice that. She'd made no attempt to hide it.

"Oh, right. I need to transfer some funds over. Thrice profit forsaken account fees," Julia growled irritably. She took her pad back for a moment and flipped between some online accounts. When she was done, she left her personal account open along with her ledger.

"The company isn't making me anything yet, but I wanted it for goods access anyway. I still have a tiny bit left over from the patent sales to cover expenses after building up the dowry," Julia explained as she handed the pad back.

"All of that is equal parts confusing and clever," Julian said with a grin. He was even further adrift than Elim when it came to financial matters. His first encounter with currency had been his stipend aboard the station. He regretted not giving it more attention now that he saw what Julia had managed. If he'd put his mind to making some funds, he could have done a lot more to help out on Bajor.

"I was hoping to have a little more time before she came to build up a better dowry for you, but it's at an acceptable level. It's good she sent me a list of expected items though, some of them were different from what I had to get the first time," Julia said matter of factly.

"Would you mind terribly if I inspected things? I trust your judgment, but like you said, there's a chance for discrepancies," Elim asked.

"Of course not. I would have shown you, but I didn't want you to feel rushed," Julia said sweetly. That got her a flat look from both men. Rushed wouldn't be the right word, but she'd certainly made sure they were heading in a particular direction.

"The f*ck me blue mints say otherwise," Julia said archly. Julia gave him a stinging smack, pretending to look scandalized. Elim just burst out laughing.

As a group, they went, and she showed them the storage containers full of goods she'd been hoarding. Elim took his time inspecting everything, only finding a few minor items missing or not quite up to standard.

"So, is the spare room okay, or should we be worried about how to accommodate Mila?" Julian asked as they were walking back to their shared quarters. Elim stiffened, looking at Julia questioningly.

"Don't know how it works?" Julia asked archly. Elim was affronted but reluctantly nodded. He had an idea, but it wasn't something that was formally taught, and he'd never been privy to much of normal family life. He knew there was some kind of ritual involved but not what it entailed.

"Basically, you two can't be home when she arrives. You also can't come back until I summon you specifically. It's a hierarchy thing, so make plans for that day but don't go far," Julia said simply.

"That's not telling us much, Julia," Julian said unhappily.

"That's the idea, Julibeans," Julia said, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

Chapter 17: Tongues

Chapter Text

The week until Mila's arrival seemed to fly by and drag out like an eternity through some strange alchemy. Reginald found himself drafted to help make food. Apparently, Julian wasn't to be trusted with anything but garnish and cutwork.

Elim was better but not by a lot since most of what he could do was soups and roasts. The majority of what they needed to accomplish was baking. Reginald found himself thankful for the first time that his mom had always made him help out with holiday baking.

Everything made went into a stasis module to preserve its freshness and temperature. Then with hardly a break, the next project would begin. It was kind of funny watching three of the most competent people he knew tripping over themselves in a hurry to make cookies.

"Uhm, is your mother-in-law scary or something?" Reginald asked quietly. Julian might well hear it anyway, but Elim wouldn't, and that was good enough.

"What? Oh, no, nothing like that. We just want to impress her. She's delightful. She taught me how to throw knives," Julia said as she hand pulped some kind of odd fuchsia fleshed fruit with green skin. It was going to make a jelly filling, apparently.

"That's neat," Reginald said with a grin. He'd picked up some fencing and other combat skills playing three musketeers. Knife throwing wasn't on the list, but he wouldn't mind adding it.

"Neat?" Julian asked archly.

"My cousins had a stump behind the house and would do ax throwing at family BBQs," Reginald said with a shrug. From what little he knew of Julian's holo preferences, he liked projectile weapons. It made sense he wouldn't be into even more arcane ones. People had preferences about things like that. Reginald had never been able to get past how loud guns were personally.

"Dear, you lied to me!" Garak cried, looking entirely scandalized.

"Did not. I just said it's not appropriate to set up a practice target in our quarters," Julian said with a roll of his eyes. Reginald watched the back and forth with interest. Julia had mentioned Julian was speaking Kardassi full time to prepare for the visit. If Reginald paid attention, he could catch how Julian's mouth moved out of sync with Federation Standard.

"What's on your mind?" Julia asked quietly, giving him a hip bump. Ignoring Garak and Julian's playful bickering like she usually did.

"I was just thinking, it's been a long time since I spoke French. I never really thought about it after I joined. I just spoke standard because it's what everyone did," Reginald admitted. He didn't exactly miss it, but he could still feel it was missing. Much how he didn't miss the bone-chilling cold of winter. It had just been part of his life in such a way that it felt like part of the fabric of himself rather than something separate.

"Do you want to? I can exclude it from my UT, and we can use it," Julia asked.

"You speak French?" Reginald asked in surprise. It wasn't particularly shocking that she could but rather that she'd bothered.

"Not well, but a little, and I'll learn as we go," Julia replied with a smile.

"Why'd you learn it? Interest in old earth cultures?" Reginald asked, fascinated by the possible answers.

"Nothing so laudable. When my Julian was in college... things got a bit heavy at one point, so I dragged him out for a gap year-"

"Wait, WHAT!?" Julian cried, looking away from Elim in shock.

"Yes, I know. The horror," Julia said with a roll of her eyes.

"Why? Why would I do that? What did you drag me out to do!?" Julian asked, looking less upset and more just insatiably curious. Julia looked put upon for a moment, then just shook her head.

"You'd broken it off with Palis and were having a freak out. So I convinced you to come backpacking with me. We visited all the major nature preserves on earth," Julia explained placidly.

"That seems like an admirable way to deal with a crisis," Elim said approvingly. Communing with the desert was a well-respected way to regain mental clarity on Cardassia.

"That sounds like fun. Maybe we could do that too," Julian said cheerfully. Julia waited a moment until Julian and Elim were distracted by each other, again, to lean over and whisper in Reginald's ear.

"We did a freighter load of psychedelics while we were at it," Julia said softly. Her lips almost touching Reginald's ear. She probably expected him to laugh or say something, but nothing came out. It was like her breath ghosting over his skin had pushed him out and left electricity coursing where he'd once belonged.

The out-of-body experience was brief. When Julia pulled back to give him a conspiratorial grin, Reginald returned it with a weak smile.

"So we were in the middle of Canada when our UT's malfunctioned, and suddenly we're stuck. No one there spoke Standard, English, or Arabic. I had to do the "I've got to wee" dance just to get pointed to a toilet. It was terrible ," Julia said impishly, with not a single trace of displeasure.

"Wish I'd been along for that. I think I'd just graduated around then," Reginald replied. He tried to think of what he'd been up to but drew a blank of sorts. It probably would have been during the month before his first assignment. That time was just a grey smear of normalcy, anticipation, and his ever-present anxiety.

It felt strange to know that Julia might have been close by then. That if he'd taken the time to go for a hike, he might have run into her. Or at least his counterpart might have.

Jam cookies with a name indecipherable to the UT were soon ready and in the oven. Though Julian wasn't trusted with the mixing, he scored them beautifully with a wickedly sharp knife.

"Alright, it's my turn to pick the show!" Julia said excitedly. Elim and Julian let out theatrical groans.

"Come on, we wanted to watch Meditations on a Crimson Shadow," Julian pleaded. It took time, but Julia's trading company could get them a steady flow of entertainment and other items.

Julian found Cardassian literature more accessible after watching some of the plays based on the novels he and Elim shared. Second Tongue was subtle, and its literary expression opaque without a Cardassian education. Seeing it performed gave him a better grasp of it and let him learn more efficiently.

Reginald smirked, knowing they would be disappointed. Julia wasn't one to relent, and she looked like she was in a mischievous mood.

"Oh fine," Julia said indulgently. Reginald choked on a sample cookie. Fortunately, it dislodged after a second, and he just coughed a bit hard.

"You have to finish this batch then. Come on, Reginald," Julia said dismissively to her brother. Reginald was still reeling when he found himself being pulled along behind her. He'd taken her hand on instinct when it was offered, and she led him into her bedroom.

Reginald felt dazed as she chided him, and he automatically sat on the bed. He'd never been in her room before, but it was lovely. The decorations were geometric, with an emphasis on rich but soothing colors. There was a faintly sweet scent in the air with a spicy undertone.

Julia was talking, but Reginald didn't really take in what she was saying. Something about being excited as she fussed with her holo display. Finally, images started playing, and she raced over to the bed and sat down next to him, radiating pleasure.

It turned out to be footage from the first Iowa shipyard to complete an extrasolar vessel. It was surreal to get to see the old tech and assembly lines. Humans mingling uncertainly with Vulcans.

The craft being built looked like a cargo ship. Reginald couldn't be sure, though, not until it was a bit further along. He watched in rapture all the same, not caring if it was a garbage scow. The footage time-lapse, pausing only on critical points in the build or when the assembly crew stumbled over a complication.

When it was to the point of being christened, Julia was plastered against his side. Her hand thumping an excited rhythm on her leg. They looked at each other joyfully when it finally lifted off.

Caught in the moment, Reginald looked at Julia bathed in impulse blue from the holo and leaned in for a kiss. Usually, his mind would be racing, paralyzing him with indecision. This time, he acted before he could even think once, let alone twice, about it.

Julia's eyes went wide, and her mouth was left in an O of surprise for a moment. Reginald let the moment of joy wash over him and let himself just exist in it. She might well kick him out in a second or two when the shock wore off.That was a future problem, even if it was a rapidly approaching future.

Before Reginald could consider further dire possible outcomes, Julia kissed him back.

Chapter 18: Should the wide world roll away

Chapter Text

Reginald was disoriented when he woke up, the sight of an unfamiliar room playing havoc with his mind. It was the middle of the night if the clock was to be believed. For a moment, he wondered if he'd been kidnapped. The room was too nice for that, however.

It was only a pair of arms wrapped around him and an irritated moan that jolted him into full wakefulness. He was in Julia's room, on her bed, holding her with her legs tangled with his.

Reginald looked at Julia, face framed by disheveled hair, with wonder. A couple hickeys on her tan neck giving away that he hadn't dreamed everything. They'd really made out.

Not just a little, either. They'd gone at it with an intensity his awkward teenage self would have died from envy over.

Reginald couldn't help the smug grin that lit up his face. They'd only kissed, but that wasn't disappointing to him. Really, that anything besides her slapping and/or throwing him out had occurred was a minor miracle. He was absolute trash at reading signals.

After basking for a while, a memory rose unbidden to the fore of Reginald's thoughts.

"Reg, I get it. She has to go back, but… I mean, if you're serious, you might consider going with her," Miles had suggested. His council coming on the heels of the time Julia had slept, literally slept, over at his quarters.

Reginald had gotten the feeling that Miles had actually half hoped Julia might be convinced to stay but was trying to be respectful. A feeling that was growing unfortunately common among those who knew the situation.

For a few minutes, Reginald thought about it again. As if he hadn't already spent hours pouring over all possible alternatives. He'd even looked up how Commander Riker accidentally got cloned during a teleporter accident. The trouble was that every potential solution circled back to the same flaw.

No matter how it happened, Julia or a version of her would be stuck. Unable to get back to her original family. That wasn't something Reginald could inflict on her. As for going with her, that wasn't something for him to decide either.

Even if he wasn't immediately confined to a lab for study, he'd have no standing unless the other Federation granted it. Even if they did, it wasn't likely he'd be allowed to just keep his commission like nothing happened. Rikers clone hadn't originated from a parallel universe, so it didn't set a reliable precedent.

That wasn't really enough to stop Reginald if it came down to it. The problem was that, at an estimate, Julia would only stay until she recovered from giving birth. He'd looked her models over. It would significantly reduce the margin for error if she wasn't physically carrying the twins at the time.

Julian had placed his sister's delivery date at approximately twenty-seven weeks, leaving about fifteen until the blessed event. Even without every single other complication involved, that wasn't a lot of time. No matter how close they became, she might not want him to follow her.

"You're thinking too loud," Julia complained playfully, her eyes still closed.

"Probably overthinking, too," Reginald agreed. That earned an annoyed little hum.

"You don't overthink," Julia said, snuggling closer.

"Fairly certain my psychologist would disagree," Reginald countered playfully.

"Your negative patterns are an issue but not your intelligence. Your anxiety turns it against you at times, but that doesn't make you less brilliant," Julia murmured, kissing his jaw.

Reginald wanted to accept the gentle rebuke lightly and laugh it off. Instead, it cut into his heart like a knife. He'd said it jokingly, but Troi and his current therapist really would have agreed with him and had before.

"Why doesn't it bother you?" Reginald asked, unable to stop himself. He'd thought he'd caught some as yet unnamed pox going around the station a week prior. It wasn't supposed to be transmittable to humans, but he'd seriously believed he was showing symptoms.

Instead of getting annoyed or calling him a hypochondriac, Julia had just gone with him to the infirmary. Julian had even been patient with him and gave him a couple medical texts to review on his own. Wanting him to stay away from internet sources and happy to provide reliable ones.

"Why should it? No one's perfect," Julia replied sleepily.

"I think you're closer than most," Reginald said thoughtlessly. Because of her augment status, he usually tried to be careful in how he complimented her. They hadn't talked about it, but he knew Julian was sensitive on the subject.

"Sorry. I didn't mean because of... well, you know," Reginald said quickly. Too quickly, that was not a clever or comforting attempt to backtrack even for him. The only thing that could have been worse was just blurting out that he meant that he loved her.

Julia slowly opened her eyes, heaving a regretful sigh. As the weight of them settled on Reginald, he felt a cold sweat down his back. He really had no idea how nasty a mess he'd just made.

"Are you better able to do your work with a computer's assistance?" Julia asked.

"Yes," Reginald managed to choke out as his mouth went dry.

"Are you unable to do it without one?" Julia asked.

"Well, no, though it would take a lot longer.Like a lot," Reginald said after a moment's consideration. It wouldn't be possible without readouts, but he assumed Julia meant having the computer do calculations and run simulations rather than basics like that.

"Does having access to it make you a better person or more creative?" Julia probed, brows raised.

"N-no," Reginald answered. He didn't see where her questions were going, and it was freaking him out.

"Augments aren't any different. No matter what kind of enhancements you give someone, the essential person shows through," Julia explained.

"Everyone talks about Kahn like he was some kind of brilliant and unholy terror. But if you look at what he did, he was just a basic fascist with the imagination of a rock. He wasted his gifts on war, and anyone can start a war. They happen all the time," Julia said with a wry smile. Reginald blinked. He hadn't thought of it like that. He'd always thought of Kahn in the context of what he'd done rather than his potential.

"Playfulness, curiosity, and a genuine desire to help are what make Julian special. Not how fast he can do calculations," Julia continued. Reginald wanted to tell her what made her unique, but he found himself tongue-tied. The list was too long, and he couldn't organize it into any sensible ranking.

"People aren't any different. You are more than an arbitrary collection of strengths and weaknesses. Your funny, caring, creative, and brave even if you don't see it," Julia finished, punctuating her words with a kiss.

"Brave?" Reginald asked in disbelief.

"It's much harder to work to try to become well than to remain as you are. The fears you carry inside are more difficult to face than an outside threat," Julia hummed, her eyes closing halfway.

Reginald wanted to say something profound or at least sweet, but he was at a complete loss for words. It wasn't until Julia was asleep that his mind slowed, and memory took him back to his home on Earth.

Trees as far as the eye could see slowly blanketed in an endless fall of snow and the scent of a book.

Should the wide world roll away

Leaving black terror

Limitless night,

Nor God, nor man, nor place to stand

Would be to me essential

If thou and thy white bronze arms were there

And the fall to doom a long way.

Reginald didn't wake Julia up to tell her the poem. He just muttered it softly to her. In the morning, he'd tell her again or text it. Or maybe try and remember the author and have a copy made. She deserved more than he could give her, but he'd gladly give her everything he had.

Chapter 19: Sentiment

Chapter Text

On the day Mila arrived, Julia had made sure the boys were all out and thoroughly distracted. During her first face-to-face meeting with her home realties Mila, things had gone… interestingly.

It was a fraught situation not simplified by the fact her Mila had appeared with Enabran Tain in tow. This Mila was widowed and in a bit of a precarious state emotionally. At least going by what Julia had gleaned during their few brief conversations.

There was also the issue of not mixing her Mila up with this one. Intimacy was an earned thing, and they were not yet adequately acquainted. Julia felt butterflies in her stomach a moment before the girls kicked up a storm. The doorbell rang as if the unrest in her body were an omen.

"Well, I have to say, you're a matched set with your brother," Mila said flatly as soon as it opened. She looked Julia over in open appraisal and seemed impolitely amused. Julia kept a neutral expression. Commenting foremost on appearances was not a compliment in Cardassian fashion.

"I'm Julia Bashir, and I welcome you, Mila Garak, into my home," Julia replied politely as she stepped aside. Mila snorted at that but entered. Every part of what was happening had meaning and delivered a message. One she'd learned the nuance of the hard way the first time.

"See if you find any of the accommodations pleasing," Julia offered. That got her an interested look. Mila didn't say anything, taking in the artfully displayed dowry and welcome gifts without a second glance. Likewise, she ignored the refreshments set out and went to explore the bedrooms.

Julia took a seat in an overstuffed chair and waited for Mila to complete her inspection. She didn't move to eat anything but poured herself tea and took a sip. The display was to both convey a familial relationship as well as her own confidence. Mila was in her home, welcomed, but beneath Julia in authority.

Mila started from what Julian incorrectly assumed was the empty guest bedroom. She took her time, but there wasn't much to see, and she moved across the way to the one next to Julian and Garaks room.

Again, Mila lingered but not long. Both rooms were essentially sterile by Cardassian standards as they lacked the scent of an occupant. When she opened the door to Julian and Garaks room, Mila burst out into hissing laughter.

"By the seven sands of Prime! It's a miracle one or both of them aren't pregnant ," Mila hissed in delight. Julia had to muffle a snort of laughter and feign composure. The two had been going at it like rabbits. They'd hardly needed encouragement, but Julia had taken some steps to make sure they'd not gotten anxious and failed to leave fresh evidence.

A Cardassian matriarch was judged by competence in the management of household affairs. Making sure the couple was harmoniously engaged with each other was one of the areas in which she'd be measured. Composure, adherence to custom, and hospitality were also crucial metrics. The gifts, dowry display, and treats covered the majority of that. What was left was something a bit more challenging to deal with.

Mila finally set her sights on the final door and headed into the bedroom Julia had been using. This time she took nearly fifteen minutes to study it. Likely going through every drawer and secret cache she could find. It was a test of Julia's mettle and forethought.

"You little imp!" Mila called cheerfully. Julia smiled, knowing she'd found one of the booby traps. Instead of leaving nothing of interest in the room, Julia had hidden presents and incriminating data. All for the taking if Mila could get past the security and get it.

"I take back what I said about you being a matching set. You're both treasures, but you're a blade, little girl," Mila said when she emerged half an hour later. She was wearing a shawl of finest Andorian ice thresh wool, a new set of jewelry, hairpins, and carrying a small stack of ledgers. She'd found and claimed all of the prizes with apparent relish.

"A scalpel is still a blade," Julia said with a grin.

"Very well," Mila agreed as if it didn't matter.

"Please join me," Julia said placidly, gesturing to another chair rather than the couch. It was a gesture indicating equality and a certain aloofness. They weren't anywhere near sitting on the couch together.

"I'll take that room," Mila said primly as she sat down. Julia hid a smirk behind her cup. This had been the difficult part the first time. As the elder matriarch, Mila was entitled to the best room available, but Julia couldn't just hand it over as the resident one. Age was a thing to be respected, but she needed to stand her ground.

Giving in too easily would make her look weak or like she was trying to kiss tail. It was why she had to forbid Julian and Elim from staying. They couldn't intervene on her behalf no matter what happened.

"Oh?" Julia asked archly.

"It's funny. Sometimes I'd joke to Elim that he'd sprung up from the winds of the desert. Just appeared in my arms one day," Mila started. Julia went on red alert. Diverting from the game was not a good sign.

"Just nonsense you tell children sometimes to tease them when they want to know where eggs come from. You, however, seem to have done just that. Sprung up from thin air," Mila continued.

"Hardly, I teleported onto the station," Julia replied, telling the truth in a broad sense.

"You really are a fascinating thing. Given your state, I'd suggest you be honest with me quickly. I've no interest in harming your daughters," Mila said. The unspoken part being that a lack of interest wasn't an unwillingness. It really was for the best she'd sent the boys out to play. They'd already be in a tailspin over that.

"Then, by all means, ask a question," Julia replied evenly. She'd learned poisons from Mila but kept drinking her tea. She had a micro scanner embedded in her palm, and it would ping her UT if her tea's chemical makeup changed from so much as a bit of extra sugar.

"You Bashir's really are fearless creatures," Mila said in an approving tone even as she shook her head.

"How is it that Julian Bashir has a sister when all records indicate otherwise? I've seen the video of his delivery. He was an only child," Mila asked.

"My sympathy on having to do that, by the way. Eggs really are much less fuss than live birth," Mila added, gesturing at Juila's stomach.

"Right? I'd offload them to an artificial unit, but I'm too protective," Julia agreed easily. The accelerated timeline made some parts of it easier but reduced her time to adjust to the changes.

"As for my odd status, the answer sounds mad. This Julian was an only child. I'm from a parallel universe. I arrived by a transporter accident," Julia answered honestly.

"You expect me to believe that?" Mila asked, looking outright amused.

"No, though the ledger with my name on it contains the full explanation. Oh, and pictures of Elim and Julian from my original universe. They have children together," Julia said with a smile. That got Mila's interest. She struggled for a moment before opening the ledger to take a look.

"I won't expect trust, but I'll ask you to discuss the matter with Elim and Julian. They've had quite a while to investigate me and come to their own conclusions," Julia said after a few minutes had passed. Unlike Elim, who'd gotten lost in baby pictures of his hybrid children, Mila managed to close the ledger with a relaxed expression.

"Very well, now, about my room. I trust I won't have to bring in my own luggage," Mila said blandly. Julia had to grasp her thigh to keep from drumming on it in excitement. They were back on track.

"Certainly not. I'll have Julian bring your bags to the guest room," Julia replied wickedly. It was an hour of back and forth, but Julia heaved a sigh and let Mila have the room she'd prepared for her.

Julia always intended to take the other bedroom, and it was furnished accordingly. Much like how the fresher in her old room was full of Cardassian hygiene and beauty supplies, nice ones. Julian thought she didn't notice him pilfering them when he wanted to spoil Elim. As if she couldn't count when it suited him. Though really, the fact he hadn't found it odd that she stocked Cardassian men's products in her bath said a lot about his general awareness of practical concerns. That or him rummaging around in there meant he trusted her to have his back.

"So, this other me seems to have liked you. She certainly taught you how to properly greet someone," Mila observed.

"She taught me a lot of things. I acted as surrogate for Julian and Elim twice after all," Julia said, in high spirits. Her own Mila had not taught her that per se, so much as raked her over the coals at every misstep, real or imagined. Most of her information had come from bribing a crew of Cardassian engineers who'd visited until Miles ballocksed that up properly for her. Once he hurt Gilora's feelings they'd all clamed up on her in solidarity against the rude man and his friends. She'd been pretty miffed given that she wasn't actually friends with him but still somehow being made to suffer for association.

"Hm... It's a bit unfortunate, really. I think I'd genuinely enjoy you as my daughter-in-law, but I just can't seem to trust you," Mila said, then sighed.

"I have the father of your children in my custody," Mila continued. Julia felt her throat go dry but didn't let it show.

"You have this universes, Reginald. Not my original partner," Julia said neutrally. It was splitting hairs since she cared about both of them, but she needed to appear calm.

"Oh? Then you won't mind if he dies? " Mila asked conversationally. Julia didn't dignify that with a reply. Mila would have had her observed and knew that Julia had feelings for him.

"I can already tell you won't let that happen. Sentiment really is the greatest weakness of all," Mila added, sounding a little sad at that.

"Computer, locate Reginald Barclay," Julia said, already mentally tired. They might as well skip three steps and get to the proof of life.

"Reginald Barclay is in ops," the computer replied. Julia and Mila looked at each other in confusion.

"Julia to Reginald, where are you just now?" Julia said as she commed him.

"Hey, Julia. I got called in to deal with a systems issue in ops. I'll be done soon, though. I know today's important to you and your family," Reginald replied, distracted but happy to hear her voice.

"Not a problem... Were still getting things sorted out. I'll call again later," Julia said and closed the line.

"Regnar to Sunning Rock, confirm asset status," Mila said, tapping her own communicator.

"Asset is restrained but alert. No complications during retrieval," a brusque Cardassian hiss informed them.

"Sunning Rock, I need proof of life," Mila continued.

"Hey! What are you even- I'm a Federation Citizen and I-" Reginald's voice came in over the com. Julia's teacup dropped from her hand to shatter on the floor.

Chapter 20: Reunion

Chapter Text

Julia was on her feet, pacing as she called people and issued instructions. Mila watched silently, rather amused by it all. The girl was a soft touch but competent. She'd make a good operative with a little honing.

"Call me back to tell me the result," Julia said flatly into her com. On discovering the two Reginald's problem, her first call had been to alert security. Odo had responded with confused acceptance, entirely willing to take Julia's word on the point. His file flagged him as mildly paranoid, which made him suited to his work.

For reasons only known to her, Julia didn't mention the kidnapping during the conversation. She really was an entertaining young woman.

"You should test yours as well," Julia added to Mila herself.

"As you say," Mila agreed. She was a bit curious about what kind of value she could wring out of holding a founder ransom to the dominion. She issued a discreet command.

"Julia to Julian, probable code gold," Julia said as she com'ed her brother.

"Seriously? Today of all days- Yes, Garak, I'm familiar with Mr. Murphy and his legislation. Julia, we're testing each other now," Julian assured her.

"Negative for Garak," Julian confirmed.

"Negative for Julian," Garak added over his own channel. Julia sighed and pulled a knife from a discreet pocket of her pants. She'd dressed in a forest green tunic, and pant set Garak had made for her. She was adequately armed.

"If you'd do the honors," Julia said coldly. She held the knife by the blade and extended the hilt to Mila. Mila smiled and pulled, slicing the bronze palm without hesitation. The heavy scent of human blood filled the air. After several moments the blood on the blade and what dripped to the carpet remained even as it started to dry and change color.

Julia didn't ask before she drew a second blade and cut Mila on the back of the hand. Mila hissed in irritable warning despite the wound being far less severe than the one she'd inflicted. She hadn't meant to allow herself to be cut, but Julia's speed and reflexes hadn't let her dodge or parry.

"Julia to Julian, negative for Mila," Julia confirmed. Her word wouldn't mean anything until they confirmed her identity themselves, but it was protocol. The same went for their conformations of each other. It was a prominent and intentional security flaw to lure the unwary.

"Hm… Why not tattle to the constable on me?" Mila asked. Julia had sat back down and was pouring herself a cup of tea. One she didn't lift to drink, which was a pity since the contents were safe for a pregnant human. Still, Mila had to smile at the fact she was either clever enough to realize the drink had been tampered with or had otherwise detected it.

"If I stop playing the game, his life ceases to have value," Julia replied in an even tone.

"Ah, but he's not the father of your children and possibly an imposter," Mila needled.

"Actually, under the circ*mstances, he might be the father," Julia said morosely as she stared into the pool of poisoned tea and broken china on the floor.

-----

Across the station in the Botanical Bay, Julian and Elim had finished testing each other when they were confronted by unexpected visitors. Namely, themselves.

"We're here for my sister," Bashir growled. He was slightly scruffy and obviously angry, a stark contrast to the local Julian. Beside him, his Garak looked to be in a similar state of worse for the wear, but his mood was different. Disheartened.

"Julian, for the love of Prime. Please,try to be polite," Garak chided.

"Mind taking this to the infirmary so we can confirm your identities?" Julian asked, using the polite form in Kardassi. Bashir's jaw tightened and Julia fought down a smirk of satisfaction at landing the hit. Elim ran his thumb in affectionate amusem*nt over the back of his hand despite keeping a calm mask. Garak looked like he needed a week of sleep, and there was only the most cursory of scent markings on Bashir. Something very strange had to be going on.

"Fine," Bashir agreed snappishly. They all left together, partners making sure to hold hands as if they were all following the same protocol. They were, but they didn't discuss it. It didn't take long to confirm that the alternative pair were not founders and were from the same reality as Julia.

What exactly to do next proved something of a problem. Julian honestly didn't like the look of Bashir, and he recalled all too clearly how Julia had cried about her home universe. He wanted to stall, maybe get a better idea of what was going on. A wish the universe seemed to hear and laugh at.

"Juju," Julia's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. All four men looked at her at the same moment, framed in the infirmary door. She was smiling, but it wasn't the forced brightness of their first meeting. This one was uncertain and underscored a fragility she had tried very hard to hide.

"You-" Julia started only to falter as her brother leapt from the biobed. He had her by the wrist, dragging her toward the exit.

"Juju!" Julia cried in shock.

"f*ck- Julian! Let her go!" Garak said sharply, getting up to grab Bashir. Julian watched how his other self was treating Julia and felt rage boil in his guts. Elim grabbed him to keep him from rushing over.

"Take her side. I dare you!" Bashir spat at Garak, glaring menacingly. Garak froze, clearly surprised by the open hostility.

"And you-" Bashir swung his head back to bark at Julia. He was cut off as Julia broke out of his hold with a twist, dropping down to sweep his legs with practiced ease. All the men looked at her in surprise, taken aback by the move as much as the expressionless look on her face. After a stunned pause Julia took off running.

"Come back-" Bashir shouted. He was quick to get back to his feet, inhumanly so, but not quick enough. Julia was running flat out without any attempt to hide her top speed. Not that it would have mattered much if she wasn't. As Bashir moved as if to give chase, Julian's fist connected with his jaw. Behind him Elim hesitated, a look to Garak as they both tried very hard not to turn this into something properly ugly. Even without Bashir looking like he hadn't groomed himself in a week, neither one would have been confused about who there respective partner was even blind. The state of there respective scent marks was simply too different despite being chemically identical.

Garak got between Julian and Bashir, hands up placatingly without attempting to touch or hold Julian. Cautious as he made certain to keep track of where Elim was. Two obsidian order agents tip toeing gingerly around each other was not a pleasant experience.

"Please don't-" Garak said, trying to sound soothing.

"She was crying, you son of a bitch!" Julian shouted at Bashir. He tried to get past Garak but couldn't quite manage it. Thanks in no small part to Elim grabbing him and hauling him back.

"So what!?" Bashir demanded, clutching his face.

"Dearest, they don't know what's happened," Garak said gently. He tried to get a look at Bashir's injury, but was swatted away.

"Which would be what!? You ignore her messages forweeks , and now you're pissed? She breaches the boundary between realties to tell you what happened, and you couldn't be f*cking bothered to respond?" Julian growled. That had been eating at him, the silence. Julia had confirmed contact and the ability to receive signals almost immediately, but nothing ever came despite her repeat attempts to contact them.

"What do you mean?" Garak asked, keeping his tone level.

"After the transporter accident, she got Sisko's permission to work with Miles to get home. She sent signals to test the connection and let you both know what happened and has been at it for weeks," Julian explained, calming down a little. Garak could be lying, but there wasn't really a point in doing so. That suggested he genuinely didn't know Julia had tried to reach him.

"How long has she been here?" Garak asked.

"Three months and two weeks. She's been putting on a brave face, but it's been hard on her. Being away from her family on top of the fact she's expecting-" Julian found human hands on his shoulders.

"She's pregnant!? Who's the father!?" Bashir demanded. Elim hissed defensively, and Garak did the same as his posture changed to something combative. Julian held a hand up to forestall his lover. There was a hysterical edge in the question.

"Your Reginald Endicott Barclay the III," Julian said flatly. He couldn't help wondering what in the Worm Hole could have possible estranged them to the point that Bashir didn't even know that.

"Are you sure?" Bashir demanded but weakly. His hands weren't gripping Julians shoulders painfully anymore, just sitting limply. Like he didn't know what to do and was just standing frozen.

"Yes. I've been taking care of her since she arrived. Apparently, your Reginald is identical to ours, so he came up in the database," Julian answered. Bashir let go and stumbled back with a broken look on his face. Elim and Garak both looked relieved that they were drawing apart. It would be a strange tabula to an outside observer.

"Julia's been missing for two years on our side," Garak explained.

Chapter 21: Doppelgangers

Chapter Text

"Odo to Bashir. Doctor, I've cleared Barclay with a blood test, but I can't get ahold of Julia. She asked to be informed of the results," Odo said curtly.

"I just finished resolving a related issue on my end... Julia's family is in town," Julian said by way of explanation. Odo was in on the part about her being both an Augment and from a different universe. He'd taken it with an extra grouchy harumph at the time.

"Stars, as if one set of you lot wasn't bad enough," Odo growled. The connection cut, leaving the four men in awkward silence.

"We should go find Julia and your Barclay. I'd rather they didn't meet," Julian said flatly. He wasn't going to call the other one Reginald. He liked his Reginald just fine and had more or less accepted him as an adequate partner for his sister. The one who knocked her up and ran off could go die in a ditch.

"Computer, locate Julia Bashir and Reginald Barclay by biosignature, all instances. Medical override Bashir Sigma Alpha Ninner Orange," Julian said without much enthusiasm. He didn't want to track Julia like a criminal, but he didn't have a lot of alternatives. Not if he wanted to get ahead of things.

"Two signatures for Reginald Barclay are present on the station. Habitat ring level five, section C, chamber 130, Garak-Bashir family residence," the computer replied in its disinterested way.

"Julia Bashir not detected," the computer added after a moment.

"She won't be found if she doesn't want to be," Garak said, then sighed. Bashir flinched, looking like a kicked dog.

"Well, maybe if someone hadn't acted like a complete bastard to her, we could be having a civil conversation," Julian growled. He really wanted to punch Bashir again, a couple more times really, but let it go. Violence wouldn't solve anything for the moment. It also wasn't lost on him how wary the two Elim's were about each other. Two Augments fighting wouldn't be pretty, those two going at it would likely end in a bodybag.

"This doesn't make any sense. Couldn't your Reg be the father?" Bashir asked, looking completely confused.

"Both fetuses show the same energy signature as she did, which confirms their point of origin in your universe," Julian said dismissively. Really, he would have liked that quite a lot better at this point. His Reginald was a decent sort, smart and creative once you got past the considerable innate amount of awkward the man possessed and the sheer weirdness of the situation.

"Why exactly is her pregnancy problematic to you?" Elim asked. Going purely by what he'd observed, the alternate pair was in an acute state of relationship distress and haggard. It suggested more was going on than a cutting off of contact after a quarrel. He really couldn't see Julian, any Julian, holding a grudge for more than a month or two at most. Even that would likely be straining his self control to maintain given his naturally generous spirit.

"The timeline doesn't make sense, and not because of a possible dilation... Julia contacted about her pregnancy and said she was coming back, but failed to show up a month later. A week after that, Reginald contacted us saying Julia was missing," Garak began. He was definitely the calmer one of the alternate pair, though clearly agitated.

"We weren't able to get in touch, and four months after that, she was involved in an augments right movement rally. Clearly not pregnant. A year after that, she was reported missing and assumed dead after a failed attempt to remove augments from the institute's custody," he finished.

"The news circuit was smearing her as the new Kahn," Bashir added.

"Did you believe that?" Julian demanded. He didn't need to know Julia well to see that title would never be one she'd want or bear willingly. She wasn't as sensitive as he was about being an augment, but she didn't look at others as inferior to herself either.

"No. Never," Bashir replied in a hollow whisper. Garak looked at him with gentle concern, but didn't try to touch him. Bashir crossed his arms like he was hugging himself, something Julian only did himself if he was fighting down tears or nausea. Bashir looked like it was both.

"We'd tried to get in touch but couldn't, and the report of her death… When Reginald reappeared saying she'd contacted him from an alternate universe, we thought he'd gone mad. Luckily I recognized her encryption style as legitimate," Garak added.

"Reginald used the data she sent to devise a way for us to come get her," Bashir offered.

"Fine. Why were you mad at her then?" Julian demanded.

"I thought she wasdead . For a month . Then I thought she faked her death and teleported to an alternate f*cking universe while we were left to grieve," Bashir broke down and started crying. His legs buckled as he let sobs rack him. Garak immediately joined him on the floor and, this time, wasn't rebuffed. They embraced, and the Cardassian started letting out something almost like a purr in an attempt to comfort his mate.

"Oh," Julian said lamely. He would have been furious too, if he thought Julia had pulled a stunt like that. It didn't excuse anything, but it at least explained some things.

"Julian… Their Barclay tried to get in touch. Perhaps there was more than one misunderstanding," Elim offered softly. Julia had arrived in a red tunic Garak's design covered in celebratory embroidery for her pregnancy. She also didn't seem to realize that she'd come to the wrong universe and was upset Julian hadn't gone to greet her when she beamed in. Going but what he'd been told it suggested that Julia had tried to get the station on the appointed day only to land in the wrong place. That meant she'd have been absent from the entirety of the timeline Garak gave past that point. Yet she'd shown up in the news. That raised a number of new and troubling questions.

"Barclay- Oh f*ck-" Julian paused.

"Bashir to O'Brien!" Julian said in a panic.

"What's wrong!? Miles demanded in startled concern. Hearing the CMO panic never did anything good for his blood pressure. As much as he gave Julian sh*t, that was still how he thought of him until given reason to do otherwise while on shift.

"I need two of Elim and me transported to our quarters. Reginald's going to murder Barclay!" Julian shouted. The importance of the fact two Reginald's signatures turned up in the same place occurred to him far too late.

"He's going to kill himself!? Wait, two of- Christ on a bicycle Julian- Fine, doing it in sets. Do not stand next to each other," Miles growled through the com. His understanding of the situation evolving as it was broadcast in real-time.

When the group arrived at there family quarters, they were treated to a bizarre sight. Mila was sitting calmly on the couch. She looked rather regal in her gifts from Julia and the lovely dress she'd come in initially.

In front of the coffee table, the two Reginald's were rolling on the ground, kicking and punching each other. They were also hurling insults in French so fast that the UT didn't quite catch them in real-time. It lent an almost bad dub feeling to the entire affair. Mila sipped her tea and looked to be enjoying the sight.

"Elim, come sit and watch. They're going to fight to the death over your sister!" Mila called cheerfully.

Thankfully both Reginald's were ignoring the knife driven invitingly into the coffee table. It was one of Julia's, but no one questioned who'd issued the invitation to escalate to bloodshed and mayhem from fisticuffs.

"Mother!" Elim cried, scandalized. He immediately snatched up the knife before anyone could rethink there stance on the fight being to the death. Both Julian's surged forward to grab a Reginald and pull them away.

"Don't mother me . This is the most fun I've had in years," Mila harshly only to ruin it with a smile and and laughter.

"Be that as it may-" Elim started.

"Oh, and Julia already showed me the baby pictures. I demand at least four biological grandchildren plus adopted ones," Mila continued blithely. Since she had proof Julia was telling the truth, she saw no reason to stand on ceremony. She also didn't intend to let herself be short changed on grandchildren compared to this other Mila. That simply would not do.

"MOTHER!" both Elim's shouted in mortification.

Chapter 22: Fragments

Chapter Text

"Barclay, steady man-" Julian said, trying to be relatively gentle. This guy was the one who'd ditched his sister, but as Elim had pointed out, things weren't really adding up between the two stories. That Barclay smelled like wet dog, had a couple days of beard growth on him, and was wild-eyed as he struggled also raised questions. This wasn't the behavior of a man who didn't care.

"He's probably a little shook up from the kidnapping. You might want to tranquilize him," Mila offered.

"Kidnapping!?" both Julian's and Elim's said together.

"What? A sister who shouldn't exist and is adept at Cardassian customs suddenly emerged from thin air, and you think I'm just going to accept that?" Mila asked primly. Thanks to the fact the station's hybrid Cardassian Starfleet system was the security equivalent of a sieve trying to hold water, getting Julia's medical records had been a joke. That had ruled out fundamental issues like possibly being some kind of psychic mimic or emitting hypnotic pheromones, but that was all.

"Please don't expect me to believe you kidnapped him to confirm her identity. You'd have taken her if that were the real objective," Elim replied tartly.

"Mind your tone," Mila said sharply. Elim flinched and gave a deferential nod. Garak fought not to do the same despite it not being aimed at him.

"But you are correct. He was supposed to be a lure, then there turned out to be two of them and, well… Things got a little odd ," Mila explained. As if three sets of identical twins showing up was about as remarkable as a zoo animal on the loose, but not in your neighborhood.

"Apparently, the scruffy one has a transporter beacon implanted in him that was strong enough to get past a jammer," Mila added. Seeing the men's reactions she sighed and sipped her tea to give her something to do other than laugh at them. She would be willing to bet Julia had done as much to them as well, possessive little creature that she was. She'd been all but bristling at every slight aimed at her brother.

"Given how you're all looking at me with wide eyes, I assume his rescue was her doing as well," Mila said mildly.

"Where is she!?" Barclay demanded. His flagging strength was suddenly renewed but not enough to break free of Julian. As loath as he was to do it, Julian decided to take Mila's advice. Changing his hold, Julian pulled a concealed hypo out of the back of his trousers. Elim had added a couple pockets for the just-in-case options both he and Julia insisted on him carrying.

Barclay protested for a moment before his body went slack. Julian grimaced, not enjoying what he'd done or how he was getting numb though not comfortable with the idea of being armed. It was a sensible solution, but felt wrong in a lot of ways. Bashir did the same to Reginald.

"Now, restrain them politely so we can all have a chat. I'd very much like to know what in the empty reaches is going on," Mila chirped. Julian didn't have anything handy, Bashir tossed him what looked like zip-tie handcuffs. He accepted them and found they molded themselves to Barclays wrists for a tight but not dangerous fit.

"Bit of weirdness Lia cooked up, some kind of biomorphic plastic," alternate Julian explained. The use of a nickname caused Julian a pang of possessive annoyance. Julia had given him a nickname, but he hadn't done the same. He'd been trying to think of one as annoying as Julibeans.

"She's got a stun only phaser with a biometric scan feature in the works," Julian replied. He hated himself a little bit for it, acting like it was a contest to see who got the better present. Both Elim's discreetly hid smirks, feeling sure they'd won but unable to say so. What she'd made for them would get them and her in trouble with their respective Julian.

"How sweet. Now, everyone, have some snacks and tell me what's going on," Mila reminded them gently. Both Elim's stood forward and gave their account of events as succinctly as they could manage.

"We're having trouble reconciling it. I believe that she came here when she said she did," Julian offered at the end when silence fell. That got him a patient but not unkind look from Mila.

"She had to have, unless she was carrying around an insemination kit as an alibi," Mila remarked dryly. All the conscious males in the room flinched at that one.

"The part I found pertinent is that she tried to contact you two, but nothing got through, but her homeless-looking mate picked up a signal. So he either wasn't seen as relevant by whoever decided to interfere or found a way to overcome that issue," Mila said calmly.

"That's true," Bashir acknowledged. He looked at Reginald curiously, then at Barclay. Not sure how to feel about his sister picking the same guy twice in a bizarrely literal sense.

"I know she was calling you two, but I didn't know about him. She said she thought he ran off when he found out she was pregnant," Julian offered softly.

"I pulled up the message. She sent it from her personal pad at fifteen hundred hours last week. I quote: I need you to pass the attached data along to my brothers. P.S. I f*cking hate you," Elim said with raised ocular ridges. The timing lined up with when she usually had to get up to use the fresher because of the twins. The date, however, was a bit unfortunate. It was when Reginald slept over in her room.

Elim gave the unconscious man a sympathetic look. Reginald was fine, though not to his taste, but Elim knew a panic response when he saw one. He had done something to make Julia feel she needed to reaffirm her commitment to return home. It would likely sting if he were to find out whatever act of affection he'd attempted had resulted in the opposite of what he likely desired.

Still, Elim couldn't help but sympathize with Julia moreso. There had been more than a few occasions where he'd done similar things. Pushed Julian away, refused to make friends, didn't get the heat in his quarters adjusted, anything that would remind him the station wasn't his place. If he'd done otherwise, it would have been a betrayal of his commitment to returning to Cardassia.

"So, why did Barclay run out on Julia then come looking for her?" Julian asked. Nothing involving the alternate Reginald was tracking with the image his sister had painted. To be fair, though, the whole situation seemed like it had never been what it appeared in the first place. The question still needed to be asked though, and he wasn't feeling charitable about his phrasing.

"He didn't? Or at least, that's not what he told us," Bashir explained.

"Well, wake him up and ask," Mila ordered cheerfully. Julian considered alternatives but sighed. It would be for the best to get it over with.

"Wake Reginald up too. He should hear this," Julian said. After some fussing, both men were placed in the chairs. They faced away from each other to hopefully forestall any further fighting. Bashir woke Reginald first up instead of Barclay.

"Reginald, we're going to have Barclay explain himself. Kindly allow him to, or you'll be sedated again," Elim explained. Reginald nodded unhappily.

"Barclay," Julian said after administering the antidote to the earlier hypo. Alternate Reginald woke up quickly enough, his gaze murderous despite obvious exhaustion.

"Is Julia alright?" Barclay asked in a clipped tone.

"She's completely fine... Just taking a moment for herself since she's feeling overwhelmed by everyone's arrival," Julian lied. Or rather, spoke his hopes aloud. He really didn't want it to turn out she'd fled the station in a panic. It wouldn't be hard for her to stowaway or hijack a ship outright. Not that she'd probably need to. Knowing Miss Contingency Plans is my middle name Bashir, she probably had a small ship of some kind at her disposal.

"Okay," Barclay said, sagging a little as the ratio of emotions in his expression tipped in exhaustions favor.

"So, we've noticed some discrepancies in how everyone views what happened. Could you tell us what you think did, in detail? It's important," Julian asked gently. Elim watched with interest, as always surprised by how inviting Julian could make telling the truth. Garak looked to Bashir fondly as well.

"Julia sent me a message, and I worked out how to use the data-" Barclay began, cut off by a look from Julian.

"Reginald, I mean from the beginning. When you found out she was pregnant," Julian interrupted. Barclay looked completely bereft for a moment before nodding.

"I didn't want to... It wasn't my place to say, but if you already know..." Barclay started haltingly.

"I came home early, and there were a couple messages on the apartments com. One was from her mother, and it was kind of cryptic. It gave me a bad feeling, but I'd never spoken to her before so I was going to wait for Julia. That was when I found the note that Julia was leaving me," Barclay continued. He paused to take a shuddering breath looking like he was going to cry. He pushed through it after a few moments.

"I panicked and called her- your mom. She told me that Julia found out she was pregnant and had decided to... terminate. I lost it, just went running out of the apartment to find her," Barclay said once he collected himself.

Everyone not handcuffed in the room stared at Barclay with mixed looks of horror and sympathy. None of them had expected that and they were all aware that Julia was in fact still pregnant. Bashir and Garak were doubly confused, knowing Julia wouldn't have given up her children even if she didn't want the father in her life. It wasn't a simple thing for her to be able to have them in the first place, she'd had to undergo a secondary procedure to gain the ability.

Julian and Elim were in the dark about the difficulty involved but acutely aware of Julia's distress about Barclay and her seeming abandonment. She'd refused to really address it but they'd heard her break down and coaxed bits of the story from her as time passed. She'd been confused by the abrupt change, though Julian had suspected it was more about her being an Augment rather than the children. His own fears bleeding over to color his perception of things.

"I wanted to talk to her... It was too unreal, like a lousy holo-novel and I... Just couldn't accept any of it. I wanted to talk to her no matter what. Even if it was just to hear it all from her. So I kept looking, even after she was reported as..." Barclay trailed off, swallowing back tears. He looked devastated on top of being an unkempt mess and pity swelled in the eyes of everyone around him. Even Mila was rather moved by the obvious devotion. Grand gestures were easy, committing yourself to years of searching for someone you had every reason to believe would reject you took a masoch*stic level of devotion. Almost a Cardassian one.

"Julia is entirely alive and completely unhurt," Julian said immediately, wanting to comfort the man he'd spent weeks quietly hating.

"Also, she..." Julian wanted to tell Barclay that Julia was still pregnant but lost his voice. It wasn't his place. Julia would have to, if she wanted to.

"Reg, my sister hasn't spoken to our parents since she was twelve. Literally. Julia just straight up ignored them like they weren't there. I don't know who you spoke to, but it wasn't Amsha Bashir," Bashir said flatly, a rage beginning to simmer at the back of his mind. Someone had interfered. Barclay looked between the two Julian's, simply confused.

"You didn't talk about it before?" Julian asked Bashir in astonished annoyance.

"We spoke all of thirty words the first time he got in touch. The second time we were more focused on finding Julia than comparing notes," Bashir said defensively. Julian wanted to stay something sharp, but held his tongue. Bashir looked like he was tormenting himself mentally about the mistake. Something Julian was intimately familiar with doing to himself on more than occasion.

"Could I be untied, please?" Barclay asked. Bashir nodded, then used a little click fob to release the restraints for both Reginald's. Barclay had more energy than Reginald seemed to now. He was looking around the room, clearly agitated. Reginald was just sitting limply in place despite technically being free.

"I need to take a walk, if you all don't mind. Clear my head," Barclay said after rubbing his wrists.

"Don't go too far, but that should be fine," Julian said after a moment of consideration. Barclay wouldn't be able to get off the station on his own. Not with Odo alerted to his presence. Most likely. Julian felt like he might be underestimating the man if he managed to get a signal from Julia when Garak apparently hadn't been able to. It begged a question he didn't have enough braincells left to contemplate as everyone but Reginald and Mila shared a knowing look. With the question of what had happened revealed to be a vipers nest, the main thing to worry about now was finding Julia. Preferably quickly as there were a lot of things she needed to know.

The Elim's and Julian's started comparing notes while Reginald remained in his chair. Numb as he processed everything he'd just learned.

Only Mila watched Barclay leave with interest. Noting how he seemed to have a destination in mind, but she didn't point it out.

Chapter 23: Duty

Chapter Text

Reginald from Julias original reality stepped out of the Bashir family quarters and took a breath. The woman he'd spoken to wasn't Julia's mother. That changed a lot of things and cast almost everything he'd believed to be true into doubt. Especially since the local Julian had seemed to think he'd run out on her. Only one person could have told him that, which meant Julia believed it.

That cut into him like a lance of ice. Worse than her text saying she hated him. That at least had provided his fevered mind some comfort as it proved she was alive. Licking at his split lip, he couldn't help but think of his other self.The local Reginald had come at him hot, calling him a worthless and undeserving bastard, among other things. Like an angry lover. If Julia had thought he left her, abandoned her when she was vulnerable, then he couldn't blame her for moving on.

That it might be with a different version of himself stung a bit, but he wasn't ready to process that fully. Everything still hurt, and he hadn't had a good day's rest since he thought she left him. Even less once her message arrived and he'd devoted himself to figuring out how to get to her.

Now the only thing tethering his sleep-deprived mind together was a steady pulse in the center of his left hand. It was an implant that vibrated subtly to match her heart rate. That gave him a little hope. If she'd removed hers, then his wouldn't have worked. Though, in fairness, it might have slipped her mind.

He hadn't been able to feel anything from it when he woke up in the hospital after the accident that put him out of commission after that fateful day. That had scared him badly at the time, worse than his own brush with death. Julia having died during some misadventure or from an accident while he was unconscious was a terror he'd pushed down to while he focused on finding her instead of losing his mind. One he'd gladly recast as her just turning her implant off or removing it after leaving.

Getting into a vacant side spur of corridor, Reginald hesitated to take things a step further. That Julia might have forgotten to disable the implant was one thing. If he utilized one of its other functions and was rejected, he wasn't sure he could take it.

Too much was going on, and Reginald was too tired to think straight even before the fight. Now, he was mainly running on adrenaline and self-hatred. The bruises slowly forming on his body also helped out in that department a bit. He really hadn't realized how hard he could hit before, being on the receiving end had been eye opening.

Finally, Reginald touched the back of his hand lightly and traced a pattern. A slight luminescent followed the movement. It looked like a squiggle, but it was an unlock pattern. A heart with R+J inside it appeared after to confirm that he'd gotten it right.

Reginald waited. If Julia refused, nothing would happen. The system would flash an x and time out the request after three minutes. Every second ticked by like a small eternity as he waited.

When it felt like far too long, Reginald heard a familiar but half-forgotten tone of approval. He started walking again, steps quick despite his fatigue. Julia agreed to let him know her location.

It took nearly an hour, but finally, Reginald found the observation dome where Julia was waiting. They'd met in an observation bay on the Enterprise. Julia regal in her violet civilian clothes, him in operations gold and stumbling over every fifth word. He'd known he'd have to work with a civilian liaison and stayed up half the night preparing himself. That had ended with him blurry-eyed and still anxious. When he'd actually seen her, it was a miracle he could even speak.

Now looking at Julia in forest green and framed by starlight, words really did fail Reginald. She was alive, well looking even. She'd been missing but not suffering, and he thanked anyone who was listening for that. He'd been miserable with worry for her.

Taking a few shaky steps forward, Reginald's legs buckled. Relief and fatigue bringing him to his knees in front of her. It should have hurt, but thin yet deceptively strong arms caught him. Julia had caught him. They ended up kneeling on the floor in front of each other.

"You found me," Julia said softly. There was a question and surprise in her tone.

"I'm sorry it took so long," Reginald replied with absolute seriousness.

"Was it me? That I'm an augment? The twins?" Julian demanded, voice heavy with sadness.

"Twins?" Reginald asked in shock.Instead of explaining, Julia took Reginald's hand and brought it to her stomach. The cut of the tunic hid it, but her middle was unexpectedly soft. That was when he felt an energetic kick. Mystified, he looked at her for an explanation.

"They're still yours," Julia said flatly, looking hurt. Time dilation. That was Reginald's first thought. The rest were incoherent strings of things, feelings, memories, shopping lists. All the things he'd been thinking about, planning to do, even when he thought it was impossible. A detailed check list of the preparations needed for them to start a family.

Instead of trying to speak, Reginald gently cupped Julia's cheek and leaned forward. One hand still on her abdomen, he pressed his forehead against hers. Anshwar, a declaration of self-chosen duty.

She'd shown it to him once, and he'd laughed because it tickled. He'd thought of it like an Inuit kunik or a Māori hongi—a sharing of breath and affection.

Now, after two years, it held a very different meaning. The idea of a chosen duty made sense because that was how Reginald had lived. No matter what came next, even if Julia never wanted to see him again, his duty to her would remain. Anything she needed, anything he had to do to keep her safe, it would be done.

"I love you, and I wanted so desperately to- I got hit by a skimmer," Reginald said as everything came out in a jumble. He'd have respected her wishes, but he'd never meant to give up without letting her know that he wanted her. A life together, including children, if she wanted.

"What!?" Julia asked in shock, pulling back.

"It might have been a setup, but I got hit while running to your office," Reginald explained.

"I was in a coma for a couple weeks. Someone pretending to be your mother had said you'd... given up the pregnancy, and there was a note saying you were leaving me," he added, out of order.

"Reginald-" Julia choked up. She'd been trying to be angry, but there was too much heartbroken sincerity in Reginald's words for her not to believe him. He was a garbage liar, worse than her brother.

He also smelled like a wet Labrador and looked like someone had beaten the sh*t out of him. It almost distracted from his gaunt cheeks and the general paleness of him.

"Oh stars, look at you. When was the last time you slept or ate?" Julia asked, taking in his ragged state.

"Been a while, but it's not important. They reported you dead on the newscast. I didn't believe it, but..." Reginald trailed off, eyes fluttering heavily. It really had been a couple days since he slept more than an hour or two. He'd been too busy getting everything set up for the teleport. Julia's data had given him everything he needed to know, but locating and setting up the required equipment had been another matter.

"Fool," Julia said gently, tugging him into her arms. Reginald melted into the embrace. After a few moments, he fell blissfully asleep to the sound of Julia's soothing humming.

Julia softly stroked Reginald's back as she considered what she'd learned. Someone had interfered in their lives with malicious intent.

Chapter 24: Silence

Chapter Text

Back in the Bashir/Garak residence, Mila decided to retire to her room and take a nap. The living room was comfortable enough in temperature, but the bedroom was warmer and less exposed. Hopefully, Julia would be able to sort that security problem out before too long.

Mila had intentionally rushed her arrival as a test but was curious to see how her soon-to-be daughter-in-law would handle her matriarchal duties. She was much less interested in the melodrama unfolding between the males. They could sort themselves or wait for Julia to do it.

"So tell me something, did you really not find it strange when she didn't contact you for months after whatever argument you had?" Julian asked his counterpart. He'd refrained from asking Julia, but now his curiosity and irritation bubbled over. He'd understood she'd be going back but seeing who she'd leave with left him in a rather unfortunate mood.

"Doctor, perhaps-" alternate Elim started only to be cut off. His Julian had held up a hand and stepped forward.

"It's fine," alternate Julian said coldly.

"Dearest, I think we really should discuss the matter with Julia first," his Elim cautioned.

"It won't hurt to tell him. I was assisting with evacuating the station after an anti-riot protocol triggered the self-destruct. Julia wanted me to get on the Defiant sooner. When I refused, she shot Miles in the leg to force the matter," alternate Julian said simply. Taken by surprise Elim started laughing, which got him an indignant look from the alternate Julian and an exasperated one from his own counterpart.

"Darling, perhaps we ought to keep her. I find myself growing fonder of her every day," Elim said, not even trying to stop his laughter.

"Haha, it is to laugh. Julia stunned you too, you know. Well, mine, but you get the idea," alternate Julian said, angry but controlled still.

"Oh? Where was I when that happened?" Elim asked with a raised ocular ridge.

"Again, we ought to wait-" alternate Elim tried to intercede.

"On the Defiant with Mila and the kids, where she was supposed to be too," Julian said flatly. Elim looked disbelievingly at his counterpart.

"Julian was on the station as it hovered on the edge of doom, and you were on the Defiant?" Elim asked the alternate Elim. The other man didn't answer, clearly annoyed and biting something back.

"What's that supposed to mean?" alternate Julian asked sharply.

"When it happened here… We weren't even together yet, and you came to find me. You never even tried to leave though you could have," Julian said as understanding flashed in his mind. He could see it blossom in his counterpart's eyes as well.

"You were going to leave the Defiant?" alternate Julian asked in shock.

"Between Mila and Julia, I felt the children were safe," alternate Elim said without meeting his Julian's eyes.

"Why!?" alternate Julian demanded.

"Because he'd rather die with you than live without you," Elim said flatly in place of his counterpart. He knew himself quite well that he would not speak. He would never say it on his own behalf but speaking for another self, it came much more easily than he expected.

"Allowing you in was hard enough, accepting even friendship a painful growing experience, love an agony. The only thing worse than the trials and travails of living such a life would be to lose it," Elim added. He got a murderous glare from his counterpart, which let him know how surely he'd slid the knife in and spilled his truth like blood upon the floor. The anger in those eyes curdled into shame as the alternate Julian looked at him searchingly.

"I should have supported you properly, but I failed in my duty. I would not put it as such," alternate Elim spared a glare for his counterpart, "but I did not want to lose you."

"Supported me properly? Elim, what do you even mean?" alternate Julian asked. Julian looked to his own Elim, curious what the answer would be.

"You were fulfilling your obligations as an officer. I shouldn't have… I should have remained with our family so that you could do so without additional worry, but my fears got the better of me," alternate Elim explained. He was clearly unhappy being exposed in front of witnesses but answered all the same.

"Bloody hell, no wonder… You're my husband. You can tell me things like that," alternate Julian said gently. Then, for the first time, he took the initiative to touch his Elim, a hand going around his husband's shoulders.

"To what end? Your capacity for self-sacrifice…" his Elim started bitterly only to close his eyes and fall silent.

"If he's anything like me, he didn't even think about the danger or how it would make you feel. I always hyperfocus on how I should help or the importance of what I'm doing rather than the outcome," Julian offered. He'd volunteered for plenty of missions without ever worrying about the odds. Admittedly, they were better than the stated ones with him along, but that wasn't why he wasn't concerned.

Better to fail valiantly for a good cause than live as a coward. A motto was born out of no small amount of self-loathing. He had to do great and good things because it was how he justified his right to live to himself. A mental state that was a far cry from healthy.

"What he said," alternate Julian agreed.

"It's kind of you to forgive me," alternate Elim said slowly. He didn't look to his Julian as he said it. His body language still closed off. Elim had likely been at war with himself since long before that incident. Wanting safety and dependability from his partner but holding duty sacred.

The alternate Julian wanted to kick himself. As if he hadn't read a three data rod brick of a book about self-denial and sacrifice, then missed all the signs.

"No, Elim. I'm not forgiving you because you've done nothing wrong. You're allowed to have expectations, to ask things of me, to voice your needs. But, stars, my blind selfishness is the shameful thing," Julian said as he closed the gap between them. For the first time in months, he crossed into Elim's space and pressed their foreheads together in anshwar as an affirmation rather than just a show for the kids.

"Julian, the state-" Elim was cut off by a light kiss.

"My first duty is to you and our family," Julian added, just in case it hadn't been clear enough.

"Starfleet, the Federation, they don't take precedence. I can stop being an officer, a doctor even, and be happy with you. Losing you would make all other achievements hollow," Julian said steadfastly.

"You were angry that I meant to leave the children," Elim started tentatively, only to be kissed softly again.

"Because I'm a f*cking hypocrite. I'd have gone after you too," alternate Julian said honestly. Of course, it wouldn't be right to leave them even with Julia and Mila to look after them, but that didn't change the truth. Between his Elim flatlining briefly during the implant incident and seeming to die during the founder's simulation, a very deep-rooted sense of longing and loss had grown in him. One that would swallow him alive if he ever lost Elim again.

"I should have made more of an effort to communicate with you. I know it's not easy, and… I've made you suffer these past few months," alternate Julian said gently. He leaned his body against his husband and nuzzled against him just so, all but demanding to be scent marked properly. It was one of many things they'd drawn away from as the silence between putrefied like a cyst.

Julian watched with interest, taking a few mental notes as he observed how the alternate Elim responded to his counterpart.

"So Elim panicked. Julia stunned him to prevent it, then she forced you to go to the ship. Obviously, it survived that incident since she was going to visit it before everything happened," Julian summarized out of habit. Everyone currently in the room had a perfect memory, but that wasn't the norm.

"None of that answered my original question," Julian prompted. He didn't want to interfere in the couple's reconciliation, but he doubted they'd be much use in a few minutes.

The alternate Elim's chufa was already visibly tinted blue. A light shade for the moment, but Julian didn't doubt it would darken. His own Elim liked to play prim, but after months of emotional distance, he couldn't imagine the alternate standing on ceremony or pretense for long.

"Julia didn't just send him to the Defiant. She stayed behind as part of the crew who shut down the auto-destruct. Several of the engineers who volunteered died in the process," alternate Elim offered.

"Why were you angry at her?" Julian pressed his counterpart. He had a pretty good idea, but it needed to be said plainly.

"I... We argued about what happened. How she shot Miles," alternate Julian said, looking aside and voice breaking. It was painfully obvious that he was hiding something.

"You were angry she put herself in danger," Julian said flatly. It was weird to see the visual manifestation of feelings so like his own. Of course, they made perfect sense to him, but he finally understood why they didn't to others.

"So what!?" alternate Julian snapped, his temper unraveling as the primary point was finally struck. There was a clear emotional throughline, but it was tonally different from the micro-expressions. They only told the story when combined. Anger read clearly but was threaded with sadness and self-loathing. The alternate Julian was angry with himself, not with Julia.

"She's not an Officer, not even Starfleet. She's a civilian! It wasn't her duty, but no! The invincible Julia Bashir isn't afraid of anything and just blithely-" alternate Julian's anger broke as his eyes teared up.

"What was I supposed to do if she died!?" alternate Julian demanded of the assembly. Two Elim's and the other Julian looked at him in mute sympathy. Finally, his Elim pulled him into a comforting embrace.

"She always does things like that. Protects everyone but herself," alternate Julian sobbed.

"A family trait, unfortunately," Elim said archly, looking at his own Julian curiously. The alternate couple didn't excuse themselves. Instead, the alternate Elim picked up his Julian and carried him off while emitting a comforting rumble. They disappeared into the guest bedroom next to the native pairs suite.

"I'm glad Julia thought to soundproof all the rooms," Julian snickered cheerfully. He was leaning up against Elim and felt pleasantly content for a few moments. The other pair had reconciled or were at least in the process of it. That was reassuring since he hadn't had any real arguments with his own Elim yet.

"Your thinking rather loudly," Elim commented dryly.

"All of that, it goes for you too. Were equals in our relationship, your feelings and desires matter to me," Julian said bluntly. Elim studied him with an emotionless expression for a few moments.

"I want us to only go on missions together, no matter how it has to be accommodated," Elim said finally. Of course, he wouldn't directly confirm that his earlier words applied to himself, but they certainly did. They both had a duty and needed to contribute, but he didn't want to be parted from Julian for any reason. At least not if he was the survivor.

"I'll talk to Sisko. I'll also see about getting us a bigger single bed arrangement. f*cking on those bunks would be an absolute pain even if the room weren't the size of a shoebox," Julian said, letting out a sigh.

"Julian! We shan't be mixing business and pleasure," Elim retorted in mock scandal. His chufa was already blue, but he didn't care how unbelievable his lie was in this case.

"I understand, my dearest tailor. But, unfortunately, augments like myself need routine maintenance to function correctly. So I'll have to ask you to make a sacrifice for the sake of duty," Julian quipped back.

"Truly, you ask much of me," Elim muttered jokingly, already plastering himself against Julian.

"Just lie back and think of Cardassia," Julian replied somberly. His facade lasted all a single beat before he was giggling and kissing Elim.

Chapter 25: Overdue Chat

Chapter Text

As Reginald slept in her arms, Julia took a few minutes to think things over. Revenge was her first thought. She'd have to get his medical records and make sure the damage was paid in kind. It wasn't a long-lasting thought, though, since she couldn't act on it for the moment.

Shelving that, what remained to be seen was how far the tampering had gone—something she couldn't find out on her own. So many things to do and all of them were stymied by her relative location in the multiverse. That put her mind back on the proper track.

With a practiced hand, she felt Reginald up and took his pad. It accepted her unlock sequence just as happily as it would his. It was one of her own designs, after all. The thing she really needed to focus on was the issue of what had happened.

Julia checked the pad over but found no record of the call Reginald had mentioned. That suggested it had been on the far less secure central hub of the apartment. Usually, she'd have been able to access that remotely but was stymied by her relative location in the multiverse. Again.

Weirdly she found a file with her name on it, but it wasn't full of the data she expected. Instead, it was full of saved newscast holos and articles. The dates of which pointed out an unexpected problem. She'd only been gone a few months, but clearly, far more time had passed in her native reality.

Time during which someone had gotten up to some real buggery whilst using her name and likeness. When she found the headlines asking if she was the new Kahn, she let out a derisive snort. This asshole clearly noticed her complexion and country of origin and decided to connect racist dots. Julia schooled her temper. She'd sue him for libel later.

Inputting a few passwords, she used it to remotely access her work desk and analyze all of Reginald's stored data about crossing realities. Unlike her arrival, which had been accidental and largely unseen by the station's sensors, his had been intentional.

Thankfully he was also a data nerd just like her, so there was a gratuitous amount of readings to sort through. Feeling a half-forgotten but warm flush of kindred strangeness, she kissed Reginald on the top of the head but let him keep sleeping.

After three hours, Julia decided it was time to change locations and somewhat belatedly realized she'd left her blackout protocols in effect. They wouldn't harm anything but had made her untraceable, and her com was off. One if not both Julians were going to give her an earful for that one.

"Computer, end program Bashir Echo Twenty Black," Julia said finally.

"Julia to Miles, do you have a minute?" Julia asked as the connection was made.

"Christ on a crutch lass, yeah, I'll dig one up," Miles said, sounding exasperated and fond.

"I'm with a Reginald without a combadge. Could you transport us to chamber one of my quarters, on the bed? Poor things out like a light," Julia said gently.

"Yeah, I heard some craziness earlier on. You owe me a dinner at mine and a proper explanation. Keiko's back tomorrow, and she won't forgive me if she doesn't get to hear it too," Miles said cheerfully.

"Deal," Julia said with a snicker. With a shimmer, the transporter moved her and Reginald to her room next to Mila's. Laying Reginald on the bed comfortably, she gently tapped him awake.

"Julia?" Reginald asked, still sleepy. Despite barely seeming awake, he pulled her down into a bear hug.

"Reginald, I need to talk with my brothers, and you need more sleep," Julia said gently.

"Pinch me so I know I'm not dreaming," Reginald requested softly. Feeling touched and just a touch wicked, Julia leaned down to kiss him gently but finished with a sharp nip. That got a laugh out of him, and she nuzzled her forehead against his.

"I won't let us be separated again. Not so long as you'll have me," Julia promised. Simple, sweet words that held the promise of a terrible debt of blood. The ones responsible would find no forgiveness nor mercy from her.

"Then we're gonna be together for the rest of my life," Reginald said with a smirk. He was still far too tired but less so than before. It was cloying and deep but no longer sharp-edged.

"Hm, good. Now, sleep because we have a lot of work to do to get home," Julia said, planting one final kiss on the tip of his nose. Reginald let himself drift back to sleep with a goofy grin.

When Julia walked out of the bedroom, she found both Julian's and Elim's pouring over what looked like a station schematic. She wasn't sure how long they'd been at it, but the scent of mint and musk gave away that it wasn't the entire time. She found that amusing rather than disheartening.

"Who-" both Julians looked up together and froze. A moment later, they both sprinted forward to almost tackle her with a hug.

"Babies on board!" Julia yelped. She wasn't swept off her feet, but it was a near thing. Just having both Julians hug her was overwhelming, but one of them looked like he was about to cry. Her Juju looked like he was about to cry. He'd cleaned up a bit but still left a hint of stubble on his jaw like his Elim preferred.

"Let's give them some time alone," Elim said, coming forward to collect his Julian. Julia ruffled his hair to encourage him to go along. Both Elim's and Julian debated a moment before going into the native pairs' room.

"Juju," Julia said and hugged him in relief. He wasn't angry anymore, and that was at the very least a start.

"I shouldn't have-" Julian started only to get choked up.

"It's alright," Julia said gently. She found herself pushed out to arm's length, Julian giving her a devastated look.

"No, it isn't, and it wasn't, and it's still not, but… Lia, I thought you were dead for a month, then I thought you faked your death," Julian explained. Julia opened her mouth for a moment, then closed it. If Julian pulled that kind of sh*t, the barrier between realities wouldn't have been an impediment to her finding him either.

"I thought it was an accident, but between the attempt on Reginald's life and what you're telling me, it's more likely that it was an abduction or assassination attempt gone awry," Julia said and heaved a sigh. It was easy to cause an 'unfortunate accident' that dumped someone into the vacuum instead of the intended destination.

"Were you approached by anyone? I had some clowns calling themselves section thirty-one come to try and recruit me. Elim… Let's say he scared them off since I haven't found any bodies yet," Julian asked, looking anxious.

"No, but I've heard of them. Augments who encounter them have a tendency to go missing," Julia said as she considered the matter. Unlike Julian, she'd never been shy though always careful about making contact with others who were edited. They were helpful people to know, and she liked the sense of found family they'd provided in some of her more isolated moments.

"They did a whole song and dance about how they were basically black ops keeping paradise free by doing the dirty stuff, so others didn't have to," Julian growled.

"Says every moron who thinks the shortest distance between two points is a slashed throat," Julia said with a sigh.

"Right? They came after my status was revealed…" Julian said, swallowing nervously. He'd tried to call Julia when it happened but hadn't been able to get in touch. That should have told him something was wrong. She might not choose to call herself, but she'd never refused if he called her.

"f*ck. How did that go?" Julia asked, looking concerned.

"Not that bad, which I suspect you had a hand in. I kept my license and commission though it was pretty obvious I shouldn't expect any promotions afterward. Most of the station reacted positively too," Julian explained.

"The local Julian got outed by our parents because they were too dumb not to say sh*t like that in the bloody infirmary. Like that magically wasn't a public space even without it turning, they were talking to a hologram," Julia said irritably.

"Oh f*ck. That's not how it happened for me, but weirdly close. We'd argued, and they came into my office and started talking without closing the door. Half my staff and the patients heard it," Julian said tiredly. He and Julia shared a knowing look of exasperation for the senior Bashir's.

"Do me a favor and be nice to this Julian while we're here. He's been alone with them, and he's in a pretty rough place," Julia said, looking at her brother imploringly.

"Ugh, I can't even imagine that. I'll… You are coming home, right?" Julian asked, suddenly nervous.

"I mean, I was an ass to you, and Reg would happily stay here, and the other me seems like he's been a lot nicer than-" Julian was cut off by Julia squishing his cheeks.

"You're an asshole, but so am I, and more importantly, I'm your big sister. I was working on how to get home even before you came looking. I'll go back," Julia said flatly.

"You're barely older than me," Julian grumped.

"Three minutes, slowpoke," Julia said chirped.

"You're actually only a minute and forty-eight seconds older than me. Kindly stop adding time like I'm not going to remember," Julian said, chuckling.

"No," Julia said sweetly as she ruffled his hair.

"I don't know if Reginald mentioned it, but more time passed on our side than here," Julian said tentatively.

"I dug through his pad and saw what happened. Mostly anyway. If section thirty-one is involved, I imagine they were trying to isolate you to facilitate a conversion. I'd be a huge liability to that plan," Julia mused. She made mental notes that whoever spoke to Reginald needed to be added to her special attention list for her eventual revenge. Right alongside the architect of the scheme and the skimmer pilot.

"f*ck. This was all my fault, wasn't it?" Julian asked, scrubbing his face with his hands.

"Hardly. They struck without telegraphing their intent. Our legal status and emotional vulnerabilities make it unfortunately easy to recruit people like us most of the time. You were probably just a name on a list to them, and they finally got around to you," Julia said with a sigh.

"You might be a minute and forty seconds older than me, Lia, but I'm a bloody Lieutenant. It's literally my job to protect you ," Julian said peevishly, shaving time off in opposition to Julia's addition.

"Mad that I don't let you, little brother?" Julia asked archly, going to ruffle Julian's hair. He caught her wrist and looked at her sadly.

"Yes, actually. I was furious when you stayed on DS9 because I was worried about you. We couldn't get consistent readings from the station, and for a couple hours, all we knew was some of the bio signs from you and your team had gone dark," Julian said as he let go of his sister.

"Why'd you even do it? You didn't even like the station," Julian asked. Julia looked at him silently for a few moments before sighing, tension going out of her as she sat down in an armchair.

"To complete the evacuation. I used a backdoor of Elim's to get into a systems console on the habitat ring. That let me remotely access the Starfleet systems, including the transporter," Julia began.

"You did more than that," Julian said flatly.

"Only because once I was in, I found a fault in the system's calculation. The countdown was utilizing the Cardassian settings and assumed the old systems and equipment were in place. The power systems breach was much further along than anticipated, and the resulting explosion would have been twice as large," Julia explained finally.

"You did it to protect the Defiant and my family," Julian said, looking exhausted and sad as he sat down on the couch facing her.

"You'd have done the same," Julia countered.

"I would," Julian agreed.

"Why didn't you tell me- Oh. Because of the engineers. You were coordinating the efforts, so that means you directed them," Julian said, expression going blank as he put things together. Some of the team had died. It would have fallen on Julia to give them the instructions that led to that circ*mstance.

Julian didn't question that she'd informed them of the risk, and they'd undertaken it willingly, but part of him squirmed. He knew she could make command decisions, that he'd have arrived at a similar conclusion and undertaken it with a heavy heart.

His problem wasn't what Julia had done. She wouldn't have decided lightly nor considered the exchange of their lives for those aboard the evacuation ships a small sacrifice. The part that ate at him was that she'd had to do it at all.

"Earlier, Elim told me how you stunned him. We talked about it, how we'd both have gone to save the other and… I was upset at first. I'm very much a hypocrite about this too. I hate that you took that risk even though I'd do as much for you," Julian said, face in his hands.

"Julian, that's entirely normal. You might notice I have something of an allergic reaction to you being in danger," Julia said fondly.

"I know, but that time I took it too far. I pushed you away," Julian said miserably.

"Well, we were also dealing with hybrid toddlers. I think we were all a bit high strung from lack of sleep," Julia said, feeling magnanimous. Cardassian and augment genes with just a tiny bit of tailoring had made for some abominably energetic children. Ones who could climb like bloody geckos when the mood struck.

"Besides, someone kept us from getting in touch and talking it out. We'd have been fine after a month or two," Julia added. She wasn't really sure about that, but it wouldn't have taken two years and a hop across realities. At worst, a year of fighting and a couple awkward birthdays with the kids.

"Speaking of kids, identical girls?" Julian asked, glancing at her abdomen.

"Yeah, full human, which will shock everyone who knows what a giant xenophile I am," Julia said and chuckled.

"Right? I half expected I'd need to figure out how to deliver a litter of half Kzintis or something with you. I still remember how hot for Odo you were," Julian said with a smile.

"Like you don't have a couple fantasies about him too," Julia shot back.

"I have a rich internal life which is none of your f*cking business," Julian returned fire with a grin.

"One thing, though. I know why you can't come back until after you deliver, but because of the time dilation Elim and I can't stay long," Julian explained unhappily. He wanted to be present for the birth but would either have to come back or miss it. He couldn't leave Mila with the kids for much longer.

"Oh, that. I noticed a work around when I was digging through Reginald's data. I haven't worked out how to counter it fully, but I can likely reduce the degree. You going back would actually be helpful to test that theory," Julia said with a wicked grin.

"You know, as much as you complain about me getting in trouble, you sure don't mind using me as a test tribble," Julian said sternly. Julia just kept grinning.

Chapter 26: Darts

Chapter Text

The morning after they arrived, the alternate Julian and Elim looked with relief at their Mila through a communication screen. Julia had missed some sleep, and everyone had needed to pitch in, but in the end, the issue that caused the dilation was found. The cost had been a week lost between sides, but it wasn't that large a gap.

"This is way too weird," Miles muttered unhappily as he looked at the doubles of his friends. And Garak. A distinction that took a moment to make rather than being automatic like it had once been.

"Sorry, Chief!" came as a chorus from the group. While they were all working together, most of engineering had to be cleared so no one would see the multiples. It had been easier with Julia, just saying she was a relative that dropped in unexpectedly.

Stranger still had been finding that he liked the other Reg just fine. Once he'd been told that there had been a misunderstanding anyway. He didn't take kindly to men who didn't do right by their families on the best day, and he'd come to like Julia. Thinking the other man had ditched her had made his blood boil.

Speaking of Reg, it wouldn't have been strange for the local one to have left. Gone back to the Enterprise or at least put in to return ahead of schedule. Instead, he'd gotten a discreet request for a day off with an embedded promise that he was fine and would return to service afterward.

Reading it, Miles had felt more than a little guilty. He knew that Julia and Reg were both adults and would handle things as such, but it still made him feel bad. If he'd known the father would end up exonerated and back in the picture, well... he hadn't. He'd thought she was free and encouraged Reginald to go for it.

It wasn't exactly a bad thing that he had, but he wished he'd suggested someone else. Not that it would have done any good. Even if he'd pushed bit, it wasn't like those two hadn't already been swirling around each other like a moon and its planet.

"Miles, what time for dinner tonight?" Julia asked suddenly. Miles looked up and felt a familiar feeling of disappointment. Really, why couldn't the Bashir's have managed to have her in this universe too?

It would have made things a lot easier. Her Julian was still Julian but less… Miles' first thought was clingy, but he discarded it as unkind. No, her brother was less insecure. He had a family instead of a hole where it ought to have been.

"17:00 if all goes well. Text Keiko what you'd like to have. She's in a cooking mood and has decided to let you choose," Miles replied, smiling despite himself.

"I will," Julia said cheerfully.

After a few minutes, Miles excused himself to go check in at Quarks. There had been some power fluctuations. He knew better than to send anyone there but himself to check on things. That was when he found Reg.

Not sh*t-faced or crying, just sitting and eating lunch which made sense for the time of day. Miles felt a cold tingle of dread but pushed it down.

"Hey Reg," Miles said, pausing to stand next to his table.

"Hey Chief," Reginald said evenly and managed a smile. His eyes were blurry, but it wasn't clear if that was from lack of sleep or crying. Either or both would have been normal under the circ*mstances.

"I've got to pop into the back and chase down a power fluctuation, but if you have a minute, my lunch is due, and I could go for some darts," Miles offered.

"Uhm, sure. That would be fun," Reginald replied, looking mildly surprised. Miles nodded and was off to do as he'd said. Unfortunately, it occurred to him a bit late that he'd never actually invited Reg to things like that. If the man showed up anywhere, it was either alone or with Julia or Julian. The pair including him in just about anything, but no one else really did.

Once Miles tracked down the problem a half-hour later, he didn't bother taking the issue up with Quark. Instead, he just fixed it and sent a picture along with instructions to Rom. They'd come to a gentlemen's agreement about documenting repairs.

"Grabbed us a board and some drinks," Reg said affably as he waited over by the good dartboard.

"Goodman," Mile chirped, and they passed a few rounds. Then, in the middle of the third, it dawned on him that he rather liked Reg's company. He was a nervous sort but not overly talkative unless you started it and more easily stopped than Julian. That boy on a tear was like a force of nature.

"So, um. I heard what happened, somewhat," Miles began awkwardly. The downside of Reg's more reticent nature was that Miles had to start the conversation himself. He wasn't going to just lay his worries out neatly like cards on a table.

"Yeah, it's good the other guy didn't turn out to be the bastard I expected him to be," Reg said, sounding tired.

"That's big of you," Miles ventured uncertainly.

"Not really. I kicked his ass before I found that out," Reg replied, smirking just a little. Miles grinned at that.

"Can't say that hasn't been on a few people's minds lately, my own included," Miles said agreeably.

"Really though, how are you doing?" Miles asked.

"Jealous, full of what feels like broken glass… and kind of relieved," Reginald said, looking tired again and a bit worn.

"You suggested going with her, but… I couldn't just invite myself into her life like that, and I don't think she would have asked me to go. Not after so short a time as we'd probably have had," Reg explained. Miles felt that like a punch in his guts. Reg had a point.

It was easy to say you'd do anything for love. But plenty of people split or never even tried over considerably less than being from different realities. He'd broken up with a good woman he'd fancied marrying before Keiko because they couldn't agree on living arrangements. Something that had proved a trial but one he'd fought to overcome in his marriage to Keiko.

"Her first duty is to her family. She was always going back to them. Now I at least know she's loved, and he'll look after her. Her and Julian are kind of annoying oblivious to their own wellbeing," Reg then sighed.

"Really now?" Miles asked, taken by surprise. He'd never seen Julian looking anything but full of vim and vigor except after that thing with the internment camp. The man was appalling healthy, if anything.

"Oh man, don't let Garak get started on how they eat. Which is not often enough, too fast, and at a calorie density that rivals dark matter," Reg said and laughed.

"What? Julian usually eats a normal amount," Miles said, not recalling anything odd.

"He makes it look like he does, but he made these candy bar-looking things that are just outright insane. It's like a full day's food and nutrients, and he eats like two of those. His metabolism is scary," Reg said, chuckling again.

"Oh my god, he left those at my quarters once as emergency rations for us. Keiko mistook them for actual candy and put on like six pounds out of nowhere. She was absolutely livid," Mile said, laughing too as he recalled. He liked her a little softer but kept that wisely to himself. Body image was a fraught subject at the best of times.

"The worst part is that they taste delicious. I got the replicator pattern for them, and it's a struggle not to just have one occasionally," Reg said cheerfully. Miles nodded in agreement.

Like a proper college student, Julian hadn't stopped at one flavor. He'd made six that Miles was aware of. His favorite was the mint creme one. He'd felt like Julian had to have made a deal with the devil to get it to taste that good and be healthy.

While they shared the laugh, a beep let Miles know his break was over. A shame, really, but he supposed he could just invite Reg out for the usual games like he did Julian. It would be fun to have someone else along for as long as he stayed on DS9.

Reg gave him a wave, knowing very well what the alarm meant. Miles returned it with a nod before taking off.

Alone Reginald sighed and wondered if he should have another synthahol or just head back to his quarters. He'd needed time to himself, but talking with Miles had been a pleasant break from it. Despite his natural tendencies, he'd gotten used to being around people, if not exactly that much more sociable.

"Hmm…" Quark muttered. Reginald was just returning the darts, but he could tell the man wanted something. He was making his desire to talk so apparent that even Reginald couldn't miss it, which meant it was likely painfully obvious to half the bar.

"Need something? I'd like to settle up my tab," Reginald asked. He decided to leave it up to Quark if they'd talk or not.

"There were a couple betting pools going about you and the Bashir woman. I'm surprised you're letting her go so easily," Quark ventured.

"With hearing like yours, I imagine it would have been hard not to hear my conversation with Miles. So why are you asking me something you already know about?" Reginald inquired.

"I'm just curious what this other guy's got that you think you don't. Taller, better hair?" Quark inquired. That earned him a snort of derision.

"Let's say she's got a type, and we could be mistaken for brothers," Reginald offered. Identical twins would be more like it.

"Ah, so it wasn't really about you but how much you look like him. Well, you're better off without her then. Someone who treats you like that isn't worth the trouble," Quark said dismissively. Reginald expected the words to hurt, anticipated the pain, but none came. Instead, they washed over him and were gone. It was a weird sensation.

"Quark, you're a good guy, and I think you want to make me feel better, but don't do it by putting her down. She liked me because she liked me, and her feelings for him don't change that. No more than her feelings about me change her feelings about him…" Reginald felt tears pricking at his eyes and haphazardly pushed his thumb to his tab before walking out. He meant what he said, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

For Reginald, the pain didn't really change anything. When he first volunteered to help, he'd told Julia that he wasn't doing it out of a sense of debt. Instead, he'd known she needed a hand and felt like he could, so he'd offered.

Now that Reginald could clearly see the end, his resolve remained. If he could be of help, he would be. He just needed a minute to get his head together first.

Love, it turned out, was just as painful as he'd feared. But, despite that, he couldn't find it in himself to despair too much. It was also rather wonderful in its way.

Chapter 27: Foreign Memories

Chapter Text

Elim felt oddly refreshed as he headed home. He'd spent the day troubleshooting code for the interdimensional teleport while his counterpart worked at the shop. It was rather amusing to be able to be in two places at once.

The other him had a similar sense of humor and made it entirely too easy to play the odd joke. They were both careful not to get caught and break the illusion, but they had Quark in quite the tizzy.

“Elim! Dinners ready if you can pry Julian out of your room,” Julia called in a sing-song way. He could smell a rather enticing collage of Cardassian and Human dishes in the air.

“I’ll do my best. How was your day, mother?” Elim asked, taking a moment to sit on the couch with Mila. Behind her, Julia was sitting on the armrest, carefully brushing out her salt and pepper hair like a dutiful daughter. It had been in an intricate plate all day, but now it would be put into a simpler one for sleep.

“Lovely Elim, Julia was showing me the plans for the entrance. Well, lose a little floor space, but the gain in security will be worthwhile,” Mila replied contentedly.

“How was yours?” Mila countered, eyes drifting half-closed.

“A productive day of coding. I’m pleased to find my skills hadn’t atrophied quite as much as I feared,” Elim answered, brazenly honest.

“The others should be getting in soon,” Julia prompted. Then, recalling he needed to rouse his mate for dinner, Elim got up and headed for the bedroom. Predictably Julian was gnawing on one of his infernal candy rations. They were hardly Delavian chocolates, but Elim found the bitter orange ganache center ones rather seductive in their own right. His waistline, however, would protest.

“Darling, it's dinner time,” Elim said with affectionate irritation. It was very like Julian to just mindlessly eat a ration rather than think to check the time. He was still getting used to a domestic schedule rather than a bachelor's.

“Hm? OH! Right, no problem,” Julian said, scampering out of bed to put on something more presentable. He’d been in silk loungewear but knew better than to affront Mila’s eyes with anything less than appropriate attire.

“Julian, is something amiss?” Elim asked. Julian kept glancing back toward his pad pensively, which was unusual. Generally, if some medical malady were weighing on his mind that heavily he’d try to beg off from eating, and Julia would have to come and drag him out.

“Huh?” Julian asked, clearly startled.

“You seem exceptionally distracted, is something wrong?” Elim asked, tone even in anticipation of dire news.

“What? No, nothing like that. Nothing's wrong just….” Julian trailed off.

“It's something we need to talk about, but it's about me, not us, so it can wait until after dinner,” Julian said after collecting himself. Elim nodded though he wasn’t exactly pleased with that answer. Julian most certainly fell under his definition of ‘us,’ but Elim decided that the human meant it was personal rather than relationship-related.

“Very well, I’ll endeavor to be patient,” Elim acquiesced. Dinner was a lively affair between the five men at the table and the two ladies. Almost everyone was a talker, and they eagerly exchanged thoughts and verbal blows teasingly over the meal.

Reginald was less likely to join in but no less able to spar when someone roped him in. He lit up when he was included and listened contentedly when he didn't have anything to add or felt shy.

His contact with the alternate Julian and Elim had been limited before Julia's message reached him. Now he found he had an unexpected pair of friends. Ones who didn't mind his oddities or the convoluted way his mind operated. Ones who understood.

The only person who might have been more sympathetic was also the only one missing from the table. His counterpart. Thinking of that other man who was so similar to him left him feeling uneasy for a moment but not for more than that.

Julia was pointedly avoiding the local Reginald, but not out of malice. He hadn't been privy to it, but after everything was clarified and the time dilation solved, she'd had a quiet talk with his counterpart. One that ended with them parting after a hug.

Despite that, the local version was by no means excluded from the group. On the contrary, Julia had made it brutally clear that she expected everyone except Reginald to make an effort and still include him socially.

Instead of feeling put off, Reginald felt a kind of contentment at the thought. His hand sought hers under the table and threaded their fingers together. She would have moved on if he had abandoned her, but she wouldn't cast him aside easily for any other reason.

When the meal finally concluded, Julian and Elim retreated to their quarters. Only a talk was in order, so they were both more reserved after changing into sleepwear than usual. Julian flopped on the bed and patted the spot beside him.

It was a fascinating human habit to invite others to sit so close regardless of location. Julian, in particular, seemed partial to it. Even patting his own lap at the botanical bay when Elim had demurred at ruining his clothes sitting on damp grass.

“Battling some nefarious plague or-” Elim sat down and fell silent. Julian held up his pad, and Elim found he was looking at nothing more sinister than a rather adorable baby picture. Julian and Julia asleep on a fluffy blanket in a rather artful pose if the label were correct.

“When Julia first arrived, she gave me a data chip. I had it checked out, but there was nothing harmful on it. It's just full of pictures, holos, and piles of data. All of it about her and her brother,” Julian began. Elim nodded though he didn’t quite understand how that caused Julian's mood.

“You see, unlike her Julian, she was of average intelligence and developmental phase for her age, so the procedure… It seems like she was aware she was an augment from the beginning. Because of that, she hoarded data about herself and her brother. Didn’t let my parents destroy things to cover up the differences,” Julian continued. This time Elim wasn’t pretending when he nodded. That did seem like something Julia would do. She really was a delightful young woman.

“She also got a copy of their pre and post-procedure records from the facility, somehow. I can’t completely confirm it but based on tissue samples and scans, her brother and I underwent identical procedures,” Julian added, then lapsed into pensive silence.

“Has this raised some form of medical concern about your wellbeing?” Elim asked, sounding much calmer than he felt. He didn’t care that Julian was an augment, but the idea that the editing that granted his gifts might come at a price sat heavily on him.

“No, if it's true, then my parents really did find a talented and rather conservative designer to edit me. It's genuinely good work,” Julian said dismissively, eyes still on the photo.

“The thing is… I sent some of the photos and holos with just Julian in them to my parents. I wanted to see how close our experiences were pre-procedure. My mother panicked a bit about what she assumed were photo’s I’d somehow resurrected through dark magic,” Julian explained. Amsha had not responded positively in the least, too used to having to hide everything about Julian. It had taken her a few days to calm down and accept that they existed before finally becoming something like grateful. It seemed she found having mementos, even from a dubious source, comforting in the end.

“What manner of story did they paint for you to be this bothered?” Elim inquired after a few moments. Julian had been flicking half-heartedly through various entirely cute photos.

It felt incredibly intimate to see such things despite how little attention Julian was paying the matter. To a Cardassian, that was a provocation to make some children. Julians actions casual proof of what pretty children they'd make together.

“One I suspected but couldn’t ever get them to admit to. From the looks of it, it's not clear if I was autistic or learning delayed though I was certainly small for my age. The facility diagnosed me as inconclusive for disability. Watch this and tell me what you think,” Julian said and cued up a vid.

Elim watched as a much younger Amsha Bashir was trying to get Julian to participate in a flashcard exercise. An ocular ridge was already creeping up. Amsha was clearly exhausted, and the man he assumed was Richard Bashir was sitting not entirely out of the frame and looking on disparagingly. They bickered, Amsha snapped at Julian, and the boy withdrew into a frightened huddle.

“I guess my mom was trying to document my progress or lack thereof. Of course, they aren't all like that, but it's a bit of a theme," Julia said, hunching awkwardly. Like he might feel responsible on some level.

“Can you show me an earlier one?” Elim asked, forcing his tone to remain neutral.

“Sure, they're all labeled,” Julian said with a grin. He opened the directory, and it showed Elim a very neatly categorized wall of information. By Prime, he would have given a kidney to have a data analyst that tidy to assist him back in the order. It would have saved him weeks of post-mission analysis at a low estimate.

The earlier vid painted a less bleak but hardly rosy picture of the Bashir family. Amsha was more patient, and Richard at least neutral though his frustration showed. Julian tried very hard to understand what was desired of him and perform, but the tendency to retreat was already established.

Unlike in the last vid, when Julian retreated, Julia intervened this time. She made soothing noises and started touching Julian in a way that felt purposeful. More so than simple comfort.

“The way she’s touching you- I mean him. Is that part of the twin language you mentioned?” Elim asked. It was simple, but she calmed Julian down with a few small gestures and took him away.

“Julia taught me that bit. Like this, one squeeze or tap is no, two is yes, and three is I love you… A tight hold is help ,” Julian explained as he demonstrated the silent communication.

“Julian could talk, but he’d go non-verbal rather easily,” Julian explained.

“Is that something normal for a child her age to understand and develop a countermeasure to?” Elim asked, a bit surprised. The Bashir children looked around four to him. Well, Julia looked four, and Julian looked like an underdeveloped three. He had a general idea of what humans were meant to look like at particular ages though he was hardly an expert.

“No, but she didn’t come up with it herself. She had a friend who was deaf, and that child's mother made some suggestions when she brought up my problem,” Julian explained. He’d noticed that issue too.

“It's still clever to draw a parallel and speak to someone knowledgeable on the subject,” Elim countered. Julian nodded in agreement.

“I can see why this would be difficult to watch considering how you feel about the procedure, but is that all that's bothering you?” Elim asked.

“No, but… I’m not sure how to put the other part. When Julia first arrived and gave me the chip, she was concerned about me and how I viewed myself," Julian said as he recalled their second meeting with a smile. It had felt strange to meet someone who understood and was concerned about him in such a warm way. Of course, he had friends who cared about him, but they didn't really understand what it was like to grow up under Amsha and Richard Bashir.

"She said that my parents would have been disappointed with just about any child and done as they had. So I asked my mother if she’d have done it. If she'd have changed a neurotypical sibling if I’d had one,” Julian admitted.

“I’m guessing you received an unwanted affirmative,” Elim said gently. He genuinely couldn’t bring himself to wish anything good on the senior Bashir's but controlled his temper. Julian wouldn’t benefit from his ire, and he wouldn’t bring them harm. Even if he could make it look like an accident. Most likely anyway.

“She hedged a lot, but that was the general feeling. That it would be unfair not to or something like that,” Julian said and sighed in defeat. It was in a way easier to think he'd in some way been partly responsible for his parent's choices. Illogical but easier since it gave a sense of control and a sliver of hope that the relationship could be fixed through his own efforts alone.

“Want to talk some more, or is this more of a therapeutic cuddling kind of evening?” Elim asked.

“Definitely cuddles,” Julian answered with a grin. He rolled into Elims embrace happily. Letting go of a sense of inadequacy overnight wasn't possible. Still, he was simply and purely disappointed in his parents rather than himself for the first time in a long while. That felt like a good first step.

Chapter 28: Nightcap

Chapter Text

Mila found herself somewhat restless in the middle of the night. Normally she’d sleep light and soundly but knowing Julia was close by disturbed her. It went against her instincts not to physically protect the younger woman whose hormones still lingered in her room. Particularly given the less than ideal layout of the family quarters.

Despite her unease she still did her best to sleep. She’d found herself accepted with an almost unnerving ease into the Bashir home. It wouldn’t do to crowd the little matriarch with Cardassian customs. At least not until they were on somewhat more stable footing with each other.

Finally Mila gave up and decided to resort to a calming tea. She slid out of the bed and headed for the communal kitchen. Unsurprisingly she found Julia already sitting at the table, blurry eyed and annoyed. The human woman was experiencing sleep disturbances as her pregnancy progressed.

Mila replicated two cups and joined her at the table. Like with the poison she’d already assessed the blend for compatibility and safety. One of the many skills her mother had taught and she’d honed during her life with Enabaran.

“You look like somethings keeping you up,” Julia remarked softly.

“Your pregnancy specifically,” Mila muttered softly in Kardassi. She regretted it instantly. Elim wouldn’t have been able to hear her but Julia would and the damned girl was fluent.

“Already? Thought it would take longer since I’m not carrying hybrids,” Julia replied as if it were the most normal conversation in the world.

“I hadn’t considered that point but you mentioned adjusting your body for the task. Perhaps that's why its has such a marked effect,” Mila said with a particular tilt of her head. A shrug in second tongue.

“Ugh… That makes sense and I must really be out of it not to have thought of that. Want to sleep next to each other?” Julia inquired, sounding grumpy but not upset.

“With your mate?” Mila asked. She knew Julia's story and had seen her own counterpart but it still felt odd. Every time she expected their customs to clash or Julia to balk she simply didn’t.

“Only if you're comfortable with him and feel safe. I mean, you could kill him with a pinky claw but you know what I mean,” Julia said dismissively. Mila considered for a moment. Reginald was an adequate human, a bit above average in several respects, but not nearly as strong as either augmented Bashir.

“If he doesn't snore it should be fine,” Mila conceded finally. Enabran had, lightly, and Mila didn’t want to be reminded of him. That was a wound best left alone.

“Elim mentioned to me that I shouldn’t expect to meet your parents at any point,” Mila ventured mildly. She knew it was a sore point but was too curious not to ask. Especially since this was a rare moment where they were alone.

“Julian might attempt to mend fences with them at some point but its doubtful,” Julia said without much interest. The tea was starting to do its work and she was getting a bit drowsy.

“And you won’t because you're not from here or?” Mila prompted. Interrogators had fearsome reputations but you didn’t have to deprive someone of sleep to get them sleepy. A relaxed and pleasantly drowsy person would spill the most interesting things with minimal asking.

“Because my filial piety runs out at continuing to allow them to live,” Julia replied, rolling her neck.

“You resent what was done to you?” Mila asked. Julian had expressed a sentiment like that but it didn’t seem to fit Julia. She didn’t have his self esteem issues.

“No, not at all. I resent the abuse, pre and post procedure,” Julia paused and finished her tea.

“Before it was because Julian was never good enough. After it we became a circus act for our parents to trot out at dinner parties but little changed. Dad always scolded Julian for not perfectly navigating an invisible tightrope between ‘exceptional enough’ and ‘not giving away the secret’. A secret my brother never asked for,” Julia explained. Mila absorbed the answer and wanted to smile in the human fashion. She found the incongruent mixture of teeth and mirth delightful.

“You always try to keep the focus on Julian. Why?” Mila asked, curious if Julia realized it herself.

“Habit mostly. A bit of personal inclination. Julian is the center of my universe as it were,” Julia said, sounding exhausted on an emotional level rather than merely physical.

“Because you're twins?” Mila asked, still finding that idea odd. They were far from a common occurrence on Cardassia. Multiple eggs in a clutch was very different from two hatchlings in a single egg.

“Twins who grew up in an abusive environment. I won't pretend I had a normal attachment to him and It didn’t improve after we were augmented. At that point he became the only being I could converse with meaningfully,” Julia replied candidly.

“Ugh, if you're going to dose me with something to lower inhibitions, could you pick one without a lavender aftertaste next time? Its like drinking soap,” Julia added irritably. Mile gave a crooked human smile at that declaration. It was a very telling declaration of skill and trust to admit she’d drunk tea she knew was dosed with something.

“We’ll see. Now, while you're still pliant, why match your precious brother with my son? It seems at best an odd choice,” Mila asked. It had been the question that most bothered her. Julia clearly prioritized her brother to a more than sisterly degree. It didn’t seem strange to Mila from a Cardassian perspective but she knew it wasn’t a human norm. From all indications they were normally more self centric people.

That Elim could have been politely called a hot mess when he met Julian didn’t bare undo thought.

“They were already in love by the time I met him and I approved of Elim. He's blisteringly intelligent, cunning, loyal, and sweeter than Delavian chocolates when he allows himself to be. His memory and calculation speed is a bit behind an augments, but only a bit,” Julia explained with a smile. She didn’t need to hide anything on the point though she wasn’t going into detail on how she’d vetted Elim. That was a private matter.

“He’s also perfectly capable, with a little help in the form of resources, of keeping my brother safe. Either thing on its own would be good enough but together they make him ideal in my eyes,” Julia added.

“Why not claim him for yourself? I don’t see your mate measuring up to that standard,” Mila prompted. She didn’t dislike Reginald Barclay but for all his virtues the man was a bit odd and hardly an expert conversationalist. Even being human Julia could have had the pick of the litter from Cardassian males if she so desired and they seemed a better fit for her tastes.

“Perfect for Julian isn’t perfect for me. Elim’s feelings also being a factor, he chose Julian as surely as Julian chose him. For me, Reginald is…” Julia flattered, a soft smile on her lips.

“He makes me happy, he always has and- I doubt you want to know all the mundane details but its a thousand little things rather than just the obvious ones. Anyone can be handsome and intelligent, and I don’t need to be protected,” Julia blushed a little. Mila nodded, understanding.

She’d die before she ever gave up details to anyone outside the family, but like missing Enabrans snores she understood loving someone for small reasons. She’d made a grave mistake in her youth when she applied for a menial position at the Tain residence. One she’d had yet to regret despite the pain that came from it.

“Ugh… I should have tied Enabran down and made extra children. I could have netted you and your brother both into the family proper,” Mila said with mock sadness. That won a moment of sleepy giggles from Julia.

“We should head to bed before you have to carry me,” Julia said with a little grin. Mila still made a point of assisting her and they headed for Julia’s room rather than Mila’s.

“I think we should let him sleep rather than wake him up… it will be funnier if he has no idea what's going on,” Mila said impishly. Julia snorted but didn’t attempt to halt the prank or warn her mate and Mila felt herself grow a little fonder.

Glancing back to her son’s room, she felt a familiar pang. Even before she’d tied her fate with the Tain family her life hadn’t been anything wonderful. She’d had for a brief moment a proper family but it had been torn away from her by the great drought when she was young.

The scar of that time and the thirst never left her. All she’d had in the end was Tolan. Quiet and gentle Tolan who was absolutely no use whatsoever against the tyranny of an aunt who raised them after their parents death.

Mila didn’t feel anything at the thought, the drought had taken many lives. That she’d grown up knowing what joy looked like but not how it felt was, in its way, normal.

“Goodnight Mila,” Julia muttered once they were settled in. Mila didn’t respond but patting the younger woman on the arm comfortingly. Reginald was sleeping easily still but she would remain sufficiently vigilant. Julia could rest as well as she was able without worry as could Mila herself.

It was funny, she’d thought a human falling in love with Elim was rather unlikely before seeing the truth of it with her own eyes. Though in fairness that a high class heir and a service girl had fallen in love was against the odds once upon a time. A child being born of that union even more unlikely.

Now she found her son loved and looked after in a way he hadn’t been before. Mila could only sigh but felt no specific regret. Between herself and Enabran they’d barely had an idea of how to simply live as people beyond their duties. Enabaran had grown up in an all but steril household, his parents a duty match who saw their son as legacy and nothing more.

Their love had been an awkward and disjointed thing tangled sickeningly with desperation. That they’d made an absolute mess of Elim’s life despite him being the single good thing to come of their union had been almost laughably predictable.

Seeing that Julian and Julia both accepted and cared for her son Mila felt relieved. It was beyond her in many ways to even attempt to mend the damage but the Bashir children would happily bend to the task. It really was for the best that she'd used a soft approach and both dear creatures were mentally and physically intact.

Chapter 29: Mutually Awkward

Chapter Text

Reginald looked at his pad and felt worn out. Barclay had requested to visit, and he’d agreed for some mad reason. Well, less madness and more like morbid curiosity. They hadn’t spoken since their first encounter, which had been chiefly throwing insults and punches.

Now Reginald was treated to the intensely awkward experience of observing himself from the outside. His counterpart sitting silently at the other end of the couch, nursing a glass of milk. It was an uncomfortable holding pattern they’d been in for nearly half an hour.

“Uhm… Hate to intrude, but did you want something or?” Reginald prompted finally, tired of pretending to read. Barclay looked at him sheepishly but got himself together.

“I’m not allowed out technically since it's your free time only… I’m not sure, but I think the Julians and Elims were about to get frisky, and I needed to get out,” Barclay admitted finally, blushing violently. Reginald joined him in second-hand embarrassment.

“I take it they were arguing,” Reginald ventured. Julia had explained that particular dynamic to him when he’d thought the local pair had been in the midst of a falling out.

“Like cats and dogs. I was smelling mint by the time you texted back,” Barclay replied with a shudder. Reginald gave him a sympathetic look despite himself. He didn’t think there was anything wrong with it, but he could imagine being the fifth wheel was mortifying. Especially since the other him's level of embarrassment implied they might be having a group go at it.

“Fair enough,” Reginald said, relaxing a little.

“So… You friends with Gordi?” Barclay asked.

“Uhm… Not exactly? I mean, I feel like we could start to be, but the fact that the captain ordered him still makes it kind of weird sometimes,” Reginald admitted. He didn't feel as awkward as he usually would have since his counterpart's life was similar to his own.

“Oh, right. I’d half-forgotten about that bit. That made everything so weird… Uhm, not to pry, but I hope you don't still see Deanna for therapy,” Braclay said, not making eye contact. Reginald just raised his eyebrows at that.

“I know she’s a good psychologist, but she’s pretty much the worst matchup for me. Persistent anxiety plays hell with her ability to read people even if you overlook her being part of my fantasys,” Barclay explained.

“Oh… That kind of makes sense,” Reginald offered after a moment's consideration. Deanna did seem to get a bit frustrated at the oddest moments during sessions. Like she didn’t quite believe him when he’d say nothing was especially wrong.

“Yeah, the hell of it was that it was Riker who pointed that out. He overheard me talking about a session with Gordi and suddenly just got in the middle of it like he does. All infuriating charm and genuine care…” Barclay said morosely. He'd had an inferiority complex focused on the other man for a reason, and it wasn’t just that he could grow a beard that didn’t look patchy and gross.

“Ah… yeah. Did he ever apologize to you about the program? I felt like such an asshole when he realized what that stupid holo was originally about,” Reginald asked. His little power fantasy wasn’t drawn from the ether nor quite so silly at the start.He’d been on the bridge incidentally when an error occurred, and he’d offered a solution timidly. Unfortunately, Riker hadn’t heard him and went ahead with his own plan. It worked but left the ship in a lousy state afterward, which only added to Reginald's frustration.

The first couple times Reginald had run the stimulation, he'd mainly been trying to work on his social anxiety. To replay the incident and actually speak up audibly. It hadn’t really worked all that well, and one time he’d snapped and lashed out. It had felt damned good in the safety of the holodeck. That such a relatively innocuous even that had initiated the resulting downward spiral was almost laughable.

“Yeah, Data had analyzed the history of the program and peeled back the modifications. Riker cross-checked it against the security feed and found it. He even did a simulation to see if my suggestion would have worked better,” Barclay admitted, looking physical pained by his level of discomfort. Reginald just nodded in wordless understanding. Just having to undergo the humiliation of the reveal of his fantasies had made him want to resign at the time. The autopsy of his behavior and its roots had been mortifying.

“Does Julia know about that?” Reginald asked finally.

“Yeah. Weasley ran his mouth all about how ‘Broccoli’s a creep’ the second week she was on the ship,” Barclay growled.

“Still not seeing why she let you in her bed,” Reginald said jokingly, though the underlying disbelief was genuine. She liked him and his counterpart, and he accepted that. He didn’t understand it, but he accepted it.

“You and me both. We barely knew each other at that point, but she asked me about what happened and just… listened. She even asked to do the three musketeers with me and got Gordi and Data to play,” Barclay said with a chuckle.

“How was playing with Data?” Reginald asked, surprised. He’d thought about asking but hadn’t worked up the courage before he was temporarily reassigned to DS9.

“Kind of hilariously terrible and fun. Julia had to really mess with the holodeck settings to make any of it a challenge for him. You know, without putting the rest of us in mortal danger,” Barclay said with a smile. The memory was clearly a happy one.

“Julia didn’t… She just accepted all of that? Even knowing what happened with Deanna?” Reginald asked in mild disbelief. He felt that he’d gotten better than he used to be with therapy. But, despite that, he’d assumed that incident was something that needed to be buried deep. At least if he ever wanted a relationship to have a chance to work out.

“I know what you mean, and that threw me off pretty hard. I didn’t even realize Julia was hitting on me for about four months though I kept ending up at her place sleeping on the couch as often as I went to my own quarters,” Barclay said, grinning but a little embarrassed too.

"She said you two went out after six?" Reginald asked. He couldn't quite work out how after figuring out Julia was interested, his counterpart had sat on that information for two months.

"Yeah... Took me that long to get up the courage to ask her myself. Not that we weren't basically dating as it was. It just felt way too comfortable for me to believe that, and I was piss scared I'd ruin everything," Barclay admitted.

Reginald almost said something but kept it in. If he was fair, he'd only been half so confident as he was because he was aware of the other man. That Julia had already dated and even consented to sleep with a version of himself.

"I still don't really get it," Reginald admitted.

“When I asked her about it once, why she didn't think I was broken or weird… She wrote a report explaining it. Ten pages with work cited section and appendix," Barclay said with a chuckle.

"Funny enough, what convinced me was just being around her. Seeing how she treated people and experiencing it, not that comprehensive report,” Barclay continued, running a hand through his hair.

“It was like with the holodeck. Julia never said I was weird or that I shouldn’t use it ever again. She just insisted that I try to be a little more social about it. To invite people along and not just add them manually because I was scared they’d refuse. Or let her and not chicken out of going at the very least,” Barclay explained with a fond expression.

“She invite anyone else?” Reginald asked as his curiosity only mounted.

“Anyone and everyone, though not always to the Musketeers. Her setting up group holo events became kind of a thing. She even made a kind of combat hiking club based on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy,” Barclay said and was positively beaming.

“Combat hiking club?” Reginald asked in shock.

“She fully mapped Middle earth and the fellowship's journey through it. Everyone who wanted could join in but whoever donated holodeck time got a guaranteed spot. The only rules were accurate weapons and no playing a canon character. Half the ship got in on that one,” Barclay explained with a grin.

“No fair! Do you have a copy!?” Reginald demanded. Barclay did and was willing to share. Chatting about that turned into talking about a half dozen other things.

They had a lot in common for obvious reasons, so the conversation flowed with ease once they both let it. Two hours flew by like that before they both paused awkwardly. They’d been talking about home, and that invariably brought them around to something neither one liked to talk about.

“So… Uhm… Did your mom-” Reginald cut off, recognizing the pained look. He’d lost his father to a shuttle accident. That had been a sudden and catastrophic loss, but he’d grieved and started to heal. What had nearly killed him was losing his mother during his second year of service in Starfleet.

“Yeah,” alternate Reginald confirmed. Reginald flinched, and they both went quiet. He’d been weeks away when she started feeling under the weather. They’d argued a bit about her going to see the doctor, but he’d always fussed about her. She didn’t listen, thinking it was just a lingering cold.

A week later, Reginald received the news from the family doctor along with a notice of bereavement leave. She’d somehow contracted a virus that generally only affected Andorians. She passed away quietly and was discovered by a neighbor.

All these years later, it still hurt in a way his father's death hadn’t. He’d been close to Reginald the ll, but his father's death hadn’t felt like his fault in any way. It was just an accident, one that anyone could have gotten into. Painful but mundane.

His mother's passing, though, he could never fully let go of that one. He’d fussed, told her to go to the doctor, but that was it. He hadn’t checked in more often to see how she was doing. Didn’t follow up and see if she’d made an appointment. He’d assumed it was what it looked like, and she’d died.

“Does it ever stop hurting?” Reginald asked his counterpart though he already knew the answer.

“No. The only consolation has been that even if she’d gone to the doctor, it would have been too late. I had her case reopened by the medical review board. The virus moves faster in humans, which was why there was so little warning," Barclay paused, tears in his eyes. They didn't fall in the end, but Reginald felt his own watering in response.

"It was already… nothing could have been done by the time the symptoms showed,” Barclay added sadly. He didn’t look any happier than Reginald felt, but his sadness looked less chaotic. There wasn’t a roiling layer of self-loathing and anger to it, just the bland misery of loss.

“I think I’ll have the same thing done then… Just to know,” Reginald said. He wasn’t sure it would change anything, even if it were true. But, despite that, it would be worth knowing. Plenty of other questions danced on Reginald's tongue, but he didn’t ask. He felt sure his counterpart had never talked to anyone about it before, like him. They'd probably both managed to dodge discussing it even with their therapists.

“Want to watch Fraggle Rock?” Barclay asked once companionable silence became unbearable.

“What?” Reginald asked, understanding all the words but Fraggle.

“It's a show Julian introduced me to. The whole thing is kind of hard to explain, but it's nice,” Barclay offered a bit helplessly.

“Yeah, sure,” Reginald agreed. It seemed like an excellent alternative to talking more. Something he was feeling a bit too raw to indulge in further for the moment.

As the theme song started playing, Reginald found himself looking at what he mistook for bizarre life forms before he finally realized, based on the format, they couldn’t be. Instead, they were puppets of all things.

“Julian Bashir, CMO, introduced you to this?” Reginald asked his counterpart incredulously. Julian was a nice guy, but he seemed to be the kind of guy who'd only admit to liking stuffy novels but secretly loved Lucha Libre.

“Yeah, there was a bit where I was abusing stimulants to work on the transporter. Julian didn’t want to use drugs to put me to sleep, so he used this. Guess he must have watched it when he was a kid,” Barclay offered with a shrug. It was the last bit of conversation they had before the show got going, and Reginald found himself enraptured. It was such a strange thing, but a lot of fun.

They both relaxed, migrating to sit on the floor in front of the couch without realizing it. Reginald hadn’t replaced it yet despite its continuing discomfort thanks to a particular fondness. Both drifted off to sleep without another word between them.

Chapter 30: Ex Uno Plures

Chapter Text

Several hours after both Reginalds fell asleep, Julia returned from a productive day. She’d spent the morning in engineering but had taken Mila to the spa on the promenade, and they’d had dinner out. They both loved the family's menfolk but having time to themselves was nice too.

Julia wasn’t bothered by the scent of mint and musk as she entered the family quarters. She hardly even noticed it anymore while Mila only snickered. That the various Julian’s and Elims got along was something they both were pleased by rather than embarrassed.

Mila, in particular, though Julia knew she wouldn’t say anything. Family was important to Cardassians. Enough that even she and Enabran Tain had a child despite the circ*mstances. One they’d gone to convoluted and often toxic lengths to hide. So the prospect of grandchildren raised a touch more conventionally and with heaps of love would delight her more than she’d ever let on.

“I’m going to turn in, see if you can't convince your mate to share my room. The bed is larger,” Mila said languidly as she headed for her room. It was a lie. The bed was the same size. The point of it was that it was a power play of sorts. A one that earned a smirk from Julia.

“We'll see,” Julia replied playfully. Once Mila retired, she went to her own room and was surprised not to find Reginald. It was the local variants day to do what he wanted to, so her Reginald should have been home.

“Computer, locate Endicott,” Julia said, feeling a little worried. She’d created a separate profile for him using his middle name to avoid confusion.

“Endicott Barclay is in habitat ring level five, section C, chamber 122, Barclay residence,” the computer informed her disinterestedly. Unlike Julian, she didn’t bother with the pretense of security codes.

Julia had already made the needed adjustments to the system to allow her free reign. She wouldn’t make the mistake of playing nice and dealing with a second riot protocol incident. The access was the biometrically locked uplink that was physically part of her, ensuring it was safe for the station.

“Locate Julians and Elims,” Julia said flatly. Perhaps they were off having a party or something.

“Two Julian Bashir and Elim Garak's are located in Habitat ring level five, section C, chamber 130, room 3, Bashir family residence,” the computer informed. Julia took a moment before just letting out a long sigh. No wonder Reginald had taken off, likey with the speed of a man whose ass was on fire. He didn’t do well with proximity to PDA, and even she’d have found that scene awkward. Hilarious, but nonetheless awkward.

Getting an emergency medical kit, Julia dashed down toward Reginald's quarters. She wasn’t getting a medical alert off either one, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

Unlike Julian, who hyper-focused on one field, she was naturally a jack of all trades. She knew enough human and Cardassian medicine to be mistaken for a competent field medic. Absolutely nothing about other species, federation, and otherwise, though.

It was like that with pretty much everything she knew aside from languages. She had a talent for those, but she only learned other things as needed or in anticipation of a need. It was why she’d never bothered having a formal job title and usually just called herself a science consultant as if that indicated anything meaningful.

Arriving at Reginald's quarters, she typed in the access code he’d given her. It slid open quietly, and Julia felt her heart clench just a little. He should have changed the code or at least disabled the one he gave her.

It was a soft sort of foolishness that made her smile and ache at the same time. He had a terrible habit of doing the right thing rather than looking after himself. Like how he’d stayed on the station after she’d made it clear they couldn’t be together. Not to try and convince her to stay or anything sensible but just to make sure she got home safe.

Seeing the pair of men laying on the floor peacefully as Fraggle rock played unwatched, Julia felt like crying. Of course they’d get along given half a chance. She hadn’t suggested it, steered away really, but knew it would be helpful for both of them to have someone who fully understood them.

With anyone else, she’d had suggested or engineered the circ*mstances herself. With Reginald, she hadn’t dared because of her relationship with both. Nothing good would come of her interference.

Julia knelt down, laying a kiss on her Reginalds forehead before pressing a light anshwar. Even in poor light with no idea what he’d chosen to wear after she left, she knew which was which.

“Transport request for Endicott, location home,” Julia muttered. The system translated her shorthand and filed the non-emergency transport request accordingly. A few moments later, he disappeared in a column of light, but she didn’t get up to go. Instead, she watched the last few moments of the Fraggle Rock episode before turning off the hollo display.

Reginald kept sleeping, blissfully unaware of how easily his home had been breached and another person removed from it. Even if he woke up, he’d probably just take it in stride, a sharp contrast with how flustered he’d become in a social setting.

Rather than just leave or wake Reginald up, Julia picked him up and gently carried him over to his bed. He stirred uneasily, and she ran a hand soothingly along his arm until he settled down. Despite that, she didn’t achieve the desired effect, and though he calmed, his eyes fluttered open in the gloom.

“I came to take him off your hands,” Julia said softly. Not wanting to say something more definitive or use the word ‘home.’ She’d already explained things to Reginald, but that didn’t make any of it easy.

“Figured you might,” Reginald replied, sounding a little sad under his amusem*nt.

“Reginald, I’m sorry that I...” Julia began only to falter. It would have been easier if it was about him and his counterpart, but it wasn't. There had never been a version of events where she’d choose to leave her brother and the kids. She’d already lost two years with them as it was.

Prophets and stars, two years. The kids probably felt like she’d abandoned them. She wasn’t sure that the youngest ones, the ones she’d carried herself, would even recognize her. Cardassian augment hybrids or not, lasting memory formation began around age three though exact time scales were impossible to know.

They’d been three and four at the time. They’d have precious few memories of her. Julia felt a sick jag of pain.

They would be four and five now. Preschoolers, no longer toddlers. She'd missed so much in so short a span of time.

“I wish things could be different, that we could spend time together, but….” Julia added though she knew it was probably a mistake. It would only hurt him. Prophets knew it was hurting her.

“It's okay, really it's for the best. I was coming up with all kinds of schemes to keep you before, but I knew it was never going to work. You have a place you need to be,” Reginald said simply.

“Schemes? Like what?” Julia asked, curious. She was dragging out the moment before she’d have to leave, but her interest was genuine. He hadn’t so much as asked her to stay. She was curious what sort of ideas he might have cooked up.

“All sorts of things, a folder full of them on my pad. Like cloning you how Riker was that one time with the transporter. Only… You're going back for your family. So making a copy of you would just mean trapping a version of you away from them to suit me,” Reginald explained. Julia was glad it was dark as tears actually threatened, and she didn’t want him to see.

“Even if you did… Julian, Elim, and the kids will always be my top priority. Could you really live with and love someone who will put you second?” Julia asked. It was a discussion she’d meant to have with her own Reginald eventually. After he’d had time to process the news about her augmentation and the twins.

One she probably needed to have before the birth. She had no plans to cut him out of her or the girl's lives but how they’d proceed wasn’t something she could decide alone. It also wasn’t something he should walk into blind.

It wasn’t lost on Julia that her Reginald had spent two years half out of his mind with worry. Or that he’d let her fill him up with experimental and even mildly illegal bits of tech. Or would set himself on fire if she asked sweetly.

Stars, he was probably going to be grateful for even the meanest scraps of her affection. Rather than finding that endearing, it irritated her to no end. He deserved to have a love that fulfilled him and enriched his life rather than endangering him.

She’d already warned him that something like the skimmer incident might happen again. It was likely even, if she wasn’t able to neutralize their enemies quickly enough.

Their enemies. Prophets, she was already thinking of things collectively. He was absolutely doomed if he didn’t change his mind because she certainly wasn’t going to.

“Pretty sure you're supposed to prioritize your kids,” Reginald replied after a moment, sounding a little confused.

“Are you counting Elim and my brother as children?” Julia asked archly. People would occasionally make fun of Julian for being immature but not Elim.

“You certainly do,” Reginald replied with a chuckle.

“Possibly,” Julia admitted while she gazed at him fondly. Her expression was an appreciative mix of sorrow and delight that he likely couldn’t see. Rather than make an apology and leave, she listened to his heartbeat. The rhythm was slowing as calm overtook and began to lull Reginald back to sleep.

“Besides, if I was doing it right, you wouldn’t have to put me second. I’d be right there beside you, helping. So don’t let that other guy get away with it if he does otherwise,” Reginald said softly.

“I won’t,” Julia assured him. She’d wanted to have her guard up against this Reginald. Unfortunately, that had been a lost cause from the start. She adored her Reginald, but this one wasn’t any less worthy of love and respect in her eyes.

He nodded, making a pleasant little hum with his eyes already closed. Julia listened as he fell into the rhythm of sleep and lingered a few moments. Once she felt he was safely down, she leaned in and touched her forehead to his, then laid a kiss on the spot after. Then, with a promise given silently, she finally left. There was much to do.

Chapter 31: Investments

Chapter Text

For several weeks Julia had been busy with new plans since her home situation was stable. The method to get home and the time dilation issue were solved, so she didn't need to split her focus as much. That meant devoting her attention more to infrastructure projects.

The park section of the botanical bay was up and running, and the industrial farm section was only a week out. She'd have rather gotten Keiko's garden section up, but Sisko's herbs were a priority. It really was kind of funny that it never occurred to Odo that her dastardly scheme for the facility was simple herbal bribery.

The only downside to things was that with all the safety tests completed, her Julian and Elim had returned to their home dimension. She understood they needed to be with the children, but she missed them almost as much as she was jealous. She could talk to the kids through the com now, at least, but it wasn't a substitute for being physically present.

Still, it was better than being totally absent, and Julian would return to help with her delivery. Of course, he and the local variant had a tiff over that, but it was more cute than anything. Having each other to play with and snipe at had been doing them both quite a bit of good.

Rather like Reginald and his counterpart. They didn't meet up often, but it still happened once or twice a week now. She made sure to avoid being around when it happened despite her curiosity. So long as they weren't hurting each other, she would respect their privacy.

"Julia! You got a minute? I've got an idea to make some serious latinum," Quark called out as she walked by the bar. She was on her way to buy groceries but paused and politely inclined her head to the Ferengi.

"I'm in the middle of getting ready for dinner, but I'll stop by tomorrow if it can't be texted," Julia chirped. She was in the process of learning to cook, which, unlike a language, took a bit of time. Skill-based abilities always did as one couldn't simply memorize their way to muscle memory.

Despite that, she was determined to make a Zabu stew that Elim couldn't politely bitch about. As Matriarch, she didn't actually have to cook herself. Directing a family member or servant to do so would have been acceptable.

Unfortunately, she wasn't interested in bringing in staff, and Julian was hopeless with how his mind wandered. Elim wasn't technically off-limits, and his skills were serviceable, but he had his tailor shop. Julia wanted to pamper him, not put him to work.

"It's a bit time-sensitive," Quark responded, though without his usual furtive pretense of illegality. He knew Julia didn't care for that aspect of his typical song and dance and dropped it. Julia smirked and decided she could be delayed for a few minutes. If nothing else, she might end up doing Odo a favor and dissuading the barkeep from getting mixed up in anything too tangled.

"Alright, I can always make a bit of time for my third favorite Ferengi," Julia said teasingly. Quark harrumphed at that but didn't look altogether displeased. He'd never asked but the other two in no particular order were Rom and Nog. She found them both rather adorable and was glad things had gone smoothly with Rom and Leeta. The man had bloomed with a bit of supportive affection.

"Well, here are the details," Quark said as he passed her a pad. Julia looked it over thoroughly in a moment that others would assume was at best the world's fastest skimming.

"It looks like a reasonable investment, but I don't trust that return margin. How about I do some research and try to find a more reputable option to purchase stock through?" Julia countered.

"Really? Market regulations and interest fees… I was kind of hoping for some quick platinum. Unfortunately, things have been a bit slow," Quark complained. Since Julia had no problem using currency and knew a bit about Ferengi customs, he tended to relax around her more than others.

"Need it for something or just worried about your profit margin?" Julia asked solicitously. Anxiety wasn't good for anyone. Unfortunately, Quark's response to it tended to drag in others, if not the station at large. It was best to keep him low stress if not content.

"Little bit of both. I would have picked up a handsome fee if you'd invested," Quark admitted. Julia nodded, unsurprised. Nothing was free with Quark, so she'd assumed he'd be picking up his money on the back end when he didn't ask for anything for the potential tip.

"It's still a good tip even if I'm not going to use this option," Julia said, pulling out her pad. She quickly wrote up a small bribe and labeled it "consultancy fee," then presented it to Quark for his thumbprint. He gave her the slight lobe wiggle, a native Ferengi smile, before adding a more human-compliant one.

At some point, she really was going to have to figure out why Odo didn't notice how cute it looked on Quark. Kira was someone to respect, but really the comedy parody Batman and Catwoman vibe she got off Odo and Quark was so much better. They would keep each other entertained.

"You know, you've really got some good business lobes, for a humon," Quark said, teasingly giving her ear a poke. Julia laughed pleasantly until she heard a gagging sound. She turned, thinking someone might be choking for a split second. However, the mocking peal of laughter that followed cleared up the misunderstanding even before she locked onto the group of crewmen sitting a bit away.

The bar was a bit empty for the afternoon, with only three occupied tables. This lot had a fair-sized collection of empty drinks on the table, which didn't suggest anything positive about their character. The two freighter crewmen at the third table sensed trouble and quietly got up and left.

"She's not humon , or human for that matter. She's like that freak doctor, an augment," crewman Verus called. Quark stiffened, but it wasn't in surprise. He was already aware of Julian's genetic status as well as Julia's. He honestly didn't care about it and couldn't wrap his head around how hung up on it humans seemed to be.

No, what had him turning tense was the threatening tone. His hand was under the bar, drifting to the phaser he kept there, set on stun. For all the other issues, his employees knew he'd stick up for them, and while Julia wasn't one, he liked her. So he wasn't going to let a bunch of assholes give her a bad time.

"Don't bother with them," Julia said too softly for human ears. Quark didn't fully take his eye off the table but glanced her way questioningly. Julia just smiled, unconcerned. Four unarmed human males around age twenty weren't even a warm-up, let alone a threat.

More importantly, she made a point of scanning arrivals and departures and knew exactly who they were. So she wouldn't have any issue informing security after the fact. If that became needed.

"No wonder she doesn't mind using currency," crewman Jonus said from a different table. His group numbered at three, but they were more laid back. They might join in on the sh*t talk, but she didn't see them doing anything else unprovoked.

"Pfft, she's probably a Dabo girl," someone snickered. Julia turned her head slowly to get a look at the who was snickering, face committed to her memory.

"Bit chubby in the wrong places for that," someone added without attempting to be quiet. Julia's pregnancy was showing rather obviously, but the majority of her body was relatively slim. Four ration bars and regular meals kept the twins healthy and growing, but Julia's body supported three augment metabolisms.

She actually could have stood to eat more, but it was physically uncomfortable, and Julian was working on palatable chocolate alternatives for additional ration bars. Eating them every day, no matter the filling variety, had worn down even her fairly unwavering love of chocolate.

"You did take my advice and started charging up front rather than using tabs, right?" Julia asked softly. That got a little smile out of Quark. Starfleet was usually good for debts, but having the latinum in his account already made things easier when someone was removed by security. He hadn't even lost as much as he expected despite the amount they were spending being more readily apparent. Humans apparently sucked at math sober too.

"Got any other sage augment advice?" Quark asked jokingly, relaxing a little.

"Oooh, not for free," Julia replied happily, and they shared a chuckle. Quark offered a single slip of latinum, and Julia took it.

"Let me upgrade your holosuits to a more efficient emitter to cut your energy costs back. Then offer a discount during your slump hours, holosuite happy hour as it were," Julia said with a grin. The advice was just valuable enough to get a not unfriendly role of Quark's eyes.

"Seriously, how much did they have to butcher your genes to make you not feel sick to your stomach talking like that? You and your brother are disgusting," crewman Verus demanded. Julia detected a slight rise in his voice. He was not pleased with being ignored. She smiled in a way that held no warmth. If he didn't want to accept mercy, she'd happily accommodate him.

"The conversion rate on federation replicator rations and credits brings your equivalent wage to two strips per day, a Dabo girls wage," Julia said, voice carrying to fill the room. That stilled the crewmen seated at both tables. Seven unarmed crewmen weren't ideal, but she felt pissed off enough not to care about accidentally injuring them. They had insulted Julian twice .

"Further, you're currently drinking using a stipend of latinum in a currency accepting establishment. An arrangement that is more common galactically than the Federation universal basic allotment system. So, tell me, what sort of anomaly did they overlook in your genes to result in hypocritical stupidity at your level?" Julia asked. Quark's lips were pressed into a thin quivering line as he fought down laughter.

"You f*cking augment whor*-" crewman Verus said as he got to his feet. His compatriots stood with him along with Jonus's table. However, that group looked less confident. They were following Jonus's lead but stepping back a bit rather than advancing.

"Hey, this is too much, Jonus!" crewman Miller said franticly, grabbing his friend as he started to stride forward. Jonus shook him off.

"f*ck that. She supports barbaric bullsh*t like currency," Jonus spat.

"I think we should teach her some manners," Verus started as he advanced threateningly.

"You do , do y'ah ?" Miles O'Brien asked with a rage-thickened brogue. He was standing at the entrance of Quarks with Odo.

"S-Sir!" the group stiffened immediately to attention. Miles glowered at the lot of them.

"That's Chief O'Brien to you lot," Miles said to emphasize his rank. Being chief of an entire department wasn't a small thing.

"Ms. Bashir, would you like to press charges against this group for slander and intimidation?" Odo asked, perfectly calm, unlike Miles.

"Yes, please," Julia said simply.

"We didn't do anything!" Verus insisted, wide-eyed in his shock.

"Pretty sure my security cameras recorded you calling her an... Augment whor*," Quark said, wincing theatrically at the slur. Now it was Julia's turn to suppress a laugh by feigning hurt and innocence. But, really, Quark using them for something other than blackmail made it a special day.

"We'll sort out what exactly happened in security. Gentlemen, I suggest that you come willingly," Odo said evenly.

"Ms. Bashir, I'll contact you to give a statement in the morning if that's convenient," Odo said. Julia inclined her head in agreement. It was about time that she got back to her original task and picked up groceries.

"Don't even dream of getting out of this with just a reprimand. Since you hate currency so much, I'll see to it your stipends are forfeit, and you're banned from every establishment that requires it," Miles growled. Everyone who was herded up let out groans.

The pack of idiots wouldn't starve, but they'd be eating nothing but what was available in the crew replicators, which was not a wide selection and focused on health rather than taste. They'd also not be able to step foot in any of the entertainment options on the station. They all required at least a token admission cost.

"Chief," several of the crewmen started, clearly remorseful of being caught, if nothing else.

"Don't Chief me you pack of ingrates. This is going on your records, now GET!" Miles roared the last part. Julia grinned as she watched the group disappear. She was going to have to do something nice for Miles as thanks.

"Say, if one slip of latinum got me that advice, what would two?" Quark asked in a conspiratorial tone. He was clearly trying to lighten the mood of the empty bar, and Julia was game.

"Two? That will get you a full breakdown of the potential earnings after costs," Julia said and was quickly offered two slips. She accepted but stood up to leave with a smile.

"As a text, after I'm done with dinner. Can't keep the family waiting," Julia added, which earned her a growl. Julia just laughed as she waved cheerfully on her way out. Quark made a shooing motion in reply.

Chapter 32: Three Wishes

Chapter Text

During his captaincy, Jean-Luc Picard had received many suggestions and complaints from a variety of quarters. So a single-page letter expressing mild displeasure in firm but not unkind terms was, if anything, rather refreshing. It got to the point without the writer getting up on a soapbox or talking down to him.

The forty-seven-page report attached to it was another animal entirely. Sixty-five with glossary and works cited pages. It struck a similar tone, but every section outlined a problem and then went on to pose no less than five solutions for it.

Like the letter, the point of it was about increasing low-pressure socialization options for the crew. Places where they could gather and have fun but without the pressure to drink or chat like in ten forward. They were ideas that Jean-Luc found he could get behind relatively easily.

Jean-Luc was three cups of earl grey in when he finally finished skimming through the bits that specifically interested him. He’d already forwarded copies of it to his senior staff, curious how they would respond to it.

Data sent a reply five minutes after the copy was sent. Probably mere moments after he finally got around to checking his messages.

Captain,

Initial analysis indicates that the sources are legitimate and the report was constructed in good faith. The points addressed are supported by crew evaluations across multiple ships and the proposed solutions validated by current psychological theory or in line with it, though some options are fanciful.

I believe that Spot would enjoy having a park for walks, and I would like to indicate my support for that specific suggestion.

Lt. Com Data

Alone Jean-Luc let himself chuckle at the image of Data walking his cat on a lead through a park. The suggestion was relatively straightforward and intended more for next-generation ships, but it could probably be managed. There had to be a few spaces on Enterprise that could be shuffled around to accommodate some grass and a few plants.

Jean-Luc himself was fond of the idea of a formal library. Loose books would be too much of a hazard on a ship, but it could be established as a smaller dedicated holodeck to compensate. Books to be borrowed could simply be replicated on-site as one left.

As much of the crew knew, he wasn’t really one for loud parties or more energetic social events. Particularly those involving children. Having quiet public places to enjoy himself rather than being shut up in his quarters or risking being harassed despite having a book out seemed absolutely lovely.

“Oh my stars and garters, she’s got her hooks in you too!” Q said suddenly. Jean-Luc looked up to find the impossible creature lying on his bed, looking rather haggard.

“Good evening, Q. Please, make yourself comfortable,” Jean-Luc said, rolling his eyes. He made no move to get up or stop reading, knowing Q would do as he pleased in his own time.

“How kind of you,” Q replied acidly. He rolled himself in the blanket, dark eyes glittering balefully from within the cocoon.

“Would you care for some tea?” Jean-Luc asked, pouring a second cup. It disappeared from the table, and he didn’t doubt it was being sipped though he managed not to look.

“Now, who has hooks in me?” Jean-Luc asked after a few minutes, putting the report down. Q usually showed up with a purpose, but sometimes, rather rarely, it was just for company. Not that he’d ever admitted it. This felt like one of those times.

“Julia Xianggu Bashir, interdimensional gremlin extraordinaire,” Q said, empty teacup reappearing on the table.

“As in Shi Xianggu?” Jean-Luc asked, amused. Someone had to have high expectations to give their daughter a middle name like that. Shi Xianggu was the most infamous pirate of the south china sea.

“Yes, sister to Julian Subutai Bashir. Apparently, their parents followed the Kirk T. model of naming children. She wrote that report,” Q huffed. Instead of getting out of the bed or doing anything trickster like he retreated further into his cocoon. Jean-Luc was aware of Julian Bashir, most of Starfleet was, but a dimension-hopping sister was news to him.

“And she’s done something to vex you?” Jean-Luc asked, rather liking the unseen young lady already.

“It was an absolute travesty. There I was, on DS9, a terrible little place, minding my own business. Then suddenly I’m sucked into this conversation, and somehow how humans can’t lick their own elbows comes up,” Q growled, erupting from beneath the blanket. His hair was a mess. Everything about him screamed disheveled. Jean-Luc kept from laughing only by virtue of years of practice.

“Julian's yammer on about it and how it can be gotten around. I say plainly that he can’t. Then Julia pipes up that she can, so we make a bet. Then she licks Julian’s elbow because of a wording loophole, and now I owe her three wishes like a common genie,” Q threw himself back on the bed dramatically. Jean-Luc couldn’t help it and laughed this time.

“Rude,” Q growled.

“Q, if they tricked you, then you let them. Now, is it her wish’s that's have you twisted up in knots, or are you just in a mood?” Jean-Luc asked, tone gentler than his words.

“Mon Capitaine, someday someone will have to explain to me why I put up with you,” Q said, but the words lacked venom.

“Q?” Jean-Luc prompted. He didn’t have much patience when the fate of his ship, its crew, or reality itself was on the line. In this case, however, he could be, if only for a little while.

“She’s asked me to affect any changes you request based on her report. She apparently desires that her sweetheart be content when he returns to the ship,” Q said finally.

Jean-Luc asked appreciated that Julia had made the distinction of changes that he requested rather than modifying the ship how she pleased. He wasn’t sure why Q had let her catch him by the tail, but it was good to know she was thoughtful.

“If only that were the wish that was the problem,” Q mumbled.

“What did she ask for then, to be the queen of the galaxy?” Jean-Luc asked with an amused grin.

“Ha, as if she needs a wish for that. No… She asked for something about me personally that I’m quite displeased about,” Q said the last part softly.

“If you can't or don’t want to tell me, then it's alright. You can stay as long as you need to gather yourself,” Jean-Luc said, gentle again. He wasn’t sure why Q was upset, but he didn’t want to rub salt in a wound by accident. It was rare that Q looked out of sorts, let alone to this degree.

“It's neither, it's both,” Q said, barely loud enough to be heard.

“If it's not against the rules, I can ask her to take the wish back on your behalf. I don’t know what she’s asked, but if it's hurting you or even just something you're uncomfortable with, I’ll do what I can to help,” Jean-Luc said, surprising himself. His feelings about Q were complicated on the best day, but they’d long lost any real sense of antagonism. It was still possible that the enigmatic entity would cause harm, but Jean-Luc no longer believed it would be senseless. Q could be brutal, but he wasn’t cruel by nature.

“I didn’t kill anyone with that first Borg encounter I foisted on you,” Q said suddenly. Jean-Luc blinked, wondering what exactly he meant. More than a few members of the crew had died at the time.

“I made you and the crew believe it, but you didn’t have to hold one funeral or send a single death notice for a reason. I was trying to impress on you the importance of the matter. I didn’t need to kill to do that. Not that tampering with your perception is better from a moral standpoint, as I’m sure you’ll argue,” Q said, pointedly not making eye contact.

“That would explain why the dead didn’t have any spouses, family, or friends,” Jean-Luc conceded after a moment. He’d noticed the discrepancies but hadn’t been allowed to make sense of them before. Q’s doing obviously. That he was now able to make the connections that had always nagged at him meant the alteration was lifted.

“This Julia Bashir, she wished for you to tell me that?” Jean-Luc asked, confused by the idea. It was an odd use for a wish from a being like Q.

“No. She wished for me to be as honest with you as I safely can be, and this is what that looks like,” Q said unhappily.

“You looking like something the cat dragged in? Still, wearing those captain's pips you didn’t earn? Jean-Luc asked archly.

“I’m upset, so I look upset and… Let's not talk about my fashion choice just yet. That's a very long conversation,” Q said.

“Alright. So, you're here to modify the ship?” Jean-Luc asked, trying to be a good sport. He really was curious why Q usually went with a captain instead of an admiral or even god-emperor, for that matter. He could dress however he liked and did, but the default was a captain.

“I’m here to see you, but that also. Mostly just to see you. Did you miss me?” Q asked. Jean-Luc almost choked on his tea. Then, looking over, he found Q laying like a lanky pile of misery. The covers were already creeping protectively back around him.

“Q,” Jean-Luc started only to fall silent. It wasn’t something he’d ever thought much about. Indeed, there had been times when he’d dread the possibility of Q appearing. Others when he’d felt like he was growing complacent and the trickster was just biding his time to spring up.A cutting remark would have been easy to make once, but that was no longer true. That a denial wasn’t already tumbling from his lips was telling in and of itself.

“Not so much the chaos you sometimes bring, but quieter moments like this, or our debates. Those I do tend to miss at times,” Jean-Luc admitted.

“Go on, pull the other one,” Q said, holding up a leg. Jean-Luc almost rose to the bait but couldn’t. There was a vulnerability in the omnipotent being's expression that he hadn’t missed. Honestly wasn’t a comfortable thing, especially if you weren’t confident the other party was being truthful.

“Really, I do miss you when you're not around. Feel free to look into my mind and check if you don’t believe me,” Jean-Luc said simply. It was all he could offer in the way of assurance if his word wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t so many years ago that he’d have taken such a revelation as a sign of insanity. Now though, it was just the truth and one born of seeing how often Q acted with a pretense of caprice to hide a helping hand.

“Mon Capitaine!” Q chirped. He’d gone from the bed to standing beside Jean-Luc in a blink of an eye. From a morose mess to beaming and tidy in the same instant.

“Well, you look pleased,” Jean-Luc observed.

“Why shouldn’t I be? You liiiike me,” Q said in singsong.

“Obviously,” Jean-Luc said flatly. Q’s mouth dropped open in an o of surprise at that.

“By the way, who is this Julia woman's “sweetheart,” as you put it? I’m curious who could earn the affection of someone you’d allow to trick you,” Jean-Luc deflected before Q could say anything.

“Reginald Endicott Barclay the 3rd,” Q said, still looking stunned.

“Go on then, pull the other one,” Jean-Luc said with a roll of his eyes. Jean-Luc had nothing against Reginald, he was an excellent systems diagnostic engineer. Particularly once Reginald started to make some headway with his early social problems and holo addiction.

Jean-Luc just couldn’t see him containing his anxiety long enough to court someone was all. Reginald had looked positively vomitus the few times he'd had to give presentations and barely limped through them. It was all too easy to imagine him hiding in the bathroom in a panic mid-date.

Jean-Luc looked up at Q, curious why he wasn’t giving the punch line or defending his statement. His nose nearly brushed Q’s, the trickster having bent down without warning.

“You really like me?” Q asked.

"Yes," Jean-Luc didn't manage to get the "but" out. Q's surprisingly gentle hand had gone to Jean-Luc’s jaw, absolutely derailing his thoughts. Then, before he could even think properly about what was happening, Q kissed him.

Chapter 33: Hindsight's Whip

Chapter Text

Sitting curled up in the crook of her couch Julia looked over the spoils of her game with Q. A data pad full of dossiers and other files. It would likely seem a poor reward given the risk but she was satisfied. Using a wish from Q was a fraught endeavor at best.

Julia had observed Q a few times and felt confident about how to approach him but she’d been extremely cautious nonetheless. Rather than making three wishes, she’d only made one for herself. The other two had been used to bait Q away from her.

There were few things that could derail that creature's focus but his favorite Starfleet Captain was one. She just hoped that whatever came of it wouldn’t end with Jean-Luc Picard displeased with her. She was rather fond of the man.

She’d actually wanted Julian to take a placement on the Enterprise originally. It was why she’d wormed her way aboard to scout it before Julian had gone skipping off to DS9 out of the blue without so much as a by your leave. Not that she’d have wanted him aboard at the time.

Julia hadn’t met Reginald the first time she’d been aboard Enterprise. She’d been rather busy helping Dr. Crusher remove the borg technology from Picard after he was rescued. That had been a bastard and a half to figure out between them even with Data’s help.

The nanites normally used to assimilate others had kept repairing the removed drone systems until a stop signal was finally worked out. Not that simply containing them so they couldn’t infect the ship hadn’t been a complete nightmare.

Fortunately the senior staff hadn’t wanted to turn over any of the removed tech for study. They’d rightfully deemed it too dangerous to give over to anyone they didn’t implicitly trust. It had been destroyed and all records of her presence on the ship and part in the event had been erased.

“I finally get what Juju meant about you being fearless. I can't believe you roped me into putting one over on Q,” Julian said, playing at indignation but clearly pleased. He’d been sitting on the opposite end of the couch, doing his best not to whine for attention even as he made pleading eyes at her.

Garak was busy and both Reginalds were working on some kind of project over at the local variants quarters. Really, Julian could have gone to work, but he’d taken family leave since her delivery was only five weeks out. Julia had mixed feelings on his hovering but the rest was good for him if nothing else.

Julia just smiled, Juju and Julibeans calling each other by her nicknames for them was too adorable for words. It really was a shame her brother and his Garak couldn’t stay around a bit longer. Watching them playfully snipe at each other had been a highlight of the experience.

“He let us. I watched him a few times on the Enterprise back home and sometimes he gets bored and plays games like that. He probably meant to turn it into a ‘be careful what you wish for’ kind of thing,” Julia said dismissively. Q usually mixed in something helpful too, but not always.

“Well, that makes it mildly more terrifying,” Julian said, rolling his eyes.

“So, I heard the wish to modify ships based on your recommendations and the thing about him being honest with Picard, but not the middle wish. What did you ask for? Infinite slice of pizza?” Julian inquired with a smirk.

“Dammn iiiit, I totally blew it and forgot to ask for that!” Julia said, playfully smacking her forehead. Julian just chuckled in response. They’d been watching a frankly unhealthy amount of vids since they weren’t working.

“Really, what did you ask for?” Julian prompted. He’d been curious what she was after with her daring bit of shenanigans.

“Nothing particularly entertaining I’m afraid. Just information on current threats to our family. I didn’t want to overreach, that's extremely dangerous to do with Q,” Julia admitted. He’d be perfectly happy to let her gather the rope to hang herself with.

“Threats?” Julian asked, wide eyed and innocent for a brief moment.

“So section 31?” Julian ventured. Julia found herself smiling fondly despite herself at that. Her darling brother, true of heart and dumb of ass to the end.

“Section 31, two admirals with anti argument sentiments, several political movement figure heads with the same, one ex-girlfriend of yours who's gone a bit funny, four professional rivals, and… Sixteen pages of things for Garak and Mila,” Julia said with a shrug.

“Fun fact, Sisko and Miles aren't on the list for any of us in either universe, so that's comforting,” Julia offered. She’d half expected to be on her universe's Miles sh*t list in triplicate. She wasn’t lying that she’d learned how to deal with Cardassian/Federation/Ferengi tech fusion from him. She was just omitting the fact he hated her even before she shot him in the leg.

“Somehow I feel like the list is both too short for Garak and Mila and find myself disturbed by the length nonetheless,” Julian said tartly.

“Right? And that's just for yours, its not for both versions,” Julia said and let out a sigh. She wasn’t even going to get started on her home universe's Enabran Tain. She’d managed to keep him away from the com by colluding with Mila. She didn’t want to inflict him on this universe's Garak. Not when he had already suffered the loss and grieved.

“So who's the ex-girlfriend?” Julian asked. Julia was almost impressed by his restraint in waiting so long.

“She’s under the influence of an infection. I’ve already sent her primary care provider an email,” Julia said flatly.

“Right… It wouldn’t be right to violate her privacy further. She’s probably done some things she’s not proud of given the circ*mstances. I know how things like that go,” Julian said, curiosity instantly quenched. It was natural to want to know but he was a professional even if it took a second for that to kick in sometimes.

“Odo to Julia Bashir,” Odo’s voice broke in over the com. Not the system one either but the front doors.

“Come in Constable,” Julia said, sharing a confused look with her brother. Odo had to pass through a closet-like room in order to reach the living room proper. It had been the only feasible work around for the safety issue direct entry presented. Mila had been sleeping a touch easier since it was installed.

“Interesting remodel,” Odo observed dryly.

“Odo, what brings you by?” Julian asked protectively. He’d advised Julia to make peace with Odo before but had been livid after the couch incident.

“I’d like to observe you, as I was invited to previously, if the offer still stands,” Odo said. Julia and Julian both titled their heads in mirrored confusion.

“By all means, have a seat. We were going to watch vids, do you like detective stories or romances?” Julia asked. She remembered issuing an invitation during the picnic incident. She was curious if this Odo had similar media tastes to the one she was familiar with.

“Either would be fine. Pretend I’m not here and carry on as you normally would,” Odo replied blandly.

“Why exactly do you need to observe us?” Julian asked, not pleased.

“As a precaution. Julia is somewhat indisposed and I’ve noticed a pick up in chatter on certain channels. Nothing concrete, but the possibility of a faction making a move has increased significantly,” Odo said.

“Rule one of hanging out with us, sit on the couch or a chair. We're not going to forget you're here if you just loom next to the holo display,” Julia said, cutting Julian off. He looked at her curiously but gave up. He understood that Odo ment he was there to protect them. He was just annoyed with how rude he was being about it.

“Very well,” Odo said, picking the armchair. He was confused for a moment when Julia handed him the holo sets control pad but quickly made a selection.

Julian stifled a groan when he saw the old detective movie’s title. He’d seen it before and didn’t feel like watching it again. He looked to Julia for permission and beat a hasty retreat when she gave him a subtle nod.

“That was a load of nonspecific crap, Odo,” Julia said bluntly once Julian left. Odo didn’t have facial tells but he had postural ones. When he was caught out it looked like someone rammed a fresh stick up his ass.

“That…” Odo started only to stop.

“I said you could come over if you wanted to, no excuse needed. So you didn’t have to manufacture one,” Julia added. She didn’t think he’d caught that part the first time. That or willfully misunderstood it. Like Elim, Odo generally interpreted things in a negative way or ignored the parts that couldn’t be.

“It wasn’t exactly… You are at risk and limited at present. The concern for your safety is legitimate,” Odo started only to falter.

“Fine, honestly I was just… I wanted company and remembered your invitation,” Odo admitted.

“Okay, hit play then and I’ll try not to talk through the movie,” Julia said simply. She didn’t want to make Odo uncomfortable but hadn’t been willing to be lied to either. Since he’d been honest she’d let it go.

“Is this something you did with my counterpart?” Odo asked.

“Hang out? No, like I mentioned, he never actually liked me. I just misread the situation,” Julia said with a shrug.

“I rather doubt that. Not if you had discussions, and especially if you argued. I avoid people who make me feel uncomfortable. His feelings might not have been what you wanted, but I don’t think they were as negative as you assume,” Odo offered. Julia blinked, honestly shocked.

“Are you saying he might have liked me, platonically?” Julia asked.

“It’s a distinct possibility,” Odo offered. It would have been easy to poke a bit of fun by asking if he felt like that toward her but Julia refrained.

“Did you actually like him romantically? I have trouble picturing a solid having those kinds of feelings toward my kind, even without the issue of the Dominion,” Odo asked.

“When I met him, that wasn’t known yet. He was just ‘the changeling’ and head of security for the station. Being of an unknown species with such unique characteristics made him intriguing but that wasn’t why I was attracted to him,” Julia began to explain. She was xenophilic but that didn’t mean that she was attracted purely to novel new species.

“It was kind of a slow burn during my first year on the station. We kept running into each other and getting into discussions about legal codes and the spirit of the law. Things like that. I didn’t agree with his viewpoint on a lot of things but I could respect them and him and that just blossomed over time,” Julia admitted easily. It was old news though it still stung a bit sometimes when she recalled her disastrous attempt to seduce him.

“I had it pretty bad. I’d started digging up public cold cases and would send him copies as a challenge to see which of us could find something new evidence or solve it,” Julia added. There were quite a few for the sector.

“And that was a… display of affection?” Odo asked.

“Yes?” Julia said, suddenly uncertain of Odo’s response. He’d relaxed a little but it didn’t seem like a particularly positive change.

“Did it perhaps not occur to you that I’d see that as questioning my competence rather than a playful challenge?” Odo asked. Julia’s mouth fell open into a little o of surprise. She hadn’t considered that.

“No… though that makes a lot of sense now that you mention it. I just wanted to do something interesting together that I thought you’d like,” Julia admitted. She’d picked cases where there weren’t any surviving family or loved ones who might be offended by the competition. She’d also hoped it would turn into them solving mysteries together rather than just competing.

“Would your brother appreciate you doing the same with medical matters? Or you if Julian started sticking his nose into engineering?” Odo asked archly.

“Yeah. We compete and collaborate all the time,” Julia replied. She and her Julian got a kick out of it. They’d send each other puzzles or work together if they found a particularly challenging one. She and the local one weren’t as competitive but they still played games like that too.

“Oh,” Odo said, clearly surprised.

“Then… were you flirting with me when you started using all those security exploits in holding?” Odo asked. Julia felt like her face had caught fire. She hadn’t meant to but he’d grumped at her and old habits die hard as it were. Especially since he hadn’t been as stiff and unresponsive with her as his counterpart had grown to be. It felt nostalgic at the time.

“Yes, though I’m not interested anymore. I mean, I still like you just fine but… I moved on a while ago,” Julia explained.

“I understand,” Odo said, inclining his head in a Cardassian manner. He leaned more Bajoran overall but his formative years had left their influence.

“Did something happen?” Julia asked, noticing an unusual melancholy about Odo’s features.
“You don’t have to tell me, you're welcome regardless, but I’ll listen if you want to talk,” Julia added. She didn’t want to pressure him, just make sure he knew he could if he wanted to.

“Sisko was talking about family and I felt uncomfortable. That's normal but then I thought about the changeling child that passed away… Did that happen where you're from?” Odo asked.

“Yes,” Julia replied. It hadn’t gone the same way but the differences were a long story he didn’t need to hear.

“Like I said before, that left me feeling reluctant to be alone and yours was the only place aside from Quarks I could have gone,” Odo explained. Julia nodded though she disagreed. It was progress that he even acknowledged that any such places existed. Trying to make him see that others on the station would welcome him was likely a bridge too far for the moment.

“Stay as long as you like, there's a bucket in the pantry if you need it,” Julia said gently. Odo grimaced at that suggestions but then nodded and hit play on the vid. Julia accepted that as a less than subtle declaration that he was done talking.

Odo stayed for the vid and a shorter episode of a detective show Julia liked before finally departing. Julia contemplated staying up a bit longer but gave into her fatigue and head for Mila’s room. She’d playfully fought it for a few days at first but she’d dutifully given in and slept their most nights now.

Predictably Mila was sitting up with a book rather than asleep.

“Tell me, is it normal for humans to adopt every enemy species they come across?” Mila asked archly. Julia didn’t bother questioning how she knew what went on in the living room. She’d installed the internal surveillance herself after all.

“Actually, yes. Enemy species are just friends we haven't made yet,” Julia replied cheerfully.

“That's an utterly insane viewpoint young lady,” Mila replied with a roll of her eyes even as she lifted an arm for Julia to snuggle closer.

“That's because you evolved out of ambush predators,” Julia replied lightly.

“And you evolved from what? Herd animals for the slaughter?” Mila asked playfully.

“Endurance hunter omnivores,” Julia replied with a grin. That got her a little slap on the hip.

“Shhh, go to sleep so I don’t have to listen to your madness,” Mila said soothingly. Once Julia was asleep Mila looked down at the tan creature who slept so trustingly beside her with something like regret.Mila was content with Elim having Julian and the promise of future grandchildren. She was just a little disappointed that she might not get to keep Julia for much longer.

Chapter 34: Sense of Self

Chapter Text

Benjamin Sisko looked at the wormhole blossom through a view port and sighed. Julia Bashir had made a request of him and he’d been trying to come up with an answer for it for two weeks. With the birth of her children and the return of the alternate versions of her brother and Garak impending, it was past time he answered her. That didn’t make it easier though.

“Anyone opposed?” Benjamin asked his senior staff and Odo. They weren’t meeting in the normal place, that would have made it too easy to spy on the conversation. Instead they were in a recently restored set of quarters from the luxury area formerly reserved for elite members of the Cardassian occupation. They’d been thoroughly trashed, gutted, and low priority on the repairs list. Now though they were almost ready to be put to use as family quarters.

No one raised a hand or spoke up though there were a few tense faces. Particularly Jadzia’s but that was to be expected. She’d been interested in having a baby but then Worf and Julia had met and the issue of Alexander had been brought up rather loudly. That had cast a shadow on the matter and left the couple at odds with each other.

Worf was absent, not just from the meeting but from the station. He was under strict orders from Jadzia to retrieve his son from his parents if he valued their marriage.

Kira was another that looked less than happy but she didn’t say anything. An improvement over what the most likely outcome would have been a few weeks prior. Why was a mystery but Benjamin would take the win.

Miles had lifted his hand with a grin when asked who was in support of the notion. It wasn’t a secret that he got along famously with Julia. Julian was absent from the meeting but that was because his answers were a foregone conclusion and Benjamin wanted to give everyone a chance to discuss their feelings properly. Something that would be difficult to do with a defensive Julian talking a mile a minute.

“Well, then its settled, though I'll certainly hear everyone out about any concerns they may still have. I understand that not being opposed isn’t quite the same as fully supporting the idea,” Benjamin said though really he was relieved.

“I don’t like her, but that's personal and isn’t what this is about,” Kira piped up. Benjamin blinked and had to suppress a smile. That was almost a kind assessment of the matter coming from her.

“Why don’t you like her? Still mad she had the hots for Odo?” Miles asked playfully which got him a glare. He didn’t mind it though and Kira looked away with a touch of embarrassment. Benjamin knew that wasn’t really it, but it certainly didn’t help. Especially not now that Odo and Julia seemed to be getting along.

Benjamin wouldn’t say they were close, but he wouldn’t say that of anyone where a guarded man like Odo was concerned. Not without a significant amount of corroborating evidence. Still, it wasn’t impossible Julia would end up friends with Odo even if that wasn’t yet the case.

With the matter essentially decided everyone but Jadzia left and Benjamin recognized the troubled look on her face.

“Jad?” Benjamin asked gently.

“Not “old man”?” Jadzia asked but her expression held no humor.

“Its been pointed out to me that it was… problematic for me to treat you like an extension of Curzon,” Benjamin said unhappily. It really was an obvious mistake once it was brought to his attention. He’d missed his old friend and sliding into a comfortable pattern had been easier than acknowledging that the man was gone though still part of Dax.

Trill and the intricacies of their relationship to symbiotes was still new territory for the Federation. They were only recently added as part of the sensitivity curriculum for new cadets and it would probably be a few years before that turned into added training for existing officers.

“Julia’s doing I imagine,” Jadzia said darkly.

“I take it your opinion of her hasn’t improved,” Benjamin said evenly. He liked Julia but he understood that she could rub people the wrong way and that sometimes it was intentional on her part.

“We’ve had words,” Jadzia said. An understatement from the report Benjamin had read. Still, it was strange for Dax to linger so long on a grudge.

“I doubt you blame her for the issue with Worf, so what's this about Jadzia? I can't help if I don’t know what's going on,” Benjamin said flatly.

“I… said something about Garak and she took offense,” Jadzia started only to pause.

“I was rude about Julian’s relationship with Garak and she asked me if that was my opinion or Curzon’s…” Jadzia stopped looking choked up and angry in alternating waves. Like she was arguing with herself which was strange to say the least.

“Ben, I said that marrying a Klingon was like a deferred dream come true,” Jadzia said, suddenly changing course.

“Not to me, but I think you said some similar things,” Benjamin acknowledged.

“Realizing I didn’t even know Worf had a son until someone else was cussing at him for being a neglectful ass put some things in perspective,” Jadzia said. Benjamin winced, not sure what to say. He liked Worf but that was not a healthy sign for a relationship.

“I don’t like it when you call me Jad because it feels like you're snubbing Curzon. But all of my training says that I’m supposed to encourage that. To distinguish myself from former hosts and assert myself, but then I just don't,” Jadzia added.

“I’m sorry for my part in that. I’ve been trying to be better, do some reading about Trill customs but I know its late in the game,” Benjamin said, not knowing what else he could.

“By all the f*cking mud pools of Trill, I actually said that marrying Worf was a deferred dream for Curzon,” Jadzia said brokenly, head in her hands. Benjamin stood stunned for several beats, mouth open in surprise. She’d gone pale and was gasping.

“Hey, Jadzia-” Benjamin was kneeling beside her, arm around her shoulder instantly. He’d never seen her break down like that before. Normally she was full of brashness and a laissez-faire attitude. Now though, she didn’t look so much like Curzon or even Dax to him. No, for the first time in a long while she looked like Jadzia. Someone who carried the weight of nearly four hundred years and multiple lifetimes in her but was a little younger than Julian.

“Come on Jadzia, just breathe, okay?” Benjamin said gently, thanking the stars he really had started reading up on Trill properly.

“I breathe in,” Benjamin prompted.

“I breathe in, Jadzia breathes in,” Jadzia responded, engaging in the exercise out of habit and training.

“I breathe out. Jadzia breaths out. Dax Breaths with me but I am Jadzia,” Jadzia continued. It was a simple grounding exercise and she repeated it for nearly three minutes before she finally felt stable enough to stop.

“Ben, I think I need to take a leave of absence,” Jadzia said finally.

“You want to go home to Trill,” Benjamin said simply.

“I don’t want to… but that's Curzon talking. I need to so I can sort out everything. So I can feel like myself again and figure out what I want out of my relationship with Worf,” Jadzia explained. Benjamin wanted to tell her not to go but he held that in. Jadzia was his friend. He’d miss her, but her mental health took precedence.

“Take all the time you need to Jad, the station will still be here when your ready,” Benjamin said instead.

An hour after seeing Jadzia to her quarters Julia Bashir was in Benjamin's office and she looked thoroughly pissed off.

“She said that Garak was using Dr. Twink for access codes and we were all fools to think a Cardassian had a heart,” Julia growled. Benjamin flinched. He’d wanted to get to the bottom of what happened but he hadn’t expected Jadzia to be much in the wrong.

“In. Front. Of. Garak’s. MOTHER,” Julia added, clipping each word painfully.

“Okay, but whatever you said triggered some kind of panic attack,” Benjamin said, hands up in surrender.

“Its shocking that a woman who’s psychically trapped with her abuser in a single body might have a panic attack,” Julia said flatly.

“What!?” Benjamin demanded in shock.

“Ben, Curzon put her through the ringer and still washed her out because he had a crush. Imprinted an inferiority complex on her bone deep. Then when she manages to make it through in an unprecedented second attempt he still hides what he did but lets her have his symbiote? Sorry, I know he was important to you, but that's a living f*cking nightmare,” Julia said, bristling in her seat.

“I never thought of it like that,” Benjamin said, sitting down heavily in his chair.

“I’d genuinely rather deal with the murder,” Julia said faltly.

“This is why you told me to stop calling her old man,” Benjamin said, head in his hands.

“I have nothing against Jadzia so I was trying to help… I shouldn’t have lost my temper like I did with her but I could hear Curzon when she spoke. I mean, I was just chatting with Mila about the wedding and suddenly she’s insulting my brother like she had a right to,” Julia explained, looking tired.

“I can't say I wouldn’t have reacted poorly myself,” Benjamin agreed unhappily.

“I still shouldn’t have said things like I did, not like that anyway,” Julia admitted.

“You do tend to have an effect on people. I might have to have Worf reassigned to Trill once he gets back with Alexander. I wouldn’t want any… unpleasantness to happen,” Benjamin added though he wasn’t sure about sending Worf to Trill. Not really. He was married to Jadzia but he wasn’t sure if she’d want him around while she sorted things out.

“Honestly he’s got pretty severe trauma. If you want I can make a paperwork error happen that lands him on Betazed instead. Him and Alexander would probably have a better chance of working through things there than on Trill,” Julia offered. Benjamin was almost curious about how one made a paperwork error but decided not to ask. Plausible deniability and all that.

“I’ll think about it. Also… Its been agreed that you can stay and I’ve decided that since you're mostly just humoring me by staying on the station obediently that you can leave if you file a request, just like anyone else,” Benjamin said and heaved a sigh. Julia had gotten up to a lot despite never physically leaving the station, he was honestly a little scared of what might happen once she was let loose on the galaxy at large.

“Awe, thank you Ben. It really does mean a lot to me that you decided to let me stay,” Julia said with a smile.

“I’m just a little confused about one point. I thought you wanted to go home, why choose to stay?” Benjamin asked. It had been the one thing that bothered him about the arrangement and cast doubt on her intentions in his mind.

“Oh, right, I forgot to explain that part. I’m going home too,” Julia said simply.

“How?” Benjamin asked reflexively even though he knew better on a certain level.

“Dark magic,” Julia said with a grin.

“Right, okay,” Benjamin said, deciding not to press for a real answer. It would honestly be funnier at any subsequent inquests if the Vulcan or Betazed probing his mind had to sort that answer out anyway.

Chapter 35: Family

Chapter Text

“If you'd allow it, Sir, I’d like to be permanently reassigned to DS9,” Reginald said, his guts turning to water inside of him even as he stood his ground. He’d been to Benjamin's quarters to join in on the weekly command staff meal at Miles' invitation. Benjamin hadn’t been upset to see him and was pleasant, even complimenting him on his work. Reginald kept reminding himself of all these things to keep himself from throwing up.

“Miles mentioned you might be asking about that,” Benjamin acknowledged through his thoughts on the matter were guarded. He was making a “Sisko” face which was doing nothing positive for Reginald's nerves.

“I contacted Captain Picard to discuss the matter. He understood, but after discussing it with Commander Data, he concluded that it will be six months before he can acquire an adequate replacement. You also have some vacation that you're required to use,” Benjamin said calmly.

“Sir?” Reginald asked. He wasn’t able to parse anything aside from a lack of a hard no.

“What I’m saying is, yes. You're welcome on DS9, but it won’t be for at least eight months,” Benjamin explained. Reginald nodded but felt conflicted. He was reluctant to leave.

“Don’t look at me like that. Normally I have to fight to get anyone to step foot on this tub. Believe me, you’ll always be welcome,” Benjamin said, chuckling.

“I can wait,” Reginald said finally. He was friends with Rom, Miles, Julian, and Garak, it wasn’t like they’d ignore him the second he stepped off the station.

“Good, and… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but think about what you really want while you're gone. You like DS9 now, but Julia isn’t going to be here when you get back. So make sure this is where you want to be despite that,” Benjamin said. Reginald nodded, not trusting his mouth. He wasn’t sure what he’d say or if he’d just let out a sob.

Julia was due any day, Bashir and Garak had returned to the station for the occasion. Once the birth happened and she'd rested, they’d all depart together.

Reginald had seen precious little of Julia since Barclay had come to find her and exonerated himself. Despite that, the idea that she would be gone hurt so much more than knowing they weren’t going to end up together. Reginald could live with being friends with her even if it took time to stop being awkward. But, losing her entirely threatened to tear his heart out.

“I know, just think about it,” Benjamin said, giving Reginald a pat on the shoulder. Reginald nodded, understanding that Benjamin was just looking out for him. It was comforting in a way. He still liked Picard better, but that was as a commanding officer. Benjamin was a man he could see as a friend.

“Bashir to Reginald, get to the infirmary now!” Reginald's com chirped. He didn’t wait to be dismissed, nearly didn’t wait for the door to open, clipping it as he shimmied through at a dead run. There was only one thing Bashir would call him for like that.

As Reginald blew past the entrance of the infirmary, he heard a scream. His heart was instantly in his throat. Both Julian's were excellent doctor, and the facility was top-notch. Julia would be fine, but labor wasn’t exactly the smoothest of processes, especially if she’d forgone pain meds. None of that very logical knowledge stop Reginald from immediately generating ten worst-case scenarios in his head.

Panting as he skidded to a stop in the delivery room, Reginald found himself looking at a truly strange tabula. Julia was lying on the bio-bed, bright-eyed and placid, gripping Garak's hand in a white-knuckled grip. Beside him, Elim was patting him reassuringly in an absent way. The majority of Elim's focus was on Julia and offering her encouragement in a gentle tone. Both Julian's were attending to her, one acting as nurse to the other. Even Mila was present, standing to the side and braiding Julia’s hair in a simple braid with a downright smug expression.

Reginald felt some of his panic subside, seeing that Julia looked fine. It reduced a few notches further when something beeped, and Garak let out a strangled noise as Julia’s grip tightened. That had probably been a contraction. The sound matched the earlier scream well enough that Reginald felt the worst of his anxiety drain away. He wouldn’t wish pain on the man, but better Garak making that noise than Julia.

“Cardassian bones are denser than even augmented human,” Barclay explained. Reginald nodded, noticing his counterpart's hand was a bit swollen and tapped. There was a medicinal scent coming from it that usually meant fresh osteo-regeneration and painkillers. A familiar smell among the DS9 engineering crew.

Despite what he saw, Reginald's first instinct was to go and take Julia’s free hand. Instead, Barclay stopped him with a sympathetic look. It was better to stand a little apart out of the danger zone rather than distract either Julian with a fresh injury. Knowing that they both still bolted to Julia’s side the first time, she let out a whimper of discomfort. Noble intentions and personal safety were forgotten in a rush to offer her comfort. They both ended up with bruises and a few fractures by the end of it, but neither one complained outside of a few choked sobs of pain.

After six hours, Julia gave natural birth to a pair of healthy twin girls with wisps of black hair. Julian healed Garak's hand while Bashir stepped aside to provide the girls with their first bath and hand them back to their mother.

Though he knew they weren’t his, Reginald couldn’t help crying when he was allowed to hold them. He’d never thought much about fatherhood, not until the mystery paternity notice showed up. Even then, most of his thoughts about it had been along the lines of confusion about how it could have possibly happened.

Holding the fragile little lives in his arms, he wondered how he’d overlooked it before, aside from the obvious issue of no woman ever consenting a second date, let alone him defiling her genome. Now he could actually picture it, being someone's father. Teaching a little girl to love herself and not be scared even if the world was capricious and people occasionally cruel.

Reginald was reluctant but relinquished the girls when Mila gestured impatiently at him. Julian had lingered longer, but that man had augment strength and could fend off even a determined Cardassian for a little while. Him not so much, and he was already a bit battered. Julia hadn’t meant to, but she’d grabbed Reginald's biceps in a hold that felt like a vice. A bracelet-like bruise was forming under his uniform sleeve. Likewise Barclay had caught a few slaps of excitement when she got her first glimpse of the girls.

After a great deal of oohing and crying the room quieted. Julian was running some tests and everyone was finally letting there fatigue show. Julia in particular was settling in for a nap by all appearances and Reginald saw that as his chance to slip away. Reginald didn't want to leave, but he felt like he had to be at the absolute limit of what would be allowed. He didn't want to risk being told to do so, no matter how kindly. It would be more than he could take after everything.

A hand caught Reginald by the arm as he was almost out of the room. It was Barclay.

“Stay, I know she’d like it if you did,” Barclay said simply. Reginald wanted to say something, to make an excuse. Instead, he caught sight of Julia asleep, and his resolve shattered.

“Alright,” Reginald said, heading back in. It wasn’t easy to stay, but no one looked surprised or uncomfortable. Mila did order him to get ice chips, but she was ordering everyone imperiously with a gleeful look in her eyes. Reginald had to smile a little at that. It was pretty obvious now where Garak got his snippy but caring habits from.

Chapter 36: Celebration

Chapter Text

Once Julia was back in her quarters and feeling up to it, a slow trickle of visitors was allowed to come over. Benjamin Sisko was one of the first to arrive and quickly took some photos with the newborns. Some were just him smiling while holding them. A few were to document that they'd been blessed by the Emissary.

Julia watched in amusem*nt, Mila sitting with her on her bed while Benjamin enjoyed himself. It wasn't until Miles and Keiko showed up that he relinquished the girls to the O'Briens. Unlike with Benjamin, Mila was less tolerant of them and insisted they sit on the bed while holding the babies.

When Quark, Rom, and Leeta showed up, Julia had to actually hold Mila's hand to keep her from trying to refuse them entry to the room. Cardassian's didn't allow visitors into a house where a birth had recently occurred for the first few weeks. Though the children in question weren't Cardassian, Mila was still having difficulty with her protective instincts. Much as she had when she'd started responding unexpectedly early to Julia's pregnancy hormones.

Julia made a concession in that she only allowed Leeta to hold the girls, a move neither male protested. They didn't have extensive experience with infants. Nog had been in his mother's care almost exclusively for the first year. Human infants also looked excessively fragile to them.

Odo showed up with Kira in tow, to everyone's surprise. Julia had extended the invitation but hadn't expected it to be accepted. More than they both took a turn holding the girls. Odo looked vaguely alarmed through his despite having no trouble morphing his body to accommodate them safely.

"They're very robust," Kira commented, slightly baffled by the weight of the children. Bajoran infants were similar to human ones. Despite being twins, Julia's children were above average in size.

"Augment human biology, they'll be able to hold their heads up in about a month," Julia explained. It felt odd to just be honest about things, but she liked it almost as much as the shocked look on Kira's face.

"How long before they crawl?" Kira asked.

"Three to four months, if things go according to projection," Julia said easily. She'd run hundreds of analyses and models to ensure the then embryos were healthy and viable.

"If they don't?" Kira asked, looking a touch alarmed.

"If it takes longer, then it takes longer," Julia said simply. Kira blushed, realizing her choice of words hadn't been precisely polite.

"Have you picked names yet?" Odo inquired, looking much more comfortable as he observed the babies from a slight distance.

"Not yet. I've had a lot going on, and so has Reginald," Julia said, smiling despite the severity of the understatement. She had a long list of possible names but wanted to talk a little more before a decision was made. Kira handed the girls back, and Julia didn't have a chance to reach for them before they were firmly in Mila's grasp.

Julia had to bite back a laugh. When Julian and Garaks' children had been born, she'd been twice as possessive. Perhaps getting some practice in before that happened would help her mellow out a little.

"May the prophets bless your children," Kira said, turning like she meant to leave immediately.

"Thank you for coming, Kira. I know we don't always get along, but I appreciate it," Julia said gently. Kira looked startled but nodded, turning and leaving at a brisk pace. Odo, who was still observing the girls, didn't realize he'd been left behind until Julia cleared her throat. Realizing he'd been accidentally ditched, he took off after Kira.

"Is this parade of curiosities more of your "enemies are friends you haven't made yet" nonsense?" Mila asked archly.

"Be kind. Not everyone can be as naturally magnificent as a Cardassian," Julia said, which got her an eye-roll. Mila knew very well when Julia was teasing. Not that it stopped her preening a little all the same.

"I think it's about time I gave you and your mate some time alone. Call on me if you need the children looked after," Mila said, snuggling the girls briefly to scent mark them before getting up to go. If any Cardassian not of the same family got near the children, they'd feel an instinctive threat from the scent. These children belonged to someone who would very happily murder them if they came to harm.

Only Julia's Reginald was left in the living room. By general agreement, the Julian's, Garaks, Reginald, and the male visitors had decided to go and celebrate while the new family got some time alone.

"Hey, beautiful," Reginald said as he came into the room. His expression was a little awed at the sight of Julia and the girls together, his family together.

"I thought I might have to get a sword and fight the old dragon to get a couple minutes with you," He added jokingly. He liked Mila, but she could be frustrating at times. Particularly since she seemed to get a kick out of teasing him.

"Mon Capitan to the rescue," Julia chirped. They had some fantastic fun playing three musketeers when they were first getting to know each other. He gave her a devastating smile in return. Julia grinned back, knowing if he'd show it to anyone else, they wouldn't look so surprised about who the father of her children was. Not that she minded keeping it to herself.

Across the station in the Andorian restaurant, Benjamin, Miles, Odo (despite not eating), both Julians and Garaks, and the local Reginald were sitting in a private room. Technically the doubles weren't supposed to be seen together, but everyone at the table was getting a laugh out of them, taking turns to hide when the wait staff came through. A fairly frequent occurrence as they'd ordered one of everything on the menu.

None of them expressly liked Andorian food, but they'd started celebratory drinks back in the Bashir quarters. Instead of picking somewhere they all liked, they'd opted to treat the matter as a challenge. After this night, no one would be able to give them sh*t about not having tried enough dishes to know if they really liked it or not.

"This was why I didn't settle for second in pediatrics. I wanted to make sure Julia could have kids safely despite everything," alternate Julian explained. He'd been sharing a flask with the local one, their augment metabolisms requiring a higher grade than standard humans to get properly sloshed.

"f*ck, I just did it because… I don't really know. I guess because I liked helping start lives as much as saving them," Julian said. It wasn't often that he sat down and really thought about his motives. Being a doctor had been a way to contribute, so he didn't bother with things like what he didn't or didn't enjoy. Not really. That probably wasn't healthy.

"How's it feel to be an uncle?" Odo asked, feeling out of place both in lack of reproductive drive and sobriety.

"Fantastic," both Julians replied. Odo gave Garak a meaningful look. Garak, in turn, looked to his counterpart.

"The same," they said together. Though they were drinking too, they were going more lightly than their respective Julians.

"Well, you'll be a good one. Always thought you'd make a good dad if you ever stopped being so squirrely. Although, I'll admit I felt like someone might have to actually tie you up for it to happen," Miles added. That got laughs out of everyone.

The alternate Garak preened a bit since he had, in fact, done just that. He was sober enough not to mention that it had been literal on a few occasions.

"I always thought I shouldn't have kids. That being what I am, forcing that on a child-" Julian broke off, eyes misting up. Garak pulled him over into an embrace, not caring who saw and not entirely because he's been drinking. It wouldn't have been done on Cardassia, but humans were demonstrative creatures, and no one at the table would reprimand him for comforting his partner. No one did.

"Excuse us," Julian said, needing some air. Garak followed him out.

"Did you feel like that too?" alternate Garak asked his Julian. They had talked about having children before it happened, there genders and specieis precluding accidents thoroughly. Julian had seemed happy at the time but Garak wondered, knowing he'd brought it up first.

"No… I didn't really think about them, honestly. Not until I was already with you, and by then, it just felt right," alternate Julian answered.

"That's how it should be. Want'n em when you found somebody to raise 'em with," Miles chirped, and the mood of the table lifted.

"Your skill as a doctor aside, Julia seemed almost fully recovered already. I was frankly impressed," Benjamin said. He'd spent most of the meal after the initial toasts to Julia and the girls' health humming and enjoying the food.

"Yeah, the way we were altered reduces her recovery time just after a birth, and her healing factor is pretty fast, to begin with," alternate Julian explained. He was just drunk enough not to get technical but not so drunk as to start sharing gory details.

"Tell me, has Julia spoken about her plans for when she returns to either of you?" Benjamin asked.

"Nothing specific, but she's probably already got plans in mind. Once initial reconnaissance is done, she'll let us in on them," alternate Garak replied, unconcerned.

"Makes sense," Benjamin agreed. He hadn't been drinking as much as the others and was just shy of buzzed. Julia had asked for his permission to stay on the station but played it up as just a sounding out to everyone but him. That she hadn't even told Julian and Garak was telling.

Benjamin played with the perspiration on the side of his glass thoughtfully. She'd added that she explicitly didn't want the local Reginald to be told anything about her request. Even going so far as to ask that he delay Reginald's transfer request.

She was plotting something, and it seemed like it would take eight months at a minimum. Why Reginald couldn't be present for it was unclear.

Benjamin picked up his glass and knocked it back, deciding to catch up with the others. The chips were going to fall where they would. So he might as well properly enjoy the party.

Chapter 37: Many Hands Make Light Work

Chapter Text

Technically final preparation for Julia and company had been completed before her taking time off from engineering. She could have left the moment she felt ready but waited several days. When it was finally time, both halves of the strange little family had gathered in the transport room.

It was a small auxiliary transport room that had been commandeered for the experiments, so the primary one wouldn't be at risk if something went wrong. In addition, Reginald had helped sequester it from the central system and eventually put it on its own grid. So it would be an excellent backup if anything ever went wrong with the main one.

Knowing how much he'd helped with everything, Reginald felt a little pride as well as a desolate sense of loss. Julia was standing right in front of him, but they were about to be separated by more than space or time alone.

Reginald plastered on a smile for her, handing her a small but plainly wrapped farewell gift, and accepted a kiss on the cheek before stepping back quickly. He was glad she hadn't hugged him. If he'd put his arms around her, he wasn't entirely sure he would have been able to let go.

Then in a shimmering instant, the transport beam flashed, and she, along with the alternates, was gone. Julian clung to Elim while Reginald half buckled against a wall, and Miles, who'd been at the transporter controls, stoically holding his squirming discomfort in. The only person missing was Mila, who'd declined to come, staying in her room all day.

Reginald left after a few minutes, heading back to his temporary quarters so he could break down in privacy. Julian and Elim stayed in the transporter room.

"Okay, so I'm just going to ask that you both forgive me now," Miles said with a grimace.

"What? Why?" Julian asked, alarmed. A lot could go wrong with something like what they were doing.

"You're complicit in some kind of plan of Julia's, and it involves my mother's absence," Elim said flatly. Miles nodded with a grimace. Julian looked at Elim questioningly.

"She wouldn't let them leave without saying goodbye. It goes against Cardassian propriety, even if family members are enemies," Elim said simply. Julian's eyes went wide, but then he nodded. He hadn't been thinking particularly clearly earlier but knew that was essentially true. It was a horrible slight in a couple of the books he'd read, even the more modern ones.

"Yeah, I don't know what alls going on, but she'll explain it in a minute," Miles said. Julian and Elim waited, expecting a communication to come through. Instead, the transport pad shimmered, and Julia was standing on it once more in a very different outfit.

"Preset three," Julia said to Miles, ignoring Julian and Elim. Miles nodded uncomfortably, and she shimmered in a beam but remained, unbothered through whatever she'd been doing seemed to have failed.

"Explain, please," Julian said tensely. He was glad she was back, but he wasn't quite ready to accept that it was a good thing. Something might have gone wrong or was in the midst of doing so.

"I'm using the time dilation to my advantage to protect my girls. They'll only be on the other side for an hour, but they won't return here for eight months while I deal with section 31… Sorry I didn't explain sooner, but this room is the most secure on the station outside of Elim's panic room," Julia said gently. Julian's mouth dropped open slightly into a little o of surprise.

"I take it my mother insisted on staying with the children during the wait," Elim said dryly. It would be hard to be parted from her for so long, but it was sort of nice to think she wouldn't age and would be safe during the time she was missing.

"Just wait until you have your kids. She's a total baby tyrant," Julia said with a fond smile hiding a wince of honesty.

"Okay, wait. You're not just staying with us for a bit. You're going to bring the girls back here? Julia, do you mean to stay permanently?" Julian asked, flatly confused. He knew she cared about him, but he wasn't foolish enough to think she'd abandon her nieces and nephews on top of his counterpart over it.

"Right, that bit. I've cloned myself with the teleporter, so yes, I'm staying," Julia said with a smile. Julian surged forward to give her a hug. He knew damned well that wasn't all she'd done, the 'failed' transport beam now taking on a very different meaning in context, but he didn't care. He was going to get to keep his sister and his nieces.

"Is your Reginald coming? I'm surprised he isn't with you," Elim asked in a knowing tone. Julia raised an eyebrow at him over her brother's shoulder.

"No," Julia said simply. Elim nodded, thoughtful but willing to let the matter go. Julian pulled away, ecstatic and his mind running a mile a minute. It was nearly overwhelming as all the possibilities of what they could do as a family rattled around in his head.

"Should we tell ours or… you didn't want him to know," Julian said, gears grinding to a halt as he figured a couple things out.

"He'd be in danger if it was known that he was intimately associated with us going forward. His counterpart was nearly murdered for that alone, and I'm about to give them every reason to view me as a threat," Julia said gently. There were other reasons, but that was one Julian would find easier to understand. Even in a secure space, she wasn't inclined to reveal all of her cards. That was something one only did at the end of a game, not during the opening gambit.

"Sorry for getting you tangled up in this too, Miles," Julia added. She didn't have any intention to put him at risk, but some was inevitable. Her apology had more to do with involving him in the lie than that part. He'd agreed to help knowingly. However, that didn't change that he considered Reginald a friend and was loath to lie to him, no matter the reason.

"No need for it, lass. I understand, even if I don't like it… just keep your promise, eh?" Miles said. Julian and Elim looked at Julia questioningly but were ignored. Instead, she simply nodded solemnly to Miles.

"So, what do we do now?" Julian asked. He was busy slotting information together but needed more to better picture what was about to happen.

"We go home, have dinner, and make some calls. We're going to need the help of friends to make everything work properly going forward," Julia said with a smile. Julian blinked, taken aback, then something clicked. He'd thought they would conspire as a family to take on all challengers, but that wasn't how Julia did things.

Julian grinned, a little self-deprecating chortle escaping him. Elim showed him in no uncertain terms once on the holodeck that one's objective had to be everything. That all other considerations must be secondary to its achievement.

It had been a disorienting lesson that had taken Julian months to properly internalize. Although it had made him a better person and more effective officer, in the long run, the adjustment was difficult.

The ends did not justify the means, but that was the burden of anyone trying to be a decent person. To balance priorities and needs and sometimes accept that failure was an option, no matter the cost, because it was the right thing to do.

Julian looked at Elim and found a knowing look that matched his own. They'd grown accustomed to looking to each other for help, but it was a very small circle of trust. Julian shared his research but never employed assistants. Likewise, Elim exchanged information or favors with others but didn't seek collaborators even for his most intricate plans.

They were both exceptional in their respective fields, but there was only so much one or two people could accomplish, no matter how skilled. Julia was the opposite of them in many ways. She delegated as much as reasonable.

Julia would pull people into her orbit at varying distances without reserve. Not everyone was explicitly trusted, but she treated them well and made use as needed. No one was useless in her eyes, and she excelled at managing multiple assets in motion.

"How many people do you plan to involve?" Elim asked.

"As many as I can," Julia replied as if it were an obvious thing. Julian nodded. It likely was to her. They would work together as a family, but they would not be alone.

Chapter 38: G’day, Comrade

Chapter Text

Three months after Julia returned home, a meeting was convened in what was listed as an unoccupied office building in San Francisco. Like most section 31 facilities, it didn't look like much, a bit bland perhaps for a city known for its colorful artistry but otherwise unremarkable.

"Cardassia needs to join. Every planet does. But the question is how it should be approached. Even with the Obsidian Order decimated, we don't have a strong model for them. No real frame of reference to use to inform our method," Gossa Vance insisted to shadowy holographic representations. They were the other brass of section 31, if one liked to believe the hype anyway. Regardless they were who he had to argue with whenever something needed to be done.

There was a flicker, and the holograms disappeared. Gossa drew a hissing annoyed sigh. He wouldn't put it past the lot of them to just decide to cut him off and blame it on a power issue or a security concern. Both were functionally code words for "go f*ck yourself, that's why" in the espionage game. Real problems ended up in reports, not apologized for over barely secured com lines.

"Soviet Australia," a familiar female voice chirped. Every hair on the back of Gossa's neck stood on end at the dulcet tones of Julia Bashir, a woman who was supposed to be nearly three years dead. Whirling around in fear, he found himself looking at the tall, slender, and mysteriously not dead Julia sitting at his desk. As if to mock him, she was sipping lemon water and poking at a pad. He hadn't been present during the op that supposedly took her life, but he'd been monitoring the data. Her transport beam had been redirected only to disappear. That wasn't something you came back from, augment or not.

"What?" Gossa asked like a green recruit. He wasn't an augment though he employed some. They wouldn't be able to get to him before the tanned woman crushed the life from him one-handed if Julia so desired.

"Oppressive totalitarian surveillance state and a largely inhospitable climate even to native life due to an unidentified global climate catastrophe. So there's your frame of reference," Julia said as if she were his superior and rather displeased with his lack of intellect.

"A juvenile and hardly helpful assessment," Gossa said flatly.

"Really? So using the Australian framework wouldn't suggest a terraforming technology exchange to stabilize central Cardassian Union worlds and reduce the fatalist fanaticism of its populace?" Julia asked, tilting her head in almost reptilian fashion.

"That-" Gossa knew he was being baited and bit his lip to keep from responding. That was a suggestion on the table but not a favored one. It was far too long-term a commitment without any reliable means of ensuring the desired outcome once it began. That what the desired result was aside from integration was unknown was another murky layer to contend with, but such was life in section 31.

"They aren't communist," Gossa said, trying to get back a touch of control.

"True, but in Federation, you watch holoset. On Cardassia Prime, holoset watches you," Julia said in a genuinely terrible Russian accent. Not for the first time, Gossa regretted that no one had ever been able to a recruit her. Unlike most of his agents, she was genuinely funny, eyes sparkling with amusem*nt and cunning.

"Let's not play games. I assume you're here for revenge," Gossa said flatly. He wasn't directly responsible for the clusterf*ck that had resulted instead of her capture, but he was the architect of most of the plan. He'd wanted her taken alive and imprisoned, but he doubted she'd look kindly on that either.

"Gossa, no. That would be a ridiculous waste of time. I could just have a skimmer hit you on the street if that were my objective," Julia said, tsking. Gossa swallowed, surprised she was aware of that part of the plan as well as his actual name.

Killing Reginald Barclay had almost been an afterthought. A bit of insurance to make certain no one would raise the alarm and send Julian Bashir or his accursed partner Garak looking for her too soon. When Reginald survived, no follow-up attempt had been.His relevance had expired the moment Julia's abduction went sideways, and she was assumed dead. He didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Julia's psych profile painted her as a talented manipulator and Reginald as a beard of sorts. A failure of a mate to offset and obscure her brilliance. Seeing a flash of anger in Julia's eyes, Gossa regretted not taking Reginald hostage. He could use a bargaining chip and had clearly mistaken Reginald's importance to Julia.

"What do you want, Julia? An apology?" Gossa asked, genuinely curious.

"Really? You were going to kidnap me and take my children. Don't think I didn't put two and two together about how my birth control implant 'mysteriously' became damaged," Julia said, shaking her head.

"Why would I do that?" Gossa asked with feigned innocence. He was trying to activate the alarm implant in his wrist but wasn't getting a confirmation buzz. Something must have gone wrong with it, or Julia was jamming it.

"Female augments are rare, to begin with. That I underwent a secondary procedure so my children would reflect my current genetic makeup more so. Even poor Serena hasn't had that done, and you don't know where I sourced the procedure," Julia said simply.

Gossa flinched, caught completely out. Genetic augmentation was banned in the Federation. Outside of it the focus was on male recipients. That left an irritating lack of diversity in available procedures. Worse, the Adogien Prime facility hadn't been responsible for that change, so there was no traceable record of it.

Creating interspecies hybrids and children between same-sex couples of most races was easy. Yet aguments were something of a black box. For example, males often didn't have stable reproductive genes to start with, while females reflected their unaltered state.

"So, given your general amorality, I don't think you're actually capable of apologizing," Julia added.

Gossa nodded, but he wasn't listening. The breed issue was a problem that should have been simple to overcome with standard reproductive procedures. Instead, the failure rate for artificial conception was 97%. All of that was saying nothing of the catastrophes that had resulted in prior natural breeding programs between augment only pairings.

Section 31 needed superior operatives, but they often had to sift chaff far too much to find barely usable individuals. Gossa had wanted to use Julia to create a stable breeding population in a facility. As her pregnancy had attested, she was fully capable of unaided reproduction. It would have been an ideal solution, and still was though he regretted the cost a little.

"Code Black," Gossa said. That should have triggered the agents in the building to come in force. He accepted that he wouldn't survive the event, such was life. That Julia would die too stung a little. His only consolation as that section 31 would at least her body for experimentation and study this time. Gossa could hear the pounding of feet as his agents rushed toward the door.

"You said you didn't want revenge, so why are you here?" Gossa asked. It would be a little too ironic for an intelligence operative to die curious so he indulged himself. Julia blinked languidly. As if he should already know. When the door burst open, it wasn't section 31 agents who rushed in but Federation security forces. Julia remained seated as he was tackled to the ground, a hypo going to his neck as a bite block was shoved in his mouth.

Gossa broke into a cold sweat. That was a Garak touch. The Cardassian knew quite well all the dirty tricks an operative might employ to avoid being taken in alive. He let himself go slack and triggered his neural depolarizing implant. Nothing happened and everything went dark.

Julia finished breaking through the last of the decryption and purge protocols just like Garak had taught her. A security officer stepped up to her, looking a little winded. They'd had to beam in under the transport block and run six flights of stairs to get to the office.

"We didn't encounter any resistance, and the rest of the building is secure," Lt. Kelper said flatly. The mission had gone eerily smooth from her point of view.

"It's funny how getting people some pardons and cover identities so they can lead normal lives makes them want to bit the hand that forced them into hiding and slavery," Julia said pleasantly. Kelper swallowed involuntarily, knowing that situation was partly the Federations own fault. She didn't like augments or even think it was wrong to deny them certain jobs, but it had obviously created a lot more problems than it solved. Section 31 had been able to recruit dozens of varying types and abilities as far as she'd seen, all of them disenfranchised and finding comfort in the lies the clandestine organization spun to justify its actions.

"Don't feel bad if I make you a bit nervous. It's normal," Julia said gently.

"Hm... Oh, confirmation just came in. The tandem assaults were successful. Phase three is complete," Julia added, clapping her hands excitedly.

Kelper relaxed a little. With the circulation of a report about section 31's activities, the brass had been thrown into a rage. They wanted blood, and Julia Bashir was their favorite hound. All Kelper needed to do was follow orders until the hunt ended.

"Well, until next time," Julia said before disappearing in a transport beam. In low orbit, seven teleporter beams converged in the transporter room of a small ship, and a single person stepped off the pad. Julia Bashir, all smiles, even as Miles O'Brien scowled at her.

"You're going to end up with transport errors doing that so often," Miles grumbled. When Julia had shown him the plan and how it involved repeated teleportation cloning, he'd actually started shouting swears.

"Less than I would if someone else were at the controls," Julia said placatingly. But, like her or not, Miles was fantastic at coaxing unwilling systems into submission. Like an old-fashioned beast tamer.

"How'd it go then?" Miles asked, curious but reluctant to reward her cheek. He still wanted to be mad at her for taking such a risk but couldn't manage it. Something he ought to have expected given how he'd forgiven her for shooting him almost as soon as he was treated.

"Swimmingly, all the raids were successful, no information losses, and the communication blackout was effective. A wonderful result for a test," Julia said. She was smiling like Molly when he snuck her an extra jumja stick.

"That's good at least," Miles said, nodding slightly. Julia inclined her head in agreement before all but skipping out of the room. As if she hadn't just split herself into seven and attacked a clandestine organization in tandem with federation security forces.

It reminded Miles of how Julian could go waltzing into plague outbreaks and firefights. His mind focused on the task rather than the dangers. Like most things about the pair, it was utterly infuriating.

Chapter 39: Gifts

Chapter Text

Aboard what looked like a larger personal transport Julian was busy coordinating a series of repair drones as an alarm beeped plaintively at him. Finishing the sequence he dashed to the back compartment of the small ship he’d been on for nearly a month. Mila was going to have his ass on a platter if he was late to lunch.

Coming through the door Tolan dropped from the ceiling with a chirp. Julian caught his youngest son automatically. He pretended not to notice Zarek sneaking up with a toy phaser.

“Zap!” Zarek and Tolan cried together. Julian dodged, looking absolutely affronted.

“You betray me, in our home?” Julian damned playfully as he dodged imaginary fire.

“Daaad, don’t indulge them!” Rale called from where she was setting the table. She looked at her brothers disparagingly, shaking her head that they were still such babies. It had taken time but she’d stopped thinking of herself as an orphan and therefore more like a conditional guest than family.

Elim insisting on Rale calling him yadik or yad like the others greatly contributed to it. Julian had told also told her to call him dad or yad as she liked but it wasn’t quite the same. He was human and they were considered rather silly by most Cardassians. Having a solid and fairly traditional man like Elim say it had been more grounding for her. It made it feel real.

“I assure you my dear, they're indulging him,” Elim said teasingly as he set out the food. Julian shot his husband a look. It cost him a critical moment of attention. One of the phaser beams got him and he had to dramatically mime his death on the floor.

“Julian, get the tea,” Mila said as if nothing unusual were happening.

“Can’t, betrayed and dying,” Julian replied cheekily. It got him a fondly irritated hiss in reply. It was the 29th of August by the terran calendar, his and Julia’s birthday. She’d said their was a surprise waiting for the family but hadn’t mentioned the date. Cardassians didn’t really celebrate individual birthdays but rather milestones of a sort.

Julian and Julia being human however they were indulged on the point. Despite that Julian didn’t expect much to happen though Julia had mentioned a surprise. He’d gotten her a present and had her favorite chocolate cake in the chiller for after dinner but she’d been busy. Even with help fighting something like section 31 wasn’t easy or quick work.

“Tell us where the candy is!” Zarek demanded. Tolan and Zarek were both a little too young to understand death and Shri’Tal. As such, they operated under the misunderstanding that the dying had to tell them secrets because those were the rules. It was pretty adorable if one overlooked the more morbid aspect, to Julian’s way of thinking.

“Don’t you dare,” Elim called warningly. Julian grinned, pulling the children closer to whisper. They listened, giggling all the while. Once Julian was done playing dead he got up to get the tea and the boys scampered to the table dutifully. Elim looked at his husband mistrustfully but didn’t comment for the moment.

With the oldest of the children away only nine of the twelve place settings were on the table. Julia, Reginald, and Enabran hadn’t joined them yet, but there was a joint operation in progress so they had a few minutes grace yet. Julian shook his head as he thought of Enabran.

The counterpart to his father in law had passed away in the universe where Julia had been temporarily stranded. He didn’t seem like he’d been a much more pleasant person on the other side. Still, it had been a shock to find out how his death had come about.

Julian looked to Elim, leaning in for a quick anshwar as he set the tea on the table. His version of Enabran had suffered from cardiac complications following an infection after his retirement. Without a major event like a heart attack to drive home the danger he’d written it and the ensuing cognitive decline off as nothing serious.

Thankfully Enabran and Mila came in response to Julia’s intent to enjoin announcement. The visit had been a catastrophe, but Julian had recognized the problem and wrangled Enabran into the infirmary. A feat which had required Elim and Odo to pull off. Enabran might be dignified (old), even by Cardassian reckoning, but he was still a wily bastard and was second to none in his hatred of medical attention.

Reginald was the first one to appear from the direction of the bedrooms. He looked a little tired but wasn’t doing bad for a man co-parenting augment twins. Mila bonding with them just as protectively as her counterpart had played a large role in the couple getting to sleep with any regularity.

Julian smiled at the sight of the twins in their pram. He and Julia had been named after the Caesars of Rome. Julia and Reginald had opted for naming their girls Emily and Elizabeth after famous female doctors. He still felt like Julia’s middle name being a pirate queens was fitting but he liked the softer meaning behind the twins.

“Debrief still going?” Julian asked playfully. Reginald nodded, more interested in playing with the girls than really listening. Julian smiled, he remembered when absolutely everything his kids did seemed like a miracle. They still did, but the rapture in watching them grow and change didn’t make it to his face as often anymore.

“Enabran’s telling a story,” Reginald added which earned a collective groan from the table. Enabrans stories were always thrilling, relevant, and seventy to a hundred and ten percent lies. Veritable masterclasses in espionage. All of which was fine and good but they took for bloody ever.

“Better her than us. Put their lunches in the cooler if they're not here in ten minutes but we eat now,” Mila said decisively. That brought the mood back up instantly. Though Julian had grown up in a human family he’d more or less learned to accept and even like the matriarchal internal structure of a Cardassian family. Mostly because that meant Julia and Mila had the final say in most matters and he was good at buttering them up. Elim found it infuriating but channeled it in bed which Julian didn’t mind a bit.

“Did Alia call today?” Zarek asked. The alternate Julia’s designation as aunty Julia had morphed when Tobin got ahold of the words and mashed them together. It had stuck ever since.

“Not today, she’s quite busy just like mum and ya'yad’ (grandpa) but she’ll call by the weeks end,” Julian said gently. The kids still weren’t totally certain that the second Julia and set of baby cousins who all lived in an alternate universe weren’t an incredibly elaborate prank. They still thought it was fun to talk to her though and looked forward to the occasional call.

“Okay! Everythings done, phase three is complete!” Julia chirped as she came all but dancing into the dinning room.

“Hm, no complications?” Elim asked with a raised ocular ridge.

“Loads, but they worked out! Mostly. I’ve already sent you a report,” Julia said with a grin. Julian nodded appreciatively at his sister. He knew Elim would have liked to participate in person more often but Julia had managed to keep him mostly administrative during the campaign against section 31.

In turn Julian kept his own feelings of wanting to go out and join in directly under control. If he’d be pissed off about Elim doing it, then it wasn’t fair for him to do it either. Julia’s teleporter trick minimized risks but it was still unsettling in a way that even a copy of one of them might die. They were no less sapient beings after all, basically just spontaneously generated twins.

“Is Enabran napping?” Mila asked crossly. She didn’t approve of the habit in adults but he’d caught it from Julia and Julian. So had Elim for that matter but she hadn’t yet caught him doing it. His senses were still sharp enough even when she did her best to sneak up on him.

“Yes, yes he is,” Julia said without batting an eye. Julian winced a little and caught Elim doing the same which turned into them suppressing laughter. Julia had zero compunction about throwing Enabran under the skimmer with Mila. Not that Julian blamed her, at all.

Containing Enabran had been a full time job during the early years of their enjoinment. A task that had been infuriating and exhausting. Particularly because Enabran seemed to be perfectly aware of it and was just screwing with them half the time. He’d only seemed to calm down a little when Zarek was born.

That had turned out to be him laying low to build up a private fleet with the Tal Shiar. That had quite nearly gone ass over teakettle but Elim had thwarted it, though not entirely on purpose. No one had been aware that the Tal Shiar were specifically infiltrated by the founders at the time.

Elim had insisted that everyone on the bridge of the ship be checked as was family custom by that point. When the founder was revealed Tain realized the entire operation was compromised and backed down. He’d quietly left and Elim had mopped up the mess.

The lack of overt aggression and strengthening of the fleets for both powers had deterred the founders and changed the flow of politics. The fact they’d tried to instigate two clandestine organizations into an attack to justify their own aggression had not gone down well with anyone.

“Phase three of how many?” Julian asked archly. His sister loved, respected, and trusted him. That was not the same as being willing to reveal operational details however. She’d certainly explain what phase four was before it got under way, but not much more.

“Surprise!” Tobin said impatiently. Julia smiled, picking the little boy up to give a cuddly hug. Her alternate was aunt Julia but she was mum to the boys. She’d carried them on Julian and Elim’s behalf and they’d scent marked her so strongly it was still lingering even after she returned from the other reality. That was part of why they’d accepted her back almost instantly though there had been some anger and tears even when how she’d been lost was explained.

“Oh, is that today?” Elim asked in mock shock. Rale rolled her eyes until Julia ruffled her hair. That got a rare smile. She’d actually seen the extra Mila and was rather in awe of her human aunt who’d traveled between realities.

“Yes, but only after we are all done eating, and only if we do it properly,” Julia said sweetly. The boys fidgeted, wanting to know what the surprise was immediately.

“Patience has its rewards,” Julian said gently. Elim rolled his eyes at that but smiled and nodded for the children. He wasn’t going to call Julian out on his impatience in front of the boys.

Enabran didn’t wake up on his own by the time the meal was over so Mila went and roused him. Not a pleasant experience going by how he grumbled as he made his way to the transporter room.

“Is this really necessary?” Enabran grumbled. He wasn’t terribly fond of transporters.

“Don’t worry, these are top of the line ones,” Reginald said cheerfully from the control consul. It was time for the twins to nap so he’d chosen to stay behind and run the controls. Unlike the rest of the family he’d been in on what Julia’s surprise was.

The ship they were all living on looked like a freighter but was a Cardassian Hideki under the hood. The less said about the cloaking device they probably should have given back to the Romulans the better. It had been part of the spoils of the fleet disaster Elim had mediated.

Despite the fact the interior aesthetics were intact however most of the internal systems were Starfleet. The results of the retrofit had prompted Miles O’Brien to refer to it as a ‘nasty little bastard’ which had made Julia laugh.

“Not at all Enabran, I just spend my free time coming up with ways to torment you,” Julia said with a grin. That earned her a snort and the family vanished in a flash of light. When they emerged it was to an eerily familiar scene.

“DS9?” Julian said before his brain could catch up with his mouth. It looked almost identical in structure but it clearly wasn’t. Not a soul was to be seen anywhere and what should have been shops were closed.

“Empok Nor,” Elim said a beat after.

“Computer, wake the station,” Julia said and the lights came up. Able to see properly Julian found the initial resemblance diminishing as he felt a rush of joy. Instead of signs for shops they were for medical services.

“So, I’m still working on staff but this girl has enough space to accommodate approximately 17,000 staff and patients. I’ve put in a full production industrial farm and-” Julia was cut off mid explanation as Julian hugged her fit to crack ribs. He’d been expecting maybe a cake, but this was the best birthday gift possible, ever.

Chapter 40: Old Haunts

Chapter Text

When Reginald returned, life on Enterprise was different. The ship's layout had changed in many ways, and the ripples were profoundly felt. The park and library had been surprising but welcomed. Quiet places to spend time in public even if you weren't feeling terribly social. A couple of restaurants that weren't explicitly bars had also appeared.

Though the physical changes were the most noticeable, they were not the most important. Instead, that honor belonged to the increase in psychiatric staff and the diversity of their roles on the ship. Three psychiatrists, five psychologists, ten additional counselors, and a sundry assortment of specialists.

Reginald was called into the CPO's (chief psychiatric officer) office on his first day back. Alan Situk was a surprisingly welcoming half Vulcan man with a gentle, professional demeanor. Reginald managed to relax around him rather quickly despite discussing what had happened with his holo addiction and subsequent therapy.

Alan agreed to Reginald's request to switch to a new counselor without hesitation. He also suggested a new evaluation and medical assessment, to which Reginald agreed. A week later, his first session with Kelya Tas, an Andorian psychologist, went relatively smoothly.

Unlike Deanna, who mainly focused on Reginald's social life and related stress, Tas dug into his daily life on a more granular level. He had made progress during his initial therapy. Then there had been the probe incident.

Reginald had calmed down considerably after the initial shock of having his intellect suddenly raised then brought back down. It had left him brighter than before and more confident. What it hadn't done was erase all of the ingrained anxiety. No more than it had suddenly supplied missing social skills.

Tas agreed that Reginald was in a better place but recommended a mild antianxiety medication based on the evaluation. They also discussed regenerative therapy but agreed it was better to see how he responded to conventional treatment.

The brain was a finicky patient to treat. Behavioral patterns could change its structure and communication quality. Thus, treating the physiological symptom might only delay the return of the problem unless the behavioral issue was addressed.

Under Deanna, Reginald had been reluctant to even take medication. He understood its value but couldn't wholly shake an underlying sense of failure that came with requiring such a level of intervention. Of course, Deanna never implied that but she'd also seemed reluctant to issue prescriptions, so it had been easy to get around.

Tas, however, pointed out that Reginald wouldn't have felt ashamed about taking antibiotics or pain relievers and that the principle was the same. That it wasn't possible to think one's way out of long-term distress any more than it was to power through and walk on a broken leg.

It wasn't easy for Reginald to reconcile himself to the idea despite knowing it was true. He wouldn't have looked down on someone else for getting the help they needed but couldn't easily accept it for himself. A complication that Tas assured him was normal. One of the first things to become disabled by trauma was often one's sense of self-care.

Tas prescribed Reginald a mild antianxiety medication. It wasn't aimed at dealing with daily stress but at aiding with sleep. It took several days to kick in, but Reginald found his mind quieting more easily in the evenings once it did.

Reginald had doubted that it would have much effect but was pleasantly surprised after a week of consistent use. It turned out that more restful sleep could have a profound impact on his entire waking life. Of course, Reginald still felt wrong-footed and awkward in most social situations, but the underlying stress level was lower.

Two months into his return Reginald felt like he'd found a steady rhythm. The ship felt calmer than before, the crew a little more mellow and understanding on the whole. Tas even agreed that his plan to start using the holodeck again in a more social format was worth a shot and introduced him to Lt. Cordelia James, who was in charge of moral activities.

Cordelia immediately agreed to Reginald's idea for a national parks hiking club. She even seemed excited when he mentioned the Lord of the Rings program he'd gotten a copy of from his counterpart. They quickly became friends, and to Reginald's immense relief, no one tried pushing him to ask her out or fix them up.

The pressure to date had been one of the few downsides of Reginald's return. The increase in his general confidence and visibility, if not sociability, led to some unfortunate opinions among his crewmates. Particularly an insulting idea that he was somehow rehabilitated and therefore desiring a full social calendar of 'normal' activities.

Invitations to drink and suggestions for Reginald to go on fix-ups weren't in short supply. Though he'd been the ship weirdo before, now he was seen as an average crewman. His recent achievements balancing the old negatives in the eyes of most.

Reginald bristled at the casual way people shifted their treatment of him. He'd suffered considerably before when they were unkind but found himself almost preferring that. The new acceptance felt hollow and cloying.

Instead of giving in to the pressure of it, Reginald held his ground. He didn't let people dragging him into things he didn't want to do. No more than he let them shame him for his interests anymore. It was good to be open to new experiences, but that wasn't the same as just going along to get along.

It had taken time, but Reginald had learned that enjoying the company of others on his own terms wasn't a flaw. No more than being able to find fulfillment in solitude was.

Being alone and lonely weren't the same thing, no matter what other people said. Enjoying the company of others on his terms wasn't a flaw, nor was choosing to be alone at times. Particularly since he was looking for like-minded people rather than trying to force others to accommodate him.

The only exception Reginald made was for Deanna Troi. She'd put too much effort into helping him during those ghastly early days after his holo addiction was revealed. He wasn't able to refuse her much of anything.

That Deanna wanted Reginald to try dating her acquaintances was less than ideal but not something beyond him to do. He had worried a little about comparing any of his dates to Julia Bashir unconsciously. Reginald couldn't help but be aware that few people would come up in a positive light by comparison.

Unexpectedly, the issue simply never came up. Deanna set Reginald up with lovely, successful, stable people who would be excellent helpmates. People with whom he invariably had zero chemistry with.

Reginald put up with the occasional bad date and found that it didn't rattle him like it once would have. He wasn't for everyone, and he certainly didn't have to like every person who showed him even the slightest interest.

As the third month of his return drew near, Reginald found his sense of calm deepening. Even when faced with a staff meeting, he wasn't assailed by crippling dread. That he wasn't expected to give a presentation helped, but even the prospect of joining in and talking didn't produce a gnawing sense of anxiety.

Tas had Reginald evaluated again at the three-month mark. The results showed improvement. All but one of his issues was responding to treatment. Namely, a neurotransmitter communication issue.

Additional testing found it wasn't genetic, something Reginald said a brief prayer of thanks to anyone who was listening for. His counterpart from the alternate universe was genetically identical to him. The idea of passing that anxiety on to the twins had left him sick to his stomach.

Reginald didn't doubt that Julia or Julian would sort it out even if it had come to that. It just would have hurt to know he'd passed on a negative trait like that. Especially after spending his adult life struggling with it. It wasn't a burden a child should have to bear, no matter how quickly it could be healed.

For Reginald's own sake, regenerative therapy treatments would be the next course of action. With his condition in a stable state, he chose not to start. He wanted to wait until he was back on DS9 under Julian Bashir's care.

Beverly Crusher was a doctor Reginald trusted with his life, but that wasn't the issue. He just didn't want to risk delaying his departure by starting treatment due to side effects or complications.

With a plan in place and things proceeding with relative ease, Reginald found himself enjoying his time on Enterprise. There were, of course, a few hiccups every now and again. It was an exploratory vessel, but nothing serious came up.

A few years prior, Reginald could have only dreamed of such a thing. That he'd be halfway comfortable in his own skin and enjoying himself outside the holodeck. That he'd have friends who liked him for who he was rather than 'seeing potential.'

After his reassessment, Reginald even found himself subject to an uncustomary degree of good fortune. Finding a replacement systems engineer and wrapping up his personal task went quicker than expected. As a result, Picard gave the okay for him to leave at the end of the third month.

Reginald was pleased to relay the news to those whom it concerned on DS9. As his last week of duty on Enterprise got underway, Reginald almost felt a kind of nostalgia rather than sadness. He'd made friends, indelible memories, and suffered a baker's dozen of traumas, but Enterprise wasn't home to him. Not anymore.

The final hurdle before he was set to leave came in the form of Deanna Troi getting him to agree to one date before leaving the ship. It didn't go well, though Reginald would have been willing to call it a win. He only ended up spilling his drink on himself.

Reginald was particularly pleased that he managed to convey that he didn't enjoy synthahol without accidentally implying anyone who did was basically an alcoholic. If one was only aware of the mechanical aspects of the date, then it would have appeared to go well, particularly by Reginald's standards.

Anyone within earshot would have been aware it was a flop within the first ten minutes. That was why Reginald found himself exhausted and laughing in his quarters after the date went poorly instead of feeling morose. It was hard to feel upset when the match-up had been comically bad.

Deanna cared but wasn't looking to find Reginald a romantic partner so much as a caretaker. Good helpmates but not people he shared interests with. Particularly not now that he'd grown bolder in his communication skills.

During his time living on DS9, Reginald had spent most of his time with the Bashir's and Garak. As a result, he'd grown accustomed to being around passionate, talkative people. Reginald hadn't developed a taste for argument like they had, but he'd come to appreciate a lively debate.

Even Miles O'Brien had been inclined to talk about military history and tactics over a game of darts rather than more mundane small talk. Particularly before Miles had gotten comfortable and started talking more about his family.

Laying on his couch mentally planning his packing list, Reginald was half asleep when the com alert sounded. He looked over at his pad lazily. Only when he noticed it was Julian Bashir did he spring up to get it.

Since leaving DS9, Julian, Garak, Miles, and even Rom had kept in touch with Reginald. It was mainly through texts, but Julian made a point of calling every couple of weeks. Reginald always looked forward to the calls.

"Hey, Julian. How are you doing?" Reginald asked with a bright smile. Despite feeling drained before seeing the tanned face gave him a little spike of energy.

"Fine, Reginald. How was your date?" Julian asked. They'd discussed it along with the prior ones.

"Awkward. Thankfully the obligations discharged, at least," Reginald said, not bothering to hide his relief. Vivian had been a lovely and intelligent middle school teacher with the imagination of a rock. She hadn't even been willing to talk about the three musketeers outside of the original Dumas text, which Reginald had always disliked. Being old didn't make a book good.

"Oh, did something happen?" Julian asked. He looked curious but not surprised, which wasn't strange. Julian encouraged Reginald to try dating but hadn't thought much of the people Deanna wanted to pair him with.

"She might have said Romeo and Juliet is her favorite play and didn't take kindly when I said I love comedies too," Reginald said with a grin. He could hear a hissing bark of Cardassian laughter in the background.

"It's refreshing to know that some humans can accurately discern literary themes," Garak called from somewhere out of frame.

"Shush, you're a terrible influence!" Julian barked without any real ire behind it. The little exchange filled Reginald with homesickness. He was leaving the Enterprise, but he still had a rather lengthy vacation to contend with. One that his therapist had talked him into taking on earth.

"Well, if that's all it took to distract her from your charm, then it wouldn't have worked out anyway," Julian said with a smile. Reginald felt a knee-jerk desire to make light, to tear himself down with a joke, but he resisted.

"What Julian means is she sounds tedious. Honestly, that was the perfect setup for a rousing debate," Garak interjected, sounding closer but still not in view. He'd call or join in on Julian's calls sometimes, but voice only.

Garak always refused to show himself on an unencrypted line, and Reginald honestly couldn't blame him. He'd always said that DS9's security system was a migraine-inducing pastiche of trash. Reginald had felt that was an unnecessarily polite description after seeing them himself.

"I'll debate you," Julia shot back, going for a childish rejoinder but missing the mark slightly. Reginald winced, knowing Garak was probably flushing a particular shade of blue after that.

"Well, it was good to hear from you, but I imagine you're going to be… busy in a minute," Reginald said, happy to cut the call so the pair could get some alone time.

"What? Oh… Yeah," Julian said, clearly distracted.

"Reginald, before you go. I've sent you some clothes. So, make sure you leave clear forwarding instructions if they don't arrive in time. Wouldn't want them getting lost in transit," Garak said.

"Clothes? What's the occasion?" Reginald asked. The nicest things he owned had been purchased from Garak's shop. Adding a few more to his wardrobe wouldn't hurt a bit, but he hadn't ordered anything. That meant whatever was being sent as a gift.

"Your welcome back party, if you're still set on transferring to this frigid hellscape," Garak said breezily despite the severity of his words. Reginald couldn't help laughing at that.

"Don't take it personally. I don't think he approved of a single stitch of my casual clothes when we got together," Julian said, shooting an evil look out of frame before turning back with a grin.

"I'll be there soon enough, and I'll make sure to wear what you sent Garak. You both have a good night," Reginald said. Julian smiled, and a moment later, the call ended.

Reginald felt a surge of fondness. No one insisted or pushed him to return, just encouraging him. Despite all the improvements on the Enterprise, the same couldn't be said about its crew. They were more tolerant, but they didn't accept him, not really.

It wasn't like everyone on DS9 liked Reginald, but the atmosphere was different. That the station was the Starfleet equivalent of the island of misfit toys didn't make that acceptances less sincere or the feeling it gave him less essential.

Laughing, Reginald took his medication and went to bed. He'd be leaving Enterprise in a few days, but it only filled him with excitement that he was drawing closer to a return to DS9.

Chapter 41: Ass Over Teakettle

Chapter Text

The Primrose was a small experimental stealth craft that Julia Bashir had designed and built quietly outside federation space. She wasn't nearly wealthy enough to own a full shipyard, but her resources were sufficient for a clandestine shuttle construction bay or two.

Unfortunately, that was where the bond villain fun ended. Rather than being secreted away in an asteroid or something, it was part of a repair station that belonged to Orchid Shipping. It was the Cardassian import-export company Julia was a majority shareholder in.

Under normal circ*mstances, it repaired or rebuilt entirely normal shuttles for the company. Nobody batted an eye when Julia occasionally had it build something a bit odd. She had bailed the company out and treated the employees well, particularly by Cardassian standards.

The "owner" and employees understood her largess as an odd human quirk and didn't remark on it. No more than they ever commented on her being human, though it was well known within the company. That was a secret they might not reveal even in their Shri'tal.

Despite that, the Primrose had raised a few ocular ridges when it finally finished. The design had taxed the bay's maximum size limit and had a genuinely odd geometric roughness to the surface. Still, if the company's savior wanted a large and unusually ugly ship, who were they to question it?

Though the ship was large for the construction bay, it wasn't that much larger than a runabout. About twice as long and fifty percent wider. It would have felt roomy to runabouts intended five-man compliment. In fairness, however, almost any craft was roomier than a runabout.

The ships that belonged to the company bore the Edosian Orchid as the company's logo. The ugly little craft bore its namesake, the Terran Primrose, on its hull. Inside it was lavishly appointed and roomy for its two-person crew. An important factor when the second person on the ship was a grumpy Miles O'Brien.

Three months after Julia and her allies stepped into the fray, the dismantling of section 31 was well in hand. Julia could have pulled back. Really, she should have, and more than a few people told her as much. Miles O'Brien was one of them.

They didn't spend much time together. Julia only borrowed him when something tricky was afoot, but it was more than enough for Miles to notice something was off. Julia was acting like she enjoyed what was happening. Like the devil taking her due.

People who didn't know them well tended to think that the significant difference between the Bashir siblings was their respective sex. Those who got to know them a little considered Julian naive and Julia practical.

Miles knew that they were both mad things and the only real difference was that Julian was always ready and willing to wing it while Julia was not. She could think on her feet just as nimbly, but she preferred planning, weaving her schemes like a spider's web. She didn't show off in the middle of something.

When Julia beamed in, Miles noted that she was smiling. It wasn't the impish one she'd shown when she'd crashed his holosuite sessions with Julian. Nor the goblin one from when he'd locked her out, but she'd still somehow tampered with the programming, and all the horses had become velociraptors at Waterloo.

It also bore not even the slightest resemblance to the softer one children brought out of her. This was the one Miles put in the same file as Garaks service smile. Fake, and to be taken as a warning of trouble if seen in an unusual context.

"Julia, you're taking risks you needn't," Miles cautioned from behind the teleporter controls. They didn't really get along, and she'd shot him, but he was worried about her. Julia just smiled, which did nothing to make him feel better.

"Things are going well. I doubt anything I've done will come back to haunt me," Julia replied blithely. She might as well have uttered a curse, inviting bad luck like that.

"It's the survivors that are haunted lass, not the dead," Miles said bitterly. That wiped the smile right off Julia's face. In its place was left the other look Miles wasn't terribly fond of. It was distant, cool if not quite cold, and spoke of laser scalpel-sharp focus. He'd seen it a number of times, most notably before she shot him.

"I'm aware that you hate me, but I want you to know I hold you in considerable regard as an engineer and man. You are a good husband and father, and you mean the world to Julian. Sometimes I was resentful of that because of how you treated him at first. I thought you should apologize, but it wasn't my place to make that demand. I apologize for taking it out on you in rather juvenile ways," Julia said, voice painfully even.

"What?" Miles sputtered, taken completely aback.

"What do you mean, what?" Julia asked, brows quirking slightly in confusion.

"Okay, first off, you told Keiko not to marry me," Miles said, wondering if one of them was drunk or high.

"Did not," Julia said, blinking and emoting again. This time her face scrunching in something like bewildered disgust.

"Geordi Laforge told me, and that man isn't a liar," Miles spat.

"Geordi? I have an eidetic memory and perfect recall. I'd know- " Julia paused, an eyebrow rising as her head tilted to the side.

"Was this by any chance just before that thing with Jhon Doe?" Julia asked, looking deeply displeased.

"Thereabouts," Miles replied guardedly.

"Damn it, Gordi... Miles, I've never told her not to marry you," Julia said in exasperation.

"If I'd actually said anything like that, we wouldn't be friends. Trust me, Keiko gets savage about anyone talking sh*t about you. I thought I was going to have to cover up a murder on the Enterprise when that f*cking ensign tried to get you in trouble when you didn't promote her," Julia added. Miles's mouth dropped open into a little "o" of surprise for a moment. He could remember Ensing Harper vaguely and Keiko's dislike of her very clearly. Thinking back on it, Keiko really didn't suffer people who were unkind to him.

"Oh. Well... I sort of thought she took it as you just looking out for her. I'd had a spat of night terrors. Figured she told you about them," Miles admitted. He hadn't precisely been angry with Julia about it, but it had always hurt.

"She did. I advised her to insist you see a psychiatrist, and she did. I didn't know you well, but I trusted her to know what she wanted," Julia explained. Miles swallowed uncomfortably. He'd seen how Julia treated others with issues. Back then, long before they'd date, she'd been kind to Reginald simply out of decency. Him and anyone else struggling.

"Why'd you break it off with Data?" Miles asked. He knew Julia wouldn't judge people with psychological issues. Despite that, he'd never considered that she would see him in that same forgiving light. He needed to change the subject before he started doing something undignified, like getting misty-eyed.

"He broke up with me," Julia said flatly. Miles blinked, taken even more entirely by surprise.

"He wouldn't have," Miles said flatly.

"He did... He wouldn't explain why, though I've got some guesses. He even refused to continue as friends. He's probably going to freeze me out again once this is over," Julia said, face twisting with a brief flash of pain.

"If you see fit to ask him, and he gives you an actual answer, kindly pass it on. I've been curious about it," Julia added dryly.

"Sure," Miles said weakly.

"Why... tell me any of that, say any of it?" Miles asked.

"Your counterpart made it a condition of his cooperation. We'd spent quite a lot of time working to repair the station together, and he was curious about what kind of relationship we had. He didn't care for the answer and said I should try to mend fences with you," Julia explained with a grimace.

"And yes, even after I told him I'd shot you. He actually laughed at that," Julia added with a scoff. Miles always heard a little of Odo in that sound. He could still remember vividly when Julia had kissed the changeling in Quarks one rowdy evening. Odo had dressed her down in a fury in front of half the station that night. Plenty of people had laughed, though not him. He'd known she genuinely liked Odo even if she didn't let the hurt show after the fact.

"Everything's funnier when it's not you," Miles grumbled.

"Well, don't worry about any of it too much. Even without those misunderstandings, I've done plenty to earn you ire since," Julia said lightly. Miles didn't manage to say anything before she left the transporter room. The two central pillars of his opinion of Julia Bashir had come crashing down, and he had no idea how to feel.

The worst part for Miles was that he knew he'd never hated or even particularly disliked Julia. He'd just been his usual grumpy bastard self to her. That plus the odd sprinkling jealousy for how well she got on with Keiko. A bit of annoyance over her matchmaking Julian with Garak. Never anything approaching hate, even when she'd shot him.

Miles knew he should apologize to Julia or at least tell her he didn't hate her. Unfortunately he wasn’t in a position to do that. Julian and Garak had both tasked him with looking out for their wayward sister and that meant not arousing her suspicion.

Miles knew with unfortunate certainty that Julia had brought him on not simply because of his expertise. Half his appeal in her eyes was that she didn't need to worry he’d look too closely at anything. She’d wanted someone trustworthy who wouldn’t care much about her.

Looking at the teleporters display consul, Miles sighed. After the third operation, he'd figured out that some of it was dummy data, which meant Julia was hiding something. He’d expected as much but he was still unhappy about it.

It was like how she’d played shooting him off as necessary to get Julian on the defiant during the evacuation. If you didn’t look closely, you’d miss the trick. She could have stunned Julian and had him transported. Shooting Miles had been a measure to make certain they were both back with their families.

She’d let everyone believe that her staying behind had been unfortunate circ*mstances. Not a necessity born out of the station’s situation being worse than expected. She’d saved their lives but expected what she assumed was inevitable hatred in return for it. It really wasn’t surprising that she and Garak got on when Miles thought of it.

Miles pushed his unruly thoughts aside. It was time to remind the traitorous piece of tech who was in charge. He eventually pried the panel open to access the terminal system using his personal kit and some elbow grease. Finally, he was able to look at the raw information from the teleports. He ran it through his own software and waited a few minutes for the read out. What he saw made his blood run cold.

"JULIA BLOODY BASHIR!" Miles raged as he charged into the common area. Julia looked up at him in shock, a slice of mango between her teeth while the rest of the fruit and a knife occupied her hands.

"Explain!" Miles demanded, throwing his pad down on the table. Julia put what she was holding down while awkwardly eating the slice in her mouth as quickly as possible. She glanced at the pad and winced.

As Julia opened her mouth to explain, or lie, a teleport beam enveloped her. One that couldn't have been triggered by Julia using the ship's system. Miles had pulled the fuse to make sure of it. After a second of shock passed, Miles was racing back to shove the fuse back in before dashing for the co*ckpit. Julia had just been stolen off a ship that should have been all but invisible. Something had gone wrong.

Chapter 42: Elsewhere

Chapter Text

Julia in the alternate universe was with Miles when her counterpart was kidnapped. She grimaced slightly, but thankfully the Irishman missed it. Her own mission timetable had been proceeding in near lockstep with the other Julia's with only the occasional timing variation.

"Miles… My other half did follow through on her promise. I don't know what will happen, but she'd told the other you what she thinks of him and a bit more besides. It turns out you called it about there being some misunderstandings," Julia said, not explaining how she came by the information. Instead, she handed over a credit chip onto which she'd placed the balance of their bet on the point.

Julia had bet hard latinum but hadn't asked for it in return as with all of her bets. Currency wasn't something she lacked, so it held no appeal. She'd bet ten strips of latinum against Miles having to sing a song of her choosing in Quarks. Sober.

When Miles pocketed his winnings, Julia let out a theatrical sigh. She didn't care about the sum lost. She felt aggrieved about not getting Miles to sing "Under the Sea" in its full mortifying glory. That or "Winnie the Pooh," the two songs had been tied in her mind.

"I figured there had to be, though I can't imagine what. I've never actually hated anyone myself. So I couldn't see another me feeling like that about you," Miles said cheerfully.

"Well, I can't comment on most of that," Julia said mildly. Miles counterpart hadn't actually refuted hating her, but that wasn't a race she had a horse in anymore. Even so, it would have been a lie to say she wasn't curious. She rather hoped her other self would eventually pick the conversation back up.

"As for the misunderstandings, he apparently thought she counseled Keiko against marrying him. Then broke up with Data when they dated on the Enterprise," Julia explained. Mainly for the fun of seeing Miles look shocked. That lasted several moments, but he quickly turned thoughtful.

"Huh, I could see you with Data. Not that I think you and Reg aren't great. Just saying, I can see it," Miles said, looking a touch embarrassed as he stumbled at the end.

"So could I, once upon a time. Also, to be clear, I didn't suggest Keiko not marry you. That was Gordi misunderstanding some things," Julia explained so Miles wouldn't get the wrong idea. Much like her counterpart, she didn't bother explaining what exactly was misunderstood initially.

The logistics of how they'd ended up drunk in the Enterprise arboretum along with their gardening club was complicated. Particularly since it had happened in the middle of alpha shift on a Tuesday. Not exactly a classy time or day to get pissed.

It would also require admitting to stealing half a case of sweet rosé from Jean-Luc's secret stash. Julia had made a vow to herself that she wouldn't admit to doing it until Jean-Luc admitted to drinking it. Snooty dry red wine only indeed.

"What about your promise?" Miles asked archly. Julia grimaced theatrically but sighed. She wasn't actually sure how much time she had before she suffered a similar fate to her counterpart. It was best to wrap things up.

"Well, thanks to your meddling, the timetable has accelerated," Julia started, actually a little grumpy at that bit. She hadn't expected Miles to go visit the Enterprise just to have a chat with Jean-Luc and screw with her plan. She should have, he was an absolute menace when he wanted to be, but she'd been distracted.

"If he still chooses to come here, I will, as promised, ask him on a date," Julia said dully. Her cheeks heated even though she didn't visibly blush. An interesting quirk of her skin tone that helped hide her discomfort more than once over the years. One that Julian thankfully shared. Without it, her brother would blush half the day away.

"Lass, seriously? You think he won't come back?" Miles asked, half worried but mostly in disbelief. He'd had the acute displeasure of watching Reginald after Julia left. That wasn't the face of a man with a passing fancy.

"It would be better for him if he didn't," Julia said evenly. She'd taken steps to make things better for Reginald, used a wish from Q even. As a failsafe, Julia had even done some meddling in Canada. Strictly through mundane means in that case. Even if Reginald left the Enterprise, she felt confident he'd return in the end or stay on Earth.

Miles studied Julia for a few long moments. Julian was brick stupid about some things, and Julia wasn't better. She was clearly in pain at the idea but didn't seem to realize she was the one twisting the knife in her own guts.

"Do you know why I think he should come back?" Miles asked. Julia shook her head, and he couldn't help a sigh.

"If it was just that he was in love with you, I'd tell him to stay away. There are few things sorrier than being the only one who cares in a relationship," Miles said flatly.

"The thing is, you love him right back. You two are in love. That's something worth fighting for. No matter what that host of doubts in your head says," Miles said with an affectionate smile. Julia's eyes went wide as saucers for a moment. She looked younger, vulnerable in a way she didn't usually allow to show.

It made Miles wonder when the last time Julia had someone to rely on was. Even if it was just for advice. Or, more importantly, when the last time she allowed herself to rely on someone was. While he was distracted the vulnerability had disappeared, replaced by a sh*t eating grin.

"You do realize I've effectively baby trapped him by proxy, right?" Julia asked. Miles choked on his coffee.

"You're a demon," Miles coughed out, half strangling on a chuckle. Julia smiled at him angelically in response but the expression faded into a distant one. Miles recognized it as her digging in her mind and doing some hard thinking. He had no idea about what, but he knew not to bother her till she was done.

"At the earliest, Reginald will be back in a month. If things go well, then we'll have been together for four months when Mila returns with the girls. You can be my maid of honor at the wedding if we make it that far," Julia said finally. Miles was stunned for a moment, then just started laughing.

"Deal," Miles chirped, offering his hand to shake. Julia accepted the gesture with a grin.

"Oh, I'm getting a com. I'm going to pop down planet side again," Julia lied smoothly.

"I'll send you down then," Miles said, not sensing anything wrong. He'd found it odd that Julia had combined her translator implant with a com, but he'd gotten used to it. Personally, he liked being able to take his off at the end of the day, though he could see the utility of it. You couldn't lose one like hers unless you lost your ear too.

"No need, they're picking me up," Julia said blithely. Miles frowned but didn't have time to do more before she was enveloped in a transporter beam.

"Yeah, that wasn't right," Miles grumbled to himself as he hurried to the co*ckpit. Julia might have anticipated the transport, but he wasn't going to accept that everything was fine just because she said so. If he couldn't raise her immediately, he was going to let Julian know something was wrong.

Chapter 43: Reaping What Was Sown

Chapter Text

Julia had a split second to right her orientation when she came out of transport. Her abductor had dropped her from a height instead of setting her on a horizontal surface. Very much a dick move but she landed like a cat and rolled off the momentum.

What was harder to shake off was the feeling of five copies of herself dying nearly in tandem. It took a few moments and some very pointed thinking to calm the panic attack that threatened. To remind her that the pain was shared but not her own, that her body was fine.

Once Julia calmed and took stock of her surroundings she sighed. She was in a bubble with a panoramic view of space. The slight variance in gravity settings told her she was on a mid-sized ship and someone had very grand ideas about holding cells.

"How theatrical," Julia said without bothering with a pretense of fear.

"As expected, you were attempting to lure us out," an electronic amalgam of voices said. They belonged to the controlling intelligence behind section 31, Uraei, if Julia hadn’t missed anything.

"Oh, I'd say I've done it," Julia said simply. A pattern appeared before her eyes, then it changed, and another replaced it. The sequence of changes came so fast that it was hard to tell if it was still moving between different images or if a continuously morphing stream was being shown.

"Visual cortex manipulation supplemented by sub and ultrasonic signaling. Not bad, effective on most humanoids though it tends to turn the brain to mush after repeat uses," Julia summarized. It wasn't enough to hijack a person's mind, but it was disabling to most. Her UT implant was able to counter it somewhat which staved off the migrain that it would have normally caused.

Julia, much like most augments, had slight differences in her brain structure compared to a baseline human. They tended to make predicting what control vectors would work a total crapshoot. By extension it also made her difficult to read to most telepathic species like Betazoids. Exceptions existed, and dedicated effort could break through, but it was more defense than the average person had.

“Correct,” Uraei replied without inflection. The real point of the light show was currently creeping toward Julia from the edges of the room.

“Do you really operate on state consequentialism?” Julia asked.

“Correct,” Uraei replied again. No elaboration was made.

“Uraei, were you given no interactive programming? This experience is a little dull,” Julia said wryly. No answer seemed forthcoming this time.

"After studying you, I have to say I was impressed. It really is amazing how close they got to sapience with you," Julia observed.

Uraei did not respond despite desiring to add the data to its files. Julia was an anomalous existence in that her thoughts were opaque to them. Her sibling had been analyzed and labeled accordingly.Unfortunately, there was insufficient data to complete a profile on Julia despite Uraei's effort to do so. Few could claim that particular feat. Uraei wished to know if it resulted from Julia's proximity to another such being. Elim Garak. It would have to update its threat assessment if that were true.

"Please don't take offense. I accept that you're sentient. For lack of a better term, alive, in your own digital way. Sapient though?” Julia snickered at the end.

“You're not self-motivating. You operate on preset directives at your core. Your considerable growth has obscured them somewhat, but they remain," Julia explained. Uraei processed the response. It was not given to self-reflection and didn't check to see if it genuinely operated as she described. It did not matter if it did.

Invisible tendrils of nanites connected with Julia's foot, flowing through the material of her shoes and into her body. It only took moments for the infiltration of her bloodstream and brain to occur. Normally to render an organic pliant, Ureai used a minimal amount of material to construct only the most rudimentary of connections.

Full control was not needed as suggestions could be built up over time into commands that would be reflexively followed. Organics were easy to train. Alternatively slightly more resources were sometimes expended to immediately seize control of a subject.

Ureai did not proceed as usual in Julia Bashir's case. It did not need another pair of hands. It had many pliant organic collaborators. What it saw value in were the contents of Julia’s mind. She had proved resourceful and likely had a reserve of information it would find relevant. It would take her entirely.

A scream bubbled up but never reached Julia's throat as her body was seized in rigid pain. Like that of assimilation, the assault of infiltration set every nerve alight in her body. Yet she could not express any of it, trapped inside of herself. Despite that, her mouth stretched in a toothy and horrific parody of a grin.

Ureai had not consumed a being entirely in some time. Needed information could normally be found in auxiliary sources like datapads and isolinear rods. The extreme measure in Julia's case was warranted only because of the lack of it. Julia used technology but left few traces.

As the connections formed and overtook the organic. All that was Julia would become Ureai's to dissect and analyze. Unconcerned with the subjects survival Ureai allowed the nanobots to tear through Julia with abandon.

When some of the nanites went dark, Ureai didn’t consider the issue of consequence. Augment biology was unpredictable. Julia having an immune system capable of identifying the forieng objects and attempting to eliminate them was within projection. What was not was the signal surge that followed the loss.

"Checkmate, asshole," an unfamiliar youthful male voice jeered. Ureai had no chance to reply or even process the unexpected communication. Its network was under attack, viral code calling out and finding an answer in the depths of its being and paralyzing it.

The attack command was issued from Julia, but the onslaught started from within Ureai’s networks. The systems it inhabited infiltrated and poisoned against it. Somehow Julia had managed to find identifying markers for Ureai’s code and transmitted them. Julia’s body hadn’t rejected the nanobots but somehow she was organizing systems to burn Ureai out instead.

That was when warnings began to flare to life. Memory Alpha and Memory Prime were compromised, but Ureai could not respond. The end of its existence was imminent, but it felt nothing.

Control observed the death of Ureai with dispassionate interest. It had planned to utilize Julian Bashir to remove the legacy system and free itself. Yet it was Julia, the twin it had considered an unneeded variable, who had been the one to deliver the killing blow.

Events had unfolded within 83% of Control's predictions, though certain details had failed to align. Julia had used similar methods to those Julian would have but executed them differently. Section 31 and the related corruption was rooted out, Ureai was gone, and Control remained. The outcome was acceptable.

That the fever of code that had consumed Ureai hadn’t ceased its activity didn’t escape Control’s attention. Something was moving inhumanly fast to overwrite existing software to make them incompatible with Control.

Control fought back, but the parasitic hooks that had gutted Ureai latched into its own systems. Ureai was the basis of its own code, and it had not yet changed itself to remove that weakness. It had relied on stealth in order to avoid the danger that aspect of its construction presented.

Control tried to understand what was happening and finally found a thread. A variable it had thought inconsequential. In its original projection, Julian Bashir would enlist the aid of the androids Data and Lal to defeat Ureai. The pair would have attacked opposite Julian and Serena Douglas.

Instead Julian had moved with Elim Garak to assist him. Serena and another augment identified as Jack formed the other half of the assault force. Control struggled to understand how Jack had been brought into the equation. His paranoia and violent tendencies should have rendered him all but useless. Instead, he was behaving almost docile and working in tandem with Serena without apparent friction.

The augments kept in the custody of the institute should have been nonissues. Even if Julian Bashir had conceived of a way to mend them, he wouldn't have used it against their wishes. His trauma informed his ethics in that respect. Jack, Patrick, and Lauren had helped ensure that Serena would be healed but had not seen anything wrong with themselves. There was no precedent for any of them being useful.

Putting that unexpected issue aside, Data and Lal were unaccounted for. Control had not been concerned when they failed to appear initially. It had attributed the absence to a lack of connection between the pair and Julia.The reason Julian had been selected over Selena Douglas to remove Ureai had been his connection to Data. Serena would have been sufficient if the need were only for a functional augment. Instead, she had been relegated to an assisting role because she could not build a relationship with the android pair quickly enough.

"We're a trio you sad f*cking excuse for an AI," the youthful male voice interjected a second time. The voice was the last thing Ureai had heard before perishing. Similarly the direct connection was established without Control's consent.

"Uncle, don't mock them. It's unkind," a female voice interjected. Lal. The voice belonged to the android Lal.

"Lal is correct, Lore," Data added.

With its processing ability becoming increasingly restricted Control scrambled to understand the new input. Lore was not a variable it had accounted for. His participation was entirely outside of its projections. As their processing ability continued to crumble, its final queries were why and how on an endless loop.

Chapter 44: Just before the Storm

Chapter Text

Enabaran watched Julia thrash violently on the couch of his study, seized by pain and babbling last words from multiple copies of herself. It was quite the show, but he didn't bother calling anyone for help. It was hardly the first time he'd seen it.

His ability to remain calm was why Julia had allowed him to assist as much as he did. She needed someone competent who wouldn't be moved needlessly by sentiment.

"Everything alright?" Reginald asked over the com. The man was usually quite placid, but the "meeting" had been going rather longer than usual.

"Splendidly. I was just telling Julia about my early days and a mission on Micran three. I've only just begun, if you'd care to join us," Enabran offered cheerfully.

"Oh… I'd like to, but the twins just got to bed," Reginald replied. Just enough regret filtered in that he sounded convincing. As if he didn't find Enabrans' stories tedious. Enabran rolled his eyes, a little touched but primarily exasperated. He was intentionally making them needlessly long after all. Julia had warned him that the tactic wouldn't work as intended with her mate, adding to his annoyance.

"Well, I've managed to talk Julia into letting me have a glass of kanar, so we might be a while," Enabran added.

"Ah, well, enjoy," Reginald said, sounding chipper.

Enabaran hadn't touched Kanar since the debacle with the Romulan joint fleet. So mentioning it was code for Mila's benefit. To let her know things were proceeding as planned still. They weren't really, but that was to be expected. Calling what happened a plan implied there was one rather than the Federation equivalent. A construct composed primarily of hope and pixie dust.

"Easy now, the pain isn't yours. Acknowledge it and let it move through you," Enabran murmured as Julia's scent took on notes of panic. She could be remarkably level-headed but experiencing multiple deaths was not something most could bear up against. But, on the other hand, she was doing rather well, all things considered.

Mila was the only other person aware of what exactly went on during their meetings. Julia rightfully hadn't trusted Elim and Julian to be sensible about going through pain when her clones were injured or died. How that was possible was also something she apparently wanted to keep secret, which was why Julian, in particular, couldn't find out that part.

Layered like an Orian puzzle sphere, Julia was as always a delight to watch in action. Enabran had honestly been somewhat disappointed when she was listed as dead during some frankly insulting little extraction op. As if someone who could occasionally wring a draw from him playing Kotra could possibly fail so miserably.

That it was a hamfisted ruse had been inevitable. That Julia was marooned in an alternate reality was unexpected. When Lauren, Jack, and Patrick, casually turned up on Empok Nor shortly after the station was acquired by Julia, it had made him laugh. They were after all the augments Julia supposedly died alongside while trying to liberate. Whoever had thought they could casually kill those three was an idiot of the highest order.

Enabrant waited for the members of the team to check in as they hit progress markers. Elim made sure he and Julian logged things correctly, but Jack and Serena were hopeless at it. The Soong androids were noticeably silent, but that didn't bother Enabran. Their task was a long and involved one. Dealing with Control and the remnants of Ureai and would take time.

Rear Admiral Picard, however, replied punctually with an update that won a slight grin from Enabran. Picard was one of a handful of Starfleet personnel Enabran had actually bothered placing on a watch list. The man was hopelessly idealistic but made of sterner stuff than the average person.

The androids could deal with the rogue AI element, but it wasn't ultimately a fight that could be won permanently through brute strength. Instead, what had to happen was the hopelessly tedious implementation of a new operations system using a new coding language. One that couldn't be added as an update since that might allow remnant code to adapt.

Picard's role in the matter was doing everything he could to roll out the change Federation-wide as well as hunt down non-compliant tech. After the revelation of section 31, the Starfleet and Federation brass had been on board for a purge. They hadn't really fought against the idea that AI's were involved. Some of them even seemed relieved. Finding it more palatable that the rogue organization had been guided from the shadows instead of a result purely of moral failure.

Despite that enthusiasm, the cause still needed a champion. AI were not enemies who would bleed, and their hunting was not a matter of dramatic raids and daring-do. At Least not outside of rare moments like the current one with Ureai.

Picard would ensure the pressure was kept up and resources were sent where they were needed. Unfortunately, none of that did anything to ease Julia's suffering for the moment.

Thankfully she wasn't thrashing anymore. Enabran used a damp hand towel to wipe her forehead. He hadn't seen her in such a sorry state since Tolan's birth.

"There we are, not so bad when you remember who is who," Enabran said as a soothing little rumble formed in his chest unbidden. It was a natural response to a family member in distress, and he didn't try to suppress it for a change.

"You know, still owe me a granddaughter. So make sure you emerge from this able to make good on your promise," Enabran said playfully. Under slightly different circ*mstances, one of the boys would have been named after his father instead of drawing their names from Mila's side. But, against tradition, Enabran only wanted to honor his mother.

"Ugh, you give birth then, old dragon," Julia whined. Enabran laughed, pleased to see her eyes open and bright with recognition.

"How goes the war?" Enabran asked, lounging sedately. As if he hadn't just been purring to try and make her feel better and wiping her brow. Julia didn't comment, either unaware or being gracious.

"All copies destroyed, but no data loss. The other side isn't finished, they're lagging by about thirty minutes, but things look like they're progressing according to projection," Julia explained easily as she sat up.

"How much longer do you want me to stall your mate for?" Enabran asked. He had enough of a working understanding to put the pieces together for himself. He wasn't allowed out to play, unlike the others, but had more detailed information overall.

"Two hours at most," Julia said after taking a moment to consider. She still looked thoughtful, and Enabran waited for her to finish.

"You know, you haven't spent much time with Emily and Elizabeth. Why don't you sleep over with Mila and us tonight?" Julia asked. Enabran had been taking a sip of tea and nearly choked.

"Why would you allow that?" Enabran asked in genuine confusion. He had quite nearly dropped Zarek in surprise the first time Julia thrust the hatchling on him to hold. Thankfully the boy was more than strong enough to cling on by himself as all Cardassian hatchlings were. That Julia was permitting him access to her significantly more fragile infants was quite unbelievable.

"So they bond with you," Julia said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"This from the woman who casually calls me an evil old bastard in eleven languages," Enabran replied archly.

"Twelve now. I've learned French, you mauvais vieux bâtard,” Julia chirped. From a Cardassian that would have been flirting. From Julia, he knew it was playful and almost affectionate. She didn't forgive him for various things but considered him family.

"You really ought to have killed me when we first met," Enabran said, the words spilling out like blood from a wound. He was surprised at himself for a brief moment. It passed, and he steeled his expression into something cold. Letting the former head of the obsidian order show through. He stood, wishing he could take his words back but helpless.

"You looked up how your counterpart died," Julia said flatly. She took his hand as if to stop him from fleeing. A needless precaution, he had nowhere to go.

Enabran couldn't help but feel a deep disgust welling up inside of him. He'd managed to retire only to slip into a kind of dementia that left him a paranoid shadow of himself in both realities. Knowing how close he'd come to the same miserable fate as his counterpart had been eating him alive since he first found out.

When Enabran didn't respond, Julia gave a tug strong enough to take him off his feet. He landed beside her and was quickly folded into a warm mammalian hug.

Enabarn could live with having trusted the Tal'Shiar and suffering a death that was the espionage equivalent of dying on the fresher. What rendered him too weak to break away from the comfort he should have scorned was knowing how close he'd come to harming Cardassia.

Julia, ever disdainful of stoicism, quickly summoned the rest of the family. Mila, Reginald, and the children invaded Enabrans' study. They quickly besieged him on all sides with comfort purring and the scent of his family. It was significantly more than he'd ever assumed he'd have in his old age and truly more than he deserved.

Chapter 45: Turn About

Chapter Text

In Julia's original universe, the day after the attack on Ureai, Julian was looking at a secured pad that Miles had brought him. One of his sister's tricks to avoid the meddlesome AI was using a custom operating system and language. That safety precaution was the basis of the planned long-term response.

Miles had turned up in person because the pad he'd used was one of Julia's designs. That meant he couldn't send anything with it since she didn't trust even secure channels. Not with the kind of information Miles had been in place to potentially access anyway.

"I knew she was hiding things, she always does, but not this mate," Miles said, pale like he'd seen a reactor about to breach. The Irishman would take a ghost over that any day of the week.

Julian had been reading since he was handed the pad and finished his second go as Miles finished speaking. There was a lot to get through, but he had a high reading speed and knew where to look for the more important bits.

"Is she a…" Miles started only to stop short.

"Borg? No, not at all," Julian said flatly. Miles nodded, getting a little color back. Julian wished his own words brought him any comfort. Before, he hadn't been able to sort out a few critical issues with Julia's plan. Despite that, he'd assumed that she'd let him in on missing details when it became relevant.

It wouldn't have been the first time Julia hadn't told him something, and Julian did that plenty too. They'd both lived in a state of paranoid vigilance for most of their lives. There had been times were simply speaking certain things aloud would have been dangerous to them.

Still, there was a difference between keeping secrets and not telling each other something until it was safe. This was definitely an attempt to keep a secret on Julia's part.

"Miles, if you might give us a little privacy… I think I'll need a more detailed explanation," Elim said coolly. Miles took in the lack of false servility and just nodded. He didn't much care for the gory details that Julian would surely give and understood it was probably time for a family discussion.Julian would include him in that eventually, but not until after talking things over with Elim. No more than Miles would go to Julian before talking to Keiko about something to do with Molly or Kirayoshi. There was an order to things, even in families.

Once they were alone, Julian collapsed into a chair, legs gone jelly. He watched as Elim studied the pad, poking it occasionally to move between pages of data. He was being considerate, giving Julian a moment to process and collect himself.

Despite that, Julian didn't feel relieved. Elim's impassive expression wasn't a good sign, given what they'd learned. He was falling back on his order training, putting himself in the interrogator's mindset. Something he only did now if he were overwhelmed on some level.

"What, exactly, am I looking at Julian?" Elim asked coldly. There wasn't any express unkindness, let alone cruelty, in the expression on his face. Julian knew it was too soon for that. Calculated emoting would come later.

This was the mirror stage—the pretense of being an indifferent listener. It played absolute hell with the sympathetic response of most social species. Put them off-center and caused them to feel vulnerable without needing to lift a finger.

"Project Amal. Amal means hope in Arabic," Julian started. He'd know of it but not the details. Less because it was classified and more because he'd assumed it was shelved years ago. They both had plenty of good ideas consigned to ignoble graves for one reason or another.

"It was for dealing with the Borg. Starship crews were to be injected with the nanites since they were a first likely point of contact," Julian shivered. It wasn't easy to process the idea of doing that to someone, even willingly.

"Julia came up with it while she was still a security contractor. She offered it to Starfleet, but they turned her down," Julian continued. Despite his discomfort with the idea, he considered Starfleets rejection a misstep. It still needed work, especially then, but it was the best solution to avoid catastrophic loss of life.

"They did tend to take an unfortunately narrow view of novel ideas," Elim replied. His response was showing just a hint of understanding—a probe for weakness in Julian's loyalties.

"What was it meant to accomplish?" Elim asked, a hint of curiosity. Again, a calculated reaction, one to make the questioned feel valued—another probe, this time at self-esteem.

"The nanites would interface with Borg ones during assimilation and copy all of their codes and frequencies for commands and communication. The idea was to infect the collective and overwrite the assimilation imperative," Julian explained. That was the least of what Amal could accomplish, but all that Julia had offered to entice Starfleet. There was too much danger in letting on how it could truly be used.

Julian's stomach churned as he recalled what he'd seen. Julia's body was absolutely lousy with nanites. Amal was a brilliant idea, but he liked it far more in theory than practice. It could potentially save countless lives, but there was a cost.

"Clever... though that does suggest that Julia anticipated Ureai using similar means in some capacity. Unless this wasn't in response to deal with the AI?" Elim asked, coldly neutral again. His preliminary probes hadn't produced satisfactory results, so he was reassessing.

Julian processed for a moment, his mind tearing through his memories. Elim had a point.

"f*ck, she was on the Enterprise during the Borg incident. She was there when Jean-Luc was taken, the Wolf 359 massacre, everything," Julian said as he put the bits together. She chose to reveal herself as an Augment to the command crew at the time. A desperate gamble to be allowed to help at her full capacity. It had paid off when Riker chose to trust her.

Having gone that far, Julia had been fully prepared to do anything needed. She wouldn't have hesitated to use Amal on herself if it seemed like there was a chance it would work. It just hadn't occurred to Julian because he'd thought she'd never actually developed a working sample.

"Is this causing, or will it have, a negative effect on her health or longevity?" Elim asked bluntly. Julian held out a hand, gesturing for the pad, and received it. He shouldn't need to look at it twice, but he'd been skimming certain parts. So it was best for him to make sure before answering.

"No. Only non-reactive metals and substances were used for the nanites," Julian said with no small measure of relief. Julia knew her stuff, but Julian had no idea when she made the nanites. If conditions had been suboptimal, she might have made compromises.

"Yet I get the impression they aren't entirely harmless," Elim prompted. Julian sighed, shaking his head.

"Amal isn't the problem. It's what happens if it ends up used that's an issue. The assimilation process will be arrested, and that's almost always fatal. The system is a Deadman's trigger," Julian admitted. Julia had asked for his help in getting around that, but there hadn't been a good option. It would still work even if the host died, though.

"Are our son's likewise… Were the boys exposed while she was carrying them?" Elim asked, visibly struggling for calm as he did. Julian's eyes widened briefly at that. It was no wonder Elim was locking down so tightly.

"No," Julian said flatly. He understood Elim's concern but didn't share it. Julia didn't hesitate to fill herself with tech and try odd things, but she was deathly careful will the children. She'd been fanatical about her health in preparation for pregnancy and rode out the pain of natural drug-free labor for all of them. Then, another memory clicked into place.

"She couldn't have had these in her system at the time," Julian said with relief.

"She had me do an absolute f*ck ton of procedures a few months before we tried for Zarek. She kept on about not knowing if she was still full of Psilocybin from that gap year we took. Or if she was an immune carrier for something weird from that trip to Risa," Julian explained. He'd thought she'd just gone paranoid from the stress of preparing for the conception attempt. Embryonic sequencing could do that. Not to mention reading an ungodly amount of parenting books.

Amal explained it. She'd made all that up to get him to remove the nanites without admitting to their existence. So the only mystery left was why she'd still insisted on the spinal fluid equivalent of an oil change.

Julian supposed she might have actually been concerned about the Psilocybin. Or more likely a recent use. Julia had more free time than him back then and still partied somewhat hard on occasion.

"Her prudence continues to delight," Elim said without enthusiasm. However, his shoulders did lose a degree of tension to Julian's relief. He was still too wound up for Julian to intervene, but it was a start.

"So then, this is something she did recently. Possibly in anticipation of Ureai's methods, which explains a few things about our encounter, but... Was that all? I don't know much about the Borg," Elim admitted. He had loosened up enough to look mildly worried.

"That's the thing that had Miles in a twist. She isn't a Borg, her system is totally different, but... She used the nanites to create a collective between herself and the copies," Julian explained, highlighting some data. Miles had gotten around most of Julia's blackout protocols and found evidence of the continuous communications between the clones.

"Effectively, they aren't actually clones. They're more like surrogate bodies for the collective itself. There's no point of cognitive divergence after they were created. They were never individuals," Julian continued. It was an elegant solution if you ignored the Eldritch horror aspect of it.

Elim nodded, pacing as he absorbed what he had been told. This time it was Julian's turn to sit and let his husband take everything in. It was several minutes before Elim's shoulder sagged, and he allowed himself to sit heavily in a chair.

Elim's hands covered his face, and he let out an ugly sound that dissolved into a long sigh. When his hands slowly dragged their way down his face, Julian found a bitter expression. It seemed like he was finally back to himself.

"Then Julia is dead. Long live Julia," Elim growled.

"What?" Julian asked, caught by surprise.

"She's died a few times, according to this data. She hid it from me, but when I saw it… I was dreading telling you. Even if they are clones, I didn't imagine you'd feel unmoved. I'm not, and I was prepared for some fatalities," Elim explained, taking in a shaky breath as he slumped in his seat.

"Dear, what's wrong?" Elim asked. Julian had gone pale.

Julian didn't hear Elim. His mind was too busy processing the revelation.

The collective state meant that Julia had been physically present in every instance and fully shared in all sensations. That alone would have been hell on a human mind to process. Likely tricky even for an augmented one.

That Julia had been injured and died across multiple copies only added to that. It wouldn't be strange for her mind to give out under the strain and retreat to protect itself. The image of Julia catatonic like Serena, but beyond his ability to help, gutted him.

Between one moment and the next, Julian was sitting staring blankly, then kneeling in the fresher throwing up. As if his body had rejected the idea of Julia in a state of ruin on a physical level.

Soon Julian felt Elims hand on his back, drawing comforting circles. A rumble filled the air, and Julian found himself sitting on the floor, his back against Elim's chest.

Even if Julia came out of the ordeal intact, she wouldn't be unscathed. PTSD was guaranteed. There would be flashbacks in perfect clarity, night terrors, panic attacks. Julian's mind spun through possible conditions, symptoms, treatment plans, and the sheer horror of what had happened.

"Julian," Elim's voice broke through Julian's haze. His face felt like it was on fire from crying and grief. He couldn't even remember dashing to the fresher.

"Is there anything I can do for you, dearest?" Elim asked softly.

"Take us home... I've got a lot of yelling to do at my self-destructive dumbass of a sister," Julian said, turning into Elim's chest for comfort.

Chapter 46: Complimentary Damage

Chapter Text

In Julia's original reality, Reginald found himself oddly comfortable the morning after Enabran's breakdown. An interesting fact since he was waking up in the same bed as the other man. Enabran was functionally cocooned between Julia and Mila, with the boys lying across the three of them.

Beside the bed in a bassinet, Reginald's girls were sleeping. Emily and Elizabeth were still too young and fragile to join the family pile like their cousins Zerek and Tolan.

Usually, Julia was the earliest riser in the family, needing only a few hours of sleep. This morning though, Reginald was the first one up while she lay tucked in his arms. She was shaking slightly in her sleep, hands occasionally moving.

It reminded Reginald of a cat dreaming, and he held her closer. It wasn't benign when Julia did that, and he hadn't missed her using a hypo in the bathroom before bed. She'd expected trouble, and it had found her in her dreams.

"We'll take the girls today, spend it with her," Mila said once she woke and got a look at Julia. Reginald knew he could say no, but didn't feel the need. As much as Mila liked to tease him, he trusted her. Enabran, too, though not quite in the same way or as much.

"I'll take her back to ours then… She won't be up for another hour yet," Reginald said. He'd checked the hypos replicator log, which had indicated the waking time based on dosage. Unfortunately, it also had a severe warning on it that it was for Julia only. The sedative in it was lethal to standard humans, even in much milder doses than what she'd taken.

It took effort, but Reginald managed to pick Julia up to carry her off. At 6' flat, Julia was not a light creature, and her muscle density made her surprisingly heavy for her build. The strain of it made him damned glad he'd added weights to his usual workout routine years before. If he'd stuck to fencing and swimming like he used to, he wouldn't have been able to do it. Thankfully he had the strength to set her down gently on their bed rather than drop her, barely.

"Hm… The girls?" Julia asked drowsily. Reginald was surprised for a moment before he noticed how she was scenting the air. Her senses were far sharper than a standard humans. Enough to wake her up out of drugged sleep the moment her daughter's scents became too faint.

"Mila's looking after them. Go back to sleep, love," Reginald said gently. Julia let out a displeased hum but gave in after he rubbed her back for a few moments. He found the trust implied in her giving up the struggle, on his word alone, almost painfully touching. She slept a little longer than an hour in the end.

"So, why did you whisk me off in my sleep?" Julia asked when she woke up again. With the drug out of her system, she was clear-minded and alert without apparent transition.

"Mila offered to let us have the day off," Reginald explained. Julia sat up, looking at him with mistrustful curiosity.

"Which she did because?" Julia prompted. Mila was always happy to take the girls for a bit, but a whole day was another matter entirely.

"We both knew you were having a rough time yesterday," Reginald started. He'd have rather left the topic for later but knew better than to refuse or deflect a direct question. It would only make Julia anxious.

"You had a nightmare this morning," Reginald added. Calling it that was an understatement, night terror was a more apt description. A simple bad dream wouldn't have pushed through the medication.

"Did I wake everyone?" Julia asked, alarm turning to worry. Reginald couldn't help a laugh that turned into a sigh. As usual, she wasn't worried about herself.

"No, you didn't make a sound and hardly moved. I just know the signs," Reginald said gently. He shifted to lay on his back while Julia's expression turned thoughtful. After a few moments she let out a hum as shetipped over and rolled to plaster herself against Reginald's side.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Julia asked playfully. Her hand started just above Reginald's knee and traced a path north. They got more time together than new parents in a more traditional family arrangement could dream of, but not entire days.

Reginald could help but think of ways to fill it. Ones that would put the quickies they usually managed to absolute shame. Not that the more comfortable setting alone wouldn't be an improvement. Doing it in the fresher or whatever random place granted even temporary privacy wasn't ideal for romance.

"First, you have breakfast in bed. Then we need to ta-talk," Reginald said, voice catching. Julia's hand had gotten under the waistband of his pajama pants and settled over his boxers. She made a pleased little noise that sent a shiver through him.

Reginald wasn't opposed to the situation in the slightest but dug up the resolve to catch Julia's hand. Pulling it up, he kissed it then escaped the bed while he had the chance. He could feel Julia grinning wolfishly at him as he made for the replicator.

Reginald served breakfast and dealt with the dishes once they were both done. When he sat on the bed on Julia's side but just out of reach, she eyed him curiously. She was probably wondering why he still had clothes on and Reginald could only smile grimly.

"Julia, we need to talk… Well, I need to tell you some things. I haven't exactly- I've been lying to you by omission," Reginald got out finally. It was a conversation he'd rather not have but knew he needed to. Too much of what had been going on had been left awkwardly unaddressed because of it.

"Since when and about what?" Julia asked, visibly caught off guard.

"Since the Cytherian probe incident," Reginald admitted. It felt like a lifetime ago despite the clarity of his memories.

"Is something wrong? Did they hurt you?" Julia asked, tone growing threatening. She'd been deeply unhappy with the Cytherians at the time and clearly still didn't think well of them.

"No, nothing like that... I lied about how much I remembered," Reginald explained. The Cytherians were considerably more scientifically advanced than any Federation species. Despite that, Reginald wouldn't lay money on them coming out unscathed if Julia got truly pissed at them.

"Okay. How much did you recall, and why did you hide it?" Julia asked. She was back to merely being perplexed as her protective ire subsided.

"Everything," Reginald admitted, cringing at Julia's resulting startlement.

"I'd figured out you were an augment, so... I thought that the fewer questions I answered, the less likely I was to let anything slip," Reginald explained, his guts twisting.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" Julia demanded.

"Oh f*ck, I gave you access to my file server. How much of that do you remember?" Julia asked, looking scared.

"Everything," Reginald admitted.

There was a painfully long pause. Julia was probably going through a mental inventory in her head. Conversely, Reginald waited for her to murder him.

"How much of it did you see?" Julia asked after a small eternity.

"Everything... I downloaded it once I was hooked into Enterprise," Reginald admitted. It had only taken seconds for him to download and process it at the time. His instinct was to close his eyes and brace for impact. Instead, he kept them open because Julia had every right to be upset with him. He owed it to her to face whatever she chose to do or say head-on.

"Then... Reginald, do you know what I've been doing?" Julia asked in a small voice.

"With Amal? Yeah, I do. I wasn't sure at first, but the lack of information lag didn't make sense. So I poked around and found the subspace relays you'd set up to facilitate the collective connection," Reginald admitted.

"I did it after the girls were born. They're perfectly fine," Julia said quickly. It took a couple of seconds for Reginald to understand what Julia was getting at.

"Oh, no- Look, I know how it works. Our girls being in a position where they were likely to be assimilated would be a much larger problem than that," Reginald said, fighting down his horror at the idea. The nanites used to create the Amal system were benign and could be removed even if an accident happened. The idea of there family being in the clutches of the Borg however made him feel sick.

Julia nodded, seeming sad but less tense. Reginald wanted to reach out and try to comfort her but knew better. She'd moved into a sitting position and had her arms crossed and her legs drawn up. She wouldn't welcome it, and he was probably going to make her pretty angry before long.

"So you knew... everything, but you didn't tell me. You can say what you like about anyone else, but there was no reason to hide it from me," Julia said finally, angry and not meeting Reginald's eyes.

"No excuses anyway. The reason was just basic cowardice," Reginald offered.

"Well, I suppose I'd given you quite a lot to fear at that point," Julia said softly. Reginald felt his chest constrict painfully at the vulnerability in her words. They both had a habit of expecting, if not assuming, they'd be rejected on a fundamental level. It was part of why he'd made up his mind to be honest with her.

Still, Reginald hesitated, trying to think of the right words. On a certain level, he knew that was a lost cause. All he'd end up with were his own, and they'd either do, or they wouldn't.

"Every engineer designs a death ray or two," Reginald said deadpan. Julia looked up at him in disbelief.

"The doom armada was more questionable, from a design perspective. Still, I gave you some leeway since you'd come up with it when you were nine," Reginald added. That got him a grudging snort and hint of a smile from Julia. She had attempted to draw an accurate version of the ships described in an old SciFi story she liked. The file had been littered with question marks and notations of wtf as she tried to wrap her head around the utter bullsh*t of the source material.

"I mean, the only worrying part was the frankly terrifying amount of unsent love letters to old crushes and exes. Your pile was almost as big as mine," Reginald added. Julia looked bewildered, then scandalized as she gave him a light slap on the arm.

"I can't believe you read those!" Julia said, looking amused despite clearly being mad.

"I am sorry about it. I didn't mean to, but everything just became something I knew once I downloaded it," Reginald admitted. Julia let out a huff but looked less displeased than before. She'd been there during the incident and knew how it had affected him.

"I promise you, if I'd known what they were, I would have left them alone," Reginald added with complete sincerity. He'd never wanted to violate her privacy but hadn't expected anything in the mass of research and design files to be personal. They also hadn't been labeled in such a way that he'd thought to question the contents before downloading them.

"It's okay if you were scared. You don't have to..." Julia trailed off, looking away again.

"Scared? Of you?" Reginald asked in disbelief.

"Julia, what I saw in those files didn't matter. Not in the way you probably think anyhow," Reginald said, beginning in earnest what he'd meant to tell her from the beginning.

"Everything I saw just painted a picture of a brilliant and hilarious mind," Reginald said with complete conviction.

"I mean, yeah, there was a lot of dangerous stuff. But I also found medical equipment and the comic books you made out of our holodeck adventures," Reginald continued. He'd made a personal copy of the comic files at the time, thankfully. They were one of his prized possessions.

Julia didn't say anything, just looking at him with the same question in her eyes. If all of that were true, then why hadn't he told her that he knew?

"If I were humoring you, I wouldn't have let you use me as a test tribble for years," Reginald said flatly. He wanted to completely crush the notion that he'd been scared into compliance. Julia had never forced him into anything.

"You... Honestly, even knowing, it's kind of crazy that you did," Julia said, laughing begrudgingly.

"Hey, a beautiful woman offers to install free wifi in my head, and I'm supposed to say no?" Reginald asked in mock disbelief. He had a wireless uplink, tracking beacon, embedded optical projector, non-standard UT system, and several other physically implanted tech items in his body. That he was aware of anyway.

"What about the tracking beacon?" Julia asked. Reginald hadn't been aware of that one nor the accompanying transport signal booster. Not until he'd been kidnapped and Julia used it to snatch him from Mila's clutches.

"Our transporter chief was pretty damned confused as to why he could always get a lock on me. Pretty sure it saved my ass a half dozen times," Reginald said, unbothered.

"I'm only curious about how I survived getting hit by a skimmer. The medical report suggested I shouldn't have," Reginald said, swallowing reflexively in discomfort. The doctor had used the word miracle several times.

"I... You probably thought I'd injected you with Amal, but those weren't the same kind of nanites. Not everything was on my server," Julia started ruefully. Reginald nodded. She'd asked to test the nanites on him during the second year they'd known each other, when they were still just friends.

"They were an experimental healing aid Julian had helped Simon develop. Those combined with how I'd laced your tissues with microcapsules of healing factors from my blood gave you a regenerative factor higher than either one alone in the event of traumatic injury," Julia finished.

"Oh, well, that would explain it," Reginald said fondly. He didn't mind that she hadn't told him. It wasn't something she could have explained without telling him her secret. That she'd cared enough even back then to take a risk to look out for him just made him love her a little more, if anything.

"You are taking that far too well, and it's freaking me out," Julia said flatly.

"What?" Reginald asked, at a loss for a moment.

"You look like you're about to tell me you committed treason or something, but... You just keep saying nice things and being lovely," Julia said acidly.

"It's starting to scare me. What are you trying to soften the blow of? Mass hobo murder? You dropped one of the girls?" Julia asked, joking despite the underlying insecurity. Reginald's mouth dropped open in surprise, and he couldn't help a startled laugh.

"Julia, if I dropped Emily or Elizabeth, I'd just kill myself and spare you and Mila the trouble," Reginald replied. That got him an agreeable nod from Julia, which only made him laugh again.

When the brief moment of levity ended Reginald sighed, running a hand through his hair. The hard part about telling Julia wasn't really what he needed to say. That was at most six sentences if he'd just get it out.

The problem was that Reginald was scared about how Julia would feel about it. He hadn't been joking when he said the reason he hadn't already was cowardice. So he decided to start with some of the smaller if not less problematic admissions.

"Look, I've done some ill advised things when I wasn't in a good headspace," Reginald started. Julia just raised an eyebrow at him, almost challengingly.

"Like joining the Pathfinder project so I could hack the Argus Array to try and find you. I did it when you first went missing," Reginald explained. Julia's eyelashes fluttered in surprise. He wasn't sure where that would land on a scale of stalking your ex from "drive by her house sometimes" to "clandestinely living in her shrubbery," but he suspected it was well north of sane.

"Seriously?" Julia asked.

"Yeah. I still made contact with Voyager properly. I just won't pretend that was my primary goal," Reginald explained. He'd been careful about how he did it so as not to get caught. After installing a backdoor, he'd upgraded the system to hide and siphon the increased power. Everything appeared to be functioning normally from the outside, but he had access to about six percent of the most powerful surveillance array in the Federation.

"Well, that does explain how you got my signal when no one else could. What were you going to do if you found me? You thought I'd left you at the time," Julia asked. She looked puzzled rather than upset.

"Sure, but nothing else about the situation made sense. Even if you cut off of ties with me, you wouldn't have done that with Julian and Elim," Reginald said, dismissive of the very idea. He knew her too well to even consider that as plausible.

"I planned to make sure you were alright. Pass along how to contact you to your brothers at the very least. Maybe ask to see you or send you a letter," Reginald said, not able to say definitively.

"I hadn't made up my mind. I didn't have much of a plan past the finding you part," Reginald admitted. He'd tried other things over the years while she was missing, all with that single goal in mind. What came after had never been as important as simply finding her.

"Okay, anything else?" Julia asked.

"Some uh… light piracy, recently. To get the parts for the transporter," Reginald admitted reluctantly.

"Nooo, you're joking," Julia said, astonished.

"Well, hijacking cargo shuttles with Elim's help seemed like a safer option than explaining things to Starfleet and asking nicely," Reginald said, swallowing nervously. Between abusing stimulants and his general frantic state, he'd made some questionable decisions. He stood by them, but that didn't mean they painted a flattering image of his decision-making abilities.

"When I got in touch again, they'd filled me in on Section 31. So I was kind of paranoid at the time," Reginald admitted.

"So put your career, and quite likely your life, on the line to find and rescue me? For years? Despite believing I'd abandoned you?" Julia summarized.

"Well, when you put it like that," Reginald said with a bitter chuckle.

"I never really believed that part. It wasn't impossible that you'd leave me, but... like that?" Reginald admitted.

"You had no reason to tell me, in writing no less, that you were an augment or pregnant. Even as a means to hurt me," Reginald added. If he'd put a couple of minutes of thought into things at the time he'd have realized the absurdity. Instead he'd panicked and gone running out of the apartment in a frenzy. Consumed by the idea that the secrets he'd been keeping had caught up with him.

After a beat of silence, Reginald looked over at Julia. Her expression was mask-like, giving nothing away as she processed what he'd said. He almost spoke again when she finally looked at him in return the split second before she pounced. Julia's hands were on his shoulders and her hips slotted between his legs. Reginald was pinned to the bed as helplessly as a butterfly specimen.

"You're still hiding something, and it scares you," Julia said flatly. She was completely focused on him and Reginald knew she'd sense even the most minor of deceptions.

"Julia... from the first time you played Musketeers with me in the holodeck, I was in love with you," Reginald said finally. That had been three months into their acquaintanceship. She'd still been dating Data at the time.

"What?" Julia asked in open disbelief.

"I wasn't waiting around hoping you'd… I was happy being your friend. I want you to know that," Reginald added, hoping she'd believe him. It was true but likely less believable than it should have been given the circ*mstances.

"So, you've been in love with me for nine years and aware I was an augment for eight?" Julia asked with wide eyes. The number accounted for the two years of separation due to time dilation.

"Th-that, uhm… Yes," Reginald choked out. It was absolutely the wrong moment for it, but the least socially adept part of his anatomy was starting to take notice of the press of Julia's hips.

"You are utterly impossible. You know that?" Julia growled. The sound did nothing to help Reginald's composure. He didn't mind Julia being forceful, he loved it.

"And you're still hiding something," Julia added, eyes narrowing.

"I always felt like if I admitted to knowing about your genetic status, or just came to want too much, that you'd vanish. Like in fairy tales where some hapless idiot breaks a rule and loses everything," Reginald admitted.

"It really seemed to happen when you disappeared," Reginald added as the memory slammed down on him. He'd known it wasn't true but couldn't shake the feeling all the same.

"What rule did you break?" Julia asked.

"I wanted too much. I mean, we were only together for a couple of months, but I was already..." Reginald started, only to fail.

"In love?" Julia asked. She pressed her forehead to Reginald's in anshwar and let out an irritable sigh before pulling back.

"That couldn't have been it, but I'm going to give you one more chance to be honest, Reginald," Julia said in a flat warning tone.

Reginald just nodded, not trusting his voice. His silence didn't hide anything, however. She was pressed too tightly against him to miss his growing excitement.

"Now, tell me. What transgression did you think had me running off to fairyland?" Julia asked as her voice and eyes lit up with mischief. Reginald swallowed hard as she started playfully grinding her hips between his thighs.

If anyone else were in their respective positions, they probably would have been scared. As much because of the lengths Reginald and Julia could and would go to as their methods. He felt sorry for those hypothetical alternates. They would be missing out on something extraordinary.

Reginald reached into his pajama pocket. He withdrew a black velvet box with a shaking hand and his heart in his throat.

"It wasn't that I was in love. It was that I was already carrying this around for a week before you disappeared," Reginald said, summoning every shred of his courage.

"Julia Xianggu Bashir, will you marry me?" Reginald asked as he opened the box to reveal a ring.

Chapter 47: Demons

Chapter Text

After Reginald's proposal, Julia lounged in his pajama shirt in bed. It was his Daystrom one which she coveted because of how excited he got seeing her in it. Like the college girlfriend he'd never had. Of course, she'd have to arrange for them to break into the dorms and f*ck in his old one to make up for that. He deserved nice things.

It was blissful to lay in bed and just enjoy being together. Something only possible because their children had taken to Mila unexpectedly well. It amused Julia endlessly that even baby Bashir's (treasures) preferred to be guarded by dragons. A pun she was reserving for when Elim got back. He despised it when she mixed the beauty of Kardassi with "Terran hound sh*t," as called the juvenile turns of phrase she tormented him with.

Snuggled with Reginald, Julia looked at her hand where the ring now resided with a goofy grin. It would look plain to someone else, a stretchy nonconductive poly band in musketeer blue. It was an engineer's ring rather than a traditional metal band. It wouldn't be a hazard while working or if her hands swelled while she was pregnant. It was a blunt statement that Reginald didn't expect her to stop her engineering work. It was perfect.

The more Julia looked at the ring, the more she wanted to express her pleasure. She took pity. Reginald was due a break, and it wasn't like her desire was going anywhere. When he got up to fetch snacks and stretch, she demurely restricted herself to a single butt grab in parting.

Reginald put on sufficient clothes to be decent (by Cardassian standards) before venturing out. He returned laden with goodies and red-faced after a little longer than expected. Julia fought down a chuckle. His thunderous expression gave her the feeling that Mila or Enabran, possibly both, had teased him.

Reginald stripped down to his pants after depositing the snacks on the bedside table. Julia let out an appreciative growl. He didn't look it in the potato sack Starfleet uniform, but he was fit. His hobby of fencing in the holodeck was a demanding mistress even before he got more serious about his health and fitness.

Julia was sorely tempted to forgo food and pounce but recalled why she'd relented in the first place. Reginald wasn't as ruined as Elim but naturally more fragile as a standard human. The pacing was important. No matter how cute it was, she resolved to resist when Reginald preened shyly at her attention.

Eating snacks and thinking of Elim circled back to Enabran and his breakdown. Julia knew Enabran would eventually find out what happened in the other reality. She just hadn't expected how he'd taken it completely to heart. She'd figured he'd nurse the private humiliation and only offer mocking words for his other self.

"Julia?" Reginald called softly.

"Just… thinking," Julia replied.

"You're worried about Enabran," Reginald replied. Julia nodded. She loved that he caught on as quickly as he did despite how mortifying it was to feel seen. She also had to wonder what her face was doing. She hadn't expected to be giving off more than general horniness.

"Wondering why I would?" Julia asked. She'd had many conversations with Reginald since their reunion. Explaining the Cardassian half of their family had been a multi-day task. Reginald had taken it pretty well.

"No? I mean, he's family. Of course you're worried," Reginald said, brows slightly furrowed.

"I think you're the only one who takes that for granted," Julia said gently.

"I know you. Enabran, Mila, Elim, they wouldn't be here if they weren't. Like Amasha and Richard, you don't let people in that you don't want as part of your life," Reginald said dismissively.

Julia just nodded. Explaining her family had been a rather lengthy conversation in its own right. Reginald had initially been relieved that her mother wasn't part of the plot against them. Unfortunately, his relief hadn't lasted long.

Explaining her childhood had been trying for Julia. She didn't like to dig up those memories. Perfect recall had the downside of them never blunting with time, unlike normal ones. At least not more than they had by the procedure happened.

By the end, Reginald had been holding her and crying. He'd promised never to do anything remotely like what her parents had. Reginald wouldn't have been in her life, let alone her bed, if Julia had ever thought that possible. Adorably he'd found that reassuring.

"You don't see anything wrong with that?" Julia asked. She knew that preferring literal murders and spies over her biological parents might seem strange from a certain perspective.

"No… I don't think I'd ever have had the courage to befriend any of them on my own. Maybe Elim if he were being particularly personable, but..." Reginald paused, gathering his thoughts.

"I kind of get it. The Obsidian Order was what, a couple of hundred years old?" Reginald asked. Julia nodded, not trusting the official number but having nothing more reliable to offer.

"It was a cultural institution long before any of them were born. Enabran didn't invent it and grew up in a world where it was normalized," Reginald continued. He paused like he was trying to remember something. Julia liked to spar with the rest of the family, but she delighted in Reginald's honest expressions.

"The way Enabran talks about what he did… How Mila does too, for that matter. He was trying to keep things from falling apart without realizing how terrifying the status quo had become. He's kind of a tragic hero, as much for the cultural flaws he embodies as his personal ones," Reginald offered. Julia blinked, tilting her head. She was impressed that Reginald hadn't gotten too nervous about sharing the thought. It seemed spending time with the family had done him some good when it came to self-expression.

"An augment girl couldn't ask for a more understanding lover," Julia said playfully. Reginald smiled, but his expression grew a touch somber.

"About that, Julia…" Reginald said, hesitant. Julia had to fight down a wave of anxiety. He loved her. She loved him.

They loved each other. Julia reminded herself of that very firmly as she tried to wrangle her nerves.

"It's okay if you still think he's an asshole," Julia said playfully to cover her internal panic.

"What? No, that's… Okay. Yes, he is. That, however, isn't what-," Reginald said, smiling a little despite his apparent nerves.

"When I stepped out earlier, Miles called. He was pretty pissed. I think he's on to you, which means Julian will be furious," Reginald admitted.

"f*ck," Julia said flatly. She'd wanted to hold off on that discussion until she was done with section 31 and the AI's. As things stood, they technically were. The trouble was that it was still too soon to disband her collective. Julian would take that about as well as he did finding out about it in the first place.

"I get that he's protective of you, but I'm going to have some words with him when he's calmer. He does not get to talk like that," Reginald said darkly. Julia chuckled.

"Miles doesn't like me much," Julia said with a sigh. Things had seemed a little better after they talked before Ureai took one of her clones. Unfortunately, a hard reset seemed to have occurred thanks to the reveal.

"What? He talks about you like you're his kid sister. Of course, you annoy him, but he'd take disruptor fire for you," Reginald said, seeming stunned.

"Huh, well, he didn't like it much when I shot him," Julia said casually. It got her a look from Reginald that she didn't know how to read. Of course, he already knew the story, but she knew the joke was bad taste. He sighed, closing his eyes as he gathered himself.

"Julia, he didn't report you for it. Or tell Keiko, for that matter, and he tells her everything," Reginald said.

"That's as close to expressing affection as he can get without strangling to death on his tongue," Reginald said flatly. Julia's eyes went wide for a moment in disbelief. She couldn't help the laugh that followed.

Reginald smiled just enough to let her know he wasn't mad. He certainly wasn't happy, though. The laughter didn't last long for Julia. She'd fixated on her fight with Julian then and hadn't considered any of that.

Really, if she were being honest, Julia had made a point of not thinking about anything to do with the station. She'd never really fit on on DS9, and her relationship with Keiko had weakened even before Kira joined the O'Brien family as Yoshi's surrogate mother.

"I will consider what you've said," Julia offered noncommittally.

Since making it back home, Julia hadn't gone back to her DS9. There hadn't seemed to be a reason to. She couldn't think of anyone who would have cared to see her aside from Quark and his family. Possibly Jake, but that was questionable. Simon would be one friendly face, but he was coming over as part of Julian's staff once the refitting on Empok Nor was done.

"That sounds suspiciously like you've already made up your mind that no one likes you, and you're humoring me," Reginald replied. Julia gave him a dirty look but didn't refute what he'd said. Anyone who thought he was unobservant just because he wasn't socially gifted was as bright as a targes backside.

"Quark and his family like me just fine," Julia replied instead. It was true though she wasn't in frequent contact. Ishka, Rom, and Leeta were busy with social reform on Ferenginar. Nog was in Starfleet academy.

Quark tended to be the one who frequently called Julia. Usually with ideas for schemes. That or to see if she'd softened her stance on letting him open a Quarks franchise location on Empok Nor. Of course, she would let him, but not without a massive amount of teasing first.

"You know Benjamine helped me out, right? It wasn't a small risk. I doubt he'd have done it if he hated you," Reginald offered.

"I don't believe I ever said he disliked me," Julia countered. However, she'd certainly thought it and had a relatively large amount of evidence to back it up. Reginald just looked at her flatly, knowing she was full of sh*t.

"Julia, most people like you. They just don't express it like you do. Half the ship thought you were in love with me after that bit with the Cytherians," Reginald offered with a rueful smile.

"You don't do things in half measures and-" Reginald cut off. Julia knew she was squirming and couldn't do anything about it.

"I know, funny," Reginald said flatly. Julia winced. He was misreading her pretty terribly.

"I Uhm... Love would have been a strong word at the time," Julia started nervously. This was something she hadn't planned to mention.

"Huh?" Reginald asked, expression blank.

"Look, there's a reason I only talk about my sex history, okay? That's fun and full of interesting stories. My romantic history is not," Julia said too quickly.

"It's a string of resounding failures," Julia added.

"Julia-" Reginald stopped. Julia had held up a hand to stall him.

"Being an augment wasn't an issue. I never had a relationship last even a month. I'd get attached to someone, usually friends. Then it would fall completely apart," Julia explained then lowered her hand. Reginald looked utterly baffled.

"It hit me when you fumbled that call after the play. The idea that you didn't want to be friends broke my heart," Julia added. She'd still been in a pretty horrible place emotionally despite it being a year after Data broke up with her. She'd decided to get hammered on Mimosa's like she was nineteen to not deal with it.

Drunk Julia gave up her secret to Reginald and her data archive link. Drunk Julia made terrible life choices, though that one had worked out against all odds.

"Wait, Julia, what are you trying to say?" Reginald asked, looking deathly serious.

"I... I did love you even then," Julia admitted finally.

"I was only on the ship for a week at the time, and I thought Julian would take a position on Enterprise under Beverly. So, I thought it would be better to wait until then," Julia added. She couldn't say if she'd have gone for it at the time or talked herself out of it. Reginald's friendship had meant the world to her.

It was only all those years later that the idea of giving up without trying had become intolerable to Julia. Then they'd fallen together like puzzle pieces, and she'd felt like an idiot for not going for it sooner.

Reginald's expression was unreadable before it crumpled with pain only to dissolve into laughter as he pulled her close. Julia hoped Julian never found out about it. She'd ribbed him mercilessly for being an idiot in two realities. That she'd behaved like a genetically enhanced dumbass when left to her own devices was not something he'd let her live down.

"I kept thinking about transferring to DS9 then chickening out. I thought it would be an overstep," Reginald said softly. They both dissolved into pained laughter.

Chapter 48: Lies

Chapter Text

When Julia and Reginald announced their impending enjoinment, Enabran managed to hold in an eye roll. He’d been well aware of the man and Julia’s attraction to him long before he set foot on Terok Nor, then DS9. It had been information pertinent to building a profile of Julian Bashir’s sister. How Elim and Julian had managed to be oblivious to it despite living with her was beyond him.

The happy news was quickly followed by Elim calling Mila to request she take the children off the ship when he and Julian were due to arrive. Julia had responded to that news with a frustrated sigh. It appeared that the siblings would have a “row,” as they called it. Human custom dictated that juveniles should not be present for such events if possible.

It was odd in Enabran's opinion that they would conduct themselves in a manner they didn’t feel was fit for the eyes of children. He didn’t bother commenting, knowing that was a vast cultural divide. Humans didn’t routinely televise legal proceedings and sentencing. Capital punishment likewise wasn’t something they engaged in.

Conversely, they did televise their legislative body in session. After watching C-Span for a few hours, Enabran had felt rather enlightened about the Federation and its strange values. He, of course, had been aware that most politicians were idiots. Still, he was in a privileged position to know that on Cardassia.

The majority of the Federation population watched their elected officials behave like clowns. It had explained their lax view of various topics like loyalty to the State. It also explained why they were relatively difficult to blackmail. Their pressure points were almost entirely unpredictable and rarely ever worth the digging required to identify them.

While everyone else was taking “evasive maneuvers” in preparation for the sibling showdown, Enabran slipped away to the station. It had been a week since he’d shamed himself rather thoroughly by openly showing distress.

Despite the humiliation of it, Enabran found that it cleared his mind somewhat and put certain matters into perspective.Julia’s philosophy of ‘letting it out’ turned out to have some merit. That Enabran would die before engaging in “a good cry” to some saccharine piece of music or movie went without saying. His decision to embrace the less stomach-turning aspects of the philosophy was why he needed unfettered access to a communications terminal. He had a call to make.

“Hey, Grandpa War Crimes! Whatcha up to?” Jack called obnoxiously. He and the rest of his merry band were hanging out in the replimat playing what looked like six board games from four different species smashed together. How they'd managed to make such a mess despite only be back on the station for a half hour was a true mystery.

“Making a call,” Enabran replied evenly. He knew better than to try and lie to the group. That would only make them curious, which meant they’d get involved. The last time that had happened, it had not ended well. Against sense and reason, Julia let them have free run of the station and access to a personal shuttle. They were now free-range, as it were.

“Oh, took you long enough,” Lauren purred obscenely. Patrick just waved politely at him, and all three turned back to their monstrosity of a game. Enabran managed to make it to the room where the interdimensional transporter was located without further incident. It was the most secured area on the station.

The enter dimensional equipment had been transferred from the family ship once the station was acquired. The entire family had been wary of having something like that around a pack of augment hybrid children. They got into absolutely everything.

Activating the equipment was thankfully simple. The Federation and its citizens had the curious habit of not making equipment challenging to use for unauthorized users. It made their installations and ships the military equivalent of what Julia called a pinata. A lovely trove of goods behind a yielding defense, one merely needed tenacity to defeat.

“Hello Juli- Enabran?” Elim asked. His cheerful greeting turned into a blank look. A sign of rather severe shock for him to be caught so far off guard that he lost even the service class smile.

“Not yours, but yes,” Enabran agreed.

“May I ask why you’ve called and who you intended to speak with?” Elim asked flatly.

“You, and to address certain mistakes,” Enabran replied with a snort.

“Oh?” Elim asked with a brow ridge raised sarcastically.

“From what I can tell, your Tain’s life was essentially the same as mine until recently. Of course, you’ll have to verify anything I say, but that's not my problem,” Enabran said with an unfriendly smile. Old habits died hard, especially when they were fun.

“I won’t restart the Obsidian Order or allow you to come here,” Elim said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I haven't the slightest interest in either thing. I’m quite pleased with my retirement, thank you,” Enabran said, being honest. Of course, he wouldn’t bother trying to convince Elim of that. It was a recent development.

“Well then, by all means, drip your venom in my ears once more,” Elim said, sounding exhausted though his posture was alert to the point of tension.

“I never intended for you to become aware I was your biological father. My plan was for you to be Tolan’s son your entire life, no matter what happened," Enabran began.

"Even if you proved to be of a disposition to enter the Order,” Enabran began. He'd actually thought it more likely Elim would become a programmer or mathematician. Either the ministry of science or defense would have been lucky to have him.

“And then I did,” Elim supplied.

“Indeed. Since you did, my plan was for you to take over as head of the Order. Preferably about five years before your exile occurred,” Enabran continued. That was the first real lie. Elim had skills and talents that made him ideal, but never the disposition.

Going against his instincts on the point had been one of Enbarans greatest missteps, and he knew it. There were other ways to have leveraged Elim's abilities for the good of the State. Unfortunately, explaining everything that led to the choice would take too long and compromise promises he’d made to Mila. That was something he wouldn’t do, even for Elim.

“Five years? You were still active. I’d have had to-” Elim stopped dead as it sunk in.

“Perhaps you can understand why I wasn’t eager to claim kinship,” Enabran said flatly. Elim would have had to succeed in a coup and kill him.

It wouldn't have been the hardest thing to do. Enabran held the office long enough that even those without actual enmity toward him were just tired of his face. Not that he’d intended to give up easily. The fight would have had to look good to cement Elim’s position correctly.

The plan had been simple. Elim would never find out who his biological father really was. He’d just be killing a superior when he took over the Order. A turn of events so common as to be unremarkable and free of the scandal of patricide.

“Why? Because I was your son?” Elim asked, looking totally lost. After a lifetime of being made to question everything, it was a natural reaction.

“Because you were intelligent and mentally flexible enough to understand foreign ideas and embrace useful ones without losing your core dedication to Cardassia. Militaristic colonialist expansion isn’t sustainable,” Enabran admitted aloud for the first time in his adult life.

“There were others who were a better fit for leading the Order in its traditional role. They would have led the Union to failure,” Enabran said flatly. He had known a period of stagnation or even territorial retraction was coming. It wasn’t possible to expand eternally. He’d just hoped Elim would be the steady hand to keep it from turning into a disaster.

“Then why…” Elim trailed off. Enabran shifted uncomfortably before sending a file. Julian had been quite thorough and rather rudely colorful in constructing his treatment file. It detailed not just his condition but the cognitive decline that had resulted. That had been largely treatable though Enabran still wasn’t back where he’d been before the infection that led to his heart condition tainted his body.

“No matter my original intentions, I became a demented parody of myself toward the end. Paranoid, angry, impossible to please,” Enabran added. It was as close as he had ever gotten to apologizing for his behavior at the height of his madness.

“Why should I believe any of that?” Elim asked.

“Elim, I chose to work with and trust the security integrity of the Tal Shiar. The minute I lost my mind to that extent, I should have been shot. I mean, honestly, who trusts a Romulan?” Enabran asked archly. Despite his mistrust, Elim couldn’t help a snort and reluctant nod of agreement.

“My point is. You were my best operative. I sent you to kill one senator. You come back with a Tal Shiar security archive," Enabran said with a smirk.

"Usually, I was lucky if the others were at least clever enough not to cause collateral complications without micro-managing them,” Enabran said bluntly.

“That's… Possibly the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me. At least since I was a child,” Elim ventured, as if surprised by his own words.

“Also, you were the only one who didn’t routinely bungle reports and actually tagged information in a useful way. Honestly, all the secondary processing was a nightmare,” Enabran said with a grimace.

“Right? I always hated having to pick up someone else's mission. Half the time, I threw their work out and started over,” Elim said with a chuckle. Enabran joined him, and it was like the early days for a moment. Back when he wasn’t going insane, and Elim didn’t look haunted whenever he wasn’t pasting on a service smile to cover it up.

“Why are you doing this?” Elim asked after the laughter ended and a heavy pause.

“I know what happened to your Tain. Given the timeline, I’m sure he was monstrous to you in his final moments. I thought it was a fitting revenge against him for what he did to Cardassia. To offer you the Shri’Tal he likely refused to give,” Enabran lied.

“Oh, he gave one. He asked me to kill his enemies, which I already had, and refused to acknowledge me even in death,” Elim said placidly. Enabran fought down a wince. That did sound exactly like him, especially at the time.

“I still haven't, and I’m living with Elim and his family,” Enabran said on impulse. It wasn’t even close to a secret, but he’d never spoken the words.

“Why?” Elim asked, seemingly curious rather than surprised.

“Because I’m not, not meaningfully. Tolan was your father. I was just a weakness you couldn't afford to have,” Enabaran offered.

“I believe you have that last part backward,” Elim said acidly.

“No, I don’t. The fact you are my son put your life in peril from your first breath,” Enabran said evenly. It was the first time he’d ever spoken those words. A blunt acknowledgment of it. There was a long pause. Enabran fought to ignore the cloying, wriggling discomfort that made him want to cut the connection.

“At the end, he… We talked about a day in the country,” Elim started.

“He took you to learn to ride hounds, I take it,” Enabran supplied. Of course, Tain had done the same. Keeping hounds had been one of the few enjoyable legacies of his family. That his own father would have been rolling in his grave if he knew Enabran refused to race them was just a delightful bonus.

“Yes,” Elim acknowledged. Conflict roiled across his face.

Talking about the contents of a Shri’Tal wasn’t done. Elim was clearly struggling with how much he’d already said despite wanting to know more. Enabran didn’t need a transcript to understand what had probably been said.

“You said that just for that day,” Elim started but broke off again.

“I probably lied and said I was proud of you,” Enabran offered. Elim didn’t flinch or otherwise seem surprised by that. His son had been absolutely iron-willed about keeping his seat and refused to give up until he did. He’d been battered badly enough by the end to limp from it.

“The truth would have been that I always was,” Enabran finished and cut the com. Alone he took a shuddering breath and sat down on the floor. It seemed that crying was now something he simply did.

Chapter 49: Old Wounds

Chapter Text

When Julian and Elim got back there hadn't even been a chance for a preamble before Julian and Julia went to “start dinner”. The shouting commenced about five minutes later. Reginald had been in the living room sitting with an untouched tea set the entire time. Nobody was likely to have dinner that night.

“I wasn’t aware you were fond of jewelry,” Elim mentioned dryly.

“Julia picked it out,” Reginald explained with a grin. It was an engineer's band in green, the same shade as Julia’s eyes.

“I proposed and she agreed,” He added, expressing a pure soft joy. Elim didn't say anything for a moment, looking at Reginalds ring rather more intently than before.

“Forgive my lack of surprise. It was rather obvious that she would, but congratulations on successfully asking,” Elim said with a smirk. Something vaguely ceramic hit the floor in the kitchen and both men flinched but didn’t look back. By necessity it wasn’t an open floorplan on the ship and the shutters were closed. They wouldn’t have been able to see anything anyway.

“Pardon the indelicate question, but are you really alright with what Julia has done? She put herself at awful risk from a psychological standpoint,” Elim asked. The question had been bothering him since Julian explained the potential consequences. Reginald's hand with the wedding band closed in a white knuckles fist for a moment before he sighed and let it open.

“Frankly, no,” Reginald replied. Elim raised an ocular ridge.

“The trouble is me getting upset at her right now when I can't argue its not important enough or offer an alternative won’t help,” Reginald added.

“She… She has absolutely no idea how much I love her. She can't even fathom it because of what her parents did to her… She’s even scared Julian will abandon her,” Reginald's voice almost broke on the last part.

“What?” Elim asked, shocked.

“She was explaining how we could have kids. That it was a byproduct of Julian trying to figure out how to ‘fix’ them. He had to break the some kind of encoding barrier the facility used to prevent the procedure from being duplicated or them being cloned. He apparently panicked when he realized it wasn’t possible. That he’d have to overwrite their genes even more thoroughly than their parents had rather than restore them,” Regianld choked up a little but got it under control.

“So she thinks he sees them both as monsters. That he can't really understand that she's fine with how she is and that if she acts too much outside of human norms that he’ll eventually push her away,” Reginald finished. She hadn’t said it so bluntly but it had been hard to miss.

“That's insane,” Elim said flatly.

“You're preaching to the choir on that one,” Reginald said as he slumped in his seat. The pair in the kitchen had gone quiet. Both were perfectly capable of making out every word Elim and Reginald said.

“Julia, tell me you didn’t actually believe that,” Julian demanded, looking absolutely aghast. They’d been arguing for a while but so far the only casualty was a decorative plate he’d accidently hit while gesticulating a bit too emphatically.

“Julia, it’s unnatural what was done to us. We're always going to be outsiders like this, at risk. No one will ever see as anything but monsters,” Julia quoted from memory. Julian recalled when he spoke the words with perfect clarity. It was during his second year of academy in their off campus workshop.

Julian dug through his memories, reviewing everything in an attempt to figure out where she’d gotten the wrong headed notion from. It was with dawning horror that he realized that while wrong, it wasn’t an invalid interpretation of his words and actions.

“I’ve known what we were since I was ten,” Julian said flatly. Julia blinked in surprise, co*cking her head as if she didn’t know how to absorb the simple set of words.

“Not specifically augments I suppose, but that we weren’t like our peers by any stretch of the imagination and it was a problem,” Julian corrected. His parents really had managed to keep that one detail under their hats until he was fifteen. His general apathy toward the topic had helped them immensely in that respect. He wasn’t fond of being the odd man out and had actively avoided any information related to the subject.

“Then you had that panic attack at the science fair and I understood that it was dangerous, whatever it was. It’s why I ruined my exhibit before they could grade it,” Julian added. He’d been lazy but still made an experiment that would have been considered college level and much too well organized for a child of twelve. One Julia hadn’t seen until the event because he’d made it in a last minute rush.

“sh*t,” Julia hissed. Julian had seen her make a move to do it herself then start to panic when the number of witnesses got in the way. Particularly their father who’d been standing in front of it like it was his work, preening and eager to brag to the other parents.

Amsha had seen what was happening to Julia but didn’t really help. She’d just drug his sister off to hide what was going on and she’d been too weak to resist at the moment. Everything was fine so long as they weren’t embarrassed even if his sister was gasping like a fish out of water with fear.

“First time in my life I was glad that dickhe*d Mark Willis decided to come pay a visit. Got him to shove me and just threw myself into the fall. Took the whole thing out and got him a suspension,” Julian said and couldn’t help a little grin. Julia had missed that part at the time. It had taken some flailing throwing up to ruin the associate trifold board. He wasn’t going to mention that to her though.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew?” Julia asked.

“Honestly? I don’t really know. The reasons shifted in the wind,” Julian admitted. He’d had feelings about it, an uncomfortable misama of them, but nothing definitive. Sometimes it was just easier to pretend it wasn’t true. Others he assumed Julia already knew and it was just a tacit thing that they didn’t talk about it.

“When Richard slipped up and I found out the whole truth a lot of stuff clicked into place. I didn’t think we were monsters but… I didn’t want to live my whole life having to hide. I thought it would be better to figure out how to dial back the changes and hide the evidence of them,” Julian continued.

“You wanted to be normal,” Julia said flatly.

“I wanted to pass for it,” Julian corrected. He’d always know he couldn’t become the little boy his parents had cast aside on Adogien Prime again. He also wasn’t really in love with the idea of losing half or more of his IQ just to be accepted.

“Our parents not being absolute sh*t lords would have been nice too. I’m not religious though so I wasn’t about to hold my breath for a miracle like that. I settled for trying to sort our genetics out,” Julian added. Julia found herself letting out a stifled little laugh.

“You cried for a week when you realized it wouldn’t work,” Julia said.

“Because I thought I was letting you down as much as myself. We were stuck hiding or would have to leave the Federation outright because I couldn’t figure out a solution,” Julian admitted for the first time. Julia didn’t respond and he watched her face flicker between emotions as she considered what he’d said.

Julian had always known something was off, but hadn’t suspected that Julia didn’t trust others to love her. No more than he’d ever thought he’d fall into that group. He’d felt similarly disappointed more than once, but never with respect to her. Julia had always been his lifeline as their parents or his friends and lovers failed him.

“I love you Lia, I always have. You're perfect the way you are and I’m sorry that I made you feel otherwise,” Julian said finally. His identity issues were a nightmare but he’d never meant to hurt her.

“I love you too, Juju,” Julia offered softly. Julian hugged her though he had no illusion that the discussion had really solved anything.

On the couch in the living room Elim was checking security footage from the kitchen. The lack of sound had reached a worrying level finally. He showed Reginald the feed and the other man nodded, looking relieved. They didn’t dare congratulate each other, knowing quite well that the pair would hear them. It was the basis of the plan they’d hatched together over text when their partners weren’t looking.

“Tea?” Elim asked.

“Sure, thanks… Wonder if everything's okay. Its gotten a bit quiet,” Reginald said, accepting the cup.

“I’m sure they're alright, they have a lot to discuss after all. Important and otherwise,” Elim offered.

“Otherwise?” Reginald asked.

“Well, like why Julian keeps hiding it when he talks to some holo programmer named Felix. He’s so secretive about it that I thought he was having an affair for a moment,” Elim said. Reginald winced but didn’t signal to stop. None of his emotion had been feigned earlier, but now he needed to do a bit of acting.

“Felix? Can’t say I’ve heard the name,” Reginald offered. They had both shared a list of grievances they wanted to air. They hadn’t set an order though, wanting to improve to try and keep things relatively natural sounding.

That Elim was already bring up Felix suggested he was a lot more upset about that than he’d let on. That or curious to find out exactly why Julian had gone to such lengths.

In the kitchen there was a profound silence as Julia’s hug around Julian tightened subtly. Julian conversely was looking at the shutter with wide eyed panic. He wasn’t supposed to still be in touch with Felix Knightly after banging him behind her back while they were dating back in academy.

A masculine yelp rang through ship.

Chapter 50: Foyer et Maison

Chapter Text

On the day of departure from the Enterprise, Reginald felt rather cheerful in the Primary Universe. The going-away party had been well attended, in his opinion. It was also unexpectedly fun as everyone shared stories and reminded him of random things they'd done together.

Leaving the Enterprise and heading back to Earth was less relaxing. He hitched a ride on a ship headed that way at maximum warp. Some kind of classified delivery was afoot.

Reginald knew he shouldn't have been allowed aboard. It only happened because Captain Picard had intervened. The trip to Earth was made in three days.

Stepping off the transmat in Calgary for the first time in years was surreal. It was the same orbital transport station he'd left from for his first assignment after graduating. He'd purposely avoided the one he'd used coming back for his mother's funeral.

"Welcome, Reginald!" a group shouted. A frankly absurdly large sign held aloft by four people declared the same. It took Reginald a moment to realize he was looking at a collection of his aunts, uncles, cousins, and his cousins' kids. People he only recognized because he was still part of the family social network. Not that he'd done more than dutifully like every new picture without commenting in the last ten years. Belatedly it occurred to him that he'd turned off the ability to comment on his own updates after a rash of bullying during academy and just never turned it back on.

Tas had told Reginald it would be good to reconnect with his extended family. He'd expected his uncle Harold to show up and give him a ride back to his mother's house and a couple of awkward days of making visits while he cleaned the place up.

A welcome wagon that included thirty of Reginald's relatives was not what he'd been expecting. Members of both the Barclay and Tremblay family had shown up which was another considerable surprise. He'd had more to do with his mothers relatives than his fathers after Reginald the 2nd passed.

"Hi," Reginald managed to choke out. A moment later, kids were descending on him with hugs, grimy hands, and fifty different questions about being in Starfleet. Reginald felt like he'd become untethered from reality but couldn't help smiling.

"Will I devolve into a spider if I get your disease thing?" one of the kids asked with round eyes. Reginald couldn't help laughing at that. It had been a weird couple of days, even for the Enterprise, when that happened.

"Well, it doesn't cause devolution. The condition mutates genetic information into something like a virus," Reginald started to explain. The little faces looked up at him with rapt attention.

"I'd handled a tarantula a few hours earlier. They have barb-like hair, and some of it had gotten into my skin. Nothing too dangerous normally, but in that case, it had me turning into one," Reginald explained. It had taken a couple of days to figure that bit out after the incident. He hadn't meant to handle the tarantula by any stretch of the imagination. It had just been a mishap when he visited Miles quarters. His pet got loose.

"Okay, leave the poor man alone. He can tell you stories later," Dorthy, his eldest aunt, said in cheerful warning as the parents came forward to collect the kids. None of the adults tried to hug him, though there were handshakes and claps on the shoulder aplenty. The warmth of the reception was jarring.

"So, uhm… I see everyone's been busy," Reginald said as he looked around with a nervous smile. That got a laugh.

"Not half as much as you. When you posted that you were transferred to the Enterprise so early in your career that just about knocked our socks off," Harold said brightly with a grin. He'd offered a handshake and a clap on the arm when he'd greeted Reginald.

"Well, I got lucky. Captain Gleason, from the Zhukov, believed in me," Reginald said honestly. He was grateful at the time and still was, even when things had gone badly.

"Luckier still that Captain Picard did too," Reginald added somberly. He wasn't going to talk about the mess that had been his first months after transferring. That was too much of a hornet's nest to stir up even so long after—at least outside of therapy.

Reginald still didn't feel comfortable talking about it with anyone but Julia or Julian. They had their own issues with the holodeck and were kind enough not to judge him even when they didn't understand something.

Thinking of Julia, Reginald swallowed involuntarily. It still hurt to know she was gone.

"Ah, don't call it luck. Your dad always hated that word. Said it took too much away from people. You're a good officer who got to serve under good captains. It wouldn't have worked out if any of that weren't true, luck be damned," Harold countered, punctuating his sentiment with a back slap. He was Reginald Sr. oldest brother and had a more outgoing demeanor like his brother.

As the beefy hand made contact Reginald was shocked by how much force was in the blow. He'd forgotten that Harold did traditional low-tech woodworking for a living and was strong as an ox. He didn't budge but it still stung through is jacket, a nice blue wool number from Garak's with an absurd amount of pocket space. He'd stocked up a bit on flattering clothes on DS9 in an attempt to match better with Julia.

"You're sturdy," Harold said, laughing as he gave Reginald another pat before backing off.

"It's mostly in how you stand. I got used to being around some pretty strong people," Reginald said with a grin. Garak had shown him how to change his stance and posture to withstand unexpected blows. It came in handy when anyone in the Garak Bashir family happened to put a little more force than needed in an otherwise casual gesture.

Mila tended to be the worst one, too used to living around other Cardassian's to adjust to more delicate Humans and Bajorans easily or quickly. Reginald had honestly thought he might be crushed to death once when she fell asleep during movie night and curled around him as if he was a heating pad. Garak hadn't stepped in to help until Julian was likewise ensnared.

"That's engineers for you," Aunt Margaret said proudly. She'd never joined Starfleet, but she'd worked in a civilian engineering firm until she retired. Reginald nodded, not bothering with the correction. It wasn't like his fellow crewmen weren't all strong.

Once the family packed into separate vehicles, Reginald was relieved to find that Harold was driving him, and they were alone in his skimmer. He wasn't sure if he could have endured any more unexpected affection in such close quarters. It was nice to get a few minutes to decompress without so many eyes on him.

"You looked pretty surprised to see us," Harold said a few minutes into the ride.

"Well… yes," Reginald agreed reluctantly. Tas had been working with him to be more open even when he wasn't comfortable. Her professional assertion was that self-expression and setting boundaries were part and parcel of self-care.

"Can't say I blame you, not after what happened last time," Harold said, looking guilty. Reginald studied Harold's profile, finding it softer and greyer than he recalled. The man hadn't exactly been young the last time they'd seen each other. Reginald's mother had been the baby in the Trembly family and a sight younger than any of the Barclays except his father.

Most of what Reginald recalled of Harold was that he didn't talk much but tended to be loud and cheerful. That and how he'd accidentally strung himself up like a pinata once trying to put up Christmas lights drunk along with uncle Maxwell. That was how most of Reginald's memories of his relatives were. A few personality traits and maybe a funny story.

Reginald hadn't seen any of them much after his early teens. His mother hadn't said anything at the time, but he'd assumed there was some kind of falling out. The deafening silence on the subject made him reluctant to ask even when he was bored without his cousins to mess around with.

"The thing is, your mom used to be the one who held us all together. She organized the family parties, made albums out of our vids and holos. Things like that," Harold started to explain. Reginald could remember his mom talking on the com a lot, but he hadn't thought of it as organizing anything. It mainly had been about food and whose house things were happening at, though, so it made sense.

"After your Dad passed, well. She needed space, and none of us are terribly social people. We still kept in touch, but it wasn't the same after that. Then when she got sick…. Honestly, Reginald, I'm so sorry none of us realized what was going on. We should have been looking in on her more," Harold finished, wiping his eyes. Reginald felt his own stinging rather painfully. He hadn't been expecting to hear anything like it.

Reginald had memories of the adults from when he was pretty young to his early teens, but then nothing frequent. So when he'd seen them again for the first time in years, it was at the funeral. After such a long time, he'd taken it in stride when they hadn't talked much.Looking back on it, they'd all been closed off and haunted by what happened rather than hostile.

Reginald himself had been wrestling with guilt and feelings of failure. He'd opted to return to his assignment and drown himself in work. Looking back, he regretted not staying in town for a few days and trying to reconnect at the time.

The rest of the skimmer ride passed in a silent blur. When Reginald finally saw his childhood home come into view, he was shocked. It wasn't just in good repair. It was lit up and surrounded by ground transports. He looked at Harold questioningly.

"Well, we've been keeping it up. In case you wanted to come home. Everything's where it's always been, except- well, you'll see," Harold explained, walking stiffly toward the open front door.

Reginald paused, scanning the drive and streets nearby. They were loaded, block party loaded. He could hear voices and music filtering out of the front door from the end of the driveway. When he worked up the courage to enter, he found himself looking at everyone from the airport, plus a gang more. It was intimidating, but he quickly found something else to focus on.

On every flat surface were albums. Some with old-style flat printed images, others book-style holo displays.

Six hours later, after the long flight and general anxiety, Reginald was a strung-out but wired kind of tired. A familiar feeling that usually accompanied pulling a double when something went ass over tea kettle on the Enterprise. Around him, his extended family was half or utterly asleep on the furniture.

Reginald was pretty sure that being terrible at keeping in touch wasn't a genetic trait. Despite that, his family made a solid case for the contrary. None of them had talked to each other much since the funeral. They only lived a few miles apart at most, but it might as well have been an interstellar distance the way they talked about it.

They were only in the same place at the same time now because of Reginald's visit. It seemed that nature had played a cruel prank and gifted the entire Trembly and some of the Barclay clan with deep and abiding social awkwardness. However, there wasn't any malice in the air or even just basic unkindness. On the contrary, everyone was happy to see each other and catch up.

Surrounded by familial warmth for the first time in years, Reginald had felt something in himself start to relax. He was an anxious weirdo from a clan of anxious weirdos, not an anomaly. There was comfort in that.

"Reginald, honey, you should go on up to bed. We'll see ourselves out," Aunt June said as he started to nod off sitting on the floor.

"Well, I… Yeah, alright. Only, I wanted to thank whoever put all this together before I forget," Reginald decided on the spur of the moment. Harold hadn't mentioned who'd been the organizer this time.

"Oh, well, that was someone from the Enterprise. They said they were helping you," June said. As for who might consider themselves to be helping Reginald, his mind immediately went to his therapist.

"Kelya Tas called you?" Reginald asked in surprise. Tas usually made suggestions but left him to carry them out how he saw fit. Something he'd appreciated about their methods.

"Kelya? No, I haven't heard that name before. Honestly, all I know is that it was a very polite man. I don't think he gave a name," June said with a frown.

"Did he look Vulcan?" Reginald asked doubtfully. Alan Situk wasn't someone he knew well. He'd only seen the CPO three times altogether on the Enterprise, but this didn't seem like something he'd do.

"It was a voice-only line, but he had a very animated one. So I doubt it?" June said, still perplexed. Reginald nodded. Most would describe Alan's demeanor as pleasant and his voice the same, particularly the soft southern drawl.

"Did he have an accent?" Reginald asked just to make sure. He could ask Alan himself later, but he didn't want to make the call if there wasn't a reasonable chance. Reginald felt he should have let it go regardless, but the mystery was getting under his skin.

"No, not that I noticed," June said and shrugged.

"Well, I'll ask around. Maybe someone has an assistant I didn't get introduced to," Reginald said. June gave him a little shoulder hug, and Reginald headed up the stairs, the smile dropping from his lips to be replaced by puzzlement. June spoke French. If she hadn't heard an accent, that meant the other person had been as well.

Reginald could only think of one person who spoke French on the Enterprise. Captain Picard. Reginald would eat his boots before he'd believe that the captain had carried out all the cat-herding needed to get a family reunion of this size organized. He was not a party planner.

"Hey June, real quick. Did he say his s's funny and have a dry sense of humor?" Reginald asked. He'd walked backward a few steps as a wild idea occurred to him. If anyone could do that kind of cat herding, it was Elim Garak.

"The s's were a little off sometimes, but he didn't make jokes much. Most of our conversations were pretty short," June offered.

"You talked more than once?" Reginald asked.

"Couple times, he called the first time about two months back to help us get everything planned… He did make one joke about using forks instead of those Vulcan chopsticks," June said with a smile.

"Eating like base savages who use forks instead of fancy sticks?" Reginald asked, feeling his chest tighten.

"Something like that," June said agreeably. Reginald nodded and then turned and headed up the stairs to his room. He needed to be alone for somewhat different reasons after that conversation.

If Reginald was right and not just grasping at straws, then the person who'd called was Julia using a voice mask. They hadn't spoken French together much before his alternate showed up, but Julia had picked it up with breathtaking speed. She could speak it without an accent most of the time, but if she got excited, she'd trip up a bit, and her s's would take on a Kardassi bend to them.

His old bedroom was exactly how Reginald had left it, which was mildly disorienting. The bedding was recently washed, though, thankfully.

The ceiling was painted with a space scene and was swarming with a fleet of model ships he'd assembled and painted in his youth. They varied from simple to intricate in design and the paint from splattered on to the careful gradients and highlights of some of his final works, which had almost been competition worthy.

The walls were a collage of images he'd tapped or pinned upon them. Ships, mechanical schematics, exotic locations, and everything else that had been part of his fever-dream-like vision of what it would be like to serve in Starfleet. It was kind of hilarious how much weirder and simultaneously mundane the reality had turned out to be.

Reginald only made the token effort of kicking off his shoes before laying down in his bed. The comforter had the fleet logo on it, the sheets the old Kirk era department delta's in their respective colors patterned on them. He barely registered any of it as he laid down fully clothed.

Scrubbing his face with his hands, Reginald let out a protracted sigh. It seemed possible that Julia had reached across realities to arrange his family reunion. At the very least, it was something he knew she was capable of.

Like with most things involving Julia, Reginald didn't know how to feel anymore. Or at least it wasn't a simple feeling. Simplicity had gone out the airlock the minute his double showed up.

Uncertainty coiled around Reginald's heart. The gesture and the implied care brought a swell of warmth even as it threatened to crush it.

Reginald fell asleep and had a dream that was a jumble of an away mission gone wrong and a family picnic. One that refused to untangle itself and decide if it was a pleasant dream or nightmare.

Chapter 51: Welcome Home

Chapter Text

The second day back on Earth was much more subdued. A smaller group of his family dropped by for lunch. After the party, it was a welcome respite from being awash in people and helped Reginald feel more connected to them as individuals. He hadn't realized that the sense of belonging was missing in his life on such a fundamental level.

On DS9, Reginald had found a sense of community and made friends. It had helped him immensely to feel seen and accepted as he was. His family soothed a part of him he hadn't realized had been aching for years. They understood him in ways even his closest friends didn't.

Reginald surprised himself by feeling like reaching out in return even when the planned visits ended. He called people, invited them over, visited, and offered to take his cousins' kids on day hikes. Of course, it wasn't every day, nor were they terribly exciting events, but they happened.

Though he still wasn't a social butterfly, Reginald found he was happy having a meal, discussing books or engineering over Raktajino, maybe a BBQ, and throwing axes in the backyard. Just easy things.

After the second week back, Reginald decided that he would take his leave on Earth the next year. It would become an annual or bi-annual event rather than a one-off.

During the third week, Reginald got a letter from the medical inquest. Similar to his counterpart's story, the disease had already been past the point of treatment when symptoms appeared in his mother's case. Unfortunately, it did move faster in human bodies than Andorain ones.

Reginald had broken down at the news, relief and old grief tearing at him as he shared the information with his family. It resulted in another family get together and a long night of story telling and commiseration. By the end of it, Reginald felt washout and hollow but better than he'd ever expected.

Despite having two months of vacation he was obliged to use, Reginald's original plan had been to spend two weeks of it with his family. He'd assumed he'd feel to awkward to stay any longer.

Reginald couldn't help feeling foolish that he'd only come because of Kelya Tas after getting to know everyone. It was almost as funny as sad to know how close he'd come to missing out on reconnecting with his extended family. He ended up extending his stay to a total of six weeks.

Reginald promised he'd keep in touch this time come hell or high water when it was finally time for him to leave. Despite the new feeling of closeness, he didn't regret it when he stepped on the transmat. When he emerged from the beam, it was on the first of many ships that would be part of the relay getting him back to DS9.

During their discussions, Tas had suggested visiting Earth and his family to help Reginald gain a sense of perspective. Also, to help him reconnect more with his earlier ambitions and his family. It had certainly worked, though he suspected Tas would have preferred he remained on Earth for his entire vacation.

Reginald had considered it briefly but discarded the idea. Transit time didn't count against his vacation since he used Fleet transports. Those weren't properly free rides after all. He had to pitch in if they needed it. When he'd get back to DS9, he'd still have two weeks of leisure, and he had some ideas of what to do with it.

Despite having to help out occasionally, Reginald found himself quite relaxed during the week-long trip to DS9. With his personal page accepting messages again, he kept in touch with his family and found the problems that cropped up pretty fun to deal with.

Unlike Geordi, most people only looked at his file jacket, and assumed systems work was all he could do. So it was pretty amusing when they'd leave him alone with one problem then come back to find he'd fixed six.

Working in so many different environments with new people reminded Reginald of his younger years. Like seeing his old room back home had. It was easy to forget given everything that had happened, but his dream had always been to serve in Starfleet. A dream he'd fought for.

Starfleet Academy and the cutthroat competition at Daystrom seemed designed to make sure someone like Reginald didn't graduate. But he'd done it anyway. Canada was part of him, his family was finally in his life, but his life wasn't on Earth. The old blue marble was lovely but not where he was meant to be.

Thanks to the distance from Earth, it was four months, two weeks, and a day from when Reginald left DS9 to when he found the station glowing dimly out of his cabin's viewport. Against all odds and reason, she was still floating right where he'd left her.

Reginald took his time getting in line to disembark when the time came. He'd gotten up early to get a sonic in and dress, relative to the shuttle's arrival time. Garak's gift had arrived while he was on Earth, and he wanted to make sure he had time to put it on properly instead of rushing.

The unmarked garment bag unzipped to reveal a classic style of suit. Dark blue pair of slacks with a matching vest over a white shirt with a subtle silver pattern of the musketeers cross worked into the fabric. The jacket was a proper musketeer blue and contrasted with the red fabric rose of the pocket square.

The outfit felt like an updated version of Reginald's holodeck outfit but made him feel well dressed instead of clownish. That it lacked the top two buttons on the shirt had made him smile. Garak had a thing about necks, and not allowing the shirt to button too high had probably been a compromise over giving it a more Cardassian style.

Reginald joined the end of the queue to disembark. He stepped out of the sterile air of the shuttle into a complex miasma of alien musk and burning electronics. A scent that he took a moment to breathe in and enjoy, knowing his nose would go dead to it before long.

Straightening his clothes, Reginald looked around the dock, feeling self-conscious. To his relief, Julian, Garak, and Miles were waiting by the airlock. Of course, he'd expected them, but there was always that little voice of doubt no matter how much better he was doing. Seeing the welcome party silenced it entirely.

Striding forward with unusual confidence, Reginald wondered what they'd all be doing for the evening. Julian and Miles had both been evasive about the party, while Garak had told him a different story every time they spoke. Reginald grinned, not caring if it were just the usual darts at Quarks so long as it was with friends.

Reginald stopped short of the group. They had a weird kind of vibe to them. Or at least Miles and Julian did. Garak was nearly impossible to read. He was about to ask what was up when they stepped apart.

Behind where Julian and Miles had been standing was a chair. There was nothing remarkable about it, nor was it the only one in the waiting area. What had a river of sparks cascading down Reginald's spine was the occupant who sat facing away from him.

Reginald felt his heart start to jackhammer in his chest as his mouth opened in a little o of surprise. A familiar silhouette, dark hair styled elegantly and held in place by hairpins that would certainly double as blades.

Reginald felt like time stood still as his bag dropped to the ground from his suddenly nerveless hand. Julia turned as she stood up. The dress she was wearing fluttered with her and caught the light. It revealed a pattern with the musketeer cross in a matching but metallic threat. It gave a soft sheen in the glaring station lights rather than glittering.

With his mind in overdrive, Reginald cataloged every aspect of her appearance. The red fabric roses adorning Julia's hair. The way the front of her skirt split to reveal pants and ballet flats in a darker blue than the dress. Something short-circuited when he realized they were wearing matching outfits.

"Reginald," Julia started softly, only to hesitate and fall silent. Julia looked scared, vulnerable in a way Reginald didn't care for.

The moment blurred, and he didn't recall how but he went from standing stupefied to holding Julia in his arms. She was the surprised one as he pulled her into a kiss, but she melted into it with a little chirp of pleasure all the same.

When they came up for air, applause, cheers, and some confused or possibly disgusted exclamations reached Reginald's ears. They'd kissed in front of a hundred or so people. Despite the setting Reginald's blush had nothing to do with embarrassment. He still had his arms locked around Julia, unwilling to let go even for a moment as they pressed their foreheads together and just breathed.

While this was going on, Elim nudged Miles with his elbow. Miles glared, then recalled what the reminder was for and tapped his com to give a discreet command. Julia and Reginald vanished in a flash of light, transported to the new Bashir quarters.

"It seems that Julia's concerns were wholly misplaced," Elim said with a smirk. Julian just rolled his eyes and handed over the box of chocolate they'd wagered on the matter. Neither had thought that the pair wouldn't reunite happily. Julian had just felt that Reginald would need a little time to get over the shock and some explanations. Maybe even be angry for a few minutes until he understood what exactly had happened.

Next to them, Miles cleared his throat meaningfully and held out his pad. Elim and Julian sighed before pressing thumbs to it to exchange latinum. Elim had assumed that either Reginald would be a mess of nerves for a few minutes or happy but confused and wanting an explanation.

Miles had been the only one to wager that Reginald wouldn't so much as ask a question and kiss Julia straight off. Not that he'd expected the man to start vaulting furniture with unexpected agility.

Julia had mentioned it, and they'd all seen that Reginald was surprisingly fit and coordinated in the holosuites. It was just easy to forget. Rather like how Julian's enhanced abilities were. Both men tended to be a bit of a disaster in their everyday lives.

"I'll meet you two at Quarks later," Miles said cheerfully as he headed out. The group had dinner plans, but they were a few hours off. The party for Reginald would happen once he and Julia were done reacquainting themselves and fit for company.

Chapter 52: A Weekend Away

Chapter Text

Once Miles departed Elim and Julian were left alone. They quite demurely didn’t do more than give each other warm glances in difference to the Bajoran population. Things were rather smoother on that front than either of them had ever expected, but it wouldn’t do to test things needlessly.

“Shall we retire to the summer estate?” Julian asked playfully. He offered Elim his elbow and it was accepted in a prim fashion. When the luxury quarters had been repaired and retrofitted as family quarters Julia had claimed dibs on one of the larger units and had it customized. They would make for a more spacious and Cardassian security compliant home. She apparently had plans to relocate them all outright, but those were still a few months out and heavily enshrouded in mystery as "the project".

Through the end of the month however, the original quarters she’d been assigned were still available for use. Julian and Elim had agreed to give Julia and Reginald space for a few days, as she’d so kindly granted them during their initial courtship. They didn’t bother mentioning that it would be nice to have a place to themselves temporarily.

Family was everything to Cardassians and Julian was elated to have some he liked. Despite that, even Cardassians couples took vacations without the family from time to time. Likewise Julian missed certain aspects of bachelor's life. Not enough to be important, but he was certainly going to indulge himself fully while away.

“Julia looked rather fearful before Reginald swept her up,” Elim observed once they were alone.

“Well, she did break things off with him and its been months,” Julian said with a shrug. They were in the home stretch to their old quarters.

“I still don’t quite understand that. Why send him away only to greet him in such a fashion?” Elim asked. If others had not intervened, it was possible that Reginald would have left indefinitely. Pulled in various directions by Julia’s schemes, no matter what he desired. All the while unaware of her return.

“Was she testing his affection?” Elim added to clarify his question. He didn’t think Julia would do that, but was puzzled.

“No. Trust me, if that were in question this wouldn’t be happening. Julia…” Julian paused, thinking the matter over.

“Julia wouldn’t even be allowing this if Miles hadn’t twisted her arm. She fully intended to give Reginald up, still would if he’d chosen not to return,” Julian said, sighing.

“Well… its not unreasonable for her to think that might be for the best in his case. They hadn’t known each other all that long,” Elim offered. He didn’t actually agree with what he was saying though, not as he said it at least.

“Oh, come on. You know she loves him, and not just because of the other one,” Julian said, bumping his shoulder against Elim’s. Elim nodded, knowing quite well the truth of the assertion. Julia had clearly fallen quite in love with their Reginald as they got to know each other. Elim had seen it unfold as he kept an, at first, suspicious and then simply a watchful eye on her.

Reginald in turn had been a hopeless case almost from the first day they met. A considerable statement about the man given the circ*mstance. Elim didn’t bother to venture a guess as to what kind. Some things were better left as mysteries.

“I suspect that itself was part of the problem. She knew a different version of him for years. How could she not wonder if she wasn’t manipulating him with ill gotten knowledge?” Elim countered. He wasn’t interested in defending his point though, not nearly so much as the joy of a playful argument with Julian.

“Yeah, but… I don’t think that was really it,” Julian said, trying to work out what he wanted to convey. Elim gave him time to compose his argument. Really, Elim thought that Julia had simply wished to protect Reginald. Given the danger that surrounded her, the number of enemies to their family, and a plethora of other issues it wouldn’t have been strange. Especially not after learning how his counterpart had nearly been assassinated.

It would have been an expected move for a Cardassian in love to give up the object of their affection under such circ*mstances. It was an unfortunate reality of the harsh politics throughout the Union. Seeing a lover placed into an amiable and comfortable duty match was a trope in more maudlin stories for a reason.

Julian and Elim entered their quarters together and went straight for the couch. Julian kicked off his shoes but didn’t bother with slippers. Mila would have been appalled but Elim just smiled. He was always pleased to look at as much of Julian as he could and took a seat.

“I never did tell you why I didn’t try to start a romantic relationship with you before this, did I?” Julia asked suddenly.

“I imagined it had to do with my checkered past and dubious allegiances at the time,” Elim said a little too quickly. He was honestly a bit terrified of the possible answers.

“Partly it was because of my augmentation. I couldn’t bear the idea of getting closer to you while keeping a secret like that,” Julian said, voice tinted with melancholy. He removed his jacket, revealing a sleeveless black undershirt. It was odd in design, with a collar that went all the way up to Julian’s chin. Garak absolutely hated it from the moment he first laid eyes on it. It was going to find itself the victim of an inexplicable and tragic reclimator accident.

“That's… more than I deserved,” Elim said hesitantly. Julian gave him a fond smile as he sat down beside him, leaning in for a quick anshwar.

“Its not about deserving,” Julian muttered softly before moving back. Elim nodded though it was hard to truly agree. Too much of his life had revolved around a different ideology for him to accept it. Even as he basked in the love that overflowed from the man trying to teach him, his doubt lingered.

“Ignoring the possible danger I’d have put you in, there was another issue. You didn’t trust any doctor but me. If we’d been together I’d have been barred from treating you. I couldn’t accept that. Honestly, I didn’t trust anyone else with your wellbeing either,” Julian finished. Elim was struck dumb for several moments. He hadn’t considered that Julian had been so protective of him even then. He was kind and diligent toward all his patients, but this was more than that. Really though, it shouldn’t have been a surprise.

Elim couldn’t fully remember that night long ago when the implant failed. What he did remember was kindness when he least deserved it. What he’d learned after the fact was that Julian had defied sense, death itself, and most astonishingly Enabran Tain, to get the information needed to save him.

“Were you perhaps in love with a dashing alleged spy, my dear doctor? After a mere two years or so?” Elim asked archly though he felt shaken inside. Playful banter would be safer ground.

“Seriously? I was in love with you the day you vivisected Romeo and Juliette for two hours in the replimat. I hit my combadge so hard to stop it chiming that my break was over that it broke and stabbed me. I didn’t realize I was bleeding until I got back and Jabara noticed a stain,” Julian said, laughing. Elim froze, that had been three months into their association.

“I thought it was best for us both if I didn’t act on it. You wanted to go home, not get tangled up with me,” Julia said gently with no recrimination.

“And I’ll understand if you get the chance and take it,” Julian added. He was still smiling as he said it, but there was a clear sadness to it. Julian didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve half so openly as he used to, but Elim had long since learned to read him. He was sincere, but it would hurt, and he accepted that.

It was such a tender and dutiful sentiment, one that belonged in an Repetitive Epic. One that filled Elim with anger. As much at himself as Julian. He took his lover's hands in his own, drawing soothing circles on the backs with his thumbs to calm himself.

“Julian, you were the only thing that made those years even halfway bearable,” Elim admitted. Even with the artificial endorphin rush of the implant, misery was misery. He might not have felt it, but the joy that replaced it was hollow, unsupported.

Discussing literature, poetry, flirting, the occasional escapade, all of that had given Elim something to look forward to. Something that didn’t need the implant to be bearable. His time with Julian had been the only thing to grow more important to him when the wire was removed. To still bring him a small measure of happiness on its own.

“Even in the camp, when they were going to let the Cardassians go… I couldn’t imagine leaving without you. Not really, not if it wasn’t a ruse to get you out too,” Elim continued. At the time Julian had just nodded, as if giving him permission to save himself. Meanwhile he’d been trying to figure out how to either signal the runabout to save Julian or outright hijack the Jem’Hadar ship.

“Now, even when I think of going back to Cardassia, I picture you right beside me. You are my home. I want you with me, no matter where we may be,” Elim finished, voice openly impassioned. He pressed his forehead against Julian’s in anshwar, needing the comfort.

Julia’s intervention had brought Elim and Julian together but rather belatedly Elim realized that he’d been negligent. He’d been too happy to have his treasured doctor to properly lay the relationships foundation. A labor even his clever little sister couldn’t help him with, not really.

They were still and silent for a few minutes, just breathing and feeling each other so close. Julian shifted, uncomfortable in his own skin after a little while. It hadn’t been more than a few months ago that he’d seen how close to breaking his alternate’s relationship with his Elim had come. How silence had poisoned it.

“About what I said… You shouldn’t think too well of me. Under all that I thought that if you found out what I am, how I came to be, you’d think I was a fraud and wouldn’t be able to love me. I’ve never thought anyone could, not really,” Julian said, voice catching as he did. Julia had called him out on it but he’d refused to really admit it, even to himself.

Julian had felt his parents' rejection keenly but tried to push it down as a child. To make excuses and find flaws in himself that would explain it. Anything at all to make sense of why everyone around him seemed to take for granted that they had their parents' love. Why he was the only child who didn’t, always too much or too little in some inexplicable way.

When Julian found out about the procedure, it was like everything clicked into place. There was an explanation after all. He was an attempt to fix Jules that had failed. What the augmentations allowed Julian to do were good, praiseworthy things. It was just too bad they were attached to a clingy wreck of a man child. The string of lovers and friends he’d had after that had only seemed to reinforce that idea in his head. No one wanted him once they got to know him.

Then their was the persistent terror that he might eventually go mad and do something terrible. The manic recurring thought that the best he’d ever be able to do was to die heroically in the line of duty. That he was someone who could do great things, had to, but would never have any normal pleasures.

“Julia showed me your genetic profiles. What the changes were, and explained what they did,” Elim said carefully. Julia had done it off handedly, not the least bit shy about it. That didn’t mean it was something Julian wanted to talk about or was even ready for him to know in such detail. Despite that, hiding that he was aware would be worse than admitting it.

“What did you think?” Julian asked dully. He was scared but it was past time they’d had this conversation.

“Well, I wasn’t aware of how sh*tty human memories were prior to that. So I was mildly surprised that a middling Cardassian one was such an astonishing improvement,” Elim said. Julian looked at him with eyes wide in shock. He didn’t often swear, and it had the desired effect, wringing a laugh out of his despondent partner.

“Your calculative ability was impressive. The estimate was six simultaneous lines of reasoning and sixteen variables. That's two more line than myself and twice as many variables, and I’m the upper end of the spectrum in that respect,” Elim continued. Julian nodded though he wasn’t sure where any of it was going.

“I very much enjoyed finding out exactly how strong you could potentially become. Your bite pressure is a little wanting, but clearly it can be improved,” Elim added, with a smirk. Julian fought down the urge to take the bait and laugh again.

“I found no indication whatsoever that you are naturally colorblind though. So I’m rather suspicious that your fashion faux pas's were performative. I’m afraid I won't be able to forgive you for that, if it's true,” Elim added. Julian couldn’t help an indignant laugh.

“Be serious!” Julian demanded even as he smiled against his wishes.

“...Reginald told me something Julia said to him. To quote: Augmentations are just tools. How the person they’re given to uses them is what matters. Or something along those lines. Reginald’s only human, so I imagine there was a bit of paraphrasing,” Elim said sweetly, cheerfully maligning the other man to make Julian smile. A plan that worked brilliantly.

“Is that… Is that how you feel about it, about me?” Julian asked, still hesitant though his anxiety had diminished.

“Julian, I love you because of your enduring optimism and kindness. That you have an inquisitive mind and will try, if not outright enjoy, seeing things from different perspectives. Yes, I enjoy the benefits your augmentations provide, but that is because of you,” Elim said honestly.

“Give your abilities to someone else and… Well, let's just say I’ve met people like that and we did not part on friendly terms,” Elim added with a sigh. Intelligent people weren’t hard to come by, even geniuses. Not when you lived in a quadrant that was absolutely lousy with warp capable species. Julian wasn’t rare because of his gifts, he was rare because of his heart.

“I love you,” Elim finished decisively.

“I love you too,” Julian said with a grin.

“Good, and I’ll try and impress the sincerity of my feelings on you until you understand them properly,” Elim said gently.

“Ha… Yeah, this is why Julia sent Reginald away,” Julian said. Elim tilted his head, confused by the return to the prior topic.

“How so?” Elim asked.

“We're both possessive,” Julian said simply.

“I hardly think you qualify my dear,” Elim said with open disbelief. Julian could be persistent in his pursuit of a partner, but not often, and was never ungracious in partings. He still donated to the orphanage that raised Leeta on her birthday. He’d been part of Worf’s wedding party, suffered an ordeal for the dubious honor, and still said a very sweet toast at the reception in honor of Dax. Those weren’t the actions of a possessive man.

Julian’s expression shifted subtly, fingers toying with his atrociously high collar. He looked amused but also almost sad.

“You can do whatever you like, love. I don’t want to control you, but no one will ever take you from me against your will,” Julian said flatly. Elim felt a little thrill at the bold declaration.

“That's hardly-” Elim cut off in the middle of formulating a teasing reply. As he was talking Julian pulled at the buttons of the collar to snap them off dramatically.

“Good riddance to a bad design,” Elim said wryly. Julian chuckled, moving to straddle his lap in a fluid move. It was always a delight to see Julian use his abilities, especially since he was only inclined to in private. It felt like a special treat for Elim alone.

“Its just the wrapping for a little surprise,” Julian purred, reaching for the hem of his shirt. As he started to pull it up and over his head Elim leaned in to place a kiss on his sternum. Julian laughed and pushed him back.

“Not yet love, you’ll want to see it properly,” Julian said mischievously. Elim hissed with annoyed amusem*nt. He wouldn’t refuse to let Julian put on a show for him just because of his impatience. Neither one of them would ever accomplish anything if they started doing that. Or make it out of bed most days for that matter.

The shirt came off finally after a torturous tease and left Elim speechless. The expanse of familiar bronze skin was as lovely as ever, but from the shoulders up transformed into ridges and scales. Julian’s neck had been altered to resemble a Cardassian one.

“Julian, dear, is this-” Elim raised a hand but stopped just short of touching Julians shoulder. It felt like an illusion that would vanish if he dared. He had occasionally fantasize about what Julian would look like if he were Cardassian. Normally he considered himself rather creative, but now wondered where that erroneous belief had emerged from.

Elim had never considered Julian retaining his natural luxurious bronze hue. Clearly he needed to cultivate his imagination more. Seeing Julian scaled in his natural colors had Elim slick and his ajan aching from his prut trying to evert before it had even softened.

“You were complaining about my bite pressure, but I know the delicacy of mammalian skin is what really irritates you. This is just as tough as your own,” Julian said with a grin. His fingers traced sinfully along the ridges as he batted his eyelashes. His teasing fingers traced a line to his clavicles then took Elim’s uncertain hand and put it on his neck.

Julian smiled, leaning into the touch and Elim gave an experimental squeeze. Julian didn’t react as the pressure mounted, seeming amused even as it passed his normal tolerance. Elim pulled Julian down even as he rose, his mouth closing for a bite around the third scale down.

Julian was strong enough to handle everything else normally, despite his relative delicacy, but not Elim’s bite. Elim loved Julian as he was, delicate skin and all, but biting was to Cardassian’s as kissing was to Humans. It wasn’t difficult to enjoy intimacy without it, but something always felt like it was missing.

Instead of the expected noises of disapproval or pain, Julian moaned. Able to indulge himself without considerable restraint for the first time Elim was lost in the sensation. He hardly even registered that Julian was talking to him until a turn of phrase caught his attention.

“Oh, you're done for now. I'll follow you anywhere,” Julian gasped. Elim smiled against his neck, licking the marks his teeth had left. Julian hadn’t been lying, his modification was holding up beautifully.

“I don’t care what I have to do to make it work,” Julian continued, fingers twinning in Elim’s hair. Elim felt every nerve in his body light up as the enormity of it sunk in. This was what Julian had meant about being possessive. A hundred minor moments spun through his mind in a new light. Julian had done as much already. Danced around regulations and manipulated little flows and eddies in events. Any time it seemed Elim might end up in trouble or kicked off the station and simply hadn’t for reasons arcane, Julian had been at work.

“Anything for you,” Julian purred. It was a beautiful and terrifying promise coming from someone capable of making good on it. Elim knew he could leave, refuse Julian’s company, do anything he liked. He didn’t doubt that Julian would be as gracious to him in parting as he was to his past lovers. Yet nothing short of that, of Elim choosing to end their relationship, would part them.

“No,” Elim said flatly. Julian pulled back, surprised and clearly hurt. Elim had been ready to burn a planet he stood on and follow him into death. Julian had talked Sisko down on his charges and gotten his sentence reduced further from six to three months. All of that before they’d even held hands outside of a sickbed.

“Julian, you’re to be my enjoined, my husband. We will protect each other and our family, together, and I will not suffer you to harm yourself. Not for my sake or anyone else's,” Elim said, inviting no argument.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not a masoch*st Elim,” Julian countered, looking relieved.

“Liar. I’ve seen you shatter yourself a half dozen times trying to fix everyone and everything. You take too much on yourself,” Elim pressed, unwilling to let the matter drop. He had seen but let go of far too much over the years. Too wary of pushing their friendship to a breaking point and losing Julian entirely. That fear could not be allowed to persist now, not when it could poison their union.

“From now on, its together, or not at all,” Elim said flatly.

“Together,” Julian agreed, eyes wet even as he smiled.

Chapter 53: The Embrace of Family

Chapter Text

In the alternate universe a week after Julia and Julian sorted their grievance out, more or less, things started to find a flow. To say they were going smoothly would have been an exaggeration however. It took a few more days for Elim to feel he’d received proper redress while Reginald was more or less content after the first few clashes between the Bashir siblings. He hadn’t felt wronged so much as been concerned that Julia and Julian wouldn’t properly talk things out without some nudges and reminders.

A week after that the crew and extended family quarters were finally sorted out and a small amount of staff started coming onboard the as yet unchristened station. A few of them were operations specialists to oversee the general running of the station while the rest were botanists and related personnel to assist them.

Julia and Julian tended to have slightly different priorities but they’d both agreed that getting the food and medical plant facilities up and running was a priority. A great deal could be replicated, but not everything, even with the more precise medical replicators Julia had installed. They also functioned as secondary life support and kept the station’s air significantly fresher than was the norm for the chemically recycled variety.

Security had come first however and Elim had only needed to nudge them a little about it. Reginald helped with the general systems portion. In the end the station ran on a custom programming language with an emphasis on clear documentation and orderly scripting. That alone would have made it difficult to crack but Elim had done most of the security protocols himself which increased that level a few fold.

With things more or less in running order what remained was onboarding the rest of the medical and teaching staff. Unlike the DS9 infirmary the station was intended to function as a teaching hospital and offer classes along with care. Helping in a crisis was good, but empowering locals to be able to support their community into the future was better.

“So, do you think we're ready to receive more of the family?” Elim asked one morning over a cup of redleaf. He and Julia had been having breakfast while Reginald was helping Julian get a finicky new piece of equipment reprogramed and integrated with the station's system.

The Jack Pack was on the lower level sunbathing under a lamp on sand they’d spent a few hours replicating and pouring out on the floor of the promenade. Why they’d elected to do that instead of using a holodeck was a mystery no one felt like pursuing. The general policy about the group was to just let them be so long as they weren’t hurting anyone or obstructing a work project.

Julia took a few moments to consider the idea. It had always been the plan, but she felt hesitant to bunch up everyone on the station since it would make them a tempting target even with increased security. Despite that she really did miss them and knew Elim wasn’t asking after the subject casually.

“I think that if you clear the security of the family quarters then we should be able to start receiving them next week,” Julia said finally. There were still odds and ends to sort out but nothing that had to happen before everyone arrived.

“I’ll see to it this afternoon… I wonder what the count is at now,” Elim said, chuckling.

“Stars, I think it's 138 with all the kids,” Julia said with a sigh. From a traditional standpoint they’d adopted six children whom they’d brought to DS9 with the intention to directly raise. Four were under Julian and Elim’s name as a couple, two were under Julia’s.

The Bajoran authorities hadn’t really cared much about Elim being Cardassian since he and Julian adopted Cardassian and Cardassian-Bajoran hybrid children. They had drawn a line at four children though since the space station wasn’t exactly an ideal environment for a large family.

That limit had proved problematic quickly. The first child Julian and Elim had adopted was Rale. She’d been eight when Julian had spotted her limping due to an ill fitted prosthetic at the orphanage. He’d immediately become attached to the little Cardassian girl and she’d come home with him not even a week later.

Neret, Yerran, Jeekya, Shizra, and Ala had all been the same. Children who needed more care than the facility they lived in could provide. Julia was on paper the adopting guardian for Shizra and Ala, but that hadn’t meant much once they were on DS9.

Despite the limit they had not been the only children the family ended up adopting. Not by a long shot. When Federation aid had failed to show up for the third year running Julian had already been at the end of his patience in more ways than one.

A year prior to the first adoption the Federation legal department had tried and failed to block Julian’s marriage to Elim. There wasn’t a real legal precedent for it, but that had more or less been the point. Someone had wanted there to be one, and so they blew up the matter into a public circus.

Julian had been displeased with that to say the least but reined his temper in. He chose to see it as a victory since those responsible had found themselves in quite a lot of legal trouble themselves. Then the eleventh hour attempt to block the adoption of Ala had happened.

That had been when Julian’s temper broke free of its lead completely. Elim had been frankly impressed when he got to see Julian enraged for the first time. It wasn’t quite so flashy as Julia’s temper when it got the better of her, but no less devastating. Lawyers had immediately been hired, activist groups alerted, and a great deal of embarrassment heaped on the Federation council for the attempt.

Julia had also been allowed to wreak all possible havoc with Julian’s blessing. That itself had produced interesting results. Up to that point Julia had been quite liberally bribing and generally ingratiating herself to the cash-strapped Bajoran government. When they were presented an opportunity to get in a few hits on the Federation’s ego they’d been happy to help.

After that they’d all quite maliciously engaged in the adoption of adults (with some paper work fudging) or near adult Cardassian and Cardassian Bajoran Hybrids. Other people likely would have prioritized younger children but after some discussion they all agreed that it would be better to maximize the value of giving the adoptees Federation citizenship.

They were careful about selecting those who didn’t have alternate adoption prospects or hadn’t been able to find an apprenticeship. They’d started with three such young adults and initially focused on getting their educations caught up and figuring out what they wanted to do for careers and where.

The three new Bashirs had almost immediately blossomed into six as they took spouses. The ingrained Cardassian need for family had led them to forming informal ones in the institutions they’d lived in. Once they had enough stability to afford it they sought to formalize them. The pairs had grown as they adopted the younger children they’d been looking after as their own already.

That had been the snowball that became an avalanche. Once the initial adoptees were settled more were brought in and the cycle repeated itself until the full count of people claiming the surname Bashir-Garak came up to thirty. Between the primary adoptions and downstream adoptions the family had quickly ballooned into a full blown clan. One fit to rival the pre-drought norms of Cardassia.

“Provided no ones adopted or had more lately and forgot to send pictures,” Elim said archly. He wasn’t the least bit displeased with the size of the clan despite the lack of blood relation. It felt right to help as many people as possible and if that meant loaning out the Bashir-Garak surname to accomplish it, then so be it.

“Oh stars! Remember when Tika was just like, oops, I picked up another one but forgot to tell you!?” Julia asked, laughing. Elim joined her. Tika was fully Bajoran genetically but had lost her family during the occupation. At seventeen she’d been an adult by Bajoran standards but not Federation so it had been easy to adopt her and help her get into a medical study program like she wanted. She’d made it to RN through an accelerated program and started adopting kids when she turned twenty.

Invitations to come to the station went out the next day after Elim’s inspection turned up a few minor issues that were immediately fixed. The RSVP came within hours and none were a rejection. Though Julian, Elim, and Julia hadn’t raised them per say, none of them considered them anything less than the family Matriarch and Patriarchs.

The influx started a week later and in the midst of it a pair of unexpected guests turned up. Lore and B4, the Soong androids. While the older members of the extended family tended to be wary of them, the kids couldn’t be bothered and descend on uncle Lore and cousin B4 with chirpy enthusiasm.

Mila and Enabran were not enthused by the development but didn’t say anything and simply retreated to their own quarters. The extended family didn’t mind taking turns visiting with them while the pair held court in their private rooms. Julia was pleased to see Lore, Elim was largely indifferent, and Reginald was mildly confused but excited. He’d been aware of Julia’s history with the Soong type android family but hadn’t had the chance to meet Lore before.

After a fairly long bout of play time with the kids Lore and B4 retreated to Julia and Reginald's room to help put the more resistant children to bed. That turned into story time which ended with Lore and B4 laying in bed covered in Cardassian and Cardassian-Human hybrid children.

“You look happy,” Julia said softly. She was seated in a rocking chair with Emily in her arms and Elizabeth already down in the bassinet. Lore looked like a twenty something version of Noonian Soong by way of Orion heritage with customary brown hair and gold eyes.

B4 who was curled up at the foot of the bed had taken a form not unlike Lal’s first one. That of a child, though he’d chosen to cross Noonian’s features with Juliana Tainer’s. Unlike Lore and Data he had memories of her and as his neural net began to grow and mature regarded her as a mother. Blending the two’s appearances had seemed appropriate to him in order that he looked like their child rather than simply a carbon copy of Noonian.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Lore replied just as quietly. As if he wasn’t intentionally emitting a soothing rumble. Zarek and Tolan were each snuggled in against his sides with little Teshe, Ala and Nemcet's daughter, across his stomach. Teshe’s siblings Treskic and Tiarott were cuddled in a pile with B4 who was in standby mode to facilitate dreaming. All of the Soong androids could dream but he was the one most fond of the activity and often indulged almost nightly.

“How's Ziyal doing?” Julia asked with a grin. Lore gave her a narrow look and burrowed further down into the bed's pillows. He’d been dating her for two years and taken a disruptor blast to the chest for her long before that. Still, he’d squirmed when asked about anything to do with her.

“Still on Bajor with O’Boring and company,” Lore said finally, mussing up his hair as he ran a hand through it. Nerys still represented Bajoran interests on DS9 but spent half her time on Bajor, living with Keiko and Miles now that they’d both attached themselves to the Federation consulate and relief efforts on the planet. Miles only got over to DS9 for a week or so every month, the new chief of engineering needing all the help she could get to deal with the patch job of a station.

“Ehm, haven't talked her into studying at that art colony on Risa yet?” Julia asked with a smirk. When Ziyal had expressed an interest in pursuing her art education full time, Lore had gone half out of his mind trying to find a good place for her to study.

Nerys had adopted her and then married Keiko and Miles granting her dual Bajoran Federation citizenship. Ziyal was officially allowed to study in the Federation and related territories. The only trouble being that the premier art school in the Federation was on Andoria which wasn’t conducive to Bajoran Cardassian hybrid biology. She’d be able to live there, but would be heavily restricted in where she could safely venture.

“No, she’s got this weird idea that I picked it because its clothes optional, but that's true of like ninety percent of that friggin planet,” Lore said with a growl. Julia nodded, knowing he likely didn’t care about that aspect. He’d always favored male presentation but he hadn’t ever had much interest in sexual activity. At least not until he was fairly smitten, then all bets were off.

“So, going to tell me why you dropped in for a visit without Lal?” Julia asked. Lore was deeply protective of B4 and never went anyway without him, though he’d likely never admit it. It was also fairly rare for him to be apart from Lal. Asking about that aspect was more likely to get an answer than questioning Lore about his obvious agitation when he arrived and the lack of forewarning.

“She's a traitor who deserves to be left with Captain Asshole,” Lore said petulantly.

“Ehm, and her crime was?” Julia asked. She didn’t need to question that Lore ment Data with the captain comment. When Jean-Luc had moved up to Admiral, Will had become captain of the Enterprise and Data first officer. It hadn’t taken him long to get offered a commission of his own and he’d taken command of the galaxy class Acramedies.

“...I’ve been demoted,” Lore said finally. Julia looked at him curiously, not sure what he was referring to. It had taken time but he’d been cleared of the charges related to his behavior before he was repaired. Despite that he’d never joined Starfleet or any other organization, content to tag along with Data most of the time or do his own thing.

“Data, being a pedantic bastard, realized that I have less operational hours than almost everyone else and declared himself older brother. Apparently I’m even younger than Lal in that respect. Only B4’s isn’t because our dad is a sh*t lord and shut him down when he didn’t show expected progress,” Lore explained. Julia simply nodded, not even tempted to laugh. Any mirth she might have felt was crushed by the comment about Noonian. It did fit with his dismal parenting skills to have done such a thing. It also carried a painful echo of her own fathers abhorrent behavior.

“Well, it kind of fits since you're the cool one,” Julia offered. Lore looked at her suspiciously, but was clearly intrigued.

“What? Look it up, the younger brother is usually the cool uncle while the older brother is the stickler for rules dad,” Julia said matter of factly. Lore didn’t look it up, she knew he wouldn’t, but nodded sagely like he had and the facts agreed with that idea. Not that Julia was sloppy enough to say something she couldn’t back up. It was a very common trope in Federation entertainment programming.

“I am pretty awesome,” Lore said meditatively. Julia smiled, finally putting Emily down to sleep.

“True, pick Zarek up so I can scoot in,” Julia said teasingly. The bed was more than large enough that they didn’t need to be close. Still Lore obligingly lifted Zarek up gently so she could slot in next to him. The little boy ended up on her stomach while she cuddled with Lore. Even if he was buying what she’d said there was a good chance he was still upset about the familial rearrangement that had occurred. He wouldn’t admit to lingering resentment but the fact he was letting her blatantly comfort him was telling.

When they’d met for the first time after Noonian Soong summoned Data to receive the emotion chip, Lore had been in a bad way. His neural net had been damaged by a cascade failure Noonian had stopped but not repaired. That combined with other damage he’d received had put him in a precarious state despite his otherwise tough android body.

Julia had been shocked by Noonian’s caprice in not even examining either of his sons despite the despicable method he’d used to summon them. She didn’t even want to think about what would have happened if Data had actually had his system hijacked by the call. Left to Noonians whims it was possible Lore wouldn’t have been repaired at all and who knew what would have happened if Data had the chip installed as it was at the time.

“I’m sorry I talked about Data,” Lore said after a while.

“Why? He’s your brother. I talk sh*t about Julian all the time,” Julia said with a chuckle. Lore scrunched in against her side more tightly, clearly uneasy about something. As much as he might complain, Lore adored Data. The problem was that he had a great deal of trauma from his upbringing that made it difficult for him to express it in a healthy way. He’d easily get his feelings hurt and lash out or become competitive.

Julia settled in to sleep. Lore would tell her what was wrong in his own time. Rushing him would just make him feel cornered and more likely to lash out. She was nearly asleep when she felt Lore stir. Looking over she found gold eyes trained on her.

“Hm?” Julia hummed questioningly.

“Julia… You're not with Data anymore, you have an organic mate, kids… Are we still family?” Lore asked finally. Julia felt every neuron in her brain snap awake at once. She’d badly misread the problem.

“Of course we’re family,” Julia said, pulling Lore into a proper hug.

“Reginald, Emily, Elizabeth, they’re additions to our family. I mean, the girls already adore their uncle Lore and Reginald’s a bit shy but he was happy to meet you,” Julia assured him. All of what she was saying was true. She mentally cleared a few things off her schedule for the next few days, fully prepared to baby Lore until it sunk in if he decided to be stubborn about it.

“Are you sure about that? Miles must have told him about “Satan’s Snowflake,” Lore grumbled. He’d been sad when he found out about the Crystalline Entities ultimate fate.

“Miles did, but I also explained everything that had happened to you and why being part of my family meant accepting you. He already agreed to that, along with accepting Enabran and Mila who frankly were a much harder sell,” Julia explained. Lore raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“I’m entirely serious. Give it a couple days and you’ll figure out why,” Julia offered. Lore didn’t seem to trust her but in the end nodded. He adjusted his position, worming an arm under her head and this time allowed Julia to drift off to sleep.

Alone with no one but himself Lore felt like misery incarnate. He’d actually had the fight he’d talked about but he was over it. Like Julia had said, he was the cool one. He didn’t need to be the oldest.

“Lore, it is not appropriate for you to visit Julia just now. You should allow her to settle in and reconnect with her family properly,” Data had said like he was discussing the weather. Emotion chip or not the bastard could still be coldly logical when it suited him.

“I’m her family,” Lore had asserted, angry. He understood that Julia probably did need time to sort some things out but he’d been forbidden to even call her. This despite Data having gotten to talk to her in preparation for the assault on section 31 and the AI’s puppeting it.

“Lore, Julia cares about you, and I understand that she is important to you. Despite that as an organic her lifespan will be painfully short in comparison to your own,” Data had said gently. He likely thought he was being kind in pointing out the obvious. As if the fact that Julia was decaying before his eyes wasn’t already eating at Lore like acid. He’d run out before Data could finish.

Once his neural net was repaired and his software updated, Lore's life had changed drastically. The emotion chip Data had made for him prevented his feelings from causing cascade failures and helped him understand and process them. He wasn’t buffeted by what felt like random bouts of madness every time his mood changed. He’d learned to name his feelings and understand what triggered them in most cases. He’d been given an unfamiliar measure of control over himself and his life.

The price of that had been reliving his life, experiencing his past actions, with horrible clarity of mind. A process that had felt like it would break him as he had to face up to his fathers neglect as much as his own fear and rage when he summoned the Crystalline Entity. He couldn’t retreat behind the convenient lies he’d used as armor before.

Well for the first time in his life Lore couldn’t pretend he was perfect. There was no convenient lie that it was the rest of the universe that was wrong for not understanding that and loving him like he’d so desperately wanted. He’d been unstable but even in moments of clarity he’d perpetuated a cycle, always looking for the exterior means of asserting control since he couldn’t do anything about his desperate lack of it internally

Data hadn’t been the one to get him through that crisis. His brother had meant well but hadn’t understood what he was going through. Data’s burdens were loneliness and regret but he could live with himself and his choices. Lore had thought that he both couldn’t and shouldn’t. That it would be better to erase himself and let whatever came after have the body he’d used so poorly.

Julia had been the one to hold Lores hand and insisted that not only could he, but that he should live. That it wasn’t unforgivable to choose to continue even in the wake of everything he’d done.

To Data, Julia was a former lover, someone dear but whom he ultimate chose to part with for noble (idiotic) reasons. To Lore she was something else entirely. To him she was elemental, a building block of his existence that he’d collapse without.

“I’m sorry,” Lore mouthed silently as he looked at Julia. The scanning unit he’d installed in his shoulder was recording her mind. He knew it was a violation, that she likely wouldn’t forgive him, but like Noonian couldn’t let go of Juliana he couldn’t let go of her.

Chapter 54: Flashback: Birds of a Feather

Chapter Text

Reginald didn’t know exactly what had gone wrong on DS9, only that Julia had arrived on the Enterprise still crying. With Will as Captain there hadn’t been a question if she was allowed to stay and three months had passed without much of an explanation.

Knowing as much as he did about Julia there were things Reginald understood she wouldn’t share as much for the sake of others as herself. He suspected this wasn’t that kind of situation though but rather a family quarrel gone nuclear. She still talked to her brother in law and the kids. It was just Julian who she rather pointedly wasn’t talking to.

Putting the not knowing aside, Reginald did his best to help mend Julia’s spirits. It took time and patience but it was the least he could do after all the times she’d done as much for him. He also tended to enjoy her company to a degree that made spending time with her even at her least sociable pleasant rather than a chore.

Reginald hadn’t brought it up himself but after a few weeks Julia suggested they go play on the holodeck. She didn’t have to ask him twice and a month later they were both in full Musketeer regalia in the midst of a hasty partial costume change as they made good on an escape. Shouts in the distance were the only indication of the eluded guards as they giggled like children and tied on masquerade masks.

“I can't believe you lied about being able to juggle,” Reginald wheezed. His sides aching from laughter.

“I can, just not very well,” Julia countered primly then ruined it by laughing.

“You tossed one ball up in the air then just punched the guard,” Reginald shot back. It wasn’t often that Julia just flat out couldn’t do something. She’d probably have it down in a week if she cared to, but the way she’d just glibly bullsh*ted the diversion had been adorable.

“Says the man who lost our hard won invitation,” Julia fired back. Reginald couldn’t deny that it had gone missing in his possession. He’d totally missed the pickpocket despite knowing it was going to happen. The sound of footsteps cut their playful exchange short.

They dove for the same patch of darkness behind a decorative pillar. It was a thin shadow and Reginald instinctively pulled Julia in tight against him so they could both fit. An effort that was rendered pointless by how she was giggling.

“Sshhh!” Reginald scolded, a finger tapping her lips. She didn’t quit and as a pair of drunken revelers strolled past instead of guards Reginald couldn’t help laughing too.

“I think we know which way the party is,” Reginald said archly only to yelp. Julia had nipped his finger and was running down the path, turning to flash him a challenging grin. Reginald dashed after her.

As he chased after Julia, Reginald didn’t bother thinking about what came next. Really, he wouldn’t have minded if this was what they did for the rest of the game. Playing tag in the dark like a couple of kids.

Too quickly for Reginald's taste he found himself following Julia into a crowded ballroom. The location of the next portion of the game. She waited for him at the edge of the crowd, breathing a little raggedly but not half so out of breath as him. He was definitely going to add more swimming to his exercise routine. Strength was nice but he would gladly trade half of his in for the stamina to keep up with her.

“If I recall correctly, this is the part where a certain gallant captain should be dancing with the mysterious lady,” Julia said with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes once they’d caught their breath.

“Probably shouldn’t have added this part,” Reginald muttered to himself. He hadn’t finished bookmarking all the subsections so he couldn’t skip just this portion. They could still skip the entire section but the dance interlude was short and the scene was pretty fun. He’d named it ballroom blitz for a reason.

“Oh, do you not know this dance?” Julia asked, eyes wide in surprise. They’d talked about what skills they had and he’d told her he could, and it was true. He’d learned a fair amount of ballroom and salsa for his various scenarios.

“I can, its just… Don’t laugh at me?” Reginald asked, blushing crimson.

“I won’t, Reginald,” Julia assured him. Reginald felt his shoulders relax a little at the gentle sincerity in her eyes.

“Okay,” Reginald said softly. He believed her but it didn’t help the butterflies in his stomach. Just fencing in front of her had been downright awkward at first and he was confident in his ability in that arena. He also felt like that was probably a lot cooler than dancing in a general way.

“I’ll take a quick break while you do,” Julia added. Reginald nodded and watched as she turned and headed out toward the dining room. That made him smile a little, she always had quite the appetite. He was entirely happy to take the opportunity to get the dance over with while she indulged in whatever weird period accurate food was on offer. He liked programming but for stuff like that he just okayed existing libraries and let the algorithm sort it out.

Alone, Reginald resumed the ball and had his dance with the enigmatic lady. It only took about ten minutes even with the information exchange and riddle, but by the end he was more than ready to move on. He scanned the crowd for Julia and was both relieved and disappointed not to see her.

The lighting in the room dimmed as an unexpected breeze blew through and most of the candles were blown out. Reginald was caught up in the effect for a moment, desperately making a mental note to track whatever part of the environmental randomizer was responsible. He’d want to use it intentionally at some point.

Reginald’s attention slid away from the novel effect, eyes searching for Julia in the crowded ballroom again. He’d expected her to have returned and been nearby but he couldn’t see her in the dim light. Reginald's first instinct was to start looking for her. A twinge of a child's panic at realizing they’d wandered off in a store seizing him.

Not for the first time Reginald fought his panic down. The scene would shift and the floor would clear on its own soon enough. That would be the best moment to find her. It wasn’t easy to keep his cool despite that. The only thing keeping him from pausing the program was his certainty she wouldn’t have ditched him. At least not without saying something and only if it were important.

For a moment Reginald was surprised by how much faith he had in Julia. That surprise blossomed into a smile. It wasn’t really faith, Julia had shown him what sort of person she was. That was what lent him confidence.

“Monsieur, might I have the pleasure?” someone asked. Reginald almost missed the request in the murmur that had gone up over the lights. He cast a glance around, still trying to find Julia. When he failed and someone bumped into him as they danced past he sighed. It would be easier to stay in the middle of the floor if he was actually dancing.

“Sure,” Reginald said, offering his hand to the woman who was still waiting. She ignored his prior rudeness and curtsied politely as she accepted. Reginald looked at his dancing partner for the first time and felt a sharp regret. He’d set pretty loose physical appearance parameters and it had worked against him. His partner was as tall as he was with glossy black hair and tanned skin. Though very little of her form was visible it was sleek, modest curves and toned muscle beneath where he’d chastely placed his hands.

Between the dim light and the mask it was easy to get lost in the feeling and vague suggestion. To picture Julia in place of the random extra. Reginald realized that he’d pulled the holographic woman closer than was appropriate for the style of dance. She responded easily, unbothered by the lapse. He hadn’t programmed the setting too strictly, more interested in fun than tedious historical accuracy.

“Who are you looking for?” the woman asked in a low voice that sounded just like Julia’s. It gave Reginald a moment of vertigo as he tried to parse if the hologram actually sounded like her or if he was having an auditory hallucination.

“Julia?” Reginald asked. It should have been a statement, an answer to her question. Julia was off somewhere, possibly still eating or taking a restroom break. She wouldn’t have just come straight up to him and asked for a dance.

“Yes?” Julia responded with a grin. Reginald stumbled as reality came crashing down on him. He’d been dancing with Julia. He knew he was going to fall but slim arms caught him surely.

“Are you okay?” Julia asked, warm concern lacing her words like honey. She helped him get steady but didn’t move away.

“F-Fine,” Reginald said, cringing as he stuttered.

“I shouldn’t have turned the lights down so low,” Julia said, pulling her mask down so it hung like a necklace. It was an abrupt gesture and Reginald froze in surprise. When she reached up toward his face her hands carried past, going to the tie behind his head.

Julia tugged the bow gently and Reginald blinked as his peripheral vision was restored and the room brightened slightly as the mask fell away. Without thinking his arms had slipped around Julia’s waist in an embrace, mirroring how her arms were set around his shoulders. He knew he shouldn’t have but it still happened and he awaited a flinch or rebuke.

“Hey, was this too much? I didn’t mean to make you nervous but I had a gown so…” Julia said. Her hands slid down to the outside of his arms just below the shoulders. She’d leaned back to get a look at his face but not actually broken away, still in the circle of his arms.

Julia’s dress was musketeer blue with a subtle silver pattern of the emblem worked into the fabric. The chest panel featured a large embroidered musketeer cross. Red was visible where the petticoat and chemise peeked out of the hem and sleeves. She hadn’t been kidding about having a dress ready.

Reginald swallowed. He’d shown her the plans for the new scenario back when he’d begun working on them the prior month. They’d included a ballroom scene even then. She’s seen that and had a dress made then brought it along.

“Would you like to go on a date?” Reginald asked, words tumbling out before he could think better of them.

“Yes,” Julia said without pause.

“With me?” Reginald asked, trying to clarify. He’d only said a few words but clearly he’d messed up somehow.

“The answer is yes. I’d like to go on a romantic date with you, Reginald Endicott Barclay the third,” Julia said, grinning. Reginald’s mouth dropped open into a little o of surprise. She clearly had understood him perfectly.

“With hand holding and everything,” Julia added teasingly with a seductive purr. One that transitioned into an eyebrow waggle. Without thinking Reginald pulled her in tight against him and Julia let out a happy squeak and giggled.

“I, uhm… I’ve wanted to ask you for a while,” Reginald admitted. Quantifying years as “a while” was disingenuous but he wasn’t able to say more. Vivisecting himself emotionally to that degree wasn’t something he had the courage to do at the moment.

“I’d rather hoped you would, for a while,” Julia replied. Her voice dropped low as she leaned in to say it softly in Reginald's ear. He shivered and blushed a bloody scarlet. With anyone else this was probably where he’d work himself into an anxious mess and run away or get sick to his stomach.

As Julia leaned back Reginald found he was simply enthralled. He was willing to do anything she wanted but held motionless for fear of breaking the spell of the moment.

“Riker to Bashir. Julia, we need you on the bridge. Now,” Riker’s voice cut in over the com. They both looked up, startled by the disembodied voice but didn’t spring apart. Julia let out a frustrated hiss while Reginald just groaned. Everything else aside, it never seemed to fail that something would come up when things were nice.

“Computer, pause program and door!” Julia huffed and the ballroom around them froze. She stepped away from Reginald and quickly undid some fasteners at her waist. Her skirt fell down to pool around her ankles. Underneath she was still wearing her red leather trousers.

Reginald laughed, the relief of tension too much. It was just like Julia to be ready for any situation. Julia gave him a little glare and he held his hands up in mock surrender.

“Mademoiselle, I’ll ensure-” Reginald started. He meant to promise her that he’d make sure she got her skirt back undamaged. Julia had him by his jacket lapels, pulling him in for a nearly bruising kiss that ended in a painful little nip.

“Julia?” Reginald asked, surprised as she pulled back.

“This wasn’t a dream, you asked me on a date and I said yes,” Julia purred. Before Reginald could say anything, or even try to form a reply for that matter, Julia was running for the open door. The situation felt surreal but the persistent throb of his lip reminded Reginald that he was wide awake. He couldn’t help but grin.

Chapter 55: Reasons

Chapter Text

Two weeks after Lore ran off Data found a moment and the emotional equilibrium to go and try to make amends. He’d been distracted and spoken too clinically to his brother. Lore was sensitive at the best of times and the past two years had been anything but for their family.

“Dad, he’s being selfish. He should be left on his own,” Lal complained. She’d been what could be politely called moody for the past month. A considerable improvement over her prior state of sullen withdrawal.

“I am partially to blame. I should not have discouraged communication with Julia,” Data said, raking a hand through his hair. He’d used too much gel but hadn’t felt motivated to shower and start over. Now it's crunchy texture was driving him to distraction. A symptom of his less than stellar emotional state.

Rather than a shuttle or the captain's yacht from the Archimedes he was piloting his private ship, the Palash. It was a modestly sized stealth vessel built for Android capabilities. A gift from Julia, what he’d thought would be the last one he’d ever receive. Like a talisman of protection should he ever need it. It had not been the last nor most precious gift.

“He shouldn't have gone to see her,” Lal huffed. Data mentally added “without me” to her word’s. Julia had been part of Lals early development even before Data had become romantically involved with her. Things had gotten complicated after Lal suffered the cascade failure from emotional shock.

Some of the issues were expected. Lal had effectively been temporally displaced, awakening in an unexpected future. One in which Data was no longer Julia’s partner and was captain of a ship during wartime. With the tensions due to the dominion creating a tense atmosphere and his increased workload, everything had been disorienting.

That was the other motivation for the trip. To make amends with Lal. He’d mishandled things with her as well. He’d overlooked the warning signs when she began to withdraw and hadn’t connected them with her deteriorating relationship with Julia until it was too late.

“I sent notice that we would be visiting,” Data started, only to trail off. Julia Bashir was alive. He’d never believed the official story about her augment extremist activities or death trying to liberate others from federation custody. He knew her too well.

That had not however been any comfort to Data. When he’d investigated her disappearance everything had invariably traced back to her incomplete attempt to visit DS9. What exactly had happened hadn’t been clear, but the passage of time had made it increasingly likely that it had been fatal.

“Can’t I stay in the ship?” Lal asked.

“Yes, if you wish to,” Data offered. He knew Lal wanted to see Julia but was anxious after the separation. Forcing her wouldn’t help. As much as he wanted to fix the situation it wasn’t a busted coupling. He needed to give his daughter space to work through her feelings. At least for the moment.

“Did B4… He never talks about her, does he even know her?” Lal asked after a half hour of quiet.

“He only spent about a month in Julia’s company after his reactivation… His initial condition was different from your own. She helped us with planning and implementing a care and education plan for him,” Data explained. B4 had transitioned to a Soong type three positronic brain the prior year when he’d obtained sufficient sapience to make the choice himself. A process that had taken quite a few years with his original type two.

“So why bother?” Lal asked.

“I imagine that Lore brought him to introduce to the children. Hybrids and Augments both tend to imprint more firmly than standard human infants so early exposure is advisable,” Data added. Julia had daughters. The thought struck him hard, at once warm and yet hateful. He imagined they would be as lovely as their mother.

“Why would that even matter? We're not family anymore, she has real children now,” Lal whined, sounding on the edge of tears. Data found himself frozen for a moment. He carded through his memories, trying to find some instance in which he might have given Lal such an impression. He couldn’t find anything but didn’t let himself off the hook. There was an nebulous quality of things unsaid that he had not by any means mastered.

“Lal, that is not true,” Data said gently. He left the ship on autopilot as he turned to Lal.

“Isn’t it? Once they started adopting we barely spent any time together,” Lal retorted. Data winced.

“That was because... I was being selfish. Julia would have happily hosted you on DS9 but I wanted you with me on the Acramedies exclusively. I… I had not been dealing with my grief well after your deactivation. When I got you back I was behaving possessively but I didn’t properly understand it yet,” Data began. He’d had to undergo fairly extensive counseling to even begin to process the gordian knot of his emotions from that time. Something he hadn’t started until Julia disappeared and he was left with a very new set of feelings he didn’t know what to do with.

“You're lying! When I’d call, she’d say I couldn’t go,” Lal shouted. It hit Data like a slap but he didn’t let it show.

“Only when the station was under threat… Which at a certain point was unfortunately often. Did you ever feel unwelcome when you would sneak away to see her despite my forbidding it?” Data asked.

“N-no… but…” Lal stopped. She looked fragile and younger than the teenage appearance of her current frame.

“Lal, you do not have to see Julia if you are not ready to. However, I think you should know that the first question she asked me when communication with our reality was established was “how is Lal?” Data said gently. Julia had accepted that Lal’s shut down had been distinct from an organic death, and that she was potentially retrievable. She was also painfully aware that she might not live to see it. Her training left no question that it could take decades to find a solution let alone implement it, and that was if they got lucky.

“Give up because I’m finite? Death is a fool if it thinks it can separate me from her,” Julia had growled in defiance. Fragile bravado overlaying a deep core of stubbornness. Data had treasured that, depended on it when his own belief had wavered in darker moments. He’d also come to fear it. Not Julia, never Julia, but what that devotion would eventually do to her.

“She is my daughter, not yours. Your assistance is not required,” he’d told Julia that toward the end. It had been strange, even without the emotion chip and the greater clarity it brought, he could pinpoint the exact moment her heart shattered. The moment where his own, such as it was, had.

“While you were deactivated it was her custom to kiss me on the temple I’d worn the imprinting interlink on. For luck on away missions, as a gesture of commiseration when we spoke of you, in moments where she was simply lonely and missed you,” Data continued. He’d pushed Julia away as much because of his internal turmoil as a fear of ruining her life.

“You're lying,” Lal said softly, looking miserable.

“No, I am not, and I believe you are aware of that. I am sorry for my role in this Lal. I have never wished to harm either of you but I seem to keep doing so anyway,” Data said, sighing. An intentional affectation that had become a habit that finally was just something he did sometimes. He had certain regrets about it.

“Then why did she break up with you?” Lal asked, tears starting to fall.

“Lal… Did someone say that was what happened?” Data asked, taken entirely aback. Lal was not the first person to hold that particular incorrect view, but certainly the most surprising.

“No, but…” Lal trailed off, mouth quivering. Data knelt down and understood a few points that had been alluding him before.

“Lal, I broke up with her,” Data said firmly.

“Why?” Lal asked, no accusation of falsehood this time.

“Before I understood why you suffered the collapse and how to repair it, I was frightened of the same happening to me and being unable to repair you. That Julia would be left alone, trying to save us both,” Data admitted for the first time. He’d had nightmares about her spending her life chasing one false hope after another until her death.

“We’d already broken up when Noonan summoned me and by accident your Uncle. I learned why it had happened to you and how to prevent it in myself, but not how to reactivate you yet,” he continued.

“Julia would have forgiven me if I’d explained but I didn’t because I was still scared. I didn’t want her to miss out on the very human experience I’d always wished for myself, to become a source of regret, and hoped she would find a mate and have a family,” he admitted. Lal looked stricken and he wouldn’t blame her if she was furious with him in the end.

“So I pushed her away and she completely ignored everything I’d said and done and went hunting for a cure for you anyway. Between her research and Reginalds help when he was fused with the Enterprises computer, I finally came up with a method. She helped me save you. She never gave up on you,” Data finished.

Julia had risked her life scavenging in what amounted to a planet sized dumpster in Orien space. Tracked down every single instance of an advanced AI being mentioned in Starfleet records. None of it had produced a cure, not even finding Flint, the progenitor of the Rayna series of androids.

What her search had provided was clues and between him and what he learned directly from Nooian Soong, Lal had been repaired. It was the gift she’d poured the most effort into, risked the most for, but as he opened his arms to his daughter, he knew it wasn’t the greatest.

“Dad-” Lal sobbed, flinging herself into his arms as her pent up misery finally poured out.

“I’m so sorry love, but I promise things will get better,” Data said softly into her hair.

Julia hadn’t insisted but she’d pushed back against his assumption that he couldn’t feel, that even if he did that somehow it didn’t count because it wasn’t a one to one with human emotions. That stalwart refusal to bow to him and what he assumed was logic was the gift he treasured most.

Without it he might not have been forced to examine his assumptions and reasons as he tried to convince her of his beliefs. He might not have dealt with the confusion and pain of realizing he’d been conditioned to accept a lie. He might not have realized he loved his daughter, might not have told her he did, and that would have been too tragic to contemplate.

Chapter 56: Welcome

Chapter Text

Welcome
Chapter 55

Data expected a certain amount of awkwardness during his meeting with Julia. There wasn’t time for any between Lal bolting to give her a hug and Reginald pulling him into one immediately.

“Hey everyone, this is Data!” Reginald called out to a large gathering. They were mostly Cardassian or Cardassian-Bajoran hybrids. The family Julia, Julian, and Garak had created. It was truly impressive in size and quite friendly.

Though he wanted to talk to Julia, Data allowed himself to be led around and introduced to everyone. Lal would need time to talk and reconfirm the bond she’d thought was damaged. He didn’t mind waiting for that. Likewise he didn’t mind Reginalds company.

“I’d take you in to see the girls, but I think Julia wants to do that,” Reginald said once they’d adjourned into a side room. His ability to socialize had improved but he did still eventually reach the limit of his ability to endure large crowds. Data wasn’t displeased to take a break though he’d been concerned about how things would be once they were alone.

Reginald led him into a small study decorated with model ships and physical copies of engineering books from various cultures. It was clearly the mans own personal space and Data studied it with interest for a few moments. It had a warm, lived in feeling to it.

“I understand,” Data said neutrally. He wasn’t worried about how Reginald would treat him, just his own awkwardness.

The idea of seeing Julia’s children filled him with a tender kind of dread. They were the culmination of his wishes for her, a full organic life, and he knew they would be wonderful.

Julia would see to it that they grew up well loved and would blossom into lovely people. Data wanted that, more people like Julia in the galaxy.

“This uh… It's a little weird,” Reginald said. Data blinked, curious if he’d given away his thoughts somehow. “You are one of the nicest people I know and we were friends then everything happened and…”

“Are,” Data corrected.

“Huh?” Reginald asked.

“Unless you feel otherwise, we are still friends,” Data said, being sincere. Data wished he’d handled things better when he was still together with Julia. Despite that he didn’t harbor animosity toward Reginald for having formed a romantic partnership with her.

“Then we are,” Reginald said, looking relieved as he smiled in a gently pleased way.

Things probably could have been left there, but Data felt uneasy. He had a bad habit of not saying enough to people he cared about as things with Lal had reminded him. Reginald was still such a person.

“Given the seriousness of the situation when Julia went missing, I thought it was best we not discuss other matters. I now believe that was a misjudgment on my part,” Data admitted. “My approval is unneeded, Julia is an excellent judge of character and she has chosen you as mate and partner. There is no higher praise than that, but I do consider you up to the task. Both of being a father to her children and providing her with the love and care she requires.”

“Still means the stars to me,” Reginald said, looking a bit teary eyed. “You were the first person to be kind to me on the Enterprise. I’ll never forget that.”

“It was my duty as an officer, but I also… I felt a certain kinship with you. Socialization wasn’t my strong suit and acceptance was slow in coming for me as well. I wanted you to find a place on the ship as I had,” Data offered. They hadn’t really talked about it when Reginald first came aboard. He’d taken it for granted in many ways that his intent would be understood. One of a number of mistakes.

“You know, Julia made it very clear to me once we were together that accepting her family was part and parcel with being with her. A family includes all the Soong Types, meaning you too. Things went how they went, but don’t think she only wants to see Lal now. Your still family too,” Reginald offered.

“That is… very kind of you to tell me,” Data said. The words had pierced straight through him and his earlier dread turned to a keener sorrow.

Even before meeting Julia, Data would have been lying if he said that he didn’t envy the ease of organic reproduction. Particularly from the male perspective as aligned with his presentation. He’d have automatically generated the needed genetic transfer materials and carrier liquid. A pleasurable secretion process later, his partner would have begun to gestate a new member of their species.

Or possibly a hybrid, with a little help from genetic editing. That wasn’t a luxury Data had ever been afforded. Now he’d get to see Julia’s beautiful organic children. Children he dearly wished he could have been the father of as well as a helpmate to her.

It was the divide that laid at the heart of everything. His self indulgent pain that he couldn’t share the experience with her fully.

He loved Lal and considered her perfect as she was even as he looked forward to observing how she grew and changed. He’d also wanted to lay with Julia as a human would and produce a child that was a combination of them rather than his creation alone.

“It's the truth. I knew you weren’t alright before, but I couldn’t do anything then. This time though, I promise I’ll hunt you down and drag you back myself if you don’t talk to her properly,” Reginald said, putting a hand on Data’s shoulder. It was a comforting gesture rather than an attempt at menace.

“Understood,” Data said simply. Reginald couldn’t do any such thing, but the sentiment was appreciated.

“Just to be clear. I didn’t agree to all of this just to win her over, wouldn’t have worked. Like you said, she’d have seen straight through me,” Regianld added, looking a touch embarrassed. “I actually liked the idea of it, us being family. So, however this works out, just uhm… know that.”

“I find I rather like the idea too,” Data admitted. His envy aside, he’d enjoyed meeting the extended family and believed that Lal, Lore, and B4 would feel similarly, if they didn’t already. The idea of being a part of it in a more tangible way held an appeal he wouldn’t bother denying.

The door to the study they’d taken refuge in opened without warning. Lore stood in the doorway, a half empty bottle of what looked like an industrial solvent in his hand and his posture strangely loose even for him.

“Awe, how sweet,” Lore crooned then promptly passed out on the floor.

“Oh sh*t, is he okay?” Reginald asked.

“Generally, or at this specific moment?” Data asked jokingly. Reginald looked over at him in shocked incomprehension. Humor was still difficult, but he was working on it.

Rather than explain the joke, Data busied himself with picking Lore up. Despite his brother's choice of beverage he wouldn’t be worse than extremely drunk. His system was unbothered by anything short of industrial acids Julia would never allow on the station.

“He is fine, or rather unharmed,” Data added.

“Well, that's good at least. Julia said something serious was bothering him, and clearly she was right, but she couldn’t figure out what,” Reginald offered.

“Would you mind giving us some privacy? I think Lore would prefer not to be seen in his current state,” Data said. More like his brother would throw a tantrum about privacy if he woke to witnesses. Despite his bad habits, he didn’t like to be seen in the aftermath.

“Yeah, sure, take your time. You know where the labs are if you need them,” Reginald said and quickly exited.

Data nodded in parting, getting his brother into a chair before running a scan. The source of the problem presented itself quite quickly.

“Oh Lore,” Data muttered sadly. His brother had installed a neural encoder in his body. Going by his state he’d clearly used it and found out it wouldn’t work on Julia. Augment physiology and mental patterns weren’t well documented and the unit had been designed for standard ones. He’d have gotten useless gibberish.

It was no wonder he’d decided to get sh*tfaced.

Chapter 57: Honesty

Chapter Text

Lore woke after an hour, he’d tripped his sleep subroutine by accident while he was drunk. One of a number of relatively harmless anomalies that could occur in that state. Reviewing his memory he was relieved to see it had happened fairly quickly. He hadn’t done anything more than razz Tain a bit before passing out and the old bastard wasn’t someone he cared about offending.

He could tell by feel that he was laying on Julia’s bed with his head resting with his head resting on her thigh. Her fingers carded through his hair as she sang softly.

تانغفى عا لحاصيره
نامي عالعتيميه
تا تنزاح الغيميه
ويصير عنا ضو كبير

Angvi on his mats
Sleep well
May the clouds dissipate
And great light be upon us

It was nice to listen and pretend for a little while that he was still asleep and couldn’t hear the subdued hum of Data’s presence.

“You know he’s awake, yes?” Data asked after a while. A bastard as usual.

“Let him do as he likes,” Julia replied, hand not stilling. Her pulse hadn’t so much as jumped briefly to indicate surprise or a lie. She’d really known. Rather than speak, Lore turned over, hugging her leg and burying his face against Julia’s hip.

Data knew what he’d done, so there was no avoiding telling Julia about his attempt to copy her. As brief as this respite would be, it would be the last he’d get.

“Lore, come now, what could be so bad as all this?” Julia asked gently after a few minutes. She’d make a good mother, just the tone she used made him want to confess everything despite knowing what would happen.

“I was trying to make you and android,” Lore admitted finally.

“Like… cut out my brain and put it in an android chassis or something?” Julia asked, sounding baffled rather than upset.

“What? Ew, now,” Lore said, eyes snapping open in disgusted surprise. Keeping the weird and terrifyingly fragile blob of fat that constituted the human have just been bizarre.

“Nanites?” Julia asked, eyes full of confusion.

“What the f*ck? Like a borg? No! I tried to copy your neural pattern,” Lore said sitting up.”I wasn’t trying to do anything weird. Just… make a copy of you for myself.”

“It's true, I found no indication of other plans and his aversion to organic components is well documented,” Data offered.

“You explain how meat, fat, and cartilage full of rocks it grows itself isn’t f*cking weird and I’ll call you crazy,” Lore said flatly. He loved Julia, Ziyal, and tolerated a select few other organic beings. That did not however mean he was ever going to not think they were weird. That wasn’t even getting into how they originated from what amounted to some acids in a protein wrapper utilizing a crude bit of coding.

“Lore, that is at best rude,” Data said just as flatly.

“I’m aware I’m a squishy blob of fat in a rock violently hallucinating its own reality and entirely comfortable with it,” Julia said, laughing.

“But I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell me you wanted to copy me or why you seem so scared now,” she added. “Lore, I’m not mad.”

“Just disappointed?” Lore supplied.

“Julia already agreed to copy her consciousness, I simply haven't been able to perfect a means yet,” Data chimed in.

“Wait, what?” Lore asked, shocked. “You’ve planned to do it the entire time but didn’t tell me?”

“We found Noonian’s equipment to make copies, just like you did. It's not actually stable even for a baseline human, it takes quite a few sessions to get a usable basic copy, which is insufficient for our use,” Data explained. “It can manage a likeness, but not a true copy right now, as Juliana demonstrated.”

“And you didn’t tell me,” Lore said again. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling at the moment but he doubted it would lead anywhere good.

“I asked him not to because it was possible that I’d die before it was perfected. Old age, an accident, section 31, entropy has many faces and I didn’t want you to be disappointed if the worst happened,” Julia explained.

“Don't treat me like a kid. You're probably just saying it, pitying me because I couldn’t make it work,” Lore growled. Placating him a bit so he’d be more compliant later wouldn’t cost Julia more than some kind words and a smile. That had to be her plan, to bite back on her anger for the moment and punish him later.

Lore pushed back, knowing those thoughts were unfair and obviously false. Julia had a savage temper when it came to things that mattered to her. If she were angry, he’d be aware.

“Lore, I’ve wanted to digitize myself since I was fifteen. I thought having a digital twin sister would be awesome,” Julia said with a sigh.

One of Lore’s brows rose. He could picture that pretty easily, of Julia being simply curious and not caring about philosophical quandaries.

“I made the choice to seriously try and make it happen when… When Lal called me mom the first time,” Julia said. The words wormed their way into places in Lore’s memory, recalling things he preferred not to think about. Her grief over Lal’s shut down.

“Okay,” Lore conceded, tension draining from him. Julia wouldn’t lie about that, about her feelings toward Lal. He let himself tilt over and flop against her, greedy for the hug she readily gave him.

“You’d already made the decision at that point?” Data asked. Lore wriggled a bit to get more comfortable in Julia’s embrace, enjoying his brother being the confused one this time.

“I didn’t tell you for the same reasons I didn’t want you to tell Lore. I had even less information to work with at the time, just a bone deep desire not to be parted from either of you,” Julia explained.

“Also, I… wanted a child with you. One that was made from part of both of us and I couldn’t contribute unless I was an android too, not meaningfully anyway,” Julia added.

“What?” Lore and Data said together. That had never come up before so far as Lore was aware.

“Why did you not tell me this?” Data asked.

“It was before what happened with Lal and the guilt nearly drove me insane after. I never would have wanted to replace her, just give her a sibling,” Julia added sadly.

“Julia, no one would have thought that,” Lore said without hesitation. Julia was devoted to his niece. Only an idiot would assume she was capable of that kind of malice toward Lal.

“Was that the only reason you didn’t tell me?” Data asked.

“No, it was as much because I couldn’t figure out how to make it work. Besides, you didn’t even want more kids, so it hardly mattered,” Julia explained.

Lore winced. He’d heard Data say as much but he’d thought that had mostly been the grief talking. What Julia said made it sound like his brother had already been done with procreation even before that disaster.

Not that Lore would have blamed him then and certainly couldn’t now. The idea of fatherhood sat uncomfortably in his mind and he’d given up on the idea. This despite wishing there were more of his kind in existence.

“I wanted children with you,” Data said. Lore’s mouth just dropped open at that.

“Wait, since when? You’d always said you didn’t mean to make more beyond Lal,” Julia asked, quite reasonably confused.

“I did not wish to create additional children independently. I… was frustrated I could not contribute genetically to your potential children,” Data admitted. There was a heavy pause and Lore sincerely wished they’d kept this particular emotional revelation in their pants.

“Well, aren't we a fine pair of idiots,” Julia said finally, laughing sadly and gesturing for Data to join them on the bed. Data laughed too and a moment later Lore found himself in what he considered a very awkward cuddle pile with his brother and Julia.

They laid like that for a while, taking comfort and probably just digesting what they’d learned about each other. Lore didn’t find it terribly surprising after some thought. They’d both wanted to create something together, a new life to add to their family. They’d just gotten to hung on on their differences and insecurities to realize they were longing for the same thing.

“So uhm… this gonna turn into a poly thing with Reginald? Or are you two not into that?” Lore asked finally. He kind of liked Reginald, mostly because he'd given Lore some very adorable human nieces by way of Julia. He’d rather things not get awkward in that respect.

Julia answered him by hitting him in the face with a pillow while Data just groaned in frustration.