Author's note:

Well, this took way longer than it should have. A different story has been consuming my writing power lately, however, and there is little I can do about it. The next chapter of this may be a while too, since I need to think it over a lot, to make it good.

Thank you to MaliceUnchained, my good friend, for the continuous support and not nagging me about this story too much.

Thank you to Folwod for your review. You've made quite a few points in it, and I'd like to address them.
As to why Eilis is mostly referred to as 'Sir', I took that idea from Voyager, where Harry Kim got confused on how he should refer to Janeway. And while she might have had a preferred way, Eilis doesn't mind either way, so she doesn't correct people and just let's them go with whatever they like.
I didn't want to give Jidzi the rank of captain, because in my mind she would just get a different ship to command, since Eilis is the CO of the Relentless.
As to taking over on the bridge, it falls to the highest ranking officer that's present there, instead of them having to call for whoever would be designated for it.
And why they refer to Eilis as captain? Well, the CO of a starship in Starfleet is referred to as captain even if their rank is lower, so I don't see why it shouldn't when it's higher as well. It's more to do with the position on the ship, rather than rank, at least in my mind.

Well, enough rambling! Enjoy!

The medbay doors slid open, turning the attention of Eilis and Jidzi to the figure of Admiral Kassai, who had just entered the room. Jidzi patted Eilis's hand, before standing up from the chair by the captain's bed. "I'll leave you two alone. I need to go prepare." She said with a warm smile, receiving a slight nod, and a gentle squeeze of her hand in return. She let Eilis's fingers slip from her grasp as she started walking towards the exit, passing the Bajoran, and offering her a lopsided smile.

Lydana offered the Commander a curt nod, her expression troubled as she entered the medbay. "Eilis." The Admiral's tone lacked inflection, but the pain in her eyes was obvious. "I thought… I wanted to see you, before… you know."

The captain smiled weakly, letting out a small, appreciative hum. "I know. Might be the last chance we have to talk." She said calmly, exhaustion being the only apparent thing affecting her voice.

Lydana sighed as she approached Eilis' bedside, her face betraying her concern. "Eilis… I didn't know. I'm so sorry, I had no idea, I didn't..." She closed her eyes, hanging her head in sorrow. "I didn't know." She repeated in a small voice.

Eilis adopted a concerned expression and reached out with her hand, gently grasping one of the Bajoran's, squeezing it in reassurance. "It's alright, Lydana. I assume you couldn't find any other solution, but there is no reason to blame yourself for that." She said in a calming tone, the Bajoran's failure in what she set out to do being the only reason she could think of, for the woman to behave that way. "Everything may still turn out alright." She stated, offering the woman a warm smile.

Lydana frowned, shaking her head slowly as she squeezed Eilis' hand. "No, I mean… of course I'm sorry for that, but I meant… I didn't know about your abilities, how they functioned… how much they're affected by emotion. When we first met..." The Bajoran's breath hitched, as she remembered the events that occurred the day she first met Eilis in person. "Well, I was a mess, wasn't I? I had no idea what meeting me in that state did to you, and I'm… I'm sorry, for causing this damage to you."

Eilis frowned for a moment, before her features softened again, and she ran her thumb over the top of the admiral's hand. "Lydana. You didn't know." She said sternly. "Do not blame yourself, because I would never blame you for what happened. Of course you were in the state you were, it cannot be helped." She smiled reassuringly again, giving Lyddie's hand another gentle squeeze. "And while, I admit, it is still a strong memory, it alone wouldn't even come close to causing this... condition. I did this to myself, Lydana, a payment for all those years of being in absolute control of my emotions. In situations where I really shouldn't have been." She sighed. "Really, my friend, do not trouble yourself with the past. You are not responsible for this."

The Bajoran stayed silent for a moment, apparently unconvinced. "I wish I was able to believe that, Eilis," she said quietly, "but given what I've read… I may not have been responsible for the entirety of your condition, but I damn well helped." Lydana finally straightened, seeming to shake off her melancholy. "Anyway, while I'm here, is there anything I can do for you? I wanted to see if I could help before I meet with Anais."

Eilis sighed, shaking her head. "Well, for one, you can believe it." She smiled, briefly. "And actually I'd like to ask you for a favour." She took a deep breath. "Since the mind walk has a potential to end with disaster, I wanted to ask you to..." Her voice broke, and she looked past Lydana, towards the medbay doors, and stayed silent for a few moments, her brows knitting together, as she fought an internal battle. She breathed another heavy sigh, and turned her eyes back to the Bajoran. "If this goes wrong, I want myself to take the blame. Starfleet will want to find out what happened, and I know that you have the power to... 'alter facts' let's say. If someone's record is to take a fall for this, let it be mine..." She closed her eyes, letting out a steadying breath.

"Are you sure?" Lydana asked tentatively. "A record as fine as yours, I'd much rather see you raised as an example to follow than a cautionary tale. But, if that's what you want from me..." She inhaled through her teeth. "I'll make it happen. And I'll see to it the rest of your crew are looked after."

"I appreciate it, Lydana. I do, however, hope that none of that will be necessary." She turned to stare at the ceiling and sighed. "I'll do my best to ensure the mind walk is either a success, or the damage it causes is mitigated to me alone. The risk..." She looked back at the Bajoran. "I considered asking you to order the others not to proceed... But as selfish as it might sound... I find myself with a good reason to live. And maybe, the probability of disaster is just small enough to be acceptable..."

Lydana couldn't help but chuckle. "Just as well you didn't." She told Eilis with a smile. "Jidzi already asked me to refuse that request, and despite the moral dilemma it put me in I agreed - but, you didn't hear that from me." Lydana smiled at the older officer, a knowing glint in her eyes. "She cares about you, Eilis. Survive this, so you can take care of her. I don't think I fancy trying to play matchmaker for her if you fail."

Eilis pondered her words for a few moments, before the edges of her lips turned up. "That's just like something she would do, isn't it. The last line of defense against my stubbornness." She shook her head, now with a full on smile on her face. She looked up at the Bajoran. "And yet, she is the reason I didn't ask. I love her, Lydana, and I want a chance to be with her." Despite everything, there was happiness in her eyes, accompanied by fierce determination, to survive, to see this through.

"Then by the Prophets, Eilis, don't die." Lydana chuckled again, patting her friend's hand. "Rest now, Eilis. There's a lot ahead of you, and I want you to have the best chance of surviving… and know that however I can help, now or in the future, you have only to ask."

"Thank you Lydana. And be sure that you can always rely on me as well." Eilis responded, with a smile. Which only widened at her next thought. "So you mentioned you're going to see Anais? Anything I should know about?"

As always in such conversations, Lydana's cheeks reddened, and she attempted to hide her shy smile. "I… don't know. I owe Anais a great debt, the same one I owe you, so it'd be nice to thank her… but I think I like her. We're, um… we're having dinner. "

"Dinner, hmm?" Eilis said, raising her eyebrows, a wide smile and a knowing look on her face. "Sounds romantic."

Once again, Lydana tried to hide her embarrassment, but failed miserably. "It's just dinner." She protested bashfully. "Just two people having a meal… alone." She heaved a heavy sigh, looking away from the older woman. "It's been five years, Eilis. I've grieved long enough. "

"You certainly have, my friend." Eilis said with a warm smile. "And I'm happy for you. Now go get her. I imagine it will be quite an experience, dating a time traveler, hmm?" She gave the woman a quick wink.

Lydana laughed, her cheeks heating again. "True, but at least I'm better educated about temporal mechanics this time!" She laughed, briefly remembering the incident that brought her to Anais' attention. "I'd better go," she said at last, "I wouldn't want to be late, although whether that even means anything to a Temporal Agent, I don't even know. Prophets, a person could go mad thinking about it all!" She rested a hand on Eilis's shoulder, and gave her a smile. "Now rest, Eilis. That's an order. And I will see you after the… 'treatment'."

Eilis patted the Bajoran's hand, looking up at the woman. "I'll see you then. Good luck with your date." She grinned and winked again.

"I'll keep you updated on that then." Lydana said with a laugh. "Be safe, Eilis. You know what I'll do to you if you won't." She squeezed Eilis' shoulder gently, then made her way back toward the door.

"I look forward to hearing how it went." Eilis called after her, a wide grin on her face. "Good luck!"

Lydana gave a cheerful wave before finally leaving the medbay, praying desperately for the older admiral to make it through the trials ahead of her.

"Enter." William responded to a door chime that shook him out of his meditation. The doors slid open to reveal Jidzi, holding a PADD in her hand, she took a step into the guest quarters.

"I hope I'm not intruding, sir." She said, pausing at the door.

"Not at all, come on in." The man replied, beckoning for her to approach.

"I've brought the report from the Shadow of Bajor." Jidzi replied, lifting the PADD as she moved towards the man, and setting in on the coffee table in front of where William was sitting.

The man picked the PADD up and flipped through its contents, heaving a sigh. "As I expected, she found nothing new. Maybe if we had a few years, hmm?" He said sadly, looking up at the commander. "A shame we lost three days on this." He tossed the device back onto the coffee table, sighing again.

"Sir, your sister-" Jidzi started, but William cut her off by raising his hand in a stopping gesture.

"I know. She deserved the chance. I'll admit, I hoped Admiral Kassai would find something we missed, but it was not to be." He sighed once again, getting up from the couch. "We have prepared for the mind walk. Nothing else left but to proceed."

"Sir…" Jidzi started, shifting, nervously on her feet. "Before we begin, I think there is something you… should know."

"Like the fact that you and Eilis are in love, commander?" William smirked, the smile only turning more triumphant at the Trill's shocked expression. The man chuckled, placing his arm on Jidzi's shoulder. "Don't forget, I share my dear sister's abilities." He said, tapping one of his temples. "They may not be as developed as hers, but they're there."

"Right, I- I didn't think of that. I'm not sure why." Jidzi replied, lowering her gaze as her cheeks heated.

"You've been under a lot of stress lately, so it's understandable." William squeezed the Trill's shoulder reassuringly, before giving it a few pats and letting go. "But thank you for telling me. It took both of you long enough to admit it, didn't it?" He chuckled again, offering the woman a wide smile.

"Too long." Jidzi nodded, smiling as well.

"Come on then, let's get through this, so you and her can get some quality time together." William replied, gesturing towards the door. "And before Admiral Kassai starts breathing down my neck for dragging Tuvok away from his duties."

About an hour later, all preparations were complete, and all participants were gathered around Eilis's bedside in sickbay. The lights were dimmed and specially scented candles lit, to help induce a meditative state.

"Alright, I'll get through the plan once again, just in case." William said, breaking the silence. "Eilis, you just focus on keeping in control." His sister looked at him and nodded, smiling as her brother repeated the steps of the ritual for a third time. "Tuvok, you will mind-meld with Eilis, using the bond you two created the last time you did, as well as your mental training to help her control her mind and keep the mind walk stable." The Vulcan simply nodded, already sitting in position. "Terrance, you will monitor the whole thing, but like I said, don't stop the ritual unless you deem it absolutely, absolutely necessary."

"Otherwise it might do more harm than good." The holographic doctor finished for him, tapping away at his console.

"Right." William muttered, before turning to the Trill commander. "Jidzi, you and I will use our bonds to Eilis to enter her mind and help bring it back into a manageable state. Remember to keep focused."

"I will." Jidzi nodded with determination. "I won't fail you." She said, turning to Eilis and squeezing her hand reassuringly.

"Of course not." The woman replied weakly, smiling up at the Trill. "You never have."

"I suppose that's that." William replied, before heaving a deep sigh. "Good luck to all of us. Everyone ready?"

Eilis, Tuvok and Terrance nodded in affirmation, and all eyes turned to Jidzi. The woman hesitated for a moment longer before finally coming to a decision. "Just one more thing." She replied, before leaning in, and pulling Eilis into a deep, loving kiss.

The other woman smiled into it, weakly lifting her arm and throwing it around the Trill's neck and pouring all of her love into the kiss. That one kiss that could be their last.

Neither wanted to let go, but Jidzi broke the kiss a moment later, smiling and looking into Eilis's eyes. "I love you." She whispered breathlessly.

"I love you too." The Zan-Eth woman replied, returning the smile.

The pair broke their gaze, Jidzi straightening, and her cheeks heated as she glanced at the others. Terrance looked deeply invested in whatever was appearing on his console, Tuvok had raised one of his eyebrows and was watching her curiously, and William's face was adorned with a knowing, smug smirk. The Trill cleared her throat and took a step back. "Now I'm ready."

William chuckled, taking a step forward. "Let's begin then."

Eilis closed her eyes, steadying her breathing into deep, long, calming breaths. William nodded at Tuvok, and the man placed his hand over the woman's face. "My mind to your mind." He said quietly, closing his eyes, his brow knitting in focus. "Your thoughts to my thoughts."

Jidzi sat down next to Eilis's bed, taking the captain's hand into her own. William rested his hand over theirs, and placed the other one on Jidzi's head.

"We'll walk this landscape of thoughts. These roads of memories. This web of perception. To find what was lost. To lose what was found. To steady the storm. To incite the flame. May Ilá's light guide us through the darkness and may her blessing part the clouds that cover this mind." William chanted the words of the ancient ritual, his voice growing more distant and getting a slight ethereal quality as he spoke.

Jidzi steadied her breathing, trying to calm and relax as much as she could in preparation, unsure what to expect. As soon as William uttered the final word of the chant, the Trill felt a strong pull on her mind, feeling like she was falling and spinning widely as her brain desperately tried to comprehend what was happening.

A moment later she felt like she hit the floor, and the world went black.