Yet he was alive ... this was no illusion.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. He was no longer in the residence he had been staying in since his return to Cardassia ... he had left that days ago. Nor was he in the residential hospital ... it was too bright, and too well equipped. Was he still on Cardassia? He had to be, but where? Realizing it must be a hospital, he took another look around ... this look revealed that it was Federation equipment, in a Cardassian building. //Could it be?// he thought ... //was Julian here, after all?//

Just at that moment, his hopes were confirmed ... there, coming in the door, was his friend. Seeing that Garak was awake, his face lit up with a smile ... albeit a smile of concern and apprehension.

Garak, ashamed of his act of desperation, closed his eyes and wept. Julian rushed to his side. He wanted so much to hold his friend, to let him know everything would be alright, but not knowing how Garak would react, he settled for holding his hand and whispering soothing words.

Eventually, Garak fell asleep. Julian once again checked his life signs, just to assure himself that all traces of the drug were purged. Once he was convinced that Garak would sleep peacefully for several hours, he left the medical facility that had so recently been erected on Cardassia Prime.

While Julian worked with the civilian doctors who came with him, others went in search of the sick and wounded ... it seemed to Julian as if they would never stop coming. He also had to keep tabs on Garak who, on top of everything else, was suffering from malnutrition. From the tests he had conducted, he ascertained that malnutrition was one of the causes of his depression ... although apparently not the only one. No matter how well he was improving physically, he still needed to keep his eye on his Cardassian friend.

The hours passed, and finally, there were no new patients. Julian took a moment to look in on Garak, but he was asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, Julian went into his make-shift office to do some paperwork before calling it a night.

Julian woke with a start. Looking around, he notice Garak standing in his doorway. "I'm sorry, Doctor ... I didn't mean to wake you," he said, when he saw Julian jump.

"Don't worry about it ... I must have dosed off while doing my paperwork." Standing, and coming around to assist Garak, he continued, "Please ..." he said, as he took Elim's arm, and placed his other arm around his friends shoulder, "have a seat ... it's so good to see you up."

"It's good to be up," Garak said as he settled himself in the chair opposite Julian's.// It's good having your arm around me, too // he thought, but did not voice it. As the supporting arm was removed, a small sigh of resignation escaped, however, seeing the smile that came to his friend's face, he wondered if there was still a chance.

Unsure of how to proceed, he decided to start with the easy part. "My dear Doctor ... I have no idea how I am ever to repay you for all you've done for me." Seeing that Julian was about to protest, he waved him off, and continued, "Please ... let me finish what I have to say."

"By all means." Julian said as he sat back, studying his friends expressions and body language, wondering if he should use this opportunity to tell him how he feels. // lets see what he has to say, first ... then I can go from there // he thought as Garak went on ...

"After the way I treated you, I would have understood if you had never wanted to speak to me again. I freely admit that the last months on DS9, I was barely civil to you ... and once you and Ezri started dating, I was even worse. There is no excuse for it," he said, then, shaking his head, went on, "actually, there is ... although I suppose it is more of an 'explanation' than an 'excuse'." He shifted uncomfortably, looking around at everything in the room except for the Doctor.

After some moments, he continued, "at the moment when I 'died', I thought I was hallucinating ... and made a promise to myself ... there was no more need to hide ... I would tell you the whole truth. I tried to tell your 'apparition' about the jealousy I felt when you told me of your latest 'conquest', or even worse, when I had to see you with someone. In the end, when you were with Ezri, it was too much ... I had to leave for fear of giving myself away." With this admission, he looked up into the Doctors eyes before continuing ... he had to see his reaction ... had to know if he were to be rejected or not. "I tried to tell you that I loved you ... whether you accepted me or not, I had to tell you." He saw shock, and surprise in the Doctor's eyes, and quickly looked away.

Silence hung in the room for several minutes, neither man looked at the other, nor said anything. Julian was the first to break the silence, "Garak ... I don't know what to say."

Before he finished, Garak stood, saying, "Please, my dear Doctor ... I don't expect ..."

But he got no further. Julian was also on his feet, and approaching Garak. Before he knew what hit him, he had enclosed the older man in an embrace, murmuring, "why didn't you tell me sooner?" Slowly, he felt Garak relax in his embrace, and soon, his arms were around the doctor. "Elim," he said, "I came to Cardassia because I missed you ... and I was worried about you." Taking Garak by the shoulders, he held him at arms-length, as he continued, "I love you ... and have for a very long time ... I just didn't realize it until you were gone."

Garak, looking both pleased and stunned had to ask, "but what about Ezri?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I think she and Jake are quite happy," Smiling, he went on, "They've been together for four months now, and are planning on getting married soon." The expression on Garak's face made him smile even more. He pulled Garak closer to him, and kissed him. "Come on ... lets go home. It isn't much, but I'd love to share it with you while I am here."