Ahhhh, this is so satisfying. I love cautious young Jadzia here – you do such a nice job of filling out the tricksy matter of early-series Dax, accounting for her reticence, her awkward solemnity. I love your evocation of her bits-and-piecesness, love her desire for someone to help her keep hold of her fluctuating identity, LOVE Curzon was the worst. and everything about Lela (who I think is our mutual favorite Dax?), the gradual coming-together of voices into the blurred chorus at the end, from which finally emerges Jadzia.

And I love the implicit notion that what finally provokes the playfulness of our eventual Dax is her decision to pull that side out of the surly Major. Her grin at the end! Ah, yes. So satisfying. ♥