her at the place they first kissed days before. Bashir spends the night at Sarina's bedside before taking her, in the morning, back to the cargo bay, for whatever help the mutants can give him in bringing Sarina out of her shell. After Bashir returns to his quarters, saddened, Lauren and the others pursue him with their appraisal of Sarina's torpor.

They explain to Bashir that Sarina has not reverted to being imprisoned in her mind; rather, she is simply confused and afraid of all the new things happening around her, paramount of which is the romantic attention Bashir has been showering upon her. Returning to the cargo bay alone, Bashir reaches out to Sarina, trying to make her understand that he can put right whatever is wrong withher. After Bashir has professed his love for her, Sarina begins to cry, choking on the unfamiliar emotions he has provoked. Expressing her confusion to Bashir, she wants him to tell her what she should feel, says that she owes him everything, and laments that she doesn't know how to act as the woman that he wants her to be. Bashir holds her closely and tries to comfort her.

The next morning, Bashir meets O'Brien in the Replimat and the two of them discuss Sarina's fate. While Jack, Lauren, and Patrick have returned to the institute, Bashir has arranged an internship for Sarina her at the Corgal Research Center on Corgal II, where she will work and live with a scientist and his family as she tries to make