It was complex, which ds9 played with well. Ezri wanted to leave, but her old friends/coworkers/lovers were in pain from loss and the war, and she is a counselor that suddenly is also dax.

She was uniquely suited to help everyone she still loved get through impossible times at the most important outpost in the federation. Staying in bad situation because leaving is actually worse is a very human experience that i think they handled well, and she did actually make things better.

Was it all a stall to save the cool “pew pew” till the series finals? You bet, but still.