Home Found


Chapter 4

Kara was telling Kacey a story using a rag doll to illustrate the heroine’s numerous exploits. It had taken them a long time to assure themselves of her mother’s fate but they had finally found all the corps, and unfortunately she had been among them. This new development was not something she had expected. She might have wished it those first days after the rescue. At that time the loss of Kacey had been so new and raw that in her rage she had thought that if Kacey’s mother had died on New Caprica then she would still be blissfully happy. She wouldn’t be alone. But she had come to deal with the loss, had met Kacey’s mother and spent a lot of time with the both of them. She had lost a friend today and Kacey the most important person in her life. How in hell were you supposed to tell a two-year old that her mommy was dead and not coming back?

Kacey must have sensed that something was bothering her because she felt a tug on her arm.

“Honey, is something wrong?”

“Mama?” Oh, crap! She had to give the kid credit. She knew how to go straight to the heart of the matter.

“I am sorry sweetie, mama is not here.” Obviously that was not the answer she had been waiting for. Knowing that she would have to tell her at one time or another, she thought why not now?

“Kacey did mama ever talk to you about the Gods?” No answer.

“Well the gods are very powerful people. They’ve created a very beautiful place called Elysian field where brave people can rest forever.” She watched Kacey’s face trying to detect a hint of understanding. She seemed to follow the story so she decided to go on.

“Your mama went to that place because she was very tired.”

“Why?” Oh gods! It wouldn’t be as simple as she had hoped.

“Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

“Fire!”

“Yes there was a fire, and you got hurt.” She nodded. “And after you were really tired and took a long nap.” Another nod. “Well your mama was really, really hurt and she needed to go to that special place I told you of, so she could rest forever.” Kacey’ face was blank. She obviously did not understand what it implied.

“Mama is not coming back Kacey. Ever.” She told her softly. It seemed to her that Kacey was trying to decide whether she was lying or telling the truth. She took her by surprise when she said:

“No Mama?”

“Yes Kacey, no mama.” Her eyes filled with tears and it broke Kara’s heart. She gathered the child in her arms and rocked her, holding her tight trying to sooth her pain.

---

“Where have you been?”

Oh gods! He was too tired for that.

“Sickbay, hangar deck, CIC…” Dee was glaring at him and when he did not elaborate, she screamed.

“Don’t be a smart ass! You could have at least told me you were fine. For all I knew you could have been hurt or worth!”

“Look I am sorry! Ok? It was crazy out there, I didn’t have time!” She got even more furious.

“Of course you didn’t have time! Poor stupid me, you were too occupied taking care of Kara Thrace!”

“What the frack are you talking about?!”

“Oh so you did not spend the last hours in sickbay with her?”

She was jealous! His sweet, even tempered wife was jealous; and it annoyed him. He felt as if she had no right to be, he hadn’t done anything to induce this kind of reaction.

“Yes I was in sickbay. Helping a child and being treated! What? Did you think I would be involved in a trist with Kara Thrace in the middle of an attack?” The look on her face said it all.

“Look Ana I am too tired for that right now. I am going back to the pilots’ bunkroom for a while. Let me know when you’re once again rational, ok?”

He did not bothered to wait for an answer, grabbed his gear and left.

Ana had saved him from desperation when Kara had broken his heart. She was always there for him no matter what! And he often felt like a bastard knowing that he did not love her the way she deserved. He cared about her a great deal. He even loved her but was not in love with her. Until the rescue it had been easy to forget, at times he had even been able to convince himself that their marriage was all that he had ever wanted: an uncomplicated, steady and safe relationship. But Kara was no longer inaccessible. He saw her everyday and each time the feelings he had tried so hard to bury came back to the surface a little stronger, a little harder to ignore.

Ana must have sensed it and now she feared loosing him. It was a perfectly natural reaction he reasoned. But he was not ready to face it; he was not be able to answer her questions when he himself did not know the responses.

---

“Kara, are you sure you want to do that?”

“A battlestar is not a place to raise a child Admiral. You know that.”

“Our circumstances have changed. A lot of crew members are raising children here.” Seeing that she was about to interrupt him he held a finger up. “Hear me out Kara! The family quarters are almost ready and people are organizing a daycare system. So yes maybe a battlestar is not the best place to raise a little girl but it’s not the worst either. Beside Kacey has already been living here for a while now…”

“Yeah right!” she sniggered “sleeping on a cot on a greasy hangar deck.”

“People are doing the best they can with what they have Kara. And right now our most precious processions are our families and friends. Who will be there to help you if you leave Galactica?” She looked away.

“It’s not like I have a lot of friends right now anyway, sir.”

“Well you still have your family here! No matter what happens Lee and I are your family. You know that Kara?”

“I…It’s not that simple sir.” She sighed.

“Give me your eyes Kara” he said softly. “You know maybe, just maybe it is that simple.” Seeing her confusion he explained. “Maybe you just have to let people be there for you Kara. Everybody needs help sometimes and there is no shame in admitting it.” She did not answer. “Think about it Kara. I’ll give you a pass for cloud nine, you can stay there for a while and come to term with everything.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Don’t go yet. I have something for you.” He went to his desk and took one of the books lying there. “I haven’t been around much while Lee and Zack were growing up but there is one thing I remember. Whenever I was on leave I would tuck them in for the night and then read them a bedtime story. It was our special time.” He put the book in her hands. “I hope you’ll do it for Kacey.” It was a beautiful book, leather bound with colorful illustrations. The kid would love it. But somehow it felt wrong to be accepting something that should only be given to a family member.

“I can’t! You should give this book to Lee not to me.”

“Lee will understand, he stopped asking for a bedtime story twenty years ago.” That made her smile. Just the idea of a small black haired boy waiting with his favorite stuff animal in his arms for his father to read him a story, was doing weird things to her stomach.

“If it can make you feel better about it, you can give it to Lee once he has children.”

“Alright, I’ll take it then.”

---

TBC...

Tags: fanfiction; home found
Current Location: living room
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: it's not over

Chapter 3

She woke up with a start, her breathing shallow and her skin clammy. It took her a while to realize she was safe in her bunk and not back on New Caprica. The visions still vivid in her mind she made her way toward the showers; the water always managed to calm her, sooth the sensation of dirtiness that always invaded her after one of those nightmares.

They were becoming more and more intense and she was exhausted but at the same time she dreaded falling asleep. It had reached the point were it was either accept sleeping pills from the doc, or stop flying. She had opted for the pills. But of course he had filled a report for the CAG. She had caught Lee watching her quite a few times ever since as if he was waiting for her to frack things up. Eventually she had.

She had been in the process of drinking herself under the table when he had happened upon her. He had snatched the bottle away and started screaming at her that if she wanted to kill herself then it was fine but not when she risked crashing one of his planes in the process. He was right pills plus alcohol was not a good combination, and the effects could last for a long time after ingestion, and she had been scheduled for cap the next morning. But at the time he had been the idiot who was ruining one of her rare moments of peace, so she had hit him.

From that point on all bets had been off, he had hit back, and the fight that had ensued had been dirty. She had allowed all her pent up emotions to release themselves, something about seeing Lee Adama enraged had given her that ability. She didn’t know how but at one point he had tripped her. Flat on her back but still kicking he had had to straddle her and pinned her arms above her head in order to control her. His physical proximity, his face hovering mere centimetres over hers had had the effect of a bucket of cold water.

She had stopped struggling and looked him straight in the eyes. He had eased his gripe on her arms and they had both relax, completely drain of energy. However none of them had broken eyes contact. Their staring contest could have gone on for a long time if they hadn’t heard people coming in their direction. He had released her, took a few steps back and told her that she was not flying till she had resolved her sleeping problems. He had enough pilots but not enough vipers and he was not risking one over her.

After that little episode she had stopped taking the pills, they did not keep the nightmares at bay and she was grounded anyway.

She was in the process of getting dressed when she heard the alarms go off, followed by the familiar messages pouring out of the speakers.

“Action stations, action stations, set condition one throughout the ship. I repeat action stations set condition one throughout the ship.”

She grabbed her jacket and took off for the CIC, even if it was not her shift she wanted to ear the pilots’ shatter. Everyone was tensed, looking at the dradis, waiting for the battle to begin. It came with Lee’s order.

“All pilots, weapons free! Engage!”

From what she could gather, several cylon raiders had just jumped in the middle of the fleet. But something bothered her. They were not acting as usual. She focused her attention on the dradis monitor and then it hit her. They were not trying to lock their weapons on a target; they were doing their best to attract the vipers away from the fleet.

“It’s a diversion.” She mumbled to herself. And then more loudly addressing the admiral she repeated it.

“Admiral, it’s a diversion! You have to call back the vipers, now!” She was frantic.

“What are you talking about Starbuck, have you lost your mind! If I do that we’re left with no protection!”

“And if you don’t, we’re all dead!” She yelled back.

Before she could add anything someone said:

“Dradis contact. I see three unidentified ships, going straight for Galactica. They’ll be on us in 3 minutes!”

The admiral did not waste anymore time.

“Call back all vipers. And prepare the fleet for jump.”

“We don’t have time sir, it’ll be too late.”

“How long until the vipers are in shooting range?”

“Four minutes sir!”

The radiological alarm went off.

“Prepare for inbound!”

The explosion rocked the ship; Kara felt something hit her head. She heard the admiral ordering combat landing to all the vipers and then the jump. After that reality faded away.

“Chief, what the hell is happening here?” Lee screamed over the noise.

“The explosion damaged a fuel line sir, the fire is spreading quickly. We need to evacuate, but the civilians of camp oil-slick are stuck behind those ships!”

“Let me help you.”

After a few minutes they were able to open a way large enough for the civilians to pass through. When the last one went through, Lee went in to make sure they’d left no one behind. That’s when he heard a whimper; the smoke was so thick that he almost missed her. She was huddled on the floor crying and coughing at the same time. He picked her up and run to safety.

She was clinging to him her breathing labored, he looked around for a medic but it was such a chaos that it was impossible. When he felt her go limp in his arms he decided to go straight to sickbay.

He caught a nurse and with a voice that allowed no contestations ordered her to get him a doctor. By then the little girl had regained consciousness but still had trouble breathing. She was gripping one of his fingers and was obviously not letting it go. He found a free stretcher and sat readjusting the little body so she was more comfortable. They waited a few minutes before the arrival of the doc. He looked up when he heard someone clearing his throat.

“Commander what have you got here?” His voice was surprisingly very gentle. Lee felt the child tense, so he told her:

“Hey, don’t worry, he’s here to help. Ok?” She didn’t reply. He wasn’t event sure kids her age knew how to talk anyway; but at least she understood because he felt her relax.

“So what happened?”

“I found her in the middle of a fire; she has inhaled smoke and has trouble breathing. Passed out for a while and scared the life out of me.” The Doc listened to her lung and then examined her, talking to her reassuringly so she would not get anymore scared. Once he was finished he gave the nurse instructions.

“She needs oxygen, she also has some minor burns so put some cream on them and then bandage them.” Then addressing Lee he said:

“She’ll need to drink water at regular intervals, and you’ll have to hold the oxygen mask because toddlers don’t like them at all.”

“What? Wait a minute Doc! I am not staying here. I’ve got things to do out there…”

“You’re staying here commander. You also need oxygen and she needs someone to stay with her and unfortunately for you I have no one to spare at the moment.” Without giving him time to protest some more he left saying he had other patients to see.

Over the next hour, Lee discovered that a tired and sick toddler was no fun. She wouldn’t let the oxygen mask in place and would start crying whenever he tried to put her in bed. In the end he found that the best solution was to lay down with her in his arms, only then did she stop struggling and fell asleep. He was about to join her when a nurse informed him that she would be looking after the girl now. He was free to go.

He only had had the time to stand up when he heard an anguished cry:

“Oh my gods, Kacey!” It was Kara’s voice. He turned around and saw her a few paces away. She had a bandage on her head and didn’t look quite steady on her feet. He went to her, grabbed her elbow and pushed her in the chair next to the bed so she wouldn’t collapse. Without acknowledging him she took Kacey’s hand in hers and asked again.

“What happened? Where is her mother?”

TBC...

Tags: fanfiction home found
Current Location: living room
Current Mood: sick

Chapter 2

He found her on the hangar deck doing maintenance on a viper with the chief. They were working in silence both completely engrossed in their tasks.

He did not go to her directly, just stayed a few paces away watching her. After all these years it still amazed him how much at home she seemed when near a viper. It was the only moment she seemed calm, at peace with herself. The expressiveness of her face, always so changing, was replaced by a mask of concentration. This place was her universe and he still had trouble comprehending how she could have left all this behind even for love.

Surprised by the sudden wave of tenderness that washed over him he almost went to her, he wanted to take her in his arms and forgot everything. But it was soon replaced by rage and self-loathing. She had toyed with his head and heart and he had spent the last year in limbo trying to rebuild his life without her in it but he still felt the urge to protect her and shield her from the world. It was pathetic, really!

A loud crash pulled him out of his thoughts; it was followed by a stream of curses that would have made a priestess blush.

“You’re still as fouled mouth as ever I see.”

She turned around and stared at him blankly as if he were a stranger. He stared back.

“What do you want commander?” she finally asked.

“Come to my office after your shift Captain, I’ll be debriefing you.” And without waiting for an answer he left.

She finally came to her senses after seeing him disappear behind the hatch. To her amazement she realized that something other than anger was filling her. Something she did not want to feel because it opened the door to her being hurt again.

Ever since her breakdown all she had felt was anger. Rage had filled her then and was slowly consuming her. She couldn’t stand being touched or people being compassionate with her, all she wanted was someone to blame. All she wanted was revenge.

Sam had tried being there for her but she had pushed him away and he hadn’t fought for her. They were no longer in the same place and he must have realized it, just as she had. She was alone, no one depending on her or risking being hurt because of her, and it was what she wanted.

But Lee even cold and distant had managed to threaten that protective shell. She had known that she would have to see him eventually, but not so soon. The reintegration of the survivors was not going very well; people were traumatized, small children and babies were everywhere and Lee was in charge of putting some order in that chaos. So for the moment he hadn't had time to deal with the pilots.

She heard the chief calling her.

“Captain, are you all right?”

“Yes chief everything just great!” she replied her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I got to tell my story to mister tight asses.”

“We all had to; he was present for every debriefing. He asked the good questions, went straight to the point and didn’t dwell on personal history. Don’t worry Kara he won’t let personals feeling interfere with his work. You can blame him for a lot of things but he does his job, and he does it well.”

“Speaking of it, have you and Cally obtained family quarters?” She obviously wanted to change the subject and the chief having watched her struggle with herself since her return, knew better than to push her.

“No we haven’t, the old lady was not built to receive families, and children even less. They’re trying to determine if old quarters could be transformed in small private ones. But it’ll still be a while before it’s done.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty crowded and a damn nuisance if you want some privacy.” she grumbled. They went back to work the noise preventing any further conversation.

By the end of her shift the now familiar and comforting anger was back. She knocked on the door of the tiny office that had been her own for a while, and then without waiting for an answer went in. He was sitting behind the desk frowning over some papers, so focus that he hadn’t heard her. It was a scene so familiar that a pang of nostalgia hit her. Before she could continue with her observations he raised his head and looked at her.

“Reporting as ordered sir.” He closed the folder in front of him and gesturing toward the only other chair of the office said:

“Take a seat Captain Thrace or should I call you captain Anders now.” She couldn’t detect any animosity behind that remark so as coolly as he, she replied:

“Captain Thrace will do sir.”

“Do you want a drink?”

“No.”

“Something to eat maybe?”

“Cut the crap Lee! I am not here to socialize, so stop playing nice!”

“Alright Captain, as you wish.” His tone was no longer cool but distant and cold. Good that what she wanted, no feelings just facts. “Give me your report on what happened to you during your time on New Caprica, starting with the arrival of the cylons.” She felt trapped; she did not want to talk about it. So she chose to attack, after all it was the best defensive strategy, wasn't it?.

“Ah yes, that famous day” she snarled “the day you decided to leave us to die on that rock without even trying to fight.” She saw a flicker of annoyance in his eyes, but he didn’t take the bait.

“I am not asking your opinion about my decisions captain.”

“Yes of course. It would be so hard to question them.” Her rancor was undeniable and all the doubts that had tortured Lee since that day came back in full force.

But he also knew Kara, so he pressed on.

“Look, I am not here to fight with you so you might as well get on with it, because neither of us will be leaving this room as long as you haven’t given me your report.” She stayed silent and fixed him with a stubborn expression. Then raised her legs and put her boots on his desk, her whole being telling him to do his best. She was acting like a sulking teenager, her reaction was totally irrational and she knew it. But what she had lived in that cell was something private, all she wanted to do was forget it had ever happened.

“Kara.” He had said it so softly that she barely heard him. It was the fist time he had called her by her name in a very long time. He was looking at her as if he could read her soul, but there was no pity in his gaze and that’s what did the trick. She started talking, he did not interrupt. She gave military facts no more no less, and even thought curiosity was eating at him he did not ask her to elaborate. When she explained about Kacey he glimpsed so much pain in her eyes, he was convinced that she was going to cry. She didn’t. The pain was replaced by rage immediately, and that scared him. He had seen Kara go through a lot of crap but she had never been like that, hating and resenting the whole world.

Deciding that she had told him enough he proceeded to safer topics, their pilots, flight schedules and so on. When she left the office two hours later, a basic organization of the squadron had been established and Lee hoped she would be able to deal with the inevitable rift that had been created between the pilots who had stayed on board and the ones who had left.

TBC

Tags: home found
Current Location: living room
Current Mood: groggy

Title: Home found
Disclaimer: I do not own Battlestar Galactica or any of its characters
Author: battledoc
Summary: Kara's struggle to rebuilt her life after New Caprica. AU after exodus.KL
Author's note: This is my first long story, it took me a long time to write but I am quite happy of the way it turn out. english is not my first language so you'll have to forgive me if some sentences are a little weird.


Chapter 1

She did not understand what had just happened. One minute she was deliriously happy: she had the child she loved in her arms, her husband had survived and most of all she had her freedom. And the next her daughter was gone and she was lost. All around her people were cheering thanking the admiral for bringing them home, but the one place in the world that she had really been able to call home in her life did not feel like it at this instant. She needed quiet to process everything that had happened. Having no idea where to go she started walking and did not stop until her emotions caught up with her and she collapsed against a wall crying. 

When a few hours later she found herself standing in front of the admiral she wondered what one was supposed to say to someone you hadn’t seen or talked to in over a year. It turned out that she did not have to worry; the admiral took the first step. 

“What do you hear Starbuck?” 

“Nothing but the rain sir.” 

“Grab your guns and bring in the cat” he said. And before she had the time to give the “boom, boom, boom” line, she found herself engulfed in his arms. Once out of his embrace she looked him up and down and said with a serious expression on her face: “You look good sir; well the jury is still out on that moustache of yours but otherwise…” 

“I am sorry I can’t say the same thing of you Kara.” He replied softly. “You look as if you haven’t sleep in days and Sam told us he found you passed out in a cylon cell. You should go down to sickbay for a check-up and if Cottle clears you, your old bunk is yours. Get some rest.”

She was about to protest but seeing the expression on his face she realized that it was an order so she simply said: “Yes sir.” And was about to leave when she heard: “And Captain Thrace, consider yourself as of this instant reintegrated into the colonial fleet.” She saluted and left the CIC.

At least she had something to look forward to, she might feel as if her world had just collapsed once again but she would be able to fly.
________________________________________ 
Sickbay looked like a battlefield. She sat and watched people running from one patient to another, all knowing exactly what they were doing, until she heard someone calling her.

“Captain Thrace, your next!” She turned around to find herself face to face with Doctor Cottle, a cigarette in his mouth, nothing new here. When she was installed on the examination table he asked her:

“So Starbuck, what bring you here? Never thought I would see you coming here on your own volition.” 

“I didn’t, was ordered by the admiral.” she mumbled.

“And why would he do that?” He asked getting impatient.

“I got knocked on the head and lost consciousness for a while. But I am ok, no need to examine me!” He gave her a look before replying:
 
“Too bad for you because that’s for me to say. Now if you please young woman let’s answer a few questions. How long did you stay unconscious?” 

“I don’t know, I’d say about five minutes.” 

“This is quite a long time, you could have a concussion. Are you feeling nauseous or do you have a headache?” Exasperated she answered: 

“No! I am telling you that beside sleep depravation I am alright” Pretending that he did not ear her he went on with a neurological exam. When he was finished he took a deep breath and with a very professional tone asked: 

“I heard you were a cylon’s prisoner for four months so I have to ask. Were you tortured or physically abused?” She stared at the wall not responding, lost in thought. So he tried again.

“Captain Thrace, I need to know.” Very softly she answered.

“As I told you physically I am fine, but there are different kind of torture and the worst is not always the one you think.” With that statement she stood up.

“Am I clear for active duty?” After giving her a long look he replied:
 
“I’ll let commander Adama know that he has one more pilot, I am sure he’ll be pleased.” he thought he heard her muttered under her breath “I wouldn’t be so sure.” But choosing to ignore it he went on “If you start feeling woozy or nauseous, you come back here immediately, is that clear?” She nodded. 

“And captain if you need to talk I am here or I can give you the name of someone who’ll listen.” He saw her hesitate and was about to add something when she said: 

“I’ll think about it. Thank you.” 

Watching her leave Cottle told himself that they might have manage to escape New Caprica but that the hardest was still to come for a lot of them.
________________________________________
Lee Adama was thinking exactly the same thing. He had spent the last four hours debriefing various members of the resistance and with each stories his horror grew at what some of them had lived. But something was puzzling him: they never talked of Kara. He knew she was alive, his father had told him that she seemed exhausted but otherwise fine. And he could not imagine her not having been part of the resistance. So what had happened to her? 

He saw Sam Anders enter the room, he hadn’t change and Lee had some difficulty understanding that this was the man for whom Kara had tried to find antibiotics; a man who was suppose to be at death door. He obviously had survived and from what he had understood had been one of the leader of the resistance witch brought him back to Kara. 

He rapidly got his answer; she had been taken the first day of the cylon occupation. But that only brought more questions to which even her husband had no answer. The only thing he could tell them was that he had found her unconscious in the cylon detention center, that he had carried her to escape but when she had woken up she had run back to her cell and that when he had finally caught up with her he had seen her killing a Leoben model and picking up a blond toddler whom she said was her daughter. Apparently that little girl real mother had recognize the child as soon as they had step on Galactica, and Kara had disappeared in the excitation that had followed their arrival. If they wanted more information they would have to ask Kara. 

He stayed behind with his father at the end of the meeting. A few things needed to be discussed, and when it came to pilots, Lee had to ask: 

“Dad, Kara…I mean did she tell you what happened to her?” His father looked worried. 

“No she didn’t. She seemed fine, a little subdue maybe, and tired for sure but…”he paused gathered is paper and then took a decision “You know someone will have to debrief her. I was thinking that maybe you should be the one doing it. ” Lee contemplated the idea for a while.

“You know the last time we spoke was the day of the cylon invasion; she was begging me to give her medicine for Sam. I didn’t have the time to give her an answer, and you know what I am not sure what it would have been. We’re not friends anymore dad, too much happened between us. You should find someone else for this job, Helo for instance.” 

William Adama thought for a while. It was true that Lee and Kara had their problems, the fights and shooting matches that had occurred before Kara’s marriage and departure for New Caprica were the proof of that. He had never managed to know what had happened but then he had never really understood their relationship. 

“Look Lee, you won’t be able to avoid her, you’re the CAG and you will have to deal with her everyday…”Seeing that Lee was about to interrupt he held up his hand “Listen to me Lee! I know you have your differences but in order to work together you’ll have to resolve them. I am not asking you to be her friend, I am asking you to do a job. Don’t make me order you Lee, please.” 

“Fine! I’ll do it.” Lee said. He could already feel old emotions he had thought forgotten coming back. His father was right of course but he could not understand that where Kara was concerned it was impossible for him to simply stay professional. Whether he liked it or not he always became emotionally involved, and it usually ended badly.

TBC...

Tags: fanfiction battlestar lee/kara
Current Location: living room
Current Mood: cynical

Happy new year all!
Yes in France we're already in 2007, have been for about one hour.
Can't say it changed anything but...
So I wish you all good health, and all the happiness you can ever dream of.

PS: sorry for any weirdness of speech the Champagne is really good...

Tags: happy new year
Current Mood: crazy

Hello,
So I was wondering what I would be doing today and told myself why not post a BSG fanfic? This is my first and I am french so please be nice if sometimes my grammar is weird. Enjoy the story!


DISLAIMER: Characters and the universe of Battlestar Galactica do not belong to me.

Title: the watcher

Author: Battledoc (Sweetooth on fanfiction.net)

Pairing: Kara/lee

For days he had been watching her from afar, wondering if she would ever be back to normal. Ever since she had came back from New Caprica she had been quiet, her eyes were cold and distant, she just went through the motion of life. Gone was the loud, impetuous pigheaded pilot, all that was left was the shell of the woman he once knew. Physically she was ok, she had healed from the numerous bruises and abrasions, her knee was still a little sore but her walking stick had disappeared a few weeks ago.

At first he had tried to talk to her, tried to understand what had happened down there, she would tell anecdotes about her life before the cylons but every time he had broached the subject of her incarceration the only response he had ever gotten was a look filled with a mix of fear, distress and pure hatred. And each time ha had asked each time she had retreated a little further inside herself. So he had stopped asking and start watching.

But today something was different, nothing to his knowledge had happened to explain that change. It was subtle, a little something that made all the difference, the ghost of a welcoming smile on her lips when he sat at her table to eat, she took part in the conversation instead of just listening, she seemed more present. It gave him hope.

It took time, every day bringing a little improvement, and one day while he was waiting in front of the CAG office to deliver some papers he saw them. The blond head next to the dark one, discussing and working side by side as they used to. And he realized that the tension that had been there ever since their reunion six months ago had vanished, that since that day in the commissary he hadn’t heard of any screaming match or fistfight.

And he smiled, Apollo and Starbuck were back. Kara and lee might still have a long road to go but now he knew that things would be back to normal if not right now at least one day.

And it gave him hope.

End

Tags: fanfic
Current Location: salon
Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: apocalyptica