Title: Almost Out of the Sky (5/12)
Pairing: K/L... eventually
Rating: M ish for language
Disclaimer: BSG characters aren't mine, AOoTS is a poem by Pablo Neruda
Summary: Earth 2012 AU."Live a little. Take a walk on the townie side."
A/N: Behold! A huge chap to make up for slackitude. A sparkly thanks to my beta Workerbee73
Unsaid
Not that you're the one
Not to say I'm right
Not to say today
And not to say a thing... tonight
But suffice it to say
We're leaving things unsaid
We sing ourselves to sleep
Watching the day lie down instead
And we are leaving some things unsaid
And we are breathing deeper instead
-Unsaid, The Fray
"Ouch," Kara hissed as she glanced down, a thorn bush having scratched her forearm, leaving a fine reddish line as evidence. She continued on, far too happy to be able to jog once again after being holed up for five days.
"Doofus, get away from that fence," Kara called out as she jumped over a log, her stride gradually picking up. She heard the shuffle of Sherlock as he came up behind her, trotting along at a quick beat.
"Fridays never felt so good, did they?" she asked as he matched her stride, tongue dangling.
Her knee was holding up for now, the short respite seemed to be doing the trick. She knew Lee was suspicious of her quick return to walking, but it wasn't exactly his business. It wasn't anyone's business. Whenever Danny or Emily remarked on how rapidly she healed from her various cuts and bruises, she always chalked it up to good genes. In fact, when she was younger, her numerous breaks and bruises did heal uncommonly fast, but never quite like this.
Kara frowned when she started to feel a twinge in her knee and slowed her pace a little, choosing to veer towards town as opposed to running along the beach.
"Wanna go to the office with me today?" she asked Sherlock as she bent slightly and trailed her fingers along his back. He looked up at her when she said 'work', letting out a gruff bark. When she actually stayed at work to do Colonial business, she'd occasionally sneak in Sherlock and keep him in her office while she put out the many fires that happened in her absence. Actually, Flight Coordinator wasn't her true position; it was more of an ancillary role. She was actually the CO of the Pacific Colonial Fleet. As her XO, Karl manned the fort in her absence and did a wonderful job, but in the end she had final say. Still, being CO of their tiny fleet and Flight Coordinator, although challenging and occasionally time-consuming, wasn't what occupied most her time, it was more a cover than anything else.
No, after arriving on Earth and becoming American citizens, she and a few other Colonials were selected to train and serve with an elite and highly covert group of American armed forces in counter-terrorism, both foreign and domestic. It was incredibly dangerous, involved great skill, and a lot of trust in herself and the men with whom she worked. At the time, the seven months of gruesome physical and professional training seemed like the perfect distraction from… her other problems. She rolled her eyes at her own sense of melodrama and pushed a little bit harder as she ran. Including training, the commitment was four years. Then she'd have the opportunity to re-up and stay with her unit or transfer elsewhere.
Kara grinned down at Sherlock as the trail gave way to sidewalk, taking the side closest to the street to keep him from wandering. She absently wondered if her painting was dry yet. She'd gotten the itch to make something for Karl two nights ago and hadn't been able to keep her mind off it since. Karl was one of the only people who knew she painted, and she liked it that way. Painting was something she did solely for herself and it certainly helped her release all those emotions she couldn't begin to understand. If she got a chance before she left for work she needed to go up into the tower and get a peek at it. She'd been dying to see what the hazy orange sun from Picon looked like on canvas in the daytime.
Roughly around five-thirty and the world was still asleep. Kara zoned out as she focused on the strain and pull of every muscle, the blood pumping in her veins and the steady increase in her breathing. It was this activity every morning that reminded her that she was still alive. That she was living and breathing, just like the next person.
Whatever that was worth. Of course, she may just live and breathe much longer than they could ever dream, or she could keel over tomorrow.
Finally reaching the summit, Kara slowed her quick jog to a fast walk as she twined her fingers behind her head. Inhaling deeply as she tried to regulate her breathing, Kara took in one of her favorite views and felt the familiar rush of appreciation for her life here.
The fog hovered over the harbor, creeping over rocks and along the shore. The sky was a dusky blue-grey — kind of like Danny's eyes whenever he got angry. The town was designed in a way that had two streets, Main and Center, which ran parallel to the beach. Separating the two streets was a large tree-lined grassy circle in the center of town with a fountain memorializing a Spanish explorer who named the area after a city in his favorite epic poem. By sitting along the edge of the fountain, one could watch the entire town pass by, going from Cliff's Grocery to Chubby's Coffee Shop, perhaps stopping into LuLu's for a haircut or a makeover from Ms. Bee. Lights began to flick on, dotting the landscape as they told her it was time to head back and begin her day.
Whistling to Sherlock, the pair continued their run down the hill and through town, where she was known for her quick pace and inability to keep a running partner who could keep up with her. Everyone always said they wished they had as much energy as she did, but they never understood what it was like to go three days without sleep (which was frequent) because her body didn't want to. They didn't understand why she had to back out of evenings out in the city because she had to go swim two miles. If she neglected to expel that energy, incapacitating migraines and muscle cramps would result. They didn't understand what it was like to wonder if she'd wake up in the morning or if she'd finally get that one last mission that would seal her fate.
But what could she say? She had been vaporized in a nuclear explosion and the gods sent her back because the fleet never jumped to Earth? That it had been her responsibility to ensure humankind's survival and get them to this habitable rock? Even better, the gods gave her back her life, but didn't mention they got the wiring wrong and gave her an excess of energy and an inability to die so she'd be sure to complete some unforeseen journey? Why couldn't she have ended up with super-human strength or invisibility instead?
Kara had researched and been tested for every imaginable alternative: a concussion, a brain tumor, and any obscure diseases. Cottle, one of two people who had a mere inkling of her physical issues, always shook his head at the results. Nothing worked. The inability to die wasn't for lack of trying either. Because of her… other activities, she was put in danger frequently and had suffered more than one sure-fatal accident. The catch was that it never killed her. More than that, it never left a mark. She should have realized that something was wrong that day when she returned to the Galactica and had nary a mark on her, only a shimmering line along her upper arm through her tattoo where she'd been grazed by a bullet.
The result of her quick healing was running headfirst at whatever life threw her way, often with reckless abandon. She wasn't sure if that was anything knew for her, but she certainly possessed an even stronger sense of invincibility than she did before.
As Kara neared her yard, she cast a quick glance at the Old Man's house and groaned as she spotted Lee talking on his cell phone outside. It was probably Dee on the other end, judging by his focused pacing and tense posture. Frowning as she stretched, Kara felt that niggling sensation in her gut. Damn her relentless sense of loyalty. The other day, she'd gotten a peek at Lee Adama's true purpose for being here, and he seemed more lost than anything else. Kara knew what needed to happen, she just didn't want to do it. How was she supposed to maintain her distance if she had to be his friend?
Standing up, she threw a glance in Lee's direction and swallowed hard. It was time to pull out all the stops and welcome Lee to Ithaca Bay.
.::.::.::.
It was late Friday night when Lee awoke with a start, the sounds of suppressed laughter and a tickle under his nose startling him into a sitting position.
"Woah there Senator, keep covered. Don't need to see your number one constituent or anything," the hoarse whisper came from Kara, but she wasn't alone. Lee threw her a look and tossed off the comforter regardless.
"What the frak are you doing here? It's late," asked Lee, scrubbing his eyes with his palms.
"Kara told me you needed to be initiated," whispered Danny. "We're here to do that."
"Initiated? Do I look like I'm a frat boy in one of your colleges?"
"Suck it up D.C., put on some warm clothes and meet us outside, then we'll tell you what's going on."
Kara and Danny left through the door that led outside. He absently wondered how they got in, but couldn't find it within himself to care that much. Checking the clock, it was only twelve thirty but he'd been sleeping like a rock. He got dressed and slipped into some shoes. Cool and breezy as he descended the steps, the moonlight shone on Kara and Danny where they sat on the ground beside their toppled road bikes.
"You better have a good explanation for this."
"I recall you dancing around the topic of what it felt like to Ithaca Bay. We're going to show you a couple things we do to keep life exciting around here," offered Kara simply as she twisted a strand of hair in boredom.
"I brought my old bike over for you to ride," said Danny. "It should suit your needs for our first adventure."
"And what would that be?" asked Lee as Kara and Danny rose, pushing their bikes toward the drive where the spare bike and helmet were waiting.
"So many questions," said Kara. "Don't you trust us?"
The way Kara said it made Lee a little suspicious. Then again, he was outside at midnight on a Friday, about to embark on some crazy adventure. What the hell, why not?
"Yes."
"Then sit back and let others do the thinking for a change," said Danny as he mounted his bike. "This will be an exercise in relinquishing some of that tight-ass control, my friend."
As Kara and Danny peddled away, Lee situated himself precariously on the bike. He hadn't ridden one since he was twelve. He was definitely going to be hurting come morning.
Ten minutes later and they met up with a group of people at the fountain in the center of town, all varying in age, but the key was their sole purpose for being there: midnight pretzel run.
"We're what?!" asked Lee incredulously.
"We riding to Andover, the next town north of here. Every night, they make a new batch of pretzels and they're out-of-this-world delicious. I'm pretty sure they're laced with crack," said Danny.
"He's joking," said Kara at Lee's dubious look. "Basically a group goes every Tuesday and Friday around midnight and for one dollar, you can get up to three pretzels and either caramel or cheese to dip your pretzel in. It's one of those things you've got to try just once."
"Yeah, your Old Man did it," said Danny. Lee frowned. He could be sleeping in his huge, comfortable bed. Instead, he was gallivanting around town at midnight in search of a snack. He could care less if his dad had done this. More power to him.
"Come on, Lee," Kara beseeched. "Live a little. Take a walk on the townie side."
It took a few more minutes of convincing, but when the group began to depart, Lee figured he could always grab a nap later in the day to make up for it. As the crowd of nearly forty cyclists headed north, Lee was situated firmly in the middle of the pack with Kara and Danny. He listened to their easy conversation, the way their ideas bounced off each other and the resulting laughter. Others in the group seemed to be familiar with their comical banter, lobbing in opinions and agreements at will.
About thirty minutes later, Danny stuck his nose in the air and inhaled deeply. "Mmmmm, smell that? It's twist-tied golden perfection, just waiting for our grabby hands."
Lee inhaled the rich scent of doughy goodness and came to a slow stop in the parking lot of the pretzel shop. All the cyclists dismounted and seemed to be breathing in just as deeply as Lee. He had to admit it did smell phenomenal. He looked around and saw other groups of people, most in their twenties or still in college, were sitting around in the grass across the street or on the patio outside. No, this wasn't abnormal at all.
"Go grab a spot, I'll get the first round," said Danny as he headed toward the line. Lee watched Danny for a moment, looking for any traces that he was still having a hard time, but he seemed fine.
Lee turned towards Kara. "Do you and Danny do this often?"
"About once a month. Since I'm not here very often, we tend to seize the opportunity whenever I'm around. Ryan comes sometimes too. He can eat about four pretzels and still make the ride back."
"Impressive," remarked Lee as they sat down in the grass, both leaning back on their hands as they watched others walk by, emitting sounds of gastronomical delight. "Do you ever get tired of it? All the traveling?"
"Eh, you get used to it. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I stayed around here the whole time. I'd probably go insane and take everyone with me. Still, there's loads of stuff to do here, and when I get tired of small town life, I just head into the city for a night."
"But Ithaca Bay is a good place to come back to? When you've done a trip around the world once or twice?"
"Yeah," said Kara as she watched Danny approaching with the pretzels. "It's nearly perfect."
"Dude, these are wicked hot, so be careful," said Danny as he handed out the pretzels and sat across from Lee and Kara. From thin air, two cups of dip seemed to materialize and Kara went straight to the caramel, moaning in such a way that made Lee's ears turn pink when she took her first bite. He followed suit and nearly did the same.
"Good?" asked Danny as he waited for Lee's reaction.
"Amazing," said Lee without pause. They sat around and chatted as they polished off their pretzels, even going up for another round. He wasn't sure if it was the cool, crisp night air, the bike ride over, or the pretzel itself, but the whole experience seemed to cement itself in his mind.
"You're pretty quiet. Tired?" asked Kara as returned with their fresh pretzels. Danny hopped up to go speak with some friends nearby, snagging his pretzel from Kara in passing.
"Yeah," agreed Lee. "I don't do stuff like this very often."
"That's the point. Get out of your comfort zone, do something you'd never consider doing."
"I've spent plenty of time outside my comfort zone, thanks," Lee shot back, feeling defensive. Kara merely shrugged and didn't say anything further until they rose to leave.
"Gods I'm full. Just roll me home," said Kara as she bumped into Danny with her shoulder.
"Not so fast," he said as he glanced at Lee. "You prepared for part two?"
"There's more?" asked Lee.
"Yup," said Kara. "A day's worth. You aren't going to be a sucker and give up are you?"
Her sharp tone felt like a dagger to his side. Coupled with the looks that she and Danny gave him, it was enough to make Lee shake his head immediately.
"Of course not. I can handle it. Where to next?"
"Again with the questions," Kara replied. "Just hop on the bike and enjoy the ride. It's life, Lee. Live it."
Lee made a face at her comment as he mounted the bicycle again. He was living it. Every single day.
Forty minutes later and Lee was securing his bike with theirs next to a tree at the base of a trail. It was sometime after three and Lee was getting his second wind.
"Think fast," Kara said as she tossed him a flashlight. He clicked it on and off and waited for Danny to finish locking up the bikes. Kara tossed Danny one as well and they started walking the trail.
The next hour was relatively quiet as they continued their ascent in silence with sporadic conversation at times. Lee's mind wandered to his life back in Washington, to things he was learning by being out here. He was well aware he had a control issue. Ana brought it up frequently in their most recent arguments. Lee knew that it stemmed from his childhood, but he just wondered if there was a way to undo his wiring, to learn how to let go.
It was over an hour later when they finally reached the summit of the trail. The trees were sparse and the wind blustered over the sharp face of the sheer rock. Lee had to zip up his jacket against the cutting air that tried to seep through every opening in his clothing.
"Lee, meet Odysseus's Rock," said Kara. "The locals call it Ody's, but that's up to your discretion."
For Lee's part, he was nearly speechless. It was predawn and the sky was dusky, casting a sleepy haze on his surroundings. Ody's Rock jutted out over the Pacific, towering roughly 500 feet above the water crashing on sharp rocks below. Kara and Danny walked forward with due caution — there were divots and rises in the rock that were hard to discern. Lee followed behind, feeling the wind pull at his jacket and hair making visibility a little difficult.
They didn't get all the way to the edge, but Kara went a little farther forward and looked back at Danny and Lee expectantly.
"Well, get over here and take a seat," she said as she hopped down onto another ledge and got situated. Danny sat down next to Kara and mirrored her by leaning back on his pack while Lee lay down, the cool rock flat against his back.
"Ahhhh," said Danny as he exhaled loudly next to Lee. "Smell that? It's 100% bonafide freedom Lee. You've got the rest of your life ahead of you. What are you going to do now?"
Lee knew Danny was joking, but he'd inadvertently brought reality crashing down and Lee couldn't take a deep breath at the sour thought it gave him. Kara caught his look and seemed realize the problem.
"Dan, no real world right now. This is a life-application session."
"Oh right. Lee, forget what you do back east. Take a deep breath, good and long, like you want it to reach your toes."
Lee did as he was asked and took a breath so deep he felt his lungs would burst as his eyes slowly fell shut.
"Great, keep your eyes closed and relax. Just breathe in deep."
Lee continued breathing, focusing on the rushing waves below and squawk of an occasional bird that passed. He could feel the tension in his body, balled up at the base of his neck, between his shoulder blades, tight in his chest. Slowly, not entirely, he felt it all break up a little. He let images from his time here filter in, brief flashes that reminded him of what life could be like. He saw Max and Emily laughing at the breakfast table while Sherlock licked syrup off Kara's cheek; his father and Laura sharing a smile over dinner; Karl dodging Hera and Max as they chased him with sparklers; Danny and Ryan's faces as a leather-clad Kara left Chubby's.
It didn't occur to him that his wife wasn't among his mental ménagerie.
"Hey sleeping beauty," whispered Kara close to his ear. He cracked his eyes open to see Kara staring down at him with the corner of her mouth raised. He remembered being in this position before on the cold metal deck of a Basestar, warm blood seeping throw his fingers as tears filled Kara's eyes.
She hadn't been smiling then.
"Sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep," said Lee as Kara leaned back, giving him room to sit up.
"No problem, just figured you'd like to see the show since that's what we're here for," said Kara as she motioned behind them to the east.
The sun hadn't yet broken the horizon, but it was close, illuminating the sky in an array of rich pinks yellows and purples. Turning around with Danny and Kara, Lee leaned back on his hands and watched the world wake up.
No one said much, but this wasn't a time for speaking. It was a time to appreciate the beauty of the world around him. As he sat there, Lee realized he truly feel lighter, as though he'd wrapped up a little of his stress and sent it away in a package. He wondered if it was his current state of mind, their location, or the phase of life Lee was moving into. All he knew was that he was grateful for Danny's yogi-like tendencies.
As the sun started to move higher into the sky and the dusky haze fell away to a somewhat overcast morning, the trio stood from their perch and stretched out the kinks.
"Goodness, I think I'm hungry again," said Danny as he rubbed his belly.
"You're always hungry," said Kara as she pulled herself up onto the first ledge.
"So what? It's what happens when you spend your entire life as a swimmer."
"Excuses, excuses," said Kara as Lee finally joined them and they walked a few feet until Kara called out to them.
"Wait. Let me take a couple shots, I didn't bring my camera for nothing," she said as she pulled out a digital camera with a long lens and tons of bells and whistles. "Okay, act like you're friends."
Kara took a couple photos until Danny demanded that she get in one. Kara found a large rock to place the camera on and set the timer. She came back and stood next to Lee, not exactly touching him. Rolling his eyes, he slung his arm around her shoulder and brought her close. He smiled when he felt her arm wrap around him as well. Danny jerked away abruptly, claiming that Kara had poked him in the side. In retaliation he poked her in the cheek just as the flash went off. They managed to behave themselves for the last couple shots, making sure to sandwich Lee nice and tight in the middle.
.::.::.::.
"Mornin' Flo'," said Danny as he cruised into the diner. "Meet Lee, Lee meet Flo'. She is an incredible woman. Bask in her presence."
"Save it honey, we don't have any leftover cobbler. Mo's in the back making his famous frittata though. Oh, and nice to meet you Lee. Bless your soul for putting up with these two," she said as she pointed them to a booth and wrapped a weathered hand under Kara's a chin, giving it a light squeeze.
Lee slid in next to Kara and watched Flo' walk behind the counter. She looked to be anywhere between 50 and 80, sounded like she'd been smoking her entire life, and looked like she was part native American with black hair sporting streaks of white.
"So who discovered this place?"
"My sister Sydney. She works with Flo' and Mo's daughter at the university."
"Your sister is a professor?"
"Yeah, I guess you could consider her pre-law. She teaches a lot of American political-science classes."
"Watch what you say Danny," said Kara as she fiddled with the sugar container. "Lee's likely to crap his pants at the mention of a fellow poly-sci lover."
"All right kids," said Flo as she returned to her table with a pad of paper. "Whatchyou want? The works?"
"Hell yeah" "Damn straight" said Danny and Kara in unison. Flo simply smirked and tucked her pencil into her bun and slid the pad into her pocket.
"The works?" asked Lee as her surveyed his companions.
"Hope you're hungry," said Danny with a grin.
No more than ten minutes later, Flo brought out more plates than there was table space. Three of everything came out: frittatas, bowls of fresh fruit, sweet potato muffins, and sides of homefries. Lee doubted he'd be able to eat it all, but his grumbling stomach seemed to think otherwise.
"Mmmm now for a moment we want you to forget how amazing the food is. We don't get the wrong idea," said Kara as she took a large bite of her frittata.
"What do you mean?" asked Lee.
"Well…" started Kara, but Danny took up for her. "It's just that… we're giving you the highlight of the area. Obviously there are negatives to any town, like minimal nightlife and poor beer selection, overbearing old women who sit around and gossip, and lately there's been increasing tension between locals and the Colonials over job competition."
"I never assumed Ithaca Bay was perfect," said Lee. "I've already had a run-in with old Ms. Haverford. In ten minutes I learned of all the town's scandals over the past six years, which women Ryan has dated, and was invited to a town meeting to discuss the job issue. "
"Have fun at the meeting. It's a tough crowd," said Kara as she took a sip of water. "We just didn't want you to have the wrong impression. But enough of all that. Do you like your food?"
"I think the last time I had a breakfast that big was the morning after I met up with you and Zak that one night about two weeks before his graduation and we spent all night at that club. What was it called?"
Kara absently raked her hand through her hair and twisted it behind her, puzzling for it's name. She snapped her fingers, "Zeus's Playground!?"
"Yeah, that's right. Gods that place was a dive. Remember when Zak—"
"tried to score us free drinks by asking that waitress for her number because you were too nervous—"
"and she dumped an entire pitcher of ale over his head?"
"That was such a waste of perfectly good ale too," pouted Kara. Glancing across the table, Lee saw Danny looking between him and Kara with amusement, but a little confusion as well.
"Sorry," said Kara quickly.
"No it's okay," said Danny. "You and Zak were brothers, right? Is he how you two met?"
"Yes and no," said Lee as he looked between Danny and Kara, who wasn't meeting his eyes. "We both knew of each other, though I was a year ahead when I went through the academy. She was always this hotshot nugget trying to beat all my records."
"Not trying. I did beat your records, thankyouverymuch."
"So how long have you two known each other then?"
"Ten years, give or take," said Lee as he drummed his fingers on the table.
"Really? That long?"
"Yeah, I mean, there were chunks of time in there that we didn't see each other, " said Lee.
"Let me get this straight," Danny said as he leaned forward on the formica tabletop. "You were almost family once, yet when you got to Earth you just… stopped talking to each other?"
Lee felt his face suddenly get hot and simply nodded, unsure of what to say. He felt Kara nudging him in the arm and he turned to her with a look of uncertainty.
"Budge over Senator, I've gotta hit the head."
Lee rose quickly and watched as Kara walked away to the opposite end of the dinner, pulling out her cell phone. When he sat back down, he found Danny's steady gaze a little too hard to bear.
"Huh… Interesting," was all Danny said, but it was more of a revelation than a question. Lee looked up to see Danny piling the plates and silverware, pushing them to the end of the table.
They sat in relative silence until Kara returned, tossing some money down and tapping them on the shoulders as she passed.
"Let's hit the road."
.::.::.::.
"Watch out!" Called Kara as she navigated the riding lawn mower around the flowerbed where Lee was currently stationed.
"I don't know how you talked me into letting you driving that!" called out Danny above the awful din.
"It's because you can deny me nothing," she shouted as she took off on a straight strip of grass toward the backyard. Danny and Lee continued to work, casual chatter occupying their labor.
"Explain to me again," said Lee as he ripped out another handful of weeds, "how yard work is supposed to change my world view."
"It's not really," said Danny. "I have underhandedly recruited you and your wingman for purely selfish reasons. When my mom is at church she has a tendency of signing me up to do things without asking, even now that I'm… thirty-four. I found out a couple days ago that it was my week to take care of Mrs. Leonard's yard. It's okay though, Mrs. L makes amazing dessert."
"Once again, you are motivated by your stomach," said Lee as he grabbed a large pile of weeds and tossed them in the refuse bin.
"Not entirely. I've known Mrs. Leonard my whole life and she's one of the nicest women I've ever known. Better than that, she doesn't like Old Ms. Haverford and her gossipy ways."
"I can't wait to meet her then," said Lee. "Does Ryan do stuff like this as well? He doesn't seem like the community service type."
"While I tolerate it, Ryan actually likes community service. Only thing, is he has to work on the weekends about twice a month, so he's not all that available."
"And Kara? How'd you talk her into it?"
Danny shrugged as he sat back on his heals, face pinched in thought. "About two years ago, she'd been gone on a trip for a week and came back all broody and pissy. In another self-serving move, I asked her for help to try and break her funk. Oddly enough, it worked. Besides, she has a sweet spot for Mr. Owen across the way."
Just then Kara came tearing around the corner in the lawnmower, kicking up grass and dust behind her.
"Dude, it's not one of your Vipers," called out Danny.
"Dude, I just finished the back yard," she mocked as she started on a diagonal track across the front yard, maneuvering quickly around trees and flowerbeds.
"I have to admit, I'm surprised," said Lee, somewhat puzzled. "Kara has never been the type to sign up for free labor."
"Eh," said Danny. "I think she does it because she's bored and she likes to drive the lawn mower. Though I don't think everyone appreciates decorative motifs cut into their yard."
Lee watched Kara who looked like she was doing her best to pop onto the back tires of the lawn mower and nodded. "Boredom and Kara never were a good combination."
"Very true. Don't tell her I said this," said Danny quietly, "but underneath all that bravado, she definitely has a heart of gold."
Quirking his eyebrows, Lee grinned at Danny's comment. "I can see that. Can't have anyone thinking she's nice or anything. It would ruin her image."
"You got that right," Danny rolled his eyes as he nodded. The sat back and pulled off the gloves, having finished their weeding.
"Hey Starbuck?" Lee called out as she was completing her final lap. "What do you hear?"
An odd look passed over her face at Lee's question, like she almost didn't want to answer him. She must have pushed it aside, because she looked over at him and gave him a bright, genuine smile. Maybe she was finally warming up to him.
"Nothin' but the Rain."
Danny chuckled at their trade-off, dragging the refuse bin toward the street. "You two are almost as bad as her and the Old Man."
"I don't know if that's a compliment or not," Lee replied as he scanned the yard, noting how good a job they'd done. Kara strutted up to the pair, a fine sheen of sweat coating her face and arms.
"Mrs. Leonard is waiting for us out back with milk and pie at the ready," she said with a tilt of her head. Lee fell into step behind Kara and Danny, studying Kara as she pulled an elastic from her wrist and pulled her hair up into a pony tail.
True to Danny's claims, Mrs. Leonard was quite possibly the nicest woman he'd ever met. Not to mention, her chess pie was to die for. No more than five minutes after Lee licked his fork clean did he find himself trudging up the street, having promised Mrs. Leonard to drop by for tea some time the next week.
"I'll meet you both at The Slick in a little while," said Danny as parted from Lee and Kara on his riding lawn mower.
"Where's he off to?" asked Lee as he watched Danny head in the opposite direction. Just then, the skies opened up and unleashed their fury.
"Cemetery," Kara replied, her voice sounding pinched as she glanced upward at the downpour. "Every Saturday, like clockwork. Come on, Lee. I have a feeling you're going to like this next part."
.::.::.::.
"Lords of Kobol, you should see your face," remarked Kara with a laugh as she sat up, heedlessly pushing her matted hair out of her face. There was a group of young teenagers with paint ball guns slipping and sliding down the far side of the hill, laughing and teasing.
"I imagine it looks just like yours," said Lee as he threw another clump of mud at her. "I can't believe you brought me here."
Lee threw himself back with a plop into the ruddy brown earth and spread his arms and legs to make mud angels, further coating himself under inches of slimy muck. Still, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had this much fun, or ever having been this dirty.
"Why? What'd you think I meant when I said we were going to The Slick?"
"Honestly? A water park or something, not a giant field of mud," he said, as the rain started coming down a little harder. "How often do you come out here?"
"Not all that often, but Sherlock loves it."
"Shocking," quipped Lee as he leaned back on his forearms. "You know, you could have warned me before you pushed me down the hill. I think I got a bruise."
"Warn you?" asked Kara, incredulous. "Like you'd have willingly flung yourself down into a mud patch."
"No, but I would have readily sacrificed you," said Lee as winked. "Want to do it again?"
Kara waited a beat before replying, a roguish smile settling over her face. It reminded him a younger, more naïve Kara and he missed that part of her… the part that could talk him into doing anything.
"Race you!" Kara used Lee to lever herself up, climbing over him as she sprinted up the steep, muddy hill.
"Starbuck! Not fair," said Lee, laughing as he chased after her, mud splattering in their wake. He reached out and grabbed her left ankle, grinning in satisfaction as she face-planted into the ground.
"Okay, now you're just fighting dirty," Kara growled as she pushed herself upwards. He could feel her grabbing at his pant legs, but she couldn't secure a strong grasp. Lee reached the top of the hill and raised his arms up, jumping around.
"Wooo! I win!"
"You frakker!"
"Wow, look at you two," said Danny as he unleashed Sherlock, letting him sprint towards Kara, causing her to slip to the ground and start laughing once her dog made contact.
"You know Danny," said Kara with a playful glint in her eye, "that's a nice shirt you've got on there."
"She's right," Lee said as he started approaching Danny, whose palms rose in surrender. "It'd be a shame to get it dirty, wouldn't it Starbuck?"
"A real shame, Senator," she said giving him a familiar smile. She released Sherlock, watching as he took off at a run and slid the rest of the way down the hill to the teenagers who seemed to recognize him and started cheering.
"Guys, now slow down," said Danny backing up. "My mom got me this shirt for Christmas."
"That's just…" Kara lobbed a packed ball of mud directly at Danny chest, "too bad." Lee and Kara proceeded to pelt Danny with mud until he was completely coated.
"You two are the worst," said Danny as he scraped the mud from his face, shaking his head at them.
"Don't blame us because you're awful at evasion tactics," challenged Kara.
"Is that so?"
Danny started chasing after Kara, her bare feet squelching in the mud as she dodged his grasp. When he finally caught her, he convinced Lee to grab her ankles while he had her wrists.
"I swear on Max's beautiful head, if you so much as drop me, you both will spend the rest of your lives sleeping with one eye open," threatened Kara as she struggled to free herself.
"One," said Danny as he started to swing her.
"Two," said Danny and Lee in unison. If Lee was going to die, this would be the way to go out.
"Three," they lowered her slightly and carefully swung her down the hill, her threats and protests filling the air.
"After you," said Lee, as he motioned to Danny.
"Oh, no sir, you first."
"Please I insist," Lee shrugged out of Danny's grasp, but as he did so, he tripped and ended up loosing his footing.
"HA!" yelled Kara. "Serves you right."
Lee slid to a bumpy halt at the bottom of the hill, thinking he may have swallowed an earthworm or two. Kara promptly clobbered him with several mud pies, while Danny slid gracefully down the hill on his stomach.
"Show off," said Kara as she half-heartedly chucked some more mud at him. "Sherlock wants to go again."
"I'm getting too old for this," whined Danny. They tugged each other up off the ground and went a couple more times, but the last was just Kara and Lee
"I've got to make a phone call," said Danny as he waved them off. "Make sure our next destination takes rowdy folks like yourself."
"One more time?" asked Lee as he glanced over at Kara. The rain had abated briefly, but now it started pouring harder.
"Why not?" shrugged Kara. Together, they slid down the hill on their butts, yelling all the way. Landing in a heap at the bottom, Lee pulled Kara's foot out from under his back.
"You aren't very comfortable," noted Lee as he flopped back down, exhaustion taking hold.
"I beg to differ," she replied as she tucked her hands beneath her head. He glanced over at her and saw her looking up to the sky, raindrops forming channels through the mud on her face and arms. They lay in silence for a few more moments while Lee wavered between trying to get her to open up; or simply push forward. His grumbling stomach decided for him.
"Come on, I think I've finally burned off that pie," said Lee as he stood warily, the day's events taking it's toll. Holding out his hand to her, Kara looked up at Lee, surveying him carefully. Finally, she reached up and clasped his hand, letting him tug her upward.
"Final thoughts on our excursion?" she asked, reminding him that there was actually a reason for being here.
Rain falling all around, a rush of memories swept over Lee. Camping during the drizzle in the forest on Kobol, so very glad to have his father and Kara nearby and safe; standing before Kara on the Pegasus when she asked him to back her in doing the unthinkable; exhaustion, sweat, and blood combining as they pounded all their frustration and anger into each other — and later the hug they shared.
Finally breaking the moment, Kara's eyebrows drew together, as though she too were reliving the past. She pulled her hand from his grasp and broke away quickly, heading up the hill.
"You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?" Lee called out, not exactly answering her question. She stopped and turned, sliding slightly as she did so.
"Nice try, Senator. But no," she said, sounding defeated. "It's a little simpler than that."
He then considered the yard work and the fun he'd just had.
"Work hard, play harder?"
"Pretty much." Kara turned around and continued up the hill. Lee sighed loudly, brushing the mud from his face.
.::.::.::.
Lee came out of the men's public restroom by the beach, having taken a five-minute shower and changed into spare clothes that Kara must've snagged while he was sleeping that morning. Returning to the parking lot, he came to a halt when he finally witnessed something that made his heart lurch inexplicably.
Kara was sitting in the passenger seat of Danny's jeep; the door opened wide as her feet rested upon the edge of the open window. Danny was leaning against the doorjamb, laughing at something she said but stopped abruptly when she reached out to touch his neck. She seemed to be scratching off a bit of dried mud he'd missed during his shower and was wholly absorbed by her task, going so far as to lick her thumb to wipe it off. What bothered Lee was the way Danny was looking at her, open affection on his face, looking like a frakking All-American with his toothpaste model smile and dirty blond hair. Quashing his fleeting jealousy, Lee walked to the jeep and threw his soiled clothes in the back while Danny walked over to the driver's side like nothing happened.
"Nice shirt, Senator," said Kara as she squeezed into the backseat with Sherlock, giving Lee the front seat while Danny climbed in the driver's side.
Lee frowned as he looked down at the shirt, knowing she'd purposefully chosen the one that had a promotional ad for breast cancer research on it.
"Not ashamed to stand up for causes I believe in," Lee replied assuredly.
"The question, is which part of you stands up?" Kara replied, causing Danny to burst out in laughter while Lee just rolled his eyes.
Danny drove south on the two-lane road where The Boys of Summer was blaring and the wind made communication difficult. The sky had cleared up and it was looking to be a beautiful evening. He still had no idea where they were going, but Kara and Danny were dressed casually, so Lee knew no gourmet food was in his future. He tried his best not to think about what he'd just witnessed, but he couldn't help but wonder if he'd finally seen the way Danny and Kara acted when they were alone. He paid no attention to the stabbing sensation in his chest at the thought of Danny and Kara becoming DannyandKara. Before he could ponder any further, a pale foot with hot pink toe nails brushed against his cheek.
"Ew Kara, no," he said as he pushed her foot away, ignoring her menacing laughter. Lee glanced around and realized they'd parked in a grassy field.
"Then move your ass, Lee. We're here," she said as she pulled her legs up and climbed out the back of the jeep, ignoring Danny's proffered hand.
They appeared to be at some sort of concert venue as indicated by a sign that read Saturdays after Seven – Live Music. The parking lot was set above the pavilion, shuttling the concertgoers down a series of steps to picnickers on grassy sections or under the shell of the amphitheater.
"Lee, not down there, this way." Danny directed Lee to the side as they walked along the outskirts of the grass to where there appeared to be private boxes. Though he'd seen several performances at The Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap, Lee never had the pleasure of sitting so close to the stage.
"Good ole' Bob and Carol came through, didn't they?" asked Kara as Danny flashed three tickets to security who let them into a box seat.
"My parents," Danny explained, "have had season tickets to this place since it opened nearly thirty years ago. About two years back they were offered box seats for their continued support of fine arts in the area."
"So generous, those two," Kara muttered as she took the far seat, leaning back as she crossed one leg over the other.
"Kara and my parents don't get along," Danny whispered to Lee as the band started warming up. Lee wanted to press further but was distracted by the program Kara shoved in his face.
"How'd you know I like Jazz?"
"I didn't have a clue," said Danny. "I couldn't decide if we should come here or go to the sail-in, but the movie they're showing tonight looks awful and Kara gets bored watching movies."
"Sail-in?"
"It's like a drive-in, but with boats instead," Kara offered. "It works in theory, but in reality it kinda sucks when it's windy or the weather changes quickly."
A waitress came by and dropped off a picnic basket similar to those of the other patrons. This must have been what Danny was calling ahead for. Food and drinks were divvied up as they sat around a table in the corner, the concert just beginning.
Romo, aficionado of all things Hitchcock, was also the one responsible for turning Lee on to jazz. He'd play it late at night when it was just them in the office, a glass of scotch in one hand and some form of long-winded legislation in the other. Lee preferred the pianists while Romo favored big band music but also liked the mellow drive of Miles Davis and the bluesier side of Charlie Parker.
A petite young woman came out on stage and took the seat at a large Steinway, waving at the audience. Fellow musicians joined her one stage, looking very much like an eclectic bunch. The lights dimmed, chairs scratched the pavement as patrons resituated, and Kara returned to her seat in the corner, bracing her arms on the ledge of their box.
The music started with a hoppy beat, causing feet to bob throughout the pavilion. Lee leaned back and rested his head against his chair, recalling the last night he'd spent in his office, just him and Romo:
"I can't do this anymore. I'm… everyday I wake up… wishing that I didn't," he'd admitted quietly after a glass too many of Romo's top-shelf whiskey.
"You know what to do about that, don't you?"
"Tell Ana?"
"Eh… Since you made the decision to stick around for good, maybe you should just take a break and go visit the Old Man for a while. Figure out what it is you're fighting for."
"You think I've forgotten?"
"How can you forget what you don't even know? What we do here, day in and day out, isn't what it's like out there. Take a leave of absence, see what it's like then come back here ready for round two."
Lee puzzled over his comment, the words swimming before him.
"And what if I don't want to come back?"
"Then I guess I'll have to get another drinking partner," said Romo as he loosened his tie and turned the page. "I think Sonja will do just fine, thanks."
Clapping filled the air, bringing Lee back to the present. He wondered how Romo was fairing with Sonja. He wondered so many things about all the loose ends he'd left behind, wondered if any headway had been made on their current legislation, whether the Senator from Illinois was going to keep putting him in his place, whether his wife was working late that night or if she was out with the others, grabbing a night cap.
Another song picked up, more laid-back this time. Lee watched as Kara leaned back against her seat, her arm bent and fist supporting her head. Lee glanced back at Danny and saw him mouthing along quietly as he played with the label on his beer. Romo would say this was a 'Blue Monday' song and mock the singer for all her heartfelt woes.
"Damn, this song is enough to drive anyone to drink," whispered Kara.
"I don't think that was the intent," said Lee as he bumped her with his shoulder. "You're not a big jazz fan are you?"
Kara bit her lip in contemplation and forged ahead. "I love music — all forms."
She didn't elaborate, but he looked over and caught a type wistfulness in her eyes that was hard to place. He'd been trying to get her to open up all day, especially about more personal things, but she somehow found a way to answer him without actually answering. She must've mastered that skill over the past three years, because he remembered a time when even her silence spoke more to him than words.
He weighed the odds and forged ahead, hoping this would be his chance.
"What do you love about it?"
She took her time responding, so long that he thought she wouldn't answer and he regretted asking. When she did, it was quiet and smashed together, like she was shy about her admission.
"I love that any given song can mean something completely different from one person to the next. I love that I can be taken from wherever I am to a point in time where I first heard the song and liked it. I love the rhythm and the care taken to find the perfect note, the perfect flow, I love simple melodies and complex beats, I love… I love…"
Her voice petered out and Lee knew she felt embarrassed by her unusual outburst. He, however, felt unnaturally giddy. Sometimes she'd open up like this, but it was rare and he always had to tread lightly.
"Yeah," he whispered, "me too."
Kara's eyes darted from the stage to his as he offered her his warmest smile. She waited a second before rolling her eyes then turned back to the stage. Leaning forward slightly, Lee caught the goofy grin creeping across her face.
That grin alone was worth this entire day.
Leaning back in his chair once again, he nodded back at Danny in thanks and sighed in content as another song began.
I've got you under my skin…
.::.::.::.
Toweling off from his shower late that evening, Lee came out of the bathroom wearing only fleece pants in search of a clean t-shirt.
"Time for laundry?"
Lee turned quickly, startled by Kara's voice. In his distraction Lee neglected to notice her leaning against his headboard.
"Frak, Kara. I thought you were done sneaking in here."
A mischievous smile crept across her face as she blinked. It unsettled him slightly. Turning to his dresser, Lee tried to ignore how natural it looked to see her sitting on his bed in her pajamas.
"It occurred to me earlier that there was one more thing that could make you feel… welcome here," she said as she rose slowly. He glanced over and saw that she was wearing a long sleeved t-shirt and some running shorts, definitely nothing for him to worry about.
"Trust me, after the day we've had, I feel plenty welcome," Lee replied honestly, finally spotting a faded t-shirt in his drawer and pulled it over his head.
"Fine Senator, but this is a one time offer," she goaded.
Lee looked up and watched as she grabbed the ends of her hair with both hands and twisted them together and released, making her hair cascade down one shoulder. He realized it wasn't the first time he'd seen her do it. Nervous habit, perhaps?
"Fine then, what is it?" asked Lee as he tossed his towel on the bed and walked up to her, closer than what was acceptable, but never close enough for them.
He traced her gaze downward and saw her outstretched hand and realized that this was it. Her final peace offering, her clear acceptance of him back in her life. Unable to hide his delight, he grabbed her hand quickly and looked up to find a hesitant smile on her face.
When she tugged him closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, he fully obliged, his own arms finding purchase in once familiar places. He didn't bother muffling the deep breath he took, inhaling Kara, both old and new. It was odd, not picking up her old scent of cigar smoke, engine grease, and sweat. Instead, this was a freshly showered Kara — soft and warm, smelling clean with a hint of fragrance he couldn't place.
"I missed you," he said slowly, hoping the words conveyed his feeling. He remembered the last time they uttered those words. It was a time when blood, anger, and bruises had accompanied the sentiment.
"I missed you too," she whispered against his neck, so softly that he thought he'd imagined it.
Lee let out a long breath and pulled her even tighter to him, her hands stretching across his back.
Finally, Lee was home.