Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Battlestar Galactica, or the characters that appear on the show. Also, this is Battlestar Galactica fluff, so if you don't like fluff, please don't read.

As much as Lee ached to talk with Kara it had to be put off. Not long after his confrontation with Dee, he was sent to the Pegasus for some situations that needed his expertise. It was two weeks before he set foot back on Galactica. He did a lot of thinking in those two weeks. Ever since he came to the "Bucket" as it was so fondly called, for the decommissioning ceremony his life had taken a turn. It wasn't like he was the only one affected by change; everyone's life had been turned upside down. His just happened to be especially messy; it came in the form of two blonde females.

After reporting to his father he went in search of Kara. He checked her room first and was surprised to find her there, packing a suitcase.

"Hi, you're back," she said in greeting turning back to her suitcase.

"Yeah, and it looks like you are just leaving, where is Leah?" he asked looking around the room.

"She is taking her nap, and I'm not leaving today."

"Where are you going, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Cloud Nine."

"Kara, are you telling me you are leaving Galactica? Your job, I mean this is your home, your family. I barely have enough time to spend with Leah now, and you want to take her to another ship! Come on Kara, don't you think I have spent enough time away from her?" Lee couldn't help the anxiety building up in him, but while he was busy jumping to conclusions Kara had an amused smile on her face.

"Relax Lee, why don't you take the drama down just a notch. I'm only going for the day, do you actually think I would leave here except by force" she said with a chuckle.

He smiled with relief, but feeling somewhat foolish over his little outburst. He usually kept his thoughts, feelings well under control, except when she was in the room.

"Oh, why didn't you just say so?"

"I just did."

Their eyes locked both in amusement. 'They were back' Lee thought to himself.

"Well you didn't say why you were going Captain."

"No, I didn't did I."

Their little exchange was interrupted by the arrival of their daughter. The sound of her parent's discussion had roused her from her sleep. Kara went to pick her up, but Lee beat her to it.

"Did you know how much I missed you?" he asked hugging her tightly.

"Yeah," she replied with a shake of her head, causing both of her parents to laugh.

"That is her new answer to everything." Kara supplied. "Last week it was "no", for some reason I find her much more agreeable this week."

"I wish you would have brought her over to visit," Lee commented, wondering how he was ever going to get her to know he was her father, when he just went two weeks without even seeing her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think about it. Besides with you gone I had double the work. This place doesn't run itself you know."

"Tell me about it, I just spent the last two weeks in Pegasus hell. Again why are you going to Cloud Nine?"

"Leah's second birthday is in two days. I thought it would be a nice present to spend the day in artificial sunshine, on artificial grass. She probably does not even know what grass is."

"Yeah the life of growing up on a Battlestar," Lee added thoughtfully studying his daughter.

He looked down to see Kara, suddenly looking very down. "Kara what's wrong?"

"Nothing really, just thinking."

"Yes?"

"Lee what if she never sees a sunset, never feels real grass under her little toes. Think of all the things we took for granted in our life that our daughter may never have, snow, the oceans, trees that aren't inside a space ship, birds, squirrels, cats, dogs, rain. Rain Lee, can you imagine not knowing what rain, fresh pure rain falling from the sky wetting your skin feels like!"

"Kara we will find earth," he said reaching out to gently push back a strand of hair that had fallen out of her typical pony tail.

"I don't know Lee I am not so sure anymore. Everyone talks about that bright shiny future we will have on earth, but I am afraid that is a bright and shiny future we will never see."

"Oh come on Kara, where is that faith you have always been so proud of?"

"Diminishing bit by bit every day since those metal mother frakkers attacked."

Lee just stood there for a moment starring at his friend he had never seen her quite like this. She was just so serious. He actually found it all kind of funny. She had changed so much in the last few months he felt as if he was going to have to get to know her all over again. Then he couldn't help it he did something he knew would piss her off. He laughed at her.

Her melancholy quickly turned to a scowl, as she glared up at him. "I don't see what was funny in that statement."

That made him laugh even harder.

"I am going to kick your frakkin butt Apollo, if you don't quit laughing at me and tell me what is so funny."

"Who is the one who needs to take the drama down a notch now Kara? I never knew you could be so depressing."

In spite of herself, she began to laugh at the whole conversation as well. He was right, she was never one to feel sorry for herself, why start now.

"So do you want to come?" she said when the laughter subsided.

"Come?" he said eyebrows raised.

"With us tomorrow, I bet you could talk the mean old Admiral into giving you the day off."

He looked thoughtful for the moment contemplating the offer. "Yeah, I'll go talk to him now. What time are you leaving?"

"1000 hours"

"Okay, well I better give her back to you. If I am going to spend tomorrow loafing, I have things I need to finish tonight."

He kissed Leah on the cheek before handing her over to her mother. He gave Kara a quick hug as well. "Thanks for including me Kara."

"Any time," she replied as he turned to leave.

"And Lee," she called as he was about to shut the door. "Hmm?"

"One request, please don't bring your girlfriend."

He turned around and studied her for a moment, remembering he had not yet told her about Dee.

"That's easy Kara, because I no longer have one," he said and then slipped out the door.

As she went to turn the lock on the hatch, she couldn't help the smile that crept to her lips.

Kara was on the hanger deck awaiting the shuttle at 0945 the next morning. Her suitcase was in one hand and Leah's hand in the other. She kept scanning the stairwell waiting for him to appear. He had not sent word if he was coming or not. So she wasn't sure if she should expect him. It was possible that the Old Man was unable or unwilling to let him off.

It was 1010 and still no sign of him. The shuttles were prompt, and she had already stalled the pilot longer then she should have. Just as she had fastened the safety belt around Leah she heard a banging on the outside of the Raptor. The door slid open, and she was greeted by a pair of magnificent blue eyes.

"Leaving without me?" he said with a grin.

"I wasn't sure if you were coming."

"Cylons couldn't have kept me away."

"Thanks Lee, now you had to go and mention their frakking names, we haven't seen a Raider in weeks, and now you just jinxed us," Kara said suddenly very superstitious.

"Well if they do, today it will be up to everyone else to keep them away."

Despite Lee's jinx the Cylons did not show up that day. Kara could not remember when she had more fun. Leah was amazed at everything she saw and seemed like she couldn't take in enough. She had seen trees and grass and sunlight before, but she was to little to remember. She was amazed by the fountains on the ship, and Kara had to make a mad grab several times to keep her from diving in.

Not only did she get to enjoy the company of her daughter. She had her best friend back. Lee was hers again, like he had been before Dee. She still had to share him with another woman, but with this one she didn't seem to mind quite as much. By the end of the day he had her calling him Daddy. It sounded like music to her ears every time she heard that high pitched little voice squeal it out.

They ate dinner that evening in the nicest restaurant on the ship, thanks to Lee. He had offered that to their little day. Kara savored every bite of the tiny little steak he had ordered for her. It was probably the last one she would have for years. They had ships that supplied fruits and vegetables, but livestock was just not something that was compatible with space.

"Kara, I hate to bring an end to this day, but I believe the last shuttle to Galactica leaves in about thirty minutes," Lee said as he ate the last bite on his plate.

"You weren't going to stay the night?" Kara asked looking somewhat disappointed.

"I didn't get a room."

"I did, you can stay with us." Kara said.

"I don't know Kara…"

"Oh come on Lee, I don't bite."

"Really?"

"Well at least not hard." She said in a throaty whisper, trying very hard to fake a seductive little look, but ended up laughing at her own joke.

"Okay, I will. It will be more time I get to spend with Leah," he teased. "Let me take care of the check and let's go find that room."

"You know Lee, she will be asleep within thirty minutes," Kara said slyly as they walked toward the rented room.

"Good, I have some new battle tactics I have been waiting to discuss with you," he answered back with a little bit of teasing himself.

Kara wasn't quite right. Leah was asleep in fifteen minutes. Apparently her day of fun in the sun had worn the little girl out. The room was not the most luxurious Cloud Nine had to offer, but it was what Kara could afford.

There was only one bed, but it was a big one. The three of them would fit without anyone having to touch the other, unless one really wanted to, Kara found herself thinking.

She settled Leah in the center of the bed. Lee was sitting at the small table in the room waiting for her to join him. Things could have been awkward, may have been awkward if it had been anyone else, but when they were at peace with each other, no one could get along better then Kara and Lee.

Lee was joking, they really did not talk about battle tactics, but they talked about everything else. Politics, religion, their life on Caprica, it seemed like they hit every subject in the book until they noticed how late it was getting.

"Well if this is supposed to be our day of rest and relaxation we better get some." Lee supplied.

"Yeah, that bed is looking so much nicer then any that I have slept on in years." Kara added.

"Kara, I can sleep on the couch." Lee said pointing to the tiny little thing in the corner of the room.

"Don't be stupid Lee; you wouldn't get any sleep on that. The bed is big enough for us all." Kara said while rummaging through her bags looking for her pj's.

"Not sure I will get any sleep there either." He mumbled to himself.

"What did you say?" Kara called out from the bathroom.

"I didn't bring any clothes." He answered.

"Don't wear any, I'm not," she called back.

Lee sank down onto the couch and put his head in his hand. He knew Kara was teasing him; he could here it in her voice. He was just not sure how much of this type of teasing he could take.

When she stepped out of the bathroom it was as he suspected, she was fully clothed. If he was just a little bit bolder and his daughter wasn't in the room, he may have done what she suggested. She wouldn't have that smug little look on her face if he would have. Instead he slipped off his Khaki pants and button up shirt leaving on his boxers and tank. He slid into the bed quietly trying not to wake Leah.

As Kara walked across the room to flip off the light, he had purposely left on; he took the moment to admire her figure. Even in an old T-shirt and shorts she was sexy to him. She wasn't the most beautiful women he had ever seen, she didn't even have the best figure, probably far from it, but that didn't keep him from thinking she was somehow superior to any woman he had ever met.

As she lay quietly next to him he remained silent, trying to gain control of his emotions.

"I can't believe she will be two tomorrow," Kara said suddenly breaking the silence. "It seems like just yesterday she was a little bump under my belly button."

Lee turned over to his side to look at her. "I would have loved to have seen you."

"Seen me?"

"Yeah, with her inside you, did you waddle?"

"Waddle!"

"You know how when pregnant women get fat how they tend to waddle," he explained.

"I did not waddle Lee Adama, nor did I get fat!"

"Take it easy Kara, I meant it as a compliment, I think it's kind of cute."

"No one even really knew I was pregnant Lee. I still had men falling at my feet the day I delivered." Kara said with a little laugh.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there Kara," he whispered reaching across the pillow and taking her hand.

"I have pictures," she remembered suddenly.

"Pictures of what?"

"A few right before I had her. I have tons of her from then on. I took a lot those few weeks before coming to Galactica, and Eve took many after that. I will show them to you when we get back."

"I will look forward to seeing them," he said still holding on to her hand. Then the silence began again. They both studied the other in the darkness neither speaking, but words weighing heavily on their lips.

After what seemed like an eternity Kara broke the silence again. "Do you want to kiss me?"

Her question surprised him, but why should anything about Kara surprise him. "Do you want me to kiss you?"

"Yes, but not now. Get some sleep Lee, goodnight," she said and then slowly pulled her hand back turned her back to him and fell asleep.

AN: Sorry it has been so long. I have been so busy. I meant to finish it with this chapter, but ran out of time, so I am going to post two separate chapters. Thanks for reading my fluffy mush. It has been fun to write. I will try not to wait so long before getting the last chapter up. Thanks for reading and for all the constructive feedback!

Yanik I tried to do better with my their and there this chapter, I don't know what was going on with me last chapter, lol. I tend to do the same thing with write and right.

Also I borrowed a few of my favorite lines from Scar for my own purposes, that is okay right?