For a change I've given up the angst-fests and have tried something a little lighter instead. This story revolves around the fact Kara arranged to go on a date with Zak but there is a bit of twist to the story... Enjoy.

Brief Encounter.

Chapter 1.

Kara stared at him as he entered the room; the smirk she could see on his face only winding her up further. He sat in the second row; a knowing smile on his face. She decided looking at him wasn't going to help her mood so she started studiously ignoring him instead. For just over an hour this plan worked and then it all fell to pieces as everyone left the room; everyone that was, except Zak Adama. He stayed in his seat; it was his turn now to stare at her. Kara decided to carry on with her attempt at ignoring him but it was difficult to do. She sighed as she began to collect the papers on the lectern in front of her into one neat pile.

"Did you have a good night?" His voice broke the silence; his tone teasing her gently.

She could hear the smirk that would be written all over his face and she refused to look at him. "Is there something I can do for you, Cadet Adama?" Her voice gave the impression she wasn't scared witless; but she was. She wasn't sure she was ready to have this conversation; especially not with him.

"I was wondering if you had a good time last night?"

"If you'd bothered to turn up you wouldn't need to ask." He flinched at her rebuked but held fast as she looked up at him briefly before turning back to look at the paperwork. "I can't believe I let myself get stood up by a nugget."

"But you didn't get stood up did you; it just wasn't me that met you. And you had a good time, didn't you?"

"Why did you do it?"

"Did you have a good time, Kara?" He was almost exasperated by her not answering his question.

"I think you lost the right to call me Kara when you stood me up."

He sighed, knowing she wasn't going to admit anything to him. He couldn't really blame her after what he'd done. "I just thought you'd get on with him." He said sullenly.

"Maybe you should do a bit more thinking during class, it may get you somewhere."

His hopes rose. "Are you saying I was right?" He smiled at her quirkily.

****

Kara stood in the bedroom of her apartment wondering if this was a big mistake. Should she really be thinking about going on a date with a student; one in her class to make matters even worse. It was one of the first rules of being an officer; most definitely against the fraternization regulations. This was new to Kara, she'd never even thought about doing this before but there was something about Zak Adama that made her want to break this sacred rule. She knew all the reasons this shouldn't be happening but at the time she couldn't resist the temptation; this was something she'd never even thought about breaking before and she couldn't work out why she was unable to say no to him. Maybe it was because he was almost exactly what she was looking for in a man. Almost but not quite. A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she remembered how eager he'd been when she'd finally said yes. After all, this wasn't the first time he'd asked her; it was a regular event that occurred every month or so.

She shook her head and turned her attention to the matter at hand. She was still trying to decide what to wear. What exactly did you wear when trying to seduce someone who was several years younger than you? He had the pick of all the girls in his year; she'd seen the way some of the female cadets flitted around him, hoping for a flash of his smile or some other sign of interest from him. Kara couldn't work out what was it he saw in her but the fact he did see something made her feel good; she realized he wouldn't have kept asking if he hadn't liked her a little bit. Would he?

Her thoughts had drifted again and she turned; frustrated, back to the look in her wardrobe. Clothes were not something she usually paid much attention to. They were a necessity. It was hard to get too precious about them when you spent most of your time in an unflattering, almost masculine, uniform. A uniform that managed to feel more comfortable to Kara than anything she was currently looking at. She knew it was a given she couldn't wear her it for her date though. Nothing like the difference in rank to kill the mood.

She sighed harshly and pulled the pair of black pants from the depths of her locker. She held them up in front of her; turning them around and looking them up and down. They'd do. Now she just had to find something to go with them. She needed to think about that more so she dropped the pants on her bed and began to pull her uniform from her body; leaving it scattered over the floor. She walked to the bathroom and was soon standing under the soothing flow of water. The water was always amazing and she stilled loved how it soothed her after a long day. Her year spent on a battlestar had taught her to appreciate these small details of her life when she returned to Caprica.

Thirty minutes later she was back in her room standing in front of the mirror; trying to give an honest appraisal of her appearance. Another sigh slipped from her lips and she lowered her gaze. Her mother was so right about her. There was little hope of Zak wanting anything to do with her. She wasn't going to give up hope though. She put on a small touch of make-up; nothing too dramatic but enough to make it look as if she'd made an effort.

She decided at the last minute to put on the nicest underwear she owned; a gift from a previous boyfriend which she hadn't appreciated at the time. It was unlikely Zak would get to see it but it made her feel better wearing it. She pulled her pants up her leg and fastened them at the waist. This just left her once more with her quandary as to what top to wear. She walked around her room and picked the various elements of her uniform from the floor; taking calming breaths as she tried to focus on the matter at hand. She was still drawing a blank but suddenly remembered an impulse purchase she'd made a few months back. She rooted through the hangers in her locker and there right at the back was a top that was perfect for tonight. She pulled it out of the locker and again twirled it in her hand; wondering if it was the right thing to wear. She shook her head and pulled the button up blouse up her arms. It wasn't like she had a lot of other options. She stood in front of the mirror and examined her reflection once again. The black top was set off by her pale skin and there was a slightly sparkly effect in the detail of the front which caught the light as she turned in front of her image. It would have to do.

****

She walked out of her apartment and to her jeep which was parked out the front. The drive was relatively short to the restaurant where she was meeting Zak and she parked it; making sure it was secure as she'd probably be leaving it there overnight. Her heart was beating a little faster as she walked towards the entrance. As she walked through the door she saw the room was dimly lit and she found that oddly comforting because she knew the two of them could almost hide from everyone else.

The maitre'd came over to her and ask her what name the reservation was in. "Adama." She replied. He nodded and gestured for her to follow him as he meandered through the tables. He pulled a chair out for her and she sat in it.

"Your companion called a couple of minutes ago and said he was running a little late. He sends his apologies." Kara nodded at him; a small smile on her face. "Can I get you a drink while you wait?"

"Just a glass of water would be great, thanks."

He walked away from her table and towards the bar. Kara looked around the room as she sat waiting for Zak. The choice of venue surprised her. It didn't seem the kind of place Zak would frequent on a regular basis. She'd imagined more of a burger bar for him and yet something seemed so right about this place. The waiter had left a menu in front of her and she spent the next few minutes looking through the list of mouth-watering dishes. Her drink arrived and she sipped from the glass, still looking at the food options. She was so caught up in what she was looking at, she failed to notice the maitre'd coming back to the table. She looked up as the other guest sat down in the chair opposite her. A look of shock appeared on her face as she realized the person on the other side of the table wasn't Zak Adama.

"You must be Kara." He said quietly.

"You're not Zak Adama." She replied; a slight accusation in her voice.

He blinked as he finally registered the look on her face. "He told you he was meeting you, didn't he?"

"That was the impression I was given, yes."

He looked away from her for a second and frowned as he realized she didn't seem to be as pleased with her companion as he was. "Sorry. He told me he'd arranged a date for me. I assumed you'd know it was me turning up." Their waiter placed a glass of water on the table before him and he took a quick sip. "I'm going to kill him for doing this."

"Not if I do it first." She thought about doing just that for several seconds.

"Brothers can be a pain sometimes." He shrugged at her.

"I wouldn't know; I'm an only child." She changed the subject quickly before it deviated further towards the last topic she wanted to discuss. "So, Zak Adama's brother, is this something he does for you often?" For the first time since he'd sat at the table opposite her she smiled at him; even if it was because she was teasing him.

"Gods, how rude of me. My name's Lee. Lee Adama, but I guess you knew that bit already." He stuck his hand out towards her and she shook it firmly. "As for Zak setting me up on dates, no it's not something he usually does. I'd usually never let him do something like this. He seemed to think we'd get on. He was determined to make it happen. He's been talking about it for the last few months, ever since he started your class. You've made quite an impression on him."

"Yeah, right." She murmured.

Her eyes were glancing around the room and Lee watched her silently. Finally he spoke. "Do you want to go? Since he got you here under false pretences."

Shame hit her like a punch. It wasn't Lee's fault; she should behave better than this. "Sorry." She looked back down at the menu. "This just feels a little strange. It wasn't what I was expecting."

"I know. I'm sorry he did this to you but let's not let it spoil what could be a good evening."

"You're right." She smiled at him. "Have you had a chance to look at the menu?"

"I've been here before. I really like this restaurant, so yes I know what I'm going to order."

"I thought this didn't seem like Zak's kind of restaurant. Now I realize why."

The waiter came over and took their orders before walking away. Lee looked around the room for a second. "Zak hates this place but I love the atmosphere; the dim lighting; the privacy from other tables. The food's really good here as well."

"So you always bring your dates here then?"

He smiled at her broadly which caused her to smile in response. "Hardly."

"So you don't date then?"

"That's not what I said. I just don't bring girls here."

"Why not? What made you decide to make the exception tonight?"

"I'm not sure really." He paused. "Sorry, that sounded really bad. It wasn't a conscious decision, I guess. Zak had mentioned you so much and I felt like I already knew you. When Zak told me you'd agreed to go out with me I just knew this was the place I wanted to meet you." He looked at her and saw a faint blush on her cheeks. "I guess I wanted to impress you; to make you'd think I was worth the effort."

"I think you're well on the way to impressing me, Lee, don't worry." Their first course arrived and both fell into silence as they ate. Kara put her cutlery down as she finished and looked up to find Lee watching her. Another blush crept to her face and her hands fiddled with her knife and fork as she struggled with the intensity of his gaze. "That tasted amazing. I can't wait for the next course." She looked at Lee again and he was smiling at her now.

"Tell me about yourself, Kara."

"There's really not much to tell. I'm sure Zak has told you more than enough about me."

"He said a few things, but I want to really get to know you."

"Lee, really there's nothing to say. I'm much more interested in finding out about you. After all, I'm at a disadvantage because I know nothing about you. I didn't even know Zak had a brother."

"You didn't? I assumed someone would've mentioned it."

"Why would they do that?"

"I used to go to the Academy; a few years back."

"You did? Zak never mentioned it."

"I'm sure he didn't." It was Lee's turn to look embarrassed.

"Does this mean you're a pilot too?"

"Yeah. I fly Vipers. I'm currently serving on the Atlantia."

"Wow. That's a great ship. You must be good."

"I'm okay." Somehow, just from looking at his face she knew he was underplaying it a little. "You must be pretty good to be teaching at the Academy." He paused. "How long is it since you finished there?"

"Just over two years. I did a year on a battlestar and then got asked to come back and train the cadets."

"I was a couple of years before you then. Do you enjoy it?"

"You mean my job?" He nodded, "Yeah. I didn't think I would, but I do. I get a buzz from it."

"What about when they aren't working out. That must be tough?"

She stared at him. Did he know? "It's difficult but if they aren't good enough to be in a Viper then they shouldn't be there. It'd be stupid and dangerous to pass them if they don't deserve to."

Lee looked into her eyes and saw a hint of something there. Suddenly he knew what she wasn't saying. "He's not got what it takes, has he?" He didn't have to say who it was he was talking about. There was silence for a little while; broken by the arrival of their next course. She began to eat, trying to work out what to say. Lee spoke before she worked it out. "It's okay. I know he's hasn't got it. He shouldn't be at the Academy. He knows it too. He's doing it to please our dad."

"Your dad."

"William Adama. He's currently commanding the Galactica."

"Of course. I can't believe I didn't put it together. There can't be that many Adama's around."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I know." She took another mouthful and chewed it quickly so she wouldn't have to speak for a little while longer. Finally she could put it off no longer. "I tried to talk to him at the beginning of this semester; told him he should maybe give flying Raptors a try but he wouldn't listen to me."

"So, is he going to fail?"

"I don't know if I can pass him. I'm sorry, Lee but he just doesn't have the necessary skill."

"I know." He smiled at her slightly. "It's okay. I won't hold it against you."

"I just hope Zak doesn't when I have to fail him."

"Maybe." They ate the rest of their meal in silence; not speaking again until their plates had been collected. Slowly they started to talk to each other; both of them opening up a little to the other. Kara began to see something in Lee she hadn't expected. She could feel the bubble of attraction welling in her stomach and it wasn't just because he was exceedingly good looking; which he definitely was. He was also an extremely likeable person and she could tell he was trying really hard to impress her.

"Do you want a dessert?" he asked her when he saw their waiter hovering in the distance.

"I could be persuaded… but only if you share it with me." She smiled at him brightly.

"I think that can be arranged," he said. He pushed the menu towards her. "Choose something you want then." She studied the menu; feeling the weight of his gaze on her as she did so. The waiter came over but she looked at Lee as she said what she'd chosen. He smiled at her softly with a slight nod of his head as he agreed with her choice and then asked the waiter to bring two spoons with the pudding. The waiter walked away again; taking their order to the kitchen. "Good choice." He said. He leaned forward in his seat and placed his hand on hers.

Kara felt his hand resting on hers and she was sure she was blushing again. There was definitely something about Lee that intrigued her. She looked into his eyes and got caught in the blueness before her. She swallowed as she felt her heart racing. "If you're good, I'll let you have some." She whispered.

It was Lee's turn to be silent as he stared at her wide-eyed. His hand tightened on hers and her eyes flickered to look at where it rested before returning to his hypnotic eyes. "I don't think you'll be disappointed." He said back.

"I'm difficult to please, Lee…" They were openly flirting with each other now and Kara was enjoying it immensely.

"I think I can match your needs."

His double entendre sent her head into a spin. "You know, I think you probably can as well." The pudding arrived and Kara passed him his spoon before tucking into the ice cream between them. He watched her for a few seconds and then also began to eat the desert. Their spoons tangled with the others and they both laughed; then beginning a duel with them. Lee grabbed her spoon from her hand and scooped some of the cold desert up and then held it out towards her. She leaned forward; maintaining eye contact with him and wrapped her lips around the spoon. She did the same as he'd done and his eyes closed as he savored the cold sweet in his mouth.

TBC

A/N: Please review... this is something quite different to what I usually right so I'd be interested to hear what you think.