Everything had changed.

That moment when she discovered she had terminal cancer seemed eons ago, though ever present in her mind. Nary a day passed that she wasn't reminded of her condition. And thus, Starbuck had returned, triumphantly waving the flag of their destiny, arrow of Apollo in hand. She was both relieved and frightened that the mission had succeeded. It was just one more confirmation that she was right about her place in all of this. But with that came the ever deafening voice in her head that reminded her of her mortality; as each prophecy was realized, the clock ticked closer and closer to her own end. Death was closing in, and nothing could be done to save Laura Roslin from her fate. A fate that carried with it the only hope for all humanity, despite the crushing costs. A fate that she accepted freely and willingly.

And as she contemplated, Lee kissed Starbuck.

It was as if the world had stopped. Her face stayed completely stoic; not a single change could have been detected by even the most observant. But inside, her heart was crumbling, and it was all she could do to keep her face from falling.

The other Adama made so much more sense. They were closer in age, station, experience. They were the leaders. But despite the obvious, it was Lee that captured her interest, and he had from the start. They made a dynamic team. Thrown into an impossible situation, they grew to rely on one another. And as time went on, their bond, though changed, had only become stronger.

He was so unlike the men in her life previously. He couldn't be any more different from President Adar. But she found herself drawn to that very thing. Lee had this sense about him, an integrity, that was like no other man she had even encountered. He certainly got some of it from his father, but his honesty and complete dedication to uphold his principles, whatever the cost, went far beyond what his father was capable of. She admired him for this greatly. Others saw him as naive and idealistic; she saw him as honorable and incorruptible. Lee Adama was truly a man of virtue.

Starbuck had been in his life for a while. They had quite a history. Laura knew that any type of relationship between the two of them wouldn't last; it would simply implode. But Laura knew Lee, as well, and knew that he needed to discover this on his own. So for now, she would wait patiently for Lee to recognize this truth about him and Starbuck, and then come to realize the feelings that he held for her, Laura Roslin, all along.

She hoped that it wouldn't be too long. She hoped that it wouldn't be too late. With every breath she drew, the clock relentlessly ticked on. Second only to her wish that she could fulfill her destiny and save humanity was her desire for Lee Adama.