She planned it with all the flair and far more care and attention than she gave to her best missions. Every variable was considered, every detail hashed out.

She waited, far more patiently than anyone would have credited, for the perfect moment.

And when, finally, everything came together, she acted.

Looking suitably harassed and apologetic, she banged on Athena's hatch, waiting only a moment before banging again. Behaviour anyone would consider typical of her. Athena opened the hatch with a wary look, which relaxed when she took in the woman standing there.

"I'm sorry to do this to you Athena, but there is an emergency and I need you. Doc needs someone to fly him over to the Geminon Traveller ASAP, medical emergency or something, and you're the only Raptor pilot available just now."

"I have Hera, Helo's on shift, let me... maybe Dee can take her ... no, she is in CIC now. Let me just ..."

"I'll take her." Just the right amount of reluctance overcome in her voice.

"Really?"

"Really. I really need you to do this. So, I'll take her. After all, it'll just be an hour or so. How much trouble can we get into in that time?" OK, so maybe the last question wasn't really the best she could do, but still.

Athena looked dubious but didn't put a voice to her misgivings.

"If you're sure."

"Yeah. Thanks for doing this. Doc will be down on the hangar deck ready to leave."

With a quick hug and a kiss for Hera, Athena turned to leave.

"I'll be back soon."

Anyone would swear the cylon didn't trust her with her child.

"We'll be here."

A quick call through to Dee set the next phase in motion. Praying that the Doc kept up his end of the bargain, and didn't let on that this wasn't an emergency transport, she waited to make sure that Athena wasn't going to suddenly return, before they left for their little trip, she looked over at the dark haired imp.

"I've got a surprise for you, little one."

She lifted the young girl up, and settled her on her hip, thumb rubbing her cheek gently to get rid of a smudge there. She peeked out of the hatch, checking both ways, before they headed off purposefully in the direction of their destination.

Just before she turned the final corner, she stopped to take a deep breath. This had better work.

She nodded to the two men on guard duty, stated "I'm here for the meeting.", knocked and marched in. If you looked like you were meant to be there, people were less likely to question you, even if they did look at you a little oddly for arriving with a young child in your arms.

The sole occupant of the room called out without looking up from their paperwork.

"That was quick, I thought you would be ... oh."

"Madam President. I'm afraid the Admiral will be delayed a little longer, but we thought maybe we could visit in the meantime."

Laura's hand came up to cover her mouth, but she seemed shocked into silence.

Hera however, had no such qualms. She had begun wriggling insistently, demanding to be put down as soon as she first heard the President speak. As soon as Starbuck obliged her, she ran on chubby little legs, arms stretched out wide, and calling "Analor!"

Laura sank to her knees and swept the girl into her arms, hugging her fiercely.

Content now, Hera patted her face, chattering away a mile a minute.

They stayed that way for several minutes, watched over and guarded by the blonde pilot, until painful limbs and the hard floors of the battlestar forced Laura to move the reunion to the couch instead.

She looked over at Starbuck, thanks and appreciation clear in her eyes. Kara simply nodded.

"She missed you."

"And I missed her."

Kara was watching the clock, knowing she had to end this little scene very soon if they were going to get away with this. She had just decided that she would give them two more minutes, when she heard the hatch open and her heart sank.

Damn the Admiral. She loved the man, honestly she did, but he really did know how to completely destroy her best laid plans. He was supposed to be in CIC for at least another 7 minutes. She turned to glare at him and found him staring, mouth slightly open, about to offer a greeting that had been silenced before it was spoken.

The dark head and the red head were still bowed together over their book, they obviously hadn't heard anything over their giggles. Becoming aware of the sudden stillness in the room though, they both looked up, with remarkably similar expressions. Somewhere between laughter, and 'Oops!'.

Hera tugged at her playmate.

"Analor, look! A'mral Ama!"

Laura looked apologetically across at the Admiral, before smiling down at the girl in her arms.

"Yes sweetie, it's Admiral Adama. Do you want to say hello to the Admiral?"

Hera looked at him, then at Laura, and hid her face against Laura's arm, suddenly shy. She peeked out at him, luminous eyes wide.

Kara coughed quietly, bringing all eyes onto her.

"Sorry to break up the party, but this little one has to go home now, before her Mama gets back."

Hera threw her arms around Laura, and looked defiantly at Kara.

"Stay Analor." She announced with great firmness.

Laura's eyes filled with tears which she refused to shed, but she gently separated herself from the young girl, and promised quietly.

"Analor will see you again. But now you have to go. You don't want your Mama to worry."

Hera stared at her for a long moment, as if weighing up her options, before she finally hugged Laura again, whispering "Byebye." in her ear. Laura hugged her tightly back and whispered gentle words of reassurance.

Kara lifted Hera back onto her hip, and with a nod to Laura and a sketchy salute to the Old Man, disappeared.

"Analor?"

"Aunt Laura."

There was more to the story of Hera and Laura than he had ever considered. He also knew that now was not the time to ask Laura about it, she was emotional and trying not to show it. With a pang of guilt, he realized that at least in part it was because she was unsure how he was going to react to it. So he led her back to the couch and offered her a glass of ambrosia, before leading the discussion on to the meeting that had been delayed. While they talked, he allowed his mind to range over the revelations of the day. Laura and Hera had bonded, probably on New Caprica. Of course, the child had been seen at her school. There had been love and affection on both sides, he had seen that this afternoon. And his bold, brash, complicated Starbuck had seen the need in both of them and arranged to fill it. Seeing that, made him realize too, just how carefully she had planned and pulled off this 'mission'. He would bet that the 'emergency' that had kept him in CIC had been crafted by her. Clearly he wasn't giving her enough to do.

Athena was tired when she wandered into her quarters to find Starbuck stretched out on the floor, colouring with Hera.

"Mama, mama. See A'mral Ama. Give pics'er A'mral Ama to Analor, peez?"

"We went for a walk, saw the Admiral." Kara explained.

"That's nice. And you drew a picture?"

"Yes, yes. Want to give Analor"

Kara simply shrugged when Athena looked to her, questioning 'Analor?'.

"Ok, but not now. You need to have a bath before bedtime."

"Ara give Analor." She smacked Starbuck in the chest with the picture, who smirked and nodded at the black haired imp.

"Thanks again Athena, enjoy the rest of your day with the monkey."

Leaving the quarters, Starbuck looked down at the drawing, and allowed herself a full smile. She had done good.