"You're going where?!"
"Pegasus. With Garner gone, it needed a new Commander. Apparently, I was the qualified party."
"'Qualified?!' Okay, maybe you do have enough experience to command a battlestar – which I'm not saying you do, by the way – but Lee, you've always said you wanted to be nothing like your father. You just wanted to 'fly Vipers and nothing more.' Now you're taking command of only two battlestars left in existence, and the other just happens to have your father at its reins? Sounds mighty Old Man-like to me. Why the sudden change of heart?"
"To be honest, I don't entirely know. There was a time in my life where I was very angry with my – "
"A time?? Lee, you've always been angry with him."
"Okay, okay. For basically all my life, I've been angry with my father, and that prompted me to rebel against what he was. But now… everything's changed, y'know? The circumstances are different. The fact that we've stumbled upon another battlestar is unbelievable on its own, and if it has fallen upon me to command it, then I'll do the job I'm assigned."
"Well it's good to see you're finally stepping up Lee. As much as I hate to say it… I guess. I'm proud of you."
She smiles melancholically, but Lee, too busy packing, does not notice.
"Or maybe you're just glad I'm going because now you take over my position as CAG. Well, make sure you enjoy it. You deserve it… sort of," he says, looking up.
"Thanks for the reigning endorsement," Kara snorts, "And I don't ever remember saying I was glad that you were going."
"Huh. Well I guess I just assumed you'd be happy to see your 'superior asshole' leave once and for all. You don't have to put up with me any longer."
"I like putting up with you," Kara says, a little too quickly. "And for the record, I'm not happy you're leaving."
An awkward silence settles over the two. Lee continues to busy himself with packing, while Kara suddenly decides that she finds something under her fingernail very fascinating. The silence finally reaches an overbearing level, and not surprisingly, Kara speaks first.
"Is Dee going to come with you?" she asks tentatively, almost afraid of his answer.
"No. Maybe. I-I don't know. We haven't really discussed it."
At this, Kara presses a little harder. "I thought that people in relationships were supposed to talk?"
"Like you would know," he grumbles, his disposition changing completely.
"It wasn't an accusation Lee. I just… I'm your friend. I know I don't act like it a lot of the time, but I really am. And I… I care about you, and what goes on in your life."
"You didn't seem to care too much a couple of months ago, now did you?" he snaps, turning to face her.
"Whoa whoa whoa! My Gods Lee! Why the sudden animosity?! I know I've made some… bad… decisions in the past, but that was then. I'm just trying to care, okay!? Please," her voice cracks, "please just let me try."
"You can care all you want Kara, just stay out of my love life. That is definitely none of your frakking business."
"Fine. I won't press it any further. I'll just get out of your hair Commander. Do you remember when I said you wouldn't make a good CAG because you weren't a big enough dipstick? Well, I guess I was very, very wrong."
She turns on her heel to leave, but he calls her back.
"Aw Kara, come on! Don't be like that!" She continues towards the door, and Lee has no choice but to block her path. He dives in front of her, splaying himself across the hatch door like a human shield. This new position brings them closer in proximity than either feels comfortable with, but neither Lee nor Kara choose to remedy the situation.
"Kara," Lee growls, his voice suddenly husky.
"Lee… don't. We can't do this. You know that. Y-… you're with Dee. It would be wrong."
"Since when did you become the poster girl for morals?"
"Does it matter? If you cheat on her, you'll be no better than me. Wrong is wrong Lee, even if you're just doing it to spite me."
"If it's so wrong, then why does it feel so frakking right!?"
He pushes himself off the door, grabbing Kara and holding her tight. She squirms slightly, trying to free herself of his powerful grip, but only half-heartedly. She wants him, just as badly as he wants her, and everyone knows it. Today she just has more self-control, a rarity for the often brash and impulsive young Captain. When Kara Thrace wants something, she gets it, no questions asked. But this is different. It is obvious that this was more to her than just lust, and she doesn't want to do anything more to ruin her already slim chance with him.
"Lee… just-just wait. I know it's a lot to ask, but we really can't do this now. It's not the right time, you know it just as well as I do. If everything we're feeling is supposed to be acted upon, and this thing we have – whatever that may be – is meant to be, then everything will work itself out in the end. You just need to have faith Lee. I know that's hard for you, but if you believe that this… us… can happen one day, then there's a better chance it will."
He furrows his brow slightly, and then smiles, as only Lee can. He looks at Kara, their eyes locking for a brief second until she averts her gaze.
"For you Kara," he starts, the uncertainty in his voice contradicting the confidence in his smile, "I'll try my best to have a little faith."
Kara smiles slightly at this. Lee approaches her cautiously, looking for an opening. She allows him in, just this once, and as their bodies touch, they both feel a sense of relief. Lee nuzzles his head in her hair, taking in her unique scent of Viper grease, cockpit and Galactica's own special brand of soap.
"Forever," he whispers, his voice barely audible.
Kara is not sure if the comment is directed at her or whether Lee just needs to reassure himself, but she finds comfort in it nonetheless. She allows herself to relax into him, although only a small amount more, and tears brim a little in her eyes.
"I'll wait forever Kara," he says louder, and this time the comment is definitely meant for her ears.
Her smile becomes a grin, and the tears collecting in her eyes begin to fall. She snuggles up closer to him, allowing him to embrace her fully, no holds barred. They stay like this, wrapped in each other's arms, for longer than either of them care to guess. They hear someone outside the hatch, and break away immediately, afraid of the consequences if they are seen together. As Hotdog, Kat and Duck enter the room, they slowly back to different sides of the room. The nuggets are loud and unruly, causing a ruckus and moving about the room at too quick a pace, but somehow, Lee manages to catch Kara's attention, and they stare at each other for a moment. He winks at her, and mouths 'forever' once again. Kara nods and winks back, and once all the nuggets salute him, Lee exits the room, leaving her alone with just a crazy bunch of young pilots and her thoughts for company. She lies back on her bunk, closing the curtains, and takes out one of her favourite pictures, one from a time long ago, when life was still mildly uncomplicated.
It isn't the common picture she uses to reminisce with, the one featuring Zak, Lee and herself. No, this was a photo that very rarely left the dark corners of her locker, one that serves as a reminder of what could have been. There is a beautiful blue lake in the background, with the sun high in the sky. Lee is standing knee-deep in the lake, his civilian jeans rolled up as high as they will go. His smile is one that hasn't been seen since years before the attack, free of worry, and free of judgement. No one cares that all his pearly whites aren't on display, and that it is slightly lopsided. It's natural, and Kara misses it. His face is worry free as well, and the seemingly ever-present tension in his brow gone. Atop his back sits Kara, barefoot, and with long and wild hair. It was only once she became a full-fledged Viper pilot that she cut it to become more professional, and to try and win the respect of her male co-workers. She too is in civilian clothes, and her grin is crazy and full of mischief, much like her. Although there are others from the flight academy in the background, the photo was taken in such away that it focuses on only Lee and Kara, making their surroundings seem unimportant. She loves the picture, and hides it out of shame, but today it holds a special and almost ironic relevance. She flips it over, and is greeted with Lee's messy handwriting. The inscription was simple, but ever so delicate.
To Kara
I'll keep you this happy forever. I promise.
Love; Lee
"I'm going to hold that to you Lee Adama. I mean it this time."