I wrote this during a boring hour at work. One of my shortest fics ever. Trying to do some one-shot ficlets, but it is so much harder to say a lot in a few words.
Thanks to BSGaddict for her wonderful story, "Promises" which inspired me to actually type this out and post it!
As usual, I own nothing and mean no harm, please enjoy and review.
"So" the hand in Kara's pocket clenched into a fist around the rubber band it had been seeking. Any hope of ending her first day back on rotation without a confrontation, this confrontation, crumbled.
In the mirror before her, she caught Lee's reflection. His frame, relaxed, with arms crossed, leaned in the doorway.
"So," all she wanted to do was pull back her hair, find a game of Triad, and gods willing a large bottle of alcohol.
"Are we done?" her hands froze, caught in the last twist of her hair their eyes met in the mirror.
"Sorry, what?" panic threatened to choke the words that had come out of her mouth.
"Are we done?" Having turned towards him, the words hurt, yes hurt, even more as she watched them fall from his lips, rather than his reflection. Lifting her chin, he shouldn't see how deeply his words had cut, she watched as he stepped into the room, shutting the hatch behind him.
"Done with what? Us, this, that, them? Gotta be a little be a more specific, Lee," angry was good, angry she could deal with, anything other the pain burning in her gut. She couldn't for a moment deal with the thought that after everything, EVERYTHING, Starbuck wouldn't have her Apollo, it hurt too much.
"Are we done with all the wrong choices?" bracing herself, having assumed the worst, for the end, she was thrown by his question.
"…" her mouth opened, and then closed. What could she say? She hardly understood the question.
"Cause I'm done Kara." For a moment, a split second, she thought she might burst. Her name on his lips, so soft, so perfect, she had never thought she would hear it that way again.
"…" again her mouth opened, but stuck when he stepped towards her, closer to her than he had been in so very long.
"I'm ready to make the right choice," his words, his perfect, perfect words slipped over her. Did he mean? Could he mean? She needed, wanted, had to have more words, she had always loved the sound of his voice.
"I want to make the right choice," if she loved the sound of his voice, that what word was there to describe the feel of his palm on her cheek, "I need to."
"I…" she what? There was so much, Sam and Dee, her memories, his family. They had all been choices, hers, his, and then, and then it hit her. Choices, yes, the wrong choices, "Lee…"
Hiding behind other people, bad experiences and old loves had kept them from where they were now. Back in the air, back in the fight, back together.
"Kara." Damn him and that eyebrow, how dare he use that on her now, when he was spinning and her legs weak.
"…" A second hand was now resting on her hip, a thumb drawing lazy lines on the small patch of skin, exposed in her rush to dress and be, well somewhere. She couldn't quite remember ever wanting to be anywhere else.
"Lee," trying speech again, she opened her eyes, puzzled as to when exactly they had closed. There was Lee, standing so close. Smiling, just waiting for her, FOR HER. This was it, the moment of moments, her chance to make the right choice, for Kara.
Frak, she was scared.
"I choose you, Lee," no hesitation in her voice, no doubt in her smile, Kara Thrace made a choice. SHE MADE A CHOICE, she had chosen Lee Adama.
"Finally," why that…laughing, she reached for him. Ignoring the butterflies, her fingers traced the line of his cheek, his jaw, pausing briefly before cupping his cheek. He sensed her reluctance, knowing her so well; tilting his head he met her touch half-way. Her chest could only tighten at his consideration.
"Finally," closing the distance between them, her word a whisper against his lips.
Free from guilt and confusion, her first taste of Lee was overwhelming.
"Gods, Kara." Maybe there was more he had to say, that she needed to hear, but for now she just wanted to touch him.
"Lee…" what his tongue was doing to her neck was unclear but she liked it.
"Lee…" with more insistence in her voice this time, she felt him still.
"Yes." Tightening the grip she had on his neck, she kissed the tight cut of his jaw, pleased to feel the muscles begin to relax. So much worry, doubt, had been pressed into that one word. Fingers dug into her hips as her kisses went up first the right than the left.
Pulling away, only enough, to see his face clearly, she smiled.
"Did you lock the hatch?" watching her words process in his head, absorbing his understanding smile, her own grin widened.
"Oh…You…" she yelped then, yes yelped, when her feet left the ground.
"Put me down!" Hanging onto broad shoulders, her laughter dimmed when she felt the small kiss press under her left ear.
"Never," Wow. Just wow was all she could feel at that moment. Threading her fingers through his shorn hair, she rested her forehead against his.
"Okay."
Starbuck finally had her Apollo back and Kara, well Kara had her Lee. Thank the gods they had finally made the right choice.