Title: Shine Down

Lyrics: Shine Down by Godsmack from the IV album.

Author: Rowan Jade

Rating: PG

Characters: Kara Thrace, Sam Anders

Genre: Angsty song fic, definately AU (I hope)

Spoilers: None (again I'm certainly hoping I'm not right about this)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with Battlestar Galactica or any of Godsmack's lyrics/music. Please don't sue me for thinking this story and characters from the show fit in with the lyrics of the song. I mean no harm in this and I'm not making any money from it.

Author's Note: I have a really bad habit of getting songs stuck in my head and then having characters and situations from shows I love fill in stories that match the lyrics. Normally that'd be a pretty spiffy mental power but my mind always ends up making the characters have terrible things happen. So I'm sorry that I've done mean things to Kara and Sam in this but it just wouldn't get out of my head.

"Shine Down"

The clomping of the metal feet on the hard packed dirt road through town sent shivers down Kara's spine. She'd hoped to never hear that sound again as long as she lived but there it was, plain as day. They'd turned and run just as soon as it became clear that Baltar had surrendered to the Cylons. She knew that Lee and the Old Man had been smart enough to high tail it out of orbit and wait until they could come up with a plan. Of course it had stranded them all at the mercy of the Cylons and that was pretty inexcusable, but it had to be done.

She and Chief Tyrol and a very pregnant Cally were hidden deep in the mines on the outskirts of the shanty town they'd settled in. Hopefully no one knew they'd gone missing yet and they'd have enough time to figure out something to help the poor people left behind. She just couldn't leave Sam behind. Not again.

They'd hide out in the mines until they could come up with a plan. There was food and shelter there. Not much, but it'd do for now. Kara had taken a quick trip back along the edge of town three days ago and scouted out the situation. Everyone left alive had been herded into pens like animals and they were heavily guarded.

So far there was no plan. And no sign of Sam.

So tired sleeping through the day
Bloodshot eyes and the sweat from my body
And I picked my head up yesterday
Found the reason to hope left inside of me

Kara kept running, head down, staggering more and more. The two bullet wounds in her thigh certainly weren't helping. She wasn't sure anymore if the toasters were still on her tail but she didn't want to chance slowing down to find out if they were.

'Might be time to start asking for some divine intervention Thrace," she told her self as she ran. Unless of course the gods were still pissed off at her for some transgression or another. One could never quite tell with gods. 'Well, couldn't hurt. Lords of Kobol, I'm sorry if I haven't been a perfect little girl down here but I could really use some help. I promise I'll be better. Please?"

But I still believe in immortal love
And I know there's someone above

No answer came from on high and no flash of lightning struck down the Cylons behind her. She could hear them now, every once in a while, as they got closer and she slowed more. She was losing a lot of blood and probably leaving a nice bright trail of it as she ran. She had to find some cover to stop long enough to catch her breath and patch up her wound.

Those trees up ahead would offer just enough cover to pause for a few moments. She darted into the jumble of bushes and ducked under the thickest of them. As she sat there panting, a sharp pain began working it's way into her side. She winced as she twisted around to look down and saw yet another wound. She must have missed when that bullet hit her. But now it hurt like hell.

She desperately needed to get back to the mines or she was going to die out here. No way she'd last much longer on the run with three wounds. She just needed to rest for a few seconds. Closing her eyes against the pain and leaning back on the tree behind her she let her mind wander.

Sam's hands roamed over her back as they lay in the small bed in their tent. Even as sick as he was he went out of his way to show her how much he loved her. Another series of hacking wheezing coughs tore through his body and Kara felt the pang of pain for him and his worsening condition once more.

"Sam, we've gotta do something about this. I need to go find Doc Cottle."

"Kara for gods sake I'm fine. I just need to work this out of my system. I've had this happen before and it's not any different. You'll see."

So they'd waited and Sam had tried everything in his power to 'work it out' and still he got worse. She'd been so frustrated with him that she'd gone off looking for Doc Cottle anyway. When she'd found the kindly old ship's doctor on the far end of the tent city he'd smiled when he saw her and promised to make his way down to see Sam.

When she'd returned to their tent Sam was gone.

Shine down, don't take it away from me, no
And I know you know how, yeah
Shine down, just give me a chance to feel it
It's taken forever to get me off the ground

Slowly and painfully Kara Thrace came back to consciousness. Her eyes opened carefully and her blurry surroundings resolved themselves into trees and bushes. Startled, she looked around trying to figure out where she was. She noticed that the sun had slipped behind the ridge line and the night was coming alive around her.

Sam! She had to find Sam.

She'd gone back to the tent and he was gone. Why'd he leave? Had he gone to find Doc Cottle on his own?

She ran from the tent shouting his name. He was too sick to be out in the cold. Doc Cottle had promised to come to see him so he had to be there when the doctor arrived.

Panic coursed through Kara's spine, a chill like a knife slipping between the discs arced through her and she stopped running, forcing herself to calm down and think this through.

She had to find Sam. She couldn't lose him.

Not him.

Haunted silence overwhelming me
Day and night takes it's toll on my sanity
And I know I've been away too long
All these years I've been hiding
I'm feeling I'm coming strong

Kara roused from her daze when a large night bird squawked loudly over her head. A moment of panic slipped through her as she wondered where she was and how she'd ended up here.

Jumbled flashes and confusing images tickled her mind as she looked around. It was dark and she was outside. Trees were all around her and there was no clue as to what she was doing here. The only thing that was clear was a pain in her thigh and a desperate need for water.

She used the tree she was leaning against to pull herself up. Leaning heavily against the tree she fought off waves of dizziness and nausea.

"Kara…" a voice whispered across the edges of her mind.

Looking around she saw no one. Of course it was dark and she was surrounded by trees. "Who…" she croaked. Her throat was dry and it was hard to talk. Swallowing several times while she listened to the noises around her she tried again. "Who's there?"

Hearing no response she poked her head out of the thicket she was in. When she saw no one she edged slowly out of the cover and looked around. Pain ripped through her stomach as she moved and she fell forward, landing heavily on the rocky ground.

The edges of the world were slowly eaten away by a creeping black cloud.

But I still believe in immortal love
And I know there's someone that's up above
Show me a path to find my way
And give me a reason pray

"Kara? Come on you. Move your ass."

"What?"

Helo's face swam into view. "You gotta move Kara or you're gonna be late for your own wedding." His big grin made her feel safe and warm.

"Yeah, right." She blinked several times trying to get the world to focus. She'd never felt this odd before. Like she didn't belong here. The whole picture was utterly surreal to her. She was getting married?

A wave of nausea washed through her and a sharp pain stabbed her in the side. Then her vision went all blurry like a shade being pulled over a window.

A rock was sticking her in the side and her face was laying in mud. She was wet all over and something was pounding down on her head like a tiny hammer.

Gathering her strength, she rolled over and felt the rain pouring down on her face. Staring up at the few stars she could see through the clouds she wondered how she'd gotten here and what was happening.

The rain was cool and felt good on her face. Sliding her tongue out over her lips she realized how thirsty she was so she opened her mouth to the rain and relished the sweet taste of the drops on her tongue.

"Kara…"

There it was again. The voice she'd heard before. She lifted her head as far as she could and looked for the person speaking. She saw no one. Nothing but the rain.

"Kara…time to go…"

The voice whispered in the night like a dream.

Shine down, don't take it away from me, no
And I know you know how, yeah
Shine down, just give me a chance to feel it
It's taken forever to get me off the ground

Sam's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. "What took you so long?" He smiled down on her, a sight she'd been only dreaming of for way too long. Now it was real and she was never going to let him go again.

….

"Got any brilliant ideas in that military brain of yours"

"Do the same thing we always do. Fight 'em till we can't."

…….

"I won't lose you Sam. I can't. Not you too."

"I'm right here Kara. I'm not going anywhere."

Shine down, don't take it away from me, no
And I know you know how, yeah
And shine down, just give me a chance to feel it
It's taken forever to get me off the ground

A dim light was flickering off in the distance. The rain blurred her vision but there it was. Like a tiny beacon it called to her.

Rolling over again and dragging herself towards it she slid through the mud. Something was pulling her, making her need to get closer.

She had to get there. Had to get to it.

Shine down
Shine down
Oh, shine down
Oh baby, yeah, yeah, yeah
Shine down
Oh, shine down
Oh, shine down
Oh baby shine down

Sam stood looking down at her. A glowing light behind him.

"Are you ready to go now?"

"What…where?"

"It's time to go Kara. I've waited long enough." He held out his hand to her.

Standing up Kara looked around and saw nothing. Nothing but white as far as she could see. Sam smiled at her and gestured for her to take his hand.

"So where are we going?"

"You know where Kara. You've always known." He pulled her hand into his and wrapped her in a soft hug. Leaning down to kiss her his face glowed with a soft light that calmed her and made her feel safe. A feeling of serenity filled her and she knew what was happening. "Are you ready?"

"Let's go home Sam."