Title: Farewell

Pairing: Lee/Kara

Disclaimer: I don't own it, sadly.

Spoilers: Everything through Season 4, Episode 2 "Six of One."

Summary: Lee gets a promise from his father and sets a few things straight with Kara.

A/N: All right, so like many of us, the episode on Friday, while amazing, definitely left me with some questions. As I don't know if they'll ever be answered (who's holding out for the deleted scenes on the Season 4 box set?), I tried to answer at least one myself – namely, why the frak would Lee leave Galactica when Kara's fate was still so up in the air.

Also, I just had to write some more brig stuff – so the bit between Kara and Lee takes place pretty much directly after what we saw in the ep (Lee kisses her, says "I believe you," and then they hug.)

I really hope you like it. I have a few ideas for ways to continue it as well, so let me know if you'd be interested in a multi-chapter fic. It'll probably be slow in coming as I might try to weave events from S4 into it. Let me know your thoughts! And thanks in advance for reading!

-- --

"Say it again."

"Lee-"

"I mean it, dad. I need you to say it again." His cloudy eyes darted to the waiting raptor and then back to his father. He had heard it, just a couple hours ago, but he needed his father to reaffirm his commitment. "Or I won't be able to get on that ship."

William Adama held his son's gaze and nodded once. Placing a heavy hand on Lee's shoulder, he told him, "I promise you, son. Kara is safe here."

Of their own volition, Lee's eyes darted to the president, standing a distance away and looking pale. He wondered how much time she had left. And if it would be long enough to acquaint Kara with an airlock.

Bill followed his son's gaze. "Lee, I'm promising you this," he emphasized. "No one is going to hurt Starbuck." The hand still on his shoulder squeezed. "No one and nothing is going to take her from us again."

Lee nodded. The vice-like grip around his heart eased just a tad.

"You might want to tell her that," he confided. Glancing down to his hands, Lee hoped his father didn't see his cheeks flush as he remembered their kiss. If he hadn't been convinced before that it was Starbuck, he was certain now. "She's barely holding it together."

Lee prayed she wouldn't kill him for admitting that to the Old Man.

"I know." Lee saw understanding, not condemnation in his father's eyes and the weight in his chest lessened a bit more. "Trust me, I'm working on it."

"I am trusting you." He was surprised he could say it – even more surprised that he meant it. For perhaps the first time in his adult life, Lee Adama was trusting his father.

"I'll be back to visit as soon as I can manage it." The smile in his father's eyes told Lee that Bill Adama had no delusions about whom exactly he would be visiting.

"I wouldn't expect any less."

-- --

One Hour Earlier

-- --

"You have to go."

Why did she have to sound so broken? So scared? Lee wanted her to shove him out the door, tell him to stop being so mushy and get on with it.

But instead she had kissed him back, cupped his face in her hands and was holding him so tightly he wondered if they were still two separate people.

"I really do, Kara." He didn't want to – not anymore. He'd been ready to go before he'd walked into this cell. He'd been ready to tell Kara goodbye and not give Galactica a second thought.

…

Who was he kidding?

Just a few short days ago, Kara had reappeared in his life and like the worst timing, Zarek had come through the same day. Lee had hung up one set of duties for another; and they no longer included watching over the fleet's number one hotshot pilot.

"I'm sorry."

Kara shook her head at his apology, her hair tickling his chin. She still hadn't released him. "What? You think I can't take care of myself?"

"Things are different now." The understatement of the entire frakkin' century!

"I'm still Starbuck, right?"

She leaned back and met his gaze, eyes shining, but face full of trepidation. "Isn't that what the Doc said?"

Lee nodded, unwilling to trust his voice. He never thought he'd look into those eyes again. He moved his hands to her cheeks, brushing her hair back and marveling at the miracle before him.

Her eyes seemed to be searching his just as intently. "Lee, did I –" She stopped, her breath coming out in a big sigh before she could speak again. "Did I really die?"

His throat constricted and he found it hard to breathe. He couldn't say it aloud, he could barely stand to watch the gun camera footage. It had been burned into his brain, seared onto the back of his eyelids. The spectacular explosion that was supposed to have claimed her life never left him in peace. He'd be damned if he actually gave it more credence by admitting it had happened.

So, he kissed her instead, tilting his face to hers. It was less desperate than before. This time, he caressed her lips with his, coaxing her mouth open before slipping his tongue inside. It was about breathing her in, infusing his senses with her so that he'd have the memory forever.

Kara's grip on his shoulders tightened and she stepped forward, bringing them flush once more. She offered no hesitation, simply met his kisses, his ardor with her own. It made him want to make grand gestures; he felt the need to once again declare his love to the night sky.

By the Gods how was he ever going to get off this ship?

They parted for air, foreheads resting together. Lee listened to her breathe, listened to the comforting sound of air going in and coming out. Slowly, he trailed one hand down her neck, tracing along the chain of her dogtags until his palm rested over her heart; until he could feel the beat of it against his hand.

"You're alive, Kara."

Kara mirrored his pose, her fingers catching in the open buttons of his shirt. "But I wasn't for two months, right?" Her voice was soft, hesitant and when Lee met her gaze, he saw tears there. "For two months I was gone and I –"

She softly began stroking the skin over his heart, her fingers moving in a circular pattern that soothed and aroused him all at once.

Suddenly, she stopped, choosing instead to meet his eyes. Lee's breath caught; he'd never seen so much pain reflected in her gaze.

"I don't remember it, Lee." One tear rolled down her cheek, but she ignored it. "I don't. I know what that sounds like, but I don't know what happened. I was in my plane and then I was orbiting earth and then I was back and I-"

"It'll come back, Kara." He wanted to reassure her, but he knew it was useless. He still tried. "Whatever happened, we'll figure it out."

"Don't go."

Lee wondered how many times his heart could break. He'd assumed the morning of her wedding had been his low point. Then he'd watched her ship explode.

Now this.

Judging by the way her cheeks flamed red, Lee guessed Kara hadn't meant to speak the words out loud. Her embarrassment broke the spell between them and she stepped back, retreating to the opposite wall.

"Kara, I-"

"Forget it." She brushed it off, her voice full of more hurt than fear. "You've got your own destiny now, I get it."

Did he really? Or was that just what he told himself so he could sleep at night?

"See? You can still say no to me."

That stung.

"Kara, I didn't know you'd be back."

Her eyes flashed with anger and Lee knew he was in for it. "Sorry if my return from the dead disrupted your life."

He clenched and unclenched his fists. He wasn't going to hit her. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Really? 'Cause it seems to me, it is. It seems to me you're ready to walk off this ship and start a brand new life when there's a very real possibility I could get spaced." She angrily gestured to the door behind him. "Please, Lee. I'd hate to inconvenience you."

He was putting an end to this. Stepping forward, he reached for her hand, pressing it back over his heart and placing his hand over hers. "We are alive, Kara and that's all that matters to me."

She held his gaze unflinchingly, but made no move to speak. Moving closer, Lee lowered his voice. "And do you honestly think I'd take another step if my father hadn't promised me you'd be safe?"

Her eyes widened at the admission and he smiled – just a little. "He gave me his word, Kara. And I believe him." Cupping her cheek once more, Lee told her, "Both of us are done watching you die."

She didn't move, barely breathed, but Lee could see the tension seep out of her stance. With a sigh, she cast her eyes to the floor and stared in silence. After an interminably long moment, she finally looked back to him and smiled. "Thank you."

Lee embraced her again and without hesitation, Kara hugged him back. And Lee knew, in that moment, that Tom Zarek was going to regret nominating him for that Quorum seat. Because every free minute he had, he'd be on Galactica, trying to figure out what the hell had happened to Kara.

Every spare minute would be spent with her, because Lee had no intention of losing her again.