Disclaimer: I do not own Battlestar Galactica or any of its characters

Title: Home found

Author: Sweetooth

Summary: She did not understand what had just happened. One minute she was deliriously happy, a child she loved in her arms, her husband, and freedom; the next her daughter was gone and she was lost. KL


She did not understand what had just happened. One minute she was deliriously happy, a child she loved in her arms, her husband, and freedom; the next her daughter was gone and she was lost. All around her people were cheering thanking the admiral for bringing them home, but the one place in the world that she had really been able to call home in her life did not feel like it at this instant. She needed quiet to process everything that had happened. Having no idea where to go she started walking and did not stop until her emotions caught up with her and she collapsed against a wall crying.

When a few hours later she found herself standing in front of the admiral she wondered what one was supposed to say to someone you hadn't seen or talked to in over a year. It turned out that she did not have to worry; the admiral took the first step.

"What do you hear Starbuck?"

"Nothing but the rain sir."

"Grab your guns and bring in the cat" he said. And before she had the time to give the "boom, boom, boom" line, she found herself engulfed in his arms. Once out of his embrace she looked him up and down and said with a serious expression on her face:

"You look good sir; well the jury is still out on that moustache of yours but otherwise…"

"I am sorry I can't say the same thing of you Kara." He replied softly. "You look as if you haven't sleep in days and Sam told us he found you passed out in a cylon cell. You should go down to sickbay for a check-up and if Cottle clears you, your old bunk is yours. Get some rest." She was about to protest but seeing the expression on his face she realized that it was an order so she simply said:

"Yes sir." And was about to leave when she heard:

"And Captain Thrace, consider yourself as of this instant reintegrated into the colonial fleet." She saluted and left the CIC.

At least she had something to look forward to, she might feel as if her world had just collapsed once again but she would be able to fly.


The chaos was reigning in sickbay. She sat and watched people running from one patient to another, all knowing exactly what they were doing, until she heard someone calling:

"Captain Thrace, your next!" She turned around to find herself face to face with Doctor Cottle, a cigarette in his mouth, nothing new here. When she was installed on the examination table he asked her:

"So Starbuck, what bring you here? Never thought I would see you coming here on your own volition."

"I didn't, order of the admiral."

"And why would he do that?" He asked getting impatient.

"I got knocked on the head and lost consciousness for a while. But I am ok, no need to examine me!" He gave her a look and replied:

"Too bad for you because that's for me to say. Now if you please young woman let's answer a few questions. How long did you stay unconscious?"

"I don't know, I'd say about five minutes."

"This is quite a long time, you could have a concussion. Are you feeling nauseous or do you have a headache?" Exasperated she answered:

"No! I am telling you that beside sleep depravation I am alright" Pretending not hearing her he went on with a neurological exam. When he was finished he took a deep breath and with a very professional tone asked:

"I heard you were a cylon's prisoner for four months so I have to ask. Were you tortured or physically abused?" She stared at the wall not responding, lost in thought. So he tried again:

"Captain Thrace, I need to know." Very softly she answered:

"As I told you physically I am fine, but there are different kind of torture and the worst is not always the one you think." With that statement she stood up.

"Am I clear for active duty?" After giving her a long look he replied:

"I'll let commander Adama know that he has one more pilot, I am sure he'll be pleased." he thought he heard her muttered under her breath "I wouldn't be so sure." But choosing to ignore it he went on "If you start feeling woozy or nauseous, you come back here immediately, is that clear?" She nodded.

"And captain if you need to talk I am here or I can give you the name of someone who'll listen." He saw her hesitate and was about to add something when she said:

"I'll think about it. Thank you."

Watching her leave Cottle told himself that they might have manage to escape New Caprica but that the hardest was still to come for a lot of them.


Lee Adama was thinking exactly the same thing. He had spent the last four hours debriefing various members of the resistance and with each stories his horror grew at what some of them had lived. But something was puzzling him: they never talked of Kara. He knew she was alive, his father had told him that she seemed exhausted but otherwise fine. And he could not imagine her not having been part of the resistance. So what had happened to her?

He saw Sam Anders enter the room, he hadn't change and Lee had some difficulty understanding that this was the man for whom Kara had tried to find antibiotics; a man who was suppose to be at death door. He obviously had survived and from what he had understood had been one of the leader of the resistance witch brought him back to Kara.

He rapidly had an answer; she had been taken the first day of the cylon occupation. But that only brought more questions to which even her husband had no answer. The only thing he could tell them was that he had found her unconscious in the cylon detention center, that he had carried her to escape but when she had woken up she had run back to her cell and that when he had finally caught up with her he had seen her killing a Leoben model and picking up a blond toddler whom she said was her daughter. Apparently that little girl real mother had recognize the child as soon as they had step on Galactica, and Kara had disappeared in the excitation that had followed their arrival. If they wanted more information they would have to ask Kara.

He stayed behind with his father at the end of the meeting. A few things needed to be discuss, and when it came to pilots, Lee had to ask:

"Dad, Kara…I mean did she tell you what happened to her?" His father looked worried.

"No she didn't. She seemed fine, a little subdue maybe, and tired for sure but…"he paused gathered is paper and then took a decision "You know someone will have to debrief her. I was thinking that maybe you should be the one doing it. " Lee contemplated the idea for a while and then answered:

"You know the last time we spoke was the day of the cylon invasion; she was begging me to give her medicine for Sam. I didn't have the time to give her an answer, and you know what I am not sure what it would have been. We're not friends anymore dad, too much happened between us. You should find someone else for this job, Helo for instance."

William Adama thought for a while. It was true that Lee and Kara had their problems, the fights and shooting matches that had occurred before Kara's marriage and departure for New Caprica were the proof of that. He had never managed to know what had happened but then he had never really understood their relationship.

"Look Lee, you won't be able to avoid her, you're the CAG and you will have to deal with her everyday…"Seeing that Lee was about to interrupt he held up his hand "Listen to me Lee! I know you have your differences but in order to work together you'll have to resolve them. I am not asking you to be her friend, I am asking you to do a job. Don't make me order you Lee, please."

"Fine! I'll do it." Lee said. He could already feel old emotions he had thought forgotten coming back. His father was right of course but he could not understand that where Kara was concern it was impossible for him to simply stay professional. Whether he liked it or not he always became emotionally involved, and it usually ended badly.