"Lee if you want to ask me to dance just ask…"

He took her hand and led her to the dance floor. As his fingers came to rest on the curve of her waist, he thought briefly that this should probably feel more awkward, but it didn't. She looked beautiful, radiant even. It reminded him of their youth, how she'd occasionally dress up for a date with Zak or a night out with their friends at the academy. Before they had the weight of the worlds on their shoulders, before they had lost almost everything to the Cylons. She's always been a tomboy, he was pretty sure of that, but back then she'd worn her fair hair long and layered, usually tied up in a tight pony tail or plait when on duty. Once in a while she'd style it wavy and loose, and it would frame her face in such a way that his fingers ached to run though it, to brush it out of her twinkling eyes. She'd looked so carefree, but he knew even then she had her demons, as did he. Painful childhood memories that were still too fresh to share.

She was a former star athlete when they met as freshman cadets. He was straight out of flight prep school, graduating with academic distinction. She was a cocky jock, a high school slacker who'd gotten though by the skin of her teeth based on her Pyramid skills. They'd crossed each other's paths many times back then, sharing classes and mutual friends. But they'd never gotten to really know each other until she became a flight instructor and started sleeping with his baby brother. He'd flinched at the idea at first, probably subconscious jealousy, but it was out of his hands. Eventually he'd accepted them and befriended her. And the more he learned about Kara Thrace, the more he understood why Zak was head over heels in love with her. He quickly realized she was more than just a brash, loudmouthed pilot who couldn't keep her pants on. Zak had brought out a different, softer side of Starbuck. Lee saw how she looked out for him, pushed him to train harder, to not give up. Even when it was clear to both of them that Zak just didn't have what it took to be a pilot. She knew how much it meant to him and so she never gave up on him. Not many people were lucky enough to see how big a heart Kara Thrace really had. Lee was reminded of it every time he saw her train the new nuggets, how she pushed them, nurtured them, never gave up on them either.

After a minute or two a slower, gentler melody began to play. As he wondered if maybe they should sit this one out, she slowly slid her arms up to hug his neck and rested her head on his chest. His hands had nowhere to go now except the small of her back.

His fingers traced light patterns over the silk of her dress as he held her close. She could definitely get used to being this close to Lee. It felt right, more right than anything had since the worlds ended. Gods, if only they could stay like this forever, just be Kara and Lee, best friends. Not Starbuck and Apollo, not the saviours of the fleet, and certainly not almost brother and sister in law. "I can't remember the last time I felt this relaxed Lee."

Relaxed? Was she kidding? He couldn't have felt more tense at this moment. But it was the pleasant kind of tension, one where his skin felt electric wherever it made contact with hers. His heart was beating at least twice as fast as normal, he was sure, and his stomach felt like it was doing barrel rolls.

" Gods, what I wouldn't give not to have to go back to the bunkroom later." She continued.

Now was his chance, what did he have to lose? Everything actually. If he frakked this up and scared her away he'd lose Kara, and Kara was his everything. But she'd given him an opening, and before he could stop himself the words blurted out.

"Why don't we stay the night then?" The look of surprise and hope on her face was too much for him to deal with and he added "We can both get rooms, upstairs, enjoy some time away from our responsibilities."

He was infuriatingly proper. Separate rooms? She didn't know whether to kiss him for being gentleman or knee him the balls for being such a coward. Still, if they both stayed the night, who knows how things might turn out? "You're on Apollo! Think we can convince the Old Man to give us the whole night off?"

"His two favourite pilots, are you kidding?"

"Come on Lee we both know I'm his real favourite!" His jaw dropped in mock shock. He knew it was very true in a way. His father had a special bond with Kara, as if she was his own flesh and blood. He was the only person he'd ever seen command total respect out of Starbuck, she'd never had much time for authority but she loved her almost father in law with a loyalty that was unwavering. He could hardly claim the same for himself. He loved his father, and he knew it was mutual, but there was too many painful memories, too many frustrations and disappointments for him to ever respect him fully the way Kara could. She poked him in the ribs for good measure, bringing him back to the moment. He retaliated by squeezing her firmly in his arms and lifting her briefly whilst swinging her around three sixty. She gasped and threw her head back laughing, in her typical loud, unselfconscious way.

He'd caught her off guard with the swing and she'd loved it. Who knew eternal tomboy Kara Thrace could be swept off he feet by anyone, let alone her best friend? But damn him if he didn't look good enough to eat in his dress greys tonight. Only Lee could manage to be both bashful and charming at the same time, which only made her want him more. The song ended, and Kara suggested they grab some more drinks at the bar while it was still serving. They ended up commandeering a couple of bottles of what passed as colonial champagne and finding an empty table. They sat together for hours, pouring each other drinks, occasionally getting up to dance and laugh. They reminisced about past colonial day exploits at the academy. After some time, Kara realized she had been doing all the talking for the past three stories. Talking about their shared history was always risky as it inevitably led them back to Zak.

"I miss him Kara". Lee looked so solemn. She grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed hard. What could she offer him except empathy? If nothing else, she knew exactly how he felt.

"I know Lee, me too."

"I'm glad you met him, fell in love with him, even if you lost him." He could see her eyes rapidly filling with tears. She probably still blamed herself, even now. "Otherwise I would have never gotten to know you the way I have. I'm so grateful that you're a part of my life Kara, especially now." That caused her to look up at him though unshed tears.

"Lee I… " She was at a loss as to what to say. She hadn't expected their night to turn so serious, so honest. They were supposed to be having some much needed fun.

"I'm sorry Kara I didn't mean to upset you." He stood up, ready to kick himself. The last thing he'd wanted to do tonight was make her cry. "I think I've had enough to drink. I should probably go to my room and get some sleep. Good night Kara."

And with that he walked away from her, leaving her reeling. She sat there in quiet shock for a while, before she poured herself another drink, or four. Gods they were so pathetic sometimes it made her laugh bitterly. The two of them were so emotionally crippled they had to get shitfaced drunk in order to be honest with each other, and even then, it ended with her in tears and him sulking off to bury his head in the sand. Were they ever going to grow some guts and face their feelings for one another? Probably not. They'd either get blown to pieces in their vipers or they'd grow old and miserable, never working up the courage to admit how they felt. When she'd emptied the bottle, she decided it was time for her to get to bed too. She made her way to reception and picked up her room card. On a whim she asked the receptionist what room Captain Adama was staying in, and was told his was the room next to hers. They had both been given complimentary luxury suites as a token of thanks from the captain of the ship. They were, afterall, Starbuck and Apollo, saviours of the fleet.

As she swiped her card key and entered her room, she almost let out an involuntary squee sound. Her room was perfect. Plush thick pile carpet underfoot. She kicked off her heels and delighted in sinking her toes into it. Soft subtle lighting dotted the room giving it a seductive glow. At the centre of the room was a king sized bed, which she promptly threw herself on. The satin covers felt like heaven against her skin, cool and silky. As she lay there thinking back on the course of the evening and how Lee had left on a bum note, she decided she needed to clear the air with him before she went to bed. His confession had touched her, not angered her. In fact what he'd said had endeared him to her even more.

She knocked softly at his door. It was after 2am and she didn't want to wake anyone else up. After that didn't work, she tried knocking a little more forcefully. Her knocks got heavier and heavier until the door sung open and she was greeted with a very sleepy looking Lee Adama.

"Kara. Is something wrong?"

He was standing there in his underwear, looking ruffled and worn out and thoroughly adorable. She resisted the urge to wrap her arms around him and hug him until he got how much she cared about him. She looked past him and noted that his room was identical to hers. He stepped back, beckoning her in, and closed the door behind her.

"I just needed to clear the air before I went to bed."

He rubbed his eyes, willing himself to sober up. "Fine, but make it quick."

Frak he was really grumpy when he was drunk and or sleepy!! "What you said earlier, about how you felt...'

He looked at her, guilt written large across his sleepy features. "I shouldn't have told you that. It wasn't right." He scrubbed his palm over his face and raked his fingers through his hair, making his appearance all the messier, and damn if Kara wasn't having a hard time remembering her train of thought. Or maybe it was all the champagne. She watched the flex of his biceps on his raised arm. She really needed to focus.

"Why not. No one's ever said anything so kind to me before."

"Kind? It wasn't kind, it was selfish!! I should be grieving for my dead brother but all I can think about is how happy I am that I still have you!!"

That was the final straw. What did he expect her to do when he kept saying these heartbreaking, irresistible things that made her want to ravish him on the spot with all the love and tenderness she felt for him? She lunged at him and grabbed his face in her hands before attacking his mouth with her own, stealing his gasped breath for herself before he could object. If she could read his mind at that moment she'd know that object was the last thing he felt like doing. He met her kiss with equal strength and then some before he pulled back, needing to search her face.

"Kara, are you sure this is really what you want? Am I really what you want?"

"Yes Lee. Gods forgive me, I need this." She gulped, wondering where in the hell she had gotten the courage to be so honest. Something about those startlingly blue eyes made her lower her defenses. He grabbed her passionately around the waist and pulled her tight against his bare chest.

"I'm in love with you. I think I've loved you since I've met you, but I was too afraid to admit it even to myself" he whispered. She stared at him wide eyed, his frank admission more than she had expected.

He raised his lips softly over hers, then gently pressed into her mouth. She tasted soft and sweet, nothing like he had imagined Starbuck would taste. But she was definitely not a wilting flower. She had initiated this after all. And she was starting to get impatient with his tentative kiss. She grabbed the back of his head firmly with one hand and started to nibble on his lower lip, begging entrance with her tongue. He obliged and she dipped hers into his mouth, tasting him, coaxing him. He met her tongue with his own, the two of them now vying for control of the kiss. He ran his hands up and down her sides, delighting in the way she twitched and shivered under his touch. The silk ties hanging from her wrists were tickling his shoulders. He'd have to do something about that in a minute, he thought. He began to lengthen his strokes up and down her sides, his palms brushing over her hips, fingers curving in to trace the curves of her bum, then spreading out and back up to her ribs, pulling forward to graze underneath each breast.

He broke the kiss, gasping for some much needed air. "Kara, my gods. You don't know what you do to me."

She beamed up at him, feeling him stir against her belly. She began to trace featherlight kisses along his jawline as she played with the hair at the back of his beck. It turned her on even more just knowing he was as aroused as she was by this. She wiggled herself against him, forcing a groan from him. "Oh I dunno Apollo, I think I have some idea." She reached down with one hand and grabbed his ass, pulling his hips into even closer contact, pressing his hips against hers. He chuckled.

"Where did you get a dress like this from?" He idly pulled on the silk ties hanging from her wrists, they were giving him ideas. He traced the silk straps that were fixed tight to her shoulders, and were then pulled in to tie at the centre of her back, trying to figure out how the damn thing came off. Underneath the straps her back was bare where the dress dipped low. His fingers explored the seams, looking for a zipper. She grinned and pushed back from his embrace, before turning around and looking over her shoulder at him.

"Untie me Lee?" Now that he could see what he was doing it was much easier. He pulled on one piece and the knot came undone easily. With a groan he realized that the dress still hung from her shoulders. She was pulling the silk scarves loose from her wrists. Not that she didn't like the feel of them on her skin, or the idea of using them on Lee later, but they were quite long and for moment they would get in the way, so she let them slip to the floor.

He stepped closer to her, ghosting kisses on the back of her neck, reveling in the goosebumps that sprang up at his touch. He brushed his hands over her shoulders, causing the straps to finally fall from her body, leaving her chest and waist bare to his touch. She sucked in a breath as he pulled his arms around her waist, pressing his hips into her ass, all the while brushing kisses along the back of her neck and shoulder. His hands roamed her belly, moving higher. His thumbs grazed the baby soft skin on the underside of her breasts, making her nipples tighten in response.

That was it, she decided. Enough with this passive crap, he was going to kill her if she had to wait while he explored her. She turned abruptly in his arms, burning hazel eyes locking with his baby blues. His hands rested on her hips, and she placed hers over his, gently squeezing, urging him to pull her dress the rest of the way off. She shimmied a little to help it on its way, and it fluttered to the carpet in a heap around her bare feet.

She stood there before him, in nothing but a pair of silvery grey sheer silk panties that hid nothing. He drank in the sight of her. He'd seen her parade around the bunkroom in nothing but a bra and boxers before. He had even seen her flash her fellow cadets more than a few times back in their student days. But this was entirely different. She was standing here, almost naked, just for him. Her pale skin looked golden in the lamplight. She was all smooth lines and rounded curves.

In their normal roles, it was easy to forget that the cocky swaggering Starbuck, the one who could out drink, out punch and out fly the best of them was also very much a woman. Yes she had an athletic body, all pilots did. But it only seemed to accentuate her natural curves. If those morons who teased her about going butch when she'd cut all her hair off could see her now, they'd eat their words.

He traced her body from the top down with his hands. Her strong shoulders sloped gently, her arms were long and slim, and he'd often teased her about her bony elbows. But looking at her now all her could do was marvel at how perfect she was. Her legs were long and toned, but very shapely. Her thighs were full and firm and her hips were just the right size, curved but not too wide. He thought of how he'd often enjoyed the way she's swayed them effortlessly as she strutted through the corridors of the Galactica, flightsuit tied at her waist. He thought then she'd looked sexy, but it was nothing compared to now.

Her waist was soft but firm, and he loved how despite her muscles, it curved in at her ribs and flared out at her generous hips. Her belly was toned but not too much, leaving it nice and soft to the touch. He spread his hands flat against it, tickling her navel with is thumbs. Her breasts were better than he'd imagined in his fantasies. The last time he'd seen them, when she'd flashed the crowd at a new years eve party their freshman year, he hadn't gotten a good look, but what he had seem had gotten him hard in an instant. Now that he had her here, in front of him, willing and ready in his hands, he couldn't believe his luck.

He slowly grazed his thumbs up over her erect nipples, loving the deep moan that he got in response. He cupped them in his hands, surprised at how very soft and full they were. If the rest of her body was pale, her breasts were almost luminous.

Gods he was killing her slowly but surely. Her skin sang wherever his hands touched her, it took all her restraint not to jump him. But she was enjoying his achingly slow perusal of her body. No one had made her feel this special, this wanted, since Zak, and she had forgotten how much she missed it. Hard and fast meaningless fraks were fine if you had an itch you couldn't scratch, but this was entirely different.

"Lee…"

"Kara."

He bent his head to press kisses to her chest, squeezing her breast tightly in his grip and ever so gently brushing his lips over the nipple, before opening his mouth and kissing it fully, drawing the dusky tip into his warm mouth and lapping at it with his tongue… When he was satisfied he moved to the other one and gave it the same thorough treatment.

Gods she was thrumming with arousal, and every touch was only making it better. She could feel herself growing wetter and more swollen by the second. She ached to touch him herself, so she began by rubbing her fingertips in the band of his boxers at his hips, delighting in the cut of his muscles that dipped down beneath. She inched her fingers under the band, tracing the ridge of muscle that she had so often admired. This man lived up to his call sign, he was built like a god. Her explorations earned her a growl that rumbled deep in his broad chest. It sparked a giggle from her in response.

"Did the mighty Starbuck just giggle?" He looked up at her, eyes twinkling with male pride.

Her cheeks flushed pink. "Um, no. I don't giggle. Your ears must be playing tricks on you." She continued to tease the skin below his navel until she encountered wiry curls, when suddenly he yanked her hands out of his pants with another low growl.

"Kara slow it down or this could get embarrassing!'

"What's the matter Lee no stamina?" She teased in a husky whisper, winking at him.

His hands grabbed her silk clad ass and pulled her to him once again. "I'll show you stamina Starbuck, you just wait and see!!"

"Mmm, promises promises Captain." She returned the favour by smoothing her own hands over his ass before giving him a squeeze, relishing in the firm muscles in her grip. He decided to ante up and rubbed his now fully hard cock against her centre, causing her to gasp and groan at the friction. Gods he was hard, and by the feel of him, he was big too. It wouldn't surprise her, as he always had this quiet confidence whenever she teased him about his prowess or his manhood. He's just wink at her and grin when she'd make some saucy joke about the arrow of Apollo or whether he frakked with the same discipline and restraint that he did everything else. "You're just dying to know, aren't you Starbuck?" he'd tease. She'd bat her eyelashes at him in imitation of the pilot groupies that swooned for him. "Oooh Apollo, I can't wait!" she'd reply, before bursting out in laughter and bouncing off, often pinching him on the bum for good measure.

Truth be told, there was always a lot more to their playful flirting than either was ready to admit, but they had never dwelled on it. Now that they were here, all bets were off. Every touch and teasing word was full of affection, of deeper meaning. They were finally opening up to each other, being intimate in more ways than one.

"Lee.." she breathed in his musky scent, "take me to bed please."

"With pleasure Kara."