Title: Home

Author's Name: SG1SamFan

Character(s): Lee, Kara

Date Posted: 7/21/06

Word Count: 703

Pairing: Kara/Lee

Spoilers: ep. 212, "Resurrection Ship, Part 2"

Rating: T

Summary: After "Resurrection Ship," Kara comforts Lee in the bunkroom and lets him know something important. Missing scene. KL.

Disclaimer: I do not own Battlestar: Galactica or its characters and receive no profit from this story.

Archive: Please ask me first.

A/N- This is my first Battlestar Galactica story, and only my second fic ever—and I hope I've improved considerably since my first foray into fanfic writing just over two years ago. I haven't written much in a long time, but "Resurrection Ship, Part 2" was so moving to me that I couldn't help but do a missing scene set after Lee admits he didn't want to live. It's slightly AU given the subsequent fallout between Lee and Kara, but I figured I'd post it anyway.

Please don't forget to review!

Lee was alive. He was home. Kara sent up a silent prayer of thanks.

And yet he was still trying to apologize to her. "I let you down. I wasn't there when you needed me."

Kara sighed imperceptibly. Lee had nearly died, and he was worried about letting her down? That was Lee, all right. "Look... a close call like that... that would mess with anybody's head. All right? It turns out I didn't need you anyway. So... let's just be glad that we both came back alive, all right?"

Kara didn't know what she'd done to have him brought back to her, but she wasn't about to question the Gods' mercy.

The taut weariness on Lee's face, though, in his eyes, was making her nervous. She couldn't silence her mind's whispers that maybe he wasn't home just yet.

"That's just it, Kara." His voice was flat. "I didn't want to make it back alive."

…

No. Frakfrakfrak. Kara could feel her eyes stinging, pooling with shocked tears. "Frak, Lee," she murmured. Her first instinct told her to flee as soon as she could, to whisper empty words of comfort and hope everything would be all right.

But if I run now, he won't be all right. I'll kill him… just like I killed Zak. The thought sent a momentary shiver down her spine. She couldn't let that happen—not to Lee. If she lost him… she didn't think she could take it.

Kara swallowed. "What happened out there?" she asked gently.

As he coolly recounted the events that had nearly killed him, had been intended to, Kara felt like she'd been slapped. It was her fault. She should have seen this coming, should have done something to stop it. Shock, fear, pain, and angry guilt twisted in her gut, pulling at her. She quickly forced them down.

But at the though of how close she'd come to losing him—and not by accident, either—the anger bubbled back up to the surface, and she snapped. "Bastard," she hissed. "You had no right, Lee. No frakking right!" She took a breath—ammunition. "You think you can just die whenever you want to, huh? Well, maybe if you'd use that big head of yours you'd realize—it's not just you you'd hurt." Her vision blurred with angry tears and she looked away, pressing her lips firmly together, until she was sure she could trust herself not to cry.

When she looked back, he still wasn't looking at her. And he looked so empty…so lost. The anger evaporated. Her heart splintered, the shards impaling her lungs and making it painful to breathe.

She had to fix him. "Hey—I'm sorry…" she said softly. "Listen, I know I'm not the easiest person to talk to." She let out a derisive laugh. "Think I just proved that. But, if you want to talk…about this. I'm here." She bit her lip. "Anytime, all right? I mean it."

I'll do anything, Lee. Anything to keep you with me.

He stared resolutely ahead, and Kara's mask cracked just a little. Why the frak won't he look at me? Nervous panic was beginning to seep through her.

"Lee?" Kara's voice quivered in her throat. Tears pressed against her defenses. She exhaled shakily through pursed lips and glanced away to gain a little composure before looking back again. "Lee, look at me. Please." She faltered. "Lee?"

Blue eyes, painful in their icy intensity, lifted to pierce Kara's soul. Oh, Gods. Those Lee-blue eyes.

She broke.

Her mask shattered, leaving her naked before him. Tears tumbled down her cheeks. "Please don't leave me, Lee, I…" She trailed off and her face crumpled, quivering, but she held his eyes. I need you.

Wide hazel eyes pleaded with Lee to listen. To hear what she couldn't say out loud.

He heard her.

He reached for her and pulled her to him. He could feel her sobs as she clung to him with unrestrained relief.

"Me, too, Kara… Me, too," he whispered into her hair.

Lee tightened his hold on her, eyes burning with tears. And he realized with absolute certainty that he would make it through this. He had to, because she needed him… just as much as he needed her.

It wasn't a lot. But it was enough. He kissed her hair.

It was a start.

-finis-

A/N- Yes, the end was a bit fluffy, but I'm a sucker for happy endings. Liked it? Didn't? Please let me know via the lovely little blue rectangle down there on the left. No, your other left. Yeah, that one. Reviewers all get virtual chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven. ;)