Prologue

Before he opened his eyes, he could smell the burnt flesh and hair on his body. He could hear medtechs talking to each other while they tended to his scorched body. This time he remembered what happened -the fire in the landing bay and rescuing two cadets. As much pain as he was in, this was one time Bojay wished he didn't remember how he got injured.

He opened his eyes, the bright lights of life center hurting his retinas. He quickly closed them, smashing his head in the pillow in front of his face. He lied there for a centon on his stomach with his head in the pillow wincing at the pain the delicate touch of a medtechs fingers caused.

The medtech quickly removed her hand when she felt Bojay move. "I think he's awake," she said to another medtech.

Bojay turned his head to one side, reopening his eyes. "You're fracking right I'm awake!" He winced once again at the pain his shout caused. "I'm also in a lot of pain," he said calmer. "Can you do anything about that?"

Dr. Salik stepped into Bojay's sight. "Sure, major." He motioned to one of the medtechs to administer the pain meds.

"How long have I been out of it?"

"Seven sectons."

"Seven sectons?!"

"You received a medal from Commander Athena while you've been in a coma. Someone accepted it for you, of course."

"I hope whoever it was through the medal back in the commander's face."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing." Bojay was still angry over the destruction of the Gardener. "Who accepted for me?"

"Dr. Bailey. She's been waiting for you to wake up since she heard about the fire."

"Heard? She probably knew about it before it happened." Bojay turned his head to the other side, then back to Dr. Salik. "Where is she?"

"Getting something to eat. She should be back soon." Dr. Salik pulled a warmer over Bojay's backside. "So she doesn't have to see your burns. Buzz me if you need anything." He left the room.

Bojay had his head turned away from the door when a young woman walked into his room.

"You can stop faking, old man. Dr. Salik told me you're awake."

Bojay turned his head toward the young woman and smiled. She was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, her blue-green eyes showing the anger she felt. It's bad enough in the right light her auburn hair looks like flames flowing down her back, Bojay thought. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

"Really?" She said sarcastically as she sat down in a chair next to his med bed. "I thought you forgot about me."

"I couldn't forget about you. I've just been confused, ever since…"

"Ever since we left the lottery losers behind. You've been thinking about Sheba this whole time, haven't you?"

"This has nothing to do with Sheba, Bailey."

"I think your memory is experiencing a frizzort again. You're forgetting who you're talking to, old man. I know you better than anyone in this fleet."

He laughed, but stopped when he felt pain. "Please try not to make me laugh. It hurts too much."

"Sorry."

"I don't mind you calling me old man, but why do my friends, huh? I'm as old as they are."

"I know."

"You look good in that colonial warrior uniform. An ensign in Silver Spar squadron, my old squadron. I'm proud of you."

Bailey rolled her eyes. "You've always been proud of me. And you're changing the subject. I've heard about your adventures during light cycle. You haven't gotten a centon's sleep in sectons."

"Great," he muttered. "Who told you?"

"Troy."

"He hasn't been trying to…"

"You need to get your mind out of the waste recycling system. He got me transferred back to the Galactica. I'm replacing Rhaya in Blue squadron."

"What?! What happened to her?"

"It's more like what happened to Troy. He's been acting more like you or Starbuck." Bailey told Bojay about Troy accepting Rhaya's advances and cheating on Dalton. "He still loves her. He's been trying to explain, but Dalton doesn't even want to hear it. You've been out of it for seven sectons."

Bojay noticed a tear rolling down her cheek. He carefully touched her face, wiping the tear away. "What are you worried about?"

She touched her face where he just touched it. "How do you know I'm worried about something?"

"Because you always cry when you're worried about something."

Bailey chuckled. "You know me too well."

"With the exception of your mother, maybe."

She scoffed. "She doesn't know me as well you do, old man. I thought I was here to comfort you and keep you company, not the other way around."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere, so tell me what's got you worried?"

"For starters, I thought you were never going to wake up. You had me worried. I thought I was going to lose you again from my life."

"You actually thought I was going to die?"

"I never said that. I said I was afraid I was going to lose you."

"You mean when I lost my memory for yahrens. I pray that never happens to me ever again. But you were right about me being alive and about that fracking recon mission. I can't believe no one believed you."

"Don't forget you were one of those who didn't believe me about that mission."

"I know. I didn't believe you until it was too late."

"You said that in your message to me." Bailey glanced at the timepiece on her wrist.

Bojay noticed. "You have someplace to go, sweetheart?"

"Not anyplace important. I'm yours until you are released."

"Really? How'd you manage that? Gods, you didn't…"

"You know, you have a sick, dirty mind."

"Tell me something I don't know."

She shook her head. "What am I going to do about you?"

"Nothing because you love me. Besides, I'm not going to frack around with young cadets any longer. I've learned my lesson."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that."

"You sound like a parent."

Bailey laughed. "That's funny coming from you."

"It is pretty funny. I'd laugh if it didn't hurt so fracking much."

"Do you want me to get Dr. Salik?"

"Yeah. I enjoy being altered."

Bailey stood up. "You would." She bent down and kissed Bojay on the cheek. "I'll be right back." She walked out of Bojay's room and searched the life center. "Oh, Dr. Salik," she said spotting him.

"Yes, Dr. Bailey?" Dr. Salik asked.

"First, just call me Bailey. Second, he's still in pain. Can you give him some more pain meds?"

"I can give Bojay some more, but no matter how much pain meds I administer to him will not eliminate all of his pain. He's going to be in a lot of pain for a long time. It's going to take a long time for him to heal. Are you prepared for that responsibility?"

"I'm prepared." Bailey noticed a young man she recognized sitting on an exam table. He had a large black and blue bruise on the right side of this face, and his beard wasn't masking it very well. When she noticed him looking at her, he turned his face away. "Figures," Bailey muttered. She walked over to the young man. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

He turned to face her. "I'm here getting a checkup because some young doctor punched me in the face and knocked me out."

Bailey started to laugh.

"I'm glad you think it's funny, Bailey."

"You fracking deserved it, Zander!"

"Deserved it?! I just walked into the squadron room!"

"Hey!" Dr. Salik shouted. "You two keep it down. This is the life center, not the ODOC."

"Look what you did," Zander said quieter.

"Me?"

"Forget it, you're not even worth it."

"Fine. Be that way. I have more important things to attend to." Bailey began walking away back to Bojay's med room when someone grabbed her arm. She spun around. "What?"

"How is Bojay?"

"He's awake and in lots of pain."

"Would it be okay if I visited him?"

"Actually, I think he'd like that."

"Good." Zander started to walk towards Bojay's room, then started walking backwards. "Because I can't wait to see his face when he finds out what my wingmate did to me." He turned back around and continued walking.

"You wouldn't dare!"

Zander entered Bojay's clean room. "Are you up for a visitor, sir?"

"Lt. Zander," Bojay said, "please don't call me sir. That's just as bad as old man. I'm up for a visit. Have a seat."

"Thanks," he said as he sat down. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. What happened to your face?"

"Oh, this?" He rubbed his bruise with his hand. "I was knocked out when I reported to Blue squadron."

"You, too?"

"Trays was transferred with Rhaya. I know you like him."

"Not since he tried to assault Bailey."

"Maybe she should have knocked him out."

"You're kidding, right? Bailey would never..."

"She's got a mean left."

"Bailey did that to you?!"

"Yeah, the genius with a doctorate in engineering knocked me out cold, and she won't tell me why."

"You deserved it!" Bailey shouted.

Bojay and Zander turned to look at Bailey.

"It's for something you did to me," Bailey continued. "If you can't remember, you eventually will."

Zander turned back to Bojay. "You know, she has a lot of her father in her," he smirked.

"I know she does," Bojay remarked. "Bailey, what were you thinking?"

"I honestly don't know. I just felt like knocking him out when he walked into the squadron room." She took her jacket off and tossing it on the cot. "It doesn't sound like me, does it?"

"Lots of people have not been acting like themselves."

"Did Dr. Salik come in and give you more pain meds?"

"Yeah, while you two were arguing. I could hear you in here. By the way, those 'pain meds' aren't working as well as I'd hoped."

"No amount of pain meds is going to take away what you're suffering. Didn't Dr. Salik explain this to you?"

"Yes, he did. Can't you sneak in some ambrosa or grog or some form of alcohol?"

"As much as I love you, I can't -and you know it."

"Frack! It was worth a shot."

"Well, at least I know you haven't lost your sense of mind. You still have your sense of humor."

"Mentioning humor, I've got a great joke."

"Oh, gods. This isn't happening," she muttered.

"I want to hear it," Zander said. "Your father had the most horrible jokes in the fleet that you can't help but laugh."

"Now I definitely know those meds are working. My dad's telling jokes."

"Okay," Bojay began. "This naked lady walks into the OC with a daggit under one arm and a metron-length salami under the other. She lays the daggit on the table. Servitor says, 'I suppose you won't be needing a drink' Naked lady says-"

A knock at the door interrupts Bojay's horrible joke. "Thank the lords," Bailey said as she went to slide the door open. "Oh, you came just in time to save us from my dad's bad joke."

"Well, I didn't come to do that," Dillon said. "I was told Zander is here."

Bailey moved out of the way and motioned to Dillon to enter.

"Zander, we have patrol duty, remember?"

"Oh, frack," Zander said, standing up. "I came in here to see if I was fit for duty after Bailey knocked me out. Bojay, get better soon. And tell the rest of that joke when she's not around."

"Hey!" Bailey exclaimed.

"Get better soon, Bojay," Dillon said, leaving with Zander.

Bailey sat down in the chair next to Bojay's medical bed. She was tired and laid her head down onto the bed. He started stroking her hair like he used to when she was little. He knew it wouldn't be long before she fell asleep.

"The last time you did that was when I was sick," Bailey said drowsily.

"You were also three, not nineteen," Bojay said. "Why don't you get some rest."

"What if you need something?" She yawned.

"If I need something, I'll wake you."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Bailey went over to the cot that was set up in his private room, laid down, pulling the warmer over her, and fell asleep. Bojay watched his daughter fall asleep, watching her for a little while. He realized before he fell asleep himself that he was thankful to be alive, and that his daughter was in his life once again.

When he woke up several centares later, Bojay found Bailey sitting on her cot while working on a portable computron. "What are you working on?" He asked.

Looking up from her screen, she said, "Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"In pain."

"Do you want me to go get a medtech?"

"I already pressed the call button. What are you working on?" He repeated.

"Oh, this? A new viper."

"You're designing a new viper?"

"No. I've designed a new viper. I got the approval to build it from Commander Apollo before he left with the lottery losers. I haven't had the time to work on it until now. It's experimental because some of the components are top-secret."

"Top-secret? Even from your old man?"

"Well, the commander did say I could have one person help me build her. Maybe it could be your rehabilitation. But since he's back at Paradis, I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to build her."

"I'm sure President Tigh will give you approval."

"He's not the only one I would have to get approval from. I'll also have to convince Commander Athena, too."

"Oh! You had to bring her up."

Bailey looked up from her screen. "What do you mean by that? Did you sleep with her and she told you to frack off or something?"

"After what she did, I'd never sleep with her."

"What do you mean by that?" She repeated.

"I think she ordered the destruction of the Gardener."

Bailey sighed. "I don't think- I know."

"What do you mean you know?"

"I felt it from her. I felt the anguish and pain from her. It was a hard decision for her."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I can't do anything about it, Dad. Nobody believes me when I do get these feelings."

"Premonitions."

"Whatever."

"I believe you. Apollo believed you."

"Mom doesn't and Apollo isn't here anymore."

"He's dead along with the rest, including Sheba."

"I don't think they're dead, not all of them."

"Another premonition?"

"You can say that."

The medtech came in and administered the pain meds to Bojay. She then checked his burns and left.

"I have your medal, Dad."

"You can toss that back at Athena."

"DAD! You received it for rescuing two cadets from the fire. You deserve it no matter who awarded it to you."

"But I almost paid for it with my life."

Bailey knew that was true. She almost lost her father for the second time in her life, and this time, he wouldn't have come back. "Since you're all doped up, can I ask you a personal question?"

"You know you can ask me anything, sweetheart."

"Did you sleep with Sheba when we were leaving Kobol?"

"Just get right to the good stuff, Bailey. You don't fool around, do you?"

"Nope."

"Once again, I'm telling you about my love life. I wanted to, but she had second thoughts. She was still in love with Apollo. Nothing happened. I ended up sleeping in my viper. Since we're on the subject of love lives, are you and Dillon still dating?"

"We haven't for a while, Dad. We're just friends. I even set him up with a bridge officer. They've been going out ever since." She pulled her knees up and hugged them. "Why does my love life suck? Why is no one interested in dating me? Is it because I'm smart? Am I not pretty enough? What is it?"

"I'm the wrong person to answer that. My answer would be biased." Bojay reached out to Bailey with his hand. "Sweetheart, you're a beautiful young woman. You're extremely intelligent and if some young man is intimidated by your smarts, well, too bad for him. But, you're still young. Don't rush it."

"This coming from a man who..."

"Don't even say it!"

Bailey just grinned.

"Bailey, you're special. Even though there are several other geniuses in the fleet, you don't keep to yourself like the others do. You get out and socialize. Frack, you even listened to my suggestion to become a Colonial Warrior so you can fly your creations. Yeah, I know you don't like to be the center of attention, but that's never stopped you from achieving your goals."

"Thanks, Dad."