Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica though I take ownage of the OC's
A/N: Give it a chance but I've decided to write like five chapters as a like trial so here's a preview, reviews and comments. I have absolutely loved writing it and hope that this will be liked, I love writing it :S
Part 01 – On Caprica
"Lee. You know that you should really be going now, your Dad won't be happy with you, you've already missed one mission briefing or something with him, it's about time you started turning up when you say you would." Grace Rosetti said as she sat up in her bed with the duvet up under her arms watching Lee Adama fastened his belt around his trousers.
"Yeah, I know Grace but I can't help but feel-"
"Feel what Lee? That I am the one mucking you around? When all that time I just kept on saying to you that you needed to make the decision. I don't believe you sometimes!"
"Don't be like that Grace."
"Oh, you know what, just go and stalk some other girl if I am just not worth the trouble." Grace zipped up her jacket and pulled up her shorts to her waist. She stormed out of the apartment past Lee. Outside, it was much brighter and cheerful than Grace's current mood. She had told Lee of her feelings for him years ago yet he gracefully rejected these feelings. With the sun shining down on her all it took was a deep sigh to clear her mind, or so she had hoped. This is what Grace had always wanted but she couldn't help but feel that he was just using her. Grace walked down the stairs and eventually found herself in the forest on the outskirt of the main city. Feeling the bark of the trees she strolled through the forest remembering the times where she and her family would play there. When she was back in the town centre Grace sat beside the fountain.
"Hello stranger. So what's been playing on your mind Rosetti?" Grace looked up to see Kara Thrace looking down at her.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
"Sure as frack don't look like it's nothing. C'mon Rosetti. I ain't seen that face since Luke Grayson cheated on you with, that, what was her name?"
"Something like Sandrine. But I call her Sardine."
"Whatever you say."
"Where are you off to Kara?"
"Ah, you know me, skiving from some meeting or other."
"You should be less like Lee, come on Kara, you should be there…"
"What is with you Grace?"
"You may have the skill to fly a Viper when you need to but I think that I have the organisation and discipline to follow orders, you on the other hand just do your own thing. Nuh, uh, it's true. Don't argue with me Kara because you know I'm right."
"Not arguing but I guess you have a point. We could do with more people like you flying the Vipers, you, you are a natural. And that's my words."
"I appreciate it but I'm not going to get in one of them for a long time now, I've got my brothers and sisters to take care of now."
"Yeah I remember, how old are the six little devils now?"
"Well Jason is verging on eighteen, Ceres is fourteen, Seth is nine, Tally is six, Ollie is three and Maya is nine months."
"Grown up a lot then. And then there's the golden oldie named Grace."
"Don't even go there, I barely recognise them sometimes and I can't believe I have managed to take care of them all for this long now."
"Well I don't want to dig around the pit-hole but I should really be taking your advice and getting to this meeting with Adama."
"Get you." Grace joked, standing up and wrapping her arms around Starbuck. "It's good to see you Kara. Anytime you want to stop around, I'm sure the little devils would want to see you, especially Tally, she's always on about Kara Thrace the best Viper pilot of all the colonies."
"But little does she know that you were up there with me too during your last season at the Academy before, before you had to drop out." Kara walked off leaving Grace beside the fountain. It was true, since her father had been killed during the last conflict between the colonies and her mother had ended it for herself so that her children would be left in safe hands, a distant relative named Saul Tigh and his wife Ellen which weren't exactly the safe hands that her mother had believed them to be. Every so often the two Tighs would check up on them, Ellen more so than Saul.
On Grace's walk home, she was amazed by the petals that were dropping to the ground on top of the leaves that had already fallen. And once again, she found herself thinking about her so called 'relationship' with Lee Adama. But he was one with the ladies, when Grace was at the Academy she would be amazed at the attention he got from the female trainees but it would seem that he had eyes for another. Grace had wished for it to be her but after all their arguments, meetings and encounters she doubted who Lee Adama had feelings for.
Back at the house, Ceres and Seth ran to see where Grace had been. Jason was lying on the sofa with Maya asleep on his stomach. Ollie was totting about his little playpen.
"Where were you last night?" Seth asked looking up at his older sister.
"You were with Lee. Weren't you?" Ceres winked dramatically.
"I hope you weren't Grace. That guy is trouble and you know it." Jason added picking Maya up.
"No, no, no. Don't wake Maya up. Please don't." Grace whimpered, too late, Maya was active, screaming her head off. "Oh give her here." Jason passed the tiny baby into her arms and began to walk out the door. "Where are you going?"
"Out. I have arranged to meet up with my friends. And don't argue, I spent the night looking after these guys and it was a nightmare."
"Fine, but now you know how I feel. Right guys, why don't we do a little bit of painting in my room, I still have some grey concrete wall left."
"Yay!" The children squealed running into Grace's room whilst she picked out the toolbox with all the paints she had cultivated when she was young, let's just say they were running thin, but they got by. One of Grace's walls had now been decorated with a tree, flowers, a bird and a shark in a pool of water.
"Grace! Grace, open the door!" Grace heard Tigh scream through the front door, Grace left Maya on the centre of her bed.
"Watch her Ceres." Grace ordered going down to open the door. "What is it Tigh?"
"Were you not paying attention, we have to go now."
"Why?" Grace stepped back as Tigh stormed through the house. "What's wrong Tigh, you're worrying me?"
"The fracking cylons have made an appearance."
"No! We can't leave Caprica, we've lived here our whole lives."
"Well if you don't move quickly I can't keep the promise I made to your mother, I promised her to keep you lot safe so you better pack what you can. I will get you safely out of here. Now move!" Grace ran back to her room.
"What's wrong Grace?" Seth asked.
"You must get your bags ready right now, whatever you would have in your bags when we used to travel to Picon and we might not be coming back. And you must follow Tigh and listen to him." Grace said strapping the baby carrier to her chest with Maya safely packaged inside. Tally, Seth and Ceres ran to their room and took their rucksacks stuffing it with books, toys and other momentous or belonging that they would want to take with them. Tigh picked out some clothes from their wardrobes, stuffing them into a large bag whilst Grace packed Ollie and Maya's stuff into the side pockets of a hiking bag, then she packed her family photo album and archives of all the family's achievements and her old uniform from the academy.
"Let's go Grace!" Tigh yelled carrying Ollie in his arms.
"Go on guys. Downstairs, follow Tigh now. Please don't argue." Grace said slinging the hiking bag over her shoulder trying her best to block out the screams from Maya. Tally, Seth and Ceres ran out of the house, Tally clinging to Ceres' hand. "Why are you doing this for us Tigh?"
"A promise Grace. Now get your ass on that raptor!" Tigh placed Ollie in a passenger's arms on the raptor and then helping Tally, Seth and Ceres on board. Fortunately, this was an early raptor and people were only just finding out about the cyclon attack. Grace went to get off the raptor. "Where do you think you're going missy?"
"I have to get Jason, Jason!" Grace screamed, Tigh grabbing her trying to get her back on the raptor.
"I will go and look for him and make sure he gets on a raptor I promise, but if you don't get on that raptor then all of you are going to die and I will not let that happen."
"Please, bring Jason back." Grace kissed Maya's little fluffy haired head and bounced her up and down sitting down on the raptor floor with Tally and Seth on either side of her. Seth sat in front of Grace and stroked her knee. Grace watched Tigh run off to find Jason.
"It'll be okay." Seth murmured. But the raptor waited, waited and waited. No sign or Tigh or Jason.
"I'm sorry miss but I'm going to have to get you out of here. Now." The pilot said closing the door.
"No! You can't leave! My brother is still out there. He is alive! Please, Tigh could be bringing him here right now. Just don't go." Grace protests leaping up and staring out of the window pushing the other few passengers aside.
"I'm sorry. I have to get you all out of here." The raptor lifted itself off the floor and Grace watched in devastation as houses were blown to smithereens. As the raptor left the atmosphere, the larger explosion erupted on Caprica's surface.
"Jason." Grace whispered.
"Will Jason be okay Grace?" Tally asked her eldest sister.
"I hope so, no, of course he will." The raptor was taken to the Battlestar Galactica, when the raptor door was opened the Rosetti children were ushered out of it and it zoomed off to get more passengers. Kara grabbed Grace and pulled the children aside. Kara looked at Grace and gently pulled her close.
"I am so glad you are okay, I can't believe that attack happened, I would've told you if I knew." Kara rubbed Maya's tiny head as she stirred. Grace burst into tears. "Oh it is not your day, what is up with you?"
"Jason is still on Caprica."
"What, you left him there?"
"No, he left before Tigh came to collect us. How was I to know, I should have never left him go out of the house."
"Don't beat 'cha self up over it. Come on, we'll see if there is a spare family quarters. Come on guys." She added lifting Ollie up and resting him on her hip. "So how you been little man?"
"We flied. We flied!" He squealed.
"We went in a raptor Kara." Tally added gazing up at the woman she admired so much. Kara made a few calls and eventually they were able to allow the Rosettis to stay in a small family quarter.
"It's not much but it's all we can offer. And this is one of the better family quarters we have to offer so make the most of it. I gotta go see what I can do to help." Kara left the family quarters. It consisted of three small rooms. One being a room with a double bed and a simple sink. The other was a room with three bunk bed like structures, similar to the pilot's quarters. In the corner were two fold out cribs. The third room was complete with a small table and chairs and other furniture to enhance the homely feel of the quarters which, when the children and Grace had finished unpacking all she could think of was whether Jason would be okay.
"Please be okay." Grace mumbled flicking through the family photo album. "Why don't you guys write a thank you note for Mr Adama and Miss Thrace for giving us these quarters. Remember we're lucky to have Saul to take care of us. Not many people would be lucky enough to have these quarters."
"Yes Grace." Tally said setting about drawing Starbuck in a viper walking to Commander Adama. Ollie created a colourful splodge of colour as Ceres and Seth went for neater images of Vipers and Galactica. Grace set Maya down in the crib and stroked her tummy.
"The stars in the night sky,
shine as we fly by them.
For they are so very bright,
just as the twinkle in your eye.
They will watch you through the night.
Just like your mum and dad.
So just you close your eyes and go to- sleep."
It was the lullaby that Grace's parents would sing to her, Jason, Ceres, Seth, Tally, Ollie and her mother sang to Maya for a month before she passed on. It was the song that she would always sing to Maya, it worked a charm in silencing her.
"This is your Commander speaking, prepare to jump." Commander Adama's voice echoed overhead.
"What's happening Grace?" Tally asked.
"We are going on a little journey. Don't worry about it. It will be okay. I promise."
"Just like Uncle Tigh promised to bring back Jason!" Shouted Ceres.
"Come on Ceres, I just set Maya down to sleep. I know it's a lot to take in but we just have to have faith in each other." Grace grew agitated and went to open to door of the quarters. "Now I want you to stay in here okay, if I here once of you has left these quarters then, so help me." Grace spun the hatch around and opened the door. "Commander Adama." Grace saluted Adama and he slowly mirrored the action.
"It's been a while since I've seen you do that."
"It certainly has, since my father helped to train me to be a pilot in the Academy. Before he, before he died." Grace looked away a little. "I'm sorry, would you like to come in, bearing in mind this isn't really our home which I must thank you for, I am grateful for the loan of these quarters."
"Well it is the least I can do after all of Captain Rosetti's service to the Fleet. And I must say he would be proud of how well you are looking after yourself."
"This is for you." Tally held up the drawing of Adama and Galactica out to him. "Thank you sir." Commander Adama stepped inside the quarters taking the pictures.
"Well thank you, I like it, I like it a lot." He sat down and Seth gawped at him in shock and awe.
"Don't stare Seth." Grace tapped the back of his head.
"Sorry." Seth squeaked.
"So what really brings you here Commander?"
"I wanted to thank you." Adama replied.
"What for?"
"I'm glad you made it here with the rest of the Rosetti. I'm thankful that you have carried on the Rosetti legacy." At the word legacy Grace smirked a little but held it back as Ollie finished his drawing and passed it to Adama. Maya began to cry a little.
"I'm sorry, I'll just get her, what else were you saying?" Grace went to go into the next room but Adama stood up stopping her
"Allow me, you look tired, I will get her. I was saying, I am not only thankful for you carrying on your father's work when you could but I am also thankful for the influence you have had on my sons Lee and Zak but also Kara Thrace too." Adama replied, picking up baby Maya and holding her close to him. "Without you, well, I wouldn't have had Starbuck or Lee by my side today, it was me they were going to see."
"It is just who I am. I miss Zak a lot Commander, I couldn't believe it when I heard. I couldn't bring myself to go to the funeral and I am sorry for that."
"I am sure that you are forgiven, he spoke fondly of you."
"Wow. Erm, I'm sorry to ask abruptly. Do you know if Colonel Tigh came back from Caprica?"
"He's been back for some time now, he was just visiting Ellen, and you and it was lucky he did. Otherwise you wouldn't all be here."
"What about Jason? What about out brother Commander? The one that Colonel Saul Tigh had promised to bring back." Ceres snapped, Adama raised his eyebrows a little. "I don't mean to speak out of term but I need to speak my mind."
"I'm sorry Commander." Grace quickly added.
"Never mind, so you say Jason didn't make it off of Caprica?"
"Yes." Grace whispered quickly.
"Then if he is still there then maybe Karl Agathon will bring him home."
"You mean he isn't here! Oh my. I don't. Oh god, oh god. No. I."
"Rosetti!" Adama snapped quietly, placing Maya back in the make-shift crib. "Now that you are aboard the Battlestar Galactica I would like it if you would join the Viper pilots."
"What about me looking after these-"
"I will have someone from the fleet to look after your brother and sisters, but I am assuming that is your way of accepting my proposal."
"I will accept once you bring someone over to look after the children, after a couple of days for the children to settle in. If that is okay."
"Then it appears we have an agreement." Adama held out his hand which Grace shook in her own.
"Thank you Commander. Thank you so much." Grace wiped a tear from her eye.
"Thank you." Ollie hugged Adama's legs and he ruffled the toddler's hair. Once Adama had left Grace put the children to bed one by one. Ollie, Tally, Seth and later Ceres. It left one empty bunk bed. Where Jason would have been. If only Tigh had brought him off of Caprica.
"I failed you Mum, I failed you. I failed both you and Dad. I am so sorry." Grace curled up on the bed after locking the quarters.