DISCLAIMER: See previous
FIRST TIME
Kenzi headed off to the shower. She was enjoying the hot water on her tired muscles when Karl, or Helo, came in the showers to report to Kenzi what had happened.
"Daphne," he called from the lockers.
"Yeah, Helo," she said back. "I'll be there in a second," she said.
She stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel to wrap around herself. She knew she'd probably embarrass Helo, but he had come to seek her out in the showers, he'd have to deal.
She came out of the showers and stood in the door way between the showers and lockers. She sighed.
"Only one reason you're here. What did Kara do to get herself in hack again," she asked.
"How did you know," Helo asked.
"She's my sister and if it wasn't important or about her, you would be waiting outside for me to exit the locker room. Your cheeks are getting red, by the way," she said, smirking at Karl.
"You're too much. She hit the XO," Karl said.
"Wow! I'm amazed she hadn't hit him before now. Guess I need to babysit her again," Kenzi said.
"Just thought you'd want to know," he said.
"Thanks. I'll go see her when I change," she said.
Karl left the locker room and Kenzi changed her clothes. She got into her off duty tank and cargo pants and headed toward the brig.
She saw her sister sitting on the bed. "Again? Do you need a babysitter," she asked.
"Frak off, Kenz. He insulted me first," she said.
"So you hit him? Aggressive much," Kenzi asked, smiling at her sister.
"Don't worry about it. It was actually worth it," Kara said.
"I'll bring you back something to eat in the morning. You think you can stay out of trouble while I'm gone," she asked.
"Frak you," Kara said to Kenzi's retreating back. Despite the harsh words, Kenzi knew her sister was teasing.
Kenzi arrived back at the bunk to the whispers of her bunk mates.
"I wouldn't talk about Starbuck if I were you," Kenzi said, shooting a glance at the personnel in the room. "You have no idea the things Starbuck can do to a person that won't leave any identifying marks," Kenzi added, seeing the fear on the faces of her fellow pilots.
They quickly got quiet and prepared themselves to turn in for the night.
She laughed at the thought of her sister in the brig, again and wondered if she'd get out before the decommissioning ceremony.
Kenzi headed to visit her sister the next morning. She stopped at the mess to get Kara some breakfast. She saw the XO coming toward her.
"You going to visit Starbuck," he asked, looking at her food choices.
"Well, she is my sister. The only family I have that means anything so I'm bringing her something to eat," Kenzi said.
"She isn't allowed," Tigh said.
"Colonel, I know you have no use for my sister, but do you realize all the paperwork and interviewing that will go on if it gets out you're the one who ordered Kara to be left without food and something happens. That's not a good thing, sir," she added, though the last part gave her a bad taste in her mouth.
Tigh jerked his head to the right, a sign Kenzi took to mean she should leave before he changed his mind. She visited her sister in the brig in the morning. She sat the fruit cup, juice and bowl of oatmeal in front of her.
"What, no eggs, bacon," Kara asked, eying food.
"You can't exactly be too choosy here, Kara. Enjoy. You're lucky the XO let me bring this to you. I think he'd rather you starve until I reminded him of all the paperwork and questioning involved if you were to die while under his orders in the brig. Now, I know he hates me," Kenzi said.
"Why should I get all the fun," Kara asked, looking up at her sister as she took a bite of the oatmeal.
"Eat," Kenzi said.
"You thought about what you'll do when Lee come aboard," Kara said, pushing her sister again.
"I hadn't thought about it. I probably won't get to talk to him because I'll be participating in the flyby and he'll be busy with his duties with his father," Kenzi said.
"Please! You know you want to talk to him," Kara said, finishing her oatmeal.
Kenzi shook her head. "It doesn't matter. What ever Lee and I meant to each other doesn't matter now. It's been too long," she said.
"Too long? It's been six months. You've been on Galactica for six months. You came here, at your request, after you left him. You know you need to talk to him, especially since he has no frakking idea that you're here," Kara said.
"He knows. I'm sure his father has said something to him," Kenzi said.
"Lee and his father making small talk across space. Not going to happen in this lifetime," Kara said, handing the tray back to her sister. Kenzi sat the tray on the desk behind her and turned back to face Kara.
"If I see him, I'll talk to him, but I don't think we have much to say to each other. It's in the past and there is nothing, NOTHING, that can change what happen. We're beyond getting back together," Kenzi said.
"You still love him. Despite the cheating, which was probably an isolated incident given the trauma you went through, you still love him. You've forgiven him. You'd go back in a heartbeat," Kara said.
Kenzi glared at her sister. "How do you know that."
"You haven't so much as looked at another guy the entire time you've been on Galactica and I know they've asked because they always see if I'll put in a good word for you. Gods, you're friends with Tyrol and Karl because they're 'safe.' Face it, you're holding out for Apollo. You're Daphne. It's fated," Kara said, smirking at her sister.
"I'm going to get out of here since I'M free to leave this room. Enjoy yourself, Lieutenant," Kenzi said.
"Same to you, Lieutenant," Kara answered back.
Kenzi closed the door behind her and headed toward her bunk.
She opened the door and found it, surprisingly, empty. She figured everyone else was most likely eating breakfast. She opened the door to her locker and pulled the box off the top shelf. She sat on her bunk, just below her sister's, and took the lid off the box.
Inside she felt each of the treasures in the box. She had a photo of her and Kara from when they were kids that she placed on her shelf above her bunk. She had another of her and Kara that she had taped to the corner of the locker door. She found her father's viper wings. She remembered how proud he had been when she'd earned her wings. He gave his to her when he'd retired. Kenzi closed her eyes to keep from crying. Those wings were the only tangible piece she had from her father. She pulled two photos from the bottom of the box. The first was a picture of her and Lee standing in front of his Viper. She'd been there when he'd been asked to test the new Vipers and she'd been so happy to stand with him and pose in front of the Viper that held his name and call-sign. The other was a photo of her and Lee taken by a beach on Picon. He and Kenzi had taken off for a week and gone to Picon to get away from everything. If the doctor was right about the dates, the photo was taken the morning after she'd conceived their child.
She felt the tears coming and willed them away. She still felt the pain in her heart, despite the months that had passed since the miscarriage and the demise of her relationship. She was tired of fooling herself. No matter how she twisted the situation, Kenzi was still in love with Lee, despite the infidelity and the painful way he'd shut her out of his life.
Lee Adama was in his Mark VII approaching Galactica when he was notified he'd have a 'hands on' approach to land on the Galactica deck.
Figuring it was just another way for the 'old man' to stick it to him, Lee grudgingly took the controls and landed his plane on the deck of Galactica.
Chief Tyrol helped Lee out of his cockpit and started talking about how much he admired Lee's father.
Lee didn't want to hear how great the crew thought 'dear old dad' was and nodded to the Chief and headed off in search of Starbuck.
He heard someone talk of Starbuck being in hack and, after changing in the guest cabin he was assigned, headed to the brig to see his oldest and best friend.
"This is getting to be a habit," he said.
"Captain, sir. Sorry, I wasn't there to greet you. Did they kiss your ass to your satisfaction," Kara asked, a smile playing across her face.
"What is it this time," he asked, ignoring her question.
"Striking a superior asshole," she said. "But it was worth it," she added.
Lee shook his head. "Same old Starbuck," he said.
They talked a bit about little things before Starbuck mentioned anything about Zak or the funeral or Lee's father.
"Your dad's fine. We only talk about it two, three times a year," Kara said.
"I don't want to talk about that. He should feel guilty," Lee said, unable to keep the pleasant conversation going after Kara mentioned Zak.
"He lost a son, Lee," Kara said.
"He was my brother," he said right back at her.
"Oh, and what was he to me," she countered.
"I didn't mean," he started.
"Just go. I'm getting the urge to strike another superior asshole," Kara said, resuming her pushups. She had thought about telling Lee that Kenzi was now aboard the ship, but she decided against it. Kenzi knew Lee was coming, so she was prepared. She wanted Lee to sweat upon seeing her sister. 'That's payback,' she thought to herself as Lee left the brig.
Kenzi kept herself out of sight until the ceremony was to begin and she reported to the briefing room. She slid into a seat in the back and prayed to the gods that Lee wouldn't notice her sitting in the back row with a group of pilots.
The briefing began.
Lee didn't like everyone clapping for him just because he happened to have the last name of Adama. He was even more distressed to learn he had to fly his father's 40 year old Viper. 'This just gets better and better,' he thought to himself.
When the briefing was dismissed, Kenzi hid in the crowd while Lee took off to the pre-ceremony activities. When the coast was clear for Kenzi, she went to change into her flight suit.
