Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica though I take ownage of the OC's
A/N: Reviews and comments please, I've tried to do a chronological order at the T.V series but with a few extra tweaks.
Part 11 – Hanger deck
Grace landed the softest landing she had ever had. When she climbed out of the Viper she walked over to Lee.
"She's back." She mumbled, still unable to accept the fact that Starbuck was alive. "Come on Lee." As soon as Starbuck had two feet on the ground Lee and Grace threw their arms around Kara in a tight embrace. "You're really here."
"Hey, I've only been gone like eight hours, what's the problem?"
"Step back everyone." Admiral Adama called out. Lee, Grace and Sam slowly shuffled back as guns clicked as they were aimed at Kara. "Take her to sick bay." Grace tried to stop them but Lee wrapped his arms around her.
"Stop it, stop thinking it, it's not true!" Grace screamed, she knew they thought she was some kind of cylon.
"Rosetti!" Adama yelled to silence her. Grace turned and sobbed into Lee. "Captain Rosetti and Lee Adama, with me!"
"Come on, come on." Lee followed Grace up the ladder and they waited in Adama's quarters where the Admiral and Roslin were busy talking over something. Lee turned towards Grace, holding her shoulder. "I was thinking, maybe it would be a good time to legally and officially get married. Maybe in two days' time if you're ready?" Lee whispered to her.
"Really?"
"Yes." Grace and Lee's heads moved closer and closer until they kissed lightly. "Sounds perfect." Tigh pulled Grace away from Lee.
"Don't make me separate you two like a bunch of teenagers." He snipped.
"Well I can't help but kiss the person I love when we've decided to get married in two days' time." Lee reached out for Grace's hand. "To have and to hold."
"Until death do they part." Laura Roslin added. "Congratulations to you both."
"Thank you." Grace added shyly, looking to the floor. When she left up she saw her. "Kara!" She exclaimed as Starbuck stepped back into Adama's quarters. "You don't know how pleased I am to see you. It tore me apart knowing that you weren't here." Grace buried herself into Kara's arms.
"It's okay Grace." Kara said, "I guess I felt so too. So what do the results say Admiral?"
"Everything's fine." The Admiral replied.
"So I am Kara Thrace but I'm not a cylon?"
"It would appear so." Admiral Adama looked down at Kara as she slumped down in the chair at the centre of the room.
"Damn, I was hoping I would be able to do more crazy stunts when we battled with the cylons next and effectively live to tell the tale"
"That is no laughing matter Miss Thrace." Laura Roslin sat down in the chair opposite Kara.
"I can't do this." Grace said. Everyone turned to look at here. Adama, Roslin, Kara, Tigh and Lee turned to her. "I can't sit here and watch you interrogate her like this, she isn't a cylon. She isn't, I know she isn't. So stop thinking that she is." Grace paused. "I'm sorry, I have to get out of here." Grace walked out and bumped into various pilots, specialists and crew members. Though she was happy to see Kara back on Galactica, she was alarmed at the point where she remembered Lee telling her that he watched Kara's Viper explode. Grace found herself in the briefing room where she put the footage from Lee's Viper on the screen and focused entirely on the footage and what she could hear.
"They're waiting for me Lee."
"No! NO!"
"They're waiting for me Lee."
"No! NO!" Lee's scream made her insides turn. "You too huh?" Grace turned to see Lee by the end of the row of chairs. His father followed behind.
"Where does your heart lie?" Grace asked the two Adamas.
"I want to believe her but Laura is right." Admiral Adama said. Grace turned around in her chair to see the Major insignias on the chair's armrest between Lee and the Admiral. "Put them back on."
"Baltar's trail may have been the traitor but this is a feeling I have been having for a while now." Lee started. Grace pleaded with her eyes for him to take back the insignias. "There's a position going up. I think I could make a valuable contribution there, maybe even more than the cockpit. Dad, what if Zak had come back on that Viper? Would it matter if he had been a cylon? Would it change how we really feel?" Lee stared at his father who looked to the floor.
"If I cannot change your mind then I will let you choose your own path even if it is not the path I wish for you to choose." Admiral Adama smiled weakly.
"I will be there for you every step of the way Lee." Grace added, trying to make the others remember that she was still there.
"I know you will, especially now you're the new joint CAG." Lee stood up and kissed Grace's forehead before leaving the room. Grace rested her chin on the head of the chair.
"He isn't going to forgive me for accepting the role is he?" Grace moved beside Admiral Adama. "Do you think he will ever forgive?"
"Lee will forgive you in due time. For now, I believe that I have a little gift for you from the seamstresses from Aquaria, Caprica, Virgon, Leonis, Picon, Scorpia, Aerelon, Gemenon, Libris, Sagittaron and Tauron. They collaboratively made it on behalf of you but you have Laura Roslin to personally thank." Admiral Adama pulled out a box.
"I can't accept this." Grace looked at the pristine white material. "This is like the only white thing I have seen since I left Caprica. I don't want to take this beautiful thing anywhere. I don't even, I can't even begin to think about wearing this, I can't, it's too beautiful."
"But it will suit you I'm sure." The Admiral smiled at his daughter in law to be. "Only two days now. Go on, grumpy will be waiting on you Venus."
"Thank you Admiral."
"Captain Rosetti-Adama." Adama saluted her and she returned the salute swiftly. Grace cradled the box in her arms as she made it back to the Rosetti Adama quarters. Tally, Seth and Maya were sound asleep. Lee was busy playing with Will and Hope as if he were a lion.
"Rawr!" He yelled making a lunge for Hope who ran out of the way. Will jumped onto Lee's back.
"Mummy!" Hope squealed jumping up into her mother's arms.
"Ooo. Well, haven't you been having fun?"
"We were being lions with Daddy. I'm a lion, rawr!" Hope squealed, Grace put her down and watched her daughter leap back onto Lee.
"What's in the box?" Lee asked as he wrestled with Will and Hope.
"Just a gift from Laura and also your father to me. For the wedding."
"Do I get to see this gift?"
"No, you cannot see this dress."
"A dress? Now I just want to see it."
"Oh, I shouldn't have said anything. Well you will have to wait." Grace put the box on top of a wardrobe. "Come on you two, Auntie Maya and Tally and Uncle Seth are asleep now. Your turn."
"Oh, but we want to play with Daddy." The twins protested.
"Come on you two, now we have a little party to go to." Grace pulled Lee away after they put the twins to sleep, it wasn't easy explaining to them that Mummy was going to be working more and that Daddy was going on a holiday but all five of them understood but were happy at least before they dropped off again. Grace closed the door quietly behind her, placing an old scarf around Lee's eyes.
"Where are we going?" Lee felt out blindly for her. He trusted Grace enough to lead him through Galactica, she herself could have actually done it blindfolded.
"In here Lee." Grace pushed open the door and walked into the effective pilot's playroom where everyone was divulging in games of strip poker, reminiscing, telling stories of years gone by and drinking to various people and places. Grace watched as everyone hugged and slapped Lee on the back. She was finally where she wanted to be. Helo brought in a case of strange concoctions and poured out a set of six shots glasses for Lee to toast to.
"Oh no, I've got a drink right here." Lee objected holding up his drink.
"No Lee, go on. It's your party remember." Grace winked playfully at him, pushing him towards Helo as everyone cheered.
"To Galactica."
One.
"To the men and women of Galactica."
Two.
"To the Admiral. Who commands the men and women of Galactica."
Three.
"To our sweethearts, husbands and wives."
Four.
"To absent friends."
Five.
"And finally to my fiancé Grace Rosetti, newly appointed Captain whom I couldn't be the man I am today without her."
Six. Helo went and stood beside Grace after she shared a passionate kiss with Lee.
"Hang on while I just throw up Helo." She joked watching Lee join his fellow pilots.
"Oh come on, it's cute." He nudged her arm. "Hera was asking after you by the way."
"That's nice. She's welcome to come and play with my siblings and the twins any time."
"Thank you, I appreciate the notion. How is your little project coming along?" Helo nudged her arm a little more.
"I'm running out of materials to use, I might end up tearing the ship apart if I'm not careful. I still need to propose the idea to the Admiral."
"You'll do fine, and we need something to keep us positive, I agree that it is worth asking about, you'll never know unless you ask. Besides, you'll always have your album for keep sake, you can take photos of the project in progress."
"You're right." Grace nodded. "Thanks Helo." She hugged Helo before walking towards the Admiral whilst Lee held a bottle in the air. "Behave Lee!" Grace shouted jokily across the room. "Admiral Adama, I have been meaning to propose an idea I have had."
"Okay, what are you thinking of proposing?"
"Well, we have a wall for the lost souls of the fleet but I have been taking more and more photos of what is going on now and I was thinking of doing a more positive celebratory wall. Where we put the happier stuff up there. I've loved looking at photographs because they give us hope, faith and the strength to carry on. I've been looking at certain hallways I got use and there are plenty that are blank and I know that if I do this then my fellow CAG can take training duties."
"Trial it, produce a mock-up of your idea and see where it gets you, come and show it to me and then, and then I will allow you to start decorating a hallway."
"Thank you Admiral." Grace smiled. She threw her arms around Helo. "He said yes! He said I could do it!"
"Brilliant. I'm pleased for you."
"I need to ask a favour from you."
"What is it?"
"I need you to check in on my children and siblings seeing as Lee will be off elsewhere and I'll be collecting memories with the film I have left."
"Of course I will. You can count on me and I'm sure Hera and Athena will do so too."
"Helo, thank you." After the party had finished Grace dragged a slightly drunk Lee back to their quarters and she put him down to sleep. Picking up the box with the dress inside and the camera with her to the officers' quarters. When she knocked on the door Racetrack opened the door and Grace could see her bare shoulders as she peeped around the door to see Grace.
"Venus, what's up?" Racetrack whispered.
"Lee was meant to come here for a joke but you got me, it is the wedding tomorrow and he's got the quarters we share." Grace explained.
"Well, it's a little busy and heated in here and you might not feel like joining in seeing as it's your wedding day tomorrow." Racetrack bit her lip a little. Hotdog appeared in the doorway completely naked joking about a little before clutching a pillow off the nearest bed.
"Venus, I'm so fracking sorry. I thought you were someone else there." Hotdog went bright red before he disappeared behind the shelter of the door.
"Racetrack, my, my. I will leave you to it. Bye Racetrack. See you in the morning."
"Bye Venus." Racetrack closed the door and Grace walked further around the corridor.
"Grace, what are you doing out here?" She looked to see Helo standing in the doorway.
"Looking for a place to stay the night, Lee's crashed out on the whole bed. The wedding is tomorrow and so much just isn't ready. I don't even know where I am going"
"Hey, hey. Athena was about to come find you." Helo smiled as Athena snaked her arms around Helo and squeezed him.
"Come on Venus, we gotta get some sleep and Helo's going to go and sort Apollo out for tomorrow now."
"Too true." Grace stepped inside the Agathon's quarters as they closed the door behind Helo. "Thank you for this Athena." Grace pulled a blanket out and slept on the sofa. "Night Athena." Grace closed her eyes and tried to sleep, willing herself to sleep. Fortunately when she woke up Hera was pulling the blanket off her shoulders. "Morning Hera. Morning Sharon."
"Grace, this dress is beautiful." Sharon beamed lifting up the dress. "I wish I got married in something like this."
"Don't dote on the past Sharon." Grace sighed. "Come on you two, what shall I do with my hair?"
"Cut it all off." Hera murmured.
"Do you think it would look good?" Grace laughed. "I don't think so.
"Come sit down here Grace." Sharon pulled out a chair and fiddled with Grace's hair, braiding it into an elaborate and neat design "It's something I remember being taught to do."
"Well it looks beautiful." Grace said lifting the dress up and out of the box it had lived in for a while now. "This is it. Help me out will ya?" Grace lifted the dress up to her chest and Sharon zipped it up. The dress was sleeveless and hugged Grace's waist and then dropped down and out a tiny bit.
"Pretty." Hera smiled.
"Thank you Hera." Grace bent down and kissed the girl. A rapid knock encouraged Sharon to open the door.
"Colonel Tigh, she is ready." Sharon opened the door wide open. Tigh's mouth dropped open.
"Grace, Grace you look beautiful." Tigh sighed. "Just like Amelia herself. Beautiful." He paused. "Shall we go?" Tigh held out his arm for Grace to link with. They walked with Sharon and Hera through the Galactica and down to the hanger deck. This was a surprise to Grace, it wasn't quite the wedding venue but it was home. All eyes turned to Grace, smiles creeping out as they watched her walk towards Lee and the Admiral. Suddenly all Grace could think about was how she could mess up and make a fool of herself. Hera skipped ahead in front of Grace. Tigh kissed Grace's cheek before leaving her by Lee's side. Grace and Lee looked at each other with smiles of joy. They listened as a priest started of the ceremony until the vows.
"Grace Aurora Rosetti, when I met you for the first time I remember being about five years old and you were with your parents to meet mine. I thought you were pretty. Then I saw you at the Academy and enjoyed every minute of it. We've made so many memories together but now, I know that you are the one person I have been waiting for all my life, the one that would always know exactly what to say, the one that I want to share the rest of my life with. Together, so that we never change. I do, I do take thee Grace to be my lawfully wedded wife."
"Leland Joseph Adama. I can remember writing some kind of speech that I would write. But I don't need fancy words to express my feelings towards you. You are the only one I have ever felt this way about, the first and the last. When you asked me to marry you I was overjoyed, I had been waiting for that moment to come around. I don't want either of us to change. Right now, I feel that you are the only person I could have said yes to, I just hope that I can make you as happy as you have made me." Grace stopped, Lee wiped a tear away from her cheek.
"You don't have to say anything else." Lee said.
"I do, I do. I love you from the bottommost part of my heart, I have, I do and I will always love you Lee, Leland, Junior Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Commander, Major, Apollo, Mr Adama. I take thee Lee to be my lawfully wedded husband."
"Then by the power of the twelve colonies I now pronounce you husband and wife." The priest said smiling. Lee took Grace in his arms, swept her round and kissed her. Grace wished that it wouldn't stop but like most things, it did! But there's no Grace Rosetti around anymore, it's Grace Adama now. And she couldn't be happier. Cally was busy in the corner taking a series of snaps of and throughout the wedding. There may even have been a tear welling up in Tigh's eye. Grace disappeared and changed into her uniform ready for Lee's farewell party in the evening. Admiral Adama gave her a frame, with Lee's Major insignia.
"Give him this before he goes. I know things will be tough on you with him gone but I'm sure you can get plenty of support here. Especially now that you are not only one of my Galactica family but you are also in the Adamas." He smiled at her and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "You remind me a lot of your mother and also your father, you truly are their daughter."
"Thank you Admiral." Grace turned to slid down the ladder and onto the hanger deck. Cally handed her her camera and the extra film canister. "Thank you for taking the photos."
"Anytime, it was beautiful and that dress was absolutely the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."
"Thank you." Grace loaded up another film canister to the camera and took a picture of the crew standing to attention as Lee walked onto the hanger deck with Sharon. "Lee!" She called out from beside the Admiral and the Colonel as she took another pictures. She watched as he said his goodbyes to his fellow pilots. Hope and Will ran towards him and he squeezed them tightly in his arms. They ran on towards Grace who slipped them the Major insignia frame. When Lee said goodbye to his father he went back to the twins.
"What have you got there?" Lee asked them, they showed him the insignia. "Oh you two." He kissed their cheeks and then stood up straight looking right up Grace. "I will always love you, no matter where we are. Look after the children."
"Oh, Lee, I've been dragged away to work on a solo project."
"You're leaving so soon?"
"I'll probably see you around Lee." Grace smiled, leant forwards and kissed Lee before throwing her arms around him. "Promise me you'll stay in touch with me and the children, and you have to visit."
"I promise Grace."
"Thank you. Okay everyone." Grace stepped up onto the raptor. "Listen up, we haven't been thinking of many happy thoughts and whilst we, the crew of Battlestar Galactica are here together as one family it's about time that we commemorated that don't you think?" Cheers echoed in the hanger deck as Grace climbed skilfully onto the roof of the raptor. She held the camera to her eye and looked at everyone through the eyehole. "Ready? One, two, three." Grace clicked the shutter two more times so that there would be at least one of the three would be good enough to start the memory wall. "Thank you everyone."
This marked the start of the memory wall.