Summary:

A little bit fill in, a little bit wishful thinking.

RESURRECTION SHIP 1

Lee was stunned.

He'd just come from a blistering set down with Admiral Cain where not only was he demoted, he was lectured on visiting with the prisoner's to be executed. Something about him being Adama's son and under no circumstances was he to have contact with the former Galactica crewmen again. Like he was going to do what? Break them out of a sealed brig?

That was more Starbuck's style. Or it used to be.

He sought her out after his meeting with Cain…after he was informed she was his new boss, which he found amusing. At first. Until he told her he'd been to see Tyrol and Helo and she glanced up and said 'that's good…now help me plan this op.' And that's it?

Lee stared at her with something close to incredulity. "You wanna just carry on?" Maybe being promoted had addled her brain… "As if nothing's happened?" This was Tyrol and Helo they were talking about.

Kara had a lot of information swimming in her head. She had a promise to keep and Cain offered to let her do it. Kara didn't have time to explain all that to Lee. Hell, she didn't want to explain it to him right now. And as bad as she felt about Lee's demotion, she wasn't about to tell him to the whole story there either.

He didn't need to know she'd tendered a demand to the Admiral so she could keep him on her team. It was the least she could do considering the whole Blackbird op had been his brainstorm. Better Cain didn't know about that or things could end up blowing up in her face.

She was walking a fine line and the walls were closing in.

First things first, "Lee, she's in command. What do you want to do?" Stupid question…she knew what he wanted to do…probably had a plan already worked out. "There's nothing we can do." Kara had to get them through this mission before she could even think about anything else.

Tyrol and Helo would have to wait until the op was over.

Again, Lee was stunned. Kara Thrace had gone rank and file military on him and his world just tilted on its axis. Help her plan the op?

He blinked then shook his head to clear it. "Who are you?" He folded his arms and shifted his position. "And where did you put Starbuck?" This wasn't the Kara he knew…the one who'd be leading the charge to get her friends out of being executed.

Kara tossed the pen down on the table then narrowed her eyes. "What the frak does that mean?" She leaned forward, waiting for an answer.

Taking a step toward her, Lee placed his hands on the table and leaned in. "The Kara Thrace I know would be more concerned that two of her shipmates were condemned to death than planning some stupid op." It had to be the Pegasus…maybe there was something in the recycled air that made people go insane.

This wasn't going the way she expected. Only Lee would pick now to go rogue. "What do you want from me?" She stayed seated but sat up straight in the chair.

Now that was a loaded question. What did he want from her? He knew he didn't want this Kara. The one who seemed to be a completely different person. Right now…he didn't recognize her…

Giving her a measured look Lee responded. "I don't want a damned thing…" He swallowed hard then added tersely. "Sir." Rolling his eyes he swung around to make his way to the door.

Kara knew he was getting a raw deal from Cain but her instincts told her the Admiral wouldn't budge on the decision to demote him.

Still, his attitude was pissing her off. "You're not dismissed yet," Wincing inwardly, she added, "Lieutenant." Yep…that got his attention.

Of all the things Kara expected, Lee bailing wasn't one of them. She really did need his help planning the op. More than that, she wanted it.

Lee stopped abruptly, pivoting around, his posture rigid. He made his way back to the table to stand in front of her staring at her with eyes hot with anger.

Ah gods, she hated this. There was so much to say and no time to say it. How did she tell him she'd left a piece of herself back on Caprica? That if they pulled this off she would be able to keep a promise she'd made?

How did she explain it was important to her to follow through because she'd given her word and for once she wanted to do it right? Had to do it right so she could prove to herself she could move forward while still keeping a promise.

The fact was, right now she didn't have the luxury of time and Lee needed to just deal with it. "Dammit, Lee. Cain's not going to back down from any of this. She's determined to carry off this mission." Glancing down at the table, her stomach churned with adrenaline and a healthy dose of fear.

Admiral Cain wasn't the old man…Kara wouldn't let herself forget that. "This op needs to be planned now and I've got a bunch of prima donnas to mix in with Galactica pilots and all of them were ready to shoot each other out of the sky not so long ago." She looked up from the charts and rosters to find Lee still staring angrily at her.

She raised her eyebrows giving him a pointed look. "I need to focus here." And she did or the rapidly closing walls were going to crush them both with their weight.

Kara wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know or that he hadn't dealt with before. Didn't stop him from feeling like she'd gone over to the enemy, which was stupid but how he felt anyway. He'd thought they were working toward something but her abrupt change in attitude had his head spinning.

He wasn't letting her off the hook. "Life's rough, huh?" As far as he was concerned she was on her own.

Oh…he was pushing it. Lee was going to be on board one way or another. She wanted him on her team dammit.

Standing up, Kara faced him across the table. "Look. Cain was rough on you. I get that." When he only flicked a glance at her like she completely missed the point, Kara realized what the problem was. "I'm not Cain, Lee. I can't do this alone."

Lee crossed his arms in front of him. "Really? Since when?" He said it sarcastically, but really wanted to know the answer. This might just be the Kara he knew.

Kara didn't hesitate when she answered. She leaned forward, inches away from Lee's face. "Since I came back home." And it was true. Since landing on the Astral Queen, even with the bumpy start, she realized she didn't need to do it all…alone.

Those words changed everything for Lee. Holding her gaze, he saw the honesty in her eyes. She had come home…to him. And ever since, the bond between them had grown, become stronger and solidified into…something…more than friendship.

He reacted to her admission by closing the gap between them, softly saying. "Why didn't you say so?" Then his lips caught hers in a tentative kiss that quickly turned heated when Kara fisted her hand in his shirt, pulling him deeper into the embrace.

The table between them was a hindrance but Kara solved it by shoving the charts and rosters out of the way and climbing up on it to wrap her arms around Lee. Her legs quickly followed, snaking around his waist while his hands busied themselves freeing her hair from her ponytail.

Plunging his fingers into the golden strands, Lee angled her head back so his lips could burn a trail down her throat. Cain, Helo, Tyrol, the mission, everything slid away as his mind focused on the woman before him. None of it mattered to him. This stolen time was the only thing he gave a damn about.

Kara gave up thoughts of the op. She needed this…needed Lee. His lips sliding over her skin was the only thing she wanted to wrap her brain around at the moment. Her fingers moved between them, quickly undoing the buttons of his shirt so they could feel the warm flesh underneath.

She moaned at the contact. "Gods, Lee." Not wanting to waste any more time, her hands moved to the fastenings of his pants working them loose so she could reach in to feel the length of him.

Clothes rapidly came undone. Lee's hands undid Kara's pants and she wriggled them off her hips while he freed his cock from his boxers. Kara kicked her clothes to the floor then she wrapped her legs around Lee again as his hands grasped her hips pulling her to the edge of the table and up against his erection.

Gasping her name, Lee's mouth found hers and as he lowered her back, his cock slid between her folds sinking deep. He pulled back from the kiss to savor the sensation then let himself be drawn back into the embrace as her legs tightened around him, heels digging into his ass.

Kara's hips met Lee's thrust for thrust. She wasn't interested in slow and easy. Fast and hard was how they needed this first time to be. Lee's lips moved up her throat, his hot breath in her ear and Kara let herself just feel the heat and friction between them. It built rapidly and all her pulse points were pounding with the heady feeling of having him inside her.

There was so much to do, so many changes, but Lee was always steady, strong and just…there. And right now he was moving against her, whispering her name and it was the only thing that mattered to her. It was her last coherent thought. Sliding her hands up Lee's back, Kara bit down on his shoulder to keep from shouting as the beginning thrum of her orgasm took her by surprise then blew through her system like wildfire.

Lee's focus was split between watching Kara writhe beneath him and the feelings ripping through his body as it burned with tension, tingling awareness coursing throughout. His desire to make it last warred with his need to carry them over the peak and beyond. Sweat broke out over his skin and his breath hitched in his throat as the exquisite sensation of having her soft walls wrapped around his cock drove him to edge of reason.

The sharp nip of her teeth on his skin drew a hoarse groan and her shattering climax pulled his own release out of him as he emptied himself buried deep inside. His head hit her shoulder as his vision blurred to a hazy gray and his brain exploded with satisfaction. The feel of Kara's tongue flicking over the mark she made added to the pleasure.

Once Kara could breathe again, her hands lifted Lee's head from her shoulder and she rose up to meet his lips in a kiss. She chuckled softly when Lee grabbed her tanks and pulled them gently over her head while her hands went to his shirt to button it back up.

With a soft grin she slid off the table, accepting the pants Lee handed over while he straightened his clothes and tucked his shirt back in. She slid her legs into them watching as he picked up the rosters and charts scattered on the floor.

Once they were on the table, she leaned against the edge and drew him to her leaving her hands on his hips. His quizzical look made her smile and she gave him a quick kiss because it did.

There was something she needed him to understand before they continued on. Holding his gaze, she began. "I'm playing Cain's game for now, Lee." Her hands slid up his back more for comfort than anything else. "I'm trying to make sure everybody wins, here." She'd tell him the rest of it…her promise to go back to Caprica and her reasons why later. Right now she wanted him to know she was still on everybody's side. Tyrol and Helo were okay for now…she'd find a way to keep them that way…hopefully with Lee's help.

Lee finally got it. This was still his Kara…she was just playing with the cards as they were dealt.

Cupping her face, he kissed her soundly then grinned. "Don't we have an op to plan?" He'd have her back no matter what happened.

FIN