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 12 – Hanger deck
Grace stepped onto the raptor with Lee and Sharon where Lee was dropped off on Colonial One and Grace stayed there in order to hear his short speech in acceptance for his place on the Quorum followed by the numerous questions of the Press. Grace waved bye to Lee before Sharon pulled her away.
"Before the press realise who you are Venus, come on."
"Where are you going to drop me off?"
"You're going to fly me back to Galactica and then on to wherever it is that you need to go."
"No problem, you might to sit in the passenger seat with me just in case I fly into any ships."
"Oh Grace, don't be so hard on yourself."
"Hey, it's Grace Adama. Mrs Adama, Mrs Adama." One news reporter followed Sharon and Grace onto the hanger deck.
"I hate to say it but you were right Sharon, I shouldn't have hung about." Grace jumped onto the raptor and took off. "Bye Lee." She mumbled. "Good luck and stay safe."
"He'll be okay Grace. Besides, you've both got things to be getting on with." Sharon said as Grace flew the raptor through the air towards the Battlestar Galactica. "I don't know what you were panicking about, that's one of the smoothest rides I have ever been on."
"Thank you Sharon." Grace opened the raptor's door before setting off again for one of the civilian ships. After travelling around the ship and meeting families on board she learnt about their stories and effectively wrote down a lot of notes down on the first of many notebooks, Grace heard some news that devastated her, Cally had committed suicide. One of the few people that Grace felt a genuine connection with. Grace sat in the room she developed photos, her new room for the time being, she waited for her wedding photos to develop under the red light. Picking up the phone she asked to be patched through to her family.
"Hello Mummy."
"Hiya Will, how are you?"
"I'm okay. Hope is here."
"Hello Mum!" Hope squeaked down the phone. "I'm doing a drawing."
"We saw Daddy." Lee squealed in an unbelievable high pitch.
"Oh yeah." Grace smiled. "What did he say?"
"He loved us and Mummy very much. We heard him speaking on the radio."
"Me too. Isn't that weird."
"Yeah, how did you hear him?"
"I listened to the radio, just like you did."
"Hey Grace, it's Seth. Did you hear the news?"
"About what?"
"About Cally, she, she."
"I know Seth. I know. But you guys are all okay?"
"Lots of people come in and check on us to see if we're okay."
"Well Seth, I might come visit soon. Okay?"
"Come today, you must be finished on that ship right?" Grace smiled and agreed to come back to Galactica, putting her boxes on the raptor and when on the Galactica she left the photos and camera in the raptor, panicking when she saw Racetrack crash her raptor on the hanger deck. Grace let the raptor go down onto the hanger deck. "Racetrack! Skulls! Everyone alright in there?" The raptor was taken down onto the hanger deck where the Chief flipped out.
"Tell me I fracked up! Tell me!"
Grace walked away along the bottommost deck of the Battlestar Galactica where Gaius Baltar was causing a racket in a worship room.
"Woah, cool it guys!" Grace yelled as he grappled with one woman there. Many of the women who were supporting Gaius struggled against some officers who had come to the sound of trouble. "Take him out of here." Grace pulled Gaius' hand up behind his back a little as she passed him onto another officer. Grace followed the officer to the brig where Grace sat silently in the corner. Laura Roslin came into the brig shortly after.
"Captain Adama. You can leave us now." Grace nodded, leaving the brig and walking towards her old quarters. Inside Seth, Tally and Maya were being looked after by Racetrack at this moment in time. She was sitting on the sofa, supporting Will who stood on her legs. Hope was lying on a play mat on the floor batting a dangling mobile.
"Hey Racetrack, how have you been?" Grace said setting the box down on the table. "Thank you for taking care of these guys, they can be quite a handful at times."
"It's nothing Grace. I only wish I had children of my own."
"There's still time missy, for all you know that special guy is just waiting for you on one of those other ships out there in the fleet. Just waiting for you. Now come here for a cuddle you guys!" Seth, Maya and Tally squeezed Grace tightly. "I missed you."
"We did too." Maya replied.
"Where's my beautiful baby girl?" Grace asked straightening up.
"She's right there." Tally pointed at the floor where she lay. Hope was kicking and clutching her toes, making a gleeful noise when she saw her mother.
"Hello my beautiful baby girl. Come to Mum." Grace cooed picking her daughter up, rubbing her nose against Hope's. "I love you lots Hope."
"Me too." Hope squeaked. Grace placed her on the floor and left the room. She noticed Lee running past her.
"Lee." Grace mumbled following him. Down to where Gaius had been hiding all this time. The pair pushed their way.
"Wait, wait stop. The quorum had just met in an emergency session, full right of assembly has been restored. You can go back into your home." The women pulled Gaius to his feet and he fell into Lee. The women passed him by, filing into their home. "Grace." He kissed her cheek, putting his arms around her shoulders. "I can't start to say how much I have missed you."
"And I, you." Grace whispered, closing her eyes tight and living the moment. "I'm worried about you. I want to warn you about how you are carrying out your new work."
"Don't start telling me about getting on the wrong side of Roslin, Zarek and I are well on the way to getting what we want."
"Pardon?" Grace stepped back.
"Zarek and I are working together on some stuff." Lee reached out for Grace but she moved away.
"Lee, this isn't who you are. Don't go back to being someone you are not, please. I don't think I can be with, I mean, I found it extremely hard when it felt like I was losing you. I don't want to lose you again like I did before. You said you didn't want me to change but you shouldn't change either."
"Don't be like that." Lee sighed. "I only want to leave my mark in the quorum."
"And I want to create this commemorative wall. One baby was born on the Rising Star, a beautiful baby girl. And I've got some pictures aboard Colonia One. It's all coming together, even Sam getting his Ensign insignias are in there somewhere. I have to do this mock up now so I will go and do that."
"Please."
"Please what?"
"Forgive me, I am the one who should be grovelling to you, not you who is arguing with me. I'm sorry." Lee reached out for her hand. Grace sniffed a little.
"I love you Lee. But sometimes you can be a right frack sometimes."
"I don't know how the frack you are still with me Grace Adama."
"My mum always told me something that I agree with. We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly. It means I don't care about what you think are your flaws, because, to me, you are the most perfect man in the whole fleet." Grace took his hands in hers. "We are making our own sacrifices, it's only natural for us to go our own ways. I'm just tired and feeling the strain of life." The pair walked around the Battlestar Galactica.
"Beautiful. You know, one day, we will have our own home on Earth, where Will and Hope can have some remainder of a childhood. A house where we can be ourselves. And where I don't have to care about anyone else." Lee placed a hand on Grace's cheek. "All I want is to be with you."
"Lee. That is what I have always wanted." Lee and Grace returned to their quarters and spent a long night just savouring each moment.
The next evening, Lee and Grace journeyed to the bar which now had a piano. She sat down in the stool beside it as Lee ordered drinks for them. Grace felt the keys under her fingers. "Da-da-da, da-da-da, da-da, da." She lost herself in the piano part but it wasn't the same. Something was missing, then it hit her.
Her father taught her the song she was playing. But there were two parts and with only two hands she was in need of another. It was the part she would normally play as her father led. But when it wasn't there, and it didn't feel right.
"How do you know that song?" A voice asked. Startled, Grace turned around and saw the woman she knew as Tory staring at her with an expression of worry.
"It's just something my Dad taught me when I was a kid. What's the problem?"
"It's nothing. No reason." Tory disappeared and Grace moved to sit beside Lee.
"What was that all about?" Lee asked.
"I don't know, she just seemed shook up by my musical ability." Grace murmured knocking back some ambrosia. "Eurgh, how do you people drink this stuff?"
"You were easily able to knock it back when I came back to the old Rosetti quarters." Lee laughed.
"Yeah, but it was easier because I was with you."
"Aren't you with me?"
"Oh no, that's not what I mean at all Lee, I didn't know how you really felt about me so I had to see how things panned out."
"It didn't take much to figure out, I meant what I said in my vows but at the time, I was just being stupid and arrogant."
"No, you weren't. Look where you are now."
"I'm sitting here, having a drink with my lovely wife, my beautiful wife." Lee leant across the table and kissed Grace's lips. "But how can I forget the drinking game that me and Kara tricked you into?" Lee laughed as Grace put her hands over her hand in embarrassment. "You know which one I'm talking about?"
"Well there are a lot but to name a few. There's the first time which consisted of me letting go of myself and giving you and Kara lap dances. Then there was the time that I became a limpet and stuck to you like glue, you carried me nearly everywhere that night. And me passing out on the balcony was interesting. Or the time where it was me, you, Zak and Kara where Kara wanted you to take her on the table as I recall."
"You were awake then? I swear you pass out." Lee shied away a little.
"Nope. But it doesn't matter, besides, we all have our own experimentations." Grace smiled at Lee whose eyes had grown wide at his wife's sudden outburst of honesty and secrets. Clearly, Grace was a little loose tongued and ready to spill the beans.
"Tell me." Lee whispered. Grace rocked her head a little.
"Noo. Okay, I kissed Helo when we had combat training. Sssshhh." Grace slurred. "It was only once though, ddon't tell anyyy-onee." Grace giggled. "My Dad wished that you would like me. But you didn't. You loved Starbuck. Don't look so sad, part of you still does."
"Grace? You feeling alright?"
"Naooo." Grace stood up and staggered into a neighbouring table. "I think that ambrosia has something in it." Grace looked at Lee and screamed as she saw a strange mysterious being behind him. "Get away from me!" Grace screamed, dropping to the floor. Lee watched in fear and panic as his wife cowered away like she was.
"Grace? Why don't we go see Doctor Cottle?" Lee picked Grace up and struggled a little as she thrashed out.
"Get them away, run! They're after me!" Grace screamed a series of lines about these strange beings she had been seeing. In the infirmary her thrashing about she so tedious that restraints lashed her wrists to the side of the bed, and her ankles to the post. "Let me out! They are coming for me!"
"Give her the jab, she's ingested a huge amount of hallucinogenic." Doc Cottle pushed past Lee, holding Grace down as the needle was pushed into her upper arm. Grace let out a scream before falling into the pillow and duvet.
Elsewhere in Grace's mind
Grace opened her eyes and looked around her, it was beautiful. Buildings grew up and over head. She saw a small park with playground furniture in it. Then she saw she recognised sitting on one of the swings. In awe she walked slowly over to them and dropped to her knees.
"Dad, is it really you?" Grace looked up and saw her father smile down at her wearing his flight suit.
"Stand up child, take a seat." Children began to run around in the park. "I heard I have a grandchild."
"You do, Will and Hope Adama."
"Adama?"
"Yes Dad, I am now married, married to Lee."
"Look how much you have grown up I am so proud, I hope you are both happy together."
"Why am I here Dad?"
"I wanted to see you and I am, worried about what Kara might find on her journey."
"The journey to Earth? Do you think they'll find another planet that isn't Earth."
"I cannot say. So how are you doing on the Battlestar Galactica?"
"I am Captain Adama-Rosetti."
"Grace, that makes me proud, I'm proud of who you've become. But I must ask you a favour, I want you to go to the piano and I need you play that song. I don't think you understand just how important it is." Grace's father smiled and walked away, Grace was frozen to the spot and would have moved to follow him but her body would not allow it.
"Grace, is it really you?"
"Mum? It is me. It's Grace."
"Grace, I need you to be careful. There are people close by you who you need to be careful of, they are not who you think they are."
"What do you mean Mum?
"Remember the rumours about there being twelve humanoid cylon models."
"Yeah, are you saying that they are going to be revealed or something?"
"I believe so Grace, congratulations on becoming a fitting wife and mother. I am so proud of the woman you have become. One day, I hope you are as proud of Hope and Will as I am of you. It is a feeling that I cannot even begin to describe."
"I love you Mum." Grace found herself getting up and hugging her mother. Her mother kissed her cheek and smiled, going the same way that Grace's father had gone. Grace ran that way and she ran into Zak Adama. "Zak?"
"Unless you know someone who looks exactly like me. How have you been Rosetti?"
"Zak, I can't believe it's you, Zak Adama. It's been some time now. Come here." Grace extended her arms out to him and he moved forwards, kissed her cheek and pulled her close.
"There always was something special about you." Zak murmured. "I have something I need to tell you." Zak paused momentarily. "Lee does love you, he told me himself, it is true."
"Oh, is that it, so far it's play the song, beware the final five and now, Lee loves you. You are slacking in originality mate."
"Grace. Tell my father, my brother and Kara that I am watching them closely. And Lee shouldn't lose sight of what he has got or he'll lose it."
"What do you mean Zak?"
"Ah, now that would be telling." Zak winked, kissing Grace's cheek. "I used to like you, a lot. Before I met Kara." Zak stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked the way Grace had come from. "Oh." Zak turned back. "Remind Lee of our little bet. And someone is waiting for you at the tallest point of the plain." And Zak was gone.
"No! Zak! Come back! I've missed you so much. I need you to talk to me." Grace screamed out, collapsing to her knees.
"Grace." Grace looked up but no one was there. "Over here." She followed the voice to a tree and saw Jason lying in it without a care in the world that he might fall out.
"Jason?"
"Grace. I can't believe you married that-" Jason jumped down from the tree and Grace put a finger to his lips.
"Don't say that word Jason. I love him and he loves me." A ringing in Grace's ears caused her to collapse to the floor. "Jason! Help! Make it stop!"
"Grace, listen to my voice. Focus on my voice and ignore the ringing and beeping." Jason put his hands on either side of Grace's cheeks. The ringing stopped. "I have a message for you."
"Jason, what is it?" Grace pulled her brother close. It felt so good to almost hold him in her arms bearing in mind that she never got to say goodbye to him.
"Four words. It is not Earth. Don't ask me any questions. I am forbidden from saying anything else. I am sorry for doing what I did but I couldn't let you die. The others needed you more than me. And don't say that they are all dying, it wasn't your fault at all. Besides. I can look after them all on this side. And now I can be with Melina now." Melina stood beside Jason.
"Seth and Tally are in danger." Melina whispered.
"What about Maya?" Yelled Grace, absolutely terrified, her legs shaking.
"Goodbye Grace, look after my niece and nephews." Jason added kissing her cheek.
"Nephews?" Grace murmured. "Jason?" Grace looked up but they were gone. It started getting darker and Grace ran around the area, looking for something that she might recognise. "Hello?"
"Hello Grace, you sly thief of the man I love but the one who made me see why I should be with someone else." Dee stood beside Grace holding Billy's hand.
"Dee, you said you would be, nicer than that." Billy whispered.
"Okay, don't worry Grace, we don't blame you for what happened in the bar, it was going to happen sooner or later. But we are happy here, just as you are with Lee."
"And?" Billy urged.
"Well, beware the mutiny of those with pure hearts." Dee smiled.
"And that makes sense to you?" Grace asked.
"It's just a message Grace." Dee sighed. Grace watched as Dee and Billy walked off around the corner.
"Uh. Rude." Grace muttered.
"Grace Rosetti. Or should I say Captain Grace Adama. Call sign Venus." Standing at the top of the stairs was the late Admiral Cain. "You have seen your father then? Have you received your messages?" Grace wrinkled up her nose a little before suddenly whipping her hand up to salute Admiral Cain
"If you mean. Play the song, beware the five, Lee loves you, it is not Earth, Seth and Tally are in danger. And I assume that you are going to divulge in another, are you not?"
"Indeed I am Grace. The death of your father was linked with the cylons but not in the way you believe it to be." Admiral Cain simply walked away into the building before Grace could spew out the abuse she could have let loose.
"Well what the frack do you mean by that?" She cursed under her breath.
"I don't know what she means Grace but I need." Grace looked up to see Cally wearing her usual orange jumpsuit.
"Cally." Grace threw her arms around Cally and squeezed her tight. "I have missed you so much."
"There isn't much time left." Cally looked over her shoulders swiftly, something had gotten her distracted. "Two things, one, do not trust Tory Foster, and two, I need you to look after Nic for me. Just check on him. I hear the Chief has been a little, a little."
"Distracted and stressed, yes I will look after your big, beautiful boy." Grace pecked Cally's cheek as she let go. Cally was soon gone and Grace waited where she was. She was standing at a plaza that reminded her of the fountain of Caprica.
"Grace, Grace!" A small child had their arms wrapped around Grace's knees. "Gracie!" Grace turned to see Ollie clinging to her knees as Ceres carried a sleepy Maya in her arms.
"Ceres, it's so good to see you." Grace picked up Ollie and embraced the other sisters. "Why is she here. Oh no, no. She's not dead, no. That's why she's here. What happened to Maya?"
"There was a fire on the hanger deck. Galen tried to save her but failed. But don't worry, I'll look after these guys."
"Ceres I am so proud of you, for what you did with Kat during the radiation cloud. I couldn't be any more proud if I tried to."
"Grace." Ceres murmured. "You must have seen Mum, Dad, Jason and Melina then?"
"Yeah, and a lot of other dead people I know."
"Grace, pay attention. Grace, someone who is thought to be dead is going to resurface as one of the final five cylons, but you haven't-" Grace felt the darkness enfold her.
When she opened her eyes her arms and wrists had been lashed to the bed. An extra tan leather strap across her waist made breathing difficult.
"No! I haven't what? Ceres. Ceres." Grace screamed, startling everyone in the infirmary. Lee came into view.
"Grace, Grace. Calm down, keep it cool. Breath, breath." Lee feebly attempted to calm her down but she was frantic.
"Who is it Ceres?" Grace screamed as she writhed in the bed.