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Chapter 13
Lee had somehow ended up with some of Kara's hair in his mouth, more than likely due to the fact that they were trying to fit two adult-sized bodies in a bed that was made for one single teenager at best. It was like the Senior Pilot bunks all over again, but at least this time there wasn't anyone right above them.
Lee turned in the bed to escape Kara's curls only to be met with a pair of wide-eyed sharp blue eyes standing at the edge of the mattress. "Aria?" he asked, willing his eyes to focus in the half-light, half-dark of Kara's room in the early morning.
"Hi," Aria waved back before pulling herself up into the bed.
She didn't say anything else as she crawled into Lee's arms on top of the covers, snuggled into his chest and proceeded to fall asleep in a matter of minutes.
He stayed up, feeling slightly crowded but unwilling to move and wake up the other occupants of the bed. It was about thirty minutes later when Kara stirred against his back, and Lee felt her sitting up in the bed. "Hi," she said and he felt a sense of déjà vu.
"Morning," he replied, all thought leaving his brain as he saw her face and the beginning of a smile.
Kara's eyes seemed to finally register that Aria was in bed with them, because her expression turned apologetic. "Sorry, she can reach the door handles now and since she always wakes up before me, she's started to crawl into bed with me and go to sleep again until I wake up."
"It's okay," Lee reassured her. "I don't mind."
Kara smiled and crawled over Lee and Aria, heading out of the bedroom. Lee lay in bed, watching his daughter sleep. Aria finally stirred when the sound of running water stopped in the other room. The realization that he was going to have to call his father made Lee frown.
Lee watched intently as Kara re-entered the room, wringing water out of her hair with a fluffy towel.
Aria sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. "Momma, I'm hungwy."
"Let's get you some breakfast, nugget," Kara offered, holding her hand out.
Aria glanced at Lee before getting out of bed and taking her mother's hand.
"The bathroom is the next door to the right; there are some towels under the sink if you want to take a shower," Kara informed him as she exited the room.
Lee thanked her as he looked down at his clothes, strewn on the floor.
Alone, he lay in Kara's uncomfortable bed and covered his eyes with his arm—whatever life he'd made for himself on Earth had just been turned completely upside down in less than twenty-four hours. He had no idea where he and Kara stood, except that he knew he wanted her now just as much as ever… he had a daughter, and he also had to go back to work before the Academy sent the Military Police to retrieve him. Which meant he was about to learn how to be a father and a—whatever the hell he was to Kara— long-distance, because he was pretty sure she would never agree to go to Colorado with him.
Lee finally allowed himself to groan.
♣ One Year and Seven Months Before♣
Lee waited impatiently for American Airlines' Flight 285 from JFK to land; he hadn't been this nervous in a long time. He'd cleaned his place and bought groceries; and now he was waiting for his father. Bill had a reservation at a hotel, but Lee had wanted to make sure his apartment didn't look like an alcoholic lived there.
After one year of putting it off, Bill had finally bought a plane ticket. Colonial Day was approaching, and there was going to be a small ceremony at Peterson's Air Force Base for the Survivors. It was going to be an interesting experience, and one that Lee would've preferred to opt out on, but his father had made it clear that he expected his son's presence. And although Bill Adama was a retired Admiral these days, his orders still carried weight to Lee.
As his father emerged from one of the airport gates, Lee couldn't breathe. His father looked—happy. In his entire life, Lee had never seen his father like this. He knew that Laura Roslin's latest cancer remission probably had a lot to do with it.
When Lee had been young, he'd always told himself his father was stern and distant because he didn't know how to be happy; he'd told himself that it was a price to pay for the respect his father had earned through his military career. And seeing his father so happy as a retiree… it was pain and relief at the same time.
It hurt that his father had taken so long to be this free and happy; but Lee was relieved to see Adama had seemingly adjusted well to civilian life.
Time stopped as his father's arms encircled him in a powerful hug.
Lee didn't know until then, but he'd waited his whole life for this.