A/N: Sorry for the delays. The semester was crazy. I hope everyone is still interested in this story. This chapter could be thought of as the end of Part One. From here we'll be spinning in some different directions, but don't worry- our favorite pilots will still be front and center.

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It was the beep that brought him back to reality.

Three percent of fuel remained in his viper.

Lee sighed and took another pass around Colonial One. He wasn't sure what time it was. Not that it really mattered, when everything was said and done. There were no nights in space, no mornings, no sunsets. Just routine, schedule, bright lights during "day" shifts, ambient ones for the "night." For three years, that was all he'd known.

His daughter was supposed to remedy that. She had made him feel something he'd thought lost forever- hope. Hope that even out here among the stars, life could still exist. That even during a time of perpetual war, life could still retain some semblance of normalcy. Kara had teased him once that he'd be one of those fathers. The truth was, Lee didn't really know what kind of father he would be.

But he had really wanted to find out.

The logical part of his brain- the one that refused to be shut down- told him that he could still be a father, if he wanted. He and Kara could still be parents.

That's what Cottle had told him this morning. He and Kara were young. They had time. Even with one ovary, she could get pregnant again. Lee had nodded respectfully and then ran to the flight deck.

He'd remained in space ever since.

It hurt too much to think about future children when this one- Artemis, the one he'd already loved more than he ever though possible- was lying in the morgue awaiting cremation.

After Zak's death, Lee had coped by blaming his father. After Kara died, he'd tried to disappear behind Apollo. He wasn't sure what to do in this situation, but right now constant flying seemed like a good way to avoid it.

The beep was more insistent this time. Two percent.

Reluctantly Lee turned back to Galactica.

He'd been alone long enough.

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She felt more than heard him enter the cubicle, and when he pressed his lips to her forehead she even smiled. "You were gone a long time."

Lee stroked her cheek gently. "I know. I had to figure some things out."

Kara straightened up in the bed. "And did you?"

She saw Lee smile, but she also saw the tension underlying it. "Yeah, I did. Look, Kara. I talked to Cottle today," his eyes flicked to the curtain, "And this was hard, but we both think it's for the best."

"Lee what are you…?"

But just then Cottle entered the area, a team of faceless nurses behind him. "We have to move fast. I have an appointment with the Cheese Man and he doesn't like to be kept waiting." He lit a cigarette and approached the bed. "We're taking you into surgery."

"Now? What's wrong?" One of the nurses approached the bed and began strapping her arms down. "What the frak are you doing?"

"Can't use anesthesia," Cottle mumbled.

"It's on the ration list, don't you remember Kara?" Lee gently held her hand.

"But what surgery?" They were now wheeling her down a long corridor, unlike any she'd ever seen in Sick Bay.

"We're removing your other ovary." Cottle laughed at her from behind a thick cloud of smoke. "What, did you think we'd let you keep killing babies?"

"I didn't!"

"Kara," Lee's voice was patronizing. "We all know you did."

"Lee, you can't let them…Don't….I didn't…." But she felt dizzy with panic, and the gurney was moving faster and faster. Cottle kept laughing, and Lee's voice was in her ear, taunting her. "You killed her Kara. You killed her."

He was joined by another voice, one she hadn't heard in almost seven years. "You're a cancer Kara. You destroy everything you touch. No one will ever want you."

Hallways were zipping by now, and every once in a while she thought she saw Sharon at the end of one. Though she couldn't hear her, Kara knew what she was saying. "Do not lose faith."

"We're here," Cottle announced as they whipped around a corner—

Only there was no room, only Leoben.

Kara looked down and saw that she was no longer lying in bed. She wasn't even on Galactica. Instead, she and Leoben were in a forest, bathed in moonlight. "What are you doing Kara?" he asked. "I thought you were better. I thought I'd prepared you for this."

His words floated in the air around them for a minute, before crystallizing in her mind. "You knew this would happen?" Leoben nodded sadly. "And you didn't tell me?!"

"All this has happened before, and it will all happen again." A voice, soft and female, carried over on the wind. Kara spun around wildly, looking for the source. As she did, Leoben spoke.

"I had to keep it from you. If you'd known, everything could be ruined."

"No!" Kara stalked towards him angrily. "I am sick of your riddles and half-truths. I want some frakking answers!"

As if in response, a newborn's cry pierced the night.

Kara's eyes widened in surprise. Both she and Leoben stared at each other for a handful of heartbeats- and then they were both running towards the sound. Over tree logs, under branches- the cry was getting stronger, she was on the right path. Behind her Leoben shouted for her to stop, but she ignored him. "Artemis!"

The forest dipped into a gully, and shooting up from it was a bright white light. That was it, she was so close…

When suddenly Hera appeared in her path. Kara stopped short, least she tackle to toddler.

"You can't go any further." Hera spoke with the voice that Kara had just heard, although her body was that of a young girl.

"But Artemis…"

"Is not here. You cannot know what lies beyond this point." Hera smirked, an odd expression for one so young to make. "Even you are not so special as to know the future, Kara Thrace. But don't worry; you will have help when the time comes." She smiled. "The stars in your eyes will guide you."

Kara looked up, and swirling in the night sky were strange and foreign constellations.

"Do you see now?" Leoben asked behind her. Hera was gone now, as was the light. The only sound was the soft rustle of the wind.

She turned slowly. "This isn't my fault." A relieved smile spread across his face. "But someone always has to take the blame." And now she had a gun in her hands, and she fired.

Leoben crumpled to the ground. Blood oozed from his abdomen. "Why?" he gasped.

"You took me. That's why she's dead. If you'd left me…"

"No…."

"IF you'd left me she'd still be alive!!" She aimed the gun at his head.

"This is a dream Kara. You cannot kill me."

She cocked the gun. "Maybe not, but this will sure make me feel better."

She fired.

The crack of the gun overlapped with that of a chair tipping over. "Frak!" she heard a male voice whisper in the dark.

She was back in Sick Bay.

"Lee?" Even in the darkness, she could tell he looked terrible. His flight suit hung at his waist and his hair was damp with sweat.

"Did I wake you?"

"It's ok."

He righted the chair and pulled it up next to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged. "You?"

Lee shrugged too and then reached for her hand.

You destroy everything you touch.

She flinched, drawing her hand away as if he'd burned her. She saw the hurt in his eyes, but she knew there was nothing she could do to help him. Silence hung heavy between them.

"I should shower," Lee finally said. Kara nodded. "Should I come back…?"

Kara shook her head. "It'd be best if you didn't."

Lee didn't argue; he simply stood and walked away. At the curtain, he turned back. "I ran into Ishay. She's been cremated."

"I want to scatter them."

He nodded. "I'll see if I can get a Raptor free for the morning."

"Ok." She knew he was waiting for her to look at him once more, so she purposely kept her eyes low. After a minute, she heard him sigh and then finally leave.

She thought she'd have a hard time falling back to sleep, but to her surprise she felt herself slipping rather quickly. In her last waking moments, she thought back over what Leoben had said.

Artemis' death might not be her fault, but someone had to pay. He was right; she couldn't kill him.

So another skin job would just have to take his place.

And she knew exactly who it would be.