Bright, Shiny Futures - Chapter Twenty-Eight
"Dad, where are we going?"
The words jolted Tyrol out of his mindless wandering. "I ... I don't know Nicky." It was true, he had no idea. No memory in fact of the last few minutes. Physically he'd been walking in this world but his mind had been somewhere else entirely.
They stopped and a door opened in front of them. Helo and Sharon stepped out, nearly treading on Nicky's toes.
Tyrol took a quick look at their faces. Sharon's look was confusing - a mixture of determination and fear. Helo just looked worried. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.
"Nick, why don't you come in and visit with the girls for a while?" Sharon invited. "They've discovered television and are enjoying a movie right now."
"Go ahead," Tyrol encouraged, laying an arm over his son's shoulder for a brief moment. "I'll just be out here talking."
Nicky nodded, eyes still troubled, and headed into the room, shutting the door behind him.
"What's going on?" Tyrol asked shortly.
"Brace yourselves," Sharon said, meeting each one's eyes in turn before taking a deep breath and beginning her story.
XXXXX
"You have got to be kidding me." The Chief's brown eyes were nearly hostile in his surprise and disbelief. "You have got to be frakking kidding me."
"It's no joke Chief," Sharon said seriously.
"Godsdammit." The fewer the words Helo spoke the more disturbed he was. It was something they'd all learned long ago. If his expletive made it down to two words, you were in serious trouble. The kind you didn't want to imagine.
No one had ever seen what happened at one. Even Sharon looked pale.
"So what are we going to do?" Tyrol hissed, keeping the hysteria out of his voice with extreme effort. "Anders killed a man. Killed him. That sort of thing has repercussions you kno ... "
The last word cut off in a gasp as the stairwell door swung open and the man himself stood there, wet and dirt-streaked.
"You don't have to worry about it. None of you. The body has been taken care of and if suspicion for his disappearance falls anywhere, I'll make sure it falls on me."
"What about Apollo?" Helo asked, instinctively reverting back to the familiar name he'd first known Lee by. "Didn't he help you?"
Sam turned to face him. "I"ll take care of him."
Helo's heart lurched for a moment at the other man's deliberate tone of voice. Then he chided himself as Sam continued.
"Lee is part of Kara's destiny. Part of all of our destinies. He must live and be free to play his part. I'll see to it that he and Kara come to no harm."
"How are you going to do that?" Tyrol's disbelief was evident.
"We'll come up with a story that'll keep both of them out of it. If it comes to that, I'll let the police suspect me. I can easily play the part of the jealous ex-husband - it would make sense for me to have had a hand in it."
"Which you did, so you wouldn't even be lying." Sharon nodded approvingly.
"Exactly. I've got to get cleaned up and begin working on our story. I told Lee he had to come up with one himself but I was only half serious. Besides, I think it's best if we're all in on it so no one gives away any details they shouldn't."
"And so our stories match, should we end up being questioned," Sharon added.
"Meet at my room in an hour."
"But your wife ... " Tyrol began, then stopped when he remembered Tory was one of them. Not like Cally ... "Never mind," he mumbled. "I'll be there."
The others nodded and the three of them entered Helo and Sharon's room while Sam continued down the hall to his, mind already spinning at top speed.
XXXXX
"Sammy." Tory's look was sympathetic, disgusted and afraid all at once.
"I did what I had to do. I didn't want to kill him but he just wouldn't let her go."
"Like you did." For the first time Sam heard spite in her words.
"You don't understand Tory. Kara is ... special. There's something about her ... a pull that's nearly impossible to resist."
"It's called physical attraction Sam," she said flatly, arms firmly planting themselves on her waist.
He shook his head. "No, it's not just that. There's something else about her ... I can't deny that I still feel it, but I can see past it."
"And he couldn't." He could tell she was still skeptical, though she obviously wanted to believe him.
"Apparently not." Sam reached out and took her hands, folding them gently into his own. "I know it's hard to understand, but somehow I'm able to see it all. I can see the past, present and future as one unbroken line and I know where it needs to go. I can see the impediments and extraneous things that need to be cleared away in order for destiny to be fulfilled as it must."
"Would you kill me if I got in the way?" she asked in a small voice.
Sam swallowed hard. "Don't ask me that."
XXXXX
Lee answered the door almost immediately after the knock ended.
"Sam!" he said explosively, feeling an illogical disappointment that it wasn't Kara, though he knew it couldn't possibly have been.
"You got a few minutes?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Come on up to my room. We're all meeting there to discuss our strategy."
Lee pulled the door shut behind him and followed the other man down the hallway. "I thought you were leaving me to my own devices there," he said sardonically.
Sam looked back at him, familiar lopsided grin in place. "I might have just to bug you ... but there's more than just you and Kara to consider." He became solemn as they fell into step. "There's Sharon, Helo, Galen ... even me and Tory all involved in this mess. We have to make sure we're all on the same page and tell the same story if we end up being questioned or we'll end up being caught in a lie. I can't let that happen."
"So you're Atlas now eh? That should have been your callsign." Lee smiled, despite the gravity of the situation.
"Atlas? Who's Atlas?"
"Greek God? Weight of the world on his shoulders?" At Sam's confused look Lee shook his head. "You should have read books on occasion during college instead of just playing Pyramid."
"College was for working?" Sam smirked. "I was busy becoming a superstar."
"Look how far that got you," Lee needled.
Sam chuckled softly. "This makes captaining a Pyramid team seem easy."
XXXXX
The room began to feel hazy as Laura Roslin lay propped up in bed. Her husband was snoring - not loudly but persistently. Surprisingly, the sound actually did more to take her out of herself than it did remind her of where she was.
The garden was beautiful. Vibrant colours, every shade in the rainbow, leapt out at her. Petunias, daisies, ferns, daffodils, roses ... she'd always loved roses. The sun was hot on her shoulders as she walked towards a trellis full of bright pink climbing roses. She felt a bead of sweat start to form at the base of her neck and slowly slide down her spine. It tingled.
Something pricked her finger as she reached out to touch the blossom. A thorn perhaps, then she realized she hadn't touched the stem at all. What could it be?
A serpent slid up the trellis amidst the flowers. It stopped and turned beady eyes on her. For one panicky moment she thought it was going to speak, then it quickly slithered away and her heart dropped back down into her chest.
'Beware the serpent among the thorns. Know the difference or it will mean your life.'
The words came into her mind suddenly, as if they'd always been there and the door they'd been hidden behind had just opened and set them free.
"But how am I to know which is the serpent if they're all sharp?" she murmured, rubbing her sore hand as she turned and walked towards the other end of the garden.
A small head peeping out from behind a tree caught her attention. It was too far away and there for too short a time for her to tell who it was, but the blonde curls looked awfully familiar to her.
"Sara?" she called out softly as she slowly moved towards the tree. "Is that you?"
A giggle was the only reply.
She quickened her steps, sure now that the child was Sara. She couldn't let her get away - not before getting some answers. "Sara, it's Laura, your mommy's friend. I won't hurt you."
The head peeked in and out of the bushes as the girl ran. Peals of laughter floated behind her.
Laura wanted to run but her feet just wouldn't let her go any faster. "Wait for me, I can't keep up with you," she called out, hearing her own voice coming back at her on the wind.
She stopped and sniffed. Water. There was no sound of flowing water but she could smell the dampness and feel the chill in her bones as she drew closer to it. She took a few more steps and parted the thatch of bushes just ahead. Her heart almost jumped back into her throat as she very nearly stepped off the edge of a precipice flanking one of the largest bodies of water she'd ever seen.
A boat was floating far off in the distance. Fog embraced it, threatening to hide it from view. A small figure stood on the deck waving, blonde curls dancing in the breeze.
Adama gave a sudden loud snore, apparently startling himself as well as pulling her out of the vision and back to reality. Roslin opened her mouth to tell him what she'd seen but he rolled over and curled up, beginning to snore softly again. She didn't have the heart to wake him so she grabbed the paper and pen she'd set ready by the edge of the bed and began to write down everything she could remember.
XXXXX
Lee walked into the dining room somewhat later than everyone else, having only fallen asleep after 4am. He'd tossed and turned most of the night and was sure sleep was going to be elusive but once he closed his eyes time passed swiftly. The tension was palpable - he could feel it before he'd taken three steps. A throng was gathered around Kara and the children.
"What do you mean he's disappeared?"
"Gone? Just like that?"
"You need to call someone."
He pushed his way through the crowd to stand by her side. His father and Roslin, faces white with worry, faced them.
"What happened?" he asked, carefully schooling his features to show surprise and distress. He hoped he was successful. Hiding emotions had never been his strong suit.
"Michael's disappeared," Kara said, almost evenly. "He went out last night and never came back."
Lee put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. To those who knew, it was obvious he was there to help her be strong. To those who didn't, it merely looked like an old friend offering a comforting gesture in hard times. Or so he hoped ... he knew there was every possibility that guilt was written all over his face.
"Do they have the equivalent of police here?" Roslin asked. "You should file a missing persons report."
Kara nodded and pulled the children closer. Sara snuggled up against Kara's neck so her face was hidden. Zach stood quietly beside her, face drawn and pale, eyes downcast.
Lee knelt beside him. "It's going to be okay Zach," he whispered softly. "Everything's going to be okay. Your mom and I will take care of you."
Zach lifted his head to meet Lee's gaze as he nodded. Tears filled his eyes. Oh Gods, these poor kids, Lee thought, heart shattering. He felt warm spots growing on his cheeks in embarrassment. He'd lain awake much of the night wondering how this was going to affect Kara and his relationship with her but the fact that the children were going to be devastated by their loss was something that had barely registered with him.
Zach threw his arms around Lee's neck suddenly and began to cry quietly. Lee knelt there and held him, barely aware of everything going on around him.
"Listen, Starbuck, if there's anything I can do ... "
"Anything you need, just ask ... "
"Gods, what a horrible thing to happen ... "
"If you ever need a babysitter ... "
Lee's head cleared enough to hear all the offers of help and the thought that so many people cared so deeply for Kara - even still - helped mend his aching heart just a little.
"Thanks," Kara said softly, voice shaky with emotion. "Thank you everyone, I appreciate your help, but I just want to go home. We need to be somewhere familiar."
Adama dispersed the crowd with his usual efficiency while Roslin came over and put an arm over Kara's shoulder. "I'll go with you to talk to the police and then we'll take you home. Lee should go with you." She paused and looked over at Lee. "I think Zach needs him," she added quietly.
Kara looked down at the two locked together and the tears she'd been holding in began to trickle down her cheeks. Lee looked up suddenly, feeling her eyes on him and his eyes too began to flood with tears. I never knew it was going to be so hard, he thought. Lords of Kobol, give me strength.
XXXXX
Kara rubbed her stinging eyes in a nearly vain effort to keep them open. It had truly been one of the longest days of her life. Of course she hadn't slept much, having woken not long after Lee had left and spending much of the night tossing and turning, which didn't help her now. Her emotions had been a wild jumble, going from fear to anger to relief to confusion, then visiting shame, sorrow and self-loathing for good measure, before settling somewhere squarely between fear and frustration. She'd then slept, but woke with her heart wildly beating in her chest. It hadn't slowed since.
"Are you okay?" Lee asked quietly, as if sensing her thoughts.
Kara nodded. "Just tired."
Lee nodded back, glancing over at the children, soundly sleeping in their seats. He wanted to reach over and take her hand but though his father and Roslin were in front seats he thought it was best not to show too much overt emotion. Their eyes met for a long moment though, and besides the weariness and sorrow Lee had expected to see in them, there was something else he didn't recognize and couldn't put a name to. It worried him. Now wasn't the time to explore it though - that would come later when things settled down somewhat.
Kara spoke softly to the children as the van pulled into her driveway. They woke, groggy and cranky, and Lee helped an obviously tired Kara by carrying Zach while Sara clung, crying, to her mother.
"I'm sorry about your husband," the driver said, speaking directly to Kara for the first time since setting out. "I hope he's found soon."
She nodded silently.
"We'll be staying the night," Roslin told him in her most presidential voice. "We'll call tomorrow for a ride back."
The driver nodded and left, leaving them standing on the front porch.
Kara heaved Sara's weight onto her left arm as she turned the key in the lock. The house was silent and dark - no surprise - and the eerieness made her shiver. It's like a cemetary, she thought.
Roslin took charge, walking ahead and turning on lights, instinctively finding them though she'd never actually been to the house before. "I'll make some tea. You do have tea, right?"
Kara nodded. "Do you want me to ... "
"No, no, go get those sleepy kids to bed." She grabbed Adama's hand and pulled him towards the kitchen. "Bill and I will figure it out, won't we?"
Adama nodded wordlessly. Kara felt hysterical laughter bubbling up in her chest at the Old Man, obviously henpecked and enjoying it. The bleakness of their situation quelled it quickly.
"I'll come up and help with the kids," Lee offered as he felt Zach's arms tighten around his neck.
Kara nodded gratefully and headed to the stairs at the back of the house. She knew Michael wasn't going to be here - not ever again - and yet the lack of him shocked her. He was a frakking Cylon Kara, she tried to tell herself. His sole purpose in your life was to get you to fall in love with him and get pregnant with a hybrid.
Not unlike Leoben, the other part of her mind argued. He thought that was his destiny too. There was a difference though. Leoben had tried to force it - to brainwash her into loving him. With Michael it had come naturally as she'd let go of the ties that had always bound her to the cycle of pain and brokenness. The fact that I didn't know he was a Cylon probably helped, she thought wryly.
She pushed the negative thoughts to the back of her mind and tried to focus on getting the children ready for bed. Not surprisingly, they were both being difficult.
"Sleep with me," Sara begged, holding onto Kara's arm like a limpet and refusing to let go. "I want you to sleep in my bed."
"Sweetheart, I ... " Kara began.
"I don't want to go to sleep," Zach whined.
"Why not?" Lee asked gently, hoping to get him to talk.
Zach gave a great big sigh then looked Lee full in the face. "What if I wake up and mommy's gone too? Who'll take care of us then?"
Instinctively, Lee threw his arms around his son. "Nothing's going to happen to your mom Zach. I promise. But even if it did, I'd take care of you."
"Promise?"
Lee couldn't have resisted the terror-stricken boy even if he'd wanted to. "I promise," he whispered, then made an X over his chest. "Cross my heart."
Zach's face wrinkled. "Cross my heart?"
Lee chuckled. "It's an expression where I come from. When you make someone a promise you say 'cross my heart and hope to die' and you make an X over your chest where your heart is."
"What does it mean?"
"It means I'll keep my promise ... or die trying."
The young boy's nose wrinkled. "That's weird. I don't get it."
"Don't worry about it. Just know I won't let anything happen to you, your mom or Sara, okay?"
"Okay," Zach said hesitantly. "But I still don't want to go to sleep. Will you stay with me?" he added in a small, scared voice.
Lee looked over at Kara, needing her approval before jumping in. She nodded, though her eyes were unreadable.
"Sure I'll stay with you tonight Zach," he said, touching his son's head with a loving hand. "I'll make myself a spot on the floor beside your bed, but first I've got to find a place for your grandparents to sleep."
"There's a guest room upstairs," Kara said wearily. The strain of the previous twenty-four hours was starting to show on her face and Lee was worried for her.
"I'll take care of it and bring you up some tea," Lee said, briefly touching her arm as he walked past.
"Thanks." The word was barely a whisper but the need in her voice rang out as loud as if she'd shouted it.
I'll take care of you Kara, he promised himself. I'll be there for you and your family ... our family. You can lean on me and trust me - I'll be there for you the way I never was before. I swear.
TBC
