Read and review as always. Thanks for all the lovely thoughts! xK
Lee yelled as he caught her in his arms. He wasn't sure what he'd said but it caused Starbuck and the Chief to come running. He held her limp form in his hands for a long moment, staring at her, willing her to wake up. He feared that she was dead, and the thought overwhelmed him.
"Lee," Kara said, as she and Tyrol skidded to a halt in front of him. He glanced up at her, a confused anguish written in his eyes. He had no idea what to do. All he could see was his father's grief flashing before him. All he could feel was the loss pounding inside of him.
Tyrol immediately slipped an arm under Laura's shoulders, trying to help Lee support her.
"We've got to get her to Cottle, Lee," Kara said confidently, her eyes pleading with him to snap out of it.
"Apollo," Tyrol yelled loudly, causing him to turn quickly, and breaking him from his daze.
He looked down again at his father's wife, lying unconscious and dying in his arms, and then took action. With an unsteady heave he lifted her into his arms and with Tyrol's help he positioned her carefully, and began to march toward the Life Station. Tyrol ran at his side and Kara sprinted ahead clearing a path.
Visions of the wedding, of his father's smile, of Laura's kindness, flashed in front of his eyes as he ran. It felt as if she weighed nothing, and his adrenaline pushed him easily. It was a long way to the Life Station, and it seemed to take hours, but his body didn't falter even for a moment.
Kara was waiting for them at the hatch, with Cottle and a nurse standing ready with a gurney. He laid her down gently, and watched in a daze as Cottle and his staff began to work. They wheeled her away from him and he stood like a statue. His eyes following where his body would not.
"Lee," Kara said softly, touching his arm. He shook his head as he dragged his eyes away, and turned to her.
She looked like a scared animal, her fear pouring from her eyes. He decided that she looked exactly like he felt.
"This can't be happening," He said softly, before closing his eyes and dropping his head. Kara said nothing, finding for once she could find no words to play off her emotions as nothing. Instead she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Lee. She buried her face against his neck, and sighed as she felt him wrap his arms around her tightly. They hadn't been this close in ages, they hadn't dared to touch. But at this moment, they needed each other more than they had in a long time.
Their embrace was only broken when a winded Chief came barreling into the room. He'd gone immediately to find the Admiral, but it seemed that he was nowhere to be found.
"Did you try the Star Lab?" Kara said quickly, breaking free from Lee's arms and stepping toward Tyrol.
"No, just the CIC and his quarters," Tyrol said between gasps of air. He turned as if to run out again, but Kara beat him.
"I'll go," she said as she sprinted past him, and out of the Life Station. She left Lee and Tyrol stunned and alone as she bolted down the corridor.
"Move, Move, Move," She screamed at a group of crew members just mulling in the passage. They dove left and right once they realized what and who was barreling toward them, and watched her as she ran past.
When she reached the Star Lab she was only slightly short of breath. Her adrenaline was running just as high as it did in the cockpit. She wrenched open the hatch as quickly as she could and found Adama and Gaeta staring back at her, shocked at the interruption.
Before she could say a word, she saw the realization on Adama's face. His stone wall features dropped and his blue eyes intensified with a fire she'd never seen.
"Laura," he breathed, more of a statement than a question.
All Kara could do was nod in response. Adama dropped what he was holding and swiftly moved to the exit. Starbuck led the way down the corridors at top speed, feeling the Old Man running at her heels. The loitering crew members parted again, this time even more shocked by Kara's accompaniment.
Bill's heart pounded with each step he took.
'Let her be okay.'
The thought, the prayer, the plea, resounded though his being.
His blood pumped with fire through his veins, each beat of his heart more intense.
He held his breath the last few steps to the Life Station, and turned the corner as carefully as he could.
As he entered he took a deep and controlling breath.
He knew this was coming.
He'd known it all along.
This was the beginning of the end.
It could be long and excruciating.
It could be short and piercing.
Nevertheless it was here.
It was time to pay the price for the moments they'd stolen together.
He wasn't ready.
He never would be.