Hearts and Fates Entwined

By: Fairedust

Part three

Chapter 27

Getting Tabitha's agreement to transfer to the Pegasus went far smoother than either Adama or Lee could have hoped. Make no mistake, it wasn't easy by any ones standards. Only easier than they'd anticipated. Tabby for her part didn't want to be a burden to Lee in any way. She hadn't forgotten his treatment from before she'd been injured. She remembered how Lee had done his best to avoid her, ever since she'd been with him on his 'space walk'. She also hadn't heard from him since he'd gone to the Pegasus. It wasn't that she was trying to be petty, quite the opposite really. Tabby's only intention was to stay away from Lee as he seemed to wish. She had no way of knowing he'd badgered Cottle into giving him reports much like his father had been getting.

In the end she finally agreed to move her things back to the Pegasus. As it ended up, Tabby only agreed because she'd be placed in the same bunkroom she'd been in before. Lee hoped by being in a room with people she already knew, she'd be more comfortable. By having her on his ship, he also knew he'd be able to bring her to the Pegasus' Observation Lounge on a daily basis; as long as was necessary.

With that finally decided, Lee went with Tabitha so she could gather her belongings. Lee didn't want to take the chance she'd change her mind. When he realized he needed to slow his pace in order for her to keep up, his mind flooded with guilt. He could now see how much she was hurting, no matter how hard she tried to hide her slight limp. He could clearly see how badly she needed to get near the stars. Not for the first time, he asked himself why he'd assumed she'd been going to the Observation Lounge on a regular basis? Why had he not made sure of that instead of just assuming?

When they reached the bunkroom, Lee was relieved he'd not have to see Kara frakking her new man. The bunkroom was now full of fellow pilots. When they learned Tabitha was heading back to the Beast, they all gave her words of encouragement. Lee was especially surprised, he would never admit he was jealous even to himself, when Sam came up to Abby with a new gift. Abby carefully unwrapped the cloth covering this new treasure.

Upon seeing this new offering, Abby let out a happy squeal of delight. "Sam! How did you get this? It's beautiful!"

Everyone in the room gathered around full of curiosity. What they saw was a large deep purple stone, that was as large as Tabitha's fist. Even in the florescent lighting of the room, everyone could see the stone glisten. "How did you know this is my favorite type of stone? I don't know how to thank you." Abby's voice was filled with emotion.

Sam's face was filled with embarrassed pleasure at Tabitha obvious delight. "Well to be honest, I didn't know that. I just remembered how you were always picking up stones back at base. When I ran into this beauty," here Sam lowered his head and started to shuffle his feet. Taking a deep breath he finally finished. "The color reminded me of you. I never forgot how you managed to take care of all of us. Having this stone with me, well it kind of made me feel as if you were still there. Kind of like a good luck charm. Ya know? When I got here, I figured you should have it. I just didn't have a chance to give it to you before."

As Tabby quickly grabbed Sam in a bone crushing hug that was returned, all the others in the room couldn't contain their smiles at seeing Tabby's obvious happiness. All that is except Kara and Lee. Both of them were well aware of how this strong embrace was going to hurt their small friend.

Lee decided Abby had had enough, so he cleared his throat. "Hey Abbs. You do remember I have a ship to run, don't you? Why don't you gather your belongings and I'll carry them to the Raptor."

Lee was relieved to see Sam instantly release her. Only Kara, Lee and Sam were able to notice the tightening around the corners of Tabby's mouth, as she moved to do as Lee asked. In no time at all, she was once again packed and on her way to the Pegasus.

After Lee and Tabitha exited the bunkroom, Sam pulled Kara aside. He wanted to know what that look on Tabitha's face had been about. Reluctantly Kara told him that Tabby had been injured recently. However she refused to go into any kind of detail, no matter how hard Sam pushed. Kara didn't think it was her place to say. If Sam really wanted to know, he'd just have to ask Tabby, herself. Kara at least did warn Sam he probably didn't want to know the details or extent of damage done to their tiny friend.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Things for Kara seemed to fall back into a routine on the Galactica. The only new source of excitement seemed to be all the hoopla in regards to the upcoming election and news about the new planet. Kara had seen several of the recon photos of that 'rock'. It was a stop over, at best. Kara was surprised when Baltar had made colonizing this new planet his campaign platform. What was the man thinking? Then she realized who she was thinking about and it all became clear. Baltar. Nobody ever claimed the man was rational. Perhaps what surprised her even more was how the people of the Fleet were grasping onto his new colonization platform. Kara prayed to the Gods, that Roslin managed to win the election. The Fleet needed Roslin's calm, rational, strong and fair leadership. The didn't need Baltar's selfish lunacy.

Shaking her thoughts away from that weasel of a man, she decided this would be a good time to visit with Sharon. Sharon was once again being treated as a Cylon prisoner. But at least the Old Man had allowed some chairs to be placed in her cell. Now when Kara went to visit, Sharon's cell more closely resembled a singles bunkroom.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Lee carried Abby's larger duffle bag to their old bunkroom. When Comet and Hardball saw who was entering the room, they immediately stood at attention. Although Lee knew this was protocol, it still made him slightly uncomfortable. When the men noticed Tabitha standing directly behind their new Commander, they broke from their ridged stance. Both men moved to greet her with open smiles.

"Hey Tabitha. Since I don't figure on the Commander moving back down here with us lowly pilots, does this mean we're gonna be graced with your presence once again?" blurted Comet.

Not to be outdone, Hardball added. "No offence Commander, but I'd rather have Tabitha bunking in with us than you." He said with a chuckle.

Lee had yet to move away from Abby. He'd given her plenty of room to enter around him, but he was well aware she had yet to do so. Suddenly he was worried about the arrangements they'd agreed upon. Chancing a glance over his shoulder, he saw her eyes were closed and she was breathing shallowly. It was clear to him she was nervous. Why, he wasn't sure. She knew these men. As a matter of fact, these two had been the closest to her, while she'd been stationed here. It was Comet who'd tried to step up and help her that day she'd attacked those four Marines.

When the two pilots didn't get an immediate response from Tabitha, they drew up short. Neither man was aware of how close she'd come to death in recent weeks. Their confusion over her silence was almost palatable.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea Abby. Maybe you should have agreed with me before and just stayed in my quarters." Lee said so softly only Abby could hear what he'd said. He watched her shake her head no. He didn't know if he was more proud or annoyed when he watched her give herself a shake and screw up her courage. But when he saw the determination in her eyes as she opened them and watched her screw on a welcoming smile, he landed on proud.

Tabby was well aware her entrance had confused both her friends. She could see their eyes dart from each other and to Lee's. They didn't look back in her direction until she came fully into the room and slowly approached both men. Lee was surprised when she managed to give both men a quick hug of greeting, before she retreated to her previous bunk. Lee was well aware of how much determination that took from her. What he didn't truly understand was why. She'd been very friendly with these two in the past. That was the only reason he'd agreed to let her stay here, instead of in his quarters.

Placing her duffel down next to her locker, he moved away. While she was being occupied with unpacking he decided he needed to have a chat with these two men. Not wanting Abby to feel too exposed, he decided to talk to both men out in the passage. He would need to trust them to keep a close eye on her. For some reason, she seemed afraid. This truly baffled him. He seen her tear men apart. He knew she had the gift to reach out to the stars. He sensed she was capable of much more. But for now, she felt weak and vulnerable. Perhaps after she'd spent some time with the stars, she would feel more like her old self. But in the mean time, he needed to be sure she felt safe and secure. He needed to know she was indeed safe and secure.

"Comet, Hardball, I'd like to know I can count on both of you." Lee began. He saw he now had both men's undivided attention. "I need you both to keep an eye on Abby. I don't want this to become common knowledge, but she was injured quite badly not too long ago. She still hasn't recovered fully and will not be released for duty until Doc Cottle of the Galactica approves. I'm worried that until she is fully recovered, she will feel…vulnerable. So I'd like you both to watch her back." As soon as Lee said that last sentence, he once again saw the image of her shredded back and he mentally cringed.

"Wilco, Commander" both men said in unison. As soon as Lee received the confirmation he needed, he stepped back into the room.

Moving close to Tabby so only she would hear, Lee said. "Hey Abbs, I need to check in the CIC and get a sit rep. Why don't you meet me up there when you're finished here. As soon as I'm done we can let you go see the stars." She gave him a small nod and continued to unpack her odd assortment of possessions.

After Lee left, Tabby glanced over her shoulder at the two remaining men. She was well aware of their curious and now protective looks. She was also aware they were totally confused. It seemed as if Lee had set them up to be her guard dogs. Something they simply could not understand. Both had seen her in action. Comet saw her take out the four Marines and Hardball had seen her take out the large bully on her first day here. Both men had seen her take out the two men who'd intended to attack Lee in his sleep. Why she would need their protection was a complete mystery to them. But she sensed that even though they may not understand why they were needed to, they would not hesitate to watch her back.

She decided to put them both at ease. "It's ok guys. I'm not gonna break you know." she said with a chuckle. After seeing them both relax, she finished her unpacking. She was anxious to get in front of the stars.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

As Lee was heading up to the CIC, he kept wondering if he shouldn't have insisted Abby stay in his quarters. He didn't like the look he'd seen on her face when they'd first arrived in the bunkroom. But Abby had to be the most stubborn person he knew. For now he realized that this was how it was going to be.

Once he entered the CIC, he was given a full report. Not much had happened since he'd left for the Galactica. The Cap was going as scheduled and the recon birds had returned with more photos. As he was shifting thru some papers, he overheard several of the crew discussing the latest Presidential debate. Gods he hoped the people were not so stupid as to believe settling on this rock was the solution. Baltar seemed to be drilling into the Fleet that this mostly barren rock was their salvation. Most of his rhetoric surrounded the fact this planet was in the middle of a magnetic nebula. It made scanning in the outer atmosphere nearly impossible. To hear Baltar speak, he was claiming it was this magnetic cloud that was going to protect them from the Cylons. What a load of crap, Lee thought.

His attention from listening to his crews conversations was diverted as he saw Abby approach the CIC. Nodding to the guards posted outside, he motioned her over to the large dradis screen. He watched her as she looked at it in wonder.

"So you ready to go see that for real?" he said quietly. At seeing her answering smile, he led her to the Pegasus' Observation Lounge.

Oooooooooooooooooo

After Lee made sure there was no one else present in the room, he secured the hatch. Being the Commander did have it's privileges. He now had the access codes to seal the door from any intrusion. As he watched Abby move over toward the glass, he dimmed the lights down until the room was lit only from the outside. Then he moved to take a seat, so he too could look out at the stars.

Even though Lee had watched over Abby countless times, he still couldn't keep from watching her completely. He turned his head toward her so he could watch her unbind and shake out her hair. He'd never been able to stop himself from watching her perform that simple act. It always amazed him how long and full her hair was. There was more than enough light in the room for him to see her ringlets fall nearly half way down her thighs. Knowing what her back looked like now, Lee wondered if her scars were the reason she let her hair grow as long as it was.

After her hair was totally free, Lee watched Abby begin to unbutton her blouse. He quickly shifted his head back to face the window. He wasn't a fool. He realized there was only so much he would be able to take and not embarrass himself. What he hadn't counted on was being able to see her reflection. Never before on the Galactica had he needed to contend with seeing her reflection. But for some reason, now he was. He quickly looked at the lights in the room, thinking they were to blame. But when he reaffirmed they were completely off, he realized it was due to the odd space clouds outside, reflecting off the light colored walls of the room. Frak, he thought. This was going to be a long few hours.

Trying to find some safe spot in the pink/purple clouds outside, he did his best not to notice Abby continue to disrobe several feet away from him. He was proud of himself for being able to not look. That is, until he did. When his eyes drifted back to her reflection against his will, she was almost fully bare. All she kept on were her knickers. Lee's breath left his lungs in a rush.

Her reflection is so clear, he thought to himself. As his eyes continued to roam, he realized he could see where her arms and torso had been gashed open just a few weeks ago. To his relief, he was able to see those injuries were healing quite well. They still had an angry look to them, but he noted there was no puckering of any kind. Cottle had done a very good job.

When Lee realized he had been staring blatantly, his eyes quickly rose to her face. To his relief, her eyes were closed. Not being able to help himself, his eyes once again began to wandered over her body; taking in her hypnotic movements. It wasn't until his eyes lingered on one of the still angry lines on her torso, that Lee once again realized what he'd been doing. For another moment, he still couldn't tear his gaze away. As far as he was concerned, those angry marks took nothing away from the beautiful picture she presented.

Finally he forced himself to look away. He was disgusted with himself for enjoying the view she presented. She trusted him. Even feeling as vulnerable as she so obviously did, she trusted him. And here he was taking advantage of that trust. He found himself wondering what kind of man he was, that he could take pleasure in the view she presented, in her obvious pained condition. He didn't understand why watching her, seeing her recent injuries, still had such a strong effect on him. Readjusting himself on his chair, he tried to angle himself in a way he couldn't see either her or her reflection. That didn't keep what he'd already seen from flashing thru his mind. Now he was sure this would be a very long few hours.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Lee was relieved when he could hear Abby start to redress. He refused to look in her direction, however. He didn't think he'd be able to handle seeing her bare flesh and her not notice the effect it had on him. Just recalling what he'd seen was making him decidedly uncomfortable in his tight fitting uniform.

When Tabby finished dressing, she turned around to face Lee. What she saw was Lee facing away from her. That's strange, she thought. Then she noticed he was sitting in a very stiff manor, with his arms folded tightly against his chest. Not understanding why he looked so tense, she drew the only conclusion she could. "Lee? … Why you angry? Is there something I did wrong? Whatever I did, I'm sorry." she said, her voice filled with remorse.

At hearing Abby call his name, he hesitated in turning to face her. He didn't need any surprises at the moment. He was doing his best to bring his body back under control as it was. But when he heard what she said next, it was liked being doused in ice water. No longer did his body feel overheated. He was out of his chair and standing before her in record time.

"Of course I'm not angry, Abbs. Why would you even ask that?" He asked, looking directly into her eyes. When she looked down at the ground he reached out for her upper arms. Giving her a small squeeze he prompted her for an answer. "Abby?"

"Well …you looked so tense when I turned to look at you. You'd never seemed that tense before. Also you'd never turned your back on me completely before, either. It… seemed obvious you'd gotten angry with me for some reason. But I don't know what I did wrong. I thought it would be best to know what I did to anger you, so I could ………"

Lee couldn't help himself. He began to laugh from deep in his belly. He couldn't believe this woman. She was so clearly clueless of her effect on men. She had no clue the effect she had on him. Seeing her confusion, he brought his laughter back under control. "I'm not angry with you Abby. I was just trying to give you some privacy, is all." Still seeing the confused look on her face, he realized he'd have to give her something more. Thinking quickly he came up with a viable answer. "These chairs, they aren't as comfortable to me as the ones on the Galactica." There, that was the truth. Just not in the way she would interpret it.

Tabby thought she finally understood. Lee looked so tense because these seats were uncomfortable. She'd have to come up with a solution to make it more comfortable for him. She didn't want to put him out any more than she already was. She knew she needed to come here often. Fortunately the energy clouds outside the window gave off even more energy than she usually had available. Hopefully she'd not only find a solution for his discomfort, but she wouldn't need to come here as long as she'd originally anticipated. Feeling satisfied with her new conclusions, she gave Lee one of her huge smiles.

Seeing the smile that lit up her face, Lee was barely able to suppress a groan. Realizing it would be best for his equilibrium, he quickly escorted her out of the room.

Oooooooooooooooo

It became their custom to head down to the Observation Lounge after they'd eaten their evening meal together. Eating together was beneficial to them both. Since becoming the Commander of the Pegasus, Lee found it difficult to eat in the officer's mess. Being the ships leader, made the other crew members give him a wide berth. Meaning he generally tended to eat alone. Having Abby there meant he had someone to eat with and talk to. Also it served as a way for the other members of the crew to know she was under his watch. Plus it was a way for Lee to be sure she managed to eat at least one full meal. For Abby, being in the mess with Lee allowed her to relax enough to eat. With Lee next to her, it was easier to tune out the emotions of the other people in the room. Much to both Lee's and Tabby's pleasure, their easy camaraderie reasserted itself almost immediately.

After Tabby's second day, Comet informed his Commander that Tabby barely slept. This was confirmed by seeing the dark smudges still under her eyes. Lee realized that just being in front of the stars wasn't going to be enough. She also needed to sleep, so her body could heal. But it wasn't as if he could order her to sleep. Ordering was never an option with Abby. Then Lee remembered how he'd found Abby asleep on his father's couch. He figured if he managed to get her back to his quarters, she would probably do the same there.

Lee was happy with himself for coming up with an easy solution. After the third day in the Observation Lounge, Lee asked Abby to join him in his quarters. When she questioned him why, he was ready with an answer. He told her that her presence always made him more productive while doing his paperwork. Since this was an arrangement they once had on the Galactica, Tabby readily agreed. Just as Lee had hoped, Tabby settled herself onto his couch, across from his desk. When he looked up a little while later, he was pleased to see she her art pad had fallen on the floor and she was sound asleep.

Smiling to himself, he thought, 'if it was only this easy to control her all the time.' The thought that followed directly behind that was 'but why would I want to control her? She's perfect, as the wild creature she is. I wouldn't want her any other way.'

When the last thought ran thru his mind, he sat up abruptly. 'where the frak had that thought come from?!' Looking over at the sleeping woman, he knew he was in trouble. Why did he have a knack for wanting women he couldn't have? First Kara, she ended up falling for his brother and only ended up being his best friend in the Universe. And now Abby. Lee had known for some time that he needed Abby, much the way he needed Kara. No that wasn't right. He somehow knew he needed her more.

Lee wasn't willing to risk loosing her. Wasn't that why he'd tried to avoid her for so long? To keep from loosing her? To keep from hurting her? To be sure he didn't frighten her off? His next thought was worse. What if she didn't think he measured up? What if she realized he wasn't the type of man she really wanted or needed?

…But what if he was?…

Watching her sleep, his mind wouldn't let go of the possibilities. Never was he more grateful than now of her promise to never read him. Some of the possibilities managed to bring a smile to his face and make his blood burn. But in true Lee, over thinking style, his thoughts shifted. Soon his thoughts churned where he ended up loosing her completely. He couldn't seem to shake the thought, that if he showed her how he was feeling, she'd turn away from him. He worried she'd no longer trust him or worse, …become afraid.

The suffering he knew of her past crept thru his mind, causing his stomach to clench. Even surviving all she had, he instinctively knew she managed to retain an unusual innocence somehow. But those experiences would also give her cause her to fear any physical closeness. He remembered her calling herself a monster, that night he'd helped patch her up. What he didn't understand was why she felt that way about herself. True her back was wickedly scarred, but he didn't think that detracted from her natural beauty. What else had she suffered, that he had no knowledge of he wondered, made her believe that of herself? If anything the strength, warmth and compassion she exuded, after suffering all she had lived thru, made her even more beautiful in his mind.

Once again, he wondered if he could be the man to get her beyond her past. Then he revisited all his known shortcomings. All his past transgressions began to parade thru his mind. He remembered what he'd done to Gianne. How he had treated his father after Zac's death, blaming him. Even how he'd treated his father before Zac had died. Then he remembered shooting down the Olympic Carrier and shooting Phalen in cold blood. The list just went on and on.

Going back over his past, he began to realize he was becoming more like a dark hole of despair. He soon began to question why Abby trusted him at all. He couldn't understand why she had such faith and confidence in him. But he was smart enough to realize he needed her to do so. In the end he realized he wasn't willing to risk loosing her. He needed to hold onto her any way she'd let him.

oooooooooooooooo

tbc