All eyes turned to the couple that had just walked into the room. The young man was tall and lean, immaculately dressed in his uniform. It was the teenaged girl on his arm that they couldn't believe. In fact the words that slipped out of Tamara Agathon's mouth said it all.

"Oh no he didn't!"

Charlie nearly choked on his punch, spiked by Tam's uncle himself, as he turned to see what she was talking about.

"Frakking Melinda Tigh. I should have known. That's why he was being so smug yesterday."

But they really had no idea. To Eli, Melinda was a pretty enough girl, but in personality, she was just like her mother. He had a feeling that the only reason she asked him was to make future contacts. Her own mother Ellen's calculating nature had driven the Galactica's former XO straight into his own grave, via a very handy method…death by alcoholism.

He'd really agreed because no one else had asked him. Tamara had assumed he would go with her, but she never actually asked him this year. The young lieutenant did not want to be one of the only ones stuck in his rack without a date. So he'd agreed to go with Melinda. And it didn't hurt that everyone's jaws were dropping as they came inside.

"Ms. Tigh, would you like some punch?"

She looked at him carefully, smiling like the cat that had caught the canary. She had inherited Tom Zarek's eyes, but everything else was from her mother. From the petite body she had slipped into the drop dead gorgeous blue dress that had to have been one of Ellen's, to the long blonde hair she had elegantly put upon her head; small tendrils of which were trailing down her back.

"Yes, please."

He gave a quick little bow, and made his way to the punch bowl. The angry look on Tamara's face surprised him as he poured his date a fresh cup.

"So, moved on to the big leagues, have we? You couldn't wait to pull this one on me, could you? And I'm supposed to be your best friend."

Cocking his head, he thought that she couldn't seriously be jealous. Could she?

"What the frak is that supposed to mean, Tam? I told you it would be a surprise. If you'd wanted me to go with you, the why the frak didn't you ask me yourself!"

He turned and walked back over to his date, only to find that she was chatting up someone else. From the sidelines, Lee Adama was laughing at the scene, remembering all too well what a female Tigh was like. He pointed it out to Starbuck, laughing under his breath.

"Hey, Kara…look what your prized pilot has gotten himself into."

She stopped talking to Helo long enough to take a glance in that direction. It was one of the most ridiculous things she had seen in a long time, and she figured she'd go rescue the poor kid before he got in any deeper.

"Excuse me. I'll be back."

Striding over to where Lieutenant Taylor was stuck watching his date engrossed in talking to other people, she tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he would join her out on the dance floor.

"Thank you, Major. I needed that."

He sighed as they began to twirl around the dance floor. Somehow, the movements felt familiar to Kara. She remembered gliding across the floor with Lee on Colonial Day, so many light years before.

"Did anyone ever tell you you're a pretty good dancer, Eli?"

Nodding, he carefully twirled her around again, trying not to step on her toes. When he was around her, he felt like he was on familiar territory, and he thought how much of a pun that really could turn out to be.

"Yes, sir. I'm guessing I inherited it from either my birth mother or father. Because my adoptive parents never danced. They never did much together, really."

Kara's attention at that moment had been captured by the Tyrol family, who was just walking into the room. Megan had come with both her mother and her father, as she felt too embarrassed at almost seventeen to ask anyone out. She could barely speak herself as she watched her little goddaughter, now all grown up.

"Well, would you look at that? She's gorgeous!"

Eli turned to look at what Kara had seen, stopping mid-swing. He'd never seen little Meg in a dress before. And what he was seeing with his eyes that really didn't believe it, basically took his breath away.

More than a few gentlemen noticed when Megan Tyrol came into view. She was wearing a light yellow frock that her mother had helped her sew. And her long hair, wavy from her father's side of the gene pool, fell in ringlets over her shoulders and down her back. Ensign Tyrol was indeed a sight to see.

Sharon Valerii put one hand on her daughter's arm and the other on her partner's. But she mainly spoke to Galen.

"It's all right honey. No one is going to bite."

He contained a growl under his breath as he responded.

"They'd better not. I've got connections. Anyone who offends my little girl will end up on latrine duty for a month."

Sharon rolled her eyes, knowing that Galen was being entirely serious. She began to steer her grouchy glorified mechanic to the refreshment table.

"Come on guys. I think I see my sister and her husband guarding the punch."

Kara laughed as she watched Eli's face. His expression hadn't changed, and his eyes hadn't moved from the family who had walked in the door. She waved one hand in front of his face to get his attention.

"Hey, Taylor…you're staring. Eli!"

He snapped out of it, like he had been in a trance. She's so beautiful. There was no sign of the grease monkey he had known for the past three years. Every hair was in place. Her dress fit every curve. Nothing like the bulky orange jumpsuits she had worn when helping her father repair the downed Vipers and Raptors that flew in every day.

"Sorry, sir. What can I say? Whoa! I didn't know that was possible."

She punched the young officer in the arm as Lee walked over to cut in.

"Let me give you a piece of advice, Lieutenant Taylor. When a woman is standing in front of you, looking that gorgeous, you need to go ask her to dance. It took me almost twenty years to learn that with Major Thrace. Go on kid. Ask her."

Elijah decided to take Colonel Adama's advice. He slowly walked over to where Meg was still standing with her parents, a cup of punch held delicately in one hand. It took more than a few deep breaths before he could get the words to come out of his mouth. The stern look in Master Chief Tyrol's eyes didn't help matters much.

"Meg…would you like to dance?"

Megan looked at her father, who nodded. Not that she really needed his approval, anyway. But out of respect for him, she thought she should at least see if he did.

"Sure…thanks."

Walking out to the dance floor, Elijah felt so much better now than he did when he'd walked into the room with Melinda Tigh. On his arm was a young woman he'd watch grow from a meek little girl, hiding behind her older cousin's back, to a strikingly beautiful Viper pilot. I think I'm in love.

Megan smiled as she felt more beautiful than she ever thought possible. She'd always held a bit of a crush for Elijah. But she also knew that Tamara was secretly holding a candle for him, too. It wouldn't be right of her to do or say anything that would hurt her cousin. But she couldn't help the warm feeling inside when he paid her a compliment.

"No more greasy jumpsuits for you, huh Meg? I definitely think this look suits you better."

"Thank you."

No more words were exchanged between them as they danced for what seemed like forever. But there was plenty of conversation going on in other parts of the room.

Tamara stood with a crushed and stubborn look on her face. Helo just shrugged, wondering what her problem was. Sharon shook her head and exchanged looks with Boomer, who was carefully watching every expression that crossed Galen Tyrol's face. They both rolled their eyes when he voiced what Karl had already been thinking.

"What's the big deal? It's just two kids, dancing."

Boomer winked at Sharon, and they spoke to their husbands, almost in unison.

"Don't you get it? Your daughter has fallen in love with the young lieutenant."

Helo spit out his punch in a long spray as Tamara humphed and crossed her arms even tighter. Tyrol swore under his breath. Both Sharons laughed at the site before them, while Sharon Agathon put a supportive arm around her daughter's shoulder.

"Love is a wonderful thing, dear. And sometimes, it just takes a rockier road than you expect."

Elijah was going to lean down and sneak a small kiss, when the alarms started blaring, quickly followed by Lieutenant Meyers' voice overhead.

"Action stations, action stations. Set condition one throughout the ship. Colonel Adama, report to CIC immediately. Action stations, action stations. Set condition one throughout the ship. Colonel Adama, report to CIC immediately."

A flurry of activity began, followed by an explosion that nearly knocked Elijah and the others off their feet. He barely held onto her outstretched hand as she removed her heels to make it easier to run to the pilots' locker. Megan cursed as Eli swore aloud.

"Frak. Well, I guess that means this is not a drill!"

As they bounded down the hallway, another announcement commenced.

"Attention all hands, the Galactica has been boarded. Attention all hands, please be advised, the Galactica has been boarded."

They barely made it to the locker room when another explosion rocked the ship. He quickly grabbed his sidearm and a few extra clips from the top shelf.

"Megan, stay out of site if you can. Take the ductwork to the hangar deck. You're small enough to make it through there without being seen. And for God's sake, be careful!"

Eli left her changing into her flight suit. She hoped that he would be okay as she climbed into the nearest air duct.

The corridors outside of the officer's quarters were already dark. But he had always been able to see better in the dark than other people. Maybe it was because he had never seen real sunlight in his life. He was used to the dimly lit halls, seeing how many times he had wandered around at all hours of the night.

He heard a commotion coming from around the next corner. Starbuck was up against a wall, cornered by a tall, blonde woman dressed all in black. He quietly snuck up to where he could hear what she was saying.

"You again! How many of you Frakking machines do I have to kill to wipe you out of this gods forsaken Universe?"

The blonde let go a low, mocking laugh. When she spoke, it was in a voice that he wholly recognized.

"Oh, Starbuck. Haven't you learned? You can't get rid of us. We're everywhere."

Kara had already lost patience with the Cylon. And she would be lying if she didn't admit, at least to herself, that a growing sense of fear was beginning to take hold inside of her.

"What the frak are you here for? What do you want?"

Six smiled a menacingly poisonous grin. She knew that Kara Thrace was afraid of her. She could smell the fear coming out of the pilot's every pore.

"We came for what we always wanted. The first child was lost. The second, taken too soon. We came for the third, and God's will shall not be denied."

The Cylon began to take steps toward her, ready to fight. But Kara had no where to go. She was backed up against a wall. Eli wasn't going to wait any longer.

"Get away from my mother!"

He held his weapon steadily aimed toward the Cylon's head. But his determination didn't stop the small shock to his system he got when he saw Six's face, smiling just like Rebecca's. Only Rebecca's smile had been a gentle one, never meant for any kind of harm. The smile on this woman's face was evil and calculating.

"The prodigal son has returned home. Oh yes…two for the price of one. That traitor kept you not only from being discovered by us, but by the humans, too. But it will be time to go soon…right after we've collected your little sister."

"Frak you, you Cylon bitch."

He didn't see the other two copies of Six who had come up behind him. It left him wide open to attack from both sides. Before he could even pull the trigger, he heard the report of another firearm, as the Cylon in front of him doubled over, clutching at her stomach. As she pulled her hand away, it was tinged red with her own blood.

"Stay the frak away from my son."

Lee Adama had a look of pure hatred on his face. There was still smoke rising from his sidearm, as he caught site of the other ones behind Elijah. Kara screamed.

"Elijah, look out!"

Before he could blink, Lee watched his own son take down two Cylons at once; snapping one's neck and sending the other flying up against the opposing wall with a kick with such force behind it that she was knocked instantly unconscious.

He took only a second to breathe before speaking to his father.

"Lydia."

The Adama family, however oddly reunited, moved as one to save Elijah's three year-old little sister, who was being babysat by her uncle HotDog…somewhere down near the brig.

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