Z-plus 3 months

Kara didn't even bother denying that she was not one of the easiest people in the galaxy to awaken. Everyone knew it was true. When she'd lived in the bunks, someone had often been throwing something in her direction in order to get her to turn off her alarm in the morning. Lee, on the other hand, was usually an early riser, and was able to do so with just a wickedly-accurate internal clock. Even if he didn't have to get up for an early shift, he knew when Kara did, and she found him much nicer to wake up to than a blaring alarm. Especially when they were trying not to also wake up Zak.

"Kara, get up," she heard Lee's sleepy voice telling her, cutting through the dream she was having. "It's 0500; if you're going to go running, get up." She groaned, but complied, rolling out of bed and going to check on Zak. He was still sound asleep, one little thumb hanging out of his mouth.

Kara pulled on her standard PT clothes – shorts, double tank tops, and her running shoes. The shoes sorely needed replacing, but she had no idea where she was going to find some among the fleet. She closed the hatch behind her as quietly as possible, and stretched out in the hallway before starting off at a jog around Galactica's decks. She had only recently gotten back to running, having given it up after her first bout of preterm labor with Zak. Considering the health problems she'd had, Cottle had wanted her to wait a little bit after his birth before she started again.

As she got up to the command deck, she saw Adama in the corridor, heading towards the CIC. "What do you hear, Sir?" she asked with a grin. Adama returned it as she slowed to his pace.

"I really did miss seeing you in the mornings," he told her. "I'd gotten used to it."

"I've missed it, too. My times are wretched beyond belief."

"I'm sure you'll fix that in no time."

"Doing my best, Sir."

"So, first day back in the cockpit?" Kara nodded, her smile widening.

"Yep. I've got a date with my Viper for early shift."

"Enjoy."

"You know I will."


After she finished her run and little bit of time in the weight room, she headed back to her quarters. Zak was due for a feeding, and then she needed to shower and get ready for her shift. Lee was staying home for the morning with the baby, and then Kara was going to stay with Zak while Lee got some work done in his office. Schedule planning was a little more difficult now, and they knew they weren't going to see very much of each other for the time being, but it was still more than worth it.

Sitting in a chair in the corner of their darkened quarters with Zak in her arms, Kara just watched the baby while he ate. His eyes were a brilliant blue, even in the dim light cast by the small lamp on the desk, and Kara could easily get lost in them. His eyes were always so curious, so wide. She wasn't sure if they were going to be able to handle him once he learned how to walk and talk. Already, he'd sometimes get this look on his face that frighteningly reminded Kara of herself with some kind of trick up her sleeve. He was looking more and more like her by the day, too; his initially brown hair was lightening in color. Lee found it amusing – he'd had lighter hair as a child, like his mother, but it had wound up being the same color as his father's. Zak seemed to be the exact opposite. Kara wasn't sure if taking after her was a good thing or not.

Once the baby had finished and fallen back asleep, she laid him back down in his crib and headed into the bathroom for her five-minute cold shower; she was saving the hot water for that evening. She thought she heard Zak crying at one point, but the sound didn't last long so she figured that Lee had calmed him. She got on some basic off-duty clothes, ran a comb through her hair, and then pulled on her flight suit. It felt good to be wearing it again.

The sight that greeted her when she reentered the bedroom made her smile. Lee was lying in bed, asleep, with Zak, also asleep, on his chest. They made an adorable pair.

Kara leaned over Lee, gently kissing him. "Mmm?" he mumbled as he woke up. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah. I'll be back around 1330."

" 'Kay."

"There's a bottle ready for Zak, but he should be good for a few hours."

"All right."

"Was he crying before?" Kara asked.

"Yeah. Probably just got lonely; he settled down pretty quick."

"You sure you guys are going to be okay?"

Lee smiled. "We'll be fine. You're going to be late."

"I've got a little bit of time."

He handed Zak to her, smiling knowingly. "Say bye to your mom," he told the baby, "So she can quit worrying and go to work."

"I'm not worried," Kara shot, as though the idea were preposterous.

"Mmm-hmm. Then get your butt on deck." After only a moment's hesitation, she handed Zak back and headed out the hatch. Lee just shook his head with a smile as he settled back down in bed with his son.

"Your mother's hilarious," he told the still-sleeping baby. "But that's one of the reasons why I love her."


Kara knew something was up when, on the walk to the hangar, she saw one of the other pilots pop out of a hiding spot behind a bulkhead and go running for the deck. However, she wasn't quite prepared to arrive on deck and see a large banner reading, 'Welcome Back, Starbuck!' being hung on her Viper.

"Okay, whose idea was this?" she called to the pilots and deckhands that were within earshot.

"Guilty," Sharon admitted, stepping forward. "But everybody helped." Her own first day back in a cockpit had been a couple weeks earlier.

Kara smiled. "Well…thank you, to everyone. Now get your asses in the ready room; morning briefing's in five minutes."

"Yes, Sir!" they all chorused. Kara saw Tyrol standing nearby.

"She flight-worthy?" she asked him, indicating her Viper.

"Of course. Try to bring her back in the same condition as when you took her out."

"No promises," Kara replied with a grin.

"No, of course not…It is good to have you back, though, Lieutenant."

"Gee, Chief, I think that little girl of yours is making you go soft."

"Yeah, well, don't let word of that get around."

Kara laughed, turning back towards her fighter. She knew she had to go do the briefing, but it had been a long time since she'd been within arms length of her Viper. She ran a hand along the nose as she made her way over to the ladder and climbed up, just to check things out. A smile crossed her face when she got up to the cockpit and saw what was sitting on her seat – a stogie, tied in a blue ribbon. A little note was attached as well:

I TOLD YOU I'D SAVE YOU ONE. –L


TBC...

AN: If you don't get the little note at the end, it's referring to events from the epilogue to this story's prequel, Destiny.