Thank you so much for your generous replies to the story. I was terrified to post it. To be honest, the last scene of this chapter inspired the whole story. Hope it continues to please.

Note about the Medicinal allergies… Totally stolen from other stories. For some reason, I like giving that perfect body an inner flaw.

For those willing to comment. I added a small section with Baltar and Six. I still debate this. I wanted to keep the story pure to Adama, Lee and Kara, but this nagged at me. Please let me know if it helps or hurts.

Seven

Adama continued to read. He'd been forced to take breaks from reading to spare his voice. He would sit quietly and hold his son's hand. It felt awkward to be so close to his son. He wasn't used to it. Lee slept. The doctor assured the anguished father that his son was still holding his own. Adama knew that was only part true. He could sense his son fading, slipping away from him.

"Any word from the labs?" Adama questioned the doctor.

"Everything we've tried has either been ineffective or…"

"It would kill him for sure."

"Yep."

"Can Doctor Baltar help at all? I assume this is Cylon."

"We sent him blood samples hours ago. It's not his area, but he's looking at it."

Adama refused to give up hope, despite the evidence before his eyes.

Gaius Baltar stared at through the microscope. To no one in particular, he said, "I don't see how I can help."

"They think it's us."

"Isn't it?"

Six smiled and ran her hand along his inner thigh. "God has his plan."

"Why is Lee Adama part of God's plan? He's one man."

She smiled and stroked him more aggressively. He was torn between giving in to her and wanting to know why Lee Adama figured so importantly. "So, why the good Captain?"

"Why not?" She purred into his ear. "Distractions are always helpful." To emphasize her point, she shifted her body into his lap and ground against him. Gaius was falling under her spell yet again, when it suddenly occurred to him. He jumped up, expecting to see Six on the floor. Instead she was behind him, running her hand along his shoulder. He turned to face her.

"You're planning an attack."

She smiled. "The plan is already in place."

"But, now. The Commander is preoccupied…" Dr. Baltar left the room and quickly made his way to CIC.

"Dr. Baltar, what are you doing here?" Colonel Tigh had no patience for the twitchy man.

"Where is Commander Adama?" Baltar scanned the room as he spoke.

"He's with his son and YOU are not going to disturb him." Tigh went back to his charts.

"So, who's in charge?"

"I am. Is there something you need?" Tigh prayed the man would just leave.

"Well, it…"

"YES?"

"It just seems that now would be an opportune time for the Cylon's to attack."

"And why is that?"

"With the Commander preoccupied and indeed, our best pilot…"

"Everything is under control Doctor. You just get back to work on the Cylon detector and we'll keep you safe."

"Well, if you're sure…" Baltar fumbled his way out of CIC.

"You see?" Six's arm wrapped around his waist. "No need to worry."

Kara returned from patrol and replaced the Commander at Lee's side. Adama knew he should go. He needed a break. Kara would call him if necessary. His body ached for a bit of rest. A cold shiver passed through him as he stepped away from the bed. He turned back and for an instant, he felt this would be the last time he saw his son alive. He shook it off. His son was a fighter, if only to continue to torment his father.

Sharon Valerii was tossing in her rack. She was asleep, but it wasn't sound. She was plagued by strange images. She kept seeing the landing bay from above, and then she would fall into a dark void. When she came out of the void, she was with her friends, laughing and joking. It was peaceful and fun. These images had been repeating through her subconscious all night. It began again and but at the end this time, Sharon sat straight up in her rack. Sweat dripped down her face as she trembled. 'He checked me. I'm not a Cylon.' She repeated it over and over again, trying to make it true. She gulped. 'Then why do I see myself putting something in the Captain's coffee?' The blackouts and doubts were driving her insane. Was this just her mind playing evil tricks on her?

Starbuck held Lee's hand and spoke for several hours, regaling his subconscious with wild tales of her past. Her head rested virtually on the pillow with him. The doctor and nurses checked him and the various monitors frequently. Each worked around the pilot, none wanting to move her out of the way. None dared. They'd all patched her handiwork and they knew that was the last thing anyone needed right now.

She grew quiet. Her hand snaked along the top of his head and her fingers slowly raked through his hair. She didn't need to babble non-stop. He needed rest if he was going to win this battle but pure comfort was difficult for her. She'd never seen him this weak before. She avoided looking at all the tubes and wires that adorned his body. They pumped in the vital chemicals that were keeping him stable and removed the vile threat to his life. She could see the bloat developing throughout his body. His kidneys had begun to shut down and the accumulating fluids in his body were making his already pale skin, grayish yellow. 'Damn, why didn't you get your dad's coloring like Zak?'

She was distracted by his voice. It was small and muffled further by the oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose. "What, Lee?"

He used precious strength to turn ever so slightly toward her. She slid back down, her ear closer to his mouth. "Say it again, Lee."

"Need the Commander…" His voice trailed off. She was glad she'd heard it. She knew he didn't have the energy to repeat it again.

"I'll get him. Hold on…" She watched once vivid, blue eyes roll back in his head. "FRAK IT, LEE! HOLD ON!" He opened his eyes and looked at her. She willed him her strength as she back toward the phone on the nearby table. She never took her eyes off his. She knew if she broke contact, she'd lose him. She mumbled over and over, "Hold on."

She hit the table with her hip and reached down to fumble for the phone. Without looking, she dialed the CIC. She raised the mouthpiece, still never leaving his sight. She had no idea who answered; she simply spoke. "Get the Commander to Life Station, NOW!"

Lieutenant Gaeta looked at the commander, who had recently checked in after resting. He didn't need to say more. Commander William Adama ran through the corridors of his ship in a full force. He hadn't run this hard or this fast in many years. There was a small part of his body that cried out for a breath. It knew this was too much for the old man. The run seemed to take forever.

Kara didn't even bother to set the phone down on the receiver. She dropped it from her hand as soon as the message was delivered and returned to Lee's side. She grabbed his hand and leaned in close again. Over and over she repeated. "Don't you frakin' give up. You fight this! You hear me. No FRAKIN givin' up. FIGHT!" She could feel Lee's struggle. She knew his mind and soul were fighting like never before in his life, but she could feel and see his body losing. His breathing was slow, too slow and very shallow. The pulse that once raced though his body was non-existent in the hand she held. Her mind cried out for the Commander. He needed to be here. If Lee died before he got here, there would be no going back. She knew the commander would die as well. It had been too many close calls in too short of time. He had only begun to repair the damage to his relationship with his son. The guilt and pain would kill him this time. Kara knew it. If they lost the Commander, they'd lose the war for sure.

The commander of the Galactica was nowhere to be found at that moment. Instead, William Adama, father of Lee, pounded through the halls to his son. He felt Kara's desperation through the phone despite never having heard her words. His son was dying and there didn't seem to be a damn thing he could do about it. He burst through the doors of Life Station and ran to the back of the area, where his son lay dying.

He came to an abrupt stop at his son's bed. Kara quickly stepped aside and miraculously, the commander's breathing stilled. He sat on the stool and pulled up to his son. "Lee. I'm here, Son. I'm here." He grabbed his son's limp hand. He refused to look anywhere other then his son's face, where half-closed lids hid his once vibrant, blue eyes. For an instant, he saw his young son, eyes glittering with sheer joy as his giggle filled the air. He was secure in his father's arms, high above his head, flying. "I know it's hard, but we're close. You have to keep fighting. That's an order, Captain." Adama ignored the slowing bleeps from the monitor that mirrored his son's own heart beat.

Lee's eyes opened. He saw his father and beneath the life giving mask, the corners of his mouth turned up into a faint smile. He felt the squeeze of his father's hand and pulled from his strength, as he had Kara's. Lee summoned all the strength he could in order to draw a breath that would allow him to do what he needed to do. His father had to know. He owed him that. "Dad?" The voice was so quiet; it was nearly drowned out by the monitors.

"I'm here, Lee. Rest. You need your strength."

All else in the world disappeared. Lee Adama was speaking to his father and at that moment nothing else existed, not a sound was heard other than the quiet, pained voice. "My honor, Sir." Lee's eyes closed and the monitor screeched.

William Adama never felt the hands pulling him away from his son. Medical experts were swarming his son, more tubes, more drugs more wires. His son was dead.