Chapter Fifteen

"What the hell was that?" Jessica cried out in frustration to the now empty room. She wasn't sure if it was the admission that she knew he wanted her, or the admission that she was a killer, but Lee Adama had pretty much left skid marks on his way out the door. She'd had no intention of ever speaking those words aloud but in that moment, it'd been desperation that made her blurt them. She knew she'd struck a nerve when she'd seen the confirmation in Lee's eyes. Yes, he wanted her. Thought about her in a way that stole the breath from her body and made her knees weak and what's worse, made her want him back. Badly. Her only thought was to stop it dead in it's tracks and so she'd confessed the worst thing she'd ever done. Whether it had worked, Jessica didn't know. Lee hadn't stayed in the room long enough for her to sense anything in him but shock. She'd pretty much guaranteed herself a one way trip out the air lock, though. No way they'd keep a murderess among their precious military. "Shit, shit,shit, Talbot! You and your big mouth. A simple, 'you're not my type' wouldn't do. Oh no, not for you. Frakking shit." Jessica groaned banging her head against the bars until it began to hurt and so she stopped that. On the other hand, musing over her own stupidity did her keep mind her off her panic?

When the door opened again, Jessica braced herself for Lee or the commander, coming to get her to have her executed. She was slightly relieved when Kara Thrace walked in, though who knew if they'd sent their lieutenant to do the job? Jessica did think it was rather morbid of them to send the woman she'd saved to kill her.

"I gotta say, this place looks real different from this side of the bars." Kara said with a wide smile. Jessica waited and simply watched her. "Well, you had an eventful morning. Though from what I hear, some target practice is in order." Jessica's mouth reluctantly turned up at the corner.

"Yeah well, it's a good thing I missed Doc Genius, seeing as he's your Cylon expert, which, I gotta say, is irony in its highest form."

"Oooh no, I meant you only winged Tigh. We're gonna have to work on that." Kara said with a wink. Jessica shook her head but was unable to fight a smile.

"So they sent you to do the dirty deed, huh?" Jessica asked with a shiver of dread.

"What do you mean?" Kara asked.

"Oh, you're not here to kill me?" Jessica realized.

"For shooting Tigh?" Kara asked cocking an eyebrow. "Heck, if could I'd pin a medal on ya. But nope, I actually come bearing gifts." Kara reached into her pocket and pulled out something wrapped in white paper that smelled almost like fish. Jessica's mouth watered hungrily.

"What is that?" Jessica asked as Kara slipped the package between the bars.

"Our version of a tuna sandwich. Don't ask what the tuna actually is. You're better off not knowing, trust me." At that point, Jessica didn't care. She tucked into the sandwich hungrily. It was actually some kind of flaky, creamy concoction between two wide crackers but Jessica wasn't going to be choosy.

"So, anyway I came to say thanks for saving my ass earlier. If I can, I'll try and put in a word with the old man but I'm not sure he's gonna listen to me, seeing as I couldn't stop smiling when he told me you shot Tigh." Kara shrugged. "Still, I owe you. Even though you're a freak of nature, you could be interesting to have around in a Pyramid game and it'd be a shame to toss you out into the ether."

"Thank you." Jessica said accepting what she felt was as close to a compliment Kara Thrace was gonna offer.

"I only popped in to give you the sandwich so I better get ready for my shift." Kara turned to leave and Jessica called out.

"Wait, Kara. I...is there anything you could do about getting me out of this cell? I really feel like I'm gonna lose my mind in here." Jessica said. "Having you here was actually making me feel a little better but if you've gotta go-"

"Claustrophobic?" Kara asked sympathetically. "The old man will be in here in a few so you could ask him."

"I feel like I'm gonna jump out of my skin." Jessica admitted trembling.

"I can stay until he gets here." Kara offered turning back towards her.

"I'd appreciate it. Also..., well, Elosha gave me a book, a bible. I left it in my room. Could you possibly get it for me later? Something to take my mind off stuff. It's the only way I can stop my mind going every which way. Focus." Jessica explained. Kara nodded.

"So while I'm here, do tell me what you said to Lee to get him to nearly run me down out there?" Kara asked. Jessica grimaced." You saw him?"

"He was practically a blur but yeah. Let me guess, you told him someone snuck into his room and messed up his color co-coordinated socks."

"Not quite." Jessica said biting her lip. "I told him I killed someone." Kara started in the chair.

"Tigh's dead?" She asked in shock.

"No, not Tigh. An old boyfriend."

"Lords, woman. Wouldn't a 'Dear John' letter have sufficed?" Kara asked wide-eyed.

"He deserved to die." Jessica seethed. She turned and sat on the bed. She couldn't really see Kara any longer. Jessica was back in the Cylon lab, staring down at James' unconscious body.

"We went into hiding when the Cylons took over. Some people had built underground bunkers in preparation for those end of the world prophecies you'd always read about...And laugh at." Jessica said with a bitter laugh. "I'd been dating James for roughly a year...I thought... It's funny but I can't even remember loving him anymore. I think of him and I feel just rage...Imagine his hands on me and I just feel sick." She said swallowing. "We were under for about a month before the Cylons found us."

"James?" Kara asked. Jessica nodded and continued.

"The Cylons had us on their compound for two weeks when my dad came up with a plan of escape. We worked together for weeks and about two months in; we were ready to make a break for it."

"Frak me." Kara said softly, sensing what was coming.

"James had sold us out so that he could get special privileges with the Cylons. Work with them. Since he was convinced the Cylon's would win the war, he decided to make nice. For information, they would let him walk free among the compound, have more food. We didn't even make it past the barbed wire before the Cylons shot my father dead and dragged my mother and I back. James knew that I knew what he'd done. He wouldn't face me. He asked to work with the other prisoners. As proof that the Gods have a sense of humor, James got into a fight with another prisoner. Marty, a nice man who had a crush on my mother. Marty stabbed James with the back of a spoon. He punctured James' lung. The doctor had James on a respirator. I managed to sneak into the infirmary when the Cylons had begun examining my head..."

Kara watched Jessica as she went on with her story and got the impression that she was no longer in the room with Kara but back with the Cylons staring down at James.

"He opened his eyes when I walked in and I could feel his panic. He couldn't move because of all the tubes and wires and he knew very well why I was there. I saw him lying there and I couldn't believe how small he looked. How weak and helpless. Almost childlike." Jessica whispered, her green eyes wide. I didn't say a word to him but I couldn't look away from him. I wanted to see him, see the life drain out of his eyes. He watched me lean over to the respirator plug. His eyes were pleading with me and he was making these horrible gurgling sounds. I never felt that removed, outside of myself. There was no little voice telling me not to do it. I wasn't blinded by rage or hatred. I felt those things but everything around me was so sharp, so clear. I pulled the plug off the respirator and just stood there waiting for his oxygen to run out. It didn't take long. I watched him struggling against the lack of air, pleading and cursing at me with his eyes and then he went still. I and just stood there. Watching. I expected to feel vindicated or triumphant but I felt nothing." Jessica visibly jolted on the mattress as if surprised to find herself back in the brig.

"Frak me." Kara whispered eyeing her. Jessica was glad not to feel disgust from Kara. No, in fact, Jessica felt and saw admiration in Kara's eyes. And respect.

"Anyway, you're the only one that knows this." Jessica admitted quietly, trembling from the memories.

"I thought you told, Lee." Kara reminded her. Jessica shook her head.

"He didn't stick around long enough for explanations."

"That's Lee." Kara said rolling her eyes. "You should tell him." Kara stood up when she heard the door open and Commander Adama walked in.

"Lieutenant."

"Sir." Kara replied with a salute. "Permission to speak off the record, Sir." William nodded. "I suggest that Ms Talbot be allowed out of her cell. She's claustrophobic and can still be kept under watch with a guard outside her room."

"I will take that under advisement, Lieutenant. Dismissed." Kara turned and winked and Jessica who smiled back in thanks.