Title: Goodbye is the Saddest Word
Author: GEM
Feedback: Please send it good or bad written: 61/05
Rated: T
Word count:
Story Timeline: Pre- Mini
Category: Drama/Angst
Focus: The Adamas and Kara with some minor OFC's
Warnings: Character Death
Summary: We all react differently to the death of loved ones.
Spoiler: Slight Mini and Act of Contrition
Chapter 12: Dress Grays
Lee woke early the next morning and made his way downstairs quietly. He did his best not to wake his mother as he went through the living room into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. When he went over to the counter to get the coffee pot he noticed a fresh pot had already been made. 'She must have been up earlier.' Lee thought as he got a cup and filled it.
When he walked into the living room, with coffee cup in hand, he noticed his mother was indeed awake. She was sitting on the couch, with her back to Lee and a tissue in her hand. "Lee." Her voice was shaky and hardly a whisper. Lee made his was from the doorway to the couch were his mother was sitting.
"I'm here, Mom." Lee put his cup on the table and sat down next to his mother.
As he comforted his crying mother once again, he also allowed himself to cry. They would be burying his brother in a matter of hours and his mother was the only family he had left.
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The house had become busy very early that morning. The Myers were over helping with the last minute preparations and Lee was glad to have the extra help. He finally had gotten a chance to slip away to get ready himself. Lee was fastening the last button on his dress uniform and put his sash in place when he was interrupted by a knock on the door.
When he turned to see who it was He saw a short dark haired woman in a dress uniform standing in the doorway. "Hey." He said. She walked over to him and put her arms around him.
"Hey, yourself, sorry I couldn't be here sooner." Lee picked up her hand and turned around to face her.
"You were here with my Mom. That's what I needed. Thank you for that. And for being here now."
"You're Welcome." She let go and walked over and sat on his bed as he continued to get ready. "Lee?"
"Yeah, Lauren."
Lauren hesitated for a moment "How much do you know about what happened to him?"
Lee stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. "I know he died in a training accident. I know your mother was the trauma surgeon on call."
"Did you also know that my mother withheld one item from his personal effects?"
"No, I didn't" Lee said as he voice drifted away. He had been so busy with everything that he didn't have chance to look through Zac's things to see if anything was missing.
He sat on the bed next to Lauren. She removed her white dress gloves and took something out of her inside pocket. She played with the item in her hand for a moment and then took hold of Lee's hand and placed them inside. It was a pair of Zac's wings. "He would have wanted you to have them."
Lee held them in his hand "Thank You." His reply was weak. Lauren reached over and held him in a tight embrace as he broke down, as did Lauren.
"I'm so mad at him." Lee finally calmed down but was still holding Lauren. She pulled away and looked him in the eye. "Lee." Lauren's tone was strong but supportive also she was a bit stunned at his statement. "I know you're upset with your father. I know you blame him but please try to remember that are friendship has grown into much more. I love you. I love Zac I love your family but when this is over I have to go back to work. Lee threw her a questioning glance. "The point is your father is my commanding officer. Please don't ask me to choose sides, I can't do that."
Lee took her hands in his and looked her in the eyes. "I love you, I know how you feel about my father and I would never ask you to choose sides." He kissed her lightly on the lips and then looked at the wings in his hands. "Thank you again." He stood up and straightened his uniform. Lauren did the same and replaced her gloves. Lee finished with his uniform and placed the wings in his pocket. He extended a hand to Lauren that she gratefully took and they walked downstairs to the rest of the family.
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Once Lee spoke with the Myers he walked over to his mother and knelt down next to her. This was becoming more real by the minute Lee was in dress grays and his mother in a black dress. Lee put his hand over his mother's as she cried. "We have to go, Mom. We'll get through this."
"It's the uniform." Caroline Adama said through her tears. "It did hit me until I saw you in uniform. You look so handsome. Zac did too." She wiped her tears with a tissue.
Lee rubbed her back in an effort to calm her. He never gave much thought to the dress uniform. He never thought it would bother her so much "I have to wear it, Mom, its protocol."
"I know dear, I want you to. Lee gave her a little smile and help her to stand. He put some extra tissues in his pocket and offered her an arm. They walked out the door to the waiting car. The driver came out and opened the door for them. The other family had already left for the church. He helped her into the car and sat next to her. "We're ready." Lee said to the driver as he took his mother's hand. Ready for what Lee wasn't sure.
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