Lee had agreed to help with the rescue mission. He had to. Kara had adamantly lobbied for a return to Caprica to unite the resistance group she had encountered with the rest of the fleet. It was important to her, so that made it important to him. Besides he would rather work by her side than wait on the Galactica and wonder if she was going to make it back. The two of them were always in sync when on duty. On the battlefield they were unbeatable, and always had each other's back.
Things seemed different now.
She hadn't told him about Sam, but he heard her & Helo talking about him. It bothered him to know she cared for this guy. It shouldn't, he and Kara had never been more than friends. Lately his thoughts of her were anything but friendly. He had acted like the kiss he gave her when she finally returned from Caprica took him by surprise. But he knew it didn't come out of nowhere. He remembered meeting her in flight school. She was very attractive, but she wasn't the most beautiful woman he had known. But Kara Thrace stirred something inside him like no one ever had.
She had always captivated him. But she was drawn to his brother. Carefree, charismatic Zak had attracted the one woman he couldn't take his mind off of. He had just learned to deal with it.
He was learning to deal with it again.
Kara with another man wasn't new. Finding out he was a professional pyramid player for some reason made Lee feel like this may just be another passing fling for Kara, someone fun and exciting.
Until he met him.
He saw her dog tag on a chain around his neck. That's when it hit him. When things changed. He knew then that she had given him more than just a good time.
It made him ache inside.
In contrast, Kara was ecstatic about the time they had spent on Caprica. She and Sam were rediscovering each other and enjoying their reunion. In their first moments back together Sam told her he loved her. She didn't respond the same ….yet. She enjoyed having the upper hand for awhile. She seemed content for the first time since, since Zak.
It was good to see her happy, but it left Lee feeling isolated.
He had never felt so alone. Inside the makeshift compound he turned his thoughts to his friends and family that had lost their lives on Caprica, especially his mom. He imagined what it was like for her in those final moments before she died. The fear, the terror she must have felt. He couldn't protect the one person who always supported him, always believed in him. Caroline and Lee were so much alike. She shaped his opinions on life, politics, well everything. It was the first time he stopped and actually allowed himself to feel her loss since the attack.
Alone inside an abandoned room he broke down and let his grief take over his emotions.
Outside the compound Kara and the rest of the survivors were loading the heavy raider they had used to jump back. It was time to get back home. Well, as much as a battlestar can be home.
Kat had flown on this mission too. She had proven herself to be an exceptional pilot. Kara was impressed with her flying skills. Flying was second nature for Kara. She could fly any machine they threw at her. She knew she was the best. She had trained Kat and Lee to fly the heavy raider too. Well, Lee didn't take a lot of training, flying was second nature to him too. She would never admit it, but Lee's technical skills were superior to her own. But no one could fly by the seat of their pants like Starbuck.
Helo was organizing the final details before they left their home planet for the last time. The survivors were euphoric at their impending departure. Galactica hadn't forgot about them after all.
Kara and Sam managed one last private moment on the pyramid court. They started playing one last match, but it didn't last long. Sam grabbed Kara around the waist and pulled her close to him. His lips brushed hers. He was so strong and handsome, and uncomplicated.
Kara lost herself in his kiss.
"Kara, I love you," Sam whispered in her ear, for the second time.
She drew back with a smile on her face, looked him in the eyes and said "Sam, I..I…"
"STARBUCK! Time to roll," Helo interrupted.
Kara was relieved. I love you didn't just roll off Kara Thraces's tongue with the greatest of ease.
"Anyone seen Apollo?" asked Kat.
Just then Lee came out of the building. Kara saw his face and knew something was eating away at him She knew him well enough not to ask him in front of everyone.
She would save that for later.
Everyone had boarded the raider except Lee, Kara and about ten of the resistance group.
The calm in the air was suddenly broken. From the edge of the woods came gun fire. Two of them lay dead already.
A cylon centurion was bearing down on the group as they were preparing to leave. Without thought Lee and Kara were working in tandem protecting the raider and it's passengers. Everyone left alive was on board except the two of them.
Kat had managed to get the raider fired up and ready for take off. She was just waiting for the final two passengers.
"STARBUCK! APOLLO! Get the frak on board!"
Lee had stepped on board and turned to help Kara. But a few feet from safety Kara had managed to trip over the rugged terrain. The centurion had stopped firing, but instead was bearing down on Kara with his razor claws ready to tear her to shreds.
Lee's heart stopped.
"NO! KARA!" is all he could say in his panic. In what seemed like slow motion, but only took seconds, Lee managed to load an explosive round and put himself between Kara and the cylon. Since his experience fighting the centurions on the Galactica he always made sure he packed a couple explosive rounds. The cylon was practically on top of him when he fired and destroyed it.
Lee turned to make sure she was okay.
Kara obviously shaken , "Uh, th-hanks. Good to know you have my back," she smiled.
The smile disappeared in an instant as she realized her rescue had come at a cost.
Lee's knees buckled as he hit the ground full force. Before he killed it, the cylon had managed to injure Lee with it's razors. Lee lay bleeding and twisting in pain in front of her.
Kara froze. It took a few seconds for her to absorb what had happened.
"LEE! No, no, no. Don't you die on me. I can't go through this again," Kara wailed.
Helo helped Kara drag Lee on board as Kat took off. Where there was one cylon there was surely more. They needed to get out of Caprica's atmosphere and make their jump quickly.
Sam, Helo and the rest of the survivors watched on as Kara cradled Lee's head in her arms as one of the crew tried to stop the bleeding. His eyes were glazed over and he was gasping for air.
It was bad.
If they couldn't get him back to Galactica soon, she knew he wouldn't make it. Rocking him she begged him to hold on. "Come on Lee don't give up, don't give up."
"Ka..ra," he managed between breaths. "Tell….my Dad…..tell him I…."
"You're going to have to tell him yourself . We'll be jumping in a couple minutes and be back on the Galactica before you know it."
But she knew Lee was slipping away.
"Tell him…..I love him," he managed to gasp through the pain. "Promise me….you'll tell him."
She began sobbing and whispered " I promise."
Fear began to grip her like she had never felt. "Damn it Lee, don't let go. Don't……" She couldn't say it. Frak. He couldn't die giving his life for hers.
She couldn't bear it.
Lee's eyes and Kara's were locked. With every ounce of energy he had left in his body he managed one last thing.
"Kara,…I love you."
She pulled him closer and confessed, "I love you too Lee." But she knew he didn't hear it.
Looking on Sam noticed how easy that had rolled off her tongue.
TO BE CONTINUED………………