Chapter 6

When Apollo reached the hangar bay he noticed Kara climbing into her Mark 2 Viper; he took note of the tail number.

If Chief Tyrol was surprised by his appearance he sure didn't show it. He took Lee to his Viper and got him set up.

"It's good to have you back among the living, Apollo." The Chief said as Apollo climbed up to his Viper.

Apollo nodded, acknowledging the Chief, "She good to fly, Chief?"

The Chief looked slightly offended that the reliability of his Vipers was being questioned, but he replied "As good as she's going to get, Captain."

Can't they see the fraking rank on my collar? Apollo asked himself, I don't even remember ever being a Captain.

Minutes later, Apollo had joined the rest of the Vipers. It wasn't long before he noticed Kara's Viper in the middle of the fight; he quickly took position as her wingman and focused on the fight ahead of him.

Kara noticed that someone was watching her back several minutes later when a viper had destroyed a missile directed at her. Is that Hotdog? She wondered, but quickly focused back on the fight.

Apollo quickly realized that Kara flew almost recklessly and destroyed almost twice the amount of Vipers Apollo was able too, but he was also trying to keep Kara from being blown out of the sky. They eventually started flying in sink and Kara was soon repaying Lee the favor; when he would go in for a kill, Kara would watch his back and vice versa.

Kara quickly realized she wasn't flying with Hotdog; she had yet to get a clear look at the tail number on the Viper, so she had assumed it was one of Pegasus' Vipers… there had only ever been one person who flew with her the way this pilot was flying and that had been Lee and her gut was telling her that it was Lee flying this Viper. It has to be…if it is, he fly's with a lot less caution, but he still watches my back; he may not remember who the frak he is, but he hasn't really changed, thank the gods.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed a new wave of Cylon Raiders was upon them. Frak!

Apollo noticed too and realized that they were seriously outnumbered, "Are all civilian ships away?" he asked over the radio.

Rather than being answered and order came for all vipers to return ASAP to their respective Battlestars.

Apollo waited for Kara; when she turned, he followed suit, but before he had completed his 180 degree inverse turn he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Kara must have noticed that she had a missile locked on her because she started flying sporadically but the missile was already to close.

Apollo reacted; he flew straight at the missile, putting himself and Kara between incoming doom. Apollo fired and to shear luck, the missile exploded 100m away. Apollo tried completing 180 inverse turn but the force of the blast hit him before the move could be completed. He immediately realised that his controls had been severely damaged. He jerkily got his Viper directed towards the landing bay of the Pegasus.

"You going to make it?" Kara's voice asked worriedly over the airway.

"Get back to the Galactica!" Apollo replied, Gods, can't that women look out for her own self and stop being worried about me.

"Lee." Kara said, anxiety in her voice.

"Now, Kara!" Apollo yelled as he tried his best to get his flying piece of crap to safety.

"Frak you, Sir." Kara replied before she turned around and sped towards the Galactica.

Finally some piece of mind! Shit, shit, shit…common you piece of crap! That's it straighten out...that's it, common baby…oh FRAK!

He hit the deck hard and the force of the impact crushed the landing pads like they were playdo. The nose of the Viper hit second and Apollo hit his head against the metal frame.

Seconds later, fire erupted, but Apollo was quickly pulled out of his cockpit by the deck crew. When all vipers were aboard and hundreds of nukes were on a collision course with both Battlestars, they got the frak out of there and jumped to where the civilian ships awaited them.

"Do you need a medic?" one of the deck crew asked Apollo,

He shook his head, he'd be fine. He wiped the blood away that had trickled down into his eye and walked away on his own two feet.

"Lieutenant Apollo report to Admiral Cains quarters, Lieutenant Apollo, please report to Admiral Cains quarters," was suddenly heard all over the ship.

Apollo looked up, What the frak does she want? I hope to hell she doesn't know I was on the Galactica.

When Apollo entered the Admirals quarters, he didn't immediately see her, "Admiral?" he called out.

"In here Lieutenant, close the door." The Admiral directed.

Apollo did as he was told and made his way towards the Admiral's voice.

The first thing he realised when he saw Cain was the fact that she held a child in her arms.

"Do you know who this is?" Cain asked Apollo with a sly smile.

A sinking feeling overcame Apollo he looked down at the face of the child; it was Tegan.

Cain saw no reaction on Apollo's face when he looked down at the boy. Apollo looked back up and met Cain's gaze straight on, "I don't know any children, Admiral." Apollo replied calmly, but inside he was screaming. IF THAT BITCH…

"This is Lieutenants Thrace's son; your son apparently." Cain clarified.

Apollo masked his emotions and revealed only confusion in his eyes, "I don't know anyone named Thrace, Sir; and I have no child." He replied sincerely. SHE IS SO FRAKING DEAD!

Cain couldn't understand Apollo; his eyes revealed only confusion at the sight of the boy, didn't anything set this guy off?

Cain had an idea, "Marine!" she barked and out of nowhere a Corporal appeared up with a pistol in his hand.

Denial was quickly replaced with rage as Apollo starred on and pretended that none of this fazed him. If anything happens to him…to my son…I'll never forgive myself.

The Corporal raised the gun and handed it to Admiral Cain, which in turned handed over the boy to the marine.

She cocked pistol, releasing a bullet into the chamber, thus preparing to fire at something or someone.

"Admiral?" Apollo finally spoke.

Cain looked over at Apollo and what he saw in her eyes sent chills all the way down to his bones. Fraking hell! She's really going to shoot him! Holy frak!

With her eyes still on Apollo she raised the pistol and aimed it at Tegan.

…and fired.

…at the same moment Apollo lunged.

BANG!

A/N thanks to those select few who reviewed, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. As for the rest of you…IM KIDDING. Anyway, enjoy and if you have any comment or any ideas just send'em my way; I'm all ears.