Lee was lying wide awake on the sofa when his father entered the office.
"Lee," he called softly. "I think it's time we had another talk, don't you?"
Lee sat up slowly and his father let out a soft chuckle as he saw the black eye forming on his face.
"From the looks of things you and Helo had quite the bonding session when you stepped outside," he spoke calmly. "Perhaps one of these days you gentlemen might want to consider actually telling Starbuck how much you care for her, rather than trying to prove it by punching each other behind her back." With that, the Commander proceeded to sit down next to Lee on the sofa.
Lee did not respond and so his father continued regardless. "Son, I know I'm in no position to go giving advice to others when it comes to love. And you could argue that I'm not the most qualified person to be handing out fatherly advice either," he paused as he turned to look Lee in the eye. "So I'm just going to tell you what actually happened tonight and let's see what you make of it then. What do you think?"
Lee still didn't speak, but gave a small nod of his head which his father took as a sign to continue.
"I went to see the cylon last night, as soon as I read your report. He asked me then to execute him, Lee. You know, I think he did it because he wanted to help us. But I want you to know something. I want you to know that I would have done it anyway. I'd made my decision once I'd read your report and knew it posed no threat. Because however much he looked like you, however much he acted like you, he was not my son. You are Lee. Never forget that."
Lee looked up at his father, fighting to contain his emotions, as the Commander continued.
"Executing him might not have been the humane decision. I don't know. I just know I couldn't let there be a duplicate of my son out there any longer. Maybe it was wrong. Maybe I was just being selfish. I think maybe I was. But I want to see you happy again, Lee. The most important thing to me right now is to see you able to get on with your life. And I'm not sure you could have done while there was a cylon copy of you down there in the brig, are you?"
"I guess not." Lee murmured in response, struggling to meet his father's eyes as he thought about his recent behaviour.
"The cylon asked to speak to Starbuck before the execution. It was his only request. I didn't tell her until she got back from her flight rotation today. Oh, and by the way, it was good to see the two of you flying together again this afternoon."
He paused to squeeze Lee's shoulder, then continued. "When I told her, she insisted on being there for the execution itself. That meant I was there when they had their talk, I heard what he had to say to her. He told her then why he'd chosen to die, explained that he'd asked to be executed. Said it was for her, so she could get on with her life and be happy again. I think he hoped that with him gone the two of you could sort things out. I think he really loved her. He just wanted what was best for her."
The Commander let out a deep sigh. "I don't know how much of that Starbuck really took in," he continued. "You know what she's like, she's so hung up that all of this is her fault in the first place. Reckons she should have known it wasn't you from the start. Reckons she should have been out there trying to rescue you with one of her harebrained missions."
"She thinks that?" Lee's voice broke slightly. He realised he had never stopped to think about this from any point of view but his own.
The Commander looked at Lee with an incredulous sympathy. "Of course she does, son. And it's been killing her. Can't you see that? And now, on top of all that, she feels guilty that the cylon was executed because of her. She keeps taking on all these burdens. It's no wonder she finally cracked tonight."
Lee stared hard at the floor before speaking again. "Is she ok?" he asked hesitantly. "Tonight, when you left her, was she ok again?"
"She'd stopped crying." The Commander replied sadly. "She said she was fine. But you know Starbuck. I gave orders to Helo to come and get me if that changes, just incase."
He let out another heavy sigh before continuing. "You know, it was just the two of us with the cylon at the end. And there's something else you should know Lee. I pulled the trigger myself. I was the one that killed him. It felt like the right thing to do, I couldn't let anyone else do it. And, cylon or not, whether it was the right thing to do or not, killing someone who looked just like you, whatever he'd done, whatever he was, it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
Lee looked at his father as he finished speaking and saw the tears welling in his eyes. He tried to imagine how he would have felt had it been him holding the gun, with his father's image at the end of the barrel. Lee wasn't sure he could have gone through with it. So now it was his turn to lay a hand on his father's shoulder as he pulled the Commander into a tight embrace.
"I just want my children to be happy again," he heard his father murmur as they continued to hug. And, finally, Lee felt he understood.
"I'm going to make it all ok, Dad," Lee promised as they pulled apart. "Everything's going to be ok. I'll speak with Kara, I'm going to sort myself out."
"I know you will, son," his father whispered, patting Lee on the shoulder once more and quickly wiping his eyes. "I know you will."
He got up to leave Lee's office, before turning back at the door. "And son, put some ice on that eye of yours. Then get some sleep. You look like you need it." he ordered, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards almost imperceptibly.
"Yes, sir." Lee replied. And then he rediscovered what it felt like to smile.
To be continued ...