Absolution - chapter 4

3.

Lee awoke to the sound of his cell being opened.

"Apollo, sir, it's time for your duty shift," the guard said, sounding rather apologetic. He'd watched Lee toss and turn and knew he hadn't had much sleep.

Lee groaned and rubbed his hand over his sleep-weary face. He had finally fallen asleep at some ungodly hour, despite the churning of his mind, but it felt like it had only been minutes ago. He swung his feet to the floor and sat up, blinking.

"I don't suppose I have time for a quick trip to the washroom do I?" he asked as he got to his feet and followed the guard out of the cell.

"Yes sir. The Commander gave me orders to wake you half and hour before your shift."

Lee sent a thankful prayer the old man's way, for this small mercy and for not killing him outright for what he'd done to Kara. "Thank you for following orders so well. You have no idea how much I appreciate it." Lee smiled as he left the guard and headed into the washroom. A shower would hopefully wake him up enough to get through the day. That and some coffee. Right now he felt like hell.

ZZZZZZZZ

Kara woke to a throbbing pain in her cheek. Damn! She'd been sleeping on the wrong side! How could that have happened? Oh well, no matter. She rolled over onto her back and let out an involuntary cry of main as her cheek moved against the pillow.

"Morning sunshine," the doctor said cheerfully. Well, cheerfully for him. For anyone else it could only be classified as barely more than a grunt. "Need some more painkillers?"

Kara nodded, rolling her eyes at the same time. Weren't doctors required to have at least SOME sort of bedside manner?

"Let's try sitting you up for this," and he raised the bed, unbalancing Kara and causing her to flail her arms madly. "Not too coordinated today eh?" And he grabbed her arm and jabbed a needle in it.

Kara growled. When she was better, she had every intention of sticking a needle up his ... oh frak. Look who just walked in. Gaius Baltar, smiling gaily.

"Good morning Kara. Doctor," he added as an afterthought, never taking his eyes off her. "I heard you were ... indisposed. You look quite well though. Are you feeling better now? What happened exactly? I mean, I heard rumours, but ... "

Kara rolled her eyes again. It was her only form of exercise at this point so why not practice? She had no desire to talk to this ... arrogant prick today. She lifted her non-needle pricked arm and motioned towards the door.

"Do you need something? Is there something I can get for you?" What a thick skull. One look at the doctor's face and she could see he was fed up with Baltar too. She waved harder, making as grouchy a face as she could without hurting her cheek.

"I'm no expert at sign language, but I think she wants you to go," he said, a hint of a smile evident on his face.

"Oh yes, of course," Baltar said, with a nervous little laugh, his arms folding across his chest. "Yes, I must get back to work you know," he said, obviously trying to get out with his pride intact but not succeeding. He turned on the charming smile, but the look on their faces told him they weren't being charmed in the slightest. "Yes, I'll hurry now, I know, lots to do," he said, as if talking to someone else who'd just finished accusing him of wasting time. He gave them both a last smile and hurried out the door.

"Frakking lunatic," the doctor mumbled, lighting a cigarette. "Don't know how he ever became a doctor." Kara nearly laughed out loud. At least they agreed on one thing.

ZZZZZZZZ

"Okay, you all have your assignments, let's go people." Lee closed his roster and sighed. Morning meetings were always tough. Today was no exception.

"Sir?" a nervous voice interrupted the reverie he'd drifted off into.

"Yes," he said crisply, getting back to the present.

"Who's flying CAP with me and Hotdog?" Kat had a point. Neither of them were advanced enough to go without an escort. He'd forgotten Starbuck was off duty. She usually went with the trainees while he did paperwork and whatever other tasks his two bosses managed to find for him.

"I'll come with you," he said, knowing there was no other way. There just wasn't anyone else. It meant he'd have to take his paperwork to his cell tonight. Oh joy. Well, at least it gave him something else to focus on besides Kara. He pushed the thoughts of her away. He didn't have time for them now.

ZZZZZZZZ

As Kara was escorted to her cell a few hours later, she wondered which one she'd get. Her usual? She nearly laughed. How said was that? Having a USUAL cell in the brig. But then again, it was like a second home to her by now. As they entered the brig, she saw a few of Lee's things in her cell. No, she wasn't going to have to share with him was she? But the guard opened the cell beside and shut the door behind her.

Lee. She'd almost been able to stop thinking about him, what with the lunacy of the two doctors, but now she was alone, and soon going to have a neighbour she didn't want. She sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around her legs protectively.

ZZZZZZZZ

After CAP, Lee did the mandatory ship inspection, as Tyrol's crew didn't seem to be anywhere around. That was odd. At least one of them was always available after any flight to ensure repairs were done at once. You never knew when you might suddenly be needing those ships again.

Well, Lee made a list of the things that needed checking and headed out of the hangar deck to find someone to give it to.

"Cadet," he said, as Racetrack walked up beside him.

"Sir," she answered, proper as always.

"Do you have any idea where the Chief is?"

"I haven't seen him sir, but think Cally is down in the maintenance bay looking for some parts to fix the damanged Raptor." There was silence as they continued walking down Galactica's unusually empty corridors.

"Sir, can I ask you something?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course," he answered, turning his head to face her.

"I heard, I mean, we all heard about Starbuck and ... is it true ... were you ... ?" She stuttered through but in the end just couldn't manage to say it.

Lee sighed heavily. So, the rumours were starting already. It shouldn't really surprise him, not in a small environment like this. Time to set the record straight.

"Yes, we had a fight and ... it got a bit out of hand. We hit each other and ... well ... I guess I hit a bit too hard." Lee felt his cheeks burning.

"What were you fighting about? Oh!" She suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth. She shouldn't be asking her superior officer a personal question like that! "I'm sorry sir."

"It's okay. But I'd prefer not to discuss it. It's personal - just between me and Starbuck."

"Yes sir."

ZZZZZZZZ

Tigh couldn't help himself. He had to go see Starbuck. In the brig again, as usual. He wondered as he headed down if she would say something insubordinate or insulting like she usually did, because then he could extend her time in hack. He'd read Adama's report and felt that three days wasn't nearly enough. Adama had a soft spot for her; actually it appeared all the Adama men did, given her relationship with each of them. The one with Lee seemed to be the most volatile though. The old man treated her like a daughter and never seemed to be as hard on her as she deserved.

Whoa, her face was certainly a mess, was his first impression upon seeing her. It was swollen and purple and had to hurt like hell.

"So, it seems the other guy won, huh?" he said, trying to bait her into responding angrily. But Starbuck said nothing. She sat crouched on the bed as she had for the past few hours and stared at a spot on the wall behind Tigh.

"Got what you deserve finally," he tried again. But still no response. Except for the slight rise and fall of her chest and the occasional blink, she could have been made of stone.

"You'd better answer when superior office talks to you," he said threateningly. But still nothing. It infuriated him. "Don't you ignore me Starbuck, or you're going to be in more trouble than you can imagine."

Starbuck said nothing but continued to stare at an apparently fascinating spot on the wall.

"You haven't heard the last from me," he said in a low voice, waving a finger at her, then stalking out of the brig.

Unfortunately not, was Kara's only thought at that point.

TBC