Ch 30

They lay there for a long time, simply enjoying the warmth of being together again. Finally Lauren rose up and moved aside so Lee could as well. "I really should be getting back to Pegasus. If I'm gone too long Cole will send someone over here looking for me and that would end up being a nasty scene."

"Lauren, I want you to try to ask if you can be stationed over here. I need to be with you more than just this."

She sighed as she reached for her clothing, "Lee I don't know if that will fly with Cain. I can ask but don't expect her to jump at the idea. She likes to keep her people close to her and apparently I'm now one of her people."

"I just don't like you being over there. Something about the things happening on that ship just don't set will with me and I…well I just can't lose you again."

Lauren looked as if she was about to cry again but she held it back and finished dressing before she went to him and pulled his face close to hers. Their eyes met and they both knew that they'd do everything in their power to stay together, this time forever. She kissed him deeply and let him finish dressing as she tried to straighten the mess of her hair.

Lee had just pulled his shoes on when someone banged softly on the hatch door. "It's probably Kara," he said as he walked to the door. When he'd opened the lock and pulled the hatch open slowly, Lauren saw Kara's blonde hair poke gingerly into the hatch. Lauren laughed when she realized that Kara had her hand over her eyes and was peeking through her fingers.

"Oh thank the Gods you've got your clothes on. I was totally afraid I was going to have to yark all over the place if I caught you two getting happy. Lee, people are starting to wonder where you are so we'd better get back in sight before the Old Man calls out the marines."

The three of them walked down the halls, once more discussing business, with the occasional tidbit from a past joke thrown in, all three in better spirits than when Lauren first arrived. When they reached the flight deck Chief Laird immediately planted himself behind Lauren and began speaking to her as if the other two weren't there.

Kara rolled her eyes at it and asked Lee if he was planning on letting the other man commandeer his woman that way.

"Well if you were him and you had a choice between fawning over Taylor or fawning over her, which would you choose?"

"Good point. I'm sure she's an angel compared to that jackass."

They reached Lauren's Viper which had been serviced and refueled and she turned to Kara to give her another hug. She whispered something in Kara's ear that made the blonde woman laugh wildly. Then she zipped up her flight suit and reached to shake Lee's hand. He wasn't having any of that and he pulled her into a hug which she gladly returned. Then he followed her up the ladder as she climbed into her ship. He reached over and locked the neck ring on for her and leaned in as if checking it's seal so he could whisper in her ear, "I love you. See you soon," and he kissed her cheek softly.

The two of them watched as she launched from the bay and were walking back to the pilot's ready room when they heard Lt. Gaeta's voice over the comm system, "Capitan Adama and Lieutenant Thrace please report to Commander's office." They looked at each other as it was repeated and they shrugged and headed off to see what was going on.