Lt. Karl "Helo" Agathon

"Engage, engage!" the op leader screamed into the radio. Karl winced; he knew that the only two people who would possibly know what they were doing were currently stranded on the planet below, possibly hurt. We have got to do this. As Racetrack guided the bird down into the atmosphere, a stray piece of raider whipped past them, unsettling them both.

"What the frak?" yelled Racetrack as Helo pulled himself into the co-pilot's seat. He watched the hunk of metal spiral to the ground where it created a huge bang and dust cloud. I hope they weren't under that.

"Land near the wreckage. If they're down there, they are sure to have heard that, and hopefully, they'll come and investigate."

Starbuck

She had always been a runner; running AWAY had never been a problem. This made it odd that she currently wasn't running away from the problem. She was running towards it.

An all-out sprint had brought Kara to the impact sight much faster than Sam. Neither man had been struck, but it seemed that the resounding explosion had pushed both men forward, crushing their bodies into trees. Frak. Sam'll know what to do. She has to.

Kara was right though. As soon as Sam reached the site, she had glanced around and taken charge of the situation. She had ordered Kara not to move either men and radioed Daniel to dial home for a medical team. Kara had stood by Lee, barely touching him.

Kara jumped and instinctively reached for her side arm when she heard her name yelled. She whipped around to see none other than Helo, followed closely by Racetrack.

"Helo! What are you doing here?"

Kara noticed him do a take a double take when he saw Sam. He looked back to her and she just shrugged and gave him a "Not now" look. That's when Helo saw her sit back on the ground next to a nearly still body and a worried expression crossed over her features. Then he realized: Kara would not have that expression on her face for anyone but Apollo. Sure enough, Kara was sitting by the motionless form of Apollo.

"He wouldn't be hurt if I hadn't told him," Kara said. Helo instantly knew what she was talking about.

"So if you hadn't said you loved him, he wouldn't have been standing there?" Even to Kara that seemed a little bit absurd.

Helo had come back with Kara through the gate while Racetrack had the Vipers call home. He had silently followed her through the gate, but when he tried to follow her to the infirmary, base security had stopped him. He hadn't been cleared yet. Kara waved him away. Lee had said he loved her, not Helo, and she had to do this.

Kara reached out to his unconscious form, but on impulse she checked the clipboard at the end of his bead instead- 'Minor burns. 6 separate stitches required for minor lacerations. 3 stitches required for head wound.' My fault.

"It's not your fault, Starbuck," said Carnage, one of the instructors she worked with. Like her Carnage had been excited about her student's first flights. Kara watched the flames lick hungrily at the wreckage of Zak's Viper.

"Yes it is."

It's always my fault. The first time it was silent. The second time, Kara had the nerve to voice it out loud. "It's always my fault."

"No it isn't." Kara blinked back tears. It seemed her misery was bringing Lee back.

"Hey you."

"Don't change the subject, Kara. It wasn't your fault." Instinctively, Lee knew that she wasn't talking about his 'accident'.

"If I hadn't been so ambitious..." but Kara was silenced by a finger over her lips.

"You," started Lee, pulling her onto the bed next to him, "are an amazing pilot. You are a better pilot than most of the men on Atalantia. Triton was a shitty position for you, but still, you earned it. Zak had no business trying to keep you with him."

At first, Kara's breath stuck in her throat. After a minute, she could finally push the words out. "How did you know about the Triton?"

Kara had woken up to warm sheets and loud voices. Ignoring the latter, she inhaled deeply. No one smells like Lee.

"What's up?" called Kara. Lee had quickly hung up on whoever it was and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Nothing. If you want, you can shower before work." Kara had nodded went to clean up. Today was Zak's first independent flight.

"I talked to Zak."

"When? Wait, was that him on the phone?"

"Yah. He called to tell Big Brother all. I guess he didn't expect me to side with you." Kara simply cuddled closer to him. Not many men would go all that time without telling me. Most would turn Zak into a demon and pull me closer to them. Kara smiled. Lee isn't like most men.

"Kara?"

"Yah?"

"Will you marry me?"


A/N- cliffie! cliffie! cliffie! this chapter is dedicated, with much love, to my beta. without her this story would suck! So any reviews that would be worshiping her will be forwarded (hint, hint, nod, nod, REVIEW!)

-michelle