A/N: yes, I know there are a few details that need working out to make this plausible, but that's why it's an AU. Introducing Athena's character at the miniseries would have made her a bit redundant of Kara (which is probably why Ron Moore didn't do it) but by "Pegasus"...It could have worked. Pretend that Ilana was adequately mourned after the Cylon attack, and mentioned whenever you believe appropriate between then and "Pegasus." The rest will be explained in good time. Or ask me questions and I'll put in more Author's Notes. 8-)

Ilana had sworn the CPO to secrecy about the fact that she was on the ship – she wanted her father to find out from her, not the Galactica's grapevine. She hung out inside of her Raptor until the last of the crowd dispersed, then left the hangar bay. Tyrol's directions on how to find the commander's office were unnecessary – she already knew exactly where she was going.

As she reached her destination, she saw the president leave Adama's office, and offered the woman a small smile that she hoped wouldn't be recognized – everyone had always told her as a child that she and Zak looked like their father, while Lee took after their mother. When Cain stepped into the hall a little while later, the admiral smiled upon noticing her lieutenant in the hallway. "I was wondering when you were going to make your existence known," she told the younger woman as she walked past her.

"Didn't want to interrupt you, Sir," she replied, fighting to keep all traces of sarcasm out of her voice.

Once Cain was gone, Ilana knocked on the frame of Adama's open hatch; he was standing at his desk, pouring over what appeared to be the ship's logs. "Yes?" he replied without looking up.

"D-Dad?" She could see his body absolutely freeze. Slowly, ever so slowly, he looked up at her, brown eyes quickly filling.

"Ilana?"

She nodded, stepping closer. "It's me, Dad." It was the most delicious feeling in the universe to find herself wrapped up in her father's arms after believing for months that he was dead. She closed her eyes, reveling in the moment, as she felt his shoulders shake slightly. "Don't cry, or else I'm going to start, too."

"I'm entitled," he replied, finally stepping back, although he didn't let go of her. Resting his hands on her shoulders, he studied her face, taking in everything about her. "You were on the Pegasus?" Ilana nodded.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it for the decommissioning; the Scorpion Shipyard was one massive headache. You would think they would have been able to manage four Battlestars better considering the fact that the ships weren't even moving…I guess there's no sense in complaining now. By the time my orders about reporting to Galactica got to me on the Pacifica, the ceremony had already started."

"I should have gone and gotten you myself."

Ilana smiled. "I wouldn't have minded. I made plans to go to Caprica to be there when the Galactica returned. One of my friends from the Academy was stationed on Pegasus and said he would come with me. He wanted to meet you. I'd been onboard Pegasus for fifteen minutes – helping him pack – when the attack came…I saw my ship get nuked. I didn't think we would get out of there alive."

"But you did."

"Yeah. Some of us did. We thought we were the only fleet ship that survived."

"I believed the same…Has your brother seen you?"

Ilana's eyes widened. "Lee's alive?"

Adama smiled. "One of the advantages of actually showing up for an old man's retirement."

She grinned as well. "After two years of running, he actually wound up serving on your ship. I'm sure that's been an experience."

"He's different," Adama assured her. "It has been…interesting, but he's changed since the attack."

"Good. I guess I should go find him. Is Thrace still alive, too?"

"Yes, she is. Alpha Squadron leader."

"Remind me to stay clear of Alpha Squad, then." Adama didn't comment; Ilana and Kara hadn't gotten along since the day the former had learned that the latter was dating her twin.

"Why don't you let me get someone to take care of finding your brother?" he suggested. "We can have dinner here, together."

Ilana smiled. "I guess it's a good thing that the Admiral gave us some time over here because I'm not getting let out of your sight anytime soon, am I?"

"No. Not today, at least."

She hugged her father once more. "I can live with that."

After a long afternoon of having to deal with Pegasus' CAG, Lee had been a little surprised to receive word that his father was requesting his presence for a private dinner. He figured it was going to be an affair with the president and the admiral and just hoped that the night would turn out better than the last dinner party he'd been suckered into.

Arriving at his father's quarters at 1800 hours, Lee knocked on the hatch. "Sir?" he called, trying to stay formal, when he realized he couldn't actually see Adama inside.

"You always did look good in dress blues," Ilana told him, stepping out from the corner where Adama's bookcase was and into her brother's view. Lee just stared. "Wow, when was the last time you were speechless?"

"You're…How?" he finally managed to get out.

"Pegasus. Long story that's probably not worth retelling."

"Are you okay?"

Ilana raised an eyebrow; perhaps her father was right and Lee really had changed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Raptor pilots have slightly longer life expectancies than Viper jocks. Looks like you're in one piece, too."

"So they tell me."

Adama returned at that moment, with covered plates from the mess hall. "Was the look on his face memorable?" he asked his daughter.

"Very," she replied, grinning at her brother. "He couldn't even string a sentence together."

Adama smiled as they each took a plate. "I'm sorry I missed it, then." They sat down at the table together, and Adama raised his glass of water. "To family," he toasted. Ilana and Lee smiled and copied him.

"So say we all."

It was late at night by the time that Ilana got back to the Pegasus. She knew that many members of the ship's crew had rubbed their Galactica counterparts the wrong way throughout the day. Ilana wasn't one of Cain's handpicked crewmembers, either, and understood the other Battlestar's frustration.

Admiral Cain had had a reputation within the Colonial fleet even before the Cylon attack had turned her into a sometimes frighteningly desperate woman. Most of her predominantly-male crew thought of her word as scripture, and those who didn't usually didn't live very long. Ilana was surprised that she'd been able to hold her opinions in check for this long.

"How's Daddy?" one of her bunkmates teasingly asked as she came into their room.

"Frak off, Bandit."

"That's 'frak off, Sir,' to you, JG." Ilana just glared. She was past due for a promotion from junior grade, but she was an outsider on Pegasus and hadn't become enough of a conformist to make her way into Cain's good graces.

"Lieutenant Adama?" a PO2 asked as he came in the door to their bunkroom.

"That's me," she replied. He handed her a few papers and left.

"What are those?" Bandit asked her as she read over the top sheet. A smile slowly crossed her face.

"Transfer orders."

Adama dispensed similar paperwork from Cain on his own ship the next morning, although he chose to deliver the news himself.

"Transfer to Pegasus?" Lee asked his father.

"Why the frak should we do that?" Kara added.

"Because those are your orders." Adama sure as hell didn't like them, but there wasn't much of anything he could do about it, a fact that seemed to escape his two pilots.

"We can't just let her come over here and frak up our entire roster on the eve of a major Cylon operation – " Lee protested.

"That's a load of crap!" Kara simultaneously proclaimed. "She's just trying to frak with the 'G' because their CAG has a stick up his – "

"That's enough!" Adama yelled over them. "You're officers. Act like it! She's given you and order. You will carry it out."

"Permission to speak freely?" Kara asked.

"You may not. We've all gotten used to bending the rules, having our way, letting things slide. Well that's over. You were the uniform; you will accept the rules that go with it. You've been transferred. Now pack your gear and report to the Pegasus CAG. Dismissed," he added when neither of them immediately moved. After sharing a look, they obeyed.

"Gee, I wonder if we'll be sharing a bunk room with little sister?" Kara sarcastically asked Lee as they walked down the hall. "It'll be a big family reunion!"

TBC...

Opinions so far? I'm trying to mix scenes from the show with my own scenes or retelling stuff in the show from a different perspective. Suggestions are always welcome.