Notes:

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story and provided feedback and comments so far. I am so glad the story is being well received. I have written fan fiction for other shows/movies before (Farscape, Babylon 5, Roswell, and Star Wars among them), but this is my first foray into Galactica fan fiction. Originally, this story was going to end after about six or seven chapters, but since it has gotten such a warm reception, I think I am going to expand it further, perhaps going into the time of the war and the series. We'll see how it goes.

For now, on to the next chapter.

Chapter Four:

The alarm clock awakened Kara Thrace at 05:30 as usual so she could get up for her morning run. Normally, she was not a morning person, and only got up that early to stay in shape and as a test of her own personal discipline. But this morning, she felt a sense of unusual contentment, and had a smile on her face as bright as Picon's sun. As she felt the area of the bed next to her, she felt only the sheets and the pillow. That in of itself was not unusual, except that the night before, when she fell asleep, she had not done so alone.

Kara had gone out the night before on her "just dinner" date with Lee Adama. They ate at the Orion Grille, a casual place that served decent food in a sort-of "come-as-you-are" environment. Both were dressed in civilian attire, putting aside their military accoutrements for one night. This contrasted with the fact that they mostly talked about flying and their careers in the colonial service to that point in time. The conversation was peppered with a kind of playful banter that had inserted itself into their interaction with one another, and neither could fathom where it had come from. They just felt comfortable around one another.

After dinner, Lee and Kara went for drinks at a local night club, carrying the playful banter and mostly pilot talk to the new setting. While they were sitting at the bar, a young woman with styled, blonde hair and a low cut dress came over and asked Lee to dance. Lee seemed startled by the woman's bravado, considering he was sitting with another woman. Kara, on the other hand, reacted with irritation. She grabbed Lee and pulled him out on the dance floor, shoving the other woman out of the way.

The song was a fast one when they first stepped out on the floor, but a few seconds later, the melody changed to a slower tune. Lee and Kara hesitated for a moment, until they finally put their arms around each other and danced. For those few minutes, Lee and Kara entered into another world with just the two of them, staring into one another's eyes and one another's souls at the same time. Kara looked at Lee's eyes, and thought she could loose herself in them forever. "Shane was right," she thought. "Lee Adama is a very handsome man."

After dancing, they both agreed it was time to bring the evening to an end. Lee drove her home and, ever the gentleman, walked her to her door. They stood there at Kara's door for a few moments, exchanging pleasantries about how they had a good time. Kara thanked him for dinner, and Lee said good night. But for some reason, he felt the urge to kiss Kara on the cheek. As he did, Kara brought her lips to meet his in a move motivated by curiosity and desire.

They began to kiss, and the exchange grew more passionate, as the two of them refused to pull away from one another. Kara opened the door to her apartment, lips still locked with Lee Adama's. The door to the apartment closed, with them now inside, as clothes began to be thrown away on the floor as the two made their way to Kara's bed.

The sex had been desperately passionate, with the two of them drinking in every inch of one another. They said nothing more to each other the whole night, letting their bodies do all of the talking for them.

When it was over, Kara rolled onto her back, as they both panted with exhaustion from their exchange. She waited for the tell-tale movements that signaled Lee was getting up to leave. That's how these kind of exchanges had ended for Kara most of the time, with the other men she had been with. They had their fun, the deed was done, and they would put on their pants and leave with a few words of compliment to her.

But Lee didn't leave. Instead, Kara felt his arms come around her body. "Frak me, is he still wanting more?" she thought. But Lee simply pulled Kara to him, and held her close. Kara didn't know what to make of it, but then it dawned on her what he was doing. "He's cuddling me," she thought. "Is he really going to stay?"

A few moments later, she heard Lee's breathing change. He was asleep. "He's staying," she thought. Kara smiled, lay her head on his chest, and fell asleep.

Lee may have been there when she fell asleep, but he wasn't there now. As she sat up in bed, Lee came out of the bathroom adjoining her bedroom. "Good morning," he said, a neutral expression on his face.

"Morning," said Kara, casually getting up and putting her clothes on. Her earlier contentment was now replaced with nervousness. She decided to cover it as best as possible. "You got up early," she said, taking note of his fully dressed appearance.

"I've got to catch my flight to the Columbia at 07:30, and I still have to go back to guest officers' quarters and get my gear," he said. "I didn't know whether to wake you. You're up pretty early yourself."

"I get up to run everyday," she said, now wearing her jogging shorts and t-shirt. "Its how I stay fit."

"I see," said Lee. He was nervous as well, not sure what to say to Kara.

Kara took in Lee's silence, and knew that he was like a deer caught in headlights. He didn't know what to do about last night. Neither did she, but Kara simply didn't want to deal with it right now. She did what she does most of the time. Kara downplayed the situation.

"So, last night was great," she said. "Thanks."

As Kara walked out into the living room, Lee stood there for a moment in silence. Before he wasn't sure what to say. Now, he was also trying to process what Kara just said and her casual demeanor about the whole thing. Finally, he followed her out to the living room.

" 'Everything was great,'" Lee quoted. "That's…it."

"What's left to say?" she asked. "Lee, it was really a wonderful night."

Lee just looked at her with a stone face to cover up the confused feelings inside of him. Last night had been possibly the best night of his life, and for Kara, it was seemingly just a great time. "Fine," he thought. "I can play it that way."

"Yeah, it was great," he said. "Well, um, I hate to just leave, but…"

"No problem," said Kara non-chalantly, walking him to the door. "Have a good flight."

"Thanks," said Lee.

As he walked away, Kara watched him go. Something inside of her made her call out to him before he got too far.

"Lee, wait," she said.

Lee stopped, and turned to look at her. Kara was going to say something, but then pulled back, not wanting to say what she intended after all. Instead, she said something else. "Keep in touch, huh," she said.

Lee nodded. "Sure," he said. He turned and continued to his brother's car.

After Lee left, Kara sat on the couch in her living room and ran her hand her hair. "Nice going, Thrace," she said to herself.

A short time later, Kara was running down the block towards her apartment. When she got there, Kara found Shane "Artemis" Flavia sitting on her front doorstep.

"Hey, Shane," said Kara. "How's kicks?"

"How's kicks?" replied Shane. "That's all you've got to say."

Kara opened the front door to her apartment and walked in, with Shane right behind her. "What are you talking about, Shane?"

"I saw him," said Shane. "Coming out of your apartment at a little after 05:30. Lee 'Frakking Gorgeous' Adama."

Kara started doing her cool-off stretches on the floor. "Yeah, he was here."

"Oh, you are not going to try and tell me he visited you that early," said Shane. "He stayed the night, didn't he? After your little dinner date."

Kara kept going with her stretches, and replied non-chalantly. "Yeah, he stayed the night."

"You slept with him!" yelled Shane. "I knew it!"

Kara winced at Shane's yells. "Gods, Shane, tell the whole frakking neighborhood."

As Kara walked into the kitchen to get some water, Shane pressed her for more. "So, how was he?"

"Shane, I really don't want to talk about it, alright," said Kara.

"Don't tell me he was bad," said Shane.

"No, far from it," said Kara, quietly. For a moment, she lost herself in the memory of the night before, but then returned to the present. "Look, we had a wonderful night together. He left to go back to his ship this morning. End of story."

"So, are you two going to see each other again?" asked Shane.

"Probably not," said Kara. "Not in the way you mean."

"You mean he blew you off," said Shane.

"No," said Kara. "We…well…it just looks like it won't go further. That's all."

"Kara, why…"

"Look, Shane, I need to shower and dress," said Kara. "I've got four nuggets on the Tarmac at 08:00 for evals."

She left Shane standing in the living room, letting the latter see her own way out. Kara undressed, got into the shower, and let the water cascade down her body. She let the water wash away the memories of Lee Adama, and the night they had together.

End of Chapter Four. Chapter Five coming soon. Feedback/reviews are always welcomed and appreciated.