Chapter Seventeen:

As Kara headed for Commander Adama's quarters, still in her dress uniform, she wondered if funerals were going to be a constant part of her future now. Flat Top and so many others, friends and colleagues she had worked with for so long, all gone because of a stupid frakking accident. If the Cylons had killed them, Kara might have accepted it better. But to be killed by one of their own drones in the safety of Galactica's hangar; things like that just didn't happen. If things weren't frakked up enough around here, now Galactica was dangerously short on pilots.

Kara came into the Commander's quarters, and he asked her to sit down on the couch. He poured her a glass of water and handed it to her. Then, leaning against his desk, Adama explained why he asked for her to come. "Kara, I've asked you here because I need you to do something for me," he said. "For all of us. Kara, we need more pilots if we are going to put Vipers in the air to defend the fleet. Those that we have left can't do it alone. Luckily, we have a trained Colonial Fleet Flight Instructor on board."

"My instructor rating was revoked, remember," said Kara.

Adama smiled. "Unfairly and in a different world than the one we live in now. I'm reinstating that rating. I need you to train me up some new pilots. You are the only one who can."

"Well, it's going to be difficult," said Kara. "Back on Picon, I could start 'em on simulators before putting them into the real thing. We don't have them here. I'll have to crash course them into the job, for lack of a better term."

"I am confident you can do the job," said Adama. "You are the best pilot I have, and you were a great instructor on Picon. Despite what those pricks back there did to take that from you."

"I look forward to the chance to prove them wrong," said Kara. "Of course, you know what this means? All of our new pilots will fly just a crazy as I do."

"Good," said Adama. "We need a little Starbuck-like flying around here."

"Was there anything else sir?" asked Kara, putting down her glass and getting up to leave. "Because if I am going to be training new nuggets tomorrow, I'm going to need my beauty rest."

Adama looked down for a moment before returning his gaze to Kara. "There is something," he said. "It's more of a personal matter, but I feel like I have to ask about this."

He motioned for Kara to sit back down on the couch. This time, Adama sat next to her. "Kara, I know that you and Lee are…well, I don't know exactly how to describe where the two of you are now."

"In limbo," said Kara. "Borderline not being on speaking terms."

"I don't know all the specifics of what has been going on," said Adama. "I know that Lee broke it off with you because he was worried about your relationship getting in the way of duty. As a Commander, I can't help but agree with much of his reasoning. But as a father, I can't stand to see my children unhappy. And that's what the two of you are now."

Kara looked at Adama and smiled. "Your children?" she asked. "You're including me in that statement."

"Of course I am," said Adama. "You may not have married Lee…YET. But I already love you like my daughter. I'll give my son this much, he has excellent taste."

"Thank you," she said. "You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that."

"But you and Lee," said Adama.

"I know," she said. "Lee is the one who made this decision. I still wanted to be with him. Of course, I haven't exactly improved things with some things I've done. He's pretty pissed at me."

"He'll forgive you," said Adama. "For whatever it is you've done. He loves you very dearly. I think that he just needs time to work your relationship into the new reality we are all living with. His dreams of marriage to you didn't include being your CAG on a battlestar leading a fleet of human survivors after a Cylon holocaust."

"I don't know," said Kara. "Things are frakked up pretty good."

"Give it time," said Adama. "Give him time."

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When Lee turned the corner into the pilot's break room, he saw her pouring a glass of water. He knew she had just returned from a flight with her new recruits, and knew that they were off to a rough start. He mostly avoided Kara these days, but he was also anxious to hear how things were going with the nuggets that would hopefully qualify to be his new pilots.

"Lieutenant," said Lee, walking over and pouring himself a glass of water from the same pitcher Kara has just poured a cup from. "How goes it with the new nuggets?"

"Mixed bag," she said. "Costanza and Kat have real potential, if Hot Dog's cockiness doesn't get in the way of him learning."

"Hot Dog?" asked Lee, with an amused smirk.

Kara smiled. "Costanza has a call sign."

"Cute," said Lee. "And the others?"

"We'll see," said Kara. "I'll do my best."

"I know you will," said Lee. "Thanks for the sit rep. Don't forget you're on CAP in a few hours. Try to get some rack time."

Lee turned and walked towards the door. Kara decided to try and reach out to him, to try and reach him and see if there was indeed hope like the Commander said. "How's your jaw?" she asked.

Lee stopped, and turned to look at Kara. She stood there, looking at him with an expression of tension that seemed to hang over them like a thick cloud. Lee hated it, and his anger had died down a bit since the man who Kara had sex with was now dead. Lee felt weird about being angry over it in light of what happened. And he knew Kara was right; Lee had broken it off with her. Who she spent time with was no longer his business. He also realized that Kara was trying to break through the cloud of tension with her question, and decided to try and meet her halfway.

"Oh, I've just added the ache to all the others I got from my little trip to the Astral Queen," said Lee.

"You wouldn't recommend it for a vacation, huh?" she asked jokingly.

"No," said Lee. "But I do wonder why a prison ship is called the ASS-tral QUEEN."

Kara laughed openly. "Oh, gods, I needed that. I can't remember the last time I laughed."

Lee smiled. "It's good to see."

They were both silent for a few moments, not knowing what to say to one another. Finally, Lee broke the silence. "How about you? I didn't hit you too hard, did I?"

"Oh, it only hurts when I eat, sleep on that side, shower with it under hot water…"

"Kara, I'm sorry," said Lee. "I should never have hit you."

"Well, I did hit you first."

"It's no excuse. If Dad found out I hit you, CAG or not, he would have taken me over his knee for hitting a woman. Especially for hitting you. I sometimes think he loves you more than he does me."

"Don't ever think that, Lee. He's always loved you very much; he just doesn't show it very well. I wasn't very good at it either until I met you."

"Kara, we haven't really had a chance to talk since the funeral, but…well, I know you knew them for a long time, and they were friends. How are you holding up?"

"As well as can be expected. Throwing myself into training these pilots helps."

Lee knew it would be touchy to deal with, but he had to say it. He had to know. "And Flat Top?"

Kara sighed. She knew this would probably have to come up sometime. Might as well be now. "He was a friend. A good pilot. A bit of a smart ass. And yes, we did sleep together. That one time, when you were on the Astral Queen. But there was nothing more than that. I just needed to find some kind of release. To loose myself in being with another man for just a few moments. Before the war, before you and I…ended, I never wanted to be with any other man again but you. But when we called it quits, I just didn't know how to cope with the new reality of it all. I frakked Flat Top to see if I could move past you."

"It seems you did," said Lee.

Kara shook her head. "When I was with him, all I could think about was that it didn't feel right. I was frakking him, but I wanted you. My mind, my body, my soul, and my heart were all aching for it to be you."

Lee reached up with his hand, hesitantly at first, but he finally touched her gently on the cheek. "And I called you a slut. Kara, I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

Kara nuzzled the palm of Lee's hand, and kissed it gently. "I can't help but forgive you. I love you. Even if you are a frak-wit sometimes."

"I was just so angry over the thought of you allowing another man to touch you," said Lee. "I love you, and…"

Kara didn't let Lee finish. Instead, she grabbed Lee and kissed him pleadingly on the lips. As soon as their lips made contact, Lee felt a fire build inside of him that had been dormant since he broke off their engagement. He kissed her back, and pulled her into his arms. A page for Captain Adama to report to the flight deck ended the moment as swiftly as it began.

Lee pulled away from Kara, breaking all physical contact. "We can't, Kara."

"Why the FRAK NOT?" she asked. "Lee…"

"We can't," said Lee. "I'm sorry. I've got to go."

Lee walked out of the room briskly, not leaving enough time for either of them to say another word. Kara stared at the door for a few moments, closed her eyes, and remembered what the Commander had said. "Give it time," she said to herself.

End of Chapter Seventeen. Chapter Eighteen coming soon. As always, feedback/reviews are welcomed and appreciated.