The meeting with his father was over and now he was walking around the Galactica wasting time until his shuttle was ready. He passed the officer's lounge and stuck his head in hoping to get in on a Triad game, but there was only Starbuck, sitting at a table in the corner with a bottle of ambrosia. She looked as if she'd been at it for a while.
She looked up when he approached the table.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. There was no anger in her voice, just curiosity.
"I had a meeting with the old man."
He pulled up a seat next to her.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you that you shouldn't drink alone?" He asked.
She smiled and poured him a glass.
"I meant, what are you doing here?"
He emptied the glass and put it back on the table.
"I was thirsty."
She poured him another glass and he emptied that as well.
"Are you trying to catch up to me?" She asked, pouring him a third glass.
He smiled mischievously as he finished that glass too.
"Helo says you've started drinking pretty heavy again." He said casually.
"Helo needs to mind his own business."
"He's just worried about you."
"So, is that why you're here. Lee? To reign me in again?" She was getting angry.
"Again? I could never reign you in, Kara. I could never control you." He said calmly. "My mistake was trying to. I just wanted to get a drink..or three..and say Hi."
He checked his watch.
"I should go. It was good seeing you again." He kissed her on the cheek and stood up.
He made it to the door before the sound of her slamming her fists into the table stopped him in his tracks.
"You just wanted to say Hi? It was good seeing me again? What the frak is that supposed to mean?" She stood up, but didn't move from behind the table.
He spun around.
"What the frak did it sound like?" He said, matching her anger, then he dropped his shoulders and raised a hand to his forehead.
Sighing, he said, "Look, I don't want to fight with you anymore. I'm tired of being angry." He waved his hand to indicate the space between them. "There doesn't have to be anything more between us than this, but please, just, no more fighting. Ok?"
"No more than this?" She said, imitating him. She started walking towards him, the unsteadiness in her step giving away how drunk she was.
"How about this?" She was right in front of him now.
"Kara…" He warned.
She reached up an kissed him full and hard on the mouth. Her fingers dug into his hair, holding him close.
She felt so good and he had wanted this for so long, that let himself get lost in her kiss, returning it with equal fervor. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her in tight against him. All rational thought deserted him and he spun her around, pinning her against the bulkhead. His hands moved under her tanks and caressed the bare skin underneath. His mouth moved off hers and down her neck.
He knew he was about to make love to her and suddenly, it all felt too intense. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away.
"I've got to go." He said, flustered.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Kara, I…I can't. I'm sorry." His voice broke a little.
"Don't you dare walk out on me, Lee." She snapped.
Her new flash of anger made him step back involuntarily.
"Please." She whispered, grabbing his arm. "Don't go."
Tears were running down her face and she tried to wipe them away.
"This is stupid." Sheturned away from him, still wiping away tears and trying to get herself under control. "I can't….I mean, I don't want to be alone." She said quietly, a sob escaping.
He pulled her close and she cried into his chest.
"It's all right, Kara." He whispered into her hair. "Let it go. I'm here."
He held her as she cried, trying to comfort her the best he could, and when her strength gave out, he picked her up and carried her to her rack. She fell asleep in his arms on the way.
He laid her gently on the bed, removed her shoes, and pulled her blanket over her. He wiped tears from her cheek, brushed stray strands of hair back from her forehead and turned to leave. She'd sleep it off and feel better in the morning.
She grabbed his hand.
"Stay?" she asked sleepily.
He opened his mouth, ready to list the reasons why he couldn't stay, but she had been so out of character tonight, so vulnerable, that he just smiled and nodded.
He kicked off his shoes, hung up his uniform jacket and climbed into bed next to her. She curled up into his arms and immediately fell back asleep.