Disclaimer: Unfortunately I own nothing pertaining to the greatest show on TV right now, Battlestar Galactica.

Chapter 9

"I don't know what you are thinking Lee. I have no milk, and there is no way you are going to be able to get into the store rooms, they lock them up tight, trust me, I have tried. Like I said, she is just going to have to deal with it." Kara said looking at the sleepy little girl in her arms.

"Milk…" Leah whined in response.

"Besides that, all you are teaching her is that whenever you want something just throw a fit, and Lee Adama will make sure you get what you want." She continued to lecture the man walking next to her.

"Kara I can understand not letting her have her way all the time, but come on it's a cup of milk." Lee replied.

"Yeah, today a cup of milk, tomorrow it'll be a puppy." Kara said rolling her eyes.

Lee let out a quick laugh. The thought of Kara keeping track of a kid and a puppy on a Battlestar was a funny thought. "You know I think I heard someone say they were breeding dogs on the Rising Star."

She stopped and turned to stare him down. "Don't even think about it Adama!" She snapped.

They came to the hatchway that led to the food supplies, and just as Kara had said, it was locked and neither of them had the code to allow access.

"Alright Major, what's the plan?" Kara asked tapping her toe impatiently.

"Quiet Kara, I'm thinking," he replied surveying the situation.

"Okay, here is the plan; I am going to boost you into this air vent. It should open up just above the storage room. You can drop down, find the milk, and then crawl back out."

"Frak that idea, she can drink water. Crawling around in Galactica's duct work in the middle of the night is low on my list of priorities. Thanks, but no thanks."

"You know Kara; you really should watch your language in front of her."

"Lee, quit lecturing me. She doesn't know what it means." Kara argued.

"I know she doesn't know what it means, but that doesn't mean she isn't going to be repeating you. Now, come on, up the shaft you go."

"Lee…" Kara growled."

"Come on Kara, its all about sacrifice," he said giving her a sad little look, the same sad little look that was on her daughter's face.

"Fine, help me up."

It was a tight fit, and a big jump, but with Lee's help she was able to squeeze through the opening in the shaft. It was dusty and dirty, and crawling on her hands and knees, made every muscle in her body that was already sore from her bought with Lee that afternoon ache even worse. She had to open a few vents before she came to the right one. Thankfully she had a flash light with her, because all the lights were off for the night.

She let out a groan as she lowered herself down into the room. Her ribs were aching and her head was beginning to throb. Just as her feet hit the floor the lights flickered on.

She looked up and there standing in the room with her was a grinning Lee, with Leah on his hip.

"What the f…" Kara began to sputter.

"Ah, ah, ah Captain, remember that language." He warned.

"How did you get in?"

"Oh a guard came by that had the code, he let us in."

"You just made me crawl around like a dog, when all you had to do was ask a guard to let you in?" Kara asked very frustrated with the man.

"I guess there are some advantages to being the Admiral's son." He said with a smirk. "Besides, now I know you are a truly dedicated mother."

"All right Daddy's boy, help me find the milk."

Not only did they find the supply of powdered milk, they found a fresh shipment of fruit from one of the other ships. "Oh Lee, look peaches!" Kara exclaimed sounding like a kid in the candy store.

"Wow, I haven't seen one of those since we left Caprica." Lee said coming to admire the piece of fruit. "Why don't you take one?"

"Lee, I really shouldn't, its one thing to steal milk for a baby." Kara replied hesitantly.

"Please tell me this is not the great Starbuck, feeling guilty about eating a peach! What's wrong with you Kara, eat the fruit, you earned it."

She did not need any more convincing she grabbed the coveted fruit, and then mixed up Leah's milk. They found a table in the empty mess hall. Kara sat Leah on her lap with the cup of milk, and then sank her teeth into the soft flesh of the peach. "Oh this is so good!" she practically moaned, juice dripping from her chin.

Lee sat across from her watching her enjoy her bounty. He had to laugh at the way she was devouring the fruit, but he couldn't help but feel a little bit of sadness. What was their world coming to when one simple piece of fruit could bring such joy? Just as Kara's daughter should not have to go without milk, Kara shouldn't have to be without the fruit she loved. Would they ever be in a place again where fruit was bountiful, milk was fresh and no longer had to be reconstituted with water?

"What?" Kara asked interrupting his thoughts.

"What do you mean, what?"

"You're starring at me. Aren't you going to eat one?" She questioned.

"I don't steal."

"You are the one that told me to take it Lee!"

"Just kidding, they are just not my favorite fruit."

"Try one bite," she said holding the half eaten fruit to him. "I guarantee it will be the best thing you have tasted in ages."

He obliged and took a small bite. She was right, it was good. "Are you going to share with your daughter?"

She looked down at Leah, who was already slumped up against her chest sound asleep, the half drunken cup of milk clutched tightly in her hands.

"I'll save it for her."

"It won't be any good Kara, I was only teasing, just finish it." Lee said with a laugh, she did not have to be told twice.

Lee walked with them back to their quarters. Kara was tired. It had been a long day and it was starting to show.

"Here let me take her." Lee said reaching out to take the sleeping child into his arms. She gladly handed her over. "Thanks, she gets heavy fast."

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Kara had many things weighing on her heart. She knew what she had to do, and she needed to do it tonight. She had determined she would not tell him about her, until he figured it out himself, but she knew that was wrong. Leah deserved to know her father, and have him in her life. Seeing the two of them together tonight was proof of that.

Kara opened the hatch and let them all in, she lead him into their room and pointed to the little bed that belonged to Leah. She did not even stir as he gently lowered her to the bed. Kara stepped back out into the main room, and waited for him to follow.

"Lee, we need to talk." Kara began.

"I know, Kara. I was thinking the same thing."

"Here sit down" she said pointing to the couch. She couldn't hide the grimace of pain as she lowered herself down beside him.

"I don't think I am going to be able to move tomorrow." She said rubbing her upper arms.

"Sore already?"

"My arms and shoulders are killing me." She replied honestly.

"Turn around." He instructed.

"What?"

"Just do it."

He surprised her when she felt his hands on her shoulders, slowly rubbing them in long firm strokes. "Lee we need to talk."

"It can wait a minute." He said continuing on with the massage.

He was right, it had waited this long, what was a few more minutes? Kara took the moment to just relax and enjoy the relief his hands were bringing her. After several minutes her eyes were feeling heavy and her head was starting to nod.

"Lee you are putting me to sleep," she murmured.

"I didn't mean to bore you, Captain."

"Far from it," She said while turning around to face him.

"Lee, I wanted to tell you why I didn't tell you about her sooner," she began suddenly.

"Kara, I'm not mad anymore. That is what I wanted to let you know. I am sure you had your reasons, it's really none of my business."

"That's just it. It is your business Lee. I was wrong for not telling you this sooner, and I pray you don't hate me or shut me out." "Oh frak!" she said suddenly clutching her side.

"What's wrong?" He asked quickly looking concerned.

"Nothing," she tried to cover quickly. "I just moved the wrong way."

"Let me see your side." He said softly.

"It's fine."

"Now Kara," he caught the bottom of her tanks and quickly pulled them up. He sucked in his breath quickly at the site.

She already had a large purplish bruise spreading from the middle of her abdomen to her side.

"I had no idea I hit you that hard." He said tearing his eyes from the discolored skin.

"It looks worse than it is, I have always bruised easily," she said trying to ease his worry. Although it felt nice to have someone concerned over your well being.

"Kara I am so sorry," he replied the guilt all over his face.

"It's okay Lee, I am fine, really. Besides, I think I gave as good as I got." She said reaching out to brush his swollen lip with her finger tips. She was touched by his care.

He caught her hand in his and brought it away from his lips, starring at her intently. Strangely she couldn't tare her eyes from his, and she forgot whatever important thing it was she was going to say.

"Kara…" he began softly. But before he could go on, she quickly closed the space between them and slowly kissed his lower lip. Her hand remained clasped in his, he didn't try to kiss her back, but his lips parted quickly and allowed her tongue to have free reign of his mouth.

She did not hold back, she did not hesitate, like she had done so many times before with him. She put everything into her kiss, feelings she did not even know she had for him.

After what seemed a small eternity, she felt his hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her back. "Kara," he whispered. She pulled her head back and looked at him questioningly.

"She's crying." He said, with a look on his face she couldn't quite read. Was it disappointment, disbelief, disgust?

She shook her head trying to get rid of the mental fog that surrounded her and concentrate on his words. Then she heard it, Leah was whimpering from the next room. Kara let out a slow sigh. "I'm sorry Lee," she said neither not really knowing what she was apologizing for. "I'll be right back," she said as she walked into the room to comfort her crying child.

Kara picked her up and placed her in the big bed next to her. "Shhh Leah, its alright, go back to sleep. I'm here."

It took Kara several minutes to get Leah to sleep. When Kara was finally convinced she was back into a deep sleep, she rose ever so quietly from the bed and crept back into the living room.

It was empty. Her shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment. She had hoped he would wait for her. That's when she noticed something on her desk. There was a sheet of her paper with a note scribbled on it, and sitting next to the note two fuzzy peaches.

Kara,

Stay in tomorrow, rest. I will cover your shifts. Enjoy your peaches! Lee

She walked over to the couch and sank her head into her hands. "What are you doing Kara?" She asked herself.

She had planned on telling Lee, that he had a daughter and instead she had gone and kissed him. Not some chaste little peck, or a sloppy drunken kiss, but a real kiss. The one a woman gave a man when she wanted something from him.

She wanted him, she wanted him. That thought kept playing over and over in her head. "Frak me, I am falling for Lee." She said this time out loud.

She had always cared about him. Even though he didn't know it yet she shared the most important thing in her life with him. The past two years she had spent convincing herself and everyone else, that she and Lee were best buds, almost more like brother and sister.

But that could never be. Brothers and sisters don't make babies together. At least not anywhere Kara knew of. The wall she had built up between herself and Lee was slowly crumbling. She didn't know why she had fought it so long. He had hurt her when he had left and never called, never came back to check on her, see how she was doing. Maybe it had been her way of protecting herself from facing that hurt all over again.

She would tell him, not just about Leah, but about her, and how she felt. He had said he loved her before, maybe he truly meant it. First chance she had she would let him know, and just pray to the god's he would forgive her.

Kara was so thankful the next morning for Lee's offer to stay home. She could barely lift her arms when she woke up. She had overdone it. She was not in the condition she needed to be in to fight that physical of a fight. Granted she was in peak condition for flying a viper, but the muscles used in boxing were different then the one's used for keeping her bird in the air.

Her eye was worse as well. She kept a bag of ice on it most of the day, willing the swelling to go down so she would be able to have full range of vision during her next rotation in the cockpit.

The morning after she was much better, her eye was still bruised, but the swelling was minimal. She had full range of motion with her arms, but the pain was still in her side when she moved to quickly.

True to her word, she made a beeline straight for Lee's office, after leaving Leah with Mark and Eve.

The door was slightly ajar, and Kara heard whispered voices from the other side. She pushed the door open, forgetting all about knocking first. She drew in a quick short breath at the site that greeted her.

Lee was standing in the room, with a very happy looking Petty Officer Dualla standing with him, her arms encircling his waist, head resting on his chest. "Starbuck.." he said upon seeing her standing in the open door.

"I'm sorry, I should have knocked.." she mumbled turning and walking down the hall.

She would not let the tears fall that threatened to come. She would not even give them the satisfaction of forming. She kept her back straight and her steps brisk as she made her way down the hall, calling herself every sort of fool there was. Why hadn't she seen it there before?

"Kara, would you wait up please," she heard from behind her.

She stopped, and waited, but did not turn to meet him.

"Kara, did you need something?" He asked coming to stand in front of her.

Yes, she needed something, she needed him. His understanding, his support, his love, but it was now all too obvious that belonged to someone else.

"It was nothing," she replied "I didn't meant to interrupt, I guess I didn't realize you two were…" she let the thought trail off, not wanting to even put it into words.

He actually had the decency to look a little ashamed. "Yeah, not many people do, we have kind of kept it quiet." he admitted.

"Well I am going to be late for my shift Lee, see you around," she said starting back down the corridor again.

"Are you sure there is nothing you wanted to talk about?" He asked again.

"I was just going to say thanks for covering for me yesterday."

"Anytime."

And just as quickly as the walls came down she built them again in a matter of minutes.

She did not hate him. She wasn't even mad at him, but she did not tell him. Life continued on for Kara and Lee, Apollo and Starbuck as it always had, at least for the next week.

Kara was running late for her patrol. The person she had lined up to keep Leah, was busy hurling their guts out from a hangover from the night before. She stuck her head into Lee's office hoping he would be there.

He was looking over a stack of paper work. "Lee." She said quickly gaining his attention.

"Aren't you supposed to be on CAP?"

"Yeah, but my sitter has a hangover. I am going to run Leah to Eve, so I will be about 20 minutes late, can someone cover?"

"Why don't you get your butt in the cockpit, and leave her with me. I'll take her to Eve's. What deck are they on?"

"Deck 10, they are in 1022. Thanks Lee, you're a lifesaver." Kara said handing Leah over to him. She bent and kissed her daughter's cheek. "Be good brat, see ya soon."

"Kara don't call your daughter a brat," Lee scolded.

"She likes it Lee, besides she doesn't know what it means." Kara again used her twisted logic to rationalize everything she did.

"Bye Lee." She called over her shoulder, shutting the hatch behind her.

"I feel sorry for you." Lee said to the little girl sitting on his lap. "One can only wonder how a kid will turn out having Starbuck as a mother." He said shaking his head at the idea.

He did not take her right away to the sitter. He rather enjoyed the little girl's company. She was a funny little thing. Already as little as she was she seemed to have her mother's sense of humor.

She was busy drawing on some paper with a pen, when Dee dropped by for a visit.

"So she has you babysitting now?" she said with a smile.

"Actually I volunteered, I'm kind of growing fond of the little thing," he admitted.

"She seems content with you." She said observing the smiling little girl sitting on his knee.

"Yeah were old pals aren't we Leah?" He said pulling the little girl up closer to him. She looked up at him in response and gave a toothy grin.

"You know Lee, is Kara sure she is not Zach's?" Dee asked suddenly.

"I think so. Why do you ask?" Lee said with a puzzled look on his face.

"Because I had never really noticed it before, but she looks just like you."

He picked her up and turned her to face him directly. It may have been slow in coming, but when the realization hit, it hit like a ton of bricks. The light had been turned on. He now knew without a doubt what he should have known almost two years ago. He gave a small smile to the little girl starring back at him. He bent down and kissed her forehead. She giggled at the gesture.

"I don't know Dee, I'll have to ask her again." He said tightly. "Could you take her to her sitters, on deck 10 room 1022, please. I..I have some things I need to take care of."

He stood up and tried to pass Leah off to Dee. Leah had other plans, she had no intention of leaving Lee, and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"Come with me Leah." Dee said trying to coax the little girl to her.

She responded by only squeezing Lee tighter. When he attempted to remove her arms from his neck she began to scream loudly. "Never mind Dee, I will take her myself."

"Lee is everything okay?" Dee asked sensing the sudden change that came over him.

"Everything is fine Dee, I just have a lot to do. I'll see you later okay," he said giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

He set off toward deck 10 with the blonde headed little imp in tow. "Your mother is going to have a lot of explaining to do when she lands that plane." She laughed as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard, a laugh that already reminded him of Starbuck. "I can promise you Leah, there will be no laughing." He lifted his arm to look at his watch. Two hours. He had two hours to get his emotions under control and keep from leaving little Leah motherless.

AN: Sorry, it took longer for me to get this up than planned. I added a few little things that I hadn't originally had mapped out. I hope you all liked it. Thanks for reading. I will try to update as soon as possible.