NOTE: Thanks again for the reviews… you all are too kind…! Sorry for the delay--- I'm assuming that I'm not the only one who's had trouble uploading documents onto the website the last few days.

The set-up for this chapter: I have to do a little story exposition in order to deal with the whole Cylon occupation thing. I think the occupation is a GREAT plot development for the show--- but as far as Lee and Kara's relationship goes… it's an obstacle that might as well be the size of Antarctica. So please bear with me! We've now jumped six months into the future... (if Ron Moore & David Eick can jump a year--- I figure I can jump six months...!). The following scene starts the moment the season two finale ends.

Chapter Nine

Starbuck stood silently between Tyrol and Callie as everyone watched the Cylon centurions march through New Caprica City. The sound of metallic stomping filled the air, every once in a while punctuated by a gasp or sob from one of the colonists.

"Where the frak did they come from?" Callie whispered.

"Not important right now," Starbuck whispered back. She wished she could say that she was surprised to see them, but she wasn't. "We need to move."

She looked up--- and noticed no more Raiders appeared to be in the air. She knew they had very little time. She turned to Tyrol. "Find as many weapons as you can and head north to the mountains. We'll meet there." Tyrol nodded and reached for Callie. Starbuck grabbed his arm and got close to his ear. "Spread the word--- but only to people you know you can trust."

"Sure thing, Captain," Tyrol said. He and Callie disappeared into the crowd.

Starbuck headed in the other direction. She had to get back to Sam, even though she wasn't sure what she was going to do once she got there. Since he had pneumonia, a trip to the mountains might kill him. But she wasn't sure that they had a choice.

Her other major concern: Lee. Just minutes before the Raiders started flying over New Caprica City, she had contacted him to ask him for antibiotics for Sam.

She didn't want to call. He was so angry with her the last time they'd talked--- which was just a couple of weeks after she'd married Sam. The fact that she hadn't heard anything from him in almost six months made her think he was still furious.

When she heard his voice, she knew she was right.

"What do you want."

She hesitated. On the one hand, she was so happy to hear his voice because she hadn't talked to him in so long. On the other hand, it served as a very painful reminder that he was obviously still angry. She decided to stay on task.

"I need a favor."

"Is that right?"

She was sure that he wasn't going to help her. Especially when he told her to hang on... and effectively put her on hold. Moments later he got back on the comm and with an amazing amount of force in his voice, said simply one word...

"Move." Then, silence as he hung up.

She had stared at the intercom for a few moments wondering what the hell he meant. Now she realized he was trying to warn her.

She knew that the Cylons most likely surprised Pegasus and the other ships in the Fleet. She also knew that neither Pegasus nor Galactica had enough manpower to fight this many Raiders, so she couldn't help but wonder if anyone orbiting the planet was still alive.

She shook her head, attempting to shake away the thought. He can't be dead, she reasoned. I would've felt something. She desperately hoped that was the case.

But for now, she realized she had to push thoughts of Lee to the back of her mind.

When she reached the tent, Sam was barely conscious, and shivering. "Man--- here--- for you." She wasn't sure what he was trying to say, but it didn't matter. She placed her hand on his forehead. He was burning up. She grabbed a blanket and placed it on top of him.

"Sam..." she said as she stuffed clothes into a bag. "Sam, I don't know if you know what I'm saying, but we have to get out of here."

Sam simply moaned. Starbuck grabbed a wool scarf and placed it around his neck. She then reached under the bed, pulled out a large suitcase, and opened it. She was supposed to turn in her military pistols when she left Galactica--- luckily for her, she knew they would eventually be of more use to her on the planet. She pulled one out, loaded it, and placed it in her waistband. She closed the case and set it next to the door.

"Sam..." Starbuck repeated. "Sam! I need you to stand up. I'm not going to be able to carry you." She sat on the side of the bed and pulled Sam up into a sitting position. He stayed upright, but clearly lacked the power to swing his legs onto the floor. Starbuck had a sinking feeling that she wasn't going to be able to get him out of the tent, much less into the mountains.

"Sam," she was pleading now, "STAND UP. We have to go... NOW!"

The emotion in her voice seemed to wake him up a bit. "Kara. What's going on?"

Kara looked him in the eyes. "We need to go. The Cylons are back."

"Frak." Sam slowly put his feet on the floor and hung his head. "When?"

Starbuck grabbed Sam's boots and placed them on his feet. "Just arrived. We have to get out of here before they get back up in the air where they can spot us."

"Understood," Sam said as he struggled to stand up. "Are we going to the mountains?"

Kara gave a small smile. The two of them thought alike when it came to military action. "That's my boy. We'll take it easy, but I need you to give me all the strength you've got." She swung the bag over her back and placed his arm around her shoulder. He walked two steps toward the tent opening before stumbling. Kara found she could barely keep him upright. She led him back to the bed, where he collapsed in a coughing fit. He tried to sit up again, but couldn't.

"I'm sorry," he said weakly. "I want to move, but my body doesn't."

All of a sudden, Starbuck came to a terrifying realization. Sam couldn't be moved. She grabbed her weapons case again and loaded a second gun. She placed it next to the bed and laid a couple of blankets over Sam. She kissed his forehead and sat on the bed next to him.

"That's okay," she said, trying to convince Sam--- and herself--- that there was another solution. "We'll just move on to Plan B."