NOTE: Thanks again for your really kind reviews...! I'm still asking for patience, I'm working toward getting Lee and Kara back together… but again--- Antarctica….! I'll try to keep updating each day to make the time move a little more quickly.

Chapter Eleven

Starbuck crouched at the entrance of the tent and slowly pulled back the flap with the barrel of her gun. It was starting to get dark outside, and the sounds of centurions rounding up colonists were starting to fade. A flash of metal in the distance prompted her to let the flap fall. She heard the sound of metallic feet moving closer.

"What's going on out there?" She jumped at the sound of Sam's voice. He had been going in and out of consciousness for the last several hours. She turned to him and put her finger to her lips.

The sound of footsteps grew louder and louder... and then stopped. Starbuck calmly released the safety on the pistol, pointed the gun at the closed tent flap, and placed her finger on the trigger. The footsteps resumed, but the sound grew fainter. The centurion had turned around. Starbuck exhaled and brought down the gun.

"That was close," she said under her breath. She moved over to Sam.

"How are you feeling?" she said as she placed her hand on the side of his face.

Sam coughed before replying. "I've been better. What's going on out there?"

"They seem to be putting people into groups and taking them somewhere," she said calmly. "I think it's only a matter of time before they start searching each tent."

Sam sat up. "Then we have to get out of here." Starbuck watched as he moved his feet to the floor and tried to stand, but fell back down immediately. He cursed under his breath and lay back on the bed. She placed her hand on his.

"We've still got some time," she said. "And I've got a lot of ammunition."

He shook his head. "Not enough." She knew he was right. But what choice did they have?

He answered that question. "You've got to go. Leave me here."

She shook her head at him. "No way. I'm not leaving without you."

He grabbed her wrist and held it tightly. "Kara, I can't go anywhere. There's no point in both of us being caught. You need to get out of here while you can."

She shook her head again. "I'm NOT leaving you here," she said through clenched teeth. "Don't ask me again."

Just then, the tent flap flew forward. Almost instantly, Starbuck responded by bringing up the gun she was already holding while pulling out the other from her waistband and pointing them both at the opening. She held her breath as the flap fell back. It was the wind, she realized. She exhaled and brought her hands down. They were shaking slightly.

Sam put his hand on hers. "Kara, how long have you been up now? 20 hours? 25? You can't keep this up. And you know as well as I do that it's only a matter of time before they find us."

Kara shook her head yet again.

Sam sounded weak, but seemed determined to change her mind. He continued. "Put that famous Thrace attitude aside for a moment and think about this. We haven't heard any gunshots or explosions. They don't seem to be killing people. At least not right away." He coughed. "So if you leave me here, I'm not necessarily dead. You--- however--- you could be sent back to one of those farms. That can't happen."

Kara held her breath. She couldn't take going back to a farm. They would strap her up to a machine... trying to impregnate her. She would rather die first. In fact, at one time, she was willing to die first.

She paused slightly before whispering, "Maybe we should carry out that pact that we had on Caprica."

She was referring to when she led the operation where she rescued Sam and the other resistance fighters. At one point, the group believed the Cylons had them cornered and were about to capture them. She had made Sam enter into a suicide pact--- they would kill each other before letting the Cylons take them as prisoners.

She turned to him. "I have two guns."

It was Sam's turn to shake his head. "No. That time, there was nowhere to go. Here, we have a choice. You can get out of here and get to the mountains. They could use you."

A tear fell down one of her cheeks. He looked into her eyes. "Kara. You know I'm right." He gave her a weak smile. "Plus, I'm going to need someone to come back for me and save my ass. And you can't do that if you're in prison, too."

Tears were streaming down Kara's cheeks now. She knew he was right. But she couldn't stand the thought leaving him alone. Her feelings for Sam were not as strong as the emotion she felt for Lee, but she still loved him. She slowly kissed him on the forehead, both cheeks, and his lips.

"OK..." she said as she wiped away tears from her face. "But here's the deal. I'm only going to the mountains to get backup... and we're coming back for you immediately. We're going to get you out of this tent before the Cylons find you." She handed him one of the loaded guns. "Are you strong enough to use this?"

He gave her a small smile. "Hey. You're talking to the man who scored three points in OT against Aquarion in the championship. I can handle anything."

She smiled back at him through her tears and gave a small sob as she said softly, "Actually, you would've only had two points if Connors hadn't been there to assist."

He coughed before chuckling softly. "Everybody's a critic."

She grabbed the bag she was carrying earlier and placed the rest of her pistols and ammunition inside. She could barely see through the tears when she went back to Sam and kissed him once again. "I'll be back for you," she whispered.

He looked at her. "I know."