Title: Athena

Author: PrincessJenn

Category: K/L Kara centric, undertones of other couples to follow

Rating: Depends on the chapter. Don't worry kiddies, I'll give fair warning.

Spoilers: Nope...nope...nope

Disclaimer: Not mine..don't sue, I'm not worth a dime...yada...yada...yada...And besides, if they belonged to me there'd be a gaggle of Thrace-Adamas running amuck...

Summary: Ghosts of the past can sometimes change a person's life forever. What happens when said person is Kara Thrace?

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a BSG fic. Please be kind. Constructive criticism is welcome but no bashing please.

Author's Note II: Lines in italics indicate thoughts. Lines in italics and quotation marks indicate past conversations between characters or flashbacks.

Athena, Who?

And that's how William Adama found himself here. Here being the transport ship Storm Chaser. It was currently serving as the orphanage and schooling ship of the fleet. This was where all the children who had lost their parents or had been rescued without their families were taken. Even though it was home to only about 500 occupants now, the Storm Chaser had evacuated over 2,000 refugees from the surface of Tauron during the first wave of Cylon attacks. The ship was now home to over 300 of the colonies 'Lost Children.'

The little blonde asleep on the cot before him looked like a mirror image of his 'adopted' child. From the blonde hair, right down to the mischievous grin she wore in her sleep. Her hair was long with soft curls. Her smile was bright like she hadn't a care in the world. And even though her eyes were bright blue, they held that quality. What did Lee call it? Oh yeah, he referred to it as Kara's 'I'm ready for whatever you can dish out' look.

The Storm Chaser's counselor told him all he needed to know. She had known the Thraces quite well and was in fact surprised to know that Athena's older sister was actually alive.

Her -their- parents had been killed in the initial attack. Athena had been at school on one of Tauron's smaller continents which had thankfully allowed for evacuation; seeing as how when the Cylons attacked, they went after the main cities on each planet first. Her mother, Laina, was a professor at one of Tauron's finer collages. Her father, their father, Daniel, was also a professor and a quite gifted musician. She was their only known child as well as the light of their lives.

Daniel had thought his eldest daughter long dead. At least that's what he was told when had contacted Kara's mother after his marriage to Laina. She had told him something about Kara being killed in a car crash with some of her friends. Daniel had been devastated. His plan had been to gain full custody of her after he and Laina had a permanent place.

Furthermore, his heartbreak had only increased ten-fold when a doctor gave them the news. Laina could not have children. Something about radiation poisoning preventing it. Laina had grown up on Aerolon. Its air was still semi-poisonous from the first Cylon War. Most parts of the main continent were still uninhabitable.

At least that's what they had been told. Then, five years ago, Laina learned she was pregnant. Athena was their miracle child. She was well loved and cared for. The child never wanted for anything. Daniel put all his heart and soul into his remaining daughter. He spent his days with his youngest making it all she would ever want. Yet he spent his nights mourning for his oldest with whom he had only had a precious few years.

The Thraces never hid from Athena the knowledge of her older sister. In fact, William noticed, young Athena clutched a frame that contained a picture of her parents (He had never met Daniel Thrace, but one look at the man and it was clear who he was.), and one of Kara, whom he guessed was about her age in the picture.

"How is she mentally? Is she fit to be moved?"

Natalia smiled. She knew full well what the Commander was getting at. While he wasn't about having children really on the Galactica, he wasn't about keeping families apart either. Especially in the situation humanity found itself in at the moment.

"Yes sir. She's a bright child. Yes, she misses her parents greatly. But she's no fool. She knows full well what's going on and that her world isn't the same. And yet she hasn't withdraw like most." The last part of her statement went unsaid. Like most of the other orphans.

"Well then," he cleared his throat, "I'd like to take her with me at eighteen hundred hours after I'm done with my meeting with the Quorum and the President." He didn't outright smile, but she could see it in his eyes. He was excited. It wasn't everyday that they were able to reunite long lost family. Let alone now after the destruction of the Colonies.

She nodded. "Of course Sir. She'll be ready."

"Good. Then Captain Adama and I will be back for her in two hours."

"As you wish."

He made his way to the door. Just before leaving, he turned around. "Ms. Smith?"

"Yes Sir?"

"How did Athena feel about her older sister?"

Again she smiled. Gods damn. It feels good to smile so much. "She always wanted nothing more than to have her sister around, Sir. I'm pretty sure she still feels the same way." She added with a chuckle.

He simply smiled in return. "That's what I was hoping you'd say."

Needless to say, he made it a point -no couldn't resist the urge- to inform President Roslin of this new development. It was a rarity to be able to reunite long lost family to begin with; let along during war time. Without a second thought, she happily called off the meeting with the Quorum. Go do what you need to Bill. GIve them great big hugs for me. She told him with a bright smile.

So here he was back on Galactica, making all the necessary arrangements.He had Dee and Callie clearing out quarters for the girls. His girls. It was funny. He barely knew Athena and yet he felt the same fatherly bond with her that he felt with Kara. Must be something about those Thrace girls. He thought with a smile.

Kara Elizabeth Thrace was forever thrust into the Adamas' world at the tender age of seven. It all started when Lee had come home from school extremely upset. He told his parents of the only girl - the only child- he had befriended in his class. Lee was never one to have many friends at school. He was a loner. Not one because he was ostracized by the other kids. Nope, he was simply a loner by choice. So when he spoke of a friend, any friend, the Adamas sat up and listened.

The little girl in question had come to school today with her arm in a cast. She had told Lee that she fell and broke it, but he didn't buy it. The very same excuse had been used the previous week to explain away a black eye. The week before that, a bunch of bruises on her little back.

Daniella Adama was horrified. She knew what child abuse felt like. As a child, her foster mother had beaten her at the drop of a dime for any reason she saw fit. It was one thing that she wouldn't tolerate. She never so much as smacked her boys on their rear ends for acting up. In her eyes, no child deserved to be hit regardless of what they did. It was clear that this girl was severely neglected from what their son was telling them.

And this girl must have been something truly special to get Lee all worked up. They couldn't ever recall a time Lee was so talkative about anyone. They knew all about Kara. It was always 'Kara this..' or 'Kara that..' or 'Guess what Kara and I did today?'

The next day, Lee did as his parents instructed him and brought Kara home for lunch. She was a beautiful little spitfire with long blonde curls and sparkling green eyes. Eyes that only seem to light up that much more when she was lavished with the Adamas' full attention. The girl's neglect was just as emotional as much as it was physical. At first, little Kara didn't know what to make of an adult giving her positive attention instead of beating her for something stupid like coughing.

Like Daniella had said to her husband, it was love at first sight. Which was true of all the Adamas. Lee adored her. Zak followed her like a lost puppy. And both William and Daniella felt like she was the daughter they had never had and yet always wanted. They couldn't understand how such a polite little girl could be dealt such a horrible life. But fate works in funny ways.

Lee begged his parents to let Kara spend the night on the couch. And they did. Only it ended up with Lee and Zak curled up in Daniella's arms and Kara in William's.

The next morning they sent Lee and Kara off to school. The minute the pair left Zak asked, "Is Kawa coming to wive with us?"

William studied his four year old son, eyes sparkling with hope. The thought had crossed his mind and he sure as hell knew that Daniella's was already made up.

"She's a gift from the Gods Bill," she declared.

So William called in a few favors that were owed to him. First to the local Constable to report Kara's abuse, then to the local Magistrate to have all the necessary papers drawn up, and finally to his friend Mark, whose wife owned a girls' clothing shop in Caprica City.

Next thing they knew the Adama family was welcoming their newest addition. She flourished from the attention she received from them. Because of all the fuss Kara's mother managed to make with the Magistrate, they were never able to formally adopt her; but you don't need a piece of paper to declare you someone's family now do you?

Dee interrupted his musings, "Sir?"

He looked up at her from the picture of his children on his desk. He didn't speak but she knew him well enough to know that even though he didn't speak, he was listening.

"It's all ready," she declared with a triumphant smile.

"Everything?"

"Everything. C'mon now Old Man," he chuckled at her use of the nickname "this is me. Don't you know by now that when you ask, I do."

"Yes I do Dee. I trust you told Callie?"

She shook her head. "Quite the contrary. While I love Callie, she has a big mouth"

He laughed. "Yes, I suppose she does."

Both Dee and Callie were Lee and Kara's age and they had all attended primary school together on Caprica. So needless to say with Kara around, the Adama house became a popular hangout spot. He knew both girls almost as well as he knew his own children. Each one of the children had their own little niche in the group. Lee was the strong silent one. Dee was the intuitive one. Callie was the talkative one. And as for Kara, naturally, she was the hell raiser of the group.

He had figured that if anyone could get things accomplished in time, it would be those two.

Dee was astonished when he told her. While Kara never wanted for anything with the Adamas, it was clear that she still felt like a piece of her was missing. He knew that. That's why when she went through her rebellious stage, -hell she never grew out of it- he just sat back and let her spread her wings much to Lee and Daniella's dismay. When he and Daniella divorced, Kara was the one who had taken it the hardest. He supposed it was her fear of losing her father all over again. But that was different. When her mother had left her father, she had taken Kara's world away.

"So when does she arrive?"

He glanced at his watch. "Lee and I have to go get her in about twenty minutes."

"Does he know Sir?"

He shook his head with a slight frown. He hated keeping things from any of his children. "No not yet."

Oh Old Man. Lee always jumps to conclusions when it comes to her. "I see. Well let me let you go. I've still got a few finishing touches to add to their quarters." She stated with a twinkle in her eye.

"Okay. And Dee?"

"Yes Sir?"

"Thanks."

"Anything for you Old Man." She replied with a smile and skipped out of the room.

"So you mind telling me where we're going?" Lee asked with a quizzical look on his face as the Raptor cleared Galactica.

"The Storm Chaser."

His brows furrowed in confusion. "The schooling ship? Any particular reason why?"

"You'll see," he replied cryptically as he put on his headset. "Storm Chaser this is Raptor One requesting permission to dock."

A voice came over the com system. "Roger that Raptor One. Permission granted. You're clear for Landing Pad C. Welcome back Commander Adama."

"Roger that Storm Chaser. Thank you."

As the side door opened Lee could see a red headed woman standing with a little blonde girl. The little girl giggled and practically skipped aboard. She climbed into his father's lap with a huge grin on her face. He noted his father's face matched her own. He hasn't smiled like that since before Zak died. He thought. I wonder what's going on.

"So I'm going with you?" The girl asked the elder Adama.

Lee could not hide his bewilderment at her question but remained silent. He hoped that his father would offer an explanation soon.

"Yep. You all ready?"

"She is Sir." the redhead piped up. "These two bags are all she has." She placed two duffel bags at the rear of the Raptor.

The girl bounded off his lap and into the woman's arms. "I'll miss you Natalie."

"Oh sweetie I'll miss you too. But just think, you'll be back at school in two weeks."

The smile never left the little one's face. "I know." she replied as she kissed the woman on the cheek. She then bounced back into his father's lap.

"Thank you again Ms. Smith." His father said with a smile.

What is going on? What's with all the smiling? Is there some joke I've missed or something? Lee was absolutely puzzled.

Once the Raptor door closed, his father set the girl down on her feet. "Why don't you take that seat behind Lee, okay?"

"Okay." She climbed up into the seat and buckled herself up.

Lee simply stared at her until he could take it no more. "Hi I'm Lee Adama." He extended his hand so she could shake it.

"I'm Athena," she replied brightly and put her tiny hand into his "Athena Thrace."

Lee smiled at her for a second before turning around. Then it dawned on him. Thrace. She said her last name was Thrace. She could pass for Kara's twin. No. No. No. No. This can't be. He shot his father a look as his jaw locked up.

And just like that Lee was silent the whole ride home.

)))To be continued...(((