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.

Can we say jumping to conclusions again?

William could see that something was terribly wrong with his son. Lee did not utter a single word on the way back to the Galactica. Nor did he say anything as he led both of them back to his quarters. Nope, Lee simply took a seat on his father's couch and continued to stare at the girl. Even if Athena had not given Lee her last name, he would've figured it out. The resemblance was uncanny.

After waiting for about twenty minutes, Athena asked if she could go take a nap. Adama nodded and let her into his bedroom where she promptly fell asleep.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," he called.

She entered with her trademark smirk on her face.

"Whaddya hear Starbuck?"

"Nothing but the..." She didn't even get a chance to finish their usual banter before all hell broke loose.

"Why didn't you tell me that you had a baby?" Lee screamed angrily as he got up in her face.

She scoffed at him. Huh? Okay Lee time to see Doc Cottle. Need to up those meds of yours. "What the frak are you talking about Lee? Have you lost your frakking mind?"

Her sarcasm only served to further aggravate him. "I don't know. You frakking tell me Kara. Have I lost my mind? Or did you have a kid and fail to tell the one person in the universe who should have been told?"

She shook her head and looked at him confused as all hell. "Frak you Lee. You're not making any sense. I didn't have a kid. I don't have a kid. What are you talking about?" She threw a helpless look at the elder Adama.

As Bill went to interrupt his children, Lee cut him off. "Don't play dumb. It never suited you. What am I talking about? You know very frakking well..."

That was the last straw. He couldn't sit there and watch Lee crucify Kara for something that she didn't do. It pushed him to the edge to see the helpless look and the tears pooling in his daughter's eyes.

"Enough!" He yelled above his children to get their attention. Immediately they both went silent. With a simple motion of his hand, Lee sank into the couch and Kara in a nearby chair. Both looked like children who had just been caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar before dinner. "Thank you." He said with an exhausted sigh. "Now if the two of you are finished..."

Kara in typical fashion, did not afford him the opportunity to finish his sentence before she cut him off. It was okay, he was used to it. "What is he talking about Sir? What kid?"

Apparently the littlest Thrace was good at it too. Just as he opened his mouth to give an explanation, she piped up.

"Um, that would be me," replied a tiny voice from the bedroom behind them.

She turned to see a blonde little girl standing the doorway rubbing sleep from her eyes. From the looks of it she guessed the girl to be about four or five. "And who are you, sweetie?" Kara asked sweetly not wanting to disturb the already seemingly timid girl.

"I'm..." and just about as she was going to say her name Lee, pulled a Thrace, and jumped up.

"She said her last name was Thrace, Kara. Do you wanna tell me who she is?"

A scowl crossed her perfect features. And a lone tear found its way down her face. She was tempted to smack the lunacy right out of her dear partner in crime. And it hurt that he wasn't taking her word at face value. "Lee you frakking idiot. I was not the only person in all of the frakking Colonies to have that last name. And frankly, you're a moron. Do you honestly think I would frakking lie to you about something like this." Her frustration was building and much to her dismay, she found herself on the verge of tears.

"Starbuck watch your language," William admonished her.

She turned to the little girl, who now had tears in her own eyes. "I'm sorry sweetie. No don't cry." She brushed the tears from the girls face.

"But you don't want me," she cried.

Kara knelt down so that she was eye level with the girl. "I don't know who you are."

"Oh you don't huh?" Lee asked snidely from the corner of the room.

William shook his head in dismay. This was certainly not going as he planned. Lee actually believed that this little one was Starbuck's. Granted the resemblance was there, but Kara would never keep a secret like that from him, even in their worst times. And poor Kara looked confused as all hell. To make matters worse, little Athena was now sobbing on her sister's shoulder.

"She's her sister, Lee." He declared through gritted teeth.

The younger Adama's head shot up at his father's words. "Wanna run that by me again?"

"You heard me son."

"But how?"

"I'll explain later."

Just then Kara stood up with Athena on her shoulder, a look of shock on her face. "Sir did I just hear you right?"

"You did Starbuck. Her name is Athena Thrace."

"But that could just be coincidence."

"Doc Cottle confirmed it Kara." With that he handed her the very same piece of paper that the Doc had handed him only a few hours before.

Kara studied the paper for a few moments before speaking. "But how? My mother said..." She was about to say that her mother had told her that her father was dead when Athena chimed in.

"Papa thought you died," Athena mumbled into Kara's arm. "The bad lady told him that."

"The bad lady?" Kara repeated quizzically.

"She means your mother Starbuck. Your mother told your father and step mother that you had been killed in a car accident."

"For the love of the Gods. I know my mom was frakked up, but why would she do that? Why would she tell them that? All I ever wanted was my Dad back."

"Kara," Lee said his features now softening, and the scowl gone, "your mother beat you every chance she got. She was capable of anything." He said as he stepped towards her and she practically jumped back. The look on her face was almost as if she had been physically burned by his proximity.

"Papa and Mama wanted you to be there so bad. Papa cried when he thought no one was looking. He had pictures of you everywhere. See." She told her sister as she handed her the picture frame.

Kara's eyes once again pooled with tears. There was a picture of her father and whom she guessed was Athena's mother on the left. The picture on the right had been taken at her own fourth birthday party. She was sitting in her father's lap and he had cake all over him.

"Oh my Gods," she sobbed. The ramifications of what Adama had told her were sinking in. I have a sister. My Dad did want me. That frakking bitch lied to me all along.

Backing away from the sisters, Lee slunk down into his seat and hung his head in shame. He held his head in his hands as he mumbled. "Kara, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to jump you like that." Way to frak things up Lee. Give yourself a pat on the back for that one. He mentally berated himself.

Seeing the interaction between his children he had to interject. "No it's my fault. I should've told you Lee."

"It's no one's fault but my mother's." Kara mumbled through her tears. It's not that the Adamas weren't good to her growing up, but she always felt something was missing. She had asked her mother once where her father was, and the reply she received still gave her chills when she thought of it.

"Your good for nothing, frakked up son of a bitch father is dead, Little Girl. And don't you forget it."

When the Adamas took her away from her mother, she was never happier. She got the instant family she had always wished for. Daniella doted on Kara because she was her only girl. In Lee, she had a constant playmate, companion and partner in crime. And in Zak, she had a little brother. Although, she wouldn't always see him that way. If I had only known then what I know now.

As for William, when he wasn't away on Colonial business, he did his best to fill the void in her little heart. He knew she missed her father dearly. And he was always there to wipe the tears from her eyes after a nightmare or to hold her when she was having a bad day.

Lee Adama felt like shit. Period. When it came to Kara Thrace, he just never seemed to get things quite right. For as long as he could remember, she had been his world. She was always there. When they were younger, she was there to get in trouble with. As they got older, she was there to share secrets with. And now, well now she was there to hold him when this frakked up existence became too much. He felt comfortable letting her see the vulnerable side of him. It was a side that neither his brother nor his parents had ever really seen. But Kara, well, she was different. Part of him had always felt that if his family were to catch a glimpse of that side of him, they would somehow think less of him. But with Kara he knew that wouldn't be the case. "It's okay to be frakked up Lee. It's okay to have flaws. That's what it is to be human. You're not perfect. Lords know I'm not perfect either. And I wouldn't have you any other way."

Deep down inside, he had always felt something other than friendship for her. Kara probably didn't realize it, but she owned part of his soul.

Even after her and Zak started dating, his feelings for her never wavered. It had surprised their mother that those two had gotten together instead of Kara and him. She had told him once.

"I'm not saying they're bad for each other Lee. I'm just saying that they aren't the kindred spirits that you two have always been. You two have always struck me as halves of the same soul."

"But he loves her Mom. I can't come between that."

"I understand Lee. But just remember this, fate has a funny way of bringing people back together when you least expect it."

His mother's words couldn't have been any truer. There was a time however, that he found himself questioning the validity of his mother's statements.

It began after Zak's death. Hell who was he kidding, it began long before that. The loss of his younger brother really hit him hard. So hard that he lashed out at his father and blamed him for Zak's death.

"He never wanted to be a pilot. He wasn't cut out for it but he had to try and live up to reputation of the great William Adama, didn't he? You're just as responsible for his death as the Viper that killed him. How does it feel to have that on your conscious?"

What was worse, even before Zak's death, he had lashed out at Kara more times than he cared to count. And yet she always forgave him.

He was angry that after his parent's divorce, that she took his father's side. Or that's what he thought. Looking back on it, he was grateful that Kara stuck by the Old Man. She was only doing what she thought was right. Looking after the man who had raised her as his own without question. Not that his mother didn't love Kara too. But William Adama had taken his divorce harder than anyone realized. Everyone except Kara Thrace. But he didn't realize that at the time.

))) Flashback: The Adama House, the night that Daniella and William broke the news to the kids (((

"How could you pick his side Kara? It's his fault they got divorced in the first frakking place. So he has no one to blame but himself."

"Lee it take two people to make a marriage work, or to make it break."

"How in the Gods names would you know? Your parents couldn't make theirs work either. Now could they?"

"You bastard." She stormed off. His statement hurt her more than he knew.

That was the first real fight they had ever had. Things had gotten so bad between them. His parents had divorced when they were barely 18. Kara moved out of the family house around the same time. It wasn't that she didn't love Daniella Adama. It was quite the contrary. She loved her too much to watch her cry all the time. She loved her too much to stick around as a reminder of William. She loved her far too much to put her through the pain of watching yet another one of her children follow in Bill's footsteps. So she decided to move into one of the dorms at the Academy. Helo needed a roommate anyway. Lee bit her head off for that one too.

))) Flashback: The Adama House, two months after the divorce (((

"So that's it? You're just gonna leave her by herself?"

"Lee the Colonial dorms are on the other side of Caprica City for fraks sake. You said it yourself, they're within walking distance of home."

"And that means what? You'll see her once in a blue moon?"

"Oh and you visit her all the damn time don't you Lee?"

"This isn't about me Kara."

"Shove it Lee. My mind's already made up and Karl is waiting downstairs."

"Ah that's right frak of the week is gonna be your new dorm buddy." He scoffed even though on the inside he was raging with jealousy. The year before he had asked her to come stay with him in his dorm at the Academy. She declined.

She closed her eyes to fight back tears. Lee knew all the right buttons to push to get Kara Thrace all riled up. "Can we not? All I wanna do is finish packing. I already spoke with Mom about this. She told me to follow my heart." She had called Daniella 'Mom' for as long as they could remember. It had always felt right to her. Even though calling William 'Dad' never seemed appropriate to her.

"Yeah and while you're doing that, my Mom is crying downstairs."

"Don't do that Lee." She told him in a deadly calm voice.

"Do what Kara?" He asked snidely.

"Act like she isn't my mother too." She answered as she grabbed her bags and headed for the door.

"Well she isn't Kara. Remember that."

Without turning around or skipping a beat, she replied, "One of these days Lee Adama, you'll hurt like you've hurt me." With that, Kara left.

Kara didn't speak to him for almost three years after that. She kept either Karl, Zak, or Dee glued to her side at all times. If they were in the same class she'd purposely sit up front knowing that he hated it. She pulled strings so that they were never in the sims at the same time. And when he transferred to her dorm building, she managed to talk Calie, Dee and Karl into getting an apartment with her.

That didn't last too long however. His Mom had told him that her and Zak had moved in together. He thought it was for comfort reasons alone. His mother shattered that belief however. She revealed that Zak and Kara were an item. And an apparently heavy item at that. His heart broke into a thousand little pieces when he saw Kara in Zak's arms across the quad, a ring shining bright on her left ring finger.

It was then that he took the posting to the Battlestar Atlantia. He had been offered a teaching position at the Academy, but that meant he would be in the same department as Kara. No he couldn't deal with that on a daily basis. So he accepted defeat and became deputy CAG on the Atlantia.

He didn't see her again until Zak's funeral two years later. By then he barely recognized her. He wasn't looking at his Kara anymore. She looked so different in fact, that the only reason he even knew it was her was that she was leaning on his father and had Helo's hand in a death grip. Her hair was cut short. She didn't wear those cute little hoops in her ears that he used to love so much. And there was this air of roughness about her.

))) Flashback: Zak's funeral, Caprica City Memorial Cemetery, Caprica City (((

She was hugging the last of the friends and family who came, thanking them for coming and for their support. He walked over to her with his head hung low. Helo hugged her and told her he'd be waiting back at her and Zak's apartment. Then his father hugged her and walked towards his mother.

It was then he caught her eye. She gave him a weak smile. Gods, he'd missed that smile. It was the mere thought of it that got him through most days. "Lee." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Her eyes were sunken in and she looked like she hadn't slept in days. "Kara." he replied as they embraced. He inhaled her scent. It had always been intoxicating.

"It's good to see you." She mumbled into his the jacket of his dress uniform.

"I'm sorry we had to see each other like this. I've really missed you Kara." Only Kara Thrace could bring tears to his eyes.

"I've missed you too Lee. You know you didn't have to stay away."

"Yes I did Kara. You know why."

Just then they were interrupted by Daniella, "Kara you coming?"

She turned to him, an innocent but hopeful look in her eyes. He hadn't seen that look on her since they were children. "Are you coming Lee?"

He shook his head. "Maybe later. I have some stuff to take care of."

He would later give the excuse that he had been recalled back to the Atlantia. A ship couldn't be without its CAG now could it?

So now here he was feeling like shit yet again. He somehow always managed to frak things up whenever Kara was concerned. Time after time, he'd said some of the most hurtful things that could ever be said to any human being. He was so frustrated he just didn't know what to do anymore. So he took his wounded pride and made a beeline for the door.

He rounded the corner. Relieved that he got away, he stopped paying attention to where he was going and ran right smack into Helo. Knowing that Karl caught a glimpse in his eyes, he did an about face.

"Oh no you don't," he said as he grabbed Lee's arm and spun him around. "What happened between you and her this time?"

"Who?" Lee attempted to feign innocence.

"Nice try Adama. The only time that you or Kara gets that look is when the other did or said something stupid. So spill. What happened this time? Did ya call out her name in your sleep again?" He asked jokingly.

Gods damn will he ever let that one go? One night after Lee had moved in with Karl, Callie, and Dee, he had woken up the whole house by calling out Kara's name in his sleep over and over. It was nearly five years ago and they still teased him for it. Behind Kara's back of course.

Lee simply hung his head in response. "I frakked up. I jumped to conclusions again."

Helo didn't look surprised. "What like when Kara was moving out of the house and into a dorm with me, and you accused her of sleeping with me? That kind of jumping to conclusions?"

"Are you ever gonna let that go?" He asked with a groan.

Karl shook his head. "Not likely Adama. You've know me for how long? And yet you still thought that Kara and I..."

"No I didn't. I was just angry and..."

"And jealous?"

Lee remained silent, with a stunned expression marring his features. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"What? Did you honestly think that none of us have seen it Lee? She's around and suddenly nothing else in the room exists but her. It was bad when we were kids but man it went to whole new heights of disgusting when we got older. She's the only girl that was ever capable of making you trip over your words. Lee, man, when are you gonna admit that you got it bad?"

"C'mon this is not a discussion that should be had in the hallway." He led Karl to his quarters. Lee sat on his desk and Karl flopped down on his couch.

"So are you gonna answer my last question?"

He let out a long sigh. "There's never been a right time for me and Kara. Something always got in the way."

"Only because you let it Lee. You're twenty-five years old, not twelve. When are you gonna quit making excuses? It's like the Old Man says 'there isn't much left, so if you find something or someone that makes you happy, then go for it.' So go for it Lee. We all know that Kara makes you happy."

"It's not that simple."

"Why?"

"It isn't."

"Not good enough. Gotta give me something better Apollo."

"Zak..."

Helo cut him off before he had a chance to go where he wanted to with that. "Zak, is gone Lee. I'm sorry to say it but he is. And you know just as well as I do that he would want Kara to be happy. And he would want the same for you. That's the way you're brother was. You know, he was always afraid that Kara was gonna up and leave him for you."

Lee's face furrowed in confusion. "Huh?"

"Yeah," Helo confirmed, shaking his head, "let's face it Lee. You and Kara had a different relationship than he and Kara did. You and her kept nothing from each other. Zak and her didn't have that. He felt that he would never really measure up to you in Kara's eyes. It was one of the main reasons they fought so much."

"They never fought." Lee replied defiantly.

"Oh yes they did. They went at it a lot. Not so much when they were out somewhere. Zak didn't want anyone seeing the cracks in their happy little facade. If it wasn't a fight over you, it was a fight over Kara's card games, Zak's infidelity or Kara's not wanting to give up flying."

"Infidelity? Zak?"

"A few times actually. Don't get me wrong. Kara and Zak had happy times. But it was always one extreme or another. When things were good they were amazing. And when things were bad they were absolutely horrible. Your brother was a good man. But even good men do stupid things. He boozed up way too much Lee. The only time you didn't see some form of alcohol in Zak's hand was when he was flying or in class. Other than that, he was never without his trusty alcohol. It became his crutch after your mother and the Old Man got divorced. There were times he wouldn't come home all night cause he was out drinking with his buddies. Kara would lock him out. We never understood why."

"Whenever her mother came home drunk, Kara would get a nice beating just for being there."

"Oh. That explains it. Anyway, so Kara would lock him out and he'd end up shacking up with some little Colonial probie. The first time he did it, he copped to it the next day. Kara didn't speak to him or anyone else for nearly a week. She even tried to get him to go to rehab a few times but he refused."

"Wow, I never..."

"That's cause they didn't want you to know Lee. Zak didn't because he knew he'd ultimately lose Kara to you. And Kara didn't because she wanted to show you that she could make it without you. Poor Zak got caught up in the middle. Whether she realized it or not, since things were bad between you two, she took the closest thing to you she could get: Zak. If those two had actually tied the knot, they would have been divorced with a few miserable kids caught in the midst. Don't you see Lee? She needs you and wants you just as bad as you need her. You have both been dancing around each other for so long that you don't even realize you do it anymore. If something isn't done soon, you're both gonna self destruct. You are two peas in a pod. Somewhere in the Lords' divine plan, they meant for you two to be together. She was brought into your life for a reason Lee."

"You talk like you've had experience."

Karl wore a sad smile on his face. "I do Lee. I've been there. I was too stupid to see it or to act on it and I lost her. Now she's married with twins on the way."

It dawned on him who Helo was speaking of. "Sharon?"

He nodded. "Take it from me Lee. If you don't do something soon. You might lose her for good. I'm sorry will only bandage wounds for so long." With that, he hopped off the desk and left Lee to his thoughts.

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