#13 - Change - Expanded

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Lee watched silently, a small smile on his face, as Kara nursed their daughter, marveling at how much different she was from the time they'd first met six years earlier.

She'd been Zack's girlfriend then, full of fun and fire, loving her relationship with him but not wanting to be tied down. Eventually she relented though and said yes, but there was no way their marriage was going to change her. She was flirty, fun and free-spirited, and she liked her life just the way it was. Happy though Zack had been, he'd confessed to Lee that he wasn't sure it would last. He wanted domesticity - home and children, with flying taking second place. Children had no place in Kara's world. She wouldn't even talk of it, let alone allow it to happen.

Then Lee had watched her change after Zack's death, pulling deeper into herself. The flirty, fun girl was still there in the persona of Starbuck, but Kara was a changed woman. One he didn't know well, but wished he did.

She would never let him in though, and eventually the two went their separate ways, even their fragile friendship unable to weather the storms the future brought.

When she'd turned to Anders and married him, Lee had mourned the loss of his friend and would-be lover. So many things had needed to be said and done to mend things, but then it was too late. She'd chosen a life with him, a life that included New Caprica and possibly children, but didn't include Galactica, flying or Lee. He'd thought there was no chance for them.

As he opened his eyes, woken as every morning by Kara's gentle murmurings as she fed their daughter, his heart swelled with love. Most days he thought it would burst it was so full.

The small pink mouth opened in a demanding cry and Kara stroked her nipple once ... twice, till white drops appeared. She cradled the tense, sleeper-clad body in one arm while she guided the small mouth to the source of it's comfort. Instantly the bundle relaxed and began to suckle, one small hand resting on the upper part of Kara's breast, kneading it like a contented kitten.

Lee hadn't figured out if Kara intentionally hummed along with the feedings but he was smart enough not to ask directly. He watched, eyes barely open so as not to disturb, the new morning routine as Kara smiled a smile of pure joy.

Change was good.

fin