WHTMT - chapter 5

oooooooooooooooooo

Kara stood at the Admiral's door, stomach doing wild gymnastics within her. This was easily as bad as the time she'd stood before him and confessed to being responsible for Zack's death. Then, as now, she'd been giving him news he didn't want to hear, and she was terrified he'd turn his back on her. He very nearly had then, and it had been almost as painful as Zack's death itself. He'd become like a father to her in her time on Galactica - the kind of father she'd never had - and really, he'd been all she had. In some ways, he still was, though Lee had become immensely important to her in the time since the attack. Now I have Sam as well, she thought, but still she feared the Admiral's disapproval more than anything - even death itself.

She knocked and her heart began an even more rousing samba in her chest.

"Come in," he called.

Kara walked in, arms behind her back, and stood in a respectful pose in front of his desk.

"Kara, it's good to see you," he said warmly, a small smile lighting his face.

"Hello sir," she said tightly.

"Would you like a drink?" he offered, taking off his glasses and rising from behind his desk.

"No, thank you sir," she answered.

"Come, sit," he said, waving his arm towards the couch.

"No, thank you sir," she repeated. "I ... uh ... I ... uh ..." She stopped.

"It's usually best just to come right out and say it," he said gently, very aware that whatever she was here for, it was something he was not going to like. She was never this stiff and formal.

She gulped and pulled the sheet of paper from behind her back and handed it to him. "I'm tendering my resignation sir."

Adama's eyes widened and he took a deep breath. He reached for it, took it, and read it, all without speaking.

"Sir," she began, the words tumbling out furiously, "It's not because of you or anything here, it's just that ..."

Adama held up a hand. "I understand." He motioned towards the couch again. "Please, come and sit."

She complied. Adama turned towards her and searched her face. "Are you sure this is what you want to do Kara? Absolutely sure?"

She nodded.

"Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?"

She shook her head.

Adama sighed. If that's how you feel ..."

Tears came into her eyes at the look of sadness on his face. "I don't want to leave you, or Lee ... or Galactica - this is my home."

"But your husband wants to go to the planet, and you want to be with him."

She nodded sadly. "He can't stay here. There's just nothing for him to do - it's killing him to just sit around."

"We could find something for him to do - with all the other people leaving, there are many jobs left open," Adama offered.

"Sam can't stay here. He's not meant for life on a spaceship."

He took her hand. "I don't want to lose you Kara. You and Lee - you're the two people I trust the most. The people I want with me when times get tough."

"I know sir, and I don't want to leave you undefended, but the cylons said they were leaving us alone now ... that's what you told us ... so you don't really need me." She tried to make her voice strong, to convince herself as much as him.

"Don't you dare convince yourself of that." He pulled her into a hug. "I always need you, but Samuel needs you more, and it's time I let you go." He pulled back and looked her in the eye. "You'll always be a part of our family - of my family. Remember that. If ever you need anything ..."

Kara nodded, tears in her eyes. She willed them to disappear - for some reason she felt uncomfortable crying in front of him. Not that she was ever comfortable crying in front of anyone, but Sam was different.

He patted her on the arm affectionately and stood up. "How soon are you going to be leaving us?"

"As soon as possible?" she said softly, phrasing it like a question.

"Well, we're not in dire circumstances, and I think Kat can take over as CAG until we finish shuffling crew members and decide who's going to stay where permanently, so feel free to head out whenever you're ready."

"Thank you sir," she whispered, beginning to choke up again.

"Good luck Kara. Be happy, be healthy and come and visit once in a while, okay?"

"I will." She smiled. "I'm going to go ... pack and get ready ..."

"Go. You've got lots to do. I'll take care of the rest."

"Thank you sir. Thank you for everything."

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"So, how'd he take it?" Sam asked, as she rejoined him in their bunkroom.

She burst into tears and walked straight into his arms.

"That good huh?"

"No," she sobbed. "It was fine."

Sam smiled as it dawned on him. He'd witnessed the look on the Admiral's face when they'd returned from Caprica, and the way he'd gently touched her face. He loved her. She was like a daughter to him. And he'd seen the respect and admiration Kara had for him in the relatively short time he'd been on Galactica as well. She loved him like a father. And now they were each having to let go of one another - something that was always hard, but particularly so since the cylon attack when people's bonds to one another became even stronger than they'd been previous to that.

"It's okay. I'm sure you'll come up to visit occasionally." He stroked her hair, pulling out her ponytail and running his fingers through it. "I can't imagine you not being in the cockpit somehow."

"It would be like you not playing pyramid," she said, smiling through her tears.

"Exactly."

Kara sniffed and dried her eyes. "Let's get moving and do this before I change my mind."

"Yes sir," Sam saluted mockingly. She slapped him, then chuckled.

"What? You outrank me don't you?"

"Not anymore. The resignation was effective immediately."

"Well, in that case, I'll have to take advantage of my new rise in status."

"Shut up."

"No."

"Tell me again why I married you?" she teased.

"Because I'm too cute to resist."

Kara broke out in laughter. "That you are mister," and she smacked him playfully on the buttocks as she walked past. "Let's get packing."

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Kara stood, bags in hand, watching the raptor take off, and wholeheartedly wishing she was back on it. This was definitely going to be an adventure. An adventure in cold, damp and mucky.

"So, where do we go to find ourselves a tent?"

Kara turned slowly to see Sam's beaming face looking around happily.

"You're asking me?" she said slowly, voice dripping with sarcasm.

He put an arm around her shoulders and led her towards the 'town'. "Come on, let's see if we can get ourselves a home. If we're lucky, maybe we'll even have a blanket to snuggle under by bedtime."

She threw him a dirty look. "Oh goody. I'm so looking forward to that."

"Come on, give it a chance. It's an adventure, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. Keep reminding me though - I may forget and think it's something else."

"You're incorrigible, you know that?"

"You're not the first person to tell me that."

"It's one of the reasons I love you though. Can anyone else say the same?" He kissed her forehead.

Kara didn't say anything, but inside she knew the answer - Lee and his father could.

"I hope you were a boy scout when you were younger," she teased. "Because I'm hopeless at starting fires."

"Just watch me."

TBC