WHTMT - chapter 17

ooooooooooooooo

The nurse pulled the curtain and ushered Lee out into the waiting area.

"She's definitely in rough shape, but I can't tell you bad it is till we've run some tests," she said.

"Can you figure it out without the doctor?" Lee asked.

Ishay gave him a look. "You'd be surprised how much nurses actually know. All we're missing is the 'Dr.' in front of our names."

"Sorry," Lee said contritely. "I'm just worried."

"I know. Her lungs definitely have fluid in them and I'd be willing to bet she's malnourished and anemic from the looks of her. We'll know more after I do some bloodwork."

"Is the baby okay?"

"Seems to be. I'll do a scan when she wakes up to make sure, but there's a good strong heartbeat and movement, which are both good signs. You wouldn't happen to know how far along it is would you?"

Lee shook his head.

"Looks like close to five months if I had to guess, but I'll know for sure after the blood test."

"Can you, I mean, are you able to ... do the delivery if we don't find the doc?" Lee asked carefully, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

Ishay smiled at him. "I was trained as a midwife as well as a nurse. I can handle it."

Lee sighed. "Good. Ill be back later on."

"The sedative I gave her should last about four more hours. I'm sure she'd like to see you then." Ishay, like everyone else who'd been on Galactica since Lee had come aboard had some inkling that there was more between them than they'd let on.

"Keep me informed if anything happens between now and then."

"I will Commander."

"Thank you."

Lee walked out of Lifestation and turned to head to his office - his old office. His father had reinstated him as CAG after the destruction of the Pegasus. He'd suggested that perhaps he replace Helo as XO, being the more seasoned officer, but Lee had declined, preferring to return to his first love, flying. He'd commanded the Pegasus for a year, giving it his best, but his heart had never really been in it. He did like working with people, which was paramount in a command officer, but he preferred to do some of the hands-on stuff as well, especially when it was in a viper. He'd missed flying terribly in the year he'd been away from it, and was even ecstatic to be flying CAP again, something he'd found immensely dull before. Unless it was with Kara - she always had a way of making it fun.

He rounded a corner and nearly collided with his father, obviously headed to Lifestation.

"How is she son?" Adama asked, as they stopped briefly to talk.

"She's ... not doing so well." His voice broke on the last word and he strove to keep his tears in check.

"Do you think she'll pull through?" Concern was evident on the elder Adama's face. Lee knew he loved Kara dearly as well.

Lee managed a lopsided smile. "She's Starbuck, isn't she?"

He nodded. "That she is. And Starbuck never gives up. We should both know that by now."

"Dad, there's something you should know before you go see her."

"She's pregnant," Lee blurted out, not knowing quite how to put it more delicately. "And Sam is dead. Has been since near the beginning of the attacks apparently."

Adama's shoulders slumped. "Poor Kara. Not this again," he said quietly.

"I just thought you should know before you see her. She's asleep now though, and will be for a while yet."

"I'll make it a quick visit then."

Lee nodded. "I'll be in my office but I'm coming back later."

"I know," Adama said, giving his son a quick pat on the shoulder as he resumed walking.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Adama stood beside Kara, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. It sounded wet and rattly, and though he was no doctor, he knew it wasn't good news. She was very pale - much more than usual - but the nurse had said her vitals were stable.

He sat down by her bedside and took her hand, squeezing it lovingly.

"Kara, you poor thing. Why does it always happen to you? You have such a tortured soul and deserve to find happiness, yet every time you do, it all goes wrong." He sighed. "If I had one wish, just one, I'd wish for you to find happiness that would last. I know that's selfish since I should wish for humanity to finally prevail over the cylons, but there comes a time when you just have to put the people you love ahead of the greater good. And I love you Kara, like the daughter I never had - almost had though. Even though you and Zack never actually married, I've always felt you were a part of this family.

I know you and Lee aren't on the best of terms now - haven't been since you left, but you need someone to take care of you and help you through this. Let him be the one. He loves you, always has. I know he'll take good care of you." He laid a gentle hand on her stomach. "Both of you. Now you get better, you hear me? That's an order Starbuck, and one I expect you to follow for a change. We've lost enough people we care about. We can't stand to lose you too." He leaned over and pressed his lips against her forehead before pulling back and giving her a small, sad smile.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Unfortunately just bringing Kara to Galactica wasn't enough to make her well. Her condition worsened over the next couple of days. The fluid in her lungs seemed to thicken, making her breathing much more laboured, she'd become feverish, and had begun slipping in and out of consciousness.

Both Adamas spent as much time with her as possible, Lee giving up all of his free time to be at her bedside. Much of the time she was unconscious, but even when she was awake, she seldom spoke, and they just remained in a semi-comfortable silence. Lee had many things he wanted to tell her, ask her, talk to her about, but he forced himself to be patient. There would be time for that yet, he assured himself, for he refused to believe she wouldn't get well again.

No sign of Doc Cottle had been found, despite an exhaustive search. Nurse Ishay was the next most senior medical officer, and so she became the one they looked to for answers. She'd done thorough scans of the baby to find it was healthy and growing as it should be, but Kara's health was seriously worrying her.

On the third day after their return, Lee strode into Lifestation before seven am, planning on spending a little time with Kara before his duty shift started.

"How is she doing?" he asked Ishay, as he pulled the chair up close beside her bed. He looked at her flushed, drawn face and figured he already knew the answer before she even spoke.

"To be honest Commander, I'm quite worried. She's definitely getting worse, not better and I'm afraid if we don't do something she might not make it."

Lee's stomach lurched at the possibility. He couldn't lose her - he just couldn't. He rubbed a weary hand across his unshaven face.

"How's the baby?"

"Seems to be just fine," she said, but there was a catch in her voice that Lee didn't fail to notice.

He fixed her with a direct stare. "What are you not telling me?"

She sighed. "There's only one medication we have that could help her - we're not exactly an urgent care centre at a local hospital here, we're a warship so we're stocked more for battle injuries than bacterial infections."

Lee nodded impatiently.

"The problem is, it's a very high-potency drug, one we only use in emergency situations," he voice dropped low, "and it's been proven to harm unborn babies."

Lee felt the world swim for a moment as the information hit him like a ton of bricks. The only way to make sure Kara got well again was to hurt, perhaps kill her baby.

He took a deep breath and forced his voice to remain calm. "What would the extent of the damage be?"

"Brain deformities and eventual death."

The words hung heavy between them as Lee didn't know how to respond. He looked over at Kara and her eyes were open. Obviously at some point during the conversation she'd regained consciousness. There was a look of desperation and fear in them, and she shook her head, an almost imperceptible motion but Lee caught it.

He laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. I'm just going to go talk to the nurse for a minute. I'll be right back."

She shook her head, stronger this time.

"i promise nothing's going to happen to you - either of you. I won't let anyone hurt you again," he added fiercely. He took Ishay's arm and led her to the waiting area.

"What happens if we don't do anything?" He asked. "Will she get better on her own?"

"Perhaps," Ishay answered. "But her fever is climbing and soon it will be dangerously high for both of them."

"Don't you have anything to bring the fever down?"

"Of course I do," she snapped, beginning to get frustrated with him, "but it will only help curb the symptoms, not fix the underlying problem. And there's only so long she can be on those meds before permanent damage to the baby occurs anyway."

"Frakking hell!" Lee swore angrily, then remembered he wasn't alone. "Sorry. Pardon my language."

"It's alright sir. I understand," she said, sympathy darkening her already brown eyes. It was obvious how much Lee cared for her.

Lee sighed heavily. "I'm going to go sit with her for a while now, then I'll have a talk with the Admiral about it. Until then, don't do anything other than what you've already been doing."

"Yes sir."

Lee headed back to Kara's bedside, only to discover she'd either fallen asleep or back into unconsciousness in the few minutes he'd been gone. He sat down and sighed again. How could they possibly make the decision to kill Kara's baby in order to let her live? For the look he'd seen in her eyes had pleaded with him to save the baby at all costs. How could he possibly allow the baby to die when Kara so obviously wanted it?

He buried his face in his hands and let the tears fall. There would be time for rational thought later.

TBC