WHTMT - chapter 19

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The next few days were critical for Kara and Lee stayed by her side constantly. He'd recruited one of his pilots to bring him whatever paperwork was required, and he'd changed the flight schedules so he wasn't flying. Fortunately they were back at routine status so the only things on the roster were CAP and training runs for the new recruits. He knew he should be overseeing things personally but he just couldn't bring himself to leave her. Sometimes his father came and sat with them for a short while but he never said anything about Lee shirking his duties so Lee took it as tacit acceptance that what he was doing was okay.

On the fourth day, her health took a drastic turn for the worse. Lee dropped all pretense of working and just sat on the edge of her bed, holding her hand as though he'd never let go. Ishay almost had to physically extricate him in order to check on her.

Around the time everyone was thinking about heading to their racks, Adama showed up, a worried look on his face. Ishay met him at Kara's cubicle.

"You said it was urgent," he began, implying there was much she needed to tell him.

"I won't mince words Admiral. She's dying. She slipped into unconsciousness a little while ago and I don't expect her to wake. Her lungs have gone into respiratory distress and she's barely holding on. It's crunch time gentlemen. Do we follow her wishes or are you willing to give me the authority to override and give her the medication?"

Adama and Lee looked at each other. Lee shook his head. "I can't," he said, eyes filling with tears. "I can't do this."

Adama put a hand on his son's shoulder. "We have to save her."

Lee's chin quivered. "I can't lose her, but if we do this, we will anyway," he said softly.

"Well, there's no guarantee it will work," Ishay said, misunderstanding him. "But it's a very powerful drug and I'd be awfully surprised if it didn't kill the infection."

"That's not what I meant. Her body may survive but she won't. She won't be the same person we knew."

"That's a chance we have to take," Adama said gently.

Lee turned agonized eyes back to Ishay. "Do we have any time left at all?" he choked out, squeezing Kara's hand lovingly.

Ishay took a deep breath before answering. "It's not absolutely critical that she take it now, but within a few hours for sure."

"Can we have that time then?" Lee asked, jumping at this chance.

"Keep your eye on that monitor." She gestured towards the machine that was monitoring Kara's breathing. "If it goes below that red line, call me IMMEDIATELY."

"I understand," Lee whispered, one lone tear making it's way out of his eye and wetting a trail down his cheek.

Adama put an arm around Ishay and turned her towards the exit, giving Lee and Kara privacy.

"Inform me the moment anything happens. Anything at all," he said quietly.

"Understood Admiral," she replied in just as low a tone.

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Lee's tears, now free of any emotional reason not to fall, fell like a waterfall. He kept one eye on the monitor behind her shoulder and one eye on her pale face, the few freckles and moles she had standing out harshly against her white skin.

"Kara," he said brokenly, "oh Kara, please don't leave me. You can't go now, you have to hold on, for your baby's sake, even if not for mine.

Where's that Starbuck 'never quit' spirit? Come on Starbuck, you can pull this off, it's no more difficult than facing eight raiders all on your own, and you've done that and lived to tell the tale. Though you frakking well scared the shit out of me when you disappeared and we couldn't find you." He gave a half chuckle at the memory. "Did you know I was already in love with you back then?" he sighed. "I was. I didn't want to admit it though, which is why I blew up at your over the Colonial Day fiasco. Gods, I was so jealous you were with someone else, I felt like killing someone. Anyone. I'm so sorry I attacked you the way I did - both verbally and physically. I had no right to."

He let go of her hand and let his fingers drift upwards and push back some strands of hair that were partially covering her cheek. It was cold, very cold. "I'm so sorry. I never apologized for my actions, and maybe that's why you took off and ended up in Anders' bed. Then again, maybe I'm reading more into this than there ever was. Maybe you've just always thought I was an arrogant asshole and your reasons for falling in love with him had nothing to do with me.

Either way, it's all done now and I just want you to know I love you. Always have and always will. I did mean it that day you came back from Caprica - I was just too scared to admit it. I know you loved Sam and always will, just like you still love Zack, but you need to know I'm here for you and whatever else happens or doesn't happen between us, I'm your friend and I'll help you with your baby however I can. If you'll let me that is."

His feelings overwhelmed him all of a sudden and he couldn't continue. He had so much more he wanted to say, but instead he took her hand in between his own and held it to his mouth as the tears fell.

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"Admiral Adama, report to Lifestation. Pass the word to the Admiral. Admiral Adama report to Lifestation."

The words woke him immediately. He hadn't been sleeping well lately, scratch that, for the last year or more, since the first attack, and he woke at every sound, his heart pounding in anticipation of combat.

He dressed hurriedly, a sinking feeling beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. He tried to be positive - he had asked her to let him know of any change, so perhaps this was good news not bad - but he couldn't help the feeling of melancholy that swept over him at the thought of losing someone so near and dear.

"Admiral, you were called to Lifestation ..." a passing marine tried to pass on the message.

"I know," he interrupted. "On my way there now. Thank you." The marine nodded and they both kept on walking.

He rounded the corner to Kara's cubicle and prepared himself for the worst. The sight that met his eyes was not one he'd prepared himself to see however.

Lee was lying in Kara's bed, eyes shut, and she was snuggled up against him, a little bit of colour in her face for the first time in days.

"Is ... is she ..." he began, somewhat at a loss for words.

Ishay smiled. "Yes. It seemed she's going to make it. Things are still critical but she's improved greatly in the last hour. The Commander called me in here when things began to fluctuate - to be honest, I thought I was going to have to get him a bed as well, he was so pale - but there's been definite improvement. It's a miracle."

Adama allowed himself a small smile and a sigh of relief. "We could certainly do with a few more of those these days."

She shrugged. "Maybe we'll get lucky. I'll keep an eye on things and let you know how it goes, but at the moment the prognosis is certainly looking better. We may not have to use the drug after all."

"You've no idea how glad I am to hear that."

"I've some idea," she said, smiling as she nodded lightly at Lee.

"I'll be back in the morning. Don't hesitate to call ..."

"I won't," she assured him, already knowing what he was going to say.

"Thank you," Adama said softly before turning to head back to his quarters. Maybe that quick prayer he'd dashed off before bed before remembering he didn't believe in that hooey actually did help.

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Kara thrashed around on the bed, grinning faces staring down at her. Well, only one really, since it was four copies of the same cylon model, one at each limb.

"You thought you were strong."

"You thought you were tough."

"You thought you could beat us."

"You thought you were invincible."

They all took turns speaking but leaving no pauses between each sentence, almost as if they were one brain.

"You were wrong," they chorused.

Kara struggled vainly as Doral laughed, the sound seeming to go on forever as each one picked it up in turn.

"Don't kill my baby!" she begged, sure she knew what was coming. "Please, don't kill my baby. I'll do whatever you want if you let my baby live."

"What do you think we want from you?" one of them asked softly.

"Do you think we want you for one of the farms?" another one put in.

"What exactly is it you think your destiny is Kara?"

"You want me to have one of your human/cylon hybrid babies," she said tearfully.

"You think we're going to take our your baby and replace it with one of our own? A hybrid?"

She nodded.

One of the Doral's leaned down close to her ear and whispered, "we don't have to."

"No, please don't kill my baby," she said, tears rolling down her cheeks through her closed eyelids.

Lee woke to the feel of her thrashing around in his arms. "It's alright Kara, we aren't going to hurt the baby." He stroked her damp hair softly and brushed it off her forehead. She continued to fight him though.

"Don't take my baby - I'll do anything!"

"Kara!" Lee said firmly. "We're not going to hurt you or the baby. You're getting better - we don't have to give you the medicine."

Her eyes popped open suddenly, wide and full of fear.

"You were dreaming," he said softly. "It's okay, you're going to be alright. I'll take care of you." He leaned forwards and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She went limp in his arms and snuggled up closer. Lee's heart swelled with love. He'd always loved her as Starbuck - the strong, intimidating, take-no-shit-from-no-one woman, but this woman, the fragile, breakable woman who was turning to him for help was melting his heart from the inside out. Secretly he'd always wished she would break down and come to him - want him to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay, but he never thought it would happen. She was tough, she was strong, she didn't need anyone. Then there was Samuel. She'd briefly turned to Lee but it was for physical comfort only. She'd found someone else to take care of her emotional needs, and Lee had been devastated that it hadn't been him she'd chosen.

Now the tables had turned though. She didn't have Sam anymore, and she needed someone - more than she'd ever needed anyone. And Lee was going to be the one who was there for her, no matter what.

TBC

A/N: I know nothing of medicine and have never watched medical dramas, so if the situation here is a little out of character, please suspend your disbelief and try to enjoy anyway. I avoided any details because I knew I'd screw them up. Thanks for your patience!

And thanks for all the kind reviews. It's nice to know so many people are enjoying this story. It's turned out much different than I had originally intended, but I'm enjoying watching it play itself out as much as you are. Thank you:)