Alarms. Sirens. Clanging whistles and bells blaring loudly in his ears. Normally, Lee's kneejerk reaction would be to run to where the fray was. But as he awoke, he realized the only battle heralded by this noise was the one he would have within himself.
Namely, deciding whether to go out into the cold and do his job or stay here in his bed with his fiery wife curled up next to him, keeping his warm.
"Tr'noff." Kara mumbled as she turned her face away from his chest and plopped her pillow over her head.
Lee reached over and turned off the alarm. "It's off." He told her as he pushed aside the strap of her tank and leaned in to kiss her exposed shoulder.
"You're a total freak." He heard her muffled voice respond.
"If you want to take advantage of me in our bed at night, you've got to deal with me getting out of it in the morning." He teased.
She finally poked her head out from under the pillow and looked at the clock. "03:45." She chuckled as she laid her head back down on top of the pillow and began tracing patterns on his bare chest with her fingers. "Not too many people would consider that morning."
Lee looked up at the ceiling, his eyes growing heavy again at the soothing nature of her touch. But then her hand stilled on his chest and he knew that she had gone back to sleep. He heard their bedroom door creak open, and without opening his eyes, he sensed the tiny ray of light from the desk lamp in the living room subtly illuminate the darkness.
He let his hand drop to the side of the bed and crooked his finger in a 'come here' gesture. He then heard the door open all the way and the sound of tiny feet plodding to stand beside the bed.
He finally turned to look at her. She was in her pajamas, holding her Aerilon Chiefs bear as she yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I heard a noise." She whispered.
"That was my alarm." He told her as he reached up to ruffle her hair.
"Is it time to get up?" She yawned.
He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes as well. "Just for me." He then turned to place his feet on the floor and lifted her onto the bed next to him. "But you and Mama can sleep for a few more hours." He got out of bed. "Why don't you stay here so that Mama doesn't get cold?"
"Okay." Laura said sleepily as she got under the covers that he held back for her and settled into the warm spot that he had just vacated.
Kara felt the little girl cuddle in next to her and wrapped her arms around her, kissing her hair.
"Have a good day, Daddy." Laura mumbled with her eyes closed.
Lee leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you at lunch."
He then quietly got his clothes from the dresser and went to the bathroom to shower and get dressed. When he came back into the room fifteen minutes later, both women were sound asleep.
A few hours later, the man who had taken Laura's picture at her confirmation stood in a cabin on Cloud Nine. "It's not exactly happening like you thought it would, is it, Tom?"
Zarek looked into a mirror and rubbed his temples to alleviate the pounding in his head. "The fleet will come to see—."
"The fleet doesn't care." The other man huffed. "Surely you can see that by now. You've called in every favor you had, and you still couldn't get anyone to take care of the child."
Zarek poured himself a glass of water and then turned around to glare coldly at his companion. "This was never about the child. This was about leading the people away from their oppression and toward freedom."
The other man snorted. "The people seem to like their oppression."
"Everything I do is for the greater good—soon they will come to see that." Zarek winced as he sat down at the table. He reached for a nearby bottle of pills and took a couple out.
The man narrowed his eyes in inquisition. "You still having your headaches?"
Zarek nodded in affirmation but otherwise ignored the question as he swallowed the pills. "In the beginning, the mistake was mine. I underestimated the power of myth, superstition, prophecy. It was stupid of me to think that they would rise up while Roslin was still alive. The people were willing to blindly follow Roslin because they believed in her; believed that she was a prophet."
"They still do."
"But she's not here to lead them anymore." Zarek pointed out. "And William Keikeya is no prophet. Neither is Adama or his son." He closed his eyes as he breathed deep and tried to focus. "Yet they still ask the people to blindly follow."
"And the people are doing just that."
"Because they've been brainwashed by half-truths and obfuscation." Zarek shot back. "At first, I thought a mere push toward the truth would be enough to open the fleet's eyes: A picture, a story to tell over the wireless. But obviously, the fleet needs a stronger wake up call."
"So you've used up all your manipulation and public savvy and now you're resorting to murder." The man shook his head as he harshly tapped his finger on the table. "I helped you before; going to the Galactica to try and get that picture of the kid…………..but I'm done now."
"It's not murder." Zarek corrected. "And she's not a kid."
"Semantics." The man replied icily. "Either way, you're going too far."
Zarek started to plead. "The fleet—."
"Doesn't CARE." The other man hissed, cutting him off. "You thought the fleet would rise up when they learned the truth, they didn't. You thought if you called enough of your loyal friends to kill Adama's granddaughter, somebody would. And then Adama and the President would abuse their power to mercilessly exact vengeance upon whoever did it……………and the fleet wouldn't stand for it's own people being assaulted like that simply because of a dead Cylon, so they would rise up and overthrow them." The man's anger changed to mocking amusement. "But even your fellow freedom fighters have been hanging up on you."
"Galactica's integrity has been weakened by the luster of the Cylon wonderchild. They'll guard it with every resource they have." Zarek nodded to himself as he looked down at the table. "And the fleet is reluctant to lash out against the military that protects them. They are unwilling to compromise their security by alienating the ship with the guns."
The man reluctantly agreed. "Exactly, it would be suicide to start a civil war against Galactica."
Zarek smiled forebodingly. "Well, my friend, you forget that Galactica is not the only ship in the fleet with guns anymore."
"You can't be thinking—."
This time, it was Zarek's turn to do the cutting off. "It would be much easier for the people of the fleet to make the jump into revolution if the bigger and badder of the two Battlestars was on their side." Zarek looked up at his companion with a fanatical gleam in his eye. "It's time for me to commune with the Beast."
"And there wasn't any doubt as to what he was asking?"
"No, Admiral." Commander Fisk replied. "He must be getting desperate, because he just came right out and said it."
"Just to be clear, so that there can be no defense later—." Billy interrupted as he spoke into the speakerphone. "He was asking you to commit murder and mutiny?"
"Zarek was very clear, Mr. President." Fisk replied. "He said that once my men killed the hybrid, Galactica would turn on Pegasus and then he and I would work together to take down both Adama's command and the government that had allowed the child to exist in the first place. He said that it would be easy for a Pegasus crew member to gain access to Galactica— and to the child."
Billy shook his head in disgust from where he sat behind his desk on Colonial One. Adama sat in the chair in front of it, rubbing his eyes in fret. "We appreciate you reporting this to us so quickly, Jack." Adama said.
Billy spoke quietly to the Admiral. "Son of a bitch is supposed to be here in half an hour for a strategy meeting with the two of us………………..and just an hour ago, he was ordering the assassination of your granddaughter."
"Actually, Mr. President……….." Fisk interjected reluctantly. "He called me first thing this morning. Around 07:30."
Adama's eyes shot up to stare directly at Billy, whose mouth hung open slightly in disbelief. Billy then looked at the clock. "So why did you wait………nine hours to report this to us?"
They both heard Fisk let out a huge breath from over the phone line. "I had to mull it over."
Adama stiffened in his chair. "Exactly what did you need to mull over, Commander Fisk?" He rasped harshly.
"Admiral, it was a legitimate member of the government asking a legitimate member of the military to execute an enemy agent." Fisk paused. "Now I know that there is a context for everything, and I knew—even at the time that Zarek was asking me to do it—that I couldn't do it. But the way Zarek put it; it didn't seem like murder and mutiny."
"Jack," Adama said softly. "If you're having second thoughts—."
"Admiral, I've been having second thoughts about this since the day I found out about it." Fisk answered, his voice rising. "Admiral Cain was killed by a Cylon, and 700 Pegasus crew members were killed by Cylons in the initial attack. Not to mention the countless family and friends that we all lost. The Cylons are the enemy. And it's our job to kill the enemy."
"Then why did you tell us at all?" Billy asked softly. "Why didn't you just do what Zarek asked?"
Fisk stayed silent for a few moments. "We went to extremes to survive. Some of the things we did—they were not good things. And I feel like we gave up part of what made us human just so we could stay alive." He answered firmly. "But I also feel like, slowly but surely, we're now starting to get that part back." Fisk paused and took a deep breath. "Maybe I'm not willing to go to those extremes anymore. Maybe I'm not willing to do that to something that hasn't done anything to deserve it."
"Someone, Jack." Adama replied sincerely. "Laura's not a thing, she's a person."
"I'm sorry, sir." Fisk said apologetically, but resolutely. "I realize that you feel that way about her, but I'm... just not there yet."
"Commander Fisk—." Billy began.
Fisk cut him off. "If we want to stay alive, keep humanity alive—we have to do it together. I recognize that." His voice became determined. "Nobody from the Pegasus is going to hurt her."
Adama nodded. "We appreciate that, Jack."
"Zarek's willing to tear us apart. Cause a civil war." Fisk added. "He's willing to do something that would not only cause the death of the Admiral's granddaughter, but countless members of the fleet as well. He's dangerous."
Billy exhaled in frustration. "We know."
"What's your plan for him?" Fisk asked simply.
Adama and Billy locked gazes. "Maybe it's best that you not get involved in this, Jack."
Fisk chuckled softly. "Too late, Admiral; already neck deep in it." He was silent for a moment. "Zarek asked for an assassination. Well………….I'd be willing to give him one."
Billy leaned forward in his chair and Adama took off his glasses, placing them in front of him on the desk. "How can you help us, Commander?" Billy asked hesitantly.
"I have a way." Fisk answered.
Three days later, Kara stood in front of a door and raised her hand. She almost knocked on it; but at the last second, pulled her hand away for the third time. She then heard Laura groan from beside her.
"Ahhh, Mama, come onnn."
Corporal Townsend chuckled from where he stood beside them. "If you don't do it soon, you'll be late for your shift."
Kara looked at both of them and took a deep, fortifying breath before finally knocking on the door.
It opened a few seconds later. "Captain Thrace?" Colonel Tigh greeted in irritation.
Kara moved inside without invitation, gently pulling Laura in with her. She looked around the room nervously. "Is your wife here?"
"No." Tigh replied hesitantly.
"Will she be coming back anytime soon?"
"No." He replied again. "She'll be on the Rising Star until this evening."
"Good." Kara said with relief.
"Why is that good?"
"Because even in desperation, there are just some lines I won't cross." She told him. She then held Laura's hand a little tighter. "I need you to watch Laura this morning."
Tigh's eyes got very wide. "I don't really think that's a good idea."
Kara chuckled deprecatingly. "I whole-heartedly agree. But it's not up to me." She let Laura's bag drop from her shoulder and put it on the floor. "I'm on CAP, Lee got an emergency call to Colonial One, and everybody else in on shift."
"Surely there must be someone else." Tigh said, looking down at Laura who just stood there looking around the room uncertainly. "Someone else who—?"
"The Admiral suggested you." Kara interrupted.
"I'm sorry?" Tigh croaked out in disbelief. "He suggested me?"
Kara nodded. "Actually he didn't really make it seem like much of a suggestion. He said something about how it would 'Do Saul some good'" She crinkled her nose mockingly. "I personally don't think it will do anything but traumatize my child for the rest of her life…………..but the Old Man seemed insistent."
Tigh looked in horror to the child. "I wouldn't know how. I have no idea what to do with a child."
"She's really well-behaved." Kara said as she sat Laura down at the Colonel's desk and pulled out Laura's paper and crayons so that she could draw. "Just sit here and watch her………….. and make sure that nothing gets set on fire."
Tigh's eyes got as wide as saucers. "Does she do that?" He asked in fear. "Does she set things on fire?"
Kara looked up at him in annoyance. "I was talking about you!"
"When will you be back, Mama?" Laura asked as she started to draw.
"I won't. Daddy's gonna pick you up." Kara replied as she pulled out some books and a small plastic bottle of liquid. "He said he should be back by 11:15. How long is that?"
Laura looked at the clock on the wall. "Three and a half hours."
"Good." Kara said as she kissed her head. "I gotta go now. Be good for Colonel Tigh."
"I will." Laura answered without looking up.
Kara walked over to stand in front of Tigh. "There's a guard outside. Call CIC and have Dee contact me if anything happens." She exhaled and screwed her eyes shut. "This is my child, please don't frak up."
She then walked to the door and left the room.
Tigh hesitantly walked over and sat down at the chair on the other side of his desk. He then pulled out a small metal flask from his pocket, unscrewed the top and put it to his lips.
Laura looked at him and muttered. "Mm-hmm." She then wrote something on the top of her paper. "07:47"
Tigh eyed her cautiously. "What? What did you just write down?"
"Mama told me to write down whenever you took a drink from a shiny bottle."
Tigh's eyes narrowed, but a reluctant, begrudging grin formed on his face. He screwed the top back on. "But I didn't drink from it yet." He put the flask down on the desk. "And I promise I won't drink anything if you promise not to squeal on me." He put out his hand. "Deal?"
"Deal." She said as she shook it. She then colored over the numbers that she had written on the paper.
"What are you drawing?"
"A picture." Laura answered as she drew squiggly lines on a paper.
Tigh peeked over to look at her drawing, laughing slightly. "What are those, snakes?"
"Uh-huh."
"There are a lot of them."
"Twelve." Laura said simply as she drew a stick figure that stood on top of the snakes.
Tigh saw her draw the figure. "Who's the person standing on top of them?"
"The President."
"Roslin?" Tigh asked in shock.
"Uh-huh." Laura said as she drew long hair on the figure. "She used to see snakes."
"President Roslin died when you were just a baby." Tigh inquired nervously. "Did someone tell you that she saw snakes?"
"Nope."
"Then how do you know that?" He whispered breathlessly.
Laura shrugged as she continued to draw. "I just do."
Tigh examined her thoroughly for close to a minute. "Do you see things, Laura?"
Laura looked up at him and giggled. "I don't see snakes or anything like that. I don't see things that aren't there."
"Okay." Tigh said in relief.
"But I see things that are there; things that people try to keep hidden." She added matter-of-factly.
Tigh gulped. "Like what?"
Laura stopped coloring. "One day, I kept trying to drink Mama's coffee. And she kept telling me to stop, because it was hot and it would burn me." She said softly.
"Laura, what does that have to do—?"
"But I kept trying and I finally took a sip when she turned away. And she was right—it did burn me." Laura reached up and touched her lip. "When I cried, she knew that I had tried some, even though she'd told me not to. She yelled at me………….. and then she hit me."
Tigh sat back in his chair. "Did she hurt you?"
Laura shook her head. "She just hit my hand, it didn't even hurt." Laura then looked at her hand thoughtfully. "But Mama got this sad look on her face, and she went over to the couch and sat down. She hugged her knees and started to cry."
Tigh lowered his head. "She was sorry that she had done it."
"I know." Laura shrugged. "I went over and hugged her and told her that it didn't hurt. She told me she was sorry and asked me if I forgave her." Laura smiled innocently. "I told her that she didn't have anything to be sorry for. But she was still sad for the rest of the day………….at least until we went to sleep that night."
"Laura—?"
"People do bad things all the time." Laura said as she went back to her picture. "And people get forgiven all the time for the bad things they do." Laura looked back up at Tigh, her blue eyes gentle and shining. "But it's a lot harder to forgive yourself."
Tigh looked at this child who was chronologically only four months old, who only looked to be about five years old, but who was speaking the wisdom of someone who had been alive for decades. And he felt as if he had been hit across the head with a brick. "Some things can't be forgiven." He responded softly.
"That's not true. Everybody deserves a second chance to make things better."
"And if you've already used up all your second chances?"
"But you haven't used them up." Laura told him simply. "You haven't even tried to make things better. But I bet you could………….. if you really tried."
Tigh let a small smirk form on his lips. "You think so?"
"Grandpa likes you, he has faith in you." Laura smiled in response to his question. "And Grandpa doesn't have faith in anybody who deep down doesn't deserve it."
"Huh." Tigh snorted in recognition of the truth that she had just spoken. He then absently reached for his flask.
Laura's eyes got wide and she looked to the clock again; crayon ready to mark the time.
Tigh caught himself and chuckled as he put the flask back on the desk. "Sorry, I forgot our deal for a second."
"You want some of my juice?" Laura asked as she put her plastic bottle in front of him.
Tigh picked up his flask and went over to the console; he put it in the drawer and picked up a glass. "What kind of juice is it?"
"Grape." She replied as he sat back down and poured some in his glass.
He took a sip and grimaced. "That's not grape juice." He told her. "That's grape flavored water."
"Mama got it from the mess. They only have a little, and they have to make it last, so they watered it down." She shrugged. "I wouldn't know the difference. I've never had real juice."
Tigh smiled and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, that's a damn shame, little girl."
"It's a little different from what you usually ask me for, Saul." The voice on the other side of the phone said.
"Can you do it though?" Tigh asked as he sat as his desk later that night.
"Sure." Fisk replied. "I can get you two cases of it instead of your usual weekly package."
"Only two?"
Fisk chuckled. "What you're asking for is a little harder to come by than alcohol."
"Fine." Tigh replied in annoyance. "Have it delivered to Galactica tomorrow."
"Will do, Saul." Fisk told him.
Tigh hung up the phone and took a deep breath. He then turned around to look at his wife who was reclining lazily on the bed. "Ellen? Things are gonna be a little tight this week."
"Hello, girls." Lee chuckled as he walked through the hatch into their quarters, slamming the door shut with his foot since his hands were full.
"Hey." Kara replied, her eyes growing wide when she saw the box he was carrying. "Whaddya got there?"
Lee sat the box down on the table. "It's a gift."
Kara grinned. "Oh."
"From Colonel Tigh." Lee added.
"Oh." The grin dropped from Kara's face. "Is it ticking?"
Lee laughed slightly. "It's for Laura."
Laura had been sitting on the couch reading her book, and her head lifted when she heard her name. "I got a present?" She squealed as she jumped off the couch and climbed into one of the chairs at the table. "What is it?" She asked as she traced the edges of the box.
"Don't know." Lee answered. "I was given specific instructions that only you were to open it."
"Can I?" Laura pleaded, looking up at her mother.
"Have at it." Kara told her.
Laura ripped open the box and her jaw dropped in surprise.
"It's grape juice." Lee confirmed as he looked at the contents of the box. "Two cases."
"Wow." Laura gasped in excitement as she took out a few bottles. "I'll have to share some with Colonel Tigh."
"That'd be a sweet thing to do, little Laura." Lee smiled.
"Well, wasn't that nice of the Colonel to do that for you?" Kara smiled as well, though hers was insincere. She then turned to Lee with a low whisper. "Yeah, are we sure that it's not eighty proof grape juice?"
Lee rolled his eyes. "Oh, Kara, grow up!"
A week later, Lee powered down his Viper after CAP and let Jammer take off his helmet. Tyrol then handed him a clipboard and Lee checked off a box. "Power down complete, all systems functional."
Tyrol then walked away and Lee caught sight of Kara leaning against the wall near the flight deck exit, an unreadable expression on her face. Lee climbed out of his plane and walked over to her. "Kara?"
She bit her lip in response. "Something's happened, Lee."
"Laura?" He questioned, already knowing that it wasn't about her. If something was wrong with Laura, Kara would've come right out and told him.
She shook her head and held out her hand. "Come on."
They left the deck and walked hand in hand down the corridor to the rec room. As they entered, Lee saw that most of the people in there were huddled around the intercom. But when they saw Lee and Kara walk toward them, they all cleared way so that the two of them could be closest to the speaker.
"There is no official comment from Colonial One at this time. But President Keikeya has traveled to Cloud Nine and we are expecting a statement sometime soon. Three doctors; Doctor Cottle from Galactica, a neurologist who had been a passenger on the Palasca Maru, and the resident medic on Cloud Nine have all confirmed that there was no foul play involved."
Lee closed his eyes and willed his heart to stop beating so insanely fast.
"For those of you just joining us, sad news from Cloud Nine tonight: Vice President Thomas Zarek died less than two hours ago in his government stateroom of a ruptured brain aneurysm."
Kara was squeezing his hand so hard that if he could feel anything other than tremendous relief, Lee was sure it would have hurt. "It's over now." He whispered.
She turned to look at him and stroked his cheek with her thumb. "This part at least."
President Keikeya had gone over the report in his hand close to twenty times, at yet he still couldn't quite wrap his brain around what it said. He put the paper down on his desk and turned his chair to look at the whiteboard. He stared at it for nearly a minute before he stood and erased the last digit, replacing it with the lower number.
Can we really count Tom Zarek as a person?
"Mr. President?" A voice chirped over the intercom. "Your guest from Galactica has arrived."
Billy turned away from the whiteboard and looked to the door. He saw Dee pull back the curtain and walk into the cabin. "Mr. President." She grinned lasciviously in greeting.
"Petty Officer." He grinned back as he walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Thank you for responding to my call so quickly." He whispered fervently.
She leaned in and brushed her lips over his pulse point. "I go where I'm told."
"Hmmm." He chuckled lowly.
She pulled back slightly. "How are you?" She asked with genuine concern.
He cocked his eyebrows. "Well………" He began. "I managed to get through the press conference announcing Zarek's death without breaking into a happy dance……….so that's half the battle right there."
She giggled as she laid her hand over his heart. "Any word on his replacement?"
"Wallace Gray." Billy answered simply. "He and President Roslin had a sort of falling out, but after he heard that she was close to death, they reconciled. I asked him and he agreed without hesitation."
She smiled teasingly. "He won't have any problems taking orders from a twenty-four year old?"
"Well, even if he does, I don't think he'll try to order the overthrow of my administration and allow the fleet to fall into civil war." He laughed. "So already it's a step up from the last guy. As long as Gray gets to be Vice President; I think he'll put up with taking orders from a child."
"Nobody sees you as a child anymore, Billy." Dee told him seriously as she straightened his tie. She then kissed him softly on the lips. "Least of all me."
He started to lead her over to the couch, but she pulled on his hand to stop him.
"I'm not alone." She told him as she gestured to the curtain.
"Is Adama with you?" Billy questioned.
"Not Admiral Adama." She responded as she walked back to the doorway.
She pulled back the curtain to reveal Lee and Kara standing there waiting.
"Captain Thrace, Captain Adama." Billy said in greeting as they came into his office.
"Mr. President." Kara responded as she held out her hand.
Billy shook it and then gestured for them to sit in two chairs that sat in front of the couch. Billy sat on the couch with Dee beside him. Lee and Kara sat as well and they all stayed in a tentative silence for about thirty seconds.
"We wanted to thank you for what you did." Lee finally stated.
"I didn't do anything." Billy responded quietly.
"No." Kara smiled back conspiratorially. "Of course you didn't."
Billy shook his head and looked her directly in the eye. "No, Captain Thrace, I'm not being modest, and I'm not being covert." He exhaled loudly, thinking of the report he had just read. "I'm telling you, I didn't do anything."
Everyone's face grew puzzled. "But Zarek's dead." Lee confirmed. "And both you and my father told me that would happen soon."
"It was going to." Billy interjected. "Sometime later this week."
Dee took Billy's hand in hers. "Billy, what are you—?"
"Zarek had been having headaches; everyone that dealt with him directly knew that. And a few people that he worked with very closely knew that he had been taking painkillers that he got from the black market to help treat the headaches." Billy looked at Lee. "Your father and I had a friend who was heavily involved in the black market—."
"Fisk." Lee confirmed as he leaned forward in his chair.
Billy nodded. "Commander Fisk agreed to switch Zarek's latest batch with medicine that wouldn't have quite the same healing effect as his usual remedy."
"You poisoned him." Kara nodded.
Billy shook his head. "No. Fisk never had the chance to do it. The three doctors that examined Zarek were not involved in the conspiracy, and they were telling the truth. There was no foul play involved, Zarek died of natural causes."
"The headaches were a signal that he was already getting sick." Lee stated, looking at Kara as he placed a gentle hand on her knee.
"It actually worked out better than we anticipated." Billy laughed wearily. "There aren't too many ways to fake an aneurysm. And even Zarek's friends have told the press about his headaches, so it's not hard for them to believe that he would suddenly drop dead. And so far, no one has been screaming 'assassination'."
Kara took Lee's hand and brought it to her lips. Lee sat back in his chair and let out a loud sigh of relief.
"So Laura's safe?" Dee asked hopefully. She and Billy then shared a knowing look, and he soothingly covered her hand with his.
"Laura's never gonna be totally safe." Lee corrected seriously. "There are still the Cylons to worry about. And just because Zarek's no longer an issue, that doesn't mean that she's free and clear."
"But things will be easier now." Billy assured them. "I have trusted people spread out all over this fleet. If they hear anything that remotely resembles a threat to Laura's safety or the safety of the fleet……….we'll take care of it before it becomes a problem."
"It won't matter." Kara said quietly as she looked to where Lee's hand was still entwined with hers.
Billy and Lee blanched at the comment. Billy leaned forward and spoke in a firm voice. "I made a promise to a lady." He began. "I swear to you, Captain Thrace, nothing is going to happen to your daughter."
Kara looked up at him, her face serene and her eyes gleaming. "Oh, I know that. I feel it; nothing is gonna happen to her. It'll all be taken care of."
"Kara." Lee started gently. "Just because Zarek's been—."
"You still don't believe it, do you?" She interrupted, looking at him in wonder. "Zarek is gone and our hands are totally clean. It couldn't have worked out better if it had been mandated by the gods themselves."
Lee shook his head. "Kara, we can't just trust that—."
"Yes, we can." She stated firmly as she grasped his hand tighter. "Have you ever felt anything like this in your life, Lee? Did you even think it was possible for people like us to feel this way?"
Lee smiled and then dropped his chin to his chest. "No."
She smiled back. "Then why won't you just admit that something more might be going on here?"
"Fine." He chuckled, looking back up at her. "I'll admit it." He then turned and pointed at Billy. "But still tap every phone and guard every ship. And nobody has access to my daughter that shouldn't have it. I'm not taking any frakking chances."
TBC
