"Tom?" Sam called out surprised. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"Where is Lee?" Kara yelled as soon as they were standing in front of each other.

Zarek held his hand up and tried to catch his breath before he replied. "He's about … half an hour behind me."

"You left him behind?" Kara yelled even louder.

"Kara …" Sam put his hand on her arm and tried to calm her. He didn't want to attract the attention of any Cylons.

"He couldn't go on anymore." Zarek explained. "I didn't want to leave him, but he said …"

Kara didn't wait for him to finish and punched him right in the face. "You left him, you frakking son of a …"

"Gods damn it, Kara, would you stop punching people? This isn't helping." Sam hissed at her. Then he turned to Zarek and helped him up. "What happened?"

Zarek threw a careful glance in Kara's direction. When he was certain that she wouldn't punch him again for now, he started to explain what happened. "We were able to escape the Cylons through a back entrance of the cave …"

"A back entrance?" Kara interrupted him in a sharp voice.

"I discovered it the day before. Anyway …"

"And you didn't think to tell us about it?" Kara cut in again angrily.

"I figured it might be good to have an escape plan in case you tried to take your anger out on me again. Now can I please go on?"

Kara snorted cynically, but motioned for him to continue. Sam shook his head at the sight of his angry wife.

"We escaped and ran, more or less. After a few hours, Apollo collapsed. He was only unconscious for a few minutes and we went on again afterwards, but it was already clear then that he couldn't go on for much longer. He held up until about an hour ago though and I have to admire him for that. I know I would have given up long before that."

"Of course you would. You're …"

"Let him finish, Kara." Sam stopped her from saying anything more. "What happened an hour ago?"

"He collapsed again and this time he didn't wake up so fast. And when he did, it was evident that he couldn't go on any further. We agreed that …"

"We?" Again Kara cut in sharply.

"Yes. We agreed!" Zarek glared at her angrily. He had enough of her doubting every word he said. "Apollo said that it would be best to leave him where he was and that I should make it to the City and try to get help. He figured that is where you would have been headed anyway if you'd escaped the Cylons. Like I said, I didn't want to go at first …" Zarek paused a moment and looked at Kara, almost waiting for her to interrupt him again. But she stayed quiet and only shot him an angry glare. "… but I realized that this was the only way to get help for him. I couldn't carry him all the way, so I left."

"It was the right decision." Sam said quietly.

"Which way?" Kara asked through clenched teeth.

Zarek pointed at the way he came. "Just follow my path. You can't miss it in the snow."

"Neither can the Cylons. You could have led them right to him." Kara didn't want to wait any longer and started to run the way Zarek had showed her. But Sam quickly grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Wait!"

"Let go!" Kara hissed.

"Kara, think for a moment. Adama … Lee is hurt. He can't walk and we can't carry him all the way down to the City, not with all the Cylons around. We'd be too slow and we'd never make it in time. We have less than one hour before Galactica jumps in …"

"So they're really coming back?" Zarek asked surprised.

"Yes, I told you the Admiral wouldn't leave." Kara snapped at him. Then she turned back to Sam. "I can't just leave him there, Sam."

"And I'm not asking you to. Let me go to him. You go back to the City, get a raptor and come back here. This way we can bring him right back to Galactica."

Kara swallowed. She knew Sam was right. It was only logical that she was the one to get the raptor. She was the pilot. But she couldn't leave now. She had been looking for Lee all day, all the time thinking that he might be dead already. And now that she was so close to him … She couldn't turn around now. "Sam, I can't …" She whispered desperately.

In that moment, Sam knew that he had been right all along. He stared at his wife for a moment, then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he had made up his mind. "All right, you go to him and Tom and I get the raptor. Let's just hope I find someone willing to pilot it back to you."

"Thank you." Kara looked at him gratefully. She knew it wouldn't be a problem to find a pilot. She had a lot of friends in the town who were capable of flying a raptor. And even if they weren't willing to risk their lives for her, they would never leave Apollo behind. Every one of them owed him their lives and respected him as much as his father. They wouldn't leave this planet as long as he was still here.

"Be careful." Sam said quietly. Out of habit, he leaned down to give her a kiss, but stopped himself. He ignored the surprised look she threw his way and left, followed quickly by Zarek.

Kara watched them leave for a few seconds, wondering about why Sam hadn't kissed her, then she turned around and ran to find Lee.

XXXXXXX

Lee was leaning against a tree, his hand clasped around his gun. He tried to concentrate on his breathing which was getting more difficult with every passing minute. His whole body was hurting and despite his flight suit he was trembling all over from the cold and he felt so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open. The thought crossed his mind that he could as well let go of his gun. He didn't think he was able to shoot a Cylon right now even if one was standing right in front of him. But he didn't let go.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed since Zarek had left. He didn't think it was that long, though it seemed like an eternity for him already. Zarek had actually surprised him when he had refused to go to the City alone. It had taken some time to convince him that this was their only way out of here. He couldn't walk anymore. He could barely keep the grab around his weapon and he seriously doubted he had enough strength left to raise it should he see any Cylons coming. But he didn't think he'd have to wait much longer anyway. He was certain Zarek would try to get some people to pick him up from here, but he was also as certain that they would come too late. He had been trying to stay strong for so long and now he just didn't have any strength left to fight this.

He closed his eyes, ready to give in to the inevitable. His thoughts went to Kara. He hoped she had been able to escape the Cylons, that she had reached the Galactica and would get off this frakking planet. His mind was beginning to blur and he loosened the grasp on his weapon when he suddenly heard steps coming closer. So the Cylons had found him. He tried to gain all the strength he had left. Maybe he could at least take out one toaster before they killed him. He opened his eyes and tried to raise his arm. He couldn't. The gun he was holding weight like a hundred tons. He could see a figure running towards him. It looked like a woman. Was she calling his name? He blinked a few times and tried to clear his vision. She looked just like … "Kara?" He whispered, not even aware that he spoke her name out loud.

"Lee." Finally Kara had found him. She quickened her steps even more and after a few seconds she was at his side. "Lee … Just hold on. Sam is getting a raptor, we're getting you out of here."

Lee could do nothing but stare at her. Getting him out? Just a few seconds ago he had been willing to give up and now Kara was here and …

"I talked to your father, Lee." Kara said, grasping his hand tightly. "He's still alive and he's coming to get us home." A single tear escaped her eyes. She had been waiting so long to tell him the news about his father. And now that she finally had, she wasn't even sure if he understood what she had told him. He looked like he struggled hard to even stay awake. "Your Dad is coming for you, Lee."

"My Dad …" Lee's voice broke and he started coughing. His eyes fluttered and Kara was afraid he would lose consciousness any second.

"Just hold on, Lee. Just a little bit longer. We're almost home." Kara tightened her grip around his hand a bit more. She willed him to stay awake, to keep fighting until the raptor was here.

XXXXXXX

"We can't wait any longer. We have to go." Tyrol said urgently. He could hear shots from outside. The resistance had started their attack a few minutes ago and everyone was trying to get to the ships to leave the planet. He hoped Starbuck was right and Galactica was really up there waiting for them.

"I know that, Galen. But … oww …" Crying out in pain, Cally clasped her hands around her belly as another contraction spread through her.

Desperately Galen watched his wife. He had to get her on one of the ships fast. But they were so far away from any of them; he didn't think she would be able to walk this distance. "Put your arm around my shoulder." He ordered her after a second.

"Why?" Cally asked through clenched teeth.

"I'm gonna carry you to one of those ships if it's the last thing I do. Now come on."

"Galen, you can't …" Again Cally cried out in pain. She hardly noticed how Tyrol put her arm around him and lifted her up.

He was breathing heavily as he carried her out of the tent. She weight a lot more than he would have thought, but being eight months pregnant that wasn't really surprising. But he would get her to one of the ships. Suddenly he felt a pain in his leg and stumbled to the ground. He could hear Cally cry out in pain and for a moment forgot about his own pain. "You're all right?"

"Yes …" She pressed out. Then her eyes widened in shock. "Galen, your leg …"

"What?" When Tyrol looked at his leg he saw blood pouring out of a wound and suddenly he was well aware of the pain again. He had been shot. "Frak!"

"Let me help you."

Surprised both Tyrol and Cally looked up. They found Sharon standing next to them. She quickly ripped some cloth off her shirt and bent it around Tyrol's leg to stop the bleeding then she put Cally's arm around her shoulder.

"No …" Cally tried to shake her off, but Sharon held on to her tightly.

"Do you want to be on one of those ships or not?" She asked impatiently.

Helplessly Cally looked at her husband, when another contraction hit her.

"We need her help, Cally." Tyrol said determinedly. He got up himself and saw Sharon do the same, with Cally on her arms.

"It's going to be okay, Cally. Just hold on." He tried to calm his wife.

"Chief!"

Tyrol turned around and saw Anders and Zarek running in his direction. "You found them." He called out relieved.

"In a way. I need a raptor. Kara and Apollo are still in the mountains. We gotta pick them up. And we might need some help." Sam explained quickly. He glanced suspiciously at Sharon for a second, remembering Kara's words in the cave. She had been convinced that Sharon had betrayed them. And here she was, helping her ex-lover bringing his pregnant wife to safety. She didn't exactly look like a betrayer right now.

Tyrol hesitated a moment.

"Go." Cally pressed out. "I'll see you on Galactica."

"All right. But … take care, okay?" He said helplessly. The last thing he wanted to do now was leave his wife alone, but he trusted Sharon. He knew she would look out for her. He leaned down to Cally and gave her a kiss.

"Be careful." She whispered.

"You too. I love you."

"We have to go." Sam said impatiently. He could understand how Tyrol felt right now, but they were running out of time.

XXXXXXX

Kara had slung her arms around Lee, trying to keep them both warm. By now they were both trembling from the cold and Kara just hoped that Sam would come back quickly. Lee had lost consciousness about half an hour ago and he hadn't woken up again. She watched his chest raise and fall and she prayed that he would hang on until they were safe. But she could practically feel him slipping away. His breathing was shallow and his face was as white as the snow around them.

"Gods, Sam, please hurry." She prayed silently. Suddenly she hurt the sound she had been waiting for and a few seconds later she could see a raptor coming closer. Sam had found them.

"Hang on, Lee. We're almost home."

TBC

A.N.: Thanks to Laurie for beta reading :)