Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Chapter 3

She somehow found the energy to physically get over to the Pegasus, but that simple trip exhausted her, and she spent the next 24 hours asleep in the fetal position in Lee's bed. When she finally awoke she continued to play memories of Sam over and over in her mind, desperately trying to find clues that she had missed that would have warned her of the danger.

"Nice to know a regulation pyramid court is a priority of the resistance," she said with a smirk.

"Well, there are some things one cannot live without," he responded flippantly.

"Let's go," said Starbuck as she threw an armpad to Anders.

"Are you kidding me? I'll wipe the court with you," he stated smugly.

"We'll see about that," she said laughingly. "I was up for the pros. Bum knee took me out of contention."

"I see. So is that going to be your excuse when I kick your ass? 'My poor knee hurts!' "

"At least I have an excuse. Can't imagine what yours is going to be," she said coolly.

They began to play, and it was evident to Kara that she had indeed surprised him with her ability.

"Nice shot," he said after she scored a point despite having their arms having become entwined.

"Thanks," she replied breathlessly as they broke apart. She felt very aroused being that close to him.

Samuel ended up winning by one shot, and it had taken every bit of his talent and physical strength to do it.

"So how does a nice girl like you get a name like Starbuck?" Anders asked her after they had both had a chance to catch their breath.

She stood up, looked him straight in the eye, and said provocatively, with just a touch of a smile on her face, "Who said I was a nice girl?"

The look on his face had been priceless.

"I'm a pilot. A Viper pilot," she continued. "Starbuck is my call sign. My name is Kara. Kara Thrace."

"Nice to meet you Kara Thrace," Anders said as he took her hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles.

"And just why do you feel the need to kiss my knuckles?" she said with a self-satisfied smile.

"I thought maybe your fingers might be hurting."

She jerked her hand out of his and crossed her arms hiding her hands.

"I know my hands always hurt after a pyramid match," he stammered. "and your style of play is very similar to mine. I just thought yours might be feeling the same way."

"Yeah, okay," she said, feeling relieved.

"Come on," he said as he started walking. "There's an ice cold mountain stream behind these buildings. We can go soak our hands there."

The cold water felt so good they took off their shoes and soaked their feet as well.

"You can't imagine how good this feels," said Kara. "After being in space for so many months and living with water rationing this feels positively sinful."

"Give me one of your hands," said Anders softly.

She hesitated for an instant, and then gave him her right hand. He sat down next to her, gently placed her hand under the running water, and tenderly massaged each finger. She didn't quite know what to make of him at first, but what he was doing to her hand felt so good she quickly relaxed.

"Where did you learn to do that?" she asked him.

"One of the perks of being a professional athlete. They hire the best trainers in the world."

It still didn't make any sense. He had seemed so gentle – someone she could trust. Going over all this continuously only served to give her a headache. She stretched out on Lee's bed and fell back asleep.

She dreamed she was back in the house where she had grown up. Her mother was drunk and was demanding that she stick out her hands. Her mother grabbed them and held them firmly. Then her mother turned into Sam, and he started squeezing her hands harder and harder while he glared at her.

"STOP – YOU'RE HURTING ME!" she screamed as she sat up in bed gasping for air. Lee had been sleeping on the couch in his outer room. He came rushing in and held her in his arms. She turned to lean against his bare chest and couldn't stop sobbing.

He rubbed her back to comfort her and whispered over and over, "It's okay, I'm here." With his other hand he gently guided her head down to rest on his shoulder. He continued to whisper to her as he tenderly kissed her forehead.

Suddenly she straightened up and turned to face him. She looked him in the eye and said, "There's something I want you to do for me."

"Whatever you need, Kara," he said soothingly.

"I want you to frak me," she said with heated eyes.

Lee froze. He remembered all too clearly what had happened the last time she had that idea. "Kara, no. Anything but that."

"Yes, Lee. You must. You have to help me get these memories out of my head. Their driving me insane; help me!" she pleaded. She reached up and grabbed his head pulling his mouth to hers. She kissed him long and passionately.

He was starting to shake. He knew he would not be able to resist her for long, "No Kara; Kara, no," he repeated.

She pulled her tanks off over her head revealing her breasts. "You know you want me; you always have." She whispered. She pulled her panties off just as quickly.

"Not like this, Kara." He shook his head trying to clear his mind, but the sight of her completely naked was pulling him back towards the abyss he was desperately trying not to fall into.

She pulled him down till he was on top of her. She reached down to his waist, yanked his boxer shorts down, and started working the erection she knew she would find. A groan escaped from his lips.

"Yes, Lee. You must. You want to help me. This is the only way. Please. Please." She spread her legs and continued working him as she tried to guide his shaft to where she really wanted it.

Lee knew his soul was lost. There was nothing she could demand of him that he wouldn't give her even though he knew he might regret it for the rest of his life. How could he resist her when she was saying and doing everything he had ever fantasized about her? She was lying in his bed begging him to take her.

It's not like last time… She really wants me to… She's not going to change her mind this time… She really wants me to… She really wants me to… She really wants me to…

He plunged into her.

"Yes, YES, YES!" she almost screamed. "Harder!" she urged him. "Harder!"

"Frak me as hard as you can, Lee! Please! Harder! Please do it harder!" she was panting.

He was driving into her as hard as he could, and she was still begging for him to do it harder. Her pleas only seemed to fuel his desire for her. He came as she continued to beg him to frak her still harder.

As she felt Lee's body begin to relax after his climax she could still see Sam frakking her with what appeared to be love in his eyes. She pulled away from Lee, wrapped herself in the sheet in shame, curled up in a fetal position, and began to sob.

Lee was devastated. His mind had known this was a bad idea, but the knowledge hadn't been enough to stop him. He saw her lying curled up with her back to him crying her eyes out. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but he knew those words would be like cutting into her heart with a knife after Sam's betrayal. Hadn't he uttered those words to her without meaning them? How would she ever be able to tell the difference?