It took time for the request to get back to Caprica, time for arrangements to be made and carried out, but finally the little girl was on her way on a long journey by Heavy Raider. Like always, she was curious about everything and constantly asked questions of the models that accompanied her. Some, especially Number Six, had no patience for the child's antics. She was especially happy when they reached New Caprica. The occupation had been underway for a few months, and Leoben had been trying to break Kara's resolve ever since the day he'd snatched her, but so far it was to no avail.

Leoben was waiting for the transport, praying with every silica and organic fiber in his body that the resistance didn't pick this ship to blow up. The landing went without incident, however, and Kacey happily bounded off the back and into his arms.

"I've missed you," he told her. "My God, you've grown so much. I hardly recognize you. Where's the little baby I left on Caprica?"

"Big now," Kacey replied with a grin.

"Yes, you are. And beautiful just like your Mommy."

Her smile widened. "Mommy here?"

"Mommy's here," he confirmed. "Do you want to see her?" He got a vigorous nod in return. "All right. Come talk with Daddy first, okay?"

They walked away from the landing pad and around the complex to a more open area. A couple benches were along the wall, and Leoben took a seat, Kacey in his lap. "I know you're excited, but you need to understand a few things. Mommy might be angry at first, but that has nothing to do with you. She's going to love you, Kacey, I know she will."

The toddler solemnly nodded. "She always wanted me, she just 'fraid."

Leoben smiled. "That's my girl."

He had her wait with a Sharon model in the hall until he was ready. Since Kacey had been born, he'd found that the Number Eights were generally very good with the little girl, undoubtedly one of the reasons that they'd been chosen to fulfill God's wish of procreation. But Leoben wasn't really thinking about that today. The Eights had failed – his daughter was the only child that mattered right now.

"Do you remember that breeding farm on Caprica?" he asked Kara.

She glared. "I remember I blew the frak out of the place."

"It wasn't a total loss." He headed up the stairs out of their apartment. "We managed to salvage certain things. Certain medical samples. Like your ovary." He knew Kara wasn't stupid; she had to realize where this conversation was going.

Kacey perked up as she heard her father's voice coming through the apartment door as he approached. He smiled at her as he took her from Eight, offering the woman a nod of thanks. The little girl had expected the look she saw on her mother's face as they went back inside – fear, anger, disgust.

"What's that?" Kara spat out from her place down at the dining room table. Leoben carried his daughter down the steps.

"This is Kacey. Kacey, this is Kara. Your mother." The toddler saw Kara's anger turn to revulsion and shock, but she remembered her father's words. It wasn't her fault. She had faith.

"Hi," she quietly said, a smile on her face as she sucked on her finger, and earned a quick kiss on the head from her father.

"Good girl," he told her. Kacey would bring Kara around, one way or another.

He'd tried to approach her with the little girl, but Kara's shock-induced paralysis finally wore off and she scrambled up from her seat, keeping herself as far away as possible as she moved to the opposite side of the room. Leoben decided he wasn't going to worry about her at the moment.

He'd had some of Kacey's things shipped along with her from Caprica, packed in a box that one of the others had left by the window while he and his daughter had talked outside. Pulling back the lid, he removed a few toys for her, making her giggle with delight. As he set her down on the floor, she quickly began playing with the blocks he'd taken out.

Once Kacey was settled, Leoben looked to see where Kara had ended up. He was happy to note that she hadn't fled the room altogether, although she had turned the railing on the stairs into a barrier between them.

He began talking to her, telling her about the amazing child that he was playing with. He didn't care if she listened or not; eventually, she would know the truth.

"She'll be hungry soon," he finally said, standing up and getting his jacket. "There's food on the table. You wouldn't let your own child starve, would you?"

"That's not my child," Kara shot back. "I don't even know if it's human."

"Half human," he replied. "And you know that she's yours, you just don't want to admit it." He stared at her for a long moment before continuing up the stairs.

"Where the frak are you going?" Kara asked. "Take this with you," she ordered, tossing her head in Kacey's direction. Leoben didn't answer, didn't pause. "Hey! Don't leave me alone with this!" But that was exactly what he intended to do, what he had to do. The door shut behind him.

Kacey just watched her, eyes large. She'd always wanted a mother. The Eights were nice to her, nicer than any of the others, but they weren't mothers. "I don't know who or what you are," Kara told her, "But I know this: I'm not your mother."

No one ever said it would be easy. But Kacey knew her destiny.