A/N: This is the first story I've ever had that got more than 100 reviews, so I wanted to sincerely say thank you to everyone who's left feedback.

Time passed as plans fell into place. The Cylons continued to track the fleet and wait for their moment. Meanwhile, life went on for the survivors of the human race. It was medically verified that Kacey's link was no longer open, and she posed no immediate danger to the fleet. Therefore, she got to continue life with her little unofficial family.

Excitement built throughout the fleet as Colonial Day approached. It was the third since the destruction of the Colonies and the first since the exodus from New Caprica. The Intersun Luxury Liner was hosting a big soiree and as commander of the fleet's air group, Lee didn't have much trouble getting a pair of tickets.

"We can't leave Kacey here," Kara told him as they discussed it in his office.

"Why not?"

"Because we just can't! It's her first Colonial Day. How can we just dump her off with someone?"

"We can do things with her on the Galactica during the day. And it's not just 'someone' that'll be watching her; I already talked to the Chief. She can see Nicholas, and besides that, she'll be asleep an hour after we leave." She still looked torn. "Come on, Kara, we need this. When was the last time we spent any time together without Kacey and not doing something work related?"

She thought about it. "Gods…I don't even know."

"So we're going?"

"Yeah. We're going."

By the morning of Colonial Day, Kara and Kacey's quarters were decorated with little slips of paper that were colored to match the banners of the twelve colonies. Kacey was very excited about the holiday, and insisted upon wearing Caprica's colors for the occasion. Kara had worked hard to find the perfect little shirt and pants. If anyone having breakfast in the officer's mess was disturbed by the fact that a half-Cylon child was wishing everybody a Happy Colonial Day, they kept their mouths shut.

"Did you finish your banners?" Adama asked Kacey while he watched her for the morning. He'd been helping her with them a couple days earlier.

She nodded. "All of them. Mommy said they pretty."

"I'm sure they are."

Kacey's expression turned contemplative. "Can we go somewhere?" she asked her 'grandfather.'

"Where would you like to go?"

She fidgeted slightly, wondering if he'd understand. "The wall."

"What wall?"

Kacey pulled a paper out of her little pocket and unfolded it. There were three scribble-shapes of yellow with crudely drawn smilie faces below them. "I want to leave it for Other Mommy. But I don't want Mommy to be sad."

Adama reached to pick up the little girl. "Let's go."

Galactica's memorial wall had expanded considerably over the past couple of years. Thousands of photos lined one of the ship's corridors, along with candles and notes. Adama wondered how Kacey knew about the place, but decided against asking.

Finding an empty spot on the wall, he held her up so that she could reach to tack on her picture. "Do you remember her?" he asked.

"Daddy said she was nice. She looked like Mommy. She took care of me for long as she could. No me without her." Adama found himself wishing that they knew more. This completely random woman had given them Kacey – whether it was against her will or not was another matter – and they didn't even know her name.

"Ready to go?" he asked the little girl, his voice rough. She nodded.

"Thank you."

Kara and Lee took Kacey stargazing on the observation deck that afternoon before having dinner and dropping her off with the Tyrols. "Be good, okay?" Kara told her daughter as she set her down inside of Galen and Cally's quarters. Kacey nodded.

"Have fun."

"Thank you…You sure you're up for this?" she asked Cally as she stood back up. She laughed.

"Stop worrying; we'll be fine. Go enjoy yourselves. You look great, by the way." Kara had managed to find an actual dress for the occasion, and had gotten Sharon to help even out the minor hack-job of a haircut that she'd given herself a few weeks earlier. She definitely felt like a girl, but for once, that was okay.

"Kara, we gotta go catch the shuttle," Lee told her.

"Okay, okay. We'll come pick you up when we get back," she told Kacey. "So you'll be back in your bed when you wake up in the morning."

"'Kay. Bye Mommy." Lee finally managed to pull her out the door, chuckling as they walked down the hallway.

"What is that for?" Kara asked him.

"Nothing, just…you are such a mom." She felt obligated to punch him in the shoulder, but truthfully didn't really mind his observation so much.

The Intersun Liner wasn't quite as fancy as Cloud Nine had been, but it was the best the fleet could do for glamour these days, and the Colonial Day Ball was a veritable 'who's who' of the remnants of humanity. Kara and Lee hadn't been surprised to see Adama join them for the shuttle ride over to the ship, but they hadn't expected to see him meet his date outside of the ballroom.

"I think I'm going to have to have a talk with my father when we get back," Lee told Kara as they went to find their table. She snorted.

"It's a little late to be explaining the birds and the bees, Lee. Did you really not know that something was going on with them?"

"Well…no."

Kara smiled. "I think most of us living in the military suburb figured it out early on when those visits the Old Man made to speak with Baltar on New Caprica included a stop down in tent-ville to see how the school year was going."

Lee looked over at his father and Roslin as they also entered the large hall, arms linked together. "I'm still having a little chat with him tomorrow…payback for that torturous speech he gave me at age sixteen on 'what happens between women and men'."

"You know your mother made him do it."

"That didn't make it any less embarrassing."

TBC...