It was hard to believe it had been a year since it had happened ...
She'd always been certain she'd go out first. It only seemed fitting considering the risks she took. He was such a by-the-book pilot - always did things the 'safe' way and never took unnecessary risks.
It had been a careful, calculated plan where he'd do the straightforward task and she'd distract them with her crazy-ass flying. Sounded simple on the drawing board. Everyone had been sure she was going to be the one caught ... if anyone was. She was Starbuck though, and Starbuck had nine lives. Or perhaps more.
She'd been devastated when Cylon fire had destroyed Lee's Viper. She'd yelled so loud and so long that the Admiral had had to turn off the comms for fear she'd cause the crew in CIC to go deaf. She'd flown round and round in circles, taunting them, no begging them to fire at her. Take me down too! We have to go out together! she'd thought.
They'd had to come after her with a Raptor when her ship had gone bingo fuel. She'd stayed out in space, feeling like going back to Galactica would have been abandoning him and one never abandoned one's wingman.
Even when he was dead.
"You sure you don't want to go out there this time?" The Admrial never ceased to ask but the answer was always the same.
"I can't fly without him." She hadn't set foot in a Viper since the day one year earlier when Lee Adama had been taken out by the enemy.
Apollo and Starbuck had always been a team. Without him she was lost.
fin