Sorry for not updating this sooner. FF was not cooperating last time I tried, and then I just forgot that it hadn't been updated... Thanks to everyone who left reviews. So glad you are enjoying it. I have plenty of ideas on where to take this story (Yes it may even grow a plot at some stage!) but have no idea when I'll get around to writing more...

So for now, enjoy the conclusion:

Chapter 4 - The Morning After...

Lee awoke to the beeping of the phone on his side table. It took him a minute to register the noise before he threw his arm over and yanked upgrabbed the receiver. "Captain Adama" he mumbled groggily, still far from awake. He had a feeling that once he'd fully woken up his head was going to be throbbing. He'd had a lot to drink last night.

"Rise and shine, it's your wake up call." He'd know his father's gravely voice anywhere, no matter how hung over he was.

"Dad, what time is it?" he reached for his watch on the nightstand. 10:45. Frak he hadn't slept this late since his last shore leave before the world's ended.

"Time for you to get you lazy ass out of bed and back home son. Not that I begrudge you and Starbuck a night off, but you're both rostered in for the mid watch at 12:00 and I expect you both onboard and ready for duty. By the way, do you know if Kara's up yet? I just tried her room but it rang out."

Kara… He turned back to see her sprawled out on her side, facing him, one arm bent up to cover her face. The cover had slipped down to her waist at some point and he could see one perfect breast staring out at him as her chest rose and fell. She looked almost angelic until he spotted the patch of drool that had formed beside her mouth on the pillow. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Lee, you there?" his father sounded impatient.

"Uh, sorry Dad. Yeah. Haven't seen Starbuck yet this morning. She's probably in the shower trying to wake herself up."

"Just make sure the two of you make that shuttle in an hour."

"Yes Sir… Bye Dad." He hung up, twisting his body back around to face hers, content to just watch her sleep. He lay his hand on the curve of her waist, rubbing her skin with his thumb. He couldn't quite believe that last night had happened. He honestly had never thought either of them would have the balls to go for it, even if he had been secretly hoping that one day he'd get the chance to be with Kara as more than just her best friend.

And now here they were, the morning after. They had to go back to their real lives, and he wondered how they were going to make this work. Fraternisation rules were still in place, he knew Boomer and the Chief's relationship had come to an abrupt end because of that. How could he expect his father or Tigh to allow him to be with Starbuck, when it was arguably a much greater breach of military etiquette? They were wingmen, and he was the CAG. How could the fact that they were lovers not hamper their roles as pilots?

He was beginning to drive himself mad with doubt. He didn't want to dwell on those questions any more. Besides he wanted to see Kara's eyes when she woke up and remembered what they'd done the night before. He reached up and brushed the hair out of her eyes, softly rubbing the back of his hand on her cheek.

"Kara?" Nothing, she was deep in sleep. "Kara, wake up!"

Her eyelids began to flutter and she moaned.

"Nnnh, just five more minutes!" She murmuered, twisting her body and turning her back to him,as she snuggled into the pillow. He fought the urge to laugh, and pulled her back to him, nuzzling her neck and throat with his now stubbly chin. "Wake up Kara, it's time to go home."

With that her eyes flew open as she registered whose hands and mouth were all over her sleeping form. Lee. They were in bed together, very cuddly and very naked. And more than a little aroused if she wasn't mistaken. She could feel him stirring and brushing against her ass. The night's activities flooded back to her. Their drinking and dancing, how he'd left her at the table with tears in her eyes. Her waking him up later, only to jump him. They way he'd touched every inch of her as if she was the last women alive. The way he'd captured her with those blue eyes, so full of love and desire …all for her.

She shifted her hips a little, the slight tenderness between her legs a pleasant reminder of how passionately he'd taken her, and how she'd returned the favour in kind. She twisted her head back to meet his eyes. "Hi" was all she could think to say. He leant down to kiss her, lightly brushing his lips over hers.

"Hi," he returned. Eyes crinkling with warmth. He could get used to this. She turned fully in his arms, hugging him around the waist, snuggling into his warmth.

"So…." She didn't have a clue what to say. This was closer to Lee than she'd ever hoped to be.

"So," he repeated. "You sleep well?" He continued nuzzling her neck and shoulder.

"Mmm hmm" She answered, enjoying his attentions immensely. "You?"

"Like a baby." He slid his hand over the small of her back, then cupped her bum and gave it a squeeze. She hummed in response.

"You're very cuddly in the morning." She lifted her knee and looped it over his, pressing their hips closer together.

"You feeling okay? I got a little carried away towards the end. I didn't hurt you did I?"

She smirked. She loved him when he was being concerned and earnest, made him all the more desirable. She shook her head slowly, and ground her hips for emphasis. "Uh uh, nothing I couldn't handle. In fact, I got a kick at how much you let yourself go. Just for me." She nuzzled his jaw before nipping at his earlobe playfully.

He growled low in his chest before rolling them over and pressing his now fully hard cock down against her mound. "Up for round two?" he cocked an eyebrow, already knowing the answer.

"Sure," as long as it's a quickie. It must be getting late in the morning."

Frak!! He forgot they had to be back on Galactica in less than an hour; they wouldn't have enough time for even that, much to his disappointment. He rolled off her with a defeated groan. "We don't have time, my Dad dadthe old man called. We're both on duty in about 45 minutes." He sighed.

She let out a frustrated sigh herself and then a not so subtle snort when she saw his erection jutting up. "Well you can't go back looking like that…." She was teasing him mercilessly.

He looked down and let out another groan. "You women have it so easy." He sat up and stretched his arms above his head, yawning, before rolling out of the bed and facing the bathroom. "Guess it's a cold shower for me this morning. Maybe it'll help clear my head after all that champagne we drank." He stepped over, rather stiffly, to the mini fridge and took out two bottles of water. Kara was very much enjoying the view from behind just as much. She's always been a big fan of his ass anyway. He caught her eyeing him when he turned to throw her one of the bottles, and raised an eyebrow.

"Enjoying the view, were we?"

"Mmm hmm…" sShe shrugged as if to say 'could he blame a girl for looking' and licked her lips. Stretching her arms above her, arching her back, knowing she was killing him. "But the one from the front's even better!"

He rolled his eyes and retreated into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him for what it was worth. She chuckled to herself as she grabbed the water and unscrewed the plastic cap. If she thought driving Lee Adama mad was fun before they were lovers, it was nothing compared to now. She lay there for a few minutes as she heard him run the water in the shower. Deciding this was her only chance to enjoy the luxuries of a private shower before they went back to their bunkroom, she realized she should savour every last minute of it. She rolled out of bed and tiptoed over to the door, carefully trying not to alert Lee to her approach.

The cold water was doing nothing to diminish his hard on, not to mention the fact that he had a very naked Kara in the other room. His thoughts returned to the night before and it only made him that much harder. So lost in his headin his thoughts, that he didn't notice her sneak up on him until her warms hands rested on his broad shoulders, and he spun around splashing water on her face in the process. "Frak Lee I thought you were joking about the cold shower bit."

"Kara, I'm trying to cool down, and frankly having you naked right in front of me, well, it's not helping."

She grinned and reached past him turning the dial on the shower until the water started to heat up to a much more pleasant temperature. She stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his waist, walking them back under the spray. "Cold water doesn't seem to have helped much, Lee." She tilted her head up and kissed him softly before running her tongue along his bottom lip, begging entrance. He obliged happily, meeting hers with his own, drawing it into his mouth as he ran his hands up and down her arms before cupping her head in his hands and attacking her mouth with vigour.

She was pretty sure she heard him moan her name but it was hard to make out. She finally broke the heated kiss, puling back from him some, a look of mischief spreading across her face. She began to trail soft kiss across his collarbone before gradually reaching lower until she had reached one of his nipples, laving it with her tongue before nibbling on it gently. She reached between their now heated bodies and began to stroke him gently up and down, knowing just how much pressure to apply. He grunted and bucked his hips a bit. "What are you doing Kara?"

"Finishing what I started last night Lee, remember?" He didn't answer, too caught up the pleasure. He let his head drop back and growled.

She took it as a sign of his approval and continued to trail her kisses lower and lower, bending her knees and inching down his belly until she reached his navel, circling it with her tongue before following the trail of dusky hair that led to his groin. She sank to her knees and spread them enough to make herself as comfortable as possible. He really was flawless. A drop of pre come leaked from the slit and she lapped it into her mouth, relishing the musky taste. She looked up at him to find he was staring down at her, his muscles flexed and tense with the effort of remaining still. The water from the shower sprayed into her eyes, so he kindly reached for the dial and shut it off. They locked eyes for the thousandth time since yesterday and she began to lick him from root to tip, tracing the veins with her tongue, taking his balls in her right hand and softly squeezing them, while reaching around his ass with her left and groping one of his cheeks.

His thighs and hips strained with the effort not to buck, and his fists clenched at his sides. "Ah Kara, so good." He didn't think it could get much better than last night, but something about being with her sober in the light of day made it all the more real. He couldn't explain it even to himself. It just felt right. She hummed in response, sending pleasant vibrations through him. She loved being able to bring him so much pleasure.

Thinking back on her past lovers, she couldn't ever remember actually volunteering to do this for them when there wasn't the immediate promise of payback. But with Lee, as in most other aspects of their relationship, it was just different. This must be how it feels to be completely in love with someone, she told herself. To want to put them before you. Lee's fingers slid into her short hair and began to gently massage her scalp without pulling on her head. It occurred to her just how in sync they were, he trusted her, let her control the pace of this. She rewarded him by taking him deeper into her mouth until he was as far as he would go, and then began the careful pull back and forth, all the while sucking at the underside with her tongue. He began to buck his hips despite himself. She ran her two hands over his ass, massaging him before pulling round trailing one hand up to rest on his rippling stomach, enjoying the way his muscles clenched and released as she continued to work him. With her other hand she slowly tickled his sac, and as she felt him edge closer to the point of no return, she carefully pulled down, knowing it would prolong his pleasure.

His head slammed back against the shower wall with a thud, loud enough to cause her to look up at him, concerned he'd hurt himself. He was so caught up in the magic she was creating that he felt no pain. He felt her eyes on him and looked down, amazed to see the love on her face. He felt his stomach bottom out. No one had ever given themselves to him so completely as Kara was, not just in body but in everything. It was at that moment he realized he had found everything he had ever hoped for. He was never letting her go even if it killed him. He smiled down at her and her hazel eyes squinted with what would have been a smile. She gave him one final tug and suck and he ejaculated into her mouth, the pleasure flowing through him in waves. She swallowed every drop he had to give, enjoying the fact she had brought him so much pleasure.

He stood shaking, his heart throbbing and his lungs working desperately to get oxygen back into his body. After a minute or two he got control of his limbs back and reached to grasp her by the shoulders. She was kneeling there, staring up at him, a mixture of bemusement and curiosity on her face. He pulled her up and held her tight to his chest, resting his sweaty forehead against hers. Without having to look, he reached behind him and turned the dial to start the warm water again, making the most of their final few minutes before they had to leave.

"Kara," was all he could manage to say. She hummed, feeling a surge of feminine pride at having satisfied him so well. "Enjoy that did you?" knowing full well his answer.

He didn't respond in words, instead taking her mouth with a fiery kiss that overwhelmed them both. He couldn't seem to get enough of this woman, the more he had the more he wanted. How the hell were they ever going to get any work done now? After a few minutes of kissing, she broke the embrace and switched off the shower. Stepping out and grabbing two towels, she began to dry herself off. As she worked her way around her body before starting in on her hair, she turned to face him. He hadn't moved an inch and seemed to be almost hypnotized. He was staring at her again with that look, the one that both unnerved her and excited her all at once.

"Lee?" She tried to break him out of his reverie, but he seemed transfixed. "Lee, snap out of it. It's not like you haven't seen me getting out of the shower before. Besides our time is nearly up," she playfully slapped him on the bum as she passed him to leave the bathroom.

He stepped out of the shower and stood, still seemingly transfixed. "I was just thinking about how this is going to work on Galactica… How are we going to make this work Kara. You know the regs as well as me."

She paused momentarily but didn't turn back to look at him. She picked up her panties, bending slightly to step into them, knowing she was killing him. She reached for her dress, which was still lying in a heap on the carpet where they had left it. She straightened, examining the creases before slipping it over her head and pulling it into place. She looked back over her shoulder at him and winked. "Will you tie me up Lee?"

He finally wrapped his towel around his waist, realizing he was now standing in a small puddle. He walked up behind her and picked up the silk strands that hung loose at her back, pulling them in a lose knot across her back, trying his best to match them to how they'd looked last night before he'd undone them. His mind flashed back to their conversation at the door, namely the part about Zak. A part of him still felt guilty for sleeping with Zak's fiancé, the love of his life. But another, stronger part of him told him somehow it was okay to love Kara. If anyone would understand falling for Kara Thrace, it would be Zak, as frakked up as that was. He laughed to himself at the absurdity of that truth.

"What's so funny Lee?" Kara turned to face him, eyes searching his.

"Nothing Kara, just thinking how freakishly lucky I am." He wanted to tell her he was falling madly in love with her, so much so that he couldn't find it in his heart to repent for betraying Zak's memory. He wanted to tell the whole fleet that he loved her and he wouldn't spend a single day without her ever again, but he knew Kara all too well. He knew if pushed her, if he bombarded her with the depth of his love for her now he would probably terrify her and push her way. He knew that was how her brain worked, she had spent her whole life building walls around herself to protect herself from hurt, and it was going to take more than his declaration of undying love to tear those walls down.

He remembered how Zak had come to him after he's told Kara he loved her. They had been together six months, and even though Zak was adamant he was in love even before they got together, he had waited six months to tell her. She of course had panicked and had promptly broken up with him, telling him he had gotten way too attached, that she was just his teacher and this was just a college fling. Of course it hadn't deterred Zak, and he had won her back in two weeks.

It was another three months before she worked up the courage to tell Zak she loved him. Lee had gotten her to say it last night in the heat of the moment, but he wanted her to tell him herself without prompt. And he could wait. It was only a matter of time. She was staring at him with that curious look on her face again, almost as if she couldn't believe she made him this happy. "Don't let it go to your head Apollo, we still have jobs to get to, humanity to save, cylons to kill." He kept staring, smiling at her. She kissed him quickly and headed for the door. "Get dressed Lee, I'll meet you downstairs in the lobby." When he didn't reply, she rolled her eyes and opened the door, laughing to herself. "Gods what have I created…"

When she was gone, he finished drying off and pulled on his somewhat wrinkled uniform. Before leaving he spotted the pale blue silk ties she had worn on her wrists, still lying on the carpet. He grinned and picked them up, rubbing the silk in his fingers, marveling at how soft yet strong it was. He pocketed them, hoping he'd remember to give them back to her later...