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Archive: Sure but let me know where
Femme – you have a deal! I'm seeing a lot of hits but where are those reviews – come on everyone, hit the cute little button. Feedback is greatly appreciated. BTW, this chapter was getting so long that I had to split the card game from the campfire stories...but never fear, Lee's story is coming :)
The Wild, Wild West – The Big Blind
They reached base camp exactly 33 minutes ahead of schedule.
Kara knew she had pushed their horses hard, harder than was necessary and Chief would be all over her ass, but she was looking forward to finding out if Lee was all bark and no bite. And she was really hoping for the latter.
Pulling Viper up to the hitching post, she hopped off smoothly and handed the reigns to Chief.
"Dammit Starbuck! How many times do I have to tell you that these aren't machines?" He yelled at her while leading Viper and the other nugget's horses to the water trough.
Starbuck smirked. "Until I decide to listen Chief."
Chief shook his head. These were his horses and HIS area and why couldn't she just…
"Who the hell is that?" Chief asked, suddenly noticing the extra rider who just happened to be wearing a uniform.
Starbuck didn't take prisoners…
Lee had been waiting patiently for someone to acknowledge his presence; he hopped off his horse and held his hand out to the scowling man.
"Staff Sergeant Lee Adama."
"That's Apollo." Starbuck replied at the exact same moment.
Lee turned to stare at Kara, crossing his arms, his eyes issuing a silent challenge.
"Don't mind the uniform Chief, he's having an identity crisis. He's really a wolf in sheep's clothing."
Lee sputtered. "I am NOT having an identity crisis!"
Chief regarded the two, trying to avoid the sparks flying out of their eyes.
Leave it to Starbuck to pick up a company man. This would prove to make for a very interesting campfire tonight. It would definitely mean he'd have to break out some of his special brew. He couldn't wait to get back to Cally to tell her.
"Is he a prisoner?" Chief questioned, taking Apollo's horses reigns without asking.
"That's a very good question Chief. While tying him up certainly has its possibilities…I think I'd rather let him decide. Apollo, did you come with us willingly?"
She faced him, hands on those cursed lovely hips of hers, forcing his hand.
If he said "yes", then he was a deserter…the lowest of the low…if he said "no", then he became her prisoner with no possibility of being her equal…of exploring what was happening between them. And damn her if she didn't know it.
"What's it going to be Apollo?" She pushed.
Lee straightened his back, his jaw clenched. He did NOT like being backed into a corner. Later tonight, he would show her just how much, in keeping with his earlier comment.
"Yes."
Just one simple word and he had sealed his own fate. Lee Adama, the deserter, had now become Apollo, the bandit. Who would have known it could be that easy?
Starbuck's face lit up and she smiled like that cat had caught the canary. And crazily, the thought that he had made her happy with his choice, made him smile back.
Later – by the campfire"Lay 'em down Racetrack!" Starbuck announced with half of a cigar hanging out the side of her mouth and a cup of Chief's brew in the other.
He didn't know quite what he'd been imagining earlier in the day but Lee was absolutely certain that it hadn't looked like this.
The group was tight, like a family might be, except that no one used first names and they were all fast on their way to being sloppily drunk.
Whatever Chief put in his brew, Lee was pretty sure it was illegal.
Starbuck. Chief. Racetrack. Hotdog. Crash. Iguana. TL, which was actually short for Toaster Lover, he'd found out, due to a legendary affair with one Sioux Medicine Man's daughter.
And the list went on…he included. Apollo.
None of them had any interest in him as Lee Adama, son of Major William Adama. No, it wasn't about the past at all; in fact it seemed to be a subject that was off the table. They each shared stories of how they had gotten their new name but nothing from before…and he'd noticed that when Iguana had started to mention something about her past that Starbuck had effectively silenced her with one steely look.
He'd definitely ask her about that later when they were alone.
But in reality, all that seemed to matter to them was the quest for California. They told stories of gold-filled rivers and enough land for everyone. Enough land so they could finally stop riding.
It seemed like a dream, albeit a nice one, to Lee.
California? Was this just another made up word of Starbuck's? A way for her to keep the group in line, so they could all survive out here with the toasters?
If so, then she was a brilliant if mildly sadistic leader. People would do almost anything for the promise of the dream.
He should know…he'd been following his fathers dream for him his whole life.
Kara threw a sideways glance at Lee, trying to gauge his reaction to the evening. He looked deep in thought…and not about her. That needed to change.
"So Apollo…" She leaned over, removed the cigar from her mouth and blew a small circle of smoke to his side.
His eyes followed the smoke and then honed in once again on her lips.
If I don't get to taste her soon…"Up here Apollo!" She remarked, her fingers pointing from her lips to her eyes.
She was having a hard enough time concentrating on her game without him staring at her lips like a hungry man…
A small laugh escaped her as she took a swig out of her cup. Thank god for the scalding hell that was Chief's brew. It was enough to clear anyone's head.
Slowly Lee raised his eyes to hers, not bothering to mask the desire there. And he noticed Hotdog avert his eyes, as if witnessing something he shouldn't.
"Not used to men that can multi-task Starbuck?" He asked her just under his breath.
A quick flash of something behind her eyes and then her Starbuck façade returned.
"If you think you're so good at it, why don't you show us what you've got while your busy exercising that pretty mouth of yours?" She retorted, gesturing to his cards.
Lee laughed. He had to give it to her; she knew how to dish it out. It was time to see if she could take it as well.
"Well alright then…but only because you asked so nicely…" He said, moving in closer to her, cards in hand.
His wolf inside was clearly visible now. Maybe she'd pushed him too far in calling his mouth pretty…but it was, far too pretty for that masculine body accompanying it.
Tearing her eyes from his, she looked down as he revealed his cards, shock evident on her face. Full colors…but that was impossible unless…
"Royal Flush!"
"You cheated." Starbuck accused half-heartedly.
"Takes one Starbuck…" Lee told her with a wide smug grin on his face.
"So now that I've proved that I'm far superior to your last opponent, I'm going to show you just how well I can follow orders..."
Starbuck didn't even have time to blink before his mouth took hers.
