She drifted in and out of consciousness for seemingly endless amount of time punctuated my sensations of intense pain, and the touch of a hand on hers. Light, dark and time had no meaning; she doubted she could tell how long she had been in the sick bay. Then a light seemed to flood the room, but her eyes couldn't close. She felt a floating sensation and saw herself lying, plagued with bandages on the bed below. She had died, not a pleasant thought.

A slender hand took hers, and suddenly she was in a room filled with light. The goddess in front of her smiled, at least she though it was a goddess. Kara spoke one word: "Artemis?" which was returned by a nod. The goddess stroked her cheek and led her through an expanse of light, towards a darker form. Kara felt content, exposed and terrified all at once. She was still unable to think clearly, about anything. The form turned around, wordlessly, the goddess placed her hand in that of Lee Adama. The goddess held their hands together for a moment, then Kara found herself alarmingly staring into her own eyes, before the vision faded to black.

Kara struggled to open her eyes, when she did, she saw Lee sleeping beside her bed in a chair, his head against the wall and his mouth hanging open in a completely unpleasant fashion. Despite the grimness of the situation, Kara giggled madly from her place on the bed. Lee awoke with a start, banging his foot against the wall as he did so, causing Kara to giggle louder.

Doc Cottle turned the corner before muttering around his home rolled cigarette, "That's it, no more morpha, and just a heart monitor for now, you're condition is stable Thrace." Then he turned back to another task, likely rolling more cigarettes on his desk.

"Kara," Lee said taking her hand, "It's been three weeks since the last time you've said anything intelligible or even looked alert, but, this is good, you're through the worst of it."

"So, I'm going to live?"

"Yeah, and I don't know how you pulled it off, with infections from the cuts, and blood loss, we actually had to have a blood drive, and the tubes are all out, just a heart monitor left now Kara."

"When will I be back in my viper?"

Lee leaned over and kissed Kara tenderly, she was annoyed by the distraction technique, it wasn't a good sign, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. "Kara, your lower legs took the worst of the damage, it may be a long time before…"

At this point he was cut off by a rather irritated Doc Cottle, "Never, you may never fly again," If he actually showed emotion, Kara supposed this would be exasperation, seemingly directed at Lee.

Lee looked more concerned as he observed Kara for a hint of emotion; she grabbed him into a hug, hanging on to him, as she attempted to comprehend with a partially drugged brain what exactly had been said.

During the next few hours Kara said nothing, but held onto Lee, who managed to find a way to sit on the bed so he could just hold onto her, like it might keep her with him. Doc Cottle went to his quarters at the end of his shift, and a medic worked quietly in the darkened room of a simulated night.

"Lee?"

"Yes?"

"If I never get to fly again than…"

"Don't worry about that now, just concentrate on recovering, then we can tackle that."

"Lee, if I can't fly, then I need something else."

"Hmm?"

Kara returned the noise with a kiss, drawing Lee closer, running her fingers through his hair, and pushing herself against him. She needed to forget for a few minutes, no matter how fleeting, and she needed to affirm she was still alive.

Lee broke the kiss, "Kara you can't be serious; we're in sick bay." His voice was a whisper, which betrayed both nervousness and desire

"Kara, you're injured, I might…"

"Try." She responded, "Come on Lee, frak me." Kara put one of her hands somewhere that would ensure Lee would see her seriousness; she caressed him through his pants.

"Kara…" he responded with a sound somewhere between a groan and gasp, pulling away.

Kara thought fast, she knew what would change his mind, "Make love to me Lee." That was one request she knew he wouldn't deny. She hadn't particularly wanted to say it, but it was necessary, she wanted Lee.

"Kara…" he sighed, much calmer, kissing her with more passion. He attempted lean on her body, which was met by a gasp of pain. He adjusted so that he was supporting most of his own weight. He got off her, which made her grimace, her body was already beginning to respond to him, and she had no desire to stop. She was relieved when she saw him close the curtain, before kneeling at the end of her bed, leaning forward to kiss her face and neck, and she responded with equal passion. For a few minutes, they were content to caress each other, their mouths only reluctantly leaving each other to kiss other places. She reached her hand towards his pants and he responded by dropping them, pausing to remove his shoes, and crawling up further on the bed, raising his arms and permitting her to remove his shirt, which she did quickly, as she adjusted her body to better accommodate him, which he had to help her position her injured legs which made her gasp and made him nervous. The hospital gown she was wearing, was very accommodating and needn't be removed. He was tentative about getting on top of her; he lowered himself as gently as possible, everything about him portraying nervousness. She encouraged him with her hands, pulling him closer.

He entered her smoothly, cautiously, then again the same cautious movement.

"Lee, don't hold back." She whispered.

They worked up a rhythm, which was slow, but passionate. She had always been good at containing her moans during sex, but with Lee she made an exception, she let herself moan and gasp into his insistent mouth as he continued to work her body, which despite being injured seemed to co-operate rather well. Finally, she felt herself come, moaning his name, "Lee…" he moved faster than before, and then, he too came and collapsed on top of her for a moment causing her to grimace and yelp in pain. The sudden pressure of Lee's body against her tender scars had a terrible effect.

"I'm sorry Kara, I didn't mean to put all my weight on you like that, are you alright?" His voice was breathless.

"Yes, I'm okay now, don't move suddenly." She answered, equally short of breath, still gasping.

"I love you." He said kissing her tenderly on the mouth, letting himself linger on top of her.

It was still hard to answer that, but Kara made herself say it, "I love you." No matter how many times she said it to Lee, it didn't seem to get easier, not that she didn't love him, but saying it was hard. She held on to Lee, before her not-so-drugged brain reached a conclusion, as her memory seemed to fail her prior, she recalled that Lee was still married to Dualla, and she was still awaiting recognition of a legal divorce, although the separation was finally official. She had made an adulterer out of her best friend.

The same conclusion seemed to reach Lee, the exact ramifications of what they had just done. He got up slowly, adjusting Kara first so that she was adequately covered before pulling on his own boxers. Kara rethought the same conclusion reaching Lee when he crawled back onto the bed and nestled himself against Kara, he seemed to rethink her confusion.

"Just in case someone wanders in here, I thought we should cover up."

Kara didn't want to say anything; she just let him hold on to her, as they both fell asleep.