Disclaimer: I don't own these characters I just play in their world for a while.

Kara is up before Leoben the next morning, tinkering around the kitchen. She's already made coffee and changed into her bathing suit, having thrown a sweat shirt and shorts over the bikini.

"What are you doing up?" He asks kissing the back of her head.

"I am going to help." She says moving to add more coffee to her cup.

"Alright!" He says getting himself some coffee. "Less shoveling for me!" He exclaims leaning against the counter.

"Are you talking to yourself son?" Rob asks coming into the kitchen. "Kara, I didn't think to see you up this early." He says as she comes into view in the kitchen next to Leoben.

"She's agreed to help."

"I insisted that I help." She corrected Leoben.

"Well then, grab a pail and let's head out. Your mother is bringing the food in a few hours. By car." He mentions when Leoben looks like he might volunteer to stay and help his mother. "You're such a mama's boy." They haul all sorts of shoveling tools out to the beach. Leoben volunteers to get the fire going while Kara and Rob get started on the pit.

An hour later Kara and Rob are standing in a good sized hole. Leoben is sitting watching and smirking.

"Son, how did you convince your pretty companion here to do all your work?"

"I didn't. She wanted to come. Besides it makes her happy to have something to do, doesn't it Kara?"

"Yeah. I can't really sit around all day."

"Well, you'll have to get over that this week." Rob remarks. "That's pretty much all we do."

"Don't forget the drinking dad, lords you're going to scare my date off the planet."

"I'll leave that up to you." Rob says with a hint of sarcasm.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He mutters.

Soon the food arrives and they throw the hot ashes and embers from the fire into the pit. The food is stacked on racks and then everyone helps push the sand back on top of the food.

"Well." Rob says kissing his wife. "I am off to the water. Care to join me?" He asks Kara and Leoben.

"I will." Kara says smiling.

"I'll go tomorrow, thanks dad. Have fun."

Liz waits until they're out of earshot before grilling her son. "You've never brought anyone home. She must be very special."

"She is. She's a handful though."

"Are you going to ask her while you're here?" She sits in the sand as she watches her husband give the beach instructions to Kara before they dive in. She smiles to herself and then looks up at her son. "Sit down. You already tower over me when I'm standing." He sits next to her.

"Am I going to ask her what?" He pretends he hasn't a clue what she's talking about.

"Please Obie. You're such a bad liar." He makes a face at her and sighs.

"I'd like to. I'm just not sure she's ready."

"Maybe, maybe not. But you should let her know that it's available. You never know. What's the worst that could happen?"

"She'd break my heart."

"Ah yes but to love deeply you must give all of yourself. It's the only way she'll say yes, is if you give yourself completely." He just stared out across the sand. "Did you at least buy a ring?"

"Course." He takes the small circle out of his pocket and hands it to his mom. "I'm not that stupid." The band is small and simple.

"When were you planning to ask?" She asks handing the ring back.

"No idea. I was hoping I would know the right moment."

"You will. I'm so excited for you." She gushes.

"Don't tell anyone else. They'll tease too openly and then she'll figure it out."

"Alright but you'd better tell us the moment she answers either way."

"Oh I'm sure you'll know, either way." His heart hammered traitorously against his chest as he thinks of asking her to marry him. It was stupid and romantic and he hopes she didn't punch him for it or worse.

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Hours later Leoben and Liz had returned to the house to get out of the sun. Kara was standing up on her surf board by the time they'd left. Leoben had smiled encouragingly and waved. It was lunch time by the time Kara and Rob come up the path to the house. She races up to him and wrapped her wet arms around him.

"You're all wet and salty." He whispered as he kisses her lips.

"Tends to happen when you eat it off a surf board." She laughs and moves to the outdoor shower to get the sticky salt off of her skin before trudging inside. The sand is everywhere and resists coming off in the shower. He comes at her with a huge beach towel. She tries to avoid him and ends up wrapped in the towel and his arms.

"I think they're going to make me puke this week." Rob comments to his wife as he kisses her. "I thought we were bad."

"We used to be worse than that."

"What happened?"

"Kids, political crap, jobs. Life. But I still love you; I just don't want you chasing me with a towel."

"Don't you think she's a little young?" Rob asks.

"You watch them and tell me she's too young or he's too old. They're fine. Stop worrying. How did you end up being the worrier?" She asks moving the food to the small kitchen table. "Lunch." She calls out. The liquor starts for the day with a spike in the iced tea.

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After lunch they retreat to their room so Kara can take a real shower. Leoben falls asleep on the bed while she's in the shower. She joins him after toweling her hair off. After a few minutes of listening to his slow breathing Kara gets up and gets dressed. She goes out on the steps and sits with a book she brought. She doesn't even bother opening the book; she just stares out at the ocean.

He joins her after about an hour. Neither of them say anything; they just sit there taking in the scenery. Soon the house has picked up new life as his sister's arrive. He takes her hand and drags her to meet his other sister. She grimaces before putting her best Starbuck face on to meet the new arrival.

Carmen is standing in the kitchen when Leoben and Kara enter. She turns her cool stare towards Kara and tries to size her up.

"Did you guys get a sitter for the kids tonight?" She comments, knowing full well her brother is holding the woman's hand. Kara laughs outright, loud and clear.

"If you'd ever seen me with kids, you wouldn't even joke about that." She replies. She walks up to Carmen, who now has a hand on her hip. "Hi, I'm Kara. Your brother's girlfriend." Kara puts her hand out; Carmen takes it limply like some women do. Kara gives her a real handshake. Carmen pulls back rubbing her hand. She looks past Kara to Leoben and speaks as though Kara isn't right in front of her.

"Kind of a tomboy, isn't she?" Leoben moves to grab Kara if necessary. She just smiles.

"Through and through." Kara says sweetly. Leoben presses his body against her back, and relaxes a little as she pulls his arms around her.

"Why would you be proud of that?" Carmen asks. Carmen is the type of woman that puts make-up on to get the morning paper.

"Why would you be proud to be such a sissy?" Kara retorts. She bites her tongue. Damn, things were going so well too she thought to herself. Leoben kisses the back of her neck and steers her towards Janice, the nice sister.

"Hi Kara." Janice says.

"Hi Janice. How was the drive in?"

"Good. All the kids in the back were a little more than I could handle. Thankfully they'll be able to run muck tonight." Leoben lets Kara wander outside with Janice, waiting to confront Carmen.

"Do you have to do that?" He asks.

"Do what?"

"Be such a bitch."

"She was a bitch right back." He moves closer to his sister.

"Do you know why I was holding her?"

"Afraid she'll slap me or pull my hair?" Carmen shrugs.

"No, she punches full grown men out cold. Think about it before you piss her off again. There might be a time when she's not as calm and I'm not around."

"Are you threatening me, little brother?"

"No, she'll do it for me." He said grabbing food to carry out to the sand pit. Well that went well, he thought to himself. Carmen had always had a problem with Leoben because he usurped her title as youngest of the Conoys. He sighs to himself knowing she would need professional help before she'd forgive him. Kara has immersed herself with his parents and Janice when he arrives. He smiles at the scene. The kids are actually quite taken with Kara and ask her to help them build a sand castle. Leoben joins them, just in case she wasn't kidding about being bad with kids.

She wasn't the best with kids but she was good with building sand castles, so they kids love her anyways. They all helped haul the sand out of the pit and Kara started cutting the castle out of the sand. When she's done, they all stand back and admire the castle. The kids found leaves for the tops of the spires and they had made a moat that went from the ocean around the castle. Leoben handed Kara a glass of wine as he came to admire her work.

"Wow." He says.

"Yeah. I've never made one before." She comments moving her arm around his hips.

"Seriously?"

"Honestly."

"Well then, it's a good thing I brought my camera. Go stand next to it."

"Naw. Just take a picture of it." She says. He does and he shows her the digital readout. "Nice. Maybe when the sun is setting you can lay on the other side of it and make it look huge?" She suggests. He smiles at her and they move to get some food. They miss the sunset and one of the kids runs into the sand castle.

"Jimmy, what do you say?" Janice prompts. The little boy wipes his nose on his arm as he tries not to cry.

"Sorry."

"It's ok. The ocean would have taken it away at some point. Here, lets all wreck it!" She grabs Jimmy's hand and the other kids come running after them. They trample the sand castle to the ground. "Invasion of the giants." Kara says as they stomp the on the already flattened sand.

Leoben is sitting next to his dad watching Kara play with the kids. He knows how she feels about kids and sighs, knowing that he's giving up that part of his hopes and dreams. But she's worth it, his mind screams. He chuckles to himself and returns his attention to the conversation.

The kids set up their tents and are passed out before any of the adults are even feeling tipsy.

Leoben grabs a bottle of whiskey and Kara and they head off down the beach, and away from prying eyes. She's slipped a sweat shirt over her top but still huddles close to him for warmth. They pass the bottle back and forth until the stars are dancing for them. It makes Kara want to dance. She moves to a song only she can hear.

"Join me?" She asks. He tries to keep up with her but there's no discernable rhythm for him to pick up. He falls down laughing. She collapses in his lap and he wraps himself around her like he always does when she's within reach. She kisses his arm around her neck and leans back into him.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asks.

"Absolutely." She nods.

"Good." He can feel his body react as he realizes this is the time. "Think you could stand this for the rest of your life?"

"Wha..." She gets out, turning in his arms.

"Kara Thrace will you marry me?" He asks seriously. She stares at him for a handful of heartbeats.

"Why?" She asks knowing she shouldn't. He sighs; realizing he was a fool for thinking this would be easy. "Is that the liquor talking?" He pulls the ring off of his pinky, where its been all night. "Frak, you're serious."

"Because once you told me that I didn't know you well enough to tell you that I wouldn't leave you someday." He kisses her on the nose. "This is me knowing you well enough, loving you deeply enough, to tell you that I'm not leaving you." He sighs as she says nothing, eyes lost in the past. Lost in the time she said yes to Zak. "Kara, stay with me." He pleads. Her eyes refocus on him. "Why wouldn't you marry me?" He counters. She gasps as if he's said something cruel.

"I can think of a million reasons not to."

"Give me one."

"I've only driving you nuts a year now. How can you possibly know that I should be with you for the rest of our lives?"

"How do you know to protect your crew?"

"I dunno. I just do. Instinct."

"That's how I know I want you for the rest of my life. I know I want you. I want you now and I want you forever. I want you to yell at me when I frak up. I want you to punch the guy at the bar for smacking your ass. I want you. I want you to paint our house someday. I want to wake up every morning curled around you because I still can't get enough of your skin. I want you to be part of my family." At some point tears had started falling down his face as he realizes he was going to lose her and he'd just listed all the reasons he didn't want to lose her. She wipes away his tears and moves to lean back into him. They stay that way for hours. Leoben starts to get stiff, but if this was the last time he'd be able to hold her, then he'd just be stiff.

The sky starts to turn pale and Kara realizes they've been on the beach all night but it's not quite dawn yet. She yawns and mills over her decision one last time before speaking.

"I'll think about it." She murmurs with her lips pressed against his arm. I've fallen asleep, he thinks to himself. He flexes his arms around her and realizes he isn't dreaming. He turns her to look at him again.

"I'm sorry, I think I missed that. Could you repeat it?"

"I don't want to say no, but I'm not ready to say yes."

He kisses her feverishly realizing he didn't lose her. He stands up and pulls her with him. "Shall we head back to the house then?" He asks hoping to get some sleep before having to see his family again.

"Sure." She says as they move up the beach. They fall asleep in their clothes holding one another. He tries to stay up and watch her sleep, unbelieving she's still in his arms but sleep quickly takes him over.

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The rest of the week flies by with jokes about Kara's age and she becomes notorious for swearing like a viper jock.

"But I was a viper jock." She comments when Liz scolds her the morning before they're supposed to leave.

"Do you see any vipers sitting around the house?" Liz asks sipping her coffee. Kara laughs.

"Sorry. I forget where I am sometimes." Kara grins taking a sip of her coffee.

"I do believe I will miss all the swearing when you're gone." Liz remarks. "It has been so nice having the two of you here. You really brighten up a place and I haven't seen Obie this happy in years. In fact you're the first girl he's ever brought home." Kara's eyes widen at that comment. "Oh he had a couple of girl friends in school but those didn't last more than a dance or two. And after that he's pretty much been on his own until now. It makes me happy to see someone in his life. Life isn't supposed to just be about working and observing people." She turns back to her paper. Kara looks out the window, unsure why Liz would tell her that or what to do with that information.

"Well I'm glad to be here. Its been great to meet everyone." She says woodenly. Liz turns her attention back to Kara.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just know my son, and although he might have made a big deal about this I just wanted you to know it means something to me too that you came to meet all of us." Liz is hard to resist. Kara smiles at her and nodded, unsure what she was supposed to do or say.

"He told you, didn't he?" Kara asks softly. Liz reaches over and puts her hand on Kara's.

"Yes but you're still here and you still look at him like he is your world. He would have kicked himself if he hadn't asked. And "not now" is a much better answer than "frak no you cradle robbing bastard"." Liz said seriously. Kara tried not to laugh but couldn't help it.

"Now who's swearing like a viper pilot?" She teases.