A/N: It's 5:30 in the morning, I drank WAY too much coffee, so I am up and writing. Hopefully this doesn't come out as rambling babble. I am so happy that you guys are enjoying this story. I know the Kara's abuse stuff has been pretty heavy thus far, but from here on out that stuff is done (well, at least the abuse by her mother). Reviews tell me to keep up the good work. They also do wonders for my self esteem.

"Kara, wake up." She felt Lee's hand gently shake her shoulder. At some point she must have fallen asleep. She batted his hand away. "Seriously Kara, you need to get out of the raptor, Chief needs to do the post flight check off with Racetrack and they can't do it with you asleep in here."

"Fine." She grumbled. It was the first time she had properly laid eyes on him since he got on board. He looked softer around the edges now that she saw him up close. Apparently every pound she had lost on that gods forsaken planet had ended up on him. He wasn't fat, but she could see that his angles weren't as hard. She rubbed her eyes, the Galactica's hangar deck lighting was only half on, and it was still brighter than most days on New Caprica.

"Come on." Lee tried to grab her arm to help her up but she roughly pulled away from him, looked up and gave him a glare. "Fine, get yourself out of here." It was a tone he hadn't used with her since she was his bratty assed pilot. He put his hands up in defense, turned and got off the raptor. She felt the ship lift when he did. He must have fled the hangar immediately.

She looked out the door and could see Helo waiting for her. His arms were crossed over his chest and he had his usual shit eating grin on. It was a look that was so familiar and still somehow unbelievably comforting. It had been a long time since she had seen that look, had seen him at all.

"Come on Thrace, get down here." Helo called to her. She got up reluctantly, and forgot all about regaining her sky legs. She had to grab onto the frame of the door to steady herself. The pressure on the deck was making her ears pop and causing her slight vertigo. She wrenched her jaw twice to pop them and felt better. He walked up and offered her an arm, "Okay, maybe don't try to get down here too fast." He chuckled.

She looked down for her bag, and it was absent. "Where's my stuff?" She asked with a slight bit of panic. She was not going to lose that dress.

"Commander Adama had it ported to your room." Racetrack answered, looking awfully irritated that Kara was holding up her check out. She remembered how it was, that suit was a sweat factory, and when you were off flight duty all you wanted was a shower and some dry clothes.

"Oh, okay." Kara was still slightly dazed, but found her way out of the raptor. It was strange to be back on this deck. These metal walls held so many memories, some bad, mostly all good. It smelled of engine grease, tyllium and sweat, for a former pilot it might as well have been filled with roses.

Helo embraced her in a huge bear hug. She forgot what it felt like to receive such unconditional love. Helo didn't care who she frakked or how much she drank, he just loved her. He was like family. "Gods it's good to see you." He mumbled into her hair. He made her feel like a dwarf, he had since they were teenagers. She must have forgotten just how big he was. Sharon was a brave woman, cylon, whatever.

"Helo," she gasped, "I need air, must breathe." He released her with a good laugh. He was in incredibly high spirits. It was nice to see someone who was happy to see her. The only person who was ever happy to see her on New Caprica was the bartender.

"The Admiral wants to see you, but then we need to catch up. I've got to go get a few things wrapped up before we can have some time together, but I really want to hear all about life down there."

"There isn't much to say, but okay." She shrugged. Really, what was there to tell him? Should she share with him the events of the night of Founders Day, the events that lead to the start of her rapidly disintegrating marriage? Should she tell him about her gambling problem which only helped to feed her drinking problem, of which both were compensating for her I have nothing better to do with my damn life problem? There was a time she would have told Helo everything, there was a time when she wouldn't have had to wonder what she should and shouldn't tell him. She missed those days, but a lot had changed since then.

"Do you want someone to escort you to the Admiral's quarters?"

"I can remember the way." She replied with lifted eyebrows.

Helo and she headed towards the exit to the main deck. "It's good to see you Kara." He gave her arm a light squeeze before heading down the hall to the CIC.

Galactica's halls were mostly empty now. The whole place felt vacant. Half the lights were out to conserve energy. The tyllium ship was still producing fuel, but at a quarter of the production. With a smaller staff there was no reason to light up all of the decks, and conservation was just a good all around plan. But it made the whole place feel a lot bigger because it was so hollow, but still somehow claustrophobic, like the walls were crushing in. Maybe all that sky above her was frakking with her head, because this was home, not there.

She knocked on the Admiral's door and the old man answered. His face lit up at the sight of her. It was so surreal to be around people who cared about her this much, people who could be this excited to see her. It felt almost alien to be embraced so much in one day. The only physical contact she had these days was the sickening satisfaction of punching some civie in the face when they cheated at her table.

"Kara, it's good to see you." He hugged her and she knew he could feel the ribs beneath her thin shirt.

"You too sir." She almost felt the sting of tears at her eyes. She held it back, not even understanding why they were there in the first place. All the events of the last few months, all of her regrets came washing over her, but this wasn't the time or the place for self pity.

He let her go and guided her into the room. She flopped down on the familiar couch. Being a civilian meant she didn't have to follow protocols, she could just be a person visiting a friend in the military. He poured her a glass of whatever the flight deck was producing these days. Whenever she was near the old man she felt safe and secure, and loved. It was like having her father back; even though her father was long gone.

"So how long before you beg me to let you get back into a viper?" She must have looked startled. "While you're up here I am sure you'd like to get behind the old stick again."

"Oh, yeah, I hadn't really thought about it. I just got back up here. It takes a lot of getting used to, I kinda forgot that."

"Even when I wasn't in the fleet I was working on ships constantly, I guess I never really had that kind of down time on the planet. The adjustment isn't much when it's only a few weeks, but I can imagine after a few months it gets harder."

"Yeah it does. So how are things up here?"

"They are relatively dull, which I am happy to say. After the last few years it's nice to have some time where we aren't constantly at alert."

"It's boring though, right?" She asked with a smile. She knew that he had to be bored to tears, especially with Tigh and Roslin planet side.

"Yes, but we still have a duty to do up here. Someone needs to be a guardian for the colony"

"Duty, yeah, I remember something like that." She nudged him with her elbow.

"It doesn't seem like they are making much progress down there."

"Progress? I think that's a bit hopeful. We don't even have a well or sewage system yet. There aren't enough trees to build homes, the tents are cold, the people don't have enough to do. But Baltar seems pretty happy about all of it."

"I was afraid this was what would happen. "

"We all were. But what can you do about it? Not a damn thing if you asked me. Most people seem pretty satisfied being down there."

"And you? Are you satisfied?"

"No, but it's where I'm supposed to be." She hated how honest she'd be with him.

"Because of Sam?"

"Because I retired sir." She didn't want to talk about Sam. She didn't want to have to tell him the truth.

"He could come back up here if you wanted to. We have plenty of room, we could always use another knuckle dragger or pilot."

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen."

"Are you two having problems?"

"In a sense, but I'd rather not talk about it right now. I'm here for a celebration remember?" She smiled and shifted the conversation easily. "Helo and Sharon getting married, how'd he pull that one off?"

"I've been spending time with her, and she's not a threat to anyone. She's clearly not Boomer. I've even considered taking her out of there and reinstating her at full military status. We need her now, if the cylons find us, we're frakked with half my troops living on the ground!"

"True. I just figured Helo must have bribed you." She laughed a bit.

"I'm sorry to cut this visit short, but I have some things to attend to."

"No problem, I could use a shower, and I need to find whoever's in charge of the rumored bachelor party."

"Word on the street? You need to talk to Hot Dog, but you didn't hear it from me." He smiled, his smile was always so warm.

They got up, glasses long empty. He gave her another small hug.

"Do you know where they've got me set up?"

"I believe we have you in the Presidential quarters, seeing as no one Presidential ever visits up here." He said with a smile and a wink.

"Wow, you sure know how to roll out the red carpet up here." She laughed.

"It's good to have you up here again. These halls have been mighty quiet since you've been gone."

"And I'm sure the brig's been awfully empty."

"That too."

She opened the hatch and headed out into the hall.

"Hey Starbuck, what do you hear?"

"Nothing but the rain."

"Grab your gun and bring in the cat."

"If I could sir, I would." She smiled and headed towards her quarters.