Title: Calm – Epsilon Sentence Fic
Author: Monti
Date: July 14, 2007
Rating: PG
Pairing: Kara
Word Count: 570
Category: Action
Warnings: None
Spoilers: Season three through Exodus II
Author's Note: Just wanted to try something a little different so I pulled out the sentence sets.
Additional Note: Kara's point of view.
Summary: Set after the escape from New Caprica on the Raptor ride back to Galactica.
02 – Calm
She'll be cool, calm and collected when she docks aboard Galactica…who is she kidding, she's never any of those.
CALM
Kara sits with her eyes darting around the Raptor trying to take everything in. Reality's kicking in now that she's not in fight or flight mode against Leoben and she's feeling a little shaky. Even though she's had time to catch her breath…everything's still a little dreamlike and fuzzy and she wonders if the last few hours are real. Her mind runs the gamut…
Leoben is dead. Again.
The nightmare of waking up to find a new model in his place is over.
New Caprica is a bust.
But her little girl is safe.
She hugs the child perched on her lap closer to her.
It's too good to be true.
Has to be.
Except she can't be dreaming because there's Sam standing off to the side…staring at her like she'll disappear if he blinks. A full load of people are with them and they all look real…ragged and worn…but real. She's almost afraid to believe it's true and she's heading for home.
The thing that convinces her is Casey. Soft blond curls are tickling under her nose from the head lying on her shoulder. The little hand that reaches for and grabs onto her finger sells it.
She's finally free.
No more being held captive.
No more fighting to stay sane.
No more obsessive Leoben models trying to convince her of a 'special' destiny.
Gods it feels good.
What doesn't feel so good? She's going to have to face Lee…really face him…and from his tone during their last conversation, she shouldn't expect a warm reception. Fighting back the nervous roiling in her stomach, she's happy to see they're next in line to land. Everything else aside…it's good to be home. And…she'll be cool, calm and collected when she docks aboard Galactica…who is she kidding, she's never any of those.
But she'll try hard now.
For Casey.
The poor kid already has the misfortune of having a bad mix of DNA. The least Kara can do is make sure Casey doesn't pay the price for it. Her own childhood being full of abuse only makes her that much more determined that Casey never suffers for who she is. Anyone…anyone who tries will have to get through Kara first.
When the Raptor comes to a halt on the deck, Kara feels a lightness she hasn't felt in a really long time. She scrambles out of the bird and reaches back to pick Casey up, laughing at the little girl's wide-eyed look of awe.
"Oh my gods."
Still laughing, she turns to see Tyrol starting at her in shock.
"Captain? Thought you were dead."
Hugging Casey a little closer, Kara replies. "Uh, yeah…so did I." Even saying that, she can't stop grinning.
Curious, Galen asks. "Really… and who is this?" He steps closer, bending down to get a look at Casey.
Sam came around from behind them. "Yeah…I was gonna ask that myself."
Kara's smile grew wider. "Uh…this is—"
"Casey?"
And in the space of an instant that seems to move in slow motion Kara's reality becomes a nightmare.
Again.
The child she thinks is hers, the one she just swore to protect, reunites with her real mother and Kara's left standing…too shocked to move or do more than try to hold it together. The deck teems with people…but she's utterly alone and her newfound resolve crumbles around her.
She has no reason to bother…there's nothing left to care for.
FIN