Bright, Shiny Futures - Chapter Four

Kara was overwhelmed by emotion. She even cried - once she was in private anyway - something she very rarely did. She'd thought all of this was behind her. Eight years was a long time and she'd mourned those she'd loved and lost and done her best to move on. She'd had to - her baby had needed her.

In her heart the knowledge that Galactica wouldn't be coming was almost a certainty but though she'd always known there was a chance they'd show up one day, she felt confident that she'd grown past that and was happy in her new life. When and if they came, she'd say hello, find out how things were going and go back home to her family. She wasn't prepared for the onslaught of feelings that would take her straight back into the past.

The door swung open and Lee was ushered in. He strode confidently towards her but stopped as though stricken when she put her hands up to wipe her teary eyes.

There was a gold band on the fourth finger - a wedding band. Just like the one he'd worn so long ago.

The smile Kara had been trying to force out against the tears wavered when she saw the light in his eyes turn dark. Her brow furrowed and their eyes met. She didn't have to ask.

"You're wearing a wedding ring." His voice was lifeless, as though he was pronouncing something sombre and dark. Like her death.

"Lee, I ..." Words faltered for a moment. "I can explain."

"You're married?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Neither of them moved but it was as though they'd each taken a step back. The chasm between them grew, as it always had, and Kara felt as though someone had placed a chunk of ice on the back of her neck.

The Vice President must have noticed the growing tension as he then stepped forward and became an active participant in the tableux.

"The President has authorized me to let the first fifty we've tested go. We will escort them back to Washington to be housed while appropriate identification and decisions regarding their future can be made."

"Decisions regarding their future?" Kara pulled herself out of Lee's stare with an effort. "What do you mean?"

"Figuring out whether or not they will become US citizens or be sent elsewhere. You must be aware we have a rather strict policy on immigration and we're not willing to allow seventeen thousand people to just come on in."

"Where are you going to send them then?" Kara knew she sounded belligerent and argumentative but she couldn't keep it out of her voice. These were her people after all.

"Canada has agreed to take a portion of them and we're in negotiations with Australia as well. These people appear to speak English so we'd like to stick to those places where English is the prime language."

"Nice of you to help the transition," she murmured grudgingly. She felt a twinge of remorse at her words. It wasn't his fault - he might be the Vice President of the most powerful country on the planet but it was more or less a figurehead position. He had no real power - that had been taken away when the previous VP had been booted from office. He'd been found to be the puppetmaster pulling the strings behind the show and had been summarily removed from his position. The new VP was an able politician but was given no real power to work with so as to prevent more scandals.

"The language isn't quite the same but it's awfully similar. What about the others?" she asked.

"They will continue to be detained until they've been questioned and tested."

She nodded. He'd only confirmed what she was already certain of. But what was going to happen when they tested Sharon? And Hera? And had Helo and Sharon had more children since she'd been gone? If so, what about them? She wasn't sure how she could explain them to the government without sounding like a crackpot or worse. But when they discovered a bunch of the people she'd sworn were human weren't, retribution was sure to come, to her as well as to them.

Unless of course they didn't find out ... regular blood tests might not detect Cylons. Baltar had created a specific test to detect Cylon blood but even it had failed and Sharon had slipped through undetected. Maybe they would get lucky ...

"I'd like you to take me to my father." Lee broke into her thoughts suddenly. His words were cool and matter-of-fact.

"Of course. Our transport will leave in an hour. I'll make sure you get a room at the hotel with your father and the woman."

"You could stay with me." The words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to kick herself. Oh Gods Kara, what do you think you're doing?

Lee's eyes met hers briefly. "I think it's best if I don't." He looked away.

"You'll come visit though?" She knew it sounded like she was begging but she couldn't help it. This couldn't be the end of their contact after so many years of waiting. It couldn't be!

"Of course," he said politely. He turned to the Vice President. "May I speak with the others who aren't being released? I'd like to let them know what's going on. They may be a little more ... pleasant about it if it comes from someone they know."

"Of course."

Lee turned and headed out the way he'd come, guard in tow. Kara felt her heart shatter.

He didn't want to talk to her anymore. It was over.

XXXXX

Sam fell into step with Helo as he paced the tiny compound.

"What's wrong man?" he asked quietly as the two of them strolled around the perimeter.

They did a full circuit before Helo answered. "Who says anything's wrong?"

"I do."

Helo stopped and turned towards him, a bemused expression on his face. "Who died and put you in charge?"

"I did."

Well that was one thing Helo had always had to admit about Sam - he had confidence (some called it arrogance) in spades.

"So, what's bothering you?"

Helo swallowed uncomfortably. "It's Sharon and the girls. Sharon is a Cylon and the girls are mixed. What happens when they get their blood tested and it's discovered they're not human?" His voice had dropped to barely a whisper. Sam wondered why since everyone knew about Sharon. Perhaps there were some civilians who didn't or had just forgotten over the years, though that was hard to imagine given the relentless with which their enemy had pursued and destroyed them. Maybe Helo just didn't like admitting to himself. He treated Sharon as though she was completely human - always had - and maybe in his mind she'd ceased to be made of metal and circuits and had become the woman he'd fallen in love with all those years ago when he'd believed her to be flesh and bone just like everyone else. It was hard to know with him - Helo had become a fairly close friend in recent years but Sam still didn't feel like he knew him very well. He was a man who played his cards close to his chest - closer than most and though he knew several who liked to play the game that way and were damn good at it, Helo had them beat.

"I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it," Sam said.

"Yeah, but the women and children are in a separate area. How are we going to know when they're being tested? We wait for these guys to come rushing in with guns blazing, shooting before they ask questions?"

Sam shrugged, wishing there was something more he could do to help. "I guess we'll have to trust that Kara, the Admiral and Roslin will be able to deal with the situation and make sure it's understood that they're not the enemy." His heart beat faster as he said Kara's name. Stop it, he chastised himself. She's not yours anymore. He fingered his wedding ring absently, wondering how Tory was doing. he hoped they'd both be tested and let go soon to begin the bright, shiny future they'd talked of so often.

He slapped Helo on the back in a comradely fashion. "Cheer up. It'll all work out, I just know it. And if it doesn't, well we can fight them and win. We did it with the Cylons, we can do it again."

"Hmm," Helo sighed. "Except I've a feeling humans would make a much tougher enemy to beat."

Sam tilted his head to one side, as if lost in thought. "Perhaps you're right. But at least they can't resurrect."

XXXXX

Kara boarded the plane last. Well except for the guards.

People had assumed she and Lee were going to sit together and so no one had taken the seat beside him. Everyone knew the legends of Starbuck and Apollo (already legendary in their own lifetimes) and knew that this reunion was something special. No one had to say it aloud - she could see it in their faces.

She walked slowly down the aisle and stopped at the one empty seat. As she sat, she felt Lee's eyes on her but when she turned to meet them he'd already looked away and was staring out the window.

Fine. She'd wait him out. She hadn't read him wrong - he'd been astounded to find her alive and he did still love her. Even if his earlier actions hadn't proven it the cold shoulder she was now getting did. Jealousy didn't suit Lee and right now it was emanating off him in smoldering waves.

She could wait. Eventually he'd have something to say. He always did.

Fifteen minutes passed in silence. As Kara had predicted, Lee was the one who broke it.

"How long?" he said quietly, still facing out the window.

"I beg your pardon?" His words didn't quite mesh with the scenario she'd been playing out in her head.

"How long?" he repeated dully. "How long did it take you to remarry?"

"We got married three years ago," she answered, eyes fixed on the seat in front of her.

"So it took you five years to forget us and move on."

Their conversation was low but tense. No one could have overheard their words but Kara felt the bitterness of them clearly.

"Yeah, I tried to move on. But that doesn't mean I ever forgot you," she replied, feeling the anger build within her. "It's been eight years Lee, what did you expect, to find me exactly the same as you'd last seen me?"

He finally faced her. "I didn't expect to find you at all!" he said explosively, still in a whisper. "It changes everything."

Their eyes locked hotly and she felt all the old anger, frustration and worthlessness she'd put behind her welling back up inside.

"I did what I had to do. After five years of waiting I had to assume you weren't coming. I had to do what was best for me."

"You always do," he said, disgust colouring his words. "It's what you're best at."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she hissed, fury locking her body rigidly.

"Taking care of number one was always your first priority. It's good to see some things never change."

She glared at him for a moment then turned away. "You don't even know me anymore so stop judging me. You're no better than I am. I'm sure once you got over the fact that I wasn't there to kick around anymore you went merrily on with your life." She smiled, bitterness twisting it into more of a grimace. "You and Dee have a nice big family by now?"

He glared at her for a moment before speaking. "We got divorced a long time ago." His voice was tight, angry. He turned to face the window again.

Kara knew she was upsetting him but she couldn't resist the urge to keep pushing. "You didn't answer the question. Any kids?"

His head snapped around angrily to face her again. "No." His eyes were ice cold. "Things fell apart after you died ... supposedly died, and they never quite worked out again after that."

"Oh." She shrank back into the seat, suddenly feeling sorry she'd asked.

"That's what you wanted to hear, right? You've always wanted my life to be miserable while you're happy so now you've got what you wanted." He threw himself back against the seat and stared out the window, willing the tears to stay back. He knew he shouldn't be acting this way. He had no claim over her - never had had, and she was free to make her own choices. But there was something inside that just wouldn't stop - he'd spoken before he'd thought and a part of him rejoiced when he knew he'd struck and blow and hurt her.

"That's not true." He could hear the tears in her voice.

"Yes it is. You've always done everything you could to hurt me while taking exactly what you wanted and not caring about anyone else's feelings."

"What was I supposed to do Lee? Wait around for the rest of my life for you? For what, to find you and Dee were still married and had a bunch of rugrats and Galactica's equivalent of a porch swing?"

"We're not together anymore - haven't been for seven years."

Their eyes tangled. "That's not the point. I didn't know that did I? Last I heard you were dumping me for her. You were 'happier than you'd ever been' so what was I supposed to assume? And how the hell did I know you were even going to come? It's been eight years - eight frakking years - I think it would be safe to assume the Cylons finished you off and you were never coming."

He looked deeply into her eyes for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then he looked away.

"I need to get some sleep. It's been a long couple of days."

She could hear the weariness in his voice and knew he wasn't just making an excuse not to talk to her. It was awfully convenient though.

"Yeah, me too," she whispered, laying her head back against the seat and closing her eyes.

Her cellphone rang a few minutes later, her home number flashing in green. She debated for a moment whether or not to answer it. After four rings she picked it up.

Lee kept his eyes closed, listening but pretending not to. It was hard not to eavesdrop on someone sitting right beside you though, so he had an excuse should she be angry with him.

"Hi."

"I'm okay. How are you guys?" Guys?

"Good. I'm on my way back to DC. Hopefully I'll be home by supper but there's no guarantees. This is government after all." She smiled.

"They're releasing them slowly, after complete debriefing and tests. I'm escorting the first group back now."

There was a pause. Lee's heart turned to stone. He was suddenly sure she was talking to the husband.

"Yes he's still alive," she said quietly. Lee knew that tone only too well. She didn't want to talk about it. Wait a minute - 'he's still alive' - he who?

"We'll talk about it later, okay?"

"I miss you too. I'll be home soon. I love you," she added in a whisper, as if she hoped he wouldn't hear.

He sighed inwardly as she flipped the phone shut and shoved it in her bag. It seemed as though there was no chance of any relationship between them now. He wasn't naive enough to believe it was completely over though. They'd closed several chapters of their lives before, including this one where each believed they were never going to see the other again, but the story wasn't over.

Far from it.

He had a feeling they were just beginning another painful chapter of a story with no bright, shiny future at the end of it. Just like every other chapter.

TBC