Bright, Shiny Futures - Chapter Five

Kara brushed the tears out of her eyes as she drove home. She'd tried turning the music up to drown out her thoughts but no matter what song came on the words just kept reminding her of Lee.

They'd spent the rest of the flight to DC in chilly silence. Her heart however, had been boiling over with shame, pain and anguish at the thought that she'd lost him again. She didn't know for certain if he felt the same but the surreptitious glances she'd sent his way had served to show her that he too was emotionally distraught by the circumstances. He was an open book to her - always had been, and she could tell that though he was acting cool and detached, inside he was definitely hurting.

She had to put herself in his place - if the man she'd loved beyond all else had appeared to die and then been resurrected, she'd have been ecstatic. Then to find out he was married? She'd have been as devastated as he probably was. And he didn't even know about her family, or the little secret she hadn't had a chance to share with him ...

There were several times she'd been positive he'd been about to say something but each time he'd apparently thought the better of it and had swallowed loudly instead. She'd made the effort to reach out one more time before they said goodbye forever.

"I know you'll be busy with getting your life together, but if you ever want to keep in touch," she said, words spilling out hastily in her nervousness, "I'll give you my number." She fumbled in her bag for a piece of paper and pen and hastily scrawled out her name, phone number and address.

He took the proffered page and held it without glancing down. Their eyes met for a brief second and Kara fancied she saw more beneath the icy exterior than he was letting on but it was too late to pursue it. The flight had reached it's end and diplomacy and governmental affairs took over ...

As the familiar strains of a popular heartbreak song played on the radio, her tears began afresh. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. Apollo and Starbuck, Lee and Kara - they'd already had their tragic ending - the painful severing of their relationship and the separation with no real goodbyes. She hadn't anticipated them coming to Earth after all this time but in the darkest recesses of her heart she'd always hoped they would and had imagined how their re-acquaintance would be. They'd have been happy to see one another, to talk of their time apart and what had changed for them. They'd have been able to resume that fragile friendship they'd been cultivating after the messy breakup of the affair, and perhaps take it farther. Perhaps now that she was settled and happy (with someone who wasn't Sam) she'd have been able to stand seeing Lee with Dee. Perhaps they'd all learn to get along. Perhaps their children would become friends and play together.

But of course it wasn't as simple as that. It never was with them. He'd always had that effect on her. Just when she thought she had everything under control and things couldn't be better, Lee frakking Adama had to step in and turn it all upside down.

Only this time she couldn't drown herself in alcohol till the pain receded so far back she couldn't feel it. This time she couldn't just frak any dick that walked by to prove that yes, she was female and she was worthy. This time she had a family depending on her. She couldn't allow herself to self-destruct, either immediately or slowly. She had to keep it together, work it out, and put it behind her.

She peeked in the rearview mirror. A puffy face with swollen, red eyes looked back at her. Cleaning up was a necessity before she reached home.

In a sudden flash of inspiration she pulled over and doused her face with the last of her bottled water and toweled it dry with Sara's 'spare' blankie. The redness and swelling were fading and the mascara tracks down her cheeks had vanished. The little makeup she wore was gone but it had been a long day. Michael wouldn't notice. He often said he preferred her without it anyway, as it 'covered up' her natural beauty.

By the time she pulled into the gravel drive beside the house, she looked much as she had upon leaving it several days earlier. A deep breath and an admonition to herself to be calm and happy later, she pushed the door open.

"Mommy!"

XXXXX

The first thing Lee did upon entering his father's suite was to pull his dad into the biggest hug the two of them had ever shared. He never wanted to let go.

"Thank the Lords of Kobol you're still alive!" Adama exclaimed several minutes later when the family death grip loosened somewhat.

Lee felt a soft hand touch his shoulder. "It's good to see you Major."

Lee finally let go of his father to embrace the woman beside him. "It's good to be seen Madam President," he answered with a small smile. "It's only bee a few days though."

"They aren't exactly the friendliest bunch around here," Adama grumbled.

"I suppose they have every right to be suspicious," Lee said. "Though I have to admit I was a little nervous there for a while that we were going to get a Tigh-style reception - shoot first and don't bother asking."

Adama's face softened into a wistful grin. "Ah Saul ... you have no idea how much I miss him. He was rather abrasive but he was the sort that grew on you, even when you didn't want him to."

"Yeah I know that kind."

Adama sensed a change in Lee's demeanor. It was too subtle to see but he had a pretty good idea what was causing it.

"Kara did a good job convincing them to talk first. She's become quite the diplomat."

When Lee didn't answer Adama knew he'd hit the truth. "You saw her didn't you?"

Lee nodded.

"You saw the ring?"

He nodded again.

There was an awkward pause. "You know she had no choice Lee. Eight years is a long time. I'm sure she'd finally given up hope by then."

Yeah but she got married three years ago which means she was probably with this guy a long time before that. It's not like she waited that long ... The thought flashed quickly through Lee's mind. "I know. Kara's a survivor. She always takes whatever situation she's in and makes the best of it," was what he said instead.

"It's a wonderful thing, adaptability," Roslin said. "Not all of us can make the best of whatever comes."

Lee gave her a direct stare, eyes slightly narrowed. "No, not all of us can. Some of us actually feel things more deeply."

"And have trouble letting go," Adama added gently.

Lee's eyes pierced his father's. "Well there's obviously no reason to hold on any longer."

"Don't forget about Kathryn," Roslin reminded him. "She'll be released soon I'm sure, and then you'll have lots to keep you occupied."

Adama felt unease grow in the pit of his stomach. Kathryn was a nice woman but something about her and his son being together rubbed him the wrong way. He couldn't explain it though so he kept it to himself.

"Yeah." Lee exhaled a long breath. "I'm kind of tired. It's been a long day. I'm going to shower and head to bed."

"You don't want supper?"

"Not hungry. I'll eat tomorrow."

As Lee walked into the adjoining room, he crumpled up the piece of paper Kara had given him and threw it in the wastepaper basket.

He hadn't even looked at it.

XXXXX

Helo shifted uncomfortably as the prison official shuffled papers across his desk. Being called in to talk to the bigwigs either meant very good news or very bad news, and judging from the expression on the official's face he guessed it was the latter.

"There's an anomaly in your wife's blood sample."

It was put out there directly and without beating around the bush and Helo respected that, though the news filled him with both dread and a primal urge to fight to protect his family.

"What sort of anomaly?" His voice was low but he succeeded in keeping it even.

The man in a white lab coat - a doctor he suspected - who'd been standing off to the side stepped forward. "We can't classify it. It isn't any recognized blood type."

Helo heard the suspicion in his voice, and that coupled with the hard looks in both pairs of eyes made him desperate.

A stroke of genius hit him. "It's C. The blood type is called C."

"It doesn't exist," the doctor said flatly, crossing his arms over his chest as if to say 'convince me'.

"Maybe not here," Helo said, thankful the story was making itself up on the fly. "A virus spread through our civilization some years ago and hit almost the entire population. Nearly everyone recovered with no ill effects but a small group - less than one percent, had lasting damage to their DNA and it created a new blood type."

The doctor's face was still suspicious. The official's bewildered.

"Why were only those few affected?"

Helo shrugged. "No idea. I'm not a doctor. Maybe there was something special about their DNA?" Yeah, like they're Cylons perhaps?

"Could be," the doctor mused, stroking his chin and playing absently with his goatee. "That would explain the difference. Almost all the markers were the same as O positive but two of them were unusual and unrecognizable."

"It's not contagious so you don't have to worry about us infecting your population."

"Unless one of you is still a carrier," the doctor objected.

"I would doubt it - it's been at least ten years since the virus was eradicated."

"Hmm. Maybe it's hereditary. Do you have any children?"

Helo's heart began to pound even more wildly in his chest. "Yeah. Two girls, Hera and Kiera."

"I'll want to test them as well."

"They should be with Sharon in the women's and children's ... enclosure." He stopped himself from saying cell just in time. No sense in antagonizing them. "Can you let me know what the tests reveal?"

The official eyed him suspiciously.

"They're my daughters," he said, voice wavering with emotion. "And with Major Adama gone I'm the most senior officer here. The news should come to me."

The official nodded, face growing softer. "I've got three boys myself," he said quietly.

He cleared his throat and stood. "If your family is cleared I see no reason why you can't be released post haste. I'll need you to stay here though, as a liaison between your people and ours. We'll put you up properly in a house though, so don't worry," he added, seeing Helo's slightly alarmed look.

The two men shook hands and a guard escorted Helo back to the outdoor holding cell.

XXXXX

She was conflicted. On the one hand Lee was back. Lee was back! And he still wanted her. Was still in love with her.

On the other, she was overjoyed to see her family and realized yet again why she loved them so much. Sara was the sweetest, most cuddly little girl ever to have missed her mom. She'd hugged her and refused to let go for a full hour! Then she'd shown Kara each and every drawing she'd done in the days she'd been gone, most of them pictures of herself either holding her mother's hand or being carried in her arms. Kara's heart had nearly burst with love for the blonde-haired three year old.

Zachary was less effusive in his display of emotion - perhaps that was due to the fact that he was a whole seven years old, but more likely it was because of his nature. Much more reserved, he felt things deeply, but if you looked into his eyes it was all there to be read - the love he had for his mother plus the fear he'd had, knowing she might not return. He was a boy much smarter and more observant than those his age ... not surprising given his parentage. She'd hugged him tightly even though he'd protested that 'big boys don't need hugs', and hadn't let him go for a long, long time, trying to assuage his fears.

Michael had wisely stayed back and allowed the children to have first crack at her but once they were settled in bed, somewhat later than normal, he'd immediately pulled her into a huge hug and refused to let go.

"I'm so glad you're okay. We were worried," he murmured into her hair.

"I know," she whispered. "You didn't need to be. I'm Starbuck and Starbuck never gets beaten."

He pulled her down on the couch, draping her legs over his lap. "Remember what you told me a long time ago? Starbuck is dead."

"it's just a figure of speech now. I just mean I can still be tough if I need to be," she explained.

"I don't doubt that," he smiled. "But you weren't so tough this time were you?" He touched her cheek delicately, tracing the lines the tears had made.

"I can't hide anything from you, can I?"

"Not a chance, Kara Thrace. You're an open book."

"With pages you like fingering," she teased, winking at him.

"That I do," he replied, tangling his fingers in her hair and kissing her deeply. "Did he make you cry?"

Kara licked her lips. "No, he didn't make me. I just ... " The explanation failed her. For something she could feel so deep it was right in the marrow of her bones, she just couldn't find the right words.

"You still care for him don't you?" he asked gently.

"Of course I do. Lee was one of the most important people in my life before. He's like family - he is family now. It's just ... I don't know. He always managed to make me cry before. I guess things haven't changed."

"You, who are so strong," he whispered, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "He must really be something for you to still feel this way after all this time."

"He is," she answered simply.

He let the silence between them grow, the only sound the crackling of logs on the fireplace.

"Are you going to tell him?" he asked finally.

"I don't know if he wants to see me again. He was pretty broken up about the fact that I was married. But I suppose he has a right to know that he's a father. And after all I've told Zach about his birth father it would be wonderful if they could meet and get to know one another."

Michael nodded. "Do you have a way to contact them?"

She nodded. "Homeland Security gave me the direct line to the Admiral's room. I'm sure he could find Lee for me."

"Perhaps it's best if you wait a little while. Let it all sink in. I imagine the last few days have been nothing but shock after shock for him."

"Yeah, you're probably right," she said, snuggling up against his chest and sighing. Life was perfection now - everything she'd always thought she didn't want turned out to be the most wonderful life she could ever have imagined.

And now Lee had to come back into it and throw her a curve ball. She sighed and closed her eyes. Why me?

XXXXX

At the same time in a lonely hotel room, Lee Adama was retrieving a crumpled piece of paper from the wastepaper basket, finding that no matter how hard he wished he could just throw Kara Thrace away and have a life without her it was impossible for him.

He smoothed out the sheet of paper and read it, mentally making a note to ask how and where to get a vehicle to take him to the address she'd written.

TBC