Bright, Shiny Futures - Chapter Thirty-One
Silence hung heavy in the room. After the initial news broadcast Kara had turned off the TV, not wanting the images to scare the children. They'd talked of other things till Kara had taken them up to put them to bed.
Lee looked at his father, then Laura Roslin - now his step-mother, then back at Adama again. He'd noticed something when cleaning the kitchen after the meal. Something he found disturbing - a scent he never thought he'd smell again.
"Can I ask you something?" His blunt words, spoken softly, broke the silence.
Roslin nodded.
"Why are you taking chamalla again?" He swallowed painfully as his eyes met hers. "Are you ... is your cancer back?"
"How did you know about the chamalla?"
Lee's lip quirked. "Your tea mug."
She raised an eyebrow and in her eyes Lee saw a new measure of respect. It was far better than the hatred he'd seen in them the last time he'd confronted her about the same thing. "It's been eight years. I'm surprised you recognized it."
His nose crinkled, as if smelling it again. "It's rather unmistakable." He drew in a long breath. "But you haven't answered my question."
Roslin shook her head decisively. "No, thank the Gods."
Adama twined his head with hers and squeezed, causing her to share a look with him.
"Then why?"
Roslin took a deep breath of her own, raising her chin instinctively as if ready to defend an unpopular decision she'd made. "For the visions."
"I thought you didn't like having them."
"I don't, but I believe they're necessary." Her eyes bored into him, something that while he'd grown used to during their time working together, he still wasn't comfortable with, years later. "There's something going on, something deeper than what it seems and I need to know."
That's always been your problem, he thought. Your need to control everything.
She must have read his mind. "No, I'm not doing it because I feel the need to be in control of the situation. I just feel in my gut that there's something wrong and I need to find a way to get to the truth. Don't you feel it Lee? That sense of dread? And I don't just mean what was on the news about imminent nuclear war."
Lee shifted in his chair, feeling a flush creeping up the back of his neck.
Adama's eyes narrowed. He'd learned to read his son fairly well in the years they hadn't worked together. Surprisingly, they'd grown much closer with more space between them.
"You know something we don't," he said flatly.
Lee fought the hackles that began to rise at his father's accusatory tone. They stared at one another in antagonistic silence for a few minutes.
"It's not my secret to share," he said eventually, "but circumstances are making the decision for me. We may need your help." He paused a moment. "We need to wait for Kara though."
Roslin wanted to press him - her visions had sown a sense of urgency in her, but the way his jaw set squarely told her there wasn't much use. She knew full well that he could be just as stubborn as she at times.
Adama squeezed her hand, as if reading her mind. She tried to be patient.
XXXXX
"Mommy, is Lee going to stay with us?"
"Yes honey." Kara smoothed her son's blonde hair back.
"How long? Forever?"
I hope so. "I don't know how long. For a little while anyway."
"Is he going to be our new daddy?"
Oh Lords! "Zach, Lee already is your daddy. But so is Michael. They're both equally important and you can't forget that."
"Is daddy coming back?"
"I hope so." Gods please forgive me the lie. "I don't know though sweetheart. Sometimes people go away and come home, sometimes they don't."
"Maybe God gave us Lee because he took our other daddy away."
There was nothing she could say to that so she just leaned in and gave him a fierce hug, blinking back tears. "I love you sweetheart and I know your daddy does too - both of them," she whispered.
His little arms encircled her neck and held her tightly, as if afraid to let her go.
"Are you going to be okay here by yourself?" Kara asked, pulling back to look him in the face. He nodded, face splotchy-red and solemn. "We'll just be downstairs if you need anything."
"You're not going anywhere?"
She shook her head firmly. "I promise. We'll be downstairs talking for a while, then we'll come up to bed."
"Is Lee going to sleep with me again?"
"I don't know honey."
"Can he? Please?"
"I'll have to ask him, okay? I'm not sure it's very comfortable sleeping on the floor though, so he may want to sleep on the couch downstairs instead."
"He could sleep in your bed," Zach suggested eagerly, eyes lighting up at the thought.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why not. There's room ... " and with the innocence yet insight only a child could have, he added, "he can keep you company so you don't get lonely without daddy."
Kara pulled him in for another hug, wiping away the tears that wouldn't stay checked this time. "That's a very sweet idea Zachary. You're so very much like your father you know." She buried her face in his hair for a quick kiss, then smoothed it as she pulled away. "I love you honey."
"Love you too mommy." Zach settled down in bed, snuggled up to his favourite stuffed animal, now apparently satisfied that he had everything worked out.
Kara closed her eyes and let out a sigh as she shut her son's bedroom door. If only life were so simple!
XXXXX
"Major Agathon, what are you doing calling so late?"
Helo winced at the acidity that wasn't quite hidden behind the Vice President's almost-polite voice.
"Sir, I'm sorry to be calling you this late but my wife and I have been watching the news reports and the threat of nuclear war scares us beyond belief."
"You and everyone else."
"Perhaps us more so because we've been through it before - forced to leave our planet because it was irradiated and our enemies would have stopped at nothing to wipe us out."
There was a brief silence. "So what exactly is your point Major?"
Helo cleared his throat. "We'd like to help."
"How?"
"What do you need? If there's anything we can do ... "
"I'm already on my way out to Iraq at the moment," he said brusquely. "I appreciate your trying to help but this is a job for our own government. You'd be best off to just stay out of it."
"Would it help if we were to go with you and explain to them that we mean them no harm? Perhaps if they saw us and the words came from us rather than you ... "
There was a long silence as Helo ran out of ways to genteely explain that perhaps it was the United States government that the other countries were having issue with, not the people from the other side of the galaxy. He flushed as the silence grew. Obviously it wasn't a good idea.
"It might just help." The Vice President cleared his throat, sounding a trifle embarrassed himself. Evidently he'd gotten the point. "But you'd be putting yourselves in a risky position. The Middle East is a very unstable region. They often shoot first and ask questions later."
"We've had plenty of experience with that. Don't worry about us."
"Well if you're sure you're willing ... "
"We are," Helo said firmly, meeting Sharon's gaze. "I'll call the Admiral and President Roslin. They're our leaders, they should be there with us."
"I'll have the plane hold until you arrive. A car will be ready to bring you here within the hour." Silence. "And thank you Major. I appreciate your willingness to help."
"Anything I can do." Helo nodded, though the other man couldn't see the gesture.
As he hung up the phone, Sharon pulled him into a hug. He slid his arms around her and let his chin rest on her hair.
"It's okay, I'll be careful."
"I know." It wasn't much of an exchange but they'd never needed words to speak what was in their hearts.
As they disentangled themselves, he picked up the phone again. It was time to get things moving.
XXXXX
The air was chilly as Kara entered the room. Her eyes sought out each member of the company one by one. In Adama and Roslin's she saw curiosity - mixed with a trace of anger. In Lee's all she saw was sadness.
She sat in the chair by the fireplace, twining her hands in her lap. "Okay, out with it," she blurted, beginning to bite her lip as the tension got to her.
"We have to tell them," Lee said first, forestalling the direct and likely unpleasant assault he could feel Roslin about to launch.
Kara paled slightly.
"Is it that bad?" Adama asked, voice surprisingly soft. "It can't be that bad."
"Oh yes it can," she said, struggling to hold her voice steady.
"It's okay Kara." His voice was like a warm blanket surrounding her. "Whatever it is, we're with you."
Her eyes stung and she blinked repeatedly to keep the tears at bay. "We know who the Final Five Cylons are. I was married to one of them. Two of them ... not at the same time of course ... one killed the other ... now I've got a half-Cylon child and I'm Aurora and I've got a destiny to save the Earth ... " The words tumbled out one after the other till she ran out of breath.
Adama held up a hand. "Whoa ... you know who the Final Five are?"
Lee and Kara nodded together.
"Who?"
"Michael was one of them," Kara whispered. "And Sam. And Sam killed Michael ... "
"What? Why? How?" Roslin was incredulous. "You can't be serious."
Lee watched his father narrowly. Adama opened his mouth as if to speak then shut it again, allowing Kara to continue.
"It was all part of the plan. Their plan, our plan ... I have no idea." Kara's words grew bitter as she spoke. "But the Cylons have done everything they could to get their hands on me."
"You're the most important person in the universe Kara," Lee whispered.
"So they say," she responded defiantly.
"Maybe you are."
"How do you know all this?" Adama asked quickly.
"We had a little confrontation with Sam."
"So let me get this straight." Roslin folded her hands in her lap, teacher-style. "Samuel Anders is a Cylon."
Kara nodded.
"Your husband Michael was a Cylon."
She nodded again.
"And Sam killed Michael."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he wouldn't let Kara go," Lee volunteered.
"I don't understand."
Lee coloured. "Apparently Kara's destiny is to be with me. Michael was just here to create Sara, whom Sam says is the child who will lead us all to our home."
Roslin's spine prickled and she felt herself grow cold. "So that explains it," she said softly. "My visions," she added at their puzzled looks. "Sara has been in my visions."
"You're been having visions again?" Kara asked, brow furrowed.
"Chamalla. It's not Cancer, don't worry." Roslin forestalled the alarm she saw spring to Kara's face. "I wanted to know what was going on and I didn't see any other way."
"Well now you know everything," Kara said wearily. "Michael's gone. Dead and buried. And I have to lie and pretend he's just disappeared because I can't tell the authorities here on Earth what really happened - what he really was, without ending up in jail. Or worse. And you all would be suspect - not just with the rogue countries either. The US wouldn't trust you and you'd all be sent back to Guantanamo to rot for the rest of your lives." she stopped and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
Adama rose and went to stand beside her chair. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That's a heavy burden to bear."
"I can't let it happen. I can't let you all down."
"You know we're with you," Lee said fiercely, finding her eyes.
She nodded as Adama grunted his assent as well.
Roslin nodded, though she still wore a confused look. "There's just one thing I don't understand. You say Michael was a Cylon?"
Kara nodded, wiping more tears.
"But he was already here when you arrived on Earth, wasn't he?"
Kara nodded again.
"That means the Cylons know where Earth is. They're already here."
Lee shook his head. "Not the other four. They were with us."
"Who are they?"
He swallowed hard, reluctant to share the information with them. He had a feeling he knew how his father would react to the news.
"Chief Tyrol, Tory Foster and ... Colonel Tigh."
Roslin pursed her lips and her eyes grew hard as flint. Kara knew exactly what emotions were accompanying that look. She hadn't yet been free to feel them, let alone show them, but they were there, simmering just below the surface.
Adama's reaction to Tigh's name was much different. He shook his head. "No. No. No," he said, the word growing in vehemence with each repetition. "No, it can't be. I won't believe it!"
The room was silent as he wrestled with himself, emotions warring very obviously upon his rugged face.
"I know it's hard to believe someone you cared deeply about is a Cylon," Kara whispered unevenly. "Trust me, I know."
He put a hand back on her shoulder again as he'd done only moments before but this time she could feel his unease through the contact and knew he was drawing strength from her instead of giving it. She felt a surge of warmth and love. This was what families were for -- to be there and help each other through the hard times. She understood now how it was that she'd been able to so easily love Zak, Lee and their father. The Adamas were her family and she'd always known it instinctively on some deeper level. She'd always felt drawn to them though she hadn't known why.
The room was heavy with unsaid words. Time passed. Lee began to think they might all just get up and go silently to their beds - what else was there to say? Roslin, as always though, broke the silence.
"That still doesn't change the fact that one of the Cylons was here on Earth. If one was here, they all know where Earth is. And if Michael is dead, that means he's resurrected and they know we're here."
"Not necessarily," Lee objected. "How do we know they resurrect? Maybe they're different from the others."
"Perhaps." The word rolled off her tongue almost carelessly. "But I wouldn't want to hang our lives on that 'maybe'. Would you?"
He half shrugged and shook his head. "No I wouldn't. But it wouldn't surprise me to find out they're different from the others."
"Why don't you ask Samuel? He seems to be a fount of information." Adama's words were laced with bitterness, as though taking the knowledge that a man he'd looked upon with favour had turned out to be the enemy, personally.
It was Kara's turn to shake her head. "I don't think he knows."
"He seems to know everything else." Kara watched as Roslin's eyes sought out Adama's, still slightly behind her. Solidarity - it was something they'd obviously achieved during the years she'd been gone.
She swallowed. "I think this all came as a big surprise to him. He said he's been having visions - seeing things that he knows are part of the future."
"How can we believe him?"
"How can we believe the visions you see thanks to the chamalla are true?" Kara challenged.
Roslin coloured. It looked good on her - made the highlights in her hair flame brightly. "I suppose they're no different. But I'm on your side. He may not be."
"Sam seems to be," Lee put in. "He says it's his job to watch over Kara and make sure she's safe."
"Safe from what?"
Lee shrugged. "I don't know. But he seems to think it's important that Kara and Sara are kept safe from whatever might come to harm them."
"Like the other Cylons perhaps?"
"Perhaps." He licked his lips and looked up at his father. "I'd like to believe he's on our side ..."
" ... but we'd better watch our backs." Adama chimed in, causing Kara to hear their words in stereo.
"Agreed." Roslin took off her glasses and sat back, nestling into the couch. She looked tired, and Kara knew it was time to put an end to the discussion for the evening.
She'd just sat forward, prelude to standing up and announcing she was going to bed, when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Helo." Lee heard the warmth in her voice before the smile broke out on her face. "What's up? You're calling awfully late."
There was a fairly substantial silence as she listened. The smile wavered and Lee's stomach began to do flip flops. He drew in a deep breath, bracing himself for the worst.
"It's for you Admiral," she said moments later, holding the phone out to Adama.
"Helo wants to talk to me?" He mumbled to himself, puzzlement drawing his eyebrows together in a frown.
"Hello?"
This time the pause was considerably longer and the frown grew deeper as he listened to Helo on the other end. Lee's stomach was definitely not liking this turn of events. He'd expected there to be trouble but deep inside he'd hoped things would go smoothly. For Kara's sake, if nothing else.
Adama hung up the phone five minutes later, "We'll be there as soon as we can," the only other words spoken by him during the conversation. "Laura, we have to go."
She sat up lazily and stretched but though she appeared calm and relaxed, both Lee and Kara could see the tenseness in her body. She too was prepared for the worst it seemed. "I'll get our things together," she said briskly. "Give them a call to come pick us up."
"We need to be at the airport as quickly as we can get there."
"I'll drive you," Kara offered, then looked over at Lee, "that is, if you'll stay here with the kids."
He nodded. "Go ahead. You can fill me in later."
Within ten minutes they were packed and on the road. By tacit understanding, none of them had asked Adama what was up. Their years of following his orders had taught them to trust first and ask questions later. Kara couldn't hide her curiosity long though.
"What's up that you needed to be called away in the middle of the night?" she asked, glancing over at Adama, who sat beside her.
"We're needed to help prevent nuclear war."
TBC
