Chapter 9

Coming in from a meeting with his father, Lee collapsed on the couch. He slowly unbuttoned his uniform top, letting himself relax fully against the couch side. His mind kept running through what his father and he had discussed. Adama informed him that Roslin and he had decided that the fleet was in a stable enough condition that they could focus some of their energy to go back to Caprica and save the survivors.

When Lee had heard this news, his stomach dropped. Adama had an inkling that Kara had some unfinished business left on Caprica, however he couldn't sacrifice the numerous lives that could still be on Caprica for the sake of his son's personal life. Lee knew all of this, so they continued to discuss their plan to get back to the planet and when it was to take place. Lee kept everything official, not letting his father in on the fact that he didn't want this mission to happen.

Once he returned from the meeting, he couldn't help but let his mind go and drift to the dilemma that he now had at hand. He knew he should tell Kara before he proposed, but part of him was really scared that once she found out that they were going to go back for Anders that she would leave him for her child's real father. This thought scared him to death. Now knowing what it was like to be with Kara he didn't know if he could go back to life without her. He knew that if Anders came back, then he would no longer have any peace. If she went to him, everything would change. Kara and him wouldn't even have a friendship to fall back on because there was no going back after everything they have gone through.

All of him wasn't so sure she would leave him though. They have been so happy the last couple of months. Things have never been more right in the world than them. They still had their fights and blow outs, but they were always able to patch things up. They were there for each other at all times. He had a hard time believe that Kara would be able to leave that. But, Anders' was the child's father. With that in mind, all bets were off. If it weren't for Kare being pregnant with Anders' baby, he was sure Kara would stay with him.

Out of all of this, there was the part that filled him with dread the most, the thought that he would lose this baby. He had really come to believe that this child was his. He knew he would never be the biological father of this child, but he could be a father in every other sense of the word. He had been looking forward to that so much, and this baby given him new life. This baby was a hope of the future to him, a way for the human race to continue, and he was going to be a part of that. He didn't want to lose that.

The slam of the hatch door brought him out of his thoughts. Kara stood in front of him, hands on her hips, trying to look very intimidating, but wasn't having much success as she was wearing a bright purple shirt that had tassels on it.

"What did I do?" Lee quickly asked, trying to rack his brain for what he could have possibly missed. Just as he thought of the answer, she answered for him.

"We were supposed to have lunch today. You were supposed to meet me in the mess. Instead, I sat there looking like a frakking moron, eating by myself. Everybody knew that I had been stood up. I must have look so pathetic."

Lee didn't know that him forgetting such a small thing, could have warranted such a response out of Kara. She must be emotional, there was nothing to do about it, but to apologize profusely. "I am so sorry Kara. I had a meeting with my father, and it left me with a lot to think about and I just completely forgot about the lunch. There is no excuse for that. I am sorry."

Kara was taken slightly aback by how fast she received an apology from Lee. Usually, he wouldn't cave so easily, and half the time she ended up saying sorry to him. Something was up. "Are you ok Lee?"

Lee sat up readily, realizing he was still laying back. "Yeah, I'm just tired."

Kara nodded, accepting this answer, she turned around to go to the bedroom to change.

Lee saw his opportunity slipping away from him, and he couldn't believe that he was going to let it pass. He had to just come clean and to find out for once where they stood. "Kara, wait." Kara turned around, looking at him questioningly. "Come sit down please, there is something I need to talk to you about."

"What is this about?" Kara asked walking over to the couch. She had to practically squat to sit down, she was now a little over eight months pregnant.

"I have two things to tell you, and I really need to just come out and say them without interruption, can you do that?"

Kara nodded, very curious as to what Lee had to say. She didn't know if it was bad or not. He had his worried face on, but he worried about everything, so that really gave her no clue.

"First, Adama and Roslin have decided to go ahead on a mission that would send about a dozen raptors back to the Colonies to scout for any survivors. I know you accepted that Anders was dead and there was nothing that could be done about it, there is now a chance that all of that can change. I know this changes everything with the baby, but I still want us to be together."

At this point Kara tried to start talking, "Lee hold on..."

Lee put a hand over her mouth, continuing with his speech, "no, I still have one more thing to say. I love you. I love Kara Thrace. Who would have thought? You are crazy, obnoxious, and cocky, but I love you. I don't think there is a thing I could do to change that, even if I wanted to. I really think we have something different here. It's not normal. It's beyond insane. I can't promise much, but I can say that I will be here as long as you want me. That's why I want you to marry me." At this point Lee pulled out the ring that Adama had given him. He held it out to Kara, laying his heart out there with it. "Will you marry me?"

Kara looked at the ring, and looked up to Lee. She didn't know what to say. That was a lot of information to take in, and she just didn't know where to start. She knew though, she had to be honest with Lee and tell him everything. That thought made her really nervous. She felt stressed.

Lee stared at Kara, patiently letting her think about everything he told her. After a few moments, though he had to know what she was thinking. "What do you say?"

Kara opened her mouth to answer him, when all of a sudden a pain surged through unlike anything she had ever felt before. She groaned.

Lee stared at her in shock. "Was that a no?"

Kara glared at Lee. "No, that was a contraction."

"Wait, does that mean..."

"Yeah, I'm in labor."

Lee looked around the room, as if there would be some sign as to what he was supposed to do.

"Lee, Lee, LEE," Kara yelled trying to grab his attention. "You need to help me get to Cottle."

Lee nodded, feeling slightly better now that he had something concrete to do, a mission. He helped Kara up, letting her lean a lot of her weight on him. He started to lead her down the passageway, his mind trying to make sense of everything that was happening. Silence between them except for the occasional moan from Kara, Lee was left to his thoughts. Lee was going through everything that brought them to this moment, from her telling him she was pregnant to his proposing. That thought brought him back slightly as he felt the ring still in his right hand.

"Kara?" Lee asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"What?" Kara growled, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

"You know you never answered me."

Kara didn't say anything, but just stared ahead.

"Have you not made a decision?"

"No, it's just that, I can't believe you are bringing up your proposal, at such a FRACKED UP TIME!" Kara's voice slowly rose until she was screaming and everybody that was walking by had to stop to stare.

"No, no, no it's just that, it's just that..."

"YOU JUST FRAKKING WHAT?"

"I need to know. I need to know if you will stay with me."

Kara sighed. "Yes, I will frakking marry you if that is what it will take to shut you up."

Lee didn't stop though. "Now, are you saying yes because you love me or is it because you just don't want to deal with it now?"

Kara stomped her foot and stopped, jerking Lee to a halt. She shoved her left hand out. "Put the ring on my finger."

"What?" Lee's mouth was wide open.

"I said put the ring on my finger. If you don't, I will take back my acceptance."

Lee didn't say anything, not wanting to test her, and he slid the small ring on her finger.

"Now can I go and get this thing out of me?"

Lee nodded and wrapped his arm around her again, helping her along.

Lee inwardly groaned when he saw who they were coming upon. He had heard enough rumors about Ham and knew that this was not somebody Kara should be passing while she was in labor. However, it couldn't be avoided and it seemed Ham knew it.

He walked up, cockily saluting Kara, and spat out with glee, "it seems that bun in your oven is finally done."

Kara instantly moved to launch herself at him, when she doubled over in agony as another contraction hit her. Lee maintained his hold on Kara and tried to move her forward while giving a glare that made the young pilot rethink what he had said. Seeing the major's stare made him scurry off in the opposite direction.

Lee could hear Kara trying to speak between moans. "I am...you should see...he's going...that bastard."

Lee nodded sympathetically, helping Kara to move down the corridor. After a few more turns, they had finally arrived at sickbay. They opened the hatch and stepped in to see Doc Cottle leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, as he took a long drag out of the cigarette in hand.

"So, you're having a baby," Cottle stated, pointing out the obvious. He put out his cigarette, with a slight look of reluctance. "Well, let's get you into a gown and then get you into a bed. Luckily it seems you have the place to yourself."

At that moment the hatch opened and a stream of people poured into the room, amongst them were Adama, Roslin, Helo, and numerous other other residents of Galactica. Cottle looked at them with a hesitant look. The arrivals were noisy, moving towards Kara who was clutching her stomach.

"All of you shut your mouths," Cottle half yelled to everybody. "Now raise your hands if you are actually here to witness Starbuck squeeze a slimy baby out of her."

Everybody in the room looked at each other hesitantly. In the corner of the room, Lee nervously raised his hand.

"Ok, so we have one volunteer. The rest of you get out of here, go about your lives and somebody will tell you when it has arrived," Cottle ordered them all.

They all followed suit, Adama seemed a little ruffled from receiving orders from a doctor. However, he complied, quickly giving Kara a quick hug before exiting the room.

Cottle surveyed the now empty sickbay, pleased with himself. "That's much better. Now I want you to change into that gown and go ahead and get into that first bed." Cottle moved, pulling the curtain around the first bed, giving Kara privacy.

Lee moved forward to help Kara into a gown. Kara waved him off. "I know you are dying to go make sure all the shifts are covered, and all the reserve pilots are called."

"No, I should be with you right now."

Kara laughed, "you can be with me, in a little while. This is going to take a little while. Go ahead."

Lee struggled for a minute, before deciding to go. "Ok, I'll do it, but I will be right back. It shouldn't take me more than twenty minutes. Are you sure you are going to be ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Kara illustrated this by taking off her shirt, and pulling on the robe. "See, I'm good. Now go."

Lee nodded and ran out, hoping he could maybe get it all done in ten minutes.

Kara finished changing and then climbed into bed. She called out to Cottle, "I'm decent."

She heard a mumble in return, and then heard his feet shuffling towards her bed. He opened the curtain wide open.

"Ok, lets put your feet into these contraptions, and see how along you are."

Kara followed the orders. She shuddered as she felt another contraction coming on. Cottle ignored her as he checked on her. He stood up at the end of her contraction, patting her leg. "It looks we will have you here for a while. Might as well get comfortable. Sometimes labor can take up to 36 hours."

Kara all of a sudden felt a wave of fear washing over, vaguely aware that she wished she hadn't sent Lee of so quickly. "Umm, really?" Kara tried to hide her anxiety, however her response came off shaky.

Cottle chuckled a little, turning back towards her bed. "I'm guessing you didn't read any of the pamphlets I gave you on having a baby?"

Kara replied meekly, "no."

"Well, yes, you can be in labor over 36 hours, but that is pretty rare. My wife was once in labor for 40 hours."

Kara couldn't contain her curiosity. "Your wife?"

Cottle looked around, as if to make sure no one was watching, before sitting down in a chair next to the bed. "What you think you are the only obstinate, pain in the ass that can get married?" He nodded towards the ring on her left hand.

"No, its just I can't picture you married."

"Well, I can't picture you married, doesn't mean that its not going to happen." Cottle paused, pulling a picture out of his uniform, handing it to Kara. "I had four children, ten grandchildren, and one amazing wife."

Kara looked down at the photo that was worn and crumpled, probably from being looked at a lot. In it was what looked like a younger Cottle, his brown hair only had a few streaks of gray in it, sitting on a couch with his family. Right next to him was his wife, a pretty woman with dark, curly hair that was arranged wildly around her. Behind Cottle was what looked like his eldest child, hugging him around the neck. Two toddler aged girls, who looked like twins, were enjoying a hand clapping game with each other. On his wifes lap was a small child that was grasping a lock of the womans hair while he sucked on it. What was probably meant to be a posed picture, was scrapped when none of the children could stay still long enough to take the photo.

Kara glanced back at Cottle as she handed the photo back. "You lost them all in the attack?"

Cottle nodded. "We all lived near each other in a rural town. They stood no chance."

"I'm sorry," Kara spoke, saying the only words that came to mind.

Cottle sighed, standing back up. "Thanks."

At that moment, Lee came running back in, gasping for air. "I'm back."

Kara laughed, "obviously." Silently she watched as Cottle walked off, probably back to his desk. For some reason hearing his story, gave her an odd sense of comfort. Maybe if he could have a family, then she could as well.

A/N- The next and final chapter will be up tomorrow. It's all done, I just need to look over it and revise it a little. Sorry for the lack of description on pregnancy and labor on this one. What can I say? I'm a 19 year old who has never been pregnant. I don't have a lot of experience with it.