I'm really, really, really sorry this took so long. I procrastinated like you wouldn't believe. But I hope you enjoy Chapter 2. And, honestly, I am going somewhere with this story. Stick with me! Thanks!

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

-Sickbay-

Bill entered Sickbay in a rush, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of her. “Can I help you?” Cottle asked from across the room as he finished bandaging a patient.

As Cottle made his way over, Bill asked in a hushed voice, “Where is she?”

The doctor didn’t have to ask who he was talking about. “You just missed her. She left a few minutes ago.”

“How is she?” Adama asked.

“You know Admiral, there is such a thing as doctor-patient confidentiality.” Bill glowered at him. “Fine, fine,” Cottle sighed, searching his pockets for another cigarette. He found one and popped it in his mouth. Pulling out his lighter, the doctor lit the cigarette and took a drag, letting the smoke fill his lungs.

He gestured for the Admiral to follow him to his office. Once inside, they both sat on opposite sides of the cluttered desk. Cottle sighed as he searched through the piles on his desk. “I ran some tests on her, yesterday and today.” He double-checked the film to make sure it was the right one before handing it to Adama. “This was taken yesterday. The cancer looked to be in its early stages, and the treatments she was taking were definitely helping.”

“And today?” the Admiral asked, still studying the scan.

Cottle handed him the new film. “I took this about ten minutes ago.”

Adama couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “How is this possible?” he asked.

“It shouldn’t be, that’s the problem. This,” he said, pointing to the film in Adama’s hands, “this cancer is in its later stages. Like it’s been there for years.” He looked at the man across the desk from him, a man who looked to be slowly unraveling. “At this point, the Diloxin treatments will do her more harm than good.” He snuffed out his cigarette. “How the hell that happens overnight, you got me.”

Adama sat, unable to move, to speak, to even think about what this meant. Of all the crazy things that had happened recently, this was by far the most outrageous, in his opinion. There had been hope this time, hope that Laura would fight the cancer, live to see Earth. If anyone should’ve seen it, it was her. He was the skeptic, and she the believer. He mustered up the strength to finally ask the doctor, “How long does she have?”

Cottle gave him a sympathetic look and sighed. “At the rate this is progressing, she’s got a couple of days, at most.” Adama leaned forward in his chair. He felt physically ill, like the doctor had just punched him in the gut. He struggled to just breathe.

Cottle thought Adama looked like someone had just shot his dog. “I’m sorry.” He stood. “I have some patients to check on. I’ll give you some time.”

Adama didn’t hear him leave. He never looked up to acknowledge the doc’s departure. He just continued to stare at the film. At the cancer. At the end. Laura.

Anger welled up inside of him. It wasn’t fair. Bill threw the scans across the desk and stood, pacing across the small room. He tightened his hands into fists, his frustration mounting. He needed something to hit.

He rounded on the doc’s desk, sending his chair skidding across the floor and the contents of the desk to the ground in one motion.

Bill slammed his fists onto the bare desk over and over again, his anger turning quickly into sadness, into grief. He broke down quickly into tears as he placed his forehead onto the desk and let the tears fall. Minutes passed, and Bill lifted his head to look around the room at the mess he had made.

He wiped away his tears before reaching down to gather up the doctor’s papers. Adama felt guilty, not just because of the mess he had made, but because of how he reacted to the news. Laura was the one who was sick, and yet she still found someway to face the press, to continue doing her duties in spite of her sickness. And what did he do? He broke down into tears.

Bill would find time to be angry at himself later. Right now, he had to find Laura.

Cottle saw Adama emerge from his office. The Admiral approached, looking defeated. He cleared his throat. “Where is she?” he asked, his voice gravelly with emotion Jack knew he didn’t like to show.

“Hell if I know,” Cottle replied. “You know her better than I do.”

Bill thought of all the places where he had seen Laura look most comfortable, look most at home. Not many places came to mind. Even when he had visited (albeit infrequently) her schoolhouse on New Caprica, she had never seemed truly comfortable in her surroundings. And that had been her home for more than a year.

Not surprisingly, two distinct places came to mind. Colonial One was the first, her official home. The second was his own quarters, where he had seen her kick off her shoes and collapse onto his couch after a long, stressful day time after time. He exited Sickbay in a hurry to find Laura.

-The Brig-

Apollo sat, looking at his hands, unable to look eye-to-eye with the woman on the other side of the bars. Every so often he’s peek over at her, when he was sure she wasn’t looking, to try to solve this mystery that had just literally flown back into his life.

It looked like Kara. Physically, anyways. The same brown eyes, the cropped blonde hair. Yet something was off. She didn’t look drunk, or pissed off. She didn’t even have that rebellious spark in her eyes. No, this Kara…this Kara looked calm. Serene. Even peaceful, he’d say. Lee had never seen her like this. And he’d bet the remainder of the human race that she’d never been like this before.

He knew something had to be very right, or very wrong. His years in the military had taught him to go with the latter. Yet Lee prayed to the Gods that this was actually Kara, their Kara. His Kara. Let something go very right for a change.

He tried to steal another glance, but she’d been watching him as well, and their eyes finally met. Kara just flashed him a sympathetic glance, as she saw what a mess he was. “You okay Lee?” she asked with genuine concern.

Lee scoffed as he looked at his hands once again. “It’s been a weird day.”

Kara followed his line of sight, and noticed something different about his hands. “Did you lose your wedding ring again?”

He gave her a resigned smile, his eyes sad. “Dee…left me,” he sighed, holding up his bare left hand for her to see.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said, meaning it.

A bitter look crossed Lee’s face. “Believe it or not,” he said, “it’s not your fault.”

Kara smiled back. “Oh no,” she commented quietly. “What did you do?”

Lee got up from his chair and walked over to the bars and leaned against them, looking in on Kara. “I defended Gaius Baltar in his trial. I testified for his acquittal.”

Kara couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Sorry,” she choked out between the laughs. “I really…really shouldn’t be laughing!”

Lee’s smile widened. “Oh, but I didn’t stop there. I quit the service and forced President Roslin to admit she has cancer again. While she was on the stand.”

Kara was in a full fit of giggles as Lee joined her in laughter. They continued to smile at each other even as their laughter died down. “I can see why she left you,” Kara deadpanned. He smiled at her, and their eyes locked. So much emotion passed between them. Their eyes said more than words ever could. Lee had to look away. He wasn’t ready for this. Ready to feel this. Because if this wasn’t really Kara…

But what if it is? he thought, as he turned around to face her again. He had to say something. “So what happens next?” Lee asked her, a hint of hope in his voice.

Their eyes locked once more. Kara smiled. She opened her voice to speak.

Lee jumped in surprise as the hatch door behind him opened loudly. He turned to see four marines, in full gear and armed, file in, followed immediately by Colonel Tigh, who did not look happy. Lee fought the urge to salute.

The Colonel looked at him with disgust, no doubt because of the events of Baltar’s trial. Tigh turned his attention to the prisoner behind the bars. “Open the door,” he barked. One of the marines moved to open the door.

Lee looked at Kara as she stood to face the Colonel. And then he saw it. The rebellious spark in her eyes. At that moment he had no doubt that this was really Kara.

Colonel Tigh, however, would need more convincing. He stood face-to-face with her, stared her down, and she gave him a smirk. Tigh suddenly punched her, right to the face. She stumbled over, hand flying to her face.

“Hey! HEY!” Lee yelled, as he tried to come to Kara’s aid.

“Restrain him!” the Colonel ordered, turning to point at Lee while the marines moved to hold the young man back. As Tigh turned back, he was knocked aloof by the sudden collision of his face with Kara’s fist. He fell back from the force of the blow, as Kara stood over him, but didn’t continue her attack.

The marines leveled their weapons at her while Tigh touched his hand to his lip. He looked down at the blood on his hand. His blood. Cylon blood.

“This just gets worse and worse,” he recalled saying to Bill on the day of the initial attack. “Now the cylons look like us.”

“Down to our blood,” Bill had responded.

“You realize what this means,” he had countered. “They could be anywhere. Could be anyone.”

If only he had known then what he knew now…

“Colonel!” Apollo pleaded, breaking him out of his reverie. Tigh looked around the room, remembering what had just happened. He stood, never taking his eyes off of Starbuck, who gave him a smug grin. “You havin’ a bad day too, Colonel? What, catch some nuggets calling you ‘Tighclops’ again?” She leaned in closer. “You can thank me later for that nickname,” she whispered to him.

“Colonel, please!” Apollo said desperately. “It’s really her, you have to believe me…”

“I suggest you keep your mouth shut,” Tigh barked at him. He turned his attention back to Kara and the marines who had their weapons leveled on her. “Stand down,” he finally ordered them. Lee breathed a sigh of relief while Kara continued to smirk at the Colonel. “Come with me,” he told her. The marines stepped out of the way as Tigh exited the brig with Kara and Lee following closely behind. “That’s frakkin’ Starbuck alright,” he muttered to himself as they headed for the Conference Room. It was time to get some answers.

-To Be Continued-

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