Kara peered round the curtain for what must have been at least the tenth time that day. She was fine as long as she was distracted with work, but as soon as a task finished she would head straight to that curtained off area of sick bay to see if he was awake yet, and praying silent prayers that Dee would be away from his bedside.

This time, finally, he was awake. Dee was still there, but now that the time had come Kara found that she didn't care. Relief and hope coursed through her making her feel giddy. He was alive, he was awake and she knew how close he had come to not being. Every moment with him from now on should count. She threw caution to the wind and trusted the instincts that served her so well in battle. Even as her brain was screaming caution at her she listened to what her gut was telling her. Swift feet carried her from the hatchway at the entrance to sickbay to Lee's bedside. Her trembling hands cupped his face and she embraced him as if there were nothing and no-one else in the world.

Lee looked startled for one moment, finding himself barely able to trust himself, convinced it must be a Morpha hallucination. Then he realised it was blessedly real, and relaxed into her.

Dee let herself out. Neither of them noticed. It was as if time stood still for them here, where they were finally complete.