No Takebacks

OK. No Cylon attack, but Lee still comes to Galactica for the decommissioning ceremony. So, there's still that first brig scene. We'd lose the thought-you-were-dead-too-long-handshake, but hmmm...

After the decommissioning, they would have gone out for drinks to catch up and I firmly believe they'd have hooked up. Or at least started to keep in touch again, which would have led to the inevitable hookup.

Kara gets sent back to serve planetside once her new ship posting realizes only Adama had any control over her, so she could have ended up wherever Leland was doing his no-longer-in-the-Fleet stuff. Yup. Totally.

Even better, though! Kara doesn't pass him and Zak doesn't die, but he does get fed up with how his girlfriend and brother have this connection and running inside jokes he doesn't get. And he gets tired of Kara getting them all drunk so he'll pass out and miss her hanging all over his brother. Because, he's not sure, but he thinks they might have done something at least one time when he was passed out drunk. They acted pretty guilty for a while and tried not to be in the same place for a while. They thought he didn't notice, but he did. He's not stupid, even if he only flies Raptors. So he calls it off and Kara and Lee each debate how long they have to wait for it not to look bad before contacting the other to hang out again.

I don't have time to comment!fic any this, but boy do I want to! :)

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shah-of-blah.livejournal.com

No Cylon attack...

I kind of think

flowrs4ophelia said it best in "Aerilon Girls Are Easy." It's not the bright, shiny future we might hope for, but I think it's the most likely. They've got issues, guys, but they're still drawn together. And maybe someday they'll get it right.

Zak doesn't die...

I can never make up my mind about this. A part of me thinks that Lee and Kara wouldn't have ever become anything. I think they might have repressed their attraction as much as possible, and I do believe that Kara was happy with Zak. Another part of me thinks that Kara and Zak would have fallen apart eventually. But with that history, would Kara and Lee have been able to overcome the guilt? I do not know.

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#1 If the worlds hadn't ended, would they have gravitated back to each other eventually, or would they have lived separate lives?

With Zak gone, I think this might have been a reasonably good opportunity for Lee and Kara to end up together after much denial, much questioning, MUCH angst and (unnecessary) misery on both their parts. Seems I’ve read a couple fics along these lines, though the names escape me.

Here’s how I see it happening...

I think it would likely start out with a few “just stopping by to see how you’re doing” visits, progressing to “while I’m here, let’s go grab a couple drinks and talk about old times”, thus resulting in “Oh my gods what did I just do last night” denials, then eventually back to “just wanted to make sure you were okay... about Zak and well... about what happened” awkwardness. Yeah, the two of them would go in endless circles like this for years, denying the truth but always coming back together again. But I’m pretty sure (at least in a universe that I wrote) that they’d eventually end up together.

#2 What happens if Zak doesn't die in that accident? What happens if he does?

I’ve got to say that this one is probably the most angst-ridden of any of the questions. Without Zak’s death, there is absolutely no chance that Lee and Kara would end up living their shiny future... though of course we know from the series that it didn’t happen that way either. (Unless you happen to believe in my extended ending... which I, of course, do.)

With Zak still around, the two of them marry and Kara and Zak are happy – in some ways – though there is tremendous unease where Lee is concerned. (He’d probably avoid them for the most part.) I don’t think Kara would ever leave or cheat on Zak, but I think that the general “drifting” between the two of them – one a very strong pilot, with a whole lot of other issues, and one a very weak pilot with a so-called stable background – wouldn’t leave the two of them happy in the long run.

I think somewhere, deep down, Kara would always wonder if she met the right brother first. And to be honest, I doubt she and Zak would have kids. Hmm.... not sure why, since I’m pretty sure she and Lee would have them. But that’s my gut speaking there too.

#3 When Galactica is decommissioned for real, where does Kara go?

With no one to keep her tethered, I think Kara would probably leave Galactica for another military posting, continuing to live “outside the box” and be wild. I think eventually, she’d either get killed (doing some crazy stunt) or end up being decommissioned because of an injury (or as a result of hard living).

Since it seems like viper pilot is pretty much a young-person’s game, I could see Kara moving onto a completely different field, like art, when she did leave the military. This would make a huge difference in her ability to deal with her past and to get past a lot of her problems regarding Zak’s death and her past. (Go back to question 1...) This is the point that Lee and Kara would actually start to have a legitimate chance to reconnect in the long term. Because frankly, until Kara dealt with those demons, it just wouldn’t happen.

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#4 What about Lee? Does he leave the military? If so, what does he do?

*Note: Was it in Razor where we find out that lifelong military was never in Lee’s plans? (Someone help me on this; I know I watched it but I can’t recall when.)

I think that Lee would have several good years service in the military, spending his time focused on his career (and to a lesser extent focused on Kara, and his denial of a continuing obsession with her that would express itself in random shore leave visits). Lee would probably retire from active service once he exceeded his father’s ranking of Commander; going to work at the War College or Academy. I think there are enough father-issues with Lee to fill an entire book... Leaving his career at this point would be a particularly fitting end to that aspect of his life.

Leaving to teach would be a rather convenient aspect of his life as... (go back to question 3 now)... Kara would be working in a smaller Arts college nearby the Colonial Forces Division of Caprica City. She and Lee would have time to hang out, talking about old times, reminiscing about Zak (which wouldn’t feel so terrible now that so much time had passed between that dare on the table), and on trying not to think about the insane attraction that still existed with the two of them.

Eventually, I think that the two of them would find themselves falling into the routine we only got a glimpse of at the start of the miniseries... friends with history, friends with attraction, friends with issues, but still closer than most. And from THIS point onward, we’d actually see some progress...

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#5 Like this!

Lee leans in, brushing a strand of blonde hair back from Kara’s cheek, a smile touching the corner of his lips as he does. “What?” she asks, surprised again that after so many years, the mere closeness of him, the soft pads of his fingers against her cheekbone and the faint smell of sandalwood cologne are enough to make her knees shake. Lee laughs. “You’ve got paint on your nose.”

Kara frowns, and goes to pull away; a crimson blush rising in a wave up from the collar of her faded black, metal-band t-shirt up her throat to suffuse her face. For the first time (‘since the last time,’ Kara’s mind prompts) his hand threads its way into the back of her hair and he pulls her gently toward him, while his other arm wraps around her shoulders, pulling her into his space. She frowns at him for a moment, knowing that he knows what this will do to her, and how she’ll be feeling tomorrow morning. She will be a wreck in tomorrow’s studio. She doesn’t want to face twenty fresh-faced kids feeling like that.

“Don’t...” she warns, her eyes, golden-grey, suddenly wary. “You’re leaving again tomorrow, and I don’t think I can...” The last bit of her thought disappears unspoken, because after all these years, she isn’t sure what she means by that lament anymore. Zak’s ghost has been quiet for a long, long time. Lee’s laughter disappears as she says it, but his blue eyes are twinkling, making him look younger than his years or the ranking of “Admiral” would suggest.

“Sorry for teasing you, Kara...” Lee’s eyes are soft, but he doesn’t let go, though the hand in her hair slowly slides down to rest on the small of her back, holding her still; preventing her from running. Her breathing is growing faster; another effect of his presence. Lee’s smile grows wider, and Kara finds herself staring back at him with uncertainty, a wrinkle appearing between her brows. She recognizes something in the way he’s gazing at her; it’s the look of someone holding full colours.

Lee shakes his head finally, laying down his cards for her to see. “I didn’t want to tell you until it was official, but it looks like I’ll be teaching at the Academy next year.” She isn’t sure what she expected, but it wasn’t this. “Oh,” she says softly, feeling something foreign rising inside her like a bubble. Her legs suddenly feel like they are compensating for the uneasy vertigo of artificial gravity. ‘Hope,’ her mind offers helpfully, before it goes completely quiet. Lee is smiling again, and she knows, quite certainly, that this is the sign she’s been waiting for. The thing that would change everything else.

Leaving that statement hanging between them, Lee’s arms tighten, and he leans down, capturing her mouth with his own. With a sigh, Kara lets the final bit of doubt that she’s been clinging to for so long let go, wrapping her fingers into Lee’s shirt, holding him tight. As his tongue tastes her and she sighs, she realizes that for the first time, everything feels different. There is no reason “not to”, no reason to run away, and that, in its own way is completely terrifying. The kiss grows deeper, one of Lee’s hands winding back into her hair, the other sliding up under her shirt, starting the slow burn that she knows with be raging in a few minutes.

For a second his lips leave hers and he leans in to the side of her face, whispering, “love you,” before claiming her mouth once more. With that, the last of her thoughts disappear into a haze of colours; leaving her feeling like she’s flying.

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*gulp* Ahem, I'll be in my rack...

Grown up pilots make me smile. 8'D

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Thanks! Me too :>)

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rdave1.livejournal.com

This is such an interesting question but I'm always so conflicted about it. I don't know if I actually want Zak dead and if he weren't dead then what would happen to Lee and Kara.

So setting aside the two parts of my brain that are screaming because one is saying what about this and the ohter is saying what about that.

Kara passed Zak from flight school but he didn't die just got hurt bad and couldn't fly anymore. Kara feeling guilt over the incident still takes the post on Galactica. So Lee does come for the decommisioning ceremony, Zak doesn't for some reason. Galactica is finally put to rest and Kara gets an assignment planetside. Lee stays in the military and goes to law school. As time passes, Lee and Kara keep in touch and meet up for friendly drinks when ever they can. Oh, Kara and Zak have broken up mutually since after the accident.

Lee finally opens up a law firm and Zak has finally gotten his PI license so he does some work for Lee. I like the idea of Lee and Zak working together. The three of them meet up frequently for drinks like old friends but it gets awkward with Zak and Kara being exes and Lee and Kara's attraction.

Zak being the smart cookie that he is, the light has dawned on him that his ex girlfriend and big brother are a great match. Retrospectivly, he should have seen the signs from beginning; Zak is not mad at either of them. On one their outings Zak just blurts out that the two of them should go out on a date because they make a great couple, so much in common. Pilots are reluctant but finally cave. And then they all live happily ever after...

P.S. There needs to be many fics on this topic. My comment is a mini fic but still.:D

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rdave1.livejournal.com

What are you talking about, it fits damn it.:D

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I mean literally I just couldn't write less, and so I kept discovering that I had to break up the entries. (It makes me feel obnoxiously wordy.)

Thanks though! :>)

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I like the logic of that argument!

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"Because, he's not sure, but he thinks they might have done something at least one time when he was passed out drunk."

LOVE THAT! It is such a perfectly legitimate premise to the two of them breaking things off.

And the last line: "Kara and Lee each debate how long they have to wait for it not to look bad before contacting the other to hang out again" just makes my toes curl.

Yummy!

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rdave1.livejournal.com

I feel the need to expand on my wordy response by writing a fic but two problems. One is my lack of talent for writing a good fic and two is lack of time. I just can't stay up too late to play. Yes, I'm that old.:D

From:

scifishipper.livejournal.com

I'm going to say that zak does not die, but kara admits to him that she passed him without him deserving it. Zak is paralyzed from the waist down. He breaks up with her and nurtures a deep hatred. He never tells anyone about her actions.

Lee and Kara get thrown together on another ship, not Galactica and they're just pilots of equal rank, not CAGs, just pilots. Lots of secksing, card playing, drinking. They keep the relationship quiet and then unexpectedly Kara is transferred to Galactica. Lee can't go bc it's his dad's ship.

Before she's about to go, Zak gets wind of the transfer to Galactica and tells his father about Kara's falsifying records. The transfer is halted and there is an investigation. Lee also finds out about it and the relationship starts to fall apart.

The investigation brings back all of the guilt and Kara requests a transfer to yet another ship once the investigation clears her. Lee is devastated. Kara refuses to discuss it. They break up and she goes away.

Lee quits the service, becomes a lawyer (bc he's so hot in a suit) and tries to forget about Kara. Eventually Lee convinces Zak to forgive her. Once he does, Lee feels free to seek her out. He manages to position himself as a legal liaison to the military and ends up working with Kara on some yet-to-be devised project.

Kara still refuses to date him, until he arranges a surprise meeting with Zak. Kara and Zak talk (he's moved on, married, happy) and once she is forgiven, Kara and Lee get together.

Happy Times. The End.

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Thanks! I've read at least a couple of fics where Zak sees the writing on the wall and I've got the start of a pre-mini fic where I want to explore that, but RL just hasn't been letting me write anything (except Friday's comment fic and THAT took 'til 1am to finish). But I can't stop thinking about this idea. Damn muse. ;)

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Yeeeah... That is NOT a short story arc. But it needs to be written. Make it so.

Pretty please with something you like on top?

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scifishipper.livejournal.com

Hee. One story at a time. And you already know the ending! LOL!

I'm sure that the fic would end up changing, despite my best efforts, so I guess you would be surprised.

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Hmmm.... let's see. I have two grad courses, a write and gripe Helo fic, and Book 2 Officers' Club (and perhaps others) hanging over my head. While I'd LOVE to see this reality occur, I think you ought to go for it. (Though if you haven't done anything by the time I'm post Book 2, look me up :>)

Oh wait... I think I've already promised uberscribbler to write with him too... so add that to the list, then ask.

LOL - great idea! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! I demand it!

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scifishipper.livejournal.com

IKR?? When I started writing, I never thought I'd have too many fics to write - I was struggling to find ideas. Now? There's not enough time in the day!

When did you say you'll be posting Book 2? Hee. ;)

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Okay, seriously? You just amaze the crap out of me. How the HELL do you do this and do it so well???

PS I'm on chapter 44 of The Officers Club. Will comment when I'm finished :-)

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As soon as I saw this topic this morning, I was reminded of

hackaddict's "Possibility" series. There's one in particular that I just love and keep re-reading. The Cylons have attacked, but didn't have the codes, so they were defeated and Lee's some sort of special ops, ruggedly delicious guy and Kara frakked up her knee and is running a business. I'm linking the ff.net one vs. her LJ. Love it!

Possibility - Different (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2467964/1/Possibility_bDifferent_b)

Another one that I really like which I just stumbled on the other day and can't stop reading, has Kara failing Zak and actually, become friends with Lee cuz he's so grateful. This one is part of a series of "fairy tales" that

innibis wrote:

Cinderella - A Frakked up Fairytale (http://innibis.livejournal.com/45137.html#cutid1)

There are so many other cool fics out there that explore this topic and I feel like my own personal feelings are completely colored by them.

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*squee* Another long fic from

sci_fi_shipper!

WOOT!

See? I'm assuming that the writing of this fic is a foregone conclusion so that means now you're gonna have to write it. Hee.

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Word!

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Oh I had totally forgotten about Aerilon Girls! That is such an awesome fic!!

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