DISCLAIMER: Battlestar Galactica is the
property of Glen A. Larson, Sci-Fi Channel, R & D TV, Sky and NBC
Universal.
SPOILERS: Set immediately after the Battlestar Galactica Season 2 episode “Fragged”
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Heading Home
By Celievamp
Cally could not stop shaking. Not so much due to the adrenaline that seemed to be all that her body was producing at the moment or the deaths she had witnessed or seeing the Cylons at close quarters or having a mountain explode around her or freezing when it mattered most or feeling the LT's gun resting at the back of her skull or having his blood all over her but because of the lie.
Crashdown died a hero's death. So say we all.
The medic stirred beside her gritting her teeth and grunting with the pain. She had been shot in the last assault but was going to make it. Cally realised that she couldn't remember the woman's name.
"How are you doing?" she asked softly. "Do you want me to get you something for the pain…"
"No… s'okay. What I took'll kick in soon enough. How are you doing? You're the one that frack-assed sonofabitch nearly shot." Beneath the blood and mud her face was very pale. Her lips looked soft, Cally noticed and the hand that reached out to take hers was slim and strong.
"S…sorry, I don't even know your name," Cally found herself giggling. "Stupid, innit. Three days together in that fracking place and I never…"
"Paramedic officer Ishay. Layne Ishay. And you're Specialist Cally. You work with the Chief on the raptors."
"S'right," Cally said. The shuddering got worse, deeper. "Cold…"
"You're going into shock. Here." Moving carefully, the injured woman reached above her to snag another blanket. "Here, come lie beside me. I could do with some extra body heat myself."
"But I wasn't… he didn't…"
"Scared you half to death though. Scared us all. Even without the fracking toasters bringing down the hill on top of us. Come on, Cally. Lie down before you fall down."
A hand closed on her shoulder. "Do as she says, Cally." Chief squeezed her shoulder. "You look all in."
He didn't look so great himself. The darkness that had been in his eyes since his break-up with Boomer had got colder, deeper. He was bleeding from a dozen small wounds and his other hand was still gripped tightly around the stock of his weapon. Beyond him Mr Vice President stared into space. He looked as if he was asleep with his eyes open. If the black had touched the Chief's soul it looked like it had completely consumed the Vice President's. And she owed her life to him.
One day he would collect on that debt. She shuddered as his empty gaze turned on her for a moment, then Ishay's hand was on her arm again. "Come on, get under the blanket. It'll be hours yet before we get back to the fleet. Rest."
Chief helped her off the bench and onto the floor. Ishay was more or less cradled in a nest of blankets and as she lay down beside the taller woman Cally almost immediately began to feel warmer. Ishay threw another blanket over them both and snuggled into Cally's side. Cally was almost afraid to touch the injured woman in case she caused her any more pain.
"Hey, get closer. I won't bite, I promise."
"I don't want to hurt you… you're injured."
"And you wanting to be a dentist… never known a dentist who didn't want to cause pain before."
"Perhaps I would have been a first," Cally managed to smile, surprised that the woman had remembered her off-the-cuff remark. That seemed so long ago now. Two years in the Fleet would have guaranteed the four years at college and a tidy sum towards setting up her first practice. She tried to reckon the date. She would have been damn close to finishing her tour now if the Cylons hadn't intervened. God knows if it would ever end now. She realised she was crying.
"Hey, its okay… it's okay Cally. You're safe now. We're heading home." Ishay's voice whispered very close to her ear, her hand gentling up and down Cally's forearm in a way that made her feel simultaneously very safe, very loved and yet very aware of her own body. And she was tired and scared and horny all at the same time. It was all very confusing.
"Just… just hold me, kay," Cally whispered. That she could cope with. She turned her head so that her face was hidden in Ishay's shoulder. She felt the woman's fingers tease at her hair for a moment and then the coolness of lips gently kissing her brow. She looked up in surprise to see soft brown eyes looking back, eyes that were warm and alive and full of hope and promise. Mr Vice President was staring into space again and Chief's eyes were closed, his gun held across his knees, his knuckles white on the grip. Everyone else was too busy flying the ship. Cally raised her head, closing the space between them.
Layne Ishay's lips were indeed as soft as Cally had thought they would be.
The End