Father’s Day, Part 3
for ratings and warnings please see Part 1
The two men watched as Starbuck got more and more upset.
Fearing another “episode” Dr. Salik was about to administer another shot when
Apollo preempted him.
“Star, calm down.” Apollo brushed the hair out of Starbuck’s
eyes and rocked him gently. “Take a deep breath. That’s it.” Starbuck followed
his lover’s instructions and closed his eyes as he was soothed.
“Baby, you aren’t responsible if they die. You just have to
teach them the best you can and them let them go off on their own.”
Apollo was worried. No, he was downright scared. Starbuck
was so upset and it was only the first day of classes. Should Starbuck not keep
teaching? If not, what would he do? Starbuck was easily bored and had about
gone crazy since he’d become ill. If he didn’t have something to keep him
occupied it would devastate him.
“Starbuck, tell me something.” Salik paused until he had the
Lieutenant’s attention. “What happened to the last group of students you
trained?”
Doctor Salik was, of course, referring to the group of
female recruits, mostly civilians, who had become warriors in response to the
illness that had incapacitated every other warrior on the Galactica, except for
Apollo and Starbuck. Salik was hoping to get Starbuck to see the futility of
trying to be responsible for *every* warrior he trained.
“Seven died over Kobol, 4 have died since then, in various
battles. Brie and Elana are shuttle pilots now and 11 are still warriors.”
Both men were stunned to realize that Starbuck had kept
track of them *all*. They didn’t know what to say.
Starbuck continued, unaware of the surprise he had given
them. “The worst was Gemmi. She had a crush on me. Oh, I know everybody thought
I didn’t notice, but I did.” Starbuck twisted a corner of the blanket. “I
didn’t say anything, because I was with Cassiopeia. Despite what people think,
I *didn’t* cheat on Cassiopeia.” Starbuck spoke defensively and both Apollo and
Salik just nodded in agreement.
“Gemmi was a little woman. Probably just made the height
requirement.” Starbuck smiled as he remembered her standing on tiptoe, trying
to see around some of the other cadets. After that Starbuck had made sure that
she was in front. “She wasn’t beautiful…at least, not in the usual way, but she
was special.” Starbuck trailed off and was staring again.
Before Apollo or Salik could panic, Starbuck resumed his
narrative. “She was nice, smart and funny. I was gonna see if maybe Greenbean
was interested in seeing her. They would have been good together I think,
because they both had a strange sense of humor.”
Starbuck swallowed back the tears as he thought about Gemmi.
Cassiopeia hadn’t been the only reason Starbuck hadn’t responded to Gemmi’s
advances. The young woman had been too nice…too *good*. She had deserved better
than getting involved with *him*.
So had Athena and Cassiopeia for that matter. Starbuck
flicked a quick glance over to Apollo. Apollo *definitely* deserved better,
especially now that he was so sick all the time. The problem was that Starbuck
loved Apollo too much to give him up. The thought of losing Apollo made
Starbuck’s stomach clench up in a knot.
“What happened to Gemmi?” Salik asked quietly, trying not to
distress Starbuck further.
“She died over Kobol. It was only her second battle and she
died.”
Thinking Starbuck hadn’t even noticed her. Of the many
things Starbuck regretted in his life, not telling Gemmi that he admired her
and thought she was pretty was one of the top ones.
“Star you just said it yourself, it was only her second
battle. A lot of warriors died over Kobol, one’s that had yahrens of
experience. We’re at war Starbuck and in war a lot of people die.”
Apollo stopped to pull Starbuck closer. “It doesn’t mean
that you’re a bad teacher, it means they were unlucky and got in the way of the
Cylons.” Apollo looked at Starbuck to see his reaction. He realized that
Starbuck seemed to be listening, *really listening*, to what he was saying. “If
you’re teaching them you know they’ll get the best education, because you’re
going to do all you can to keep them alive.”
******
Starbuck mused for a couple of centons, assimilating what
Apollo had said. He decided that maybe it was true…well, he knew it was true if
Apollo said so. Maybe he could keep some of his students alive by teaching them
all he knew. Frack knew he’d survived a lot.
Starbuck smiled and again, Apollo and Salik were stunned by
the intensity of it.
“Okay, I’ll try to relax about the teaching a little.”
Starbuck sighed and relaxed into Apollo’s embrace.
“Good.” Salik smiled at the two men who were so obviously in
love. He felt a brief flare of jealously over a closeness, a connection, he had
never felt before in his life.
“Now, to answer your earlier questions Starbuck. No, I don’t
think you are going to become catatonic again. Not if you are careful and take
care of yourself. Since this is the only time this has happened…this is the
only time isn’t it?” Salik looked at Starbuck searchingly. He was reassured by
Starbuck’s nod and wide-eyed look.
“Good. Now, let’s talk about ways you can take better care
of yourself. Let’s start with the basics. What have you had to eat today?”
Starbuck squirmed guiltily, earning him a searching look from both men.
Starbuck cleared his throat nervously. “I was too anxious to
eat before class, but I took a muffin with me to eat later.” Starbuck talked
quickly, because he could see Apollo getting upset with him. Salik didn’t look
very pleased either.
“Um hmm. What about lunch?”
“Uh…I was too, um…that is…my stomach was…” Starbuck looked
at both men and sighed. “I threw up and was too afraid to eat anything after
that.”
Now it was Salik and Apollo’s turn to sigh. Salik crossed
his arms and was about to comment, authoritatively and *loudly*, when Boxey
knocked at the bedroom door.
“Can I come in?” Boxey looked uncertain and scared. He
brightened up when Starbuck smiled and waved him in. “Da…Uncle Starbuck.”
“Heya kiddo.” Starbuck smiled at Boxey and patted the bed.
“Come on in and sit down.”
Boxey looked around the room at the adults. He could sense
the tension in the air and hoped he hadn’t done anything wrong. Smiling, Boxey
held up Starbuck’s soft-sided carryall. “I brought your pack Uncle Starbuck.”
Starbuck smiled at Boxey. He could see that the young boy had
been afraid and used the pack as an excuse to find out what was going on.
“Can I put stuff up for you?” Boxey’s eager smile was
contagious and infected everyone in the room. It broke the tension brought on
by Starbuck’s admission, much to Starbuck’s relief.
“That’d be great kiddo.”
Starbuck’s stomach rumbled, causing Apollo and Salik to
scowl. The doctor immediately whipped out his scanner again and
started…scanning.
“Are you hungry Uncle Starbuck? You could eat your muffin.”
Boxey held up the aforementioned muffin innocently.
The reaction was mixed and none of it good.
Doctor Salik scowled in exasperation. Apollo looked
horrified. Starbuck was just shocked. He started at the muffin, open-mouthed
and sputtered. “But, but, I ate that. This morning. I distinctly remember
eating it with some juice.” He turned to Boxey for confirmation. “You remember
kiddo, we both ate at the table…” Starbuck’s voice trailed off.
“No Uncle Starbuck, that was yesterday.” Boxey looked
uncertainly at his father. Apollo reached out for the muffin. “Did I do
something wrong?”
“Of course not son.” Apollo ruffled the young boy’s soft,
brown hair and smiled. “Maybe you should go back into the other room and play
with Muffit for a few centons.”
******
Starbuck didn’t know when Boxey left; his eyes were riveted
on the muffin. He looked up at Apollo beseechingly. “’Pol, I didn’t lie to
you.” His eyes flicked from Apollo to Salik and back again. “I swear I thought
I had eaten that.”
He looked so miserable that Apollo didn’t have the heart to
be upset with him. Apollo pulled Starbuck close. “I believe you Star.”
They both jumped and looked up at the whirr of the scanner.
“Starbuck, I think we need to put the VacTube back on for a few centars. Salik
looked concerned. “I don’t like the look of theses readings. We need to do
something or you are going to get run down again.”
Starbuck nodded his consent and the doctor placed the
VacTube on Starbuck’s wrist with an audible snap. The VacTube looked like a
large bracelet that was turned the wrong way, with the “ornament” side on the
inside of Starbuck’s wrist. It had a box-like container that housed several
buttons. Starbuck winced as several thin extenders slid into his skin.
“I don’t think we’ll need to keep this on for more than a few
centars.” Salik smiled gently, being careful not to upset his physically and
emotionally precarious patient. “I’ll be back in the morning to check on you.”
He gathered up his supplies and started to leave. “Don’t worry teacher, I won’t
make you late to class.”
******
Starbuck reclined against the headboard of his and Apollo’s
bed. He could hear Apollo and Boxey moving around in the other room.
Lords, the VacTube was heavy. It felt like his arm weighed
as much as a viper. However, as much as Starbuck hated to admit it, he already
felt better because of the nutrients he was receiving.
Starbuck smiled as he rubbed his aching arm. Apollo had left
the door open and every micron or so he would glance back inside. Starbuck
hoped he looked all right, he didn’t want to worry his lover or his…or Boxey,
any more tonight. Starbuck still couldn’t believe he had been so distracted
that had forgotten to eat *all day*.
Bang! Thump.
“Sorry Uncle Starbuck.”
Boxey walked into the room carrying a small table. That, of course,
was what had hit the doorway and made all the noise.
“It’s okay kiddo.” Starbuck smiled gamely even though it
felt like his heart was going to jump right out of his chest. It wasn’t Boxey’s
fault. Loud noises tended to bother Starbuck now and wasn’t that going to be
*fun* in the viper simulations.
Boxey smiled back at Starbuck and raced out of the
room…almost running Apollo down in the process. Apollo came in carrying a large
tray that he placed on the end of the bed. Apollo then hurried out…bouncing off
of Boxey in the process.
Starbuck started to giggle. Looking at the two of them
scrambling to pick up the napkins and table wear…and fumbling again, was enough
to make Starbuck laugh out loud. Once started he couldn’t stop and before long
Apollo and Boxey were laughing too.
Father and son scrambled over to the bed and joined Starbuck
on it. The tray was carefully placed on the small table. The three men laughed
and hugged and were silly, until fear was banished for the night.
******
They ate in bed. Starbuck and Apollo, that is. Boxey ate his
supper at the table he had brought in. Before long Apollo was tired, Boxey was
drooping and Starbuck was asleep.
Apollo and Boxey quietly took everything into the kitchen
and Apollo helped his son get ready for bed. Then he came back in and settled
his lover in for the night. Starbuck roused a little, but quickly went back to
sleep.
Sleep was elusive for Apollo.
He watched Starbuck sleeping and vowed to do whatever it
took to keep the man he loved happy and healthy.
No matter what it took.
******
In another part of the Galactica, plans were being made. A
certain purple-haired woman was plotting her revenge against Starbuck.
Naturally, instead of being mad at who had ruined her hair
or Sagan forbid, acknowledging her own culpability in her downfall, she fixated
on Starbuck with an all-consuming and unreasonable rage.
She wasn’t sure how or when, but she would get back at that
blond whore.
No matter what it took.