Kara just lost the bet. Who would have thought that Lee knew the Commander so well? Even after so long in this war, she didn't think the Commander had become so ruthless.

Kara'd had her bet on the order coming from the President.

**

"Cain overplayed her hand," Kara says to Lee as they're undressing. He looks at her blankly, and she adds, "with the Caprica thing."

"I don't think so." Lee shakes his head and pulls his shirt off. "She got you, didn't she?"

"Not for more than a second. Not until --"

"You want Caprica back," says Lee flatly. He steps out of his pants and folds them. Kara watches with a hand on her hip, smirk firmly planted; he's not going to rattle her. "But not as badly as you want Earth."

She tosses her head back and laughs loud. "Exactly, Apollo," she replies, and strips off her own shirt.

**

Cain overplayed her hand, and Kara is worried that she overplayed hers, sounded too excited -- she was excited, for a split second, maybe less, before she remembered that there was nothing left on Caprica, nothing but Cylon baby farms and a group of rebels who are probably dead already. But they'll get back, they'll get back without Cain, they'll help the rebels -- and President Roslin will lead them to Earth.

**

Kara knows better, but almost believes that Lee will betray her at the end. She knows better, but she also knows that this is the sort of ship Lee likes, everything spic and span, everything spit and polish, everyone saluting and doing their jobs and not frakking Cylons and getting them pregnant or running away to Caprica for a gods damned arrow.

But... she thinks, she's pretty sure, that Lee will live up to his father. And Commander Adama would never stand for this.

She thinks, almost wistfully but not quite, just below the adrenaline, as they destroy the Cylon ships, ruin the Cyclons' plans, that it was nice to be the CAG for a little while, almost like being back at flight school. Where she does not want to be any-frakking-way, so it's even nicer to be back on the Galactica.

**

Cain's blood on her hands is less dramatic than she'd expected, and the President kissed her on the forehead, and the Commander squeezed her hand, and Cain's crew are most of them seeming relieved -- Kara would be too -- but a few she's going to have to watch out for. And now Lee is avoiding her.

But it was worth it, it was worth it, to see the lights of the first constellation that will lead them to Earth. It was worth it, it was worth it, for things to go back to normal, back to fighting Cylons and worrying about what a frakking asshole Tigh is, back to Lee hating her for things she can't change, but maybe would if she could -- but maybe wouldn't.