Starbuck woke up slowly and painfully. He raised his head to look around
and see where he was, and instantly regretted it. 

"Frack," he muttered as his head spun and his stomach churned. He lay back
down again. From what he could see, it appeared he was in Apollo's
quarters. In Apollo's bedroom, in fact. 

What had happened last night? Oh yes, Blue had held an impromptu victory
party, celebrating their latest vanquishment of the Cylons in battle.
Starbuck had been the guest of honour, having racked up the highest number
of kills. He'd had plenty of ambrosa, along with ale and other various
assorted types of alcoholic beverages. 

Unfortunately, that was about the extent of his memory.

"How are you feeling?" came a familiar voice from somewhere above him. It
was Apollo. 

"Just fine," he answered. "My head seems to be about to fall from my
shoulders, but other than that, I'm great." 

"Can I get you something?" his friend asked in concern.

"How about my laser, so I can put myself out of my misery?"

Apollo chuckled and lay a soothing hand on Starbuck's forehead. "Afraid I
can't let you do that, pal," he said.

"Tell me about last night," Starbuck asked. "Did I get out of line at
all?" 

"Of course not. You were perfectly fine," Apollo responded. "Except..." 

Starbuck sat up and instantly regretted it. Returning to his supine
position, he demanded, "Except what?" 

"There was that one incident with Sheba."

"Oh Lords," Starbuck groaned. "What did I do to Sheba?"

"You poured a glass of ale down her back."

"Wonderful. Next time I see her, she'll shoot me on sight."

"I'm sure she'll get over it. Send a bottle of ambrosa to her quarters, or
something." 

"Did I get up to any other tricks?"

"You were perfectly fine."

"I'm sure I was."

"In fact, you were very entertaining," Apollo told him.

"Entertaining in what way?" Starbuck looked at him suspiciously.

"Anyone ever tell you that you have quite the singing voice?"

"I sang?"

"Yes, you sang several little ditties. Very cute ones, too. Although there
was the one song, the Saggitarian Battle Song, that wouldn't have gone
over well. Boomer and I managed to persuade you not to sing that one and
to have something to eat, instead." 

"Didn't I eat?" Starbuck asked.

"Eventually, but it took us a long time to convince you to sit down and
actually order something.  You kept insisting that the waiter on the
Rising Star was some sort of long-lost relative that you hadn't seen since
you were both infants." 

"I'm certain that went over well," Starbuck muttered.

"I'm sure he's used to it," Apollo assured him. "People are always
discovering long-lost relatives from the Colonies. It happens all the
time." 

"So what happened after that?"

"Then you got into a hand of Pyramid with Giles and Jolly in the gambling
lounge." 

"How'd I do?"

"You lost," Apollo answered. "Then you were going to accuse them of
cheating, but I persuaded you to leave with me before you got into an
actual fight with them." 

"Thank the Lords," Starbuck sighed. "I'll have to apologize to them. Did I
actually make it out under my own steam?" 

"You were perfectly fine. There was a wet spot on the floor in the shuttle
bay, but anyone could have slipped on that." 

"I fell?"

"It could have happened to anybody."

"Uh-huh. That's why I have a pain in the.... Anyway. Where did we go after
that?" 

"The observation dome."

"Really? Why?"

Apollo smiled at him. "Surely you haven't forgotten already."

"Of course not," Starbuck lied. "I just haven't fully woken up yet and my
mind's a little fuzzy around the edges. Jog my memory just a bit. I'm sure
it will all come back to me." 

"We went to the observation dome because you said you wanted to be alone
with me." 

Oh-oh. This sounded like it could be getting into dangerous territory. "I
wanted to be alone with you. Right. I wanted to be alone with you to... To
talk." 

"Yes. You had something important to tell me." There was a faraway look on
Apollo's face. "It was so beautiful up there. All you could see was stars
stretching out for millennia. It's a very romantic setting." 

This was beginning to sound worse. "And what did I have to say in this
romantic setting?"  Starbuck wanted to know. 

"You must be putting me on. I can't believe you don't remember."

"Of course I remember," Starbuck lied again. "I just want to hear it from
you." 

"You said that you felt as if you had just discovered that you had a
soul." 

"I said that," Starbuck murmured. "I actually said that?"

"Don't be silly. Of course you did. You said that you finally had a sense
of what was truly important to you. Oh, Star, I never knew how you felt
about me. I knew how I felt about you, of course, and I always hoped that
you would feel the same way. I'm so glad you finally told me." 

Starbuck was getting very worried. Evidently he'd told Apollo something
very important, but he didn't know what. Well, he was a card player. It
was time to bluff. 

"Pol," he said, "after everything I did last night, I'm surprised that you
can stand to be near me." 

"You idiot," Apollo said fondly. "After everything you told me last night,
I'm not going to let you out of my sight. I'm yours forever." 

"Mine?" Starbuck asked.

"And you're mine. In fact, I'm going to get your things from the Bachelor
Officers Quarters and bring them over here so that you're properly moved
in." 

"So when I've moved in," Starbuck began, "I'll be sleeping in this bed?" 

"You're certainly not sleeping in Boxey's room."

The Lieutenant carefully raised himself into a sitting position. "Apollo,
tell me again. I know you said it last night in the dome, but tell me
again how you feel about me." 

Apollo knelt by the side of the bed and took Starbuck's hands in his. "I
love you," he said. 

Starbuck sighed with relief. "I love you too. I'm sorry it took until I
was tanked full of ale and ambrosa to say it." 

The two men kissed each other, then Starbuck had to lie down again,
because the room was spinning. 

The next morning....

Starbuck woke in Apollo's bed. His lifemate was already awake and was
watching him. "Are you completely recovered?" Apollo asked. 

Starbuck grinned. "I feel much, much better. Better enough that I can
appreciate waking up in your bed." 

"Our bed," Apollo told him.

Later....

"Tell me the truth, Pol."

"About what?"

"About what really happened at that party the other night."

"I told the truth. You really did pour ale down Sheba's back," Apollo
answered. 

"And I sang?" Starbuck asked.

"You did."

"And I accused Giles and Jolly of cheating at Pyramid?"

"Uh-huh."

"What about the rest of it?" Starbuck wanted to know.

"What about it?"

"Did we really go to the observation dome?"

"Well...."

"Did I really pour out my feelings to you under the stars? Did I really
tell you that I'd just discovered I had a soul?" 

"Okay, I made that part up."

"Why, Pol? Why did you lie to me?"

"Oh, Star. I wanted you so much. I wanted to tell you the truth. I really
did. But I was too afraid.  I kept wishing that you would tell me that you
loved me. I was so afraid that if I told you I would lose you, so I told
you that you'd said it first." 

"How do you know you won't lose me anyway?"

Apollo looked stricken. "You won't leave me, will you?"

Starbuck sighed. "No. I won't leave you. Not after you hauled me back here
when I was drunk off my astrum and took care of me. Not after you went to
so much trouble to make up such an incredible story just to explain why I
was in your bed." He smiled. 

"I did tell you the truth about your singing. You were very cute."

END