Apollo arrived on the orphan ship with Boxey, surprised at the summons
he'd received from Starbuck. When they walked into the ship's dining room,
they discovered their friend surrounded by children, sitting at a table
with a large cake in the middle of it. 

Starbuck looked up and smiled. "Hey, Apollo, glad you could make it." 

Apollo took a chair and sat down while Boxey joined in the games some of
the children were playing. 

"What's happening? Some kind of party?" Apollo asked.

"It's a birthday party," Starbuck explained.

"Whose birthday?"

"Everyone's."

At the look of surprise Apollo gave him, Starbuck continued. "The younger
kids here have no idea when their birthdays are. So every sectare, we give
them all a birthday party. " 

"We?" 

Starbuck looked a bit embarrassed. "Yeah. I spend a fair bit of time
here." 

Apollo decided not to interrupt the party with an interrogation. He helped
himself to some cake and watched the children playing. He allowed himself
to be drawn in to some of the games. 

When the party was over, Starbuck, Apollo and Boxey returned to the
Galactica. Starbuck was about to head to the Bachelor Officers' Quarters
when Apollo said, "Come to my quarters for a centon, would you?" 

In Apollo's quarters, Starbuck helped put Boxey to bed, entertaining him
with one of the many stories in his repertoire. When the boy was asleep,
he turned to his friend, wanting to know why Apollo had asked him to come
over. 

"Starbuck, I had no idea you spent so much time on the orphan ship." 

"Well, I have a lot in common with those kids, you know. So I thought I'd
help out a bit." 

"A lot in common?" Apollo asked.

"Yeah. I'm an orphan just like they are. Alone, no family, no one to call
my people. I don't even have a birthday." 

Apollo managed to swallow the lump that had suddenly appeared in his
throat before he said, "You're not alone, Star." 

"I'm not?"

"No. You have a family right here. Me and Boxey." Apollo had always known
that Starbuck was an orphan, but it wasn't something his friend ever
talked about, and he'd found it easy to ignore the subject. He'd never
realized how deeply his orphan status must have affected the other man. 

"I'm not some sort of charity case, Pol, someone you can adopt for awhile
and then discard." 

"When have I ever discarded you?"

"When you got married."

Apollo winced. That was unfortunately true. When Serina had come into his
life Apollo had discarded his friend. "I'm sorry." 

Starbuck smiled, though the smile didn't reach his eys. "Apology accepted.
I should get going." 

Apollo grabbed Starbuck by the arm. "Don't go."

"Why not?"

"I want you to stay."

"Why?"

That was a good question. "I don't want to be alone either."

"You've never been alone. You have a family. A father, a sister, a son." 

"But I don't have anyone to share it with. I want to share it with you. I
want you to be part of my family." 

"What, like a brother or something?"

"No. As my mate."

This time it was Starbuck who swallowed hard. "Mate? Does that mean what
it sounds like?" 

"If it sounds like I want you to be part of my life, like I want you to
live with me, share my quarters, share my bed, help me raise my son, then
yes." 

"I - I don't know what to say."

"Say yes," Apollo urged.

"For how long, Pol?"

Apollo didn't understand the question. "What do you mean, how long?"

"How long do you want me for? One night? A secton? A sectare, even?"

"Forever."

"That's ... that's quite a commitment."

"Yes, it is. Are you up to it?"

In response, Starbuck moved toward Apollo, took him in his arms, and
kissed him. "Yes." 

END