BSG Fanfic Father and Son Part 2
Finally, it's done... Part 2 to Father and Son...
This story features a rare intimate moment between Cmdr Adama and Captain Lee Adama sometime after the events of the first year. Some minor spoilers from the mini-series. Contains elements of Lee Adama and Kara Thrace pairing.
“Son, sooner or later you will need to face up to it,”
“I know… but right now… I don’t want to,”
“Why not?”
“Because if I do… I will not be able to hold back the consequences. And right now, I just haven’t the strength to deal with that as well as everything else.”
“And if you don’t… will you be able to bear the consequences?”
The son knows that he’s been maneuvered into a corner, gives a sigh of frustration and stares at his father in defeat… After a moment’s silence, he makes an effort at a weak smile…
“Why is it that when you say that, it sounds so simple but when I think about what could happen…”
“Because I am an old man and I have more regrets than I care to remember. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.”
“Why does every father say that?”
“Maybe because it’s true. Yes… it’s a cliché… but in my case, I made it a classic.”
Father and son exchange a smile as they ponder the ramifications. More silence… more memories… deeply felt emotions all trapped inside, waiting for the opportunity to emerge.
“You know why war is a terrible thing, son, it’s not just because people die but because it forces you to think about all the things you should have done. The people you promised to love and care for… The thoughts of things that should have been… They never cease to nag you and the anguish never goes away.”
In those sad and lonely eyes, the son catches a glimpse of the man he remembered as a child. The father who was often away but when he was there he talked of flying, of being a viper pilot, of being in space. The excitement would rub off… Through the years flying tore them apart and flying brought them together again…. But now they were flying for their very survival.
“Dad, I don’t blame you… not now… I never really blamed you… I was angry that Zak was gone and it was all so senseless… it was just easier to lash out at you… but when you didn’t react… I just thought…”
“I know son…” said his father reassuringly.
A long pause before the younger man chokes out the words,
“I miss him…”
It takes a mammoth effort on his part to hold back long suppressed feelings of grief and pain. He continues to blurt out thoughts long swept aside but were now returning to guide his words.
“He seemed so happy… he was getting married one moment and… the next moment… he was gone. It seemed so unfair… Now I think that maybe he’s the lucky one. To escape all this.” He gestures towards the door.
Having found his voice, the son continues to speak as if moving with some silent rhythm.
“Sometimes I wish I had never come to Galactica… that I had died with everyone else in Caprica. When you think things can’t get any worse, it does so… on purpose, just to prove us wrong.”
“I’m glad you’re here, son… every single day… It makes everything so much more bearable.”
“You know what’s funny Dad… if it wasn’t for this stupid war, I don’t think that we would be sitting here having this conversation.”
“For that alone I am thankful,” the father responds.
The ironies of life… so many of them… There had been a gulf between father and son but the war had brought them together. His brother’s fiancée… once she was the closest thing to a confidante but now he knows he wants more from her if she would reciprocate. Feelings of guilt continue to take hold. He is overwhelmed by them and yet he is weary of battling these feelings… perhaps his father is right…
“Dad...”
“Yeah, son…”
“I do care but… Zak…,” he hesitates for fear of being misunderstood.
“Zak’s gone and he’s not coming back. You’re here and she’s waiting. Just don’t make her wait too long. You’re lucky that she’s waited as long as she has.”
“You don’t mind…?”
“Mind? Why should I mind? I’m an old man…,” saying so, the father grins broadly. “Besides we have to start making babies, remember?”
“Do you think that when I get to your age, that I’ll get to be as certain as you are?”
“You are Apollo, my son… you can be whatever you want.”
This story features a rare intimate moment between Cmdr Adama and Captain Lee Adama sometime after the events of the first year. Some minor spoilers from the mini-series. Contains elements of Lee Adama and Kara Thrace pairing.
“Son, sooner or later you will need to face up to it,”
“I know… but right now… I don’t want to,”
“Why not?”
“Because if I do… I will not be able to hold back the consequences. And right now, I just haven’t the strength to deal with that as well as everything else.”
“And if you don’t… will you be able to bear the consequences?”
The son knows that he’s been maneuvered into a corner, gives a sigh of frustration and stares at his father in defeat… After a moment’s silence, he makes an effort at a weak smile…
“Why is it that when you say that, it sounds so simple but when I think about what could happen…”
“Because I am an old man and I have more regrets than I care to remember. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.”
“Why does every father say that?”
“Maybe because it’s true. Yes… it’s a cliché… but in my case, I made it a classic.”
Father and son exchange a smile as they ponder the ramifications. More silence… more memories… deeply felt emotions all trapped inside, waiting for the opportunity to emerge.
“You know why war is a terrible thing, son, it’s not just because people die but because it forces you to think about all the things you should have done. The people you promised to love and care for… The thoughts of things that should have been… They never cease to nag you and the anguish never goes away.”
In those sad and lonely eyes, the son catches a glimpse of the man he remembered as a child. The father who was often away but when he was there he talked of flying, of being a viper pilot, of being in space. The excitement would rub off… Through the years flying tore them apart and flying brought them together again…. But now they were flying for their very survival.
“Dad, I don’t blame you… not now… I never really blamed you… I was angry that Zak was gone and it was all so senseless… it was just easier to lash out at you… but when you didn’t react… I just thought…”
“I know son…” said his father reassuringly.
A long pause before the younger man chokes out the words,
“I miss him…”
It takes a mammoth effort on his part to hold back long suppressed feelings of grief and pain. He continues to blurt out thoughts long swept aside but were now returning to guide his words.
“He seemed so happy… he was getting married one moment and… the next moment… he was gone. It seemed so unfair… Now I think that maybe he’s the lucky one. To escape all this.” He gestures towards the door.
Having found his voice, the son continues to speak as if moving with some silent rhythm.
“Sometimes I wish I had never come to Galactica… that I had died with everyone else in Caprica. When you think things can’t get any worse, it does so… on purpose, just to prove us wrong.”
“I’m glad you’re here, son… every single day… It makes everything so much more bearable.”
“You know what’s funny Dad… if it wasn’t for this stupid war, I don’t think that we would be sitting here having this conversation.”
“For that alone I am thankful,” the father responds.
The ironies of life… so many of them… There had been a gulf between father and son but the war had brought them together. His brother’s fiancée… once she was the closest thing to a confidante but now he knows he wants more from her if she would reciprocate. Feelings of guilt continue to take hold. He is overwhelmed by them and yet he is weary of battling these feelings… perhaps his father is right…
“Dad...”
“Yeah, son…”
“I do care but… Zak…,” he hesitates for fear of being misunderstood.
“Zak’s gone and he’s not coming back. You’re here and she’s waiting. Just don’t make her wait too long. You’re lucky that she’s waited as long as she has.”
“You don’t mind…?”
“Mind? Why should I mind? I’m an old man…,” saying so, the father grins broadly. “Besides we have to start making babies, remember?”
“Do you think that when I get to your age, that I’ll get to be as certain as you are?”
“You are Apollo, my son… you can be whatever you want.”