Five Times Helo Proposed

1. The rain coming down on the roof of the barn drowned out the rhythm of her breathing. Helo lay on his back, hand resting on his chest, the smell of damp straw filling his world. His small world, a bubble around him, and her, and the diminishing supply of meds that held back the more serious effects of radiation poisoning.

He stares at the beams overhead and tries to understand. Never a big believer in fate or the gods, he hardly believed this -- Sharon shouldn't have been able to come back for him. How could she have gotten through the layers and layers of Cylons? There were probably Cylons in space, Cylons in every nook and cranny of the planet where there might have been people, Cylons and their scanners, and their weapons. And getting back to him in spite of the growing distance between Caprica and the fleet? And taking a Raptor without permission? Why hadn't they disabled it and kept her from stealing precious resources?

This was the same old Sharon, though, with a new determination. And she'd come for him.

 "Marry me," he whispered.

Her stillness, the rise and fall of her chest, were his answer. Her toughness and stubborn refusal to leave him here to be killed by Cylons were her answer. They were already married by circumstance. The last two humans in the colonies.

2. "We could do it."

"Helo, how many layers of cell wall are between us right now? How many corridors full of trained warriors and how far away could we get before they catch up to us in a squadron of vipers?"

"We could."

"Shut up, Helo."

"So hang up if you don't want to hear it."

"You hang up."

"This wouldn't happen if they allowed conjugal visits, would it?"

3. Helo pinned Kara again. "Not quite at the top of your form," he commented, rising on one knee and giving her a hand up.

"Yeah, well, I got a lot on my mind."

"Anders?"

Kara shot him a drop-dead glance. But it softened almost immediately as she turned away, and he knew he'd hit the target. "Let's go."

He went high this time, throwing a punch at her left eye, and she countered swiftly, as if tight-wound springs drove her arms and legs. She hurled him to the mat and knocked the breath out of him.

"Damn," he gasped when he could. "Marry me."

She stared at him, mouth open, her fingers around his throat and her knee in his chest, then rolled away laughing and holding her gut, slamming down on the mat beside him. They laughed together until neither of them could breathe.

When Dualla and Lee came in, dressed down for their workout and towels over their shoulders, they stared for a moment at the breathless pair then headed for the other end of the room.

"Way to go, asshole," Kara exclaimed, springing up from the mat and holding out a hand.

"Well, it disabled you, didn't it? Isn't that the point of self defense?"

4. "I accept, sir."

"Good." Admiral Adama gripped Helo's shoulder, reminding Helo of his father. Dad had frequently squeezed his arm or given him one-armed hugs, before he'd passed on when Helo was fifteen. "And I have a suggestion, as your new executive officer."

"What's that?" Adama's eyebrows rose; he'd surprised the old man.

"Well, sir... I'd like to discuss moving Sharon into better accommodations."

"I see. You have something in mind?"

"Well, yes."

"The XO's quarters, perhaps?"

Helo gaped at the admiral. Adama smiled paternally, chuckled, and turned away.

"Let's start slow, shall we? Inform the crew of your promotion, move you into your new billet, get your new uniforms, settle you into the role, and then talk about the larger picture. One adjustment at a time."

"Yes, sir."

5. "You see this?"

Karl held up a small wood box. Sharon reached up to touch it with her finger, tracing the flower cut into the lid. "Is it a jewelry box?"

"It was my mother's." Karl put it on the cover that was draped over both of them as they lay in the bed together. It would be another two hours before they reported for duty. They woke early most days and used the morning hours as their personal time, heading to the gym four days a week and staying in for three.

"I've never seen it before."

"I kept it in the bigger box, in the bottom. This is a special jewelry box. It's for you." He opened it slowly and dipped in a fingertip, raising the ring into view and tipping his hand, dangling it a few inches from her nose. He heard the light rush of air into her mouth, then her hand floated up to meet his, closing around the glittering ring of tiny diamonds.

"Helo," she sighed.

"The admiral is meeting us on the hangar deck, half an hour before our shift starts."

She lurched into an upright position. "What?"

"Dress uniforms."

Sharon's grin of delight set off one of his own. He rolled off even as she leaped from under the covers, and then it was a game of who could get dressed first, who shoved into the closet fastest, and he worried for a bit that she'd drop the ring and lose it, but then they were dressed and she placed it in front of the mirror to use both hands to tie up her hair.

"I'm glad you like it," he commented offhandedly, just to see her smile. She picked it up, held it in her flattened palm, catching the light.

"I'm glad you gave it to me."

"I'm glad you agreed to get dressed and go down to the hangar deck."

"Helo. We're already going to be late."

"It's not like they can start without us." He grabbed her hand as they simultaneously turned for the door.