Spoiler: Up to Collaborators 3.05
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: My thanks go to Sidhe for taking the time and beta-reading ;) tacklehugs
Bill was watching Laura's hair. The way it brushed against her shoulders while she was making notes of their meeting. The way the table lamp made it shine in all different kinds of red. He imagined how her hair would feel gliding through his finger, he thought of...
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"Oh, Tom!"
He was taken out of his daydreaming with a big bump. Since when is she calling him by his first name? he asked himself, when he saw her break into a smile when looking up at Tom Zarek.
His stomach clenched. She likes him! he discovered! Laura Roslin, President of the Twelve Colonies likes Tom Zarek! Bill always saw something in Zarek's eyes that told Bill he was attracted to Laura, but he knew, or at least thought he had known, that Laura hated Zarek just as much as he did. And now she was smiling at him as if he was the nicest man on earth.
"I thought I would visit you! Since we came back I haven't seen you out of the quorum meetings once. I have to ask you something important, but if you're busy I'll come back later," he winked.
"Wait! I think the Admiral and I are finished for today anyway. The rest we can discuss tomorrow morning like we planned." She started to pull together her papers even before looking at Bill for reassurance.
She was sending HIM away because of ZAREK! His mood went from miserable to terrible.
He rose abruptly.
"Madame President," he excused himself, turned around and walked out of her office without looking at any of them.
"I guess your meeting didn't go too well!" Zarek wondered while sitting down.
"Actually, it did. I don't know what got into him just now!" Laura still stared at the empty door where the Admiral has left. After so many years she still couldn't figure out this man completely. He was all wrapped in secrets. She thought that they were slowly getting back to their relationship before New Caprica, but maybe she was wrong. She tried to focus on Tom, not letting him notice how much this bothered her.
- - -
Bill was still fuming when he entered his quarters. He smashed the papers on his desk and sat down, burying his head into his hands. How could he be such a fool, thinking she had missed him?
He recognized that she seemed a little different. That something was bothering her, but was sure it had something to do with the events on New Caprica. He would never have guessed that it was because of Zarek.
Bill grabbed some reports and tried to focus on his work, but his mind still wandered to Laura. Four months of fear, worrying that she might be dead. Four months, without one minute passing by that he didn't think of her. He tried to tell himself that he was going back to New Caprica to save all those 41,000 people, not only for just one person. But the very first reason in his mind was still Laura. He knew it was selfish and he shouldn't think that way, but having Kara and Laura down there with the Cylons was just unacceptable to him. He sighed another time, desperately trying to wipe out the thoughts of what Laura and Tom were doing at this moment.
- - -
"Sooo, what do you think?" Zarek asked a bit nervous, taking a sip of his ambrosia.
"Tom, I think it's the best idea you ever had," she smirked at him. "I'm kind of surprised that you want to get married on your old days!"
- - -
The next morning, Bill's mood hadn't cleared up. He was angry with himself for not looking forward to the meeting with the President as he usually was. He was angry for the way he'd acted after his meeting the day before, and for allowing his feelings for Laura to intrude on his work.
The Admiral entered Galactica's conference room to meet Laura, who was going through her papers.
"Madam President."
She looked at him.
"Admiral, it's good that you are a little ahead of schedule. I have an appointement in an hour, and I was already thinking about having to delay it."
She invited him to sit down oppsite her.
Appointment? he asked himself. That doesn't really sound like buisness!
The next hour they spent going through the news from both civilian and military sides. Bill didn't feel like making any small talk with Laura, especially not today, so he kept it all to business. When they finished, he started to stand up and leave, when he felt a warm hand placing on his.
"Bill, what's wrong?"
"I've no idea what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do! You are barely speaking to me and you have that odd look on your face! It's not how it used to be between us."
He could see the sadness in her eyes, but he knew that she was only talking about their friendship, nothing more.
"I think we both changed during these 16 month," he responded, trying not to show too much emotion. She opened her mouth to reply, when the Vice President entered the room, smiling at Laura, trying to ignore Bill.
Tom Zarek still didn't know what made Laura so fond of Bill. In his eyes, Adama was only a quiet man with some outbursts from time to time, but who seemed to have many secrets.
"I hope you don't have an excuse for postponing our appointement! I swear, I won't let you go to the wedding in your boring suits, Laura!"
Bill's face went blank. Wedding? the word echoed in his head. Laura is planning to marry Zarek? It hurt him even more that she haven't told him! He couldn't believe it! He suddenly felt the urge to hit something or somebody very hard.
"We'll talk about this later, Admiral." She stared at him for a long moment, before she rose and left the room with Zarek. When they were out of hearing range, Bill banged his fist onto the table.
- - - -
"So he actually IS angry with you?"
"I've no idea what happened between the warm greeting when we came back from New Caprica and now! I thought he'd be as happy as I was to see him. Now I doubt that very much."
"I think he has strong feelings for you, Laura, just as I know you have for him. I know you well enough to be able to see it."
Laura sighed.
He continued. "And that's why I'll invite him for my wedding as well! Cassandra will be happy if she gets to know that the President AND the Admiral will attend our wedding!"
Laura liked Cassandra very much. She was the mother of one of her students down on New Caprica. Her first husband died during the attacks on Gemenon, so she raised her daughter alone. Laura had been very surprised when Cassandra told her that she was in love with Tom Zarek. Laura thought that she was too nice for that terrorist, but the last days on New Caprica had changed her mind about him and they all three became close friends.
"I guess I have to accept that, if that makes your future wife happy!" she said with a little grin.
"I'm happy to hear you say so. So that means I can trust you to give the invitation to Adama? You'll see him in a few hours anyway!" He handed her an envelope.
"You should give it to him yourself. It's your wedding!"
"And you are our maid of honor, so that's your job now!" He won't let her back out.
"I still think I'm too old for being Cass' bridesmaid! I feel very honoured that you two asked me but..."
"No buts!" They stepped through a door where a little market opened to them. "And now I need your opinion as a woman to choose the right wedding rings which Cassandra will like! Plus we have to get you a dress. These suits of yours are just creepy!"
Laura rolled her eyes and they both stepped into the crowd of people.
tbc
