SERIES: Challenges
A one shot from a Series i havent done the main fic for yet.
Rating: K
Characters: Hera Agathon, William Adama, Sharon "Athena" Agathon, Helo Agathon, Laura Rosin (off-camera)
PAPAdama fic
NOTES: A bit of American Sign Language makes itself known here. Its actually VERY useful to teach little ones like Hera before they can talk even if they are Hearing children. I miss ASL classes :-(
The story is modeled after AD/MM from Harry Potter fanon. It also mirrors A/R.
Hera Agathon had a well known perchance for running off. In fact, it had almost caused her mother to royally frak up their first chance at not living as a large pack of intergalactic space bums.
But with a treaty in the works (and a reincarnated and escaped Natalie assuring Sharon she wasn't going to try and airlock her for it), there was a wee bit less worry. By now, most of the crew kept an eye on her just because they were used to her presence aboard Galactica. But Tigh, on this particular day, hadn't checked to make sure the girl was at least wandering off in the same direction of either a Human or Cylon officer and she'd found her way to where her mummy had gone a couple of times before to speak with the man they all called Admiral a lot.
She knocked with one tiny fist. She wanted a story, and mummy was too busy to read to her, and then she'd remembered listening to this Admiral reading a book to Miss Laura in the place where Mr Cottle was. Hera liked Miss Laura, but she'd also liked the sound of the man's voice as he read aloud. Would he read to her?
The hatch opened after Hera knocked again, and the little girl found herself staring up at Admiral Adama, who in turn looked down at the three and half year old with a mix of shock and caution.
"Now how did you get out of someone's sight..?" He rumbled. Hera giggled at the tone and his scarred face softened a bit.
"I should call your mother," He said, bending down to pick her up,"Battlestar is no place for a child.." He sat her down on the battered brown couch and made to turn to the phone, but the child's hand gripped his thumb and he stalled.
"Hmm?" He said, sensing a question.
Hera opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again. She couldn't yet tell the grown ups with words, so she took her little hands and put them side by side, lining up her pinky fingers and then closed her hands, imitating a book being opened and closed. Adama blinked, a bit taken aback.
"You came here on purpose. For a story." He said blankly, almost pulling away. This half-Cylon child wanted him, Husker from two wars with the Cylons, to read to her?
She was a child, he reasoned. She didn't understand the wars, the depth of emotion her existence still brought to the fore in his heart. He tried to shake his head no, but the child took that exact moment to smile brilliantly at him, little eyes crinkling in delight and hope. He was suddenly reminded of Zak, who had possessed Carolanne's dark eyes, eager for a tale of his father's heroics as a Viper pilot in the first war.
As had become the norm for Adama men over the years, the female immediately got the better of him just by a look.
"I don't know why you picked me, Hera, but here goes nothing." He patted her head gently and walked towards his shelves, seeking a volume of legends he could possibly read to a child. He finally found a battered book of children's tales. With a start, he realized it was the very one he'd read to his boys when they were little.
He sat back down on the couch next to the little girl, who immediately scooted up close to him, eyes bright. His face softened another noticeable degree as he opened the book.
"There once were people born many years apart whose grew very powerful..." He began, and suddenly it was only four or five years after he'd been married and little Lee was sitting beside him in the master bed in Viper Pjs while Carolanne smiled from the doorway.
"They were powerful, though she was a young woman and he in his prime. But they fell in love despite the war..." He read, unconciously letting the little girl cuddle up to him until she lay with her head against his uniformed chest and her legs dangling off the couch sideways, blinking sleepily.
He felt wonderful sitting there with a child, enjoying the telling of the old tale and the memories of his younger days of fatherhood. He didn't even notice when Hera had fallen asleep and kept there by the sound of his voice.
"...and they lead their children to a new life, a new day, a day formed by only belief..."
"Admiral?" He trailed off, looking up from the book to see Athena and Helo Agathon standing in the hatchway, "Someone said they saw Hera...ah" Athena suddenly caught sight of her daughter cuddled up against the Admiral and looked shocked for just a moment before smiling, "there she is."
She came forward as Adama closed the book, taking it from his hands to place gently upon the table. Behind her, Helo just looked dumbstruck at the scene before him.
"I'm sorry she barged in on you." Athena whispered, carefully extracting Hera from her warm huddle and turning to hand her over to her father.
"No need to apologize, Lieutenant. I admit I was a bit surprised that she came to me in search of a bedtime story." He said,
"She heard you in the Life Station during one of the President's treatments. I think she liked your voice. Earned that callsign I suppose." She smiled.
"Even when I was a young man, yes." He said.
"Thank you, sir. We should get this one to bed." Athena give a casual salute, Helo a respectful nod due to his armful of child. Both left as silently as they had come and Adama decided to call it a night himself, feeling quite a bit happier than he had in a long time.
"I can't believe she went to the Old Man." Helo said softly to his wife as they returned to their bunk.
"I'm surprised he actually read to her. He's been on the bad side of my people for his entire life, Helo. But he looked happier than I've even seen him."
Helo sighed.
"What?"
"First she goes to Roslin despite the woman being.." Athena shot him a look.
"I know, but she's not quite evil."
"I..I know. But first she attaches herself to Roslin and now the old man? Why?" Helo said with confusion. They continued in silence until they arrived at their bunk and then Athena giggled.
"Oh my god, Helo..."
"What?"
"Grandparents!!"