Felix wondered if this is what his life had become. An endless barrage of paper work, star charts, and R&R request. He was sure if the cylons didn't kill him that the paper work would. And Baltar, he was relentless, his never ending madness. At first he was honored to work along side Baltar. He was a brilliant man. But being his aide was like being a wet nurse. He did more tending to Baltar's eccentricities than actual work.
"Hey." A soft voice came from the doorway. Felix looked up from his paperwork to see Dee standing in the doorway smiling.
"How are you feeling?" He asked offering her a seat. Felix was riddled with guilt about what happened to her. If he hadn't link the network there wouldn't be a cylon virus running its course through the Galactica and Dee console wouldn't have blown up. His heart stopped when he saw her fly through the air. And only started beating again when he saw her fight off Adama's help. He should have been more careful, he should have expected something like this, and after all it was his job as tactical officer. His negligence almost cost him his friend.
"Would you stop fussing over me. Cottle gave me the all clear." Dee tried to reassure her friend. She wore a mischievous grin on her face.
Felix couldn't help but smile also. Dee had that effect. "What?" He asked arching his eyebrow.
"Swapped this from the pilot's rec room." She pulled out a bottle from her back pocket. "Care for a game of high-low?"
"Petty Officer Dualla are you trying to get me drunk?"
"That's the plan sir." She said as she shuffled the deck of cards.
She started to deal when Felix stopped her by grabbing her hand. There was an awkward silence before Felix withdrew his hand. "I'll cut."
"Don't trust me Lieutenant?"
Felix starred straight into her eyes. Almost getting lost in there brilliance. But he managed to keep his composer. "Nope." He replied flatly. He cut the deck and handed the cards back to her.
-
"High card again, Lieutenant!" Dee said laughing.
Felix sighed and took a swallow from the bottle. He stumbled a bit. Dee grabbed his elbow to keep him from falling.
Blushing Felix thanked her. Once again Felix found himself mesmerized by her eyes. "Dee."
Dee shook her head. "You put too much pressure on yourself. Your one man, Felix." She put her hand on his shoulder.
Felix took her hand down. Dee was right, he was one man. One man who frackked up. Lost control with the Colonel. Did the one thing Adama was adamant about. The first thing Adama said to him when he came to the Galactica was that there was no network on his ship. And he disobeyed that order.
"Hey." Dee snapped. "Low card, drink." She commanded.
Felix looked at the card in front of him. He took a drink, but this time it burnt going down. What other mistakes had he made? What other split second frack ups did he make that cost lives?
He could feel Dee looking at him. However, he found it difficult to look back at her; it was like gazing into a brilliant light. He chanced a glance at her. She leaned into him. Then she was kissing him, and he was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion, better than Ambrosia. Frack that she was his subordinate, frack the paper work, star charts, Baltar, and the cylons she was the only real thing in the world to him at that moment. The feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet-smelling hair…
"Mr. Gaeta I was thinking…" Baltar stopped in his tracks smiling like an idiot.
Dee and Gaeta jumped apart.
"Please continue Mr. Gaeta I'll come back later." Baltar said backing out the room making sure he closed the door behind him.
There was another awkward silence between them. "Looks like we're out of Ambrosia." Dee hopped down from her stool. Dee straightened his uniform for him. "I guess I should let you get back to your paperwork." She barely spoke over a whisper. She collected her cards and went to the door.
Dee hardly got the door open when Felix called out to her. "Dee."
She turned facing him. "Sometimes you have to rolled the hard six."
He watched her leave. He turned back to the piles of paperwork in front of him. But now he didn't feel overwhelmed. He felt relieved maybe it was the Ambrosia, maybe it was because he kissed Dee, but his life didn't seem so bleak.