A/N I hope you find this as joyful to read as I found it to write. I thought the SpaceParents could use a bit of Christmas fluff :) Enjoy!

Laura hadn't celebrated any high holidays since she'd lost her entire family, especially the Festival of Joyful Merriment. The week long holiday held every December had been her favorite for many reasons: the twinkling of lights, surrounded by music and laughter, had made her heart swell everywhere she looked. Now all she saw was memories of a time she wanted to bury in the deep drifts of snow she passed along the highway.

The static coming through the car speakers brought her out of her reverie. She fiddled nervously with the controls in an effort to find a station that would come in. The weather reports had said to expect the storms' conditions to worsen as the hours passed, but she had hoped to beat the worst of it. The three hour drive out of Caprica City had turned into a much longer trek than she'd anticipated, and she was finding herself drifting into a dream state. The blaring orchestra shouting from the car speakers made her jump in alarm as the lyrics of "Home for the Holidays" soon followed. Once one of her families favorite songs, now it only brought tears to her eyes. She clicked the radio off after surfing through the channels once more, coming up with nothing more than static or Merriment songs, neither of which she was in the mood for. She refocused her attention on the road and the ever growing mound of snow on the hood of her car. She crowded the steering wheel and squinted out the foggy front window in hopes to locate her turn off.

The address was partially covered by a low hanging fir tree, but she had found it after only three wrong turns. The sight before her brought a smile to her face as she looked at the quaint cabin on the hill. Secluded in the woods from any neighbors on either side for miles, it was the perfect getaway. Laura turned to retrieve her bag from the backseat; she placed a wool hat on her head and tugged her furry jacket about her shoulders before exiting the car. She looked around her in wonderment and thought of how beautiful the surrounding woods would be in the spring and summertime. She had picked this place in particular since the website said there was a stream on the back of the property that had water as clear as glass. It was hers for an entire week, and she was finding it to be just the balm her weary heart needed. The wind began to pick up and snow seemed to be falling at an alarming rate. She hurried up the wooden steps and stomped her feet. Shaking off the last of the snow, she opened the intricately carved wooden door and stepped into her dream home.

The air was warm and cozy inside the cabin and Laura found her face was filled with awe. The entryway alone had far superceded her expectations. She hung her jacket and hat on the hooks by the door and slid her wet boots off to be placed under a bench lurking nearby. She set down her luggage then took the opportunity to explore. The living room was alight with the warm glow of embers softly emitting from the fireplace. She was surprised that the real estate agent had made her way up in the storm to start a fire just for her. She made a mental note to say a special thank you. She couldn't imagine how long it woud have taken to get the chill out of the cabin otherwise. The couch was inviting with a large downy comforter and plump goose down pillows spread across it. She ran her fingers along the back of it, enjoying the soft feel under her hand. She felt like a kid in a candy shop as she continued through the house. She stood in amazement at the small library nook carved into a wall at the corner of the first floor. There were novels of all names shouting back at her, and she made a promise to herself to finish at least one, if not two, of the books while she visited. The kitchen was stocked with plenty food, which was a good thing since she'd not thought to shop before she left town, and by the sounds coming from the outdoors she wasn't going anywhere soon.

Laura climbed the stairs to the partial loft overlooking the downstairs. Against the wall was a king sized four poster bed covered in piles of blankets and pillows. Like a small child she found herself drawn to it, where she promptly jumped backwards across the covers and made "snow angels" in their glorious softness. She laughed at herself not knowing where the urge had come from. She snuggled down for a few more minutes then went to open the doors of the wardrobe in search of towels. She was feeling the need for a shower to wash the trip off that would hopefully also shake some of the lingering sadness off at the days earlier memory fest.

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Bill had tramped far deeper into the woods than he had planned and was now determined to get back to the cabin before he had lost all sense of direction. He tugged harder at his newest find and trudged up the large embankment. Shielding his eyes against the onslaught of snow, he spied the smoke spiralling out of the chimney as he'd intended when he'd lit the fire before leaving. He reached the back steps as a large crack boomed from behin him, presenting a large branch a mere feet from where he'd been standing moments before.

"Frak, that was a close one," he said to the ghosts of the forest, his breath swirling before him. He stomped once more and shook the snow from all his possessions as he entered the door of the cabin, relishing the warmth that met his cheeks.

Walking through the kitchen, he struggled with the tree, knocking it against every surface as he tried propping it against a wall. He reached down for the stand to secure it in place and was instead bumped with the door to the bathroom.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" A shrill scream filled the air followed by several profanity laced sentences. A wiry, red-haired woman stood before him, in a towel no less. Her eyes were frantic as she eyed the tree, the man, and the robe she was trying in vain to cover herself with. He looked at the robe and then her face as recognition hit him, and a small laugh, which he covered with a cough, overtook him.

"Who the frak are you? And what the frak are you doing in my cabin? I demand you answer me this minute!"

"Madam Secretary, I'm afraid you are misinformed. This is my cabin, and I should be asking why the frak you are in it, Laura" Bill glared at her daring her to make the next move.

Laura looked at the man in front of her, confused as to why he would be so presumptuous to know her let alone call her by her first name. She eyed him suspiciously trying to place where she'd know this intruder from. He had a hard set to his mouth from what she could see of it, being covered in a neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard didn't give her much of a view. Her stare traveled up his face and landed on his eyes. There was something hauntingly familiar about them, and yet she was having a difficult time placing them. Then it hit her like a meteor shower on a Caprican summer night. The deep blue eyes, with the fine lines from years of seriousness etched around them, could only belong to one man.

"Commander Adama? I didn't recognize you. You look a little different."

"So do you Madam Secretary," he retorted. "Nice robe. It's always been my favorite."