Written for Sira01 who wanted Bill and Laura playing on New Caprica but preferably sometime other than the groundbreaking ceremony.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it...see RDM!

*****

"You're getting a little too comfortable in that sand, Admiral."

Bill glanced up to meet the bright eyes of his favorite schoolteacher. She was wearing the boots and the vibrant red skirt he remembered from the groundbreaking ceremony, but the low cut top and wrap had been replaced by a snug brown sweater. A concession to the changing weather.

"Alluvial deposits, Ms. Roslin," he reminded her.

"Ah yes, how could I forget?" She replied in a mock serious tone. "Sand is for children to play in. The admiral of the fleet, however, must always play in alluvial deposits."

Bill chuckled and willingly accepted her teasing.

"Would you like to join me?" Bill patted the ground next to him and grinned up at Laura, hoping she would take him up on his offer so their flirting could continue.

"Hmm," she mused. "Tempting, but I'll pass."

At Bill's frown she laughed and offered a hand to help him up.

"I was rather hoping you'd join me for lunch instead," she told him.

Bill accepted her hand and rose swiftly, pulling her into a tight embrace when he was on his feet. When she returned the hug he lifted her and swung her around in a small circle.

Laura giggled and clutched at his shoulders even as he set her back down.

"I'm so pleased you could come back," she told him, still giggling. "And so soon too."

"I couldn't stay away," he assured her.

Laura turned her eyes away self-consciously and rested her forehead against his shoulder.

"I'm glad," she whispered.

The sound of approaching voices finally caused them to break from the embrace. Laura blushed and turned away quickly.

"Let's go then," she called over her shoulder, already several paces ahead of him.

Bill smiled happily and obeyed, enjoying the view as he ambled along behind her.

Lunch was a modest affair, unlike Bill and Laura's behavior. Despite the best of intentions, neither one could keep their hands off the other. Over the simple fare of bread and dried fruit, the couple laughed and flirted shamelessly. Bill's hands were drawn like magnets to her hair, constantly fingering the ends or tucking strands behind her ear. Laura's fingertips moved ceaselessly, touching his shoulder, thigh, the back of his hand, as if needing constant reassurance that he was really there with her.

No one seemed terribly interested in the couple lounging on one of the picnic tables leftover from the groundbreaking ceremony. Children were scolded by their parents, teenagers shouted obscenities, men and women doing construction work yelled instructions to one another, and all of this went on while Bill and Laura remained oblivious to their surroundings. It was only when one of Galactica's pilots stopped to salute as he passed that the two decided they should find a more secluded location. Neither would admit to the other that a private spot was just what they'd had in mind from the beginning.

They moved quickly through the settlement and once free of the last line of tents they entered the woods and picked their way through the trees. Only then did Bill lose all pretence of decorum and place an arm around Laura's waist, his hand coming to rest on the swell of her hip. She leaned into this embrace and their pace slowed as they now moved as one through the brush.

Laura smiled with satisfaction and tucked two fingers into a gap between the buttons on his uniform jacket. She wasn't quite sure where they were headed, but she was willing to walk forever so long as Bill remained at her side. He seemed to feel the same and the two traveled slowly through the trees with no particular destination in mind.

After at least half an hour of walking in silence Laura paused and led Bill towards a large rock where she sat and began removing her boots.

"If you don't mind, I need to get out of these things for a minute."

He chuckled and sat next to her.

"No problem," he told her. "I can see how suede boots would be a pain for someone used to wearing those comfortable high heels."

Laura frowned at her companion and poked his stomach.

"Ha ha," she replied dryly. "If you must know, I haven't worn a pair of comfortable shoes since before the attacks. These are an improvement over the heels, but they're just a little narrow."

Bill clucked sympathetically which earned him another poke, but Laura permitted him to pull her feet into his lap. He inspected the angry red marks along the sides of her feet that the boots had caused and followed them with the pads of his thumbs. She rested her head on his shoulder as he gently rubbed her feet, but she jerked back when one of his fingers traced the arch of her foot.

"Ticklish?" He sounded hopeful.

Laura shook her head stubbornly.

"No, just sensitive."

"Ah," he nodded. "Well in that case…"

He ran the tip of his thumb along her arch again, holding her ankle tightly so she couldn't pull away. This time she squeaked and slapped his shoulder when he held tight to her foot.

"Not funny, Bill!"

"Really? I think it is."

He smirked and tickled the sole of her foot, moving upwards to tease the back of her calf as she squirmed and tried to suppress her giggles. When he reached the back of her knee, Laura lost control of her giggles as well as her balance and fell backwards off the rock as she laughed.

Bill was at her side immediately. He knelt beside her as she continued to laugh, though she held a hand to the back of her head and winced through her giggles.

"Laura?" He was torn between the desire to share in her amusement and genuine concern.

"You brute," she teased. "You nearly killed me."

Bill laughed then, relieved that she was relatively unharmed and not terribly angry with him.

Laura seemed content to remain on the ground. It was dry and somewhat comfortable. A few leaves had become tangled in her hair but Bill decided to remove them later and not worry her about them now; he liked seeing her so relaxed and was loathe to mention anything that might make her self-conscious. Instead, he settled himself on the ground next to her. They lay there silently for a minute or two, enjoying the stillness of the forest and listening to the even breathing of the other.

"So," Laura spoke at last, "do you think anyone saw us heading out here?"

Bill considered her question.

"One or two perhaps," he replied, smiling as she turned towards him and laid one of her legs across his. "I'm sure anyone who gave it any thought would be able to guess where we went."

"And what do you suppose they think we're doing out here all alone?" she asked, her fingertips tracing invisible circles across his chest and stomach.

Bill decided to play dumb.

"Camping?" he suggested.

She glared at him.

"Try again."

"Smoking mind altering substances?"

Laura giggled.

"Perhaps."

"Or maybe," Bill began, rolling onto his side quickly so that she was pinned beneath him, "just maybe, their minds have gone a bit further to imagine…"

Laura smiled, their faces now mere inches apart.

"Imagine what?" she asked, her voice nearly a purr.

"Unspeakable things," he whispered, his lips tracing her jaw.

"Mmm, such as?"

Bill pulled his lips away from her neck and frowned.

"They're unspeakable, remember?"

Laura snorted.

"Idiot," she muttered. At his grin she sighed and played along. "I suppose if they're unspeakable you'll just have to show me instead."

He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I think I can do that."

The End!