"Welcome back to the Colonial Fleet Mr. Gaeta." Admiral Adama handed Felix his uniform and gave him a warm smile.
Felix took the uniform; it felt as if the Admiral had given him the key to unlocking the universe most guarded secret.
"Thank you Admiral. I won't let you down sir." Felix saluted. Adama returned the salute.
"See you in the C.I.C Mr. Gaeta."
Felix smiled slightly and left the admiral's quarters. It felt good to be back into the fleet, to have the trust and respect of the Admiral meant a lot to him. He entered the officer's head to put his uniform away. He never realized how much he missed the smell of sweat and soap of the head, until this moment. It was the small things that he missed about Galactica during his time on New Caprica. He missed his station in the C.I.C how the "g" button always stuck on his keypad, the bad food in the mess, the starchy bed sheets, and most of all the uniform. He was straightening out the wrinkles in his uniform.
"Hey." A warm voice said from behind him.
Felix turned to greet the friendly voice. "Lt. Dualla."
"Good to have you back Mr. Gaeta." She playfully nudged him to the side.
He looked at her as she leaned against the locker fiddling with her ring. She looked as she was looking for words to say. He inwardly smiled he actually missed her. They worked well together; she knew what he was going to do before he did it. They had their own little code in the C.I.C. They were each other support system, especially those days when Tigh went on his drunken tirades. They both decided to say on Galactica her last few days. Then there were the times were Felix thought things progressed a little more than shipmate and friends.
During they're first Colonial Day together she had asked him to dance.
"Lt. Gaeta?"
Felix looked up from his drink.
"Dee." He managed to choke out. "You're in a dress."
She smiled. "Yes. That's usually the proper attire that women wear to dances, or should I have worn my uniform?"
Felix wiped the liquid from his mouth. "No, I mean…I mean you look nice."
She did a slight curtsey. "Thank you." She sat beside him. "Why aren't you dancing?"
"I can't." He mumbled.
"What?!"
"I can't dance."
Dee laughed. "Seriously? You can't dance?"
"I must have missed Dance 101 in basic."
Dee got up and gave him her hand. "Well, there no time like the present to learn."
Felix resisted. "I'm good."
Dee pulled him up almost spilling his drink. "That wasn't a request Lt."
Felix managed to put his drink on the bar. Dee dragged him on the dance floor.
"Let's see whatcha got." Dee stepped back and waited for Felix to move.
"Seriously, Dee I can't dance. I look like a wounded animal." Felix did somewhat a jig.
Dee grabbed him to stop him. "Wow. Let's not do that again, ever." She took a deep breath. "It's dancing not an equation. Get out of your head Gaeta and go with the flow."
Felix nodded and did a little two step. Dee started laughing.
"Dee." Felix snapped.
"Sorry." She laughed. "Better." She said with a glee of hope. "You're still stiff. Loosen up."
The music slowed down. She placed one on his hands on her shoulder and the other on her waist.
Felix looked around the dance floor nervously. Dee turned his head to face her. "Relax. It's just you and me. Just follow my lead."
Felix took a deep breath and followed her lead. Dee pulled him closer. "Relax." She whispered in his ear.
Felix finally relaxed following Dee's lead. He could feel her breath against his neck, her body next to his they were moving in sync with each other...
"Ouch." Dee jumped back. "My foot."
Felix rubbed his forehead. "Sorry."
Dee smiled weakly. "It's ok. It's just my foot."
"I told you I couldn't dance."
"Well you think you can get me a drink?"
Felix took her hand. "That I can managed."
The time he went to cheer her up after a bad day.
There was a knock on Dee's rack. She pulled the curtain back and Felix stood there smiling.
"I thought you could use this." He pulled a bottle of alcohol from behind his back.
"My hero." Dee sat up to give Felix room on the other end of her bed. She took the bottle from his hand and took a swig.
Felix took the bottle from her. "Slow down tiger or you'll end up like Tigh." He sat on the other end of her bed. He took a drink. "You shouldn't let him get to you."
Dee fiddled with a stuff teddy bear. "I know, but he's such a ass."
Felix laughed. "Yes he is, he's no teddy bear."
Dee threw the bear at him. "Ha ha."
Felix caught the bear. "Seriously." He handed her the bottle. "You can't let him see you rattled like that. It feeds his ego. You're stronger than that."
"Sometimes I think my father was right…"
Felix grabbed the bottle from her. "No more for you young lady. You're saying your father was right." He switched sides so that he was sitting next to her. Dee had to move over so that the both of them could fit on the one side. She rested her head on his shoulder.
Dee laughed slightly. "I am stronger than that." She reassured herself. "And he's really an ass." She looked up at Felix.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you Dee." They held a gaze. The officer in him told him that they had too much to drink and he should leave, but on the other hand he wanted to stay.
"Hey, Dee…" Her curtain pulled back and it revealed Cally. "Oh sorry." Cally smiled.
Dee sat up. "What's up?"
"I um…um" Cally stammered. "We have a tirade game going and I was wondering if wanted to join us?" Cally couldn't help but grin.
"Sure. Gaeta do you want to play with us?"
Felix got up. "I've got some work to do." He straightened up his clothes. "Feel better Dee."
Friends and Family day on the GalacticaFelix unwrapped his food. "I made you all you're favorites." His Grandmother said. She pushed back a strain of hair from his face. "You look thin. Are they feeding you here? Felix are you eating enough?"
"Yes Gran." He said with a mouth full of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full Felix."
Felix swallowed his food. "Yes Gran." He looked over to the side of the room and saw Dee standing in the doorway. He waved her over to his table. Dee smiled and walked over.
"Hey Gaeta."
Felix stood up. "Anastasia Dualla this is my Gran."
"Hello Mrs. Gaeta."
"Are they feeding any of you here? Sit down sweetheart."
"I don't want to impose."
Felix pulled out a chair. "Dee sit. We got plenty and Gran made chicken pie."
Dee smiled and sat down. Felix's Gran fixed her a plate.
"Thank you." She took the plate.
"Your family couldn't make it?" Felix's Gran asked putting more food on both their plates.
Dee shook her head. "My father really didn't approve of my joining the fleet."
"Why? I was so proud when Felix joined. You know his grandfather was in the Colonial Fleet. He looked so handsome in his uniform. Felix looks just like him."
Dee smiled a Felix who was blushing. "He's a Saggitoron revolutionist. He doesn't believe in the government. And when I enlisted he wasn't too thrilled."
Felix took her hand. "His lost. Dee is one of the best communications officers we've got, Gran. I couldn't run the C.I.C without her. She going to be a fine officer one day."
Gran looked at the both of them warmly. Dee finished what was on her plate. "I should go. If I'm going to make officer, I should get back to the C.I.C Nice meeting you Mrs. Gaeta. Thanks for dinner. Lt. Geata."
"Bye Dee."
Gran was smiling at him. "What?"
"She's a lovely girl."
Felix gave her a boyish grin. "She's my subordinate."
"Still doesn't change the fact that she's a lovely girl, Felix." Gran put more food on his plate.
"Gran."
"What?" She said innocently. "Just don't let the job become all you are Felix. Make time for the little things." She kissed him on the check.
Felix watched Dee leave. He didn't need his grandmother telling him Dee was a special girl. He already knew that.
His return to the GalacticaIt was strange being back on the Galactica again. Strange how much this raggy spaceship felt like home. There were days he thought he would never see it again or the people in it. He watched the people hoist up Admiral Adama and cheered his name. Some of the people gave him dirty looks. Like they knew that he held a gun to Gauis Baltar's head and didn't pull the trigger. That he was a collaborator. He had been the president's aid and he was sure people would saw him as a traitor, as a collaborator. He thought he was serving the people, trying to restore what was left of their government.
"Felix?" A sweet voice cut through the crowd. Felix knew that voice from anywhere.
He turned around to see Dee standing there with a grin the size of a small moon. "Thank the gods." She ran up to him and hugged him hard.
"Good to see you too, Dee." Felix said. He felt safe in her arms. Safer he had been in months, and for the first time in a long while. Felix took a long deep breath.
Felix took her hand. She looked up at him. "It's good to be back." They held a glare. They were the only two people in the room. Nothing mattered but the moment. At this moment they were much more than just friends and shipmates. Dee was the first person to break away.
"I should go. I've got next watch." She said quietly.
Felix closed the door to his locker. "Thanks Dee."
"For what?"
"Being my friend."
Dee smiled and left.
