Chapter 3
It's About Time
They took the trip back to Galactica, along with Lee, Saul and Caprica. On arrival, the atmosphere was nothing like that of the earlier celebrations. It was quiet and very subdued. No one spoke except for the bare essentials. Even so, the Admiral and the President did not seem to attract the blameworthy looks of disappointment that they had expected. Maybe it hadn't sunk in yet. They did not want to think about that right now.
They bid their goodbyes to the others, with vows to make an announcement to the fleet in the morning. It was 01.00am and they all needed some rest before the onslaught of questions and explanations that were due to follow soon.
Bill and Laura walked silently to his quarters, There were no guards posted at the door and Bill sealed the hatch behind them. Laura sunk down onto his couch, still in her coat. She looked cold, tired and utterly drained. Bill knelt down in front of her and took off her boots, gently massaging her icy toes. She looked down at him, his face as warm as the fire that she had been looking into earlier on Earth.
He smiled at her gently and then stood to remove his coat. He wore a black roll neck sweater and his combat pants. He sat down beside her and removed his own boots with a sigh.
"You need warming up. Why don't you take a nice hot shower while I fix us a hot drink. It will do you the world of good. Come on, up you get!" Bill stood and pulled her to her feet, pushing her in the direction of the head.
Laura did not put up a fight and slowly walked to the head and shut the door behind her. Bill knew she did not want him to see her without her wig. She was so careful to make sure that she always had her scarf on when he was around. He understood her reasons, but to him, she was lovely always.
He heard the sound of the shower and then set about the task of making a hot drink for them both. He was not hungry, nor did he wish to indulge in alcohol, particularly after his earlier experience. After a short while, Laura emerged from the head wearing her white fluffy robe. She had replaced her wig with the cream and floral scarf that Emily had given her. She looked much warmer now. The colour had returned to her skin and her cheeks were slightly pink.
"Better?" He said offering her a cup of tea,
"Yes, much better thanks. I hadn't realised how cold I had gotten"
"You hungry?"
"No thanks, I don't feel up to eating at this time of night"
"I'm just going to have a shower myself, if that's ok. I need to get out of this stuff. I'll be back in few minutes." He went off to the head.
Laura sat and sipped her tea. The warmth seeping into her from the inside out. She looked down at her ring and twisted it with her thumb. She still couldn't believe that she was married. It seemed surreal to her. Nothing on this day had turned out in anyway expected. Despite everything, her new status filled her with a sense of hope for the future. A new beginning for them. She would not give up hope. She will make the best of all that they have starting from this point forward. He was her husband now and she intended to be his wife for as long as she had left.
Bill came out of the head, wearing his bathrobe, drying his hair with a towel. He sat down beside her and picked up his coffee, sipping it. He propped his bare legs up on the coffee table and looked at Laura who was in turn looking at said bare legs. He smirked at her interest until she looked up to him. She smiled, knowing she had been caught. He put his cup down and took hers from her , placing it on the table next to his. He gently pulled her to him and soothed her face with his hand.
He leaned in and tenderly kissed her. He drew back a little and to his surprise, she placed her hand at the back of his neck and pulled him back to her. Her mouth was on his this time, kissing a little more passionately than he had kissed her. He deepened the kiss, pulled her closer still. He felt, rather than heard, the little moan that came from her throat. She sent a pulse through his body and he found himself responding to her. When they parted from their kiss, her pools of green had turned dark and she had a look in her eyes he had never seen before.
She was experiencing feelings that she had long forgotten about. His eyes were dark and his face was so full of love and pure longing. She knew now how much she wanted him. She kissed him again, this time tongues tasting and exploring each others mouths. Their hands began to feel each others bodies over the fabric of their robes. Bill broke his mouth away, so that he could trial kisses along her neck and onto her shoulder. Laura nibbled at his earlobe and kissed gently at the skin behind it. He pulled at the knotted belt of her robe and slipped his hand around her waist, feeling the silk of her nightgown. She gasped at his touch and he stilled his motions to look at her.
"You ok, I mean … is it ok for me….do you want me to stop….." Bill was stumbling his words.
"Shhh, it's fine. I think we should continue this in your rack that's all…." Laura whispered back, practically purring.
"Yeah. Are you sure. If you don't feel well enough, we can wait, I don't want to hurt you…"
"Yes I am sure and no, you won't hurt me. Anyway, it's about time, don't you think?"
Bill smiled again and stood up, pulling her up with him. He led her to his rack, then turned to face her. He held her hands in his for a while, gazing at her in awe, then he slid his hands up her arms to the collar of her robe. Slowly, he pulled it down her body and then draped it over a nearby chair. She stood in her silk gown that clung to her figure in all the right places. He had never seen her wear this particular garment before. Since she had been staying in his quarters, she had taken to wearing the old pyjamas he had given her. "She must have been hiding this one." He mused to himself.
She sensed his eyes probing her body and felt a wave of self consciousness. Suddenly, she felt very nervous about what they were about to do. She could not meet his eyes, so she looked down at the floor. His finger pulled her chin up level with his and he stepped closer to her, their bodies almost touching. He probed her eyes and spoke softly. "You are so beautiful Laura. My beautiful wife, always."
He kissed her soundly, running his hands over her body, causing more of the moans he had heard earlier. He wondered what other sounds he may hear from her before the night was through.
Laura undid his robe and it fell to the floor, leaving him in just his boxers. The evidence of his arousal, pressing against her. He slid his fingers under the straps of her gown and lowered them down her arms until the fabric pooled around her feet. She shivered in his arms, at the sudden coolness of the air on her naked skin. Bill pushed them both down onto his rack and covered them with the sheets, aware of her fragile resistance to the cold. She felt glorious next to his skin. He kissed her over and over then worked his way down to her breasts. He was not sure whether he should touch the cause of her illness. As if sensing this, she pulled his hand to her breast as a sign of permission to continue. He kissed and teased each of her nipples in turn with his tongue, causing her to squirm beneath him. His hands worked their way to her underwear and very carefully, he removed them. He ran his hands down over her hips and along her thighs causing her to shiver again, only this time for another reason.
His kisses continued down her stomach, he teased her just above the tops of her thighs. She murmured his name and ran her fingers through his hair as he began to kiss her gently where she wanted him to be. He could feel her soft vocals, her approval of what he was doing to her. He was lost in her. She was utterly intoxicating.
Laura could not think of anything else except what Bill was doing to her. He was beyond belief. His tender loving was everything she had hoped for and so much more. She had definitely dreamt of times like these, but nothing could prepare her for the real thing. It was not long before she was overwhelmed by the sensations he caused and her mind and body burst in a cascade of bright lights and explosions as her climax smashed into her.
Bill heard her cry out his name as he felt the trembling of her body. He calmed her down and soothed her with gentle kisses. Kissing his way back up her body, he eventually lay back down beside her and held her tight. The look of sheer bliss in her eyes told him everything. She reached for him and kissed him softly. Her hands were hungry for him and she found the waistband of his boxers, carefully pulling them down. He discarded the unwanted garment and returned his attention to her. She caressed him slowly, getting to know the feel of him. She was surprised at his fit body, the muscles in his chest and his thighs. She reached down between them and took him her hand. He was certainly a lot more well endowed than she had imagined. She began to stroke him slowly and deliberately, his moans filling the room. She kissed him as she continued, his returning kiss was strong and full of passion. It was not long before he grabbed at her wrist and stilled her motions. He pushed her onto her back and slid his knees between her legs and held himself over her, never breaking the kiss. Slowly, she guided him to where he was aching to be. He felt good inside her as he completed her at last. This is what she had been waiting for all her life.
He was careful not to hurt her and he stopped to study her face for any discomfort. When he was finally as far as he could go, he stilled. "I Love You" he whispered. "I Love You Too" Laura replied, tears rolling down her cheek. "As long as we have each other, Love is Our Home" she whispered to him as she moved to kiss him. He began to move, and she pulled him as close as she could, moving in counterpoint. It was tender and loving. It did not take long for them both to reach the point of sheer heaven and bliss. Their cries of joy filled the room until their was only the sound of the breathing. They lay in each others arms, finally, after everything they had been through, happy in the knowledge that they had found each other and would be together for the rest of their lives.