Deception, Day 6…

"Bill, I can't seem to find my – " Laura resisted the urge to laugh at the open-mouthed shock on Lee's face as she sauntered into Bill's office, with one towel wrapped around her body, and another secured on her head. "Sorry, Lee, I didn't realise you were … here. I'll…" She glanced at Bill and they exchanged shy smiles, as per the plan. "… Go get dressed." She gestured back the way she had come, and then turned, finally able to release her grin as she walked away.

Minutes later, when she returned, fully clothed, Lee looked like he had been frozen in position since she left.

"I'm sorry, again," she told him, as she sat down opposite the two men. "I must have been in the shower when you arrived. Early," she added, just so he would know it was his own fault he had stumbled into this. Of course, Lee had arrived early to every meeting she'd had with the two Adama men since the exodus from New Caprica. Laura doubted he'd ever be doing that again, though.

"Erm… It's okay," the younger man stuttered.

Bill cleared his throat. "You understand the need for your discretion, Lee… I offered the President use of my private facilities while she's on board Galactica."

Lee nodded. "Of course."

Meanwhile Laura and Bill stole painstakingly obvious 'surreptitious' shy glances at one another, and Lee was a distinctly darker shade of pink when they returned their eyes to him.

Laura picked up her agenda for the meeting, and glanced at the first item. "So, repairs on Galactica are complete. There are three ships whose FTL drives could do with overhauls before we have to make too many more jumps – " She stopped when she realised Lee didn't seem to be listening to her. He was staring at the coffee table.

"Lee?… Commander?"

His head snapped up to face her.

She smiled sweetly. "Are you all right?"

"I'm…" He looked from her to his father, and then back again. "Is this some sort of set up?"

Frowns were exchanged between the two leaders this time, hoping that they had masked their momentary panic behind confusion.

"What?" Bill asked.

"You've been speaking to Dee."

Laura shook her head. "No… You think your wife is trying to set you up?"

Before Lee had chance to respond, Bill spoke. "You think the President is involved in a conspiracy with your wife to set you up?"

Lee looked at his father, and was silent for a beat before he smiled. "It sounds crazy when you say it."

Laura let out a laugh. "And yet it didn't when you said it?"

Lee shook his head. "There have been… rumours about the two of you, and Dee's been making sure I know what they all are."

"What kind of rumours?" Laura asked, as Bill posed the question, "Rumours?"

Lee frowned at them, still looking somewhat suspicious, and then sat back in his seat. "Rumours that would only intensify if the gossipmongers on board knew that you were in here taking a shower."

Lee was no doubt expecting shock, so Laura and Bill looked at each other with worry, holding a silent conversation they knew Lee could accurately interpret.

"Oh my Gods!" he declared, standing from his seat, and pacing a couple of steps. "It's true… Dee is never going to let me live down that she was right." He looked back at them. "Gods, it's true… Okay… You don't really need me for this meeting do you? I can go, right? I need to… er… think."

He looked to Bill for permission to leave, and from the look on Bill's face, he was as bemused by Lee's reaction as Laura was. Bill nodded, and Lee left, still talking to himself.

They sat in silence for a moment, staring at the closed hatch, and then Laura turned to Bill, unshed tears of amusement in her eyes. "Do you think we should have told him the truth?" she squeaked, covering her mouth with her hand to smother her laughter.

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