He could have easily stayed on that small dance floor with Laura all night, leading her through a series of changing songs that ranged from lively jazz and swing to slower romantic songs that Laura told him were by Vera Lynn when he asked as she hummed along. It wasn't long into their dancing that the restaurant seemed to fade away completely, leaving the two of them in a world where only they existed with no sense of time. For Bill, it was perfect.
The sound of someone gently clearing their throat shattered the dreamy atmosphere that had woven itself around the two. Bill looked over Laura's shoulder and saw the young waiter smiling apologetically at him gesturing towards their booth, which had been laid out with their meals.
"Thank you son." Bill nodded at the waiter and relinquished his hold on Laura's waist, giving her his arm to lead her back to the booth. Bill waited for Laura to slip back into her seat before sliding into his own, smiling at her as she pulled out the napkin and laid it across her lap.
"This is wonderful Bill, thank you for bringing me here." Her words were earnest and heartfelt and the bright smile she gave him sent his heart into a somersault.
They talked about a variety of subjects as they ate, Laura's interest in music and art, Bill's interest in model building and their mutual interest in mystery novels. Laura told him stories about some of her former students mischievous activities, earning a few hearty laughs, while he reminisced about Saul and his own adventures.
After they had finished their meal, Bill ordered coffee for the two of them. Laura sat with a contented smile on her face and regarded Bill with silent interest, when he noticed her study of him he allowed the corners of his lips to raise in the smallest of smirks.
"That quote you wrote, who was it by?" she asked him quietly, Bill furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head as if he was unsure of what she was talking about so Laura smiled and clarified, "The note you left me in Dark Day, 'the power of imagination makes us infinite'. Who said it?"
The young waiter reappeared with their tray of coffee so Bill waited until he had poured and left to clear another table before answering, "John Muir, he was a writer and naturalist dedicated to the preservation of the great outdoors." Laura smiled again and took a sip of her coffee, prompting Bill to do the same.
"Tell me about your sons." Bill had mentioned his sons in previous conversations while he had still been in the hospital but they had never talked about them. Bill took another sip of his coffee and set the cup carefully back onto the table.
"I don't see them as often as I'd like," Laura felt a pang and sadness and sympathy for Bill when she heard the disappointment in his voice, "Lee, my eldest, will be entering flight training soon. He'll be a good pilot, but I don't believe it's what he really wants." He ran a finger around the rim of his coffee cup before taking it and having another swallow, "Zak has always wanted to be a pilot, ever since he was a little boy."
Laura nodded in understanding, "He wants to be like his father." She said simply causing Bill to look up at her and smiled.
"I guess he does. Lee has always been more like his mother and seems to have inherited an interest in Law from my father."
Laura tilted her head gently to the side and met his dark blue eyes, "I get the impression that Law is not something that you approve of?" she said smoothly, fiddling with the corner of the tablecloth.
Bill narrowed his eyes in thought, "It's a good profession. My father wanted me to become a lawyer, but we never really got along. I believe that despite the fact I had always aspired to become a pilot, joining the military was my way of rebelling."
Laura took a sip of her coffee and looked at him thoughtfully, "And now, you would like your sons to follow in your footsteps, as your father would have had you follow in his."
Bill dipped his head in acquiescence of her statement and looked at her curiously, "And what about you? You never married? Never had children?" he watched as her smile dropped almost imperceptibly and had the immediate thought he had entered a line of conversation that would be uncomfortable for her, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" he began to apologise when Laura's smile brightened again and she shook his apologies off.
"It's fine. No, I never married." Bill nodded slowly and watched her take another sip of her drink, "As for children, it was never something I thought about. I absolutely adore teaching, and I believe taking care of twenty-five children at a time is enough for anyone." Bill chuckled and wiped at his mouth with his napkin.
"Do you miss it?" he asked her gently, the softness in which he phrased the question counteracted somewhat by the gravelly baritone of his voice. Laura dipped her head and began fidgeting with the corner of the tablecloth again.
"Everyday." She gave him a wistful smile, "Teaching is something I had always wanted to do. I hope to go back to it soon." She picked up her cup and drank the remainder of the coffee,
Bill smiled, "The hospital would consider that a great loss, I'm sure." He saw a delicate blush colour her cheeks and she nervously wet her lips with her tongue.
"I don't envy them their jobs. As much as I am appreciative of this experience, I don't think I'd be able to-" she paused, not quite knowing how to phrase what it was she wanted to say.
Noticing her struggle for words, Bill nodded his understanding. He looked back to the small dance floor to see several couples moving to a gentle tune that he yet again, didn't recognise.
"Would you care to dance again before we leave?" he asked her, watching her eyes track over his shoulder. She gave him a coy smile, which he instantly took as a yes, so he again slid out of the booth and held his hand out to help her up. Pressing his hand gently into the small of her back, he led her over to the other swaying couples where they fell easily into the relaxed rhythm of the song.
The feeling of calm that shrouded them didn't last long however, as not long into their dance, Bill felt a firm and insistent hand press down on his shoulder and a smooth "May I cut in?" sounded from behind him.
Bill clamped down on the irrational irritation he was feeling as he gently released Laura's hand and turned to face the intruder. He was met by the smug smile of a tall well-dressed man who nodded his head in greeting to Laura.
Bill turned to look at Laura, who was hiding her disappointment well, and released his hold on her all together, feeling her tense as he did so. As Laura turned to look at him, he saw she had adopted a small, however strained, smile, "Ah, Bill Adama this is Richard Adar." She gestured to the smug man, who had obviously not noticed her reluctance to introduce him, "Mr Adar is a director on the committee for the school I used to teach for." She turned to face Adar to continue her introductions, "Mr Adama is a Captain for the Air Force."
Adar raised an eyebrow and held out his hand, "Pleasure to meet you." He said with what Laura recognised as a sickening false sincerity.
Bill glared at him and grasped hold of his hand with possibly a bit more force than was required, growling "likewise" before Adar dropped his hand and looked as if he had been touched by something quite unsavoury.
Adar took hold of Laura's elbow and turned her to face him, effectively blocking Bill out, and gave her his most charming smile, "Tell me Laura, when are you coming back to the school?" Bill raised his eyebrows at his use of her first name but said nothing, only rolling his eyes when the other man said "we miss you terribly" without bothering to disguise the fact that by 'we' he meant 'I'.
Laura stepped backwards out of his hold, unknowing drawn to the protective aura that was emanating from Bill. She clasped her hands behind her back and looked at him evenly, "I can't yet say for sure, Mr Adar." Bill smiled secretly to himself at the way she addressed him formally, but frowned when he heard the man scoff.
"You're not still volunteering at that dreadful hospital are you? How detestable." He said in a quick, disapproving tone, causing Laura to move her hands to her hips and glare at him.
"As a matter of fact I am and will continue to do so until I find work at a new school, and while I might agree that it is not a job I myself would be able to continue for a considerable amount of time, I have a great amount of respect for the people who can and do so admirably." He looked momentarily surprised by the coldness of her voice before he schooled his features into a neutral expression, "And as for a dance, I'm afraid I'll have to decline the offer, Mr Adar," any protest he was about to make died on his lips when she cut him off, "I have an early beginning tomorrow morning and would appreciate the sleep, Bill was just about to take me home."
Bill grinned when Laura turned to face him and lifted an eyebrow as if to say 'well?' He held his arm out for her and smirked at Adar, "Of course. It was nice to meet you, Mr Adar." He said in a satisfied tone and led Laura back to their table where he left enough money to cover their bill, ignoring the feel of Adar's eyes following them.
On the way to collect their coats from the front of the restaurant, Bill leant closer to Laura and whispered in her ear, "I do believe you lied to the good Mr Adar, Miss Roslin."
She could hear the smile on his voice and so decided to play along, "I'm not sure I know what you mean, Mr Adama." She whispered back.
Taking her coat from the a young man he held it up for her to slip her arms into the sleeves, "If I remember correctly, it's your day off tomorrow." He watched her giggle and dragged his own coat onto his body.
"I'm not sure I know what you mean." She giggled again and slipped her arm through his and stepped out into the cool chill of the evening.