Laura turned as the door at the end of the hall opened, her eyes narrowing at the bright light it let in before she focused on the man striding toward her. "Daddy!"
"Miss Laura, you have a daddy?" The little girl sitting with her stared in wonder.
"Of course I do." Laura smiled and pointed toward the paper, "finish those two problems, I'll be right back."
"'kay." The girl watched Laura stand and move to meet her father for a moment before returning her attention to the paper in front of her.
"This is a surprise." Hugging her father, Laura smiled at him. "What are you doing here?"
"What, I can't come see my daughter teach?" He chuckled softly. "Bill got caught up in something, called and asked if I'd pick you up."
"I'm capable of walking myself home, despite what he thinks." Laura tucked her hand through her fathers arm and led him back up the hallway. "He's overprotective. I was going out to the house anyway."
"I know." David glanced around the hallway, at the different pieces of children's artwork displayed. "He mentioned something about that run in you had a few days ago? That the moving man mentioned?" And that Bill was running behind on the work he was doing at the house, he finished silently, and if she'd made it out there, so much for the surprise he was building for her.
"I told you all, it was nothing." With a sigh, Laura shook her head. "Really."
"Still, I thought we could spend some time together this afternoon…" One eyebrow lifted. "We could go to the gym…You mentioned you haven't been since you arrived…"
"Really?" Her eyes lit up. "I'd like that. We just have a few more problems to finish up here," she smiled down at the girl who was now staring up at them in wonder. "Shawna, this is my father, Professor Roslin. And, this is Shawna, who was having just a few problems with her math."
"Hello 'Fessor Roslin." Shawna blinked at him. "Are you really Miss Laura's daddy?"
"Indeed I am." He squatted down next to her. "So how's the math going?"
"It's hard." She frowned slightly. "Miss Laura helped me though. It sorta makes sense."
"That's a good start." David gazed at her work, "looks like you've got it."
"Really?" Her frown melted into a smile. "I got them right?"
"Let's see." Laura bent over them, "indeed you did. Go on and take them in, I'll be right there."
"Thank you Miss Laura." Standing, Shawna gave Laura a hug before running back into the classroom.
"I'd like to see you teach sometime." David stood and smiled at Laura. "Can't believe you ever gave it up, you loved it so much."
"I did." She picked up the pencils they'd been using and straightened up. "And I do now. I just needed to do something different for a bit, I hadn't expected to be out of the classroom as long as I was."
"I'm glad you're back in it." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Get your things Laurie, I'll wait here."
She giggled, "just like old times, right?"
"Just about." Chuckling, he gazed in the classroom as she entered and spoke to Maya for a moment before grabbing her bag and joining him in the hallway again. "Ready?"
"I don't have clothes, I'll need to go by the house to get some." Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a band and pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail as they left the building.
"We'll pick you up some at the gym." He sniffed. "I can only imagine what you'd have at the house. Some of those color coordinated things you and your sisters used to trade."
"Some of those color coordinated things I used to have and they used to borrow without asking." Laura corrected with a giggle.
"Still. We'll get you some decent things to wear at the gym. Real workout clothes, not those fashion things." He lifted the bag he wore. "Then, we'll see what you remember."
"Does Bill know you're taking me to the gym?" She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as they strode down the sidewalk.
"Didn't mention it to him." He shrugged, "didn't see the need."
Laura bit back another giggle. "You know, I think he thinks I just know about boxing, I never really mentioned that you used to use me to help train some of the others."
"Hey, it was you and me." David nudged her. "That was the deal."
"Yeah." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I missed you, Daddy."
"I missed you too." He kissed the top of her head. "You didn't have an easy time of it did you."
"I managed." Laura sighed softly. "Did some things I loved, some things I regretted, learned from it all."
"My survivor." David shook his head. "Gods Laura, the things we've heard about what you had to do…"
"It had its moments." She admitted. "Before and after the attacks."
"I'm glad you and Bill found each other." Turning down another path, he led her toward a large gray building. "Not the type of man…"
"You expected me to fall in love with?" Laura nodded, "me either, but…we fit together so much. We went through a lot, and it definitely was not love at first sight." She broke off with a slight giggle.
"What?" He glanced at her.
"The first time we met…" She glanced up at him, "we argued. I wanted to impress on him the importance of having the ships computers networked, to make it easier for the educational processes, and he refused to even consider it while he was in command."
"And did you discuss it?" David prodded softly.
"Sort of." Laura sighed. "I thought he was a stuck in the past, military minded, by the book, stick up his…" her voice trailed off. "I mean, well…"
"I know what you mean." He chuckled. "And he probably had no idea that the Secretary of Education was coming on his ship, at the end of his career to tell him what was being done to the ship that had been his home, his life for the past several years."
"Something like that." She smiled sadly. "And the fact that I'd just found out about my cancer a short time earlier, and then finally convincing Richard that we were done, I really didn't approach the situation with the same…tact I would have normally. And, I thought he was just a stubborn, military hack."
"Until?" David prodded softly as she smiled.
"Until his speech." Laura gazed across the park area they were strolling through. "He wasn't the military hack…he was a passionate man, sharing his thoughts and beliefs. And I decided I might be wrong about him. I almost wished we'd had more time to talk…part of that could have been that I really don't think I wanted to head back to Caprica, I just wanted some time to think. And after his speech there was something…Then after the attacks…as we spent more time together…judging, challenging each other, he wasn't what I'd expected him to be. And I started to see…Bill, not just the Commander, later Admiral Adama."
"I'm glad you found each other." He paused at the entrance to the building. "Laurie, I really am. He's a good man."
"Yes, he is." Leaning forward, she kissed him on the cheek. "And, he measures up to you. I'm glad you like him, and approve of him."
"Still drops his left arm before the jab." David shrugged. "But, no one's perfect."
"No." Giggling, she waited as he opened the door. "Oh…it's…this though, is close to perfect."
"It's a good gym. Lots of workout room. And its good enough for the serious fighters, but still has a lot of variety." He nodded toward a glassed shop area. "Go find what you need and change, I'll meet you on the warm up mat over there."
"Yes sir." Laura stepped toward the shop before pausing and turning to smile at him. "But, be kind, I haven't done this is a while."
"Then you should have." Chuckling, he headed toward one of the locker rooms as she entered the shop. A few minutes later, he stepped out into the main area and moved toward one of the sections reserved for warming up. Glancing toward the ring, he waved at a few familiar faces, his smile widening at one. Gesturing for the man to come over, he grabbed a roll of tape and continued to the warm up area. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"Needed to get out a bit, figured you wouldn't mind." Joe Adama looked around. "Need a sparring partner?"
"Got one." David's smile widened at the sight of Laura crossing the floor to join them, her hair still back in the ponytail, but now dressed in a grey sweatsuit, the jacket half zipped to reveal a dark green fitted shirt underneath.
"Laura?" Joe blinked in surprise. "Really? Bill never said…"
"Bill doesn't know everything about me just yet." Laura laughed and kissed Joe on the cheek, "hi, Joe."
"Laura." His gaze moved from her to David, then back again. "I know he mentioned you enjoyed boxing, but said you liked running."
"Well, at the point of time I found out about the dance…the fights they would have, and that there was a boxing gym on the Galactica, it wasn't really at a point that I could take it up again. So, I'd go with Bill and watch." Laura shrugged and bent down to check on one shoelace.
"Interesting." Joe grinned. "Well, I'll let you get to it. Going to get in the ring, Laura?"
"Maybe." Looking up at him, she shrugged. "It's been a while since I've been in one that wasn't political. I might just take the out of ring workout today, you never know. Depends on how I feel"
"Take care." Joe turned before pausing and looking back at her. "By the way, when you do get into the ring, let me know before you tell Bill, I want to see his face."
Laura laughed as she sat down, bending over one leg in a stretch. "If I could take pictures, I would."
"So…" As their fathers turned away from her and started speaking, Laura closed her eyes and automatically fell back into the stretches that had once been so familiar, only a few of them the same ones she'd used for running the corridors of Galactica. Feeling the pull of muscles she hadn't used in awhile, she bit back a groan and silently swore to somehow manage to get back into a regular workout routine again. When she finally felt ready, she stood and moved to join her father, who was wrapping his hands.
"All stretched." She winced and rolled her neck. "For the time being."
"Good. Hands out." David quickly wrapped tape around her hands, patting the ends. "All right?"
Laura frowned slightly. "Just strange. It's been…a long time."
"Serves you right." He chuckled and picked up two pads, holding them in front of her. "I want you to do progressions, up to ten. Right then left. Straight then cross."
"Fine." Laura awkwardly moved into a stance and hit out at the pad with her right hand, then right again followed by a left, the pattern somehow dredging up from her memories so that by the time she'd finished the fourth pattern of ten starting with her left hand and crossing to hit the pads her father held, a slight smile was on her lips.
"Not bad." He handed her the pads. "Hold for me." As he repeated the same four sets of hits she'd just done, Laura countered his moves with the pads.
"Not bad." She teased him when he'd finished. "But then again, you've been in here."
"Gives you something to work for." Taking the pads from her, he tossed them to the side and picked up two jump ropes. "Remember these?" At her groan, David chuckled again. "So you do. Remember the routine?"
"I do." With a sigh, Laura took the rope. "I do know this may take a while."
"Sooner started, sooner finished." Stepping to the side, he began jumping the rope as she sighed and followed suit. By the time she finally dropped the rope to the floor and unzipped the jacket she'd worn to drop it on the bag she'd brought over, her father was holding out a bottle of water. "How you holding up?"
"Is this payback for anything I did? I really don't remember ever annoying you enough to be put through this." Laura opened the bottle and took a swallow. "Really?"
"You used to breeze through this, and a lot more." David picked up her bag. "Come on, over to the track." When she groaned, he laughed. "Now, that you should be used to."
"Shut up." Closing the bottle, she grabbed her bag from him and put the bottle in on top of her jacket as she followed her father, dropping her bag next to his before jogging to catch up to him on the track. "How many laps?"
"We'll take it easy today." He glanced at her, "four. By the way Kara's here, if you want a sparring partner."
"Great." Laura groaned softly. "My adopted daughter, who made quite a name for herself in the dances on Galactica is going to witness my feeble attempts to remember what I used to do?"
"I wouldn't put it like that." David waved at someone as they jogged past a set of machines. "Think of it as…bonding."
"We could bond over drinks…or…." Laura sighed. "Fine. I see your point. However, she takes it out on me, I'm taking her shopping with all the girls. For an entire day."
"Don't think that will be necessary." They fell silent, surrounded by the sounds of the gym, their feet pounding the track in unison as they ran. Toward the end of their final lap, Laura heard another person running behind them.
"Hey." Kara matched her pace to theirs. "Joe said you might want a partner?"
"Is everyone in on this?" Laura winced. "Yes, my father claims he wants me to get back into the shape I used to be in."
"I didn't say that." He chuckled. "Just that you probably missed it."
"I have." She followed him as he left the track and continued toward their bags, grabbing a towel on the way and tossing it toward her.
"I had a ring reserved," Kara nodded toward the far side of the gym, where four boxing rings sat. "You just saved me from having to find a sparring partner."
"Fine." Laura picked up her bag. "But, remember…"
"I know, and trust me, the Old Man would have my head if anything happened to you." Kara jogged toward one of the rings as Laura and her father followed her.
"You got everything, right?" David took Laura's bag and opened it.
"Yeah, just in case, and since I was in there." She pulled the bag back and rummaged through it, pulling out a mouthpiece and protective headgear. "I need gloves though."
"Those are over here." Grabbing a pair, he turned toward her and waited as she held out her hands. "Tell me when." Lacing one, he waited for her nod, and secured it, then repeated the action on her other hand. "How's that?"
"Fine." Rolling her head, Laura checked the fit of the headgear before turning toward the ring.
"Here you go." Holding the ropes, David waited until she slid between them and followed her.
"Just some simple sparring, that's all." Kara was already bouncing up and down on her feet. "Promise, mom."
"You better, or you're grounded." Laura turned her head and opened her mouth, taking a moment to adjust the mouthpiece her father had held out to her. Moments later, she was facing Kara, eyes narrowing slightly as she remembered watching Kara fight in the dances, trying to remember what she'd seen, and what weaknesses she could remember. When Kara struck out at her with her left hand, she automatically bobbed and slid to the side, eluding the hit.
"Good girl." David called. "Kara, watch your prep, you're giving your intentions away." At Laura's sideways look, he laughed. "Don't worry, you'll remember more than you realize."
Laura sighed and returned her attention to Kara, both of them watching the other intently. As they continued sparring, she focused on watching Kara and listening to her father as well as her own body and observations, not realizing as several people moved to watch them.
Bill strode up the path to the gym, he should have figured David would bring her here eventually, but still…entering the gym, he glanced around until he saw his father then moved to join him. "Dad?"
"William." Joe sat up from where he'd been using one of the machines to work on his back muscles. "You got David's note?"
"That he was bringing her here?" Bill winced and shifted his bag to his other shoulder. "Yeah. So, is she running on the track?"
"She was earlier." Joe grinned, realizing his son really didn't know this side of his wife, one Laura apparently hadn't mentioned extensively. He'd watched Laura as she started sparring with Kara, her tentative movements gradually becoming more confident as they continued. "How's her surprise?"
"We got the frame and two walls up." Bill continued to look around the gym. "Should be done in a few days, Zak assures me."
"Good." Joe stood. "Need some help finding her?"
"No, I'll track her down." He glanced at his father. "You need a spotter?"
"Nope, done here." Picking up his towel, Joe stood, "I think I saw David over by the practice rings a bit ago, she might have headed that way."
"Thanks." Bill nodded at his father and strode through the gym, his eyes still sweeping the area for a familiar red glint. Spying Laura's father in one of the rings, he moved toward it, absently realizing Kara was in the ring, sparring with….when he realized the other woman had an extremely familiar red ponytail, Bill stopped cold, staring at them, oblivious to his father watching him, a grin on his face.
"You okay?" Joe touched Bill's arm.
"Kara is sparring with Laura?" Bill blinked at the sight, wincing as Kara struck out and caught Laura on the side of the head, his eyes widening as Laura moved with the impact and struck out with her arm, knocking Kara to the side, where she stumbled and fell to one knee before she realized what had happened. "Frak…"
"I'm guessing you didn't know about it?" Joe chuckled. "She mentioned something about not having told you much about it."
"She said her father loved boxing, so she'd learned to enjoy it." Bill blinked as Laura held out a hand and helped Kara up, both of them laughing before crossing to the ropes to talk to David.
"Well?" Laura leaned on the ropes, Kara next to her. "Good enough for today?"
"You're going to feel it." David grinned. "Rusty or not, your body knew what it was doing."
"Yeah, well the Old Man will take care of her." Kara nudged Laura as two large men came around the corner of the ring.
"See, told ya." One of them pointed as Laura pulled off the headgear. "Laurie."
At the voice, she glanced over then did a double take at the sight of the men. "Stevie? Alan?"
"Hey Professor, you didn't tell us she was here." One of the men reached over the ropes and easily lifted Laura out, swinging her into a hug before the other man took her from him.
"I can't believe it." Laura kissed one man's cheek then the other man's. "Look at the two of you…it's like…"
"When we were in our prime." Steve grinned at her as he pulled off one of her gloves, Alan pulling off the other. "Still fighting each other when we can."
"Gods you both look great." She threw her arms around his neck again. "Is Donna here too? And Andrea? I mean, I know not here in the gym, but…here."
"Of course." Alan shrugged. "Wouldn't be anything without them, thanks to you."
"Hey, I just gave a word of advice here or there." Laura stepped back and eyed them. "Since you two didn't have another female around. And you both taught me enough to hold my own, and later managed to smuggle me for some of the bouts when the Secretary of Education shouldn't have been around."
"Uh, Laura?" Kara nudged her. "You do know who they are, right?"
"Of course." Reaching behind her, she pulled Kara next to her. "Stevie, Alan, my stepdaughter, Kara. Long story." She raised an eyebrow. "Kara, this is…"
"I know who they are." Kara hissed, still staring at them. "Frak, Laura everyone in the colonies knew, knows who they are. They're the two biggest names in boxing…"
"They're just Steve and Alan." David chuckled. "We knew them when they were just starting."
"Yeah, the Professor helped us start thinking about our fights, about what we should do, how to read others, and Laurie here hung around until we started teaching her stuff as well." Steve shrugged.
"And, she was great at watching others and identifying their weaknesses." Alan added. "Pleasure, Kara."
"Stepdaughter?" Steve tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. "You married? Not that frakking excuse…"
"No!" Laura shook her head. "Not in a million years. Gods, no." As a familiar set of blue eyes caught her attention, she blushed. "Um…"
"Hello there." Bill stepped forward through the small group and froze, staring at the men in front of her as recognition set in.
"Bill." Laura moved to his side, "Hi…"
"This is a surprise." He absently tilted his head down and kissed her. "In more ways than one."
"Everything all right at the house?" She smiled up at him, her hand sliding down his arm to lace fingers with him.
"Fine." Bill glanced at the small group around them. "Laura?"
"Oh, Kara and I were…" Her voice trailed off as she sighed. "Anyway, this is Steve and Alan…my father used to help them train before fights when they were starting out."
"We saw them fight the other night." He held out a hand. "Nice work."
"Thanks." Steve narrowed his eyes. "You married our Laurie?"
"Steve." She sighed. "And yes, Steve, Alan, this is my husband, Bill Adama."
"Bill Adama." Alan frowned, thinking. "Wait…Galactica, right?"
"Yes." Hesitantly, he took the hand that the man had extended.
"My son was…is," he shrugged, "whichever, a big fan of the Fleet, planned on enlisting after he graduated. Had all sorts of stuff around the house. Recognized the name."
"And, David's mentioned you a time or two." Steve nodded again, still eyeing Bill cautiously. "Didn't mention you'd married Laurie though."
"Guys." She sighed again. "Yes, Bill is my husband, and yes, you'd both approve of him, not that it matters."
Steve scuffed his foot against the flooring, "we introduced you to Donna and Andrea."
"Indeed you did." Laura giggled softly. "Well, you'll both be glad to know, we're redoing the vows when we get our house finished, you'll all be invited, all right?"
"Better be." Alan chuckled. "Where's this house of yours?"
"Outside of town." Her fingers laced through Bill's again, she glanced up at him. "We wanted a view of water, and to be away, some privacy for a change."
"Yeah, from what I heard, you didn't have a lot of that those last few years." Steve nodded, his smile disappearing. "Just bits and pieces though."
"We didn't." Laura shrugged. "We made do."
"Look forward to getting to know you better." Alan nudged Steve, "our rings up. We need to go."
"I look forward to it as well." Bill reached out and shook their hands. "Enjoyed seeing you fight the other night as well."
"Let us know next time, we'll put you and the Professor ringside. He can coach one of us and Laurie the other, way we used to." Steve grinned. "Look forward to it."
"Go you two." David grinned as they waved and left, moving to another one of the nearby practice rings.
"You are full of surprises." Bill faced Laura. "I know you said you liked fights, but…"
"Well, we really didn't get to talk much about fighting. Well, that kind of fighting." She smiled at him as he began to undo the tape on one hand, unwinding it carefully.
"How long were you two sparring?" He eyed her hand before unwrapping the other, inspecting it for any damage.
"About half an hour." Kara answered for her. "Too bad we didn't have dogtags for her."
"Yes. The President entering the dance would have gone over wonderfully with the Quorum." Laura shook her head. "I need to cool down, Kara, run?"
"Sure." She grinned.
"And you, go spar with your father." Laura leaned forward and kissed Bill gently. "Catch up with me in a bit?"
"Yes Laurie." Bill teased then winced as she hit his shoulder. "Ow!"
"C'mon Kara." Grabbing a towel from the stack next to the ring, Laura tossed it over her shoulder as she strode toward the track, Kara following a step behind.
"You could have warned me." Bill winced as he gazed at David.
"Not my fault if my daughter wanted to surprise you." He nodded at the ring, "you two want to go at it?"
"Why not." Joe strode forward and picked up a set of gloves. "Bill?"
"Sure." With another sigh, he picked up a set of gloves, watching as Laura and Kara reached the track, and started to jog, both laughing at something Kara had said.
Some time later, Laura was lying on a mat next to the ring where Joe and Bill were finishing up when Bill tossed a towel at her. Grabbing it, she tossed it back and continued the series of sit-ups he'd interrupted. "Stop it."
"You almost done?" Wiping his face with the towel, he squatted next to her.
"Almost." She got out just before he leaned over and caught her lips with his, following her as she laid back onto the mat. When he released her mouth, she smiled slightly, her eyes closed. "Mmm. Done."
"Good." He moved his mouth toward her ear. "I want to take you home and shower with you…then rub each other down, then…"
Laura laughed softly. "I get the idea."
"Do you?" Nuzzling her ear, he continued. "If both of our fathers weren't here, I'd do more than just tell you."
"Really?" She ran one hand up his chest and around his neck, tangling her fingers through his hair. Lifting her head slightly, she sniffed. "You smell good…" She sniffed again. "Have you been working on another model? You smell like sawdust…or wood."
"I was at the house, we cleared a bit more land, so I cut some firewood for the pit." Bill raised an eyebrow. "Figured we should have a supply on hand."
"Good thinking." As he pulled her up, Laura tucked her legs to the side and gracefully stood. "Thank you."
"Any time." Catching her hand, he led her to where her father stood holding her bag. "Ready?"
"For today." David handed Laura her bag. "Feel better?"
"I do." She glanced around the busy gym as she pulled the jacket back on, absently pulling the zipper up, "I didn't realize how much I'd missed this. After you, well, all I did…before, was run occasionally, sometimes workout in my apartment, but…nothing like this. The Pres…public wouldn't have really understood the Secretary of Education…well, that's what I was told. Frakking public image and all that." Laura raised up on her toes and kissed her father's cheek. "I should have told them to take a flying…"
"Laura." Her father shook his head. "In the past."
"Yes sir." With a giggle she fell in step with her father and Bill as they led the way across the floor, "and anyway, this was a lot for a first day back exercising. Maybe just sparring next time, or running."
"There's a pool on the other side." David nodded, "and a steam room and sauna."
"Really?" She craned her head around to look in the other direction and promptly stumbled.
"Laura?" Bill caught her around the waist before she could fall.
"Fine." Catching her balance, she smiled up at him. "Ready?"
"Yeah." He glanced in the direction she'd looked but didn't see anything that would have startled her.
"Frak…sorry." David winced as he caught sight of a clock. "I'm late, your mother is going to kill me."
"Go." Laura pointed toward the door. "We'll see you later. Come to the school some morning, just let me know."
"I'll do that." He brushed a quick kiss across her cheek and grinned at Bill. "Talk to you later as well."
After he left them, Bill rested his hand on her back and leaned toward her ear. "Who'd you see?" She shook her head slightly. "Laura…"
"It's fine." Reaching up, she pulled the band out of her hair and shook it out. "Really, Bill."
"Laura." He brushed her hair out of her face and gazed into her eyes. "Who?"
She sighed, "Richard. I don't think he saw us though."
"Laura, you've already had an…incident with him." Caressing her cheek with his thumb, he gazed into her face. She'd finally told him about Richard stopping her and talking to her, then not leaving her alone until he'd reached for her and she'd reacted automatically, leaving him on the ground.
"Exactly. And that's why he should leave us alone." Leaning forward impulsively, she kissed him. "And now, Admiral, you've some promises to make good on."
"You know I love how independent you are." Bill grinned and pulled her against him as he moved them to the side of the walkway as another small group of people neared them. "But…"
"Bill." Glancing around, Laura realized no one was staring at them, but still...as his hand ran up under her jacket and shirt to press against that spot to the side of her spine…"Gods, Bill…" her forehead dropped against his shoulder. "Not there…not here, you know very well…"
"I'm going to be possessive for once." He murmured in her ear, his fingers fluttering against her spine. "Come on."
"Where…" As his hand slid away from her back, Laura blinked. "Bill…house?"
"Not yet." Holding her hand tightly, he moved in the direction she'd been looking towards a few minutes earlier, occasionally nodding at a vaguely familiar face or waving at someone he recognized from Galactica until they entered a hallway, and he pulled a door open, glancing inside quickly before pulling her with him.
"Bill…" Laura suddenly found her back pressed against some sort of wooden wall, the scented steam from the coals in the corner rising around them as he trapped her hands on either side of her head, his lips finding hers confidently. When she melted against his body with a whimper, he released her hands and slid his hands down her body, one sliding inside her pants. "Gods, Bill anyone could come in here."
"Exactly." With a soft chuckle, he moved his hand slightly as she gasped, her hands grabbing at his shoulders. "Like you."
"Bill…for Gods sake…." With another whimper, one of her hands slid across his back, nails digging into his shirt as she buried her face into his neck.
"Yes?" Husky, his voice in her ear made a shudder run through her all the way to where his hand…oh Gods, his hand…her mind stopped working. "Laura…I want you to…" When she gasped and tightened her arm around him, her body sagging against his, he smiled slightly. "Hold on to me." As she nodded, he slid his other arm around her waist and turned them so that he could sink down onto one of the wooden benches against the wall, their bags falling to the ground next to them as she relaxed onto his lap, the steam rising around them and partially obscuring the door they'd entered through.
"Gods." Laura's eyes were still closed as she tried to catch her breath in the heavy air. "I had no idea…I can't believe…we, anyone…"
"Shh." Rocking her back and forth gently, he nuzzled her neck. "Now. When we get home, we'll take a shower…then you'll be sore, I'm sure…from your workout with Kara, so, we'll take care of that…then we'll see."
"Hot." Groggily, she tugged at the zipper of the jacket she'd pulled back on, unable to manage the simple task until she felt his hand move hers aside.
"That's a switch." Chuckling, he pulled the zipper down, exposing her flushed skin. "Better?"
"Yeah." Laura opened her eyes slowly. "Never done that in a steam room before. Usually too crowded."
"We caught a break." Bill smiled at the sight of her relaxed expression, stray tendrils of her hair curling around her face as the rest of her hair tumbled in a wavy mess down her back. "And, I'm embarrassed to say, I was feeling just a bit possessive."
"A bit?" She giggled and reached down to rummage through her bag for the towel she'd dropped in. Handing it to him, she kissed his cheek. "I know you won't make a habit of it, but…" Closing her eyes, she nestled into him again.
"Don't fall asleep," Using his shoulder to nudge her, Bill chuckled.
"Not." Laura smiled slightly. "Just feeling good." When he chuckled again, she shook her head and lifted her head to catch his mouth. When they finally parted, both slightly breathless, she lifted an eyebrow. "Ready to go home and try this with no clothes on?"
"Can you stand yet?" As she carefully slid off his lap and stood, he rested his hands on her hips until she'd caught her balance and moved to stand between his legs. "Hold on." Now that her waist was at eye level, her jacket hanging open and the fitted shirt riding up slightly, he had another idea.
"What?" Looking down at him, she ran her fingers through his hair then squealed softly as he nudged her shirt up with his nose and bit down on the pale skin of her stomach, sucking until he released her, his tongue lapping at the reddish bruise now showing.
As he looked up at her he grinned slightly at her stunned expression, "it is out of sight." Standing, he caught her mouth again, stopping her exasperated sigh. When the door flew open, they broke apart, turning to look at the man entering. "We're just leaving."
"Laura?" Richard Adar stared at them. When he'd followed the man leading her toward the training rooms, he'd assumed the man was some sort of trainer or something, since she'd been in exercise attire. Now however, with Laura standing flushed and disheveled in front of the man, who had his arms around her, one of his hands caressing her bare waist, a reddish mark exposed by the action. And Laura herself, with her hair curling around her face…who hadn't moved an inch away from the man since he'd entered, hoping to talk with her again.
She stared at Richard, trying to read the expression on his face. When it registered stunned disbelief, she leaned back against Bill, relaxing into his embrace. "Richard." Her lips twitched. "Richard, this is my husband, Bill. Bill, you've heard me speak of Richard."
"And of course I recognize you." Bill smiled lazily and extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Laura has indeed told me about you, and the time she spent…working with you."
"Bill…I'm sorry, I didn't catch the last name." Richard tilted his face, inspecting the shorter man as they shook hands.
"Adama." He supplied. "Laura and I met on Galactica."
"Of course," nodding, Richard let his hand fall to the side, "you were the Commander that was retiring."
"That I was." Bill smiled as he bent to pick up the bags by their feet. "Nice to meet you, Richard. If you'll excuse us, Laura and I have plans for tonight."
"Pleasure was mine." Richard replied automatically, his eyes back on Laura as she adjusted her shirt, re-zipped the jacket and pushed her hair out of her face. All the things he'd wanted to tell her stuck in his throat as he watched her run her fingers down the other man's arm, both of them comfortable enough with each other to make him feel like he'd been forgotten, or dismissed, something he'd never felt before.
"Enjoy the steam room." Catching Bill's hand, she brought it to her lips and kissed it with a soft giggle. "We did. Goodbye Richard."
"Goodbye." As they swept by him, he managed a weak smile. Frak. Laura was with…a military commander? Of the ship he'd banished her to as part of her job and to get her away from the whole educational strike situation? Or for whatever reason he'd sent her? When her husky laugh sounded from the hallway, he followed them, wiping the sweat from his forehead and wincing as he watched them disappear around the corner, her head on his shoulder, arms linked together. And that military man had married her? When the frak…as bits and pieces of conversations he'd overheard in the time he'd been here started to fall into place, his frown deepened.
"Gods, Bill." When they finally reached outside, Laura's giggle turned into a full laugh.
"What?" He grinned. "I can't make out with my wife when I want to?"
"In a public place?" She shook her head. "And you know the main reason was to show Richard who we are, and that we love each other."
"No, other way around." Bill glanced at her as they waked along. "Main reason was that I love you, showing him was a…well, an interesting byproduct. I want to be able to kiss you when I want to, and…" he held up a finger, "when it's appropriate. Or, at least possible."
"Well," Laura bit back another laugh. "you didn't hear me complaining, did you?"
"Didn't hear much but that little noise you make…" when she nudged him again, he grinned. "Once again, I like the little noise you make. I like all the noises you make."
"Likewise." Catching his hand with hers, Laura glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Bill, you do know…"
"He was part of your past, of all of our pasts, in one way or another." Squeezing her hand gently, he smiled at her. "I know you, and I know why he was part of your past. And, if you really want to think about it, because of him, we met, and we were able survive as long as we did, because we were together. Is there another cabinet member that you can honestly say would have been able to lead the people the way you did?" When she remained quiet, he continued. "Is there anyone else that would have been able to withstand Cain, and convince me to not leave the civilians behind at Ragnar? We were brought together for a reason, whether it be circumstance or destiny, our pasts remained in the past, and what we built together was who and what we are."
Laura bit her lip and stopped, yanking him back to her with their linked hands and cradling his cheeks with her hands as she kissed him, the sunlight washing over them. "I love you, Bill Adama."
He chuckled softly, one hand running through her hair, "about time." At the familiar response, she hummed softly and cuddled into his side as they resumed their walk home.
