The hiding place.

Missing scene from episode: Water

Notes: takes place between the scene of the briefing and Boomer's return after finding water. I have the idea of doing more of these scenes building up the relationship but in keeping with the series but have not got around to writing any more just yet.

Apollo wondered down the corridor, the briefing had been disturbing to say the least but he couldn't help but let his mind go back to the Olympic Carrier, did the same thing happen to them as was happening on the Galactica.

It scared him to think of all the possibilities.

Turning the corner he stopped dead then quickly backed up his farther and Starbuck where talking.

"I haven't seen him Sir. I was just on my way to the mess." He heard Starbuck say.

"Well if you see him tell him I'd like to talk with him as soon as possible." His farther replied.

"I will Sir."

Glancing around himself Apollo quickly spotted a half open door, he ducked inside and eased the door closed leaving a small gap so he could see out. He watched as Starbuck rounded the corner and walked past his hiding place.

He felt stupid hiding from his friend and his farther but he couldn't handle the idea of the evitable questions.

A noise behind him made Apollo jump looking around himself he peered into the darkness. Moving away from the door he moved round the room realizing it was a storage room; he saw a panel from an air duct had been moved aside.

Apollo knelt down by the air duct and peered in surprised to see that another panel was missing on the other side and he could see through into another room.

He was even more surprised to see Cally sitting in the room leaning next to a port hole reading a book.

"Cally?"

"Oh God!" Cally shrieked dropping the book and picking up a wrench from her tool belt lying by her side. "Who is that?"

"Apollo." Crawling through the space Apollo stuck is head through and gave her an awkward smile before pushing his way all the way through.

The room wasn't big enough for him to stand up nearly bumping his head Apollo quickly sat down across from Cally who was still holding up the wrench.

"You plan on using that?"

"Oh… no sir. Sorry Sir." She replied quickly putting it down and looking sheepishly at him. "I'm sorry Sir I know I shouldn't be in here but I'm not on duty and our quarters are just so noisy…"

"Cally its okay really don't worry about it." Looking around them he could see that that the small room was nothing more than a gap between the outer hull and the storage room he had just been in.

He could no longer hear the noise of the other people on the ship just the low drone of the ships engines. Looking out the window Apollo found himself feeling less anxious for the first time since the Cylon attack.

"How did you find this place?"

"By accident, it was just after I started working on Galactica and the Chief sent me to look for something in there and I saw the panel had come lose. There's no panel this side so I saw this space. I was having a bit of a hard time didn't really think I was cut out for the work so when I was feeling low I came here for some peace. It helps to get away sometimes… Sir." She replied fiddling with the book. "I won't do it again Sir I'm really sorry…"

"Cally" Apollo held up his hand to stop her nervous rant. "Its okay… to be honest I could do with a place like this myself."

"I suppose being a pilot can be very stressful."

"Something like that."

"I heard about the Olympic… sorry you obviously don't want to talk about it." She said noticing his wince when she mentioned the Olympic. "Have you read this book Sir?"

"What is it?" Apollo settled back against the bulk head and held out his hand for the book grateful for the change of subject. "Ah I did start it but it was just before the… before the attack I left my copy back on… well is it any good?"

"Its not bad." She replied taking it back. "To be honest if I had the choice I'd not bother reading it but it's the only book I have. My dad use to send me a new one every month but well obviously not now."

"I forget how lucky I am sometimes to still have my dad. Was yours on…"

"Caprica." She quickly replied running her hand through her hair. It was the first time Apollo noticed she had her hair down, it suited her he thought, framed her face nicely.

"Sir?"

"Sorry." Realizing he had been staring Apollo quickly looked away and ran his hand across his face. "What did you say?"

"Just that I know he didn't suffer." She gave him a small smile. "We all lost people we're all going through the same thing so it helps. Having the Chief and the others helps, just sometimes it's nice to get my own space."

"I don't suppose you'd mind if I came here sometimes, wouldn't mind a place to well hide out now and then?" he asked giving her a small smile.

"Well seeing as you're not dragging my ass down to the brig sir I'm more than happy to share sir." She smiled back.

Apollo found himself really smiling for the first time in a very long time and the sudden urge to kiss the young woman in front of him suddenly came over him. Quickly quashing that urge he shock his head slightly looking at her again he sighed.

"I better get back my shift starts soon." She said putting her book next on the floor

next to the wall. "Thanks Sir."

"No Cally thank you." He said waving her forward.

Cally quickly crawled through the vent into the store room, turning to watch Apollo do the same.

Suddenly the speakers blared into life.

"Attention this is the Commander we have found water!"

Apollo stood and Cally smiled at him.

"My god we're going to be okay!" she laughed.

Apollo couldn't stop himself from hugging her and she quickly embraced him too.

"Come on lets get to the hanger!" he said letting her go.

Cally and Apollo quickly left the storage room making sure not to be seen and raced down to the hanger to meet Boomer as she came in.