Chapter 2 notes: Based on the S1 episodes 'Colonial Day' and 'Tigh me up, Tigh me down'. I have taken some liberties with the military pins on the dress uniform of the senior officers. Happy Reading =)
Chapter 2: Penny For Your Thoughts
The next time she thought of kissing the Commander, it did not catch her off-guard like the first time although the circumstances were remarkably reversed.
She was enjoying Billy's company as they twirled around the make-shift dance floor. It didn't matter that he would occasionally step on her toes, all that mattered was how she lost herself in his gentle blue eyes and she never wanted the song to end. Everyone around them was just as happy to enjoy this moment and forget about all their worries for just a few hours.
The song drew to a close and the band were striking up the notes of the next song when she realised that Billy was pulling away from her. She looked around and realised that the President wanted to dance with her pseudo-son and was stepping away from the Commander to take Billy's hand.
The Petty Officer immediately stepped away from Billy to give them space and was more than surprised when it all ended up being a fluid change in dance partners as the Commander put his hand out towards her with a gentle smile, head cocked to the side in silent question.
She smiled shyly and stepped towards the proffered hand. She felt a blush diffuse her body from head to toe as she felt his confident embrace around her waist and felt self-conscious about her simple dress.
She was at a loss for conversation; what was an appropriate subject for informal discussion with a Commander – politics? Family-life? places to visit on R&R time... it hit her again that none of them would be appropriate given there was no 'home' for anyone to go to anymore.
She settled for silence instead, her eyes studying the dark grey tunic in front of her and the pins decorating the leather sash of his formal dress uniform. The leather sash felt warm and soft against her hand that was clasped against his shoulder, comforting and strong, like it was moulded into him. A sense of awkwardness seemed to descend on them and she began to wonder how much longer this particular song would last.
She was so wrapped up in her own sense of insecurity that she failed to catch him bending his head down, his lips close to her ear as he whispered about his concerns regarding a spy in the CIC who was reporting his communications directly back to the President.
Her head jerked back suddenly at his words, body tensing up and her eyes widening in fear as her eyes met his – terrified that she had let down the Commander at such a critical time! Bright blue eyes (open and unguarded by spectacles this time) twinkled as she realised he was teasing her. At the same time, the proximity of their swaying bodies allowed her to feel the soft vibration emanating from his chest as he chuckled at her reaction.
She felt herself immediately relax into his embrace, "Sorry Sir, that was not my intention. Perhaps we can call it 'friendly fire'"?
They both laughed at this and the awkwardness present only seconds ago was all but gone.
"May I ask you about this particular pin, Sir?", her fingers traced over one of the pins on the sash; the letter 'A' was inscribed within a silver circle, which was overlaid with a bronze semi-circle at its uppermost border.
She leaned back slightly in his embrace so she could hear him better as he explained the pin was a more traditional emblem representing Tauron – his home world. He said the pin had been a family heirloom but of little monetary value. She detected the slight quiver in his voice as he talked about the sentimentality behind the piece and that strictly speaking the pin was not military in nature but that recent events meant it held a place even higher than his military pins.
It was hard not to feel completely immersed in him, listening to the husky, low tones and feeling the strength of his body and character as he naturally led her across the dance floor. Her eyes never left his and a traitorous voice at the back of her mind compared the intense sapphire blue eyes of the Commander to the innocent baby blues of Billy which naturally led her to dwell for a brief moment on what it would be like to share a kiss with someone older and more mature than her current lover, in-fact, someone like the Commander. Her eyes closed for a moment as a blur of scenarios ran through her imagination in the space of a second.
She pushed the thought aside as she felt Billy arrive by her side, his hand slipping easily around her narrow waist as the Commander pulled away with a gracious smile and walked away to once again join the President.
They continued to sway to the beat of the music. The puppy love she could see in his eyes was undeniable but she found her eyes drifting to a certain figure in grey dress uniform with salt and pepper hair nursing a glass of ambrosia whilst his sharp blue eyes continued to sweep the room.
"Penny for your thoughts?" whispered Billy softly in her ear. She blushed at his words, her head dipping low again to clear her head. This must be what a crush feel likes she thought fleetingly to herself as the guilt of doing a disservice to the boy, no the man holding her in his arms took hold of her.
"Nothing important." she whispered back.
