New Life, New Caprica
Chapter 2: A People's Celebration
Saul Tigh stretched out beside his wife on their hastily created bed, enjoying the silence of the morning for once in longer than he could remember.
"So where were you this morning? Earlier, I mean." Ellen said softly, bracing herself on one elbow.
"Went to try to talk Bill out of something."
"Did it work?"
"No, but I'm kind of glad it didn't. He deserves something that good." He replied, thinking of Bill's smile whenever he was down on Caprica and knowing it was Laura who made the man look twenty years younger with a spring in his step.
"What is it?" Ellen asked, cuddling up to him.
"I promised I wouldn't tell you."
"Saul!" She whined.
"You're a chatterbox and you know it. But don't worry, I thin---"
"Colonel!? Tigh, you decent?" Galen Tyrol's voice shouted through the tent materials. Tigh sighed and got up, as Ellen pulled a blanket around her shoulders.
"Yeah, what is it?" He said. A second later, Tyrol's shocked face poked through the flap.
"Mrs. Tigh." He nodded, then looked over at Tigh himself, "You're his XO, I'm going to assume you know. Rest of the village does."
"He's marrying Roslin. Yes, Chief. Glad to hear the news got around from them."
"Bill....and ROSLIN?!?!" Ellen gasped, looking from one man to another in shock," the Admiral and the President?"
"She isn't the President anymore, Ellen. Thats why he proposed." He could tell the same thought he had earlier was going through Ellen's head. But he was sick and tired of watching Bill hold the world on his shoulders while trying to deal with his inexpressible feelings for the now former President.
"Cally is outside. We're going to throw them a little surprise engagement party." Tyrol said, smiling a bit through his shock," its....well we need something to celebrate after all this time running."
"Good idea, Chief. I assume you need me to handle getting them there?"
"Yessir. Get them to the center square at dusk."
"Very well." Tight said. Tyrol nodded and dropped the flap. His and Cally's voices rose into the air as they pair walked away, ideas for where to get drinks and streamers thrown around in the temperate mid-morning air.
"He's marrying a woman everyone will want back in a few months." Ellen said from behind him. There was something like sadness in her voice, which made him turn to face her.
"I know," Tigh said, sitting back down," But on the heads of the people be it. If they hadn't voted for Baltar and believed all his shit about New Caprica, they'd be fine. But I'm not telling Bill its a bad idea again today. He's happy, Kara is thrilled, and Lee actually wants to embrace her as his stepmother. For the first time in Bill's whole fraking life, everything is going his way. I'm not stopping that."
"Then I guess I can only do one thing." Ellen said. At her husband's warning glare, she smiled sweetly, "do I wear the green dress or the red one?"
Somewhere else in the new village, a few soldiers from Galactica, Tory, and Kara Thrace-Anders
were busy adding streamers, tablecloths, and spare tiles to the center stage, where only the other day
they had celebrated the groundbreaking. Now they would celebrate the engagement of their long time leaders.
"Hey, Chief! Got that booze ready yet?" Called Kara from atop a ladder, "and please tell me the Old Ones don't know."
"Its ready. I asked Sam and a few Viper jocks to bring it over soon."
"Then get your ass up here and help us finish these streamers!"
Tyrol laughed and shook his head, turning to hand Cally a load of streamers to run along the sides of the dance floor as railing.
"I love you and your daft ideas, you know that?" He told her with a kiss. Cally laughed and playfully shoved his shoulder.
"Well, I think its really cute, those two." she replied," why not cheer about it?" He kissed the top of her head again and she wandered off to finish her task.
Tyrol smiled. His wife was right, and he intended to make it the reason for the biggest bash in Colonial history.
A sharp whistle made him turn to see Sam Anders, Racetrack, and Sharon ambling towards the central square, each with two large jugs in either hand. A third was strapped to Sam's back.
"Oh, this is going to get good."
Bill eyed his opponent over the chess pieces, a sly grin taking over his features as he ran over the few moves she had left.
"Checkmate." He blinked, incredulous. On the other side of the board, Laura was smirking at him as he began to try and understand the loss.
"How in the twelve colonies..."
"Get used to it, Bill." She said lightly, uncrossing then recrossing her legs," because you're going to be married to this situation soon."
He chuckled, a stay thought asking him what the hell he'd gotten himself into.
"Laura, Bill, you there?"
The two of them blinked at one another, the voice of Saul Tigh unexpected at her tent. Both stood and Laura pulled back the flap of her tent where the Colonel was standing, dressed in his greys.
"Hello, Saul."
"Colonel." Laura added warmly," what can we do for you?"
"Chief got some of his brew down here and we've got a surprise for him and Cally. Bit of a party, and it'd be a damn shame if you two missed it. Coming?"
Laura looked back at Bill a bit reluctantly, the idea of leaving their warm tent and their game for anything low on her list. But he was smiling softly at the idea of a party for two of his honorary children, and she had to smile too.
"Of course, let me go grab my coat." She said, excusing herself to grab the long woolen coat Bill had brought with him on his first visit down to New Caprica. Putting it on, she looped her arm through Bill's and the three of them meandered down the main "road", enjoying the rare feel of a temperate breeze in the dying light. The square was mostly empty when they arrived, but decorated with bright, colorful streamers and--
"Oh my Gods, Colonel!" Laura gasped, blushing yet smiling at a small sign posted against one of the dance floor's four posts that read 'Laura and Bill. About Time!!'. Beside her, realize he'd been fooled, Bill laughed and leaned of Saul for support.
"COME ON OUT YOU NUGGETS!" Barked Saul. As if by magic, people seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Cally holding extra streamers; Kara and Lee whooping and hollering; Sam beaming at them from beside a smirking Tori.
"Congrats, Admiral!" Someone called, backed up by the cheering of the crowd that was quickly forming in the square.
"I can't believe you lot." Bill laughed, blinking a bit more rapidly than normal. Laura's heart grew at his attempt to disguise tears. The crew around them were all beaming and cheering for their Old Man and Laura was surprised and overjoyed to notice many of the faces she knew from Galactica also throwing smiles and cheers her way.
"Ok ok, settle down! Settle down!" Kara yelled, having climbed up on the dance floor. Everyone quieted down, turning their attention to her.
"First of all, ya'll owe me cubits for winning the pot." The crowd roared with laughter," Second..." Kara trailed off, eyes falling on the Admiral and Laura," Second...all my love to the best parents this Fleet could of asked for. This is for you, for everything. Just let me be head Bridesmaid and we're all good!"
Everyone cheered again as Laura blushed scarlet and turned her face into Bill's uniform collar. Bill, for his part, was smiling up at his heart's daughter, feeling more complete than he'd ever felt in all his life.
Lee stood now, next to Kara and beamed at them," To my father, who's come a long way, and to my stepmother-to-be, who once smiled at me through the grief of the attacks and called me her Captain Apollo."
He stepped down off the platform, offering one hand to his wife and the other to Kara. The three walked forward, Lee embracing Laura and Kara and Dee taking turns hugging Bill.
Bill pulled away and gazed round at his crew and his little family with pride. Then, seeing the barrels of Chief's moonshine, he grinned.
"Thank you..thank you all. But I know you didn't come just for us."
"Yeah, c'mon! Lets get this frakkin' thing started!!" Kara yelled, and made straight for the booze. Bill and Laura hung back as the others surged forward, watching their family as they laughed and celebrated.
"Some family." Laura whispered. Bill could only hum his agreement.