A/N: Sorry this took so long. But I hope you enjoy it. There's a bit more Ellen/Saul because I was having trouble writing Laura/Bill cos they're in this little awkward stage. But I hope it worked out alright.
--
He knew he was being watched as he shined his shoes. The question was, why was she watching him? It was beginning to get on his nerves. Still she lay in the grass watching him, and sipping her soda. "Don't you have a boyfriend you can stare at?"
"Saul's gone to grab some lunch," Ellen shrugged as best she could. "I'm interested in this mystery girl of yours."
"That makes two of us," Bill smiled, blue eyes sparkling with amusement.
"You really do like her?"
"Ellen," He looked up to find her seriously scrutinising him. "Yes, I really do like her."
"So when do I get to meet her?" She flashed a devious smile.
"Why would I introduce her to you?"
"Because I'm your best friend's girl, and my opinion does matter."
"Contrary to popular belief," Bill quipped, ducking as she threw her book at him. He laughed as he picked it up. "I see your reading hasn't improved."
"There's nothing wrong with a girl wanting some romance in her life," Ellen declared as she stood up to retrieve her book. "I'm sure your mystery girl wouldn't mind some…"
"Laura," Bill muttered. "Her name's Laura."
The way he spoke her name, intrigued Ellen. She suddenly felt as though she'd walked in on an intimate moment between two people. After a moment she smiled, touching his shoulder as she passed him. "It's good to see you happy Bill." She said softly.
--
"Where are you going?" Peter asked in confusion as Laura rushed past him.
"I have a lunch date," She smiled, twisting her hair into a bun as she moved to the door. "So, I can't stay."
"But you just got up," He seemed genuinely upset. "We haven't had a chance to discuss. You're supposed to discuss the first date before you go on another. How am I supposed to know if this kid is any good for you?"
"He's not a kid Peter," Laura shook her head, brushing dirt off her jeans and straightening her top. "And I wanted to see him again today, I wasn't aware there was all these rules…"
"You do realise that you're getting closer to the third date if you do this, don't you?"
"You can count," Laura muttered sarcastically. "No wonder Anne liked you." She smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek.
"Laura, the third date rule…" Peter wasn't sure exactly how to explain it all to her. To be honest, he didn't want to. He liked the idea of Laura remaining an innocent little girl forever. He lowered his voice in case her mother overheard them. "Basically, you have sex on the third date."
"What?" Laura chuckled, although not very amused by the idea.
"Just what I said," He nodded. "That's how it works."
"And you think I'm the type of girl to do that sort of thing, just because of some stupid rule?" She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.
"No that's not what I'm saying…"
"Peter," She rested a hand on his shoulder. "I trust that Bill wouldn't make me do anything I wouldn't want to do. Ultimately it's my decision."
--
"This is crazy," Saul muttered as Ellen dragged him through the Carnival, stopping every now and then to keep out of sight. "Why can't you just leave the guy alone?"
"Don't you want to know about this mystery girl?" Ellen hissed at him as she peered around the side of a tent.
"Well yeah, but then she wouldn't be a mystery girl any more."
"He says her name's Laura," She told him with a smile. "And he really likes her."
"You're a little on the psychotic side," Saul muttered, pulling away from her and flexing the muscles in his hand to try and get some feeling back.
"But you love me," She pointed out with a grin, before turning her attention back to the couple in the distance. "Look he's holding her hand."
"I hold your hand…"
"But we've been together for five years."
"Only five?" He raised an eyebrow only to be hit in the shoulder. "I was kidding. You know I love you." He turned her around to face him, pulling her close.
"I can't spy on them if I'm not watching them," Ellen frowned.
"I can think of something much more entertaining we could be doing right now," Saul growled, kissing her lips softly.
--
Laura glanced over her shoulder and frowned. Something felt awkward, like someone was following her. She smiled when Bill squeezed her hand and turned back to him. "Ever get the feeling you're being watched?"
"Is this still because I scared you in the Haunted Battlestar?"
"No," She replied firmly, before cracking a smile. "Okay, maybe a little. But how can you blame me. That place is bad enough and you have to disappear and jump out at me."
"It was funny," Bill laughed, pulling her to him. "Did you know that thing is almost an exact replica of the Galactica?"
"No I didn't, seeing as I've never been on a Battlestar," Laura replied with a cheeky smile.
"We'll have to fix that…"
"They don't let civilians on, do they?" She frowned noticing he was pulling her towards a jewellery stand.
"We can say you're with the Press," Bill shrugged, kissing her forehead. "Something about doing an article on one of the greatest Battlestars of our time…"
"Except that I'm sixteen, there's no way they'd believe that."
"You don't look sixteen," He told her sincerely.
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not…"
"You know what? Neither am I," He said with a smile. "Now tell me which necklace you like."
"Bill," She looked up at the silver chains hanging from the rod above her. "You're not buying a necklace."
"Why not?"
"Look at the price of these things," Laura muttered. "You shouldn't waste money on me."
"Nothing involving you is a waste," He told her. "I want to buy you something nice."
"Why don't you pick one?" She raised an eyebrow, freeing her hand from his grasp. "I'll go and get lunch, and you can pick out whichever you feel I'd like."
"What if you hate what I pick?"
"Then it was never meant to be," She laughed childishly. "I'll be at the hotdog stand."
He watched her walk away before returning his attention to the necklaces, silver chains with an array of different pendants and designs. For a moment he glanced down at the rings and bracelets that were laid out before him. Surely she was only kidding in suggesting that his choice would determine what lay ahead. He sighed and glanced back up at the necklaces again. Then something caught his eye.
--
"She's disappeared, and he's buying jewellery."
"Ellen, just give up," Saul muttered as he sipped his soda. "You're not going to find out what's going on unless Bill tells you. You're just speculating."
"Then I'll harass him tomorrow," Ellen frowned, annoyed that he wasn't playing along. "Don't you think it's odd that he hasn't told us much about this girl, and now he's buying her jewellery?"
"How do you know he's buying it for her?" He questioned.
"There's no one else," Ellen replied simply. "It's obvious by the way he looks at her and talks about her."
"He doesn't talk about her…"
"I got him to talk about her," She pointed out with a triumphant smile. "Not much but it was something at least."
"You have too much time on your hands."
"Indulge me a little while longer," She pouted, resting her head on his shoulder. "Besides, you know me I'll bore of this eventually. Then we can go and get drunk, and have kinky sex."
"Suddenly I'm willing to do whatever you want," Saul laughed, kissing her neck.
"I thought so," She turned her attention back to the jewellery stand. "Come on, he's leaving."
Saul muttered something about girls being nosy as he was dragged off in Bill's direction.
--
"So you didn't end up buying me anything?" She had waited a whole hour and still nothing, thus deciding to bring up the subject with him.
"I did, but I decided to wait and give it to you another time." He shrugged, leading her towards the gates.
"How do I know you're not just saying that to make me see you again?" Laura asked playfully.
"Ah," Bill thought for a moment, before shaking his head. "You don't. You'll just have to wait and see."
"What if I don't show up again?"
"Then it was never meant to be," He mimicked, kissing her passionately before she could respond.
