Dear Inkdrops, let's continue the ride! I am sorry I am so slow in updating this story, but I have a plan and I won't forget it :)

Disclaimer: I still only own the storyline and my OC's

October 1803

Next to you

William Adama

Talking to Laura was so easy, probably too easy, he felt it again. But she simply seemed to understand him, or at least accept where he was coming from, without any judgement evident. When he had taken her hand, he had been so scared that she would pull away, but she hadn't. Laura's eyes held his, the expression unreadable. She seemed a bit more guarded again, as if there was something she didn't want him to see. Well, then he wouldn't push, he would wait for her to tell him in her own time. After moments that felt like hours and still passed to quickly, the woman looked away again, into the distance. The sunlight and the shadow of the tree were drawing patterns on her face, intriguing and beautiful. For a moment he was reminded of those Irish legends he had heard when he was a child, about fairies and pixies and young maidens getting lost on fairy hills.
Just when he wanted to let go of her hand, he felt her fingers slowly linking with his, creating a tighter bond than before. It wasn't really romantic, not yet, it was friendship, security, a promise to stand by him. Adama was not a fool, he knew how much such a promise meant, coming from a woman like Laura Roslin. In the backstabbing menagerie that was called London Society, a trusting ally could be one's salvation one day.
After some minutes more, the lady finally broke the silence.

"You said something about food earlier?", she asked curiously, a mischivous gleam in her eyes.

"Indeed, I did", Bill answered, reluctantly pulling away from her to fetch two plates and some food from his saddle bag. "Dee made some pastries and we have apples as well as pears. I know, not a great selection but - "

"Absolutely sufficient", she interrupted him smiling, "really, it is. Do we have knives to cut up the apples and pears?"

"That is a good question", the man replied, rumaging through the bag. "It seems as if we don't. But I always have my hunting knive with me, just in case.I will cut up the fruit for both of us then, if you would like."

Laura grinned, still with a mischivous edge to it.

"You don't think I can handle a knife Bill?", she asked, batting her eyelashes playfully.

"I didn't know if you would want to use it", he admitted, "but of course you can if you would like. But can you also catch an apple?"

With that, he quickly took one of the apples, throwing it into the air and slightly towards Laura. It would be easy to catch, really, if she reacted quickly enough. Which she did. Laughing she caught the fruit in one hand while he pulled out the blade, holding it out to her. Gently she took it as well as the plate that he gave her. It was somehow intriguing watching her handling that sharp tool with such apparent ease, cutting the apple without seeming scared to nick her finger instead. When she was done, she took a moment to admire the patterns in the wooden handle of the knife, there were swirls and something that looked a bit like a mandala.

"It is very pretty", she complimented, before giving it back.

"And very handy", he confirmed while he now started to cut a fruit himself, "it actually saved my life one time!"

Her eyes widened.

"How is that?"

"Well, I got it from my father when I was quite young. Once, many years ago, when I was not yet a captain but still something like an officer in training, we came into a horrible storm, somewhere around the West Indies. The waves were so high they were splashing over the deck and I was afraid they would pull me over board, so I tied a rope around me."

He gave her a rueful smile.

"A really bad idea as it turned out. The part of the rail I was attached to broke off and fell into the sea and it pulled me down with it. Only because I had this knife in my boot Icould grab it and managed to cut myself loose and swim to the surface. Luckily I made it back to the boat and luckily one of the others saw me and threw down another rope to get me up on deck again. You know him, or at least his wife. It was Saul Tigh. I owe him my life."

She acknowledged this statement with a graceful nod before she took his hand in her smaller one, closing it around the hilt of the knife.

"Then you better take it back so in case your life is in danger again, you have it with you", she said tenderly.

Adama could only barely suppress that sudden shiver that went through his body, so unexpected, triggered by this simple yet somehow sensual touch. But as soon as she had started it, her hands were away again and she began eating her apple. They sat in silence for a while, close to each other but shoulders not quite touching, while the sun was slowly moving lower. They made smalltalk, about books, about music, about people they both knew - nothing deep, but he felt as if he graduadly began to know the person behind the façade of perfection better. At least a little bit. Finally, he felt as if they had stretched out their little escape to the maximum of what was still kind of appropriate.

"Shall we head back Laura?", he asked his companion.

"I am afraid we should", the woman answered, and he thought to hear a bit of regret in her voice.

After packing away the cups and plates and the knife in his saddle bag, he got up, holding out a hand to her. She had put on her leather gloves again in the meantime and now smilingly took his hand to be pulled up. Unfortunately, he used a bit too much force, not only getting her upright again but sending her stumbling towards him. He quickly caught her in both arms to avoid her tripping over and falling. His heart seemed to start making sommersaults when he felt her curves pressing against his body. Eyes wide in surprise, she was looking up at him, now only a few inches were missing for their lips to touch. But he couldn't, they weren't there yet, probably would never be, so he settled for carefully letting go of her.

"I am sorry", he said, not really sure what he was apologising for - pulling too hard or holding her close.

"There is nothing to apologize for", she simply answered and he wondered if she might have liked the feeling of his arms around her, too.

So, this was They-nearly-kissed-Scene #2. I hope you liked it and I am not frustrating you too much with this slow burn (to be honest, I am frustrating myself a bit at this point ;) ).