Secret Valentine Fic
Title: Dancing on a dream
Author: Nonna Minerva
Characters: Laura Roslin, William Adama
Pairing: Adama/Roslin
Rating: PG
Episode Tag: anything up to the Series Finale, with some changes at the end
Challenge: Secret Valentine Gift for flamingo55
Summary: on the latest celebration of Colonial Day, Bill finds himself watching Laura while she dances.
A/N: The idea for this story is pretty old, but for some mysterious reasons I never got to the end of it until I read flamingo55's request. A very long time ago, I was watching the series finale with a friend and she was so upset that she asked me for a fanfic where Kara didn’t die, married Apollo and had a bunch of cute little kids. I tried, but when I started writing all that come out was this: an Old Man watching the love of his life dancing on a very special day.
I don't think this person is into the fandom anymore, but wherever she is, I hope she can appreciate it too. As for you, flamingo55, I hope this is as close as possible to what you wanted to read, since your gift to me was absolutely perfect.
Mind the alternative ending: this story starts after the fleet reaches the second earth, which I call here New Earth. They settled down and everyone is happy. Kara is still here and Laura didn’t die. The fic takes place a year after where the Series Finale left off.
And thank you so much to my wonderful Beta, zaleti, for taking the time to read this make it readable.
Final warning: lots of sugar and fluff in this one! But then, who cares, it's a Valentine Day Challenge, I think you can give me this one! Enjoy!
Dancing on a dream
Former Admiral William Adama was sure there was no better way to celebrate their first Colonial Day on New Earth than this: good food, decent music, an open bar and a wedding.
He sat at said bar, nursing his drink while he observed the joyous couples twirling on the dance floor. Bill’s contented smile widened when he spotted in the crowd a woman with fiery red curls framing her happy face. His woman.
He still couldn’t believe all this was actually happening.
The Gods had been smiling upon them since Kara had led the fleet to this planet: it was a good place to live in, no residual radiation this time and the Cylons left were on their side and wanted peace. Humanity finally had a chance for a new beginning.
Laura had done it.
Her perseverance and determination had given them the courage to keep on till the end. It had brought them here and it seemed to be paying off.
What was more, not long after the end of their journey, her body had suddenly started to respond to the Diloxin and her cancer had gone into remission, surprising them all.
Not even Cottle had been able to explain it. He had told them they shouldn’t hope, and then...
Bill chuckled to himself as his mind replayed the day Laura had come to him with the news of her complete recovery.
He was in that big clearing they had first landed on, helping draw the foundations for the new settlement, when she arrived. He didn’t even see her coming. Saul noticed her first, and tapped him on the shoulder to catch his attention, then pointed to the woman approaching with hurried strides before turning around and throwing at him the same puzzled look Bill must have had on his own face.
Once she reached them, he waited for her to explain the reason for her presence there. Still, Laura just stood there, staring at him, her face unreadable and unshed tears in her eyes. Bill was about to ask her what was wrong, but before he could do so, she jumped at him, catching his lips in a passionate kiss.
For the first few seconds, he was unable to react, stunned, but he recovered pretty soon from the shock and answered in kind, threading his fingers into her hair and deepening the kiss.
It was only after she had let him go with a groan that she realized half of his crew was still there and was watching the scene curiously, and she blushed profusely.
It wasn’t as if their people didn’t know that the Admiral and former President were an item, and had been for a while. The problem was that Laura wasn’t a big fan of Public Displays of Affection and Bill was very aware of that. He immediately suspected that something really important must have happened to prompt such undisguised passion.
When no explanation came and Laura simply kept on smiling, he gave in and asked what the big occasion was. Not that he really minded whenever she chose to have her way with him, publicly or not.
With the widest smile Bill had ever seen on her face, she told them the good news.
So overwhelmed that he couldn’t find the words to convey his happiness, he wrapped her in such a tight hug that she complained she couldn’t breathe. And then, just like he had done on the steps of that hangar not so many years ago, he grabbed her hips to bring her closer and crushed his lips on hers, in front of everybody.
The fact that a thoroughly embellished account of this episode would have reached every single person on the planet within an hour was the last thing on his mind.
Let them watch.
That very day, he proposed to her.
That very day, she said ‘yes’.
The song ended, bringing Bill back to the present. The young officer Laura had shared this last dance with bowed awkwardly and scurried off, probably in search of a less intimidating partner.
Laura turned around, scanning the crowd, and beamed when she spotted Bill at the bar. She tilted her head, indicating she wanted him to join her on the dance floor, but just as he was about to stand up, Saul approached her and asked if he might have the next dance.
Bill watched Laura staring bewildered at his best friend, for Saul had always acted downright indifferent when he was around her and never even hinted that he was interested in what she had to say.
Bill was quite surprised, too, but then he assumed Ellen wasn’t up to it at the moment. Bill saw Laura's brief hesitation before taking Saul’s hand. Like him, she probably remembered from the only Colonial Day party she had ever attended, that the XO occasionally enjoyed indulging in the frantic moves of a Colonial dance, though only after the consumption of a fair amount of good Caprican Ambrosia.
As the music started and the couples swapped partners during the dance, he noticed how the pristine white of Laura’s gown stood out over the others and he thought this was as good a moment as any to admire her undisturbed.
The ceremony had been so fast and after that people had kept snagging her away; so he hadn’t had the chance to take a good look at her attire yet.
The dress bodice was decorated in a soft floral pattern which he knew had been responsible for that pleasant rough feeling under his fingers when he had held her earlier. The whole thing was held up by a pair of tiny straps he knew he would enjoy peeling down her shoulders later that evening. Those same straps gracefully enhanced her beautiful neck, ran over her back and completed the outfit with an elegant cross between her shoulder blades.
Bill stared at said straps with narrowed eyes. Though they were slightly wider on the back of the dress, he could see that they were purposely set to expose an unfair amount of skin.
He was sure that the design of the gown was simply meant to complement her gorgeous complexion, but the recently retired Admiral really wasn’t comfortable with his wife parading around dressed like that in a place where most men could - and did - openly ogle her.
He was also ready to swear that showing that much skin in public had been illegal in at least four Colonies before the attacks.
He wondered if he would have any chance of appeal to that law before he lost it and dragged Laura to the nearest secluded spot and claimed possession of that body.
But he wouldn’t let his mind go there. Not yet. They had all night and the rest of their lives for that.
Before he could find another, less dangerous distraction, his eyes caught the gentle sway of the white skirt around her legs.
Gods, her legs. Those creamy, long, absolutely frakking perfect legs. The most perfect pair of legs of the entire universe, if you asked him; and on top of everything, she was wearing the most incredibly high heels he had ever seen on her. Heaven only knew how she managed to walk in those things.
He understood women's need to feel powerful; equal to their male counterparts, but weren’t there other ways? This one seemed to be extremely painful and, at least on him, got the exact opposite result, since instead of being intimidated, every time Laura wore heels he became suddenly distracted and utterly aroused, leading to him not being able to accomplish anything productive for the next hour.
And yet it was the kind of addiction he wasn’t willing to give up. He couldn’t deny that those shoes made her legs look divine. Not that he didn’t love them in any other combination. Across his lap when they were relaxing on the couch after a long day, stomping on his floor with her heels clicking madly when she was upset (with him or otherwise), bare when she padded to the shower in the mornings with nothing on but one of his shirts, locked around his waist as he… He shook his head, grinning. This was exactly what always happened. Distracted again! They were distracting!
He crossed his legs before anyone could see the effect these thoughts were having on him. Fortunately, he noticed his daughter in law making her way towards him, saving him from the inevitable embarrassment.
Bill smiled at her and drew out a stool next to him so she could sit. Kara smiled gratefully back and climbed on the stool.
“What do you think you’re doing, sitting here on your own?” she asked, motioning for the bartender.
“I’m having plenty of fun, thank you very much.”
Kara curiously turned her eyes to what he was watching and burst out laughing at the sight of the couple her former boss was clearly interested in. The bartender came back with her drink and she nodded in thanks.
“I bet you are! Wow, that was quite a move!” she exclaimed as Saul dipped Laura theatrically. “How come she’s dancing with that old hog and not with you? I thought you were supposed to dance your feet off at your own wedding, and yet you seem to have already lost your wife.”
“I’d really like to dance, but my partner of choice seems rather busy at the moment.” They paused a moment when the sound of her laughter reached them.
“Well, I’d offer, but my tyrant of a doctor has banned me from undertaking any strenuous activity and alcohol throughout the whole pregnancy, not that I would ever dream to cross him.”
She lifted her glass of plain water so that Cottle , standing watchfully in a corner, the usual cigarette dangling from his lips, could see. They waved at him and he vaguely waved back before shooting a slight admonishing glare in Starbuck's direction.
“Wise girl,” Bill chuckled.
“I think I know how you’re feeling, though,” she said. “Apparently I lost my partner to the music tonight, too.”
She nodded towards the dancing crowd, and he turned his head just in time to catch a glimpse of Lee taking Saul’s place and leading Laura to the middle of the floor.
“I see,” Bill commented. “Your husband has been deprived of his wife's company, so he thinks it’s okay to dance with mine.”
“Doesn’t it bother you? Men have been stealing her all night. I’ve barely seen you step on the dance floor and I know when it comes to her you can be quite possessive.”
The Old Man chuckled and shook his head gently. “Let them steal all they want. I’m the lucky bastard she’s going home with, at the end of the night.”
“And here we get to those things I really don’t want to know.”
He laughed again.
“I’ll keep that in mind - we wouldn’t want to scar my grandkid for life, after all. How's she doing tonight?”
“Restless. He takes after his parents, I guess.”
“Hmmm, we’ll see about that,” he countered, bringing back their favorite argument as of late. Cottle had offered to find out, but the parents-to-be wanted the baby’s gender to be a surprise. Kara was certain she was carrying a boy and so was Lee, but both Laura and Bill, who couldn’t wait to be grandparents, didn’t agree, and kept telling anyone willing to listen that they were getting a granddaughter.
“Ouch! That was a hell of a kick! Down, boy.” When she lifted her eyes she saw Bill’s eagerness and asked, “Wanna feel him?”
He nodded and she took his hand, placing it on her prominent belly. Sure enough, they were soon rewarded with a faint kick. He couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his lips.
“Wow, she’s strong.”
“Yeah, and he’s just getting started. I bet he’s gonna keep me up all night. Well, that’s my curse.”
“No, it’s a miracle.”
Kara’s features softened and she rested her hand on top of his. “I think you’re right. Anyway, I believe it’s time I dragged my husband home and put him and miracle here to bed. It’s been a long day. 'Night, Old Man, enjoy your wedding night!” she ended naughtily.
She let Bill kiss her on the cheek and strode heavily towards Lee, quickly dismissing Cottle, who was already on his way to scold her, with a wave of her hand.
The former Admiral chuckled at seeing how quickly his son complied with Kara’s order, but then, he thought, who was he to say anything? Laura had had him wrapped around her little finger since day one. He shivered at the thought that he had almost lost her. But it was in the past now.
When nobody else asked her to dance, his wife looked around for him, and finding him where she had last seen him, she smiled. Without thinking twice, she closed the distance that separated them.
“Hey,” she whispered, gently brushing his chest with her fingertips when she was close enough. “I feared you might have gotten tired of waiting for me and left by now.”
He leaned in and stole a quick kiss.
“I will never tire of waiting for you. Having fun?”
“Oh, yes,” she answered beaming and Bill noticed that she was still a bit breathless from her last dance. “What about you?”
“Doing all right, thank you.”
She stepped between his legs and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend much time together, today.”
“It’s okay, I enjoyed watching you from here.”
“I saw you! I could tell from down there what you were thinking!” she protested, swatting him on his arm. “It was quite distracting, you know!”
“Welcome to my world.”
“Still, this was supposed to be our special day, and if we don’t count exchanging vows this morning, I’ve barely talked to you.”
“Well, I’m here now. And I can dance.”
She raised an amused eyebrow, remembering his words from the first time they had ever danced together, back when their relationship was still strained and fragile.
“Is that so? Well then, I think you are quite fortunate, sir, for as it happens, I can dance, too.”
“You up for another one?” Bill asked, offering his arm.
“With you? Always.”
He stood and led her back to the dance floor, guiding her with a hand on the small of her back.
It was getting late and there weren’t a lot of people left: most of them had probably gone searching a more private place to continue their evening. Others slouched on the chairs around the dance floor, chatting idly.
The makeshift DJ announced the last songs of the evening and the notes of a sweet, melancholy song filled the air. Bill took Laura's hand, entwining their fingers, circling her waist with his other arm and bringing her closer to him. They swayed slowly on the spot, following the music, not actually dancing, but not standing still either.
Her head found its place against his neck, inhaling his familiar scent, while her fingertips played with his newly replaced wedding ring, a ring that perfectly matched the one on her left finger.
“I never thought I would be happy again, one day. Really happy, I mean,” Bill whispered in awe, gently stroking her back.
“I seem to recall telling you once, Bill, you must never give up hope.”
“This is it, then? Is this how we’re going to spend the rest of our lives?”
Laura lifted her head from his shoulder and grinned at him.
“Don’t look at me like that, I’m serious!”
“Why, are we having second thoughts already, Admiral Adama?”
“I will never regret marrying you. This is the life I always wanted…”
“But?” she prompted.
“I don’t know, it all seems too easy, but maybe it’s just me, maybe I should stop over thinking everything and let us enjoy this.”
Laura raised an eyebrow in astonishment.
“You call the almost complete annihilation of the human race and having being chased across the universe by a gang of mad evil robots for four years, ‘easy’?”
“Fair point.”
“That was supposed to be my line by the way, to which you were supposed to answer that you were actually enjoying all this. And just so you know, I am. I’m living the life I never had, I’m teaching again and loving it, I have a family again, a lot of loyal friends, a stepson, a doting husband,” she said, adoringly caressing the hair at the nape of his neck., “And I’m about to become a grandmother. What else could I ask for?”
“Oh, I know just the thing,” said Bill suggestively.
“Really? And what would that be?” she drawled.
“Let’s just say that all you need is me, you, our bed and no clothes at all.”
“I believe I like the way you think, Husker,” she giggled in his ear.
“ I knew you would. Ready to go home?”
“Can we stay another five minutes?” she pleaded.
“Of course,” he murmured softly, gently bringing her head back on his shoulder, simply because he would never be able to tell her ‘no’.
Laura sighed happily and closed her eyes. “I've waited all day to dance with you.”
“You realize we're not really dancing, don't you?”
“Don’t care,” she said tiredly. “This is enough. Just hold me.”
“No complaints here.”
They kept swaying slowly for a while, simply enjoying each other's presence.
“I love you,” she whispered after a while.
Bill smiled and planted a kiss against her hair.
“About time, Mrs. Adama,” he shot back. “And I love you, too.”
Eventually, they quietly left the party, walking hand in hand down the path that led to their home.
And in case you are wondering, the answer is yes.
They definitely built that cabin.
Author: Nonna Minerva
Characters: Laura Roslin, William Adama
Pairing: Adama/Roslin
Rating: PG
Episode Tag: anything up to the Series Finale, with some changes at the end
Challenge: Secret Valentine Gift for flamingo55
Summary: on the latest celebration of Colonial Day, Bill finds himself watching Laura while she dances.
A/N: The idea for this story is pretty old, but for some mysterious reasons I never got to the end of it until I read flamingo55's request. A very long time ago, I was watching the series finale with a friend and she was so upset that she asked me for a fanfic where Kara didn’t die, married Apollo and had a bunch of cute little kids. I tried, but when I started writing all that come out was this: an Old Man watching the love of his life dancing on a very special day.
I don't think this person is into the fandom anymore, but wherever she is, I hope she can appreciate it too. As for you, flamingo55, I hope this is as close as possible to what you wanted to read, since your gift to me was absolutely perfect.
Mind the alternative ending: this story starts after the fleet reaches the second earth, which I call here New Earth. They settled down and everyone is happy. Kara is still here and Laura didn’t die. The fic takes place a year after where the Series Finale left off.
And thank you so much to my wonderful Beta, zaleti, for taking the time to read this make it readable.
Final warning: lots of sugar and fluff in this one! But then, who cares, it's a Valentine Day Challenge, I think you can give me this one! Enjoy!
Dancing on a dream
Former Admiral William Adama was sure there was no better way to celebrate their first Colonial Day on New Earth than this: good food, decent music, an open bar and a wedding.
He sat at said bar, nursing his drink while he observed the joyous couples twirling on the dance floor. Bill’s contented smile widened when he spotted in the crowd a woman with fiery red curls framing her happy face. His woman.
He still couldn’t believe all this was actually happening.
The Gods had been smiling upon them since Kara had led the fleet to this planet: it was a good place to live in, no residual radiation this time and the Cylons left were on their side and wanted peace. Humanity finally had a chance for a new beginning.
Laura had done it.
Her perseverance and determination had given them the courage to keep on till the end. It had brought them here and it seemed to be paying off.
What was more, not long after the end of their journey, her body had suddenly started to respond to the Diloxin and her cancer had gone into remission, surprising them all.
Not even Cottle had been able to explain it. He had told them they shouldn’t hope, and then...
Bill chuckled to himself as his mind replayed the day Laura had come to him with the news of her complete recovery.
He was in that big clearing they had first landed on, helping draw the foundations for the new settlement, when she arrived. He didn’t even see her coming. Saul noticed her first, and tapped him on the shoulder to catch his attention, then pointed to the woman approaching with hurried strides before turning around and throwing at him the same puzzled look Bill must have had on his own face.
Once she reached them, he waited for her to explain the reason for her presence there. Still, Laura just stood there, staring at him, her face unreadable and unshed tears in her eyes. Bill was about to ask her what was wrong, but before he could do so, she jumped at him, catching his lips in a passionate kiss.
For the first few seconds, he was unable to react, stunned, but he recovered pretty soon from the shock and answered in kind, threading his fingers into her hair and deepening the kiss.
It was only after she had let him go with a groan that she realized half of his crew was still there and was watching the scene curiously, and she blushed profusely.
It wasn’t as if their people didn’t know that the Admiral and former President were an item, and had been for a while. The problem was that Laura wasn’t a big fan of Public Displays of Affection and Bill was very aware of that. He immediately suspected that something really important must have happened to prompt such undisguised passion.
When no explanation came and Laura simply kept on smiling, he gave in and asked what the big occasion was. Not that he really minded whenever she chose to have her way with him, publicly or not.
With the widest smile Bill had ever seen on her face, she told them the good news.
So overwhelmed that he couldn’t find the words to convey his happiness, he wrapped her in such a tight hug that she complained she couldn’t breathe. And then, just like he had done on the steps of that hangar not so many years ago, he grabbed her hips to bring her closer and crushed his lips on hers, in front of everybody.
The fact that a thoroughly embellished account of this episode would have reached every single person on the planet within an hour was the last thing on his mind.
Let them watch.
That very day, he proposed to her.
That very day, she said ‘yes’.
The song ended, bringing Bill back to the present. The young officer Laura had shared this last dance with bowed awkwardly and scurried off, probably in search of a less intimidating partner.
Laura turned around, scanning the crowd, and beamed when she spotted Bill at the bar. She tilted her head, indicating she wanted him to join her on the dance floor, but just as he was about to stand up, Saul approached her and asked if he might have the next dance.
Bill watched Laura staring bewildered at his best friend, for Saul had always acted downright indifferent when he was around her and never even hinted that he was interested in what she had to say.
Bill was quite surprised, too, but then he assumed Ellen wasn’t up to it at the moment. Bill saw Laura's brief hesitation before taking Saul’s hand. Like him, she probably remembered from the only Colonial Day party she had ever attended, that the XO occasionally enjoyed indulging in the frantic moves of a Colonial dance, though only after the consumption of a fair amount of good Caprican Ambrosia.
As the music started and the couples swapped partners during the dance, he noticed how the pristine white of Laura’s gown stood out over the others and he thought this was as good a moment as any to admire her undisturbed.
The ceremony had been so fast and after that people had kept snagging her away; so he hadn’t had the chance to take a good look at her attire yet.
The dress bodice was decorated in a soft floral pattern which he knew had been responsible for that pleasant rough feeling under his fingers when he had held her earlier. The whole thing was held up by a pair of tiny straps he knew he would enjoy peeling down her shoulders later that evening. Those same straps gracefully enhanced her beautiful neck, ran over her back and completed the outfit with an elegant cross between her shoulder blades.
Bill stared at said straps with narrowed eyes. Though they were slightly wider on the back of the dress, he could see that they were purposely set to expose an unfair amount of skin.
He was sure that the design of the gown was simply meant to complement her gorgeous complexion, but the recently retired Admiral really wasn’t comfortable with his wife parading around dressed like that in a place where most men could - and did - openly ogle her.
He was also ready to swear that showing that much skin in public had been illegal in at least four Colonies before the attacks.
He wondered if he would have any chance of appeal to that law before he lost it and dragged Laura to the nearest secluded spot and claimed possession of that body.
But he wouldn’t let his mind go there. Not yet. They had all night and the rest of their lives for that.
Before he could find another, less dangerous distraction, his eyes caught the gentle sway of the white skirt around her legs.
Gods, her legs. Those creamy, long, absolutely frakking perfect legs. The most perfect pair of legs of the entire universe, if you asked him; and on top of everything, she was wearing the most incredibly high heels he had ever seen on her. Heaven only knew how she managed to walk in those things.
He understood women's need to feel powerful; equal to their male counterparts, but weren’t there other ways? This one seemed to be extremely painful and, at least on him, got the exact opposite result, since instead of being intimidated, every time Laura wore heels he became suddenly distracted and utterly aroused, leading to him not being able to accomplish anything productive for the next hour.
And yet it was the kind of addiction he wasn’t willing to give up. He couldn’t deny that those shoes made her legs look divine. Not that he didn’t love them in any other combination. Across his lap when they were relaxing on the couch after a long day, stomping on his floor with her heels clicking madly when she was upset (with him or otherwise), bare when she padded to the shower in the mornings with nothing on but one of his shirts, locked around his waist as he… He shook his head, grinning. This was exactly what always happened. Distracted again! They were distracting!
He crossed his legs before anyone could see the effect these thoughts were having on him. Fortunately, he noticed his daughter in law making her way towards him, saving him from the inevitable embarrassment.
Bill smiled at her and drew out a stool next to him so she could sit. Kara smiled gratefully back and climbed on the stool.
“What do you think you’re doing, sitting here on your own?” she asked, motioning for the bartender.
“I’m having plenty of fun, thank you very much.”
Kara curiously turned her eyes to what he was watching and burst out laughing at the sight of the couple her former boss was clearly interested in. The bartender came back with her drink and she nodded in thanks.
“I bet you are! Wow, that was quite a move!” she exclaimed as Saul dipped Laura theatrically. “How come she’s dancing with that old hog and not with you? I thought you were supposed to dance your feet off at your own wedding, and yet you seem to have already lost your wife.”
“I’d really like to dance, but my partner of choice seems rather busy at the moment.” They paused a moment when the sound of her laughter reached them.
“Well, I’d offer, but my tyrant of a doctor has banned me from undertaking any strenuous activity and alcohol throughout the whole pregnancy, not that I would ever dream to cross him.”
She lifted her glass of plain water so that Cottle , standing watchfully in a corner, the usual cigarette dangling from his lips, could see. They waved at him and he vaguely waved back before shooting a slight admonishing glare in Starbuck's direction.
“Wise girl,” Bill chuckled.
“I think I know how you’re feeling, though,” she said. “Apparently I lost my partner to the music tonight, too.”
She nodded towards the dancing crowd, and he turned his head just in time to catch a glimpse of Lee taking Saul’s place and leading Laura to the middle of the floor.
“I see,” Bill commented. “Your husband has been deprived of his wife's company, so he thinks it’s okay to dance with mine.”
“Doesn’t it bother you? Men have been stealing her all night. I’ve barely seen you step on the dance floor and I know when it comes to her you can be quite possessive.”
The Old Man chuckled and shook his head gently. “Let them steal all they want. I’m the lucky bastard she’s going home with, at the end of the night.”
“And here we get to those things I really don’t want to know.”
He laughed again.
“I’ll keep that in mind - we wouldn’t want to scar my grandkid for life, after all. How's she doing tonight?”
“Restless. He takes after his parents, I guess.”
“Hmmm, we’ll see about that,” he countered, bringing back their favorite argument as of late. Cottle had offered to find out, but the parents-to-be wanted the baby’s gender to be a surprise. Kara was certain she was carrying a boy and so was Lee, but both Laura and Bill, who couldn’t wait to be grandparents, didn’t agree, and kept telling anyone willing to listen that they were getting a granddaughter.
“Ouch! That was a hell of a kick! Down, boy.” When she lifted her eyes she saw Bill’s eagerness and asked, “Wanna feel him?”
He nodded and she took his hand, placing it on her prominent belly. Sure enough, they were soon rewarded with a faint kick. He couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his lips.
“Wow, she’s strong.”
“Yeah, and he’s just getting started. I bet he’s gonna keep me up all night. Well, that’s my curse.”
“No, it’s a miracle.”
Kara’s features softened and she rested her hand on top of his. “I think you’re right. Anyway, I believe it’s time I dragged my husband home and put him and miracle here to bed. It’s been a long day. 'Night, Old Man, enjoy your wedding night!” she ended naughtily.
She let Bill kiss her on the cheek and strode heavily towards Lee, quickly dismissing Cottle, who was already on his way to scold her, with a wave of her hand.
The former Admiral chuckled at seeing how quickly his son complied with Kara’s order, but then, he thought, who was he to say anything? Laura had had him wrapped around her little finger since day one. He shivered at the thought that he had almost lost her. But it was in the past now.
When nobody else asked her to dance, his wife looked around for him, and finding him where she had last seen him, she smiled. Without thinking twice, she closed the distance that separated them.
“Hey,” she whispered, gently brushing his chest with her fingertips when she was close enough. “I feared you might have gotten tired of waiting for me and left by now.”
He leaned in and stole a quick kiss.
“I will never tire of waiting for you. Having fun?”
“Oh, yes,” she answered beaming and Bill noticed that she was still a bit breathless from her last dance. “What about you?”
“Doing all right, thank you.”
She stepped between his legs and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend much time together, today.”
“It’s okay, I enjoyed watching you from here.”
“I saw you! I could tell from down there what you were thinking!” she protested, swatting him on his arm. “It was quite distracting, you know!”
“Welcome to my world.”
“Still, this was supposed to be our special day, and if we don’t count exchanging vows this morning, I’ve barely talked to you.”
“Well, I’m here now. And I can dance.”
She raised an amused eyebrow, remembering his words from the first time they had ever danced together, back when their relationship was still strained and fragile.
“Is that so? Well then, I think you are quite fortunate, sir, for as it happens, I can dance, too.”
“You up for another one?” Bill asked, offering his arm.
“With you? Always.”
He stood and led her back to the dance floor, guiding her with a hand on the small of her back.
It was getting late and there weren’t a lot of people left: most of them had probably gone searching a more private place to continue their evening. Others slouched on the chairs around the dance floor, chatting idly.
The makeshift DJ announced the last songs of the evening and the notes of a sweet, melancholy song filled the air. Bill took Laura's hand, entwining their fingers, circling her waist with his other arm and bringing her closer to him. They swayed slowly on the spot, following the music, not actually dancing, but not standing still either.
Her head found its place against his neck, inhaling his familiar scent, while her fingertips played with his newly replaced wedding ring, a ring that perfectly matched the one on her left finger.
“I never thought I would be happy again, one day. Really happy, I mean,” Bill whispered in awe, gently stroking her back.
“I seem to recall telling you once, Bill, you must never give up hope.”
“This is it, then? Is this how we’re going to spend the rest of our lives?”
Laura lifted her head from his shoulder and grinned at him.
“Don’t look at me like that, I’m serious!”
“Why, are we having second thoughts already, Admiral Adama?”
“I will never regret marrying you. This is the life I always wanted…”
“But?” she prompted.
“I don’t know, it all seems too easy, but maybe it’s just me, maybe I should stop over thinking everything and let us enjoy this.”
Laura raised an eyebrow in astonishment.
“You call the almost complete annihilation of the human race and having being chased across the universe by a gang of mad evil robots for four years, ‘easy’?”
“Fair point.”
“That was supposed to be my line by the way, to which you were supposed to answer that you were actually enjoying all this. And just so you know, I am. I’m living the life I never had, I’m teaching again and loving it, I have a family again, a lot of loyal friends, a stepson, a doting husband,” she said, adoringly caressing the hair at the nape of his neck., “And I’m about to become a grandmother. What else could I ask for?”
“Oh, I know just the thing,” said Bill suggestively.
“Really? And what would that be?” she drawled.
“Let’s just say that all you need is me, you, our bed and no clothes at all.”
“I believe I like the way you think, Husker,” she giggled in his ear.
“ I knew you would. Ready to go home?”
“Can we stay another five minutes?” she pleaded.
“Of course,” he murmured softly, gently bringing her head back on his shoulder, simply because he would never be able to tell her ‘no’.
Laura sighed happily and closed her eyes. “I've waited all day to dance with you.”
“You realize we're not really dancing, don't you?”
“Don’t care,” she said tiredly. “This is enough. Just hold me.”
“No complaints here.”
They kept swaying slowly for a while, simply enjoying each other's presence.
“I love you,” she whispered after a while.
Bill smiled and planted a kiss against her hair.
“About time, Mrs. Adama,” he shot back. “And I love you, too.”
Eventually, they quietly left the party, walking hand in hand down the path that led to their home.
And in case you are wondering, the answer is yes.
They definitely built that cabin.