Fic: Shoe's on the Other Foot (The Six of One by Three Remix)
Title: Shoe's on the Other Foot (The Six of One By Three Remix)
Pairing: Bill/Saul/Laura
Rating: PG
Summary: For once, it seems like Saul is the one holding it together.
Original Story: Six of One By Three by singerdiva01_sk
It was an odd reversal, Saul thought, as he stalked down to Joe's Bar. Usually, it was Bill dragging him home from the bar. But everything was different now. Saul didn't know if it was him being a Cylon, or Laura being sick, or them all being together, but everything was different now.
It was like they'd frakking switched places.
Saul stalked onto the hangar deck. Bill was still hunched over the bar.
"That's it," Saul said. "Time to come home."
Bill looked up at him as if he didn't quite recognize him. "What are you doing here?"
Saul sighed. He supposed this was his penance for doing the same thing to Bill all those years. "Time to come home," he said evenly. "Let's go, Bill."
Bill glared mutinously for a moment, then stood.
"Did she send you?" he asked as they climbed the stairs.
"No," Saul said wearily. "I sent myself."
"Oh." Bill paused. "Is she okay?"
"Laura is fine," Saul said darkly. "She was worried about you." He noticed the downward cast of Bill's eyes with satisfaction. It served him right. "What right do you have to worry her like that?"
Bill frowned. Saul could see him forcing his thoughts through the muddle in his mind; he knew that well, too.
"You remember what happened?" he prompted.
"Yes, I frakking remember," Bill growled. "I'm not that drunk."
"Could've fooled me."
Bill swung at him, but Saul stopped him handily. He had been the drunk guy swinging at the sober guy often enough to know how to play this game. He held Bill's wrist, wondering if being a Cylon gave him some kind of super strength. If it did, he hadn't felt it.
"Not here, Bill," he said through gritted teeth. "Last thing we need's to let the whole crew know the leadership can't find its ass with both hands."
Bill seemed to sober a bit. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." Saul guided him toward the CO's quarters, but then thought better of it. He could shower in Saul's.
His own quarters felt stale. He tried to remember the last night he'd spent here alone. He waited uncomfortably until Bill was in the shower and then stalked back to Bill's quarters, where he'd left Laura.
"You find him?" Cottle growled at him.
"Yeah. Getting him cleaned up. I need clothes." Saul pushed past the doctor into the bedroom portion of Bill's quarters. The mindlessness helped him to not think about Laura. She was sleeping, sedated, and if Saul stopped for too long, he was sure he'd lose his nerve. He was going to be the one of the three of them to hold it together for once in his life, even if it killed him.
They will, said the voice in his head. Once they find out what you are.
"Shut up," he muttered under his breath, as he grabbed a fresh jacket for Bill. He'd need a full uniform if they were going to walk the halls, even if it would be coming right off as soon as he got in here.
He was just leaving when he heard a voice from the rack. "Saul? Is that you?"
He froze. "Yeah." He went back over to her and sat on the edge of the rack. She was still half-sedated, her features drowsy.
"How's Bill?"
Saul kissed her forehead, brushing her hair back. "On his way."
"Mm. He busy?"
Saul frowned. "You could say that."
Laura looked sleepily up at him. "I want both of you here, you know. He's going through so much with Kara and-"
"Shh." Saul kissed her again. "Never mind him. I'm going to get him."
He stayed a moment longer before assuring himself she'd be all right, then went back to his old quarters. Bill was toweling off.
"Here," Saul said, shoving a wad of clothes at him.
"You're a charmer," Bill said, pulling out some shorts.
"Me? You're the one who's breaking her heart in her last months."
Bill pulled on his tanks. "She can take care of herself, Saul. She's strong. You know that."
He did know, all too well, from New Caprica. "Of course she is. But she can't be expected to take on more now. She's human, Bill. You can't just expect her to take whatever you chuck at her."
Bill's mouth was a firm line. "She's the same woman, Saul."
"But you're not the same man."
Bill listed back slightly as if struck, but there was no violent change in expression, so Saul assumed he'd been expecting it. "We had a good thing," he said. "The three of us. It was good."
"Yeah, well, it still would be if you'd get your head out of your ass." He ignored Bill's glower. "She loves you and I love you. But not what you turned into."
Bill looked away. Saul could tell by the set of his shoulders that he knew Saul was right, but didn't want to admit it. Finally, he said, "So what do I do?"
"Come back with me. Come back to bed. Don't make her suffer waiting for you." Saul sighed. "Because soon enough it's just going to be me and you again."
"Don't say things like that," Bill said gently. It was reflexive, Saul knew, but he loved him all the more for it.
"It's true," he said. "You know it. She hasn't got time, Bill. None of us have time for this shit."
Bill seemed to need time to turn that over in his mind. "You're right," he said finally. "I didn't see it before. But you're right."
Saul managed to crack a smile. "For once, yeah?"
"For once," Bill agreed, leaning forward to kiss Saul's forehead. "Let's go."
Saul stared at him, marveling, for a moment. He ran his fingers through Bill's damp hair. Perhaps everything would be all right after all. For one brief moment, it seemed like nothing had changed. Bill was smiling at him, that blue gaze so full of love.
No. The realization hit him like a sucker punch. You're a Cylon.
Not tonight, Saul thought back at the voice.
When they got back to Bill's quarters, Cottle gave Bill a withering look.
"Situation's under control, doc," Saul said. "You can take off."
"You sure?" Cottle eyed him skeptically. Saul flashed his most winning smile. It didn't always convince the doc, but it was all he had in his arsenal. Tonight, it worked. "Call me if you need me." Cottle left, extracting a cigarette from his coat pocket before he was even in the corridor.
As soon as the hatch had swung shut, Saul strode over to the rack. Laura was awake, looking a little less drowsy.
"Hey," he said. He sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her. "How you feel?"
"Fine." She stretched, lazily, like she'd just had a nice nap. "How's Bill?"
"I'm fine." Saul turned to see Bill standing awkwardly a few feet away.
"Come to bed." Laura reached out to him invitingly. "I missed you all day."
"I missed you, too." Bill paused. "I'm sorry. Saul talked some sense into me. I had no right to treat you that way."
"I'm not made of glass, Bill."
"I know." He came over and sat next to Saul. "I know you're not." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
Saul watched them a moment, just taking them in. He knew they loved him, knew he was part of what they had, but there were times when he just held back, looking at them. He felt the distance even more keenly now, with what he knew about himself. Would he ever be able to tell them?
"Don't think you're getting out of this," Bill said, leaning over to pull him into a kiss. "Don't know what we'd do without you."
Saul made a noise of protest, but Bill ignored it. Then, it was Laura, pushing herself up for her turn.
"Let's go to bed," she said.
Saul watched Bill as they undressed, looking for some sign that he hadn't bounced back as much as he seemed to have. Maybe Saul had managed to drum some sense into him.
On the way back to the bed, Bill's hand brushed Saul's. "Thanks," he murmured. He didn't look right at Saul, but the corner of his gaze caught his. He took Saul's hand, guiding him back to the rack and their Laura.
"You two," she said, shaking her head as they climbed into bed. Saul hadn't intended to wind up in the middle, but that seemed to be what they wanted. "I'm lucky to have you two."
"No," Bill said. He slipped an arm around Saul's waist and took Laura's hand. "We're the lucky ones. Isn't that right, Saul?"
"Yeah." Saul smiled back at Bill. "This time he's right."
Maybe there wouldn't be much time, not with Laura, and whenever the other Cylon shoe was going to drop. But if that was the case, then they had better make the most of it.
Pairing: Bill/Saul/Laura
Rating: PG
Summary: For once, it seems like Saul is the one holding it together.
Original Story: Six of One By Three by singerdiva01_sk
It was an odd reversal, Saul thought, as he stalked down to Joe's Bar. Usually, it was Bill dragging him home from the bar. But everything was different now. Saul didn't know if it was him being a Cylon, or Laura being sick, or them all being together, but everything was different now.
It was like they'd frakking switched places.
Saul stalked onto the hangar deck. Bill was still hunched over the bar.
"That's it," Saul said. "Time to come home."
Bill looked up at him as if he didn't quite recognize him. "What are you doing here?"
Saul sighed. He supposed this was his penance for doing the same thing to Bill all those years. "Time to come home," he said evenly. "Let's go, Bill."
Bill glared mutinously for a moment, then stood.
"Did she send you?" he asked as they climbed the stairs.
"No," Saul said wearily. "I sent myself."
"Oh." Bill paused. "Is she okay?"
"Laura is fine," Saul said darkly. "She was worried about you." He noticed the downward cast of Bill's eyes with satisfaction. It served him right. "What right do you have to worry her like that?"
Bill frowned. Saul could see him forcing his thoughts through the muddle in his mind; he knew that well, too.
"You remember what happened?" he prompted.
"Yes, I frakking remember," Bill growled. "I'm not that drunk."
"Could've fooled me."
Bill swung at him, but Saul stopped him handily. He had been the drunk guy swinging at the sober guy often enough to know how to play this game. He held Bill's wrist, wondering if being a Cylon gave him some kind of super strength. If it did, he hadn't felt it.
"Not here, Bill," he said through gritted teeth. "Last thing we need's to let the whole crew know the leadership can't find its ass with both hands."
Bill seemed to sober a bit. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." Saul guided him toward the CO's quarters, but then thought better of it. He could shower in Saul's.
His own quarters felt stale. He tried to remember the last night he'd spent here alone. He waited uncomfortably until Bill was in the shower and then stalked back to Bill's quarters, where he'd left Laura.
"You find him?" Cottle growled at him.
"Yeah. Getting him cleaned up. I need clothes." Saul pushed past the doctor into the bedroom portion of Bill's quarters. The mindlessness helped him to not think about Laura. She was sleeping, sedated, and if Saul stopped for too long, he was sure he'd lose his nerve. He was going to be the one of the three of them to hold it together for once in his life, even if it killed him.
They will, said the voice in his head. Once they find out what you are.
"Shut up," he muttered under his breath, as he grabbed a fresh jacket for Bill. He'd need a full uniform if they were going to walk the halls, even if it would be coming right off as soon as he got in here.
He was just leaving when he heard a voice from the rack. "Saul? Is that you?"
He froze. "Yeah." He went back over to her and sat on the edge of the rack. She was still half-sedated, her features drowsy.
"How's Bill?"
Saul kissed her forehead, brushing her hair back. "On his way."
"Mm. He busy?"
Saul frowned. "You could say that."
Laura looked sleepily up at him. "I want both of you here, you know. He's going through so much with Kara and-"
"Shh." Saul kissed her again. "Never mind him. I'm going to get him."
He stayed a moment longer before assuring himself she'd be all right, then went back to his old quarters. Bill was toweling off.
"Here," Saul said, shoving a wad of clothes at him.
"You're a charmer," Bill said, pulling out some shorts.
"Me? You're the one who's breaking her heart in her last months."
Bill pulled on his tanks. "She can take care of herself, Saul. She's strong. You know that."
He did know, all too well, from New Caprica. "Of course she is. But she can't be expected to take on more now. She's human, Bill. You can't just expect her to take whatever you chuck at her."
Bill's mouth was a firm line. "She's the same woman, Saul."
"But you're not the same man."
Bill listed back slightly as if struck, but there was no violent change in expression, so Saul assumed he'd been expecting it. "We had a good thing," he said. "The three of us. It was good."
"Yeah, well, it still would be if you'd get your head out of your ass." He ignored Bill's glower. "She loves you and I love you. But not what you turned into."
Bill looked away. Saul could tell by the set of his shoulders that he knew Saul was right, but didn't want to admit it. Finally, he said, "So what do I do?"
"Come back with me. Come back to bed. Don't make her suffer waiting for you." Saul sighed. "Because soon enough it's just going to be me and you again."
"Don't say things like that," Bill said gently. It was reflexive, Saul knew, but he loved him all the more for it.
"It's true," he said. "You know it. She hasn't got time, Bill. None of us have time for this shit."
Bill seemed to need time to turn that over in his mind. "You're right," he said finally. "I didn't see it before. But you're right."
Saul managed to crack a smile. "For once, yeah?"
"For once," Bill agreed, leaning forward to kiss Saul's forehead. "Let's go."
Saul stared at him, marveling, for a moment. He ran his fingers through Bill's damp hair. Perhaps everything would be all right after all. For one brief moment, it seemed like nothing had changed. Bill was smiling at him, that blue gaze so full of love.
No. The realization hit him like a sucker punch. You're a Cylon.
Not tonight, Saul thought back at the voice.
When they got back to Bill's quarters, Cottle gave Bill a withering look.
"Situation's under control, doc," Saul said. "You can take off."
"You sure?" Cottle eyed him skeptically. Saul flashed his most winning smile. It didn't always convince the doc, but it was all he had in his arsenal. Tonight, it worked. "Call me if you need me." Cottle left, extracting a cigarette from his coat pocket before he was even in the corridor.
As soon as the hatch had swung shut, Saul strode over to the rack. Laura was awake, looking a little less drowsy.
"Hey," he said. He sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her. "How you feel?"
"Fine." She stretched, lazily, like she'd just had a nice nap. "How's Bill?"
"I'm fine." Saul turned to see Bill standing awkwardly a few feet away.
"Come to bed." Laura reached out to him invitingly. "I missed you all day."
"I missed you, too." Bill paused. "I'm sorry. Saul talked some sense into me. I had no right to treat you that way."
"I'm not made of glass, Bill."
"I know." He came over and sat next to Saul. "I know you're not." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
Saul watched them a moment, just taking them in. He knew they loved him, knew he was part of what they had, but there were times when he just held back, looking at them. He felt the distance even more keenly now, with what he knew about himself. Would he ever be able to tell them?
"Don't think you're getting out of this," Bill said, leaning over to pull him into a kiss. "Don't know what we'd do without you."
Saul made a noise of protest, but Bill ignored it. Then, it was Laura, pushing herself up for her turn.
"Let's go to bed," she said.
Saul watched Bill as they undressed, looking for some sign that he hadn't bounced back as much as he seemed to have. Maybe Saul had managed to drum some sense into him.
On the way back to the bed, Bill's hand brushed Saul's. "Thanks," he murmured. He didn't look right at Saul, but the corner of his gaze caught his. He took Saul's hand, guiding him back to the rack and their Laura.
"You two," she said, shaking her head as they climbed into bed. Saul hadn't intended to wind up in the middle, but that seemed to be what they wanted. "I'm lucky to have you two."
"No," Bill said. He slipped an arm around Saul's waist and took Laura's hand. "We're the lucky ones. Isn't that right, Saul?"
"Yeah." Saul smiled back at Bill. "This time he's right."
Maybe there wouldn't be much time, not with Laura, and whenever the other Cylon shoe was going to drop. But if that was the case, then they had better make the most of it.