Fic: Around the Corner
She chuckled slightly at the sour expression on his face and threw an apologetic hand in the air. "Your words, not mine, remember? But you were right. We've both been guilty of losing sight of that, but not anymore. This fleet comes first. Before me. Before you. And before Kara.”
“Yes, the fleet comes first,” he agreed, though he wasn’t sure he meant it, not anymore, not really. All he was sure of right now was that he hated himself for having ever put the idea in her head that anything but her came first.
Nodding, she smiled at his promise, though her eyes were more cautious, sad even. “My office is ready. I think it is time I moved over there.”
“I thought that was going to be mostly for show,” he replied quickly in surprise. “You were going to stay close so I could keep an eye on you. Help.” When he’d joked to himself that she was dumping him, he hadn’t realized how completely.
“It's just around the corner, Bill. That's pretty close. We’ll still see each other every day. Take our meals together. You can still keep an eye on me.”
“That's not the same and you know it, Laura.” He didn’t care if he sounded petulant, or for that matter even desperate. If she wanted to keep him sleeping on the couch every night for the rest of his life fine, but he wouldn’t let her take chances with her health.
“I know. But I think maybe around the corner will do us some good,” she explained quietly, her eyes dodging his now.
Pieces of his world were flying away again. Still he nodded, for he was the admiral and he did have certain responsibilities, and he couldn’t fight them if she refused to help.
“Why don’t you stay here and enjoy the stars for a while,” she suggested as she stood, waving at him to stay seated. “I’ll head back and pack up my things so they can be moved in the morning.”
“Okay,” he agreed, the word nearly sticking in his throat as he took the hand she offered him and squeezed it lightly. But he let go quickly when he saw the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. The least he could do was let her keep her dignity long enough to go cry in the privacy she had requested.
He sat uncomfortably as he waited for Laura to clear out with her escort. Sitting here staring at the stars was not what he wanted. He didn’t need to be reminded of all the uncharted space that lay ahead. He’d prefer to spend the night walking his battlestar, the familiar company of the Old Girl always a comfort.
As he walked the nearly deserted corridors of his ship, his feet were drawn to the detention facility. Watching Kara as she lay on the floor of her cell, crying out for them to turn back, so desperate to find her own path to Earth, he knew what he had to do.
Kara, Lee, Laura. If they wanted to fly, he would set them each free. He didn’t know how else to bring them home to him.
“Yes, the fleet comes first,” he agreed, though he wasn’t sure he meant it, not anymore, not really. All he was sure of right now was that he hated himself for having ever put the idea in her head that anything but her came first.
Nodding, she smiled at his promise, though her eyes were more cautious, sad even. “My office is ready. I think it is time I moved over there.”
“I thought that was going to be mostly for show,” he replied quickly in surprise. “You were going to stay close so I could keep an eye on you. Help.” When he’d joked to himself that she was dumping him, he hadn’t realized how completely.
“It's just around the corner, Bill. That's pretty close. We’ll still see each other every day. Take our meals together. You can still keep an eye on me.”
“That's not the same and you know it, Laura.” He didn’t care if he sounded petulant, or for that matter even desperate. If she wanted to keep him sleeping on the couch every night for the rest of his life fine, but he wouldn’t let her take chances with her health.
“I know. But I think maybe around the corner will do us some good,” she explained quietly, her eyes dodging his now.
Pieces of his world were flying away again. Still he nodded, for he was the admiral and he did have certain responsibilities, and he couldn’t fight them if she refused to help.
“Why don’t you stay here and enjoy the stars for a while,” she suggested as she stood, waving at him to stay seated. “I’ll head back and pack up my things so they can be moved in the morning.”
“Okay,” he agreed, the word nearly sticking in his throat as he took the hand she offered him and squeezed it lightly. But he let go quickly when he saw the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. The least he could do was let her keep her dignity long enough to go cry in the privacy she had requested.
He sat uncomfortably as he waited for Laura to clear out with her escort. Sitting here staring at the stars was not what he wanted. He didn’t need to be reminded of all the uncharted space that lay ahead. He’d prefer to spend the night walking his battlestar, the familiar company of the Old Girl always a comfort.
As he walked the nearly deserted corridors of his ship, his feet were drawn to the detention facility. Watching Kara as she lay on the floor of her cell, crying out for them to turn back, so desperate to find her own path to Earth, he knew what he had to do.
Kara, Lee, Laura. If they wanted to fly, he would set them each free. He didn’t know how else to bring them home to him.