Fic: Affectionately Yours
“Can anyone give me the answer?” The question was met with silence. “Come on now. It’s the last question of the day. Someone surely knows the answer. If we solve this problem we can all go home.”
No luck. Not even one of the suck-ups, and there were more than a few of those, raised their hand. Laura scanned the young faces in front of her. They were all painted with mischief. Had been all day. Something was up. She had a good suspicion what, but she wondered how they knew.
A giggle broke the quiet, and then another, and then several more after that.
“Is it finally time?” asked Mary, a cherub-faced seven-year-old that easily claimed the title of teacher’s pet, as she looked over to where Maya was standing.
“Yes, it’s time,” Maya answered, mischievous grin of her own on display.
The children cheered and then there was a sudden flurry of activity as they all reached into their folders and bags and pulled out colorfully decorated pieces of paper. Laura laughed as she watched their eagerness on display. It felt good to be back in front of a classroom. She’d take students over politicians any day of the week.
Mary was first to her, holding up a folded piece of construction paper with leaves glued to the front. “Happy birthday, Ms. Roslin,” she shouted excitedly as she handed over her card. Laura bent down to take it from her, but before she could even get it open there was a string of interruptions and a flurry of cards being shoved in front of her face.
“No look at mine.”
“No mine.”
Maya quickly intervened, calling the group to order as a still laughing Laura was nearly pushed over by the rush. As the students stepped back, Laura stood and Mary pulled her by the hand to her desk. “You still have to look at mine first,” the little girl insisted as she authoritatively directed Laura into her chair.
As a line formed at her desk, Laura opened her first card, oohing and ahhing at the stick figures drawn inside and chuckling at the rampant misspelling. Proof Mary had indeed made it all by herself as she was currently proudly proclaiming. Laura patted the little girl on the head as she leaned back in her chair to whisper to Maya.
“How did you know today was my birthday?” She had not told anyone. She had always felt a bit strange about announcing her own birthday to others. Always struck her as a bit self-indulgent. But she had to admit that she was enjoying this attention. She hadn’t expected to live to see this birthday, so perhaps a little self-indulgence was called for this year. That thought reminded her, however, that a certain new favorite indulgence was not currently planetside to be called upon for the celebration. Now that really was too bad.
“A little birdie told me,” Maya giggled as she pointed to the tent entrance.
Laura looked over and saw Tory. She should have known Tory was the culprit. Girl was a wizard of efficiency, and now sorely in need of something to manage, so she’d just gone ahead and continued to manage her. Laura couldn’t really object. The school was running far more smoothly because of her help. She stood there with a platter in her hands, piled high with her wild berry bars. A treat Laura had come to greatly appreciate. Turns out that Tory had used all the rest of her newfound spare time to discover that she was one hell of a baker too, concocting all sorts of inventive recipes and techniques appropriate to the austere conditions on New Caprica. Laura’s mother had always taught her that cooking was for the artistic and baking for the anal. Tory was living proof that her mother had been right.
Tory smiled back in her direction and then whipped out a lighter and lit a small birthday candle planted in the confection at the top of the heap. Laura grinned as Maya and Tory led the students in a rousing, if off key, rendition of the birthday song before blowing out her candle. It had taken everything she had to be good when she closed her eyes and made her silent wish one for the health, happiness, and prosperity of all struggling to put down roots in their new home, rather than something of a decidedly more personal and private nature. Damn, she really was starting to be sorry she had kept this whole birthday thing to herself.
Laura laughed as cards were now hastily tossed in her direction, each child eagerly claiming their own sweet as they reached the front of the line. She could hardly blame them as she nibbled at her own. They were so good they could almost make one forget that there was no such thing as cupcakes anymore.
Looking up as the last student presented his home-made card, Laura saw Kara Thrace sitting at a desk with feet up, nibbling on her own wild berry bar. “My turn?” she asked with a grin. “I’ve got a card too.”
“Kara, I didn’t know you cared,” Laura chuckled as Starbuck approached.
“I don’t,” the former pilot joked quietly as the children began leaving the tent with their snacks in hand, “but I know someone who does.” She handed Laura a folded note she’d pulled from her jacket. No leaves glued to the front or finger-painted pastorals on display for this missive. This was actual stationery, sealed even with wax. Very classy. Somebody had gone to some cost and effort to send her this. As she unsealed the stiff, thick paper of the notecard, she had a good guess who. Looking down and recognizing his writing, she realized that perhaps this birthday might be all she could ever wish for after all.
Dearest Laura,
Happy birthday. I hope you are having a wonderful day so far. Please join me for dinner tonight so that I can do my part to make it even better. Starbuck will show you the way.
Affectionately yours,
Bill
The A in affectionately was smudged and a bit off kilter, clearly indicating he’d started to write something else as he put pen to paper and then quickly changed his mind. She could guess what that original first letter was meant to be just by the slant of it, and she adored that she had him as flustered as he her. It had been so long since she’d felt like this. And as far as she was concerned, affectionately, with the A tilting just a bit towards something more, was right where she wanted to be with Bill Adama at this moment. No promises and no complications. Just living the lives they wanted to live.
“So, birthday girl, are you ready to blow this joint?”
“For this I am,” Laura answered with a discreet hush to her voice that was mostly an attempt not to show the same overabundance of enthusiasm she’d observed with amusement in her own students a few minutes ago. She didn’t need to start playing the role of the giddy schoolgirl. She was about to remind herself she had a reputation to protect, when she remembered once more that the only role she was safeguarding these days was as school principal rather than fleet president. And the views of her students not withstanding, she was fairly certain it was acceptable for her to get laid, even not so discreetly. Better be, because that horse had already left the barn and she was not about to chase it down for anything other than another satisfying ride.
Laura quickly packed up her things, thanking Tory and Maya and saying her farewells, not bothering to tell them why Kara was there or where she was taking her. They were both young, but neither was dumb. They would figure it out for themselves. Probably already had.
“Daylight’s burning,” Kara prodded as she grabbed the last sweet from the platter before winking at Laura and breaking it in two and tossing her half of it. “Consider that my gift. Now let’s get moving.”
They made their way out of the school tent and Kara turned them away from the airfield.
“I thought you were going to fly me to Galactica?” Laura remarked as she fell in step alongside the younger woman.
“We are not going to Galactica.”
“We’re not?”
“Nope.”
“Then the Admiral is here?” So much for not sounding like a giddy schoolgirl, the breathless excitement in her voice oddly balanced by the formality of calling Bill by his title. A ridiculous thing in and of itself really seeing as how Kara surely knew her current mission was to facilitate their frakking this evening. The amused expression on Kara’s face told her that she agreed on the ridiculous part.
Before she could answer her question, though, they reached Laura’s tent. Kara gave a quick shake of her head in response to Laura’s hopeful expression. Bill was not here waiting for her. Actually, that was fine by her. She was ready for more of an adventure than just dinner and a frak in her tent. As they stepped inside, the young woman finally brought her up to speed. “Old Man has got a camp out planned, said he’s got all the necessary provisions so don’t worry about packing anything.”
“If I don’t need to pack anything then why are we here?”
Kara laughed. “Apparently this is a formal camp out. Admiral left strict instructions that you were to wear a certain red dress you had stashed in your wardrobe. Said you’d know what he was talking about.”
Laura blushed. She most certainly did, but she wasn’t eager to go traipsing through the forest in that outfit. “Well that’s not very practical for a hike is it?”
“We’re not hiking anywhere,” Kara explained cryptically. “Just get dressed,” she urged, cutting Laura’s next question off before she could even ask it and then heading toward the tent’s exit to give her some privacy. “And hurry. My flight plan has us scheduled for departure in fifteen,” she looked down at her watch, “make that fourteen minutes.”
Flight plan to reach this campsite? Bill certainly was full of surprises. Laura quickly dressed, happy to be wearing this skirt and wrap again. It really was a nice color on her, and she couldn’t wait to see the hungry look in Bill’s eyes when he saw her in it again. He’d been quite disappointed when she visited him last month on Galactica and had not packed it. She’d pointed out quite practically that she had no intention of leaving his quarters for the 48 hours she’d be onboard so why even bother with clothes. That argument had easily carried the day, but clearly he had not forgotten.
Laura emerged from the tent, a small bag on her shoulders holding a few essentials that she was not about to do without no matter what Bill said about already being prepared. These essentials included a bottle of New Caprican wine, which was not bad all things considered, especially when accompanied by a few hits of the rolled weed that was also in her bag and which she also considered very much an essential. She blushed again as Kara flashed her a thumbs up before they set out. It took every bit of patience Laura had not to question Kara further about their ultimate destination as they walked toward New Caprica’s makeshift spaceport. She got the feeling Kara had been told to keep as much as possible about tonight a surprise. That or Kara was just being Kara, and had decided it was more fun to make her practically squirm with anticipation, which she hated to admit she was.
But she could hardly blame herself for being so eager. It had been six weeks since she and Bill first made love under the stars, and they had seen each other exactly twice since. She really needed to talk to him about granting himself more frequent weekend shore leaves, but the fact that he’d snuck away to surprise her for her birthday was a very good sign that he’d agree to more visits.
“Thank you for taking me wherever you are taking me,” Laura offered after Kara had them safely off the ground and had punched some coordinates into the raptor’s nav computer.
“It’s my pleasure,” Kara answered. “I’m happy to do you and the Old Man the favor, besides this gives me a chance to log some hours in the air, even if it is just a little jaunt around the block.”
Kara looked over at her and flashed a knowing grin. “Just relax and enjoy the view. We’ll be on the ground again before you know it, and then the Admiral can tell you all about where he’s taken you.”
So it was supposed to be a surprise. She loved that Bill possessed such a romantic streak. That had been one of the best and most unexpected discoveries that had accompanied the change in their relationship. The long, lazy kisses, tender touches, and decidedly wicked sweet nothings he liked to whisper into her ear when they made love had surprised her, as had the picnic on the Observation Deck, the naked midnight poetry reading, and the wildflower bouquet left on her pillow. This was not the same conventional, somewhat stiff, career military man she’d thought she’d known so well.
Minutes later, Kara swooped downward suddenly, angling the descent of the raptor so that Laura could see directly downward from her window. She realized then that Kara had flown her far deeper into the mountain range that ringed the valley of their settlement than was reachable by foot or truck. As they flew closer to one dramatic peak, a small alpine meadow carved into the mountainside came into view. As Kara expertly spun them around so that her view of the meadow would remain unbroken, she saw another raptor nestled in the grass with a cozy little campsite tucked alongside it. In the middle of it, Bill stood looking up and waving a hand as they slowly descended.
“Not bad, huh?” Kara joked as she gently settled the craft in the grass, perilously close to the cliff’s edge.
Laura nodded. She wasn’t sure if Kara meant the dramatic location, or her slick flying to manage to squeeze a second raptor on to the tiny glade of grass. Either way she was duly impressed. She quickly unbuckled her harness and stood and headed to the exit, tapping her toe impatiently as the hatch door began to slowly rise.
As she stepped on to the wing of the raptor, she saw Bill moving forward to assist her down, his face warming into a bright smile when their eyes met. Laura was a little shocked when she saw him at how eagerly her stomach flipped. Every time they were apart now she seemed to miss him a little bit more. Moving forward and taking his hand, she decided not to give the feeling currently launching butterflies in her stomach a name, preferring to stick stubbornly to the idea that it was nothing more than affection, perhaps tilting toward something more, between them. That made it easier to breathe.
“Missed you,” he said softly, bringing her hand up and quickly pressing it to his lips.
“Me too,” she answered, resisting the urge to throw her arms around him and show him just how much. That could wait at least a minute or two until Kara was safely out of range.
“Starbuck, what do you hear?” Bill asked, still holding tight to Laura’s hand, as he looked up at the young pilot standing on the wing.
“Nothing but the rain.”
“Then grab your gun and bring in the cat.”
Kara laughed as she raised her hand and pointed it like a gun. “Boom, boom, boom.”
“Thank you for the lift, Kara,” Laura offered, hoping she would take the hint and be on her way. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but it had been far too long since she last tasted this man on her lips and felt him hot and hard inside her.
Bill seemed to agree that now was not the time for him to catch up with his daughter, reaching inside his uniform jacket and pulling out a flask. He tossed it up to Kara, who caught it easily. “Some of Galactica’s finest for your trouble.”
Kara twisted open the top and sniffed the contents inside, a wide grin breaking across her face as she did. “I miss that still,” she laughed, “and it smells like the Colonel’s keeping it in good working order.” Before either of them could respond, Starbuck pocketed the flask and gave them a wink. “Well, I got to get this bird back to her perch before dark. You kids make sure you do everything I’d do tonight.”
They laughed as Kara offered a cockeyed salute and then disappeared inside the raptor. Bill pulled Laura close, running his arm comfortably around her shoulder as they watched Starbuck take off, waving to her as she dipped one wing before heading off into the fading light. It felt good to stand there with Bill’s arm around her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. No need to hide their feelings. No need to put anything but themselves first. No need to do anything but enjoy their privacy. And this was about as private as you could ever get, nothing that even attempted to pass for civilization for hundreds of miles.
“What?” she asked as he looked at her with great intensity, the blue in his eyes mesmerizing.
“Just happy to have you here all to myself,” he replied, circling his arms around her waist and pulling her close.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling up at him. “You certainly do have me all to yourself. No chance of being interrupted here.”
“Exactly. Besides, had to find someplace where you could be as loud as you wanted. Wasn’t easy,” he finished with a teasing grin.
She smacked his shoulder hard before he pulled her into a kiss, swallowing away her giggles. Their kiss was long and languid, a proper hello at last, as Laura melted into his arms. She wouldn’t mind being lost here forever with him.
“Happy birthday, Laura,” he whispered as he broke their kiss and pulled back to offer her a warm smile.
“That’s the best present I’ve received yet,” she murmured as she leaned forward to rest her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms even more tightly around him.
“Night’s young,” he bragged, stepping out of her embrace and tugging her by the hand toward the edge of the meadow. “Come see more of your present.”
“Bill.”
“Hmm?”
“How did you know it was my birthday?”
“That’s classified.”
She stopped in her tracks, arching her brow as he looked back at her. “Oh really?”
“No really,” he laughed as he started them moving again, pulling her along. “What kind of commander would I have been if I didn’t have a full dossier put together on my civilian counterpart?”
“Bill,” she stopped them again, “what else is in that dossier?”
“Now that’s definitely classified,” he grinned. “Come on. Hurry before the light fades. Come take a look at this,” he insisted as he spun her into his arms and pressed his chest against her back, wrapping his arms protectively around her as they stood looking over the cliff’s edge. “Beautiful isn’t it?” he agreed as he heard her gasp at the view.
“It is,” she breathed. Laura looked out over the deep valley, the river winding through it below all the way to the coast far in the distance. So far that you could not even see their tiny settlement tucked against the river mouth. Their view was completely unobstructed, and she could see the sun as it started to dip toward the far horizon, painting the sky with streaks of orange and gold. It was such a beautiful sight that it made her almost believe this harsh planet could be made a home. As she felt Bill warm and solid against her back, she realized it already was. He kissed her cheek and hugged her closer as they stood silently enjoying the sunset.
“Thank you for this,” she whispered when the sun finally slipped away into the distant sea, fiery reds deepening into rich purples as the sky darkened.
He reached up and tilted her chin toward him, kissing her deeply, his “you’re welcome” lost in the tangle of their tongues. A gust of cool wind broke them apart and he began pulling her back in the direction of the campsite. “Let’s go warm up by the fire,” he suggested.
“I don’t know. After that, I’m pretty warm,” she teased.
“Behave,” he admonished as they padded across the soft grass hand-in-hand.
Laura smiled as they approached the raptor. Just in front of it a fire was crackling alongside two camp chairs set up on either side of a trunk with a cloth spread over it. She duly noted that inside the raptor Bill had laid out a pallet of pillows and blankets. That would be quite cozy as the temperature dropped, better than frakking in a sleeping bag in a tent, though that certainly would not have stopped her tonight.
On the makeshift table, Bill had put out a spread of wild berries, breads, dried meats and cheeses, along with a bottle of wine. He’d even placed a glass filled with fresh-picked wildflowers in the center as decoration. She was impressed. After so much time spent running and so much deprivation, to her it looked like dining as fine as could have been found in the best restaurants on Caprica. Although at the moment it wasn’t really food that she was hungry for.
“You spoil me,” she told him as he seated her in her chair and poured her a glass of wine.
“Birthday girls deserve to be spoiled,” he explained as he finished pouring his own glass, setting down the bottle and then standing there in front of her with a proud little grin playing at his lips.
“What?” She had to admit he was adorable when he had something up his sleeve.
Bill’s grin widened as he held up a finger to signal her to wait before stepping away and disappearing into the raptor. A moment later soft strains of jazz music came floating out of the craft. Laura began to chuckle as Bill appeared again on the wing, eyes dancing proudly.
“Very smooth,” she praised as he headed back to her. If she wasn’t so damn crazy about him, she’d think him an insufferable show-off as he strutted back in her direction.
“Dance?” he asked as he circled around in front of where she sat.
Laura took the hand he offered and let him lead her a few paces from the fire. Bill pulled her close and they began to gently sway to the music. Dancing would be too generous a term for their movements, as they both wanted nothing more in this moment than an excuse to be back in each other’s arms.
“You’re beautiful,” Bill whispered as he nuzzled her cheek and then dipped his head to lavish her neck with soft kisses.
She hummed at his touch. Too hungry now to wait any longer, she stepped out of his embrace and began to pull him along by the hand.
“Where are we going?”
“To work up an appetite.”
He laughed, his rich baritone sending little shivers of anticipation down her spine, before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her up onto the wing and into the raptor.
As he set her down gently on the soft pallet of blankets, she looked up into his eyes, shining with so much emotion. She knew that sentiment for what it was, for it filled her too, so completely that there was no point in being stubborn anymore.
“You didn’t have to scratch it out you know. You could have written it,” she said softly as she lightly traced the worn lines of his face that she found so beautiful.
“What?” he asked, threading a hand through her hair and dropping a gentle kiss in the hollow of her throat as he ran his other hand beneath her camisole, tickling her skin.
“Your signature on my card.”
“Oh.” His smile widened knowingly, warming his face so completely that it made her heart ache with happiness. She could do this. She could be brave. This was the life she wanted to live. Complications and expectations and promises be damned.
“Because I feel it too,” she breathed. “Bill, I …”
A tear glistened in his eye as he reached down and silenced her with a deep kiss. He would not make her say it, for he knew what it would cost her. He was content to simply let it be so.
And that was the greatest gift of all.
No luck. Not even one of the suck-ups, and there were more than a few of those, raised their hand. Laura scanned the young faces in front of her. They were all painted with mischief. Had been all day. Something was up. She had a good suspicion what, but she wondered how they knew.
A giggle broke the quiet, and then another, and then several more after that.
“Is it finally time?” asked Mary, a cherub-faced seven-year-old that easily claimed the title of teacher’s pet, as she looked over to where Maya was standing.
“Yes, it’s time,” Maya answered, mischievous grin of her own on display.
The children cheered and then there was a sudden flurry of activity as they all reached into their folders and bags and pulled out colorfully decorated pieces of paper. Laura laughed as she watched their eagerness on display. It felt good to be back in front of a classroom. She’d take students over politicians any day of the week.
Mary was first to her, holding up a folded piece of construction paper with leaves glued to the front. “Happy birthday, Ms. Roslin,” she shouted excitedly as she handed over her card. Laura bent down to take it from her, but before she could even get it open there was a string of interruptions and a flurry of cards being shoved in front of her face.
“No look at mine.”
“No mine.”
Maya quickly intervened, calling the group to order as a still laughing Laura was nearly pushed over by the rush. As the students stepped back, Laura stood and Mary pulled her by the hand to her desk. “You still have to look at mine first,” the little girl insisted as she authoritatively directed Laura into her chair.
As a line formed at her desk, Laura opened her first card, oohing and ahhing at the stick figures drawn inside and chuckling at the rampant misspelling. Proof Mary had indeed made it all by herself as she was currently proudly proclaiming. Laura patted the little girl on the head as she leaned back in her chair to whisper to Maya.
“How did you know today was my birthday?” She had not told anyone. She had always felt a bit strange about announcing her own birthday to others. Always struck her as a bit self-indulgent. But she had to admit that she was enjoying this attention. She hadn’t expected to live to see this birthday, so perhaps a little self-indulgence was called for this year. That thought reminded her, however, that a certain new favorite indulgence was not currently planetside to be called upon for the celebration. Now that really was too bad.
“A little birdie told me,” Maya giggled as she pointed to the tent entrance.
Laura looked over and saw Tory. She should have known Tory was the culprit. Girl was a wizard of efficiency, and now sorely in need of something to manage, so she’d just gone ahead and continued to manage her. Laura couldn’t really object. The school was running far more smoothly because of her help. She stood there with a platter in her hands, piled high with her wild berry bars. A treat Laura had come to greatly appreciate. Turns out that Tory had used all the rest of her newfound spare time to discover that she was one hell of a baker too, concocting all sorts of inventive recipes and techniques appropriate to the austere conditions on New Caprica. Laura’s mother had always taught her that cooking was for the artistic and baking for the anal. Tory was living proof that her mother had been right.
Tory smiled back in her direction and then whipped out a lighter and lit a small birthday candle planted in the confection at the top of the heap. Laura grinned as Maya and Tory led the students in a rousing, if off key, rendition of the birthday song before blowing out her candle. It had taken everything she had to be good when she closed her eyes and made her silent wish one for the health, happiness, and prosperity of all struggling to put down roots in their new home, rather than something of a decidedly more personal and private nature. Damn, she really was starting to be sorry she had kept this whole birthday thing to herself.
Laura laughed as cards were now hastily tossed in her direction, each child eagerly claiming their own sweet as they reached the front of the line. She could hardly blame them as she nibbled at her own. They were so good they could almost make one forget that there was no such thing as cupcakes anymore.
Looking up as the last student presented his home-made card, Laura saw Kara Thrace sitting at a desk with feet up, nibbling on her own wild berry bar. “My turn?” she asked with a grin. “I’ve got a card too.”
“Kara, I didn’t know you cared,” Laura chuckled as Starbuck approached.
“I don’t,” the former pilot joked quietly as the children began leaving the tent with their snacks in hand, “but I know someone who does.” She handed Laura a folded note she’d pulled from her jacket. No leaves glued to the front or finger-painted pastorals on display for this missive. This was actual stationery, sealed even with wax. Very classy. Somebody had gone to some cost and effort to send her this. As she unsealed the stiff, thick paper of the notecard, she had a good guess who. Looking down and recognizing his writing, she realized that perhaps this birthday might be all she could ever wish for after all.
Dearest Laura,
Happy birthday. I hope you are having a wonderful day so far. Please join me for dinner tonight so that I can do my part to make it even better. Starbuck will show you the way.
Affectionately yours,
Bill
The A in affectionately was smudged and a bit off kilter, clearly indicating he’d started to write something else as he put pen to paper and then quickly changed his mind. She could guess what that original first letter was meant to be just by the slant of it, and she adored that she had him as flustered as he her. It had been so long since she’d felt like this. And as far as she was concerned, affectionately, with the A tilting just a bit towards something more, was right where she wanted to be with Bill Adama at this moment. No promises and no complications. Just living the lives they wanted to live.
“So, birthday girl, are you ready to blow this joint?”
“For this I am,” Laura answered with a discreet hush to her voice that was mostly an attempt not to show the same overabundance of enthusiasm she’d observed with amusement in her own students a few minutes ago. She didn’t need to start playing the role of the giddy schoolgirl. She was about to remind herself she had a reputation to protect, when she remembered once more that the only role she was safeguarding these days was as school principal rather than fleet president. And the views of her students not withstanding, she was fairly certain it was acceptable for her to get laid, even not so discreetly. Better be, because that horse had already left the barn and she was not about to chase it down for anything other than another satisfying ride.
Laura quickly packed up her things, thanking Tory and Maya and saying her farewells, not bothering to tell them why Kara was there or where she was taking her. They were both young, but neither was dumb. They would figure it out for themselves. Probably already had.
“Daylight’s burning,” Kara prodded as she grabbed the last sweet from the platter before winking at Laura and breaking it in two and tossing her half of it. “Consider that my gift. Now let’s get moving.”
They made their way out of the school tent and Kara turned them away from the airfield.
“I thought you were going to fly me to Galactica?” Laura remarked as she fell in step alongside the younger woman.
“We are not going to Galactica.”
“We’re not?”
“Nope.”
“Then the Admiral is here?” So much for not sounding like a giddy schoolgirl, the breathless excitement in her voice oddly balanced by the formality of calling Bill by his title. A ridiculous thing in and of itself really seeing as how Kara surely knew her current mission was to facilitate their frakking this evening. The amused expression on Kara’s face told her that she agreed on the ridiculous part.
Before she could answer her question, though, they reached Laura’s tent. Kara gave a quick shake of her head in response to Laura’s hopeful expression. Bill was not here waiting for her. Actually, that was fine by her. She was ready for more of an adventure than just dinner and a frak in her tent. As they stepped inside, the young woman finally brought her up to speed. “Old Man has got a camp out planned, said he’s got all the necessary provisions so don’t worry about packing anything.”
“If I don’t need to pack anything then why are we here?”
Kara laughed. “Apparently this is a formal camp out. Admiral left strict instructions that you were to wear a certain red dress you had stashed in your wardrobe. Said you’d know what he was talking about.”
Laura blushed. She most certainly did, but she wasn’t eager to go traipsing through the forest in that outfit. “Well that’s not very practical for a hike is it?”
“We’re not hiking anywhere,” Kara explained cryptically. “Just get dressed,” she urged, cutting Laura’s next question off before she could even ask it and then heading toward the tent’s exit to give her some privacy. “And hurry. My flight plan has us scheduled for departure in fifteen,” she looked down at her watch, “make that fourteen minutes.”
Flight plan to reach this campsite? Bill certainly was full of surprises. Laura quickly dressed, happy to be wearing this skirt and wrap again. It really was a nice color on her, and she couldn’t wait to see the hungry look in Bill’s eyes when he saw her in it again. He’d been quite disappointed when she visited him last month on Galactica and had not packed it. She’d pointed out quite practically that she had no intention of leaving his quarters for the 48 hours she’d be onboard so why even bother with clothes. That argument had easily carried the day, but clearly he had not forgotten.
Laura emerged from the tent, a small bag on her shoulders holding a few essentials that she was not about to do without no matter what Bill said about already being prepared. These essentials included a bottle of New Caprican wine, which was not bad all things considered, especially when accompanied by a few hits of the rolled weed that was also in her bag and which she also considered very much an essential. She blushed again as Kara flashed her a thumbs up before they set out. It took every bit of patience Laura had not to question Kara further about their ultimate destination as they walked toward New Caprica’s makeshift spaceport. She got the feeling Kara had been told to keep as much as possible about tonight a surprise. That or Kara was just being Kara, and had decided it was more fun to make her practically squirm with anticipation, which she hated to admit she was.
But she could hardly blame herself for being so eager. It had been six weeks since she and Bill first made love under the stars, and they had seen each other exactly twice since. She really needed to talk to him about granting himself more frequent weekend shore leaves, but the fact that he’d snuck away to surprise her for her birthday was a very good sign that he’d agree to more visits.
“Thank you for taking me wherever you are taking me,” Laura offered after Kara had them safely off the ground and had punched some coordinates into the raptor’s nav computer.
“It’s my pleasure,” Kara answered. “I’m happy to do you and the Old Man the favor, besides this gives me a chance to log some hours in the air, even if it is just a little jaunt around the block.”
Kara looked over at her and flashed a knowing grin. “Just relax and enjoy the view. We’ll be on the ground again before you know it, and then the Admiral can tell you all about where he’s taken you.”
So it was supposed to be a surprise. She loved that Bill possessed such a romantic streak. That had been one of the best and most unexpected discoveries that had accompanied the change in their relationship. The long, lazy kisses, tender touches, and decidedly wicked sweet nothings he liked to whisper into her ear when they made love had surprised her, as had the picnic on the Observation Deck, the naked midnight poetry reading, and the wildflower bouquet left on her pillow. This was not the same conventional, somewhat stiff, career military man she’d thought she’d known so well.
Minutes later, Kara swooped downward suddenly, angling the descent of the raptor so that Laura could see directly downward from her window. She realized then that Kara had flown her far deeper into the mountain range that ringed the valley of their settlement than was reachable by foot or truck. As they flew closer to one dramatic peak, a small alpine meadow carved into the mountainside came into view. As Kara expertly spun them around so that her view of the meadow would remain unbroken, she saw another raptor nestled in the grass with a cozy little campsite tucked alongside it. In the middle of it, Bill stood looking up and waving a hand as they slowly descended.
“Not bad, huh?” Kara joked as she gently settled the craft in the grass, perilously close to the cliff’s edge.
Laura nodded. She wasn’t sure if Kara meant the dramatic location, or her slick flying to manage to squeeze a second raptor on to the tiny glade of grass. Either way she was duly impressed. She quickly unbuckled her harness and stood and headed to the exit, tapping her toe impatiently as the hatch door began to slowly rise.
As she stepped on to the wing of the raptor, she saw Bill moving forward to assist her down, his face warming into a bright smile when their eyes met. Laura was a little shocked when she saw him at how eagerly her stomach flipped. Every time they were apart now she seemed to miss him a little bit more. Moving forward and taking his hand, she decided not to give the feeling currently launching butterflies in her stomach a name, preferring to stick stubbornly to the idea that it was nothing more than affection, perhaps tilting toward something more, between them. That made it easier to breathe.
“Missed you,” he said softly, bringing her hand up and quickly pressing it to his lips.
“Me too,” she answered, resisting the urge to throw her arms around him and show him just how much. That could wait at least a minute or two until Kara was safely out of range.
“Starbuck, what do you hear?” Bill asked, still holding tight to Laura’s hand, as he looked up at the young pilot standing on the wing.
“Nothing but the rain.”
“Then grab your gun and bring in the cat.”
Kara laughed as she raised her hand and pointed it like a gun. “Boom, boom, boom.”
“Thank you for the lift, Kara,” Laura offered, hoping she would take the hint and be on her way. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but it had been far too long since she last tasted this man on her lips and felt him hot and hard inside her.
Bill seemed to agree that now was not the time for him to catch up with his daughter, reaching inside his uniform jacket and pulling out a flask. He tossed it up to Kara, who caught it easily. “Some of Galactica’s finest for your trouble.”
Kara twisted open the top and sniffed the contents inside, a wide grin breaking across her face as she did. “I miss that still,” she laughed, “and it smells like the Colonel’s keeping it in good working order.” Before either of them could respond, Starbuck pocketed the flask and gave them a wink. “Well, I got to get this bird back to her perch before dark. You kids make sure you do everything I’d do tonight.”
They laughed as Kara offered a cockeyed salute and then disappeared inside the raptor. Bill pulled Laura close, running his arm comfortably around her shoulder as they watched Starbuck take off, waving to her as she dipped one wing before heading off into the fading light. It felt good to stand there with Bill’s arm around her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. No need to hide their feelings. No need to put anything but themselves first. No need to do anything but enjoy their privacy. And this was about as private as you could ever get, nothing that even attempted to pass for civilization for hundreds of miles.
“What?” she asked as he looked at her with great intensity, the blue in his eyes mesmerizing.
“Just happy to have you here all to myself,” he replied, circling his arms around her waist and pulling her close.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling up at him. “You certainly do have me all to yourself. No chance of being interrupted here.”
“Exactly. Besides, had to find someplace where you could be as loud as you wanted. Wasn’t easy,” he finished with a teasing grin.
She smacked his shoulder hard before he pulled her into a kiss, swallowing away her giggles. Their kiss was long and languid, a proper hello at last, as Laura melted into his arms. She wouldn’t mind being lost here forever with him.
“Happy birthday, Laura,” he whispered as he broke their kiss and pulled back to offer her a warm smile.
“That’s the best present I’ve received yet,” she murmured as she leaned forward to rest her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms even more tightly around him.
“Night’s young,” he bragged, stepping out of her embrace and tugging her by the hand toward the edge of the meadow. “Come see more of your present.”
“Bill.”
“Hmm?”
“How did you know it was my birthday?”
“That’s classified.”
She stopped in her tracks, arching her brow as he looked back at her. “Oh really?”
“No really,” he laughed as he started them moving again, pulling her along. “What kind of commander would I have been if I didn’t have a full dossier put together on my civilian counterpart?”
“Bill,” she stopped them again, “what else is in that dossier?”
“Now that’s definitely classified,” he grinned. “Come on. Hurry before the light fades. Come take a look at this,” he insisted as he spun her into his arms and pressed his chest against her back, wrapping his arms protectively around her as they stood looking over the cliff’s edge. “Beautiful isn’t it?” he agreed as he heard her gasp at the view.
“It is,” she breathed. Laura looked out over the deep valley, the river winding through it below all the way to the coast far in the distance. So far that you could not even see their tiny settlement tucked against the river mouth. Their view was completely unobstructed, and she could see the sun as it started to dip toward the far horizon, painting the sky with streaks of orange and gold. It was such a beautiful sight that it made her almost believe this harsh planet could be made a home. As she felt Bill warm and solid against her back, she realized it already was. He kissed her cheek and hugged her closer as they stood silently enjoying the sunset.
“Thank you for this,” she whispered when the sun finally slipped away into the distant sea, fiery reds deepening into rich purples as the sky darkened.
He reached up and tilted her chin toward him, kissing her deeply, his “you’re welcome” lost in the tangle of their tongues. A gust of cool wind broke them apart and he began pulling her back in the direction of the campsite. “Let’s go warm up by the fire,” he suggested.
“I don’t know. After that, I’m pretty warm,” she teased.
“Behave,” he admonished as they padded across the soft grass hand-in-hand.
Laura smiled as they approached the raptor. Just in front of it a fire was crackling alongside two camp chairs set up on either side of a trunk with a cloth spread over it. She duly noted that inside the raptor Bill had laid out a pallet of pillows and blankets. That would be quite cozy as the temperature dropped, better than frakking in a sleeping bag in a tent, though that certainly would not have stopped her tonight.
On the makeshift table, Bill had put out a spread of wild berries, breads, dried meats and cheeses, along with a bottle of wine. He’d even placed a glass filled with fresh-picked wildflowers in the center as decoration. She was impressed. After so much time spent running and so much deprivation, to her it looked like dining as fine as could have been found in the best restaurants on Caprica. Although at the moment it wasn’t really food that she was hungry for.
“You spoil me,” she told him as he seated her in her chair and poured her a glass of wine.
“Birthday girls deserve to be spoiled,” he explained as he finished pouring his own glass, setting down the bottle and then standing there in front of her with a proud little grin playing at his lips.
“What?” She had to admit he was adorable when he had something up his sleeve.
Bill’s grin widened as he held up a finger to signal her to wait before stepping away and disappearing into the raptor. A moment later soft strains of jazz music came floating out of the craft. Laura began to chuckle as Bill appeared again on the wing, eyes dancing proudly.
“Very smooth,” she praised as he headed back to her. If she wasn’t so damn crazy about him, she’d think him an insufferable show-off as he strutted back in her direction.
“Dance?” he asked as he circled around in front of where she sat.
Laura took the hand he offered and let him lead her a few paces from the fire. Bill pulled her close and they began to gently sway to the music. Dancing would be too generous a term for their movements, as they both wanted nothing more in this moment than an excuse to be back in each other’s arms.
“You’re beautiful,” Bill whispered as he nuzzled her cheek and then dipped his head to lavish her neck with soft kisses.
She hummed at his touch. Too hungry now to wait any longer, she stepped out of his embrace and began to pull him along by the hand.
“Where are we going?”
“To work up an appetite.”
He laughed, his rich baritone sending little shivers of anticipation down her spine, before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her up onto the wing and into the raptor.
As he set her down gently on the soft pallet of blankets, she looked up into his eyes, shining with so much emotion. She knew that sentiment for what it was, for it filled her too, so completely that there was no point in being stubborn anymore.
“You didn’t have to scratch it out you know. You could have written it,” she said softly as she lightly traced the worn lines of his face that she found so beautiful.
“What?” he asked, threading a hand through her hair and dropping a gentle kiss in the hollow of her throat as he ran his other hand beneath her camisole, tickling her skin.
“Your signature on my card.”
“Oh.” His smile widened knowingly, warming his face so completely that it made her heart ache with happiness. She could do this. She could be brave. This was the life she wanted to live. Complications and expectations and promises be damned.
“Because I feel it too,” she breathed. “Bill, I …”
A tear glistened in his eye as he reached down and silenced her with a deep kiss. He would not make her say it, for he knew what it would cost her. He was content to simply let it be so.
And that was the greatest gift of all.