Riding in Battlestars with Admirals // Laura Roslin/Helena Cain
This is sort of a work in progress but the state that it's in now is a gift for bordosnoopy for femslashverse's gift giving.
Rating: PG (in it's current incarnation)
“Did you know Admiral Cain before the attacks?” Laura said suddenly.
Bill looked up at her. “Only by reputation.”
“I met her a couple of times over the years. Richard threw a party in her honor when she was promoted to Admiral.”
“I was at that party.” Bill smiled. He liked the idea that his and Laura’s paths had crossed in their former lives.
“I saw her a couple of times after that…” Laura said, trailing off. Bill watched her curiously for a moment but decided not to press.
**
“Hello Laura,” Victoria Adar smiled.
“Mrs. Adar,” Laura smiled back, if a little tightly. “It’s always lovely to see you.”
“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Victoria?” She laughed, “we’ve known each other how long now?”
“Don’t, you’ll make me feel old.”
Victoria grinned, “like I’d ever reveal our ages.” She winked.
Laura added, “since Richard’s second term as Mayor when the two of you started dating, I guess.”
“Sometimes I’m not sure which of us is married to him.” Victoria laughed, “all of those meetings you have and conferences. He’d be lost without you, Laura, you know that? He values your opinion so highly.”
Laura studied Victoria’s face for a moment. She never could be quite sure how much she knew. Did she know that Richard and Laura had been together before she’d even started dating him? Did she know that Richard and Laura started sleeping together again shortly after he was elected president? Did she know and decide to turn a blind eye? Did she figure that Laura was not really a threat to their marriage? Did she know, instinctively, that Laura would never ask - or want - Richard to leave her?
“I stay busy.” Laura said simply.
“Darling,” Richard crooned, sliding an arm around the waist of his wife. “Would you excuse Laura and I for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Laura watched Victoria disappear into the crowd but didn’t turn to look at Richard. He had his hands buried in his pockets. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
She shrugged, “don’t say anything. There’s nothing to say.”
“Laura, don’t be like that.”
“I’m not ‘being like’ anything.” Laura turned to him then. “I’m not your wife, you don’t owe me anything. It’s fine. She was supposed to go to Tauron for the weekend, she didn’t go. Que sera sera.”
“Laura-”
“Secretary of Defense incoming.” Laura warned softly.
Richard turned to greet the stout, stern looking man as Laura slipped into the crowd. There were very few times when sneaking around with Richard made her feel like an idiot but she felt like an old fool now as she weaved through the sea of politicians, dignitaries and military personnel.
Sometimes it was freeing. They owed each other nothing - and she liked not having to explain herself, or share her bed or her toothpaste. Other times, she wanted something more permanent - she just didn’t want that from Richard. On the other hand she had a hard time with the idea of letting him go.
She wondered how long she should stay before it was acceptable to slip away. She sank down into a chair at the far end of the room. She watched Victoria working the crowd - the woman was very energetic and amicable - although Laura sometimes doubted her sincerity.
Suddenly a glass of ambrosia on the rocks came into view and Laura looked up the arm that held it out to her and it ended at the smirking face of the woman of the hour.
“Oh, Admiral Cain. Thank you.” Laura accepted the glass.
“Helena, please. I’m not on duty.” She smiled. “You looked like you could use rescuing. A beautiful woman like you sitting here alone… one can’t help but wonder why.”
Laura took a big gulp of the ambrosia. “I was thinking of heading out actually.”
“Hot date?”
Laura snorted, “I wish.”
“These parties are so boring.” Helena whispered, leaning in close. “I was thinking about cutting out too.”
“Oh yeah? Do you have a hot date?”
“That’s up to you, isn’t it?”
Laura shivered at the intensity in Helena’s eyes. She studied her unwavering features for a moment and licked her lips. Laura downed the rest of the drink and set the ice filled glass on the side table. “Let’s get out of here.”
Helena stood, her military decorations glinting in the light. “After you, Madame Secretary.”
Laura preceded Helena through the room though she felt her hand on the small of her back.
“Laura, hold on.” Richard called, weaving through the crowd. He skidded to a halt upon seeing Helena. “Admiral Cain, I need to have a word with my Secretary of Education.”
Laura leaned closer to Richard, “whatever it is, Mr. President, we can discuss it on Monday morning. The admiral and I are going to get some air.”
“Mr. President, it was a lovely party, thank you.”
Rating: PG (in it's current incarnation)
“Did you know Admiral Cain before the attacks?” Laura said suddenly.
Bill looked up at her. “Only by reputation.”
“I met her a couple of times over the years. Richard threw a party in her honor when she was promoted to Admiral.”
“I was at that party.” Bill smiled. He liked the idea that his and Laura’s paths had crossed in their former lives.
“I saw her a couple of times after that…” Laura said, trailing off. Bill watched her curiously for a moment but decided not to press.
**
“Hello Laura,” Victoria Adar smiled.
“Mrs. Adar,” Laura smiled back, if a little tightly. “It’s always lovely to see you.”
“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Victoria?” She laughed, “we’ve known each other how long now?”
“Don’t, you’ll make me feel old.”
Victoria grinned, “like I’d ever reveal our ages.” She winked.
Laura added, “since Richard’s second term as Mayor when the two of you started dating, I guess.”
“Sometimes I’m not sure which of us is married to him.” Victoria laughed, “all of those meetings you have and conferences. He’d be lost without you, Laura, you know that? He values your opinion so highly.”
Laura studied Victoria’s face for a moment. She never could be quite sure how much she knew. Did she know that Richard and Laura had been together before she’d even started dating him? Did she know that Richard and Laura started sleeping together again shortly after he was elected president? Did she know and decide to turn a blind eye? Did she figure that Laura was not really a threat to their marriage? Did she know, instinctively, that Laura would never ask - or want - Richard to leave her?
“I stay busy.” Laura said simply.
“Darling,” Richard crooned, sliding an arm around the waist of his wife. “Would you excuse Laura and I for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Laura watched Victoria disappear into the crowd but didn’t turn to look at Richard. He had his hands buried in his pockets. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
She shrugged, “don’t say anything. There’s nothing to say.”
“Laura, don’t be like that.”
“I’m not ‘being like’ anything.” Laura turned to him then. “I’m not your wife, you don’t owe me anything. It’s fine. She was supposed to go to Tauron for the weekend, she didn’t go. Que sera sera.”
“Laura-”
“Secretary of Defense incoming.” Laura warned softly.
Richard turned to greet the stout, stern looking man as Laura slipped into the crowd. There were very few times when sneaking around with Richard made her feel like an idiot but she felt like an old fool now as she weaved through the sea of politicians, dignitaries and military personnel.
Sometimes it was freeing. They owed each other nothing - and she liked not having to explain herself, or share her bed or her toothpaste. Other times, she wanted something more permanent - she just didn’t want that from Richard. On the other hand she had a hard time with the idea of letting him go.
She wondered how long she should stay before it was acceptable to slip away. She sank down into a chair at the far end of the room. She watched Victoria working the crowd - the woman was very energetic and amicable - although Laura sometimes doubted her sincerity.
Suddenly a glass of ambrosia on the rocks came into view and Laura looked up the arm that held it out to her and it ended at the smirking face of the woman of the hour.
“Oh, Admiral Cain. Thank you.” Laura accepted the glass.
“Helena, please. I’m not on duty.” She smiled. “You looked like you could use rescuing. A beautiful woman like you sitting here alone… one can’t help but wonder why.”
Laura took a big gulp of the ambrosia. “I was thinking of heading out actually.”
“Hot date?”
Laura snorted, “I wish.”
“These parties are so boring.” Helena whispered, leaning in close. “I was thinking about cutting out too.”
“Oh yeah? Do you have a hot date?”
“That’s up to you, isn’t it?”
Laura shivered at the intensity in Helena’s eyes. She studied her unwavering features for a moment and licked her lips. Laura downed the rest of the drink and set the ice filled glass on the side table. “Let’s get out of here.”
Helena stood, her military decorations glinting in the light. “After you, Madame Secretary.”
Laura preceded Helena through the room though she felt her hand on the small of her back.
“Laura, hold on.” Richard called, weaving through the crowd. He skidded to a halt upon seeing Helena. “Admiral Cain, I need to have a word with my Secretary of Education.”
Laura leaned closer to Richard, “whatever it is, Mr. President, we can discuss it on Monday morning. The admiral and I are going to get some air.”
“Mr. President, it was a lovely party, thank you.”