Discovering History: An Ikeaverse Honeymoon Installment
Title: Discovering History
Rating: T
Word Count: ~1150
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Bill and Laura learn more about history--and each other.
A/N: written for the lovely afrakaday for her birthday.
A/N2: Many thanks to lanalucy for the beta and brainstorming.
A/N3: The first installment of this arc is here.
Bill's legs were already stiff from the long haul the day before, and he knew Laura's were too, even if she never said so. She was such a trooper. Nonetheless, he was determined to break up the drive as much as possible, while still making good time.
In the meantime, they were listening to a Grisham story they’d borrowed in the hotel lobby. It wasn't his preferred way of "reading," but it did pass the time, and it was something Laura and he could enjoy together.
The story was reaching another cliffhanger when they reached The Kosy Korner, right outside Old New Castle. He pulled into the small lot and parked. It seemed the restaurant was living up to its name so far.
“What’s this place?”
“It’s supposed to be a great little diner. They focus mainly on breakfast.”
“Mmm. It looks adorable too.”
He nodded. “Seems like it’s living up to its name.”
They went inside. It was every bit as...cozy as the name suggested. They were seated in a corner of “the Korner” and picked up their menus for perusal.
The waiter came by to take their orders. Laura chose a short stack of chocolate chip pancakes. She winked at Bill. “For want of M&Ms.”
He chuckled before turning his attention back to the server. “French toast and eggs is good for me, thanks.”
The waiter gave a quick smile and moved on to the next table. The place was packed. “Seems to be a popular spot,” Laura said, as she looked around.
It was obviously popular for a reason, as their brunch was served quickly and was delicious.
Laura swallowed a bite. “Good, Bill, not as good as yours, but good.”
He grinned. “They don’t know my secret.”
Her eyes glistened with mirth. “M&M’s?”
He gazed into her eyes, steadily. “Love,” he said softly.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
They stepped outside the diner. “Why don’t we leave our car here?” Bill grunted. “Don’t know about you, but I could stand to walk off that meal.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“You’ll see.” He offered his hand. His eye contact was steady. “Care for a little adventure, Mrs. Adama?”
Her heart quickened. He was just...so much at that moment. She took his hand. “Always.”
///////////////////////////////////
They walked on the old cobblestone road. She was glad Bill had insisted she wear comfortable walking shoes because the road would have been brutal on her pumps. Not that she needed much of an excuse to wear sneakers or Uggs whenever she could get away with it.
The buildings held such...history. Bill pointed out an antique shop. She grinned. Their cabin could use an accent piece or two. “Do we have time to look around?”
“Of course.” He looked pensive. “I was thinking about a little writing desk.” At her confused look, he added, “You know, for your grading, paperwork.”
She smiled. “Yours too, Bill. You’ll have plenty of your own work soon.”
“I’m...I’m a little--”
“Oh, my. Commander William Adama isn’t nervous, is he?” She rubbed his arm. “Did I ever tell you about my first day?” She gestured to the bench outside the shop, and they sat down.
“The students fell in line immediately, right?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, Bill, they didn’t. I didn’t know the first thing about classroom management, and I was so confused when they weren’t behaving. I just...it didn’t make sense.”
He rubbed his chin as he gazed at her, clearly trying to visualize what she was saying, reconcile her past with her present. “What did you do?”
“I went home. I was still living with my family, then - student loans, you know -” He snorted, and she continued, “My mother asked me how my day was, and I broke down in her arms.” She closed her eyes at the onslaught of memories. “She was so healthy then. Whole. I thought she was invincible.” Bill held her. She hadn’t spoken much of her mother, but he knew enough to understand how much she still hurt sometimes.
“Anyway, after she wiped my tears and brushed my hair, she told me everything I needed to know about teaching. All the secrets she hadn’t mentioned before. What they didn’t teach in school.”
“And then?”
“I went in there the next day, and I had them eating out of my hands.” She squeezed his hand. “And you won’t have that problem. You’ve already learned how to deal with teens.” She grinned. “Hell, you’ve gotten Starbuck’s respect, and she’s as difficult as they come.”
He chuckled. “That’s true.”
“And you have so much experience to share.”
“Are you calling me old?”
She gasped in mock shock. “Me? Of course not.” She giggled. “Ready? I think a writing desk would be a fine addition to our office.”
She hopped up off the bench to show her enthusiasm.
“Let’s go. You give a fine pep talk, Mrs. Adama.”
She took his hand to help him up. “It’s in my job description, I’m sure.”
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
They saw some beautiful pieces at the antique shop: old paintings, a hand-held sewing machine, a lantern, and a lot of furniture. The owner was very helpful, and he directed them to the desks, pointing out a few he thought would fit their needs. He was a man of good taste, and he listened to his customers effectively.
When she and Bill saw “the one,” they exchanged a look. Then they said, “We’ll take it!” simultaneously.
The owner chuckled. “An anniversary gift?”
Laura smiled. “It’s more of a honeymoon gift.”
His eyes widened. “You’re newlyweds?”
Bill squeezed her hand. “Yeah, we just got hitched last week.”
The man smiled. “You just seem so...comfortable. And obviously in love. Like...you’ve been together for years.”
For want of something to say, Laura aimed for a gracious “Thank you.” It was a fair observation - and boded well for their future. “I think we work well together.”
The man nodded. Then he cleared his throat. “Well, let’s talk business, shall we?”
Bill gave him the cabin’s address, and they set up the delivery plan. Bill paid for the chair, and they were making their way out of the store when another batch of potential customers entered.
They stepped onto the cobblestone and continued walking. “The old library museum is over there,” Bill said, pointing to an hexagonal building.
“How long do we have?”
He chuckled. “I figured we’d need a good hour or two.”
“That was being conservative.”
“Yeah.” His forehead wrinkled as he squinted. “About back there--”
“I’m choosing to be pleased about his...misunderstanding.”
“Oh? I just...I wasn’t sure.”
“I feel like I’ve known you forever.” She simpered. “However, we are newlyweds, and I am feeling...celebratory.”
He stroked her arm, his eyes shining that deep blue. “I know a place. We can skip the library museum...for now.”
Next Installment
Rating: T
Word Count: ~1150
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Bill and Laura learn more about history--and each other.
A/N: written for the lovely afrakaday for her birthday.
A/N2: Many thanks to lanalucy for the beta and brainstorming.
A/N3: The first installment of this arc is here.
Bill's legs were already stiff from the long haul the day before, and he knew Laura's were too, even if she never said so. She was such a trooper. Nonetheless, he was determined to break up the drive as much as possible, while still making good time.
In the meantime, they were listening to a Grisham story they’d borrowed in the hotel lobby. It wasn't his preferred way of "reading," but it did pass the time, and it was something Laura and he could enjoy together.
The story was reaching another cliffhanger when they reached The Kosy Korner, right outside Old New Castle. He pulled into the small lot and parked. It seemed the restaurant was living up to its name so far.
“What’s this place?”
“It’s supposed to be a great little diner. They focus mainly on breakfast.”
“Mmm. It looks adorable too.”
He nodded. “Seems like it’s living up to its name.”
They went inside. It was every bit as...cozy as the name suggested. They were seated in a corner of “the Korner” and picked up their menus for perusal.
The waiter came by to take their orders. Laura chose a short stack of chocolate chip pancakes. She winked at Bill. “For want of M&Ms.”
He chuckled before turning his attention back to the server. “French toast and eggs is good for me, thanks.”
The waiter gave a quick smile and moved on to the next table. The place was packed. “Seems to be a popular spot,” Laura said, as she looked around.
It was obviously popular for a reason, as their brunch was served quickly and was delicious.
Laura swallowed a bite. “Good, Bill, not as good as yours, but good.”
He grinned. “They don’t know my secret.”
Her eyes glistened with mirth. “M&M’s?”
He gazed into her eyes, steadily. “Love,” he said softly.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
They stepped outside the diner. “Why don’t we leave our car here?” Bill grunted. “Don’t know about you, but I could stand to walk off that meal.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“You’ll see.” He offered his hand. His eye contact was steady. “Care for a little adventure, Mrs. Adama?”
Her heart quickened. He was just...so much at that moment. She took his hand. “Always.”
///////////////////////////////////
They walked on the old cobblestone road. She was glad Bill had insisted she wear comfortable walking shoes because the road would have been brutal on her pumps. Not that she needed much of an excuse to wear sneakers or Uggs whenever she could get away with it.
The buildings held such...history. Bill pointed out an antique shop. She grinned. Their cabin could use an accent piece or two. “Do we have time to look around?”
“Of course.” He looked pensive. “I was thinking about a little writing desk.” At her confused look, he added, “You know, for your grading, paperwork.”
She smiled. “Yours too, Bill. You’ll have plenty of your own work soon.”
“I’m...I’m a little--”
“Oh, my. Commander William Adama isn’t nervous, is he?” She rubbed his arm. “Did I ever tell you about my first day?” She gestured to the bench outside the shop, and they sat down.
“The students fell in line immediately, right?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, Bill, they didn’t. I didn’t know the first thing about classroom management, and I was so confused when they weren’t behaving. I just...it didn’t make sense.”
He rubbed his chin as he gazed at her, clearly trying to visualize what she was saying, reconcile her past with her present. “What did you do?”
“I went home. I was still living with my family, then - student loans, you know -” He snorted, and she continued, “My mother asked me how my day was, and I broke down in her arms.” She closed her eyes at the onslaught of memories. “She was so healthy then. Whole. I thought she was invincible.” Bill held her. She hadn’t spoken much of her mother, but he knew enough to understand how much she still hurt sometimes.
“Anyway, after she wiped my tears and brushed my hair, she told me everything I needed to know about teaching. All the secrets she hadn’t mentioned before. What they didn’t teach in school.”
“And then?”
“I went in there the next day, and I had them eating out of my hands.” She squeezed his hand. “And you won’t have that problem. You’ve already learned how to deal with teens.” She grinned. “Hell, you’ve gotten Starbuck’s respect, and she’s as difficult as they come.”
He chuckled. “That’s true.”
“And you have so much experience to share.”
“Are you calling me old?”
She gasped in mock shock. “Me? Of course not.” She giggled. “Ready? I think a writing desk would be a fine addition to our office.”
She hopped up off the bench to show her enthusiasm.
“Let’s go. You give a fine pep talk, Mrs. Adama.”
She took his hand to help him up. “It’s in my job description, I’m sure.”
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
They saw some beautiful pieces at the antique shop: old paintings, a hand-held sewing machine, a lantern, and a lot of furniture. The owner was very helpful, and he directed them to the desks, pointing out a few he thought would fit their needs. He was a man of good taste, and he listened to his customers effectively.
When she and Bill saw “the one,” they exchanged a look. Then they said, “We’ll take it!” simultaneously.
The owner chuckled. “An anniversary gift?”
Laura smiled. “It’s more of a honeymoon gift.”
His eyes widened. “You’re newlyweds?”
Bill squeezed her hand. “Yeah, we just got hitched last week.”
The man smiled. “You just seem so...comfortable. And obviously in love. Like...you’ve been together for years.”
For want of something to say, Laura aimed for a gracious “Thank you.” It was a fair observation - and boded well for their future. “I think we work well together.”
The man nodded. Then he cleared his throat. “Well, let’s talk business, shall we?”
Bill gave him the cabin’s address, and they set up the delivery plan. Bill paid for the chair, and they were making their way out of the store when another batch of potential customers entered.
They stepped onto the cobblestone and continued walking. “The old library museum is over there,” Bill said, pointing to an hexagonal building.
“How long do we have?”
He chuckled. “I figured we’d need a good hour or two.”
“That was being conservative.”
“Yeah.” His forehead wrinkled as he squinted. “About back there--”
“I’m choosing to be pleased about his...misunderstanding.”
“Oh? I just...I wasn’t sure.”
“I feel like I’ve known you forever.” She simpered. “However, we are newlyweds, and I am feeling...celebratory.”
He stroked her arm, his eyes shining that deep blue. “I know a place. We can skip the library museum...for now.”
Next Installment