A Very Adama-Roslin Solstice, part 2
Title: A Very Adama-Roslin Solstice
Date posted: 12-06-09
Fandom: BSG
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these lovely characters.
Spoilers: None, really.
Notes: This is part two! You can find part one here
Thanks thepodsquad!
Laura was in her third day of heavy Solstice shopping. Sharon and Bill were easily pleased, and their gifts were either already purchased and all home or in one of the six bags she had draped over her arms. Lee, she knew, would act pleased with whatever she got for him-- at least, to he would react kindly to her, while glaring at Bill. Gaius had never been easy to shop for; even as a child he was particular in what he liked. Caprica seemed to want for nothing, always.
She was trying to decide between forging on, laden down as she was, or going back to the car to put her bags in the trunk when her phone rang.
"Caprica, hello!" Laura had read that if you smiled when you spoke, it was audible. She hoped this was the case.
"Hi, Mom. Are you busy?" Caprica sounded, as always, fresh and well-rested. Laura had no idea what the girl did with her time.
"It's that time of year, you know how it is. Is everything all right?"
"Everything's fine. I just wanted to apologize for what happened the other night. I don't want you to feel like you need to make special allowances for me; I won't starve."
Laura tried very hard not to grit her teeth. "No, Gaius is right. I should've thought about it. It won't happen on Solstice."
"That was the other thing I wanted to bring up."
"Oh?" Laura was worried that her good-will would run out. There was only so much patience in the world.
"I wanted you to know that while our celebrations are different, our hearts are all in the same place. So you don't need to worry about getting a Solstice tree or anything. The menorah will be enough. It's your celebration, Mom, and I'm sorry you felt like you had to get one last year."
Laura had already ordered the Solstice tree, already paid to have it delivered. "I'm pleased to include your culture in our celebration, Caprica. You're part of the family."
Caprica's joy laced her every word. "Oh, Mom. That really means so much to me--"
It was hard to remember that Caprica has no mother of her own, just thousands of identical brothers and sisters. Her concept of family is unique, and a small unit comprised of people of varying personalities was what she wanted.
"I'll see you next week, dear," Laura said firmly, and hung up before realizing she should've at least tried to get a hint over what she should get her daughter-in-law.
--
Solstice Eve morning dawned crisp and clear, with just a light brushing of snow. Laura had always loved the romantic imagery that a white solstice brought, even though a snowless one was considered good luck. Bill had already lit the kindling in the fireplace, so the entire downstairs had a warm, homey feel. Laura had started baking the day before, and had a strict schedule of when everything needed to be started, cooked and left to cool in a symphony that had been perfected over years of Solstice Eve dinners.
"Have you talked to Saul?" Laura asked her husband as she entered the kitchen, accepting the mug of coffee her husband offered her.
Bill nodded. "He and Ellen will be here after the service. Their dinner starts at seven."
Laura snorted. "Their dinner."
"It makes them happy. And keeps them from turning our meal into a brawl." Laura knew they were both thinking that their children were perfectly capable of that on their own, with no help needed from the inebriated Tighs, but neither said anything.
She went to the oven and turned the switch to preheat. "Do you know what would be a big help?"
Her husband came up behind her, his arms around her waist. "What's that?" he asked, nuzzling her neck.
"You could arrange the presents by recipients. Not into piles, just... general areas. You know how they get when they see gifts."
Bill knew what she meant. It was a frenzy of grabbing hands and flying wrapping paper and shrieks, mostly from Gaius and Lee. "I can handle that."
--
The rest of the family was back from the service when Gaius and Caprica arrived. The formal living room was lit only by the fireplace and the glow of candles. Though the ones in the Solstice menorah were not yet lit, the ceremonial seven were lit on the Solstice tree.
"Oh, Gaius," Caprica breathed, her face aglow with happiness, and Gaius couldn't help but feel slightly more in love with her. He clasped her hand as they took in the sight. The room was beautiful, in spite of its dual identity, and in front of the fireplace, four shoes were lined up: a sensible black leather pump for Laura, two different-sized military boots for the Adamas, and a whimsically decorated flat for Sharon. Though it was a pagan custom that the Colonists celebrated as part of their celebration of their many false gods, Caprica saw it as a harmless way for gifts to be distributed. She placed Gaius's stylish leather loafer and her own red stiletto with the others.
Gales of laughter erupted from the other room, and Gaius put his hand on the small of his wife's back as they joined the rest of their family. Bill, Sharon, Lee and the Tighs were sitting in a cluster in the den.
"Dr Roslin-Baltar!" exclaimed Ellen Tigh, who had a pretty flush from the ambrosia she had already ingested, "How nice of you to come!"
Gaius forced a smile. He would never admit it, but he was slightly frightened by the wife of his stepfather's best friend. "Hello, Mrs Tigh, Colonel Tigh. Surely you remember my wife, Caprica?"
Ellen brushed right past Caprica and gave Gaius a kiss on either cheek. "Oh, you silly boy, you can just call me Ellen. What kept you so long?"
To the side, Bill and Saul exchanged looks of bewildered amusement. Ellen enjoyed Adama family functions because it put both Lee and Gaius at her intoxicated mercy. Tigh could handle it to a point, but he had, on at least one occasion, had to carry Ellen out over his shoulder when the ambrosia made her advances confrontational instead of merely flirtatious.
Lee put his glass of ambrosia down on the coffee table. "Oh, Gaius is going through his rebellious stage. He went to a Cylon Solstice service."
"Oh," and for a moment Ellen seemed at a loss for words. She quickly recovered. "You know, it is all the rage to be seen with Cylons now, you know. The doctor here got in on the ground floor. Just last week at the officers' ball, one of the admirals was there with her cylon fiancée. In front of everyone! Really, it's very mainstream now." Ellen had also noticed that the admiral's fiancée was the same model as Gaius's wife, but she didn't know if that would be rude to mention or not. Being politically correct around Cylons was difficult.
Gaius shook his head. "I cannot believe you," he said, his voice raising as he looked at his stepbrother. "We just got here, and already--"
"The cider is ready!" Laura announced, emerging from the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway and could sense what was happening. "Oh no. Boys..."
"No, Mum, he really is determined to get a rise out of me at every opportunity. Exactly what was I supposed to do, Leland, ignore my wife's religious beliefs in order to cling to an outdated superstition that I, myself, no longer see as real?" His voice rose with every word, fueled by righteous indignation.
"That's you all over, isn't it, Gaius? Going against what everyone else believes, trying to prove that you're special and unique, no matter what it does to the family."
"So I missed the service! I'm here now, and dinner hasn't even started yet! And it's not like you'd know anything about having a healthy relationship."
"Bill, I think that maybe..." Saul muttered to Bill, because Ellen was looking positively wicked watching the two fight. The commander nodded.
Lee guffawed. "A healthy relationship? You two?"
"As I recall, your last relationship ended when you got your girlfriend in trouble, didn't it? And you decided right then that things were no longer working between you and Gianne."
"Things weren't working out! And that is an entirely different thing, Gaius!"
Bill rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Boys," he intoned deeply, but his son and stepson were enjoying themselves too much.
"Oh really, was it? You refuse to compromise in your relations with women! I, at least, make an effort."
"You wouldn't understand! Your wife can't even get pregnant!"
As he said it, Lee realized the horrible miscalculation he had made in his words. Gaius did look shocked, but it was Caprica who paled.
She made very sure not to make eye contact with anyone as she said carefully, "Please excuse me," and she walked out with her spine ramrod straight.
Gaius glared at Lee. "Beautiful, Leland. Really. Fantastic," and he turned to run after his wife.
Bill stood up. "Leland. My study."
Lee paled himself. "Dad..."
But his father was already embracing the Tighs, who were saying their awkward goodbyes. Sharon spared him a glance before looking back down to her phone, where she was no doubt texting her new boyfriend Helo about how lucky he was not to be there.
And he was. Lee certainly wished he wasn't, as he followed his father to his study.
--
An hour later they were sitting at dinner. Caprica was resolutely keeping her head up and replying in an even, personable tone, but her eyes were red-rimmed. Gaius saw it as his duty to give everyone the silent treatment on her behalf. Lee, who had been chastised soundly by his father, was staring at his plate and hardly eating, and Sharon, who normally behaved so well, refused to put her cell phone away.
Laura was livid to have another evening ruined by her children's inability to play nice. She had half a mind to take all their presents upstairs and tell them that the Solstice maidens had found them all lacking this year and had refused to leave any of them presents. Except Bill, she amended. He could receive his. Solstice eve, she reasoned to herself, was about family, and her family...
And it hit her. Her family was acting just as they always had: bickering, squabbling children whose reactions grew less and less explosive as time wore on. Solstice eve was about family, and despite the many arguments of the past, the broken china and the black eye Lee had given Gaius, the broken toe Caprica had given Lee in retaliation, the Day of Grace's turkey that went up in flames when Sharon had gotten distracted by the Pyramid game and the wager Gaius and Lee had going between them two years ago, and the restaurant that kicked them out that same evening, they continued coming together and attempting to celebrate things together, however imperfectly. Laura's eyes welled up with tears. The Adama-Roslin clan was going to make it, one disaster at a time.
"Mom, are you alright?" Caprica asked gently, her tone warm and caring, and Laura opened her mouth to speak when a knock came from the front door.
"That's funny," she said instead, "We're not expecting anyone else."
"I'll get it," Lee said quickly, and hesitated before saying, "Um, if you'll excuse me from the table, Laura."
She nodded her assent, and Lee bounded out of his chair like a little boy. A second later, she heard a joyful exclamation. "Dad! It's Starbuck!"
"Starbuck?" Bill said, looking up happily, and Kara and Lee came through the doorway, grinning and elbowing one another excitedly. Lieutenant Kara Thrace, who had been engaged to Bill's late son Zak, was a valued member of the family.
"Permission to join in on the festivities, sir," Kara asked, saluting with a wide smile.
"Permission granted, Lieutenant," Bill said as he stood up to hug her. Lee brought the extra chair and put it between his seat and his father's position at the head of the table.
Kara brushed some snow out of her hair and said to Laura, "It's starting to come down out there. Sorry to come with no, uh, notice, ma'am."
"We're always happy to have you, Kara," Laura said with a smile. "We thought you'd be off-world this year."
"So did I," Kara said, spooning heaping piles of food onto her plate, as Lee and Bill beamed at her, "But it turns out our commanding officer hated the idea of missing the Solstice specials on television more than facing a tribunal come the new year."
The conversation quickly turned military as the enlisted officers talked happily. Kara brought a light-hearted energy to the room that had been missing before, and it lasted through dessert and to when they had spilled into the living room. Kara had already plunked down a boot next to Caprica's dainty heel, and sat at the piano, her fingers arched over the keys.
"Do I have any requests?" she said as she played a few notes for fun, and when no one spoke up she launched into The Twelve Lords of Kobol, her voice rising over everyone else's to make the lyrics about the Gods and their preferred gifts and habits sound suggestive. Caprica didn't know the words to this, but the glow of the hearth and the harmony that surrounded her made her feel as warm and content as her husband's arm around her waist. After Hark, the Lords of Kobol Sing, O, Eve of Gods and the amusing Solstice Nymphs, don't be late, Kara played the more secular tune The Stars Above on Solstice in deference to her, and Caprica joined in, her voice strong and sure.
Kara played the poignant "The Solstice Gift of Hera" as Laura lit the ceremonial Solstice candles, each candle from the specific temple dedicated to the god they represented, each said with melodic prayer. As the twelfth "so say we all" faded, Caprica stood on a stepstool and placed a shining gold star on the tip of her Solstice tree, Gaius's hand steadying her with a hand on her hip. Her prayers were soft, but her reverent "amen" was echoed by every member of the Roslin-Adama household.
The snow started coming down faster outside, just as Laura had wanted, and she served hot chocolate as the hour grew later. By the window, Bill and Kara and Lee were talking animatedly, laughing and speaking over one another. Sharon was curled up on the couch, her phone tucked between her ear and the pillow as she spoke softly to her boyfriend, her eyes soft and dreamy. In the armchair by the solstice tree, Caprica sat in Gaius's lap, his hand idly stroking her arm as they conversed, their words soft and loving.
There would probably be arguments in the morning, over who ate the last pancake or why one child had gotten more gifts than the others, or over an imagined or real slight, but as she surveyed her home, Laura couldn't help but think that in spite of the mishaps, this was a fine Solstice indeed.
Date posted: 12-06-09
Fandom: BSG
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these lovely characters.
Spoilers: None, really.
Notes: This is part two! You can find part one here
Thanks thepodsquad!
Laura was in her third day of heavy Solstice shopping. Sharon and Bill were easily pleased, and their gifts were either already purchased and all home or in one of the six bags she had draped over her arms. Lee, she knew, would act pleased with whatever she got for him-- at least, to he would react kindly to her, while glaring at Bill. Gaius had never been easy to shop for; even as a child he was particular in what he liked. Caprica seemed to want for nothing, always.
She was trying to decide between forging on, laden down as she was, or going back to the car to put her bags in the trunk when her phone rang.
"Caprica, hello!" Laura had read that if you smiled when you spoke, it was audible. She hoped this was the case.
"Hi, Mom. Are you busy?" Caprica sounded, as always, fresh and well-rested. Laura had no idea what the girl did with her time.
"It's that time of year, you know how it is. Is everything all right?"
"Everything's fine. I just wanted to apologize for what happened the other night. I don't want you to feel like you need to make special allowances for me; I won't starve."
Laura tried very hard not to grit her teeth. "No, Gaius is right. I should've thought about it. It won't happen on Solstice."
"That was the other thing I wanted to bring up."
"Oh?" Laura was worried that her good-will would run out. There was only so much patience in the world.
"I wanted you to know that while our celebrations are different, our hearts are all in the same place. So you don't need to worry about getting a Solstice tree or anything. The menorah will be enough. It's your celebration, Mom, and I'm sorry you felt like you had to get one last year."
Laura had already ordered the Solstice tree, already paid to have it delivered. "I'm pleased to include your culture in our celebration, Caprica. You're part of the family."
Caprica's joy laced her every word. "Oh, Mom. That really means so much to me--"
It was hard to remember that Caprica has no mother of her own, just thousands of identical brothers and sisters. Her concept of family is unique, and a small unit comprised of people of varying personalities was what she wanted.
"I'll see you next week, dear," Laura said firmly, and hung up before realizing she should've at least tried to get a hint over what she should get her daughter-in-law.
--
Solstice Eve morning dawned crisp and clear, with just a light brushing of snow. Laura had always loved the romantic imagery that a white solstice brought, even though a snowless one was considered good luck. Bill had already lit the kindling in the fireplace, so the entire downstairs had a warm, homey feel. Laura had started baking the day before, and had a strict schedule of when everything needed to be started, cooked and left to cool in a symphony that had been perfected over years of Solstice Eve dinners.
"Have you talked to Saul?" Laura asked her husband as she entered the kitchen, accepting the mug of coffee her husband offered her.
Bill nodded. "He and Ellen will be here after the service. Their dinner starts at seven."
Laura snorted. "Their dinner."
"It makes them happy. And keeps them from turning our meal into a brawl." Laura knew they were both thinking that their children were perfectly capable of that on their own, with no help needed from the inebriated Tighs, but neither said anything.
She went to the oven and turned the switch to preheat. "Do you know what would be a big help?"
Her husband came up behind her, his arms around her waist. "What's that?" he asked, nuzzling her neck.
"You could arrange the presents by recipients. Not into piles, just... general areas. You know how they get when they see gifts."
Bill knew what she meant. It was a frenzy of grabbing hands and flying wrapping paper and shrieks, mostly from Gaius and Lee. "I can handle that."
--
The rest of the family was back from the service when Gaius and Caprica arrived. The formal living room was lit only by the fireplace and the glow of candles. Though the ones in the Solstice menorah were not yet lit, the ceremonial seven were lit on the Solstice tree.
"Oh, Gaius," Caprica breathed, her face aglow with happiness, and Gaius couldn't help but feel slightly more in love with her. He clasped her hand as they took in the sight. The room was beautiful, in spite of its dual identity, and in front of the fireplace, four shoes were lined up: a sensible black leather pump for Laura, two different-sized military boots for the Adamas, and a whimsically decorated flat for Sharon. Though it was a pagan custom that the Colonists celebrated as part of their celebration of their many false gods, Caprica saw it as a harmless way for gifts to be distributed. She placed Gaius's stylish leather loafer and her own red stiletto with the others.
Gales of laughter erupted from the other room, and Gaius put his hand on the small of his wife's back as they joined the rest of their family. Bill, Sharon, Lee and the Tighs were sitting in a cluster in the den.
"Dr Roslin-Baltar!" exclaimed Ellen Tigh, who had a pretty flush from the ambrosia she had already ingested, "How nice of you to come!"
Gaius forced a smile. He would never admit it, but he was slightly frightened by the wife of his stepfather's best friend. "Hello, Mrs Tigh, Colonel Tigh. Surely you remember my wife, Caprica?"
Ellen brushed right past Caprica and gave Gaius a kiss on either cheek. "Oh, you silly boy, you can just call me Ellen. What kept you so long?"
To the side, Bill and Saul exchanged looks of bewildered amusement. Ellen enjoyed Adama family functions because it put both Lee and Gaius at her intoxicated mercy. Tigh could handle it to a point, but he had, on at least one occasion, had to carry Ellen out over his shoulder when the ambrosia made her advances confrontational instead of merely flirtatious.
Lee put his glass of ambrosia down on the coffee table. "Oh, Gaius is going through his rebellious stage. He went to a Cylon Solstice service."
"Oh," and for a moment Ellen seemed at a loss for words. She quickly recovered. "You know, it is all the rage to be seen with Cylons now, you know. The doctor here got in on the ground floor. Just last week at the officers' ball, one of the admirals was there with her cylon fiancée. In front of everyone! Really, it's very mainstream now." Ellen had also noticed that the admiral's fiancée was the same model as Gaius's wife, but she didn't know if that would be rude to mention or not. Being politically correct around Cylons was difficult.
Gaius shook his head. "I cannot believe you," he said, his voice raising as he looked at his stepbrother. "We just got here, and already--"
"The cider is ready!" Laura announced, emerging from the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway and could sense what was happening. "Oh no. Boys..."
"No, Mum, he really is determined to get a rise out of me at every opportunity. Exactly what was I supposed to do, Leland, ignore my wife's religious beliefs in order to cling to an outdated superstition that I, myself, no longer see as real?" His voice rose with every word, fueled by righteous indignation.
"That's you all over, isn't it, Gaius? Going against what everyone else believes, trying to prove that you're special and unique, no matter what it does to the family."
"So I missed the service! I'm here now, and dinner hasn't even started yet! And it's not like you'd know anything about having a healthy relationship."
"Bill, I think that maybe..." Saul muttered to Bill, because Ellen was looking positively wicked watching the two fight. The commander nodded.
Lee guffawed. "A healthy relationship? You two?"
"As I recall, your last relationship ended when you got your girlfriend in trouble, didn't it? And you decided right then that things were no longer working between you and Gianne."
"Things weren't working out! And that is an entirely different thing, Gaius!"
Bill rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Boys," he intoned deeply, but his son and stepson were enjoying themselves too much.
"Oh really, was it? You refuse to compromise in your relations with women! I, at least, make an effort."
"You wouldn't understand! Your wife can't even get pregnant!"
As he said it, Lee realized the horrible miscalculation he had made in his words. Gaius did look shocked, but it was Caprica who paled.
She made very sure not to make eye contact with anyone as she said carefully, "Please excuse me," and she walked out with her spine ramrod straight.
Gaius glared at Lee. "Beautiful, Leland. Really. Fantastic," and he turned to run after his wife.
Bill stood up. "Leland. My study."
Lee paled himself. "Dad..."
But his father was already embracing the Tighs, who were saying their awkward goodbyes. Sharon spared him a glance before looking back down to her phone, where she was no doubt texting her new boyfriend Helo about how lucky he was not to be there.
And he was. Lee certainly wished he wasn't, as he followed his father to his study.
--
An hour later they were sitting at dinner. Caprica was resolutely keeping her head up and replying in an even, personable tone, but her eyes were red-rimmed. Gaius saw it as his duty to give everyone the silent treatment on her behalf. Lee, who had been chastised soundly by his father, was staring at his plate and hardly eating, and Sharon, who normally behaved so well, refused to put her cell phone away.
Laura was livid to have another evening ruined by her children's inability to play nice. She had half a mind to take all their presents upstairs and tell them that the Solstice maidens had found them all lacking this year and had refused to leave any of them presents. Except Bill, she amended. He could receive his. Solstice eve, she reasoned to herself, was about family, and her family...
And it hit her. Her family was acting just as they always had: bickering, squabbling children whose reactions grew less and less explosive as time wore on. Solstice eve was about family, and despite the many arguments of the past, the broken china and the black eye Lee had given Gaius, the broken toe Caprica had given Lee in retaliation, the Day of Grace's turkey that went up in flames when Sharon had gotten distracted by the Pyramid game and the wager Gaius and Lee had going between them two years ago, and the restaurant that kicked them out that same evening, they continued coming together and attempting to celebrate things together, however imperfectly. Laura's eyes welled up with tears. The Adama-Roslin clan was going to make it, one disaster at a time.
"Mom, are you alright?" Caprica asked gently, her tone warm and caring, and Laura opened her mouth to speak when a knock came from the front door.
"That's funny," she said instead, "We're not expecting anyone else."
"I'll get it," Lee said quickly, and hesitated before saying, "Um, if you'll excuse me from the table, Laura."
She nodded her assent, and Lee bounded out of his chair like a little boy. A second later, she heard a joyful exclamation. "Dad! It's Starbuck!"
"Starbuck?" Bill said, looking up happily, and Kara and Lee came through the doorway, grinning and elbowing one another excitedly. Lieutenant Kara Thrace, who had been engaged to Bill's late son Zak, was a valued member of the family.
"Permission to join in on the festivities, sir," Kara asked, saluting with a wide smile.
"Permission granted, Lieutenant," Bill said as he stood up to hug her. Lee brought the extra chair and put it between his seat and his father's position at the head of the table.
Kara brushed some snow out of her hair and said to Laura, "It's starting to come down out there. Sorry to come with no, uh, notice, ma'am."
"We're always happy to have you, Kara," Laura said with a smile. "We thought you'd be off-world this year."
"So did I," Kara said, spooning heaping piles of food onto her plate, as Lee and Bill beamed at her, "But it turns out our commanding officer hated the idea of missing the Solstice specials on television more than facing a tribunal come the new year."
The conversation quickly turned military as the enlisted officers talked happily. Kara brought a light-hearted energy to the room that had been missing before, and it lasted through dessert and to when they had spilled into the living room. Kara had already plunked down a boot next to Caprica's dainty heel, and sat at the piano, her fingers arched over the keys.
"Do I have any requests?" she said as she played a few notes for fun, and when no one spoke up she launched into The Twelve Lords of Kobol, her voice rising over everyone else's to make the lyrics about the Gods and their preferred gifts and habits sound suggestive. Caprica didn't know the words to this, but the glow of the hearth and the harmony that surrounded her made her feel as warm and content as her husband's arm around her waist. After Hark, the Lords of Kobol Sing, O, Eve of Gods and the amusing Solstice Nymphs, don't be late, Kara played the more secular tune The Stars Above on Solstice in deference to her, and Caprica joined in, her voice strong and sure.
Kara played the poignant "The Solstice Gift of Hera" as Laura lit the ceremonial Solstice candles, each candle from the specific temple dedicated to the god they represented, each said with melodic prayer. As the twelfth "so say we all" faded, Caprica stood on a stepstool and placed a shining gold star on the tip of her Solstice tree, Gaius's hand steadying her with a hand on her hip. Her prayers were soft, but her reverent "amen" was echoed by every member of the Roslin-Adama household.
The snow started coming down faster outside, just as Laura had wanted, and she served hot chocolate as the hour grew later. By the window, Bill and Kara and Lee were talking animatedly, laughing and speaking over one another. Sharon was curled up on the couch, her phone tucked between her ear and the pillow as she spoke softly to her boyfriend, her eyes soft and dreamy. In the armchair by the solstice tree, Caprica sat in Gaius's lap, his hand idly stroking her arm as they conversed, their words soft and loving.
There would probably be arguments in the morning, over who ate the last pancake or why one child had gotten more gifts than the others, or over an imagined or real slight, but as she surveyed her home, Laura couldn't help but think that in spite of the mishaps, this was a fine Solstice indeed.