Battlestar Galactica, Helo/Sharon, Smell
Title: A Path in the Forest
Author: lizardbeth_j
Series: Battlestar Galactica
Pairing: Helo/Sharon
Challenge: Five Senses, Prompt 4: Smell
Rating: PG
Word Count: 509
Spoilers: Through LDYB2
In hindsight, Helo realizes that he knew from the beginning that Sharon was not the Boomer he'd known. She smelled different. He'd been in close quarters with her on the Raptor and in the pilots' rack long enough to know her scent. Even that first hug when she'd come back for him, it hadn't been the same.
Of course, he'd been so glad to see her he'd promptly excused it as an after-effect of his irradiated nose and her lack of Fleet-issue soap, and not thought about it until later.
But now that he can't smell her anymore, he finds he misses the pine scent that lingered in her hair from the Caprican forest and the citrus tang of sweat on her skin.
He sits next to the glass so they can talk, and he forces himself to be glad to have even this much.
They don't talk much about the future or the past. He shares the pilots' gossip as well as news about the colonization efforts, trying to give her something to lighten her day.
The door opens behind him. Helo turns around, to find Admiral Adama coming in. He jumps to his feet. "Sir."
"As you were, lieutenant," Adama says, heading for the phone. After a glance at Helo, Sharon slowly rises to her fee and lifts the phone. Her expression is very still, wary and cold. She waits for him to speak first.
"Lieutenant," Adama beckons Helo over, holding up the phone so Sharon can hear everything. "Do you want to go to New Caprica?"
Helo's mouth turns dry. "No, sir. As long as Sharon is here, I want to stay on Galactica."
"Good." Adama answers unexpectedly. "With Starbuck down on the planet to stay, we're missing a CAG. We're short-handed, but I think it's important to keep up patrols. I need someone I can depend on to stay." He reaches into his pocket, and Helo stands there, unable to believe what he thinks the admiral's planning.
Putting down the phone briefly, he switches out Helo's collar insignia. "Captain Agathon. Congratulations."
Helo blurts before thinking, "Sir, are you sure?"
Adama looks briefly amused. "Son, I think you'll find that command is just pretending to a certainty that you rarely have. But yes, I'm sure." His gaze encompasses Sharon too. "Trust has to begin somewhere."
Helo can't find anything to say. Adama says to the guards on the way out, "Captain Agathon may enter Miss Valerii's cell."
Feeling like a sleepwalker, Helo enters Sharon's box. She moves in front of him and reaches up to touch his new insignia. "Captain Agathon," she smiles proudly, lighting her eyes.
The realization of where he is suddenly breaks through him. Four long, endless months of being locked away from her ... and now she's there.
He pulls her against him, and her arms lock around his body. She's shaking and crying. He brushes his cheek against her soft hair, and closes his eyes to feel every precious second.
Somehow her hair still has the scent of pine trees and sunlight.
Author: lizardbeth_j
Series: Battlestar Galactica
Pairing: Helo/Sharon
Challenge: Five Senses, Prompt 4: Smell
Rating: PG
Word Count: 509
Spoilers: Through LDYB2
In hindsight, Helo realizes that he knew from the beginning that Sharon was not the Boomer he'd known. She smelled different. He'd been in close quarters with her on the Raptor and in the pilots' rack long enough to know her scent. Even that first hug when she'd come back for him, it hadn't been the same.
Of course, he'd been so glad to see her he'd promptly excused it as an after-effect of his irradiated nose and her lack of Fleet-issue soap, and not thought about it until later.
But now that he can't smell her anymore, he finds he misses the pine scent that lingered in her hair from the Caprican forest and the citrus tang of sweat on her skin.
He sits next to the glass so they can talk, and he forces himself to be glad to have even this much.
They don't talk much about the future or the past. He shares the pilots' gossip as well as news about the colonization efforts, trying to give her something to lighten her day.
The door opens behind him. Helo turns around, to find Admiral Adama coming in. He jumps to his feet. "Sir."
"As you were, lieutenant," Adama says, heading for the phone. After a glance at Helo, Sharon slowly rises to her fee and lifts the phone. Her expression is very still, wary and cold. She waits for him to speak first.
"Lieutenant," Adama beckons Helo over, holding up the phone so Sharon can hear everything. "Do you want to go to New Caprica?"
Helo's mouth turns dry. "No, sir. As long as Sharon is here, I want to stay on Galactica."
"Good." Adama answers unexpectedly. "With Starbuck down on the planet to stay, we're missing a CAG. We're short-handed, but I think it's important to keep up patrols. I need someone I can depend on to stay." He reaches into his pocket, and Helo stands there, unable to believe what he thinks the admiral's planning.
Putting down the phone briefly, he switches out Helo's collar insignia. "Captain Agathon. Congratulations."
Helo blurts before thinking, "Sir, are you sure?"
Adama looks briefly amused. "Son, I think you'll find that command is just pretending to a certainty that you rarely have. But yes, I'm sure." His gaze encompasses Sharon too. "Trust has to begin somewhere."
Helo can't find anything to say. Adama says to the guards on the way out, "Captain Agathon may enter Miss Valerii's cell."
Feeling like a sleepwalker, Helo enters Sharon's box. She moves in front of him and reaches up to touch his new insignia. "Captain Agathon," she smiles proudly, lighting her eyes.
The realization of where he is suddenly breaks through him. Four long, endless months of being locked away from her ... and now she's there.
He pulls her against him, and her arms lock around his body. She's shaking and crying. He brushes his cheek against her soft hair, and closes his eyes to feel every precious second.
Somehow her hair still has the scent of pine trees and sunlight.