FIC meme: Pieces of a Friendship
I really liked the song meme, and did it again for a challenge over at twelvecolonies. This one is pure gen, and is Tom Zarek-Felix Gaeta friendship fic.
Title: Pieces of a Friendship
Author: lls_mutant
Characters: Tom Zarek and Felix Gaeta
Pairings: Slight insinuation of Gaeta/Baltar, other than that- totally gen
Rating: PG-13 at the most?
Author's Notes: I originally wrote this for a challenge at twelvecolonies, but it's pure gen, so... Does This Please the Mod Rap? :)
1. "You Learn" - Alanis Morrisette
"Mr. Gaeta," President Baltar said, "is there a reason I'm missing form F25 and the hardcopy of the Quorum's resolution on the age of labor?"
Felix blinked. "No, sir. They should be there." And then he remembered he'd left them both in the tent when he'd rushed out that morning.
"Well," Baltar said, eyeing him like he was an imbecile, "get them."
The thing that got him, Felix thought as he ran out into the cold drizzle, wasn't that he'd forgotten the two documents. No, the thing that got him was that he'd been doing this all frakking day.
He wasn't watching where he was going, and he nearly ran into Tom Zarek as he bolted back up the steps.
"Hey, slow down," Tom said, catching Felix by the elbow. He glanced into his face. "Are you okay?"
Felix shook his head. "I know tactics," he said. "I was the best damn watch officer left alive. The best frakking navigator left alive. I know science, I know military protocol. What the frak ever possessed me to take this job?"
Tom patted his shoulder. "Don't worry," he said carelessly. "In a few months, it will be boring routine and second nature."
2. "The Flag" - Barenaked Ladies
The phone rang, too early. "Mr. Zarek?" the voice said. "Lieutenant Gaeta is on board. He says he needs to speak to you now."
"All right," Tom said, sitting up, rubbing his eyes. He glanced at the clock. 4:23 in the morning. He pulled on a shirt and pants, and managed to get sitting before Felix knocked on the hatch.
"Come on in," he called.
The hatch opened, and Felix entered. He looked terrible, Tom realized. "What's going on?"
"Baltar's alive," Felix said shortly. "And he's on Galactica."
Tom was now wide awake. "What?" he demanded. He sat down at his table, and gestured for Felix to sit across from him. He didn't have coffee, but the occasion called for something stronger. "When?"
"Since the algae planet."
Tom swallowed the harsh whiskey gracelessly. "Frak. What are they… what are they doing with him?"
"I don't know. I hope it's pushing the airlock button," Felix growled.
Tom raised his drink in agreement. "You know if they give him a trial…" he began.
"He'll try to take us down with him," Felix agreed. He knocked back his own drink. "Exactly."
3. "Come Talk to Me" - Peter Gabriel
He was the source. He saved our lives. Laura Roslin's admonishment rang in Tom's ears as he sat at his desk, staring at the picture she'd given him. The picture of him and Felix standing in the New Caprican sun, smiling at the camera.
It wasn't that Tom couldn't believe it. He could, all too well. It was that he couldn't believe he hadn't realized it earlier.
He needed revenge. No matter what Laura said, people still needed revenge for the horror that was New Caprica, and they would thirst for it until the price was exacted in blood. Pardons for all of humanity didn't change that. But yet, this compulsion nearly stole on of the few friendships he truly treasured. No, he realized, it did steal it. There was no way Felix would speak to him now. More likely, he'd try to kill him.
Tom found himself in a position he wasn't familiar with at all: wanting to apologize.
His fingers traced the edge of the picture. He could see the moment, so clearly… afterwards. He could see himself telling Felix he should have done it differently, he should have asked more questions, he should have picked a better jury. He could see Felix lighting up, extending a hand in forgiveness. But what he couldn't see was how they'd get there. Pick up the phone? Write a letter? Go over to Galactica and confront Felix face to face, grab him by the arms and hold him there until he had to listen?
Tom had engineered many situations in his life, but he'd never tried to deal with one like this, and he had to confess it left him confused as hell.
4. "I Need Some Sleep" - Eels
There was music playing in the distance. From inside Colonial One it sounded like a music box. Felix and Tom stared at the figures before them.
"It's got to work," Felix said. "If it doesn't, and the temperature drops anymore, we're going to start seeing more casualties than we want to face."
"There are going to be casualties," Tom said. He'd long since shrugged off his jacket, and now he took off his tie. He picked up a cup of coffee and looked over Felix's shoulder. "I guess the question is how we can get around the shortage of that material."
5. "Give You Back" - Vertical Horizon
Felix stepped into the Raptor, dragged by Skulls. And the last thing he expected to see was Tom's face. He was bruised and battered from his months in detention, but clean-shaven, whole, and alive. He choked on a cry.
And as Tom turned away, his face set in anger, he was glad he hadn't said a word.
They were waiting for the last stragglers. Felix was extremely aware of his suit, still in good shape, and his shoes, which only had small holes. He looked over at Tom again, and wished he could reach out, just to confirm that he'd really made it out of that Cylon detention center. So many hadn’t, and Felix hadn't realized that he'd forced himself to assume that Tom was dead before now.
Cottle came on board, a doctor dying in his arms, and an eager dog followed them. It barked and immediately ran over to Felix, head shoved in his lap as he looked for comfort.
6. "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" -Ernie and Aaron Neville
"There are other spots on New Caprica," Felix said softly, looking up at the moon. "It would be nice to see them."
"Mountain scenery and sunsets. Not my thing," Tom said, taking a drag of the joint that Laura had given them.
"No, I wouldn't picture that," Felix laughed.
"It's not because I can't blow anything up there," Tom insisted. They looked at each other and burst into laughter again, and Tom passed the joint over to Felix.
"I think I know where I might like to visit," Felix said, taking an enthusiastic drag. "Where does Roslin get this stuff?"
7. "Your Song" - Ewan McGregor
They'd worked together for nearly a year, been friends for longer than that. But as Tom sat in the infirmary, listening to Felix sing, he wondered why this was something he'd never known before.
Of course, it wasn't like Felix knew everything about him. There were lines they didn't cross, and Felix had never known that Tom used to play the saxophone. He'd been damn good, too, twenty something years ago. He closed his eyes, listening to the music.
It had occurred to him occasionally on New Caprica, but not much since then. He missed music.
What another life that would have been, if the Cylons hadn't found them. Tom wondered what New Caprica would be like now if they were still there. He pushed the thought away, stood up, and went back to see how Felix was doing.
8. "The Freshmen" - The Verve Pipe
"What do you regret the most?" Tom asked him as they sat in Joe's Bar. "About New Caprica?"
Felix shook his head. "What don't I regret? That's probably the easier question to answer."
"All right. What don't you regret about New Caprica?"
Felix had to think about that one. "The unions," he said. "I'm glad we got the unions formed. I just wish-"
"No wishing."
"All right." Felix took a deep drink. "Meat," he said finally. "Fresh meat."
"Meat?" Tom asked, cocking an eyebrow. "That's the best you can do?"
"Look," Felix said, "you asked what I regret. Want the list? I regret that we ever found that damn planet. I regret that Baltar won the election. I regret that I tried to do what I could. I regret that it was such a mess. I regret sleeping with Gaius. I regret getting my heart broken. I regret not being able to hold him together better. I regret letting it all get out of hand. I regret the Cylons finding us. I regret standing in that office, listening to him surrender. I regret hiding, I regret having better rations than everyone as I appeared to cooperate, I regret… damn it, Tom, the only two things I don't regret are that the food was better than anything we've had since the Colonies fell, and that I became friends with you."
9. "Out Tonight" - Rent movie soundtrack
"Come on," Tom said, slinging a shovel over his shoulder. "It's time for a fight."
Felix's face lit up. "Yeah? Who are we taking on this time?"
"The drainage trenches. The diggers are complaining that it's all shit jobs."
"Yes, well-"
"So let's cast our lot in."
Felix looked out at the pouring rain. "Just promise me I won't get hit in the head with a shovel again this time," he said, shrugging off his jacket. He didn't need more water damage on it.
"Can't promise a thing," Tom said gleefully. "Come on."
They stepped out into the rain. It muted the colors of the tents, washing everything into greys and mud browns. And yet, as Felix looked at Tom, he could tell he was seeing it in vibrant color.
Funny, usually it was the other way around, and Felix was the one seeing the possibilities as Tom saw the reality. Maybe they were rubbing off on each other.
10. "Do You Hear the People Sing?" - Les Mis soundtrack (I swear to GOD I did not cheat on that one!)
"Do you think that they'll listen?"
"Who? Adama and Roslin, or the rest of the Fleet?"
"The rest of the Fleet," Felix said, but his eyes said Adama.
Tom wanted to reach out and grip his hand, to erase the hurt that this young man felt from the careless disregard of a man he'd loved as a father. He shook his head. "I don't know. But we have to try. I can promise you one thing- they won't listen if we stay silent."
Title: Pieces of a Friendship
Author: lls_mutant
Characters: Tom Zarek and Felix Gaeta
Pairings: Slight insinuation of Gaeta/Baltar, other than that- totally gen
Rating: PG-13 at the most?
Author's Notes: I originally wrote this for a challenge at twelvecolonies, but it's pure gen, so... Does This Please the Mod Rap? :)
1. "You Learn" - Alanis Morrisette
"Mr. Gaeta," President Baltar said, "is there a reason I'm missing form F25 and the hardcopy of the Quorum's resolution on the age of labor?"
Felix blinked. "No, sir. They should be there." And then he remembered he'd left them both in the tent when he'd rushed out that morning.
"Well," Baltar said, eyeing him like he was an imbecile, "get them."
The thing that got him, Felix thought as he ran out into the cold drizzle, wasn't that he'd forgotten the two documents. No, the thing that got him was that he'd been doing this all frakking day.
He wasn't watching where he was going, and he nearly ran into Tom Zarek as he bolted back up the steps.
"Hey, slow down," Tom said, catching Felix by the elbow. He glanced into his face. "Are you okay?"
Felix shook his head. "I know tactics," he said. "I was the best damn watch officer left alive. The best frakking navigator left alive. I know science, I know military protocol. What the frak ever possessed me to take this job?"
Tom patted his shoulder. "Don't worry," he said carelessly. "In a few months, it will be boring routine and second nature."
2. "The Flag" - Barenaked Ladies
The phone rang, too early. "Mr. Zarek?" the voice said. "Lieutenant Gaeta is on board. He says he needs to speak to you now."
"All right," Tom said, sitting up, rubbing his eyes. He glanced at the clock. 4:23 in the morning. He pulled on a shirt and pants, and managed to get sitting before Felix knocked on the hatch.
"Come on in," he called.
The hatch opened, and Felix entered. He looked terrible, Tom realized. "What's going on?"
"Baltar's alive," Felix said shortly. "And he's on Galactica."
Tom was now wide awake. "What?" he demanded. He sat down at his table, and gestured for Felix to sit across from him. He didn't have coffee, but the occasion called for something stronger. "When?"
"Since the algae planet."
Tom swallowed the harsh whiskey gracelessly. "Frak. What are they… what are they doing with him?"
"I don't know. I hope it's pushing the airlock button," Felix growled.
Tom raised his drink in agreement. "You know if they give him a trial…" he began.
"He'll try to take us down with him," Felix agreed. He knocked back his own drink. "Exactly."
3. "Come Talk to Me" - Peter Gabriel
He was the source. He saved our lives. Laura Roslin's admonishment rang in Tom's ears as he sat at his desk, staring at the picture she'd given him. The picture of him and Felix standing in the New Caprican sun, smiling at the camera.
It wasn't that Tom couldn't believe it. He could, all too well. It was that he couldn't believe he hadn't realized it earlier.
He needed revenge. No matter what Laura said, people still needed revenge for the horror that was New Caprica, and they would thirst for it until the price was exacted in blood. Pardons for all of humanity didn't change that. But yet, this compulsion nearly stole on of the few friendships he truly treasured. No, he realized, it did steal it. There was no way Felix would speak to him now. More likely, he'd try to kill him.
Tom found himself in a position he wasn't familiar with at all: wanting to apologize.
His fingers traced the edge of the picture. He could see the moment, so clearly… afterwards. He could see himself telling Felix he should have done it differently, he should have asked more questions, he should have picked a better jury. He could see Felix lighting up, extending a hand in forgiveness. But what he couldn't see was how they'd get there. Pick up the phone? Write a letter? Go over to Galactica and confront Felix face to face, grab him by the arms and hold him there until he had to listen?
Tom had engineered many situations in his life, but he'd never tried to deal with one like this, and he had to confess it left him confused as hell.
4. "I Need Some Sleep" - Eels
There was music playing in the distance. From inside Colonial One it sounded like a music box. Felix and Tom stared at the figures before them.
"It's got to work," Felix said. "If it doesn't, and the temperature drops anymore, we're going to start seeing more casualties than we want to face."
"There are going to be casualties," Tom said. He'd long since shrugged off his jacket, and now he took off his tie. He picked up a cup of coffee and looked over Felix's shoulder. "I guess the question is how we can get around the shortage of that material."
5. "Give You Back" - Vertical Horizon
Felix stepped into the Raptor, dragged by Skulls. And the last thing he expected to see was Tom's face. He was bruised and battered from his months in detention, but clean-shaven, whole, and alive. He choked on a cry.
And as Tom turned away, his face set in anger, he was glad he hadn't said a word.
They were waiting for the last stragglers. Felix was extremely aware of his suit, still in good shape, and his shoes, which only had small holes. He looked over at Tom again, and wished he could reach out, just to confirm that he'd really made it out of that Cylon detention center. So many hadn’t, and Felix hadn't realized that he'd forced himself to assume that Tom was dead before now.
Cottle came on board, a doctor dying in his arms, and an eager dog followed them. It barked and immediately ran over to Felix, head shoved in his lap as he looked for comfort.
6. "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" -Ernie and Aaron Neville
"There are other spots on New Caprica," Felix said softly, looking up at the moon. "It would be nice to see them."
"Mountain scenery and sunsets. Not my thing," Tom said, taking a drag of the joint that Laura had given them.
"No, I wouldn't picture that," Felix laughed.
"It's not because I can't blow anything up there," Tom insisted. They looked at each other and burst into laughter again, and Tom passed the joint over to Felix.
"I think I know where I might like to visit," Felix said, taking an enthusiastic drag. "Where does Roslin get this stuff?"
7. "Your Song" - Ewan McGregor
They'd worked together for nearly a year, been friends for longer than that. But as Tom sat in the infirmary, listening to Felix sing, he wondered why this was something he'd never known before.
Of course, it wasn't like Felix knew everything about him. There were lines they didn't cross, and Felix had never known that Tom used to play the saxophone. He'd been damn good, too, twenty something years ago. He closed his eyes, listening to the music.
It had occurred to him occasionally on New Caprica, but not much since then. He missed music.
What another life that would have been, if the Cylons hadn't found them. Tom wondered what New Caprica would be like now if they were still there. He pushed the thought away, stood up, and went back to see how Felix was doing.
8. "The Freshmen" - The Verve Pipe
"What do you regret the most?" Tom asked him as they sat in Joe's Bar. "About New Caprica?"
Felix shook his head. "What don't I regret? That's probably the easier question to answer."
"All right. What don't you regret about New Caprica?"
Felix had to think about that one. "The unions," he said. "I'm glad we got the unions formed. I just wish-"
"No wishing."
"All right." Felix took a deep drink. "Meat," he said finally. "Fresh meat."
"Meat?" Tom asked, cocking an eyebrow. "That's the best you can do?"
"Look," Felix said, "you asked what I regret. Want the list? I regret that we ever found that damn planet. I regret that Baltar won the election. I regret that I tried to do what I could. I regret that it was such a mess. I regret sleeping with Gaius. I regret getting my heart broken. I regret not being able to hold him together better. I regret letting it all get out of hand. I regret the Cylons finding us. I regret standing in that office, listening to him surrender. I regret hiding, I regret having better rations than everyone as I appeared to cooperate, I regret… damn it, Tom, the only two things I don't regret are that the food was better than anything we've had since the Colonies fell, and that I became friends with you."
9. "Out Tonight" - Rent movie soundtrack
"Come on," Tom said, slinging a shovel over his shoulder. "It's time for a fight."
Felix's face lit up. "Yeah? Who are we taking on this time?"
"The drainage trenches. The diggers are complaining that it's all shit jobs."
"Yes, well-"
"So let's cast our lot in."
Felix looked out at the pouring rain. "Just promise me I won't get hit in the head with a shovel again this time," he said, shrugging off his jacket. He didn't need more water damage on it.
"Can't promise a thing," Tom said gleefully. "Come on."
They stepped out into the rain. It muted the colors of the tents, washing everything into greys and mud browns. And yet, as Felix looked at Tom, he could tell he was seeing it in vibrant color.
Funny, usually it was the other way around, and Felix was the one seeing the possibilities as Tom saw the reality. Maybe they were rubbing off on each other.
10. "Do You Hear the People Sing?" - Les Mis soundtrack (I swear to GOD I did not cheat on that one!)
"Do you think that they'll listen?"
"Who? Adama and Roslin, or the rest of the Fleet?"
"The rest of the Fleet," Felix said, but his eyes said Adama.
Tom wanted to reach out and grip his hand, to erase the hurt that this young man felt from the careless disregard of a man he'd loved as a father. He shook his head. "I don't know. But we have to try. I can promise you one thing- they won't listen if we stay silent."