A Caprican Bachelorette: Chapter Three
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: don't own them; they own me.
The surgery went very well. The surgeon was able to minimize the damage and remove all of the tumor. Laura was returned to her room for post-op, and Bill was once again by her side.
When Laura was up to more visitors, Chris and the producers decided to continue with the show. The bachelors were permitted to sit by her side so Laura could see how they measured up during a real world health crisis. Obviously, Bill was the best because he was selfless and caring, acting like there was nowhere in the worlds he’d rather be because there wasn’t.
Dr. Baltar was terrible at comforting Laura, as he didn’t have a selfless bone in his body. He didn’t stop talking about himself for the whole ‘date.’ He pressed on without paying any mind to her groans of displeasure and boredom. Luckily for Laura, Lee Adama was next, and he shared his father’s chivalrous nature.
“Why don’t you let Laura take a rest for a while, Dr. Baltar. I’ve got this from here.”
“Thank you, Captain Apollo,” Laura said, after the annoying scientist exited the room.
“Captain Apollo?”
“Your father might have mentioned your call-sign. I think Captain Apollo has a nice ring to it, don’t you?”
“My father talked about me?”
“Yes. You, Zak, your mother, his career, and a lot of other things too.”
“Here, I brought you some chocolate covered pretzels. My father might have mentioned that they were your favorite.”
“Thank you, Lee. I feel like I should be honest with you; they’ll probably cut this part of the conversation out of the final version, but you need to hear the truth.”
“You’re already close to my father.”
“Yes.”
“I know. I’m not here to try to win you from him, not that I wouldn’t love to be your man. I just want to get to know the woman who will possibly become my step-mother. My whole life, everybody has always fallen at my father’s feet: Zak, the men and women under his command, everyone. They all see him as this almost mythical being, and I never understood it. But not you. I can tell you see him for the flawed man he is, but you accept him anyway. I want to know why. And I want to know how. Is this something I could learn?”
“I like your father because he’s comfortable with who he is. He recognizes his flaws and mistakes and takes ownership of them. From the moment I met him, he was completely honest with me, and I found that refreshing. As for how, I just had to open up my heart. Now, I’m going to tell you a story. This is a story no one in the mansion knows--not even your father. I have no family left in the worlds: My mother had breast cancer too, and it killed her. Then, a few years later, my father, sisters, and my unborn nephew were killed by a drunk driver. So you see, I can imagine what your family went through when Zak died, and I’d give anything to still have a father to be angry with--of course I wouldn’t be angry with my father; I adored him. So yes, Lee, you can learn to accept your father for who he is; you just have to open up your heart to him. That doesn’t mean you have to like everything about him, or agree with everything he says or does--believe me, your father and I are going to argue because we’re both stubborn and opinionated--it just means that you accept him for who he is--good and bad--and allow him to accept you.”
“Thank you, Laura. I feel like such a douche for asking a sick woman to fix my relationship with my father.”
“You’re not a douche. You’re just a confused and angry young man who lost his brother and friend and doesn’t know how to relate to his father. The divorce couldn’t have been easy for you, nor could growing up in the shadow of the great Bill Adama. You know why I called you Captain Apollo when you came in? I wanted you to know you could be your own man; have your own identity. You probably tried so hard to not be like your father, that you ended up exactly like him. What I want for my possible step-son is for you to improve your relationship with your father, yes, but I also want you to find yourself.”
“How do you do this? We never talked before really, but I feel like you can peer into my soul. No one ever read me so accurately before.”
“I guess I have a gift with the Adama men.”
“I guess so. I should let the next bachelor come in. I think it’s Zarek. Do you want me to stand outside the door?”
“I think I’ll be perfectly safe from that man. But Lee?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m going to continue giving you roses because I want to get to know you too--and force you and your father to spend time together. You won’t read anything into my roses, right?”
“Of course not, Mom. We’re family now.”
“Thank you, Lee.”
----------------
“You’re smiling awfully bright. Should that poor man be jealous of his son?”
“That’s not exactly your concern, is it Tom?”
“No ma’am. I guess not. How are you feeling?”
“I feel pretty good, actually. I have a bunch of men taking care of me at my bedside.”
“That’s good to hear. Did they manage to get it all?”
“They think so, but I’ll undergo a few rounds of doloxan, just to make sure.”
“Are you going to lose your hair, and stuff?”
“Probably. You’ll all be dating a bald woman, I hope nobody minds.”
“We’ll get you a nice wig. It won’t do your hair justice, but it’ll be enough until it grows back.”
“Thank you, Tom.”
“I know where I stand with you. You’ll never consider me a worthy mate. I can’t offer you much of anything, and you’ll never trust me, but I’ll stay as long as you continue to give me roses.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find someone one day. Just try not to piss off Bill; I have a feeling he’ll be a little protective of me.”
“Alright. I’ll send in the next bachelor. Get well, Laura.”
“Thanks, Tom.”
----------------------
The rest of the dates were largely uneventful. For the rose ceremony that evening, Chris wheeled her into the hospital lobby. Laura gave out all of her roses, beginning with Bill. Three of the nameless, boring bachelors were left without a rose, so they were sent home.
As agreed, Bill was free to spend the night at Laura’s bedside. He wheeled her back to her room, helped her into her bed, kissed her on her forehead, and took her hand as he sat down beside her. They talked about everything and nothing. He read to her until they both fell asleep, still holding hands.
Read on for chapter four.
Disclaimer: don't own them; they own me.
The surgery went very well. The surgeon was able to minimize the damage and remove all of the tumor. Laura was returned to her room for post-op, and Bill was once again by her side.
When Laura was up to more visitors, Chris and the producers decided to continue with the show. The bachelors were permitted to sit by her side so Laura could see how they measured up during a real world health crisis. Obviously, Bill was the best because he was selfless and caring, acting like there was nowhere in the worlds he’d rather be because there wasn’t.
Dr. Baltar was terrible at comforting Laura, as he didn’t have a selfless bone in his body. He didn’t stop talking about himself for the whole ‘date.’ He pressed on without paying any mind to her groans of displeasure and boredom. Luckily for Laura, Lee Adama was next, and he shared his father’s chivalrous nature.
“Why don’t you let Laura take a rest for a while, Dr. Baltar. I’ve got this from here.”
“Thank you, Captain Apollo,” Laura said, after the annoying scientist exited the room.
“Captain Apollo?”
“Your father might have mentioned your call-sign. I think Captain Apollo has a nice ring to it, don’t you?”
“My father talked about me?”
“Yes. You, Zak, your mother, his career, and a lot of other things too.”
“Here, I brought you some chocolate covered pretzels. My father might have mentioned that they were your favorite.”
“Thank you, Lee. I feel like I should be honest with you; they’ll probably cut this part of the conversation out of the final version, but you need to hear the truth.”
“You’re already close to my father.”
“Yes.”
“I know. I’m not here to try to win you from him, not that I wouldn’t love to be your man. I just want to get to know the woman who will possibly become my step-mother. My whole life, everybody has always fallen at my father’s feet: Zak, the men and women under his command, everyone. They all see him as this almost mythical being, and I never understood it. But not you. I can tell you see him for the flawed man he is, but you accept him anyway. I want to know why. And I want to know how. Is this something I could learn?”
“I like your father because he’s comfortable with who he is. He recognizes his flaws and mistakes and takes ownership of them. From the moment I met him, he was completely honest with me, and I found that refreshing. As for how, I just had to open up my heart. Now, I’m going to tell you a story. This is a story no one in the mansion knows--not even your father. I have no family left in the worlds: My mother had breast cancer too, and it killed her. Then, a few years later, my father, sisters, and my unborn nephew were killed by a drunk driver. So you see, I can imagine what your family went through when Zak died, and I’d give anything to still have a father to be angry with--of course I wouldn’t be angry with my father; I adored him. So yes, Lee, you can learn to accept your father for who he is; you just have to open up your heart to him. That doesn’t mean you have to like everything about him, or agree with everything he says or does--believe me, your father and I are going to argue because we’re both stubborn and opinionated--it just means that you accept him for who he is--good and bad--and allow him to accept you.”
“Thank you, Laura. I feel like such a douche for asking a sick woman to fix my relationship with my father.”
“You’re not a douche. You’re just a confused and angry young man who lost his brother and friend and doesn’t know how to relate to his father. The divorce couldn’t have been easy for you, nor could growing up in the shadow of the great Bill Adama. You know why I called you Captain Apollo when you came in? I wanted you to know you could be your own man; have your own identity. You probably tried so hard to not be like your father, that you ended up exactly like him. What I want for my possible step-son is for you to improve your relationship with your father, yes, but I also want you to find yourself.”
“How do you do this? We never talked before really, but I feel like you can peer into my soul. No one ever read me so accurately before.”
“I guess I have a gift with the Adama men.”
“I guess so. I should let the next bachelor come in. I think it’s Zarek. Do you want me to stand outside the door?”
“I think I’ll be perfectly safe from that man. But Lee?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m going to continue giving you roses because I want to get to know you too--and force you and your father to spend time together. You won’t read anything into my roses, right?”
“Of course not, Mom. We’re family now.”
“Thank you, Lee.”
----------------
“You’re smiling awfully bright. Should that poor man be jealous of his son?”
“That’s not exactly your concern, is it Tom?”
“No ma’am. I guess not. How are you feeling?”
“I feel pretty good, actually. I have a bunch of men taking care of me at my bedside.”
“That’s good to hear. Did they manage to get it all?”
“They think so, but I’ll undergo a few rounds of doloxan, just to make sure.”
“Are you going to lose your hair, and stuff?”
“Probably. You’ll all be dating a bald woman, I hope nobody minds.”
“We’ll get you a nice wig. It won’t do your hair justice, but it’ll be enough until it grows back.”
“Thank you, Tom.”
“I know where I stand with you. You’ll never consider me a worthy mate. I can’t offer you much of anything, and you’ll never trust me, but I’ll stay as long as you continue to give me roses.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find someone one day. Just try not to piss off Bill; I have a feeling he’ll be a little protective of me.”
“Alright. I’ll send in the next bachelor. Get well, Laura.”
“Thanks, Tom.”
----------------------
The rest of the dates were largely uneventful. For the rose ceremony that evening, Chris wheeled her into the hospital lobby. Laura gave out all of her roses, beginning with Bill. Three of the nameless, boring bachelors were left without a rose, so they were sent home.
As agreed, Bill was free to spend the night at Laura’s bedside. He wheeled her back to her room, helped her into her bed, kissed her on her forehead, and took her hand as he sat down beside her. They talked about everything and nothing. He read to her until they both fell asleep, still holding hands.
Read on for chapter four.