Chapter Text
He changed shirts for the third time, and she rolled her eyes from her place on the bed where she sat watching him flutter around. "Why are you so nervous? I've already met your mom and she liked me. Your dad...well, he'll come around. I just don't understand why you're getting so worked up over this lunch."
"Because this is different," Zak explained as he fastened the buttons on his sleeves. "Today, you're meeting Laura."
"And...?" she pressed, and he shrugged helplessly and offered her a sheepish smile.
"And...it just matters to me, okay?"
"Fine," she sighed dramatically, "I'll be on my best behavior."
"Thank you," he sighed and then gave her an appraising look. "Do you have a dress or something?"
Her eyes narrowed and a dark look came over her face. "I will murder you while you sleep."
"Never mind," he said quickly and fled to the bathroom to fix his hair in safety.
They entered the small cafe and looked around. Kara recognized her immediately. She'd seen pictures of her around Zak's childhood home and apartment, but she was even more beautiful in person.
"Zak," she called out as she stood from her seat and immediately pulled him into a hug the moment that he was reachable. "And you must be Kara."
She wasn't sure what it was about this woman that made her so important to Zak, but there was a warmth that emanated from her and Kara found herself wanting this woman to accept her. Her smile was soft and reached all the way up to her eyes as she gestured for them to sit in the seats across from her.
"I've heard a lot about you," Laura said and the lilting tone to her voice put Kara at ease. "I was so happy when Zak told me you'd be joining us for lunch."
"I hope you don't mind," Kara replied, and Laura smiled reassuringly.
"Of course not! I've looked forward to this all week. Please relax. Surely, after meeting Zak's father this can't possibly be as intimidating."
"Yeah...his dad...."
"Is actually kind and warm beneath that Commander's persona he wears," Laura finished for her. "He acts tough, but don't be fooled...he's really a softie. I bet he loved you."
"I'm not sure...I'm not exactly a by the book kind of officer."
"Neither is he," Laura laughed "and he's been known to take a personal liking to those who might not fit in the box. In fact, I brought you something that might help."
She reached into the bag at her side and pulled out a book. The cover looked worn as though the book was aged and valuable.
"Next time you see him, tell him that you came across this and thought of him. He loves a good book, and this will score you points without looking like you're trying too hard to suck up."
"You didn't have to do that," she tried, but Laura's smile faded just a little and a sadness filtered her eyes.
"He'll love the book," she said, and it occurred to Kara that Laura actually had come across the book and thought of him...that she had bought it because she knew he would like it, and she wanted him to have it. Suddenly it mattered to Kara that he got it.
"Thank you. We're going to see him this weekend when he's on leave. I'll make sure he gets it."
Laura's smile faded even more at the mention of the Commander being on leave, but she quickly covered it with a question to Zak about his flight training.
Kara tried to put a happy smile on her own face, but she found her heart heavy thinking about what it must be like for Laura to still love him...to still think of him...to still long to share something as intimate as a book she knew he would enjoy...but to not be able to be with him. Laura should be the one meeting him when he comes home on leave. She should be the one handing him the book and watching the delighted smile spread across his face as he thumbed through the pages. She had seen the pictures in their house of Laura. She knew he still loved her too. She wasn't sure she'd ever really known of anything so tragic.
She was brought out of her reverie by Zak and looked up to see that the waitress had been standing there waiting for her order. She quickly put in her request and turned back to the conversation at hand determined to make a good impression on this woman who meant so much to her boyfriend.
The moment the waitress left Laura leaned across the table with excitement dancing in her eyes. "Okay, Kara, I promised myself I wouldn't bombard you with questions, but my darling Zak here has never brought a girl to meet me before and I'm dying to get to know you."
"Well, I'd like to get to know you better too," Kara replied and found that she genuinely meant it. "How about we each get to ask three questions."
"Appropriate and reasonable questions..." Zak warned and both women smiled unsure which one of them he felt the need to caution but felt it might be both.
"You first, Laura," Kara said and sat back in her seat waiting.
"What made you want to join the military?"
"My mom was in the military. She kind of pushed me into it, and I felt like I had something to prove to her. What made you go into politics?"
"I was a teacher and saw how much needed to be done to fix our schools. I can do more to help now than I ever could as a teacher. What made you agree to a date with Zak?"
"He was cute, and I'd been drinking. What made you decide to date the Commander all those years ago?"
"He was cute," she echoed with a grin, "but he was also highly intelligent, loved books,...and he made me laugh. Do you want to stay in the military?"
"I love to fly, and the military lets me do that," she answered with a shrug and didn't allow herself time to reconsider her last question before she asked, "Do you still love him?"
"Yes," Laura answered without hesitation "that wasn't ever the problem."
"Then what was?" Kara followed up and sadness once more clouded Laura's eyes.
"I think that's a fourth question," she replied and leaned back in her seat.
Kara shrugged. "Call it a bonus, and I'll give you one too."
She took a moment to consider it before nodding her head and pondering her response. "There were things he still needed to do, and I loved him enough to want him to be free to do them. Now, I think it's my turn. Do you like boxing?"
Momentarily confused by the sudden redirection of their conversation, Kara stumbled for a second but nodded her head.
Unfazed, Laura continued, "My father was an avid fight fan. I adored my father, so I love a good fight. We should go to a match sometime when you're both in town with some time on your hands."
"That sounds great!" Zak beamed, "We haven't been since I started flight school. Remember that time we got those ringside seats, but Donovan gave a knockout blow to Pinsky and the match was over in less than a minute?"
"Yes," Laura laughed, "but the chocolate fudge cake we got after made up for the poor fight a little bit."
"That was good cake," Zak agreed.
"It was great cake!" She beamed back.
Their conversation was interrupted by the waitress setting plates of food on the table in front of them. The time passed quickly as Laura and Zak shared various stories with her and asked her questions to make her feel included as they spoke. There was a closeness there, and Kara could easily see why Laura mattered so much to Zak. She was a rather remarkable woman and the more she spoke, the more Kara wanted Laura to like her. She found herself feeling disappointed when Laura regretfully mentioned needing to get back to work.
"Thanks for making time to have lunch with us, Laura," Zak said with a smile and Laura pulled him into a warm hug.
"I'll always make time for you," she promised, and Kara didn't doubt the sincerity of that claim one bit.
She smiled when Laura pulled her into a hug as well and promised to come with Zak when they had lunch again soon.
They followed her out of the restaurant and watched her making her way down the street and to her car, before turning in the opposite direction to find their own vehicle.
"Your Dad is an idiot for letting her go," Kara remarked as she pulled the seatbelt across her body.
"He knows," Zak replied and a sad smile pulled at his lips.
"You think she liked me?" she asked and found herself feeling a little uneasy.
He reached next to him and pulled her hand into his. "I think she loved you. She never invites other people to go to a fight with us. It's always been our thing. You must have made a good impression to get such a prestigious invite."
She smiled and looked out the window as they made their way back to her apartment. She hoped he was right. It mattered to her what Laura Roslin thought of her.
"Maybe they'll find their way back to each other," she said softly as her fingers traced over the cover of the book in her lap, and he smiled knowing exactly who she was referring to.
"I hope so," he agreed, and a wistful look stole over his face. "I don't think they'd be crazy enough to blow it again if they ever got another chance."
She looked down at the copy of Searider Falcon she held and thought that Zak was right. If fate ever brought them back together, they'd make the most of it. She was sure of that.
As she looked at the man next to her, she decided she would make the most of what life had given her too.