~BSG: Single Hitch
Title: Single Hitch
Author: kastari
Summary: People spend a lifetime searching for happiness, looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within. ~Ramona L. Anderson
Characters: Bill Adama
Rating: T
Word Count: 516
Author’s Note: Written for the 1st makebillhappy challenge. Prompt: Make Bill happy out of uniform.
Additional Note: The idea for this story was sparked by a discussion topic on thequorum.
Disclaimer: I'm just playing in Universal's sandbox.
Single Hitch
The sun was high. The sky was clear. A warm breeze blew.
It was a beautiful day. He’d lived many beautiful days since settling here.
He swung the ax.
The log split with a resounding crack, its echo bouncing off the tree line.
Swing. Smack. Crack. Swing. Smack. Crack. Swing. Smack. Crack.
The echo bounced and bounced and bounced.
Enough wood for a good fire and then some.
Sweat glistened on his skin; he wiped it from his brow. He’d become quite an outdoorsman. A smile crossed his face. She’d have been impressed.
He’d always imagined he’d spend his life with a good woman in a double hitch harness, pulling the load together as a team. Build a home. Raise a family. Grow old together. Enjoy life.
He had the family, though not the one he’d dreamed about. He’d had the woman, too.
Past tense.
Life didn’t always give you what you wanted. But then again, it really wasn’t about giving and receiving.
In the end, it was all about timing, circumstances, and choices.
It was really all about choices.
He was alone.
~*~
He dreamed about her once.
“Are you happy?” she asked, her voice a whisper.
She was more beautiful than he remembered. He breathed in her scent, reached out to touch her.
He met her serious gaze. “Yes.”
It was the truth.
Her eyes softened and she brushed his cheek softly with her finger tips. She smiled, kissed him gently, and was gone.
She never came to him in dreams again.
~*~
He kept his promise.
Laid out the design. Gathered materials. Broke the ground. Built it.
Alone.
The experience was his catharsis.
Her cabin was now his cabin.
It was a peaceful place he’d chosen to realize her dream.
The lake really was clear as glass.
~*~
His day was done.
He sat in the living room on the old brown leather couch he had commandeered from Galactica.
Lee’s idea-leaving everything behind-was complete bullshit.
With age, came wisdom.
He took a deep breath, leaned comfortably into the worn cushions, tipped his head back, and closed his eyes.
It was a fuzzy concept, her question of long ago. He’d spent a fair amount of time thinking about it.
A good book. A stiff drink. A fine smoke. A hot bath. Fresh coffee. A solo flight in a Viper. An honest day’s work. A loyal dog. Comfortable shoes. A fast car. Boxing. Interesting conversation. Solitude. Walks through Galactica. The feeling of solid ground beneath his feet. The warmth of the sun on his face. Dancing. Star gazing. Moonlight. Night birds. Jazz. Time spent with family and friends. Caprican blueberries. Holding hands. Making love. Her snort. Her laughter. The sound of her voice. Memories of the woman he loved. A new life. Being worthy of survival. The easterly view.
It was all about timing, circumstances, and choices.
It was really all about choices.
He was alone.
But in the end, his life in a single hitch harness was good.
Pleasure. Engagement. Relationships. Meaning.
The state of mind was a personal endeavor.
William Adama made himself happy.
~finis~
Author: kastari
Summary: People spend a lifetime searching for happiness, looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within. ~Ramona L. Anderson
Characters: Bill Adama
Rating: T
Word Count: 516
Author’s Note: Written for the 1st makebillhappy challenge. Prompt: Make Bill happy out of uniform.
Additional Note: The idea for this story was sparked by a discussion topic on thequorum.
Disclaimer: I'm just playing in Universal's sandbox.
Single Hitch
The sun was high. The sky was clear. A warm breeze blew.
It was a beautiful day. He’d lived many beautiful days since settling here.
He swung the ax.
The log split with a resounding crack, its echo bouncing off the tree line.
Swing. Smack. Crack. Swing. Smack. Crack. Swing. Smack. Crack.
The echo bounced and bounced and bounced.
Enough wood for a good fire and then some.
Sweat glistened on his skin; he wiped it from his brow. He’d become quite an outdoorsman. A smile crossed his face. She’d have been impressed.
He’d always imagined he’d spend his life with a good woman in a double hitch harness, pulling the load together as a team. Build a home. Raise a family. Grow old together. Enjoy life.
He had the family, though not the one he’d dreamed about. He’d had the woman, too.
Past tense.
Life didn’t always give you what you wanted. But then again, it really wasn’t about giving and receiving.
In the end, it was all about timing, circumstances, and choices.
It was really all about choices.
He was alone.
~*~
He dreamed about her once.
“Are you happy?” she asked, her voice a whisper.
She was more beautiful than he remembered. He breathed in her scent, reached out to touch her.
He met her serious gaze. “Yes.”
It was the truth.
Her eyes softened and she brushed his cheek softly with her finger tips. She smiled, kissed him gently, and was gone.
She never came to him in dreams again.
~*~
He kept his promise.
Laid out the design. Gathered materials. Broke the ground. Built it.
Alone.
The experience was his catharsis.
Her cabin was now his cabin.
It was a peaceful place he’d chosen to realize her dream.
The lake really was clear as glass.
~*~
His day was done.
He sat in the living room on the old brown leather couch he had commandeered from Galactica.
Lee’s idea-leaving everything behind-was complete bullshit.
With age, came wisdom.
He took a deep breath, leaned comfortably into the worn cushions, tipped his head back, and closed his eyes.
It was a fuzzy concept, her question of long ago. He’d spent a fair amount of time thinking about it.
A good book. A stiff drink. A fine smoke. A hot bath. Fresh coffee. A solo flight in a Viper. An honest day’s work. A loyal dog. Comfortable shoes. A fast car. Boxing. Interesting conversation. Solitude. Walks through Galactica. The feeling of solid ground beneath his feet. The warmth of the sun on his face. Dancing. Star gazing. Moonlight. Night birds. Jazz. Time spent with family and friends. Caprican blueberries. Holding hands. Making love. Her snort. Her laughter. The sound of her voice. Memories of the woman he loved. A new life. Being worthy of survival. The easterly view.
It was all about timing, circumstances, and choices.
It was really all about choices.
He was alone.
But in the end, his life in a single hitch harness was good.
Pleasure. Engagement. Relationships. Meaning.
The state of mind was a personal endeavor.
William Adama made himself happy.
~finis~