New Jobs and Coffee: Chapter Two
Title: New Jobs and Coffee: Chapter Two
Rating: K+
Pairing: Kara/Laura (pretty gen atm)
Word Count: ~1200
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: In the midst of a recession, Laura takes a new job--something she never expected--and runs into an old student in the coffee shop.
A/N: follows this chapter.
Richard Adar had immediately put her to work. She didn’t mind that fact; however, she knew little about campaigning. She still didn’t understand why he’d wanted her help-or more precisely, why she’d agreed to give it. Laura had met her end of Marcie’s ultimatum: She’d gone on that blind date. She’d even frakked the young man, not that she chose to divulge that particular detail to her friend. Although, Marcie most likely figured it out. Her friend always had the ability to read between the lines.
For whatever the reason, Laura in her post-frakked state had decided to change her life, and she knew it would change. Mayor Adar made it clear that he was going places-and so would she if she’d get onboard. Laura wasn’t sure she wanted to be onboard, though. She’d asked him what he had in mind when he requested her help. He smiled that sneaky politician smile Laura’d always hated on the politicians she’d met or worked with in the education sector, and he cited the article she’d written five years prior in one of the more obscure education journals. He’d obviously done his homework.
He said her outline for educational reform was exactly what he wanted on his platform. He wanted to take her words-from a little known journal-and make them a reality for all the children in the Twelve Colonies. How was she supposed to say no to that?
Not only that, but he promised she’d be headlining the project as his Secretary of Education. Laura had never sought power-or the responsibility that came with it-but she had to admit it was attractive. After years of only having power within her classroom-and not even much there-she’d have the power over the entire educational system of the Twelve Colonies. She’d be responsible for the future of approximately 30 billion souls. That’s if Adar wins. Laura was pretty certain he would, though. And she’d do whatever she could to help him.
First, she needed coffee.
-----------------------------
She stood behind the counter. At first, she’d looked for things to clean. Kara was never one for boredom. She’d always needed at least one, preferably three things going on. She ran out of “things” about 30 minutes ago.
The floor had been swept and mopped twice already. There was no point in doing it again if she hadn’t made a mess, and she needed customers for there to be a mess.
Of course, it could be worse. She could be all alone in the store and have too many customers. Kara still thought she’d prefer that, though. That went with her need to be busy.
She’d even done her homework-and her work for the next few weeks. There was nothing left for Kara to do but to wait.
Her boss said something about a recession. Kara didn’t really care what that meant-except it seemed to mean no customers. Of course, if he was so frakking smart, why’d he open a coffee shop for? Why would anyone stop for coffee when they could make their own and save 5 cubits a day?
When the bell rang, Kara looked up, startled. Then she smiled. She was back like she promised she would be.
“Good morning, Kara.” Laura looked around. “It’s pretty quiet.”
Kara nodded. “Yeah. You’re my first customer all morning.”
“Seriously?”
“Yup.”
“Maybe a bigger sign.”
“That’s what I told the owner.”
“And?”
“And he spouted on about the recession.”
“If he’s so smart, why would he open a store in the middle of it?”
Kara smiled. “Right?”
“What are you going to do if this place closes?”
Kara looked around. “Probably start by burning my apron.” She paused. “I’ll be alright, Laura.”
“You always were, weren’t you?” Laura smiled. It was dazzling.
Kara blinked. “I had to be.”
“You’re a survivor, my friend.”
“You too.”
“Me?”
Kara nodded. “Yeah, I read about the accident. I’m sorry.”
Laura blinked. “Thank you.”
“I know how much you loved them.” She sighed. “You used to talk about your sisters in class a lot.”
“They were still so young. I helped my parents raise them. And then, after…”
“We can talk about something else if you want.”
Laura smiled. “I’d like to hear about you. What’s the legendary Kara Thrace up to?”
“Legend?”
Laura nodded. “I’ve never had a student get in so many fights.”
“They asked for it.”
“And you always delivered-with interest.”
“You sound almost…proud.”
“In a way I am. As a teacher, I’m supposed to say ‘find an adult; don’t take matters into your own hands.’ But seeing you protect yourself against bigger and stronger kids…”
“Yeah?”
“I envy that freedom, I guess you could say.”
“Freedom?”
Laura nodded. “There’s a certain freedom in being a loner. In being self-reliant. I envy it.”
“I was only the way I was because I wasn’t good enough to be like you.”
“Kara--”
“No. I wasn’t. I wasn’t smart like you, and I knew it.”
“That’s not true!”
Kara blinked, stunned. Ms. Roslin had seldom raised her voice.
“You were brilliant, Kara.”
Kara saw there were tears in Laura’s eyes. “Whadya mean?”
“Your work was so far advanced.”
“You remember my work?”
Laura shook her head. “I remember some details about you, of course. Just like you remember me.” She paused. “I was looking through my old class files last night-“
“Feeling nostalgic?”
She nodded. “And I was thinking about my new job.”
“New job?”
“Campaigning for Mayor Adar.”
“That tool?”
Laura smirked. “He can do great things for the Colonies.”
“I’m sure. Maybe with your help, anyway.”
“That’s my hope.”
Kara folded her arms across her chest. “What’s your new job have to do with my being ‘brilliant?’”
“Nothing. I just happened to come across your art work--”
“It was fingerpainting. Kid stuff.”
Laura shook her head. “I taught kindergarten a long time. What you did was art.”
“Don’t see how that makes me brilliant.”
“You were starting to read and write when no one else was. You could understand music. I mean really understand it.”
“If I was so great, how come I didn’t end up with the gifted kids?”
“You would have. But you changed over the summer. Your first grade teacher couldn’t get any results from you.”
“You have notes of that too?”
Laura nodded. “I routinely follow the progress of my former students. Especially the ones I have an interest in.”
“I remember my first grade teacher. Didn’t like her.”
“So you didn’t see the need to do any work for her.”
“Nope.”
“I understand that now.”
“Humph. Sorry I didn’t become your prodigy.”
“Kara.” Laura sighed. “You never failed me.”
“Just me then.”
Laura smiled. “I don’t know, have you?”
“What do you know?” Kara sighed.
“I know you’re a survivor. That you said you’d be okay when this place tanks. You must have something in place.”
“You used to scare me, you know? Not in a bad way. You just…knew everything. It’s still a little scary.” Kara paused. “I got in the Academy.”
“Kara, that’s wonderful!”
“Not according to my mother.”
“She wants you to do something else?”
Kara shook her head. “No. She just expects that to happen. Like it’s a given.”
“Tough love.”
“Tough something.”
“She loves you, Kara.”
She sighed. “If you say so.” Kara glanced at her watch. “I’d better get your coffee. Don’t want to keep Dick Adar waiting.”
Kara made Laura’s coffee just as she had the day before. Laura moved to reach inside her purse. Kara shook her head. “On the house. Place is tanking anyway.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Sure you can.” Kara smiled. “Coming back tomorrow?”
“Free coffee and good conversation? Wouldn’t miss it.”
Rating: K+
Pairing: Kara/Laura (pretty gen atm)
Word Count: ~1200
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: In the midst of a recession, Laura takes a new job--something she never expected--and runs into an old student in the coffee shop.
A/N: follows this chapter.
Richard Adar had immediately put her to work. She didn’t mind that fact; however, she knew little about campaigning. She still didn’t understand why he’d wanted her help-or more precisely, why she’d agreed to give it. Laura had met her end of Marcie’s ultimatum: She’d gone on that blind date. She’d even frakked the young man, not that she chose to divulge that particular detail to her friend. Although, Marcie most likely figured it out. Her friend always had the ability to read between the lines.
For whatever the reason, Laura in her post-frakked state had decided to change her life, and she knew it would change. Mayor Adar made it clear that he was going places-and so would she if she’d get onboard. Laura wasn’t sure she wanted to be onboard, though. She’d asked him what he had in mind when he requested her help. He smiled that sneaky politician smile Laura’d always hated on the politicians she’d met or worked with in the education sector, and he cited the article she’d written five years prior in one of the more obscure education journals. He’d obviously done his homework.
He said her outline for educational reform was exactly what he wanted on his platform. He wanted to take her words-from a little known journal-and make them a reality for all the children in the Twelve Colonies. How was she supposed to say no to that?
Not only that, but he promised she’d be headlining the project as his Secretary of Education. Laura had never sought power-or the responsibility that came with it-but she had to admit it was attractive. After years of only having power within her classroom-and not even much there-she’d have the power over the entire educational system of the Twelve Colonies. She’d be responsible for the future of approximately 30 billion souls. That’s if Adar wins. Laura was pretty certain he would, though. And she’d do whatever she could to help him.
First, she needed coffee.
-----------------------------
She stood behind the counter. At first, she’d looked for things to clean. Kara was never one for boredom. She’d always needed at least one, preferably three things going on. She ran out of “things” about 30 minutes ago.
The floor had been swept and mopped twice already. There was no point in doing it again if she hadn’t made a mess, and she needed customers for there to be a mess.
Of course, it could be worse. She could be all alone in the store and have too many customers. Kara still thought she’d prefer that, though. That went with her need to be busy.
She’d even done her homework-and her work for the next few weeks. There was nothing left for Kara to do but to wait.
Her boss said something about a recession. Kara didn’t really care what that meant-except it seemed to mean no customers. Of course, if he was so frakking smart, why’d he open a coffee shop for? Why would anyone stop for coffee when they could make their own and save 5 cubits a day?
When the bell rang, Kara looked up, startled. Then she smiled. She was back like she promised she would be.
“Good morning, Kara.” Laura looked around. “It’s pretty quiet.”
Kara nodded. “Yeah. You’re my first customer all morning.”
“Seriously?”
“Yup.”
“Maybe a bigger sign.”
“That’s what I told the owner.”
“And?”
“And he spouted on about the recession.”
“If he’s so smart, why would he open a store in the middle of it?”
Kara smiled. “Right?”
“What are you going to do if this place closes?”
Kara looked around. “Probably start by burning my apron.” She paused. “I’ll be alright, Laura.”
“You always were, weren’t you?” Laura smiled. It was dazzling.
Kara blinked. “I had to be.”
“You’re a survivor, my friend.”
“You too.”
“Me?”
Kara nodded. “Yeah, I read about the accident. I’m sorry.”
Laura blinked. “Thank you.”
“I know how much you loved them.” She sighed. “You used to talk about your sisters in class a lot.”
“They were still so young. I helped my parents raise them. And then, after…”
“We can talk about something else if you want.”
Laura smiled. “I’d like to hear about you. What’s the legendary Kara Thrace up to?”
“Legend?”
Laura nodded. “I’ve never had a student get in so many fights.”
“They asked for it.”
“And you always delivered-with interest.”
“You sound almost…proud.”
“In a way I am. As a teacher, I’m supposed to say ‘find an adult; don’t take matters into your own hands.’ But seeing you protect yourself against bigger and stronger kids…”
“Yeah?”
“I envy that freedom, I guess you could say.”
“Freedom?”
Laura nodded. “There’s a certain freedom in being a loner. In being self-reliant. I envy it.”
“I was only the way I was because I wasn’t good enough to be like you.”
“Kara--”
“No. I wasn’t. I wasn’t smart like you, and I knew it.”
“That’s not true!”
Kara blinked, stunned. Ms. Roslin had seldom raised her voice.
“You were brilliant, Kara.”
Kara saw there were tears in Laura’s eyes. “Whadya mean?”
“Your work was so far advanced.”
“You remember my work?”
Laura shook her head. “I remember some details about you, of course. Just like you remember me.” She paused. “I was looking through my old class files last night-“
“Feeling nostalgic?”
She nodded. “And I was thinking about my new job.”
“New job?”
“Campaigning for Mayor Adar.”
“That tool?”
Laura smirked. “He can do great things for the Colonies.”
“I’m sure. Maybe with your help, anyway.”
“That’s my hope.”
Kara folded her arms across her chest. “What’s your new job have to do with my being ‘brilliant?’”
“Nothing. I just happened to come across your art work--”
“It was fingerpainting. Kid stuff.”
Laura shook her head. “I taught kindergarten a long time. What you did was art.”
“Don’t see how that makes me brilliant.”
“You were starting to read and write when no one else was. You could understand music. I mean really understand it.”
“If I was so great, how come I didn’t end up with the gifted kids?”
“You would have. But you changed over the summer. Your first grade teacher couldn’t get any results from you.”
“You have notes of that too?”
Laura nodded. “I routinely follow the progress of my former students. Especially the ones I have an interest in.”
“I remember my first grade teacher. Didn’t like her.”
“So you didn’t see the need to do any work for her.”
“Nope.”
“I understand that now.”
“Humph. Sorry I didn’t become your prodigy.”
“Kara.” Laura sighed. “You never failed me.”
“Just me then.”
Laura smiled. “I don’t know, have you?”
“What do you know?” Kara sighed.
“I know you’re a survivor. That you said you’d be okay when this place tanks. You must have something in place.”
“You used to scare me, you know? Not in a bad way. You just…knew everything. It’s still a little scary.” Kara paused. “I got in the Academy.”
“Kara, that’s wonderful!”
“Not according to my mother.”
“She wants you to do something else?”
Kara shook her head. “No. She just expects that to happen. Like it’s a given.”
“Tough love.”
“Tough something.”
“She loves you, Kara.”
She sighed. “If you say so.” Kara glanced at her watch. “I’d better get your coffee. Don’t want to keep Dick Adar waiting.”
Kara made Laura’s coffee just as she had the day before. Laura moved to reach inside her purse. Kara shook her head. “On the house. Place is tanking anyway.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Sure you can.” Kara smiled. “Coming back tomorrow?”
“Free coffee and good conversation? Wouldn’t miss it.”