Fic: Eye of the Beholder: Chapter One
Title: Eye of the Beholder: Chapter One
Rating: T (This chapter)
Pairing: Laura/Sam
Word Count: 1206
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Professional Pyramid player Sam Anders went to University with Sandy Roslin; after the Roslins' funeral, he connects with Laura. Original Prompt from laura_mayfair.
A/N: Dedicated to singerdiva01_sk in honor of her birthday. Happy Birthday! *huggles* Much thanks to my betas lanalucy and laura_mayfair. This has been a labor of love for awhile now, and I'm so happy it's finished (mostly) and ready to post. *group hugs*
A/N2: There are five chapters, and I'll post one a week (probably around Wednesday).
Laura stood at the gravesite. The three coffins lay before her. The priest sprinkled a bit of soil on each one near the end of his final blessing. Behind her were many of her father’s friends and former students as well as her sisters’ friends. And one person she hadn’t expected - Sam Anders. He’d just been signed to the C-Bucs. Her family’s funeral seemed an odd place to celebrate.
He’d remained in the back, and whenever she’d glanced his way, he’d looked like any other mourner. He certainly hadn’t made it about him, which she appreciated greatly.
After the priest’s final blessing, she faced the crowd, and a line formed to take turns saying their last goodbyes. She shook everyone’s hands and listened to their words of support and well wishes. Finally, Anders approached. He spent the most time at Sandra’s casket, but then he scattered some soil over Cheryl’s and her father’s. With his clean hand, he shook Laura’s hand. “Sorry for your loss.”
His eyes said he knew exactly how inadequate his words were, but there weren’t any better ones to offer. “Thank you. You knew Sandra?”
He nodded. “Yeah, we had SOC 101 together freshman year.” He smiled fondly. “She helped me pass.”
She wasn’t surprised. Unlike Laura and their parents, Sandra and Cheryl had chosen not to become educators, but Sandra did have a tendency to help her friends. “And now you’re playing for the Bucs. You should be very proud.”
He shrugged. “It’s just a game. It has its moments, though.” He patted her shoulder gently. “I’ll let you go.”
She smiled sadly. “Will you join us?”
He shook his head. “I better head back.”
There was something in his eyes that said it had nothing to do with pyramid. She let that lie and simply thanked him, wished him a good season, and turned to walk toward her car. She dreaded what was to come. At least the reception would be in a restaurant. Then, when the last mourner offered his or her final regards, Laura could go home to her quiet condo.
//////////////////////////////////
She sat in her seat in the coffee shop, enjoying her second cup of the day and checking messages on her computer before heading to work. A principal’s job was never done, she’d learned that year. And she’d thought teaching was demanding.
She began preparing to leave when there was a voice she’d last heard on the news - Sam Anders. He was placing his order.
She stopped packing up her bag. He was facing the counter, talking to the barista, and Laura’s eyes lingered. He looked well, fit, which was no surprise. He’d bulked up since she’d last seen him, and he had more...swagger, confidence. What would Sandra think if she could see him now?
She waited for the CLICKs of cameras from some hidden corner. An aggressive reporter to ask him for an exclusive. There was none of that.
He paid for his coffee, and the barista handed him his cup. Then he turned to leave. Only he didn’t.
His eyes locked on Laura’s face, and she realized she’d been staring at him. Her parents would not have approved of her behavior; she was almost glad she wouldn’t be able to tell them about it. “Laura?”
She nodded, and he approached her table.
“How are you? You busy? Can I join you for a few minutes?”
She smiled. “I’ll start with the last question. By all means, have a seat. I don’t have long - I should get to school.” She snorted. “But I’m the boss, and the vice principal would love to be in charge - even if it’s only for a few minutes.”
He laughed. “Sandra said you were always the boss, wherever you went.”
She rolled her eyes. “Benefit of being the oldest of three girls. Anyway, I’m fine, Sam. How are you? It seems like you’re really helping turn the Bucs around this season.”
He shrugged. “It’s a growing year. I’m just honored to be part of it.” He sighed. “But sometimes I just...Is this all I am?”
“I don’t know. I think being the most sought after rookie of the year is pretty impressive,” she said. “But I understand. Sometimes I want more, but I have no idea what. Or what it would even look like.”
He nodded. “That’s it. Exactly.” He shot her the million cubit smile that couldn’t quite hide the unrest she sensed. “Well, I should go before Coach hunts me down.”
“Yes, and I really shouldn’t let Joe run the school.” She giggled. “I’d get there, and half the kids would be assigned detention.”
“Oh, so you’re good cop?”
“Only until they cross me, yes.”
He stood. “It was great seeing you, Laura.” He appraised her. “You look...good. Really good. Could I maybe, I don’t know, call you sometime?”
She smiled. “I think I’d like that.” She pulled a business card out of her purse and handed it to him. “You can use any of those numbers.”
“Talk to you soon.” Then he was out of the shop.
She took her last sip of coffee and stood. She reassessed she had everything and strode out.
//////////////////////////////////////////////
She closed the file folder with a satisfied huff. She still had more performance reviews to do, but those could wait - at least until tomorrow. She picked up the latest book in the “Colonies” series, her guilty pleasure. So far, she didn’t think the specific murder on Gemenon (as the title so cleverly indicated) was any more noteworthy than any of the thousands of real life ones, but she’d started the series with Cheryl and Sandy, so she would see it through. At least there were only twelve colonies.
Her mobile chimed. “Laura Roslin.”
“Hey, it’s me. Sam.”
“Hi.”
“Is it too late? Sandra always said you were an early riser.”
She laughed. “I suppose it did seem early to her since she never woke up before ten.”
“She did when she had an 8 a.m. class.”
“And hated every minute of it.”
He chuckled. “I’d bring her coffee in exchange for notes.” A pause. “Is it okay that I talk about her? About them?”
She could see why his interviewers always said what a thoughtful and kind subject he was. “It hurts to think about them,” she said. “But it’s a good hurt. I don’t get to talk about them much. Not like this anyway.”
“Yeah. It’s like they’re here. Almost.”
“Almost.” She sighed. “What about you? You must be busy with the tournament coming up.”
“Yeah. But it’s nice not to have to talk about it.”
“Oh. Do I make you uncomfortable bringing it up?”
“No, Laura. You make me feel like...more than a pyramid jock.”
She had nothing to say to that.
“And now I’ve made you uncomfortable,” he said.
“No! I just…”
“Speechless, Roslin? Why do I have the feeling this isn’t a common occurrence?”
She giggled. “Because it’s not.”
“I’ll be at the coffee shop tomorrow morning.”
“Me too.”
“Great. Well, goodnight, Laura.”
He ended the call, but she held the mobile against her a moment longer, then placed it in her bag.
Until tomorrow.
Next Chapter
Rating: T (This chapter)
Pairing: Laura/Sam
Word Count: 1206
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Professional Pyramid player Sam Anders went to University with Sandy Roslin; after the Roslins' funeral, he connects with Laura. Original Prompt from laura_mayfair.
A/N: Dedicated to singerdiva01_sk in honor of her birthday. Happy Birthday! *huggles* Much thanks to my betas lanalucy and laura_mayfair. This has been a labor of love for awhile now, and I'm so happy it's finished (mostly) and ready to post. *group hugs*
A/N2: There are five chapters, and I'll post one a week (probably around Wednesday).
Laura stood at the gravesite. The three coffins lay before her. The priest sprinkled a bit of soil on each one near the end of his final blessing. Behind her were many of her father’s friends and former students as well as her sisters’ friends. And one person she hadn’t expected - Sam Anders. He’d just been signed to the C-Bucs. Her family’s funeral seemed an odd place to celebrate.
He’d remained in the back, and whenever she’d glanced his way, he’d looked like any other mourner. He certainly hadn’t made it about him, which she appreciated greatly.
After the priest’s final blessing, she faced the crowd, and a line formed to take turns saying their last goodbyes. She shook everyone’s hands and listened to their words of support and well wishes. Finally, Anders approached. He spent the most time at Sandra’s casket, but then he scattered some soil over Cheryl’s and her father’s. With his clean hand, he shook Laura’s hand. “Sorry for your loss.”
His eyes said he knew exactly how inadequate his words were, but there weren’t any better ones to offer. “Thank you. You knew Sandra?”
He nodded. “Yeah, we had SOC 101 together freshman year.” He smiled fondly. “She helped me pass.”
She wasn’t surprised. Unlike Laura and their parents, Sandra and Cheryl had chosen not to become educators, but Sandra did have a tendency to help her friends. “And now you’re playing for the Bucs. You should be very proud.”
He shrugged. “It’s just a game. It has its moments, though.” He patted her shoulder gently. “I’ll let you go.”
She smiled sadly. “Will you join us?”
He shook his head. “I better head back.”
There was something in his eyes that said it had nothing to do with pyramid. She let that lie and simply thanked him, wished him a good season, and turned to walk toward her car. She dreaded what was to come. At least the reception would be in a restaurant. Then, when the last mourner offered his or her final regards, Laura could go home to her quiet condo.
//////////////////////////////////
She sat in her seat in the coffee shop, enjoying her second cup of the day and checking messages on her computer before heading to work. A principal’s job was never done, she’d learned that year. And she’d thought teaching was demanding.
She began preparing to leave when there was a voice she’d last heard on the news - Sam Anders. He was placing his order.
She stopped packing up her bag. He was facing the counter, talking to the barista, and Laura’s eyes lingered. He looked well, fit, which was no surprise. He’d bulked up since she’d last seen him, and he had more...swagger, confidence. What would Sandra think if she could see him now?
She waited for the CLICKs of cameras from some hidden corner. An aggressive reporter to ask him for an exclusive. There was none of that.
He paid for his coffee, and the barista handed him his cup. Then he turned to leave. Only he didn’t.
His eyes locked on Laura’s face, and she realized she’d been staring at him. Her parents would not have approved of her behavior; she was almost glad she wouldn’t be able to tell them about it. “Laura?”
She nodded, and he approached her table.
“How are you? You busy? Can I join you for a few minutes?”
She smiled. “I’ll start with the last question. By all means, have a seat. I don’t have long - I should get to school.” She snorted. “But I’m the boss, and the vice principal would love to be in charge - even if it’s only for a few minutes.”
He laughed. “Sandra said you were always the boss, wherever you went.”
She rolled her eyes. “Benefit of being the oldest of three girls. Anyway, I’m fine, Sam. How are you? It seems like you’re really helping turn the Bucs around this season.”
He shrugged. “It’s a growing year. I’m just honored to be part of it.” He sighed. “But sometimes I just...Is this all I am?”
“I don’t know. I think being the most sought after rookie of the year is pretty impressive,” she said. “But I understand. Sometimes I want more, but I have no idea what. Or what it would even look like.”
He nodded. “That’s it. Exactly.” He shot her the million cubit smile that couldn’t quite hide the unrest she sensed. “Well, I should go before Coach hunts me down.”
“Yes, and I really shouldn’t let Joe run the school.” She giggled. “I’d get there, and half the kids would be assigned detention.”
“Oh, so you’re good cop?”
“Only until they cross me, yes.”
He stood. “It was great seeing you, Laura.” He appraised her. “You look...good. Really good. Could I maybe, I don’t know, call you sometime?”
She smiled. “I think I’d like that.” She pulled a business card out of her purse and handed it to him. “You can use any of those numbers.”
“Talk to you soon.” Then he was out of the shop.
She took her last sip of coffee and stood. She reassessed she had everything and strode out.
//////////////////////////////////////////////
She closed the file folder with a satisfied huff. She still had more performance reviews to do, but those could wait - at least until tomorrow. She picked up the latest book in the “Colonies” series, her guilty pleasure. So far, she didn’t think the specific murder on Gemenon (as the title so cleverly indicated) was any more noteworthy than any of the thousands of real life ones, but she’d started the series with Cheryl and Sandy, so she would see it through. At least there were only twelve colonies.
Her mobile chimed. “Laura Roslin.”
“Hey, it’s me. Sam.”
“Hi.”
“Is it too late? Sandra always said you were an early riser.”
She laughed. “I suppose it did seem early to her since she never woke up before ten.”
“She did when she had an 8 a.m. class.”
“And hated every minute of it.”
He chuckled. “I’d bring her coffee in exchange for notes.” A pause. “Is it okay that I talk about her? About them?”
She could see why his interviewers always said what a thoughtful and kind subject he was. “It hurts to think about them,” she said. “But it’s a good hurt. I don’t get to talk about them much. Not like this anyway.”
“Yeah. It’s like they’re here. Almost.”
“Almost.” She sighed. “What about you? You must be busy with the tournament coming up.”
“Yeah. But it’s nice not to have to talk about it.”
“Oh. Do I make you uncomfortable bringing it up?”
“No, Laura. You make me feel like...more than a pyramid jock.”
She had nothing to say to that.
“And now I’ve made you uncomfortable,” he said.
“No! I just…”
“Speechless, Roslin? Why do I have the feeling this isn’t a common occurrence?”
She giggled. “Because it’s not.”
“I’ll be at the coffee shop tomorrow morning.”
“Me too.”
“Great. Well, goodnight, Laura.”
He ended the call, but she held the mobile against her a moment longer, then placed it in her bag.
Until tomorrow.
Next Chapter