Fic: Eye of the Beholder: Chapter Two
Title: Eye of the Beholder: Chapter Two
Rating: T
Pairing: Laura/Sam
Word Count: ~1400
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: As the months go by, Laura and Sam continue to bond.
A/N: Much thanks to lanalucy and laura_mayfair for the beta work.
The story begins here.
She was running late, for her anyway. So when she arrived at the cafe, Sam was sitting in their spot, one coffee in front of him and one at her place. She strode to the table and placed her bag on the floor with as much grace as she could muster, and sat down. “Good morning.”
He smiled. “Good morning. I got cream and sugar - in the coffee, I mean. Hope that’s okay.”
He was nervous. Sweet.
“Perfect.”
“Good. How was your night?”
“Good. Good. Yours?”
“It was, uh, good, yeah.” He shrugged. “Coach likes us to get a full night’s sleep every night, but that didn’t really work out. Oh, well.” He chuckled. “Gotta give the old grump something to yell about.”
She nodded.
He shifted in his chair. “Too excited to sleep.”
“Oh?” She took a sip to buy some time.
“You didn’t ask why.”
“I’m sorry. Is it the tournament?” He shook his head. “Something else, then?” she asked.
“Coffee.” He leaned forward.
“Coffee?” Had he overcaffeinated? Or…
“Not the coffee so much, but what it represents.”
She nodded. “This is a great shop. Good jazz in the background. Not the elevator crap most places play. Good location too.”
“Yeah, that’s...part of it.” He took a sip and cleared his throat. “Any kids giving you trouble?”
“The kids are surprisingly well behaved this week,” she said. “It’s the teachers who have my hair turning grey.”
“Don’t see any.” He appraised her hair. “It looks good to me,” he said. “But what are they doing?”
She shook her head. “It’s come to my attention yesterday afternoon that one of them is teaching about The One True God.”
“Oh. What are you gonna do?”
She sighed. “This is where it gets complicated. Teachers have certain protections, many of which I have fought for in this district,” she said. “The others my mother helped implement. So long as she isn’t spreading ‘terrorist propaganda,’ I can’t stop her. All I can do is suggest she stick to the Lords of Kobol.”
He nodded. “Is she a worlds’ religion teacher? Or history?”
She shook her head. “Literature.”
“Well, that fits, I guess,” he said. “You gonna deal with that today?”
“I’ve asked her to my office first thing this morning.” She checked her watch. “I should--”
He stood and went to her chair and offered his hand. She took it and he helped her up. “Good luck, Laura.” He kissed her cheek. He picked up her bag and handed it to her, then placed her coffee in her free hand. She could get used to this. “I’ll call you later,” he said.
He squeezed her shoulder.
“I look forward to hearing from you.” She smiled. “Bye, and thanks for the coffee. I’ll treat next time.”
/////////////////////////////////////////
The first time he’d seen Laura was in a photo. He’d been sitting next to Sandra as she pulled up their class notes on her computer. As the program had loaded, the family photo had been the screensaver.
Sandra’d blushed. “Don’t mind that.”
“I don’t,” he’d said.
Sandra’s face had returned to its natural color, and she’d told him about her two sisters, her mother, who had died while she’d still been in high school, and her father. She’d said how great Laura had been throughout their mother’s illness, how she’d taken care of them.
“Sounds like an amazing woman. Amazing family.”
She’d smiled and nodded. “She is. And we are.”
After that, his conversations with Sandra had been filled with Laura stories: how bossy she could be, the books they read together, what she’d reported about her date the previous week. Discussions about dates had always brought an eyeroll and a giggle out of Sandy.
“Why? What was wrong with him?”
“Nothing, I guess. She just…”
“What?”
“Tends to attract the worst guys.” She shook her head. “I don’t get it. Cheryl is married already. And he’s wonderful - like the brother I never had, you know. But Laura...”
He nodded.
A few nights before the accident, she’d left him a voicemail. She’d had an idea she wanted to run by him. She hadn’t said what it was, and now he would never know.
“What’s wrong?” Laura asked.
He blinked. “Sorry. I was thinking about Sandy.”
She nodded. “I do that all the time.”
“I didn’t tell you before, don’t know why. She left me a message just before….said she wanted to talk. But she didn’t say about what.” He shook his head. “Now, I’ll always regret not getting to the phone in time.”
She studied him, looking for...he didn’t know. “I never considered this before, though I probably should have. Were you in love with her?”
He smiled but shook his head. “No. I loved Sandy. She was a great friend. Like a sister. And she was the only one on that godsdamned campus that didn’t treat me like I was the Gods’ greatest gift to pyramid. She reminded me I was a mere mortal. Constantly.”
She laughed. “She always was good for that,” she said. “You would have been good for her. I would have liked to see you together.” She sighed. “But I would have felt guilty, or something, if you’d loved her.”
“Why?” He raised a brow.
She shrugged. “Since they died, I’ve been acting like grief and mourning only belong to me. Like no one else has ever felt this...emptiness before. If you had loved and lost her as I have, that would mean I’ve been depriving you.”
He covered her hand with his. “You haven’t been. And what you’re feeling, the personalization of grief, that’s natural. You’re not…”
She nodded. “Makes you wonder.”
“Wonder what?”
“What she would have said. What she couldn’t say in a voicemail.”
“Yeah.” He sipped his coffee. “I think about that all the time.”
//////////////////////////////////
“It’s been four months. Time to get out there again,” Marcia said. “And you don’t even have to find somebody, because I’ve got the perfect guy for you.”
Oh, dear. Laura took a bite of her sushi, holding the wireless phone away from her mouth as she chewed. “Perfect, huh? What’s his name?”
This wasn’t the first time a loved one had played or attempted to play matchmaker for her. It also wasn’t the first time someone claimed to have found the perfect date (or partner) for her. After the police had left her condo that fateful morning, Sandy’s ‘perfect guy’ for Laura had been the furthest thing from her mind.
Marcia’s sales pitch brought Sandy’s aborted matchmaking back to the forefront. Another suitor for her ever lonely heart. A younger man. Was he like whom Sandy'd had in mind? What were the odds they’d chosen the same man for her? “How much younger?” she asked Marcia.
Marcia gave a round-about answer, which meant he was a lot younger. Laura toyed with the notion of surprising her friend and choosing politics, but Sandy would have wanted her to go on this date, if only out of curiosity.
Sean Allison. The name sounded familiar. Had she taught him at some point? How awkward would that be?!
“Of course, you could just upgrade your ‘coffee dates’ with Sam Anders.” Marcia mmmed. “Is he as gorgeous in person as he is on the vid screen?”
“We’re just--”
“--Friends don’t have coffee together every morning, Laura. And you didn’t answer.”
“Yes, he’s gorgeous. More so, I think. But only because he’s so...kind, grounded. And yes, we are friends. I know this because I actually talk to him.”
Marcia laughed. “You’ve got a point, there. I’ll call Sean and let him know.”
Laura ended the call and went back to her sushi.
/////////////////////////////////////////////
“A date? That’s...great. Who? Someone from work or something?” Sam asked.
Laura shrugged. “Don’t really know. It’s a blind date.” She sipped her coffee. “It was this or join Adar’s campaign, and I really don’t like politics.”
He laughed. “I don’t know, Laura. I think you’d be good at it.”
“Didn’t say I wouldn’t be.” She smirked.
He shook his head. “Well, enjoy yourself.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Next Chapter
Rating: T
Pairing: Laura/Sam
Word Count: ~1400
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: As the months go by, Laura and Sam continue to bond.
A/N: Much thanks to lanalucy and laura_mayfair for the beta work.
The story begins here.
She was running late, for her anyway. So when she arrived at the cafe, Sam was sitting in their spot, one coffee in front of him and one at her place. She strode to the table and placed her bag on the floor with as much grace as she could muster, and sat down. “Good morning.”
He smiled. “Good morning. I got cream and sugar - in the coffee, I mean. Hope that’s okay.”
He was nervous. Sweet.
“Perfect.”
“Good. How was your night?”
“Good. Good. Yours?”
“It was, uh, good, yeah.” He shrugged. “Coach likes us to get a full night’s sleep every night, but that didn’t really work out. Oh, well.” He chuckled. “Gotta give the old grump something to yell about.”
She nodded.
He shifted in his chair. “Too excited to sleep.”
“Oh?” She took a sip to buy some time.
“You didn’t ask why.”
“I’m sorry. Is it the tournament?” He shook his head. “Something else, then?” she asked.
“Coffee.” He leaned forward.
“Coffee?” Had he overcaffeinated? Or…
“Not the coffee so much, but what it represents.”
She nodded. “This is a great shop. Good jazz in the background. Not the elevator crap most places play. Good location too.”
“Yeah, that’s...part of it.” He took a sip and cleared his throat. “Any kids giving you trouble?”
“The kids are surprisingly well behaved this week,” she said. “It’s the teachers who have my hair turning grey.”
“Don’t see any.” He appraised her hair. “It looks good to me,” he said. “But what are they doing?”
She shook her head. “It’s come to my attention yesterday afternoon that one of them is teaching about The One True God.”
“Oh. What are you gonna do?”
She sighed. “This is where it gets complicated. Teachers have certain protections, many of which I have fought for in this district,” she said. “The others my mother helped implement. So long as she isn’t spreading ‘terrorist propaganda,’ I can’t stop her. All I can do is suggest she stick to the Lords of Kobol.”
He nodded. “Is she a worlds’ religion teacher? Or history?”
She shook her head. “Literature.”
“Well, that fits, I guess,” he said. “You gonna deal with that today?”
“I’ve asked her to my office first thing this morning.” She checked her watch. “I should--”
He stood and went to her chair and offered his hand. She took it and he helped her up. “Good luck, Laura.” He kissed her cheek. He picked up her bag and handed it to her, then placed her coffee in her free hand. She could get used to this. “I’ll call you later,” he said.
He squeezed her shoulder.
“I look forward to hearing from you.” She smiled. “Bye, and thanks for the coffee. I’ll treat next time.”
/////////////////////////////////////////
The first time he’d seen Laura was in a photo. He’d been sitting next to Sandra as she pulled up their class notes on her computer. As the program had loaded, the family photo had been the screensaver.
Sandra’d blushed. “Don’t mind that.”
“I don’t,” he’d said.
Sandra’s face had returned to its natural color, and she’d told him about her two sisters, her mother, who had died while she’d still been in high school, and her father. She’d said how great Laura had been throughout their mother’s illness, how she’d taken care of them.
“Sounds like an amazing woman. Amazing family.”
She’d smiled and nodded. “She is. And we are.”
After that, his conversations with Sandra had been filled with Laura stories: how bossy she could be, the books they read together, what she’d reported about her date the previous week. Discussions about dates had always brought an eyeroll and a giggle out of Sandy.
“Why? What was wrong with him?”
“Nothing, I guess. She just…”
“What?”
“Tends to attract the worst guys.” She shook her head. “I don’t get it. Cheryl is married already. And he’s wonderful - like the brother I never had, you know. But Laura...”
He nodded.
A few nights before the accident, she’d left him a voicemail. She’d had an idea she wanted to run by him. She hadn’t said what it was, and now he would never know.
“What’s wrong?” Laura asked.
He blinked. “Sorry. I was thinking about Sandy.”
She nodded. “I do that all the time.”
“I didn’t tell you before, don’t know why. She left me a message just before….said she wanted to talk. But she didn’t say about what.” He shook his head. “Now, I’ll always regret not getting to the phone in time.”
She studied him, looking for...he didn’t know. “I never considered this before, though I probably should have. Were you in love with her?”
He smiled but shook his head. “No. I loved Sandy. She was a great friend. Like a sister. And she was the only one on that godsdamned campus that didn’t treat me like I was the Gods’ greatest gift to pyramid. She reminded me I was a mere mortal. Constantly.”
She laughed. “She always was good for that,” she said. “You would have been good for her. I would have liked to see you together.” She sighed. “But I would have felt guilty, or something, if you’d loved her.”
“Why?” He raised a brow.
She shrugged. “Since they died, I’ve been acting like grief and mourning only belong to me. Like no one else has ever felt this...emptiness before. If you had loved and lost her as I have, that would mean I’ve been depriving you.”
He covered her hand with his. “You haven’t been. And what you’re feeling, the personalization of grief, that’s natural. You’re not…”
She nodded. “Makes you wonder.”
“Wonder what?”
“What she would have said. What she couldn’t say in a voicemail.”
“Yeah.” He sipped his coffee. “I think about that all the time.”
//////////////////////////////////
“It’s been four months. Time to get out there again,” Marcia said. “And you don’t even have to find somebody, because I’ve got the perfect guy for you.”
Oh, dear. Laura took a bite of her sushi, holding the wireless phone away from her mouth as she chewed. “Perfect, huh? What’s his name?”
This wasn’t the first time a loved one had played or attempted to play matchmaker for her. It also wasn’t the first time someone claimed to have found the perfect date (or partner) for her. After the police had left her condo that fateful morning, Sandy’s ‘perfect guy’ for Laura had been the furthest thing from her mind.
Marcia’s sales pitch brought Sandy’s aborted matchmaking back to the forefront. Another suitor for her ever lonely heart. A younger man. Was he like whom Sandy'd had in mind? What were the odds they’d chosen the same man for her? “How much younger?” she asked Marcia.
Marcia gave a round-about answer, which meant he was a lot younger. Laura toyed with the notion of surprising her friend and choosing politics, but Sandy would have wanted her to go on this date, if only out of curiosity.
Sean Allison. The name sounded familiar. Had she taught him at some point? How awkward would that be?!
“Of course, you could just upgrade your ‘coffee dates’ with Sam Anders.” Marcia mmmed. “Is he as gorgeous in person as he is on the vid screen?”
“We’re just--”
“--Friends don’t have coffee together every morning, Laura. And you didn’t answer.”
“Yes, he’s gorgeous. More so, I think. But only because he’s so...kind, grounded. And yes, we are friends. I know this because I actually talk to him.”
Marcia laughed. “You’ve got a point, there. I’ll call Sean and let him know.”
Laura ended the call and went back to her sushi.
/////////////////////////////////////////////
“A date? That’s...great. Who? Someone from work or something?” Sam asked.
Laura shrugged. “Don’t really know. It’s a blind date.” She sipped her coffee. “It was this or join Adar’s campaign, and I really don’t like politics.”
He laughed. “I don’t know, Laura. I think you’d be good at it.”
“Didn’t say I wouldn’t be.” She smirked.
He shook his head. “Well, enjoy yourself.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Next Chapter