The best of us find happiness in misery.
WHO: Sam Anders and Elisabeth Braddock. WHAT: Revealing her pregnancy to Sam (there's a list). WHEN: Before she speaks to Gabriel and before he meets with Mirta, evening. WHERE: A café. RATING: R - only because of language (c-word, f-word, woot!). STATUS: COMPLETE - LOG..
Sam reached the cafe just before 6, grabbing a table and a coffee as he sat to wait for Lis. A big part of him was curious about what she wanted to talk about. He just hoped she was ok. She'd been good to him since his arrival, even after finding out the truth about what he was. He tried not to glance at the clock too much as he waited for her to arrive.
Elisabeth decided to dress down today, arriving in grey yoga pants and a v-cut black tank. She’d thrown her hair into a ponytail, to keep from playing with it out of nerves. She came up next to Sam and leaned her forehead against his before giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. “’Ello, love. Let me grab a coffee real quick, yeah?”
She stood in line and asked for a green tea latte, coming to sit next to Sam (instead of across) once she had her beverage. “How’re you?”
Sam gave a relieved smile when he saw she was, physically at least, in one piece. He watched her grab her drink before flashing her a smile. "I'm good, thanks. Have an actual job, which is an odd concept." He turned his body to face her, some of the concern still showing as he reached for her hand, softly running his thumb over her skin. "How about you, are you ok?"
“Aye, congratulations, Sam. And we’ll be spending more time together, working at the Lux and all.”She winked, able to offer a small grin.
Elisabeth set the cup aside after her first ship, letting her eyes settle on their hands. She took a deep breath, letting it out in a slow drag. “I, uh....should have told you sooner? But it’s a terrifying thing for me. And as horrid or cuntish as it sounds, I wasn’t sure what exactly I was going to do with the situation had Gabriel disappeared for good.” She shot a quick glance upwards at him, before looking away again. When she spoke, it was barely above a whisper. “I’m pregnant.”
Sam had just been taking a sip of coffee when she said that and immediately started choking.
"You're.... what?" He tried to control the coffee going into his lungs, which as it turned out Cylons needed as much as humans. "I mean.... congratulations, but..." His eyes widened. "I mean it's not mine right? Because bad things always happen to Cylon/human hybrids. Well, I say always, it's only happened twice as far as I'm aware, but pretty much the entire fate of the galaxy rests on their shoulders and I don't want that to happen to my kids so I really shouldn't have kids and.." he forced himself to take a deep breath. "Sorry, sorry. I mean... are you ok?"
She moved to aide him, should he need it and not recover from his choking, but when she was assured of his well being, Elisabeth just fell back against her chair, shoulders slumping. She didn’t need to feel guilty or hurt over his words, as the baby was Gabriel’s, and yet she was tittering on the brink of tears, because his words had hurt.
Instinctively, she put her hands across her barely starting to show stomach, looking more like she’d eaten a large bowl of pasta and a full stomach pouch, her lower lip protruding in an embarrassing pout. “Well, I am certainly glad it’s not, Sam, because you just..” she shook her head and grabbed her drink, standing and wanting to leave. Her baby would be a hybrid too, likely. Was that why Gabriel had run? Would they always fucking run?
Lis bit her lower lip and sat back down, roughly falling into the seat, dully saying. “I’m fine. Sure.” On another day, she would and could understand Sam’s reaction, but right now she wasn’t understanding at all. “The father, it was Gabriel. And I told you he was gone. This,” and she jabbed a finger at her stomach, “Was why.”
Sam took a breath of relief before feeling hugely guilty for his reaction. He gripped her hand, staring at her.
"You really really sure? And this Gabriel guy, what's the deal? Because I will kick his ass for you if I need to."
He slipped an arm around her shoulders, gently tugging her closer and gently kissing the top of her head. Now he knew it wasn't his he was starting to relax again.
"Anything you need gorgeous, anything I can do for you, you know you just gotta ask right?"
He couldn't lie, he was relieved it wasn't his. Which was a shame as he'd always thought that one day he'd have children, but ever since he'd found out what he really was he'd sworn never to breed. He didn't ever want to drag a child into that and he'd have felt beyond guilty if Lis had become involved. He cared for her, too much to let his Cylon side hurt her in any way.
“Yes, I”m bloody sure, Samuel!” She snapped, glaring at him. She growled at herself and closed her eyes, taking in three breaths to regain her composure. “Sorry, it’s these goddamn emotions and hormones and shite. It’s been at least two months, so, yes, it can’t possibly be yours, dearheart.”
Elisabeth leaned into his body, letting go of his own hand to hold onto the one draped across her shoulders. “I’ll keep your services in mind,” she said in a teasing tone, though thoroughly meaning it. “He’s back now...so...hopefully for good?” Even with his arm around her, she softly rolled her shoulders. “This city, though...they just always...no one seems to stick around.” She wanted to smack herself for sounding this pathetic, but it was nothing but the truth. Michael, Douglas, Adam, they’d all been “called away.” And when the Jonas brothers mentioned moving out, she panicked.
"Full name treatment, ouch," he gave her a small grin. "And you tell this guy, if he doesn't do right by you, he'll have me to deal with ok?"
Sam tightened the hug around her shoulders. "Hey, listen to me, I promise you that I will never leave, not through my choice. I got nothing to go home for, and frankly it's probably safer for everyone that I'm not back in my galaxy. So it would take the Gods themselves to drag me away from you. If this guy leaves again, you'll always have me to hug you, support you, compliment you and I'll even babysit if you want me to."
He wasn't sure when he'd decided this city, with all it's weirdness had become home but it had. And he suspected a lot of it was to do with Lis being there, and people like Anakin actually being a good friend, and Crowley giving him a job. He had a life here. And he wanted to stay.
Elisabeth smiled softly and nodded, saying, “I will tell him.”
At his next words, she found herself wiping at her eyes with her free hand, though not because his words hurt; no these new words had touched her deeply and she was grateful every day to be here when she had people like Sam in her life. “Thank you,” she mumbled through her tears, trying to control them, which only made her laugh. “This is so annoying.” Sodding emotions.
She returned her attention to her drink, as it was cooling, giving Sam a side-glance. “And thank you, for hearing me out. I’d tell you to have fun with Mirta, but I don’t play nicely with others. And while I would usually ask for your behaviour or some such promise, you’re not mine anymore.” She lightly touched his chin, winking.
Sam laughed slightly. "Don't worry, I was married to Kara Thrace, queen of the epic moodswings and she didn't have the hormone excuse."
He shifted, somewhat awkwardly, at the mention of Mirta.
"She's just a friend." he said quietly. "Right now.... after Kara. I'm not ready for anything serious or exclusive, with anyone. I'm just.... looking for some friends. Good friends. Like you."
He gave her a light kiss on the forehead.
"You know that if you need me, you just gotta call and I'll come running. You've been an amazing friend to me, I'm always gonna be there to return the favor."
Elisabeth raised a brow at him, giving him a look, but saying nothing further on the subject. Though, she could understand complete about not wanting anything serious. She herself had always been that way, only ever really committing herself to Warren...and now, she would give her all to do so with Gabriel. It would be difficult, considering her need to flirt and love of attention, but...
“Mmmm, I know, darling, I know. S’only been a matter of weeks and already you have a place in my heart. So you need only call as well. Either way,” she said this, pointing at his temple and then hers. Lis gave his hand a last squeeze before pushing her chair back, taking her drink with her. “I should be heading home now. Nick has been ill lately, and you’ve your...meeting.” She kept her tone minimally bitter, more teasing than anything.
Sam squeezed her hand back before lightly kissing it with a cheeky smirk.
"Good luck with that, ill people aren't my area of expertise."
He appreciated the fact that she wasn't taking the idea of him flirting with someone else too badly. He did feel a small stir of jealousy at the idea of her being with this Gabriel dude, something he squashed down easily. This guy had been there first, was having a child with her. So he'd be there as a friend. And an ego booster whenever she needed it.
"Thanks. And hey? You're gorgeous," he grinned. "And don't you forget it."
Elisabeth’s cheeks flushed with heat and she half-hid her laugh behind the hand he had kissed. “With you around, I won’t be able to.”
She gave him a lingering hug, staying longer than a goodbye hug would be, if only because she needed it; the support, the contact, the friendship. She placed a quick kiss as she passed his cheek and wiggled her fingers in a wave. “Bye, Sam. Thanks, again. I’ll see you soon.”
"That's the plan," he declared with a wide smile. "Bye sexy," he waved back, grinning as he took another sip of his coffee, making an exaggerated show of checking out her ass as she moved.