Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Bill was convinced that his quarters were the only quiet place left on his ship. Galactica was full of unusual activity, and despite enduring it for the past few months, he still despised it. Too many people-—civilians and politicians—roamed her corridors and clogged them up. Starbuck had complained numerous times within just the last week and it had bothered him earlier as he tried to parole the corridors while he worked on his speech. Laura had warned him to start earlier, but he had been hesitant to even write one to begin with, and even more hesitant now to admit she was right.

He leaned forward and grabbed the gift from the Chief and his deck crew off the coffee table, and settled back into the couch. The dark wood was cool in his hands and he stroked his finger along it, sighing at the faces that looked back. It had been a cloudy, cool day on Caprica not long after he had learned about Thalia. Laura had been reluctant, but had agreed to meet him at the Caprica City Fleet Base for a family day. He had been thrilled to just have his boys present, but to have his daughter too had made his day. Laura had taken a similar picture of him holding Lia with Lee and Zak standing in front of them, but he hadn’t seen the one with his grounded Viper in the background. A framed copy of the original still sat on Lia’s bookshelf and Bill was happy to have a version of his own now, and after staring at it for another few moments, he leaned over to set it by another treasured photo. It was smaller and vertical, taken in Sick Bay during one of the brief moments they had been allowed to hold their newborn daughter. It felt like so long ago and he swallowed a sudden surge of emotions. He still hadn’t come to terms with the retirement of his ship and himself, but the sight of his family’s smiling faces reminded him of why he was doing it.

He sighed and cleared his throat as he pushed himself to his feet. If he wanted to have any time with his family when they arrived, he had a long list of things he needed to get done first. Lee’s Viper was due before long, Laura’s ship less than an hour afterwards. Grumbling to himself, he refastened his tunic and slowly made his way toward the hatch, back into the ceremonial chaos.

Lightyears away, Grace mumbled to herself as she read, finger following the words on the page. Lia sat beside her, occupied with her own book, but she occasionally glanced over to help her sister. Zak sat by himself across the aisle and Laura sat in the row behind them, trying to will herself to relax into her seat but incredibly unsuccessful. As much as she had been looking forward to the visit—and now the chance for the kids to see their father when Evelyn’s plans changed and she apologetically could no longer watch them—there were too many loud thoughts in her head and she knew it was going to be a long flight.

Footsteps made her look up and she was surprised to see a young man, barely out of college if he was at all, hesitating beside her. Their eyes met and she offered a brief, polite smile, then started to look away when he spoke.

“Madam Secretary?”

Her eyebrow arched up. “Yes?”

“Hi, I’m Billy Keikeya, your new assistant!” He shuffled his briefcase to his other hand and then offered it with an eager smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His eyes shifted toward the girls and then back to her. “I didn’t realize your family would be joining us.”

Though Lia was a good mix of genetics, she looked enough like her mother that most people made the connection. With Grace’s matching hair and Laura’s eyes, her parentage was obvious as well, but Laura still wondered how much this new aide knew about her family and where they were headed.

“There was a last minute change of plans,” she explained after a moment. “I assure you, Mr. Keikeya, you are here as my aide, not their babysitter.”

“Oh, I didn’t… um. I wasn’t…” he stammered, only falling quiet when she smiled again and offered the seat next to herself.

She studied him from the corner of her eye. He was painfully young and while she knew college enrollment was a requirement to be her aide, she questioned how old the kid really was.

After Billy settled down and the pilot announced their imminent departure, Laura leaned forward and looked between the seats. She could just barely reach to rub Grace’s arm to catch her attention.

“Look outside, baby. You’ll see space soon,” she murmured.

Grace squealed and dropped her book, immediately turning to press her face against the window. Lia leaned over too and Laura smiled as she watched them, but sat back in her seat. Their love of space entirely came from their father and though Grace hadn’t seen it since she was born and Lia in a few years, their fascination with it hadn’t faded. Her dislike had only grown after her daughter’s birth and made her dread the flight even more.

She let out a long, quiet breath and rubbed at her chest, praying for any kind of a distraction to get her to Galactica. From across the aisle, Zak gave her a piercing, studying look that was so reminiscent of his father, but he looked away once Laura met his eyes.

Laura’s prayers went mostly unanswered. Even between sleep, the girls, and Billy’s occasional questions, the hours dragged by until the dark, star-speckled view out the windows was replaced by the overwhelming grey of the battlestar. Grace’s excitement was uncontrollable and even Lia could barely sit still as they waited to finish docking, both girls jumping up as soon as the pilot announced they had arrived.

“Sit down,” Laura said firmly, eyeing them both calmly from where she had yet to move. Grace leaned against the back of the seat and swayed side to side. “We need to go over some ground rules. Galactica isn’t a playground; she’s a very big, dangerous ship. I need you both to be on your best behavior because Dad is working too.” She focused on her younger daughter and saw Zak move closer from the corner of her eye. “You will always be with me, Dad, or one of your brothers, understand?”

“Yes, Mama!” Grace rocked more excitedly until Zak tickled her and picked her up.

Lia nodded her agreement and smiled widely.

“Let’s go, then.” She matched her daughters’ excitement and shared a smile with Zak.

She led her family plus Billy off the ship, her steps faltering as they hit the deck. The last time she had seen these bulkheads, Grace had only been mere hours old. Everything looked exactly the same and her breath caught in her chest; a small, nostalgic smile crossed her lips. A hand brushed her back and she looked over her shoulder to see Zak smiling encouragingly, and that was enough to keep her moving to where they were supposed to meet their guide.

It was almost amusing to watch Doral process the sight before him and she could feel a smile trying to break free. She managed to keep her expression blank save for a slightly raised eyebrow. It was obvious that despite the preparations he had made, he hadn’t fully made the connection between her and Galactica’s commanding officer until she stood with Billy flanking her and the kids behind her, Zak’s and Lia’s taller heads visible.

“Madam Secretary,” he finally managed, looking away to clear his throat and try to compose himself. “Uh, Commander Adama is waiting for you.”

“I know.” She almost smirked, but a nudge from Zak made her hold it back. “His quarters or the Wardroom?”

“His quarters. I can show you the way,” he offered.

She considered it for a moment. Despite all the work she had put into Galactica over the years, it had always been from afar and the mess of corridors was still confusing. She was convinced Grace knew them better. “Yes, please.” Before they moved, she turned to Zak. “Keep them occupied and we’ll meet in half an hour for pictures, okay?”

“We’ll be fine.” He smiled and she briefly rested her hand on his arm.

“I wanna go see Daddy!” Grace crossed her arms and pouted.

“You will, soon.” Laura sighed and brushed her hair back from her face. “Daddy is still working, but I’m going to go get him.”

Grace’s pout didn’t budge, but she allowed Zak to pull her back with Lia, attempting to distract her with talk of Lee, Kara, and their Vipers. Reassured, Laura smoothed out her skirt and gestured for Doral to lead the way.

Somewhere along the way, they lost Billy and she hoped he would find his way to the Wardroom eventually, but she was too preoccupied with the conversation awaiting her to worry about him. It was harder to usher Doral away, but she finally stepped through the hatch into her husband’s quarters, unsurprised to find him tinkering with his model ship at the table.

“Stressed?” she asked softly.

“I’m fine,” he answered quickly before he realized who had walked in. He pushed back from the table and turned to look at her with a small smile. “You made it.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” She hurried to close the distance between them and hugged him tightly, not caring that his sash dug into her chest.

He lightly stroked her hair and held her close, needing to ask the question at the forefront of his mind but not wanting to push her too soon. Knowing he had to, he sighed after a moment and gently nudged her away. “Talk to me.”

When her eyes met his, he had his answer.

“It’s small and they’re optimistic, especially with how early they caught it,” she said with her hands pressed against his chest to borrow from his stability. “I’ll know more by the end of the week.”

“Oh, honey…” He swallowed, pushing his own worries and concerns down to help hold her up. “We’ll handle it. It’ll be okay.”

“Bill…” Her voice broke and for the briefest of moments, he saw all of her fear darken her eyes.

“No, hey, don’t do that.” His hands moved to cup her face so she wouldn’t look away, but his touch and eyes were gentle. “This isn’t your mother’s illness; you are not her. You’re already ahead. We caught it early and we’ll do whatever we have to. I’m assuming you didn’t tell the kids?”

“No, gods, no.” The words were almost a gasp until she was able to draw in a full but shaky breath. “Zak suspects something, but he didn’t say anything.”

“Once we have a plan, we’ll talk to them.” He kissed her forehead and then her nose. “We’re going to get through this, Laura.”

She nodded, but he could tell that she wasn’t really processing what he said. He sighed and pulled her close again, cradling her head against his chest and swaying slowly. Needing the closeness, she allowed it for a bit, and then straightened up to collect herself.

“We should get going,” she said as she carefully dabbed at her eyes and took another few slow breaths.

“We have time if you need it.” He rubbed her arm, unwilling to completely let go of their contact.

“I’d rather not. It’s a long enough day as is and I’ve already spent too much of it thinking about how I have cancer.” Her hand brushed over her chest as she said the word and then she forced it into a fist by her side. She wasn’t ready to delve into all the other surprises that had popped up the last few days, needing to get through the decommissioning ceremony first.

“Promise me one thing, then.” His gaze hardened, just enough to hold her attention. “Don’t pull away, Laura. Don’t try to carry this all on your own. It’s never worked before and it’s not going to work now. You’re going to have to lean on me, on the kids, and we’ll get through this together.”

Her hesitation was obvious, but she knew he wouldn’t let her leave the room if she didn’t agree. “Okay,” she sighed. “I know.”

He reached for her again and let his thumb caress over her cheek. “I love you. So frakkin’ much.”

“I love you too,” she murmured, her hand covering his. “Just a little longer.”

“Just a little longer,” he agreed softly.

“We really should go now. If we leave the kids alone with the press too long, they’ll riot.”

“The kids or the press?”

“Depends on who speaks first.” Her light laugh surprised her and she held onto that as she pulled back and started composing herself.

“Lee arrived not too long ago and uh, Kara’s in the brig.” He knew it would distract her, even if it only sent her emotions in a new direction.

“She’s what?” Her brow immediately furrowed and her hands found their way into her pockets. “What happened?”

“Saul and her went at it. He wanted to press formal charges, but I talked him down.” He sighed and shook his head. “She’ll be fine once we get home.”

“I worry about her.” She bit her lip and slowly unclenched her hands. “Zak does too.”

“Is he still gonna propose?”

She gave a small shrug. “I’m not sure that he should yet, but we’ll talk about it later.”

“We have a backlog of long conversations, don’t we?” His eyes roamed over her, but he smiled reassuringly.

“That’s what happens when we both have demanding jobs and two kids at home.” She managed to return his smile. “Ready?”

He fixed his uniform and nodded, and they left his quarters hand in hand. The day was already a blend of personal and professional, and both needed the continued contact as they walked toward the Wardroom.

After the ceremony, there wasn’t much time before their ship left to return to Caprica, but they made the most of it. Lee and Kara ran off to deal with a Viper issue and Zak returned to the ship, leaving just Bill, Laura, and their daughters to slowly stroll through Galactica. He showed them the CIC and Sick Bay, and even took them down to the FTL drive. Lia took it all in with wide, excited eyes, but Grace was content just to hold her father’s hand and follow him around. Laura lingered a few steps behind, her eyes always shifting from one person to another and just as content as her daughters. It was a unique and welcome experience to really see her husband in his element, especially without the distraction of labor. For Bill, it was the chance to show off his ship, what he had spent his entire career working toward, and it was a relief to see his family enjoying their trip.

It all only made it harder to part an hour later, Laura trying her best to distract Grace as they settled into their seats for the long ride home. The turnaround trip wasn’t expected to leave much time for personal visits, and she tried to remember that Bill would be home within a few weeks. It didn’t soothe Grace as much, and even Lia and Zak seemed bothered by how little time they got. Laura could offer them no other reassurances as they left Galactica, Billy quiet beside them. Shortly after they left, Laura watched as Grace pulled a sucker from her pocket. She quickly unwrapped it and shoved the wrapper back into her pocket while the sucker went in her mouth. Laura raised an eyebrow and leaned forward.

“Where did you get that?” she questioned.

Grace froze and then slowly turned around to look at her. “Helo,” she answered around the sucker.

Laura shook her head and laughed softly. “Oh?”

“I traded for it!” She pulled the sucker out and smiled. “Gave him one of my clips.”

As she said it, she realized that one of her daughter’s butterfly clips was missing. Still shaking her head, she sat back in her chair and smiled.

Grace’s good mood faded as the flight home continued, her earlier disappointment returning. It manifested in an attitude that rapidly pushed Lia to her breaking point. Hoping to achieve some peace between her children, Laura traded seats with her and leaned against the armrest on the side of the aisle. Zak glanced at her and she raised an eyebrow.

“Not good news?” she asked softly.

“I didn’t ask,” he admitted, his hands falling still in his lap.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She watched him, her lips pursed in concern.

“I don’t know what to say.” He sighed and slowly shook his head. “I love Kara and I know she loves me, but she’s changed since her mom passed. Now wasn’t the right time and I didn’t get to see her much while she was in the brig anyway.” He shrugged it off, but she could see the tense line of his shoulders and understood how deeply it bothered him. “We’ll talk before she transfers ships, I guess.”

“I’m sorry, honey.” She leaned over to rub his arm, but he pulled back and Grace began to fidget again beside her. One glance at her showed a tantrum was imminent. Frustrated and tired, Laura excused herself and led her daughter toward the bathroom.

Grace’s tears started the moment the door shut and she collapsed with a howl to the ground. It was too similar to how Lia had looked after Bill left, especially those first few times, and broke Laura’s heart all over again. She knelt beside her and hugged her close, leaning back against the door with a silent sigh. Grace curled up against her chest and buried her face in her neck, muting her cries even as her little body trembled. She only held her tighter and looked up at the ceiling, fighting her own tears. It wasn’t easy or comfortable in her skirt, but none of that compared to the gaping hole in her chest.

The boys were grown, both with places of their own. Lia was headed for graduation and college soon, but Grace was still so young. Laura also knew that age didn’t offer any protection from loss and hurt, and it made her heart constrict painfully. The thought of missing Zak’s and Lia’s graduations, the rest of Grace’s life, made it even harder to hold back her tears. At the thought of leaving Bill behind to deal with it all, a few slipped free and disappeared in Grace’s hair. Her arms tightened around her and she tried to take a few breaths to calm herself, but it was impossible with her daughter distraught in her arms.

Grace calmed down first, her sobs fading to whimpers and then sniffles. She wiped her nose on her sleeve and slowly sat back, finally forcing Laura to collect herself. “Why are you crying, Mama?” she asked quietly.

“I miss Daddy too,” she lied, her voice just as soft.

“But you said he’s coming home soon.” She tilted her head, bright green eyes shining with the rest of her tears.

“Then why are you crying?”

Grace stared at her for a second and then let out a small giggle. “Can I sit with Zak?”

Laura took a deep breath and nodded. “As long as there’s room.”

She urged Grace up and after cleaning both their faces, let them out of the bathroom. The sight of the pilot standing in the aisle made her hesitate and she grabbed her shoulder, her eyes finding Billy’s. He offered a shrug and her brow furrowed in confusion, her hand tightening as she led Grace back to their seats and passed her into her brother’s hands. She stayed miraculously distracted and oblivious for the next few minutes, so Laura only had to contend with Zak’s, Lia’s, and Billy’s worried looks as she followed the pilot back to the cockpit.

As soon as the news of an attack was received and confirmed, Bill thought of his family headed right into the war. He stood at the CnC, knuckles white from how tightly he gripped the metal edge. His attention shifted from his crew to the DRADIS, proud of how quickly they had jumped into action and saddened that it was necessary.

“Dee,” he called, his eyes never leaving the screen. “Get my wife’s ship.”

“I’m trying, sir,” she answered quickly, “but there’s too much comm traffic and they might be out of range.”

He grimaced and held onto the table tighter. “Keep trying when you can.”

“Yes, sir!”

He took a deep breath to center himself, trying not to let fear for his family overwhelm him. It felt like one thing to send Lee and Kara out into danger in their Vipers, but they were trained. His girls had to rely on their captain and they were significantly closer to Caprica. He was almost tempted to pray, but he shook his head and refocused on the incoming reports so he could make an announcement and prepare his crew for a fight.

Laura’s heart hammered in her chest as she reached for the message in the captain’s hands. No part of her believed it was something he would make up, but she needed to see it for herself. It still took several seconds for her to fully process what the words said and she reached a hand out to grasp the captain’s.

“I need to make an announcement. Someone should tell the passengers,” he murmured absently.

She immediately shook her head and cleared her throat. “No, I, uh… As a government official, I should do it.” What to actually say was an entirely different matter. “While I do that, I need you to contact the Ministry of Civil Defense and see what we can do to help.”

When he nodded his agreement and handed over the other messages that had been received and the passenger manifest, she slowly made her way back to her seat. A million thoughts rushed through her head and not one gave her a hint as to how best to break the news to a ship full of strangers, let alone her own family. Mixed in with all the other thoughts was fear for Bill, Lee, and Kara. She knew that Bill would take his ship right into the fight, even without orders. It’s who he was, and the thought terrified her.

Grace launched herself at Laura as soon as she was in view and no amount of coaxing could get her back into her seat. Knowing she couldn’t shelter her forever, she kept a firm hold on her daughter’s hand and took a deep breath.

“Excuse me, I have an announcement to make,” she called, her eyes roaming over the passengers and lingering on the man with the wireless. “My name is Laura Adama; I’m the Secretary of Education under President Adar. Our captain has received confirmation that Caprica, Picon, Aerilon, and Tauron have all suffered a nuclear attack.” Her eyes closed for a moment as she thought of Evelyn, but she reluctantly pushed it away to focus.

It was obvious that Grace didn’t entirely understand the situation, but Billy, Zak, and Lia all stared at her with wide, fearful eyes. Many passengers began to call out, their questions overlapping, and it took several minutes to get everyone quiet again.

“We should prepare for an extended stay on this ship,” she continued in the tense silence, “just in case. I need you two to take an inventory of all emergency supplies.” She pointed out two men and made sure they met her eyes.

“Hey, wait a minute. Who put you in charge?” Doral stared at her and took a step forward.

Her hand tightened around Grace’s and she dropped the other holding the messages to her side. “Well, that’s a good question,” she answered after a moment as she countered his step. “The answer is no one, but this is a government ship and I am the senior government official, so that puts me in charge. So, why don't you help me out, and go down into the cargo area, and see about setting it up as a living space.” Dismissing him, she turned to the worried people still watching her. “Everyone else, please, please, try and stay calm. Thank you.”

Immediately, she turned and led Grace back to where Lia, Zak, and Billy were waiting and handed the papers to her new aide. He took them, but only stared blankly without looking away from her. Zak pushed himself out of his chair and laid a hand on her arm.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” he asked quietly.

She could only nod at first, but shook herself out of it. Stepping away from her son, she rested her hand on Billy’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he answered quickly. “My parents moved to Picon two months ago. To be closer to my sisters, and their families, and their grandkids. Umm…” he trailed off and looked away.

“My mother-in-law, she’s....” Laura cut herself off with a slight shake of her head; it was a slippery slope and she slammed that door shut, promising herself not to reopen it. “I’m sorry,” she sighed, but it felt too inadequate. “This is the passenger manifest. I need you to see who can be useful where, please.”

Before he could reply, the captain returned. “Madam Secretary? We got your comm link.”

She nodded to him and moved her hand to Billy’s arm for a moment, then knelt down in front of Grace. “I need you to stay here, baby, okay? Keep an eye on Billy and your siblings for me?”

“Mama….” She tried to bite at her nail, but Laura gently nudged her hand away.

“I’ll be right back,” she promised.

She looked up, intending to pass her daughter off to Zak, but was surprised to find Billy offering his. Not questioning it, she accepted his help up and then gave him Grace’s hand, leaving her free to hurry back to the cockpit.

Her conversation with the few government officials they managed to contact didn’t provide any reassurance and minimal information. The conclusions she drew weren’t any she was confident enough to share, but they sat heavily on her shoulders. Any of Adar’s cabinet that weren’t on Caprica were likely to be on Picon. There weren’t many she could think of that had been off world and the number of nuclear attacks likely meant their immediate demise.

The captain’s voice interrupted her thoughts and she glanced at him, then began to scan the space around them. The view was limited in every direction except ahead of them and leaning didn’t provide much help.

“The Cylons have found us. There's an inbound missile,” the captain explained quietly.

“Where the hell'd our escort go?” she asked in return, her eyes narrowing.

They were both silent for several long moments. “Krypter, krypter, krypter. This is Apollo to Colonial Heavy 798. I'm declaring an emergency. Flight systems are offline. Data systems too.” Her heart dropped into her stomach and she closed her eyes.

“Can we get to him?” She forced her eyes open and continued scanning the sky. “How close is he?”

“Uh, yes, maybe? It won’t be easy.” He hesitated and looked at her worriedly.

“Do it. Where would he land?”

As soon as she had directions, she got up to follow them, barely pausing to inform Zak and make sure he stayed with the girls. By the time she reached the lower levels of the ship, she already heard Lee’s voice. Relief washed over her and even Doral’s annoyed tone couldn’t dampen it.

“I'd feel a lot better if someone qualified were in charge around here. Your mother is out of control,” Doral said.

“Is something wrong with your pilot?” Lee’s footsteps paced around and echoed off the metal walls; Laura assumed he was checking his Viper as she came down the last set of steps.

“No, it's just that he's not the one giving orders. It's, uh, it's a bad situation, isn't it, sir?” Doral went pale when she came into view, but she ignored him and rushed at Lee.

“Lee! Oh, my gods, are you okay?” She cupped his face and then hugged him, but he quickly pulled away and put his hand on her back to guide her to the stairs.

“I’m fine,” he said breathlessly. “What’s going on?”

She caught him up as they returned to the passenger deck, but Billy stopped her near the back while Lee continued forward to his siblings.

“Captain Carr says we can move things around in the bays to make room for passengers. A lot of heavy lifting, but it’s doable.” He looked her over and she nodded.

“Get it started then. We need to prep for survivors,” she replied as they walked down the aisle.

“I’m sorry, survivors?” Lee looked up at her, concern darkening his eyes.

She sighed. “As soon as the attack began, the government ordered a full stop on all civilian vessels. So now we've got hundreds of stranded ships in the solar system; some are lost, some are damaged, some are losing power. We have enough space on this ship to accommodate up to 500 people and we're going to need every bit of it.”

“But we don't even know what the tactical situation is out there,” Doral protested.

She resisted the urge to glare at him. “The tactical situation is that we are losing, right?” She directed her question toward Lee.

“Right.”

“So we pick up as many people as we can, we try to find a safe haven to put down. I need you to find a place for us to hide.” What she really wanted to do was find their way back to Galactica, but she knew it wasn’t safe. Bill would go toward the fight and they needed to get as far away from it as they could with as many people as possible.

Lee looked at Doral and shrugged. “I’ve told my father and I’ll tell you: she’s in charge.”

A slight smile briefly tugged at her lips and she turned around to hide it. When Lee moved closer, she led him up to the cockpit, trusting Zak to watch his sisters. The moment she heard the automated case orange message, she felt a cold calm creep through her body. It started in her hands and once it reached her chest, it sped up until her entire body was shivering. Lee watched her in concern, but she only lingered long enough to provide her ID code and then she hurried out, hoping she could find a moment of solitude somewhere on the ship.

It was hard to convince Zak and Lia she was okay and just needed a moment, but she was able to continue past them into the next compartment. The lights had been turned off to conserve fuel and energy, and she grabbed an unused blanket that was still folded in a chair. It was thin, but would be warmer than her blazer. She shrugged it off and dropped it to the seat beside her, then wrapped herself in the blanket and sat down near the window. Somehow, even her tears were cold and she didn’t bother to wipe them away until she heard heavy footsteps following. Assuming it would be one of the boys or Billy, she sighed and lifted her head to watch Lee sit across from her.

“How far down are you?” he asked, his hands folded between his knees.

More often than not when Laura looked at him, he reminded her of his father. They were so similar and both too stubborn to realize it. The similarities felt so obvious now, especially in his flight suit, and she swallowed at the sudden surge of longing she felt for her husband.

“Forty-third,” she answered quietly. Her fingers tugged on the blanket around her shoulders to pull it closer. “As far as I know, everyone was on Caprica or Picon. A few may have been in orbit but…” She trailed off and shook her head.

Footsteps made her turn her head and she immediately knew what message the pilot carried for her. She took it anyway and glanced over it, already shrugging the blanket off and reaching for her blazer.

“We’ll need a priest,” she sighed.

It had never felt possible, or even plausible. The line of succession only extended to her and beyond as a paranoid response to the Colonies’ history of civil wars and disagreements, and the fading Cylon threat. Her training had been minimal, just enough for her to know how to communicate with the hopes of finding someone higher up the line. Now, the weight and lives of everyone before her settled on her shoulders.

“On the shoulders of giants,” she murmured as she stood up.

Lee looked at her and then suddenly pulled her into a tight hug. She gasped but quickly hugged him back, fingers gripping his flight suit. “I’m sorry.”

She pulled back and briefly cupped his cheek. “We need to talk to your siblings.”

“Tell them you’re the President?”

“I guess so.” She bit her lip and shook her head. “I was going to step down at the end of Adar’s term,” she admitted, her gaze drawn to the window instead of her son. “Dad was retiring and I’d go back to teaching. We’d have more time.” Realizing where her thoughts had gone, she stopped short and smoothed out her skirt. “Gods… Okay.” As collected as she was going to get, she adjusted her blazer and led Lee into the next compartment to find her other children.

There was a sense of irony, she thought, that Richard had expected—pushed—her to step down from her position, and now she had taken his. It was an odd feeling, and one she quashed along with all the other things she felt.

No one knew what to say and they stared at each other in silence as they waited for the priestess to finish her preparations. There were questions, but none that any of them had the mind to ask, and Laura could only hold Grace close as she tried to understand what it all meant.

The passengers all gathered around in the small compartment with the priestess Elosha and Laura at the center. Lee and Lia stood to her right and Billy stood just behind her left side with Grace in front of him. She tightly held her daughter’s hand with her left one and raised her right into the air, unable to stop its visible shaking. Just like her swearing in for Secretary of Education, she stood supported by her children while Bill was kept away by duty. Only now, she didn’t even have her mother-in-law, and she was accepting responsibility far beyond anything she had ever known.

Her voice nearly gave out but barely clung on, and she felt a hand briefly rest on her back as she repeated the oath, the warmth chasing back just enough of the chill in her for her to make it through. As soon as it was over, she pushed back toward her family, hoping to create some distance from the claustrophobic crowd surrounding them. She took a deep breath and squeezed her daughter’s hand again.

“Alright,” she called out, her eyes slowly scanning the ship. “We have people to rescue and a ship to prepare. Let’s get to it.” Her eyes lingered on Doral, wondering how much of a problem he would be going forward.

The crowd dispersed quickly and she was able to sink into a chair with Grace in her lap. Lia sat beside her with Zak and Lee across from them. She focused on her youngest at first, hands stroking up and down her arms, and then lifted her gaze.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she told them honestly. “I don’t know where Dad and Kara are or when we will see them, but we are going to stick together. Understood? I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.” Grace sniffled and Lia wiped at her eyes, the silence telling her as much as she needed to know. “I love each of you, you know.” She took a deep breath and nodded to Zak who stood up to take Grace. “Keep an eye on each other.”

“Of course,” Zak promised as he sat down with his sister.

“If Lia can watch Grace, Zak could be useful with moving stuff.” Lee watched her cautiously.

Laura hesitated and then looked at Lia. “Are you okay with that?”

Lia nodded quickly. “I can watch her. If anything happens, I can get Billy.”

“Or find me in the cockpit.” She took another deep breath and then stood up. As long as she kept moving, the chill couldn’t sink back in. “Join me, Lee.”

He followed her to the cockpit and she absently fiddled with her wedding ring as she watched the ship they were approaching.

“Gemenon Liner 1701, this is Colonial Heavy 798,” Captain Carr said in his headset, but he paused and glanced up at Laura as she leaned over to get a better look. “No, strike that. This is Colonial One.”

The pilots continued talking, but she couldn’t focus on the conversation. Nothing had had a chance to soak in yet, but the new name for their ship made everything feel just a little more real. She straightened up and stepped back, glancing at Lee as he grabbed the newest report that came in. He frowned as he read it.

“What is it?”

He held it out so she could see it, but she only watched him. “To all Colonial units: am taking command of fleet. All units ordered to rendezvous at Ragnar Anchorage for regroup and counter-attack. Acknowledge by same encryption protocol,” he read before stopping suddenly. “Adama,” he finally finished.

A mixture of emotions rushed through her. The message meant Bill was alive, he was okay, and the relief she felt nearly made her stumble. The next wave was worry, concern, and she closed her eyes briefly, hating that she had been right.

She knew it wouldn’t work, but she had an idea she needed to try anyway. “Please inform him that we are currently involved in rescue operations and we require his assistance. Ask him how many hospital beds he has available and how long it will take him to get here.”

Lee stared at her incredulously. “He's not gonna respond very well to that request.”

She took the message from him and glanced over it. “Then tell him this comes directly from the President of the Twelve Colonies, and it's not a request.”

“Do you think that will make it better?” he asked, his tone genuine.

“Captain Apollo,” she said with a slight smirk, “send the message, please.”

“You know that’s just my callsign, right?” He raised an eyebrow.

“But Captain Apollo has a nice ring to it, don't you think?” She arched her own brow and patted his arm as she walked by him to check on Billy’s efforts.

Bill stared at the message Dee handed him and slowly closed his fingers around it until it was crumpled up. He dropped it to the table and twisted enough to look at her. “Are they within voice range?”

She nodded and stepped away to make the call, leaving him to lean against the CnC to catch his breath. He had recognized the ship immediately, but his relief was quickly lost in confusion over the response to his message. He reluctantly smoothed out the paper and stared at it until the thoughts started to connect together. He knew with absolute certainty that President Adar wasn’t on the ship. If the President of the Twelve Colonies had sent the message from Colonial Heavy 798, it could only mean one thing. At least Lee and Laura were alive.

Dee tapped his shoulder and he took the handset from her, already speaking before he even had it fully on his head.

“Lee, are you okay? Is everyone with you?”

“We’re okay,” he sighed in response. “Everyone is shaken up, but we’re okay.”

“Is your ship alright? Is the FTL functioning?” Bill asked, his emotions catching in his throat.

“Ship’s fine and the FTL is online.”

“Then you're ordered to bring yourself and all of your passengers to the rendezvous point. Acknowledge.” He leaned against the CnC and let out a long, silent breath.

“Acknowledge,” Lee began slowly, “receipt of message.”

His brow furrowed and he straightened up. “What the hell does that mean?” he demanded.

“It means, I heard you.”

“You're gonna have to do a lot better than that, Captain.” He stared at the information covering the console, but didn’t pay attention to any of it.

“We're engaged in rescue operations.”

“You are to abort your mission immediately and proceed to Ragnar.” He would resort to orders if he needed to keep his family safe.

“The President has given me a direct order.”

Laura returned to the cockpit and caught the sound of Bill’s voice over the wireless. Her heart beat faster and she hurried to Lee’s side, leaning against his shoulder to listen closer.

Bill took a deep breath to calm himself, but it didn’t help. “We're in the middle of a war, and you're taking orders from your mother?”

She started to reach for Lee’s headset, but alarms suddenly filled the cockpit and she hesitated.

“We've got trouble,” Captain Carr murmured.

“Stand by, Galactica,” Lee said into the headset before he tilted it and looked at the captain. “What?”

“Inbound Cylon fighters.”

Laura squinted at the DRADIS as she pulled her glasses from her pocket and slipped them on. “How long ‘till they get here?”

“ETA two minutes. We need to jump.”

“He's right, we have to go now.” Lee turned to look at her, but she continued watching the DRADIS.

There were too many helpless civilian ships that couldn’t run. “No,” she decided, her voice firm.

“We cannot defend this ship,” Lee started to argue.

“We're not going to abandon all these people,” she said, cutting him off.

“But if we stay–”

She glanced at him. “I've made my decision, Lee.”

He sighed and stood up. “You're the President.” She could tell he was upset, but they didn’t have time to discuss it. “Permission to go below?”

She waved her hand to dismiss him and leaned against the captain’s seat as the co-pilot took Lee’s.

Bill tossed his headset to the console and held back a frustrated groan. The knowledge that everyone was okay provided a small amount of comfort, but the thought of them going off on a rescue mission on their own pained him. He also knew he had no way of talking Laura out of it, especially without speaking to her directly.

Gaeta turned to look at him, his voice urgent. “Sir, we have remote sensor telemetry on Captain Apollo's location and two enemy fighters closing in on his coordinates.”

Immediately, he turned back to the DRADIS and shoved the headset back on. “Colonial One. This is Galactica. Apollo? You have inbound enemy fighters coming towards you. Get out of there! Apollo? Apollo? Lee, get—Lee!”

The DRADIS exploded in a cloud of white and then flickered with static until it went blank.

“Fifty-kiloton thermonuclear detonation,” Gaeta said quietly. No one else spoke or moved. “Cylons moving off, sir,” he added even more quietly.

Bill slowly turned and leaned against the console, staring blankly at it. He had known at the first reports of Caprica’s annihilation that his mother was gone, but to see the rest of his family disappear in a literal flash made it feel like his heart had been ripped from his chest and run over by every Viper and Raptor in the fleet. He felt a hand on one shoulder, then the other, and knew it was Saul, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around. If he saw the look in his friend’s eyes, he didn’t know if he’d be able to keep going. The CIC was still silent and he reluctantly recalled his own words to mourn the dead later. If they didn’t do something, everyone on his ship would go down soon too.

His finger brushed over his wedding ring and he swallowed hard as Saul stepped back. “Resume,” he tried, his voice nearly failing him, “jump prep.”

“Resume jump prep,” Saul echoed. He stepped close again but didn’t touch him. “Do you need—”

“Don’t,” he warned quietly.

Saul nodded and moved back. A few tears leaked out and Bill let them fall before he pushed himself up. He had a job to do and he’d do it for them.

Everything ached and she felt like she had ridden a sketchy carnival ride one time too many. Her glasses were askew and she fixed them as she sat up and pushed her hair back from her face. There was a burning sensation on her kneecaps from where she had fallen, but the skin was only red and unbroken. It took her another moment before her thoughts caught up to her and she struggled to her feet. Captain Carr leaned over to help and they leaned against each other to get their bearings while the co-pilot restarted the ship. Without explanation, she pushed away and rushed out the door toward her children.

Grace’s cries reached her ears immediately and she walked into the compartment to find her safely wrapped in Zak’s arms. A quick once-over reassured her that they were all okay, but she sat on the armrest of her son’s chair to make sure.

“Are you hurt?” she asked quietly as she smoothed down her daughter’s hair and sighed.

“We’re fine. What the hell happened?” Zak looked at her.

“I’m hoping your brother can answer that,” she muttered.

“He looked pissed.”

She shook her head and reluctantly stood. “Lia, you’re okay?”

“Yeah, Mom,” she answered shakily.

“I’ll be back, then.” She touched Lia’s arm as she walked by.

On her way downstairs, she passed Billy and was reassured that there seemed to be only minor injuries from whatever happened. Captain Carr caught up to her and they emerged into the ship’s bowels together to find Lee prone on the ground. He tried to sit up, but they got there first and she gently held him down as the captain dropped the medic kit.

“Lee, oh, my gods!” Her fingers moved over his flight suit, but it was impossible to tell if he was hurt.

“That was fun.” He laughed breathlessly and accepted the captain’s help to stand up, barely staying on his feet. “I think it worked.”

She let out a nervous laugh and kept her hand on his arm. “What exactly did you do?”

“I basically just used the hyperdrive to manipulate the energy coils to put out a big pulse of electromagnetic energy that must have disabled the warheads,” he stumbled over his words and as the captain let him go, he wobbled dangerously. Laura reached out and grabbed him, a soft gasp leaving her lips. “I’m-I'm hoping that it looked like a nuclear explosion.”

“Oh. So that's what that was.” She glanced at the captain and narrowed her eyes against the bright lights and her headache. “Did it fool the Cylons?”

“I don't know, but if they weren't fooled, then they'd be on top of us by now.” He was still breathless, but steadier on his feet.

“Does the rest of the fleet know about this trick?” Captain Carr asked.

“I doubt it. It's just a theory we toyed with in war college, but it never used to work during war games; the Cylons would see right through it and destroy the targets anyway,” he explained, his hand moving to cover hers.

“The lesson here is not to ask follow up questions, but simply to say, ‘thank you, Captain Apollo, for saving our collective asses.’” She managed a weak smile.

“You’re welcome.” He briefly smiled with every ounce of Adama pride. “Now, if I could suggest—”

“Evacuate the passenger liner and get the hell out of here before the Cylons realize their mistake. I'm right with you,” she finished, already headed back toward the stairs. She stopped at the foot of them and fully turned to face Lee. “If the Cylons thought it was a nuclear explosion…”

“So did Galactica.” He nodded and sighed. “We’ll deal with it later.”

“We don’t have a choice.” She let out her own resigned sigh and hurried up the stairs.

Chapter Text

As the rescue mission went on, Laura was able to find at least a few minutes here and there to sit. She had found her blanket again and once again held it close against the persistent chill, one hand free to sort through the mountains of information they had gathered. Each new ship brought another manifest and inventory of supplies that she tried to look over while the captain coordinated the ships themselves and Billy oversaw the transfer of civilians off ships they couldn’t save.

“I want to go home!” Grace wailed as she dropped to the ground, her face twisted as she started to cry. “Home, Mama!”

Exhaustion and fear had worsened her mood and soothing her from afar hadn’t helped. Laura sighed as she stood up and joined her daughter, her legs carefully curled off to the side with her skirt. She tried to wrap her arm around Grace, but she scooted away, so she folded her hands in her lap instead.

“I know. I want to go home too,” she admitted quietly, “but if you think about it, you’re more home than anyone. You were born in space, remember?” She tried to smile. “You were born on Daddy’s ship.”

“I want home home!” She kicked her legs and only cried harder. “Now!”

Once Laura determined there weren’t many other options with everyone else below decks, she grimaced and took a deep breath. It wasn’t easy in general, let alone with her tantrum, but she managed to stand up and grab Grace, barely able to carry her into the next compartment. She squirmed and writhed, determined to get free, but Laura kept her hold on her and sank into a chair as far back as they could go.

“Look at me,” she said firmly, her arms still tightly around Grace to make sure she didn’t fall. “Grace, baby, look at me.”

“No!” she wailed, her hands waving wildly.

Laura dodged one, but the next caught the side of her head. She winced and let go of her to grab her hands and hold them.

As Grace realized what happened, she slowly grew still. Large tears still rolled down her red, puffy cheeks and she sniffled. “Mama?” she asked quietly, her voice hoarse.

“Yes?” She loosened her hold and finally lifted one hand to fix her glasses and rub her temple.

“I’m sorry…” Her eyes closed and she wiped her snotty nose on her sleeve.

“I know.” Laura settled back in the chair and pulled her daughter against her chest. It reminded her too much of all the long nights spent trying to console her in Bill’s absence, and even more nights spent with Lia. Her heart ached at the memories and she reluctantly pushed them down, trying not to think about how she might soon be the absent one. “I know you’re tired and scared and you want to go home, but we can’t. We’re here now, and we have to figure things out.”

“I don’t wanna.” Giving in to her exhaustion, she let her head rest on Laura’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to, baby. You let Daddy and I figure it out and we’ll keep you safe. Lia and Zak and Lee too. Even Billy, and you like Billy.”

She giggled quietly and curled up a little more. “I like Billy,” she agreed.

“So, why don’t you stay back here and lay down, and I’ll have him come check on you in a few minutes?”

“When can we see Daddy?” Sleep already laced her words now that the fight had gone out of her.

“As soon as we can, we’ll go back to Daddy. I promise.” She kissed her head and began to hum softly. Once Grace fell asleep, she left her curled up in the chair and reluctantly made her way through the aisle to find out what she had missed.

After meeting the rather odd and erratic Dr. Baltar and visiting as many of the other ships as she could with Lia, it was a relief to return to Colonial One. There were a lot of people out there, just as scared and lost as her own family. Her heart went out to all of them and she wanted to do as much as she could to help, but they were too limited. There wasn’t enough space or time and they couldn’t possibly save all of them. They couldn’t even save most of them.

It felt like the hardest decision she had ever made and she had a feeling it was only the beginning.

“Take us to Ragnar,” she said quietly, feeling guilty that the order would reunite her family and destroy so many others.

She knew it was the right decision, but she couldn’t stop picturing Cami who bore so many similarities to Grace. If it had been her daughter in that situation, she hoped someone would look out for her. It pained her to know she couldn’t do the same. Needing a moment to gather herself before the jump, she retreated to the far back compartment that was somehow still empty with most of the civilians on lower decks.

Billy joined her after a moment, his expression apologetic, and she tried her best not to frown at him. He didn’t sit, but nervously fidgeted with the notebook in his hands. “Are you okay, Madam President?”

She stared at him for a heartbeat, and then spoke without meaning to. “I have cancer.”

He took a small step closer. “I know.” Her eyes widened in surprise. “A few comments you’ve made.”

She hummed softly and shook her head. “The world is ending, everyone has lost so much, and all I can think about is how I have cancer, I might be dying, and I might leave my children behind.” A bitter laugh slipped out. “How selfish is that?”

“It’s not selfish,” he said firmly. “You’re worried about your family and it’s human. The people need that right now.”

“The kids don’t know yet. I found out,” she paused to think about it, but the hours had blended together and she gave up. “I found out right before we left Caprica.”

“I won’t tell them,” he promised. “Do you need anything?”

“Not yet. When we join Galactica and have a moment, I’ll talk to the doctor. I suppose I won’t be getting an appointment with the one on Caprica anytime soon.” Her lips twitched, but a smile couldn’t even form. “Thank you, Billy.”

He nodded and excused himself.

She sank further into her seat with her fingers pressed to her temples and her eyes closed, even against the dimmed lights. The chaos of the ship temporarily faded as they prepared to jump, and then immediately ramped back up as they approached the station. She couldn’t bring herself to get up yet. Even the thought made her head pound harder, forcing a visible wince out of her. Lighter footsteps approached, breaking free of the cacophony of other noises as they made their way closer; she waited until they reached the curtain before she opened her eyes.

Lia walked in, hugging the blanket Laura had given up tightly around herself. She hesitated, but continued inside when she met her mother’s tired gaze. “Grace needs you,” she said softly. “Lee’s trying, but she wants Dad.”

“I know.” Laura buried her face in her hands and took a few steadying breaths. “Okay, I’m coming.”

It took her another moment before she attempted to stand, her headache protesting the movement. Trying her best to ignore it, she grabbed her blazer and shrugged it on as she slowly crossed the room. Lia stopped her before she could walk past, sliding her hand into her mother’s and holding tightly.

“I’m scared.”

“Oh, baby.” She swallowed and leaned against the nearest chair, holding her daughter’s hand between both of her own. “I am too. So are your brothers and Dad.”

“How do you know?”

“Because everyone is scared right now.” She squeezed her hand and received a weak one in response. “It’s okay to be scared.”

“Presidents and commanders aren’t supposed to be scared. Neither are their kids.” Tears welled up in her eyes and Laura’s heart ached with each one that slid down her cheeks.

“Lia, honey, no. Oh, no, that’s not true at all. Presidents and commanders, captains and admirals, they can all be scared.” She took a deep breath, relieved when Lia copied it. “I need to go to Galactica soon. Do you want to come with me?”

“Can I?” Lia bit at her lower lip and pulled her hands free to wipe at her eyes.

“Well, if I’m the President, then I think it’s okay.” She managed a slight smile.

Her daughter made a face. “It’s weird.”

“What?”

“Thinking about you as the President and not Mr. Adar.” She wrinkled her nose. “You don’t seem different.”

“I’m not different. I’m still your mother.”

“You’re not going to forget about me and Grace and Lee and Zak and Kara?”

“Gods no, Lia. You are my children and I love you all. Especially now. I am so…” Her voice caught on a sudden surge of emotions and she struggled to continue speaking through them. “I am so, so lucky to have my entire family safe and alive. I will do everything I can to keep it that way.” Her smile was a little stronger but watery and she stood up, her hand resting on her daughter’s back. “Let’s get Lee and Grace before we leave.”

She guided Lia out into the chaos, her hold tightening as they threaded their way through the barest bones of their government, her eyes focused on the glimpses of her son’s flight suit she got. Lee hugged Lia as soon as they were close enough, but he met Laura’s eyes, his questions asked silently. She could only offer a slight shake of her head.

“Billy took Grace up toward the cockpit. She’s almost inconsolable,” he explained softly, his hand cupping the back of his sister’s head. “I need to return to duty as soon as we’re docked.”

“I know.” She reached over and rested her hand on his arm, the other resting on Lia’s shoulder. “We’ll join you.” After squeezing them both, she dropped her hands and tugged on her blazer. “I’ll get Grace and meet you at the airlock.”

She turned away and wound her way through the rest of the room, her hands shoved in her pockets as she approached the cockpit. It was significantly quieter, which meant Grace had calmed down. Her assumption was proven correct when she found Billy stretched out in the last row of seats with Grace awake but calm in his lap. She didn’t move as Laura approached, but Billy lifted his head. His struggle between standing out of respect and not wanting to disturb Grace reflected on his face and she quickly waved it away.

“Thank you,” she mouthed, her hand coming to rest on her daughter’s head. “Sweetheart, let’s go see Daddy.”

Grace lifted her head and rubbed at her tired eyes. “Really?”

“Just for a little bit.” She stepped back and Billy helped Grace to her feet, her hand immediately reaching for her mother’s.

“What can I do, Madam President?” he asked as he stood too.

“Try to make sure things don’t dissolve into further chaos here.” She shrugged, knowing how futile of a task it was. “I won’t be gone long.”

He nodded his understanding and followed them as they headed to meet the rest of their family.

The moment they stepped onto Galactica and she saw Saul’s face, she knew something was wrong. He controlled himself, but she saw the way Lee’s spine straightened and knew he noticed too. Her mind and her heart warred for a moment and she felt Grace’s hand tighten around hers.

“Zak, take your sisters to Dad’s quarters,” she ordered with a lightness she didn’t feel.

“Is Daddy there?” Grace asked immediately.

“He’s busy, but we’ll see him soon,” Lee answered just as quickly as Zak reached for her free hand. She hesitantly allowed herself to be pulled away from Laura. “Maybe you can find Kara too.”

Laura quickly hugged Lia and Zak, then tapped Grace’s head before she nodded for him to lead them away through the hangar bay. The moment she was absolutely certain they were out of earshot, she narrowed her eyes at Saul. “What happened?”

“I don’t have time for this.” He started to turn away, but her hand shot out and barely managed to grasp the loose fabric near his elbow.

Lee took a step closer.

“He’s not dead, then.” Her voice was surprisingly strong.

“No, he’s not. There was an explosion on the station, blocked off his exit, but he’s working with a man we found on board to find another way out,” he explained shortly.

Laura let out a shaky but steadying breath. “Then we need to talk.”

“I’ve got five minutes.”

“That’s all I need.”

He grunted and started walking, Lee and Laura following behind him. “He’ll be damned glad you’re both okay,” he said quietly.

“Get him back on board so he can tell me himself.” She side-eyed him, but he continued staring ahead.

After securing as many supplies as the Colonel was willing to part with, Laura reluctantly left her children on Galactica. With Lee the new CAG, his place was with the ship, and she trusted her daughters’ safety more in Bill’s quarters than on Colonial One for the time being. Only when Lee and Saul both agreed to notify her as soon as they had an update on Bill did she finally leave to help Billy coordinate aid to their people.

“Your wife is gonna kill you,” Saul huffed and crossed his arms as he leaned against the bulkhead.

Bill was stopped moments after stepping foot back on his ship. Greeted by his XO and a handful of medics, he glared at them all but obediently sat down at the base of the ladder.

He slowly raised his eyes in a more targeted glare, his attempts to ward off the medics unsuccessful. As long as he had been stuck with the Cylon, it had been easier to shove everything to the far reaches of his mind, but his XO’s words brought everything slamming back into him. If he hadn’t been sitting already, he wasn’t sure he would’ve stayed upright. But as he glared at his friend, he didn’t see the sympathy and hurt he had seen earlier and while it was difficult to think through the pain he was in, he pushed through.

“They’re alive?” The words came out as a pained whisper.

“Apollo pulled some bullshit. They’re all fine.” He leaned over and briefly rested his hand on his shoulder. “Kids are all in your quarters. President went back to her ship.” His eyebrow arched up.

As soon as the medics were done, Bill pushed them away and let Saul pull him to his feet. He groaned and took a moment to gather himself and wait for the wave of pain to recede before he headed for his quarters.

He entered alone, Saul leaving him at the hatch to check in on CIC and give him time with his family before he came back for a briefing. He already knew it wouldn’t be enough time, but it was something—more than he had thought he’d ever get again.

Grace and Lia were curled up on the couch with a shared blanket. Lee and Zak sat across from each other at the table, but their conversation stopped the moment the hatch opened. Bill looked between them, his heart painfully thudding in his chest. Seeing each of his children alive and well stole his breath and the only thing he needed was to see his wife too.

“You’re alive,” he finally managed.

Grace shifted and sat up, staring blearily at him. It took her a few moments and then she was the first to move as she launched herself off the couch and toward him. “Daddy!”

Ignoring the agony his body was in, he picked her up and hugged her close, her arms tightly wrapping around his neck. Lia followed, then Zak and Lee, until they all huddled together. Bill couldn’t get his arms around them all, but they held each other close and he felt tears stinging the cuts on his face as they rolled down his cheeks.

“You’re okay.” He swallowed and tightened his arms, not even sure who he was holding onto anymore and not caring. “I love you. Gods, I love you.”

“Love you, Dad,” Lia murmured, her brothers echoing it.

Lee cleared his throat and pulled back first. “I gotta go,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “You should let Laura know you’re okay.”

Before he could step out of reach, Bill grabbed his arm. “Is she okay?”

“She’s… Yeah.” He shrugged. “As okay as any of us are.”

Relieved, he nodded and carefully lowered Grace to the deck. “Get going; you’re the CAG now and the pilots need you.”

“Yes, sir.” Lee saluted and quickly disappeared through the hatch.

He looked between his three remaining children and cupped Grace’s cheek, then Lia’s. “I’m sorry,” he sighed, his head shaking slowly.

“What happened, Dad?” Lia gently smoothed out the edge of his already-bloodied bandage.

He winced and she quickly recoiled. “Accidental explosion on the station, but I’m okay. Everyone is okay.” He reached for her hand and glanced at Zak. “I need to go back to work, but…” He trailed off, trying to think of the best, safest place to send them. Assuming Laura had left them here on purpose, he didn’t consider sending them back to her. “Stay here. I’ll be in the Wardroom if you need anything.”

“You’re not gonna go see Mama?” Grace looked up at him, her lower lip trembling in a pout.

“I can’t, sweetheart, not yet.” Nearly everything in him, led by his heart, demanded he find his wife as quickly as possible, but duty kept him rooted on his ship. “I have a lot of people I need to keep safe right now, including all of you and her. Then we’ll go see her.”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” he agreed without hesitation. Grace hugged his leg until Zak picked her up and she let her head rest against his shoulder. Bill sighed at the sight and fixed his uniform. “You okay watching them?” Zak nodded and reached his arm out to Lia. She hesitantly moved closer and leaned into him. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Bye, Dad,” Lia said softly, the look in her eyes reminding him too strongly of all the times he had had to leave her behind before.

“I’ll be back,” he said more firmly.

Knowing her husband was somewhere on Galactica and injured, she wanted to tear apart every bulkhead until she found him. It was an urge she just barely managed to control, only manifesting in the persistent trembling of her hands no matter what she did. With only the reassurance that he would join them in the meeting room when he had a chance, she followed the security detail that had greeted her shuttle to a large, empty room. Billy laid out the reports and paperwork he had gathered before they had even sat down, and she quickly began to compartmentalize her thoughts in order to focus.

Every ounce of her focus shot out the airlock when the hatch opened for the first time nearly an hour after they had arrived. Her eyes darted to it and watched Bill enter, then back to her aide to see him standing up and gathering his things.

“Keep going, Billy,” she instructed with a sigh, her eyes closing for a moment. She felt physically pulled toward her husband, and it was only exhaustion that kept her where she was.

Her aide hesitated and looked between them, then slowly sat back down. “Ah, the captain of the Astral Queen wants you to know that he's got nearly five hundred convicted criminals under heavy guard in his cargo hold. They were being transported to a penal station when the attack happened.”

“Oh, great,” she groaned as she leaned forward against the table, her arms folded in front of her.

“He wants to know what to do with them,” Billy continued.

Bill gingerly made his way across the room and took the empty chair beside the young man. He had suspected their initial reunion wouldn’t be cinematic, but he couldn’t deny the need he felt in his core to hold her close and reassure himself that she really was there and okay.

“What to do with them?” She raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes at Billy, but watched her husband in her peripheral vision.

“Well, with food and medical supplies being what they are, I think he's considering just…”

She stopped him as soon as she realized where he was going. “No, no. No, we're not gonna start that. They're still human beings. Tell the captain I expect daily reports on the wellbeing of his prisoners, and if there's any mysterious deaths, the Astral Queen may find herself on her own without Galactica's protection.” Once again, her eyes quickly moved back to her husband, but only for a moment.

“Yes, Madam President.” He collected the papers on his side of the desk again and stood up.

“Thank you, Billy.” She managed a small smile for him, her eyes returning to her husband as soon as Billy began to walk away. She stayed quiet until the hatch shut, signifying they were alone. “What the frak, Bill?” she asked, her glare tempered by her overwhelmingly relieved voice.

“What are you really mad about?” he asked her pointedly.

“I could’ve lost you,” she whispered.

“I thought I did.” He didn’t intend for his voice to reveal as much of his physical and emotional pain as it did.

She winced and looked away, worrying at her lower lip. “There was no time. I didn’t even know what Lee was planning; he just took off.” Her voice began to tremble as much as her hands and not even a slow breath could calm her racing heart and thoughts. “And then Galactica was gone, you were gone, and I had people to save.” She was forced to stop and it took a moment for her to speak again. “I couldn’t save them. Not all of them. I don’t know how many I left behind. Because it was my choice.”

Her words were as scattered as her thoughts, but he was able to piece them together. She squeezed her eyes shut and didn’t see when he moved, pushing himself from his chair and rounding the table as quickly as he could. He gently grabbed her arm and helped her up, then sank into the empty warmth and pulled her into his lap. She didn’t fight him, her arms only wrapping around him just like their daughter had held on, her head resting against his. Holding on to her, he could feel how badly her body shook and it only made him hold her tighter.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. “You weren’t trained for any of this.”

She shook her head and finally gained control of her spiraling thoughts and breathing, managing one deep breath, then another. “You look like shit.”

“Feel like it too,” he admitted, his hand rubbing up and down her back. “Frakking Cylons look like us now.”

“Do you have any good news? My head feels like it’s gonna explode.” She shook the offending part of her body slightly.

He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment on it. “I saw the kids. They’re all okay. Zak is with the girls in my quarters.”

“Thank you.” She shifted enough that she could lift her head and look at him, tears still swimming in her jaded eyes.

“We’re okay too,” he added, his voice quieter.

“I’m sorry about your mother…”

He shook his head slightly, unwilling to consider that yet.

They allowed the comfort for a few more quiet moments, and then Laura carefully extricated herself and stood up, one hand braced against the arm of the chair as she regained her balance. She gently dabbed at her eyes as he stood up beside her, offering his arm to help stabilize her. She didn’t take it, but managed to fix him with a slightly firmer gaze.

“You do acknowledge that I am President, though, don’t you?” she asked, her hesitation reflected in her expression.

“You’re the highest ranking government official remaining. Legally, you are the President,” he agreed, his hand dropping to his side. “You hate politics.”

“Who else is going to do it? Who else has any experience? If we wait around for an election, we’ll all be dead.” A sigh left her parted lips. “I don’t know how we’re going to make this work.”

“We’ll figure it out. All of it.”

She shook her head and took a small step back. “You want to fight, Bill. You want to take this ship and her crew into the center and risk it all.” She had no doubts about what course of action he would want to take and his suddenly stoic expression confirmed it.

“We’re at war.” He watched her, the way she began to guard herself and stand more upright, her chin tilted defiantly.

“We lost the war the moment the first bombs fell, Bill. The only thing to do now is save what we have left: the people out there desperately needing Galactica’s protection. Your protection,” she emphasized, her hand waving toward the bulkhead. “50,000 people. That’s it. We leave and we don’t look back. Humanity’s only chance is to find some place to hide and start having babies.” She stepped closer again, making it clear how personal her words were. “If you want our children to have a life, we need to run.”

Her words contradicted every instinct carried in him and he didn’t move, barely blinked for several long moments. She watched him the entire time, her eyes growing more pleading the longer he stayed quiet.

“I need to talk to Saul,” he finally said.

“Bill, please.” She bit her lip.

He repeated his words, but his expression softened. “Excuse me.” He leaned in and kissed her quickly, hoping to reassure her that his disagreement wasn’t personal, and left the room before she could push him further.

When the hatch closed behind him, she firmly crossed her arms over her chest and sank down into her chair. The lights made her headache worse, but she knew the darkest spot she could find would be out in the emptiness of space. Unwilling to go that far, she had to settle for staring at her lap or the deck and trying to will away the pain and the ache in her chest. Once she realized none of it was going to go away, she grabbed the top report and did her best to focus on it.

They stayed on Galactica until the funeral for everyone they had lost. Kara and Lee stood with their fellow pilots and Laura stood beside Bill with Grace, Lia, and Zak on her other side. They were all tired and she hoped that they would all be able to manage some sleep when they returned to Colonial One, reassured by Captain Carr and Billy that they had managed to track down some beds and bedding for most of the people on the ship.

As the gathered mourners dispersed, Bill quickly excused himself to take care of a few things before he could meet Laura in his quarters. Watching him go left a mild ache in her chest, but she turned to Zak and allowed herself to lean against him for a moment.

“Dad says you can get dinner in the Mess Hall. Take your time and then we’ll head back to Colonial One and sleep,” she murmured.

“Do you want me to grab you anything?” he offered, his voice just as quiet.

She shook her head and rubbed his arm before she stepped back. “I’ll get something with Dad.” She knew she wouldn’t. She hadn’t felt any hunger since initially leaving Galactica after the decommissioning ceremony.

“You sure?” He looked at her worriedly and she gave him a tired smile.

“Go eat. I’ll see you in a bit. Love you.” She touched Lia’s cheek and Grace’s head before she turned to follow her husband.

The moment the hatch shut behind her, her newly-acquired weight of the presidency slipped from her shoulders, thudding to the ground as heavily as the hatch hit the bulkhead. She spun the lock and turned to face her husband, no longer willing or able to hide the exhaustion, fear, and stress that overflowed from her chest. Neither spoke or moved, their eyes conveying everything they needed to until it suddenly wasn’t enough. The need to touch him overwhelmed her and she stumbled forward, her arm outstretched as she kicked her shoes aside. He met her halfway, his hands roaming up her arms to her shoulders, caressing her neck, and finally stopping to cup her face. Her fingers gripped his open uniform tunic, tugging him impossibly closer. No longer holding herself together, her body trembled and she clung on even harder until their lips met. It was harsh, messy, needy. All of their fears and worries were released into the kiss as they fell into each other. She could only clutch at him, but he was able to guide them through his quarters. The force of her need and lack of oxygen left her lightheaded and she was grateful to fall back against his rack, still not letting go of him.

He gently untangled her fingers and shrugged his tunic off. By the time he was undressed, she had only managed to remove her blazer and it fell to the ground with his clothes, but her hands shook too badly for her to undo the buttons on her blouse. Need thrummed through their veins, but his was tempered by the mixed emotions in her eyes as she stared at him almost helplessly. His breath caught in his chest and he helped her lay back, his hands lightly moving over her stomach and sides as they made their way to her thighs. He was gentle as he pushed her skirt up far enough to find the tops of her hosiery. Carefully, he unhooked the clip and eased the fabric down with one hand while his other covered her thigh and stroked the skin as it was revealed. He moved slowly, grazing every part of her leg until he reached her foot and moved to the other.

The overpowering lust had faded to pure relief, their movements slowed and their eyes holding comfort and affection instead. Still standing beside his rack, he eased her skirt off, then her underwear, and his steadier hands were finally able to release the buttons on her shirt. She pushed herself up and unhooked her bra, then tossed her glasses onto the shelf above her before she pulled him down. He moved willingly and covered her body with his own, his hands haltingly making their way up her sides. He took both of hers on the way, lacing their fingers together. Their eyes met, faces hovering near each other, and he reluctantly let go of one hand to line himself up.

Her body arched up against his as he slid home, his hand finding hers again so they could cling to each other as he connected them in every way possible. A soft groan fell from her mouth and her fingers tightened around his, holding on with everything she had in her.

In the face of so much loss that neither had even begun to process, they held each other close. As he found a rhythm, so slow and gentle, she only held on tighter. Her breath caught in her lungs and a whimper tumbled from her parted lips, her chest aching at the thought of their children, split between Galactica and Colonial One but safe. Alive.

“Bill,” she gasped, her green eyes filling with tears.

“I know,” he whispered, his forehead pressed against hers. “We’re here.” The words were firm, punctuated by another thrust that made her body quiver. “I love you.” His own voice was shaky, tears starting to form.

One broke free and landed on her cheek, mixing with the trails left by hers.

“I love you too.” She pulled a hand free and wrapped her arm around him to keep him pressed against her, his weight and warmth grounding her to the present as they made love.

He groaned quietly and kissed her softly, using his newly freed hand to cup her face. His thumb stroked over her tearstained cheek and he held her gaze, no secrets between them. She had never felt more vulnerable—more loved—and he had never been more open. With a restrained moan, she bent her knees on either side of him and pulled her legs close, earning a groan from him when he thrusted into her again.

His motions stayed just as gentle, slowly rocking into her and delicately working their way toward release together. When her orgasm was finally within reach, it rolled over her in mellow, tender waves. His next few thrusts were a little harder, a little faster, just enough for him to follow her into their brief moment of bliss.

He collapsed on top of her and she kissed the side of his head, reluctantly closing her eyes and firmly squeezing his hand. He could’ve stayed there forever and she would’ve let him, but he rolled onto the mattress beside her and pulled her to his chest. The loss of her anchor made her whine, unable to ground herself as much beside him. Even with her leg pushed between his for additional contact, it wasn’t enough and she could feel the remains of the outside world creeping back in.

Realizing it couldn’t be pushed away any more, she let out a shaky breath. “I have to get back,” she said softly.

“You could stay,” he replied, his voice just as quiet.

“You know I can’t. You’ll have Lee and Kara.”

“I don’t like you and the girls alone over there.”

“We’re not alone. I can’t find time alone unless I’m in the bathroom and even then, Grace is usually right there.” The smallest, weakest of smiles tried to tug at her lips and lost.

“I’d feel better with you here.”

“Bill, your Marines make up my security team. We’re okay.” She didn’t believe the words and they left an uncomfortable pit in her stomach, but she needed to reassure him.

She was worried she only had so much time left to try.

“Frak, Laura.” He cleared his throat and looked down at her, his hand stroking along her spine.

She cupped his face and kissed him softly. “I love you.”

“Love you.”

He watched as she pulled back, her hesitation and displeasure obvious, and carefully left his rack. She didn’t look back at him as she gathered her clothes and redressed, but shoved her hosiery into the pocket of her blazer and folded it over her arm. Her eyes were still glassy when she turned back, lower lip caught between her teeth.

“Grace might need you to read her to sleep tonight,” she said softly.

“Call. Or I can get a Raptor,” he replied gently.

“At least,” she took a deep breath, “we’re together. It’s not retirement—the opposite, actually—but we’re closer than we’ve ever been.”

“Silver lining, huh?” He reached his hand out to her and she took it.

“I think it’s all that’s going to keep us sane.”

“Honey, we have four kids. I don’t think we’ve ever been entirely sane.” He smiled and rubbed her finger near her wedding ring. “Earth may not be real, but there’s something out there.”

“We all need something to hope for.”

She took a deep breath and returned his smile. “I’ll talk to you soon?”

“As soon as you’re back on your ship.” He squeezed her hand firmly and then let it go. “Goodnight, Madam President.”

She scowled briefly. “You are one of three people that still use my name.”

“President Adama has a nice sound to it.”

“It makes us sound like a dynasty. Especially with Lee as CAG now.” Her expression revealed that she had put more thought into the topic than she had shared and he sighed, unsure if it was because of their lack of time together or something more. “We need to be careful.”

“I know.” He pulled the sheets over his lap and slowly sat up. “The military and the government need to function as separate entities.”

“They will. The Commander and the President are separate from Bill and Laura. They have to be.” Her voice was firm and she fiddled with her glasses before she put them on.

“Which means we can’t bring work home.” He gave her a pointed look and she bit at her lip.

“As separate as possible,” she agreed. “Which is why I have to say that I know you don’t know where Earth is.”

“It could be military knowledge.” He raised an eyebrow.

She laughed softly. “Adar would’ve known something. No one knows where Earth is.”

“Maybe, but the hope is real. It’s not enough to just live, we need something to live for. If Earth does that, then it’s a worthy lie.” He watched her slowly gather herself, tucking Laura away beneath the political facade.

“It is.” She offered him a slight smile. “Say hi to Lee and Kara for me.”

“I will. Tell the girls I love them.”

“Goodnight, honey.” Her smile twisted as she turned away, stepping into her shoes and grabbing her briefcase before she left his quarters.

Chapter Text

The second hand on the clock quickly made its way around the circle, the minute hand creeping ever closer to the 33 minute mark that had been taped on the clock face. Laura honestly wasn’t sure who had even done it, but it made it easier to see how much time they had left. She felt drained down to her bones, somehow even deeper, and it took most of her attention just to run her fingers through Grace’s hair. Her daughter was half-asleep in her arms, one hand tangled in her blazer and the other tightly hugging her giraffe. She let her head rest against Grace’s and briefly closed her eyes; she knew there was no point in putting her to bed. The moment they jumped, she would be awake again anyway. This was the best compromise she had found for now, and a part of her was grateful to have her daughter so close. They still had a few minutes and she could feel sleep drawing at her. The handful of minutes she had napped during the last cycle had hurt more than they had helped, and she could only imagine how Lia, Grace, and Zak felt.

“Uh, Madam President?” Billy cleared his throat, but his voice was still a little hoarse. “Do you have a moment?”

Her eyes blinked open and it took an extra second before they could focus. “I do,” she sighed, her hand moving to Grace’s arm.

The bags under Billy’s eyes seemed darker than anyone’s, but she hadn’t looked in a mirror recently to know her own. By the way Zak watched her, she assumed she looked nearly as bad.

“Mama?” Grace mumbled sleepily as she shifted and stretched in her lap.

“I’ll be right back,” Laura murmured.

She groaned quietly as she stood up with Grace and turned to settle her in the chair, then followed Billy a few steps away. They barely managed to finish their conversation before the next jump and her hand automatically reached out to brace herself against his arm. She knew it was the lack of sleep making her nauseous, but the jumps didn’t help. As she started back toward her desk, Zak suddenly appeared and gently grabbed her arm.

“Mom, will you go lay down?” He looked her over and she immediately waved him off.

“Lia’s napping and I have things to do.” She managed a tight smile.

“You’ve barely slept since this all started.” He gestured around them and his concern only grew.

“None of us have,” she pointed out.

He stared at her silently for a moment. “I’ll call Dad,” he warned.

She let out a short laugh and rubbed his arm. “You can try, honey. He’s been trying for years.”

He reluctantly dropped his hand and sighed. “Are you okay? Really?”

“If we can stop the Cylons from arriving every half an hour, I will be,” she reassured him.

“And if we don’t?”

“Then we have much bigger problems to worry about.” Her smile turned grim before she walked toward a now awake Grace.

Bill leaned against the console and fought to keep his eyes open, worried that if they closed for too long, he would fall asleep. The nap he had taken the last cycle hadn’t done much to help and he scrubbed his hands over his face and prickly beard, his eyes meeting Saul’s as their last minute ticked down. To no one’s surprise but everyone’s dismay, the DRADIS lit up as time ran out, and Bill waved his hand toward Dee to coordinate with the fleet to jump.

“FTLs are spinning up,” she responded after a moment. “Colonial One reports that they’re having problems, sir.”

He pushed himself upright immediately and turned around to face her. “Get me Captain Carr.”

She went quiet and then said, “FTL is up and functioning, sir. And they’re away. I can connect you on the other side?”

He shook his head and forced himself to take a deep breath. “I want the President as soon as we jump.”

“Yes, sir.”

He turned back to the DRADIS, holding his breath as he waited for the last of the Vipers to land. Galactica jumped right after and he already had his hand on the wireless receiver, grunting when Dee informed him the call went through.

“What happened?” he demanded, but his voice was quiet.

Laura sighed and pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose. “Something with the FTL drive; Zak could explain it better.” Her eyes moved to their son stretched out in a chair with Grace drifting off to sleep again beside him. “We’re okay.”

“Have you slept?”

She laughed softly. “Have any of us? Grace is about asleep, Lia’s napping. Zak might be out soon too.” A slight smile lifted her lips. “We can’t keep jumping forever.”

“I know. I’m working on a plan we can try in a few cycles.” He shook his head. “If your ship has any more issues, dock it as quickly as you can.”

“We’re okay.” Billy approached her with a stack of papers and she wrinkled her nose. “I have to go. Love you.”

“Love you,” he murmured.

They had decided that professionalism could be ignored in some situations. A quiet exchange of affection when they didn’t know when they would see each other again would be permissible, given the circumstances.

He took a deep breath and replaced the handset, his eyes scanning the CIC. “Sitrep,” he ordered.

By the time the Olympic Carrier was destroyed, Laura didn’t think she could stand up even if she wanted to. Lia and Grace had managed more sleep than anyone, which wasn’t saying much, and Laura wondered how exhausted she looked based on the sight of Zak and Billy in front of her. Lia and Grace had finally crashed and she left them alone to sleep as long as they could. She hoped to do the same and then see her husband when they woke. It had been too hard and too unnecessary to travel between ships while constantly jumping, and none of them had seen Bill or Kara in days.

When they eventually woke again and arranged a shuttle back to Galactica, the flight was quiet and tense. She sent the girls off with Zak to check on Lee and Kara while she headed to find her husband.

He was already waiting outside the hatch when she walked up and his arm encircled her waist to guide her inside. She gratefully leaned into him and followed him to the couch, relieved to have something more comfortable to settle into. Her head ended up in his lap with his fingers gently combing through her hair. If her mind wasn’t racing so quickly, it would’ve lulled her to sleep. To further avoid it, she forced her eyes open and looked up at him.

“What are we going to do with the girls?” she asked quietly.

His fingers paused. “What do you mean?”

“They need to see you, spend time with you, and there’s no room here for them. Let alone if we’re all here.” With a small wave of her hand, she gestured to his quarters. “Who knows how long we’ll be out here.”

He stayed quiet for a moment as he considered her words. “Guest quarters were set aside for you originally. It’s close enough and plenty of room for a second bed, plus their own head.”

“I don’t know that I like that…” She started to sit up, but he gently pressed down on her shoulder to stop her.

“They’ll have a Marine guard and access to the wireless; they’ll be just as safe as they would be here,” he reassured her.

“I feel like we’re drafting up a custody arrangement.” She frowned but settled back against him. “They can’t just go back and forth as they please.”

“We’ll figure it out, Laura. And we should talk it over with them.” He raised an eyebrow and released her hair to stroke up and down her arm. “But not tonight. They’re safe with their brothers for now.”

“I’m sorry we can’t take the easy option.” Her eyes closed again and she let out a long breath.

“How much sleep have you gotten since we stopped jumping?” he asked, the subject change forcing her eyes open.

“A few hours.” She offered a small shrug. “Grace isn’t sleeping well.”

“Why didn’t you call?” His brow furrowed and his fingers began to gently massage her arm.

“It was late, I assumed you were asleep, and there wasn’t much you could do,” she answered simply.

“Laura,” he sighed. “You need your sleep more than anyone.”

She scowled and turned her head to look at the room. “We need to tell them, don’t we?”

“We do.” His hand finally fell still, fingers curled around her thin arm.

“Let me talk to Cottle first, please.” She bit her lip and shook her head.

He gently nudged her shoulder. “C’mon, let’s get some sleep and then I’ll fly you back.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He bent down to kiss her forehead, already gathering her in his arms to stand.

The next time she managed to get to Galactica with only Billy, she reluctantly made her way to Sick Bay. She found Cottle stretched out in a chair by the hatch, and he raised one bushy eyebrow when she walked in.

“Madam President,” he grunted, but made no effort to stand. “I don’t have time for a social visit.”

“This isn’t a social visit,” she said softly as she wrung her hands in front of herself.

Concern flickered across his face and he quickly put his cigarette out as he stood up. “What’s wrong?”

Worriedly, she glanced around the room. It was quiet, but she was too worried about the news getting out. Understanding her concern, he gestured into the nearest examining room and pulled the curtains closed behind him.

He looked her over and raised an eyebrow again. “Last I heard, you’re not expecting.”

A nervous laugh escaped her and she leaned against the bed. “I would almost rather that be the case,” she admitted. “Before I left Caprica,” she paused to take a deep breath, “I was informed that I have breast cancer. Seeing as I can’t return to that doctor, and I didn’t much like him anyway, I’d like your professional opinion.”

“I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and nodded. “We’ll do some bloodwork, get a couple scans, and see what we’re dealing with. Does the Commander know?”

“He does. The kids don’t.” She looked down at her hands and picked at a loose piece of skin near her nail. “I want to know what we’re dealing with first.”

“You have a family history of cancer, don’t you?” His usual gruff demeanor had been replaced by cautious concern.

“My mother died of breast cancer. Watched her suffer through Doloxan for two years until she died just before Lia was born.” She let out a slow breath. Even all these years later, it wasn’t a road she liked to tread down.

“You have time for everything now?” he asked, already reaching for gloves. She hummed and accepted the gown he offered her. “I’ll send the nurse over shortly.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, her hands beginning to shake with her anxiety.

By the next morning, Cottle had confirmed that the tumor was a little larger than it had originally seemed, and he was concerned it was too dense to remove surgically. With the second opinion on her diagnosis and the treatment options laid out, she knew they couldn’t avoid telling the kids any longer. She let Bill handle coordinating their family; she was overwhelmed by the fear that hung over her the entire time. It loomed closer than her own shadow and made her feel like a terrified groundhog. The ghost of the Olympic Carrier only weighed her down too, the small scrap of paper in her pocket doing little to reassure her.

She sat in Bill’s quarters with her hands resting on her leg that was crossed over the other, her thumb anxiously fiddling with her wedding ring. Most of her attention was focused on her lap, but she was aware of Lia shifting uncomfortably on the couch. Grace was occupied with the book she was reading with Zak, and Bill was watching her unwaveringly.

“Mom, are you gonna tell us what’s wrong?” Lia stared at her with as much concern as her father.

“Nothing’s wrong,” she replied automatically, but she couldn’t hide her flinch at the lie. “As soon as Lee and Kara get here, we’ll talk.”

Bill stretched his arm across the table toward her, but she was too far away and didn’t meet him halfway, her anxious fiddling only growing worse.

Finally, Lee and Kara came through the hatch, already serious but growing worried as they joined their siblings. Zak set the book aside and Lee leaned forward.

“What’s going on?” Lee asked, looking between them.

Laura opened her mouth, but no words came out and she could only look at her husband, at a complete loss for words. He looked back and wished she’d lean closer so he could touch and reassure her. Tears started to form and she held her hands to her chest, futilely trying to keep herself together.

“I, um…” She tried to clear a lump of emotion from her throat and licked her lips. The memory of sitting at her parents’ kitchen table as she learned of her mother’s cancer was too vivid in her head, followed by that last day in the hospital while pregnant with Lia. The thought of each of the people in the room going through the same thing stole her words, her breath. “I can’t,” she finally whispered, her eyes squeezing shut.

Bill was up immediately and rounded the table to kneel beside her, his hands covering hers and gently prying them free. He could see the tears leaking from the corner of her eyes and he sighed, squeezing her hands reassuringly.

“Oh, my gods, what’s wrong? Dad?” Lia’s voice shook, but it still wasn’t enough to pull Laura from the hole she was falling into.

He cleared his throat and looked at each of them in turn. “Doctor Cottle confirmed yesterday that your mother has breast cancer,” he said, his voice just loud enough to be heard. He held his hand up to stop any questions before they started. “He’s optimistic, but you all deserve to know.”

Lee and Kara sat quietly, and Zak looked painfully contemplative. Grace stared at them with her brow furrowed in confusion, but Lia’s blue eyes filled with tears as her expression contorted.

“Is she gonna die?” she asked quietly.

“We’re optimistic that treatment will help,” he repeated, “but it’s still something we need to take seriously.”

Laura bit back a sob, but Lia let hers out. Torn between comforting his wife and his daughter, he held his hand out to Lia. She didn’t move, but shook her head and leaned into Zak’s side.

“Mama’s dying?” Grace asked, tears of her own starting to appear. Even if she didn’t fully understand, she knew enough.

“We’re going to do everything we can to get her better, okay? I know we don’t have a lot of information right now, but we’ll tell you anything new we learn.” He forced his eyes away to look at Laura, the sight of her crumpling composure tugging painfully on his heartstrings.

“So, what do we do?” Lee stood up and began to pace the area in front of the hatch.

“We keep it confidential, first and foremost. It’s not something the fleet needs to know about yet.” Bill squeezed her hands again and sighed. “Otherwise, we face each day like we would anyway.”

As the kids’ questions continued, Laura was slowly able to gather herself enough to answer some of them. It was obvious how much it drained her, the last few days doing nothing to help. Even when his knees began to ache, he stayed right by her side. She relied on it, needed it. When everyone finally fell quiet, Bill reluctantly dismissed them. Despite how physically and mentally exhausted she felt, she pushed herself to her feet and stepped away from him to hug her children tightly.

“I’m scared, Mama,” Lia confessed, her arms thrown around her neck.

“I know, baby, but I’m not going anywhere,” she said with a conviction she didn’t feel. “You really think Dad can handle you all without me?”

Lia laughed tearfully and shook her head. “Gods, no. Especially with Kara too.”

“Hey, I’m just one of the guys.” Kara came up behind her and wrapped her arm around Lia’s shoulders. “C’mon, kid, I got you a seat at the triad game tonight.”

Grateful for Kara’s levity, Laura managed a slight smile. “I don’t want to hear about it or know anything.”

“No problem.” The pilot grinned and leaned in to quickly hug her, pausing long enough to murmur, “If you need anything, I’m here.”

The girls left and Zak tried to convince Grace to join him, but she stayed stubbornly curled up on the couch. Waving them off, both Laura and Bill joined their youngest daughter. They had suspected she would need the most attention and neither were surprised to be right. When the three of them were alone, Grace sniffled and rubbed her eyes.

“Don’t go, Mama…”

“Oh, baby.” Laura sighed and brushed her fingers through her daughter’s hair. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

“Am I gonna get sick too?” She looked up, her lower lip trembling.

She hesitated. With no intentions of explaining genetics to her and the risk both her and Lia carried, she shook her head. “No, Grace, no. No one else will get sick. And you won’t even know that I’m sick. I look just fine, don’t I?”

Grace hesitantly nodded. “You look pretty,” she said as she reached up for a strand of Laura’s hair.

“Thank you.” She took her hand and shifted closer until Grace was gently wedged between her and Bill. “Daddy promised to show you the CIC, didn’t he?”

It took her a moment to let go of her sadness, but then her eyes lit up and she nodded quickly. “He did! You did!”

“Alright, we’ll go,” he agreed. “Put your things away first.”

She obediently got up and grabbed her book and coloring pages she had been using earlier, and disappeared into the next room. Bill’s attention quickly shifted to his wife and he leaned over to take her hand.

“How are you holding up?” he probed quietly.

“Hm.” She shook her head slightly. “Do you feel like we’re lying to them?”

“No.”

“Bill…”

“Cottle is optimistic and we’re going to do everything we can. That’s the truth.” His expression hardened as his stubbornness took over. “Come with us to the CIC.”

She squeezed his hand. “No, I have a few things I need to do, and maybe she’ll open up a little more to you.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone.”

“I’m a big girl.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you,” he murmured as Grace returned. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go see the CIC.”

There was a rapid shift within the Adama family. Grace was somehow clingier than ever while Zak and Lia learned how to hover from their father. Laura could never wander far within her own ship without having someone else there and it didn’t take long for her to grow tired of her chaperones. Even on Galactica, she was always followed by at least one Marine guard, usually two, and Billy along with the kids. She tried to keep her frustration under wraps, knowing her family all acted out of concern, and it made her think too hard about how things had changed after her mother’s diagnosis.

With a quiet sigh, she pushed herself upright. It was the first night since the attacks that Grace hadn’t slept with her and a part of her appreciated the quiet night it had produced; she was reluctant to leave the solitude now for whatever the day would bring.

Lia interrupted her before she could even get out of bed. “Mama!”

After another sigh and silent prayer for patience, Laura stood up and threw the blankets back to make her bed. She turned just as her daughter rushed into the room, her unbrushed hair giving her a reddish halo.

“Mom!” she repeated.

“I’m right here; you don’t have to shout.” She shivered and pulled her robe on. “What do you need? Why are you awake?”

“I wanted to go with you to Galactica, but all my clothes are dirty.” She pouted and threw herself onto the bed.

“Just wear something, honey, and we’ll talk to Dad about laundry. I think it’s pretty low on our list of priorities right now,” she explained patiently.

“Maybe on yours. Do you have something that I can wear?” Her daughter looked up at her, her blue eyes wide and tired.

“Unless you want to wear something business casual, no.” She sat down beside her and rubbed her arm. “We’re going to have to get used to things being a lot different.”

Lia groaned and looked up at her. “How are you so calm and fine with everything?”

She thought about it for a moment and pursed her lips. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “Dad keeps telling me to take things a day at a time and maybe I’m finally starting to listen to him. We should look into getting a school up and running. Students still need to be educated and it would give you and Grace something to do.”

“School, really? Our homes are destroyed and we’re on the run, and you’re still gonna make us go to school?” She groaned again.

Laura raised an eyebrow. “Scientists need school. Sorry, sweetheart,” she said as she stood back up. “Find something to wear and get ready, please.”

“What are you wearing?”

“Seeing as I apparently only have three suits for the rest of my life, probably one of those,” she quipped with a teasing smile.

“Oh, my gods, Mom, you’re not helpful,” Lia complained as she stood up and dragged herself toward her room.

Laura only smiled and watched her go, comforted to know that even at the end of the worlds, teenagers would still be teenagers. She had a feeling that same driving force was pushing her husband and his desire to show off his ship.

Grace and Zak were still sleeping as Colonial One prepared to dock. Laura, Lia, and Billy had a small quiet breakfast before they both disappeared and left Laura alone. She took the opportunity to check on Zak and Grace and returned to her office, the view of Galactica through the windows and the sounds telling her that they had almost there.

Billy came through the doorway, Lia a few steps behind him. “Excuse me, Madam President, we’ve arrived,” he told her.

She wrinkled her nose; the chance to watch Bill grandstand the crew and ship he worked so hard for excited her, but she wasn’t looking forward to the pomp and circumstance of the whole show. “Please don’t tell me that we have to go through this every time I step on that ship.”

He shook his head quickly. “No, ma’am, but they will always render honors for your arrival, as protocol.”

“You know how much Dad loves protocol.” Lia laughed and tousled her hair.

“Well, I’m sure that if they knew you didn’t like it, they’d be willing to–” Billy started.

Laura shook her head and stifled a laugh behind her hand, but it was still enough to stop Billy from finishing. “Commander Adama is making a gesture, both as a military leader and my husband.”

“You have to let him get it out of his system, Mom.” Lia raised a knowing eyebrow and stared at her.

“I know, I know.” She waved her comment off and pulled her blazer on. “You might be onto something about clothes, honey. I think I’m going to get tired of this outfit.”

Billy blushed and looked at her, then looked away. “It looks fine.”

Laura’s eyebrow shot up. “Fine?”

His blush darkened as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, it looks… great.”

She watched him for a moment with a teasing smile. “You don’t know anything about women, do you?”

Ignoring her, he gestured toward the doorway. “Shall we?”

Smoothing out her skirt one last time, she nodded and looped her arm through Lia’s. “Let’s go be presidential.”

The honors were as stuffy and full of protocol as she expected them to be, but she was able to relax once they made it to the CIC. Watching Bill in a less dangerous form of action left a smile on her face and she could tell their daughter was enjoying it even more beside her. Bill watched them as much as he could while still remaining focused on his task, elated at the chance to really flaunt the Old Girl for his wife and daughter. Over the years, he had heard a few crew members dare to refer to his wife as the Old Lady, but everyone really knew it was Galactica, and his wife was Mrs. Adama or Madam Secretary. It had been a dream of his since he had first become XO, then taken command of the Valkyrie, and now it was a dream come true.

The dream shifted to a nightmare as the morning unfolded, until Lia was sent off to wait in his quarters while they dealt with the arising water crisis. Things were tense just across Galactica’s crew, and Laura knew things would quickly spread through the entire fleet. She was also realizing the complexities of working alongside her husband, and not always while on the same side of an issue. There were many things she didn’t know and hadn’t realized about his job, and several that he didn’t understand about hers. Communication wasn’t her strong suit, but keeping that line open would be crucial to maintaining their own relationship, let alone the cooperation between the Commander and the President.

By the end of the day, Galactica’s Marines had managed to stifle half a dozen riots and maintain a strained peace across the ships. It was tenuous at best, and only Boomer’s discovery of an icy planet stopped it from fraying further. It wasn’t a solution to all of their problems—it wouldn’t even solve the water issue until they figured out how to get the water to the fleet—but it was enough to keep them together for another day.

With one last task on Galactica before she found Lia and returned to Colonial One, Laura made her way down to the pilots’ bunks. Bill had cautioned her against it, but she sought Lee out anyway. The hatch was open, but she didn’t go inside, only leaning through it and waving to catch her son’s attention. Kara saw her first and grinned as she waved back.

“Lee, Mom’s here to pick you up,” the pilot teased.

Lee rolled his eyes and turned around, his annoyed look fading when he saw Laura. “Oh. Is everything okay?”

“Mhm. Do you have a moment?” She glanced around the room and couldn’t help but think of the years Bill had spent in a similar room. It made sense why he had always been excited for their bed when he got home.

“Uh, yeah.” He cleared his throat and pushed Kara out of his way, then led Laura a few steps down the corridor. “What’s wrong?”

“Dad said you’re struggling over your part in the Olympic Carrier disaster,” she said, deciding there was no use easing into it.

“Oh. He didn’t seem concerned when I mentioned it,” he admitted.

“He is. I am. I know how hard it is to live with making a decision like that.” She paused and lowered her voice. “I’m struggling with it too.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it. But a man… has to accept responsibility for his actions. He doesn’t second-guess the choices he makes.” Laura had never met Joseph Adama, but something told her he sounded a lot like Lee did now. “He lives with them. Every day.”

She slipped her hands into her pockets and studied him. The dark bags had finally faded from under his eyes as everyone had caught up on sleep, but there was a look in his eyes that she recognized. A look she worried he had learned from her. “Do you remember the unrest on Aerilon a few years ago?” Lee nodded. “President Adar sent the Marines in to stop it. Fifteen people died. In public, of course, he had to say all the usual things. He was sure of what he’d done, made the right choice, stayed the course. But he knew it was a mistake and he kept the names of the dead in his desk drawer. He said that it was imperative for a leader to remember and learn from the mistakes even if they can’t admit to them publicly.”

It had been a rough few weeks for all of Adar’s cabinet. She remembered how worried Bill had been, how frustrated at being so far away. As Secretary of Education, her involvement had been minimal, but she knew how badly it had affected Adar and then rippled out. Grace had been sick the same week and she had watched most of the disaster from the confines of her office.

“Do you think we made a mistake?” he asked, interrupting her unwelcome reminiscing.

His question deserved her full consideration, and she had spent too much of her free time since giving the order doing just that. “I don’t know,” she confessed. “Even if we didn’t, they deserve to be remembered. I don’t have a desk drawer yet, but I have a pocket.” As she spoke, she extended her hand to show him the note she carried with her.

It bore the creases of being folded and refolded several times, but the name of the ship was still clearly visible. He stared at it and when his gaze returned to hers, she slipped it back into her pocket.

“We can only hope we’re doing the best we possibly can,” she continued softly. “You were given orders and you followed them. The fleet is safe from that threat and we move onto the next.”

“You’re starting to sound like Dad.” He made a face, but it faded quickly.

“Sometimes he’s right.” She briefly raised an eyebrow. “I have to get back to your sisters, but are you okay?”

“Me? Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Are you okay?” He looked her over and she let her hand rest on his shoulder for a moment.

“I’m adjusting,” she replied with a shrug, her hand dropping to her side. “We love you, you know.”

“I know.” He smiled, small but genuine. “I love you too.”

Kara stuck her head through the hatchway, still grinning. “If anyone cares, love you!”

“Oh, my gods, Kara,” Lee groaned.

Laura laughed and started back down the corridor toward her. “Love you too, Kara. Behave.”

“Aye, sir.” She saluted with a laugh of her own.

The discovery of the ice planet was only the start to their water solution. No matter how much she disliked Lee’s plan to let the prisoners of the Astral Queen mine the ice, she didn’t have a better suggestion. Bill liked the idea even less and made his opinion significantly more well known. Laura was more surprised the idea had come from Lee to begin with. She also wasn’t thrilled at the idea of sending Lee and Billy over to the prison ship, but they both had jobs to do and she knew they could and would do them well.

Bill’s day only went further south after his conversation with Baltar and he knew his wife would be displeased that he had given the eccentric scientist access to a thermonuclear bomb. He also knew it was his choice and that the Cylon detector was one of their top priorities, so he was willing to put up with her arguments on the topic. Wanting to get it over with sooner rather than later, and while things were quiet, he called her to Galactica and waited for her in his quarters.

Before she even made it, Gaeta summoned him to the CIC. He met her in the corridor and gestured for her to join him.

“What is it?” she asked as she fell into step beside him.

Operating on a gut instinct he wouldn’t have shared with anyone else, he said, “Trouble.”

Saul updated them as soon as they walked through the hatch. “You’re gonna want to hear this transmission from Astral Queen. We jammed it, but the fleet heard most of it.” He gestured to Gaeta to play the recording.

Laura recognized Tom Zarek’s voice almost immediately, but it took Bill a few more moments. They both leaned against the CnC in identical positions as they listened, his gaze focused on the DRADIS to monitor ship positions while her eyes wandered around the room.

“I speak for the former slaves on board the Astral Queen. We have control of the ship. The crew sent from Galactica are my prisoners; they will not be harmed. But I have two conditions before I release my captives. First, the dynasty which controls our fate and government is illegal and illegitimate, and it must submit to the will of the people. I demand the immediate resignation of Laura Adama and her ministers. Second, I demand free and open elections to choose a new leadership and a new government that represents all of the people. These demands are made not for me or for the former slaves held on this ship, but for you, the people, the survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanity’s future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of the new era.”

When she was sure it was over, she let out a low groan and looked at Saul, then Bill. “Trouble,” she agreed.

He waved his hand and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter,” she retorted. “He’s trying to bring down the government and he’s holding Lee hostage. Billy, Dee, and Cally too.”

“No one’s going to take it seriously.” He knew Zarek’s day had come and gone and they would talk him down before long.

“I would think you’d know more about public opinion by now.” She raised an eyebrow. “Tom Zarek is a name with weight, a very sympathetic figure, a legend, almost. Twenty years in prison over a matter of principle.”

Still unworried, he calmly looked back at her. “He’s a criminal and a terrorist; people aren’t gonna give him credence.”

A sigh slipped out and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t be so sure, Commander. Rebellions are contagious. People are already rioting over the water crisis. We can’t afford to destabilize this government right now.”

“I agree.”

She searched his face. “When are you going in?’

“I assumed you were gonna talk to him first.” His own eyebrow briefly shot up in surprise.

“We don’t negotiate with terrorists,” she reminded him.

“I said ‘talk’.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. What he wants, I can’t give him.” She unfolded one arm to reach up and fix her glasses.

“We’re gonna need time to get a strike team ready. Talking to Zarek gives us that time.” He glanced at Saul, a silent understanding passing between them that pushed his XO into motion.

“That’s what he wants. He wants legitimacy. He wants to be recognized. He wants his crimes validated. I watched President Adar offer him a full pardon if he’d apologize and give up violence as a means of political change. He refused, remember?. No commitments, no deals.”

“No commitments,” he agreed. “Hear him out, even if you don’t intend to deal. Whatever you have to do to buy us time.”

“No, you’ll have to figure something else out.” She sighed. “I have to go back to Colonial One. Why did you ask me over here originally?”

He shook his head. “Not important. We’ll talk about it after this.”

She narrowed her eyes but didn’t push, instead turning to head back to the shuttle.

Her concern only grew as the hostage situation continued, worsening even further when Bill informed her that Kara would be leading the strike team. The thought of having her son and aide as hostages while Kara tried to rescue them left her on edge and she had to fight the urge to keep the line open the entire time, knowing he had more important things to communicate.

Without Laura to distract Zarek as the Raptors made their way to the prison ship, Bill kept her warnings in mind and made the call himself. He nodded to Gaeta and held the handset against his ear.

“Zeus is calling,” Zarek said, his voice a little distant. “And where there’s Zeus, there’s bound to be Hera.” He cleared his throat and then his voice grew louder, clearer. “Commander Adama, Tom Zarek. How can I help you?”

“First, I wanna make sure that my people are unharmed,” Bill replied immediately.

There was the sound of shuffling and then Lee. “Uh, this is Apollo. I’m fine, so are the others. They’re located on the lower–”

Zarek cut him off. “That’s enough, thank you.”

He let his relief roll off him to stay focused on the mission. “I’m glad to hear that no one’s been hurt. That would have tragic consequences.”

“How long until you storm the ship?”

“I’m hoping that won’t be necessary. I think that you and I can come up with some kind of an understanding. This is not the only crisis that I’m dealing with. The water shortage affects the entire fleet.”

“Your men are on their way, even as we speak.”

“There’s still time to work this out.”

Zarek laughed. “Have your wife step down and call for elections.”

With no desire to hash out the intricate details of his personal and professional relationship with Laura, he only said, “That’s not gonna happen.”

“Then I look forward to meeting your men. Tell Hera to wait for me.” The connection ended and Bill shoved the headset back onto its cradle, hoping Starbuck could get the shot with minimal collateral damage.

As far as loss of life went, the operation was a success. One death, one injury, and everyone else walked away. At least until he informed his wife about the outcome. Deciding it was best done in person, he flew to Colonial One with Billy and Lee, trying not to stare at the marks of a fight on his son’s face.

When they arrived, Billy excused himself and left Bill and Lee to enter Laura’s office to find her sitting sideways at her desk to face Lia. She glanced over and Lia’s eyes lit up, but she didn’t move.

“Go say hi and then make sure Grace gets in the shower, please,” she said softly.

Lia didn’t hesitate, immediately rushing over to hug Bill and then gently hug Lee. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she told him. “Was it scary?”

“Not as scary as Mom’s about to be,” he muttered, making Bill hold back a snort.

“You’re screwed,” Lia agreed quietly. “May the gods be with you.” She looked up at her dad. “I think you’re in trouble too, but Mom won’t tell me why. Will I see you before you leave?”

Bill ruffled her hair and smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be back to say goodnight,” he promised.

She hurried off and Laura let her eyes wander over her injured son. Everything seemed superficial, if painful, and she felt at least that worry leave her shoulders. Lee waited a few moments before he cleared his throat and stepped forward to update her on the situation. Bill stayed quiet and as Lee continued, she slowly leaned against her desk. By the time he finished, her eyes were narrowed and she was staring at them over the rims of her glasses, her hands tightly folded in front of her.

“Gods, I don’t believe this.” Her head shook and she gave up on her glasses, tossing them to her desk.

“It’s unacceptable,” Bill agreed as he watched his son.

“It’s done. Prisoners have full control of the Astral Queen. We evac’ed all the guards and support personnel. It’s their ship,” he said with a shrug.

“They’re a threat to the entire fleet.” Bill paced toward the windows and felt his wife’s eyes on him.

“They’ve been disarmed. The ship itself has no weapons,” Lee protested.

“The ship itself is a weapon!” He threw his hands up and twisted around to look at him.

“They’re totally dependent on us for food, fuel, and they’ve agreed to organize the workforce for the water detail on the moon.” He looked between them.

Laura let out a long, careful breath. “You’ve committed me to holding elections within the year.”

He hesitated. “With respect, you’re serving out the remainder of President Adar’s term. When that term is up in seven months, the law says there’s an election. I only committed you to obeying the law.”

An election meant a chance for an actual retirement. A chance to lead a school on Galactica and actually be with her husband and children, but she was surprised by the odd feeling she felt about passing along the presidency. It still remained that very few people alive had any political experience and she feared the problems that could cause. They weren’t dealing with simple political opinions anymore, but life and death.

“You are not authorized to make any deal–” She stopped talking when Bill spoke over her.

“You sound like some kind of a lawyer.” He knew exactly who Lee sounded like and it made him grimace.

“I swore an oath to defend the Articles,” Lee said. “The Articles say there’s an election in seven months. Now, if you’re telling me we’re throwing out the law, then I’m not a captain, you’re not a commander, and you are not the President, and I don’t owe either of you a damned explanation for anything.” His voice was passionate but firm, and it caught them both off guard.

Lee had a point and Laura knew it, even if she didn’t like it. “He’s your son,” she muttered, knowing it all came from the Adama lineage.

“He’s your son too,” Bill shot back, well aware of how stubborn his wife was.

They shared a look and then she returned her gaze to Lee. “An election…”

They were all silent for several moments until Bill excused himself with, “I’ll go check on the girls.”

The silence lingered after he left and Lee shuffled where he stood. Laura stood up, but stopped at his voice. “I hope you understand I wasn’t being disloyal.”

A slight smile formed on her lips. “You’re upholding the law, I know. I admire it. And standing up to your father.”

“And you,” he said with a nervous smile. “I believe in what you’re doing and, for what it’s worth, seven months from now, you’ll have my vote.”

His words took her by surprise and she found herself unable to say anything at first. “Thank you,” she finally murmured. “That means a lot to me, Lee.”

“I should get back…”

She hummed. “I understand. I’m glad you’re okay.” She pushed her chair in and leaned against it. “Get back safely.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

When he was gone, she left her blazer on her chair and followed after her husband. He walked out of the head with Grace bundled in a towel as she entered the room, and she smiled tiredly.

“All clean?” she asked, her eyes roaming over both of them.

“Oh, she enjoyed her mud bath.” He smiled back and shifted his hold on their daughter who giggled.

“It wasn’t a mud bath, Daddy!” She wriggled in his arms until he put her down and she ran off to get changed.

Laura watched her and stepped closer to Bill; he wrapped an arm around her and she leaned into his side. “I didn’t think I’d ever have to put up with another election,” she admitted softly.

“Are you sure it’s what you want?” He didn’t look at her, their attention both on Lia who was curled up on the couch reading.

“It’s the law—Lee is right.”

He grumbled for a moment and then tightened his arm. “He’s gonna turn out more like my father or you.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” she murmured.

“One lawyer and one politician is enough in this family.”

“And yet three of you are in the military.” She looked up at him with a gently pointed gaze. When she saw that was as far as their conversation would go, she patted his arm. “Come on, let’s enjoy the four of us being together before you have to leave.”

He relented almost immediately and allowed her to lead them toward Grace as she finished getting ready. Laura settled on the bed with her and Bill in a chair beside them. Lia joined them as Laura combed through her youngest daughter’s hair and then tucked her in. She stretched out beside her and rubbed her back while Bill read the next chapter in her book. He wasn’t surprised when his wife drifted off almost as quickly as Grace, and he looked up to find Lia sleepy too.

“Go to bed,” he suggested quietly, leaning over to set the book aside.

She yawned and got up to kiss his cheek. “Night, Dad,” she mumbled. “Is Mama sleeping in here?”

“No, I’ll get her to bed.” He looked his wife over, relieved to see how relaxed she was asleep. “Goodnight, sweetheart.” He got up and kissed Lia’s forehead after she was curled up in her bed, then returned to Grace and Laura. Trying to disturb them as little as possible, he stroked her arm and gently squeezed it. “Let’s get you to bed, honey,” he murmured.

She stirred from her light sleep easily and looked up at him, squinting without her glasses. “I fell asleep…” she said, her words slurred by her slumber.

“You did.” He laughed softly and took her hand to help her up.

Before they left, she made sure both girls were tucked in and okay, and then allowed him to lead her from the room and through the ship to hers.

Chapter Text

Lia easily kept pace with her father, excitement almost making her overtake him. He was quiet beside her, but there was a smile trying to tug at his lips that he didn’t fight. Everyone needed something to celebrate and for today, it was his pilots and a thousandth landing. Curious about the ritual, Lia had joined him and they were running late to get Kara and Lee. She rushed down the steps first and he followed a moment later, his eyebrow arching up when he saw that his top pilots were still working.

“You’re not ready yet?” He looked between them and shook his head

Lee jumped in surprise and his hand hit the can of red paint, sending it to the ground. A few splatters hit Lia’s pants and shoes, and sent both her and Kara into hysterical laughter.

“Somebody’s gonna have to pick that up,” Bill grumbled, his eyebrow arching up. He was relieved to see them so relaxed, but also knew they’d easily forget about the mess and not clean it up.

“Younger sister problems,” Lee laughed, his hand waving toward Lia as he picked up the painted helmet.

“It wasn’t my fault!” Lia grabbed the rag Kara had been about to set down and threw it at him instead.

“Let’s go, come on.” Bill shook his head and left the room, knowing the three of them would follow.

When they caught up, he let them move ahead so he could keep an eye on them. Lia led the way and Lee held onto the helmet while Kara could barely keep her laughter in.

“So, the Commander ever tell you what happened on his thousandth landing?” she asked with a grin, her hand reaching out to nudge Lia’s shoulder.

Bill’s eyebrow shot up again. “I don’t remember telling you about what I did.”

“Laura told me.” She glanced back at him and continued, “He’s landing on the Atlantia, and he’s been having this ongoing fight with the LSO. So, he decides he’s gonna really stick it to him good, right?”

He regretted ever telling his wife that story, though he had loved how hard she had laughed. “This has all been over-exaggerated…”

“So, he skids to a stop on the flight deck and the LSO hears over the wire, there’s this big, loud, long, obnoxious…” Kara made a loud fart noise with her hand that sent Lee and Lia into even louder laughter.

“Dad, oh my gods!” Lia managed, slowing her steps so she walked by him.

“I was young,” he sighed.

“Oh, no, it was great, it was really funny,” Kara laughed. “The LSO’s freakin’ out. Your dad doesn’t care because he hates the guy and he figures he can get away with it anyway ’cause it’s his thousandth landing, ‘I can get away with anything today!’”

“That doesn’t sound like you at all, Dad.” Lia looped her arm through his and hung onto him.

Before he could respond, an explosion rocked the ship. The lights flickered and Gaeta’s voice immediately came over the PA system. “Attention. Fire on the port hanger deck. Away the fire and rescue team.”

Bill’s heart dropped and he tightened his hold on Lia’s arm. “Go to my quarters,” he ordered, then gestured to Lee and Kara. “Let’s go.”

Lia let go but started to run with them. “I’m staying, Dad.”

With no time to argue, he didn’t stop her.

When Laura got the news of an accident on Galactica that involved injured pilots, she couldn’t breathe. Her fingers clung to the arms of her chair as she struggled to inhale, vaguely aware of Billy watching her in concern. She took a shallow breath and managed to nod, hoping it was reassuring enough.

“As soon as I have more information, Madam President, I’ll let you know,” he promised.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes closing for a moment.

Slowly, fear released its hold on her until she was able to breathe normally and let go of the armrests. Her fingers ached and she wrung them nervously, but there were too many things to be done for her to worry about her family. Knowing Grace and Zak were safe and with her was enough for her to hold onto and shift her focus back to work. When the phone rang an hour later, she answered immediately with no hesitation.

“Laura.”

Relief coursed through her and she had to lean forward against her desk. “Bill,” she sighed. “Are you okay? The kids? What happened?”

“Poorly maintained equipment.” He grunted and looked at Lia curled up on the couch. “Kids are okay, I’m okay, but we lost thirteen pilots.”

“Frak.” She let out a breath and her eyes closed. “I’m so sorry.”

“Services are tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll be there, honey.” She forced herself to sit upright. “How bad?”

“Bad.” He swallowed and let his head rest against the bulkhead. “Reminds me of your sisters,” he admitted. “Of Izzy.”

There was very little they didn’t talk about, but he respected her silence about her parents and sisters just as she respected his about Izzy. It was the first time he had even said her name aloud since her funeral and she wished she was there to see his face.

Isabel Warren had been their neighbor’s daughter, friends with each of their children despite being closer to Zak’s age. She babysat for Lia and Grace many times and Bill had helped her apply to war college, all the way to flight school where she had met Kara. When Izzy and Kara started dating, Kara had been around just as often. Near the end of her program, an accident had taken Izzy’s life and devastated both families. Kara had stayed around, and a year after the funeral, she and Zak began dating; Izzy was never mentioned, but never forgotten either. Laura knew Bill and the boys had taken it the hardest. Grace was too young and it hadn’t affected Lia as much, but she could see the misplaced guilt that her husband wore, even now.

“It wasn’t your fault, you know,” she murmured. “No one blames you but you.”

He ignored her. “Lia’s ready to come back. Boomer offered to fly her.”

“That’s fine,” she sighed, knowing she couldn’t push him to talk more and especially not over the phone. “I’ll see you in the morning?”

“1100 hours. Don’t bring the girls…”

“I won’t; I’ll be there by 10. I love you.”

“Love you.” He quickly hung up and immediately called for Boomer to get Lia back to Colonial One.

The next morning, Laura stood on the forward hanger deck beside her husband. She didn’t care that the rest of the civilians present were off to one side and remained on Bill’s left with her hands loosely folded in front of her, surveying the number of flag-covered bodies in the airlock. Most of them, she hadn’t known personally, but she knew them through Bill and any loss of life was something to be mourned, especially with so few of them left.

Bill hadn’t opened up to her during their quiet breakfast and she wasn’t surprised when he left the hangar deck without a word. Neither Kara nor Lee seemed inclined to acknowledge her and she left them to their mourning, instead retreating to the Wardroom. She was hesitant to leave Galactica, but she had things to do. Trying to restart an education system within the fleet and considering a new Quorum of Twelve on top of everything else on her plate left little downtime.

Alone in the Wardroom was the most peace Laura had found in days. The quiet was almost more distracting than the usual activity of Colonial One, and she was grateful when the hatch opened to let Lee in. He hesitated just inside, but she lowered her report and waved him further in. The look on his face concerned her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

“Uh.” He had changed out of his dress greys, but still looked just as stiff. “Will you check on Dad?”

Her brow furrowed and she repeated her question.

“It’s not my place to say,” he admitted, refusing to meet her eyes. “I just think someone should be with him.”

She slowly closed her folder and folded her hands on top of it. “This has to do with Kara?” Dee had summoned her to Bill’s quarters over the PA and it had caught her attention.

“Yeah.”

She nodded and gathered her things. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Thank you.” He turned and walked out, leaving the hatch open behind him.

She followed a few minutes later with her reports tucked under her arm. As she walked down the final corridor, she watched Kara scramble through the hatch, sniffling and wiping at her eyes. She didn’t notice her and Laura reached out to stop her, her fingers gripping her arm.

“Kara. Kara, hey, what’s going on?” Her voice was gentle, but she didn’t loosen her hold.

“I have to go,” the pilot mumbled, yanking her arm free. She rushed off before Laura could say anything else.

Worried about what she was walking into, she steeled herself before she entered her husband’s cabin, eyes immediately scanning for him. She found him sitting on the edge of his desk, tears on his cheeks.

“Oh, Bill,” she sighed, letting her reports fall to the chair so she could cup his face. “Talk to me.”

He pulled back and wiped at his eyes, refusing to meet hers just like Lee. His mind was whirling, anger and sadness at war in his head and heart. “I have things to do.”

“Bullshit.” Her tone had a sharp edge to it that made him look up, but he only saw her worry. “Is this about Izzy? Or your pilots?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Laura.” He gently pushed her back so he could stand up, but she refused to move.

“When I have Lee asking me to check on you and Kara running from here in tears, I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.” There was little space between them, but they both stayed right where they were.

“Is that an order, Madam President?”

“Don’t do that.”

He stared at her and she took the opportunity to study him as deeply as she could, the torment in his watery eyes stealing her breath. “Izzy didn’t pass Basic Flight,” he finally said, his voice breaking. “Starbuck passed her because they were dating. She wasn’t ready to be in that cockpit and it killed her.”

Everything started to connect and Laura’s eyes closed. She turned away to gather herself, but his hand found hers and pulled her back. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured, unsure of what else to say. “Oh, my gods.”

Her arm wound around his middle and she reached up to hold his head as he hugged her tightly. He buried his face in her hair and she held him close, feeling as he finally let go of his emotions. There wasn’t time to let everything out, but a significant weight from the last few years fell off his chest until he finally stepped back and let out a shaky breath.

“I need to go,” he sighed.

“Bill…”

He shook his head and cleared his throat. “Starbuck is taking the nuggets on a training run. I need to be in the CIC.”

“I’d like to come with you.” She left it as a request, not wanting to overwhelm him.

“Can’t promise any excitement.” He attempted a smile but didn’t get far.

“I’d like a quiet day.”

“Gimme a minute, then.”

While he threw water on his face to freshen up, she fixed her hair and clothes, both as prepared as possible to head to the CIC.

She stayed quiet and out of the way, listening as Starbuck guided the reinstated nuggets. Her children alone on Colonial One worried her, but she trusted Billy and Zak to keep an eye on the girls and knew Captain Carr would be ready to do anything to keep the ship safe too. It was still painful to stand by and do nothing while Starbuck and then Hotdog fought the incoming Raiders, knowing she was completely helpless to do anything. The look she caught in Bill’s eyes showed he felt the same way.

As Starbuck’s Viper disappeared from DRADIS, Dee cleared her throat and said, “Starbuck’s wireless and transponder just cut out.”

“Alert one, we spotted Hotdog. No I.D. or visual on Starbuck,” the Viper leader called out over comms.

Laura immediately stepped up to the CnC between Bill and Saul, eyes focused on the screens she still barely understood. A hush had fallen over the room and it seemed like no one breathed for several minutes.

“Dee, I want the Vipers searching Starbuck’s last known location and I want Hotdog as soon as he’s back on board.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Galactica, Boomer. Hotdog’s aboard,” the Raptor pilot said, breaking some of the tension. ”No sign of Starbuck, he says she was hit. Still in the fight when he lost track of her.”

“Roger that, Boomer. Search and rescue ops are underway for Starbuck. Bring Hotdog in, the Old Man wants to talk to him,” Dee replied, her eyes briefly meeting Laura’s and then Bill’s.

He turned to look at her, surprised to see her so close. “She’s alive,” he said firmly.

“You’ll find her,” she agreed. “I’ll go back to Colonial One and coordinate with the other captains, see if any of them will lend their ships to the search.”

“Thank you.” He cleared his throat and briefly rested his hand on her arm.

“Good luck,” she managed. He had always carried a level of denial she could never understand, and she prayed it didn’t hurt him now.

“I’ll walk you to the hangar deck,” he offered, extending his arm.

She took it without hesitation and scanned the CIC again before he led her out. They didn’t talk until she stood on the wing of Boomer’s Raptor, the pilot standing beside her.

“Get her back safely and then join the search,” Bill ordered, his fingers still gripping Laura’s.

“Yes, sir,” Boomer responded. “Ma’am?”

Laura nodded and squeezed his hand. “Keep me updated. I love you.”

“I will try. Love you.” He squeezed back and then let her go.

When she returned to her ship, she sighed as she walked into her office and found Baltar waiting for her. He stood up as she approached and held out a stack of papers.

“Thank you,” she said as she accepted them and sank into her chair. She had hoped to see her children first, but had forgotten she had agreed to meet Baltar to review his request for supplies for his lab.

“So, it looks like we’re gonna be staying here for a while,” he commented.

She reached for her pen and began to review the requisition, only watching him from the corner of her eye. When he raised his hand, she arched an eyebrow and glanced up. “You all right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, it’s, um,” he answered quickly before trailing off.

Deciding to ignore him, she refocused on what she was reading. He mumbled something, but she didn’t pay attention to it, wanting to get him out of her office as quickly as possible. When she finished and signed off, he had a distant look in his eyes and didn’t react as she held the papers out.

“Doctor? Your requisition.”

“Thank you. Madam President.” He stood up and held the papers close, but turned back to look at her. “I, uh, I don’t mean to be impertinent, really, but, uh, do you honestly think this is wise? You are compromising the security of the entire fleet while we search for one solitary pilot.”

Her hands folded around her pen and she looked at him, trying to keep her face as blank as she could. “It is a risk, but those pilots put their lives on the line for us every day.”

“Yes, yeah, I was just saying that to, uh- I’m not insensitive to that, is what I’m saying. I happen to know the missing pilot personally.” He glanced between her and the wall enough times she wondered how he wasn’t dizzy.

“The missing pilot,” she said carefully, “is like a daughter to me. Commander Adama has considered all of this, but thank you for your concern, doctor.” Her eyebrows shot up.

“Yes, of course he has. Of course he has, thank you.” He hurried out and she stared after him, shaking her head slowly.

Half-expecting him to return, she waited a few moments and then dropped her pen, wanting to check on Lia and Grace while she had the time. Before she left the room, she called for Billy to reach out to the captains in the fleet.

The girls’ bedroom was quiet when she pushed through the curtain, unsurprised to find Grace and Lia at the table while Zak paced in front of the window. None of them looked up and she leaned her shoulder against the wall to watch them quietly. Whatever her son had done to convince the girls to study math had worked and she was impressed but concerned.

“Zak,” she finally called softly, worried he would wear a hole in her ship.

He barely glanced over and continued pacing.

“They’re going to find her,” she continued anyway. “Dad’s doing everything he can.”

“I know,” he mumbled, fiddling with his hands in front of himself.

“Is Kara really gonna be okay?” Lia asked, her own worry filling her voice.

“Dad’s looking for her. So is Lee.” She tried to smile reassuringly and patted Zak’s shoulder as she crossed the room to join them at the table. “What are you working on?”

“Zak made us do math.” Grace pouted and pushed her half-finished, handmade worksheet across the table. “I don’t wanna.”

“Math is important,” Laura reminded her, “especially since you’re going back to school soon.”

“Why can’t you teach us, Mama?”

“Because I haven’t been a teacher since Lia was little and I can’t be President, teacher, and mother.” She reached out and ran her fingers through her hair. “But I’ll still help you with homework. So will Dad.”

“What if we go missing like Kara?” Grace shifted in her seat and drew her legs close, arms tightly wrapped around them.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she sighed, her hand moving to cup her face. “That’s why we keep such a close eye on you. To keep you safe.” She glanced at Zak who had resumed his pacing and wrinkled her nose. “I have to get back to work, but do you want to come sit with me?”

“Can I come too?” Lia asked.

“Of course.” Laura smiled, a little more strongly, and stood up.

Grace ended up beside her at her desk and Lia sat across from them, both going back to their worksheets as Laura focused on the reports she had yet to finish. Her head rested in her hand for support, but also so she could keep an eye on the clock and her daughters. Zak asked for updates multiple times as the hours passed, but the information was lacking until Billy finally reappeared.

“Commander Adama has sent the parole Vipers to aid in the search for Lieutenant Thrace,” he explained hesitantly.

Laura sat up and sighed, tossing her glasses to her desk. “Get me Lee, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He sat at his desk and dialed Galactica. There was a pause until he said, “Hold for President Adama,” and then gestured to her phone.

One hand reached out to soothe Grace’s arm and the other picked up the phone. “How are you holding up?”

“Better than my Viper. We’re slapping one together from pieces of the others.” The amount of background noise told her he was likely in the hangar deck.

“I need your help. Do you know that your father just redeployed the CAP?” She worried at her lip as she waited for his response, wondering how he could even hear her.

“Uh, yes. It was my idea.” His hesitation was clear and her eyebrow arched in surprise.

“Your idea?” she repeated.

“We need every Viper we’ve got.”

She took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Now, maybe I’m missing something about the tactics involved here, but isn’t the fleet defenseless without the CAP?”

“Only for a short time. Because after that,” he stopped and took an audible deep breath, “because after that, Kara’s oxygen will be gone and she’ll be dead.”

“I know it’s Kara, but—”

He quickly stopped her. “We don’t leave anyone behind.”

“But we have left people behind, you know that.” He had been right by her side when he advised her to leave countless people behind and she had agreed.

“Not this time,” he said firmly. “Your FTL drive should be spun up and ready. Just make sure everyone is set to jump at the first sign of trouble.”

Realizing she could no longer handle this situation as a wife and mother, she straightened her back and let out a silent breath. “With all due respect, Captain, there are times when it is necessary for the safety of the fleet to–”

Once again, he stopped her. “Not this time. Madam President, we just haven’t exhausted all the options and the safety of the fleet has not been compromised.”

The use of her title caught her off guard and she struggled for words at first. “I hope you find her,” she managed.

“Thank you.” The call went dead, but she held onto the phone for another few seconds, her eyes closing as she tried to figure out what to do.

Shortly before the clock ran out on Kara’s oxygen, Laura sent the girls back to their room and Zak took Lia’s seat, unnaturally still as he watched her. She did her best to ignore him, but his eyes pierced right through her. The moment time ran out, she lifted the phone and reached out to her husband.

“Adama,” Bill grunted immediately. He didn’t sound as devastated as he thought she would and it made her brow furrow.

“I’m sorry,” she sighed, struggling to process the idea that Kara was gone.

“I think you’ve been misinformed,” he responded, an edge to his voice that worried her more than anything else. “We don’t know if Starbuck’s dead.”

“She’s out of oxygen, I thought.” Her brow deepened and she glanced at Zak who was still watching her intently.

“That’s an estimate. She may have a reserve supply. We’ll continue the search as long as there’s a chance she may be alive.”

“And how long will that be?” she asked hesitantly.

“Until I say stop. This is a military decision, Madam President. Thank you for your concern.” Just like his son, he hung up before she could say anything.

The use of her title by two members of her family left her chest tight and she calmly lowered the phone to its cradle. Billy was trying to be subtle about watching her, but he still did. She pursed her lips and stared at her folded hands for a minute, trying to push her personal concern out of the picture to focus on the fleet. No part of her wanted to leave Kara behind, especially if there was a chance she was still alive, but the fleet was spread out and defenseless, and the risk had grown too great for just one pilot. As much as it hurt, they had to protect the fleet.

“Billy,” she said softly, then cleared her throat to speak louder. “I need a shuttle to Galactica as soon as possible.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He pushed himself up and hurried out of the room.

“What are you doing?” Zak stood up too, but only leaned forward against her desk.

“I’m going to talk to your father,” she replied calmly.

“You’re gonna make him leave, aren’t you?”

“Zak,” she warned.

“We can’t leave her!” His eyes went wide, tears blurring his blue eyes and a few leaking down his cheeks. “We can’t!”

“And what happens if the Cylons show up? If a basestar jumps in the middle of the fleet, they can take out Galactica and gods know how many ships before the Vipers could even leave the moon. Is that what you want to happen?” She stood up too, much more slowly, and narrowed her eyes.

“I can’t believe you would leave her behind! What the frak?!” He stormed off and she let him go.

Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose against the headache she could feel forming. She had a feeling it would grow significantly worse before it got any better.

DRADIS and maps of the moon showed nothing helpful. Even with CAP on the search mission, they still didn’t have the men or the time to search enough area. The negative time on Kara’s oxygen was a constant reminder of the risk they were dealing with and he couldn’t ignore it as he continued doing what he could to aid the search. The urge to jump in a Viper and search himself was strong, the only things stopping him being the limited number of Vipers and the thought of what Laura would do when she found out. With Lee’s Viper out of commission too, they stood together to coordinate from the CIC.

“Sir, we have a signal from Colonial One’s shuttle. They request permission to land. They have the President on board, sir.” Dee’s voice drew him from his thoughts.

He scowled as he looked back. “Why wasn’t I notified she was coming on board?”

“There was no advance notice, sir. I didn’t know she was coming,” she explained.

He sighed, knowing exactly what she wanted and worried about how far they would go. “Let’s go,” he said to his son. “Have Colonel Tigh meet her at the airlock and bring her to my quarters, please.”

They walked in silence down to his cabin, arriving a few minutes before he figured she would. As the sound of her heels reached them down the corridor, he let out a long breath.

“She’s gonna press,” he quietly warned Lee.

“I’m with you,” he quickly reassured him.

Laura walked into the room, followed by Saul and Zak. Her son moved to stand by Bill and Lee, but Saul remained at the hatch with his arms crossed over himself. From the matching, stubborn set of their jaws, she knew this would end in a fight no matter what happened.

“Madam President,” Bill said stiffly.

She wanted to narrow her eyes, but she held it back and only stared at them. “Skip the formalities, you both know why I’m here.”

“Termination of a pilot’s rescue mission is a military decision,” he explained. It was a point of contention that still lingered between them, but they had yet to find a good solution for it.

Lee and Zak remained quiet, allowing them to handle the situation.

“That’s a bunch of crap. This isn’t military, it’s personal. None of you can let go of Kara, especially because she’s your last link to Izzy.” She looked between Bill and Lee, but spared a long look for Zak too.

“Why do you—” Lee started to protest.

It was her turn to cut him off. “Don’t even begin, Captain.” If they could use titles, so could she. “You’ve lost perspective, as have you. You are putting your pilots at risk and you’re exposing the entire fleet to possible attack every moment we stay here.”

“We’ve been at risk of an attack since day one. Cylon’s won’t be missing the patrol for at least one more day,” Bill countered.

She addressed Saul without looking away from Bill. “Colonel Tigh, how much aviation fuel has been expended in this operation?”

“Forty-three percent of reserves,” he answered.

“Almost half,” she scoffed. “That’s unacceptable. And operations in the moon’s atmosphere have put one-third of your fighters out of action. That is also completely unacceptable.”

“Crap, unacceptable,” he threw her words back at her. “Whatever it is you feel about this, the recovery of one pilot is a military matter.”

She sighed and took a step closer to him. “All right. It’s military, fine. And you’re both officers and you’re all honorable men and you’re perfectly aware that you are putting the lives of over 45,000 people and the future of this civilization at risk for your personal feelings. Now, if the three of you, of all people, can live with that, then the human race doesn’t stand a chance.” None of them reacted and she finally allowed more of her displeasure to show, easily overshadowing her own concern for Kara. “Lia and Grace don’t stand a chance. Clear your heads.”

When no one spoke, she shook her head and left the room. She wanted to return to her ship, but she needed to make sure her orders were followed. Saul exited behind her and they both made it around the corner before they stopped and waited in a tense silence.

Bill met his sons’ eyes and without exchanging a word, Lee moved to the handset and lifted it to his ear.

“Combat, stand by,” he said before he held it out to his father.

He accepted it and closed his eyes for a moment. “This is the Commander. Terminate search operations, bring everyone home. Prepare the fleet to make a jump into the next system. We’re leaving.” The words felt like a gut punch and he shoved the handset back onto the wall harder than necessary. He could feel the anger radiating off of Zak still, and he looked back at him. “She had to do it.”

“No, she didn’t. We can keep looking,” he lashed out.

“We can’t,” Lee sighed. “We can’t risk everyone anymore.”

“Then I’ll stay behind. Gimme a Raptor or something and I’ll look for her.” He stared back with fearful eyes. “I can’t leave her.”

Lee pulled him into a tight hug and Bill moved closer, one hand resting on each of their shoulders. Zak leaned into both of them and did his best to stifle his sobs, making it even harder for Bill to hold his back. He wanted to be angry at Laura for making the hard decision, but he knew she was right and he was more upset that he had allowed himself to get so caught up in his personal feelings. If he couldn’t separate those, he couldn’t command the fleet.

“We need to go,” he said softly, gently squeezing Lee’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Stay here,” Lee told his brother.

Zak didn’t speak, but he allowed himself to be led to the couch. After making sure he was seated and as okay as possible, Bill marched out the hatch and headed toward the CIC with Lee on his heels, not surprised when he found Saul and Laura waiting for him. When they reached the CIC, Lee went his own way, leaving Saul, Bill, and Laura to enter the command center.

Once again, she stood out of the way and watched Bill command his crew in preparation for the jump. Despite the circumstances, there was still something fascinating about seeing him in action, and that fascination only grew as the jump preparation shifted to active combat. There was always a burning sense of fear that rushed through her when the fleet went to condition one, but seeing the calm focus of Bill and his crew was a strong reassurance that they were in good hands. She knew it, wouldn’t have stuck by his side for all these years if she wasn’t, but seeing it was something more.

She watched as the lone Cylon Raider almost danced around Lee’s Viper on DRADIS, an odd feeling settling in her stomach. It was strong enough that it made her step to her husband’s side, her hand reaching for his arm. Worried, he looked back at her, only to grow more concerned at the look on her face. She almost seemed like she was in pain and he settled his arm on her lower back.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured.

She opened her mouth but didn’t say anything at first. “It’s Kara,” she finally said, her voice barely a breath.

“What?” His hand pressed more firmly against her.

“I-I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s Kara. She’s in the Raider.”

She barely got the words out before Lee’s voice came over the comms again.”Holy- Galactica, the Cylon is now flying in formation with me, right above my head. This thing is acting weird.” He suddenly laughed loudly. “It’s Starbuck!”

Laura had to lean against the CnC to counter the relief that rushed through her and Bill kept his hand on her for support, but his eyes shot back to the DRADIS.

“What?!” he shouted. “Come again, Apollo.”

“Galactica, the Cylon Raider is marked ‘Starbuck’! It’s written under the frakkin’ wing!” Lee’s elation was evident in his loud voice, even through the staticky comms.

An even louder cheer went around the room and most of the crew began to hug each other in celebration. Bill pulled Laura closer into his side and she leaned into him, her fingers gripping his sleeve as her eyes closed.

“Bring it into the bay! If it does anything, take it out!” he ordered.

“Wilco, Galactica, but I tell you what. It has got to be her. This thing is flying with some serious attitude!”

“Oh, my gods,” she whispered, her head resting against his arm. “Oh, my gods.”

“How the frak did you know?” He dropped the handset to the cradle and pulled back just enough to look at her, but still support her.

“I don’t know.” She shook her head and looked up at him with wide eyes. “Just a feeling.”

He kissed her quickly and cupped her face. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she reassured him, a small smile forming at the kiss. “Get down there and meet them. I’ll let Zak know.”

“Thank you.” His thumb stroked over her cheek and he smiled in relief.

They locked gazes for another few moments, enough wordless encouragement passing between them to smooth over everything from the past several hours. When he turned to leave, she let him go, but didn’t linger much longer in the CIC.

Zak returned to Colonial One late that night, but Laura was still curled up at her desk, her head resting against the leg she had pulled to her chest. She barely lifted her head when he walked in, but he sank into the seat opposite her and ran his fingers through his hair.

“That doesn’t look comfortable,” he commented tiredly.

“It’s not,” she admitted, wincing as she slowly stretched out. “Trying to stay awake.”

“Why don’t you sleep?” He looked her over and she gave him a tight smile.

“Waiting for you and I have,” she waved her hand over the piles of reports cluttering her desk, “so much to do.”

“You’re gonna work yourself to death,” he said, his voice even softer.

Her smile quickly faded with a sigh. “I’ll go to bed soon, I promise. How is Kara?”

He shook his head and shrugged. “We, uh, we ended things.” His eyes started to water again and she felt hers do the same in sympathy. “Mutually. She’s got so much going on and it’s just not… the same, you know? I guess our relationship couldn’t withstand the end of the world. I don’t get how you and Dad are handling it.”

“Dad and I have been together a lot longer,” she replied softly, “and we’ve been through a lot together.” She pushed herself up and rubbed at her hip before she sat on the desk near him and rested her hand on his. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. Guess it’s a good thing I didn’t propose, huh?” He laughed bitterly.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “You cannot tell your father that I ever told you this,” she warned, “but I had a mutual breakup with my college boyfriend. He was going into politics and I went into teaching. I didn’t want that life and we were going different directions. Didn’t see our paths ever crossing again, but it still hurt like hell.”

“Why wouldn’t Dad want me to know?”

“Because my college boyfriend was Richard Adar,” she confessed with a nervous smile.

“Oh, my gods? You dated President Adar?” He looked up at her and wiped at his eyes.

She hummed. “I did. Ironic, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” He laughed a little and shook his head. “Damn, Mom.”

She blushed and stood up again. “My point is, it can be mutual and still hurt. I’m here if you need anything.”

“Thank you. Mind if I stay up a little longer?” He watched her, his expression split between his own heartbreak and concern for her.

“You’re an adult, just keep it down. No parties,” she teased.

“No parties,” he agreed.

She pressed a kiss to his head. “Goodnight, honey. Love you.”

“Love you, Mom,” he said as she disappeared through the curtain toward her room.

The morning passed in a blur of meetings and droning appointments, keeping Laura just occupied enough for the time to pass but leaving her irritated and looking forward to a quiet afternoon. She had been staring at reports long enough that the words were starting to blend together, the effect leaving her with a mild and annoying headache. The Chamalla she had started taking against both Bill’s and Cottle’s wishes didn’t seem to help her headache or her mood. A break was needed, she knew, but she was more determined to finish them off.

“Mama?” Grace had taken up residence at Billy’s desk after he left for Galactica, and she was as distracted as Laura was frustrated.

Laura gave an acknowledging hum but didn’t look up.

“I’m bored.” The sound of her pencil, then her hands, hitting the desk echoed in the empty room and Laura sighed.

“Go read,” she suggested, careful not to allow her negative emotions into her voice.

“I don’t wanna read.” Her chair creaked and she huffed.

“I don’t know what to tell you.” She closed her eyes for a moment and then turned to the next page of the droning report.

“I want to go see Dad.”

“You’re going to have to wait until later when the shuttle comes back.” She skipped a few lines and signed her name at the bottom.

“I don’t wanna wait!” Grace’s hands hit the desk again and finally made Laura raise her eyes.

“The shuttles and Raptors do not operate on your whims and desires, Grace,” she said, warning in her tone.

“But you and Lee and Zak and Lia can go whenever you want! Why do I have to stay here and be bored?” she whined, her face screwed up as she headed for a full tantrum.

“Because we don’t travel for fun whenever we want,” she explained, forcing patience into her voice. “We travel for work, for necessities. Zak and Lia stay here most of the time.”

“Well, I need to go to Galactica!”

“No, you don’t. You can wait.” Laura narrowed her eyes and studied her daughter, contemplating if the tantrum was avoidable or not. Realizing it likely wasn’t, she sighed and pushed her paperwork away. “Why don’t you go lay down?”

“I don’t wanna lay down!” she shouted as she pushed her notebook off the desk and jumped to her feet. She shoved the chair in and started to stalk off.

“Grace Eirene Adama, you stop right there.” Laura’s voice was suddenly firm but still restrained, contained within the room. Grace froze immediately and stared at the ground. “I understand you want to see Dad and you don’t have enough to do here. I’m sorry. But this is not how you go about it, do you understand me?”

She slowly nodded and when she looked up, tears shone in her green eyes.

“Is there something else you would like to do?” she asked after a moment.

Grace fiddled with her hands for a moment and then wiped at her eyes with a pathetic sniffle. “Can I sit with you?”

Laura offered a small smile. “Go sit on the couch and I’ll be there in a minute.” It would make it harder to work, but it would be worth it. They only had a few more hours to make it through before they could all be home on Galactica for the night.

When she had gathered a small stack of folders and her pen, she followed her daughter into her room. Grace was already curled up on the couch and after considering it for a moment, Laura sat on the floor in front of her so she wouldn’t have to lean over the short table.

“Can I play with your hair?” she asked quietly, her eyes still red and puffy.

“Gently.” Laura reached up and wiped some of her tears away, then leaned back against the couch.

As she returned to reading, Grace’s fingers carefully weaved into her hair. She combed through it and attempted to braid it, quietly talking to herself as she did. Laura relaxed into it and found that her headache was starting to abate, making it easier to slog through the droll resource and status updates. She was looking forward to having more aides to delegate some of the work to, but she knew it would only be replaced by the Quorum—if it was ever reinstated—and everything else on the long to-do list for the new Colonial government. On the off chance she was able to lighten her workload, she still had her family.

The pile slowly diminished as Grace left half a dozen braids in her mother’s hair. When Laura was close to setting everything aside to find a snack for them both, Billy knocked and stole her attention.

“Madam President?” he called out. “I need to speak with you.”

“Be right there.” She pressed her hands against the couch and slowly pushed herself to her feet with a quiet groan, her eyes moving to Grace. “I’ll be right back.”

“‘Kay, Mama,” she yawned, flopping back to lay down.

Laura worked on undoing the braids and combing her fingers through her hair as she crossed the room and stepped through the curtain, her steps faltering at the concerned look on her aide’s face. Thankfully, he didn’t beat around the bush.

“There was an explosion on Galactica,” he explained quickly. “I don’t have any details, but I know there were injuries. A shuttle is on its way.”

Laura would have assumed that at some point, constant fear and worry blended together until nothing was scary or surprising anymore. She had learned so many times over that it wasn’t the case, and her heart still beat faster at the thought of her family in trouble. It wasn’t just Bill, Lee, and Kara; Lia had spent the day with her father and would’ve been right by his side.

“Frak,” she managed, her eyes closing. She appreciated how much Billy had done already, anticipating anything she would need. “Is the ship secure?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Then have Zak meet us at the shuttle, please. I’ll get Grace.” The idea of taking the rest of her children to the ship was unsettling in her stomach, but if anything had happened to her family, she wanted them all there.

Twenty minutes later, she stood in her husband’s quarters, able to see the damage for herself. Lia was shaken but unharmed and Bill assured her that he was only tense from Saul tackling him to the deck. She didn’t believe him, but didn’t argue the point. The sight of them after glimpsing the damage to the ship was enough of a reassurance. Grace sat on the couch in her father’s lap with Zak and Lia at the table, Laura still lingering near the hatch. Neither she nor Bill wanted to send the kids out, but they needed to talk and it was more than they should hear.

“Zak, get the girls something to eat,” Bill ordered quietly as he gently sat Grace on her feet.

“I’m not hungry,” Lia murmured, her brow furrowed.

“Then get something to drink,” Laura suggested, her eyes on Bill.

“Can I just—”

“Thalia, go.” Bill raised his voice just enough for her to stand up, her hands shoved deep into her pockets.

“I can take them back to Colonial One?” Zak offered, looking between his parents.

“After you eat, yes.” Laura sighed and glanced at him. “I’ll be back shortly.”

“We can wait for you.”

“Yes, that’s fine. Now, Zak.” Her eyes darted to him, praying he would stop lingering and leave.

Grace was hesitant to let go of Bill but she was coaxed into taking Zak’s hand, and he led his sisters from the room before any of them could protest further.

Laura barely waited for the hatch to close. “Cylons?”

He nodded after a moment and considered standing up, but his body hurt too much so he stayed where he was. “Another Doral model. We need to tell the public.”

She had considered it several times before. There was no way they could keep the knowledge that Cylons looked like humans a secret forever, but it was something that needed to be released carefully. “There’s going to be a huge reaction,” she warned.

“If there are any other Cylons aboard any of our ships, we need to find them. If we enlist the help of the public, it’ll make it a lot easier,” he said as he cautiously leaned back and folded his arms over his chest.

She shook her head. “People are going to be shocked, angry, terrified, paranoid. There is a price to be paid when asking for the public’s help. They’re going to demand, at the very least, that someone be held accountable.”

“I’m setting up a tribunal,” he responded immediately, his eyes focused on her.

“And that tribunal will have to come back to the public with a name, someone who screwed up.” He had left the final decision for what to do with the knowledge in her hands originally and hadn’t put as much thought into it, but she needed him to know exactly what would happen if they told the public.

“We don’t know if anybody screwed up.” He sounded defensive, immediately protective of his crew.

“A Cylon agent penetrated your security, killing three people.” She stared at him pointedly. It had been too close of a call; the only reason they had survived was because Lia had listened and stayed back, and Saul had been quick enough to save Bill. “At least one of your men or women screwed up. Look, here’s my view: independent tribunal, openness, transparency, it all sounds great, but I’m telling you, these things have a way of inflicting damage on the people you least expect. I do not want a witch hunt on our hands.”

“So, we only reveal the Cylons we know, Doral and Leoben. Have the fleet keep an eye out for them and limit any witch hunt.” Reluctantly, he pushed himself upright and winced, earning a brief look of sympathy from her.

“And the tribunal will determine how the Cylon was able to get on board and kill three people?”

“I have faith in Sergeant Hadrian,” he answered, his eyes narrowing again at her hesitation.

“People will still draw their own conclusions.” When he didn’t respond, she pursed her lips. “Alright,” she sighed, “I’ll hold a press conference and release the information.” He nodded his agreement and she took a few steps closer. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore as frak,” he admitted, but he stood up and bit back a groan. “Need to teach Saul how to tackle more gently.”

“He saved your life,” she said quietly. When he was within reach, she lightly rested her hand against his chest to feel his heartbeat through his tanks. “It was too close.”

“I know.” He swallowed and pulled her close, ignoring the pain just like he had when he hugged his children. Their reassurance was worth a few extra moments of hurt. “I’m okay.”

“This time.” She let out a suddenly shaky breath and pressed her forehead against his chest. “Godsdamn it.”

“I’m sorry.” He squeezed her gently and pressed a kiss to her hair, lingering to inhale the subtle scent of her shampoo. It wasn’t the same one she used at home, but he had adjusted to this new floral scent and found he didn’t mind it. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she murmured before she pulled back and fixed her blazer. “Only one of us can be a ticking time bomb, Bill. The kids need you if, gods forbid, anything happens to me.” Her hand moved to cover her chest, but she quickly shoved it into her pocket.

“Nothing’s gonna happen to you,” he said firmly.

She sighed and turned away from him. “I need to get back and you have a tribunal to handle.”

Acknowledging that the conversation was effectively over, he only cleared his throat and nodded. She glanced back at him, their eyes meeting, and then she walked through the hatch and left.

The press conference went exactly as well as Laura expected it to, the press’ questions lasting longer than her statement. She did her best to answer them without revealing too much, her grip on the podium tightening until she finally ended the conference and sent the press corps on their way. Only a few hours later, Bill shared the final findings from the tribunal, and called her shortly after.

“Did you read the tribunal report?” he asked in lieu of a greeting.

“Yes, and I’m sorry to read that Specialist Socinus has been charged with conspiracy and collusion with a Cylon agent.” She paced behind her desk, hands on her hips as she watched the phone.

“After reading the transcripts, I have my doubts,” he confessed, his voice low.

“What about Chief Tyrol? He took the 23rd. What is that about, do you think?” If Bill trusted his crew, so did she, but that trust could kill them all now and she needed to know for sure.

“It’s his right. The courts have never held that invoking the right to remain silent can be used as evidence of guilt.” His eyebrow arched up, surprised to hear his wife exploring these avenues.

“You sound like your father,” she huffed, but a small smirk was starting to appear, knowing how much he disliked any comparisons to Joseph Adama. “Let’s set aside the legalities for a moment. Obviously, you are defending the Chief. I respect that, I do, but he is hiding something.” She paused her pacing and fully turned to face her desk. “Do you think Boomer and him really ended their relationship?”

“They were ordered to,” he responded easily, but he knew it wasn’t the case. However subtle Boomer and Tyrol thought they were, they weren’t.

“Doesn’t mean they did. If our superior officers ordered us to end our relationship, would we?” She knew it was a stretch of a hypothetical, but she said it anyway.

“It’s a different situation, Laura.” He sighed, aware he was reading too deeply into her comparison but not wanting to consider what she asked. “Chief Tyrol’s been under my command for over five years, and if he really wanted to take this ship down, he could.” He paused at the sound of approaching footsteps and adjusted his hold on the phone. “We may have a problem,” he said quietly.

“What’s going on?” She picked up the phone and held it to her ear so no one could overhear Bill’s side of the conversation.

Instead of Bill’s voice, she only heard someone else. “I have orders to bring you before the tribunal, sir.”

“I’ll call you soon, Laura,” Bill said before he dropped the phone. “Let’s go.”

Hours later, Bill collapsed into his rack. On paper, it had been a successful day. The tribunal had produced someone to blame for allowing a Cylon on board that resulted in the death of three people and the fleet could keep an eye out for any other Doral or Leoben models. But none of it felt like a success. His conversation with Tyrol felt like salt in the wound after everything else, combined with the fact that Laura had been right about how easily things would turn into a witch hunt. With a low groan, he pushed himself up and to his wireless, his eyes closing as he waited for the connection to go through to Laura.

She was curled up on the couch with Lia’s head in her lap, her daughter moments away from falling asleep. Her fingers played with her hair and her book was abandoned beside them, struggling to keep her own eyes open. The ringing phone woke her and she answered it before it could disturb Lia too much, a small smile forming at the sound of her husband’s voice.

“Am I a hypocrite?” he asked tiredly.

“What?” Her brow immediately.

“I had to scold Tyrol for an inappropriate relationship while I’m married to the President of the Colonies.” He let his head rest against the cool bulkhead and closed his eyes. “Am I a hypocrite?”

“Bill…” She took a deep breath and let it out, her hands falling still in Lia’s hair. “Firstly, there are no rules or regulations that prohibit a relationship between the President and a member of the military. Secondly, the issue, as far as I understand, was not that Boomer and Tyrol had a relationship, but that they kept it a secret which led to the deck crew lying to cover for them.” She paused to let her words sink in. “Are we doing that?”

He copied her deep breath. “I needed to hear someone else say it.”

“You’re not a hypocrite, honey. You were right earlier; we are in a different situation and making comparisons doesn’t do anyone any good. Regardless of their relationship, Tyrol allowed his deck crew to lie for him and he left his post. Maybe Socinus is innocent of Cylon collusion, but he lied under oath and at least Tyrol abandoned his post. That has to be addressed.” Her voice softened as she spoke.

“Is this coming from the President or my wife?”

“Do you really need to ask that?”

“Just making sure.”

“I know.” A smile briefly tugged at her lips.

“How are you feeling?” he asked after a moment, his concerns alleviated for now. The situation was still a mess, but he felt reassured that he had done the best he could with the circumstances.

“Tired,” she admitted. “I’m not sure if this headache is from the press conference or the Chamalla, but gods, I am tired.”

“Why don’t you sleep?” He opened his eyes and turned around as if he could put her to bed from a different ship.

“I was drifting off when you called.” She looked down at Lia and her smile grew a little stronger. “I need to wake Lia up first.”

“Wake her up and get yourself to bed.” His voice was gentle but worried. He was relieved the girls would be starting school the next morning; they needed their education and he was proud of Laura for pushing the new school system through, but he also knew she needed time to work without having to worry about them. “I’ll call you back in a few?”

“I’d like that.”

She hung up without another word and carefully roused her daughter from sleep. After seeing her off to bed and checking on Grace and Zak, she dragged herself through her own bedtime routine before she collapsed into bed. The timing was almost perfect and the phone rang a few minutes later, allowing her to fall asleep with the sound of her husband’s quiet voice in her ear.

Chapter Text

Grogginess rolled over Laura in slow waves, pushing unconsciousness back and leaving her with a dull ache in her body. A yawn parted her lips and she rolled over to bury her face in her pillow with a quiet groan. The fatigue had built up and faded away since the attacks, but it had dug its claws into her the last few days and refused to let up. It had forced her to consider that the urgency of running for their lives wasn’t the only cause of her exhaustion, and that it was furthered by the fight her body waged against itself. The handful of hours of sleep she had gotten did little to help.

Still half-asleep, she dragged herself from the fading warmth of bed and into the head. Eyes bleary from sleep, she reached for her medication and swallowed a pill before she splashed water on her face to try to wake up. Her eyes fell on the bottle again and she sighed but gave in and swallowed a second pill, hoping it would chase back some of the aches in her body.

An hour later, more awake after weak coffee and a light breakfast, she stopped by the head to check her hair and makeup after Grace had tried to climb all over her. The morning had been a blur and she stared at the reflection of the orange bottle of pills, struggling to remember if she had taken one already. Her lips twitched into a frown and she pinched the bridge of her nose, unable to remember with any amount of certainty.

Her mind was unbearably foggy the rest of the morning. The news of a mysterious woman’s appearance on Galactica accusing Baltar of treason barely registered, and she was content to let Bill handle the investigation and update her as necessary. It left her in a surprisingly quiet office, especially with the girls on the Odysseus for school now. She found she was looking forward to their return after so much time with them constantly by her side. By the time the shuttle brought them back, Laura’s mood hadn’t improved. She longed to crawl back into bed, but the pressing issue of Baltar’s treason—which she didn’t find herself overwhelmingly surprised about—and the daily functioning of the fleet kept her where she was at her desk. Her daughters’ excitement about school was subdued and she feared it was the exhaustion she could feel on her face, but she was unable to muster anything more, even for them.

“Are you okay, Mom?” Lia finally asked as she dropped her book to her lap.

Laura hummed softly, absently. “Long day,” she answered. The lack of sleep seemed to have no effect on Grace and Laura was almost envious.

“Do you need anything?”

She shook her head slightly, not enough to disturb the headache pounding behind her eyes. “Billy’s getting me water. I’m okay.” She tried to smile, but it evaporated when the phone rang. Her hand trembled as she reached for it, her eyes closing as her head rested in her hand. “Adama.”

“Madam President, I require your assistance.” Baltar sounded panicked, breathless, and she forced herself to let out a long breath. “Are you aware of the situation on Galactica?”

“Of course,” she murmured, her brow furrowing.

He continued on anyway. “Some woman claiming to be an associate of Dr. Amarak’s from Defense is accusing me of aiding the Cylons! Of treason!” His whispered voice still contained enough of his fear to make her eyes open. “It’s ridiculous!”

“I am finding this whole thing hard to fathom, Doctor,” she admitted.

“Oh, thank you, Madam President. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.” He paused and groaned quietly. “Look, I was wondering, is there any chance that, uh, while this investigation is going on, I could come back to Colonial One because I’ve, uh, left some of my things there.”

Opening her eyes made the room start to spin, so she kept them lightly closed. “No, I’m sorry, Doctor. You’ve been put on a no-fly list. Security.” Bill had made it very clear he didn’t want either people leaving his ship and she agreed.

“Madam President, I need to get off Galactica. I need to get away from this Shelly Godfrey woman in particular; she’s got it in for me,” he pleaded. “Madam President, I have reason to believe that she may be…”

The rest of his plea was lost as the sound of her racing heart filled her ears. She couldn’t catch her breath and her vision somehow swam even with her eyes closed, until it all faded to black.

“Mom?”

“Madam President?”

“Mama?”

Voices assaulted her and made her wince, unable to place them but aware of the worry in each one. She licked her dry lips and tried to sit upright, squinting against the bright lights and disequilibrium that made her body fail her and stay where she was. A hand gently stroked up her arm and she tilted her head enough to see Lia, the fear on her face stealing her breath. It took her another moment to realize she was no longer in her office and instead stretched out on the couch with a blanket tucked around her. Unable to form words for the moment, she only groaned quietly and closed her eyes.

“Dad and Doctor Cottle are on their way, Mom,” Lia murmured, finally pushing some part of Laura’s mind into working again.

“I’m okay,” she managed softly, her throat aching from how dry it was.

“I’ve gotta deal with the press, but I’ll be back,” Billy promised, his hand resting on Lia’s shoulder before he rushed off.

Grace climbed onto the couch and at Laura’s silent invitation, curled up on top of her. It made it harder to catch her breath, but the warmth of her daughter was worth it. Lia sat on the coffee table to keep an eye on her, but they were quiet until they both felt the subtle vibrations that announced the shuttle’s arrival. Without a word, she got up to go greet it, leaving Laura and a sleeping Grace alone.

Grace had shifted so she was tucked between the couch and her mother, more on top of her than was still comfortable, but Laura had neither the strength nor the desire to have her move. Instead, she kept her arm lightly around her; she had rubbed her back for a while, but her hand had since fallen still. Several sets of footsteps approached and she didn’t bother looking up, knowing exactly who it was and that they would help themselves inside. Bill walked in first, quickly followed by Lia, Cottle, and finally Billy. Only then did Laura open her eyes and raise an eyebrow.

“Laura, what happened?” Bill demanded, sinking onto the edge of the table in front of her and leaning close.

“You’re going to wake her,” she scolded tiredly.

“I need her to move so I can examine you.” Cottle gave her a stern look as he sat his bag down.

With a heavy sigh, she stroked her daughter’s arm and nudged her gently. “Grace, honey,” she murmured. “Wake up.”

When she began to shift, Bill waved Billy over and picked Grace up. He passed her over and the lanky man was barely able to get a good hold on her. “Thalia, go with Billy,” he said as he returned to his spot beside Laura.

“Dad, no—“

“Go.” He turned to make sure she listened, then turned back to Cottle shooing him out of the way. He glared but obeyed as well.

“Do I need to repeat your husband’s question?” he grumbled as he pulled his stethoscope from his bag. He stopped and leaned over to grab the bottle of medication off her vanity. “How many of these did you take? One? Two?”

“Two,” she answered softly, her eyes moving between both men. The doctor’s eyes hardened and she forced herself to think through her foggy morning. “Three.”

“Three times the dose. Must work three times as fast, right?” He huffed and set the bottle aside. “You’re damned lucky you didn’t lapse into a coma or worse.”

“For frak’s sake, what were you thinking?” Bill stared at her, his eyes mostly filled with the concern he always seemed to wear now. His heart still hadn’t calmed down since Lia’s frantic call, and even seeing his wife awake and alert didn’t relieve him as much as he had hoped.

She ignored him and focused on Cottle. “The important thing is to get me on my feet by the end of the day.”

Bill crossed his arms and decided to bide his time until Cottle left, realizing his wife was somehow still in work mode and wouldn’t pay him any mind until she was done.

“I can give you a shot, but you’re not gonna like the side effects.” Cottle traded his stethoscope for a syringe.

“Just do it,” she sighed. It took her a moment to push herself upright some more and she started to roll her sleeve up.

“It’s not that kind of shot,” he remarked with a grimace.

She glared at him and slowly raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was making things harder but also realizing she was at his mercy. “Do it,” she repeated.

After administering the shot with strict instructions to rest until and after the press conference, Cottle gave them both a firm look and left the room. Laura settled back into the couch and pinched the bridge of her nose, releasing a long breath at the headache pounding behind her eyes.

“Are you gonna talk to me now?” Bill asked as he approached her, this time sitting near her curled up legs. “What happened?”

“I am juggling two children, the presidency, and cancer, Bill. Mistakes happen.” Her hands dropped to her lap and she didn’t look at him.

“Not like this and not to you,” he replied evenly, and her words only made him study her more closely. “Talk to me.”

The nausea Cottle had warned her about started to form and she bit her lip as she swallowed it down. “I was already up late dealing with the Gemenon Traveler and Grace couldn’t sleep. We were both up until gods know what time this morning.”

“Damn it, Laura. What if it had been worse?” His hand rested on her leg and he shook his head. “I still wish you’d consider Doloxan.”

“I’m not having this argument again.” She shifted her leg until he pulled his hand back and then she gestured to the doorway. “I have a press conference to prepare for and Grace and Lia to calm down.”

“I’ll take them back with me so you can rest.” He moved his hand back and she sighed.

“They can stay.”

“You need to rest.”

“Are you just here to argue?” Her eyes shot open and she narrowed them in his direction.

“No, I’m here because you frakking passed out and I’m worried about you. Lia called me in a panic.” His hand idly stroked her leg. “If it’s too much—“

“If it’s too much,” she interrupted him, “there’s nothing we can do. I can’t resign being a mother or President, nor do I want to, and I don’t have a choice with the cancer.”

“Frak, you get more stubborn each frakking day. Let me help.” He squeezed her leg reassuringly and after a moment, she stretched out so her feet rested in his lap. “I’ll take the girls for a few days so you can rest and get back on your feet.”

She shifted again and took a deep breath, then let it go. As she exhaled, she released all of the frustration and irritation that had been building up the last few days. “Thank you,” she sighed. She stretched her arm out toward him and he took it, gently pulling her upright. She groaned at the movement, but was able to curl up with her head in his lap and his hand in her hair. “It feels like those first few months after Grace was born. So overwhelmed, so hard to ask for help.”

“You’re always going to wait until you collapse to ask for help, aren’t you?” He looked down at her and brushed her hair back from her face.

“I’m sorry I’m like this,” she murmured.

He shook his head. “It’s who you are and I love you. But you can’t do that right now. Not like this, not with cancer. It’s too big of a risk.”

“It is, I know.” Her headache was starting to fade between the shot and laying down, combined with Bill’s gentle touch. “It would be so easy if we could all be together, but I have to be here and you have to be there.”

“We knew it would take some adjustment and that things would change over time. Be gentle with yourself, my love.” His fingers scratched at her scalp and she released a soft hum. “I’ll get the girls so you can sleep.” He started to move his arms, but she grumbled and looked up at him.

“Stay?” she requested quietly. “Just for a bit?”

“Okay,” he agreed. “Only if you sleep.”

“They’re worried,” she tried to murmur, but she could already feel sleep pulling her under.

“We all are. Sleep.”

With another hum, she gave in and fell asleep.

His fingers continued combing through her hair until he was sure she was asleep. She barely stirred as he eased out from under her and watched her for a moment before he fixed her blanket. When he turned away, he saw the curtain flutter and he sighed.

“Grace?”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” she mumbled, immediately leaving her hiding spot but not moving any closer. “Is Mama okay?”

“She’s okay,” he reassured her as he slowly crossed the room. “Just needs a lot of sleep and she’ll be back to normal tomorrow.”

“I wanna lay with her.” Her pout started to reappear.

“No, we need to let her rest.” He picked her up and kissed her cheek. “Why don’t we go color?”

“You don’t have to go back to Galactica?” she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck and settled her head on his shoulder.

“Not yet, but you and Lia are gonna come back with me later.” He barely finished his sentence before her head jerked up.

“No! I wanna stay with Mama! I don’t wanna go!” Large tears began to fall and he quickly carried her from the room so her cries didn’t disturb Laura.

“Hey, I know. I know, sweetheart,” he sighed as he rubbed her back. “We’ll see her tomorrow and maybe Lee can show you his Viper.”

“No, I want Mama!” She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, oblivious to him carrying her through the ship to her room.

“We’ll see her before we leave, I promise,” he said, gently lowering her to her feet near the table. Lia and Billy looked up from the couch where he was helping her with her homework. “We can read if you don’t want to color. Or play a game?”

She stayed where she was and looked up at him with wide, lost eyes. There was a depth to her expression that worried him and he carefully sank to his knees in front of him, gently wiping away as many of her tears as he could.

“You’re such a brave girl,” he told her quietly. “Ever since the day you were born, so far from home. You’re so much like Mama.”

She sniffled and reached for him. Without hesitation, he hugged her close and pressed kisses all over her face until she broke out into a teary smile. He left one last kiss on her forehead.

“Coloring then?”

After she nodded, they got comfortable on the floor near the table. Grace stretched out on her stomach and Bill used the chair while Lia and Billy continued to work above them. Her groans of frustration and Grace’s occasional questions interrupted the occasional short story he told, random things he could think of from before Grace was born or when the boys were younger. He knew Billy was listening and had a feeling some of these stories would make their way back to Laura.

At the sound of the phone ringing, Billy excused himself and left, only to return a few moments later. “Commander? It’s for you.”

He sighed and rubbed Grace’s arm. “I’ll be right back,” he murmured before he pushed himself up and followed Billy back into the office area.

When Laura woke later, she was alone on the couch. Bill’s spot was cold and her head felt clearer, allowing her to cautiously sit up and pull the blanket close. She scanned the room, listening for any sound of activity, and caught the sound of Bill returning to her room. He wore a displeased frown that didn’t completely disappear when he saw her.

“I have to go back to Galactica,” he said apologetically. “Ms. Godfrey has something to share and Gaeta is getting close on the photograph. Do you need anything?”

She carefully shook her head. “No, I just need to prepare for the press conference. I’ll be okay.”

“Take it easy, please.” His eyes pleaded with her more than his tone.

“I will,” she promised quietly. “I’ll try.”

“I’ll still take the girls and we’ll see you tomorrow?” He looked her over, disliking the bags under her eyes and the lines carved deeper into her face than usual. He was worried that if the cancer didn’t take her, stress would.

“Thank you…” She offered a tight smile. “Love you.”

He leaned down and caressed her cheek, then kissed her forehead. “I love you too. Now lay down and rest, for frak’s sake.” His voice was still gentle.

“Yes, sir.” She managed a stronger smile and settled back into the couch.

She was on her feet by the press conference like she wanted, but it used up the little energy she had regained and sent her right back to the couch. Unwilling to keep fighting it, she surrendered and worked slowly from there with a blanket draped over her legs. Billy came by often to check on her, but it was otherwise quiet as she absently read through fleet news and the occasional update on the Baltar situation. It didn’t come as a surprise when Bill informed her that his face had been on the photograph and he had been caught trying to destroy the evidence. The news only made her sigh, realizing she needed to pay the brig a visit and hopefully gain some more insight into whatever the frak was going on. The man was eccentric and she didn’t entirely trust him, but treason was something else entirely.

As she stood in front of Baltar and then reluctantly had to sit in the chair Bill had insisted on, she studied him. He was distant, lost in thought, and not as worried as she had expected him to be. Especially based on how he had sounded on the phone.

“Doctor,” she greeted to get his attention.

“Madam President.” He quickly stood up and rushed to the bars.

“I’m so sorry.” She continued studying him, unable to ignore the feeling in her stomach, even if she couldn’t identify it.

“Thank you.” He released a breath. “You are here to free me, right? To bring this travesty to a close because… you know I’m innocent.”

She tilted her head slightly and rested her hands in her lap. “Just tell me,” she began slowly, “so I understand. Because I want to understand why. Why you did it.”

“I didn’t do it!” he insisted. “It wasn’t me. I’m being framed!”

As much as she didn’t trust Baltar, neither did she trust Shelly Godfrey. “Why would she do that?”

“Because she’s a Cylon!”

“She’s a Cylon,” she repeated, her expression smoothing out. It was too perfect, too neatly tied up with a bow for her comfort.

“You are gonna have to believe me!” He was nearly begging, but it had no effect on her.

“I want to believe you,” she said, but it was more false than true. “I want to believe that I haven’t made such a profound error in judgment in trusting you, in asking your advice. But here’s where we are, Doctor. If anyone can be a Cylon and it’s hard to tell us apart, then we only have one thing left to trust: our instincts, our feelings.” Hers had been a warning from the beginning. While she had never outright ordered her children to stay away from him, she had done her best to keep them away. “The moment they told me it was your face in the photo, I knew I believed it. I believe you were involved in the attack. Somehow. I feel it.”

It was the same feeling that told her that Kara had been in the Cylon Raider.

His eyes hardened. “You’ll forgive me, Madam President, if I don’t wish to be executed based solely on your gut feeling. Especially with your husband to carry out your orders.”

She pursed her lips and stood up. “Commander Adama,” she said pointedly, “forms his own opinions. May the Gods have mercy on your soul.” With that, she turned and left, the hair on the back of her neck standing up.

With only her guard accompanying her, she made her way to Bill’s quarters where he waited with Lia and Grace. After greeting and reassuring her daughters, she sank into the couch and met her husband’s concerned eyes. Ignoring what she knew he wanted to hear, she sighed. He watched her unwaveringly, starting to understand the toll both the presidency and her illness would take on her. They were so tightly wound together around her that he wasn’t sure which one was worse. With only the Chamalla weighing her down like this, a part of him understood why she was so resistant to trying Doloxan.

“I don’t trust him,” she said firmly, drawing Bill from his musings.

“I don’t either,” he grunted, his eyes briefly narrowing, “but the photo’s a fake.”

“It doesn’t make any sense.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Who the hell is she and why would she show up to frame Baltar? Is it the Cylon detector? Does he know something more?”

“Whatever it is,” he pulled a piece of paper from breast pocket and showed it to her, “they know something.”

Her eyes roamed over the typed note, lips silently mumbling the words. “Twelve models?” she repeated quietly. “What the frak?”

“I don’t know.” He sighed and tucked it back into his pocket with his glasses. “There are more Cylons in this fleet and we don’t know who they are.”

“Gods…” She collapsed into his side, aware of how close the girls were in the next room. “But Baltar is at least innocent of this?”

“Unfortunately.”

“I’ll give a press conference in the morning to pardon him, then, and we won’t say a word about Shelly Godfrey or the twelve models,” she decided, hiding a yawn behind her hand. “Anyone could be a Cylon.”

“At least with Baltar cleared, he can get back to work on the Cylon detector. We need it now.” He started to wrap his arm around her, but she slowly pulled away and rested her hand on his thigh.

“I need to get back to Colonial One,” she murmured with a frown.

“Stay here tonight.” He moved to cup her face instead.

Her eyes searched his face and she caved almost immediately. “I just need to call Billy, have him set up the conference for tomorrow.”

“I’ll figure out dinner.” He kissed her softly and smiled gently. “We’ll have a quiet night, okay?”

“Sounds heavenly.” A small smile formed in response to his.

He tried his best to convince her to stay another night, but she was hesitant to linger too long. The need to keep the government and the military separate enough was still a concern at the forefront of her mind and the fleet’s knowledge of her medical emergency only made her more on edge. Rumors of an extended stay on Galactica could spiral too quickly; it was the same reason she kept any professional visits to the Rising Star as brief and visible as she could, preferring to send Billy instead. The ship also carried tense memories that made it hard to see her bulkheads. He was hesitant to let her leave, but he relented to her logic and kept the girls with him for another night to give her a chance at sleep. They were finally settling into their own quarters and making more of a home in them than they had on Colonial One, but the back and forth didn’t help.

For once while alone, sleep claimed Laura quickly, sinking into quiet, dark oblivion.

She woke to a cold, silent cemetery. Crumbling gravestones surrounded her while an eerie fog twisted around the ground and her ankles. A light wind raised the hair on the back of her neck and swirled the thin nightgown and robe she wore, making her pull it tightly around herself. Mindful of the uneven ground, she slowly started walking, eyes constantly moving. A large, full moon provided more than enough light to see through, but washed out the colors so everything was shades of white and black. Even her own skin was paled by the light, giving it a ghostly appearance that matched her nightgown.

A branch cracked behind her and a loud whisper in her head cried out, “Run!” as clearly as if they were standing beside her.

She listened without question, feet carrying her further into an area of the cemetery where the headstones were newer, their names more legible. Running by didn’t provide a chance for her to read any of it, too focused on getting away, getting to safety.

As she approached a large tree near the center of the open area, arms lurched out and grabbed onto her, pulling her into its safety. She gasped in fear as someone pressed her back against the large trunk, the low hanging branches concealing them as men in black tactical gear continued right past them. Her chest rose and fell as she struggled for breath, eyes trying to make out the man before her. He was familiar, but she couldn’t place the face. The urgent look he gave her stopped her from pushing it further, but before he could say anything, his body was yanked away and pulled through the air until he disappeared.

A harsh cry of her name echoed in the sudden silent emptiness, even after she jerked awake and pushed herself upright. Sweat drenched her body and her nightgown clung to her skin, twisted around her with the blanket. Panic started to overtake her as she fought her way free and stumbled to the head, slamming the door shut in her urgency. She collapsed against the sink and buried her face in her hands, still trying to catch her breath and force the sights and sounds of the dream from her mind. She could still feel the cold breeze, the moist fog, and rubbing her arms did nothing to dispel it. A knock on the hatch made her jump and she wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes squeezing shut.

“Yes?” she asked, her voice trembling with her body.

“Madam President? Are you okay?” Billy called back, not bothering to hide his concern.

The short answer was no, but definitely wasn’t the answer she wanted to give. “Yes,” she replied, the only thing she seemed capable of saying for the moment. “Just…” She took a deep breath and let it out. “Side effects from the Chamalla. I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” The hatched creaked as he leaned against it.

“Positive. What do you need?” If he was up and sounding so coherent, it had to be later than she realized, and it meant she likely wouldn’t be going back to sleep.

“Uh, urgent call from the Gemenon Traveler.”

She groaned softly and ran her fingers through her damp hair. “Can I call him back?”

“He says he found a Cylon on board,” he responded more firmly.

“Frak me,” she sighed. “Give me a minute.”

“Yes, ma’am.” There was a long moment of silence and then his footsteps finally retreated.

Wishing there was time for a shower to wash the remains of the dream off her body, she had to settle for washing her face and a clean suit, finding comfort in the long sleeves and pants that covered her more than her nightgown. If her hair and makeup were a little duller, she knew no one would comment save Bill.

As soon as she made it through the conversation with the captain, she immediately called her husband, unsurprised to find him already awake and coherent. His ability to function so soon after waking and to fall asleep so quickly, born of years in the military, still confused her. She updated him quickly and curled up in her chair, grateful that the early hour meant it was just her and Billy in the office. Bill’s presence in the CIC still limited how personal their conversation could get—something always seemed to. When she came across the picture sent over from the Gemenon Traveler, her dream flashed to the forefront of her mind and her breath stuck in her chest. The same face looked back and she quickly dropped the picture, relieved when Bill didn’t notice or say anything to her hesitation.

“I’ll send a team over to destroy it immediately,” he sighed, already waving to Dee and Lee.

“I want him interrogated first,” she decided. It was the first grasp they had at a live Cylon and the possibility to gain any information out of him was worth the risk.

“First of all, it’s not a him, it’s an it,” he cautioned, one hand braced against the CnC. “Second, anything it says cannot be trusted. Best thing to do is to destroy it immediately.”

“I’d like to hear what this thing has to say; it might be important.”

“I’ve dealt with this model before, Madam President. It’ll fill your head with double-talk and half-baked philosophy, and confuse you.” He didn’t need to mention that the model also had a mean right hook.

“Then send someone who won’t be easily confused, Commander. I want him interrogated.” She used a tone they rarely used with each other, always finely riding the line between personal and professional.

“Is that an order?” he asked after a moment.

“Yes.”

His fingers dug into the metal casing of the console. “I’ll send Starbuck.”

“Thank you.”

There was a pause and then he lowered his voice. “You sound tired.”

“This woke me up earlier than planned,” she admitted, wondering if she’d ever see another night of uninterrupted sleep again. “Let me know what Kara finds out, please.”

He grunted and hung up, leaving her with only the silence of a disconnected line.

The updates were few and far between as the day wore on, Kara’s efforts to interrogate the Cylon not going very far. The threat of a hidden nuclear bomb somewhere in the fleet stayed on her mind as the hours ticked by, her back starting to ache from how tense she sat in her chair. It was a wonder she was able to get anything else done, part of her attention always focused on the clock and the phone. After a while and a thankful break between meetings, she moved from her desk to a nearby chair, hoping to alleviate the building aches. She slumped down and closed her eyes, a long breath slipping past her lips.

Grace tried to tug away from her and Laura kept a firm hand on her shoulder, the other doing its best to gently comb through her wayward curls. She sighed and leaned forward to set the brush down, her fingers instead moving through her hair. As she stood back up, she caught movement from the corner of her eye. The sight of a too-familiar man standing right beside them forced a startled yelp from her throat and she hugged her daughter close.

“I have something to tell you,” Leoben said quietly.

Laura woke abruptly, eyes darting open to the bright lights of her office. Worriedly, she glanced around to see if anyone had noticed, but the few people remained engrossed in their work. Needing to do something, she quickly stood up and slid her glasses on.

“Billy, how long before this supposed bomb goes off?” she asked when her eyes found her aide.

“Less than an hour,” he answered without looking up from his paper.

“I want you to get me a shuttle. I’m going to the Gemenon Traveler; I want to see the Cylon myself.” She turned to leave, but his voice held her back.

“Madam President, you need to recon—”

She cut him off immediately. “Don’t even start,” she warned. “I don’t want to discuss this. I’ve made my decision and don’t think about contacting Commander Adama.” The last they needed was to have both of them on the same ship with the Cylon and a nuke, and she knew he would vehemently disagree with her anyway.

“Not until I get you a security detail,” he relented, already reaching for the phone.

She watched him for a moment and then nodded, her arms crossed as she listened to him request a shuttle and a guard. As soon as it was confirmed, she headed for the shuttle bay.

The last thing she expected when she walked into the storage compartment containing the Cylon prisoner and Kara was a scene from before the Colonies had united. The bloodied Cylon revealed the hours of torture he had undergone, only to not provide any information about the bomb or anything even remotely helpful. Another approach was needed and she hoped it wasn’t too late. She hoped loss of life wasn’t inevitable in the time they had left.

She took a moment to gather herself before she reentered the room, her eyes moving over the swath of Marine guards, Kara, and the Cylon at the center of it all. “Do you know who I am?”

“Yes,” he answered simply, his bound hands severely limiting his movement.

“I apologize for what you’ve been through.” A small amount of sincerity crept into her voice and she shifted her gaze briefly to the nearest guard. “Take his restraints off. Do it.”

“Thank you,” Leoben sighed as his hands were freed. He rubbed at his wrists and his penetrating gaze never left hers.

“I can do more. I can guarantee your safety. I can order your release.” If she did any of those things, she knew she’d also earn Bill’s wrath, but there were more important things at stake. “We are running out of time. We only have four minutes left until your bomb goes off. I’ve come here to tell you that this conflict between our peoples does not have to continue. It can stop right here with us. We have to trust each other. Trust me. I think you know you can. Tell me what I need to know and you will live.”

He continued staring at her for several long moments, each one making her aware of just how close they stood and just how familiar he was. It suddenly occurred to her that even under the white moonlight of her dream—vision?—he looked exactly as he did now.

“The warhead doesn’t exist. I made it up. The lieutenant was right, I was too far out. I didn’t wanna die, so when I got caught I made up a story to buy some time.” He appeared truthful, almost remorseful, but she didn’t trust him despite her own words.

“I see,” she breathed out. “Thank you for the truth.”

“Thank you, Madam President. Don’t be too hard on Kara; she was just doing her job. The military… they teach you to dehumanize people.”

“I’ll take that into consideration,” she murmured, aware it was Bill’s purview to deal with Kara’s choices on this and that his point was wrong in so many ways. Suddenly, he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. She gasped in surprise, the same feeling from her dream with Grace washing over her, and extended her hands to the guards behind him. “No! Stand down!” she ordered just as quickly.

Leoben leaned in closer until his breath teased the hair near her ears and made her involuntarily shiver. “Laura, I have something to tell you. Adama is a Cylon. His presence is an anomaly the universe needs to fix; he will cross the River Styx.”

Ignoring her orders, the guards pulled Leoben free and away from her, leaving Laura to step back toward her own guard. She swallowed and smoothed out her clothes, her hands lightly trembling.

After checking with Galactica, Kara slowly made her way closer until she stood beside her, her voice low when she spoke. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said dismissively. “The bomb?”

“Nothing,” she confirmed.

Laura took a deep breath. “Put him out the airlock.”

“What?” Kara looked at her, eyes wide. “You can’t do that, not after he told you the truth.”

“Yes, I can. And I will.” She turned to face her. “Lieutenant, look at me. You’ve lost perspective. During the time I’ve allowed him to remain alive and captive on this ship, he has caused our entire fleet to spread out defenseless. He puts insidious ideas in our minds, more lethal than any warhead. He creates fear. But you’re right, he is a machine and you don’t keep a deadly machine around when it kills your people and threatens your future, you get rid of it.”

Laura took a step closer to the airlock as Leoben was shoved inside, but Kara moved right up to the glass separating them. He raised his hand and she mirrored him, the closest contact they could get. The sight concerned Laura and she made a note to mention it to Bill, worried that their struggling pilot was getting worse, not better.

“He’s not afraid to die. He’s just afraid that his soul won’t make it to God,” Kara said, just loudly enough for Laura to hear.

Without looking away, she gestured to the guard at the controls and ordered the Cylon’s execution. Her hands were suddenly steady, a now recognizable cold calm coming over her. She had no answers, only that there had been no bomb and the fleet was safe today. Her dreams or visions were something she didn’t want to consider, and definitely not now. But as she watched, the airlock opened and sucked Leoben out, his body pulled from the small room exactly as she had seen in her dreams. His words returned, the same she had heard in her dreams, and it made her swallow hard.

Adama is a Cylon. His presence is an anomaly the universe needs to fix; he will cross the River Styx.

The thought almost made her laugh but the second part stopped her and instead made her brow start to furrow before she got control of herself again. The airlock closed and the guards noticeably relaxed around her, but she could tell the few closest to her were still on edge.

“Madam President, are you okay?” one of them finally asked.

“I’m fine. I’d like to go to Galactica now, thank you,” she responded evenly.

“Yes, ma’am. Follow me.”

The amount of work she had to do, especially after spreading out the fleet, meant she should go back to Colonial One, but she had no desire to be alone. She wanted to be surrounded by her family and she was willing to give into it for once. Kara remained silent as she followed Laura to the shuttle bay, and then went her own way when they arrived on the battlestar. She would let Bill handle checking on her when he found a moment.

Chapter Text

Over the next few days, Laura slowly regained her equilibrium, but as she settled on her feet, Bill only seemed to stumble on his. Without explanation, he withdrew into himself. Caught up with their own things to deal with, neither Lee nor Kara seemed to notice, and he always appeared fine when he spoke to the girls. It left Laura uncertain, unsteady, and with too much to do. She didn’t want to put any stock in the words of a Cylon, but she couldn’t help but fear he knew something more. When enough was enough, she took advantage of the girls’ day off. Weekends didn’t hold much meaning for ‘round the clock jobs, but keeping students on a schedule was crucial.

Laura walked into her office and smiled at her waiting daughters, her hands in her pockets. “Let’s go see Dad.”

Grace cheered and took her hand, an even wider, excited smile on her face. “Come on, Mama,” she said as she tugged on her hand.

Gesturing to Lia, they headed down to meet the shuttle, Grace’s excitement never fading. Laura knew her husband would be in the CIC and directed them there as soon as they were off the shuttle. Gaeta immediately showed them up to the core and she smiled gratefully. Somehow, whether she had the children with her or not, the senior officers always knew whether she was there in a professional capacity or not. Regardless, they always seemed slightly on edge around her.

As they waited, a crew member talked the girls through everything on the nearby consoles and Laura scanned the CIC below, a smile forming when her husband finally walked into the room. She watched as Gaeta rushed over to speak to him and they both looked up at her.

“Daddy!” Grace stuck her hand up as high as it could go and waved, earning a sincere smile and brief wave back.

“He’s working, baby, be patient,” Laura cautioned as her hand settled on her daughter’s shoulder.

Bill looked back to Gaeta and raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know the President was coming on board,” he said pointedly. It seemed to be growing more common.

“Uh, no, sir,” Gaeta replied with a small smile. “Just your wife and daughters.”

“In that case…” He dropped the folders he was holding to the CnC. Nodding to dismiss the lieutenant, he made his way up to his waiting family. “Clear the deck,” he ordered.

Laura didn’t let go of Grace until the last crew member left, and then their daughter rushed at him with her arms extended. He lifted her up immediately and hugged her close, then shifted her to one arm so he could pull Lia close with the other. Laura watched with a content smile, her hands folded in front of herself and wishing she had a camera to take a picture.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked, overwhelmingly happy at the surprise visit.

“We were going stir crazy,” she admitted. “Girls needed something to do and I needed a break. Seemed like it was quiet over here too.” She nodded toward the quiet CIC below them.

“I’m glad you did.” He kissed Grace’s head and she giggled as she threw her arms around his neck. “I just got the news that we’re the owners of the universe’s first bona fide Cylon detector.”

“That’s good news.” She moved closer until she knew they were all out of view of the window.

“How does it work?” Lia pulled back and pushed Laura forward, Bill immediately grabbing on so she couldn’t leave.

“I have absolutely no idea,” he admitted, pausing to flash a grin at his wife’s eye roll. “That’s your job.”

“Can I ask Dr. Baltar about it?” She looked between her parents like she knew the answer already.

“Only if he’s not working,” Laura agreed after a sigh.

Lia grinned just like her father and Laura held back the urge to roll her eyes again.

“So, when do we start?” She let her head rest against her husband’s shoulder and smiled at Grace who did the same.

“Dr. Baltar would like to start widespread testing as soon as possible, but there are some serious limitations. He can only do one person at a time and verification takes hours,” he explained, his eyes wandering back toward the windows. “I think people in sensitive positions should go first.”

“I completely agree.” She smirked. “How about you?” His eyebrow arched up. “If you’re a Cylon, I’d really like to know.” Leoben’s warning echoed in her head, but it only made her laugh quietly.

“If I’m a Cylon, you’re really screwed.” He stared at her and adjusted his hold on Grace.

“Don’t be silly, Mama,” Grace said with a tone she tried to imitate from her mother, “Daddy’s not a Cylon. See?” She poked his cheek. “It’s Daddy.”

“She makes a solid argument.” He chuckled and shrugged. “But I’ll go first.”

“We need to show the fleet they can trust the people at the top.” She copied his shrug and loosely wrapped her arm around him.

“Then maybe you should go first.” He shifted to meet her eyes and she could see the mirth dancing in them.

“I think the hours I spent in labor with these two,” she waved toward Grace and Lia, “should be evidence enough.” His eyes wandered to the window again and she patted his hip before she pulled back. “I’m sure you’re busy, so we’ll get out of your hair. Will you have time for lunch later?”

“Please, Daddy?” Grace added.

He groaned softly as he lowered her to the deck. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, not today.” She pouted up at him, but he only ruffled her hair. “Maybe tomorrow.”

“Daddy!” She stomped her foot and Laura gently pulled her close.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, fingers lightly stroking her arm. “Maybe we can go see Lee and Kara before we leave.”

“Can we?” Lia’s eyes lit up and Laura wasn’t sure if it was at the chance to see her siblings or the chance to see Vipers or the pilots’ quarters.

“Lee’s flying CAP, but Kara should be around,” Bill said before he cleared his throat. “Come on, I’ll see you out.”

Suspicious that he only wanted to make sure they left, Laura took Grace’s hand and allowed him to guide them down the stairs and to the hatch. He kissed Grace’s and Lia’s heads, and then Laura softly, but didn’t linger. After watching him return to work, Laura sighed and led her daughters in search of Kara.

Thoughts of Bill’s odd behavior hadn’t left her head by the time they returned to Colonial One, and her brow was furrowed in thought as she sank into her chair behind her desk. The girls disappeared into their room and she only looked up again when she heard Billy stop beside her.

“I’m headed to Galactica, if you don’t need anything,” he said, excitement simmering just under the surface.

It took her a moment to remember what was going on. “Your date with Dee. No, I’m fine. Go have fun.” She paused and tilted her head. “There is one thing you could do…” It seemed like a bad idea, a violation of the trust between her and her husband, between her and Billy, and between Dee and her CO, but she pushed on. “Will you ask Dee if she’s noticed anything off with Commander Adama?”

“Ma’am?” He stared at her.

“I hate to ask, but I worry there’s something going on. I just need to know if it’s anything she’s noticed too. Please, Billy?” She bit her lip.

“Alright,” he agreed with heavy reluctance.

“Thank you,” she sighed, her frown deepening as she watched him walk away.

There was no chance of her getting anything done while she waited for him to return. She was too distracted with too many thoughts whirling around in her head. Logically, she knew Leoben’s comment had only been an attempt to sow distrust in the leaders of the fleet, likely unaware of the stable relationship they already had. It was what followed that lingered, worried her. If there was anyone in her family to worry for, it was Lee and Kara, even herself if the cancer spread, but Bill was usually well protected in the CIC. Still, she couldn’t ignore the two explosions he had suffered through and the danger they were in every day. Her thoughts only left her frustrated and more confused, but at least made the time pass quickly.

It was late enough when Billy finally returned that Grace had gone to bed and Laura was ready to send Lia back too. Her office was quiet as she tried to read through one last resource report before she gave up for the night, but she shoved it aside as soon as she heard Billy’s footsteps.

“What did you find out?” she immediately asked with no greeting.

He hesitated at the doorway and then slowly continued inside. “Dee couldn’t put her finger on it, but yeah, she said he’s been acting differently.”

“He’s distracted, unfocused.” She sighed and folded her hands on her desk. “What else?”

“Some scrambled wireless calls he didn’t want logged. She didn’t know who he called or why, but none of this is damning evidence. The calls could be security related and his odd behavior could be stress, pure and simple. Exhaustion, paranoia—“ He would’ve continued but she held her hand up to stop him.

“You’re right.” She wrinkled her nose and reached up to slide her glasses off. “It could be all of those things, but what if it’s not?”

“Are you talking about Dad?” Zak sat up straighter and looked at them. At Laura’s affirming nod, he continued, “He’s tired. We’re all tired. What do you think he’s doing?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Zak stared at her and she could see the gears turning in his head. He glanced at Lia. “You think he’s cheating, don’t you?” he asked quietly.

While the thought had briefly crossed her mind, she hadn’t put any consideration toward it. She knew her husband was faithful beyond a doubt, but it did make her wonder how much Zak remembered of Bill’s relationship with Carolanne.

“No,” she said firmly, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Then what do you think is going on?”

“I don’t know.” She sank back into her chair and let out a shaky breath.

Billy looked uncomfortable from the corner of her eye, but she didn’t have the mind to reassure him. “Madam President,” he began hesitantly, “with all due respect, I cannot believe that you’re actually considering this.”

“I’m not,” she protested. “Oh, my gods…” With a deep breath, she pushed herself to her feet. “Alright, Lia, it’s time for bed. And neither of you,” she fixed them both with a stern look, “will repeat any of this to your father.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Zak said quickly.

“I’m sure it’s okay,” Lia tried to reassure her as she stood up too.

“It is.” It felt like a lie, but Laura clung to it anyway.

By the next morning, the feeling and concern hadn’t faded from her mind. The news that Bill had canceled his test in favor of a mysterious woman named Ellen didn’t help matters, and with her husband ignoring her calls, she sighed and summoned his executive officer and best friend to her ship. If Bill wouldn’t give her any answers, she’d find them elsewhere. Relieved the girls were at school and Zak on the Rising Star, it left her and Billy alone when Saul finally arrived.

“What can I do for you, Madam President?” he asked, a scowl already starting to appear as he stopped in front of her desk.

Laura didn’t get up, but watched him closely. “What’s going on with Commander Adama?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” His eyes narrowed.

Praying for patience, she spoke more slowly. “Let me try again. What’s going on with my husband?”

“I know these are uncertain times and this has been a difficult transition for you, but this seems like something you should ask him yourself.”

“I would, but he’s not taking my calls. He’s been distant, distracted, and then I hear about these off log calls and flights?” She refused to speak of Zak’s concerns, but they still surged through her mind anyway. “Have you noticed anything suspicious?”

“No,” he answered firmly, his scowl deepening.

“What about the fact that he left Galactica without telling anyone where he was going or when he would return and at that very moment, a Cylon Raider jumped into view and started acting strangely?”

“I know exactly where he was.” His scowl shifted to something close to a smile.

Laura stared at him blankly for a moment, completely taken aback. “You do?”

“He was picking up my wife.”

“Your wife? Ellen?” As her mind began to connect the dots, she felt it physically through her body. Guilt and shame quickly washed over her and she buried her face in her hands. “Oh, my gods.”

“It turns out she’s been unconscious aboard the Rising Star ever since the attack,” he continued like he was oblivious to her reaction.

“Oh, my gods,” she repeated, forcing her head up again. “That’s fantastic, it’s amazing.”

“Yes, it is. When Ellen stepped off that shuttle, I thought I was going to pass out.” He laughed softly and shook his head, his eyes wide with amazement.

She had never understood the relationship between Saul and Ellen, but had decided long ago that it was none of her business. Now, she couldn’t have been more relieved at the mention of the cantankerous woman.

“Thank you,” she breathed out. “I’m glad she’s alive.”

“Talk to Bill, will you?” He gave her a look that she couldn’t interpret, but she nodded. “Good day, Madam President.”

“Good day,” she murmured, managing a brief wave with her hand before he turned and left.

She gave herself time to calm down and let her thoughts settle before she took the shuttle to Galactica. It was a relief that she didn’t have to worry about her daughters, but Zak promised to fly over from the Rising Star to join her despite her reassurances that she was okay. When she arrived first, she decided to use the time wisely and headed straight for her husband’s quarters after verifying that he was there.

The cabin was as quiet as she expected to be, but the silence still made her hesitate as she stepped through the hatch. Scolding herself for letting her thoughts get the best of her, she forged on and found Bill focused on his logs at his desk. He didn’t look up, but the sound of the heels told him exactly who had entered. There also weren’t many people the Marines would let through without a word.

“We need to talk,” she said softly as she sat down across from him. One leg crossed over the other and she let her folded hands settle on her knee.

He grunted and finished off his sentence before he closed the book and looked up. “Do you have dinner plans?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “No.”

“Join me for dinner, then? Zak and Lee too.” He watched her, hating that he had caused her any amount of stress the last few days. “Saul and his wife will be there.”

“Are you trying to discourage me from going?” One eyebrow slowly lowered.

“I’m worried she’s a Cylon. And I want to have dinner with you.” He gave her a small smile as a peace offering.

“And the boys?”

“She knows them, but I don’t think Lia or Grace should be there.” Knowing Saul and Ellen, they would likely be inebriated by the time they arrived and he wouldn’t put the girls through that. “We’ll talk afterwards.”

“We better,” she warned. “How long until dinner? I should probably change.”

“You have time. And a clean suit you left here.” He gestured to the closet across the room.

Even with the four of them plus Lee and Zak, dinner was a fairly quiet affair. Saul and Ellen mostly carried the conversation with the occasional input from Bill or Laura, and even less from Lee and Zak. As predicted, the Tighs had arrived intoxicated and only gotten drunker, making Laura truly nurse her own ambrosia. The Adama men threw theirs back in an effort to put up with Ellen, something Laura sympathized with, but she was too cautious of the alcohol and her medications. Still, not even she could survive the night completely sober. As the conversation turned toward the fleet, Laura found herself more at the center of questions she didn’t entirely want to answer.

“Sure, there’s a lot of whining and complaining, like you would expect, but the people I talked to are mostly hopeful and optimistic,” Ellen explained, her hand waving wildly with her nearly empty glass.

“That’s good to hear,” Laura murmured and Bill squeezed her leg where his hand rested under the table in warning.

Ellen hummed. “Well, there are a few people who still might wonder if a kindergarten teacher is really the right person to be President, but it’s just a tiny, tiny minority.”

“Wonderful, wonderful.” She bit back a grimace and received another squeeze that made her shoot her husband a quick glare. It was hard to play nice and she was growing tired.

“Everyone is so truly, truly grateful to all of you on Galactica. You– you literally are our saviors,” Ellen continued gushing, but most of her attention was focused on Saul.

“Oh, we’re just doing our jobs, that’s all.” He waved her off with a grin.

“You are so modest. He’s always been that way.” She pulled her glass close and stared at it as if just realizing it was empty. “Oh! Lee, could I trouble you for a little bit more of this lovely ambrosia?” Her voice lowered to a tone Laura didn’t much appreciate.

“Sure.” He shared a look with his brother beside him and reached for the bottle to refill Ellen’s glass. When he offered it to everyone else, they all denied.

“Thank you, dear.” Ellen smirked, then turned to lean close to Bill as she licked a drop of ambrosia off her lip. “Bill, you must be so proud of your sons. Lee and Zak have grown into such handsome men.” She twisted the opposite direction to look at the boys. “You are the spitting image of your mother, and you take just after your daddy.”

Lee glanced at Laura and she carefully kept her face blank aside from a slightly raised eyebrow.

Bill changed the topic before the awkwardness could fully settle in. “The captain of the Rising Star was a little puzzled as to how you got on board his ship.”

“Oh, I know. I know some thoughtful soul just rescued me from an almost certain death and put me on the last flight out of Picon!” Her hands continued gesturing wildly as she spoke, now posing a problem with her topped-off glass. A few splatters hit the table.

Laura couldn’t hold it in anymore. “How lucky for us all,” she drawled with an eye roll. Bill shot her a look from the corner of his eye. Something grazed her leg and she shifted in her seat, convinced it couldn’t have been what she thought it was. All of the men at the table, including Zak, wore boots, and none of them could have gotten them off subtly enough for her not to have noticed. Yet it had definitely been a cold foot that had grazed her shin, and her eyebrow shot up as she stared at Ellen who was focused on Lee.

“It is, indeed.” Saul nearly grinned.

“The strange thing is,” Bill continued like no one had spoken, “ no one can recall giving you any medical assistance until about a week ago.

“Oh, I know! I know. It’s a miracle I’m alive!” She appeared completely unaffected by her circumstances aside from her drunken excitement and Laura couldn’t help but watch her in confused enthrallment.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything, Lee leapt from the table and shoved his chair in. Laura twisted in her seat to look at him, her arm extended in concern. He only cleared his throat and refused to look at anyone, but reached for his plate. “I think I’d better clear some of these, uh, dishes,” he said quickly.

“You are so sweet.” Ellen smiled and leaned further back in her chair.

“Very good. My compliments to the chef.” Tigh handed his plate over to Lee and Zak stood up to help.

“So, Bill,” Ellen bent forward again, sloshing more ambrosia onto the table. She barely moved to let Lee lean in to grab her dishes. “Now, the question on everyone’s mind—and I do mean everyone—Is where’s Earth and when do we get there?”

“Yeah, that’s classified information,” Bill answered immediately.

She gasped and threw her free hand up. “That word again!”

“Ellen, leave the man alone,” Tigh scolded her, his arm reaching out across her shoulders.

“Well, come on, if there are no privileges of being an XO’s wife, then what’s the point? I mean, Bill, we’re all family here. Come on…” she begged shamelessly. “Your wife gets to know.” Her eyes shot to Laura who struggled not to react, still processing Lee’s sudden movement and fearing it was connected to what she had felt. “Besides, keeping that knowledge classified is just encouraging rumors to spread like cancer.”

Both Lee and Zak stopped moving and Bill straightened in his chair. Laura felt her face twist before she was able to smooth it back over, and she let out a short breath. Saul glanced around and rubbed his wife’s shoulder.

“What?” Ellen looked between all of them and then downed the last of her drink.

“The need for secrecy is paramount, Ellen.” Bill’s hand moved to take Laura’s and he squeezed it reassuringly, knowing it was the coincidental surprise that would bother her more than the actual comment.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Perhaps you don’t know that the Cylons look like us, now.” Laura saw an opportunity and took it.

“Oh, that, yes… yes, I knew that,” she replied slowly.

“It’s recent news. Most people just found out a few days ago.” Her eyebrow arched up again.

“A thing like that would travel fast, right? Any one of us can be a Cylon.”

No one moved, allowing the tension to rapidly build up in the room. Just before it snapped, Ellen slammed her hand on the table.

“Boo!” she shouted, and then dissolved into a fit of drunken laughter.

Laura jumped in her seat and clung to Bill’s hand who tensed beside her. Zak and Lee took a step toward their parents, sharing a worried look before they both glared.

“Did you see the looks on their faces?” She was barely coherent through her laughter. “You are too easy.”

Deciding the night had gone on long enough and they wouldn't get any more helpful information from the infuriating woman, he stood up. “Thank you so much for coming. It’s been a wonderful evening.”

Laura could’ve sighed in relief.

“Thought it would never end.” He grinned and stumbled to his feet, managing to make it the few steps to Bill so he could help him to the hatch.

Ellen stood too, but stopped and furrowed her brow. A sly smile crossed her lips that Laura didn’t care for. “Oh, I seem to have lost one of my shoes.”

She shifted in her seat, trying her hardest not to process the answer to her earlier question. Denial was more comfortable than considering if Ellen’s foot had touched her; even worse was wondering if it had been on purpose, or an accident on her way to Lee. Either option made Laura shudder.

“I think it’s right here.” Lee bent down and picked up her black heel from under the table.

Almost immediately, Laura gave up trying to control her expression.

“Thank you.” Ellen’s smile returned.

“Here you are.” He handed the shoe over and she leaned into him in her drunken attempt to put it on.

Bill guided his friend toward the hatch, appreciating that Ellen was distracted for the moment. “You look very, very happy,” he told him sincerely.

“That’s because I am very, very happy.” Saul bumped his shoulder and chuckled, but there was real happiness in his eyes.

Ellen finally got her shoe on and nearly went down in the process, only held up by Lee. “Thank you,” she giggled, her hand squeezing his ass before she stood upright again.

Laura’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline and she coughed to cover her quiet squeak of surprise. “Have a good night, Ellen,” she said dismissively.

“Well, it was, uh, it was nice to see you again.” Lee took a few steps back toward his brother.

“Oh, the pleasure’s all mine. Hope to see you soon.” She smirked and stumbled toward her husband.

“I’m sure you will.” Zak grinned and hid a laugh behind his hand.

Just before Ellen stepped through the hatch, she turned back with a dramatic gasp. Laura spotted the bottle of ambrosia on the table and grabbed it, her hand extending out toward the approaching woman without looking at her. Ellen giggled and took it, then rushed back to her husband and they were gone.

The silence that fell over their quarters felt tense for a moment, and she let out a long breath to center herself. Dinner had been as interesting of an affair as she figured it would be, but it still left her with an odd feeling.

“You actually think that woman is a Cylon?” she finally asked as Bill returned to the table and they began to clean up.

“Well, if she’s not, then we’re all in a lot of trouble.” Lee huffed and rolled his shoulders.

“The scuttlebutt was that she slept with more than half the fleet while Saul was in space.” Bill’s eyebrow briefly arched up. He had never shared much of what he knew about Saul’s marriage with even his wife and definitely not with their children, but it seemed unfortunately relevant now.

“Then why the hell did he stay married to her?” Zak tossed the silverware onto the stack of plates and picked them up.

“He loves her deeply,” she sighed, her nose wrinkling. It was obvious how much they cared for each other, even if she didn’t understand it.

“Blindly. Ellen used to encourage the worst instincts in this guy. Bring out the self-destructive streak in him.” There were too many moments he could recall through their friendship where Ellen had been a strong, negative force, but Saul loved her anyway.

“Used to?” She snorted and the boys paused, all staring at each other.

After a moment, they resumed cleaning up and putting the cabin back to its normal state. As soon as they finished, Bill shook his head and looked at them.

“Should’ve had Ellen’s results by now. I’m gonna go talk to Baltar.”

“I’ll go with you.” Laura put her glasses back on and ran her fingers through her hair.

“Us too,” Lee added.

Without argument, Bill nodded and they left the cabin together and headed for Baltar’s lab. He spoke before they had even fully stepped through the hatch. “Do you have Ellen’s results?”

Baltar spun around on his chair and looked at them in surprise. “No…” He answered.

“Why not?” Bill moved to one side of the central table and Laura followed Zak and Lee to the other side.

“Look, it’s not magic, it’s science. If you want her results, you’re gonna have to wait a while,” he explained with an air of annoyance.

“I gave you her sample this morning.” He narrowed his eyes, his distrust of the man rearing its head again.

Laura bit her lip and let out a soft hum in concern.

“I have started and stopped the test twice already now, so I’m running a little behind.” Baltar waved his hand and stood up.

“Twice?”

Laura cleared her throat and smiled sheepishly. “My fault. Long story.”

“Your fault?” Bill looked at her, his irritation shifting from Baltar to his wife.

Baltar spoke before he could. “Yes, I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that.”

“No, you probably shouldn’t have,” she agreed sharply.

“Did you tell him to stop Ellen’s tests?” It was an obvious question, but he wanted to know for sure.

“Yes, I did.” She still stood by her decision.

“Why?”

She hesitated a moment, hating that they had company for this conversation. “Well, I had some concerns.”

“About what?” His tone was as sharp as hers and he tried to curb it, unwilling to participate in starting a full argument.

“In all honesty,” she sighed, her hands landing on her hips, “your behavior has been off for the past few days. I didn’t know if it was connected to that Leoben model or something I did, and you wouldn’t talk to me.”

“My behavior?” His eyebrow shot up and he crossed his arms. “So, what, you thought I’m a Cylon? Me?”

“No! I don’t know.” She threw her hands up in the air and searched his stern face. “You can’t deny that you’ve been making these,” her eyes darted to Lee for help, “what are they called—off-log calls. These mysterious trips off the ship.”

“Where did you hear that? Have you been spying on me? On my own ship?!” He slowly shook his head and looked away, his crossed arms tightening and pressing against his chest.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please, please. We’re in a laboratory. There are hazardous chemical compounds everywhere. That–that’s a thermonuclear bomb, for frak’s sake!” Baltar held his hands out to them, a genuine look of concern on his face. Both Bill and Laura ignored him, their attention too focused on each other.

Lee took a step toward his father. “What–what do you mean, unlogged, mysterious trips?”

“What's going on?” Zak added, his brow deeply furrowed.

Laura knew exactly where his mind was and she didn’t like it, didn’t want to consider it.

Bill groaned. “I had to go to the Rising Star and I didn’t want anyone to know about it.” He acknowledged now that it might have been easier to at least let his wife in on what he was doing, but it was much too late now.

“Why not?” she asked, a pit of doubt opening up in her stomach that was only fueled by Leoben’s words she hadn’t shaken off.

“Once I knew Ellen was there, I needed to talk to her. Whether or not she is a Cylon, she’s nothing but trouble and I wanted to keep her away from him as long as I could.” He met his wife’s fierce eyes, uneasy about the look he saw there.

“Well, then, why did you bring her on board the ship?” Lee raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Because she’s his wife! I couldn’t refuse her access to her own husband without causing suspicion. Besides, I wanted her close to me.” As Bill finished speaking, the hatch opened to let Ellen and Saul into the lab.

She gasped immediately and held onto her husband’s arm. “I told you! I told you he wanted me.”

“Oh, lovely,” Baltar sighed.

Laura shot him a look and felt guilt replace the doubt in her mind. The idea of Bill ever cheating on her felt so impossible, but she knew it would never be with his best friend’s wife; especially Ellen.

“What the hell’s going on? You have been secretly visiting my wife?” Saul pulled his wife close and glared at everyone in the room.

“No!” He stopped and looked to the ceiling briefly. “Yes, but it’s complicated.”

Ellen nearly doubled over as she squealed, “I told you. He’s been after me for years!”

“What?” Bill clenched his teeth and glanced at Laura before he focused on Ellen.

“Now, boys, boys, don’t fight over little ol’ me.” She pulled free of Saul and stepped further into the room, suddenly acting like she owned it.

Everyone spoke at once, their voices overlapping.

“Ellen, be quiet!” Laura ordered, extending her finger with a steely glare for the other woman.

“No, you don’t tell me,” she shrieked back, but the rest of her words were lost to the cacophony in the room.

“I think we should all just take a deep, deep breath,” Zak tried, but he was spoken over too.

Bill’s voice finally broke through and slowly sent the rest of the room into silence. “I was afraid that she might be a Cylon, so I brought her blood over here and had it tested.”

“That’s why you canceled your test?” Saul stared at him.

“How’d you know about that?” he shot back, meeting his XO’s eyes.

Saul broke contact and turned to Laura. “You didn’t tell me he was testing my wife.”

Incredulous, Bill kept staring at him. “You met with my wife?!”

“You met with mine!” he shot back without looking away from her. “She thought you might be a Cylon or some other nonsense.”

“What other nonsense?” Even her thinking he was a Cylon didn’t make sense and he couldn’t think of anything else that would have worried her.

Laura waved her hand, intending to discuss it later—if ever—but Zak beat her to it. “She was worried you were with another woman.”

“Zachary!” she hissed, fixing him with a stern, offended glare before she turned back toward her husband.

“With Ellen?!” The thought was more repulsive than anything, but underneath it was concern that she had even considered it. His wife had never been jealous or insecure and neither had he.

She stared at him, at a loss for words she wanted to use around present company. She was saved from having to reply by Gaeta’s voice announcing, “Attention, pass the word to the Commander, the XO, and the CAG. Commander Adama, Colonel Tigh, Captain Adama, please report to CIC.”

“We’ll continue this later,” he said firmly, holding his wife’s gaze until she gave a stiff nod. Her eyes were shining and he could tell she was trying her damndest not to let the tears fall. “I want those results, Dr. Baltar.”

“I’ll have them for you in the morning,” he called as the officers all rushed through the hatch.

Without a word or glance at Ellen or Zak, Laura turned to follow them, but headed for Bill’s quarters instead of the CIC. Footsteps followed her and she knew it was Zak, but she didn’t look back, even after they found the privacy of the cabin and she slowly sat at the table.

“Mom…” He leaned against the table opposite her, but she still refused to look at him.

“I don’t particularly want to talk about this right now,” she replied, her voice carefully controlled.

“Look, I’m sorry.” He sighed and shook his head. “You know he wouldn’t let it go.”

“That doesn’t mean I wanted to discuss it in front of Ellen and Saul, let alone you, Lee, and Dr. Baltar!” She closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands for a few seconds. “Gods… Will you go back to Colonial One and check on your sisters? I’ll be back late.”

Giving in, he pushed off from the table. “Yeah. Goodnight, love you.”

“Love you,” she murmured, watching from the corner of her eye as he left.

She waited right where she sat until the Raider crisis was over and that was where Bill found her when he finally returned to his quarters. Already shrugging his tunic off, he paused to look at her.

“Why didn’t you just talk to me?” he asked quietly, his tone filled with his overflowing concern.

“I tried!” She looked up at him, hating that tears had already formed. “You either weren’t here and no one knew where you were, or you wouldn’t give me any answers.”

“So, you immediately thought I was being unfaithful to you?” He draped his tunic over the back of the chair and sat beside her, elbows on his legs so he could lean closer.

“I didn’t know what to think.” Forcing herself to meet his worried gaze was harder than she thought it would be. “It crossed my mind, but I know you. You’re neither a Cylon nor unfaithful, so I didn’t know what to make of any of it.”

“I’m sorry.” He let out a long breath and slowly reached out to take her hand. “I should’ve just told you, but I didn’t want it getting out until I knew what was going on.”

“And now here we are.” She wrinkled her nose but laced their fingers together. “I’m sorry.”

“Baltar can run my test as soon as hers is done,” he promised.

“I’m not worried about that, but the fleet should know.”

He squeezed her hand and brought it close to kiss her knuckles. “I love you, Laura.”

“I love you too.” She offered a small smile and sat up more. “Ellen is as much of a nightmare as I remember.”

“Worse. Far worse.” He groaned and gently tugged on her hand. “C’mere.”

“My dress is not comfortable enough for me to sit in your lap, honey,” she said as her eyebrow shot up.

“Then let me help you out of it.” A slow grin spread across his face and he let his eyes wander down the neckline of what she wore.

A flush began to creep up her skin and she hummed quietly. “Is that all you’re gonna do?”

“I was more thinking about what you could do.” He pulled on her hand again and she gave in, allowing him to guide her to her feet and then between his legs. “It’s been a while.”

“Hmm. Too much going on.” Her arms lightly draped around his neck and she leaned into him. “Busy schedules, children. It’s almost like nothing has changed.”

“And yet, I get to frak the President of the Colonies.” He chuckled and slid his hands up her legs and under her dress to her hips.

“I get to frak the military commander. Kiss him too.” To punctuate her words, she leaned down and kissed him.

It started slow, deep, then rapidly intensified as weeks of pent up emotions were released and poured out of them. Her fingers tangled in his hair and his hands slipped inside her underwear, easily pushing it out of his way. She hummed encouragingly and stepped closer, her knees brushing his inner thighs.

“Or maybe,” she murmured against his lips, teeth gently tugging on the lower one, “I’ll just let you frak me tonight. Take me to bed.”

A low groan slipped from his mouth and he gripped her hips a little harder with one hand, his other falling to his belt. “I don’t know that I wanna wait that long.”

The moment her mind caught up with his words, a surge of arousal shot through her and made her lean against him with a soft gasp. “Please, gods.”

Between the two of their lust-addled brains, they were able to get her underwear down and his pants opened enough to free his hardening cock. All it took was a few quick strokes and the sight of Laura bunching her dress around her hips to make him fully erect, and then his hands were on her and pulling her in. She straddled his lap, arms pressed against his shoulders while he lined himself up and let her control everything. She sank down on him quicker than he expected and his mind went white with pleasure, eyes rolling back in his head.

“Frak, Laura!” he groaned, his fingers brushing over her thigh before he held onto her other hip.

With a breathless laugh, she ground against him and found the best position so she could begin to ride him, taking all of him with each slow move of her hips. Every remaining thought fled his head and he could only hold onto her, barely able to maintain their heated kissing. Their chests pressed together, his sash and the buttons on her dress squished between them. Each roll of her hips made him acutely aware of her breasts against him too and he wished they had taken the time to undress so he could completely feel her in his arms.

“Bill,” she gasped, her forehead resting against his. “Oh, gods!”

As her body adjusted to the slow filling of it, she managed to shift her position and move a little faster, her legs meeting his with soft pants of exertion and pleasure each time. Keeping his secure hold on her, he trailed his fingers over her thigh and earned a shiver, then received a sharp moan when he found her clit.

“You’re frakking beautiful,” he groaned, his thumb pressing against her as he did his best not to thrust up into her.

Aware that he was holding back, she lightly dug her nails into his shoulder. “Frak me,” she whispered, her breath immediately hitching.

There was no hesitation. As she fell into his lap again, his hips pushed up to meet her. He used his hold on her to help her move even harder and kept the contact with her clit, quickly overwhelming her until she was visibly trembling above him.

He pulled her into another breathless kiss, their tongues tangling together until he quietly commanded, “Come for me.”

With a sharp cry, he filled her once more and she surrendered to her orgasm and the absolute pleasure that cascaded down her spine and through her body. She managed a few more thrusts and it was enough for him to come too, burying his face in her chest to stifle his moans. Their heavy breaths mixed together in the limited space between them and Laura allowed herself to completely collapse against him, her eyes sliding closed at the aftershocks still igniting her.

“Oh, frak,” she mumbled with a sated smile, “I needed that.”

He nuzzled against the side of her face and kissed her shoulder. “Sorry it didn’t last longer.”

She shook her head and took a deep breath before she eased off his softening cock and settled back into his lap. Her legs trembled and she laughed breathlessly. “Don’t know that I could’ve gone much longer anyway.”

His arms wrapped around her waist to keep her in place and he lifted his head to kiss her softly. “Can I coax you into a shower and staying the night?”

“If the girls are okay with it.” A part of her felt guilty each time she stayed on Galactica without their daughters, but she reassured herself that her time with her husband was just as important as their family time. “I’ll have to leave after we have Ellen’s results in the morning.”

“I’ll take it.” He stole another kiss and stood up with her, but carefully set her on her feet.

After making sure she was steady enough, they wandered toward the head, already looking forward to collapsing into his rack together for the night once they were showered and checked on Colonial One.

The next morning found everyone save Zak and Lee back in Baltar’s lab. Laura leaned into her husband’s side and Saul kept a close hold on his wife, all eyes focused on the screen Baltar sat in front of. The room was so quiet, no one moving or breathing.

“Green,” Baltar finally confirmed, his hands gesturing to the monitor. “Green, everyone. Mrs. Tigh is definitely human.”

Relieved, Bill turned toward them and gave a small smile. “No hard feelings I hope, Ellen.”

“I completely understand,” she replied with a knowing smirk. “But let’s be sure and test you and your wife next. Doctor?”

“My pleasure,” he said too quickly. Laura and Bill both shot him a displeased look. “My job,” he corrected even faster.

Ellen stepped closer and pulled Bill into a close but appropriate hug. “You don’t wanna frak with me, Bill. Try to remember that,” she whispered.

“Don’t frak with me either, Ellen,” he countered easily, his eyes meeting Laura’s.

“Don’t frak with either of us,” Laura muttered, making a proud smile form on Bill’s face. Ellen’s smirk as she pulled back told him she heard too.

With the tension finally erased, the two couples ignored Baltar and slipped into an easy conversation, more enjoyable than dinner had been. Laura relaxed into it for a few minutes before duty called to her, and she excused herself with a quick kiss to Bill’s lips.

Chapter Text

With the lights off and the room silent beyond the ambient noise, Laura could almost allow herself to slip away in her thoughts and forget everything the morning had plagued her with. Instead, the occasional imaginary—or so she convinced herself so she didn’t fast track to insanity—brush over her hands and arms kept her where she was. It was likely just the air circulating through Colonial One, but she could still feel the slow constricting of the dozen snakes and their hissing hadn’t faded from her ears. Clenching her hands to draw herself out of it, she forced her eyes open and faced her empty room. It had been nearly an hour since the press conference and she still couldn’t shake the waking nightmare. Nightmares while she slept were one thing, but hallucinations while she was awake was concerning, even with the Chamalla.

Beneath all of that was the stifled echo of Cottle’s voice from her early morning appointment.

Using her blazer as an extra layer against the concern she knew she’d face when she returned to her office, she pushed herself up and pulled it on. With one last breath to gather herself, she left the room.

“Billy,” she called as she pushed through the curtain, hoping to delay any personal questions from anyone. “That priestess, Elosha, she’s on the Gemenon Traveler, isn’t she?”

“Uh, yes, ma’am. I believe so.” He looked up from his desk, his eyes obviously looking her over to make sure she was okay. “Is there something you need?”

“Will you invite her here when she has a few minutes? I’d like to speak with her.” Her eyes glanced over her children that were staring at her with even more concern than she had expected, but she focused on sitting in her chair and settling against her desk. There was still work to be done, visions or nightmares or whatever be damned.

“Of course, Madam President.”

As soon as Billy walked away, Zak stood up with Lia and Grace right behind him. Grace rushed past them, but he managed to catch up and stop her before she could leap into Laura’s lap.

“Mama! Let me go, Zak!” She pushed him back, but he didn’t let go of her arm. “Zak!”

“Oh, come here,” Laura sighed, twisting in her chair to hold her arms out.

Zak reluctantly let go and Grace continued over, her arms tightly wrapping around her mother. “Is everything okay?” he asked, still following his sister.

Laura hummed noncommittally and smoothed her daughter’s hair down before she pressed a kiss to her head. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.” It wasn’t a lie, but she also knew it wasn’t the source of her problems. “Left me more absentminded than I should’ve been for the press conference, but I’m okay.”

Her thoughts were working against her as much as the Cylons, painfully reminding her that she was far from okay and likely wouldn’t get better.

“Are you all okay?” she continued, raising her eyes to look at Lia shifting nervously beside Zak.

“Yeah, just waiting for the shuttle,” she explained after a moment. “I guess we should go. We just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I am, I promise.” She formed a full but mildly fake smile for them. “You both need to get going so you’re not late.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Lia took Grace’s hand and gently dragged her out of the room, but Zak lingered.

“So, why do you need a priestess?” he asked bluntly.

Her eyebrow arched up. “A significant portion of our population is religious. I would like to check in with her to make sure their needs are being met.”

“That’s it?” An expression of worry so like his father crossed his face.

“That’s it, Zak. What are you so worried about?” She leaned forward against her desk, her glasses sliding down her nose.

“I mean, you have cancer, Mom. I don’t know if it’s last rights or anything like that,” he replied after a pause and a breath.

“Oh, honey.” His ability to pinpoint things so well was usually a godssend, but it hurt now. “With cancer…” She stopped to make sure she chose her words carefully. “If it’s terminal, it’s a downhill slide, sometimes quick, sometimes slow. But you know when it’s bad, honey, and it’s not bad. Dad and I promised we would let you know if anything changed, okay?”

“Thank you.” He ran his fingers through his hair and nodded. “I’m headed to the Rising Star, but will you be okay?”

“I have a few things to do and then I need to go to Galactica. You know Dad will keep an eye on me.” Her smile was a little more genuine. She strongly suspected once she talked to her husband, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight again. It was one of the only reasons she hadn’t talked to him yet.

“Okay, love you.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek and she managed to say the words back before he took off to meet the shuttle.

While she waited for the priestess to arrive, Laura was finally able to get some work done. It was only a few phone calls and requisitions, but it was more progress than she had made the rest of the morning, and gave her a miniscule amount of satisfaction by the time Elosha walked in and she led her back to her room for privacy without having to send Billy away. He brought a tray for tea and then left them alone, Laura stiff on the couch across from the other woman.

“Thank you for coming,” she murmured, watching as Elosha slowly, almost methodically, stirred cream into her tea.

“What is it I can do for you, Madam President?” She took a cautious sip and then set the mug down to fold her hands in her lap.

“It’s my understanding that you take Chamalla to help you with your faith, is that correct?” The urge to bite at her lip and fiddle with her hands was strong, but she swallowed it down and kept her hands on her own hot mug.

“A simplified explanation, but yes,” Elosha answered with a slightly raised eyebrow.

“I’ve been taking Chamalla for a medical condition.” She paused, considering how she would continue, but Elosha’s voice stopped her.

“So, what have you seen?”

There was a brief moment of hesitation. Over the years of her marriage, she had grown used to telling Bill anything first. Occasionally, the kids found out before she had the chance to call him, but this was all different. This was her purposefully procrastinating on telling him, and she didn’t like how it made her feel. She didn’t like how telling him would make her feel either.

“It started out as dreams of the Cylon that we had executed, but I had the dreams before we captured him. The images were…” Her sentence trailed off and she wrinkled her nose.

“Prescient?” she suggested.

Laura shook her head. “Uncanny. And now I’m seeing things while I’m awake.” The admission came surprisingly easy.

“What kind of things?” She sat forward, all of her attention focused on Laura.

“Snakes, there were snakes crawling all over my podium during the press conference.” A shudder ran through her body at the memory and she set her mug down to clench her hands.

“How many?” Her eyes dropped to her lap.

She gave a small shrug. “About a dozen.”

Elosha quickly looked up. “You’re kidding me, right? You read Pythia and now you’re having me on.”

Laura sighed, her patience starting to wear thin. It had been a long enough day as it was and they were barely past lunchtime. “No. Who is Pythia?”

The priestess stood and began to slowly pace behind the chair she had abandoned. “One of the oracles in the sacred scrolls. 3,600 years ago, Pythia wrote about the exile and the rebirth of a human race: “And the lords anointed a leader to guide the caravan of the heavens to their new homeland and unto the leader they gave a vision of serpents, numbering two and ten, as a sign of things to come.”

An odd feeling settled in Laura’s stomach. “Pythia wrote that?”

“She also wrote that the leader suffered a wasting disease and would not live to enter the new land. But you’re not dying.” She stopped and looked at her. “Are you?”

She winced and looked away, a tense, sad smile forming. “Until today, I didn’t think I was,” she confessed quietly.

“I’m so sorry.” She cautiously moved closer and returned to her seat.

“Cancer,” she continued after a moment. “I found out the day of the attacks and Dr. Cottle informed me this morning that it has spread to my lymphatic system.” She dreaded telling Bill almost more than she dreaded telling the kids. Her prognosis had gone downhill almost immediately and she didn’t have the words to convey that to them, especially after Zak’s concern. “He says I have,” her voice broke, but she forced herself to go on, “six months to live.”

“Madam President, I am sorry.” Elosha took a deep breath and let it out. “I need to consult the scriptures and pray, but I would like to speak again soon.”

Numb, Laura only nodded.

Elosha left without another word and she followed a few minutes later, absently rubbing at her chest. Three people now knew she was dying, and none of them were her husband. The knowledge and guilt settled on her shoulders and she felt her head pulse in warning of the headache starting to form.

“Billy?” she called as she leaned her hip against her desk. “I need to go back to Galactica.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he responded immediately.

“Grace and Lia will likely be back before me. I’ll leave a note for them, but please tell them I’ll be back soon,” she added.

He nodded and she grabbed a scrap of paper to let her daughters know where she had gone. There was still a weird disconnect in her mind that she hadn’t been able to reconcile yet. Moving between ships sometimes felt no different than moving to a different room in their house, but sometimes she remembered how far away they really were.

Her plan was derailed almost immediately after stepping foot on Galactica. Instead of a private moment with Bill, she was pulled into a mission briefing that made her wish she had brought Billy along to take notes. Resolving that she would have to ask for a summary later, she did her best to get through it.

Bill gave her no time to collect her thoughts when they finally were alone in his quarters, the fleet on standby as the crew prepared for the attack on the Cylon-controlled asteroid for fuel.

“What did Cottle say?” he asked as he unfastened his tunic and shrugged it off.

She silently cursed him for knowing her so well. Why did her husband and son have to be so perceptive? “You have enough on your mind; it should wait,” she murmured, not moving from the spot in front of the hatch. “How did you know?”

“Laura, I know you better than anyone.” Holding his tunic by the collar, he looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “You’re hesitant to tell me, so something’s wrong. Means it’s either the kids or you. You were here earlier and didn’t come to see me, so what did Cottle say?”

His logic was infallible and she had to look away. It took effort not to fidget and she folded her hands in front of herself. A few slow breaths did nothing to calm her and she finally sighed, her eyes closing briefly.

“I’m dying.”

He stared at her, his uniform slipping from his grasp. Neither spoke for several long moments.

“He said it aggressively moved into my lymphatic system and I have six months to live.” She spoke with an eerie, emotionless calm that worried him almost as much as her words.

“Laura…” he managed as he took a small step toward her. “The Chamalla isn’t helping, then?” She gave a slight shrug. “What about Doloxan?”

“How many times do I have to tell you no. I won’t do it.” A chill began to creep into her voice and her eyes.

“Laura, if the Chamalla isn’t helping, then we need to do something. What did Cottle suggest?” He took another step, the look in her eye concerning him that she would take off if he moved too quickly.

“Prayer.” She met his eyes and swallowed, not wanting to tell him but unable to lie. “Radiation and Doloxan.”

“Okay, so what do we need to do?”

“We,” she emphasized, “don’t need to do anything. The side effects of Doloxan would knock me on my ass, not you.”

“And what about your death?” he countered quickly, his voice low.

“Doloxan still might not prevent that.” She narrowed her eyes and dug her nails into her palm.

“So, you’re giving up?” This time, he stepped backwards, completely caught off guard.

“No, I’m not frakking giving up,” she hissed. “I’ll keep taking the Chamalla. Maybe it just needs more time.”

“Why would you take that risk? If Doloxan has better odds, then that’s what you should do.”

“I refuse to go through that. I will not put our children through the same hell that I watched my mother go through!” Her voice began to tremble and she felt tears sting her eyes.

“They’re going to go through it anyway,” he tried, fighting to keep his voice even. “Isn’t it worth it for a better chance to live?”

“You don’t understand what it’s like, Bill!” She threw her hands in the air and turned away, a few tears trailing down her cheeks.

Giving up on scaring her off, he crossed the room and firmly grabbed her shoulder. She tried to shrug him off, but he didn’t let go. “No, I don’t, because you never talk to me,” he told her quietly.

Ignoring his comment, she said, “I won’t be able to work if I’m taking Doloxan. It’s better for the girls, for the fleet, if I stay on my feet as long as possible.” Any thought of telling Bill about her visions had evaporated in the face of their argument.

“Your death isn’t better for anyone,” he said again, desperately hoping to get the point through her stubborn head.

She pulled free of him and moved closer toward the hatch, her eyes flashing with a cold, tormented anger. “It’s my decision, godsdamn it! Why can’t you just frakking support that?”

“Because I cannot and will not support my wife’s death!” He finally gave in and responded with as much anger and pain, only to watch her quickly rebuild the walls around herself. Within seconds, she was the same guarded and startled woman he had seen at the park all those years ago with a blue-eyed daughter beside her. “Laura…”

“I have to go,” she said quickly.

She carelessly wiped at her eyes and turned around, but struggled with the hatch in her frantic need to get out. Something told him to stop her and not let her leave, but he swallowed it down and helped her spin the wheel, and then she was gone.

“Frak me,” he sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair and shut the hatch. Not wanting to be alone in his quarters, he grabbed his tunic and called Billy to make sure he was notified when his wife returned to Colonial One, and then made his way to the CIC.

With Galactica preparing for the attack, it was easy enough for Laura to avoid both the ship and her husband. It was all she could do to hold herself together, dangerously at risk of drowning under the guilt of their argument and leaving it unresolved. Beyond that, her children needed to know that their time with her was limited, but that wasn’t a conversation she could have without Bill.

It wasn’t a conversation she could have with him either.

The morning of the asteroid mission op, she couldn’t play the avoidance game any longer. At minimum, she needed to see Lee before he left. She preferred to be in the CIC or War Room to stay in the loop on things, but she was unsure how things would be with the commander, her husband.

After too brief of a moment with Lee, she turned her steps toward the War Room with only her guard as escorts. It had been hell to leave the girls behind, especially with Zak on the Rising Star again, but Billy had agreed to stay and watch them. Almost completely alone with her thoughts, she couldn’t help but think of the last time she had fought as badly with Bill. The fear and anger she had felt watching him walk out, unable to see a way out of their argument together, had crushed her then. She knew now that the surprise of Grace had helped ease the distance between them and she feared they had nothing to do that now.

Bill could tell how guarded she still was immediately after she stepped through the hatch. She looked tired, tense, and he silently sighed. Promising himself he would sit down with her as soon as the mission was over, he turned to the board so they could get started. With most of his attention focused on coordinating the attack and preparing for things to go wrong, he could only steal the occasional glance at Laura. She appeared calm and focused, but he saw the tight lines around her eyes and mouth, and the way she always held onto the table. Each time his mind started to rush down the path of her death, he slammed the door shut and turned away from her.

With her limited military knowledge, not much of the information made sense to Laura. She could track where the ships were, but it didn’t do much good without the bigger picture. A good outcome was needed for everyone, for the fleet, but she needed Lee to come back too. When things started to go badly, she gave in and worried at her lip, not caring if her anxiety was visible or not. It was a make or break moment with too many lives on the line.

When Bill excused himself to the CIC, Laura hesitated but stayed where she was. She knew she could be a distraction, especially now, and he needed to be as focused as possible on the mission. With both Kara and Gaeta in the War Room, she would get just as much information and stay out of the way. It allowed her to keep her folded arms on the table for support, taking in everything going on around her and praying under her breath for the safety of their remaining pilots.

The tense minutes ticked by until Lee’s thrilled, surprised voice finally announced that the mission was accomplished. His excitement was contagious and cheers immediately filled the War Room, the relief palpable as the crew hugged each other and high-fived all around. Laura suddenly found herself pulled into a tight hug by Kara and she quickly gave in, her own arms pulling the younger woman close.

“He’s okay,” the pilot breathed with a nervous laugh. “He really did it!”

“Good job, Kara,” she murmured, squeezing her before she pulled back and let her relief show with a smile. “Thanks to you, we have enough fuel to last us a while. You did good.”

Kara smiled and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “I’m gonna greet them down on the hangar deck; Old Man’s gonna head there too,” she said in invitation.

“No, you go celebrate. You deserve it.” She waved her hands to shoo her away.

“Are you sure? Lee would want to see you.” She hesitated, but glanced toward the rest of the celebrating crew, many already headed for the hatch.

“Go, Kara.” She shooed her again and this time she listened.

Laura waited until the commotion had died down enough that she could walk through the corridors without getting trampled before she left the War Room. With no real destination in mind, she wandered aimlessly and lost in thought, constantly twisting her ring around her finger. It wasn’t surprising when she looked up and found herself near Bill’s and the girls’ quarters, but she turned the opposite direction only to find the man himself approaching her. His steps didn’t hesitate, but his expression darkened at the sight of her, which only made her sigh and play with her ring more.

“Madam President,” he greeted when he was close enough.

“Bill.” She sighed and closed her eyes briefly.

He could see the toll the day had taken on her. Word of the press conference had gotten around and coupled with Cottle’s news and the mission, it was expected that she would look as tired and upset as she did, but he hated to see it. It made him drop everything else, realizing none of it mattered.

“Will you stay here tonight?” he asked softly, hoping she would at least hear him out.

She sighed again, hesitant, and he knew he had an opening. “I have to get back to my ship…”

“Please, Laura?” He reached out and took her hand so she would stop fidgeting with her ring.

“I don’t want to argue anymore. I’m tired and I want to try to enjoy the success of today’s stupidly risky mission.” Her eyes roamed over him and the amount of concern that lined his face.

“I don’t want to argue. I want to hold my wife close.” His voice was still soft, nearly broke, and he held onto her hand more securely. “I can have the girls shuttled over so they can stay here too.”

“Okay.”

He laced their fingers together and led her back to their quarters. After arranging for the girls to fly over, it took some coaxing to get her to eat and they had a brief but quiet dinner, his hand occasionally brushing hers. When they cleared the dishes and moved to the couch, she settled against his side with her head on his shoulder. Surprised at her initiating the contact, he securely held her there and pressed a kiss to her head.

“At least we don’t have to cook anymore,” he murmured.

She let out a soft, surprised laugh. “No, I suppose not.”

His fingers lightly trailed up and down her arm. “I’m sorry,” he finally said. Their argument had never left his head, even through the op. It had been forced into the background, but it had still been there, continued to remind him. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“That’s why I didn’t want to bring it up yet,” she admitted, her eyes sliding closed.

“I don’t have to like it. I don’t have to agree.” He took a deep breath. It hadn’t been easy to process what she needed, wanted, but he had gotten there. “And I don’t frakking understand it, but if you’re sure this is what you want to do, then I support it.”

“It’s not just about me.” She let out a shaky breath and shook her head slightly. “If we were home… maybe it would be different.”

“But we’re not.”

“No…” She leaned into him more. “I don’t talk to you, especially about my mother, and I’m sorry. I won’t keep any of this from you, I promise.”

“I want to be here, Laura, right by your side, but I can only be here if you let me,” he said gently.

“For whatever time we have,” she mumbled.

“You can’t think like that.”

“We have to think like that.” She shook her head again and burrowed further into his side. “I’m dying, Bill.”

He clenched his jaw and held her as close as she needed, unsure of what to say and fearing there was nothing anyway. “What do you need?” he managed after several heavy minutes of silence.

“Just you for tonight.” Her hand moved to his chest, fingers absently playing with his dog tags. “We can figure things out tomorrow because I have no idea how to tell them.”

“I don’t either.” He gently squeezed her shoulder. “Bed?”

“Can we stay here for now?”

“I’ll grab Dark Day and read to you?”

She mustered up a weak smile. “I’d like that.”

He carefully pulled back from her and grabbed the book from its place on a stack near his rack, then returned to her side. She curled up on her side with her head in his lap and he lightly rested the book against her shoulder as he began to read. In between page turns, his fingers combed through her hair or rubbed her arm, doing everything he could to help quiet her thoughts until they could sleep.

When he hoped she had relaxed enough they could go to bed, he set the book aside. She sighed and looked up at him, something obviously on her mind. He waited, knowing she’d speak when she was ready.

“You know how we decided against godparents?” she asked quietly.

“We weren’t sure who to ask and it didn’t feel necessary,” he replied, his brow furrowing as he tried to follow where her thoughts were going.

“I think we should now. After I’m gone… Bill, gods forbid if anything happens to you, who would they have?” Her voice trembled and she swallowed. It was a topic she hated to think about, and she hated even more that it was necessary.

“They’ll have each other. They would be okay.” He couldn’t ignore the possibility of something happening to him, especially facing her diagnosis.

“They need someone,” she said more forcefully. “Grace is too young; Lee and Zak are too young to try to parent them.

“You have someone in mind, don’t you?” He stroked his fingers through her hair.

“Klarice and Jack.”

His eyebrow arched up. “Grace’s teacher? You want Cottle and his wife to raise our daughters?” Even as he said the words, he realized why she had settled on them.

“Klare will do it in a heartbeat and she’d give him no choice. The girls would be okay with them and she’s a civilian; she could keep them safe off Galactica, but they could still see Lee and Kara,” she explained, her eyes meeting his and silently begging him to understand.

His fingers moved to caress her cheek and he sighed. “I don’t like that it’s necessary, but there’s no one I would trust more with them,” he agreed softly.

“And hopefully it’ll never be necessary, but I feel better knowing it’s handled just in case.” She worried at her lip and slowly sat up. “Another problem for tomorrow.”

“Can we get some sleep now?” he asked as he watched her hide a yawn.

“Take me to bed, husband. But keep your clothes on.” She managed a small smile.

The next day, after school was out and Bill was off duty, the doctor and the teacher joined them at the table in Bill’s quarters. They sat on one side, fingers loosely intertwined in her lap, and calmly faced the concerned looking Klarice and stoic Cottle. Wary of the conversation still waiting for them with their children, she was hesitant to start this one too.

“We have a favor we would like to ask of you both,” she finally said before she took a drink of water to help her dry throat. “Given the high risk positions Bill and I both hold and my cancer, I need to know that Grace and Lia will be looked after if anything happens to us.”

Klarice leaned forward against the table but neither of them spoke.

“It’s unusual to name godparents after five years, let alone fifteen, but we would like you both to serve as their godparents. If you’re open to it,” Bill continued for her.

“Yes, of course,” Klarice agreed immediately, unbothered by the glare her husband directed at her.

“Klare, don’t you think we should talk about the possibility of taking on two children?” His eyebrows shot up toward his hairline.

“No, Jack, because we’re going to do it. Or I’ll do it myself.” She calmly looked back at him.

Laura was surprised to see the doctor back down so quickly. Relieved too. Bill squeezed her hand and she squeezed back, needing the warmth and comfort of the contact.

“You may want to sleep with one eye open,” Cottle cautioned as he looked at Bill. “This one would do anything to adopt Grace.”

“You’ll take care of them? They need… they’ll need as much support as they can get after I’m gone.” She smiled sadly and quickly looked away to hide the tears in her eyes. “I need to know they’ll be okay,” she continued shakily.

Cottle reached across the table and rested his hand on hers, Klarice’s hand joining too. “They’ll be okay,” he promised quietly, his grumpy facade fading away. “You don’t need to worry about them.”

“Thank you.” She pulled her hand free to wipe at her eyes and let out a breath. “Thank you.”

“It goes for Zak and Lee too. We’re here for all of them.” Klarice nodded, her expression revealing how sincere she was.

“We’re breaking the news to them today,” Bill added. “In case Grace is quiet in class the next few days.”

“She will be,” Laura murmured and Klarice nodded again. “Don’t push her.”

Silence fell over them until Cottle finally cleared his throat and stood up. “I need to get back to Sick Bay.”

“Goodnight, Laura, Commander.”

“Goodnight,” Bill replied and Laura gave them a brief wave.

It quickly became obvious that there was no good time to tell their children that she was dying. Laura found an excuse to avoid any moment that could’ve worked and Bill allowed her to continue avoiding it, as worried to tell them as she was. At least Zak and Lee caught on faster than either of them would’ve liked and they knew it was only a matter of time before Lia figured out something was up too. With the repairs on Cloud Nine nearing completion and the Quorum of the Twelve preparing to be reinstated and sworn in, the news needed to be broken sooner than later, while Laura was still adamant that it be kept from the public.

Finally realizing they couldn’t delay any longer, they broke the news to Lee, Zak and Kara first. With their assistance, they broke it to Lia next, leaving them with just their youngest but the hardest. Though Grace didn’t react much at first, Laura watched her withdraw into herself more and more over the next few days. Zak and Klarice assured her that it was normal behavior and to watch her carefully, but seeing her usually vivacious daughter so quiet was painful. She quickly grew clingy too, until nearly everything was a battle with her. Bill was limited in what he could do from Galactica, the same reassurances not settling his mind nearly as much. It was difficult to withhold his need to keep his wife close and protected, all too aware that she needed her independence now more than ever. For both herself and for the sake of the fleet.

His only encouragement was that Laura would be distracted enough with the Quorum’s reinstatement. He was grateful to be separated from it and watched from afar, only aware of the shuttle activity between the new Quorum members, Colonial One, and Cloud Nine. The impending meeting also provided another source of anxiety for him, worried about the safety and security in general on the luxury liner. His wife’s protection was something else entirely, especially with her almost flagrant disregard for it all. It left a thin thread of tension between them that neither had the time to try to resolve until this was all over.

The day of the Quorum meeting started off on the wrong foot right from the beginning. From Sagittaron’s delegate pick of Zarek to the schmoozing leading up to the actual meeting, Laura was reminded every step of the way why she hated politics as much as she did. When she finally stood before the delegates, already dreading the meeting ahead, she just prayed it would be over quickly.

“So, if there are no objections, the chair will entertain motions to accept today’s agenda as proposed,” she said as she scanned the room and each of the twelve delegates.

“I have an objection.” Zarek raised his hand and met her gaze.

She wondered what the repercussions would be if she ignored him. “The chair recognizes Sagittaron.”

He stood up and leaned forward with his hands pressed against the table. “All of the items on your agenda are important, I agree. Ration distribution, education, medical services are all very, very important, but I’m frankly shocked to discover the most critical issue of all is nowhere to be found.”

Calmly, she raised an eyebrow. “Really? Well, perhaps Mr. Zarek could enlighten us.”

“The election of a Vice President,” he responded easily. “If, gods forbid, anything should happen to you, Madame President, we have no designated successor. The civilian branch of our government would be paralyzed, leaving the door wide open for a military dictatorship. That door is already ajar with the marriage between our leaders and it’s something I don’t think should be allowed to go by unchecked. The checks and balances between the military, Quorum, the President, and the Vice President are crucial to the efficacy of this government, and I think that they are even more necessary when the head of the government is literally in bed with the head of the military.” As he spoke, she worried he was about to call for an end to her marriage, but it was only a small relief that he wanted an eye kept on it.

“Mr. Zakek,” she interrupted with a controlled, placid smile, “I understand the unique situation we are presently in; however, any references to my marriage will be kept above board and respectful, do you understand?”

A hushed murmur washed over the room, but no one spoke loudly enough to be heard clearly.

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave a stiff nod. “Sagittaron moves that the first item on the Quorum’s agenda should be nominations for Vice President.” He spoke vehemently, passionately, and if anyone else had made these suggestions, she would’ve thought they were good ideas. From Zarek, it only made her concerned for what he knew and what he planned.

An immediate silence fell over the room until it was broken by Baltar calling out, “Second! Caprica seconds, for various reasons which are far too obvious and numerous to go into right now. But certainly, I think we can all agree that it’d be a good idea to have a successor.” His ramblings made Laura consider how effective of a delegate he would be, especially given the time he had clearly spent completely zoned out.

“The motion has been moved and seconded. All those in favor of opening nominations for the vice presidency, say ‘aye’.” Once again, her eyes circled the room, no part of her surprised when the decision was unanimous. “The ayes have it. The floor is now open for nominations.” After a moment, Bagot raised his hand. “The chair recognizes Virgon.”

“There is only one man here who is willing to work for the betterment of the people in this fleet,” he declared, his attention split between her and the crowd behind her. “When I asked for his help, he sent a crew to fix the air filtration system on my ship and hell, they were finished and they were gone while I was still waiting for the President’s office to return my call. I nominate Tom Zarek.”

“Is there a second?” she reluctantly asked.

“Gemenon seconds the nomination,” Porter agreed.

Neither vote was unexpected.

“The nomination of Tom Zarek for the vice presidency has been accepted. The chair will remain open for 72 hours for nominations. This session is now adjourned.” She banged her small gavel and didn’t linger, only focused on getting back to the privacy of Colonial One.

Lee, Wally, and Billy all followed her back to her ship and they found Bill waiting by her desk, his arms firmly crossed over his chest. She barely glanced at him as she walked by to sit down, primly crossing one leg over the other. It gave her some sense of control in an otherwise spiraling day. Within minutes, her restlessness shoved her to her feet and she began to pace the length of the room while the men hesitantly settled into seats.

“Thomas Zarek is not going to be my Vice President,” she grumbled, more to herself than anyone else.

“Six months until the Presidential election, we could have hand-picked a candidate,” Billy sighed, his head shaking as he watched her from his desk.

“You know, it didn’t shock me when Bagot nominated him. But Porter, that was surprising,” Wally said, his chair pushed to the side so he could see her no matter where she walked.

“Not really, the Gemenon ships use more water per capita than any other ships in the fleet. She wanted more rations, I said no.” Her hand waved as she talked, dismissing the topic. It didn’t matter how surprising it had been, what mattered was if they could sway their votes or not.

“Well, Zarek may have made some new friends in the last few weeks, but there are still plenty of people out there who hate him.” Wally stretched his legs out and glanced at Bill.

He sat on the edge of Laura’s desk with his hands on his knee, watching her with a blank expression that hid his apprehension. The idea of Zarek involved in any part of the government didn’t please him, but him being so close to Laura couldn’t happen.

“Don’t underestimate Zarek. He’s charismatic and knows which buttons to push. And frankly, I’m concerned about the security aboard Cloud Nine.” Lee had spent most of the time reviewing the schematics for the ship and the schedule for the rest of the sessions.

Bill cleared his throat. “I want you leaning forward on this, Captain,” he ordered.

“If they so much as sneeze, they’d better have a handkerchief,” Laura added.

“Understood.” Lee nodded and looked down at the report in his lap.

“We need a candidate. Someone who will quickly win the delegates’ support.” She let out an odd snort and her eyes moved from Lee to Bill. “I’ve half a mind to pick Lee just to piss him off.” It wasn’t something she would have said to anyone else, but the people in this room were safe.

“Uh.” Lee laughed nervously and shook his head. “No offense, but that doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

She shot him a look, but Billy saved them all from her response. “An established name.”

Shifting her attention to him, she pushed her blazer out of the way and rested her hands on her hips. She met Billy’s eyes and saw he had the same idea, allowing her to slowly move to look at Wally. It took him another few moments to realize.

“I’m not a politician,” he protested.

“But you know how to get things done. You have kept this fleet functioning all this time,” she countered, her voice lowering.

“No.” He shook his head and held his hand up in surrender. “Thanks, but…”

“I cannot allow Tom Zarek to be one heartbeat away from the presidency, Wally.” There was a pleading tone to her voice, but this wasn’t the time for pride. “I need you.”

He sighed and dropped his hand. “You’ve got me, Madame President.”

It didn’t take long to plan the bulk of his campaign, their limited time making it both easier and harder. As soon as they were done, Laura sent everyone away that she could, leaving her only with her husband. He hadn’t moved from her desk but had shifted to keep an eye on her.

“I don’t like it,” he said bluntly.

“I knew you wouldn’t.” She rested her steepled fingers under her chin. “You can’t do anything about it.”

“I want to increase security.”

“Bill.” She let out a long breath and tilted her head to look at him. “Are you acting out of concern as my husband or as Commander Adama?”

“It may surprise you, Madam President, that both parts can be concerned for your safety,” he explained as his eyes narrowed.

“Lee has it handled. I’m not worried at the moment, not unless Zarek gains more support. We have to tread so incredibly carefully right now, Bill.” It felt like they had been walking on eggshells for months now, and it had only grown more precarious since the attacks.

“If your safety is compromised, I will pull rank.” He looked at her and she saw nothing but serious concern in his eyes.

“Understood,” she murmured.

“I have to get back, but I love you.” After a moment, he stood up and let his hand rest on her shoulder.

“I love you too.” Allowing her responsibilities to slide back for a moment, she smiled.

The little peace they had acquired shattered as soon as a fight broke out in a bar on Cloud Nine and revealed a likely lackey of Zarek. Convinced Kara and Lee could and would handle any other threats that came up, Laura couldn’t find the room in her head to be worried about a possible assassination attempt. Her lack of concern frustrated Bill to no end and though he had threatened to pull rank, he knew he couldn’t. The only thing he could do was wait by and trust that his men would keep everything under control.

The last hours of the nomination period passed with as much tension as the first several had. From the death of Valance to dropping Wally and picking Baltar as her candidate, every new road bump felt like another grain of salt in the wound of the first Quorum meeting. The largest moment of relief came when Baltar was voted in and immediately inaugurated as Vice President. It added the problem of selecting a new Caprican delegate to a later session, By comparison, the rest of the Quorum schedule was a breeze, and Laura allowed all of it to fall off her shoulders when she stepped through the door into the small private suite.

To limit the security issue of the government constantly traveling between ships during sessions, blocks of rooms had been set aside on Cloud Nine. Laura hadn’t used hers previously, much preferring to go back to her ship with the girls. Tonight, however, with the celebration to conclude the Quorum session, it had been easier for her to remain on Cloud Nine and the girls had a room booked next door for the night; the shuttle had brought them over from the Odysseus and Bill was due to arrive any moment. Everything was handled for the rest of the night, giving everyone a much needed few hours off. As long as the Cylons cooperated.

Laura left her blazer on the chair and her heels abandoned next to it as she walked by, then stepped back through the door into the hallway. It was empty, quiet, with only the two guards posted at the end near the elevator. Barely glancing at them, she knocked on her daughters’ door and Lia opened it.

“Was wondering if we’d get to see you.” She smiled and pushed the door open wider to let her in. “So, how was it?”

Ready to be done with work for as long as she could, she waved her hand and let the door close behind her. “It’s over, that’s what matters. How was school?”

Grace sat at the end of the bed and held her arms out. After making sure Lia was okay, Laura moved to sit next to her and pull her close.

“I don’t wanna go to school anymore,” she mumbled with her head falling into her mother’s lap.

“You have to, sweetheart.” She gently combed her fingers through her hair. Each morning, it had been harder and harder to get her on the shuttle for school. Her will to keep fighting it was quickly fading and she was concerned she would give in soon and just keep her home with the time she had left. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, she leaned down to kiss her head. “But you have two days off and we get to stay the night here. Isn’t that fun?”

Grace shrugged and curled up more in her lap.

“You get to wear your pretty purple dress too,” she added.

“All night?” Her shell starting to crack a little, she lifted her head.

“All night.”

“And you’ll be there?”

“You’ll have to be with Daddy for a little bit and then I’ll be there, I promise.” She helped her sit up and stroked her arm reassuringly. “Do you want to keep me company while we wait for him?”

When she nodded, Laura stood up with her and looked at her other daughter. Lia smiled reassuringly and threw herself happily onto the empty bed.

“I’ve been sharing a room with my younger sister for the past few weeks. I’ll gladly take some time alone,” she laughed.

“You can ask Zak and Lee about sharing a room. I’m sure they’ll have plenty of opinions.” Too many nights had been interrupted with the boys arguing over sharing a room, sometimes a bed, and that first night all four of them had spent in the new house with a room to themselves, save Bill and Laura happily together.

“Oh, I remember some of it.” Lia rolled onto her back with another laugh. “Grace doesn’t know how good she has it.”

She hummed with a knowing smile. “None of you do. It’s part of what growing up means.”

Leaving Lia to have some time alone, Laura led Grace back to her room, only to end up on the bed with her once again. Her head rested on her chest and she absently stroked her hair and her back, keeping her calm and relaxed as she stared at the ceiling with her wandering thoughts.

Bill found them there, Grace asleep and Laura lost in her thoughts. When she didn’t notice him, he leaned his shoulder against the wall to use the opportunity to watch her in this rare moment of vulnerability. Even around him, she had grown so guarded. The political facade seemed harder for her to drop and he knew part of it was an effort to hide when she didn’t feel well. Now, thinking no one else was around, he got a true glimpse of what she carried on her shoulders, and he felt equal amounts of fear and love overtake him.

“Laura,” he called softly, hoping not to startle her.

Her head rolled toward him and as she smiled, a veil started to slide over her eyes. “When did you get here?”

“Just walked in. Sure you don’t wanna just sleep tonight?” He walked closer and stopped beside the bed, gently brushing her hair back from her face.

“No, I need to be there. Least for a bit.” She took a deep breath and carefully sat up, accepting his help to get free of Grace and stand too.

While she showered and began to get ready, Grace woke up and Bill was able to coax her back to her room to get ready with Lia. He returned to find his wife pulling her skirt on and tucking her shirt in, but she paused and looked up at him.

“Oh, good, you can help me.” She huffed and gestured to the zipper. “It’s stuck and I was worried I was going to have to hobble down the hallway to get one of the Marines to help.”

He shook his head and knelt beside her so he was at eye level with the zipper, his fingers gentle as he untangled her shirt from it. When it was free, he zipped it up and she helped him to his feet. “You’re too impatient,” he teased.

“Well, when your bedroom doesn’t have a door, you learn to limit how often you walk around undressed.” She rolled her eyes and after glancing at the clock, decided she had enough time to sit and let the steamy bathroom air out.

The couch wasn’t as comfortable as the bed, but it was better than the ones on Colonial One. She stretched her legs out and rested her arm along the back of it, her body relaxing with a long exhale. With a glance at her, he moved closer to the dresser and fiddled with a small box in his pocket.

She noticed immediately. “What are you hiding?” Her eyebrow arched up and she loosely folded her arms over her chest.

“Nothing.” He shrugged and glanced over at her.

Her eyebrow rose higher.

“It’s not hiding if I’m about to show you.” He sat beside her and left a small, blue box on her lap. “It was supposed to be a retirement present, but in the chaos of everything, I set it aside and forgot about it.”

“You got me a present for your retirement?” She looked at him and carefully picked it up, her finger searching the edge for the opening.

He shrugged and gestured to it.

With a half-hearted eye roll, she opened the box and immediately gasped at the small pedant inside. A delicate gold olive branch twisted to form a circle with a ruby at the center and four smaller ones surrounding it. She lightly ran her finger over it and bit her lip as she looked at her husband.

“Bill, this is beautiful.” Her gaze quickly returned to the necklace and she eased it from the box.

“One ruby for us, one for each of the kids.” He kissed the side of her head and gently took it from her. “And don’t tell me that I shouldn’t have done it, because it’s not like I can return it now.”

“You’re impossible,” she said, but she smiled and moved her hair so he could put the necklace on her. He pressed a lingering kiss to her neck before he pulled back. “We don’t have time for you to start anything.”

“No, but we can finish it later.” He smirked and kissed her slowly.

She gasped and tangled her fingers in his hair, her others pressing the necklace to her chest. “Oh, yes.”

“And finish it later we will,” he promised. “Finish getting ready.” He started to step away, but she pulled him back in to steal another kiss, moaning quietly at the feel and taste of him.

“One for the road,” she murmured, laughing softly.

He shook his head and ran his hand down her side, lingering on her hip before he dropped it. “I’ll check on the girls and we’ll see you out there?”

“One more event and then we’re done until the next Quorum meeting. Thank the gods.” She glanced in the mirror and fluffed up her hair. “Thank you for the necklace,” she added, the light glinting off it.

“I’m glad I finally got a chance to give it to you.” He stayed long enough to smile and then left their suite to head next door for the girls.

Laura hummed to herself as she did her hair and fixed her makeup before she stepped into her shoes to head down toward the ballroom, overwhelmingly relieved that the first Quorum meeting and mess of picking a Vice President was finally over.

After announcing Baltar and following him down the stairs, she found Bill waiting for her. She accepted his arm when he was within reach, leaning into his side with a content hum. It wasn’t thrilling to have Dr. Baltar as her Vice President, but he was better than Zarek and she hoped at least his genius mind would be useful. There would be time to fret about that in the future, so she allowed herself to relax and follow her husband to the table that had been set aside for them. She wasn’t expecting any of the kids to be nearby and she was correct aside from Grace who sat quietly with her hands tangled in the ruffles of her purple dress. She moved to her mother’s lap as soon as Laura sat down, and she wrapped one arm around her to hold her close while the other settled on the table.

Bill’s hand moved to cover hers where it rested, the contact subtle but still there and necessary for them both. They watched the top members of their military and government mingle, Bill keeping an eye on things overall while Laura looked more closely. Across the room and occasionally visible, she saw Kara and Billy dancing, her blue dress catching the dim light as they slowly moved around. Nearby, Lee danced with Dee and Zak with his sister, bringing a small smile to Laura’s lips.

“Pair off and start having babies, hm?” she quietly asked her husband.

He grunted and glanced at her. “Four isn’t enough, Laura?”

She laughed and squeezed his hand. “No, I still stand by what I said giving birth to Grace. No more. I meant them.” She nodded to the dancing couples and caught sight of the Chief and Sharon dancing together.

“I’m not ready to be a grandfather.” He arched an eyebrow up and settled back into his chair more.

“That’s what you get for taking each of your crew members under your wing.” She leaned closer so her elbow rested on the table too.

“Says the woman who adopted half the fleet.”

“I called them children. Not our children,” she countered with another laugh. “We have a few months until contraceptives are all used up.” He slanted a grin at her. “We had our miracle baby, remember? I’m done even if we wanted another one.”

“I know.” He laced his fingers with hers. “I am so incredibly happy to have our family, especially now.”

“Me too.” She stroked her finger along his hand and smiled.

He suddenly dropped her hand and stood, his hands extended for Grace. “Go dance with Zak, sweetheart.”

She quickly frowned and tightly wrapped her arms around Laura’s neck. “No, I stay with Mama,” she mumbled.

Laura sighed and rubbed her back. “Why don’t you dance with Zak while I dance with Daddy, and then you can dance with us too afterwards?”

Her lower lip trembled as she pouted at her, but she slowly released her hold and slid to the deck.

Bill watched her wander through the crowd and made sure Zak had her before he turned back to his wife and extended his hand. “Come on, let’s dance.”

She followed him a ways into the crowd and laughed as he pulled her in to take her other hand. He kept a respectable distance between them and she deferred to his lead, trusting him implicitly as they danced. At first, her eyes continued to people-watch around them, but she slowly let even that go and focused on the man before her. He had done the same and their eyes met, his brightening the instant they did.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured.

A flush immediately warmed her cheeks. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

She thought of their honeymoon, the random nights they had danced in the kitchen, and the stuffy military and government galas they had attended over the years. Each time was vivid in her head and she knew this night would do the same, a bright spot in the darkness that continually threatened to take over.

To clear her thoughts, she shook her head slightly and flexed her hand against his shoulder. “I think I need a drink.”

He leaned in and kissed her softly. “Go sit down,” he said as he pulled back.

Her hand trailed down his arm and she held his gaze for a moment before she turned to head back to their table. Bill rejoined her after a few minutes with a fancy drink and a glass of water, both of which he offered to her. She raised an eyebrow and looked up at him.

“Are you encouraging the President to double hand drinks, Commander?” she teased, just loudly enough for him to hear.

“No, I’m encouraging my wife to counter her alcohol with water so she doesn’t get a hangover.” He set the water down and let her take the bright blue drink before he moved to stand behind her with his hand idly resting on her shoulder. “Zak’s still with Grace, but I’ll dance with Lia and be back,” he said as he kissed the top of her head.

“Don’t worry about me.” She took a drink and hummed at the tropical taste. “I have about five minutes before our daughter is back in my lap.”

“Your patience is unending, my love.” His thumb stroked the bit of her collarbone exposed by her shirt.

“She’s processing; it takes time. For all of them.” She sighed and reached up to play with the new pendant around her neck, her fingers tracing the edges.

“I love you.” After squeezing her shoulder, he reluctantly moved into the crowd after their family.

Using the crowd and music as a distraction, Laura allowed herself to zone in and out as she sipped her drink. In her absentmindedness, it took her a moment to realize that Lee had approached her and leaned against the table.

“Feel up to dancing?” he asked with a cautious smile.

“Of course,” she answered, matching his smile.

He helped her up and guided her to the dance floor just like this father, his leading a little more clumsy but just as entertaining. “It’s good to see Grace laughing,” he said as they passed Bill with both Grace and Lia.

The three of them were holding hands and more moving in a circle than actually dancing, but Grace was fascinated by the way her dress twirled and both Bill and Lia were happy to indulge her. The sight made Laura smile but her steps faltered.

“You okay?” he asked quickly.

She hummed quietly. “You look out for them, you hear me? Your sisters, Dad. Even Kara and Zak.”

“Ah, yeah, the oldest so I get all the responsibility right?” he tried to tease.

“No,” she sighed, “you all need to look out for each other. Promise me?”

His expression sobered and he gave a stiff nod. “Yeah, of course, Mom. I won’t let anything happen to them. Neither will Dad.”

“I know.” She let out a shaky breath and bit her lip. “I’m sorry, I need a moment. If Dad asks, I needed some air.”

She carefully pulled free and kept her steps controlled as she moved through the crowd and out into the hallway. The sound of the door opening and closing a moment later told her either her guard had caught up or Bill had, but when they said nothing, she assumed it was just her security. They stayed a distance away, even as she wrapped her arms around herself and made her way into the large biosphere, the cooler air filling her lungs and helping to relax the tense set of her shoulders. The music had faded as soon as she left the building, but she found she didn’t mind. The simulated sounds of night insects provided enough for her to listen to as she wandered through the grass, her eyes moving between the flora and the stars above.

Bill went looking for his wife as soon as Grace was done dancing and being away from her mother. She wasn’t at the table, with their sons, or Billy, and his brow furrowed in concern as he took in the room. The Marine guarding her was too good to let her slip away undetected, and there was another stationed outside the building on the off chance she did, but it still didn’t answer where she had gone. Before he could dig too deep of a hole, Lee grabbed his arm and leaned in.

“She went outside,” he explained before he moved back into the crowd.

Rubbing Grace’s back, he adjusted his hold on her and carried her in search of Laura. As soon as they walked outside, he spotted her wandering through the grass and sighed as he cut across the lawn to join her. Grace wriggled until he put her down and she ran off, her hand tightly grasping her mother’s.

“Hi there, sweetheart,” she murmured as she looked down to find her daughter’s teary eyes looking back up at her. They mirrored her own.

“Don’t leave, Mama.”

Laura wasn’t sure if she was talking about now or later, but it hurt all the same. “I just wanted to go for a walk. Will you and Daddy join me?”

Bill caught up and she threaded her arm through his so she could lean into him, her other hand firmly holding Grace’s. They resumed walking, making their way from one side of the dome to the other and then started back before Grace finally yawned and rubbed at her eyes.

“I think it’s bedtime,” Laura said softly.

“You’re still staying here tonight, right?”

“I was hoping you’d stay with us, but I understand if you need to head back.” Her voice softened even more until he struggled to hear her.

At the sight of the persistent tears in his wife’s eyes, Bill was prepared to do anything. “I’ll stay. Let’s get you both to bed.”

Neither Grace nor Laura had slept alone since they had given her the bad news, but there was something different about settling into a large, plush bed beside Bill with their daughter between them compared to squishing into one of their small beds on Colonial One. It was an indulgence she knew she could have more often and that it was more than justified, but something about it still felt wrong. For just one night though, she would allow herself to enjoy the luxury, especially knowing Lia would have a bed to herself next door.

Bill stretched his arm out so it was wrapped around Grace and his hand on Laura’s side, making sure they both stayed close. Their daughter cuddled into Laura’s chest and she held her as close as she could, both drifting off far faster than he expected. In the darkness, he found sleep evasive, but he almost preferred to stay up and watch two of his girls, his heart aching at how somber they both looked, even in sleep. It made him long for any way to take their pain away, but he knew there was nothing he could do.

Chapter Text

The maps were imprinted in her mind, both the ruins that existed and the original structures she had envisioned. They blended together so seamlessly—like pages rapidly flipped back and forth—even with her eyes opened as she tried to focus on anything else. Baltar’s unusually extra eccentricities didn’t help her concentration and nothing could seem to get her mind off the planet. It felt so obvious to her now after speaking with Elosha that it was Kobol, but she had no idea how she could convey that to anyone else, least of all Bill. Even her own aide had looked at her in concern and she had a feeling his lack of argument was only out of respect. When she knew she could no longer delay it, that they needed to explore the planet and find out for certain, she gathered herself for a trip to Galactica. Elosha and Baltar joined her, met by Lee near the hangar deck to escort them to Bill’s quarters. They carried the series of maps and Elosha’s scrolls, and Laura wished she had had a chance to discuss it privately with her husband first instead of blindsiding him like this.

They settled around the table when they arrived and Bill patiently heard out their argument and reasoning for why the planet was Kobol. His thoughts were conflicted, torn between worry for his wife and for whatever questionable accident had put Boomer in Sick Bay with a hole in her face. Maybe this planet was a blessing of some kind, a chance for them to set down before people really started to go off the rails.

“You might be right,” he sighed, eyes still focused on the maps, “this may be Kobol. I think we should seriously consider permanent settlement on this planet.”

Laura quickly shook her head. “The scriptures tell us that Kobol points the way to Earth. This could be a sign post, not our final destination.”

He glanced over his shoulder at Lee. “Organize a ground survey team, three Raptors. I want a complete survey of the ruins immediately.”

“Yes, sir,” he agreed, already on his way through the hatch.

Baltar cleared his throat and moved to a free side of the table. “When what happens– what would happen if I go? Uh, in fact, I think I’m going to volunteer for the survey party,” he stuttered out.

Bill barely looked at him. “Your presence won’t be necessary, Doctor, thank you.”

“I am the Vice President of the Colonies, elected in my own right, and I feel that my presence on the planet will be necessary, Commander. As your chief science advisor, I’m expected to analyze all of the samples the team bring back and quite frankly, it’ll be far more efficient if I can gather the samples by myself. Unless you have any objection, Madam President.”

Laura stifled an amused snort. For a man who had tried to avoid all obligations earlier that day, his sudden interest was amusing. “No objections, thank you,” she said, hoping it would dismiss him. Saul was already standing up. “We need to talk,” she added to Bill.

He nodded and they waited quietly for the others to leave the room.

Even when they were alone, she hesitated. The evidence for Kobol was strong, but it was lacking for what she had to say next, and she knew exactly how he was going to react. Before she spoke again, she said a quick, silent prayer that they could remember the line between personal and professional.

“So,” she began, but immediately stopped. Ignoring the look he gave her, she tried again, “According to the scriptures, if we had the Arrow of Apollo, we could take it down to Kobol and we could use it to open the tomb of Athena and find our way to Earth.”

“You’ve never been this deep into the scriptures. What changed?” He watched her closely, noting how tightly she held her hands together on the table and her hesitancy to speak, let alone look at him.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. “After I started taking the Chamalla, I began to see things,” she explained, her voice faint. “Before that Cylon was found on the Gemenon Traveler, I dreamt of him, dreamt of exactly what he told me before I sent him out the airlock. Then, a few weeks ago, I saw snakes on my podium. I could feel them, Bill, hear them.” She could tell she was starting to worry him, but she had to keep going. “And today, when I looked at those maps, I could see what used to be there. Not ruins.”

As he watched her, saw the lines deepening on her face and how much she had struggled with this, he knew he didn’t want to fight with her. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked instead.

“When it started happening, we argued and then the cancer spread, and I knew you wouldn't like it.” Her lips were too dry and she bit at a loose piece of skin.

“Damn it, Laura.” Slowly, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. Everything in him wanted to push her, needing to understand why she had kept this a secret, but he also knew this wasn’t the time. “You know that Earth doesn’t exist.”

“It would seem that we were wrong. Just because we don’t know where it is doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.” Her eyes narrowed, at first worried that he wasn’t pushing and then appreciative.

They were walking a fine line and he made sure to follow the right side carefully. “Laura, please know that I am not trying to make fun of you, but everything about Kobol, the Arrow of Apollo, they’re just stories, legends, myths. Don’t let it blind you to the reality that we face.”

Her heart beat a little faster and her nails dug into her palms, but she couldn’t loosen her grip. If it was logic he wanted, she had plenty. “Reality is that the Cylon Raider has been successfully jump-tested. Reality is that Cylon technology obviously outstrips our own, and reality is, there is a good chance the Raider can jump all the way back to Caprica and retrieve that arrow and find our way to Earth, the real Earth.”

He shook his head just enough to get his point across. “The Raider’s a military asset. I’m not gonna use it to go chasing some mythical arrow. I’m sorry.”

“Bill, the arrow is real. It’s at the Delphi Museum of the Colonies; we took Lia there several times.” It was obvious that his decision was made, but she couldn’t ignore the feeling in her chest that told her they needed to do this, that it was the only way to protect humanity.

“It’s an historic arrow, but it isn’t Apollo’s and it won’t help us find Earth, Laura. It’s a suicide mission and it’s not worth it.” There was a wild look in her eye that he had never seen before. It was either the cancer or the Chamalla she was using to treat it, but it was worrisome. “Have you seen Dr. Cottle recently?”

“I have never read the scriptures from Pythia until recently. Never. How could I possibly hallucinate something I don’t know? It’s like imagining new colors, new faces.” She let her eyes close briefly and took a calming breath, but it barely helped. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s the same feeling I had when Kara came back in that Raider. I know this is the right thing to do and I need you to trust me.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” he said quickly. “I’m not sending someone on a suicide mission for something we don’t even know will help. I won’t do it and I’m sorry, but it’s not something I can condone.”

She stood up quickly enough that it made her dizzy until she regained her equilibrium, but she turned away and stared at the bulkhead until she could catch her breath. The conversation with him was a dead end, his decision made and unwavering.

“I think you should see Cottle. Please,” he added, his voice softening.

“No, I need to go.” As she walked by him, he reached out and grabbed her arm, holding her in place while he stood up. “Let me go, Bill. I have things to do.” His hand dropped immediately. “If I wasn’t the President and you weren’t the Commander, would you have believed me?”

“It’s not about belief.” His hands hung limply by his sides, unsure what to do with them. “Laura, I think you’re lost and you’re scared, and you’re trying to find meaning in all of this. You found something that resonated and you’re holding onto that.”

“No, that’s not what’s happening. If that were the case, don’t you think I’d hallucinate where Earth is? Save us all the trouble of all this hide and seek? I said I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s real. Please, Bill.”

Tears shined in her eyes and it was difficult to meet her gaze, struggling to hold steady in his decision and not give in just to reassure her. It wasn’t a good idea and he couldn’t risk it for the President or his wife. But seeing her so distraught scared him.

“I can’t.”

With a single shake of her head, she turned and quickly hurried from his quarters, her head down to hide the tears she couldn’t stop. She hated to do it, hated the very idea of it, but the thought of not acting on what she knew seemed worse, and it drove her onward to the Wardroom where she planned to meet Billy.

She used the little time she had to try to gather herself, wiping her eyes with a tissue she buried in her pocket and hunching over the table so she didn’t have to hold herself up. The moment the hatch opened, she jerked upright and quickly brushed her fingers through her hair. By some miracle, she was able to hold herself together while she explained her idea to Billy, and he did an even worse job of hiding his disagreement than Bill did.

“If you do this, it could threaten everything that we’ve accomplished. It will probably bring down the government and you don’t have a right to risk that for a…” He stopped, a panicked look crossing his face.

“Go on,” she encouraged, her voice low.

He sighed. “For a drug-induced vision of prophecy.”

“Oh, I am well aware of that, but it would seem that the gods have a different plan. Would you please get me Lieutenant Thrace?”

Nearly as worried as her husband always was, he asked, “Can I get you some more water?”

“No, thank you,” she murmured, dropping her gaze to the table.

He refilled her glass anyway before he left, leaving her alone with too many thoughts and concerns slamming around in her head until it hurt.

As with Bill, then Billy, she explained the same idea to Kara when she walked in. They had people stranded on Kobol now, they had time to retrieve the arrow and find the tomb. Unlike Bill and Bill’s concerned disagreement, Kara’s beliefs left her more skeptical.

“You can’t be serious?” She stared at the figure she had come to think of as a mother, even after the breakup with Zak.

“All of this has happened before and all of this will happen again. The Cylon you interrogated, he quoted that bit of scripture. He also said that we would find Kobol and Kobol would show us the way, did he not?”

“Yes, he did,” she reluctantly answered.

“Well, we have found Kobol. It’s… I would like you to think this through with me. If you believe in the gods, then you believe in the cycle of time, that we are all playing our parts in a story that is told again, and again, and again, throughout eternity.” It was a risk, both personal and professional, to ask Kara. She was risking pushing away yet another member of her family, but Kara was the only pilot she trusted could get it done. Lee would refuse even faster than his father and he didn’t have the affinity for the Raider that Kara did.

“That’s the way I was raised, but that doesn’t mean that my part in the story is to go off on some crazy-ass mission against orders. Why does your part have to be the dying leader? What does the Old Man say about all this?” she demanded softly.

“Trust me, Kara, I wish I could play any other role. I wish there was some scripture that says I get a happy ending, but they tell us that a dying leader led humanity to the promised land. If you go back to Caprica and bring me the arrow, I will show us the way.” The same certain feeling swept through her again.

“This is crazy.” She shook her head quickly and Laura couldn’t disagree.

“You keep using that word,” she murmured. “It is crazy, perhaps, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t true. And it may be our only chance. Our only chance to find Earth.”

“No, the Old Man said he knew where Earth is, that you both know its location. That it’s a secret but he is going to take us there,” she insisted, her brow furrowing deeply.

“He doesn’t,” she said gently. “He never did. He made it up in order to give people hope.”

“You’re lying.”

Her next words felt like a line in the sand, but she spoke them anyway. “Go ask him.”

“I will,” she said before she stalked off.

Bill found Starbuck leaning against the railing on the upper level of the hangar deck, deep in thought. He joined her but didn’t say anything. The argument, if it could even be called that, with Laura still had him rattled, and the missing Raptors only made things worse. If she was just his wife, he would’ve carried her down to Sick Bay by force, but he knew the visuals of that wouldn’t be good for the fleet. No matter how strongly he wanted to still do it.

“I’m gonna need one more in-flight test for the autopilot and nav systems before we jump for Kobol,” Starbuck said, her eyes still focused on the deck below them.

“Right,” he grunted.

“Look, can I ask you a question?” She finally glanced at him.

“Shoot.”

“How much longer ’till we reach Earth?” She spoke without hesitation.

His eyebrow briefly arched up, questioning the coincidence at two Earth conversations within hours of each other.

“It’s hard to say,” he answered evasively. The idea of lying to the fleet was still necessary, but it was something that hung on his conscience.

“You got a guess?”

“You know I don’t like to guess.”

“We getting closer?”

“You talked to the President?”

“Oh, so she’s just the President now?” Kara tilted her head to look at him.

He fixed her with a stern expression. “Can’t let the Cylons find it. Good luck on your next test.”

His mind thought back over his conversation with Laura and his steps briefly hesitated. Even if she was bold enough to go behind his back and countermand his orders, he trusted that Starbuck wouldn’t fold. Her military training ran too deep.

The moment the Cylon Raider jumped away, Bill was forced to reconsider everything he thought he knew. His fingers were reaching for the handset when Dee informed him that the President was already calling.

“Bear witness; put on your headset,” he told his XO before he lifted up the handset and leaned against the CnC. “Madam President, moments ago, Lieutenant Thrace took the Cylon Raider on an unscheduled and unauthorized jump.” He followed every bit of protocol to keep them on the right side of the line still.

Laura leaned against her desk with her hands flat on the cool surface, only Billy across from her with the press corps in the seats beyond. As soon as she had returned to Colonial One, she had made sure Zak kept the girls back in their room until she or Billy came to get them. “Yes,” she answered shortly, already knowing his question.

“Do you have any knowledge of this incident?” The pieces had come together immediately, but he needed to hear it and wanted Saul to hear it too.

“Let’s save some time here, Commander.” If he could follow protocol to the letter, so could she. “The question you really want to ask me is whether or not I asked Lieutenant Thrace to take the Raider to Caprica. And the answer to your question is yes.”

“We talked about this.”

“Yes, we did.”

“We both decided it was a military decision.”

“You,” she emphasized, “decided it was a military decision. My responsibility as President is, first and foremost, to protect and preserve this fleet and its future. In the end, that outweighs any other consideration. It has to.” Even if it meant risking, possibly ruining, her own marriage, let alone her family.

Her voice had grown calm, too controlled. “By taking the Raider, you’ve placed our people on the surface of Kobol in direct danger,” he explained carefully.

She held back a sigh. “I’m very aware of the danger our men and women are in on Kobol. I am also deeply aware of the danger this civilization will be in if I ignore the pursuit of this arrow.”

Bill met Saul’s eyes and they stared at each other for several seconds. If there was ever a moment to separate out leadership from his personal life, now was it, and it was far more painful than he thought it could possibly be. Aware of every repercussion that could ripple out from his decision, he sighed and said, I’’m going to have to ask you for your resignation, Madam President.”

She almost snorted. “No.”

“Then I’m terminating your presidency, as of this moment.”

Her eyes closed and she let her head hang between her arms. “Commander Adama, I will exercise the authority of this office until I am unable to do so, so if you want to stage a coup you’re gonna have to come over here and arrest me.” Her only prayer was that her children listened and didn’t overhear a single word.

“I don’t want any bloodshed.” The trip to Caprica had been a bad idea because of loss of life, this was risking the rest of his family.

“Of course you don’t, neither do I. Neither does the press. They’re here, by the way.” She lifted her head to look at the press, each one staring back at her with microphones and notepads at the ready. “They’re recording every minute.”

Bill slammed the handset down and turned around. “Order the CAP to isolate Colonial One, Mr. Gaeta.”

“Sir?” Gaeta hesitated.

“Jam any transmissions in or out of Colonial One immediately,” he added.

“Yes, sir.”

His hands clenched at his sides and he pressed them firmly against the CnC, his mind still not made up on how far he would go. With both his wife and the fleet, assuming they hadn’t irreparably ripped their marriage to shreds already. “Prepare a strike team. I know what she’s capable of and if she can convince Starbuck to disobey orders, she can do anything.” He couldn’t admit that there was a new element of unpredictability to her actions, and he wasn’t entirely sure what she would do.

“Commander?” Saul rounded the table to stand beside him and leaned in close.

“She’s bluffing.”

“Let’s hope so. There’s also a Cylon baseship out there to deal with.” Saul’s expression was concerned, but he covered it before he stepped back.

“Leave that to me.”

In the silence that followed the end of the call, Laura pushed herself upright, truly unsure of what was going to happen. After dismissing the press to gather civilians and take them below for safety, she sat back on her desk and buried her head in her hands. Only her guard, Elosha, and Billy remained, and for the moment, she couldn’t care.

“Bill does not want bloodshed,” she sighed when she looked up again. “Nevertheless, this may not be the safest place. Billy, how many civilians are in the cargo hold?”

“176,” he answered immediately.

“Then there is room in the cargo hold and I implore you to find refuge there with the other civilians. This is my choice. This is my choice, you do not have to come with me.” One by one, she met each of their eyes, surprised to see a steady resilience looking back.

“We stand with our President.” He calmly watched her and for the briefest of moments, she felt a hint of pride for her young aide.

There was another worry on her mind that quickly overwhelmed it and she focused on the man across the room as she stood back up. “Evans, you are to get my daughters on the first shuttle out of here. Take them to Galactica. Tell Zak, if you must, but do not breathe a word of it to them.” Her voice started to shake as the reality of their situation hit her. “And please, for the love of the gods, do not let anything happen to them.”

“I will keep them safe, Madam President, you have my word.” He bowed his head and then took off through the doorway to gather her children.

After he left, tearing out a piece of her heart in the process, she turned to Billy. “No matter what happens here, I want you to stay with them. Please.” As strong as her feelings about the Arrow of Apollo, she feared this could only end in a handful of ways, none of which would allow her to put Grace to bed later.

“Yes, ma’am.” He swallowed and picked up the phone as soon as it rang, offering a few short answers before he hung up and said, “Security Commander reports sounds of someone cutting through the hull.”

Elosha began to pray, but Laura couldn’t focus on a single word she said, only the slightly reassuring cadence of her voice.

The phone rang again. “President says she will not yield,” Billy sighed a moment after answering. “Come on, Dee, tell me he’s not actually gonna do this.”

The solid thump of boots on the carpeted floor moved closer and Laura took a slow, steadying breath. “Quickly,” she ordered, one hand waving the guard toward the opening while she slipped the nearly empty bottle of Chamalla into her pocket.

Marines rushed into the room, guns already drawn, and were met by the handful of men with pistols drawn and aimed at the door. Laura stood behind them, not entirely out of the line of fire, but not on the frontline either. Billy stood beside her, close enough that she could tell he was shaking. There was an odd sense of calm that had come over her, and it allowed her to fold her hands in front of herself and watch Saul enter, followed by Lee.

“Madam President, no one needs to get hurt here,” the Colonel cautioned.

“Then why don’t you get off my ship, Colonel?” She shifted her weight and met his steely gaze.

“I’m placing you under arrest.” He took a step, but Lee was faster.

“No.” Her son moved in front of the Colonel. “No, we’re not doing this.”

“I’m in command here, Captain,” Saul growled, his eyes narrowing in outrage.

“Colonel, this is wrong!” Lee’s voice shot up and he refused to move.

“You’re relieved, fall back! Madam President–”

His words were cut off as Lee unholstered his weapon, clicked the safety off, and aimed it at his superior officer. Laura’s heart shuddered in her chest and she took a small step forward.

“Men, lay down your weapons,” Lee tried to order.

“Have you lost your frakkin’ mind?” Saul shook his head slightly, his outrage growing into fury.

“Colonel, tell these marines to fall back.”

“This is mutiny, you know that.”

Lee adjusted his hold on his gun and kept it steadily aimed at Saul. “Yes, I do, but you can tell my father that I’m listening to my instincts, and my instincts tell me that we cannot sacrifice our democracy just because the President makes a bad decision.”

Enough was enough. “Put your guns down,” Laura ordered, her steps more confident as she eased her way through the room until she stood behind Lee.

“Mom… Madam President, stand back.” His free hand moved back toward her, but didn’t make contact.

“Put your gun down, Lee,” she said quietly but firmly. “I will not have bloodshed, neither your men nor my people, on Colonial One. Put your gun down, all of you. Please, put your gun down.” When they still hesitated, she lowered her voice again. “Think of your sisters, Lee.”

Slowly, he lowered his gun and the rest of her guard followed suit. The Marines didn’t flinch and the nearest one grabbed Lee to lead him away.

“Let’s go,” she told Saul as she strode past him, pausing just long enough to look back and meet Billy’s eyes. His stiff nod was the reassurance she needed to turn around and keep walking, knowing what she was giving up and leaving behind.

The Raptor ride to Galactica was as tense and quiet as she expected it to be, the only surprise coming when they landed and Tigh led them to the CIC with a handful of the Marines in tow. Laura stood by her son’s side, both out of the way of the commotion in the room, and folded her hands in front of herself. When Bill walked in, she took a step forward before she could stop herself, but the nearest Marine glared at her and made her fall back. Lee glanced at her before they both watched Bill.

He ignored them, couldn’t look at or deal with either of them at the moment. With enough to do congratulating Boomer and Racetrack, he didn’t have to address the mutiny and betrayal quite yet, and wasn’t even sure what he would say or where. It was a public issue now, but their argument didn’t have to be.

A nervous feeling started to take root in her stomach, different from everything else she had felt through the day. It gnawed at her, burning and searing its way through her body until she let out a soft gasp and dug her nails into her palms. Before she had even recovered her breath, two loud sounds ricocheted through the room. Its volume made her wince, and she didn’t understand what had happened until Bill stumbled back toward the CnC and went down. Everything else faded away. Laura and Lee rushed at him with Dee on their heels. With Lee’s hands bound and hers free, she was better able to press against the wounds in her husband’s body, his warm blood immediately drenching her.

“Bill!”

At first, she wasn’t sure who had said it, but the ache in her throat finally made her realize that it was her. The cacophony of chaos in the CIC had faded to her, every ounce of her attention focused on trying to stem the bleeding. Her vision narrowed to just Bill in front of her, even Lee fading away as he held his father’s head. Her heart thudded in her chest and a chill washed over her body, only countered by the blood that stained her hands and blazer, soaking through to her shirt. She pressed closer, would have knelt on the console if she could get up there, but had to settle for just her hands and her own body.

“Don’t you dare die on me,” she threatened, her voice barely coherent from how badly it trembled. “You hold on Bill, godsdamn it, you frakking hold on!”

Arms grabbed onto her and began to pull her away, the touch forcing all logic from her body. Her fingers dug into Bill’s uniform and she fought strongly enough that his body inched across the console until Ishay grabbed him. She wasn’t sure when the medics had arrived, but every instinct in her body told her not to leave.

“Let me go!” she shouted, pushing at anyone that touched her, but they only held on harder.

Unable to give in, she kept fighting until Bill was on the gurney and headed out of the room. With the last of her energy reserves, she ripped free and rushed after him with Lee by her side, only to be grabbed once more. Voices continued to shout back and forth, but only one made any sense.

“Secure Captain Adama and the President and get them both down to the brig,” Tigh ordered over the noise.

“Colonel! Colonel Tigh! He’s my father!” Lee yelled, hands twisting in the handcuffs.

Hoping to throw whoever held her off balance, Laura went limp and started to drop to the deck. It didn’t work and she was only picked up as the Marine began to carry her toward the hatch, Lee dragged along beside her.

“Put me down! Saul, I’m going to see my husband! Saul! Don’t you dare frakking do this!” Hot tears trailed down her cheeks and she absently wiped at them, leaving streaks of her husband’s blood behind. “Saul!” Her last attempt was a desperate wail that still went ignored.

The fight went out of her as they left the CIC, until the Marine was only carrying her because she couldn’t walk. Her sobs were uncontrollable, split between anger and fear, and didn’t stop even after she and Lee had been left in separate cells in the brig. Her body trembled, quaked, and she stared at her bloody hands, unable to even pray. Even after the Marines left, only one remaining behind as a guard, she couldn’t stop her tears. They stung her eyes and she lifted one badly shaking hand to press it to her lips, attempting to swallow down the acrid taste in the back of her throat. The overwhelming coppery smell made her drop her hand and swallow hard.

“Oh, my gods,” she whispered, the need to move suddenly overriding everything else.

Once she started pacing, she didn’t stop, no matter what Lee or their guard said. Her hands ached from how hard she wrung them and her index finger stung where she had pulled too much on a loose piece of skin. She tried to wipe the blood off on her blazer, but it was too drenched to help and already starting to dry. It was sticky and stained her skin, her ring. Despite the pain, she couldn’t find it in herself to sit down, let alone stop moving. When her breathing started to pick up, Lee stood and got as close to the bars as he could with his hands still tied together.

“Laura,” he sighed, his head pressed against the worn metal so he could see her. She shook her head and started another lap, a wince crossing her face as one of her knuckles popped. “Laura, look at me. Mom!”

Her head jerked up, but it took another moment for her eyes to focus on him. Immediately, they narrowed and turned thoughtful. “Saul is never going to let me out of here,” she said quietly. “You need to do anything you can to get back on his good side.”

Lee laughed bitterly and it only exacerbated the concern on his face. “I held a gun to his head. I’m here just as long as you are.”

She shook her head and met him at the bars, finally dropping her hands to grip them instead. “He needs pilots.”

Knowing she couldn’t be talked down, his shoulders slumped as he let out a heavy breath. “Look, I’m sure Dad’s—” She held up her hand and he stopped, a frown forming.

“We don’t know how he is and I’m not sure where your sisters are, and there is not a godsdamn frakking thing I can do about any of it!” Her voice rose in anger again but shattered, and she let her head rest against the bars when it felt too heavy to hold up.

“Wait, what?” He shifted so he stood in front of her, his head bent so he didn’t stand over her. “Lia and Grace weren’t with you?”

“No.” Her voice trembled. “I sent them here because I thought they’d be safer. They were with Evans, and Billy should be looking for them now—oh, I frakked up.” She pressed the heel of her hand against her temple and resumed her pacing with a low groan.

“No, listen, Billy is going to find them, okay? He’ll find them and Zak will look out for them. I’ll convince Colonel Tigh to let me out and as soon as Dad’s awake, everything is gonna be fine.” When she turned back toward him, he pushed his hands through the bars as much as he could. “He won’t let anything happen to them.”

She didn’t care who Lee meant or that Bill’s blood still covered them both. She took the reassurance and tightly gripped his hands between her own, her breaths shallow and rapid. “Please, Lee. I don’t know what else to do.”

He moved his hands so he could take hers instead and squeezed them until their trembling stopped. “Go sit down. Please,” he tried. Her eyes were tired, their focus gone, and not even the tension in her body could stop her shoulders from slumping. She looked defeated and had grown visibly unsteadier throughout her pacing, worrying Lee more than he already was. “Please.”

She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. Her tongue darted out to wet her dry lips and she reluctantly withdrew her hands. “I’m sorry, I think I should lay down for a bit. Find your sisters and keep them safe. Please.” Now that she had stopped moving, she lost all momentum and struggled to make it back to the bed with her vision swimming.

“I will. I promise.” His eyes didn’t leave her, studying her closely as she curled up with her back to him. When she didn’t move, he had to force his eyes away to their guard. “I want to talk to Colonel Tigh.”

She stayed down until Billy arrived, but when he had no news of Grace or Lia, she immediately curled back up. His attempts to help her clean up were ignored by both the guard and her; she remained where she was until Lee was let out of his cell and summoned to the CIC. Her head pounded and the desperate need to do something drove her to her unstable feet, once again beginning to pace like a caged animal. Her aide sat quietly by the guard and she turned to look at them both.

“How is he?” she asked quietly.

Billy hesitantly shook his head. “I don’t have any news, Madam President.”

“Damn it!” She paused to lean against the far bulkhead and catch her breath, her hand clenching at her side. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay.” He tried to smile, but it faded immediately. “Can I get you anything? Water or–or…?”

“I can’t–” the guard tried, but Billy shot him a look strong enough to quiet him.

“I don’t think she’s going to escape with water,” he snapped. “Do you think Commander Adama will be pleased if he finds out his wife died of dehydration in his brig?”

“Uh… no, no. Okay.”

Billy stood with a nod and hurried through the hatch, leaving Laura with her erratic pacing and quiet guard. When he returned with a cup of water, she took a few slow sips to avoid further upsetting her stomach and passed it back to him. Her fingers curled around the bars and she met his eyes.

“Do you think he was right?” she whispered, afraid to even voice the words.

“Who?”

“That Cylon.” She licked her lips and let out a breath. Billy was the only one she had told all of Leoben’s warning to and it was the source of the ice cold panic in her stomach now. “He said he would cross the River Styx, that he would die. I…”

“He also said Commander Adama was a Cylon. Why would he lie about one thing, but tell the truth about another?” His brow furrowed and he leaned against the cell near her.

“I don’t know, Billy.” She pressed her hand to her mouth and closed her eyes. “He can’t die… They need… the fleet… Oh, gods…”

“Madam President…” He sighed and shifted closer so he stood right in front of her and nearly doubled over to meet her gaze. “Dr. Cottle will do everything he can once he gets here and Commander Adama is a fighter. You both are.” His voice was gentle and she found herself listening to him, even if she didn’t quite believe it. “You should lay down.”

With no argument, she only nodded and retreated back to the cot just as the lights flickered and went off, the dim emergency lights replacing them after a heartbeat.

“What the–?” Billy turned around to face the guard. The sounds of screams and rapid thuds came from nearby, drawing Venner and Billy to the cell door. “Are those gunshots?”

“Yeah,” Venner answered quietly.

“We can’t stay in here,” he replied quickly, his eyes wide.

Finally with something to focus her fears on, Laura was able to gain control of her voice. “Open the door.”

“You know I can’t do that, Madame President.” He glanced at her, but kept his eyes on the hatch.

“Corporal Venner, I have no intention of being locked in this cell and shot like a rat in a cage. Open the door!” As she spoke, her control started to slip and her voice grew louder. When he only stared at her, she sighed and started to turn around, but he quickly leaned over and yanked the door open. “Thank you,” she muttered as she stepped through.

Before they could move more than a few steps toward the hatch, the wheel began to spin. Laura instinctively stepped back toward Billy and let Venner step ahead, her hand searching for her aide to determine where he was. She found his tie but couldn’t manage to grasp it without looking, her eyes glued to their only exit.

As it started to open, Venner called out, “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!”

“Corporal Venner, don’t shoot! It’s Captain Adama. I have a fire team with me,” Lee shouted back, their flashlights pointed into the room and blinding them as they moved inside.

“Come on in, Captain,” he sighed as he stood down and lowered his weapon.

Laura felt her shoulders relax a miniscule amount and was able to drop her hand from Billy’s chest. She couldn’t catch what any of the other pilots said, her eyes on Lee.

“We’ve been boarded,” he explained breathlessly as he stopped in front of her and Billy. “This deck is crawling with Cylons. They’re trying to get to the magazines.”

This close, she could see the blood that splattered him, that was still caked onto his hands, and her earlier nausea tried to resurface, knowing she had to look at least as bad. She stumbled forward and her hand rested on his shoulder as both Lee and Billy reached out to try to steady her. “Did you find Grace or Lia?”

He shook his head, his urgency evident in his expression and focused eyes. “Sick Bay is the safest spot. It’s farthest away from any potential targets, and it’s designed to function as a disaster shelter in case the ship were lost.”

“No.” Her voice was surprisingly firm and she pushed away from him. “No, I’m going to find them.”

He groaned and partially turned away, then took a calming breath and looked back. “Frak, okay. Evans probably took them to their quarters or Dad’s. He would know to stay there unless their position was compromised, and then he’d take them to Sick Bay. Try there and then get the frak to Sick Bay, do you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” Billy responded immediately.

Laura stayed quiet, her hands trembling at her sides.

“Bonnington, sidearm,” he ordered. “Okay, Billy, you ever handled a weapon before?” he asked as he accepted the weapon and held it out to the younger man.

Billy hesitantly accepted it. “Pellet gun from my uncle when I was, like, ten.”

“Principle’s the same. Real ones just make a bigger noise.” He started to reach for his sidearm, but looked at her and stopped. “Stay alive and leave the Cylons to us. Corporal, you’re in charge of getting her to the Commander’s quarters and then to Sick Bay. If the Cylons get too close, get out of there.” He gave the other officer a firm look and Laura hated that he was prioritizing her safety over that of his sisters. “Take Bonnington as escort. Remember, just head away from the sound of gunfire.”

“What about you?” She reached out and grabbed his arm before he could walk too far away.

“Well, we’re heading towards the gunfire.” He turned toward his men. “Okay, listen up. There’s a small arms locker on Causeway Bravo, two decks down. We’re gonna go get some explosive rounds, and then we’re heading for the magazines. Twinam, you take point.”

“Good luck, Lee. May the lords protect you,” she said quietly, her hand grasping for his.

He looked at her and then pulled her into a tight hug, his head briefly resting against hers. “Go get them and stay safe. Please,” he whispered before he turned and followed his men out of the brig.

Bonnington took the lead and Venner watched their backs as they stepped out into the corridor, immediately moving in the opposite direction as Lee’s team and the gunfire. They moved as quickly as they could, Laura struggling to keep up between her heels and her fatigue, but she pushed through. Most of her fears and worries had been carefully locked behind a solid wall of adrenaline, the drive to protect her children overpowering anything else.

As they passed through one of the larger intersections, gunfire deafeningly echoed around them. Venner grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the way. A scream left her lungs as she hit the deck beside Billy, the force knocking the wind from her chest. The gunfire grew louder and Billy threw his arm over her, neither moving as another team came through and finished off the Centurions. When the echoes faded, Billy started to stand up and Venner reappeared by her side.

“Hey, hey… are you alright?” Venner asked her, his eyes slowly but respectfully moving over her as he gripped her arm and helped her up.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she answered, her chest aching for oxygen.

“Have you been shot?”

She shook her head and looked down at herself; nothing hurt more than usual. In the dim lighting and her clothes crusty with blood, it was hard to tell. “Uh, no, I don’t think so.” He reached out and stuck a finger through burnt holes in her blazer, his eyes growing wide. “Oh.”

“The gods must be watching over you,” he said solemnly before he removed his hand and gestured for them to continue.

“They need to watch over my children and my husband,” she sighed as she pushed away from the bulkhead. She hadn’t entirely caught her breath, but it was enough for them to keep moving.

When they finally reached the last stretch to Bill’s quarters, she let a small amount of hope form at the sight of Evans standing guard. Not caring, she pushed past Billy and Bonnington and rushed toward the hatch.

It caught him by surprise and he stammered out her title. “Your children are safe inside,” he said quickly and quietly.

“Oh, thank the gods.” She could barely wait for the hatch to open and slipped through as soon as she could.

It was as dark inside the cabin as it was in the rest of the ship and she didn’t see anything at first. She trusted Bill’s crew, especially the Marines that guarded their family, and she still trusted them even now. The hatch shut behind her and she didn’t bother to look to see if anyone had followed her, too focused on moving further into the room.

“Grace? Thalia?” she called quietly, her voice shaking.

“Mom!” Lia’s voice broke the quiet and suddenly they came out of the darkness and rushed toward her, Zak right on their heels.

“Oh, my gods! Oh, my gods!” In her attempt to stifle a sob, a whimper slipped out and she tightly wrapped her arms around her girls, nearly collapsing until Zak reached them and helped hold them all up. “You’re okay…” She was suddenly grateful that between the emergency lights and her dark blazer, their father’s blood wasn’t as visible.

“What’s going on? Evans wouldn’t say anything, just told us to follow him here,” Zak explained, his fingers digging into her shoulder and helping to keep her grounded.

She waved her hand vaguely back toward the hatch. “Talk to Billy or, um, Corporal Venner. They’ll update you.” She started to reach for him, but the sight of the blood still staining her skin made her stop, and she smiled tearfully before she pushed him away.

Without his support, she couldn’t stay upright and she barely managed to control her fall to her knees, still hitting hard enough that she winced. Grace threw herself at her and Lia knelt beside them.

“I know it’s scary,” she told Grace, “but we’re going to be okay. We have Marines looking out for us and we’re gonna be just fine.” She pressed a firm kiss to her forehead and looked at Lia, hesitant to touch them but quickly giving in. “We need to get to Sick Bay. Lee says it’s the safest place on the ship right now and that’s where we’re going. I need you to stay close and keep an eye on your sister.”

“I will,” Lia said with the same firm look in her eyes that reminded Laura whose daughter she was.

“Mama?” Grace’s voice was concerned now, and Laura looked down at her worriedly. She held up the damaged end of her blazer and raised her gaze.

“Oh, my gods, Mom,” Lia breathed out. “Were you shot?!”

“No, no, I wasn’t,” she hurriedly explained, releasing her hold on her daughters so she could shrug the ruined blazer off and toss it toward the table.

“No, you’re bleeding!” Lia reached for her shirt, but Laura gently batted her hand away.

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you and then we need to get going, okay? Dad’s in Sick Bay too, but he’s hurt. He’s gonna be just fine, but it might be a little scary at first.” Most of her words were directed at Grace, but she felt Lia tense beside her. “He’s gonna be fine,” she repeated. They already had to face one dying parent, the thought of losing the other could crush them.

“Madam President?” Billy’s quiet footsteps came up behind them. “We need to go.”

With a larger group plus an additional Marine, they were able to keep Grace and Lia secure in the middle. Laura was grateful for how much it limited what they saw as they made their way back through the ship to Sick Bay, passing through swathes of death and destruction. It was everything she could do to keep herself and her daughters moving. They found Dee and Lee on their way and after an abrupt but tense firefight that had Grace in silent tears, they finally stumbled into Sick Bay.

Laura hesitantly left the girls with Venner until she could see Bill’s condition for herself. She approached the clear curtains surrounding him with Lee on one side and Zak on the other, her hands tightly folded in front of herself. Lee pulled the curtain aside and they walked in, surrounding his too-still form. The blankets draped over him hid most of the damage, but she could see the dried blood that covered his exposed skin. Swallowing hard, she gently pulled his hand from beneath the blanket and tightly gripped it between her own.

“I’ll airlock you if you dare die on me,” she whispered threateningly, but tears formed in her eyes and she couldn’t shake them away. “Godsdamn it, Bill, they need at least one parent.”

Tigh joined them and stopped at the foot of the bed. “Doc Cottle’s on his way. He’ll be here any minute.”

They ignored him and Laura forced her eyes up to her sons. “He’s going to be alright,” she said, but she wasn’t sure if she was trying to reassure herself or them.

“Yeah. Yeah, I-I know that.” Lee nodded, but he didn’t look convinced and neither did Zak.

Keeping hold of her husband’s hand, she turned around and gestured her daughters over, her free hand resting on Grace’s shoulder when she got close enough. “I think he can hear you,” she told her softly, “if you want to say hi.”

Grace sniffled and wiped her runny nose on her sleeve. “Daddy, wake up.” She was on the verge of tears again and Laura squeezed her shoulder. “Daddy…”

Lee met her eyes and she sighed, knowing she would be the next one in that bed. If anything happened to Bill, the fleet would lose its leaders and the four of them would lose their parents in one fell swoop.

“There’s still a cell waiting for you,” Tigh reminded her, but his voice was low enough that only she heard.

“Give me five minutes. Please?” she responded without looking at him.

He took a deep breath and then let it out forcefully, but nodded and stepped back. They managed to linger long enough for Cottle to arrive and then they were all forced from Bill’s bedside, Laura the last one to step back. Her hands felt cold and it matched the growing hole in her chest, but she held onto the last bits of her resolve and faced her daughters.

“Zak is in charge, do you hear me?” she warned them quietly, fighting for her voice to remain steady. “I have some important things to do, but I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay? I love you both so, so much, and so does Dad. It’s all gonna be okay, I promise.” She was starting to regret the promises she had made to them, but she tried not to think about it. They felt too close to lies now.

Grace refused to leave, but between Lia and Zak, they were able to control her enough to get her out of Sick Bay. Laura wiped at her eyes and shoved her hands into her pockets, slowly scanning the room for any sort of distraction. She found Tigh standing beside Lee and focused on them, just able to catch some of their conversation.

“I can’t believe you sided with her against your father,” he grumbled. “I wouldn’t do that if you put a gun to my head. And you did. As far as I’m concerned, you’re not fit to wear a uniform.”

Lee gave a small shrug. “You’re right about that part. I am not fit to wear the uniform. Maybe I never was. Then again, neither are you. This isn’t my ship and it sure as hell isn’t yours. It’s his. And when he wakes up, he’ll decide what to do with all of us.” He paused and his eyes shifted to Laura over the Colonel’s shoulder. “I think everyone got a little lost here.”

He pressed a kiss to his father’s forehead and rounded the bed to join Laura beside Venner. They lingered another moment and then allowed themselves to be led back to the brig in silence. Every step away from Sick Bay felt like she was pulling a rubber band too far and it formed an anxious knot in her stomach. Her shirt stuck to her uncomfortably and she realized she should’ve washed her hands while she had the chance, but it was too late now.

Exhaustion won out as soon as she was off her feet in her cell, and though she tried to fight it, her body gave in to a restless and disturbed sleep. The events of the day and her fears, and the beginnings of withdrawal plagued her unconscious mind, and she woke after only a few hours. Out of breath and with a headache solidly taking root, she stayed curled up on the uncomfortable cot with her eyes staring blankly at the bulkhead across from her. When the hatch opened, she slowly sat up and smiled weakly at the sight of Billy.

“Do you have any news?” she asked, her voice quiet and thick with fatigue. It seemed to be the only question she had. From the corner of her eye, she could see Lee was laying down.

“No,” he sighed. “But Grace is asleep and Lia is helping Zak. They’re okay.”

“Thank you.” She managed another weak smile. “I need you to ask Colonel Tigh for more Chamalla and will you try to get an update on Bill, please?” Grabbing the bottle before she left had been enough to tide her over until she could talk to her husband, but that plan had been utterly ruined.

“Yes, of course. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you,” she sighed.

Before he left, he tossed a damp washcloth through the bars. She luckily caught it and leaned back against the bulkhead, quickly soiling the white fabric with her husband’s dried blood. It didn’t get much off and her shirt was beyond repair, but it was still something. She focused on getting her ring as clean as possible, but the blood had settled into crevices only a fine brush could clean out. Still, she scrubbed until her hands were red and raw, the rag finally dropping to the deck when she gave up.

With little else to do, Laura slept off and on through the evening and into the night. The slowly creaking hatch roused her from her light sleep and she squinted through the dimmed lighting in an attempt to make out who it was. At first, she assumed it was only the shift changing and her eyes started to close, but she caught a glimpse of a smaller shadow too that made her look harder. A sniffle came from it, followed by a stifled whimper.

“Mama?” Grace’s terrified voice broke the silence and Laura immediately sat up.

“I’m here, baby,” she murmured, sleep and fatigue slowing her reaction. “I’m here. What happened?” It took her another moment before she could push herself off the bed to kneel on the ground by the bars, her arms shoved through toward her daughter.

“She had a nightmare,” Zak explained, sounding as tired as she felt. “I know you didn’t want them to know, but I couldn’t get her to calm down.” It was obvious he was choosing his words carefully.

“A nightmare? Oh, sweetheart.” She gently grasped Grace’s arm and pushed as close to the bars as she could.

“Mama, please come home.” Her voice trembled harder and she tangled her fingers in Laura’s shirt. “Mama, please.”

“I can’t. Oh, Grace, honey, I’m so sorry.” Suddenly fighting her own tears, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she tilted her head toward the guard on duty. “Will you let me out, please?”

“I can’t do that, ma’am.” The voice was familiar, but she couldn’t place it. She just knew it wasn’t Venner.

“I’m not trying to escape and I won’t leave the room. Will you just allow me to comfort my daughter?” Her voice grew strained and Grace began to fully cry, her legs giving out and sending her to the deck. “Godsdamn it, let me out!”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. Colonel Tigh’s orders.”

A long line of swears ran through her mind that she barely bit back, forcing herself to try to get to Grace. “Come here, baby. It’s okay.”

It wasn’t comfortable for either of them, but Laura was able to get her arms around Grace as best as she could. Their faces ended up pressed against the bars and she was mildly concerned something would get stuck, but she poured all of her energy into comforting her daughter while Zak protectively stood over them. Grace sobbed until tears and snot ran down her face and there were damp spots on her nightshirt and Laura’s sleeves. Only when her body gave up did she stop, completely shattering the rest of Laura’s heart in the process.

“Will you go back to bed with Zak now?” she hesitantly asked.

“I wanna stay with you.” Her voice was hoarse, quiet, and warned that she would start crying again at the slightest disturbance.

“You can’t, baby.”

“Daddy?”

Laura closed her eyes and cursed every god she could name in her brief pause. “You can’t stay with Daddy either. He’s still sleeping in Sick Bay. But maybe in the morning, Zak can take you to visit.”

“No, now!” She pulled back and wrapped her arms around her legs, rocking slowly.

“Grace, honey.” Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she wiped at her own tears and shook her head. “I need you to be my big brave girl right now, okay? I know it’s hard and it’s scary, but I know you can do it. It’s gonna be okay.”

“I don’t wanna! Please, Mama!” Her tears started up again and Laura couldn’t stop hers this time.

“I’m sorry, baby…”

“You’re leaving, Daddy’s leaving!” A heartwrenching wail was somehow produced from her small body and the sound overwhelmed Laura with enough emotional agony that it felt like physical pain.

“No, no, no, Daddy’s not dying. Daddy’s not leaving or going anywhere. I promise,” she hurriedly whispered, her breathing picking up and making her voice shake badly.

“But you’re leaving!” Her little hands desperately grabbed at her mother’s sleeves and if Laura could have broken through the bars, she would’ve at any cost.

It was all she could do to push against them, the cold metal digging into her arms and face, but it was nothing compared to the way her chest and head ached.

Zak finally joined them on the ground and hugged Grace from behind, gently encasing her between himself, the bars, and bits of Laura. It wasn’t enough and she knew there wasn’t much more she could do from the brig.

“Take her back to bed,” she begged him. “Or down to Dad. Whatever you have to do. Please, Zak.”

“I don’t wanna go,” Grace whimpered.

“I love you, Grace. I love you so much. And you’re going to be okay.” Laura pushed as much encouragement and kindness into her voice as she could, but it didn’t distract her from untangling her fingers and forcing her away.

As Zak stood up with Grace already fighting him, he only held on tighter. “I’ll get her to bed,” he promised. “Do you need anything?”

“No,” she forced out, her eyes closing against tears she couldn’t stop.

“Night, Mom.”

She listened to his fading steps and Grace’s sobs until the hatch thudded shut, and she found herself unable to move. Her arms and legs hurt from her position on the deck and she lacked the strength to stand up, so she let her head rest against the bars again.

“Madam President?” She heard the guard stand up and approach her, but she didn’t lift her head. “Do you need help?”

“Not now,” she snapped, anger coursing through her and giving her the energy to look up.

He stared at her silently for a moment. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“Save it.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she reached up and grabbed the bars, slowly and painfully using them to pull herself to her feet. She stumbled the few steps back to bed and curled up with her back to the room, giving in to the sobs that overwhelmed her. Guilt and remorse tugged her down with more gravity than a giant, gaseous planet, only the presence of her guard keeping her from shattering completely.

Laura was confident she had never stepped foot in this cemetery before in her life, but there was something intimate about the gentle, rolling hills and crumbling gravestones. Even the large, shedding tree at the center felt recognizable, like she should know exactly what it was. The disconnect made her brow furrow as she wandered through the rows of headstones, eyes sweeping back and forth in search of anything definitively familiar. The names were too worn to read, but as she continued walking, she was able to read more and more. Finally, at the base of a tree, a familiar name made her stop. She didn’t move any closer, her heart and lungs constricting at the carved letters.

Judith Elise Roslin

May the gods grant you eternal rest

It wasn’t her mother’s headstone; it looked nothing like the simple one Laura had chosen for her, and yet it bore her name and the same epitaph.

With great effort, she was able to force her eyes to the next stone, and then the next, and the next. They belonged to her father, her sisters, and still there were more. A line of headstones stretched away from the tree, the names on them changing from Roslin to Adama. Concern drove her forward until she could make them out too, each one another punch to her gut.

Zachary Isaac

William Joseph

Leland Joseph

Thalia Iris

Grace Eirene

She collapsed on the freshly turned dirt of the last grave, blood-covered fingers digging into the cool, moist earth. Tears poured down her cheeks and she couldn’t catch her breath, her vision swimming from watery eyes and lack of oxygen. Words were beyond her capabilities and she only pushed deeper into the ground as sobs wracked her body. Her arms could no longer hold her up and as her forehead hit the dirt, something clawed up through the ground and closed around her arms. Immediately, it began to pull her down and she didn’t have the strength to fight, but she wasn’t willing to give in and let it take her. Somehow, she found the air to scream, the sound ripped from her throat.

The scream echoed around her cell, her throat raw from the force of it and her chest heaving as her own hands fought her shirt in a frantic attempt to free her lungs. As her true surroundings began to process, her hands fell still until her fingers were only tangled in the fabric and she was able to manage a shallow breath. The room spun and she felt like she would be thrown off the cot, the disequilibrium overwhelming her with nausea and fear. A whimper slipped out and she closed her eyes, praying it would all fade away.

Chapter Text

Laura Roslin hadn’t always been a careful woman. Cigarettes, alcohol, one night stands with men and no form of birth control, but Thalia had changed that. While pregnant, she had given up everything she needed to, and by the time her daughter had been born, she hadn’t felt the pull to it that she had before. The occasional glass of wine with dinner or while out with her friends, an even rarer cigarette.

Laura Adama had become a careful woman, always so mindful of her children and her husband, especially of her public position in the government. Drugs had been one thing she had never touched, and as she felt the force of the Chamalla withdrawal hit her, she was grateful she never had before.

Vaguely, she was aware of Billy coming and going, possibly even Ellen Tigh, but her mind was in such a fog that she couldn’t get it to focus on anything. It made her feel like she was floating, not on a light cloud but instead something heavy. More like she was being pulled down to the depths of the Ionian Sea. It reminded her too much of the time she had nearly drowned as a teenager on vacation, rough waves knocking her around more than she had anticipated. It had been pure luck that she had managed to find the surface and then the beach, gasping for air. Only now, she worried there was no surface, no beach, and she’d float forever, alone in the darkness.

Her eyes opened, but it took several long moments before they could actually focus on the man standing outside her cell. Her brow furrowed and she cautiously sat up, her stomach violently protesting the movement. By some miracle, she was able to rise to her feet and stumble toward what she realized was Venner, and the bottle he held out to her.

“It’s not much,” he apologized, his voice soft, “but I hope it helps, Madam President. I’m sorry.”

Her hand shook as she accepted the bottle, managing to open it and slide a pill out. Once the bottle was recapped, she dropped it in her pocket and grimaced at the dried blood still coating her clothes. After tossing the pill into her mouth, she took the water Venner offered and swallowed it down before she silently retreated to her bed and drifted back off.

By the time the Quorum delegates arrived, she had gathered her wits enough to face them as presidentially as she could. Her hands still shook, but she was able to keep them folded or in her pockets, thumb always stroking the underside of her ring to keep herself grounded. She didn’t want to play into the part of the dying leader, hated to even consider the idea of fate and that she had no choice in either her own future or that of humanity, but with the fleet in Tigh’s and Baltar’s hands, something needed to be done and soon. It was with that thought that she revealed her cancer, knowing it would quickly become public knowledge, and prayed that it would help more than it hurt.

Her only news came from Billy and Venner, some from Lee, and the occasional brief visit with her daughters. She was able to piece together how quickly the fleet was fracturing, the massacre on the Gideon only making things worse. It was a matter of time before humanity shattered, making it easy for the Cylons to pick them off without a fight. She had to do something and she feared she knew the answer. When Lee returned to the brig, she cautiously approached him. She had turned Kara against Bill, and she feared she had done the same with Lee. Her fear that repairing the fleet meant irreparably destroying her family echoed in the back of her head, but she knew that there would be nothing to even attempt to repair if they were all dead.

“We’ve got to get out of here now,” she told him softly, searching his face for any idea of what he was thinking.

“I am right with you,” he responded quickly.

She sighed in relief. “I’m so glad you said that.”

“Look, don’t be mad, but I’ve been thinking about it already. I’ve worked out a way of getting us to the hangar deck, and I can get us a Raptor, but we’re still gonna need clearance to get off the ship.” He spoke quickly and just as quietly, and she wondered if his tactical planning had come more from her, Bill, or war college.

“I know how to get that.” She bit her lip, hating the idea of dragging anyone else into this mess. “Question is, where do we go once we get off this ship? We’ll have to find some place to hide in the fleet while we rally support among the people.”

“I’ve been thinking about that too, but you’re not going to like it.” He loosely wrapped his fingers around the bars. “It’s not gonna be pretty.”

“I don’t expect it to be, but it’s necessary. We’ll deal with the fallout after we survive.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I want to take Billy and Elosha.”

“I assumed you would. I’ll notify them of the plan.”

“How long do we have?”

“Maybe two hours.” His eyes met hers, so similar to his father’s that it took her breath away.

“You don’t have to do this,” she reminded him.

“Neither do you,” he pointed out.

A bitter smile appeared. “I have to. This is my duty.”

“What about Grace and Lia?”

She shook her head slightly and bit her lip. “Zak will take care of them. Dad will wake up and be there for them,” she said firmly.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Lee.”

It took absolutely no effort to convince the Marine guard to take her to Sick Bay. Between her position as President and his CO’s wife, along with the human decency most people still had, he called for another guard and escorted her down to Cottle himself. She left him at the hatch and followed the pungent scent of smoke toward a curtained off area. When she heard no noise or movement, she pushed her way inside and looked at him.

“Doctor,” she sighed, “I need your help.” There wasn’t a lot of worry clouding her mind; she trusted that he would help. “But it’s illegal, dangerous, and in violation of your oath as an officer.

He snorted and stubbed out his cigarette. “You’re a lousy salesman.”

She rolled her eyes and took a step closer. In hushed tones, she quickly conveyed everything she needed from him, surprised when he offered no reaction beyond a simple, stiff nod of his head. Her heart raced and she absently rubbed at her chest as she let out a long breath.

“Can I see him before I go?” she added quietly.

“I’ll buy you a few minutes.” He pushed himself out of his chair and wandered toward the hatch, grumbling under his breath.

With a small appreciative smile, she moved the opposite direction toward Bill’s too-still body in his bed. Her hand closed around his and she laced their fingers together, her other hand pressed against the bed to stabilize herself. Only their soft breaths and the sound of his steady heartbeat filled the space until a soft cry escaped her throat.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m sorry that I have to do this and I’m sorry that I am doing this. I’m sorry that I’m leaving you behind, leaving the kids behind, but I have to.” She swallowed and squeezed his hand. “But you’re going to wake up and you’ll put the rest of the fleet back together. And hopefully this will all work out. I love you, Bill.” As she leaned down to softly kiss him, his hand flexed around hers. The feeling stole her breath and she hesitated, her eyes frantically searching his face. “I love you,” she repeated before she forced herself to let go and walk away.

“Love you,” he mumbled, but she was gone when he opened his eyes.

Laura’s heart wouldn’t, couldn’t stop racing. Even the few minutes she managed to lay down before the Marines came for her did nothing to slow it down, and she was breathless by the time they skidded to a stop near the last hatch. She swore it would beat right out of her chest before they got off the ship, but it left her with a calm acceptance as she faced the Marine and her gun.

“Private, do you know who I am?” she asked quietly, her eyes meeting the younger woman’s. After she nodded, she continued, “Good. You and I have something in common. We each took an oath to protect and defend the Articles of Colonization. Those articles are under attack, as is our entire democratic way of life. Now, my duty won’t let me stand here and allow that to happen. So, I intend to go through that hatch and get off this ship.”

The Marines shuffled behind her and she narrowed her eyes, a surge of concern for her daughters lancing through her.

“You can either stand aside, or you can shoot me. You’ll have to decide where your duty lies.”

“Madam President…”

The words were enough. With the back of her hand, Laura nudged the gun out of her way and strode past to climb through the hatch. Lee and Billy stood nearby, relief crossing both their faces and she started to sigh until she spotted Lia standing behind them.

“Thalia, what are you doing here?” She pushed past the men and gently grabbed her daughter’s shoulder.

“We don’t have time,” Lee insisted. “We need to go.”

She swallowed and glanced back at him, then Billy, but her aide spoke before she could look away.

“Madam President, I’m not getting on that ship with you.”

“What?”

“I understand what you’re trying to do, but it’s going to divide the fleet. At the very best, it’ll create an insurgency against Commander Adama. And at the worst, a civil war. Taking part in that is a line that I won’t cross. I’m sorry.” He looked agonized by his decision, but Laura respected both it and his bravery. “I wish you well.”

She swallowed and managed a nod, dropping her hand from Lia’s shoulder to instead touch his arm. “Thank you,” she murmured. “Look out for my girls, please.”

“Yes, of course, ma’am.” He nodded firmly and offered a small smile.

As Laura pulled back, they heard movement on the opposite side of the flight deck. Lee swore under his breath and grabbed her arm and Lia’s, pulling them toward the Raptor.

“We need to go,” he said as he helped them inside.

“No, Lia’s not going! She’ll stay with Billy.” Laura started to push Lia back out, but Lee grabbed them again and met her eyes.

“There is no time. If they find her, they’ll take her to Colonel Tigh. Do you want him interrogating her?” He spoke quickly but decisively and she couldn’t argue.

“For frak’s sake.” She closed her eyes and let him guide them into their seats.

“She’ll be safe,” Elosha promised her, her hand patting Lia’s leg as she sat beside the priestess.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Lia looked around worriedly, her eyes wide.

“I’ll explain when we get there.” Laura took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair, her head shaking slightly. She truly hadn’t thought the situation could get worse, but now she sat covered in her husband’s dried blood, fleeing his ship with one daughter left behind and the man himself sedated in Sick Bay.

Before she could even fully question it, Elosha leaned forward as the Raptor took off. “We’re doing the right thing.”

“Gods, I hope so.”

The flight was nearly silent, no one sure of what to say. Tigh hadn’t shot them out of the sky, but Laura couldn’t decide if she was surprised by that or not. She realized they had other problems when they stepped off the Raptor.

“Well, we’re home free for now,” Lee sighed as he helped her down, then turned back for Lia and Elosha.

Zarek stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Good to see you, Madam President.”

Ignoring him, she faced Lee with her hands on her hips. “Leland, what is Mr. Zarek doing here?”

Lee smiled apologetically. “Once Tigh gets over his initial shock, he’ll send troops out to search for us. If we’re going to make it, we have to keep on the move. I figured Mr. Zarek here is the only one in the fleet with enough shady friends around who can possibly hide us.”

“Love the way he puts that,” Zarek quipped.

She sighed and reluctantly looked at him again. “Well, Mr. Zarek, it would seem the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” she decided.

“Call me Tom. I didn’t realize your daughter would be joining us.” He nodded toward Lia who stayed partially behind her mother.

“Our shuttle’s waiting; We have to hurry,” Lee interrupted.

Once they were settled on the next shuttle, Laura leaned forward with her elbows on her knees and fixed her daughter with a firm stare. “Now, will you tell me how you ended up on the flight deck?”

Lia frowned and glanced at her brother. “Zak left Grace with me in Dad’s quarters, but when I heard about what happened on the Gideon, I was worried… I couldn’t talk to you or Dad or Kara, so I went to find Lee.”

“I was on my way to the flight deck and I couldn’t stop,” Lee interjected. “I kept telling her to leave, but she’s as stubborn as you are.” He huffed and shook his head. “There wasn’t time. I’m sorry.”

Laura let out a heavy sigh and buried her face in her hands. When she looked up after a moment, she said, “We’ll get you on the first shuttle back to Galactica.”

“Can’t do that.” Zarek shook his head. “They’ll track which ship it came from.”

“I want to stay with you, Mom. Please,” Lia begged.

“No, it’s too dangerous.”

“Everywhere is dangerous! Apparently even Galactica isn’t safe!”

Her daughter had a point and Laura didn’t have an argument. With a tired, resigned exhale, she met her daughter’s blue eyes. “You will listen to absolutely everything Lee and I say, do you hear me?”

“I promise,” she agreed quickly, too fast for Laura’s liking, but she couldn’t push it.

Collapsing back into her seat, she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Every bone, possibly every atom, in Bill’s body hurt, but he pushed through it in his overwhelming need to get to his XO’s quarters. The information Cottle had given him upon waking up had filled him with enough fear and anger to get moving. With his heart pounding in his chest and his breath catching in his lungs, he eased his way through the hatch and stared at his friend.

“Saul.” His voice was firm, stronger than he expected. “What the frak is happening on my ship?” His eyes narrowed and he waved his hand back toward the hatch. “Wait in the corridor,” he ordered the Marines. “Ellen, can I speak to my XO?”

Ellen hesitated, but gave an obviously forced smile and nodded. “Of course,” she said before she followed the Marines out.

“Where the frak are my wife and son? My children?” He barely kept his voice under control, a slight shake affecting it anyway. “What happened?”

Saul cleared his throat and shook his head as he pressed his fists against his knees. “I frakked things up, and good,” he admitted.

“How?” Short questions left less space for his anger to spill over.

“I made some bad calls.”

Bill nodded his head toward the bottle of ambrosia on the table. “Pour one and start talking,” he demanded, his eyes narrowed in both pain and ire.

Nothing Saul said did anything to reassure him. The state of the fleet, of his own family, combined with the pain he felt left him with an excruciating need to do something. Knowing there wasn’t anything that could be done at the moment, he gathered himself—and his guard—and slowly made his way to his quarters. He hated the cane and its necessity, but he hadn’t been able to make it far without it. Steeling himself for whatever he would find inside, he let the Marine open the hatch and walked in.

“Zak?” Grace’s small voice went straight to his heart and his footsteps faltered. “Lia?”

“No, it’s me, sweetheart,” he responded quietly, a dozen questions burning in his mind.

“Daddy!” She crawled out from under the table and rushed toward him, but he managed to stop her just before she collided with his legs. “Daddy, I’m scared! Zak left and Lia left and Corporal Evans wouldn’t let me leave and you’re gone and Mama’s not here!” She would’ve kept spiraling but ran out of breath.

Knowing he was responsible for at least one of her fears and feeling guilt for the rest, it took him an extra moment to process exactly what she said. “What do you mean Zak and Lia left?”

“I don’t know!” Everything was quickly catching up to her and she couldn’t catch her breath. “Daddy, please!”

“Okay, okay, sweetie. Okay.” He threaded his fingers into her hair and gently cupped her head to hold her close. “It’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna find Zak and Lia.”

He took as deep of a breath as he could manage but winced anyway, hoping she would copy him and start to calm down. His fingers gently massaged her scalp and he reached back to knock on the hatch to get the attention of the Marines outside. When it opened, he ordered them as quietly as he could to find his children and figure out exactly who was on the escaped Raptor.

Within an hour, he had Grace asleep beside him on the couch and an answer. No one seemed to be able to explain how they had been able to escape, but Zak was on his way back from the Rising Star and they had finally confirmed that Lia and Lee had both been with their mother. His emotions warred within him: anger at Laura’s betrayal, extreme actions, and her dragging Lia into it too, but fear for their safety and the safety of the fleet bit at him too.

The fleet was already fracturing, the cracks in the foundation spreading and threatening to crumble the whole structure once they grew large enough. Bill needed to stop that from happening, but with no idea where his wife was and unwilling to send out a blanket statement for the whole fleet to hear, his hands were tied. Left to spend as much time with Grace as he could while recovering, he could only wait for news.

As soon as he felt confident he could make it through a shift in the CIC and Cottle begrudgingly agreed, Bill slowly dressed in his uniform. Grace watched him from across the room as he turned to face her as he fastened up his tunic.

“You coming with?” he asked with a slight smile.

“Can I?” she asked hesitantly.

“You gotta stay quiet, but come with me.” He held out his hand and she scurried off his rack to take it, her hand small and cold in his. She was so much like her mother and he felt his emotions fighting inside his already-aching chest. “C’mon, sweetheart.”

Slowly, they made their way to the CIC where Saul waited at the hatch for them. He hadn’t decided where he fell on his XO’s actions, torn between understanding the weight of command and also frustrated by how his ship had been handled in his absence. Shoving it aside for now, he cleared his throat and walked in with his daughter pressed against his leg.

A loud cheer immediately circled the room, clapping interspersed with chants of his name. He waved them off and approached the CnC, reluctantly letting go of Grace’s hand so he could turn and face his crew. From the corner of his eye, he saw Gaeta lift Grace up and set her on the edge of the console, her legs gently swinging. She had remained quiet the entire walk, but he could see a smile trying to break free now.

“Thank you.” He cleared his throat and shifted carefully. “Thank you very much. I’m glad to be back.” After a pause, he continued, “There are things we don’t say often enough. Things like what we mean to one another. All of you mean a lot to me. I just want you to know that. Let’s get back to work.”

The crew slowly returned to their stations and he shuffled toward the CnC, leaning against it in front of Grace with his hands pressed to its surface. She cautiously wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his arm. Keeping her close, he raised his eyes to Saul.

“I feel strange. Like,” he stopped to consider it, “closer to the ground.”

“You should check in with the doctor,” he grumbled.

Bill narrowed his eyes and then glanced at Gaeta nearby. “Mr. Gaeta,” he said as he gestured to the navigational map, “where do you think they are now?”

“The stolen Raptor with Captain Adama, the former President–”

Saul quickly interrupted him. “The fugitives.”

Gaeta hesitated and glanced at Bill. “They docked on Cloud Nine last week. We effectively lost them at that point due to the large volume of inter-fleet traffic going to and from Cloud Nine.”

Bill knew how much time had passed, but to be reminded of it and how long he had been out was uncomfortable.

“Right now, they could be holed up anywhere in the fleet,” Saul concluded.

“I want them found. This resistance is dangerous, especially with Lee helping her.” He wasn’t confident in his plan, but he didn’t have another idea yet. “I want to search every ship in the fleet. Quarantine procedures. Isolate the ship out of the main body. If it's clean, we keep it quarantined away from the rest of the fleet. They can hide, but they can’t run.”

Grace lifted her head to look at him, but she didn’t say anything. He reluctantly looked at her and straightened up to rub her arm.

From experience, Laura knew exactly how slow change happened. In politics, resistance, everything took time, and she was well aware of that, but seeing it in lethargic motion irritated her to her wit’s end. The general discomfort of their accommodations and the state of their family didn’t help; neither did Lia’s and Lee’s vocal displeasure.

“How much longer are we meant to stay hidden in this meat locker?” Laura finally sighed, her eyes moving from Elosha to Zarek.

She still didn’t trust him, but he had gone more than out of his way to help them, even acquiring a change of clothes for her so she could finally discard the ones still covered in her husband’s blood. He had found jackets too, the only thing keeping them from losing it in the literal meat locker they hid in. She sighed again and tightened her arms around Lia, pulling her warmth in even closer.

“I don’t know.” Elosha shook her head slowly and hugged her jacket closer.

“I have communicated your latest message to the Quorum of Twelve. They have decided the question of openly supporting you needs more deliberation.” He held his hands up and though she wanted to blame him, Laura knew she couldn’t this time.

“I need to make an appeal to the people,” she decided.

“Make a strong enough argument, and the Astral Queen will be the first ship in line,” he promised, his gaze unyielding and sincere.

Lee rolled his eyes. “Like they do anything but roll over and take orders from you.”

Laura shot him a look, but either he didn’t see it or he ignored it.

“One more bit of news I should convey,” Zarek added unbothered. “Hera should know that Zeus has returned to Olympus. Adama is back in command.”

Laura started to roll her eyes until she understood what he was saying. Her arms dropped to her sides and she gently moved Lia out of the way so she had an unhindered view of Zarek.

“Word just came in over the wireless.”

“He’s alive? He’s okay?” she breathed out.

“Seems like it.” He shrugged. “Tough old bird.”

“Dad’s okay?” Lia tugged her back but she only nodded slowly.

“Oh, my gods. He’s okay.” She looked at Lee and he nodded too. “Dad’s okay.”

“What we really need,” Zarek continued, “is something heartfelt. Something human and personal that will galvanize the people. Like a son and daughter denouncing their father.”

Lee cleared his throat and Lia tensed up. “I don’t know…” He looked at Laura, but she shook her head.

“That’s your decision. Both of you. There is no right or wrong choice here, only what you’re comfortable with,” she said softly.

She refused to say any more on the topic and leaned back against the cold wall to watch them debate it between themselves, already working on an alternate plan in case this one didn’t work out. In the end, Lee agreed and Lia declined, returning to her mother’s side as they watched Lee set the recorder up.

“My name is Lee Adama,” he began before he cleared his throat. “Until recently I was the Commander of Galactica’s Air Group, but when Commander Adama, my father, decided to stage a major military coup against the President, I could no longer support him or his actions. I love my father, I respect him, but in this he is wrong and he must be opposed. I call on all free thinking people…”

Laura could tell he was struggling, could see the hesitation in his eyes even from across the room, and it was too much. Quietly, she crossed the room and laid her hand on his arm, her head shaking slowly.

“No. No, this isn’t the right way.” She took a deep breath and squeezed his arm. “I’m playing the religious card; I know exactly what I have to do.”

Lee removed the tape with his recording and moved out of her way. After struggling with the new tape and giving up, she passed everything over to let Lia set it up for her. While she waited, she considered what she could say. It felt insincere, blasphemous, to use the religious card, but the fleet was falling apart more each day and something needed to be done. When it was finally ready, she curled her fingers around the cold shelf and clung to it, her eyes seeking reassurance in Elosha’s before she began.

“This is Laura Adama, President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol and wife to Commander Adama. I know there is tension between the ships right now due to Commander Adama’s coup and Colonel Tigh’s declaration of martial law, and I intend to do what needs to be done for the protection of humanity. It seems I have been chosen to help lead you to the promised land of Earth. I will not question this choice, I’ll simply try to play my part in the plan. Therefore, at the appointed hour, I will give the signal to the fleet. All those wishing to honor the gods and walk the paths of destiny will follow me back to Kobol. It is there we will meet the gods’ servant with the Arrow of Apollo.” The same fake feeling didn’t leave her and when she let go of the shelf to stop the recording, her hands were shaking. Blaming the cold, she shoved them in her pockets and retreated to her corner of the meat locker.

Before the fall, if anyone had told Bill that the words he was reading came from his wife, he would’ve submitted them instantly for a psychiatric hold. His wife’s casual faith had faded over time, something she usually only relied on in times of need and high stress. He understood why she was drawn back to it now after all these years, but the depths she had sunk to concerned him. Cottle had said there was a risk of the cancer spreading to her brain and he worried about that fact for the briefest of moments before he shoved it aside and considered the possibility of withdrawal from the Chamalla. It all made him grip the clipboard he held even tighter. His chest ached and he needed to breathe, but he couldn’t stop reading Laura’s message.

“What the frak?” he eventually managed breathlessly.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but that message has cropped up all over the fleet.” Saul shook his head and leaned against the CnC. “We’ve got five Raptors with Marine fire teams standing by to board the Astral Queen. No one’s gonna follow her, no one’s gonna believe this crap. No one’s this stupid and anyone that is and wants to make a suicide run back to Kobol, let them.”

“They will listen.” His eyes wandered to the DRADIS, considering each of the larger ships in turn. “She had enough support against me to get off this ship. How much more support do you think she has out there?”

“You’re serious.” Saul stared at him, eyes wide in surprise.

“I’d bet my life on it,” he replied firmly.

More ships jumped away with the Astral Queen than any of them expected. Bill was split between concern for the fleet and pride for his wife. For a woman unconvinced about how favorably the fleet saw her, he hoped she would realize it now. With his mind in a haze of confusion surrounding his ship, his crew, his family, and especially Boomer, he dragged himself back to his quarters. Zak had spent the day with Grace and left when she fell asleep, and Bill was as quiet as he could be when he walked through the hatch. Needing the reassurance, he made his way to his rack and found Grace tightly curled up on her stomach and tightly clutching her giraffe. Gently, he rubbed her back, and yawned hard enough it hurt.

“Daddy?” she mumbled sleepily.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.” He stroked her cheek when she turned her head toward him.

“Is Mama back?”

“No, but…” He stopped and pulled his hand back to carefully rub his chest. “We’re gonna go get her.”

It was the only option, he realized. They stood a better chance at staying alive if the fleet was together and it would be easier to talk things through when they weren’t lightyears apart. He had quickly realized he had forgiven her, once his head was clear enough for him to understand where she was coming from. The final fracturing of the fleet had only grown his confidence in that decision. He just hoped he had a chance to actually tell her, like she had apologized to him.

“Mama told me to be a big brave girl.” She yawned and rubbed at her eyes. “She’s a big brave girl too, Daddy.”

He let out a short laugh at her words and resumed rubbing her back. “Yeah, yeah she is. She’ll be okay. All of them.” His actions easily lulled her back to sleep and he smiled before he grit his teeth to lean down and kiss her forehead. “Goodnight, Grace.”

Tension had filled the room since the Quorum first arrived, and it had only grown the longer they talked. Laura feared they weren’t getting anywhere and they were running out of time, but they still had to wait for Kara. It left her uneasy, the lack of sleep, rationed Chamalla, and stress not helping. At the sound of Lee’s voice, she leaned against her knee with her heel resting on a chair, and tried to refocus on the conversation.

“I support the President completely,” he said definitively, “and my only priorities are the preservation of her safety and the completion of this mission.”

Porter let out an obvious sigh of annoyance. “That’s all well and good, but he’s still Adama’s son. When push comes to shove, how do we know he’ll be willing to stand–”

Done with this line of questioning, Laura dropped her leg to stand upright and faced the Gemenese delegate. “He is my son just as much as he is Commander Adama’s,” she reminded her. “If it were not for him, I would still be in a Galactica jail cell. This subject is closed.”

“With all due respect, Madam President, you are on the run from your husband. I think it is fair of us to question the motivations of your family,” she argued back.

Laura took a calming breath, only because Lia was glued to her back and losing her temper wouldn’t be good for her or anyone in the room. “My husband was fighting for his life after he was nearly assassinated by a Cylon infiltrator. Without Colonel Tigh in charge, things very well may have played out differently.”

“And what about Galactica?” Bagot questioned. “They–they know where we are! They could jump in here at any time and charge us all with treason or destroy this ship with a flick of the wrist.”

“Do you really think he would fire on the ship carrying his wife, son, and daughter?” Her eyebrow slowly arched up as she twisted to see him.

“We’re not entirely defenseless,” Zarek added. “Some of our ships are armed. We should take steps to arm the others just in case.”

Lee laughed. “Just in case we want to commit suicide! If Galactica wants to take us down, there is nothing we can do about it. Nothing. And nobody in this room should be under any illusions on that count.”

“If Galactica wanted to follow, they would have. They have let us go and we need to make the most of this time. Lieutenant Thrace will return, she will have the Arrow of Apollo, and it will help us find our way to Earth.”

“And exactly how long should we wait for her? I mean, maybe we should go down to the surface now. Go down now and start looking for this tomb.” Bagot crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.

“I wouldn’t be too eager. There may still be Cylons present,” Lee sighed, his head shaking.

“And some of us will die down there. The scriptures tell us that any return to Kobol carries with it a cost in blood.” Elosha had warned Laura several times about the price Kobol required, and she feared what it meant.

“I realize that there are still many unanswered questions here, but I refuse to lose sight of what this has always been about. Our mission to save humanity. Yes, it is a big one, but it is our foretold destiny. And I, for one, am not going to waver from it now. I have left some of my family behind, left my husband’s bedside, even while terminally ill, in order to accomplish this. If there is anyone here who does not have the stomach for this mission, you are welcome to rejoin Commander Adama’s fleet.” She slowly turned as she spoke, making eye contact with each and every person in the room, including Lia and Lee. She would send them back in a heartbeat if she could, but unless another ship left, they were along for the ride.

The conversation seemed to have alleviated most of the Quorum’s fears, but Laura worried it was only temporary. The sooner they had the Arrow, the better.

Kara’s return finally silenced most of the remaining concerns, and Laura couldn’t deny her own relief to know she was okay. With Lee accompanying her to the loading bay, Lia joined too. When Kara came into view, they rushed toward her and hugged her tightly, Laura following a few steps behind until she hesitated, slowly looking over all three of them. She had endangered too many people for this Arrow, and she prayed it was worth it.

“Frak, Kara, I’m glad you’re back,” he sighed, his voice just barely audible to Laura. He kissed her quickly and she raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet.

“You’ve missed so much, oh, my gods,” Lia added. “Mom and Dad are fighting.”

“Yeah, I noticed Galactica wasn’t out there.” Kara nodded her head toward the bulkhead and then met Laura’s eyes.

“Kara…”

The pilot didn’t move any closer; instead she took a step backwards. Two more pairs of footsteps came from behind Kara and Laura heard the small guard behind herself move closer.

“Lee, there’s something I need to tell you,” Kara warned, but his attention had already shifted to the short corridor. “Lee, wait!”

Boomer walked into view and before anyone else could move, Lee lunged at her and pinned her against the bulkhead, his gun already drawn and aimed at her head. The other guns in the room went up immediately and Kara rushed closer.

“Don’t you frakking move!” Lee growled.

“Stop! She’s with us!” Kara shouted.

Helo came around the corner with his gun pointed at Lee. “Drop your weapon, sir. Drop your weapon,” he ordered firmly.

“Helo!” Kara looked between them, her hands held out placatingly.

Laura considered everyone in the room and the number of cocked firearms with her and her daughter at the center. Kara and Lee were even closer. If a single weapon went off, it would be catastrophic. “I’m only going to say this once,” she said, not caring if she slipped into the voice she used to scold her students or her children. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re all going to lower your weapons. Am I being perfectly clear?”

“What about Sharon?”

“She will be taken to a holding cell where she will remain unharmed,” Laura lied without hesitation.

“Okay. How about it, Apollo? Should we do what your mother says?” Helo’s attention didn’t waver.

“She’s the President of the Colonies, you moron,” Lee responded with a roll of his eyes. “And yes, we’re gonna do exactly what she says.”

“Lower your weapons. Now,” she ordered, even more sternly. The moment every weapon was holstered, she added, “Now put that thing out the airlock.” The sight of the woman—Cylon—that had nearly killed her husband made her sick, and she almost couldn’t blame Lee for how he had reacted.

“What?” Helo spun around to glare at her as the guards moved to grab Boomer and wrestle her toward the airlock.

“We don’t keep Cylons around here, Lieutenant,” she said simply.

“What the frak? You said you weren’t gonna hurt her!” Helo started to move, but Lee grabbed his arms and held him back.

“Hey, Helo! Listen to me! One of those things put two rounds into my father’s chest,” he explained, pulling him ever closer.

“It wasn’t me!” Boomer cried, her voice desperate.

“Wait, Adama was shot?” Kara took a step closer, but glanced back at Laura.

“Yes. You missed a few catastrophes while you were away.” Lee let go of Helo and another member of the Astral Queen shifted to keep him in check.

“Please tell me he’s alive.”

“After two emergency surgeries, Cottle managed to save him,” Laura explained quietly, her hand reaching back in search of Lia’s and not finding it.

“It wasn’t me!” Boomer shouted again.

“Kara! For the love of gods! Sharon–this Sharon saved our lives back on Caprica. Tell them! Tell them!” Helo was nearly desperate, begging, and Laura forced herself not to look away.

“I know how to find the tomb of Athena! Do you? Kobol’s a big planet! You don’t find the tomb, you don’t find Earth!” The guards dragged Boomer further away.

“Listen to her, for gods’ sakes!”

Kara took a deep breath and grabbed the black object slung over her shoulder. Carefully, she opened it. “Madam President…” she murmured as she pulled out the golden arrow and offered it to Laura.

At the sight, her heart began to beat faster. “Tell them to wait a minute,” she said with an absent wave to the guards before she held out her hands for the Arrow.

“Yes, sir,” one of the guards answered.

“Thank you.” Carefully, she spun the Arrow around to inspect it and then looked up to Zarek. “Mr. Zarek, is there some place where that,” she hesitated, “young woman and I can speak?”

“I can arrange that,” he answered.

After speaking with Sharon, Laura planned for Kara to meet her in a small room that barely fit the table and two chairs it held. Whatever its original purpose, the Astral Queen prisoners had turned it into a private dining area or reading room, the scattered books and silverware on the table left behind as evidence. It was an odd enough sight that it made her lips briefly quirk up as she waited for Kara, her head resting in her hand braced against the table. The hatch was propped open and Kara easily slipped through, the heavy fall of her boots betraying her arrival. Laura lifted her head and managed a slightly wider smile.

“It’s good to see you,” she murmured.

“It’s good to see you too.” Kara dropped her bag on the table and sank into the chair with a heavy sigh. “I made it home.”

“I know. I’m sorry I had to ask you to go.”

She shook her head. “No, I made it home,” she emphasized as she pushed the bag closer.

Laura’s brow furrowed and she leaned forward to study the bag, gasping as she recognized it as Lia’s. “Home?” she whispered.

“Helo and I needed a place to crash and I, uh, may have borrowed the Old Man’s truck.” She laughed with a shrug. “Your place was closer.”

“It was still there?”

Kara shrugged again. “It’s weird, it’s like they bombed the outskirts of town and left as much intact as they could. Dusty as frak, but everything was there.”

Hesitantly, Laura unzipped the bag and immediately laughed at the sight of her daughter’s old, worn stuffed Viper. “Oh, my gods, you didn’t.”

“Grabbed some random clothes for you both too.” She grinned and folded her arms over her chest. “Heard her complaining about the lack of options and she didn’t like the Galactica shirt I found her.”

“You didn’t have to do this.” She shook her head slowly and set the Viper aside to carefully dig through the clothes. “Kara…”

“Hey, I’ve seen the blanket situation on Colonial One and the Commander’s rack. Thought you might like that one.” She shrugged like it was no big deal, but Laura saw the shy smile in her eyes.

“Oh, my gods…” As gently as she could, she pulled the blanket free from the bottom of the bag and hugged it close, burying her face in the familiar fabric. “You…”

Emotions welled up in her chest and she tightened her arms, forced back into her chair with a quiet whimper. Kara jumped to her feet and pushed the chair out of her way as she rounded the table, her hands settling on her shoulders.

“Woah, hey, everything okay?” she asked quietly.

“My, uh…” She cleared her throat and forced her eyes up to Kara. “My mother made it,” she managed to explain. “Started it when she started Doloxan, something to keep her occupied.” As she spoke, she turned the blanket around until she found the unfinished corner. “Came so close, but she never finished it.”

“I’m glad I grabbed it, then.” Her fingers lightly rubbed over her back and she straightened up. “I wasn’t sure what to grab for the Old Man or Grace, I’m sorry.”

“Grace has her giraffe and Bill is, well, you know.” She wiped at her eyes and took a deep breath. “Thank you, Kara. For this and for the Arrow.”

“How is he?”

“I don’t know much.” She reached out and took her hand, squeezing it as reassuringly as she could. “He’s awake, he’s back in command, but he’d do that from Sick Bay if he could. And he’s probably pushing himself.”

“Aren’t you?”

“There’s a difference between cancer and getting shot.”

“Not the end result.” Kara gave her a hard look that Laura had to break.

“Let’s just pray this Arrow gives us what we need and we’ll deal with the rest later,” she sighed.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Go get some rest. We’re heading down to Kobol in the morning.” She reluctantly stood up and replaced the blanket in the bag to zip it up, but Kara grabbed it before she could.

They looked at each other once more and then Laura nodded and led the way out of the small room.

The moment they stepped foot on Kobol, Laura felt one weight leave her shoulders and a new one settle down. With Lia, Lee, and Kara with her, and the promise of a price to be paid in blood, she wanted this over as quickly as possible. The addition of Zarek and his men only furthered that desire. She also quickly released how tedious of a task they faced. For her children, younger and healthier, it would be a rough hike. She struggled to catch her breath walking across the small clearing they had landed in and worried about everything that lay ahead. It was cold, damp, but still beautiful.

“The path is supposed to be marked by gravestones,” Elosha explained quietly, gesturing to the forest-lined path. Her hand paused and she began to move closer. “There’s something there.”

A subtle click sounded and Boomer shouted a second before everything went up in a flash of light. Laura felt someone yank her down against a rock, two more bodies falling against her as gunshots filled the forest. There was a whimper behind her and recognizing it as Lia, she blindly reached out and pulled her in, the two of them sheltered by whoever had grabbed them.

It felt like the firefight went on forever and her ears were ringing when she finally sat up, not loosening her hold on her daughter. She was surprised to see it was Zarek and Meier who had saved them, and she silently accepted their help to her feet. Lia stayed glued to her side and she leaned into her, her eyes closing for a moment.

“Elosha?” she asked softly, the question directed at Zarek. His silence provided her answer and she rubbed Lia’s arm before she let go. “Go to your brother,” she murmured, already moving toward the glimpse she caught of the priestess’ bright purple robes.

No one followed her and she sank to her knees beside Elosha’s body, hands held out but unable to touch her. Nothing came to mind except regret, guilt, and she struggled to swallow past the lump of emotion lodged in her throat. A branch broke behind her and then she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, assuming from the size it was Lee.

“We need to keep going,” he murmured gently.

With a trembling hand, she wiped at her nose and reached for Elosha’s scriptures, as careful as she could be with the nearly-destroyed book. Lee slid his hand under her arm and gently helped her up, his arm moving to wrap around her once she was on her feet. He guided her back toward the group where Lia took her hand, all of them slowly moving further down the path toward the unknown.

His ship wasn’t providing the distraction it usually did and that he needed at the moment, but he wasn’t sure what else to do with his time. Saul had disagreed but obeyed his orders and soon Galactica and the fleet would be rejoining those that had left. They just needed to figure out where Laura was headed and a plan of attack, and then he would do everything in his power to reunite the fleet, his family. With Grace coloring across the table from him, he knew it was the right thing to do.

Chapter Text

Aside from the gentle pattering of the rain on the tarp above them, their small encampment had grown quiet. It was a solemn silence, the loss of life weighing on each of them, but especially Laura who sat with Lia’s head in her lap and Lee quietly beside her. The fingers of one hand gently carded through her daughter’s still-damp hair while the other held up the scripture pages she had managed to save. She had stopped reading them a while ago and now stared absently at the blood smears, hoping they would reveal something helpful. She wondered if Elosha would have been able to turn them into something she would have understood. A sigh followed the scriptures as she dropped them to the ground beside her.

Lee shifted and called to Kara in a harsh whisper, the two coordinating with Helo in a way that made her spine straighten instantly. She carefully moved her daughter’s head, but they stood up together, Laura trying to keep her back. As she stepped out from underneath the tarp, Lia followed behind her anyway and Lee gestured toward the trees, both hands on his gun. Kara and Helo moved into position on the other side, further away, and they held their breaths as the rustling grew closer. Finally, Bill stepped into view, his gun held loosely but close by.

“Put down your weapon, Lee,” he ordered, already lowering his own.

Lee hesitated and then quickly holstered his gun just before Bill wrapped him in a tight hug. Laura was vaguely aware of the people surrounding them, but pure relief overwhelmed her and shoved her forward. She couldn’t move quickly enough, didn’t care how angry he might still be, she just needed to feel him and know it wasn’t another vision. He broke his hug to catch her, his arms going securely around her waist.

“Bill,” she half-sobbed as she threw her arms around his neck and grabbed at his fatigues. He felt solid, real, and she pressed her face into his chest. “Bill, oh, my gods!”

The strength with which she hugged him made him wince, but he buried it in her hair and held her closer. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice thick. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head and sniffled. Someone moved closer and assuming it was Lia, she held her arm out. Lia pressed into the hug and Lee joined them. It took Kara another few moments before she reached them and found her place, her head resting against Laura’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry too,” Laura managed, her eyes roaming over the restrained pain on his face. “Oh, gods, I am so happy to see you.”

“You’re all okay.” He cupped Laura’s and Lia’s faces, then brushed the hair back from Kara’s face and looked at them all in turn, struggling to keep his emotions in check with tears shining in his eyes. The others slowly moved closer behind them and caught his attention, his gaze lingering on Kara, Lee, and then going cold the moment he laid eyes on Sharon. “Move.”

Lia obeyed immediately and stepped out of the way with Kara, but Laura and Lee stayed right where they were, her hand reaching for Bill’s when he pulled it back.

“Bill,” she cautioned. “Listen to me.”

“She’s with us, Commander,” Helo added from a safe distance away with the Cylon.

Laura saw the slight tensing around Bill’s eyes just before he pushed her out of the way and stalked toward Sharon. Lee caught her and helped her to stay on her feet before they followed him. Sharon calmly stared back. Laura could feel an uneasy tension ready to snap and her eyes darted to Lia to make sure she was far enough away, knowing there was only so much she could do for Lee or Kara.

Bill studied every detail of Sharon’s face, how identical it looked to the woman he had known, cared for, and been betrayed by. The only difference was the unmared right side of her face, but his memories filled that detail in easily. His heart throbbed in warning in his chest, but his vision began to tunnel in on the Cylon that had nearly killed him.

His arm shot out and grabbed Sharon’s throat, using his grip to throw her to the ground. The sudden movement and strength caught even Laura off guard, and nearly everyone rushed forward before she could react.

“Commander, no! No!” Kara yelled, but she stopped a few steps away with her hands outstretched.

“I want you to die,” Bill growled, his face hovering over hers as his fingers dug into her neck.

“Bill! Bill, please don’t,” Laura begged, dropping to her knees and tugging at his other arm. “We need her. Bill, godsdamn it!” Lee knelt next to her, but even with his help, they couldn’t move him.

“Commander! Commander, you’ve got to let her go,” Helo tried.

“Die.” Bill tightened his hand, oblivious to the chaos that surrounded him and Sharon.

Helo kept his gun trained on them. “Sir!”

Sharon grunted and gasped for breath, but didn’t fight back. Her eyes fluttered and Laura gave up on pulling and began to push at her husband. Just as quickly as Bill’s anger had flashed, it faded and he gripped his chest. His body felt like it was on fire and he collapsed against Sharon, his forehead pressed into the wet dirt above her shoulder.

“And you ask why?” Sharon gasped when his hand loosened and fell beside them.

“Bill! Oh, my gods!” Laura pushed her hand between Bill and Sharon as best as she could.

“Dad!” This time, Lee’s assistance made the difference and they were able to pull him off Sharon. He fell back into Lee who barely managed to stay sitting upright, both his arm and Laura’s pinned to his chest by his arms. “Dad!”

Helo helped Sharon up and her coughs filled the broken tension in the air, but Laura focused on Bill’s own gasps for breath and unsteady breathing. She slowly pulled her arm free and rubbed his shoulder as she leaned in to press a kiss to the side of his head.

“Are you okay?” she asked quietly.

He nodded and reached up for her hand to tightly tangle their fingers together. “Help me up,” he grunted.

She wasn’t completely steady on her feet and Lee had to bear most of his weight as they stood up and made their way toward the makeshift shelter. Glancing over to check on Lia, her steps faltered when she instead found Billy standing right beside her. Tapping Lee’s shoulder so he knew she was walking away, she turned toward him and fiddled with her hands in front of herself as she came to a stop.

“Billy,” she breathed.

“Madam President.” He gave her a small smile and shrugged one shoulder.

“Billy, you have no idea what it means to me to have you here.” She shook her head and reached out to rest her hand on his arm, needing to make sure he was just as real.

“It’s good to see you too.” His smile widened and he nodded toward Bill and Lee. “Go check on Commander Adama.”

After trading places with Lee and accepting the water he insisted on leaving her with, she sat across from her husband for the first time in what felt like forever. He watched her but didn’t say anything, and she kept her eyes moving from bush to bush over his shoulder. While he leaned against a log to take the pressure off his chest, she sat with her legs off to the side and her knee resting against his. She wanted more contact, but she was too afraid of hurting him and didn’t know how their conversation would go as soon as someone broke the ice.

Wanting to get it over with, Bill sighed and reached out to rest his hand on her leg, just enough to get her attention so she’d look at him. She did, but it was hesitant and worried. There was a darkness in her eyes that hadn’t been there when he had seen her last, and it reminded him too much of how she had looked in the days following the deaths of her father and sisters.

“You interfered with a military mission and you broke your word to me,” he finally said, his tone gentle.

“It’s the second part that really bothers you,” she sighed as she slipped her glasses off and folded them in her hand.

“I forgive you.” His lips twitched into a slight smile.

“Thank you.” She matched his smile. “I didn’t ask for your forgiveness.”

He nodded slowly. “Well, you have it anyway.”

“We both did what we thought was right for the fleet.” She bit down on her lip and wrapped her arms around herself against the shiver that ran through her body. “Seems there’s nothing that can make the military and the civilian government agree, is there?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” He briefly raised an eyebrow.

She was quiet for a moment, her eyes growing distant as she got lost in her thoughts. “Kara says that there are survivors on the Colonies. Back on Caprica, there are people fighting against the Cylons every day. They’re fighting for their homes. Their future.” Her eyes didn’t refocus and it made him sigh.

“I see,” he said, hoping his voice dragged her back to him.

“Doesn’t give you pause?” Slowly, she came back to herself and really looked at him. “Maybe your impulse the day the Cylons attacked was right. Maybe we should have stayed and fought for our homes. Maybe the President of the Colonies should have stayed with her people, I should’ve stayed with my family.”

“I didn’t come here for this,” he said immediately before pausing. “I didn’t come here to navel gaze. Or to catalog our mistakes. We made a decision to leave the Colonies after the attack. We made the decision. It was the right one then, it’s the right one now. So, every moment of every day since then is a gift.”

“From the gods?” she asked with a tight smile.

“No, from you. For convincing me that we should go. I would be dead. Our children would be dead. Whatever else the cost, I won’t second guess that outcome.” As he spoke, he pushed himself forward and grabbed her arm, gently tugging on it until he could coax her hand out from the warmth of her body. He encased it in the warmth of his own and pulled it to his lips to press a firm kiss on her knuckles.

She broke her gaze from him and looked out toward the meager campfire where Lee, Kara, Billy, and Lia all sat. They laughed together and for a brief moment, she could convince herself that everything was fine and normal.

“What was your plan when you got me on Galactica?” she asked suddenly. It had sat in the back of her mind since she first entered the brig, buried under her anguish and withdrawal.

“I don't know,” he admitted. “I wasn’t sure what to do with either of you.”

“So, you weren’t going to immediately arrest me?” A slight, tired smile tugged at her lips. She seemed incapable of forming a full one, too beat down by exhaustion and loss.

“If I was gonna do that, I would’ve sent you straight there. I hoped it wouldn’t be necessary and we could talk it through.” He watched her, their hands still connected and resting on his knee. “Things never go according to plan.”

“I should blame Saul for being locked in the brig, then?”

“Saul… made mistakes. The weight of command is heavy, especially when you’re not expecting it.”

“Oh, you’re telling me?” Her eyebrow shot up and she huffed. “The problem isn’t that I was arrested, it’s that neither of us could keep our daughters safe. I had to comfort Grace through the godsdamn bars because the Marine wouldn’t let me out. I couldn’t even get to Cottle or Chamalla and I—“ Her voice broke and she looked away, blinking back the tears that had quickly formed. “I sat in that brig with your blood all over me with no idea if you were alive, if the kids were okay, and it almost killed me. I still can’t get it out of my head; I keep feeling it on me, under my nails. Yours and Elosha’s. Having to hug our daughter with your blood soaked into my shirt. Frak, Bill…”

“I didn’t know how bad it was.” He let out a long breath and forced himself to continue watching her, gently tugging her hand to try to pull her back to him both physically and mentally. “I’m sorry, honey.”

“And it’s not even your fault. You did none of it.” She licked her lips and tried to take a deep breath.

“It’s my ship, my crew. My responsibility. I’m sorry.” He believed it with every part of his healing heart and squeezed her hand.

“I frakking hate this. I hate fighting, I hate separating our family, I hate everything we’ve put our children through the last few weeks and it’s only going to get worse.” She wiped at her eyes with her free hand and shook her head. “How the hell are we supposed to choose between our duty and our family when they’re at odds with each other?”

“They won’t always be at odds,” he tried.

“It doesn’t have to be. This time did enough damage.”

“Laura, honey.” He cleared his throat and covered her hand with both of his, worried about how cold and clammy it felt. “You’re cold, you’re exhausted, and we still need to get off this planet. Now isn’t the time to dissect all of this. Let’s finish the mission and then we’ll figure things out, one step at a time.”

“You don’t have the answer either then.”

“No,” he admitted, “but I know we’ll figure it out. I think it’s time to go find this tomb.” He caught himself just in time, the reminder of her cancer making his initial thought hit too close to home. “I love you, Laura.”

She turned her attention back to him, tears trailing down her cheeks, and nodded. When she pulled her hand free, he started to frown, but she instead crawled closer so she could lean against the log and curl up against his side. He draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her in close.

“How are you feeling?” he murmured.

Telling him the full truth was out of the question. She was unbelievably exhausted and she could feel how the cold, moist air caught in her lungs. Cottle would have a long lecture for her when she returned to Galactica, but she set that aside for later.

“I’m starting to think planets aren’t all they’re cracked up to be,” she commented wryly. “Too cold, wet. Bill, I don’t think my socks are ever going to dry.”

He chuckled and kissed her head. “That’s the rainforest for you, my love. We need to find you a nice temperate lake.”

She hummed and let her head rest against his shoulder, her eyes sliding closed. “I’m guessing Cottle didn’t approve you for this, did he?”

“Did he approve you?”

“Touchè.” She smiled and shifted closer. “How bad is it?”

“I’m okay.” He lowered his voice and settled his head against hers, his eyes open and focused on their children. “You’ll just have to take it easy on me.”

“I’ve never taken it easy on you and I’m not starting now.” She laughed softly. “I didn't tell you, but when Leoben told me you were a Cylon, he also told me you were going to die.” Her fingers found his leg and slowly tangled in the fabric covering it. “I was so terrified he was right.”

“He wasn’t. He was full of it, Laura, desperate. He would’ve said anything for the chance to save his life.” His hand brushed over hers before he cupped her cheek and met her watery eyes. “I’m here.”

She licked her lips. “I’m still dying,” she said quietly.

“Not now. Not today. Neither of us are going anywhere except that tomb and then back home.” He sounded so firm, so certain, that it made her tears break free and roll down her cheeks. His finger was gentle wiping them away.

Relaxing into his touch, her eyes fluttered and she took a centering deep breath. “You saw Grace and Zak? They’re okay?”

“They’re okay,” he reassured her. “She misses you.”

“Lia missed you too.”

“You wanna tell me why you dragged half our children down here with you?”

She frowned and let out a long breath. “Lee and Kara came of their own volition. Lia was in the wrong place, wrong time, and it was safer to bring her with. Galactica wasn’t safe without you.”

“I heard.” He let out a breath of his own. “I’m sorry.”

“Clean slate.” She reluctantly lifted her head to look at him. “I’m sorry I divided the fleet, divided our family, and now we find a way forward. Together.”

“Together,” he agreed. “You should rest before we finish this.”

“So should you.”

“Who’s gonna keep watch?”

“Any one of the handful of Colonial officers we have out there.” She shrugged her way through another shiver.

“C’mere.” He gestured her to his other side when she opened her eyes and she sighed her complaint as she listened. “We can move closer to the fire.”

“No, I just need you.”

They settled against the hard ground with the log at his back and Laura curled up in front of him. With his arm around her waist, he was able to hold her securely against his chest, his head propped up in his hand. He could feel her resisting sleep, but she gave in before long and drifted off.

By the time they made it back to Galactica, Laura swore she could sleep for a year. The only things that kept her on her feet was a desire to not sleep on the Hangar Deck, the relief that they had found a map to Earth, and her need to see Grace and Zak. Bill had tried to insist on keeping his arm around her, but she had pushed on a compromise. Needing to look strong in front of their people, she only held his hand, but Lee and Lia followed close behind her. Billy had returned to Colonial One to start playing catch up for her, giving her at least a few hours to not have to worry about anything.

Grace rushed at them the moment the hatch opened and Zak barely managed to scoop her up before she ran into them. She pushed at him, but he held onto her firmly. Bill moved to take her, but Laura grabbed his shoulder in warning and gestured to the couch.

“Sit,” she told him firmly.

Lee closed the hatch behind them and headed straight for the drink cart, pouring glasses of water for them. He left them all on the coffee table and took his to the table, sinking down into the chair with a heavy, tired sigh. Bill sighed himself and moved toward the couch. After setting Grace back down, Zak joined his brother at the table, his long legs stretched out as he slumped down in his chair. Lia followed her father and sat down with her shoulder against his, her feet tucked up under herself. The exhaustion was palpable in the cabin and Laura felt the weight of her own, along with the guilty weight of each of her children’s. Grace lingered nervously where she had been left, worriedly looking at each member of her family until her mother sank to her knees beside her and pulled her in close to try to keep everything at bay for them both.

Without a protest or question, she settled in her lap and hugged her tightly. “I’m glad you’re home, Mama.”

“Me too, me too.” She buried her face in her hair and closed her eyes, allowing the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of Bill’s quarters to wash over and relax her. “We’re all home.”

She stayed on the ground until the deck was too hard on her knees, and then gently nudged Grace toward the couch. She jumped up and sat next to her sister, but before Laura could move, Lee was in front of her with his hand extended. The look he gave her told her he wouldn’t let her up without help, so she accepted it and allowed him to ease her to her feet. She leaned against him until she regained her balance and then moved to sit beside her husband, careful not to jostle him too much.

“I wish you’d let Cottle look at you,” she murmured.

“You gonna let him look at you too?” he shot back just as quietly.

“Not much he can do for me, but you could’ve popped a stitch or something could be infected.” Her eyebrow arched up as she looked at him.

“You could’ve caught something too. Your immune system is gone and you were in the cold and the rain.” He copied her eyebrow and carefully wrapped his arm around her.

She sighed and wrinkled her nose. “In the morning, then? I just want to sleep.”

It took a whole two days before Laura showed the first symptoms of getting sick, and another day before she even admitted it. Every part of her body ached in ways she didn’t even know was possible, and the effort it took just to sit upright at her desk took what little energy she had started the day with. The cough that grew throughout the morning took the rest, and she finally sank back in her chair. Billy looked up and sighed, his brow knitting together.

“Madam President… I’m calling Commander Adama.” It wasn’t the first time he had used the threat, but this time she could tell he meant it.

“Don’t you da—“ she tried, but a round of coughing stole her breath and left her with her hand pressed to her chest and her face buried in the crook of her arm.

“When Lia gets back, she’ll call anyway. So, do you want me to do it or her?”

She narrowed her eyes and fixed her glasses as the attack faded, but she had neither the words nor the breath to argue. Her throat ached and her voice was hoarse, but she finally managed, “Don’t let him fly over here.”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I don’t think I can stop him.” His hand hesitated over the phone, his eyes still locked on her in concern.

It was a valid point, but it only made her grimace. The moment her husband knew she didn’t feel well, he would head over and he was still healing. With a frustrated groan, she tossed her glasses to her desk. “Get a shuttle then; I’ll go see Dr. Cottle.”.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said quietly before he picked up the phone.

“Send the girls to Galactica too, please,” she added before she pushed herself out of her chair. Once upright, she had to breathe through another series of coughs, one hand bracing herself against the desk. “Oh, frak me,” she rasped when she could breathe again. Billy stood up as he set the phone down, ignoring her efforts to wave him off. “Go sit down…”

“I can help you to the shuttle.”

“I’ll just get you sick.”

“I think it was me who got you sick.” He smiled apologetically, guiltily, and it was enough to make her give in.

He didn’t let up and followed her onto the shuttle despite her weak glares to make him stay behind.

As expected, Bill was waiting for her when the shuttle landed and Billy gently passed her down to him. A shiver ran through her and she tightly curled her arm around his. Bill shook his head and pulled her close enough that he could feel the way she trembled with each shaky inhale.

“For frak’s sake, Laura, what were you thinking?” His other hand reached for her forehead to find her burning up. “I told you that you were going to get sick.”

“Is this really an ‘I told you so’ moment?” She pushed his hand away and cleared her throat to try to avoid coughing again.

“No, it’s me wondering why you waited until now to see Cottle.” After adjusting his hold to better support her, he guided her across the hangar deck. “As much as I enjoy carrying you, I don’t like when it’s necessary.”

“It’s just a cold, Bill. It’ll run its course and I’ll be back on my feet in a couple days.” When another fit overwhelmed her, she tugged on his arm to stop him and wrapped her arm around herself.

“If you were healthy, it would,” he reminded her gently. It was likely the same cold that had knocked both Lia and Billy down the past day with significantly milder symptoms. “Lia didn’t have a fever.”

“Lia rarely gets fevers,” she muttered, her voice now barely audible.

“You gonna keep arguing or can I get you to Sick Bay now?” Concern added a sharp edge to his words, but he hoped it would get her moving. With a tired wave of her hand, she gestured for them to continue walking.

An hour later, she was bundled up on the couch in Bill’s quarters with a healthy dose of cold medication in her system. Even buried under several blankets, she still couldn’t stop shivering. The warmest she had been was the walk from Sick Bay with her husband holding her close, but the warmth had faded as soon as he left to find her some hot tea and meet the girls. It left her alone, fading in and out of sleep in her slightly reclined position.

The cool scent of peppermint woke her and she took as deep of a breath as she could, a slight smile lifting her lips before she opened her eyes. “Mint tea?” she murmured, the words scratching her throat.

“Got lucky.” Bill stroked his free hand along her arm. “Girls are dropping their things off and then they’ll be here to work on homework. You need anything?”

“Tea.” Her hands reached out for the steaming mug, just the aroma helping to calm her stuffy nose and congested chest. “And you.”

“I think we can make that happen. Hang on.” He left the mug on the coffee table and quickly shrugged out of his tunic.

He tossed it to the far end of the couch and made sure her tea was within reach before he sat down. It took a few moments for him to unlace his boots and then he stretched out and pulled her against his chest. His warmth behind her made her hum appreciatively and she let her head rest on his shoulder, her eyes still focused on her tea. With a quiet chuckle, he picked it up and held it up for her to take a slow drink.

“Been a while since you were sick, hasn’t it?” He set her tea aside and fixed the blankets, his arms loosely wrapped around her beneath them.

Her eyebrow arched up at the irony of his question, but her response was lost to a trio of sneezes.

“Medicine should kick in soon. Sleep, honey, and we’ll get you back to Colonial One when you’re feeling better.”

She pouted and pushed closer. “Work to do. Too much.”

“I know.” He squeezed her gently. “Rest. At least until your fever breaks.”

Mumbling incoherently, her hand reached for her tea again. Obediently, he picked it up again so she could drink some more.

They had a quiet night with the girls; Lee and Kara stopped by to check on them too and Laura continued to sleep on and off. By the time Bill put Grace to bed, Laura was already sound asleep in his rack. Knowing she wasn’t likely to sleep through the night with her cough, he prepared himself for the long haul as he settled in beside her and held her close.

It was surprisingly easy to convince her to rest in his quarters the next morning. Helped by her body’s unwillingness to cooperate, she stayed curled against the bulkhead with a rolled up blanket to protect her from the cold metal. He took up residence beside her with a backlog of ship reports, his hand idly stroking her back as he read. Her sleepiness dragged him under and he ended up napping beside her with the pages still resting on his lap.

Despite her lethargy, her stubbornness took her back to her ship the following day. Her fever had broken and not returned, but her cough still plagued her. She agreed to stay chained to her desk, something that usually happened anyway, and allowed her to push through the last bits of her cold. When she was finally back on her feet, she still couldn’t shake one grim lingering thought. She had regained her health, but her days were still numbered and counting down far faster than she liked.

As the last of her cold released its hold on her, she kept one thing to herself. In spite of her repeated promise to her husband, she refused to tell him that she could feel the toll it had taken on her lungs. There was work to be done, and time to be spent with her family, and she couldn’t handle everyone hovering over her any more. Maybe it was stubbornness, a bit of denial, but she wanted to keep things as normal as she could for as long as possible.

More often than not, Laura and the girls traveled to Galactica to see Bill, Lee, and Kara. She tried to stay the night every few days and the girls traded off when they could. On the rare occasion Bill found his way to Colonial One, they enjoyed the extra space they had in her room, traded off with slightly less privacy.

They had had the better part of an hour together, uninterrupted, and she could feel her arousal growing the longer they were together. The scent of his aftershave, the warmth of his body and occasional brush of their arms or legs, was slowly driving her insane. It reminded her overwhelmingly of how needy she had felt through her second pregnancy, and she hoped they would have time to act on it now.

“Glad we’re on the same page,” she quipped as she stopped her pacing and dropped onto the couch beside him.

His arm automatically found its way around her shoulders and gently pulled her into his side. “And with time to spare.”

“That’s really why you wanted to have this meeting here, isn’t it?” She turned her head to look at him.

His only response was to grin.

“You are absolutely recidivous.” She slowly shook her head.

“I thought Ms. Biers would also be more comfortable on Colonial One. I’d hate for her to think I’m arresting her.” His eyebrow arched up and he nearly rolled his eyes. A part of him still wanted to throw her in the brig, but he had relented to Laura’s logic on this topic. “But I also hoped we’d have some time alone.” He gestured around them.

“The kids are at school.” A giggle slipped out at how such a normal thing sounded so absurd now.

It was true. Lia and Grace had taken the shuttle to the Odysseus just after Bill had arrived, and this was now the most alone they had been in a while. With Billy just a room away and the reporter on her way, it wasn’t much, but it was enough.

“Exactly my point.” His hand moved to cup the back of her head and ease her into a kiss.

She responded immediately and turned into him, her hand bracing herself against his thigh. “Tell me more,” she whispered breathlessly when they parted for air.

“I’d rather show you.” He kissed the corner of her mouth, then her cheek and her jaw, his touch lingering each time.

Her head fell to the side when he moved to her neck; the vee of her blouse allowed him more access to her neck and chest, and he intended to take complete advantage of it. He was careful not to leave any marks, his lips light and breath warm against her skin. It brought a hum to her mouth and she ran her fingers through his hair, an absent thought that he needed a haircut crossing her mind. She started to lay back and pull him with, but he resisted and instead eased down to the floor on his knees. His lips traded her mouth for her legs, holding one up as he kissed up to the hem of her skirt. He let his nose slip under it, but then moved to her other leg and repeated the kisses. Her fingers found his hair again, now appreciating its length, and combed through it.

He shifted so he sat as comfortably as possible between her legs, his hands stroking up and down them; her skirt moved higher with each pass and exposed more of her thighs. It took time to push it up high enough and arousal sparked down her spine by the time he reached her underwear. He was faster pulling them down and set them on the couch beside her, his hands immediately returning to her thighs and pressing them apart.

“I thought you were gonna frak me,” she murmured, her fingers trailing down his cheek and tilting his head up toward her.

“Oh, I am.” His grin returned and he let go of her thigh to cover her hand with his.

Tangling their fingers together, he moved them back to her leg and pressed a kiss to each of her thighs. Compared to her neck, these were firmer, gentle scrapes of his teeth, but still unlikely to leave any evidence behind. While he was high enough up her leg, there was still the chance her skirt could shift if she sat down, so he controlled himself until he met her inner thighs. There, his mouth grew more insistent. He began to nip at the tender skin, red marks appearing in his wake, and he paused as he reached his destination. She squeezed his hand and hummed softly, leaning back into the couch to push her hips closer and tilt them up. His pause was only to pull his glasses off and toss them to the couch and he stole a glance at her as he settled in.

“Thank you,” he rumbled, his fingers digging into her thigh as he pressed his face between her legs.

His tongue stroked over her center, testing her arousal, and groaning at what he found. The vibrations shot straight up her spine and her fingers tightened around his. He squeezed back and adjusted his hold on her hand, but the awkward angle of her wrist finally forced her to let go and reach for his hair again.

“Bill,” she gasped.

He groaned again and explored every inch of her that he could reach with his lips and then his tongue. Her body was an open book to him and he knew what every soft sound, shift, and quake meant, and exactly how to push her exactly where he wanted her. It would’ve been easy to send her skyrocketing, but he took his time, ghosting over her clit and then pulling back to only tease her with his breath. Her sounds grew incrementally louder before she caught herself and bit her lip to stay quiet, the moan she held back instead sending a shudder through her.

“Oh, my gods,” she sighed, her head falling back and her fingers threading further into his hair.

Her legs tightened around his head as he doubled down and pressed his tongue into her eager body. His teeth scraped her clit and made her whimper, wordlessly begging him for more. He didn’t hold back, stroking and exploring her until she was a trembling, panting mess above him. She teetered on the edge, her abdomen tensing, and then her body convulsed as she came. Biting down on her lip and holding her breath barely muffled her pleasured cries enough, and the sounds only encouraged him further.

“Oh, Bill,” she panted, her head rolling toward her shoulder so she could look down at him. “You’re—” Whatever she tried to say was lost in a sudden moan as his mouth closed around her center again. “Oh, frak!” she hissed, her hips bucking up against him.

He chuckled and she felt more than she heard it, his eyes locked onto hers as he relished her for dinner and dessert. If given the option, he would forsake oxygen and food in favor of staying between her legs with each of her melodic noises filling his head.

“Bill, please! Oh, gods, oh, my gods,” she rambled, unsure if she wanted to push him away or pull him closer, but needing him all the same.

His face pressed closer, nestled perfectly between her legs and his hands indenting her thighs where he held them apart just enough. His intentions were clear as his tongue frakked her and his lips grazed her clit, sending waves through her that short-circuited her brain and cut off everything but her most basic functions. The threads of another orgasm kept her tense, hips rocking against him, and winding tighter and tighter.

Her hand flew to her mouth and she bit down on her knuckle as she turned to bury her face as best she could in the couch. It covered enough of her keens and moans as he sent her over the edge once more, relentless in his exploration of her.

Almost immediately, she went limp. Her hands dropped to her lap and she sagged down into the couch, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. He slowly sat back on his heels and pressed his hands on either side of her to use the couch to stand up, groaning quietly as his knees popped. She was blissfully oblivious, allowing him to retreat to her head to clean up. By the time he returned, she was just starting to come back to herself, watching him with cloudy, pleased, green eyes.

“Hi, there,” she giggled, still struggling to catch her breath. Her laughter didn’t help.

“Someone looks like the cat that got the cream,” he teased.

She stretched her arms out to him and after replacing his glasses, he sank onto the couch and pulled her into his chest. “You got the cream,” she commented, abandoning her heels so she could tuck her legs off to the side.

“I did.” He grinned and kissed her head. “Might need to hide behind your desk, but frak, was it worth it.”

Another giggle slipped out and she leaned into him even more, enjoying the post-orgasm high for as long as she could despite her persistent lack of breath. “Love you.”

He nudged her head until she looked at him and then kissed her softly. She moaned at the taste of herself. “Love you,” he murmured, nipping at her lip to earn himself another moan.

When he pulled back, she let her head settle against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and though his pants were uncomfortably tight, he was content to enjoy the rare, quiet moments they had together.

Finally, as her mind began to function again, duty called to her and she sighed softly. “Billy’s gonna come looking soon,” she warned.

“We’re just cuddling,” he defended with a light laugh.

“With my skirt around my hips and my underwear gone,” she countered, offering a huff against his laugh. “Besides, that reporter will be here soon.”

He took a deep breath and kissed her head again. “Go get cleaned up then,” he said as he released her.

While she redressed, Billy warned them through the curtain that the shuttle had docked, and Laura smoothed her hands over the skirt she had just pulled down over a fresh pair of underwear. When her eyes met his, she giggled and couldn’t help the smile that formed. It was the most carefree and happiest he had seen her in a while, and she looked so beautiful—so healthy—it took his breath away. He tried his best to keep his thoughts off his face and tried to distract her by taking her hand and squeezing it firmly, his thumb brushing along her wedding band.

She caught something flicker in his eyes, but it was gone before she could decipher it. Deciding to file it for later, she accepted what she knew was a distraction and allowed the contact until she heard approaching footsteps. A wide, genuine smile formed that he knew was for him, from him, and she turned to walk through the curtain. He waited a moment to further compose and adjust himself before he followed after her.

The reporter’s film turned out better than Laura expected, and she had been careful to keep her expectations under control. Bill’s approval had been surprising, but they both hoped it would do some good for morale across Galactica and the fleet. She didn’t suppose morale could go much lower, at least. After promising that Laura and the girls would join him soon, he headed back to his ship and she sank into her chair behind her desk to finish up a few things.

It was almost peaceful until Grace wandered out from her room, already pouting. “Mama,” she whined, “you said we were gonna see Daddy.”

“I know,” Laura replied without looking up from what she was reading. “I have a few more things to do and then we’ll go.”

“Now, Mama!” She stamped her foot and crossed her arms.

Laura let out a slow breath, her eyes still moving over the report she was trying to finish. She had a feeling she had used up all of her postponements and knew her daughter wouldn’t accept any more. “Alright.”

She turned in her chair to face Grace and leaned forward with her arms braced against her thighs. After a moment, Grace stepped within reach and she stretched her arms out. Instead of picking her up or pulling her close, she dug her fingers into her sides as she tickled her, Grace immediately dropping into her lap and shrieking with laughter.

“Mama!” She grabbed her hands and tried to push them away. In retaliation, her little hands found Laura’s side and started tickling her back.

She gasped in surprise, a loud laugh tumbling from her lips as she slumped down in her chair, her hands moving to hold Grace’s arms to keep her back and stop her from falling. Another few laughs escaped her, and both froze at the sound of footsteps rushing toward them. Her arms tightened around her daughter and she pulled her close, watching the doorway. Billy stumbled in first, quickly followed by a Marine.

“Madam President, are you—“ He stopped suddenly enough that the Marine nearly ran him over.

Laura felt her face grow hot and cleared her throat, her arms loosening around Grace. “We’re fine,” she immediately reassured them. “I’m so sorry we disturbed you.”

“Are you sure, ma’am?” The Marine scanned the room before his eyes returned to her.

A nervous, embarrassed giggle threatened to leave her if she opened her mouth, so she only nodded in what she hoped was a collected, authoritative manner.

“If you need anything,” Billy offered, but she could see a smile tugging at his lips. It only made her flush more.

“Bye, Billy!” Grace waved excitedly to them and pulled back as they finally left.

Laura groaned and buried her face in her hands, but moved them just in time to see Grace attempt to tickle her again. She bear-hugged her to stop her and kissed her head.

“Go get your stuff and we’ll head over,” she murmured, deciding she could finish the last of her work on Galactica while the girls spent time with Bill.

“Thank you, Mama!” Beaming widely, Grace kissed her cheek and hurried off toward her room.

Embarrassment and relief mixed in her and left her with a light smile as she gathered her own things and left to meet her daughters.

Later that night, long after the girls had gone to bed and Bill thought even Laura had drifted off, her soft hum broke the silence of his quarters. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and held her a little tighter, his hand settled on her stomach.

“You finally gonna tell me about this big secret project the crew’s working on?”

He chuckled and nuzzled his nose into her hair along her neck. “No.”

“That big of a secret, hm?”

He laughed again, knowing she couldn’t see his smile. “Not a secret, just don’t know all the details. It’s their project and Lee assured me it’s all above board.” It was a small white lie, but for a good purpose.

She let out another hum and relaxed the last little bit that meant she was ready to drift off. “Good for them,” she murmured. “Love you.”

“Love you.” He settled back onto his pillow and made sure she was completely covered by the blankets as she fell asleep, then quickly joined her.

Chapter Text

For the better part of an hour, Laura had been trying to convince herself to get up. She struggled to find the motivation and the energy, and it wasn’t until she heard the sound of Grace’s and Lia’s footsteps coming down the hallway that she pushed herself to sit upright from her desk. With Billy taking a day off, her office was unusually quiet, and she had used the opportunity to rest her eyes for a few minutes when she realized moving wouldn't happen as quickly as she wanted it to.

“Mama! Mama!” Grace’s voice reached her before the rest of her did, excitement and glee filling it. “Mama!”

Gathering herself, Laura managed a small smile that brightened a little more when her daughters came into view. “Hi, baby. How was school?”

“I got an A on my spelling test!” She proudly held the paper up and grinned around it so widely Laura wondered if her mouth ached. “Look, Mama!”

“I see it, I see it.” Her eyes moved over the test and she smiled at the lack of corrections, her heart swelling with pride. “I’m so proud of you, Grace. Daddy’s gonna be proud too.”

“I told her maybe we could go to Cloud Nine and do something. Like how we always got ice cream when I did well on a test.” Lia smiled apprehensively, her eyes meeting her mother’s.

She had been more perceptive the last few weeks than Laura preferred, tuned in to when she didn’t feel well no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Lia saw through her now and it made her sigh.

“Well,” she dragged the word out to give herself more time to think of a response, “why don’t we call Dad and see what we can do?”

“Are you sure? I mean, maybe Zak can take us or—“

Laura shook her head a little. “Go call and tell him.”

Oblivious to the silent conversation between her sister and mother, Grace left her test on Laura’s desk and picked up the phone with a giggle. “Can I talk to my Daddy?” She stopped and nervously glanced at Laura. “Commander Adama.” There was a few seconds of silence and then all of her excitement returned. “Daddy! Daddy, I passed my test!”

Laura couldn’t hear her husband’s voice, but it wasn’t hard to imagine his ecstatic response.

“Could we maybe please go to Cloud Nine to see the park?” Grace continued, and then she gasped loudly. “Really? Thank you, Daddy!” She held the phone out and for a moment, Laura was overwhelmed by how she looked exactly like Lia had after the long conversations with Bill while he was away.

Something lodged in her throat and she cleared it as she took the phone and looked away. “She did so well,” she murmured.

“I’m proud of her,” he agreed. He could pinpoint her good and bad days even better than their daughter could. “How do you feel about a trip to the park?”

In truth, she just wanted to lay down. Even just the thought of the shuttle ride and walking around Cloud Nine exhausted her, but she was more determined to have as much time with her family as she could. Every new piece of evidence surrounding her failing health only made her more determined.

“Give me an hour to nap and then I’d love to,” she finally said.

“Hour and a half, then. I’ll pick you three up.” His brow knitted together at the tiredness in her voice, but he knew better than to argue right now.

“We look forward to it.” She hummed softly and hung up, offering a smile to Grace. “Go get started on your homework and Daddy will be here in an hour and a half.” She pointed to the clock so she could follow what that meant, and Grace nodded quickly before she ran off.

Lia didn’t move and watched her from where she leaned against Billy’s desk. A mischievous look crossed her face so quickly that Laura wondered if she had even seen it.

“I’m tired.” She faked a pout, but couldn’t completely get rid of her smile. “Carry me to my room?”

Her tone of voice made Laura arch an eyebrow, but she laughed softly and smiled sympathetically. “Sweetheart, I stopped being able to carry you years ago. You have a better chance at carrying me.” At that, Lia straightened up and her mischievousness that was just like her father’s returned. “Lia…” she warned.

She stood up and stretched as Laura pushed back from her desk. “Nap time.”

“I need to finish this and then I’ll lay down,” she promised, pausing to glance at her daughter with a wary look.

“Mom.” Lia moved closer and rested her hands on her desk. “Dad would want you to sleep now.” She gave her a more concerned look that made Laura relent after a moment.

“Alright, then,” she agreed softly.

After closing up her folder and tidying her desk, she stood up and pushed her chair in. Before she could stop her, Lia picked her up with one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back. Laura stifled a shriek of surprise, not wanting to worry her guard, and wrapped her arms around her neck.

“Lia! Put me down!” she insisted, both concerned and impressed at how easily she had been picked up.

“Sorry, Mama.” She smiled and kissed her cheek, then carried her back to her room.

She struggled a little to set her down on her bed, but was able to gently lower her and step back. Laura huffed and looked up at her with her arms crossed over her chest.

“You’re just like Dad, you know that?” she said, and she couldn’t fight the smile that started to form.

“Really? ‘Cause Dad says I’m just like you.” She shrugged and sat down next to her.

“You’ve got a lot of my mother in you too. Like the way your nose scrunches when you’re thinking.” She nudged her daughter’s shoulder with hers and dropped her hands to her lap. A part of her wanted to scold her for picking her up and warn her not to do it again, but she silenced that part and let it go. Sometimes, she needed to feel like things were normal and that they were just an average family, not responsible for the survival of the human race. “Alright, go get your homework done. I promise I’ll lay down.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lia giggled and jumped to her feet, pausing to overexaggerate wrinkling her nose before she parted the curtains and left.

Laura was easily able to fall asleep and would’ve continued if Lia didn’t wake her up. More restrained than Grace was beside her, she woke her gently and helped her up, watching her worriedly as she got her bearings.

“You don’t have to go, Mom,” she said quietly.

“I want her to go!” Grace crossed her arms and instantly pouted.

“Oh, I’m fine.” Laura smiled tiredly and reached for her glasses. “Still waking up. You girls ready?”

“Let’s go, Mama!” Grace reached for her hand and unsuccessfully tried to drag her to her feet.

“Go meet Dad and I’ll be down in a minute, okay?” She squeezed her daughter’s hand and let go to brush her own hair back from her face.

“Mom,” Lia quickly protested, “Grace can go back to our room and I’ll help you.”

Laura took a deep breath and looked up at her daughter. “I’m okay. Take your sister, please.”

Grace grabbed her sister’s hand and tugged her toward the door. Lia tried to resist, but gave up and followed after her. Once they were gone, Laura cautiously got to her feet and shrugged her blazer on. The nap had helped and she felt a little better than she had earlier; she hoped it was enough to get her through the evening.

The moment Bill saw her, it was obvious how tired she was. She was doing a good job of hiding it—too good of a job—and it probably kept it from Grace, maybe Lia, but not him. Trying to hide his own frown, he left Grace’s side to subtly hurry to his wife’s. He offered his arm and she held onto it, her shoulder resting against his.

“Laura,” he said softly, “we can sit down instead. Play a game or read.”

She shook her head. “Grace wants to see the park. Let’s go.”

“Honey…” He sighed and glanced back at the girls, then turned so they were facing away. “You physically cannot keep pushing yourself. You’re going to get hurt, possibly even hurt one of the girls if you insist on carrying Grace.”

Her lips briefly twitched into a smile. “Lia carried me earlier.”

“Don’t change the subject. I mean it. I know you want to give them as many memories as you can, but at this rate, their memory is going to be you collapsing.” His voice was quiet, gentle, but his words were strained by withheld emotions.

“Bill, not now,” she begged softly, hating how quickly tears formed in her eyes. “Give me this, please. Just tonight to pretend that I’m not dying, that it’s only a matter of time before I can’t even do this much. Please.”

“For frak’s sake…” He shook his head and closed his eyes briefly to control himself before he looked back at the girls again. Lia was doing her best to keep Grace occupied and he was grateful. “Grace? What do you think about walking through the park on the way to dinner?”

“Okay!” she quickly agreed.

His eyes met Laura’s again and he smiled reassuringly. “Compromise?”

“Compromise.” She returned his smile as best as she could and adjusted her hold on his arm. “Thank you.”

He helped her into the Raptor and to her seat, then went back for Lia and Grace. After making sure the girls were secure, he sat beside his wife and began his pre-flight check, but paused and looked back at Lia.

“What’s this I hear about you carrying Mom?” he questioned, his eyes lingering on Laura before he turned back to the controls. “How long are you grounded for?”

Lia laughed loudly. “She’s so small. I just picked her up and carried her to bed. And I’m not grounded. Yet,” she added after a pause.

“But when I try to pick you up, I get in trouble.” He raised an eyebrow and checked their take off clearance before he flew the Raptor out of the landing bay and into the space surrounding Colonial One. “How does she get away with it?”

“Don’t you remember when the boys figured out they could pick me up in the pool, then on dry land too?” She lowered her voice. “If it gives her a sense of control, lets her help, I think I can allow it.” Her hand grazed his leg as she leaned a little closer. “Besides, you’ve carried me plenty of times.”

“And I’ll do it plenty of times more,” he promised, his hand momentarily resting over hers.

With his solid support beside her, they were able to slowly follow Grace and Lia around the park, but Laura was still grateful when they sat down to eat. Her chest ached and the quiet struggle for breath stole her appetite, and she only picked off Bill’s plate instead of ordering her own. If Lia noticed, she didn’t say anything, even after they had returned to Colonial One and said goodnight.

Every single one of Laura’s carefully crafted walls and delusions came crumbling down the day she stood in Sick Bay again. After insisting on another round of scans before he prescribed more Chamalla, Cottle had summoned her back. She knew it wasn’t good news, could feel it from the ache in her chest to the sinking feeling in her stomach. Begrudgingly, she told Bill and he escorted her back to Sick Bay where they waited arm in arm as Cottle approached them.

“I’m sorry,” was all he said as he held out her file.

Neither moved at first and then Laura took it, attempting to pull free of her husband, but he didn’t let her go. With a shaky huff, she gave up and opened the folder, her eyes scanning over the first page once.

Then again.

Then a third time.

She held it at the perfect angle that he couldn’t read it, so he settled his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in. This time, she didn’t resist him, and he could finally read whatever it was that Cottle couldn’t put into words.

“How long?” she whispered, once again trying to leave Bill’s side and failing.

Cottle was as stoic as he could be, but his eyes watered and he struggled with his words for a moment. “A few weeks. Maybe a month.”

A strangled sound escaped her and she forced the folder against Bill’s chest. He grabbed it so it didn’t fall and it allowed her to step away, her arms tightly wrapped around herself as she began to pace. So many thoughts rushed through her head that it was all almost white noise, very few things standing out from the rest. Bill watched her helplessly, hating that there was absolutely nothing he could say or do to reassure her.

When she stopped and looked back at them, she said, “Will I be able to work? M-My kids? The girls… Oh, gods…” She buried her face in her hands and Bill passed the folder back to Cottle to hurry to her side, worried she wasn’t going to stay upright. “Bill…”

“I know. I know.” Her fingers immediately sought out his uniform and clung to it and he slid his arm around her waist to hold her up. His other hand cupped the back of her head and held it to his chest as she gave into her sobs, strong enough that her entire body nearly convulsed against him. “Oh, honey…”

His own tears began to form and nothing could stop them from falling, streaking down his cheeks while he held his dying wife even tighter. He buried his face in her hair and tried to stop himself from breaking down completely, willing himself to be as strong as he could for her. She needed him and he would be everything she needed no matter what.

Cottle slowly approached them and rested one hand on Bill’s shoulder, the other on her back. “I’m sorry,” he repeated softly. “Not now, but soon, we need to talk about it. I’m afraid there’s not much we can do, but we can make you as comfortable as possible.”

“I-I don’t…” She couldn’t form words, her voice also muffled by his chest. “Bill,” she whimpered.

He sniffled and kissed her head, his fingers gently combing through her hair. “Let’s get you home,” he managed.

“No… No, I can’t…”

“Shhh. Hey. Hey, listen to me.” His hand caressed down her cheek and then tilted her face up toward him. “I’ll take care of it. Let’s get you home and we’ll…” He wasn’t sure what to say, what kind of distraction he could offer.

When she didn’t protest, he carefully untangled her hands and passed her to Cottle who kept her upright while he stepped into the corridor to talk to the Marines. They moved ahead to clear the route back to his quarters, allowing them almost complete privacy to get there. He gave them a moment and then returned to his wife, picking her up with zero misgivings. She felt too limp, too small in his arms, and he held her as tightly as he dared. With a nod of thanks to Cottle, he carried her home.

Her body didn’t stop quaking the entire time, even after he lowered her to their rack. Gently, he took her heels off and helped her out of her blazer. As he stripped down to his tanks and boxers, she curled up on the edge of the mattress, so he had to climb over her to lay down. Once he was behind her, his arm went around her again and pulled her until his chest was pressed to her back with his legs following hers. She didn’t move but didn’t fight him, her body somehow tense but limp. The occasional soft sniffle or whimper told him she was still awake, and he let his hand lightly wander over her hip.

“I love you,” he sighed as his eyes closed. “Frak, I love you so much, Laura.”

“I love you,” she mumbled, her voice hoarse. “I don’t want to die… Not like my mother, not now…”

He quietly shushed her and moved his hand to stroke her arm. All he could offer were false platitudes and he knew that wasn’t what either of them needed. “You need to slow down…”

She shook her head slightly. “No, I need…” She tried to take a deep breath but it only caught in her chest. “I need to prepare Baltar, the girls, the fleet… You.”

“Don’t you worry about me,” he quickly reassured her.

“I’m always going to worry about you,” she retorted, her sobs threatening to restart. “Damn it, Bill!”

He pushed himself up on his elbow so he could look down at her, his watery eyes focused on her and only her. “We’re in this together, remember? I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan on backing down from any of the promises I’ve made you.”

“No…” The muted word was barely a sound and he wasn’t sure what exactly she was responding to. Surprising them both, she rolled onto her back and looked up at him, her fingers finding their way into his hair again. “I need you…”

“Laura…” He hesitated and looked her over, watched the shift in her eyes as they watered and darkened.

“I’m sure,” she said before he could ask. “One of these days, it’ll be the last time and I-I need that. I want that.” She faltered and licked her lips. “Do you?”

“I don’t want there to ever be a last time,” he whispered fiercely as he leaned closer and ignored the lack of logic in his words. “And this sure as hell isn’t it.”

Worried he was going to turn her down, she only looked up at him and bit down on her lower lip. Slowly, holding her gaze, he pressed his lips against hers. Lightly, at first, chastely, and then growing deeper as she responded and kissed him back. Her fingers tightened in his hair and she spread her legs so he could kneel over her.

“I love you,” she repeated against his lips. “My husband, father of my children. Mine.”

“Mine.” He sat back on his heels, fingers searching along her side for the zipper to her skirt. When he found it, he moved out of the way and eased it down her legs, then went back for her underwear. She started to sit up, hands reaching for her shirt, but he shook his head. “Let me do this for you.”

As she settled back against the mattress, he pushed her shirt up and was just as gentle taking it off. His fingers stroked along her sides, her shoulders, until she arched her back and he unhooked her bra. She was beautiful before him, every bit the woman he had fallen in love with so long ago, and yet somehow so much more. She had carried two of his children, taken in two more like they were her own, and remained as kind and sweet and loving despite what the universe had thrown at her. She was a light—his lighthouse to always guide him home—and though he was aware she knew, he had every intention of reminding her.

With her clothes discarded to the deck, he pulled his tanks off and shifted to get out of his boxers before he stretched out behind her again. She rolled to face him, fresh and dried tear stains on her cheeks, and cautiously rested her hand against his chest. The angry red of the scar down his chest had faded and her finger lightly moved over its raised surface, its existence doing nothing to temper her attraction toward him.

She tangled her legs with his and he gently grabbed her thigh to pull her leg higher, his fingers then wandering over her stomach and down between her legs. He found her far more aroused than he thought she would be and she gasped, her hips rolling into his touch. They had shared many mornings of slow, sleepy sex, and plenty of quick fraks anywhere they could, especially in the beginning of their relationship. Now, he was gentler than ever as he stroked his fingers along her entrance and over her clit, her body shuddering in response.

“Bill, please,” she whispered, their lips brushing from how close they laid.

“You tell me if it’s too much,” he murmured.

“It’s not. You’re not.” Her hand settled on his face and she kissed him deeply.

Their bodies intertwined, he guided his cock into her to connect them every way possible. Her breath hitched and trailed off in a quiet moan, her hand sliding to his neck as she let her forehead rest against his. He held her hip, then her side, needing to touch her as much as possible. The position limited movement for both of them, but he rocked against her and she moved with him, surrendering herself to the tender pleasure Bill enveloped her in. It was everything she needed, but still wasn’t enough to chase back the thought of the cancer that had taken over her body. She could see it in Bill’s eyes too, in the persistent tears that haunted them both.

“You’re beautiful, Laura Adama,” he groaned when her eyes began to grow distant. “Stunning, elegant, frakking amazing.”

Her cheeks flushed from exertion and his words as she softly panted for breath and tried to push even closer. “You’ve always been a sweet talker…”

His hand resumed exploring her body, touching anything and everything he could. Her body had been seared into his mind for years, before two pregnancies and after, but he studied her like never before, like he might never have the chance to do it again.

“Stay with me.” She moaned and desperately clung to him, needing him impossibly close.

“I’m not goin’ anywhere,” he vowed as he draped his arm over her and guided her to her back.

Maintaining their contact, he slowly and fully thrusted into her, forcing a louder moan from her parted lips. He pressed against her with his arms braced against the mattress alongside her body to keep enough of his weight off her. She grabbed onto his arm and threw her other arm around his neck, mild trembles rolling through her body as she felt the first stirrings of her orgasm.

“You’re beautiful,” he repeated, his mouth finding her chest. Always careful never to leave any visible marks, he threw it all out the airlock and left a dark hickey near the top of her right breast.

She gasped and tangled her fingers in his hair. “Bill,” she warned breathlessly, but she arched up into his touch when he sucked another mark higher up her chest.

He knew exactly which shirts she could wear that would hide each mark he left, but he stopped at the second and leaned up to kiss her instead. The kiss and lingering sting from his mouth sent her over the edge and she came clinging to him and gasping his name. Teetering on the edge of his orgasm and just trying to bring her with, he came immediately and pressed their hips firmly together, their bodies shaking and sweating.

She panted heavier than he did when he slipped out and fell to their original position, his arm already pulling her back into his chest. He ran his fingers over her stomach and along her arms, listening to each desperate breath she took as his heart pounded in his chest. When it didn’t get better, he opened his eyes and watched her, his fingers moving to her wrist to check her pulse.

“Laura?”

“I’m good,” she mumbled, meeting his worried gaze.

He quickly sat up and slid his arm under her to pull her up, her head settling on his chest. After adding his other arm to hold her securely, he kissed her head and heard a slight improvement in her breathing. Feeling the iron hold on her lungs begin to loosen, she slowly relaxed against him and rested her hands over his.

“You’re going to disagree…” She swallowed before she continued, “But I don’t want to tell Grace and Lia. I don’t want this hanging over them.”

“Laura, they deserve to know,” he argued quietly.

“They already know I’m dying. I don’t want to tell them until it’s time, until they need to know.” She didn’t expect him to understand or agree, but she hoped he didn’t fight her.

He didn’t like it, but he forced himself to consider it and sighed. “Okay,” he reluctantly agreed. “Two weeks.”

It was half of the time she had left. “Okay.”

With fresh tears, she kissed him again. It was less of a kiss and more just closeness, and she kept pushing closer until she was tightly curled up in his lap with her arms around his neck. He held her as tightly as he could and rested his head against hers, swaying gently until her body gave in to sleep.

Gaeta’s voice roused him far too early the next morning, but Laura easily drifted back off to sleep as he got dressed and headed off to the CIC. The discovery of a Cylon virus in his ship coupled with the news from the previous day left him in a foul mood, and he hurried to check a few things before he went back to his quarters as soon as he knew his crew and Dr. Baltar had things as under control as possible.

He found her at the table, her head in her hands as she wrote. Crumpled pieces of paper were scattered around her and she tossed another one aside as she watched, catching a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye.

“More bad news?” she asked quietly.

“Our computers have been infected by a Cylon virus, corrupting systems throughout the entire ship.” He sighed and pressed his hands against the table to lean forward. “It’s likely the prelude to an all-out attack by the Cylons.”

“Seems good news is too much to ask for then. I assume you’ve tried to disable it?” She leaned back in her chair, but let her hand rest over his.

“Mr. Gaeta and the Vice President are handling that right now.” He shook his head slightly. “I’m not hopeful.”

“Damn it.” She took a deep breath and leaned forward. “I’m late for a Quorum meeting, but is there anything I can do?”

“I’ve just come from seeing our Cylon prisoner. She’s offering a possible solution to the problem.” He lightly kicked the chair out and sank into it across from her.

“And you’re wondering if you can trust her,” she finished for him, her hands folding on the table.

“It took everything I have not to put my hands around her throat,” he admitted quietly, his brow furrowing at the memories. It made his chest ache and he wasn’t sure if it was a phantom pain or not. “I can’t believe I’m contemplating this.”

“We both know the Cylons are experts at manipulation. They will do anything to confuse you.” Her voice was gentle but still firm.

“This isn’t the one who shot me.” He knew that, logically, even when he saw the same woman looking back. Maybe there was a difference.

“Can they really be that different from one another?” Her eyebrow arched up and she held her hands a little tighter. “If you’re asking me if it’s possible that your judgment’s been clouded by your history with this particular Cylon model, well, I’d have to say yes. But mine too. And we created them. There’s always a chance we might find common ground.”

“Enemy of my enemy is my friend,” he murmured.

She thought of saying the same words to Zarek and snorted softly. “Something like that. I need to get going.” Apologetically, she reached over and took his hand. “Have faith in your crew.”

“I do.” He sighed. “I do. You okay getting to Cloud Nine?”

She hummed and slowly pushed herself to her feet. “If you have time to escort me down to my shuttle.”

“I can make time.” He stood and took her arm. “What were you working on?”

She glanced back at her discarded papers and wrinkled her nose. “Just some letters. Let me clean them up before we go.”

“I’ll do it.” He held her closer and led her toward the hatch.

Watching the internal struggle for Galactica from afar nearly overwhelmed Laura with guilt, but she understood and agreed with the safety of herself and the girls on Colonial One. After Sharon cleared the virus from the ship and bought them some time from the Cylons, Laura made sure she had time to spend with her family. It wasn’t much, but a few days on the battlestar was needed for all of them.

Bill kept an eye on the time while his wife napped against him. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, then trailed them down her neck and over her shoulder where he squeezed gently.

Her hand slowly reached up and pushed his away with a sleepy grumble. “You said I could nap…”

“And you did.” He smiled and stroked her arm. “For a solid hour.”

“Then why did you wake me?” Her eyes opened enough for her to squint up at him.

“I want to show you something and it’s a little time sensitive.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “You have a few minutes to wake up.”

“You’re being secretive again.” This time, her eyes narrowed in suspicion and he helped her sit up, her hair sticking out at wild angles.

“You remember that project the crew’s been working on?” When he was sure she was steady, he leaned forward to grab her glasses for her. “They’ve been building a new ship. Something experimental, and they’d like to present it to you. The Blackbird, they’re calling it.”

She settled her glasses on her face and bit her lip after a gasp slipped out. “To me? Bill, you shouldn’t…”

He held his hand up and let her trail off. “I didn’t. It was all their idea which is why they worked to keep it from you. I think Lia and Grace even helped a little.” A proud smile formed and he watched her to make sure the look on her face would stay with him forever.

“They did this for me?” She swallowed the lump in her throat and rested her hand on his leg for balance.

“Save your tears until you see it. She’s beautiful.” He smiled and kissed her softly.

“Damn you,” she murmured affectionately.

With a roll of her eyes, she carefully got up and wandered into the head to wake up a little more.

On the way to the hangar deck, they grabbed their daughters and he assured Laura that Zak, Lee, and Kara would all be there. Arm in arm, they walked across the large room toward the small crowd. Lee and Zak were visible near the covered ship with Kara’s head occasionally in view. As they moved closer, her eyes moved over what she could see of the project, a small sheet only covering the front, and she felt Bill squeeze her hand where it rested on his elbow.

“This is the Blackbird?” she asked, her eyes wide as they stopped in front of Tyrol.

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned widely. “Madam President, this is an honor.”

“No,” she shook her head and smiled back, “the honor is mine. She’s remarkable.” She moved away from Bill to rest her hand against the cool, rough surface. “This is amazing, Chief Tyrol. Your crew has done an incredible job.”

“Well, your daughters helped with the finishing touches. Couldn’t have done it without them.” He ruffled Grace’s hair and she giggled, her grin matching his and Lia’s.

“After what we’ve been through, it would be very easy to give up, to lose hope.” She hesitated and Bill was immediately by her side again, his hand lightly on her back. “But not here. Not today. This is more than a ship. This is an act of faith. It is proof that despite all we’ve lost, we keep trying. And we will get through this. I promise.” The desire not to include herself almost won, but this wasn’t the time for reality. The crew, the fleet, needed to continue on with as much hope as possible.

She leaned into her husband’s side as the crew signed the Blackbird’s hull. Tyrol lifted Grace up so she could sign right next to her other siblings and then set her down to grab a bottle of champagne from a nearby crew member. Laura watched them all, her own pride and emotions filling her chest and heart. For a moment, her exhaustion and fear faded to the back and the people in this room were all that mattered. Her husband by her side, her family, and she needed nothing else.

Tyrol passed the bottle to Bill and cleared his throat. “Commander, Madam President, uh, this was supposed to be a surprise, but, well—“ He stopped and pulled the sheet of the ship with a flourish, letting it fall to the deck.

Beneath, in simple white script, was her name. The name of the ship. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes and she held her hands to her mouth. No words came to mind as she slowly moved closer, her fingers brushing over the dried paint surrounded by the names of the crew—her family. Bill lingered nearby and saw the way her hand trembled, but there was a light in her eyes when she looked back that he hadn’t seen in months.

“Thank you,” she finally managed, her voice shaky with her withheld tears.

“If you’ll do us the honors, my love,” he murmured as he held out the bottle of champagne.

She accepted the bottle and looked it over, a smirk just briefly forming. His eyebrow arched up in time for her to grip the bottle by the neck and start to swing it at the Blackbird, eliciting sharp gasps and worried inhales from the crowd. Tyrol moved closer but backed off as soon as Laura lowered the bottle and laughed.

“Kidding. Kidding.” She smiled and carefully popped the cork out, managing to catch the few drops that spilled out before she returned the bottle to Tyrol. “Thank you,” she told him again.

She found her way back to her husband’s side and leaned against him once more with her hand on Grace’s shoulder. Lia leaned against her father’s other side after Bill guided them a little ways away from the celebrating crowd. Laura copied his arm and they held their family close, her head resting against his arm.

“Thank you for this,” she murmured, tears still shining in her eyes.

“They wanted to do this for you. You’re family as much as any enlisted crew member to them.” He kissed her head and absently rubbed her side.

“You have to find them a home, Bill. Somewhere safe. Find Earth, please, for me?”

“Laura…” He swallowed and buried his face in her hair for a second until he was sure he had control of his expression. “I will try my best.”

“I know you will.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I think we should leave them to their real celebration, don’t you?”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Lia pushed away and moved to stand in front of them. “Can I stay? Chief Tyrol and Lee said I could.”

Laura wrinkled her nose, but forced herself to smooth it back out as she looked at her daughter. “As long as Lee or Kara make sure you get back to your cabin.”

“Really?” Her eyes lit up instantly and after double checking with Bill, she hurried off to join the crew.

Grace yawned and turned around to hug Bill, which made Laura take a step away. He picked their daughter up and rubbed her back as she settled against him, a tired smile on her face.

“Let’s get my tired girls to bed, then,” he said quietly. “Bath time first.”

She yawned again and he shifted Grace to one side so he could take his wife’s hand again. They quickly said their goodbyes and shared their gratitude again, and then they crossed the hangar deck to head home.

Chapter Text

A slight smile rested on Laura’s lips as she leaned against the table with her head in her hand. Grace and Lia were still eating and Bill had finished, but her plate sat mostly untouched. She had woken tired and nauseated, neither of which had faded through the early morning.

“You’re going to be late,” she commented softly, reluctantly sitting up so she could look at her daughters. “Do you have everything?”

“I can’t find my homework.” Grace pouted and finished off her juice.

“You left it on the desk last night. I’ll grab it, you finish eating.” Before she could even start to stand up, Bill rested his hand on her shoulder to keep her where she was and got up. She smiled gratefully and returned her head to her hand.

“You okay, Mom?” Lia asked after a moment.

She hummed quietly. “Tired.” It bothered her that she could no longer hide her bad days from her girls and could offer them limited reassurance.

Bill returned with Grace’s homework and handed it to her. “Go put it up before you forget it again,” he told her, his hand settling on his wife’s shoulder.

Grace finished her last bite of breakfast and scurried over to her bag by the hatch to shove the paper inside. Lia finished hers too and stacked their plates off to the side, pausing to stretch before she rounded the table.

“Love you,” Bill murmured as he hugged her and ruffled her hair.

Lia rolled her eyes, but hugged him back and then gently hugged Laura too. As she kissed her cheek, she said, “Love you too. See you after school.”

“Love you,” Laura added, straightening up so she could hug Grace when she came back with her bag. “And I love you too.”

“I love you, Mama!” Grace hugged her more tightly and Bill leaned down to kiss her forehead.

“Get going so you don’t miss the shuttle.” His hand found Laura’s shoulder again, thumb stroking over her shirt as they watched the girls hurry through the hatch and out of sight.

After the hatch closed again, Laura let herself sink down in her chair and buried her face in her folded arms. He sighed and moved his hand to rub side to side across her back.

“Need anything?”

She groaned and shook her head slightly. “Just hoping for a quiet day,” she mumbled.

“Why don’t you finish your tea and then we’ll lay down?” He settled back into his seat beside her and nudged her still-warm tea a little closer.

“You have to be on duty soon.” Obediently but slowly, she sat up and curled her fingers around the mug, holding it tightly so she could take a drink.

“Saul has it under control for a bit. I have an important meeting with the President.” He left his arm stretched out along the back of her chair and smiled at her.

As reluctant as he had been—and still was—he had discussed it with Saul and barring any active combat situation, his XO would handle the CIC as often as he could. At least until Laura caught on.

“How often do you think you can use that excuse?” She briefly raised an eyebrow and took another drink of tea.

“At least once more.”

Their conversation faded into silence and she found herself looking forward to lying down again until Gaeta’s announcement ruined all hope of it.

“Action stations, action stations. Set condition one throughout the ship. This is not a drill. Repeat, action stations, actions stations.”

Bill sighed and rubbed her shoulder as he stood up. “I’m sorry, honey,” he said as he crossed the room to pick up the phone. “This is the Commander. Sitrep.” Laura couldn’t hear Saul’s response, but all she needed was Bill’s. “Alert the fleet to an emergency jump. I’m on my way.”

“The girls? Do you think they made it to the Odysseus?” she asked quickly.

“They should have. I’ll have Dee check before we jump.” He quickly returned to her side and loosely wrapped his arm around her waist. “You can rest here. I’ll keep you updated.”

She considered it for a moment and then nodded. “Alright, I’ll lay down.”

He cupped her face and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

“Love you. Now go.” She gently pushed him away, already headed further into the cabin while he fastened his tunic and left through the hatch.

His wife was sound asleep when he made it back to their quarters, curled up with her back to the room and her arms around his pillow. Doing his best not to disturb her, he slid his glasses into his pocket and walked toward his desk, but stopped as soon as he heard her move.

“Bill?” she sighed tiredly.

She had stayed awake long enough for Dee to confirm the girls were okay and the fleet wasn’t in danger before she had surrendered to sleep. Her nap couldn’t have lasted long, but she felt slightly better as she sat up and leaned against the bulkhead with her legs stretched over the edge of the rack.

“It’s me,” he reassured her, spinning on his heel to sit next to her instead.

She leaned against him and shifted her bare legs so they rested over his. Her skirt wasn’t comfortable to nap in and she had left it pooled on the deck by the rack, leaving her in just her blouse and underwear. His hands settled on her thighs, his thumb chastely stroking her smooth skin.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened or just let me sit here and wonder?” She took his hand and laced their fingers together. “Something’s bothering you.”

“Another battlestar jumped into range. Pegasus, commanded by Admiral Helena Cain,” he explained shortly.

“She outranks you, then.”

“And then some.” He shook his head slowly. “She’s headed here with some of her crew. We’ll exchange stories, logs, and then she’ll take command, I imagine.”

“I still outrank her.”

“In civilian matters. Pegasus is alone.”

“I assume we’re meeting them with full pomp and circumstance?”

“You feel up to going?”

“I should be there.” She took a deep breath and eased her legs off him. “Do you think she’ll be a problem?”

“She’ll have her complaints, make some changes. Might reassure some members of the Quorum to have me knocked down a peg for various reasons.” He watched her, but she waved his comment away.

“Let’s see how this first meeting goes, hm? Help me up.”

He slid out of their rack and turned to gently pull her to her feet. While she adjusted to being upright, he picked up her skirt and helped her into it when she was ready, his hands lingering on her sides. She gave him a teasingly stern look and rested her hands on his chest.

“Hands to yourself,” she scolded lightly. “I suppose it’s back to being professional? At least for now.”

“Probably a good idea.” He kissed her softly.

Her nose wrinkled and she dropped her hands to fix her blouse and skirt. “Shall we?”

He offered his hand and she took it, allowing him to hold her steady as she stepped into her heels. They kept the contact as much as they could, even after Saul joined them, until the last ladder to descend into the hangar deck where they still entered side by side.

Laura was grateful Grace and Lia were on the Odysseus so she didn’t have to worry about them, but her eyes still wandered toward Lee and Kara as they waited for Pegasus’ Raptor to land. The crew that emerged wasn’t what Laura expected and she watched each of them curiously. The only woman—Cain, she assumed—made her way off the wing and toward Bill.

His back straightened and he saluted, Cain offering one in return. He only dropped his hand after she lowered hers, her eyes briefly darting toward Laura beside him.

Bill gave a stiff nod. “Admiral Cain, welcome aboard the Galactica.”

“Commander Adama, it’s an honor,” she replied as her eyes swung back to him.

“Madam Secretary.” Cain quickly covered her surprise as she fully looked at Laura and extended her hand with a polite smile.

“Admiral Cain,” Bill cleared his throat, “allow me to introduce you to the President of the Colonies, Laura Adama.”

Cain’s surprise returned and she didn’t hide it as quickly this time. “Madam President, then.”

“Admiral Cain.” Laura inclined her head slightly as she shook her hand and then returned hers to her pocket. “It’s a long story. Welcome.”

“Yes, I can imagine,” she responded slowly, her eyes shifting to Bill as they narrowed. “On behalf of the officers and the crew of the Pegasus, it’s a pleasure to see all of you. Welcome back to the Colonial fleet.”

Controlled chaos broke out following her words as the two crews began to mingle and introduce themselves, loud cheers rolling through the crowd. Laura slipped her arm through Bill’s to lean into him; her good days seemed few and far between now, and sometimes it felt like it was only stubbornness and her duty that kept her on her feet. Wordlessly, he took some of her weight and offered his support, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. She would’ve preferred to stand on her own and maintain the appearance of separation, but it wasn’t worth the fight. He knew how tired she was based on her allowing the contact.

The three leaders left the crews to mingle and converse in the hangar deck and made their way to Bill’s quarters. Laura insisted on walking on her own and though it slowed their pace a little, Cain didn’t comment. She stayed quiet, barely half a step behind Bill with Laura determining their stride.

“Madam President! Commander!” Corporal Evans hurried toward them and worry shot through Laura until she realized he was smiling. “I apologize for disturbing you, but I wanted to wish you a happy Day of Rhea.”

She blushed and glanced at Bill. “Thank you, Corporal,” she hummed.

Cain scoffed beside them and resumed walking. Another half a dozen crew members made the same comment as they walked and Laura’s chest was filled with a content warmth as they stepped through the hatch. Bill smiled and subtly rubbed her back before he moved toward the drink cart and gestured for them both to take a seat. Seeing the flush on his wife’s face and knowing she appreciated the small comments made him feel better and he clung onto that to counter the suspicion that the next few days might have their challenges.

“Admiral, I’m fairly burning with questions,” Laura began. Bill brought three glasses of whiskey over and gave her the least full one. Cain tossed half of hers back, but they both took a smaller drink before Laura continued. “I hope you don’t mind if I just dive in.”

“I have questions of my own, first.” She smacked her lips and firmly set her glass down, leaving her hand free to gesture between them. “What is this?”

Laura’s eyebrow shot up and she glanced at her husband with her glass to her lips, hesitating before she took another sip. “What do you mean?”

“Are you starting a dynasty? Keeping it in the family?” Cain copied her eyebrow and leaned back to look at them both.

“Coincidence. Commander Adama was the senior officer and I was the senior government official, and following both military protocol and Colonial law, he took control of the fleet and I became President,” Laura explained, her eyes focusing in on the other woman. “I can assure you, Admiral, our marriage has not interfered in our duties.”

Soon enough, there would be a new president anyway.

“Children too?”

“Is that any of your business?” Laura said the words more sharply than she intended and hid it by finishing off her whiskey.

“If it affects either of your abilities to do your jobs, then yes,” Cain answered in the same tone.

“It doesn’t.” Bill leaned forward against the table. “It hasn’t and it won’t. Especially now that you’re taking command of the fleet.”

“I was wondering how to broach that topic.” She nudged her glass toward him. “Pour me another.” As soon as he did, she took a long drink. “Trust me when I say that while the chain of command is strict, it is not heartless, and neither am I. This is your ship, and I have no desire to interfere with Galactica’s internal affairs.”

Bill relaxed back into his seat, but Laura didn’t move, her fingers still curled around her glass.

“If you’re done questioning our marriage, I still have questions.” She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. Cain only waved her glass. “How did you find us?”

“Well, we were tracking a Cylon fleet. We were trying to predict their movements, which seemed rather random, initially, until we realized that they were just jumping to systems with natural resources. So, we began to scout those systems ourselves, hoping to carry out hits and attacks on their fleet. But instead of finding the Cylons, we found you,” she answered, her voice oddly devoid of emotion.

“So, you’ve been attacking their fleet?” Bill studied her, but kept an eye on Laura in his peripheral vision.

“Well, you know what they say about the best defense,” she said with a shrug.

Laura’s eyebrow arched up again and Bill grunted. “How did you avoid the initial Cylon attack on the Colonies?”

“We were docking at Scorpion Fleet Shipyard. We were getting ready to go for a three-month overhaul. Most of the crew was getting ready for extended shore leave and family reunions. XO had the deck. I was down in my quarters, wrapping up some paperwork, and getting ready to pack up and go home to Tauron. And that’s when the Cylons attacked. They hit the shipyard with three, maybe four nukes. Five ships, two of them Battlestars; they were destroyed right there. And by the time I got back to CIC, I discovered that I’d lost over 700 men.”

“My gods,” Laura breathed out.

“We were completely defenseless. So, I ordered a jump.”

“To where?”

“Wherever. Nowhere. Just jump.” Each short sentence was punctuated by another small shrug.

“Blind jump. You could’ve ended up anywhere. Gutsy call.” He found it impressive, understandable, but still bold as hell.

“Desperate move. Didn’t see any other choice.” She sighed and finished off her whiskey. “I’m sure you have quite a story to tell yourself, but I won’t make you go through it right this very minute. You can send over your logs when you get the chance.”

“Yes, sir.”

Laura made a face she couldn’t quite control and Cain turned back in time to see it before it faded. “Something wrong?”

“No,” she answered as she remained sitting. “I sometimes forget about the rules of military protocol.”

A knock on the hatch drew Laura to her feet just as Billy stepped inside and smiled apologetically. “Excuse me. Madam President?”

“Yes. If you both will excuse me. Admiral, I can’t tell you how grateful we are to have you here. Thank you for finding us.” The woman across the room made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, but she couldn’t explain it, had no justification for it. She didn’t trust her, but she would keep that to herself for now.

“Madam President.” Cain nodded, almost dismissively, and she walked by.

Laura’s eyes briefly met her husband’s as she paused beside Billy at the hatch. “Commander,” she murmured with a slight smile.

Bill saw the restrained exhaustion in it. “Madam President.”

With a soft sigh, she accepted Billy’s arm and followed him from the room. The Quorum meeting was ill-timed, but she hoped it would be quick enough that she could return to Galactica.

In her absence, Cain scoffed and crossed her arms. “The Secretary of Education. Your wife?”

“She’s come a long way,” he defended quickly.

“I’m sure.”

He caught her partial eye roll but didn’t mention it. “I’ll show you the CIC and escort you back to your Raptor.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

Halfway through the Quorum meeting, Laura knew she had pushed herself too far and tried to do too much. The only way she could finish out the meeting was by sitting and relying on Billy to keep the delegates in line, and she hated that the day wasn’t over yet. She had a feeling she would pay for it the next day, but she couldn’t pack it in yet. It was a relief that Bill met her near the hangar deck when she returned to his ship, helping her down the last few rungs before he wrapped his arm around her and began to guide her toward his quarters.

“Pegasus has begun resupplying Galactica from its own reserve for military operations,” he said, knowing it was on her mind and wanting to give her something to focus on that hopefully didn’t require her input.

“Which I completely support,” she sighed breathlessly, “but when will some of these supplies start getting out to the fleet?”

He slowed down a little, intending to stop, but she kept walking. “Well, Admiral Cain has assured me that those supplies are on their way.”

“At least she’s taking your phone calls. I can’t even get her to answer mine.” She rolled her eyes and licked her dry lips.

“I’ll bring it to her attention,” he promised.

They walked in silence for a while, just long enough for her to catch some of her breath.

“How are you doing with all this?” she finally questioned.

He shrugged and tightened his arm. “She outranks me. It’s as simple as that.”

She didn’t think it should be that simple, but it wasn’t her opinion that mattered. “You know, if President Adar stepped off that raptor, I’d be elated, grateful to have someone take over.” Even one of the other Secretaries that outranked her would be a blessing, but there was a large part of her that was hesitant too, Pythian prophecies aside. “And yet…”

He shook his head. “I don’t want to go to the ‘and yet’ part. I’ve been taking orders my entire career. You know this is no different.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She glanced at him to make sure he saw her frown, but let the conversation slide from her shoulders.

The girls would be done with school soon and she had a few reports to read through and phone calls to make as long as she could stay awake. As tired as she was, she had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway until the girls were back on board. Her worry ran too deep, somehow still enough to counter her body giving in.

Late the next morning, Laura was settled at Bill’s desk with her arms wrapped around her leg and her foot resting on the chair. She was suspicious that she didn’t feel as badly as she thought she would, but she was content not to question it. If she had the energy to get things done, she’d make use of it. Bill had left early in the morning for a meeting on Pegasus and the sound of his footsteps as he returned warned her that it hadn’t gone well. Closing her folder, she looked up and watched him walk into the room with a frown.

“What’s wrong?” she asked immediately.

“Cain is transferring people. She’s sending Starbuck and Lee to Pegasus.” He wasn’t sure if he was more upset by the actual transfer or the fact that she had lied, but he had his orders and he had no choice.

“What?” She narrowed her eyes and folded her hands on top of her folder. “She can’t do that.”

“She can. She did.” He didn’t move further into the room and didn’t look at her.

“That’s not what I meant. She’s transferring them for a reason, isn’t she?” Unbothered by his avoidance, she continued watching him.

“Of course she is. I lectured Saul about taking the Pegasus stories in context and she’s not doing it with mine. Zeroing in on anything I’ve gotten lax about, which is a lot of things.” He crossed his arms and glanced at her. “Starbuck, Lee, Helo, the Chief. Sharon.”

“We’ve done what we thought was best for the fleet, Bill,” she said carefully. “Gods, you tried to overthrow my presidency, locked me in the brig–”

“Saul locked you in the brig,” he corrected quickly.

“My point is, it’s easy to judge when you’re outside the situation. How are they handling it?”

“They’re not happy, but orders are orders. They’re headed over now.” It wasn’t a battle worth fighting, especially not this soon after the ships had been reunited.

“I don’t like it.” Slowly, she stood up and gathered her things into a neat pile. “I don’t trust her.”

“She outranks me. Unless you want to overthrow a military leader, we play the game her way.” He gave her a penetrating, pointed look. “How are you feeling?”

As much as she wasn’t ready to let the topic go, she sighed and did. “The same, no worse than yesterday.”

“I’m sorry, honey.”

“None of that.” She shot him a weak glare. “I’ll be in the Wardroom for a few hours if you need anything.”

“I should be telling you that.” He held his arms out as she picked up her stack of folders and walked toward him, happily settling against his chest. He kissed her head and paused to breathe in her hair. “I love you.”

“I love you.” She tilted her head to smile up at him. “We’ve survived worse than Helena Cain.”

“Yes, we have.” He kissed her softly and rubbed her side. “Get going.”

“Yes, sir.” She smiled teasingly, but it faded as she walked into the next room.

Her belief that they would survive Admiral Cain rapidly dissipated as the day wore on. The news of the assault on Sharon leading to the death of Lieutenant Thorne and the arrest of both Tyrol and Helo distracted her through her next few meetings until she finally found a break and made her way back to Bill’s quarters. Her husband paced back and forth behind the table, fingers tangled in lapels of his tunic. It reminded her of the first time she had stood in the hatchway to his quarters and watched him stress, and she could do just as little to help this time.

“Bill,” she murmured, but he only briefly looked up. “Honey.”

“I can’t talk, I have things to do,” he grumbled, fingers loosening so he could fasten the buttons.

“I can walk and talk.” She stayed blocking the hatch, knowing he wouldn’t push her out of the way.

“Laura, not now.” He glanced at her again and took a few steps closer.

At the look in his eyes, she backed down and moved out of the way to let him pass. He didn’t make it far before Cally stopped him and their conversation drew Laura after him.

“Any word on the Chief, sir?” she asked worriedly.

Bill hesitated and barely looked at her. “He’s going to have to stand trial.”

“He’s a good man, sir.”

He sighed. “I know. I’ll do everything–”

Gaeta stopped him from saying anything further. “Commander Adama, please call CIC ASAP.”

“Damn it.” Aware his wife had followed, he waved her over as he moved to the nearest phone and picked it up. “This is Adama.”

“I just talked to Fisk. Court martial’s over,” Saul explained shortly.

“Over? When did it start?” He pressed his hand against the bulkhead and bit back a groan.

“I don’t know, but they’ve been found guilty on all counts. She’s going to execute them for murder and treason.”

“Frak,” he hissed under his breath. “I want a Marine strike team in a Raptor in five minutes. Prepare to launch alert fighters.” He quickly hung up and dismissed Cally before he fully faced Laura.

She watched him anxiously, but fell into step with him when he started walking away. “Are you sure you want to do this, Bill?”

“They’re my men, good men. I’m not gonna let her execute them,” he growled.

“As long as you’re sure.” It was his decision and she wouldn’t intervene, but she knew Cain wouldn’t back down and she worried how far it could go.

The moment he cleared the hatch into the CIC, he ordered Dee to connect him to Pegasus and grabbed the handset, gesturing for Laura to take the other one. “You told me they’d get a fair trial. What kind of a trial could they possibly have had?”

Cain responded immediately. “I assure you, I heard them out. I weighed their statements against those of the guards and I took into consideration their service records and commendations. It was a difficult decision, Commander, but I dare say it was a fair one.”

He scoffed and Laura did her best to stay quiet as she leaned against the CnC for support. “They have the right to have their case heard by a jury.”

“I am a flag officer on detached service during a time of war. Regulations give me broad authority in this matter.”

Bill covered the handset and turned toward Saul waiting by his side. “Launch the fighters,” he said firmly before he moved his hand. ”You can quote me whatever regulation you’d like. I’m not not going to let you execute my men.”

“I highly suggest you reconsider that statement, Commander.” She paused a moment. “Commander, why are you launching Vipers?”

“Please arrange for Chief Tyrol and Lieutenant Agathon to be handed over to my Marines as soon as they arrive.” His voice didn’t waver, his eyes glued to the DRADIS to know the moment Pegasus responded.

“I don’t take orders from you.”

“Call it whatever you like. I’m getting my men.” As he spoke, the transponders of the Vipers began to appear on screen, headed toward the other battlestar.

“You are making such a mistake.”

“I’m getting my men,” he repeated.

Laura watched the opposing Vipers join Galactica’s and her eyes closed. The military leaders were risking too much, putting the entire fleet in danger with this game of chicken, and her hand gripped the edge of the console until her knuckles were white. After a quick, almost desperate prayer for safety, she forced her eyes open and checked the DRADIS again, then her husband.

Starbuck’s sudden return offered enough of a distraction that a knot of tension unraveled in her stomach, but she still couldn’t loosen her hold.

Demanding to be reconnected with Pegasus, both Bill and Laura picked up their handsets again. “You can either stand down or we can start shooting at each other. It’s your call.”

She didn’t respond and their eyes met across the console, silent worry passing between them. It was obvious she wasn’t happy with the risk, but he stood firm in his decision and hoped Cain wasn’t stubborn enough to fire.

“Alright,” Cain finally sighed, “joint recall. Both ships stand down to condition two. Then I want you to report to me directly, in person.”

“I have no intention of cooling my heels in your brig,” he muttered.

She immediately sighed again. “Fine. Neutral ground.” There was another pause. “Cloud Nine, the President and one Quorum delegate. No aides. Be there in 15 minutes.”

They hung up once more and Bill passed the order along before he let out a long sigh of his own. “Motherfrakker.”

“I’ll contact the delegates on the way over.” She moved her hands to her pockets and shook her head slowly. All of her thoughts could wait until they were alone in the Raptor or off Galactica, but not in the CIC.

“Who will you pick?”

“Not my choice,” she answered quickly. “Either a volunteer or a vote, but for the sake of neutrality, it’s not my choice.”

“Leaves a lot up in the air.”

“Better than shooting each other out of the sky.” Her eyes briefly narrowed until she looked away and strode from the room, Bill on her heels.

They stepped into the large meeting room on Cloud Nine first, soon followed by Cain. Wordlessly, Laura directed them both to the nearest chairs and sat back on the desk, the activity of the last few days finally catching up to her. A few minutes later, Zarek walked into the room and immediately sent Cain to her feet.

“Is this a frakking joke?” she demanded, her arms firmly crossed over her chest. “A terrorist?” She whipped around to face Laura.

“Under Sagittaron law, Mr. Zarek served his time and regained his rights. He was rightfully elected to be their delegate, Admiral, like it or not.” Laura didn’t move and didn’t flinch, regardless of how surprised she was by his appearance. She would’ve expected Wally or Porter but should have expected Zarek. “Now, let’s start this by admitting an ugly truth. What happened out there today was the result of failure in leadership of everyone in this room. We are the leaders of this fleet. As such, we need to set an example. We cannot continue to let the conflicts between–”

Cain rolled her eyes and sank back down into her seat. “Oh, let’s just cut through the handholding, shall we. Two of his men murdered one of my officers while protecting a Cylon. They’re guilty, they admitted it, and under regulations, I have complete authority to try, convict, and sentence them. And you and I both know that the penalty for that crime is death.”

Zarek made his way closer and leaned against the opposite side of the desk to face Cain and Bill. Laura glanced at him before she returned her eyes to Cain.

“Admiral, surely the spirit of the law requires something here more than summary executions,” she said, digging deep for an ounce of patience.

“Is this what you have been doing for the past six months? Debating the finer points of Colonial law? Well, guess what, we’re at war! And we don’t have the luxury of academic debate over these issues.” Cain leaned forward and threw her hands up, her face twisted in anger.

Zarek huffed. “You want to cut through it, fine. You have Pegasus, Commander Adama has Galactica. Two heavily armed, very powerful warships. Now, I am sure that Pegasus would prevail in any fight.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Bill grumbled with a level of petulance Laura wouldn’t have expected from him. Even Cain’s childish behavior caught her off guard and she felt like she was dealing more with pissed off students after a fight than high-ranking military leaders.

“But certainly, there’d be heavy damage and you’d take significant casualties,” Laura responded, continuing Zarek’s thought. “So, you can go out there and fight it out with Galactica or you can compromise. And those are the only two options on the table, period.”

Cain quickly stood up and took a few steps away. “How the two of you have survived this long, I will never know.” She shook her head. “All right. Lieutenant Thrace has sent me detailed recon information on the Cylon fleet. I want that fleet and I need Galactica to get it. So, I’m willing to go this far. I’ll suspend the execution until after the attack.”

“And I want them back on Galactica,” Bill immediately countered.

“I don’t give a damn what you want. You’re frakking lucky you’re not staring at your own warrant,” she shot back.

Zarek walked closer until he stood equally close to them with his back to Laura. “All of this is off the table for now. This Cylon fleet should be the top priority and after that, we will meet back here and we will resolve this issue,” he decided before he looked back at her for confirmation.

“Thank you,” she said in agreement and to dismiss them.

Cain didn’t hesitate to leave, the door solidly slamming behind her. Zarek turned around but no one spoke for several long moments. Bill and Laura wanted to make sure Cain was far enough away, and she had a feeling the same was true for the other man in the room.

“She’s not going to stand down,” Zarek said quietly. “Especially once she has what she wants.”

“That’s exactly my fear.” Laura sighed and pulled her glasses off to tuck them in her pocket.

He mulled over his words and glanced at the door. “Are you prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect this fleet?”

It took Laura a moment to understand what he meant and her gaze hardened. Bill didn’t respond, but watched them closely. “It won’t come to that,” she said sternly. “Thank you, Mr. Zarek. I’ll let you know when this operation is over.”

“Yes, ma’am.” His eyes lingered on her, a look oddly close to worry crossing his face before he turned and followed Cain out the door.

Neither Bill nor Laura said a word on their way to Colonial One. As much as she wanted to return to Galactica, she could feel the last of her energy reserves draining away and reluctantly admitted to herself the need to sit for a bit. That was easier done on her own ship, especially as she could feel her breath catching a little more with each inhale. Her frustration with Bill also meant she needed space, but his concern made him hesitate after he helped her to the couch in her room.

She took advantage of it and looked up at him, fighting through her breathlessness. “I’m afraid this can only end one way.” She hadn’t stopped thinking over Zarek’s words and as much as she hated to admit it, she was worried he had a point. “You’ve got to kill her.”

He sat down beside her, his eyes narrowed in further concern. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Her lungs forced her to pause before she could speak again, one hand pressed to her chest. “Like she said, let’s cut through it.” She looked down at her lap and slowly leaned back, trying to find an angle that would allow her to breathe a little easier. “The two of you were willing to go to war today. Do you think she’s going to step down from that?”

“Laura, just breathe,” he urged, his hand settling on her leg. “We can talk later.”

“No, damn it.” Her voice grew more frustrated with each necessary stop. “She’s going to bide her time and hit you the first chance she gets. That’s a given.”

“Laura,” he said more forcefully as he gently squeezed her thigh.

She ignored him still. “I hate to say it, Bill, but she is dangerous and the only thing that you can do is to hit her before she hits you,” she finally finished.

He didn’t want to encourage her tirade, but he couldn’t let her thoughts linger between them. “I’m not an assassin.”

“No, you are a Colonial officer and my husband who’s taken an oath to protect this fleet. What do you think that she is going to do with the civilian fleet once she has eliminated you. What do you think she’ll do with each of our children when we’re gone?” He looked away and let his eyes roam the room before they returned to her and her soft, gasping breaths. “You know I’m right. You just don’t want to face it.”

“So, the whole world’s going mad?” He shook his head and stood up, but didn’t wander far from her side.

“I’m sorry.”

“Will you please rest now? I’m worried you’re gonna pass out,” he admitted quietly.

She hummed and ran a shaking hand through her hair. “I’ll lay down.”

“I’ll make sure Billy stays updated and I’ll be back tonight, okay?” Assuming she would prefer to nap where she was, he helped her lay down and grabbed a blanket to tuck around her. “Rest.”

Her hand reached for his before he could pull away. “Be safe, Bill, please.”

“Don’t worry about me,” he told her firmly as he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

“I will.” She tried to smile and failed.

Only the thought of the operation ahead forced him to leave, but he made sure Billy would check on her periodically to reassure himself before he left.

That night, he waited until he knew the girls would be getting ready for bed and had confirmation of Cain’s prior actions before he returned to Colonial One. The girls were sitting on the couch when he walked through the office area, Grace on her knees and looking out the window while Lia watched the room nervously. With a soft sigh, he sat between them and pulled them both close. Lia resisted, but Grace immediately turned around to settle in his lap.

“You doing okay?” he asked them quietly.

“I’m sleepy.” Grace yawned and stretched her legs out.

Lia only shook her head and pushed his arm away.

“Did you already say goodnight to Mom?” he tried.

“No, Grace won’t go in there and she wouldn’t let me get up,” Lia muttered.

“Alright, I’ll check on her while you girls get ready for bed and then you can say goodnight.” He stood Grace up on her feet and gave Lia a hard look until she stood too and led her sister through the room.

Once they were gone, he slowly continued on into Laura’s room and found her in nearly the same position he had left her in hours ago. The effects of the day were obvious now, her skin pale and clammy, the droplets around her hairline worrying him that she had a fever. His hand moved over her forehead as he sat beside her, finding her skin cool and waking her in the process.

“You’re back,” she mumbled, blinking up at him through bleary eyes.

“And you haven’t moved.” He rubbed her arm and let out a long breath. “Why don’t we get you ready for bed?”

“Would be more comfortable,” she said, but she was dreading the effort it would take.

He nudged the chair out of the way and leaned over her, supporting her with one arm while he started working on her blazer. She wanted to make a joke, but could only laugh breathlessly and hold onto him.

“Bet you prefer me helping you than Billy, don’t you?” he teased quietly, knowing exactly where her mind had gone.

“Definitely prefer you undressing.” Her eyebrow shot up a little until she had to focus on helping him remove her blazer.

“I am always happy to undress you.” He paused to kiss her softly and then worked on the buttons on her shirt. “Do you remember the day we took Grace home from the hospital?”

“Of course,” she murmured, assuming he was attempting to distract her.

“I wanted to wear that new red shirt you bought for my birthday, but I was so excited that I couldn’t handle the buttons.” He laughed quietly at the memory and set her shirt aside with her blazer, her bra soon joining. After glancing at her to make sure she was okay—-and relieved that she was starting to catch her breath—-he continued, “Your hands were so shaky you couldn’t help either.”

“You ended up wearing a t-shirt,” she hummed and wrapped her arms around him so he could help her to her feet again, just long enough for him to unzip her skirt.

“You looked frakking beautiful and so put together. I should’ve just worn my uniform.” He shook his head and chuckled as he removed the last of her clothes and reached for her nightgown.

“It was stupid, but knew there’d be press. Richard would’ve been even more pissed.” She rolled her eyes and huffed, obediently holding her arms up when he gestured at her.

“You would’ve looked just as beautiful if you were wearing this,” he said as he pulled her nightgown down and kissed her again. “You are beautiful.” She murmured something and started to lay down, but he gently stopped her and slowly knelt down in front of her. “You are, Laura. You are also incredibly strong and loving, a good mother, and a damn good leader.”

“I don’t want to cry,” she whispered as tears started to form.

“I’m sorry.” He let his forehead rest against hers and cupped her face, holding her to him. “I love you.”

“I love you,” she sighed with a watery smile.

“I know.”

Before she settled into bed again, he grabbed her robe and bundled her in it for extra warmth, then made sure she was tucked in beneath the blankets. She smiled gratefully and tried to get as comfortable as she could.

“You have news, don’t you?” Her eyes closed, but she still reached out for his hand.

He took it and loosely laced their fingers together. “You were right about Cain. Pegasus had a civilian fleet with her; fifteen ships. Cain stripped them for parts, supplies, people.”

She shook her head and looked at him. “I wish I could say I was surprised, but it’s who she is. She’s playing for keeps, you’ve gotta do the same.”

“What’s gotten into you?” An odd, slight smile twisted his lips and he squeezed her hand. ”You’ve become so bloody-minded.”

Her lips pursed and she used her free hand to rub her chest against the cough she could feel building. “I know that as long as Cain lives, your survival is at risk. Our children. Humanity.” The cough overwhelmed her as soon as she finished and nearly made her double over, her hand pressed to her mouth.

He quickly leaned forward to help hold her up, his thumb stroking her back as he waited for it to pass. As it finally released its hold on her, he kept her upright and held her water up for her so she could take a few slow drinks. The fight went out of her when she collapsed back against the pillows, her dull, tired eyes meeting his.

“What can I get you?”

A slight smile lifted the corner of her lips. “A new body. Perhaps, one of those young cylon models from the resurrection ship.” It was one thing the Cylons had going for them. They could feel pain, some sort of emotions, but they could also die and come back exactly the same. She almost envied them.

“I can’t see you as a blonde.” Through the years, he had seen her hair in various shades of brown and red as its color shifted with seasons and sunlight. It had darkened a little since the attacks, but he knew she would be beautiful no matter what.

“You’d be surprised.” She laughed softly. “Went blonde in college. Hated it.”

“I knew you had a wild streak.” He took her hand between both of his, trying to warm it as best he could.

“Pretty sure you were my wild streak,” she teased, her eyes closing again.

“Not this current streak of ordering assassinations and becoming President?” He squeezed her hand firmly.

“No, feels pretty grounded.” She coughed again, but it wasn’t as bad this time and didn’t completely steal her breath.

“I’ll get the girls so they can say goodnight and you can sleep.” Gently, he pulled her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

He started to let go, but she didn’t let go. Her gaze hardened, needing him to understand. “Cain won’t hesitate to kill you. Don’t let her.”

“Laura…”

“Do it for the girls, please, Bill. They won’t be safe without us. You have to keep them safe.” She was worried he wouldn’t or couldn’t go through with it, and the thought of their children being orphaned so quickly terrified her; it was only worsened by the knowledge that there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

The sight of tears rolling down her cheeks and her eyes wide with pain and fear made his shoulders slump. “I’ll do what needs to be done,” he promised, his voice barely audible as it caught in his throat.

Before she could stop him again, he got up to grab their daughters. Lia went easily, but he had to pick Grace up and carry her over. He was hesitant to force her, but he knew they would all regret it more if they didn’t get a goodnight. Something told him that this wasn’t the end—not yet—but he didn’t want to risk it.

Grace held onto him the entire time and barely looked at Laura, only offering a mumbled goodnight. Laura understood, so deeply that her heart ached, but she wouldn’t force it either.

With a sad smile, she reached up and rubbed her daughter’s arm. “Goodnight, baby girl. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“Will we?” Lia asked quietly before she bit her lip and looked away, her eyes closing.

Laura reached up and took her hand, squeezing it as hard as she could against its trembling. “You will,” she breathed out, her eyes tearing up again. She knew they wanted as much time with her as they could get and she had tried to balance that against the demands of the presidency, but there was a part of her that was terrified it would be her daughters that found her dead one morning. She couldn’t even let that happen to Bill, not unless they were 80 and retired. It had to be Cottle, or gods-forbid Billy, but not any of her children. “I promise.”

She had avoided making any promises, especially since Pegasus’ appearance, but she made one now and prayed for the gods to hold her to it. Bill squeezed her shoulder and looked down at her, but she stayed focused on their girls.

“Okay,” Lia hesitantly agreed.

“I love you both so much. So, so much. Go get some sleep.” Her eyes fluttered but she managed to reopen them.

“Night, Mama.”

“See you tomorrow,” Bill murmured, holding Grace closer so he could lean over and kiss his wife softly.

As much as it pained them both, they had begun to treat every goodbye as if it could be their last and the tension with Cain had only reinforced that. It also meant every parting tugged at their hearts and he never wanted to let her go. Yet duty still haunted them from the shadows, and he reluctantly pulled back.

The next morning, Bill sat at the table alone. He had checked on Laura before and after the girls went to school and was relieved that she sounded a little better. They both knew it was only temporary, but they held onto the small comfort. He was disappointed that she insisted on being present for the assault on the Cylon fleet, but what she held back was the borderline order Cain had passed through her officers to Billy for her to be present. She dreaded it, but it wasn’t a battle worth fighting.

A knock on the hatch drew him from his thoughts and he looked up with a sigh. “Come in.”

Lee walked in and briefly hesitated before he approached the table. “Courier run from Pegasus, sir.”

Bill raised an eyebrow. “They got you doing courier runs now, huh?” The fleet, even with the addition of the second battlestar, was too short on pilots to be grounding good ones, especially for petty, bullshit reasons.

“Well, I, uh, I volunteered for this one.” He cleared his throat. “Kara told me about her mission…”

“Come to change my mind?”

“Just wanted to hear it from you.”

“Decision’s been made,” he replied easily.

“Assassination. That’s your decision. That’s how you resolve your differences with your superior officers.” His judgment was plain in his tone and his face.

“If you’re gonna have some problem backing up Starbuck, I can find somebody else.” As hesitant as he was to involve both of them, he couldn’t do it himself and he trusted no one else as much as he trusted them.

“It’s not about me watching her back.” He stiffened, preparing for an argument.

“I’m not gonna debate this with you,” he cut off his son from saying anything more. “This was a very hard decision, but I think the President's right. This is the best way to safeguard the fleet, our family.”

Lee’s eyes widened and he stumbled over his words. “The President? So you… Mom? This was her idea?”

“She’s made of sterner stuff than people give her credit for,” he pointed out. To further end the conversation, he held his hand out for the papers Lee held. “Is this all I have to sign?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Yes, sir.” He handed them over and Bill quickly signed off on them. “Thank you, sir.”

“It’s good to see you, son.” He studied Lee for a moment and then dismissed him.

An hour later, he met his wife near the hangar deck and escorted her to the CIC. She was pale and clearly trying to hide how awful she felt, but it was overlaid by a veil of stubborn dissatisfaction. It made her insist on standing, but she leaned against the console behind her for support, trying her best to stay out of the way.

Trying to focus was almost impossible. Her attention stayed on Bill or the DRADIS as she pieced together what was happening. He glanced at her far more often than he should, but it was the call that Apollo was missing that finally snapped her out of it. Without hesitation, she moved up to stand between her husband and his XO with Fisk on the other side, his hand covering hers where it gripped the console. Neither of them looked at each other or away from the monitors and from the way her chest ached, she wondered if she had even breathed until the rescue Raptor secured Lee and revived him. Her eyes closed in relief and she felt Bill squeeze her hand before he let go. Leoben’s words filtered back to her and they made her swallow hard. It had been her assumption that the Cylon had meant Bill would die and cross the River Styx, but he hadn’t outright said it. He could’ve easily met Lee or Zak too, but she refused to let herself go down that path. Both had escaped death and they continued on. Leoben’s words were only lies and she wouldn’t let herself get caught in their web again.

He struggled not to watch her, hating the look in her eyes. Maybe no one else could see it, but he could. Her stubborn streak was going to be the death of her and he couldn’t help but wonder how much more time they could’ve had if she didn’t push herself so hard. It was a useless avenue to walk down and he swallowed hard as their ships returned to the fleet, news of the destroyed resurrection ship sending cheers around the room. Immediately distrustful, her eyes moved to Fisk, then Saul, before they landed on Bill. None of them moved until Bill lifted the handset and spoke with Cain, most of his words lost to the noise of the celebrating around them.

When it came down to it, with Starbuck on the other end of the call, he couldn’t go through with it. His pilot didn’t need Cain’s blood on her hands. None of them did. It didn’t feel right, and he just hoped that he wasn’t endangering everyone by backing down. Expecting judgment from his wife when he looked at her again, he was surprised to see the same relief he felt. As he passed the handset to Fisk, he moved closer to her and quickly pressed a kiss to her temple.

“It’s over,” he murmured, close enough to her ear that she heard. “We’ll handle whatever comes next.”

“I hope so.” She let out a shaky breath and shook her head. “I think I’ll head back to Colonial One then.”

“Get back safely. I’ll make sure Billy stays updated.” He kissed her head again and reluctantly let her go.

She lingered, searching her husband’s face, and then the room. No one stopped her from leaving and she was overwhelmingly relieved when she was able to sink into her bed in the darkness to sleep.

Somehow, the fleet dissolved into even more chaos as she slept. Billy reluctantly woke her and she left the comfort of bed to sit at her desk, a blanket hugged tightly around her shoulders as he informed her of Cain’s death, the disappearance of their Cylon prisoner, and the uncertainties that lay ahead of them now. Dismissing him, she remained at her desk and deep in thought until the girls returned from school, Grace completely oblivious to everything that happened and Lia aware of more than Laura was comfortable with. Shifting her attention to watch them, an idea began to form and she called Billy back in.

“If I remember correctly,” she began softly, “there’s a jeweler on the Chrion, correct?”

“Uh, I believe so,” he answered with a confused look.

She searched through the stack of folders on her desk until she found the service photo of Cain that she held out to him. “Will you see if he can make a set of these? I think a promotion may be in order.”

“A promotion?” Lia stood up and walked closer.

“Your father is the most senior Colonial officer now and with two ships to command…”

“Are we moving to Pegasus, then?” She wrinkled her nose and Laura laughed softly.

“We’re not going anywhere. I imagine he’ll promote the current executive officer to commander.”

“So, he’ll be an admiral?”

Laura hummed and nodded. “Exciting, isn’t it?” Grace looked up and smiled, and she held her arms out to her daughter. “Would you girls like to help me with it?”

“Yes!” Grace jumped to her feet and rushed over, but slowed down and grew a little more gentle as she got closer.

“It sounds exciting.” Lia smiled and leaned against the desk.

“I think it’s exactly what the fleet needs, Madam President,” Billy agreed. “I’ll get it taken care of.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

Confident it would get done, she settled back in to finish off the paperwork that had fallen to the wayside the past few days. She gave it a few hours, knowing her husband had at least as much work to do as she did, and then called him.

“I miss you,” she said quietly when he answered.

“You just saw me this morning.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “But I miss you too.”

“Can I steal you away for a bit?”

“As the President or as my wife?”

“Little of both, mostly the latter,” she replied cryptically.

“I’ll be there after Cain’s service,” he said quietly. “Why don’t you go lay down?”

She let out a soft hum. “I still have work to do, but we’ll see you soon.”

“Soon as I can. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she murmured.

She hung up and met Lia’s persistently worried eyes but failed to offer her a reassuring smile. She didn’t say anything and after leaving a glass of water on her desk, retreated to her room. She watched her go and then reached for her glasses and the remaining stack of reports she had to go through following the mess of Pegasus and Helena Cain. It was slow going, but she was able to make some progress before Billy notified her of the Raptor headed their way. He offered his arm and gently helped her to the nearest set of chairs, worriedly hovering even after she was settled down.

“I’m okay,” she said, but the movement left her as breathless as if she had sprinted the length of the ship.

“Can I get you anything?” he asked quietly.

“No.” She closed her eyes briefly. “Check on the girls, please? I know they’re eager to see their dad, but I need to talk to him first.”

“Of course, ma’am.” He nodded and moved her water closer before he headed toward their room where the girls had been since returning from school.

He returned to his desk a few minutes later and Laura let her head rest against the plush chair, one leg crossed over the other and her hands loosely folded in her lap. It was far more comfortable than the chair at her desk was, and she could feel every part of her body begging for sleep despite her earlier nap. The moment she heard Bill’s footsteps, though, her head perked up and she looked toward the entrance.

“Laura,” he sighed immediately, his steps not faltering as he came through the curtain and sat in the chair beside her. He leaned forward and unclasped her hands so he could hold one instead, shifting them to the armrest so he wasn’t as bent over in his chair.

“How was the service?” His hands were a warm relief and started to chase back some of the permafrost that her body lived in these days.

“Standard.” He cleared his throat and shrugged. “Kara had some good things to say, but I think most are relieved she’s gone.” He didn’t like to admit it, but it was the truth and he knew he could trust Billy.

“So, how did the Cylon manage to get off Pegasus undetected?” Her eyebrow arched up slightly and he stared at her. Work hadn’t been a topic of discussion he was hoping for, especially when he wanted to convince her to rest.

“No one really knows. There was so much chaos in the aftermath of the attack,” he reluctantly admitted after a brief pause.

She let out a breath. “Thank the gods that you did not have to do what I advised. That makes me very happy.”

His eyes narrowed as he studied the woman before him. The years and all their stress had been kind to her and beneath the fatigue and sickness, she was happy. It was hard to reconcile that with the woman who had told him that Cain needed to die, with the same woman he had married and first met all those years ago. “Yes, thank the gods,” he finally said. “How are you feeling?”

Knowing how badly he wanted to change the topic, she let him. “I could sleep for about a year.” A small smile started to grow. “Billy, will you get the girls, please?”

“Of course, Madam President.” He disappeared and Bill’s brow evened out.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“You’ll see.” She stroked her finger along the side of his hand and listened to the approaching sound of their family.

“Daddy!” Grace ran into the room and tried to jump up into his lap, but he managed to catch her at the last second and hold her back with his free hand.

“Careful, sweetheart, careful,” he warned as his arm wrapped around her and pulled her in. He kissed her cheek and smiled. “I missed you.”

“Missed you, Daddy.” She threw her arms around his neck and leaned into him as Lia and Billy stopped a few steps away.

Billy subtly passed a small box to Laura, only caught by Lia. “It took a little while to find that jeweler,” he murmured.

She smiled gratefully and set the box on her thigh, partially hidden by her other leg. “Rumor has it that I know very little about military protocol, but I have seen a few promotion ceremonies and do believe that someone who commands more than one ship is called an admiral.” She couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she spoke and held the box out to him.

“Open it!” Grace cheered immediately.

Lia laughed softly and moved to lean against her mother’s chair, her arms folded in front of her. Laura managed a laugh too and rested her hands on her knee after Bill accepted the box. He stared at her for a moment, then looked to Billy, Grace, and finally back to Lia and Laura. Even knowing what the box contained, he found it hard to believe and it took him a moment to be able to ease the lid open.

“Congratulations, Admiral Adama,” she said, her voice filled with enough love and pride that it almost pushed the exhaustion out.

He was quiet for a while, staring at the box as Grace pressed closer to see what was in it. “Thank you,” he said when he found his voice. “Thank you, Billy.” He lifted his head, once again taking in his family.

“I know you worried it would never happen,” Laura continued, “but you have more than earned them. Just goes to show you. Never give up hope.” She had to lightly clench her hands around her knee to stop them from shaking and even though she could feel the way each breath caught in her chest, never allowing her to inhale fully, she was filled with love for the man before her.

“Same goes for you,” he reminded her quietly.

“Can I, Dad?” Lia moved around the chair and held her hand out for the box.

He cleared his throat but could only nod, his hand resting on Grace’s shoulder. Just like she had watched her mother do years previously, Lia unfastened his Commander insignias and passed them to Laura, then reached for the new ones that her father held. She attached them in place and then kissed his cheek before she stepped back.

“Admiral Adama,” she said with a wide smile. “I like it, Dad.”

“Me too!” Grace added.

Lia hugged him first and then Grace did. When he looked down at his wife, he saw tears in her eyes that matched the ones he felt in his, along with a look that told him she would join them if she could. He cleared his throat again and nodded as he squeezed his daughters tightly and then let them go.

“Thank you,” he told them quietly. “I love you both. Now, go get your bags.” He nudged them toward the doorway and they hurried off, leaving him to look at Laura. “Thank you,” he repeated.

“You keep this fleet safe.” Her eyes hardened briefly, but it faded as a tear broke free and ran down her cheek.

“We’ll keep this fleet safe,” he replied firmly.

“Alright.” She tried to smile, but she couldn’t muster one up this time.

She took a deep breath and rested her hands against the armrests to stand up but immediately realized she didn’t have the strength or the balance. Bill was there, his hand taking hers while the other gripped her arm. Once she was upright, he moved his arm around her waist. It would’ve been easier to carry her, but he knew she’d protest and make it harder in the long run. Billy lingered nearby, his hands extended for any support he could provide.

“I wish you would come back to Galactica with me,” he sighed quietly.

“I can’t.” She swallowed and leaned into him more.

“What can you do here that you can’t do there?” He gently tilted her face up to meet her eyes. She gave his question the consideration it deserved and he took advantage of her silence. “You’ll be closer to me, the girls, Lee and Kara. Sick Bay…”

“I gave birth on that ship, I don’t want to die there too,” she whispered. “I can’t do that to you.”

“Where then, honey? The Rising Star? Here alone?” His eyes pleaded with her to listen and he saw the moment she made her decision.

“Okay,” she relented. The next words were significantly harder to speak. “Maybe we should give the girls a few days off… But they might need the distraction.”

“We’ll talk to them tomorrow.” He rubbed her side and tried to smile. “Let’s get your bag packed and get you home.”

“Home…” Another smile nearly formed.

Chapter Text

The loss of Admiral Cain and command of the fleet returned to now Admiral Adama had the fleet approaching disarray. Rumors of an underground black market further upset things, and Laura struggled to keep things under control. Baltar dragged his heels taking on more responsibility and she was forced to delegate more things to Billy and the Quorum, her few good hours spent doing what she could. By the time the girls made it back from school or the boys and Kara stopped by, she was usually done for the day and curled up on the couch, sometimes still awake and other times already fitfully asleep. Grace rapidly began to grow more distant, already pulling back into herself, and there was little any of them could do to draw her back out. Even Klarice, her teacher, struggled until they reluctantly agreed to just keep her home, only for her to spend most of the day quietly playing in her cabin.

A canceled phone call left Laura with some unexpected free time. She knew she had other work she could get done, but she wanted to make use of the energy she had on more important things. Gathering herself and hugging her cardigan close, she slowly wandered down the corridor toward her daughters’ quarters with a Marine close behind her. He opened the hatch for her and helped her through, then stepped back out and closed it. Her eyes searched the room until she found Grace curled up in her bed just like she had been that morning.

“Grace, honey, talk to me.” She knelt beside her daughter’s bed and leaned against it, her hand stretched out but not touching her.

“I don’t wanna.” She pulled her legs closer until she was in a tight ball with her giraffe hugged close to her chest.

“Please, baby girl? Did I say something that upset you?” Her eyes slowly moved over her, trying to think of anything new that could’ve upset her.

“You didn’t,” she mumbled, but the way she said it made Laura’s brow furrow.

“Did someone else say something?”

After a moment, Grace nodded and wiped at her eyes.

“Tell me, please.” Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet and sat beside her, her hand lightly resting on her daughter’s arm.

At first, Grace didn’t move, but then she slowly rolled over and shifted until her head was in her mother’s lap. “I heard the Marines say I’m hurting you.” She spoke so quietly, Laura struggled to hear her and still questioned if she had heard correctly.

“They said what?” she managed to ask.

She pressed closer and shook her head. “Corporal Evans said you’re dying because of me and Lia.”

Her eyes closed and she forced herself to take a deep breath, her hand lightly stroking up and down her arm. “You know that’s not true,” she began softly. “I’m sick and that has nothing to do with you or Lia or anyone.” Grace didn’t move or respond. “Baby girl, you’re the reason I get out of bed in the morning. I do it for you, your sister, your brothers. I’m not dying because of you, I’m living because of you.” Her voice began to shake, but she swallowed it down, already questioning how soon she could get to Evans and tell him off for his carelessness.

“Mama?”

Laura hummed.

“I don’t want you to go.” Her voice was so soft, scared, it made Laura’s heart ache.

Unsure of what to say, she stretched out beside her daughter and held her as closely as she could with her head nestled under her chin. She rubbed her back and began to sing quietly, hoping to lull her to sleep. “Rest your weary mind in my embrace, travel through the stars, to a safe but distant place. May your dreams be filled with wonders untold, in these dreams of yours, where imagination takes hold.”

They ended up napping together and when Laura woke first, she wondered how well her daughter was sleeping at night if she was this tired. It worried her and made her hold Grace even closer, unable to stop the tears that overflowed and trailed down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes closed and forcing more tears to leak out. “I’d stay if I could.” She wondered if Doloxan could have saved her, if it was her own stubbornness and fear that was killing her.

It was too late now.

“I have to go.” She swallowed down all the other emotions that welled up and gently woke her daughter. “Where’s Lia?”

“She went to get lunch,” she mumbled sleepily. “Will you stay, Mama?”

“I can’t, but you can come keep me company?”

“Carry me?”

She considered it briefly and then shook her head. “I need you to be a big girl for me.”

Grace sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “Please? I don’t wanna be a big girl.”

“Neither do I,” she admitted softly. “Come on.”

She carefully stood up, fingers tightly gripping the sheets while she caught her balance and fought a wave of dizziness, and then offered her hand to Grace. Hesitantly, she took it and climbed out of bed, her hold tightening with her giraffe still in her other hand. She was quiet aside from her soft sniffles, even after they settled on the couch in Bill’s quarters.

Her energy sapped for the next while, she ended up off her feet until Lia returned with food for Grace. Laura convinced her to eat a little but couldn’t manage to do the same, her thoughts caught up with what she would say to the Marines when she was able to stand up long enough to tell them off.

It took until that evening, just before dinner. She steeled herself and clenched her hands at her sides, determined to at least accomplish this. In the back of her head, she knew she was trying to do too much, but she also knew it didn’t matter. Better to make use of the days she had left.

Her heels echoed off the bulkheads as she strode down the corridor, her eyes focused dead ahead of her. The sound of the Marines’ footsteps followed her, but she ignored it as she rounded the corner and barely glanced at the two Marines guarding her daughters’ cabin.

“With me,” she ordered curtly and without stopping.

The new Marines took over and Laura continued along the corridor with Corporals Evans and Rider in stride behind her. They followed her back to their commanding officer’s quarters and she immediately turned around to glare at them with her hands primly folded in front of herself.

“As a mother, it is my responsibility to monitor and filter what my children hear, see, and witness. Given my position and the position of their father, some of that responsibility has been delegated to the two of you. So, which one of you would like to explain why my daughter heard the two of you placing the blame for my death on her five year old shoulders?”

Evans cleared his throat. “Ma’am?”

“Grace overheard a conversation in which you said I was dying because of her,” she repeated evenly.

The two Marines looked at each other and then back to her. Rider frowned and shook his head slightly, but spoke up, “Madam President, I’m sorry. We didn’t realize she was still awake.”

“I didn’t ask for an apology, I asked for an explanation.” Her eyes didn’t waver, the two men standing closely enough that she could stare them both down.

“I said I was impressed by the fact that you’re still standing,” he admitted quietly. “The presidency is stressful enough, but to have a family on top of that hasn’t helped your stress. Ma’am, my intention wasn’t to—”

She held her hand up to stop him and tilted her head to watch them over the rims of her glasses. “Corporal Rider, I do not care what your intentions were. The effect is what concerns me, and the effect is that your words have devastated Grace.”

“I’m sorry, Mad—”

“I’m not done,” she said sharply. “Go see Commander Adama in the CIC. I expected better of you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” They both nodded and quickly left the room, leaving Laura alone.

Her shoulders slumped and she pushed her glasses back up her nose as she shifted to lean her hip against the table. As she had feared, the conversation had stolen the energy she had and she shakily collapsed into a chair, her head pressed against the cool wood as she tried to catch her breath. A feeling of betrayal washed over her, devastated that her body was turning against her and stealing her the same way her mother had gone.

A warm hand settled on her shoulder and she jerked upright with a pained gasp, heart beating wildly in her chest. The sudden movement startled Billy and he quickly stepped back with his hands raised in surrender.

“I’m sorry, Madam President,” he said quietly. “No one answered and I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

She groaned softly and pulled her crooked glasses off to toss them to the table. “Must’ve fallen asleep,” she mumbled, her brow furrowed.

“Do you need anything?” He cautiously moved closer and set a stack of folders on the far side of the table.

“Water, please.” She tried to wet her lips and let out a shaky breath.

He hurried over to pour her a glass of water and helped support her while she drank it slowly and let her eyes close.

“Should I get Admiral Adama or Doctor Cottle?”

“No…” She licked her lips again and brushed her hair back from her face. “Did you need something?”

“Just dropping off my notes and those files you asked for.” He gestured to everything on the table. “I can bring them back later.”

“No, leave them.” She rubbed at her chest to try to get it to loosen up, but it didn’t help. “Thank you, Billy.”

“Can I do anything else?” It was obvious he didn’t want to leave and his concern made her bite her lip.

“Will you help me to the couch? Then you’re good to go back to Colonial One.”

“Yes, of course, ma’am.” He was gentle helping her up and made sure she was settled on the couch before he finally left her alone again.

It had been hell just to convince Laura to stay on Galactica. He knew it pained her to give up her independence and her ship, but he knew it was too much for her now. Her failing strength and health were too obvious, but she still did her best to keep working to make sure the fleet could pass seamlessly in Baltar’s hands. He hated the idea of it, the man himself and everything his presidency meant, but he still tried his damndest to deny it all.

Their cabin was quiet, lit only by the lamp above the rack and the one near the couch. The second light should have been turned off nearly an hour ago, but the quiet sounds of rustling paper told him that his wife was stubbornly ignoring him. Knowing she would keep going until she collapsed, he rolled out of their rack and silently padded out to her, his arms crossed over his bare chest. She was in the same place she had been when he went to bed, curled up in the corner of the couch with a clipboard and papers scattered around her. The pile of abandoned, crumpled papers had only grown and he sighed as he watched her. With her hair tied back, he had a clear view of her pale, tired face. Even in the dim lighting, he could tell she didn’t feel well.

“Laura,” he murmured when she didn’t look up. “Come to bed.”

She absently waved her hand and resumed writing. “Almost done,” she quietly replied.

Her hand ached from how long she had been writing, but it was easily lost in the pain that plagued the rest of her body. The desire to lay down and sleep was almost impossible to ignore, but she needed to finish her letters to Grace. They were dealing with days left, no longer weeks or months, and it weighed heavily on her, stronger than anything she had felt since her mother’s diagnosis. When she still didn’t move, he sighed again and slowly approached her. He knew all of her focus was on their children, the fleet, with little regard for herself now, and he used that to his advantage.

“Honey, I have to be up in a few hours. Come to bed, please.” He cleared a cushion of scrapped letters and sat beside her.

“I need to finish these.” She glanced up and tried to blink away the tears in her eyes, but he saw them anyway.

“Later,” he said gently.

“I…” Her throat closed up and she dropped everything to her lap. “Okay,” she agreed quietly.

He helped her clean up and then gathered her in his arms, ignoring her tired protests as he carried her to their rack and settled her beneath the blankets. It was dark without the lamplight and their eyes had yet to adjust. She was quiet and watched his slightly darker shadow climb in beside her, his arm draping over her waist. After a moment, she carefully rolled over to face him, her hand seeking out his warm chest.

“We need to talk about it,” she said, her voice so quiet it wouldn’t disturb even the dead. He had avoided the topic for too long and she couldn’t do it anymore.

He grunted and adjusted his arm over her. “Talk about what?”

“The kids are going to need you so much, Bill. Grace especially. How are you going to handle this crew and our daughters?” Exhaustion laced every word, taxing her already nonexistent reserves.

“We’ll be okay,” he replied instinctively. He didn’t want to think about it, couldn’t face the unavoidable. She had gotten so weak so quickly and every glimpse of her was just another reminder.

“I need to know you have a plan. Do it for me, please.” She didn’t care that she was begging, desperate, only driven by her blind need to look after her family.

He shook his head and stared into the darkness above them, his heart lodged in his throat. “Zak agreed to move to Galactica. He’ll keep an eye on the girls while I’m on duty. Kara and Lee will too. They’ll keep taking the shuttle for school and they have the whole crew to help with homework.” He had thought about it, as much as he didn’t want to. It left him truly in awe of his wife and everything she had done alone with their children for so long. “They’ll be okay.”

“And you?” She was fading, losing the fight to stay awake after pushing herself all day.

“Laura…”

“You can’t shut down, push them away.”

He began to stroke her arm, hoping he could lull her over the edge and to sleep.

“Love you,” she managed to mumble before she was pulled under.

His fingers continued to move up and down her arm and he wiped at his eyes. He couldn’t deny it anymore and his fear of continuing on without her dragged him down. He would do it, for the sake of their children and the fleet, but he knew a piece of him would die with her. It made him hold her closer, attuned to her quiet, raspy breathing and unsure of when he had last slept deeply and through the night.

A few days later, Bill ran his fingers through Grace’s hair and shifted his position on her bed. She continued to fight sleep, just like her mother, and he wasn’t sure what else he could do to help her give in, knowing his own concern wasn’t helping.

“Alright,” he finally sighed, “do you want me to go find Mama?” Grace nodded and looked up at him, her dark green eyes shining with unshed tears. Her emotions toward her mother had been so up and down, one moment glued to her side and the next refusing to go anywhere near her. “I’ll be back.” He eased himself to his feet and kissed her forehead, relieved at the chance to calm the feeling gnawing at his stomach.

“Keep an eye on her,” he told Lia, though he knew it was unnecessary.

Laura had insisted on one more meeting for the day and then she would put Grace to bed and turn in for the night, but neither had happened and he worried her stubbornness was pushing her further than her body could handle, especially after how she had struggled just to get up that morning. If it had been his choice, he would’ve sent for Cottle to hold her in Sick Bay, but it wasn’t up to him.

As he stepped into the corridor, he gestured the Marine on guard closer. “Put the word out—quietly—to keep an eye out for my wife.” He knew the crew was doing it anyway; everyone was too aware of the situation for her comfort, but he was relieved to know how many people were looking out for her.

“Yes, sir.”

He slid his glasses off and tucked them in his pocket, eyes focused straight ahead. This late in the evening, the ship was fairly quiet, but the activity increased the closer he got to the Wardroom. He rounded the last corner at the same time Billy’s voice filled the corridor.

“Someone get a medic—the President’s collapsed!” He was breathless, panicked, and Bill felt his steps speed up.

He rushed toward Billy who gestured wildly at the Marines standing by. Ordering them off with a look, he pushed his way inside to find his wife crumpled on the ground. His heart beat faster and he dropped beside her, his fingers frantically searching her wrist for a pulse. It was hard to find, his own heart hammering in his ears and hers so weak.

“Laura, honey,” he managed around the fear lodged in his throat. “Stay with me, okay? Please stay with me.” He forced his head up to look at Billy still waiting by the hatch. “What happened?”

“I finally convinced her to stop for the night and I think she was up too long. We got to the door and she just went down. I caught her and—I’m so sorry, sir.”

“You did everything right, son,” he reassured him, his eyes already moving back to Laura. “Damn it,” he sighed, his fingers tangling with her limp ones. He leaned closer until her quiet, gasping breaths were audible. “Come on, Laura. Where the frak are the medics?!”

It couldn’t have taken more than a few minutes, but it felt like so much longer. Sick Bay and Cottle had been prepped for the inevitable since she had transferred to Galactica, and two medics finally pushed a gurney into the room. Bill refused to move from her side and kept hold of her hand as they lifted her off the ground.

“Get my sons and Kara,” he ordered Billy as they hurried past him. “Don’t tell the girls anything.”

“Yes, sir.” Billy nodded quickly and took off behind them.

Laura groaned, her eyes fluttering open only to be greeted by bright, blurry lights. Their flickering worsened her pounding head and she squeezed her eyes closed with another weak groan. Concern briefly floated through her at the weight she felt on her chest that made it difficult to catch her breath and something on her face. She tried to lift her hand to move it, but her body wouldn’t respond. It made her brow furrow as she struggled to breathe.

He heard her groan and immediately squeezed her hand, easily keeping up with the gurney. “I’m here,” he told her, the confusion and pain on her pale face physically hurting him too. “Hold on, Laura.”

She heard a voice, but she couldn’t place who it was or what they were saying. It was soothing, deep, and she clung onto it.

He watched her weave in and out of consciousness and she was out by the time they made it to Sick Bay. Cottle was waiting by the hatch and grabbed his arm before he could follow her in.

“Stay out of my way for five damn minutes so I can figure out what’s happening, you hear me?” he said quickly. “We don’t have time to argue.”

Every instinct in him wanted to fight, but he forced himself to stand down and watch the doctor walk toward his wife. He began pacing in front of the hatch and didn’t stop until Cottle returned. The look on his face told him everything he needed to know.

“How is she?” he asked, his voice breaking.

“She’s dying,” he admitted, voice heavy with emotion. “She knows it. I offered her morpha, but she refused. I can only try to make her comfortable.”

“Frak.” Bill looked up at the ceiling and let out a shaky breath. “How long?”

“Could be hours, another day. She’s stubborn enough.” He pulled a cigarette out and lit it. “I wouldn’t wait.”

“No…” His eyes wandered to his wife, so still and small in the bed across the room.

He managed to notify the Marine waiting outside to send for Billy and the kids, and then nothing could keep him away from Laura. He collapsed into a chair that had been left by her side, his hands taking hers and holding it close. Her head tilted toward him and her eyes opened just enough to make him out.

“Hey, there,” he murmured, forcing a weak smile for her. “Good to see you.”

“Bill…” Her voice was soft and hoarse, weaker than his smile. “Love you.”

He stretched one hand out to caress her cheek, mindful of the medical equipment attached all over her. “I love you too. The kids are on their way, okay?”

Her brow furrowed and she shook her head slightly. “No…”

“I know, I know.” He let his fingers brush over her dry lips and then pulled his hand back. “They deserve to see you. You need to see them.” A tear leaked from her eye and he gently wiped it away.

“They need you.” She licked her lips and closed her eyes, a grimace crossing her face. “Grace will…” her voice started to fail, but she pushed on quieter than before, “try to shut down. Too much… like me.” Even her thoughts were slow, dulled by the increasing pain that threatened to pull her under again.

“Hey, no, just rest for now. Rest.” He squeezed her hand and sighed in relief when her eyes closed. The quiet sound of her heart rate slowed a little as she drifted off, leaving him to sink back in his chair and keep hold of her hand.

Lee and Zak arrived first, both clearly dragged out of their racks. Zak hesitated at the foot of Laura’s bed, but Lee moved up to take her other hand. He met Bill’s eyes and swallowed, an understanding silently passing between them. Billy made it with the girls several minutes later, Kara stuck on CAP. Lia rushed in still in her pajamas and only Lee kept her from forcing her way into the bed beside Laura. Zak struggled to get Grace in, her wails audible the moment the hatch opened. Bill brushed past Lia, his hand grazing her arm, and took his youngest daughter into his arms. He held her tightly, her head cradled against his shoulder, and rubbed her back.

He shushed her gently and rocked her, lingering by the hatch until she began to calm. “Mama wants to see you,” he told her quietly. “Can you be a big girl and come see her with me?”

She shook her head and sniffled loudly. “Mama…”

“It’s okay, baby girl. Mama really wants to see you.” He hummed quietly and slowly walked further into Sick Bay.

When Grace didn’t protest, he carried her to Laura’s bedside. She lifted her hand to her stomach to make room and he reluctantly sat their daughter down on the edge. She hesitated, staring at Laura with wide, fearful eyes, and then curled up with her head on her stomach. Laura’s fingers carded through her hair and lightly scratched her scalp, her cloudy, tired eyes meeting Bill’s. They both saw pain, physical and emotional, and both completely unable to do anything to ease it.

“You should be in bed,” she murmured, her eyes moving to Lia.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me, Mom. We’re not going anywhere.” Lia crossed her arms and leaned against Zak.

She let out a displeased hum and closed her eyes. No part of her wanted her children and husband to sit by and watch her die, but she knew how necessary that closure and time was for them. She also knew she couldn’t force them to leave and Bill likely wouldn’t either. Accepting that they would be there for as long as they could, she blinked her eyes back open.

“Lee,” she sighed, her brow briefly furrowing again. “You look out for your sisters… and don’t let your father scare you away from whatever you need to do.” She paused to breathe, her fingers still buried in Grace’s hair. “Zak, I am so proud of you and how you’ve stepped up to help the fleet. You keep us sane.” She laughed weakly, her voice trembling more the longer she talked. Bill squeezed her hand in warning, but she ignored him. Her thoughts needed to be spoken while she still could. “My Thalia… you keep Dad in line and focus on school. Fleet needs more good scientists.” Her fingers gently tightened in Grace’s hair. “And my Grace. I love you…. So much, baby, and I will always be with you.”

Bill looked away, unable to stop the tears flowing down his cheeks. There were a few sniffles around the bed and Grace’s soft sobs, all of which only made more tears form. He tightly held his wife’s hand and glanced at her unsteady vitals, hating that she continued to push herself even now.

“Rest, Laura, please,” he pleaded quietly.

She licked her lips and turned her head toward him, but didn’t open her eyes. “I need… Billy and Baltar.”

“Will you rest first? At least an hour?”

Her lungs protested how much she had spoken already, and the thought of having her family by her side for a little longer made her respond with a stiff nod. He started to say something, but the sound of the PA system crackling to life stopped him.

“Admiral Adama to the Flight Deck. I repeat, Admiral Adama to the Flight Deck,” Gaeta announced.

“Damn it.” He took a deep breath and pushed himself to his feet, carefully leaning over Grace to kiss Laura’s forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as I can and I’ll make sure Kara’s with me.”

“Go,” she told him in little more than a breath.

“I’ll stay,” Lia reassured him, already sinking into his empty chair.

He hesitated another moment and only after catching another glimpse of his wife’s eyes did he turn and hurry out of Sick Bay.

Laura continued to fade in and out of consciousness, always aware that someone was by her side. She was mostly aware of Grace who had fallen asleep on her, but it was harder to figure out who else surrounded them. When the kids finally left except Lia, she only woke briefly. After she managed to finish conveying the most important of her last plans to Baltar, Bill, and Billy, she let herself sink even deeper into unconsciousness to escape the pain and fatigue that kept her trapped in bed. Her time was up, but she fought her body as she always did. The need to see Kara, to truly say goodbye to Bill and ensure her orders were carried out, kept her going for a little longer.

She thought Kara stopped by a few times, but she never stayed long enough for Laura to really process her presence. She caught bits and pieces of prayers and whispered sentiments, but it all melded with her dreams and memories until she wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. Her mother and sisters were there, her father too. She dreamt of Adar and Marcy with bits of Baltar and a blonde woman, but nothing solid enough that she could ever grasp onto it. Her eyes opened and she caught sight of Kara standing at the foot of her bed. A small smile lifted her lips, but it turned to a frown as she pieced together the words the pilot said. Something felt off, wrong, and she mumbled them to herself as she tried to figure it out.

“Foundation of Earth… fleet is yours… you are mother, mistress, guardian…” She licked her lips and felt warmth close around her hand.

“What was that, Mama?” someone asked quietly.

It wasn’t Kara’s voice and it made her open her eyes to see only Lia sitting beside her. “It’s wrong,” she mumbled, wondering when Kara had left and Lia had arrived.

“What’s wrong? Do you need Dr. Cottle?” Concern immediately filled her voice and she started to get up until Laura managed to shake her head.

“Prayer’s different.” Her smile started to return, feeling significantly stronger than it was. “Come now, gentle Graces…”

“Dad’s coming back soon. He had to go deal with something. But you can sleep.” Lia’s voice was as soft and reassuring as her father’s. Laura’s fingers loosely tangled in the blanket failing to keep her warm and vaguely recognized it as her mother’s, but she was asleep before the thought could take root.

The last place Bill wanted to be was anywhere that wasn’t Sick Bay. He cursed the gods, each one and the Cylon god, and every member of the Cylon sympathizers that kept him away from his dying wife. The struggle between duty and family tugged at him every second and he swore to himself that for once, he would choose family. When he was sure Saul, Lee, and Kara had a handle on the situation, he paused to lean against the CnC and take a few slow breaths. Dee glanced at him from across the room and offered a sympathetic smile. The sight gave him the strength to lift up the handset.

“This is Admiral Adama,” he began, his voice already shaking. “As you know, the President—my wife—has been aboard Galactica for the last several days. She’s a fighter.” A soft laugh interrupted his words, all too aware of just how hard of a fighter she had always been. “As of this moment, her prognosis is grave. I know that many of you believe in the power of prayer. If that is your way, then I urge you to pray for her. As for the others, I ask that you join me in keeping her in our thoughts.”

She wasn’t the President to him now. She was only Laura, his wife, the mother of his children. But he knew the fleet needed their President as his children needed their mother, and he appealed to that.

Avoiding the eyes of everyone in the CIC, he quickly hurried out. He had one more unpleasant duty to perform and then he would stay by Laura’s side no matter what. Maybe the gods were real and would spare her, but his hope was eroding as quickly as her vitals were.

When he finally returned to Sick Bay, his heart hammered in his chest. Guilt twisted his stomach and he couldn’t get the expressions from Sharon and Helo out of his head, once again torn between duty and loyalty. He disagreed with Laura’s decision, that it was her decision to make at all, but it wasn’t his place to question it as Admiral and he wasn’t willing to let their last moments be an argument. The news from Baltar only further confused him, and he felt a powerful headache forming as he stared at Laura’s dozens of scans and the erratic doctor that stood beside him.

“I had another look at those samples and I discovered something quite intriguing,” he explained hurriedly. “Understand, Cylon blood is virtually impossible to differentiate from our own. That being said, obviously it has to be slightly different because the Cylon is not human.” He started stumbling over his words and Bill stared him down. “If, um… if our blood looks like this… for example,” he drew an elongated hexagon on the board, “and the Cylon’s blood looks like this,” he continued as he drew a second hexagon overlapping the first, “then it’s fair to assume that the Cylon human is carrying an amalgam.”

“Is this a theory or a fact?” Bill asked, his eyes narrowing. He wasn’t foolish enough to get his hopes up, but he needed Baltar to make his point.

“The Cylon’s fetus contains no antigens. It has no blood type. That’s what Dr. Cottle was talking about when he said it was damned odd.” He set the marker aside and folded his hands in front of him. “Except it’s not damned odd, it’s astonishing. Now, knowing as we do that the Cylons are built slightly better to endure than their human counterparts, I wonder could the Cylon blood also be blessed—shall we say blessed—with a heightened resistance to disease?” The more the man rambled, the closer Bill moved, his hands clenched at his sides in a last effort to control himself. “So, I applied a sample of Sharon's fetal blood to some cancer cells I took from the President.”

Baltar turned and grabbed two pictures, and slid them across to Bill. He took them and held them up, glancing from one red petri dish to an empty one. It meant nothing to him and he was tired of Baltar’s games.

“What am I looking at?” he demanded. Every moment he stood there was a moment away from Laura.

“Nothing. That’s the whole point. The cancer was gone and it was gone within a matter of hours.” He laughed incredulously and shook his head.

“Are you saying you found a cure for her cancer?” he asked hesitantly, fighting and failing to temper his growing hope.

“Well, it’s untried,” he defended quickly. “It-it’s obviously untried and therefore extremely dangerous. But, yes, it’s possible. If you abort Sharon’s fetus now, you’ll never know.”

Bill let out a slow breath to calm himself back down, his eyes roaming over the scans on the board again. The cancer had spread so far, taken over so much of her, and still she denied any pain relief. Her pain was obvious, even to the kids, and Grace had refused to see her again. He hadn’t forced it, relieved that the others had taken shifts to keep someone by her side at all times while they dealt with the Cylon sympathizers and ammo issue—and now the Cylon fetus.

“What do you need?”

“Blood from the Cylon fetus, supplies…” He shrugged and glanced beside them, his brow furrowing.

“Tell Cottle you have my permission—whatever you need.” Before he even finished, he turned and headed back to his wife’s side.

She was surprisingly lucid when he took the seat by her bed, his hand grasping her freezing one. She mumbled something and blinked her eyes open, but they closed almost immediately. He managed a small smile anyway and leaned against her bed, his thumb stroking over the back of her hand.

“Where’d Lia go?” he asked softly.

“Cottle… scared ‘em off,” she answered quietly, her eyes remaining closed. “Needed quiet.”

He chuckled and squeezed her hand. “Still giving orders, are you?”

“Still President.” Her eyebrow briefly arched up.

A tear escaped the corner of his eye and he absently wiped it away. Across Sick Bay, he could hear Baltar and Cottle arguing, mixed with the unintelligible sound of Helo’s voice. He could understand why Laura had needed some time away from visitors.

“I think this is a bad idea.” Cottle’s voice grew louder as he led Baltar to Laura’s bedside. “We don’t know how she’ll react, any side effects or long-term results.”

Bill looked up. “If we do nothing, how much time does she have left?”

Cottle shook his head slowly. “I told you, it’s hard to say. Less than a day.”

“And this has even a small chance to help her?” He directed his attention to Baltar.

“Uh, yeah. Yes, I believe so,” Baltar answered nervously.

His eyes fell to his wife’s dangerous vitals and then to the woman herself. He wasn’t sure if she was even still conscious and he swallowed hard, wishing he could get her input. Deep inside, he knew she would protest it. Her desires for the Cylon fetus were clear, but he had to take the chance.

The fleet needed her. Their children needed her.

He needed her.

“Do it.”

Cottle didn’t argue any further and Bill moved to the foot of Laura’s bed to stay close, his hands keeping the blankets out of the way. He didn’t look away as Baltar left to collect the Cylon blood, but he watched closely as he administered it to Laura. If she wasn’t unconscious before, she was now. The alarms on the monitor went off all at once and Bill fought a wave of panic as he watched her flatline, his hands tightly gripping the edge of the bed. Baltar shouted something, but it was all lost in the fear of losing his wife as she began to shake.

“Move, move!” Cottle demanded as he shoved his way closer. “Damn, she’s convulsing.” He began to shout orders, his hand gripping her arm. Baltar moved to her other side, his hands hovering over her but not touching. The alarms continued, and then suddenly everything went silent. “No, hold it.”

“Laura,” Bill breathed out as her vitals began to stabilize and her convulsions stilled.

“I’ll be damned,” Cottle muttered, his hold on her loosening.

Laura’s eyes fluttered and she groaned before she opened her eyes, confused to see Baltar hovering over her. She felt disconnected from her body, like she was heavy but floating. Other vague sensations shocked along her nerves, but she couldn’t pinpoint any of them.

“Dr. Baltar?” she managed, her voice barely audible. Memories flickered through her head, but she couldn’t grab onto any of them and they quickly faded away. They left her with an uneasy feeling and she tried to shift away from him, her eyes seeking out her husband. “Bill…”

“It’s so very good to see you, Madam President. No, no don–don’t move,” he said as she did anyway.

Once her eyes found Bill, her body relaxed and she let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. He nudged Baltar out of the way and trailed his fingers up her bed until he could take her hand. It was still so cold, but it had a life to it he hadn’t felt in a while.

“Oh, my love,” he whispered as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. “Rest.”

Her brow started to furrow, but she couldn’t hold it. “What happened?”

He shook his head and squeezed her hand. “We’ll explain it all later, I promise. Please rest for now.”

She hummed quietly and let her eyes close, hoping the odd way her body felt would fade as she slept. As she drifted off, he kept his eyes on the monitor to ensure her heart continued to beat, and then met Cottle’s concerned gaze.

“I don’t like it,” the doctor admitted quietly, “but it’s a frakking miracle.”

“What do we do now?”

“See how she does for the next few hours, then throw every test possible at her.” He shrugged and glanced at Baltar who still lingered. “We’re treading on thin ice, Admiral. I don’t know what lies underneath if it breaks.”

“Then we’ll hope it doesn’t break. We take it a day at a time,” he decided with a heavy layer of finality.

“Sometimes, it’s all we can do.” He sighed and crossed his arms. “But I’ll do everything I can for her. At least, everything she’ll allow me to do.” He gave him a knowing look that made Bill sigh too.

“A future problem.” He would shoulder the blame and all of his wife’s wrath when she woke up because it meant she was alive to be upset. “Thank you, Jack.”

Cottle shook his head and waved Baltar off before he left too, leaving Bill alone with a sleeping, stabilized Laura.

As carefully as he could, he tucked the blanket back around her and left one hand out so he could hold it as he collapsed into the chair beside her, slumped down and doing his best to transfer warmth from his body to hers through their hands.

When she remained stable through the night, the doctor forced Bill out of Sick Bay to freshen up and check in with the children while he ran Laura through a battery of tests. His footsteps were heavy with fatigue, but his heart was cautiously light as he made his way back to his quarters. He knew it was early, but wasn’t sure how early until he stepped through the hatch. Lee and Kara were passed out on the couch with Zak on the floor beside them and the coffee table pushed out of his way. None of them looked comfortable and he smiled sympathetically, but continued into the next room to check on Lia and Grace. They were asleep in the rack, curled up together and buried under the blankets like their mother. Grace hugged her giraffe close and didn’t stir as he leaned against the bulkhead and stroked her hair.

“I love you,” he sighed quietly.

The air around Galactica loosened and breathed as news of the President’s survival spread. Little information was confirmed and rumors filled the gaps, but Bill didn’t pay them any mind. Billy handled the press and released as much information as Laura wanted, and with the leader of the Cylon sympathizers in the brig, Bill was comfortable leaving the ship in Saul’s hands to stay by Laura’s side as much as possible.

As much as she hated to, she was forced to listen to her body’s demand for rest. There was so much to be done, figured out, discussed, but she was left with a weakened cloudy mind that made it difficult to even stay awake. There was an eeriness to how she felt too, the aches and pains that had tormented her suddenly gone with only fatigue and weariness left in their place. Despite all of that and the vague, confused sense of betrayal she felt, there was an almost paralyzing need to have Bill near her. She wanted her children nearly as badly, but the urge to reassure them tempered the relief she felt by their presence. With her husband, she could give in to what her body required and rest.

Sick Bay was quiet aside from the tense sound of Laura and Cottle’s discussion, his voice easily overpowering hers. Unable to make out her side of it, Bill nudged the curtain aside and stepped into her room, his eyes moving over her, her vitals, and then the doctor.

“Oh, good. You can continue this argument with her,” Cottle immediately grumbled.

Bill sighed. He knew it was an argument they would have eventually, but he had foolishly hoped it could wait until she was back on her feet. Knowing his wife, he should’ve expected that wouldn’t happen.

“Don’t get her too worked up,” the doctor cautioned with a firm look at them both. “And don’t you get him worked up either.” He shook his head as he wandered away, still muttering to himself.

Cautiously, Bill sat beside her and folded his hands on the edge of her bed. She watched him silently, her eyes still dull and tired, her face still pale and clammy, but growing better. Surprisingly, she wasn’t angry. Maybe she lacked the energy to feel anything as strongly or it was countered by her relief to be alive, but she wasn’t happy.

“You didn’t listen to me.” Her voice was soft but still revealed her displeasure. “I thought I made myself clear.”

“You did.” He gripped his hands a little more tightly and leaned closer. “You were dying. The risks of the Cylon blood couldn’t be worse than that.”

She licked her lips and struggled with words. Her thoughts were too conflicted and she couldn’t organize them into anything coherent. He watched her struggle and slowly reached a hand out to rest over hers. When she didn’t pull back, he laced their fingers together and squeezed firmly.

“You were dying and I made a choice. The fleet needs you, our children need you.” His voice broke and he was forced to pause for a moment. “I need you, Laura, and that’s all that mattered to me in that moment. I’m sorry that I ignored your orders, but I won’t apologize that it saved your life.”

“I don’t expect you to,” she whispered. “I am so… happy to be alive, but what do we do now? Do I… I… Where do we draw the line between Cylon and human? They bleed, they apparently reproduce, their blood is in me. What does that make me?”

“It makes you Laura Adama, the same woman you’ve been all this time. My wife, the President. Nothing changes that,” he told her vehemently. “Not this, not anything else.”

“You really believe that?” Somehow, her voice was even softer, so small and in need of reassurance.

He kept hold of her hand and pushed himself out of his chair to lean over her, his other hand cupping her cheek. “Yes, I do. I know it.” He kissed her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips. “I love you.”

“I’m still mad at you,” she mumbled as she tugged on his hand, “but I’m also cold and tired and I want you to lay with me.”

“Scooch over, then.” He smiled and caressed her cheek before he pulled back to help her shift toward the opposite side of the bed.

There was just enough room for him to stretch out beside her with his arm around her to hold her against his chest. She hummed and relaxed again, her eyes sliding closed as his warmth began to seep into her. His hand absently rubbed up and down her arm, further warming and soothing her, and he buried his face in her hair.

“I love you too,” she added.

“I know.” He smiled and squeezed her gently. “Never thought I’d hold you in this room again after Grace was born.”

“I’d much rather be home…”

“Soon, honey. Now sleep and I’ll see about getting the kids down here to keep you company.” He took a deep breath, but her familiar scent was lost under the antiseptic smell of Sick Bay.

After two days of ceaseless tests and scans, Laura was ready to airlock the next person that touched her. The only things stopping her was her inability to get to an airlock and the return of Bill bearing an olive branch. Her feelings over the source of her cure hadn’t faded, nor had her feelings toward Bill’s avoidance of her orders. She had been used as a guinea pig in a science experiment by a man she didn’t trust, agreed upon by two men she did. It was something she knew they’d have to work through over time.

“Tea?” He smiled and held the tea out to her, his hand lingering to make sure she had a good grasp on the mug before he sat down. “No sugar, I’m sorry.”

“Still smells amazing.” She hummed and took a deep breath, then took a careful sip. “Thank you.” The tea warmed her chest and made her smile.

“How are you feeling?” He settled back in his chair, his hand resting on her leg.

“If Cottle tries to stab me one more time…” She huffed and glanced in the direction of the doctor approaching them. “Pull rank, please?”

He shook his head and gently patted her leg. “His Sick Bay, his rules.”

“Damn you.” Her hand was steady enough that she could hold the tea with only one long enough for the other to brush over his.

Cottle stopped by her bedside and looked at them both. “Madam President, Admiral,” he greeted.

“How’s she doing, Jack?” he asked immediately, already studying the doctor’s face.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. It’ll be a while before she’s a hundred percent, but,” he looked at her, “the scans are clear. Cancer’s gone.”

Bill let out a long breath. “Are you sure?”

“It’s gone,” he said firmly.

“Oh, my gods…” Laura held her tea close and bit her lip, her watery eyes meeting Bill’s. “Just like that?”

“Before you get too excited,” Cottle warned, “you’re not going anywhere, young lady. I want you here for at least a few more days and monthly visits after that. If anything changes, I want to know immediately.”

Laura didn’t hesitate. “Yes, sir.” Whatever had granted her this second chance, she had no intention of frakking it up. “But first, I need to do something neither of you are going to like.”

“That’s your problem, Admiral,” Cottle grumbled as he lit a cigarette and hurried off.

Bill narrowed his eyes, suspecting what she wanted to do and already disliking it. “Can’t we enjoy this good news for a while before you go right back to pushing yourself?”

She took a long drink of tea and then handed him the mug. “Cottle said getting out of bed will help my recovery. I want to speak with our peace-loving prisoner.”

“Laura, no,” he protested.

“I don’t trust Baltar to do it,” she confessed. Her lungs seemed to be recovering slower than the rest of her, along with her strength, and it left her voice quiet. Somehow, she lowered it even more, too aware of their lack of privacy. “It needs to be me, and sooner rather than later.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I want you to accompany me, Bill. Cottle agreed to a wheelchair and I’ll take a nap when we’re done,” she promised.

He could see the persistence in her eyes, and it was the return of that spark that made him relent. “You’re not getting out of that wheelchair unless it’s to get back in this bed,” he warned.

She nodded her agreement and pushed the blankets back. “Will you help me dress?”

“Are you willingly asking for help?” he teased gently, but he set her tea aside and stood up.

“A compromise so neither you nor Cottle confine me to Sick Bay or bed.” She offered a small smile and gestured to the small bag Lia had dropped off earlier.

He was painfully careful as he helped her change, like he was afraid to touch her, and she finally grabbed his hands. Her eyes moved up his chest and met his; she laced their fingers together and squeezed firmly.

“I’m not going to break,” she murmured.

“You might,” he countered just as softly.

“If I do, it’s not because you touched me.” She tugged on his hands and when he resisted, used him to move to the edge of the bed.

He still didn’t relent and she cautiously stood up, focused on her breathing and balance while he held onto her harder than she leaned into him. Her brow furrowed in concentration, hating the weakness she felt, but determined to at least accomplish this. He saw her struggle, but he bit his tongue and guided her to the waiting wheelchair.

A little under an hour later, she felt a small sense of accomplishment as Billy and her husband pushed her back to Sick Bay. She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but the trip had exhausted her and she was looking forward to an undisturbed nap. Although the alternative of having her family close was the preferred option, she appreciated the solitude Sick Bay offered. Bill’s hand grazed her shoulder and then settled there, a welcome weighty reminder of his presence. She reached up and rested her hand over his.

“Madam President, is there anything else I can do to help?” Billy asked as they paused outside the hatch.

She looked up at him and smiled gratefully. “You’ve done plenty, thank you,” she murmured. “Say hi to Dee, will you?”

He immediately blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not, uh.. Yes, ma’am,” he stammered.

Bill chuckled quietly, but didn’t say anything as they left her aide and returned to Sick Bay. Laura lightly swatted his hand but smiled.

The following days were quiet and dragged by, broken up only by visits from her family and Billy. Her attention span was too short that it made even reading difficult, and she could only work in small bursts. It took the better part of an hour just to make it through one report, even with Billy’s help, and she could feel herself quickly growing stir crazy. Cottle’s insistence that she remain another few days to regain a little more strength and stamina only driving her further up the wall.

Knowing Lee and Zak were unlikely to help her, Kara rarely visited, and Grace was both too young and had yet to come back, she waited for Lia. The next time she stopped by, it was as easy as she expected it to be to convince her to chaperone her temporary escape. Cottle’s agreement came as a surprise, but she didn’t question it.

The air felt colder in the corridor and Laura lightly tangled her fingers in the blanket tucked around her legs. She had protested the wheelchair and the blanket, but had relented in order to see something other than Sick Bay in nearly a week; her walks were growing longer, but still kept her contained within one room. Both, she realized, were a good idea as Lia pushed her toward the observation lounge. It seemed the only time her body had managed to stay warm was when she coaxed Bill into bed beside her, but she was cold again the moment he got up. Now, out of bed and bundled in a loose pair of pants and a Galactica sweatshirt borrowed from Kara with the blanket, she still struggled not to shiver.

Lia’s hand brushed her shoulder and she looked up with a questioning hum. “You okay?”

“Just fine,” she murmured with a small smile.

Her daughter nodded and carefully guided the wheelchair through the large hatch. The room had been emptied for them for both safety and privacy for at least half an hour. Laura had been hesitant to take any more time than that. Lia pushed her as close to the large window as she could and made sure the wheelchair was secure, and Laura took a deep breath in preparation to stand, but stopped at her daughter’s touch.

“Mom…” she warned.

She reached up and took Lia’s hand to squeeze it firmly. “I’m just moving to sit there,” she said as she gestured to the spot right beside the window. “It’ll be more comfortable and I can actually sit with you.”

“Are you sure?” Her eyes roamed over her mother and Laura smiled reassuringly.

“I might need your help back up, but I’ll be okay.”

Before she could move again, Lia sighed. “Dr. Cottle will be pissed and Dad’ll ground me forever if you get hurt.”

“I’m not that fragile.” She huffed and allowed Lia to help her to her feet, then down to the ground.

She was breathless as she settled against the cool glass and readjusted the blanket over herself. It was nice to sit somewhere other than Sick Bay and she felt a satisfied smile begin to form.

“Wow, you really needed someone to break you out of there, huh?” Lia looked her over and then knelt beside her, ignoring the beautiful tapestry of stars and space before them.

“I did.” She let out a breath and held her arm out, her attention entirely focused out the window. “C’mere.”

Her hesitation was extremely obvious, but she took the blanket and cautiously curled up between her legs. Laura wrapped her arms around her daughter and made sure they were both covered, humming in contentment at the warmth she provided.

“I love you, sweetheart.” She kissed the side of her head and settled back to enjoy the time they had.

“Love you too.”

Her fingers absently danced up and down Lia’s arms, giving her hands and mind something to focus on as she watched the stars. The silence and background settling of Galactica was better than the constant noise of Sick Bay and she felt herself relax more than she had in weeks. Only one thought lingered in her head, and it finally made her sigh heavily.

“What is it?” Lia asked softly.

Laura hesitated and moved her hand to play with her hair. “Just thinking about my mother,” she admitted.

“You don’t talk about her much. Or Grandpa and Auntie Cheryl and Auntie Sandra.” Lia shifted her head to her shoulder and stretched her legs out. “I don’t really remember them.”

“Well, Grandma died right before you were born, and you were so little when we lost Grandpa and your aunts.” She took a deep breath and gently squeezed her daughter close.

“I remember you were really sad and Dad was home for a while. It was before you got married, wasn’t it?” Her voice was still quiet.

“You remember that too?” She tried to laugh, but it was weak.

“You looked so beautiful. I was excited Dad would be around all the time. As much as he could be.” She shrugged but smiled. “Grandma had cancer, didn’t she?”

Laura took a deep breath and let it out. “Same kind. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever seen.”

“And that’s why you don’t talk about it?”

“A lot of time in hospitals, especially the last month.” She shook her head and then settled it against Lia’s. “It’s scary, and I’m so proud of how you’ve handled it all. You are so much stronger than you should have to be. I’m sorry.”

“What for?” She pushed herself up and twisted around to look at her. “It’s not your fault you got sick. I know Dad’s upset about the treatment you chose and you’re upset about Dr. Baltar, but it’s no one’s fault.”

“When did you get to be so smart?” They were the same words she had spoken to her daughter on her wedding day and she felt just as overwhelmed by them now.

“Dad, mostly,” she teased with a small smile.

“Oh, you’re lucky I need your help getting out of here.” She laughed and pulled Lia close again. “I am proud of you, and I love you so very much, Thalia.”

“I’m glad you’re here, and I love you too.” She fell quiet for a few minutes and then sat up again. “I should get you back.”

Laura knew they still had some time, but she didn’t argue. She let Lia take the blanket and ease her to her feet, but managed the few steps back to the wheelchair on her own. After making sure she was settled in, she began pushing her back to Sick Bay.

The next evening, Cottle finally gave in to her persistent comments and agreed to release her. All she could think about was finally sleeping in her own bed. Though she wouldn’t admit it out loud, she was grateful the doctor had ordered her to stay on Galactica for a little longer so she could enjoy the time with her family. It was a few more nights she could spend beside her husband, and no part of her would complain about that.

She knew she could make it home from Sick Bay, but had given in to her husband’s request for a wheelchair after seeing the concerned look in his eyes. He seemed up to something, but she blamed it on the roller coaster of emotions they had been through recently. He remained quiet, but when they stopped outside the hatch to his quarters, he moved in front of her and gave her a gentle smile.

“Welcome home,” he said quietly as he helped her up and slid his arm around her waist.

One Marine opened the hatch for them and the other returned the wheelchair to Sick Bay. “It’s good to see you, Madam President,” he told her as they stepped inside.

She offered a grateful smile in return and her shoulders relaxed when the hatch shut behind them, until she turned to see the room. Lee and Kara stood on one side of the table, Zak nearby with Grace in his arms. Lia emerged from the other room with a small handmade sign and a candle, her eyes lighting up when she saw her parents. Bill looked at them, unable to hide his worry at their presence. They had convinced him that the small celebration would be a good thing for everyone and he had given in, hoping it wouldn't be too much for his wife but might also cheer up their daughters.

“You’re back early!” Lia tossed her things to the table and started toward them, but thought better of it and stopped. “We wanted to give you a small homecoming party.”

“Is it too much? I didn’t want to overwhelm you,” Bill worried from beside her, his hand soothing her side. He had felt her tense at the sight of their family, but she had relaxed almost immediately. It had been hard to read her since her collapse, everything circling back to exhaustion and nearly dying. He reminded himself that she was alive, that Cottle had given them as much reassurance as he could given the lack of precedence for her situation.

She huffed and gently nudged his side. “It’s perfect,” she comforted them. “To have you all in the same room that’s not Sick Bay.” She smiled wider and stepped away from her husband. He tried to hold on and follow her, but she shook her head and walked to the couch on her own. When she sat down and looked up, she wasn’t surprised to see that everyone had moved at least a step closer. She only raised an eyebrow and calmly looked at each of them. Their overflowing concern, while understandable, made her sigh. Bill had moved the most but stopped on the other side of the coffee table. He knew she needed her space and that the key to her recovery was letting her do things on her own, but it didn’t stop the part of him that wanted to protect her at all costs. The feeling hadn’t been this strong since the attacks, since she gave birth to Grace in the same room she nearly died in, and it was difficult for him to shove it down.

“I will give you all the rest of the week to hover and worry,” she told them firmly. “After that, you need to take shifts or I’m going to go crazy.”

“You’ll never stop us from worrying.” Bill grabbed a glass of water off the table and joined her, his hand resting on her thigh after she took the glass.

“I’ll keep them in line,” Zak promised as he gave his siblings a knowing look, then settled on Grace. “Go sit with Mom.”

“No…” She pouted and held onto him tighter.

“Grace, go see her,” he insisted. She shook her head quickly.

“It’s okay,” Laura murmured, and Bill squeezed her leg. “Thank you for doing this.”

Kara cleared her throat to break the tension growing in the room. “We couldn’t track down a cake or anything, but I found a chocolate chip cookie, some cider for the wimps that can’t drink,” she shot Laura a teasing look that made her roll her eyes, “and some cards so we can play triad.”

“Mom, you better bet that cookie.” Lia grinned and dragged a chair over to the coffee table.

“A real chocolate chip cookie?” Laura’s eyes lit up when Kara held it out and then tossed it to her. Lia nearly grabbed it in the air, but she managed to catch it and smile. “Oh, gods, where did you find this?”

“You don’t wanna know, but it’s safe, I promise.” Kara joined Lia and tossed the deck of cards next to the glasses of alcohol and cider that had already been poured. “Let’s play.”

The other kids joined them and Grace sat on the floor by Bill’s legs. They both skipped the first round, Laura to savor her cookie and the small pieces she shared with her husband and Grace, and Bill to keep his arm around her. Lee dealt them in for the next round and Laura felt her competitive streak start to come out, happily losing herself in the game and laughter. He was distracted, too focused on her and she knew it, but she gave him the evening to be protective and he was silently appreciative. His hand stayed in contact with her the entire time, already looking forward to holding her close in their rack when they went to bed.

Chapter Text

The scent of old, worn books and leather filled her senses and Laura couldn’t help but hum softly as she took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Her book rested against her chest, still loosely clutched in her fingers, and she smiled as she realized she had fallen asleep while reading. The worry and guilt over the amount of work to be done that she couldn’t take care of started to creep in, but she pushed it away and carefully sat up. It had taken her a few days to convince Bill to return to duty and he had only agreed after making sure someone would keep her company all day. She had sent Zak away almost immediately and settled in for a quiet day, but had fallen asleep quickly. After fixing her glasses and setting her book aside, she looked around the room and saw the time. Her smile widened at the thought that the girls would be back from school any minute.

She folded her blanket and left it on the couch, her fingers tangling in her cardigan. Her lungs and energy seemed to require the most recovery time, and she still struggled to stay warm, but it was slowly growing more manageable day by day. Before she left, she leaned against the bulkhead to catch her breath, and then slowly opened the hatch. The Marines straightened up and she smiled.

“Madam President. What can we do for you?”

“Is the shuttle back from the Odysseus yet?” She leaned against the hatchway and looked up at them. Without her heels, the height difference was more prominent.

“Your daughters are on their way to their quarters now,” he answered. “Would you like them to come here?”

She shook her head and stepped out of the way so they could close the hatch. “No, I need out of my cage for a bit. Tell my husband where I went if he comes back before me, please.”

“Of course, ma’am. Do you need help?” They hadn’t yet found a more subtle way to obey their commanding officer’s orders to keep an eye on her and she tried not to let herself get irritated by their protectiveness. And Bill’s.

“I’m fine, thank you.” While she hadn’t yet outright disobeyed Cottle’s orders, she did push them and herself farther than her husband liked. Her doctor too. But the walk to and from her daughters’ cabin was well within her capabilities.

She knew they were watching her as she walked away, but she shrugged it off. As soon as she stepped into their cabin, her attention was captured by the sight of her daughters walking toward her. Lia’s face lit up, but Grace’s steps faltered and then her feet began to drag.

“Mom, hi!” Though she rushed closer, Lia was gentle hugging her and tried to take some of her weight.

Shooing her away after the hug, Laura raised an eyebrow. “I can walk, honey.”

“I know…” She looked away and flushed. “What are you doing up?”

“I took a nap and was getting restless, so I thought I’d go for a walk. Join me?” Liking the contact, she looped her arm through her daughter’s and pulled her close, but her eyes moved to Grace. “We could go see Dad.”

“Are you sure? It’s not too far?” Lia looked at her worriedly and she immediately smiled reassuringly.

Before she answered, she paused to really consider it. It wasn’t that far, but the ladders caused her more trouble than just walking. With a small break in the CIC before the walk back, she decided it wouldn’t push her too far and was worth it to settle the growing itch inside her to see Bill.

“Let’s go see Dad.” Grace ignored her extended hand and her brow furrowed briefly.

She had grown more and more distant since that first day in Sick Bay and it worried Laura, but she wasn’t sure what to do about it. Unwilling to push her or force her into anything, she stayed on the sidelines while her daughter grasped onto Lee, Zak, and Bill. It hurt, but she also knew she couldn’t possibly understand what she was going through. She didn’t imagine anyone else alive could, with her siblings being the closest ones.

Grace took her sister’s hand and grudgingly followed them on their slow walk to the CIC with the occasional pause here and there for Laura to catch her breath. By the time they walked through the final hatch, she was looking forward to sitting again, but the sound of cheers and applause shoved that thought from her head. As she looked around the room, lightly leaning into Lia, she saw expressions of excitement and genuine happiness looking back. The crew cheered for her, chants of her title filled the room, and her eyes finally found her husband, surprise parting her lips. The mirrored expression on his face told her he hadn’t planned this.

The unexpected sight of his wife sent a small thrill through Bill’s chest. Every glimpse was another necessary reminder that she was still here, still alive, and getting better. He needed each one, especially when he couldn’t be by her side. Worry came next and his eyes narrowed, but she looked okay and Lia was smiling. Before he could move closer to question them, the applause caught him off guard and his eyes roamed the room. He knew his crew held the same affection for his wife, his children, that they did for him, but to see such an obvious display of it left him speechless.

Finally quieting them down, he gave the room one last look and moved to take his wife from his daughter. Instead of accepting his arm around her waist, she only took his hand and squeezed it firmly.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, “I didn’t mean to cause such a distraction.”

He waved away her apology and led her to the nearest console, the lieutenant vacating it as they approached. Lia and Grace followed behind them. “They’re glad to see you. Most of them have been praying for your recovery.”

She sank into the chair and hummed softly before she looked up at the crew. Clearing her throat in the hopes of making her voice a little stronger, louder, she said, “Thank you, everyone. It’s… very, very good to be here and getting back on my feet.”

Another shorter round of cheers circled the room, cut off when Bill gently ordered them back to work. One hand rested on his wife’s shoulder and the other pulled Grace close. “Convinced our daughters to break you out, did you? I thought I warned you, Lia.” His expression was full of feigned scolding that only made her laugh.

“She was already out when we got here,” she defended. “Something about a cage and needing a walk.”

“Thalia!” Laura huffed and leaned over to nudge her.

“What? That’s what you said!” Lia easily evaded her and partially hid behind Bill.

“Oh, my gods.” She shook her head and crossed her arms, smiling at the sound of her husband’s chuckle.

“And how are you feeling?” They both knew it was a loaded question, but she would’ve answered honestly anyway.

“It feels good to move around, even if it makes my chest ache a bit.” She rubbed at it as she spoke, but it was already loosening up now that she had sat down. “And it gives me something else to focus on instead of all the work that needs to be done.”

“Billy has it under control.” He squeezed her shoulder. “You just focus on recovering.”

She groaned softly. “It doesn’t take as much focus as people seem to think it does.” Slowly, her eyebrow arched up. “You should know that better than anyone.”

He grumbled under his breath for a moment, disliking that she had a point. “You still have your appointment in the morning?”

“Yes, honey,” she replied, unable to keep all of the patronizing tone out of her voice. “Whatever other hoard of tests Cottle has found to put me through.” The relief at the clear results was easily countered by the worry that something would come back wrong.

Too much could go wrong and no one knew what to expect or even hope for.

“I’m sorry.” He squeezed her shoulder again. “Kara and Lee are off tomorrow and Saul has the CIC for the afternoon. When the girls are done with school, we can actually have a family dinner if Zak’s available.”

The thought made her smile and she accepted the distraction, emboldened by it as a new idea began to form. “What about Cloud Nine?”

“Laura…” he warned quietly.

“What? The walk to the hangar deck is nothing and I can handle Cloud Nine. We could have a picnic, Grace could use the space to run around. I know she gets cramped up here.” She looked at her daughter as she spoke and smiled gently. “I’ll sit, I promise. Even artificial light will help my recovery, right?”

He studied her and eventually gave in with a sigh after seeing Grace’s cautiously eager expression. “Only if Cottle agrees.”

Confident he would, her smile grew wider. “Thank you.”

“What am I going to do with you?”

“Love and cherish me for the rest of our days?”

He leaned down to kiss the side of her head and whisper in her ear, “Damn right. And we have a lot more of those days to go.”

“Yes, sir,” she murmured, briefly holding onto his arm. “Where to next?” Her gaze moved to her daughters as Bill pulled back.

“Hopefully home,” he commented.

“Yeah, I have homework…” Lia shuffled her feet, but her worried eyes betrayed the real reason for wanting to leave.

It wasn’t worth the argument, so Laura slowly stood up and huffed softly. “Alright, then. I’ll check in with Billy. See you soon?”

“Couple more hours.” He rubbed her arm, more concern creeping into his expression as he watched her walk away.

Cottle’s surprising endorsement of the idea still made Bill hesitate, but he couldn’t say no when faced with the eagerness of his wife and daughters. Even Kara and Lee seemed excited and Billy joined them, and it was enough to keep his strongest worries at bay as they walked through Cloud Nine in search of a good spot to settle down. Lia picked one and helped Kara spread out the blankets so Bill could help Laura sit down. He leaned against a tree with her secure between his legs and her head comfortably on his shoulder. She shifted and rested her hands over his before she relaxed into him with a content sigh.

Once everything had been set down, Zak dragged his siblings out with a frisbee he had found. It was dented but still flew through the air easily and there was enough space for them all to spread out and throw it back and forth. Their laughter floated back and Laura longed to join them, but she knew Bill would protest and that it was slightly beyond her capabilities still. Watching them made her nostalgic, thinking of all the plans they’d had for the summer, for retiring and starting a new chapter in their lives. They had still started one, several new ones, even if they didn’t look like the original plans. It made her absently worry at her lower lip and she felt her husband hold her a little closer as he responded to her growing tension.

“Stop that,” he scolded gently.

“What?” she mumbled, her gaze still on their family.

“They’re happy.” He rested his head against hers. “Look at them, Laura. Despite everything, they’re together and they’re happy. We’ve been so incredibly lucky.”

“We have.” She turned her head to look at him and lightly pressed her forehead to his. “Are you?”

“Am I what?” His eyes met hers, searching their turbulent green depths.

“Happy…”

He raised an eyebrow and pulled back so he could fully look at her. “Have I given you the impression that I’m not?”

Unable to think of a response, she only shrugged.

“You should’ve died, you almost did die, but you’re here in my arms instead. All of our children are right over there. Of course I’m happy, Laura. It’s been a rough few weeks and I truly can’t comprehend how you’re handling all of this so well, but I’m happy.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and she carefully shifted so her legs were draped over one of his, allowing her to wrap her arms around him. “I love you,” she whispered fiercely. “I love you so much, Bill, and I don’t know how I would get through this without you. And I’m so, so very glad we don’t have to say goodbye yet.”

He swallowed hard and shook his head slightly, his fingers tangling in her shirt as he held her closer. “Laura…” He had to swallow again before he could continue. “Frak, honey, I still don’t know what I would do without you and I don’t want to ever find out. I love you.”

Mildly worried about hurting her but wanting the contact as much as she did, he kissed her slowly. She melted into him and opened up to him, giving everything she could. Lee whooped from behind them and she blushed as she pulled back, softly gasping for breath.

“Ow, ow!” Kara called in a high-pitched voice that only made Laura’s face grow redder.

“Oh, my gods,” she laughed, still tightly holding onto him.

“You okay?” He watched her, a smile trying to break free as soon as he was sure she was fine. The moment she hummed and nodded, it did and he kissed her cheek. “Bet that’s gonna circle through the press tomorrow.”

She glanced in the direction he nodded his head and sighed at the small gaggle of press corps staked out nearby. “Let them,” she decided. “We’re as off duty as possible, godsdamn it.”

He hummed his agreement and helped her settle back against his chest, their fingers loosely intertwined on his leg.

It didn’t take long for their kids to start wandering further, and even less time for them to wander into trouble. Kara got a hold of a hose with an attached sprayer that she immediately threatened and then unleashed on Lee. They playfully fought back and forth until Lia ended up with the sprayer and both of her brothers and Billy hostage with Grace drenched and hiding behind Kara. Bill and Laura watched in amusement and decided not to intervene, knowing the wet ride home would be uncomfortable but that none of them would mind. Suddenly, Lee turned and sprinted toward the blankets with Lia hot on his heels. She aimed the hose skyward and the water arced up and then rained down on Lee, Bill, and Laura.

As soon as they realized the collateral damage, everyone froze. Bill lifted his gaze from his wife and narrowed his eyes, but Laura’s soft, stifled giggle drew his attention again. Another one followed and he raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t laugh,” he murmured, “it’s not funny.”

All possible control over herself broke. Her giggles quickly turned into full laughter and she had to wrap her arms around herself to try to stay upright. The kids cautiously crept closer in concern and he continued to watch tears of joy stream down her cheeks. It felt like so long since he had seen her completely lose control like this and though he worried about her breathing, she looked so undeniably free and happy that he wanted to save the moment forever.

Lia broke first and caught her mother’s contagious laughter. She tossed the hose aside and Kara began to laugh too, and soon everyone had collapsed on the grass and was breathless with laughter. Even Bill buried his laughter in Laura’s hair, the feeling of her shaking in his arms making it difficult for him to stop. When her laughter finally faded to giggles and then light pants, he finally lifted his head and rubbed her arm.

“Oh, my gods.” She covered her mouth to hold back another giggle and looked at him. “Oh… Oh, gods, that feels good.”

He chuckled and wiped a droplet of water off her cheek, unsure if it was from her tears or the hose. “You’re beautiful.”

She flushed and smiled, her fingers seeking out his again. Lia rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself up on her elbows, water trailing down her forehead from her drenched hair.

“I’m sorry, Mama. Didn’t mean to get you wet.” She bit her lip nervously.

Laura hummed and carefully pulled away from her husband. It was easier to stay on her hands and knees than to get up, so she crawled the short distance to her daughter and laid down with her head on her back. “Don’t apologize. It felt good.” She reached out and patted her arm. “I’d worry more about Billy.” Her head rolled toward her aide who was positively dripping, but he only shrugged and laughed.

“I’m alright, ma’am.”

She rolled her eyes at the title and shook her head. “If you leave a mess in Dad’s Raptor, he’s gonna be upset. Lee too,” she teased.

“Nah, he’ll just make us clean it up,” Zak huffed.

“Damn right.” Bill looked at each of them and then held his arms out to Grace. She giggled and ran straight for him, throwing herself into his lap. “What about you, Grace? You gonna help clean up the Raptor?”

She immediately gasped. “Can I?”

Laura pushed herself upright and stared at them. “Can I have one child that isn’t a ship aficionado?”

“Hey!” Zak held up his hand and waved to catch her attention. “Hi!”

“Can I have two,” she emphasized, “children that aren’t ship aficionados?” Billy cleared his throat and she looked at him, waiting to see if he would speak up or not. When he remained quiet, she laughed softly. “How I ended up in such a military family, I will never know.”

“You did marry a colonel in the Colonial Fleet,” her husband pointed out with a small smirk.

“He was only a captain when I fell in love with him,” she shot back.

“Oh, so it was when I was a captain? Not a major?” His grin widened as he teased her and she only rolled her eyes. “I still don’t understand how I ended up married to a politician.”

She laughed. “Because I was a teacher when we met.”

Billy shifted closer and hesitated before he asked, “Wait, so how did the two of you meet?”

“She hit me with a door.”

“I did not!”

“She did. I was minding my own business at Zak’s school when a door she opened hit me.”

“Oh, my gods.” Laura looked at Billy almost pleadingly. “He has spent a decade telling people I hit him with a door and it’s not true.”

Zak looked between both of them and rubbed the back of his neck. “You kind of did, Mom.”

“Don’t side with him!” She threw her hands up and looked at her daughters and Lee.

“Oh, no,” he said, “I know better than to get involved.”

“I wasn’t born.” Lia shrugged and held her hands up in surrender.

“History stands, honey. You hit me with the door.” Bill smiled.

“I can’t believe this.” She crossed her legs and leaned forward. “I think you need to have Cottle check your memory.” Giving the topic up as a lost cause, she gestured to the few things they had packed. “Did we bring any food or do we need to find some? I’m hungry.”

“Oh, my gods, you’re hungry?” Lia quickly sat up beside her. “Quick, feed her now before it goes away!”

“You hush.” Laura shot her a playful glare and nudged her shoulder. “What I’d give for a steak or some shrimp Alfredo. A glass of wine, maybe a bath.” She groaned at the thought.

“I don’t know about seafood, but we’ve got sandwiches.” Zak shrugged and pulled the bag closer so he could open it. “Some chips too.”

“Still sounds delicious.” She held her hand out for a sandwich and smiled.

The rest of their evening passed quickly but significantly drier. That night, it was with a pleasant, earned exhaustion that she collapsed into the rack beside Bill. His default reaction always seemed to be concern at first and she stroked his chest to calm him. He relaxed after a moment but kept his eyes on her.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she sighed before he could ask.

“You did a lot today…” His brow furrowed with his worry.

“I really didn’t. Kara did more when her knee was injured.” She was starting to wonder how long his overprotectiveness would last and how long she could handle it. “I know you’re worried that it’s temporary and I’m just going to backslide—and that worries me too—but if it is, then we should make the most of this time. We should anyway, even if I am okay. And if I continue to get better, then things are going to return to normal. I have to go back to work, back to Colonial One, and we keep looking for Earth.”

“Just once,” he shook his head and pulled her closer, “I wish you would think about yourself and not everyone around you.”

“You do the same thing!” She closed her eyes to reign her emotions back in and sat up in the darkness of their cabin. “It’s who we are as spouses, parents, leaders.”

“But there are times when you should put yourself first,” he protested quietly as he pushed himself upright.

“No,” she breathed out. “Not as a mother, not as President of a dying race.”

“Yes, Laura! That’s why you lean on me as your husband and your partner, as the leader of the military. Why you lean on Billy and the Quorum, on Lee and Zak.” He found her hands in the dark and held onto them. “The moment you found out your cancer was terminal, you shut down. You put all of your energy into everyone else and let yourself waste away. But now you’re here and if you continue down the same path, you’ll just end up sick again from something else. I know you, and I’m not going to let that happen.”

“Why do you have to be so damn logical?” She narrowed her eyes as if that would help her see, but she didn’t fight his hold on her hands.

“Pretty sure I’ve asked that of you a few times.”

“What are you asking of me, then?”

“You need to find a better balance. We need a better balance.” He gently tried to tug her closer, but she didn’t move. “Take the time your body needs to recover before you go rushing back to Colonial One. And when that happens, we’ll figure out a set schedule for the girls so you can have some time to yourself.”

“This is why they say living is harder than dying, isn’t it?” Her fingers tensed around his. “Do you ever wonder how long we can do this?”

“As long as we need to,” he answered firmly.

“You really believe that?””

“You’re telling me you could rest before humanity found a safe place to call home? Before our children are safe?” When she didn’t answer, he gently pulled her between his legs and wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll keep taking it a day at a time. You and me.” He could feel her starting to relax into him and he sighed. “What can I do to help?”

“You’re doing everything right,” she murmured. “I just need a little bit of space. I promise I’ll try not to push myself if you’ll promise to stand down a little.”

“Deal,” he answered immediately.

“And maybe a kiss?” she added softly. As soon as she turned around and looked up at him, he kissed her gently, but she pushed closer and released a whimper when he pulled back. “Bill…”

“I don’t want to hurt you…” Worse than accidentally injuring her was the thought of her painfully gasping for breath. It was a sound he hoped he never had to hear again, even if it was caused by her laughter or an orgasm.

“You are one of the most gentle, considerate people I know. I’ve never worried about you hurting me,” she told him firmly, believing every word.

“I need to know you’re okay first.” He swallowed and caressed her cheek. “I need time to… to…” Struggling to say the words, he fell quiet.

“You need time to stop picturing my dying body,” she finished, her voice so quiet.

A tear leaked from the corner of his eye as he nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I haven’t made sure you’re okay after everything…” Her brow furrowed and she sighed. “If I could, I’d stay right here forever.”

“I know you would.” He kissed her head. “But we at least have the next few hours. Might even be able to sleep in a little.”

“For a few more days, at least.” She wriggled until she was laying down, leaving room for him to join her.

“I’ve never been able to hold you in bed as much as I’d like to. It’s nice to catch up now.” He slid his leg between hers and she settled against him with the solid comfort of years spent together.

As much as Laura enjoyed the time with her family, her duty and her position tugged at her. After Cottle reluctantly agreed, she compromised to a few days working from Galactica before she would return to Colonial One. It felt odd to miss her ship when her family wasn’t there, but there was something still comforting about it. She wondered about the possibility of living on Galactica and only working from the smaller vessel, but she knew appearances mattered too much, especially after Cain and the new crew members.

Her first few days back, Billy left her schedule light with meetings and assured her that there was nothing else she needed to do. She knew he was lying, but she was more impressed that he was bold enough to try it, so she let it slide. There were mountains of paperwork awaiting her back on her desk, but it felt good to start working on anything, even if it was the growing problem with the black market. The conversation with Fisk didn’t leave her very encouraged and she hoped it wouldn’t spiral further, but her mind was quickly leaving work behind to focus on her husband across the room.

“Will you sit down?” He looked at her from where he stood by the hatch, one hand still resting against it.

“Will you stop hovering?” she gently shot back as she tossed her folder to the table. “We promised…”

“It’s only been a few weeks, I think I’m allowed to be worried.” His eyes roamed over her and she recrossed her arms, but he noticed how she also leaned some of her weight against the table.

“Cottle has confirmed—multiple times—that everything looks good. I know it’s confusing, but it feels like we’re walking on eggshells and I need things to start going back to normal.” She pressed her hand against the cool wood and watched him, trying not to let it show that she was tired.

“You’re already pushing yourself.” He arched an eyebrow briefly and stared her down. It was too easy to see right through her facade.

“Honey, it is my first week back.” Her gaze softened, knowing he was only acting out of concern for her and that it was more than justified. “I have yet to even return to Colonial One. I am taking it as easily as I can.”

He sighed and crossed the room to pull a chair out for her, relieved when she gave in and carefully sat down. “I know, I’m sorry.” He sat beside her and took a deep breath. “It’s hard to believe after watching you for the past few months.”

Her hand immediately stretched out and rested over his, her finger stroking his ring. “I know,” she agreed quietly. “Grace can still barely look at me, Lia acts like I’m going to break, and the boys are just like you. Billy too. I swear, Kara is the only one treating me slightly normally.”

“Seeing you up and on your feet will help. They’ll come around,” he assured her, his other hand moving to sandwich hers. “It’s good to see some color on you again.” He leaned in and kissed her softly.

She hummed and returned the kiss, her free hand settling on his thigh to steady herself as she met him halfway. He groaned and started to pull back, but she gently dug her fingers into his leg. “Bill…”

“You’re still healing,” he protested softly, his lips brushing hers.

“Cottle cleared me yesterday and it has been so long.” She kissed him again, barely restraining herself. “And you know I nap better after sex.”

He laughed and pulled back, but cupped her cheek. His eyes roamed over her, taking in the light in her green eyes, the blush crawling up her face, and the teasing smirk she wore. “You’ll tell me if it’s too much?”

“Just be gentle.” She took his hand and watched as he stood up, carefully pulling her to her feet with him. “Give us both something new to think about.”

He guided her back to their rack and she leaned against it, her eyes on him as her fingers wandered to the hem of her blazer to pull it down her arm. As she reached for the next sleeve, he helped pull it off and folded it on the mattress. Her shirt came next, gently pulled over her head and set aside, then the rest of her clothes. He helped her up and she settled onto her side, her head propped up in her hand to watch him undress. Quickly as he could, he stripped down and set their clothes out of the way to join her, kneeling over her to take her in once again.

It was undeniable that she looked better, but evidence of her illness still lingered. The bruises on her arms from the blood draws hadn’t faded, and she was still thinner than both he and Cottle liked, but she was alive and breathing beneath him. Her flush spread to cover her neck and chest, and she bit her lip as she looked up at him.

“If you’re just gonna stare, I can take care of it myself,” she murmured. “It’s just not as fun.”

“It’s only fair after a month of my cold showers.” He raised an eyebrow.

She laughed. “I wanted to join you every time.”

“We’ll make up for it now.” He sat back on his heels and stroked up and down her legs, his fingers moving inward each time.

“You’ll have to be patient.” A frown formed at her body’s delayed response to her mind and his actions, but he shook his head and squeezed her thighs.

“Just means more time for me to explore every part of you that I love.” He smiled and moved his hands down to her ankles, fingers caressing over her skin as he worked his way back up.

Her mind tried to get caught up in itself, but instead she let herself get lost in his hands. It felt like it had been even longer since they had really spent time together, their time crammed between the military, the government, their children, and her illness. They still didn’t have all the time in the universe, but they had more.

His hands explored nearly every inch of her body, only missing what he couldn’t reach and the part that had nearly stolen her. Neither were ready for that yet, and when he leaned over her once more, he kissed her slowly and deeply. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him down against her. He tried to resist, worried about putting too much weight on her, but she didn’t relent and he finally did.

“What do you need?” he asked breathlessly, supporting himself on his forearms with their hips pressed together.

“You, just you,” she breathed out, her eyes meeting his.

“Are you sure?” He searched her face for any sign of pain or hesitation, but found none.

“Bill, please.” Her fingers caressed his cheek, then down his neck and over his shoulder.

He let his body rest against hers and shifted back, one hand gripping her hip. Moving slowly, carefully, he rocked his hips and gently entered her. Her fingers gripped his shoulder and he took his time until his body met hers. They panted together, connected as much as they could be, and she moaned softly. He echoed it and kissed her again, as deeply as if he could breathe life into her recovering body.

“Oh, gods,” she gasped as he began moving, every delicate motion filled with love and relief.

His arm slid under her, hand curving to hold her shoulder blade, and she felt almost weightless. “Frak,” he groaned, his forehead resting against hers. “Laura…”

She hummed and draped her leg over his, her bent knee pressed against his side and encouraging his movements. “I love you. Gods, I love you.” Her arm folded above their heads, its space limited by the bulkhead.

His forehead dropped to her shoulder near the tips of his fingers and he pressed featherlight kisses there. It covered another groan as her body trembled beneath him. “I love you too,” he whispered, turning his head enough so his breath teased the hair near her ear.

They held each other closer, more tightly, their moans growing louder. There was no need to keep them quiet and they didn’t. Her fingers found their way to his hair, tangling in the peppered strands and tugging him into another kiss. He cooperated and nipped at her lip, his thrusts speeding up as he worked toward release. She was right there with him, her hips rocking up to meet his.

When she could feel her orgasm beginning to form, she tugged on his hair and buried a louder moan in a kiss. It was messy, neither with enough concentration left to kiss properly, but not caring as long as the contact was there. He nipped and gently tugged on her lip, pushing his control as far as he could. Her moans were interspersed with her soft pants for breath that mixed with his own.

With his control fading, his thrusts grew a little faster, his hips grinding against hers. It was enough and she came just before he did, her back curving as her body quivered. He held her as close as he could and she clung to him, soft, breathless moans falling from her parted lips.

“Oh, frak,” she huffed, a slow smile forming. Her eyes blinked open and she pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

In one careful movement, he pulled out and fell to his back, pulling her with so she ended up on his chest. Her head nuzzled under his chin immediately and she threw her leg over him, her arm stretched out. She started to settle in, but sighed and pushed away. He sat up with her, hand protectively on her back, but she waved him away and smiled reassuringly.

“Just the head,” she murmured, leaning over to rub his arm before she slowly stood up.

One hand followed the bulkhead on her way to and from the head, her legs shaking from the effort and overwhelming orgasm. It left her just as overwhelmingly content, and she hummed—still breathless—when she settled into his side once more.

“Are you staying?” she asked, pressing a kiss to his chest before she closed her eyes.

“For a bit; need to get back to the CIC,” he responded softly as his fingers roamed up and down her back. “You okay?”

She hummed again. “What can I say, husband? You still make my knees weak after all these years.”

His arm briefly tightened around her in concern until he forced himself to loosen it. “When is your next meeting?”

“Colonial One in two hours. Time enough for a nap, check on the girls.” She gently patted his chest. “I’m okay, honey.”

“I know.” He kissed her head and smiled, but she was already drifting off to sleep.

She barely stirred when he eased out from under her and then climbed over her to get up, his eyes constantly checking on her to reassure himself as he redressed. It was the same thing he did at night, had done as often as possible the last few weeks, and he was still just as relieved to see her slow, steady breathing. It was enough to get him through the rest of his shift. He kissed her head and left a glass of water on the shelf before he left.

When she woke an hour later, she wasn’t surprised to be alone. It was surprising to not wake already crushed by exhaustion; she was still adjusting to her body actually recuperating from rest, and it was a rather nice change. She found the water Bill had left for her and smiled as she sipped at it, delaying getting up for a few more minutes.

The restful nap combined with the much-needed orgasm left her in a good mood as she redressed and fixed her hair and makeup. Her glasses and shoes were the last things she added before she grabbed her reports off the table and headed around the corner to her daughters’ cabin. The Marine knocked for her as she approached and she smiled in appreciation, her arms folding over her chest as she waited for them to answer.

The hatch opened after a moment and Lia stuck her head out, smiling as soon as she saw Laura. “Mama!” She stepped back, but offered her hand for help.

Laura reluctantly took it, learning to accept help to make her family feel better, even if she didn’t particularly need it. “Hi, sweetheart. I wanted to see you both before I left for Colonial One.”

Lia helped her inside and to the chair beside Grace who sat at the table with her homework. Laura glanced over it and set her folders out of the way.

“Your handwriting is looking really good,” she complimented her softly. “Can you write my name too?”

Grace didn’t look at her, but she shifted her pencil to a spare sheet of paper and wrote out ‘Mama’. Laura smiled and held her hand out for the pencil, then wrote out her full name next to it.

“But no one calls you Laura,” Grace said, her brow furrowing as she looked up. “Mama, Madam President, and Daddy calls you Honey.” She shrugged in confusion.

A large smile wanted to form at her daughter’s attention, but she held it back. Grace had seemed afraid of her since she left Sick Bay and clung to Bill more than anyone.

“It’s like everyone calling Daddy Admiral. It’s out of respect,” she explained as she handed the pencil back. “But I like being called Mama and Honey.”

“But you only call me Grace.” A small pout started to form.

“I also call you sweetheart and baby girl. Sometimes, I use your whole name.” She laughed softly.

“Only when I’m in trouble!” Grace giggled and turned in her chair to fully face her. “What about Lia? No one calls her Thalia.”

“No one calls Zak or Lee by their full names either.” Laura shrugged and leaned against the table. “Sometimes, names are complicated and people have a lot of them. We could call you….” she hummed and pretended to think about it, “Bill.”

Grace giggled more and Lia rolled her eyes as she sat across from them. “That’s Daddy’s name!”

“You might have to stick with Grace, then.” She reached out and brushed her hair away from her face, but it only fell right back. “How is school going?”

“It’s boring. Can you do my homework?” She smiled brightly and Laura raised an eyebrow. “Please?”

“Seeing as I already know how to write and read, I think it would be better if you did it,” she suggested gently.

“Will you help?”

Laura nodded and smiled. “I have a few meetings, but I’ll help you when I get back tonight. But,” she added before Grace could get too excited, “you need to try your best first.”

Grace sighed dramatically, but reached for her pencil and resumed her homework. Laura watched for a moment and then shifted her attention to her older daughter.

“How are you feeling?” Lia asked before she could say anything.

“I’m okay,” she answered honestly. “I took a nap.”

Lia feigned a large gasp and laughed. “You napped? Oh, my gods.”

“I napped often when I was pregnant with you. One semester when I was in college, I had an eight AM class every day. I napped as soon as I got home.” Her eyebrow arched up again.

She shook her head. “I don’t get it. Naps are amazing.”

“Oh, they are,” she agreed. “When you have the time. Speaking of.” She glanced at the clock and let out a breath. “I have to meet the shuttle, but I’ll see you both tonight.” She stood up and kissed Grace’s head, her hand squeezing her shoulder. “Behave. I love you.” Her daughter rounded the table, but Laura only hugged her and kissed her cheek. She had to stretch to reach, and it made her roll her eyes. “Stop growing.”

“Love you, Mama,” Grace said, twisting in her chair to watch Lia and Laura walk toward the hatch.

“Love you,” Lia added. “See you tonight.” She was reluctant to let go, but Laura squeezed her hand and opened the hatch.

It was obvious before her next meeting even started that her attention span was shot for the day. Whether it was the time with Bill and her daughters, or her ongoing recovery, she wasn’t sure, but it was undeniable that getting through the rest of the day would be a struggle. She worried at her lip and glanced over the schedule Billy had given her when she stepped off the shuttle, then up to the worried man himself who couldn’t stop watching her.

“Do you think Sarah and Wally will agree to meet over the phone today?” she asked as she folded her arms loosely over her chest.

“I don’t see why not.” He shrugged and leaned forward. “I can call.”

“Would you?” She briefly pursed her lips. “I think I need to go back to Galactica.”

“Is everything okay?” In an instant, he looked ready to rush to her side, a panicked look flickering through his eyes.

She hated that she had caused everyone around her so much agony, even if it was outside of her control, and to have everyone still be so careful around her worried her that maybe she wasn’t okay and it was all a dream or a vision. Grounding herself with Cottle’s words, with the scans she had looked at herself, she let out a breath.

“I’m okay,” she reassured him softly, considering her words carefully. “I’ve spent most of the last few months dying and then recovering. I was so focused on preparing the fleet, preparing Baltar, and I missed the time with my family. Rather than lose the rest of my day to long meetings, I’d rather cut to the chase and go home.”

“Nothing on the schedule today is urgent,” he replied quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I can arrange for Delegates Porter and Gray to call you on Galactica shortly and take care of the rest.”

“Are you sure?” She bit down on her lip again, trying to quell the guilty feeling that was rising inside her. It was illogical; the job would get done and her children needed her.

“I can handle it, Madam President. Go home.” His smile grew larger until she formed one in response.

“Thank you, Billy. Remind me to give you a raise.” Without hesitation, she pushed herself out of her chair and began gathering the things she needed to take with her.

Billy laughed and reached for the phone, but she only half-listened to the conversation before she waved to him and headed down to meet the shuttle.

There was almost a nervous excitement building up in Laura as she retraced her steps down Galactica’s corridors and once again came to a stop outside her daughters’ cabin. This time, she didn’t wait for a knock and helped herself inside, surprised to see Grace and Lia still working on homework at the table. Both quickly looked up, elation overtaking Grace’s face while Lia looked concerned.

“Mom, are you okay?” she asked quickly.

She was tired of hearing that question, but she understood their concern. “I have a very good aide who agreed to handle the President’s office for the rest of the day. I have two phone calls I need to make, but then I was thinking we could go to Cloud Nine.”

“Wait, really?” Lia dropped her pencil, a cautious excitement filling her eyes.

“If you like. There’s the theater, or even just a walk. Whatever you girls would like.” She couldn’t help her smile, encouraged by just the thought of the simulated light and air on the luxury liner and the quiet time with her daughters.

“Can Daddy come?” Grace shoved her papers into her folder and stood up. “What about my homework?”

“We’ll have to ask,” she answered carefully, “and we’ll finish your homework later. I said I would help.”

“Let’s go, Mama!” Grace rushed over and Laura hugged her with a soft laugh.

“I have a little more work to do. So, keep working on your homework and come to Dad’s quarters in an hour, okay? He should be done by then too.” She pressed a kiss to her daughter’s hair and smiled wider.

“Can I stay with you?” A small pout started to appear.

Laura considered what Sarah and Wally wanted to discuss and then glanced at the papers on the table. “Alright,” she agreed. “Lia, you coming?”

As soon as Lia put her homework away, the girls followed her back to Bill’s quarters and settled on the couch while she took over her husband’s desk moments before Billy called to connect her with Sarah.

Her timing was perfect and she finally hung up with Wally moments before the hatch opened to let Bill in, who hesitated at the sight of his daughters and Laura’s fading voice.

“What’s this?” he questioned with a raise of his eyebrow. Grace giggled conspiratorially and only shot his eyebrow higher. Lia shrugged and refused to answer, sending his gaze to his wife when she stepped into view. “I thought you went to Colonial One.”

“I did.” She copied Lia’s shrug. “It was a quiet day. I handled a couple phone calls and Billy is finishing up. I was hoping we could have a night off and go to Cloud Nine. Just… a family. Normal stuff.” Her nervous excitement returned and she slipped her hands into her pockets.

“Are you up to that?” He studied her closely, noting how much more put together she looked when she was fully dressed, even with her political facade slipping.

She couldn’t hold back her eye roll. “I’ve done it already and I’ve only gotten stronger since then, honey. Please?”

The girls could barely contain their excitement and after glancing at them, he sighed. “Let me change.”

“Oh, me too. I’d rather not be there as the President, thank you.” She held her hand out to him and pulled him close when he took it, rising up on her toes to kiss him softly. “Thank you,” she repeated more sincerely.

He couldn’t help but smile and briefly let their foreheads rest together. Without letting go of his hand, she pulled away first and led him into the next room. A light silence fell over their quarters, broken only by the occasional giggle from one of the girls and rustling fabric as they changed. Laura ended up in a pair of soft, comfortable black pants and a loose purple sweater, coincidentally matching the hints of purple in the shirt and jeans Bill dressed in. It felt like it had been so long since she had seen her husband in something other than his uniform and she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“Thought you wanted to go to Cloud Nine,” he teased, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her into his chest. “Otherwise I’ll send the girls back to their cabin and happily repeat earlier.”

A warm blush flared across her cheeks and her hands slid up his sides. “Tonight,” she hummed. “Let’s go.”

To keep them both as off duty as possible, another pilot flew their Raptor to the luxury liner with a few hours of shore leave himself until they were ready to leave. Both Billy and Saul had been instructed not to disturb them unless it was unavoidable, hopefully granting them some time to forget their responsibilities and focus on each other.

Cloud Nine’s port was as busy as ever, but the central park seemed quieter than usual. Hoping it hadn’t been cleared out for them, Laura and Bill walked hand in hand with Lia ahead and Grace clinging to Bill’s other hand. Their security followed at enough of a distance to let them have their time, and she appreciated the chance to walk around like she wasn’t the President married to the fleet’s commanding officer.

“So,” she murmured as they approached the center of the park, “what do you girls want to do?”

“What can we do?” Lia glanced over her shoulder, already smiling.

“If you’re hungry, we can get dinner. We can walk around. There’s the arcade and movie theater, the big pool.” She stopped when Bill grunted. “Right, no pool.”

It had been forced to shut down during the water crisis and later determined that it wasn’t worth the use of water to keep it open. The few hotels had smaller, easier to maintain pools that were still operational, but the large one with slides and diving boards remained empty until they determined what could be done with it.

Lia turned around and walked backwards to look at them. “Wait, can we go to the pool anyway?”

Her eyebrow shot up in curiosity. “Why?”

She shrugged. “How often do you get the chance to explore an empty pool? We’ll be careful, Mom, and then we can get dinner.”

Laura tilted her head to look at her husband, her eyebrow still raised. When she didn’t say anything, he squeezed her hand.

“Why not?” he asked with a small smile.

After another moment of consideration, she nodded. He squeezed her hand again and then spun them around to guide them to the abandoned pool. Lia was disappointed at the locked door, but using knowledge Laura didn’t want to know how he had attained, he found his way to an unlocked side door and held it open for them.

“No running,” Laura said a split second before Grace took off. “And stay near the shallow end until you get inside, please.”

“Yes, Mama!” Grace shouted as she slowed to a half-jog toward the stairs, Lia right behind her.

Bill and Laura followed their daughters down into the pool, the concrete sides surrounding them with the quiet slides and diving boards on opposite ends. The room smelled a little dusty from disuse, the lingering, penetrating scent of chlorine underneath it. But it was quiet, almost serene, save for the girls’ laughter as they found a ball at the very bottom that they began to kick back and forth. After a look to make sure she was okay, Bill and Laura joined them, forming a large square where they could play ball. Everything felt so calm, so normal, that it was easy to forget who and where they were. Laura treasured every second.

Hoping to enjoy more activities through the rest of the evening, she excused herself after a while. Breathless but content, she left her family to continue playing and made her way to one of the lower diving boards nearby. It allowed her to sit close enough to hear and watch them while she recovered her breath, leaning forward with her folded hands on her legs. Grace broke away a few minutes later and joined her, Laura shifting so her daughter could sit between her legs and she could hold onto her. With water, the height wouldn’t have been concerning, but she didn’t want her to fall in now. Bill and Lia continued to kick the ball back and forth, kicking harder now that Grace and Laura weren’t down there. It made Laura roll her eyes, but she shifted her focus to Grace and kissed her head.

“Are you okay, baby?” she asked softly.

Grace didn’t respond for a while, her hands lightly resting over her mother’s. “Are you gonna leave?”

It took her a second to understand what she meant. “One day, hopefully a long, long time from now, I will. Everyone dies, honey, but I’m not going anywhere right now.”

“Why?”

She pursed her lips and sighed. “Can I tell you a secret?” Confused, Grace leaned her head back to look up at her. “I don’t know why. I don’t understand it, but Dr. Cottle and Dr. Baltar found a really good medicine that made me better, and we didn’t know about it before. But I do know that I’m not sick anymore and I’m not going anywhere. That’s why I’m here with you, not in Sick Bay.” She paused and bit her lip until she continued, “I could get sick again too, but I’m going to keep seeing Dr. Cottle, so I don’t want you to worry about that.”

“So, we can go back to your ship?” she asked after another hesitation.

“I thought you liked being on Galactica with Daddy.” Her arms reflexively tightened a bit.

“But you felt better on Colonial One.” Her little brow furrowed far deeper than it ever should.

“Oh, baby.” Laura hugged her even closer and pressed a firm kiss to her head. “I’m feeling better on Galactica too. And here. I don’t want either ship to give you any bad memories.”

“But you don’t like the Rising Star.”

A surprised laugh tumbled out. “Can I do anything to make you feel more comfortable?”

Grace shifted her arms so they were wrapped around her mother’s, hugging her back as best she could from in front of her. “I don’t want you to leave…”

She took a deep breath and nodded, her legs idly swinging off the edge of the diving board. “Okay, what about this? I still have work to do, but I can take half-days through the rest of this week. When you’re done with school, we’ll have time together. Whether it’s on Galactica or Colonial One.”

“Really?” She suddenly twisted around and sat back on her heels.

Worried, Laura moved to grab her sides to make sure she didn’t fall back. “Really,” she promised. “I’m sorry I scared you and I didn’t have much time recently to make sure you were okay.”

“You were sick, Mama.” She shuffled closer and hugged her tightly. “I like sleeping when I’m sick.”

“Yes, you do.” She kissed her forehead and held her closer. “I love you, Grace. My sweet baby girl.”

“Love you,” she mumbled into her chest.

When Lia grew tired of playing with the ball, she kicked it to the far end of the pool and then sat down in the deepest part. Bill joined her and after a moment, they both laid back to stare at the still-brightly painted mural on the ceiling. The colored tiles depicted a cartoon seascape with fish swimming in and out of waves, surrounded by seaweed and coral. It was a beautiful piece of artwork and a shame that it lived in an abandoned room.

Lia stretched her legs out and pillowed her head on her arms. “I remember the first time you and Mom took me to the aquatic center,” she murmured.

He let his head roll toward her and smiled in surprise. “You were so little.”

“I was, like, five,” she huffed with an eye roll that matched her mother.

“Little,” he repeated with a larger smile. “I’m surprised you remember.”

She shrugged and lifted her head and an arm to gesture to the ceiling. “Just reminded me of it. Mom was so worried about you throwing me into the water and I loved it. Loved going under and swimming around.”

“I thought Mom was gonna kill me the first time I threw you in.” He laughed and looked back up at the ceiling. “One of my favorite memories is taking you kids to the Ionian Sea after we got married. Seeing the three of you out in the water; I’ve never felt luckier in my life until now.”

“Oh, c’mon, Dad,” she let out a soft sound tinged with nostalgia, “Mom’s supposed to be the sappy one.”

“Hey, I cried the day I married your mother, the day your sister was born. Hell, I cried the day you first called me Dad.” His eyebrow arched up, his heart beating a little faster just from remembering it all. “Growing up, my father didn’t show a lot of emotion and spending so much time in the military…” He shrugged and cleared his throat. “I tried to do better by you, tried to be a better father to Lee and Zak, to Grace too.”

“Wait, Dad…” She rolled onto her stomach and looked at him in concern. “You haven’t been a bad dad. Not even to Lee or Zak. I mean, yeah, you were gone a lot, but you made the time count when you were there. I remember when Mom told me you’d be around more and then when you started dating; I was so happy. I’m still so glad you stayed and Mom wanted you to stay. And I don’t remember a whole lot when it was just Mom and me, but you’re my dad and I love you.”

Emotions swelled over him and he had to clear his throat again. “I love you too, Thalia. Have since the first day I saw you.” To stop the tears from leaking out of his eyes, he pushed himself up with a groan and found his wife and Grace swaying gently on the diving board. He patted Lia’s leg and stood up, dusting off his back as best he could as he made his way over. “Come here,” he called when he stood under them, his arms extended up.

Grace immediately crawled to the edge of the diving board and looked over, but Laura followed and kept a tight hold on her.

“Don’t you dare,” she warned, looking at her husband more than her daughter.

“It’s not that far; I’ll catch her,” he promised.

“Someone is going to get hurt!” She glanced around and winced at the rough board digging into her knees through her pants.

“Trust me, Laura.” He grinned and looked at Grace who was ready to jump as soon as Laura let go.

“William,” she started, but Grace got free and slid off the diving board. A loud gasp left her mouth, but it immediately turned into a sigh of relief as Bill easily caught her and hugged her close.

“See? It’s fine. Your turn.” He knew she would never do it, but he still enjoyed the scandalized look she shot at him. “I’m kidding, honey. Let’s go eat.”

“You…” She narrowed her eyes and then let out a breath, allowing her anxiety to leave with it. “You’re no good,” she settled on, but she found herself smiling as she moved backwards off the diving board and stood up.

After dusting off both Bill’s and Lia’s backs, they left the way they came. The girls walked ahead and Bill and Laura let their steps slow down to give themselves a small amount of space.

“Good conversation with Grace?” he asked quietly.

She hummed and nodded. “It’s like she doesn’t believe that I’m okay. It’s so hard for her. But I think I’ll do a few half-days and let Billy handle things a little longer. It’ll ease me back into things and I can give her some more dedicated attention.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” he agreed. “I knew you’d shoot it down if anyone suggested it.”

“So, you conspired with our daughter to get me to take it easy?” She raised a warning eyebrow.

His hand immediately went up in surrender. “No, I did not. It’s her finally opening up.“

Her eyes found her younger daughter and she sighed. “They’ll be okay, won’t they?

“They are so strong, Laura. Look at how they’ve handled the last few months. I think they’re gonna be just fine.” He wrapped his arm around her side and pulled her in. “Lia is gonna be the next genius scientist and who knows what Grace’ll do. Maybe she’ll be president one day, or, gods forbid, a lawyer.”

Laura laughed at that and shook her head. “They have a future.”

“Because of you.” He quickly leaned in to kiss her temple.

“Because of us,” she corrected quietly.

Unwilling to argue, he only nodded and picked up their pace so they could catch up with the girls.

That night, after dinner and a shower, Laura sat beside her daughter in Grace’s bed. Lia and Bill were in their quarters working on the model ship and she had excused herself to give them time together and to put a sleepy Grace to bed. She curled up with her slightly damp hair in her mother’s lap and her arms tightly hugging her giraffe close. Deciding to focus on her daughter instead, Laura sat their book aside and rubbed her shoulder, a soft smile resting on her face.

“Sleep, baby girl,” she murmured as her finger stroked her cheek. It came back wet and Grace sniffled quietly. “Oh, what’s wrong, honey?”

She sucked in a shaky breath and then her dam broke.

There were no words, only heart-wrenching sobs as she buried her face in her lap and hugged her giraffe even tighter. They came out so suddenly that Laura wasn’t sure what to do at first. Her hand hovered over her head and it took her several moments before she could rest it on her back, slowly stroking up and down. She could feel her wails through her hand and her body and it painfully tugged on her heart until she had to wrap her arms around her and pull her against her chest. Grace only grabbed onto her, little hands desperately gripping her stuffed animal and Laura’s shirt until she was convinced they could never be separated.

“Oh, Grace,” she sighed, quickly realizing her voice was as shaky as her daughter’s breathing. “I’m so so sorry.” She hugged her tighter and leaned against the bulkhead, unsure of what she could do, if anything, to help reassure her. Nothing came to mind and she continued to hold her, rocking gently and praying that she could get her through this. “Do you want to go back to Daddy?”

Her sobs instantly grew louder again and Laura quickly shook her head. “No, no,” she whimpered, “don’t leave!”

“I’m not leaving, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” she promised softly. “We can go lay down there so you’re not by yourself.” Grace pressed closer and nodded. “But you’re such a big girl that I need you to walk with me.”

It physically pained her that even at full strength, she couldn’t carry her daughter anymore. She remembered when Lia had gotten too big to be carried, thankfully after Bill was in their lives, and then Grace had been there. The reminder that they were both growing up hurt, but it was tempered by the relief that she would be there to see it.

“Come on, honey, let’s go lay down in Mama and Daddy’s bed.” She kept her hold on Grace as long as she could as she eased out of the bed, then kept hold of her arm to help her up.

Grace grabbed onto her pants and reluctantly followed her to the hatch, tears still streaming down her cheeks and her nose running. Not bothering with finding a tissue there, she led her into the corridor and back to her quarters.

Not expecting the hatch to open, Bill looked up and was on his feet as soon as he saw the distraught look on his wife’s face and heard Grace’s cries. Lia stood across from him and Laura tried to wave them off.

“Will you lay her down?” she pleaded softly.

He didn’t need to respond, just scooped his youngest daughter up and carried her back to the rack. Laura rested her hand on Lia’s shoulder and leaned up to kiss her cheek.

“She’s processing a lot,” she sighed, her eyes closing briefly. “And it’s not easy. I think today is finally bringing it out.”

“She’s okay? You’re okay?” Her eyes scanned her mother worriedly and Laura gave her a reassuring smile and nod.

“I think she’ll be okay. I’ll lay down with her so you and Dad can keep working.” She pulled back to follow after her husband.

Grace’s sobs had finally started to quiet as Bill settled her under the blankets, leaving the edge pulled back so Laura could lay next to her. He leaned against the bulkhead and played with her hair, hating the tired, distressed look she gave him when she lifted her head. Lightly, he tapped her nose and smiled.

“Love you, sweetheart,” he said quietly.

She wiped at her eyes, but her attention was caught the moment Laura walked into the room. When she held her arms out, she rushed over without hesitation and climbed up beside her. Bill moved his hand to her back since she sat so close to the edge, but she was entirely focused on further calming Grace.

“You can go back to Lia. We’ll be okay here,” she told him quietly, but her eyes didn’t leave their daughter.

“She sleeping in here?” he asked, even though he knew the answer.

“Probably.” She let out a breath and glanced at him. “We can get her set up on the couch later.”

He shook his head and kissed her temple. “Whatever you both need,” he said before he walked away.

Laura curled up beside her daughter and held her close. Now that her crying had faded, the exhaustion started to set in and it was too strong for her to fight. She watched her try anyway, and only relaxed when Grace finally fell asleep, her body so close and gripping her shirt so tightly that Laura knew she couldn’t move without waking her up. No part of her wanted to, and she got as comfortable as she could with her eyes on her daughter and the soft sounds of Bill and Lia’s conversation drifting back from the other room.

Chapter Text

Laura pulled her blazer on and quickly did up the buttons, her eyes moving over her desk as she tried to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything. Billy stood beside her and she raised an eyebrow before she looked at him, waiting for him to share whatever was on his mind.

“You’re nervous,” he finally said.

“I’m not,” she defended immediately as her hands slid into her pockets.

“Madam President…”

“Why would I be nervous? It’s a field day for my daughter’s class and I’ve seen dozens of them in my life.” Her eyebrow arched higher, denial deep in her mind.

“Maybe because you’ve had to spend more time as President than mother,” he suggested quietly. “And Grace hasn’t completely settled back in.”

She sighed and absently smoothed out her skirt. “Billy.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am.” He took a small step back.

“Oh, no. Don’t apologize.” She worried at her lip for a moment and glanced around the room before her eyes settled on her aide. “You’re right… Four kids and gods know how many more we’ve adopted along the way,” she paused to give him a small smile, “and none of it prepares you for situations like this.”

“I don’t think anything could prepare you for this, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.” He returned her small smile. “You’re going to be late.”

With a soft hum, she fixed her blazer and knew she couldn’t procrastinate anymore. “Thank you,” she murmured before she rounded her desk and headed out of the room.

In all her years of teaching and attending field days with Lia, she had settled for jeans or shorts to be comfortable as she ran with her students. Lacking either of those options and hesitant to dress so casually, she was stuck in her skirt and blazer to watch from the sidelines. Even Bill had warned her to take it easy, despite Cottle finally giving her as clean of a bill of health as he could weeks ago. From the way her Marine guard eyed her warily—like she would bolt at any moment—she wondered if Bill had warned them.

When she finally made it through the crowded port on Cloud Nine and into the bright sunlight of the park, a smile began to form. Even fake, the light and warmth felt wonderful and she didn’t hesitate to unbutton her blazer as she scanned the small horde of students, parents, and handful of teachers. It wasn’t surprising when she found Grace glued to Klarice’s side and she moved toward them, her smile growing as quickly as her nerves did.

“Hi, baby,” she said when she was close enough.

Grace spun around and looked at her, her eyes lighting up immediately. “Mama! You came!”

“Of course I did!” She held her hand out, learning to let her daughter come to her.

She reached for her and then hesitated, worriedly looking back at her teacher. Klarice smiled reassuringly and gently nudged her forward. It took her a moment before she closed the distance, but she ignored her hand and instead tightly hugged her. Laura’s breath caught in her chest and surprise delayed her reaction. Her hand rested on her daughter’s head and then she knelt in front of her to properly but gently hug her, tears forming in her eyes faster than she thought possible.

“Why are you crying?” Grace asked as she pulled back and lightly touched her cheek.

“Because I’m really happy to be here,” Laura quietly replied, her hand lightly trembling as she brushed her hair back from her face.

“I’m glad you’re here too.” She smiled and kissed her cheek. “C’mon, we’re gonna start soon.”

Laura allowed herself to be pulled along by her daughter, lingering just long enough to catch the smile Klarice shot at her.

It didn’t take long before she had to completely remove her blazer, instead draping it over her arm as she watched the younger students run back and forth. Races, relays, and hurdles kept them occupied for nearly an hour and Laura’s heart felt like it was glowing as she watched her daughter get to be a true child and not look like she held the weight of the world on her tiny shoulders. It lightened the weight on her own shoulders and she only wished Bill could have gotten away from the CIC to join them.

“Mama! Mama! It’s your turn!” Grace’s excited voice pulled her from her reverie and she smoothed out her wild hair as she looked down at her.

“My turn?” she repeated with a raise of her eyebrow.

“Yeah!” She waved toward the parents lining up in the center of the crowd with their children halfway down the stretch of grass for a relay race. “We gotta win!”

In that moment—or in general—there was nothing she wouldn’t do for her daughter. With a soft laugh, she looked down at herself and shrugged. “Alright, let’s go win,” she agreed with a wide smile.

She stepped out of her heels and bent down to fold her blazer on top of them, the sound of approaching footsteps behind her making her turn around when she straightened up. Knowing what the Marine would say before he even spoke, she raised an eyebrow again.

“Madam President, are you sure—”

“What could possibly go wrong that couldn’t happen with me just standing here? When he asks, tell Admiral Adama that you protested and I ignored you.” She smiled and didn’t wait for his response.

She followed Grace toward the other parents and watched her jog ahead to join her classmates, her happy giggle flowing behind her. Laura laughed and ran her fingers through her hair, casting a glance at the woman next to her.

“Madam President,” she stammered, her eyes wide.

“Hello,” she hummed. “You don’t happen to have a spare hair tie, do you?”

“Oh, uh. Yeah. Yes, ma’am.” She pulled one off her wrist and offered it, the shock still not fading from her face.

Laura’s smile remained and she quickly pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail before she set her sights on Grace, the grass surprisingly cool against her bare feet. Klarice counted down to start the race and then she took off, lagging behind at first until she built up speed and reached the line of children along with another mother. Grace took off with an even more shocking amount of speed, her brow furrowed in concentration. Laura doubled over panting and laughing, enjoying the feeling of her heart thudding in her chest. Not having anyone hovering over her in concern helped too.

Grace crossed the finish line first, but she didn’t stop. She circled back and headed straight for her mother, laughing carelessly and gleefully. Expecting her to slow down when she got close, Laura was knocked off balance and fell to the grass with Grace on top of her.

“Ma’am!” Her guard rushed closer and she immediately waved them off, hating the hush that had fallen over the parents and students.

“I’m okay,” she called before she lowered her voice. “Good gods…” She threw her arms around her daughter and sat up to press a firm kiss to her forehead. “You did it!”

“You’re so fast, Mama!” Grace laughed and wiped her kiss off.

“So are you!” She couldn’t stop laughing, her daughter’s exhilaration contagious.

The Marines still lingered nearby and tried to help her to her feet, but she only shooed them away again and did it on her own. With her strength and health back came her intense need for independence, especially when she wanted to reassure her children. Smiling, she followed Grace to receive their medals and congratulations, her laughter renewing at the overdramatic scandalized look Klarice gave her.

“What is your husband going to say?” she teased quietly.

“What is your husband going to say?” she countered.

“Touché, Madam President. I’m glad you made it. Grace too.”

“I am too. I think we both needed this.” She ruffled her daughter’s hair and smiled down at her. “Ready to head home, sweetheart?”

“I can’t wait to tell Daddy!” She started to run off, but Laura gently caught her arm and pulled her back.

“Hang on, Grace. You have to stay close so you don’t get lost, remember?” When Grace stopped resisting, she let go.

“Then let’s go, Mama!” She ran in place, eager to get back to their family.

“You better get her home. Goodbye, Grace, see you tomorrow.” Klarice laughed softly.

“Bye, Miss Webb!” Grace waved and then Laura gave in and started toward the port.

Lia met them there and they took the shuttle back to Galactica, Grace’s excitement never fading. It took everything in Laura just to get her settled at the table to color while she finalized a few reports and they waited for Bill to finish his shift.

The moment the hatch opened, Grace dropped her crayon and sat upright with a gasp. She waited long enough for Bill to walk in before she launched herself at him, tightly hugging him and rambling so quickly that no one else could keep up. Laughing, he scooped her up and hugged her close.

“Slow down, Grace, slow down. Did you have a good day?” he asked as he smiled teasingly.

“Daddy! Daddy, I almost got arrested!”

He stared at her, his eyebrow slowly rising as he shifted his attention to his wife. “You what?”

“I did! The Marines were there and everything!”

Confused by her excitement and the stifled laughter from Laura, he didn’t move. “What?”

Laura rolled her eyes and stood up. “She’s exaggerating.”

“Exaggerating what?” He didn’t think his eyebrow could arch any higher or his confusion grow any more.

“I knocked over the President and the Marines were there! But we won the race because Mama is so fast! It was so much fun, Daddy! I bet you’re even faster than her! You’re probably even faster than Johnny! He could’ve beat us but his mom’s too slow!” She wriggled in his arms until he had to set her down and she began to run laps around the table.

“I didn’t give her any sugar,” Laura promised. “I think it’s a runner’s high.”

“And you?” he asked carefully.

“I’m just fine,” she answered with a hum and a smile. “We should probably do something about this, though.” She timed it just right so when she leaned over, she captured Grace in her arms and pulled the giggling girl in close. “Think Kara will take her for a run through the corridors?”

“Please! Oh, can we?” She bounced up and down on her heels and pleadingly looked up at her father.

“She just came off CAP, so I’ll ask.” He started to turn toward the next room but stopped and picked her up again. “You’re big enough. You can ask her,” he decided.

Even more excited, she once again started to wriggle in his arms and he had to set her down. He guided her toward the wireless and dialed the pilots’ bunks, then handed the phone down to her when Kara answered.

“Kara! Kara, can we go running? Please!”

Bill didn’t need to hear Starbuck’s answer; Grace’s shriek of delight told him everything. Laura’s laugh reached them from the table and he shook his head.

As soon as Kara picked up Grace and promised to return her tired enough for dinner and bed, he sat down at the table across from his wife. She didn’t look up from the report she was nearly done with, absently fiddling with her pen between her fingers. He watched her, slowly taking in the healthy flush to her cheeks, the slight smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and the undercurrent of peace that ran through her.

“You gonna scold me for running in the relay race?” she grumbled without looking up.

“No.”

That made her lift her head and she stared at him. “No?”

“Did it make you happy? Did Grace have fun?” He leaned forward and stretched a hand out to cover hers.

“She loved it. Honey, she was so happy to see me and lead me all over. She was our Grace again and we both needed that.” Her voice was soft, urging him to understand, and it worried him that she was so nervous. “It felt good.”

He squeezed her hand and gently pulled it close to press a kiss to her knuckles. “It’s good to have you back too,” he murmured. “Join me when you’re done?”

“Gladly.” She smiled and pulled her hand back, watching from the corner of her eye as he moved to get comfortable on the couch.

Once she finished off the report and set it aside, she got up and crossed the room with a soft hum, ready to sit somewhere more comfortable. She sank into his lap with a huff and let her head come to rest on his shoulder. His arms immediately encircled her waist and pulled her closer as he pressed a kiss to her neck.

“Long day?” he asked with a soft laugh.

“I won a relay race, you know. A solid workout.” She stretched her legs out and kicked her shoes off, then settled back against his chest.

“Why is it that you get to do all the fun things with our children?” His fingers began to wander, dancing over her hip and down her leg until he found bare skin where her skirt had ridden up.

“Because my schedule is somehow a little less demanding and you got to do all the fun things when you were home before,” she answered with a small smirk. At his touch, her legs spread open a little more.

“Oh, so it’s only fair?” He chuckled and kissed the curve where her neck met her shoulder. “Maybe I should make it up to you, then.”

“I’m listening.”

“You don’t usually listen to me.” He pressed another kiss behind her ear and she could feel his taunting smile.

“Then you better take advantage of it now.” She turned to smirk at him, her hand moving to rest on his. “You know,” she added, “I still can’t believe I let you frak me in your car.”

“Which time?” He grinned and slipped his hand under her skirt, his palm covering her thigh.

“The fact that it happened more than once.” She shook her head and shifted in his lap, aware of his slowly growing arousal.

“I don’t remember you complaining,” he murmured against her skin as he trailed kisses down her neck. Fingers ventured further between her legs, taking advantage of the space she made for him. “In fact, I very clearly remember you getting in my car without these,” he continued when his thumb brushed the edge of her underwear. “And frak, Laura, hearing you come undone while still giving me directions made me want to frak you even more. Still does.”

A soft moan fell from her parted lips and she reached behind to grab his hair, managing to pull him into a kiss. His teeth tugged at her lip at the same time his hand found its way into her underwear and pressed against her. A shiver ran through her and she tilted her hips. With another quiet moan, her fingers tangled in his hair and he pressed his finger into her welcoming body.

“I thought you were just a cocky Viper jock,” she admitted, her breath hitching when he added a second finger. “But gods, you’re attractive and you didn’t lie about how good you are with your hands.”

His fingers explored her well-mapped body, easily finding the areas that had her trembling in his lap. He kept his fingers curled so his palm only occasionally grazed her, wanting to work her slowly. She kissed him again and ground against his partial erection, her flushed skin beading with sweat beneath her blouse.

“Hands for flying and mouth for a beautiful woman,” he chuckled against her lips. “Both at your service.”

He let his palm finally press against her clit and she bit down on his lip to stifle her moan. Before he could settle into a rhythm, a too-loud knock echoed off the hatch. Laura immediately groaned and pulled her head back just enough to look at him.

“Go away,” she muttered, quietly enough that only he would hear.

“Madam President?” Billy called. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but Delegate Porter is insisting she speak with you. Says it’s urgent.”

She groaned again and let her head fall to Bill’s shoulder, whimpering in frustration when he pulled his hand free and did his best to fix her skirt. “She wants more water rations, I’ll say no, and then I’ll be back to finish this.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed, his clean hand moving to her hip to help her stand. “Need a minute?”

Looking down at herself made her grumble under her breath. He thought she looked presentable, but she fiddled with her skirt and waved her hand vaguely before she started toward the head. Chuckling to himself, but just as frustrated, he adjusted his pants and then stood to let Billy in.

The meeting with the Gemenon delegate ended up taking longer than either of them expected. His wife was apologetic when she said she would likely be stuck on her ship the rest of the evening, but he understood and reassured her, deciding to do a walkthrough of his instead. He passed by Kara and Grace, surprised to see them still jogging through the corridors, but ushered them on and made his way toward the flight deck. With most of the deck crew working on mining operations still, it was fairly quiet and allowed the singular conversation to drift toward the upper level. Curious, he leaned against the railing to look down, smiling at the sight of Kat standing beside her Viper with Lia.

“I don’t know, kid, you could probably be a badass pilot like me. Hell, you might even be half as good as Starbuck.” Her ego was plain in her voice, but he supposed she had earned it after taking out Scar. As long as her cockiness didn’t go too far, he wasn’t worried. “You wanna hop in?”

“Oh, my gods, can I?” Lia jumped up and headed for the ladder as soon as Kat nodded, careful of where she laid her hands.

She had seen the interior of a Viper several times, even before the attacks, and he had never seen her as excited as she was now. It sent a little thrill through him and he settled more comfortably against the railing to watch, a small part of him feeling guilty for intruding.

Kat helped Lia get settled in the Viper and talked her through the whole process of take off and landing, and he was impressed by how much his daughter already knew. When he sensed their conversation was starting to flow toward a different topic, he slowly made his way down the ladder, allowing his loud footsteps to announce his presence.

“Admiral Adama, sir!” Kat quickly turned around and saluted until he dismissed it.

“At ease, Kat. Just checking the ship, heard some activity down here.” He smiled and nodded toward Lia who was frozen halfway out of the Viper. “It’s okay. Makes me happy seeing how interested you still are in them.”

“Really?” She slowly sank back down into the seat and smiled. “Mom always blamed you for me liking space.”

“Yeah, she did.” He laughed. “That first day when I showed up with the toy, I thought she was gonna slam the door in my face.”

“Oh, I bet.” She shook her head and looked at Kat. “My mom’s hated space as long as I can remember. Ironic now, isn’t it?”

Kat shrugged but didn’t say anything. Bill couldn’t blame her, caught between her commanding officer and the President.

“Yeah, just don’t tell her you were here, alright? She’ll airlock me in a heartbeat.” He grumbled under his breath for a moment, grateful Lia was still underage and couldn’t enlist even if she wanted to.

“Oh, gods no. Nope, she’ll never know.” She held her hand up to swear her promise in.

“Good. Don’t do anything stupid,” he warned them.

“Yes, sir,” Kat promised.

Satisfied they wouldn’t try anything, he nodded and turned around to head back to his quarters.

The completion of the mining mission kept them both too busy for any quiet time together. Left unsatisfied after their last interrupted encounter, Laura found herself with a slightly shorter attention span and temper. She wouldn’t admit to her frustration, but as soon as their meeting surrounding the conclusion of the mission ended, she caught her husband’s eye and they shared a heated, knowing look. She warned Billy not to disturb her on her way out of the Wardroom and followed Bill down the corridor to his quarters.

“I have twenty minutes,” she said once the hatch was shut behind her. She gave him a firm look, her hands already undoing the buttons on her blazer.

“Could be better.” He pulled her close, his hands sliding under her shirt as she let her blazer fall to the deck.

“Could be worse,” she countered and reached for his belt. “Gods, I need you.”

“Do you know how hard it is to stand next to you sometimes?” he growled quietly before he bent to kiss her deeply.

Her response was lost in his lips and she tangled her fingers in his hair to hold him close. He devoured her mouth while she pushed his belt buckle out of the way and started on his pants. She was out of breath almost immediately and pressed her forehead against his, green eyes blinking open to meet dark blue.

“Is it hard now?” she whispered teasingly, her fingers following the waistband of his underwear when they found their way into his pants.

“Stop teasing and find out.” He tugged at her lip until she gasped.

“Yes, sir.” She smirked and trailed her fingers over his erection that twitched in response. “Nineteen minutes.”

“Counting down?” Slowly, he backed her toward the table.

“Need to make sure we can finish this time.”

Before he could pin her, she pulled her hands free and shoved her skirt up to push her underwear down. They dropped from her foot with her shoes as he set her on the wooden surface that creaked underneath her. Her eyebrow arched up, but she trusted how sturdy the table was and refocused on freeing his erection.

“I’ve frakking missed you,” he murmured as she wrapped her legs around him and tugged him close. “Wanna take my time.”

“We don’t have time.” She briefly pouted, but he kissed it away.

One hand found its way to her back and supported her while the other lined himself up. He was slow pressing into her and felt her dig her heels into his ass. Her breath hitched and a long, quiet moan tumbled from her parted lips. As much as he wanted to frak her, he was still considerate and careful, but she leaned back and pushed her hips toward him so he bottomed out. He groaned immediately and dug his fingers into her back.

“Frak, Laura,” he moaned, barely pausing to catch his breath before he began to rock his hips.

“Think we’re getting… too old to frak like this,” she gasped out, her rolled up skirt digging into her thighs.

“Can move to the rack,” he offered, his hands sliding to her hips in preparation to pick her up.

“Don’t you dare,” she threatened, her fingers gently tugging on his hair.

He didn’t respond and kept his hands where they were, groaning again as her body fluttered and clenched around his cock. She let her head roll back and a shudder ran down her spine, the discomfort of the position fading under the pleasure of him grinding against her.

“Bill…” She moaned, dropping her hand to her stomach and then down to between her legs. Her fingers found her clit and she circled it in time with his thrusts, her soft cries slowly growing louder.

He felt his stomach start to tighten and he slowed his movements, his lips capturing hers once more. Her fingers pressed down more insistently as she chased her own release, feeling it just out of reach.

The alert klaxon sounded through the room a heartbeat before Gaeta’s voice joined it. “Cylons spotted. Set condition one across the fleet. I repeat, Cylons spotted. Set condition one across the fleet. Admiral Adama to the CIC.”

He managed a few more thrusts before the words processed and he groaned, heavily leaning against her with his hands planted on the table. “You’ve got to be frakking kidding me,” he groaned.

She reluctantly dropped her legs and caressed his cheek, unable to keep her own frustration and disappointment off her face. “Go,” she sighed breathlessly. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

He pulled out and kissed her quickly before he began to fix his uniform. “I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault.” She reached out to wipe a smear of lipstick off his mouth. “I guess twenty minutes would’ve been enough.”

“I still owe you ten.” He kissed her again and helped her off the table. “Love you.”

“Love you,” she managed to say just before he hurried through the hatch.

She grimaced as she retrieved her underwear and shoes, fixing her own clothes and hair before she followed after him with a frown on her face that kept everyone out of her way.

Kat and Lee finished off the Cylon Raiders and the fleet quickly jumped away to safety, the crisis averted for the moment. Releasing the tension that always formed when her children, the fleet, were in danger, Laura let out a breath and leaned against the CnC.

“Good job,” she huffed, the relief she felt still countered by her interrupted orgasm. “Any other crises for today?”

“Sorry, forgot my crystal ball today, Madam President,” Saul grumbled.

She shot him a look and pushed herself upright; Bill chuckled to himself and also gave his friend a warning glance. “Damn, I forgot mine too.”

“Alright, you two.” He shook his head. “Make sure Chief gets to work on Starbuck’s Viper. CIC is yours.”

With only looks to communicate, Laura followed him from the CIC and through the crew members making their way to or from their stations in the aftermath of condition one. “We should check on the girls, Colonial One,” she told him as he pushed his way through.

“We will.”

He didn’t stop, but his hand shot back to grab hers and help her keep up. A moment before he pulled her into one of the officer’s heads, she resisted and looked at him with wide eyes.

“What the frak are you thinking?” she hissed, quietly enough that no one around them would hear.

“I’m not,” he shot back in the same quiet tone. “But for frak’s sake, if we get interrupted one more time…”

“And that’s more likely to happen here!” She waved toward the hatch and shook her head.

“Fine, c’mon.” He tightened his hold on her hand and tugged her down another few corridors until they found an empty one. Out of sight of anyone else, he entered a code and shoved open another hatch to pull her inside. “Better?” he questioned after securing the hatch behind them.

“Could’ve just waited until we were home.” She pouted, but her eyes were dark with lust and she couldn’t keep her hands off him.

“Could you?’

“No,” she groaned. “Frak me, godsdamn it.”

Her fingers easily found the zipper on her skirt and lowered it, letting the fabric fall to the deck. The underwear came next and he groaned as he watched, the sight of her eagerness making his cock throb as he pulled it from his pants. Free of most of her clothes, she twisted around and pressed her hands against the bulkhead, fingers curling around the metal bar to steady herself. Needing no other encouragement, he slid his arm around her waist and pushed home.

“Oh, frak!” she gasped, her head falling between her arms. “Don’t you dare drag this out.”

“Couldn’t even if I wanted to,” he groaned as he pulled out and quickly thrusted back into her. “Frak, Laura.”

He shifted to grab her hips, fingers digging into the skin and sending shocks of pleasure through her trembling body. It allowed him to frak her harder, faster, ignoring the twinge in his back as she moaned encouragingly. Without his hold on her, she would’ve collapsed into the bulkhead between her shaking legs and his thrusts, but he kept her up, his panted breaths hot against her shoulder even through her blazer.

“Bill!” Her back arched and she pressed into each thrust, a shudder going up her spine as he bottomed out and forced every other thought from her head. “Oh, my gods, Bill!”

His fingers curled around her thighs and the feeling of her surrendering herself so completely to him, her body fluttering and asking for more, sent his orgasm crashing through him. His hips pressed against hers and he held her tightly as he came, burying his moans in the fabric of her blazer. A low groan forced its way up her throat and she desperately clung to the bulkhead, her breath coming in sharp pants mixed with moans.

“You’re frakking amazing,” he whispered in her ear, gently tugging on her lobe with his teeth. “Can’t believe I get to frak you like this.”

Her stomach clenched and as he ground his hips against hers, she finally came with stuttered, breathless moans of his name. He shifted so his arm was around her waist again just in time for her body to sag back against him, easily taking her weight and fully holding her up.

“Oh, frak,” she laughed, glancing over her shoulder to look at him. “Mhmm, I’m gonna feel that tomorrow, huh?”

“You and me both.” He rubbed his back with his free hand and then helped her stand up, his hands lightly on her hips for stability. “You okay?”

“You gonna carry me home?” When he pulled back, she turned to lean against the bulkhead and grimaced at the mess between her thighs. “You know, condoms make this whole thing a lot less messy.”

“I’m sorry.” He kissed her softly but couldn’t help his grin. “I’d offer to clean you up, but something tells me you wouldn’t last.”

“Gods, no.” She laughed again and ran her fingers through her hair. “We should really go check on the girls now.”

“We will,” he repeated, leaning in to kiss her more deeply.

She moaned against his lips and hummed. After breaking the kiss, she carefully leaned down and grabbed her clothes, using her underwear to clean herself up before she pulled her skirt on. He took her underwear and shoved them in his pocket with a smirk.

“Feel better?” he asked, his grin returning.

“Do you?”

“And then some.” He helped her fix her skirt and then stepped back.

“Can you imagine if we got caught?” Her eyes briefly went wide with panic at the thought.

“The Admiral and the President needed to have a private conversation. Nothing suspicious there.” He held out his hands, daring her to question him.

“Except when they’re married.” She raised an eyebrow instead.

“What happened to the woman I frakked on the flight to Virgon?” he asked genuinely.

“She had another baby, became Secretary of Education and then President,” she answered softly. “I don’t regret it. Just easier to overthink things now.”

“It’s always been easy for you to overthink things.” He moved closer again and cupped her cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you.” She smiled and kissed him softly. “Come on, I’m not wandering this ship without underwear all day.”

“I like the thought of that though.”

“Oh, my gods, Bill.” She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smirk that formed.

He laughed and stole one last kiss before he listened through the hatch and pulled it open. They emerged into a still-empty corridor and he laced their fingers together. She squeezed his hand as they started walking, letting her head rest against his shoulder until they reached a more populated section of the ship.

Chapter Text

Grace fidgeted in her seat, her crayons and scrap paper abandoned on the table. She rested her chin in her hands and looked up, and Laura sighed before she even repeated her question.

“Where’s Daddy?”

“He’ll be here soon.” It was the same answer as the last ten times she had asked the question in the last eight minutes.

“But when?” she whined, tears shining in her green eyes.

“Grace, if you can’t be patient, we’re going home.” The threat would hurt her more than her daughter, but it was all she had to use.

Originally supposed to be a quiet night for her and Bill, Grace’s clinginess had quickly interrupted it. She had been doing better, especially since the field day, but it still presented itself at random moments and they hadn’t found a solution other than to keep her close. Date night had quickly turned into a family dinner.

“I just want Daddy.” She pouted and buried her face in her arms.

“I know.” Laura sighed again and after glancing at a quiet Lia, leaned back in her seat to scan the lounge, her eyes lingering on the tense trio of Billy, Dee, and Lee. She couldn’t hear their conversation, but none of them looked happy and it made her brow furrow. “Stay here; I’ll be right back.”

“Mom, leave them alone,” Lia warned.

“I’m getting a drink, Lia. Don’t worry,” she responded absently as she stood up.

Focused on them across the room, she didn’t see the woman approaching her until just before they collided. She came to a sudden stop and the woman bumped into her shoulder, her head raising slowly.

“Oh! Madam President…” She cleared her throat. “Excuse me,” she said hurriedly before she continued further into the room.

Humming softly, Laura shook it off and crossed the last distance to the bar, leaning against it with a sigh. She tried her best not to listen in, but Lee’s voice caught her attention anyway.

“Mom?”

She looked up and tried to seem surprised. “Lee, hi! Dee, Billy, I didn’t know you would all be here.”

The other two didn’t react.

“Uh, yeah. Didn’t know you’d be here.” He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “Is Dad here too?”

“Supposed to be.” A frown briefly appeared and she sighed. “Got stuck in the CIC, so it might just be the girls and me.”

“I’m sorry.” He glanced back at Billy and Dee who were deep in conversation and still hadn’t noticed her. His eyes narrowed a little and he focused over her shoulder, the concern flickering across her face making her turn around.

The woman who had run into her stood talking to a couple of large men. Out of habit, her eyes shifted to the Marine guarding the door. Her eyes moved to her daughters to see Lia staring at the exit and Grace with a teary pout, but her attention was pulled away when Lee tightly grabbed her arm.

“Get them and meet me in the bathroom,” he said quietly, his tone worrying her.

She knew better than to ask questions and kept her pace as subtly quick as she could, watching from the corner of her eye as Lee disappeared into the bathroom, his drink still in his hand. Grace looked up as she got close, but there wasn’t time to reassure the sad look on her face.

“Come on, baby, we’re gonna go to the bathroom real quick,” she murmured, already pulling her to her feet.

“I don’t have to go, Mama.” She wiped at her eyes and resisted.

“I know, but you need to come with me. Lia, you too.” Her voice was firm and she managed to tug her a few steps closer to the bathroom, Lia following right behind.

The sound of rapid footsteps and the outer door crashing down was followed by yelling and gunfire. Instinctively, Laura pulled her daughters close with her arm tightly around Grace and her other gripping Lia’s hand, and looked back.

“Everybody by the bar! Now! Move!” one of the men shouted.

She swallowed hard and shifted a trembling Grace to her side, keeping her as protected as possible as they slowly moved toward the bar. The man aimed his gun at them and her spine tensed up immediately.

“Frak me, we’ve got the President?!” He looked back at the woman clearly in charge.

“Yes, we do,” she said as she slowly walked closer. “We are not criminals. We are members of the fleet, just like you. Just like your children.” Her head tilted toward the girls and Laura pushed them even further behind herself. “You can save everyone here, Madam President. All I want is Sharon Valerii. Agree to give her up and we’ll let you all go. Just like that.”

“We don’t negotiate with terrorists,” she replied calmly, her eyes darting to Dee and Billy just visible behind the bar and praying Lee had a plan in the bathroom. “Whatever you want, whatever your goal, this is not the way to achieve it.”

“Really? When our government, our military, is swarmed with the very toasters they claim to protect us from, why should I believe you?” The woman’s eyes flashed with an anger and sadness that Laura recognized all too well.

“There are no Cylons in the government, none in the military any longer. The Cylon tests have proved that.” The test that hadn’t caught Boomer, but it was the only proof they had.

“If you won’t negotiate, maybe your husband will.” She gestured to one of her men and then the phone. “Call Galactica.”

Bill pushed himself away from the CnC and let out a long, frustrated breath. He scanned the room and decided this was his best chance to make it to Cloud Nine before any other issues arose. Saul would have to handle it from here.

“Colonel Tigh, Admiral, you need to hear this,” the evening communications officer called, a worried look in his eyes.

He gestured to the handset and Bill shook his head so he would put it over the speakers.

“Bill, I need you to listen to me.” Laura’s voice was calm, focused, but there was a thread of fear underneath it all. “They’re holding us hostage. They want the Cylon—“

“That’s enough.” The woman grabbed the phone and pushed her out of the way.

Laura didn’t fight and backed up against the far wall of the bar, her eyes finding Billy who sat on the ground beside Dee and Lia with Grace protectively hugged close. If she was a target, she wouldn’t keep her daughters right by her side.

“My name is Sesha Abinell,” the woman said into the phone. “I have seized control of the Cloud Nine lounge and I’m holding the people in it hostage.”

“What do you want?” Bill demanded, once again leaning against the console with his hands clenched into fists.

“What I want—this is not about what I want. The Colonial fleet has become a Cylon-occupied territory. You are working in collusion with a Cylon agent. The very same model of a Cylon who tried to murder you, Admiral Adama, on your own ship. We want Sharon Valerii. You have two hours.” She slammed the phone down and Laura couldn’t help her slight jump in response.

“Get me everything you can on Sesha Abinell,” he ordered without looking up from the console. Fear had quickly wrapped around his heart and he forced himself to take a deep breath. “I wanna know who else is on that ship and where the frak the President’s guard is.”

“Yes, sir.” Gaeta nodded quickly before he ran off.

Saul stepped closer and rested his hand on his shoulder. “We’ll get them out,” he said quietly.

“Damn right.” He cleared his throat and straightened up.

It took Gaeta too long for Bill’s liking to get the information he needed, but it at least gave him the time to think of at least half a dozen plans for rescue. Fighting too, if it came down to it.

“Sesha Abinell. Fleet records indicate she’s the widow of a Ray Abinell. He was a casualty aboard the Greenleaf Freighter when the Cylons hit it about ten weeks ago.”

“Widow.” He sighed and shook his head. “Who do we have aboard Cloud Nine?”

“Rotation schedule shows Captain Adama, half a Marine squad, and Starbuck’s already there on R&R. The Marines with the President weren’t in the room with her and are currently locked outside the blast doors,” Gaeta explained, his hesitancy obvious.

“That frakking…” He briefly closed his eyes and cut himself off. His wife’s disregard for her safety bothered him at the best of times, but now it only worried him. “Get me Starbuck right away.”

The lounge was too quiet, the only sounds coming from footsteps and Grace’s muffled cries. Laura watched her from where she sat at the opposite end of the bar, fighting her own instincts to go to her. Billy’s and Lia’s silent reassurances were the only thing that kept her where she was. The men across the room fell into a hushed conversation, but Laura caught bits and pieces, focusing more once she realized they were looking for Lee. She held her hands in her lap and slowly leaned over to watch as one of the men walked into the bathroom.

Barely minutes later, he walked back out at gunpoint with Lee standing behind him. “Tell them.”

“Put your weapon down!” Another one of the men ordered.

“He says he’s Captain Adama from Galactica. He just wants to talk,” the hostage said.

“Talk, that’s it. Just talk.” His eyes met Laura’s and she silently, desperately, prayed for his safety.

“They’re together.” Sesha waved toward Dee and Billy, and Laura’s heart skipped a beat. “Put it down or she dies.”

“Oh, gods,” Laura whispered, feeling like a physical force was drawing her toward them.

“Hey, she dies, he dies. You get it?” Lee countered too easily.

“Difference is, you won’t do it. He will.”

Laura swallowed, knowing she was right. Lee struggled for a moment and then surrendered his weapon, immediately earning a punch to the gut from the man he had held.

“We all have someone we care about.” Sesha shook her head and began to pace in front of the bar. “We have his wife, his children. He’s not gonna choose the Cylon over his family.”

Lee was shoved toward the other hostages and Laura took the opportunity to move closer to Billy and Dee, her arms held out for her daughter. Grace threw herself at her and she pulled her close, burying her face in her hair and comfortingly rubbing her back. Once again, she extended her other hand to Lia and squeezed it tightly, mustering as reassuring of a look as she could.

“You just stay down and out of the way, do you understand me?” she whispered firmly to them. “Whatever happens, you stay down until this is over.”

“Hey, shut it!”

She looked up to see a gun aimed at them and swallowed, lifting her hand from Grace’s back in surrender. Before either could say anything, an alarm began to sound. She caught a brief look of relief on Lee’s face.

“CO2 is through the roof,” someone grumbled as he analyzed the console near the door. “They’re trying to suffocate us.”

Laura didn’t think that was likely and wondered what her son had done.

“What is this, a trap?” Sesha scanned the line of hostages before her eyes settled on Lee.

“There’s a reason you don’t just start shooting on a spaceship,” he responded with a shrug. “You probably nicked a line. Why don’t you let me talk to the Admiral, see if we can’t find a way out of this?”

“No, we’re done with this little family affair. Don’t move.” She huffed and reached for the phone again.

Every plan had multiple downsides, even more pointed out by Starbuck. The risk of collateral damage was too high from either side and he wasn’t sure what to do except to go with the best they had. Coordinating with his pilot kept him focused enough until the terrorist called again.

“We’re losing oxygen. If it’s not restored, the hostages die.” Sesha’s voice was as cold as it had been before.

Hoping his instincts that she was bluffing were right, Bill replied, “Then you’ll all die. Because this is over.”

She laughed. “Not until the Cylon’s dead. I’m willing to die to see this through. You willing to risk your family?”

“Son of a bitch,” Starbuck growled and he agreed.

“Suddenly you’re listening.” The success in her voice made him wince. “You’re all alone on this, Admiral.”

“I’m not gonna sacrifice a military asset on your altar of revenge.” His eyes met Saul’s across the console, knowing he’d react the same if it was Ellen in the room. But it was his wife, his children, and he felt nearly powerless to save them.

“What are you talking about? This isn’t a–”

The sound of Laura cutting her off surprised him. “You said this was about us being played by the Cylons, but it isn’t. It’s about the loss of your husband, and I understand that,” she said, imploring the other woman to relate to her. “It’s about you wanting to strike back, and I understand that too. But we’ve all lost people that we care about. And we learn to live with it because it doesn’t go away. Nothing you do makes it go away.” Her eyes fluttered at the memories of her sisters, her parents, and she held Grace a little closer. “This won’t make it go away.”

Sesha stared at her for a moment. “I am sure you are aware, Admiral, of the concrete evidence that Caprica’s defenses were compromised by a Cylon agent who infiltrated the Ministry of Defense on the eve of the attacks.”

“People look for complicated answers when something terrible happens. Maybe we were just caught by surprise and were beaten. And maybe we have to learn to live with that.” He knew exactly where his wife’s mind was and it made him grip the console even harder, silently cursing under his breath.

“And maybe you are just missing the point. You were infiltrated. You. The military. And you are being infiltrated again right now. You can sit there and pretend you know what you’re doing, but you do not. You are being played. And the rest of us do not want to go down with your ship. I want this air system restored right now. One person comes in alone, fixes it, leaves. Anything goes wrong, somebody gets hurt. It’s on your head.” Like before, she hung up immediately.

“Keep a direct line open to Cloud Nine,” he ordered into the silence of the CIC.

“What do we do?” Saul asked, their eyes meeting once more.

“We repair the air system.” He shrugged. “We’re not giving her Sharon.”

Saul nodded his agreement. “We can’t start dealing with the terrorists. We start now, it’ll open the floodgates, and it’ll never stop. But by the way, it’s not ‘Sharon’. It’s a frakkin’ Cylon.”

He grimaced. “You don’t think I know that?”

“I think there’s part of you that looks into that thing’s eyes and still sees that young girl that reported aboard two years ago as a rook pilot. Well, it’s not. It never was. Bill, it’s a machine. Don’t risk your family’s lives over a machine.”

“She’s a military asset.” Even as he said the words, he wondered how well he could hold onto them.

The moment Kara walked into the room dressed as a maintenance worker, Laura’s brow furrowed. She watched her for a moment and then nudged Grace and Lia to their feet as she slowly stood up, Lee shooting her a warning glance that she ignored.

“Close the hatch. Search her,” Sesha ordered.

Kara cleared her throat. “You might not wanna do that,” she said as someone started to close the doors. “You’re running out of air in here.”

“Looks clean,” the man said after looking over Kara and her equipment.

“Do your job. Cover her.” Sesha turned away and sighed.

The man closest to Laura took a step away from her. “Wait a minute. Turn around slowly. Check the box again.”

Laura’s eyes rapidly darted around the room, mapping out the distance to the door and how quickly they could get there. She looked at Kara again in time to see her pull out two guns, just before all hell broke loose.

With no more time to think, she had to trust her instincts. “Run!” she cried, already pushing them toward the door.

“Mama, no!” Grace looked back with a look of terror on her face that Laura felt in her chest.

“Go!” She moved closer and pushed her again, her breath catching in her lungs as she watched, the sound of gunfire echoing around her. Lia shoved Grace toward the door and turned back, fear and worry obvious on her face. “Thalia, go!” she insisted as she grabbed her hands.

“I’m not leaving you!” Lia tightly held onto her and tried to pull her along, but Laura dug her heels in and couldn’t let go.

There wasn’t time to argue and the continued gunfire and shouting only made it difficult to hear anything else. She tried to push her away once more, but instead her daughter’s body suddenly went limp and she barely caught her. Their momentum carried them to the ground and she was able to protect Lia’s head but not her own knees, crying out as they hit the deck. The doors shut and she didn’t know what was going on around them, all of her attention focused on her daughter and the blood rapidly staining her purple shirt.

“Billy. Billy! I need shirts, towels, anything I can use as a bandage,” Dee called worriedly from behind her. “Billy!”

“Nobody said you could move.”

“You still want the Cylon? Do you? Because if the Admiral’s daughter dies, you’re not gonna get a deal, you get that? If she dies, you’re not gonna get what you want.” Billy’s voice held a hard edge she had never heard before and she would’ve been proud if she wasn’t overwhelmed by fear.

Panic surged through Laura and her breath came out in a harsh exhale that made her lungs ache and made it harder to inhale again. Her own pain was distant, lost under adrenaline and fear as she pressed her hands against the source of the bleeding and prayed to anyone listening.

“Lia, Lia, sweetheart,” she whispered, unable to make her voice any louder. “Stay with me, baby, okay? Stay with me.”

Someone shoved her hands away and replaced them with towels, but they were quickly stained red and a whimper slipped from her lips, her hands trembling as she moved her hands to cup her daughter’s cheek and saw her eyes flutter.

“Stay with me,” she begged quietly. “Oh, gods, Thalia, please stay with me.”

“Where’s Grace?” Billy asked worriedly, his voice right by her ear and his hand on her shoulder.

“I think she got out,” she answered, unable to look away from Lia. “Oh, my gods, I hope she got out.”

“No, no, she’s fine. I’m sure she’s fine,” he quickly reassured her, his hand slowly rubbing back and forth. “Come on, sit back so I can make sure you’re okay.”

She fought him at first, but gave in when he helped her properly sit on the ground with Lia’s head in her lap. Her right leg wouldn’t cooperate and she ended up twisted to keep it bent and keep Lia’s head on her good leg, her bloody fingers caressing her face and combing through her hair. She left red smears on everything she touched, her attention only shifting when Billy examined her knees and the sharp pain made her look up. He winced in sympathy and her eyes dropped back to Lia. The sight was too similar to the days she had been covered in her husband’s blood and she simultaneously prayed to and cursed the gods for doing this to her again.

The wait for an update from Starbuck were some of the most agonizing minutes of Bill’s life. The moment she made contact and reported gunfire, he had to fight every instinct to rush over to Cloud Nine himself, his mind swamped with guilt that he should’ve been there.

“What’s happening?” His voice trembled as he picked up the handset and he tried to get it under control until he heard soft crying in the background.

“My cover was blown. I had to move. I’m sorry,” she explained, her own emotions filling her voice.

“Any casualties?” he forced himself to ask.

“Two marines, probably KIA. At least one of the gunmen.” She hesitated. “And Lia. It was crazy in there, confused. She got hit. But Grace is here. She’s safe, she’s okay.”

“How bad?” The relief over Grace’s safety couldn’t touch the agony over Lia getting injured and the uncertainty over his wife.

“I don’t know.”

“Stand by. Hold your position. Make no move unless you hear from me.”

“It was friendly fire,” she continued more quietly. “She got hit by friendly fire. I think it was me.”

His blood ran cold. “You have your orders.”

Talking with Sharon didn’t provide as much insight as he hoped it would and when he found himself back in the CIC, all he wanted was to talk to Laura. He knew she would have some helpful insight, but it wasn’t anything she could share with him now.

“Pressure door to the room has been resealed. If we try blowing it open, we’ll need so much G-4, we’d risk killing everyone inside. There are no options left except for one,” he said, more to himself than anyone. Giving up Sharon felt like the wrong move for so many reasons.

“What if they’re right? What if Sharon has been playing us all, plotting our destruction with every passing day? What if the terrorists are right?” Saul gave him a firm look and shuffled closer.

“Laura would say it isn’t about Sharon. It’s about something much bigger than that. It’s about long-term survival, it’s about the way we conduct ourselves in all of this.” If he was confident about anything, it’s what she would say. “Everyone in that room is someone’s son, someone’s wife, someone’s mother. My own wife and children are in that room. Let’s not be naive about what I'll do to save them."

“Sir? It’s Abinell on the line.”

That woman had timing, that was for sure.

“How’s my daughter? My wife?” Their roles be damned, it was his daughter injured there, possibly his wife, not the President.

“Alive, but my friend is dead. So are two of your soldiers. And your daughter’s dying. You know, I thought a long time about this. About what I’d do, about how far I’d go, and I honestly did not know until this moment. Chu, get the Admiral’s son.”

“They won’t outright kill the President, so they’re gonna kill him,” Saul breathed out.

“Hold your fire.” Bill took a deep breath and slowly shook his head. “I’m giving you the Cylon, but she won’t be alive.”

“What does that mean? That is not the deal.”

“It means that you’ve convinced me that we may have been played. And if that be the case, and she’s been playing with me, then I can’t take any more chances. So, you make up your mind. If you want Sharon Valerii, you can have her. But on my terms. I give you the body, you give me the hostages.” Subterfuge hasn’t worked yet, but he hoped this time it would be enough.

“Done.”

In the thirty minutes it took to get Boomer’s body ready and get to Cloud Nine, he couldn’t hold still. He knew Laura would wring his neck for getting involved, but he was making the decision himself.

“Stop looking at him, Billy. I can see you watching him,” Dee pleaded quietly. “I know you think you can get that gun.”

“I’m only thinking in case something happens.” He had traded spots with Dee and kept the towels pressed against Lia, his body casting her and part of Laura in shadow.

Unable to focus for long, she had woven in and out of their conversation and struggled to process what they were saying. All she could feel was the rapid pounding of her heart, the drying blood on her hands, and the throbbing in her knees that seemed to grow worse as time stretched out.

“No. You’re not a soldier. You’re not trained for that. You’ve got nothing to prove.”

“I know.”

Lee shifted closer, just into her view, and lightly stroked her arm. “No, but you could distract them. Give me a chance to get the upper hand.”

Laura’s brow furrowed and she slowly looked up. “No, I’m not endangering any more of my children today.”

“I’m sorry, Mom, but someone’s gotta do something.”

“Let Dad handle it.” A groan from Lia stopped her from saying more and she quickly looked down at her, bending to press a firm kiss to her forehead. “Dad’s gonna get us out of here, okay? Just hold on. Please, Lia, please.”

She was vaguely aware of the terrorists conversing but they were far enough away that she could only hear voices not words. Lee leaned over to take her hand and squeezed it firmly. The moment he pulled away, she knew he was going to ignore her. The sound of three rapid gunshots made her jump and forced a whimper from her throat, but Billy’s hand on her shoulder settled her back down.

“We’re gonna get you both outta here, okay?” he said quietly, his hand replacing Lee’s.

Laura shook her head and shifted so she could take over putting pressure on her daughter’s wound, no longer caring about the bloodshed that surrounded them and coated her. Illogically, she was prepared to give the woman anything she wanted if it could save her daughter. She worried Bill’s mind was in the same place. Her throbbing knees made it hard to kneel over her and she couldn’t put any weight on the right one, but it was the best way to keep pressure on her wound and she tried her best to ignore it.

Once again, chaos broke out in the room. Dee disappeared from her side but Billy hovered nearby, his arm stretched out behind her as he kept them low and hopefully out of the line of fire. She couldn’t look away from her daughter and struggled to keep her hands pressed against the damp towels, twisting her head for any glimpse of what was going on. She caught sight of Marines and bodies, but none of it made sense until she felt Billy move closer and saw Bill rushing toward her.

“Medic!” he shouted, his heart racing faster at the sight of his blood-stained wife and daughter on the ground. Dee spread out beside her made his steps hesitate, but he sank to his knees by Laura and immediately helped put pressure on the red towels. “Hey, hey, I’m here. I’m here. You can’t do this now, do you hear me? You keep fighting,” he told his daughter. He pressed his forehead to hers and caught her soft groan when she opened her eyes to look up at him.

Laura immediately leaned into his side and couldn’t move her hands, his larger ones pinning them where they sat on their daughter. “Save her,” she breathed out, her eyes closing. “Bill, please, not our daughter. Not our baby.”

“Not our baby,” he repeated, his voice thick with emotions while hers trembled uncontrollably. His eyes darted to Dee who still hadn’t moved.

Lee and Billy both rushed to Dee’s side and confirmed she was gone, silent tears trailing down both their cheeks. Bill fought his back and sat up to wave the medics over, his hand tightly tangled with Laura’s as they lifted Lia onto a stretcher.

“Get her to Cottle,” he ordered firmly. “Go!” When the medics wheeled their daughter away, he turned to find his wife still on the ground, her face twisted in fear and agony. The sight made his heart clench and he knelt beside her, his bloodstained finger tilting her chin up so she would meet his gaze. “Come on,” he said softly, “we’ll meet her in Sick Bay.”

He moved his arm to wrap around her and started to help her up, but her shaking legs gave out and he had to hold her up, her weight split between her left leg and him. The movement made her nearly scream in pain, but she swallowed it down until it was a strangled whimper, tears spilling over from the corner of her eyes.

“Frak.” His eyes roamed over her until he saw her scraped, bruised, and bloody knees. The right one was misshapen and he winced at the sight, his arm tightening to take more of her weight. He worried about picking her up, so he carefully turned around to call for another medic and gurney, the entire time softly and reassuringly murmuring to her. “Billy, help me,” he grunted when the gurney finally made it over.

Without a word, but a lingering glance at Dee’s body, Billy and the medic helped Bill settle Laura onto the gurney. She bit her knuckle against the nauseating waves of pain and pressed her left foot against the cushion in desperate search of anything to end the spasms. Her chest rose and fell in rapid, uneven pants, but her watery eyes were focused on the door where her daughter had disappeared through. He took her hand and tightly held onto it as they hurried from the room, only pausing long enough for him to check in with Grace and send her with Billy.

Lia was already in surgery by the time they made it to Galactica. With Cottle and Ishay busy with her, a medic gave Laura pain medication to tide her over until they were done and Bill stayed by her side, his hand offered as additional pain relief. She clung to her, her face still contorted as she lay partially curled up, dried tear stains on her cheeks and her eyes red. He knew she was in shock and the pain wasn’t helping, but now wasn’t the time to make her talk, especially as they waited for an update on their daughter. Their only reassurance was that Lee was okay and Grace was safe with Billy, afraid but thankfully oblivious to the injuries and death the day had brought.

As soon as Lia was returned to a bed to sleep off the anesthesia, Cottle and Ishay diagnosed Laura’s one dislocated knee and reset it, providing her another dose of pain medication to help her sleep through the night with her leg immobilized in a splint. It was obvious that she wasn’t comfortable, but the medication put her to sleep anyway. Settled between his wife and daughter, Bill prepared for a long night, knowing the next few days and weeks would be even longer.

The late evening blended into night and then early morning, Bill glued to their sides. He was silent, Sick Bay eerily still around them, with only the sounds of their steady heartbeats filling the quiet. Sleep tugged at him, but he resisted, needing to make sure he was awake when either of them finally woke up.

“Bill…” Laura’s soft, hoarse voice pulled him from his near-sleep state and he quickly leaned forward toward her, his fingers lightly stroking her arm.

“What do you need?” he asked, his voice barely audible in the otherwise quiet room.

“Lia? Grace?.” A weak whimper slipped from her parted lips and she lifted her head to look at him.

“Grace is okay,” he reassured her immediately. “She’s with Billy and he said she’s asleep. And Lia,” he glanced back at their daughter, “is gonna be okay. Cottle said she did great. She’s young, healthy, and she’ll heal up just fine. How are you?”

She shook her head and let it fall back against the pillow. “She’s not awake?”

“Not yet, but she will.” He squeezed her arm and gently tugged on it until he could get to her hand and tangled their fingers together. “She needs to sleep. You need to sleep.”

“I want to see her.” She licked her lips and tried to sit up, but he leaned over her and gently pushed her back down.

“You’re not going anywhere, honey.” He pointedly looked at her splinted leg and she groaned quietly.

Her knees and hips ached, just barely overwhelming the heartache and fear that lingered behind. Her mind was foggy from shock, medication, and sleep, but all she wanted was to see her daughter. “Bill, please…”

“I’ll help you sit up,” he relented, “but you are not getting out of that bed until Cottle says so.”

Her nose immediately wrinkled, but she gave in and nodded. With his arms supporting her and her hands pressed against the mattress, they slowly got her upright and then he adjusted the bed so she could lean back against her, pain clouding her eyes and her fingers still tangled in the blankets. He had managed to get her changed into a hospital gown before she slept and cleaned their hands of the worst of the blood, but some of it still remained on their nails and skin. They would both need a thorough shower once they were home and he hoped it was soon.

Despite her wishes, she drifted off even upright, her head falling toward her shoulders. After making sure she was fully out, he lowered her bed back down and returned to stroking her arm, trying his best to soothe her troubled sleep while Lia’s remained undisturbed.

When Lia began to shift and wake, he nudged Laura too. She was upright against the bed by the time their daughter’s eyes fluttered open and he leaned over to take her hand and squeeze it reassuringly.

“Hi there, sweetheart,” Laura whispered, hoping it was loud enough that she could hear. “How are you feeling?”

“Floating…” She laughed weakly and immediately winced, her laugh ending in a groan of pain.

“Cottle gave you the good stuff so you shouldn’t be feeling too bad right now.” His thumb rubbed along the back of her hand.

Her brow furrowed and she licked her lips. “What happened?”

His eyes met Laura’s, silent understanding passing between them. “Later, okay? Just rest for now.”

“Everything’s okay, baby. You just sleep and we’ll be right here,” she added, stretching her hand out toward her even though she knew she couldn’t reach. “Do you need anything?”

“‘M cold,” she mumbled, her brow twitching again.

“We’ll get you another blanket, don’t you worry.” Bill didn’t stand up, knowing his wife would stubbornly cause trouble as soon as he left her sight.

“Thank you, Daddy,” she sighed, already slipping back under.

He squeezed her hand once more and then took Laura’s, lightly tangling their fingers together. “See?” he murmured. “She’s okay.”

“She was shot.” Her voice broke and she sucked in a shaky breath, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling. “She was shot and Dee’s dead and…” Her eyes met his and the sheer panic in their green depths surprised and worried him.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay. Laura, it’s okay. Alright?” He spoke quickly, quietly, hoping to reassure her before she sank into her building anxiety.

“It’s not… it’s…” Her chest ached, emanating from her heart until her lungs constricted and forced the air out until she could only gasp and desperately hold on to him.

“Laura…” He groaned softly and glanced in the direction of Cottle’s office. When his eyes moved back to his wife, he held her face between his hands and bent down so they were eye level. Aware his words could have the opposite impact, he spoke anyway. “Cottle’s gonna come out here and tell me off for upsetting you, honey, okay? He’ll kick me out and I’ll have to come back in the morning. But if you can calm down for me, I can stay. Just a breath, my love, please.”

Fear shot through her and her fingers didn’t loosen their grip on his uniform. With him so close, he was all she could focus on and her breathing slowly began to match his. It was shallower and strained, but her heart rate slowed with it and finally her hands dropped to her sides. The look in her eyes didn’t fade and he kissed her forehead.

“I knew you could do it.” He kissed her right cheek. “Everything’s okay.” Her left cheek was next. “I love you.” Ending with her lips, he lingered and let the feeling of her alive beneath him push back his own worries.

“Love you…”

“I know.” He forced a smile and reluctantly settled into his chair, his fingers once again tangled with hers. He waited a moment to make sure her panic wouldn’t immediately rise up again. “Think you can sleep some more?”

She shook her head and scrubbed her other hand over her face. “Not comfortable…”

He smiled sympathetically and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I know. Just a day or two and then I’ll take you home. Few more days and we can get Lia home too.”

A deep frown formed on her lips and her head rolled toward him. “If Cottle tries to give me crutches, Bill, I will throw him out an airlock.”

It made him chuckle softly and he rested his elbows against her bed. “He’s the best doctor we have, honey. So, unless you want to stay off your feet for the next few weeks…”

She groaned and shook her head. “Getting older sucks.”

“You could’ve broken a hip,” he teased quietly.

“I’ll break your hip,” she shot back with a mild glare.

“From there?”

She huffed and tugged on his hand. “I was a hostage, watched our daughter get shot, and dislocated my knee. Be nice to me.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” He let her pull their hands closer and squeezed it firmly. “What do you need?”

“Go get Lia’s blanket.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “And mine too, please.”

“You sure?”

“You should check on Grace.” As much as she wanted him by her side, their daughters took priority.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised, reluctantly releasing her hand so he could stand up. “Anything else?”

“Maybe one of your shirts instead of this stupid hospital gown?” She wrinkled her nose, hating the yellow fabric and all of the memories it carried.

“Wilco.” He leaned down and kissed her softly. “Behave.”

“Wilco,” she murmured back.

Over the next day, Lia slowly became more and more coherent. Bill left the CIC in Saul’s hands so he could stay with them, more to keep his wife in bed than Lia. Their daughter was still kept down by pain and exhaustion, but Laura was already growing stir crazy despite the fact that both Bill and Cottle knew she wouldn’t be able to stay upright with or without crutches. It was a full time job to keep her distracted, made a little easier by Lia’s presence and Laura’s desire to keep her safe and reassured.

Hoping for everyone’s sake that Cottle would agree to release Laura the following morning, Bill tried to keep his expectations tempered as he slowly entered Sick Bay. He quickly realized he was walking into a standoff and wondered what Laura could have possibly done to irritate the ship’s CMO in the short time he had been gone.

“Just because I said no social visits, young lady, doesn’t mean you need to get yourself in a hostage situation to see me. You’re worse than my wife,” he grumbled around a cigarette, his other hand deep in his pocket.

“With all due respect,” she narrowed her eyes and carefully shifted her injured leg, “it would be a miracle if I never had to see you again, Doctor.”

“Maybe if you’d accept your damn protection detail and stop darting off like an unleashed child, you wouldn’t end up in these dangerous situations.” He snorted and she rolled her eyes, their petulance unmatched.

“Oh, my gods,” Lia groaned, her eyes finding her father’s. “I just wanted some tea.”

“You should know better than to come between your mom and Cottle,” he commented as he reached the end of her bed. “How are you feeling?”

“I wanna go home.” She wrinkled her nose and lightly rubbed her hand high on her chest. “I hate Sick Bay.”

None of them had fond feelings for the room after Laura’s brush with death, something not even memories of Grace’s birth could dispel. Grace still refused to go anywhere near Sick Bay and had to stay with Lee or Billy whenever Bill wasn’t home.

“I know.” He rubbed her foot through the blanket. “Doc, get her some tea if you have any you can spare.” It was very carefully a request and not an order, and he was relieved when Cottle nodded and stepped back.

“You can get your wife out of here,” he threw over his shoulder. “Long as she stays on the crutches and off that leg, otherwise I’ll see you both back here. I want her on Galactica for another week too.”

Laura groaned and buried her face in her hands. “Motherfrakker,” she muttered under her breath. Lia heard and laughed softly.

“Take her home, Dad.” Lia shook her head and lightly rubbed her chest above her bandages. “Otherwise we might lose Cottle.”

“Glad you know I’d win that.” Laura huffed and took a deep breath before she fixed the crutches propped against her bed with a cold glare. “Are you going to be okay, honey? I can stay…”

“I’ll be fine.” She smiled reassuringly and waved toward the hatch. “Go shower and rest. I’m a big girl.”

“If you need anything…”

“I have Doc Cottle and Ishay and the Marine outside, and I know you and Dad and Lee and Billy are just a call away.” Her smile briefly widened. “I’m just gonna keep sleeping all day anyway.”

“I love you, Lia.” Laura threw the blankets to the foot of the bed.

“Love you, Mom.”

Bill had to take most of his wife’s weight as he eased her out of bed, helping her balance while he grabbed the crutches and she got as steady as possible on them. With no pants wide enough to fit over the brace and unwilling to wear shorts, a skirt had been the best option while also the most uncomfortable. Breathless and in pain from just getting up distracted her enough and she tightly gripped the crutches as she swallowed down a string of swears.

“This is torture,” she groaned quietly. “Inhumane and it should be illegal.”

“You could stay here,” he told her. She shot him a look and slowly put more weight on the crutches to stand separate from him. He shrugged. “Ready?”

After a moment, she nodded and awkwardly made her way toward the hatch. A broken ankle in high school was the last time she had been on crutches, but it slowly came back to her as she moved. Decades later, it was even less comfortable, and she was dreading how much work it would be to get home.

Just outside the hatch, she paused to catch her breath and looked at her husband who followed right behind her in case she lost her balance. “I want to see Dee. We need to see her.”

“We will. Later,” he replied firmly, his head shaking slightly. “Once you’re not a fall risk.”

She shifted where she stood and narrowed her eyes. “You can’t avoid this. Neither of us can.”

“Not now.” He sighed and averted his gaze, unwilling to have this discussion at all, let alone right after their daughter had been shot and while standing in an occupied corridor.

“Yes, now!” she insisted, her eyes briefly closing against her pain. “You’ll hide behind your concern just like you did before, but you can’t do that now. We need to face this, Bill.”

“Damn it, Laura!” He started to pull away, needing to pace but worried about wandering too far from her. “Why?”

“What do you mean, why?” She gripped the crutches tighter and winced as they dug in under her arms. “I don’t want to deal with any of it, Bill.” It took immense effort to keep her voice controlled enough that the few crewmembers around them wouldn’t overhear anything. “But I can’t stop seeing it every time I close my eyes. Each breath is like another reminder that we made the decisions that led to every death in that room and frak, does that hurt. We hurt our daughter. We killed Dee. And we can start by saying goodbye.”

He didn’t have an argument, was too tired and stressed to even try to think of one, so he only hung his head and sighed. “Fine.”

Every step she took toward the morgue was another reminder of why this was a bad idea, but he knew she wouldn’t change her mind. If she was this determined while in this much pain, it was a losing fight and would be faster to let her do what she wanted and then rest. His regret nearly choked him by the time they finally made it, the subtle signs of pain in her expression digging into his side. Laura tried her best to ignore it, but her chest ached as she struggled to catch her breath and hesitated outside the open hatch.

Inside, Boomer’s body lay on the table beside Dee’s. She pushed on, but he lagged a step behind. With the table’s support, she was able to release the crutches and glanced at Boomer, letting out a shaky breath that was echoed by him.

“This is what you gave them?”

“It was a calculated risk,” he responded, struggling to maintain his composure.

“It wasn’t worth it.”

He caught up to her and settled his arm around her waist, grateful when she leaned into him. His head fell to rest against hers as their eyes shifted to Dee. “No,” he agreed, his voice thick. “It wasn’t worth it.”

“She was so young…” Her control weakened by lack of sleep and trauma, her dam broke quickly. She carefully fixed Dee’s hair and caressed her cheek as a sob broke free, pushing her closer to her husband.

“I’m sorry…” He wasn’t sure if he was apologizing to his wife or Dee, but he felt he owed it to them both. His arm tightened around Laura and he buried his tears in her hair, the two of them swaying together as they mourned.

Neither were sure of how much time had passed when their tears slowed and then dried, but neither cared. Her leg shook from the effort of standing for so long and he silently encouraged her to lean into him more. She didn’t fight it, weary in ways not even the cancer had done to her.

“Can we go home now?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes with one hand. “I need to lay down,” she admitted. “I need to hold Grace close and try to remember there’s still some good in this frakking universe.”

“We will,” he promised.

She took a deep breath and carefully turned toward him, her hands blindly reaching for the crutches. “Don’t you just want to scream sometimes?” Her eyes met his and he rubbed her back. “The unfairness of it all? Why them? Why us?”

“To what end?” He swallowed and shook his head. “You start down that road, it’s hard to come back. You scream and find a way to keep going.”

“To what end?” She turned his words back on him.

“To Earth. Just like you said.”

“To Earth.” She let out a weak hum. “Everyone has a breaking point…”

“This isn’t yours. It’s not mine.” His fingers loosely gripped her shirt. “We keep going for the fleet, the kids, for each other.”

“For each other,” she agreed, the rest unspoken between them.

With one last lingering look at Dee and even Boomer, he helped her out of the room and they slowly made their way to their quarters.

As much as Laura wanted to spend the day with her daughter, she was forced to acknowledge that the walk back to Sick Bay was hard enough with help and impossible without. Bill had been called back to the CIC and she wasn’t willing to ask anyone else for help, leaving her alone in their quarters to try to occupy herself. An unavoidable and agonizingly long phone call with Delegate Porter took up some time and then Laura got as comfortable as she could on the couch with a folder open in her lap. She had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn’t make it very far into the report, but she needed to at least try, especially while Bill was out. Her husband’s refusal to share the missing details about Cloud Nine meant she had to get them elsewhere, even from a reluctant Billy.

She hadn’t even made it through the first page when someone knocked on the hatch. Calling for them to come in, she sat up a little and rested her hand on her leg above the brace. Out of everyone she would have expected to see, Kara was low on the list, and the battered look on her face made Laura straighten up even more.

“What’s wrong?” she murmured.

“What’s wrong? What do you mean what’s wrong?” Before the hatch had even shut, she began to pace, her hands thrown up in the air. “You’re hurt, Dee’s dead! We lost two Marines! I shot Lia!”

Her eyebrow slowly arched up in question, the news leaving her speechless.

“What if I had shot Lee or Billy? Frak, what if I shot you?” Her voice was as worried as her face.

Laura let out a long breath to center herself, but still fought for control over her voice. “Kara, honey, come here.”

“The Old Man’s pissed. And he has every right to be!” She continued pacing like she wasn’t listening.

“Kara,” she repeated more firmly. The younger woman still didn’t stop. “Kara Thrace, sit the frak down and shut up!”

Caught by surprise, Kara obeyed immediately and sank to the far end of the couch, wringing her hands in her lap.

“Thank you.” She sighed and wished she could move closer, but she didn’t want to exacerbate the pain now that it had finally calmed under the medication. “It is not your fault.” Before Kara could argue, she held her hand up. “Forget what Bill says and listen to me. You had a job to do and so did I. It wasn’t a good situation and you did what you could. It was my responsibility to protect my children and your responsibility to handle the hostage situation.” She tilted her head to make sure Kara understood how much she meant her words. “So, unless you can look me in the eyes and tell me you did it on purpose, it’s an unfortunate accident and not your fault.”

Kara’s eyes watered and her hands idly fell to her lap, all of her attention focused on Laura. “I’m sorry…”

“Me too.” She offered a slight smile. “She’ll be okay. Looked worse than it was. I’ll be okay too.”

“Can I get her anything? Or you?”

“She’d like to see you and she needs the company, but we’re okay, Kara.”

A part of her realized the hypocrisy of forgiving Kara and blaming herself, but that part was easily muted by the guilt gnawing at her stomach. Guilt didn’t care about logic, it cared about what it felt and what it demanded as a sacrifice. In this case, it was Laura’s piece of mind and she worried what the cost was for Bill.

The morning of the funeral for the lost Marines and Dee, Laura felt herself dragging. She hadn’t felt this exhausted since her illness, but she only had grief and pain to blame this time. The decision to leave Grace in her quarters hadn’t been made lightly, but it felt like the best option to both Bill and Laura. She knew she was attending the service more as President than the Admiral’s wife, even if Grace and Lia didn’t understand the distinction. Bill left earlier to finalize details, but Billy greeted her outside the hatch when she stepped out, offering a sympathetic smile at the sight of his red-rimmed eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

He shook his head and glanced away as he subtly sniffled. “I’m glad you and your daughters are okay.”

“I am too,” she agreed slowly, “but that doesn’t make her death any easier.”

“Does anything?” He swallowed and looked around. “I mean, billions of deaths and it just…”

“Keeps hurting,” she finished for him. “Just when you think you’re past it, it comes back and knocks you on your ass.”

He snorted and shook his head. “I mean, six months of this… It could’ve been you or Grace or me…”

“Oh, honey…” She sighed and shuffled closer, shifting her weight to the crutch so her hand could briefly cup his cheek until he looked at her. When it dropped, she straightened back up and winced. “That is a dangerous slippery slope. Once you start down it, it is a long and hard road back up, and we face death too often to risk that.”

His eyes searched her face, so young and naive, but haunted with the weight of all that they had seen. She saw it in all of their eyes, even Grace’s, but hers lacked the understanding of what it all meant. She left her expression open to him, allowing him to see the decades of hurt and pain and fear that she always kept so closely guarded.

“I went down that road when my mother died,” she continued when he didn’t speak. “Almost went down it when my father and sisters died too, and definitely looked at it when I was dying. It’s tempting, seems easier, but I promise you it’s not. So, we thank the gods—or whomever,” she added with a knowing look, “that we are still here and we do our best. That’s all we can do.”

“How do you do it?” he finally asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Sometimes, I want to scream and cry. Jump out an airlock on the worst days, but I think of my children, I think of you and Dee, and I want to do everything I can for you to have a future. It’s not saving for college like I thought it would be, but it’s the same motivation.”

“Thank you.” He nodded, slowly starting to regain his composure. “I’m sorry… I… you have so much to deal with and I’m just adding on…”

She immediately shook her head and unclenched her fist so she could rest her hand on his arm. “Don’t apologize, Billy. You need to talk it through and I’m grateful you feel comfortable doing that with me. Are you ready for this?”

“Do we have a choice?”

“There’s always a choice.” She offered a slight smile, secretly relieved when he hovered his hand over her back to escort her to the hangar deck.

Most of the attendees had already gathered by the time they made it and Bill gave her a worried look that she silently waved off and promised to discuss later. He stood beside Saul and Lee, leaving the only chair on his right side open for her. She took her spot with Billy next to her and her crutches as out of the way as possible on the deck, and slowly scanned the room, surprised by the stoicism of the crew and modeled by their Admiral; Lee wore his heart on his sleeve and his eyes were as red as Billy’s. As Brother Cavil began the service, Laura felt an uneasy shiver run up and down her spine until the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her head shook slightly to try to dispel it and she longed to lean into her husband’s side, to at least take his hand, but she felt the stubborn urge to keep themselves separated. Something told her the situation called for President and Admiral, not husband and wife, and she knew Bill felt the same when he maintained his professional distance too. The most he did was the occasional glance from the corner of his eye to check on her, his hands tightly folded in front of himself and hers in her lap.

It was the same as the other services held on Galactica. The entire time, Bill remained stiff and quiet. She could feel the turmoil boiling just beneath the surface and knew how hard he was working to keep it contained, his guilt rolling off him in waves strong enough to drown her own. It worried her, but she wasn’t sure what she could say, especially while they were still on the hangar deck. She could only hope he would loosen his grasp when they made it back home, but something told her that wouldn’t be the case.

When they finally made it back to their quarters and he quietly sent Grace to hers, her brow furrowed and she sighed as she slowly followed him into the back room. He didn’t look at her and seemed to wander aimlessly between his deck and their rack. He knew his mind was overwhelmed, guilt and worry and grief tugging him in different directions and he knew he would feel better if he opened it and let it out, but he glanced behind him, saw his wife’s conflicted expression, and his throat closed up.

“Bill.” She sighed and her arms tightened across her chest. “This self-imposed prison that you and Kara have locked yourselves in isn’t going to help.”

“You have something that will help?” He started toward the drink cart but changed his mind and didn’t want to move any closer to his wife’s studying gaze.

“Talking about it,” she suggested, careful to keep her voice controlled.

“What about your guilt?” He faced her, fingers fiddling with the flap of his dress tunic but not unfastening it.

Her face twisted and she briefly looked away. “I’d like to talk about it too,” she forced out.

“And if I don’t?”

She sighed again. “Then bottle it up, Bill, and see what happens.”

“I thought that’s what you preferred,” he grumbled, his eyes darting to the bottle of ambrosia as he reconsidered it.

“Unfortunately, my stubborn husband has spent the past ten years convincing me not to do that.” After the walk from the hangar deck, her legs felt unsteady and she was forced to move to the rack to lean against her. When she realized where his attention was, she shook her head. “If you don’t want to talk, I have things to do.” The work had piled up while she had been stuck on Galactica, but now she was almost grateful for the escape to her own ship.

“Go.” He waved his hand dismissively and didn’t catch her darkening expression, her eyes briefly flashing with anger.

“Fine.” It wasn’t worth a fight, not now, but it still frustrated and upset her to turn and leave, deciding instead to check on their daughters before she returned to Colonial One to catch up with her aide.

After ensuring Grace was okay in her quarters, she quickly made her way down to Sick Bay, only mildly surprised to find Lia in a heated argument with the doctor. The sight made Laura’s eyebrow shoot up and she chuckled to herself, torn between pride and concern at the similarities between them.

“Thalia,” she scolded gently as she approached her bed.

Her daughter groaned quietly and pushed herself up with her good arm. “Mom, he started it!” Her voice was still laced with pain, but it was more like her than it had been the past few days. “He missed my vein.”

“If you hadn’t pulled your IV out, I would need to poke you again,” Cottle grumbled back around his cigarette.

“You did what?” Laura’s voice dropped to a warning tone and she sank into the nearby chair, her expression as firm as possible through the pain. “What were you thinking?”

“The meds just make me sleep all day and if I’m gonna do that, I want to be home. I hate Sick Bay!” A pout began to form that made Laura sigh, her fingers lightly twisting into the blanket. “He let you out early.”

“Because I abused my position as President and wife of his commanding officer to make him release me,” she muttered, glancing at the doctor from the corner of her eye. “I also didn’t need surgery and agreed to all of his limitations.”

“Your mother’s right for once.” Cottle shook his head and pulled the cigarette away from his mouth. “Just a few more days, kid.”

“I’m not a kid! Gods!” She threw her arm across her stomach and scowled off into the distance, her expression more like Saul’s than anyone else.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” It would be easier to stay on Galactica than to return to Colonial One, not that she would admit it out loud.

“I don’t need my mom here.” Lia’s scowl turned into more of a pout and she briefly looked at her. It was enough that Laura saw the brave facade her daughter was putting up.

“You might not need me here, but I need you,” she murmured to give her an excuse.

“Don’t you have things to do?” Her brow furrowed and she winced as she shifted her arm.

“Whatever I would do at my desk, I can just as easily do here. I can have Billy bring some things over, if you don’t mind me joining you.” She offered a smile and tried to get as comfortable as possible.

“If you’re sure…”

“I still gotta get that IV restarted,” Cottle reminded them.

“Can’t Ishay do it?” Lia turned her pout on the doctor and he immediately sighed.

“You damn Adama women are so stubborn.” He cleared his throat to cover the swear that almost tumbled out. “Fine, fine. I’ll send her over.”

He threw his hands up and ripped his gloves off as he walked away. Lia watched him leave and then cautiously shifted toward her mother, her facade starting to fade a little.

“I don’t like Sick Bay,” she repeated, her voice softer.

“I know, baby. I don’t either.” She wrinkled her nose and leaned forward to take her hand, gently pulling it closer. “But I can tell you from experience that it’s best to just shut up and listen to him.”

“Have you ever done that?”

“No,” Laura admitted with a soft laugh. “That’s why I know it’s the better thing to do.”

“Can’t you and Dad just order him to let me out?”

She smiled sympathetically and shook her head. “No, because you need to be here. You were shot, Lia! You can’t just rush back into things after that.”

“But you rushed back into things after you nearly died from cancer. You’re rushing back into things now. Dad too.” She pulled her hand free and looked away.

“Because we don’t have a choice. You know that.” Her own brow furrowed as she studied her daughter. “It’s part of being an adult. But you have the luxury to take your time and recover, and you need to do that so you don’t have lasting repercussions. Staying here is how Dad, Doctor Cottle, and I can help you do that.”

“I hate being a teenager.”

“Because you feel like an adult but everyone still treats you like a child.” She smiled again at her incredulous look. “Oh, honey, I was a teenager once too, and with two significantly younger sisters. I may not know what it’s like to be a teenager now, but some things never change.”

Lia sat up a little more and focused on her again. “Seriously?”

She laughed quietly. “I’ve told you how often I had to babysit for my sisters. My parents treated me like an adult when it helped them, but as soon as I wanted to do something, it’s like I was ten and didn’t have a car. I can’t tell you how many times I was grounded from my car.”

“You, grounded?” Lia laughed. “Never.”

Laura longed to join her daughter, but she was forced to stay where she was and only lean against her bed. “Let’s just say that Dad and I knew all the tricks you, Zak, and Lee tried to pull because we did them ourselves first.”

“I can’t believe it.” She shook her head and then her expression slowly sobered. “How was the funeral?”

She briefly grimaced and cleared her throat, Bill’s somber eyes reflecting in her mind again. “It was fine,” she answered after a moment.

“You know it’s not your fault, right, Mom? It’s not Dad’s either.” She stared at her harder, picking her apart the same way Laura had done to her husband.

Instead of replying, she started to stand up. “I should call Billy so I can get some work done while I’m here.”

“Mom…”

“I’ll be right back, I promise.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“I’m okay. Dad too.” She forced a smile and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “You’re the one we’re worried about.”

Lia sighed, but didn’t protest when she walked away to either borrow Cottle’s phone or find the nearest one in the corridor to get a hold of Colonial One.

Chapter Text

Though she leaned into him for support, their walk back to their quarters was as tense and silent as it was slow. Neither were willing to broach the topic until they were in private and it took most of her focus just to walk. If any information got out before Laura made her decision, she worried about the impact it would have on morale across the fleet. The thought of the fleet’s reaction worried her, conflicting with the thoughts already pounding in her head.

She barely waited until they were through the hatch before she spoke. “I have to deal with it.”

“I know.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

Bill sighed and after making sure she was steady on her own, stepped away. “I’m sorry that this decision rests on your shoulders, but it’s a decision you have to make.”

“I have fought for women’s rights my entire life. How do I throw that away now?” She shook her head and sank to the couch where carefully stretched her leg and buried her face in her hands. “It’s a lose-lose situation. Take away women’s rights, but we live to see another day and I keep the Gemenese vote, or follow my conscience and risk losing the election. What the frak, Bill?”

“I’m sorry.” He hesitantly joined her, mindful not to jostle her too much as he sat.

The air between them was strained again, as visible as the physical space between them on the couch. Not another word was said, each lost in their own stress and worries of the morning. When she showed no sign of opening up, he grabbed a few reports from his desk and rejoined her, burying himself in them while Laura stared across the room and absently wrung her hands in her lap.

“I don’t think they can hear your thoughts on Pegasus yet. Try thinking a little louder,” he grumbled after a while.

She had remained silent to avoid an unnecessary argument borne out of their separate stress. “Stop listening, then,” she quietly shot back.

“Can’t ignore them.” He huffed and slid his glasses off as he looked up. “What is it?”

“You made it clear you don’t want to discuss it.” Her nose wrinkled and she let her head fall back against the couch to look at the ceiling.

“Laura.” He knew he should stop before they steamrolled into a fight, but he wasn’t sure what to say.

“What? I’m not in the mood for this, Bill.”

“What do you want me to say?” His eyes narrowed as he watched her and the tight lines around her mouth.

She groaned and hauled herself to her feet. “I have to get back.”

“Convenient.” He shoved his glasses back on. “If you don’t want to talk, why are you here?”

“Forgive me for wanting the comfort of my husband’s presence while I consider stripping away women’s rights,” she scoffed. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”

He regretted his choice of words and the tone they had come out in, but it was too late to pull them back. His hole was dug and he only settled in deeper as she hurried out as quickly as she could, the clang of the hatch solidifying her exit. For a moment, he considered going after her, but he knew it was better to let their moods both calm down before they tried again, as frustrating as it felt to wait. Muttering to himself, he turned back to the latest reports on Pegasus, his frown growing the more he read.

After a frustrating conversation with Baltar and the Quorum, Laura was ready to pack it in and hide away for the rest of the day. The thought of returning to Bill was soured by another possible argument and so she stayed where she was, head buried in her hands at her desk. Her leg and hip were starting to cramp up and she knew she needed to walk and stretch, but she struggled to push herself into getting up. Lia’s approaching steps forced her to sit upright anyway, and she held back a groan at the infuriated look on her daughter’s face.

“So, you’re banning abortion? What the hell, Mom?” she demanded, not bothering to lower her voice.

“Not now, Thalia,” she warned, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Why? So you can ignore it and just strip away rights? Seriously? I would’ve expected this from Dr. Baltar or even Mr. Zarek, but you? Mom, come on!” She stalked closer and leaned against her desk with one arm. As Laura favored her left leg, Lia favored her right arm. “You can’t do this!”

Billy’s head poked through the curtains and then immediately disappeared.

“What’s the point of humanity surviving if we’re going to do away with basic rights? Where does it stop?” Now that she had gained momentum, all of her emotions came pouring out in her tirade. “Should it be illegal to drink or smoke because of the risk of death? What about dangerous jobs? People who won’t treat fatal illnesses?” Lia gave her a hard, pointed stare.

Laura gripped the edge of the desk and pulled herself to her feet with a wince. “You don’t under—“ she started to argue back, but the look in her daughter’s eyes made her stop. “You do understand,” she realized, her heart pounding at the thought. “Gods…” Her eyes closed as she dropped back into her chair. “Lia…”

Faced with her daughter’s fear and anger, the topic felt too personal, too relevant. It was all too easy to ban abortion for the sake of humanity’s survival, but Lia had a good point. If they started removing rights, where did they draw the line? Bill’s words about needing something to live for echoed in her head and she shook it slightly, suddenly overwhelmed with memories.

Her heart pounded in her chest, the only thing that grounded her and reminded her that this was real. It wasn’t a dream, wasn’t a nightmare, it was real and her problem. She fought to catch her breath as she doubled over in the chair facing the large statue of Hephaestus, warm tears streaking down her cheeks. The silence in the room echoed in her ears and made the sudden sound of footsteps seem even louder. Terrified to be seen, Laura scrambled to her feet and rushed into the nearest alcove where she sank to her knees on the pillow and stifled her sob. She had been so careful, but one careless night with a charismatic Viper pilot was enough to destabilize her entire future. Her hand pressed against her stomach and she swallowed, blinking back tears as she looked up at the new statue before her. The woman looked peaceful, almost serene, and stared into the distance with an ancient theater mask held out in her hand. Laura knew she wasn’t one of the main patron gods and her eyes searched the base for any information, finally settling on the worn, chipped engraving.

Thalia

The name was vaguely familiar, drawn out of the recesses of her mind, but offered no other details.

Her fingers tangled in the loose fabric of her shirt and she squeezed her eyes closed. There were only three options to move forward, two of which included carrying to term. She knew immediately that giving the child up for adoption wasn’t something she could do, but she also had no illusions about what having a baby would change for her. She would be alone, whether or not she reached out to Bill Adama, and with her mother’s cancer reaching the end stages, the next months weren’t going to be easy. The thought renewed her tears and she wrapped her arms around herself, a silent plea for help falling from her lips in a gasp. She needed her mother, needed her comforting touch and words, or even her father, but both were caught up at the hospital and unavailable. The best she could hope for was one of her mother’s good days, and even then, she wouldn’t burden her with the knowledge.

She was well and truly alone.

You’re not alone.

The thought was so loud, she turned around as if someone had spoken it in the small, dim alcove, but she was still alone. Slowly, her eyes returned to the statue’s face and she tentatively reached out to touch it, her other hand returning to her stomach.

She wasn’t alone. Not with the tiny life inside her. Her decision wasn’t made and she knew it would only be the first of several, but an odd sense of calm settled over her. Somehow, regardless of her choice, maybe it would be okay.

A month later, Laura found her way to the same temple and the well-worn pillow at Thalia’s feet. It hadn’t been easy, but she felt confident in her decision to keep this child, even if she didn’t know what the future would hold. Maybe it was selfish, she worried, but she would do her best to be there for her child so neither would ever be alone again.

Her eyes refocused on her daughter and she bit down on her lip harder than she intended, wincing at the sharp pain that shot out from her mouth. Never had she regretted her decision regarding Thalia, but the thought of not having that option would’ve panicked her at the time. The thought of Thalia, even Grace in the future, losing out on that choice physically pained her. There were too many women in the fleet, in a myriad of circumstances, that deserved the same choice. No part of Laura could blame anyone hesitant to bring a child into the uncertain, unstable life they lived.

“You’re right,” she finally breathed out, her voice trembling.

“What?” Lia physically recoiled, her eyes wide.

“You’re right. I’ve fought for women’s rights my entire life and I cannot undo that now.” Though her mind was made up, she still sounded uncertain. “Oh, my gods,” she whispered as her fingers threaded into her hair and she buried her face in her arms.

“Why is this a bad thing? Isn’t it what you wanted?” Lia slowly rounded the desk and rested her hand on her shoulder.

“Because it’s politics and politics are stupidly complicated,” she sighed without lifting her head. “I thought this day couldn’t get any more complicated.” She gave herself another moment to wallow and then forced herself to sit up. “Thank you for reminding me,” she said sincerely. “It’s too easy to get caught up in survival and forget the things we believe in.”

“I’m… surprised you listened.” She shrugged and leaned closer to study her. “You okay?”

“This entire situation is getting to me more than I thought it would.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, I need to meet with Billy and this new campaign manager he found, then I’m going to Galactica.”

“Can we come?”

Laura hesitated, worried about how the afternoon with Bill would go, but eventually nodded. “As long as you’re both ready.”

“We will.” She started to walk away, but turned back. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

In turn, Laura studied her daughter. The younger members of the fleet had all matured faster than they should have after the attacks, faced with the harsh realities of war and life versus death each day. Her children had only been pushed further through the cancer, and the effects of it in Lia’s worried face gave her pause. She was so strong, so like both her parents and willing to fight for what she believed in. Even through her own recovery, Lia had tried to do everything she could to be there for her family, especially with Laura nearly out of commission with her injured knee. A surge of pride welled up in her chest.

She decided simple platitudes wouldn’t help now.

“It’s a hard decision to make,” she admitted. “Realizing there are no right or wrong choices sometimes and trying to do the best we can. It’s hard enough as a mother, but as President…”

“You’re making choices for thousands of people, not just our family.” Lia’s brow furrowed and she sat in the chair opposite her. “I don’t know how you do it.”

Laura let out a short, surprised laugh. “You’re looking at it, honey.”

“No wonder you’re always so stressed.” She wrinkled her nose and pulled her legs up to her chest. “Can I do anything?”

“I should be checking in with you.” Laura raised an eyebrow and gently tossed her glasses to her desk. “Especially after everything. Lee and Kara moving to Pegasus, Dee…” The thought of the young woman made her frown instantly, but she pushed it away with a deep breath.

Lia shrugged. “I miss them, but it’s not like we never see them. And Dee is… sad. Scary.” She absently rubbed at her shoulder and winced. “And you were injured too.”

Eyeing her in concern, she absently rubbed her thigh above the brace and sighed. Even Cottle was impressed with how their injuries were healing, but the occasional nightmare from the night in the lounge still plagued them all. Grace suffered worse ones, but even hers were starting to fade as long as she slept with one of her parents or her sister.

“I know,” was all she managed to say. Words couldn’t convey the heartbreak she felt over Dee’s death and the way it lingered in Bill’s eyes, still hung over the crew of both ships. “I’m sorry, Lia. I wish I could do anything to stop this.”

Her eyes briefly went wide as she leaned forward, her legs dropping so she could reach across the desk. Laura didn’t move, but watched her. “What? Mom, you’re doing so much. You and Dad and Zak and Lee, Billy, everyone tries so hard to keep us protected. And it feels awful to think it, let alone say it, but I’m glad to have you. Maybe it’s just selfish, but I see all the other kids that don’t have any family and think about how many times we almost lost you and Dad and, I don’t know. It makes you think,” she finished with a shrug.

“It does make you think,” she mused softly. “Almost too much.” She took a deep breath and finally stretched her arm out so she could take her daughter’s hand. “I love you and all of your compassion and empathy and brilliance.”

“Learned it from my mother.” Lia grinned and the resemblance to her father made Laura shake her head. “I love you too.”

With that, she jumped up and left the room, only for Billy to walk in a moment later like he had been waiting. Resigning herself to whatever else the afternoon would hold, Laura straightened up and tried to let everything slide off her shoulders with minimal success.

The news that the rights protected in prior Colonial law would remain standing garnered the exact reaction Laura thought it would. Sarah Porter and her constituents withdrew their support as quickly as possible, but she wondered if it would’ve happened anyway. Rya’s abortion would have happened regardless; that point wasn’t up for debate. The surprise came during the press conference and Baltar’s announcement of running against her for president under the banner of preserving humanity and banning abortion. It viscerally reminded her of Adar and the friendship between the two men, and it took everything in her not to recoil from her Vice President, a man she still didn’t trust. When combined with the news of Pegasus’ ill-fated mission and death of her third commander, she was grateful she had given in and decided to return to her husband. If they argued again, at least they could get it out and over with, but she hoped they had both calmed enough to avoid it.

She found him on the couch, almost exactly where she had left him hours ago, but he had lost his tunic and held an empty glass in his hands. From the look in his eyes, it hadn’t been his first, and she sighed as she eased the hatch closed, reassured that the girls were settled in their cabin.

“It’s a bad day when you have to drink alone,” she commented softly.

He grunted and waved his glass toward the drink cart. After watching him for a moment, she sighed and accepted the invitation for what it was. Her eyes left him long enough for her to cross the room, aware that alcohol wasn’t the best idea for either of them now but not caring. She poured slightly more than a finger and paused to dump the extra in his before she sat down and took a slow sip with a grimace.

“Frak, this is the Chief's experimental brew, isn’t it?” she gasped. She had always been able to tolerate her alcohol, but this was something else.

He glanced at her but didn’t respond, instead only tossing back the drink she had shared. It probably wasn’t a good idea, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. “I’m promoting Lee,” he finally said.

Her eyebrow shot up and she took another drink to give herself an extra moment to respond. “To command Pegasus? Is that a good idea?”

“He’s qualified. I need someone on that ship I can trust and there’s not many people available to do it.” Unwilling to get up for another drink, he leaned forward to set his glass on the coffee table and then settled back into the couch with a low grunt.

“There’s no one else?”

“Closest would be Kara. I don’t know that she’s ready for a command like that and I need her as CAG.”

“Bill, you know how it would look.” It was frustrating trying to get comfortable with the knee brace, but sitting on the couch was nearly impossible unless her leg was up. The way they sat now, she could only angle her leg toward him so she could better face him. The absent way he stared across the room worried her and she regretted the additional drink she had given him. Deciding not to contribute to it, she set hers aside and folded her hands in her lap. “Our son in command of Pegasus? We’re already on the edge of a dynasty as it is. This won’t help.”

“He’s qualified.”

“You can’t say that like it eliminates all of the problems with this idea.”

“It’s not an idea and it’s a military decision.”

Her gaze hardened and she slightly leaned forward. “I think we should talk this through. When you’re sober,” she emphasized slowly.

“There’s nothing to discuss.” He glanced at her and gave in to another drink just to move away from her, his fingers grasping his glass as he stood up.

“Don’t do this.”

“It’s a military decision, Laura,” he repeated, this time not looking at her as he focused on filling his glass.

“I’m not arguing that.” She shifted to the edge of the couch, her back straight and tense. “I’m asking you to consider the possible repercussions. We’re heading into an election and I already lost support from Gemenon today. Do you want to just hand the presidency over to Baltar?”

“Whose decision was that?” The look he gave her pushed her to her feet, her hip audibly popping.

“No, I’m not doing this. Sober up and then we’ll talk.” She shook her head and shoved her hands into the pockets of her blazer, nails biting into her palms.

“I already told you there’s nothing to discuss. He’ll take command day after tomorrow, Kara takes over in the morning.” He tossed back another finger of home brew and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, aware he would more than regret it come morning.

“Bill, please...” She took a step forward and then stopped, moving to wring her hands in front of herself as she stood conflicted between anger and concern. “Talk to me.”

“I’m not gonna say it again,” he shot back firmly enough that she winced.

“If I lose the election because of this,” she warned, her anger breaking through and flashing in her eyes.

“Then what? You’ll actually relax? Have time to spend with our children?” The alcohol had destroyed his filter, words tumbling out that he didn’t intend to say, but it hadn’t done its original purpose of numbing the emotions flowing over him. Garner, Fisk, Cain, Dee. The weight of commanding two ships combined with sleepless nights reassuring Grace or his wife was too much.

She knew his words came from alcohol and a need to ignore what he was feeling, but she worried there was a truth to them and that was what hurt. With nothing to say that wouldn’t worsen their situation, she turned and left. It took every bit of her control to not respond and to walk away, the effort making her hands shake as she clenched them even tighter. It would be a quiet night alone on Colonial One, but she would make sure she returned first thing in the morning in the hopes that her husband, the fleet’s commanding officer, had regained some of his senses.

One night turned into another which quickly became a week. Both more preoccupied with their duties and Laura with their children, it took time before she realized that Bill was well and truly avoiding her. It took another day for her to realize she was avoiding him in turn and the realization only made her double down and throw as much energy into the campaign as she could. Whatever was left, she funneled into her daughters. Lia knew something was off far faster than Laura liked, but her half-truths were enough to keep Grace mostly settled down aside from a few tantrums. It seemed Bill was avoiding his daughters as much as her, Laura just couldn’t tell if it was on purpose or if they were collateral damage in their marital spat. Neither option made her happy, but she was only complicit in one; she didn’t know how to resolve either. The looming debates were just another weight on her plate and she could feel her shoulders starting to crumple. The worst part was, without Bill, she wasn’t sure who to turn to. As President, she had the support of her aides and the Quorum. As mother, as Laura, she had no one. Especially with Lee commanding Pegasus and Zak overwhelmed on the Rising Star.

The thought made her grip her hands, fingers anxiously twisting her ring only to let go and reach for her necklace instead. She fiddled with the pendant, feeling the slightly rough edges of the ruby settings and smooth lines of the gold. It was cold and she held it between her fingers until it warmed, desperately searching for anything to ground herself with and finding nothing. They had weathered so much together, more over the last several months than their entire lives, that it felt ridiculous to let a rough few days drive such a wedge between them.

Yet here they were.

The news of Sharon’s early labor finally dragged her back to Galactica, neither of them able to continue avoiding the other any longer.

Her thoughts had never been more conflicted, unable to reconcile the tiny, premature baby with the things that had tried to kill Bill, had annihilated their entire home. Even if it was only half-Cylon, everything physically about her seemed human. Laura tried not to think about how the same blood that pumped through her little body also ran through her veins and had miraculously cured her cancer. It only complicated things further, felt like another trial from the gods.

Bill watched his wife across the table, nearly oblivious to Baltar and Saul sitting nearby. All he saw was the agony on her face that she did her best to hide. It probably worked on their second-in-commands, but it didn’t fool him one bit. He was only able to widen his focus when she spoke.

“If her baby does survive, the question is what do we do with it?” She pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

“Do?” Baltar asked incredulously. “What are you suggesting? That we throw it out of an airlock?”

The look she gave him would’ve seared anyone else. “I don’t make suggestions, Mr. Baltar. If I want to toss a baby out an airlock, I’d say so,” she muttered before she looked away again. She wasn’t sure what she was suggesting, what any of their options were or how far the consequences would stretch.

“Well, it’s really gratifying to know that infanticide’s not o­n the table.” Baltar shook his head and pushed himself back from the table.

“Do I have to point out that this is not a baby? It’s a machine.” Saul stared at them all, his face a deep scowl.

“No, it’s half-machine, half-human. I suggest we all keep that half in mind,” Baltar shot back.

Bill sighed. “Cylons went through a great deal of trouble to create this thing. Should go without saying that if it’s good for them, it’s gonna be bad for us.”

“I completely agree,” she said before hesitating. “And I take it as a given we can’t turn it over to Sharon to raise. That could be disastrous.”

He wasn’t sure if he agreed, but now wasn’t the time for that. “There’s still another factor to consider here. There’s Cylons aboard this fleet. If they find out this thing’s been born, they’re gonna make a play for it.”

Laura slowly sat forward and dropped her hands to her lap, her brow furrowing as she tried to work through her thoughts. He could tell she had an idea, even if it wasn’t fully formed yet, and he had a feeling it wouldn’t be one she would share. Definitely not while Saul and Baltar were there, maybe not even with him.

“Does anyone have any helpful damn insight?” he grumbled.

“She might not make it…” It felt like an awful thing to even consider, but that’s exactly what they were doing.

“At the very least,” Baltar grimaced, “there are things we can learn from the hybrid. Her blood cures cancer, for frak’s sake.”

“You think no one in this room is aware of that?” Bill’s hand hit the table and made both Laura and Baltar jump, but only she let out a stifled gasp. “Saul, get back to the CIC. I need to speak with the President,” he said to dismiss them both.

The two men left quickly and the minutes creeped by in silence. They didn’t look at each other, Laura focused on the bulkhead and Bill on the table. Both knew the other could go almost endlessly without saying a word. It was the level of comfort between them, words not always necessary, but now it just highlighted the chasm that had formed.

“You have an idea, don’t you?” He only glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

“No, it won’t work,” she lied immediately, her lips briefly turning down in a frown. “That child is too big of a risk, Bill.”

He finally turned to look at her, but she didn’t move. “If you can look Helo and Sharon in the eyes and kill their newborn daughter, by all means,” he said carefully. “But then you are not the woman I thought you were.”

“Maybe I’m not. You’ve certainly changed recently,” she snapped, already pushing herself to her feet. “Have you been avoiding Grace and Lia because of me?”

“I’m not avoiding anyone. I’ve been busy.” He shook his head and stood up too, shoving his chair in harder than necessary.

“Oh, bullshit, Bill! They don’t deserve this!” The anger she had been holding back for days lashed out and she couldn’t even bring herself to regret it.

“I’m sorry, wasn’t it Lia who called me when you passed out? When you were working too much and couldn’t make time for them?” He leaned toward her with his hands pressed against the table, eyes narrowed and focused on her.

“Oh, right! Out of all of the months, years,” she yelled back, emotions strangling her voice, “that you were gone? What the frak?”

“You knew what you were getting into, Laura! I never lied to you.” His fingers dug into the wood and she trembled before him, hands painfully clenched at her sides.

“Frak, Bill!” She closed her eyes and turned away, a shaky breath tumbling from her lips. “Gods!”

There was nothing else to say, only more pointed jabs that would just escalate it further and she was too tired for that. She had an idea and she needed the time to make it work, painfully aware that it would just further widen the gap between them. Once again, they stood on opposite sides of the fleet and she was terrified down to her bones that they couldn’t find their way through this storm. Not together, not with their family intact.

With that fear clouding her mind, her very soul, she walked away. Bill didn’t watch her go, only listened to the sound of her heels and the hatch. The way she walked told him that she wasn’t doing as much physical therapy as he should be and it made him frown, but trying to bring that up now would be like lighting a match in a gas-filled room. He had spent years wondering why she didn’t talk to him and tried to handle everything by herself all the time, and now he was pushing her away to do the same thing because he couldn’t find the words to handle his guilt and grief. They were too similar sometimes and as his finger brushed over his wedding ring, he felt an old wound start to reopen. The long days, months, spent away had worn on him, each new stretch renewing the worry that Laura would walk away. It had lessened over the years as their relationship—their family—solidified, but it had never truly gone away. It had never been as strong as it was now either.

Knowing exactly how Billy would react, Laura hesitantly reached out to the newest member of her team. Tory Foster had a cutthroat edge that disconcerted her, but it was exactly what she needed right now. Her foot tapped nervously, impatiently, as she waited for Cottle to join them on Colonial One, grateful the girls were still on the Odysseus but dreading the next conversation regardless.

“I have a feeling I know why I’m here,” Cottle grumbled as he walked into the room, his usually grumpy expression only exacerbated. “I’m not doing it, Madam President, and I’m appalled you would even consider it.”

“I would appreciate,” Laura sighed, her hands tightly folded on her desk, “if people would stop making assumptions about this situation.”

“I notice Admiral Adama isn’t here.”

“This isn’t a military issue, regardless of where the Cylon is imprisoned.” She shifted her hands a little closer and let out a subtle breath.

Before she could continue, he did. “Regardless of her parentage, this is still a child we’re talking about. A living, breathing infant. I cannot and will not violate my oath because you have made the decision that her Cylon half overrides anything else. Despite the fact that that is exactly why you are even sitting here now. With all due respect,” he added with an irritated raise of his eyebrow.

Her eyes narrowed and she slowly straightened up in her chair. “I can’t do that,” she admitted, but her voice was still cold and calm. “I cannot order her death, but this is not a debate. This child will not be raised by the Cylon and I cannot risk Cylon agents getting their hands o­n it. I’ve made my decision. What I need from you, Doctor, is your help.”

He stared at her and she took the fact that he wasn’t leaving to be at least a neutral sign. “To do what?”

“We can hide the child somewhere we can keep an eye on her. If the Cylons think she’s dead, they won’t go looking for her.” The more she discussed the infant, the harder it was to consider her just a Cylon, just a hybrid.

From the report she had read, she was only a little smaller than Grace had been when she was born in the very same room and it was impossible to separate that out, especially when everyone kept reminding her that she was alive because of it—her.

“I take it we won’t be squirreling Helo and Sharon away with their daughter, will we?” he asked, but the look in his eye told her he already knew the answer and just wanted her to say it.

“No, they will have to think she didn’t make it. We can’t risk any news of her getting back to the Cylons.” Despite the uncertainty in her mind, her voice remained collected.

“Fine,” he grunted. “I don’t like it, but have it your way.”

“I need the infant immediately.” She carefully stood up, hands unfolding to press against her desk.

“We’ll have to find somebody suitable. I’ll have to work up a list of names,” he began to protest, but he stopped as Laura gestured for Tory to hand over the list she had already gathered.

“Each of them is capable. Each of them is anonymous. And each can be trusted,” the younger woman explained simply.

“Thought of everything, haven’t you?” His displeasure was obvious, but there wasn’t time to focus on it.

“I hope so,” she sighed, ignoring his disapproval. “I need this arranged ASAP, Doctor.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re not the one who has to tell new parents their daughter didn’t make it.” He held the list tightly enough that it visibly and audibly crumpled. “Madam President… Laura.” His eyes darted to Tory and then back to her. “How would you have felt if your daughter didn’t survive?”

She knew exactly where he was going and she started shaking his head before he even finished speaking. “Don’t,” she warned.

“No, you don’t get to take the high, isolated road. Six years ago, you were in nearly the same damn position as Sharon. Your husband, this crew, did everything they could to get you and your daughter through it.” He moved closer as he spoke until he stood directly across from her, his arms dangling by his sides.

“I don’t have a choice,” she retorted. “I don’t get the luxury of always considering emotions and feelings with my decisions.” Her control was starting to shatter, the cracks made by ongoing stress and the argument with Bill worsening.

“Really? So, your decision regarding Rya’s abortion, abortion access in general, wasn’t influenced whatsoever by emotions?” he quickly shot back.

“The nice thing about being—”

“President is that you don’t have to explain yourself. Right.” He shook his head as he interrupted her. “I’ll have a name and the child for you within a few hours. And you’re overdue for PT. Excuse me.”

He left immediately and she dismissed Tory just as quickly, barely holding herself together until she was alone. Her first instinct was to reach out to Bill, seeking his reassurance, even just his voice, but she knew he wouldn’t approve of this. The fleet, the Cylons, Helo and Sharon, all needed to believe that Hera was dead, but her husband needed to know. It was pure procrastination, but she promised herself she would do it after the child had been hidden and the fleet was safe once more.

Their time was limited, but she carved out a few minutes to return to Galactica, finding comfort in the familiar battlestar amidst everything going on. There was an urge in her that she struggled to ignore, almost like she was being called to Sick Bay. She didn’t understand it and didn’t want to give in, but it was nearly as strong as her urge to see Grace had been after her birth. It was odd, but she couldn’t fight it anymore. Cottle had forced Sharon and Helo out of Sick Bay for a bit and she knew it would be nearly empty, quiet, and it was that knowledge that finally turned her steps to the room she tried to avoid as much as she could. Giving birth in Sick Bay had been one memory, but nearly dying there and Lia’s injury weren’t ones she wanted to think back on.

It was as quiet as she expected it to be, the two chairs near Hera’s incubator empty sentinels. Her steps hesitated at the familiar sight and she had to push herself on, her fingers trailing along the glass as she got close and slowly sat down. The little girl was impossibly small, made up of more medical equipment than anything else, and so unmistakably human that it tugged at Laura’s heart. This time, it was an actual incubator from the Rising Star keeping the newborn alive, not something Cottle had improvised. Still, the fact that both ships were involved made it hard to breathe and she closed her eyes, her arms pressed against her legs.

The guilt over her daughter’s birth had faded over time, but it had never completely disappeared. If she hadn’t pushed herself, she probably would have given birth in a comfortable hospital when she was far enough along and none of them would have had to go through the hours of worry and fear they had gotten instead. But she hadn’t, and she had given birth like Sharon, to a beautiful but small daughter in Galactica’s Sick Bay.

As if that connection wasn’t strong enough, Laura couldn’t forget that Hera’s blood ran through her veins too, that she only sat here now because the little girl—and Sharon—had saved her life. She released a shaky breath and opened her eyes, cautiously reaching a hand into the incubator to stroke her tiny arm.

“Hi, there,” she whispered. “Thank you for saving my life and I’m so sorry I have to do this to you…”

When tears began to form in her eyes, she blinked them back and slid her hand into her pocket. The sound of approaching footsteps drove her to her feet and she recognized Cottle’s grumbling, but her desire not to deal with anyone made her quickly head toward the hatch. She stepped through it just before he left his office and paused to lean against the bulkhead, futilely trying to get control over herself. Her decision had been made, on all accounts, and as soon as news of Hera’s death reached the fleet, she would confess her sins to her husband and pray.

It took less than two hours. She overheard that Helo and Tyrol would spread Hera’s ashes in space while Sharon mourned in Sick Bay, and Laura knew she couldn’t avoid Bill any longer. She forced herself from the Wardroom to her husband’s quarters, her feet dragging the entire way. He was there, she knew, and that only made it harder.

“Whatever it is, I don’t have time for it,” he muttered as soon as the hatch opened.

“Make time, then.” His words didn’t deter her from walking inside, but it put her even more on edge. “I need to talk to you.”

“I don’t have time,” he repeated, only drawing her further into his quarters until she stood across his desk from him. He looked up, his brow briefly furrowing at the carefully guarded expression she wore. Never would he directly ask her to leave, but he considered it. “Laura.”

There was no good way to say it, just like with her cancer. “Hera isn’t dead.”

“Excuse me?”

“I ordered Cottle to fake her death so she could be safely hidden within the fleet. She’s safe; I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“You…” Anger, confusion, concern all halted his train of thought and he could only stare at her. “Where is she?”

“She’s safe.”

“Where is she?” he repeated, suddenly lurching to his feet.

Never in their relationship had she ever feared him. Heartbreak, fear of losing him, but never a physical fear. Now, after everything they had been through, after Cylon attacks and watching him get shot, getting hurt herself, laying on her deathbed and slowly crawling back to life, she recoiled and held her hands to her chest. It faded almost immediately, but the movement was tangible proof of how they had both changed over the last several months.

“I won’t tell you that,” she whispered.

“Then get out.”

Every ounce, every atom of the presidency disappeared from her body in that split second. He only pulled his command more tightly around himself.

“Bill…” Even on the small word, her voice broke and her chin quivered.

“You made your choice. Several times. This is mine.” He couldn’t look at her and stared just over her shoulder, but he could still see how she trembled.

“N-No. No, I won– I…” She couldn’t speak, couldn’t process that their argument had reached this point, completely flooded the levees they had put up to protect Bill and Laura from Admiral and President. “No.”

He took a step around his desk, intending to head toward the hatch and not her, but she flinched again while trying to hold her ground. It made him hesitate.

“Don’t do this, Bill,” she begged, her voice still broken and shaking. “The kids… Grace… Please…”

“You should’ve considered them before you convinced someone else their daughter was dead.” It killed him, his heart painfully beating in his chest and compressing his lungs, but it hurt just as much to face her. “Get. Out.”

Her instincts told her to stay and fight, to push, but her willpower was completely eroded. Too much had chipped away at it since she became President and she was growing tired of fighting. Always one thing after another, oftentimes overlapping and never giving a break.

Worried her legs wouldn’t even hold her up, she turned and focused on each step that carried her out of his quarters. She wasn’t sure where to go, her two places of refuge demolished instantly. It made her hesitate just outside the hatch and she could only continue moving when the Marine glanced at her in concern.

She wandered aimlessly, unable to focus her eyes or make a conscious decision about where to go, but she was drawn out of it when a hand closed around her arm and pulled her through a nearby hatch. She gasped and twisted away as quickly as she could, hands held out to placate or fight depending on the situation.

“Ma’am, it’s me, it’s me. Madam President.” Billy’s voice broke through her foggy thoughts as he backed away in the small storage room to give her as much space as possible.

“Billy… Billy! Oh, gods.” She dropped her hands and then wiped at her eyes, surprised when her trembling fingers came away damp.

“Madam President, is everything okay? Are you alright?” So much worry filled his voice and face that she had to lean back against the hatch. “I was following you trying to get your attention, but you seemed… out of it.”

“I don’t, uh…” She cleared her throat, unsure of what to say and her grip on herself too thin to try. “I don’t know what to do,” she admitted softly. “Everything seems to make it worse and I-I may… What if what’s best for the fleet is the worst thing for my family?”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I don’t think that’s possible,” he responded quickly. “Maybe it feels like that, but it’s been a hell of a week. The decisions you’ve had to make… Of course it weighs on you. I think you just need to step back, let things settle first.”

“I’ve tried that!” When she put more weight against the hatch, her legs trembled harder until she knew she needed to sit. It wasn’t easy with the brace and her knee throbbed in warning, but she managed to slide to the deck with her legs stretched out in front of her. Billy took her arm and helped her as best as he could before he knelt beside her. “I’m sorry, I just… I really don’t know what to do right now.”

“What do you need? What can I do?” He kept his hand where it was, his head bent slightly to meet her gaze.

“Do you know what happens as you get older?” she asked instead, swallowing and shaking her head slightly. “You start to become the one who does all the reassuring. Children, younger sisters, using your experience to help anyone around you.”

“Until you have no one to reassure you,” he finished quietly.

She could only nod.

“How…” He cleared his throat. “I always thought my mom was a superhero. She handled my sisters and me, kept the house running. She was so excited to be a grandmother too and she handled grandkids like they were nothing.” He shrugged and sat down, awkwardly crossing his long legs to still give her space. “But you… You’ve juggled children, the presidency, a marriage, cancer, and gods know what else and you have never stopped.”

“Stopping was never an option,” she protested softly.

“But it was. It is. You didn’t have to respond to that code orange and take the presidency. You could’ve let your marriage or your kids fall apart; hell, no one would’ve blamed you with terminal cancer. But you fought every damn day and you keep fighting and yeah, it’s gonna catch up to you. To both of you.”

His words surprised her, but it was the force with which he said them that really got to her. She could still feel tears uncontrollably streaming down her cheeks, but the suffocating panic in her chest had loosened enough that she could try to breathe.

“I don’t know how to sit and wait…” she confessed.

“No, you don’t.” He let out a slight laugh. “Thankfully, I was trying to track you down to let you know that a few Quorum delegates want to meet with you as soon as possible.”

She groaned. “On Cloud Nine?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Okay. Alright.” She took a deep breath and scrubbed her hands over her face, realizing she had left her glasses on Colonial One. “How bad do I look?”

He smiled sympathetically when she looked up, finally meeting his worried gaze. “Not… great,” he admitted.

“Give me ten minutes to clean up in the girls’ cabin and then I’ll be ready to head over.”

Before she could even shift to get up, Billy was on his feet with his hands extended down to her. She accepted his help without hesitation and allowed him to pull her up, surprised when he then guided her into a hug. She didn’t resist and quickly gave in, realizing just how much she needed the comfort and reassurance. When she stepped back, he slipped her glasses from his pocket and offered them.

“Maybe these will help?” She accepted them and wiped at her eyes again before she put them on, feeling a small piece of her control start to return. “I know I don’t have all the details, so I won’t say everything is gonna be okay… But if anyone can figure it out, it’s you and Admiral Adama.”

“I really hope you’re right, Billy.” She tilted her head, considering her words before she said them. “I raised Lia by myself for almost five years. Even after Bill and I started dating, got married, I still did most of it on my own. It was always knowing that he would come home eventually that kept me going. Without that…”

“Admiral Adama spent months preparing himself for that exact situation,” he told her quietly, his hands lightly settled on her shoulders. “Trying to, at least. But you’re not there yet. Neither of you are. I know that much.”

“Oh, Billy…” She reached up and rested her hand on his face. “I couldn’t have done any of it without you either. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the two of you share a name.” A small smile tried to tug at her lips.

“How is your knee?”

She hummed but grimaced. “The sooner I’m out of this brace the better. Which would happen if I could find time to get down to Sick Bay.”

“I’ll schedule it in for you so you don’t have a choice.” He smiled and she rolled her eyes. “Do you need anything?”

“No, I need the walk. I’ll go slow,” she reassured him.

“I’ll see you on the hangar deck in half an hour, then, Madam President.” He slipped back into their roles faster than she did, but it made it a little bit easier for her to do the same, slowly gathering more of herself back together.

Everything was still restless, stressed, worried just beneath the surface, but all she needed was a thin thread to hold onto. She had pushed through with less.

In the resounding silence of his quarters, Bill knew he couldn’t stay there. He lingered long enough to make sure Laura had gone before he followed her through the hatch, the sight of her just ahead in the corridor making his steps falter. She hadn’t left as quickly as he assumed and he felt a sharper pang of guilt, but it was easily overwhelmed by the larger sense of betrayal. Swallowing it down, he controlled his steps so she wouldn’t catch sight of him if she glanced back and slowly made his way to their daughters’ cabin. The Marine knocked and pushed the hatch open so he could walk straight in, the looks of surprise on Grace’s and Lia’s face only hurting his heart further.

“Oh, Dad. Hi.” Lia was halfway up from the table and after a pause, continued standing. “I thought it was Mom.”

“She had to go back to Colonial One,” he assumed, “but I wanted to check on you.”

“Oh. Okay.” She narrowed her eyes and studied him hard enough that he sighed. “Is everything okay?”

Grace tentatively moved closer until she stood beside him and slipped her smaller hand into his, a crayon dangling loosely from her other one. He glanced down at her and squeezed her hand.

“Yeah, yeah.” Even to his own ears, it sounded like a lie, and he knew his daughter would see right through it. “Just headed back to the CIC. You girls need anything?”

“I want Mama,” Grace said quietly.

“She’s working right now, but maybe tonight.” He squeezed her hand and looked at her again.

Never in his life would he forget the day his daughter was born. The day of Zak’s and Lee’s birth, the day he found out about Lia, were all happily seared in his mind. Even if Grace’s birth had been normal, gone as planned, he would have remembered it just as well, but the thought that his daughter had been born on his ship filled him with a pride he knew Laura didn’t understand. Now, it seemed to be a double-edged sword, drawing him in too personally to his crew—to Sharon—down in Sick Bay. To think his wife would willingly cause such harm to them both worried and infuriated him, hurting only more as he stared down at their daughter.

“Daddy?” Grace asked quietly.

He swallowed, the look in her watery eyes catching him off guard. Laura had flinched away from him and now Grace was pulling back too, Lia already uneasy. He let her go and clenched his hand at his side.

“I’ll be in the CIC,” he said quickly before he turned on his heel and left.

Emotions were clouding his mind and shoving logic out of his head and he was aware of it, but it only suffered to frustrate him more. No part of him wanted to sit and try to think through it which furthered the guilt surrounding his heart, but the way his daughters, his wife, had looked at him haunted his thoughts and he couldn’t make it go away, echoed by Dee and so many others.

Chapter Text

Her intention had been to review the last of her notecards for the debate in the girls’ cabin, but that plan was ruined nearly from the beginning. The dress she intended to wear was in Bill’s closet, not hers, and the realization left her irritated and nervous as she led Billy and Tory through the corridors to her husband’s quarters. She would change and leave as quickly as she could. After dismissing her aides, she took a deep breath and walked through the hatch, immediately caught off guard by Bill and Grace sitting at the table. Her steps hesitated and she covered it with a quick smile for their daughter.

“I, uh, I just need to change,” she explained without looking at him. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Mama!” She jumped up and rushed over, her arms tightly thrown around her waist.

Bill let his eyes roam over his wife and daughter and cleared his throat. “Help yourself.”

Reluctantly nudging Grace back, she tried a grateful smile and handed her notecards to her. “Keep this safe while I get ready?”

Grace gasped and carefully took them. “I will,” she said solemnly, but it was followed by a giggle.

Aware of her limited time, Laura hurried in search of her dress and then into the head to change and touch up her hair and makeup. Finally free of her knee brace, it was easier to move around and dress, even though a lingering ache still persisted. Cottle had warned her that it would likely be an intermittent problem for at least a while, but it wasn’t anything unusual. Frustrated, but more relieved to be able to return to normal activities, she pushed through it. Just being in her dress and heels again made her feel a little more in control.

When she reemerged, Grace looked up and smiled widely. “Mama! You look so pretty!” She held her hands to her mouth, but it still couldn’t hide her smile.

She fixed the orientation of her necklace and managed a grateful smile. “Thank you.” She walked over to grab her notecards and kiss Grace’s head, but her daughter’s expression shifted and made her hesitate. “I’ll see you after the debate,” she promised.

“No, stay…” She pouted and Laura sighed.

It was a blessing that between the thick bulkheads on Galactica and the distance of Colonial One, neither Lia nor Grace had overheard any of their parents’ argument. They had still seen the after effects, and that saddled both of them with a heavy amount of guilt.

With another sigh, her eyes shifted to Bill, almost as if she were asking permission. He nodded without thinking. He wouldn’t, couldn’t say no to Grace, especially with everything going on. Laura’s shoulders relaxed a small amount and she forced another small smile.

“Will you help me with my cards, then?” she asked as her attention turned back to her daughter.

“Yes!” Grace jumped up, her smile starting to return.

Laura had developed a ritual over the years of ripping up her notecards as she studied them and tossing them into the air to let the pieces fall as they may. It gave her something to focus on instead of her nerves and relieved some of the worry she always felt. The superstition had become more important as she made her way into the government and began giving speeches in front of larger and larger audiences, and she clung to it now.

Grace chased after the torn cards as Laura ripped them, but when she tossed the last one, her nerves felt no better. Bill had sat quietly and watched the entire time and she had a feeling that was part of the problem, but it did nothing for a solution. Resolving that she would just have to get over it, her eyes fell on the pencil Grace had left on the table. Mixed in with her own superstitions, she had adopted the same one her father-in-law used, but she hesitated now. Pencils were in short supply, but after deciding that the halves could still be used, she picked it up and broke it. Grace immediately gasped and giggled.

“That’s my pencil!” She held her hand out for the pieces and Laura gave them up with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, sweetheart. Now you have two pencils!” She bit her lip and moved her hands to her hips. “Oh, my gods. What if the moderator doesn’t have a pencil?”

“Then you’re pretty screwed,” Bill said with a slight raise of his eyebrow.

The suddenness of his comment made a giggle slip past her lips and she immediately covered her mouth to stifle it. “Oh, no…”

“Is this debate team all over again?” His eyebrow rose higher and he couldn’t help the small smile that began to appear. This was the most relaxed either of them had been in too long.

“No,” she mumbled, allowing another giggle to break free. It felt too ridiculous. She was too damn old and their situation too serious for a giggle fit, but nothing she did could stop them.

Grace dissolved into giggles just as quickly and dropped in a heap to the deck, their laughter filling the cabin. Bill watched and despite everything, was struck by how beautiful Laura was. Neither of them had allowed themselves to completely relax since the attacks, even—especially—while she was dying. But now, even for a moment, everything had fallen from her shoulders in the face of her nerves. For her sake, for their daughter’s sake, he swallowed everything else down and gave in to the moment.

Tory knocked on the hatch and Laura barely managed to control herself to let her in. “It’s time, Madam President.”

“Thank you, Tory,” she giggled as Tory left and Billy lingered behind.

“I can stay with Grace,” he offered to Bill, “if you would like to go.”

Bill considered it for a moment and then stood up with a nod. Appearances mattered, he knew, and rumors had already started circulating the fleet surrounding the leaders at odds with each other. Escorting his wife to the debate could dispel a lot of those rumors and as he watched her, he realized he wanted it too. As angry and frustrated as they were with each other, he would always love her, worry about her.

“Thank you, Billy.” He leaned over to pull Grace to her feet and kissed her head. “Behave and we’ll see you after the debate.”

“Yes, Daddy!” She beamed and continued giggling as she pulled free and rushed toward Billy.

Before he could look at his wife, another round of giggles made her double over and she automatically grabbed onto his arm to stay upright, her forehead pressed against his sleeve. He widened his stance to support her and felt the moment she tensed in regret, but her eyes slowly raised to meet his. Instead of seeing the dark emotions that had clouded them for so long, she only saw his love and affection. It stifled her giggles and made her tighten her hold on him.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He nodded and shifted to better support her to guide her out of his quarters after Tory. They didn’t make it very far before another wave of giggles overtook her, quickly dragging Bill under too. It felt almost normal and did more to chase away Laura’s nerves than anything else.

The debate went nearly as she expected it to, coupled with a few targeted comments about the leadership dynasty by Baltar that the moderator worked hard to quash, which only seemed to frustrate him more. Laura stayed calm, focused, knowing she had the better and stronger platform no matter how charismatic Zarek and Baltar were. She had the advantage, especially as the incumbent, and she used it.

After a post-debate summary from Tory on Colonial One, Laura was relieved to have a chance to sit back for a few moments. There was more than enough to do, and plenty she had procrastinated on, but she needed a chance to center herself after the whirlwind day. A part of herself was calmed after the time with Bill and Grace, but the rest of her was only made more uneasy by it. It was a reminder of everything they had sacrificed and continued to sacrifice for the fleet and for the first time, she wondered if winning the election really was the right thing. Against any other opponent, she would have considered it more seriously.

Billy’s voice broke her wandering thoughts and she sighed as she focused on him. “Uh, Madam President? Starbuck is here to see you.”

Immediately concerned, she sat up and gestured for him to let her in. He moved aside to make room for Kara and then left with Tory, leaving Kara to approach alone.

“I wanted to see you before I left,” she explained hesitantly as she fell into the chair.

Laura raised an eyebrow, her concern growing. It didn’t take her long to put the pieces together. “You’re going back to Caprica?” Her voice was calm and controlled, even if she wasn’t.

Kara shifted uncomfortably across from her and nodded. “Admiral approved it this morning. Volunteer only.”

Laura only hummed, unable to commit to any words for a few moments. Bill had had several chances to tell her and he hadn’t, and the realization chased away the last vestiges of her good mood. “Why are you here, then? You don’t need my permission.” She paused, but continued on anyway, “In fact, I remember turning down this idea of yours at least twice.”

“Look,” she sighed, “I don’t know what’s going on between you and the Old Man, but I remember enough of my parents’ frakking awful marriage to know when you’re fighting. Whatever he did, whatever you did, get over it, for gods’ sakes.” She shook her head and stood up. “I’m here because I wanted to say goodbye before I left and to ask for Lia to join me.”

“No.”

“You didn’t even—“

“You are not dragging my daughter back to a nuked planet, are you insane?”

“You sent me back!”

“I sent you for a reason!”

“Lia wants to go back for a reason! She wants to help! And she’s frakking tired of being stuck between you and her father, treated like an oblivious child when she’s not!” Kara’s hands slammed down on the desk and she didn’t back off, her eyes flashing with all of the anger Laura felt inside.

“Kara Thrace, don’t you dare.” She shoved herself up and leaned forward, just barely taller than the pilot and using every bit to her advantage. “You do not get to come in here and yell at me for how I parent my children. You can protest the decisions I’ve made as President, but you do not get to do this.”

“Fine.” She held her hands up in surrender and backed off. “But maybe one of you should pull your head out of whatever stupid argument you’ve shoved yourselves into and pay attention to what’s going on around you.”

She was gone before Laura could retort, leaving her with her boiling anger and nothing to channel it into. She pressed more weight against her hands until her arms began to shake and then she crumpled back into her chair, vision swimming with tears and her blossoming headache.

Even now, Bill didn’t like the idea of a rescue mission back to Caprica. It seemed too risky, but with Pegasus, her Raptors, and her men, it was more doable than it had been before. They had left too many people behind that they couldn’t save, but these ones they could. With that thought at the forefront of his mind, he watched the DRADIS and each of the twenty Raptors, eyes focused on Starbuck’s.

“Sir,” Gaeta called, “Starbuck wants to speak to you.”

He nodded and picked up the handset. “Actual, go.”

“Did I ever say thank you?” Starbuck asked.

“No. Then again, that would be a first, wouldn’t it?” He chuckled quietly and leaned against the CnC.

“Thank you.” Genuine gratitude filled her voice and made him clear his throat.

“Just come back in one piece, that’ll be thank you enough. Good hunting.” He started to return the handset, but she spoke again before he could.

“Sir, I have someone else who would like to speak with you.” Her tone shifted and his brow furrowed.

Assuming it was Sharon, maybe Helo, he stayed quiet and waited.

“Dad?” Lia’s voice replaced Starbuck’s and he was grateful he was already leaning against something for support. “Please don’t be ma—“

“Thalia Iris Adama, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, his hand gripping the metal. “Get back here now.”

“I can’t, Dad. I want to help. I need to help! I promise I’ll be safe and I have Kara and Helo looking out for me. I can do this,” she begged and he had to close his eyes.

“You are sixteen years old. You are not old enough to be running off like this!”

“Kara did! You did! And it doesn’t matter anymore! It’s not like I can get my license or be a normal teenager anyway. I’m doing this!”

“Sir, they need to jump soon,” Gaeta warned.

Bill turned away from the handset. “Frak me.” He couldn’t justify scrapping the mission, as much as he wanted to. “Get me Starbuck.”

“Yes, sir?”

“You bring her back.” Emotions were beginning to clog his voice and he pushed on. “You bring her back without a scratch on either of you, Kara Thrace.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Frak.” He took a deep breath. “Tell her I love her.”

“She can hear you.”

The words killed him, but he said them anyway. “Actual out.” Instead of hanging up, he ordered, “Get me the President.”

Laura picked up almost immediately. “Yes?”

“Lia’s gone.” There was no use beating around the bush.

Her blood ran cold. “Gone?”

“She left with Starbuck for Caprica.”

“Bill, what the frak did you do?!”

“I didn’t approve this!” he defended before he lowered his voice and considered if they should have this conversation in private, if not in person. “She snuck off.”

“She was just here! She was with Grace in their room!” Her hand trembled and she gripped the edge of her desk as she stood up. “No, no, she wouldn’t do this.”

“She did. I talked to her.” He shook his head.

“No, please.” Her voice broke and she squeezed her eyes closed. “Bill…”

“Starbuck and Helo will keep her safe.” He was sure of that fact, but that wasn’t what worried him.

“Oh, my gods, Bill…” She couldn’t think, couldn’t focus, past the fear that had filled her head. “No…”

“I’m coming over.”

“Please.” She wasn’t even sure what she was asking for.

As quickly as a Raptor could be arranged, he flew to Colonial One and rushed through the hallways to his wife’s side. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t done anything aside from sit back down, her eyes wide with shell-shocked fear. No words were needed as he approached her, his hand taking her extended one and leading her into her room. She didn’t fight him and they collapsed onto the couch with his arm around her shoulders and her head pressed against his chest, her fingers loosely tangled in his tunic.

“They’re coming back,” he murmured, voice barely audible.

“How could you let this happen?” She knew her blame was misplaced, but she couldn’t help it.

“I didn’t know she wanted to go, but I had to approve the rescue mission. I’m tired of leaving people behind.” He pressed a kiss to her head and sighed.

Laura’s blame immediately turned inward. “She told me,” she admitted softly. “Kara told me she wanted to go and I said no and then I was so caught up with the election and I—“

“No, Laura, no, this isn’t your fault.” He sat up just enough to look at her, his fingers absently stroking her shoulder. “She made her choice. Kara made the choice to help her. This isn’t your fault.”

“Then it’s not yours either.” She wiped at her eyes. “Bill, what if they don’t come back?”

“They’re coming back,” he said firmly.

“What if they don’t?” She looked up, tears shining in her anguished eyes.

“I have every bit of faith in Starbuck, Helo, in every person involved in this mission. They’ll come back.” He squeezed her gently and willed as much reassurance into his expression as he could manage. “They’ll come back.”

Unable to argue, she laid her head back down. The thought of anything happening to Kara worried her, as it did every time she climbed in her Viper and went after the Cylons, but Lia was still a child. She was too young for anything to happen and the fear made her sick, nearly incapacitated her if not for her husband’s comforting warmth grounding her to the present.

The news that a Raptor had returned early reluctantly drew him away. She let him go, seeming a little more collected but still worried, and only after he promised to keep her updated with anything he found out.

As information about the accidentally-discovered planet came out, Laura couldn’t help but draw parallels to Kobol. The similarities ended at the discovery. Kobol had been lush and green, but occupied by Cylons. It had promised comfort, but warned of a price to be paid in blood. This planet held none of those threats or promises. It looked miserable, would be miserable, and questionably would lead to worse conditions than they experienced on their ships. Beyond all of that, Laura felt a deep, overwhelming foreboding that warned against the chunk of rock. It wasn’t safe and she trusted that instinct. It hadn’t failed her yet and this was stronger than anything she had ever felt. It was bad news and she wanted away from it as quickly as possible.

Somehow, Baltar turning the planet into the center of his campaign didn’t come as a surprise. It did worsen the fear she felt toward both of them and she knew she couldn’t cave in to what the people seemed to want, even if it lost her the election. All she could do was hope she had a strong enough lead—that was already growing smaller—or could convince Baltar to table discussion of settlement until after the election. She worried neither would succeed.

The next debate would be focused on the planet, she knew, and she used her time to study the reports and maps that the Raptor surveys had brought back, until she finally sank back into her seat with a heavy sigh. The dark feeling shadowing her was so palpable that she looked over her shoulder, worried someone was watching. Only her aides were there, none paying attention to her, but she jumped when she turned back and found Grace suddenly there.

“Grace, baby!” She forced a breath out and closed her eyes for a moment. “Are you okay?”

“I miss Lia.” She sniffled and took a step closer.

“I know.” After another breath, she held her hand out and pulled her daughter in. “I do too, but she’s coming back. Her and Kara both.”

“Can we go down to the planet?” She leaned against her, but pointed to the pictures scattered across the table.

“No,” she answered, maybe too quickly. “No, we’re going to stay right here.”

Grace poured. “But I wanna see it. Everyone else is going!”

“No, everyone else is not going. It’s not fun down there. It’s cold and yucky and there’s nothing.” She wrapped her other arm around her and held her a little tighter. “Do you remember when we went to Cetus with Daddy?”

“It was cold and yucky,” she grumbled, her pout turning into a frown at the memory. “Is the planet like Cetus?”

“It is. And it might not be safe which is why I don’t think we should go. We’re trying to find Earth, remember?”

“And Earth is pretty like Kobol?”

“Earth is supposed to be pretty like Kobol and Caprica. Like home.” She smiled and kissed her daughter’s head.

“Why does Dr. Baltar want to see the planet then?” She looked up again, her little brow furrowed in confusion.

Laura bit her lip, unsure of how to answer the question. “It’s hard to say,” she finally admitted. “Some people don’t believe in Earth like I do, and they weren’t born in space like you, so they want to find a planet and settle down as quickly as possible. Even if it might not be safe.”

“Oh.” Her brow furrowed deeper. “I don’t like him.”

She let out a surprised laugh and rubbed her arms. “Why don’t we go find something to eat?”

Easily distracted, Grace nodded and helped tug her mother to her feet.

Between the issue of the planet and her own distraction regarding her missing daughter, Laura didn’t think the second debate could have gone worse. She also knew there wasn’t much more she could have said. If the people wanted to settle on the planet and she was unwilling to make that call, things were tilting in Baltar’s favor. The foreboding feeling was only growing stronger and unless Tory had a good back up plan, there was only one more thing she could try. With a desperate prayer to Athena, she waited alone in Bill’s quarters, hands on her hips and painfully digging in. Her hopes weren’t high, but she needed to do everything she could to stop the awful feeling in her chest and stomach regarding New Caprica.

The hatch opened and she reluctantly moved toward the outer room as Baltar called out, “Admiral?” His face fell at the sight of her. “Madam President.”

“The Admiral isn’t here. This is my meeting,” she explained calmly.

“Right, your little ‘marital spat’ keeping the two of you apart,” he muttered with air quotes.

Laura narrowed her eyes and ignored his comment. “I wanted us to talk privately without the press getting wind of it. Please have a seat.”

“Well, you must have something very interesting to say to resort to such pedestrian methods of deception.” He remained standing.

Once again, she ignored him, her little patience wearing thin. “The question of permanent settlement may well be the most important issue we face since the attack.”

“I agree.”

“Good.” She leaned against the chair and faced him. “The question should be carefully studied before making a final decision. In the middle of an election campaign is hardly the time for careful study. Therefore, I propose a truce. You and I will issue a joint statement declaring that the question be tabled until after this election. We will both pledge that regardless of who is elected, the decision will be made only after careful deliberation involving all elements of the public and after consultation with the military and the Quorum of Twelve.” He snorted and rolled his eyes. “Doctor, I know we’ve had our disagreements, but this issue transcends personal disagreement, as well as politics. I am appealing here to your sense of patriotism.” She paused. “I am appealing to you as a mother.”

“Oh, yes. The mother who sent her daughter back to Caprica on a suicidal rescue mission. With her other daughter-like figure who had already been back to Caprica once. The mother whose husband and son have a chokehold on the military.” He shook his head and stared at her. “Let me tell you, my sense of patriotism is doing just fine. Thank you very much for asking. I see it as my patriotic duty to lead this fleet to a new world. That new world is unquestionably New Caprica. But thank you, Madam President, for demonstrating to me just how desperate your campaign for re-election has become.”

Throwing all caution out the airlock, she slowly stepped around the chair and table. Knowledge she had been holding onto for what felt like forever demanded to be revealed. “Were you with a blonde woman on Caprica just prior to the attack?”

“What?” His eyes darted over her shoulder.

“Were you with a tall, blonde woman in the Riverwalk section of Caprica City just prior to the attack?” she repeated, her voice beginning to tremble as memories and dread welled up inside her.

“You’ll resort to anything at this stage, won’t you? I’m afraid my affairs on Caprica and who I chose to consort with are none of your business. I saved your life. I won’t save your political career.” He pointed at her threateningly and she couldn’t even appreciate the irony of his statement.

He stormed out and she leaned against the table, struggling not to give in to the feeling washing over it. Her original plan had been to return to Colonial One immediately, but she couldn’t get her body to respond. Hopelessness joined the dread and she dropped to her elbows with a wince, her forehead pressed against the table.

“Frak!” she cried out, her loss of control quickly spiraling out. “Frak, frak frak!”

Bill stepped into his quarters, the sight of his wife doubled over the table making his heart race. As she banged her fist and her anguished sobs reached him, it pushed him into motion and he joined her, his arm sliding around her waist.

“Laura, honey. Honey, what’s wrong?” His hand lightly stroked her side and felt every shudder that went through her body. “Laura?”

She shook her head and couldn’t manage to push herself up, only supported by the table and Bill. Her eyes were squeezed closed and a wave of pain went through her. Before either of them could say anything more, the wireless rang and he had to step back, his hand lingering on her as long as it could.

When he returned, she hadn’t moved, but her fists had loosened and her breath wasn’t quite as ragged. His hand settled on her upper back, fingers gently threaded into the ends of her hair. She didn’t react.

“The Raptors are back,” he murmured. “Lia, Kara, they’re okay. They lost a few, but our daughters are okay.”

Her body gave up at that and he caught her before she could collapse, securely holding her to his chest to keep her up. Gently, he turned her around so she leaned into him and her hands immediately fisted in his uniform, her face buried in his chest. He rested his head against hers and held her tighter.

“They’re landing soon,” he continued just as quietly. “Let’s go meet them.”

She managed a nod and a shaky breath. “They’re okay?”

“They are. They did it, honey.” He tilted her head up and kissed her softly, his hand moving to cover hers.

She didn’t fight him as he untangled her fingers and laced them with his own, watching as her strength slowly returned. As soon as they were both confident she could hold her own, they made their way to greet the returning Raptors, still hand in hand.

Several Raptors had landed on Pegasus, but the hangar deck was still full of chaotic activity as the returning crew and rescued Colonials disembarked. Laura could barely focus on where they were going as she scanned the crowd and she broke off the moment she saw Lia’s and Kara’s heads. Bill caught her hand at the last moment and ran after her, their daughter meeting them halfway. She crashed into them and Bill kept them both upright, hugging them close while Laura tightly held onto Lia. With their daughter standing over both of them, she had to lean more into her than hold her, but she did so just as tightly.

When she pulled back and looked up, her hands trembled as she cupped her face and pulled her closer. Her face was scraped, but there was an excited gleam in her eyes that she recognized. She had seen it in Bill’s, in Lee’s, then in Kara’s, and now Lia’s. It was the thrill, the adrenaline, and Laura felt her heart drop underneath all the relief.

“You’re okay,” she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn’t bother to stop them, didn’t care. Her daughter was back, alive, and the stress of the election took a back seat. “Oh, my gods, Lia. Don’t you ever do that again, do you hear me? Don’t do that to me!”

“I’m sorry, Mom. Dad, gods… I don’t expect you to understand, but I had to go. I needed to do something.” She looked between them and worried at her lip. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know.” He brushed the hair back from her face and sighed at the scrape along her forehead. “Go with Mom to Sick Bay and get checked out, okay? I’ll see you both once I finish up here.” Laura looked up and met his eyes. “I’ll deal with Kara.”

“Thank you.” She shifted to take Lia’s hand and held onto it hard enough that her daughter looked at her in concern.

“I love you. Both,” he emphasized.

“Love you, Dad. I missed you guys.” Lia smiled sheepishly and nudged Laura’s shoulder.

Her heart skipped a beat at the words and it took her another moment to respond. “I love you.”

With that, she guided her daughter through the crowd and Bill followed Starbuck’s blonde hair to her lingering beside a tall man nearby. She visibly steeled herself as he approached.

“Admiral Adama, sir. I brought her back in one piece.” Her hand twitched toward a salute but she kept it by her side.

“You did,” he grunted. “Pull all the harebrained schemes you’re gonna pull, involve Lee, but if you involve Lia or Grace ever again…”

“I won’t, sir, I promise. I’m sorry.” She fiddled with her ring and shook her head. “I’m, this is, um. This is Samuel T. Anders.”

“I know who he is.” He shifted his attention to Samuel for a moment, then back to Starbuck. “Laura’ll have your ass if you get near her. Give her some space and tell her I ripped you a new one.”

She immediately relaxed and nodded.

“Damn good to meet you, sir.” Sam held his hand out and he shook it quickly.

“Caprica Buccaneers.” He nodded and pulled his hand back. “Hell of a player. My wife supports them. I’m a Picon Panther fan myself.”

“We enjoyed beating them too,” Sam laughed.

“It’s good to have you aboard.” He let his eyes roam over the crowd and they drifted toward the nearest Raptor as a few more people trickled out.

Bill’s reunion was postponed by the arrival of a declared Cylon agent. After making sure both Cavil and Sharon were securely in the brig and a mostly unhelpful interrogation with the older Cylon, he was relieved to escort his wife back to their quarters.

It wasn’t surprising to find Lia curled up on the couch and she slowly sat up as they walked in, a tired smile forming. He was forcefully reminded of how much like her mother she was and he held Laura a little closer.

“Have you slept?” she asked softly as she pulled her husband toward the couch so they could surround their daughter.

“Uh, yeah, a little last night. Couldn’t sleep on the jumps back, though.” She shrugged. “I know you’re mad and you’re probably gonna ground me for the rest of my life, but I had to do something.”

Laura sighed and tucked her legs under herself so she could lean against her. “It was stupid and it was reckless and I swear to the gods, Thalia, if you ever try anything like that again, I will ground you until you’re dead.”

“But you understand why I had to do it, right? You and Dad and Zak and Lee and Kara get to do things to help every day and I just have to sit in school and do nothing. And when you guys are always fighting and things suck, I didn’t want to be here anyway.” She looked between them, her eyes wide and pleading.

“You’re still a—“ She had to stop herself and take a deep breath. “You’re a teenager. You’re not an adult and it’s not safe for you to run off like that. Do you know how badly things could have gone?”

“Being an adult doesn’t save you!” She jumped to her feet and gestured at both of them. “Dad’s been nearly blown up how many times? He nearly died when Boomer shot him; you were even closer to death. I was shot! Dee died!”

Laura glanced at her husband and swallowed, struggling to think of an argument. He shook his head slightly and rested his hand on her knee. “Because we’re old enough to make that choice, to know when a situation is worth the danger or not. You’re still learning, Thalia, and you want to impulsively jump right in.”

“Oh, my gods!” Lia groaned and walked away. “Kara does the same thing! I’m almost sixteen years old, I’m not a child! I’m not Grace!”

Praying for patience and control, she slowly stood up but didn’t follow after her. “It’s our job to protect you. That’s what we’re supposed to do. And normally that means making sure you’re home by a certain time and not out doing drugs or acting recklessly. Now, it means not endangering yourself and wandering around a radioactive hellscape. Sometimes, you have to sit back and let someone else handle it.”

She immediately scoffed and glared over her shoulder. “Right, Mom, because that’s what you always do. I was there on Kobol with you, remember?”

After forcing herself to take a deep breath, she said, “What do you want, Lia? I’m sorry Dad and I have been fighting and I’m sorry you wanted to get away from that. But you scared the crap out of me, honey. Out of both of us.”

“Yeah, and you’re scaring the shit out of me and Grace. Even Zak and Lee are worried. Billy too.”

“Language,” Bill grumbled, taking them both by surprise. “What if we can find something for you to do? You can shadow the Chief or—“ Laura shot him a look and he sighed. “We’ll talk about it, okay? Find something you can do outside of school to help the fleet.”

“Really?” She tentatively turned around and fiddled with her hands in front of herself. “Are you guys gonna keep arguing all the time?”

“I can’t promise we’ll never argue, Lia, no one can.” He sighed and glanced at his wife. “But what you have to understand is that we’re not always fighting as your parents. Sometimes we fight about work and everything’s okay.”

“So who’s fighting now?” She arched a knowing eyebrow.

“Everyone.” Laura wrinkled her nose and then pressed her fingers against the bridge of it above her glasses. “It’s okay.”

“This is the longest you and Dad have been in the same room without glaring or arguing,” she pointed out.

Laura shook her head slightly, but didn’t want to admit that the only time they weren’t fighting was if someone else was around or one of them was breaking down. It hurt enough just realizing that.

“You remember President Adar’s election campaign, don’t you?” she asked as her hand slipped into her pocket.

“Yeah, but you were pregnant and—oh, my gods.” Her eyes widened in horror.

“No! Gods, no. I’m not pregnant.” She quickly shook her head. “My point is, there’s so much more going on now than there was back then and that was already stressful. And sometimes when people are stressed, they say things they don’t mean or they react disproportionately…” She wasn’t sure where she was going with it and fell quiet. “Things are going to get better.”

“So, are you getting a divorce or are you just gonna argue when we’re not around?”

“I…”

“No,” he said firmly, his attention on his daughter but watching Laura from the corner of his eye, “we’re not. Just a few more days until the election is over and then it’ll be okay.”

She felt a vice around her heart let go and disappear, and Bill saw the relief visibly lighten her shoulders.

“Okay, so how long am I grounded for?”

Laura met her husband’s gaze and gave him a small smile. They hadn’t had much time to discuss what to do with their daughter, but they had had enough and he trusted her decision. “You’re not. Everything you saw back on Caprica… that’s punishment enough. Just get caught up on homework and we’ll figure something out.”

“Oh, my gods, really?” She held her hands out to them and cautiously smiled. “You’re serious?”

“You better go before she changes her mind,” he warned quietly.

She rushed forward and hugged him first, then pushed away to hug her mother. Laura tugged her even closer and squeezed her. “I did miss you both,” she murmured. “I’d rather be here than on Caprica.”

Laura agreed and reluctantly let her go. “I love you so much, sweetheart. I know you’re not a child anymore, but you’ll always be my baby. I look at you and can’t help but think of the first time I felt you kick, the first time I held you. You were so small and sometimes it’s hard to remember that you are almost an adult. And you’ve had to mature so much the last few months.”

“It’s just because I’m taller than you.” She smiled gently and kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, Mom. Love you, Dad.”

“Love you, sweetheart.” His arm settled around his wife’s waist and she leaned into him. “Where are you going?”

“I wanted to talk to Kara and then see Grace before I sleep for the next twelve hours.” She stopped by the hatch and looked back. “Is that okay?”

She hummed and nodded. “You might want to talk to Kara later.”

“Ugh, you should’ve seen her and Sam.” She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, I’ll just go back to Colonial One.”

“I’ll be there in a bit.”

The hatch shut behind her and Laura turned to rest her forehead against his arm, her eyes closing. He used his hold to pull her in more and rested his other hand on the back of her head. When she didn’t protest, he tightened his hold and kissed her hair.

“Did you mean it?” she asked, her voice muffled.

He knew exactly what she meant. “In sickness and in health, for better or for worse.”

“This feels worse than worse.” She swallowed and tilted her head to look up at him, tears already leaking from the corner of her eyes.

He wasn’t sure what had caused her breakdown before their daughter returned, but he could make an educated guess. “Let’s get through the election.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“You can, my love. You will. Lia’s back and safe. Focus on the election and I’ll be right here, either outcome.”

“Promise?” Slowly, she reached up and stroked his cheek with the back of her fingers.

“Promise. I love you.”

“I love you.” She pressed her face back into his chest and he lightly played with her hair, swaying gently in the silence of their quarters.

Whatever solace the conversation with Bill and Lia provided her was immediately lost under the impending election and worsening poll numbers. As strongly as she felt about the planet, she felt that the election was hopeless. Too many people were too blinded by the false promises of Baltar and New Caprica, and there wasn’t anything else Laura could do.

Once Election Day hit, Laura knew she’d likely have no privacy until after the final votes were counted. Even then, it depended on the outcome. What she didn’t expect was to wake up to Grace sitting on her legs. The pins and needles in her feet made her groan and she wondered how long her daughter had been there, her hands blindly reaching out to find exactly where she was.

“Grace,” she sighed tiredly, “lay down, please.”

Slowly, the weight shifted as she laid down with her head on her chest and her fingers gripping the strap of Laura’s nightgown. She stroked her fingers up and down her back and then into her hair, feeling her slowly start to relax.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“You weren’t waking up,” she mumbled, her nails lightly scraping her skin as she adjusted her hold.

“Why are you awake?” She rubbed her eyes to clear the sleep from them and looked down at her.

Grace only shook her head.

“Nightmare?” Laura tried.

“No…”

“Did you dream about purple pigs dancing on Gemenon?” Normally, that would’ve gotten a giggle out of her, but she only tried to get closer. “Oh, baby.” Laura sighed again, wondering if she even knew what had woken and disturbed her.

“Can we go home?”

“You know we can’t go home…”

“Daddy.”

“Do you wanna stay with Daddy today?”

“No, you.”

“So, you want us both to go to Daddy?” Grace nodded. “We will tonight,” she promised. “We just need to make it through today.”

“I can stay with you?”

She hummed softly and kissed her head. “Yes, sweetheart. You’ll be my most important assistant today.”

It quickly became clear that Grace wouldn’t just need her in sight, she needed constant physical contact too. With nothing to do but wait and watch the votes roll in, she was able to sit behind her desk with her daughter in her lap, only shifting when her legs started to tingle. Her office was swarmed with people, bringing extra noise and chaos that she had to suffer through. One way or another, it would all be over soon enough.

There were enough similarities to the night she sat and watched Adar win the presidency, but to have her daughter in her arms just like that night made it hard to keep them separate. Only this time, it wasn’t just political differences at stake. Laura felt to her core that settling on that planet would be their death.

Lia, Tory, and Billy all moved in and out of the room, weaving through people and passing by her with the occasional update. They weren’t necessary; she could see the votes from where she sat and it looked worse than her pessimistic expectations. They were down to the last few ships and when Tory leaned down to whisper in her ear, she caved in to her fear and agreed to whatever unknown plan she had.

An hour later, she still sat at her desk with Grace in her arms and a falsely won election under her belt. It didn’t feel right, but it felt better than the dread she had drowned under since they had stumbled upon New Caprica. It was all she could do to get through all of the congratulations and occasional suspicious look from Billy and Lia. As much as she disliked it, she knew he wouldn’t approve of anything she had considered. Neither would her husband, but those were all future problems she couldn’t consider right now.

The results were surprising, but left Bill with an uneasy feeling he didn’t know how to address. He knew he should call and congratulate his wife, but he wasn’t entirely sure what to say and she had promised to bring the girls to Galactica as soon as the results were finalized. The phone call from Gaeta that his XO was possibly involved in a conspiracy only validated his concerns and the easy confession from Saul only left him with more questions. It didn’t add up and he didn’t trust any of it, nor did he like the conclusions he was beginning to draw.

All of those thoughts drove him back to his quarters where he called his wife. She didn’t protest when he requested her presence and offered the most basic of congratulations, then prepared himself to wait for them to arrive. He tried to think through what he could say, but he was blinded by denial and couldn’t wrap his head around any of the possibilities. Nothing made sense and he wondered if he would have a better idea of what was happening if they hadn’t been so far apart recently.

Laura’s hesitation when Lia had asked about divorce physically pained him and he couldn’t get either of their expressions out of his head. He had seen her break down too many times recently and he worried there had been more that he hadn’t witnessed. She carried too much on her shoulders and continually took on more. He had already felt the struggle of not sharing his burdens with her, and he had left her alone to deal with hers. Muttering and swearing under his breath, he left his quarters and wandered his ship while he waited.

There were only a few moments in her adult life when Laura had been overwhelmed by anxiety. The day of her mother’s terminal cancer, that final day in the hospital, and both times she had gone into labor. This dwarfed all of those, made it feel like her heart was going to beat out of her chest if it didn’t implode first. The feeling hurt her head and left her both uneasy and dizzy, confining her to her chair for fear of what would happen if she tried to stand. Thankfully, standing wasn’t necessary as Bill sat across from her, his hands tightly folded on the table between them. She needed to come clean, for the sake of the fleet and herself, but the sick, sinking feeling in her stomach warned her about what would happen. She knew—feared—that confessing this sin would be it. The final mistake, the final straw, to isolate herself forever. Even his reassurance when they were talking to Lia was useless now. Confessing was the right thing to do, but the consequences made her scared and nauseous.

They had fought to stay by each other’s side for years, only to throw it all away in a matter of months.

It had been hell to convince Grace to stay in their quarters with Lia and she swore she could still hear her sobs through the bulkheads, as illogical as that seemed. Bill didn’t react and she knew it was even more illogical, just another piece of evidence of how she was losing her mind.

Whatever weighed on her had taken its toll. At a brief glance, not even Bill could have caught how defeated she looked. She hid it well, her eyes and expression as guarded as he had ever seen them, but he had spent too much time studying her and with a longer look, it was obvious. He saw the terror in her eyes, highlighted by panic. It was deeper than he had ever seen it, far beyond the woman she had been that day at the park. He couldn’t say when that look had returned, but he knew why he hadn’t seen it and it made him swallow hard.

“Gaius Baltar cannot become President of the Colonies,” she whispered, not loud enough to break the silence, but enough to disturb it. “It cannot happen.”

“Laura…” He sighed and focused on the table between them. “I don’t want him as President either, but—“

“No, you don’t understand.” She forced herself to take a deep breath and her eyes closed for a moment. “Before you get upset that I didn’t tell you, I didn’t have a chance. I first remembered when I was dying, but it slipped my mind again until recently and it’s not like…” she trailed off and vaguely gestured between them. “He’s working with the Cylons. I saw him just before the attack in Caprica with a copy of the tall, blond woman. The same model who accused him of treason before she disappeared.”

He watched her, saw her control starting to slip and how she fought tooth and nail to cling onto it. This had shaken her, that much was obvious, and that much he could believe.

“I know how that sounds, but it’s real. The same way Kobol is real, and the Tomb of Athena is real, and Earth. The same way I’ve known about Kara and-and… Baltar is working with the Cylons, I know it.”

“You have no proof.” If she did, this conversation would have happened a lot sooner.

“No, I don’t.” She tossed her glasses to the table and couldn’t stop herself from burying her face in her hands.

“So, you tried to steal the election,” he concluded quietly, the denial receding from his mind.

She nodded just enough for him to see. “And I got caught,” she said, her voice muffled.

“Look at me, Laura.” His voice was firm and she wanted to fight, but she lifted her head and met his eyes.

In a heartbeat, he saw everything. Her fears, her worries, her unadulterated anxiety. He wasn’t sure if it was all toward Baltar and the planet, but he had a feeling a lot of it was. She was too tired to hide any of it and wouldn’t have been successful if she tried, her shoulders only sinking lower the longer he watched her.

“Do we steal the results of a democratic election or not, then?” he finally asked, his voice low. “That’s the decision. Because if we do this, we’re criminals. Unindicted maybe, but criminals just the same.”

“We?” she asked quietly. “This is my mess, my frak up.”

“No, honey, it’s not. Laura, you are the strongest, most independent woman I have ever met. You are truly a force of nature and so frakking impossible, but even you have your breaking point and so do I.”

She shoved her fingers into her hair and rested her head in her hands, elbows uncomfortably pressed into the table. “Are you trying to reassure me or divorce me, Bill? I’m genuinely not sure right now.”

“I’m trying to tell you that we’ve pushed through too much on our own recently and only worsened the weight on ourselves. And I’m not doing that anymore. As Admiral, as husband, we’re in this together. So, are we stealing an election or not?”

He knew she wouldn’t do it. If it was hurting her this much already, he knew she couldn’t go any further without sacrificing a crucial part of herself. A part of him worried that she would risk it, and he promised himself he would back her either way. In this, it didn’t matter. None of the past few days, past weeks, mattered right now.

“The people made their choice. We’re gonna have to live with it,” he said when she remained quiet, her silence a decision in and of itself.

“I worry that people won’t survive it. It’s the wrong choice.” Her voice reached that breathless, broken tone he hadn’t heard very often.

“Yes, it is.” He had his own reservations about Baltar, about the planet, but they weren’t as strong as hers.

“So, that’s it. We give it up, just like that?” Her eyes met his again and without thinking, he dragged his chair closer and she immediately leaned into him, neither touching the other but nearby.

“The battle, perhaps, but not the war.” Somehow, he had become the hopeful one again, and he didn’t know what to do with it.

“What if I can’t?” Her voice only grew softer. “I didn’t know… I don’t know what else to do.” So lost in the thoughts pressing down on her, she didn’t realize she was drifting closer, but he did and he didn’t move away.

“We both got a little lost, didn’t we?” Having her so close after so much time avoiding each other, he was quickly overwhelmed by the light scent of her perfume, the warmth of her.

“We’re still lost,” she mumbled. It felt like she was floating, an unmoored ship drifting off into the night. It was lighter than the disconnection she had felt with the Chamalla withdrawal or while dying, but it was disconcerting all the same.

“Oh, honey.” He swallowed and tentatively reached out to rest his hand on her shoulder. She didn’t react, but continued drifting toward him. “We’re not. Not when we’re here, when we’re together.” His words were firm but soft.

“But we’re not.” His heart shuddered and he couldn’t hold himself back anymore. As he took a deep breath to prepare to stand, she spoke again and stopped him. “I can’t argue anymore, Bill. I can’t fight. You, Kara, Baltar. The whole frakking universe.”

The heartbreak and pain in her voice tightened his hand around her shoulder and he forced himself to continue moving. “Then we won’t,” he decided with an air of finality. Before she could say anything more, he stood up and gathered her in his arms, securely holding her to his chest.

“Bill…” she tried to protest, but she could barely speak around the emotions suffocating her chest and throat. He ignored her and carried her back to their rack, settling her down as gently as he could. She looked up at him, tears silently sliding down her cheeks, and reached for him when he stepped back. “Please…”

He needed no other encouragement. Waiting only as long as it took him to pull his boots and tunic off, he stretched out in the rack behind her and pulled her against his chest again, his forehead resting against her shoulder. No words came to mind, only the shared pain between them, and it was all they needed for the moment.

When her body eventually stopped trembling and her breathing grew a little steadier, he lifted his head.

“Truce,” he sighed. “Through the inauguration and settling on the planet. Then, we’ll figure this out. All of this. And if you want to stay…”

She shook her head, but he wasn’t sure what exactly she was reacting to. “A truce,” she conceded, her voice still strangled and soft. “Thank you.”

In response, he only held her closer and tighter, and pressed a kiss to her head. She didn’t relax, but he didn’t expect her to. For now, this was enough. An olive branch, a bridge over the chasm they had both carved between themselves. Neither were sure how stable it was yet, but it existed and it was a critical step forward. As a reminder, her fingers reached up to fiddle with the pendant around her neck and her thumb stroked her wedding ring. She had truly feared that her attempt to steal the election could end everything, and now she was back in her husband’s arms. No part of her thought settling on this planet was a good thing, but if it could help piece their family back together, that was something.

He stayed awake and watched her doze off and on, her hand always holding onto him like Grace had clung to her. When she was awake, she worried about not returning to her daughters, but she couldn’t will her body to move, especially if it meant leaving her husband's arms. He barely moved, only to adjust and keep her as comfortable as he could.

Finally, she forced herself to sit up, her hand tightly holding onto his as he sat up with her. “I’m terrified,” she admitted quietly. “I feel like I’m going to throw up constantly.”

“What about this planet has you so worried?” He narrowed his eyes a little and moved his hand to her lower back.

“I don’t know! It’s just this stupid frakking feeling I can’t ignore.” She groaned and stood up, hands smoothing out her skirt. “I guess I have an election to go concede.”

“I’ll handle Baltar. He won’t know what happened and this will all go away.” He followed her, his hands hovering but not touching her. “It’s not your fault.”

Immediately worried that disagreeing with his statement would start a fresh fight, she shook her head and stayed quiet. With everything quickly starting to fill her head again, she finished fixing her clothes and grabbed her glasses on her way out.

They reunited on Colonial One for the inauguration. Laura insisted on sending the girls to Galactica before she threw any idea of decorum away and stood beside her husband, hand in hand. The occasional squeeze of her hand kept her upright against the nauseating dread that formed, culminating when President Baltar announced immediate settlement of New Caprica.

Chapter Text

The planet was a bad idea and her opinion on that would never change, but as Laura stood with actual sun on her face and a natural breeze in her hair, even she had to admit that it felt good. She hadn’t completely lost the weight of responsibility, but it was slowly fading and her shoulders felt a little lighter as she walked beside her husband through the newly established Colonial encampment. Their truce had held up so far and while things were far from normal, they could at least share the same space without finding something to fight about. The difference was enough that even Grace noticed, her clinginess once again fading. She was with Zak for the day, giving Bill and Laura a chance to just exist together through the pomp and circumstance of Baltar’s so-called Founder’s Day.

They had wandered away from the settlement and followed the river further north, appreciating the peaceful nature they had found. The discovery of a plant similar to one back on Leonis had sent them into a fit of giggles that followed them the entire way back. She looked beautiful, her matching red top and skirt complimenting her pale skin, red hair, and sun-kissed cheeks, and he couldn’t look away from her as she walked away to check on a few people.

She found him an hour later on the ground, boots and socks abandoned beside him and feet shoved deep into the warm sand. With a soft laugh, she dropped beside him and looped her arm through his, kicking her shoes off so she could sink her own feet into the sand.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” He shifted his foot closer and nudged hers.

She hummed and smiled. “I found exactly what I was looking for.” Her smile turned to a smirk and she pulled a joint and a lighter from her bra.

“Laura!” He raised an eyebrow and leaned back to fully look at her. “You have no clue what that is or if it’s safe. It could be poisonous for all you know.”

She laughed and lit the end of it. “It’s safe, honey.” Her first long drag immediately made her cough and she held it out to him. “Frak, it’s been a while since I’ve smoked.”

“Not since Grace.” He accepted the joint and took a drag, handling it significantly better than she did.

“Gods, really?” She shook her head and rested it against his shoulder.

They only made it through half the joint before she snuffed it out and tucked it back inside her bra, Bill slipping the lighter in his pocket. It left them lightheaded and giggly, but provided enough of a distraction to get them through Baltar’s ceremony and the celebrations after, alcohol flowing more freely than ever. As soon as she could do so subtly, Laura dragged her husband away from the party. The kids were all distracted with each other and the dancing, and Grace was sound asleep in Maya’s tent with Hera, now renamed Isis. Laura still hadn’t told Bill where she had gone, but it was another part of the long conversation they would have when they returned to Galactica.

They walked far enough away that they weren’t likely to be disturbed but could still hear the music. A blanket and a pile of sandbags served as a bed and he pulled her down onto it, landing beneath her with his arms around her waist. She laughed and pushed herself up enough to grab the remains of their joint and held it out, expecting him to light it.

“I haven’t seen this side of you in a while,” he murmured as he grabbed the lighter and did what she wanted.

“Apparently since before our daughter was born.” She rolled her eyes and landed on her back next to him, his arm trapped beneath her. “I always thought I’d be a cool mom, you know.”

He chuckled and tilted his head to look at her. “You’re the frakking President. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.”

“Was. Was the President.” She rolled her eyes and focused on the joint for a few minutes, staring at the stars above them.

They were so unfamiliar and disconcerting, but welcoming at the same time. The overwhelming dread about New Caprica had lessened, but hadn’t faded entirely. She had a feeling it never would.

“You could stay, you know,” he said quietly, his arm loosening as if he’d let her go right then and there.

She sighed and rolled so her chest was pressed against his, reminding him that she wasn’t going anywhere. “I’d love for Grace to have the chance at sunshine and normalcy, but I’m not separating us. We’re staying together, Bill.” She meant it with every part of her heart and soul.

He hesitated and slowly tightened his arm again. “Kara is staying,” he confessed. “Lee is on Pegasus.”

“Oh, honey.” She laughed softly and tilted her head so her chin rested on his chest and she could see him. “Did you think this would all stop them from growing up? We knew it would just be us and the girls, then Grace, then just us. It was going to happen eventually.”

He grumbled under his breath and lifted his head enough to meet her eyes. “What is it with you being right all the damn time?”

“You love it.” She kissed him softly and gave him a small smile. “I’ll help Maya and Tory get a school set up down here, and then I’ll be back to teach on Galactica. I’m looking forward to it, actually.”

“Still think settling here is a bad idea?”

“Gods, yes, I do. But the people made their choice and we have to make the best of it.” She shrugged and they both let their heads settle back down. “Galactica feels more like home anyway.”

“Are you falling in love with my ship?” he teased.

“Maybe,” she hummed, her fingers splaying out over his chest.

They passed the joint back and forth until it was finished and Bill made sure it was completely put out on the ground beside them. His hand settled on her hip, his other arm still stuck beneath her, and his fingers absently stroked along her skin where her shirt had ridden up. She shivered and slid her leg between his, her body settling against his a little more.

“You’re sure this is what you want?” he asked, his attention split between his wife and the stars above them. “Us, Galactica.”

She sighed and slowly sat up, shifting so she was sitting on his stomach with her hands pressed against his chest. “I thought we had a truce.”

“We do, but I want you to know that you have options. You’re not trapped.” He looked up at her, hands moving over her thighs and along her legs.

“I’m not trapped. I don’t feel trapped,” she told him softly. “By this planet, maybe, Baltar. But not you. Never you, Bill.” She leaned down with her forearms against his chest. “I have never felt trapped with you.”

“I love you, Laura.”

“I love you,” she whispered before she kissed him deeply. “I love you and I miss you and I need you.” He started to sit up, but she didn’t move and kept him where he was. “Now, please.”

“Here?” He glanced around them as his hand moved under her skirt.

“We don’t have a tent and I’m not waiting until we get back to Galactica. I want you now, here, before we have to figure anything out.” She hesitated and bit her lip. “If you do…”

Instead of responding, he kissed her again. Releasing her thigh, he tangled his fingers in her hair and pressed her deeper into the kiss, exploring her until she was breathless above him. As he released her, she gasped and met his gaze. Everything they needed to say in that moment passed between them and they moved in sync. Under the cover of darkness, she rolled off him to pull her underwear and cardigan off while he pushed his pants down. He took her hand and guided her back onto his chest, lacing their fingers together and supporting her while she held her skirt up and sank down on him.

A moan fell from her parted lips and she leaned down again, her mouth seeking his. He caught it and kissed her to stifle his own moan, his other hand grabbing her hip. This close, their body heat nearly rippled between them and she wanted even closer. Before she could try, he tightened his hold on her hip and her hand, and met her burning gaze.

“It’s okay,” he murmured. He released her hip and cupped her face, thumb stroking over her cheek. “We’re here. Here. Together.”

“Together,” she gasped as she slowly rolled her hips. “Oh, my gods…”

“Stay with me.” He held her gaze and rocked up into her, their movements at odds until they fell into a rhythm and moved together. “Laura…”

She released another soft moan and let her chest fully rest against his, breaking their eye contact to bury her face in his neck. He cupped the back of her head and began to press kisses along her neck and shoulder, feeling every tremble that went through her body. Her breathing began to pick up, hot pants he could feel through his uniform, and he grabbed both her hips to roll them over. A short, sharp cry left her body that she couldn’t stifle and she threw her arms around his neck to keep him close.

“Bill,” she breathed out, each slow, purposeful thrust pushing her higher and higher.

“We’re here,” he repeated with a low groan. “I’m not going anywhere, damn it.”

“Promise?” Her fingers tangled in his hair and she arched up against him with a stuttered moan. “Please, promise me…”

“I did. I do.” His chest pressed against hers and he reached back to take her left hand, squeezing until he could feel her ring dig into his finger too. “Best promise I’ve ever made.”

“Even now?” Her eyes watered, reflecting the distant, foreign starlight above them, and he wanted to kiss away every one of her tears.

“Especially now.” He punctuated his words with a slow kiss and shifted his hips in search of that spot inside her that he knew would have her quickly unraveling.

It only took a few more thrusts and her whimpered moan told him when he found it, her body quivering beneath him. She clung onto him, her hand holding his as tightly as she could and focused on the man she loved above her with the unfocused stars outlining him. She loved him with every part of herself and now it felt like a missing piece had been found, the other half of her heart fitting back into place.

The realization washed over her at the same time he ground his hips against hers and her orgasm caught her off guard, slamming into her and easily carrying her away. She buried her cries in his neck and he still heard each one, the desperate pleasure in her voice combined with her pulsing body tugging him right over the edge too. He collapsed against her, knowing she would at least want the warmth and maybe the contact too.

He panted against her chest and let go of her hand to stroke his fingers along her arm, feeling the goosebumps that appeared in his wake. Her fingers began to move over his shoulders, following his collar and outlining the various parts of his uniform. Eventually, her hand dropped to her side as her breathing began to slow, her head nudging his until he looked at her.

“You okay?”

“Better than I’ve been in a while,” she admitted softly.

He kissed her lightly and then carefully pulled out, pausing to help her back into her underwear and fix his pants before he stretched back out. She settled against him with her head on his shoulder and her arm extended over his chest, her eyes on him when they were open. He kept his arm loosely around her, a part of him that felt empty for a while finally at peace.

“I love you,” she sighed.

“I love you, Laura. I love you so much.” He kissed her head and held her a little closer. “Who knows how many chances we’ll get to sleep under the stars. Let’s enjoy it.”

“Think the girls are okay?”

He chuckled softly. “Grace is sound asleep, Lia’s probably still dancing like the teenager she is, and they’re both okay.”

“If there’s ever a night they’re safe, maybe it’s tonight?” She hummed thoughtfully and when her eyes wanted to close again, she let them.

“They’re safe.” He relaxed back into the sandbags and looked up at the stars.

When she continued to fight sleep, he began to quietly hum the girls’ favorite lullaby. The sound of his low, familiar voice repeating the words she had heard so often through her own childhood and as a mother finally allowed her to drift off, the lyrics following her into sleep.

On a planet far away,

where stars brightly gleam,

close your eyes and drift away,

give in to the coming dream.

Artemis hums a soothing tune,

of Kobol all aglow,

as falling stars soar through the sky,

in a celestial show,

The tension grew as the shuttle left New Caprica behind and headed for Galactica; she wondered if it would have been better or worse to have left earlier with her family. It was a small comfort to be leaving the planet, even knowing she would have to return before long to check on Maya, Isis, the school, and Kara. Zak planned to settle too, and soon it would just be Bill, Laura, Grace, and Lia on the battlestar. Billy had joined them, as unwilling to settle as Laura was. Bill finding a room for him on Galactica had been a surprise, but Laura was looking forward to having her former aide around a little longer—Grace too.

They knew they shouldn’t postpone the necessary discussion any longer and Bill had already made sure Grace and Lia were okay in their quarters before he returned to his to wait for his wife, two glasses of water already poured. When she finally arrived, she hesitated at the hatch with one hand on the wheel, her eyes avoiding his as long as she could. He gave her the time and watched her silently, his thumb absently stroking along the side of his index finger.

“I hate this,” she admitted quietly. “The truce was going so well…”

“It’s just a bandaid,” he responded gently.

“I know.” She sighed and finally closed the hatch. “Can we at least sit on the couch? The table makes it feel too… emotionless.”

He grabbed the waters as he stood and moved to the couch, leaving the glasses on the coffee table while she hesitantly joined him. She left space between them but toed her shoes off so she could cross her legs and rest her hands in her lap.

“No matter what,” she took a deep breath, “I don’t want to fight. I can’t do it. So, if that’s where this looks like it’s going…”

“It won’t. I pushed you away first and I’m sorry.” He shifted back a little, not to put more space between them but to better face her. “Too much happened too quickly.”

“You shut down after Dee.” It wasn’t an accusation and she said it as carefully as she could. “You shut down and I needed you, but I couldn’t be there for you either.”

“It needed to be your decision, Laura. I could not and would not do that for you.”

“I didn’t expect you too, but gods, I needed your support. I needed to talk it over with someone who understands.” She wrung her hands and looked up, hating how quickly her emotions had bubbled over. “You blame yourself for Dee, for everything that’s happened, and that guilt is tearing you up inside.”

“You tellin’ me you’re not doing the same thing?” He briefly arched an eyebrow and glanced at her.

“I’ve had the election and the girls to hide behind. You cut yourself off.” She forced her hands still, pressing them against the cushion in the gap between her legs. “As soon as you shut down, we just started lashing out at each other at every opportunity. We stopped listening and it was just one frakking thing after another.” Her breathing grew shakier and she ran her fingers through her hair until her head rested in her hands with her elbows on her thighs. “I needed you, Bill, and every time I tried to reach out, you shoved me away.”

“Did you consider that I felt guilty over you too?” he asked, his voice barely audible. While the thoughts had haunted him, he had never spoken them. “I gave them Boomer’s body, you and Lia were injured, Grace nearly hurt, Dee killed. I promoted Lee and put a dent in your chances for re-election. And I couldn’t drag myself out of that hole for you, or Grace, or Lia, and I’m sorry.”

“So, what changed? If I couldn’t save you, what could? Or are you going to fall right back into it?” More accusation slipped into her voice than she intended, but she was able to lift her head up to look at him.

“You did.” He leaned over and took her hand, his fingers gently intertwining with hers. “The day you looked afraid of me, watching you break down more and more the last week… You’re not okay and I kept knocking you down.”

“I kept giving you reasons to.” She took another shaky breath and squeezed his hand. “I fought back just as hard.” There was a part of her that still feared the things they hadn’t yet discussed would turn the tide of the conversation and it made it even harder for her to speak. “I can’t… I won’t apologize for what I did to Helo and Sharon, to Hera.”

“I’m not…” He took a deep breath and squeezed her hand in return. “I’m not ready to discuss that,” he confessed. “But I shouldn’t have kicked you out. Not like that.”

“I’m sorry for how it all came out, for always pushing back and making everything worse. I-I can’t do it without you. I can’t. Maybe I’m not as strong as I used to be or as resilient, maybe—”

“No,” he said to stop her. “Laura, you are the strongest person I know. Even now. The weight you have carried for months now… Frak, Laura. I can’t do it without you either.” He gently tugged on her hand and she gave in, allowing herself to fall into his lap as the floodgates in her heart finally and completely broke.

Her sobs took over her entire body and dampened his pants where she lay with her forehead pressed against his thigh. He combed his fingers through her hair and rubbed her shoulder, unable to say anything as his own silent tears stained his cheeks and clogged his throat. She cried until she was dry, her head throbbing and nose running, feeling physically miserable but like a massive burden had finally left her. As she quieted down, he continued to rub her arm until she rolled onto her back and looked up at him, finally noticing his own tears.

“I can’t do this again, Bill,” she sighed as she wiped at her eyes and sniffled. “This avoiding and constant arguing. It kills me.”

“I know.” He cleared his throat and lightly rested his arm on her stomach. “What do we do, then?”

“I don’t know. That’s what scares me.” Her eyes fluttered closed, but reopened when he took her hand again. “We’ll always have disagreements. Maybe not as many now that I’m not President, but…”

“Then a safe word, a pause. Something that, no matter what, we stop and step back. Try our best to stop anything from spiraling,” he suggested, unsure if it would help, but needing to try something. “What about Baltar?”

She let out a sarcastic laugh and stared up at him. “Are you trying to piss me off?”

“Hesperides, then,” he offered after a moment of thought. At her raised eyebrow, he chuckled softly. “Surprised you don’t know it. Hera’s garden, filled with apple trees that were a gift from Gaia when she married Zeus.”

“Right, that Hesperides.” She rolled her eyes and settled their hands on her stomach. “No matter what, we stop?”

“No matter what.” Careful to disturb her as little as possible, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

For a while, she was quiet, her eyes slowly moving back and forth as she watched him, studied his face and the depths of his familiar blue eyes. “Hera is with a young woman named Maya. She lost her own newborn daughter just before Hera was born and she’s taking good care of her. Renamed her Isis. She’s okay. She’s safe on the planet.” She hadn’t intended to say the words, especially after he said he wasn’t ready to discuss it, but they breathlessly, quietly, fell from her lips.

He looked conflicted and she briefly worried that she had undone everything they had discussed, but then his expression smoothed out and he released a long breath. “She needs to go back to her parents.”

“Bill–”

“Not now. Not until we are confident that we’re safe. I will decide when that day comes,” he said firmly, holding her gaze.

Several thoughts, worries, ran through her head and she started to sit up. Before she got far, she stopped herself and slowly settled back down. “Alright,” she agreed softly. “I’m sorry.”

He brushed her hair back from her face and lightly caressed her cheek. “Are you okay?”

“No.” She offered a slight shrug, her honesty reflected in her tired eyes. “Maybe one day, but I need to process… everything that’s happened. I’m exhausted and if my head doesn’t hurt, I’m nauseous. Sometimes both. And being down there was a nice break, but the moment I stepped on that shuttle, it all came crashing back and I’m tired.”

He nodded slowly, her words completely resonating with him. “Then we’ll sleep. The girls are okay, the ship is handled, you have no Quorum or aides to answer to, so let’s sleep.”

“Middle of the day, you’ll just lay down and sleep?” She raised a questioning eyebrow.

“I’m tired.” He echoed her words. “I don’t care what time it is. I want to hold my wife in my arms.”

“I’ve missed you…”

In response, he slid his arm under her legs and groaned as he stood up with her. For once, she didn’t protest and let her head rest against his chest. He carried her to their rack and with practiced ease, they curled up beneath the blankets. She pressed as close as she could get and he kept his arm securely around her, his hand resting on her back.

The ship was quiet, most of her crew already offloaded to the desolate planet below. Laura was more than content to still be curled up on the battlestar with her head on her husband’s chest. With their children scattered across ships and New Caprica, it was the most solitude they had seen in a while.

“I’ve missed this,” he admitted quietly, unwilling to disturb the peace in their quarters.

“We’ve never had much of this,” she replied, her voice just as soft. “The few times we were both home, there was always something going on.”

“Well, with two kids out of the battlestar and another one on her way out…” He trailed off and kissed her head. “One day, it’ll just be us. Retired and relaxing.”

She laughed. “We’re never gonna retire. It’s not who we are, is it?”

“One day,” he promised, his voice suddenly solemn.

With a soft hum, she shifted her head and closed her eyes to settle back down. Before she could get too comfortable, the ship jerked around them, sending books and precariously placed items to the deck. Both were on their feet before the alarms even went off, Bill reaching for his tunic while she stepped into her shoes and led the way through the hatch. They were breathless when they reached the CIC, Laura falling back to let Bill take charge.

“Sitrep,” he ordered, eyes scanning the skeleton crew manning his ship.

“Cloud Nine exploded, sir,” someone reported, their voice shaking.

“Cylons?”

The rest of the conversation faded into white noise as Laura frantically searched the DRADIS for any sign of the large ship. The information was almost meaningless and she felt a pit open up in her stomach, already growing and stretching in its attempts to consume her and everything around her. Her hands sought out the stability of the center console, her husband too far away, and she leaned heavily against it as her breathing rapidly picked up.

“Bill,” she whispered, unable to put any power into her voice.

He didn’t hear her.

“Bill,” she tried again, this time more of a whimper.

He turned, blood running cold at the look of fear on his wife’s pale face. “Laura?” His heart hammered in his chest as he rounded the CnC, his arm sliding under hers to support her as her body shook. “Laura, talk to me.”

“Zak.” She couldn’t look away from the DRADIS, couldn’t stop searching and praying that the ship would reappear—not that she would know if it did.

“He’s on the Rising Star,” he began, but the worsening fear on her face made him stop.

“No.”

He wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or the universe, her eyes wide and unfocused.

“Went to Cloud Nine for me.” As she said the words, understanding slowly crossed her face. “No…”

It felt like her body was being torn apart from the inside, far worse than anything else she could recall. The hole in her stomach ripped open, tearing through her throat and down through her legs. Her vision went white, fingers aching as the metal console cut into her taut skin. Her desperate wail echoed around the CIC, all eyes on her as she went down. She dropped so quickly, Bill couldn’t catch her, barely managing to stop her head from hitting the deck. His arms encircled her and pulled her into his lap and he held her so tightly like he could keep her together.

“Maybe he was on a shuttle out,” he tried, his hand cradling her head to his chest.

“The explosion took out three other nearby ships. No one made it out.”

Bill looked up at the ceiling, Laura’s cry still resounding in his head, and attempted to pull himself together. His arms tightened around her, worried he was going to hurt her, but she shook so badly he was afraid to let her go. “I need a damage report and I want to know what the frak happened,” he forced out through clenched teeth. “I’ll be in my quarters.”

No one in the CIC moved, all too aware of the loss they had witnessed, not just of Zak, but of all the other souls on the four ships. The tension was stretched out, and Bill’s commanding voice quickly broke it.

“Now!”

“Yes, sir,” someone squeaked, pushing everyone into motion.

Ignoring everything, even his own military duty, he focused on gathering Laura more securely in his arms. The last time he had carried her like this flashed through his mind and he prayed to anything listening that she would get through this. It was her joy and her curse to feel things so deeply, and it killed him to watch her suffer through it.

The corridors were empty, the alert stood down unless the Cylons appeared. She was nearly a dead weight in his arms the entire walk, her eyes unfocused and distant but open. The Marine opened the hatch for him and he carried her straight through to the rack they had so recently vacated, not bothering with the blankets.

“I need to check on the girls,” he murmured, not expecting a response and not getting one. His own agony churned in his stomach, but he pushed through to do what he needed to do and he would give into it later.

Though it killed him, he didn’t break the news to Grace or Lia. He lingered long enough to make sure they were okay and reassured them with a half-baked lie that didn’t convince Lia but calmed Grace down. When he made it back to his quarters, he was surprised to find Laura upright and leaning against the bulkhead on the wireless. She heard him enter but she didn’t turn around because of him, instead the words she had just heard echoing in her head. The handset fell from her hand and she moved so quickly he barely saw her, only feeling her hand as it grabbed his and tugged him along. He didn’t argue or ask questions, only held her hand more securely and ran to keep up with her.

Her chest ached and she panted for breath when they finally made it to the hangar deck, her heart painfully thudding in her chest. Their hands had found each other whenever they could and she tightly held onto him now as they moved to meet the approaching shuttle.

Whatever Bill expected, it wasn’t Zak stepping off the shuttle looking confused and worried and alive. Laura broke free and sprinted toward him and he was right on her heels, but she put on a speed none of them were prepared for. She hit Zak hard enough that he stumbled back and caught his shoulder on the wing of the shuttle, his arms encircling her and holding her up. Her hands clutched at his shirt to pull him closer, her desperate cries reaching Bill as he caught up to them.

“Zak, oh, my gods! You’re okay…. You’re here… You’re… Oh, my gods…” she rambled between shaky breaths, her hands reaching up to hold his face.

Bill’s arm wrapped around her waist and he gently pressed against her so she was fully supported between him and Zak, his other hand grabbing his son’s shoulder. “You weren’t on Cloud Nine?” he managed.

He shook his head and took one of Laura’s hands. “No, no, I got caught up with something and was getting ready to leave when I heard what happened. Mom, do you need to sit?”

“You’re okay,” she repeated, everything blinded by her relief. “Zak…”

“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m here.” He met his father’s just as worried eyes. “Come on, let’s go sit.”

“I’m fine…” She shook her head and forced herself to let go of her son but had to lean back into Bill. “Frak, you’re here… You’re not dead…” He was alive and well before her, and she still struggled to wrap her mind around it.

Bill was just as confused, but his attention was split between Zak and Laura. “We can sit, honey. Come on.”

Zak helped him guide her back to a stack of containers large enough for the three of them to sit with her secure between them. They were all quiet, Laura holding onto Zak’s arm while they watched the hangar deck. It was more of a storage room now, supplies lined up in every available area in preparation for New Caprica over the next few weeks. Eventually, the room would be empty, as quiet as the unused hangar deck on the opposite side of the ship. Neither Bill nor Laura liked the thought of that.

“I thought we lost you,” she murmured. “I asked you to go and I thought…”

“But I didn’t,” he retorted quickly. “I’m okay, Mom. Really. Everything’s okay.” He met Bill’s eyes again, but he couldn’t offer an explanation.

“How did you know to come here?” she asked after another few minutes.

“Someone passed the word from the CIC to get over here,” he answered with a shrug. “I thought something was wrong here.”

Slowly, she turned her head to look at her husband and he gave her a small smile. “Had them reach out to the Rising Star just in case.”

“Thank the gods,” she whispered. “Do you, uh, need to get back?”

“I can stay for a while. Dad probably needs an extra set of eyes to keep you in line now that you’re not President,” he teased.

“Hush.” She shot him a look that faded immediately and was replaced by a small smile. “Are you hungry?”

“Oh, my gods, Mom.” He shook his head and laughed. “After everything, you’re still the same. Yeah, I’m hungry, and even though you’re not, you should eat something too.”

“I was wondering how hard of a fight dinner would be.” Bill gently nudged her side. “Why don’t you two get the girls? I’ll see if Lee’s available and figure out food.”

“Not your nugget.” She wrinkled her nose at both of them and patted their legs as she stood up.

A wince crossed her face and she quickly shifted her weight to her left leg, her hand shooting back to stabilize herself on Bill’s shoulder. He took her hand and stood up beside her, searching for any obvious injury.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… Nothing.” As soon as she put weight on her leg again, pain shot out from it and she had to lean into her husband more. “Damn it.”

“Doesn’t seem like nothing. Sprain your ankle running in those damn heels?” He raised an eyebrow and looked her over again.

“No, it’s just my knee. I’ll be fine.” She waved him off and took a deep breath. “Dinner?”

“You’re not fooling me,” he murmured as he kissed her cheek. “Zak, get her home.” He remained where he was to watch Laura limp her way toward the ladder, their son closely following behind.

Laura ended up on the couch through dinner with a pillow under her knee and a heating pad on top of it. She had protested and lost to the combined force of Bill, Zak, and Lia, Lee only reinforcing their decision when he arrived. They had offered to join her and she insisted they eat at the table, but it gave her the opportunity to watch her family as they ate, a comforting peace settling over her at the sight.

After the dishes had been set aside, Lee quietly laughed to himself and leaned forward. “Do you remember,” he began, “that time Zak tried to beat up some kid that was bullying Lia?”

“What?” Lia perked up and looked at him. “That was you.”

“No, it was definitely Zak.” He looked back and then shifted to look at Bill as he patted Grace’s head and moved to sit beside his wife.

“It was you,” Laura murmured, a small smile forming. “At the aquarium.”

“Are you sure?”

“It wasn’t me. I can’t believe you don’t remember it.” Zak shook his head and nudged his sister. “I thought it was gonna get ugly.”

“It was the same day you said you were okay with Dad and I being together. I remember it very well.” Her smile grew stronger and she laughed softly.

“I didn’t know that.” Bill carefully settled behind her and loosely wrapped his arms around her as she settled against his chest.

“He told me in confidence and it never came up.” She offered a small shrug. “I still remember the first time I saw Zak and Lee when they learned about their sister.”

Lee wrinkled his nose. “I just remember being pissed, that’s it,” he admitted.

“You were kind of an asshole,” Lia teased.

Laura let the swear slide.

“I’m honestly kind of surprised I didn’t push you both away.” He stretched his legs out and folded his hands on his stomach.

The thought had never occurred to Laura, even after all the years. “Lia needed to know her family and I suspected you would come around. Told Dad the same thing.”

Bill squeezed her gently and kissed the side of her head. It was obvious she was still in pain, but there was a relaxation about her too that kept him at ease. He hoped that with not as much to do, she would take the chance to actually sit back and rest.

“I’m glad we stayed, Mom.” Lia smiled and Laura returned it without hesitation.

“Me too,” she agreed quietly. Slowly, she twisted around to look at her husband and kissed him softly. “I’m so very glad you pushed your way in and didn’t let me run.”

“Oh, I wasn’t goin’ anywhere. That little girl had me wrapped around her finger from the very moment I saw her. Just like that one,” he said as he pointed to Grace.

She giggled and batted her eyelashes which made everyone burst into laughter.

“We still do, Dad.” Lia grinned.

“Oh, they do, honey.” Laura hummed and patted his hand.

Even after Lee had to return to Pegasus, the girls and Zak stayed behind. Mindful of her leg, they all piled onto the couch until both girls were sound asleep. Only then did Laura reluctantly let them go, making sure Zak promised to see them safely to bed before he went back to the Rising Star.

Bill gave them a few minutes of silence after the hatch closed before he spoke, his fingers gently stroking her leg. “You were convinced,” he said softly, “without a doubt that he was gone. Why?”

“It’s stupid.” She sighed and carefully sat up, ignoring his protests as she rested her feet on the rug. “You’ll think it is, anyway.”

“Whatever convinced you beyond all reason that our son was dead isn’t stupid,” he told her, his voice still soft.

“That Cylon we found on the Gemenon Traveler? The one who told me you were a Cylon.” She took a deep breath and tightly folded her hands in her lap. “He also told me that you would die. Something about an anomaly and crossing the River Styx. At least, I thought he meant you, especially after Boomer shot you. Then, I thought he meant Lee. And I just felt this fear that he was right and he meant Zak all along. But he was lying. It was cruel Cylon manipulation and I let it get to me.”

“You did,” he admitted, his hands moving to encase hers. “I can’t believe you held onto that all this time. Maybe he wasn’t lying and knew about the plot for Boomer to kill me, but they didn’t foresee it failing. More likely, it was bullshit to save his own life.”

“I still can’t shake the feeling.”

He leaned his head against hers and squeezed her hands. “He’s okay. I’m okay. They’re all okay, Laura. Focus on that.”

She hummed and nodded, allowing his voice to chase her fears and worries into the far recesses of her mind. They wouldn’t disappear entirely, but their hold on her was gone.

Laura found a certain calm amidst all of the chaos of the fleet’s move. While people prepared to settle on the planet and supplies were coordinated, she was free for the first time in far too long. It had been almost too easy to transfer the few things she and the girls had to Galactica, leaving them with spare time to wander the ship. Lia showed off all the things she had found in her explorations and Grace was more than happy to tag along, Bill even joining occasionally. When things began to settle, she focused on the small school she would have in orbit, for her own children more than anyone else with so few people left on the ships.

Billy was more than happy to help and she appreciated both his company and his assistance with the girls. Lia teased him like a younger sister and Grace saw him as a fun babysitter, but Laura wasn’t sure where their own relationship sat, especially now that he was no longer her aide.

She sat in the small classroom long after everyone else had left, lost in her thoughts after they had distracted her from grading. Billy knocked on the hatch and she jumped, her hand pressed against her chest as she looked up.

“Oh, Billy, I thought you left!” She let out a breath and straightened up.

“I did. Came back.” He shrugged and closed the hatch behind him. “I need to ask you something.”

“Of course. Ask away.” She gestured to the chair beside her and sat her clipboard on her desk.

“Hera’s not dead, is she?” He asked the question without preamble and didn’t move from his spot. “I may be young and inexperienced, ma’am, but I’m not naive or stupid.”

“You’re not inexperienced, and you’re certainly not naive or stupid,” she agreed quietly. Forced to pause to gather her thoughts, she wet her lips and sighed.

He didn’t give her much of a chance. “Permission to speak freely.”

“You don’t need my permission.”

“Is it because you don’t trust me?”

“No, not at all! Billy, I trust you more than anyone else.” Her brow furrowed and she leaned forward to see him over her glasses. “It was a need to know basis. It had to be kept as quiet as possible.”

“Which is why you involved Tory.”

“It’s hard to—“

“No, it’s not,” he interrupted her. “You knew I would disagree, so you kept me out of it.”

He had hit the nail right on the head and she could only stare helplessly at him for several moments. “Yes,” she admitted. “Just like with the election. I knew what needed to be done and I knew what you would say.”

“There weren’t any other options? No other way to keep Hera safe or handle the election and New Caprica?” He shook his head, but his eyes continued to bore into her.

“In a perfect universe, maybe there were. Even in this frakked up one, maybe. But there was no time and I made my decisions.” She knew early on that Billy served as her external conscience and she had relied on him heavily. It didn’t seem like a coincidence that she questioned her decisions at the same time she started keeping things close to her chest. “I stand by them too. Keeping that child safe is one of the most important things we can do.”

“I don’t disagree, I’m just baffled that you could make them.” He started to open the hatch, but stopped and looked back. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secrets. They’re not mine to confess.”

She had already been distracted before the conversation, but her thoughts were completely derailed now. Acknowledging that she wouldn’t get any more work done, she shoved everything in her desk and glanced at the time. Bill would still be in the CIC and she had no desire to be alone in their quarters, so she made her way there in search of them.

It was obvious that something was on her mind the moment she walked through the open hatch and he didn’t bother asking yet. Gesturing up to the core, he followed her up and watched her lean against a console on the far side from the window, her brow furrowed and her lips pursed.

“Could we have done things differently?” she asked after a few long moments of silence.

“In general?” He raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure there’s any number of things we could’ve done differently.”

“I mean Hera. The election.” She sighed and folded one arm over her chest, using it to support her elbow and rest her hand under her chin.

“You made your decisions. What’s the point in second guessing them now?”

“Billy found out.”

“Ah.”

“I told him he’s not naive, but he’s optimistic and he’s idealistic. But what if there was another way out of it all.”

“Is it anything you can act on now?”

“No…”

“Then why?”

She groaned and moved to hide her face behind her hand. “I don’t know. I’ve always relied on Nilly’s conscience and the moment I exclude him, I start to regret things. The Olympic Carrier, Hera, the election. Even Kobol.”

He watched her, eyes slightly narrowed as he tried to read between her words to get to the bottom of what was really bothering her. “You’re not second guessing your decisions, you’re upset that you betrayed his confidence and hurt him.”

“I am,” she said quietly. “Gods…”

“Then you should be talking to him, not me.”

“I don’t think he wants to talk to me right now.”

He slowly raised an eyebrow. “He sought you out, didn’t he?” She gave a small nod. “Then I think it’s clear he wants to talk.”

She groaned and dropped her hands to brace them against the console. “Stop being so logical.”

“That’s why you came here, isn’t it?” He took a step closer and offered her a slight smile. “Go talk to him, Laura. If he’s your conscience, let him do it.”

“Damn it.” She ran her fingers through her hair and fixed her glasses. “Fine. Fine.”

As she walked past him, he gently grabbed her arm and pulled her in to kiss her softly. “Get it off your chest.”

“Yes, sir.” She murmured. She leaned up to kiss him again and then left.

It took a while to track Billy down in the Wardroom and she knocked, stopping at the hatch to wait for his permission. He waved her in and she slowly approached the opposite side of the table. They had stood in reversed positions when they discussed Kobol and the reminder was a physical ache in her chest.

She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” she began. It felt like the most important thing to say. “And you’re right.”

He looked surprised and slowly sat up to put his book on the table.

“I didn’t make these decisions easily, Billy. I still don’t know if it was the right or the wrong decision, if there even is one, but I did what I thought I had to do.” She let out a breath and stepped a little closer. “Even Bill couldn’t help. But I shouldn’t have gone behind your back and for that, I am very sorry.”

“Thank you,” he managed. “But you’re the President. Or were. You don’t owe me an explanation.”

She immediately shook her head and leaned forward with her hands on the table. “Oh, Billy, no. No. I do. Whatever relationship former—or current—presidents may have with their aides and staff, I value ours so much more. The moment the attacks were confirmed, that our homes were gone, I felt such a fierce need to protect you and I feel that now. You’re more like a son to me than anything else and that only makes it worse that I ignored you.”

“Thank you,” he repeated, but his expression had softened.

“For whatever it’s worth, I didn’t go through with stealing the election. Obviously. And we’ve decided that once it’s safe, she will be returned to her parents.”

“So, you didn’t completely sacrifice your morals?”

“I couldn’t do it and it was a compromise with the Admiral.”

“I’m glad, then.”

“You’re not my only conscience.”

He was quiet and then stood up. “I’ve looked up to you since that first day. Everything you’ve accomplished, everything you’ve done since then. It worried me that maybe you weren’t the person I thought you were, but I’m glad that’s not the case.”

“My husband said the same thing,” she said with a grim smile. “I should be thanking you for keeping me grounded all this time.”

He shrugged as he rounded the tables to join her. “It’s been… surprisingly mutually beneficial.” He let out a nervous laugh and smiled.

“It has,” she agreed.

“I’m so sorry, but I do need to go…” He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the hatch. “Shuttle to the planet should be arriving soon.”

“Oh?” Her smile grew wider and happier. “Are you going to see Maya?”

“Maybe.” He cleared his throat and looked away again.

“Good. Go have fun and say hi, please.”

“Of course, Madam President. Ma’am…”

She rolled her eyes and watched him hurry from the room, a sweet bounce in his step.

Chapter Text

It had taken time, but Bill had grown used to the silence on his ship. With her skeleton crew, there wasn’t much around to make noise. What he didn’t expect to hear was the loud sound of mismatched thuds echoing around the corridor as he approached his cabin. This far up, it wasn’t likely to be anything with the FTL system, but it didn’t rule out the air recyclers, water system, or half a dozen other things that could cause problems. The sound of heavy breaths and breathless laughter confused him more until he finally reached the source of the commotion.

Laura was bent over with her hands on her knees and her hair obscuring her face, her shoulders shaking with her pants and giggles. Grace was on the deck beside her, tears streaming down her cheeks from how hard she laughed. Billy stood over both of them and the only one who had noticed Bill, an embarrassed, contrite expression on his face.

“Uh, Admiral, hi. Hello…” He cleared his throat and shuffled uncomfortably.

Grace quickly jumped up with a squeal and held her arms out. “Daddy, hi!”

“What are you three up to?” He looked them all over, barely repressing a smile at how guilty Billy looked and how carefree his wife looked when she straightened up.

“Racing! I won!” She bounced excitedly and looked back at Billy. “Right? I won?”

Billy looked at Laura, but he was already nodding. “Yeah, you won. You’re so fast!”

“I’m fast!” She giggled and tugged on his hand. “Your turn, come on! I’m faster than you too. Come see, Daddy!”

Laura laughed and fixed her glasses. “Oh, it’s your turn alright. I may have won the battle, but she won the war.” When Billy still hesitated, she waved toward Bill. “Ignore him. He just has to look grumpy.”

Grace managed to tug Billy the opposite direction down the corridor and Laura moved closer to her husband, her arm settling around his waist so she could lean against him. Without the shroud of the presidency, she had given in to her desire for contact whenever she could. If she wasn’t President Adama, then she would happily take all of the advantages of being Mrs. Adama, wife of the Admiral.

He chuckled quietly. “Grumpy, huh?”

“You know he’s still terrified of you.” She nudged him and smiled. “And you just love to rub it in.”

“Maybe.” He kissed her softly. “How was the planet?”

She immediately groaned and buried her face in his chest. “If I wasn’t helping with the school or have people I like down there, I’d never go back.”

“Not even for the air? The drugs?” He smirked and it made her roll her eyes.

“Nice try.” She kissed him this time. “We should take advantage of Grace being distracted.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Sure that there was no one behind them, he let his hand follow the curve of her ass before he stepped back.

“Oh, you have no idea.” She shook her head and took off down the corridor with him on her heels. “Grace, baby, when you beat Billy, you need to go finish your homework.”

“Okay, Mama!” she called back, still caught up in her giggles.

Bill took her hand and led her the rest of the way to their quarters, his hands wandering as she closed the hatch. She laughed at his eagerness and captured both his hands with her own.

“So, how was the planet really?” His eyebrows shot up and she dropped her hands to unfasten his tunic.

“I hate that frakking planet,” she muttered as she kissed him deeply, her fingers tangling in the open flaps of his uniform.

“It’s been months,” he reminded her, his eyes opening to see hers still burning with the frustration she had hidden from Grace and tried to let out with the running. The sight sent a jolt of arousal through his body.

“I know, yet every time I see his stupid frakking face…” She grimaced and bit her lip. Needing a distraction and aware of the way his pupils had dilated, she dropped to her knees with every ounce of control she had left, already undoing his belt.

“Laura,” he groaned, both out of arousal and frustration.

“Frankly, people are stupid and blind to follow Baltar. What does he know about being President?” His pants hit the deck around his ankles and she pushed his underwear down too, her touch growing gentler as she curled her fingers around his half-erect cock.

“Laura,” he tried again, his hand threading into her hair.

She only hummed and stroked him slowly, her lips parted. Before he could attempt to say anything more, she swallowed him down and hummed again.

“Oh, frak,” he gasped and tightened his hold.

Her hand braced herself against his thigh and she settled on her heels, not caring that the deck killed her knees. She kept her eyes aimed up to watch his face, enjoying the expression he wore as his head rolled back. He stumbled back a step when she began to suck, his breath picking up.

With another soft hum, she pulled back and licked her lips. “He preyed on humanity’s desires. It’s predatory and it’s wrong,” she added, her eyes still flaming and stroking his arousal.

It was undeniable how attractive she was when she was pissed, and the sight of her on her knees before him only made him more aroused. Even his frustration with her tirade couldn’t touch how hard he was. Regaining some of his awareness, he loosened his hold on her hair and brushed it back from her face.

“Honey, you can’t let this eat you up.” He wasn’t sure what she wanted or needed to hear, and he had a growing suspicion there was nothing he could say and he just had to wait it out like every other time she went down to New Caprica.

“Right, I’ll just sit back and forget about it.” She huffed but leaned forward again to trail her tongue up his length.

She knew exactly where and how to touch him to bring him to the edge so quickly, only to immediately pull back with yet another complaint. Both her anger and her actions left her breathless and he wondered how she still had more to say, but somehow she continued to interrupt herself each time he was drawn close to the edge. His hips tried to follow the warmth of her mouth and with nothing but her to support himself with, it was difficult to restrain himself, but he never pushed deeper than she took him.

“If he’s a genius, humanity is frakked,” she added with a dramatic roll of her eyes, as if she was entirely unaffected by what she was doing. A low, rolling arousal had formed in her stomach and between her legs, but she held onto her anger instead and leaned on Bill’s lust.

“Laura, I need you to—“

“Shut up, Bill,” she grumbled before she took him as deep into her mouth as she could and sucked firmly.

The one movement nearly unraveled all of his self-control and he groaned loudly, desperately gripping her hair while she held onto his thighs. He was so close, his legs trembling and forcing him to lean into her more.

“For frak’s sake,” he gasped when she sat back once more. “Are you going to complain or not, I can’t take both.” He was nearly begging and he didn’t care, his lower body more tense than he thought it had ever been before.

Renewed anger filled her eyes but she didn’t respond. All of her energy went into bringing him over the edge, her tongue relentlessly circling him and her throat fluttering around his pulsing cock. He cried out and had to brace himself against her shoulder, his eyes squeezing shut against the sudden pleasure. She bit back all of her further complaints and swallowed him even deeper, nails digging into his flesh as he finally gave in and came with a shout. Slowly, she released him and he let her go, a proud smirk forming on her lips. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and rested her hands on her wrinkled skirt.

“Can I complain now?” she drawled, but the anger had finally started to fade from her eyes.

It was a miracle he could stay standing. “You can do whatever the frak you want with me,” he panted, his eyes blinking open to meet hers.

“Good, because I want to airlock Baltar.”

“Except that.”

Her eyebrow slowly arched up, but her smirk remained. When he was sure he had enough of his balance back, he offered his hands and carefully pulled her to her feet, immediately pulling her into a deep kiss until they both needed oxygen again.

“Your turn. Someone needs to turn your mind off.” He gently nipped at her lip.

She hummed and cupped his face. “I’m too pissed off,” she admitted, “but I know you needed it. And I enjoyed it,” she quipped as her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

“Thank you.” He kissed her again, softer this time. “I need to sit.”

“That good, huh?” Her ego almost visibly grew.

“Shut up, Laura.” He shot her words back at her and pulled his pants up just enough to drag her toward the couch.

Happily, she dropped into his lap and draped her arms over his shoulders. “Maybe tonight, you can return the favor and frak me senseless.”

“I do like dessert after dinner.” He grinned and rubbed her back.

“Oh, you’re not getting anywhere near there until this,” she said as she pointed to the facial hair he had started to let grow, “is gone.”

“I was thinking about growing it out.” He stroked over the beginnings of his mustache and faked a pensive look.

“Yes, I know.” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m not saying you can’t, just that it never goes below my neck.”

“But there are so many wonderful parts of you down there.” His hands moved to her hips and slowly slid under her shirt, one caressing her stomach and then working higher. “Some of my favorite parts of you.”

“Thought you didn’t pick favorites.”

“Children. Crew members. But definitely parts of you.” His fingers followed the curve of her breast over her bra.

“Might want to consider shaving then, honey.” She kissed him quickly and then unwound all of their limbs to stand up. “Unfortunately, I have some grading left to do, but it shouldn’t take me long.”

“Do you want some company?” He sat up with his arms on his legs and looked her over.

“I’m fine. You probably want to relax after being in the CIC all morning.” She ran her fingers through her hair to fluff up what he had tangled.

“I’d rather watch you.”

“Then by all means. You should fix your pants first.” She smirked at his disheveled lower half, knowing she only looked marginally better.

“You know what I miss?”

She hummed in response.

“Walking around without pants. Seeing you make coffee in just your bra and skirt.” He chuckled at the memories.

Her expression shifted and she folded her arms over her chest. “Do you ever regret that we didn’t get that?”

“What are you talking about?” He slowly stood up and took a step closer, one hand gripping the waistband of his pants.

“Most couples have time alone before they drag kids into it. We didn’t just jump in, we dove head first.” She worried at her lip but met his eyes.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say we’re not most couples.” He quickly fixed his pants and then reached out and gently unfolded her arms, his fingers sliding along her sleeve until he took her hand. “I would’ve loved to have more time with you before Lia was born, afterwards, but I am so happy to have the time we have now.”

“Gods, you’re so sentimental,” she muttered, looking up to the ceiling to blink back to tears that had formed so quickly.

“Have an awful lot to be sentimental over.” He laced their fingers together and gently pulled her closer. “I love you.”

“I love you. I’ll try to walk around shirtless a little more.” She squeezed his hand and let him draw her against his chest.

“I don’t ask for much.” He laughed and kissed her softly. “Let’s go take care of that grading.”

“Yes, sir.”

It was easier for Bill to avoid the planet than her. There was always something to keep him busy on Galactica or Pegasus, but Laura found herself called down every few weeks to handle one problem or another. Though she wouldn’t admit it, she began to look forward to the chance to see everyone, even the Tighs. Lia and Grace joined her occasionally, but they never stayed for long.

The surface was significantly colder than Galactica and Laura hugged her jacket close as she made her way through Tent City, surprised by the number of people who greeted her, most with her former title. It made the planet seem a little more friendly and made it easier to get through her short to-do list. On her way back to the shuttle, she passed the medical tent and hesitated a moment before she ducked inside. The advantage of being the Admiral’s wife and the former president was that the shuttle would wait for her. She stopped just inside the flap and glanced around, her eyes finally settling on the doctor across the room. Cottle stared at her with a lit cigarette dangling from his lip and his arms crossed over his chest.

“Mrs. Adama,” he greeted, and she knew it was just to annoy her. “Run out of people to harass in orbit?”

She raised an eyebrow. “I believe Grace is due for her last few vaccinations.”

“Glad someone listened to the ‘vaccinate your frakking children’ campaign.” He stubbed his cigarette out and stood up.

“It’s been a little hard to keep track of time, especially given the lack of pediatricians.” Her eyebrow rose higher.

“Yeah, yeah. You know there’s doctors on the Rising Star, right?” He turned his back on her to begin organizing supplies on the table.

“Yes, and I don’t like them. Neither does Grace and they don’t know her as well as you do,” she pointed out.

“You deliver one baby and suddenly you’re saddled with her the rest of her life,” he grumbled. “Fine, bring her by tomorrow.”

She flashed a satisfied smile. “Thank you.”

“Now get out of here. I have actual patients.” He turned before she moved, his gaze softening. “How are you?”

“The best I’ve felt since this all happened, in all honesty.” She smiled at the admission and gave a small shrug.

“Teaching again was the right move?”

“For me, maybe.” She left the rest of her thoughts unsaid and balled her hands up in her sleeves. “Was hoping to see your wife today.”

“Heard you were coming and hid her away. You two together…” He clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Some of us have jobs to do. I’ll see you tomorrow, Laura.”

She pulled a hand free to wave goodbye, and then headed back into the cold to return to Galactica.

The next morning found Laura back in the medical tent sitting beside her daughter on the examining table. The privacy was as superficial as it was in Sick Bay, but the tent was empty aside from Cottle and a nurse. Grace took everything in quietly, still sleepy from how early she had been dragged from bed.

“Alright, young lady, let’s get this over with,” the doctor said as he pushed the curtain aside and looked at her.

She raised an eyebrow. “Me?”

“We’re doing your physical while you’re here too. Cancer screening’s gonna have to wait until I’m on Galactica.” He leaned against the foot of the bed.

“Come on, Mama,” Grace encouraged. “You said it’s not scary.”

Laura had never regretted her words more. “Fine,” she relented with a sigh.

Cottle grabbed a chair and Grace slid off the bed to sit in it while he left them alone to change. When he returned, he went through Laura’s physical as quickly as he could, then Grace’s, grumbling to himself most of the time unless he was reassuring a nervous Grace. They ended up back on the bed together with Laura’s arm loosely wrapped around her daughter, waiting for Cottle once again.

His eyes softened and he sat on the chair by Grace. “Alright, kid, it’s gonna sting, but you’re brave like your mother. I think I might have a sucker somewhere too.”

“What flavor?” Grace asked suspiciously, her eyes focused on the needle.

“Cherry.”

“Okay!”

Timed perfectly, he administered the first shot and she only winced. “You turn my Sick Bay into a playground yet?”

“Can I?” She began to shift nervously as he readied the second shot.

He looked up at her, bushy brows raised toward his hairline. “No. Don’t let your mother move in either.” Grace giggled and he used the distraction to his advantage again. “See? All done.”

Laura smiled and kissed her daughter’s head while Cottle bandaged the injection sites and helped her off the bed. “She’s okay?”

“She’s doing just fine. You both are. Maybe a little lower in weight, but it’s to be expected. Nothing concerning.” He offered an encouraging smile and she let out a relieved breath. “Now, if you can get the Admiral and your other daughter down here.”

“Lia prefers Ishay.” She broke the news as gently as she could. “But she’s healthy too. For Bill… you’ll have to sedate him first, but he’s okay.”

“He ignores my orders anyway.” He shrugged and gathered up the trash. “I’ll get that sucker, then get outta here.”

“Yes, sir.” She laughed and kept one hand on Grace’s back to guide her through the tent. “I have to stop by the school before we head back, okay?”

“Is Billy there? And Zak?” She looked up at her, her eyes shining in the bright sunlight.

“Billy should be there.” She smiled and ruffled her hair. “Maya and Isis too.”

Grace took her hand and began to skip off, dragging Laura right behind her. They paused long enough for her to accept her reward and it was already in her mouth by the time they left the tent. Laura laughed and followed after her, quickly winding their way through the maze of tents until they found the school. The path outside was overflowing with kids running around and playing, and Laura nudged her to join them.

“Why don’t you go play while I go inside?” She dropped her hand and took another step toward the tent.

“I wanna stay with you.” Grace grabbed her hand again.

“You don’t want to stay outside?” There was still a part of her that felt guilty about denying Grace and Lia the chance to experience as normal of a life as possible. Grace hadn’t seemed to mind, but it was obvious that Lia was growing restless. “You should.”

“Please, Mama?” Her hand moved to her shirt, anchoring herself as much as she could.

Laura sighed and nodded. “Okay, alright, come on.”

A few students still lingered inside, all studiously focused on their worksheets. None of them looked up as they walked toward the front, but Maya and Billy both noticed them and smiled.

“Madam President, it’s good to see you,” Billy said quickly, his smile growing wider. “And Grace too!”

Grace giggled and waved excitedly.

Billy and Maya had been standing close together when they first walked in, but stepped apart when they noticed her arrival. It made her smile, especially after what they had both gone through.

“Billy, please.” She let out an exasperated sigh. “You haven’t been down here long enough yet to forget that I have a name.”

He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I know, ma’am. Just feels… weird.”

“You could call her Mama!” Grace suggested with another giggle. “She likes that.”

Laura immediately flushed and glanced away. “Anything is better than Madam President,” she said, just to fill the silence. It made her flush more when she realized she didn’t entirely mind it. “How are things going here?”

“They’re all doing great, Mrs. Adama. I still wish you would help teach. Klarice is doing an amazing job, but I think some more help would… help.” Maya laughed and shrugged.

“Someone has to teach the ones still in orbit.” She smiled and leaned against a desk, her hands idle in her lap. “And I’m sure you both have everything under control. Where is she, by the way?”

“She ran out to take care of a few things while they’re at recess. She should be back soon,” Billy explained.

“Do you mind waiting a little longer?” She looked down at Grace and reached over to rub her arm. She shrugged and didn’t answer. “Is Isis here? I’ve missed that little angel.”

“Oh, she’s missed you too.” Maya turned and carefully picked up the infant from her bassinet. “Here, hold her.”

With barely restrained excitement, Laura pushed herself upright and crossed the tent to take the girl, her lips parting as she looked down at her. She was still so small, even now, and precious beyond a doubt. It made her miss when Grace and Lia were this small and though her feelings toward the child were still complicated and mixed, she wanted to do everything she could to protect her.

“Aren’t you a sweetheart?” she murmured. “Oh, you are so beautiful.”

Isis made a soft noise and opened her eyes, already so dark and alive. Grace suddenly shifted closer and tugged on Laura’s sleeve.

“Mama?”

“Yes, baby?”

“I wanna go home.” When Laura glanced at her, she pouted and tugged on her sleeve again.

“We will in a bit. Are you sure you don’t want to play outside?” Her finger lightly trailed down Isis’ cheek and she smiled, her heart full with memories of holding her own daughters.

“No, I wanna go now,” she whined, her pout growing more pronounced.

Before she could respond, Billy stepped closer. “Hey, Grace, I could use your help getting everyone back inside. Can you do that?”

“No…”

“Please? I really need your help.” He held his hand out to her and after a moment, she reluctantly took it and followed him outside.

Laura settled Isis against her chest and looked over at Maya with a raised eyebrow. The younger woman matched it. “I don’t think the baby of the family likes you sharing your attention.”

“No, I don’t think so,” she agreed softly. “Lee and Zak, Lia and Grace, they were all far enough apart that we didn’t have to worry about too much jealousy. And Grace was most definitely going to be the last one. She’ll be okay once we get back to Galactica.”

“Did you really think you could sneak in and out without me seeing my goddaughter?” Klarice’s playfully annoyed voice sounded as she came through the tent with a wide smile.

“If I were doing that, I wouldn’t have stopped to see your husband,” Laura pointed out as a smile of her own formed. “Oh, it’s good to see you, Klare!”

Maya took Isis back and stepped out of the way so Laura could hug Klarice, their touch lingering before they pulled back.

“You look amazing, Laura! I think the sunshine down here is doing you good.” She squeezed her arm and pulled back.

“Oh, yes, Dr. Cottle said something about the benefits of vitamin D.” She rolled her eyes. “I hate to hug and run, but we have to catch the shuttle back.

“Well, it was good to see you at all. Safe travels and we’ll see you in a few weeks?”

“Unfortunately.” She laughed and shook her head. “Take care and talk soon.”

Billy had successfully distracted Grace and her mood was improved as they finished their goodbyes and headed for the shuttle. Her daughter was glued to her side once more, insisting on sitting on her lap. Picking her battles, she gave in and held her close, her mind wandering with thoughts of Isis, Hera, and her own daughters.

The changing seasons were visible even from orbit, but especially on the planet. The weather cooled even further, too dry to snow but miserably cold all the same. Laura missed the seasons on Caprica, the hot summer turning into a cool fall and snowy winter, only to warm again for spring and repeat. The steadiness of the temperature on Galactica had become just as welcome and comforting as the changing seasons had once been.

The cabin was quiet when he woke, the calm stillness of a retiring ship greeting him. It was no longer eerie or concerning, but comforting. A chance at peace that he hoped would last. The thought made him hold his sleeping wife closer, fingers dancing up and down her bare arm. He was surprised she wasn’t cold and he chuckled softly, shifting so his forehead rested against her shoulder.

“Good morning,” he rumbled when she stirred.

A yawn fell from her lips and she rested her hand over his, loosely intertwining their fingers. “It’s so early.”

He hummed his agreement and kissed her shoulder. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Why’re you up?” Her eyes didn’t open, content to lay in her half-awake phase with her body warmed by his.

With no real answer, he only shrugged. “Probably your cold frakking feet.”

In retaliation, she stretched her legs out and pressed her feet against his shins. He groaned and moved their hands to her hip. “So, you wake me up to complain about it?”

“I had something else in mind.” He easily rolled her onto her back and slid beneath the blankets, making his way down her body as she pushed herself up toward the bulkhead. “Seems you did too,” he chuckled.

“I have no complaints now that you’ve started shaving again.” She smirked and reached down to run her fingers through his hair.

“That’s possible?” he teased, his fingers sliding her underwear down and off to get lost in the blankets.

She gently tugged on his hair in warning, but it only made him laugh again. Her head fell back to the blanket and his arms curled around her thighs, easily baring her warm center to his exploring mouth. There was no pause, no hesitation, but his touches were still light and gentle as his lips moved over her. A gasp tumbled from her parted lips and a languid shiver ran through her body. His mouth was as teasing as his words, fingers digging into her thighs to press her into the mattress while he lazily frakked and consumed her from the inside out. Her hips rolled up into him and she let out a soft, sleepy hum.

“What a way to wake up,” she sighed, her eyes fluttering as he adjusted his hold on her lower body and eased a finger into her welcoming center.

His laughter vibrated through her and made her shudder again, combining with a moan as a second finger joined the first and his tongue moved over her clit. She kept her hold on his hair, fingers combing through the soft, peppered strands.

The sound of the hatch opening made them both freeze. He started to climb out from under the blankets, but she pushed him back down at the sound of light footsteps coming toward them after the hatch closed again.

“You didn’t lock it last night?” he groaned quietly.

“I thought you did,” she admitted, eyes focused on the archway.

Grace walked through after a moment, one hand rubbing at her eyes and the other gripping her giraffe. She yawned and looked up as she stopped in the archway between rooms, clearly not fully awake. His fingers shifted inside Laura and she bit her lip, her thighs closing around his head.

“Morning, baby,” she said when she was sure her voice was steady. “You’re up early.”

“I don’t feel well.” Her lips turned down in a pout and even from across the room, Laura could tell it was true.

“Oh, honey.” She sighed and loosened her hold on her husband’s hair. “Go lay back down and I’ll be there in a minute, okay?”

She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes again. “Where’s Daddy?”

Carefully, Bill pulled the blankets back to smile at her sympathetically. “I’m here,” he murmured.

She stared at him for a moment. “Why’re you under the blankets?”

He cleared his throat. “I’m, uh, hiding from Helo,” he answered quickly. “And Mama’s helping me.”

“Why’re you hiding?” Her arms wrapped around her giraffe and hugged it close.

“So I can stay home all day instead of going to the CIC.” Their daughter didn’t need to know he already had the day off. “You better go lay back down so he doesn’t see you too, and we’ll be right there.”

Grace continued looking at them in confusion, but she eventually nodded and slowly made her way back to the hatch. When it closed behind her, Bill’s thumb caressed over Laura’s clit and she gasped in surprise.

“Oh, gods,” she moaned, her hips rocking into his fingers as he resumed frakking her with them. “We need to get up…”

“I’ll be quick, then.” He kissed her stomach and then settled back between her legs.

The laziness was gone, his mouth and fingers stroking and touching her with every intention of dragging her over the edge. She didn’t fight it, barely stifling her moans and clinging to his hair and shoulder. The combination left her trembling and she came with a whimpered cry when his fingers curled inside her and his teeth grazed her body. Enraptured by the view of her lost in bliss, he stroked her through it and then sat back while she collapsed into the mattress. As she recovered, he pushed himself upright and stroked his hands along her legs with a sated smile of his own.

“Think she’s getting sick?” she asked softly after a moment, her eyes blinking open to meet his.

“We’ll go check on her. She’ll be okay.” He kissed her softly and earned one more quiet moan. “She might be in our rack the next few days, but she’ll be okay.”

“There’s no room.” She pouted just like Grace and sat up.

“Then we build a fort.” He shrugged and slid out of their rack, turning to help her stand too.

They took enough time to clean up and didn’t bother dressing, instead just pulling their robes on. The advantage of a quiet ship and no presidential responsibilities meant neither were concerned about appearances, especially if Grace didn’t feel well. Laura ran her fingers through her hair as they walked down the corridor and then through the hatch Bill opened, just in time to watch Grace throw up on the deck outside the head.

“Oh, baby,” Laura sighed, immediately rushing to her side. She rubbed her back and Bill grabbed a towel to clean up the mess. “You really don’t feel well, do you?”

Grace whined and leaned into her, sweat beading along her feverish forehead. “No,” she whimpered.

Lia rolled over in her rack and stretched with a groan. “What’s going on?” she grumbled.

“Your sister’s sick.” He gathered up the dirty towel and set it aside. “You wanna get her to Sick Bay?”

Laura stroked her daughter’s hair back from her face and watched her. “Yeah,” she finally murmured. “I don’t like how warm she feels.”

“I want to go too,” Lia said, already sitting up.

“No, we’ll probably be right back. It’s still early and you can sleep some more.” He walked over and kissed her head. “It’s okay.”

She hesitated, conflicted, and then slowly laid back down. After making sure she was okay, he pushed open the hatch and spoke with the Marine to make sure the mess got fully cleaned up, and then returned to pick up Grace. Laura grabbed her giraffe and followed him back out into the corridor, a concerned frown twisting her lips the entire way to Sick Bay.

It didn’t take long for Ishay to confirm that Grace only had a cold, the same one making its way through the population down on the planet. With the reassurance that as long as her fever broke, she would be just fine, they reassured Lia who fell back to sleep and then returned to their cabin. The moment Laura curled up on the couch with Grace in her lap, their daughter cuddled close and fell asleep. With a tired, worried sigh, she played with her tangled hair, still damp from her fever, and leaned her head back.

“She’s okay,” Bill reminded her as he padded around their quarters to get them both water while they waited on breakfast.

“I know.” She wrinkled her nose. “I forgot how frustrating and stressful it is to have a sick child.”

He smiled gently and left their waters on the coffee table, deciding it wasn’t necessary to mention that the same applied to a sick wife and mother. “We’ll just have to make sure you and Lia don’t get sick.”

“Cottle said my immune system is back to normal. I’ll be okay.” She reached her hand out and rested it on his leg when he finally sat down beside her.

He draped his arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her close, watching her even more closely. “I still worry,” he confessed.

“I know you do.” She squeezed his leg and adjusted her hold on Grace. “Looks like we’ll have a quiet day, then.”

“Every day has been a quiet day.”

She hummed. “You know what I meant.”

After a few weeks, Bill started to notice a shift within Laura. While she seemed fine when he passed by the room she had repurposed into a classroom or when she was with the kids, there was a part of her that he could see was growing distant. She continually insisted everything was fine and he allowed himself to believe her for a bit until it became undeniable that something was off. Any attempt to coax it out of her was unsuccessful or went ignored until he finally realized what was happening.

Helo took over the CIC a little early, freeing him up to head home. The girls were visiting Lee and he expected Laura to be anywhere but in their quarters. It was a surprise to find her curled up on the couch with a blanket over her and a book abandoned on her lap. She didn’t look up as he closed the hatch and he didn’t move further into the room so he could watch her, the uncomfortable feeling that he was right settling over him.

“Laura,” he called softly, but she still didn’t move. “Honey?”

Her husband’s voice slowly broke through her thoughts and she lifted her head, squinting for a moment until her eyes refocused and she could see him, edges slightly blurry without her glasses. “You’re back early,” she murmured.

“Thought you’d be enjoying your day off,” he gently shot back. “What’s kept you occupied today?”

She shrugged and closed her book to set it aside. “This, mostly. It’s been quiet without the girls.”

He watched her for a moment more and then crossed the room as he shrugged his tunic off to sit beside her. “I need to ask you something, but I want you to answer truthfully. Please.”

“That’s not concerning.” Her eyebrow briefly shot up. “Is everything okay?”

“I want to ask you that.” He leaned back so he could still see her. “Are you lonely?”

“Am I–” She laughed and leaned forward and rested her hand on his knee. “Why would I be lonely? I have you, the kids, my students.”

“But beyond that? When you’re not mother, wife, teacher, who do you have?” he insisted gently.

“Bill, where is this coming from? I’m fine.” Even as she said the words, she knew they weren’t entirely true.

She would pick Galactica over New Caprica any day, but the battlestar had begun to feel like an island in the stars. She had always had her sisters, her parents, Lia, then Bill and the boys. Friends, coworkers, students, people surrounding her constantly until she had to fight for a moment of quiet alone. As President, her free time had been limited, saving her from thinking about how alone they all really were. Bill had Saul, Helo, but he had always been more introverted. Free of the presidency, she had slowly realized the few people she had outside of her family were on New Caprica.

“You are.” It was a statement now. “Laura, why didn’t you say anything?”

“What… What is there to say? Everyone is down on the planet and unless you’re willing to move down there—I’m not—what is there? Who is there?”

“I’m sorry. I’m even more sorry that it took me so long to notice.” He placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed it.

“Oh, don’t do this. Don’t beat yourself up because I am fine. When I’m with you, with the girls, I am okay.” She pulled her hand free and leaned forward to cup his face, her head dipping to meet his eyes.

“And when you’re not? When I’m on duty or the girls aren’t here?”

“How often is that, hm? Lia might be too old to spend time with her parents, but Grace is usually here. Really, honey, I’m okay.” She willed her expression to be as reassuring as her voice, even if it was partly faked.

“What if we’re here for the rest of our lives, then? If the Cylons don’t come back and we stay here?” His eyes searched her face, not trusting the slightly guarded look in her eyes.

“At some point, I’m convincing you to retire, then.” Her eyebrow arched up again. “Do you really think we’re really safe? That this is it?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’d hate to get complacent.” He paused. “More than we already are.”

“If the Cylons come back, we’re frakked. We were on day one and we still are now. That’s all there is to it.” She sighed and pulled back, her head shaking slowly. “Maybe we should move down there. Lia wants to, I don’t think Grace would hate it, and it would be good for them.”

“Is that what you want?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed again and ran her fingers through her hair. “There’s too many unknowns and I don’t trust any of it.”

“I know. I know.” He settled his arm over her shoulder and gently pulled her into his side. “I don’t trust it either.”

“So, we stay here, then, and pray we’re wrong.”

“You usually aren’t.”

“That’s what concerns me.” She chewed on her lower lip and let her head rest on his shoulder. “We’re okay, Bill. I promise you that.”

“If we’re not, if you’re not, tell me. We’ll figure it out.” He kissed her head and suddenly sat up. “Let’s go for a walk. Or we can go to Pegasus.”

“A walk sounds good, but not there. I don’t like that ship,” she admitted.

He chuckled softly. “Are there any ships you do like?”

“This one. She’s yours, she’s home.”

“You’re home.” He kissed her softly and smiled. “And I don’t like her either. C’mon.”

The next morning, he wasted no time. Operating off an offhand comment Lee had made, he spoke with a few of the remaining Pegasus and Galactica crew to arrange transfers, hoping the plan didn’t blow up in his face.

When Laura walked through the hatch, her steps immediately paused at the sight of an unfamiliar Marine standing guard. Her eyes roamed over them, standing over a head taller than her.

“Ma’am,” she nodded and continued staring down the corridor.

Laura shifted forward enough to see the name on her uniform. “Corporal Serine?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Well, I happen to pride myself on knowing this crew, especially now and more especially the ones who look out for my family.” Her hands moved to her hips.

“Just transferred from Pegasus, ma’am.”

“Then there’s two things you should know.” She arched an eyebrow. “First, enough with the ‘ma’am,’ please. Second, there’s not many people to talk to and I like to know who’s going to be around my family, even if they were handpicked by my husband.”

“We’re, uh, used to being quiet on Pegasus. Admiral Cain believed in seen, not heard.”

“That’s not the case here or with Admiral Adama. I hope you realize that.”

“I do, ma’am. I’m sorry.” The Marine looked at her, her attention lingering before it returned to the corridor. “Did you need something?”

“Just headed to school. He didn’t ask you to follow me, did he?”

“Uh, no, orders are just to guard the CO’s quarters.”

Laura hummed. “I suppose I’ll see you in a few hours, then. Have a good day, Corporal.”

“Have a good day, ma’am.”

She rolled her eyes, not out of irritation, and walked away to meet her daughters before school.

Corporal Serine was gone when she made it back after class, replaced with a different Marine that she recognized. With a small nod of acknowledgement and a smile, she walked through the hatch and right into her husband, her hands grabbing his arms so she didn’t lose her balance.

“Bill! What are you doing?” She laughed and looked up at him.

“How many times in our lives are you going to hit me with a door?” he teased, a grin already forming.

“Oh, my gods, not this again.” She rolled her eyes but didn’t let go of him. “I didn’t hit you with the door then or now. You’re being dramatic.”

His grin only widened. “Oh, really? I’m being dramatic?” With surprising dexterity, he wrapped his arm around her and closed the hatch, making sure it was secure before he picked her up.

“Bill!” she gasped as he gently tossed her over his shoulder. “You’re going to hurt yourself!”

His laughter vibrated through her body and she held onto him until he unceremoniously dumped her onto the couch. “You’re too light and I’ve carried you half asleep before.”

“We did a lot of things before.” She raised an eyebrow and held out her arms to him. He gave in immediately and stretched out beside her as she shifted to settle partially on top of him. “I met our new Marine this morning.”

“Corporal Serine.” He stroked his hand along her arm and held her close. “Couple more people mustered out, transferred her and her son over from Pegasus.”

“Just her and her son?”

“I don’t know details.” He looked at her. “And you’re not gonna go prying.”

“I would never pry.” She frowned and pushed herself up a little to see him better. “Is she actually a Marine or one that Cain conscripted?”

“Both. She was off duty on one of the ships her fleet found. She’s a good Marine; wouldn’t have given her this duty if I didn’t trust her.” He met her curious gaze and squeezed her gently.

“I know that. I trust you. Just a surprise to see someone new after all of this.” She shrugged and laid her head on his chest. “So, did you hurt yourself picking me up?”

“Not even a little bit.” He kissed her head and chuckled. “I’ll carry you to bed in a minute too,” he said as his hand slid under her shirt.

“Oh?” Her fingers trailed down his arm and she pressed a kiss to his chest. “It’s a little early to sleep, don’t you think?”

“Don’t intend to sleep.”

She laughed and slid her leg between his. “Then please do.”

It took a little more finesse to pick her up this time, but he just as easily carried her back to their rack and sat her down. Her fingers went to the hem of her shirt but he stopped her and knocked her hands aside.

“Patience, Laura.”

She groaned softly. “That means you’re gonna spend the next hour teasing me, doesn’t it?”

“Only an hour?” He grinned and dropped his tanks to the deck, hands already reaching for his belt.

Once he was down to his dog tags and underwear, he knelt on the mattress between her legs and ran his hands along her calves. When he reached her shirt, he inched it up and leaned over to kiss each bit of exposed skin up to her bra. She shivered beneath him and ran her fingers through his hair, her lips parting as he traced the edge and let his warm breath chase away the goosebumps as he followed the curve of her breast. A soft gasp fell from her lips and he made his way up her neck, along her chin, and finally kissed her deeply. Her fingers tightened in his hair and pressed him further into it, her teeth gently tugging at his lower lip. Without breaking the kiss, his hands returned to her shirt and she arched up so he could pull it off, then went for her bra. Their lips parted only as long as they needed to.

“Someone’s eager,” she hummed as she let her bra slip from her fingers to the deck and then reached up to grab his bicep. “What happened to teasing me?”

He chuckled and returned his mouth to her skin, kissing and biting the freckled canvas until her chest was painted with evidence of his love. She grew breathless beneath him, her soft gasps and hums encouraging him as he explored each breast and back down her stomach to her pants. When he got close, his hands unfastened them and began to pull them down to expose more of her pale skin to him. He had to move to kneel by her hip to tug her pants the rest of the way off, her underwear soon following so he could return to his previous position. His hands joined his mouth, caressing over her hips and thighs while his mouth kissed down one leg and back up the other. Her fingers twisted into the blanket and her body trembled with arousal, hips rocking up in search of stimulation.

“Now who’s eager?” he teased quietly, his head tilting so he could look up at her.

“You got me all riled up.” She pouted and pulled one leg close to rest her foot against the mattress.

“Oh, I’ll take care of it. Don’t you worry.” He pressed one more kiss to her lower stomach before he stretched out as much as he could.

She pushed herself closer to the bulkhead and draped her legs over his shoulders at his encouragement, his hands pushed underneath her ass to hold her up. He maintained the same slow, teasing exploration, now focused on her thighs and taking his time working higher. His teeth gently tugged at her sensitive skin and he let his breath flow over her center, teasing her more than anything else. Her mind was quiet, calm, and completely caught up in everything he did to her.

Finally, his mouth reached her center and he dove in, tongue, lips, and teeth setting her body aflame. Her fingers found his hair again and pressed him against her body, her back arching with the pleasure that rolled through her. It made her moan and gasp and tremble harder, completely giving herself over to him.

“Oh, my gods, Bill,” she sighed, fingers twisting in the blanket.

He chuckled against her and she moaned again at the feeling, fighting to keep her eyes open so she could watch him devour her. His fingers flexed where they held her, pinned between her body and the mattress, and she pushed closer to his unyielding mouth.

“You are,” she sucked in a gasping breath, “absolutely frakking wonderful.”

It was obvious how close she was and he doubled his efforts, groaning as he pressed his face as close to her body as he could get and still breathe. Her legs tightened around his head and she released a louder moan, her body trembling on the edge.

“Frak,” she groaned, her head thrown back and eyes fluttering. “Frak, frak, Bill!”

With one last stroke of his tongue, she came gasping and moaning, her thighs clamped around his head and hand tight in his hair. He didn’t care, happily overwhelmed by her and wanting her as close as possible. He worked her through it and only sat back when her limbs went limp and her body fell still.

“Oh, gods.” She laughed breathlessly and lifted her head enough to look at him. “C’mere.”

He caught her laugh and crawled over her, holding himself up with his arms pressed against the mattress. She hummed and threw her leg over him to keep him where he was, her lips finding his.

“Are you gonna frak me too?” she murmured against his lips, the feel of his erection between them stoking the fire still smoldering in her.

“I can just take a cold shower,” he mumbled back as her leg tightened.

“Or you could frak me.” Her eyebrow arched up daringly.

“You’re frakking insatiable.” He groaned and carefully let his weight settle against her. “You sure?”

“I’m sorry I’m not being clear enough.” She smirked and rolled her hips against his. “Will you please frak me right here and now, husband?”

“Only because you asked so nicely.”

She reluctantly let him go so he could shuffle around and get his underwear off, but welcomed him back just as eagerly with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He didn’t make her wait and pushed his aching cock into her as quickly as he could, their moans joining together. She held on tighter and he held himself over her, their chests pressed together until he swore he could feel her heart pounding alongside his own.

With a low groan, he pulled out and eased back in, finding a slow and steady rhythm that allowed him to slide deep inside and then nearly all the way back out. Her body started trembling again and she held him closer, connecting them as much as physically possible.

He was pent up enough and her arousal stretched taut enough that they knew it wouldn’t last much longer, but he dragged it out as much as he could. Using all of the control he had left, he kept his thrusts controlled and gave himself over to her lips, their kiss messy and breathy, moans tumbling from one mouth to the other.

Her hand moved to hold the back of his head and she buried her face in his neck, her hips rising to meet his. “I love you. Gods, I love you.”

“I love you, Laura. Frak, I love you.” He nudged her head until she met him for another kiss that ended up a groan as her body clenched around him.

“You gonna—” A breathless laugh turned into a moan and cut off her words.

“Gonna what?”

She laughed again and held his face between her hands. “I don’t know what I was gonna say.”

“Frakked it out of you?”

“Oh, yes.” She pulled him into a kiss, throwing all of her focus into it and pulling him over the edge.

It worked and he groaned as he came, his hands moving to grip her shoulders. She caught her breath only to release it all with another moan, her legs falling to the bed. Through her pants, she giggled and let her hands roam over his back and arms, lost in the feeling of him.

“Laughing’s a good thing, right?” he mumbled as he fell to his shoulder next to her and let his hand settle on her stomach.

“I can’t believe after all these years and two orgasms, you still need your ego stroked after sex.” She shook her head and rolled to face him, her fingers trailing along the scar on his chest.

He brushed his fingers over her scar and kissed her softly. “I did promise you mind-blowing orgasms.”

“And gods, have you upheld that promise.” Her head fell back as she dissolved into another round of giggles, her body so relaxed and her expression so carefree.

Even since losing the presidency, he hadn’t seen her let loose this much aside from Founder’s Day and after a heavy dose of drugs. To see her relaxed and happy without a line of stress on her beautiful face filled him with an all-encompassing happiness that he was content to share with her. She saw everything she felt reflected back in his eyes and her heart felt so full, manifesting in more laughter and she forced him toward the bulkhead so she could curl up against his side.

As soon as she realized Corporal Serine was the new steady morning guard, Laura made it her mission to get the woman to open up. She knew enough about the other Marines that they could have passing conversations, but this new one stubbornly remained quiet aside from passing comments here and there. None of the crew were able to resist Grace and her eager questions either, but Serine held her ground. It made Laura wonder if she was truly that guarded of a person, or if it was trauma from Pegasus. After a few weeks, she managed to coax Serine into short conversations, never beyond plans for the day or other small talk. Of all people, she seemed to open up a little more to Lia, but not by much.

Lost in thought, Laura wandered the corridors of Galactica in a roundabout walk home. After dismissing her students, she hadn’t felt the desire to be cooped up and the girls had immediately ran off to visit Lee. She refocused on where she was going just in time to avoid walking into a woman and a teenager, her hands held up in apology.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” She smiled sheepishly.

“No harm done, ma’am.” The other woman waved it away and briefly smiled.

“Oh, Corporal Serine! I almost didn’t recognize you. This must be your son, then?” She glanced at the boy near Lia’s age standing beside her.

“Yes, ma’am. This is Jacob.” Her hand rested on his shoulder and he offered a sideways grin.

“You’re Lia’s mom,” he said quickly. “I’m in her class.”

Laura’s smile widened. “I am. You worked on that water toxicity project together, didn’t you?” It had been so long since she had been recognized as anything other than President or Secretary, and definitely a while since she had just been a mother.

“We did. Got an A too.” He fully grinned, his pride evident and earned.

“You both did great work,” she hummed.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you, ma’am. Have a good day.” Serine started to pull Jacob to the side.

“Uh, Jacob, Lia is headed to Pegasus right now to visit her brother. Would you like to join them, if it’s okay with your parents?” Laura offered suddenly.

“It’s just me and Mom.” He shrugged and looked over at her. He was a tall kid, but his mother was still taller. “Can I go?”

Serine visibly hesitated and looked between them. “Are you sure you don’t mind, ma’am?”

“Not at all. I think Lia could use some company other than her siblings and they’d be happy to show him around. I don’t know how much you saw when you were there before.” She smiled reassuringly.

“Not much. Please, Mom?”

“Alright, fine. Be safe, please.” She leaned down and kissed his cheek which he immediately wiped off with a brief scowl.

“They’re headed to the hangar deck. You have time,” she explained just before he turned and rushed off down the corridor.

Serine sighed and crossed her arms. “There’s not enough for them to do here. Anywhere, really.”

“I know.” Laura shook her head. “It’s even harder with a six year old.”

“Artemis must have you close under her wing with how much you take on. I thought being a single mother was hard enough, but you…” She trailed off with a light laugh.

“Being a single mother is difficult enough,” she murmured.

Serine hesitated and then lowered her own voice. “It sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”

Laura had no problems talking about her past, especially if it helped someone. From the look in the Marine’s eyes, she needed help. “I was headed to the Observation Lounge, if you’d like to join me.”

“Oh, I don’t want to intrude. I’m sure you’re looking forward to some quiet.” She quickly stepped back and shook her head.

“I could actually use the company,” she admitted. “There’s been a lot of quiet the last few months, but I don’t want to interfere with your duty.”

“Oh.” Serine hummed and then nodded.

“No calling me ma’am, for gods’ sakes.” She waved her finger at the younger woman and briefly fixed her with a teasingly hard look. “If you’re off duty, please call me Laura. Or anything but ma’am. Mrs. Adama, if you have to.”

“Cassie, then. I’m Cassie.” She extended her hand and Laura took it without hesitation, shaking it lightly before she gestured down the corridor.

“We almost named our daughter Cassandra before we decided on Grace.” She smiled. “A beautiful name.”

“Oh, thank you.” She let out a light laugh.

They found the room unsurprisingly empty and she quickly settled in her spot near the window. She had claimed it during her recovery, often empty and quiet when she wandered in late at night and couldn’t sleep. After moving to Galactica instead of the planet, she had found it again and though it wasn’t the same with the view of New Caprica, it was still a good escape. From the look on Cassie’s face, she hadn’t seen it before.

“Admiral didn’t give you the tour when you transferred over?” she asked, gesturing to the deck across from her.

“No, ma’am—Mrs. Adama.” She cleared her throat. “Robertson showed me the necessities, figured out the rest from there. But I spoke with Admiral Adama,” she added quickly. “He made sure Jacob and I were okay with transferring to Galactica and I am… incredibly grateful for the chance he’s given us.”

“He mentioned you weren’t originally on Pegasus,” she said hesitantly.

“No, my wife and I were on the Orpheus to go home to Tauron. Her and Jacob met me at the Atlantia to take me home when the attacks happened. Pegasus found us and, well, I’m sure you know the rest.” Her attention wandered toward the window, staring out at the stars while Laura watched her.

“Your wife didn’t survive, did she?”

“No. She was left behind, but I was able to hide Jacob. Somehow, Admiral Cain never found out. Some of the crew helped, but it is a relief to get him off that ship.” She shook her head slightly and ran her fingers through her cropped blonde hair. “Admiral Adama knows. I think that’s why he offered the transfer.”

“That and you’re a good Marine, but he values your safety and your comfort as much as he can. I’m so sorry for your loss.” She let out a long breath and grimaced.

“She told me Jacob was all that mattered, to keep him safe at all costs.” She sniffed and cleared her throat. “And here we are.”

Laura let the silence stretch between them for several minutes, watching the slowly moving clouds in New Caprica’s atmosphere. They were dark and she worried about a storm on the surface with the occasional flashes of light she caught.

“You’re right,” she finally said. “I was speaking from experience. My husband and I didn’t get married until after Lia was born. About five years later, actually. For those first five years, I was a single mother. I had my family and they were a blessing, but I had to do a lot of it on my own.” A small smile formed. “I don’t regret any of it, but it wasn’t easy and I had help. You’ve kept your son alive all this time and that’s no small feat.”

“Thank you.” She cleared her throat again and glanced at her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to dump all of that on you.”

“I asked.” She leaned forward and rested her hand on her knee. “It helps to talk, to accept help. I had to learn that the hard way. Several times.”

“With all due respect, that doesn’t surprise me.” Cassie met her eyes and Laura’s eyebrow shot up. “It’s obvious you’re an independent woman.”

“Oh.” She laughed and smiled. “I am.”

“Thank you,” she repeated softly.

“Are you both adjusting to Galactica okay? Is there anything else you need?” Laura asked in place of responding to the gratitude.

“No, we’re fine. Really. But thank you.” She smiled, but Laura could see some of her reservations in her expression.

“If you do, please let the Admiral know. He looks out for his crew. All of them.” She matched her smile, more sincerely, and pulled her hand back. “Thank you for keeping me company today.”

“I think it was you keeping me occupied, so I should be thanking you.” She shifted and pulled her leg close.

“Not at all.” She shook her head insistently. “They always say it’s lonely at the top. You would think that having a husband, four kids, would be enough, but—”

“It’s not the same,” Cassie finished for her. “Always being leader, mother, wife. Hard to find time just to be… you.”

“Feels awful to say it.” She folded her hands in her lap and then crossed her legs, her eyes darting to the hatch in fear that someone was watching or listening. “When we’re so lucky to have them with us.”

“It’s all about balance which feels impossible when we’re running for our lives.” She sighed and shrugged.

“So, we kept each other occupied, then,” she decided with a slight smile. “Thank you.”

“I can agree with that. Especially considering I heard it’s wise to disagree with the President and the Admiral’s wife.” She smirked and it made Laura laugh.

“Wise advice.” Her hands moved to rest on her knees as she settled more comfortably against the window. “I should head back. Have some grading to do before Bill is off duty.”

“Please don’t let me keep you. I think I may stay here for a bit.” She wrapped her arm around her long legs and pulled them to her chest.

“Enjoy. I’ve spent a lot of time in this room. It’s peaceful, especially when it’s quiet.” After a glance around, she pushed herself to her feet with a soft groan. “I’ll see you in the morning, then? Unless you’d like me to bring Jacob home when they get back.”

“That’s not necessary; he knows the way. Do you know how long they’ll be over there?”

“Few hours. They’ll be back by dinner.” She smiled reassuringly and dusted off her pants.

“You trust your family’s safety to me each day. I trust my son’s with you,” she said firmly. “And it’s a relief to feel that now after Pegasus.”

“I’m glad. Bill has always prided himself on caring for his crew, on creating a tight-knit family on his ships. He’s extended that to Pegasus, to as much of the fleet as he can. I do too.” She slipped her hands in her pockets and hummed. “Thank you, Cassie.”

“Thank you… Laura.” She returned the smile and Laura lingered for a moment before she left.

Bill saw the change in his wife almost immediately. The distant look faded from her eyes and she spent less time in their quarters when he wasn’t there. The added bonus of Serine’s demeanor improving only helped and from what Lia said, even Jacob’s mood had improved. He considered it a job well done with an extra pat on his back that Laura hadn’t caught onto his plan. She called him out on it almost immediately until he sheepishly admitted what he had done, but she could only be grateful for it.

Chapter Text

Laura found she much preferred to be in space. The shift after despising it for most of her life caught her by surprise, but Galactica had become home and she didn’t want to be anywhere else. It was a relief that Grace and Lia felt the same, but she could tell that her older daughter was growing more restless by the day.

She sat across from her at the table, an eyebrow arched up. “I’m not going to be down there long,” she explained patiently. “I have a few things to do, I probably won’t even get to see Zak or Kara, and then I’ll be back. Dad said you can join him in the CIC today. Even Helo offered to show you around the Raptors.”

“I don’t want to see the CIC or the ships, I want to go down to New Caprica.” Lia firmly crossed her arms and glared.

Laura sighed, her patience fading. “I said no. Dad said no. You’re staying here.” The conversation over, she pushed herself out of her chair.

“It’s so unfair, Mom! Lee gets his own battlestar, Zak, Kara, and Billy all get to be down on the planet!” She groaned and jumped to her feet. “I hate you!”

She took off further into the cabin and Laura started to follow her, but thought better of it and stopped. As much as she didn’t want to leave with Lia mad at her, she knew she needed her space and her only argument was to remind her that she had run away to Caprica a year ago. Displeased with the rock and the hard place she was stuck between, she reluctantly walked through the hatch to find her husband.

He was exactly where she thought he would be, leaning against the CnC beneath the DRADIS with his arms folded on the illuminated surface. She smiled, but it was hindered by Lia’s words still resounding in her head.

He picked up on it immediately. “What’s wrong?”

She waved him off and glanced around the room. It was a skeleton crew, but still no one she wanted to air her family's drama to. “Lia’s having a rough day,” she answered vaguely. “Grace is with Helo?”

“He’ll bring her here at shift change and we’ll see you at dinner,” he answered with a nod. “Safe travels.”

“It’s your pilot flying.” Her eyebrow briefly shot up. She hesitated a moment, but remembered that she was no longer president, sometimes still caught off guard by that. She was the Old Man’s wife and nothing more, and if she wanted to kiss her husband goodbye, she would. “Love you,” she murmured as she leaned up to kiss him quickly. “See you tonight.”

He returned the kiss, his hand resting on her side until she pulled back. “Love you,” he replied quietly, his eyes not leaving her until she was out of view.

The visit was exactly as short as she expected it to be. Her grey sweater, even with long sleeves underneath, didn’t feel warm enough against the chilly air, and she was looking forward to returning home. Their quarters were at least warmer than the planet, especially with her husband beside her. With a shiver, she wrapped her arms around herself, scanning the small classroom tent while Maya checked on Isis behind her. Billy was by her side, his attention on the other half of the class.

Loud booms suddenly broke the silence, followed by the unmistakable sound of ships descending through the atmosphere. Without moving, she knew exactly what was happening and her heart froze in her chest. For the sake of the children staring at her in fear, she quietly urged them to stay in their seats and slowly approached the entrance with Billy on her heels.

The Cylons moved quickly and Centurions were already on the ground, additional Raiders moving through the sky above to join. Terror gripped her lungs, but she could only stand and watch. When she felt the students begin to crowd behind her, she broke her eyes away and ushered them inside, her eyes meeting Maya’s, then Billy’s, and none needing any words.

The moment Galactica and Pegasus jumped away, she felt it like a rubber band being stretched too far. It snapped and formed a tightly wound knot of agony in her chest. She pushed through it until that night when she sat in Zak’s empty tent; no one had seen Kara since the Cylons had arrived and Zak had immediately gone looking for her with Sam. It left Laura alone and she sank to the ground, her arms tightly wrapped around her legs that she held to her chest. Tears brimmed her eyes, but she worried that if she let them fall, they wouldn’t stop. They came anyway, until she was hunched over with her forehead on her knees, every emotion she had held back through the day torn from her body.

It took immense effort for her to lift her head when she heard footsteps; she distrusted the sound of any footsteps now. Her eyes were dry and her throat raw, a headache firmly settled in from the tension in her neck. She swallowed and narrowed her eyes, surprised when she saw how dark it was and unable to make much out in the tent.

Zak walked in and the wave of relief he brought chased everything else away. “I can’t find Kara,” he said, his voice quiet but so loud to her after the evening alone. “No one has seen her and I looked everywhere.” After he managed to light the lamp near the entrance, he stopped. “Mom?”

“We’ll keep looking,” she murmured, but her voice was soft and hoarse.

“Hey…” He quickly crossed the small space and knelt beside her, his arm settling across her shoulders. “Dad and Lee are coming back. You know that, right?”

“Of course they are,” she replied instinctively. She did know it, deep under the loss that continually tried to overwhelm her.

“Lia and Grace are gonna be just fine too. And so will we. If they wanted us dead, they would’ve just bombed us like before. But Baltar surrendered and we just have to bide our time. We’re good at doing that.” He gently pulled her close and she let her head rest against his shoulder for a moment. “C’mon, it’s late.” He stood and helped her up with a half-hearted smile. “Take the bed.”

“No, I can’t—“ she quickly started to protest.

He cut her off. “I’m not letting you sleep on the ground.”

Too tired to argue, she gave in and nodded. He kept his arm around her and leaned over to pull the thick blankets down, then lingered nearby to help her up and watch over her as she toed her shoes off and laid down. Beneath the blankets, she fiddled with her ring, twisting it as fatigue slammed into her.

“Goodnight,” she whispered, her eyes following Zak as he set up a small sleeping area on the ground beside her and settled in after he blew the light out.

The small flame hadn’t provided much light, but she still missed it when it died.

“Goodnight.” His hand stretched out and fumbled around until it found her arm, squeezing firmly.

He didn’t pull it back and she fell asleep with his pinprick of warmth, her body curled up even though she knew she’d ache in the morning.

It was still mostly dark when she woke, the sun just barely starting to peek over the horizon. The planet was quiet with such little native life to fill it and she carefully rolled over to see Zak. He had rolled closer during the night, his arm stretched out toward her. The sight of his face, still tired in the dim light, made her heart ache and she immediately reached out toward him. Her fingers brushed his and she sighed, knowing they needed to get moving if they were going to join Saul’s meeting.

Bill’s footsteps dragged as he finally headed back to his quarters. He didn’t know what time it was, but tried to move as quietly as he could just in case. Barely managing a nod for Corporal Serine, knowing she was already aware of the situation, he grunted and stepped through the hatch. Expecting his quarters to be empty, he was caught off guard as a flurry of red curls rushed toward him. At first, relief coursed through him until he realized that she was too tall and the hair belonged to Lia, not Laura. Regardless, his arms pulled her in, his hand cradling her head to his chest.

“Oh, my gods, Dad!” she sobbed, her arms thrown around his neck.

“I know.” His throat was suddenly dry and he closed his eyes as he buried his face in her hair. “We’re going back.”

“What if it’s too late?” Her voice was muffled and contorted, but he understood her all too well.

“We’re not going to think like that,” he said as firmly as he could.

Somehow, her face twisted up even more, into pain he hadn’t seen from her since she was a child. “I told her I hate her. I wanted to go and it was stupid and now it’s the last thing I ever said to her!” Another wail made her collapse into him, her tears dampening the front of his uniform.

He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, his hands shifting so he could pick her up. Once she was steady in his arms, he carried her toward the couch and sat down, his hands soothing over her back and arm as she sobbed against him. He fought his own tears, but lost after a while, and held her even tighter as he let some of his own fears out.

Still with no idea of what time it was, he grumbled when he heard the wireless. Reluctantly and gently shifting a sleeping Lia to the couch, he made his way over to answer it.

“Adama,” he grunted.

“Admiral.” Lee sounded breathless.

“You were right,” Bill said before he could continue.

Lee was speechless for a moment, quiet sounds escaping his mouth as he tried to form words. “I’m sorry,” he finally managed.

“Laura was down there.”

There was a long silence.

“What? Why? No, it doesn’t matter. Who was with her?”

“No one. Grace is with Helo right now, Lia’s here.”

“Frak,” he hissed through his teeth. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Bill hung up without another word and let his forehead rest against the bulkhead to try to gather himself. They were going back and they’d need a plan, but until then, somehow he had to contend with Grace and Lia missing their mother. He had been the absent parent and they had never been away from her for long. He knew Laura had Saul, Zak, Billy, Kara, even the Chief on the planet, but it was only a small reassurance. When he felt collected enough, he returned to find Lia still asleep where he had left her.

Lee hugged him as soon as he came through the hatch and Bill held him close, but his eyes were on Lia waking across the room. He swallowed hard, unsure of what to say, and his son pulled back first.

“I didn’t know…” He shook his head and let out a breath, glancing back at Lia.

“We couldn’t have stayed just for her, for anyone. You were right and we needed to get away. But we’re going back. As soon as we’re ready.” Bill’s voice was firm, struggling to keep it together.

“Dad?” Lia sat up and pushed her hair back from her face. “It was all a nightmare, right?”

“No,” he sighed, his head shaking slowly. “No, it wasn’t. I’m sorry, Lia.”

“What do we do? We’re going back, aren’t we?” Her earlier fears and anger returned as the sleep faded. “Right?”

“We are,” Lee confirmed immediately. “But we need to get everyone ready first. We’re not prepared, we can’t fight right now. We need a plan.”

“I don’t care about a plan! Mom’s down there! Zak, Kara! We can’t just leave them to the Cylons!” She jumped to her feet and stared at them. “That’s exactly what you’re going to do. Oh, my gods!”

“Lia, sweetheart.” Bill swallowed and took a step closer, but she held her hands up and he stopped. “There’s a lot of people looking out for Mom. I don’t know what the Cylons are doing or what they wanted, but they could’ve bombed the planet immediately and taken us all out. They didn’t, and that’s a spark of hope that we’re gonna hold onto.”

“Hope? What hope? We abandoned them! If anything happens, it’s our fault!”

“Yeah, it is,” Lee agreed quietly, “which is why we’re going back.”

“Tomorrow? Next week? How long?”

“As soon as we can. We need to get the crew back in fighting shape, we need a plan, and we need to make contact with the planet. Saul knows what to do, Mom knows what to do,” Bill answered. “We’ll get them back, I promise.”

There was a part of him that worried they wouldn’t, couldn’t, but he swallowed it down. Regardless of his own fears, he knew he needed to stand strong for the crew and his daughters, for his wife even if she didn’t know it.

When Helo returned with Grace after Lee and Lia left, he hugged her close and settled on the couch with her, dreading how he would tell her almost more than anything. He knew it wouldn’t go well, that she would be far more upset but not as angry as Lia, and he hoped he could reassure her and convince her that her mother was okay. Getting the fleet back on its feet would be hard enough, but doing it with a devastated Grace and Lia would be even harder.

The Cylons claimed they wanted peaceful cooperation, but it was obvious from the beginning that that wasn’t true. Making use of the bunker Saul had spent all year building, Laura made sure Maya and Isis were safely hidden away. Protecting them was paramount, especially now. He offered to hide her and Zak too, but she refused and made sure Billy stayed close to Maya’s side when he could; she trusted him almost more than anyone else. With Kara still missing, it was a small resistance led by Laura and Zak, Tory and Billy, Saul and Ellen, Sam, and the Chief and Cally. It was something and she trusted each of them with her life, she just hated that it was necessary as much as she hated that her family had been separated. Logically, she understood it. Neither Galactica nor Pegasus were prepared to fight and if they went down, the people on the planet didn’t stand a chance. It was exhausting, every minute a worry with Centurions and Cylons everywhere. She juggled the school too, trying to provide as safe of a place as possible with Zak’s and Tory’s help. It kept her busy, and it was only late at night that the doubts and worries began to creep in.

The sun was completely above the horizon as Laura made her way back into the Colonial encampment, but hidden behind thin, low clouds. It wasn’t strong enough to chase the chill from the air and she had a feeling it wouldn’t warm up at all, the thought making her shiver harder. She hugged her jacket closer and kept her eyes on the ground, only watching from her peripheral vision to keep track of anyone around her. This early, there wasn’t much activity and no one bothered her, leaving a clear path for her to get back to her tent. She had stayed with Zak after they found an extra bed, a little cramped in the small area, but neither wanted to be alone.

He was already awake and looked up from his bed, face twisted with concern. “Mom, where were you? I woke up and you were gone an—“

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she apologized quickly. “I couldn’t fall back asleep and needed to do something, so I went for a walk. I thought I’d be back before you got up.” She sat beside him with her arm across his shoulders, leaning into his warmth as he pulled her closer.

“It’s not safe out there,” he said quietly.

“It’s not safe anywhere.”

“You’re the former President. I heard they’ve started questioning people about the resistance.”

“I know.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “They’ll come back. We just need to hold on a little longer.”

“Promise you won’t wander off anymore?”

She laughed softly and shook her head. “I’m sorry I worried you, but I can’t promise that, honey. We have jobs to do.”

“Dad will be pissed if something happens to you.”

“He’ll be upset if something happens to you.” She took a deep breath and sat up. “Come on, I need some coffee before school.”

Zak hesitated but finally stood up to join her, the city slowly coming to life around them.

Each day passed the same as the last, the aggression on both sides slowly ramping up until loss of life was inevitable and constant. The detention center seemed to be always filled, people disappearing and only some crawling out the doors weeks later. Saul had been arrested several times and, coupled with the bombings and discussions of suicide runs that Laura couldn’t condone, she knew it was only a matter of time before they came for her. They would be careful; she could become a martyr so easily and though she had no desire to die on the desolate planet, she was willing to do nearly anything to keep humanity alive.

She sat at her desk, long after the students had left, surrounded by scraps of paper and discarded ideas. It had taken her almost an hour to write a handful of sentences and she had abandoned each one, at a complete loss for words. It felt harder than the letters she had written when she was dying, unsure if these ones would even reach her family, let alone what to say in them. All she had were her journals detailing the four months under Cylon occupation, but her daughters deserved more if they never saw her again. Her stomach turned at the thought and she dropped her pen, deciding to give in for the evening and head back to her tent. Her head was starting to ache and she had a feeling it had more to do with her lack of food than anything else. Running footsteps approached the tent and her back tensed as she watched the flap, immediately relaxing at the sight of Billy despite his expression.

“Colonel Tigh’s been released,” he panted. “He asked to see you.”

“Oh, thank the gods.” She stood up and grabbed her jacket, shrugging it on as she joined him and they started toward the Tighs’ home.

It was quiet and she assumed it meant not many people knew he was out yet. She was grateful and sent Billy on his way before she walked inside. The sight of a bandage over Saul’s eye made her hesitate, but she shook her head and her hands flew to her hips.

“Do you know how stupid of an idea that was?” she chastised, her voice low. “It was too far. It was needless. It makes us—“

“Don’t say it makes us as bad as them,” he grumbled around his cigar, his eye focused on the ground between them.

“I don’t approve of this, Saul.”

“Last I checked, you’re not in charge around here.”

“And you are?” Her gaze hardened as she stared at him. “At this rate, there won’t be anyone left for Bill to rescue.”

“With all due respect, Laura,” he began, his eye briefly darting up to her and then back to the ground, “you haven’t seen the inside of that detention center yet. I think I’ve earned the right to call some shots around here.”

“And where has that gotten you?” She gestured to his injured eye. “We need to keep biding our time. Small resistances, not sending people on frakking suicide runs! And Baltar?! I would love to see him suffer, but killing him now won’t help.”

“Sometimes, I think you’ll always be that naive schoolteacher that Bill married.” He scowled and kicked his feet up onto a crate.

“And sometimes, I think you’ll always be the mean drunk Bill dragged out of the gutter and gave his career back to,” she shot back, already turning on her heel to leave.

He didn’t stop her and she returned to the bitterly cold air outside, a shiver forcefully running down her spine. It all made her frown and she quickly glanced around the area before she picked a random direction and set off. She didn’t make it far when two Centurions blocked her path, a Leoben and Doral model trapping her from behind. Her eyes darted back and forth and she willed herself to stay calm. Fighting was useless, but it went against every instinct in her body.

“Laura Adama, you’re under arrest for fraternizing with known members of the Colonial rebellion and suspicion of collusion,” Leoben said as he moved closer to her. “Come with us.”

They didn’t use handcuffs or zip ties, so she slid her hands into her pockets and didn’t move. Leoben continued approaching her and took her upper arm, holding just tightly enough to guide her but not to bruise. She knew that could change in an instant and she fell into stride beside him with Doral leading the way and the Centurions clanging behind.

The interior of the detention center was exactly what she had expected. Cold, plain, impersonal. Eerily similar to the prisons on Caprica. Doral left her with Leoben who led her into a small room as identical as everything else they had passed. It contained one window high on the back wall and one-way glass on the adjacent one, allowing both the outside chill and the knowledge that she would never truly be alone. When he closed the door and looked at her with a bundle of fabric extended, she felt her hands begin to tremble.

“You’ll need to change,” he explained simply.

“In private.” It wasn’t a question. He shook his head. “I can’t have two minutes to change in privacy? Where am I going to go? What could I do?” As she gestured around the room they were secured in, she tried to loosen up her ring enough to slide it off and hide it in her palm. She kept her expression as calmly irritated as she could, praying he didn’t notice. Her hands dropped behind her back and she finally pulled it free, hiding it in her palm.

Leoben hesitated and glanced at the closer window before he dropped the clothes he held and opened the door. “One minute.”

The moment the door closed again, she pulled her hair over her shoulder and tied her ring with a thin strand. Once it was as secure as possible, she twisted her hair up into a bun and tucked it into itself, praying it would keep it safe. She took a deep breath and reluctantly began to undress, then pulled the jumpsuit on as quickly as she could. It was rough, scratchy, and not nearly warm enough, but nothing seemed to really chase back the New Caprican cold. Her bare feet were the worst, but she remained standing with her arms loosely crossed over her chest as she waited for Leoben to return.

He walked in just as she moved back, her clothes abandoned by the door. He gathered them without looking away from her, a frown slowly forming. “The necklace. Your ring too.”

Her fingers flew to the chain around her neck and closed around the pendant, her eyes narrowing. She feared it meant someone had watched her change from the window. “No.”

“You have been given some considerations as the former President and someone the Colonials still look up to. Do not push our goodwill, Laura,” he cautioned, shifting the clothes to one arm so he could hold his hand out. “Your glasses, necklace, and wedding ring.”

She knew exactly what Bill would say, that it wasn’t worth a fight over simple things, but her jewelry had kept her grounded, served as constant reminders and connections to her husband and family when everything seemed to try to convince her they were never coming back. Her glasses, though, she handed over with only a brief scowl.

“I lost my ring.” She pressed her right hand against the necklace and kept her other one out for him to see. “First week on this frakking planet. If you find it, keep it safe,” she snapped. “You’re not taking my necklace too.”

“I’m afraid I have no choice. So, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way.” He moved closer and she stepped back, knowing there was nowhere she could go.

As he backed her into the corner, he reached for her neck. She tried to push him away, but he easily caught both her hands with one of his and held them down. A shudder ran through her body as his fingers grazed her neck in the process of breaking the chain. A sob welled up in her throat and she bit it back, instead channeling it into freeing a hand. She grabbed the pendant as it slid down her chest and tightly gripped it in her fist, but in her distraction, she didn’t see him still reaching for her. His hand closed around her elbow and yanked her forward; he pulled too hard and she lacked enough balance that he sent her to the ground, her hands taking the brunt of her weight as she felt.

“I told you there was a hard way,” he sighed as he knelt beside her.

Warm pain shot out from her hand and wrist, and it was almost welcome against the chill of the cell. Unable to fight him, he forced her fingers to uncurl from the now-broken pendant and took it, lingering long enough to scoop up the scattered rubies too. She couldn’t hold back the whimper as her hand began to throb, the sight of small blood drops where the pendant had broken her skin making her suddenly nauseous. Her only relief was that he hadn’t pushed for her ring, and that meant she had ended up with some privacy after all.

“Damn it.” Leoben sighed again and shook his head. “Simon will be in to look at that.” He left without another word and she settled against the wall, her head resting in her uninjured hand after she checked to make sure her ring was still secure in her hair.

She wasn’t alone for very long. The model Kara had described from the farm, Simon, walked in, and she felt a chill go down her spine. If her hand wasn’t still throbbing in time with her pounding heart, she would have sent him away immediately. The thought still occurred to her and she nearly did, especially at the sight of the small bag he carried. She didn’t trust any of them, but she trusted him even less.

“I heard there was a little accident. Let’s see.” His voice was gentle, quiet, and in any other situation, she might’ve trusted him. But she was detained and he was a Cylon.

“I’m fine.” She lightly rested her arm in her lap and stared at him.

“We have a bit of a problem, then. See, if it gets out that we injured their Madam President, it will only incense the rebellion further. More deaths. More Colonial deaths,” he explained like it was her fault.

“Then perhaps you should’ve been more careful, perhaps you shouldn’t have arrested me,” she retorted, her brow furrowed in pain and worry.

“You may have a point there,” he conceded, “however, you are in an unfortunate situation. You’re not only the former President and wife of Admiral Adama, but you’re the same woman who was cured by the hybrid’s blood. We have a lot to learn from you.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and neither of them moved.

“Let’s start with your hand.” Without waiting, he knelt beside her and gently lifted it up.

Deciding now to pick her battles, she grit her teeth and forced herself to watch him closely as he cleaned the cuts on her hand and carefully bandaged her wrist. He murmured under his breath as he worked, but she didn’t bother listening. She knew he wouldn’t say anything helpful and her focus was shot. When he was done, he lowered her arm to her lap but took her other one and turned it over, his fingers moving over the bend of her elbow.

“What are you doing?”

“I need to take some blood. I’ll be quick, I promise.” He traded the bandages for a tourniquet and supplies for a blood draw, but she pulled her arm free and tried to stand up. “Woah, hang on, Laura. I just need a few tubes and then you’re done.”

“You’ll release me?” She knew the answer, but she asked anyway.

“No, I’m sorry. Will you please sit still or I’ll have to sedate you.”

Both options were deplorable, but she hated the idea of being unconscious even more. She forced herself to hold still, her eyes drifting toward the far wall. Blood draws were stressful enough after her time in Sick Bay, but that was with a doctor she knew and trusted. This was something else entirely and she had to remind herself to breathe through it until he added one last bandage and stood up.

“Thank you, Laura. I’ll be back to check on that wrist in a few days. I’m sorry about your necklace.” He smiled sympathetically, but she only watched him from the corner of her eye.

After he left, it was quiet, even with the high window, but she forced herself to relax into it and let her worries go. She knew nothing of Bill’s plans, only vague ideas of what they would do if the Cylons came back; the details had mostly been shared between him, Helo, Lee, and Saul. The knowledge she had was about the rebellion, but there was very little that could convince her to give any of that up. The two easiest ways to make her open up were safe and far away with their father. She could only hope they wouldn’t go after Zak. What worried her more wasn’t what she knew, but what Simon wanted.

There was no need for her to track the days after Saul had shared some of the Cylon manipulation tactics, but she tried to track the sunrise and sunset for at least a rough idea of how long it had been. Her mouth was dry, her throat, head, and wrist aching, but she ignored it all as she watched the one-way mirror and wondered who was behind it. She wasn’t foolish enough to think they’d truly leave her alone now, just as she knew there was nothing she could do to get out.

When the need to move overwhelmed her again, she eased herself to her feet and began to pace the room, bare feet cold against the ground and arm held gently against her stomach. Her body ached, too much time spent curled up and cold, and her focus was quickly shattering, her thoughts jumping from one thought or memory to another as she mindlessly walked in small circles. Her foot found something sharp and she winced, quickly stumbling to the side to avoid putting her full weight on it. Using the wall, she slowly settled on her knees and searched the ground for whatever she stepped on, her heart skipping a beat when she found one of the rubies from her necklace. Somehow, it had escaped unscathed and gone unnoticed by Leoben. Thanking the gods, she squinted and searched for a place to hide it, unable to secure it like she had with her ring. A thought occurred to her and she stayed on her hands and knees to crawl toward the opposite corner of the room she usually occupied, and found a wide enough crack between the wall and the ground. In the darkness, it would stay hidden, but she could still pull it back out. Hoping not to arouse suspicion, she remained in the corner for a while before returning to the opposite side of her cell and curling back up.

Her other method of the passage of time was the fading pain in her arm. She estimated it had been almost a week when Simon declared it healed and removed the wrap, but continued with nearly daily blood draws and other testing, never providing any context or explanation aside from platitudes for the pain. She could feel her sanity stretching thin, the constant hours alone with her thoughts wearing on her. The screams in the distance and worries over what was happening on the planet, on Galactica, ate at her. She had gone into detention wholeheartedly believing that Bill would come back, but with too much time on her hands, she started to wonder. It had been four months without a word. She hadn’t thought it would take that long and the fear that something had happened to them began to grow. For all she knew, they were already gone and it was over. As quickly as she could, she shut that line of thinking down to hang on to as much of her sanity as she could. It wasn’t easy, and she had only her thoughts to get lost in.

The December day Thalia was born had been the coldest since the beginning of the year. Eight months pregnant, none of her clothes fit her anymore and she had given up on buying anything new. Large shirts from thrift stores or stolen from her father coupled with cardigans and leggings got her through the times she wasn’t at school, and her few dresses handled everything else. Outside of work, she didn’t go anywhere anyway. The loss of her mother still sat heavily on her chest and the first contractions seemed to only be an extension of that. It wasn’t until they grew worse that she was able to separate out the pain, but she gave birth alone regardless. After hours of neverending labor, Laura forgot everything the moment her daughter was placed in her arms. Her shocking blue eyes and tuft of soft, light hair stole her breath and she couldn’t stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

“It’s just us, sweetheart,” she whispered.

She still hadn’t finalized her decision, wasn’t sure what she would tell Bill, if anything. Getting in touch with him was another matter entirely.

“But I will always be there for you. My Thalia.”

Her father and sisters came by as soon as visiting hours began the next morning, and it was a sudden and extreme shift in Laura’s thinking from everything she had ever known.

Even the memory brought a tear to her eye and she absently wiped it away, her head resting against the hard wall and eyes unfocused on the identical ceiling above her. Holding her daughter for the first time was pleasantly seared into her mind and she had held it close since that day, through the indecision about telling Bill, about letting him into her life, and every moment since then. It only exacerbated the ache from having her so far away now.

After Thalia’s birth, she thought leaving her at daycare to return to work was the worst thing to happen. It was a blessing that she had been born just after Saturnalia, granting Laura a little more time off with her, but it made leaving her that much harder. She missed her daughter so much it physically hurt and it took everything in her to focus on her students. Thankfully, they were all as distracted about the new baby as she was and with the help of her closest teachers, she was able to make it through the separation anxiety. It did nothing to prepare her for being light years away and helpless.

The need for a happier memory to distract her sent her thoughts elsewhere as she curled up on the ground with her back against the wall and her head pillowed on her arm. It wasn’t remotely comfortable, but her head didn’t ache as much if she wasn’t sitting upright. Her mind wandered through her daughter’s early childhood, flipping through her first words, her first steps, all the time spent with Cheryl, Sandra, their father, until it settled on a random, unusually warm day.

It had taken time, but they had finally gotten past the initial awkwardness surrounding Bill. Thalia was beyond ecstatic to have her father in her life and Laura was relieved to not only have the help, but to have his help. They walked with their daughter between them, each holding one of her hands. She continued jumping, trying to swing, but Laura only got pulled down. Worried about her getting hurt, he scooped her up and held her high up into the air, skyrocketing Laura’s anxiety until Thalia giggled excitedly and held out her arms to soar.

“Do Mama next!” she giggled as he lowered her back to the ground.

Laura immediately held up her hands and shook her head. “Don’t you dare,” she warned. “I like my feet on solid ground, thank you.”

Bill chuckled. “Mama doesn’t like to fly. That’s for you, me, and Lee.” He picked Thalia up again and smiled reassuringly over her head.

She hadn’t realized it at the time, but that had been the first moment she looked at Bill and thought of family. Not just for their daughter, but for herself too. She had buried the thought then, completely unprepared to deal with it, but it had taken root and provided an opening for him to ease into, gently carving out a spot for himself until she realized what she wanted. What she still wanted now, more than anything.

Cautiously, she rolled over and picked up the ruby from its hiding spot and used the last bit of sunlight streaming through the window to see the colors that shone off it. Lia’s hair had darkened as she grew older and Grace’s was starting to do the same thing. As she watched the ruby, she wondered if her hair would shine the same deep red under Caprican sunlight, but she couldn’t picture it. It was too much to imagine, both home and her daughter, and the realization stole her breath. Her chest ached and she quickly hid the ruby again to bury her face in her arms, giving up on distractions and giving in to the fears threatening to overwhelm her.

Only the fading light told her time was passing as she drifted in and out of sleep, and it was early morning before she sat up again. Her head still ached—sometimes it seemed like it hadn’t stopped since the Cylons arrived—and a part of her missed the darkness that helped a little. Footsteps outside her door made her focus on it and she narrowed her eyes to watch Baltar enter with two chairs. The sight made her scowl, the additional light changing her narrowed eyes to a full squint. After leaving a chair next to her and gesturing to it, she slowly straightened up and then pulled herself into it. He offered her glasses and she slid them on with a soft exhale.

“Everyone,” he sighed, “is being looked at right now. You’re no exception. I can help you, Laura, in ways I cannot help myself. I can protect you, protect Zak and Billy, but you have to understand the situation has changed now. The insurgency has crossed the line. Suicide bombings; it’s abhorrent. It’s contrary to everything that we believe in. So you, you and I, we will, uh, we will publicly condemn these tactics. They cannot be legitimized in any shape or form,” he finished, his expression imploring her to cooperate.

She couldn’t find it in herself to care. “There is something that scares the Cylons after all,” she murmured.

“I should think using men and women as human bombs should scare us all,” he countered.

She hated that he was right. “Desperate people take desperate measures.”

“Alright, look me in the eye. Look me in the eye and tell me that you approve of sending young men and women into crowded places with explosives strapped to their chests.” He leaned forward and fixed her with a hard look.

Laura swallowed and averted her gaze, her head shaking slightly. She didn’t approve of it, but Saul and Sam had pushed on. She also hadn’t tried harder to stop them, only made them swear they wouldn’t involve Zak or Billy. At the same time, she agreed that something more had to be done to make the Cylons listen, to deal with the New Caprica Police.

At her silence, Baltar raised his voice until he was shouting. “I’m waiting for you to look me in the eye and tell me that you approve! Thirty three people killed and their only crime was putting on the police uniform. Trying to bring some order to the chaos out there!”

She scoffed and matched his tone. “Order? By arresting innocent people in the dead of night? Detaining them indefinitely without charge. Torturing them for information, turning them into guinea pigs for medical experiments!” Her entire body shook with the anger she was barely holding back.

“Nobody’s been tortured. There are no medical experiments,” he retorted quickly.

Laura yanked the sleeves of her jumpsuit up to reveal the bruises lining her veins. “Tell that to Colonel Tigh,” she added.

“Nobody’s been tortured,” he repeated, “and I’m sure those were routine medical tests. You did miraculously survive cancer.” He always seemed to find a chance to remind her that he had saved her life, as if she could ever forget.

“Whatever lets you sleep at night.” She sat back in her chair, hands on her knees. “You will all pay for your sins when Galactica and Pegasus come back.”

He looked at her for a moment. “They’re gone, Laura, and you need to accept that. For their sake and your own.”

“You have no proof of that. If you did, I’d either be dead or set free. Thank you for taking the time out of your very busy day to see me.” Sarcasm laced her last words, even as she fought to keep her expression blank.

“Denial isn’t healthy.” He shifted in his chair and leaned toward her. “Help me help you.”

“You’re not trying to help me. You’re trying to help yourself, as you’ve been doing all along.” She turned her head away and stared at the glass on the wall, wondering which models were watching this time. “I don’t know where they are, but they’re alive and they’re coming back,” she told the Cylons she couldn’t see.

With a sigh that could’ve been pity if it came from anyone else, Baltar stood up and waved to the window. When the door opened, he dragged the chairs out but stopped and looked back.

“I hope you understand the severity of the situation. I’d ask you to obey the dictates of your conscience, which is what I’ve already done, but I fear you’ve lost your reason to denial.” He sighed and gestured to the waiting NCP guard.

He disappeared with the guard behind her and she felt her shoulders slump immediately as the door slammed shut. It wasn’t the first time Baltar had tried these lies, but it was the first time she had truly considered them. It was too familiar, too reminiscent of that night so long ago that she sobbed on the floor of the kitchen in the wake of her family’s death. Even more distantly, the hospital room where she sat five months pregnant and watched her mother’s last breaths. To think that Bill and Lee, their girls, were gone too filled her heart with an uncontrollable grief. Only her firm belief that Galactica and Pegasus were out there, that they would come back, kept it bottled up. But it was beginning to crack and she feared what would happen when it shattered. Thoughts of Kara, somewhere on the damned planet, helped reinforce her thoughts, but even that was double edged when no one had seen her since the Cylons had arrived. At least Zak and Billy would be worried for her. It started to twist her stomach and she closed her eyes, focusing on slow, steady breaths to calm the rising nausea. There was almost nothing in her stomach, but she knew it would be just as uncomfortable and tried to swallow it down. Settled back on the ground with her arms around her legs, she curled into the darker corner of her cell and squeezed her eyes closed.

Unable to sleep or relax, she began to hum quietly, once again blanketing herself in thoughts of Grace and Lia. “On a planet far away, where stars brightly gleam, close your eyes and drift away, give in to the coming dream. Artemis hums a soothing tune, of Kobol all aglow, as falling stars soar through the sky, in a celestial show,” she sang quietly, her voice fading in and out.

Her brow furrowed and she curled up even more despite the ache in her body. The lyrics felt wrong and she squinted up at the ceiling for answers. She had learned the lullaby from her mother and sung it to her sisters and both her daughters, but now it felt off. She swallowed and pulled her legs closer. Lia had loved the same lullaby, especially sung by Bill, and Grace was fond of it too. It was one of the only ways they had gotten her to sleep after the attacks, but she couldn’t force the memories to the forefront of her mind. Instead of relieving the nausea, it only worsened it as guilt tightened her chest and constricted her heart. She squeezed her eyes closed and pictured Bill tucking Grace into his rack, Lia probably curled up on the couch. Even in her thoughts, she couldn’t get the lyrics to fit right and when she opened her eyes again, tears streaked down her cheeks.

“Oh, gods,” she gasped, fingers digging into her legs. “They’re alive. They have to be,” she told herself, but the seed had been planted and she felt its growing vines slithering around her spine and encasing her lungs and chest.

She quickly gave up all hope of keeping track of time. The days blended together, lost in a haze of sleeplessness and visits from Simon or Cavil that she was only half aware of. She had no answers to their questions, nor would she give them up if she did, but they were completely unconvinced. With no contact from anyone beyond the Cylons, it made it extremely difficult to keep the darkness at bay and she was struggling to find the energy to fight.

When a Cavil model and two Centurions opened the cell door and called to her, she knew she wasn’t being released. There was a feeling of dread deep in her stomach and it threatened to overtake everything. Even if she was capable of fighting, she knew she’d only make it a few steps down the corridor before she was shot or tackled, if she even made it that far. It didn’t seem better than the alternative, but at least going with them didn’t mean immediate death.

Her fingers felt along the crack behind her until she found the ruby and secured it in her palm before she stood up. She extended her hands, a tired glare on her face, and Cavil tightly zip tied them together, then took her arm, gestured for her to step into the shoes he brought, and led her from the cell with the Centurions following. They walked through nearly silent hallways, quieter than she had ever heard them, and then out into the bright light. It made her squint and she stumbled, Cavil’s hand tightening to keep her up. She winced and resisted slightly, but he continued to pull her along toward a covered truck. He helped her up into it and she settled at the end of the bench, her eyes slowly roaming around the other people with her. She saw Cally and couldn’t even offer a small smile, the bright light making her head ache. She leaned it back and closed her eyes, her fears and doubts overwhelming her. She sent one final, desperate prayer, not for her own safety, but for each of her children and Bill, and when she opened her eyes, she found Zarek sitting beside her and watching her in concern.

“Long time, no see,” he commented with a failed attempt at a smile. “Pissed the President off too?”

She only managed a short hum in response. He stared at her and she had to look away, unable to face the worry his expression held.

“You’re giving up,” he finally realized. She shook her head, but he continued anyway. “Laura, your family needs you. It’s not time to give up yet. You’re a fighter and I know you have at least one more fight in you.”

She swallowed and slowly returned her gaze to him, hating that his words had brought tears to her eyes. “And if they’re dead?” she asked, her voice breaking. She didn’t trust him, even now, but they were headed to the same death and trust didn’t matter.

“Then you fight for everyone still trapped on this frakking planet.” He waved his tied hands around them at the desolate desert they rode through.

“We’ve been fighting for over a year. I’m tired.” Her sheer exhaustion coated every word she said and he sighed sympathetically.

“You believe the Admiral and Commander are still out there. Don’t let anyone, least of all Gaius Baltar, convince you otherwise. Don’t give him that power.” With that, he settled back against the wall and looked out the open back of the wagon.

“Does it matter?” she asked after a few minutes. “They’re not taking us all the way out here for sightseeing.”

“So, we keep fighting until the end. Maybe there’s some good we can still do, but giving up isn’t the right choice,” he answered definitively. “That I believe.”

“I’m glad you think so,” she sighed.

Laura genuinely wasn’t sure if she was more upset that Baltar or Zarek were right. It was likely a combination of both.

The wagon stopped and she reluctantly climbed down with Zarek, once again searching the people and environment surrounding them. There was no running, nowhere to hide, and her eyes slowly wandered to the sky. She could almost picture Galactica and Pegasus out there, but her mind imagined them running away and no longer returning.

“I thought I’d get to see my daughters again,” she confessed quietly. “Tell them I love them one more time. Hug them. The last thing Lia said to me was that she hates me. I know she didn’t mean it, but… I didn’t even see Grace before I left.”

“They know,” Zarek replied, his voice just as soft. “Admiral Adama will make sure they know.”

“Gods, I hope so.” She let out a shaky breath and wiped at her eyes, her hand beginning to ache from how tightly she held onto the ruby. “Will you, um, will you do me a favor?”

“Not sure how much I can do, but sure.” He shrugged and looked at her.

“I can’t reach…” She gestured to the messy bun her hair was still in. “I hid my wedding ring in my hair and I’d like to have it on. Just in case.”

He didn’t respond, but he reached his bound hands up and gently loosened her hair, his fingers combing through the strands as he searched. When he found her ring, he stepped back and offered it, and she allowed herself to sink into the relief she felt as she slid it back on her finger. Regardless of what happened, at least she had that.

“Tell me something, Laura,” he said as he watched her. “Last year, you tried to steal the election didn’t you?”

“I did,” she answered shamelessly.

“I wish you had gone throguh with it.”

“Me too, Tom, me too.”

Suddenly, Cally took off running, sprinting away from the group and out into the desert. Laura turned and watched in concern, and saw the sun glinting off the reflective metal of Centurions approaching them. Without a moment to think, she grabbed Zarek’s arm and threw them to the ground, the two rolling down the small hill and away from the sound of gunfire. The realization that anyone else in the trucks was gone hit her at the same time her lungs demanded air and she looked up at the partly cloudy sky, Zarek’s arm thrown over hers where they had landed. He panted and groaned beside her and she rolled her head to look at him.

“Been a while since a woman threw me to the ground,” he commented with a breathless laugh as he slowly sat up. “Lot less fun than I remember it.”

She huffed and sat up too, twisting her hands to see that the ruby had somehow survived their tumble. Nothing seemed injured, but she had a feeling she would be covered in scrapes and bruises by the end of the day, if she lived long enough to see it.

“I’m married,” she reminded him.

“Oh, I’d never get between you and the Admiral. Political opinions aside, it’s obvious how much you love each other, your family.” He shook his head and gave her a look she had never seen from him before.

It made her realize just how much things had changed since the attacks, since they found New Caprica.

He stood up and eased her to her feet, and they worked together to reclimb the hill they had fallen down. The sight of everyone alive at the top, the Cylons downed or gone, took her by surprise, and her eyes landed on the Chief.

“You alright?” he questioned, his eyes respectfully moving over her.

“Oh, my gods.” She shook her head and fixed her glasses. “Bruised, tired, in one piece. It’s good to see you, Chief.”

“Good to see you too, ma’am.” His smile briefly widened and he held his hands out with a knife to cut them both free.

“What happens now? Where do we go from here?” Cally looked between them and worried at her lip.

“We’re going home,” Tyrol answered and Laura silently sighed but stopped mid-breath when he looked at her. “We’re going home. Admiral Adama’s on his way. We’re getting off this rock and we’re going back to Galactica.”

Laura’s heart skipped a beat and suddenly Zarek’s arm was around her and holding her up. “He’s okay?” she whispered. “He’s coming back?”

“They have a plan and we’re going home,” he confirmed. “I’ll catch you up on the ride back, but he wanted to make sure you knew that Grace and Lia are okay too. They’re eager to see you.”

“Oh, my gods….” She knew they needed to get moving, but she couldn’t get her body to respond, paralyzed by the news and the relief.

Zarek gently guided her back toward the truck, this time helping her into the front seat. Tyrol jumped into the driver’s seat beside her and she managed to regain enough of her control to listen to him relay the plan, her mind slowly processing and considering it.

It was Bill’s plan, Lee’s plan, and she trusted every bit of it, regardless of how concerning and wild it sounded. They were putting a lot of trust in Sharon and she didn’t understand it, but if Bill trusted her, so would she until they were off New Caprica. Her job was to focus on getting the people on the planet ready, to make sure Maya and Isis, and all the people she cared about got home safely. Loss of life was inevitable and as selfish as it felt, she prayed it wasn’t her family.

They lost themselves in planning out as much of the rescue as they could, most of their plan relying on how well everyone had been prepared. Laura hoped the handful of drills they had managed to practice were enough and that everyone did their job. There was more than enough to do and not nearly enough time to do it in, but she felt like her faith had been shocked back to life and she was ready to do anything to make sure they succeeded.

Only after ensuring Sam, Saul, Billy, and Tory all knew what they needed to do did she excuse herself and return to her tent. She had no desire to stay in her detention jumpsuit and since there was no time for a shower, especially with power out in half the city, changing would have to do.

Zak sat on the edge of his bed and looked up as she entered, then jumped to his feet and rushed toward her. She flinched at his rapid movement but relaxed into him as soon as he hugged her, burying her face in his chest. “Frak, Mom! You’re okay!”

“Zak… Oh, my gods, Zak…” She closed her eyes and tangled her fingers in his jacket. “Dad’s coming back. They’re on their way.”

“I know. I know. I was so worried about you and no one would tell me anything. Chief got a hold of a list, had your name on it. Cally’s, Zarek’s. Are you okay? What did they do to you?”

She forced herself to pull back and shook her head, waving his concerns away. “I’m fine, honey. I’m okay. We need to get ready so we can get the hell out of here.”

“Are you sure?” He looked at her with such concern in his eyes that she struggled to push her emotions down.

She reached up and cupped his face, ignoring how her hand trembled. “I’ll be even better once we’re back on Galactica. I just need to change.”

“I should get to my post, then. Colonial One when this is all over?”

“Be safe, Zak, please. I’ll see you soon and I love you so much.” She hugged him again, even tighter this time, and tried to hold herself together.

“I love you too.” His voice was thick and he squeezed her just as tightly.

The aches of her cell, of falling with Zarek, made her wince and she pulled back once more, praying it wasn’t for the last time. His eyes lingered on her until he walked out, leaving her alone to change. She felt the need to sit down, but she knew how quickly her thoughts would wander if she stopped moving. She needed to keep going and focus everything she had on the rescue; there would be time to rest later, whether she was dead or not.

She emerged from her tent just in time to hear the planned explosions and see the smoke billow into the sky. Whatever reservations they had, it was too late for them now. Chaos exploded just as quickly around her and she took a deep breath to center herself. She had tried to put herself in the middle of the rescue, but everyone had fought back and pushed for her to get off the planet as quickly as she could. Still, there were things she needed to do first.

As she ran off into the crowd, a hand closed around her arm and tugged her back. She cried out and tried to pull free as she turned around, struggling to relax even after she realized it was only Klarice.

“Laura, come on. The ships are this way and we need to go!” she shouted.

She shook her head and spotted Cottle catching up to them. “Go, get out of here!”

“You’re coming with! Think of your daughters, damn it!”

“They’re safe, but the people down here aren’t!”

“Jack, for frak’s sake, tell her!” Klarice looked back at her husband, but he took her hand and began to pull her toward the ships.

Laura didn’t hesitate and took off again, only to skid to a halt as Galactica entered the atmosphere and came crashing down. The sight of her burnt underbelly after so long brought tears to her eyes, worsened by the dirt and smoke blowing everywhere. She knew she needed to keep going, but she could only stand and watch, hating that her family was so close and yet so far. The moment she jumped away again, she resumed moving.

There was no good way, short of manually searching the city, to make sure everyone got off the planet. She had to trust that they made it to their ships safely, but she searched the nearby areas to make sure, her heart painfully hammering in her chest as she fought her way through the crowd. The entire time, her hand remained in her pocket to make sure the ruby was still there and aware of her journals tucked tightly against her chest beneath her jacket.

Someone ran into her and she immediately recognized Zarek, their hands finding their arms and huddling close. He bent down to get a good look at her and she panted heavily, her eyes closing briefly.

“This way,” he tried to order, but she shook her head.

“My ship’s up there.” She gestured to Colonial One. “See you up there, Tom.”

“See you up there.” He grabbed a man running by and she recognized him as Jammer. “Hey, you, get her safely to her ship, you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” he answered, panic overflowing from his eyes.

Tom handed him a gun and gave Laura a gentle shove, then ran the opposite direction. Admitting there was nothing more she could do, she resumed her run toward her ship, Tory and a few others falling into line behind them and then slowly filing on board.

It looked so different, the combination of natural sunlight and Baltar’s redecorating making her former office almost unrecognizable. Trying her best to ignore it, she made her way to the desk and sat down with a sigh of relief, then unzipped her jacket and gently sat the bundle of her journals down.

“As soon as Zak and Billy are on board, get us out of here,” she ordered calmly, a wave of exhaustion washing over her as the adrenaline quickly began to fade now that she wasn’t running.

Billy sprinted on board with a small group of civilians with him and Maya in his arms. Laura jumped to her feet and rounded her desk to meet him at the chair he sat her in, his fingers brushing her neck for a pulse.

“She’s alive,” he sighed, “but I don’t know how injured she is. And the baby wasn’t with her, I’m so sorry, ma’am.”

Her eyes shifted to Tory and narrowed. In the end, it had been Tory’s responsibility to make sure Maya and Isis got off the planet and she had failed. She wasn’t sure if it was anger or fear that welled up in her, but it hurt.

“Ma’am…” Tory shook her head slightly. “We need to go.”

“Where is Zak?”

“He could’ve gotten on another ship. He probably did. We can’t wait any longer.”

The feeling lingered in her stomach and made her lean into Maya’s chair, unable to speak for a moment. “Please, gods, let that be true. Let’s go then,” she whispered.

Slowly, she made her way back to her chair and sank into it, unable to fight the tears welling up in her eyes. They had lost so many, they had lost Isis, and there was no telling what the loss of life had been on Galactica. She could only wait and see, but it was the waiting and the exhaustion that made her sick.

Chapter Text

The days only grew harder, one after another. A week turned into a month. Then two. Then three. As much effort as Bill could spare went into drills and planning, and the remaining time spent with Grace and Lia. More often than not, Grace stayed with him in the CIC, any idea of school abandoned. There was no teacher without Laura and he knew they wouldn’t have been able to focus on it anyway. Without anything else to focus on, Lia’s overwhelming desire to help came back in full force, and Bill felt backed into a corner. He was torn between understanding her need and unwilling to put her life in danger, especially with Zak and Laura gone and Lee on Pegasus. It was exhausting, especially with Grace in his rack and Lia on the couch more often than not.

Despite the days growing harder, longer, little seemed to change. The crew of both battlestars struggled with simple drills, let alone battle maneuvers, and he was beginning to grow worried that maybe they didn’t stand a chance. He never let those thoughts linger, but they were starting to come more and more often. There was a small part of him that wondered if it would drive him mad before they even had a chance to attempt a rescue.

After yet another long and unsuccessful few hours in the CIC, Bill was grateful for some peace and quiet in his quarters. It wouldn’t take long before it bothered him and he missed his wife, but he had a few minutes to enjoy it first. He groaned and pulled his tunic off as he walked through the hatch, surprised to find Lia sitting calmly at the table with papers spread all around her. It reminded him so much of Laura and he swallowed it down, his tunic slung over his shoulder as he poured himself a drink.

“Can we talk, Dad?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Gimme a minute. Where’s your sister?”

“With Corporal Serine. They went to get dinner,” she answered, not watching him as he walked further into the room.

Once he had changed, he settled at the table across from her and took a long drink, appreciating the burn as it went down his throat. Lia looked up and bit her lip.

“I want to help, Dad. You keep saying that you won’t put me in danger, but we’re in danger constantly. You also keep saying that we need to put this family back together, ours and the fleet, and I want to do my part. It’s my family too!” She kept her control until the end and tears formed in her eyes. “Please, let me do something. I want to get in a Viper and fight, but I know you won’t let me even think about enlisting, but there has to be something I can do to help!”

He watched her, his hands tightly folded on the table in front of himself, and let out a long breath. Ever since she had brought it up after the rescue from Caprica, it had been on his mind. Each time she brought it up again, he considered it further, harder. He knew Laura would hate it, but he had to give Lia an outlet.

“Okay,” he agreed after several silent moments. “I spoke with a few pilots and under very strict conditions, you can join the listening Raptor.”

“Oh, my gods, Dad! Really? You’re serious?” She jumped up quickly enough that her chair almost fell backwards, but she caught it at the last moment.

“Hear me out first,” he cautioned. “You are not touching anything, you are not doing anything. You will be present and quiet.”

“Yes, yes, of course!” She rushed over to him and threw her arms around his neck. “Anything! Thank you, Dad! Thank you!”

He hugged her close. “Don’t make me regret this, Thalia.”

“I won’t, I promise! Oh, my gods, I need to go tell Jacob! I’ll be back for dinner.” She kissed his cheek and then she was gone, leaving him to nurse his drink while he waited for Grace to return.

He limited how many times she went out, too wary about having her that close to Cylon baseships, but he also couldn’t deny how much life his daughter had in her eyes each time she came back. He knew exactly how his wife would respond, but he focused on just keeping things running. She could yell at him when she was back on Galactica.

Each day, he tried not to get his hopes up that this would be the day they made contact because each day, the Raptor came back without news. They knew the Cylons were jamming the frequencies and it was a waiting game until their people on the planet could figure out a way around it.

He sighed and leaned against the table, alone in the War Room, staring at the abandoned ships against the illuminated backdrop. They hadn’t moved in days, not since the last meeting where they still struggled to form a plan. It felt like a physical representation of his failure and he reached for one of the Raptors, surprised when Lia’s hand settled on his; he hadn’t even heard her enter the room. His intention to throw it fizzled out and he looked up at her, swallowing hard.

“Dad,” she murmured.

“Glad you made it back.” He cleared his throat and studied her, struggling to reconcile the teenager before him with the child he had first met.

She had shot up like a sprout and somehow seemed like she was still growing. Each day, she looked more like Laura, but there was enough Adama in her that he saw bits of his mother too. Through and through, she was their daughter with his sense of adventure and deep loyalty, but just as stubborn and insightful as her mother. Now, two years after their homes had been destroyed, she was closer to being an adult than a child and he had to remind himself of that constantly.

“I’m guessing the drills didn’t go well today?”

“No, too out of shape.” He shook his head slightly to make himself refocus and dropped his hand to his side. “I’m sorry, Lia.”

“We’re still going back, aren’t we? You’re not giving up.” She stepped closer and took his hand, holding it tightly.

“I’m not giving up.” He shook his head again and squeezed her hand. “I worry about how long it’s been. How much longer it’s gonna be.”

“They’re gonna be okay. You said how prepared they are and we’ll figure it out. We’ll get them back. All of them and Mom.” She moved closer and rested her head against his shoulder. “I miss her.”

“I do too.” He swallowed a sudden surge of emotions and closed his eyes. “I don’t know how she did all of this by herself,” he admitted.

“Because Mom’s a frakking superhero and there was always someone around to help.” She shrugged and sighed. “And sometimes she didn’t. Sometimes she forgot things or got caught up with work, but she just never stopped trying.”

He laughed quietly and wiped at his eyes. “That’s her, alright. And we’ll get her back.”

“We will.” She nudged his shoulder with hers. “I promised Kat I’d meet her on the hangar deck. You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Get down there.” He brushed her hair back from her face and forced a smile. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“Love you too.”

He watched her leave and then slowly followed after her, no set destination in mind. Helo had the CIC and Grace was with Lee for the day, leaving him free to wander aimlessly and get lost in his thoughts far deeper than he should.

When he realized where he was, how close to Sharon’s cell, he stopped dead and faced the bulkhead to avoid looking at anything in particular. The corridor was empty other than him, but he knew there was a guard on duty just inside the hatch. He didn’t want to dig up the reasons why he had been drawn here, but he pushed on and entered the hatch, barely waving to dismiss the guard. Slowly, he approached the glass wall and kept a small amount of distance from it. His eyes roamed over the cell, avoiding Sharon until he couldn’t any longer.

“Admiral?” Her voice was muffled by the security measures, but he saw her lips move.

Almost as if he couldn’t control it, his hand moved to the phone and he picked it up, watching as she did the same. “Quiet down here.” He wasn’t sure what else to say.

“Helo’s usually down here when he’s off,” she responded hesitantly. “But yeah, it’s quiet.”

He cleared his throat and didn’t speak.

“Is something wrong, sir?”

The question caught him off guard and he narrowed his eyes, speaking before he was even sure he made the decision to do it. “I miss my wife.”

“I can’t imagine.” She shook her head slowly and leaned against the wall. “I want to help, sir.”

He shifted his weight and looked her over. “This crew needs to get its shit together first.” A glance at the clock told him Lee’s Raptor would be landing soon and he grunted softly, offering no goodbyes before he hung up the phone and left.

The Raptor was being towed across the hangar deck when he got there and he stood with his hands folded behind his back to watch it. Lee sat alone up front which meant Grace was safely in the back and would likely burst out of the hatch the second it opened. Lee knew it too and didn’t open it until the Raptor was safely stopped, Grace jumping free as soon as she could.

“Daddy!”

He moved closer and held his arms out, groaning as he caught her and swung her down to the deck. “Hi, sweetheart. Did you enjoy your day on Pegasus?”

She shrugged and reached for his hand. “I miss Mama and Zak and school.”

“I do too,” he sighed.

“Even school?”

“Even school,” he agreed with a small smile. “You wanna go home or go for a walk?”

She yawned and moved closer to lean against him. “A walk.”

“You sure? You’re tired.” He kept hold of her hand and held her head closer with the other one.

She had gotten less sleep than anyone since they jumped away from New Caprica, only in short spurts throughout the night until she was woken by a nightmare or the smallest of noises. She really was like her mother down to her core and it pained him to know there wasn’t much he could do to help her. With Laura, it was always time she needed. With Grace, he needed to bring their family home. He didn’t know what they would do if that day never came.

“I don’t wanna go home.” She rubbed at her eyes with her free hand and looked up as Lee stepped out.

“She’s been up and down all day,” he explained with a wave of his hand. “Fine and distracted one moment, crying the next.”

“I know.” He sighed again and held her closer. “Thank you for taking her, bringing her back.

“I remember when you’d leave, Dad. I remember seeing Lia break down, and that was never as hellish as things are now.” He jumped down to the deck and ran his fingers through his hair. “Is there anything else I can do?”

“We need to get these ships back in frakkin’ order.” He lowered his voice and shook his head. “That’s our priority.”

“I know and we’re trying.” He rubbed Grace’s arm and squeezed her shoulder. “I gotta get back, Grace.”

“Lee…” A pout formed, tears appearing even faster. “Stay?”

“I would if I could, you know that, but I have to work on Pegasus. I’ll see you in a couple days though, okay?” He knelt down and hugged her, securing her between himself and Bill’s leg. “Love you.”

“Love you…” She sniffled and grabbed onto Bill even harder as Lee stood back up.

“Get back safe, Lee.”

“Yes, sir.” He nodded and stepped onto the Raptor wing, hesitating a moment before he ducked under the hatch and settled in his seat.

Not wanting Grace to watch him leave, they waved and then Bill guided her toward the ladder, intending on another random, wandering walk until she was tired enough that she’d try to sleep.

It took nearly an hour before it happened and he had to carry her home, relieved when she was sleeping soundly even after he tucked her into his rack and sat at his desk, once again burying himself in plotting and planning for as long as he could.

Tensions only grew, stress and lack of sleep pushing everyone harder than they pushed themselves. The only time Bill didn’t feel the urge to snap at someone was when he was with his daughters, and having Grace in the CIC became beneficial for everyone. It had been four months and the crew was nearly as out of shape as they were when they first jumped away from New Caprica. Sixteen failed drills in one day after being up all night with Grace and he was nearly ready to jump Galactica straight into a baseship in the hopes of doing enough damage to free their people. With two downed Vipers, but thankfully no loss of life, their situation wasn’t getting any better.

He knew there was a scowl on his face and he didn’t care, too focused on getting back to his quarters and possibly getting a few hours of sleep before he had to do anything else. Letting the hatch clang shut loudly drew Lia from further inside, a nervous look on her face. His eyes immediately narrowed and he shook his head.

“No.”

“Dad, you didn’t even give me a chance to ask.”

“I know that look and the answer’s no.”

“You heard me out when I asked to help before, why not now?”

“Because you’re gonna ask me to put you in a Viper and the answer is a hard no, Thalia.”

“Dad!”

“Thalia, I said no!” He raised his voice and sighed, his shoulders slumping as he walked past her and unbuttoned his tunic.

“I’m almost eighteen, Dad! I can just enlist then!” She turned to follow him, her eyes wide with passion and no longer nervous.

“Not when I’m the Admiral. Do you know what your mother would do to you, do to me, when she finds out?” He groaned and tossed his tunic to his rack. “And if anything happened to you? No, it’s not a risk I’m letting you take.”

“But you’ll let me go out in a Raptor and wait by New Caprica for hours? What’s the difference?” She threw her hands up and kept moving until she was in his view again. “What happens when we go back? Zak and Mom will be doing things down there. You and Lee will be helping. I’m just supposed to sit down and do nothing to get our family back? Would you?!”

He couldn’t look away from her and was forced to see how serious, how desperate she was. “There’s no time, even if I did agree.”

“Oh, come on! You’ve been telling me about Vipers all of my life. Lee and Kara showed me every inch of their Vipers, Helo showed me the Raptors, and Kat’s been training me the last few months.” She took a small step away, but quickly took it back and met his eyes.

“Damn it, Kat.” He shook his head and groaned, anger flashing through him until he realized he had never outright told his crew not to show her around; he had maybe encouraged it a little too much. Laura was going to kill him and then airlock his body, just to have Cottle revive him so she could do it again. “I will give you,” he began slowly, “one flight. You will go out with Kat and a Raptor and if I feel confident, I will consider it.”

“You’re serious?”

“This is a bad idea. This is the worst idea either of us has ever had and your mother is going to kill us both.”

“So, can I enlist then?”

“Damn it, Lia, you’re not gonna let this go, are you?” He turned away from her and his eyes fell on the photo of them in front of his Viper on Caprica. She had been so little and now he was deciding if she could risk her life for their family. “Let’s see how your flight goes.”

“Oh, my gods. Oh, my gods!” She started toward him, but he held his hand out and stopped her. “Can we go now?”

“I am exhausted. Tomorrow, okay?”

“Promise?”

“I promise. Now let me sleep, please.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Ignoring his hand, she hugged him tightly.

The next morning, he stood under the DRADIS with Grace on the console in front of him and the handset on speaker so the pilots’ chatter was audible to the whole CIC. His eyes didn’t leave the screen, glued to Lia in her brother’s Viper with Kat right by her side. Helo followed in a Raptor, the only two people he trusted out there with his daughter in Lee’s and Kara’s absence.

“Alright, Lia,” Kat said with all the authority she had gained as CAG, “we’re taking this nice and slow. No fancy moves, no risks. Admiral’s not takin’ my head today, thank you. Just doing some basic maneuvers and we’ll see if your landing is any better than your take off.”

“Copy, Kat,” Lia replied and for a brief moment, Bill could’ve mistaken her for any of his pilots and not his daughter. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but he couldn’t deny the pride welling up right along with the worry.

“Just like that. You’re doing great.”

“You’re even better than Kat’s first flight,” Helo teased. “Granted, she frakked up the landing, not anything out here, so we’ll see.”

“Yeah, you’re being really reassuring right now,” Lia huffed.

Bill watched as Lia broke away from Kat and they circled the Raptor before falling back into formation. Aside from her nerves, it was clear Kara, Lee, and Kat had taught her well and she was as much of a natural as Lee and Kara had been. From a military standpoint, he had no argument against her enlisting. Every part of his argument came from his position as her father, and he worried she would try something stupid if he kept denying her.

“For frak’s sake.” He turned away and began to pace around the CnC. “Oh, she’s gonna kill me. She’s absolutely gonna kill me.”

“Yes, she is, sir,” the comm’s officer agreed.

He shot her a look and then refocused on the DRADIS.

“We’ve got Artemis chasing after her brother out here now!” Helo whooped and Bill felt a smile start to appear.

“Artemis, alright!” Kat cheered and her laughter mixed with Lia’s.

“Oh, my gods. Is that my callsign? Do I have a callsign now?”

He grabbed the handset and cleared his throat. “Keep it cool, Artemis,” he ordered, suddenly unable to keep his smile down. “Bring her home. Kat, Helo, keep an eye on her.”

“Yes, sir,” they all called back.

He stayed where he was until he was sure both Vipers and the Raptor had touched down. As the flight pod retracted, he picked up Grace and they hurried down to meet them, the loud cheers and calls filtering through the corridors.

“Frak! That was so thrilling!” Lia shouted, hands tightly gripping her helmet. “Going through the flight tubes? Oh, my gods!”

“You did great, kid.” Helo nudged her and smiled proudly. “You’ll make a great pilot, even if I think you should wait a little longer.”

“We need pilots now, Helo, and I want to do this.” She faced them and calmly met his gaze, then punched his arm and jumped out of his reach.

“Oh, yeah, get it out while you can. You do that later and it’ll be assaulting a superior officer, nugget.” He grinned and didn’t go after her.

“Pilots never grow up, do they?” Bill called when they reached the upper level. He let Grace climb down first and then followed her. “Sinking down to their level now, Helo?”

“They keep me young, sir.” He laughed and shrugged.

“Wait until they start calling you the Old Man.” He ruffled Grace’s hair. “Least I don’t get mistaken for her grandfather anymore.”

“So, what do you say, Dad? Can I enlist? Please?” Lia turned away from Helo and fully faced him, looking every inch the model pilot.

“Are you sure you know what this entails, Lia? What enlisting really means?” He studied her, knowing that she wasn’t rushing into this but worried anyway.

“I’ve watched everyone do it for two years, Dad. I watched you do it years before that.” She straightened up and squared her shoulders. “I can handle it.”

“Alright, Ensign Adama. We’ll get you a uniform, transfer to the pilots’ bunks, and sworn in as soon as we can.”

“Yes, sir.” She saluted and he matched it, then dismissed them all.

It was an odd sensation to be both proud and disappointed at the same time. Proud of his daughter for everything she had taken on and accomplished in her life, but disappointed in himself for endangering yet another member of his family.

“Helo, get to the CIC and get Commander Adama over here. We need to talk about the mess that was yesterday’s drills. Kat, keep an eye on her.” He looked at each of them in turn and hugged Grace to his side.

Leaving them to finish their post-flight checks, he guided Grace back the way they came, this time headed for home to wait for Lee. After settling Grace on the deck near his rack with a book, he moved to the table to greet Lee, his son already frowning.

“You’re being too hard on them,” he said quickly.

“We’re fighting for our lives. We’re at war, Lee; there is no such thing as being too hard,” Bill retorted, careful to keep his voice low.

“This whole thing is frakking insane. We’ve got two ships at half-strength, we got crews that haven’t seen action in a year and a half, and you’re acting like the o­nly problem is they’re not working hard enough.” Lee didn’t control his voice nearly as well and Bill glanced back toward his daughter.

“We could all work harder. We can all do more. We left them there and it’s our responsibility to get them back.” His eyes narrowed as he focused on his son. They had had it easy the last four months, definitely easier than everyone on New Caprica, and it had left them all weak. “If you think we can’t, then I’ll find someone who can.”

“We can’t even handle a simple drill. Now you’re putting Lia out there in a Viper? Going back is suicide, Dad, and you know it.” He stood up, hands planted on the table.

“You want to tell Grace that? Tell Lia? Or any of the other parents and children on those ships that lost their loved ones? This is what we do, Lee,” he emphasized. “We get stronger, make contact, and we get them back.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“Damn it.” He shook his head and turned away. “Fine. Fine. I’ll push them harder, get them back in line.”

“Needs to happen either way. Cylons will find us eventually.” Bill stood up too and folded his arms across his chest. “I refuse to give up.”

“I know.” With that, he turned and left.

Bill waited a moment to collect himself, his thoughts, and then looked back at Grace. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” he called. “Evans is outside if you need anything, just stay here.”

“Okay, Daddy,” she replied, barely glancing up from her book.

It made him sigh, but he didn’t let himself linger on it as he made his way through the hatch and down further into his ship. He wasn’t sure when or how it had happened, but somehow since his first accidental visit with Sharon, he had been drawn back to her. In Laura’s absence, she had become a confidant, someone he could talk to, and before long, she was the same young woman he had taken on board and protected under his wing. Through it all, the guilt of what he knew, what he kept from her, haunted him. There was no use telling her now. Hera was on the planet and if she made it off, he would deal with it then. Until that moment, the truth would only hurt her.

The turning point of it all was Helo’s desire to marry her. Marriage provided none of the same benefits it once had and the power to sign marriage certificates had been left on New Caprica too. Bill realized his thoughts echoed Laura’s before they had married and it made him rethink the situation. Their marriage didn’t hurt or affect anyone else, but it would make them happy and that was in short supply right now. He didn’t have a single reservation when he gave his approval.

Her cell, more quarters at this point, had more furnishings than they used to. She hadn’t requested any of it, but things had slowly appeared and made the once clinical room seem a little more homey.

He sighed and stepped through the doorway after she waved him in, her brow furrowed worriedly.

“Still nothing from New Caprica?”

“Not yet.” He sighed again and sat beside her on the couch, his hands clasped between his knees. “How have you kept your head up through all of this?”

“Helo,” she answered easily, “but I know that doesn’t help you.”

“No, that’s mostly the problem. I have no right to complain to you about it, but I feel like I’m failing my daughters, failing Lee and Zak. Even Kara and the crew.” He groaned and shook his head. “Aside from them, I feel alone. Except maybe for you too.”

Sharon chuckled softly. “I wish I could go back a year and tell that Admiral Adama about this conversation.”

“A year’s a long time.” He paused. “Laura and I moved in together within a year, were married around then too.”

“You feel guilty about leaving the people behind o­n New Caprica, don’t you?” She leaned forward to really look at him, but he kept his eyes focused on the deck.

“I don’t do guilt,” he responded quickly but it was a complete lie, “but my wife is down there, my son. I separated my family.”

“You know, a year ago—when you put me in the cell—I was at a crossroads. I sat in here for weeks, just consumed with rage at all the things that had happened to me. And at some point, I realized it was all just guilt. I was angry at myself for the choices I had made. Betraying my people and losing the baby. So,” she let out a breath, “I had a choice. I could either move forward or stay in the past. But the o­nly way to move forward was to forgive myself.” She sat back and he slowly looked up. “You know, I don’t think we can survive. I don’t think the fleet or Galactica or the people o­n New Caprica can survive unless the man at the top finds a way to forgive himself.”

“Once they’re safe.” He cleared his throat and sat upright, his back aching from how long he had spent hunched over plans of the planet and their limited supplies.

“Are they ever going to be safe, sir? In your eyes?”

“No,” he admitted. “I failed them.”

“Failing would be giving up and you’ve never been one to do that. We fight ‘em until we can’t, right?”

“Right.” He grunted and stood up. “We gotta get a hold of them first.”

“We will. None of them are gonna give up down there either.”

Feeling a little more at ease than he had all week, he gathered himself to return back to his daughter and whatever else the day had in store for them.

Their tenuous peace lasted all of an hour. The moment the surveillance Raptor jumped back, Bill was called back to the CIC with his daughters in tow. He kept his own hopes as tempered as he tried to keep theirs, but the buzz in the command center broke it the moment they walked inside.

“We have contact, sir,” Helo quickly reported, barely containing his grin. “Raptor made contact with the resistance on the ground. Colonel Tigh and Chief Tyrol reported in and the Cylon frequencies have been jammed.”

“About frakkin’ time,” he growled, taking Grace’s hand when he felt it fumble for hers. Lia took the other one and he gently pulled them close. “How much data did they get?”

“Enough.”

He nodded and took a deep breath. “I want everything we’ve got. Get Commander Adama and meet me in my quarters ASAP.”

“Yes, sir.” Helo nodded his understanding.

Bill hesitated a moment and looked down at Grace. “Can you do me a favor?”

She looked up at him with wide eyes, aware of what was going on even if she didn’t completely understand it.

“I need you to keep Sharon company. Can you do that for me?”

“Sharon?” She pulled her hand back and tangled her fingers in her sweater. “Sharon hurt you.”

“No, she didn’t. Not this one.” He was aware of Helo’s eyes on them, but didn’t look away from Grace. “Sharon has helped us and I would never do anything to put you in danger, Grace. Ever.”

“Why do I need to keep her company?” She frowned and tugged at her sweater.

“Because I need to talk to Lee and Helo and Lia and it might take a while, so you and Sharon will be alone. I thought you might like to be with someone instead,” he explained patiently.

Surprisingly, she blinked her eyes and then nodded. “Not all night?”

“Not all night.” He bent down and kissed her cheek. “Lia, go find Kat, you’re both joining this meeting. I’ll get Grace down to Sharon.”

“Yes, sir.” While she still hadn’t officially accepted her commission—he was postponing that as long as he could—she acted like she had and the crew was beginning to treat her as one of them already.

An hour later, he sat on the couch with Lia to one side and Kat to his left. The Pegasus CAG sat beside her with Shaw, and Helo across the coffee table in a chair. Lee leaned against the table behind them, his eyes narrowed as he watched them all. Momentarily ignoring them, Bill sorted through the pictures and maps as he tried to piece together what he could.

“Their numbers are a little thin,” Helo said. “It says here Tigh commands 1,150 armed effectives. That’s a lot less than he should have if you count all the former fleet officers and enlisted available down there.”

“Could be taking heavy losses,” Shaw countered. “They mentioned a Cylon crackdown.”

“We should get a breakdown of available pilots in the insurgent group. Somebody’s gotta fly those ships off the ground if we’re gonna pull this off.” Kat leaned forward as she spoke and looked at everyone in the room.

“Those ships are goin’ anywhere yet,” Bill sighed and picked up a transmission transcript. “The Cylons removed launch keys from grounded Colonial ships. Location unknown. Came from Tyrol.” He held it out but no one took it, so he dropped it back to the pile.

“Can we manufacture new launch keys?” Lia straightened up, her brow furrowed in thought.

“Forget it,” Lee said quickly. “The specs on launch keys are incredibly sophisticated. It would take weeks just to do the R&D”

“Best option is for Saul and the people on the ground to find the original launch keys.” Bill gave up on the documents and sat back.

“Assuming they weren’t destroyed,” Shaw added.

“No. No way,” Kat said firmly. “The Cylons would want to keep them safe just in case they needed to use one of those ships someday.”

“She’s right.” Helo nodded slowly. “Keys gotta still be there somewhere.”

Bill hoped he was right. To make it this far and lose to this felt like a personal punishment from the gods.

“We can make a weapons drop to the insurgents. They know the lay of the land, they’ve been hitting the Cylons in the teeth for months. Give them the tools, they can find the keys themselves.” An excitement began to ignite Kat’s eyes.

“No way. The only thing you’ve got going for you so far is that the Cylon reduced their defense perimeter to just five baseships. You put heavy weaponry down there, they’re gonna know for sure that we’re in contact.” Lee pushed himself away from the table and took a few steps closer. “They’ll call in ten more baseships and then your whole plan’s frakked.”

“Funny, thought this was our plan, sir,” Kat grumbled.

“It’s like you don’t even want to try,” Lia added. “Just give them all up for dead and move on? Even Mom? Zak?”

Knowing how easily a fight could break out, especially between them, Bill said, “Moving on. The military plans that you have in your hands are to be kept with you at all times. We’ll keep a Raptor out there for any other information Tyrol and Colonel Tigh can provide. We’ll coordinate a plan and we’ll bring them home.” His voice was firm, definitive, because it was the only option.

As their plan came together, he quickly realized there was one thing he could do to help guarantee its success. He knew it would ruffle some feathers, but he was confident and it was his decision to make.

He found himself in Helo’s quarters, alone with Sharon. There would be no half-assing anything from here on out and once he was certain of her safety, he had her released to her husband's quarters. Their quarters. They sat at the table on opposite ends, quietly studying each other while she waited for him to speak.

“What do you want to do?” he asked, but his voice was kind.

“I want to prove myself. To you, to the fleet. I’m not Boomer, sir, but we have a lot in common,” she answered. “Even if it was just programming, I’m a Colonial officer. I served because I wanted to, or she did, but I want to as well.”

“You wanna help with the rescue?” His questions were blunt; there was no time to beat around the bush.

She stared at him in surprise. “What can I do?”

“We need the launch keys for all the ships on the ground. Chief says they’re in a secure Cylon area. If you can get in and get them, we have a shot at pulling this off if we can stand against the baseships,” he explained, his eyes never wavering from her.

“The human models will know it’s me, but I can get by the Centurions. They don’t recognize the difference. We encoded them not to as a safety precaution,” she warned.

“Can you do it?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Will you do it?”

“What happens when I get back?”

“You’ll carry the rank and all the responsibilities of a junior lieutenant.”

“I’ll do it.”

He hesitated, this part harder than anything else. “Then there’s something you need to know.”

Her expression immediately darkened and she pursed her lips but didn’t respond. He would never fully understand the burden Laura had bore in confessing bad news, but he shared some of it now. His inability to even talk it over with her now made it worse.

“Hera is alive.”

“You…” Her fight for control was visible, her shoulders tensing as she leaned forward and tightly held her hands on the table. “You lied.”

“I didn’t know at first,” he said carefully. “But it was still a lie by omission afterwards.”

“The President did it, didn’t she? I was right and you all said I was crazy!” Her control was fracturing and she jumped to her feet. “I frakking knew it!”

“Sharon, be pissed at me, be angry at the President, but I need you to sit down and focus. She is on the planet and we need your help to get them back, Hera included.” It was a gamble telling her now, knowing she could shut down or refuse to help, but he couldn’t ask or order her to risk her life without knowing the truth. “Can I count on you?”

“Why the frak should I trust you?” she hissed.

“Why should I trust you?” he shot back. “You helped when that Cylon virus was trying to shut down the ship and I trusted you then. If nothing else, I trust that you want to live and you want your daughter to live. That we can agree on. So, trust that I want my wife and son back. I want Kara and Saul back.”

“It’s cruel, it’s manipulative! I cannot believe—“ she cut herself off with a groan and spun around.

“Manipulative would be to tell you first and then ask for your help. I asked you first.” He slowly stood up but stayed on the same side of the table. “Get the launch keys, then get your daughter. Do we have a deal, Lieutenant Agathon?”

“You’re really… I can’t believe… I need to talk to Helo.” She began to pace and he took a step away toward the hatch.

“I need your answer by tomorrow morning. We need to get moving.”

“Get out. Sir.”

He didn’t push back or argue and left without a word.

When she stopped by his quarters the following morning with Helo, he wasn’t surprised, but he was relieved. After giving his word and as much information as he had about their daughter’s whereabouts, they achieved a careful, tense agreement that could shatter at any moment. The only thing that kept it going was their trust in each other, their trust in their oath to the fleet.

Lee threatened it the moment he came on Galactica, not even waiting for privacy before he went off. “You can’t do this.” Bill almost laughed. “She’s a Cylon.”

“I trust her.”

“Well, that’s a mistake.”

“Well,” he responded, “it’ll be my mistake, won’t it?”

Lee shook his head and glared at him. “You are gambling with the lives of everyone on this ship and everyone on my ship. You are gambling with the lives of your remaining children!”

“I don’t need a lecture from you about the responsibilities of command and parenting. We’re done here.“ He started to leave, but Lee jumped in front of him and stopped him.

“I’m not finished,” he protested. “This entire plan is a reckless gamble and yes, you certainly have the right to risk the lives of the men and women under your command, but that’s not the issue. The issue is that you are risking the lives of the entire human race!”

“I'm trying to save the human race.” He tried to nudge past Lee, but he refused to move.

“No, you’re not. That’s what you’re not seeing. I don’t know if you’re blind because Mom and Zak are gone or what, but it’s a problem.” He pushed closer, but Bill refused to be intimidated. “Right now, the human race? Well, that’s the 2,000 people huddled in those civilian ships that managed to get away when the Cylons came back.” He waved toward the pathetic fleet beyond the ship. “They’re the safe bet. They’re the ones whose survival we should guard. Just like we did after the attack on the Colonies.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Why? Because it’s Mom down there? What about Grandma? This is what she would want, for us to save who we can!”

“Then you don’t know your mother very well. She would do everything she can to save everyone down there and we’re going to do the same damn thing. Sharon can penetrate the Cylon defenses.” He pushed back, both to make space and with the intent to leave.

“It’s not about her.”

“The Centurions can’t distinguish her from other models. Did you know that?”

“Admiral”

“They were deliberately programmed that way. Cylons didn’t want them becoming self-aware and resisting orders, ironically enough.”

“Dad.”

“I know what you’re saying, but we have a responsibility to the people we left behind. Not just your mother.”

“Remember what she said? Our first responsibility is to the survival of humanity. We can’t lose sight of that. Over the last year, we’ve lost sight of almost everything. We got soft, but if we go back to New Caprica now and we lose, it’s over. Humanity just stops. And an admiral’s stars don’t give you the right to make that gamble.” Lee’s passion, his fears, were so visible on his face that Bill had to look away.

As much as it pained him, Lee had a point. A very good point. But no part of him could let Laura or anyone else that he cared about on that hellhole go.

“You’re right, son,” he sighed. “You should make plans to resume the search for Earth with Pegasus and the civilian fleet. Grace will go with you too.”

“With Pegasus? What about Galactica? Lia?”

“She’s enlisting.”

“What the frak, Dad? She’s not even eighteen!”

“She’s close enough and she can handle it. She wants to help. You may be her older brother, but it’s my decision as both Admiral and her father.”

“For frak’s sake.” Lee pulled back suddenly and pressed against the bulkhead.

“I know why we left those people behind. I know most of them chose to be down there in the first place and I realize that the survival of the human outweighs anything else, but this time, I can’t live with it. Can’t face it. Maybe I’m a coward, but I’m going back. Not just for Mom, for everyone.” He struggled to keep his voice controlled and watched his son across the corridor.

“Dad, you won’t have a chance.”

“I’m going back, Lee, and that’s final. Keep the fleet safe, keep Grace safe.”

“You’ll really take both her parents away? Hasn’t she feared that enough already?”

“With some luck, we’ll both be back.”

Lee stared at him and then deflated. Shaking his head, he pushed his shoulders back and walked away with his head held high. Bill watched him go and struggled to find the motivation to move. Nothing felt like the right decision, the right option, but he knew he had to try.

The plan went into effect so quickly it was a whirlwind. Even with a skeleton crew, the ship came alive as they worked to finalize preparations and offload as much as they could to Pegasus. Bill tried his best to keep Grace in the dark so she didn’t panic and she was desperate enough for a distraction that it worked. Before the ships, the remains of their family, parted ways, there was one more thing they needed to do.

He stood in his quarters, surrounded by the same people who had helped to plan the rescue, plus Sharon and Grace. His left hand rested on his daughter’s shoulder as he faced Lia and Sharon, eyes slowly roaming over their dress greys. It had seemed superfluous at first, but they deserved the same honors as any other officer.

“Raise your hand and repeat after me,” he began, surprised that his voice was shaking. Sharon had been like a daughter to him and those feelings hadn’t completely disappeared despite everything. To have her stand beside his blood daughter filled him with pride. “I, Sharon Agathon and Thalia Adama.”

They repeated the words, their hands held up in the air like his.

“Do now pledge my faith and loyalty to the protection of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol and will carry out the lawful orders of my superiors as an officer in the Colonial Fleet.”

Sharon and Lia finished their oaths and he saw how his daughter’s hand was as steady as a surgeon’s. His heart swelled even bigger.

“Congratulations Lieutenant Agathon, Ensign Adama. Welcome to the Colonial Fleet.”

He dismissed them and Sharon immediately turned toward Helo, but Bill focused all of his attention on pulling both his daughters in for a tight hug. Their time was limited. Sharon would head for New Caprica soon and Pegasus would jump away with the fleet shortly after. He wanted, needed, to enjoy the time they had together. It was difficult to silence the part of himself that warned this could be the last time they were all together.

“I love you both,” he whispered. “So much and I always will. No matter what.” He took a deep breath and reluctantly let them go to address the rest of the room. “We’ve got a job to do.”

“So say we all,” Helo said.

“So say we all,” everyone echoed.

Only a few hours later, each of which was painfully too short, Bill stood on the hangar deck with the remains of his family. Lee had his back to the Raptor and both Grace and Lia stood by their father, close but not touching.

He wasn’t sure what to say, but his son’s constant glancing at his wrist finally gave him something. “That’s the third time you’ve taken a look at your watch. Got dinner plans?”

Lee laughed softly. “No, I was just thinking, Sharon’s probably on the ground by now.”

“I know.” He sighed and briefly looked at Grace before he handed a logbook to him. “These are your orders. You’ll find the rendezvous point here. Take the civilian fleet and wait for me for eighteen hours. If I’m not back by then, find Earth.” He was hesitant to say so much in front of Grace, but they all needed their chance at goodbyes.

“Yeah, right.”

Bill lowered his voice. “We’ll see you at the rendezvous point.”

“Eighteen hours. Try not to be late.” He attempted a smile and failed.

“We’re getting old, a little slow, but we’ll be there.”

“Gods, I wish I could talk you out of this.”

“You can’t. You tried,” he reminded him.

“You know, Dad, um…”

Bill shook his head to stop him. “Don’t. Don’t make me cry on my own hangar deck.” He knew the moment they had to force Grace onto the Raptor, it wouldn’t matter.

Lee held out his hand and they shook firmly before Bill pulled his son into a tight hug. When they separated, Lia hugged him and Bill knelt down in front of Grace, his hands on her shoulders.

“You’re going to be a big brave girl for me, right? For Lee?”

Tears were already trailing down her cheeks. “I don’t want to,” she mumbled.

“I know.” He swallowed and moved one hand to cup her cheek. “But I need you to be. You’re so big and brave, Grace, and I need you to keep being brave for a little bit longer. And if you can be brave, then I can bring Mama and Zak back.”

“Don’t make me, Daddy. Please, I wanna stay! I want Mama!” Her tears rapidly began to escalate and broke his heart.

“You can’t, sweetheart. You can’t.” He swallowed hard and tried to pull her closer, but she resisted. “Grace, please.”

“Daddy, no! Daddy! Lia!” She yanked her arm free and turned toward Lia, but her and Lee were standing too close and she couldn’t go far. “Please!” she cried, her chest heaving with the force of her sobs.

Shoving down his guilt and his anxieties, he quickly grabbed her and stood up with her in his arms. She fought as hard as she could, but he held her against his chest until the fight dissipated and she grabbed onto him. Her cries were muffled by his shoulder and he could feel her tears dampening his uniform, but he only held her tighter and stroked her back.

“I love you, Grace,” he said, his voice thick and his own tears threatening to spill over. “I love you and I’ll see you soon. Mama loves you too. She loves you so much and she’s coming home.”

It seemed like all the life went out of her and she was heavy in his arms, almost a dead weight. One of the hardest things he had ever had to do in his life was pass her over to Lee, his hand lingering on her back and then squeezing her arm before he completely stepped away.

“I’ll see you there.” He sniffled and quickly wiped at his eyes.

Lee shifted Grace and stepped up onto the Raptor. “Permission to leave your ship, Admiral.”

“Permission granted, Commander.” He felt Lia move closer to his side and took a deep breath. “Attention!” he called. “Commander of Pegasus departing.” He saluted and Lee managed to return it, even with his sister in his arms. “Take care of your sister.”

“Go get Mom and Zak. Eighteen hours.” He carried her into the Raptor and a few moments later, the hatch slowly closed.

His arm wrapped around Lia and pulled her close, needing her support as much as she needed his. They leaned into each other and watched the rest of their family leave, neither able to control their tears.

“You could’ve gone,” he whispered.

“I’m staying, Dad. We’re doing this,” she whispered back fiercely.

“Then let’s do this. Report to your station, Ensign.”

“Yes, sir.” She hugged him tightly and he returned it with everything he had, their parting hurting almost as much as Grace and Lee’s.

At least Lia would still be on his ship until they jumped.

As soon as Sharon confirmed she had the launch keys, Galactica was ready. Bill trusted his crew, trusted all the work they had put in, and he had faith that they could pull this off. Loss of life was inevitable, especially with something this risky. Unable to leave the CIC for long, he stood outside the hatch and watched Lia approach.

“You sure about this?” he asked when she was close enough.

“I meant it when I took that oath,” she answered, hands on her hips and looking just like her mother despite her flight suit. “I can do this.”

“Be safe. Don’t take risks, listen to Kat, and come back in one piece. That’s an order.”

“You stay safe too, Dad,” she said as she hugged him.

He hugged her and pressed a kiss to her head. “Come back to me,” he repeated as he let her go. “Sometimes, you gotta roll the hard six.”

She hummed and they lingered long enough to exchange ‘I love you’s before she ran off to the hangar deck and he returned to the CIC to prepare for their jump to New Caprica.

By some miracle, their plan started off without a hitch. The drones fooled the Cylons exactly as they hoped and Galactica jumped into orbit, barely catching sight of two basestars before they plummeted through the planet’s atmosphere. The Vipers launched, their targets already identified from the intel Tyrol had provided. They had their mission and Galactica had hers.

The atmosphere did the most damage, but the jump back to orbit only worsened things. Alarms sounded everywhere as they regained their bearings and began to take in damage reports. Sparks flew from busted consoles and every part of Bill’s body hurt from the successive jumps and harsh landing, but stronger pain in his left hand made him look down to see a large gash across the back of it. He winced, but there was no time to focus on the pain. As long as he was on his feet—and even then—he had a job to do. Accepting a bandage from one of the medics on hand, he securely wrapped it around his hand, eyes already moving up to the flickering DRADIS. He winced as the consoles continued to spark, but stood his ground.

“DRADIS?” he called, knowing most of his crew were still moving around, at least for now.

It flickered again and then cleared up as Kelly shouted, “Back online.” The screen immediately reflected the two baseships, each Viper, and the few Cylon Raiders that had launched. The upper hand wasn’t strong, but it was theirs.

“Cylon baseships coming out of the nebula,” someone reported.

“Just as we expected. Cylon Raiders are still scattered to hell and gone. They’re coming after us without fighter cover,” Helo added as he squinted at the DRADIS. “If we can draw the two basestars away from the planet, the colonists might be able to escape.”

“Hang on.” Kelly turned around to look at them. “Two more baseships just jumped into orbit. We’ve got four baseships out there, Admiral.”

“No.” Bill felt his stomach drop and he closed his hands around the CnC, unable to look away from the continually blinking screen. “We can’t hold off four.”

He rarely prayed. He didn’t believe, never felt the urge to reach out to gods he didn’t think existed, but he prayed now. He prayed for Laura’s and Zak’s safety, for Lia’s and Lee’s and Grace’s. He prayed he would get to see them all again in one piece, and swore he would do anything, give anything, to make it happen.

As the two new basestars moved closer, all hell unleashed in the space between them. Galactica fought back, but with four targets, she was bombarded by all sides. Crew went down all around the CIC, dropping almost as quickly as they lost ship functions. They did what they could, but Bill could feel his worry growing with each moment.

“Pass up the cord,” he ordered, his hand already extended. He grabbed it and yanked it free to pass it to the next crew member, part of his attention focused on what Kelly was relaying into his handset.

Helo leaned against the console to catch his eye. “We can't take any more hits to port or we're looking at explosive decompressions in sections 36 through 48.”

He pushed himself up from behind the console he was helping to fix. “Jump drives?”

Helo only shook his head and then looked down.

“Frak me.” Bill hit the console with his good hand and clenched it into a fist, pain shooting up both of his arms.

Each hit sent Galactica reeling, her crew tossed every direction and no one was able to stay on their feet for long. He slammed into the console and groaned as the pain spread to his side, unable to fight the fear creeping out of his heart. Without weapons, they couldn’t fight back. Without the FTL, they couldn’t run away. They had gambled and lost, and Lee had been right. As he looked back to the DRADIS and the Vipers doing their best to defend the rest of their people, he wanted to scream.

“I’m sorry, Laura,” he managed around the lump of emotions in his throat. “I’m sorry, Zak. Lee, Grace.” He had to stop and squeeze his eyes closed. “I’m sorry Lia.” He wanted to fight, but they had been beaten down and couldn’t get their feet back under themselves. “That’s it, then,” he realized out loud. His emotions grew stronger and he struggled to fight back his tears. “It’s been an honor.”

He took the time to look at each of his crew in turn; no one had escaped unscathed. Galactica continued to shudder beneath them with each destructive hit and he had to grip the console as tightly as he could manage to stay upright.

“Sir! Sir, DRADIS contact!” Kelly yelled. “It’s Pegasus! One baseship is already down.”

Bill shoved his way toward the CnC to get a better view of the screen, confirming exactly what Kelly had said. Pegasus—Lee—made her way toward the fight, barrelling her way through.

The moment Lee called, Kelly patched it through. “Galactica, Pegasus. Let us take some of this work off your hands. Get your FTL up and ready, and we’ll take care of the rest.” Lee’s voice was simultaneously one of the best and worst things he had heard in that moment.

Bill gestured to Kelly and grabbed the handset. “Damn you, Lee,” he cursed under his breath as he waited for his son. “Lee, what are you doing?”

“We were both right, Dad. We have to keep the fleet safe and we need our people down there too,” he replied breathlessly.

“Tell me Grace isn’t with you.”

“She’s safe on the Rising Star, but you and everyone on that planet needed me. I won’t apologize.”

“You took the last of Grace’s family from her!”

“In the hopes of bringing them all back! So, let’s do this!” He hung up and Bill slammed the handset down.

“Keep working on those FTLs, Get ‘em online,” he ordered over his shoulder. “The Cylons will redeploy as soon as they recover.” He let out a long breath, but he couldn’t deny the relief he felt. “Thank you, Lee.”

He gave himself one more moment and allowed himself to think of each member of his family again. Grace was safe. Lia would be back as soon as the FTL drive was functioning again and his eyes found her Viper to make sure she was still out there. He knew Laura would head for Colonial One to get off the planet and she’d drag as many people with her as she could. They would be reunited soon enough.

“I want to know the moment Colonial One gets off the ground,” he shouted to Kelly.

“Yes, sir. The ships are just now taking off.” He looked back to his screen. “Jumping away. Only a few left. Colonial One is up and away now.”

Holding onto that feeling, the unsubstantiated knowledge that Laura and Zak and Kara were safely away and headed back to the fleet allowed him to turn back to his duty.

“FTL is back online!” Helo declared. “Pegasus is taking a hell of a pounding, sir. I don’t think she has a single plane in the air.”

He shook his head. “Lee left all of his planes to guard the civilian ships.” He sighed. “He knew this was a one way trip. He’ll evac before the end.” Of that, he was confident. They wouldn’t come this far for Lee to turn self-sacrificial.

“You sure?”

“Land our birds! Let’s get the hell out of here!”

Helo rushed over to call their pilots home with combat landings and Bill watched the DRADIS to make sure each one landed safely. There was no way of knowing how rough their landings were, but as long as they were on board, it could be dealt with. Double checking that Lia’s was down, he grabbed the handset and ordered the jump to safety, yet another prayer filling his mind that would reunite his family and this fleet.

Bill stayed in the CIC until the bulk of the Raptors and smaller ships had docked to relieve Galactica’s crew. He made his way down there as quickly as he could and joined the massive throng of people, barely able to see over their heads to search for the people he needed. He spotted Kara and Sam, confused by the toddler she held, but his attention was quickly stolen by Lee. He pushed his way through the crowd and grabbed him to pull him into a tight hug, his hands grasping at his dirty uniform.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he gasped. “You had your orders.”

“Never could read your handwriting.” He cleared his throat and stepped back with a weak laugh. “Grace is safe with Serine and Evans, I promise. She’s okay and she’s safe, but someone had to look after you. You were right about getting slow.”

“Someone’s gonna have to pop that ego before it gets too big,” he grumbled. “I’m glad you did, son. Thank you.”

“Have you seen them? Mom, Zak? Lia?’

“They’re probably on Colonial One. We’re working on ship manifests and counts right now,” he sighed. “There’s your sister.”

Together, they continued through the crowd until they reached Lia and Kat standing by their Vipers. Lia’s eyes were wide with fading adrenaline and exhaustion, but she looked to be in one piece. Without a word, Bill grabbed her and hugged her even tighter, resisting the urge to hide her away and keep her safe forever.

“Dad! Dad, oh my gods!” She threw her arms around his neck and hung onto him. “We did it! Where’s Mom and Zak? Grace?”

“Grace is on the Rising Star. We’ll get them all home as quickly as we can,” he responded. “I’m so proud of you, Lia. You did a damn good job out there.”

“Impressive flying,” Lee agreed.

“I can’t believe… It was… Oh, my gods!” She laughed and he slowly let her go.

“Go enjoy it. Go celebrate,” he told both of them. “I need to find Saul and then I’ll get a definitive answer on Mom and Zak. I love you.”

“Love you,” they both said, only hesitating a moment before they disappeared.

Bill once again scanned the crowd and nearly missed his former XO, the sight of a bandage covering one eye making it a little harder to recognize him. There was a dark, haunted look on his face and he felt his worries start to creep back up. Saul was a top military leader. The Cylons would’ve assumed he knew things, but Laura was a civilian now. He prayed whatever happened to Saul had either been an accident, or reserved for the military members, as selfish as that felt.

“You did it, Saul.” His hand landed on his friend’s shoulder and they briefly hugged. “You brought them home.”

“Not all of them.” He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. “We lost a lot of good men and women, Bill.” His nerves tripled. “I saw Laura before it all started. Zak too. They were okay and I’m sure they made it off the planet.”

“They did,” he said to convince himself. “Just waiting to find out where. Good job.”

“Thanks for coming back for us.”

They shared a look before they both nodded and Bill gave in to his needs. The fleet was safe for the moment and once the traffic between ships had died down, they would jump again just to make sure there was plenty of space between them and the Cylons. Pegasus was gone and Galactica, along with many of the other ships, needed extensive repairs, but they were together and they could find a way forward.

He didn’t bother to go back to his quarters. Once he was far enough away from the hangar deck that he could hear, he contacted the CIC and then Colonial One. The pilot apologetically explained his wife was busy, but confirmed that she, Billy, Maya, and Tory had all made it on board. No one had seen Zak, and the knowledge left an uncomfortable mix in his stomach. If he couldn’t see his wife, he at least needed to hear her voice, but she had her hands full. Groaning to himself, he made sure she knew to come to Galactica as soon as she could, and he returned to the CIC to help with repairs while he waited.

Chapter Text

Every part of Galactica was alive with activity; extra crew from Pegasus and civilians that hadn’t been returned to their ships yet clogged the hangar deck and the corridors. Laura felt uncomfortable as she wound her way through them alone. Billy had taken Maya ahead to meet Cottle in Sick Bay and she had left Tory behind. Without Zak, everyone else was already on Galactica and she needed to see them so badly it was a physical ache in her body, worsening the ones that were already there.

She crossed the threshold into Bill’s quarters and her heart stopped at the sight. Her mind struggled to process it, to reconcile seeing her husband and daughters after so long, and her hand shot out to catch herself on the bulkhead. Lia and Bill rushed forward and while she denied needing their assistance, she threw her arms around both of them and gave in. It took Grace a few moments before she forced her way between them and hugged Laura’s legs, relief coursing through all of them.

“You’re here,” she gasped, her breathing shaky. “Oh, my gods, you came back.”

“Couldn’t leave you down there,” he said, his forehead pressed against hers and his voice just as shaky. “Laura…” She looked rough. There was no polite way of saying it, her hair wild and tangled, her skin paler than he would’ve expected after months planetside. She was thinner too, noticeable even beneath her loose sweater, but the bags under her eyes and lines on her dirty face told him more than anything. Whatever she had seen may not have been as physical as what Saul went through, but it had clearly left its mark all the same.

He needed to ask about Zak, but he held it back until he was sure she wasn’t going to collapse on them.

Her fingers tangled in his uniform and Lia’s shirt, doing her best to pull them both as close as possible and growing frustrated when it wasn’t enough. A desperate sound tried to force its way out of her and she pushed it back down, reluctantly releasing her aching hands and pulling back.

She caressed Grace’s head and she said, more to herself than anyone, “Your hair is lighter than rubies.” When she met Bill’s eyes, they were filled with a hesitant concern along with some of the same distance that she knew was visible in her own. “I have to go,” she whispered apologetically. “We have to regroup, start figuring out where we are and what we’re doing.”

The mention of rubies made him think of her necklace, but it wasn’t around her neck and his brow furrowed in thought. “Honey…”

“Mom.”

Bill’s and Lia’s voices overlapped, and Laura shook her head. “I’m sorry, but we have to do everything we can to keep going otherwise all of that,” she waved her hand toward the absent Pegasus and hellish planet, “was for nothing. I won’t let that happen. Will you keep looking for Zak?” Her anxious fingers went to her neck and in the absence of her necklace, dropped to the ruby that she had somehow managed to hold onto. “And will you keep this safe?” she suddenly asked as she held it out to him in the palm of her hand.

“What?” He took it carefully and held it up, his brow furrowed.

The gesture made her notice the bloodied bandage haphazardly wrapped around his hand and she started to reach for it, but pulled back. Noticing the movement, he took her hand and squeezed it lightly, gently, hoping it would reassure her that he was okay, and then dropped her hand.

“It broke.” She shrugged, unwilling to go into details, and he accepted it. Relieved to know it was finally safe, she shoved her hands back into her pockets and pressed her thumb against the underside of her ring. Her brow furrowed as she turned toward her daughter and processed the uniform pants and tanks that she wore. “Thalia…”

Lia held her hands out placatingly. “Mom, please don’t be mad,” she pleaded quietly. “Just hear me out.”

Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the dog tags that hung around her neck. Slowly, she turned to look at her husband with a cold glare. He had seen her use that piercing look on numerous people, more so since her inauguration, but it had never once been turned on on him or their children. Until now.

“Lia, take your sister to the Wardroom,” Bill said without moving his eyes from Laura.

“What? No!” she immediately protested. “If you’re gonna fight about me, I should be here!”

“Take her now, Thalia,” he repeated more firmly.

“This is so frakking unfair!” She glared at both of them with a weaker imitation of her mother’s, but grabbed Grace’s hand and nearly dragged her through the hatch.

Laura didn’t move to watch them leave, her steely eyes still focused on her husband. She counted down, not to calm herself, but to make sure their daughters didn’t linger. “What the frak did you do, Bill?” she asked slowly, each word perfectly enunciated and clipped.

“We needed pilots and she knows a Viper better than almost anyone,” he explained cautiously. “She’s almost eighteen and it was her choice.”

“Almost eighteen doesn’t make her an adult! As the Admiral, as her father, you had every chance to deny her enlistment!” Her voice rose with each accusation, a trembling finger aimed at him. “The same stars that held you hostage for all our years together are about to take my daughter too!"

"Our daughter, Laura,” he corrected, her words threatening his calm control.

"No, Bill,” she said, her voice freezing over to match her icy eyes. “My daughter is being taken away from me. You are sacrificing your daughter willingly.”

“I’m not doing this.” He took a step back, determined not to escalate their conversation any more. “It’s been a long day, a long few months. We can calm down, get some sleep, and we don’t have to argue.”

“Don’t you think this is worth an argument? You don’t think we should argue about whether or not to sacrifice Thalia? To send her off to her death like the thousands we just lost on that godsdamn frakking planet? Like we might’ve lost Zak?” Her voice broke and she turned away, throwing her hands up in surrender.

“That’s not fair and you know it.” He wasn’t sure if she wanted a fight or if she was just caught off guard, but he knew there would be no pulling her back now.

“Frak fair! We lost fair when the Cylons nuked our home and I don’t know about you, but I certainly didn’t find it down on New Caprica,” she lashed out, spinning back around toward him. “You had two jobs, Bill. Keep this fleet safe and keep our children safe. At least you only frakked up one of those.”

“And where is Zak?” He didn’t mean to throw the words back at her, but they came out anyway and he cringed.

“I don’t know! I don’t know where he is, or where Isis is! I don’t know anything right now!”

Shoving her way through the hatch didn’t relieve her anger as much as she wanted it to, and she had to clench her hands into fists in her pockets as she hurried for the hangar deck. After months away from her family, wondering if they were alive and okay, now she couldn’t get far enough away. The thought of Lia putting her life on the line like Kara and Lee did in their Vipers while her husband facilitated it made her sick. To think of what might happen to Grace only shot her nausea to concerning levels and made her squint against the bright lights and her pounding headache. Underneath all of that sat the guilt that she had failed the people on the planet and Zak too.

As the manifests filed in over the next few days, they only confirmed more and more depressing news. They had lost thousands on the planet. Some had gone missing, some had died before the Cylons, but most had died during the occupation and some had been left behind. It was a heavy weight that both Bill and Laura bore, but they shouldered it separately. With her unwilling to open up and Bill unwilling to push, there might as well have been thousands of lightyears between their ships.

Zak was missing.

Isis was missing.

There was a chance they were unconscious, lost within the fleet like Ellen had been, but each passing day lowered the odds. Laura shrouded herself in denial, but even that was fading and the pile of things she was trying to avoid only grew. Bill threw himself into Galactica’s repairs to keep his thoughts at bay, but neither were successful. As if that wasn’t enough, Saul had crawled into a bottle and when he did poke his head back out, Bill had to shove him back in. He was mourning, grieving, possibly more than most of the fleet, but they had a job to do. As long as he was unwilling to do that, he had to lean on Helo as his XO once again.

The days were as much of a blur as the first several days after the Colonies were destroyed. This time, there were fewer people, ships, and resources, but even more problems. In the back of her head, Laura knew she was going to run herself into the ground, but she couldn’t face everything that came with standing still or, gods forbid, trying to sleep. She saw nothing of Lia or Grace and barely saw Lee or Kara. Even the unavoidable calls with Bill were brief and always focused on the Fleet. Everything was buried under the regained weight of the presidency and the need to clean up the absent Baltar’s mess.

Sleep stubbornly continued to evade her, her thoughts constantly overwhelmed and not calmed by anything. She was caught between a desperate need to see her family and the anger that still burned in her. It went deep enough that she avoided Galactica at all costs, the sight only serving as a bitter reminder of everything she had spent years fighting for and still might lose.

Her elbow pressed into her desk and she rested her head in her hand, her eyes closed against the headache that never seemed to fade. The ringing of her phone made her squeeze her eyes closed, but she knew the only way to truly quiet it would be to answer. Forcing her eyes open, she reached out and picked the phone up, her eyes closing once more as she held it to her ear.

Her exhausted voice was clipped, but she knew who would be on the other end and didn’t care. “Adama.”

“Laura, we need to talk.” His use of her name was pointed and it made her pinch the bridge of her nose.

“Yes, I assumed that’s why you called,” she muttered as she sank back into her chair.

He was quiet for a moment. “Come back to Galactica. Come home.”

It wasn’t the tone of voice or the words she expected and she let out a long sigh. “Why?”

“The girls miss you; they need you.” The strain in his voice was obvious.

She started shaking her head and forced her eyes open. “They seem to do just fine with you.”

“Laura, for frak’s sake.” His voice rose and she cringed; her eyes quickly scanned the room, but it was nearly empty despite the general overcrowding on the ships. “You haven’t slept in at least three days.”

“I’d sleep better if I knew our children were safe.” She wouldn’t acknowledge that he was right. At best, she had napped, but it was really closer to lying restless in bed for an hour before she gave up. “And I have slept.”

“No, you didn’t. You haven’t been back to Galactica.”

“You know there are beds here, don’t you?”

“Not that you use,” he retorted immediately. “Lia and Grace need their mother, especially now. They haven’t seen you in months.”

Her stomach dropped at their names, the familiar guilt over her daughters hitting her once again. It was becoming harder to brush it off, especially with her headache shifting into unstoppable migraine territory. From the corner of her eye, she saw Billy enter the room and waved him over.

Grateful for an escape she didn’t have to lie about, she said, “I have to go.”

“Fine. I’m sure Grace and Lia will be happy to visit you in Sick Bay again. I don’t think they spent enough time there before; maybe it’ll reassure them this time.” His words were cold and pierced her right where he needed them to.

She hung up without saying anything and only took a second to collect herself before she hurried into the mess of the Quorum.

Each member of the fleet, especially those in the government and military, were stressed, tired, and irritable. Every ounce of it came out during the Quorum meeting, until they were more successful at starting arguments than making progress. Frustrated, Laura ended the meeting early and threatened each delegate not to reconvene until they could work together. She returned to her desk and did her best to finish out the day, and by the time she crawled into bed, she could barely keep her eyes open. Despite it, she knew she still wouldn’t sleep for long or very well. Before she could settle too much into the bed, Billy knocked.

His reluctance was overwhelming, even before he spoke. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Madam President,” he called quietly, “but your daughter is on the phone.”

It was one thing to avoid her children, but it was another to ignore and deny them. “I’ll be there in a moment,” she replied, knowing it would take her time to get up again.

His footsteps retreated and she opened her eyes to greet the dark room. She had considered leaving the lights on, but there was no middle ground. It was either too bright or too dark and she couldn’t sleep in either. Her body never felt warm enough either and made each night miserable. Sitting up required holding her head and pausing when she was upright, her vision swimming and stomach rolling dangerously. When it passed, she eased herself to her feet and fixed her robe as she crossed the room. It was late enough that she didn’t bother with shoes, and she gratefully sank into her chair behind her desk. Without the blankets, it was even colder, but just like she couldn’t get rid of her headache, nothing seemed to warm her up either. She tucked one leg under herself, procrastinating on picking up the phone. When she knew she could delay no longer, she tucked it between her ear and shoulder.

“Hi, baby,” she murmured, expecting it to be Lia.

“Hi, Mama.” Her eldest daughter sounded as tired as she felt. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t know why you’re apologizing.” She sighed, hating that her office was as dark as the bedroom.

“You and Dad are fighting because of me. And you’re not coming back because of me.” She let out a shaky breath. “The last thing I said to you was that I hated you and now you won’t look at me or Dad or Grace. And Lee and Kara are fighting and… and honestly, Kara’s fighting with everyone, even Sam. It’s like she’s stuck in some weird triangle between them and Zak and I’m just tired of everyone fighting!”

Guilt slammed into Laura and she nearly dropped the phone. Barely managing to keep hold of it, she shifted so she could lean against her desk and hide her face in her free hand. “It’s not your fault,” she managed quietly.

“You blame Dad, but that’s not fair. It’s not his fault.” Before she could protest, Lia continued. “No, Mom, please just listen to me.”

“Okay,” she reluctantly agreed.

“Dad was pissed when I told him. He told me that I have so many other career paths and that I could do anything else. It took me weeks to convince him because we needed pilots. Lee and Kara and Kat taught me so much and it was better than sending out someone who had never seen a Viper.” She paused to catch her breath. “He made me promise to hang back. I’m back up only and I stayed out of the worst of it.”

“Lia…”

“You always told me that I can be anything, do anything, so what’s wrong with me doing my part to save humanity?”

“Because this puts you in danger. I can’t lose you too,” she whispered, all of her fears from the past months pouring out.

“Lee and Kara do it constantly. You even sent Kara back to Caprica, divided the fleet for something you believed in. I want to do my part now. You can be mad at me—you should be mad at me—but don’t do this to Dad and Grace. Please.”

Laura swallowed and shook her head, struggling to make her tired, foggy mind do anything. “It’s late,” she sighed. “You should sleep.”

“Mom.”

“We’ll talk tomorrow, okay? I promise.”

“I love you. And I’m sorry.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. I love you so much, and I’m sorry too.”

“Goodnight, Mom.”

After hanging up, she retreated back to bed and felt sleep even further out of reach. Her head pounded in sync with her heartbeat and she buried her face under the blankets with a quiet groan. She had let her fear and anxiety get the best of her and assumed the worst of Bill’s intentions. In her desperation to protect her family, she had nearly crumbled it.

The next morning, she felt sluggish and irritable. Without sleep soon, she knew nothing good would happen, but that concern did little to help her mind shut up. Her first few meetings of the morning were nearly agonizing and when the Sagittaron delegate finally left, she instructed Billy to cancel her meetings for the rest of the day. Anything else could at least wait a day or be handled by Zarek.

Trying not to think about the mountain of reports waiting for her, she curled up on the couch and stared out the distant window. There was something soothing about the pinpricks of starlight, a dozen visible bits of hope against the overwhelming dark of space.

Before she could get too lost in it, a soft voice came from the doorway. “Mama?”

Laura’s brow furrowed and she sat up—too quickly—one hand pressed against the cushion to balance herself as she found Grace just inside the curtain. “Grace? Baby, what are you doing here? Did you come with Kara or your brother?”

“No…” Her lower lip trembled and the sight forced Laura off the couch. As she approached her daughter, tears began to flow down Grace’s cheeks. “Mama, I’m scared,” she sobbed. “I miss you. I miss Zak.”

Laura’s already fragile heart broke. Not bothering to try to carry her anywhere, she sat against the wall beside her and pulled her into her lap, her arms tightly wrapped around her. Grace buried her face in her chest and it didn’t do much to muffle her wails. Her fingers clung to her hair and her shirt, anchoring her in place. She gave up fighting back her own tears and let them silently slide down her face to land in her daughter’s wild hair, gently rocking her and humming their lullaby until she began to calm. She didn’t want to risk singing, the disconnect in the lyrics still a raw wound in her mind. Grace finally lifted her head, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy, and rubbed at her nose. Laura struggled to look at her and didn’t loosen her arms.

“How did you get here?” she finally asked softly, gently.

“I heard Mr. Cantrell say he was coming to see you, so I snuck onto his shuttle and hid.” Her eyes darkened, worried she would get in trouble, but Laura only held her closer.

“Oh, baby, you can’t do that! You could’ve gotten lost! Or hurt!” She shook her head and let out a long breath.

“I wanted to see you.” Her lower lip started to tremble again and Laura immediately resumed rocking her.

“Okay… okay.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s get you back to Daddy, okay?”

Grace didn’t let go. “Are you coming?”

“I am,” she sighed.

After digging up some tissues to dry their tears and blow their noses, she tightly held Grace’s hand and led the way to her office. Billy didn’t hide his surprise well, but Laura didn’t care.

“We need a shuttle as soon as possible,” she told him, eyes slightly narrowed against the bright lights. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“There’s not much left,” he said, offering Grace a small smile. “I can handle it if you’d like to stay, but I’ll arrange for a shuttle, Madam President.”

“Thank you, Billy, but there’s too much to do. I won’t be long.” After a brief hesitation, she led a silent Grace down to meet the shuttle.

Grace refused to leave her mother’s lap and Laura kept her arms tightly around her daughter until they landed safely. Once on the deck, she took over and Laura let her lead the way, surprised by how easily she navigated the corridors and constant activity of the battlestar. It wasn’t until they neared Bill’s cabin that she grew nervous, but Grace only waved to the Marines on duty and continued through the hatch they opened.

Bill was on his feet in an instant, several emotions dancing on his face before it settled on relief tinged with anger. “Grace Eirene Adama, what were you thinking?!” He stared at her and ignored Laura.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.” Grace dropped her mother’s hand and held hers in front of herself, tears rapidly forming as she looked back. “I wanted Mama and no one would get her!”

“That doesn’t mean you get to just wander around on your own!” More of his fear was reflected in his eyes, invisible to Grace but all too clear to Laura. Mixed within it was his fear for her too. “You know the rules—you never leave this room unless you’re with family or a crew member.”

Her lip only trembled harder and she wiped her nose with her hand. “But I went to Mama,” she protested, her face screwed up with her worsening tears.

“You had Sharon in a panic, Grace!”

She wondered why Sharon would be panicked about Grace missing, but she understood and agreed with each of Bill’s concerns. It wasn’t safe for any child to wander Galactica alone, but in their current unstable environment, it was even worse for Grace. But as she began to cry harder, she shot him a warning look and moved closer to soothingly rub her shoulder.

“Come on, baby. Why don’t you lay down?” she suggested softly.

She guided her past Bill and toward the rack where she helped her up into it and then tucked the blankets in around her. Bill moved closer and she felt his eyes on them, but she stayed focused on her daughter. She kissed her forehead, then her nose, and managed a small smile.

“Behave for Daddy,” she instructed quietly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Before she had a chance to move, Grace’s hand grabbed her blazer. Her fingers twisted into the material tightly enough that her knuckles went white. “Grace, sweetheart, I have to go back to work.”

“Mama, please,” she begged, her eyes wide with fear and tears.

Laura couldn’t fight her daughter, her husband, and herself all at once. Her shoulders slumped as she gave in and pushed Grace toward the bulkhead to make room. Bill moved closer, but she kept her back to him and protectively curled up around Grace with her arm lightly draped over her.

“I’m here,” she whispered, swallowing down the concern that started to grow each time she stopped running. “Mama’s here.”

It didn’t take long for Grace to calm down enough to fall asleep, her fingers still holding tight to her mother. Laura stayed where she was and when Bill finally sat down at his desk, sleep dragged her under too. The warmer light in his quarters was so different from Colonial One, from New Caprica, that she felt a little more at ease for the first time since their rescue.

He kept an eye on them from his desk, wary of Laura’s sleep that was fitful from the beginning. The reports he had been planning to read over went untouched as her restlessness grew worse. He was hesitant to wake her, but with Grace sound asleep beside her and the soft noises she was beginning to make, he couldn’t take any more. He groaned as he stood up and slowly approached his rack. His hand was gentle as he stroked her arm, watching both his wife and daughter.

“Laura,” he murmured when she didn’t wake. “Honey, wake up.” He shook her gently and curled his fingers around her arm to lightly squeeze it.

She woke to hands touching her. After so long spent alone in her cell, only to be disturbed by Cylons, she tensed up and stopped moving as she held her breath. Her chest already ached and it only grew worse as she denied her lungs more oxygen while silently begging the hands to let go and leave her alone. When they didn’t, she cracked an eye open to find Grace pressed against her chest. The sight relaxed her enough that she could look up, stifling a sob of overwhelming relief when she only found Bill. She longed to grab onto him like Grace held onto her, but she was too worried about disturbing her to move.

Understanding her dilemma, he grabbed their daughter’s stuffed giraffe off the shelf above them. Slowly, he uncurled Grace’s fingers and she sleepily grabbed onto the giraffe instead before snuggling back down into the blanket. When they were sure she was still asleep, Bill picked Laura up and she was able to wrap her arms around his neck. She held on impossibly tightly as he carried her out to the couch and settled them into the corner where she could curl up in his lap. Her head rested against his shoulder and he played with her curls, hating how light she felt in his arms.

She had always been too small, and the past years had done nothing to help that. After Hera’s miracle cure, she had gained some weight back, but it had all disappeared now and made her seem too fragile in his arms. She couldn’t hide anything and he understood part of why she had stayed away.

“I love you,” he said quietly, unsure of what else he could say.

She mumbled it back, unable to put any real volume into her voice. Her body ached and it felt like she had the full weight of Galactica on her, leaving her limp aside from her arms still around his neck. He continued combing his fingers through her hair and gently massaged the tight muscles in her neck. Expecting her to fall back to sleep, he was surprised when she continued fighting it.

“Sleep,” he murmured as he pressed a kiss near her ear.

“I can’t.” She swallowed and opened her eyes to stare at the nearby bulkhead. All of her anger had evaporated under the panic she had woken in, lacking the energy to even try to stay upset.

He let out a long breath and adjusted his arm around her. There was a similar heaviness that surrounded each person that had returned from New Caprica, but there was something more, something deeper, that surrounded the ones Bill knew had been part of the resistance. To see Saul’s missing eye at the hands of the Cylons and the shaken woman in his arms, he worried what she had been through.

“Talk to me,” he suggested instead.

“I can’t,” she repeated, but her voice broke and a tear slid down her cheek. “I just… need to keep going… Get as far away as we can.”

“You can do both.”

“Please.” It was nearly a plea and he sighed heavily.

“What is your plan then, honey? Work until you collapse? Because that’s just gonna delay the nightmares, it won’t stop them.” His tone was gentle, just firm enough to make his point. She tensed in his arms and he sighed again. “And what then? This fleet is already hanging by a thread. Do you think seeing their President collapse will reassure them? And the girls?”

“Bill, stop it,” she begged. She couldn’t argue with his points, his logic, but she couldn’t deal with it either. It felt like her head was going to explode, and that was if her body didn’t implode first.

“I can’t.” He turned her words back on her. “It’s my duty as your husband to take care of you and my duty as Admiral to support the President.”

She shook her head once, her voice failing her and her body too tired to even shed more tears. Her grip slowly loosened until she was completely limp in his arms, the fight she had held onto for so long fleeing her.

“I’ll take you to Sick Bay,” he warned, the sight of her spirit so diminished frightening him more than anything. She didn’t respond and he looked down at her and her lined face that only revealed her stressed exhaustion and nothing more. “Laura…”

She blinked and opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but only exhaled. His decision made, he carefully shifted her off his lap and to the couch. She was like a ragdoll and he made sure she wouldn’t slide off before he stood up and quickly crossed the cabin to the wireless.

Within half an hour, Cottle arrived and sat on the coffee table across from them. Bill held her in his lap again, but the moment the doctor reached for her arm, every muscle in her body tensed and she withdrew into her husband as much as he could. Cottle immediately retracted his hand and held it up in surrender.

“Laura,” he said gently, “look at me.”

“No, I don’t need… I’m fine. I’m sorry we bothered you.” As hard as she tried to make her voice sound normal, she failed. It trembled and there was an edge of panic to it that she couldn’t control. “Please just go…”

“No, I’d really like to know what’s going on.” He met Bill’s eyes and he could only offer a slight shrug in answer to the look he gave. “I need to check your vitals before I give you anything.”

“Then don’t. Just go.” Her voice started to creep up, but she thought of Grace sleeping in the next room and forcibly swallowed it down.

“Honey…” Bill stroked his hand along her arm and somehow she tensed even further. With a heavy sigh, he decided this was their only chance. If she wouldn’t sleep or accept help, he would do whatever it took to get her what she needed.

His fingers were gentle and light as he grabbed the sleeve of her blouse and eased it up her arm. He couldn’t see at first, but the surprise Cottle couldn’t hide made him sit up enough to look. Bruises lined her arms, various shades and all fairly small. At first he thought they were fingerprints, but they weren’t spaced correctly. His brow furrowed and he let out a breath as he wondered what had happened to her.

Laura didn’t have the energy to fight them, couldn’t even find it in herself to cry or keep panicking. A heavy cloud of numbness settled over her instead as her tears dried on her cheeks.

“Laura…” Bill let go of her sleeve and pressed a kiss to her head. She didn’t respond, but she didn’t fight when Cottle reached forward again.

“Talk to her, keep her distracted,” he ordered quietly.

His mind went blank, suddenly not a single thought in his head that he could share. Searching frantically, he tightened his arm around her and held her secure while Cottle prepared to check her vitals.

“Grace is so much like you,” he finally said. “That look in her eyes when she doesn’t want to do something. She’s even started putting her hands on her hips and I caught her wearing your blazers sometimes. She actually said she missed school.”

Laura couldn’t look away from Cottle, but she let her husband’s words and voice fill her head and ears. It was soothing, familiar, and though she didn’t process anything he said, it allowed her to keep breathing until the doctor sat back.

“I don’t like what I’m seeing,” he sighed, his attention mostly on Bill, “but I’m guessing it’s mostly sleep deprivation. Let’s get you to sleep through the night and then we’ll take another look.” He directed his last words to her.

“Please,” she whispered, her tongue darting out to wet her painfully dry lips. She knew what it entailed and the thought of another needle near her bruised veins made her breath catch in her chest, but not nearly as badly as facing another sleepless night or unending nightmares.

“Oh, honey…” Bill swallowed and rested his head against hers. “I’ve got you.”

After promising that they would stop by Sick Bay within the next few days, Cottle administered the sedative. Her tears picked up again, but she couldn’t feel them aside from where they stung the corners of her tired eyes. Once the doctor left, Bill tucked her back into his rack beside Grace who had miraculously stayed asleep. As he leaned against the bulkhead to watch them, he scrubbed his hands over his face and found himself at a loss for what to do next. With the CIC safely in Helo’s hands, he grabbed a chair and sat beside his rack with his book. He balanced it against the leg he had crossed over the other and rubbed his wife’s back as he read silently.

When Grace woke some time later, he convinced her to go with Lia to find food, keeping the cabin quiet for Laura who didn’t stir. She was still asleep through dinner and when he put their daughter down for the night on the couch, it was a relief to finally crawl in beside Laura’s too-still, but thankfully warm body. His mind was too awake with thoughts of what she could have gone through, unable to forget the sight of her bruise-covered arm. He had to resist the urge to check for more, worried about how far up they went and how bad they got. Exhaustion finally dragged him under too, his arm loosely wrapped around her.

The sedation began to wear off in the early hours of the morning. Her sudden shifting woke him quickly and he used the arm draped over her to pull her into his chest. At first, his hand moved to her arm, but he shifted it higher and lightly rubbed her shoulder.

“You’re okay. Everything is okay.” He kissed her head and felt the moment she fully woke up, her body tensing and going rigid against him.

Her eyes opened to dim lighting, the lamp above her providing just enough to make out the cabin. The sight immediately began to calm her, further assisted by the warmth of Bill behind her and the solidity of the rack beneath her. She focused on her breathing, each deep breath in and then out, until she could roll onto her back to look at him.

“Good morning,” he greeted quietly as he adjusted his arm to her new position.

She blinked up at him, her throat too dry and her mind too foggy to try speaking yet. Vaguely, she was aware that her head and body hurt, but it was muffled by the thick layer of cotton she was processing through.

“How are you feeling?” he tried.

Slowly, she shifted to her other side to face him, her arm stretching out around him. He laid back and her head settled on his shoulder, her fingers absently tracing out patterns on his bare chest. When her fingers fell still, she could feel his steady heartbeat beneath his skin, and it reassured her even as she traced the long scar his chest bore.

“I’m sorry.” He kissed her head and tried not to get caught up in the guilt he felt.

“For?” she mumbled after licking her dry lips.

“Having Cottle sedate you, for letting Lia fly. For Zak.”

She huffed and lightly scraped her nails over his skin. “No.” Their fight wasn’t a topic she could handle at the moment, and she was too relieved at the hours of uninterrupted sleep she had gotten to be upset about the sedation.

“I didn’t know what else to do; you scared me, sweetheart.” His arm tightened briefly.

“Scared me.” She shook her head and tightened her arm in response. “Water?”

“Of course.” He kissed her head again, but the moment he started to move, she protested and didn’t move her arm. “You have to let me go if you want water.”

“No.” Her lower lip stuck out and she shifted closer.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised.

She reluctantly pulled her arm back and after he climbed over her to get up, she slowly sat up and leaned against the bulkhead. The cabin swam around her and she closed her eyes against it, her arms encircling her legs to hold them close. When her eyes opened, Bill had returned and cautiously sat on the edge of the mattress with the glass extended.

“Go slow…”

With an annoyed grunt, she accepted the water. Her hand didn’t shake as badly as she expected it to and she was able to take slow sips of it. The cool water soothed her dry mouth and aching head, and she returned the glass when it was empty. He set it on the shelf above them and slid beneath the blankets, holding them up for her to join him. She did without hesitation, seeking out his warmth against the chilly air.

“What do you need?” he asked after a few minutes.

“I don’t know.” She took a deep breath and looked up at him. “I’ve been running on adrenaline for so long…”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He shook his head and securely held her as close as he could. “But you’re safe. The fleet is safe, the kids are safe, and you need to rest. The work will still get done.”

“Zak isn’t… And the nightmares…”

“Zak isn’t your fault and we’ll deal with it and the nightmares. It’s not the first time.” He kissed her forehead and offered a small smile. Between her Chamalla-induced visions, nightmares through the years, and a newborn Grace, they had weathered more than their fair share of sleepless nights together. He considered her tired but still beautiful face for a moment and kissed her softly. “Grace should be asleep a while longer. Let’s go for a run.”

She let out a short, surprised laugh. “You sedated me for twelve hours. I’ll be lucky to walk right now.”

“Then we’ll go for a walk. Slow and steady.” He rested his forehead against hers.

“You’re not gonna let me say no.”

“Not unless you’ll tell me what happened.”

She sighed and cupped his face. “Not yet, I’m sorry… I missed you.”

“I love you.” He paused, but reached up to take her hand. “We need to talk when you’re feeling better.”

“I know,” she whispered, her eyes closing briefly. “Later, please.”

He kissed her softly and squeezed her hand. “When you’re feeling better,” he repeated. “Drink some more water, we’ll go for a walk, and we’ll take it from there. Okay?”

“You make it sound so easy…” She bit her lip and met his eyes.

“You’re so focused on the next big step. You always have been. But we’ll take this little by little, day by day.” He slowly sat up again and pulled her with. “We’re in this together, remember?”

“Together.” She managed a weak smile. “Are they okay? Our girls?”

Unwilling to sugarcoat this topic, he sighed and rubbed her arm. “Lia has been so guilt-ridden about how she left things and Grace finally got to the point where she can sleep alone again. They’ve been so worried about you and they’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed them too. I thought about you every day, every night. It kept me going through it all.” A frown started to form, but he kissed it away.

“Will you promise me something?” He smiled reassuringly at her continued hesitation. “You’re not carrying this alone. The same thing I promised you when you first stood on Galactica before Grace was born and that you promised me the day of the attacks. Promise you won’t hide away, Laura.”

“Bill…” She licked her lips and shook her head. “You can’t either, then. I know how guilty you feel about leaving, and you don’t get to carry that alone either.”

“You’re frakking stubborn.”

“You taught our daughter how to swear.”

He chuckled quietly. “Yeah, that might be my fault.”

“Might be?” Her eyebrow briefly arched up.

“Weren’t we going for a walk?” he deflected.

He stood up and gestured for her to stay put as he grabbed her glass and refilled it. Only after she had emptied it again did he offer his arm to help her up too, holding steady to support her as she shakily got to her feet. He couldn’t help his small, proud smile as she focused on trading her worn, wrinkled pantsuit for a loose tracksuit. It took extra effort for each step, the lingering effects of the sedative still dulling her thoughts and movements. As she changed, he caught sight of the bruises that lined the inside of her arms. They had already started to turn an awful green and yellow and he hoped they didn’t hurt as much as they looked like they did, but he knew the mental pain was more than enough. It made him sigh, wishing she could open up and tell him what had happened, but understanding her need for space too. After her reaction to Cottle, he had started piecing some of it together, but he wasn’t sure what could be true and what was just his own worries.

By the time she was ready, she was worried she lacked the energy to actually go for their walk, but when her arm looped through his, she was able to borrow from some of his strength.

Arm in arm, they checked on Grace who was still curled up and sound asleep, and made their way out into the corridor. He picked their path and she followed beside him, not caring where they went as long as he was beside her. It was still early—or late—enough that the ship was quiet, her corridors nearly empty. Both were grateful for the privacy it awarded them, allowing them to wander freely. Her exhaustion caught up to her before long and they turned back toward their quarters, returning just as the morning reveille sounded.

She leaned against the bulkhead to toe her shoes off and crawled back into their rack, her face pressed into a pillow that smelled overwhelmingly of her husband and home. The scent calmed her enough so she could catch her breath and relax, turning her head to find him watching her from a few steps away.

“You okay?” he asked softly, the lines around his eyes belaying his concern.

She hummed and nodded. “I think I need another week of sleep.”

“We could make that happen.”

“Can doesn’t mean should.” She sighed and considered sitting up, but decided to stay where she was.

“Will you at least rest for today?” He moved closer and combed his fingers through her hair.

“I’m too tired of fighting every day,” she admitted.

“You’ve earned a good, long rest. We all have.” He stroked her cheek and smiled. “Sleep, and I’ll wake you for breakfast.”

Immediately, worries of nightmares flooded her mind. She took a few steadying breaths, helped by the warmth of his fingers against her face, and nodded.

“I’ll be right here,” he reassured her. He turned his hand so the back of his fingers caressed along her temple and she felt the warm metal of his wedding ring. “I will always be right here, my love.”

“I missed this,” she sighed as she closed her eyes.

She felt the mattress dip as he settled beside her, his hand moving to rub her shoulder, too worried about hurting her. His touch was light, sending goosebumps along her skin and a shiver through her body. He kept doing it and began to hum softly, easily lulling her to sleep. Once she was out, he got up to order breakfast and check on Grace, then quickly returned to her side. She was far enough over that he could sit up against the bulkhead and watch her, his hand resting on her back. When her sleep began to grow restless, he resumed his humming and played with her hair until she settled back down, her face exhausted even in sleep. She always held herself so tall, carried such a large presence, that it was easy to miss the dark bags under her eyes and the deep worry lines carved into her face. But he saw them all as he watched her sleep, his fingers ghosting along her skin.

He stayed with her until Grace woke up, the sounds of her yawning and shifting around drawing him from his wife’s side. She was still curled up tightly in the blanket, but looked up when he walked into the room. He smiled and sat beside her, his fingers combing through her hair like he had with Laura.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Want to come wake Mama with me?”

Her sleepy eyes lit up and she reached for him. He pushed the blankets back and stood up with her, carrying her back toward his rack where Laura’s restlessness had returned. It was hard to see her sleep so easily disturbed and it made him worry about how she had handled all her nights alone. As Grace settled on the other side of her and he leaned against the outer edge, Laura’s eyes fluttered and blinked open. She looked up first to center herself, and then at Grace when she leaned over into her view.

“Mama!” she giggled sleepily and laid her head on her chest, her arm tightly wrapped around her.

“Hi, there.” She rubbed her back and played with the ends of her hair. “I missed you waking me up.”

“I missed you.” She cuddled closer and Laura hugged her as tightly as she dared, burying her face in her hair to hide her tears.

Bill shifted closer and lightly squeezed his wife’s arm which made her lift her head to look at him. There was a deep sadness swirling in her dulled, watery eyes, but it was tempered by the sheer relief there too.

“I love you,” he said as he bent down to kiss her forehead. “I love you both.”

She let out a soft hum and bent her knees to rest her feet against the mattress. “Love you,” she murmured, her eyes sliding closed.

Exhaustion still haunted her and though both the night of sleep and nap had finally broken the headache’s hold on her, she worried about what the next night would bring.

“Hey…” He brushed her hair back from her face and was smiling when she opened her eyes again, but she could see that it was tense. “One thing at a time.”

“One thing at a time,” she agreed with a weak smile. “Shower first, then breakfast?”

“I think that’s a good start.” He pulled back and helped Grace out, then offered his hand to Laura.

She was steadier on her feet this time, more of her equilibrium restored without the headache. Her eyes lingered on Bill for a moment as his hand did on her back, but she finally pulled away to disappear into the head.

It wasn’t easy for either of them to adjust, but sleep at least came easier when Laura was in his rack. Even when the nightmares came, he held her close. Sometimes she was able to go back to sleep and sometimes they stayed up the rest of the night. She tried not to feel guilty about stealing sleep from him too, but she was grateful for his presence late at night, whether they sat quietly on the couch or worked through their respective mountains of paperwork. It was enough sleep that she was able to function, but he could still see the toll that it was taking on her.

He woke to find the spot beside him empty, the cold sheets telling him that she had been gone a while. Normally, he woke when she did, but the previous night had been rough on them both and his body had given in to deep sleep the moment they laid down. Sighing, he slowly stood up and followed the dim light to find her at the table. Folders and reports sat open in front of her, but her head rested in her hand as she watched Grace sleep across the room. His footsteps disturbed her and she quickly sat up, fingers gripping the edge of the table. Their daughter hated her cabin on her own with Lia now in crew quarters, and they had both given in to her request to stay on the couch.

“Did I wake you?” she asked quietly.

“You should’ve,” he replied gently, not moving further into the room.

“You need your sleep too.” She smiled sadly, tiredly, and pulled her legs up to rest against the table with her arms loosely wrapped around them.

“Let’s go for a walk.” It had become their new routine when sleep evaded her.

“Bill, it’s late.”

He shrugged. “I want to show you something.”

She sighed and stood up, abandoning her work to follow him back so they could quickly change. Bundled in an oversized sweater, she kept her arms wrapped around herself as they left their quarters and she followed him through the ship.

When they started to slow as they reached the memorial corridor, her steps faltered and she looked at him. He kept her moving with an encouraging look, his hand coming to rest on her back. Her eyes scanned the pictures and notes that covered the bulkheads until he guided them to a stop and gestured ahead of them. A storage container had been pushed against the bulkhead and held a small altar, two lit candles nearing the end of their lives. The wax surrounding them told of other candles that had stood there before. Small figurines of Hera, Apollo, and Demeter watched over the flames, and as her eyes moved upwards, she found children’s artwork. Most of the names were familiar—the students she had taught on Galactica—and a few signed by Grace too. Above it all hung a photo of her from Colonial Day, her head tipped back in laughter and a wide smile on her face. She had never seen the photo and it felt like another lifetime ago looking at it now. Next to it hung a photo of Zak and Kara, and she reached out a shaking hand to lightly touch their faces.

“I don’t know who put them up,” he admitted quietly. “It might’ve been Lia, but she won’t admit to it. But everyone had something to add. Your students, crew members. It became a beacon of hopes and prayers for your safe return. Lia was here constantly, always making sure the candles were burning.” He paused and moved his arm to fully wrap around her. She leaned into him as tears rolled down her cheeks, unable to look away from the physical manifestation of hope before her. “This fleet is Lia’s family as much as it is ours,” he continued, his voice just as soft. “She couldn’t sit idly by, especially as we prepared for a rescue. She needed to do her part to protect this family—her family—and she wanted to be there when we rescued you. How could I say no to that, Laura? How could I deny her the ability to do that?”

At a complete loss for words, she turned toward him and buried her face in his chest. Her arms encircled him, fingers gripping his shirt, and he held her closer, tighter. Slowly, he rocked her side to side and let his head rest against hers, feeling the silent sobs as she gave in to all of the grief and anguish she had felt for so long. She sniffled as she loosened her hold, still leaning into him but not quite as desperately. He kissed her head and only held her closer.

“I wasn’t sacrificing our daughter and I hated every moment she was out there, but I thought it was the best decision for our family. As both leader and father.” He swallowed and reluctantly let go in case she wanted to pull away.

She didn’t move.

“I wrote letters to you,” she said after a while. “Every day. Letters to each of the kids, to my parents and sisters.” She licked her lips and tilted her head to look at him, the occasional tear still falling. “They were all left behind in my desk.”

He reached up and gently wiped her tears away with a slight smile. “We’re here, my love.” Keeping one arm around her, he leaned over and gently pulled her photo from the wall, but left everything else behind. It would still serve as a reminder, but she was no longer among the missing. He slid it into his pocket and gave her a stronger smile. “We can keep walking,” he offered, “try the Observation Lounge, or we could head home.” He hoped she would sleep some more but didn’t want to put any pressure on her.

“Think we can find some tea before we head back?”

He chuckled softly and nodded. “Without you to drink it all, I still have some hidden away. We’ll get some hot water.”

“I knew I loved you for a reason.” She wiped at her eyes and then her nose, and pulled back just enough so they could start walking again. “I’m sorry for what I said. All of it.”

“I know.” He squeezed her against his side.

Before they left, she stroked Zak’s side of the picture again, her touch lingering and her hand shaking. Slowly, she folded it over so only his face was visible and then allowed her husband to lead her away. Both were quiet the rest of the way to the Mess Hall and then back to their quarters, managing a few more hours of sleep before their day began.

After their interrupted sleep, both were grateful for a quiet morning. It allowed them to take their time, slowly moving around their quarters until they settled at the table with their respective paperwork, waiting for something to draw one of them away.

Laura sighed softly and looked up, her head coming to rest in her hand. “So, you’re telling me a Cylon has been watching our daughter?”

His eyes continued to move over the CAG reports. He knew this topic would come up sooner rather than later, and he tried to prepare himself as best he could. “No, a lieutenant in the Colonial fleet, the reason why we were able to get you off New Caprica in the first place, has been watching our daughter. Along with my XO,” he responded. “I told her about her daughter. She has every reason to distrust us, to hate us, but she went down there anyway. Helo offered to help despite it, continued his duties as XO.”

She dropped her pen and folded her hands with another sigh. “She’s a Cylon, Bill.”

“She risked her life, same as any of us did, to save the very people who had kept her locked away for over a year. Maybe it’s not all just programming. Maybe they can make their own decisions and she’s made hers.”

“How can you trust her?”

“How can we trust anyone? Humans have frakked themselves over for centuries and we still do it to this day. The Gideon massacre, Zarek, Baltar, you name it. But we’re sitting here now and Zarek is your Vice President. We trust them as they trust us, trust in our survival.”

She was silent for several long moments, her thumb slowly stroking the side of her finger. It was difficult, but she pushed through and took a deep breath. “I trust you,” she finally said. “I trust Helo. I don’t know about Sharon, especially with Hera missing, but I trust you.”

“She’s good with Grace and Grace has come to really like her. She’s always loved Helo.” He offered a small, reassuring smile. “But we need to get her daughter back.”

“I know we do.” Her nose wrinkled and she shook her head. “There are a lot of things we need to do.”

“One step at a time,” he reminded her.

She dropped her hands and lightly rubbed her arms, her eyes drifting away from him. “I don’t like it.”

He gestured around them. “We’ve been running for our lives for over a year, Laura. There’s not much to like about this.”

“I like you.” A tired smile lifted the corner of her lips.

He chuckled softly. “I like you.”

She hummed and closed her folder. “We’re okay, right?”

He reached across and took her hand before she could pull it back, loosely intertwining their fingers. “We’re okay, but we should talk to them.”

“What is there to say? Sorry I faked your daughter’s death and couldn’t keep her safe?”

“Might be a good place to start.”

She groaned and leaned against the table. “You’re right. I owe them that much.”

“But we’re okay,” he repeated, watching her closely.

“Thank you.” She squeezed his hand, hating that she needed the reassurance but appreciating it all the same.

The next afternoon, as prepared as possible, she walked into Bill’s quarters to find him already waiting with Helo and Sharon. Her steps faltered at the sight and she swallowed, her hands clenching in her pockets before she pulled them free.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” She tried to smile as she crossed the room and sat beside her husband, aware of everyone’s eyes on her. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long.”

“We just got here.” Helo held his wife’s hand beneath the table.

Since she had tried to end his daughter’s life, he had just barely stayed on the right side of cordiality with her, but ignored her more often than not. Sharon had channeled all of their anger, but even she had calmed since New Caprica. Her disgust and anger still burned in her eyes and the way she clung to her husband, and it made Laura sit stiffly in her chair.

“Where is Hera?” Sharon demanded quietly.

“I don’t know,” Laura answered honestly. “I did everything I could to keep her safe and I am sorry I failed.”

“She shouldn’t have been down there in the first place!”

“Sharon,” Bill warned quietly.

“No, I’m sorry, Admiral, but she shouldn’t have been! She should’ve been safe with us, here!” Sharon glanced at Helo and then focused all of her attention on Laura. “You stole our daughter, you lied, and you lost her! Now she’s out there, gods know where, and alone! Probably being used by medical experiments or whatever other awful things they want with her.”

“Do you want to know how I lost her?” Laura’s voice was low, calm, but Bill heard the tension underneath it and briefly looked at her.

“I don’t give a flying frak how it happened.” Sharon’s hand hit the table and she shook her head.

“I spent the last few weeks in the detention center, subject to a Four’s medical experiments because your daughter saved my life. Until the Cylons arrived, I was with her every day. After that, I made sure she was kept safe and hidden, but once I was arrested, there was nothing I could do. Tyrol saved me the same day Galactica came back and I stupidly entrusted Hera’s safety to someone else. So, yes, blame me, but know that I looked after her as if she was my own daughter.” Her voice was almost clinical, like she was reading off the supply report and not detailing the trauma from the planet. It worried Bill, but he did his best to keep it under wraps for now. He could check on her after Helo and Sharon left.

“Am I supposed to feel badly for you?” Sharon asked quickly, but then her expression softened and she looked away. “That was cruel, I’m sorry. What the Cylons did on New Caprica is inexcusable, but you can’t expect us to forget our anger over losing our daughter.”

“We don’t expect you to.” She let out a breath that was shakier than she expected and briefly closed her eyes. “I’m not asking for your forgiveness and I don’t deserve it. I just need you to know that I tried so frakking hard to keep her safe and I will do everything I can to get her back.”

Both Sharon and Helo looked surprised until they covered it and Bill rested his hand on Laura’s thigh. She gently pushed it away without shifting her eyes.

“Where do we start? When do we start?” Helo asked when no one else spoke.

“We don’t know.” Bill cleared his throat and leaned forward. “We’re hoping you have some insight you can share about where they might have taken her.”

“I-I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.”

Sharon shook her head again and suddenly stood up. She walked away, then turned back. “How was she? Was she… she was okay?”

“She was… she is incredible.” The smallest of smiles formed. “Before the Cylons came back, I think Grace was jealous of the attention I gave her.”

“I don’t understand how you could do this. Especially as a mother.” She frowned and her hands landed on her hips.

“Because I have to think about the entire fleet. I don’t get the luxury of always thinking like a mother or a wife, or even about myself,” Laura answered simply, the same argument she had made to Bill and Cottle. “Neither of us got a choice when Hera’s blood saved my life, but I had a choice this time. I won’t apologize for what I did, but I am sorry for the pain and torture I have put you through. And if there is anything more I can do, we can do, please.”

“No offense, but there’s nothing we want from you. We want our daughter.” Helo stood up and joined his wife.

“I understand that, I do. Thank you for taking the time today to hear me out and if you think of anything, please let Bill know.” She nodded to the man beside her, knowing they were both more likely to go to him than her. She couldn’t blame them.

“Admiral. Madam President.” He nodded to Bill and guided Sharon from the room.

Silence fell over the room in their absence and Laura didn’t move, her mixture of emotions freezing her to the spot. Bill watched her, more from the side of his eye than directly. Somehow, it had gone better than he thought it would, but he worried that she was going to pull back into herself and hold her guilt even closer.

“I had to do it,” she whispered, staring blankly ahead. “It wasn’t safe and I made my decision and then I just frakked it all up.”

“You were held captive. It was out of your control,” he said patiently.

“But they’re right. If she had been with her parents, it never would’ve happened.”

“Sharon was in the brig. That’s not conducive to children, especially a newborn.”

“So, you’re saying we were frakked no matter what?”

“Kind of. Laura, come here.” He offered his hand, but she ignored it.

“No, I have things to do. I should get going.” She shook her head and started to stand up, but he gently grabbed her arm to stop her.

“No, you’re going to shove this in the closet along with everything else and honey, it’s getting concerningly full.” He loosened his arm and she stayed where she was.

“What do you expect me to do about it?” she snapped. “Frak, Bill, there’s no magic wand we can wave to fix all of this. I frakked up and now I have to live with it and deal with it. Meanwhile, the fleet is still recovering and I have a job to do and children—child,” she sighed, “to check on.”

“I thought Grace was staying here today.”

“No, she begged to come with me and I couldn’t say no.”

“You’re taking on too much again.”

“Bill, I really can’t do this now.” This time she succeeded in standing up.

He immediately stood too. “That’s fine, but it means we’re doing it later.”

“Gods, why are you like this?” Realizing her words, she forced herself to take a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m tired and each morning, I wake up and feel like I’m drowning, and it never gets better. And I know today had to happen for their sake, but I’m so frakking tired of suffocating under the weight of all of this.”

“Then stop holding it all inside, Laura!” He looked at her pleadingly, the sight of her the day of the rescue still haunting him. “Try talking, for frak’s sake. If you won’t talk to me, then talk to someone. Please.”

“Because you’re so good at doing that, right?”

“Believe it or not, you’ve been through trauma after trauma the last few months.”

She stopped him before he could continue. “Please, just stop. Hesperides, please, gods.” Her voice broke and she hid behind her hand as she looked away.

He sighed and gave her her space, as much as it killed him to stand back. “I’m worried about you,” he said quietly. “You’re not okay and no one expects you to be.”

“I’m the President. Everyone expects me to hold it together.”

“During a press conference, a meeting, sure. Not when we’re in the privacy of our own cabin.”

“I don’t have time to keep breaking down and losing it.”

“Then make time.”

“I thought our argument was supposed to pause.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. But I am worried about you.”

She knew she couldn’t say she was fine, not without it being a bold-faced lie, so she stayed quiet with her eyes averted.

“Come back tonight. Please?” He took a slow step closer and rested his hand on her shoulder.

“I don’t want to be anywhere but here right now. As infuriating as you are.” She bit her lip and looked up at him.

“Then go handle what you need to, and I promise I’ll be just as infuriating tonight.” He kissed her head and felt her lean into him.

“As long as you promise,” she murmured, the fight leaving her as her head settled against his chest.

“Go, my love. You can do this.” He let her go after kissing her head again.

“What would I do without you?”

“Lose your head, probably,” he teased softly.

“Thank you.” She leaned up and kissed him lightly. “I love you.”

“I love you too, honey.”

He watched her go, every part of him worried about her. He wasn’t sure what to do. Unlike sedating her, which she had agreed to, he couldn’t make her talk to anyone against her will. He could try pushing her into it, but he knew it would only explosively backfire. She was too on edge, stress and exhaustion shortening her fuse until it was nearly nonexistent. Acknowledging there was nothing he could do at the moment but resolving to continue mulling over it, he headed out the hatch and toward the CIC.

It took nearly two weeks before duty called Laura fully back to Colonial One. The nightmares hadn’t lessened, but she had figured out how to work with them to get as much sleep as she could to stay more or less healthy and on her feet. Bill and Grace had protested, and their youngest daughter had surprised them by insisting on going with her mother instead. Knowing they’d both be back on the battlestar soon enough reassured him and made it a little easier as she packed up her few things and glanced back, unsurprised to find her husband watching with his typical blank expression.

“What?” she sighed, not in irritation but hoping he would just open up and say what was on his mind.

“Well, you’re in my rack.” He shrugged and arched an eyebrow at her.

“You couldn't get me out of it fast enough this morning,” she pointed out with a raised eyebrow of her own. Her perpetually cold feet had woken him and he had teasingly threatened to send her to the couch if she didn’t put socks on.

The sounds of his boots on the deck filled the room as he approached her, then softened when he hit the rug behind her. “I have something for you.”

He held a small black box in his hands that he had picked up off his desk before he moved, and he held it out to her now. She recognized it immediately as the same box she had gifted him the Admiral insignias in, but it reminded her more of that day that felt like a million years ago when he had knelt on the grass and proposed. The memory lifted the corner of her lips in a curious smile.

“I’ve been thinking,” he began, his hand closing over hers when she reached for the box, “the last few days and I need you to know that no matter where the President and the Admiral stand, I will always love you and I will always come home to you.”

“Oh, Bill…” Tears immediately sprung to her eyes and she swallowed. “I know that. I do.”

“I know.” He cupped her face and stroked his thumb over her cheek, through the few tears that had fallen. “But I wanted you to have something to remind you of that when we’re not together.”

She held up her left hand and sniffled. “I have a reminder. I’ve had one for a while now, honey.”

He moved his hand to rest on her shoulder after leaving the box in hers, fighting the uneasiness in his heart at letting her leave again. He understood it, supported it, but hated it at the same time. “Open it.”

Carefully, she lifted the lid and furrowed her brow at the Commander’s insignia inside. There was only one, but both had been returned with Lee after Pegasus’ destruction. Confused as to why it would pass to her now, she looked up at him, her question already on her lips.

“I want you to have it, so the thing that kept me away will remind you that I’ll always come back,” he said quietly, his blue eyes overflowing with all of his sincerity, concern, and mostly love.

“I…”

“Take it,” he insisted gently. “Lia has the other one and Lee has my father’s lighter.”

“Thank you,” she managed, her voice breaking.

Her fingers were incredibly gentle as she lifted the cool metal from the box and held it up, reaching behind her to set the box aside. Her thumb stroked over the ridges and traced the edges of the familiar accessory. She had held them twice, both times to promote him, but this felt different. Was different. Her fingers closed around it and she held it to her chest, her lips parting as she struggled for words.

“What about you?” she asked quietly.

He wrapped his arm around her and gently pinned her against the bulkhead. “You’re the one who spent months nearly alone. And when you return to Colonial One, I’ll still have Lee, Kara, and Lia here.”

“So, the big strong Admiral doesn’t need a worry stone?” she teased lightly.

“Have you looked at the CnC recently?” He shook his head and kissed her softly.

She held up her hand again as he pulled back, this time with her palm facing him so he could see the slightly discolored portion on her wedding band. Before the attacks, she had been meticulous about taking care of the few pieces of jewelry she wore, but it had been hard to maintain that since then, and even harder on New Caprica. Her ring was starting to show its age, but she didn’t mind. It was only a reminder of how long it had sat on her finger.

“I kept it hidden while I was in the detention center,” she admitted. “I couldn’t let them take it and I miss my necklace.” Her fingers brushed her neck where a different one sat and she glanced toward her jewelry box that kept the loose ruby safe.

“It’s not the ring that matters.” He took her hand and laced their fingers together.

“No, but I am rather attached to it.” The ring would only come off with a fight, and it wasn’t one she ever intended to try again.

He squeezed her hand and kissed her again, this time lingering. She hummed and pressed back, her eyes sliding closed as she melted into his arms.

“We need to get you to your shuttle,” he murmured against her lips.

She only hummed again. Permanently moving to Galactica had crossed her mind several times, but it had never been feasible. The need to keep the government and the military as separate as possible had to be held above all else, but things were different. The fleet had changed, she had changed, and now she wondered if they could make it work. She already knew it was worth it.

“Let’s go,” she sighed, reluctantly releasing him so she could finish packing.

She had waited as long as possible to leave Galactica, and after tucking Grace into bed, she retreated to her room. Her anxiety had started to grow and it left her neck and shoulders tense as she got ready for bed, somehow missing her husband even more than she had thought she would. Before she could sink any further, the phone rang and she sighed as she sat on her bed to answer it.

“Adama.”

“Are you getting ready for bed?” Bill asked, and the sound of his voice immediately made her smile.

“Why? Are you checking in on me?”

“I did marry a workaholic.” He chuckled quietly.

“I put Grace to bed and I’m a few minutes away from doing the same,” she answered.

“Go finish and I’ll be here when you lay down.”

“Not your nugget.” She stood up anyway and left the phone on the bed. As soon as she had changed and settled between the blankets, she pulled it close and hummed. “I’m in bed.”

“It’s just like the old days.”

“You mean last year or last decade?” She settled down into the mattress and bent her legs.

“All the long calls. Hearing Grace’s first word, reading Lia to sleep.” He sighed, but it was filled with contentment.

Again, she considered the possibility of moving to Galactica and never having to worry about the distance. For both her and Grace; being closer to Lia, Lee, and Kara too. She decided it warranted more serious thought and a conversation with Billy, possibly even one with Zarek.

“Where did you go?” His voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Mhmm, sorry. I’m here.”

“I should let you sleep.”

She hesitated and worried at her lower lip. “Will you stay? At least until I fall asleep?”

“Of course. I’ll recite the Viper handbook for you.”

She stretched her legs out to get comfortable. “Just because that worked on our daughter, doesn’t mean it’ll work on me.”

“We’ll see. Chapter one: getting to know your Viper,” he began.

“Bill!” She laughed, and for a split-second, they weren’t the leaders of the fleet with humanity’s lives on their shoulders and desperate for retirement. They were just a teacher and a Viper pilot, trying to pass the time until his next shore leave.

“Goodnight, honey.”

“Goodnight.” The worry of nightmares lingered at the edge of her thoughts, but they were held far enough away by Bill.

With his voice in her ear, talking about nothing in particular, she was able to quickly fall asleep. As her breathing evened out, he waited a little longer to make sure she was okay, then reluctantly hung up to sleep himself.

Chapter Text

It was obvious Laura was making excuses to return to Galactica, but no one, least of all Bill, was willing to call her out on it. The fleet had enough problems, still slowly putting itself together and trying to find a way forward. Grace was usually by her side, but they had finally gotten her to return to school on the Odysseus, partial days that worked up to whole ones. It was a relief, something tangible that things were settling into a new normal.

A canceled meeting gave her some free time she wasn’t expecting and she wandered down to her husband’s quarters, immediately smiling when she found him at the table with his model ship. He looked up but didn’t say anything, his hand gesturing to the chair across from him before he grabbed a paintbrush from the old and worn pottery cup.

“Am I disturbing you?” she murmured.

“You’re never disturbing me,” he reminded her.

Reassured, she settled into the chair and rested her head in her hand to watch him work. “He’s gone, isn’t he?” she asked, her voice even softer. Her mind had done its best to hide in denial, but it was starting to recede and she wanted her husband by her side. “He’s really gone this time…”

“Yeah.” His throat was suddenly dry and he swallowed. “Yeah, he’s gone. Zak’s gone.” He had processed it, agonizingly slowly, but it still hurt just as much.

“You would’ve been proud of him down there, Bill.” Her voice grew shaky and she closed her eyes, her forehead pressed into her hand. “He was… he did so much. All the time. Kept an eye on me, never stopped looking for Kara. I should’ve stayed with him…”

They both knew this moment would come eventually and he didn’t hesitate to set his paintbrush down to move his chair closer. He wrapped his arm around her and she collapsed into him with a stifled sob. This wasn’t the time to remind her it wasn’t her fault. She needed to let it out and he held her as close as he could, his eyes focused on the ceiling.

“Billy said he never stopped looking for me either. Zak came by the detention center every day, pushing for any information about me, about Saul. Even when they ignored him, threatened him day after day, he came back to try again.” Her eyes glazed over and he worried about where she had gone back to, but she was talking and he didn’t want to interrupt that. “I didn’t know… Billy just told me a few days ago. I sat in that cell thinking everyone was gone, that there was nothing to fight for and I… and he never gave up.”

She wiped at her eyes and took a deep, trembling breath. He didn’t say anything, sensing she would continue, and she did. In the same distant, quiet tone, she confessed every piece she remembered from the Cylon occupation. Each detail made his heart beat faster, stoked the anger burning in his stomach. It was hard to ignore it, to shove it aside and focus on the reassurance and calm that she needed. He listened to everything she had to say and when she finished, it wasn’t numbness that settled over her. It was emptiness, like she had finally dumped out everything her heart and shoulders had been carrying for so long. Her head hurt, her eyes stung, and she wasn’t sure if she could sit up, but he only held her tighter.

“What can I do?” he questioned as her breaths began to even out and her tears began to dry.

“If it’s too bright, it hurts. If it’s too dark, it’s terrifying. I’m always cold, no matter where I am or what I’m wearing. Hot showers don’t help and the closest I get is when I’m with you.” She sighed and slowly sat up. “And somehow, I’m supposed to raise a six year old and govern humanity.”

“None of which you’re doing alone,” he said softly. “We’ll find a lamp for your room, and I’m here to help with our daughter and the fleet. You have a full staff and the Quorum to help too.”

“I just feel so…”

“Weak?” he supplied, knowing the feeling all too well from those first few weeks after leaving New Caprica.

“Yeah,” she breathed out, her eyes meeting his.

“You’re not. Frak, honey, you kept everyone together through hell on that planet. No title and everything against you, but you never gave up.” His voice was suddenly forceful but quiet. “For months, Laura. You fought for months, after we had already been fighting for so long. I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it because you are the strongest woman I know. Don’t you think the fleet has accepted you as President again because they trust you?”

“I’m so tired of it.” She patted his leg and carefully stood up. “Everything is a fight. Going to sleep, getting out of bed. I don’t even know how Grace has frakking rebounded.”

“Because she’s resilient and to her, she’s only lost Zak. She doesn’t understand how shitty things were down there because we’ve protected her. But you saw it all and you insist on bearing the responsibility for it too. So, yes, she’s gonna be back on her feet a lot faster.” He watched her begin to pace between her chair and the hatch, her steps slow and measured. “Why don’t we go lay down?”

“Because I need to move right now. I’ve been stuck at my desk for too long.”

“Okay, so let’s move.”

“I don’t want to go for a walk. I don’t want to see anyone.”

“Do you know how stubborn you are?”

“Please, tell me.” Her steps paused and she managed a small smile to soften her words.

“Drop and give me twenty then, nugget.” He chuckled at the incredulous look she shot him, her hands flying to her hips. “I’m offering suggestions.”

“You know what I missed most?” Her eyebrow shot up and she took a few steps toward him.

“My rack? The girls? The stars?” he listed off as a teasing smile formed.

“We haven’t had sex in nearly six months, Bill. Well, in my dreams. You kept me warm.” She smirked.

“Oh, so you want me to frak this energy out of you?”

She glanced at the clock and nodded. “I was thinking I could frak it out of myself, but you can help.”

“You didn’t get to do much flirting down there, did you?”

“Well, my options were our son, Billy, Saul, Tyrol, and Sam. Maybe a Cylon. Or Baltar.” She scowled briefly and rolled her eyes. “No, I wanted to wait for you.”

“Then by all means, Laura.” He held his arms out to her and she stepped into them, hers loosely draped over his shoulders.

“Sexiest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“Really?”

She laughed and lightly leaned against him. “Gods, no. That award goes to our honeymoon when you promised to make me scream for each of the patron gods. And frak, did you make do on that promise.”

He chuckled and settled his hands on her hips. “Want to try again?”

“It took us three hours and as much as I’d love to, I have maybe an hour.” Her lips started to turn down, but he tugged her closer and pressed a kiss to her stomach through her shirt.

“I can do plenty with an hour, my love.” He tightened his hold on her and held her in place as he stood, then lifted her up.

She gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist, her heels falling off in the process. His arms moved to better support her, somehow managing to get her shirt off as he carried her to their rack. As he sat her on the mattress, the wireless rang and she groaned loudly.

“Ignore it,” she said, her hands grabbing at his tunic to stop him from walking away.

“You know I can’t.” He groaned softly and trailed his hands down her legs. “I’ll be quick.”

“You frakking better.” She flopped onto her back, angled to where she could still watch him as he walked away and answered the call.

All she needed was the look on his face to know they weren’t going to get anywhere now. With a frustrated sigh, she pushed herself out of the rack and went in search of her shirt.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed as he followed her. “Repair issue, but it shouldn’t take long.”

“Oh, I’m coming with you.” She tugged her shirt on and haphazardly tucked it into her skirt.

“I’ll be right back. The CIC is still a mess.”

“Bill, I’d rather not sit here alone and I want your company.”

“Let’s go, then.” He offered his arm and she took it, huffing at the odd return to normalcy with their limited time together quickly getting interrupted.

In the CIC, she stayed out of the way while Helo updated him on the issue with repairs and how much more extensive the damage was. He had known it would be bad, but they only seemed to find more and more. It was concerning, but he issued orders quickly to handle what they could, unable to hold back a chuckle whenever he glanced at his wife and the mildly irritated expression she wore. When he was finally done, he gently grabbed her elbow and led her from the room.

“Thank you for your patience,” he murmured with a teasing smile.

“We both know I’m not a patient woman.” Her eyebrow shot up as she followed him down the corridor and leaned into his side.

“Well, hold on for a few more minutes. I want to show you something.”

“Bill!” she whined quietly. Her arm tightened around his and she lowered her voice even further. “I’d rather go home and finish what we started.”

“We will,” he promised, his voice low.

No part of him wanted to wait until they got back to his quarters and he had something in mind, allowing it to dull his sense of propriety. He pulled her into the War Room and dogged the hatch behind him, giving her no time to protest or complain before he pressed her against the bulkhead and kissed her deeply. She gasped, immediately overwhelmed by him, and threw her arms around his neck to pull him even closer.

“This is gonna make it even harder to get back home,” she mumbled against his lips.

“What if I don’t intend on going home first?” He ground his hips against hers and heard her breath catch, her fingers grasping at his collar.

“Oh, frak,” she groaned before she claimed his mouth in another desperate kiss.

He couldn’t wait, didn’t want to wait, and they’d be alone in the War Room for as long as they wanted. No one would need the room and as long as the hatch was secure, anyone would assume it was in use and wait. The knowledge allowed his hands to wander, moving down her sides, her legs, until they found the hem of her skirt and pushed it up. His lips kept her occupied and she shifted to lean against the bulkhead more to separate her legs, gasping as his fingers wandered along her underwear.

“Unless you object,” he murmured, “I would very much like to frak you right here and now, and then maybe again when I get you home.”

A shudder ran down her spine and forced a moan from her lips, ready to agree to anything he wanted. “Gods, yes. Oh, my gods, yes.”

Emboldened by her permission, he slipped his hands into her underwear and continued exploring until she was a trembling, aroused mess in his arms. Her hold on him and the way his body pinned against the bulkhead kept her upright and she needed every bit of it when he slid two fingers into her. Every part of her felt like it was on fire, boiling and burning, and she was convinced he would make her burst into flames by the time they were done. It was exhilarating, the fact that they were in the War Room only making it better. Seeing the effect he could have on her was all he needed and he groaned as he kissed her thoroughly and slowly began to frak her.

“You said,” she panted against him, “you were gonna frak me.” Her hips rolled against his hand and he curled his fingers inside her, sending a shiver through her body.

“Are you that desperate?” He gently tugged at her lip and she moaned.

“Bill, it’s been six months,” she whined. “I think I could come just from you looking at me.” Her words ended in another moan as his palm grazed her clit.

He added another finger and explored her body inside and out, teasing her and loving the way she reacted to him. “You’re telling me you stayed celibate down there?” His eyebrow arched up and he pulled his head back just enough to really look at her.

“I shared a tent and the detention center wasn’t exactly somewhere I wanted to think about sex,” she huffed as she met his eyes. “So, yes, it’s been almost six months and I swear to the gods, if you don’t frak me, I will push you to the deck and frak you.”

“I’d love to see you try.” He grinned and suddenly stopped teasing her, his fingers and palm targeting the parts of her that would render her incoherent.

It worked and her head fell back, allowing him to kiss down her neck and along her collarbone. Her breath came in short, gasping moans, lost in the pleasure and unable to form words as he dragged her over the edge and still didn’t stop.

“Bill!” she cried, her legs shaking and her chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath. Her fingers desperately clung to his uniform and she gasped, already feeling her body starting to climb again. “O-oh!”

He was the only thing keeping her up and he wrapped his arm around her waist, effectively keeping her right where he wanted her as his fingers moved within her and felt every quiver of her body. Without the chance to come down from her first orgasm, the second crashed over her quickly. Her chest ached as she tried to breathe and quiet her cries of pleasure, unable to even muffle them in a kiss. Feeling her legs start to give out, he slipped his hands from her underwear and picked her up. Her legs loosely wrapped around him and she collapsed against him, soft pants and moans still falling from her parted lips.

“Oh, my gods…” she mumbled. “Oh, frak, I can’t think.”

“Good.” He chuckled and then groaned as he carried her toward the illuminated table, his pants uncomfortably tight and his cock throbbing from watching her come undone so completely. “Don’t think. Just be here with me.”

He set her on the edge of the table and pulled her underwear down, letting it fall to the deck before he reached for his belt and undid it as quickly as he could. His pants came next and she pushed the ship models out of her way to lay back, her legs dangling over the edge on either side of him. The light beneath and above her left her beautifully ignited and her hair spread out around her added a reddish glow that gave her the illusion of truly being on fire. He groaned and pressed his hands against the console, his eyes briefly closing at the surge of arousal that ran through him.

“You are the most gorgeous, attractive woman I have ever met,” he said with another low groan. “And I will spend every moment of the rest of our lives reminding you of that.”

His hands landed on her hips beneath her skirt and gently pulled her a little closer. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her ankles locked above his ass, keeping them connected as he lined up and pushed home. She arched up against him, fingers searching the console’s smooth surface for something to grab onto and finding nothing. Instead, she tangled her fingers in her blouse and bit her lip to stop the cry that wanted to leave her throat.

“Laura… Laura, oh, frak,” he gasped, leaning over her and keeping hold of her hips so she didn’t slide across the console. “You are…” He groaned and slowly pulled out, only to immediately thrust back in.

She swore her body had only been strung this tightly, this sensitive and overwhelmed and responsive, when she had been pregnant with Grace. Now, it was two orgasms and having her husband so close after so long that kept the fire going in her stomach and she knew there would be no worries of nightmares tonight. She could feel how strained his control already was and she wrapped her legs even tighter, silently encouraging him to give in. As her moans picked up and her hand reached for him, barely managing to grab his uniform and pull him close, he did.

His hands dug into her hips and anchored her to him, allowing him to frak her quickly and deeply. She felt it in every inch of her body and she could’ve stayed there forever, the lights above them giving her husband a halo that she couldn’t look away from.

The thrill of frakking in a public room, even with the hatch shut and locked, thrilled her. It reminded her of the risks they had taken, frakking in his car, stolen moments between the kids, and the multiple occasions they had been as quiet as possible with his mother or her sisters just a room away. The memories made her moan catch in her chest and her back arched off the table again as she came, body trembling and mind white with bliss. In that moment, nothing else mattered. There was nothing beyond the bulkheads and it was just them, together and alive, and it was all they needed.

He had been holding on as hard as he could and her orgasm rapidly triggered his own until he collapsed on top of her with his head on her stomach. She laughed breathlessly and ran her fingers through his hair before it dropped to the table, neither willing to move yet. They didn’t have to for at least a few minutes, and it wasn’t until she began to shift uncomfortably that he pulled back and trailed his hands over her stomach and her thighs, feeling the way they still gently trembled.

“I love you,” he murmured as he leaned over to kiss the corner of her mouth.

She tilted her head and captured his lips in a full kiss, her arms winding around his neck. “Love you,” she whispered with a sated smile. “Frak, I’m going to have to cancel my next meeting.”

“I’m sorry,” he chuckled, but he didn’t feel the slightest bit apologetic.

“No, you’re not.” She kept her hold on him and as he straightened up, she was slowly able to sit up too. “At least, I hope you’re not.”

“Not even a little bit.” He grinned and after making sure she was okay, grabbed her underwear and gently cleaned them both up. “You’re at least gonna need to change, but I wouldn’t turn down lying with you for a few minutes.”

“I’m starting to think you have a thing for me walking around your ship without underwear on.” Her eyebrow arched up as she watched him pocket it.

“Laura, if I could arrange it, I’d have you walk around naked.” He shamelessly grinned and stole a quick kiss.

“Oh, my gods.” She rolled her eyes and accepted his help off the table. “I’m not gonna be able to look at this room the same.”

“Good.”

With another roll of her eyes and her legs feeling like jelly, she pulled her skirt down and smoothed it out as best as she could. She took his arm and had to lean into him to walk, a laugh bubbling up at how absolutely shut down her mind was and completely uncoordinated her limbs were. He helped her happily and as subtly as possible, and no one gave them a second glance as they finally made their way back home.

They took their time to properly clean up before they collapsed in a tangle of limbs in their rack. Both wearing only their underwear, they had as much contact as she could and she eagerly took his body heat into her own chilly body. Her fingers stroked over his chest, zigzagging across his scar, and held her attention for several minutes. He watched her, his arm tightly wrapped around her waist and his hand protectively on her hip while she had her leg thrown over his. The air was starting to cool the last droplets of water from their shower on their bodies and he knew she would grow too cold soon, but both were too comfortable to move for now.

“I’ve been thinking,” she murmured, sounding distracted like she wasn’t even aware she was speaking. She didn’t continue and he gently squeezed her hip. “Oh,” she hummed. “I want to leave Colonial One. At least at night. I’ll work there during the day to keep the office of the President separate from the military, but I want to come home to you every night. I want our family to be together as much as we can.”

“You’ve really put some thought into this.” He shifted so he could hold her a little closer, her hand falling still on his chest.

“I spoke with Billy, Zarek, and a few Quorum members. They have no protests.” She smiled at the revelation. “So?”

“So, what?” He raised a questioning eyebrow.

“What do you think?”

“Are you asking me if I’m okay with living with my wife?” He chuckled softly, then louder when she glared at him. “If you’re sure this is what you want, then of course I’m okay with it.”

“Of course it’s what I want. I’ve wanted it this entire time, it just couldn’t happen.” Her glare softened and she settled back against him.

“I would get to frak you more often if you’re in my rack all the time.” He grinned and suddenly rolled her to her back, leaning over her on his hands and knees.

She gasped and giggled, her hands falling to her chest. “Oh, so there are perks to being in the Admiral’s rack.”

“And they’re so much better than being in a Commander’s or Colonel’s. I think you’ll find I’m just as good with my fingers.” His grin lingered as he leaned down to kiss her softly.

“Oh, I know you are.” She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair; the effects of his dexterous hands still had her body tingling.

The next morning, she stood in the head to apply the finishing touches to her minimal makeup. She was running later than she wanted to, but it was only a briefing with Billy before a press conference and she wasn’t too worried. Her fingers fluffed her hair and she sighed, glancing over her shoulder when she heard Bill approach. Her eyes shifted to his reflection in the mirror as he stopped behind her, his hand settling on her hip.

“You’re late,” he murmured and pressed a kiss to her head.

“I know.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m on my way out.”

He brushed her hair to one side and reached over her shoulders, the light glinting off something in his hand. She raised an eyebrow, but it lowered as he settled a warm necklace around her neck and secured it. Tentatively, her fingers came up to brush over the familiar red gem and her breath hitched. Tears immediately formed and she turned to face her husband, his hands moving down her sides to rest on her waist.

“Bill…”

“Had Billy reach out to the jeweler who made these,” he explained as he waved his hand toward his collar, “to see if he could do anything with it.”

“Oh, my gods.” She swallowed and gently played with it, a weight she didn’t know she was carrying sliding off her shoulders to have it around her neck once more. “Thank you.”

He smiled and kissed her softly. “You kept it safe all that time.”

She leaned into him and closed her eyes, soaking in his warmth and sturdy chest. “Thank you,” she repeated quietly before she gently pushed him back. “I’m sorry I have to rush out.”

He shook his head and lowered his hands. “I’ll see you later. Love you.”

“Love you too.” Her smile widened as she carefully dabbed at her eyes and brushed the necklace again.

There was a light in her eyes that had been dimmed for far too long, and he was relieved to see it return now. It made her look younger and so much happier, easing an ache he had felt for just as long.

“You gonna get your ass in gear?” he asked when she didn’t move.

She huffed and nudged his chest, then tugged him out of the head with her. “Hush. I need my shoes.”

“You left them by the hatch. Again.” He followed her, smiling at her momentarily lost wandering around their quarters.

“Thank you.” She dropped his hand and kissed his cheek.

Within moments, she was fully dressed and out the hatch, the light scent of her perfume lingering behind.

After everything that had happened and everyone that had been lost, Laura dreaded telling her daughter that Zak was gone and not coming back. Lia and Lee already understood, processing faster than even she had, and Kara was already overwhelmed. She worried about how Grace would take it all, and it only broke her heart to see how well she handled it. Her daughter had seen too much loss in her short life, more than she ever should have, and it was a physical pain for Laura that she couldn’t prevent it or protect her from any of it. She could only hope and pray that they didn’t lose anyone else.

They fell back into an easy rhythm, adjusting to the changes within the fleet and their new family dynamic without Zak. With Lia busy with her duties, Laura had Grace with her more often than not when she wasn’t in school and the move to Galactica had changed their routines anyway. It left them all in disequilibrium and the days began to blend together, one crisis after another keeping them busy.

It was early, far earlier than Laura wanted to be awake, let alone up and moving. She would have pushed back, but Zarek had requested to speak with her before the already-early Quorum meeting and her only real reason to decline was her desire for more sleep. It left her disgruntled and tired, the weak coffee doing little to help her wake up.

She slowed her pace and glanced at Corporal Serine a few steps behind her. “I’ll convince my husband to promote you if you can find me some real coffee.”

Serine laughed and shook her head. “Bribery, Madam President?”

“I’m not above it.” She shrugged and smiled. “Especially if these early mornings are going to continue.”

“I can inform Mr. Zarek that scheduling early morning meetings isn’t in his best interest,” she offered.

Laura hummed and her smile widened. “Yes, that’s a good start. Still doesn’t help me with today.”

“I’m afraid no one can help with that, ma’am.”

“Least of all you,” she quickly shot back.

Her mood slightly improved, she picked up her pace again to make it to the shuttle, but she caught sight of Lee rounding the corner at the far end of the hallway. He waved to catch her attention even though she was already looking and jogged toward her, his expression concerned as he skidded to a stop in front of her.

“Mom, hi, I was hoping to catch you before you left.” He smiled and looked her over. “Are you okay?”

She arched an eyebrow and slowly crossed her arms. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He visibly hesitated and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, I… I’m sorry.”

“Lee, honey, I’m already running late, so whatever you’re worried about, please just say it.” Her voice was gentle, but had the hard edge it needed so he would listen.

“No, it’s…” He sighed and shook his head. “It’s Zak’s birthday and I wanted to make sure you, Dad, and Grace were okay before I took over CAP, but he said you had already left so I came to find you.”

“What do you mea—Zak’s birthda–” Her thoughts were finished in her head but not out loud and her brow furrowed deeply. “Oh, my gods. It’s Zak’s birthday!”

“Oh, gods, I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.” He held up his hand and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“No, Lee, no, I’m glad you told me.” She reached out and squeezed his arm. “It’s so hard to keep track of anything out here and if Grace didn’t have weekends off of school, I don’t know that I could even tell you what day it was,” she admitted. “Not without checking Billy’s schedule for me.”

“I understand. Are you okay? Do you need anything?” He looked her over again, always as worried as his father.

“Lee, I’m fine,” she insisted. There was a small amount of guilt she felt over forgetting his birthday and she knew the pain would likely creep in at some point, but she also knew she would be okay and they’d get through it. “Really, I’m okay, and I appreciate you checking on me.”

“Yeah, of course. Uh, I’ll get out of your way, then.” He hugged her quickly and then ran off the way he had come.

She watched him go and slid her hands into her pockets, already trying to compartmentalize so she could get through her next few meetings.

An early start for once meant an early finish too. The chance to be back on Galactica before Grace was even out of school was rare and Laura considered it to be a gift from the gods. It didn’t surprise her in the least when Bill greeted her on the hangar deck and she happily took his extended arm after shifting her paperwork to her other arm.

“You’re in a good mood,” he commented with a small smile.

“The Quorum acted like adults and we actually got things done.” She shrugged and lightly nudged her elbow into his side. “Can you imagine that, if things were normal, we wouldn’t see the girls all day, you’d still be out in space, and I’d just be teaching?”

“That feels like the crazy option now.” He shook his head and patted her arm. “I would take that stable life over anything else, but having this time together is a blessing too.”

“A silver lining.” She wrinkled her nose. “If you have time, I’d like to walk past the memorial.”

“You want to see Zak.” It didn’t need to be a question; he knew her and he had hoped to do the same.

“I forgot it was his birthday.” She sighed and reluctantly dropped his arm to ascend the ladder.

“I did too,” he said before she got too far above him.

“Which means I forgot my mom’s too and our anniversary is coming up and…” She trailed off with a huff and turned around to watch him follow her.

He paused and looked up at her. “Laura,” he sighed, “who’s blaming you?”

His question caught her off guard and she took a step back to leave room for him to join her. “No one is blaming me.”

“Then you’ll find, my dear,” he took her arm again and they continued down the corridor, “that it’s okay.”

She immediately rolled her eyes. “Just because you state something simply, doesn’t make it simple.”

“Why not?”

“I can say that an FTL jump is just bending space to move across the universe, but it’s not that simple.”

He chuckled. “But it is.”

“You’re impossible, you know that?”

“And you’re distracted now, aren’t you?” he countered.

“Yes, because I’m frustrated by your stubborn ways.”

“The same stubbornness you love.”

She sighed, but it was more dramatics than anything. After a quick glance around the corridor, she leaned up and kissed him quickly. “Thank you.”

They were quiet the rest of the way to the memorial corridor which was empty aside from Kara at the end near the altar that still remained. The candles had been burnt to their ends and never replaced, but they hadn’t been cleaned up either. She didn’t look up as they slowly approached, but her soft grunt when they got close told them she was aware.

“He was probably doing something stupid,” she muttered. “Heroic. Saving others instead of himself.”

“Who knows how many he saved,” Laura added, her voice softening. “But I do know how many he saved before the rescue, before New Caprica. I know he never stopped looking for you, Kara, and I know he moved Elysium and beyond to keep me safe.”

“Yeah.” She sighed and leaned into Laura’s touch when she rested her hand on her shoulder. “You know, I almost married Sam while we were down there. Before everything. Maybe I should’ve.”

“It wouldn’t have helped.” She gently squeezed her shoulder.

“I loved him. Still love him.”

“I know. And he loved you too.” She lifted her eyes to the picture on the bulkhead and felt Bill take and then squeeze her hand. Absently, she squeezed back but didn’t look away. “Do you want to marry Sam?”

“I don’t know what I frakking want. I want Zak, but Sam is sweet and he understands. But Lee’s been there through everything and something just doesn’t… feel right.” She shrugged her arm off and took a step out of her reach.

“You should listen to that,” she said softly. “Whatever it’s telling you. Zak always wanted you to be happy, to figure things out. It’s not because he didn’t love you.”

“Kara.” Bill carefully moved around his wife and turned his pilot to look at them.

“I’m sorry, sir, I’m sure you two want some quiet. I have stuff to do.”

She walked away before either of them could stop her, and they knew they shouldn’t follow her. Bill still tried, but Laura grabbed his arm with both hands and held him back. He looked at her and slowly released the urge to follow.

“She still needs time,” she murmured.

“I worry about her.”

“I know. I know you do.” She tugged on his arm and slowly slid her hands up until her arms were around his neck. “I worry about her too. We worry about all of them.”

“Don’t you get tired of it? Three of them go out every day and risk their lives.” His brow furrowed and he cleared his throat, his eyes wandering toward the altar. Zak and Grace were the ones they could keep the safest.

“Oh, Bill…” She moved in front of him and cupped his face, her other still draped over his shoulder. “We’d worry about them back on Caprica. Lia broke her arm jumping off the monkeybars, my father and sisters died in a car accident. Sometimes I think they’re safer here than anywhere else.”

He met her eyes and leaned into her, his arm moving around her waist to pull her closer. “No safer place than a battlestar.”

“No safer place than home,” she corrected quietly. Her head settled on his chest and she closed her eyes, slowly swaying with him. Her rumbling stomach interrupted the moment and she blushed, letting out a light laugh as she pulled back.

“That’s what happens when you don’t eat breakfast.” He kissed her forehead and smiled.

“I ate breakfast.”

He raised an eyebrow and stared at her.

“Gods, Bill, it was so early when I left.”

“Let’s feed you now before you start airlocking people.”

“Oh, for frak’s sake.” She huffed and laced their fingers together. “I don’t know where that rumor came from or why you perpetuate it.”

“You are the one who executed the first Cylon. A handful of them, actually; more than I have,” he reminded her.

“Are you jealous?” She laughed incredulously.

“No, I’m impressed by how badass my wife is.” He kissed her softly.

“Right.” She rolled her eyes and used his arm to maintain her balance as she leaned over and pressed a kiss to her fingers and then to the edge of Zak’s photo. “Happy birthday, Zak,” she sighed. “Say hi to your aunts and grandparents and we love you.”

When he tugged her away, she didn’t resist. She kept hold of his hand and followed him back down the corridor, her eyes continually sweeping from photo to photo and saying a prayer for as many of them as she could. Several had never even seen Galactica, but so many had been lost more recently. Each one hurt and she knew she would carry that weight for the rest of her life.

They had a quiet lunch. Knowing she wouldn’t eat much, Bill only requested one plate and let her pick off it, the plate resting on his lap so he could keep his arm around her. She ate more than they both expected and it made him smile, lunch cleaned up by the time Grace returned from school and walked through the hatch.

As anxious as Laura was about her taking the shuttle alone, aside from Serine or Evans accompanying her, Grace loved the freedom and it was obvious. Her smile as she dropped her bag to the couch and settled on Bill’s lap made them both smile too and Laura leaned over to kiss her cheek.

“Good day at school?”

“Ms. Webb talked about Tauron today!” She smiled and looked up at Bill.

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her so she didn’t wriggle her way off his legs. “You’re half-Tauron, you know. That’s where I’m from.”

She giggled excitedly and shook her head. “No, silly Daddy, I’m Galactican!”

Laura’s eyebrow shot up and Bill laughed harder, his wife’s confused expression only entertaining him further. Grace giggled more and beamed up at them.

“Because she wasn’t born on Caprica like her siblings, she was born here,” he finally explained.

She slowly smiled and then rolled her eyes. “Well, I can’t argue with that. I suppose by now, we’re all a little Galactican, aren’t we?”

“I knew you were falling in love with my ship.” He kissed her cheek and tickled Grace’s sides, his arm still around her so she didn’t fall.

She immediately shrieked with laughter and playfully fought with his hands until he stopped, her eyes wide with glee. “No, Daddy’s Tauron and Mama’s Caprican and Lia and Lee and Kara are Caprican too!”

“Lia and Lee are half-Tauron, just like you.” Bill tickled her again and kissed her cheek when she collapsed breathlessly against his chest. “Your middle name is Tauron too.”

She gasped and sat back up. “Really?”

“Eirene.” Laura smiled and pushed her hair back from her face. “Had to make up for it after Lia’s name is all Caprican.” Her comment was more directed at Bill and he laughed.

“I still think it’s a beautiful name. Just like Laura and Grace,” he murmured, both to see her smile widen and because he believed it. “My girls.”

She hummed. “Yours.” Her eyes settled on Grace and she reached out to fix her shirt, her smile starting to turn into a frown. “Is your shirt comfortable? It looks too small.”

Grace shrugged and tugged it down, but it was obvious the shirt was growing too small for her. She hadn’t said anything and Laura hadn’t noticed before, and it made her frown deepen. Her own clothes had only grown a little loose as she lost weight and Lia hadn’t grown much either aside from getting in shape now that she was flying. Grace was still so young and it felt so evident that she would quickly outgrow her clothes that Laura was frustrated she hadn’t noticed sooner.

“We need to find you something new to wear, baby. Something more comfortable.” She pursed her lips and straightened up. “Is that marketplace still on the Zephyr? I’d rather avoid Prometheus if we can.”

“Last I heard.” He shrugged and looked at her. “Do you want to go?”

She looked at Grace and her smile returned. “I was thinking a girl’s trip, maybe. Lia should be off duty soon and we can see if she wants to join.”

Grace slid to the deck and nodded quickly. “Yes, please! Let’s go, Mama!”

She laughed and allowed her daughter to pull her to her feet. “We need to go gather your old clothes so we can trade them.”

“Come on!” She tried to tug her toward the door, but Laura resisted so she could lean back down and kiss her husband.

“Apparently we have urgent plans. We’ll see you in a bit?”

“Take your time.” He smiled and gently pushed her away. “Enjoy it and if anyone comes looking for you, I’ll scare them off.”

“Mhm, I knew I loved you for a reason.” She stole another quick kiss and then relented to Grace, following her from the room and to her own quarters.

They waited while Lia showered and changed before they took the shuttle to the Zephyr. The large passenger liner had taken the place of Cloud Nine and served as the getaway place for the fleet. While it had botanical gardens and views of space, it wasn’t quite the same as the large biome on the other ship. Laura hadn’t had a need to visit it after the initial attacks and hadn’t had a chance since New Caprica. It caught Grace’s attention immediately, her eyes wide as she took in the large window that served as the ceiling and showed both the stars beyond and the other side of the spinning ring. When she tore her gaze away from that, she stared at the stalls that made up the trading market, most of which mirrored the one they had on New Caprica. It reminded Laura of the shops surrounding the Riverwalk and she smiled as she followed Lia, securely holding Grace’s hand and her bag of clothes with their guard a few steps behind.

“Mama, we’re spinning!” Grace tried to pull free to spin around, but Laura didn’t let go of her. “Look!” She pointed up. “Why don’t we feel it? Why aren’t we falling off?”

Laura laughed and squeezed her hand. “The ring spins at just the right speed to make gravity, just like Caprica does.”

“But Galactica doesn’t spin and we don’t fall there.”

“The Zephyr is a special ship. She’s too big and too old, so they had to make her spin for gravity. Galactica uses other technology to do it,” she explained, her eyes darting to her science-minded daughter for help.

Lia took her hand and Laura lingered behind, catching bits and pieces as she detailed the different forms of gravity as simply as she could. Grace was completely enraptured, her attention only stolen occasionally by the stars outside the window. Laura was content to watch them walk hand in hand with her own in her pocket and a small smile on her lips. The normal moments seemed to be the weirdest, the few and far between times when they were just a family and nothing else. With the constant Marine guard, it was even harder to let the rest of the fleet slip away, but she tried her best to just focus on her girls and this rare time together.

It took them over an hour, but they were able to trade most of Grace’s too-small clothes for some that fit perfectly and a handful of pieces that she could grow into. She was excited with everything and Laura was happy to see it and her inability to stop talking on the shuttle back to Galactica.

She ran ahead and Laura let her as long as she was within sight while Lia said her goodbyes and ran off to whatever she had to deal with. It felt like she had matured so much since her enlistment, but Laura supposed most of it had come with the attacks and her turning seventeen, but it was still hard to reconcile the teenager that ran off with the tiny newborn she had held alone in the hospital. With her hand on Grace’s shoulder, they returned home where they found Bill waiting for them. She wasn’t surprised; he was aware of most fleet traffic and would have tracked their shuttle to and from the Zephyr.

The delight on Grace’s and Laura’s faces when they entered their cabin and he looked up instantly warmed his heart. He held his hands out to his daughter, but she hugged her bag close and shook her head quickly.

“No, Daddy, I gotta try them on!”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He smiled and dropped his hands to his lap. “Do I get to see them?”

“Patience, Daddy,” she scolded in the same tone they used on her.

Before anyone could say anything more, she rushed into the next room with her bag. Laura shrugged and followed after her, intending to change and put her hair up, but Grace put her hands on her hips and looked at her.

“I don’t need help, Mama, I’m a big girl!” she insisted.

“I know you are.” She smiled and stepped out of her heels. “Can I change too?”

“No! Please go wait with Daddy.” She had such a pleading expression on her face that Laura couldn’t say no, as much as she wanted to change.

“Okay, okay.” After dropping her shoes near the closet, she retreated to her husband’s side and threw her legs over his lap.

“Did she kick you out?” he teased as his hands moved to settle on her legs.

“I’ve never been kicked out of my own room before.” She paused to think about it and laughed softly. “No, I remember a few birthdays and anniversaries. You were always up to something.”

“Right. Says the woman constantly organizing homecoming parties and banning me from the bedroom after I had been traveling all day.” He raised an eyebrow and his hands moved along her legs, fingers gently massaging the tight muscles.

“I just wanted to change.” She gestured to her skirt and briefly pouted.

“I take it today was successful, then?”

“She’s happy, they enjoyed themselves, and sometimes it’s nice to just… be a mom,” she admitted. “Even though I had to turn down a lot of things. I’m not sure if it was Grace’s cute smile or the fact that I’m President.”

“You’re a very intimidating but lovable President.” He squeezed her leg and chuckled.

“I feel badly. There are people out there with barely anything and yet they’re still happy to share what little they do have. And we have…” She trailed off and waved her hand at their quarters.

“What? You want to start renting out our cabin?”

She leaned forward and gently smacked his arm. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

Grace’s voice interrupted them from the other room. “I’m ready!” she sang.

Laura settled back into the couch after nudging her husband’s leg with her foot, and then they both watched as Grace danced out in a bouncy skirt and sparkly shirt. She twirled in front of the coffee table until she was dizzy and dropped to the deck with a happy giggle. When they got her back on her feet, she spun some more and then ran back to change, slowly showing off each of her new outfits. Laura knew it would be a fight to get her into her pajamas later, but she was happy to let her enjoy it for now and Bill’s smile told her he agreed too.

Chapter Text

Bill watched his wife move around their cabin, a book tucked under her arm while she hunted for her shoes and glasses. A small smile rested on his lips, aware that her shoes were on the deck by his feet and her glasses were above their rack, and wondering how much longer it would take her to remember. When she groaned in frustration, he took pity on her and stood up with her heels in his hand.

“You would lose your head if it wasn’t attached to you,” he teased as he held them out to her.

“That’s why I have Billy.” She took her shoes and dropped them to the deck, then leaned over to set her book on the table before she stepped into them. “You know, some days I think I never recovered from pregnancy brain with Grace and some days I think I’m just losing it.”

“Well, I can tell you that both are false.” He kissed her cheek and smiled. “Your glasses are above the rack.”

She sighed in relief and patted his arm before she rushed to grab them. “You couldn’t have told me that five minutes ago?”

“I enjoy watching you run around like this.”

She looked at him over the rim of her glasses and pursed her lips. “How helpful of you,” she remarked. “I’ll be back late, but don’t wait up for me.”

“I will.” His arm caught her around the waist on her way toward the hatch and instead pulled her into his side.

“Bill!” she protested. “I’m already running late.”

“Then a few more minutes won’t matter.” He kissed her softly and she leaned into him as he deepened the kiss and held her tighter.

“What you’re trying to start will take more than a few minutes.”

“Wanna bet?” He nipped at her lip and she gasped quietly.

“Oh, no, I want to take my time with you.” She pressed against him and her hands roamed down his sides until they settled on his belt. “We’ll see tonight, if you’re still up.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” His other arm wrapped around her and his hand settled on her ass, firmly holding her close.

“So, you won’t be grumpy when I wake you up?”

“I thought you were late.”

She hummed. “Book club or sex with my husband. It’s a tough choice.”

“You’ve been looking forward to this. We have tonight and tomorrow morning and tomorrow night and—”

“Yes, we do,” she interrupted before quickly kissing him and stepping out of his reach. “Love you.”

“Have fun and I love you too.” He smiled and let her go, his eyes never leaving her as she grabbed her book and left.

Laura made her way to meet Klarice and Cassie, surprised to find them waiting outside Cottle’s quarters. She raised a questioning eyebrow as she approached, but the two women only smiled widely.

“Too busy for us, Madam President?” Klarice joked.

“Oh, you know how late those meetings with the Admiral go.” She rolled her eyes and waved her hand.

“I’m sure they do.” She laughed and held her hands out. “Okay, so, we have an idea. Hear us out.”

“Oh, I don’t like this already.” Her eyebrow shot back up.

“There’s a new bar on the Aurora. Small, quiet. Odds are, no one would recognize you. Since neither of us read the book—no time—we thought we’d force you to really have some fun tonight.” Klarice’s grin grew the more she talked, and so did the wary feeling in Laura’s stomach.

“Oh, gods, that is such a bad idea.” She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.

“What’s the worst that could happen, hm?” She gestured to Cassie. “We have our very own Marine, we’ll get you a change of clothes, and you can let Laura out to have fun. She’s suffocating under President and mother and wife right now.”

“She’s not wrong.” Cassie shrugged but smiled apologetically. “We could all use a night to let go, you especially.”

“There’s so much that could go wrong!” She looked around the empty corridor and let out a long breath. “The press would run wild with it, something could ha—”

“And Cylons could attack us in the next hour. We might as well enjoy it while we can,” Klarice answered simply. “Oh, and we’re not really giving you a choice. Better hurry up and change, shuttle is almost here.” She pushed the hatch open, grabbed Laura’s arm, and dragged her inside with Cassie following.

Half an hour later, Laura sat between her two friends at the makeshift bar, the recycled air chilly against her bare skin. The black dress Klarice had procured from gods knew where was more like something she would have worn before she worked for the federal government, but she couldn’t deny how good it made her feel. They got a few lingering glances, but Cassie promised it was all due to her height and no one recognizing their President. Somewhat reassured, Laura settled into her chair and nursed her drink, relaxing more as her drink level went down.

“Okay, I have to know,” Cassie said as she nudged Laura’s shoulder. “I hear all the rumors about how a schoolteacher became President, but I want the truth.”

Laura laughed loudly and shook her head. “Gods, I taught for so long and it just got to the point where it wasn’t teaching anymore, it was just reciting crap. I got tired of it, moved to a principal position, then superintendent for Caprica City. Oh, and I went to college with President Adar.”

Klarice leaned forward and lowered her voice so only they could hear. “Our Laura slept her way to the top,” she teased.

“I did not!” Laura hissed before she tossed the last of her drink back. “I may have used his attraction to my advantage, but I still did a damn good job. Just, don’t mention that to my husband.”

Both women laughed and Cassie ordered another drink before Laura could even protest. Once it was in her hand though, her protests died down and she sipped at it, grimacing at the sharp taste.

“Frak, that’s strong. What is it?”

“Most of it’s homemade, so who the frak knows.” Cassie shrugged. “But damn, it does the job.” The alcohol had already painted her cheeks a warm red and Laura felt the same blush across her face.

“That’s reassuring,” she huffed, but she took another drink anyway and swallowed it down. The effects were building with her first drink and a soft giggle slipped out. “I’m never going to live this down, but this was a good idea. Grace is safe in bed, Bill is probably enjoying a night to himself for once, and I'm definitely glad to be here with you two.”

“I knew it!” Klarice pumped her fist once and finished off her own drink. “You have to let someone else make decisions once in a while. It’s good for you.”

Laura groaned and shook her head hard enough that she felt her hair brush across her mostly bare shoulders. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“No, but I really don’t understand how two stubborn people who always need to be in control ended up married,” Cassie interjected. “With all due respect and love to the Admiral, but I don’t get it.”

Laura laughed and shook her head. “When I have an answer for that, I’ll let you know. A lot of luck, timing, lack of timing.” She laughed again. “And working at it as long as we’ve been together.”

“Well, it’s working.” She smiled and tapped their glasses together. “So say we all.”

“So say we all.” She smiled widely and toasted back, sparing a glance for Klarice before she took a long drink. “If we’re digging in, how did you meet your wife?”

“Oh, gods,” she groaned. “My wife is gone, I think that should excuse me from answering these questions.”

Klarice tsked and leaned across the bar to get closer to Cassie. “Then tell me about Lia and Jacob because I just know something is going on there.”

“They’re just friends. Not many kids their age and they actually get along.” Cassie shook her head and leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed.

Laura met Klarice’s eyes and they shared a knowing look before she rested her hand on the Marine’s shoulder. “Oh, Cassie, you have something to learn about teenagers. They may have started as friends, but I think it’s more than that now.”

“What? Did Lia say something? Does the Admiral know?” She looked shocked and Laura squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

“I accidentally walked in on their goodnight kiss a few days ago, but she hasn’t said anything and he knows nothing. I’m honestly not sure who she’s more afraid of telling, him or me,” she admitted with a smile.

“Maybe we should talk about Apollo and Starbuck instead.”

Laura set her glass on the bar and held her hands up in surrender. “No. Oh, no, I do not want to go there. There is not enough alcohol left in the fleet for me to consider that situation, let alone Sam too.”

“Between them, Helo, and Sharon, crew has enough fodder for the next few years.” Cassie threw her head back and laughed. “I mean, Starbuck isn’t… really related, is she?”

She had a feeling it was a question that wouldn’t have been asked or answered if they were sober. “No, but she’s been a part of the family for years now. It’s still a little weird.”

“Okay, okay.” Klarice tapped the table and pushed two new drinks toward them; Laura hadn’t even seen her order them.

“Klare! We still have to get back to Galactica,” she protested, but when she nudged it closer, she finished off hers and then picked it up.

“We have another hour and a half until the last shuttle. Between the three of us, we’ll be just fine.” She gently elbowed her. “Stop fretting.”

“I have four children and the entire fleet to take care of. I haven’t relaxed in nearly two decades.”

“Oh, she’s relaxed,” Cassie said with a grin that made Laura’s face burst into flames.

She buried it in her hands and groaned loudly. “You know what I miss? Privacy!”

“So say we all!” Cassie laughed and Klarice joined in.

Laura straightened up and they all clinked their refilled glasses together with another round of laughter.

By the end of the night, they were all several drinks deep and only upright by leaning on each other. Arms interlocked with Cassie in the middle as the tallest, youngest, and strongest, they made their way back to their shuttle. Once back on Galactica, they left Klarice at the hatch to her quarters, but when they heard her struggling with it, they turned back to help. Cottle opened it before they got there and fixed them all with a tired, displeased glare, but grabbed his wife’s hand and tugged her inside. He shooed them away before he shut the hatch again and Laura could barely stifle her giggle as she let Cassie escort her back to her quarters.

Despite their efforts, Bill heard his wife’s laughter and voice from down the corridor. He had made it to their rack but was determined to stay up until she made it home, though his thoughts wandered more than he paid attention to the book he was reading. Based on the sounds, he wondered if she would be able to open the hatch without help from the Marines, but it finally opened and then shut. He had left a lamp on in the front room so it wasn’t completely dark and Laura hummed her appreciation, fingers carding through her hair as she slowly made her way into the next room.

“Book club, huh?” he asked as he watched her.

It took a moment for his tired eyes to focus on what she wore and he groaned softly at the sight. The black dress was simple, but it hugged her curves and the deep vee of the neckline left little of her chest to imagination. It reminded him so much of the dress she had worn for his promotion to Commander and he stared for several long seconds. The attention only further ignited the flush on her face and neck and stoked the fire in her stomach, driving her closer to him.

“Was it a book on different types of alcohol? Scratch and sniff, maybe?” He closed his book and set it on the shelf above him before he held his hand out to her.

She giggled and took it, allowing him to pull her to the edge of their rack. “We went to the Aurora. Quiet little bar. Gods, it was so good not having to worry about anything. I missed that. I really missed it.”

“And you’re gonna pay for it in the morning,” he warned.

“Oh, I’ll be fine.” She waved her free hand and shook her head.

“You might wanna change. But keep that dress. I want to take it off you soon.” He grinned and released her hand.

“Why not now?” She leaned against their rack, the metal cold against her bare legs.

He pushed himself upright more and reached up to cup her cheek. “Because you are incredibly drunk, my love.” She pouted, but he shook his head. “And I know you. The moment your head hits the pillow, you’re gonna be out.”

She knew he was right, but her pout still lingered as she stepped back. Chuckling to himself, he got up to check the hatch and turn off the lamp as she got ready for bed. Sure enough, by the time he made it back, she was passed out on top of the blankets with her glasses still on her face and her pajama pants abandoned next to her. It wasn’t worth trying to help her into them, so he set them out of the way and removed her glasses, then settled beside her and covered them both up. Without her pants, she would get cold during the night and either get as close to him as possible or get up in search of pants or another blanket. It had been so long since he had seen her drunk at all, let alone this much, and a part of him was curious about what would happen. Most of him was grateful she had enjoyed her night, and the rest was worried about how rough her—and by extension, his—morning would be.

Regret was the first thing that greeted Laura in the morning, quickly followed by nausea, pain, and her body overheating. Her mouth was dry and she groaned as she pushed at the blankets, quickly realizing it was Bill fueling most of the fire.

“Will you stop kicking me?” he grumbled as his arm wrapped around her.

The added heat somehow worsened the nausea and her headache, and she blindly pushed at it until he let go. “You’re too warm,” she complained petulantly.

“If you’re gonna throw up, you better get to the head,” he warned.

“Bill…” Her voice was a pure whine and he leaned up on his elbow to look at her. “Be nice.”

“I am being nice.” He kissed her cheek and she wrinkled her nose. “I’ll get you some water.”

He started to move, but her hand shot out and grabbed his arm. “Stop moving,” she groaned. “Oh, my gods, the whole room is spinning; it’s like a damn water bed.”

Chuckling softly, he slowed his movements and eased out of their rack as carefully as he could. Her groans didn’t stop, but she quieted down while he poured her water and brought it back. “Hot shower and breakfast should help once you can get up.”

“I’ll move next week.” She cautiously rolled over and buried her face in the pillow in search of a deeper darkness. “Or never.”

Her voice was muffled by the pillow and he could just barely make her words out. With a sympathetic sigh, he leaned against their rack and lightly stroked her back. “I don’t want to know how much you three drank if you’re this hungover.”

“Too much.” She sighed and reluctantly rolled back to look at him. “Won’t do that again.”

“Oh, I’m sure.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll get the shower warmed up.”

She hummed in gratitude and accepted the water, managing a few slow sips before she had to hand it back. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Once she was showered and picking at breakfast, she had to admit he was right. Her hangover was beginning to fade as she nourished and hydrated her body, much to her relief and frustration because her husband wouldn’t let it go. She tried to push back, but a knock on the hatch interrupted her argument and she rolled her eyes as Bill’s triumphant grin.

“Gaeta wants to speak with us,” he reminded her.

She groaned and reached for her glasses. “And you let me go out last night anyway?”

“I thought you were going to book club,” he defended, his grin not fading.

She groaned again and waved her hand for Bill to let him in. He opened the hatch and saw Gaeta hesitate a split second before he saluted. Jacob nearly trembled beside him.

“Good morning, sir,” Gaeta said quickly.

Bill nodded and shut the hatch behind them, gesturing to the table where Laura sat composed with her hands folded in front of her. Aside from the slight tension near her mouth and eyes, he couldn’t tell she was still a little hungover.

Gaeta set his stack of maps and notes in front of her and smiled nervously. “Madam President.”

“Good morning, Mr. Gaeta.” She returned his smile and took a slow drink of water. “It’s nice to see you, Jacob.” Thoughts from the previous night flashed through her mind and she struggled to keep her expression neutral. “I assume you’ve found something about Earth?”

“Good morning, Madam President.” Jacob smiled and looked back at Bill. “Admiral Adama.”

Gaeta cleared his throat. “Yes, ma’am, I think we found something.” He began unrolling the papers he had and Bill moved to stand beside Laura, one hand resting on the back of her chair. “We’ve been trying to reassemble President Bal—” He stopped and cleared his throat. “Dr. Baltar’s work on piecing together the Thirteenth Tribe’s path to Earth.”

“I’m curious.” She reached back to nudge Bill’s hand away so she could stand up for a better view, her eyes slowly scanning the pages. “What is it that you trust about Dr. Baltar’s research?” Saying his name left a worse taste in her mouth than the hangover did and she held back a grimace. “How do you know it’s not another one of his lies?”

“If there was one thing I learned about Baltar, it was his extraordinary capacity for self-preservation.” He looked up at her. “I think he wanted to find Earth because he wanted to get there.”

“How far did he get with his research?” Bill pointed to the mess of papers, most of which appeared useless.

“Well, as you can see,” Gaeta replied as he gestured to the papers Jacob held close, “we’re still hacking through his notes. There’s more back in his lab. But it appears that he was trying to correlate our own astrometric readings with the map of constellations that we found back on Kobol and apply his findings to certain select passages within the scroll of Pythia.”

“Why the scroll of Pythia?” He glanced at Laura from the corner of his eye, knowing she would have an answer.

“Pythia is supposed to have chronicled the original journey of the Thirteenth Tribe on its way to Earth.” Her eyebrow briefly arched up as Gaeta pulled out a copy of the scroll.

“If I can draw your attention to this passage,” he said before he followed the line with his finger and began to read. “And the caravan of the heavens was watched over by a great lion with a mighty blinky eye, red and blue.”

Laura vaguely remembered the passage from her studies with Elosha and it made her think of her copy of Pythia safely wrapped and stored in the closet. She hadn’t touched it in months, not since the election, and she felt an odd, sudden longing for it. “Exactly,” she murmured.

“Exactly what?” He looked at her fully and his brow furrowed at the expression on her face.

“You’re looking for a lion’s head with a mighty blinking eye,” Jacob answered.

“Blinking?”

“They’re scrolls. They speak in metaphors.” She offered a small smile to reassure him.

“Initially, I thought the doctor might be off his meds as well, sir, but then I found this note here, where he had written, ‘blinking equals pulsar’.” He looked up from the notes to meet their eyes.

“That means a star, right?” She shifted to lean against the table.

“Uh, plural, actually. They’re the rotating cores of dead stars that emit a blast of radio waves. From a distance, they appear to—”

“Blink,” Bill finished for him.

“Right. The doctor found two in very close mutual orbit within this sector. The spectrographic readings that I found show one will appear to be read and one will appear to be blue. Now, these pulsars appear to be in this nebula.” He pushed Baltar’s notes aside to point out a spot on the map. “We have never had a direct look at this area, but it is possible, with a couple of eyeballs out there, they might look at the nebula and see—”

“A giant lion’s head,” Laura breathed out, her eyes widening a little at the revelation. “Good work, Mr. Gaeta, Jacob. It looks like this is the best thing we’ve got going, so, unless you object, Admiral, I suggest we go lion hunting.”

“I can’t believe we’re taking directions from Pythia again, but she hasn’t steered us wrong yet. Set a course and we’ll get some birds in the air for a recon mission.” He wasn’t sure how he felt about using Baltar’s research or Pythia’s prophecies, but as long as it didn’t lead them right into a Cylon trap, it couldn’t hurt to check it out. “Thank you, Gaeta. Good work, Mr. Serine.”

“Yes, sir. Madam President.” He nodded and gathered up Baltar’s notes as quickly as he could with Jacob’s help.

“Good day, ma’am. Sir.” Jacob awkwardly and needlessly saluted before he scurried after Gaeta.

Laura quickly slid back into her chair and groaned. “Gods, I cannot stand that man.”

“Gaeta?” His eyebrow arched up. “Or Jacob?”

“Neither,” she muttered. “Jacob is a sweetheart.”

“Jacob is too close to our daughter.” She waved away his displeasure. “Mr. Gaeta may not have spoken out against Baltar’s administration, but he was crucial to the resistance. His work saved your life.”

She huffed and gently pushed him. “I meant Baltar.”

He chuckled and rubbed her shoulder. “Least he’s not our problem anymore.”

“Thank the gods for that.” She took a deep breath and stood up again. “How soon will you get the recon mission going?”

“Couple hours. I’ll send Sharon and Racetrack, maybe Lia.” He waited, knowing she would have something to say.

“I’d rather not know,” she sighed. “And you know she prefers her callsign now.”

“Yes, but you don’t.”

“No, but I need to get used to it.” She wrinkled her nose. “Artemis is very fitting for her.”

“It is.” He smiled and kissed her softly. “I have to get going.”

“Go. I’ll see you tonight.” She returned his smile and watched him leave before she grabbed her blazer to get ready for her own day.

The news throughout the day did little to reassure Laura. The tension across the fleet between the people who had settled and those who had stayed on their ships grew each day, even after Zarek’s Circle and her blanket pardon. She feared it was something they just had to either push through or let shatter and pick up the pieces later. Neither option seemed ideal, but she was at a loss as to what to do. The worst part was that she understood it and the lack of logic behind the emotions. Even within her own family, Zak was the only one who had truly understood and he was gone. As sympathetic as Lee, Bill, and Lia were, they could never truly empathize.

The rumors that made their way to her office about an incident between Bill, Kara, and Saul worried her the most. She took the information with a grain of salt, knowing how Galactica’s rumor mill worked, but she knew there was truth at the heart of it and that concerned her. A part of her wanted to throw in the towel for the day and go home, but she held that back and forced herself to finish out her day, everything still percolating in the back of her head.

When she finally made it back to the battlestar, she sent Grace with Cassie to find either Lia or the newly-named Athena, wanting to make sure she had as much privacy as possible. She dismissed the Marines outside and sent them further down the corridor with strict instructions not to disturb them and then stepped through the hatch. It wasn’t a surprise to find her husband at the table with an empty glass in his hand and she immediately sighed, praying that this conversation wouldn’t turn into an argument.

“I heard there was an attempted mutiny today. Not really sure who lost,” she said quietly.

He only grunted and slowly swirled his glass as if it still had something in it. She wondered if he even knew it was empty.

“Do we need to talk about it?”

“No.”

She let out a breath and slowly walked toward him, not bothering to take off her shoes or her blazer until she knew if they were going to have this conversation as husband and wife or Admiral and President. “Are you sure about that?”

He grunted again and briefly glanced at her. “Whatever you want to say, just say it.”

“I want to know what happened first.”

The look on her face told him everything he needed to know. They were in dangerous waters and it reminded him of old star maps that labeled the red line with ‘here there be monsters.’

When he didn’t respond, she pressed her hands flat on the table and leaned forward. “So, the rumors were actually right for once. Because if they weren’t, you’d be defending yourself right now and you’re not. Which means you really did hand a loaded weapon to Saul and Kara and ordered them to shoot you. Bill, what the hell were you thinking?”

“If they wanna sow dissent among the crew and lay the groundwork for a mutiny, then they better have the balls to go through with it. They don’t. I know they didn’t,” he explained, his voice emotionless and an idea of her response already in his head before he finished.

“What if they had?!” Her voice rose and she had to fight it back down. Under normal circumstances, she never would have questioned it. She may not always like Saul, but she trusted him with her life. Had trusted him with Bill’s life for years. Kara was a daughter to them. But there was a darkness in both of them that made them unpredictable, like an engine with one loose bolt. Everything seemed fine until it finally broke mid-flight and took out everything around it. She had a responsibility to her fleet and her family to protect them as much as possible. “Did you really think that was the best way to handle the situation? By pushing them away after they spent months alone on that rock? Do they not deserve the same concern you gave me?”

“You pulled back on your own,” he grumbled, a scowl beginning to form on his face.

“Oh, so if I hadn’t, you would have treated me the same way? Is that really what you’re telling me?” She knew it wasn’t true, but it still hurt to hear it.

“What happened down there is frakking awful, but it’s time to move on. Find Earth or whatever’s next. Stop this endless running.” He couldn’t look at her, but she was close enough that she was always at least visible from the corner of his eye. “You’re moving on.”

A short, surprised laugh broke free of her lips, but turned into a groan. “I’m moving on? Oh, honey, no. No, I’ve just gotten better at not disturbing you when the nightmares wake me up and I’m doing my damndest to sort through everything a piece at a time, and that’s still nothing compared to what Saul and Kara went through.”

“What are you saying?” Concern started to push back the haze that had settled over his mind and he turned his head to really look at her.

“And don’t act like you’re moving on either,” she continued without acknowledging his question. “I know the guilt you carry and you haven’t let that go either. Yes, Saul and Kara shouldn’t be worsening the divide in the fleet, but they also don’t need to feel like they’re being abandoned once again. Saul lost his eye, his wife, his men. Kara lost Zak, Sam, Lee. They need you, Bill, now more than ever. I need you, the girls need you. And if you ever try to pull a stupid stunt like that again, I swear to the gods that I will drag you back to life myself.” Her voice shook with her barely restrained emotions, her eyes locked with his.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” His scowl turned into a confused, worried frown that furrowed his brow and softened his eyes.

“What is there to say? Beyond that, you don’t understand. You can’t understand because you weren’t there. You may know what happened, but it will never carry the same weight. Just like I can’t understand what it felt like to leave.” She swallowed and licked her lips. “Go talk to them.”

“Laura…” He looked her over, suddenly hesitant to leave her alone in this state.

“Godsdamn it, Bill, just go!” She gave in to some of her emotions and closed her eyes. “Before either of them do something stupid.”

“I don’t…” He cleared his throat and carefully stood up.

“Start by apologizing,” she suggested, her voice almost a little cold, “and acknowledging that maybe calling our daughter a cancer was one of the worst possible things you could say.”

He didn’t want to know how she had found out so much, but something in his head told him it was a good thing she had. “I’m sorry.”

“Not to me.” Her eyes narrowed and she pushed herself away from the table. “Now go. Please. I have some calls I need to make.”

His eyes didn’t leave her as he buttoned up his tunic. Her expression was still tense and her eyes were guarded. He didn’t like it, even less so that he had helped cause it, but he didn’t want to try to push her. Not now. “Are you okay?” he asked anyway.

She waved away his question.

“Laura, please.”

“I’m as fine as anyone, Bill, okay? I’m eating, I’m sleeping, I’m back to being mother, wife, and President once more,” she answered shortly.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” He pushed just a bit.

“You have a mess you need to clean up. Take care of that first and we’ll talk tonight,” she relented after a pause.

He studied her and neither moved until his shoulders slumped and he nodded. They looked at each other for another moment more and then he left, his head shaking slightly at the sight of the Marines stationed further down the corridor. It made him worry about what Laura had expected out of their confrontation.

His brow deeply furrowed in thought, he went in search of his XO first. Saul didn’t answer the knock on the hatch and he didn’t expect him to, but he also wasn’t willing to barge into his quarters. His friend was mourning and he knew, unfortunately from too close of an encounter, that he would do the same thing if anything happened to Laura. Shutting down and pulling back, just like she had warned him not to. He couldn’t deny Saul the chance to mourn as he needed to, as long as he wasn’t spewing his laments across the ship. Promising himself that he would check on him later, he sighed and made his way to the pilots’ quarters, knowing Starbuck would likely be there over the rec room. With her flight status revoked, she wouldn’t go far.

Lia sat at the table in the middle of the room, but she smiled and jumped to her feet when she saw him. “Admiral, what can I do for you?”

He waved off her formality and managed a small smile. “Looking for Starbuck. You seen her?”

Her eyes darted to the one closed off bunk and she shrugged but stayed silent. He understood and cleared his throat.

“Starbuck, get your ass out here,” he ordered loudly.

The curtain fluttered and she threw a glare at Lia before she saluted with no small amount of sass and something bordering on a roll of her eyes. “Yes, sir?”

Laura’s words echoing in his head, he let it slide. “Artemis, give us the room.” Lia immediately left, stepping around Bill when he didn’t leave or shift his gaze from the pilot in front of him. “Sit,” he said as he gestured to the chair closest to her. She stayed standing; so did he. After glancing around the room to make sure they were alone, he took a slow, calming breath. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t hide her surprise well. “Excuse me?”

“The fleet is divided enough as is. I don’t need people mouthing off and making that worse, especially my family. That doesn’t excuse what I said.”

“It really is the end of the world when the Old Man apologizes,” she muttered. “With all due respect, sir, you don’t know what it was like down there.”

“No,” he admitted, “I don’t. The lucky few. But every single one of them risked their ass to get you all home and they deserve some leeway for that. If they’re rubbing their easy lives in your face, you send them to me. If they really piss you off, send them to the President.” She slowly lifted her head to look at him. “But if you have a problem, you bring it to me.”

“Yes, sir.” Her back straightened and then relaxed as she let out a breath. “Apollo…”

“Revoked your flight status. I know,” he finished for her. “It’s his choice; he’s CAG.”

“It’s frakked up.”

“Yeah, so let’s not frak it up anymore.”

“Sometimes… it feels like that’s all I know how to do.”

He laughed, but it was out of understanding and not judgment, and leaned against the table. “You’re talking to the one who made the decision to jump away.”

“That wasn’t a frak up.”

“Feels like one.” He shook his head. “Colonel Tigh isn’t getting off easy either.”

“He bitched more than I did.”

“I know.” He stood up and gave her a hard look. “Anything else you need to get off your chest?”

“No, but thank you.” She ran her fingers through her hair and grimaced. “Apologize to Laura for me too.”

“I’m the one who owes her an apology.” He sighed. “Get out there and get your shit together, Kara.”

“Yes, sir.” She saluted again and he quickly walked out of the room.

Laura was still on the phone when he returned to their quarters and he hesitated at the hatch, not wanting to disturb or interrupt her. She heard him anyway and sighed as she covered the receiver and held it away from her mouth.

“Are you going to stand out there all evening?” she called when the hatch still didn’t shut.

Grumbling to himself, he closed it and poured two glasses of water before he made his way into the other room. She sat at their desk, head in her hand with fingers threaded through her hair as she returned to the call. He gathered it was one of the Quorum delegates with some ridiculous problem and that Laura was already fed up with it and had given her answer. Extending the water as a peace offering, he sat across from her. She lifted her gaze to watch him, but accepted the water and took a grateful sip.

“All requests are currently going through ship captains and my Chief of Staff. It is being considered as quickly as possible, but given the circumstances, I ask for some patience in handling things that are not life-threatening. Thank you.” She quickly hung up and groaned as she buried her face in her hands. “Children, all of them,” she muttered. “My ship isn’t warm enough, mine isn’t cold enough. They’re all petty complaints; it’s like they’ve immediately forgotten what things were like down there until it comes to fighting with each other.”

“They haven’t forgotten, they’re just trying to control what they can.” He took a long drink and leaned back in his chair.

“Did you talk to Saul and Kara?” she asked cautiously.

“Saul won’t answer, but I talked to her. She said a lot of the same things you did.” He studied her, perturbed that he hadn’t realized she was still suffering from nightmares and not recovering like he thought she was.

“Oh, stop looking so guilty, will you?” She slowly shook her head. “I’m sorry I snapped at you, but I just can’t understand why you would do something so stupid.”

“We all say stupid things out of anger.”

“This is different. Something more.” She studied him, but his expression revealed nothing and she quickly gave up. “Like you’re punishing yourself right along with them.”

“I really don’t want to talk about this,” he grumbled. “It’s been a long day.”

“It’s been a long few weeks. Do you realize how hypocritical you can be sometimes?” Her lips twitched down into a frown as she sat fully upright and crossed one leg over the other beneath the desk.

“If I agree, will it end this conversation?”

“No, and you should know better.” She knew he was in a weird mood and she understood it, but it didn’t make her feel any better. “Is that what you’re doing? Punishing yourself?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were still having nightmares?” he countered.

“Because I’m tired of you handling me with kid gloves, Bill. Hovering, lingering, always with this guilty look on your face. Gods, it’s worse than when I was dying.” She shook her head and forced herself to look at him. “When they do wake me up, I can usually roll over and fall back to sleep. But I needed you to just back off and I knew you wouldn’t unless you thought I was okay.”

Frustrated by her stubbornness, he stayed quiet for several moments. “So, you’re lecturing me about punishing myself while you’re—“

“I’m not punishing myself,” she interrupted him. “Do I blame myself for some of what happened down there? Yes, I do. I wish I had stolen the election and avoided the whole damn thing. Maybe Zak would still be alive. But I’m not lashing out and threatening the people around me, risking my life.”

“No, you just shut down and pulled away from everyone.”

She quickly stood up. “I’m not having this argument again with you. I’m sorry I lied about the nightmares, but until you’re ready to deal with this guilt you’re carrying…” Unsure of how to finish what she started, she fell silent.

“I’m not ready to deal with it,” he admitted.

The suddenly distant look in his eyes made her sigh and she slowly rounded the desk and sat on the edge near him. “I know,” she said softly. “I know better than anyone. And when you’re ready, I’m here, but I don’t want to fight until then.”

His thoughts tumbled out before he could stop them and he regretted them immediately. “Lot of marriages don’t survive the death of a child.”

Her heart skipped a beat and she leaned back, fingers tightly gripping the edge of the desk. “What?” was all she could manage.

“I’m just saying that loss can put a strain on relationships and…” He trailed off as he realized he was only digging a deeper hole for himself.

“Is that what you’re trying to tell me?” she asked carefully. “Because I thought we were okay, but if I’m wrong…”

“And I thought your nightmares were gone.”

“If you’re going to continue to throw that back at me, Bill,” she warned. “Now answer my question.”

He groaned and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his hand resting on her leg. “We’re okay,” he reassured her. “I love you, Laura.”

“Are we?”

At the worried look on her face, he slid out of the chair and knelt on the deck in front of her. His hands closed around hers and held them tightly, securely, while he searched her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to stir up old shit, I’m not trying to make you question anything, I’m just caught up in my own frakking head.”

She gently pulled her hands free and cupped his face. “I know. Oh, honey, I know. I love you and I’m afraid you’re stuck with me. It would take a divorce and another military coup to get rid of me.”

“I don’t plan on either.” He wasn’t sure how their day had gone so downhill and he hated his part in it. “Retirement is sounding better by the day.”

“So say we all,” she hummed. “Now get up here before your knees hurt. We have to get Grace soon.”

She dropped her hands to his arms and stood up, bracing herself so he could use her for support to stand too. Once he was up, he kissed her softly and stroked her cheek. “Recon mission is leaving in an hour too.”

“So, we have some time to lay down? Because fighting with you is frakking exhausting.”

“We do.” Before she could pull back, he picked her up and carried her to their rack.

“Bill! For frak’s sake!” she huffed and threw her arms around his neck, holding on until they were curled up on top of the blankets together. “You’re going to hurt yourself one of these days.”

“Then I’ll enjoy it while I can.” He chuckled softly and stroked her arm.

They laid together as long as they could and then left their warm sanctuary. On their way to the hangar deck, they picked up Grace who had ended up with Klarice and walked down to meet the Raptor team.

Laura still wasn’t sure how she felt about Athena, unable to deny the effort she had put into protecting the fleet and her daughter, but also unable to forget the sight of an identical woman nearly killing her husband. Mixed in was her guilt over Hera and her confusion over how quickly her daughters had bonded with the Cylon pilot.

Once they descended the last ladder, Grace took off running. Laura called after her, but Bill squeezed her hand to tell her it was okay. She looked back at him and he gave her a small smile.

“Admiral on deck!” Tyrol called and Bill quickly waved him off.

“At ease,” he said. “Just here for Artemis.”

Lia smiled widely from where she leaned against the Raptor, her helmet on the wing next to her. The excitement hadn’t worn off yet and she could barely contain her bouncing as she waited.

“Shouldn’t you be helping with the preflight check?” Bill arched an eyebrow and nodded toward Athena circling her ship.

“I already did it. She’s double checking.” She smiled proudly and straightened up. “Thank you for letting me join.”

“Get out there and find us a lion alright?” He nodded to Racetrack, but his eyes followed Grace and Athena.

Laura moved to hug Lia and leaned up to kiss her cheek. “You be safe out there, okay?” she told her quietly.

“Are you gonna tell me that before every flight, Mom?” She returned the hug and then pushed her back with a laugh.

“Yes, I am. I do the same to Lee and Kara and I did the same even back home when they drove,” she responded. “And if your father ever dared to go out, I’d tell him too.”

Lia hesitated at the seriousness hidden behind her smile. “I’ll be careful, I promise. Athena and Racetrack are flying; I’m just an observer.”

She sighed softly. “Ensign Adama. I should have known that day Dad showed up with a stuffed Viper you named Husky that we’d end up here someday.”

“And no one could’ve guessed you’d end up President. Twice.” She rolled her eyes and pulled her back into another hug. “Love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” She reluctantly pulled back when Athena and Grace returned, her arms loosely wrapped around herself.

Sometimes, she felt like she was on the wrong side of a fine line. As the wife of their commanding officer, she didn’t know his crew nearly as well as he did, even after all of their months on the run. As President, that chasm seemed to only widen, and it left her uncertain as to how to approach some situations. Now, all she wanted to be was a mother, but she was too aware of the cautious way everyone held themselves around her, Bill, and their Marine guard not far away. It all made her wrinkle her nose and she turned around to hide it.

The motion caught Bill’s attention and he glanced at her, surprised at how tense she looked. He reached out and rested his hand on her back and she turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“They’ll be okay,” he said softly. “Just a quick, in and out recon mission.”

“I know.” She took a step closer so she could bump their shoulders together.

Once Bill confirmed the mission with Athena and said his own goodbyes with Grace, they moved back and watched the Raptor until it disappeared into the elevator to the flight pod. It would jump as soon as it was a safe distance from Galactica and then be out of reach of DRADIS, so there was no use watching from CIC, but they both felt the urge anyway.

Grace’s worry was quickly lost in the excitement of returning home and dinner. She started in Bill’s arms but quickly ended up between her parents and holding both their hands. Her giggles filled the corridors, laughing at nothing in particular, and Laura tried to let some of the stress of the day disappear. Lia was happy, excited. Grace was somehow her usual, bubbly self and for the first time since New Caprica, she felt to her core that maybe they could make it through this and out the other side.

Bill saw the unhindered but small smile on his wife’s face and he longed to kiss her in the corridor, but he had to settle for returning her smile and lifting their daughter so she could swing between them. Laura gasped and stumbled in her surprise but straightened up and managed to help lift Grace. She laughed at the shriek of glee that their daughter let out and Bill echoed it, allowing themselves this moment of levity while they had it.

Chapter Text

There was a fight waiting for him at home, but that was only part of the reason why he was taking his time to return to his quarters. The beginnings of his own guilt were stirring in his stomach and soon, he wouldn’t be able to ignore it any longer. He had paced the corridors long enough and forced himself to take the final turn, fingers hesitating on the wheel before he opened the hatch and let the Marine close it behind him. As he expected, Laura was waiting for him. She stood by the table with her arms crossed and he wasn’t sure if she had arrived recently or just hadn’t sat down. He looked at her expectantly, knowing she would speak up as soon as she was ready.

She gave him enough time to unbutton his tunic. “Don’t give me that crap about it being a military decision,” she warned, watching him closely.

“It is,” he replied with a shrug.

“She’s our daughter!” Laura had held her tongue and her worry about Lia’s enlistment, but sending her on a mission to a Cylon baseship was vastly different than flying a Viper.

“We wouldn’t be discussing this if I had sent Lee or Kara,” he pointed out, his eyes narrowing as he saw her fear overtake her anger.

“This is different and you know it.”

He scoffed. “Because she’s yours?”

Like a backdraft, her anger flared back up, but he saw a thread of hurt undercutting it. “I deserve better than that and you know it,” she said coldly.

It made him sigh and he looked down at the deck. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

She had more to say, but the topic didn’t need to be pushed; his regret was obvious in his eyes when he looked back up. “Lee and Kara had proper training, they are officers and adults. Thalia is barely eighteen and she enlisted, what, two months ago?”

“She’s shadowing Athena and she has to learn somewhere.”

“Not a Cylon baseship, Bill!”

He forced himself to take a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Laura,” he began softly, “you are going to hate any mission she goes on. Whether it’s on Galactica or elsewhere. You are always going to worry about her and Lee and Kara.”

“So, I should just save the effort and give up now?” She scowled and crossed her arms tighter.

“That’s not what I’m saying. My point is that we can keep having this argument for every mission if you want, but our opinions are never going to change,” he explained calmly. “She wanted to enlist and especially now that she’s eighteen, you can’t stop her. We need pilots and she wants to help, honey. And she’s a natural out there. She’ll be okay.”

She groaned and turned away as she buried her face in her hands. With her voice muffled, she said, “I promised myself I’d never be one of those frakking Raptor-parents, always hovering over her children.”

“I think worrying about them after the apocalypse is natural.” He cautiously approached her and rested his hand on her shoulder to spin her back toward him. “If I keep her on the ship, she’ll be pissed and the crew will cry favoritism. That’s not who we are or who she is. She has a job to do now, just like we do, and you know the crew look out for her. Athena would go down before she returned without her.”

“I still don’t like it.” Her words felt petulant as she met his gaze, hating the worried tears that filled her eyes but hadn’t broken free yet.

“I don’t either,” he admitted with a slight smile. “Sending Lee and Kara out is one thing, but this is a whole new box of guilt.”

“I asked Kara to go back to Caprica… Lee helped me off Galactica after you were shot. I’ve put them in danger too,” she sighed quietly.

“The Cylons put us all in danger,” he reminded her gently. “She’ll come home, okay?”

“You can’t promise that.”

“I can and I will,” he said firmly, just before the wireless in the next room rang and pierced the silence of their quarters. Rubbing her arm apologetically, he walked over and answered it with an irritated grunt.

She watched him, his controlled expression almost more concerning than if he had looked worried. It drew her closer, studying him for any sign of what was wrong.

As he hung up, his fingers were already fixing the buttons on his tunic. “Raptors made it to the baseship. Join me?”

“Wouldn’t be anywhere else.” She carefully dabbed at her eyes and cleared her throat before she followed him from the room.

The updates Athena provided only instilled more fear in Laura’s heart and she had to lean against the CnC as she listened, her eyes slowly roaming around the room. The wait for Cottle was agonizing, but it gave her a chance to collect and compose herself, the shift from Laura to President obvious as she straightened up and smoothed out her blouse.

When Cottle arrived, Helo caught him up on the situation and the doctor frowned, his head shaking slowly. “They’ll have to come aboard under quarantine procedures. Clear a path from the hangar deck to Sick Bay and sterilize it, and the Raptors after they’re in”

Bill nodded to Gaeta. “I’ll handle that,” he agreed as he headed for the hatch.

Laura cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes at the doctor. “How long will they have to stay in quarantine?”

“I won’t know that until I do the bloodwork. Could be days, weeks, there’s no way to tell.” He turned toward his commanding officers. “You said they picked up this disease from a beacon?”

“According to the Cylons,” Bill grunted.

“Always good to have the source of the pathogen. Can you bring it aboard Galactica?”

He immediately shook his head. “No, too dangerous. I want to limit our exposure.” Too many people had been exposed already and he wouldn’t risk any more.

“What about the prisoners?”

Helo took a step closer. “Prisoners?”

“The disease is more advanced in their systems, so it’ll give at least an idea of what to expect as it progresses. And when they die, it’ll tell me how long our people have to live,” Cottle explained.

Laura closed her eyes briefly and looked away, barely managing to swallow her rising emotions back down.

“How many prisoners?”

“How many you got?”

“Four or five still alive based on Athena’s reports.”

Cottle nodded his understanding, but before he left, Laura rounded the console and grabbed his arm. Bill watched them, but forced his attention away to pass along orders to his crew to prepare for the arrival of the Raptors.

“Jack,” she said softly, her eyes searching his. “How bad is it?”

“I told you.” His scowl darkened his face. “I won’t know until I see them.”

“You can make an educated guess,” she countered.

“I don’t do that.”

“Jack, please.”

“I’ll do what I can.” He gently pulled free and she wasn’t willing to follow, knowing he wouldn’t give her anything more.

Sighing, she tried her best to set it aside and turned back to the crew. Bill glanced at her and saw her political facade slide back over her face to mask her worry; he understood and hoped they would have a moment together before all hell broke loose.

The destruction of the baseship further worried them all, but Athena quickly made contact and reassured them that they had made it out safely. Bill wondered if the remaining Cylons had destroyed the ship to protect their people, but he didn’t like that their own had been endangered—and still were.

As soon as the Raptor teams landed safely and were escorted down to Sick Bay, Laura left the CIC with her husband and Helo on her heels. They hurried through the corridors until they were stopped by the quarantine protocols. Helo moved to one side toward his wife and Laura rested her hand against the protective curtain. Lia stood on the other side, her eyes wide but surprisingly calm.

“I’m okay,” she reassured them. “Really, I feel fine. We all do.”

“I’m glad.” Laura sighed and regarded all of them. “I’m sorry, Lia.”

“Mom…” She shook her head and looked to Bill for help. “It’s my job. It’s what we do.”