Title: What Happens in New Caprica, Stays in New Caprica
Author: Azura Nyx
Characters: Tom Zarek, Laura Roslin, and Admiral William Adama
Pairings: Tom Zarek/Laura Roslin
Type: Romance/Gen
Length: ~1,270
Warnings/Author's Notes: These characters belong to Universal Studios and do not belong to me. Drug/Alcohol situations & spoilers for "Blood on the Scales" from season 4.5.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: President Laura Roslin's true emotions for Tom Zarek are revealed when she gets drunk on New Caprica.
Chapter 1
The day came at last: the day of Felix Gaeta's and Tom Zarek's executions, that was. President Laura Roslin had debated all morning about whether or not she should go to witness it. A part of her wanted to go because, after all, she was the President of the Twelve Colonies and her job usually required her attendance in similar issues like this. Then again, Laura didn't want to go because she didn't want to see the death of Tom Zarek… even if he and Gaeta did try to take over the battlestar. Somehow, it just seemed wrong. Laura questioned this notion over and over again. After all, Bill Adama repeatedly told Roslin he didn't have much choice, and that to allow Zarek and Gaeta to continue living could present more trouble. She wasn't quite sure what she believed.
After much thought, Laura decided to go to the execution. Standing there, seeing Zarek tied up to the chair was unnerving for Roslin to witness. It was difficult for her to know that any minute the firing squad was going to shoot Gaeta and Zarek. Laura even began to reminisce about a time she spent with Tom on New Caprica:
Settling down in a real home was a notion that appealed to everyone at that time. How could it not? When you are constantly running away from robots that haunt you for decades at a time, it gets wearisome. So, before the cylons found the humans on New Caprica, people were joyous and happy. People were celebrating by dancing practically all night, smoking cigars, and even playing a few rounds of poker here and there. Laura Roslin was no exception to these festivities.
"Laura, what a surprise to see you here," said Tom Zarek.
"I could very well say the same about you, Mr. Zarek" Laura began as she took sips from her glass of ambrosia. "Don't you have any vice presidential duties to attend to? President Baltar is keeping you busy, I assume?"
The bar tender had asked Tom what he would like to drink, and he requested a glass of Caprican red wine. Zarek then took a seat next to Laura and responded to her question by saying, "You know as well as I do that Gaius Baltar is a pompous, arrogant man who enjoys nothing more than reminding everyone how he can do better than them. Therefore, no, I don't have any 'vice presidential duties' to tend to."
"Oh, well I'm so sorry the position hasn't turned out the way you expected. Maybe if you would have listened to me about settling here in the first place…," sardonically replied Laura.
"Don't fence with me, Laura. Gods only know how many mistakes you've made in office," Tom mentioned as he took sips of his wine. "Besides, don't act like you regret the encouragement of settling here."
"As a matter of fact, I don't think we should have come here, Tom. Until we find Earth-"
"Earth? C'mon, Laura," Zarek boldly interrupted with a smirk. "I happen to know for a fact that both you and Adama don't truly believe we can find Earth. I'm not that naïve."
"Then why else would I say it?"
"Oh, I don't know… perhaps to make the citizens feel as though there's something worth fighting for, or to win the next election. There are lots of other reasons. Pick one."
