Authors Note

One-shot of Adama and Roslin.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, never have, unfortunately never will!

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Adama smiled to himself and made his way to the hatch of his quarters. There was only one person who could knock on a hatch that elegantly but still command a swift entry.

He opened the door slowly, savouring the sight of Laura Roslin standing, smiling.

"Admiral," She spoke clearly and precisely, in her most presidential of tones.

"Madame President," He replied, offering her a hand. She took it, smiling slightly, and he helped her into his quarters. As the door slowly slammed shut, Laura started laughing. Grinning with her, Adama moved over to the table and started pouring her some Ambrosia.

"Quite the professionals, aren't we?" She said lightly, accepting the glass offered to her. She slipped her shoes off and moved across his quarters, sighing.

"Much more comfortable." He heard her murmur. Not wanting to spoil one of the only moments Laura had to be herself, he spoke up from behind her;

"You wanted something in particular Laura?"

She was shaken out of her reverie by the use of her name, and turned smiling towards him.

"Why yes actually Bill," she replied, smiling again, "I have finished yet another one of your books, and was wondering whether I could borrow another?"

Adama hid his disappointment well underneath his military façade and formally said, "Of course you can Madame President. Take a look at the bookshelf and see what you like."

Nodding in gratitude, Laura moved towards his bookcase, lightly brushing her finger over the spines of the books as she browsed the variety of titles.

She'll have read them all soon, Adama thought to himself, smiling, and then she'll have no need to come over.

Extinguishing that grim thought, he watched as she pulled out a book from a bottom shelf.

"'What Could Have Been' A Caprican story?" Laura read the blurb thoughtfully, before turning towards Adama, "This doesn't sound very much like a mystery Bill."

"Well no it isn't," He admitted, taking a small sip from his glass. He gritted his teeth from the sharp taste and continued, "It was my ex-wife's book. I started reading it, but never finished. The last few pages are missing."

Laura looked at the book, almost as if deciding whether it was worth even keeping, before steadily replying, "What's it about?"

Adama moved to the couch and placed his glass down. Laura joined him, he was grateful to notice and he outlined the plot to her briefly,

"Well, it's about two star crossed lovers," He started gruffly, feeling out of place telling a woman the plot of a romance novel, "they are both very reputable figures in society, running a city in Caprica. They hated each other at first, as they felt threatened, but soon fell in love. But neither would admit it, as they had rather large careers and couldn't risk a relationship because of it."

Laura nodded thoughtfully, before looking Adama in the eye.

"Sounds familiar," She said quietly, almost as if to determine his reaction, "But I don't think I've read it before."

"Well," Adama said, softly this time, "I hadn't the chance to finish it, so I don't know what happened with them."

They sat for a while in comfortable silence, stealing glances and smiling nervously when they were caught. After a while, Laura took the initiative and moved closer, placing her hand on his.

He turned his head slowly, to see what emotions played in her eyes. Her eyes held laughter, he noted, and she slowly moved closer towards him. Taking his chin in her hand, she kissed him sweetly on the lips.

It was brief but spoke pages to him. It was the same as the kiss he gave her when she made him Admiral. Sweet, chaste, but full of promises.

He slowly smiled and she laughed lightly, drawing away and slipping her shoes back on. He felt the warmth seep away as she left his side, and covered his disappointment again, letting his fingers trace where she had kissed him.

Just a she moved towards the hatch to exit his quarters, she turned around.

"By the way Bill," she spoke softly but words full of meaning, "in the end, they get together. It takes a while for them to realise, but they get together."

With that, she left his quarters, shutting the door delicately behind her. Adama sat there, pondering her last comment, swirling his drink around in the glass.

Looking towards the book she left, he slowly picked it up, before saying out loud;

"Wait a minute; she said she hadn't read the book …"

Damn Laura and her cliff-hangers! With that thought, he quickly pursued her out the door, the book in his hand.