Authors Note

Okay well, this is one of my favourites I think. So I hope you like it too! Both reviews and criticisms welcome … nothing else to say but enjoy!

Disclaimer : If they were at all affiliated with me, then I assure you, I'd have a whole series just for "Adama & Roslin". But alas they are not, so I shall sit patiently and wait.

The Diloxin treatments had left President Laura Roslin weak. As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't withstand as many meetings now, or travel around the ships. Usually such minor changes to her schedule would be overlooked by the media, and the fact that she couldn't board a raptor without feeling slightly dizzy would be covered up well by her presidential, smiling façade.

However, now the whole fleet knew just how sick she really was. The trial had left Laura fuming. Not only had she admitted her cancer under oath, but the defence had won. She was left with nothing but a secret let out in the open. Of course, if it was her deciding vote, Baltar would have been out the airlock faster than anyone could say Caprican Buccaneers.

She was laid out on a bed in the Life Station. She stared blankly at the curtains surrounding her, breathing in and out slowly, so as not to be sick. There was nothing more degrading than a recruit with a mop cleaning up the President's vomit.

Frakkin' Baltar, she thought, her eyes narrowing dangerously, idiot with his invisible friends.

It wasn't until her epiphany when she was near-death, did she realise the extent to how truly evil the man was. He collaborated with a cylon, she knew he did. But one small near death vision was obviously not enough to sentence the man.

Feeling her stomach clench uneasily, she closed her eyes.

Don't be sick, don't be sick, don't be sick.

She was oblivious to those around her, concentrating on keeping her stomach calm, and her outward appearance professional.

"Don't let them see you sweat Laura."

Ahh Bill, she thought bitterly, her hands shaking, It's hard not to when half the ship is in Life Station with you after that battle.

They hadn't spoken in days. Laura felt more than betrayed by his deciding vote to make Baltar innocent. It hurt more because she knew he was right. They were just using Baltar as a scapegoat for all their wrongdoings, but to be told that face-to-face, it was humiliating. And she hated humiliation.

"Water," she muttered to herself, her eyes still closed. Her stomach seemed not to want to co-operate with her today, she realised, her hand slowly crawling outwards towards the table beside her.

Her hand was blocked though, by something unseen. It slowly placed her hand back onto her stomach, and she felt the cool rim of a glass near her lips. She drank slowly and precariously, not wanting to spill any. After a few moments, she pulled her head slowly away, and the glass was gone.

Feeling her stomach settle comfortably, she risked opening her eyes. Her vision went blurry, and she closed them quickly again, to fight more nausea. She was just considering whether she should risk opening her eyes again, when a voice from beside her said;

"Take it easy Laura."

Laura recognised the voice instantly, and instead of anger bubbling within her, she felt a sense of relief and comfort. Here beside her was not a man to be embarrassed by for seeing her so weak. Here was a man who knew weakness, and knew how to soothe those that felt it.

"Bill." She replied softly, opening her eyes yet again. The dizziness overtook her, but she persevered, and kept her vision fixed on the blue eyes staring down at her. He rested his hand lightly on her fore-arm. To keep gossip at bay, she realised, anyone who walks in is just going to see the Admiral and the President talking.

But it wasn't the Admiral and the President talking. It was Bill and Laura. Two people, both with weaknesses, who had titles forced onto their shoulders, and burdens of decisions made, sitting on their consciences.

"Diloxin getting you down?" He asked, smoothing the material of her jacket down slowly, as if to keep his hands and his mind distracted.

"Yes," She replied, slowly smiling, "It's no algae of course."

At that statement, Bill let out a short bark of laughter, before smiling down at her. He slowly moved his hand along, risking letting it slide over her own shaking hand. The warmth and comfort of his own hand made hers stop shaking.

"How are you feeling Laura?" Bill asked, looking straight into her eyes. He expects the truth. Nothing less for Admiral Adama, she thought affectionately.

"Dizzy, and tired," She admitted, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly, "Of course I wouldn't be feeling this way if you'd of let me have that blonde cylon body the last time around."

"It couldn't happen," He said seriously, looking down at her, "If you got a new body, then it's only fair that after being shot, I got a new body too."

Laura laughed and Bill chuckled lightly at her reaction. It felt good to be laughing in such a serious situation. Only Bill could have accomplished the feat.

"Plus," he added, when Laura had calmed down, "How would that explain your temper? You're a fiery red-head. Like I said before, I can't see you as a blonde."

Laura just smiled and wiped tears of laughter away from her face, "Besides, the two leaders of the fleet becoming cylons. Somehow I don't think it'd go down well with the press. They had a field day just with my cancer."

Bill suddenly looked down, breaking all eye contact with her.

"I'm sorry about Lee," He stated, his eyes taking an unusual interest in his uniform buttons, "He frakked up."

"Yes, he did." She expressed softly, to which Bill's gaze snapped back up. Their stare didn't waver and a silent communication passed between them; we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

"Well Madame President," He addressed her formally, groaning as he stood up from the chair beside her bed, "I've got a meeting to attend. The press are going crazy for news about the attacks, and I've got a Vice-President by the name of Tom Zarek who is a royal pain in the-"

Laura cut him off with her laughter. It's good to see her laugh, Bill thought looking at her, she looks healthy. With that he gave a small formal salute, and moved towards the curtain separating her from the rest of the area that was the Life Station.

"Bill?"

The voice was quiet, but was effective in stopping him in his tracks. He turned slowly around. She was lying there, relaxed and smiling. He took pride in knowing that it was him who caused her to unwind, and put a smile on her face.

"Yes Laura?" His voice was equally as soft, as if it was a competition of who could still be heard. She would win of course, he realised amused, just a raise of an eyebrow tells me all I need to know.

She seemed to be considering telling him something. Bill waited patiently, standing straight, with his hands clasped together in front. After a minute, she came to a decision.

"Don't let them see you sweat Bill." She whispered, pulling her jacket around her securely.

Bill stood there, silently, but his shoulders visibly slumped. He then smiled widely, before replying,

"I won't Laura, I won't."

They shared a brief smile, before Bill stepped quietly out from her designated area. Laura moved her head slightly, to get more comfortable, and whispered to no-one;

"I know you won't."