Title: The end of a Long Journey

Author: Dorka

Disclaimer: I'm a poor student, so don't sue me cuz "No copyright infrigement intented"

Spoiler: None specific

Summary: They finally reach earth

Authors Note: thanks and hugs to ANGI my beta

It's been ten weeks now, since they reached Earth. Although to Laura it seemed like forever. First they were treated as intruders, but now, after they had told their story about the 13 Colonies and why and how they came to Earth, the people on the planet turned out to be very nice. It all went unbelievably fast. After their hear-out, they offered them houses and money so they'd have nothing to worry about for the rest of their lives. Everyone seemed to go their own way, moving to different countries around Earth. The young people were given a chance to work at research institutes. Human technology on this planet was very different from their own. They didn't have ships like Galactica, they had these little things on four wheels called automobiles, and airplanes which couldn't leave the atmosphere. For the people from the Twelve Colonies it seemed like a travel back in time. It turned out the 13th Colony completely abandoned the technology they had as soon as they reached Earth, so over the thousands of years they had to develop again.

As long as the cylons weren't around Laura didn't care if they lived a little differently. She would even have settled down on New Caprica without big problems if the cylons hadn't turned up there as well.

Three weeks passed since Laura had moved into her little house in a country they called Canada. The former President wasn't sure if she would ever get used to Earth. She loved the Colonial One, it was home to her, and even if she had difficulties to admit it, she also loved the cosiness of Bill's quarters. Above all she missed him. Her lips curled into a smile as she watched the hills from her veranda, when she remembered the last time she had seen him. It was a few weeks ago now and he had had that bright smile on his face at the official welcome party the people from Earth had offered them. They hadn't even had the time to talk, let alone dance. Various people were engaging them both during the whole celebration. That was also what had happened as soon as they reached Earth; with Bill being an Admiral, many people were interested in his knowledge, and he had immediately found himself with more engagements than he could count. And that had meant that Laura had barely seen him in the ten weeks that had passed since their arrival. She wondered what he was doing at this moment. Maybe he was trying to drive one of these crazy automobiles. Laura had been forced to learn how to drive in a very short time, or she couldn't survive out there. Her cabin was 10 miles away from the next town. She loved the sounds of the forest, and the sound of the little river that passed through her garden. Her dog was her only company now. She stroked the head of the husky with his blue eyes which still reminded her too much of Bill. Bill... there wasn't an hour when his name didn't cross her mind.

"Oh Phoenix!" she sighed.

At that moment Phoenix's head turned, and before she realised it the dog ran barking in the direction of the front door.

Laura knew what it meant. She had chosen the dog very carefully, not only for her company but also for her safety. This could only mean that there was someone at the door. She wasn't expecting anyone, which left a little worried.

The former President took the other way to the front door, crossing the length of the house before reaching the door. Phoenix was still barking at the person, she feared he'd bite him. Maybe it's only one of the village inhabitants. She slowly opened the door, and suddenly she faced a pair of perfect blue eyes.

"Bill!" she whispered.

She couldn't believe that he was standing in front of her, although his eyes were still flashing between her and her dog. She realised she hadn't noticed that Phoenix was still trying to frighten him.

"Oh, I'm sorry... Phoenix! Come here!" Bill was surprised by how fast the dog lost interest in him and sat down beside Laura.

"I see you changed your type of bodyguard" He said with a smile curling his lips.

Laura was still standing in the same spot, not knowing how to react. They kept silent for a few seconds before Bill closed the distance between them and pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you!" he closed his eyes and inhaled her scent of lavender.

"I missed you too Bill. I can't believe you are here!" she buried her face in his chest.

They remained in that position for what seemed like forever before they pulled apart.

"Why... How?" Laura tried to phrase a question.

"They finally let me go. I explained all our technology to them and then I told the people that it's up to the younger crew to continue. I told them that I should be retired for about four years now and they should leave me alone."

Laura chuckled at that. "I guess I'm lucky then that I'm only into Culture. I basically handed them our books." She realised that they were still standing outside. "Oh, I'm sorry! Please come in."

Bill stepped into the little house which was a mixture of wood and stone which gave it a warm atmosphere. It was exactly how he had imagined her cabin on New Caprica would have looked like.

"So you finally built your cabin?"

"Yeah. I even have a little river running through my garden. Although I can't have the plants. It turned out it's illegal on Earth!"

"What a pity!" he added "I hope I'm not interrupting, I wasn't sure if it was..."

"It's okay Bill. I'm really happy that you're here! Have a seat." she gestured towards the couch. "Can I get you something to drink or to eat?"

"No thank you. Just sit down with me. Like old times" he sat down and patted the seat beside him.

"Well only that in the old times we were the leaders of the survivors of 12 Colonies, fleeing from the cylons. So much has changed. Everything has become so quiet!"

"You want to tell me that you don't know what to do with your time?" He frowned defiantly.

"I spend all my time either enjoying the view, reading or watching television. We have to learn so much about this planet and their inhabitants. A few weeks ago I drove into town with my car and a lady started accusing me because I had such a big car which isn't a hybrid. The first thing that came to mind when I heard her saying 'hybrid' was Hera. I had no idea what to answer her!"

Bill couldn't hold back the chuckle, which earned him a light slap on his arm by Laura.

"That's not funny!" but she joined him and a grin curled on her lips as well.

"How is Lee?" she changed the topic.

"Well actually I'm going to be a grandpa soon!"

"You are?" Laura jumped up happily into a straight position. "That's great news! Congratulations!"

"Thank you, but actually I'm starting to feel very old now!"

"Well at least now they have a reason to call you 'the old man'now!"

His face darkened. No one had called him that behind his back in over a month now. He missed those times. But he also realised that what he missed the most was spending time with Laura.

"I'm glad we're all safe here on Earth" I'm glad you're safe was what he wanted to say.

"Yes, me too!" A long silence fell between them before Laura started to speak again.

"Where did you settle?"

"Uhm...close."

"Close? Like close on the continent, close like in Canada as well?"

"Close like I bought a house 10 miles from your place!"

Laura's eyes widened in surprise.

"You did?"

He nodded silently.

"But...why?"

Now they were on the topic he had planned to talk to her about in the first place.

"Because I wanted to be close to you. Because even though our dream of Earth has come true I wasn't as happy as I should have been. Even the fact that I'm becoming a grandfather couldn't fill me with as much happiness as it should have because you weren't there to share it with. Maybe I'm wrong, but I felt something special between us, which was more then just friendship. We never spoke about it because it was never something that we could pursue being the leaders of all those people. Even on New Caprica there was the possibility that you could become President again and it would have complicated everything if something had happened between us. But now... we're here and I don't want to spend all the rest of my life alone."

Laura waited a moment to be sure that he was finished and asked with a serious face.

"Is this your way of telling me that you love me?"

Every time Bill thought Laura couldn't surprise him even more she did exactly that. He had to admit, that was one thing he loved about her.

"Definitely it is!"

Without any hesitation Laura leaned forward and kissed him. Not the way their first kiss had been. Now it was a passionate and claiming kiss. The first of many to follow.

The END