A/N: This is my first ever BSG fanfic, so I'd love to receive feedback as to how I did.
Her eyeglasses and her freedom were the best presents she's ever received for her birthday, even though she wasn't aware of the fact that it was already her birthday. Between these four concrete walls where light was harsh and scarce at the same time and the desperate screams from the other cells were her only company, the perception of time became blurry. She wasn't sure for how long she's been held here, but she was sure it couldn't have been more than a week. Had she counted the number of meals she's received since they locked her up here, she would be able to tell.
What bothered her the most was the fact that no one would miss her, not really. She was sure that Tory, as great as she was as an assistant, had life of her own, and the kids at school may have noticed her absence, but life in occupied New Caprica had a way of making people forget about people who weren't their relatives or close friends. The only person she imagined would miss her has jumped away four months ago. She was sure he hasn't forgotten about her, or the rest of the humans left in New Caprica, but his absence and the hardships of living in this Godsforsaken planet jaded the memories of what it was like when he was around.
She walked out of the cell, following a guard who led her outside the cylon detention center. The bright midday light hit her eyes with force and she took her glasses off and buried her face in her hands for a long moment, slowly spreading her fingers apart to gradually allow the sunlight to filter in. The noise of cylon raiders flying overhead and the busy activity replaced the haunting screams that tore the dead silence in her holding cell. It reminded her of that day she flatlined in sick bay, the long silent moment before she was brought back to the noise of the machines and the people surrounding her. She was not a cylon, but she already died more than once.
She wasn't surprised to find nobody waiting for her outside the detention center gates and as she walked to her tent – a walk that lasted longer than she thought – she could feel her muscles aching. She was not young anymore, and days of sitting on cold concrete floor have taken their toll on her body. It was Galen Tyrol who let her know what the date was, and of course he wasn't aware of the significance of the day to her. He was worried by Cally's arrest and she didn't think to bother him. There was very little to celebrate in New Caprica these days anyway.
The one thing she couldn't deny was her exhaustion. It was hard to get a good night's sleep on a cold, slightly humid floor, with shrieks that shudder the walls. She needed some rest, and a good shower, but the latter could wait. She let her sore body fall onto her mattress. It wasn't a good quality mattress, but it was much more comfortable than the floor, and it smelled better too. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh as the image of Bill's face appeared in front of her eyes. She knew he wasn't there, but she pushed that knowledge to the back of her mind and let herself sink deeper into what she knew was the beginning of a dream. She wasn't sure if she was fully asleep when she heard his husky voice in her ears saying "Happy birthday, Laura." For the first time in forever, she slept with a smile on her face.
THE END
As always, I'd love to know what you think about this story, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.