Authors Note

Ok, here's my next story. It's a one-shot and is called "He'll Be Future President"

Slight spoilers and references to quotes from "home part 2" (season 2)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters what-so-ever, so please don't sue. If you're still keen on suing me, then do it over the story that you think is the best. Leave me a little bit of ego as I go to prison.

Adama: She thinks you'll be President one day.


Billy: 'Scuse me?


Adama: That's what she said to me once, that you reminded her of President Adar when he ran for his first office.


Billy: I don't really know how to respond to that, sir.


Adama: Don't let it go to your head. Adar was a moron.

As the raptor hurtled into the atmosphere, Adama concentrated on something to take away the sting. His head was forced back into the wall behind him, and he was having trouble talking. He looked across, and saw that Billy too was having the same trouble opposite him. Billy's cheeks were flushed red, probably with pride, thought Adama. He didn't make a mistake in telling Billy what the President had said to him, but he was re-considering whether he should have told him just as the pressure built up in the raptor.

He had to take his mind off of the location where they were heading. Many worries passed through his head, but he quelled them all, focusing on a memory. He hadn't lied when he told Billy what Roslin had said. She had confided in him then, telling him her hopes for the future, how Billy would lead the fleet efficiently.

Looking towards the man in question, barely a man though, Adama somehow disagreed with what Roslin thought. Maybe she sees something in him, something that no-one else except the President can see.

"Can I interest you in a drink Madame President?" Adama enquired formally, holding out a glass of Ambrosia.

Roslin stood in the middle of his quarters, staring at a picture on the wall. As she turned, he saw a slight frown, but it was quickly replaced with a fixed presidential smile. The kind she uses when she had to talk to the Quorum or Zarek, he recognised.

"Mm yes please Commander," She accepted the glass politely, taking a small sip, "You wouldn't believe how thirsty I am."

"No water allowed at the Quorum meetings?" He asked jokingly, sitting himself down on the sofa. Roslin seated herself down in an armchair parallel to the couch.

"No," She said softly, smiling, "Sometimes I wonder if they have some aversion to liquids."

Adama gave a small smile, which caused Roslin to smile slightly wider. They sat there in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying the drinks and company.

"I'm sure they have no aversion to liquids Madame President." Adama stated, trying to keep the conversation going. It felt awkward to be joking with the President, the one he detested just months ago. Now here they were, sitting in his quarters, drinking and talking like they were good friends, not just forced to work together.

"I don't doubt that Commander," Roslin agreed, running her finger up and down her glass, "I just wish that they could have water or something else instead of constantly feeding on my blood."

Her comment was met with a stony silence. Suddenly, Adama broke out in a grin and chuckled lightly. Roslin gave a small smile and leaned back in the armchair more comfortably, a lot more relaxed now she had the Commander laughing.

"No wonder the presidents don't last very long," Adama said, smiling and lifting the drink to his lips. He took a large sip and gritted his teeth as the liquid burned his throat.

"Hmm" Roslin sighed in agreement, and Adama noticed that her smile vanished, replaced with a slight frown. Something was wrong, he decided.

"Something on your mind Madame President?" He asked politely, gazing at her intently to gauge her reaction. He though he could literally see the walls go up, as Roslin stared back with another fixed smile on her face.

"Nothing, just thinking," She said, taking another sip of her drink, but Adama noticed that her back straightened imperceptibly, "about the next president."

He sat in silence, waiting for Roslin to build on her thoughts, to voice what she was pondering so seriously. He decided to lighten the mood a bit, hoping it would achieve a conversation.

"Well you shouldn't be worrying about that just yet. You're not going anywhere anytime soon." He said it with a hint of amusement in his voice, smiling slightly at her in reassurance. It didn't work, he realised, as a very deep frown crossed her face.

Something's definitely wrong. He sighed, and this seemed to bring Roslin out of her reverie. She spoke clearly and concisely, as if she had prepared this speech long ago. Adama couldn't help but think that she probably had.

"Billy is going to be President." Her tone of voice left little to no doubt, but Adama couldn't help but argue.

"Your aide? He is hardly president material, no offence intended." It was true. Billy was reliable, yes, but to put him in charge of a whole fleet … He wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure of the job, and he just wasn't the strong minded person that could make ruthless decisions when necessary.

"That's where you're wrong Commander," Roslin stated, looking over her glasses and into his eyes intently, "I remember just years ago, when Adar was running for his first office … Billy is so alike to him, it's uncanny." Her voice was soft, but Adama felt slightly assured by her convinced tone.

"Ok Madame President. But that won't have to happen for a long time, so put it out of your head."

"Yes commander," This time, she looked away from him, and he could see pain in her eyes. What's that about? He couldn't help but wonder. "Not for a long time …"

"Have you told Billy what you have told me?" Adama asked, quickly changing the subject to try and keep on Roslin's good side.

She looked at him briefly and smiled, before replying, "No I haven't. I wouldn't want to worry him in the slightest, to put an unreasonable amount of pressure on him. Besides," She added, thoughtfully, "I'd hate for him to get big-headed, like Adar did."

The last statement caused Adama to laugh warmly, and Roslin joined in, chuckling at his reaction to her obvious insult.

It took a while for Adama to calm down, but when he did, he slowly said, "Adar was a frakkin' moron."

"Yes he was Commander," she said slowly, her smile still in place. She placed her empty glass on the table before standing up, "But he could be a good man, when he wanted to be."

Adama stood up slowly with her, wondering what she meant by her last sentence. Realisation hit him. Maybe she and the previous president had a closer relationship than just work colleagues.

He fought to keep jealousy down. Why am I even jealous? He asked himself incredulously, her personal life is her own, and I shouldn't even care. But he did care. For some strange reason, Adama found himself hating Adar a hell of a lot more, but he just couldn't figure out why.

Roslin slowly made her way to the hatch of his quarters.

"See you tomorrow Commander," She said formally, opening the hatch, "And by the way Bill, it was over as soon as it started."

She left abruptly, and Adama was left pondering. She had used his first name. Not Adama. Not Commander. But Bill. He had told her many times to just call him Bill, but this was the first time she had actually used it.

Her last comment to him left him in a slightly better mood, and he found himself sitting with a small smile of triumph on his face. They were taking small steps forward in their friendship, and Adama found himself liking the direction their friendship was taking.

"Landing in approximately one minute sir!" The pilot shouted from the front.

Adama snapped to attention, and found himself still seated in the raptor. Soon he was going to be talking to Roslin, and he found himself looking forward to it oddly. As he remembered their last friendly conversation, before the brig mishap, he couldn't help but picture her in his mind.

"Adar was a moron," He muttered smugly, looking at Bill opposite. He looked pale and was not listening to or taking in his surroundings, and Adama remembered back to Roslin's sentence about it being over as soon as it started, "In more ways than one."

With that, he closed his eyes, and thought of Laura laughing with him in his quarters, smiling slightly at what will happen when they become friends again.