They had found Earth. They had settled in with the current inhabitants. She had helped integrate the normal civilians and he had facilitated the military integration. The doctors had offered her a last chance at treatment and cured the cancer that had riddled her body, tore her down, made her weak.
Instead of settling in a cabin by a lake, they'd settled in an apartment. At first it was so she was close to the hospital. After it became convenience, they didn't want to pack up the things they had accumulated in their short time on the planet and move. Things had been fine for a while settling into the new routine of being Bill and Laura instead of the Admiral and the President, but the closer they got to the year anniversary of their civilization discovery the more they seemed to pull apart.
Bill and Laura were not as compatible as the Admiral and President. They argued. At first it had started out as light bickering, occasionally they'd have a real blow out and one of them would storm off or doors would be slammed. Yet, the bickering became their standard form of conversation and the blowouts seemed to happen every night.
"This isn't a relationship, Bill! I can't handle this anymore!" Laura yells across the breakfast bar in the kitchen. She slams the dishwasher closed and sighs as she braces herself against the counter, "I can't...let's just get through tomorrow...and then that's it."
"Laura..."
"No. We argue every godsdamn night...I didn't come back from the dead to argue with you every night. To dread you coming home," Laura shakes her head before standing up, "I'm going to bed. The event starts at 6, so be ready to leave by 5."
They accompany each other to the Landing Day festivities, playing every part the happy couple. Later in the evening they part ways, leaving the event with separate groups of people. By the time Bill got home the apartment was emptied of things that were exclusively hers and there was only a note on the coffee table to even indicate she had been there.
Bill sighs as he picks up the folded piece of paper, scanning her familiar scrawl.
I love you and I hate you. And I don't want to hate you any more. So I'm leaving, for a while at least. I took a teaching job in Kohlai. I left a check on the fridge for part of the rent. I do love you. I'd rather have died on Galactica than hate you on Earth...
She'd signed the letter with a heart and a loopy cursive L. Bill sighs and crumples the note in his hand, swinging his hand to toss it in the trash but not bringing himself to let it go. He uncrumples the paper and walks over to the bookshelf. He pulls down Searider Falcon and tucks the note into the cover before putting the book back.
The only phone calls exchanged from either end for a while were late night phone calls of yearning. A hang up after a shallow hello, never a word exchanged. By the time Bill was ready to actually talk he dialed the familiar number, firmly pressing the last number and the talk button before holding the phone to his ear. He frowns when the phone rings a couple times before directing him to a disabled number message. He hangs up and dials the number again, once again getting the same message. Bill frowns deeper, looking at the phone before putting it down on the table.
It wouldn't be that difficult. Drive up to Kohlai and find her. It was a small town, much smaller than Caprica City. A well placed description, someone would know where she lived or taught. Yet, Bill didn't move to pick up his keys and drive off to the horizon. He stalked past the phone and into the kitchen, grabbing a beer out of the fridge before turning a pyramid game on.
Two years had passed from the day she left before Bill found himself wandering the streets of Kohlai. He didn't even know if she'd still lived there, but he'd been invited to visit some old crew members for dinner and decided to make a day out of it. He'd only been moving about town for about an hour when he saw a familiar flash of bright red hair out of the corner of his eye, heading into a cafe.
Bill pauses as he stands in the middle of the sidewalk for a moment, staring at the place he'd just seen her before heading in the direction of the cafe. He falters in his movements as he reaches for the door before powering forward. The bell above the door jingles as he walks in, his blue eyes scanning the moderately busy establishment. He notices her standing at the counter ordering, hair pulled back away from her face in a loose ponytail. He waits for the barista to move away from her to prepare her drink before stepping forward and touching her arm.
"Laura." Laura visibly jumps before turning around on her heel. A small smile crosses her lips as she notices him.
"Bill, hi."
"Hi," Bill's eyes roam over her face, taking her in before noticing the drooling baby in her arms, grinning widely at him, "Yours?"
"Yes...no...I mean yes," Laura responds, flustered, "Sorry. Yes, this is Max. I just adopted him a couple weeks ago."
"Adopted?" Laura nods with a smile, bouncing Max as he lets out a loud gurgle. She presses a kiss to his head, murmuring gently in his ear.
"Yeah, I met his mom volunteering," Laura tells Bill. She looks to the side as the barista calls out her name, setting her drink on the counter. Her head snaps back to Bill and she offers an apologetic smile, "I have to get back to work. Um, how long are you in town for?"
"I'm having dinner with some people from Galactica tonight. Probably going to go grab a hotel room before heading back tomorrow."
"Would you want to meet for breakfast?" Laura asks, tilting her head to the side. Bill nods, a small smile finally spreading over his lips as he feels a warmth spread through his chest that he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Yeah I would like that."
"There's a restaurant two doors down from here, why don't I meet you there at...say 9?"
"That sounds good."
"Okay," Laura smiles, shifting Max's weight to one arm before grabbing her coffee off the counter, "I'll see you tomorrow morning then."
"I'll see you then," Bill smiles back, watching her go before letting out a small sigh.
The next morning Bill walks into the restaurant a little before 9 and takes a table near the window, facing the door. His leg bounces nervously as he waits, ordering two mugs of coffee when the waitress comes over before starting to peruse the menu. His eyes flick up every time he hears the bell ding above the door, signaling another patron before fully lifting his head when he sees Laura come in with Max on her hip and a tote bag over her shoulder.
She smiles at him and lifts her hand in a small wave, her smile widening when he repeats the motion back at her before standing and pulling out her chair for her.
"Thanks, I hope you haven't been waiting too long?"
"Not at all, should I grab a high chair?"
"If you don't mind." Bill nods and walks over to a waitress, before grabbing one of the highchairs from the corner of the breakfast bar. He brings it over to the table and sets it down on the end, taking Max from Laura before setting him in the seat. She smiles and tucks his blanket behind him before handing him a teething ring, stroking his cheek gently.
"How old is he?" Bill asks as he takes his seat again.
"Nine months," Laura replies as she spoons some sugar into her coffee before taking a sip. The waitress comes over and takes their orders before taking their menus away.
"How have you been?" Bill asks as he looks across the table at her. Laura smiles as she begins to talk, telling Bill about the last two years of her life since she'd moved to Kohlai. Bill occasionally jumps in to make a comment or well timed joke before responding with his own story. Once he finishes Bill sets his fork down and sighs with a small smile as he looks across the table at Laura, "I tried to call."
"You called a lot at first...as did I."
"I mean to actually talk...probably about a year and a half ago."
"I got a new phone and they totally frakked everything up," Laura shakes her head with a sad look, "By the time we got it squared away they'd given my old number away and...it was just a whole ordeal. And we hadn't said anything to each other any time that we called...I didn't think you wanted to talk...And as I'm saying this I realize that totally sounds like a lame excuse."
"No it doesn't," Bill shakes his head, "But I'm glad you've been doing good."
"Me too," Laura smiles. The waitress brings over the bill and Bill slaps Laura's hand away as she reaches for it. She rolls her eyes and pulls her hand back, reaching for Max as he holds his arms out to her, "Thank you."
"You've got to start saving for college," Bill smiles and winks. Laura laughs and presses a kiss to Max's head, rubbing his back. Once the waitress brings their receipt back Bill signs everything and puts his card away. Laura grabs the pen that had been brought with the bill and uses a clean napkin, before scribbling down her phone number.
"This is my new number, I'd like to get together again. My weekends are usually open, if you want to come back. And I have a guest room." Bill nods as he tucks the phone number into his wallet.
"I think that would be nice."
"Good."
"Can I walk you to your car?"
"Sure," Laura nods. She gets up out of her chair and slings her bag over her shoulder again before heading out of the restaurant with Bill. They wander down the block a little bit before Laura unlocks the same black car she'd left him with years before. She opens the backseat and tucks Max into his carseat, putting the totebag on the floor of the car before standing up and turning around to face Bill, "It was really good seeing you again."
"It was really good to see you," Bill replies. Laura leans up on her toes and wraps her arms around him in a tight hug, holding him for a moment before stepping back and pressing a kiss to his cheek, practically the corner of his mouth.
"I expect you to use that phone number."
"The second I get home," Bill assures her, waiting for her to get into her car before waving her off as she drives down the street. Laura smiles to herself as she watches him disappear in her rearview mirror, both of them feeling the knots in their chests begin to dissolve.
[The End]