Laura reaches into the small bassinet, letting the small infant hold the tip of her finger. The appearance reminds her of Isis when she was born, before she had given her to Maya. His existence was completely accidental, but nonetheless wanted by her. The blood transfer while Isis was still in her womb within the cylon caused not only her cancer to vanish, but made her feel younger and appear younger as well. A medical mystery, but at the same time, not at all. No one knew what to expect when the transfusion took place, and considering she was Patient Zero, consensus has proclaimed it a resounding success.

"He's doing well today." Sherman Cottle snubs his commonplace cigarette before moving closer to her and the infant within the incubator. He places his hand on her back, the two of them having grown closer not only through the course of her cancer, but through her pregnancy and birth of her premature child. He has always reminded her of her father, "Vitals have been excellent. He was able to move off of the oxygen for a little bit last night, but his lungs aren't strong enough to come off it completely just yet. The steroids have been doing their job. I'd say another couple weeks at most."

She smiles sadly, her finger reaching up and tracing next to the healing scar on the baby's chest which was the result of the main cause in his prematurity, "It's been nearly a month."

He nods, humming, "He's been doing well with the sucking motion of the pacifier which is why I'd like to try an actual bottle with him instead of the feeding tube." When she looks up to him, eyes full of hope, "However, I think his mother should be the one to give him his first bottle. What do you think?"

Laura purses her lips, tears in her eyes, but not falling. She nods, "I'd like that, Doctor."

Cottle smirks, able to see the exhaustion in her eyes, "You're going home tonight though. I'm off tomorrow." Since the infant's birth and Laura's near immediate return to her job, he's forced her to sleep at the tent she shares with Maya and Isis when he was off the following day, staying the night with the baby himself. He had made sure there was a cot set up for her when the infant was born, knowing she would never let him be alone, especially at night. He's been more than welcoming of the grandfather-like role he's been adopted since the discovery of the child's existence.

Maya watched the woman who had become like family, her daughter lying on the bed in front of her, kicking her small legs. "Laura, maybe you should stay home tomorrow." She nodded, "You don't look well."

"I'm fine. I swear." Laura tucked her hair behind her ear. This illness, whatever it was, had been plaguing her for maybe a few months now. Of course, she feared the worst, her cancer had returned. She knew it. However, she wanted to just live her life for what it was right now, on this terrible planet, near the infant that saved her life before and she was only more than happy to return the favor. "Tomorrow is a new day. Maybe it will be a better day."

"There's been something going around the camps. I hear Doctor Cottle has managed to make an elixir to eliminate it. Something about new allergies that people weren't otherwise aware of, but are just finding out about because this is a new planet." She smiled, always the optimist. She was a perfect pairing to the infant known as Isis, "Also, Samuel Anders, the Pyramid player that's married to your friend, he has bronchitis. It could also be a possibility."

"A symptom of bronchitis is losing the ability to breathe, almost like asthma." She quickly corrected, taking a deep breath absently exhibiting her ability to do so, "It's probably the allergies thing. You're probably right about that. Laura knew she wasn't. She knew it was more than likely something much worse, "Isis seemed to sleep well during class today."

Maya chuckled softly, making a face to the baby, "Thankfully. However, it means she probably won't be up to doing so tonight."

"I'll take care of her." She smirked, "I'd rather one of us be one hundred percent than both of us running on empty."

"Are you sure?" She started to shake her head, "I couldn't possibly impose."

"I insist." The expression on Laura's face slowly slipped into a grin, "You can as whenever you want. I don't mind it at all."

Maya offered a genuine smile, "If at any time you feel like you can't anymore, wake me. I know you haven't been feeling well. I don't want you to push yourself too much."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She hummed, lifting the content infant into her arms, only to have the baby squeal with delight unexpectedly, causing her to break out into a more hearty giggle, "Hey there."

"I mean it." The young woman gave her a look.

"So do I." Laura smirked, giving the woman the same look after. The family and stable environment they managed to create in their tent was more than perfect for what she wanted Isis to have, though she never expected to be a direct part of it.

Laura carefully sits in one of the rocking chairs, crafted by one of the colonists and donated to the medical area. She lifts her head up, watching as Cottle carefully removes the small boy from the incubator, her smile growing more as she watches him.

"Hey there, big guy. Your mother wants to feed you now, so be a trooper for her, huh?" The old man cooed to the baby, glancing to the woman he was speaking of, "Yes?"

"I didn't say anything." She puts her hands up in defense.

"Didn't have to." He shakes his head slowly, gingerly placing the infant into the woman's arms, "Don't start your crying, little lady." He knows she's depressed, knows she wants to be able to take the infant with her, knows she doesn't think she's a good enough mother for having him as early as she did.

"I wasn't going to." Laura holds the loosely swaddled infant, gazing adoringly to his face, "Hello, love."

"He needs a name." Cottle smirks, testing a couple drops from a small glass bottle on his wrist before handing it to her, "Should be fine."

She bites her bottom lip, smiling softly when he opens his eyes, watching her as she places the bottle's nipple at his mouth, watching him feed eagerly, "He knows what to do..."

"Second nature." Sherman watches them intently, a sense of pride welling within him, "I'm going to go check on my other patients, I'll be back." He takes another look before ducking under the flap of the room.

"You look just like your father with those baby blues." Laura can feel her eyes starting to burn with tears, "Just like him." She takes a deep breath, offering the feeding baby a smile, "If he knew about you, I bet he'd love you. He would love you so much. However, the world isn't ready for your debut yet. It isn't quite safe enough." Laura does this often. She visits with her son, just speaking the thoughts clouding her mind with him. "Soon though. Soon, you will be able to feel the sun on your face...take a fresh breath of air without a tube to your nose...which...I suppose wouldn't be very fresh at all, but I know you will still love it."

Maya glanced to Isis in her bassinet, covering her some with the small blanket before turning toward the woman who was attempting to conduct a class.

"Leonis was a beautiful colony, rich in culture. They were one of the few able to maintain their own language in Leonese with the other being Caprican like many of the other colonies." Laura blinked, her own writing on the board was shaky at best. She was losing her focus, as well as her balance. She leaned a hand against the green chalkboard.

The young woman quickly noticed it. They were in tune to one another since living in tight quarters and working together. They had never fought and managed a great friendship. She looked out toward the children, who could tell something was wrong, before moving toward the woman, "Miss Roslin, are you okay?" She whispered in her ear.

"Fine." Laura replied, her voice hoarse. She licked her dry lips before attempting to remove her jacket, her hands trembling, "It's hot in here."

Maya furrowed her brow. It was, in actuality, one of the coldest days they've encountered since settlement, "Laura, really. You should sit."

The older woman saw the words she had written on the board begin to mix together and darken. Her jacket hitting the floor before she did with a thud. The class was up quickly, instantly worried for their beloved teacher. A few of the older students rose from their seats and rushed to her side.

The young woman glanced to one of the older students, "Molly, I need you to go right across the way to the medic tent. Tell Doctor Cottle that Miss Roslin has fainted." When she saw the teenager run off, "Everyone else, pack your things up and head out. Class is out a little early today. Reread about Leonis tonight. If you know there is no one waiting at your tent, stay here. Just like always." It was only a couple hours shy of when they usually let out, but Maya still felt bad. "Laura." She took hold of the other woman's clammy hand, taking notice of the perspiration at her brow. "Laura, please." It was only a couple minutes at most until she saw the gruff older man appear, "Doctor, thank the gods."

"How long she been out?" Cottle kneeled beside the former President of the Colonies, picking her wrist up to check for pulse.

"Less than five minutes."

He nodded, looking to the young woman, "Go back to my tent and tell them I sent you for a wheelchair." When she jogged out, he places his stethoscope to the woman's chest, everything seemed fine, heartbeat was a little quick, but still fine. Reaching his hand into his pocket, he retrieved smelling salts. He cracked the packet before placing them under her nose and watching her try to turn away from them, "Come on, young lady. Rise and shine."

Laura groggily opened her eyes. Noticing the man in front of her, "What happened?" Her green orbs shot around the room, quickly realizing where she was, "Frak." She whispered to herself, under her breath.

"Passed out. I'm taking you to the med tent and giving you a once over." Cottle nodded, "When was the last time you ate?"

She blinked, listening to him, "Lunch." She stared.

"She regurgitated that." Maya heard the question after returning, standing there quietly by the tent flap. She looked to the students left behind, watching as they entertained themselves with the donated toys in the back of the room.

Laura sighed, shooting Maya a look, "It just happened all of a sudden."

"You been throwing up a while?" Cottle helped her slowly sit up, "Cold as anything in here, why haven't you got your jacket on?" He takes notice of her thick sweater.

"I was hot." She specifically didn't answer his first question.

"Lets get you to the tent. Run some tests, alright?" He looked her in the eye, noticing the look she's had before, "Laura, we'll figure this out. Don't worry."

Laura nodded, but a part of her didn't want to know if she was dying again. A part of her wanted to just keep living for the day and not for how many days remained. She slowly stood with Maya's help and sat in the chair.

Cottled enters her little adobe again, smiling when she was attempting to burp the infant in her arms, "See that? You're a natural."

The woman smirks to him, "I've had some practice." Her slender hand gently rubs the baby's back after, hearing him coo softly from his mother's touch.

He nods, "How is Isis?" He knows exactly who she's referring to. Though he didn't like the idea of what Laura Roslin did to the Agathons, a part of him knew why she did it and agreed with her, "Due in next month for her three month check-up I think. If I'm remembering correctly."

"She's great. Happy." Laura nods, "Very happy. Loves the interaction during the day with the kids. I think she'll be lost if Maya ever decides not to help in the classroom."

"I think you will too." He folds his arms, "So, does the little guy have a name yet?"

She gazes over to the alert infant, "I still don't know."

"It's been a month and he's only ever gone by Baby Boy Roslin." Cottle watches her.

"I've..." Laura starts, pausing a moment to swallow, unsure if she wants to say anything to anyone at all. She knows, however, that if she couldn't depend on cottle after all the other times she has already, there was no one she could, "Everyone I've ever gotten close to has died or left. My parents, my sisters, Billy, Elosha." She adjusts the infant, smoothly gliding her nails over his peach fuzz covered scalp, "Even Lee and the Admiral."

"Yeah, but the last two here visit all the time." He pulls a chair over, taking a seat. He begins wishing he could light a cigarette, but won't because of his care for this infant, "That's why you won't name him. You're afraid he'll die like the rest of them." It isn't a question, he knows it's fact. She doesn't have to nod, she doesn't have to respond at all. He could tell by the look on her face, "Caring about someone isn't going to make them die or else we'd all be dead by now." When she picks her head up, he continues, "You love your people more than anyone I know, except maybe the Admiral and you give him a solid run for his money. We're all still here. We aren't going anywhere, Laura."

She dips her head down, taking in the baby's smell as she nuzzles her face against him, "I'm bad with names."

"Oh, come now." Cottle leans back.

"I could name him after you." Laura raises an eyebrow, picking her head up to look toward the man.

"You could, but when he's old enough to care, he's going to hate the name Sherman."

She hums her amusement, smiling softly, "My father's name was Edward." She pauses, looking to the baby's face, "He doesn't look like an Edward though...he'd hate that too."

"What about the gods? I know they use some of them as callsigns in the military, but it's...You know them better than anyone I know." Cottle shrugs.

"It's bad luck if you name them directly after a god. Second name is fine, but first name is bad luck. I remember my mother speaking of old Gemenese superstition. I was the third one born, the third daughter to my parents. She knew I'd be her last because even I was a surprise." Laura nods, "She visited my grandmother one day when she was about five months pregnant that she was thinking of naming me Hemera, after the goddess of the daylight. While she was telling her this, my grandmother's best Gemenese friend was sitting there, they'd have lunch together every day since my grandmother's cancer had come back. Her name was Pixie. She flew off the handle, warning my mother that it was a terrible idea and she was only dooming me to follow the same mistakes the goddess before did." She smirks, shaking her head a little, "Jackie and Sandra were easy, they got a grandparent each. The older grandmother's name was used for Jackie and the other was given to Sandra. I was difficult though. No more women to name me after."

He smirks, watching her. He's become accustomed to her stories. They were interesting when he wasn't busy and she usually wasn't very willing to speak of her life before the attacks as it was usually too painful to recall for her. "So who are you named after then?"

"The weather girl my mother saw on the news when she was in the hospital after delivering me." She smiles more, laughing only after he starts. She shrugs, "It's meaning dates back to ancient Caprican times when the forest dwellers believed the laurel tree was a gift from the gods and warriors would carry a branch or leaf into battle because it meant honor and victory to them. The Taurons started doing it as well when they saw that it worked for the Capricans. I'd say the name Laura has worked for me for the most part."

"That it has." Cottle calms himself more, leaning back in the chair, "I don't know then, young lady."

"You see my dilemma?"

He hums his agreement, "You obviously wouldn't name him after the President or Vice President."

"Not a chance." Laura smiles as the baby holds her small finger while stroking his cheek with her index finger, "He should have something powerful, but not threatening."

"Could always name him after the Admiral."

"William?"

Cottle shrugs, "Or maybe his father's name." It was something she never seemed to want to discuss. He doesn't think she will want to now by the look she's giving him, "Sorry I mentioned it."

Laura shakes her head slowly, "I have to ask though, just who do you think his father is?"

"Will you tell me if I'm correct?" When he sees her nod, he continues, "Someone with blue eyes...unless someone in your family had them, someone you were usually conversing with on Galactica at the time of his conception."

She watches him, "Regular detective." A part of her wants him to know, while another part wants him to be kept in the dark. She wants the identity hidden as to not ruin the man's life now.

"He was born early in your third trimester. Setting us back about seven months." Their closeness was something they've grown together in a completely platonic way. It has been that way since he told her she was going to die some months back on the Galactica, "We've been here four months. Three months before that...was not long after we injected you with Hera Agathon's blood...a couple weeks at most."

Laura tilts her head to the side, her son content and looking up at her from her arms, "He's in the wrong profession." She teases, letting the older man carry on.

Cottle shakes his head slowly, "There's Billy, Admiral Adama, Colonel Tigh, Lee Adama, Gaius Baltar, and...various marines that were stationed to Colonial One." He smirks when he receives another look from her, "It's a matter of deduction, I'm thinking out loud since I can't smoke around the boy."

"I'm not stopping you. I'm not encouraging you either. I'm just sitting here with my son until it's time to sleep."

"Which you're going home to do tonight." When she opens her mouth to protest, "No, that's the deal. I'm not working tomorrow. I'll watch over him through the night and until you return from your class." The man nods, "I'll think about it through the night. I'm going to figure this one out."

"I believe in you." Laura raises a hand to her own mouth, stifling a yawn.

"Madam President, you look tired." Billy Keikeya smiled to her, his hands in his pockets per the usual.

She nodded, "Not much, but enough to put my focus off." She rose from her chair, patting him on the arm as she returned his sentiment, moving over to the lounge area of her personal quarters, "I thought you had a date tonight."

"I do...with Dee, on the viewing deck." His smile broadened, "I'm thinking of asking her to marry me soon."

Laura's face softened, "That's great. Let me know when you do so that I can say a prayer for you." She offered him a grin, "Don't you have to get ready or anything like that? Catch a shuttle to Galactica?"

Billy nodded, "Yes, ma'am. However, you have one more appointment for the day and I'll leave after that."

"Oh? Who is it?" She ran a hand through her lively auburn hair before tucking a few strands behind her ear.

"Major Adama." He folded his arms, "He scheduled it last minute. You said you didn't mind."

"Oh, that's fine. You go on and get out of here. I can handle Mister Adama all by myself. Let him in on your way out."

"Thank you, ma'am." Billy was excited, she could tell. The bounce in his step, the way his face lit up when he spoke of the girl. The young man was truly in love.

Laura watched him leave, removing her jacket and setting it over the back of her chair, "Major Apollo, it's a little late for a meeting, isn't it?" They hadn't been speaking much through both their faults, she imagined.

Lee watched her and raised an eyebrow, "I can go if you're tired, ma'am." He was by her side while she was on her deathbed. It pained him like nothing ever has. He held her hand when he thought she was taking her final breath. After their argument, she remembered he still came to do that.

"No, I'm fine. Please, come in. Make yourself at home."

He chuckled to himself, "I know it's late and I should have done this earlier. Not only from the time of day, but...you know..."

Laura made eye contact with the young man, "Things happen, Major. We are just pawns in the game. Grains of sand on the beach. Nothing tells us what how to feel, how to react." She shook her head, walking around her desk to stand in front of him, "You've done a great deal not only for this fleet, but for me. You believed in me when no one else would." She reassuringly placed her hands on his forearms, "You don't need to apologize."

Lee smiled softly, watching her, "I thought..." He blinks, trying to keep himself calm, his emotions at bay, "I thought when you were gasping for breath, that I never told you how much I appreciate everything you've done. I do, Madam President. A great deal."

The room fell eerily silent as they stood there for a few minutes, just gazing into one another's eyes.

"As my mother always said, water off a duck's back." The woman smirked, the wrinkles around her eyes were softer than they were a month ago. Her body changed because of the hybrid blood that was coursing through her veins, younger than she used to be.

He leaned forward, suddenly, placing his lips against hers. His hands wrapped around her waist as he held her closely. "The thought of losing you...it almost killed me too." He didn't know why he was doing this or why she wasn't stopping him. He didn't know why there was no slap across his face or hands against his chest pushing him away. Lee didn't want there to be, but he didn't know why they weren't there anyway. He finally moved his head back, looking into her piercing emerald eyes once more.

She stood there, attempting to catch her breath, "What was that?"

"I...I'm sorry, ma'am."

Laura shook her head, picking up her gaze once more, "I'm not." She knew he was with multiple women before. She knew he had become somewhat of a lothario. It didn't matter. He was still the handsome young man to her that he was when he saved their ship's life after the attacks on the Colonies.

"Good. I've tried to keep my...I've tried to keep my heart out of this, Madam President, but I simply cannot do that anymore." Lee smirked, moving in and kissing her deeply again.

"The Admiral and Commander are coming down tomorrow for Feast Day. You'd better head home soon." Cottle smirks, "You and the little guy are both tired as hell. I'd hate for you to miss the celebration tomorrow."

"I'm not going." Laura shakes her head, her gaze sinking to her son again, "I'm not attending any functions except for work until I'm able to take him with me."

"Laura, you have to have some kind of social life or you're going to make yourself crazy." The older man shakes his head, "He's fine. If you aren't here, I'm here. If I'm not here, Ishay's here. Trusting me is trusting her." He continues watching the woman in front of him, "I can't have you going crazy and neither does the little guy."

She licks her lips in thought, "I sleep better when he's close by."

"You and I both know that isn't true. You end up watching him through the night." Cottle stands, "I know it's a hard thing to do, but you need to sleep. If you need something to help you rest, I'll be more than happy to provide that, something that won't interfere with your milk production for him." He knows her main concern is her ability to care for the infant, especially when his health has been in jeopardy since his birth.

"I think I will be okay, doctor." Laura stands, kissing the infant's cheek before placing him into the warm incubator again. She feels her body start to tremble. She hates this part. The worst feeling a mother can have is having no control over the life of their child. She is no different, but she hates appearing so emotional around the Doctor she's come to know as her closest confidant next to the Adama men. "This never gets any easier."

"He just wants some one on one time with old Doc Cottle." The man smiles for her, placing a hand on her back before she turns into his arm. Cottle holds her closely, "Just a few more weeks. Maybe even less than that."

She backs away from him after a moment, quickly wiping away her stray tears with the tip of her finger, "I'll be back after classes."

He nods, "I'll let him know when he wakes up for another bottle in a few hours." Sherman attempts to keep the atmosphere light, "Go rest. Everything will be just fine. Tomorrow is Feast Day. Little guy's first. Just think about that tonight." He watches as the woman gives him a sad smile and silently sinks out of the medic tent. He knew everything would be just fine with time for the infant in the incubator, but he couldn't say he was so sure for Laura Roslin.