Disclosure: I do not own BSG, or any of its characters- yet they live on in my heart... SO SAY WE ALL!

"Laura... are you awake?"

Spooned in her husband's arms, the former president smiled in the dark. "MmmHmm."

"Can I touch your tummy?"

Laura's smile widened. She didn't know what was more adorable– the fact that he felt he had to ask permission to touch the gentle swell of her abdomen, or that he actually uttered the word tummy.

As it was, the couple had taken to sleeping in the daybed of their cabin's loft, as they awaited the coming birth of their daughter, Jude. Conceived and born originally on New Caprica, their child had only lived a few hours before passing peacefully in Laura's arms, during the Cylon Occupation. Now on the Elysian Shore, the Adamas were being given a literal second chance at parenting right from the very start.

"Of course, Husker," Laura replied as she rubbed Bill's arm. "You know, you never have to ask."

Bill smiled as he kissed his wife's shoulder. "Yeah. Guess it's just habit. Carolanne didn't like me to touch her, when she was pregnant with Lee and Zak. Ever."

Laura hummed as she felt the warmth of Bill's hand slip beneath her chemise, to caress her aforementioned tummy. She'd had a few occasions in which she'd crossed paths with the first Mrs. Adama, while in Elysian, and over time, Laura had come to understand the very complicated woman.

"I like it when you touch me. Always."

"Good."

Responding to her father, little Jude kicked from within Laura's womb, enthralling both of her parents to no end.

"She's getting so strong," Laura noted with awe. "She was never this active on New Caprica."

Bill huffed. "Conditions on that planet weren't conducive to growing much of anything, babies especially."

"We did our best.

"Yes... no thanks to Baltar..."

At mention of Gaius Frakking Baltar, Jude punched a tiny fist, causing both of her parents to laugh out loud.

"I know that Jude will be here soon, but I just wish that we could see her, right now," Bill mused. "The Shore has every beautiful wonder in all of the Worlds, and then millions more that are unimaginable... but no ultrasound machine. How is it, that we can't see the Nugget before she's born?"

"Oh, but we can."

"How so?"

Laura covered Bill's hand with her own, then instructed him to close his eyes.

"Now what?"

"Think only of her."

Laura knew the moment that he'd done just that, as she felt him startle just a bit.

"My god... Laura..."

"What do you see?"

Bill knew by his wife's tone that she knew very well what he was seeing behind his closed lids. He also knew that she was witnessing the very same scene, and that it was the most beautiful thing ever.

"I see her," Bill replied in his softest whisper. "I see Jude."

Laura couldn't help but giggle.

And so did Bill.

Within the womb, Jude floated in her liquid cradle beneath her mother's heart. She was tiny and perfect, and a dream come true. Her eyes were open, and one of her little hands was holding onto a foot. And darn it, but she was smiling back at her parents.

The whole vision was better that any ultrasound image could ever have been, because it was just like being right next to their daughter. She was safe and warm, and growing with each passing second, and the whole thing was an absolute miracle.

"She's beautiful, Teach," Bill said, once her found his words. "But how is this even possible?"

Laura opened her eyes and carefully shifted, to face her baby's father.

"In Elysian, all things are possible, Bill."

"Yeah, but... wow!"

Laura kissed him, softly pressing her lips to his.

"It happened for the first time, just yesterday. I was in the market place," she explained upon parting from Bill's mouth. "I was smelling some flowers on display, when I felt Jude kick. Without thinking, I closed my eyes and put my hand to where she was positioned– and then... there she was! I could see her as clearly as I'm seeing you right now. Elosha found me, minutes later– standing there amidst the stalls, just crying. Elosha knew what had happened, and explained that it was just another perk of parenting on the Shore."

"I'll say," Bill replied before kissing his wife and mother of his child, once again. He'd never felt closer to Laura than in that moment. He loved her beyond words, yet he told her so anyway.

"I love you, that much, too," Laura said as she tucked her head into the crook of Bill's neck.

"Good."

Laura laughed as she felt the beat of Bill's pulse, and then the stir of something a bit lower down his body.

"You know, you can do something other than just touch my tummy."

Bill chuckled. Frakking had been anther thing that was off-limits during both of Carolanne's pregnancies... as she feared Bill might've squished Lee and Zak as he pressed his body against hers.

Thank God, Laura knew better, because just being near her blossoming self, such as they were in that moment, made him into an incredibly horny Tauron bull.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Laura giggled as Bill rolled them to his back, dragging her on top of himself. Together, they asked their daughter to go to sleep, because Mommy and Daddy needed to play while they still could. Jude did just that, and the Adamas made love, slowly and carefully– as not to disturb their little one as she snoozed inside her mother's womb.

Sometime later, Bill and Laura would join Jude in shared slumber, in which all three dreamed of their future life together.

Parenting on the Shore was going to be so much fun!

#TO BE CONTINUED#