Starbuck042786: Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the rest!

FreddyTeddy: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Lintelain: I agree the year gap was agonizing! I hope you like the rest!

Marisocaly: I agree. There are never enough A/R stories. I hope you enjoy the rest!

Tracyj23: You have no idea how incredibly happy you made me with your comment. The question you asked was what I asked myself as I began this story. I came up with an answer that I don't think anyone else has thought of yet – at least no one that I've seen. My answer should be in chapter 3 so I hope you keep reading at least that far!

Windsor: Keeping it up! I'm so glad you enjoyed my first chapter1 Here's chapter 2! Have fun!

Present Day

Battlestar Galactica

Admiral Adama let out an exasperated sigh as he closed the door to his quarters. He used both hands to unbutton only the top button of his uniform jacket, and the lights were already on. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a man dressed in a blue dress uniform sitting on his small sofa. He turned to face him before walking across the room to sit beside the man and spoke first.

"So what's your plan, Commander?"

"To tell you the truth, sir, I don't really have one," Commander Lee Adama responded honestly.

"There are 40,000 people on that planet, an we barely have a military to speak of," the admiral stated.

"If we had stayed, we would have no military to speak of," Lee defended.

"I know that, son. I just can't make it feel right," Bill admitted. Lee hung his head. "Laura, Kara, Saul – Our family is down there, Lee."

"I know that, dad. Maybe if we could organize some sort of recon mission to see what we're up against, but, as you know, we are vastly outnumbered. We can't fight them off. We have to find another plan of action," Lee stated after looking back up at his father.

"I know that, Lee. What I don't know is what that plan is," the admiral explained. "That's why we were running before. We were looking for an advantage. And now we're even further from finding one than when we started.." Lee wordlessly nodded in weary agreement. Bill sighed. "Let's just start with recon, and we'll go from there."

"Yes, sir," Lee said as he stood simultaneously with his father. The commander then made his way to the exit. Bill made his way over and stood behind his desk. Looking down he spotted his favorite picture of Laura and himself. It was taken five months ago in the observation deck of the Battlestar Galactica. He looked the usual way in his blue dress uniform, but Laura looked spectacular. She had insisted on wearing a white dress. She said it was what she had dreamed she would be wearing. He had put the word out to the fleet, and needless to say they all thought the request was strange – very few replied.

In the end, there had been twelve white dresses in all for Laura to choose from. Eleven weren't even close to fitting – but the thought was nice. Number twelve; however, was a perfect fit. It was form fitting but not inappropriately so. The dress was strapless and came down to just above her knees. Sown in white thread was a pattern of a sort of delicate vine with little flowers and leaves branching off. that led all the way from the bottom of the dress to the middle of the left breast. Laura had made the joke that it looked as if it had been donated by a sixteen – year – old girl. Later they would find out that it was. She had left her hair down as he loved it – the fiery red igniting the plain white of the dress – with the only other source of color being the golden bracelet that she always wore.

Bill loved the way Laura glowed in this picture. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and his were around her waist. Laura had a smile bright enough to rival even the brightest star on her face, and so did he. What was funny was he didn't remember smiling. Nearly everyone in attendance had commented on how he never stopped grinning throughout the entire ceremony, but he couldn't recall doing it. It unnerved him slightly to think how easily he could be doing things without knowing it now – smiling had always been a conscious act for him before. "I guess marrying the woman of your dreams will do that to you." He thought to himself.

"I, William Adama, do so vow to love, cherish, and protect Laura Roslin through whatever future that may come to pass with every fiber of my being." Bill shuddered as he remembered standing in front of his family, friends, a window of stars, and the Gods themselves (if they even existed) vowing his life to hers. He remembered the feeling of ecstasy it gave him to hear her repeat the same to him. Looking down, he began to fiddle with the new wedding band that Laura had given him and cursed himself. He had done to her as he knew Laura would never have done to him. He had broken that vow today. He could not protect her from the enemy fleet that had undoubtedly come to harm her. He had abandoned his wife when she needed him the most, but it wouldn't be for long. He would find her – soon. He would protect her from anything. Even if it meant giving his life for hers.

Commander Lee Adama opened the hatch to leave the admiral's quarters, but as he turned to close it, he hesitated. His father was standing behind his desk clutching his wedding picture and looking haunted and lost. Lee felt himself sadden even more at the sight. After all, Laura was technically his mother now. He had even begun to call her mom – jokingly at first, but later it just became habit; it felt right. The young officer didn't move at first. He wracked his brain trying to find the words that would give his distraught father some comfort. Finally, he sighed and spoke the only appropriate words he could find.

"Dad?" his father looked up at him. "She'll be alright. Never give up hope." Bill gave him a weak but grateful smile. Lee smiled back and closed the hatch.

So there it is! Hope you liked it!