The mumblings of the press still reverberated around her office as the three occupants sat in silence.
"That went well, all things considered." It was Zarek who finally broke the silence. Laura was at a loss for words. Yes the press conference had gone well but she still had left them with unanswered questions and why had Bill not been there?
"Madame President your shuttle is ready." Tory interrupted Laura's musings.
"Thank you Tory, Commander I assume you'll be travelling back to Galactica also?"
"Yes Madame President I will be and I no longer command a battlestar, its Major Adama now." Any smile Laura had managed to pull from him earlier was gone now and the beaten—down posture had returned.
"Well it looks like my knowledge on military protocol has failed me again, Major. Do you have any idea where I can find a good Military Advisor?" Laura was almost considering a career change when she heard the young Adama's laugh. Cheering people up was turning out to be her strong point today.
Laura bid farewell to Tom promising to return for the Quorum vote on his vice presidency in 2 days. She was still angry with him for the tribunal incident but the fleet needed to move on and there were more pressing matters at hand. The raptor ride home was short and quiet, giving Laura more time to prepare the speech she had ready for the Admiral when she got back to their quarters. Their quarters. Just thinking that put a smile on her face and any anger she had felt towards Bill's behaviour evaporated. But the memory of the argument still lingered.
That morning
"Come on say it, you don't think I should be president. Come on Bill say what you mean! After all I'm still just a frakking school teacher."
"Laura you know that's not what I meant." Their volume was increasing by the second as this went from a diplomatic conversation to an all out war.
"Would you rather Tom Zarek as president? Bill you've seen the mess he's gotten us into already with that tribunal!"
"Why does it have to be you Laura?" He had stopped yelling and his pacing had been halted.
"I'm sorry I didn't realise you had other candidates." He moved as if to reply but she cut him off again. "I will take the oath of office again today Bill and I'll announce it to the press at 1400 sharp. Please be there." With that she turned and left their quarters.
Bill sighed and flopped into the nearest chair.
"Frak."
She said her goodbyes to Lee on the hanger deck and began to make her way through the maze of Galactica's hallways. Leaving her security detail outside, Laura closed the hatch and removed her shoes releasing a sigh of relief as she did so.
"Long day?" A voice rumbled from beside the Admiral's desk. Bill stood beside the desk a stack of reports in one hand and his glasses folded in the other. As he placed the reports on the desk he picked up a tumbler of water and began to sip from it.
"You could say that. Just became the president again." She gave a soft laugh noticing he didn't share her amusement at her own joke. "Only water?" At her question he knocked back the remainder of the glass and set it back on the table. Keeping his eyes on the jug as he filled up another glass he replied.
"Ya, I wanted a clear head. You see, I didn't show up to something today and I may have made my wife mad. I'm hoping water will result in a discussion rather than a fight." Only when he finished talking did he look up to make eye contact.
"You make a very good argument sir. Your wife is a lucky woman, a very lucky woman." She took a breath before continuing on. "I just wish you had been there to show that you support this decision. That you support me."
He crossed the room in a few short strides, discarding his glasses and water on a shelf along the way. Stopping just inches from her, he reached out pushing a piece of hair behind her ear.
"I was worried, still am, that you becoming president will interfere with us personally. It's going to be harder for us now. But that never meant that I don't support you. I will always support you. Standing up in front of the press today, they would be taking pictures, questioning every little thing we do and say and I just need a little more time adjusting to that. OK?"
He amazed her. How had she gone from formulating a strong decisive argument outside the hatch to a quivering mess like she was now, just from a small touch and the feel of his breath across her skin? She could only hum in response.
"I was wrong and you were right." Bill bent forward after saying this but Laura pulled away stunned.
I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Her eyes were wide with astonishment at his confession and she thought maybe some chamalla was left in her system to bring on such hallucinations.
"I was wrong and you were right." He said again, smiling
"That is something every wife wants to hear." Laura giggled and returned his smile brightly.
"I was wrong and you were right." His voice had become much lower and this time as he lent forward she didn't pull away, just wrapped her arms around him tightly as his lips slanted over hers and he pulled her body flush against his. The comm suddenly buzzed interrupting their private embrace.
"And so it begins." He said as he let her step out of his hold and reached for the comm. "Adama, Go."
