Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters below; I am only borrowing them and will not be financially benefitting from the story in anyway. No copyright infringement is intended

Authors notes: Thanks heaps to adamalove 777 for the beta work :D! This chapter picks up directly after the last…

The Missing Link Part 2: Chapter 7

Centurion guards marched over the ridge - guns armed and pointing directly at the prisoners.

It was a trap; the Cylon's had been leading them to their deaths. The suicide bombings that Laura had verbally condemned - were indeed the catalyst that tipped the scales from racial oppression to mass-genocide.

Their enemy opened fire and the detainees dove to the floor; instinctively Laura clutched onto Zarek's jumpsuit, dragging him with her and together they rolled down an embankment. She didn't think about the recordings – about the Vice President's probable involvement. That very moment was about man versus machine - and a decent one or not – Tom Zarek was still human.

The terrain was hard beneath them as they tumbled down the uneven surface – dust clouds forming as they hit level ground. The impact caused them to separate - and winded, Laura scrambled for the cover of a nearby ridge.

Tucking her head under her arms, she prayed for the bloodshed to stop.

Her eyes remained tightly closed; her face was pressed into the earth below, her heart pounding heavily in her chest, as scenes of New Caprican life flitted by behind her closed lids. She thought of the school, of the children, of Maya, of Isis…but mostly, Laura thought of Bill.

Those few words that remained unspoken echoed around her mind, drowning out the sounds of bullets been fired overhead.

'I need more time.'

And just like that, the gunfire stopped…

xXx

Stunned, Laura rose to her knees and dusted down her clothes as best she could with her wrists still bound. She straightened her glasses and took in the scene around her; the other prisoners seemed similarly confused.

Human's and Cylon's alike were lying on the ground – some were moving and some were not.

Laura crawled towards Zarek. They'd hit the ground pretty hard and even though he was tight lipped about his treatment in detention – she knew The Vice President was probably hiding a multitude of injuries under his jump suit.

"You alright, Tom?" Considering her suspicions, Laura was surprised that she even cared. But deep down, despite his possible betrayal - part of her really did care…It was the same part of her that wanted to be proved wrong.

Tom Zarek had been a friend to Laura on New Caprica – and she truly hoped that it was not all a façade.

"It's been a while since I had a woman throw me to the ground," Tom was breathless from the fall. "It's not half as fun as I remember."

Laura laughed at his joke, but the laughter sounded humourless - even to her own ears.

As they clambered to their feet – a familiar voice from above them interrupted her musings; "You alright down there?"

Laura's gaze travelled up to the ridge, to see Chief Tyrol; the resistance had found them - they had been saved.

"Oh my Gods," she smiled broadly up at Tyrol as his wife Cally came to join him at his side. "It's good to see you Chief!"

He matched her smile, "It's good to see you too Ma'am."

"What happens now?" Cally asked the obvious question, tucking herself under her husband's arm. "Where do we go from here?"

"We're going home."

It felt to Laura as though her heart flipped inside her chest.

'Did he just say 'home'?'

Unsure if she had just heard him correctly, Laura frowned and moved closer.

"We're going home." The chief reiterated, louder that time. "Admiral Adama's on his way. We're getting off this rock and going back to Galactica."

Laura almost collapsed - her knees buckled; the relief was overwhelming.

After all this time, they were finally going home.

She looked to the heavens 'thank you.'

xXx

Chaos ensued; until suddenly - it didn't.

Laura observed the calm after the storm from a familiar position on Colonial One; her New Caprican journal resting under her shaking hands, atop the Presidential desk.

They were in the air now, free from their captors - their destination - Galactica. To Laura, the whole thing seemed so surreal.

Her body was abuzz with adrenaline; both the trauma of the exodus from New Caprica and the thought of being reunited with Bill, caused her heart rate to rise and her palms to sweat.

She wiped them on the front of her tattered beige sweater, before clutching the side the desk and exhaling slowly.

Tory caught her eye and the younger woman smiled softly; Laura reciprocated with a weak smile of her own as she felt FTL drive kick in.

They had begun the jump sequence though space, which would bring them closer to home.

xXx

"Adama! Adama! Adama!" The rescued New Caprican's hoisted their Admiral into the air – chanting his name and cheering their thanks.

Bill smiled outwardly at their joviality, yet on the inside Saul Tigh's parting words had cut straight to his heart.

New Caprica had claimed the life of Ellen Tigh.

As the Admiral was carried through the hanger deck, he kept his eyes on his old friend as he hobbled on a walking stick - retreating to his quarters.

Saul Tigh appeared a shell of the man he once was; his frailty was disturbing to Bill. It was clear that the death of Saul's wife had broken his heart - yet the Admiral assumed that it was treatment at the hands of the Cylon's that had weakened his friend's body.

'The Cylon's tortured them,' Bill's worst fears were confirmed 'I left them behind to be tortured.'

However in that moment, the feeling of guilt came second to an overwhelming feeling of dread; Bill was yet to see Laura.

xXx

Hastily retreating from the celebrations on the hanger deck, Bill descended the ladder and stalked down the busy corridor towards the CIC – his eyes searching for Laura as he moved. The slightest hint of red hair drew his eyes to a person and every time his heart fluttered with anticipation, but every time he was disappointed.

"Admiral on deck."

Bill reached his destination and observed the damage; sparks flew from apparatus all around him as the crew worked hard to patch up his ship – but it was dradis that drew his attention.

Another ship had just appeared.

"Admiral," the voice of the communications officer demanded his attention away from the blinking dots on the monitor. "Colonial One just jumped into orbit, Sir."

"Gaius Baltar," Bill narrowed his eyes; the very thought of that man still breathing caused his blood pressure to rise and he felt the anger well within… that was until he heard her voice.

"Galactica – this is Laura Roslin."

'Laura,'

Bill instantly reached for the comm, wanting nothing more than to tell Laura how much he had missed her. To explain how he was sorry for how they'd parted ways and to apologise for leaving her behind…He wanted to tell her again, that he loved her.

But all eyes in the CIC were on the Admiral – so those words would have to wait.

Bill steeled himself; "Coloninal One, this is Galactica actual. Welcome back."

He heard her exhale; Laura's relief at hearing his voice drifted over the airwaves and he felt it wrap around him like a warm blanket.

She was safe.

"Admiral Adama," Laura's voice quivered noticeably with emotion. "It's good to hear your voice."

Bill smiled genuinely for the first time since the exodus; "it's good to hear yours too, Laura."

TBC

So…there you go – the penultimate chapter is complete. It felt like the perfect place to leave it in preparation for the 'actual reunion', which you'll be glad to know I have already started!

Tbh – I'm a little sad it's almost over *sniff*

Thanks for reading :)