Chapter 10

"Why did you run?" Bill rasped, breathlessly behind her.

"Oh Gods, Bill!" Relief propelled Laura to her feet and she span around, grabbing him into an embrace that almost knocked the wind right out of him.

"Whoa there…" He stumbled backwards a little, before he reciprocated her grip on him, giving her a tight reassuring squeeze. "I'm pleased to see you too…"

Despite the gravity of what had just happened, Laura released small muffled laugh onto his shoulder before leaning back slightly to look into his earnest blue eyes – but as soon as she did, she realised her mistake as her own started to pool with moisture.

Feeling foolish she turned her face from him, but with one arm still wrapped around her back Bill brought his hand up to cup her cheek, stopping her from hiding her impending tears.

He frowned as his his gaze flitted lightly over her delicate features, coming to rest on her watery green eyes and Laura watched as an anxiety crept into his expression. "What is it Laura? What's wrong?"

As Bill studied her, trying to draw out what had happened - he glimpsed a vulnerability that he had never seen from her before and it unnerved him – a tight ball forming in the pit of his stomach -Laura Roslin didn't scare easily.

Laura's chin quivered slightly as she searched for the words to answer to Bill's question, tears were now slowly trailing down her flushed face. Feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny she simply shook her head and returned to his embrace – her left cheek flat against the rough fabric of his uniform.

"Hey, it's alright…" Bill rumbled as he moved his hand to stroke the back of her head affectionately, his movement stopping short when instead of silken strands of hair he felt a slimy substance at his fingertips. "You still have soap in your hair…"

"I know…" Her voice was almost a whisper.

Laura felt safe where she was, and didn't want to move.

'What can I tell him? He's going to overreact...'

Bill simply held her tight, resting his chin atop her damp hair whist his mind worriedly whirled through the possible scenarios that could have preceded this very moment. They stood like that for a short while; huddled together in the darkness – the surrounding silence creating an illusion of privacy which was ultimately shattered by movement from the tent opposite.

"This your school?"

"Mmm" Laura mumbled, but made no effort to move.

"What's say we take this inside?" Bill asked nudging her softly with his shoulder and withdrawing gently from her grip around his waist.

Laura nodded meekly against his uniform before turning reluctantly towards the tent, avoiding his eyes and crouching to open the entrance.

Bill stood back and allowed her the room to collect a towel and a few other items off of the floor before wading into the darkened tent and hitting the light switch.

"Electricity?" Bill raised an eyebrow. To his knowledge, aside from washrooms and the mess tent - very few of the facilities on New Caprica were provided with such a luxury.

"It's a new installation…" She spoke quietly with her back to him as she hugged herself and stared at a spot on the opposite wall of the tent.

Laura was torn.

Her relief at seeing Bill had been overpowering, revealing to him a vulnerability that she had strived for so long to keep under wraps. Only thirty minutes ago as her mind had wondered in the shower, the thought of spending some time alone with him had stirred such arousal within her that she physically ached for his touch - but now all she wished was that he would leave her alone.

'What is he still doing here anyway?' Laura had heard the raptors leaving over an hour ago.

She didn't want him to see her like this, she felt too exposed. She knew how he would respond when she told him what had happened and although it was irrational, she already felt a resentment building up inside of her as to what his reaction would be.

'He won't just let this go…I have to tell him.'

Bill stood behind her and waited patiently for her to speak, his concern for her deepening as he took in her dishevelled appearance. Laura's usually vibrant hair lay in a half lathered clump down her back, she had miss matched the buttons on her shirt and she wasn't wearing any shoes. She seemed to realise that her shoes were missing at the same time he did, as he saw her look down at her bare feet and wriggle her toes. "Frak…"

"What?"

"I left my boots in the washrooms…" Her soft voice was almost lost to the emptiness of the classroom.

"Laura," Unable to contain his anxiety any longer, Bill moved toward her until he was standing only a few inches away. "I'm imagining the worst…"

His voice cracked and the emotion contained within his statement pulled at Laura's heart, causing her to drop her guard temporarily and turn to face him.

"It's alright," She comforted, placing a shaky hand on his arm – suddenly realising what must have been going through his mind. "I'm just a bit…shaken, that's all…" Resigning herself to the fact that that she was going to have to tell him, her tongue darted out to lick her lips that were suddenly feeling very dry. "My tent got ransacked yesterday…"

His expression grew dark as he contemplated her words. "I saw you this morning…"

"We barely had time to talk this morning Bill," She sighed and moved away from him, coming to rest against a nearby desk, crossing her arms over her chest. "It wasn't the right time…"

His jaw set, his posture suddenly very rigid. "What did they take?"

"Nothing of importance…" Laura dropped her eyes to the floor and toed the tarpaulin – she didn't have to tell him the whole truth – but to be sure that he didn't press the issue she quickly continued. "I had believed it to be random but…"

"Something else happened…" Bill pre-empted.

Laura nodded into her chest, her troubled gaze glued to the ground – she couldn't bring herself to look at him. "This evening in the washrooms…someone was with me…"

Even without raising her head, Laura knew that Bill was frowning.

"They were…" She shifted awkwardly. "…watching me…"

"Watching you…" It wasn't a question; Laura remained silent to allow her words to sink in and her eyes rose to watch Bill's rugged features twist - his concern quickly descending into anger.

'Here it comes…' She internally braced herself.

"Did you get a look at them?"

"No, here was too much steam…"

"Sick frakker…" Bill pushed a hand roughly through his wiry hair, his eyes never leaving her face. "Laura, they could've…"

"No Bill," She shook her head, "If there was intent to harm, there was certainly an opportunity….No I think that…" She audibly sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I think that someone's just frakking with me..."

"You should have said something about your tent this morning…I could've prevented…" He spoke through gritted teeth.

"What good would it have done?" She interjected.

"I can't protect you if you hide things from me Laura…"

'And there it was….' Laura felt frustration start to well in her stomach at Bill's predictability.

"And what would you have done then Admiral, hmm?" Although her tone was measured - her words were intentionally laced with contempt. "Had armed guards follow my every move?"

"Something like that…" Bill replied defensively, noting with some distain her use of his official title.

"I am not yours to protect Bill!" Laura exclaimed, pushing herself from the desk and taking a step in his direction, before turning sharply and heading into the gap between the desks, feeling the need to retain her personal space.

"Regardless of our personal circumstances," Bill successfully kept his anger in check and spoke slowly and calmly as he moved towards her, closing the distance she had put between them. "Until recently, you were the President of the 12 Colonies. Do you think Richard Adar would have moved in with his constituents when his term was up? Because that's effectively what you've done…"

"That's different," She countered, pursing her lips defiantly.

"You're right, it is different." He moved in closer, "Your first term in office required you to make more life or death decisions than Adar did in his entire career. That puts you at risk – I should've thought of it before now…"

Laura watched him for a moment, absorbing his words. She knew that the incident in the shower ran deeper than a disgruntled voter, but Bill did have a point.

The harsh lighting above them highlighted the deep scars on his face and she absently reached out to run her fingers along them – the stubble she found there nipping at her skin before she closed her lids and spoke with a softened tone. "No armed guards Bill," She opened her eyes and looked directly into his, willing him to understand. "It's hard enough to fit in here as it is without the Admirals security team following me everywhere…"

He took the hand that still rested on his cheek and placed it in his own. "Something has to be done…"

She knew he was right.

"Baltar… "He brought her fingers to his lips and placed a chaste kiss along her knuckles.

Laura frowned, a small hum escaping her lips as she watched his movements closely.

"Do you think he's the one behind all of this – the one frakking with your head?"

"To what ends?" Laura dropped her hand from Bill's and groaned as she rubbed her palms over her face, "I mean…What would be in it for him? He's already won – he has the Presidency."

"Who knows what goes on in that warped mind of his…"

Laura grunted and bobbed her head in agreement, before continuing. "But it doesn't feel right. " She narrowed her eyes contemplatively. "Baltar has his hands full with trying to keep the peace – I doubt I even factor into his concerns right now….No…this feels different…not politically driven…"

"Then personal? Who would…?"

"Pick a number…" She replied flippantly, and then waved her arm to add gravity to her next statement. "You said it yourself Bill, I've made a lot of decisions in office that have cost lives… maybe somebody out there is holding a grudge…"

Bill nodded. "Which begs the question…what will their next move be?"

"No guards Bill." Laura repeated her earlier request, knowing exactly where his thoughts were headed.

"Baltar could supply the detail, if you're so sure it's not him…" He protested her declination with an alternative approach.

"I don't want him knowing Bill…"

"He needn't know the grizzly details; just that he needs to police the streets – keep his people safe."

'That might actually work…' Laura mused. "It would certainly be less obvious…" She thought aloud, "You could spin it as a popularity gain… "

"Ever the politician…" Bill smiled and his heart warmed as she reciprocated with a small one of her own.

"Why are you still here Bill?"

"You not pleased to see me?"

"Of course…" She playfully swatted his arm. "It's just that… your security team…"

"They went on the raptor with Tigh…I feigned illness to remain planetside…"

"How devious…" The corners of her mouth twisted into a devilish smile.

"Not really, Cottle saw straight though it – but it bought us a couple of hours…Come on…" He tugged on her hand and drew her towards him, his lips grazing hers, "Let's wash that crap out of your hair before it dries." At her single raised eye brow and amused expression, he sighed heavily and rephrased. "Okay…I'll wait outside whilst you wash that crap out of your hair…"

Laura chuckled and linked her arm with his, patting his hand as they left the tent. "Nice try Bill, nice try…"

End Notes:

Sorry, I know that not a lot happened in this chapter but I needed to bridge the action…I hope at the very least I kept them in character. The next chapter will be a bit juicer I promise…Bill hasn't left for Galactica quite yet…

As always, reviews are craved… ;0)