Chapter Ten

She could feel the pressure of his chest underneath her fingertips, the once strong beat of his heart now fading. She wanted to do it all again, so many choices that she wished she could take back.

He groaned, a sign of life no matter how painful it was. She wasn't going to give up on him, she owed him that much.

09:30 hrs

Laura jerked out of her sleep and wondered for a few moments exactly where she was. Her face felt sore, and so did her legs. In fact she ached all over. Looking around, she got her bearings and realised that she was in Bill's warm house, and that the gently snoring figure beside her was Bill Adama.

Blood. Lots of blood. Pain. Endless pain.

The dream that she had was like a forgotten memory, it kept stirring in her brain and she couldn't figure out exactly what it was. But Laura felt pressure on her stomach and a hand glide over it and pull her back to the mattress. She forgot all about the dream and just concentrated on the man next to her.

"Good morning," said Bill, still half asleep but happy to be beside her. Laura replied to him with a kiss, which soon woke him up. His hands shifted underneath the tanks she wore, and stroked the skin underneath. Laura purred underneath his fingertips, everything that man did to her felt so good.

"Breakfast?" he asked, sitting up with her in his lap. Laura nodded and kissed him again, relishing in the feel of it all. Happiness, she realised, was what she was feeling. It had been a long time since she had felt anything like it.

Downstairs, Bill was trying to prove what a culinary talent he was. Trying, and unfortunately failing. Laura was sitting atop the kitchen table, watching him as he tried to find some eggs for their morning fry up. He kept cursing when he couldn't find anything, and to Laura he looked downright adorable in boxers, tanks and stubble. Giving up, Bill went to Laura and placed too hands on her waist.

"Looks like we won't be having any eggs with our breakfast."

"Doesn't matter, didn't come for the food," Laura smiled, putting her hands around Bill's neck and bringing him down to her mouth. Growling as her tongue met his, Bill spread Laura's legs so he could step between them and place both palms on her bare legs. He began to stroke her inner thighs while his mouth moved to caress her collarbone with tiny nips and slaving kisses.

If there hadn't been a knock on the door, then Bill would have had her right there and then. But there was, and Laura slipped off the counter to answer it so Bill could concentrate on their breakfast. All she was wearing was tanks, her underwear and Bill's robe, her red hair spilling over her shoulders. Opening the door, her face fell.

"Richard." He was standing on Bill's doorstep, his face speaking of his heartbreak. He was holding a bouquet of flowers, and looked over her state of attire with despair.

"When I saw that you had packed all your things, something in me knew you would be here. Guess what, it was right."

"Richard…"

She didn't know what to stay, but Laura was glad when Bill came up behind her and rested an arm around her waist. Slightly possessive, but seeing in the hallway mirror the bruising that Richard had inflicted on her, Laura could understand.

"Mr Adama."

"Mr President. Don't be offended if I tell you to frak off."

Richard chuckled and stepped forward into the house. Bill also stepped forward, putting Laura behind him. He was damned if he was going to let the bastard have another pop at her.

"I just wanted to make sure Laura was okay."

"Like hell."

"I never meant to hurt her, Adama, you have to believe that. But if you loved her as much as I do, then you would get as angry if you saw her with another man," Richard explained, but Laura could see that Bill wasn't buying it. His jaw was clenching, like he was trying to stop himself from hitting the man in front of him very hard.

"I would never hit a woman, let alone Laura. You don't do that to someone you love," Bill replied.

Adar could not see that he was getting through to Adama, or Laura, who was looking at him in serious distaste. He could see in that moment that she would never return to him. She had seen his vicious side, and had paid the price for it. Whatever time she had left, it would be spent in the arms and the bed of Bill Adama. He couldn't do anything to bring him and Laura together, so the only thing left was to break them up, permanently.

"I wish you good luck Adama, its obvious that she loves you very much. I thought she loved me once, but then that was a long time ago. I would just watch out, though, she's still a mistress at heart. Helped me cheat, helped you cheat. Red is the colour of lust and Laura is a text book who-"

He didn't get to finish what he was going to say, as Bill had smacked him right in the jaw. Adar went sprawling over the doorstep and onto the pathway, his lip bleeding and pain ripping through his jaw. He may have actually broken it. In Adama's eyes was a sense of fury and hate that startled the President. This wasn't a man to mess with in hand-to-hand combat, for the former Commander would surely win.

"You ever come near her again, and I will shoot you, President or not. This isn't a threat to your life, it's a warning for you if you ever, ever, touch her again."

With that he banged the door closed on the outside world. Inside the hallway, Bill was flexing out his hand, testing the knuckles. That had felt so good. Looking over at Laura, she hugged him, realising that finally Richard Adar was out of their lives. Bill kissed the top of her head and held her tight, happy in what he had accomplished for their relationship.

X

"Humans, how I hate them."

Six sighed as she met with Cavil, Leoben and Doral. He had wanted to make sure that everything was going well within their different assignments and that they were on track for the plan.

"They're our parents, they created us."

"Hmm."

She sighed once again and turned to Leoben for help. He was decidedly stubborn, just drinking from his cup of coffee on the rooftop of the building. Doral was also silent, but then again he only spoke when he had something to say.

"Well, how are things going with our master plan children?" Cavil asked, looking over at his three young Cylon brothers and sisters. He had seniority, he didn't know whether it was because he was older than them or because he simply had gravitas to whatever he did.

"Baltar is working on a cure to help the President's fiancées Cancer. Unfortunately, there have been some minor complications."

"Complications?"

This time it was Doral who spoke. "It seems that Roslin has fallen out of love with the President. Instead, she has fallen for a retired Commander of the Colonial Fleet."

"The Galactica Commander."

"Yes, Bill Adama. The President is still in love with her, although he realises that she will most likely never return to him."

Cavil pondered this for a moment, this was certainly a problem. Their big party had been postponed by a vote at the last minute, on the idea that it would be easier to deal with what would be left of the Human race if the President cooperated. Unfortunately, people had a tendency to let people take their lives rather than assist, but put someone in front of a gun who they loved…help would always be at hand.

"Kill Adama, simple."

"Won't work." This time it was Leoben speaking. "Sharon used to work on Galactica, death of the Commander would get her all worked up, may damage the foetus."

"How is the child?"

"Still fine after we extracted the blood for testing. It may help us in other goals."

"Good. Leave the Adama problem with me, I'll get back to it soon enough."

The other three Cylons left Cavil on the roof of the building contemplating life and the Humans who he loathed. Insects, tiny little insects with sole purposes. Insects that would soon be crushed.

X

12:42 hrs

Lee had left Paula at home so he could talk to his Dad alone. He didn't know what his father thought he was doing, but it was time to get some answers. Knocking on the door, he found his father with a grim expression on his face that softened when he saw it was his son.

"Hey Dad."

He walked in uninvited, hopefully letting his father know that something was wrong between them. Lee sat down on the sofa, noting a perfume scent in the air. Obviously Laura Roslin had stayed over the night.

"What's up Lee? You look like you've got something on your mind," Bill stated, taking a seat opposite his son.

"You and Roslin. What do you think you're doing?"

"Well an hour ago we were in the garden watering my grass with a hose."

It had been enjoyable. Emma was out, and so was the neighbour on the other side, so Bill and Laura could make as much noise as they wanted. He had started out by spraying the grass to keep it green, but had ended up catching Laura with the water. She had been soaked in a matter of minutes, enough so he could see the curve of her breasts underneath her shirt. She had tried to tackle him, but Bill had flipped her to the ground. After that, well, Bill never thought that getting grass stains could be so enjoyable.

"I mean you sleeping with another man's woman, Dad."

"That 'other man' is a son of a bitch."

"It doesn't matter Dad! Adultery is a sin."

Lee stood on his feet at that point and Bill faced him. Both were passionate about this subject. Lee didn't believe in adultery, he loathed cheating and hated to think of his father doing that, especially considering that Bill had been there for Saul Tigh when he had been hurt by his cheating wife. Bill was in love, and he would do anything to be close to her. As for Richard Adar, he was a bullying piece of filth who deserved everything he got.

"I love her Lee."

"She cheated on Adar's wife with him, and she cheated on Adar with you. How do you know she's not another Ellen Tigh? Gods Dad, have you even thought about what happens when it gets out that you're frakking the President's fiancée?"

Bill looked down at the floor, he knew how Laura felt about him and he trusted her more than anything. If that made him a fool or naïve, he didn't care. He had never felt this way about a woman before, and he didn't want to let that feeling go.

"I love her Lee."

"Well I hope she's good enough Dad. Sorry I won't be around to tell you I told you so when she leaves you for someone else."

Bill found he had the urge to smack Lee in the face, but he wouldn't do that to his own child. He watched as Lee left the sitting room and headed for the door. If his son wanted to be childish, then that's the way he would play it.

Lee was opening the door and out on the path when he found a hand clenching his arm. Turning around, he was disappointed to see that it was Roslin and not his father. She looked calmer then she had done previously, but there was also bruising on the side of her face.

"Don't blame your father Lee, it's not his fault. Don't let him lose you again."

"Well thank you for your concern, but its none of your frakking business."

Lee pushed her away and kept down the pavement. A few streets from his father's house, he started replaying the scene in his head. His father would never hit a woman; in all his time married to his mother he never hit her. The bruises might have come from a mugger, or a bar fight but in his heart Lee knew that they came from Adar. Groaning to himself, Lee realised that he had been an idiot and had probably cost his relationship with his father as well.

X

Gauis Baltar was not expecting Richard Adar to enter through the door of his laboratory, but enter all the same he did. He looked weary, looked like some great burden was on his shoulders. All Baltar knew was that he wasn't fond of being people's confidantes, especially the President of the Colonies.

"You said you were working on a cure for Laura's Cancer?"

"I think I'm pretty close to something Mister President, I really do. Just needs some tweaking and some more theory and then I'll be there."

"Good."

"Great."

Why won't he leave? Why is he still here? What does he want? Baltar was worried; the President was still in his lab.

"What would you do if the love of your life was in love with someone else?"

Baltar didn't fall in love, so the question didn't apply to him. But he could see that the President desperately wanted an answer. Had him and Roslin had a fight? Was he going to need this cure? Was he going to get the fame he so desperately wanted?

"I would do everything in my power to get her back."

After Baltar's reply, he left, and Baltar could return to his work.

She could hear his groans, hear his pleads for life and she couldn't do anything. It was like time had froze and the Gods were punishing her for everything. Punishing her for her life and for something she didn't know what. They were going to take her soon, why take him from her so quickly? There was so much she wanted to know before she went to Elysium.


"Please, Lords of Kobol, don't take him from me."

Laura closed the last page of Bill's manuscript and sighed. It was a good book, a very good book. There were a few grammar mistakes and punctuation errors, and Laura decided that she would go over them in greater detail later in red pen and red lingerie. She smiled in the coffee shop, relaxing in the environment. She was just down the street from where Bill lived, where people didn't gape at her face so much.

"Mind if I sit here?" a small woman with beads in her hair asked, and Laura offered her the chair. From her own reading material, it seemed like the woman was a priestess.

"Laura."

"Elosha. Are you a publisher?" she asked, pointing to the manuscript in front of her. Laura chuckled and shook her head.

"No, my…my partner is writing a book and I'm just going over things for him."

"Sounds nice."

They sipped coffee and ate their own counter delights in silence for a few moments before Laura decided to resume conversation. Bill was picking her up after he had been to see the mechanic. Apparently the last time he had gone to fix his car he had damaged the engine beyond repair. Bill's excuse was that there was a huge difference between a Viper and a car.

"Are you a priestess?"

"I suppose so. I analyse the ancient texts, look for meaning in modern life. As a side business I also analyse dreams and spin plates," Elosha joked and Laura joined in. She was a nice woman.

Blood. Lots of blood. Pain. Endless pain.

"I hope you don't mind, but I've been having this dream about a bleeding man that feels so real, and I just can't place it." Instead of looking offended, Elosha leaned forward in her chair.

"Well, there are a few options. In any of your memories do you remember a bleeding man, or do you have any significant gaps in your memory?" Laura shook her head, there was nothing like that in her past.

"Second option is that your imagination is using your partner's book as fuel for your dreams." That seemed likely, but it didn't seem just right.

"And a third option?"

"The third option is that you are dreaming the future. If you ever find out that it's the third, come and see me."

The rest of her time in the coffee shop until Bill came to pick her up was spent in silence. The bleeding man was still in the whispers of her mind and Laura couldn't quite conjure all of it just yet. It must be Bill's book, it couldn't be the future. That was just absurd.

X

17:57 hrs

Lee had managed to track down Starbuck and Helo at one of Caprica's parks, helping someone he remembered from the President's offices to do sit ups. Helo gave a small wave as he came over, but Starbuck remained stone faced. She had been there at dinner last night, where he had made an ass of himself there as well.

"Hey everyone."

"Hey Captain."

"Hi."

"Hey Lee."

He stood there for a moment and was introduced to Alex, a thoroughly nice young woman who had a dream of being a Viper pilot. After a few more moments of silence, he admitted what he wanted to say.

"I went to see my father today and we had an argument. He really does love her, doesn't he?

Helo and Alex remained silent, it was Starbuck that spoke. "He does Lee, he really does."

"Good. Because I want to do something and I really need your help with it."

They didn't think to ask Lee what he wanted them to do, anything was better than sitting in the sweltering heat of the park watching Alex run laps and do push ups. But when they got to the Government Building in Caprica City, Starbuck took Lee aside and asked him.

"I need to go through some of the President's files. When I was over at my Dads, I saw that Roslin had some bruising on her face. I think he did it, and I think he's done other stuff as well. I don't know why, I just…"

"When I walked in on the two of them in his office, he looked like he was ready to murder me. He's not a nice guy," Alex offered, and Helo nodded. The four of them stood resolute and decided to break into the government building using Alex's security clearance.

Thirty minutes later, they hadn't found anything, in fact all they had found was that Adar liked to delegate a lot of his workload, and one of the secretary's was squirreling off money into a private account. Finally, Lee had found a copy of the President's phone logs that had been kept by a very compulsive filer.

"Nothing much, Adar made a call to a Colonel Limas a while back, but that's it."

Starbuck grabbed the sheet of paper that Lee was looking at and cursed. "Limas was the Colonel that arrested me and Helo a while back. The date of the call was the day before he did. Shit."

"What does that mean?" Alex asked, shaking slightly from the memory of the fight. She hoped she never got into another one like it.

"It means that it's likely that Adar orchestrated our arrest. Frakker doesn't talk to Colonels, only Admirals."

"But you guys got off!"

"Yeah, we got off. But two weeks after that the Old Man and Roslin aren't dating and she's engaged to the President. Coincidence?" Starbuck asked.

"Can you even spell that?"

Starbuck smacked Helo, but the look on Lee's face stopped her from continuing.

"Dad made a deal to save you guys, gave up Roslin. Frak! C'mon, lets see what else we can find."

They searched through the files for another hour, but came up with nothing. Tired, and wanting to talk to his father about everything, Lee decided to pack it in. If anything, their little jaunt into the files had proved that Adar was a nasty piece of work.

"Wait, lets have a quick look in his office."

Alex led the way to the President's office. Helo was shuffling his feet, Lee concentrating on what was going on and Starbuck playing with her phone taking pictures of random things. Opening up the office door, all four were met with the sight of President Richard Adar having sex with his pretty blonde assistant on top of his desk. Starbuck took a quick picture, and seeing the flash, Adar stopped. Alex quickly shut the door and the four made a beeline for the exit.

Outside, Alex sobbed. "Why do I always walk in on him when he's doing that?"

X

Laura and Bill strolled up the garden path, hand in hand, neither of them saying anything but catching the odd glance at the other. Bill put the key in the lock and let them both in. Inside the door, they still didn't say anything, but instead of slipping off his own jacket, he pulled Laura's off her shoulders and her into a kiss. His mouth moved in parallel to hers, his fingers caressing her cheek delicately.

"I missed you today."

"I was gone for like half an hour while you were with the mechanic."

"Still missed you."

He kissed her again, this time with more force and passion. Both were left gasping for breath before they laughed and headed upstairs. When they got to the top of the stairs, Laura unbuttoned Bill's shirt and slid the material off of his shoulders. She traced his chest and kissed her way down to his trousers before unbuckling them and letting them fall to the floor.

Bill brought Laura up to his face and kissed her again. He unbuttoned her own shirt slowly teasing the skin underneath with his nimble fingers. When both their shirts had fallen to the floor, Bill reached around to hook Laura's skirt down from the back, leaving them both in their underwear.

He picked Laura up, her underestimation in his strength being her undoing. Bill planted her on the bed and gazed over the woman he called his, wearing a purple brassiere and a matching thong. Licking his lips, he teased her nipples through the fabric and brought them out into hardened peaks. Kissing his way down her stomach, he nipped at the edges of her underwear. As Laura moaned into one of the pillows, Bill stroked her through her underwear. Taking them off, he put them aside and spread her legs so he could gain access to her clit. Using his fingers first, he drew short circles around it before hard strokes. Laura felt her arousal building, and it only took a few strokes of Bill's tongue over her most sensitive area for her to come undone.

Laura pulled herself up off of the bed sheets and smiled as she kissed Bill lazily. Her hand was teasing his hardened cock through his boxers, and from the ragged breathing in her ear, she knew he was close. He encircled her wrist with hers and pressed her down to the bed.

Kicking off his underwear, Bill entered her slowly, relishing in the feeling of her wetness around his cock. Thrusting into her, the sounds of Laura moaning against him drove him wild. Slipping a finger between where their bodies joined, he flicked Laura's clit a few times. Being highly sensitised from their last encounter, Laura slipped over the edge into another orgasm and as her muscles contracted around him, he too came.

Rolling onto the clean bed sheets, Bill looked at Laura and gave a lazy smile and a laugh. She moved over to rest her head on his shoulder, sighing in happiness.

X

They had been walking down the street, happy to get away with their break in when it happened. Alex and Helo had been debating the finer points of raptor flying outside a shop window while Kara and Lee had been working along.

"I should have listened to my father."

"Yes you should have Lee. He's a good man."

Lee laughed at a bouncy Kara Thrace, but stopped short when she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "That was for growing a pair Lee Adama. Trust your father, he knows what he's doing."

"Lieutenant Thrace? Lieutenant Agathon?" It was a Colonial Fleet officer with two others who had walked up to them. Alex froze instantly; it was like some creepy déjà vu. Helo placed a protective arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah?" Always the attitude with Kara.

"We're here to arrest you and bring you to the Barracks."

"Those charges were dropped," Kara announced, she hadn't done anything illegal of recent nature. She didn't think so anyway.

"New charges of assaulting the President, Lieutenant. No laughing matter."

"When I am supposed to have 'assaulted the President'?"

"This morning, around 09:40 hrs. If you will come with us?"

He could not be serious, but the look on his face was completely so. The officers made a motion to Kara and Helo but Lee stepped between them.

"Move away Captain."

"Make me."

Kara moved to him, not wanting him to get into whatever game Adar was playing. "Don't do this Lee, go to your Dad and tell him what's going on."

She and Helo left with the officers and Alex and Lee watched them be escorted off. "C'mon, we need to go get my father and tell him what's going on."

X

21:48 hrs

Laura had been joined by Ellen and Saul soon after Bill had gone out to get food. The two of them had had some 'pleasant' conversation, but soon enough Laura was missing the sound of Bill's voice. Dialling his mobile phone number, she pressed his home phone to her ear in anticipation of hearing the gravely voice she adored.

"Hello?"

"Hey handsome, it's me."

"Laura, now's not really a good time."

"Oh, that's fine. Just wanted to let you know that Saul and Ellen have dropped over. Figured you may want to get some extra food, but probably some extra alcohol too."

"Don't worry, I will. Laura, you know I love you right."

"Yes, of course I do," Laura smiled, giving a little wave to the gossipy Tigh's on the sofa in the living room.

"Good, because I love you so much. Do you love me?"

"You should never need to ask that. I love you more than anything, anyone I have ever met. Bill is everything okay?"

"I hope so."

"Bill, what do you-" A loud bang on the other end of the phone caused Laura to jump out of her skin. It was so loud that even Ellen and Tigh could hear it. Trembling, Laura picked up the phone and held it to her ear. "Bill, what was that? Bill, Bill can you hear me? BILL!"

X

Bill Adama sat in the gutter of Caprica City, his clothes stained and blood trickling out onto his chest. He could feel the pain of it all, the bullets that had tore through his body and broken it as well. There was white-hot pain ripping through his body as he tried to move and grasp the edge of the pavement to anchor himself.

As he groaned in frustration, his thoughts turned to Laura. The ache of his chest not even coming close to the pain that he felt without her. Her beautiful smile, her hair the colour of the rising sun. If he was to die here in the cold, dark depths of a Caprica City alleyway, then he wanted his last thoughts to be of her, like they always were when he was alive and well.

"Laura!"

He clutched at the pavement, but his fingers were too covered in blood to get a good, solid grip. He groaned again, crying out in the street as he felt the life slipping away from him. He would never get to see her face again, and he wept not for himself, but for her. He loved her, and he had to get up to keep her safe. In his head, he heard her voice yelling to him.

Get up Bill.

Get up!

Bill?