Written for a challenge where you were to use the song All Along the Watchtower as inspiration. Part of the song that I was thinking of: But you and I, we've been through that. And this is not our fate. So let us not talk falsely now. The hour is getting late

Those words made me think of the time they were the most honest with each other - the 6of1 argument. So, I started writing a fic set after that, about what would have happened to Laura if the attacks hadn't happened and something deep like that. But then, somehow, I turned it into a sappy romantic fic.

Title: A Beautiful Mess

Laura woke, disorientated. Her hand automatically reached out. The mattress beside her was empty.

Rolling over, she squinted into the darkness of the room and made out Bill sitting at his desk.

She padded silently over to him. His eyes were shut, an arm propping up his head. A pot of coffee sat beside him.

She knew immediately he wasn't asleep.

"Come to bed," she whispered.

He looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes.

"You sure? I can sleep on the couch."

She took his hand and tugged it gently. "I'm sure. We had a fight, Bill. It wasn't our first, and probably won't be our last."

"I'm sorry," he murmured near her ear after they'd settled into the rack together.

"You only spoke the truth. As did I."

"I should've waited until I'd sobered up."

"So should have I."

His arms dragged her closer.

"I was alone," she said quietly. "Before the attacks. Billions of people on the Twelve Colonies and I was so alone."

She felt his lips on her neck.

"I had a lover. I visited him after I found out about the cancer."

"What did he say?"

"I never told him. He was my lover, but I didn't tell him. If I'd loved him, I would have wanted to tell him, don't you think?"

"Guess it depends on why you didn't want to tell him."

"I didn't think he'd care."

"He was obviously a moron."

"Even if I told him, I would have still died alone. He wouldn't have stayed with me."

"No… a prick."

She snorted.

"You came straight here after Cottle told you the cancer had returned," he commented.

"Of course."

"If I'd loved him, I would have wanted to tell him," he repeated.

Laura merely hummed and tucked his arm around her tighter.