Roslin leaned against the wall and watched Bill pour himself a drink, and then take it over to his rack. He had a sad look on his face and she knew what was on his mind right now. The Chief had told him that when they made Galactica someone had cut some corners. It made him feel terrible and desperate. Thus he allowed the Cylons to use some of their technology to fix his well worn Battlestar. She felt her heart ache for him and the love he had for Galactica. Laura stood for a few more moments and watched him watch the amber liquid in his glass. She thought that he would take a drink but he only held the glass and stared into it. Enough of standing against the wall, Laura walked over to Adama boldly. Taking the glass Roslin set it on the table before she straddled Bills lap and smiled at him.
"Laura what are you doing?" Bill asked and reached for the glass again. Laura instead grabbed both of his hands and pulled them so they rested against her waist.
"What does it look like I am doing? I'm getting your attention." Laura responded and settled more fully on him. Bill groaned and tightened his arms just a little.
"This is one way to get my attention." Bill replied and looked up into her green eyes that seemed so full of life. How could this woman be dieing?
"Why are you so worried?" Laura asked and cocked her head to the side.
"Laura, look at the bulkheads… Galactica is coming apart." Bill sighed defeated. His ship was slowly tearing apart at the seams and if they did not use what the Cylons offered then she would be destroyed if they attempted a jump.
"Then except the Cylons help."
"It's not that easy."
"What ever is takes to save Galactica you will do, because you are Admiral Adama." Laura replied and leaned down to kiss him when the wireless buzzed. It was her hand that reached for it. For a moment neither one of them said anything. Laura got a huge smile on her face and leaned back out of reach. Bill made a grab for the phone but came up short. Roslin had a little bit of an advantage. He made another grab for the phone leaning over Roslin who was dangling over the side of his rack keeping the phone out of reach.
"Laura this is not funny." Bill said leaning over her.
"Yes it is." She responded while giggling.
Adama lined his body over hers as she continued to keep the phone out of reach and laugh. Bill wrapped one firm hand around her left wrist that held the phone and tried to pull her arm over the edge of the rack. Now that her body was healing she had some of her strength back. She was able to keep her arm over the edge. He was at the wrong angle to pull her hand up and over the edge anyway. Besides Bill really wasn't trying to get to the phone, he just wanted it to look that way for Laura's sake.
"Laura, give me the phone." Bill gritted his teeth and tugged lightly on Laura's wrist again.
"No," She giggled and stretched her body out even more.
"Laura," Bill warned and stared at her. She looked amazing, the color in her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes. It touched his heart to see her playful and not tired, weak from Diloxan, and stressed. Instead of trying to pull the phone closer Bill lightly kissed her. He made it tender and sweet so she would know how he was feeling in that moment. Bill didn't want her to die, he didn't want her body to defeat her and take away the one person in this fleet that could lighten his soul and help him be the person he should be.
Laura brought her arm back over the edge of the rack. Dropping the receiver she placed her free arm over his shoulder and let him set the tone of the kiss. She picked up on the tenderness in the way his lips moved over hers. It made Laura's heart ache. He was being so careful of her now; like he was afraid she might disintegrate. Laura needed to feel him with her just like this. She never needed more of him but she thought before she died she would at least have a taste of what she had denied herself all these years of working with the man who had taken her heart.
Bill levered himself up a little and looked down at Roslin. She was red in the face and the receiver was by her head. Grabbing it Bill listened to the other end. There wasn't a sound other than the indistinct voices of the crew serving in CIC right now. Who ever had been on the other end was either holding the phone away from their ear or shocked in silence. Bill replaced the receiver. He used both of his hands to frame her face. Smiling at her Bill just lay there. She relaxed and allowed her body to mold to his and enjoyed the feel of him. Laura had gone without the feeling of another human being next to her for so long that Bill Adama was a welcome relief. Only Bill knew the human side to the President; to Laura Roslin.
Laura Roslin stared into Bill Adama's very blue eyes, the eyes of a leader and a compassionate human being. He could see things about her that no one else had every dared to see, but he had seen her heart. Ruthlessly he invaded and brought out feelings of love and she had allowed him to corrupt her in the best way possible.It as the best feeling she had ever had. Now she was able to look at him in a new way and see all the things she had tried not to see. He had compassion loyalty and most of all he had love for her. Even though he had never said the words Laura knew he felt them. Having him like this made everything right with her world.
Again his lips caressed hers and she let him set the pace. His ship was dying and would die if the Cylons had not helped, but Bill still had trouble with that. It made Galactica a foreign being to him and not the ship he had served on for so long. Galactica wouldn't be the same to him. Bill Adama needed something to hold onto and right own that something was Laura Roslin. For as long as she had breath in her body she would be here for him.
"Is there something I can do?" Laura whispered waiting for his response. She saw his answer deep in his eyes. Wrapping her arms more securely around his neck Laura just held him. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and just let the President of the Colonies soothe away his hurt of Galactica. And hurt his did, this ship had been his home for so long and now to find out that she would be destroyed with out he help of the Cylons made Bill angry and pained him in more ways than one.
"Just be here." He replied and moved off of her to take his former place against the bulkhead before Laura had lightened his heart momentarily.
Laura sat up and looked at him. She saw the pain that radiated from him, but Bill Adama was a proud man who wouldn't let his pain show, least of all to her even though she was technically his lover. Trusting the Cylons to fix Galactica was a huge leap for a military man to take and Bill was not dealing so well with his choice. Laura moved to the foot of his rack and propped her legs on top of his. On some levee Laura felt his pain. Galactica was her home and she didn't want to see her destroyed. So Laura would be here in what ever way Adama needed her. If it was sitting with him in his rack then she would do that just as well as she would sleep with him.
Bill looked at Laura and saw the need in her eyes. She wanted to do something to comfort him but she wasn't sure what she should do. He moved her legs off his lap and shifted so he could pillow his head in her lap. The warmth of her body encased him, taking some of the coldness he felt in his heart. Laura ran her finger through his hair and listened to him breathing. When they had made love she had kept her eyes locked with his but she could feel the scar left by the Cylon Boomer. As he held her that night she could feel the soft scar along her spine. She was so grateful that he had not given up and allowed Hades to welcome him in the sweet embrace of death. 'Thank you for not leaving me Bill Adama.' Laura thought and sighed while she continued to run her finger through his hair. It was all the comfort she knew to give him right now.
Adama kept his eyes closed and inhaled Laura's scent. She seemed to fill him and surround him. Laura was everywhere and Bill wanted to keep her as long as he could. Time was against them as it always was. The Universe seemed to delight in giving them an inch and then taking away a mile. For right now, in this moment Bill and Laura could be together. He draped his arm over her lap and lightly squeezed trying to let her know how he appreciated her and loved her. Bill Adama was the man of few words, even for her. Laura lightly chuckled and leaning over she kissed Bill's temple. For right now this was enough for him. Laura and Bill were right where they needed to be.
