Coda: Bastille Day

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: I do not own Battlestar Galactica. I'm just borrowing them for a little harmless fun. Don't sue because I really don't have anything worth having.

A/N: I was re-watching Bastille Day and this little scene just came to me.

President Laura Roslin watched Captain Lee Adama as he processed the news that she had just given him. He was staring down at the floor, and she could tell that he was trying to keep his expression blank, but she didn't miss the pain that flashed through his eyes.

"Hey," she whispered, forcing a smile through her own tears, "I don't want you to lose hope either."

Lee, forcing a smile of his own, replied, "I won't. It's just…" he looked down for a moment. "It's just I really think that you're the kind of leader we need right now and if the worst happens …" he paused for a moment. Laura watched his expression change from sorrow to confusion.

"Madam President, you knew there was a possibility of your not …" he paused for the briefest moment to control his voice, "of your not surviving until the end of your term. Why were you fighting …" he paused as he answered his own question. "You planned on having elections all along," he looked up and saw her smile at him.

"Of course. That is what the Articles say," she said, throwing his own words back at him.

"Then …"

"Then why did I make a fuss about your deal with Zarek? I know that we need to have elections, but we must settle our situation more before we have them. An election requires a certain amount of stability, and you'll have to agree that we haven't had much of that recently." He smiled at her comment.

"Yes sir, I'd have to agree with that."

"Besides, I don't want to give that son of a bitch Zarek the satisfaction of thinking that the only reason I'm holding elections is because his temper tantrum." Apollo grinned even more when he saw a hard edge appear in her eyes.

"You don't like him much, do you?"

"I have very little use for people who think more of their own reputation than the well-being of those they are supposed to represent." She paused for a moment, staring into space. "Of course, who's to say I'm not doing the same thing by keeping my illness from the people."

"No, Madam President. I think you're right. I don't think that the fleet can handle this news right now. We've all lost so much so quickly." Lee felt the grief wash over him again, and he closed his eyes against it. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, forcing himself to keep his expression neutral.

Laura saw his struggle and realized that he needed some time alone so that he could properly process her news. She stood up and Lee immediately stood up as well. "Captain, I've kept you long enough. You must be exhausted." She extended her hand and he grasped it. "You did well today," she told him. He looked away, unable to stop the image of his father's disappointed face from flashing through his thoughts. Laura squeezed his hand and he looked back at her. "Thank you for saving Zarek's life." She smiled warmly at the shocked look on his face. "I don't like him, but his death at the hands of the military could have sparked a rebellion within the fleet. There are less than fifty thousand of us left, Captain. We don't have time for this bullshit." He smiled at heruse of profanityand squeezed her hand back.

"Goodnight, Madam President."

"Goodnight, Captain Apollo."