Title: In An Ideal Universe

Authors:AmandaC/VRyan

Disclaimer:The show and the characters belong to Ron Moore and Co. We are just borrowing them.

Spoilers:Everything up to Home Part Two.

AN:Please Note folks we have not seen anything passed Resistance and thus don't know what happened in The Farm or Home 1 & 2. We are going to guess based on limited information and of course add our little spin. As you do. Forgive any inaccuracies.

Part One

Laura knew he'd live just as she had the moment he had been shot. However, she hadn't said anything to Captain Apollo when he had delivered the news to her.

Being a jailbird wasn't exactly to her taste but then neither was the withdrawal symptoms she had contended with when her supply of Chamalla had run out.

She remembered being visited by Ellen Tigh. But couldn't remember what she had wanted. They weren't exactly friends. She remembered the jail break and being confronted with the fact that Tom Zarek was helping them to hide from Galactica's soldiers.

That was it things were about to change dramatically she could taste it, smell it, sense its arrival. They were on Kobol Mother Elosha had been killed and buried. It broke her heart to watch her friend buried. She hadn't known the priest for very long but they had understood each other.

Then she saw him, he was armed and accompanied by his men. For a moment she thought of being thrown back into the Brig. When their eyes me she saw it. He had changed his near death had effected him. He didn't arrest her or Lee. He looked like hell. Adama was pale and drawn he was moving slowly.

"Ms Roslin".

"Commander, I'm glad to see you on your feet".

Part Two

"We need to talk and now". His tone was harsh. He hadn't meant it to be. He was just pissed of as hell and feeling like crap. His chest hurt whenever he moved which he was half afraid to do in case he burst his stitches. To add to this there she stood the woman he had often described as the biggest pain in the ass since the Cylon's.

"For once we're in agreement", Laura's oh so polite way of saying 'up yours too'. This incidently was exactly what she thought at that moment.

"Alone".

"Fine!"

They walked away from the rest of the group a couple of hundred meters. Until, they were out of sight and earshot.

Adama turned and looked at her, really looked. Roslin was dressed in a pair of grey slacks and a large sweatshirt she had obviously borrowed. In fact he noted she looked nearly as bad as he did. But then as he continued to observe her, he thought he didn't have cancer to contend with.

Laura sat down on a tree stub and put her hands on her lap. She was going to let him dictate the conversation. This wasn't usual nor was it an easy task for her. When they had met usually both would come with separate agenda's. Hers at that moment was very simple. She had the arrow, find the tomb and open it. She wondered what his was if he had one.

William Adama was never an easy man to read he played his cards far to close to his chest. Laura had a tendency to do the same it was more of a subconscious thing with her though.

"Well Commander, let's hear it"

"Jailbreak?"

"Jail and I aren't compatible".

"Your point?"

"I shouldn't have been incarcerated in the first place".

"A matter of Perspective you understand".

"Granted, I could have handled the LT Thrace situation better, but needs be. Commander you weren't co-operating".

"That's no damn reason to incite a mutiny".

"Oh get over yourself".

Adama turned to walk away from her. His anger was bubbling near to the surface and she had the inexplicable knack of pushing all the right buttons where his temper was concerned.

"William", this single word stopped him in his tracks. He turned to her once again and watched as she rose to her feet. "We have to get by this. Because I'll be damned if I'm going to". Laura stopped mid sentence and raised her eyes to look directly into his taking a deep breath.

"I know about the cancer", he was sorry for her and hoped it didn't show. "How long have you got?"

"Not behind the door are you?"

A smile tugged lightly at the corners of his mouth. "Never been accused of that in my lifetime"

"Figures, a few months"

"I've read Pythia, not saying I believe it of course. Only that I've read it"

"Of course"

"Laura, why didn't you tell me you had cancer"

"A combination of things. At first I had to swallow the news myself. I was told the day the cylon's attacked us. Then everything went a little crazy. We don't know each other William. How was I to know you wouldn't declare martial Law. For the most part we have been civil in our dealings with each other nothing more. I'm not in the habit discussing personal issues with someone I don't know or trust"

"You told my son didn't you?"

"Yes, he saved my ass on more than one occasion. I had the chance to get to know Captain Apollo. I knew I could trust him with the information"

"Now you've gone public with it"

"I had no choice"

"I see. You scared?"

"That's an odd question coming from you"

"Yes let's just say being shot has altered my perspective a little"

"Right, since we are dishing it straight up the answer is yes terrified"

End Part Two (Sequel Coming Soon)