Ch 18

When the chaos in CIC had resolved and the Old Man was taken to sick bay, Colonel Tigh suddenly remembered Lee and his status as a prisoner. He ordered the Marines to remove him to the brig where he was roughly thrown into the cell next to President Roslin. Her concern for the situation was palpable and Lee realized that even after the events of the day Laura Roslin respected his father. She advised Lee to denounce her so he could free himself but he knew better. However, he could make a bargain with Colonel Tigh, and that's just what he did.

So when he was on duty he had respect and when he was off duty he was a prisoner but the fleet was being protected and he could keep up on the events so it worked. He wished desperately that he had Kara to talk to but she was gone on her crazy trip to Caprica for Laura. Funny how that worked, a few days before he'd always thought of her as The President or Madame President, now that they were being held in adjoining cells he thought of her as Laura.

They talked for hours at a time while he was in the cell and he came to respect her even more. She was a very smart woman, about very many things. So she stepped into the void that Kara left as his confidante.

One night Lee was sitting on his bunk thinking of better days and he pulled out the picture of Lauren that he still carried everywhere. He'd stared at the picture so long he'd memorized every single line, every shadow of it, but it always made him feel like a part of him wasn't completely dead. He ran events from the past in his head like a movie and it hurt, oh Gods did it hurt. He'd never again hear her laughter, see her smile, taste her lips. And it all came crashing down on him.

Laura Roslin had been sleeping but she was roused by the sound of Lee sobbing in the next cell. She tried to look over without alerting him to her presence but it didn't work and he tried vainly to wipe the tears from his eyes. Laura got up and walked to the wall of bars between them and held her hand through to him.

"Captain, is there anything…"

"No, I'm just…I guess it all hit me. Everything that's happened and all I've…we've lost."

"Yes Captain, we've all lost more than we can imagine. Tell me about her," her voice was soothing, like his mother's when he was still small.

"Ma'am? Who? Tell you about who?"

"The girl in the picture. She's obviously someone you love very much. So tell me about her. I want to know."

Lee looked into her face and found comfort, sympathy and best of all, a friend. "She was…well I was planning on asking her to marry me." He sobbed loudly and looked embarrassed about it. Laura smiled again and reached for the picture he held in his hand. He handed it to her with out any qualms.

"So what happened? Why didn't you ask her? Oh, she's very pretty, what's her name?" Laura stared deeply at the picture she held as if she could see into the woman, into her soul.

"Lauren, her name is Lauren. Well, I intended to ask her one night, back on Caprica but she'd just gotten word of being transferred. She was so upset, Gods but she was upset. We'd been living together for a while and I guess she felt like it was just too much. I guess it kind of didn't seem so important after finding out, and then she was gone."

"So what happened after that?" she intended to keep him talking about his pain because she knew from experience, talking with someone about what hurt made it hurt less, like the other person shared the burden of the pain with you.

"Well I tried for a while to get on with my life. Then the attack, and well you pretty much know the rest. I just wish that I knew. Not knowing what happened is the worst part, you know?"

"I do know. I wish I could tell you but…well at least you had some time with her and you got to have the pleasure of her. Some people never even get that much, so you should be happy." The smile on her lips was pained and Lee knew that there was so very much about this woman that he would never know. She handed him the picture back and turned for her bunk. "Good night Captain. I'm sure there is a better place and you'll find her again."

Lee looked from the picture to the amazing woman in the next cell and back. Something had changed between them that night and it felt like it was for the better. Lee just hoped he was right.