Saul Tigh swung a fist at Bill Adama. Saul had teased, needled, and outright provoked Bill for almost three months straight simply because he was pissed off because Bill hadn't mentioned that he was getting married (or that he was dating). Saul tended to cover his own irritation by grating on everyone else's nerves. Now, it was dance night on the Battlestar Universal, and Bill had tossed his tags into the mix. He needed to throw some therapeutic swings at his best friend.

Bill dodged the incoming blow. Beads of sweat glistened on their brows and dripped into their eyes. Vision blurred. Both men glared at the other. Taking a swing, Bill's punch smashed into the side of Saul's head, and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. The boisterous cries of approval from the crew around them rang out - Saul hadn't been making any friends.

The match ended with Adama declared the victor. Saul glowered at him for a moment before thumping him on the back in brotherly affection. They stepped out of the ring, both wincing in pain.

"Lot of pain over a frakkin woman Bill," Saul muttered, pulling his gloves off and tossing them to the side.

"That frakkin woman is my wife," Bill growled yanking off his own gloves and expecting his friend to show a little more regard toward the woman he'd married. Hadn't he always extended Ellen a certain amount of respect?

"Wouldn't have gotten this worked up over Carolanne." Saul dabbed at the blood on the side of his mouth and hissed in pain. "Damn Bill! What is it about Laura?" Saul asked while holding up the bloody towel. Bill frowned.

"I love her," he said simply. "She makes life worth living. Without her..." Saul snorted at his friend's soft words, but saw how serious Bill was.

"Damn Bill," Saul repeated now quieter, shaking his head. "That's Laura for you?"

"Yea." Bill grabbed a towel and mopped some of the sweat up. "You know that's what Ellen is to you too," Bill replied, pushing Saul in Ellen's direction. Saul didn't have his memories, but maybe in this timeline he could help his friend realize how important Ellen was to him before something bad happened.

"You're growing soft Bill," Saul accused, and his friend paused and wondered how much truth there was behind his friend's accusation. Soft men didn't always make good soldiers.

….

Almost three months had passed in the new timeline. Laura and Bill had settled into their life, although there was still some stumbling they'd both done. It had taken time for Laura's health to truly settle in Bill's mind, and she'd finally had words with him about treating her as if she were glass. Meanwhile Laura struggled with being a stepmother until Bill told her to stop overthinking it. Both of them had spent much of their free time trying to plan for the future but they hadn't decided on their plan to help prevent the attacks. The lack of a foolproof solution troubled them, but it still a good life.

Laura listened to her husband's gentle snores and traced her fingers along the muscles of the protective arm he'd wrapped around her waist. They always sought each other out in sleep, and Laura felt safe and warm in his arms. He was the only man to ever evoke such feelings in her, but he was also the only person she'd allowed so close. Despite the peace his embrace provided, she felt the need for fresh air and carefully slipped out of their bed. Grabbing a warm wool blanket, she stepped out onto the balcony and settled herself in the chaise.

Caprica City's lights marred the beauty of the stars, but she still tried to look for their familiar sparkle. Eventually she sighed and turned her gaze to the ground. The feeble orange glow of streetlamps was too weak to tell her what lurked in the shadows of nighttime. Were there Cylons lurking out there in the dark just out of sight? She shivered despite the blanket as the cold night air seeped through. The hairs on the back of her neck began prickling, and she peered around the darkness. It felt like someone was watching her. She jumped slightly when the door behind her opened.

"Laura?" Bill's voice was thick with sleep, and he knelt next to her while reaching out to take her hand in his. "Laura, you're freezing cold!" he exclaimed when he felt her icy fingers.

"Been out here awhile," she sighed but smiled when she felt Bill take both her hands in his to warm them, alternating between blowing warm air on them and kissing the cold flesh.

"You should come inside before you get sick," he advised and was pleased she didn't argue. Instead, she pulled herself into a sitting position. Then he heard her groan and press a hand against her stomach. His whole body tensed and his brows knit in further concern. "What's wrong?"

"I think I might already be sick. I don't really know though," her voice was a raw whisper. A wave of dizziness and nausea had her in its grasp. She noticed Bill pressing a hand to her forehead. She knew she didn't have a fever. She didn't know what to say without worrying her husband any further.

"Honey, tell me whats going on," he urged, worried anyway. The endearment slipped from his lips as unease pooled in the pit of his stomach.

"I've been having trouble sleeping. Nightmares, visions, whatever," she murmured. Bill noticed her biting her lip before opening her mouth to continue speaking. "And... I've...I've been sick. Nauseous and tired all the time. It should have gone away already if it was the flu..."

"What else?" He could read her so well.

"My…breasts have been sore. Almost like…" She shivered in the night air. Slowly, she raised her eyes to look over at her husband and saw her fear reflected in his eyes. "It's too early to be cancer…right?" she asked in a shaky whisper, lying her fears bare to him.

"Have you seen a doctor?" Bill asked, he'd only just gotten home that afternoon. He tried to keep calm, but his nightmares were still plagued with cancer and death. Would the universe be cruel enough to take her away again so soon? They'd been so happy in these weeks together, and part of Bill still expected for it to come tumbling down around him.

"Not yet," she admitted and then a wave of nausea hit. She closed her eyes and willed it to pass. As she took deep breaths, Bill clutched her hand. "I know I need to go. I'm sorry about this."

"Don't be sorry, because it's not your fault. But, we are going in tomorrow. Together," he ordered, reigning in his fear. Bill wasn't taking any chances with Laura's health, not when the chance of a future with her was in his grasp.

She saw the compassion and love in his eyes, and it warmed her heart. She nodded her approval at the idea of visiting a doctor, knowing she couldn't argue with him. Or, maybe she could but she wouldn't, not after everything. Moaning softly, she leaned her head forward and willed herself not to be sick.

"I wonder if this timeline needs a dying leader too?" she asked sarcastically.

"Don't joke like that," he commanded. He never wanted to hear the words 'dying leader' again. "Let's just take tomorrow and the days after that as they come, like we always have."

"Is that your tactical advice?" She asked with a dry laugh.

"Yea, now come back to bed," he said gently. "You need to try and sleep."

"Alright," she acquiesced. Bill smiled and slipped his arms around her and lifted her up. She let out a gasp of surprise. "Bill!, What are you doing?"

"Taking care of my wife," he replied, crossing back into the house and laying her down on their bed. "I like it when she lets me do that." Laura huffed and rolled her eyes but snuggled up to him when he laid down next to her. In the dark, her thoughts turned to the diagnosis she feared the doctor would give her. Time was a luxury, and one they never seemed to have. With thoughts of mortality swirling in her mind, the need to tell her husband how she felt pressed on her.

"I love you so, so much Bill," she murmured pressing her face into the crook of his neck and breathing in his scent. "More than I ever thought it was possible to love another person. I need you to know that," she whispered in desperation.

He shut his eyes and let her words settle in his heart while body moulded against his warmed his body and spirit. He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I have never loved anyone else the way I love you. I'll never be free of you, nor do I wanna be, for you are what I am. All that is, should always be," he whispered in a rich baritone voice. Laura giggled even as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Did you really just use a line from a murder mystery to explain how much you love me?"

"Yea, twice now technically."

"Gods, you're perfect," she sniffed and ran a hand through his thick wavy hair. "We've gotten to share so much Bill. More than most people do. No matter what happens, nothing will take that away from us. I feel so lucky having spent these last years of my life with you, and happy knowing I'll spend the rest of my time with you as well."

"You're worrying me, Laura..."

"I just want you to know. Whatever the doctor says tomorrow, I want you to know how I feel," she explained as tears slipped down her cheeks, but he gently wiped them away.

"I know," He promised and held her close. "Now we both need to stop thinking of the worst-case scenario and sleep Laura."

...

Cavil had declared war even if the humans didn't know it. The other Cylon models weren't even aware of his full intentions either. He wouldn't rest until humanity was beaten. Beaten. The word didn't encompass the full vindictive fury Cavil focused on the humans. He wanted them to destroy them. Perhaps, a little voice in his mind whispered, he was overreacting. Well, he probably was.