Day 3

He thought he'd chosen to be a better man. He'd loved his wife. He'd been a good father. In less than three days, Bill Adama had gone from enjoying all that was good and wonderful in his life, to wondering if Laura would ever speak to him again.

Day 1 - 1300 hours

The Adama family had retreated into the mountain ranges of Virgon. Bill and Laura had worked hard to coordinate vacation days after Zak and Liam ganged up on them and proclaimed that they wanted to go camping. Laura had a few choice things to say about staying in a tent (New Caprica had ruined any enjoyment of tent camping she may have once had), but the boys allowed their definition of camping to include staying in a cabin. Laura still liked cabins. So, they rented a cabin on Virgon.

Earlier in the morning, leftover rain from the overnight storm glistened on the forest tree branches as the sun broke over the snowcapped mountains. The scent of rain and pine filled the air and mingled with the lingering smell of last night's campfire which the Adamas had gathered around.

The boys' laughter echoed across the sparkling lake as their father tried to show them how to fish like Joseph Adama had once showed him. They sat out on the dock where Bill was trying to untangle Liam's fishing line. His lips were pinched together, and he was doing his best not to swear in front of his sons.

"C'mon, Dad. Can't be harder than commanding a Battlestar, right?" Zak teased from where he sat beside Liam. Bill's glare only caused his youngest son to giggle. Liam had the same laugh as his mother, and Bill couldn't be cross with either of them when listening to that sound. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Laura walking out of the cabin and toward the dock to join them.

"So, have you caught anything?" Laura asked.

"Dad should keep his day job," Zak quipped; the boy had been an endless source of pithy one-liners at his father's expense during this vacation. Bill's glare returned, and he tossed the fishing line down in surrender.

"Zaky! Dad told us to tell mommy we caught a big fish," Liam said. He continued speaking but looked down at his toes. "We caught a really big fish. Oh, but we let him go…. Dad said to tell you that too," he said, reciting the lines his father had told him to say. Bill sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Laura wasn't going to let him live this down any time soon. "Can we just swim?" Liam asked, frowning at his fishing pole. Bill huffed but nodded. The boys gladly ran inside to change.

Laura chuckled and took a deep breath of fresh air while looking out over the glorious bit of nature. The water wasn't clear as glass, but it reflected the trees surrounding it which created its own unique beauty.

"You know," Laura began, and Bill forced his face to remain impassive, knowing it was her turn to tease him and refusing her the satisfaction of getting a response. "Liam can't lie without giggling or looking at his toes, right?" Bill huffed. Suddenly the boys were blazing past, hurdling themselves into the water with one long happy shriek. Their parents watched them. The boys were both good swimmers, especially considering how young Liam was, but Laura was still happy to see them head for the shallow water.

"Hey, Bill?" He gazed up to her and narrowed his eyes when he caught her smirking. "Aren't you military types supposed to be good at catching things?" she teased. Seeing the laughter dancing in her eyes, Bill climbed to his feet before closing the distance between him and his cheeky wife.

"I recall catching you and throwing you in the brig," he growled.

"I let you catch me. And I escaped," Laura countered, putting her hands on her hips while still smirking. "I distinctly remember you having a hard time catching me again," she provoked. That's it, Bill thought. He moved quickly and scooped her up in his arms before she could react. He walked toward the edge of the dock.

"Caught you," he said in a deep gravelly voice. Laura shuddered; that was his dangerous voice.

"William Adama, " she warned, holding onto him as her eyes darted between the water and his serious expression.

"I think I need to teach you not to doubt my military prowess, Madame President," his voice dropped even lower before he stepped off the dock. He heard Laura yelling before they were submerged, fully clothed, in the cold water. They both broke through the surface of the water, sputtering.

"I cannot believe you just did that!" Laura yelped, shivering in the cold lake. At the sight of her husband's triumphant expression she couldn't help but crack a small smile. Bill laughed. It drifted across the lake and mixed with the boys'. He'd learned to spend time with his family and to have fun with them.

…

Day 1 - 2200 hours

Laura and Bill laid on a blanket outside, enjoying each other's company while looking up at the stars and finding different constellations. It was reminiscent of a certain night years ago on New Caprica. This time, there was no pretense that they were nothing more than friends; they'd been happily married for years. Laura smiled from where she had tucked herself against Bill's side, tangling their legs together and entwining their fingers on top of his chest. She wasn't going to tell Bill that lying next to him was her favorite place in the world, that was the kind of thing they just intuitively knew about the other. She could feel the smile on his lips from how close they were pressed to her forehead. If this wasn't happiness, they didn't know what was.

"You've never told me if you'd have settled or not," Laura said, an old curiosity tugging at her. She wasn't sure why she asked. Knowing Bill as well as she did, she already knew his response.

"If I'd settled, what would have happened when the Cylons came back?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably but keeping his arm securely around his wife's body. She was warm and soft against him and savoring these moments would comfort him after he returned to the cold of space. He hugged her a bit closer.

"The keeper of the lighthouse. It's a lonely job," she replied, her voice like the gentle hum of a whispering wind. He was driven by duty, as was she, and it was part of their attraction to the other. Still, it made her sad to think of him on Galactica running around all night and day, and she stared down at their clasped hands.

"I'd have passed the job on," he rasped after moment of silence stretched. "A schoolteacher was going to build a cabin, and I planned to retire and help," he admitted.

"What?" she breathed, sitting up enough to look down into his face; there was honesty and starlight reflected in his eyes.

"Yes. And we might have been screwed if I had. We had responsibilities," he explained. Bill reminded himself about the times his judgment had been clouded. Every time someone he loved entered the equation, his decisions became compromised.

"That's why you pulled away from me after New Caprica," Laura realized. They'd been overjoyed to see the other, but their actual words and actions were lukewarm and controlled. Deep down, Laura had been hurt and confused; it made dealing with the trauma of New Caprica harder.

"We see how that turned out," he huffed but smiled. "I could never let you go," he said, looking up at her.

Laura looked down at him curiously. He was such a contradiction; his strong sense of duty straining against his love for friends and family, his stoic calm hiding his passionate side, and his reticence covering a well of deep feeling. She reached over and traced the planes of his face with her fingers, over the groves of the scars she knew well, and to the tip of his nose.

"I love you, Bill Adama," she whispered, leaning forward to brush her lips against his. He knew she genuinely loved him for who he was, and by the Gods he loved her back equally. He poured the love he didn't have the words to express into kissing her back, showing her how much he cared.

…

Laura's dreams that night began in an explosion of color. Lush green grass covered the whole field in front of her. Set against the green waves of grass was a cobalt blue sky with puffy white clouds. Brilliant purple flowers dotted the area while orange and brown butterflies fluttered through the air. As beautiful as all that was, it was the flash of fiery red hair flying wild in the summer breeze that was the most glorious sight of all. It belonged to a young girl who chased butterflies through the fields, and Laura knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was her daughter. Joy filled her so completely that she thought her heart might burst.

"Your dreams have always been prescient," Elosha murmured from beside her.

"I like this vision though," Laura breathed, laughing in happiness.

"One day she'll have both of her parents wrapped around her little finger," Elosha promised, and Laura didn't mind that thought at all. Her eyes followed her daughter, and she tried to burn the sight into her memory.

"Have you read the scrolls of Pythia lately?"

At the mention of Pythia Laura's smile faltered and the scene around her faded. Images flashed through her mind. Visions. A metal chair. A glowing orb. A piece of paper which bore the presidential seal on it.

Clanking rang in her ears; they were coming. The overwhelming urge to find something grasped her. She had to find what was missing and protect it.

….

Day 2 - 1000 hours

It was time to head back to Caprica City. Reality settled in around the family, and they were left with a blend of joy and melancholy.

Bill kept glancing over at Laura. She stood by the lake with her arms wrapped around herself, taking in the scene. He moved over to her.

"Someday, Laura," he promised. "Someday."

…

Day 2 - 1700 hours

Sometimes, Bill tried to remember the apartment he'd owned while commanding Galactica in the other timeline. The place he'd once lived in had faded in his memory, and only little details remained; the layer of dust covering every surface when he came back after months in space, the paint cracking from lack of care, and the creaking floorboards. It functioned as a place to lay his head at night on the occasions when Bill made it back to see his sons, but its four walls didn't know the warmth of family.

That was before, now he had a home with Laura. Every time Bill crossed the threshold an instinctive relief and warmth settled in him. This time, all the Adamas relaxed when they came inside, except for Liam who eyed his parents warily. Despite his parent's admonition against such behavior, he'd spent hours fidgeting and whining on the plane ride home. Upon returning home, Laura ushered their son upstairs to talk while Bill moved through the house unpacking from their vacation and taking care of this and that. He put the kettle on for tea, knowing Laura would need some. He cleared clutter off the table. Sweeping up the mail, he started sorting it until he froze.

It looked innocent. Breaking out into a cold sweat, Bill stared down at the icon representing the office of the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. That wasn't what caused his blood to run cold and his throat to constrict. It was the words scrawled out underneath the symbol.

*Madame President*

Bill's gaze darted up to see if Laura had come downstairs. Still alone, he retreated to his study. Quickly and quietly, he shut the door and examined the envelope. It looked completely unremarkable, but Bill noted the lack of a return address or stamp. It had been hand delivered, he realized. His muscles tensed. Taking a deep breath, he opened the envelope and drew out the letter within.

*Madame President,

Hello, Laura. It's been a long time, but I've followed you and your husband's lives since our dance. I imagine it's been delightful to be on Caprica, and I myself have enjoyed being back. There's been a lot to keep me busy, but I find time to think back on life. We share some fond memories. Admittedly, New Caprica was a high point for me. Alas, there's more than a few unpleasant memories we also have in common, and a certain taste of mortality we both experienced. It's not a fate I'm sure you are eager to experience again.

Why spend too much time reminiscing? The last few years have been good to us. You've had your own high points in this life; marriage and children. Your son is at quite a delicate and vulnerable age, don't you think? Does it bother you that your husband chose such a dangerous profession and is away so often? I hope you can take care of yourself.

I think we should get together for a meeting. The 14th? 11:00 pm? Shall we meet at that park where you take your little son to play?

I look forward to seeing you,

Brother C.*

When Bill finished reading, the letter was clutched so tightly in his hands that the paper had badly creased and crinkled. Fury boiled within him as he read the message again. Subtle threats whispered out from between the lines. Bill knew that if Cavil ever came close to Laura again, he would wrap his bare hands around the Cylon's throat until the threat was neutralized. And if he caught Cavil even looking at Liam… Bill's rage flared, and several objects went flying off his desk in one swoop. Panting, he braced himself against the desk and glared at the offending paper.

He wasn't sure how much time passed, but he heard Laura calling out his name. He forced his body to relax and took a steadying breath. Liquid fire continued to course through his veins as he strategized. The 14th was tomorrow. Making a split-second decision, he shoved the letter deep in the desk drawer and slammed it closed.

Slipping out of the office, Bill found Laura in the kitchen making tea and looking tired. Seeing his beloved wife after reading the Cylon's letter calmed his mind, but the need to feel her seared through his body. He strode over and pulled her into his strong arms. Unquestioningly, Laura melted into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder, humming in contentment.

"I needed this," she murmured, a peaceful smile tugging at her lips. Her eyes drifted closed as she enjoyed his warmth spreading into her body.

Holding his wife only further ignited his instinctive desire to protect her; although, he suspected Laura would smack him if she knew how overprotective he was feeling and the letter he was hiding. He ran his hands up her back and buried his fingers in her hair, stroking the red curls and soothing his nerves. Cavil had already gotten too close to her once before, but she was alive and safe. He'd walk through Hades if it meant keeping it that way. He decided not to mention the letter. She would only stress, or, worse, she'd insist on marching off to deal with Cavil herself, and there was a distinct lack of airlocks on Caprica. He could take care of it alone.

…

Day 3 - 2230 hours

Bill explained to Laura that he was going out to meet an old pilot friend for a drink. Keeping contacts throughout the Fleet was an ongoing mission of his, so Laura thought nothing of it. His heart protested the deceit, especially after how easily Laura believed it. She trusted him. There was a fleeting moment when Bill nearly told her everything, but Laura was the key to their plan; future President Adar would only listen to Laura. Besides, what would he do if something happened to her? He'd force himself to continue if she died, but a part of him would be lost forever.

Settled on the couch, Laura looked over reports from each colony's Director of Education. She was unaware of her husband slipping on his sidearm in his study. It remained out of view under his jacket even when he kissed her goodbye before heading out the door.

After arriving, Bill surveyed the park but kept to the shadows. It was hard to see in the dark; the streetlamps cast only a fickle light. It was as if night had sucked all the joy out of the playground and replaced it with something sinister. The colors were drained away and the remaining shapes felt threatening. Every rustle of leaves foretold danger, and the sound of a twig snapping beneath his feet caused his pulse to thump in his ears. Bill remained wary and calm; he was a soldier, well trained and battle hardened. Thinking on his feet was second nature to him as was analyzing the enemy's weaknesses. Waiting for the Cylon to appear, Bill hoped tonight would provide useful strategic information.

Five minutes before the arranged meeting time, an old man walked into the park and sat down on one of the benches. He crossed his legs and leaned back, folding his hands over his chest. There was an air of nonchalance about him as he sat waiting on the bench. Bill didn't show any emotion as he strode over, keeping one hand close to his weapon.

"So, she sends her Admiral to talk. Predictable. Hello, Admiral Adama," Brother Cavil greeted, glancing up at the towering soldier looming over him.

"Commander," Bill corrected.

"Alright, so we are pretending not to remember a time when you were an Admiral," Cavil sighed in exasperation. He shrugged flippantly but looked up and their gazes locked. "Indulge my curiosity, Commander. Did you cry over Madame President's death?" the Cylon asked with a cruel smirk. Bill tensed, and Cavil's grin widened.

"If you have something to say, I suggest you get on with it," Bill growled.

"Fine, fine. Well, you remember another lifetime as does your wife and, well, so do I," he said, speaking with exaggerated hand motions. "So, I want to make a deal. I humbly offer you my complete and unwavering protection. You and your family will always be safe and sound no matter what happens to the Colonies. In exchange, you tell my fellow brothers and sisters about the other timeline. I'm sure you understand: they're a bit skeptic to take just my word on the matter," Cavil explained. He kept his tone light and relaxed, hiding the exasperation he felt. There was no way for Bill to know that the other Cylons had refused to listen to Future Cavil. He'd tried to explain his story to the other Cylons, but it didn't compute with their programming and understanding of the world.

"That's not going to happen," Bill swore, knowing he'd rather die than help the Cylons.

"It's a dangerous world, think about my offer," Cavil replied with an exasperated sigh. He stood and straightened his jacket. "I'll even sweeten the deal. No humans ever need know of your involvement," Cavil added and winked at the Admiral-turned-Commander. In truth, Future Cavil knew there was little chance that his offer would be accepted. He acknowledged a certain amount of desperation behind this deal to the once and future leaders of humanity; he needed something to prove that his assertions about the future were true. Their voluntary testimony was one option.

Cavil held up his hand, cutting off Adama's reply. Looking over to the side, Cavil gestured with his thumb to the car pulling up to the curb. "Gotta cut this short. My ride's here, and, frankly, I don't trust you not to shoot me if I stick around any longer," he said, tipping his hat and moving off.

Huffing in irritation, Future Cavil climbed in the car. If Roslin had come, she might have accepted his offer; Cavil's understanding of human mothers was that they'd do anything to protect their young. If she hadn't accepted, it would have been easy enough to just take her and force the truth out. The arrival of the Admiral had forced him to change tactics a bit. He didn't like not getting what he wanted.

As Cavil prowled off, Bill growled. A logical part of his mind remembered that the police finding a dead body in the park, with a bullet that could be traced to his gun, was probably not a good idea.

Bill Adama hated when things felt like they were spinning out of control, and he didn't feel particularly in control of the situation. He slammed a fist against the wood of the bench and watched Cavil disappear into the night.

...

Day 3 - 2400 hours

Bill tried to slip through the front door without making a sound, but the door creaked in betrayal. The sound seemed to echo in the darkened house, and Bill cringed at the noise.

"Nice timing, I was just heading up," Laura said. Her voice was light, but it seemed to crash and clang in Bill's ears. He whipped his head around and watched his wife move away from the stairs and into his personal space. Grinning, she draped her arms around his neck. Her fingers played in the ends of his hair, and Bill shuddered. "How was your meeting?" she asked, pressing kisses up his neck.

"Fine," Bill sighed, trying to think straight and act normal while his heart thundered in his chest. In the next moment, her lips were on his, hot and demanding. His hands came to rest on her waist of their own volition as he responded to her advances. She didn't keep how much she loved being with him physically a secret, and, under normal circumstances, he would be gladly reciprocating her desire.

"Come to bed with me?" she asked in a whisper against his lips, as her hands ran down his back. Because Bill was trapped in her teasing and playful green eyes, he saw the exact moment her demeanor changed. A frown crossed her face, and she let out a small gasp. Slowly, she reached up and unzipped his jacket and slid it off. Bill frowned wondering what was going on until he felt her hand resting on his sidearm. She must have felt it through the jacket. He watched her eyes narrow but didn't let go of her gaze as she unclipped the weapon and slowly drew it out of its holster. Tension pulsed in the air between them.

"Why do you have your sidearm, Bill?" Laura asked in a low whisper. "And don't mention drinking with a buddy. Let's cut straight to the truth. You never would have taken your gun out to drink," she growled, and her words hit Bill like an icy dagger. He was caught. Wordlessly, he took the weapon out of her grasp.

They squared off with each other until Laura's gaze darted toward the top of the stairs. No one was there, but there were children in the house. A sharp nod of her head toward the study, and Bill understood; this conversation was going to happen behind a closed door. He marched into his study with Laura trailing close behind. The door was barely closed before she was demanding answers.

"What's going on?" she hissed, watching Bill remove his weapon belt. A tense silence stretched as he placed the belt and his gun in his study's safe, locking them away.

"I was meeting someone," he admitted vaguely. A sour taste filled his mouth at the unpleasantness of the evening, and he poured himself a Caprican whiskey from the decanter on his desk. Irritation now flashed in her eyes, and a red flush of anger spread across Laura's skin warning Bill that he was on thin ice. As if knowing the conversation would be a disaster, he downed half the glass in his first sip.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Laura growled. His eyes snapped back to hers, and a silent battle of wills between blue and green played out. Moving stiffly as tension coiled in his muscles, Bill yanked open a desk drawer. He pulled out the letter and handed it to her.

Taking a sharp breath, Laura examined the envelope. Her fingers traced over the icon and writing. She couldn't look away. Despite the warmth of the office, she shivered as a cold dread filled her.

"Just like in my dream," she whispered. Bill's brows furrowed; he hadn't realized the letter matched the one in her visions. The knowledge that her dreams were prescient rattled him more than he wanted to admit, and he took another sip of whiskey. Laura's hands noticeably shook as she pulled out the letter and read it.

"You went and met him," she realized, and her tone was flat. She tossed the letter on his desk and folded her arms.

"Yes."

"Without telling me or showing me the letter?" she exclaimed in complete disbelief. "Damn it, Bill! Did any part of you even think to maybe, just maybe, tell your wife what was going on?" she demanded, her voice rising in volume.

"I was trying to keep you safe!" he barked, the admission slipping from him in his agitation. He hated feeling as if he was backed into a corner. Laura's hands were on her hips as she faced him down.

"I don't feel safe! You kept me in the dark and walked into danger…"

"I'm the soldier, Laura," he growled, cutting her off. He braced himself against his desk as they squared off against each other on each side of it. "It's my job."

"I'm not the soldier, so I have to stay home in the dark?" she asked, her words tinged with sadness and hurt. She shook her head and brushed her hair away from her face. She couldn't stop seeing the words 'Madame President' scrawled out on the letter exactly as they'd been in her dreams.

"What was I supposed to do?" he asked, watching her shift around the study and refuse to look at him or the letter. Thoughts of what Cavil could have done to Laura taunted his mind. She was, despite her personality, a lithe woman who could have easily been hurt or abducted. As those thoughts crossed his mind, Bill downed his whiskey and poured another. Why couldn't she understand?

"We're a team. You were supposed to tell your partner," she sighed, pursing her lips. "What did he say?" she demanded, focusing on the issue in front of her: Cavil and Bill. She would contemplate her prophetic dreams and bruised heart later.

"He knows about the other timeline, and he wanted to make an offer. Protection if we told the other Cylons about the other future," Bill growled.

"You don't seriously believe that he'd spare us?"

"No," Bill huffed, offended that she'd even think he was that ignorant. "I'm not some naïve schoolteacher," he snapped and winced, instantly regretting what he'd said. But it had been a long time since Laura had been his President standing beside him in CIC; he hadn't seen the cold and determined President Roslin in years. "He wants to use us as proof. The other Cylons must not be listening to his crap," he continued, starting to see where he'd gone wrong.

Laura was thoughtful for only a moment, relieved that there was a silver lining to the night – Cavil must be the only Cylon who remembered.

"I wish you'd shown me the letter," she whispered, finally meeting his gaze again.

"I didn't want to risk my civilian wife walking into danger."

"What if something had happened to you?" she asked, trying not to let the tears stinging her eyes fall.

"You'd still be around to tell Adar about the future," Bill replied, taking a sip of whiskey.

"If I'd lived that long. Clearly, Cavil knows where we live. He knows details of our lives," she said, rubbing her head. She felt a surge of irritation at a sudden realization. "He knows where my son plays! If something had happened to you, I wouldn't have a way of knowing our children are in danger because you kept the letter from me," she raged, and her words were sharper than one of his marine's combat knives. "I need to know these things, so I can do whatever I need to do to keep my children safe. You kept crucial information from me!" Knowing she'd made a good point and feeling the weight of the night's experience and the truth behind her words.

"What can you do?" he asked, cringing at how condescending he sounded, but he still didn't back down.

"You think you are the only one who can protect us? I want you to think of every hard call and tough choice I have ever made and ask yourself what I would or wouldn't do for our kids," she yelled. Bill sunk down into his chair and drained his glass.

"Is that going to be your answer when times get tough again?" she asked, gesturing at the whiskey.

"That's not fair," he said, frowning at her taunt.

"Don't talk to me about fair right now," she snapped. "Not fair is being kept in the dark. Not fair was watching you drown yourself in ambrosia and whiskey once before. You promised things would be different."

"Gonna start questioning all my promises now?" he challenged her, his eyes flashing.

"Do you have any other secrets you are keeping from me?" she shot back.

"Secrets are your forte, Madame President. Remember Hera?" Laura recoiled from him.

"Going for the jugular tonight aren't we, Admiral."

"Laura..."

"You're right, I kept secrets when I was the President and you the Admiral. But I have not lied to my husband." She let her words sink in and shook her head. After a tense silence, Laura began speaking in a quiet and sad voice. "You're so afraid of being alone that you'll throw yourself into danger without thinking it through in the vain hope that you can keep the rest of us safe."

Bill opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Laura wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm going to bed. I can't talk anymore," she whispered, and her voice was tired and gravely sounding. Bill moved to follow her, but she held out a hand to stop him. "No, Bill. No." Shoulders slumping, Bill knew that she was barring him from their bed. He sat in stunned silence before holding his hands up in surrender and turning away. She'd never thrown him out of their bed before.

He didn't watch Laura leave.

—

Day 4

So, he'd gone from enjoying all that was good and wonderful in his life, to wondering if Laura would ever speak to him again.

Bill Adama was no stranger to sleeping on the couch. In the last few years of his marriage to Carolanne, he'd been banned from her bed. He'd slept on his couch on Galactica when Laura would stay in his quarters, but that was before a potent mix of desperation and love had finally driven him into her arms and into her bed. After that, they had never willingly slept apart.

As the clock ticked, and their angry words faded, his longing to be in her arms pushed into his mind. Stubbornly, he refused to get up and make his way upstairs. She'd thrown him out her bed, and his pride wouldn't let him come creeping back to her so easily. His motivations the whole night had been pure, and that should count for something, he thought. Time passed, the clock continued ticking, and their separation became almost physically painful.

He eyed the whiskey still in his glass. He really had pushed her tonight, he realized. One of the few demands Laura had made as a wife was for him not to drink to excess when trying to solve his problems. He'd called her a naive schoolteacher. He'd shut his partner out. He stood and moved to the sink, dumping the rest of the amber liquid down the drain. He braced himself against the sink and let his proud, stubborn, and angry mind remind him of a simple truth. He loved Laura with every fiber of his being, and nothing was worth being driven from her. Taking a deep breath, he hesitantly moved toward the stairs, never having been good at making up after a fight. He was only part of the way up when he saw Laura appear at the top of the stairs, her head hanging low.

"Laura," he breathed, his hoarse voice breaking through the night. Her eyes slowly rose to meet his. They were red, and she looked exhausted. He climbed the stairs until he was in arms reach of her, but he didn't move into her space. He wouldn't push her. His heart throbbed as he waited to hear what she had come down to say.

"I'm still mad as hell, but I know why you hid the letter," she murmured. He let out the breath he'd been holding. Tentatively, he moved over and pulled her into a warm and grateful hug.

"I was just coming to beg forgiveness," he admitted. She looked up into his eyes but still clung to his body.

"I don't want to live without you," her voice quivered with emotion, and Bill's heart broke at her vulnerability. Understanding pierced in his heart. I can't live without her, he'd told Lee once, after she'd disappeared on a Cylon Basestar, and he'd made up his mind to go get her or die trying. Some of her anger made more sense, Laura wasn't just angry at being kept in the dark, she was keenly feeling how easily something could have happened to him and to all of them. It scared her, as it would have him. He kissed her forehead.

"No more secrets," he promised. She pursed her lips but nodded slowly.

"I couldn't go to bed angry," she admitted. "I don't want to risk our last words to each other being angry ones. I love you too much for that."

"I love you too," Bill replied, saying the words he so rarely left unsaid. They clung to each other, pulling their bodies as close together as they could. The tension and heaviness of the evening pressed in all around them, but together things never seemed so bleak.

…

Author's note: Could these two be married and not have the claws come out eventually?

Reviews please! This was a hard chapter!