This is the last one for a bit. Holidays beckon! It's a bit different - I tried to stay in keeping with the tone of the episode, but I'm not sure I managed it…

Disclaimer: Please remember I don't own any of these characters, I just play with them regularly. As always, no offense intended.

Call It What You Like
By: Mariel

4 - Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down

- Forgive-and-Forget -

Relief that Bill wasn't a cylon, affront that Laura had harboured the thought he might be, and satisfaction that neither of them had any characteristics in common with the Tighs led to very satisfying forgive-and-forget sex in his quarters.

Getting to the forgive-and-forget sex hadn't been easy, though.

Dinner with the Tighs had been stressful and the confrontations in Baltar's lab even more so, but things were calmer now. After Ellen and Bill finished with their all-is-forgiven-but-don't-frak-with-me moment, Laura caught his eye from across Baltar's lab.

Understanding her silent signal, he excused himself from the Tighs and moved to where she stood talking with Lee. Inclining his head formally, he said, "Thank you for joining us this evening, Madame President."

She smiled. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Ellen Tigh is an interesting woman," she added in a low tone as the woman in question laughed loudly at something Baltar was saying. She paused, and said earnestly, "I apologise for all the subterfuge, Commander."

"You did what you had to do," he said, magnanimously.

She held his gaze warmly and her smile broadened. "As did you, I'm sure."

Pleased they weren't yelling at one another, Lee glanced between the two of them and then offered, "Madame President, would you like me to call your transport shuttle to Colonial One?"

Both Roslin and Adama stiffened. Tearing their eyes away from each other, they turned in unison to look at the captain.

"That won't be necessary," they said simultaneously.

After a quick glance at Bill, the President said, "Thank you, Captain Apollo, but I-" she hesitated, then continued quickly, "I brought an important file to the Commander's quarters tonight and I'm afraid I forgot it there. I need to retrieve it before I go back."

"And I can contact the shuttle for her once she's got it," the Commander added. His eyes glanced at the president. "We may need to go over it first. It's Doctor Baltar's report on his detection process. We'll need to know it thoroughly before tomorrow's Quorum meeting."

Lee looked at them. His father had been furious with Roslin over the cylon thing, but she was obviously forgiven already. Being a smart young man, he began to add things up. He knew Roslin hadn't been carrying a file when she'd arrived for dinner that evening, knew the candles were still lit in his father's quarters, and recognised that the two standing in front of him had anticipatory guilt written all over them.

Reaching the sum of the evidence, he wasn't fooled by their nonchalance.

He was, however, impressed by their ingenuity.

Reviewing Baltar's report, indeed.

Firmly squashing a devilish impulse to offer to go get the forgotten file for her, he stepped back. "Oh. Well. All right, then," he said. Smiling, he added, "I'll just leave you two to it, then."

They both smiled back at him, relieved.

Nodding at them, Lee turned and left. He couldn't say he liked the idea of knowing the 'it' he was leaving them to - that was kinda squicky - but he was totally pleased he knew their secret.

The two he left behind regarded each other, a gleam of anticipation in their eyes. Raising his hand, Bill indicated the hatchway leading to the corridor. "Madame President, perhaps we should go find that file."

Laura smiled, and led the way out of Baltar's lab.

-xxx-

They found Billy waiting for the President in the corridor outside the Commander's quarters.

"Billy!" Laura exclaimed when she saw him. "What are you doing here? I gave you the evening off."

He rose from the chair he had been sitting on and smiled. "You did, but I thought I'd catch the shuttle back to Colonial One with you."

Laura felt her stress level rise. She loved him like a son, but-

"The President and I have a couple of things we need to review about the cylon detector," the Commander said smoothly. "We hoped to do it now, to free up some time tomorrow to prepare for the Quorum meeting."

"It could take a while," the President warned quickly.

Billy nodded agreeably. "That's okay. I don't mind going over it now. It's as good a time as any, I suppose."

As the words exited his mouth he saw their horrified expressions, remembered what he knew, and wanted to kick himself.

Reviewing the cylon detector had nothing to do with why they were headed towards the Commander's quarters. In fact, it was probably the last thing they were thinking about. He groaned inwardly. How oblivious could he be? It was late, the dinner party obviously over, and they were returning from godsknewwhere to the Commander's quarters. Together. Without escort.

Obviously to do godsknewwhat.

He felt himself redden. "On second thought," he said before they could say anything, "maybe I -" He hesitated, thinking wildly. "I think I left something. Something... somewhere. Would it be all right if I-" He swallowed, then said, "If I went and found my- something now, and waited for tomorrow to read Baltar's report? I think I'm feeling kind of tired, too..."

He saw them glance at each other and relax imperceptibly.

"Of course, Billy," the president said agreeably. "If that's what you'd prefer."

Billy thought she did an admirable job of keeping the relief out of her voice.

"Oh, it is," he assured her readily. "I'll go get my...something, then, and just leave you two to it." Smiling awkwardly, he backed away from them a few steps before turning and retreating down the corridor.

When he had rounded the corner, he shook his head at the 'it' he was leaving them to. Damned good thing he was in on their sercret.

-xxx-

Kara couldn't wait for later, she needed to hear about it now.

From the source himself.

Grinning, she hurried through the corridors of the Galactica towards the Commander's quarters.

Lee had told her about Ellen Tigh at the dinner table. She smirked. She'd be shaking her head over that for a long time - and using it as fodder for teasing Lee for months to come. Lee had also told her about the president thinking the Old Man was a cylon. He'd described in detail the confrontation in Baltar's lab, and how Roslin had been conducting an investigation and had even called Tigh in. They'd shared a laugh over that, knowing it must have made the Commander's blood boil just a wee bit to have his activities called into question.

There'd been something about the look in Lee's eyes as he finished up the story, however, that had made her look at him questioningly.

"Is there something you're not telling me, Lee?" she'd asked.

Lee had looked at her and widened his eyes in a not very convincing display of innocence. He took a step backwards. "No, of course not. What makes you think that?"

"That all-knowing cat-who-ate-the-cream look you've got smeared all over your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's still there, Lee."

"You're crazy."

"And you're holding out on me," she insisted.

"Look, I swear I'm telling you everything I saw. And I really wish you'd been there to see the look on the Old Man's face when he realised what Rosllin had been doing behind his back. It was priceless!

She'd known he was trying to distract her, and had let him.

And now she was on the way to get the story straight from the horse's mouth. Whatever it was Lee wasn't telling her, she was confident the Old Man would fill her in.

She turned a corner and quickly reached the Commander's door. Lifting her hand to knock, she paused, then assured herself that of course he'd be awake. He was always awake.

After tapping lightly, she tried the hatch and was surprised to find it locked. She tapped again, and waited. Frowning in surprise, she wondered if he'd gone to CIC for a late visit. She knew he did that occasionally, just so that the dark shift knew he was aware of their existence and that he appreciated their efforts, too.

It was one of the things she found endearing about him.

He almost never locked his door, though. She looked at the hatch, her face puzzled, then began to turn away. She stopped when she heard a click and the hatch release begin to turn.

She smiled, glad he was home.

When the hatch door was pushed open wide enough, she smiled. "Hi, boss. Got a minute?"

"Kara," he said, "This is a surprise. Do you realise how late it is?"

"Yeah, but you never sleep," she pointed out confidently. Stepping past him and into his quarters, she grinned and told him,. "I want to hear all about Roslin thinking you were a cylon."

The Commander blinked. "It's a long story. I don't know if this is a good time."

Something in his expression suddenly struck her, and she looked at him. Really looked at him.

His undershirts were on, but they weren't tucked in neatly the way she was used to seeing. And his dog tags were beneath them, not over them. That told a woman of her experience that he'ddressed hurriedly to answer the door. His hair was in slight disarray, and-

Her awareness of her surroundings increasing, she realized he was in his bare feet and that his quarters were lit with dozens of candles, not the usual lamps.

Somewhere in the background there was faint music playing.

And then, dear gods, she saw them.

Two very familiar high-heeled shoes. On the floor. In front of his sofa.

There was only one woman who wore shoes like that, and she was nowhere in sight.

Oh gods, she thought, knowing damned well where that woman must be.

Frakfrakfrakfrakfrakfrakfrak.

It wasn't safe to visit anyone anymore.

Involuntarily glancing towards the wall that hid the Commander's rack from view, she backed towards the hatch. Putting a hand on it, she said, "You know, you could be right, sir. On second thought, maybe this can wait until tomorrow." Her face flushed, she continued, "This isn't a good time. It's late, and I'm tired, and you should probably be hitting the rack yourself. You know, to get some sleep... or something…"

She looked at him, then back in the direction of his rack. Her voice trailed off and she cringed. This was like walking in on your mother and father, only worse, because – well, because he was sort of like her father, and even though she'd known since their time on Kobol what was going on between him and the President, she'd never expected to walk in on-

Frak.

Tearing her eyes away from the wall, she told him, "I have to go now. I'll just leave you to it..."

Firmly closing her mind against what the 'it' she was leaving him to was, she turned and quickly exited. She made sure she pushed the hatch tightly closed behind her. Seeing them on Kobol had been one thing; seeing them here, at home and-

She shook her head and walked quickly away.

Finally, she grinned. Lucky thing for the Old Man she knew his secret.

-xxx-

Adama stood and stared at the hatch, wondering what had just happened.

"Bill?"

Laura turned the corner and walked towards him. "That was a little odd, wasn't it?"

Still staring at the hatch, Bill nodded, then turned to look at her. She had wrapped herself very neatly in a sheet and looked adorable.

"Kara has her moments."

Laura smiled and lifted a hand towards him. "So how about we have ours?"

He didn't need a second invitation.

-xxx-

Saul Tigh strode towards Bill's quarters, wondering if this could wait for later and deciding not. He needed to apologise for Ellen's inebriated comments, and the sooner it was done, the better. Bill was always up early, so they could commiserate about the effects of too much ambrosia with each other over a first cup of coffee.

He rounded a corner just in time to see Roslin and Bill at the end of the corridor, standing in front of his open hatchway. Her hand rested on his chest. His head was bent and his lips were pressed to hers.

For one, brief second, Tigh froze. Then, smiling, he smoothly stepped backwards and out of view.

Holy frak, he thought. Now there was a sight for sore eyes. His smile broadened into a grin.

It explained so much.

Here was a secret he was going to enjoy the hell out of.

End