Laura's night had been fitful and though she was making good physical
progress, her emotions were jagged. She'd dismissed all of her staff except
Billy and begged him to find the doctor.

The Fleet's medico sauntered to her bedside with a cigarette dangling. "Yes,
young lady."

"I want out."

"Be more specific."

"Off this ship and back on Colonial One."

"No." He turned to walk away.

"Wait, why?"

"Too soon."

"It's not."

"Madame President, I am aware you are a doctor but I don't believe you're a
doctor of medicine."

"Doctor Cottle?"

"Have you already forgotten the consequences of you ignoring medical advice,
not to mention common sense?"

She took a deep breath and her words rushed out. "I don't care. Being here
is making me insane. There's no privacy, there's no quiet or calm."

Out of the corner of her eye, Laura noticed Billy shifting uncomfortably.
She figured her aide recognized the signs that she was about to turn up the
volume and intensity. In her mind, the situation called for it.

Her doctor came to the same conclusion about her state of mind and tried to
placate her. "I can restrict your visitors and maybe you could do with a few
less guards. You could get out of the hospital gown and robes. That would
help make you feel more Presidential, like you were back at work."

"You don't get it, Doctor - I'm a science project here, not the President."
She threw a pillow, "I'm a freak."

Laura rolled her eyes in disbelief as Bill came around the corner and caught
the pillow. He looked shocked but before he could speak, she heard herself
bark, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"It's my ship, Madame President."

"True. However, it's not the usual time you deign to favor the caged animals
with a stroll through here."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means I'm tired of being part of a well ordered schedule. I want to
work, I want to function, I want things to go back to normal." She paused to
take air into her lungs and fought to keep tears from clogging her throat.
"Even if I'm not normal."

"Laura . . ." Bill reached for her hand.

"Don't touch me. Not now." There was a note of hysteria in her voice.

"That's it." Doc Cottle turned around, "Everyone out except the Admiral.
Draw these curtains and give us some space."

Billy hesitated but the CMO drilled him with a stare. "It'll be fine, son."

The doctor leaned into Laura. "Take a deep breath, Madame President. If you
can't regain control, I'll have to sedate you and none of us want that."

Laura turned away, ashamed of her outburst. She missed seeing Cottle
pointing the Admiral to a chair. Bill wasn't sure what to do until he found
himself forcibly pushed down by his old friend.

The doctor patted Laura's hand and drew her attention back, "That's better.
I'm going for some Ambrosia."

"I don't want a drink."

"It's not for you. It's for me or I'll end up doing both of you in and then
what the hell will we do?" He pulled out another cigarette and muttered,
"Damn patients take up all my time."

***
They were enclosed in a cocoon of semi silence when he left. The medical
monitors beeping at a comfortable distance were now for other patients. The
curtains shut out curious stares.

Bill noticed that neither of them could make eye contact or think of
anything to say. He stared at the President of the Twelve Colonies who had
more color in her face then he could ever remember. It made him feel better
until he noticed her hands shaking from all the stress and emotion. But in
true Laura Roslin style, she folded them together to project an image of
control and calm.

It touched him to the depths of his soul. He realized she often had that
effect on him with the smallest gestures. He fought the impulse to reach out
and grab those hands. "Damn it, Laura. You just cheated death. We can't lose
you."

"We?" Her voice was soft and sad, barely a whisper.

Bill amended, "Me. Me, I can't lose you."

"You've been a stranger and it's stunned me and hurt me. I've finally
figured it out though. I must seem repulsive and frightening now."

"No, damn it. You could never be that. How do you feel about this? About me
and this?"

"You mean how do I feel about the 'miracle' you authorized? I don't know.
Maybe it has something to do with finding out I have Cylon cells in me. It's
a lot to absorb and to accept. And I didn't expect to have to figure it out
alone. We'd become close Bill and I've counted on you, professionally and
personally."

"It seemed like a good idea to give you some time and some space." Bill
stood up, "I'm sorry I upset you and let you think our friendship meant
nothing. I've been a coward."

"Guess I thought you'd just been nice to a dying woman because it was a
limited engagement."

"For a brilliant person you say some stupid things." He shook his head with
a small grin; "You made the same idiotic jump on the night you promoted me.
On the night when we kissed."

Laura started to protest his assessment until a yawn interrupted her words.
"My tantrum has exhausted me. Forgive me for tabling this discussion
Admiral."

Bill smiled, "Just as long as you remember that this time I'm not the one
cutting our conversation short."

"Duly noted and on the record, Admiral."

He helped her slide down under the covers and smiled wider when she
whispered, "Thank you, Bill."

"You're welcome, Laura." He saw from her pleased expression that she
remembered a similar exchange while they were on Kobol.

A wicked sense of humor couldn't let him resist adding, "Of course, I'll
update Doc Cottle that you're staying put."

Her eyes flashed and she lifted a hand to object. "Admiral . . . Bill, I
will not be . . ."

"Save your breath, Laura. You are staying put for the moment."

Bill heard her breath drift into the gentling of sleep before he let the
drape drop. He cursed himself for being an insensitive fool. He hadn't just
endangered their relationship by stepping back; he could have endangered her
recovery.

***
Laura stirred out of her sleep thinking she'd been soothed by someone's
touch. She sat up and found herself alone with no concept of how much time
had passed. It must have been a dream that featured that feeling of security
from a simple caress.

No, it wasn't. Her eyes fell onto the book tucked into the empty space
between her body and the edge of the bed. Her fingers brushed over the now
familiar contours of "Dark Day". It was hers once more along with a sense of
peace. She smilingly snuggled back into the pillows. Laura fell asleep
clutching the book to her heart.

***
Bill would savor seeing that smile when he made what would become hourly
checks on her in Sick Bay. This sense of peace was also his and he wouldn't
take it for granted anymore.

###