Authors note: Again big thanks to my beta Sidhe ;)

Bill heard a knock on his door. He sighed, already guessing who it was.

"Come in!"

Laura steped into his quarters, feeling the air immediately becoming cool again between them.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked her in his usual Admiral tone.

"No, thank you!" She handed him the reports she already finished reading.

"You could have sent Tory to bring me these."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Listen, I really want to know what is bothering you. We can't work together like this anymore!" She paused and added with a whisper, "I can't work like this anymore!"

Laura was really desperate. If only she knew what was going on.

He turned his back to her, pretending to arrange something on his desk. "I guess we have to!"

"What do you want me to do? Resign? Should I drag Baltar back so he can ruin this whole thing agan? Or should I ask Zarek? What is it you want, Bill?" She didn't notice she was raising her voice. He suddenly turned around.

"Zarek! It's exactly about Zarek! I can't believe how fast you forgot what he did! He was one reason Baltar became president and he's a frakking terrorist!" His own voice was beginning to rise as well.

"Yes, he was, but he recognized that he made a big mistake! Everyone deserves a second chance, Bill!"

"I'd call it more than only a second chance you gave him!" He was fuming by now.

"We've been through a lot, Tom and I. Why are you so negative about my friendship with him?"

"Friendship? You mean frakking and planning to get married is nothing more than friendship? I can't believe you haven't told me about it earlier! I thought WE were close!"

Lauras eyes widened. Of all possible scenarios, she never imagined this one. Bill thought she was about to marry Tom, and he also thought she didn't trust him enough to tell him. She thought he knew her better. She felt disappointment rising.

"You're a frakking idiot, Bill!" she told him. She dropped Tom's wedding invitation onto his desk and left his quarters without even looking back.

Bill's eyes wandered from the door she just slammed to the envelope that was lying in front of him. He could already see what it was. A wedding invitation. He couldn't believe Laura called him an idiot and then invited him to the reason of their whole fight. He already wanted to rip it into pieces when his eyes hit the names on the card.

'Tom Zarek and Cassandra Hayley.' He had to read it several times before he finally realised what it meant. Slowly he sat down, burying his face in his hands. He had never felt like such a fool in his life. He had no idea how he would talk to Laura again after this. Maybe she didn't even want to talk to him anymore. No wonder, after the way he treated her the last two days!

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

24 hours later on Colonial One

Laura was standing in front of Tom arranging his bow tie.

"Cassy will be head over heels," she winked.

"Bill as well! I'm happy I was able to talk you into wearing this dress."

Secretly, Laura was too. It looked similar to the one she wore to the celebration of New Caprica, only that it was dark green with very wide sleeves. "New Caprica," she sighed. Strangely, when she heard that name, the first thing that she thought about wasn't the bad events that happend. Wasn't the Cylons, wasn't detention. It was that night when she and Bill slept in each others arms, looking at the stars. Nothing had happened, but she never in her life felt so close to somebody like she did that night. Laura didn't know what she should think about Bill's behaviour last day.

"I don't think Bill will come." She tried to hide the disappointment in her voice. She hadn't seen or heard from the Admiral since she stormed out of his quarters, so she didn't know where they stood with each other.

"He will! Though I still can't believe he thought that WE are getting married. We can even only stay friends as long as we don't start discussing politcs," he smiled. She knew he was trying to cheer her up. "Okay, I think I'm ready now!"

They left Laura's room and stepped into the bigger one which was decorated for the wedding. The few guests, not more than 30 people, were already there, but one person was missing. She tried to smile for Tom's sake and sat down in the first row while Tom coninued toward the priest. A minute later a soft melody began to play and Cassandra, dressed beautifully in a long red dress, came around the corner, smiling at Tom.

The ceremony started, but Laura caught herself. She wasn't fully concentrating so she nearly missed her commitement. She stood up and handed Tom the rings, speaking the short prayer like the convention required. When she turned around she froze for a second. The chair beside hers wasn't empty anymore. Slowly she sat down, feeling Bill's gaze on her.

The wedding ceremony went by very fast, and when Laura started to rise from her seat Bill grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Listen, I need to talk to you Laura!"

"I don't think this is the right time or place."

"Please, I want this sorted out!"

She sighed and sat back while everyone was leaving the room to the party in the hanger of the Colonial One. They were alone. For the first time Laura felt kind of uncomfortable in his presence. Bill was trying to get a grip on himself as well so he could utter his following words.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I hope that someday you will forgive me. I was a fool, bringing you into this position! I had no right to be jealous but I couldn't help myself. My brain went just blank at the thought of you being together with Zarek." He paused. "I think it would have gone blank with any other man as well!"

Laura frowned. She could see he was having a hard time saying what he wanted to, but she didn't plan to make it easy for him.

"What I'm trying to say is... I care about you in a way that goes beyond friendship. I know it's difficult with our current positions, but maybe in a few years when we find earth, we could..."

Laura stopped him by putting an arm around his neck and pulling him closer into a kiss. She didn't know if it was wise or not, but she knew, if they continued like they had been, not dealing with their feelings for each other, they would go crazy sooner or later. Bill's jealousy was only the start. She didn't know how the crew would react, or how the press would take it, but for once she didn't care.

"Wow, that was unexpected," Bill said with a grin on his face when they pulled apart.

Laura started to giggle. "You know what? I even surprised myself!" They both started to laugh now, and ended in another even more passionate kiss.

"As much as I would like to let the whole universe know about us already – even the Cylons – I think we should continue this when there's no chance of someone interrupting!" the admiral said, rising to his feet and offering Laura his arm.

"You are right. Let's go!"

They both went down to join the wedding party, where they were greeted by a smiling Zarek.

"So I guess you two straightened out your differences?"

"More than that, I guess. I wanted to apologize for my behaviour. I know..."

"No need, just make sure you two invite my dear wife and me to your wedding as well," Tom interrupted the admiral and excused himself. "Speaking of which, I promised Cassy a dance to the next song!"

"So, would you like to dance as well?" Bill asked Laura.

"Sure!"

A slow song started to play and the couple started to dance in perfect harmony. They were both reminded of their dance on Colonial day.

"I think this was the time I first knew it."

"Knew what?" Laura asked.

"When we first danced together. I think then I realized that I was in love with you."

"Me, too," she said, snuggling closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder while he kissed the top of her head. They danced into a new, happier life.

Fin