"Madam President." Bill Adama slides into the sectioned off area, "How are you today?"

"I could be better." Laura Roslin teases, bring a hand rolled herbal cigarette to her lips, lighting the end before inhaling deeply, "I was waiting for you to get here before I did this. Do you know how hard that was?"

"I can only imagine, ma'am." He watches her, amused by her candor. "I'm sorry I'm late. I thought we could switch things up a little."

"I was looking forward to the next chapter." She motions to the book tucked under the man's arm, playfully pouting, "How much do you want to switch things up?"

"There's someone I'd like for you to meet, but I need you to maintain your composure." Bill looks to her above his glasses, having quickly applied them when he was reading the book before, "It's going to be someone that means a lot to you that you haven't seen in awhile."

Laura shrugs, holding up the herbal cigarette, "This helps, Bill. I can't imagine who it could be though."

Erica Tejera slowly slides into the curtained enclosure, "Madam President."

"Yes?" She glances over toward the young woman that entered the secluded room, "What can I help you with?"

Gaia isn't able to do much, just stare at the woman.

"I know. The scarf looks a bit..." Laura uses her hand as she speaks, taking another deep inhale before offering it to the young woman, "Care for a hit?" When the young woman nods, doing as offered, she's nearly surprised, "You look familiar to me, marine."

"Gaia, tell her your name." Bill aids the young woman, watching them together.

The younger woman swallows before speaking, "Erica Hestia Tejera."

The name. "Wait." The name causes Laura to pause. It was a name she hasn't heard for years and that haunted her every single day, "What?"

Gaia bites her lip a moment, handing her back the cigarette after taking a deep toke, "Erica Hestia Tejera."

"You're...you're..." Laura whispers, staring at the young woman, "Oh my gods. Erica." She huffs a soft chuckle, "My gods." She outstretches her tube covered arms.

The young woman leans into the woman's embrace, closing her eyes in it. She hasn't had a hug from anyone that wasn't her husband in so very long. It nearly brings tears to her eyes. She needed this. She needed to feel this.

"I've waited for you for so long." Tears flow freely from the President's eyes, holding onto the young woman, "I thought surely you were lost in the attacks. I...wept night and day, thinking I'd never see you again. My assistant helped me to...calm myself, but..."

Erica nods, "I'm glad you're okay too, ma'am." She pulls back slowly, watching the woman in the bed.

"I'm going to head to CIC. Let you two catch up." Bill smirks, proud of his work, standing from the seat beside her bed, "I'll see you at home later." He leans over, gently kissing her temple before lifting the flap of the secluded area and leaving. His job was finished for the time being.

"Erica, please, have a seat." Laura motions to the chair beside her bed, left vacant by her partner, "Are you able to stay a bit?"

The young woman huffs a chuckle, "The Admiral reassigned me here...even gave me my own living quarters. So, you have me as long as you want me." She leans back in the chair, "I haven't even told my husband, but the Admiral said he'd try to get him transferred here as well."

"I'm sorry he went to such...extremes. He means well."

"I've noticed, ma'am." Erica nods

Laura finds herself staring at the young woman, "I'm sure you have many questions. I do too." She looks at the forgotten herbal cigarette still between her fingers. She brings it to her lips, lighting the end to take a deep inhale again. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not." She smiles softly, the sight of the sickly woman in front of her causes her to not treat the situation as defensively, as she usually does in these instances. She isn't fond of being bombarded or left in the dark, two things that happened earlier today.

"I thought you all were going to stay in Caprica."

Erica shakes her head slowly, "No, we moved to Canceron when I was little..." She reaches over for the herbal cigarette when it's offered to her, bringing it to her lips, "My father was an architect. Mama took a position at Hades University..." She inhales deeply, leaning back into the chair more, "I was like...three or something. My parents were from there originally."

Laura smiles softly, "Probably because she knew I was second guessing my choice. I knew it was for the best, but..." She shakes her head, "I always thought what if."

"My parents were good people. The best people." She hands the cigarette back to the woman, "You made the best choice you could have. It was educated, thought out...and you wouldn't be where you are if I were with you. You'd have to work harder and had ties to Caprica...and you may not have been so quick to go up for the opening of a museum...also, I'd definitely be dead, I think."

"That's absolutely true." She nods slowly.

"My mother was pretty religious. My dad not so much, when she died...we did what he wanted." Gaia offers a soft smile, "She did instill in me, though, that we are just the playthings of the gods. They do with us whatever they want and we have little to no say so in the matter." She adjusts herself in the seat, "This is just one of those things." When Erica notices the woman look away slightly, "You wouldn't have came up for the museum opening if you weren't supposed to be President. My dad hid his leukemia from me so I wouldn't feel bad about joining the marines. He only let me know when there was only a few months left. I asked to be reassigned to colonial protection, but was denied. I spoke to my father every single day." The young woman swallows, "If it weren't for my father waiting, I wouldn't have taken the job on the Celestia. I was there before New Caprica and after New Caprica. I know that place like the back of my hand." She realizes she's rambling, "Sorry."

Laura shakes her head, "No, I love listening to you."

She nods slightly, the area falling silent for a moment, "What can you tell me about my biological father?"

"Danny. His name was Danny." A bitter smile fills the President's face before she continues, "and he was the love of my life."

The grizzled bartender cleaned a glass with a white cloth towel, nodding toward the young woman when he notices her enter. "Laura." He called out cheerfully, motioning to a stool, "What can I get you?"

"Wine. Surprise me." Laura smirked, hair braided over her shoulder. She watched her partner sit at the piano in the corner of the room, making notes onto a piece of paper before him after playing.

"You should hear the one he wrote for you." The man pulled down a bottle, "Man's got a talent for composing."

"I have heard it." She grinned more, "He plays things, instantly putting words to it if it needs it. He remembers every keystroke...putting it onto that paper in front of him. It's..." She shook her head, "It's an incredible talent."

"I need to make myself notes to remember my wallet and keys. That guy-"

"He remembers everything I forget."

The bartender nodded, "You're a good pair."

"That we are." Laura sipped from the glass once it was placed before her, "How much do I owe you?"

"On the house, you know that."

"Doesn't mean I like it. This place is my home away from home. I don't think it's fair that you let me have my drinks for free."

"Too bad." The bartender shrugged, "Family of Hutch is family of mine."

Family. It was a term that she never thought of, regardless of how often he mentioned it.

"We were dating for...roughly ten months or so when I discovered I was pregnant." Laura grins broadly, "I was so excited to tell him. He was supposed to be practicing at the club and...I ran so fast. Test in hand."

"And?"

"He was gone." The scarfed woman nods, her smile fading slowly, "No forewarning. His things were still at my apartment. I thought something happened to him."

Gaia knows the herbal cigarettes effects are taking hold, she can feel it and knew the woman before her had to be feeling it as well, "Did it? Did something happen to him?"

"I never knew. I hounded Caprica City police, but I wasn't family or married to him. I...tried to look for his family, but he never spoke about them. Just the family we would make together. The bartender at the club seemed to...imply...that this was something he does. Just come and go. He did it in the past, apparently." Laura clears her throat, "But he never had a girlfriend then. Joe, the bartender who, even when I was much older, still gave me drinks for free, was very clear that Danny truly loved me."

"So." Erica rubs her hand over her face, "My dad was a roving piano player."

"To put it simply." The older woman yawns, "How about, listen." She adjusts herself in bed again, "How about we hop on out of here and get to my quarters? Cottle says I should stick around here more, but I'm going to die here soon enough. I don't want to be here all of that time."

"Are you allowed to?"

"Honey, I'm the President. I can do whatever I want." Laura offers the young woman a genuine smile.