Chapter 5: A Terror's Return

"Yes, I think we're about ready. Maya seems to be handling her new duties well."

Laura frowned into her pillow as sleep slowly abandoned her. She wiggled in the blankets, trying to regain it.

"Of course he's throwing a fit. He wasn't exactly pleased about the marriage."

She sighed. Even with a voice like that to sooth her, sleep wasn't going to come back. She rolled onto her side and slowly opened her eyes. Bill stood a few feet away, talking into a portable comm unit. She supposed it was Saul up in orbit, readying the switch.

Saul Tigh wanted to live planetside with Ellen. Bill needed to go protect the colony. And she, as the wife of the Admiral of the Fleet, was to go with him. She smiled, her heart warm with love of the rooms that were officially to be half-hers.

"Yes. I'll see you soon, old friend." The click of the phone pulled her more fully into consciousness and Laura yawned at the unwelcome state change. A lifetime of getting up early, and now all she wanted was to be lazy for a little bit longer.

"About time you woke up." He said, picking up two tea mugs from the table and handing her one.

She stretched and yawned again, taking the mug with a muffled 'thanks' and sitting up in bed. Bill sat down on the end and took a sip of the barely-drinkable morning tea.

"Saul can't wait to come back down here." He said gruffly, frowning slightly.

"He misses her," Laura replied, taking another slow sip of her own cup," the end of your world makes you thankful for what you have, even with all their problems. Even for Ellen Tigh."

"You really ok with this? Moving back up to Galactica?" He asked quickly.

"Seems silly to stay down here more than a month when you have to be up in orbit. You can't be coming and going. Bad fuel economy, for one."

Her husband laughed at the frank wording and dry tone he'd named her "I'm-Still-President,-Baltar-You-Frakker" voice.

"He wasn't happy, by the way. But you knew that."

"Baltar can go frak himself, if he already hasn't," She muttered,"But he can't complain too much, theres no real reason to stop me."

"No, but he still fears you."

"Damn right." She said defiantly. Bill laughed again and kissed her before returning to the table where a few bags had been packed already. By the end of the week they'd be back on Galactica, their home.

She was going to miss sunrises and sunsets, Kara's surprisingly delicious soups, Maya and Isis, and the feel of ground beneath her feet. She still hoped she would come back someday and build her cabin by the lake, but for now she would have to say goodbye to the things she'd come to love about her unlikely home.

Besides, Bill Adama was her home. She could live in Hade's realm itself and call it home so long as he was there.

"Let me help you." she said, getting out of bed and walking over to him, where he had begun putting away her few dishes in a bag of blankets. He moved over a bit and she dried a few of their hand-fired plates.

As they worked, Laura thought silence never sounded so wonderful.

Her bags were packed, her heart was racing, and Laura Adama was walking arm in arm with her husband of two week's time towards the center square of New Caprica. Most of her books had already gone ahead, her precious Searider Falcon in a leather satchel marked with her old and new initials in gold leaf. It had been a wedding gift from the Tighs.

She looked at Bill and smiled for what must have been the sixtieth time that day. He was grinning too, eyes bright and open for all to see for the first time in her knowing him. It made her happy in a way she'd never felt possible: His joy made her forget she once died of cancer, or lost an election, or saw the world end. For all her heart knew, they were a couple walking on a Caprican garden path, not a care weighing them down.

They both should have known better, with their track records. Cancer as you obtain freedom from a bad relationship and your civilization demolished as you get your son back really should have been a clue. But they were in love and free to express it, so it took them a while to notice the odd sound in the air.

Bill noticed it first, the Viper pilot of his youth all but screaming at him in the back of his mind. He turned his head to catch the sight of the first Raider swoop down upon them. Instinctively he pulled Laura into a roll, tucking over her like it had only been days, not years, since he'd done it last. But few shots came, and only the terrified screams of his fellow Colonials gave any indication there was trouble.

"Bill, they're LANDING!" Laura shouted, panic overwhelming her voice as she peeked over his shoulder.

She stared at him for a moment, then scrambled out of his protective embrace, "Bill, you need to hide. Now. If they see you, they'll kill you on sight."

He bristled, watching the people run around in terror around them, wondering how soon they were to die.

"I'm not abandoning my wife." Bill growled, the same tone he'd used just before he'd tossed her in the brig during their early acquaintanceship. The tone once annoyed her, but now she understands the depth of emotion it stood for. She softened her expression as he pulled her into an alleyway and tried a different tactic.

"Bill, I'm just a civilian. They know I'm here now, but you they don't. Assets, Bill, assets. We need you alive, for the Fleet."

"Laura, I-"

"Admiral Adama," she said dangerously," you are not going to put MY people in jeopardy for any reason! Is that understood?"

He blinked at her a moment, stunned by her use of his title, but a small smile graced his lips before he pulled her to him and kissed her soundly, his arms holding her up out of the mud.

"I know you're right," He whispered, "but Gods above I'm going to protect you if they come for you. Death couldn't take you, I won't let the Cylons."

"I know." She said, pulling him back towards their tent. Bill watched the sky as they went.

"Jump, Saul, Jump." He whispered at the sky, watching for his ship and friend as they floated high above them. As soon as he'd spoken, it seemed, a bright flash sparked in the sky. Tigh had done what Bill himself would have done and jumped away. He turned to Laura, his expression etched in stone.

"Lets hope there are Gods..."