A/N: I finished writing this chapter over two weeks ago and had no motivation to publish it. I deserve to be shot out an airlock.

~oOo~

"This decision was not an easy one for me to make." President Laura Roslin sighs, leaning against the podium in the interview room aboard Colonial One, "However, I felt that it was in both my best interest and the interest of this fleet to temporarily allow Vice President Baltar to take my seat as acting president."

Before she could even finish her sentence, the room erupted with questions. Karen, one of the more vocal reporters, finally managed to ask the question that was burning in the back of everyone's minds, "Madam President, has your cancer returned?"

"Karen," Laura purses her lips in an attempt at a faux smile, "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, I can promise you that."

"Then why step down?" She probes, pressing a button on her handheld recorder, "Madam President, why would you step down from your position if you aren't dying?"

"Last time I was dying," Laura begins, clasping her hands together and trying not to roll her eyes, "did I or didn't I lead this fleet? Hm, Karen? In fact, I became president of this fleet the same day I was told I was going to die, and I pushed it aside. I led this fleet with the sole intention of ensuring our survival, knowing it would cost me my life. If that situation arises again," she states strongly, "know that I will continue with my duties until I am no longer able to fulfill them. Vice President Baltar will be acting as president for the next few weeks-"

"Madam President, you never answered my question. Why are you stepping down?" Karen asks again.

"The President is not obligated to share every intimate detail of her personal life with all of you." Bill interjects, emerging from the shadows and coming to Laura's aide, "She will still be assisting Dr. Baltar with any presidential decisions that require her attention. Let's go Laura." He turns his head to the side and whispers in her ear as he places a hand on the small of her back and leads her through the curtain, the roaring voices of the press ringing in their ears.

~oOo~

"Gods, what are we going to do?" Bill sighs, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand, "You've been in politics for how long and couldn't even fashion a believable lie?"

"Well, Bill," she crosses her arms over her chest and smirks at him as he paces back and forth in front of her, "there are very few reasons I would have to resign my position, including but not limited to: any kind of scandal, betrayal of the fleet, terminal illness, incapacitation, or if I were a cylon. How do you think any of those would've gone over with the fleet, hm?" She hums as she taps her foot on the ground impatiently, "You know I'm not happy about this either."

"Until we figure out what the hell is going on here, I'm going to have to keep covering for you, and I'm going to have to make sure Baltar doesn't 'accidentally' launch the nukes." He scoffs and rolls his eyes, finally ceasing his pacing, "What should I tell the fleet when they ask about you?"

"Tell them," Laura squints, focusing intently as she tapped her finger on her chin, "tell them I've been receiving death threats and that I will be living undercover aboard one of the ships until the situation is resolved."

"So, you'll be leaving then?" The words come out before he can even think about them, and the sadness in his voice is evident, "Have you picked a ship yet?"

"I was thinking..." She pauses with a smirk, clearly enjoying how distraught Bill was becoming at the thought of being separated from her, "Galactica could be nice."

"We're going to have to be careful. When word gets out about these 'threats,' it could spark something. Not to mention that she is also aboard Galactica."

"I know you're scared Bill." Laura states, sitting down in one of the passenger seats and closing her eyes, "She shows up, tells you she's dying, and brings up the question of my humanity. And the fact that you and I have become closer these past few months," she shakes her head as he comes to sit beside her, "it doesn't make this any easier, and I'm forever grateful for the way you've treated me despite all of this. I do appreciate it."

"It's no trouble, really." Bill leans back in his seat, the crinkling sound of leather filling the small compartment.

"Bill," she nearly whispers, opening her eyes and turning to face him, "what if I'm really a cylon?"

"Don't talk like that." He tries to reassure her, "You're one of the bravest women," he emphasizes, "that I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

"And what about Boomer?" She questions apologetically, her emerald eyes heavy with the weight of their current predicament, "She's a soldier for gods' sakes, that takes some bravery."

"Laura, are you convinced you're a cylon?" He asks softly in that 'pity-voice' she hated so much.

"I don't know what the frak I am!" She exclaims and rises from her seat, pacing back and forth in front of Bill, "Part of me doesn't want to believe it and part of me thinks it's the only logical explanation!" She huffs, taking off her glasses and wiping away the tears clinging to her eyelashes before Bill could see them fall, "What if every choice I've ever made wasn't my choice at all? What if I was programmed to be a politician and to be here the day the attack was launched? What if I'm not who I think I am at all?" The tears finally begin to fall and she covers her mouth in an attempt to muffle a sob.

"Hey," Bill coos softly, standing up and pulling her into his arms, "Laura," he pulls her out of his embrace for a moment and forces her to look at him, "you're human. Just like me, just like Saul and Billy. You," he reaches up and gently swipes a tear from her cheek, "you survived the attack by sheer coincidence just like the rest of us, and you've taken care of these people. You're not a cylon Sweetheart," he doesn't falter, even after the words he had spoken registered in his mind, "you're not."

"But what if..." She buries her head in the crook of his neck as her tears come flowing out, "what if I am? I don't want to die Bill! I don't want you to shoot me out the airlock like I did to Leoben! How could I have done that to him? He was alive Bill, just like we're alive and I killed him!

I... I killed so many people!"

"No you didn't." He coos, tracing up and down her back with his fingertips, "You killed our enemy."

"And what if... What if I'm the enemy? Will you be able to kill me? Please tell me you'll be able to."

"No, Laura." He shakes his head sadly as he presses a kiss to her temple, "I couldn't kill you, even if you were a cylon. You mean too much to me."

"What... What does that mean?" She pulls out and looks at him, her face ashen and eyes red with tears, "That you'd keep me alive even after everything we've done to you?"

"Please, stop associating yourself with them. You're human, remember? Born on Caprica, raised in the big city with your sisters. Hell of a schoolteacher I hear, and not bad as a president either." He offers an encouraging smile, reaching up and cupping her chin, "We'll get to the bottom of this Laura, I promise. Would you like to go to Galactica?" He questions, leaning in and pressing a warm kiss to her forehead as she nodded her approval.

~oOo~

"And here it is, the last thing in your suitcase, Dark Days." Bill smiles to himself as he tapped the book in his hands, "You know, we could start a book collection for you." He suggests, placing the book back in its designated spot on the shelf, "Assuming you'll be here for a while, that is."

"Who knows how long I'll be here." He can hear her voice coming from the direction of his rack, and he turns to find her sitting on the edge of the mattress, her head hung solemnly, "Are you sure you want me to stay here? If I... If I get activated I don't want to hurt you because I'm not myself anymore. I don't want to hurt you." Her voice fades out in a whisper and she lifts her eyes to meet his as she toyed absentmindedly with her fingers.

"Laura, you're safer here." He assures her, kneeling in front of her and placing his hand atop hers, "I took an oath to defend this fleet, and you are a part of it."

"So was Boomer." The thought kept coming back to haunt her, the way she had seen Bill treat one of his star (cylon) pilots, "She was a part of this fleet too, and you nearly killed her. What if that ends up being me?" The tears are threatening to fall again and Bill takes her hands, bringing them gently to his lips.

"Boomer," he shakes his head, her hands still cradled in his, "she put two rounds in my chest. Yes, there were times when you and I disagreed," Laura offers a watery laugh at his statement, "but you have never tried to hurt me."

"Neither did Boomer, until they activated her. I'm just so afraid that will happen to me. That I'll wake up one day and have no control over my body and be forced to watch myself kill someone."

"That's not going to happen." Bill groans as he stands with a crack of his knees, "Do you know why?"

"Hm?" Laura hums, withdrawing one of her hands from his as she hastily wiped her nose.

"Because you're human." He states, gently pulling her off of the bed and into his waiting arms, "You're human Laura, we're going to get through this, I promise."

~oOo~

"How're you feeling young lady?" Doc Cottle asks in his typical gruff-yet-friendly voice, a cigarette between his lips, "Better today?"

"Much better." Future Laura nods her head with a quiet hum, "When will I be able to leave?"

"Well," Cottle looks at her nervously, unsure of how to approach the unusual woman, "I'll have to ask the Commander."

"I understand." She nods, clasping her hands together in her lap, "Could you find him for me? I'd like to talk to him, and to get these off." She jiggles her arm that is still handcuffed to the side of the cot as Doc Cottle nods his head and hurries away.

~oOo~

"How're you feeling?" Bill asks as he shuffles into the makeshift room and pulls the curtain closed, "Cottle said you asked for me?"

"Can you take these off?" She looks at him pleadingly, jangling the metal of the handcuffs as he pulls out the key and unlocks them, "Thank you."

"Of course." He nods, studying her intently. She was such a far cry from the Laura he had just left. This Laura was calm, composed, and very serious, while the other Laura, his Laura was on the verge of a breakdown when he told her he had to leave, "Why do you want to speak with me?"

"What day is it today?" She asks as she props herself up in the bed, studying him just as intently as he was studying her.

"The sixteenth of January, why?" He questions.

"Because Bill, today is the day that Helena Cain is assassinated."

"No." He stands up quickly, his chair nearly tipping over, "I can't let that happen!"

"Bill!" She begins to rise from her cot when he turns around and glares at her, "You don't know it, but Admiral Cain had a hit out on you. Now you either let the past repeat itself or you die right here and now."

"How..." Bill mumbles, reaching up and scratching his jaw absentmindedly as he sat back down in the chair, "I still don't understand how you know all of this."

"I don't either, but I need you to trust me." She pleads, "Now listen to me Bill." She looks at him sternly and sits back down when he does the same, "There's a cylon aboard Pegasus, one of the number six models. They've been interrogating her, abusing her, and raping her. She escapes and shoots the Admiral in her quarters before disappearing off of the ship. You have to let this happen Bill, otherwise her men will kill you. I suppose it didn't happen this time around, but before, I convinced you to have Starbuck assassinate her when the time came. Helena Cain is ruthless, she abandoned hundreds of people in space and killed countless others. You're a noble man with a strong sense of duty, and I understand you want to protect her but some people, they just aren't worth saving."

"And you get to decide that?" He questions, his voice deep with rage, "You were the President of the Colonies for frak's sake, you should know you have no right to decide who lives and who dies."

"I didn't decide this Bill! The Gods did! The Gods knew she was a threat to our survival! The cylon God even knew she was a threat to our survival and had one of their creations kill her! You can't change the past Bill, it's already been written."

"This may be your past, but it's the fleet's present and future." He states before throwing back the curtain and storming out of Life Station.

~oOo~

"Dad!" Lee exclaims at the sight of his father storming down the corridors of Pegasus, "What's going on?!"

"Get your marines and come with me right now!" Bill exclaims as he continues quickly through the maze of hallways and compartments.

~oOo~

Please, Gods, just let him live Laura prays, taking a few deep breaths as she pushes back the pale blue curtain and steps into the interview room aboard Colonial One.

"Ms. Roslin!" The echoing voices ring in her ears as Billy comes to stand beside her, his nervous energy burning her skin, "Ms. Roslin, do you have a statement to make about today's events?"

"I do." She lets out a deep breath and opens her mouth to speak when none other than Gaius Baltar bursts through the curtain.

"What you people do not seem to understand is that cylons are not our enemies- not all of them, that is." He interjects, "What happened earlier today on Pegasus, that was a tragedy, but it was not unprovoked. The crew of the Pegasus, they were torturing this cylon, Gina, they raped her and abused her. And I... I know all of this because Admiral Cain, she asked me to help her team. I saw Gina. She was starving, covered in cuts and bruises, and she was scared."

"Dr. Baltar," Laura hisses under her breath, "I suggest you stop."

"You see, this whole senseless tragedy could have been avoided had we just-"

"Dr. Baltar!" Laura exclaims, "Get out now, before you make things worse than they already are!" She glares at him as the press starts chattering with surprise, "Thank you for your assistance, Billy show him out please."

"Yes, Ms. Roslin."

~oOo~

"I'm sorry about all of that." Laura shakes her head, holding so tightly to the podium that her knuckles were turning white, "As I was beginning to say before," she lets out a deep breath, "The attack aboard Pegasus today was unexpected. Admiral Helena Cain was found in her quarters after suffering a fatal bulletwound. As for Commander Adama, he was found beside Admiral Cain. He was shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the chest. He is in surgery aboard Galactica as we speak, and until further notice, this fleet will be under the direction of Colonel Saul Tigh. I will make announcements regarding the Commander's health and status of the fleet over the comm system as I see fit. Thank you everyone for your patience."

And with that she turned and retreated behind the curtain before another uproar could start.

~oOo~

"Colonel Tigh, I need you to do this." She sighs, looking at him intently over Bill's wooden desk, "You've done it before, and I have no doubt you'll be able to do it again."

"Well maybe I don't want to." He grumbles, slamming down his glass after emptying it for the third time, "My best friend's been shot. Again. And we don't know if he's gonna live or if he's gonna die or why the frak he was there in the first place."

"You're right." Laura agrees with a sigh, swishing the ambrosia in her glass before taking a long sip, "And when he wakes up and finds out someone else was running this fleet, how do you think he'll feel about that?"

"We don't even know if he'll frakking wake up!" Saul exclaims, slamming his glass down and causing Laura to jump, "He could die Madam President! If I lose him-" His voice trails off and he rubs his forehead, pacing throughout Bill's quarters.

"Colonel Tigh," Laura calls hesitantly, slowly standing up from the desk and gently squeezing his arm, "we're not going to lose him. We're going to get through this, all of us, the whole fleet. But for right now, I need you to do this. And if not for me, then do it for Bill. I can't be President, not right now, and Dr. Baltar sure as hell can't either. Please, Colonel."

"Yes, okay, fine." He grumbles, "I'll do it. I'll declare marshal law first thing tomorrow morning."

"Thank you." She whispers and nods her head in thanks, blinking back her tears as Saul headed towards the hatch, "Goodnight, Colonel."

"Goodnight, Madam President."

"Laura."

"Goodnight Laura."

~oOo~

Sitting alone in his quarters in the dark, Laura felt as if the walls were closing in on her. She was no longer the President, her best friend was dying, and gods only knew if she was a cylon.

Bill. How could this have happened to him? Did she know, that other version of her? She wanted to ask, but she couldn't bear to go to Life Station, not now, not while Bill was hanging on by a thread.

Everything smelled like him. She was in his quarters after all, but his typical scent- a mix of alcohol, smoke, and perspiration- was heartbreaking today rather than intoxicating.

His rack. Where he had held her and promised her everything would be fine just hours before. Where she had cried and cried as he held her and brushed away her tears.

If only he were a cylon too. Then she wouldn't be so afraid, if he could just die and wake up again in a new body, all of his aches and pains a thing of the past.

Maybe that's all she needed. To wake up somewhere else, free from all of her burdens.