Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. I borrowed the saying 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.'

Chapter 17: The way you changed my life

He woke, staring at an empty half of the bed. It took him a moment to see the light coming from the bathroom as he heard gargling. He wandered into the bathroom in his tanks and sweatpants. She raised an eyebrow, seeing him enter.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of morning breath," he teased.

She spit out the mouthwash, blushing. "He complained, so I decided that I didn't want to put you through that too."

He glanced at his reflection, seeing his hair dart out at odd angles. "Most people wake up with morning breath. It's not a problem I have, but do you mind passing the bottle?"

Handing him a plastic cup along with the mouthwash, she smiled. "Then why are you gargling?"

"When on Kobol…" he began.

"Do as the natives do," she finished.

She stood before him, bathrobe over her nightgown. Then his eyes drifted from her to the clock in the bathroom. His eyes widened when he noticed the time. "Laura, it's 0630! Why didn't you wake me? We've both got work in-"

"No, we don't," she interrupted, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You and I are allowed a day off, now that things have settled down a bit. I was trying to tell you last night, but you insisted on 'no business' at dinner. For the first time in a while, we have the time to use it. These Starfleet people allow time for a day off."

"I think the last day off I've had was the groundbreaking ceremony on New Caprica," he admitted.

"Then you, sir, are long overdue for a leisurely morning," she teased.

He smirked. "I don't suppose this 'leisurely morning' includes coffee?"

She laughed softly. "Go over to the replicator and ask it for two mugs of Number One. It's a good blend of Caprican Seacoast."

"You ordering my coffee for me now?" he goaded.

"No. You can ask the replicator for whatever you want. Caprican Seacoast is already programmed into it though. Anything you want to add to your coffee is on the counter next to the replicator," she explained. Then she gently grasped his elbow, ushering him toward the door. "Now I'd like a shower if you don't mind, so… shoo."

He laughed heartily as he grabbed a bathrobe that had been draped over a chair in the bedroom and made his way to the replicator. This might take some getting used to, but being shooed out of the bathroom every morning might be funny. He told the replicator that he wanted two mugs of Number One, as Laura had suggested. It figures that coffee would be the first thing programmed into the replicator. I wonder what else is here.

"Computer, what is item Number Two?"

"Scrambled Tauron chicken eggs and Caprican wheat toast."

Leaving the replicator, he prepared his coffee and sat down to drink it, looking out of the window at the stars. Suddenly something beeped. He looked around and noticed one of those odd star-like badges on the coffee table. Setting the coffee down, he touched the badge lightly. "Hello?"

"Sir, it's Colonel Kira. There's a transmission from your ship to us. To hear it, walk over to your computer and tell it to 'send transmission,'" she instructed.

So much for a day off. Now where is that computer? He glanced around the room and walked over to the desk. He noticed a small screen and pushed a button on the desk next to it. "State your request," the computer told him.

"Send transmission," he relayed.

He heard Kara's voice on the other end. "Admiral, sir, sorry to bother you. We just wanted to let you know that Hannah and Charlotte will be transporting over there around 1100."

"So this isn't an emergency call?" he questioned.

"Of course not, sir. What did we do, catch you with your pants down?" Kara teased.

Bill ran a hand through his hair. So that's what they think we've been doing. "No, Starbuck. I was just drinking my coffee."

Laura emerged from the shower as Bill finished talking to Kara. She walked out in a white fluffy bathrobe with a blue towel tightly around her head. For a split second he was seeing a ghost as she headed toward the replicator to get her coffee. He mentally shook himself when she turned around to face him. "Is everything alright?"

He took a gulp of his coffee. "Yeah. Kara called. She said the girls would be back here at 1100."

"She must have startled you because you've got coffee on your bathrobe," she pointed out.

Bill shook his head. "I didn't spill anything."

"But you-" she stopped suddenly, placing a hand over her mouth. As she closed her eyes, she whispered "Frak."

He was at her side instantly. "What is is?"

She faced him, sadness in her green eyes. "He was wearing that when he collapsed. I guess I didn't notice the coffee stains."

"It's gonna be the little things, isn't it?" he mentioned, resting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll survive this."

Nodding, she took a deep breath. "I know. Look, why don't you take your shower while I fix breakfast?"

"Number Two didn't sound too bad," he told her with half-smile.

He only needed a ten-minute shower. She had dressed while he was in the shower. When he left the bathroom and sat back down on the couch, she handed him a plate of eggs and toast. "I liked your idea," she commented.

"Tastes good too," he said as he gathered some of the scrambled eggs with his fork.

She took a bite of toast. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. I have a bed like that in the temporary quarters I've been borrowing. They are nice beds," he remarked. Then he noticed her smirking at him. "What's so funny?"

"You snore," she replied.

He shrugged. "Lots of people do."

She shook her head. "The other Bill didn't snore."

"That's odd. I guess I've had a few more broken noses than he's had," Bill reasoned.

They sat in companionable silence, finishing their breakfasts. After she had set the plates back in the replicator, she spoke. "There are civilian clothes hanging in the closet."

He took the hint and found a comfortable pair of dark trousers and a white shirt. "I think this'll do."

"Good. I've got a holosuite program that I want to try out. It doesn't have any characters, but it's got earth landscapes in it," she told him.

"Sound's nice," he responded.

As they stepped out into the hallway he offered her his arm. She smiled at him, reaching for his hand instead. "When we were courting, we linked arms. Married couples hold hands, Bill."

He chuckled softly and lightly squeezed her hand. "Alright."

When they picked up the program from Quark, he just kept smirking at them. Bill leaned close to Laura before they reached the holosuite entrance. "Did the bartender wink at us?"

Laura giggled. "I think he did."

"He's got one hell of an ego," Bill muttered.

"Yes, but let him have his fun for now, thinking that he 'played Cupid,'" Laura added, tugging Bill inside.

"'Played Cupid?' Is that another Earth expression?"

Laura nodded. "Yes." Then she addressed the computer. "Computer, please alert us when it is 1045."

"Acknowledged," the automated voice responded.

"That way we know when to head over to the transporter pad when the girls come back," she informed Bill.

The scene in front of them was of a grassy meadow with a few trees. Beyond the meadow was a small dock and a lake. "This is nice," Bill remarked.

A slight breeze blew as he watched her walk over onto the dock and sit. He slowly joined her. They sat, enjoying the simplicity of the scene, noticing birds flying by, and little minnows in the water. As he looked over at her again, her gaze seemed far away. "What are you thinking?"

She sighed, facing him. "I thought it would be like meeting a Cylon copy, having you here. It's more like finding out my husband had a twin brother."

He nodded, listening to the wood groan as he reclined back on his elbows. "When I talked to your friend, Ezri, she told me about the Trill, about how memories accompany this symbiot thing when it's transferred from one host to another. She told me I needed to appreciate the differences between you and Laura Roslin."

"Despite the illusion that she's young and inexperienced, she can be very wise at times," Laura mentioned. Then she smirked at him.

"What?" he asked.

"You look like you should be chewing on a wheat stock, sitting back like that. This place reminds me of some pictures from Aerylon," she explained.

"So you'd prefer to retire to a farm then?" he teased.

She laughed and shook her head. "I was only making a comment." Then she removed her shoes. Dangling her feet in the water, she looked back at him with a raised eyebrow, challenging him to do the same.

He unlaced his boots and followed her example, moving next to her. As soon as his feet touched the water, he turned to her, wide-eyed. "It feels like real water."

"That's the idea," she replied.

He eyed her outfit, noticing that though the style was unfamiliar, it was still flowing and red. "Civilian clothes look good on you."

She blushed. "Thank you. The new planet they've found for us is supposed to have places like this. It's been through something they call "terraforming." They take a planet and change the environment to make it livable. We'll be the first colony to settle on it, though in time we might be joined by some other Alpha Quadrant races."

"Doesn't sound so bad. It just means we have to share," he concluded.

"Yes, and then there's the aspect that once you and I train suitable replacements, we might actually be able to retire," she mentioned with a smile. Suddenly he leaned over, kissing her gently. "What was that for?"

"New beginnings. If I'm going to be semi-retired, I'm thinking about growing a moustache," he remarked.

She giggled. "My husband had one on New Caprica. It sort of took on a life of its own, but it suited him."

"What if I promise to keep it trimmed?" Bill inquired.

At that point she was laughing so hard that she grabbed onto his arm for balance. "If you really want to grow a moustache, it's fine. It's not like I'm going to make you sleep on the couch if it gets too long."

When she had stopped laughing, he took one of her hands in his, looking out at the water. The words that came to mind echoed a time that felt like years ago. "Is this really it? Is this how we're going to spend the rest of our lives?"

She leaned into him. "Would it be so bad if it were?"

In response he draped his right arm around her. Then she looked over and noticed his left hand sitting in his lap. "We do need to fix one thing though."

"Oh?" he asked.

"I have a wedding ring. Since people know that you usually wear one, it would be best for appearances if we replicated you one. If it bothers you too much to wear it, you can put it elsewhere when you're not in public," she suggested.

Actually under the circumstances, I'd feel better wearing one. "It's okay. I understand," he responded.

When the computer reminded them of the time, Bill and Laura exited the holosuite, heading for the transporter room. As the blue shimmer of Hannah and Charlotte together materialized, Laura stepped forward and took the baby from Hannah. "Did you have fun with Kara?"

"She told me pilot stories again, so of course I had fun," Hannah replied.

Her mother rolled her eyes as they walked back to their quarters. "One of these days she'll have her own child to tell these things to."

"Mom, I know how to behave," Hannah added.

The doors swished open as Laura walked through. "I know you do, Hannah, but-"

Bill cleared his throat. "Day off, remember?"

She glanced over at him and smirked. "Alright."

Hannah turned toward Bill as Laura sat down on the couch with Charlotte. "Kara said you got caught with your pants down."

Knowing that his cheeks were turning red, he muttered "It's just a figure of speech."

Laura laughed. "I must have missed a very interesting conversation while I was in the shower this morning."

"No. It was just me having coffee when she called," he stated.

"So, since you two decided to take a day off, did you two have any other plans?" the girl inquired.

Laura and Bill looked at each other. "Not particularly," her mother replied.

"Why don't we go to a baseball game?" Hannah suggested.

"I like that idea. Laura, what about you?" Bill asked.

"I would like to come, but I'm not sure how long I can stay with Charlotte," she reminded.

Hannah sighed. "Just come for a while."

They sat down in the gray plastic stadium seats as a team with black hats took their positions on the field. A team with red hats sent a man to the plate. Bill watched as Hannah jumped to her feet and cheered when the man got a hit. As he looked at the simulated crowd around him, most had followed Hannah's exampled.

"Which side are they we rooting for?" he asked her.

"The ones with the red hats. I can't remember any of the names, but Jake would know," she commented.

A man in a yellow shirt and black pants walked by, carrying a square heating container in front of him. "Hotdogs! Get your hotdogs!" he shouted.

"They're free in the holosuite if you want one," Hannah informed him.

Good tactic. She wants one so she's offering one to me. "Would you like one?"

She folded her hands in front of her. "Yes, please."

He looked over to his right at Laura and asked, "Do you want a hotdog too?"

"Sure. Jake warned us never to ask what they're made out of. I'm sure it couldn't get worse than algae though," she said with a smirk.

"I'd like one too," Bill mentioned.

Soon the three of them were eating their hotdogs. "See? It's good," Hannah remarked.

Bill nodded. "It's a fitting snack for what we're watching."

Laura raised an eyebrow. "It's okay, but at least it doesn't taste like algae."

Halfway through the game Charlotte began to cry. "You don't have to stay," Bill told her.

"Thanks. This was fun, but it's a little loud for Charlotte, and I have to look over a few lists on vice presidential nominees. I'll meet you back at our quarters," Laura stated as she stood.

Later when they returned, Laura shushed them, as Charlotte was napping. "How did the game go?" she asked in a whisper.

"We won!" Hannah exclaimed, trying to keep her voice down.

Laura looked back at Bill. "That's good. Tomorrow we need to head to the new planet."

"I think Kira's got a few of her people on Galactica. We'll see how they work out when we leave," Bill responded.

"Nerys has been very helpful," Laura added as Bill and Hannah sat on the couch.

"Yes, she has. By the way, we should speak with her about having them install one of these holo-whatevers on the new planet," Bill remarked.

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Anything you say, sir," Laura teased.

(A/N: I'm sorry that it took me sooooo long to post. I've had major projects to tend to in 'real life.' For those of you who are so inclined, Happy Thanksgiving)

(My thanks to Mamabella, Alecandrain2, Mariel3, Idellis65, McGonagallFan, and carolann for reviewing :D)