It was raining outside. The wind howled against the insufficient walls of the shelter, and it was freezing. Laura shivered and drew her blanket closer to her.

Anders sat beside her. Tigh was pacing, muttering to himself.

"Sit down, Colonel!" said Anders impatiently.

Tigh jolted. "What? Did you say something?"

Laura sighed. "Mr. Anders told you to sit down, and I have to agree with him. You're making me dizzy."

"Well, gods forbid I should inconvenience Madame President in any way," Tigh said sarcastically. He continued to pace, as if to make a point. Then, he dropped his walking stick with a crash.

Laura nearly jumped out of her chair. "What in gods' name, Colonel?" she hissed.

"I'm sick of this crap," said Tigh, ignoring her. "This strategic placing of the bombs so that we don't harm civilians; it's crap. Stupid, pandering crap at that." His voice got louder and more agitated. "We won't get anywhere by playing nice. It's time for a full-fledged attack. We'll show those toasters that they can't-"

"That's enough, Colonel," snapped Laura.

"Oh, as if you have anything to say on the subject. That was how you always were with Bill, too, always poking your nose into military operations. He let you get away with it, but I won't."

"I think we should all calm down," said Anders.

"You need to shut up as well, boy," said Tigh. Anders opened his mouth, ready for a fight, but he was cut off by a shout from the stairs.

Laura stood up and ran for the door, and nearly screamed herself at the sight she saw.

Zarek was standing in the doorway, covered with blood. He was supporting a body, a woman, Laura realized. She was so bloody she was almost unrecognizable, but Laura recognized the tuft of pale blonde hair.

"Sarah!" she screamed. "Zarek, get her in here, now. Somebody get Cottle!"

Tigh and Anders stood in the middle of the room, their mouths hanging open.

"What are you waiting for?" she yelled. "Go!"

Anders turned and ran up the stairs, followed by Tigh. Zarek hurried to lay Sarah on the table, pushing the documents onto the floor.

"I found her outside the tent," he said. "She was passed out. I think she's lost a lot of blood." He was pale and shaking, looking more unnerved then she'd ever seen him.

Laura put a hand on his shoulder. "You did fine, Tom," she said. "And she's going to be fine. We just have to wait for Cottle."

Tom shook his head. "No, she's not. She's going to bleed to death."

Laura had to admit that that scenario seemed likely at this point. The blood seemed to be coming out in torrents from a gash across her shoulder and chest.

"Maybe we can help…" whispered Tom.

Laura watched as he ripped her shirt nearly in half, and tied the piece he'd torn off around her shoulder. Sarah moaned a little. She was deathly white.

"Move aside, move aside!"

The door slammed open, as Cottle, Tigh, Anders, and Tory came in. Tory came over to Laura, looking frightened.

"What's happening?" she asked. Laura just shook her head.

"Damn it, she's bleeding out," said Cottle. "I think they hit a main artery."

Laura stepped back. She looked to the doorway, and happened to see Jean Barolay standing in the doorway, a strange expression on her face as she watched Cottle and Sarah. She smiled a little, and Laura shivered, and not because of the cold.

"All right, all of you get out of this room!" barked Cottle. "And somebody get Ishay."

Laura obediently went towards the exit along with everyone else. Tom looked over his shoulder as they left, biting his lip.

"She's going to be fine, Tom," Laura said. "She's going to be fine."

*********

"A sprained ankle, a nasty gash on her shoulder, and every single bone in her hand was dislocated. She is one tough Cylon, I have to say."

Cottle put out his cigarette and looked at Laura.

"She's going to be fine, though. I managed to stop the bleeding."

Laura nodded. "Thank you, doctor," she said.

Cottle smiled. "Just doing my job." His smile faded. "But if you don't mind my asking, what exactly was she doing? If you're sending her on suicide missions…"

Laura shook her head. "You really don't want to know."

Cottle looked at her for a moment, and then nodded. "All right. Make sure she gets plenty of rest, and doesn't put any weight on that ankle."

Laura smiled. "Thank you, Cottle. For everything."

********

Tom stood by Sarah's bed. She was sitting up, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Hey, Sarah," he said. She looked up at him.

"Hi, Tom," she said.

He held out a mug. "I brought you some coffee," he said. "But I guess that's a bad idea, with your hands." He nodded at her bandaged fingers.

Sarah smiled. "Yes, I suppose it is."

Tom smiled back. "Do they hurt? Your fingers?"

Sarah shook her head. "Not now. It hurt like hell when Cottle snapped them back into place, though."

Tom laughed. "Yes." His smile faltered a bit. "Sarah, I have to talk to you." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I know that we haven't treated you well here, and I apologize for that. But it's going to be different now. No more suicide missions. I promise you."

He looked at Sarah for her reaction. She was looking at him affectionately.

"What?" he asked anxiously.

"That's very sweet, Tom," she said. "But I'm not staying. I can't."

He laughed. "Of course you're staying. Where else would you go?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, exactly. But I know that I can't stay here. I've humiliated Cavil by escaping. He'll be even more determined to find me than before."

"We'll protect you-"

"No, you can't." She looked sad. "You're no match for them. And even if it was possible for me to stay, I wouldn't. I don't belong among you. I'm a machine."

Tom shook his head, and felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. "You are so much more than a machine, Sarah," he said quietly.

She smiled. "Oh, Tom," she whispered. "You're a good man."

He looked at her. "Is there anything I can do to change your mind?"

Sarah shook her head. "No."

He nodded. "All right. I'll tell the others." He turned to go, and then stopped to look at her. She was staring at the ceiling again, her lips moving silently.

He could have sworn she was talking to someone.

*********

Tom told the other members of the Resistance, just as he'd said he would. Sarah got up as soon as she was able to walk, and came to their meeting.

Tom, Anders, Laura, Tigh, Tory, Galen, and a few other members of the Resistance stood in the room. They stared at her, and whispered as she went by.

Tigh cleared his throat, and the whispering died down. "Mr. Zarek has told us that you want to leave us. Is this true?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes."

Laura spoke up. "If you don't mind my asking, where are you going to go?"

Sarah swallowed, and when she spoke, her voice came out clearly. "I'm going to leave New Caprica City; go far enough away that even Cavil won't follow me."

Tigh laughed. "You won't last out there. Only twenty percent of this planet is fit for human life."

"My body can withstand temperatures and hardships that yours cannot," she said coolly. "I'll be fine."

General murmuring ensued. Tom shushed them loudly.

"All right, then," he said. "Unless anyone else has any suggestions…"

"I have a suggestion," said a voice. Sarah started and turned to the door, where she saw one of the Resistance members, a woman.

Sarah smiled. "You're Jean, right?" she asked. "I've seen you before."

Jean gave her a tight-lipped smile in return. Then she turned to the others.

"Sarah has the right to go wherever she wants," she said. "But she's been through a lot; she's not at her best. The least we can do is offer her an escort out of the city to protect her. Don't you think we owe her that?"

Tigh shook his head. "I don't want to lose any more men."

"With all due respect, Colonel," said Jean coldly. "I don't work for you. And I'm going to take Sarah. Unless…" she turned to Sarah. "You have an objection?"

Sarah felt Six's breath in her ear. "She is your destiny. Go with her."

The tension in the room was palatable. Sarah smiled. "Of course, Jean," she said. "I'd be happy to have your help."

Jean nodded. Colonel Tigh scowled, but seemed resigned.

"All right, then," Tom said. "Now that that's settled, we need to find the best route to get you out of the city."

Tom and a few other Resistance members rolled out a map and started discussing possible routes. Sarah couldn't pay attention. She stared at Jean Barolay, who was smirking lightly.

"In the face of danger, do not flinch," said Six.

Sarah bit her lip, and felt a sense of dread.

*******

It was decided that she would leave in the night. Sarah was given a few days supply of food. Jean offered to carry most of the load, but Sarah refused.

"I'm stronger than you," she said.

Jean looked angry, but gave in. "Fine," she said. "Just tell me when you get tired."

"How are we going to get water?" Sarah asked.

"We'll stop by the water processing plant," Jean said. "There are people working there. I'll pretend to be one of them, and you wait until I've gotten the water."

They walked together to the main room, where Sarah was shocked to see an assortment of people waiting for her. Tom, Laura, and even Tigh were standing by the table.

"We thought we'd see you off," said Laura.

Sarah laughed, and for a moment felt tears in her eyes. "They've come far," whispered Six. Sarah nodded.

Laura stepped forward. "I know we've had our disagreements in the past, but I appreciate all that you've done for us. And I wish you the best of luck."

Sarah smiled and reached for her hand. "Thank you, Madame President."

Laura smiled back, and looked over her shoulder. "Tigh feels the same way. Don't you, Colonel?"

Tigh mumbled something, and then looked up at her. "Good luck, Sarah." With a start, Sarah realized it was the first time he'd called her by her name.

"Thank you, Colonel," she said. She looked over at Tom, who was smiling at her.

She walked over to him and embraced him. He stiffened a bit, and then returned the gesture. He whispered in her ear:

"We won't be here forever. Adama is coming back. And when he does, maybe you could…"

Sarah shook her head. "No."

He looked hurt, but he nodded. Six stood behind him.

"You don't belong with them, and you don't belong with your people. So where do you belong?" She smirked as she said it, and for a moment, Sarah hated her.

Tom was still looking at her. "Jean's a good woman. She'll take care of you."

Sarah nodded. "Goodbye, Tom."

"Goodbye, Sarah."

There was silence, and Jean nudged her. "We have to go."

Laura nodded. "You don't want to run out of time. By all means, go."

As she went up the stairs, Sarah turned for one last glimpse at them. Tigh staring at the ground, Laura sitting down to write, and Tom craning his neck for one last look at her.

"You'll never see them again," said Six.

Sarah nodded. She knew it was true.

*******

Jean was certainly not the liveliest conversationalist Sarah had ever met. She knew that the woman was hostile towards her, but she had no doubt that she could offer valuable protection. And with her still injured ankle, she needed all the help she could get.

They were both silent as they left the city. It was a beautiful night, and the stars twinkled in the sky. After they were on the forest trail, Jean finally spoke.

"I'll take you as far as the water processing plant. Then, you're on your own."

Sarah nodded. Her ankle throbbed. "Would you mind if we rested for a moment?" she asked, and sat down under a tree. Jean looked as if she did mind, but she sat down next to her anyway.

"I really appreciate you doing this," Sarah said. Jean looked away.

Sarah persisted. "I'm not asking for forgiveness for what my people did to yours. It was terrible, the most horrific thing we could ever do."

Jean tapped her feet. Her face was turning red.

"I just know," said Sarah. "That you and the other members of the Resistance have shown an extraordinary capacity for forgiveness. And if you can forgive me, then surely it is possible for our two peoples to live in harmony under God-"

"Don't talk to me about God," snapped Jean.

Sarah was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Jean took a deep breath. "You don't know anything about God." She stood up. "We have to go."

She turned and walked into the forest. Sarah hesitated for a moment, and then followed her.

They didn't speak after that. It got cold, and Sarah shivered. Jean didn't offer her a jacket.

Finally, they came to the hill that looked down on the water processing plant. There were only a few workers there, wearing comical neon orange helmets. Behind her, Jean stood like a statue.

"Where should I wait for you?" asked Sarah. Jean didn't respond.

Sarah turned around to look at her, but barely got a word out before she stopped at the sight of Jean, her face twisted with rage, clutching a large metal bar.

"Jean…" Sarah began.

The last thing she felt was something very hard hitting her head.