Tyrol does his best not to jump up and cheer, his face grinning. "We've got it. We just got through to Galactica." The room dark with a single monitor in front of him, the screen colored with various numbers and letters.

"What?" Sam laughs to himself, "You're kidding."

"I'm not. Colonel, what should I say?"

Saul takes another drag of his cigarette, "Tell the Admiral we're waiting for his command." A sense of happiness fills the old, bitter man. A smirk paints the corner of his mouth, "And let the President know."

Sam shakes his head, "Why would I tell Bal-"

"Roslin. Go and tell Roslin." He gives the other man an almost angry look.

Laura leaned against the picnic bench, school desk, she released a soft sigh, reaching across the table and pulling various papers closer to her.

"You okay?" Tory offered her a smile, "I can do these if you want to go home."

She shook her head, smirking, "I've already sat down and Sloane is finally asleep."

"Your achievement for the day." The younger woman laughed to herself, "There aren't many letters for today. Would you like to look at these and I can grade your papers for you?"

Laura nodded, "Only fourteen children today."

Furrowing her brow, Tory clicked the red pen, "Why?"

"I have no idea." She swallowed, "Some illness, some illness of their parents. I'm going to visit one of my students a little later. She's been in the med tent for a few days. Cottle said it doesn't look very good."

"What's wrong with her?"

Laura took a deep breath, looking to the other woman, "Leukemia."

Tory tilted her head to the side, "Any other family?"

"She had other family, but mother and three siblings died in the attacks. Her father was a pilot. Died a few days after the attacks. She was assigned a family, but..." She closed her eyes a moment, "She's been alone. I could have been keeping her company."

"You didn't know." Her voice was gentle.

Laura shook her head, "I could have though. I didn't want to..." She swallowed, licking her lips after, "I was on a frakking ship when I was in that predicament, people constantly came to me and..." The woman shakes her head, "She's a little girl. She should be running, playing, and going to school. It was incredibly painful. To imagine her going through what I did is torture."

"She isn't alone. You know how the grumpy bastard is, always has a soft spot for kids, and Ishay is probably sitting with her too. Don't worry." Tory could see how upset the woman was.

She cleared her throat, nodding. Laura lifted a paper into her hands, "Listen to this one, 'I wish you were President. I voted for you, I even named my youngest daughter after you. My husband has an illness that is unable to be treated. He grows sicker each passing day. I lost two children in the attacks. My son attends your school, and I thank you for taking his mind off of what happens here at home. However, I have one more request. You are the Dying Leader to me. I read the scrolls and I know it is true. That is why we are here and not finding an actual home, because you aren't in power, as needed by the gods. Could you please pray for my husband and the safety of my family? I believe you to be an instrument of the gods and your prayers are held in higher regard to them as opposed to the rest of us. Please help. You are our only hope.' All the time, I get these all the time." Laura sighed, taking a page of cornerless blank paper. Her pen gently created loops with her writing.

Saul Tigh patted on the side of the tent, stepping inside, "Happy Friday, Madam President."

Laura glanced up, humming a giggle, "Same to you, Colonel." She knew exactly what he wanted. The hard man, who always seemed to be looking for a fight, enjoyed spending time with her son. Sloane was the actual bright spot for him while on this planet since his wife was usually off doing other things.

"Where's the kid?" He smirked.

"Asleep." She nodded her head toward the white cradle, resting near the door which led toward her quarters, "He's teething, not sleeping well at night, and as a result, keeping me awake as well."

Tigh glanced toward the bassinet, "He isn't sleeping at night because you let him sleep during the day...and all he needs is a little whiskey on his gums. That's what my mother always said."

"Colonel, you will not be giving my son-"

"Relax." He waved his hand, walking over and gently picking the sleeping infant up, without any effort. Saul carried the boy over, offering his head to the former President.

Laura grinned, kissing her son softly against his hair. "If you stop over to the tent, Maya can give you a few bottles of milk that I prepared earlier this morning."

"You have a good night." Saul grinned, exiting the tent.

Tory watched the man, laughing when he finally exited, "You actually trust the Colonel to take care of an infant?"

"What reason have I not to?" Laura raised an eyebrow, then paused, looking to the younger woman.

"Ellen Tigh." Tory said after a few moments.

"So, we're finally...this is going somewhere." Laura grins to Sam Anders, touching his bicep, "What's going on?"

Sam glances around, "The plan is they're going to put people on the ground, specifically the cylon that's been held in captivity. She's an officer now. She's going to get the keys for the ships. We'll distribute them throughout the settlement."

"From there?"

"Galactica will jump back into orbit and we're gone. I'm betting in about two more days...three tops."

Laura nods, looking around, "It's almost over."

"That it is, ma'am." Sam nods to her, "So, if there's anything you want from here, that you can keep on your person, prepare to move quickly. I guess you'd know that. They took Tyrol's wife last night. So, we're keeping an eye on the drop tonight with the informant."

"Thank you, Mr. Anders," She smiles softly, watching as he leaves. Everything was slowly coming to a close. All the pain, all the suffering. They were finally getting the opportunity to go home and not worry about the safety of her son. What of him, though? She will be a target, she knows this. If she is to carry her son during this and dies on the surface, she makes it so that Lee won't be able to see his son at all. Make it so that Sloane dies with her on this doomed planet. Laura shakes her head to herself.

Tory excitedly enters, grinning, "Sam speak with you?"

Laura nods slowly, "That he did." She offers a soft smile.

"You didn't look too happy about it." She folds her arms.

"Bittersweet." She glances to her napping son, "Very bittersweet."

"You won't have to worry about his safety as much anymore...or that you'll be taken in the middle of the night." Tory shrugs, "Sounds pretty good to me."

"He won't have dirt under his feet, fresh air in his nose-"

"Smells like smoke now." The young woman reaches her hands up to her curly hair, adjusting her barrette. "I'm tired of living under the oppression of these frakking toasters. I am. I know you are." She nods, "You've always known coming here was a mistake. This isn't Earth."

Laura nods, taking a deep breath through her nostrils and releasing the same way, "Lilia Markie died this morning."

"Who?" Tory shakes her head a little.

"My student who was in the med tent for the past six months...she surcomed this morning from her illness." She swallows, "Her body will have to remain here instead of being placed in a capsule and sent amongst the stars." Laura smiles softly, "Cottle said he pushed her in a wheelchair into the forest...and sat with her. I asked him if he was afraid that the cylons would find him, he said they did, but the Six and Eight models sat with them...as opposed to attacking them." She tries to keep tears from her eyes, "He said they were peaceful...they all spoke about missing the warm weather...and the feel of real sun...He said Lilia just looked to the sky and grinned...and said she was going home."

The young woman picks a hand up, wiping away a tear as it trickles down her face, "I'm sorry, Laura." She can tell her boss is crying as well, but has the ability to hide it better.

Laura swallows, clearing her throat and wiping her eyes quickly, "We are born from the dirt and we die of the dirt." She gives a closed mouth smile, "I do want to ask you something...a favor of sorts."

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow, before the start of school, I'd like to strap Sloane against you. If I'm injured during the..." She waves her hand, signaling the Galactica's return, "and aren't able to make it. I want you to take Sloane to Lee and the Admiral. I will be a target, you will not. Understand my reasoning?"

"Yes, ma'am, but I'm pretty terrible when it comes to little kids." Tory watches her, swallowing, "I'll do whatever you need me to do though."

"I trust you, Tory. If something happens to me tomorrow, I trust you will know what to do." Laura swallows, placing her hands on her hips.