They were on yet another luxury transport vessel. It wasn't quite as sturdy as the Colonial Heavies she'd ridden in for work, but it was comfortable. Lee and Bill were in a separate section. Gods forbid she get to interact with her family aside from network approved dates. It was quite ridiculous when she thought about it: the network would support her and Bill frakking in the fantasy suites in front of the cameras, but spending time with her future fiance and future stepson during a flight was out of the question.
She shook her head. She had taken so many liberties throughout her time on the show, and she did meet the love of her life because of it, so she could put up with the less than ideal elements for another week. The idea of being part of a celebrity couple made her cringe, but their ages and relative calm demeanor would keep them out of the tabloids, causing them to be forgotten quickly. Then they could retire in that cabin they talked about building. Just one more week. They could survive that. They could survive anything.
Laura glanced out the window briefly. There wasn't much to see, wouldn't be until they landed, and then she would be overcome with the various sights. Hedon had a certain reputation, but luckily for them, the network paid to reserve a large portion of the resort. So any sights would be part of the landscape. Which was gorgeous.
Laura had been to Leonis before as part of her agenda for education reform, but it didn't go well. The Leonese took a dim view of outsiders, and as enlightened and culturally open-minded as Laura had always tried to be, she was unable to shed her Capricanness enough to gain their support. Not that Richard had done much better. In fact, he'd angered the Leonese leaders so much, that Laura's faux pas was quickly forgotten. In the end, she agreed to allow Leonis to retain its culture within the school system, and their board of education agreed to conform to the standards of the Colonial curriculum.
She returned her attention to the book in her lap and was quickly lost in the beauty of the words.
/
They finally landed. One of the producers escorted her to her suite. She knew the rest of the crew were taking care of her luggage. She had to admit that was a nice perk. She didn't really have to worry about anything. And with everything in her past out in the open with Bill, the coil that was wrapped firmly around her stomach had finally dislodged.
The view was...spectacular. Even from the distance, it was obvious the water was clear-not like the grey brown beaches on Caprica. This water was like looking through glass. The sand was fine. She and Bill would enjoy running through it barefoot. A flock of seagulls circled around over the water. One dove down to the ocean. When it came up, it carried something in its mouth, a fish likely. The other seagulls crowded around, but the successful hunter ate its meal quickly, leaving the others to try their luck.
She smiled and continued on into the luxury cabin. The decor was tropical with shells for door knobs. The welcome rug was fashioned out of straw. She entered the bedroom. It had a bay window in front of the bed and a skylight above it. The designers certainly wanted to make guests feel like they were on the beach at all times.
There was an armchair in front of the bay window that was calling out to her. It was the perfect place to read, and that's what she did until one of the network's staffers brought her dinner-and a date card.
The meal was not authentic Leonese: it was what she would've found in any restaurant on Caprica, but it was tasty enough. The flight had worked up her appetite, so the steak meal was satisfying, and it was prepared to her liking. She glanced at the date card-none of her previous consternation remained. She smiled. A day with Lee it was.
/
She spoke to Lee some more about law school and his future. Lee admitted there was someone he would like to date, but he wasn't sure it was appropriate.
Her ears perked up, and she raised a brow. "Tell me more."
"It's...well, you've met her."
The only women she'd met were... "Oh, it's Kara, right?" Of course, they'd talked about her before. She didn't realize Lee loved her. But it was obvious that was the case.
He nodded and then hanged his head. "I know it's wrong. She was..."
"But he died, and he wouldn't want her to be alone. And from everything I heard, he was a good brother who'd want you both to be happy." She smiled. "You don't want to end up like me, do you?"
He grinned. "I don't know. It seems like things worked out okay."
She nodded. "Yes they did, but I was alone for a lot of years." She smirked. "Of course, that's probably because I hadn't met your father yet."
He laughed. "Thanks, mom. I'll...uh, think about what you said."
She and Bill ran across the sand like she wanted, and it was fun for a minute, and then Laura ran out of breath although she lasted longer than Bill. She joked about how they needed to get in better shape, and they laughed. She lay against him on the blanket that had been brought out for them.
It was another perfect day, but she was tired of perfection. Ready for the realities of their existence. The challenges of including each other in their lives. She'd waited her whole life for someone to be worth the trouble, and now that she'd found him, she couldn't wait for...life to begin.
/
She wore a white dress, symbolic of the wedding the network would pay for, assuming they managed to stay together. In the years since the show had first aired, there weren't many weddings: one to her knowledge. But she and Bill would join that number because they'd always been different.
It was Lee who arrived. Walking along to the edge of the dock, where she stood. She was grateful this was a sham because she would hate to break his heart. He was so good. "Laura, you've been a wonderful friend through all of this, and I love you." He paused. "But I can't ask you to marry me. I know you love someone else, and I can't put you through anything else."
The tears formed and she did nothing to hide them. Her son had taken a page out of her book, and she was so very proud of him. And grateful. She hugged him. "Thank you, Lee." She pulled away to look at him, beaming at him.
He smiled and turned to walk away.
/
Then it was Bill who approached her. She was already crying happy tears because of Lee, and she started again when she saw Bill in his Dress Greys. "Laura, you're the love of my life, my best friend, my...everything." He bent down on one knee and pulled out a ring. "Will you be my wife?"
"Yes, I certainly will." She beamed. "Now get up here, so I can kiss you."
/
Ten Months Later:
"Madame Secretary, you're part of the committee responsible for decommissioning your fiance's ship. Has that created any problems for you at home?" Playa asked.
They were aboard the Colonial Heavy on their way to Galactica. Laura offered to give a mid-flight press conference, as she was still a celebrity. She smiled at Playa and the other reporters. "My relationship with Commander Adama is strong enough to withstand this kind of tension, I assure you." She paused. "In fact, we've been looking forward to retiring together."
"You have big retirement plans?" James McManus asked.
She shook her head. "Not really. A quiet cabin would be nice."
She answered a few other questions and returned to her seat. That went pretty well. The months following the season finale were a whirlwind of activity: interviews, tabloid articles. The worst was the expose from a "knowledgeable source" that Laura slept with Lee and Bill. She was ready to...she didn't even know what. But Bill calmed her down, and together they offered an interview to the only magazine they considered tasteful -Caprica Times and discussed the truth behind the show. Suddenly everyone remembered Laura was a recovering cancer patient, and they backed off.
The constant activity and Laura's growing discontent with her job helped her decide to resign. She submitted her letter of resignation, and her final act of office was to decommission the Galactica. Then she and Bill would be free.
/
They argued a bit over the technology situation. Of course, she knew he didn't like technology. He refused to get a smartphone or use any networked device at home, and she knew he preferred the outmoded tech on Galactica. But with the war over and the ship decommissioned, it wasn't unreasonable to ask for networked computers to make the tours go smoother.
Apparently, she was wrong about that. She wanted to fire him up a bit, so she accused him of being afraid of computers. And he turned right around and got in her face, practically pushing her against the bulkhead without even touching her. If only there weren't so many people following them around.
She conceded to his point about it being out of respect for the men and women who lost their lives fighting machines. She gave a mock "yes, sir," which she was sure she would pay for later - she was counting on it.
Then he left her there to do his photo op with Lee. She smiled. It was good of Lee's CO to give him leave to visit the Galactica. Bill would never say so, but having his son there meant the worlds to him.
She was about to head to Bill's quarters when Saul found her. "Hey, Laura, or should I call you Madame Secretary?" He said. A question in his eyes and tone.
She smiled. "I won't have that title much longer, and Laura's fine for family."
He nodded. "Okay. How's it going?"
"Great, Saul." She grinned. "I'm a bit surprised Kara didn't greet me."
He chuckled. "I had to put her in the brig."
"Oh?" Her eyebrow rose.
"Nothing serious. She hit another officer. Someone made a crack about you, and she went ballistic. I'll let her out in time for the ceremony."
Laura nodded. Touched and horrified by the display of loyalty. It did sound like something an Adama would do, though. She smiled. "And the other officer?"
Saul laughed. "He'll be fine."
"Oh, good. I'd hate for anything serious to happen." Her eyes twinkled in her amusement. "Could I visit her?"
Saul offered his arm and escorted her to the brig.
/
Saul opened the hatch and said, "After you."
She entered the brig. It was sparse but not what she imagined a prison to look like, and Kara's smirk revealed the woman was completely in her element, which was no surprise, according to the stories Bill had told her.
"Hi, Laura. I would've been part of the welcoming committee, but I've been detained."
Laura laughed and approached the cell. "I see that." She shook her head. "What have you gotten yourself into now?"
"Striking a superior asshole."
She said it with a perfectly straight face: She'd clearly been thinking about it for awhile. Laura grinned. "Don't you know, you don't actually hit them?"
Kara covered her mouth with her hand in mock shock. "No?"
Laura shook her head. "No. You outsmart them. You beat them at every turn. Until you become the superior asshole."
Kara laughed. "Okay, Laura. Your way's better. But my way is quicker and feels good."
Laura tilted her head to the side. "I imagine that's true."
Kara nodded. "I could teach you to spar sometime. I think you'd like it." She paused. "The Old Man told me you love boxing."
Laura smiled. "It was something I shared with my father. And I'd love to spar with you. Maybe work off some of my frustrations."
Kara snorted. "It is great for that."
They were quiet a moment, but then Kara moved her hand slightly, and the light hit it just enough to reveal... "Kara, do you have something to tell me?"
The glee on Kara's face said she did. "Oh my gods! I almost forgot." She held out her left hand to reveal the shiny engagement ring. "It's very different from...you know. I...we...thought that was important."
Laura smiled. "I'm so happy for you both. I just...no one told me."
"Well, the Old Man doesn't even know yet. Lee just proposed this morning."
Laura nodded and then looked in Saul's direction. "Do you think I could get in there? I'd like to hug my future daughter-in-law."
Saul let out a huff, but he came forward with the key, and Laura rushed inside to hug her daughter. "We'll have to work together to train our men. The Adamas can be difficult sometimes," Kara said.
Laura snorted and hugged Kara tighter. "Somehow, I think we'll do just fine."
/
Bill's speech was awe-inspiring, and it reminded her of all the reasons she'd fallen for him in the first place - just in case she needed the reminder. After the ceremony, she found her fiance amidst the crowd. Everyone dispersed enough for them to stand together in a corner of the flight deck. "I loved your speech, honey."
He snorted. "Not sure they knew what to make of it."
She touched his sleeve. "But I did."
"And you were the first to clap."
She smirked. "I'm pretty sure there's a clause about that in the vows we'll be making."
He laughed. "Just the same." He lowered his head. "I'm...um...sorry about earlier."
"Are you? I'm not." She gave him that look. "I'm just sorry you left me standing there."
He grinned. "So am I." He reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips, and kissing that spot on her inner wrist. "Wanna get out of here?"
"Lead the way, Commander."
/
She yawned and rested her head against him, perfectly satiated. "Did you know-"
"About the kids? Yeah, Lee told me after the photo shoot."
"You should see the ring, Bill. It's gorgeous. I'm glad he took my advice."
He stroked her hair and kissed her brow. "Me too. When he finally told me his intentions, all I could think was 'what was he waiting for?' I'm so glad he wised up."
"Me too, honey. And Kara too. You know she resisted this."
She turned to kiss him once more and then rose from the rack.
"I wish you didn't have to go."
"I don't want to go, either, but in a few short weeks we'll be married and in our cabin." She smiled. "I love you."
He sighed. "I miss you already."
"Me too."
She dressed quickly and exited the quarters. She walked the corridors to her Colonial Heavy, meeting Billy onboard.
It would only be a few weeks; it would go by quickly.
/
Everything changed on the way home. Namely, there was no home to return to. Her resignation null and void, as only Richard had known about it officially. And he was gone, now - along with 50 billion others. She may have teased about retiring with the press, but they would understand her pushing back her retirement - indefinitely - in the face of a crisis.
Knowing Lee was still alongside them helped her through, but the rest of her family was onboard the Galactica. She said a quick prayer for their safety.
Then she entered the cockpit for the latest status report. The captain informed her that Apollo had lost control of his viper. The captain seemed...lost, so she thought about what Bill would do, and issued that order. Her authority was only what she could manage to project at that point, but the people, including the captain, appeared...grateful to have someone making decisions for them.
Satisfied that her son was safe - or would be soon - she exited the cockpit and sat in her seat, wrapping her shawl around her. Space was much colder than she was used to, and it seemed she'd need to adjust to its temperature. But she couldn't think about that - immediate survival was the task at hand.
The captain sat next to her, and they began to go over tentative plans for search and rescue. It wasn't much, but it was her duty to save as many as she could for as long as she could. Lee approached them, followed closely by that Doral fellow. Lee shook the captain's hand, thanking him for the rescue, but his eyes gravitated to Laura, staying on her throughout his exchange with the captain. When the captain explained it was Laura who saved Lee, Lee nodded and approached her, leaning down to hug her tightly. "Thanks, Mom. I'm so glad you're okay."
She held him closer. "Me too. Thanks for saving us, by the way."
He pulled away to look at her. "Have you heard anything?"
She shook her head. "It's not good. Our homes are gone. Our people...everything."
"And Dad?"
"I don't know."
Laura saw movement from behind Lee. Doral was getting antsy about something. "Yeah, he wanted me to dethrone you or something."
She hummed. "Why don't you try to get ahold of Galactica?"
He headed toward the cockpit, shooting Doral a grin and saying, "The lady's in charge."
Doral visibly shrank and went gods know where. Just as well because that man was starting to annoy her. And it wasn't because he'd questioned her-people had been doing that most of her life. It was...there was just something off about him.
Laura shook her thoughts away and returned to the present. Vanity aside, she knew her actions could very well impact lives, and she needed to be in the moment.
/
Lee stood beside her as she took the oath of office. She was more nervous than she'd ever been in her life, but she knew this was what the people -what was left of them- needed. Her voice shook a bit in the beginning, but she kept going.
Soon after, the captain reported that they'd made contact with Galactica. Laura ran to the cockpit and picked up the headset. She put aside all of her feelings of relief or joy and conducted the task her people required. "Commander Adama, this is President Laura Roslin. I'm in the middle of search and rescue operations and I'd appreciate your help."
"Laura, we're in the middle of a war. Jump to us for safety."
"No, Bill, I won't leave these people."
There were voices on the other end and then Bill's panicked voice. "There are cylons coming your way. Get out of there, now!"
She was determined to hold her ground. "You have your orders, Commander."
Then she removed the headset.
Lee had been standing next to her, listening, but he'd disappeared. When she looked at the radar on the console, she knew she'd made a mistake. It would be the shortest presidency in the history of the colonies. She thought about Bill and how she would tell him he was right the next time she saw him….
/
When Laura opened her eyes, she was surprised to be alive but opted to fix her glasses and rise from the floor, where she'd fallen somehow. The captain asked her what was going on, but she had no answer, aside from the vague notion that somehow her son, her Captain Apollo, had saved them, again.
They headed toward the loading deck and quickly saw Lee's prone form by the coils. Laura knelt by his side, touching his face and asking if he was okay. Lee opened his eyes and smiled at her, "Well, that was fun."
She laughed, and she and the captain helped Lee stand. Laura asked what Lee had done, and he explained as best he could. It was clear they were safe for the moment, but that it wouldn't last long.
Lee started to suggest their next step, but Laura finished his thought. They prepared to jump away to rejoin Galactica at Ragnar.
/
Saul led her into the wardroom to conduct her affairs, after helping her to Bill's quarters to freshen up. He was tense. "Saul?"
"I'm just...he'll be fine, Laura. The Old Man can survive anything."
She gave a small smile. "I believe he can."
He excused himself to run the battlestar in Bill's stead, and she waited, glad to have Billy with her. She sat down at the table and got to work.
Billy explained what he'd learned about some of the ships in the fleet. One of the ships was a prison ship, and he broached the subject of how to treat the prisoners. Laura put up her hand, and quickly said she wasn't going to go down that road. Every life was precious, even that of the worst criminals. If she needed to enact law and order, she would, but she wasn't going to begin her Presidency by mistreating anyone.
At that point, Bill walked in, looking like...hades. Billy knew enough to excuse himself, and Laura launched into his arms. "Gods, honey, what happened to you?"
He kissed her soundly, then pulled back to look at her. "I thought you were gone, Laura."
She held him tight. "I'm right here. Not going anywhere." She smirked. "Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?"
"Love you. Sorry I didn't jump to help you."
"Sorry I didn't listen." She guided him to the table. She walked to the other side and sat down. "We need to discuss our plan of action."
He pulled out the chair across from hers. "That's obvious. We're at war. We need to fight."
She shook her head, sad that she had to be the one to break it to him. "The war's over. We lost."
"We haven't even begun yet."
"I think we're gonna have to adapt, Commander. Our enemies have outsmarted and outgunned us. We have no idea of their full strength and number, and they know everything about us. We can't win in a straight war, and you know it."
He grunted.
"Furthermore, the civilian population would never survive without Galactica to protect it. The man I love wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened, assuming he lives long enough to experience guilt."
He reached across the table for her hand, squeezing it. "Okay, what do you suggest?"
"We run and never look back. Find a new place where they can't find us."
"And then?"
"Well, we'll have to survive as a species by having babies."
He snorted. "You have anyone in mind?"
She tilted her head to the side. "I wouldn't mind a few grandchildren if that's what you're asking."
"I'll take that under advisement, Madame President." He sighed. "What about us? We have certain responsibilities."
"Yes, we do, but we can't not love each other." He snorted his agreement. "And everyone knows about us already. There are no secrets." She squeezed his hand. "I don't know exactly what's going to happen. But I'm not willing to give you up just yet."
They rose from their chairs and met each other in the middle of the room. He held her tight, and then excused himself to relay the new orders to CIC.
After he exited the wardroom, Laura returned to Bill's quarters to wait.
/
They were to stay together as a fleet. The last remnants of humanity would band together as they travelled through the stars looking for Earth.
Laura entered his quarters. He was finishing a bowl of those spicy noodles he liked so much. He offered her some, but she shook her head.
"I can tell you want to say something."
"Earth, huh?"
He hung his head. "I thought it would be for the best. Give people something to hold on to. Something to live for." He rose from the floor and reached for her. She went willingly into his arms. "Not everyone is lucky like I am, Laura. Like we are. They need Earth."
The tears started forming. "Okay, Bill." She kissed his cheek. "Are you up to a press conference tomorrow? We should address our issue upfront before it becomes a problem."
He sighed. "We don't have much choice, do we?"
They sat on his sofa and discussed what they'd say, trying to anticipate the questions they'd be asked.
/
They stood side-by-side behind the podium. The press corps sat in front of them on Colonial One.
Laura began. "As you all know, Commander Adama and I met on the set of the series 'The Bachelorette'." Everyone in the room nodded. "We fell in love nearly immediately. But even more than that, we became friends and companions. We got through my cancer, several bad dates, and a lot of other stuff together. Always together. Now, it's the end of the world, and I'm President of the Twelve Colonies, and instead of retiring, Commander Adama is the chief military officer."
Bill moved closer to her, gesturing toward the mic, and Laura waved him onward. "For my part, I can guarantee I'll follow the oath I took when I joined the fleet during the first Cylon War. But I can also promise that I'll never stop loving this woman."
Playa raised her hand. "What about you, President Roslin?"
"I agree with everything Commander Adama said. I'll follow the oath I took, do what's right for the people, but I can not stop loving him, even if we're not together."
The room was astir in questions, but it was going better than Bill and Laura expected. They discussed how they already put aside their personal feelings when working, and how it was something they did because they knew it was what the people needed.
In the end, Playa revealed she had rooted for them from the beginning as she watched the series. Because she had, she polled the fleet regarding the people's feelings of having their President and the head of the military be a married couple, and the fleet was nearly unanimously in favor of their marriage. Playa went on to explain that many people went on to comment: "At least they're upfront about it," "There won't be any funny business this way," "I trust them to work for us and lead us to Earth." Some other folks commented on their overall merit as a couple.
Bill wrapped his arm around Laura and said into the microphone. "I guess this means we can do this."
He put his free hand under Laura's chin, and she turned to face him, a smile in her eyes. They kissed, feeling free for the first time in days. When they broke apart, Laura turned to the microphone. "If no one has anything else to add, I'll call it a day." She smiled. "It looks like we have a wedding to plan."
/
The ceremony was a week later. She wore her favorite outfit, (of the ones she had left) the white wrap shirt and her pencil skirt. Bill wore his Dress Greys. Kara was the maid of honor, and Lee was the best man. Elosha agreed to officiate for them.
Bill's crew each wore their Greys, joining the press corps in the seats on the flight deck.
Billy walked Laura down the aisle they created, presenting her for Bill to take her arm. They stood before Elosha, who smiled at them before beginning. She talked about the miracle of true love, their strong bond, which would ultimately bring the people to their new home on Earth.
Then she told Laura to recite her vows. Laura turned to Bill. "You're my best friend and companion. You complete my every day and bring out the best I have to give. I couldn't imagine a day without you. I love you."
Bill's misty eyes reflected her own. Elosha indicated it was his turn. He looked Laura in the eye. "You're the love of my life. You're funny and smart and challenge me in ways I never thought possible. I hope you never stop."
Elosha led them through the exchange of their rings, for which Laura noticed Bill remove his other gold band. Laura smiled as she put its replacement on his finger.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, may the gods bless you both on your new journey. So say we all."
"So say we all," Laura and Bill said together. Then they embraced one another and kissed, as those in attendance cheered.