"Billy?" Laura stops the young boy before he can leave for the evening.

"Yes, Madame President?" Bill says as he arches his eyebrow, holding a couple folders in his hands.

"Um…I just wanted to thank you for everything that you've been doing for me, for the fleet, just in general."

"Oh…it's no problem," Billy says, his cheeks starting to color.

"I mean it, I really appreciate it," Laura reiterates, rounding her desk before wrapping her arms around the tall boy. She squeezes him tight before letting him go, "You know what? Give me these, they can wait until tomorrow."

Laura takes the files out of his hand, putting them back on her desk before smiling at him.

"Listen some of the kids are going over to Cloud Nine tonight, you should join them, take a night off."

"I…That's not…"

"I won't take no for an answer. Go, have fun, and I don't want to see you back here until 0800 and you better have a hang over," Laura comments as she shoves him out the door.

"Okay, okay, I'll go," Billy says, putting space between them, smiling down at his boss, "I'll go."

"Good," Laura smiles, "Good night."

"Good night, Madame President," Billy replies before slipping out the hatch. Laura smiles as she shuts the hatch behind him, locking it before her bare feet carry her across the floor into her husband's arms.

"You're late," Bill grouses before pressing his lips to hers, hungrily.

"Mmm I am, I'm sorry," Laura murmurs against his lips before looking over his shoulder to make sure the boys were still asleep before, hooking her fingers in his tunic and pulling him back towards the rack. Laura quickly undresses her husband before shoving him down onto the bed. With a practiced hand she divests herself of her skirt and top, losing her underwear along the way as well.

Laura slips into bed next to Bill and kisses him hungrily as her hand slips between them, fondling his half hard member with a happy hum. She strokes him with a firm hand, bringing him to full mast. Bill uses his weight to shift their positions, pushing Laura onto her back as he hovers over her.

Laura captures his lips with hers, kissing him hungrily. Bill pulls her hand out from between them and pins it above her head. Laura arches into him with a moan as his free hand drifts, skimming over her side. His lips move away from hers and he presses wet kisses to her jaw and down her neck, nipping hungrily.

"Gods," Laura whimpers as his mouth assaults her nerve endings. She uses her free hand to push at his shoulder, rolling them over so she's sitting astride his hips. She grins victoriously down at him, wiggling her hips playfully. Bill slaps at her backside.

"Tease," Bill growls, arching up against her. Laura groans and grinds back down against him.

"Don't pick a fight you can't w-in," Laura falters as he rocks back against her.

"Oh I can win," Bill says, his hands running up her thighs. Laura sits up straighter, arching her back as she unsnaps her bra and tosses it to the side.

"I've missed you," Bill comments, his hands drifting up over her stomach and sides before cupping her breasts in both of his calloused palms. Laura bites her lip as her eyes slip closed, a hum sitting in the back of her throat. He massages the tender flesh gently, his thumbs brushing over her nipples. Laura opens her eyes and looks down at him with pools of liquid green desire. She digs her nails into his chest and flashes her eyes at him as she grinds down against him.

Bill's hand move back to her hips, nudging her to sit up. Laura moves up onto her knees and Bill shifts a hand between them, stroking her thoroughly before guiding Laura down on him. Both of them groan in sync as they come together. Laura leans down and kisses Bill, her hair creating an auburn veil around them. Bill's hands run up her back as he bucks up against her teasingly. Laura shifts her hips, starting to move over him slowly.

Bill grips her hip with one hand as he moves with her, meeting her thrust for thrust. He trails his free hand softly over her body, tantalizing her nerves with the extra stimulation. Laura grabs his hand in hers, threading their fingers together. She squeezes his hand tight as her mouth drops open.

"Frak," She whispers, her head starting to swim. Bill bites playfully at her knuckle, watching her face as he moves.

"Tell me what you need," Bill rasps, bucking up hard against her.

"More," Laura groans, rocking back hard against him. Bill shifts and deposits her on the bed next to him. Laura whimpers at the loss of him, looking up with questioning eyes.

"On your knees," Bill says as he slaps her ass.

"Oooh," Laura giggles before rolling over, sitting up on her knees. Bill sits behind her and playfully slaps her ass again. Laura moans and shifts her hips back against his, clenching the pillow in her hands.

"Mmm we might have to explore that later," Bill murmurs as he kisses her shoulder. He shifts his hips against her, sliding back into her depths. Laura groans and pushes back against him, her head dropping down. Bill teases her with slow but firm strokes, not giving in as she grinds impatiently back against him.

"Gods Bill. Harder," Laura whimpers, her eyes clenched shut as she bites her lip.

"What harder?" Bill asks as he wraps an arm around her waist, moving his fingertips around her wet heat. Laura lets out a moan as his finger brushes over her clit before moving away.

"Frak me harder," Laura grounds out, trying to push her hips back against him.

"Frak me harder…?" Bill repeats, brushing his finger back over her again.

"Please," Laura begs, practically ready to fall apart in his hands already. Bill grins and begins to massage his fingers firmly against her as his hips speed up, moving against her hard and fast. Laura only manages to make it a few more thrusts before she buries her face in the pillow and cries out, her arms giving way and leaving her only bent at the waist. Bill slows his own hips and gives her a break as she works through her release. Laura turns her head to the side and pants gently.

"Frak," She says with a chuckle.

"Good?" Bill inquires. Laura nods as she pushes herself up, pressing her back to his front.

"You are quite the talented man," She tells him with a kiss, reaching back to tangle her fingers in his hair. She nudges her hips against him, encouraging him that she was ok for him to move again. Bill buries his face into her neck as he moves his hips against hers. He wraps an arm around her middle and cups her breast in his hand again, massaging the flesh. Laura moans and tilts her neck to the side for him. She squeezes him internally and tightens her hand in his hair, pulling his head back so she can kiss him again.

"I know you're close," she whispers, tugging his bottom lip with her teeth.

Bill groans and pulls her tight against him as he empties into her. Laura gasps and arches her back as an aftershock rolls through her system. The two of them sink down to the bed, Bill staying spooned against Laura's back, his arms wrapped around her. Laura releases her hold on his hair and strokes her fingertips against his cheek gently with a hum as her eyes slip closed.

"Listen to that," Laura murmurs quietly.

"What?"

"Silence," Laura grins, snuggling back against Bill's chest.

"Mmm, that is a rarity," Bill comments as his hand strokes her hip, "Let's enjoy it."

They had only made it through an hour of enjoying the quiet before Bill got the call about the hostage situation on Cloud 9. They'd spent most of the night focusing their efforts on an event that hadn't had the greatest outcome, and their paths diverged. He was focused on Lee and Laura was focused on Billy. When he caught up with her in the morgue, it was the darkest he'd seen her. After giving her a few moments he dutifully wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head before taking her back to their quarters.

Bill locks the hatch and walks her over to the rack. He quietly undresses her and puts her in a pair of tanks and shorts before tucking her in. He presses a kiss to her forehead and gets up to go finish some work. Laura's hand snaps out and grabs his.

"Stay," she croaks quietly. Bill nods and undresses before getting in bed next to her. He wraps his arms around her body as she lays her head on his chest. Laura lets out a shuddering breath, clenching Bill's tanks in her hand, trying to furiously blink the tears away.

"He was so young…," she whispers before her shoulders start to shake. Bill rubs her back gently, shushing her. After a little while the shaking stops and he feels her body relax as she drifts off to sleep. Bill sighs and runs a hand through his hair before flicking the light off. He shuffles down to lay next to Laura and closes his own eyes.

The next morning Bill wakes as he feels Laura climbing back into bed, frowning when he doesn't feel her body against his. He cracks an eye open surprised to find Laura watching him, sitting up at the other end of the bunk. Her hair was still ruffled from sleep and her eyes slightly red and puffy.

"I think it's the first time in six months I could use a frakking cigarette."

"I'm sure Cottle would let you bum one," Bill tells her. Laura cracks a small smile, looking down at her hands in her lap.

"Is this what we are now? Rabid animals snapping at each other, going for the kill? There's less than 50,000 of us left…at this pace…" Laura trails off, shaking her head as tears well in her eyes. Bill puts his hand on her leg and squeezes.

"That's not what we are. We didn't get to hand pick the fleet we were given. And tensions are running high. But that's not what we are." Laura nods quietly and rubs the back of her hand under her eyes, sitting up a little straighter.

"I should get dressed."

"Laur, take a day off," Bill says softly, stroking her thigh. Laura shakes her head as she slips out of the rack and straightens up. Bill looks up at her, concerned.

"I just…need a little bit of time alone," Laura grabs a new outfit from the closet and goes into the head. She comes out a few minutes later, ready for work. She puts the tanks and shorts in the laundry and steps into her shoes before picking up the files she'd brought the day before. She leans down and kisses Bill's forehead.

"Bires will be here in half an hour, they just ate," she murmurs before heading out the hatch.

The next few weeks Laura was withdrawn and quiet. She put a brave face on for Aurora and was gentle and soft with the boys, slept dutifully next to Bill with a respectable space between them, and trained Billy's replacement, Tory.

After Baltar had announced he was running against her in the wake of the abortion scandal, Bill hand found her sprawled out in bed with a sleeping Aurora nestled against her on one side and both of the boys on her chest. Her hand was stroking along Alex' back in an absentminded manor as she stared up at the ceiling.

"If there is one thing that I campaigned on almost as hard as education it was choice. I threatened Richard time and time again if he ever rolled over on it I would walk faster than the ink would dry on the bill. And what did I just do? I rolled," Laura takes a deep shuddering breath as tears run down her temples, "I rolled over and I feel frakking sick about it."

Bill sits on the edge of the bed and stills her hand on Alex' back, covering it with his own. Laura finally flicks her eyes towards him, their green depths pulsing with sadness and disgust.

"I hate what I've become," Laura whimpers before quiet sobs rack her body.

The first time Bill saw a genuine smile out of her was during her debate prep. He'd walked into their quarters to find torn notecards scattered all over the floor. Bill fixes himself a drink and smiles as the boys each giggle as the pieces of paper flutter by.

"Can I ask what you're doing besides making a mess?"

"Memorizing talking points," Laura comments, her tongue snaking out of her mouth as she reads the next card before tearing it in half and tossing the pieces away, "I used to do it before committee hearings. Memorize the point, tear the card, and…let the pieces fall where they may. Of course I used to do it in the office and not at home."

"Mmm. My father used to break pencils in court."

"I picked it up from him," Laura comments as she continues, "Always carried a back up box of pencils to give back to the court reporter."

"What if they didn't have a pencil?"

"Then he was screwed," Laura says as a spontaneous chuckle bubbles up. She covers her mouth with a wide eyed look as a second one comes. Bill grins as he takes a sip of his drink.

"Oh gods," Laura giggles again, "I used to get the giggles before debates in…"

Bill chuckles himself as she bursts into a fit of giggles.

"…in high school," Laura manages to choke out before another set of giggles bubble up. They both look over as Tory opens the door, telling them that it was time to go. Bill finishes his drink and stands, walking over to his wife and offering his arm. Laura reaches out to grab it, practically doubling over in laughter. Bill tucks her close as he guides her out the hatch, the marines closing it behind them, muffling the peels of laughter coming from the redhead.


Laura jolts out of a sound sleep, lifting her head from it's spot snuggled into Bill's shoulder just before the phone rings. She waits for Bill to finish talking before resting a finger over his lips as he opens his mouth to speak.

"We can't…we can't do this. We can't settle there."

"How did you…"

"We can't settle there," Laura impresses before letting him go, "I'll meet you down in the CIC."

"Okay," Bill nods, slipping out of bed and pulling his blues back on, rubbing his eyes tiredly before starting to button his tunic as he slips through the hatch. Laura takes a moment before getting out of bed and grabbing a pair of pants and a shirt. She grabs the handset and has Corporal Bires paged before changing out of her pajamas.

Laura's feet carry her into the living area and she leans over the boys' crib, stroking their backs gently. She pulls her hand back and straightens as the hatch opens, smiling at the Corporal. The Corporal salutes before proceeding into the quarters.

"Thank you for coming, Amanda."

"Of course. Is it true? They found a planet?"

"That's what I'm going to go find out," Laura tells her, a false smile spreading across her lips, "They might wake up in an hour, I'm hoping to be back before then."

"Take your time," The Corporal smiles. Laura grabs her glasses before heading through the hatch herself.


[TBC]