AUTHORS NOTE: I'm very sorry for how long its been between chapter uploads. I understand there is a lack of content for BSG fanfic these days and I wish I could contribute more. I am expecting my 2nd child and its been hard for me to write as we are moving and my energy is not what it usually is. I apologize if you must read the previous chapter to recall where this story left of. I promise to do my best to complete it eventually as long as there is interest but I don't have a timeline for when that will be. I appreciate anyone who is sticking with it and I also am grateful for those who have left feedback or messaged acknowledging the little references to my previous fanfic's themes or details. It means so much when folks notice things that that. Thank you for your time and patience.
NIGHT BEFORE THE CYLON INVASION OF NEW CAPRICA
"Oh stay! One more drink! One more hand! Pretty please?" Ellen whined. She'd been tanked halfway through dinner and still hadn't slowed, though her speech sure had.
"I'm afraid it's really time to go," Laura insisted as she stood from the table.
"Oh please? You're our first guests in our lovely little dusty new home," Ellen drawled. "Stay and celebrate a little longer!"
"Hey now," Saul followed, "you're the one that wanted to move down here so quickly and for now that means a tent. Lovely, dusty or not."
"Oh hush," she said, waving him off. "I'm kidding. Have to make the best of it after all. Now tell them to stay, Saul. Please stay? I know! We can play strip Triad! I'll let you win!"
Laura laughed, both amused and somewhat appreciative of the other woman's unique brand of hospitality.
"As tempting as that is, Ellen, it's a school night. I should get some sleep."
"We really should go," Bill agreed. "I have an early shuttle back to the ship in the morning."
"Booooo!" the intoxicated women jeered in disappointment.
"Ellen, shut it, will ya?" Saul scolded. "It's late. You're gunna wake Cally! She's about to frakkin' pop. You think she needs to hear your howling from three doors down?"
The Colonel had been pleased to find his new living accommodations so near Tyrol's. He'd already heard about the young man's effort unionizing the workforce. The Chief was no slacker and Saul admired the hell out of him for stepping up. Tyrol was doing good things and starting a family to boot. He was leading by example and if life was going to work on the dustball they'd settled upon, Tigh knew that other young couples would have to follow suit; work hard, motivate one another and keep the population going. He wasn't sure of his own place on New Caprica, but he'd help guide the others and keep an eye on his former shipmates as best as he could manage.
"I wish you'd stay for just one more drink," Ellen whined again.
"Elle, if they wana go, they wana go," Saul told her once more. "They have things to do."
"Oh," she said as her posture perked up and her brows raised. "Oh of course! How silly of me. I'm just being selfish. You all know me. Speaking before I think is one of my specialties," she giggled. "By all means the two of you should go do your things. And, Bill, honey, you make sure you do enough things to last her the whole week. When you're not here she's got a tent full of rugrats to deal with and only erasers to bang!"
"Damn it, Ellen!" Saul swore with a palm to his forehead.
"C'mon, Elle," Bill echoed and winced, but both men knew after so many years there was just no getting Ellen to control herself when under the influence.
"Oh, Laura knows, I'm teasing," she scoffed. "Right, Laura?"
"Ellen," Laura said with a bemused and knowing smirk, "you're just about the only person left alive who can say that sort of thing to me and get away with it," she confirmed.
"See?!" Ellen exclaimed in delight. "You boys have turned into two sticks in the mud! Turns out Laura here is a frakkin' trooper!"
"Alright, Elle," Saul dismissed his wife's rambling. "You two go on ahead. We're glad you came," he told the pair .
"Thank you both for a very enjoyable evening," Laura answered earnestly. "As much as I know Bill hates to see you leave Galactica, I'm personally glad to have you both down here."
"Come back soon?" Ellen slurred, her head now resting on her new roughly handmade table. "I still have more old fleet week stories for you."
"Oh, I have no doubt," Laura replied, giving her a little wink and a wave goodnight.
Saul took Bill's hand and gave it a shake.
"You two get settled," Bill told him. "I'll be back in a week or so. You can let me know then if you need anything else from the ship. I'll have it sent down."
"Thank you, Bill sweetie," Ellen said with a yawn as her eyes grew heavy.
"Really, Bill," Saul added. "I know this wasn't an easy choice, but thank you."
Bill swallowed and gave his friend a nod. He couldn't say that he liked the idea, but after talking with Laura and realizing the value of their current respite he could no longer deny such requests.
"Saul, I owe you more than the chance to walk on solid ground and breathe real air. All I ask is that you two take care of each other while you're down here. I mean it."
"Yes, Sir, we intend to," the Colonel confirmed with a new air of pride.
The two men embraced with a pat to their respective backs.
"And Saul," Bill spoke into his friend's ear as discreetly as possible, "while you're here and I'm away, if Laura should ever need anything-"
"Say no more, Husker," Tigh assured him before the two separated.
"Goodnight," Laura bid them as she and Bill left the tent but Ellen was already snoring at the table with Saul looking over her considering how he was going to get her into bed.
They left and Laura couldn't help but chuckle to herself as they walked down the row.
"Those two are a riot."
Bill rolled his eyes at her remark, but his smirk showed a hint of shared amusement.
"They can be a bit much after a certain point," he considered, "but they're both better people than most think. Unfortunately their reputation is less than admirable, but even though they've had more than their share of issues I can confirm that a lot of what folks say about them is just rumor."
"It makes sense," Laura shrugged. "They have such an obvious love for one another. They're unconventional and that brings judgment. I can't say I'm innocent of making my own assumptions about them, I'm afraid."
"Ellen and I have had our issues," Bill sighed. "Especially during times when she and Saul were having troubles over the years. It's just more complicated than that."
"Most people's lives are," Laura shrugged.
"Years ago they went through something very hard. Lasted a long time. Something very personal and strenuous and after that they lost a lot of stability. Both came through it worn and damaged. Still, they never completely let each other go and I never could decide if that was a good or a bad thing. They can bring out the worst in each other or the best. It just depends on the circumstances."
Laura nodded in consideration as they walked. She had been admittedly quick to judge the couple after Ellen's initial appearance on Galactica. While she still had her opinions of the woman she was reminded that everyone had their own story, their own trials, losses and achievements that made them who they were. She was well aware that if people were ever to learn of the biggest secret she kept from her life on the Twelve Colonies her reputation would be far worse than Ellen Tigh's.
As carefree and fun as Ellen tried to be, Bill obviously knew that her behavior had come from more than just quirkiness. It was usually pain that led people to hide behind flagrancy and excess.
"How do you think they'll fare down here?"
"Hard to say," Bill said with a shrug as they walked with arms linked. "They do love each other very much. They just both have some toxic responses to hardship. Their ups and downs are...drastic. I know I painted sort of a harsh picture of Ellen when she first returned. A lot of what's said about her is speculation, exaggeration and some of it is actual truth but that's really no one else's business."
"I see."
"They'd been on the outs again right before the fall and I was angry at her. The suspicion I had in everyone at that point, even you… it didn't help. The truth is I care for them both very much and I would really love to see them succeed here together once and for all."
"Maybe this is their new beginning, Bill. Maybe here on this world they can start over. Frak the past."
"I hope so," he sighed
"It's late."
"I know."
"The younger kids arrive to class so early," Laura cringed.
"I'm sorry I dragged you out tonight. We should have left right after dinner."
"Oh it's fine, Bill. We've both endured far more on far less sleep. Besides, I had fun."
"I'm glad," he smiled. Happy to know that she wasn't just enduring the company of his friends for his sake alone. "It's nice to see."
"Will you really be back in a week?" she asked as her tent came into sight.
"If I can manage. Not as if there's much to do up there these days. You know you can always come back up," Bill reminded her. "We had a nice time up there last weekend."
As they approached her tent Laura let out a cynical chuckle.
"I would have already had to put in a travel request to make that trip," she muttered as she unfastened the tent flap.
"That little bastard is so full of-"
"There will be other weekends," she said, cutting him off, taking his and leading him inside.
She was in far too pleasant of a mood to talk about Baltar.
"Of course," he said with a nod as he followed. "I still have those cabin layouts to show you."
The two entered her tent and lit the few dull amber bulbs that served as her only light source at night.
Laura gave him a little hum in response as she turned to him with a look he couldn't quite read at first.
"Bill, I'm so tired," she told him.
"Sleep," he said, nodding toward the bed, as if his simple answer would solve her obvious dismay.
"I'm sorry," she told him, with regret evident in her eyes.
"Bout what?" he asked before her expression suddenly changed to one he was far more familiar with.
"Laura, that's not why I come down here," he told her with a firm affection. "I would hope that you understand that by now. I've told you how I feel."
She nodded and smiled, still unable or unwilling to return his sentiments, but no doubt glad to be with him. The two washed up and went to bed.
As much as Laura felt at ease within Bill's arms she couldn't help but wonder how she'd gone her whole life before him without ever wanting a man to stay in her bed. She'd never had a lover before who she felt content with just by laying in their arms. It felt strange. Good but also a little scary. Exhaustion and inebriation overtook her wondering and soon she'd fallen peacefully to sleep.
The New Caprican night went quickly as Bill held Laura's slumbering body. He fought the urge to sleep almost the entire night, drifting off for only a few minutes here and there, just wanting to enjoy the feeling of being beside her. He wanted a few precious hours he could think of while he was gone.
He winced when he eventually heard the dulled sonic boom of a raptor breaking the atmosphere.
"Laura," Bill spoke behind her ear. "Laura?"
"Mm?"
"My shuttle is about to land."
"What time is it?"
"0500. I should get dressed. Head out soon. I just didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."
She groaned in half conscious protest, snuggling up beside him even closer.
"Stay a little longer?" she yawned.
"I shouldn't. After the way we drank last night I'm bound to fall back to sleep and have the pilot sitting there until the gods know when," he rationalized, but it seemed that Laura was unconvinced by his excuse.
"Don't sleep, Bill," she told him as she reached for his hand that rested on her shoulder and brought it to the swell of her breast. "Stay…Just for a little while. Please?" she asked as she pressed her backside further into him.
He nuzzled his face into her neck and kissed at her warm skin.
"You don't play fair, Roslin. How the frak could I say no to such a request?"
"That's the idea," she muttered, still appearing to be clinging to the space between sleep and true wakefulness.
"You're sure you don't want to get some extra rest?" he tested.
"Mmm mm."
"I won't be gone long," he reminded her.
"Still. When you are, I do miss you," she replied.
"I know what you mean," he said as his hand left her hip, sliding down between her legs and into the thin satin of her panties. She immediately adjusted to give him room, half turning to roll her weight against him and propping her leg over his as his fingers dipped further and further. "How's that?"
"Mmmhmm," she hummed with sleepy contentment, her eyes still closed but a sweet smile set on her lips.
She let out a soft but appreciative moan in response to his caresses.
"That a girl," he softly encouraged with a chuckle.
She rocked her hips gently in time with his fingers, making sure that her backside was pressed to his groin.
"You're killing me, Laura."
"Please, Bill?" she asked, making sure he understood she wanted more than his hands on her.
The feeling of her warm body moving against him had Bill far past the choice of noncompliance.
He slid her panties down to be lost somewhere beneath the layers of blankets at the foot of the mattress.
"There we go. That's better," he said as he helped her to her side.
He kissed at her cheek bone for a moment as she settled in place, still drowsy but obviously waiting for him.
She hummed a bit in frustration, letting him know that she was eager. He almost had to laugh. As much as he'd wanted her for so long and as many fantasies as he'd had he'd never quite expected her to be the aggressor in bed. He was both surprised and flattered to find her to be the more eager and less patient one when it came to sex.
Without wasting any more time Bill pushed himself into her as deeply as he could and she let out a sound of what he could only call relief.
"Is this what you wanted, Laura?" he spoke into her ear.
Nodding, she took his hand from her breast and put it between her legs again, finally ready to give in with him inside of her.
"I'll walk you to the showers," he told her not long after they'd each caught their breath. "I can leave from there."
"No. I'm fine. I just want to lay here for a while," she told him. Still happy to bask in the warmth and after effects of their union. "You go."
"I'll be back, Laura," he promised again.
"I know."
NEW CAPRICA TENT CITY: WEEK 22 OF CYLON OCCUPATION
"Let me go first when we get there," Caprica Six insisted as she and D'Anna walked down a dusty row of the tent city trying their best to stay upon the poorly constructed wooden walkways.
"You act as if she'll be somehow comforted by your presence," D'Anna said with a roll of her icy blue-grey eyes. "What's the difference? You really think she hates the sight of one of us over the other?"
"She already let me in once," the Six argued for about the tenth time. "She knows I didn't hurt her."
"And I know you bashed my head in with a rock back in Caprica City, what's your frakking point?" D'Anna shot, causing her sister to pause in her tracks beside her. "That you're so trustworthy and gentle?"
Caprica stared at the Three for a tense moment trying to decide whether or not to respond to the mention of the violent act. As she stared at her challenging gaze she decided to let it go. They could read one another's feelings well enough.
"If there's no difference then let me go in first," she said instead, choosing to focus on their task.
"Fine," D'Anna tersely relented. "If it means so much to you."
They began walking again, determined to get to the school before Laura Roslin left for the day.
"Don't you think it would be better if we could convince her to willingly allow us to examine and safely utilize the child for a better future?" Caprica attempted again as they continued their trek. "If she could understand that we don't want to hurt him and that granting us access could only be for the betterment of both races, wouldn't that be preferred to just taking him? Her cooperation could only be beneficial to us and to the optics her people would witness."
"You can't possibly believe she'd ever willingly do so," D'Anna countered.
"I do. We don't plan to hurt the boy," Caprica frowned.
"But she sure as hell was willing to eliminate him, her own child, just to keep us from him," the Three harshly reminded. "And she quite probably had a hand in killing Sharon's child. Remember that. I don't think you quite understand who you're dealing with here. Your optimism, once again, is probably going to lead to a giant waste of time, Caprica. Besides, we aren't going to her to talk about the baby today. We're going in order to tell her to call off her detonator-happy goons.
"There," Six nodded toward their targeted destination. They halted their steps and watched from a distance. "The children are leaving for the day. We'll go in as soon as it seems like they've all left."
D'Anna watched on as a little over a dozen human children rushed out onto the dirt road.
"You're sure she's in?"
Caprica nodded.
"Police patrol reported she was there this morning."
"Oh goodie," the Three said with mock enthusiasm.
"You wanted to come," Caprica briskly reminded her. "You insisted."
The two waited out of sight as the children filtered out little by little.
"Let's go," D'Anna prompted once the stream of young Colonials had stopped popping through the tent flap.
She stepped forward ready to make her way closer to the school but Caprica grabbed her by the arm.
"No," the Six told her, holding firmly to the leather of her jacket sleeve. "Wait. Not just yet," she advised, with her eyes firmly cast on the tent's exit.
"Wait? Why," D'Anna complained, looking disgruntled and pulling her arm out of her sister's grip.
Caprica nodded over to the tent, finally seeing what she'd expected.
"That's why," she said as she watched Maya emerge from the school with Isis in her arms.
"Who is that?" D'Anna asked as she observed the woman and her child walking off down the tent row.
"One of the assistant teachers. She's Roslin's neighbor. She didn't like it when I stopped by last time. Put up more of a fuss than Roslin did herself."
"Hm," D'Anna said with a shrug as the young woman disappeared out of their line of vision. "Good call. She's gone now though. Shall we?"
Without so much as a nod Caprica finally stepped forward and the two made their way to the school.
Inside the tent Laura had finally sat down at her desk for the first time in hours. Putting in a full day was proving difficult even with extra help from Maya and the few other teachers. Tory had stepped up a bit but she still didn't know much other than Laura had been under the weather and needed to lighten her workload. She did what she could in order to take over scheduling and had taken to teaching a few subjects to the older children who were near the end of their schooling. Laura was grateful but she knew that the time had come to tell Tory the truth.
"Laura?" a voice called from beyond the tent flap.
She looked up at first to find no one there. She'd almost thought she was hearing things when the Six stepped inside.
Laura's eyes went wide and her spine stiffened in her seat.
"Laura, I hope this isn't a bad time-" the Six began, but before she could go on D'Anna made her way in and stood beside her with a smug little smirk on her face.
"We've come for some after school help," the Three teased in lieu of a greeting.
Instinctively Laura listened for the sound of a centurion, then for the sound of police boots. Had either accompanied the cylon women Laura knew that she was probably about to be taken again. She strained to listen to the sounds beyond the school's canvas walls but she couldn't hear a damn thing over her own pulse beating in her ears.
"It's just us," Caprica told her and it made Laura shutter as if the Six had somehow known exactly what she was thinking.
"Just us," D'Anna mimicked with a shrug.
"What the frak do you want?" Laura asked.
"Do you talk to all those little brats with that tone?" the Three returned.
"D'Anna," Caprica warned.
"No," Laura answered. "They belong here. You don't. Now. what do you want?"
D'Anna's brow raised with amusement.
"Awful cross for a mummy to be, don't ya think?" she prodded causing Laura's cheeks to flame in anger.
"How are you feeling?" Caprica tried to interject with a relatively eager smile.
She had no intention of making things more tense than they needed to be. She'd known D'Anna's presence alone would be threatening enough and she wished like hell she'd been allowed to come without the Three.
"I was fine until you got here," Roslin told them firmly. "I'm busy. What do you want from me this time?"
"We aren't taking you in," Caprica blurted, causing D'Anna to roll her eyes. "Please don't be scared."
"No we aren't," the Three confirmed. "Not this time at least."
"So what are you here for then? Making another film, Ms. Biers?"
D'Anna smirked and she and Caprica caught eyes for a moment. Could Roslin tell that D'Anna had been the Three aboard Galactica or had she just made a generalized association?
"In the interest of your own health and safety," D'Anna continued, "we have chosen not to distress you by detaining you at this time, however we do have some important matters to discuss."
"Don't worry, Laura," Caprica attempted again. "It's not about your son."
"It's about the recent increase in violence," D'Anna informed her.
"Here to apologize?" Roslin replied.
"You first," D'anna rebutted.
"You nuked our planets, committed mass genocide and murderously chased us through the galaxy," Laura shouted as she gripped the edge of her desk. "Since finding us here on this planet you've done nothing but continue your terror."
"We came here to live with you," D'Anna argued. "We offered a peaceful coexistence."
Roslin shook her head and snickered with obvious disgust.
"You know if I let myself forget the horrors you've inflicted I could almost feel sorry for you. You don't know the meaning of peace, you don't know the value of community. You have no idea. You know nothing but how to kill."
D'Anna looked back at the woman with icy eyes.
"See it seems to us that your people are doing an awful lot of the killing."
"You don't die," Laura sneered.
"But we do," the Three corrected. "We die and we feel as much pain as any human. We just come back after...much like you did. Remember?" she taunted, hoping to read Roslin's reaction to the implication.
"Would one of you get to the frakking point?" Laura snapped, her patience now broken.
"We want you to call off your goons," D'Anna answered. "Enough with the explosives. They aren't doing anyone a damn bit of good."
"That's one perspective."
"We aren't going anywhere," the Three told her. "Why not encourage your people to live as peacefully as possible?"
"Laura," Caprica began, "the bombings, the destruction of cylon buildings, its just more and more violence. If your people would just agree to-"
"To what? Submit and be abused? Why? Yours didn't."
"This can't be the kind of place you want your child to be born into," the Six attempted. "Bombings, civil unrest. It's no place for a baby."
"No you're right," Roslin spitefully agreed. "It's been hell since you showed your faces here."
"Consider that there is an alternative," D'Anna said as if it were a business offer. "A new way to look at things. None of us have to live this way."
Laura blinked a few times and folded her hands atop the desk before looking back at both copies.
"Well thank you for that but I'm not sure what you want me to say. You think that if I told my people to give you all a chance and be one with the cylons that they would listen? Fall into line because I said so? In case you haven't noticed, I am not the president any longer. The Colonial citizens voted for Giaus Baltar. Not me and our people sure didn't listen to him when he tried to get us to surrender so what makes you think they'll listen to me? They'd label me a traitor and a coward just like Balter is."
"We're aware of the influence you have over people," D'Anna said as she crossed her arms. "We acknowledge that Giaus has failed to achieve that level of respect. We also understand that your reach goes far beyond your current position."
Laura stared at them for a moment without speaking. She just wanted them gone.
"Fine. Believe that all you want but unless you think I'm building bombs in here with the children every morning before class you're off your mark."
"Oh don't worry," D'Anna said with an impish smile. "Colonel Tigh is being addressed as well."
"If you take him again it will only escalate things," Laura nearly spat.
She hated when Saul was taken nearly as much as she did when she was apprehended herself. Without him she knew she couldn't keep the Resistance going for long. Their people could continue without her guidance, but without Tigh's leadership she feared the efforts of Anders, Tyrol and the rest of the Resistance fighters would fall to pieces.
"Is that a threat?" the Three replied.
"It's a piece of advice," Laura answered.
"Laura, things will only get worse if they carry on the way they have been," Caprica attempted. "Please consider that and please think about what that means for your future."
"And is that a threat?" Laura followed.
"As you said, consider it advice," D'Anna answered. "Call off the bombs. That's all we came to say. Have a lovely evening," she added as she turned to leave.
"Laura?" Caprica said, stepping toward the women instead of following the Three.
"Please don't come any closer," Laura said, trying to mask the fear in her voice with firm insistence.
"I just wanted to tell you that you may be asked to visit our medical center soon."
"Asked?" Laura echoed.
"We'd like you to come willingly," the Six clarified.
"Not a chance," she scoffed in the blonde's oddly concerned looking face.
"We have your child's best interest in mind. I'm sure the fleet doctor is doing his best to monitor you but we'd also like to make sure that you're doing well and see if we can help in any way."
"I don't want your help," Laura said, the protective rage of a mother threatened shown in her eyes.
"I just wanted to inform you," Caprica calmly told her. "Please try not to be afraid if you're asked to come soon. I promise, no harm will come to you or to your child there."
"Let's go, Six," D'Anna called from where she stood watching the interaction by the exit. "We've said our piece."
"Stay well, Laura," Caprica said as they took their leave.
After they left Laura sat shaking for what felt like entirely too long. She had to compose herself. She had to take action. She stood from her desk chair and pushed it in. She had a meeting to get to.
BUNKER BENEATH COLONEL AND ELLEN TIGHS DWELLING: WEEK 22 OF CYLON OCCUPATION
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, Doc, Colonel," Chief said with his brows high and eyes darting between the three of them. "I'm just a little confused."
When Tyrol had been called down to the bunker along with Tory and Sam he'd assumed they'd be briefed on some new mission or given a piece of classified intel, he just never imagined the nature of it being anything close to what he'd just heard.
"My Gods, Laura," Tory whispered, looking at her former boss with near astonishment.
"Me too," Sam added.
"Have you all got dirt in your frakkin' ears," Colonel Tigh grouced from where he sat beside an old wooden desk. "What's so hard to follow?"
Doc Cottle had been pretty plain and blunt with the new information he'd given the three Resistance members and Tigh didn't appreciate the dumb looks of astonishment plastered on the young people's faces.
"It's alright, Colonel," Laura interjected on their behalf. She appreciated his overprotective defensiveness in a way. Lords knew she was mortified admitting everything to the young souls in their charge, but if she was going to ask for their help she had to allow them to understand as much as safely possible. "It's surprising news. We all needed a moment to let it sink in too."
"I'm with the Colonel," Cottle added with his own protective bias. He didn't like the uneasy looks on their faces. The young men especially appeared nervous and almost skittish, as if they were a couple of teen boys returning home from summer camp to find their mother knocked up by their high school pyramid coach. He didn't want Laura to feel any more embarrassed than he was sure she already did. "Try and keep up. We haven't even gotten to the damn hard part yet. If we can't count on you then what are you three doing down here?"
"Sherman," Laura warned, but he just turned from her view and lit a cigarette he'd pulled from behind his ear.
"Doc, Doc, you can count on us" Chief tried to assure the older man. "We just want to make sure we understand."
"Then keep your yaps shut and just keep listening," the Colonel snapped again.
"Saul," Laura admonished.
She was glad to have both the Doctor and the Colonel behind her but the overt defense to any hint of judgment almost made her feel more self conscious than she already was. It was as if everyone presumed that she would feel ashamed and perhaps part of them thought that she should.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry," Chief told her, hoping that he didn't look as flustered as he felt. "We don't mean any disrespect."
"It's quite alright."
"How long?" Tory asked, still looking stunned.
"She's almost half way through," Cottle responded.
"I'm so sorry, Ma'am," Tory said at a loss. She looked the former president up and down, still finding no obvious visible evidence of her condition. "I had no idea you were going through all of this."
"How could you have, Tory? I didn't until recently," Laura admitted. "This is all very unexpected."
Anders stood with his arms crossed and his brows furrowed.
"Aside from constant surveillance I don't know what else we can offer," he stated matter of factly.
"Well we'll start with that," Tigh followed, unwilling to admit the lack of certainty they could offer.
"But we can't stop anyone from being taken," Sam reminded him.
He wasn't against helping their former president by any means. but it was a hell of a wrench being thrown into everything and he didn't know what sort of protection they could really provide. He'd be damned if he'd sit back and let cylon scum take a Colonial child but their line of defense for something like this was just limited. He'd re-trained himself in retaliation during his months as a survivor on Caprica but it had been a long damn time since he'd played any decent defense.
"I know that. I do," Laura conceded. "I don't expect you to."
"Forgive my bluntness, Ma'am," Anders continued, "but you're a target. Probably the biggest one out there and now, well I don't know short of putting you under lock and key how we could keep you safe."
"We'll see about that," Tigh challenged, still headstrong that he wouldn't let a damn thing happen to Bill's child.
"Do you mind?" Cottle griped at the Colonel. "Frakkin gas bag," he muttered. "Can I continue with what I was saying?"
"See about what, Colonel?" Sam challenged, ignoring Cottle's request. "You're the next biggest target after Roslin! You haven't been able to stop them from hauling your hide in have you?"
Saul stood up from his rickety chair and puffed out his chest
"If you're not willing to help why don't you just-"
"Colonel," Chief cut him off, "Sam, c'mon. We can do this. We've got to. Colonel, we're just talking things through. That's all. We'll do all we can."
"We will all certainly try our best," Cottle followed, "but the real reason you're all here is to discuss what we're going to do if we're lucky enough that this child is born outside of cylon custody and how we can keep him hidden thereafter."
"Hidden?" Chief scowled.
Laura had come to a harsh and heartbreaking realization not long after she'd told Maya the truth. The existence of her child was a danger to everyone around her. She would never be able to keep him safe and with her once he was born and attempting to do so would just endanger anyone who attempted to help her do so.
"Sherman, I can't keep this baby once he's born," she had told the doctor one day after an exam. "I know that. It's taken me some time to come to terms with it, but if there is any chance of keeping him safe from the cylons I know that it won't be with me," she'd said with a stabbing pain in her heart.
Not long after Laura decided to carry her child she'd begun to realize the impossibility of being able to keep him when and if he was born alive. As the days passed it became clear that being together would only be a danger to them both. She prayed and prayed to the gods that she could keep him healthy and out of enemy hands until he was delivered, but she knew after that happened she needed to find some way to keep him away from the cylons. She was resigned to it, had accepted it, but she was terrified that she would never get him back.
"I've been considering that, Laura," Cottle had told her with a look of regret in his eyes. "More and more so since your condition has been improving. I wish I had a better solution for you, or that I could tell you differently, but I'm afraid you're right."
"I don't know what to do," she'd wept behind the drawn curtain.
"I have a place for him when the time comes" Cottle had told her, surprising her with the amount of thought he'd already put into what she'd been struggling to admit. "It's the safest I can come up with"
"Where? With who?"
"We've had an influx of teen mothers since moving down to this rock. The kids are bored, a lot of them are orphans themselves or have parents too stressed or depressed to offer proper supervision or guidance. Out of the ten expectant women we have under our care right now four of them are under age. We have a few families that have been taking in the babies who are either given up or whose parents need time to mature a bit before claiming custody. Sometimes the babies go back to their natural mothers after being fostered for a period of time, sometimes they're adopted out. These are respectable men and women who foster. I know one well, I trust her completely. She's taken a few newborns I've delivered here and cared for them until they had proper placement, but she also has a few older children, orphans from the exodus or kids who lost their folks since being here. She's kind, capable. Some of the former temple priests organized the construction of a larger space for her knowing that she'd be offering her fostering services. She's not in a tent but a more sturdy rudimentary structure with room enough for the children she takes in. You may have passed it before without noticing. It's almost as humble as any tent but it's warmer and cleaner and she keeps it well. She wouldn't know who or what he is. As far as she'd be told, he's the son of a scared sixteen year old trying to finish her schooling before she takes him back."
It was all so much to take in. It made sense but just the thought of handing the child over to a stranger made Laura's heart begin to crumble.
"Even if I can make it to his birth without the cylons taking me, they'll be more than suspicious when there's no baby to speak of."
"I know that Laura," Cottle had said that day with sadness in his voice. "This is where the plan gets a little...involved."
"She's going to give birth down here!?" Chief said with wide eyes.
"Ideally," Cottle shrugged.
"Ideally!?" Tory echoed in alarm looking around the dirt walled bunker in disbelief.
"Where? Sam scoffed. "Next to the shitty makeshift com station or that dirty pile of crates the Colonel rolls his cigarettes on?"
"Look none of this is ideal," the doctor countered, "but for this plan to work the cylons can't be made aware of her labor or delivery. They'll be waiting to take her at the first sign."
"So...what?" Sam shrugged. She comes down here, gives birth in a frakking hole in the ground and goes back up with no baby? Once the cylons notice she's not pregnant anymore they'll tear the city down looking for where we stashed the kid."
Cottle let out a long sigh, reluctant to repeat what he'd told Laura that day she'd come to him.
"His death will have to be staged, morbid as that sounds."
"Frakking hell does it ever," Saul complained with a scowl. He'd already gone over the plan several times with Roslin and Cottle and yet every time they got to that part, necessary as it was to their success, he couldn't help but cringe.
Though she'd already accepted it Laura also winced at the mere thought; not only that she'd have to witness the staging of her own child's death, but that it would be the second time that she'd be a party to such a thing.
It all felt like some horrible penance that she was afraid she greatly deserved.
"I know that this all sounds very complicated and improbable," Cottle went on, "but we have lived nothing but the complicated and improbable since we left the Colonies. I think as long as all goes in our favor we can do this. My medic and I will do our best, with the help of everyone here to prepare the space. Thankfully there's already some basic electricity fed down here. We'll need a bed and we'll do our best to keep the sanctioned area as sterile as possible, but it's childbirth, not brain surgery. As long as there are no serious complications she'll be fine. Doesn't take much. She'll do most of the work," he tried to tease with a wink in Laura's direction but her expression hardly read as amused.
"Cally had Nicky in our tent," Chief mentioned with a thoughtful shrug. "I mean, it's a little dusty down here but, it's pretty damn dusty up there too," he considered.
Cottle nodded and went on.
"Once the baby is cleared as being healthy enough to be brought to its foster family he'll be taken there by someone we can trust. Then we'll bring the president to the infirmary to recover. By the time word gets out that she's there and the cylons come looking for her the child will be settled and the cylons will be told the boy was stillborn, cremated according to religious tradition."
"Won't they flip?" Sam posed.
"They might," Roslin answered. "And they might take me anyway and do Gods only know what in retaliation. They may or may not buy it, but it's our only hope of even attempting to keep this child from them."
"What are our first steps?" Tory asked, already prepared to spring into action.
"Hold on a sec," Sam interrupted. "What if something goes wrong? You said she's already had complications, Doc. Sorry Ma'am, I mean I hope all is okay, but what if it's not?"
"If it's not then the plan to hide the birth down here is off," Cottle answered. "Simple as that. We'll take her into the medical tent, do what we have to as discreetly as possible and pray for the best. Hope to the gods that we can still get the child to safety before the cylons notice. This plan, this is the best case scenario. It's our one shot. Without it they'll just come and take him when they're ready. We can't sit back and resign ourselves to that. At least I won't."
"What do they want with this kid?" Tyrol asked, suddenly growing rather nervous. "They know I'm Resistance. I mean, is Nicky in danger? What should I do?"
"No! No," Tigh insisted. "Nick's fine."
Upon their planning before informing the others Cottle and Roslin had sworn Saul and Ellen to secrecy as far as the unique biological interest the cylons had in the child. It was plausible enough that the cylons would choose to use the son of the former president and Admiral Adama as leverage. It was reason enough without knowing the child apparently had some form of cylon inherited DNA. The less people who knew about the cylon cure of Laura's cancer and its current consequences the better. Though Laura intended on telling Tory privately due to her prior knowledge she considered that it wasn't imperative to share the same level of detail with Anders and Tyrol. They would be able to protect her just the same without the extra burden of knowing the full truth. If the facts were to come out by other means so be it but for now she wouldn't add extra weight to anyone's load.
"Look, they want this kid because of who Roslin is," Saul attempted to justify, not only because he wanted to keep the truth as confidential as possible but because he hated the thought of Nicky's parents fearing that he might also be taken. "There isn't a more high profile face in this entire encampment. Everyone knows who she is. The cylons think that if they take her kid they'll get her to bend to their will and influence the rest of the frakking population. They don't realize we aren't a herd of sheep like their lot. You don't worry about Nicky. He's not going anywhere. None of these kids are!" Tigh shouted with a fist to the worn old desk.
For a moment they all stood there taking it in, considering all that had been said and what yet needed to be done.
"I hate to be the one to say it," Chief eventually spoke up, "and I don't mean to be rude, Ma'am, but… the child's father-"
"He isn't here," Laura stopped him before he could finish his question. She licked her lips and swallowed before she went on. "But when he comes back...Well, when he comes back he'll be at that much more of a disadvantage if his son is in the hands of the cylons. It's all the more reason that we have to keep this child from them. If we can do that then our next job will be to get his child to him safely once he returns."
A look of realization came over both Sam and Galen, while Tory seemed mostly unphased by the implication.
"Understood, Ma'am," Galen told her with a knowing nod and a pledge of his service not just to her and her unborn baby but to the man he'd served for years who he had to believe was out there somewhere waiting for the right time to return.
"This is going to take a lot of planning," Sam considered. He wasn't happy with his new charge. Before Cottle had even begun to explain why they'd been gathered there Roslin had shared the recent threats they'd gotten from the Six and the Three regarding their rebellion. With cylon retaliation looming the protection of this child would prove to be even more difficult, but Sam sure as hell didn't intend to fail at the task he was being given and he was already formulating a plan in his mind. "A lot of diversions will need to be ready to be implemented at a moment's notice."
"That's true," Tigh said with a nod. "And we're trusting you with that, but it's not to take away from everything else you've been working on. It can't. We can't let up."
"Yes, Sir," Sam acknowledged. "Ma'am," he said, turning to face the former president. "I don't know if it'll make you feel any better, but we'll do all we can."
"It does, Mr. Anders," Laura nodded. "In fact, it's the only comfort I have."
END NOTE: Please review or let me know if there is still interest as its harder for me to write these days and when/if I continue may depend on readership as its been difficult to direct my energy toward writing as much as I'd like to. I am sorry for the shorter chapter. I wanted to get something out to show that the story was not dead/abandoned. Best wishes to all- LLA