Chapter 2

Laura couldn't draw a full breath, her heart felt like it was being squeezed. The words the doctor had spoken not a minute earlier still echoed in her eyes, one word in particular.

Cancer.

She had cancer.

She was going to die just like her mother. It was funny how your life could change so much in a minute. She if anyone should know that. Her mother's cancer, the death of her family, being elected President. This. Laura hung onto the counter in the hospital bathroom desperately trying to slow her breathing, and stop the tears threatening to fall. She balled her hands into fists digging her nails into her palm. She had cancer. A rouge tear slid down her face, and more followed. She gasped for breath, digging her nails harder into her skin. She shut her eyes against the torrent of tears. She tried to breath deeper and slower but the more she did, the quicker and more shallow her breaths become. She opened her eyes staring into the mirror and gasped when she saw her mother's tired eyes and pale skin staring back at her. The tired eyes she had stared into as her mother struggled to breath. As she become sicker and sicker and the treatment that was supposed to help did nothing but cause her more pain. The only thing she could hear was her ragged breathing, that too closely resembled her mother's last breaths. She forced out one breath after another until her breathing finally slowed and the tears stopped. She did it just so she wouldn't be haunted by the sound of her mother's dying breaths anymore. She had to pull herself together. She was already running late and had a speech to make in half an hour. Slowly Laura unwound her fists and splashed some cold water on her face. She met her security gaurds at the door of her office, knowing she was late but she didn't say anything. Bill glanced at her face and his expression changed slightly. For a moment she was worried he was going to ask her if something was wrong, but he didn't. Kara however did not offer her the same courtesy.

"Is something the matter?" she said.

"I'm fine," snapped Laura, walking in front of them and down the hallway, they hurried to keep up.

"Your speech starts in ten minutes," Billy informed her. She nodded and they arrived at the auditorium. with a minute to spare. It was only when Laura was walking onto stage that she wondered how she was going to face all these people. Public speaking had always made her nervous. Now it was worse. Would they be able to tell something was wrong? She wondered. If she made one wrong move it would be on the news within the hour. Laura stood behind the podium on stage. She took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves. She made the mistake of looking out into the audience, so many people, so many cameras. For a moment she froze unable to think. She stayed in that one spot completely unmoving. Laura could feel her heart in her throat. The noise around her seemed to fade away and the only thing she could hear was her quick short breaths. She tried to remember what she was supposed to say but the words were gone. She turned feeling slightly panicked, looking for someone to help her. Laura's eyes met Bill's. His warm brown eyes held her gaze, and his lips turned up slightly into just the hint of a smile. Laura tried and mostly failed to smile back, she turned back to the audience, she could do this. She stumbled over a few words and completely missed a line, but she did it. After she finished her speech she hurried off the stage not looking back at anyone who was following her. Laura went into the bathroom letting the door slam behind her.

Bill Adama stood outside the bathroom, Kara a couple feet away form him. They were silent for a couple of minutes.

"What was that?" Kara finally spoke. Bill shrugged,

"Everyone has a bad day," he said. He had been doing this job for two weeks now, and he found he almost liked it. Laura Roslin was, well infuriating, he didn't no how to put it any other way, she still hadn't given up trying to lose them in every crowd. She kept him on his toes, but there was something about her. Perhaps it was the fiery red hair and jade green eyes, Bill didn't know, there was just something about her. Something that made him want to take her into his arms and tell her that she wasn't alone. That thought was completely irrational of course, he barely knew the women, and she couldn't stand him. Something seemed to have happened today, she had told Kara she was fine, but Bill doubted that was true. When she came out of the bathroom, she looked like she'd been crying.

"I don't need an escort to the bathroom," she muttered as she strode passed them.

Laura stared down at the tea she was making, she could smell the distinct smell of Chamalla. After a week of taking it she had started feel the effects of the Chamalla. Now she had been taking it for three weeks and it didn't seem to be doing anything other then making her slightly nauseous and light headed occasionally. Without thinking of the consequences she added double the amount of Chamalla she was supposed to take. Maybe it would finally work. She hadn't revealed her cancer to anyone yet, not that there was many people to tell, Billy, she would have to tell him. She resolved to not tell the press until she absolutely had too. Laura went through the motions of the day. When Billy asked her what was wrong she told him she was just tired. He probably didn't believe her but she knew he wouldn't push her to tell the truth. For that she was grateful.

She didn't try to run away from them anymore. The President had stopped trying to lose her security detail. She seemed defeated, and sad. Now she waited to make sure they were following her, she hadn't made any snarky comments about not needing them for almost two weeks now. Bill was worried. He shouldn't be, he barely knew her. He looked over to where she walked beside him. She was trying to shuffle the files she held around while holding a mug of tea. A file slipped from her hand, Laura bent down to pick it up.

"Do you want me to hold something?" Bill asked. She handed him her mug of tea and repositioned her files. What ever was in the mug had a strong smell Bill noted, it smelt familiar but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Thank you," Laura said taking the mug back. They came to her office and she entered. A minute later Billy entered her office.

"Your supposed to be at the meeting with the Quorum," he said somewhat anxiously. Billy never liked the Qurom, they argued to much, and he had just been in the room with them for the last ten minutes trying to keep them from killing each other. He wasn't sure how Laura managed them.

"Oh right." She stood up too quickly and had to hold onto her desk to steady herself. She avoided Billy's gaze as she walked out of the room her head held high. She took her spot standing behind the podium in the front of the room.

"All right lets get started," Laura said.

Bill stood to the side of the President and a couple feet behind her. The members of the Qurom were enthralled in an all out yelling match and she did nothing to stop them. Laura stared into space leaning on the podium, as the members of the Qurom continued to yell at each other. They were debating a stop sign for goodness sake. There was no way it required this much yelling, thought Bill. He looked towards the President with concern, she was holding onto the podium as if it was the only thing keeping her standing. Her skin was much paler then it normally was and her eyes were glazed. She did not look well. Bill looked around but he seemed to be the only one who noticed the state she was in. The members of the Qurom were to busy arguing, Kara was staring at the door and he had no idea as to where Billy had gone. He watched as she swayed. Bill took a step forward to stand beside her.

"Madam President, are you alright?" He asked. Her eyes flicked to his. For a moment she held his gaze. She tried to talk but the only word Bill could understand was Chamalla. She started to fall and Bill stepped closer catching her in his arms. A hush descended over the room as she fell into his arms unconcise, that caught the attention of the Qurom, and Kara. He swept his arm under her legs, picking her up, he carried her out of the room. Kara followed after them and Billy appeared in the hallway.

"What happened?" Billy asked his eyes wide.

"Someone get a doctor," Bill said gruffly. He carried her down the hallway and into her office were he set her down on the couch in her office. The paramedics arrived a couple of minutes later and Bill stepped out of the office. Only then did he think about what she had said. Chamalla. Where had he heard that before? Suddenly it occurred to him, her tea, it smelled like the tea his grandmother used to drink. He thought about how Laura's tea smelled, it was Chamalla that what he was reminded of. His grandmother had died from cancer.

Frak.

The President had cancer.

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