The Rising Red- Chapter 2

[splodge04]

BSG Fic- The Rising Red
(It's also uploaded at Survival Instinct for those who prefer that format.)

Summary: An angsty and slightly AU fic surrounding Adama and Roslin. The President's life is jeopardy and it's only a matter of time until it's too late.
Rated: M
Disclaimer: These character are unfortunatley not mine! I'm just puttin them into my own little storyline to keep me entertained until Season 4!
It's set after Epiphanies and before Sacrifice in Season 2.


Chapter 2- "An Uncertain Connection- word count 8435
Things start getting a little intense as Bill and Laura are thrown head first into something they would never have believed possible.

Chapter 1 can be found here.

Thanks to my lovely betas laharah and trickalicious78 for helping me out with these. This is for you :D

“Chapter 2- An uncertain connection”

Laura placed her hands on either side of the sink, resting her weight on its cool surface as she contemplated her situation. Inside, she felt her stomach churn as she realised that maybe Bill was right, it could be cancer. It was like a bad dream. These past few weeks had been horrendous and she didn’t have any idea which direction she was going in anymore. How could she? One minute she would see a glimmer of hope, like her small rest in Bill’s quarters, and then she would be hurled head first into a dark corner, everything shattering around her. It was difficult to reason with herself as she thought about the consequences of Doc’ Cottles findings. Uncertainty washed over her like a veil, smothering everything else that was screaming inside of her.

Anomalies?

She breathed a long and deep breath, trying to shift aside the cloud of worry that had crept over her. If she thought logically then maybe it wouldn’t seem as if her future was so damned. The definition of anomalies, to her, was something different, something not quite right. It could mean anything. It might not be that the disease which had plagued her for so long was back, threatening to drag her back into a state she never wanted to go back to.

Another tear rolled down her face, dripping slowly into the sink. The small sound resonated around her like a bang. It felt like before, when her life hung in the balance. Every sound, every thought and smell mattered to her so much more. Even now, after going through what she had been through, she knew that she had slipped back into a state of mind that made her question whether she had been living life as she had wanted to, given the circumstances.

A deep husky voice was mumbling in the distance, its tone was aggravated and she knew that Bill was trying to get something out of Cottle. When she had handed him the receiver, her back turned to him as she felt her self-control break apart, his voice had sounded pained as he had begun talking to the man at the other end. When the tears ran freely down her face she had to get out of there, not wanting either of the two men outside to see her crumble, her self composed shield no longer visible amongst the sea of salty tears. As she had turned to get herself out she had caught sight of Bill’s face. His eyes, the windows to his mind and soul were wide with a deep worry that penetrated into her, bouncing off of her insides, ricocheting around until it lodged right into her heart. In that one brief moment, she had wanted to comfort him. In no way had she ever wanted anyone else to get hurt because of her actions. If it was bad, it would be her fault. If she hadn’t neglected the chance to see the doctor before then maybe it wouldn’t feel like everything was falling away from her. Maybe she wouldn’t be hurting other people in the process.

“Madam President,” Billy mumbled quietly, his voice was anxious as he spoke through the door to her. “Doc’ Cottle said it would be wise if you went over to Galactica.”

Laura wiped at her eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. Every tear that made its way down her cheek was making her feel more and more angry with herself. One of her hands moved up to her chest as if holding her heart. She had to pull herself together so she could show them that she was strong. Being weak was something she always thought was silly. The room seemed to rise in temperature as she thought about going to Galactica. How long would it take to find out what these anomalies were? How long would it take to come to the decision that maybe she was going to die? What if it was something really bad? Something quick? These thoughts kept bouncing around, her cheeks getting more and more flushed. The grip that she had on the sink increased as the mirror swam infront of her eyes. She was really losing it. As she leaned forward to rest her head onto the sink she head Billy mumble something in another direction and then there was another knock on the door.

“Laura, is everything ok?” Bill sounded slightly alarmed.

She breathed a few deep breaths and stood up tall. “I’m fine,” her voice croaked, making her cough lightly. “I’ll be out in a moment.”

Red blotches stained her cheeks from the crying and she tried frantically to hide them. With a damp tissue she wiped her face, trying to remove the small black smudge that had made its way down her face like the trail of a snail. It wasn’t going to budge without a fight and although she thought that she could stay in the bathroom forever, Bill and Billy would probably try and break in. Her hands subconsciously made their way down her body, straightening out her clothes as she eyed herself in the mirror. It was certainly a good thing she didn’t have anything else to attend to today.

Bill watched as Laura appeared from the bathroom, her cheeks and eyes red and her face blank. The only inclination that he had that she had been crying was the way her eyes glinted in the light from the tears which still swam there. In a way, he admired how strong she managed to be, but at the same time he hated that she had to appear strong. It was an odd combination, but sometimes he just wanted her to let out everything that he knew was pent up inside of her like a caged animal. Maybe it would make her feel better and release her worries, anger, fear and frustrations.

“We’re leaving as soon as we can, Madam President,” Billy said softly, moving his hand to her arm which was fixed at her side.

Laura nodded and her slender hand moved to Billy’s, esting it there lightly. When her gaze met his she smiled awkwardly and nodded her head, her eyes filling with more tears. “Yes, of course. Thank you, Billy.” She was so very thankful for Billy’s presence, his young and innocent eyes were always so clear. He was like family to her, and she sometimes wondered what she would do without him. It wasn’t just all the things he did for her, it was the underlying understanding that he had with her. They needed no words.

Laura, without saying anything, moved back over to her desk and sat down, her hand clutching at her chest again as if it was a subconscious lock which was keeping the tears in. “I’ll just need to grab some things and then we can get going.”

“Already done, M’am,” Billy held up her small duffle bag and placed it back on the chair to his right.

Laura smiled again lightly. “You’re too good to me, Billy.”

Billy didn’t say anything, he just looked awkwardly to the Admiral who was standing now, close to Laura’s side, as if subconsciously trying to protect her. A shield, guarding her from anymore hassles or pain. “Well, when you’re ready, we should go.” Bill paused and held out his arm for her. “I also think that you should stay on Galactica, Laura.”

Laura looked up to his arm and stood up under her own power. “I don’t want to put anyone out. I’m very happy to stay here, travelling back and forth. Depending on the result of course.”

Bill saw her eyes divert and he put his hand on hers when it wrapped tightly around his arm. “I won’t take no for an answer, Laura. You’re staying on Galactica.”

Laura felt relieved and argued no more. It would make her feel so much better to know that he was going to be close by.

**

Laura took Bill‘s arm again as they walked silently down the hallway towards his quarters. On the way over the ride had been tense. She had noticed on many occasions the sly looks of curiosity and worry from the two men which were now seated on either side of her. She appreciated their worry but she didn’t like being the brunt of it. It was never her choice to have either of them worry over her and it pained her when she thought that they could be hurting too.

“Bill,” she whispered, moving her head so that it was almost resting on his shoulder. “Are my new quarters near yours?”

“Yes, I made sure that the room next door was vacant.” He smiled keeping his gaze facing forward.

Laura, at first thought that maybe he was going to let her stay in his room, as suggested, but now, with her current situation it may be wise to simply put her nearby. Maybe there were other reasons, like crew speculation. Either way, she was happy to be nearby, just a room away at all times.

Bill pulled her around the corner and they walked past the familiar entrance to his room, within the space of a few more steps they had arrived at Laura’s new residence. He turned the lock and pulled it open, letting Billy walk in first, followed by Laura, and himself behind her. “I hope it’s ok.”

Laura eyed the rack at the back, its light blue sheets were silky and pillows were sprawled across its surface. It looked comfortable. Someone had gone to a lot of effort to make the rack as Laura friendly as possible. The room was furnished with a few things she thought wouldn’t usually be present in a guest’s room onboard the Galactica. It seemed that there was a small bookshelf situated at the back right by the bed. It looked similar to something that Bill had in his room. She smiled lightly and nodded. “You didn’t have to do this for me.”

Bill took his glasses off and wiped them gently whilst gazing over at the bed himself, admiring the handy work. “Well, it wasn’t me, it was Kara. I asked her if she could make it a little more comfortable for you. I think she has succeeded, no?”

Laura nodded again and placed her bag onto the chair nearest to her. “Yes, she did a wonderful job, and in such a short space of time too.” She rested her hand on top of the cool leather surface of the chair, contemplating whether she wanted to go straight to the infirmary or just stay here and think things over. It was hard. Deep down she knew that she had to go now to find out what was going on, but she was filled with a deep dread for the impending outcome.

Bill, who had finished cleaning his glasses watched Laura carefully. As he watched her he noted the way she rocked on her feet and how her grip was hard on the chair. She was thinking. It was always fascinating to watch the way that Laura Roslin’s features changed when she was contemplating thoughts. The way her eyes glazed over as if blocking out everything around her. At present, her mouth was set in a small grimace and he figured out what she must be thinking. What he knew she was thinking about. Although he thought she was doing a good job a deflecting how she was feeling about her news, he knew her too well. It was eating her up. It was bad enough that she had been through something similar before, and now she was in a similar boat. This boat, however, was a boat with an undefined course. Going to see Doc’ Cottle was the only way to determine her course. His fingers rested on her arm, breaking her gaze. Her eyes rested upon his, a moisture shimmering in her eyes. She blinked, the tears slowly disappearing. The wall in which she was so used to using back at full strength.

“Ah,” she said, pulling her glasses off of her face. At first she tried to smile, but her mouth wouldn’t stay there. It was a familiar routine that she often used. Her brow scrunched up and she rubbed her eyes gently. “Well, I think it’s time we went to the infirmary,” she said with a slightly shaky voice.

“Laura-”

“I think now is the best time,” she said quickly, cutting him off.

Bill just nodded his head, his statement of comfort blocked by her. “You can settle in later then.”


**

Gaius heard the murmur of voices behind him as he continued to look down at the slide infront of him. There was something very wrong with what he was seeing, but somehow familiar. A part of him was at the point of giving up but the rest of him was pushing his concentration further in search of the answers that were lying below him.

“Doc’ Cottle,” Laura said softly as she entered the infirmary, Bill at her side.

“Welcome aboard, Madam President,” Cottle said, showing her toward where Baltar was standing. “I’m sorry to have to bring you here like this and under such circumstances.”
Laura didn’t say anything, instead she just nodded her head before looking nervously towards Baltar who was now scribbling furiously on his note-pad.

“Do we know what it is yet?” she said.

“Baltar has a very good theory. We’ve ruled out cancer and most other illnesses too.”

Laura felt her body flood with relief as she heard those words, her knees wobbling underneath her as she put her hand to her mouth. When her body faltered slightly she could feel the pressure of a body behind her and she knew that Bill was standing close, a presence she was thankful for. “So, what do you mean then by anomalies?”

Gaius lifted his gaze from the slide and lifted up his notepad. “Well, Madam President, basically there is a foreign substance in your blood. I’ve been analysing the structure and I have come to the conclusion that it is man-made.” He tore the sheet of paper from the pad and walked towards her. “It’s a fairly simple chemical structure at first look but it is wreaking havoc inside of you. I’ve seen something very similar to this before, many years ago when laboratories started to try and bring out new substances and chemicals to enhance alertness. It was a great success, people were able to stay awake for longer periods of time. It would have been a success at any rate-”

“Would have been?”

“Well, yes, would have been. I’m not sure if it is the exact chemical here as what was used then, but it is acting in a very similar way. It might be in slightly different form. I’m amazed that anything like this even made it off of Caprica.” When Gaius raised his eyes to the President he could see the worry and suspicion behind her eyes.

“Well if this is the case I shouldn’t have anything to worry about then, do I?”

Cottle and Baltar exchanged glances. “I said that it would have been a success. It seemed that it had drastic effects on many of the users who took it in large doses. What I mean to say is, it had a fatal effect on these users.”

Laura’s hand covered her mouth and she swallowed hard, looking at the men around her. “There would be something to counteract this though?”

Gaius nodded his head. “The thing is, Madam President, we don’t know how this got into your system. It seems that this version of the drug develops over time, increasing its own strength. We don’t think we have anything here that will counteract this particular drug. We need to know how this got into your system and who has done it. I’m sure whoever it was will have the antidote.”

Bill stepped forward his face hard and alert. “You mean that someone has done this to the President? Someone is trying to kill her?”

“That is exactly what I am saying, Admiral Adama.”

Laura backed up and sat herself down in the stool that was a mere foot away. Although there was a small inkling of relief inside about the idea of not having cancer, there was also a deep feeling of nausea. Someone was doing this to her. Someone was trying to kill her. Had she really been doing such a bad job? It didn’t make any sense at all. How had they done it? “Do you know how long I have? I mean, if you can’t get the antidote for it?”

“We will find it.” Bill said, his grip firm on the counter.

Doc Cottle cleared his throat before looking at the president with a deep sympathetic face. “Well, we think around two weeks on the outside.”

“Yes, around that, but Madam President, you have my word that we are going to do everything possible to make sure that you don’t-”

“I know you will, and for that I am very thankful.” Laura’s eyes were cold, and Bill watched her completely convinced that very little was actually holding her together at that moment. If it wasn’t for her strength and strong will, she would probably be crying her eyes out by now. “I need to know how bad this is going to effect me in the up and coming weeks. How bad is this going to get?”

“Well,” Gaius said nervously. “From what I remember, the chemical will keep you awake for long periods of time, your body weakening from the lack of rest. If it goes in the same direction as before, taking into account the fact that it increases in strength, you will then start feeling sick, you‘ll find even the most simple tasks difficult.” His eyes were round and full of regret. The words that were flowing from his mouth were difficult for anyone to hear. “Hallucinations, maybe some hysteria and then, when it gets too much for your body to cope with, you’ll-”

“Yes, I think we get the picture, thank you.” Bill’s eyes narrowed as he felt his stomach lurch when he realised that it was going to cause her pain. More pain. Would the God’s ever let up on her? When he turned to face her he could see that her face was lined with worry. Her thumb rested on her cheek as her fingers rubbed across her forehead, her eyes closed. “Madam President?”

“I think I need to lie down,” she lied. She just wanted to escape and collect her thoughts away from everyone. It was a lot to take in and although she felt a deep underlying numbness she was sure that she was secretly surging with every horrible emotion possible. She was just unable to recognise them. It was hard enough to be yourself infront of people when you were president, and now, with everything, she felt as if she didn’t know who she could trust. Life used to be so simple.

“Yes, of course, I’ll escort you to your room, Madam President.”

Laura nodded and stood herself up quickly. “Please, keep me informed.”

“Of course, Madam President. Of course,” Gaius said, peering awkwardly at her stoic face.

As the two leaders left the infirmary, Bill called upon two marines that were situated at the doors. An escort. “I promise you this, Laura. We will get to the bottom of this. So help me Gods.” She didn’t react. Instead she kept her eyes forward and her face blank. It was just getting worse.

**

When Bill had left her in her room he was feeling physically sick with worry. Although he knew that he had some of the best marines watching her door and the ship itself on an extremely high level of security, he still couldn’t stop worrying. Someone had done this to her and it made him irate. That woman had done so much for the fleet even when she had cancer. She was a role model and had kept so much together through her will and devotion to the human race. The worst thing was that he didn’t have any idea who could have done it. Even if he had an inkling about who it was, he would be down on them like a ton of bricks, interrogating them into submission. He would do whatever he had to do to make sure that she was safe. He had to, for her sake and his own.

The rack offered him very little comfort as he lay there thinking about her. Although he thought about her often, wondering about her feelings and how she was doing, today was different. She was in danger and her health was decreasing by a force that was, at this point, unstoppable. Bill Adama was not used to battling something like this as everything had a weakness, even himself, and his was lying a few inches through the bulkhead. If he had to send out forces to every ship in the fleet until a culprit was found, he would. No stone would be left unturned until that cure was found, or at least until Baltar came up with something.

It seemed like he had been lying there for hours when he got up and began pacing around his room, thoughts running through his mind, preventing him from sleeping. This must be what it feels like not to be able to get the rest you deserve. Laura was strong, but to face this every night must be horrible. The small music player which he had was sitting idly on a table in the corner was like a beacon in the mist, so he walked over to it and turned it on. His quarters filled with the sound of an orchestra playing a soft melodic tune. It was something he used sometimes to help him think. In this case he hoped that it would trigger sleep, or at least a calm state of mind so that he could get some shut eye.

Bill didn’t like feeling guilty, but it seemed as if at that moment he was filled with it. He felt guilty for letting Laura down. Maybe if she was watched more or if more guards were present she might not be in the state she was in. He hoped that they could find the thing to cure her. He didn’t know how he would cope if she died because of him slipping in the security department. Bill also felt guilty for his lack of presence in the CIC. He was leaving a lot of work for Saul. Although he could handle it, it just made him feel bad that he was leaving him for such long periods of time.

When pacing no longer satisfied his restless mind he took a seat in the chair which sat behind his desk, picking up papers and reports that he had abandoned to deal with Laura. He hoped that sleep would find him soon.

Laura placed her ear against the cold bulkhead in which her rack rested against. The time she thought would be spent contemplating her current state of affairs, was spent instead thinking of nothing. It seemed her mind had become numb to her situation, not wanting to spend any of her precious energy on it. The gut feeling in her stomach was telling her that she needed to think about it, she needed to come to terms with what was happening and how she was going to cope. She just couldn’t bring herself to it. It was a bad idea, she knew, but sometimes her body and mind just stopped. Maybe it was a good thing. It might help her get some sleep. Even with this drug coursing in her veins, doing more damage, she still might be able to get some shut eye.

Violins chimed in the air around her. It took her a few moments to realise that music was coming from nearby. When she pressed her ear against the cool metal, she could hear a muffled noise from behind it. Intrigued by the sound, she stood on the rack, lifting her ear to the air vent which was connected to Bill’s quarters. When her ear rested against the grate she could hear the music much clearer now. Her brow furrowed, sensing that maybe Bill was having a hard time sleeping like her.

Laura got down from her rack and slipped on her slippers, pondering the idea of going next door. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror she smiled slightly, seeing her stood there in pyjamas. Could she take on the corridors of the great Battlestar in only her nightwear? Not actually giving much of a damn, she threw on her dressing gown and unlocked the hatch. When her face was hit with a blast of cool air she blinked and was taken aback by the small army which was assembled in the corridor. The men were all in black and looking at her with a curious expression. She smiled. “I just need to go and talk to the Admiral about a meeting we are having tomorrow.”

The closest marine nodded his head and pulled the hatch closed after her. All five of the men followed her to Bill’s door, where she knocked and waited patiently for him to answer. It was slightly embarrassing to be encircled by five armed men while in a pair of pale blue pyjamas, white fluffy slippers and a white dressing gown.
The hatch opened and Bill appeared, sporting a tank top and trousers, something she rarely got to see him in.

“Madam President, is everything ok?”

Laura nodded her head, her gaze averting slightly to the men around her. “I thought that we could chat about the meeting tomorrow with Tom Zarek.”

Bill nodded his head and let her in, closing the hatch behind her and locking the door. You could never be too safe. “Did you really want to talk about Tom Zarek?” he said as he walked towards her.

Laura shook her head, closing her eyes as she listened to the soft sounds coming from the music player. She really missed the time she used to spend listening to all of her favourite tracks. “I couldn’t sleep, and by the sounds of the music drifting into my room, neither can you. Is there something troubling you?” She opened her eyes and rested her caring green eyes on his face.

Bill didn’t say anything at first, thinking it slightly ridiculous that she should be asking about his welfare when she was the one in jeopardy. “No, nothing at all.”

Laura raised her eyebrow. “Bill…”

“How are you feeling?” he sat down on the sofa and watched as she followed, keeping her dressing gown wrapped tightly around her.

“I’m fine,” she lied. It was horrible knowing that there was a possibility that she was going to die. It was horrible to know that someone out there didn’t want her alive, that they were killing her for some reason she didn’t know. She wanted to cry and let out so much of the pent up frustration inside of her. Whenever she thought about it she felt as if she was choking, the air leaving her lungs and refusing to return. But, when she looked into Bill’s eyes she could feel her fighting spirit rise to the surface. Apart from Billy, Bill was someone she wanted to stay alive for.

“I don’t believe you,” Bill mumbled, pulling out a small bottle of ambrosia from the side of the sofa.

“Just like I don’t believe that something isn’t troubling you,” she said stubbornly, standing up to get glasses from the table. She could see it in his face that he was lying. It was obvious. She also knew that he was pretty good at keeping to a sleeping routine, and at the current time, it was obvious that he wasn’t. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Bill tensed his jaw and took the glasses from her hand. Expressing emotions was something he liked to keep to a minimum, and although he knew she was good at reading him, he still didn’t like saying things out loud. He knew that she was one of the best people he could confide in, like she did to him, it was just difficult to get to the point where words would flow freely from his mouth. Words of love, emotion and feelings. As he poured the green liquid into the glasses he sighed. “It’s you.”

Laura took her glass and looked at him, her face in total puzzlement. “Me?”

“I’m worried.”

Laura watched as he drank the whole of the ambrosia in one long swig, filling his glass up again. She could see it in his face that he didn’t want to talk about it but she thought that he might feel better if he did. “Oh, Bill, please, I don’t want you worrying about me. It’s bad enough that I can’t sleep, but for you not being able to because of me is silly.”

“It’s difficult not to. Someone is doing this to you and what happens if we can’t stop it…” he paused, drinking more of his ambrosia. “Laura, I don’t want to see you get hurt and I feel as if I don’t have the power to stop that at the moment.”

Laura felt sick but not from her illness, or the large shot of ambrosia that she had just knocked back, but from the anguish she was causing him. Bill was a strong man and a very stoic and emotionally controlled. But, at this point she had caused him pain and made him feel helpless. She was pretty sure that feeling helpless was something Bill couldn’t bear to feel. “I’m sorry, Bill,” she whispered, moving closer to him.

Bill looked up, his eyes glistening slightly in the dim light of his room. “Why are you sorry?”

“For this. For everything. It seems that your worries seem to be coming from me and my problems. I don’t want you to feel this way at all. I never wanted you to hurt.” Laura forced her hand between his torso and arm, moving her body so that her head rested on his shoulder and her body hugging his arm.

Bill kept his gaze forward as he felt the warmth emanate from her body. It was something that he didn’t feel often. The warmth of another human was something that he lacked in his life and the way her warmth moved up his body made him sigh. That warmth could be gone in two weeks because someone had gotten to her and he could have done so much more to prevent it. “It is me that should be apologising, Laura.”

She almost spat her second large shot of ambrosia out when he spoke, her eyes were wide and shocked. “Bill,” she said, swallowing more of the remaining ambrosia. “Don’t be so frakking ridiculous. Why would you need to apologise to me?”

Bill’s fingers were locked around his glass, swirling the contents around in a circle. “I let you down. If I had increased the security or had you onboard Galactica or something, then maybe you wouldn’t be facing this. You wouldn’t be facing death so soon after battling it the first time.”

It shocked her to think that he would be feeling like this. How could it be his fault? Nobody could foresee that someone was out to kill her. Not in the way it was happening anyway. She lifted her hand up to his face which was looking down into his ambrosia. “Bill, look at me,” she said, moving his face towards her. “I want you to listen to me, ok? You, Admiral Bill Adama, have done more for me than I could ever dream possible. If it wasn’t for you and Billy I would be alone in this sea of lost souls. You keep me in line and make me feel safe-” Her voice trailed off as she heard him grunt. “Really, Bill. If I could trust anyone in this fleet with my life it would be you.”

When Bill watched her hand fall down to his arm again he couldn’t bring his eyes back to her face. It made him even more angry and upset to know that she did have such confidence in him, and yet she wasn’t safe. It hurt. Another shot of ambrosia washed down his throat making his stomach tingle and his body buzz, he really should have eaten something before.

“Bill?”

“How are you feeling?”

Laura swallowed yet more ambrosia and wiped her mouth. “I’m fine.”

“Tell me.”

The alcohol in her bloodstream was making her cheeks flush pink and heart beat hard in her ears. The numbness towards her feelings wasn’t so strong and everything she had been trying to forget was sat there like an evil demon, threatening to break loose like an angry bull. She loosened her grip on his arm and sat up, pulling off her glasses and sighing. The situation made her feel slightly uneasy, and she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the alcohol. Being numb in cases like these was good. It was a way for your mind to come to terms with something in its own time. She knew that if she started thinking she would probably cry or crumble. Not being in control was something she feared as much as any illness she had ever had.

“I know you’re hurting. I can see it in your eyes.”

The air around her was thick with tension and she breathed in, smelling the familiar tang of Bill’s aftershave. It reminded her of comfort. She knew he was always there for her when she needed, but something was preventing her from opening up to him. Maybe it was the fact that he felt so guilty about the situation? Or maybe it was just that she didn’t want him to see her so weak. Another shot of ambrosia. The warm burning sensation that travelled down her throat was somewhat welcoming and she grimaced as she felt her stomach gurgle as the green liquid arrived. "Bill-”

“I don’t want you to tell me you’re fine. I know that you’re not. I see the way that you avoid the questions and the way you avoid the glances. In the infirmary, when Doc’ Cottle and Baltar were explaining what was happening, I could see the worry and pain behind your eyes.”

The way his fingers grazed against her skin as she felt him put his hand on hers was brief, but it sent a small tingle up her spine. Why, when she thought she had some sort of control over herself, was he able to make her see more than she wanted to? Why, when her mind was trying to numb everything she had been feeling, was he able to make it rise to the surface? He wanted her to release what she was trying to keep from him, and it was working, she could feel it.

Bill just sat and watched as her face crumpled up in confusion as if she was trying to battle herself. He didn’t know how long it would take, but he would make her talk and release her worries.

The emotional blow hit her hard in her chest, making her inhale quickly as if being punched by an invisible force. Confusion washed over her and she felt the tears sting at her eyes and her body quiver as she tried to fight the overwhelming force of her emotions. Bill’s hand squeezed hers, his compassion and worry was what made the first tear fall. She placed her glasses on the table and closed her eyes, hoping to shut in the salty tears of sadness and pain, but it didn’t work. It didn’t take long before they forced their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks.
Bill watched for a few moments, waiting for a sign that she wanted him or wanted to say

something. She kept her face averted, wiping at her eyes and face and trying hard to control herself. When he squeezed her hand again he felt her return the gesture, so he laced his fingers in with hers and moved closer. As he reached out to her he thought about the time just before he went down to Kobol. I'm the only one who can reach out to Roslin. It's always been between the two of us anyway. At this very moment, that statement was indeed completely true. It seemed he was one of the only people to reach out to her, and her reach out to him.

Laura could feel her walls crumble slowly, exposing everything inside of her that she had tried to keep hidden. She had thought that she would be able to control herself and make sure she didn’t get to this point but it just wasn‘t happening. The tears, however, would not stop once they had started and the sobs followed, making her body shake under their ferocity. This man seemed to know exactly what to say and do to make her do what he wanted. Everything from the lack of sleep, the impending death and her backlogged paperwork was making the tears stronger. It hadn’t been until this point that she had realised how deeply this was effecting her. She thought she had a handle on herself but she was gravely mistaken, how could she? Someone was trying to kill her! “Oh Gods,” she whispered bringing one hand up to her mouth.

Bill’s grip intensified on her hand and he pulled her into a deep embrace which at first he thought she was going to reject. When her body pressed into his he felt her move her head against the top of his chest and her arms wrap around his torso. “Tell me,” he said, resting his chin on her head and bringing his hand up to her hair, which he ran his fingers through.

“It hurts, Bill…” she whimpered, hugging him tighter. “…to know that you could have only a few weeks to live and for a reason unknown to you is just…horrible. I remember death, Bill, I remember the pain. When you’re at that point all you can do is remember what life was like, all the good things and the wonderful things- it rips you up inside to know you will never feel the wind against your skin or the rain drip down your face. Never to feel the love of another person or feel the kindness of another soul. This though, is different then before. The lack of sleep puts your mind in a different state. Confusion and a continual tiredness constantly remind you that you’re unable to rest. You don’t feel right in yourself and you forget so much.”

“I’m not going to let you die, Laura, you have to know that. I will find out who is doing this and I will stop them hurting you.”

Laura sniffed and squeezed him gently. “I know you’ll try your hardest, Bill, that’s all you ever do."

“No, I will find them, Laura, you have my word on that.”
Bill’s words were reassuring, but she knew that there was a chance that he wouldn’t find the antidote or the person that had done it. All she could do was humour him and wait for him to do what he needed to do. She could feel the tears come to a halt, but she still wouldn’t move from his embrace. His big manly arms were a great source of comfort and heat and she found herself so very comfortable. The warmth of another human was somewhat alien to her now. How she missed the pros of a relationship. The late night hugs, the deep sense of comfort and the general feeling of being wanted were sorely missed. Bill was the closest thing she had to a partner. She was still unsure how he felt about her, but she knew the more he did for her, the more her heart would yearn for his touch and attention.

“I know that you don’t know this but I already have Starbuck co-ordinating a mission. She has people analysing video footage and various other sources for a sign of anything out of place.”

“I would have thought you would be joining them. I know that you like to oversee things.”

“I do, but I knew I was needed elsewhere.”

“I thought you were going to rest?”

“Well, I was, but when I couldn’t sleep I thought that maybe you’d come by if you heard the music. You‘d either be asleep and not come, in which case I would‘ve been happy not to have disturbed you, or you‘d come by.”

“So the music was bait then, hmm?” She was also sure that usually she would be pretty annoyed that he had plotted against her, but she was too thankful for it to complain.

“Well sort of, I mean, none of this was really a plan, but it came together that way. I had intended on talking to you after I had rested up for a couple hours, but I couldn‘t sleep and then you came to see me.”

“Yes, well, I thought you needed a friendly ear, Bill.”

“Well, it seems that it was you that needed that ear, Laura. You know it’s always here if you want it. Bottling things up is never the answer.”

Laura shifted her weight as Bill sat backwards so that she was resting on him a bit more. When she was sure that he wasn’t going to move she brought her knees up towards her chest. “I know that Bill. I’m just stubborn.”

“You think after all these months I hadn’t noticed that?” he said in such a way that Laura thought he was going to laugh. It was like an infectious energy and it made her grin. It seemed that talking to him had eased the pressure a little, and she felt slightly light hearted.

“Am I that easy to read?”

“To me, you are. I think to other people you’re not.”

“Well, I’m thankful I have someone that is fully educated in Laura-verse then,” she giggled, resting her hand on his chest as she nuzzled a little closer. She didn’t know if it was the alcohol, warmth or the crying but she was feeling a little drowsy.

“Are you feeling sleepy?” Bill said, feeling her yawn against his body. “If you are, let me know. Every minute of sleep is precious to you at the moment.”

“I am. I forgot how much crying can take out of you.” She yawned again.

“Well, you needed it. Maybe you should go back to your room and get some sleep.”

“No, I’m ok. I don’t think I can fall asleep yet anyway. I’m also pretty comfortable,” she said snuggling in a bit closer. The truth of the matter was she could easily fall asleep in her own rack at that very moment, but the way she was lying against Bill was just too warm, comfortable and safe. It was one of those moments that you wanted to wrap up and keep forever.

“Well, let me know when you want to go back and I’ll escort you to your room.”

Laura smiled. “I think that there are enough men out there to form a small army,” she mumbled quietly, letting herself drift off into a sleepy haze.

“Well, you can never be too careful.”

“Mhmm,” she replied, wrapping her arms tighter around him. It was the same as before, when she was struggling to stay awake in the meeting. It was like cotton wool had filled her mind and, although she should really get up and go to her own room, she couldn’t muster the energy or will power to leave such a comfortable spot for an unfamiliar rack.

Bill could feel the deep even breaths against his chest and he looked down to see Laura dozing on him, a small smile set on her face. She looked so peaceful and he couldn’t muster the courage to wake her up, so he grabbed the throw from behind him on the chair, and lay it over her. When he thought about it though, it might make more sense just to let her sleep in his rack, it wouldn’t take much to get her there and it might be a little more comfortable. But, when he tried to move from underneath her he felt her arms hook tighter around him. No, he couldn’t dare wake her, and if it meant staying here until she woke up, he would. He just hoped that she would get some sort of rest from this, whether it half an hour or four hours, it would certainly help her in a small way. He moved the throw tighter around her and she responded by snuggling in closer towards him. If it were up to Bill, he would stay like this forever.

**

If it were down to him, the Admiral and President would have been dead weeks ago, making it easy for him to have some say in how the fleet was going to go. If he had it his way he would have been leader of the remainder of the twelve colonies a long time ago. But, he had to follow the plans that had been outlined for him otherwise it would never work.

"When they fell, the path would be open and people would come to the man in red in their hour of need, believing his word to be true."

A small satisfactory smile spread across his face as he read the crimson words beneath him. It was strange to think that he was born to a normal family, and now, after everything he was going to reign supreme and make sure the human race survived.

Part one of his plan was underway. The president wouldn’t last long, another week or so before she would succumb to the death that had been planned for her. It was wonderful how a small book could forsee everything. The second part of the plan, to eradicate one of the strongest men in the fleet would happen soon. The Admiral would barely survive to see the president die.

"Pain would wash down the two souls, ripping them apart. Their love for each other still strong, but not enough to help them survive. Their souls would leave their bodies and then the people would see just what was right and what was wrong."

There would be problems of course, with the rest of the military, especially the Admiral‘s second in command. After the final day, it wouldn‘t take much to get rid of him and before that he must get rid of the people with the call signs Apollo and Starbuck. They were people that would cause a lot of trouble if they were not taken care of. No matter, he thought, it wouldn’t take much to remove them from the picture, especially when everything had already been laid out for him.

"And on the 20th day, the pain would start. Soon she would be no more."

**


A sharp shooting pain ran up the neck of Laura Roslin, waking her from her half hearted sleep. She had woken barely an hour or so after falling asleep on Bill, who was now dozing underneath her. She was content in her position and had refused to move, and after a while she had fallen back into a slumber.

The pain was unfamiliar and it took her by complete surprise, making her jump under it’s forcefulness. Her hand that was resting on the hip of Bill moved up to her neck and she closed her eyes tightly as she felt another pain fly up her neck, making her body tense. “Frak,” she whispered, trying to move into a more comfortable position. Maybe it was just how she was lying, she thought, pulling the cover closer to her neck.

Bill stirred slightly underneath her as she moved around by his side. She thought she was going to wake him, so she gritted her teeth and kept herself still, the pain still forcing its way through her spine. When she was satisfied that he wasn’t going to wake, she shifted, adjusting her weight and position, moving away from him slowly before standing up. She picked the cover up with her spare hand and wrapped it around his peaceful self, making sure the chill of his room wasn’t going to make him stir. “Sleep well, Bill,” she whispered before moving over to the hatch. In the space of a minute she had carefully opened the hatch, keeping it’s heavy squeak to a minimum and walked out into the cold hallway. The men outside looked at her and then escorted her down to her room, all five of them with their guns out making sure she was safe.

“Thank you gentleman,” she said cheerily as she watched them check her room before she entered. “I’ll see you in the morning.” When she closed the hatch behind her she walked over to her rack and lay as flat as she could, hoping the pain would reside. It almost felt like someone was slashing razor blades across her skin. It had been such a long time since she had felt anything like it, and she was sure that it wasn’t going to let up.

** Feedback greatly appreciated.**