There were times when Bill Adama had wished that Laura Roslin had never come into his life. She brought out feelings in his heart that he thought he had locked away long ago, but with Laura they came rushing back and he found himself feeling things for her that would hurt him in the end. Right now he was happy to have her by his side as the stood on Earth. It wasn't the Earth either of them thought it would be. No, this planet was devoid of any human and animal life. The only hint they had that people had lived here were the old ruins. Still the fresh air had felt good and having Laura at his side made it all worth while. She took his hand and rest her head on his shoulder as she looked out at the waste land that should have been their safe haven. Laura sighed as Bill squeezed her hand in return.
"This is it?" Baltar said turning around to survey the immediate landscape.
Laura and Bill turned to look at him but he merely said what they all had been thinking. Where was the 13th tribe? What had happened? Earth looked nothing like what Pythia had described. Laura felt an overwhelming wave of dizziness. If it hadn't been for Adama Laura would have collapsed to the ground.
Bill sank down to one knee and cradled Roslin in his arms. The way the prophecy went is that the dying leader would not live to enter the new land. He hoped that this would not come to pass. Bill needed Laura to center himself. He wasn't ready to let her go for any reason. She had closed her eyes and drew Bill's arms tighter around her. "Let's get you to Galactica." He whispered and only stood after she nodded her consent.
Lee and Kara looked back to the Admiral as he stood with the President. They started to move closer but Adama waved them back. Laura had one arm through over his shoulder. Bill had his left arm around her waist and together they made their way to the Raptor so she could rest.
ADAMA'S QUARTERS
Bill sat next to Roslin as she slept. Half way back to Galactica she had slipped into unconsciousness that had Bill terrified. Even though Cottle had told him that it was due to exhaustion and that she would be fine with a little sleep, but Bill was still worried that after everything she was slipping through his fingers again.
It was true that Adama had never been religious. He believed that a man made his own destiny, but now he prayed that Laura would stay with him because he couldn't live with out her. Try as he might Bill had never been the same from that first day when he met Laura Roslin. She was his strength and his whole reason for continuing the journey to Earth. He knew that he would never be the same when Laura died. Something in him would die with her. The heart that loved her so much would go back to being cold and distant. Every emotion Laura had revived in him ached to see her better. Looking at her now all pale he wanted to weep from the shear depth of sadness he felt.
"Laura." Bill whispered and took her hand kissing her knuckles.
Her fingers twitched in Bill's. When he look at her he saw that she was dreaming. It made him wonder what she was dreaming about or if she was having another vision. When they were on the Baseship Laura had told him about the visions she had during the jumps. Right down to the wedding band Adama slipped on her finger after she had died. All Bill could do then was pull her close and kiss the top of her head.
He had to tear himself away to try and look over some reports to keep from pacing or worrying but not even an hour later Adama was back at her side holding her hand carefully again. She looked so fragile that Bill was afraid to hold her hand any tighter.
He moved closer to her now and rested his head in her lap while still holding her hand. Laura's other hand combed though his hair making Adama look at her. She still look tired but now she was awake and some of the weight on Bill's chest lifted.
"You ok?" He asked
"Yeah still tired though." Laura replied her eyes lids fluttering with the effort to stay open.
"Why don't you go back to sleep." Bill said and stood.
"With you next to me." Laura replied and smiled at him. Bill complied and removed his uniform jacket and boots so he could slide in next to her. Where she curled into his side much like New Caprica when the had laid together watching the stars above. It was something that would stick out in his mind for a long time. Just like the memory of her in the red dress.
He was still wary of holding her too tight as Bill lay next to her in his rack. It made him hurt to see her like this; just knowing that he could do nothing to make her healthy again. He wished that there was a way to go back in time and tell her all the things he should have before her mortality starting slipping away from her.
"I won't break Bill." Laura whispered and tucked her head under his chin as she hugged him closer.
"I might." Bill replied and for the first time that evening he applied more pressure to keep her body as close to his has he could.
After everything that had happened with finding out that his best friend was a Cylon nothing scared him more than the fact that he would have to face losing Laura. Saul he could deal with, but Laura. There would be no way to go on as the man he was now. Sure he would get by but he wouldn't be living like he was now. Adama never thought she would mean this much to him but now that she was as close as she was he was finding the future a very bleak existence if he had to face it without her.
"Stay with me." He whispered, "Just stay with me." Then the tears fell freely from his eyes as the sadness overwhelmed him.
"I will." Laura replied savoring the feel of Adama's body next to her. They had slept like this on the Basestar and Laura felt so safe with him. Being there on that Baseship with out him had run her down. Now that she was here in his arms all the rest of the world just faded out and she felt recharged. There was nothing but Adama and the feel of his arms. She felt as his tears rolled down and fell onto her forehead. Laura sat up and looked down on him. He stared back at her unashamed that she could see the tears. She leaned down and kissed the tears away.
He smiled at her and Laura left a butterfly kiss on him lips. The rest of the weight on his chest lifted and a profound happiness filled him. Every day with Laura was a gift and he would make the most of it with the time he had left.
"You are the best thing in my life." Laura whispered and curled into his side again.
"Same here." Bill replied and kissed the top of her head again. The gods could be cruel and this had to be the worst torture a man could know. To find a love so profound only to know that he was going to lose her. If he had prayed to the Gods he would be cursing them now. Laura was his and he would keep her for however long he could.
'I love you.' He thought it but something prevented him from saying those words. Bill wanted to say them, badly. More and more he needed to say them but again something stopped him. She had said those words and he knew it had been a struggle for her. Eventually Bill would say them. Now was perfect just as it was.