Laura Roslin, President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, watched Bill Adama, Admiral of the Battlestar Galactica, walk into his quarters with his head held high after purposefully losing a fight against the Deck Chief Tyrol. She turned held her hand up as a signal to her guards and his Marines that they should remain where they were. Pulling the hatch closed she turned the wheel until she heard the lock click into place. Laura then unbuttoned her suit jacket and slipped it off draping it along the back of one of the table chairs. She turned around looking at Bill Adama just as he managed to lower his aching body onto the couch. Not knowing where to start, she placed her hands on her hips.

Bill sighed in pain; everything ached. Laura had her hands on her hips signaling to him that she was finding the right words to use to shout at him. “This isn’t going to be good.” He muttered and then coughed. Pain washed through his body spiraling out from his ribs to engulf his entire body. She dropped her hands, her features softening towards him. Abandoning her stance, Laura came to him, and sat down next to him. “You know I had to do it this way, don’t you?” Bill asked gritting his teeth as another wave of pain coursed through him.

“I know,” Laura replied letting go of her sudden anger. She didn’t know where it had come from, all she knew was that she hated to see Bill in such a state when what happened hadn’t been his fault. “I just wish you hadn’t had to do it this way.” Angling her body towards him, she reached out and cupped the right side of his face, her thumb brushing across his lower lip. “Do you really think that I’m too close to you?” Laura asked. That one part of his speech reverberated in her head.

Bill leaned his head into her hand, “Never you.” He answered. “I need to keep you close.” To demonstrate his seriousness, he stretched his left arm out and wrapped it around her waist pulling her against his bruised body. “You’re the only one I want to keep as close as I can.” She dropped her hand from his face, and rested it over his heart. That single touch served to ease some of the heartache he’d felt over knowing she was left to survive on New Caprica.

Laura allowed herself to rest against him without trying to hurt him too much than he already had been. "Then, I’m not going anywhere.” She whispered staying where she was against him for a few more moments. As much as he was hurting, she was hurting as well knowing that he had taken such a beating. “Should I go get Doc Cottle?” Laura pulled back slightly. Bill looked at her, shaking his head from side to side in pain filled motion. “Then, I’m going to clean you up a little bit.” She stroked his cheek before getting up from the couch.

Bill didn’t argue with Laura. Hers was the only touch he wanted at the moment. She was the only one he would let tend to his wounds. Though if she really was determined to get Cottle, then she would no matter what he said. Bill was too tired to move from his current spot on the couch. The past few months, plus the fight tonight, had taken its toll on him. He needed a long rest and he needed Laura. Bill listened as Laura ran the faucet, muttering as she did so. It made him chuckle.

Laura soaked a wash cloth with cold water so she could wash the blood from Bill’s face and clean the cut above his left eye. It reminded her of seeing him after he had come back from Ragnar station. He was singed around the edges, a deep laceration above his left eye, and still he had to energy to argue with her. Laughing lightly she gave the cloth a squeeze before returning to her battered Admiral as he rested on the couch. Laura removed her heals before resuming her place next to him.

Bill felt the couch move. Opening his eyes he saw Laura had returned and before she even had a chance to ask, he tried to shift, to angle himself towards her, but his body was too tired for that. Then her hand was resting on his chest, the water from her skin seeping into his already sweat soaked undershirts. She was silently telling him to stay where he was, to which he obeyed without hesitation. The next thing he knew, he was hissing from the cold cloth against his temple. Gently she cleaned the blood from the side of his face. He could feel every move she made radiate through his body.

Laura winced in response to Bill hissing in pain. “I’m trying to be as gentle as I can.” She whispered. He brought his left arm across her thighs, his hand squeezing her calf in response. Gently she rubbed the cloth against his face, a new layer of blood being washed away. “I couldn’t find a bandage for this cut,” Laura said moving the cloth up to tend to the laceration over his eyebrow. Bill’s hand tightened on her calf the moment the cold water touched the open wound. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry….” Laura said quickly wiping away the fresh blood.

“It’s ok,” Bill replied through gritted teeth. “Can you just finish please?” He asked, his voice tense, and then the cloth moved away from his face. Bill looked at Laura, seeing she was at a loss for words. “I’m ok, really I am.” He said rubbing his hand up and down her leg. His words did nothing to cast aside the sad face she wore. “Laura what is it?” Bill asked, his injuries forgotten for the moment.

“Seeing you like that,” Laura started to say, “It brought back memories of New Caprica, memories from my time in Cylon Detention.” She breathed in, and then sighed heavily. “I still can’t shake all the screams.” Getting up from the couch, the President of the Colonies paced in a tight line trying to reign in her sudden anxiety. “I could hear people being tortured, wondering, dreading, if I was next.”

“They wouldn’t have dared to hurt you.” Bill said with certainty sitting up much to his body’s protest. “If they had, the population would have risen up against them.” He added forcing himself to stand, to go to her, to lend her some of his strength. “You are too important to the people of this fleet, to me.”

Laura stopped pacing to stand in front of her Admiral. He alone made her brave when in moments of uncertainty she didn’t know if she could be. “I didn’t tell you this, but my name was on that death list that Baltar signed.” She took a deep steading breath. “The Cylons nearly executed me, and dozens of others. Quick thinking saved my life, and some of Tigh’s insurgents.” Laura turned to face Bill when he stood behind her. Then her rising anxieties faded upon seeing his cuts bleeding once again. She shook her head, “This isn’t about me.” Closing the distance between them, she took his hand again, gently nudging him back towards the couch. “Tonight I take care of you.”

“Laura,” Bill protested weakly. She would not be deterred with her grip on his hand they sat down together. Adama breathed a sigh of relief, the back of his head resting on the cushion and his eyes closed. “I always thought it my job to take care of you.” Beside him Laura chuckled lightly, the tension from a moment ago just fell away. He could take a moment, take this time to enjoy her tender ministrations to his wounds. The cold cloth touched his skin again, this time she was cleaning the blood from the right side of his face.

Laura lightly ran the cloth over his cheek, cleaning the blood from him. “You need stitches.” She pointed out clearing the blood from the cut along his cheek. He mumbled that he would be ok, with Laura rolling her eyes. ‘Still so stuff.’ She thought dropping the rag from his face. Her intention was to get up, go rinse the blood free in the sink, when his arm wrapped around her pulling her close to his side. “Bill?” Laura asked.

“This is what I need,” Bill replied softly resting his battered cheek against the top of her head. “Sorry, in advance, if I get some of my blood on you.” He added bringing his right arm up, even as it felt like a dead weight with his muscles and tendons burning from exhaustion, to reach her hand. Entwining their fingers he pulled her arm across his chest; a moan of contentment rumbled inside of him.

“I’m not hurting you am I?” Laura asking keeping her arm draped across his chest. When Bill didn’t say anything, she angled her head looking up at to see he’d fallen into sleep. She had a choice. She could get up, she could leave him to his slumber. Or she could stay where she was and for this one night she could try and reclaim a little piece of herself that she lost on New Caprica. Then she looked at their entwined fingers. Her hand fit perfectly in his. It was a strange sensation to know that one man was her complete match. Even in his slumber, his thumb ran up and down hers. That one small gesture alone made up her mind. She was staying right where she was.


MORNING:

Adama woke right where he had fallen asleep but with one difference, Laura wasn’t by his side. For a moment his heart sank and then he heard movement in his quarters. Opening his eyes he saw he; a smile curved his lips. “Hi.” He said and then coughed clearing his throat. Bill placed his hands on the cushions to give him leverage so he could sit up. It was a nice surprise that his body didn’t ache as badly as he thought it would. “Did you sleep here, on the couch with me, all night?” Adama asked.

“Good morning, Admiral.” Laura smiled picking up her coffee cup, and a second one for Bill. “Yes,” She answered him, “I did. Your couch is rather comfy.” Going back, Laura sat down beside Bill handing him the hot cup of coffee. “I figure you could use this. Jaffey brought it by not ten minutes ago.” She took another sip feeling the claws of sleep extract from her still waking body. Letting the caffeine settle in she then said, “Cottle was here, he wanted me to cajole you into going to sickbay and getting checked out.”

“And if I refuse?” Adama asked before taking a sip of his coffee. He smiled, his cup covering it, when he saw her roll her eyes at him. “What are you going to do?” Bill teased falling into their familiar form of conversation. After last night, the fight to purge all the ill feelings had lifted a weight on his chest that he had lived with for so long. It was finally gone, allowing him to take a deep breath for the first time in years.

“I’ll order you if I have to.” Laura replied with a smirk. She set her mug down on the coffee table and said, “At the very least get Cottle to put something on the cuts. They won’t heal completely if left open like that.” Laura turned to Bill bringing her hand up to stroke his cheek. “You already have enough scars.” Leaning in she kissed his forehead, lingering a few seconds longer than she should have. Then she moved back giving him a small smile.

“I know when I’m beat.” Adama threw up his hands in mock defeat. In truth, Laura Roslin was the only one he would ever considering surrendering to in any way shape or form. She was more than worth all the pain in the universe. He would gladly suffer for her, defend her, and he would more than fight any enemy for her. Bill had already risked everything to save the people from New Caprica; Laura specifically.