Fanfic

Second Chances by Leonaria

A/R sequel to Sports Day.

She woke up cold. She could still smell him on the pillow, and vaguely remembered him leaving early in the morning. She pushed her hair back out of her face and stretched. She had not felt this alive since before she found out about the cancer. She smiled at the memory of the night before. He had held her as she slept, but not for very long. The painkillers had worn off and she had had to crawl over him to go find her bottle. When she came back he had held the blankets out for her to crawl back in. He had laughingly told her not to wiggle, and of course she had had to do exactly what he told her not to do... Gods who knew his mouth was that talented.

"Madam President." Billy said from the other room.

"Yes, Billy." She said.

"Umm...Did you have a guest for dinner last night?"

"Yes, I did." She said as she felt around on the floor for her robe. Thank the gods she had hung those curtains. She slipped into her robe and tied the belt before opening the curtains.

Billy took one look at her disheveled appearance and his jaw dropped. "Madam President, did someone sleep here last night?"

"What ever gave you that idea?" She walked to the mirror. Gods she looked like she had made love all night.

"We have to hide this. If the press gets a hold of this they will go nuts." Billy shut the door to the corridor and locked it. "We have to think of damage control."

"No, Billy we do not. I am a grown woman. We are in a desperate situation, and I have as much right as anyone else in this fleet to have some affection in my life. If the press and the Quorum cannot understand that, then ... oh well. It is not like I am going to be able to deal with the repercussions."

"Madam President, if the gentleman in question is who I think it is, there will be huge repercussions. Zarek will have a field day with you sleeping with the man who tried to remove you from office. They could force you out of office on grounds of moral turpitude, and the only one that holds enough influence at this time to make a bid for the office is Zarek."

"Billy, The commander and I have come to an arrangement. That is all you need to know." She looked over at him while brushing her hair. "What time is my appointment with Doctor Cottle?"

"Is there any way I can convince you to at least try to keep this under wraps, discreet."

"The appointment, Billy."

"10 am." Billy grabbed the handle of the door. "Just think about it." he said as he walked out.

*********

She stood in the shower, letting the hot water flow over her. Billy was right. Damn it. She had to try to find a way to cover up the one thing she wanted to shout from the rooftops, or at least across the wireless. William would never understand, not after last night. She had to pull back. Not for his sake, not for her sake but for the sake of the fleet. He had said there was no going back, and he was right. She was going to have to hurt him, and badly to get him to realize she was serious. Damn the gossip he had said, and Gods knew she wished she could.

"Are you going to be in there forever?" William's voice drifted in. "We do have water rationing in place you know."

She wrapped a towel around her and stepped out of the stall. Damn why now.

"I will be right out."

"I am coming in."

"Will...I don't think..." it was too late. He walked in. She was wrapped in a towel that barely covered anything.

"Looks like I am too late to enjoy a shower with you." He smiled.

"Will, we have to talk about last night."

"I know, Tigh read me the colonial riot act this morning on behaving irresponsibly." He picked up a towel and turned her so her back was to him and began toweling her hair. "I can see two ways out of this for both of us."

"Oh"

"One, we call this quits and try to go back the way things were before, which would only make us insane." He chuckled and put the towel down and started nibbling at her neck. She turned in his arms and he kissed her. She slid her arms around his neck letting the towel drop to the floor.

"And two...?" She asked

"Marry me."

"How exactly will that help the situation?"

"They can't impeach you on ground of Moral Turpitude if we get married, and frankly my it would prevent my officers from committing mutiny and forcing me to with shotguns."

"Gods what exactly did Tigh say to you?"

"His exact words were 'I don't care if you frak her six ways from Colonial Day, but for Gods sake at least do it legally'"

"Oh really?"

"Laura, I love you. That isn't something that is easy for me to say to my son, imagine how hard it is to admit to you."

"Can I at least get dressed before you actually propose. I don't follow orders well, so I would at least like to be asked."

"Damn it woman, can you not do anything without fighting me." he dropped his arms and stepped back.

"You said last night, we have to fight." Laura stood there naked, hands on her hips, feet planted on the bathroom floor.

"We don't have time for this. Elosha is in my office waiting."

"Then she can wait, because I am not going to marry anyone without being asked first." She pushed past him and into her sleeping area. Her clothes for the day were laid out on the bed. The lavender suit with the purple blouse. "Besides I have an appointment with Doctor Cottle."

"Doc can wait."

"No, he can't. He wants to discuss the new treatment."

"Laura. Please. FINE. WILL YOU MARRY ME." he shouted at her. Gods what was it about people you love that make you want to shout.

"That's better." She turned and looked at him as she buttoned her blouse. "I will think about it."

He got that look, the one that said she was treading on dangerous ground. "Will, I can't just marry you. I have to look at what impact this will have on the government. On the fleet."

"This has nothing to do with the fleet."

"Yes it does. I am the President, you are the commander of our military. For us to get married is well unprecedented to say the least. How will the fleet view this. We need at least a period of engagement or something so we can find out how it will impact fleet operations. We don't need more riots. We don't need more people killed because we do something without thinking it through."

"Resign."

"No"

She could swear sparks were shooting out of his blue eyes. He was furious. The last time he was this angry she had spent days in a brig cell and he had spent days in sickbay.

"I plan on opening up nominations for the election this week. I want the fleet to have a say in who the next president will be, I don't want Tom Zarak schmoozing his way into the office. I want open elections, not Quorum elections for president. To do that I have to maintain my position until the elections are held and the new president is ready to take office, or until I die, whichever is first."

"Laura..." that last seemed to have taken the wind out of his sails. He seemed to shrink. He walked over and put his arms around her. "Please. This won't cause any concern, and I want to hold you while I can."

She rested her head on his chest for just a moment. It felt so good to lean on him, to let him provide her some support, even when she was angry.

"Will, please give me some time to think about it. I will give you an answer this afternoon, after my appointment."

"That will have to do."

"Now get out of here and let me finish getting dressed." She smiled up at him. "It wouldn't do for Zarek to walk in right now."

He stepped back. "This afternoon, Madam President. My office."

"I will be there."

********

"It is called particle beam therapy. We didn't have a machine aboard, but there was one on the Celestra that they were using to analyze the chemical components of asteroids. I have been working on re aligning it to target cancer cells. It is new, and I may not have the targeting exactly right, but it might help, and it is external, no additional medications for you to take. It is also targeted directly at the cancer so you will not have the side effects that you would have with general radiation therapy." Cottle sat behind his desk in his office.

"When can we get started."

"I need to do some more blood work, get an accurate white blood cell count, and get the machine transported to Galactica to do the treatments here. We are looking at a week or two before we can start hitting you with it. Your scan yesterday didn't show any more growth, we will keep doing the CT scan once a week and continue your medications unaltered for now. This was the first week without growth since I started treating this so we will take it one day at a time."

"What are the chances of this doing any good."

"I won't say it will save your life, it won't. It might shrink the tumors, buy you some more time. It might not. It might make it worse. It is an experimental system. It was just starting to be used in clinical trials on Caprica before the attack. I was seeing some good reports in the journals but it had not been thoroughly tested."

"So I am going to be a lab rat."

"Yes ma'am"

"Well, at this point I am willing to try anything."

"Come back in three days for blood work, I should have the machine here and set up by then, I will also need you to calibrate the machine for your body. I also want to do a non surgical biopsy so I can have some cells to target with, to make sure I have the machine calibrated right for your particular tumors. I will need you to come in every other day for blood work so we can monitor your hormones and white blood count. That is why I want you here on Galactica while we are doing this. The treatments need to be every day with blood monitoring every two days for at least 8 weeks."

"Sounds reasonable. I will be here for blood work."

"One more thing, since you are pre-menopausal, I want you on some form of birth control. I know you are the President, but that doesn't mean accidents can't happen."

"I seriously doubt that is a concern."

"Not according to the rumors I am hearing this morning."

"Fine. If you give credence to rumors, I will humor you."
"I will look at your blood work and decide what form to give you. According to your chart we shouldn't have to worry about any possible pregnancy for at least a week."

"You are tracking my fertility."

"Madam President, I am tracking every woman's fertility, it was you who said we needed to start 'making babies'"

"I am never going to live that statement down." She stood up and walked to the door. "Thank you Doctor, any and every day we can gain will be a victory."

*********

He stood at the DRADIS console.

"You are telling me it was a ghost, a false read in the DRADIS."

"Yes sir." Gaeta looked uncomfortable.

"Is the DRADIS operational now."

"No, Sir. We are flying patrols and sending out Raptors before jumps, the Vipers and Raptors DRADIS systems are working. I am running a final diagnostic, I think I found the problem and if it is fixed we should be back up and operational by tonight."

"We are flying blind using our hands and feet to guide us." Tigh said.

"Are any of the other ships DRADIS working."

"Celestra is the only one with a full DRADIS system on board. They are using it to monitor for us until we get back up and running."

"Carry on Mr. Gaeta."

Gaeta walked back to his post to continue monitoring the diagnostic.

"Now what?" Tigh looked at the commander.

"Now we keep going. Celestra can watch for contacts and let us know, Gaeta will get it back up, he is a good officer."

"I meant about our conversation this morning."

"I am waiting."

"Waiting?"

"Waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"Her answer."

"Ellen kept me waiting eight months. You don't have eight months."

"What does that mean?"

"The rumors are already out in the fleet. It was on Talk Wireless this morning, lead story."

Will looked at Tigh. "Damn."

"Dee, get me the president."

"Yes Sir."

"Does she know?" Tigh asked.

"I don't know."

**********

"Madam President, it was on talk wireless this morning. Zarek is having a field day in the Quorum. Claiming you are deranged, or being held against your will. That you were forced. He is demanding you return to Colonial One, you are going to have to do something." Billy was standing there wringing his hands. He looked so helpless. "I have tried to do what damage control I can but 'no comment' only goes so far."

She took a deep breath, then looked at him and smiled. "Get me the commander."

"How will that help?"

"Just do it, then schedule a press conference in one hour."

The comset buzzed. "Never mind, looks like he is calling me. The press conference, Billy."

"Yes ma'am."

"Yes, commander."

"I need an answer."

"I just gave it to you. Have Elosha in my office in ten minutes, we will take care of it then. I have a press conference in one hour."

"A press conference?"

"An announcement will have to be made. It will go better if I make the announcement myself. I will be going to Cloud Nine this afternoon to address the Quorum. This isn't just something that can be done then ignored. We are getting married for Gods sake."

"I will be there in ten minutes." he hung up.

Why was it the most important ceremonies in her life had to be rushed. Her swearing in, now her marriage. She picked up the comset and asked coded the pilot's ready room.

"Captain Adama, would you come to my office."

"Right away, Madam President."

"And bring Lt. Thrace."

Elosha walked through the door. "The commander asked me to meet him here. What is going on Laura?"

"We need you to marry us."

Elosha smiled. "It's about time."

Laura laughed. "Is there anything in the prophesies about that?"

"No, just woman's intuition." The two women laughed together. They were still laughing when Lee and Kara walked in.

"You wanted to see us, Madam President."

"Yes, have a seat we are waiting on someone."

They all sat down, Kara and Lee a little uncomfortably. Adama stepped into the room. Tigh followed on his heels. "What are they doing here?"

"They are your family, William. They should be here for this."

"Very well, lets get started."

"You are so romantic."

He glared at her across her desk.

"If you two would stand together in front of me." Elosha said to the couple. She pulled a red cord out of a small bag she carried on her belt.

"What is going on?" Lee asked.

Kara just started laughing. "They are getting married Lee."

Lee's jaw dropped.

"Before me and this assembly and within view of the Lords of Kobal do you William Adama take this woman to be your wife. To stand by her all her days. To support and defend her. To cherish, love and hold to her all of your days and into the world beyond."

"I do." His hand trembled in Laura's.

Before me and this assembly and within view of the Lords of Kobal do you Laura Roslin take this man to be your husband. To stand by him all his days. To support and defend him. To cherish, love and hold to him all of your days and into the world beyond."

She looked into those blue eyes. "I will."

Elosha wrapped the red cord around their clasped hands.

"This cord binds you now and forever. By the powers granted to me by my office of service to the Lords of Kobal, I pronounce you husband and wife."

Will leaned down and kissed her gently.

"Dad, have you lost your mind?" Lee finally was able to form a coherent sentence.

"No, Lee, I found it."

"Will, the press will be here in about twenty minutes. I would like you to be with me when I make this announcement."

"I am needed in CIC."

"Coward."

"Look who is talking." they both laughed.

"Madam President, the press is waiting." Billy stuck his head in. "They want to know what this is about."

"Tell them I will be issuing a statement, then there I will take no more than three questions."

"Yes ma'am."

***********

She stood at the podium. The gathered press looked hungry, ready to pounce on her every word. She looked down at the blank card in front of her. No prepared speech this time. She was going to have to go on gut.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have several things I wish to address so please hold all questions until the end. Firstly I would like to announce that I will open nominations for presidential candidates beginning next week. This will be an open election so I want the candidates to have as much time for campaigning as possible due to fleet constraints. Elections will be held in four months time. Secondly, I would like to announce my marriage to Commander William Adama and my permanent relocation to Battlestar Galactica. Thirdly, I will be undergoing medical treatment on Galactica for lymphoma and metastatic breast cancer. I was diagnosed with this before the attacks and have been undergoing treatments. I will be beginning a round of radiation treatments which is what prompted me to relocate to the Galactica originally. I will continue to perform the duties of my office for as long as I am able, or until a replacement has been duly elected by a consensus of the general populace."

The press looked stunned, then Playa asked "Madam President, your marriage, was it voluntary?" she looked smug for getting that question in.

"Quite. The commander and I have reached an understanding, and felt that this was the best way to resolve our conflicts and tension."

"Will you sanction any particular candidate for president?"

"Not at this time. I will wait and see who is nominated."

"Do you feel that this marriage, after all that has happened is for the best? Couldn't it have waited until after you left office?"

"Yes I feel it is for the best, and no it could not have waited. My prognosis is not good for the long term, and frankly I needed to think of myself and my needs as well as the needs of the fleet. The commander is a kind and loving man, and against my better judgment at times I have fallen quite in love with him." She looked over to where he stood with his hands clasped in front of him, looking totally uncomfortable. "And he is so adorable at times like this. Thank you all for your time. My office will issue an official statement for your respective agencies."

She turned and reached her hand out to William. He took it and walked through the curtains with her hand in hand. Let it play out in the press for good or ill, they were married, gods help them all.

 

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