Deja Vu 6/?
Laura watched Jack and Lee leave the room and then turned back to Bill. She took a deep breath before sitting on the bed next to him. She took his hand in hers. “Bill, what do you remember?”
Bill began to speak in a weakened raspy voice. “The attack in CIC and Kara. Lee… Is she a c…ylon?”
Laura squeezed his hand. “Not as far as we can tell.”
Bill’s breathing was irregular and Laura was starting to panic. “Bill breathe easy.” Laura could have sworn she saw tears well up in his eyes. “Breathe easy.” Laura rubbed his arm and the back of his hand. She placed small kisses on his forehead and cheek.
“I couldn’t deal with…. her being a…” Bill struggled with his words it was obvious the tube had left his throat very sore. Dear gods give me strength. Laura thought as she stood up and poured some water into a nearby cup. She brought the cup up to his lips and supporting his back, much like he had done for her, she helped him take a drink..”
Bill pushed the cup away. “Tired.”
Laura fluffed the pillow and adjusted the bed. “Rest, we’ll talk later.” Laura leaned forward careful not to bother the incision and brushed a kiss against his lips.
“Stay?” Bill extended his hand as she began to walk away from the bed.
She took his hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly. “Yes, my love.” Laura sat in the chair next to his bedside. She never let go of his hand. She watched him sleep until sleep overtook her as well.
----
Lee looked in and found both his father and Laura asleep. Laura was holding his father’s hand and her face were buried in the blanket on the bed. He knew that she would be able to help his father through the hell that was about to materialize into reality. Lee left quietly to find Doctor Cottle.
“Doctor?”
“What is it son?”
“Did she tell him yet?”
“Do you hear any screaming or beeping monitors yet?” Cottle studied the look on Lee’s face. “I didn’t think so. I don’t think she got that far. It’s probably for the best. He’s still pretty out of it.”
Lee nodded and sat in the chair opposite the Doctor’s desk. “Best case scenario, how do you think he’ll react?”
Cottle walked around and leaned against his desk. Lighting a cigarette he looked up at the younger Adama. “I gave up a long time ago trying to figure out your old man. If I had to guess I’d say he’ll be pretty pissed but I think you figured that out already.”
Lee shifted in the chair. “He doesn’t take betrayal well.”
“Very astute of you. How long did it take you to figure that one out?”
“Too long, Doc. Too long. Here is my other problem…”
“Do I look like a shrink to you?” Cottle sat back in his chair finishing his cigarette and lighting another one.
Lee was in full commander mode. He ignored Cottle’s outburst and continued to speak. “What do we do with him?”
Cottle took a drag and looked at the young man before him. “That’s why I went into medicine…so it wouldn’t be my problem.”
Lee nodded. “Let me know when he wakes up again?”
“You’re not staying?”
“I have to go take care of a few things. I’ll check on him later if I don’ t hear from you first.” Lee began to leave and the turned back. “Keep an eye on the President. If anything happens to her the old man would have my head.”
Cottle throws up his hands. “Mine too.”
As Lee walked away he could have sworn he heard Cottle say something about being everyone’s babysitter.
---
Laura was awoken with a start. Bill was thrashing about in bed. His movement was crimping the IV lines and the monitors were beginning to beep in protest. She stood up and moved closer to the bed to wake him. “Bill,” she shook his shoulders gently. “Bill! You need to wake up it’s just a dream.”
Bill Adama opened his eyes. His face was covered in sweat and Laura could have sworn she saw tears forming in his eyes as the met hers. “Saul…”
Laura stomach dropped.
“What the hell is going on in here?” Jack Cottle burst in and checked his vitals and shut off the beeping alarms.
“Doctor.” Laura voice was even and she never broke eye contact with Bill. “Is he stable?”
“Yes, but…”
“Could you give us a few moments please?” Cottle saw the look in her eyes. He knew what was about to happen.
“I’ll be around if you need me.” Cottle patted her on the arm before disappearing to the other side of the curtain.
Laura sat back on the bed next to Bill. She brushed the tears from his eyes. She knew she needed to tread lightly what she was about to say would change his life forever. She took his hand in hers. “Did you have a bad dream?”
Bill couldn’t look her in the eyes. He turned away.
“You can’t hide from it. It won’t make it go away. I know you don’t want to face it. It would be easier if it didn’t happen. It would be easier if it was just a dream and not the truth but it’s the truth Bill. I know what you saw. I know what you’re asking me. I wish I could tell you the Saul was still the same man. That it’s just the trauma and the medications playing with your head but I can’t Bill because I could never lie to you.”
Bill squeezed her hand as if willing her to stop talking and she did. “Don’t you dare say it Laura… It was just a dream. He’s not a cylon. He’s my best friend. He’s saved my ass on many occasions, too many to count. You can’t tell me that he’s a cylon because I won’t believe you. I refuse to believe that.”
Laura heart was breaking. She knew it would be hard for him to accept. She expected this kind of reaction. How was she going to get through to him? She had to get through she just didn’t know how.
She leaned over his body and kissed him. “I don’t want to tell you this…”
“Then don’t!” Bill screamed at her and coughed so hard that it caused him pain. He was tired again. He needed to sleep but was afraid to close his eyes because of his dream. But he closed his eyes anyway and turned away from Laura still holding her hand. He tried to convince himself that if she was here the dream wouldn’t come back.
“Would you take it easy you’re going to pull the stitches.” Laura reached for a glass of water to help stop his coughing.
Bill pushed the glass away. As long as he felt the pain he knew the dream wouldn’t return.
“Bill, you can’t ignore it.”
“Shut up.”
The words stung Laura’s heart. She couldn’t stay she let go of his hand and ran out of sickbay.
---
Lee made his rounds so to speak, a quick check with CIC. All was quiet and now he was on his way to the brig to talk with Kara.
“Lee Adama.”
Lee stepped over to the bars. This entire scene was eerily familiar. “Kara Thrace…or so I think.”
“It’s me. I can’t explain it but it’s me.”
“You better start explaining.”
“How’s the old man?”
Lee gripped the bars and hung his head. It this wasn’t truly Kara then it was the cylons version of a very sick joke. She knew exactly what buttons to push. “He’s a fighter.”
“Yes, he is.”
“It still doesn’t explain how and why you are here.” Lee’s tone was full of hurt and reminded Kara of the old man’s.
“I can’t tell you how. I’m here to lead the fleet to Earth. This was my destiny Lee. I’ve been there and it’s beautiful but we still have a long journey. It would be nice if I could get out of here.”
Lee looked Kara in the eyes. “I can’t do that Starbuck…not yet.” Lee turned around and walked out of the brig. He was more confused now than he had been when he arrived.
Lee walked down the familiar corridors to the cell that used to house Sharon Agathon. He remembered when he first saw her all he wanted to do was put a bullet in her head. She was Sharon and it was time for payback. Laura Roslin defused the situation and he backed down. Later when he saw her in the brig on the Astral Queen. It wanted to talk. Lee wanted revenge. He wanted nothing more then to cause it pain.
He was having the same feeling now. He needed to see that thing in the brig. That thing that claimed to be his father’s best friend but he wasn’t sure if he trusted himself to keep cool. Lee nodded to the guard who opened the hatch and followed him inside.
Tigh was sitting on the bunk in the cell. He wasn’t moving, talking or looking anywhere.
Lee was seething with anger. “You used my father to get what!” Lee’s voice was dripping with anger. How many family picnics did he remember with Uncle Saul, too many. Saul Tigh was his father’s best friend. His father would have done anything to save the man in front of him now and for what?
“He would do anything for you! Anything! You repay him by putting two rounds in his chest!”
“I’m a Saul Tigh.”
Lee stopped short. It was the first time Tigh had spoken since Lee had entered the room. Lee wanted to shake him, put his hands around his neck like his father had done to Sharon on Kobol. “Open the Cell.” The Marine put the key into the lock but then hesitated. “I said open the cell. It wasn’t a request Sergeant.” The young Marine turned the key and opened the door. Lee stepped in a rushed the man his father called his best friend. He pinned him up against the wall and put his hands around his neck.
“You’re Saul Tigh and you are a toaster and I should kill you were you stand.” Lee teeth were clinched. “But to me, that would be to easy so you know what I’m going to do to you. I’m going to leave you in here to sweat it out and when the old man is better. I’ll let him take care of you and you know what I’m going to do then? I’m going to sit back and watch. I may even help!” Lee pulled Tigh off the wall just far enough to slam his back up against it when he was finished with him. He slummed to the floor placing his head between his knees. Lee turned his back on his father’s best friend and left the cell and the brig. The last thing Lee heard was that thing calling out.
“I’m Saul Tigh.”
---
Laura ran down the corridors quickly trying her best to stop the on coming tears from falling. She wasn’t sure what came over her but she stopped outside his hatch. Why would she want to sit in there now of all times and be surrounded by the constant reminders of the man that she loved; a man who just pushed her away. She didn’t really know the answer but she needed to be near him and if he wasn’t going to accept her at his bedside she was going to stay as close as she could to him. The young Marine guarding the hatch opened it and Laura stepped through. She kicked off her heals and rolled her neck in an attempt to remove the kink from falling asleep in sickbay. She felt his presence envelope her the moment she walked through the hatch. She went over to the table next to his desk and poured herself a drink, carrying the glass she placed it on his coffee table before settling in on his soft couch curling her legs beneath her. She brought the glass to her lips and allowed the cool liquor to comfort her.
“I see you found the good stuff.”
Laura jumped she wasn’t expecting anyone else to come in. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.” Lee smiled at her but it wasn’t his usual smile. This smile was not bright and happy. It spoke of exhaustion and sadness.
“It’s okay” Laura began to stand. “I don’t even know why I’m here.”
Lee was standing across from her. He put out a hand to stop her. “Please, don’t let me disturb you. Stay. I know you are comfortable here. Dad would want you to stay.”
Laura sat back against the couch and knocked back the rest of the contents of the glass in her hand. “I’m not so sure about that. He’s not very happy with me right now.”
Lee walked around his father’s quarters soaking in the memories. He stopped behind the desk and stared at the pictures. It had gotten more crowded recently. Along with the traditional pictures of he and Zac with their Dad by the viper there was a picture of Kara, a picture of he and Dee on their wedding day, and a picture of his father and Laura that Dee took on the day of the ground breaking ceremony on New Caprica. He wasn’t sure what had brought him here. After seeing Tigh he really wanted to hit some thing, in fact he had stopped himself from hitting the wall several times on the way here. Lee moved to the table next to the desk and poured his own drink; bringing the bottle with his full glass to the coffee table. He offered Laura a refill before sitting down beside her.
”What happened?” Lee knew the President well, they had survived the end of the world together, they had survived his father being shot once and they would do it again.
“He’s been having nightmares. He’s remembering bits and pieces from CIC I’m sure of it. I told him that he couldn’t hide from it. I called him on it and he told me to shut up.” Laura felt a single tear fall from her eyes.
“He’s a fool. He has done this all his life. He doesn’t know how to deal with betrayal or love Laura. He’s always pushed the people he loves the most the farthest away.”
Laura placed a hand on top of Lee’s. “I don’t think that’s it. I think it’s his way of coping at the moment. He knows the truth and he doesn’t want to appear weak in front of those he loves.”
“You two love each other don’t you?”
“Yes, we do or so I thought. It hurts me that he won’t let me in. It hurts that he’s pushed me away.” Laura felt new tears gather and begin to fall from her eyes. Lee did the only thing he could think in that moment. He gathered his father’s girlfriend in a hug.
“He’s going to make it. He’ll be fine and we will both have him back.”
Laura broke away from the embrace. She brought a hand up to his cheek and brushed away a few stray tears from his face. “You are so much like your father.”
“I know and you have to excuse us for it Laura. We have lousy track records with women.”
Laura smiled. “I still love you both never forget that.”
“I’m so angry, I don’t know what to do first. The thing in the brig won’t say a word. Kara is speaking in riddles. I’m not cut out for this.”
Laura sat up straight and looked Lee right in the eyes. “That is most certainly not true. You’ve done this before and very well. You’re father trusts you Lee. You can do this.”
Lee stood up and turned back to the President. “Thank you. If you’ll excuse me, I have some things I need to do.”
Laura stood and watched Lee exit his father’s quarters with new conviction.
---
“You did it Saul, you brought them home.”
“You are my oldest and dearest friend, Saul.”
“She’s a cylon.” Saul moved toward him with a hand behind his back.
He was coming even closer to him and he was paralyzed he couldn’t move. Bill saw the dark glint was laden in his eyes.
“Saul calm down.”
“I will not calm down, get away from her. She is a cylon.”
“He took a small step towards Saul. He saw his friend point a gun at his chest. The weapon discharged twice, hitting him twice in the chest at point blank range. William Adama was propelled backward onto the plot table.
“I’m a cylon and I’m going to kill you!” It was Saul. It was his face and his gun was still pointed at his head.