3 – Reunions on the Shore

“Over.” With a giggle, Laura kicked at the pair of legs in her way. “Now.”

“No.” Kara remained where she was, grinning up at her. “Make me.”

”Make you?” Laura’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “Excuse me?”

Kara collapsed in laughter against the woman next to her. “She made me say it.”

Laura’s gaze swept to her sister. “Right. Cheryl?”

“Not me. Nope. Kara’s on her own for this one.” She shook her head, hair swinging side to side, “ow!” She rubbed her arm where Kara had hit her. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“Sell out.” Kara laughed at Cheryl’s expression. “You did so.”

“Did not.” Cheryl stuck her tongue out.

“Did so.” Kara imitated the action as a knock sounded at the door.

“Finally.” Laura groaned and moved to the door as they kept up their argument. “Get in here. Now.” Pulling her other sister into the apartment, she thrust a glass into her hand. “You’re behind all of us, and the children are arguing. And conspiring against me.”

“Take this.” Sandra handed the bag she held to Laura and shrugged out of her coat. “What are they arguing about?”

“About who’s idea it was to smart off to me.” Laura called over her shoulder as she crossed to the kitchen. “I’m about to cut them both off.”

“Wouldn’t do any good.” Sandra followed her as full blown laughter sounded from behind her.

“And don’t destroy my pillows!” Laura called, seeing a pillow flying through the air and against Kara’s head. “Or no…what did you bring?”

Sandra opened a bag as Laura poured another glass for herself, this time of ambrosia. “Wings. Lots and lots of messy wings.”

“Frak.” With a sigh, Laura grabbed a stack of napkins and followed Sandra out to the table. “Calm down, both of you. And no mess on the couch. Or else. And all three of you know I mean it.” Dropping the napkins on the low table, she returned to the kitchen, ignoring the giggles and Kara’s muttered ‘empty airlock threats’ from behind her. By the time she came back, with a bottle of ambrosia in hand, they’d spread the platters out on the table and were perched around it, Kara and Cheryl still on the couch, Sandra on a pillow on the floor, another pillow waiting for Laura.

“The good stuff!” Cheryl reached toward the bottle.

“Not yet.” Laura frowned, “finish what you’ve got first.” As all three obediently drained their glasses, she topped off her glass then filled the others.

“To…our newest Roslin.” Cheryl lifted her glass. “Baby Kara.”

“Not a baby, but I’ll drink to it.” Kara took a swallow as the others followed suit.

“Me…” Sandra laughed and held up her glass, “to grandparents who can’t get enough of their granddaughter and love to have her stay overnight. And husbands who understand sisters.” They all took another swallow, Cheryl coughing slightly as the alcohol hit her throat.

“Lightweight.” Kara grinned, “to girls night. A new and exciting experience. And not what I expected.”

“From a prim and proper teacher?” Laura giggled. “Drink Kara.” This time they drained their glasses, Laura refilling them. “And, lastly…to being together.” They took one last drink and just before the glasses hit the table, she yelped. “Coasters!”

“Priss.” Cheryl groaned and leaned back to the small table in the corner that held a stack of coasters, tossing them onto the table. “Happy?”

”Yes.” Sliding a coaster toward her, Laura set her glass on it and reached for one of the wings. “And use the napkins.”

“Laura,” Sandra reached past her to fill Laura’s glass again. “Drink. You’re not there yet.”

“You did this a lot?” Kara slid to the floor, leaning against the couch as she sucked at a wing. “The three of you?”

“Least once a week.” Cheryl tossed a bone onto an empty plate. “Big sister taught us her evil ways.”

“Evil ways?” Laura burst out laughing. “I don’t think you two had very far to go.”

“Are you kidding?” Sandra groaned. “Kara, it was always, Laura did this, Laura did that, why can’t you two…You have any idea what it was like to be constantly compared to perfect big sister there?”

”Not a clue.” Kara winced, “ow!”

“Sorry.” Laura adjusted her aim and kicked out again, this time hitting her intended target.

“Ow!” Sandra echoed with a yelp before glaring at Laura. “Hey.”

“Told you.” She frowned and gestured with a wing. “Kara was an only.”

”Lucky.” Rubbing her leg where Laura’s foot had kicked her, Sandra reached out for another wing.

“Yeah. Well, it had its moments.” Kara emptied her glass. “Truth?”

”You taught her truth?” Cheryl re-filled all their glasses.

“Not like we had a monopoly on it.” Laura shrugged. “And it was her wedding shower.”

“She outdrank the ship’s…” Kara broke off with another yelp. “Hey!”

“I meant it for you that time.” Laura delicately bit at a wing.

“Fine.” Kara slumped back with a pout, reaching out to grab a wing.

“Fine.” Sandra nudged Kara with a grin. “Laura, truth.”

“Frak.” She sighed and picked up her glass. “Ask.”

“Truth. The story you won’t let Kara tell.” She held up her glass, Cheryl’s and Kara’s immediately following.

“Fine.” Laura grimaced and tossed back a healthy swallow of the liquor. “Kara’s wedding shower. It was being hosted by the wife of Bill’s Exec. She had a bit of a reputation.”

Kara leaned forward and whispered loudly, “that’s like saying Laura likes things neat and clean.”

“Shut. Up.” She swatted at Kara with a frown. “She was misunderstood. And lonely. And drank a lot. So I challenged her to truth. And, she’d already been drinking. That’s the main thing.”

“And she implied things about Laura.” Kara added. “Oops.” With an unapologetic grin, she drank, followed by Cheryl and Sandra.

“Fine.” Cheryl grinned. “Truth. Kara.”

“Go for it.” Her eyebrow lifted.

“She really shoot at you?” At the question, Laura groaned and downed the rest of her drink without even waiting for Kara’s answer.

Kara burst out laughing and drained her glass, slamming it back onto the table. “Yep. Missed me too. I kept telling her if she didn’t believe me, to shoot me. Didn’t think she’d actually do it. Was lucky it wasn’t an airlock. She’s not that good with a gun.” Cheryl and Sandra exchanged a look before bursting out into laughter. “What?”

They drained their glasses as Laura sighed and refilled them again before picking up a wing and nibbling at it as Cheryl caught her breath enough to speak. “Remember all that perfect stuff we said she did?”

“Our dad taught us to shoot.” Sandra giggled. “Laura hated it, but she won all sorts of awards.”

“I didn’t mind targets.” Laura muttered, “it was not getting to shoot the really annoying things that bothered me.”

“So…” Kara blinked, and grinned at Laura. “You missed on purpose? I knew you loved me.”

“I was drugged out of my frakking mind.” Laura groaned and tossed the bone onto a plate.

“Whatever.” Kara picked up her glass and nodded at Sandra. “Was she an annoying older sister?”

Sandra giggled again as she picked up her glass and drank. “Of course. Frakking perfect Laura. Or so our parents thought. She was also the coolest big sister, and we would have hated her except we couldn’t.”

”Not perfect.” Laura sighed again and drank as Cheryl and Kara followed suit. “Toes are funny.”

“Toes?” Kara looked confused as Cheryl and Sandra burst into laughter.

“Toes.” Laura leaned to the side. “Look, they look funny.”

“Funny?” Kara echoed again, sending Cheryl and Sandra into another fit of laughter.

“Thank you!” Sandra pointed at Laura’s foot. “Nothing.”

“They’ve looked funny ever since I broke them.” Laura extended her foot so Kara could see.

“I don’t…” Kara frowned, sure, when she held her foot up, her toes had a sort of space between the third and fourth, but…

“Point it.” Cheryl directed, gesturing with her glass. “See, frakking perfect arch and point. So what if there’s a teensy, tiny, space between them when you try to see it.”

Sandra leaned toward Kara. “Laura tripped over Cheryl’s skates and broke her toes. Been sensitive about it ever since.”

“Seriously?” Kara started laughing.

“Yep.” Sandra nodded solemnly before laughing again. “She would have been a miserable older sister except she was cool.”

“She could do braids.” Cheryl lifted her glass. “And she let us borrow her clothes.”

“And she always knew where her missing clothes were.” Laura added dryly. “In someone else’s room.”

“She took us places mom and dad wouldn’t.” Sandra grinned. “When we weren’t supposed to.”

“And mom and dad never knew.” Cheryl added, tapping her glass against Sandra’s before they took a drink.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that.” Laura giggled. “There were a few times I think they suspected…”

“I was sick that time…not…hungover.” Sandra frowned. “Really.”

“Right.” Laura filled their glasses again. “And what else did I teach you?”

“Drink water before going out drinking. And after.” They chorused, lifting their glasses again.

“Frak.” Kara muttered, “wish I’d heard that.”

“You and I learned the hard way.” Laura wrinkled her nose at Kara. “I just passed it on.”

“You learned it at…” Cheryl’s voice trailed off. “Never mind.”

“What?” Kara’s head shot up. “Never mind what?”

“Did mom and dad ever find out?” Sandra asked, leaning forward intently.

“Find out what?” Kara repeated, watching Laura closely.

“Where she worked while she was in college.” Cheryl grinned. “Her second job. And not the one in the library.”

“Mom did.” Laura sighed. “I finally told her. I don’t think dad ever did. And you two were sworn to secrecy.”

“You had a secret job you couldn’t tell your dad about?” Kara leaned forward. “Spill it.”

When Laura shook her head and took another drink before reaching for a wing, Sandra giggled. “Good gods, Laura, it wasn’t that horrible.”

”Except that she was supposed to spend all her time studying, and that the oldest daughter of two highly respected educators…” Cheryl lifted her glass and nodded at Sandra, who continued.

“The recipient of the Caprican scholarship for higher education, the valedictorian of her high school…” Sandra lifted her glass. “The bright and shining star…”

“Shut up. And you know very well that it was when I was in graduate school, which didn’t pay for itself.” Laura threw a balled up napkin at her before taking a drink. “Fine. So I wanted to do something fun and different from working at the university by then, and worked in a bar.”

“A bar?” Kara shook her head. “So what?”

“And where was the bar?” Sandra asked, throwing the napkin back.

“No…” Cheryl added, “the correct question is…what was the bar?”

Kara’s eyes widened. “No…a…you….”

“No!” Laura shook her head furiously as her sisters broke down laughing. “Not one of…those bars.”

“Close enough.” Sandra finally got out. “She was a bartender at Caprica Heights.”

“Caprica Heights?” Kara’s eyes widened. “But…” she stared at Laura, trying to imagine her working behind a bar at what at one point of time had been some of the hottest places in Caprica City. One where the bartenders were all female, and had a reputation for being loud, wild, and outgoing, not to mention, their attire not leaving much to the imagination. “You?”

“Frak.” Laura downed another shot. “Yes. All right? It was good money, it was fun, and I liked it. And for the record, while I indeed did do my time dancing on the bar in the group numbers, fully clothed, I never sang, and we never took anything off. Ever.”

“And this never came out when…” Kara blinked, remembering some of the political scandals she’d read about.

“It was years before I became Secretary of Education,” Laura sighed. “And no one really ever associated Laura Roslin with Rose from Caprica Heights. The other girls knew I was in college, and was going to teach, but we were all there for fun and to make money. It was a good job, and I was lucky to get it.”

“Lucky they needed a redhead.” Cheryl giggled. “Kara, it was the coolest place.”

“You took them there?” Kara blinked at Laura.

“When they were legal.” Laura grinned. “I’d…retired by then, but still knew everyone. And it was the one near the university so it wasn’t too bad.”

“You told mom?” Sandra rested her elbow on the table and propped her chin on her hand.

”Yeah.” Laura’s smile faded slightly. “She thought it was cool.”

“Laura took care of our mom when we were at college.” Cheryl reached out and picked up the bottle, filling their glasses.

“And how long did she lecture you when you got here about not going for regular medical exams.” Sandra giggled.

”Don’t go there.” Laura lifted her glass. “Sandra, truth.”

“Kay.” She held up her glass. “Hit me.”

Laura smiled lazily. “Cheryl’s masters level graduation party. Are you the one who gave my number to all the bartenders?”

Sandra burst out laughing and took a drink. “Easy one. Anne was the one trying to get you hooked up. She made us distract you while she gave your number out.”

Laura frowned and drank. “Anne did? Frak. And to think I trusted her…”

“We told her only the cute ones.” Cheryl burst out giggling then hastily drank as Kara fell back against the couch laughing.

“Oh…Frak!” Still laughing, Kara stared down at herself. “Sorry Laura…”

“Don’t get it on the couch!” Downing the rest of her drink, Laura stumbled to her feet, leaving her glass on the table as Sandra grabbed a handful of napkins and thrust them toward Kara as she took the now empty glass.

“Come on.” Cheryl managed to get to her feet, helping Sandra pull Kara upright.

“Back here.” Laura grimaced slightly as the three of them stumbled against the table, spilling some of the food onto the surface. “Be careful.”

“Not like you’re living here for long.” Cheryl wrinkled her nose at Laura. “Calm down anyway.”

“Yeah, does the Old Man know how neat you are?” Kara edged around a chair, arms linked with Cheryl and Sandra. “I mean, he has all those stacks of books and stuff around. You going to alphab…alpa…put them in order?”

”Not wanting food and ambrosia spilled all over does not…” Laura stumbled slightly as she hit the light panel in the bedroom, “does not make me overly bitchy about being neat.”

“Yeah.” Kara stared around the room. “Frak…The entire wall is a closet…and drawers…”

“Laura liked to shop.” Sandra pushed Kara toward the bathroom. “I swear all the drawers are organized too.”

“See?” Cheryl pulled one out at random and froze. “Laura!”

”Stop snooping!” Using a hip, Laura pushed it closed and moved past them. “Come on Kara. And you two…no snooping. I had enough clothes go missing when we all lived together.”

“Only cause you always had the best stuff.” Sandra waited until Laura had disappeared through the door to pull the drawer back out. “And she never had this stuff at home.”

“Tell me about it.” Cheryl lifted one of the delicate silky slips up. “Dad would have flipped.”

“Look at this one.” Holding up another one, Sandra glanced toward the bathroom then back at her sister. “Should we?”

“What’s she gonna do?” Giggling, Cheryl pulled her dress off and slid the slip over her head. “Gods…it’s gorgeous.”

“This is why we always borrowed from her.” Sandra whispered, following suit, dropping her slacks and blouse to the side. “And opened her presents first, no offense.”

“Total agreement.” Cheryl moved toward the mirror.

“I told you to not…” Laura sighed. “Why do I even try?”

“Hey, how come they get those and I got a cotton robe?” Kara frowned and pushed past Laura.

“Here, it’s totally you.” Cheryl pulled another piece of lingerie, this one a camisole and matching shorts out of the drawer and tossed it to Kara as Laura sighed again and carried Kara’s stained blouse out of the room.

By the time she returned, all three of them were collapsed on her bed in laughter. “What?”

“You really…” Kara waved her hand, laughing, “you really took a dare to…what was it?”

“We dared her to sing.” Sandra rolled over on her back. “In public.”

“I was…judgment impaired.” Laura groaned, crossing to pull open the curtains hiding the stars before moving to drop onto the bed beside the others. “When was it…”

“Cheryl’s….twenty third birthday.” Sandra giggled.

“You’d missed it, so we went out the following week.” Cheryl added. “It was after you’d broken up with what’s his name…and we were out by ourselves…that weekend you got us at the beach.”

“I don’t even remember that weekend.” Laura rolled over as Sandra pushed at her.

”Go change. I bet you never wore some of this stuff.” Sandra pulled Laura’s shirt out of her waistband. “Some of it’s still wrapped in tissue, and it’s gorgeous.”

“I bet she changes every hour.” Kara grinned. “She only had like three outfits for years. Never realized the huge sacrifice you made…no black market runs?”

“Not like I was provided a uniform.” With a groan, Laura stood and obediently changed into a pale blue piece of silk, tossing her dress into a hamper before collapsing back on the bed. “Better?”

”Much.” Cheryl shifted so she was propped up on a pillow. “Remember when we used to spend hours like this?”

“Mmmm.” Laura smiled, her hand absently reaching out to stroke Kara’s hair. “Yeah. We’d spend all night just talking about everything, anything.”

“Started when she used to have to babysit us.” Sandra explained. “We wouldn’t go to sleep unless she stayed with us.”

“Cause dad told us to make sure she didn’t have anyone over.” Cheryl finished. “So, we made her let us sleep on her bed.”

“And as we got older, it was just our place.” Sandra sighed. “Remember after mom died?”

“Yeah.” Cheryl glanced at Laura, who was watching them. “We got home in time to say good bye…and after Laura and daddy took care of everything, we all got in her bed and just held each other…daddy just sat in his chair and watched over us.”

“We had each other.” Laura replied simply, still stroking Kara’s hair. “And I had all the memories after…”

“Yeah.” Cheryl sighed.

“I wish I’d had sisters.” Kara whispered, staring at them.

“You do, now.” Sandra nudged Kara with her leg. “Sort of. I mean, you’re like my age, even though you’re really what, my niece?”

“Something like that.” Laura smiled. “Hey, did I tell you two that Kara was married to a professional pyramid player?”

Cheryl and Sandra sat up, staring at her. “What?” Cheryl choked out.

“Who?” Sandra echoed.

“Uh…” Kara glanced at Laura. “I don’t think…”

“It was after your time.” Laura grinned.

”What team?” Cheryl grabbed a pillow and hit Laura. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell us she was married to a pyramid player.”

“Hey!” Laura grabbed the pillow and hit Cheryl back.

“What team?” Sandra asked, grabbing the pillow so neither one could hit the other. “Kara?”

“The Caprican Buccaneers.” Kara shrugged. “He was the captain before the attacks.”

“What was his name,” Sandra frowned at Laura. “I just want to know. Joey coached some of the kids that went on to play pro.”

“Sam Anders.” Kara grabbed a pillow and held it against her.

“Sam Anders.” Sandra echoed softly, thinking. Suddenly, her head shot up. “I think Joey coached him when he was a kid, I remember him going on and on about this kid named Sammy who was amazing, he was only about six or seven, but apparently was taking on the older kids. Wonder if it’s the same Sam? It would have been about the right time, wouldn’t it?”

“Maybe we can find out someday.” Laura reached out and rubbed Kara’s arm. “Small world, hmm?”

“Yeah.” Kara shrugged.

“Okay.” Laura glanced around the room, their clothes piled on the floor, moonlight spilling in through the branches of the trees outside the window and falling against the wood panels of the walls. “We staying in here for the night?”

“Yep.” Cheryl flopped back against the pillows, smiling. “Like old times. That’s why you got this bed, right? Big enough for all three of us at sleepovers?”

“Right.” Shaking her head, Laura sighed. “The only reason…but, never mind that. Kara, you’re with me, we’ll get provisions. Cheryl, living room, food cleaned up, glasses in the kitchen. Sandra, pillows and other things.” She glanced around at them. “Fifteen minutes. Go.”

“Provisions?” Kara frowned as Cheryl and Sandra slid off the bed obediently, shoving each other like kids as they ran out of the room.

“Yeah.” Laura stood and moved into the bathroom for a minute before returning. “Come on.” Catching Kara’s hand, she pulled her through the living room, shaking her head at her sisters as they passed by, food and glasses in hand. “Out here.” Waiting until Kara had joined her on the balcony, she slid the door closed and moved around the corner out of their sight. “Here.” Shaking out a cigarette from the pack she held, she handed it to Kara, then lit it as well as another for herself.

“Thanks.” Kara inhaled deeply.

“Sorry. Didn’t think before I brought Sam up.” Tucking the lighter back into the pack, she tossed it onto the table behind her and leaned on the railing. “You all right?”

Kara leaned next to her, staring out at the trees silhouetted by the moonlight, waiting a moment before speaking. “Yeah. Just hadn’t really thought about him.” She smiled slightly. “Can you imagine if it’s the same Sam?”

“The way the last years have been,” Laura gestured slightly, “nothing really surprises me anymore.”

“Yeah.” Kara sighed.

“It’ll be okay, Kara.” Laura slid her arm around the younger woman’s waist. “I promise.”

“I know.” She smiled and rubbed her head against Laura’s. “So, what provisions are we getting?”

“I know I’m not going to be here much longer, but we are not eating wings on that bed. I love that silk bedspread and I’ve missed it.” Laura stated firmly. “You’ll see. You’ll like them though.”

“I still can’t believe you worked at…” Kara giggled. “Does the old man know?”

Laura frowned. “I don’t think it actually ever came up. It was a long time ago, and I was a different person back then.”

“I don’t know,” Kara stepped back and gazed at her. “I think you’re a mix of who you were back then, and who you were on Galactica. I like it. I mean I liked you, most of the time…I’m just going to stop now.”

”Wise choice.” Laura laughed and stubbed out what was left of her cigarette. “Let’s go.”

Ten minutes later, Laura was carrying a tray into her bedroom, Kara behind her with a plate. “Move the books over.” Waiting until Cheryl had pushed the pile of books on the bedside table to the side, she slid the tray onto it and nodded toward the center of the bed. “Plate there – carefully.”

“Are those…” Sandra grabbed one of the cookies. “Thank the gods.”

“Made them earlier.” Laura waited until they were settled against pillows and handed each one a mug. “Careful as well.”

“So, learn the Roslin secret family recipe?” Cheryl grinned at Kara. “Chocolate and alcohol?”

“Not really sure about the chocolate part.” Kara admitted, taking a cautious swallow, her eyes widening. “Oh my.” Leaning over, she threw an arm around Laura. “Thanks mom.”

“Don’t call me that.” Laura giggled and kissed her on the forehead. “Dear.”

Kara winced. “Deal.”

“Good.” Laura picked up a cookie and took a bite before settling back against the pillows. “Stories or hair?”

“Hair.” Sandra sat up and set her mug on the table. “Kara gets Laura first.”

“Huh?” Kara blinked.

“Stay there.” Laura leaned back and handed her mug to Sandra, taking the brush she handed her in return. “It’s painless.”

“Right.” Frowning, Kara waited as Laura moved to kneel behind her. “What are…ouch!”

“Hush.” Giggling, Laura settled behind Kara and started to pull the brush through her hair. “And stay still.”

“Listen to her. Or she’ll hit you with the brush.” Cheryl advised, moving behind Laura.

“One time.” Laura sighed, “one time I hit her and she doesn’t let me forget it.”

“You got it.” Laughing, Cheryl began to brush through Laura’s hair. “Your hair’s gotten lighter, Laura. Maybe a few inches longer.”

“Yeah, why’d you ever have it short?” Kara asked, eyes closed. “Even I can see you like it better long, suits you better.”

“Short?” Sandra echoed, Cheryl staring back over her shoulder to meet her eyes for a moment before they turned to stare at Laura. “You cut it short? When and why for Gods sake?”

Laura remained silent for a moment, her fingers deftly separating Kara’s hair into three sections at the crown. Starting the braid, she sighed. “It was…the President’s advisors suggested…it was better for…let’s just say I did it, and leave it at that.”

“No.” Cheryl shook her head. “Laura, you promised to never cut it short again. It was ours.”

“Well, you weren’t there, all right?” Laura continued to stare at the braid she was forming on Kara’s head, Kara remaining perfectly still, barely breathing. “When I became Secretary of Education, the President’s political advisors strongly recommended I have a different image, one more suited to the President’s political cabinet.” Her sisters and Kara remained silent as she took a breath. “That I look less like a teacher in an urban school and more like a representative of the people.”

“The frakking suits.” Kara breathed. “That’s why…And you haven’t worn anything like them since we’ve been here.”

“Hey, I liked some of my frakking suits.” Laura managed a smile. “And I didn’t have to wear them all the time. And, no one could tell me what to wear under my suits. That was mine.”

“Laurie…” Cheryl leaned forward and rested her cheek against Laura’s back. “Gods…”

“It was that prick Adar, wasn’t it.” Kara twisted suddenly, remembering some almost forgotten comments from past conversations. “He made you cut it.”

“No one made me.” Laura nudged her back around so she could finish the braid.

“Adar?” Sandra and Cheryl exchanged a look. “The one you helped run for Mayor? That’s who ended up President?”

“I helped with his campaign.” Laura finished Kara’s braid and turned, shifting her weight. “Turn around Cheryl.” Waiting until Cheryl obeyed, she brushed through her hair as her sisters stared at each other. “Stayed with his campaign…I wanted to make a difference, on a bigger scale than one classroom, I had ideas…things that I wanted to see happen in the educational system…and it filled my time, after…well, I needed to find something else to fill my time.”

“Laura…” Sandra bit her lip, waiting for Cheryl’s nod. “Laurie, did he…I mean, he was always watching you. I know he had good plans for Caprica, and I guess the colonies after, but, he was…”

”Yes.” Continuing to stare at Cheryl’s hair, Laura nodded slowly. “That’s what you wanted to know. Yes, I had an affair with him.”

”Frak.” Cheryl closed her eyes. “Laura, you knew better…”

“Don’t judge.” Kara whispered. “Sometimes things happen that are bigger than you expect.” As Laura threw a startled glance over her shoulder at the younger woman, Kara shook her head. “Sorry. I mean…Sometimes…intentions just…things just…you don’t mean to hurt anyone, but things seem one way, and then they’re another…and you can’t get out. And by the time you figure it out, you can’t figure…”

“Exactly.” Laura reached back and touched Kara’s cheek. “Exactly.” As she returned her attention to Cheryl’s hair, she took a deep breath. “Things happen. And, I wasn’t the same person I was when you were…alive. In one moment…all of you were gone. It threw me, and I wasn’t sure what I was doing, where I was going…I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to be the same person without you.”

“Laurie…” Hesitantly, Sandra moved to kneel next to Laura and reached up, stroking gently through Laura’s hair. “Gods…don’t you know, that was the last thing…”

“I know.” Laura shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment. “Gods sake, don’t you think I knew it, and it was a frakking cycle. I knew you wouldn’t want me to change, but I didn’t want to stay the same…I drifted for a few months, then…made some decisions.” As a hand touched her cheek, her eyes flew open, startled as she realized it was Kara’s hand gently wiping away the tears she hadn’t even realized were trickling down her cheeks. “I was off balance, and I needed to be someone else…just for a while. And then it was habit, and then…it was just easier. Things happen, Richard was part of the easier after a while, it wasn’t anything sudden, until it was. And then I…there were other things that seemed more important. I…It was…I never…” As Laura bit her lip and shook her head, the other three looked at each other helplessly for a moment before automatically wrapping their arms around her, holding on to her.

“It’s okay Laurie.” Cheryl had twisted around, her face buried in Laura’s hair as she murmured. “It’s okay, we’re back now, and it’s okay. You have us, and Kara…and we aren’t going anywhere this time. You can be you again.”

“But I’m not.” She took a choked breath. “I don’t frakking know who I am…or who I was…it was supposed to be simple…and it’s not, but it is…”

“All you have to be is Laura.” Sandra gently rubbed Laura’s back. “You can tell us whatever, and we’ll figure it out, we always do. And now, we have Kara to help us too. She can help you tell us about who you became…and we’ll figure it out. The four of us.”

“Here.” Kara gingerly held out Laura’s mug. “Drink something.” As Laura obediently took the mug and sipped at it, Kara managed a smile. “Better?” When Laura remained still, Kara glanced helplessly at the other two for a moment, all three of them still holding onto Laura. “Hey, this was your place from just before you came to Galactica, right?”

“Mmm hmm.” Laura nodded and looked up, a confused expression on her face.

“So, you’ve got to have stuff here that can show us what you were like,” Kara shrugged, “I mean, after you decided to change everything, and before I knew you…so we can figure it out, right?”

Sandra nodded. “Of course. You kept your books up, right?”

”You had to keep those.” Cheryl’s eyes widened. “Right?” Laura nodded slowly, hands clutching at the mug. “All right. You two, replenish the drinks and cookies. Laura, they’re in the living room, which cabinet or shelf?”

“By the credenza, bottom shelf, under the audio system.” She whispered, staring at the three of them as Sandra and Kara scrambled off the bed. “But…”

“You stay here, settle up there.” Cheryl pointed to the head of the bed. “Arrange the pillows. We’ll be right back.”

By the time Laura had slowly rearranged the pillows against the head board and settled into the center of them, her knees drawn up and arms wrapped around her legs as she stared at the ring on her finger, Sandra was back. “Laura? I’m so sorry…”

“Hey.” She managed a slight smile. “It’s okay. I’m sorry, this is supposed to be a fun night,” picking up the brush, she pointed in front of her. “Sit.”

Sandra crawled onto the bed and settled back down in front of Laura, carefully placing the plate she held in the center before closing her eyes and leaning her head back. “I didn’t mean anything, but he was always watching you. I just really didn’t think anything about it ‘cause he was married. I thought he was just another one of those guys who liked to look but knew that…”

”I know.” Pulling the brush through Sandra’s hair, Laura sighed. “I didn’t think anything about it either. It was stupid, it happened, and it was just easier to let it go than to change everything. I was ending it though, before the attack on the colonies…when I went to Galactica for the ceremony. When I got back, I was going to change things, and not just because of the cancer.” Deftly, she braided Sandra’s hair, “I got to do some good things, and I wasn’t unhappy, just…not settled anymore.”

As the other two joined them, she smiled slightly. “I was able to make some significant changes in the educational system, and that was what mattered. So, they wanted me to dress the way they thought a high ranking educator should dress, if that was what it took to get corporate and political support, they could tell me what suits to wear on the outside. They wanted my hair in a controlled professional look, I was able to get funding to establish and support programs like the rehabilitative arts program, so it was worth it.” At Kara’s sudden flinch, she finished wrapping the elastic around Sandra’s braid and turned to eye Kara. “What’s wrong?”

“You were the one who…for kids with problems, the art program?” Kara blinked. “At Caprica Central Grades?”

”That was the pilot program, before we extended it through the colonies. We started there, because for rehabilitative therapy, there were a high number of children who needed…they’d been sent there because of physical…” Laura’s voice trailed off as she stared down at Kara’s hands. “Oh. My. Gods.”

“What?” Cheryl looked at them.

“I was part of that pilot program.” Kara whispered. “My hands had been…”

“Hurt in an accident.” Laura finished softly, reaching out to catch one of Kara’s hands, her thumb absently tracing along the healed bones.

“If I hadn’t…I wouldn’t have ever been a pilot, or anything…” Kara stared at her. “I wouldn’t have been there…to go to Kobol…”

“All this has happened before…” Laura shook her head.

“So, because Laura set up this program,” Cheryl glanced at Kara, “you were able to regain the use of your hands?”

“And become a pilot, ending up on the ship where Laura was?” Sandra finished. “Wow.”

”Yeah. Wow.” Laura smiled slightly. “So, the suits and the hair were worth every minute.”

“Thank you.” Kara launched herself at Laura, Sandra and Cheryl barely saving the tray with the mugs on it from tilting over at the movement. “Oh Gods…you were her…I saw you once when they brought people in to see how the program was. I hated them watching us, so I just watched them. You were the sad one.”

“I wasn’t sad.” Laura murmured, gently rocking Kara in her arms, “not for me. I was amazed at how brave you all were.” She pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Kara’s head. “So very brave. I didn’t know much about any of you, just that some of you had been in accidents…or injured somehow and couldn’t handle being in a mainstream class for the entire day, physically or emotionally. And you all were so lively, just living and working so hard at being…kids.”

“Yeah.” Kara sniffed. “Something like that.” She lifted her head and gazed at Laura. “You can tell them if you want.” When Laura responded by bending her head so she could murmur into Kara’s ear, Kara nodded.

Laura sighed and looked back at her sisters, who were staring at the two of them. “Kara’s dad died when she was a kid. Her mom…wasn’t like our mom…she was…” she sighed.

“She got mad at me a lot.” Kara whispered. “She had…problems, apple didn’t fall too far from the tree and all that with me I guess. But, she got mad at me for…doesn’t matter. But…she slammed my fingers in the door. Both hands.” Ignoring Sandra and Cheryl’s gasps, she continued as Laura stroked her hair. “My father was a pianist, I think she just sort of made the leap that hands were the worst thing to hurt…so she did.”

“Oh, Kara…” Sandra reached out and took Kara’s hand, gently stroking it. “I’m so sorry…”

“Yeah. Well.” Kara shrugged slightly. “It was a long time ago. And all that.” She managed a smile. “And now I have you guys. Right?”

“Right.” Sandra wrapped her arms around Kara, hugging her.

After a minute, Kara straightened and sniffed. “Hey, weren’t we about to see some incriminating pictures of Laura’s sullied past?”

“My political past is not sullied.” Laura managed a smile. “And where’s my drink.”

Two minutes later, they were resettled against the headboard, Laura in the center, with Kara and Sandra on one side, Cheryl nestled on the other. “This one. It was the one on top, figured we’d start there.” Cheryl placed a scrapbook on Laura’s lap.

“Ah.” Taking a sip of her drink, Laura coughed. “Kara…”

“What?” She blinked innocently. “Proportions of alcohol to chocolate off?”

”You put chocolate in here?” Laura took another sip and sighed. “Fine. All right.” With her other hand, she opened the book and gazed at the first set of clippings. “Oh…this is from when I went to Picon…to visit Sierra.”

“Sierra?” Kara glanced up.

“College roommate when Laura was in graduate school.” Sandra grinned. “And fellow waitress at Caprica Heights. She was cool.”

“I went to visit her…and ended up chaperoning her classes to the Fleet base there.” Laura turned the page and gazed at the picture showing a group of teenagers in front of a Raptor. “This was on the field trip, a group shot.”

“Hey, I was stationed there as a nugget on one of my three week rotations.” Kara grinned. “That was the area they were turning into a museum.”

“Right.” Laura pointed at it. “That was where I got the idea for Galactica to be a museum. The kids loved it. And if that could be done on a larger scale…”

”They’d see how education could be applied.” Sandra nodded. “Sierra looks great.”

“Yeah.” Running her hand affectionately along the picture, Laura smiled. “It was a good trip.” She turned the page. “Presidential reception. For something or other.” She opened the invitation fastened to the page. “Ah. Dedication of the Adar Library. That would be why I was there.” Turning another page, she fell silent, staring at the picture of herself and the President.

“He…” Cheryl tilted her head.

“Never really looked at him before.” Kara mused, looking at the picture. “Didn’t vote for the prick, didn’t like his eyes. Shifty.”

“What are you wearing? Black?” Sandra frowned. “And gods Laura…your hair.”

”It was…well, a library dedication.” Laura sighed. She remembered that dress. A fitted velvety sheath, the front appropriately demure. “And it’s not black, it’s a dark green, and the back was a lot better than the front. It was open, fastened at the neck.”

“He looks like he’s giving you directions.” Cheryl mused. “You’re smiling the polite smile. The one that’s not really a smile.”

“I did that a lot.” Laura giggled. “And he did that a lot. He was telling me to meet him later. I was saying no. I’d just gotten back in from Picon the night before and was still recovering from the trip. Vacations with Sierra usually took a few days to get over. He wasn’t very happy, but he couldn’t do anything about it. We…discussed it the next day at a meeting we had about my proposal.”

“Where was this?” Sandra had turned the page to see a clipping of Laura speaking at a podium.

“Veteran’s panel. Looking for support.” She smiled fondly. “Very polite. Actually all the military I met were extremely polite to me. Made meeting Bill a bit of a shock.”

“Well, you wanted to network his ship.” Kara shrugged. “Please. What did you expect?” As Cheryl and Sandra exchanged a glance, she laughed and reached out for another cookie. “Hey, I remember him.” She pointed to one of the veterans in the picture. “I think I skunked him in a Triad game. Full colors over a three up. Didn’t take it well.”

“Did you laugh in his face as well?” Laura asked dryly. “Please, Kara I heard all about the way you play triad.”

”Got a deck?” Her eyes widened innocently.

“Not tonight.” Laura forestalled her sister’s response. “Next time.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” Kara settled back down, flipping through the next few pages as Laura made random comments in response to their questions.

“You look so serious.” Sandra mused, eyeing another picture of Laura, speaking at a school opening, “except this one…” she pointed to a candid shot of Laura kneeling down and talking to some children.

”Well, it was a serious job.” Laura sighed and turned the page.

”Hey…” At the back of the book was a folder with an embossed seal on it. Kara opened it. “It’s a briefing…about Galactica.”

”I forgot I’d thrown this in there right before I left.” Laura pulled a sheath of pictures out of the pocket. “This is Bill.” Her fingers traced his face gently, a wistful expression on her face.

”He looks…” Cheryl frowned. “A bit stern.”

“Frowns.” Sandra added. “Looks like a natural expression on him.”

”He is, was.” Laura smiled fondly. “He frowned a lot when we met. Not that it was under the best circumstances. We agreed on some things, but had some major differences in opinions. Policies, ways to deal with situations, things like that. He threw me in the brig once too.”

“He what?” Cheryl stared at her.

“Brig’s not that bad.” Kara shrugged. “Not that we were ever there at the same time or anything.”

”Big misunderstanding.” Laura stared at the picture. “We…talked it out later. On Kobol.”

”Nice eyes though.” Sandra tilted her head, looking closer.

“Mmm hmm.” With a final trace, Laura handed it to Cheryl. “Put it on the bedstand please, I’ll find a frame later.”

“We are getting another picture of him when he gets here. I don’t like that one.” Cheryl sighed as she twisted to set the picture on the table. “Who’s that?”

“Colonel Tigh. Nemesis of Kara Thrace.” Laura giggled. “The Exec.”

“Yeah, well, he ended up being okay…in the long run.” Kara winced.

“Hmm.” Looking at the next picture, Laura giggled. “Oh gods…”

”Frak.” Kara stared at a younger, cockier version of herself. “Why is that there?”

“Let’s see.” Laura turned it over, reading, “decommissioning flight to be led by fighter pilot Kara Thrace…”

“I like you better now.” Sandra giggled. “But, you really don’t look that different. Your eyes are though. Happier now.”

“Yeah. They would be.” Kara nodded. “Who’s next…”

“Hot guy.” Sandra grabbed the picture. “Fighter jock?”

“Lee Adama.” Kara grinned. “He’d hate that picture. Although, when it was taken, he probably loved it. Stick in the mud by the book Lee.”

”Bill’s son.” Laura added. “He changed a lot as well.” She pulled out the next picture. “Oh…”

“Isn’t she gorgeous.” Kara reached out to touch the picture.

“Yeah.” Laura smiled wistfully then held it so Cheryl and Sandra could see it. “This was Galactica. She saved our lives…”

”Okay.” Cheryl gazed at the ship. “Big.”

“Dark.” Sandra added.

“I used to think that as well.” Laura’s smile faded slightly as she tucked the pictures back into the folder. “She tended to grow on you when you depended on her.”

“Yeah.” Kara sighed. “She took a lot.”

”I just can’t imagine…” Sandra sighed. “Gods, Laura.”

”It wasn’t all bad.” Sitting up, she tossed the book toward the foot of the bed. “It was just different. We did what we had to do. Sometimes we disagreed, made wrong decisions, went against popular opinion, but we survived…well, most of us did.”

“We had some good times.” Kara grinned. “Here and there.”

“We did.” Laura reached up and wrapped her arms around the other three. “But this is much better. For now.”

”When are you starting the cabin?” Sandra asked softly.

”Soon.” She shrugged. “I’ll know when it’s time. I have the place. And I know what we want.”

”For now though, we have us.” Cheryl sighed. “Hey, Laura, if you don’t have room for all your clothes, can we have first picks?”

”I’m keeping all my clothes.” She shook her head. “Why are mine always so much better?”

“Cause they’re yours.” Cheryl giggled. “That’s what big sisters are for.”

“So that’s what I was missing.” Kara grinned. “Knew there was a reason I have no fashion sense.”

”You wear your uniform smashingly.” Laura wrinkled her nose. “And we’ll find things for you that aren’t a uniform.” With a sigh, she rested her cheek on Sandra’s head. “Movie?”

“Yeah!” Cheryl sat up. “Kara, you’re gonna love this. Laura got this place from a techno geek, he’d installed all sorts of cool things. Like…this.” Leaning over, she pulled a control out of the drawer of the bedside table and pointed it at the wall. Seconds later, two panels slid sideways, exposing a screen which activated as the lights in the room dimmed. “What are we watching?”

“Mystery.” Laura unwrapped her arms from around her sisters and took a swallow from the mug she still held before handing it to Cheryl, who put it with the others on the table.

”Romance.” Sandra countered. “Something sweet and light and sappy.”

”Uh…something with explosions?” Kara suggested.

“Random it is.” Cheryl closed her eyes and entered a code, all of them waiting as a picture filled the screen, morphing into a movie title.

“Silly and romantic it is.” Laura sighed as a title appeared on the screen and they all settled back against the pillows.

After a few minutes, Kara turned toward her. “Laura?”

”Hmm?” Glancing away from the screen, she smiled down at Kara.

“Thanks.” She managed a smile.

“Hey.” She slid her arm around Kara and hugged her gently. “You’re one of us now. I told you that.”

“So next time,” Sandra reached over and gave Kara an affectionate shove. “We meet at your place for triad. She won’t let us play here.”

“Last time we played here, I was finding food in the cushions for three weeks.” Laura giggled. “Now hush, and watch the movie.”

Sometime later, when the credits rolled, Laura eased herself up from the bed and slid the remote out of Cheryl’s hand, shutting the player off. Perching on the edge of the bed, she smiled at the three women curled on their sides, sound asleep, before picking up the scrapbook she’d tossed aside earlier. Standing, she returned it to the shelf it had come from before taking the mugs on her bedside table and washing them quickly, wiping down the kitchen area as she went.

Yawning, she moved back to the bedroom and picked up the picture of Bill that Cheryl had put on the table. “Oh, Bill…” With a soft sigh, she ran her fingers along his face, deciding to find a frame for it first thing in the morning. With a final caress of his cheek, she laid it back on the table before picking up one of the blankets at the foot of the bed and gently placing it over Kara and Cheryl, smiling as they mumbled something indecipherable before falling back to sleep. Moving around to the other side of the bed, she spread another blanket over Sandra before easing herself onto the bed behind her.

“Clean up everything?” Sandra murmured.

“Mmm hmm.” Laura pulled the blanket over herself, settling down. “All settled for the night.”

“Good.” Sandra shifted slightly, her back resting against Laura’s. “Missed you.”

“You too.” Reaching back, she laced fingers with Sandra.

”Night.” Sandra squeezed her hand for a moment before falling back to sleep, Laura following a moment later with a soft sigh as moonlight filled the room, glinting off the ring she still wore on her right hand.

The next morning, Laura rolled over with a soft groan as a beam of sunlight hit her face. “Frak…” While the early morning sun had been one of the reasons she loved this apartment when she’d found it, the bright light on a morning after an evening with her sisters was a bit much. Carefully pushing the blanket back and tucking it around Sandra, she slid off the bed and crossed to the window, gently pulling the curtains back to block the light.

Turning around, a smile touched her lips as she watched the three women sleeping on her bed, their hair still in the braids she’d done the night before. Biting her lip to keep back the giggle, she realized they looked like a litter of kittens or puppies, curled up together in the blankets. “My girls…” she whispered, reaching out for the robe she’d left on the back of a chair and pulling it on as she left the bedroom, absently pulling her hair out of the collar after belting the robe around her waist.

A few minutes later she wandered out onto the balcony, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. Sinking down on one of the chaise lounges, she tucked her legs underneath her as she gazed out at the mist drifting in and out of the forest. The thought that perhaps she should start working on the cabin drifted through her mind. As a doe and fawn appeared, grazing through the grass, she smiled. When the cabin was done, she wanted to spend mornings like this, curled up with Bill as they watched from the porch, looking whatever animals meandered down to the lake. Just looking at life. They’d earned it, after all.