Title: 'Tomorrow' or 'To Die Proudly'

Author: Tartan Lioness

Summary: Ficlet. Laura is ill and Bill is by her side. Established relationship.

To die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly. Death of one's own free choice, death at the proper time, with a clear head and with joyfulness, consummated in the midst of children and witnesses: so that an actual leave-taking is possible while he who is leaving is still there. - Friedrich Nietzsche

"Find earth," she said. She knew very well, did Laura Roslin, that she didn't have long left to live. The man, who sat next to her bed, knew it as well but neither mentioned it as he held her hand in his. "And when you do, be happy, Bill."

"Let's not talk about that now, Laura," he said, leaning forward to push a bit of hair away from her eyes. She shook her head and watched him with that old spark in her eyes – the spark that he hadn't seen much of since she'd come to his quarters one night about four months ago, pale as a ghost. When he saw her, he knew what had happened, he knew, even before she said anything. It's back. The cancer is back.

"I don't want you to be alone," she whispered. "I don't want you to be one of those cranky old men."

"I'm always cranky," he said in a vain attempt at humour.

"They're so annoying, those men." Her voice cracked. He held a glass of water to her lips and she drank. "I want you to be happy, Bill."

He didn't answer; he just looked at the woman he'd come to love, the woman, whose humanity and strength he'd come to admire. And in that moment, he couldn't imagine being happy on earth without Laura by his side.

"I'll build that cabin," he whispered. Laura smiled at him. He squeezed her hand and whispered, his voice thick, how much he loved her.

THE END.