Q: Transferring photos from icloud to laptop.

If you are using iCloud Photo Library, your photos would be on iCloud and on your phone (and any other device where you have turned on iCloud Photo Library) -- and if you delete a photo from any of those places it is deleted from all of those places.

If you are using iCloud Photo Library, you can use a computer browser and log in to https://www.icloud.com/ and go to the Photos app there and download your photos. However that is a one at a time download so may not be the easiest way. I would find it easier to move them directly from your phone to your laptop. That can be done as described in Import photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Mac or Windows PC - Apple Support or it can be done via 3rd party apps such as http://www.photosync-app.com/ or it can be done via Photo Stream My Photo Stream FAQ - Apple Support