1

It was a nice reprieve from all the chaos that had ensued in the last few days they had known each other. If Shay would have known that in a few short days she'd fall in love with this beautiful, intelligent, kindhearted, loving, woman, she would have prepared herself.

"So," Shay sighed. "Back where it all began, huh?"

They were bathing in tones of yellow and dark brown. They could barely hear one another in the bustling atmosphere of Bobby's Bar. But they both preferred it this way. That way they were forced to key in on each other and listen. They couldn't afford distractions this time around.

Cosima let out the deep breath she had been holding for the past few seconds. "Yeah,"

"It feels a bit spooky, now, doesn't it?" She took a sip of her tea and looked at Shay in expectation.

Shay scoffed incredulously. "'Spooky' is definitely one way to put it."

She had been nursing her drink since they both got their orders but she had yet to take a sip from it. Cosima could tell that Shay had been waiting for her to explain.

Cosima had originally aimed for this to be a lighthearted, late afternoon out where they could talk and catch up. Most importantly Cosima could apologize for bolting out of Shay's apartment with under the guise of "work things". She could hear the undertones of pain and submission in Shay's voice. She made the reach for Shay's hand but Shay turned to face her drink instead. She wouldn't have any of it until Cosima started talking.

"I am so sorry." Cosima said.

Shay looked up and scoffed again. "Cosima, it's not you who should be apologizing. It's thatー"

Cosima flinched.

Shay bit her tongue and swallowed the bitter remark. She wouldn't do this to Cosima.

"Cosima,"

Cosima's head was lowered slightly in defeat but at the beckon of her name she lifted her lifted her gaze back at Shay in complete longing. But was it love?

"Just tell me," Shay implored. "Anything...everything."

Cosima's eyes fluttered close and she squeezed them shut as she took a deep breath.

Shay took out the DYAD business card and slid it towards Cosima.

Cosima looked down at it in shock for a few seconds and then looked back up at Shay.

"WhereーWhere did you get this?" Cosima asked, beginning to accept the situation at hand.

"Can we just stop battling each other with all the questions and…" Shay looked down at the card in Cosima's hand.

"Well, go, start talking, what is all this about?" Her tone became more vehement..

"Tell me why me," Shay paused and took a deep breath. "Being with you is causingーis causing all this."

She motioned wildly around her as Cosima's mannerisms were beginning to rub off on her. But her voice weaned out and Cosima could tell she would soon be at the brink of tears.

Shay let Cosima grab her hand this time. She considered it a pillar of comfort. She needed something to help her maintain her balance while Cosima finally started to explain this heady ordeal.

"So," Cosima started, "The super secret lab that I work at, the one I took you to see." Cosima was searching for the right words. But Shay didn't want her to search, Shay just wanted her to vent.

"324B21." Shay said shakily. "What is that? Is that some kind of atomic bomb or something?"

Cosima broke. She smirked, overcome by Shay's lightheartedness and knowledge of when she most needed levity.

"No, it's not an atomic bomb, unfortunately so." Cosima let out a tiny giggle. But she knew it would soon be time for solemnity.

"I'm," Cosima shook her head and couldn't take her eyes off the hardwood table they were sitting at.

"I'm 324B21," She didn't look back up at Shay until she said those last few words.

Shay looked up at her, aghast, first in question, then in startling realization. They practically flung themselves at one another as they locked in a unifying embrace, every event of the past slowly beginning to fall into place.

But Shay let go.

"You're," "This?" "Whatーwhat does that evenー"

"It means I'm a specimen basically."Cosima scoffed at her own startling realization. She was staring off into the distance. The bar was no longer the place for them.

Shay grabbed Cosima's hand and squeezed it ever so lightly.

"Let's go home."