It had been 3 months since she'd heard from her. Not long after sending her Rachel's itinerary, and the events that had unfolded that day, she had sent her an email. She hadn't heard from her since. Cosima sat on the bed, huddled over her laptop. She had read the email countless times. She had committed every last word, every last letter to memory. She had called her countless times in the weeks after she received the email. She never got through.

Her eyes scanned the email once again, always searching for something new, some kind of hidden meaning. Anything to give her hope.

Cosima,

I have to do something that I don't know if you'll ever understand. I have to do something that I myself don't quite understand. Rachel has transferred me to Germany. There is no choice involved in the matter, she made that quite clear, not if we want to maintain our ties with the DYAD Institute.

I am leaving in two days. I must go Cosima. Despite the corruption and politics, DYAD remains your only chance. I cannot sacrifice your health for my own selfish longings to be near you.

You should not contact me. Rachel will know. You must continue your treatment, and most importantly, you must survive Cosima. Please, if not for yourself then for your sisters. For me.

I don't expect you to agree with my decision. You were never one to follow rules. You always followed your heart. You will be in my heart every day, mon amour, chaque seconde.

Mon cœur est entièrement vôtre,

Delphine

Traitor tears rolled silently down her face. She didn't understand how her small, fragile body could produce so many tears. Every night.

"Aunty Cosima?" a timid voice called from the foot of her bed.

Cosima looked up at Kira's concerned face and wiped hurridly at her own, desperately attempting in vain to hide her own tears.

"Hey bug! What's up?" She tried to make her hoarse voice sound chirpy.

Cosima's health miraculously hadn't taken a turn for the worse in the last three months. Not her physical health anyway. Kira had kindly donated another tooth, and Scott had been treating her in the lab on campus.

"Mommy wanted me to tell you dinner is ready" Kira replied shyly, refusing to buy into Cosima's false cheeriness.

Cosima, along with Kira, Sarah, Cal, Felix and Helena, had been living in Cal's house for a while now. Felix's apartment no longer felt safe for any of them. Cosima was grateful for their hospitality, but resented sharing a roof with so many people, and the constant fussing and concerned attention she received made her feel exhausted and grouchy.

"Thanks Kira, I'll be there in like five minutes" She smiled, closing her laptop.

When Kira walked away silently she sighed, and rang her fingers through her dreadlocked hair. She took a minute to compose herself before making her way downstairs.

The table was loud, as always. And bustling with busy hands grabbing plates and food being served. Cosima sighed inwardly.

"Hey Cos" Sarah said, taking a moment to observe her sister. "How you feeling today?" She asked, trying to exude an air of indifference.

She fooled nobody. Sarah lay awake most nights worrying about her sister. Not just over her illness, but over her state of mind. Despite that the fact that Sarah had never trusted her, she knew Delphine had meant the world to Cosima. Every night, without fail, Sarah would sneakily check up on her sister. She had witnessed her tears too many times.

"I'm okay Sarah" Cosima replied quietly. A meal without some kind of reference to her failing health would be a pleasant surprise.

"Well you look like shit" Felix said cheekily, sticking his tongue out at her as he patted the seat next to him.

"No" Helena interjected, mouth full of chicken. "We sestras look great" She motioned in a circle. "You look like dog had shit on your face" She finished, gesturing at Felix with her fork, while keeping a straight face.

That sent Kira into fits of giggles, and Cosima managed to crack a smile.

"Well thanks a bloody lot Helena, that'll keep my ego in check" Felix piped up sarcastically.

"I don't know if anything could do that" Said Cal dryly, earning him a slap on the arm from Sarah, who was still circling the table dishing up food.

"Oi, he may be an ugly sod but he's still our brother, so ease up you lot" Said Sarah.

That gained a chuckle from everyone and Felix rolled his eyes.

"So Cos, has Scott had any luck with those new stem cells he was testing?" Sarah asked, and the mood turned from playful to serious again. Sarah took a seat on the other side of Felix.

"Um, no, not yet. He's still trying though" Cosima replied shortly. She didn't want to be rude to her family. They had been so good to her, but she really wanted to change the subject. "Sooo any news on Rachel? Her health? Her whereabouts?" She asked pointedly. "I thought you were meant to be good at this stuff Cal?"

"I've tried everything Cosima. Do you know how many websites I've hacked in the last month? Probably more than the CIA have in their entire existence. It's like the woman has just disappeared off the face of the earth" He replied defensively.

That made Cosima angry. Even speaking Rachel's name made her blood boil with an unfamiliar rage. Delphine had left because of Rachel. Now that she seems to have disappeared, why hadn't Delphine returned? Why hadn't she even contacted her? Cosima cleared her throat and nodded at Cal's answer.

"Hey" Felix whispered, taking Cosima's hand in his. "We'll figure it out alright? That one-eyed bitch has nothing on us" He said, humour in his voice. Cosima smiled weakly.

A knock on the front door startled them all. They eyed each other confusedly.

"Was anyone expecting someone?" Sarah asked, looking around the table. Everybody shook their heads.

Sarah went to stand up, but Cal put his arm out to stop her.

"You wait here, I'll get it." He said warily.

Everyone remained quiet, the air thick with worry.

Cal grabbed a shotgun from behind the kitchen and walked slowly towards the hall.

"Cal be bloody careful" Sarah muttered.

They could hear Cal opene the door, and they all waited with baited breaths to hear who was there.

Nothing, silence. Why wasn't Cal or the visitor saying anything?

"Mommy" Kira tugged worriedly at Sarahs sleeve. Sarah shushed her.

"You'd better come in" They heard Cal say.

Cal strode into the dining room, an unreadable look on his face. Light footsteps followed down the hall.

Cosima caught sight of her soft blonde curls, and familiar green eyes. And then she saw nothing but black.