ANY OTHER TIME
Non-clone AU. Cosima, after going through a nasty break-up and an aggressive auto immune disease, decides to take a "sabbatical"
Lot of traveling. Doing a sort of weird sort of format here. The story begins kind of in the middle and then there will be flashbacks building up to it.
A/N: Not sure how many chapters this will end up being. It was only supposed to be about 24, but that is now approximately 37. Currently on chapter 22. I wanted to have a good chunk of this done before I started posting as I have a bad habit of not finishing my longer fics...and its been YEARS since I've really been writing, but I tried to make it good. Hope you like it :)

Cosima took a deep breath as she stepped out into the warm Tuscan sun. It was a relatively cool day for late June, but much warmer than Cosima was used to back home in San Francisco. Not that San Francisco was her home anymore. It hadn't been her home since Shay left. Cosima shook her head. That was almost a year ago now. Which meant she was ten months into the aproximated two years the doctors gave her.

Cosima shook her head again and took a deep breath. She really shouldn't be giving Shay anymore time than she already had. It was her choice to walk away. The massage therapist chose to leave in a time when Cosima needed her the most and for that Cosima wasn't sure if she could ever forgive her. Luckily she didn't have to worry about seeing her again to really have to. She lived in Toronto now with her siblings. Well, sort of lived in Toronto. Mostly she was traveling, but when she wasn't she bounced around between her siblings' places

This wasn't her plan at all. This wasn't how anything was supposd to be. She was supposed to finish her PhD, with Shay beside her side, and then they were supposed to travel together while Cosima enjoyed a break after dedicating her entire adult life to her studies; taking a couple months sabbatical to explore the world while she decided which job offer to accept and where they would move and begin this new chapter of their lives. Together. Now it was just Cosima. No PhD, no Shay.

Thankfully her family took time off to travel with her. Sarah and Felix went with her to England and showed her London through their eyes. Beth joined her in Brazil where they spent a month hiking in the Amazon rain forest. Helena showed her just about every church and convent in the Ukraine. Mrs. S took her Ireland, she took Sarah and Helena to Mexico, but it just wasn't the same.

Traveling was something she had dreamed about from a young age. It was supposed to be her reward for a long life spent in school and for her achievements. As a scientist it was in Cosima's nature to explore, but not like this.

Not because she was already living on borrowed time.

Alison was supposed to be here in Tuscany with her, but as fate would have it one of her kids was sick and she didn't trust her husband to take care of things. Not that Cosima blamed her really. Donnie tried, but he was a blundering idiot. So Cosima had come alone. Honestly she didn't mind in the slightest. In the beginning she might have. When her break-up was still new and she just wanted to be around familiar faces and to forget, but now it was nice. It was relaxing not to have one of her sisters asking her if she was okay every five minutes or if she had taken her medication or insisting they were tired and needed Cosima to go back with them to the hotel so that they could lie down. . .

Yes, it probably would have been more fun with someone with her to enjoy this with, but it was nice to be off on her own - free to do what she wanted when she wanted. Her family meant well and she knew it was their way of dealing with her disease, but they never left her alone.

A quick glance to her watch told her that she had about an hour before the tour left so she made her way across the street to a little cafe and ordered herself a cappuccino and a cornetto - the closest to her favorite breakfast she could find. Her favorite being bad coffee and a good croissant. The coffee wasn't bad persay it just wasn't her particular taste, but all she could find around were cappuccinos or espresso and she was never able to drink an espresso straight. The cornetto was close enough to a croissant, so all in all it was the Italian version of her favorite breakfast. It was the little things in life. The little comforts, little reminders of home. It was an entertaining mission of slowly working her way through the bad coffees and good croissants of the world.

Finding herself an empty table along the window she looked out at the people walking up and down the street just going about their daily lives. Her life was such a mess. She had plans before her diagnosis. Big plans! She had worked her entire adult life for this degree she would never be able to finish. Some cruel twist of fate had taken away her dreams. She would never be the scientist she wanted to be. She wouldn't discover the mysteries of the world or make great contributions to science. There just wasn't the time anymore.

Sure she could always accept one of the dozens of employment offers she'd received whilst working on her doctorate, but what was the point? Work a couple of months before she became too sick and then she would have wasted all this time she was 'healthy' when she could be out living and enjoying the time she had left now.

Cosima was never one to give up or not finish what she started. Half-assing things wasn't her style. It was all or nothing with her and she had tried so hard, but she just got too sick to keep up with the work. It was impossible to keep up with her research when she could barely get out of bed nevermind get to the lab or her classes. The option was always there to go back and finish it now that she was better, but why? Why when it would never do her any good? It was her biggest dream in life. There was nothing Corima had ever wanted more than that 'Dr' title and to be a scientist, but what was the point now? There wouldn't be time to use it. If she went back and finished it the only thing it would do for her now was put the title before her name on her grave stone.

It started about two years ago with some trouble breathing which she attributed to her pot habbit. So she cut back, but that trouble breathing turned to a cough that just wouldn't quit although Cosima still attributed that to smoking as well. Once the cough started bringing up blood she went to the doctor. Rounds of tests, xrays, various scans and biopsies later and they found that her lungs were filled with small "unidentified polyps." They tried various treatments to shrink the polyps even having a couple of surgeries to remove them, but whatever it was that was invading her body was extremely aggressive.

Then they tried cyclophosphamide with chemo and radiation and even a bone marrow transplant from Beth who, out of all of them, had been the best match for Cosima despite the fact that they were all identical and realistically any of them should have been just as good of a match. The hospital room her entire life fell apart in had been her home for five long months which was the deciding factor in abandoning her PhD work. Up until that point she had tried to keep up with even just the illusion that her life could continue as normal, but there wasn't much she could do from the hospital. After one short month of of being bed bound in that little sterile room her girlfriend of four years, the supposed love of her life, left one night with the promise to return as soon as visiting hours started the following morning only to never be seen again. Cosima probably would have been more upset about it if she had been conscious for more than a few fleeting minutes at a time.

At one point she was doing a different treatment every week. For the most part she was too out of it to know what was going on, but luckily those treatments and the bone marrow transplant did manage to shrink a good majority of her polyps and slow the progression of new growths. But at what cost? Months in excrutiating pain and being too weak to talk or move or stay awake for more than a few moments at a time, forcing her to give up her PhD and her girlfriend, two of the most important things in her life, wasn't worth the time it was supposed to buy her.

That was when Cosima decided enough was enough. The disease had taken too much from her and she was done. After five long months of treatment, when she was stronger and 'healthier,' she left the hospital. "Two years." The doctor told her. "At most."

Cosima knew that really meant maybe a year or so of feeling good if she was lucky. A year and a half before she got really sick again, but it was better than being someone's experiment wasting away in a hospital. So she took that time and ran with it, gaining her strength back with the help of her sestras, brother-sestra and Mrs. S in Toronto. A couple months later she was back to feeling and looking, more or less, like her old self and she made a plan.

There was so much she wanted to see and do and she wouldn't let this disease take her until she had experienced all of it.

Apparently there were doctors still working on finding a better treatment, she was painfully aware that no one ever said cure, but she wasn't counting on it. As a scientist she knew better than most what fate awaited her. There were medications to manage her symptoms and make what time she had left as pleasant as possible, but she was dying. Until then she was slowly making her way through her bucket list. Certain things she would never be able to do. She would never get married or have kids, but she could enjoy the things she did have time for. There was traveling and seeing the wonders of the world and spending time with her family and helping her nieces and nephew with her science homework and meeting strange women and falling madly into bed for a night and leaving before any attachments formed and anyone got hurt. It was enough. There was no other choice it had to be enough.

Pushing all negative thought from her mind Cosima finished her breakfast and joined the small group forming across the street where her tour was meeting. Her eyes immediately went to the attractive woman whose tour Cosima had the good fortune to be in today. This woman was exactly what you would picture when thinking of your typical Italian woman – long dark hair, dark eyes, olive complexion, slender tonned body. If Cosima was the swooning type she just might be tempted.

"Hey I'm Cosima." She introduced with a bright, toothy grin, extending her hand.

The guide smiled at Cosima. "I am Francesca." She introduced herself, gently wrapping her fingers around Cosima's outstretched hand.

Cosima smiled, looking deep into the dark chocolate eyes. Of course you are.

"It says here someone else is with you? Alison-"

"Yeah, she was suppose to be, but ah my nephew has the flu or something so she had to stay home." Cosima explained, her hands flying all over the place as she spoke.

"So you are here alone?" The guide asked, letting her eyes slowly trail up Cosima's body not even trying to hide it.

Cosima bit her lip. There was something about foreign accents that just did her in. "Yeah, unfortunately."

"Do not worry." Francesca smiled, placing a gentle hand on Cosima's forearm. "I will be sure to take extra good care of you." With a wink she turned to the next person looking to check in.

Cosima allowed herself one last look at the woman before moving out of the way for the others waiting. "I bet you will." It looked to be a small group in the tour, maybe twelve or so people. The majority looked to be around her age with a few older, maybe sixties or seventies. It was a walking tour of Florence promising a day of art and sightseeing in which they would tour Florence's historic center and see two of the most famous art museums in the world – the Academia Gallery home to Michaelanelo's David and the Uffizi Gallery which held masterpieces by such Italian artists as da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Botticelli and Raffaello.

Cosima wasn't crazy into art before her diagnosis, but since she found it to be somewhat of a gateway into the human experience. There was something that struck her now when looking at paintings or sculptures of people long dead. Even decades or centuries after they have passed, people are able to see through their eyes. See the world as they did. It spoke to her; the way one person could leave such a lasting impression on the world.

A mass of blonde curls caught her attention and try as she might she couldn't help the smile that came over her face.

"You're staring."

The blonde blushed and looked away. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, stare away. Please." Cosima cocked her head to the side and smiled as the other woman's eyes shamelessly ran up and down her body. "Like what you see?"

The other woman smiled as she took the glass from Cosima's hand and set it back on the bar, sliding her hands up tonned arms and shoulders to join her hands behind Cosima's neck. Cosima had to concentrate very hard not to shiver at the sensation as every touch from the blonde sent a surge of electricity through her body. "Very much so."

Cosima smiled and captured the blonde's lips again. "You know, I've been thinking."

"Then clearly I am doing something wrong."

"No, no, no, far from it." Cosima protested with another searing kiss to prove her point. "Believe me. I would really like to take this further and go somewhere just the two of us," She began, slowly trailing her fingers up pale arms. "But I don't even know your name and my mother always told me not to ...talk to strangers."

The other woman took a deep breath, clearly having as much trouble focusing at Cosima's touch as Cosima was at hers. "Delphine." She introduced, holding her hand out.

"Cosima." She introduced, gently taking the offered hand in her own.

"Enchanté."

Cosima smiled. "Enchanté"

Cosima made her way over to where the blonde was standing, careful to walk just behind her field of vision. "Fancy seeing you here."

A small smile played on the blonde's lips, but she kept her gaze out on their tour guide who was checking in the last person waiting. "If I recall, I was the one who told you to visit Tuscany if you were to ever go to Italy."

"Maybe." Cosima shrugged. "Didn't know you'd be following me though."

The blonde finally looked at Cosima and their hazel eyes met. Narrowing her eyes for a quick second she realized Cosima was teasing her. "You think very highly of yourself."

"Come on Delphine what are you doing here?"

"Well right now I am trying to enjoy the tour, but this cheeky little brunette is harassing me."

"Harassing huh?" Cosima chuckled as she turned her attention to the guide who was beginning the tour with a short history lesson. "You love it." She whispered.

Delphine smiled and winked before turning her attention back to the guide.

"Seriously..."

"Seriously." Delphine nodded. "I am on a tour. I was at a conference in Rome and took some vacation time."

"Rome is a couple hours away."

"Oui." Delphine agreed. "It is a good thing they have these things called trains that can make the trip in less time than it takes to watch a movie." She looked at Cosima with a raised brow. "Seriously, telling you about this place made me miss it. Since I was close by and am between projects at work I was able to take some time off. Who knows when I would be able to do this again so I figured why not?"

"Why not..." Cosima smirked. "You didn't tell me you were coming? I didn't even know you were going to Rome."

"It all happened very fast. I was not supposed to go, but the person who was backed out at the last minute and I was available."

"So why haven't I heard from you the past few days?" Cosima tried to brush off the hurt in her voice as nonchelance, but didn't quite succeed.

"I was asked to go literally right after our last video chat. As soon as I signed off my boss called and then I had to prepare for the conference. I had to give an entire lecture with little over twenty-four hours notice. Then the conference was three days long and I was very-"

"Busy?" Cosima offered.

"Yes."

"Too busy to send a quick, 'Hey coming to Italy!' text?'" Cosima would never admit it, but the radio silence the past few days had been worrying for her. She had been wracking her brain trying to figure out if she had said something or done something wrong. Going over all of their texts and double checking pictures she had sent for any issue. Nothing had given her any reason for the lack of communication from the woman who usually seemed to hang on her every word.

As was the current theme of her life, Cosima was torn. This time she was torn between wanting to be mad at Delphine and acting like not hearing from her didn't phase her. Of course they both knew that it did, but they had an arrangement of sorts. Neither of them owed the other any kind of contact when Cosima was away.

"I wanted to surprise you..." Cosima simply raised an eyebrow. "I am sorry ma chérie. Please forgive me?"

Cosima had to look away. Those puppy dog eyes got her every time and Delphine damn well knew it. "That the only reason you're here? A tour?"

Delphine turned her attention back to their guide, a smile on her face. "Of course."

"Wouldn't have anything to do with that fact that you knew I was here?"

"I knew you were in Florence, but I didn't know you would be on this tour today."

"So it's a coincidence you would happen to be on the same exact tour on the same day I am?"

"Oui." The blonde's smile grew. "A happy coincidence."

"You make the sexiest noises." Cosima said, taking a fistful of blonde curls and crashing their lips together.

Somehow the pair managed to make their way into the livng room shedding dresses, heels and tights as they did. Cosima watched as Delphine's eyes hungrily raked over her nearly naked body and licked her lips as she watched the blonde take a deep breath and bite down on her bottom lip. She could see her eyes grow darker by the second, as she was sure her own eyes were as well as deep-seeded desire overcame them both. It sent shots of unbearable liquid-heat straight to her core. She wanted this woman in the worst possible way.

There was something about her that Cosima couldn't quite put her finger on. She hadn't felt this kind of pull with anyone in years. Seeing Delphine's eyes land on her lips she couldn't help but smirk which earned her a strong shove down onto the couch. It was hard to catch her breath as she watched Delphine reach around and unclasp her own bra, her eyes watching as the garmet fell to the floor. She reached out a hand to pull Delphine to her. Running her hands up strong thighs when Delphine settled herself ontop of her, straddling her on the couch. Hands on either side of her face the blonde brought their lips together again.

Cosima's hands were everywhere; caressing Delphine's thighs, holding onto her hips, traveling up her back and over her shoulders, tangling into blonde curls to pull the blondes tongue deeper into her mouth, back down to her ass. Delphine let her head fall back and Cosima ducked her head down to take a pale pink nipple into her mouth.

"Co-si-ma..."

Cosima took a step back and let her eyes trail over the blonde for a moment, enjoying the blush that rose from Delphine's chest at her shameless gawking. The blonde swallowed thickly and bit down on her bottom lip in a way that drove Cosima insane. Cosima chuckled softly and turned her attention back to their guide. Happy coincidence my ass.