This is my AU written mainly from Cosima's point of view. There will be a few chapters so enjoy
I found myself yet again walking an unnecessarily long route back from the canteen to the lab, the excitement and sheer joy of being cured meant that walking was no longer a painful task and I could enjoy walking with a new found freedom that not having to wear cannula created. I was only a few corridors from the lab when an unfamiliar cry filled the air. I turned a corner and found a little girl wailing in the middle of the white tiles. She wore light grey joggers and a long pink tshirt, her sleeves where wet from her tears, her face red and blotchy from crying. A pink scrunchie was falling out of her blonde hair and whisps where splade all over from her hysteria.
"Hello" I said softly, bending down the her level "what's your name?"
"Marie" she whimpered "Où est maman? where's my mammy?" she squeaked almost panting from crying.
"I'm Cosima, I'm not sure but you can come with me and see," I reached out my hand and she took it I pulled us both up and began to walk towards the lab, I was hoping that Delphine would be in there and might have a better idea of what I was supposed to do with a child crying for her clearly absent mother.
"How old are you?" I asked Marie trying to keep her calm she was still sniffling.
"Trois" she whispered.
Then we reached the door to the lab and I swiped my card, Marie watched intently as it beeped as the door opened allowing my entry.
"Come on" I said leading her by the hand I still held. She was amazed by the lab I could tell by the way she gazed around head turning this way and that eyes darting everywhere. I lead her to the sofa in the chill zone as I wonder why I could never find Delphine when I needed her.
"Maman" Marie shouted pointing behind me, I spun round but there was no one in the lab except me and her. "You know maman" she insisted still pointing. I followed the line of her finger and discovered she was pointing to a picture of Delphine and me which was sat on the desk across from her.
"I'm not sure what you mean" I say confused.
"C'est maman" Marie insists.
"Okay" I say still confused I assume she's mistaken and was pointing to the picture because she recognised me from it "come with me we'll see if we can find delphine yeah?"
She raises her arms asking to be picked up and I comply pulling her up so she is balancing on my hip. This was definitely not the way I saw myself leaving work this afternoon.
I took Marie back to the small flat me and Delphine where sharing hoping she'd be there to advise me about the crying child I had basicly just kidnapped. She wasn't.
I walked through the door Marie still perched on my hip noting the state of our apartment it was definitely not a child friendly environment.
"Come on" I say to Marie throwing some papers from the arm chair on to the floor before sitting Marie in to the chair. I shifted some more things trying to clean up slightly but keeping a careful eye on Marie. She looks around the flat in a similar way she did to the lab as if she had not seen other rooms for some time, Marie is again fascinated by another picture of me and Delphine.
"Où est elle?" She asked quietly. My French was limited at best but I understood that she was asking for delphine.
Spotting my phone plugged into the wall I walk over to it feeling Marie's eyes following me over to it.
"I'll call her okay?" I say still wondering about why Marie is quite so obsessed with Delphine.
"Allo" Delphine answered.
"Hiya babe I need you to come home like ermm right now," I glance at Marie who is still looking around the room fascinated. "I can't really explain just get here and quickly"
I hang up sharply hoping that the unusual abruptness in my ending the conversation would make her come quicker as we could stay on the phone for hours normally.
"We just gotta wait now kiddo" I say walking back towards Marie who seems to be counting the stripes on a cushion. We didn't have to wait for long as not 10 minutes later I heard Delphine frantically fumbling with keys in the lock, I feel bad knowing I have probably panicked her, she has been very jumpy when I shout her or ask her to help even since we found the cure which can be irritating but I guess means at least I can get her here in a hurry.
"Cosima, are you okay?" I hear her call before she gets through the door. She turns fully into the room still in a state of panic when she is suddenly snapped out of it as Marie shouts
"Maman"