Here be proof that I am a complete and utter pushover with no self control. It's not really another multichapter. It's only two parts. That doesn't break my rule, really. *guilty face*

Delphine glanced at the clock on the living room wall and sighed.

"I am sorry, Cosima," she told the brunette curled comfortably on the other half of the couch, "I will have to go soon. I have a meeting with a colleague."

"Oh, sure, yeah."

Cosima jumped up from her seat immediately. She was actually surprised Delphine had let her stay as long as she had. They'd been talking for hours (it was almost midday now) and she had been waiting to be shooed out of the doctor's apartment for a good couple of hours now.

"I'll get out of your hair," Cosima said diffidently, grabbing the coat she had dropped over the couch back and hurriedly shrugging into it. "Thanks again, for, you know, being my knight in shining armour."

Delphine looked up her from the couch with a bemused expression.

"Cosima, you do not have to go right this second. I do not have to leave for another half an hour."

"Oh," Cosima stopped her rushed preparations for flight. "Okay. Right."

"Also you may want some pants before you rush out the door," Delphine informed her.

"Huh?"

Delphine looked at her legs significantly, and Cosima followed her gaze down to her bare legs and feet. She had completely forgotten she was only wearing Delphine's nightshirt and had thrown the coat on over the top. She looked back up at Delphine with a faint flush to her cheeks.

"Whoops."

Cosima looked around for the dress she was wearing the night before, and spotted it folded loosely on table. She picked it up shook it out, grimacing as her hand brushed across a sticky patch that reeked of alcohol.

"Non, don't put that on again," Delphine interrupted her, appraising her body with a swift glance.

She frowned at Cosima, fingers brushing her chin as she thought.

"Tu es si petite!" Delphine exclaimed, before abruptly heading down the hallway.

Cosima scrunched her nose, at the muttered French.

"Did you just call me short?" Cosima called after her accusingly.

"You are short!" Delphine retorted loudly from her room as she rummaged through her drawers for her smallest clothes.

Delphine was feeling casual and playful in a way she could not recall feeling for a very long time. Her morning with Cosima had reminded her of drinking with her friends on a weekend at university, before her studies began to require more of her time and energy. A time when she was able to completely forget her work and not worry about tomorrow, just focus on the moment before her, and enjoy it.

She could still feel the easy smile that had taken up residence on her face at some point in the morning. Normally her cheeks ached from forcing the muscles to tighten, to display the appropriate response required of her by social customs. This smile had grown on her face completely unbidden, much like the topics of conversation had sprouted up all morning, one after another, after another so easily and naturally that Delphine had barely noticed the hours passing.

Delphine reemerged with a couple of garments draped over her arm.

"Here, put these on," she instructed Cosima.

Delphine passed her the plain white t shirt and a pair of black track pants.

"You will need to roll up the cuffs," Delphine said apologetically, " But there is a…"

Delphine pursed her lips in confusion, and gestured at the waist of the pants, struggling to remember the English.

"A… cord?"

"… A drawstring?" Cosima suggested, and was rewarded by Delphine snapping her fingers and nodding emphatically, with an adorably appreciative little "mmm" noise.

"Yes, that!"

Cosima hesitated and looked at the clothes.

"Are you sure I –"

"Don't worry, I will not miss them. You can bring them back another day. Whenever it suits." Delphine interrupted her, anticipating her question.

"Oh?" Cosima lips curled up into a mischievous smile at the implication that she would see Delphine again. "Okay… I'll need your number then. You know. To call ahead."

"Oh, right, of course," Delphine nodded and grabbed a pen from the kitchen bench and jotting down her number on a notepad next to her phone.

Cosima's expression rapidly fluttered from cheeky to startled to unabashedly delighted by the time Delphine placed the slip of paper in her hand.

"Call me anytime, I may not answer if I am in a meeting though. Now I must go get ready," Delphine apologised. "You can change here, or in the bathroom if you prefer."

Cosima could not believe her luck.

When they were both ready to go, Delphine grabbed her keys and lead the way out of the building. They picked up their conversation from earlier in the morning up again in the elevator and all too quickly found themselves on the sidewalk where they were to go their separate ways.

"Well, it was lovely to meet you, Cosima Niehaus."

Cosima grinned.

"You don't regret taking home a stray then?"

"Not at all. Perhaps I should make a habit of this, if it brings me such wonderful company."

"You know, I could still be an axe murderer. And now I know where you live," Cosima teased, tilting her head at Delphine's apartment building.

Delphine rolled her eyes at Cosima.

"I am not afraid of you, ma petite - you are so clumsy you would trip over the axe, like you did that blanket this morning."

Cosima gave her a mocked offended look before giving in to the fact that she couldn't delay leaving any longer.

"It was lovely meeting you too, Dr Cormier," Cosima said sincerely. More reluctantly, she added, "Bye Delphine."

"Goodbye," Delphine responded automatically

As Cosima turned her back on her and started to leave a tight feeling swelled up in Delphine's chest. It felt, suddenly, as if the world had tilted towards Cosima and it was all she could do not to stumble down the slope after her. She didn't want Cosima to go, she realised. She dreaded losing the feeling she had whilst being with Cosima. She did have to go, but… just a few more seconds?

"Cosima?" Delphine stopped her.

"Mmhmm?" Cosima spun back around, curiously.

Delphine shook her head in exasperation.

"You Americans are always so cold!"

"Cold?" Cosima repeated, insulted.

She didn't have much time to be insulted though, before Delphine had her by the arms and was pulling her in close to press her lips to first one cheek and then the other.

Right.

French.

Cosima wondered if Delphine had noticed she stopped breathing.

Delphine followed up the kisses with a warm hug that Cosima had just barely regained enough of cortical function to return in earnest.

Cosima walked away with a goofy grin on her face and the echo of Delphine soft lips pressed dangerously close to the corner of her mouth. She curled her hand tightly around the folded piece of paper in her coat pocket.

She could definitely get used to French.