"Uh, hey Felix..." Scott said awkwardly, opening the door. It was no secret that the two men rarely spoke. They had little in common and only knew each other through a string of clones.
"I know you've a busy day being unemployed and talking to your cat, but I need a word."
"Uh, sure. I guess..."
Felix walked into Scott's apartment, studying the science fiction novels and action figures. He craned his next, struggling to find one small thing to connect the two.
"Is something wrong with Cosima?" Scott asked nervously.
"I'm here about Delphine. What do you know about her?"
"She's French... a doctor...her employee id number is 1924-2763-N-"
"How does that help me?" Felix snapped.
"What do you want with her? What has she done now?"
"She reached out to you, didn't she?"
"What?"
"When I tried to help her, she said that everyone in America chooses sides after a couple breaks up. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't just let me help her, but those words stuck with me."
"Help Delphine with what?"
"She reached out to you, didn't she?"
"I ... ummm... I mean, she called me. Late at night..."
"For?"
"I don't know. I didn't really ask. I told her that I had a loyalty to Cosima and -"
"So she didn't say what was happening?"
"No. Why? What's wrong with her?"
"Say, you play that nerd game with her assistant?"
"That's super offensive, but yes. Why?"
"Call him. Ask about her."
Scott dialed the number, placing the call on speakerphone.
"Hey Scott. What's up?"
"I was just calling to make sure things were okay with Delphine..."
"Cosima have you digging into her ex?" He chuckled.
"Yeah, something like that," Scott muttered, running a hand through his hair.
"She's having a hard time. I'm sure Cosima is going through the same."
"Hard time how?"
"You know, she's lost a little weight. Hasn't been eating lunch lately. And she drinks more, doesn't even make small talk anymore. I guess without Cosima, she doesn't care about anyone else. She's like someone else. I miss the old Delphine."
"Oh. Hey, I've got to go." Scott said, hanging up. He gave a nervous glance to Felix.
"Listen, mate. I'm going to say this. Delphine has never been anything but nice to you. She's worked alongside you..."
"Felix-"
"And when she needed you, when she broke down and reached out to someone, you abandoned her."
"I didn't know. I'll call her-"
"Forget it, I'm going to find someone for her to lean on even if it kills me," Felix promised as he stormed out.
His heart broke for Delphine. He had a feeling it was more than a breakup that was causing this. He knew she didn't trust him because she didn't fully trust Sarah. He needed someone who she didn't know. Someone who he could trust to keep Delphine safe, even when she wouldn't keep herself safe.
"So you're setting me up?" Art asked, studying Felix.
"Well, you don't actually have to sleep with her," Felix frowned. "It might be best if you don't."
"So she's unattractive? It's a pity thing."
"Delphine? God no. She's... I mean, she's stunning..."
"And I won't want to sleep with her?"
"She's a bit of a lose cannon. She used to be a little like Alison and now... imagine Helena with drugs and booze."
"Oh, damn." Art took a swig of his beer. "You think she'll show up tonight?"
"I don't think she wants to be alone," he whispered.
Half an hour later, Delphine rolled into the bar. She wore skin tight leather pants with a plain red tank top and red heels.
"As a kid, I had a crush on Sandy from Grease," Art admitted, watching Delphine accept drinks from random men.
"Tell me about it, stud," Felix offered, fascinated by Delphine.
Sure enough, Delphine took a handful of pills, different sizes and different colors and finished them off with a random mans glass. A dance song came on and Delphine began dancing, swaying her hips sensually and moving her body to the beat of the music.
"She's enjoying herself," Felix offered, smiling softly. "I didn't know she could dance."
"I don't mind watching," Art chuckled. "I'll keep an eye on her."
"Thanks, Art. I'm just ... she's a doctor, you know? She got out of a breakup. She's always been so by the books..."
"I know the feeling," Art admitted, his mind trailing back to Beth. "She's safe with me."
"You're a good guy, Art." Felix smiled.
Delphine had swallowed two handfuls of pills and drank more than her share of alcohol when she saw a blonde kissing her girlfriend, a brunette with a messy bun.
"I need Cosima's information. She's being tracked, yes?" Delphine pushed her associate. She realized pieces of her were slipping away. She knew the rules and the ramifications, but she needed someone to tell. Scott had made it clear he didn't care. Cosima was her only hope.
"She quit, ma'am..."
"You can address me as Doctor, not ma'am. And I am well aware of her employment status. What I don't know is why you won't just give me the information," her tone was cold and clipped.
The man tossed the security photos on her desk, knowing it would destroy her. "She's seeing someone," he admitted. "She's probably at her girlfriends house."
"Very well, thank you," Delphine whispered. When she was alone, she reached for the bottle of bourbon. She studied the photos. The girl was pretty, of course. Delphine hated that insecure feeling, wondering if Cosima found Shay more attractive than she had found her. If Shay had been with a woman before, she was probably better at sex anyway. Of course, Cosima was always more than happy to be the one pleasing Delphine, as if she were trying to prove to Delphine that she could find satisfaction with a woman.
Delphine wiped a stray tear, returning to the bottle. She didn't need Cosima, she supposed. She could numb the pain in her own way.
The image of the two women kissing at the bar angered her in a way she had never imagined. She walked over, wanting a closer look. She wanted to be sure it wasn't Shay and Cosima.
"You don't need her," the blonde whispered to the brunette. "It never works out when you get back together with an ex."
Delphine grabbed the blonde by her hair, pulling her off the brunette. She used one hand to grab at the blonde's neck.
"Let me go!" The blonde cried.
"Don't tell others who to love. They can make it work! They can change!" She cried, her eyes rimming with tears.
"Go to hell!"
"I could kill you right now," Delphine snapped. Her eyes were cold and hard, waiting for a reason to inflict the same pain she was feeling on another person. She knew it was wrong, but she didn't care.
"Hey, hey!" Art yelled, pulling them apart. "I'm a cop. Just a misunderstanding, ladies." He turned to Delphine. "Let's get some air."
Delphine followed him, her body trembling. "You could arrest me," she said calmly. "Charge me anything, I'll plead guilty. Spend my days behind bars..."
"Relax, it's okay. No one is going to jail," he said calmly. "Just talk to me. What's your name?"
"Delphine," she said quickly.
"I saw you take pills earlier. Do you know what you took?"
"It doesn't matter," she shrugged. "I didn't ask."
"You know that's dangerous. You look like a smart woman."
"That's an oxymoron. You're smart regardless of your appearance," she said flatly.
"And if those pills killed you? Did you think of that?"
"That's all I've thought about," she admitted, brushing over the scar on her wrists.
"Delphine, how could you do such a thing?" Her father said softly, sitting next to her hospital bed.
"I'm fine," she lied. She let her fingers brush over her bandaged wrists. Had she known that it wouldn't have been enough, she would have cut her feet instead.
The pain had been unbearable and she cried out, waking her roommate. She hadn't quite decided if it was good or bad that her roommate intervened.
"You're not fine," her father said sadly.
"I'm not smart enough for this," Delphine had tears in her eyes as she began to shake her head. "I can't do it. I want to go home. I want to go to a regular school."
"Boarding school is perfectly normal. And they plucked you out of the old school because of your grades-"
She sighed, about to argue when he continued.
"-You wanted to be a doctor as a little girl. This is your chance. You can change the world, Delphine. Smart, beautiful, ambitious, strong women like you don't fall from the sky every day." Delphine stared down, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm thankful your mother was watching over you. She stopped a tragic mistake. There is an unspoken rule in nature, my dear. A parent is supposed to go first. Children are supposed to stay strong until their parents are gone."
"Delphine, you can't mean that," Art whispered, stepping closer.
"No one would miss me," she realized. "I'm alone."
"I'm here now," Art promised. "You want to tell me what's going on?"
Delphine shook her head. "I just lost someone close to me. Everyone close to me, really."
"I lost someone close to me," Art whispered. He glanced up at the night sky, thinking of Beth.
"These memories are turning to nightmares," Delphine whispered. "I can't escape it. I can't turn it off."
Art moved closer, placing a hand on her hip. "It's okay. We can talk about it," he assured her.
"I know what this is," she narrowed her gaze, studying him. "You want to sleep with me?" She tilted her head, half amused. She was used to men trying to whatever she needed just to get close to her. She leaned closer, kissing Art deeply. She pressed her body against his, and he grabbed her, unable to resist her. By the time she pulled away, she was crying. "I ... I didn't..."
"It's okay," he whispered.
"No, this isn't okay. This isn't what I want," her voice sounded so small and frightened that it reminded him of his daughter. "All I had left is the residue of her kiss on my lips. And I've replaced it." She was trembling so badly that he held her tiny body up to keep her from collapsing. "What have I done?" She asked. Her face grew pale and he held onto her, knowing all too well what would happen. She enough, she fainted, her lifeless body collapsing into his arms.
"I've got you, Delphine," he whispered, lifting her. "Let me take care of you," he said softly, carrying her to her car.
