Part Eleven
Pairing/Characters: Cosima Niehaus/Delphine Cormier, Sarah Manning
Summary: Cosima finally has a chance to talk to Delphine.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Word Count: 762


"…tell Sarah thank you," Delphine says. "Without her, we would not be talking."

"Seriously?"

"Oui," Delphine replies. "Dr. Bowles and I spoke right after she took over DYAD. She thought minimal to no contact between us was best and I was forbidden to attempt contact."

"Huh."

"But today I was given this phone," Delphine continues. "And told that Sarah is very… persistent."

Cosima laughs.

"And I know I do not have to worry, because she is looking after you." There's some muffled speaking in the background. "I have to go. We can talk again later."

"Tomorrow, then."

"Je t'aime."

"I love you too."

Cosima stares at the phone for a moment as a real sense of peace washes over her. Knowing that Delphine is okay, speaking to her, hearing her voice, her laugh, Cosima is just relieved. The call was only five minutes, but tomorrow's will be much longer.

She glances up from her position on the couch towards the kitchen. Sarah and Scott are at the table, untouched tea cups in front of them. Though it could be, it doesn't seem awkward between them. It seems that they've managed to reach an understanding while she was on the phone. She feels lucky to have them both in her life.

And she still can't believe the apparent lengths that Sarah went through just so she can talk to Delphine. Cosima had been so worried that Sarah would blame Delphine for Rachel snatching Kira, but Sarah knows that Rachel played them all. (Apparently she'd had time to think about things while being held at DYAD and decided she can no more blame Delphine for what Rachel set up than she can Mrs. S or Felix for not realizing who was really talking to them.) Cosima's starting to lose track of the number of chess boards she—all of them, really—are pawns on. Even if she definitely doesn't trust Marion Bowles, Delphine has assured Cosima that, for now, she wants a cure found almost as badly as they do.

It worries Cosima what will happen once a cure is discovered. Trusting that Scott isn't her new monitor, doesn't mean that DYAD isn't still watching them. She wants to believe that Dr. Bowles was just guessing when she commented on their progress, but it's probably naive. DYAD's reach is global and she and Sarah are hiding just around the corner in plain view. Considering that the house sat empty for several days, it wouldn't be out of the question for it to be bugged.

Of course thinking like that, does her no good; though Cosima does wonder if the thought has occurred to Sarah. If it hasn't yet, it's bound to eventually. She should probably prepare herself for that.

It makes Cosima even more curious about the deal that was supposedly struck on Sarah's behalf. Because as time goes on, it's painfully obvious that Cal had absolutely no part in it; that he too was a pawn. It's both reassuring and frightening. His intentions might have been well intended, but it's possible he's gotten them even more tangled in DYAD's web.

There are still so many unanswered questions and Duncan's suicide ensure that too many (for her liking) will remain that way. Though obviously desperate to figure out the cure, part of Cosima worries about what DYAD is doing while they're distracted. The most obvious answer seems that they'd be gathering up all the other clones. She wishes she knew how many of them there were. Cosima wonders if there's any way Delphine can find out.

In a way, she misses being insulated in the lab, when her only concern had been the science and its implications. Being out in the world, fighting against DYAD, takes Sarah's restless strength. Whereas Cosima feels like she has none. Because in the same way Cosima was nurtured to handle the science, Sarah was nurtured to react and survive. It's why they're stronger together.

Of course at the moment, it's just her and Sarah and that's fine. Alison's been the most resistant to everything clone related. Maybe once a cure is figured out and more of them are together, DYAD will be less of a threat. Then again, that's assuming—

"Oi, Cos," Sarah says, suddenly next to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Cosima replies, taking a moment to shake away her thoughts. "Just thinking."

"When aren't you?" Sarah scoffs.

Cosima smiles.

"So you've got a plan now, yeah?" Sarah asks. "You three brainiacs will have it all figured out in no time, yeah?"

"Oh yeah, no doubt."