Author's Note: Here's the next one for you guys. As always, comments and criticisms are much appreciated. Let me know what you think and most of all, enjoy :)
"This is such bullshit."
Sarah tosses a bag of her belongings and it hits the floor with a heavy thunk. Alison rolls her eyes at the gesture and Cosima simply smirks, resting her hands behind her head as she aimlessly wanders around the barren room. After visiting with Beth for a couple of hours, hours in which the detective failed to regain consciousness, they'd all headed home to gather their belongings before being escorted to the institute. The room is large and open, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city, but despite its openness, she can't help but feel caged. They'd been instructed to wait for someone to come and meet them to escort them to their quarters, but Sarah's patience is slowly dwindling and she realizes that if their escort doesn't come soon, there's a good chance the British clone will take off on her own.
"Yeah, well, what else are we supposed to do?" Cosima asks. "Unless you wanna go, like, all bounty hunter and start chasing after psychopaths yourself. In which case, good luck with that."
She understands her sister's displeasure, but after speaking with Delphine, she decided that trusting DYAD was their best option. She isn't thrilled with the prospect of missing so much school, especially with the term coming to a close and her dissertation coming along, but a simple note from "doctor" Delphine quickly cleared up any academic penalty she may have suffered. She's thankful to have such a multifaceted lover.
"I'm sure Doctor Leekie will have this all cleared up very soon," Alison says, as if to convince herself.
Cosima isn't entirely sure if she believes the housewife. Sarah certainly doesn't. Before long, their patience is rewarded when the door finally clicks open and a figure steps through. All three women are caught off guard by their visitor.
"Shite," Sarah exhales, mouth slightly agape.
The woman and her familiar face stalk forward slowly, confidently, her heels clicking on the floor until she comes to a halt, just a few feet away from the three. Her eyes scan over the punk, the scientist and the soccer mom, quietly evaluating from behind her steely gaze. No matter how many times she meets another one of her sisters, it never ceases to amaze the dreadlocked clone.
"Rachel Duncan," she introduces herself.
Her voice is stern and cold, in consort with her face. It does nothing to convey any sort of emotion at all and if Cosima wasn't so certain she was a clone, she would have opted for android instead. It wasn't such a farfetched idea, considering the fact that DYAD had created clones; who knew what else they had created?
"Whoa. So you're one of us," Cosima says, completely enthralled by the well-groomed clone.
Her side eye is so sharp, the American can almost feel it slashing at her skin.
"Trust me. I am not one of you," she retorts.
"Thank God for that," Sarah mumbles.
The blonde hears Sarah's comment and her penetrating gaze is then directed at the punk. For a moment, the scientist fears there may be a confrontation between Rachel and Sarah, for neither seem too keen on taking the other's bullshit, but Rachel quickly changes the subject before there's any loss of control.
"I'm here to ensure that you're all situated and comfortable," she explains. "We hope to have this situation clear very soon, but until that time... let me show you to your quarters."
They allow Rachel to lead them through the institute until they finally reach their assigned rooms. All three women are grateful that they're close together, their rooms separated only by a wall. While they were waiting for Rachel's arrival, Sarah couldn't stop theorizing about how this was all a ploy by DYAD, how they were trying to break them apart and lock them away for research.
"Why would they black bag us?" Alison asked anxiously. "I mean, we already consent to their tests every couple of months. They have all the information they need on us, right? Besides, we've all been cooperative. There's no reason for them to lock us away."
"It is shady," Cosima agreed. "But I really don't think that's their angle here, Sarah."
"I don't trust Leekie. I don't trust DYAD," she reiterated.
"Then why consent to the tests at all?" Cosima pried. "You could walk away from it anytime you want, but you still show up every other month and answer their questions. If you really think they're so dangerous, then why?"
"It's not that easy, okay?" she finally burst. "You know me well enough, Cos. If I could walk away from this shit, I would. Believe me."
Cosima tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes in Sarah's direction.
"What aren't you telling us?"
"It's... it's hard to explain, yeah? You just have to trust me. These people... they can make you disappear super easy. And they have some sort of scheme brewing. Just... just be careful, yeah? Keep your eyes open."
As she steps through the door, her eyes dart from left to right, scanning over the room. She finds it painfully Spartan in nature, much too sterile and simple for the wondrous young scientist. Cosima's own room is littered with books and antiques and knick knacks that fascinate her, but the room DYAD has set up for her is painfully bare; while fairly large, all that occupies the space is a bed, desk and wardrobe for her belongings. There are no pictures on the walls, no attempt to make the room a little more homey, and Cosima begins to think that maybe Sarah is right, that maybe they are just lab rats to these people.
"If you need anything," Rachel says, interrupting her train of thought. "My secretary, Martin, will be happy to oblige. Simply press that button on the intercom and he'll be here to assist you."
"So, we're just supposed to camp out," Cosima mutters, dropping her bag on the floor and stepping towards the center of the room, trying to familiarize herself with her new surroundings.
"Of course, you're free to leave your quarters. We have a cafeteria and a lounge on the first floor, and a courtyard if you feel you need some air. The ninth through twelfth floors are restricted access, as is the sub-level and the old wing," Rachel explains.
Rachel doesn't waste time with any pleasantries. As soon as Cosima and the others are settled, she disappears to resume her own work. The American wonders just who Rachel might be; when she became an adult, she had asked DYAD about the possibility of her meeting her sisters. She was met with hesitation at first, but Leekie eventually obliged and informed her of a number of subjects who were living in North America, and many more in Europe. There were three residing in Toronto- Sarah, Beth, and Alison- so Cosima sought them out. There had been no mention of a Rachel Duncan at all, which led the scientist to believe that the lack of data surrounding her meant that Rachel must play some sort of important role in the experiment. As she unpacks her clothes and books and contemplates Rachel's origins, she hears a light rapping at her door.
"Come in!" she shouts in response, expecting it to be Sarah or Alison.
She is instead met with Delphine and the room immediately becomes a little brighter.
"How do you like it?" the blonde asks, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically.
"It's fine," Cosima shrugs, "As far as rabbit cages go, it's not so bad."
"Cosima..."
"Sorry. I'm just a little on edge about the whole thing," she says with a heavy sigh, removing a sweater from her bag, folding it neatly and placing it in the wardrobe. "Just this morning we were in my bed and now there's a serial killer hunting me and I'm forced to hide out here. Things are moving a little fast."
Delphine nods in understanding, then approaches the clone nimbly from behind, wrapping her arms around Cosima's waist. The brunette smiles as the doctor's lips brush against her cheek.
"This is only temporary. Just until you are safe. I promise you, this will all be over soon."
The room is dark and quiet aside from the dim light of the bedside lamp and the sound of her fingers typing away at her laptop. Her eyes sting, vision blurry from staring at a screen for so long. Glancing at the time at the top right corner of her laptop screen, she realizes just how late it is, that she's been awake for far too long. Since she set up camp at DYAD, sleep has become a sort of commodity; she can't bring herself to close her eyes and find a moment's peace in such an environment, so she takes the opportunity to keep up to date with her schoolwork, to lay some much needed groundwork on her dissertation.
She snakes her her fingers under her glasses, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to soothe them. It's been nearly two weeks - twelve days, to be exact - since she and her sisters retreated into the safety of DYAD and there hasn't been a single word of good news on the serial killer front. Delphine told her that, so far, DYAD's security team has come up empty, which isn't exactly reassuring. Every day, Sarah grows a little more agitated and impatient, Alison grows a little more anxious, and she grows a little more doubtful. As she contemplates her options, she hears her door click open and watches as whoever is responsible slides it open just a crack.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Knock much?"
When she sees Delphine stealthily slip through the narrow opening and close the door behind her, her alarm and irritation quickly subside. Instead, a smile spreads across her face and she sits up a little straighter in her bed, closing her laptop.
"I'm sorry, ma cherie," Delphine whispers through the darkness.
"Why are you here so late?" Cosima wonders out loud.
"I just wanted to come and check on you. I expected you to be asleep by now."
"Came to check on me in my sleep? You're so cute," Cosima replies with a chuckle.
Delphine steps a little closer until she's at the foot of the bed, finally within the lamp's range, her face illuminated by a dim glow. She smiles down at Cosima lovingly and the clone sets her laptop on the bedside table.
"I couldn't sleep," she confesses.
Even though she shrugs off her insomnia, Delphine knows the real reason why the brunette is unable to sleep has nothing to do with the pile of school work she has to catch up on, but her anxiety surrounding the situation of a serial killer on the loose.
"This will all be over soon, Cosima. Je promets," she says softly.
Cosima shakes her head.
"You don't know that."
The blonde reaches for the covers, slowly pulling them away. Cosima shoots her a questioning glance, but when Delphine begins to slide under them, she suddenly clues in and scoots to the other side of the bed, making space for the French woman.
"Let's not talk about assassins, okay?" Delphine pleads, pressing a kiss to Cosima's forehead.
"Right. Probably isn't helping with the whole "not sleeping" thing," she nods.
She brushes up closer to the doctor until their bodies are pressed together, the contact more than welcome. She's been the ward of DYAD for a couple of weeks and despite taking up residence in Delphine's working environment, she hasn't seen much of the blonde; she comes to visit every day, but is careful not to stay more than a few minutes out of fear of rousing suspicion. However, at this hour, it is doubtful that anyone is watching or taking note of their rendezvous. She smiles and rests her head on Delphine's shoulder.
"What can I do to help?"
She turns her head so she can meet the doctor's eyes and she's met with more sincerity and devotion than she knows what to do with. She holds Delphine's gaze for a few seconds, though hers is slightly more intense than the blonde's.
"Well..."
As she speaks, one of her hands begins to slowly skim up Delphine's thigh beneath the sheets. She hears the doctor inhale sharply before her breath catches in her chest and her eyes drift shut. Smirking, Cosima's hand continues its exploration even higher until she is finally met by Delphine's hesitation.
"What are you doing?" she whispers.
"Trying to distract myself. With you," the brunette replies, her lips finding the juncture of the European's neck and shoulder, garnering a hushed moan.
"Are you sure this is a good idea? We're at the DYAD."
Cosima chuckles lightly before sinking her teeth into Delphine's alabaster skin, drawing out more sounds of approval despite her contradictory words.
"I know. I kinda dig the whole danger part. Fucking in the belly of the beast. It's kinda hot."
Her hand is now pressed firmly against Delphine's heat, desperate for the absence of clothing. She reaches for the button on her pants, making quick work of it before finding the zipper.
"Cosima..."
"C'mon. You're my doctor. You're supposed to take care of me. Do your job."
She finally pulls the zipper all the way down. She goes to slip her hand inside, but is stopped by Delphine's own enclosing around her wrist.
"You're going to get us both in trouble," she warns.
Cosima merely grins in response.
"Totally. But then, you've always known that about me, huh?"
The French woman's lips betray her, upturning into a smile of her own. She can't bring herself to turn Cosima down. There's something about the cockiness that she finds irresistible; the girl struts like a peacock and purrs like a kitten in the very same breath. Conceding, Delphine leans forward, her lips stopping no more than an inch from the clone's.
"Troublemaker," she breathes.
"Mmhm."
Her lips inch even closer, brushing lightly against Cosima's. Her tongue darts out to trace the brunette's lower lip, stealing a groan for herself.
"Brat."
"Most definitely."
She presses her lips more forcefully against Delphine's, parting them to allow her inquisitive tongue entry. She feels the doctor's hand slide to the back of her head, giving her more purchase to deepen the kiss, stealing air from the shorter girl's lungs. When they finally part, Delphine repositions herself so she's straddling the clone's waist, catching the cheeky girl by surprise.
"Lay back."
"Look at you, with all the orders," Cosima teases with a giggle.
"You said it yourself. I'm your doctor," Delphine replies, pulling her top over her head and throwing it somewhere in the darkness. "I have to take care of you. Now lay back."
Cosima slowly does as she's told, lowering until she's flat on her back. Delphine is hovering over her, a hand reaching underneath her tank top to tease at flushed skin, her lips finding Cosima's ear.
"You're gonna take care of me, huh?" Cosima goads.
"Oui."
The sound of quiet mumbling rouses her from her slumber. She slowly opens her eyes and they scan around the room, taking in her surroundings. It takes her a moment to remember where she is, why she's there, but once she does, she's able to relax and focus on the muted noises. The blonde is curled up on her side, her curls splayed over her visage, hiding it from Cosima's gaze. Even from beneath her mess of curls, she can see Delphine's parted lips and she watches as they move ever-so-slightly, a tiny mewing sound escaping. After observing for a couple of minutes, she realizes that the blonde is out cold, merely talking in her sleep. It brings a dopey grin to the lovestruck clone and she perches herself up on her elbow, watching Delphine with great fascination.
"Delphine?" she whispers.
The blonde moans in response.
"Delphine?" she reiterates, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder.
Delphine stirs, then moans again. She continues mumbling something in French, something which Cosima is unable to translate, and the clone cannot contain her laughter. The soft trembling of her body giggling manages to pull Delphine out of her own sleep and the doctor turns to face her, opening her eyes and giving Cosima a confused look.
"Why are you laughing?" she asks, her voice thick with sleep.
"You talk in your sleep, you know," Cosima answers.
Delphine stares at her blankly, then shrugs before rolling back over on her side and drifting back to sleep. It's enough to make Cosima's heart skip and all she can think of is how badly she wants this; even if she doesn't get a wink of sleep ever again, she wants Delphine in her bed, mumbling French absurdities in her sleep. She wants it every morning, just like she wants Delphine's arm draped protectively over her stomach every night as they fall asleep. It makes her feel normal. It makes her feel right. It makes her feel alive.
She slides out of bed, gathering her top and pajama pants off the floor and slipping into them. Checking the clock on the bedside table, she realizes that it's five, that Delphine will have to leave her soon, lest she be caught in her bed. She doesn't wake the blonde, though. She looks far too peaceful. Instead, she decides to give her another hour before they have to return to their lives, before it's back to secrets and charades. In the meantime, all she can think about is how badly she needs coffee, so she quietly tiptoes towards the door and opens it just wide enough to slip through, being careful to close it silently behind her. Once the door is shut, she turns to continue on her journey down the hall and towards the cafeteria for coffee, but stops when she finds something else.
"Sarah?"
The punk is halfway down the hallway herself, but she stops dead in her tracks upon hearing Cosima's voice. She releases a heavy sigh and runs a hand through her unruly mane.
"Shit. No one was supposed to see me."
Cosima takes note of the bag slung over her shoulder and her sister's surprisingly withdrawn demeanor; she won't look her in the eyes, won't even turn to face her or fully engage her. Sarah's always been quick on her feet, but perhaps they know each other too well by this point for her to even try to weasel her way out of this one.
"Where are you going?" Cosima asks.
Sarah finally turns around to face her.
"I can't do this, Cos."