Cosima doesn't call until Olivia and I have had dinner and I've commandeered the dining table. My computer is open, and books and notes are scattered over the surface in a failed attempt to occupy my mind, while my friend is already dozing on the couch; the TV playing something I that I can't hear.

At the startling tone, I fumble with the phone placed next to the computer. "Hi!" I answer and my voice breaks in a single syllable.

"Hi... We're downstairs," Cosima says in a tone that reveals nothing.

"I'll buzz you in," I say, already getting up and walking to the door where I press the button that unlocks the building's door.

"Got it!" I hear her through the intercom and the phone at the same time.

I open the door and hear the elevator descend to pick her up as I wait for her. When I look back over my shoulder I find Olivia's eyes on me, expectation marking her features, and I'm certain my expression is not so different. It calms me somehow, knowing that I have a friend who's with me in a moment when I'm about to snap from the anxiety that built as time passed with no news from Cosima. Weirdly enough, and despite everything we've already been through, I've never been so thankful for her friendship. That feeling only grows when she gives me an encouraging head nod and smile as we hear the elevator's door slide open.

I breathe out a huge sigh of relief when the corridor carries Cosima's unmistakable laugh and when she crosses the corner that leads to my doorstep I can't help but return the huge smile she gives me. I know it's a simple gesture but it tells me all I need to know about the meeting with her father. I'll ask about specifics later, but for now this will do.

She rolls a large suitcase while Jen carries a computer bag and as they stop at the door, I barely resist the urge to pull her to a tight hug, and instead move to the side to let them in.

"Welcome!" Olivia greets in a cheerful voice and gets up from the couch. "I don't believe we've ever been properly introduced," she says to Jen and extends her hand with a flourish. "I'm Olivia and I rule this pad!"

Jen laughs awkwardly and takes the had given to her, while giving Cosima a side glance. The small girl only shrugs, the huge grin permanent on her lips.

"Good to see you, Jen," I intervene, trying to make the girl feel more comfortable after my roommate's unorthodox introduction.

She nods and smiles shyly. "Likewise," she says politely.

"I'm gonna drag this to your bedroom, okay?" Cosima says, pulling the suitcase with her and heading in that direction.

For a moment I hesitate, looking between the small woman struggling with the luggage and Olivia, unsure if it's safe to leave her alone with Cosima's friend. "I'll help," I decide, saying to Cosima but giving my friend a stern look, to which she responds by crossing her heart in a promise that she'll behave.

Cosima pushes the large bag on top of my bed with a grunt and starts to unzip it. "Don't worry, it's mostly books," she's saying, flopping the top of the bag and revealing several manuals. "I only have a few change of clothes," she continues, taking out the books and stacking them on my desk. "I hate to put you on the spot, but we probably shouldn't wait too long to pick up my stuff."

I watch her for a brief moment, before I shut the door slowly and move to the bed, getting out the few clothes she's brought and place them in the drawer I emptied for her. I toss some hangers on the bed, and Cosima hangs a dress and a couple of pants.

"About that..." I pause, accepting the hangers for me to put them back in the closet. "Olivia's determined to come with us."

"You told her?" Cosima stops and looks at me surprised. "I thought you didn't want her to come with us."

I press my lips. "Well... it's not that I don't want it, it's just that I think it's a very bad idea."

"And what changed?" She asks, the tone of her voice light and I can see that she's surprised by my change of heart, but not upset about the possible change of plans.

"Nothing changed really, but she made a good point," I explain. "She'll ask Sylvia, which would mean another car, more help." I pause to look at her and see a small smile her lips. "It would be a much faster trip, but ultimately it's your decision."

Cosima shakes her head. "No, no... it's totally fine," she says, holding some of her underwear that was under all the other stuff in the suitcase, seemingly unsure about what to do with them. "I'm just amazed that she changed your mind. You sounded so adamant about not wanting her to join us that I thought you wouldn't even tell her about it."

I open the drawer of the nightstand where I keep my own underwear and move it around a little bit to make room for hers. "She drug it out of me," I say between chuckles, distracted by putting away the small items of clothing Cosima's passing me. "You know I can't resist her charming ways."

I feel her go still and glance up at her. "You know... one of these days that joke will stop being funny," she says when I meet her eyes, her expression not entirely serious, but it lacks humor.

I frown. "I didn't think it bothered you that much," I say confused. "I thought you knew there was nothing between Olivia and I." And it feels silly to have to say it aloud, even the prospect causes me to chuckle.

"Ohhh, I knew that," Cosima says, moving back a little until the small of her back is against the desk.

"Then what's the matter?" I approach her, swallowing another laugh.

"You groped her!" Cosima states in a loud whisper, one of her hands gesturing towards the door, presumably at my friend still in the living room. "And it wasn't even a light thing... like a pat or something," she goes on and the laugh I was trying to contain escapes. "It was like..." Cosima's arms waving about, "full on, two hands squeezing her ass!"

"You can't be serious..." I place my hands on each side of her hips and tug softly. Despite Cosima's little tantrum, she doesn't pull back.

"Oh, I'm dead serious," she nods again. "That image is seared in my mind."

I lean forward and place a small kiss in the corner of her mouth and again, even though she doesn't respond, she doesn't evade it either. And by now I suspect this little fit of jealousy, although coming from an honest complaint, is not completely serious. Most likely Cosima's trying to poke fun at me.

"I swear I was thinking of you the entire time," I say softly, brushing my lips against hers, while my hands move lower and stop on her ass for a light pull.

"Like that makes it better," Cosima comments, but I feel a smile forming under my lips, the timbre of her voice drops to a playful whisper.

The next time I kiss her, Cosima responds, chuckling against my mouth. Her fingers weave through my curls and she pulls me to her, deepening the kiss, lightly nibbling my lower lip. With my hands still on her ass I tug her closer, feeling her body press against mine and her tongue emerges out for a smooth graze across my lips, but retreats far too fast. I groan and feel another laugh coming from her that's cut short by me pressing against her. Palming the cheeks of her ass with a firm grip, the smooth material of her loose pants allow me to feel the warmth of her skin as I pull her small body up. The desk rattles and knocks against the wall with a low thud, while my mouth moves over hers with a careless hunger, and my tongue pushes pass her lips for a eager kiss. The way one of her hands leaves my head and journey beneath my shirt to cup my breast only adds to the flames already licking my body.

My hands graze along her waist to quickly pull on the strap of fabric that serves as a belt, and her hips tremble slightly, shifting forward to encourage my inelegant haste. My mouth moves across her skin, sliding down the side of her neck, and she curses in a broken voice as her hand squeezes my breast more firmly, causing my hips to press forward in an awkward jerk. The container of pens falls to the floor, a noise that immediately pauses our movements.

"What the fuck's going on in there?!" I hear my roommate call from the living room.

"Merde!" I gasp, glancing down to see my hands have traveled past the waistband of Cosima's pants and the tip of my fingers were slowly moving with a destination in mind.

I look at Cosima and see a huge grin, a raised brow peeking over crooked spectacles, and mischief dancing happily in her eyes, feeling her hand release my breast and smooth its way from under my shirt. The look of someone who's plan came together.

"You should've stopped me," I ridiculously admonish her, my fingers working to fasten the belt.

"How's this my fault?" She asks, her arms draping the top of my shoulders, not interested in helping me.

I shrug and start to laugh, rearranging her glasses and kissing the tip of her nose. "We better get back outside," I say, moving away from her and starting to pick up the pens out of the floor.

"You're gonna leave me like this?" Cosima complains with fake outrage, still leaning against the desk. "All hot and bothered and shit?!"

"I'll make it up to you," I promise her, standing up and giving a quick peck on her lips.

"I'll hold you up to that later," Cosima warns, finally moving to the door where she waits for me.

The two girls in the living room are stifling their laughter, and as I pass by on the couch on my way to the kitchen, I lightly slap Olivia on the back of her head, hearing her protest with a high "hey!". In the kitchen I find a bottle of wine and after opening it, grab four glasses and head back to the living room.

"Like alcohol is gonna help..." Olivia comments when her eyes fall on my hands.

"Shut up and help me!" I say, and wait for her to take the glasses.

"Thank you," Jen says, accepting the wine I extend to her. "But I shouldn't have too much," she explains, "I'm driving."

"Just a glass won't hurt," Cosima encourages, taking a glass for herself.

"How did it go with your father?" I ask almost casually, placing the half empty bottle next to the books left unattended on the table once everyone has a drink.

Cosima finishes sipping the wine, sitting on the arm of the couch closest to Jen. "As well as it can be expected," she answers. I raise a brow, bringing the glass to my lips and wait for her to elaborate. "He made a point to remind me that he saw it coming all along," she eventually continues after a long pause, a finger tracing the rim of the glass, her eyes lowered to it.

"We all saw it coming, Cosima," Jen says in a soft spoken voice, clearly wishing not to sound too confrontational. "You were the only one who didn't."

"We all make mistakes, there's no shame in that," Olivia says, breaking a long silence. "Especially when we're young and stupid. I should know it, I'm a fucking expert in mistakes and stupidity."

"But at least you never had to swallow your pride and admit to your father you were an idiot for not listening to his advice," Cosima says darkly and takes a generous sip of the wine.

Apparently that seems to be her biggest problem with this whole situation; not that she had broken up with someone she has shared a home with, but that she was forced to confess her mistakes; admit she was wrong. I never doubted she was stubborn; I've seen it enough when we were at odds, but I never thought she could be so prideful. And seeing it in her made me reevaluate my own decisions. Like Cosima, I almost made the biggest mistake of my life because I was too arrogant to admit I was so very wrong. If there's an aspect in which Cosima and I have similarities, this has got to be it. And like myself, who in the presence of hard evidence had to swallow my pride, Cosima now sees herself in the same position. I know she doesn't like it. Neither did I.

"So, there I am, eating my words, all waving a white flag and shit," Cosima continues, this time with a touch of humor. "And my dad - asshole that he is - hugs me... and I don't mean a gentle pat on the back, I mean a freaking bear hug that nearly choked me to death," she pauses to chuckle, her eyes lively again, moving around the room to each of us. "He says, 'of course you can come back, even if you acted like a little brat'," she mimics a deep voice, "and I didn't even ask him anything yet!"

I smile and feel another weight stepping down of my shoulders. "He's your father, Cosima," I say, "at the end of the day he'd always look after you."

"My mother wouldn't," her voice breaks a little, almost imperceptibly. "That woman can hold a grudge."

"Your mother is not your father," Jen points out. "He's a good guy. Your mother... well, some people are just like that; they can't let go of things." Her hand softly taps Cosima's knee affectionately. "I'm glad you were able to patch things up with your father, it proves you didn't inherit your mother's nature."

Cosima twists her lips and looks my way. "Thank Delphine," she says with her eyes on me. "If it wasn't for her, I doubt I would've done it."

"You just needed a little nudge," I smirk. "And a kick in the ass."

Cosima narrows her eyes at me, but there's no malice in her stare, instead I see a grin stretching a corner of her mouth. "I think you have an ass fixation."

A/N: So I know these last two chapters were a little short and on the light side, but I needed to wrap a few secondary things up. The next chapter will be the last, followed by en epilogue. So... yeah... almost there...

As always, I can't express how grateful I am to my beta Cophine who's been a true champion.