A/N: damn, it has been so long since I last updated this one... I'm terribly sorry for the long hiatus. However, if all goes according to plan, I should have another update in this story next week. Here's hoping... :D
Thanks to my beta.
There's utter chaos among the vampires - the order and rankings which rules the Council's meetings are all but momentarily forgotten. Everyone has an opinion to share and no one waits for their turn to talk, resulting in a cacophony of words. In the midst of disorder is the first moment that Delphine pauses to really look at Cosima, who shakes her head slightly when their eyes meet.
Cosima's not sure what disappoints her the most: the human's inability to read the room and understand the dangerous situation she's causing; or the fact that Delphine had clearly chosen not to reveal all she knew privately. There was ample opportunity to do so and if she didn't, it's because she intentionally kept that information to herself. Cosima could very well understand the need to keep control of such vital information. She just can't for the life of her comprehend how Delphine could think that this was the appropriate time and place to disclose it - surrounded by these people to boot.
"Alright! ALRIGHT!" Francis puts order back in the room, his fist slamming hard against the table only once. "It's obvious this needs to be discussed when everyone has had the opportunity to regain their composure," he says when the room quiets down. "I hope you understand that this means we really can't let you out of our sights," Francis says, turning to Delphine.
She shrugs dismissively. "I have been followed for the last few weeks everywhere I go," she comments in a voice entirely too calm for the hole she has dug herself in. "DYAD… vampires… what difference does it make?"
Good point, Cosima thinks, watching the human with an interested gaze. It seems obvious that Delphine feels stuck between a hard place and a rock. Maybe that was it - maybe that feeling of being trapped is what pushed the doctor to make such a radical decision. Still, it would've been preferable in Cosima's perspective for Delphine to have had a more cautious approach towards this entire situation.
"Cosima, get a car and take the good doctor," Francis says in a commanding voice. He probably wants Delphine out of there just as much as Cosima does, judging by his words. This could get out of hand fast. "We'll be in contact soon enough."
Cosima only nods and in the corner of her eye she notices Shay stirring in her seat. But her sire won't say a word - not now especially when a decision has been made by the entire Council. Of course that doesn't mean she'll stand down but she'll most likely create an impression of doing so, knowing that whichever next move she decides to make has to be much subtler than her usual methods. After all, even the Council's decision can be reversed in a snap of a finger - it's only final until a new, and supposedly better solution comes along.
Cosima doesn't want to wait for a more diligent elder to determine that the best way to control the human's activities is to keep Delphine in their custody or worse, terminate her completely. Truth be told, in Cosima's view having the human doctor dead is much safer for their species than leaving her alive, and she's certain that she's not the only one who can see this. Only the curiosity of the majority of the vampires in the room is keeping Delphine alive. Curiosity and a thirst for war with the human race of course.
Cosima gets up and quickly walks to Delphine, wordlessly grabbing her by the elbow and pulling the human towards the door. "Needless to say that, until this is completely resolved, none of the elders are to leave the area," Francis is saying while they leave. "It's time to close our ranks."
"Where are we going?" Delphine whispers as she's being practically dragged through the long hall.
Cosima doesn't answer, she just keeps them moving, which is not hard since Delphine at least doesn't offer any resistance. The creature living inside of her is not particularly happy with the night's events, mirroring her own feelings. They're one and the same after all, and if Cosima's angry, the creature demands an outlet for that anger. Perhaps now is the time for Cosima to admit she's as much demon as she is human. Since she stopped the treatment, she can feel that dark side of her getting stronger as she herself gets stronger. The superhuman strength comes with strings attached and she had almost forgotten how hard it is to keep that side of her under control.
Tonight has been the hardest trial since she has regained most of her abilities. She knows she needs to get out of this house as quickly as possible. Cosima also knows that the best scenario would be to keep herself away from Delphine, at least for the time being, until the anger had diluted, but that's not exactly an option yet.
"I'm going to need a vehicle," Cosima says between a clenched jaw to one of the vampires who's keeping guard at the front door.
"What's going on in there?" The guard asks Cosima but his stare is on the closed doors at the end of the hall.
"Nothing good," is all Cosima offers, taking the key that's extended to her direction.
She goes out the door and onto the crispy night air. Being outside helps a little with her anger, but she's not yet ready to so much as look at Delphine, let alone talk to her. She walks fast, but in a human pace, so that Delphine can keep up. The keychain has the car's tag scribbled on it and Cosima quickly locates the black sedan parked on the back. She slips inside and slams the door shut, barely waiting for Delphine to take the seat by her side before she speeds away.
Cosima drives well over the speed limit and although there isn't much traffic at this late hour, the pavement is still wet, the night humid with mist coming down. Delphine's hand grips the arm support on the door, her eyes on the road and only going briefly to the vampire whose eyes are glued straight ahead, brows frowned, her jawline set in a mask of discontent.
"Do you mind slowing down?" Delphine says, trying not to sound too critical, but unable to shake the slight uneasiness she's feeling. "I'd like to get home in one piece."
Cosima chuckles humorlessly. "We don't get into traffic accidents," she comments with arrogance. "And I don't think going back to your house is the best option."
This time Delphine's eyes linger on Cosima. She seems different, harder, colder. Or maybe just stronger and that thought causes Delphine to observe her from a different perspective. It's not exactly that the treatment Cosima was on made her kind or more docile; their personalities remained unaltered, for the most part at least. But now that the effect of the treatment has completely left the vampire's system, the need for another source of sustenance has arisen. The injections do a small part in controlling the urges that afflict Cosima and others like her. They can procure it from blood - as nature originally intended -, there's no secondary effects as long as they continue with the treatment, but they don't have to. That's why Delphine believes the treatment is only effective as much as one is willing to leave that life behind. Cosima appeared to be such type of subject - while the vampire had voiced complaints in the few occasions they met for the treatment, she never expressed a rejection towards what they were doing. Of course that was back when she didn't know the extent of what DYAD was doing. Things are necessarily different now.
It suddenly hits Delphine that the Cosima she knew is not exactly the same she's with now. It's true that from the file DYAD has on the vampire, Delphine knows Cosima wasn't a murderous monster before, but that doesn't mean she can't be dangerous - especially when the bloodlust strikes. It's clear that while Cosima was with Shay, she has been fed. She looks healthy, her senses sharp, her movements self-assured. She looks better than Delphine has ever seen her, even when she was a regular at the clinic, let alone since the last time she saw her. Cosima's cheeks have gained a human-like blush, her lips a dull red, her eyes have retained the chocolate brown color, which only means Cosima hasn't had a meal in the last couple of hours. But now that Cosima has been left to her own devices, Delphine wonders what will she do for food.
Delphine supposes that Cosima can rely on Sarah for that. It's no secret that places like The Nightcrawler have ample supplies of blood. The authorities will do nothing about it, not even inquire where they get it from - in fact, she assumes they welcome it very much. After all it's preferable than having to deal with blood-dry bodies abandoned on the street or mass disappearances if the vampires choose to be a little more subtle.
"Where are you going to stay?" Delphine asks after a long silence.
"My place, I guess," Cosima answers with a mumble and a shrug, still not looking at Delphine.
"And you think that's safe?"
"No less than you staying at yours," Cosima counters. "It's not like they can't track me down if they want to."
"As it stands, DYAD can't, not since we removed the chip," Delphine reminds her. "But if you get back to your old place they will."
Cosima snorts. "According to you, DYAD is constantly on your tail," she says. "And I've just been ordered to keep tabs on you by the Council. So, regardless of where I stay, they'll always find me." She pauses and now looks at the human scornfully. "Thank you very much for that, by the way."
"You say it as if it was my idea. I don't want you following me any more than I want everyone else," Delphine replies, feeling her own anger being stoked by Cosima's. "How was I supposed to know that…"
"You weren't!" Cosima interrupts. "Not that you could foreshadow a single thing, since I sincerely believe you didn't stop to think things through before you went ahead and placed all the cards on the table." She's starting to speak faster, the worries she's been having for the last couple of hours spilling out. "How exactly did you think they'd react to those types of news?"
Delphine is silent for a moment, shaking her head to herself. "Fine!" She eventually says. "I wasn't exactly prepared for that. I didn't even know what I was going to say when I stepped into that room."
"And when you saw those lovely, kind faces you decided to go for broke…" Cosima comments.
"I needed to do something!" Delphine is adamant. "You were gone, have been missing for weeks and the last time I saw you it's not like you looked your best."
"Oh, bullshit!" Despite the heated conversation, it's the first time Cosima raises her voice. "Don't act like you did this for me! It's not like you didn't get what you wanted from that, or do I have to remind you the conditions of your freedom? Because that's what this is - a temporary freedom." Cosima continues in a quick succession of words. "Do you think they're going to do what you asked though? Do you really think they're going to help you find this person?" She releases a dry chuckle. "Please! They'll string you along until you've given them all that you have. Then they'll make sure your…." she takes her right hand off the wheel and spins her wrist, "research or whatever never sees the light of day. And finally, la pièce de résistance, ma chère, they'll make sure that you are no longer a threat… and yes, that means exactly what you're thinking." Cosima's words become sarcastic. "Yeah, brilliant plan there, doctor!"
Throughout Cosima's entire rant, Delphine never made an attempt to refute the vampire's words - in fact she fully agrees with Cosima's observations. She has no illusions regarding the Council's true intentions. She knows that if it's up to them, she won't survive long enough to see her request fulfilled. But there's one good thing that came out of her meeting with the Council, a sliver of hope that keeps Delphine grounded although, considering Cosima's reaction, that hope may be misplaced.
"Then I suppose it's a good thing you don't agree with them," Delphine says confidently, in a way that hides her uncertainty well. "You will help me."
"Will I now?" Cosima's surprise is evident. "And what gave you that idea? I may not agree with the Council's methods, but that doesn't mean I want my kind eradicated."
"Nor do I!" Delphine expels a frustrated breath.
"So you were lying in there, and you don't really know how to make it work?" Cosima says, steering her eyes off the road momentarily. "It was all a bluff."
"It's not a bluff." Delphine shakes her head. "All my research shows that I'm on the right track…In theory, at least. I still haven't moved to the trial stage."
"So it's a semi-bluff…" Cosima comments. "When do you think the trials will start?"
"If DYAD knew how far I am, they'd have started already. As far as they know, it's still too early," Delphine answers. "I'm dragging things along, giving them just updates when they ask me to. But I can only stall so much before they lose their patience with me."
"So, basically you're doing to DYAD the same thing the Council plans to do with you," Cosima says, the irony of it not exactly escaping her.
"I suppose…" Delphine admits. "It's not exactly original, but it's efficient."
"I hope you realize you're playing a very dangerous game with two very powerful entities," the vampire points out what's clearly obvious. "Are you sure the person you're doing this for is worth it? For all you know, they might've moved on and forgotten all about you."
"You may be right," Delphine concedes, feeling a tightness in her chest. "But I just can't give up on him…" She pauses to swallow the lump in her throat. "Perhaps I just need closure, I need to know that he's alright."
Cosima shakes her head and takes in a deep breath. Maybe she's been a vampire for so long that she has forgotten how devastating it can be to lose someone. It has been centuries since she has tasted loss, true grieving. The only time she remembers to have experienced that feeling of utter powerlessness was when she was a child and her mother passed away...But even then… she had been sick Cosima's entire life - even at an young age, she knew it was only a matter of time. When she was turned she had no real relationships to mourn, no one to miss her, no one that Cosima would see growing old while she remained the same. This so-human need: to put someone's memory to rest, seems entirely too unnecessary for her.
"How much closure do you truly need for someone who's been turned and out of your life for some 20 years now?" Cosima asks.
"He's my brother, Cosima." Delphine's voice is hardly a whisper, her face turned to the dark night outside, hiding the tears stinging her eyes. "Do you really think time makes me miss him less?"
"This is so stupid…" Cosima mumbles to herself. "Okay," she says louder. "What's the plan, then?"
A/N: Also, next chapter will be Delphine's backstory.