A/N: just wanna give a shout out to my beta, Cophine, who continues to do such a great job with my stories!
All the files of her new patients are accounted for, all the information available to Delphine, just as Marion had promised. She can easily see why these were the vampires selected for the study: all of them have been in the program since it started, all showing impeccable attendance for their appointments.
All but one.
Cosima missed her last appointment, two weeks ago, and Delphine thinks it must be a mistake. The vampire had assured her that she would continue with the treatment, despite her recently acquired knowledge of its actual intent. Perhaps the doctor who took over for her isn't as meticulous as Delphine in record keeping. Still, it's something that Delphine wants to clear up as soon as possible.
The next morning, the first thing she does is to go to her old office to speak with her replacement, Dr. O'Brien. She knocks on the door, knowing he is probably free - her experience having taught her that the schedule generally becomes hectic in the afternoon, when most of the patients show up at once. She'll have plenty of time to confer with a man she's yet to meet.
However, it's a familiar face that greets her at the door.
"Delphine…" her former assistant greets her with a warm hug.
"Krystal, how's the new doctor treating you?" Delphine says, accepting the invitation to enter the otherwise empty office.
"I miss you every day," the other woman complains with her characteristic lightness.
"That bad, huh?" Delphine says, looking around, noticing that not much has changed, but still feeling out of place.
"I mean… he's alright," Krystal shrugs slightly, seating herself on one of the two chairs reserved for the patients. "But he's… I don't know… cold. Not that that is anything new. I guess you spoiled me."
"I'm sorry to hear that," the doctor replies with candor, taking the seat next to Krystal.
The bubbly blonde waves her wrist, as if it's nothing to worry about. "So, what brings you here? Tired of working with the big shots already?"
"Something more serious, I'm afraid," Delphine says, pausing, wanting to pose her question in the subtlest way possible. "I'm sure it's just a mistake, but I still need to be sure."
Krystal's disposition shifts a little, becoming more serious. "Oh?"
"I was looking over 324B21's file… uhm… Niehaus," there's no other way to say it, "and there's no record of her last appointment."
"Oh, that's no mistake," Krystal answers, shaking her head and not hiding her disappointment. "She never made it. I was surprised too, it doesn't seem like her."
"Ever?" Delphine presses. "Not even the next few days? She could've come by when she wasn't scheduled and Dr. O'Brien might've forgotten to introduce her data."
Delphine tries to find an explanation, a reason why the record could be wrong, but her former assistant continues to shake her head.
"Nope. The last time she came her appointment was with you," Krystal assures her. "How come you're looking into her records anyway? She's no longer your patient," she adds when Delphine remains silent.
"Orders from up the chain," the doctor answers vaguely. "I need a blood sample from her the next time she comes in."
"I'm sure she'll come around," Krystal replies hopefully. "From my experience, they seldom miss two appointments in a row. I'm just surprised that Cosima would do that."
"Yes, she never did before," Delphine plays along, pretending to share the other woman's hopefulness.
But she knows better. Cosima missing her appointment after the conversation they had is no coincidence. Clearly, the vampire had a change of heart and that doesn't bode well for her. If Cosima has been without her injection for this long, she's already beginning to feel the effects of abstinence, nausea and weakness. If she goes another full month without, the pain will be substantial, accompanied by muscle spasms that can be incapacitating. Slowly, Cosima will lose her physical capabilities, and her mind will soon follow.
"Next time she comes, make sure to get a blood sample," Delphine says as she rises and moves toward the door.
She'd like to have a word with Cosima, but she won't dare suggest it to Krystal. Even if she thought she could trust the closest person she has to a friend, the idea of meeting the vampire at DYAD is a bad one. For all she knows, these walls could have ears.
Delphine gets to work and tries not to think about it, working around Cosima's absence. All the other patients are accounted for, and she manages to make some progress with the samples she has, at least for now. The doctor still hopes Cosima will come around; that this is nothing but a misstep on her part. She hopes the vampire comes back before the side effects become more severe. She hopes, but she doesn't believe.
Another week passes and even that shred of hope is gone. Becoming impatient, Delphine calls Krystal, and the answer she gets confirms her fears. Cosima hasn't come, hasn't said anything and there's no sign she ever will. And when the vampire misses her next appointment, Delphine is left with her hands tied; she needs to bring it up to her superiors. She doesn't like the idea, but it will be even worse if she says nothing and they find out some other way - if they don't know it already and Delphine's sure they do. If the doctor remains quiet regarding Cosima's missing it will attract unnecessary attention to herself.
She hesitates near the opening of the division of the space that for all purposes is Marion's downstairs office, still trying to find some other way.
"Delphine. Is everything alright?" The woman has spotted her lingering and calls her.
"Not quite," Delphine answers and approaches the desk.
"Well, your latest reports show some promising results," Marion says, extending an arm and inviting the young scientist to take a seat. "I know it's still too early, but still…"
"Oh no… the research is fine," Delphine replies and sits. "However, I'm sure you've noticed that one particular patient is not mentioned."
"Yes, I've seen it…" Marion comments absently, her eyes shifting to her computer screen, clicking a few times on the mouse button. "Uh… 324B21 is without data."
Delphine nods, not convinced by the other woman's performance. "That's because she has missed her two last appointments with Dr. O'Brien."
Marion reclines comfortably in her chair and crosses her hands on her lap. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do," she says. "As you know, they don't give out information regarding their whereabouts, and the program is voluntary. We can't force them to come in."
"Right!" Delphine's act remains, knowing that she needs to play along. "But you know where they are all the time from the tracking device in their chips. If you want, you can find her."
"That information is strictly confidential, Delphine," the other woman says without so much as a blink. "We must protect our patients' privacy."
Then why do you have them? Delphine thinks, but doesn't say it aloud. "So there's nothing we can do!" Is what she says instead.
"Unfortunately!" Marion raises both her arms, feigning helplessness. "You should carry on with the study with the six you have left. It's the best advice I have to offer."
Later, back in her house, the more Delphine thinks about it, the more she's convinced Cosima's in trouble. If not from the lack of treatment, definitely because she'll have DYAD hot on her trail. For the moment, they might've chosen to wait it out, see how far the old vampire can handle herself without the shots, but sooner rather than later, they'll send their well-oiled machine after her. When they do, Cosima will have no place to hide - the chip under her skin will see to that.
Delphine thinks for a moment about bringing The Company's efforts to her aid. They'd certainly welcome Cosima into their ranks, find some use for her, but when the doctor considers what that might mean, she discards the idea. Not only does she doubt Cosima would agree to that, but she also suspects The Company's motivations are no less obscure than those of DYAD's.
In reality, she should stay out of it, it's the smartest decision for her sake. However, Delphine feels responsible for what's happening. If she hadn't warned Cosima about what was going on behind the scenes, surely the vampire wouldn't have altered her routine, would've remained in the program, as she had for the last two years.
Unfortunately Delphine couldn't, in good conscience, allow it to continue. Why she had developed a conscience regarding only that particular patient is something Delphine is not ready to analyze in depth, but she has good suspicions. The charming creature has managed to capture her interest. She found herself worrying about Cosima's wellbeing, her future, and what it might mean for the vampire to proceed with the treatment. Delphine even suspects she unconsciously wanted Cosima's reaction to be exactly this. But not this way; not cold turkey without a backup plan and do something that will jeopardize not only her health but also her safety.
It's nearly 11 pm when Delphine makes a decision that, while reckless, it's also necessary. She dresses quickly in a pair of old, faded jeans and a dark wool sweater. Something that won't attract much attention. She pins her hair on the back of her neck and, as an afterthought, reminded of her first encounter with the vampire, she reaches for an army green scarf that she wraps around her neck. Phone in one pocket of her black, leather jacket, house keys in another as she ventures outside.
Going out at night, in and of itself, doesn't represent a risk, but there are some areas a smart person knows to avoid. Delphine doesn't consider herself stupid, but this time she must do a stupid thing.
Despite her best attempt, she still attracts more than a few stares, just as she did some weeks ago when she marched these same streets. And like before, she keeps to herself, her steps not faltering when a holler comes out from a dark corner, walking determined to her destination.
There are a few people smoking outside the ill-reputed bar. Blue eyes shine in her direction, and a few shining white fangs are presented to her, trying to intimidate her and Delphine is well aware that her presence has been noticed. There's no way to conceal her being human. The Nightcrawler is a well known establishment amongst the non-human community, as well as the human, although for entirely different reasons. While for the first is considered a safe haven, a place to mingle without being harassed by humans; to these is known as a place to stay away from, to avoid at all costs if one cherishes life.
Regardless, it's the only place Delphine knows she can get in contact with the vampire; the only place outside of DYAD she knows Cosima has ties to. So, she sucks it up, avoids making eye contact, and walks to the counter. The young woman behind it it's currently attending one of the costumers, smiling and shoving the big man's shoulder playfully. But as soon as Delphine takes one of the free stools, the woman turns to her and the smile fades, replaced with a discontented frown.
Delphine has never met a lycan in person, but she knows immediately that's what is walking towards her after staring in her direction for a few moments.
"Have a death wish?" The werewolf asks in a rough voice and a crooked smirk.
"I'm looking for someone," Delphine says in a steady voice, hiding well how intimidated she's really feeling.
"Yeah, I didn't think you'd be here for our luxurious environment," the woman answers with obvious amusement. "But she's not here."
Upon seeing the confused expression, the werewolf leans forward on the wooden bar. "I recognized your lovely scent from the first time you were here," she says with a conspiratorial lilt. "It took forever for the stench to dissipate."
Delphine frowns. "Oh…" she mumbles when the information sinks in.
"Yeah…" the woman pushes herself away from the counter. "Anyway, I think you lost your time coming here," she says over her shoulder, already moving to the next client.
"I need to get to her!" Delphine says over the cacophony of voices. She's already here, so there's no point in being cautious. "It's urgent!" She presses when the werewolf doesn't seem interested.
But this time the brunette with long wavy hair looks back, cocking a brow and hesitates for a moment.
"If you could at least tell me where I could find her," Delphine insists, noticing that she has gotten to her.
The werewolf looks over her suspiciously and then releases a deep, exasperated breath, shaking her head. "Hold on here for a minute," she instructs. "Try not to get eaten!" She throws over her shoulder before disappearing through a back door.
Delphine feels exposed. She's perfectly aware that she's the center of attention inside the dark bar; feeling the stares, whispered words, a few predatory smirks aimed her way. As subtly as she can, she looks around the space, looking for someone else in charge, but, as far as she can tell, the bar is completely unattended. And yet, no one makes a move in her direction, no one tries to approach her with dark intentions. When the young woman returns, with an older one in tow, all is exactly as it was when she left.
"Follow me," The older woman says in a soft, calm voice to Delphine, who's quick to abandon her stool, eager to leave the public venue and find a more private setting. They cross the same door and enter a somewhat long corridor that ends in steep stairs which lead to an upper level.
"I'm Siobhan," the woman says once they are alone. "And that was Sarah. You'll have to excuse her manners. She doesn't care for your kind.".
"Delphine," the doctor answers, and continues to follow the older werewolf's steps. "It's quite alright. I understand why she wouldn't like humans. Most of the time, I don't like them either."
"I meant DYAD," Siobhan deadpans and then laughs. "But yes, humans too, I guess. Or anyone, really." She stops by a heavy looking iron door, the hand on the handle, but she doesn't twist it open. "What do you want with Cosima?"
Delphine hesitates. She's still thinking about how Siobhan chose to describe herself and the younger wolf, and this question, while expected, was not an easy one to answer. The woman looks her in the eyes, a dark stare that doesn't relent, inspecting the doctor with caution. It goes against Delphine's instincts to be entirely honest with anyone, but more so when she has no idea if they're trustworthy, someone she just met. Still, she knows that the woman standing before her is not the type she can outmaneuver with a cleaver excuse.
"I'm worried about her," Delphine replies honestly. "She has been missing her appointments."
"I fail to see how does that concern you," Siobhan comments in an unfriendly manner. "Cosima made the decision to enroll in your little experiment freely, shouldn't she be free to leave whenever she wants as well?"
"It's a little more complicated than that." This time Delphine decides to keep some things from the other woman, for now. "I'm not here to force her back into the program, but I still need to talk to her."
"If that's not what you're here for, then what?"
The werewolf is relentless in her questions, obviously not trusting Delphine. Even so, the doctor suspects this sort of animosity is not directed at her personally, but rather because this woman has taken it upon herself to defend the vampire's interests. And this is certainly unexpected. The relationship between Lycans and vampires has been forged in blood and violence; rivals since the beginning of time as they competed for the same prey. While there have been calmer periods, lasting truces we're never achieved. In fact, the closest they've come is now, with a mere pact of nonaggression. They've never been known to work together, let alone being on friendly terms.
"You care about her," Delphine observes, changing her approaching strategy. "You're worried about her safety."
"So?" Siobhan shrugs, but she's curious.
"Some people would think that unbelievable; a werewolf looking out for the wellbeing of a vampire," the doctor continues in a serene voice. "Certainly less credible than a doctor showing concern about a former patient."
Siobhan's lips stretch in a small smile and she finally opens the door. "My problems are not with you personally, but with the people you work for," she says, entering the same room where Delphine met Cosima previously.
"So are mine!" Delphine says assertively. "Our interests are the same here, Siobhan. Cosima could be in danger, most likely she is already. If you care for her the way I think you do, you'll find a way to bring her to me."
The werewolf remains suspicious, Delphine's still to earn her trust despite her compelling arguments and she's running out of things to say to convince Siobhan.
"When was the last time you saw Cosima?" Delphine asks in a final attempt to tip the scales in her favor. "When was the last time you talked with her in person or otherwise?"
A glimpse of recognition crosses the werewolf's dark eyes, concern, almost fear flashes through her features.
"Wait here," Siobhan says and her voice is stressed with worry. "I'll see what I can do."
Under normal circumstances, at this hour, Marion would be in bed, resting for an early start next morning, and not in a conference call with her chief of security. But things don't always work out the way she wants or predicts, no matter how she tries to make it so.
She knew that having Delphine followed would be useful, but she didn't think it would take the young doctor so long to make her move. She was more patient than Marion expected, but the bottom line was correct. Marion also hadn't predicted that Delphine would come to her with the information regarding Cosima's missed appointments. Perhaps she had underestimated the doctor's ability to play the game of cat and mouse. Even so, Marion has experience on her side, has been at it for much longer.
This is the only reason why she's up, sitting in bed with the computer on her lap, talking with the chief of security while he remains in contact with his man in the field.
Delphine left her house at exactly 11:08 pm, and briskly walked the darkened streets until she entered The Nightcrawler at 11:33. Marion is familiar with the place, she wouldn't be very good at her job if she wasn't. However, and more importantly, is that the place is a recurrent hang out of Cosima, and this tells Marion two things. The first is that Delphine has no idea that every move she makes is reported back to her superior. The second is that the young doctor is not nearly as smart as she thinks she is.
"What do you want us to do now, Dr. Bowles?" The man sounds invasively loud in her speakers. "Should we intervene?"
"No." Marion answers and she smiles, having no issues admitting she likes when her uneventful life takes a more exciting turn. "Now we wait!"