A/N: Wow... two stories in two days... I might be spoiling you :D

The tension between the three of us is palpable, a new resident in our small cottage, adding strain to our conversations. It doesn't improve when Sarah returns from her meeting with Ms. S and doesn't disclose what they discussed; the only thing she shares is that Felix should meet with her the next day he is free, which will be in two days time.

I try to fly under the radar, limiting my interactions with them to the strictly necessary, sequestering myself in the small office, and coming out only when I know I won't run into them. It's not like I'm a stranger to the loneliness, spending day after day inside my own head, but it annoys me that this is happening at a time when we're supposed to be supporting each other. I feel isolated, a small island in the middle of nowhere, not really wanting to end my seclusion, but knowing that I must. If we're going to be successful, we all need to be headed in the same direction.

With that in mind, I followed Sarah's advice and avoided the main building in fear of crossing paths with Delphine again. The truth is though, even if my colleague hadn't said something, I'd probably have steered clear of Delphine anyway. Nothing good could come from getting reacquainted with a ghost from the past.

My desire to keep my distance is aided by the fact that my presence hasn't been requested in these past few days. The few infractions that were caught when I first started have learned their lesson and persuaded others to stay honest.

This lasts until the day Felix is set to meet with Ms. S, when I'm also summoned, with no apparent reason, to meet Daniel. As I head there I feel slightly uneasy, but I don't let it consume me too much. If the purpose of the meeting was to discuss my midnight stroll it would've come days ago. I'm more curious than nervous when I knock on the library's door and enter after hearing Daniel's voice in response.

Daniel is sitting rigidly behind the desk, his suit jacket neatly hung over the back, his loosened tie contrasting with the stiffness of his posture. Wordlessly, he motions me to take a seat, his eyes only briefly leaving whatever document he's reading. I wait patiently, my gaze roaming the bookcase to my left to avoid staring at him too long. I only look back in his direction when I hear the scratching of the pen as he signs the document, then closes the folder.

"How are you doing?" He asks with, what looks like, a genuine interest, interlocking his fingers on top of the table and looking at me.

"I… I'm fine," I choke, caught off guard by the question.

"Good… good," he offers a smile and nods, appearing pleased. "I want my collaborators to feel comfortable working for me," Daniel says, reclining in the chair. "Anything you need? Now that you've settled in I imagine you had time to notice if something's amiss."

I shake my head. "No, no… Everything is perfect."

"Okay, then," he relaxes some more, crossing his legs and gazing steadily at me.

"I was pleased to hear that Delphine had a good time the other day. Perhaps it's not a bad idea to do it again soon."

If I was surprised before, now I'm completely dumbfounded. "Yes, it was good," I manage to respond. "Maybe some time…" I say vaguely.

I definitely don't want to go through that again; too much time alone with Delphine spells trouble. But it's not like I can flat out refuse it without creating suspicions, especially after Delphine's generous account of the afternoon. Regardless, my ambiguous answer seems enough to Daniel and he nods with a small smile.

"There are several reasons I called you in here, Cosima," he begins, his tone becomes more solemn. "Firstly, I want to thank you for doing such a great work with the company's logs. I know it's a rather boring task, but you've shown the uttermost dedication," he pauses to chuckle. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would find someone who could organize all that so quickly."

"I'm just doing what you're paying me to do, Mr. Webster," I answer, loosening up a little against the back of the chair.

"Call me Daniel," he encourages with a smile. "And I know it's your job, but I like to praise my employees when they're doing a good work the same way I like to bring to their attention when that's not the case."

Daniel stops again, acknowledging my reaction, which is to nod slowly and force a smile to my lips, not really sure about what I should be feeling for being nominated employee of the month.

"I believe you've been made aware of the engagement party next Wednesday," Daniel states casually. Fortunately, his eyes have already dropped in search of the golden pen that he rolls between his fingers and misses my surprised expression. "And while your roommates will be on the security detail that night, I think it would be nice if you could attend as a guest."

"A guest…" I stutter, struggling to recover from the shock when he looks back at me.

"Well, of course," he raises his hands in a gesture that's meant to show how obvious it is. "Not just because I like you, but for Delphine as well. Considering you know each other… you even helped her pick up the dress she'll be wearing, it's fitting that you come." Daniel chuckles again, this time more lively.

I swallow thickly and if the man notices how forced my smile is, he gives no indication. He only stares at me, waiting for my answer.

"I… I really don't know, Mr. Webs… Daniel," I say, wracking my brain for a way out. "Perhaps that's not a great idea… I mean… my partners would be there working while I'm partying," I shake my head, if he knew me at all, he'd realize how uncomfortable I'm feeling. "It wouldn't be fair."

"If you say so…" he says thoughtfully. "I understand your reservation and admire your loyalty, but if you change your mind, come. You can just show up for a while, you know where we'll be."

I breathe out, relieved that I seemed to have escaped. "I'll think about it."

I won't! There's nothing to think about. I wouldn't be caught dead at Delphine's engagement party.

I'm eager to leave this meeting. An odd anger is brewing, and I'm not sure with whom I should be more upset. On one hand there's Delphine, who refused to tell me what she dragged me to shop for, even though she had ample opportunity to do so. She most likely kept it from me knowing that I wouldn't appreciate the news. On the other hand, there's Sarah and Felix, who clearly have known this for a while and kept it from me, deliberately withholding information that I really should get from them and not be blindsided like this. Even Daniel assumed I knew already.

Unaware of what's going on inside my head, Daniel pushes his chair back, and reaches in a desk drawer, pulling out a green folder and places it in front of me. "This is another thing I wanted to talk with you about," he changes subject and his expression becomes serious as he nods his head in the direction of the binder, encouraging me to pick it up.

I open it and see several newspaper clippings show the same man, well into his sixties, but I have no idea what it says since it's written in a language that looks slavic.

"His name is Mariusz Baczkowski," Daniel explains as I casually flip through the papers. "He's a Polish investor who has approached us to do business with him."

I conceal my astonishment at hearing the man's nationality, but my brain is quickly starting to make connections, remembering Sarah's failed mission two months ago. It might mean nothing, might not be connected in the least, but I can't help the leaps my mind is taking.

"In our first meeting you've demonstrated a... propensity for background checks. You certainly did a good job researching my father's past," he adds with a small chuckle, assuring me that he's comfortable enough to speak freely to me. "I want you to do the same with Mr. Baczkowski."

I cock my brow and tilt my head. "What do you want to know about him?"

"Anything... Everything..." He opens his arms, resting his back on the chair again. "Mr. Baczkowski doesn't have the best reputation. We can't afford to bring too much attention to our company and I want to know how much of it is rumor and how much of it it's true."

"What sort of rumors?" I ask, closing the folder and placing it back on the desk.

He smiles. "Now... I wouldn't want to influence your research. Whatever you find out, tell me," he says, reaching once more for the pen. "As long as you find significant evidence to the claims, I'm interested and want to know.

"You'll have every company resource at your disposal for your investigation, of course," he goes on. "If you think it's necessary to travel to Europe to find out more, you'll be free to do so. All expenses will be covered and, obviously, you'll be compensated accordingly."

"When do you want this done?" I lean back on the chair, crossing my legs.

"As soon as possible," Daniel's answer is exactly what I predicted. "This is your number one priority from now on. If possible, you should continue to work on the logs, but those seem controlled for now. If you need to travel, like I'm convinced you'll have to, take the work computer with you and do it when you have free time, but this," he moves forward to tap his hand lightly on the folder, "this is more important than any logs."

He looks at me intently, waiting for the sign that assures him that I understand. I take the folder in my hands and nod firmly, he responds by leaning back on his big, leather chair, with a satisfied smile.

"Splendid!" He says, arms opening in a grand gesture. "Just one more thing before you go..."

I stop my movements as I was already getting up. "Yes?"

"This doesn't leave this room," Daniel says with his gaze penetrating mine, as if carefully analyzing my reaction. "You won't discuss this with my father or anyone else for that matter, and this includes your companions, of course."

"Of course," I echo and nod again, opening a smirk. "I hope you won't think me pretentious, but I'd assumed that already."

"Perfect," he says loud again. "I'm glad that we understand each other."

I grace him with a large smile, hiding my growing distrust for the man, which takes the form of a scold only as I turn to leave.

"Don't forget the engagement party," he throws out, just as I reach the door and look over my shoulder. "I'm sure it would mean a lot to Delphine if you could attend."

This time I don't have the strength to smile, but give him another "I'll think about it", before I leave.

It's a good thing that no one's home when I get there - Sarah's still at work and Felix is out on the town, presumably to meet Ms. S - otherwise I'd likely allow all the frustration I feel to spill out and rage against them. So, instead I draw myself a nice, warm bath in hopes that it'll help with the tension that has stiffened my muscles during my conversation with Daniel.

After a while I hear the front door open and close, but refuse to get out of the steam filled bathroom, resting the back of my head on the tilt of the tub and take deep, calming breaths. I consider whether or not I should tell Sarah and Felix about my new assignment. Not because Daniel has asked me not to, but rather because I'd like to discuss it with Ms. S first. I want her to know firsthand and see what she thinks it's the best action to take. Besides, knowing her the way I do, she's very likely to have some information about this Mariusz Baczkowski. And perhaps it's not only that that weighs my decision; the sting of their betrayal is still fresh. Sarah and Felix must have known about the damn party for a while and took upon themselves not to tell me.

I eventually leave the bathroom and go directly to my room, taking my time. As far as I can tell, Felix has yet to return, and Sarah seems to be in the living room, the TV on. However, when I approach her, the warm bath seems to have worked its magic and I feel significantly more relaxed than when I got back to the cottage almost an hour ago.

I take the comfortable recliner, while she eyes me suspiciously from the big couch she's stretched on.

"I would've like to have known beforehand," I comment keeping my voice leveled. We definitely don't need more drama.

"What are you talking about?" Sarah's head turns and she looks directly at me.

"About the engagement party," I clarify, trying to maintain my civility. "I would rather learn it from you than Daniel."

Sarah looks at me positively stunned, the confusion in her expression appears to be genuine. "I thought you already knew," she explains. "Didn't she tell you? I thought that was why you arrived so upset the other day."

I sigh heavily, shaking my head. "No, she did not."

The suspicious look returns to her face. "Then... why have you been so pissed these last couple of days?"

I press my lips together, biting the inside of my cheek and look away from her. Sarah waits, her staring at me, and I know that she's going over several scenarios in her head. She's programmed that way - we both are. We're trained to think about every possible outcome, considering all the information we've got. It just so happens that, at this point, she doesn't have enough knowledge to accurately judge where I am now and I'm not inclined to change that.

"Are you two fucking?" She asks bluntly.

"Jesus, Sarah!" My eyes go immediately to her.

"Sorry, sorry..." She waves her hands lazily in front of her. "Are you two making love?"

I twist my lips and roll my eyes. "No, we're not."

"Which one?"

"Both… Neither..." I get up and can't believe Sarah's finding this amusing. "What the fuck, Sarah!"

She scoffs, but regains some seriousness. "I'm just saying... if something like that is going on, you need to tell me," she sits a bit straighter on the couch. "Felix doesn't need to know, but I..."

"No, okay?" I cut her off. "We're not fucking, we're not making love, we're not having sex!"

"Bumping uglies?" Sarah suggests and by now I know she's trusting my word.

"Not even that," I respond, a smile finally stretching my lips. "You know she took me to shop for the dress she'll be wearing in the stupid party without me knowing..."

"Oi, that's gotta hurt," she says sympathetically.

"No shit!" I throw over my shoulder on my way to the kitchen, getting a beer to each of us.

"Was she such a bitch back in the day?" Sarah asks when I hand her the bottle.

"Some times," I shrug, sitting back down and placing my feet on the small coffee table in front of me. "Truth is, I never really got to know her, never really understood what she's all about," I smirk despite myself. "Which was part of the allure, of course."

"But you dated," Sarah pushes, but without the persistence she has used in the past and I think she knows this is the best way to approach the subject.

"I don't know if you can call it dating, sneaking away for a few kisses and clumsy groping," I offer a little more information, waiting to see how she reacts.

Sarah raises both her eyebrows briefly and smirks. "Straight girls, am I right?"

I laugh. "No kidding."

We settle into a comfortable silence for a while, sipping our beers and stealing a few glances at the TV. This I can do, easy, effortlessly, without the tension a serious discussion entails. Maybe it's because Felix is out. Without his insecurities constantly creating drama, we can talk about this a bit more lightly. Or maybe it's because Sarah always understood me better. Despite her rugged exterior, I know she's the most sensitive of the two; she knows that a lighter tone must be taken in order to obtain certain information. What I revealed to her, I did it voluntarily, because I chose to, but I know that if she had tried to get this out of me with a more severe approach, I wouldn't do it. This is what Felix still lacks: the ability to take a step back and assess the situation with his head and act accordingly.

"What did Daniel want?" Sarah asks after a while, her hand extended with an empty bottle, signaling that I should get another. "Is he suspicious about the two of you? Does he know you've got the hots for his fiancée?"

"No, not even close," I take the jab lightly, getting up to replace the bottle in her hand. "He wanted to give me a pat on the back for my good work," I say from the kitchen.

"Really?" I hear the smile on her words.

"Yep!" I sit back down after giving her another beer. "He also hinted that Delphine and I should continue to improve our friendship by going out again." My friend snorts hearing this and I continue. "Apparently Delphine told him she had a great time."

"Did you?" Sarah's expression remains amused.

I pause to think for an instant. "I mean... it wasn't bad," I tell her. "We did have a good time, but there was this big elephant in the room that we were constantly maneuvering around."

"The elephant being your past?" She asks, a hand swinging in my direction.

I nod. "Anyway... I think it's better if we don't do it again," I say. "You were right when you said that I need to stay away from her."

"When will you learn that I'm always right, Cosima?" Sarah jokes, shaking her head in a mocking disapprovingly way.

"I'll admit you were right that once," I concede, laughing. "He also invited me to the party as a guest," I air quote the last word. "Said it would mean a lot to Delphine if I went."

"Dude's completely blind," Sarah chuckles. "Are you?"

"Going? Fuck no!" I answer quickly.

Sarah laughs at how fast I answer, but leaves it at that.

We order pizza, having the man on gate duty deliver it to our door because we can and because both of us are feeling pretty lazy. With it we have another beer or two and by the time Felix finally arrives, Sarah and I are buzzed enough for him to see it through our dopy smiles.

"Seems like someone has been having fun without me," he comments, shedding his coat.

"How did it go with Ms. S?" Sarah asks him with mild curiosity.

"Fine," he replies curtly.

I snort, knowing by his reaction that the meeting was not exactly pleasant to him.

He glares at me. "Laugh now," Felix says annoyed. "She wants to see you this Saturday."

He thinks that this little piece of information would upset me, but he missed wide.

I grin, getting up from the chair and stretching my back. "Great!" I say after a pleasant groan when I hear my spine pop. "Can't wait!"