The next few weeks were busy. She worked long hours in the lab, learning everything, and found that she was enjoying herself more than she had in a long time. She got more comfortable being around Scott and Cosima, though she couldn't keep up with their incessant ragging on each other. Those two had known each other for a long time; they'd gone to school together so they were very close. Delphine sometimes felt like a third wheel in their conversations, but they always included her. Cosima was always looking out for her, making her feel like she belonged there. She had a very comforting personality.

One day, as work was nearing to a close, Cosima approached Delphine.

"Hey, so, Scott and I were talking. You've been here a month now. Can we take you for a drink? Pretty please?" Cosima asked, trying to charm her.

Delphine sighed. She had been enjoying herself with them so she figured, why not. "Mmm, ok."

Cosima's eyes lit up at her response. "Yeah? Scott, she said yes!" she called over to him.

Delphine laughed, surprising herself. She hadn't genuinely laughed in a while.

Cosima and Scott took her to a bar down the street. It was a cute little place with lots of artwork on the walls and they sat at a table, enjoying a beer, clinking their glasses together to cheers to the month that Delphine had been there.

"Honestly, we're really glad you're working with us," Scott stated, "It's an honor."

"Yeah, dude, ditto," Cosima echoed.

Delphine smiled. "Thank you. You two are very talented. I'm very lucky."

They all drank to that.

Delphine couldn't remember the last time she was out like this. It may have been years. She was feeling a slight pang of guilt, but she knew this was healthy for her, to get out, instead of sitting in her apartment alone, like she had been every night. She tried to let Scott and Cosima's carefree nature pull her in. There was something magnetic about the way Cosima spoke; it was easy to get lost in her energy.

Scott looked down at his phone. "Oh, hey, I need to go call my mom really quickly, excuse me."

"Aww Scotty needs his Mommy?" Cosima teased.

He gave her a sarcastic look before heading outside.

Cosima looked back at Delphine. "So, you want to play darts?"

Delphine had actually never played darts before. "Oh, ok, but you'll have to show me how."

"You don't know? Wow, ok, I can teach you. It's super easy," Cosima giggled, getting up to lead Delphine over to the board.

Delphine felt a little embarrassed once Cosima showed her the game of darts, since all she had to do was throw them at the board on the wall. It was a very easy game, except she kept missing the dart board and Cosima kept laughing at her.

Delphine felt a lightness in her chest that she hadn't felt in so long every time Cosima laughed. It was infectious and she hadn't been expecting that. She decided that it was nice to find a friend, although Cosima did not know her well and she feared she could never tell her about everything, because Cosima would never look at her the same way.

After one round of darts and Delphine playing terribly, she said, "I think I was not cut out for this game."

"Oh, it's ok, we're just having fun," Cosima beamed, looking directly into Delphine's eyes.

Delphine looked away immediately, feeling like she shouldn't have had that second drink.

"So, tell me about your life before San Fran," Cosima inquired, as she leaned up against the pool table next to them. "I don't know much about you, other than you being a brilliant scientist."

Delphine tried grinning but it didn't quite work out. She got nervous all of a sudden. She knew hanging out like this would prompt questions and she knew she should've prepared for them, but she didn't expect to be in this situation.

"Oh, well, I was in Minnesota before, doing similar work," Delphine answered, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Minnesota? It's freezing there! How'd you survive?" Cosima joked.

In an effort to keep things light, Delphine joked, "I barely survived it. Almost turned into a popsicle on a daily basis."

Cosima laughed. "Dr. Cormier, you do have a sense of humor."

She used to have a sense of humor. Delphine supposed she probably still did, somewhere buried deep inside her. She hadn't allowed it to come out in so long. Not after everything she had been through.

Delphine smiled at Cosima as Scott came back into the bar.

"How's Mommy?" Cosima asked, teasingly.

Scott chuckled. "She's fine, you're so kind for asking," he said sarcastically.

"Well, I think I'm going to head out," Delphine interjected.

Cosima looked at Delphine with a furrowed brow. "You sure? One more drink?" she asked.

"No, no, but thank you. This was fun," Delphine answered as she saw a flicker of disappointment flash over Cosima's face.

"Alright," Cosima muttered, pulling Delphine in for a hug.

Delphine was taken aback by the contact. A lot of friends had hugged her in the past year, but Cosima's hug felt warmer, more genuine. She let herself fall into the embrace for a moment before pulling herself out of it.

She waved goodbye to Scott and headed out.

As she arrived home, she thought about the night. She had allowed herself to let go for a moment, which she realized was just what she needed. She was nervous, though. Nervous that she shouldn't be letting go, that she shouldn't allow herself moments like that because maybe she should be thinking about her. About Jen. If she let go, would she forget? Forget everything they had?

She climbed into bed, exhausted from the day, and fell quickly into slumber.

Delphine walked into the kitchen, placing her keys in the bowl on the counter. She opened the freezer, taking out the microwave meal she found there. She stuck it in the microwave, pressing the number three.

She went back to the fridge, taking out the water, pulling a glass from the cabinet. She poured the water, watching it fill the cup slowly. After placing the water back in the fridge, she leaned against the counter, hands folded across her stomach, staring into space.

The beeping of the microwave brought her out of her trance and she picked up the hot meal, pulling back the plastic that covered it. The steam burned her hand, but she didn't care. She sat at the table, barely paying attention to what she was eating. It was only for sustenance, not taste.

The silence surrounded her.

This was her life now.