PART 3:
Mornings were ever Cosima's favourite time, they were made worse when she knew they were not her own. Having not known she had been to sleep her eyes jolted open, trying to figure out if it was all a dream or she was in a different zone again. She knew she was in bed and it felt strange, looking over, even with her poor eye sight she knew she was in bed with Dr. Cormier. Shocked, she scrambled out of the bed and was standing too quickly at the side, ready to attack. Her head rush came and went and Dr. Cormier was still there, in her white thin strapped vest with just a small view of a toned stomach underneath where the covers had pulled it up slightly in the night. Checking the time she clocked exactly how long she had, the last two times she had had around 10 minutes, she had to keep watch in case this was happening again. 4 days had passed since she was last...aware? Conscious? When your body can't rationalise something it either pretends it doesn't exist or learns to accept it. Cosima at this point wasn't sure whether she had just accepted the lapses she was experiencing or was still in shock that her body hadn't figured it out yet. Walking out of the bedroom she noticed herself in a mirror, her eyes widened, she was wearing skimpy lacy black panties and just a lingerie bra. Cosima suddenly felt a little violated and a little aroused. She made her way over to the TV which was at this time the only thing she knew how to work, getting up close to it she sat on the edge of the coffee table and turned it on. Immediately it's screen illuminated, it seemed to know to stay quite and was on mute, either that or she had done it herself without realising.
"Search ISRO?" Cosima tested out, the screen faded grey and in big red letters read 'Override' with space for 4 digits, she didn't know what digits to input. "Override." Cosima tried, it didn't work the same message refreshed. "Search Cosima Neihaus." This seemed to work, the first thing that came up happened to be that news programme she watched... over 14 days ago. The same sharp and clean cut man was in the centre of the screen.
"Dr. Cosima Neihaus, Director of the ISRO made an 'unusual' entrance to the mega conference earlier this week, stumbling through the entrance doors seemingly not knowing where she was going and then being escorted behind stage. What is strange, is that she seemed to make an almost instant recovery, within seconds heading up the stage a calm and collected person, handling the conference as if nothing happened. But fear not public, we have the whole thing on link." The man was replaced with a cut scene from the conference, it must have been taken from the back of the room, just a few seconds before Cosima had burst through. She smashes through the doors and the people automatically applaud, before realising that Cosima is acting odd. Cosima sees herself and it is so strange, she definitely doesn't look like herself. She watches the events unfold, the point where that man takes her away out of sight really gages her interest. Cosima knew it was in those few out of sight moments that she blacked out. The next part was as new to her as it was to the people watching at home. "You see she makes an almost instant recovery, taking the podium and beginning the speech." The man on over voice spoke, Cosima felt sick. She saw herself, but it wasn't herself. It was horrific and her stomach turned, her body was walking up the stairs, except her body knew nothing of those moments, it had no memory and her brain hurt just to comprehend it. Cosima, the Cosima on screen took the podium in the centre of the stage with a confident face. She took her glasses off and began to address the crowd. Shaking her head Cosima held down vomit, and stared more intently at the screen as she heard herself speak. It was in no accent she had ever head. It was British, a posh British. Cosima wasn't even sure she could imitate that accent if she tried. Whatever happened when she was not...awake...it meant she did not recall what she did next. Maybe instead of blacking out she just forgets the last few seconds, and maybe it freaks her out. Maybe she does remember the last 4 days, the 14 days, the last 12 years but she just...there was no scientific explanation that Cosima could use. Amnesia maybe, but what causing it and why so specifically for 10 minutes.
Dr. Cormier seemed to be waking from the bedroom, the thought sent chills down her spine, she didn't understand this at all. When the women did not rise, Cosima knew she had to find stuff out and find it fast. Quickly she noted down her job, it was important it was to do with ISRO. Maybe it was...she had no idea. The TV man spoke again after Cosima's alien speech that she didn't remember giving was over. A man took the stage, Dr. Aldous Leekie. Cosima knew him, he was the man she saw before she passed out. Recalling the memory before the blackness was hard, and it physically hurt her head, like there was something in her mind actively holding onto that memory and not letting it be played out. What did he mean when he said he couldn't 'get a hit?'.
"We, at the DYAD have teamed up with the International Stem-cell Research Organisation to bring forward a new vision of the future in the form of PICO technology." The news report was now playing the rest of the conference. Cosima felt ill and uncomfortable watching what could only be explained as herself sat on a line of chairs behind the man speaking, she was sat with perfect posture, cross legged and listening intently. Cosima loved science but nothing could hold her attention for that long. At the word PICO the crowd all in harmony give expressions of anger and disbelief. "Yes yes, the very same PICO, however we have modified it. I bring you the future of the modern age. PICO prototype mark I." Just then a man walks onto the stage, the crowd asses him for a second but seem not to be convinced. "Give me anything, anything for him to do." The crowd remain silent. "How about a little humour." Dr. Leekie stepped out in front of the podium, clapping his hands together and stopped, staring intently at the man. For a second the man did nothing, before long he was doing some sort of jig. He started robotically moving, stiffly, before becoming more fluid. The crowd were laughing and so was Leekie which in turn was making the man inhumanly mimic his exact laugh and facial expression. It was creepy. Cosima couldn't bare to watch, but Leekie's last words caught her attention. "Now kill yourself." Dr. Leekie commanded in a matter of fact way, the man instantly grabs a gun out of his back belt and shoots himself in the head causing him to fall to the floor limp. Dr. Leekie looks around the crowd who are still for a second before erupting in a standing ovation. Cosima knew she was going to be sick, she turned the TV off and ran into what she knew as her bathroom, it was now a closet, turning she saw the bathroom in a new section that had never been there before. She lifted the lid and gagged to get the contents of her stomach that was so willing to come up, out of her. But it didn't happen, she ended up spitting in the toilet bowl, flushing and sitting with the lid down, head in her hands. Right about now was when she really needed to know what was going on.
"Cosima are you ok?" Dr. Cormier had appeared in the hall way, she was rubbing her eyes and looked adorably sleepy. Cosima panicked, she looked at her watch and then stood up. Her mind took over and she replied in the best British accent she could muster, to her surprise it sounded exactly like that...other her.
"Yes, I just felt a little woozy." Cosima said and then brushed past her. Dr. Cormier seemed unsure, and Cosima knew she was not sure which Cosima she was, the Cosima, Cosima actually is, or that British women from the screen. "Coffee?" Cosima offered in a nervous and threatened way, again in the accent, as she walked over to the kitchen. In a way she had only seen once, she imitated Dr .Cormier when she got coffee and put her hand under a sensor, a cup of hot coffee was poured and placed in her hand right away. Cosima was unsure of where it came from and did not have time to waste wondering about it.
"Oui." Dr. Cormier said, settling for it being the Cosima she evidently knew and slept with, she rubbed her eyes once more and came over to the kitchen. Cosima again put her hand under the sensor, just as the coffee was placed in her hand her sides became electrified with the gentle movement of Dr. Cormier as her arms wrapped around her waist and her head rested on top her bare shoulder kissing her neck. Cosima's eyes widened at the touch, her kiss was so soft and sensual and the way they were connected, it was as if they really fit together. Their bodies pressed up against each other made Cosima blush and get a little flustered. Dr. Cormier again kissed her neck by this time Cosima was so consumed with the way they felt together that she as quite turned on, pressing back into the body of the women. The women smiled into her shoulder, took the coffee cup and drank it, with one arm still wrapped around her, teasing it's way at the hem of Cosima's panties. With wide eyes and much reluctance Cosima pushed away.
"I was trying to research something and seemed to have forgot the override codes, do you mind telling me them again." Cosima asked, she pretended to have some sort of headache. The women was still hanging onto their body warmth but turned and came over to the TV, she wrapped her arm around Cosima's waist again and thankfully didn't sense the tension in her body. Cosima was confused and had no time to be turned on, she had her life to get back.
"0934, does your head hurt?" Dr. Cormier asked, she turned, they were so close that their breasts were touching through the material; Cosima had to use every muscle to not pull away out of nerves. She was never great with women, she had dated tons but she was always uncomfortable with touching before talking. The woman stroked Cosima's blushed cheek and checked her over. Their eyes connected. Instantly there was a change in Dr. Cormier's eyes and she stepped back a little. "Why did you want to know the codes again?" She asked. Cosima stepped back too.
"I was trying to...look up the fiasco at the conference I heard about and some of the search words were blocked. It was a mind blank or something and I couldn't find it." It twigged in Cosima's head that the women knew she was not the women she thought. In panic, Cosima lifted herself up on her tip toes and planted a sensual, prolonged kiss on the women's lips. They reacted perfectly moulded to her like they had done it a hundred times. With her hands around the women's neck her fingers held each other. She noticed something was different. Cosima pulled back and left the women hanging. She could see that there was conflict in the woman's face, that she was still deciding who the Cosima in front of her was. When they just stared at each other Cosima took a glance at her watch and the diamond ring that was on her wedding finger. Her eyes wide, they darted to the women's wedding ring, they were identical. Holy watershed, they were married. Cosima knew she couldn't just ask what was going on, this went way deeper than that.
"You're not Cosima." The women is suddenly cold, Cosima knew she slipped up when she looked at her wrist. Married. They were married? Cosima would never get married she was fundamentally opposed to it, it was just a capitalist probe to procreate the new generation of workers...although she guessed not for them. Taking a look over her body she guessed there were worse people to be married too. Her words were confirmed when the women darted behind her. "Merde, why now . Everything was going perfectly. Merde!" Cosima could hear the women taking but not what was going on. She checked her watch, only half a minute left, her heart started to race. Then she was confused, the women's arms wrapped around her again and she relaxed into them instinctually, but out of no where a rag was coming towards her mouth. She was terrified and kicked out, but Dr. Cormier was surprisingly strong, it was no use, within seconds the rag was over her mouth and something strong, something that smelled dangerous was being inhaled in through her nose. She tried to hold her breath in but her heart was racing so fast she needed to breath. Breathing to stay alive was the thing that was going to kill her. It didn't take that long for her to be out cold.
Delphine loved mornings like this. They happened twice a week and it was the two mornings a week that she lived for. Twice a week was the limit married couples could see each other, it was part of the new regime. Delphine didn't care for politics she cared for her beautiful wife...where was she? Delphine's arm patted the bed sheets, they were cold and unmade. Opening her eyes slowly she realised that Cosima was no longer in bed. It was odd. She heard some commotion in the bathroom and worried that Cosima was sick again.
"Cosima are you ok?" Delphine asked, she was so sleepy. She had expected it to be past 9 when she woke up, that's her normal routine. But her watch called it to be half 7 in the morning. She looked down at her wife but to be honest she couldn't see all that well when she first gets up. She saw Cosima stand up and memories flooded back of the night before, Cosima standing there in her lingerie and pushing Delphine back onto the bed, the way Cosima liked to take control really got Delphine off on a whole new level. Just the memory was enough to make her core turn over. How Cosima had climbed up on top of her and pinned her arms down. It was like she was a new person.
"Yes, I just felt a little woozy." the words reassured Delphine because they were not how Cosima normally described her illness. At least the words were changing and that meant she was getting better. The way she spoke was a little strained but this early everything sounded a little strained. However the dreaded feeling came over her, the feelings of doubt and insecurity washed into her body like a wave crashing in the ocean. But like the rocks that waves crashes into Delphine just let them hit her, she wanted to believe so much that this was the women she fell in love with. She wanted to hug her wife like she did every morning, feel the warmth of their bodies together and press her lips upon Cosima's soft skin, but Cosima brushed past her. Something was definitely off with her, and it wasn't just the early hour. Maybe the interference was having a more profound effect on her normal.
"Coffee?" Cosima asked, Delphine was hesitant at the strained way in which she spoke, she seemed a little nervous which could mean two things, Cosima was either hiding something or this wasn't her Cosima. But the way Cosima made the coffee set Delphine's doubts aside, she made it as she did every single time; half expecting nothing to happen and suddenly there is a coffee in her hand.
"Oui." Delphine spoke, it was colder in their apartment then she wanted, she wanted to crawl back into bed and spoon Cosima like she loved doing so much. Rubbing her eyes Delphine stumbled her way over to Cosima. IN her head Delphine was clumsy and couldn't walk in a straight line, but according to Cosima even when Delphine fell she did it with such elegance and grace you would think it was planned and it made it even cuter. But she didn't know how much of that was out of obligation to not be mean to your wife. Delphine couldn't wait, she was cold in her vest and white panties and so reached her arms around Cosima's waist and pulled her body closer to her. She could feel Cosima's body stiffen slightly but the way they both fit together was unique and such a comfortable experience. Delphine took a deep breath, taking in Cosima's natural delicious scent before placing a gentle prolonged kiss on her bare neck. Her skin reacted and she could tell Cosima loved it. After the kiss her head settled on top of Cosima's soft shoulder, but again she could not resist and had to show Cosima that she loved her, her lips pressed onto the tantalising skin once more. Delphine smiled into the kiss when she felt Cosima press back into her, showing her by natural instinct that she was as into it and she was herself. Satisfied that her kisses had this effect Delphine grabbed the cup of coffee and took a few sips. But that wasn't the end, when she assume Cosima was distracted by her drinking the coffee her hand slipped around her waist and slowly made its way to the hem of Cosima's panties. There was a second where Delphine thought Cosima was going to let her go further, but as suspected Cosima became flustered and walked off.
"I was trying to research something and seemed to have forgot the override codes, do you mind telling me them again." Cosima asked and this sparked the doubt in Delphine's head. Delphine tried to ignore it, hanging on the natural way their bodies fit together, this was definitely her Cosima. Maybe the interference was messing with her head too. Waking over to her she took a sip of her coffee and placed it down, wrapping her arm around Cosima's waist, there was a little tension but it could be from the interference.
"0934, does your head hurt?" Delphine was concerned, if it was messing with her head maybe other elements could be missing too. Wanting to check her over, her medical doctor training kicked in and she turned to face Cosima, their breasts touching. But this was not the time to think about how great that felt and how her body was reacting to it. Delphine checked over her eyes, they seemed..darker but more or less normal. This set the doubt alarm bells ringing again. This was not her Cosima. "Why did you want to know the codes again?" She asked and saw the way Cosima stepped back. Cosima gave some excuse but it was not adequate even if it sounded like her wife. Delphine was about to call her out on it, but was shocked when the small women stepped up and kissed her hard on the lips. The kiss was hungry, yet still, full of emotion and baggage but sensual. When Cosima pulled away Delphine was not ready to let go and clung onto the memory. Even with that kiss that made her core tingle Delphine's doubts were being realised. This was not her Cosima, it was made solid when Cosima checked her watch a little too quickly. Her Cosima was always late, she never looked at her watch.
"You're not Cosima." Delphine's heart beat was slow and deep at the words. It felt like the adrenaline that had suddenly been released into her body had slowed time. Anger filed her mind and she felt so stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. This was not her Cosima, this was the imposter. Darting behind the vessel of her wife Delphine did the only thing she knew, and it killed her to even think of it. Opening the emergency draw with her finger prints only it opened and he quickly and automatically made up the concoction of chemicals onto a rag on the counter side. "Merde, why now. Everything was going perfectly. Merde!" Delphine came back to the body of her wife, wrapped her arms around her one last time. For a second she forgot what she was doing, her body was so used to the other that it wanted to hug and hold her. Delphine regained the mission her body had to do and pulled the rag up to Cosima's face. Stupid. She was so stupid for not noticing, Cosima, her Cosima doesn't sound like that. Her Cosima was elegant and well mannered and knew how to make coffee! With a movement that made her heart miss beats Delphine secured the rag over her...the body of her wife's mouth and nose, making her inhale the chemicals. She knew it wouldn't take long. Dr. Leekie said there was always the possibility of this happening but not now, not when their life was suddenly going right and they were getting out. After a few more seconds the chemicals seemed to take effect and the body went limp. Holding back her tears Delphine carried her wife's body over to the sofa and propped her up on the cushions. When she would come around she would not remember this, and it killed her every time to see.
"Delphine, how did I get to the sofa?" Cosima, her Cosima asked after a few minutes of stagnant silence in the apartment. Delphine wiped her last tear from her cheek and walked over to the sofa. Coughing slightly to hide her emotions, Delphine sat next to her wife, they instinctually cuddled into each other. This body felt more natural, this was her Cosima.
"Don't you remember, you crashed out here sweetie." Delphine said as they kissed each other. Cosima was grinning happily, their fingers intertwined laying on their lap. Cosima was accepting for a second seconds and her grin grew wider.
"Oh yeah. Want some coffee?" Cosima offered to go up and get some, Delphine with pain in her eyes looked over to the counter and the rag that was hanging slightly out of the draw. She cuddled in more to her wife.
"You know, I don't like coffee much now. How about we just sit here...for a bit." Delphine stated and rested her head on her wife's shoulder. Cosima nodded and rested her own on Delphine's. "Je t'aime Cosima." Delphine whispered into the air and she held her hand tighter.
"I love you too." Cosima said with a smile into the air, she pushed into closer to the warmth of Delphine's body, there was something wrong, she could see it in the way Delphine's eyes were pained. She had no idea what it was and that hurt her. Especially as she knew she was the one causing the pain.