"Fringey…"
Summary: Sarah and her sisters see there's an even darker side to Dyad's little cloning-fest…
(Not sure about this one but while I await more details for "Nessun Dorma" I'll play round with this darker one and see how it goes. Afraid you'll have to consider this the Allison-Donnie-friendly corner of the OB multiverse. After all, she can't be veering toward insanity and he can't be a rat in every universe…)
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
Part X…
25,000 feet up…Thirty minutes into an hour and ten minutes' flight…
"Donnie, sweetie…" Sarah, Allison tone… Nudge.
"Darling?"
Snore…
Wakey, wakey you sodden lump of…She tipped her cup of soda and ice…
"Arrgh!..." he shuddered awake, twisting…
"Sorry, honey. I spilled a little soda."
"Ally…" he blinked at her… "Oh…" recalling…
She quickly put finger to his lips…Grim stare…
"Donnie…I was thinking…When we get there, if you could check us in…Alone…I'd like to go for a little walk or something, get the feel of the place."
I could just see Ally doing the forest hike experience…Maybe with a can of Raid in one hand, a mosquito net hat, and a bottle of Calomine lotion in the other, she thought, beaming at him…Slight blink.
"Donnie?"
"Uh-huh…Yeah. Fine, Allison. If you like."
"Great." She beamed, patting his knee. "I just know we'll have a wonderful time."
"Yeah…Uh-huh."
She blinked at his look…Donnie? "Anything wrong, honey?"
Show a little enthusiasm, sad sack…You're off for a getaway with the love o' yer life, so you keep tellin' Ally.
"No, uh…No, it'll be great…Great…" he nodded, forced smile.
"Stop worryin'…She'll be fine." She whispered. "And try to look like you're enjoyin' a chance to get away from all the shit's been goin' on."
"Great…" he nodded again…Pulling a sheet of paper from his pocket and a pen…Writing.
She eyed him…This better be important.
He showed her a vague drawing which she found herself startled to recognize as one of the Hendrix children.
"Oh, very nice, honey."
"I miss the guys already, I guess." He smiled, lifting wrist to reveal writing…
Thanks about Leekie and all…The note said.
"I do too, honey…" she smiled…Nodding.
"If I didn't believe Leekie could fool anyone…And you helped save Kyra." she whispered. Hard stare for a second.
"But if you ever do let us down…No matter how much Ally pleads for you, if she would…" hiss.
"It would be terrible. Not to be able to call them." He said, eyeing her. Nod.
She took the paper and folded it. "Have to keep this for the kids." She beamed…Resting her head on his shoulder.
"Please be careful…For Kyra's sake and Ally's…" he whispered.
Genuine smile back…She closed eyes…
Hmmn…She blinked…To see him smiling at her…
"I love you so…" She was sure she'd heard.
"Sorry to wake you, we're landing." He noted. She nodding, lifting head.
Not so much bothered by the "I love you so…" as her pleased reception of it…
Ok…Ally mode…Only natural…Oh, Jesus…
This was so much easier when it seemed like he'd been exposed as a stinkin' monitor and we were gonna kill 'im.
Small airport near the couples' retreat…They eyed the various people leaving the plane, then waited…
Donnie occasionally referring to the delayed car rental as they sat, then walked about, he carrying her overcoat.
After an hour, Sarah led him to the safest looking exit with restroom.
"Ok…I guess this is as good as we get here. I haven't seen anyone hangin'." She took a bag from him.
"Take care…" he eyed her. "And thanks, really…"
"I mean what I said, Donnie…" she eyed him. "I want you as a brother and I want to believe in you but I'll have no mercy on a liar now…Neither will Ally."
"Good." He replied. "Cause you both need to stay on your toes with these people."
She nodded…Then with wry smile, kissed him… "Get the car…And be ready for me."
"Right…" he went out. She made for the bathroom…
"Ok…Katja, kid…One last resurrection…" she eyed the mirror.
Eyeing herself ten minutes later before the mirror in Katja's fur jacket, tight pants. Bag tossed in waste bin, large purse in hand. She put on the overcoat she'd taken from Donnie and emerged into the hallway. Rushing out the door to where a car waited…Donnie in driver's seat.
"Ok?"
"There's a shed and storage garage about a block down by the rental area…I can let you off there." He noted.
"Lets go, then…" she shed the overcoat, kicked off Allison's sensible flats.
He drove to the described shed, stopping only a second for her to get out after they'd checked carefully for pursuing cars. She ducked round the shed as he drove off and emerged a moment later with large floppy hat pulled low, high heels. Sauntering to the rental office with confident air, she slipped to where a shuttle carried passengers back to the airport and boarding the shuttle gave a cool smile to the driver and several other passengers, taking a seat.
So far…So good…
"Ma'am?" the driver asked.
"I am heading for the United Airlines flight to Los Angeles…" she said, in Germanic accented English. "Thank you."
German version of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'…" playing…
"Ally?" Donnie spoke into his cell as he drove.
"Don, hows it goin'?" Allison, her best Beth voice. Art frowning at her…
"Try it lower, not so nervous…" he said, quietly as he drove.
"Fine…She's off, no one seemed to be on our tail." Donnie told the phone.
"Ok, great. You two kids have a fine time…Love ya…You two." She hung up.
"Better?" she eyed Art.
"A little." He nodded.
"Ok…Let's hunt us some crazy sister, partner…" she beamed.
Art rolling eyes…
Los Angeles…
"Mr….Agent Broyles…" Sarah, in Beth outfit, having changed at her hotel…
"Detective…" he nodded…Leading her to his waiting car, a rather nice black Lexus. She glancing round.
"I understand your concerns, Detective Childs." He eyed her… "And it's always wise to retain some caution but I assure you you're in safe hands here." He opened the car door.
"Hey…" Cosima beamed at her…Delphine, wan smile to Cosima's left, by the left rear door.
"Good to see you, Cos…Delphine…" nod.
"Did all go well with your flight, Detective?" Broyles in front passenger seat looked back to eye her sternly.
"Peachy…Donnie…Mr. Hendrix is set and my sister is ok."
"That's good." Cosima sighed. "No one followed you up there?"
"That I know of…" Sarah nodded.
"Excellent…" Broyles, quietly. "We should be at our facility here in a few minutes."
"Have you seen…Her…Yet?" Sarah eyed Cosima who shook her head. "We just got here ourselves about a half-hour ago."
"It sounds horrible…" Delphine noted suddenly. Sarah eyeing her a moment until she looked away.
"Well, you must have seen worse…" she noted, calmly.
Cosima, distressed look…Sarah?
"No, never…" Delphine shook her head. "And I had no idea there was any consideration of making use of these subjects…"
"Why not?" Sarah shrugged. "We're not human, right? Why not make a few of brain-dead and see if they can yank organs and all that…Isn't that what clones are for in most of the movies, spare parts? And if you can use 'em like robots and play with what's left of their bollocked-up brains, why waste the material? You folks at Dyad have a big investment in us, after all. And we are patented, right?"
"Sa…Beth…" Cosima sighed.
"You've a right to feel I'm part of it all…Beth…" Delphine nodded. "All I can say is, I'm not and for what it's worth, I'm sorry for my role in the way you were deceived and lied to and used…But, you'll have to forgive me if I can't say I'm sorry the project was ever tried. Cosima means too much to me for that." Wan smile.
"Nice…And I bet Leekie can say things like that with just as much warmth. Donnie said he was just saintly talking about poor Ally and her care…So much concern…"
"Yes, he's very good at that…" Delphine nodded. "I not only believed him and in him, I loved him, once."
"Surely more than once…" Sarah, coyly…
"Sa…Hey!" Cosima frowned at Sarah's sudden grab. "Beth…" she corrected at Sarah's and Agent Broyles' equally grim stares.
"No, she's right…It's true…" Delphine smiled faintly. "And I can't deny I went into the project with my eyes open. I knew what it was about and that it violated everything an ethical scientist should hold dear. But then you were all numbers in charts and sequencing data in computer files to me. Until Aldous put me into the field and I met you…All of you."
"Right…" Sarah nodded. "Saw the light, eh? Like dear Helena?"
"Can we not do this moralizing shit?" Cosima insisted. "Delphine's put her life as risk and if you can forgive Paul for what he did to you and Ally can forgive Donnie for being an idiot."
"Donnie meant well…" Sarah, suddenly.
Jesus…Come out of Ally mode, girl…She blinked…
"I mean the poor sot didn't know he was being used."
"We hope." Cosima noted. "But I believe him if Ally does and all I'm sayin' is I expect the same treatment for Delpy as you want for Paul and Ally wants for Donnie. It's not too much to ask…Beth…"
"I'm not putting blind faith in anyone…" Sarah frowned. "There's been too much of that and my daughter's on the line…But ok, fine…Welcome aboard, 'Delpy', just remember I'll kill you if you step out of line…And I doubt you have Helena's abilities at tissue regeneration."
"Wise choice, Detective." Broyles nodded. "And I take it you see the late Ms. Manning's child as your common daughter…" he eyed her.
"Uh…Yeah…Naturally, sir." She nodded.
"We all do…" Cosima agreed. Slight nervous glance to Sarah…
"I'm sure the lady appreciates that." Broyles, calmly…Turning back to face the street ahead. "We're coming up to it now."
The car paused as a gate opened at the driver's showing of id…
"Why did we have to come all the way here?" Delphine asked. "Is this a special laboratory facility?"
"Yes, but that's not the reason." Broyles said quietly. "Our scientific team is based here and as civilian consultants they need to live their lives."
"Unlike us…Naturally." Sarah noted.
"You need help, they will supply it…But on their own terms." Broyles replied, not looking back at her.
"So these guys…Your science team? Aren't FBI?" Cosima asked, curious.
"Not officially." Broyles…Slightest of sighs…As the car pulled to a stop, the driver emerging to open Delphine's door, then Sarah's, then Broyles'.
"I believe I mentioned they were a bit eccentric…But the best…" Broyles, suddenly a bit hesitant…Even…Sarah noted to herself with surprise…
…Apologetic?
"This way…"
They followed Broyles through an entranceway, down a grim and harshly lit corridor to a large door.
Knocking…
"Hello…" a voice at the open door. "Agent Broyles?" a female voice…
"Oh my…" stare…As Cosima and Sarah entered, followed by Delphine.
"As I told you, Dr. Fowler." Broyles eyed the woman in lab coat, owlish glasses perched, lank long hair
"Uh, yes…" Amy Farrah Fowler stared at the two identical women… "Just a bit startling to…Sheldon? Don't play with that!" she turned to face the tall, lanky figure in Flash T-shirt pressing and releasing button on electric surgical saw repeatedly.
"Sheldon Cooper?" Cosima stared.
"Cosima?" a nasal voice from the back of the lab…A figure bent over some electrical equipment on a lab bench.
"Leonard Hofstadter?" she beamed… "Haven't seen you since Comic-Com tow years ago."
Comic-Com? Sarah stared.
"It's Cosima? Hey…" a short figure in rather Beatle cut next to Hofstadter waved.
"Howard?" she grinned. "Hey, Rajesh!" she waved at a taller figure in lab coat.
Hey…Rather nervous greeting…
Well, somewhat better, Sarah noted, eyeing the rather good-looking "Rajesh"…