"Promises to Hold" - Chapter 2: Intruder
With each passing day, Delphine saw that Cosima was getting well. Most of her color had returned to her face, and she had regained some of the weight she had lost. Her body frame was looking less skeletal every day, the sharp curves of her bones disappearing
/slowly. She was still coughing up blood occasionally, much to Cosima's frustration and Delphine's concern. However, the coughing spells were growing fewer and less severe. Cosima's energy level seemed to be rising as well. For the first time in months,
/Delphine was starting to sleep easier at night.
The two had moved into Delphine's apartment shortly after their return from the island. Delphine vividly remembered opening the door to her home for the first time since her disappearance. She had been putting it off for several days, opting instead to
/stay with Cosima at Mrs. S's house, then Felix's flat, until finally it was time to face the music.
Part of her expected the key not to turn when she inserted it into the lock. It was possible that Detective Duko had her place cleared out, erasing all traces of her existence from the rooms. Delphine was slightly surprised when she turned the key and
/the door unlocked, allowing her entry into her own home.
Suddenly, she wished that Cosima was with her for this moment. There was something eerie about returning to a place she thought she would never see again. Alas, she had ensured Cosima that she wanted to go alone to clean up the place first. She justified
/her thoughts by saying that the buildup of dust would not be good for her lungs. Reluctantly, Cosima had complied and stayed at Felix's to rest. In reality, Delphine wanted to protect Cosima from the memory of her sudden disappearance. Now all she
/wanted was for Cosima to be by her side, holding her hand as she stepped through the doorway.
Taking a deep breath, Delphine crossed the entryway and found her apartment untouched. A layer of dust covered everything in the apartment, evidence of the months Delphine had spent away from her place. There were no signs of break ins or disturbances
/to her things. Everything was just as Delphine had left it the morning before she was shot. Her coffee mug still sat in the sink, and she was suddenly grateful that she had remembered to rinse it out before leaving for work in the morning. Yet, there
/was a slight odor in the air, and Delphine suspected it was coming from the refrigerator. A pad of paper and pencil still sat on the countertop, her scribbles interrupted midsentence upon the page. It was as if she had been lifted right out of the
/apartment, leaving everything else behind, the ghost of a person still lingering.
A shiver ran up Delphine's spine as she thought about the day she was shot. Her apartment was one of the many small things she missed while she was on the island. She missed the solitude, the privacy, and sound of a dread headed American clanging around
/her place. Now looking at everything, she wondered if she would ever feel safe again. Here, or anywhere else.
Even after their breakup, there were traces of Cosima spread out across her home. Pieces of jewelry, different clothing articles, and a game board that Cosima promised to teach her were all left behind. Delphine had not had the strength to return them
/to Cosima, and now she was even more glad for their subtle presence.
"Where to begin?" Delphine wondered.
For the next several hours, Delphine moved about the apartment, opening windows, wiping down countertops, and emptying the refrigerator. Slowly, the apartment began to feel like her own again. Just as Delphine was finishing replacing the sheets on her
/bed, she heard the distant sound of the doorknob jiggling and the door swinging open.
Delphine stopped, frozen in place. She realized that she had forgotten to lock the door behind her when she entered the apartment during the initial shock of seeing her place again. Panic began to rise in her chest.
"Merde," Delphine internally cursed herself. A number of people probably still wanted her dead, and she was making it easy for them.
Thinking quickly, she looked about the room for a makeshift weapon. Then she remembered her gun locker in the walk-in closet. Tiptoeing to the closet as quietly as possible, she bent down to the safe and pressed the combination. The safe door swung open,
/but only a few bullet cases remained inside. Her gun was missing, she realized. She had removed it and used it against Dr. Nealon when he attacked her. She had no idea where it could be now, and she was left defenseless.
Frantic now, Delphine looked around her closet for an alternative weapon. Her clothes were neatly hung, and her shoes lined the wall. She grabbed one of her shoes, a short, black boot with a high heel. Delphine gripped the front of the shoe, raising her
/arms, poised like a baseball bat, the heel pointing out. Tiptoeing out of the closet, she made her way to the doorway of her room, hugging the wall. Delphine heard the sounds of footsteps coming toward her, and jumped out at the assailant, the shoe
/ready to strike.
"Dude, whoa," Cosima shouted, jumping back from Delphine's attack, hands raised in surrender. "It's me."
"Oh, Cosima," Delphine exhaled, lowering her arms and dropping the shoe. Her whole body sagged slightly as she let out a long breath. She only then realized she had been holding her breath.
"What's that supposed to do?" Cosima asked, pointing toward the shoe. There was a slight grin on her face, apparently amused by Delphine's choice of weapon. "At least use something more substantial like an umbrella or something," Cosima laughed.
Delphine bent over, leaning her hands on top of her knees and breathing deeply. "Don't sneak up on me like that," she huffed in between sharp breaths.
"Sorry," Cosima replied. "I came to check on you. Do you have any idea how late it's gotten? And you weren't answering your phone. Why did you leave the door unlocked?"
"Phone is in the other room. Lost track of time. I was cleaning," Delphine answered, still breathing heavily.
"Yeah, I can see that. You must have been working like a mad woman," Cosima smiled. She bent over, turning her head to make eye contact with Delphine. "Hey, talk to me. What's going on?"
Delphine straightened slightly, body visibly shaking. "Nothing. It's ok," she lied. Tears were forming in her eyes, and she rapidly tried to blink them away.
Cosima's face turned from slight amusement to concern, her eyebrows furrowing. "Hey, come here," she said, pulling Delphine in for a hug.
This was one of those moments when their height difference was to Delphine's advantage. Her body was already bent over, and all she had to do was let Cosima pull her arched body into hers as Cosima wrapped her arms around her body. Delphine breathed into
/Cosima's shoulder, taking in the familiar scent of incense, pine, and weed. The smell was entirely Cosima. After their breakup, the few articles of clothing she had left behind in Delphine's apartment were a source of comfort, but eventually lost
/Cosima's scent. After Cosima's scent had vanished, Delphine had tried to recreate it, but her attempts only bred failure. Finding that familiar scent again was a reassurance that this was reality, Cosima was really here with her.
Something broke inside of Delphine, and the tears she had been fighting off came streaming out. She cried into Cosima's shoulder, soaking her cardigan. Delphine felt the soft stroking of one of Cosima's hands on her back, the other on her head.
"It's ok, now." Cosima whispered. "You're ok, now. We're ok."
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Cosima repeating her words until Delphine's body stopped shaking as her sobs subsided. When her body had finally calmed down, Delphine pulled out of the embrace. "I'm sorry. I overreacted," she blushed, wiping
/the tears from her face.
"You want to talk about it?" Cosima asked, catching a stray tear as it made its way down Delphine's face.
"I….I don't know. Being back here..." Delphine grew quiet.
"I really didn't mean to scare you," Cosima sympathized. "I just missed you, and I couldn't stand the idea of leaving you here all night by yourself."
"All night? What time is it?"
"A little after two."
"Two?!" Delphine gasped.
Delphine couldn't believe how she had lost track of time so easily. On the island keeping track of time was far less important. The main concerns were only for sunrise and sunset, so as not to get caught out in the cold. Inside her apartment with her
/curtains pulled closed and lights on, time escaped her. It was odd how just a few months away from her normal life had such a drastic impact on her. The transition back into modern living was just one of many things she would have to grow accustomed
/to again.
A small smile spread across Cosima's face. "You can be such a work-a-holic. Though, I have to say I'm impressed by all of this."
"You have to get to bed," Delphine almost shouted. "You still need plenty of sleep."
In all of her concern for the apartment and her own safety, Delphine only just remembered that Cosima was in the delicate phase of recovery. Immediately, she forgot her concerns for getting the apartment back to normal and even her own safety. Instantly,
/Delphine's main focus was back on Cosima. The switch was so abrupt, that she recognized her own protectiveness coming out. This was the woman she would set aside everything for. It wasn't logical, at least from a Darwinian point of view. Her own security
/and survival should be her main concern. This was just one of many moments when science couldn't explain how she felt. Crazy, desperate, and out of her mind in love with Cosima.
"Come on, let's get you to bed," Delphine ushered Cosima into the bedroom.
"Alright, alright." Cosima complied. "Just one quick thing," she said as she dashed out of the room.
Delphine peaked her head around the corner to see Cosima double lock the front door. Then she dragged a chair and placed it in front of the door as well. Cosima caught her staring after her, and shrugged.
"Just in case," Cosima explained. "Now, I'm coming."
Cosima hurried back to Delphine, skipping playfully across the apartment, amused by her own joke. A devilish grin spread across her face, and it was enough to make Delphine crack a small smile too. How was it that Cosima made her feel instantly better,
/safer? In Cosima's condition, she would be no match for any future intruders. Yet, Delphine felt better having her there to protect her.
Coming to a halt in front of Delphine, Cosima stood tall, chest puffed out. "The premises have been locked and blocked. All secure, Dr. Cormier," Cosima said in her deepest voice possible. Cosima saluted Delphine, and her mockingly serious face once again
/broke into a fit of giggles.
"Cheeky," Delphine responded, reaching out to Cosima. Delphine wrapped her arms around Cosima's waist, pressing their bodies together. Delphine felt Cosima's slender frame, smoothing her hands over her waist and hips as she pulled her closer still. Cosima
/stood on her tiptoes, craning her neck to reach out for Delphine's lips. Both of their eyes closed as their lips met, exploring each other. Delphine felt Cosima's arms wrap around her neck, pulling her closer still.
In that moment, Delphine's apartment began to feel like her home again. The familiar walls, vacant rooms, and even her own furniture and belongings had felt foreign to her. As if she was an observant of someone else's life, or a past life she had lived.
/But now, kissing Cosima in the hallway outside of her bedroom, Delphine felt at home. The missing piece all along was Cosima.
Their kissing grew increasingly passionate, and the pair found themselves moving in the direction of the bedroom, shedding their clothing along the way. Between breaths, Cosima managed to mutter, "You know…Dr. Cormier, this was not…exactly…what I had
/in mind…when you said…come to bed."
"Shhh," Delphine stammered. Delphine could hear the playful teasing tone in Cosima's voice, even despite the intermittence of the words. She knew Cosima well enough to know that this was exactly what Cosima had in mind, despite what she said. Besides,
/Delphine didn't want to stop, and by the speed at which Cosima was removing her own clothing and helping Delphine with hers, neither did she.
Now both women were completely undressed, as they made their way to the bed. Suddenly, Cosima's body tensed up, and she abruptly pulled out of the kiss. A second later, Cosima's body erupted into a fit of coughing, her whole body shaking violently. "Merde,"
/Delphine cursed, as she reached out to steady Cosima.
Cosima's body swayed with the strain of her coughing, but with the help of Delphine, she did not fall. Delphine's mind raced thinking of all of the medical complications such an attack could have on her girlfriend's body. Torn blood vessels, ripped or
/punctured lungs. After what seemed like an eternity to Delphine, Cosima's coughs subsided.
"Shit," Cosima muttered, as she pulled back her hand to reveal a pool of blood. "I think I might get blood on your carpet.
"Don't worry about that," Delphine replied. Did Cosima really think she cared about her carpet? Normally, Delphine aired on the side of being a neat freak. But recent events put things like carpet stains into perspective for her. "I'll get you some tissue.
/I'll be right back."
Delphine hurried off to the bathroom to grab some tissue for Cosima. When she returned to the bedroom, Cosima was sitting on the edge of the bed, slumped in obvious disappointment and defeat. She was staring at her bloody hand, her arm still extended
/in front of her. Yet, her eyes said that she was lost in thought.
"Here, chérie, let me help you," Delphine whispered as she wiped the blood off of Cosima's lips and then off of her hand. "All gone. Everything will be ok."
"I'm just so tired of this," Cosima gestured to her previously bloody hand. "I can't even have a normal night with my girlfriend without coughing up half a lung."
"Everything takes time," Delphine reminded Cosima. "Healing is a process, ma chérie. Have patience."
"I'm tired of patience," Cosima huffed.
"I think that's why they call it patience," Delphine teased.
"Yeah, alright," Cosima sighed. Slight amusement flickered in her eyes. One of the many wonderful things Delphine loved about Cosima was her ability to recover from heartache. Cosima had every right to sulk and be angry for her prolonged illness, but
/her mood could never stay sour for very long. She just had too much life in her. Pure, beautiful life.
"Let me get us something to sleep in," Delphine suggested.
Cosima followed Delphine to her dresser and picked out one of her t-shirts to sleep in. The two climbed into bed together, pulling the covers around them and facing each other.
"Do you think you're ready to turn off the light?" Cosima asked, nodding her head in the direction of the lamp on the bedside table. Her voice was full of understanding, but not pity. Despite Delphine's best efforts at being brave, Cosima saw right through
/her façade. She saw into her soul, saw her fears. Cosima did not try to dismiss them, but acknowledged them as real and justified.
"I'm ok now that you're here."
A soft smile spread across Cosima's face, her eyes shining with love. With that image being the last picture in Delphine's head, she turned off the light. Darkness engulfed them, but they held each other close, guarding each other even as they slept.