The room came slowly into focus. Delphine laid there, in her bed, not moving, just letting her senses awaken and take in her surroundings. The sun shone through the now-opened curtains, but at a different angle. Her mind slowly slipped into gear, and she remembered what had happened.

Freedom. The Germans are leaving.

Cosima.

She took in a deep breath, still unsure, hoping these memories were real. She shifted and looked down. She was still in her dress. Only her shoes were missing.

She slid onto her feet and stretched. Her mouth was dry, and she could taste the musty, acrid aftermath of her liberal intake of wine, but her body actually felt rested, and while her head felt slightly thick, she didn't think she was more than slightly hung over. She walked to the pitcher and poured a glass of water, taking a long drink and swishing it around in her mouth before swallowing. She drank a full glass and a half before she knew it.

It seemed very quiet, inside the house, and only when she focused could she hear passing sounds.

No gunshots.

Still unsure, she left her room, looking up and down the hallway. Where was everyone?

"Cosima?" she called, her voice higher, more strained than she expected.

There was the sound of movement down below, and then Cosima's head peeked around the wall at the bottom of the stairs.

"Heyyy, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?"

Her grin was as real and heartwarming as Delphine remembered it. The Frenchwoman unconsciously hugged herself and smiled down at the American.

"I'm well, very well," Delphine smiled. "I'm just going to wash up."

"Okay. Take your time," Cosima told her, and looked at her for a moment before ducking back out of sight. With a happy squeeze of her own shoulders, Delphine whirled and walked into the water closet.

She took some time washing up. She looked in the mirror as she finally scrubbed the remains of the darker-toned makeup off her face, her natural, creamy, pale skin tone shining through. She looked at her own face. She looked less haggard, the circles under her eyes much faded.

I don't have to put on those glasses again, she realized. I don't have to hide anymore.

She ran her fingers through her hair, then wet them slightly, smoothing the mussed bits and twirling a few locks around her fingers to bring some of the natural curl back into order. Perhaps she'd soon go blonde again.

Almost without thinking, she changed into new clothes and then went to the room where Danielle stayed and walked to the vanity. She sat down at the mirror, and lightly applied a touch of eye makeup, rouge and a fashionable red lipstick. She wasn't really thinking about what she was doing; it was compulsive, and when she was done and turned her head back and forth to evaluate the results, she couldn't quite decide what she thought. She saw in herself the damage, the pains she had been through, both physical and emotional, but she also felt more presentable. There was a subtle return of the glamour that had made her notorious while she was with the Germans, but much more natural. She realized she felt both more herself, who she was before the war, and yet somehow vulnerable. She wasn't disguising herself. She was trying to… look pretty again? Be normal? She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but when she made her way down the stairs and hesitated in the kitchen doorway, she felt somehow nervous, excited.

Cosima was standing by the window, arms crossed and with a steaming cup in her hand. The light illuminated her face at an angle, providing a back-glow almost like a halo. She seemed lost in thought, until something caught her attention, a rustle of clothing or a hitch in breath, and she turned to see Delphine. The corners of her mouth automatically turned up, and then wavered, paused, as her eyes took in the woman across from her. Her gaze took on a searching, almost upset appearance for just an instant, and then she let out a breath, her smile returning, almost but not quite at its usual brilliance.

"Wow, you… you look like you feel much better," she said, and Delphine's lips twitched a bit towards a smile in return, just enough that she realized she had been biting her lip while Cosima stared. "I can see more than ever why they called you 'The Swan.'" The compliment was all Delphine needed to allow herself a full smile.

There were a quiet few seconds, and then Cosima lightly cleared her throat, turning toward her and gesturing toward the table.

"Coffee? Eggs? You must be hungry again, by now."

"Ah," Delphine responded, with a little nod, "oui."

At a spread arm from Cosima toward a chair, Delphine seated herself at the table. Cosima walked to the stove and poured hot coffee into a cup, then placed it before her, pulling small containers of sugar and cream closer to within easier reach. Delphine's nose twitched and she picked up the cup, inhaling the aroma.

"Ah, real coffee," she grinned, and Cosima returned her happy look.

"I know. We went all out and got the good stuff, in celebration."

The smaller woman turned and shifted back to the stove, warming a pan and adding oil and butter to it. Delphine took delighted sips as the pan crackled, soon lined with bread and two eggs.

"Mmm. What time is it? Did I miss anything?" she asked.

Cosima let out a quiet snort of laughter.

"Well, not much. I mean, there were people coming in and out, but you slept through all of it. I'm glad you got the rest. And it's about eleven."

Delphine squinted a bit and looked again toward the window. The angle of light, she realized, was not what she expected.

"Eleven in the morning?" she suddenly gasped.

"Yeah," Cosima chuckled, placing a plate of eggs and toast before her. "Oh, and there's a parade going on. The surrender has been signed and the second division is going to march with De Gaulle."

"We're missing the parade?" Delphine squeaked, hastily swallowing.

Cosima sat in a chair on the perpendicular side of the table from her and sipped her coffee.

"Don't worry, they're just getting started. You needed your rest and sustenance, and that'll be going on for a little while. Anyway, I'm not eager to put myself out there as a target right away, again. There are still some crazy German snipers holding out, here and there."

"Mmph," Delphine nodded, wrinkling her forehead, and swallowed a bite of egg. Cosima seemed to be content to see her seated, shoveling down her food. "Merde. But I still want to go out. I feel refreshed. I don't want to miss this, but… will you come with me?"

"Of course," Cosima answered. "I just didn't have the heart to disturb you. You looked so happy in your sleep."

Delphine looked at her new friend. She didn't look quite as well-rested, and Delphine wondered how long she'd been up. Delphine had a brief wish that she hadn't slept so long, not just so as not to miss any action happening outside, but also because she guessed that she would have felt so much better if she'd awoken with Cosima still there next to her.

She patted her mouth with her napkin and reached out, curling her fingers around Cosima's hand that wasn't holding the cup. Cosima looked down at the touch, then gave her hand a little squeeze and stood up, putting her cup in the sink and walking toward the doorway.

"I'm gonna go up and splash my face a little bit," she told Delphine, crooking her head toward the stairs. She put on foot on the bottom step and then looked back, a half-grin creeping up one side of her face.

"I'll be back. Take your time, gorgeous."

She disappeared, footsteps thumping up to the second floor, and Delphine touched her own face. She was grinning in a way she had almost forgotten.