#onecosima

Arcadia paced the floor of Felix’s flat, waiting for a sign that Cosima was stirring from her fever dream. Things took a turn for the worse overnight. Sarah and Scott called in a panic, afraid of the grave consequences if the inoculate wasn’t synthesized right then and there. While they’d all had a round table discussion about the unforeseen and unknown variables of the regenerative properties of the beast’s blood, there wasn’t time to waste. In case of a horrible reaction, Arcadia had volunteered to keep vigil over the clone. If something did happen, she’d be the one to bear the brunt of their reckless actions. Golden hues strayed from the floor of the living room to the small body laying within mounds of red sheets, hoping for a miracle.

About one year ago she started a job at this bar. She’d been bartending at a club before and it was something she actually enjoyed. From mixing the more interesting drinks, to having interesting conversations with customers, it was a job full of variety. She came across the weirdest situations, and created them with people that were more than just plain human. 

It was a day like today when things went particularly wrong. The day had been quiet thus far and she’d been serving a few regulars, some pretty girl in the corner of the bar and a few people coming in and out. It was just getting more crowded when three guys set in. She sensed from afar that they were vampires, but it was not something that bothered her, were it not that they sat down besides a guy who started to look really fucking nervous. They were planning on doing something to him and for some reason that bothered her. 

She’d served them their drinks, but when she saw they tried to pressure him to get up with intimidation tactics, she interfered smoothly. Humans weren’t supposed to know about the supernatural, so she tried not to stand out. “I’d like to ask you to leave” She told the three vampires, blocking the other customer by standing in between them. What followed was a power play in which the vampire stepped closer -too close. He tried to intimidate her. 

“I said, leave” She said again, the color in her eyes very subtly turning color. It would hardly stand out to humans, not unless she completely set in her wolf sight. No, this was just a slight warning back. Because even though she was very small compared to the three vampires, in both numbers as well in size, she was strong, dangerous and to be respected. Besides, it wasn’t smart to pull something off around these people. “GO” 

“Toronto?” Monty complained. “What in the world could you possibly want to go to Toronto for?”

Jasper ignored his little brother and continued to pack his designer suits into his designer suitcase. After a moment and a few huffs from behind him, he turned and said, “There was a reason we betrayed my father, remember?”

“He’s not your father.”

“Exactly. I’m going to Toronto to find out what the bloody hell’s actually going on.” After a moment, he turned with a look that frightened even Monty, and said, “Don’t follow me.”

Toronto was just a long enough flight to put Jasper on edge. He didn’t like flying to start with and he was impatient to continue his...brother, Seb’s, investigation. He didn’t like having someone out there with his face, much less more than one. It unnerved him and, by the time he found his way to the Dyad Institute, he’d grown irrationally impatient. He waited under the crosswalk, shivering in the winter cold, until he spotted the woman Seb had been alerted to. She was alone and he quickly emerged from shadows and took her arm.

“Cosima come on, yer going to miss all the fun,” Mud insisted, pulling the LEDA clone along by the arm down the hill side, away from prying eyes of the sleeping Revival camp. The trek was short, with lanterns strung up in trees the only light source in the steel reinforced pit that spanned at least 30 feet. As the two approached, one of the hunters pulled back on the latch, forcing a tall figure into the pit with a black hood over the head. “Here it comes,” Mud shook the other’s shoulder, pressing herself against the fence to watch as the person was shoved to their knees, the hood removed instantaneously as the hunter backed out of the cage, sealing it. 

“Place your bets!”

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Catching a full breath for the first time in a few hours after the mask was removed, Arcadia caught wind of a scent that distracted her from the events of the present. It’s just an illusion, stop. 

Pushing to her feet, the wolf closed her eyes, her head hung in silent defeat already as the trap door was left open for a grizzly bear to creep in. Her body ached, she was dying of thirst---the only saving grace would be the meat she’d get to devour from tearing this poor creature apart. Turning on heel to face the bear’s direction, Arcadia’s gaze finally rose, taking in the crowd that was riling the other animal up by pounding on the cage.

“I didn’t think it would even be necessary to mention it---An experiment that was undoubtedly doomed to fail. Scott all but laughed in my face when I brought it up to him.” Defending her decision wasn’t easy, but it was the only excuse she had. Shaking her head as she pushed away from the sink, Arcadia took a few steps sideways, not ready to be physically close to Cosima during this discussion. “She knows we were trying to salvage the eggs. That was the promise I made to her when I found the canister in the first place. I thought I was trying to help.”

Her brow twitched, obviously trying to hold back the mix of fear and anger that seemed to plague her since she took the test this afternoon.  “I had to be sure before I said a word. That’s the ninth test I’ve taken since Friday. It’s not an official call, but I’d say that’s pretty damn positive.” Pausing, Arcadia finally managed to lift her head enough to meet Cosima’s glare. “I’m not excusing my actions. It was wreckless and thoughtless, and I never meant to have you find out like this.” Crossing her arms over her chest, the wolf cleared her throat as she fought to not let her emotions get the best of her, “Helena’s got her hands full with two on the way. I don’t expect her to raise this child, and I don’t expect you to either. You’re not obligated to stay. As much as I love you, and I don’t want to lose you, I can’t go back. And I can’t force you to stand by me when what I did was selfish.”

"Yeh, and when was that, exactly?" Spike asked, his eyes narrowing warily. "You keeping tabs on me?"

@onecosima​