Orphan Black 1. Chapter 1

Sarah leaned against the bar, signaling for a beer. She shifted uncomfortably, trying to relieve the pain in her feet.

_This is why I never wear bloody heels._

Coming to the wedding was a bad idea. She'd agreed to attend with her sister, Beth, but only after an exorbitant amount of cajoling and bribing on Beth's part. It'll be fun, Beth said. She even offered to let Sarah borrow one of her dresses, ooh-ing and aah-ing when Sarah tried on a particularly curve-hugging black number so convincingly that even Sarah thought a few hours at a wedding wouldn't be so bad if she looked this good.

Then the day of the wedding arrived and Beth had a 103 degree fever. Sarah protested furiously when Beth insisted that she go, but her resolve was no match for Beth's sick puppy dog eyes. So now here she was, sipping a beer at the bar alone, feet throbbing, trying to ignore the croon of Train's _Marry Me_ over the speakers and wondering why she thought attending a wedding stag would turn out well.

That question was swiftly answered when a dreadlocked woman in a very flattering silk maroon dress came up beside her and ordered a pinot noir. The woman looked over at Sarah, her shoulders high as she leaned against the bar. Sarah noticed cateye makeup beneath her black glasses.

"You look like you're having a really great time over here," the woman commented, a slight smile dimpling her cheeks.

"Oh, yeah," Sarah nodded, using her beer bottle to gesture at the room as a whole. "Coming alone to a wedding, there's really nothing like it."

The woman accepted her glass of wine and turned towards Sarah. "So what are you doing here if no one dragged you along?" She took a sip, her eyes not leaving Sarah's face.

"Ah, I promised my twin sister I'd come with her, but then she got sick this morning so of course I had to come alone to _make an appearance_ or some bullshit."

The woman nodded sympathetically, "That sucks. Weddings really are the worst."

"What are you doing here, then?"

"Obligatory attendance," the woman said. She gestured at her dress, "I'm a bridesmaid. Delphine's an old high school friend."

"Oh, hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect-" Sarah stammered but the other woman cut her off with an emphatic shake of her head and a waving hand.

"No, no, no, it's totally cool. Weddings are a total bummer unless you're the one being wedded, everyone knows that."

Sarah laughed, "Isn't it your moral obligation to be happy for her or something?"

The woman shrugged, her gaze wandering over to where the tall blonde bride stood with her groom. "I don't know about that. I mean I am happy for her, totally. It's great that she found _the one_, you know?" She paused and a cheeky grin pulled at her lips. She leaned in towards Sarah conspiratorially. "You wanna know a secret though?"

Sarah nodded, captivated by the sudden proximity of this alluring woman.

"I slept with her in high school."

"_No_. Are you serious?"

The woman's dreadlocks swung jauntily as she tilted her head in a self-satisfied nod. "Totally. I mean, like, we're just friends now, so it's cool. But it's a pretty awesome feeling to think that maybe, just maybe, little fifteen-year-old me probably got her off better that one night after field hockey practice than big dick Paul over there will tonight."

Sarah laughed in disbelief, "You certainly are something else, aren't you?"

She smiled, catching Sarah's gaze with her own. "Yeah, maybe I am. I'm Cosima, by the way."

"Sarah."

"Listen, Sarah. You wanna get out of here? Go somewhere we don't have to listen to this sappy love song shit?"

Sarah picked up her beer and took Cosima's hand, leading her out of the room without another word. Cosima had to trot to keep up, her laughter falling pleasantly on Sarah's ears, and Sarah made a mental note to thank Beth for forcing her to go to the wedding alone.


	2. Chapter 2

They found a quiet spot on the deck outside overlooking the stone courtyard. The conversation was light and easy and Sarah alternated between watching the fireflies flit through the air and focusing in fascination on Cosima's open, expressive face as she talked. Cosima was fascinating and intelligent to the point that Sarah felt nearly intimidated from time to time, but somehow they found enough in common that the feeling of potential inadequacy never lasted for too long.

During their conversation, Sarah discovered several very important things about this woman. Cosima had had dreadlocks since the ninth grade and hadn't cut her hair since then. She was originally from California (which did a lot to explain her common use of the phrases "like" and "totally") but had moved up north to study evolutionary development, whatever that meant. Her wild hand gestures made up at least thirty-five percent of her communication. She preferred wine over any other kind of alcohol, though Sarah managed to persuade her to try three different kinds of shots before the night was over, and the more inebriated she became, the more pronounced was her snort when she laughed a bit too hard. And, perhaps most important of all, one of her favorite bands was The Clash.

Sarah nearly fell over as she gripped Cosima's arm tightly, "The Clash? You're not joking? You like The Clash?"

"Oh, yeah," Cosima said. "I grew up on those guys. And, can I just say, that London Calling - while good, totally a great song, don't get me wrong - is not their best one."

"Don't tell me," Sarah said, feeling abnormally exhilarated at this discovery.

"Lost in the Supermarket. Don't judge me, don't try to change my mind. Lost in the Supermarket, hands down my favorite song."

Sarah shook her head, genuinely awestruck as she stared at Cosima. "I think love you. That _my_ favorite song, too."

Cosima giggled, swaying a little against the railing. "That declaration of love sounded more sincere than when Scotty Smith told me he wanted to marry me in sixth grade. Cute little guy." She sighed contentedly, looking out into the lantern-lit courtyard and for a brief moment Sarah just admired the lines of her face and neck, illuminated gently from below. Cosima started suddenly with a small gasp, and huge smile lighting up her face. "A photobooth!"

"What?" Sarah asked, startled.

"They have a photobooth here, I totally forgot! Come on!"

Cosima grabbed Sarah's hand, dragging her back inside and across the ballroom dance floor, weaving in and out of other guests. The photobooth was a small side room with a camera and camera man positioned in the center of the floor. There was a small basket of props beside the door and a few small chalkboards. Cosima stuffed a bowler hat onto Sarah's head, taking a furry coonskin cap for herself. She picked up two wooden mustaches on sticks, handing Sarah the smaller of the two.

"Hey, I can't use this one," Sarah protested. "I'll look just like Hitler."

"No you won't, silly. That's what the hat is for. You'll be Charlie Chaplain!"

"Oh, brilliant," Sarah grumbled as Cosima pulled her in front of the camera.

Sarah's sour mood evaporated as soon as the shutter started clicking and Cosima began throwing them into ridiculous and dramatic poses. At one point Cosima planted a long kiss on Sarah's cheek, and for a moment Sarah forgot completely about being silly and just stood there with a big, idiotic grin plastered across her face.

Then Cosima grabbed the chalkboards, telling Sarah to write something about Cosima while Cosima did the same about her. Sarah felt dazed, and she settled on scrawling "She's drunk" before posing for the next picture.

When Cosima had gotten her fill, they took off their hats and put the chalkboards back in place. As they left the room in fits of giggles, Sarah glanced down and saw what Cosima had written on her chalkboard in large, loopy letters:

"She's pretty."

Sarah felt the blush go all the way down to her toes.

Cosima insisted that no wedding celebration was complete without a dance. Ordinarily Sarah would have staunchly protested and insisted that her favorite part of dancing was sitting out, but the alcohol in her blood and the feeling of Cosima's hands on her waist convinced her that just one dance wouldn't be so bad.

Cosima danced like a snake, her hands twining over her head to the rhythm of the music. Sarah did her best to keep up with the beat, relying heavily on the natural sway of her shoulders and the familiar position of her hands in fists near her chest. The flash of the lights, the sinuous swivel of Cosima's body, the heavy thud of the bass in the floor boards flooded her already swirling senses. Sometimes the song would be slow and Cosima would drape her arms loosely around Sarah's neck, resting her head on her shoulder. The warm weight made Sarah feel remarkably at ease.

After a good number of songs, the DJ announced that the newly married couple would be leaving in five minutes. Cosima left to say goodbye to Delphine, then met Sarah outside the building. Everyone had lit sparklers for the sendoff. The crowd cheered as Delphine and Paul made their way down the path to the car, and Sarah smiled at the way the warm light of the sparklers reflected in Cosima's eyes.

Once the car had pulled away, Cosima slumped slightly against Sarah.

"Hey, you okay?" Sarah asked, supporting her weight.

"Hm? Oh yeah, just, like, really really tired."

"Do you have a room here?" Sarah asked. Cosima nodded blearily. "Come on, then," Sarah said, "Let's get you up to bed."

It took Cosima a while to find her purse, and an even longer while to find her the key inside the purse as they stood outside her room. Sarah was about to take over the finding of the cardkey herself when Cosima pulled it out with a flourish.

"Got it! Totally got it."

She fumbled a bit with the lock but finally the door swung open. Cosima didn't even bother with a verbal invitation, instead pulling Sarah inside behind her. Sarah didn't know whether or not to protest, but before she could make up her mind Cosima had turned around and kissed her.

It wasn't a bad kiss, considering Cosima's state of sobriety, but it wasn't exactly fireworks either. They stumbled a little towards the bed and Cosima broke the kiss by flopping down on the mattress in a fit of giggles.

"Alright, I think someone's ready for bed," Sarah said with a small eye roll, but she couldn't help but smile at the ridiculous grin on Cosima's face.

Sarah found pajamas in Cosima's luggage and helped the other woman undress. Her primary focus was in clothing Cosima as quickly and gently as she could, but she couldn't help but note in passing that Cosima had a beautifully toned figure. When her pajamas were finally on, Cosima slid dutifully beneath the covers, nestling into her pillow with a deep sigh.

Sarah grabbed the trashcan from the bathroom and placed it by the bed, just in case. She kissed Cosima's temple, running her hand across her hair briefly.

Sarah found that the couch converted into a pull-out bed, which really wasn't that uncomfortable. She took the liberty of exchanging her dress for another t-shirt in Cosima's bag and thanked the heavens that she had decided to wear underwear tonight. She didn't remember the details of the dream she had that night, but it was tinged with the scent of Cosima's perfume and echoed with her laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah opened her eyes to sunlight coming in the opposite window. It took her a few moments of confused blinking to remember where she was. The events from last night slowly began to trickle back and she closed her eyes for a moment, smiling slightly.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a low, insistent humming sound coming from the floor, beneath the pile of her discarded clothes from last night. She fished through the pile, pulling her phone from her black clutch. The screen was glowing, a single name on the screen:

_Beth_

Before she could answer it, the phone stopped buzzing and a notification popped up in place of her sister's name.

_New Missed Call (5)_

"Holy shite, Beth…" Sarah whispered. She was about to slip off the pull-out couch when she heard Cosima beginning to stir over on the bed. The dreadlocked woman sat up blearily, looking around with squinting eyes as she struggled to fully wake. Sarah stood up, smiling, and moved to the bed.

"Morning, stranger."

Cosima blinked at her a few times, her eyes sliding open wider as she seemed to recall the events of last night. She put her palm to her forehead.

"Shit! Shit, Sarah, I'm so sorry. How drunk was I last night? Was I a complete idiot?"

Sarah sat on the mattress opposite Cosima, her hand resting on the blanket over Cosima's knee.

"Hey, hey, take it easy. You were alright, really. A little frisky towards the end there, but—"

"Oh _no_. Sarah, I'm so sorry, I was probably a complete idiot—"  
Sarah leaned forward quickly and silenced Cosima's words with a kiss. The other woman inhaled sharply in surprise but it only took her a moment to lean into Sarah's lips. Cosima's hands cupped Sarah's cheeks and Sarah thought to herself that Cosima was a much better kisser when she was sober.

The kiss deepened and Cosima sank back into the pillows, Sarah leaning so far over she was practically straddling her. She felt her heart flutter at the way Cosima's fingertips brushed across the skin of her neck. Cosima sighed into her mouth as Sarah tilted her head at a different angle and something sparked low in Sarah's belly.

Before things could go farther, though, Sarah felt a low buzzing beside her leg. She broke the kiss, opening her eyes to find Cosima smiling with her eyes still closed. Sarah sat back, grabbing her phone, already knowing who was calling before she even saw Beth's name on the screen. She ran her fingers through her hair, smiling sheepishly at Cosima.

"Sorry, I, uh, I gotta take this. My crazy detective sister probably thinks I"m dead."

Cosima waved her hand, a small grin dimpling her cheeks, "Sure, sure. Go for it."

"Kay," Sarah whispered absently, biting her lip to hide a smile as she moved to the balcony outside. She found it remarkably difficult to tear her gaze away from the woman on the bed, but finally she managed, sliding the glass door closed behind her as she brought the phone to her ear.

"Beth, what on earth—"

"_Sarah!_ Are you kidding me? Where the hell are you?"

Sarah winced as her sister's voice blared into her ear. She thumbed the decrease volume button, trying to keep her voice down so her voice wouldn't carry into the bedroom.

"At the wedding, Beth. The one you forced me into going to, you remember?"

"Well considering it was like pulling teeth to get you to go in the first place, dipshit, I didn't think you were gonna stay all fucking night. I woke up at five and you still weren't back, I thought I was gonna have to call Art to go find your body."

"Look, I'm sorry, alright?" Sarah whispered, "I wasn't planning on staying, but I met someone."

Sarah could practically hear Beth's anger stop in its path to be replaced by excited surprise.

"You did!? Who is it?"

"One of Delphine's bridesmaids, actually."

"_Wow_. Wow, Sarah. Going straight for the wedding party. I'm impressed, honestly."

"Oi, I didn't scope her out, alright? _She_ approached _me._"

"Okay, okay. So who is it? What's her name? Is she cute? _Did you sleep with her?_"

"Bloody—" Sarah closed her eyes in exasperation at her sister's exuberance, threading her fingers through her hair. Beth was generally very excitable, but after the drinks and late night, Sarah wasn't exactly in peak form to deal with her high energy.

"Calm down, Beth, okay? Her name's Cosima. And yeah, she's gorgeous, and _no_, I didn't sleep with her. She was too boozed up for that."

The quiet on the other end was confusing. Sarah had expected excited squealing and a request for pictures at the very least, but Beth seemed to be surprised into silence. When she spoke again, she sounded both delighted and incredulous.

"Wait, Cosima? Cosima _Niehaus_?"

"Uh…I didn't get her last name but, probably, yeah. Not many people running around Ontario with a name like Cosima, you know?"

"Dreadlocks? And glasses? Talks with her hands?"

"Yeah, like mad," Sarah replied, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Why? Do you know her?"

Beth started laughing, "Well, kind of. I know _of_ her, for sure."

"What's so funny?"

"She and I went to Berkeley together. We weren't friends or anything, but I saw her around and I know that she had something of a reputation."

"A reputation?" Sarah repeated.

"Yeah, basically everyone wanted to get in her pants."

"Oh." Sarah wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that information.

"Hey, it's cool. I mean good job catching her eye, you know? I never talked to her but she seemed really nice. Even her exes loved her."

"Well," Sarah said slowly, "That's great to hear, I guess."

She turned to look back into the bedroom. Cosima was sitting up in bed, holding her phone in her lap, smiling to herself as she typed. As though feeling Sarah's gaze, she looked up, adjusting her glasses absently. Her smile grew wider but somehow more bashful as she saw Sarah watching her. Cosima gave her a small wave, her fingers uncurling in a jaunty motion, and Sarah felt that fluttering feeling again as she returned the gesture.

"Well listen, I'm gonna let you get back to it. Make good choices. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Beth said, and Sarah could hear the smile in her voice.

"You bet. I'll be home later. How you feelin, you alright?" Sarah added as an afterthought.

"Oh yeah, the fever broke last night. I'm feeling fresh as a daisy."

"Alright then, I'll see you later, Beth. Call if you need anything, yeah?"

When Sarah went back into the room, Cosima was leaned back, propped up on her arms. Her broad grin was slightly mischievous and Sarah narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Alright, what did I miss?"

Cosima laughed, leaning forward and pulling Sarah back onto the bed. "You think I'm gorgeous?"

Sarah felt the blush travel from her crown to her toes, making her ears go hot.

"Oh. You heard that?"

"Mmmmhm," Cosima hummed, her tongue showing slightly between her teeth. "It's okay. I think you're gorgeous too."

Sarah's small embarrassed laugh was muffled as Cosima pulled her in for another kiss. Cosima's stomach rumbled before the kiss lasted too long and Sarah leaned back with a short laugh.

"I'm famished, too. You wanna go for some breakfast?"

Cosima nodded, hardly able to look away from Sarah's lips, "Yeah. Breakfast. I could go for some breakfast."

"Alright." Sarah kissed her cheek and slid off the bed. "You mind if I borrow something? I don't think last night's dress is really gonna work for me."

"Yeah, for sure, whatever you want."

After Sarah went into the bathroom to change, Cosima flopped back onto the mattress, an idiotic grin stretching itself across her features. She could still taste Sarah's lips, the other woman's musk lingering in her nostrils. She couldn't remember the last time she had so strongly _not_ regretted bringing someone to her room drunk. She also couldn't remember the last time she had missed out on a one-night stand and been so happy about it.

_First time for everything,_ Cosima thought with a happy burst of warmth in her chest.

Something told her that, despite her extensive experience, Sarah Manning had a great many firsts to offer her, and Cosima truly felt that she couldn't be more excited to discover each and every one.


End file.

Orphan Black, Friendship, Romance