Title: A Deal's A Deal
Author: slacker_d
Pairing/Characters: Sarah/Cosima
Summary: high school AU Cosima's decided that today's the day she'll tell Sarah how she feels. Only problem is that she can't seem to find her anywhere.
Word Count: 2,327
A/N: Not related to One Benefit to Detention universe

It's ridiculous that she's nervous. The decision's been made and Cosima's not going to talk herself out of it. She'd rather know than spend the rest of her life wondering. And so with a purposeful stride, she enters the doors of her high school and heads towards her best friend's locker. Only Sarah is nowhere to be found. Cosima glances around, hoping to catch a glimpse of her in the halls. Sarah's usually late—her reasons being vastly different than Cosima's—but she promised that she'd try to stay out of trouble this year and has been coming, reluctantly, to school every day.

Cosima heads towards first period English on the very slim chance that Sarah is already sitting in their only shared class. She doubts it, but Sarah's surprised her plenty in the past.

Sarah is not there and though she hadn't really been expecting her to be, Cosima is still disappointed. She'd finally built up her courage to tell Sarah how she feels and so of course, she can't find her.

She sits in her usual seat, trying not to look at the empty seat next to her.

...

It's halfway through lunch and Cosima still hasn't seen Sarah—and everyone Cosima's asked has denied seeing her today. Cosima wonders if Sarah finally decided to skip. Over two months into their sophomore year is more than Cosima expected—though she hates that she thought so. Cosima wonders if Sarah's promise is the reason she didn't let Cosima know she wasn't coming today, like she usually does.

Cosima just hopes that Sarah didn't skip to hang out with Cal Morrison. He's a sweet guy who's been hanging around Sarah lately. Sarah doesn't seem to mind, actually letting him, instead of telling him to shove off like she did to Vic Schmidt. Her friendliness towards Cal was what convinced Cosima that she had to tell Sarah how she feels.

The problem is that now she's had hours to question the wisdom of her choice. Concentrating in class earlier just hadn't been an option; especially knowing that Sarah wasn't even at school today.

...

Despite having the entire school day to question it, Cosima's decided to stick to her original plan of telling Sarah. Her problem then becomes how to find her. Though she doesn't want to get Sarah in trouble for skipping school, Cosima isn't sure what else to do but go to her house—especially since she's still not answering her phone.

Except as she's walking up to the door, Cosima glances to her right and—to her shock—sees Sarah in the neighbor's house. It looks like she's cleaning and organizing the book shelves. Cosima watches Sarah struggle to put three large hardcovers on the top shelf. Just as she gets them up the ladder, Sarah stops and Cosima watches her expression change from resigned exhaustion to barely restrained anger. It's obvious that Sarah is just about to snap. Cosima can't see who is ordering Sarah around, but she assumes it's Mrs. Riley, the owner of the house. She and Sarah have never gotten along, so Cosima can only stare in shock as Sarah continues to attempt to put away her books.

Still watching curiously, Cosima ventures into Mrs. Riley's front yard. She just can't figure out what's going on or why Sarah would be in Mrs. Riley's house apparently helping her.

She's debating what to do next when Sarah happens to glance outside and notice Cosima watching. Her face goes from irritation to surprise and embarrassed and as she tries to quickly get down the ladder, she falls backwards and lands with a thud.

The floor where Sarah fell is obscured by the couch blocking that part of the window and so Cosima quickly runs around the shrubbery she was using to hide behind and to the front door. She knocks frantically.

An endless moment later, Cosima hears the telltale thumping of Mrs. Riley's cane on the wood floor. The door swings open with the announcement, "She's fine."

Cosima doesn't really register the words and rushes inside past Mrs. Riley. She finds Sarah on the couch, looking self-conscious, but fine. Cosima drops onto the edge of the couch next to her and gently puts her arms around her.

"I'm fine, Cos," Sarah tells her, returning the hug. "It was only a couple of feet and I didn't even hit my head."

"Not like that matters," Mrs. Riley mutters as she thumps herself to her chair and sits.

"I heard you gasp," Sarah accuses. "You were worried."

"For a whole second," Mrs. Riley admits. "And then I remembered how hard that head of yours is."

Cosima glances over to where Sarah fell as they continue to bicker. From this angle she can see that Sarah really only fell a couple of feet onto a rug and if she didn't hit her head, she really will be fine; though probably a bit sore tomorrow.

Relaxing a bit, Cosima is again left to wonder why Sarah is here helping Mrs. Riley—who Sarah vehemently and repeatedly bad mouths. However, she also knows that staying quiet might be the best thing to do at the moment. Instead, she studies the stern old woman who has hated Sarah for as long as Cosima can remember. She seems smaller than Cosima remembers, making her wonder if it's because Cosima's grown or Mrs. Riley has shrunk. The woman was already a retired school teacher when they'd been kids; she has to be close to eighty by now.

"You still have to finish stocking that shelf, Manning," Mrs. Riley says. "You don't get to leave early just because your girlfriend's here."

Caught off guard, Cosima doesn't say anything as Sarah growls and wraps herself protectively around Cosima. Mrs. Riley just glares back. The staring contest ends with Sarah losing and letting out a huff of annoyance.

Cosima—feeling pleased that Sarah didn't deny Mrs. Riley's words, no matter how untrue they are—watches as Sarah stands, returns to the ladder and continues to put the books away.

Wanting to leave as soon as possible, Cosima stands to help, but is shot down by a glare from Mrs. Riley. Cosima sits back down—puzzled—and watches as Sarah puts the remaining fourteen hardcovers on the top shelf. As she does, she notices that the entire room is lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves stuffed with books. Cosima wonders if Sarah organized them all. It would certainly explain where she's been all day—though not why.

When the last book is in place, Sarah jumps from the third rung of the ladder onto the floor, her boots echoing loudly in the quiet space.

"You're like a bull in a china shop," Mrs. Riley comments.

To Cosima's surprise, Sarah ignores the dig for once. "That was the last one," Sarah says. "A deal's a deal."

Mrs. Riley nods. "A deal's a deal." She holds out a small paper bag. Sarah walks over to her chair and grabs it. They then share a terse handshake. Letting go of her hand, Mrs. Riley turns to frown at Cosima. "Not sure if she's worth it, though."

"No one asked you," Sarah snaps, offering Cosima her hand and pulling her up. Sarah laces their fingers together and gently tugs Cosima out of the house, letting the door slam shut behind them.

Cosima lets herself be led back to Sarah's house and up to her room—Sarah barely announcing them as they hurry up the stairs. Only once her bedroom door is shut behind them, does Sarah turn and look at Cosima.

Cosima's not really sure what to think of the look she's receiving from her best friend. "You sure you're okay?" she asks.

"I've had worse," Sarah reminds her, moving towards the bed.

"That's not what I asked," Cosima replies.

"I'm okay," Sarah assures her, sitting down.

"Good," Cosima nods as she joins Sarah. "And now you can tell me what the hell is in that bag."

"It's a long story," Sarah tells her.

"Well it has to be important for you to put up with Mrs. Riley for so long," Cosima states. "And I'm not going anywhere until I hear this story."

Looking nervous, Sarah sets the bag on the bed next to them. "So remember when we were seven and you had that collection of stuffed planets your dad gave you?" she starts.

"Yeah. I loved those things," Cosima replies. "It was the last thing my dad gave me before..."

"Yeah," Sarah interjects, looking sheepish. "And I accidently lost Pluto by whipping it into Mrs. Riley's backyard. And you were so mad at me, crying and yelling and actually hitting me, so I tried to climb the fence to get it back, but by the time I did, she had already found it and wouldn't give it back, no matter how many times I asked."

"It's because you threw rocks at her windows and rotten food into her yard," Cosima reminds her.

"Hey, I only did that after she started calling me a hoodlum and a delinquent," Sarah argues.

"Proving her point," Cosima replies.

"Anyway," Sarah says, opening the bag. "I was walking home the other day and I noticed your stuffed Pluto through the front window. And I thought since Pluto's a planet again, I should get it back for you." Sarah pulls out the blue stuffed ball with 'Pluto' stitched across it. "And so I knocked on her door and asked. I figured it's been almost ten years and I haven't really done anything to her in years; except the old bat said that the only way I'd get it back is if I cleaned and organized all her books. She said they're too heavy for her to do herself. So I agreed as long as she didn't tell my mom I was skipping school to do it. Shockingly, she said yes, but called me a delinquent for most of the day."

Cosima takes it reverently from Sarah. "So you spent all day cleaning and organizing books, just to get this back?" she asks, looking at the toy in wonderment.

Sarah nods.

Cosima's torn between bewilderment and absolute affection for Sarah. "I appreciate it, Sarah, really, but why?"

"So I could do this," Sarah says, leaning over to kiss Cosima.

Cosima is caught off guard and doesn't respond immediately. Sensing hesitation, Sarah starts to pull away, but Cosima stops her by wrapping her free arm around Sarah. Even so, the kiss is still brief and before Cosima is ready, Sarah is pulling away, looking nervous.

Cosima's not sure how Sarah could be worried with Cosima's arm still wrapped loosely around her waist. However, instead of saying anything—which Sarah is clearly expecting from the way her eyes are studying her—Cosima sets aside the stuffed Pluto and grabs Sarah's shirt to pull her in for another kiss. She feels Sarah's grin at her response and lets herself fall backwards onto Sarah's bed. The grunt of discomfort she lets out as Sarah lands awkwardly on top of her isn't enough to break the kiss. Instead, Cosima deepens the kiss as Sarah presses herself against her, their bodies fitting together perfectly.

Sarah's kisses are hot and full of wanting. She kisses Cosima with intense focus, lightly sucking Cosima's bottom lip, her tongue then delving deep and tasting every inch of Cosima's mouth. Cosima's hand drift down Sarah's back and settle on her ass.

This only seems to drive Sarah further as the hands that were caressing her cheeks, slide down to her shoulders and somehow Cosima finds herself sitting up with Sarah on her lap. And they're no longer kissing. But before she can protest, Cosima realizes why as Sarah starts to remove the jacket Cosima forgot to shed when they first entered the room. In turn, she unzips Sarah's hoodie and pushes it off her shoulders. Underneath is just a tank top and Cosima's hands find Sarah's waist. Meeting Sarah's eyes, Cosima's heart is now beating loudly as her she untucks it from Sarah's jeans and lets her hands glide against warm skin that she's been dreaming of touching for months.

Sarah's hands pull Cosima in for another kiss as Cosima's hand venture higher and higher. She seems eager to distract Cosima from her goal as she continues to explore Cosima's mouth. Or maybe it's to distract her from what Sarah's hands are doing, Cosima realizes as she feels Sarah's hands slip under her sweater. And unlike Cosima, Sarah touch is firm and sure, eagerly gliding over skin, making Cosima desperately want to rip off her sweater.

She breaks the kiss to tell Sarah to pull off her sweater when there's a knock on the door.

They both freeze hearing Sarah's mom ask, "Sarah? Is Cosima staying for dinner?"

Sarah doesn't seem capable of speech, so Cosima does her best to sound relaxed as she replies, "If that's okay?"

"Of course dear," Sarah's mom replies. "You're always welcome. Dinner in ten minutes, girls."

Her hands now resting on Cosima's hips, Sarah lets out a steadying breath and says, "Okay, mom."

They wait for the sound of Sarah's mom's footsteps to disappear down the stairs before they let out their nervous laughter. Cosima slips her hands out from under Sarah's tank top and adjusts her glasses as Sarah slides off her lap and lands next to her on the bed.

There's probably a lot of things that should be said. Things escalated pretty quickly already and they definitely need to talk before anything else happens. But ten minutes isn't enough time for all that needs to be said, so Cosima leans to her right, so she's laying on the bed and grabs Sarah's right hand, tugging her down as well. Sarah snuggles behind her and slips her left hand around Cosima's waist, lacing their fingers together. They spend the next nine minutes spooning, content smiles on both their faces.