Paving The Way Home
Summary: Only one of them have the ability to go home, not if Olivia Dunham could help it.
Her physical transformation was complete. She was by all means Special Agent Olivia Dunham of the FBI, however she was not prepared to deal with the visions before her at this moment.
Faced with what looked like a zeppelin in the sky, she clung to the side of the building, with her other hand outreached, she could almost brush the underbelly of the all too familiar dirigible. It didn't belong here any more than she did. She desperately wanted to go home.
ELSEWHERE
"Really Liv, I could have gotten home on my own."
Olivia Dunham opened the door to the apartment she shared with Frank and maneuvered him to the sofa. He reached for the chair back to steady himself while letting go of Olivia's shoulder. She left him to sit down with a noticeable wince to head for the kitchen freezer.
"You should go back to work. I'll be fine here." She heard him call out.
Frank took the ice pack that Olivia brought him and placed it on his side.
Olivia bent over and took his face in her hands. "Hey. You need me." She knelt down to take off his shoes. "Besides who told you that you could ride a horse? You could have broken your neck."
Frank had to agree. It could have been a lot worse. He counted his blessing that he walked away with nothing more than cracked ribs.
The door was still ajar, when someone knocked.
It was Broyles. Olivia stood up quickly. "Sir! What are you doing here..."
"I called earlier. Nobody was home." He closed the door behind him.
She looked over her shoulder. "Frank was injured, I just brought him home from the hospital."
"We need to talk."
"Should I go make myself scarce?" Frank struggled to get up, but Broyles motioned for him to stay.
"You should hear this too, Frank. It concerns Olivia."
Olivia sat on the sofa beside Frank while Broyles took a seat opposite them.
"Olivia, your double is in trouble. We really need your help." He was weighing at the moment how much to reveal to Frank.
Olivia drew in a breath and leaned back. "What do want me to do?"
"I've been kept abreast of your progress at the DoD. As your superior, it's my right to be kept informed of your status. Am I correct to assume that you are ready to use your ability?"
"What ability is this?" asked Frank.
Olivia's question was more direct. "Then you know who I am?" Broyles nodded.
Frank who had kept his expression neutral the whole time, was staring at Olivia now with a knowing smile.
Broyles noticed this as well. "He knows too.", he nodded his head in Frank's direction.
Olivia turned to Frank, seeing him in a different light. "You knew all along?"
"Not at first, but yes I knew you are not her. No one knows Liv better than I did. I must admit though I kind of liked having you around, so I didn't want to say anything to maintain the ruse."
Olivia gave his hand a squeeze.
"Olivia. The Secretary is not prepared to expend any more resources to extract her. You are our only hope."
"OK. I'll go." she said without hesitation. Broyles was grateful for her forthright attitude. "Do you know where she is?"
"Unfortunately no. We've lost all contact with her a day ago."
"Then I should go with you. If anyone could find her, it's me."
"No. You're hurt. I couldn't vouch for your safety. Tell him, sir."
"He's right. Maybe he should go." Olivia looked at Broyles with surprise. "They are watching you. If Frank goes too, it may attract less attention if the two of you were together. If the Secretary ever found out what you are up to, this mission could be a bust."
Olivia looked Frank in the eyes to see if she could detect a change of heart. She knew she wouldn't find any.
"Where are you going to begin your search?"
Still focused on Frank's expression, Olivia said, "New York." Frank nodded in agreement. "We can cross over at Central Park."
THE NEXT DAY
"So. What do you want me to do?" Frank tried not to sound as nervous as he felt. It was an anxiety that Olivia shared. She was glad she didn't have to do this alone.
"Just hold my hands and close your eyes. I'll do the rest." She mustered a brave smile for him to see.
Olivia oriented herself so she was facing the Twin Towers, then nodded her readiness to Frank.
In the time it took for her to inhale a breath, she opened her eyes and saw the changed skyline. "We made it."
As soon as Frank opened his eyes, he pulled Olivia aside to avoid being hit by a passing skater. He whipped around to get a better look at the skates. "Whoa. What are those things?"
"What? Rollerblades?"
"Yeah. Fast..." He was beginning to hyperventilate.
Concerned, Olivia put a hand on his chest. "Are you OK?"
"Yeah. I'm just a little lightheaded. That's all." He breathed in some oxygen. She slid an arm around his waist before they continued towards the streets.
The traffic was in gridlock by the time they made it out of the park. A radio broadcast caught Frank's attention.
The situation is growing tense for the woman at the top of the Empire State Building.
"It's her."
The crowd watching below grew. It was enough to distract the police from seeing Olivia and Frank slip into the building undetected. They took the elevator to the 86th floor.
Frank and Olivia watched with concern as she perched precariously on the roof of the 102nd floor. She had an arm outstretched.
Olivia went to find a way up there with Frank in tow.
"Gotcha!"
A collective cheer erupted from the crowd below when they saw someone catch her from above before she could fall.
Olivia hung limply from his arms.
"Peter!" Who said that? He couldn't see who was speaking.
"Don't let her go until I say so." Olivia?
Peter kept his grip tight as he could feel the weight of his burden shift below him.
"OK. I got her now."
Olivia passed her to Frank's waiting arms. She watched their tearful reunion with slight envy. She was a witness to their love. She recognized the look in her eyes. It comes from someone who has been through one of Walter's experiments. That explained what she was doing up here in the first place.
The other Olivia couldn't see too clearly yet but she did remember what he felt like.
"Frank...Is that you?"
He nodded. "It's me, babe."
"Are we home now?"
"No. Not yet. Real soon though." Frank held her tight then looked up at Olivia.
"Ready to go?" He nodded.
Before Olivia could join them, Peter dropped in on them from above.
Olivia said over her shoulder. "I have to take them home. I'll be back when I'm done." She needed to set things right.
"I'll be waiting." Peter stood alone looking at the sunset outside.
Fringe is not mine, but I did want Olivia to do something for the good of both sides before she goes home.
