My imagining of all the off-camera scenes between Peter and Olivia. One of the only things that bothers me about Fringe (besides the near fatal heartattacks the twists and turns give me..) is that they make it seem like zipping around Mass. or going between Massive Dynamic in NY and the Harvard lab can happen in a split second. So I've written some drabble about the time POlivia spends in the car. Pure and total fluff, because I'm preparing myself for all hell breaking loose in the last four episodes, if such does occur. Also, I recomend reviewing Os before reading this. I literally watched the episode and paused whenever Peter and Olivia went off camera together and wrote little fluff pieces. I tried to include context, but let me know if I can improve in any way. :)
Lost Moments
"Perfect," Olivia said, smiling. "I'll swing by the house."
"Bye," Peter said, grinning at the thought of a morning spent strolling hand in hand with Olivia at a street fair. Perfectly Walter free, no major apocalypse to defer. He put his phone in his pocket and started walking to grab his coat, hung loosely on a hook by the door. As he left the Harvard lab where he conducted his secret trials, guilt washed over him. He would have to tell her, he thought to himself. He would tell her, soon. His life before Olivia had been so full of lies, he hated how easy it was for him to do. He didn't want to lie to her anymore, and he didn't want to hurt her either. He wondered whether a street fair was the best time. Maybe later, he'd convince her to go back to the house for lunch. If he cooked her lunch, she wouldn't be as angry…
Back in Olivia's black SUV, disappointment began to sting. Broyles had a case for them, and visions of walking hand in hand with Peter, happily for once, slowly floated away, popping like bubbles on a hot summer day.
She pulled into the driveway of the Bishop's house just as Peter was climbing the front steps. He turned at the sound of her car, and walked back down the driveway to meet her. When her car came to a stop, he jogged to the driver's side door and opened it for her.
"Hey," he said breathily.
"Hey," she responded in her honey-smooth voice. Peter leaned in to kiss her hello, and Olivia placed her hands on the sides of his face. Their lips parted momentarily, but Olivia pulled him back in, hungry for the taste of him.
"What was that for?" Peter said, beaming. Olivia could feel his breath on her face, her hands still holding him close.
"I have bad news," she pouted. "Where's Walter?"
"No, no, no. Walter is not coming to the street fair with us. And whatever grisly case Broyles has can wait." He pecked her lips again, hoping halfheartedly that his words were true.
"I wish," she said, leaning her forehead against Peter's. "We have to go to the Massachusetts Metal Depository. Something about a floating man."
He sighed heavily. "Fine," he said, placing his gloved hands on top her hers, and pulling her to a standing position. "But I'm driving."
"No siren!" she mock yelled, as Peter lead her to the other side of the car.
"Please?" He whined, opening the door and helping her climb inside.
"No!" She laughed. "And go get Walter!"
"Can't," Peter smirked, starting up the car. "You gotta call Nina in New York. Walter stayed at Massive Dynamic last night. Which means, if I have calculated correctly, that I have at least forty minutes alone with my girlfriend while we drive to the depository."
"I guess we have to take our victories where we can get them," Olivia said as she dialed Nina on her phone.
"And," Peter added, "You know, we gotta wait for Walter to fly in from New York." Peter slipped his arm across the center console and rested it on Olivia's thigh. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, but none-the-less placed her hand on top of his, happy to have the time alone with him.
"You know, I saw it," said Peter as he pulled out of the lot of the metal depository. Walter was riding with the body, so Peter and Olivia had another coveted thirty minutes of drive time alone.
"Saw what?"
"I saw you hide that grin when the body almost flew away from me."
"I did not!" said Olivia.
"You so did," Peter said, smiling to himself as he looked at the blonde FBI agent sitting next to him.
"Well, I saw you feel up the man's arm muscles."
"I was checking for muscle atrophy!" Olivia pursed her lips at Peter, trying again to suppress another grin. "It was for purposes of the case and the case only!"
They stared at each other.
"See, there it is again," said Peter.
Olivia laughed, finally letting the smile sneak across her face.
"You know, 'Livia, most people would probably tell you to smile more often, but I won't. Your smiles, well they're rare. They're precious." The tone in Peter's voice shifted from playful to more serious. Olivia blushed and looked down at her hands, then back at Peter.
"Every smile I see from you, I feel like I've had to earn it. And earning one of your smiles," He paused. "Let's just say I want to learn all the ways I can make you smile."
"Yeah?" Olivia said, looking intently at him.
"Yeah."
"I cannot believe Walter just said the word courting." Peter said, shaking his head.
"Hey, just think of the alternatives he could have used," said Olivia as Peter helped her into the car for the third time that day.
"Yeah well, I like our little drives together."
"Me too," Olivia said, smiling in spite of herself. Peter, once again, caught that precious smile.
They sat quietly for a little while, as they drove to the warehouse until Olivia broke the silence.
"You know, Peter," she said tentatively, "It's not that I don't want to smile more, it's just that I've never been good at relationships, or even being happy really."
"I know," said Peter.
"And I want you to know, I've never been more motivated to break that cycle. I don't want to be the one that holds us back. I want to smile with you, I want to be able to tell you the things I never thought I could share in the past."
"I want that too."
"Good. Full disclosure." Olivia said, nodding her head.
"Full disclosure."
"Is there anything you want to tell me, you know, in the name of full disclosure?" Olivia asked. "This has to work both ways."
"Okay," Peter sighed, thinking of what to say next.
"You know when we're having a discussion, doesn't matter what it's about, it could be about a case, or whether or not I used all the hot water that time you were late for a meeting, which I fully maintain that I did not," He looked at Olivia, who was laughing and nodding her head slightly. "well you do this thing when you disagree with me. You don't outright say it, instead you sort of put your hands behind your back in this authoritative stance and round on the balls of your feet while you purse your lips."
"Really." Olivia said, realizing exactly what he was talking about, but shying away from admitting it.
"I'd rather you just tell me you're pissed. It would make life so much easier." Olivia sighed, looking down at her palms.
"You said full disclosure!" Peter said, his voice cracking nervously.
"I know," Olivia said, smiling. "I'm not mad, I promise. And okay, in the future, I will tell you when you're pissing me off."
"Good," Peter sighed. "Just, not with your gun," he added, laughing.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Olivia responded.
"Your turn now," Peter said.
"Okay, I got one." Peter nodded as he said okay, goading her on.
"You know when we're watching tv and you start to rub my back, and you're not really paying attention 'cause you're kind of distracted?"
"Yeah," Peter laughed, realizing exactly what Olivia was referring to.
"And you turn your hand in a circle, just over and over and over and over—"
"Well-I wouldn't say that's exactly how it is, But yes, I know what you're talking about," Peter said quickly trying to defend himself.
"It's kind of like you're burrowing right through the muscle and into the bone!"
"Okay, I think I get the point." Peter was still laughing.
"Okay." Olivia paused. "I don't like it."
"Really? I had no idea," Peter joked. "Alright, no more burrowing."
"See, I love this full disclosure. Why didn't we make this agreement earlier?"
"Well, it's supposed to be about how we feel about each other but—"
"No, it's about everything!" Olivia said. "Why, you're not holding out on me?"
"No, no, no," Peter said, remembering his earlier indiscretion. "I'm just clarifying."
"It's about trust," Olivia smiled. "So it's a great game if two people are playing."
They both paused for a moment, looking at each other. Peter briefly remembered his own guilt, but he chuckled then, realizing how happy Olivia was to open up to him. He would definitely tell her, when the moment was there. And it would be alright.
"Doyle street, just turn left here," Olivia said, reminding him of their intended destination, the warehouse district.
"Okay, I got another one," Peter said, deciding to lighten the moment.
"Yeah?"
"You know how when we're lying in bed, or on the couch and it's been a long day and you know I want to stay up and watch the game or a movie or something, so you try to stay up with me…"
Olivia laughed, realizing for the first time how normal it felt to be with Peter. They already had even more memories together than she noticed.
"..and you start to babble, saying completely incoherent things like a drunkard. Referencing conversations we had hours ago, or days even.."
"Yes, I'm aware." Olivia said, embarrassed.
"Don't ever stop." Peter said, looking right in Olivia's eyes. "I love it."
Olivia blushed again, taking Peter's hand where it rested on the center console. "Okay, I won't."
They were in the car again, this time driving back to Walter's lab with several dozen frozen and dissected bodies. Walter, once again, elected to ride with the bodies, after exchanging sharp words with the coroners who did not place the proper limbs with their proper owners.
"I got another one," Peter said, a while after the subject had changed from full disclosure. "Your ability to stay calm around disturbingly mangled bodies creeps me out."
Olivia laughed. "This from the man who spends the better part of his days fiddling around with said mangled bodies?"
"Fair enough," said Peter, acquiescing to Olivia's logic.
"It's sad though," said Olivia. "Whoever's doing this promised those poor people wings. And they ended up frozen in a warehouse, chopped up. Eighteen wheelchairs. Eighteen innocent victims."
She looked out the window, clearly lost in the midst of her thoughts.
"We'll catch whoever did this, 'Livia. We always do."
"I know, it's just, case after case. It wears on you."
When they pulled into the parking lot outside of the Kresge building, Peter motioned for Olivia to stay in the car for a moment.
"You're the hero, here, 'Livia." He placed his hand on her cheek, and she leaned into it, liking the softness of him against her skin. She leaned forward, and he met her halfway, their lips finding one another seamlessly, mingling together with a softness neither Peter or Olivia had ever experienced before.
"Lets go," Peter said after they pulled apart, his hand still resting on her cheek. He could feel the warmth of her blush, and his insides tingled knowing he had caused it, knowing exactly why her body warmed.
Peter tucked the file Nina had given him into his peacoat and trotted up to Olivia.
"Okay, we'll keep looking," said Olivia, slipping the phone back into her pocked. Peter slipped his hand back into hers. "Broyles." She said, nodding her head to motion to the phone. "There's no connection to any support groups for the disease so far. He's waiting for a few more to get back to him."
Peter opened the door when they reached the end of the corridor, and both sighed when they felt the fresh air on their cheeks.
"Does it creep you out as much as it does me, at how everyone seems to be so pleased with our new relationship development?" Peter pondered.
"Little bit, but I try not to think about it." Olivia laughed as they crossed the quad and made their way to the parking lot.
Peter was standing behind Olivia as she stared up at the Regina's menu. He rested his chin lazily on top of her head. Olivia was by no means short, but Peter's immense height was always something that tickled. She always had to look up at him, and in moments like these, she felt safe and at ease, perfectly tucked into his body.
"The works?" Peter asked, now wrapping his arms around her sides, pulling her closer in.
"Definitely not. Pepper and onion!"
"Fine, but Walter's going to want cheese the second we walk through the door, despite having insisted he didn't want any to begin with." They stepped forward and placed their order, then went and found an empty booth while they waited.
"'Livia put the files down," Peter taunted, pulling the manila folder from her tiny hands.
"But what if I'm missing something," she said, pursing her lips.
"The best way to figure something out is to take your mind off of it."
"Fine." She pouted. Peter stood up, leaving the files and plopped onto the other side of the booth, where Olivia was sitting.
"Really, Bishop? Here?" Olivia's protests were soon silenced by Peter, who had slid his arm over the edge of the booth and was now planting a big kiss on Olivia's cheek.
"What?" Peter grinned ear to ear, running his hand up the opposite side of her body. "I
can't help myself. You smell really good."
"You're certifiable," Olivia laughed. "And I think that's the pizza."
"Nope," Peter protested. "I definitely smell something sweet right here." Peter brushed her hair aside and placed a kiss on her neck.
It had been the longest time since she felt this light and airy. Even as a teenager herself, she couldn't remember sitting in a booth at a pizzeria making out. But life with Peter was different. In spite of everything that had happened, and the looming fear of what might come to be, Olivia wanted so badly to know the normal feeling of falling in love. She gave into Peter's pursuing kisses and turned to meet him face to face.
The text tone of her phone then beeped, cuing reality.
"Don't answer that," Peter begged, his lips still working furiously to distract Olivia.
"We're in the middle of a case, Peter." Olivia broke away and reached into her pocket. Peter looked down at his lap, where Olivia's hand rested gently on his thigh. He sighed a deep, heavy sigh.
"It's Astrid. Something important back at the lab," Olivia said, flashing the text screen in front of Peter's face.
"Fine, but I'm still getting my pizza," Peter pouted. "I'm hungry."
Olivia and Peter were standing outside the Bishop's house. They had just apprehended the suspect at the Museum of Science, and Olivia was dropping Peter home.
"It's two A.M Peter," Olivia said, holding on gently to Peter's pea coat as he tried to convince her to come inside. "And we said we would take things slow. "
"You can't blame me for trying," Peter grinned. He leaned in close to her, despising any space between their bodies, however small. "You're just so cute when you aim your gun at suspects and you know, save the day."
Olivia smiled again, pawing at Peter's chest in a playful way. "You should not have jumped after that guy, Peter. You could have really hurt yourself."
"I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself."
"Yeah but that doesn't mean I want to watch you put yourself in harms way. You landed on a glass case, for Christ's sake."
"I'm fine," Peter said emphatically.
"I would have been really pissed if you hurt yourself."
They stood for a few minutes, just standing with their foreheads touching, Olivia still holding onto his coat.
"You're pretty cute when you're worried, too."
"Oh, shut it." She kissed him then, bringing her hands to his broad shoulders as he wrapped his around her waist, pulling them together and pulling her to her tippy toes.
"Goodnight, Peter." She was still wrapped tightly in his arms. She pecked his cheek one last time and pulled out of his arms. His left hand trailed after her, not wanting to let go.
""Livia," Peter shouted after her. "One more thing."
"Yeah?" She spun around to face him.
"Will you do me a favor. Meet me on the other side of campus tomorrow morning. There's something I've been working on that I want to show you."
"Okay. Tomorrow morning?"
A/N: My first fan fiction in... years! Please review, I'd like to know how well I stayed in character. (Some moments, I think I did rather well, others, I know I strayed..)
"Tomorrow morning."