Spoilers: Everything so far.

Disclaimer: Not mine, but that's just fine.

Author's note: Jasika Nicole it's on TAKE THE LEAD, dancing! . I really hope that in mi desire to put this into paper I didn't lost them on the way. This goes after Night of desirable objects but before Fracture. Also, my first language it's not English, so sorry about the grammar problems, any comment would be appreciated

*********

The sleeping form in his arms

*********

She was wrting her report, the question was why here and not in her office.

"What are you doing here?" Olivia looked up from the computer, her reading glasses on, her hair in a bun and trying to smile at Peter, but it turned out to be more like a grimace.

"It's quieter here, not so many people walking around."

Peter had time to really look at her. She was still not sleeping and the glasses help to see the shades under her eyes, reading his mind Olivia took them off. God, she looked tired.

"If you consider Walter and Gene less noisy who am I to argue with it." He made a pause waiting for an smile that never came. "Astrid is going for dinner, do you want anything?"

"No, thanks." And she went back to her report.

"Are you sure?, we're having Chinese today." He said in a singing voice.

"Yeah, thanks." She said without removing her sight from the computer. He had a last look at her and leave the room.

**********

"Food is here!" Peter announced while entering Olivia's office with a tray with and assortment of chinese food boxes.

"Thanks." But she didn't move, neither did Peter.

"Olivia." At the sound of her name she looked up.

"I'm not hungry." she said in her more serious voice.

"Well, I am and it's rude to let people eat alone, so... I'm gonna sit here on the couch and wait for you to finish and then you can join me." Peter sat on the couch placing the tray next to him, opening the boxes and eyeing them aprovingly.

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"No, but this does tastes good." He said while biting an egg roll. It did smell good and she really was hungry. She stood up and slowly limped towards the couch without her cane and landing less graciously than she expected. Peter handed her a box.

They ate in silence, Olivia didn't seem to be in the mood to talk so he didn't force it, at least he had her eating. After finishing their meal Peter put the tray on the floor and ofered Olvia a fortune cookie.

"I ate too much." She complained leaning on the back of the couch.

"You were hungry. When was the last time you ate? And not coffee, that doesn't classify as food." Olivia finally smiled a little, which make him smile in return, he put his arms on top of the back of the sofa, almost touching her shoulder.

"I don't know, I haven't been that hungry." Olivia made a face knowing she had revelaed too much, now he was going to ask if she was ok and a list of multiple questions, but Peter knew that doing that will only make her close more so he stayed quiet.

They sat in silence again. Outside the sun was setting, reflecting it's light and warm on the lab which was getting a little stuffy. Peter saw how Olivia's lids were starting to get heavy, she blinked a few times trying to stay up but she was loosing the battle.

"I can lend you my shoulder."

"I need to finish that report."

"It would only be a moment."

Olivia hesitated and Peter didn't give her time to think pulling her with his arm until she was leaning her head on his shoulder, Olivia gave up and closed her eyes.

"Only for a moment."

Peter stayed still until he heard her breathing slowing down, he looked at her and slowly removed her reading glasses storing them in his pocket's jacket. He wanted to stay there forever. He could feel her every breath, smell her hair, almost feel her heart beating, it was amazing.

Some time passed and he knew Olivia wasn't waking up any time soon and he wasn't about to wake her up so he did the next sensible thing: slowly he untangle his right arms from under her head and place it around her shoulders, she didn't stir, taking her with him he laid down on the couch being very careful with her leg; which he tried to place in a confortable position on top of his, she flinched a little.

Olivia was basically on top of his right side and it felt wonderful.

He took a strand of hair and put it behind her ear. Unconscious to the intimacy of the movement Olivia untuck her hands from between them and place them on his chest. Peter smiled.

More time passed, possible a couple of hours and it was getting darker outside, it was almost time to go home with Walter but he didn't want to wake up Olivia, in that moment Astrid entered the office.

"Peter you father is asking...?" Her question was cut short at watching the scene, smiling she said "Am I interrupting?"

"It 's not what it seems, she fell asleep."

"Yes, I can see that." But she kept smiling. "Your father is asking if it's time to leave, what do you want to do?" They were whispering now trying not to wake up the small frame of Olivia Dunham.

"Would you mind taking Walter to the hotel, I don't want to..." He said pointing at Olivia.

"Sure, no problem. Are you staying here?"

"Yeah, if I wake her up she is not going back to sleep."

"Okay, I'll take care of Walter."

"Just don't tell him, please, or I will never hear the end of it."

"Sure, do you want a blanket?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Astrid brought the blanket and tried to cover them as much as she could, still smilling.

"Okay, you are all set, I'll see you tomorrow"

"Thanks Astrid."

Astrid turned off the lights just leaving on the one on the desk next to Olivia's computer, and left the office door slightly ajar, a moment later Peter heard two voices leaving the lab and the door closing.

He tried to get as confortable as he could, but he wasn't that unhappy to be honest. He straighten up a little to check that Olivia's leg was not hanging, at the movement Olivia grasped his shirt in fistfuls.

He felt something spread inside him, soft and warm. This incredible strong woman that he sees everyday was also a very fragile person, he could see that no matter how hard she tried to hide it. He remember her after she woke up at the hospital in New York, how scared she was, she was still scared but she tried not to show it, but her mind had betrayed her in her sleep. She had trusted him at that time and still was. He wanted to deserve that, and he will stand next to her and protect her no matter what.

Peter surprised himself with the strenght of his feelings, he didn't know where exactly they were coming from but he took them as a good sign and the fact that he had no desire to run away from them.

He looked at the ceiling watching the shadows play with the lights, hearing the humming of the machines in the lab, closed his eyes and let the feelings come and engulf him. He felt complete.

Turning at the sleeping form in his arms, admiring what he now hold, Peter placed a kiss on Olivia's forehead and closed his eyes.

"I'm here Olivia, no matter what I'm staying here with you."

He felt her hands grasping his shirt.

**********

FIN