Title: Bulletproof
Author: SamSpade
Rating: M
Summary: New Years is not how anyone imagined it.
"This time, baby, I'll be bulletproof"
Olivia watched outside her window as snow slowly began falling but it had yet to blanket the city. There wasn't much, a dusting settled on the steps outside and she stood up, heading towards her room and the closet. It took her ten minutes to find a sweater. Her wardrobe had drastically changed. Well, not true. She had thrown out all of her clothes but her style, what she bought looked exactly the same. No one knew, except for Peter. She'd forgotten a tag on her blouse when she'd gone into work and he'd noticed in the lab. He was the perfect gentleman about it and she wanted to slap him. He was in part the cause of her changing her life, doing things differently now. That wasn't true. She knew she was blaming him when he was a victim in all of this but she felt compelled to because she couldn't blame the woman that had stolen her identity and betrayed all of them.
With a heavy sigh, she slid her arms into the sweater, doing her best to bundle up. Tonight was New Years Eve which meant First Night in Boston. It was the biggest party imaginable. Rachel would be by any minute and they'd be going together.
She heard the door, "just a second!" Olivia called making her way out of the bedroom. She glanced through the peephole before opening the door, "Rachel!" She smiled embracing her sister in a tight hug. She hadn't seen, not since before she'd gone over there. She'd been home a few months now but Rachel had been in Chicago with Greg.
"Sorry I'm late," Rachel stepped inside glancing around. "Peter's not here?" She couldn't help but ask if he was coming out tonight with them.
Olivia's face grew grave, "no, he isn't." She really didn't want to talk about Peter. Things between them were-stressed to say the least. He was still around, helping with work, supporting her every day on the job but beyond that—she couldn't allow herself to feel something more. She buried the feelings she did have because he'd hurt her—gone and given himself completely to the other Olivia Dunham, the one not of this world. Olivia glanced at her sister, "where's Ella?"
Rachel sighed, "long story. Tonight she's spending it with Sydney. Do you remember her? They were inseparable before we moved. Anyways she's staying tonight, having a pajama party which is really nice because I could use a few drinks and my sister to talk to."
Olivia nodded slowly, "what is it Rach?" She could see through any front she tried to put up.
Rachel's eyes teared up just thinking about it. "Greg." She confessed. "I was stupid for going back to him, thinking he'd changed." She rubbed at her eyes. "I found a pair of underwear in the laundry, Liv. They're not mine."
Olivia sighed, "you can stay here for as long as you need." She didn't know what else to say.
Rachel nodded appreciatively. She hugged her older sister once again, "thanks, Liv."
"Guys are pigs," Olivia breathed trying her best to cheer her baby sister up. She hated seeing her go through such turmoil with boys. Growing up Rachel always had the boyfriends, was always the prettier sister but it didn't matter, they always broke her heart again and again. Rachel never seemed to give up on them.
"Peter's not," Rachel sniffled, wiping the last of her tears.
Olivia rolled her eyes, "you'd be surprised." She really didn't want to get into that conversation tonight. How could she explain to her sister that he'd betrayed her in the worst possible way by sleeping with an alternate version of herself? Damn classified material!
Rachel stared at her sister, "I don't believe it, Liv."
Olivia glanced at the clock, needing any type of possible distraction. "We should head out. There's tons to do today and we should get started on our night of fun."
Rachel smiled weakly through the last tears shed, "it's not even three yet, Liv."
Olivia nodded, "I know and we're running late. The party started early this morning. Come on." She grabbed her keys and things from the counter.
Rachel followed Olivia outside and together they shared a cab downtown. "What are we doing first?" Rachel asked knowing there were tons of activities but she wasn't the slightest bit aware of the schedule. If it were up to her, she'd go dancing but she was certain she'd never seen her sister dance, ever.
"When was the last time you went ice skating?" Olivia asked with a wry smile.
Rachel felt a smile spread across her face, momentarily forgetting all her troubles. "Really?" She loved to ice skate! She knew Olivia hated it and couldn't believe her sister was the one suggesting it. "Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" Rachel joked watching Olivia's face fall. "Oh come on I'm kidding, Liv."
"I know," Olivia shook her head trying to push the memories away. She put on a brave face, her sister never knowing the truth, "I was just thinking how I may have left the lights on in the bedroom." It was the quickest excuse she had at the moment. Something small enough to be an annoyance but not large enough to actually cause them to turn around and go back to the apartment.
Rachel smiled wrapping an arm around Olivia, "it'll be fine. We're going out to have fun."
"Right, I know." Olivia nodded watching as the cab driver pulled to a stop and Olivia paid him before stepping out onto the curb. Rachel followed her sister out of the cab and glanced around, taking it all in. She couldn't believe how many people were already out and it wasn't even dark yet! Together they headed towards the ice rink, walking over and renting skates before sitting down on a bench tying up their laces. Olivia sighed, hated even bringing it up but she had to know. "How's Ella doing with everything going on?"
Rachel's smile slowly faded, "she's handling it rather well. Of course she's still young, doesn't know the extent of what's going on." Rachel finished tying her laces and stood up, offering a hand to her older sister.
Olivia graciously took her hand, together they made their way onto the ice. "Ella doesn't know about Greg's indiscretions?" It wasn't as though Ella needed to know the specifics either. She could accept that, she just wondered what Rachel told her to explain what was going on, the sudden move to Boston, again.
"Believe me," Rachel let out a heavy sigh of annoyance, "Greg won't be back. He won't come looking for Ella or for me." She eyed her sister, "he wants nothing to do with Ella." It broke her heart to say it, "I guess I should be grateful, we should be grateful," her eyes welled up, "this time there will be no custody battle." She dried her tears with the back of her hand.
Olivia immediately reached out, hugging her sister and in the process taking her down on the ice with a hard thud. She grimaced but ignored the hot searing pain of flesh against ice. Together they stood up, "sorry," Olivia apologized for knowing Rachel down with her. "Maybe, in some crazy way this better for everyone."
Rachel sniffled, eyeing her sister, "I don't know how. He's signing over all rights of custody to me. I don't even care about that, I mean I do because how do I explain it to a seven year old, Liv?"
Olivia sighed, unsure herself how they'd tell Ella that she'd probably never see her father again. "Maybe we just tell her it's for the best. That he loves her and wants what's best for her, which is living with her mom in Boston." Olivia always had the level head on her shoulders.
Rachel nodded, feeling the tears freezing to her face but she had finally stopped crying. "Yeah, I guess so." She wasn't confident Ella wouldn't ask questions but so long as she didn't fight back, demand to be with her father—it wouldn't be so bad.
Olivia had sensed the change in mood and realized it wasn't her intention this afternoon. "I'm sorry," she apologized to her sister, "we're out here to have fun today. We should enjoy it."
Rachel smiled through the pain, "I couldn't agree more."
They had skated for what felt like hours, at least to Olivia. Her feet were sore and aching and every-time she glanced at her sister to ask if they could be done, she saw the look on Rachel's face, how happy she was. She told herself she'd ask her in five minutes—which led to two hours later.
Rachel smiled, skating over towards the edge and then walking to a bench to remove them. "I can't believe you kept up with me out there. You might actually become a pro at this."
Olivia laughed, "yeah maybe in another life." She grimaced as she untied the strings, pulling her foot out and seeing a slight scar from the skates rubbing against her foot.
"Liv you okay?" Rachel frowned seeing the dark crimson color against her sisters socks.
Olivia quickly readjusted her sock, "I'll be fine." She swallowed the pain, there were worse things she'd experienced in life that hurt. This was nothing. They returned the skates and Olivia glanced at her sister, "how about some dinner?" She felt her own stomach grumbling and knew Rachel hadn't likely eaten much since the flight over.
"That sounds really good," Rachel's eyes lit up with a knowing smile. "Can I choose the place?"
Olivia shrugged, "you know Boston that well?" It surprised her sister to know the city. Certainly she'd lived with her for a few months but she didn't think her sister had eaten out much.
"I know what you like," Rachel grinned grabbing her sister's hand and running.
Olivia's eyes widened, gripping Rachel's hand tight as they thwarted through the mass of people. "Rachel!" Olivia laughed wondering where they were going.
Rachel stopped hard, causing Olivia to slam into the back of a complete stranger and knock him to the ground. "Sorry," she quickly apologized, moving off his body, only to see the man turn around and stand up, as she came face to face with him. "Peter." She laughed surprised that in all of Boston, her sister was able to find the one man she had been avoiding.
Peter gave her a strange look, "Olivia?" He hadn't expected to see her tonight, let alone get plummeted by her. "Enjoying First Night?" He asked before catching sight of her sister, "hi Rachel. Olivia didn't tell me you were back in town."
Rachel smiled, "it's good to see you again, Peter. Yeah it was a last minute arrangement. Olivia and I were just deciding where to go to dinner. Maybe you'd like to join us?"
Peter glanced from Rachel to Olivia, seeing her eyes begging him to say no. "Sure, I'd like that." He grinned knowing he didn't have any other plans and it wasn't such a secret he wanted to patch things up with Olivia. Although he doubted it would happen over dinner and he figured it was even less likely given her sister was joining them, at least he could spend some quality time with Olivia. "Where's Ella?" Peter asked eyeing the crowd, hoping they didn't lose the youngest one.
Rachel nodded, "sleepover."
Peter smiled, "oh. Bet she's planning on staying up late and eating more candy then she can stomach."
Rachel laughed, "I certainly hope so." She wanted her daughter to have a good time, she deserved it. "So, recommendations on dinner?" She wasn't letting up.
Peter nodded glancing at Olivia, surprised to find her so quiet. "Anyplace you have in mind, Olivia?"
Olivia merely shook her head no. She wasn't talking and really didn't want to have dinner with Peter. She knew her sister was trying to help but she didn't know what had happened. She wasn't aware that he had slept with another version of herself and that had painstakingly hurt.
Rachel nudged her sister with a knowing smile, "you have to talk to him eventually, Liv."
Olivia gave her sister a harsh glare thinking to herself 'only at work.'