A/N: This story contains a minor situation of non-consent, so if you aren't comfortable with that, turn back now. Thanks :)

Also, I like to explore many different sides of the characters, so some might call my stories slightly OOC. However, I don't like that term and believe it is restrictive. I just write what I see in my own mind, whether it's in character or not.

I don't use a beta, so all mistakes are mine.

Hope you enjoy :)

"Finally," Olivia murmured to herself as she closed her last file for the day. It was already 8:00 PM on a Friday night, and she had been sitting in her office in the lab since 6:00 AM looking over cases. Standing up, she winced as a sharp pain shot through her back. God, she must've been sitting there longer than she'd thought. She stretched her muscles out the very best she could in her tight suit and grabbed her pea coat to head into the blistering winter wind. It was time to call it a day.

When she turned the doorknob on her office door and opened it a crack, she heard voices coming from the lab. She'd thought she was the only one there, but Peter must've somehow slipped in without her noticing. He was standing at the doorway chatting with Agent Chris Hutton, whom was new to the FBI and had been assigned as the Fringe Division's personal assistant. He was completely clueless to what he was doing and what exactly the Fringe Division was, but he took his job very seriously. He was probably a few years younger than Olivia with sandy blonde hair and kind brown eyes. She found it surprising that he was single.

Olivia began to open the door more, but stopped when she heard her name leave Agent Hutton's mouth. She didn't catch his entire sentence, but listened closely to see if her name would come up again.

"Hutton, thanks for meeting me here on such short notice," Peter stated as he opened the door to the lab to let the agent in.

"No problem, Bishop. Here are those files you asked for," Chris reported, handing the folders to Peter.

"Thanks. That's all I needed."

"Glad to be of assistance." He began to shift his weight from foot to foot and fiddle with his hands, obviously nervous about something. "So, is Olivia here?"

Peter gave him a questioning look. "Olivia? Uh, yeah she's in her office. She's been really busy today, though. I've learned it's just best to leave her be while she's in her zone."

"Oh…okay."

"Why do you ask?" Peter inquired curiously.

"I was going to see if she wanted to have a drink with me later tonight."

Peter eyed him skeptically and crossed his arms. "I wouldn't bother if I were you. She's pretty uptight when it comes to things like having fun. Not the most enjoyable person to be around, if you know what I mean."

"Oh. I see. Well, I guess I'll see you around then."

"Yep, see you around. Thanks again."

Peter shut the door behind Agent Hutton as he left the lab. He felt bad for fibbing to Chris and telling him that Olivia was uptight and unpleasant, but it was just the first lie that came to his mind. Truthfully, he just didn't want any guy to ask her out besides him. He wanted to be the only man that Olivia was seeing. Peter hadn't yet built up the nerve to admit he had deep feelings for her, but was planning on telling her soon. He just wanted to make sure that when he told her it was the perfect moment. Until then, all he had to do was keep all suitors away from her, which was much easier said than done.

She's pretty uptight when it comes to things like having fun. Not the most enjoyable person to be around. Olivia closed her office door and leaned her head against the cold, glass window. Was she really uptight and unexciting? Almost every time Peter had asked her to get drinks with him she'd accepted. She always had fun when she was out with him, and he seemed to enjoy himself, as well. She'd clearly been wrong.

Olivia had pretty thick skin, but for some reason, Peter's words hurt her to the core. She felt like the only person she'd ever come to trust completely had betrayed her. It was silly of her to be so offended by such a harmless statement, but she was. She'd even begun to sense that Peter had developed feelings for her, just like she had for him. She'd obviously been wrong about that, as well.

She was astounded when her eyes started to sting with tears. Was she seriously going to cry over a few stupid words? She was Special Agent Olivia Dunham. She had fully recovered from a car accident that should've left her dead, crossed universes, controlled things with her mind, and thousands of other unworldly things that normal people wouldn't even dream of doing. And now she was tearing up over a couple of guileless statements? This exhaustion was really toying with her emotions.

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Olivia walked out of the lab defiantly. Peter looked up from reading a file and smiled at her, hopping down from the table he was sitting on. Today was supposed to be his day off, but he knew Olivia would be at the lab by herself. Even though he was aware she'd stay in her office all day, he still didn't want her to be alone. He also had some work he'd been putting off that needed to be attended to.

But above all else, he just hoped she would agree to go out to dinner with him, which they'd never done before.

Tonight he was finally going to ask her on a real date.

"Livia, hey. How are you? Did you get all of your work done?" Peter asked as he fell into step beside her.

Olivia refused to meet his gaze, still wounded by his allegation. "I'm fine. Yes, I am done with my work," She answered curtly.

Peter was confused when she didn't stop walking to have a conversation with him. Usually they hung out and talked for a little bit in the lab when it was just the two of them. She seemed slightly upset.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm great. Just tired that's all." When they reached the door, Peter stood in front of it and looked at her quizzically. She stared up at him in annoyance. "Peter, I really just want to go home and get some sleep. I've been staring at files for over 12 hours."

"Too tired to have dinner with me?"

Olivia gave a stunned laugh and shook her head. Was he serious? Now she was angry. "Oh, I better not. I'm much too uptight and boring for things like that, remember?"

Swiftly, she dodged to the side of him and grabbed the doorknob. Peter felt his heart lodge in his throat, obstructing his breathing. She'd heard what he'd said about her; only she had no idea that it'd been a complete lie.

"Olivia, wait, let me explain," He pleaded despondently, gently grabbing her arm to stop her from leaving.

She jerked his hand away as if he'd burned her and opened the door. She didn't want to hear any phony excuses.

"Please, Liv. It's not what you think," Peter assured as he chased after her down the hallway.

Abruptly she stopped walking and turned to face him. He was barely able to stop himself from running smack into her.

"You know what, Peter? I don't want or need any bogus explanations. I heard what you said, and it sure sounded like you meant it. What I don't understand is why you always ask me out when I'm obviously not good enough to meet your standards. Jesus, is it just some kind of sick game to you? Do you take me out and pretend like you're having a good time, and then laugh about how bland I am behind my back? I really thought you were different, Peter. Evidently I was completely mistaken."

Olivia turned and hurried out of the building to her car, leaving him completely dumbstruck. She could no longer hold back the hot tears that were now streaming down her face as she got into her vehicle. She had really thought Peter was special, and all of this time he'd been playing her just like every other guy she'd ever had feelings for. Only this time, it hurt much worse.

As she sped home, Olivia thought more and more about what Peter had said, and turned her car around. She drove past the quiet neighborhoods and into the city until she reached a small, cozy-looking bar on the corner. Releasing her hair from her pony and undoing a couple more buttons on her blouse, she headed inside. She was about to show Peter just how 'uptight' she could be.

Peter stood speechless in the hallway of Harvard for a good five minutes before he regained enough of his wits to head back into the lab. How could he have been so stupid? His selfish lie to keep Olivia to himself had not only resulted in him losing her, it had also hurt her so deeply that she'd cried. Olivia never cried.

"Shit!" Peter yelled as he flipped one of the lab tables over, sending all of its contents flying into various places around the room. He had never been so angry with himself in his entire life. What he really wanted to do was go chase after Olivia and pour his heart out to her, but he knew she needed space. If there was anyone that knew Olivia, it was him. He just hoped that if he gave her enough time and distance, she would come around and let him explain. He needed her to know that what he'd said wasn't true— needed her to know that she was his absolute favorite person to be with in the whole world. Silently, Peter walked out of the lab, leaving his mess behind. It wouldn't be the only thing he'd have to clean up later, thanks to his negligence.

The second Olivia walked into the bar, her eardrums were filled with the loud cadence of classic rock. It smelled strongly of smoke and cheap perfume, and definitely wasn't as pleasant as the bar her and Peter usually went to. Peter. Just thinking his name made her breath hitch in her throat. Barring him from her mind, she pulled her shoulders back confidently and sat on a stool at the counter.

There weren't too many people around: several guys playing pool in the back, a couple of girls sitting at a table drinking fruity cocktails, and a few men sitting alongside her at the bar. She ordered a shot of whiskey and tipped it back, grimacing as the hard alcohol burned its way down her throat.

"Another one for the lady," A voice from behind her called to the bartender. Olivia turned and saw a tall, handsome man she assumed was in his mid thirties. His eyes were a brilliant shade of blue, his hair wiry and nearly jet-black. He looked like he'd just walked out of a Calvin Klein advertisement. He sat on the stool beside her and flashed a blindingly white smile. "So, what's someone as attractive as you doing alone at a bar?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Olivia responded flirtatiously as she threw back her second shot. She signaled for another.

"Beautiful and handles her whiskey better than most men. What's your name?" He questioned huskily, leaning in closer to her. Normally she would smile and walk away, but not tonight. Tonight she was daring. Exciting, even.

She leaned in so her face was mere inches away from his. "What's yours?"

He laughed lightly and brought his hand to his chin. "Daniel. You know, I'm usually pretty good at figuring out women at first glance, but you are a complete mystery. The second I saw you I knew I had to come talk to you."

Olivia smiled slyly and downed her third shot. "Maybe that's how I want it to be."

Smirking and shaking his head, he held out his hand and stood up. "Well, I've always been a sucker for mystery. Care for a dance?"

Without hesitation, Olivia put her hand in his and followed him out to the nearly empty dance floor. Before she knew what was happening, he spun her around and dipped her body low so it was almost touching the ground. Then he slowly brought her back up, never taking his eyes off of hers.

"You know your way around a dance floor. I wouldn't have guessed," Olivia spoke as he glided her expertly across the room.

"Maybe you should get to know me a little," He winked, pulling her body flat against his. It made her a little uncomfortable, but she wasn't about to chicken out now. She was already too invested in this, and Olivia Dunham never backed down from a challenge.

As they sashayed to the music, Olivia decided she might as well ask him some questions about himself.

"So, Daniel. Are you from around here?"

"No, I'm not. I'm from Philadelphia."

"What brings you to Boston?"

"How about you tell me your name, and I'll tell you why I'm here."

Olivia grinned and acquiesced. "Olivia."

"Olivia." He smiled and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

"Thank you. Now, why are you here?"

"Business. I work in advertising, and I had an interview today for a manager position at one of the leading firms in the country."

"And how did your interview go?"

"I guess I'll just have to wait and see if they call me tomorrow. Until then, I want to keep my mind on other things. Like you."

"Hmm charming."

"I try. So, Olivia, what do you do?"

"Guess." This ought to be good.

"Let's see. Well, you're too complex to be a receptionist and much too sexy to be a teacher. You're a spy, aren't you?"

Olivia laughed. "You're dead on."

"I knew it." He spun her around once more and pulled her back in against his body. Only this time, his hand went a little lower on her back, and she stiffened. He moved his hand up automatically. It made her a little more comfortable knowing that Daniel would respect her space if she showed signs of displeasure. This really wasn't as bad as she'd thought it would be. Actually, it was quite enjoyable.

"What do you actually do?" He questioned.

"That information is strictly confidential," She stated matter-of-factly. Little did he know she was actually telling the truth.

"Honey, I am going to solve your little mystery of a life. How about a few more drinks?"

"Sounds great."

Daniel ordered them another round and they drank and chatted for an hour or so. When a yawn escaped her mouth, she looked at her watch and was shocked to see that it was already past 12:00 AM. She had almost been awake for 24 hours.

"Looks like someone is tired. Hard day?"

Olivia felt a sharp pain in her chest as Peter returned to her consciousness. "You could say that."

"I'm usually not this straightforward, but would you like to come back to my hotel room with me? I'm staying at the Fifteen Beacon. The bed is luxurious, and there is a massive Jacuzzi." He scooted closer to her and brought his hands to her shoulders, massaging them deeply. It felt incredible. "Close your eyes and imagine yourself submerged in that steaming water, the jets massaging all the worry and stress from your body."

Olivia closed her eyes and imagined the heavenly scene he'd just described. It did sound wonderful. Suddenly, he moved one of hands to the back of her head and the other to cup her cheek. Before her mind could comprehend what was happening, his lips were on hers, silky and smooth. She knew she shouldn't be kissing him back, but she was. The alcohol was making her feel confident and daring. When he pulled away, he beamed and helped her to her feet. She must've stood up too fast because she began to topple forward, thankfully landing in his arms. Exactly how much had she had to drink?

"Whoa now, take it easy. I've got you." He put his arm around her waist and sat her back down on the stool. "I'm going to call a cab for us. Just sit tight, okay?"

She nodded and rested her head in her hands. Although her thoughts were cloudy, her logical, lucid brain was thankfully too stubborn in be inhibited completely. Daniel was a really nice guy, but she couldn't go to his hotel room with him. She just wasn't that kind of woman.

Slowly, she stood up and took a deep, steadying breath. There seemed to be two of everything— she hadn't been this drunk since... ever.

"Olivia, hey, you shouldn't be standing," Daniel instructed. "The cab should be here in a couple minutes. Just relax until then, alright?"

Olivia obliged and sat back down again. "Daniel, you are a great guy and I've really enjoyed myself tonight, but I can't go back to your hotel room with you. I really just need to go home and sleep."

Clearly disappointed, he nodded and sat down next to her. "I understand. I don't want to pressure you into anything you don't want to do. I'm just incredibly attracted to you; I've never met anyone like you before."

"Well maybe when I'm not so drunk we can see each other again and have a conversation I will actually remember."

"Touché. So, is that a 'yes' to seeing me again in the near future?"

"Yes," She smiled.

Unexpectedly, Olivia felt her stomach twist into a billion knots as a sudden sweep of nausea took over her body.

"I—I need to go to the bathroom," she managed to choke out.

Daniel quickly stood up and practically carried her to the restroom. Once inside, she went into one of the stalls and leaned over the toilet. This had to be the most embarrassing moment of her life.

"Do you need me to hold your hair back?" He asked softly.

"No, I've got it. Thank you, though. You can leave if you want to. I'll call a cab for myself," She replied weakly.

"I'm not going to leave you like this, Olivia. I'll be right outside, okay?"

"Okay."

Before he left, he took the hair tie from her wrist and gathered her strands into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. Without another word he left the bathroom, leaving Olivia kneeling on the dirty floor over a germ-infested toilet. Disgusting was putting it lightly.

After a few minutes of heaving, Olivia felt her nausea begin to dissipate as her stomach calmed down. She stood up and slowly walked to the door so she wouldn't topple over. Her head felt like it had its own heartbeat. When she finally found the doorknob, she turned it and saw Daniel standing outside the bathroom with what she assumed was a glass of water.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked as he handed her the water. "Drink this."

"Thank you," She stated, downing it in 3 huge gulps. "I feel a lot better now."

"Good. The cab is waiting outside, let me help you to it."

She allowed him to put his arm around her waist and guide her to the taxi parked alongside the curb. When he opened the door for her, she turned to him and smiled. "Daniel, thank you so much for everything. If I could just get your num—"

Before Olivia could finish her sentence, the most intense wave of exhaustion she'd ever felt hit her like a car crashing into a brick wall. She actually felt her head begin to spin, her vision getting darker around the edges until everything went completely black. The last image she saw was Daniel's face looking at her as he pulled her into the cab with him. She might have been imagining it, but she could've sworn he was sneering…