A/N: So this came to me after reading a very in depth (very bad) review of the Fringe "tie in" novels on tumblr. Now this story doesn't have anything to do with the horrid no-way-in-any-universe-can-this-shit-be-canon books. But it addresses some things the review wished the book about Olivia's childhood actually addressed. I'd love to hear what you think!
POP! POP!
All she could process was her harsh breathing. Her mind racing so fast she could feel her thoughts slipping off the tips of her fingers. Her fingers were heavy. She looks at her hands and realizes she's still holding the gun. Still? When did she pick it up? Her arms were still raised, aiming the gun at the empty doorway, the red door swung wide. Had someone been there? The blood rushed in her ears making her feel like they were stuffed with cotton. She'd thought the shots would be louder. Had she really given it any thought at all? Slowly sounds started filtering back in. There were sirens in the distance. Banging and muffled, crying screams from upstairs. Rachel. Labored breathing from behind her.
"Oh God..." A breath. "Olive…?" The voice was tentative. She couldn't tell if it was the first time it had spoken. There was a sliding sound. The click of a ring on drywall. A rustling. Bare feet on carpet. "Olive, honey…" The voice was slow. Mom. Did she have a cold? "Olive, please put the...put the gun down, sweetie. It's over, baby it's all over." Gentle hands on her shoulder, sliding down her raised arms, cupping her trembling hands. Sad blue eyes met terrified green. "It's ok, babygirl, it's ok."
Olivia felt the gun being tugged gently from her hands. Her iron grip slackened quickly with her brain's willingness to take another's guidance. It could barely process that her hands were her own. She looked at her mother crouching next to her. Her nose looked different and there was blood on her face. Olivia's hand rose slowly, as if she were pulling it through molasses, her small fingers touching the red liquid dripping down her mother's pale skin. Why was it there?
There was a commotion outside. Lights and sirens and people shouting. "Marilyn? Are you alright?" Olivia looked quickly to the new voice and everything started moving normal speed again. She recognized the man. He'd been friends with her father. He gave her and Rachel lollipops sometimes. "God, Jesus… What happened?"
Marilyn swallowed and grimaced. "Carlos… It...It was Steven, he…" She shied away from his scrutiny, ashamed. She looked at him, pleading. "She was only protecting me, Carlos. He'd left, but he came back and she was just trying to keep him from hurting us anymore."
Carlos said something in Spanish under his breath. Olivia was pretty sure he was cursing. He looked over his shoulder at his partner. "Hey Tony, when they're done with...out there, see if you can get a medic over here would you? The lady needs to be fixed up."
Marilyn grabbed the shoulder of his uniform, a bit desperate. "Carlos…"
He looked her in the eye. "It's alright, I'm going to take care of you. You don't have to worry." He glanced around and then back at her. "Where's Rachel?"
"Upstairs." It was only then she realized Rachel's screams had died down. Carlos's eyes shot to Olivia, not expecting her to be the one to speak. She hadn't even twitched since he'd gotten there. Olivia raised her eyes to met his. He couldn't help but think they looked far too old to belong to a nine year old.
A man with a presses shirt and pants and a maroon medic patch on his arm came in the door, stepping carefully as to not disturb the crime scene any more than necessary. Carlos tried to smile at her, but his eyes were still concerned. "Alright, little chica, you and your mom get checked out. I'll go bring Rachel down." She watches him go, a small anxiety niggling in her gut for Rachel's safety with this man even though he'd done nothing to deserve it. The shouting outside continued and Olivia saw the end of the gurney being pushed into the back of the ambulance before the doors slammed shut and it sped off, sirens blaring once again.
A/N: This will have at least 3 more chapters I think. They will all be short and hopefully I will update them without too much time in between. I am comfortable labeling this as headcanon in story form. This is really what I think happened.