The Hypothesis Solution

By Cortexikid

A/N: This can be viewed as a continuation for my last one-shot "The Cynical, Frustrated Romantic Hypothesis" but can also be read by itself. I hope you enjoy. And yeah I realise that I'm going crazy with one-shots right now but the plot bunnies won't leave me alone and my convalescent state is an easy target lol.

Disclaimer: This wonderful Fringe Universe (and the other one) does not belong to me.

"I love you."

"I know. I love you too."

The words rang in his ears as he stood there, on the peer, her hand in his as they looked out at the sea. For some reason neither could look at the other as they said the previously unspoken (but certainly implied) words.

"You're going to have to tell her eventually, you know…" she said quietly, wisdom behind her words.

He sighed, knowing now what should have been obvious from the start. It was another damn dream.

"Yeah, I know…I just-what if I scare her away? I mean we've only been properly, "officially" 'no-impending-doom' dating for a few mon-"

"-You're rambling, Peter. If you can't steer clear of rambling in your own head then how do you expect to do it in real life?"

She was right of course, as always. It had been a recurring dream of late, them both standing on a peer having the exact same conversation time and time again. Yet, this was the first time for him to utter the words even to her and yet never once could he do it properly.

Shaking his head, he turned to look at her. Dream-Olivia was a lot like real Olivia, except, he'd never seen her in a elegant white dress that stopped just below her knee. But boy would he like to. Not that it mattered, she could wear a trash bag and his opinion of her would still be the same. She was mesmerizing.

"You gonna tell her that too?" dream Olivia asked, reading his thoughts.

He smirked. "Probably not."

She began to fade then, in a haze of white. Peter knew what was happening.

A soft pressure clasped his lips as he was tugged gently towards consciousness. He didn't want to leave here, the pleasurable dream of white sand beaches, flowing blonde hair tickling his cheek, a smaller hand molded against his own and blue skies overhead but something was telling him it'd be worth while to open his eyes. To escape back to reality. To embrace it.

"Peter…" a soft voice called from close by. He fought a smile. He knew that voice.

Stirring slightly, he slowly began lifting his heavy eyelids, immediately realizing that it was far, far too bright to still be night and yet not bright enough to be fully day. This was strange. Eventually, his gaze met hers and his heart raced at her grinning face.

There was nothing better in this universe (or any other) than waking up to Olivia Dunham, his 'Livia. But, for now, he'd keep that belief to himself.

"Livia? What time is it?" he heard himself croak as he squinted over at her.

He watched silently as a grin broke out on her beautiful face, that oh-so-familiar eyebrow raising in a teasing manner. He couldn't help but wonder if she was up to something.

"It's five thirty, give or take," came her gently reply as her finger now traced his cheek and nose. He felt his eyebrow raise in surprise, was she nuts waking him at this hour? But then something dawned on him and he remembered where they were and everything that had led up to this exact moment. Worry flooded his veins.

"How long have you been awake?" he couldn't bare it if she were up pacing all night like he had caught her doing many nights before. This was supposed to be a happy time, a get-away of sorts, he couldn't bare the thought of her being plagued by memories, nightmares while he slept soundly, dreaming of the bursting confession he so desperately wanted to make.

"A while," she replied ambiguously. This did nothing to quell his concerns.

"Can't sleep? Something bothering you?" he was almost fully awake now, the unease at her possible discomfort eating away at him.

An expression passed over her face at that moment, an unexpected and confusing expression. A look of, well, boredom. That certainly was not what he had envisioned. His worry began to ebb away slowly.

"I'm fine…just…feeling a bit…I dunno…bored, I guess", came her somewhat convincing tone of sheer (if he didn't know better) jade as she turned her head away from him. He knew better, however. She was most definitely up to something. He narrowed his eyes a little, a smirk forming on his face as he figured out her plan.

Fine. He'd take the bait.

"Well, I guess, if you really are feeling like that, we could do something to peak your interest," he responded, his voice entirely suggestive as he reached up and swept the golden hair out of her face.

Her eyebrow raised a second time.

"Any ideas?" he assumed that she intended to sound even a little innocent but her true intentions were so obvious now she may as well of held up a large neon sign labeled "let's fool around."

Images of their time together flickered across his mind and he couldn't help but beam happily at them before rolling his eyes and kissing her with all the passion he could master at such an early hour.

He felt her fingers roam his hair and the matching smile against his lips as their kiss deepened. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him, before flipping them around so she lay underneath him.

When the lack of oxygen became to much he reluctantly broke the kiss and found himself looking down at the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Olivia Dunham, pink-faced and gasping for breath, staring right up at him, her olive eyes shinning brightly to the point where he could see more happiness than he ever thought possible for her. The haunted glint had dimmed now. Significantly.

And without even thinking about it, without considering the consequences both physically and emotionally, he said it, for the first time, out loud for only her to hear.

"I love you."

A slight pause. Then, a smile. Far bigger than before.

"I know. I love you too."

Huh. Guess he is a romantic after all. Just not as frustrated anymore.

A/N: Okay so there's my little piece. As I said before, this is an idealistic view of what I hope ONE DAY Olivia and Peter will experience, don't worry I'm not going crazy and making them terribly out of character!

I'd love a review. Pretty please?