This is a little OS, takes place just after "Grey matters". English is not my first language, so I'm sorry for the mistakes you could find. I hope you'll like it anyway.
I don't own anything about Fringe (hélas...), just have my imagination !
Thanks for reading and enjoy !
Olivia glanced at the clock. It was 11 pm. Not so late for her, but it had been a hard day and she was exhausted. She couldn't sleep though. She tossed and turned in her bed. She still heard Peter's voice when he was alone with a dying Walter in his arms. She had felt his desperation, and it had been unbearable.
When she had told Broyles that she had made an emotional choice, her friend's life instead of getting Newton under arrest, it was half-part the truth. Well, it was the truth, but it was not really about Walter. It was about Peter.
Of course Walter was important, and maybe he was the key of everything. She liked him. He tried his best to be good man. Somewhere in his madness he knew he had done many bad things in his life, including using her in tests for Cortexiphan, but he had paid enough for that.
For Peter it was different. Her feelings were different. Actually, she knew in the depths of herself that she had made this choice for him.
Olivia let out a sigh and suddenly took a decision. She got up and dressed quickly with a pair of jeans and a sweater. She grabbed the keys of her SUV and slammed the front door behind her.
The frozen air made her realize that it was december yet. In a couple of weeks it will be Christmas. The snow didn't start to fall, thing that was kind of weird in Boston at this time of the year. As she started to drive towards her destination, she turned the heat on. She didn't know what she was really going to tell him, but she needed to see him, to talk to him. To be sure he was fine. They didn't have a time only together after what happened.
When she knocked at the door, she suddenly thought that he might be asleep yet. But less than thirty seconds later he opened the door.
"Hey." she smiled.
"Olivia ?" he said visibly surprised. "What are you doing here ?"
"I just wanted to know if... if you're okay ? Both of you ?"
She saw the dark circles underneath his eyes. He looked so tired.
"Walter is sleeping. Obviously valium, poison, and connection to his old brain tissues are not a good mix." he tried to joke but he was not in the mood. "Do you want to come in ?"
She nodded and he let her pass him.
"What about you ?" she asked when they were in the living-room. For once Walter was sleeping in his own bedroom and she was grateful for that.
"I'm fine." he said, but she knew he was lying.
"Peter it's not your fault. You don't have to feel guilty."
He let out a deep breath and sat on the couch.
"I should have visited him at St Claire's." he murmured, the same way he told her in the afternoon.
Olivia sat next to him. "You were just a boy. You didn't know. You couldn't."
"But if I did, maybe all this wouldn't have happened !"
He was so angry. He blamed himself.
"You have changed." she said softly after a minute.
He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, asking silently what she meant exactly.
"I told Broyles that I hadn't been professional. I let my emotions take control : I chose to save Walter and I let Newton go."
"And that's what makes you think that I have... changed ?"
"This choice was not only for Walter. It was for you."
"What do you mean ?" he asked. He still didn't understand what she was trying to say.
"When I heard you, when I heard your voice on the phone, it was like... I would have done anything for you not to feel like that. So hurt and desperate. It's too much pain."
She felt a tear in the corner of her eye so she blinked, because she didn't want to cry in front of him.
"Walter is your father, and you love him. That's what I mean when I say that you have changed. You're not just his babysitter, you're his son. A year ago you wouldn't have reacted like that."
He had a small smile. "A year ago I would never have thought being still in Boston right now."
"I'm glad you are." she said.
He turned to face her and his eyes locked hers. He held her hand and caressed her cheek softly. She shrugged and closed her eyes at his touch. When she opened them to look at him, she realized that he was just a mere inch from her face. She reddened and got up with an awkward cough.
"I have to go." she said.
He got up too. "Olivia..."
She moved towards the door, looking down the floor.
"Olivia, wait !"
He went after her and caught her wrist but she was still avoiding his stare. "Liv, do you really mean what you just said ?"
"Yes of course I do Peter." she answered. "I truly believe you have changed."
"That's not what I'm talking about." he made a pause. "Did you really choose to save Walter for me ?"
She hesitated. She had talked too much. She should have known he wouldn't let it drop. Why did she talk about her emotions to Peter ? She was on a dangerous way. She should have just said she knew he loved his father, not talk about her own feelings. She didn't even know how she felt exactly.
"You could have just called me." he continued as he saw she didn't say anything. "But you came here to tell me that. So I need to know : was it for me ?"
"Yes." she finally said.
He brushed her cheek with his fingertips and smiled softly. "Thanks Olivia. Thanks for coming out here tonight."
She swallowed hard. Since when Peter's touch made her heart beat so fast ? "I gotta go." she said reluctantly. She wanted to escape but he didn't let her leave.
"Don't you want to drink something ?" he asked as if he didn't hear her last words. He was still holding her wrist. "I don't like to drink all by myself. You're not going to let me be so pathetic, right ?"
She looked at him and couldn't help but smile. He had this boyish look on his face she lo... liked so much. She saw a big red flashing sign in her head, written DANGER, but she couldn't say no to him when he looked at her like that. She didn't want to say no.
"Come on Livia... You can't be so heartless !"
"Are you kidding me ?" she said with a frown, but she couldn't stay serious and had a laugh. "You should pay attention to what you say !" she pointed a finger at his chest.
"Or what ?" he murmured in her ear.
DANGER.
"Or you might be in trouble..."she replied the same way.
DANGER.
"Okay, okay..." he said, holding his hands and moving a step back. "After all you're the one who carries a gun."
But then he had a big grin. He had suddenly noticed the clothes she was wearing, and the fact she did not have her holster. "Though it seems that tonight you don't. Am I wrong ?"
"Well, I didn't plan to shoot you when I decided to come and see you, so no, I don't have my gun. But it doesn't mean that I can't get you in trouble you know..."
He winked at her. "Oh, of that I'm sure, Sweetheart..." He went back to the kitchen. "So what do you drink ?" he asked beyond his shoulder.
Olivia sighed and followed him. She knew she wanted to stay here with Peter rather than get back home alone in her so empty house. Rachel and Ella were on Philadelphia for a week.
"What do you offer ?" she said.
"Would whisky be okay ?"
"Yeah, sure." she replied as she took off her coat and sat on a stool across the bar. Then, they started to talk about all and nothing, ignoring everything related to the Pattern, Fringe Division, and actually everything related to work. They drank, they joked, they teased each other. After a while, they were sat on the coach and watching a movie, when Olivia felt more and more difficult to keep her eyes open. She checked her watch and saw it was 1:40 am. She sighed.
"Are we really watching 'Bringing Up Baby' ?" she asked. She had let her head resting on his shoulder.
"Yes we are." Peter replied, slightly amused. "You don't like it ?"
"Mmm I love it. Actually I was in love with Cary Grant when I was a girl." she mumbled with her eyes half-closed.
"And you're not anymore ?"
"Now I prefer George Clooney."
He had a laugh. "Miss Dunham has luxury taste ! What the hell has this guy for you women to be so crazy about him ?"
"Well... He's really hot."
"That's why you would choose him instead of Cary Grant ?" he asked.
"That's one of the reasons. And Cary Grant's dead. It's not good to persist in hanging on someone who's gone."
The end of her statement was barely a murmur but he got every word. She was almost asleep. He didn't know if she really spoke of Grant or if there was more in her words. He put his arm around her shoulder and she curled up against him. He smiled and kissed her hair.
A moment later Olivia emerged from her sleep, awake by a sudden silence. Peter had just turned off the TV. She blushed when she realized she was in his arms.
"Oh I'd rather go back home." she said, starting to get up quickly.
"Hey, hey, what's the rush ?" he asked and catched her forearm to stop her.
"Peter it's really late."
"You're half-sleeping. And you're a little drunk." He had a big grin. "You can't drive."
"I am not drunk. I can handle three glasses of whisky."
His smile grew bigger. "If only you had drunk just three. Look at the bottle. Haven't you noticed it wasn't opened a short while ago ? Of course you haven't because you were snoring on my shoulder."
"I don't snore !" she pouted.
"Oh yes you do Sweetheart... And it's no way I'm letting you risk to have a car accident."
Olivia looked at the bottle. It was almost empty. He was right, she was in no state to drive. But it was out of the question to admit it in front of him.
"It's so nice to you Mr Bishop to worry about my safety. So what do you propose ? I don't think you can drive either."
"I would never pretend that ! And even if I could, you don't really think I'd take you home at this time ??" he said with an ironic tone.
She hit his arm with her elbow. "I take back what I said. You're not nice, you're a boor."
"Okay I'm kidding... But seriously Liv, you have to sleep here. You can take my room." He was still smiling.
Olivia wondered if he was serious or if he was still joking.
"No, I can't. I'm not going to kick you out of your bedroom." she said.
"It's no big deal. I'll sleep on the coach. It's not as if I'm not used to. Come with me, you're tired."
She followed him upstairs and entered his room. He opened a closet and took a t-shirt of his to give it to her.
"The bathroom is just right there." he pointed the door at his left and opened it. Then he turned and came up to her. "Get some rest, you need it." He paused and added after an hesitation : "Good night Liv."
She was almost sure he wanted to say something else but he didn't. "Good night Peter." It was all she managed to tell him before he left the room.
She shook her head and shuddered. She had felt good in Peter's embrace when they were on the coach but now she was cold. She took off her clothes and slipped on Peter's t-shirt. She climbed under the covers and curled onto the sheets. She smelled his scent all over her. She would have liked to fall asleep at once, but thirty-five mintues later she rolled on her back for the fourteenth time and put her arms on her eyes. She let out a deep sigh. She couldn't sleep, even as exhausted as she was. She just couldn't help but think about Peter. Sweet, nice, awesome Peter. Gorgeous Peter. She was lying in his bed, and she was there all alone. She wondered if he was sleeping yet. Surely he was. But so many things had happened today, and she knew him enough not to suspect he hid her some of his thoughts and worries. She sighed once more and got up. She left the bedroom and went downstairs silently. It was all dark in the living-room but she could see Peter's outline lying on the coach and smiled. She startled when she heard his voice.
"Olivia ? Is something wrong ?" he sat and turned on the lamp on the table near him. He looked at her with all his concern.
"Hey. Sorry, did I wake you up ?" she whispered, really awkward..
"I was not sleeping. You okay ?" he asked.
She could see he was really worried.
"Yeah. I... I was just thirsty, I wanted some water." she said, trying to fing a good excuse to stand in his living-room half-naked (she was just wearing his oversized t-shirt) in the middle of the night.
His eyes scrutinized her for a moment and finally he had a big smile, then shook his head. "I thought I've showed you yet where the bathroom is..."
Olivia blushed and before she could find something clever to reply he winked and asked "Actually you missed me, right ?"
She wanted to protest but instead of she just heard herself say "Yes."
This time she felt her cheeks completely redden, and saw the sudden change of look on his face. Teasing and mockery vanished. All that she saw was something she couldn't really identify, but it made his eyes sparkle. He got up and came to her. He was just on his boxers, which didn't help Olivia to feel more comfortable, so she tried to avoid his gaze, looked down and closed her eyes. He put a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him.
"I can't sleep alone." she murmured. "Would you mind lying with me ?" She felt his stare pierce her.
"Okay." he said eventually. He took her hands gently in his and led her to his room. He closed the door behind them. She moved to lie down, hiding herself under the blankets. She felt the weight of Peter beside her when he did the same, as she turned her back to him. She hardly believed that she really asked him to sleep with her. Well, not sleep exactly, but share a bed with her. His own bed. Was she losing her mind ? Her body tensed and she almost stopped breathing when Peter's hands came around her waist and pulled her towards him.
"Relax, Liv. I'm here, you can sleep now." he murmured in her ear.
Then she felt his mouth kissing the shape of her neck lightly several times. It was so soft and gentle, he just brushed her skin with a lot of tenderness, and she started to breathe normally. There were hundreds of butterflies in her stomach, then some images took shape in her mind and she searched his hand to intertwine her fingers to his. She rolled on her back, not releasing his hand, and made him out distinctly in the darkness of the room, thanks to the moonlight through the curtains. He was on his side, and he rested his head in his hand. Olivia put her free hand on his cheek and slowly started to run her thumb on his stubble. He leaned in and kissed her. She responded immediately and kissed him back. When his tongue asked for more than her lips, she opened her mouth with no hesitation. She put her both hands behind his neck and he moved on lying above her. Olivia felt her desire building within her. His fingers went to her hips and she moaned against his lips.
"Peter..." Her breath was fast. She couldn't believe this was really happening, but she didn't want to think right now. She just wanted to enjoy the moment.
Peter's hands moved under the t-shirt Olivia was still wearing and brushed the warm skin of her stomach. She shuddered against his touch.
"What do you think about getting this off ?" he murmured in her ear, biting and sucking her lobe.
"And what about these ones?" she asked too, playing with the elastic on his boxers.
His lips captured hers. The kisses were hot and passionate. In a few seconds they were both naked, and then they were hit by the realization of what they were doing. He looked at her, her eyes were dark with desire.
"I want you Peter." she said before he could speak.
It was all he needed. He wanted her so badly. How many times did he dream about her at night, did he imagine how it would be to be with her ? It was a thousand times better than everything he had fantasized. He saw the smile on her face and he kissed her softly. Slowly she guided him inside her warmth and they started to move like one. At each thrust, they were closer to the edge. Peter was covering her with kisses, her hands were moving across his back and held him tighter. Suddenly, he felt his body trembling, she arched on the mattress and moaned his name. "Peter." Her voice made him burn, and then they collapsed on the bed. He rolled on his back and she came into his arms.
"Wow..." he said.
"Yeah." she smiled.
"That was..."
"Incredible."
"Amazing." he laughed and kissed her.
They stayed quiet for a while and then he broke the silence.
"I love you."
She held up her head and looked at him for a minute before leaning in and kissed him, but she didn't say anything. She lay against him, putting her head back on his chest. She could hear his heart pounding on his chest. And then she spoke "I love you too."
He was not certain of what he heard. "So you're not going to tell me this is a mistake ?" he asked with apprehension, needing to be sure of what she just told him.
She shook her head no and smiled. "You idiot... If you want to call what just happened a mistake, well it's the most wonderful mistake I've ever made."
"You're not going to panic and runaway ?"
She laughed frankly this time. "Are you trying to give me some bad ideas and freak me out ?" She kissed him deeply. "There is no place I'd rather be right now."
He pulled her closer to him. "I'm glad you came tonight Liv."
And so she was. She was happier than she could have expected. Happier than she had been in a long time. Because for once she had let her emotions take control. Because it was Peter.
THE END