Story Title: "He Said It Many Times"

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Humour, old school flirting

Rating: T

Notes: Written in response to 1.09's scene with Peter and Tessa attempting a kiss in the diner. Yuck. Tessa, get the hell up out of my fandom.

Disclaimer: Don't own Fringe. Or we'd have a new show each night.

'There's a moon roof in this car,' Olivia thought to herself as Peter fumbled above her. 'Well, it's more of a station wagon, not really a car. Jeez, I'm thinking stupid things!'

Never in a million years would John have done this with her. He would have found it sophomoric and jejune. And maybe a million years ago she would have found it just as lame and childish. And yet here she was, lying on her back in the backseat of an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, making out with the younger of the Bishop duo. It was quite dark outside, the clock on the vehicle's radio reading 8:15 and the November air outside was putting up an icy fight against the fogged windows. She imagined she could see the stars in the night sky above them.

Peter, who had managed a crouching position on the stiff seat, seemed very enthusiastic and was currently feeling her up; whilst his hands groped playfully, his teeth were tugging at her earlobe. They had both decided that it was too early in this partnership to "do it" with one another, but making out was a welcome amusement. Plus, it didn't require a condom. Starting as a joke during a break from the lab, they had laughed and teased each other: was Agent Dunham capable of a good time? Was Peter Bishop more than a somber son? One way or another, it had resulted with them hurrying off to the almost empty parking lot where they climbed into the back seat of the station wagon, daring each other to go through with the flirtatious antics. "Do it! I don't believe you'll kiss me!" "Do it! I don't believe you'll touch me!"

And this was fine with Olivia. She didn't need sex—she needed attention.

"Is that your gun or are you just happy to see me?" he whispered throatily into her ear, the sentence trailing in a chuckle.

Olivia laughed slightly and shifted slightly as she moved to remove her holster. She maneuvered it off and placed it down on the floorboard; there was something cold and hard down by her fingers and she determined it was glass, possibly a jar. Olivia had always been curious and if she didn't find out what the object was, it was going to drive her crazy all night. She grasped onto it and pulled it up. It was a jar and there was something floating inside it…

She let out a scream, horrified at what she was seeing.

"Dammit! How many of these things does Walter have?!" Peter exclaimed angrily, snatching the jar from her.

She scrambled up into a sitting position and he did the same.

"Jesus Christ!" she exclaimed nervously. "Whose hand is that?!"

"I don't know." He looked up at her and gave a sheepish smile. "So I guess the moment is ruined?"

"Completely." She couldn't help but smile, though. "But it was fun you know? Like I was back in high school."

"Ah, a more innocent time," Peter said with a smile.

Olivia retrieved her holster off the floorboard, hesitantly of course because she didn't want to grab anything but. "And I'm sure Astrid and Walter are wondering where we are."

"Button up your shirt," Peter playfully ordered, still studying the jar.

"Do you think we should investigate the hand?"

"No." Peter sighed and grimaced. "I don't think that we really have the time. And in the long run, this hand is no good to whomever owned it originally. This happened over 17 years ago, probably more."

She turned on the overhead light. "Why is the water pink, if that's water…?"

Peter looked back up at her. "It's not."

"Ehhhhh…" she moaned, drawing herself as far away from the jar as she could.

"God, this is gross," Peter complained as he got out of the Vista Cruiser.

Olivia followed suit, making sure to examine her appearance in the reflection of the station wagon's windows so that she knew she didn't look too mussed. They began their walk back to the lab and to her relief, they didn't hold hands.

No, John would have never made out with her in the back seat of a car, let alone his father's. He wouldn't have had a pickled hand or the clear head to assure her that this was nothing weird, just unpleasant. She wondered if it was wrong to have moved on from the first man to completely steal her heart and she was quick to remind herself that John had in fact stolen more than her heart.

"I love you."

He said it many times. Dozens, hundreds, thousands.

John had been someone she could live with, but never without. And Peter was…irreplaceable.

'Because he's needed here! To take care of Walter!' she told herself as clammy dread spread through her.

She didn't want to be interested in Peter Bishop and she didn't want to be in love with John Scott, which presented a serious problem because she knew she was feeling serious, er, "feelings" for both of them and it becoming a distraction. Plus, having very real appearances of John did nothing to help either matter.

"We're back," Peter announced flatly as they entered the laboratory and Dr. Bishop looked a little startled.

"You were gone? I though you were in the office," he said, an adoring smile coming to his face as he trailed after his son.

"No, Walter. Agent Dunham and I went for a walk," Peter said, now with a tone of irritation in his voice.

While the doctor questioned his son about the supposed walk, Astrid took one look at her swollen lips and raised an eyebrow before looking away. Apparently the assistant knew exactly where the "walk" had taken place and Olivia blushed uncomfortably at the somewhat irritated look on her face—apparently Astrid didn't like getting left with the doctor so that someone else could cop a feel.

Olivia went back to her office to lurk and busy herself with folders to ignore accusing looks and Walter's babble, but she couldn't think past Peter Bishop. He was everything she never knew she wanted, though she knew she couldn't have him. They were just too…

Well, she didn't want to say "perfect" but there was something suspiciously starcrossed abut considering them together right now. Maybe once things settled down, once they knew each other better… there was no way she was going to allow herself to fall head over heels for someone, especially so soon after the whole mess with John—

"Hey, we're getting ready to leave."

She looked up to the office doorway, startled out of her thoughts to see Peter.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then," she said, giving him a half smile.

"See ya," he said, giving her a grin.

Once he was gone, she let out a tired sigh; her heart was racing and her palms were sweaty. She knew that Peter was the type of man who would say it many times, too.