Four Weeks of Courtship, a fringe fanfic

Four Weeks of Courtship

Summary: It obviously is not a good idea to sleep with your partner. OneShot.

Warning: Hmmm… Beware of AU. Oh, I so enjoyed this.

Set: Story-unrelated. Entirely. Did I mention the AU? Pretend this happens in yet another world.

Disclaimer: No copyright inFringement intended.

Tuesday

"Agent Dunham, this is Peter Bishop. He is professor at MIT and will be your consultant in this case."

She bites her tongue to stop herself from saying the last thing she needs is a civilian crouching around on her crime scene.

He grins as he shakes her hand and thinks she would be really pretty if she exchanged those shape- and colorless suits for something more… well, feminine.

Wednesday

"Good Morning, Agent Dunham!"

"Bishop." People shouldn't be able to be so loud and energetic in the morning, she thinks.

"Where are we going?" He asks.

"I'll be questioning the victim's wife."

"And what am I supposed to do?"

"You tell me."

Thursday

"You think it was her?"

"I suspect anyone who has a motive and no alibi. Is your money-tracing-thing complete?"

"I'm on it."

"Takes quite long."

"If I had better equipment instead of those ancient computers in your office…"

"Civilians are the ones who complain they have to pay taxes to sustain the police authorities."

"Okay, let's go." He grabs her hand, pulls her along after him.

"Hey," she protests. "Where are we going?"

"I'll show you my office." The grin he flashes her over his shoulder is so cheeky it renders her speechless.

Friday Afternoon

"I won't go."

"You will. We tried it your way, now it's my turn."

"How the hell did you get those tickets, anyway?"

"Connections, Agent Dunham."

"You're only MIT-professor!"

"The youngest professor in history, please, and don't use only. By the way, since you're undercover, I'll call you Olivia tonight."

She huffs. "I'm not going anyway. Not wearing this."

"Yes you are. Because you want to get her as much as I want to. And now stop hiding."

"I'm not!" A rustling sounds as she emerges from behind the wall-screen, and he has to hold his breath. She is stunning in the blue dress.

Friday Night

"I still cannot believe it."

She sees his face and snorts. "Get used to the thought that women can build bombs, too."

"That's not what I meant. How on earth did you manage to hide your gun under that dress?"

Maybe he imagines her blush. "You'd like to know."

"Yes, but right now, I'd rather like to dance."

"What?"

"Come on, Agent Dunham, relax. We're on a ball."

"But I can't dance!"

"Don't worry."

He's a good dancer, she thinks. He watches a smile spread on her face as the world around them spins faster and faster and finally comes to a halt. "Olivia?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to kiss you now."

Saturday

She wakes up, feeling both warm and comfortable and slightly bruised. The bruises, she caught in the fight with the terrorist woman yesterday, she remembers. The warmth comes from Peter's arms around her, and from his body that is perfectly aligned with hers. She tries to bolt as soon as realization hits her. He holds her down until she calms.

He wakes up holding a struggling, fighting Olivia, and the first thing he remembers is the way her body was soft and pliant against his the night before. He holds her until she calms from her panic attack. Only then, his own instincts set in. He leaves only shortly after.

"I'll call you."

Sunday

She still doesn't know whether she is supposed to feel exhilarated or angry with herself. His words still warm her, though, the ones telling her she is beautiful and precious. She sits in her living-room, knees drawn to her chest, and waits.

He wonders what on earth got into him that he slept with a woman like her, when she clearly isn't like any other woman he normally chooses for his One-Night stands. And he wonders why he cannot forget her, like he does with any other woman.

Monday

He's not there when she enters her office. Astrid tells her he has already left and she wonders why the news cause a phantom pain in her chest to spark. She buries it somewhere and goes to work.

She's not yet in when he comes to get his stuff. He slinks out of her office like a thief (or, rather, a coward, an idiot and a traitor at the same time) and wonders why he cannot face her to tell her it's over. He buries his guilt and something else and concentrates on his students.

Tuesday

He hasn't called. She tries to ignore her phone.

He hasn't called. He tries to ignore his phone.

Wednesday

She catches herself seeing him on the street and despises herself for the surge of joy at his sight. Then he turns and she sees it is a man she does not know.

He sees a woman on campus who looks almost like her and his pulse quickens. Then she turns around and he realizes she does not look like her at all.

Thursday

It was stupid not to ask him for his phone number, she berates herself. She should have. That way, she would at least be able to call him. She only remembers she can look it up in her files one day later.

He stares at the scrap of paper which carries her phone number for the great majority of his day and berates himself. He told her he'd call. But every time his fingers hover over the dials he remembers this isn't the way he is.

Friday

She remembers she can look up his number in her files. Then, a surge of pride overcomes her. She won't call him if he does not call her.

He remembers there was a time when he would have definitely called back. Then he thinks if she really cared, she could have called him. Perhaps she interpreted his behavior correctly and the only thing she wanted from him, too, was sex and nothing else.

Saturday

"Liv? Are you okay?" Rachel and Ella seem concerned.
With some difficulty, Olivia pulls herself together and smiles. "Yeah. Just a bit tired."
"Do you already want to go home?" Her little niece asks.
"Of course not!" Olivia lifts the girl into her arms. "At least not until we tried out all the rides in this park!"
Ella laughs, and Rachel smiles. Later, she confronts her sister again. Olivia brushes her off. "Thanks, Rache."

"You did not fall for her." John and Linc stare at Peter incredulously.
Feeling like the last idiot on earth, he scratches his head. "No, I didn't."
Even to his ears, he sounds unconvincing.
"Listen, man," Lincoln says. "You have to do something to forget her."
They really, really try to distract him, as good friends should. Yet in the evening, he finds himself unable to do the only right thing. He drives the nameless woman home and returns to his dark apartment.

Sunday

So now, she officially hates Sundays. She stays at home and tries to get drunk on juice and Chinese take-out.

So now, he officially hates Sundays. He goes out again and tries to get drunk on whiskey and women, ends up in bed with one of them finally and calls her Olivia.

Monday

She goes to work as usual. He is not there.

He goes to work as usual. Of course she is not there.

Tuesday

Forget him, she thinks. He's not worth it. He slumped away like a coward.

Forget her, he thinks. But she was worth it. He always slumps away like that but this is the first time he feels like a coward.

Wednesday

It obviously was one hell of a stupid idea to sleep with your partner, both think.

Thursday

Get over him, Rachel tells her.

Get over her, John tells him.

Friday

Olivia buries herself in work. Literally. Astrid and Rachel worry about her.

Peter takes a day off and visits his mother's grave. "Is she," the wind whispers, "Is she worth changing your entire life for?"

Saturday

The day passes. She tries to give up on him.

The day passes. He tries to forget her.

Sunday

The day passes. She is determined to give up on him.