Challenge
By Wolfa Moon
Disclaimer: Don't own. Never will. Can't I just run my hands along Peter's rough cheek. Sigh. Wrote in response to a challenge from wjobsessed. Nice challenge and I hope everyone enjoys. please review.
11
It had been a long week. Everyone was just now trying to calm down. Getting back to a normal sense of reality. Astrid sat on the tired sofa reading the last Derek Storm novel. Walter was being Walter. Peter sat playing his piano. While Olivia sat close by finishing up her report.
"I don't understand these things but how am I suppose to fill out a report to make it sound normal and me sane." Peter looked up from his playing to spy at Olivia. She ran a hand through her hair.
"Why not just state the truth?"
"Yeah that will let me keep my job."
"But it will make it easier to review and remove the weirdness in the official report." she smiled and made ah huh noise. It actually made sense. She smiled.
"Thank you."
"Glad I could help." he began to play some more music. It flowed through the room with such elegant grace that belonged in Carnegie Hall. Liv just watched as he played. Peter seemed to be so into it that he didn't notice she was staring. A smirk reached his lips letting her know he knew she was staring. The report forgotten for a while she moved to sit next o him. His fingers danced over the keys. He began to play something soft but had a little rock in it.
"That's nice." he only nodded and continued. "What piece is that?"
"I'll tell you, but don't make fun of me." she smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. "It's Toto." Olivia looked at him funny. "What?"
"My mother is a huge Toto fan but I don't recognize this."
"Ever see Dune?"
"The sci-fi miniseries or the movie?"
"Movie."
"Yes but I watch the miniseries more. More details."
"Then you've never seen the extended cut." Olivia watched as the fingers danced as they spoke. "This is the song at the end of the credits. I loved the books when I was a kid. Still do."
"So secretly you want to grow up surrounded by sand and ride a sand worm."
"Ha, funny."
"Well I did find you in the desert." he continued playing onto another piece of music. His mind must have drifted for he wasn't focusing on her anymore. He was looking over the top at something but his hands still remained in motion. Olivia stared at Peter. He had gone ridged. The joke must have hit something. Olivia nudged him again. He looked from her then back to his focal point. Olivia turned to see what had grabbed his attention.
Standing there at the steps was somebody she had left behind. Somebody who should be worlds away.
"Lucas?" Olivia stood up. The music died. She went around the piano and headed toward the stairs. He came down to the bottom and enveloped her into a hug. She hugged back to. Releasing they stepped back from one another. Lucas looked her up and down. The hunger still there from years long ago. "What are you doing here?"
"Some meeting with diplomats. It was getting rather tiresome." Olivia looked at him and watched as his eyes focused over her shoulder. Lucas didn't let his hands drop from her arms. Until she turned a little. Peter stood behind them with his arms crossed in defense. Yet he leaned against the piano in a casual way. Seeming not a threat. But could be one. Lucas let his hands drop. He scooted around Liv.
"Hi, I'm Lucas Vogel." Peter extended his hand but remained guarded. Lucas recognized the look. Especially when he looked to Liv for guidance.
"Peter Bishop." the handshake was strong. Seeing who was the stronger and more in love. Lucas smiled and backed up. He had intruded. But he could always sweep the rug from underneath him. He turned to Olivia.
"So Livia I only have till tomorrow. Thought you and I could go out to dinner."
"Dinner sounds wonderful." all turned to see Walter come down with a huge glass full of something you never want to think about when talking about food.
"Walter, we aren't invited." Peter spoke with clipped tone. Lucas smiled at the tone. Competition. Olivia seemed oblivious looking at the jar Walter carried.
"Walter what?"
"Oh this, it's.."
"Walter stop right there. I don't think she wants to think about that before she goes out on her date." Lucas smiled.
"Oh, oh, hello I'm Walter Bishop." Walter juggled the jar into one arm and extended his hand. Lucas took it.
"Lucas Vogel." Walter didn't let go but pulled him in.
"You do have protection?" Lucas leaned back and exposed his gun holster. Gun there for all to see.
"No not that awful thing. I meant condoms. If you intend to have intercourse with her you are going to need condom. I believe I have some.." he shoved the jar into Lucas' hands before turning to his office. Lucas looked at the jar then to Liv.
"Let me go tell Astrid what is going on and then we'll head out." she kissed him lightly on the cheek. Lucas watched as Peter bristled when she did that. Lucas smirked. He had gained a point over Peter. Liv went off to drag Astrid from the world of Derek Storm.
Lucas focused on the man before him. Reading him a little but then there was a layer that could never be read. Only told. Peter grabbed the jar off of him and set it down on one of the over crowded tables.
"So how do you know Liv?" Lucas smiled as he called Olivia by her shortened nickname.
"We go way back."
"Do tell." Peter leaned back examining him looking at Lucas for any flaws that would hurt Olivia.
"We use to be together." Peter nodded. Taking in the information gave to him subtle and unsubtle.
Livia came back down and grabbed hold of Lucas' arm.
"Ready?"
"Yeah." he nodded to Peter and began to turn.
"Be safe." Peter called.
"Later." Walter came out of the office.
"Make sure you have her home at an adequate time."
"I will." Lucas hooked his arm through Olivia's. Olivia waved and headed out.
Walter walked over to peter.
"A very interesting man. Hope he takes good care of here. Oh forgot to get him a condom."
"He doesn't need it." Peter walked away face sullen. Back to the piano. To play his heart out.
214
Olivia took in the atmosphere of the hotel restaurant. Elegant. Italian. Expensive. Just how Lucas liked it. Lots of power. She ordered something simple. Chicken Marcela.
"So," they had covered over recent details of one jobs. The reason for him being there. Her sister and her amazing niece. "You and Peter?" the fork stopped halfway to her mouth as the question was spoken.
"What about him?" he noticed how a little defense was put behind the words. She had to stand up for him in the past he gathered.
"He seems real, protective of you."
"He's a good friend." taking the bite off the chicken.
"So you and he aren't an item."
"No we're not."
"Somebody should tell him that."
"What does that mean."
"Well from what I saw. He didn't want you to go out with me and he is not only protective of you form his stance. He also showed hurt when you said yes to going out with me. So are you sure there is nothing going on between you two."
"We have been through a lot with each other. You could say we have a kind of bound. But no, he's not in love with me.
"Are you sure? I even noticed Walter seemed protective of you. Think he was saving you for Peter."
"I am not a thing need saving for. Besides we are friends."
"Then someone should tell Peter that." he continued to finish his meal. Olivia felt like she was on a tight rope about to fall off. What was going on? She seemed to focus on what Lucas was saying. Did he care for her more then she cared for him? The slight touches. The buddy chats to make her feel better. The coffee. The hug.
This was too much for her to take in. Did Peter?
"I have to go." she stood up. Lucas doing the same.
"Liv you don't have to."
"Yes I do." she walked out. Lucas sat back down.
"Me and my big mouth." the waiter came over. "Get me a bottle of bourbon and put this on my tab."
317
Olivia drove home stuck in her own little world. Peter. The main thought on her mind. All the little things. The touches. The feelings she suppressed after her heart was hurt from John Scott. Then the fiasco of her relationship before with Lucas Vogel. Never letting anybody in. Yet she let him in. Or he let her in. who cares they are both in. In for what she had no clue. She had to sleep on it. Maybe her dreams would give her some conclusion to this pandemic that was spreading around her. Is that what others thought when they saw the two together. They way he stood close and protective. She thought of him as a brother. But with this new information. She began to play every moment, every conversation, ever detail. Peter liked her. And she had ignored it. A man who had saved her time over and over again. And she had barely saved his life once. What was she to do?
422
Climbing up the steps to her house. She heard music and laughter. Smiling at the image of her niece reeking havoc. Her sister must be up the walls. It was still early. Bedtime wasn't for. She looked down at her watch. How had it become 7:30PM? Only a half an hour before bedtime. Time enough to read a story to her.
She opened the door. Ella came running down the hallway, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"You can't catch me." she turned into the living room to make a circuit again.
"I'll get you my pretty." a voice, very much not her sister's. But a grated male voice. Olivia reached for her gun. The figure came around the corner covered in Ella's bed quilt. He walked slowly. Seeming to be doing an impression of Igor from Frankenstein walk. She aimed her gun at the figure.
"Halt or I'll shoot." the figure paused. He straightened. "Identify yourself." suddenly her screaming Niece flew around the corner straight into the still figure, tackling him to the ground. Olivia moved in gun trained.
"I got you, I got you." her niece said sitting on the figure. Olivia knelt down.
"Ella?" Ella looked up at her aunt for the first time. Finally seeing her.
"You're home." the body under her niece moved.
"Don't move." she ordered the figure. It stilled.
"We were only playing." Ella moved down and lifted the quilt off, Peter. His eyes widened at the gun aimed at his head. Olivia jerked back as if slapped. Reholstering her gun she backed off. Peter sat up grabbing Ella before she hit the ground.
"Kiddo why don't you go into the living room."
"But I want to play."
"Please." Ella leaned in giving Peter a big hug.
"Ok." she got off and hugged Olivia. "Play nice." she walked off. Olivia smiled at the words of her sister coming from her niece's mouth. Peter began to get up bringing the quilt with him.
"What are you doing here?" Peter looked at her.
"How was your date?" she shock her head.
"Fine, what are you…"
"Your sister called the lab for you. I told her you were out with a fellow agent. She cursed saying that you forgot about her new school coarse. So I volunteered to babysit. And that is what was doing before you trained your gun on me." Olivia watched as Peter walked back to the bedroom area and put the quilt back on the bed. Olivia following. She began to take off her suit jacket. Peter came over and helped her.
"Thank you."
"Your welcome." taking the jacket and hanging it up.
"And thank you for babysitting."
"It's all part of my job." she looked at him. True his main purpose was to babysit his father. Second was helping her. Helping her? She watched as Peter moved casually around the bedroom. As if he fit here. Lived here for as long as she had. Moved the furniture to the correct spot. Turning from the closet he looked at her. Her white shirt clingy yet loose. Leaving his thought to his other brain.
"So how was your date?"
"It was…" she took of her gun holster and placed the gun in a locked drawer by the bed. Locking it she turned to Peter. But he wasn't there. She proceeded to empty her pocket before coming out into the living room.
Peter was there with Ella. Babysitting. Ella had all the cards laid out on the table. All cards face down. A game of memory. Taking her turned she guessed wrong. Peter's turned. Olivia watched form the doorway. He flipped a set over. Then did it again and again.
"Hey you're cheating." Peter looked over at her.
"I don't need to cheat."
"Then how are you doing that?" Peter ran his hands over the cards. He flipped one over. Moving along he flipped the other, match.
"Is that a marked deck?" Olivia stepped into the room. Peter looked up at her. Hurt in his eyes that he would cheat. Peter keeps his eyes on Olivia as he turns two cards over. Both the same number. No stroking the cards for feel. Olivia came in stunned.
"I don't need to cheat where memory in involved."
"You counted them." Peter flipped over another two cards.
"NO. Something I can do." Olivia stared at him for a little bit. The tension growing between them. Thank gods for Ella. She pounced on Peter's lap.
"Will you tell me a story before I go to bed?" Peter hugged her.
"Of course." he picks her up. Ignoring the glares that Olivia threw. The emotion radiating from her making him sick.
Olivia turned to the cards. She flipped two over. No match. She flipped another. How did he do it?
A hour later Peter came out of the room that Ella slept in. Hopefully enough time for Olivia to cool down. Closing the door quietly he went to pick up his mess. Sitting down he put the cards back in a united deck. A beer appeared before him. Accepting he looked up to the giver. Olivia smiled an apology, he nodded back. Sitting down next to him.
"Give me the cards." Peter willingly handed them over. Taking them she shuffled them until she thought adequate. She placed the first 10 cards face down on the table. "Tell me what cards they are?" Peter looked to her.
"You're the card counter. You tell me."
"I know. What do you know?" she stared at Peter. Something had happened a long time ago. Bell had told some interesting trips on how they finally crossed trough. The main purpose. Since then things have changed for her on the way. And Peter was one she was still figuring out. Peter moved around the table to sit beside her. He would not keep a barrier between the two. Unafraid. To sure of what was really going on. Sitting down he looked at the cards. Reaching a hand he was about to touch. Liv grabbed it. "Tell me what they are." she didn't question, she coerced. Peter looked to the touching hands. Then to the face down cards. Something tickled in his memory like it always has. Like it always has since he could remember. Then they turned over in his mind. The tickle there. The tingle. Liv shuddered. Being sensitive to the fringe effect. She felt what Peter had done.
"Left to right. Queen diamond, ace spades, seven clubs, two hearts, six spades, 4 clubs, jack of hearts, suicide king, 10 of diamonds, 7 diamonds." Olivia turned the cards. They were as he said. Peter slumped back against the couch. Sinking in. What had he just done running through his thoughts.
"What the hell?"
"What he said was true."
"Who?" Peter didn't move just turned his head to stare at her. She turned to him.
"Do you like me?" she really didn't want to go down the path of William Bell's truths that he told her. She really had to deal with this reality here. She had done something that should have not been touched or noticed by him. A diversion. Something to turn that brain off. Peter stared at her. Shaking his head his mind switch the gears.
"Why are you asking that?"
"Because, Lucas had a suspicion that you liked me." Peter picked up the deck of cards. Trying to take his mind off of the question. Off from all of this. "Peter?" Olivia turned so she could study him. See if his body spoke more then his words. And it did. He became defensive. But his eyes. Those eyes were open. Then he turned away from her. Shielding himself. Building the walls. Olivia waited patiently. When he turned. The mask wasn't up. His eyes shining, curious, understanding, there was something.
"And if I do?" it was now her turn to look put off. To be searched if the feeling, the truth would be reciprocated. She blanked on him. "And there it is." standing up he headed toward the exit. So what if he cared for her more than a friend. He can deal with the rebuff. But now that she knows. Know that she has seen through his armor. What more did he have to hide? Picking up his jacket he let his emotions run through him like adrenaline. Shaking his head in defeat. He wanted to go back in there and kiss her, hold her in his arms and tell her what he really felt. But the coward won. Placing his left arm in. He seemed to forget how to do it. His mind to far gone down the road. Then the jacket was gone. Turning around Olivia was there. Peter stepped back away from her. Giving her space. Giving her whatever she wanted. She stepped toward him. He backed up even further. The door final digging into his back. No place to run.
"If you do then why don't you kiss me?" Peter stared at her. Was she really asking him this? Was she real or a dream? Was she the reality that lived next to ours? Was she his Olivia? Too many what ifs. And to late to turn back. For he couldn't move back any further. He took a tentative step forward. Closer to her. Close enough to smell her sweet moonlight path perfume. She didn't back up. She remained where she was. Planted to the spot. The predator waiting for the prey to make his move. He moved in. she stared fixated on his eyes. On the windows of the soul. So much there. So much there.
He kissed her. Gentle slow. A soft caress of clouds kissing the mountaintops. Whisping over her lips. Stepping back he waited to see. Olivia reached up to touch the clouds. Rough against her hand she let the cloud encircle her while she encircled him. Pulling him down for the heavens to float around her. For him to stay. For him to remain unmoving and over. To remain. To cause the storm in the clouds. To rain down the elements on her that she so wanted to welcome. The door had been opened for them and the avalanche was about to cascaded down her slops. Staring into Peter's wondrous, mysterious, loving, hungry gaze.
"I like you too."
The End
The Challenge
by wjobsessed
An idea: What if Liv's old flame in Germany, Lucas, has to come to Boston for
a seminar or meeting or something? He looks Liv up, and asks her out to lunch
or dinner in front of Walter & Peter! Peter is instantly jealous and Walter
says something stupid and makes it worse...
But at the meal, all Lucas talks about is how affected Peter was. Lucas tells
Liv that he can tell Peter's in love with her, but Liv's surprised...