Summary: Olivia adjusts to life on the Other Side. Prequel to "The Promise".

The very first time Olivia Dunham saw the Walter Bishop from this side, he stood on the opposite side of the glass, simply gloating. He had a grin on his face, that told her he was proud of what he did. She was angry, angry because she thought Walter was playing a cruel game with her. What she didn't realize at that moment was that she did not make it home and that this was not the Walter she knew. She pleaded. She begged. She yelled out until her voice was too hoarse to be heard anymore. Unfortunately, her pleas fell on deaf ears. This Walter Bishop delighted in seeing her distressed.

Left alone in the dark, Olivia cried. She cried until the tears stung her eyes. She cried because she was afraid. As much as she was afraid of her situation, she was afraid to show her fear in front of him. She learned to listen for his footfalls. When she knew someone was coming, she would assume a defiant stance on her side of the glass, hoping it will intimidate whoever was on the other side, and send them a message that she was unbreakable. Little good it did when they finally came for her.

Olivia remembered the first time they took her. They took her blood. She recalled the horror of having every one of her orifices examined. Very often she was sick to her stomach. She believed they purposely infected her with disease to make her suffer. On one such occasion, when she was shaking with fever on her hard bench, she remembered seeing the Broyles from this side. She couldn't be sure, but Olivia thought she saw Broyles arguing with Walter.

Then the day came when this Walter spoke to her. The men who came for her this time didn't drag her out. They didn't need to shackle her. She just walked out of her own accord. Even that was difficult. After a month in cramp quarters, with little to nothing to do except stand or sit, she was having trouble standing up straight. "Agent Dunham, walk with me." The thought of being able to walk out freely, made it easy for Olivia to go along with him willingly. For the first time, she saw where she was being held. They stopped on a crossover overlooking the ground floor.

"We are in a medical facility, where victims of fringe events are being treated. Most do recover." Olivia could see the patients walking all around them. "For the unlucky few, we try to make them as comfortable as possible before the end. This is just one of the many facilities we operate all over the world."

They continue their walk down a corridor. Olivia considered his words and dared to ask a question. "What about me?"

Walter didn't say anything until they stopped outside a set of double glass doors. He turned to Olivia before he spoke. "I know of your ability. I know what makes you special. I no more want my world to fall apart nor do I want to destroy yours. If crossing over is in fact what caused the fabric of our universe to tear, all I ask is that you consider staying. I would ask the same of my son even if it meant not seeing him again. The choice is yours."

At the mention of Peter, she thought about never seeing him, Rachel or Ella again. But she wanted assurance that they would be safe.

"Peter will be safe."

"Yes. Peter will be safe."

Olivia still didn't know how far to trust him, but she could see a sincerity in his eyes. He honestly believes what he is telling her. That would have to be enough for now.

"I'll do it. I will stay." The Secretary let a small smile creep across his face.

"Excellent." He jabbed a control on the wall and the glass doors opened. A woman waited on the inside. "Go with Dr. Seymour, she will see to it you are given a full check up and inoculations." Olivia followed the woman in with caution. "By tomorrow this time, I will personally escort you to your new home."

As promised Walter Bishop came to pick up Olivia. She climbed into the back of his sedan. She listened quietly while he talked. "I took the liberty of making your living arrangements. You'll have to be quarantine for the next 21 days...because of the inoculations. I've already notified your host of your needs. You'll find her to be a most formidable woman."

It was a short drive from the city. The property was situated just outside of town. Twenty minutes later, the car parked in front of a two-storey farmhouse. A woman in her mid-fifties waited on the porch. Olivia recognized her immediately. She was the woman in her double's photograph. This was Olivia Dunham's mother. Her mother. She looked to Walter for an explanation.

"She has high security clearance." That was reason enough for him. Seeing that Olivia hesitated, Walter nudged her forward. "Go on. You are in good hands."

"Hello, Ellen."

"Walter."

Olivia walked up the steps slowly. Once at the top, Ellen Dunham held opened the screen door for her. She smiled shyly at her new mother. "Hello..." The older woman nodded in reply.

"Come on in. Make yourself comfortable." Olivia stepped over the threshold. Before closing the door behind her, Ellen signaled to Walter that it was OK for him to leave.

Mother Dunham set the tea service, a ceramic teapot and two matching cups, down on the coffee table. She found Olivia looking out the living room window. "You live here all by yourself?"

"Yes." Taking Olivia by the hand, she pulled her back to the sofa. "Come. Tea is getting cold." They settled into a companionable silence. Ellen poured the tea. "What were you thinking about by the window?"

"I was thinking about my own mother." Olivia became introspective. "I wondered if she had lived, would she have turned out liked you."

Ellen gave her hand a light squeeze. Touched by the sentiment, she was somewhat disarmed by this woman, who only yesterday was just an assignment for her. Looking at her now, she began to see something more to her. She could feel her tense up by the touch. Whatever happened to her, it will take time for her to gradually give over to trust in another.

To break the ice, Ellen thought to let Olivia help her with dinner. She saw how Olivia relished every moment of their interaction, while tension still hung over her.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Olivia said maybe a bit too loudly. She stiffened over the broken plate.

"It's OK, Olivia. It's OK. It's only a dish." Ellen took her into her arms. She didn't know how else to begin to take away all her anxieties.

There would be progress on their first night in the house together. "This is your bedroom." Olivia walked into the room. She turned around to take in her surroundings. It was spacious, warm and a bit spartan. There were no drapes to obscure the windows. "Your clothes are in the closet. If you need anything, I'll be down the hall."

Ellen curled up in bed with a book. She hadn't finished reading a page, when she heard a knocking. She looked up and saw Olivia standing rigidly in the doorway. "Can't sleep?" She nodded. "Come on."

Ellen pulled back the covers to make room for her. Olivia laid her head near Ellen. "I'm scared..." That was the first time she opened up without much prompting.

"Mom. You can call me Mom." Ellen laid down and started to stroke her soft hair. "What can I do to help?"

"My mother used to sing to me." Ellen laughed.

"I can't sing, my dear. I can't even carry a tune."

"Please!" Olivia's eyelids were getting heavy.

"Well. OK. How about you just listening to the sound of my voice then?" Ellen heard a bird call outside the open windows. "Did you hear that? It sounded like a whippoorwill. That to me is a good omen." She looked down. Olivia was already sound asleep. She gently kissed her forehead. "Goodnight love."