Sheltering Sky by asesina
disclaimer: I don't own Fringe. J.J. Abrams does!
a/n: set during Olivia. I loved the season opener and wanted to do a quick introspective Olivia piece. In a single moment, Olivia realizes that she is trapped, but she won't let herself be defeated.
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There's something about the way the light falls on the park where Massive Dynamic should be that unnerves Olivia and finally pushes her over the edge.
It's a blindingly bright day, and the expanse of unnaturally green grass in front of her is no less disturbing than the impossibly azure sky, dotted with zeppelins that loom overhead and cast oval shadows on the park.
Olivia wants to fall to her knees and cry out.
She wants to rip up fistfuls of grass and demand to know why the hell every one of her escape routes is a dead end.
Instead, she smooths her hands over the heavy black jacket, shivering despite the thickness of the material and the warmth of the afternoon sun.
She remembers the address of the safe house and runs back to the taxi, locking eyes with a man who is simultaneously sympathetic and afraid.
Calm down, Olivia tells herself, assuring some part of her that this will all end soon, because she isn't crazy, because she loves someone named Peter and not Frank, and because she knows that every step she takes towards the gateway back to her universe is a step closer to Peter's waiting embrace.
Olivia shakes her head and tries hard not to cry like she did in that dingy, dank bathroom stall a few hours ago.
She knows that she might be the only sane one left in this universe, but she is willing to accept that fact. Olivia maintains a desperate hold on selfhood, forcing herself to remember that as helpless as this all may seem, it's just another obstacle to overcome.
As Olivia climbs into the back of the taxi, she strengthens her resolve and grips the gun in her hand a little tighter.
She is Olivia Dunham, sane and competent and certainly not a slouch.
She is a survivor, and if willpower could open a door in the universe, she wouldn't even need to worry about cortexiphan ever again.
As the city zooms past her in lightning-fast stripes of color, Olivia swallows hard and prepares herself for her future and her escape.
End.