The Movement That Connects Me to You

Fandom: Fringe

Characters: Astrid Farnsworth/Lincoln Lee

Rating: PG-13

Wordcount: ~1,400

Summary: Astrid makes her move.

Notes: Follow up to "The Music That Connects Me to You."

Thanks to wendelah for the nudge to finish and first look, and samjohnsson for beta.


It does take a while-work impediments, his natural reticence-but Lincoln finally agrees to go dancing with her. Astrid even has a silver bullet: "I found a great bargain for a couple of lessons on one of those daily-deal lists. Don't make me go alone."

Lincoln smiles wryly at her, clearly knowing when he's been out-maneuvered.

The first lesson goes as well as she could have hoped. Lincoln is much less awkward on his feet than he'd claimed, especially when there are clearly proscribed steps involved. Good at taking orders, just like his alternate, Astrid thinks, amused, and then tries to forget the thought. Or at least, resolves not to compound it with further comparisons.

Because the thing is, she likes the quiet ones.

Oh, the bad boys have their appeal, and Astrid isn't immune to their charms. Captain Lee can attest to that. (And he's not really bad, he's just drawn that way, like Jessica Rabbit.) But it's the quiet ones, buttoned up and full of secrets, that she really goes for. Unpeeling them like an orange, savoring every sweet revelation.

Hiding their light under a bushel, her father might say. Lincoln Lee might be hiding his light behind tailored suits and overlarge glasses, but Astrid can see it waiting to shine, like sunlight behind the clouds.

The first time Astrid sees Lincoln in casual clothing, she has to guard her breathing; the suits hide so much with their tailored uniformity. He looks good in a suit-professional, competent-but in jeans and a pullover with a white t-shirt peeking out, Astrid's thoughts turn wholly inappropriate. That's probably the reason for the constant formal wear, she decides. Because anything else and he's in constant danger of having his co-workers drag him into some secluded space.

There's a closet in the lab that Astrid can't look at without smiling, now.

And they do move well together, just like she'd envisioned. She's not entirely ungraceful, but he just laughs when she makes a wrong turn and steps on his foot. It turns out that after his muscle memory kicks in, Lincoln recalls enough of his previous lessons to take a firm lead. Astrid appreciates his certainty, and enjoys being swept along in his confident arms. It would be easy to confuse his low-key manner for timidity, but this is the man who wouldn't take "it's out of your jurisdiction" for an answer in the matter of his partner's death, and who faced down Olivia at her most forbidding to stay on the case. He's no shy and retiring wallflower, despite his willingness to let Astrid set the pace for the rest of their new relationship. And that, she thinks, is just good manners.

Lincoln reveals himself in small moments, over evening dim sum and morning coffee in the lab and a walk through the campus on their lunch break. It's easy with Lincoln, same as it was with Captain Lee, only in a completely different way. The biggest difference, of course, is that he doesn't have to go back to another universe. There's no rush, no timetable, but a growing certainty that this could become something that lasts. When she invites him to her apartment for the first time it really is just for coffee and conversation; the second time it's a meal and a movie, and a kiss good night that leaves her craving more.

Over lunch during one slow weekday, after their first real date, Lincoln finally raises the specter of his alternate. "You went out with Captain Lee." Lincoln's eyes are very blue behind the glasses. "We're not that much alike."

Maybe more than you think, Astrid knows better than to say. "I'm not confusing the two of you, I promise."

"Okay." And that's sweet, the way he takes her at her word. But he's also determined and brave and loyal and Lee had been right on both counts: that Lincoln would dance with her, and that he would surprise her as well.

Things might have been awkward if Lee was still around, but he's not; events on the other side are demanding the team's full attention. The parallel searches for Jones and the shapeshifters require open communication between the universes but deny any of them an opportunity to cross over. Astrid still hopes she has a chance to visit their side someday and see its divergences for herself. She's absolutely sure, though, that even if Lee was visiting the lab every day, nothing more would have happened between them. They both knew the score, delighted to spend time with each other and not expecting anything further. Astrid had been a little surprised by his kindness, if not by his expertise in the bedroom. But a repeat performance would've just blurred the understanding between them and Astrid is perfectly happy to keep that one night as a treasured memory.

Lincoln seems to get that without her having to explain. Astrid likes that too, that he's secure enough in his psyche that he doesn't feel like he needs to compete against his own alternate for her attention. And that he doesn't begrudge her that one night, either. In the three years working on the Fringe team, Astrid's become far too aware of life's uncertainties to squander an opportunity for a little joy.

It's with that principle in mind that they end up at her apartment again, after dinner on the fateful third date. Astrid doesn't care about such things-relationships don't actually fall into neat little ordered structures-but she's comfortable with Lincoln and he's comfortable with her and if it happens to be the third date that takes things to the next level, she's absolutely ready and willing. Eager, even.

A glass of wine later and they're curled up on the couch, face-to-face, giggling about their former dating experiences and all the goofy, ridiculous things people do and say when they're attracted to each other. She arches an eyebrow at him, finally confident enough in their developing relationship to ask one of the questions she's been wanting to all along. "When Lee was flirting with you, I could never tell what you were thinking."

Lincoln groans and reaches up to take off his glasses, rubbing at his eyes, and Astrid sees with delight that the motion is really just an attempt to cover a blush. "I'm...pretty sure he told you enough about himself to extrapolate that I wasn't, uh, entirely revolted by the attention."

Astrid bursts out laughing, she can't help it, his phrasing is just so perfect. "'Not entirely revolted.' God, what I would give to see his face if you told him that." She collapses in another gale of giggles, picturing it. Lincoln watches her, his mouth quirked in a reluctant smile, glasses still absent. "I... oh... sorry!"

"The things I never thought I'd have to contemplate on the job," Lincoln says dryly, and that sets her off again. This time he laughs with her, chuckling softly. "But no, I never actually considered it. A little too narcissistic, don't you think?"

"But pretty," Astrid says before she can stop herself, and is rewarded with the sight of Lincoln's face flaming with a truly spectacular blush, impossible to hide this time. But now that she's resolved her curiosity, there's no point in further embarrassing him.

"Astrid..." Lincoln glances around and tosses his glasses on the table nearby. "I'm not interested in my other-universe double." He stands up and steps in closer, reaching out a hand to pull her to her feet. Astrid tilts her face up and he obliges her with a kiss. "Besides," he whispers in her ear, his hands ghosting down her back, "you're prettier than he is."

She might beg to differ but not now, not when Lincoln's lips are at her neck and his hands are tracing delicate patterns down her spine. He's going to stay tonight, she knows. In very short order he's going to be naked and in her bed and it's going to be good between them, Astrid hasn't a single doubt.

But what really seals the deal, what really makes her believe that this is only the beginning, is that Astrid doesn't have to ask before he kisses her again. Lincoln kisses her over and over again, kisses her with all the sense of trust and connection she's been waiting for, kisses her the way she never wants him to stop.


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