Eyes closed and rocking her gently, Peter held her there until her body calmed its convulsions. Her rapid gasps turned into little puffs of air. Her fingers eased their clasp on his shirt and her hand laid flat on his chest. Peter opened his eyes to find her looking straight up at him, eyes wide and scared, her face washed in tears. He moved his hand to brush her hair back and caress her face gently.

"Peter..." she whimpered.

"Shhh, it's okay. You're gonna be fine Livia."

She swallowed and looked around. "What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse. Suddenly a violent shiver rocked her body and she drew closer to his warmth, curling herself in against his chest.

"First let's get you into some dry clothes." He smiled.

She looked down at her current state of undress and groaned. "Oh god." she sat up and Peter pulled a fresh towel out and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Don't worry Liv, I think white is more fitting than the black you used to wear." He teased as he disappeared into Walter's office. He returned with a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Olivia's stomach turned and her heart raced when she recognized the red lettering on the front. He handed the clothes to her. Peter was semi aware of her eyes on his own shirt, it was soaked and clung to his skin.

"These are a pair of clothes I keep here for when Walter pulls all nighters." He rubbed the back of his neck. "They're a little big of course but at least its better than freezing cold underwear." He smiled gently.

The FBI agent felt her face grow hot and she knew she was blushing. She clutched the clothes in her hand. "Thank you..." She whispered.

Peter's hand snaked behind her head and he pulled her close so he could kiss her hair once more. "No. Thank god you're okay." he murmured. He released her from his embrace and turned to walk away, to clean up the lab.

"Peter wait... I think I'm going to need help..." She called after him with a sheepish look.

He turned around, concerned.

"I can't... It uh- it hurts..." she admitted helplessly. She bowed her head in embarrassment.

Peter smiled in a sweet way, rather than a mocking manner she would have expected from someone in his position.

He unwrapped her from her towel. She looked up at him, begging for him to be gentle with her aching body. He was nothing less of course, his fingers light as feathers as he moved to the side and helped undo her bra. She covered her chest as he slipped the straps down her arms and tossed it to the floor. Olivia clutched the towel to her chest, covering her breasts from his view, not that he had even thought about looking.

"Arms up." He told her.

Olivia looked over her shoulder and stared at him. Uncertainty in her eyes.

He saw this and smiled reassuringly. "Er... Right. Okay well let's start with one arm up..."

Olivia obliged and he slipped her delicate hand through one of the arm holes in his MIT shirt. He gently slid it over her head, smiling at her. That smile made her feel safe and warm, without a care it the world. She hated that he had that effect on her.

The FBI agent switched her hand that was clutching the towel to her chest. She lifted the other to slip through the shirt. When she winced in pain, Peter was there to help.

Finally he pulled it down to cover her and removed the towel under her shirt. "There." He smiled and his hands went to the sides of her neck. For a moment Olivia though he was about to kiss her and her body tensed. But Peter only moved his hands behind her and flicked her hair out from under the t-shirt.

"Right as rain again, Dunham?" He asked.

She nodded once and rubbed her arm awkwardly.

"Good." Peter turned away and began to clean up the towels from the floor. "You know we have to talk about what it is exactly you thought you were doing going in there without any supervision. I'm not saying it has to be now, but whenever you're ready, we DO need to talk about it. Okay?"

Olivia frowned and bowed her head. "Yea." she said weakly.

"You scared me Liv." he told her as he continued to clean up the lab. "I thought I lost you..."

Olivia shivered and slipped off of the counter. She wobbled, unsteady on her feet. She gripped the table for support but ultimately failed. She collapsed to the floor.

"Olivia!" he shouted, dropping the armful of towels and running to her.

"I'm okay..." She moaned as he knelt at her side.

"No you're not... Liv." Peter murmured and touched her face. "I'm going to take you home okay? You need to rest."

She closed her eyes and allowed him to lift her into his arms again. She buried her face in his chest and closed his eyes. "I love you, peter." she mumbled half asleep.


Peter unlocked the door of her apartment, using the spare key she kept on the ledge above the door. He was greeted by her delicious smell all around him. Olivia...

Smiling to himself, he carried the sleeping agent to her bedroom and gently laid her on her bed. Peter took the throw blanket from her couch and draped it over her sleeping form. Olivia stirred gently, murmuring something in her dreams. Peter swept her hair away from her face and his fingers lingered on her cheek. She was so beautiful.

"I love you too, sweetheart." he whispered. He pressed his lips to her forehead.

Peter left her there and went out to her kitchen. He realized the state she had been in. Something was wrong, dishes piling up in the sink. The kitchen table covered in crumbs. Frowning with worry, Peter started to clean.


Peter called Broyles and let him know Olivia was safe and at home and that he was going to crash on her couch to keep an eye on her. Broyles was about to berate him with questions but Peter hung up.

His next call was to Astrid, asking her to extend her babysitting to overnight. He heard her tell Walter that he had found Olivia and that she was safe. "Oh! Give me the phone dear!" His father announced.

"Peter son! You were able to locate Agent Dunham?" Walter asked eagerly.

"Yes Walter. Um she was unconscious in the lab... She had been in the altertank..."

"Well gods what was she doing there?"

Peter rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "I don't know. But she nearly died. She's fine now, but if I hadn't have been there..." Peter trailed off, a lump arising in his throat. He spent another few minutes on the phone with his father. Walter avidly insisted on examining Agent Dunham but Peter refused, stating she needed rest. He thanked Astrid for her help before he got off the phone.

His last call was to Agent Francis. Charlie picked up after one ring. "Bishop, please tell me you found Liv!"

"Yea. She's fine." Peter told him a brief summary of what had happened.

"Peter." Charlie said.

"Yea?" He replied.

"Thank you. I know it's like the fifth time you saved her life. I'm grateful you were there." Charlie told him.

He sighed. "Yea... well she saved me more than she knows."

Charlie was silent for a moment. "You know she likes you Bishop? A lot. She might not show it in a normal way but you and I both know Olivia Dunham is far from normal." Agent Francis told him with a gruff laugh. "What I'm trying to say is, she cares about you. And I can see you care about her. Just know that when she tries to push you away, it's only because she's getting more attached." he paused. "But know this Bishop, if you break her heart and hurt her... I swear to god... I will put a bullet through your head without hesitation. Livy's like a sister to me..."

"I know Charlie. Don't worry." Peter promised.