There's No Place Else for Me To Be - Chapter 2
By: DrKatniss
Disclaimer: I don't own Fringe or it's characters. This is merely being written for fun.
Author's Note: Thank you for your wonderful comments! I hope you enjoy chapter two. I hope to update soon and continue the story - I would love any reviews/comments about the chapter.
Liv shifted the paper bag full of Chinese food to her left hand while keeping the other bag in her right. Just as she was going to precariously reach into her pocket to retrieve her key, the bag of food was snatched from her right hand. She looked up with a start to see Lincoln smiling at her.
"There's no reason for you to risk the wonton soup in order to get the door open."
She easily fell into banter with him, "You know, I am a highly competent Fringe agent, I think I can handle opening the door with full hands."
"Yes, but why risk our food when you don't have to?"
"I suppose you have a point," she started as she moved closer to him.
Lincoln wasn't quite sure what was happening. Maybe he was just too exhausted to read the situation, but Liv flirting with him, and subsequently invading his personal space seemed like it might mean something. Before he could think of how to react, she reached up above the door frame and grabbed something.
"Here," she said, handing him a key, "Since you are so gallant, you should open the door. It's my spare."
Lincoln quickly opened the door and tried to hand the key back to Liv - but she stopped him, her hand briefly brushing his, which did not go unnoticed by either of them, "No, you hold onto it. You'll be staying here for a few days, and I can't have you sitting out here like a lost puppy waiting for me to get home."
It took him a moment to recover, and he stuttered out a quiet, "Thanks."
Liv smiled to herself, she definitely could get used to this. Her Lincoln was so sure of himself - she felt she rarely could set him off balance. But this Lincoln was sweet and easily flustered. He was a nice guy - which made Liv pause for a moment. Her Lincoln was always important to her - how could he not be? He was her partner. She always suspected that he might want to be more than friends, but she never seriously considered it as a possibility. Sure, she did not know how she would have made it through her breakup with Frank without him as a shoulder to cry on, but he was always so self-assured and assertive. Which was decidedly not her type. She liked nice guys. That thought stopped Liv cold in her tracks - she could not fall for him, not right now. She was probably just feeling the results of missing her partner and she was projecting her feelings onto his double. All they were doing was continuing their usual witty banter - there was nothing romantic between them.
Lincoln chose that moment to hold the door open for her and shoot her an adorable smile that showed his dimples.
"Thanks," Liv said walking through the door, grabbing the bag of food from his hands and setting it on the table. Those damn dimples. Her Lincoln knew they always worked on her - and it did not matter how nice of a guy this Lincoln was, it was just a matter of time before he figured it out too.
Lincoln took in his surroundings, "You have a nice place."
"I will give you the tour later. I am starving," Liv said as she quickly started dividing the containers of food between them and sat down on the couch.
"That sounds good," Lincoln said grabbing his food and sitting down on a chair facing her, "I can't even remember the last time I ate."
After a few minutes of silence a thought occurred to Liv, "Why the urgency in finding an apartment - can't you just stay where you have been staying while you have been working with us?"
"Actually, no. I have been going back to my side every night", Lincoln noted Liv's confused look and continued, "My Broyles thought it was best that we keep everyone on their own side of the bridge when not strictly necessary - in case it caused an instability. Also you do not want to see me without my morning coffee," he smiled, then turning more serious continued, "Honestly, as much as I liked it over here, it wasn't home."
Liv's curiosity was piqued, "So what changed?"
Lincoln paused momentarily, realizing his instinct was to ignore the question, but that he had made a conscious choice to be who he wanted to be. He looked Liv in the eyes and simply stated, "I realized I was wrong, and that home isn't necessarily where you were born, but where your heart is."
Liv was not sure how to respond- was he saying what she thought he was saying? This was all too much for her to handle. She stood up suddenly, accidentally knocking the remainder of her lo mein off her tea table and onto the floor.
As she bent down to pick up the spilled noodles she suddenly had a flash of a memory. She was sitting on the ground - no laying - in a shop. There was discarded lo mein next to her, and she was being held by someone - Lincoln, definitely her Lincoln. He was crying, and she was in pain- why was she in so much pain? She could swear she heard Lincoln say that she had a son...what was going on? Then she was being handed a small bundle and things clicked into place - Henry, her son.
"Liv! Can you hear me? Olivia!"
Liv blinked awake disoriented. She was on the floor and Lincoln was holding her- but it wasn't her Lincoln, and it wasn't a Chinese shop. It was her apartment. She looked up at him confused, "What's going on? Where's Henry?"
Part of Lincoln was relieved that she was awake, but an equal part was worried that she seemed so concerned about someone she had never mentioned before, "Who's Henry?"
"He's my son."
