Part 2

"Olivia?" asked Olivia.

"Hi," said the other woman. "I'm sorry about the glass."

"I don't care about the damn glass. What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story. Can I stand up?"

Olivia removed the weapon away from the other Liv's head. "Yes. Slowly."

The other Liv stood up and turned around. She looked just the same. It had been over three years and didn't look like much had changed on the other side. She was a little disheveled, as if she had been running for a long time.

Olivia kept her gun held up in one hand. She removed a gun from holster on Liv's leg, then ran her hands up and down Liv's sides to make sure there were no other weapons. She took a small knife out of a sheath around Liv's ankle.

"Now I want your phone," said Liv. "Bring me the phone and we're even."

"Fine," Olivia said. She didn't want to argue. She didn't really feel threatened but she could hear Etta crying. She just wanted to get to her daughter. "But you sit there," she pointed to one of the stools next to the island, "I'll be right back and then you are going to talk."

"Shouldn't I finish cleaning up the glass?"

"There's a dustpan under the sink. Don't do anything else."

Olivia walked back into the living room and stashed the weapons in one of the drawers in the entertainment center. She was careful to make sure she was blocking Liv's view. She trusted the other Liv, just not all the way. It was in part the things she had done; it was in part the strange doubling. The way she was a reflection in a mirror that had learned to walk and talk and have opinions.

She quickly went back upstairs and into Etta's room. Etta was still crying, but not the loud I-want-attention kind of crying. It was I'm-actually-upset kind of crying. As soon as Olivia walked into the room, Etta put her arms into the air.

Olivia was happy to oblige. She picked up her daughter and held her close. Etta tucked her head under Olivia's chin. Olivia rocked back and forth. "It's okay. I'm here. Mommy always comes back."

She couldn't wait for Etta's tears to turn into shaky breaths. She didn't want to leave the other Liv alone for that long. She paused just long enough to change out of her pajamas. It was hard to feel in control of the situation in stripped pajama bottoms. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. She retrieved her cell phone from where it was charging on her nightstand and then went back into the kitchen to face her doppelganger.

Liv was dumping the contents of the dustpan into the trash. She looked up as soon as Olivia reappeared. She looked surprised to see who Olivia was carrying. She watched as Olivia set the cell phone on the island.

"Who is this little one?" asked Liv.

"This is Henrietta." Etta's face was still buried against Olivia and she didn't look up.

"Hi, Henrietta," said Liv and moved closer.

"Say hello, baby."

Etta mumbled something, but still didn't look up.

"She's shy?" asked Liv.

"No, not particularly. You scared me and that scared her."

"I really didn't mean to. I am sorry," Liv said. She looked at Olivia and Olivia believed her. "I'm not so scary, Henrietta. I promise." She pinched Etta's arm in a gentle, affectionate way. Olivia realized that was something her grandfather had done.

At the touch, Etta finally looked up. Despite her reservation, Olivia was curious to see how Etta would react to this strange woman with her mother's face. She looked confused. She glanced back and forth between the two women.

"Mama?" she asked, staring at her mother.

"I'm here. It's me. Don't worry." She kissed the top of her head. "Say hello to Liv."

"Hi," said Etta with a small wave. Then, she hid her face again.

"I'm going to get her something to eat. Do you want anything?" said Olivia.

"No, I'm fine."

Liv perched on one of the tall chairs lining one side of the island. She checked the phone for recent calls and then set it back down. She leaned back and hooked her elbow around the back of the chair. Her ease was not lost on Olivia. It didn't matter to Liv that she was in a strange home with someone who had just held a gun to her head.

Olivia moved around her kitchen. Still holding Etta, she pulled some fruit salad from the fridge and then poured a small bowl of dry Cheerios. She felt as if every movement was conscious. She was very aware of Liv's watchful eyes.

She put both items on the kitchen table and dropped into one of the chairs facing Liv. She flipped Etta around on her lap, so she could reach the table. Olivia wasn't ready to let her go just yet.

"I can tell you don't want to talk about it," said Olivia. "But are we safe? I need to know if my daughter is safe."

"I think so. I was running from your authorities."

"Why?"

"I crossed over where the bridge used to be."

"There's nothing there now."

Liv smiled. "I figured that out. I got into some trouble get off the island and then getting into Boston."

"Why are you here? How did you cross over?"

"A massive dose of the Secretary's version of cortexiphan."

"But why? What are you doing here?" Olivia noticed that Liv had not answered her first question.

Liv shrugged and smiled again. "It's a long story."

"You are going to tell me the whole thing. Starting with how you got into my house."

"The window over the sink wasn't locked."

"Yes, it was." Olivia leaned forward as she would if she were actually interrogating Liv.

"Okay, it wasn't a good lock."

"Why didn't you just knock?"

"I wasn't sure what you'd do."

"So you broke into my house and almost got shot."

"You wouldn't have pulled the trigger."

"Why are you here?" Olivia repeated.

The other Liv paused and smiled in a crooked way.

Olivia sighed in frustrated way. "Not ready?"

"Nope."

They were both quiet. For being so similar, they didn't really have anything to talk about. Fortunately, Etta was a good distraction. She was recovering from her earlier trauma and was beginning to relax. She started talking again. She started feeding some of her cereal to Olivia and then she reached out to Liv, offering her a single Cheerio in her sticky fingers.

Liv hesitated. She carefully got down off of the stool and moved to the chair adjacent to Olivia. She leaned forward and allowed Etta to drop the Cheerio into her mouth.

"Thank you," Liv said.

"Welcome," answered Etta.

"She looks us much like you," Liv said. "Like us."

"She has Peter's eyes. I think it's the blonde hair that makes her look like me."

"As in Peter Bishop? As in the Secretary's son?"

"Yes," said Olivia simply.

"Huh."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing. You'd think he'd be a bad boy, but it turns out he's a good guy. It's an interesting combination. I'm just wishing I got to him first."

Olivia knew she meant it as a joke, but the comment still made her stomach clench. This version of Liv did not know that in another timeline she had not only stolen Olivia's life for a few weeks that she had also hijacked her relationship with Peter.

"You two married?" Liv asked, missing the lack of reaction.

"Yes," said Olivia. She held up her left hand and showed off a platinum band around her ring finger.

Olivia hadn't wanted a big engagement ring. The simple band was enough. Peter had one that matched. On the inside of both rings, there was an engraving of the infinity symbol. The tiny figure eight that meant forever and also meant—to them alone—in every time, in every place.

Etta interrupted by offing Liv another Cheerio.

"Thank you," said Liv again.

"Welcome," said Etta again.

"You're good with her," said Olivia. "She likes you."

"Really? I've never been told that before. I don't really have the patience for kids."

Olivia didn't know what to say. That wasn't a trait they shared. Olivia had always been good with kids. Her usual impatience just did not apply to children. Kids were easy; they didn't have agendas or want to cause harm. A weekly babysitting job she had when she was young had been a welcome relief. It had been the one night a week she knew she didn't have to worry about her stepfather. Olivia gave Etta a squeeze.

She also knew more about this other Liv than Liv did about herself. Only once had Peter talked about exactly what the Observer had shown him when their minds connected. Olivia knew that in some other timeline this woman sitting across from her had a son.

"I guess I never thought about it," continued Liv. "Having kids. Being a mom. With my job and the way my world used to be. I just assumed you would feel the same way. Besides, it's probably not possible anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"We have this virus on my side that affects pregnant women. It's what my Rachel and her baby died of. It runs in families, so I probably have it too."

"I'm sorry," said Olivia.

"It was a while ago."

"It still has to be hard."

There was another long, awkward pause. Olivia was wondering at the divergence between herself and her doppelganger. They shared faces, but not much else. Their personalities and life experiences were so different. Olivia had known she wanted to be a mother since she was a teenager and that was only the beginning. She couldn't trust the way Liv did. She couldn't smile the way Liv did. She had lived through a traumatic childhood that Liv had escaped entirely.

"You know it looks good on you. Motherhood, I mean," said Liv. "It seems right."

"Thank you. It's something I always wanted, but I never thought it would happen, especially after joining Fringe division. I didn't think I could be responsible for exposing a child to that." She didn't mention all the things that had happened to her specifically. From abuse, to cortexiphan, to car accidents, to everything that had she'd done in Walter's lab and of course getting shot in the head. Her body had been through the unimaginable. She had been scared for most of her pregnancy that the baby wouldn't be healthy.

Olivia wondered what she was doing sitting in her kitchen with this woman from another universe. She couldn't believe she was telling Liv about this. She had only ever talked to Peter about it, and only once.

She and Peter had been nestled together, face-to-face and her rounded, eight-months pregnant belly pressed against his torso. There had been a thunderstorm, which had been keeping the baby awake. She had finally voiced her fears and to help ease her mind Peter had told her about the Observer. He had already known how worried she was. He'd been going a lot of glimmering. He'd done his best to assure her that everything was going to be okay, that she was going to be a great mom, but there only so much he could say without her telling him exactly what was upsetting her.

"I'm just so scared," Olivia had told him. "I've wanted this life since I was little. I had Rachel, of course, but it's been so long since I've been a part of a family. God, I missed it."

"Me too," Peter had said.

"I'm just terrified that there is something wrong and that I won't get it after all."

"Olivia, everything is going to be fine. That baby is perfect."

The baby kicked as if in response. Right where Peter's stomach was touching hers.

"Did you feel that?" asked Olivia.

"Yes. See, she is telling you everything is fine. She's saying, 'Mom, relax. Look, I'm strong."

"Every one of my instincts is telling me that she's perfect, but there's still this little voice that won't go away. Peter, I love her so much. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her, but I know there are things outside of my control. I don't even know exactly what was done to me. What if—"

"Stop," he said, gently. "I wasn't sure how to tell you this. I was waiting for a good time, but I guess there isn't really going to be a good time. So here goes. Remember the time that David Robert Jones kidnapped you?"

"Which time?" said Olivia, trying very hard to sound like she was teasing.

"The last time. When I connected with the Observer's mind."

"He helped you, right?"

"Yes, but he told me some other things too." Then, he told her everything that the Observer has said about Peter's disappearance, about Liv and her baby. "I'm not telling you this to upset you and I wasn't trying to keep it from you. I'm trying to say that this was meant to be. It's destiny. The universe corrected itself so this little girl could be born. Our baby is going to be perfect."

"I know the feeling," said Liv, interrupting Olivia's memory.

"What?" said Olivia.

"I don't know how people could expose their kids to the way my side used to be. I mean the world was literally falling apart. Your job is to keep your kids safe, right? How do you do that when there are holes in universe?"

Olivia agreed, but again didn't know what to say. There was another pause.

"How's Lincoln?" Olivia asked finally when she couldn't take the silence anymore. She was really trying to get Liv comfortable enough to talk about why she was here.

Liv smirk. "You mean Tyron? It's his middle name. That's what everyone calls him so we don't get confused with—" she stopped herself.

Olivia knew what she meant. So he wasn't confused with the other Lincoln, the Lincoln who died.

Liv brushed off the moment. "He's good. He's found his place, I think. He's got his own apartment and even a girlfriend now."

"Not you? I think he stayed on your side because he thought—"

"I know what he thought. We tried, but I felt like a replacement. Or that he was looking for you. We were both looking for people who were gone."

Olivia felt a surge of anger. She was careful to keep any emotion out of her voice. "So it's alright to replace me, but it doesn't work the other way around?"

Liv raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't personal. It was an assignment."

"You stole my life. How is that not personal?" Olivia said, stonily.

"It was for a cause I used to believe in. I recognized that I was wrong. The solution I thought I was working towards was incorrect." She offered nothing else.

It wasn't an apology, but it was closer to one than Olivia ever thought would get. She sighed. "What do you want from me?"

"I'm not trying to steal your life, if that's what you're worried about. I just needed a place to hide out."

"From what?"

Liv opened her month to answer, to give some incomplete answer, when Olivia's cell phone started buzzing on the island. Both women looked at the device as rattled against the granite. Liv rose from her chair and peered at the screen without touching it.

"Broyles. There's no need to answer it," said Liv.

Olivia made a face that said 'if you say so.' Not answering the phone would be suspicious. There could be a case or, more likely, they had figured out who had appeared on Liberty Island.

"You were about to tell me what you are running from," said Olivia.

"No, I wasn't." Liv grinned.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are very frustrating?"

"They may have mentioned it once or twice."

Olivia sat heavily back down. She cast around for another topic of conversation. "How is the damage on your side? Did the healing continue?"

"I don't want to talk about home. I want to hear about the wedding," Liv said.

Olivia smiled. "We had the ceremony on the green at the courthouse. We only invited a handful of people: Walter, Nina, and Rachel and her family. We went out to a nice dinner afterwards. Rachel stayed at our house and looked after Etta so Peter and I could spend the night at the Four Seasons."

"Four Seasons?"

"It's very expensive hotel."

"It sounds nice."

"It was. Here, see for yourself."

Olivia got up and retrieved a picture in a thick silver frame from the server behind the couch in the living room. She handed it to Liv. Liv frowned as she studied the photo. Olivia didn't need to look at the picture.

She and Peter were standing in the green outside the Boston courtyard. The harbor was behind them. Peter was dressed in well-tailored dark grey suit. She wore a simple white cocktail dress. Her blonde hair was half up in an elegant bun while the rest cascaded around her shoulders. Instead of flowers, she was holding Etta. The newborn was wrapped up in a pale green blanket. Only to top of her hairless head was just visible. Her little family.

Liv placed the photo down onto the table. "It seems nice," she said and somehow Olivia didn't mean just the wedding.

The phone began buzzing again. Liv looked at the screen. "It's Peter," she said. "Why is he calling?"

"I don't know, but he knows I don't have any plans today. He'll think something is wrong if I don't answer."

"You could still be asleep."

"Not with a toddler in the house."

"Fine. Try to keep him from calling the FBI."

Olivia grabbed the phone and answered it on the last ring. "Peter."

"Thank God. I was worried. Broyles called he said there was a report of a woman with red hair appearing out of no where on Liberty Island. I think it's the Olivia from the other side."

"Yeah, she's here."

"What? In the house? Are you okay? Henrietta?"

"We're fine. Here, I'll prove it. Say hi to Daddy," she told Etta and held the phone up.

Etta knew what to do. "Hi Dada!" she said and then started gabbling in the language only she understood.

Olivia faintly heard Peter ask a few clarifying questions and then she heard him say, "Give the phone back to Mommy. I love you, Etta."

"Love Etta," she repeated. She probably didn't understand what it meant but both Olivia and Peter took it mean 'I love you too.'

Olivia took the phone away from Etta's ear and put it against her own. "See, we're okay."

"I don't like it. What is she doing here?"

"I'm not sure. She won't say."

"But why did she come to our house?"

"She's hiding out."

"From what?"

"The FBI."

"Well, we work for the FBI so that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. They're on their way. Broyles was concerned when you didn't answer the phone. They'll be there in twenty minutes. Try and keep her there for just a little bit longer."

"I won't be able to do that. She's listening to everything right now. It's the only way she would let me have her weapons."

"Weapons? Jesus, I'm coming home."

Olivia didn't try to argue. She wanted him back. "You don't have to worry. Everything is fine."

"I'm still coning home."

"I know."

"Alright, I just need to collect Walter. We'll be back in Boston in a few hours. I love you, Olivia."

"I love you, too."

"See you soon."

"Bye."

Olivia disconnected the phone call. She looked at Liv. She was still standing close by with her whole body tense. Olivia was surprised she hadn't already fled.

"They're on their way, aren't they?" Liv asked.

"A team will be here in less than twenty. Peter didn't call them. They were already headed here. Broyles knew you came through and was worried when I didn't pick up the phone."

Liv looked panicked. She was trying to make a decision, but she was stuck. Olivia couldn't see a way out this either.

"This isn't an official mission is it? You don't have a plan, do you?"

"I didn't really think it would work. I didn't think it through beyond getting to you. It was sloppy and dumb and childish and no one even knows I'm here. I had to…" she began then stopped herself. "Are you going to stop me?"

"No, but I'm not going to help you either."

"My weapons?"

Olivia shook her head no. She had not missed Liv's words: getting to you. She wasn't hiding from the FBI. She had come looking for Olivia.

Liv still seemed stuck. Then, they heard sirens; so softly at first that they could have been going anywhere, then louder and louder. Peter's time frame had been an overestimate. It forced Liv's hand. She turned on the spot without another word and tore towards the back door. But the door was still locked. Liv fumbled with the bolt, pulled on it once, twice until she got it open.

But the backyard was fenced in with tight wooden slats, too tall to jump and too smooth to climb. Liv was a rat trapped in a cage. She had one option. The fence ran all the way to the front yard with a gap next to the house. She ran in that direction.

Olivia could see the big, black SUVs pulling up in front of her house. Five men in SWAT gear and three more in navy blue FBI jacket were scrambling out of the vehicles. They would have the five feet of grass between the house and the fence covered in a matter of seconds.

Two of the men in SWAT gear burst through the front door. Etta screamed. Olivia held her close and instinctually flipped around so her back was between her child and the gun-wielding agents.

"Don't shoot!" yelled Olivia. "She's going around the house! I'm not her! Don't shoot!"