There's No Place Else for Me to Be - Chapter 4
By: DrKatniss
Disclaimer: I do not own Fringe or it's characters. This is simply for fun.
Author's Note: Thank you for your comments and positive response to my last chapter! I know it's only been a few days but this story apparently wants to be written. Enjoy the new chapter, and please let me know what you think.
Lincoln rolled over in bed and saw the clock blinking 12:00 in bright red numbers. He reached over to unplug it, then picked up his watch from the nightstand. It was actually 6:00am. He was surprised that he had gotten any sleep - under normal circumstances he barely slept. Getting sleep in such a foreign circumstance, was well, foreign to him.
He was trying not to worry about it - but he had made a life altering decision by coming to this universe. Now it seemed like he might not even have a place here. Liv was his primary motivation in coming here, and since she had fallen on the floor the previous evening, she had been acting distant. Even worse was that she seemed to be exhibiting symptoms similar to those of his own Olivia once her memory from the other timeline started returning to her. What if this Olivia started to forget him too? Would he be here, all alone yet again, in a foreign place?
Lincoln ran his hands over his face - it was far too early in the morning to be worrying like this. He needed to at least have his first cup of coffee before agonizing over the implications of this decision on his life - oh - there would be no more coffee in his life. He would have to get used to that.
A loud noise, which sounded like the front door closing got his attention. Lincoln pushed the covers off of himself and cautiously walked into the living room. It was empty. Then he noticed an envelope and note on the kitchen table. He walked over to it, and brushing sleep out of his eyes, read it.
"Lincoln - I went into work early. I left you my Lincoln's show-me and a couple Juniors. You should be able to get yourself some breakfast and make it to Fringe division with that. Then we can look into getting you your own show-me. - Liv"
Lincoln wasn't sure how he felt about using his double's show-me, but it was a simple solution, and a creative way for Liv to avoid seeing him, which seemed to be a priority for her at the moment.
Liv scanned her show-me and opened the door to the Fringe division offices. It was nearly deserted except for Astrid. Most people would not come into work until a few hours later, but Liv needed to get out of her apartment.
Not even 24 hours earlier she was hopeful and happy that Lincoln had decided to stay in her Universe. Frankly, it frightened her a little bit that she had become so instantly attached to him, but it also felt like a blessing. She was being given another chance to make things right with Lincoln. He may not be her partner, but there were moments when she would look at him and almost forget everything that had happened.
Now, she was anxious that he was still a part of her life. The earlier night had started out flirtatious, but had ended with her deciding that she needed to put as much space between herself and Lincoln as possible. Something odd was happening around him, and she was starting to worry that she was losing herself.
"Good morning Agent Dunham. It is nice to see you here so early. It gets lonely sometimes", Astrid said, startling Liv by breaking the silence.
"Morning Astrid, always happy to help make this place a little more bright and cheery."
Liv hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Is anyone in the lab this morning?"
"No, you're the first one in other than me."
"Thanks," Liv said, grabbing her security badge from her desk and walking toward the elevator.
During the entire elevator ride, Liv couldn't help but wonder if she was making the right decision. She was clearly seeing side effects, but maybe even those could be harnessed and be beneficial.
She scanned her ID against the lab door and it opened with a cold gust of air. Her eyes scanned the room until they found their destination. A large gray refrigeration cabinet stood on the back wall.
She had never done this herself, but she had watched Brandon do it enough times that she was sure she could manage. She opened the cabinet and after only a few moments of searching, she found what she was looking for - a small tube of the pink liquid.
She grabbed the injection gun that had hastily been discarded on the counter a day earlier, and loaded it with the tube. Taking a deep breath, she placed the cold metal against her arm, and injected herself with the liquid.