Back again with another update for you! I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and thank those of you who are following, alerting, and favoriting this.

I am having a blast writing this. It is such fun to write lighter P/O, and not the easiest thing either. Remember, I own nothing.

Peter and Olivia each privately ask for help from a friend. If you enjoy this, please review! It makes my day!

The Hitch-Chapter 4

Peter Bishop took another sip of his Starbuck's coffee and chuckled. It's gonna be another strange and interesting day, he said to himself. Walter Bishop stood only two yards away watching his son while alternately swirling purple liquid in a beaker.

"Peter!" Walter said loudly to get his attention. "That is the second time in the last few minutes that you've smiled to yourself, Son. I observe that you've been nervously excited since we got back from Vegas. What's up with you, Boy?"

Just then the main door open and closed and Astrid Farnsworth hurried in with her Starbuck's grand latte.

"Good morning, Astrade. I was just telling Peter I have noticed that he's been acting nervously excited ever since we got back from Vegas. Perhaps he has finally triumphed in his sexual pursuit of our fair-haired FBI agent?"

"Walter!" Peter scolded loudly as Astrid looked at him. "Aren't I allowed just two moments of happiness in this lab without them being analyzed?" He locked eyes with Astrid and gave her a look of exasperation which made her smile and look away.

"So Walter, what are you swirling there in the beaker?" Astrid asked Walter, properly distracting him. Walter quickly gave her an impromptu lecture on the usefulness of hybrid solutions. The truth was she had noticed his mood also, and had the same thought. She suspected Peter and Olivia had spent a lot of time alone together out in Vegas. Her gut was telling her that Walter was right, that they'd finally gotten together, but she had no hard proof. She hypothesized that if she was correct she would find out in due time.

Thank you, Astrid,Peter said to himself, setting his coffee down and opening his notebook. He was a little shocked by Walter's outburst and wondered if anyone else they worked with had noticed a change in either of the two of them since they got back. He decided he would have to tell Olivia about Walter's comment when they got together that night.

Suddenly the door opened and shut and Olivia Dunham hurried into the lab carrying a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee and a rectangular box with the same name on it. "Good morning," she said softly as she walked towards the others holding the box out. Walter looked up. Upon eyeing the box his lecture on solutions was abruptly forgotten.

"Olivia! Hello! Did you bring us doughnuts?" He asked as he made his way to her. Without waiting for a reply he opened the lid of the box. "Oh! A mix, and look! Those gingerbread ones. How lovely. They're for a limited time only, you know. Thank you!" he said shoving one into his mouth and moving back to his bench with the box with Astrid following him.

"You're welcome, Walter," Olivia said laughing. She looked over at Peter and locked eyes with him. He gave her a knowing smile and a wink. She smiled back at him. Astrid had turned around just in time to catch their interaction and worked hard to keep the smile off her face. Yup. I guess I'll be hearing something soon enough, she said to herself.

Walter announced he was going to the candy machine down the hall with the dollar bill Peter had just given him. As soon as the door slammed behind him Peter turned to Astrid. "Astrid. I need a favor. Do you think you could leave work earlier today?"

"I think so, Peter. What's up?"

"Uh...I need you to go shopping with me. I need a woman's perspective on something."

Astrid's eyes grew wide. She had been expecting this type of conversation coming from him at some point in the future, but today? The urgency in his tone shocked her and got her full attention. "Okay. What are you shopping for?" she asked him, thinking she already knew the answer.

Peter looked toward the door to make sure Walter wasn't coming in, then he looked back at Astrid.

"An engagement ring for Olivia."

"Peter!" Astrid said excitedly. "Wow! I- Congratulations! I didn't realize-"

"S'OK, Astrid. We haven't been exactly forthcoming that we've been dating. So you'll help me?" he asked crossing his arms.

"Sure I will," she said putting an hand on his shoulder. "Oh my gosh, Olivia will be so surprised!"

Not as much as you will be, Peter thought to himself.

Peter gave her a hard look. "Please promise me you won't mention anything to Walter, OK?"

"Sure, sure. OK, but he'll go nuts when he finally hears, you know that. He'd do anything to get you two together."

"Yeah, I know." Peter gave her a smile. "Thanks, Astrid," Peter said pulling her into a hug.

"You're welcome." She pulled back from his embrace, his arms still holding hers. "This is. This is huge. I'm so happy for you two."

"Thanks," Peter replied smiling. Just then Walter rushed in seeing them with Peter's hands loosely on her arms.

"Oh, hello. They didn't have my Three Musketeers so I got an Almond Joy. Sometimes you feel like a nut, you know." Walter moved awkwardly away from them as Peter dropped his hands. Weird thoughts were running through Walter's head but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Astrid held up an FBI issue mug as Olivia poured her a cup of coffee in their break room. They had both been called into a department meeting that early afternoon. As Olivia set the carafe back on the warmer she glanced around to discover they were the only ones in there. She decided this was as good a time as any.

"Uh, Astrid. Can I tell you something? But you have to swear you won't tell a soul."

"Sure, Olivia. You know you can talk to me."

"Uh. New Year's Eve out in Vegas? After we left you and Walter in the club...uh...Peter and I...got married."

Astrid spit coffee out of her mouth and nose, choking. It took her a few moments to gain control. Olivia handed her colleague a napkin and watched on, misinterpreting her reaction. Was it such a terrible thing we did? Olivia thought quickly.

"You OK?" Olivia asked her concernedly.

Astrid shook her head. "Yeah. It's-I mean it's so sudden, Olivia. Had you two planned to do that?"

"Not at all," Olivia replied too quickly. "Uh, we were...we were drunk, Astrid. Hours later, we realized what we'd done."

Astrid stood there trying to take in this new information. She was trying to figure out why Peter hadn't mentioned this to her. "So...so what's happened since then. Are you still married? Or did you two go to the courthouse out there before we left and-"

"We're still married," Olivia said, lowering her now nervous voice.

"OK," Astrid said cautiously. "So you and Peter are OK with that?"

"Well, we're trying to figure it all out, you know?" she said giving Astrid a nervous smile.

Astrid put on her best poker face, all the while beaming inside. You guys, she said to herself. This is so adorable! And rich. Wait 'til Walter finds out, whenever that is.

"So, what's your plan?" Astrid asked Olivia, trying not to spook her. She was impressed her colleague was holding up in front of her as well as she was, knowing her background.

"We're going to try it out a bit. See how we handle it, you know?" Olivia said nervously.

"Well, I don't know first hand but...You love him, don't you?" Astrid asked her directly.

"I do," Olivia answered without hesitation.

Astrid shook her head. Well, I know he loves you, so.. "Well, then, I think you'll be fine. And no worries. You're secret's safe with me."

Olivia smiled genuinely at her. "Thanks, Astrid." She set her mug down on the counter and hurried out of the room and into the hall, reflecting to herself that revealing the truth to Astrid had been both scary and yet liberating.

Astrid set her mug in the sink and walked out of the room and down the hall. She opened the stair well door and descended to the bottom, opening the door to the outside. Once she was out in the open with the door shut behind her she screamed a little, letting out a mix of happiness and frustration. Those two! And she was going to have a little talk with Peter Bishop when they met later that day.

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