TITLE: Chapter Nine

PAIRING: Walstrid

CHARACTERS: Astrid Farnsworth, Walter Bishop, Peter Bishop, Olivia Dunham, Phillip Broyles, Charlie Francis

GENRE: Dark

RATING: M

SUMMARY: life in the mirror world

WORD COUNT: 840

WARNINGS: None

SPOILERS: Anything Season One

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Oh man, I would LOVE to see this version of Peter ;)

DISCLAIMER: none


Astrid stood in front of the photocopier, mumbling to herself about sticky buttons and cheap ink when a man in a tweed suit hesitantly stepped into the bustling office of the Fringe Science Unit. He adjusted his glasses and scanned the large room. It was nearly a month into her work with the FSU and she watched him curiously, wondering who he was. The stubble on his cheeks and face suggested he hadn't shaved in at least two days and while his clothes were expensive, she could see they hadn't been pressed in a long time.

He looked a little nervous until their eyes met. He moved over towards her, his hand nervously playing with the visitor badge around his neck.

"Could you tell me where Agent Olivia Dunham is?" he asked, his voice soft amid the bustle of junior agents shouting for forms and the phones ringing.

Astrid pointed over to the centre of the chaos at a blonde wearing black, white, and a Kevlar vest. "She's over there."

He didn't say thank you, simply drifted away from her. Astrid cocked her head and decided to abandon the copy machine to see who the strange man was that came specifically for Liv. She straightened up her paperwork and trailed after him.

The man approached Olivia and gently touched her shoulder to gain her attention. "Are you Agent Olivia Dunham?"

Olivia looked so surprised to see this unknown man here in their office, not just touching her. "Yes, I am. And who are you?"

He didn't shake her hand, simply took a step back from her, his voice still low. "Professor Bishop of Harvard University. I heard your name on the news last night. I want to talk to you about the Outbreak. I think I know someone who can find a cure."

Olivia nodded and motioned him to follow her to one of their interrogation rooms. "If you'll come with me."

Charlie was standing near by and exchanged a curious glance with her. The two quickly hurried after them and entered the viewing room behind the two-way mirror to watch. Olivia was no doubt the best of three agents in the FSU to deal with civilians; Astrid couldn't go into an interrogation room without feeling the urge to toss a chair or scream at the top of her lungs and Charlie never seemed to know what to say people who didn't have clearance to know about the Pattern.

"So you're a professor at Harvard. What studies?" Olivia asked opening the file to write down the personal information of this man.

His hand traveled up unconsciously to play with the replica Foucault pendulum hanging around his neck, his fingers worrying the grape sized brass pendent. "Religious, specialising in String Theory."

"All right." Olivia smiled kindly at him. "Full name?"

He adjusted his glasses once again. "Peter William American Bishop."

Olivia nodded as if she already knew this, writing it onto the form. "Residence?"

"Cambridge.

Astrid worried her lower lip then murmured. "His name is familiar."

Charlie nodded in agreement, his eyes slightly narrowed as he studied the professor.

Olivia opened her mouth to ask another question, but Bishop slammed his hand down on the forms, making Astrid jump. Olivia however hardly flinch.

"We can fill out the rest of the paperwork later. Right now we need to talk about my father," he demanded

At this Olivia leaned back in her chair, lowering the pen to the papers, her face becoming a mask of consoling. "Professor Bishop, I'm sorry if your father has been affected by the Outbreak, but—"

He shook his head violently. "No, he's the one who can find a cure for this."

"What makes you believe that?"

"He was next in line to be the United States' Lucasian Chair of Mathmatics," he explained and then looked slightly embarrassed. "They say he was the one who started the curse."

Realisation hit Astrid like a brick wall. "He's Walter Bishop's son?"

Unshakeable Olivia's eyes grew large as she looked him over, her pen quickly writing out notes on the file before her. "So your father is a High King's Doctor. Walter Bishop."

"Yes. I think—" he paused to correct himself, "no, I know he can cure this. If anyone can find a cure, it's him."

Olivia shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Dr. Bishop in an institution for the criminally insane. I don't know—"

"Look, our country needs him right now." Bishop looked conflicted. "My wife died…I can't save her now, but Walter could definitely save others."

She brought out her pocket computer, quickly typing in the information she needed, then announced slowly, "It says you'll have to take guardianship of him."

Bishop didn't seem as enthusiastic. "There isn't some other way—"

"You have to take guardianship of him and I can act as guardian supervisor." She raised an eyebrow as if to challenge him.

"All right," he said with a sigh. "Let's go get him."

Olivia's eyes widened once again, as did Astrid's and Charlie's. "Now?"

"The Outbreak isn't waiting." Professor Bishop stood up. "And neither should we."