Lincoln's introduction to Fringe Division had been heralded by the loss of his partner Robert Danzig. In the wake of Robert's death, Lincoln swore to find those responsible for his loss and bring them to justice.

Taking the shapeshifters into custody marked a significant milestone in his pursuit of that goal. Jones was still out there, true, and the nature of his ultimate plan was still a mystery. But they'd taken out Jones' operatives and along the way, Lincoln had discovered a world—worlds—far stranger than he ever could have imagined. He'd also come to understand that there really were no answers to life, the universe, and everything...just like Olivia had warned him during their first case together. There would only ever be more questions.

Lincoln made peace with that because he had to, both for the sake of his sanity and because he'd also found so much more than he'd ever expected in the course of the search. Olivia...

There were still times when Lincoln woke up next to her and honestly could not fathom how his life had brought him here. It had nothing to do with "deserving" her, as if she was a prize to be won, or false humility on his part. But he could be profoundly thankful for the circumstances, even given the cost. He thought Robert would have been delighted by the ways in which he'd changed for the better, and that went a long way too.

It would've been disingenuous to downplay Nick's influence on Lincoln's happiness, too. He'd never had a friend so in sync with his own likes and dislikes. But what he felt for Nick went far beyond "friendship" and by this time, Lincoln knew better than to dismiss his feelings as high school relics. And the bond between Olivia and Nick had become a silent but ever-present factor in the relationship between the three of them, linking them together irrespective of time or distance.

Nick had become adept at controlling his ability, but there were still moments when Lincoln thought he felt—

No question about it. When the three of them were together, Lincoln could feel a subtle undercurrent of...longing, there was no other word for it. Nick had flat-out said that he loved them both, that first day when Lincoln and Olivia found him again. He'd also made it clear that he wasn't going to push the issue, perhaps still afraid that his ability would unduly influence them.

It would have been easy to maintain the status quo. In his old life, Lincoln never would have given a thought to disrupting the balance he'd found with Olivia by broaching the issue. But ignoring the tension between the three of them wasn't sustainable; it'd been out in the open from the moment Lincoln thought about giving Nick a tangible symbol of his—of his love, and Olivia agreed and suggested they give him Robert's pendant together. Nick was a part of their relationship, and pretending otherwise wouldn't make it any less true.

With all that in mind Lincoln chose a quiet evening, took a gulp of wine or three to fortify himself, and made his move.

"We need to talk about Nick."

Olivia turned from where she'd been folding laundry, her eyebrow arching. "That sounds serious."

"It is, but in a good way." Lincoln handed over a glass of wine and patted the couch next to him for Olivia to sit.

"I might not be an empath, but I know you have feelings for him." Lincoln watched Olivia's face, half expecting an automatic denial, and half relieved when she didn't offer one; at least she wasn't going to disavow her own emotions. "That's okay, Olivia. You knew him— well, a long time before you knew me."

She smiled, the expression at least partly self-mockery. "It's a little strange, isn't it? I was seven years old the last time I saw him. And he wasn't exactly the boy next door, like in some ridiculous romance novel. I always hated those," she added. "The whole 'destined to be together' thing." Olivia took a deep breath. "Yes, there's something between us. But I don't intend to do anything about that, Lincoln. I wouldn't."

"I know," he said softly, watching her face. "I could say the same."

She blinked at him, then laughed. "You know the funny thing about this conversation? Nick knows all this already."

Lincoln felt himself blush, cursing his fair skin. "I'd been trying not to think about that." As far back as that moment in the park, he belatedly realized. If Nick had sensed what he was feeling...

Olivia tilted her head at him. "So— I'm not sure what there is to talk about, then. As long as we can work together, it's not an issue."

"Unless we choose to make it an issue," Lincoln said, very carefully, watching Olivia's face for her reaction.

She stared at him for a long moment, long enough for him to start to wish he could take it back. "Lincoln, what— do you mean you—"

"I don't know." He shrugged helplessly to the skeptical look on her face. "I really don't. I just thought that maybe we should talk about it, at least."

"Talk about," Olivia said, very precisely, "you and Nick? Or me and Nick? Or the three of us together?"

He'd been fooling himself if he'd ever thought Olivia would be anything less than completely direct. But the flare of heat that curled up from his spine at even the thought of the three of them meant the subject couldn't be dropped. "I don't want to lose you. To Nick, or— or anyone else."

Her answering smile was full of reassurance rinsed in an undertone of how could you even think that. Lincoln was becoming very adept at deciphering Olivia's brief smiles. "Not an option. But you've obviously been thinking about the possibilities."

"You haven't?" he asked, already knowing the answer, and was rewarded by Olivia's acquiescing shrug. "The bond you have with Nick is so strong, I can't help thinking you're meant to be with him."

"That's what we were meant to think," Olivia said, mercilessly. "I'm more than my programming, and so is he."

He'd learned to recognize her deflections, too. "We both know it's more than that. My— my feelings for him are more than just leftover high school memories. And the way he feels about us..."

"You've sensed it too," Olivia said softly, and Lincoln nodded.

"But acknowledging these feelings isn't the same as doing anything about them." Olivia took a drink, looking thoughtful, and then fixed him with one of her penetrating looks. "Lincoln, assuming neither of us is about to dump the other for Nick—"

"Let's assume that, please. Let's take it as fact, even," he said hastily.

Olivia smiled. "Right. Given that, we're back to the notion of...making it an issue." She stopped, looking puzzled. "I don't have the slightest idea of how that's supposed to work."

"Well, mechanically—" Lincoln started with a wry smile, and laughed as Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "I guess, uh. The physical part we could figure out. But relationship-wise..." he paused. "That's really what we're talking about here, isn't it."

"Not that empath-enhanced sex isn't enough of a temptation," Olivia said dryly. "But we both care about Nick too much to just...use him like that. That would destroy him, Lincoln, I know it. We can't give him anything less than all of ourselves."

Even as she said it, Lincoln knew it for truth. Not that he'd really been thinking otherwise, but maybe he hadn't completely processed all the ramifications.

Olivia's slight smile said she'd caught his thought, no empathy required. "Scary, isn't it. Second thoughts?"

"Yes," he said without any hesitation. "And third, and fourth. It has to be all in or nothing, a— a real commitment."

"And," she continued, still mirroring his thoughts, "that demands a deeper—no, I'm sorry. A more formal commitment for us, too."

Lincoln caught the slightly sardonic tilt of her smile and answered it in kind. "Hell of a way to go fishing for a ring, Ms. Dunham."

Olivia laughed, loud and clear, and Lincoln laughed with her. They weren't anywhere near that point, and they both knew it. And that just highlighted the fact that this entire conversation was premature.

"Aside from that," Lincoln said after a moment, "it'd be yet another secret to keep. Despite its strides toward inclusiveness, the FBI doesn't, ah, approve of polyandry as a lifestyle choice."

"There is that," Olivia agreed. "And maybe we're both full of ourselves and Nick wouldn't be interested anyway."

"But neither of us really believes that," Lincoln said quietly, and Olivia nodded her agreement. "So...table it for now? Until we've had the chance to think things through?"

"And see what develops naturally, if anything." Olivia got up, stretching, and held out her hand to him. "I've learned not to make too many plans. But Lincoln, if nothing else I've learned this too: We work at Fringe Division. Nothing is impossible."