Hi everybody, thanks again for the lovely reviews. I haven't had time to respond to all personally. Work has been busy but I'll catch up in the next days with you.
I hope you enjoy the next chapter as I decided to give Astrid the floor before going Bolivia on you... ;)
11am
Astrid's heart started to beat faster and she could feel the blood rushing in her ears as she arrived back in the waiting area to find Agent Dunham speaking to a doctor in the corridor leading to the operating wing.
Although she was too far away to understand the conversation she could see the doctor's face as he detailed Peter's injuries for Olivia.
The surgeon's dark eyes shone with concern and he shook his head as a response to Olivia's questions. In the end he gently touched Olivia's shoulder giving it a reassuring squeeze before excusing himself and walking back to the operating wing.
Olivia's tense, upright stance crumbled, her shoulders sagging as her hand came up to cup her mouth and her chin fell forward onto her chest. She turned her body towards the wall and leaned her forehead gently against it. A few strands of her long blond hair had escaped from her pony tail and fell forward, obscuring her face.
Astrid was certain though that she had seen tears glistening on Olivia's cheek and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Her hands started to shake and she looked down at the small tray with the two coffees and the paper bag with a selection of muffins, worried that she would drop them.
There was a chair just off to her right and she took two steps towards it and sat down before her legs gave way, though her eyes never left Olivia. She could see by the movement of her shoulders that Olivia was silently crying.
Astrid dropped her eyes to her lap giving her the privacy she deserved.
There had been times over the last months were she had noticed in an unguarded moment how Peter looked at Agent Dunham. Walter had seen it, too.
A smile tugged at her lips as she thought about the unusual work environment she had found herself placed in as one her first assignments after leaving Quantico. No way had she envisioned that working for the FBI would include babysitting and assisting a madly brilliant and fragile scientist, exposing her to the fringes of science that thrilled and horrified her simultaneously.
The resentment she had initially felt quickly gave way to the magic of the trio she worked with. As scary the events they examined might be, she trusted that Olivia, Walter and Peter would figure it out: Olivia's dogged determination as she approached the cases, Walter's fractured insights and Peter, the fixer and glue that kept it all together, not only his father's mental state but when in the last months cracks appeared in Olivia's façade he smoothed them over, too.
She didn't think that Olivia realized how much she depended on Peter's presence and quiet strength.
Astrid glimpsed those puzzled looks early on from Peter as his old selfish ways faded; replaced by a caring and protective attitude under Olivia's influence and finally he surrendered to his new life with Fringe division.
The changes for Astrid had been significant, too as she found herself living in two worlds neither which intersected. Her family could never know about her work with Fringe division and she would quickly distract them if they ever enquired. They believed her to be an analyst in the linguistics department, spending her day pouring over paperwork.
Many times she would sit silently with her friends as they discussed their busy work and love lives, smiling on cue, laughing at their jokes but forever finding her thoughts returning to one of Walter's stunts in the lab, dry off hand remarks by Peter in response to Walter's flights of fancy or to Olivia's demonstration of self sacrifice on the job or for the ones she cared for.
Astrid worked hard at keeping the connections to normality alive fearing she would loose herself in the Fringe world but of recent she wondered if it really would be that bad. The lab had become a home with the members her family. And this family was hurting today.
After a few minutes Olivia wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before straightening up and pushing her hair back. She rapidly blinked away the last remnants of tears and took a deep breath before turning around and walking back into the waiting area.
Her gaze fell immediately on Astrid who sat watching her approach with big anxious eyes and the tightness around her mouth indicated the strain she was under.
Without uttering a word Olivia sat down next to Astrid starring ahead and folded her hands in her lap the knuckles turning white as she clenched them tightly.
Astrid placed the coffee and muffins at her feet and reached over to cover Olivia's hands with hers, turning to face her fellow agent. Olivia shuddered and looked up to Astrid meeting her dark brown eyes with her own swollen glassy eyes.
'Olivia, how is Peter? What did the doctor say?' Astrid's soft melodious voice probed gently.
'He has a skull fracture and possibly a blood clot from the head injury. They are operating now but he is very weak, lost a lot of blood and the chances that he survives the operation are slim.' Olivia's breath hitched in her throat and the pallor of her face deepened. 'We won't know if he sustained brain damage until he wakes up, if he wakes up that is…'
Astrid swallowed and nodded, patting Olivia's hands.
'Olivia, he is a fighter. You'll see he will be fine' Astrid hoped that she had infused her voice with the confidence she knew Olivia needed. Her cracks were showing under the strain.
'Here, I've got a coffee and a muffin for you.' She picked up a cup and opened the bag to take out a muffin 'I assume you haven't had anything to drink or eat since last night'
Astrid held out the muffin and coffee waiting for Olivia to take it from her. There was no movement from Olivia.
'Please don't make me force feed you' the tone in Astrid's voice made Olivia grimace. This was how Astrid spoke to Walter when she needed him focused.
'Just perfect, Astrid thinks I'm loosing it' Olivia sighed as the aroma of the coffee wafted up.
She accepted the offering with a faint smile, lifted the lid off the coffee and put the cup to her lips sipping the hot black fluid under Astrid's watchful eyes.
FRINGEFRINGEFRINGEFRINGE
'What about Walter? What do I say if he asks about Peter?'
Astrid was holding the bag with Walter's belongings hugging the pillow against her chest.
Olivia raised an eyebrow at the question.
'Use your FBI training and lie through your teeth, Astrid. I don't think I can cope with Walter in the moment. Peter's condition is still unsure. Best not to alarm him'
Olivia noticed Astrid's dismay at her request and lifted her hands up.
'Just for now, Astrid, please. I promise, I'll come upstairs soon and talk to him. I just need some time alone.'
Astrid frowned but turned to leave.
Olivia's eyes followed Astrid as she headed for the elevator before approaching the nurse's desk in the waiting area.
'Can you please give me an update on Peter Bishop's surgery?'
The nurse looked up from her paperwork.
'I'm sorry there's been no news, Agent. This type of surgery can take hours. Please take a seat. I'll come and get you as soon as there is any information'
Olivia chest tightened as she looked at the waiting area filled with anxious relatives. She needed somewhere quiet where she could hear herself think and began to wander down the hall way in the hope of finding a lonely chair in a quiet corner.
A door opened in front of her and Olivia glimpsed inside the room as a little old lady exited.
'The hospital chapel…' she hesitated, catching the door before it fell shut. There was no one inside and the peacefulness beckoned Olivia to enter so she stepped through and slowly walked down the aisle sliding into a pew at the front.
There was a small altar with an ornate cross flanked by two candles in front of her. Sun light streamed through a small circular stained glass window, the kaleidoscope of colours bouncing off the white walls.
Olivia leaned back, drawing in a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes as fatigue rolled over her.
The memory of Peter's convulsing body flashed up and she pushed it aside trying to empty her mind.
'Think of something soothing' she told herself taking deep breaths, trying to relax.
She thought she could hear the soft lapping of waves on the beach, the cry of seagulls in the distance and a voice calling her. The salty, tangy smell reminded her of seashells and seaweed.
Olivia opened her eyes to find herself standing on a beach, the white sand reflecting the warm sun light and making her squint. The sense of disorientation made her dizzy.
She held up her hand to shield her eyes and noticed a figure standing at the water's edge looking out onto the ocean. The figure shimmered in the heat.
Her feet carried her closer to the water's edge and with every step she could feel the sand shift under her weight. The gentle wind playfully swept her loose hair into her face. Olivia blinked hard and pushed the strands out of her face, tucking them behind her ear.
The man turned to look at her and Olivia was met by Peter's smiling face, his hand outstretched and welcoming her.
'Heh, Olivia, I have been waiting for you'
She grabbed hold of his hand which felt warm and strong and intertwined her fingers with his.
'I, I don't understand' stuttered Olivia her green eyes wide.
Peter chuckled shaking his head.
'Olivia Dunham lost for words, imagine that?'
He pulled her closer and Olivia's heart beat sped up as she felt the heat from his body.
'Why are you surprised? I am always there for you. ..With a look, a sobering word of caution, a touch or even a sandwich… I'm always with you…'
He reached for a wayward strand of her long hair and pushed it back.
On his touch the memories flooded Olivia and she suddenly saw him sitting next to her in the bar, her brother 'Rick' and his bemusement at that title, feeling his arms wrap around her as he pulled her out of the immersion tank after searching her mind for John's memories, reassuring her and holding her close, then sitting with her in the lobby during the sting operation calling her fearless but wanting her to be safe so he stayed with her; he would even follow her into death.
She never appreciated the faith he showed in her when he stayed while she faced Mr. Jones' bomb…
Dizzy she leaned against him and felt his arms circle her waist.
'You always came through for me' she whispered
'Yes, my 'weird connections' you called it. Good to know you valued my unusual skill set, Agent'
She could hear the smile in his voice.
'After Charlie's death you were the one I could rely on to have my back'
'I keep my people close, Dunham'
Calm spread over her and she finally recognized Peter's powerful ability to soothe her now as in the past when her dreams made her fear she was loosing her mind.
'I will always care for you, Olivia Dunham'
His breath caressed her neck and they stood together for what felt like an eternity before he dropped his arms and stepped away slowly walking into the water.
'Peter, wait, don't leave…' cried Olivia 'No, no …stay!'
Breathless she fell onto her knees in the sand watching Peter disappear in the waves.
'Agent Dunham, wake up!…Agent!..Damn it Olivia, wake up!'
Olivia's eyes snapped open, her pupils wide with bewilderment as she recognized the man shaking her.
'White! What are you doing here?'
yes, he's baaaack...
Let me know what you thought about this chapter ( it felt different to me but my muse just pushed me that way!) and I'll see you again on the weekend, cheers!
