Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or Fringe.
Peter, having forgot to set an alarm the night before, slept until almost ten the next morning. Walter was in the kitchen making blueberry pancakes when Peter came down. Peter loved the smell of fresh pancakes in the morning, it was something he had gotten used to enjoying. "How long have you been up, Walter?"
Walter turned around and cheerfully smiled warmly. "Oh, I've been up since about seven, son."
"Why didn't you wake me? I forgot to set my alarm..." Peter ran a hand through his hair absentmindedly and poured himself a mug of coffee.
"I didn't want to disturb you. I know you haven't been sleeping well, so I figured you could use the sleep." He flopped a couple of pancakes onto two different plates and set them at the table, along with silverware. "Hungry? I made blueberry pancakes!" Walter was unusually chipper this morning, considering all that had happened recently.
Peter eyed him warily wondering if he'd been toking on his bong again.
He glanced down at the pancakes and felt his stomach rumble. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten, which couldn't be a good sign. They did smell delicious. Peter decided it wouldn't hurt to sit down and enjoy some pancakes.
When breakfast was over, Peter went upstairs and cleaned himself up. When he finished getting dressed and making the bed, he headed downstairs to get Walter. It was time to go pick up Olivia from the hospital. Peter could feel the nervous rumble in the pit of his stomach. "Come on, Walter, let's go!" Peter called through the house from the front door. He pulled on his peacoat and waited.
"I'm coming, Peter." Walter appeared from the hallway with his sweater in hand.
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When Peter arrived at the hospital with Walter, he was surprised to find Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan already in her room. He eyed them curiously as he entered the room.
Dr. Brennan turned to face him and nodded a greeting to him. "Good morning, Mr. Bishop."
"Hello. Please, call me Peter." He smiled. "Mr. Bishop is a little too formal for me. Is there something I can help you with?" He asked her.
She shook her head. "No, we were just finishing up here. Booth thought it would be a good idea to come in and speak to her again before she was discharged."
Booth thanked Olivia for her time and turned to Peter. "I just wanted to ask her a few questions and make sure she didn't remember anything that could help in the investigation."
Peter looked at Booth. "Did it help?" he inquired.
Booth shook his head. "No, but at least she's healthy and able to go home." Booth's hostile demeanor from the day before had vanished. He actually seemed friendly, Peter thought. Whatever the reason, he was relieved for the change.
Peter nodded, not sure what to say. Even though Booth seemed in a better mood, Peter still found himself on guard. He never liked feeling like he was walking on eggshells, but after the display the previous night, Peter couldn't help but wonder if there would be another onslaught from Agent Booth. He knew Booth didn't trust him, so he found himself wondering when this reprieve would end.
"Listen, Bishop... I just wanted to apologize for being such a dick. I know things have been rough on you and your team, and the truth is we lost one of our own recently too, only there's no bringing him back. I know it's not an excuse or anything, I just didn't want you to take it personally. I don't like the fact that you were a con, but I can see you're trying to be a good person." Booth offered his hand to Peter. A truce between men.
Peter accepted his hand and shook it. "My condolences to both of you." He nodded towards Brennan.
"We'll continue the investigation. Take the day to get her settled in at home and let us know if you need anything, or if her memory returns." Booth nodded towards Olivia.
"Thanks." Peter smiled warily. He was thrown for a bit of a loop when Booth apologized, but he could understand the man's position. Things had been hard on their own team when Charlie Francis, who was Olivia's supervising Agent with Fringe Division, had been murdered and taken over by a shapeshifter close to a year ago. Charlie was Broyles' second in command, but he was also Olivia's long-time friend and confidante. They had known each other since she joined the FBI, which Peter knew was the main reason Olivia had taken Charlie's death especially hard.
Peter waited until Booth and Brennan had left the room before he turned to face Olivia. He was unsure of how to proceed, because he had no idea how she would react to anything. He knew how to handle Olivia, but Olivia without her memories was an entirely different ball game. Olivia was, by nature, a very stubborn and closed off individual. The only people who could get close to her were the people she trusted, and right now Peter doubted she trusted much of anybody, let alone himself. She was never one to leave herself vulnerable to anyone. Every little piece of Olivia he'd learned over the years were from the tiny little bread crumbs she dropped along the way when she reflected on feelings brought on by their cases and experiences together.
She was looking at him intently when he locked eyes with her. For a moment he thought he saw a glimpse of Olivia in those beautiful green eyes, but it was gone an instant later. "So the doctor tells me I'll be staying with you for now?" She asked quietly.
Peter nodded, unable to find his voice. He was saved by the doctor's entrance into the room.
"How are you feeling, Ms. Dunham?" asked the doctor.
"Physically, I feel fine..." was all she managed to say.
"Still no memories?" He asked her.
She shook her head and frowned.
"They will come in time." The doctor turned to Peter and handed him a clipboard and pen. "Since she's still unsure of her identity, I will need you to sign for her since you're listed in her records as the emergency contact."
Peter took the clipboard and signed where the doctor indicated, then handed the clipboard back. Since when was he Olivia's emergency contact? It had been Rachel before. Rachel lived in Chicago, so maybe Olivia chose him because he was closer and could be there in minutes if something were to happen to her.
"I'll have the nurse bring in your discharge papers," he said turning to Olivia. "If you have a change of clothes, you're welcome to get dressed."
The nurse had come in and removed her IV, leads, and blood pressure cuff while Booth questioned her earlier. She nodded in thanks and glanced at Peter in silent question as the doctor turned and left.
"Yes, I brought you some clothes." He smiled at her. "I didn't think you'd want me rummaging through your clothes, so I just grabbed the overnight bag you keep at the lab." Peter pulled the bag from behind his back and handed it to her. "Walter and I will wait in the hall, just knock on the door when you're decent."
Before she could respond, Peter and Walter were out in the hall with the door firmly closed behind them.
Olivia stood up from the bed and set the bag down where she had just been sitting. She forced herself not to think about the millions of questions running through her mind as she opened the zipper and pulled the clothes out of the bag. There would be plenty of time for dwelling on her lost memories later. She held up a grey t-shirt with blue lettering across the front, Northwestern. She figured that must be where she went to college. There were also a pair of blue jeans, socks, underclothes, and a pair of black boots.
She quickly dispersed of the hospital gown and put the clothes on. When she was finished she opened the door to her room to find Peter and Walter waiting for her against the opposite wall. Peter charmed her with his trademark grin. He was handsome, in a rogue-ish kind of way. With kind blue eyes.
The nurse appeared between them and Olivia. "I have your discharge papers. I wish you the best." She smiled at Olivia and handed her the paperwork.
"Thank you." Olivia accepted the papers and shoved them inside the duffel bag.
Walter grinned at Olivia. "You ready to blow this popsicle stand?"
"Yes. You have no idea how badly I've wanted to get out of this place... the smell reminds me of where I was being held captive." She glanced over at Peter and swore she saw a hint of sadness in his eyes, but if it was there, he quickly replaced it with something else that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Peter nodded down the hall as he spoke, "Then lets get you outta here." He smiled softly as he held out a hand in a quiet gesture of 'ladies first,' then followed Olivia and his father out of the building.
So far things were going smoothly, but he knew to expect anything with amnesia victims. Just because things were fine now, didn't mean they would be in a few hours. He had witnessed first-hand since Walter's release from St. Claires, how hard it was for someone to not be able to remember things locked away inside their own minds. It was something Walter struggled with daily, but at least he had some of his memories. Olivia lost everything.
A/N: Please review!