As promised the next chapter and I will post the epilogue separately...There is a part of me a bit sad to see this story coming to an end and if I think that 4 months ago I didn't even know about Fringe...well, it's been quite a ride. There are a lot of reveals ahead so strap yourself in and off we go!

11pm

The group arrived at FBI headquarters fifteen minutes later. Olivia had not been pleased when she recognized the helicopter as belonging to Massive Dynamic, fighting down her initial reaction to decline the ride. There was no way she wanted to be in debt to Nina Sharp if she could prevent it but then she saw Walter's face glowing with excitement to be finally heading to his son and she gave in gracefully. She saw White arch an eye brow as her face broadcast her feelings and smiled reassuringly holding out his hand to help her climb into the cabin.

The short flight had been spent mainly in silence with White sitting up front next to the pilot while Astrid, Walter and Olivia sat in the seats in the cabin.

Walter pressed his face up against the window, staring down at the houses as they flew low over the suburbs heading for downtown Boston.

'This is my first flight in a helicopter, Astrix! Did you know that the word helicopter comes from the two words 'helico' for spiral and 'pter' for wings?'

Astrid grinned and nodded kindly though as a linguist she was well aware of the roots of the word.

After landing on the roof top of the FBI building, they disembarked quickly and moved away crouching low to avoid the rotors. Olivia punched in her security code on the panel next to the roof top access door and it clicked loudly as it unlocked.

White spoke briefly to the pilot before waving him off and following the others through the door and into the building.

A few seconds later the elevator doors hissed open and the small group filed into it.

'I'll need to quickly check in with Broyles and then we will go to see Peter.' She informed everyone 'Astrid, please go and sign out a vehicle for us and you David can stay with Walter in the break room…have a coffee, or tea, you Brits like tea don't you?'

As they arrived at their level the doors opened a few seconds after the chime, Olivia strode out and vanished down the corridor leaving Astrid to direct Walter and David to the break room before herself vanishing in the opposite direction.

'Well Walter. It's just you and me'

David took Walter by the elbow and guided him down the hallway to the empty break room. At this time of the night only a small contingent of Agents was on duty and with the recent events all were busy at their desks.

'A cup of tea, Walter?'

'Yes, lovely, milk and two sugars, please'

He sat down at a table and watched David locate two mugs, place a tea bag in each and pour hot water into the mugs. It took a few moments for David to find the jar with sugar, open the fridge to get out the milk, not forgetting to sniff it for freshness and soon two steaming mugs of tea were standing on the table with David sliding onto the chair opposite Walter.

David could feel Walter's eyes resting on him and looked up from his mug which he had circled with both hands enjoying the warmth and breathing in the aroma of the tea.

'There is always something soothing about a hot cup of tea…' David smiled at Walter who continued to ignore the tea in front of him. There was sorrow in his face as he finally spoke.

'I'm sorry David. I should have never asked your father to put you in harms way…'

David's smile froze and he pushed the tea away, leaning back in his chair. He had known that Walter might remember certain parts of his past, triggered by the events of today especially by David's presence and now he wasn't sure if he was ready for it.

'Why did you then? It wasn't just me but also my sister…' He shook his head at the old scientist.

'Your father was a good friend. He understood the need…'

'Understood?…really, you seriously want me to believe that!' David's eyes narrowed his agitation showing on his face. '…because I surely never understood why my sister had to die to protect Peter!'

Walter sighed and let his head drop onto his chest.

'I didn't know…' he whispered.

'Peter had gotten up to his neck involved with hard core criminals peddling in espionage and my sister was sent in to help him extricate himself. I should have known it was too dangerous…'

David's voice broke with emotion.

Unbeknown to both men, Olivia had arrived at the door of the break room overhearing the conversation.

'Peter was truly sorry for that David. It still haunts him…' her voice made both men turn and stare at her. Olivia drew the door shut and walked up to David who was stunned by her comment.

'How…?'

Olivia tugged at the letter hidden in her jacket pocket and David recognized the envelope they had found in the book at Peter's home.

'While I was waiting at the hospital earlier today I read the letter. He describes his involvement with Summers, the work he did and how a young woman named Sarah helped him get away though paying with her life for it. He ran taking the information with him but was at a loss how to return it to the rightful owner. He was convinced that they had been betrayed by someone they were working with. Sarah had never confided in him who her contact was and so Peter entrusted this information to me knowing that I would do my best to complete the mission for him if he was no longer able to.'

'So he knew that Summers was most likely going to kill him?'

Olivia shook her head at David's question

'I don't think he was afraid of Summers. He had figured out that the person buying the information was an operative from the US. Seems he wanted to implicate Summers of Sarah's murder and get the information for free. Peter had arrived at Sarah's house with the information of the nationality of the buyer when they came for her…Did you know that she tasered Peter to keep him hidden?'

'Ah, my Christmas present for her when she turned 18. Nice to know it came to good use at least once.'

He didn't mention that there had been times when he would have loved to taser the hell out of Peter who repeatedly had put his life at risk for the odd harebrained adventure. Some of his scars bore witness to that.

He ignored Olivia raised eye brow at his flippant comment 'Does Peter know who the operative was?'

'Yes, though he didn't know the man's name he gave a good description of him. Peter had seen him once briefly at Summers' office and later put it together. The description of the man fits Smith to a tee by the way!'

'Damn him…' David's fist hit he table hard as he succumbed to his frustration. 'The lying bastard…to my face he told me he didn't know who murdered Sarah.'

'I think he used Summers and his goons to grab Peter probably with the intent on then killing Summers before dealing with Peter himself. Everybody would have been looking for Summers and not made the connection to Smith. I still don't understand though how the shape shifters fit in…Why would Smith work with them? And what did he want with us?'

'He has no reason to trust shape shifters or work with them. DST was trying to find a way of identifying persons who had been taken over by a shape shifter. No, I think they had infiltrated his department likely under Newton's orders. They were after Peter's information but for other reasons…'

'You know what Peter had been working on?'

'Not in detail but…' David pressed his lips together hesitating to finish the sentence.

Walter and Olivia looked at him expectantly but David shook his head.

'Sorry, I can't discuss this…'

He did look genuinely apologetic so Olivia let it rest, at least for now.

'As far as it concerns Walter, Astrid and you…may be he hoped to convince you to work for him or kill you to remove the competition. Broyles' career would have never survived the loss of his whole team.'

'Then you think the bomb was Smith's way of ensuring the best outcome for him: Either we would have agreed to work for him or get blown up…'

Olivia's interpretation made sense and David nodded as he added:

'Or someone else was trying to clean up the mess Smith had made…'

'Maybe forensics can throw some light on the origins of the bomb and answer our questions ….' Olivia stifled a yawn. 'By the way, Broyles is still at the hospital with Peter. I'll catch up with him there. Astrid should have the car ready by now…'

Just in that moment Olivia's phoned buzzed with Astrid informing her that a car was waiting at the exit close to the elevators.

'Olivia, where did Peter hide the information?' asked David as he rose from the chair, gathering up the mugs of cold tea and placed them in the sink.

'Mh, that's the interesting part…Peter wrote that Sarah had shown him this sheet of music saying it contained the location of where she had hidden the microSD card with the information. When he discovered her dead he grabbed the sheet from her piano and left.'

She opened the envelope and pulled out a sheet of music and handed it to David.

'I take it you'll know what to do with it. I'm none the wiser but Peter may be able to help us once he wakes up.'

David studied the piece of paper intently silently playing the music in his head.

'No, I don't recognize the piece of music but I'll figure it out.' He looked Olivia directly in the eyes.

'I take it I can keep this?'

'Mh, yes I've got a copy of it'

When they arrived at the back entrance of the hospital a FBI agent was waiting to open the door and took them straight up to private room in which Peter was sleeping.

On opening the door they discovered Broyles sitting in the chair next to Peter's bed.

He stood up and met them at the door.

'Dunham, take Walter to see Mr. Bishop. Your report can wait till later.'

David hung back in the hallway meeting up with Broyles as the trio entered the room to see Peter surrounded by an IV stand and several monitors.

Walter stepped up close to the bed to touch his son's face as if to reassure himself it was really Peter.

'My boy…my boy' he mumbled as his eyes filled with tears.

A white bandage covered most of his head and the bruising had discolored Peter's face giving him the 'Rocky Raccoon' look with his eyelids swollen and tightly closed. A small nasal prong supplemented oxygen and two IVs were delivering fluids and a nearly completed blood transfusion.

Walter took the chart Astrid held out to him and scanned the nurse's notes on vital signs while checking the various monitors.

'Good, good…pulse steady, blood pressure still a bit high but acceptable, pulse oximetry good with low flow oxygen and he isn't running a temperature anymore.'

Astrid knew Walter would not want to leave Peter's side tonight.

'I'll go and ask the nurse if we can arrange for a cot to be put in here so you can stay with Peter…'

She quietly slipped out heading towards the nurse's station.

Olivia stood back, leaning against the wall as her heart beat anxiously. Peter looked so still and vulnerable as he lay there. She bit down hard on her bottom lip as she felt tears pricking behind her eye lids. My god she had nearly lost him today and as much as she tried to suppress those feelings which she had buried deep she couldn't ignore them anymore.

Walter turned and saw the emotion on Olivia's face.

'Oh, my dear Olive… He is going to be alright…' a big smile creased his face and he walked up to Olivia wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

Her body stiffened at his touch, memories of betrayal of a child's innocence surging up before she fought it down and relaxed a fraction into the hug, patting Walter's back briefly. He wasn't that man anymore. He was Peter's father and she knew he also cared for her.

Walter returned to Peter's side, pulling the blanket down to his waist and inspecting his son's other injuries. His hands ran down Peter's chest, stopping for seconds as they traced the bruising.

'Mh, he may have a broken rib here….'

As she saw Peter's bare chest she gasped at the extent of his injuries. She recalled with a faint smile playing around her lips, the first time she had glimpsed him 'sans shirt' at the door, just wearing boxers in the middle of the night.

Walter continued to prod and poke his son and Olivia became worried he might wake him up as she noticed that Peter's breathing rate had increased with the discomfort his father was causing.

When Walter pulled the blanket further down, Olivia turned to look out of the window suddenly embarrassed and wanting to give Peter some privacy that obviously his father thought nothing of.

She could hear Walter commenting on the scrapes, bruises and swelling he found as he inspected Peter's lower body.

When she heard Walter utter: 'I wonder where they have a tendon hammer…' she knew it was time to intervene. She swung around; eyes seeking the blanket bunched up at the lower end of the bed and she grabbed it, tugging it swiftly up to cover Peter.

'Walter, Peter needs his rest. You can check his reflexes tomorrow, okay.'

The firmness in her voice startled Walter and he looked up, opening his mouth to reply as Olivia's hand shot up.

'No, that's final or I will not allow you to stay the night.' She had her hands on her hips as she glowered at Walter.

'Oh…' Suddenly a smile appeared on his face. 'You just reminded me of Gandalf from Lord of the Rings…' and he dropped his voice to a theatric growl 'You shall not pass here' as he mimicked the thrusting of the magical staff in the ground.

Olivia shook her head but couldn't help smiling at the film reference. Walter being Walter again no matter what the situation!

Astrid had borrowed the DVDs from the library last month and had told Olivia how fascinated Walter had been with the film version of the classic.

'Heh, guys can you keep it down a little. I've got the mother of all headaches…'

Olivia winced at hearing Peter's soft voice having wanted to prevent exactly what had occurred; they had woken him.

Walter though joyfully clapped his hands shouting out loudly

'Ah you are awake, son…hearing is okay, speech isn't slurred. Wonderful!'

At the clapping Peter squeezed his eyes briefly shut before opening them to see Olivia holding both of Walter's hands firmly and the look in her eyes spoke volumes. If Walter did not heed Olivia's warning there was a good chance he would become an orphan today.

After a few seconds long enough for Walter to get the message, Olivia released him and stepped up to the bed smiling softly at Peter.

'Heh, good to have you back. You gave us quite a fright today.'

'Mh, knew you'd find me…you look good enough to eat' he murmured unable to take his eyes off the beautiful woman bending over him. A moment later his eyes fluttered shut and he fell asleep again.

'Okay Walter, last warning…' whispered Olivia as she pulled a chair closer to Peter's bed for Walter

'Sit and don't move. I'll go and check on Astrid and David.'

Outside the room she saw Astrid direct an orderly with a folded up cot towards the room.

'Astrid, can you keep an eye on Walter…his antics woke Peter up just now. Once the cot is up make him lie down. He is exhausted.'

'Sure , Olivia. How is Peter?'

'He's sore, but he'll be fine.'

David was at the end of the corridor standing closely together with Broyles talking in low voices.

They noticed her approach and David looked up and smiled at her. Broyles nodded in her direction and held out his hand for the MI5 agent.

'Thank you for all your help today, White.'

After a brief shake he turned on his heels and walked out.

'Now Agent Olivia Dunham the time has come for me to take my leave…I have to catch a plane in a few hours out of Logan.'

He held out his hand which she politely grasped only to have David lift it and kiss it formally.

'It has been a pleasure working with you, Olivia.' His arctic blue eyes laughed at her.

Surprised at the gesture Olivia let him hold her hand longer than she preferred, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.

'I do have one more question before you leave…' she said as her hand continued to rest gently in his grasp.

'What did Walter ask from your father?'

David released her hand as his smile faded and a serious look on his face appeared. There were several chairs in a small waiting area so he led Olivia over inviting her to sit down with him. He took a deep breath before he answered Olivia's question.

'Little over 18 years ago, just months before the Lab accident and Walter's mental break down, he came to visit my father in Oxford. He was agitated, demanding to see my father right away. I was thirteen but I remember it clearly. We were all sitting together at Sunday lunch when he stormed into the house. My father calmly led him to his study but a few minutes later we could hear them shouting at each other. I snuck into the library next door trying to hear what they were saying. Through the crack of the sliding door I could see my father behind his desk. Walter had placed a document in front of him and was talking to my father who was shaking his head in disbelief. Walter talked furiously, his voice too low for me to overhear but I my father appeared to disagree strongly and in the end only Walter's pleading made him relent. When Walter left twenty minutes later I stood in the hallway and as he passed me he ruffled my hair and gave me this sad smile. The following week my childhood came to an end. My father removed me from my school and I began to study with tutors at home. My physical education wasn't neglected either but the emphasis was on martial arts and self defense with weapons training. When I asked my father why…he told me that a war was coming and it would be up to a special group of people to defend our world. I needed to be trained in preparation but most importantly there was another special boy who I would be asked to protect with my life as he would be very important in the upcoming war.'

Olivia eyes had grown larger and larger as David talked.

'You are referring to Peter?' she asked in a toneless voice. David gave her a brief nod before he continued his account.

'I have spent the adult years following him around, keeping him safe as good as I could without him knowing that I was shadowing him. My sister had not been trained as I had and she never was trialed by Bell on Cortexiphan but when Peter got involved with Summers she was our only way in. She agreed in spite of the danger. She had always wanted to be involved, too so my father gave her his blessing to infiltrate Summers office and keep an eye on Peter. Well you know the outcome of that.'

David couldn't suppress the bitterness from his voice at the end.

'The war that is coming…what is Peter's role?'

'You mean the war that has already begun…the shape shifters are proof that it has started…' interrupted David. 'They are positioning themselves and today's events are an indication that they are stepping it up. About Peter…' David shrugged 'If my father knows he has not told me'

'Does Broyles know about this?'

'No Olivia, he only knows my MI5 cover story but I think he does suspect that there is more. Nina Sharp knows who I am though, as Massive Dynamic on William Bell's orders have been financing my father's work.'

'Work? You are not working alone?'

'When I told you I was working for the equivalent of a British Fringe division it wasn't that far from the truth but I have already shared more than my father would ever allow.'

'Then, why have you told me any of this?'

David gave her a long look before he continued

'Because I recognize in you a fellow soldier and you are close to Peter, so much more capable of protecting him than I am. I will be around though…'

He bent forward and lightly kissed Olivia on the cheek.

'Be careful Olivia Dunham, rely on your instincts and trust no one…maybe not even me, love.' There was a wistful smile on his face and Olivia got the sense his last comment wasn't in jest.

David stood up and glanced down the hallway to Peter's room.

'Please say good bye to Astrid and Walter from me'

He turned and walked over to the elevator which opened up promptly after he pushed the call button and stepped inside never glancing back.

Olivia sat alone for several minutes trying to process all she had just heard with her tired brain groaning in dismay. She glanced at her watch. Five minutes to midnight. She had been on her feet for close to 36 hours.

'No, I'm too tired now. Tomorrow I'll think about it again.'

As she walked passed the nurses desk she made a mental list of things she needed to check out tomorrow. The night nurse briefly glanced up from her paperwork and the Agent parked on a chair outside of Peter's room nodded as she passed him.

Quietly she pushed the door open only to see Astrid in a chair next to the cot fast asleep and Walter snoring softly stretched out on the cot.

Olivia sat down in the chair on the other side of Peter and her hand reached out for his hand lying on the bed. She laced her fingers with his noting how nice it felt and inspected his long fingers, the short cut nails and for the first time noticing the small scar on his left ring finger. She must ask him how he got that. With a soft sigh she kicked off her shoes, wriggling her toes and leaned forward to rest her head on her arm never letting go of Peter's hand. With a soft sigh she fell asleep close to the man she loved for which the future held an unclear threat. But she would deal with that tomorrow.

Well and so the team is back together all safe and sound...or are they? Epilogue soon to follow.

Please review and let me know what you thought about this chapter. I know a big revelation on White but just wait til the epilogue-it'll have your heads spinning!