~PART ONE~

"Peter." The sound in Walter's voice was so heart wrenching, but Peter wasn't going to let it show as he turned to him with an assuring smile.

"Relax, Walter. You make it sound as if I'm dying."

"Well," his father shrugged. "You never know with those twitching tests I did on you when you were nine."

Peter sighed. "Thanks, Walter. That makes me feel much better. Besides, I'm not going to be gone THAT long."

He wasn't sure if the statement was true. He could only hope so but Broyles, the entire Fringe Investigation Department, worse off Olivia, were all far from optimistic.

"Let's go through this again," he said to Walter as he helped him unload the boxes into the strange apartment. "What is your name?"

"Oh…dammit…I know this!" Walter said trying so hard to get his brain to work. "It is Walt…"

"No! I meant your new name."

"Oh dear…well I can't even remember my name before…"

"Okay hint: you had a cow named…"

"Eugene?"

"Yeah."

"Oh Gene, how I will miss her. But knowing that she will supply tasty milk to our Canadians up north is comfort enough for me."

Peter cringed at the thought. 'Yeah until they taste it and they find out about all of those injections you gave her.'

"Do I know you?" Walter said referring to the woman helping him putting his things in his new home. "You look awfully familiar."

"If you say so," the familiar face replied.

Once Walter was settled, Peter was assured that he would be okay. He had someone he trusted looking after him and Walter was already taking in his new foreign surroundings as if it were his own home.

"Eugene…I have to go now so be good."

"I'm Eugene now?" Walter asked curiously.

"Yes you are."

Before Peter could turn to leave, Walter immediately came up from behind and hugged him tight. "What the hell?" Peter gasped.

He froze when he realized that Walter was crying.

"Oh son…it's my fault. All of those people who died. They're dead because of what I've done."

"Walter." Peter placed his hands on his father's arms hoping for him to let loose his grip but he continued to sob.

"I can't forgive myself if something were to happen to you or Agent Dunham."

"We're gonna be okay, Walter."

"Did you bring me here…" Walter choked referring to the strange apartment "…because of what I did?"

"Of course not, Walter. This isn't a punishment…I'm doing this to make sure they don't come after you."

"Oh." Walter finally let go of his son and sniffed his tears back. "That's very kind of you…but what exactly do I do here?"

"Just one thing…you be good for the lady, alright. She's gonna make sure you're looked after and whatever she tells you to do…you better do it."

"Oh yes…I suppose I will, despite not having ever met this woman before in my life. If my son trusts her, then…"

"Thanks, Walter."

Walter approached him for another hug. Peter was quite hesitant but decided to let his father have this one since this could be an eternal goodbye. He slowly brought his own hands to pat his father's back.

"Let go of me now, Walter."

The woman who would now take care of Walter led Peter out the door. It was hard to say goodbye to her, too. But in the end, Peter knew everything was going to be okay with Walter under her roof.

"Thank you, Astrid. I know Walter will be in good hands."

onto Part Two

Random author rant: I just read a crazy Fringe spoiler while writing this fic. When I read I actually said out loud "SAY WHA?!" It's that crazy... but I can imagine with 1 million theories behind this spoiler already running rampid, it's probably the one we aren't theorizing about. That's J.J. Abrams for you. If you want to know about the spoiler, lemme know and I'll PM it to you. ;)