A/N – Hey guys….Hopefully this will open things up a bit. Thanks for letting me help Peter and Olivia seem like normal parents for a while….
So as always my friends,
Read, enjoy and review
P.S – The chapter title comes from the new song from Florence +The Machine….Oddly hypnotic…seemed to fit with the chapter Check it out
Chapter Three – Take What The Water Gave Me
Olivia arrived at Grinder's before A.J did, something that she was grateful for. Both of them had changed so much since college and Olivia wasn't sure if A.J had changed to the point where Olivia would not be able to find her in a crowd. Olivia ordered an iced tea, deciding that it might be a better option than yet another cup of coffee. She sipped as she waited, glancing at the clock on the wall, wondering if she had the time right. It was after twelve now and Olivia was about to give up waiting when A.J walked in. It took a second for Olivia to see her old friend in the tired face but there she was.
"Hey Olivia! Sorry to keep you waiting, I had trouble finding a parking space."
A.J strode over and gave Olivia a quick hug before nodding towards the outdoor tables.
"Do you mind if we sit outside? I'm dying for a smoke."
"Yeah sure."
A.J looked older, Olivia thought to herself as she followed her outside. There were the smallest streaks of grey in her dark hair and dark bags under her eyes. There were deep lines at the corners of her mouth, as if her face lived in the constant state of frowning. A.J turned suddenly, grabbing Olivia by the shoulders.
"Look at you. I don't think you've changed a bit."
Olivia gave her a smile.
"I think I've gotten taller and gained more than my fair share of frown lines. Oh and of course gained weight with my daughter."
A.J's eyes widened.
"Oh please tell me you have pictures."
Olivia laughed.
"Of course."
They settled themselves in their seats before Olivia pulled out her cell phone and flicked through the hundreds of pictures that were stored there, enjoying the reactions from A.J.
"Oh she's so beautiful. How old is she now?"
"Coming up to five months now. She's crawling like a maniac. She keeps me on my toes."
"She looks like you."
"Yeah but when she smiles, she looks like her Daddy. Has his charm too. She gets her more serious side from me."
A.J sat back with a sigh and lit a cigarette. She breathed in deeply before speaking again.
"I always regretted not having children. But I simply don't have the time."
Olivia went to put her phone back in her pocket but on second thought, left it on the table. Just in case.
"How is the writing?"
A.J rolled her dark eyes.
"All consuming. It's like an itch I can't get rid of."
"What are you working on now?"
"An expose on the prison system and sentencing."
"Wow."
"Not as impressive as it sounds. But I do love doing the research. It drives my editor nuts because he's the one who has to go through and dock it all."
"You were always one for the research."
A.J shrugged.
"What can I say? I love my facts."
They ordered another round of drinks when the waitress come through, Olivia adding a chocolate muffin onto her order.
"So are you and Mike-"
"We're divorced."
"Sorry. When did that happen?"
A.J frowned.
"A year ago. We had…some issues that we couldn't resolve."
"Oh."
"And that's about the sum of it. I live alone with my dog and write. Not much else happens. What about you?"
Olivia shrugged.
"Since Etta was born, she's been it. I'm meant to be working part-time but there's not much going on in my corner of the world."
"How long have you and Peter been married now?"
"Over a year. We got married as soon as we found out I was pregnant. We had wanted to get married for a while but Etta kind of pushed us into action."
"Children have a habit of doing that."
"They certainly do."
Olivia took the chance to study A.J again as she dragged on her cigarette. A.J, despite her easy conversation seemed jumpy and fidgety, as if she was expecting something more than this to happen. There's was something else too, something that Olivia could not quite put her finger on. A.J kept glancing over Olivia's shoulder and when Olivia did look where A.J's gaze was locked, she simply found an elderly man smoking a pipe and enjoying a coffee. There was nothing to point to the fact that something was happening or about too. Olivia didn't feel nervous or jumpy, all of the normal indicators that she felt something before she realized it. For the hundredth time. A.J ran her hand through her shoulder length hair, her eyes flicking around the space.
"A.J?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you looking for someone?"
A.J finally seemed to realize what she was doing, her eyes flicking back to Olivia's.
"No. Sorry, just thinking."
A.J had never been a good liar. And the smile never reached her eyes, settling heavy on the corners of her mouth.
"You seem distracted. Is everything ok?"
A.J frowned.
"I'm fine. Just a bit of writer's brain that's all. I have trouble switching the little men in my head off."
Olivia, not wanting to pry, decided to drop it. She didn't know A.J well enough anymore to demand the truth.
"So Olivia, what's it like working for the FBI?"
Olivia took a sip of her drink, measuring the question. Sometimes she wished she could tell the truth. If only people knew what waited for them out there, the insanity that came with her job. Things had shifted and become far more peaceful but it didn't stop Olivia from waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now, however, she had a new reason to fight. Etta was the reason that she kept her eyes open, never completely letting her guard down. She didn't mind if it meant keeping her family safe.
"Mostly paper pushing."
"You ever kill anyone before?'
It wasn't the first time that Olivia had been asked the question, it was more the way that A.J had asked it. With her, it didn't seem to be natural curiosity.
"Yes."
"What did it feel like?"
Olivia started to get an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach.
"A.J, I-"
"I was just wondering. I spend my time talking to criminals and I was just curious to hear it from someone who hadn't gone to prison."
The feeling spread through her body, settling on her arms, causing the tiny hairs to stand up, even though it was fairly warm.
"Honestly?"
A.J leaned in slightly, nodding, her eyes intense.
"Please."
"It's horrible."
A.J pursed her lips.
"I would imagine so."
"I don't recommend it I only did it because I had to."
"Self defence?"
"In a way. I've done it to protect the people in my team too."
"Oh."
A.J lit another cigarette and smiled slightly.
"It's nice to hear you didn't do it because of loss of temper or because it felt good."
"You need new friends."
A.J snorted.
"I need a new job."
"It's never too late."
"Ah, see that's where you are wrong. My talent lies in writing. I have to do it. Kind of like you being an agent. If I don't, I think I would go a little crazy."
Olivia smiled.
"That, I understand. It's something you have to do."
"I think it might be a little more than that."
Olivia waited for her to expand on the statement but A.J lapsed into silence.
"So, would I have read anything of yours?"
A.J smiled slightly.
"I don't write under my own name, it's all about the pseudonym."
"What name do you write under?"
"J. Oliver."
"I think Peter has one of your books in his collection."
"Which one is it?"
"I think it's the one on Ted Bundy."
"Oh yes, 'The Man Next Door.' I got death threats after that one."
Olivia frowned.
"How come?"
"Because people didn't like what I had to say. They never do. It was the same with the O.J Simpson case. Thankfully, my editor made the decision early on that my picture would not be on the books and using my real name would be a bad idea."
"So your editor gets the death threats?"
A.J smiled.
"You could say that. He doesn't mind though. He's made a lot of money off the books."
"So writing pays well then?"
"Sometimes. You just have to hit on the right topic."
"Sex and violence?"
"Something like that."
A.J sighed.
"Are you going to the reunion?"
Exactly four weeks ago, around the time that Etta had started crawling, an invitation arrived in the mail for the reunion. Olivia never thought that a slim, stiff piece of paper could be so confusing. Peter had teased her about it but she had completely forgotten about the invitation she had tucked away until now.
"I don't know."
"We should go together. You could bring Peter, make a night of it."
Olivia had to admit, it sounded like fun. Going out with Peter usually was. Not only that, but she could see the few friends she had in those days.
"Maybe."
Olivia shifted the conversation and A.J became restless all over again. It was almost a relief when A.J glanced at her watch and offered Olivia a small smile.
"I have to go. I have a meeting with my editor."
A.J stood and put a hundred dollar bill on the table.
"Coffee is on me. We should do this again."
Olivia smiled.
"Definitely."
They hugged and Olivia watched as A.J strode away, still feeling unsettled. A.J had definitely changed. And it had nothing to do with getting older. It was the way she acted, the way she spoke. Something wasn't right.