Substitute

A/N: All this "romantic" drama is starting to make it read like a soap opera me thinks... I'm sorry about that! Haha, well maybe not. XD

I probably shouldn't be updating these so soon... I don't have each chapter complete except these first few so when I run out of already completed chapters to post, it might take me a while to update, you know? Oh well... I still hope you all enjoy XD

Charlie sat at his desk at work, bored out of his mind that next morning. Where was a Fringe Event when you really needed one? He glanced around noticing that he wasn't the only bored one there. He only wished Olivia were here to keep him from going crazy from boredom. They usually talked and joked around at times like this. He continued to survey the command room and noticed it was too quiet... where was Lincoln? He was usually up and about flirting with the other women – though not so much any more, not when he had a one-track mind for someone else – or joking with someone... he was usually quiet today. 'Guess I have something to do after all!' Charlie hopped off his chair and walked up the steps to the Chief's office. He found Lincoln hard at work, which was really that unusual. There was a reason why Lincoln was the one that got promoted and not him after all. "Knock, knock," Charlie said, making his presence known.

"Hm?" Lincoln acknowledged, never taking his eyes off his monitor.

"What's up? You're quiet," Charlie mentioned, walking over to plop himself on the chair in front of Lincoln's desk, making himself comfortable. He was allowed, his own paper work was finished. Perks of being a field-agent with less work and not the Chief AND a field agent.

"So? I'm working, I'm allowed to be quiet," Lincoln said with a raised an eyebrow, though he still didn't look up. His fingers skimmed across the keys in a way that made Charlie think he was trying to fuse with it. Something was definitely up... Lincoln normally hated paper-work! Maybe he just needed some distraction? Olivia, or a subject surrounding her, always seemed to get his attention.

"So... about 'Liv..." Charlie began. This time, Lincoln did glance up. Bingo. Was that really all it took to get his attention? Charlie found this amusing. Why'd his friend have to be so hard-headed?

"What about her?" The younger man asked cautiously. Lincoln was walking into this one, he knew it.

"You and 'Liv spent quiet a while alone last night..." Charlie trailed off. Lincoln leaned back and stared at his friend. They had spent a span of three minutes alone before Lincoln ran away... well okay, maybe not ran, but that's how he felt lately. He knew that Charlie was just trying to distract him, trying to bring him out of his grim thoughts and he was thankful for that.

"Charlie..." Lincoln paused. The seriousness in his friend's tone made the older man sober up.

"What is it?" He asked on alert, sitting a little straighter. "I was just playing, you know I-"

"I know, I know... look, I was thinking about what we spoke about the other day, when the Secretary went to visit Olivia," Lincoln admitted, leaning back in his seat.

"Yeah?" Charlie prompted.

"Why 'Liv? You know? Why was she chosen for that... that mission?" he scratched his rough jaw in thought. He had once thought of the other Olivia as an imposter, but was it right to label her as such? After all, the woman was brain-washed into thinking she was someone else, wasn't she? He had no right to be angry at her. He should be more angry at their Olivia for not telling them... and angry at her for not telling him about the baby, but he found he couldn't be angry at her either.

"Maybe it has something to do with the Secretary's son?" Charlie suggested. Peter Bishop, what was so special about him? What was so special about Henry? What did those people want so badly?

'Peter Bishop... Henry's dad...' Lincoln thought a little resentfully. "Yeah, maybe, I dunno... 'Liv hasn't talked about it," he agreed, rubbing the tick in his face. 'Or him...' he added in his head. "In fact, we haven't really spoken much at all..." he admitted. He was thankful that Charlie didn't say anything related to that, knowing how hard it was for him not to. He leaned in closer, giving Charlie and conspiratorial look. "I think the Secretary is hiding something... something to do with those three, not just the other universe" he said.

"You mean 'Liv, Peter Bishop and their kid?" Charlie questioned with his own raised eyebrow. So finally he believed him that something was seriously off about all of this?

"Yeah," Lincoln nodded. He resisted frowning at the mention of Henry being related to anyone else, after all, who was he to feel this way? He was just a guy that was there at the right time... it wasn't like he had helped conceive the kid, though that thought had him resisting smiling.

"You believe me now? You said I was crazy," Charlie reminded him.

"You're not crazy, this whole damn situation is crazy," Lincoln scoffed and leaned back again, letting his head fall back against the chair and groaned in frustration. "I don't know... maybe we're just being paranoid? The man has never given anyone any idea that he's suspicious of something or plotting something. He's a good man, right? He can't be that sneaky, right?" he rubbed his face, too tired to think about all this.

"You have too much faith in people, buddy," Charlie sighed.

Meanwhile, Olivia was sitting with her mom, sipping on hot liquid that tasted a little like coffee but wasn't exactly. "He's so beautiful," Marilyn gushed, smiling at her grandson as the infant wobbled it's little limbs in the air where he lay near them.

"Yeah, he's a cute kid," Olivia agreed. 'And he's all mine,' she smiled.

"So tell me, how is life treating you so far? Are you okay?" Not this again.

"I'm fine mom," Olivia sighed, getting a little tired of people asking her this. She had gotten shot, stabbed, electrocuted, been swapped with an alternate version of herself, and people thought she wasn't capable of handling herself with a child? Seriously? "Life is going pretty well actually," she shrugged. She didn't think about Frank as much anymore, things had quieted down a bit all around and she had the support of her mother and best friends... why wouldn't life be good right now?

"I'm so happy to hear that sweetie," Marilyn smiled. "So tell me, any chance of you getting a father for your son?" she asked bluntly.

"Mom!" Olivia groaned, she did not want to talk about this!

"I'm just worried that the baby won't have a father while growing up!" She said a little defensively. "It's very important for a child, you know," she reminded her.

"I know, mom, I know... I just don't have time right now for that sort of thing, okay? After Frank left me, I haven't been thinking... really..." Olivia explained. It wasn't a complete lie, she really didn't have time to think about that sort of thing with how fast her life was moving right now. She thought about Frank before, but he was clearly out of the picture, as was the baby's biological father... so who did that leave? What other men did she really spend her time with? Charlie? Hell no. Lincoln? Well...

"What about that agent Lee? You spoke of him once. I think I met him, now that I recall. He's certainly attractive, much better looking than Frank in my opinion, and seemed like he had a good head on him too, smart men make good lovers," Marilyn winked. "Oh, I'm sorry, I hope that doesn't bother you, talking about Frank like that I mean," her mother apologized. What? Did her mother have telepathic abilities now? Who knows, with the weird crap going around, she might as well!

"No way mom, Lincoln... Captain Lee is my boss. He's... like a brother to me..." The boss part was true but obviously, even to her, an excuse. She'd be lying if she didn't find that to be at least a little bit thrilling, she always kind of had, he just had that way about him. The idea of stumbling into his office, their hands on each other, falling over onto his desk, over his papers, ripping their clothes off, when anyone could just walk in and catch them in the heat of the moment was... wait, what in the hell was she thinking about?

Olivia shook the unfortunately pleasant images out of her head, shuddering and growled at herself inwardly in exasperation. What was wrong with her? Three little words and her life was thrown further off the scale than having the baby would have... damn him. Again, why was it now that she thought this way about him? And then, of course, the 'like a brother' part was a straight-up lie. Period. Olivia mentally kicked herself for letting that other part of herself sneak up to her and make her admit that to herself.

"Nonsense! I don't believe that for a second," Marilyn brushed off, obviously picking up on her daughter's mental-waves again and patted her leg. "But I can tell you don't really want to talk about him right now, for whatever reason, so I'll drop it. I just hope you'll open up to me some time and tell me,"

"I will mom..." Olivia reluctantly promised.

"Honey, let me just one thing," Marilyn began, ignoring the groan of frustration from her daughter and how she let her head slip off her palm where it had been resting and onto the table. Really, that girl could be so dramatic sometimes. "I just want you to do what you want, okay? Follow your feelings, don't be afraid to, just because you can get hurt, doesn't mean you can't also get healed, okay?" Olivia's mother suggested. She was, of course, referring to not only Frank, but her father as well.

"I know, mom, thank you," Olivia looked up and smiled sincerely.

Back at Fringe HQ, the day had ended unnervingly quietly and the people shuffled from their desks, clocking out and heading home. Lincoln sat at his desk and, not for the first time, thought about what he had admitted to Olivia that night. She was going to die, she had to be told... but maybe it was a bad idea? He had a feeling she wouldn't have died... she couldn't have died! But then, it was probably his inability to let even the idea of her dying enter his mind that was telling him that, not reality itself per se. What now though? Things were so tense between them it was like the room they occupied when they were alone together was full of some thick substance that wouldn't let them breathe and had them sluggish and confused. It was frustrating as hell.

And it was all his fault.

Lincoln looked over at the public showers and decided against it. While he would normally shower here before heading home, normally after a mission that had him sweaty anyway, he decided against it this time and to just go home. Lincoln stumbled into his apartment, tired. How can such an uneventful day leave him feeling so exhausted?

Lincoln lay in bed, without his shower, having been too tired to do so, physically and, he admitted it, emotionally too. Maybe the emotional part left him so drained. He could be man enough to admit it when he was being emotional. 'What? Am I pregnant now?' he thought with an amused snort. He didn't usually let his emotions get carried away like this so he almost felt girly, but he couldn't help it at the moment... maybe it was the fatigue or the reality of his position finally catching up to him.

Maybe a combination of both?

Lincoln grunted in agitation, especially considering he couldn't even fall asleep this night either, like most night. Finally, mercifully, after a few hours of his mind tormenting him with burdens he didn't want to lay on anyone else, even if it seemed it was for naught lately, he fell into fitful, restless sleep, dreaming of the other universes, the future, Olivia, and Henry.

TBC...

End A/N: Poor Lincoln... and Olivia! She's such a mess... yes yes I know it's all terribly exaggerated but whatever, some of you like it like that, admit it. Admit it! Sorry that there wasn't much in this chapter, I'm trying to ease my way into the heavier stuff, ya know? Whatever that "heavier" stuff may be lol.

Shout-Outs:

Jill Cohen: Hahaha, he didn't get bitten, if he had, his arm would've fallen off due to the acid D: don't worry, I don't plan for them to stay like this through the whole story lol, that'd suck and I'm too sappy-hearted to do that. No, I think I read an interview somewhere with Seth Gabel (Lincoln) that there would be a bit more interaction between his character and Anna's :D I'm uber excited!

AnneRG: Cranky Lincoln has many sides to him, he can be all intense and sexy, and just grumpy and adorable XD. I love Charlie and Lincoln as buddies :D they're like brothers in my opinion. Yes, the awkwardness is... awkward... lol.

katiekayx: I was worried for Lincoln too D: I plan for there to be a bit more Lincoln/Henry interaction later :P I think he'd be awesome with kids!

zeusfluff: Me too! XD