Note: Ug, this story derailed itself utterly. Sorry for the lack of updates. Back to Olivia's POV for this chapter.
I knock on his hotel door and as always there's a little seed of anticipation, half-way between nervous and excited. I studiously ignore it and wait, rocking back on my heels and chewing absently on my lower lip. I roll my eyes and glance at my watch after a few minutes then move on to Walter's door. I can hear them arguing before I knock there, the sound silencing them. It's a long moment before the door cracks open and Peter peeks out.
"Give us a minute, would ya?" He sounds exasperated.
"Astrid's waiting downstairs in the car."
He holds his hand out towards me, gesturing for me to wait or stop or something. "Yeah. Okay. Look…"
"Is that Agent Dunham?"
He turns away for a moment. "Finish packing, Walter. Just enough clothing for a couple days. And pack underwear. You're not borrowing mine." He's snapping with annoyance and there's none of the patience he's been showing with Walter lately.
"Ask her if we can stop to get snacks before we leave. Some of those chewy fruit things would be wonderful." Peter's face is pushed aside and Walter looks out from behind the door, grinning happily. "Hello, Agent Dunham. We're going on a trip!"
"Yes. I know Walter. Are you all packed so that we can leave?" I can't help but smile at him. There's a childlike quality to him sometimes. It makes it even that much more of a sucker-punch when you're reminded abruptly what he's capable of doing.
"Oh! Let me go finish. I won't be but a moment, my dear."
Peter sighs as his father moves away and leans against the wall, still holding the door open only an inch or two. He smiles, but it's a defeated looking thing. "He's naked, by the way. That's why I'm not letting you inside. I'm not trying to be rude."
I open my mouth to say… something, but as is often the case around the Bishops, words fail me. I settle for, "thank you," nodding to reinforce the phrase. He looks exhausted and I feel guilty again for dragging him into this.
"He's actually packing now, you can go wait in the car if you want. We'll be down soon."
"Make sure he gets dressed first." I smirk at him before backing away from the door.
"Oh, you know you'd love to have my father riding around naked in the back of your car." A man in a wrinkled business suit gives us a startled look as he fumbles with the lock to his room. Peter glares at him. "What?"
"I'll see you two downstairs."
"The GPS is all programmed." Astrid smiles at me from the passenger seat of the Explorer.
"Thanks, Astrid."
"So… are they coming down?"
I chuckle at that and she smirks when I glance over at her. "Walter's still packing."
"This is gonna be hell. You understand that, right?"
I laugh and drop my head back against the seat. "Yeah. I figured that one out."
Walter's face appears suddenly at Astrid's window and we both jump. "Hello! I'm going to sit in back with Peter, if that is alright with you, miss?"
Astrid gives him a bemused smile. "Sure, Walter, that'd be great." I climb out to help Peter put their bags in the back. He slams the door shut and gives me a thoughtful look.
"Why don't you let me drive?"
I narrow my eyes at him with suspiscion. "Why?"
He shrugs, extremely casually and glances towards the back seat. "No reason." I can't believe he ever got anywhere with the cons he was running.
"You just don't want to sit in the backseat with your father."
"Walter is in an exceedingly psychotic mood today…"
"So you think I want to sit next to him? Try your luck with Astrid." He glares at me and I glare back, the frisson of heat between us a nearly palatable thing until we're startled apart by the honking of the horn. Astrid and Walter are both smirking when we turn to glare at them.
"Olivia."
"Yes, Walter?"
"Can we stop and get snacks?" He sounds extremely hopeful.
"We're going to be in the car for two hours. You don't need any snacks." He sounds extremely irritated.
"I wasn't talking to you, boy."
"Olivia's driving, leave her alone."
"I'm sure she can drive and speak at the same time."
"Dammit, Walter…"
"Both of you! Stop it!"
There's sullen silence from the back seat and I glance at the clock. Fifteen minutes. There's no way we're going to make it to Maine with out me killing one of them.
Walter's voice is a hissing whisper. "You're very inconsiderate. You should have offered to drive."
"I'm inconsiderate? You're the one who was ready to answer your hotel door wearing only wool socks. You don't have any room to talk."
"Peter…" I pitch my voice low and meet his eyes in the rear-view mirror. "Shut up."
"Yes Ma'am."