Trial Week: Day 2
Olivia opened her eyes slowly, knowing she'd have to get up. Even if she didn't, Olive's crying would never allow her to go back to sleep. Olivia began to roll out of bed with a groan.
Just then the door opened and Peter looked in, "Go back to sleep," He whispered, "I'll get her."
"No Peter. It's fine. She's used to me getting her. Even if you go in there she'll probably just make you come back and wake me up."
"No Olivia, it's fine. She can't always get what she wants," Peter said with a smile.
Olivia smiled back and rolled back over in bed. She heard the door click shut.
Peter closed the door to Olivia's room and went into Olive's. Peter picked her up out of her crib and began to bounce, "What's wrong princess?"
For the most part Olive had calmed down, just a little sound escaping her lips and he felt confusion flood her mind. Olive wasn't used to having someone not knowing what was wrong without her saying a thing.
Peter gave a small smile, "I'm new to being here at three in the morning. I don't know everything about you the way Mommy does. You're going to have to teach me."
Olive got a little crease between her eyebrows the way Olivia did when she was upset. I want Mommy. Mommy know Olive. Daddy not understand.
"Mommy said you would say that," Peter huffed, shifting his daughter's weight, "but you are not allowed to wake up Mommy. She never gets any sleep because of you," not that she got any sleep without her around Peter thought to himself, "So what do you need princess?"
Olive pouted. Peter knew the look. If it had been Olivia, she would of crossed her arms then started firing orders and gesturing with her left hand. Peter was glad that his daughter didn't have those capabilities yet.
Food? Peter recognized the tone that Olivia used when she asked for a copy of a video or a file and then walked away without another word of explanation. Apparently Olive's age had no effect on her ability to give orders.
Peter laid Olive back down in her crib and went to get a bottle from the fridge. He heated it up in the microwave and then came back into Olive's room and began to feed her, singing to her in French. A lullaby his mother had sung to him.
Peter heard the door to the room open and turned to see Olivia peeking in the door.
"Seems your little act of courtesy didn't actually give me much more sleep," Olivia smiled sheepishly, "we have a case," Olivia told him, her eyes tired.
Half an hour later, Peter and Olivia were dressed, and Olivia had been dropped off with one of the other tenants in the apartment building, who had gladly take her even at the early hour.
Olivia was driving and something started to bother Peter.
"Mrs. Hampton seems nice," Peter mentioned.
"Yeah, she's really been great about all of it," Olivia said quietly, paying attention to the GPS on the dash.
"She's helped you out before?" Peter was trying not to sound surprised.
"Yeah," Olivia said, "She's watched Olive for me before while I had to go shopping or meet with Broyles. You know, when Astrid was busy," Olivia mentioned.
"Don't you think I might have liked to have met the women who's been watching our daughter?" Peter asked, a little bit of an edge in his voice.
"I didn't think it was a big deal," She told him, getting guarded.
"I would just like to know who my child's with," Peter said, the harsh edge in his voice becoming a little more prominent.
"Can we not talk about this now, Peter. We have a case to deal with," Olivia snapped as she rounded the corner onto the scene and Peter shut up.
"What do we have?" Olivia asked as she stepped out of the car, seeing Broyles.
Broyles fell into step next to her, "This is the last location for the pieces of the machine," Broyles told her, "Seem familiar?"
Olivia was confused. She looked around, trying to recognize something in the dark. Her eyes locked on a diner across the street that was just opening for the morning, "The cylinder," Olivia said, turning back around.
"Yes-" Broyles began but was interrupted by Peter.
"Wait, what?" Peter asked, stepping into the conversation.
"The cylinder," Olivia said, "The one that appeared here, out of nowhere a couple years ago. It was vibrating at 2megahertz and then again at four. And-"
"And my father hid it, right before it mysteriously disappeared back into the ground," Peter completed.
"Exactly. Nina went over some of the older number broadcasts. It turns out that this coordinate in the series is constantly changing. We're trying to observe the more recent broadcasts and figure out where it is now."
"Even if they do, how are we going to get it? It took it twenty-one years to resurface last time," Olivia mentioned.
"Strange doesn't stop there," Broyles said, "It turns out the position of that particular piece hasn't changed for at least a few days. They think someone may have already gotten to it."
Olivia stopped in her tracks, "Do they know where it is?"
"The code breakers are trying out figure that out now."
"Can you send whatever information you have over to Astrid and have her look at it. I want all of the files on the cylinder case and the man that abducted Peter," Olivia said assertively, in exactly the same tone Olive had used this morning.
Exactly like her mother Peter thought.
Olivia looked over at Peter and saw him smiling, "What?" she asked him.
Peter's smile dropped, "Nothing."
"No…" Olivia said.
"I think Olive's abilities are rubbing off on you," Peter said. "Or you're rubbing off on her...can't decide at the moment."
Olivia smiled and laughed just a little bit.
"I'll have the files faxed to the lab," Boyles said.
"Actually could you have them dropped off at my apartment?" Olivia asked, "Since we haven't had a case yet, I haven't really figured out a good situation for Olive."
"Sure, however you need to figure it out quick Dunham, this is one of the requirements for adoption."
29 Hours Later: Day 3
Peter buzzed in the FBI delivery man as Olivia bustled around the kitchen preparing a bottle.
"Thanks," Peter mumbled, signing off on the deliverer's pad. He closed the door and looked at the boxes sitting next to the door, "I've always loved the amount of paperwork you bring home. I swear all of these files put together must weigh more than I do."
"Well, that's not that hard to do," Olivia said, twisting a top onto a bottle.
"What is that suppose to mean?" Peter asked, fake hurt in his voice.
Olivia turned around with Olive in her arms, "Lets face it Peter, you're not that buff."
"I am hurt," Peter said, hand on his chest.
"Come one," Olivia laughed, "The only reason you can take a guy down is because you're a trained fighter. If you weren't I could have you on the ground in seconds."
"Please, you weigh eleven pounds...maybe...wet," Peter scoffed.
"I am not that tiny!" Olivia argued.
Peter laughed, "Don't women love being told their thin? This is why It took me forever to figure you out. Nothing about normal women applies to you."
Olivia blushed and pushed her hair back behind her ear, the action caused her bangs to fall into her face.
Peter took a step forward and brushed the bangs aside, "I always thought they were adorable on her," Peter whispered, "Now I want to puke very time I see a picture of them."
Olivia smiled sheepishly. She hadn't been this close to Peter in a long time. Since she'd kissed him in the hotel room on the other side. Olivia felt an overwhelming urge to kiss Peter now, but the baby in her arms stopped her, "I have to feed her," Olivia whispered turning away and walking over to the couch.
Peter sighed, his hand dropping from the spot in the air where it had hovered, where Olivia had been.
23 Hours Later: Day 4
The next morning Peter and Olivia dropped Olive off with Mrs. Hampton again, grateful that she was willing top take her for the whole day, and went in to the lab.
"Olivia!" Walter enthused. He hadn't seen her since she'd come over to help Peter with the few boxes he would definitely need, most of which still sat in the living room unpacked along with most of Olivia's boxes, which probably wouldn't be unpacked until she retired. Olivia gave a small as a memory flooded her head.
Flashback
"What's up Buttercup?"
"Its past midnight," Olivia said incredulously with a smile.
"Do you feel like playing a game?" Sam Weiss said, holding up a box of Clue, with a mock look of seriousness.
"Clue?" She asked, trying not to crack up.
"Yeah," Sam nodded, "I thought it might be up your alley."
I raised my eyebrows, staring at the box in disbelief, and let Sam in.
An hour later we were on our third game, with Sam making another guess.
"Colonel Mustard. With the Revolver. In the Billiard Room," Sam said, moving the yellow piece to the Billiard room.
"See that's the third time you've guessed the Billiard Room," Olivia said.
"I always wanted a billiard room," Sam said. Olivia thought that was a ridiculous reason to keep choosing it. It was only causing him lose again and again.
"I thought that you would make a better detective," Olivia laughed lightly.
"I detected that you needed company," Sam said matter-of-factly. Olivia chucked and reached down. She rolled the dye, receiving a one, "You've lived here awhile, but you're still living out of boxes," Sam continued, "Maybe you moved around a lot as a kid, a tumultuous childhood. A hard time forming relationships." Olivia looked up and met his eyes head on, "I may not be the gum-shoe you are, but I've got some skills."
"Well you're right about moving around a lot. I was a military brat," Olivia said the last sentence jokingly.
Sam laughed, "That would explain the uniform," Sam said.
Olivia smiled, "The uniform?" She asked.
"Bland clothes, I don't think I've ever seen you in a primary color; Because its more than a job to you. You're a soldier. Protector," Sam said.
Olivia had never fully understood this until she'd met her Alternate; lived her life.
"God, you'd be a blast at dinner parties," Olivia said, shaking her head.
"I don't get invited to many," Sam told her.
"Oh," Olivia folded her hand under her chin, "So what about you? What made you the way you are?" Olivia asked, taking her hands apart and placing them back together.
"Oh, I don't know," Sam rubbed his hands on his thighs, a sign of nervousness, something Olivia had never seen in him before, "I'm older than I look. I barely remember my childhood. I am also taller than I appear."
End Flashback
"Olivia?" Walter asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I-I'm sorry," Olivia said, shaking herself out of the flashback, "What were you saying Walter?"
"I have a theory about what may have happened to the cylinder. I-I've been studying what I could about it since it disappeared. Walter explained his theory to Olivia while Peter looked over the recent number stations with Astrid.
Walter and Astrid sent the two of them home with several more folders, and Olivia was happy to be home with their daughter.
Olivia collapsed onto the couch, head in her hands. Peter went and placed Olive in her playpen, who for once didn't say anything about being left alone.
Peter sat down next to Olivia on the couch and began rubbing her back, "Liv?"
"I could use a Jack," Olivia mumbled.
"You haven't had a drink since we brought Olive home," Peter said questioningly.
Olivia wiped her nose on the back of her hand and looked over at Peter, "I haven't had this much work since then. Olive alone, or the job by itself. I can do, but I don't think I can do both," Olivia shook her head, "I can't do both."
Peter wrapped his arms around Olivia and she leaned into him.
"I'll get you that drink," Peter said, and got up. He came back and placed it in front of Olivia on the coffee table before going to retrieve Olive from her pen. He came back and kissed Olivia on the head before taking Olive into her room and putting her to bed.
Olive didn't cry that night, even when she got hungry. She knew that she had upset her mommy, or she thought she did. Olive thought it was her fault that her mommy was tired and stressed, and she didn't want to bother her.
Peter lay in bed wishing there was more he could do to help Olivia with their daughter. Watching her fall apart on the sofa tonight made him feel like he wasn't doing enough, like he wasn't able to do enough.
Olivia tossed and turned all night, almost unwilling to fall asleep, thinking that the moment she did, Olive would cry or Broyles would call.
Overall it wasn't a very restful night for any of them.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Peter asked, following her out of hospital room.
Olivia turned around to face him, pushing her hair back, breathing heavy, "I made her do it Peter."
"You're running on no sleep, and if I'm right, caffeine pill," Peter said, reaching up to touch her cheek, "I faked my way through Grad School, remember? You need to calm down," He told her assertively, "You're not thinking straight, and you're not making any sense."
"Peter," She gasped shaking her head, "What is happening to me?"
"Hey," Peter breathed, reaching up to push her hair back, cupping her cheek. She leaned her head into his shoulder, and he held Olivia. Just held her, for the first time.
Olivia got out of bed and got dressed without waking anyone else in the house. She slipped out the front door and got in her car. It wasn't but minutes later that she pulled up outside the bowling alley. Even at four in the morning she could see lights on inside.
She came out into the open area, scanning it to find Sam.
"Good Morning Buttercup," She whipped around to see Sam coming out from behind the desk.
She gave him a weak smile, "It doesn't really count as morning yet does it?"
"Last time I checked, anytime after midnight qualifies as morning so…" Olivia gave him another weak smile and he sobered up, "What are you doing around here. It's been awhile since I've seen you."
"I was replaced by an alternate me from another universe," Olivia said jokingly, although the words didn't feel like a joke at all.
"Well, that's a story."
A little while later they were sitting at a table with a horrible cup of the alley's coffee sitting in front of Olivia which so far she hadn't done more with than use to keep her hands warm.
"Its seems like all of this has really taken a toll on you. You were never really able to settle in before, and now someone has come and taken what little feeling of fitting in that you had. Now you feel like you're settling into a life that's not your own."
"Yeah," Olivia mumbled. She took her hands off the coffee cup for a moment, "I have a kid."
"I knew there was something you weren't telling me. What's her name?"
"Olive. How'd you know it was girl?" Olivia looked up at Sam.
"I just couldn't imagine you having a boy," Sam said.
"She's the mother. I mean biologically, Olive is my child, but I didn't give birth to her."
"I don't follow," Sam said, Olivia seeing him confused for the first time.
"It's a long story. It just means that Peter and I have to play nice," Olivia told him.
Sam gave a sad smile, "And how's that working out?"
"We're taking it one day at a time," Olivia paused, "I want him there. I need him there. It just doesn't feel the way it used to."
Olivia made it back home without anyone knowing she was gone, and certain she would be unable to sleep, turned immediately to the boxes of files in her living room.
She got Olive up around 6:30 and fed her and Peter was up around 8:00.
"Coffee?" He asked her.
"Yeah. That'd be nice," She said passively.
Peter came to sit across from her, setting the coffee in the only open spot he could find on the table, "Olivia, did you sleep at all last night?" Peter asked, a little surprised.
"Not that I'm aware of," Olivia said, taking off her glasses and picking up the coffee.
Peter shook his head, "Where's Olive?"
"On a blanket in the living room."
Olivia immersed herself in her work all day. When Olive would sleep, Peter would join her, but most of the day he had to take care of her.
"Olivia, why don't we go out to dinner, the three of us," Peter suggested around seven o'clock that night.
"I have to finish this," Olivia said, circling something in one of the files with a pencil.
"Olivia, couldn't you just leave it for an hour or two?" Peter said, adjusting Olive's weight in his arms.
"No, Peter," Olivia said a bit harshly, "I need to focus."
"You haven't spent a moment with Olive all day. Even when I've sat with you, you haven't paid me a bit of mind. You need to pull yourself away from the work and spend time with your daughter," Peter snapped.
Olivia took off her glasses and stared at him. She stood up with a folder in her hand, "I have been looking over these things all day and you know what I've found? Nothing! Nothing Peter! I feel like I have been chasing these guys in circles for hours and there's nothing I can do about it," Olivia said, throwing the folder down.
"Olivia calm down!" peter said, a hard edge to his voice.
"No Peter! I have been trying to work all day and you've been bustling around with the baby and even when you did sit down with me you didn't help at all," Olivia ran her hand through her hair, "This isn't going to work. I can't have you here."
"What are you talking about Olivia?"
"Go, please go! I-I thought I was going to be able to have you here and trust you and get along with you, but I'm just not ready for that! I can't do it Peter. Just go." Olivia pointed to the door.
Peter went and put Olive in her room and grabbed his jacket, walking out the door. As soon as the door clicked, Olivia cracked. She gripped onto the chair next to her and sank to the floor, heavy sobs rocking her chest, knowing she'd regret it, just as she had before.
Olivia opened the door to her closet and pushed her clothes aside. She turned to the mirror on the door and pushed the bangs back with the rest of her hair as best she could. As she pulled it aside, she spotted the tattoo on the back of her neck. It wasn't her. It was a symbol of the other Olivia, an ever present reminder of how she stole Olivia's life. One that Olivia couldn't get rid of. She touched the black and red sun tenderly on the back of her neck.
Olivia rubbed her shoulders and turned back to her clothes. She unzipped one of the jackets and pulled it off its hanger. She pulled at the strap of a tank ion the other side of the closet and eventually pulled it off as well. Then started harshly pulling all of the hangers and clothes off the rack until they fell to a white and black heap at her bare feet. She moved to her bed and threw back the covers, then the sheets, balling them up and carrying them over to the machine.
She slid open the pantry door then popped up the lid to the washing machine to find it full. She threw the sheets to the ground and started pulling items out of the machine. She pulled out a brown hoodie and threw it aside, sorting through the other items in the barrel.
Olivia pulled out a gray tee shirt and froze, staring at it. She turned it over in her hands and saw the red block letters printed on the front.
M.I.T.
Olivia felt something tear inside her, like the blunt edges of the letters were cutting into her heart.
She threw it aside and sunk to the ground, feeling tears flood her face for the first time since she'd returned home. She put her head in her hands and the sobs she'd been holding back since earlier that day flooded her body.
She was alone. She had taken everything.
Chapter By: Caithrine