Alright, a final chapter in honour of a final episode, which I LOVED! It was fantastic! I would like to thank Charlie, Lori, Alex and Alyssa for all the help you guys have given me while I have written this fic! You all amazing…and also everyone who has reviewed/favourited/alerted…I write for all of you! :D Charlotteaspen - thanks for being the 200th review :D
I am a little sad about this coming to an end so please, please, please Review! :D and thoughts on a final instalment for this series would be appreciated! Thanks
Reference: "…blueberry pancakes…" (6B), "…What's a guy got to do to get a good home-cooked meal around here?..." (Brave New World p1), Violet Sedan Chair (The Firefly), "…I like doing it…" (Brave New World p1)
Lyrics: Bon Jovi – Bed Of Roses (if you've read High School this part will make sense)
Chapter 40 - Paradise
"You know…this is getting ridiculous…you can't keep ignoring the question…" Peter looked down at a the red faced Olivia that was laying in his bed, hair messed, his finger drawing lazy patterns across her bare hip and shoulder not really caring about the goose bumps that found their wait onto her body as he did so. Pushing his hand away, Olivia sat up, pulling the sheet with her effectively covering herself from his view, much to Peter's discontent. "I don't care Peter, this is crazy! You can't expect me to just-" Sitting up with her suddenly Peter cut her off, "Just what? Pack your bags and move in here with me and Walter? Why not? It's not that crazy ya know…" She watched him as he reached for the sheet covering her, pulling it down slightly so he could scoot in next to her, wanting the body heat she possessed.
Scrunching her brow, Olivia watched him silently for a few minutes, unsure of what to say to him. It's not like she didn't want to move in with him, it was just her insecurities rearing its ugly head and she was still having trouble pushing them away. Plus her house was her home, it had been for the better part of the last five years and she felt it hard to just pack up everything that happened there and all the memories she had and just move, granted moving would mean she would be moving in with Peter, but still. "You're serious…" she looked down at him as he lay down against the headboard nodding slightly, but cutting her off before she had a chance to continue. "Look I know I have mentioned it before and you have always been very good at avoiding the question, but please just think about it. I know that you like and need you space but I want you to move in with me, forget Walter, he is just an added freak show, but I want you here, every morning…"
He leaned over and placed a gently kiss on her forehead, smiling down at her as he pulled away, placing his forehead against hers, "I love you Olivia, just think about it, please…" She nodded against him, placing a kiss against his lips.
"Merry Christmas Aunt Liv!" Ella's voice rang through the house as her footfall on the solid wooden floors echoed through the bottom level of the house. It was Christmas morning, Ella and Rachel had stayed the night in the spare room at Peter and Walter's house, Olivia staying as well, and they felt Christmas as a family was something that they all needed over the last year. The conversation Peter and Olivia had had that morning was still playing in the back of Olivia's mind as she lifted Ella into her arms, placing a kiss on her cheek, "Looks like Santa found you and mum staying here!" she motioned for Ella to look towards the tree in the living room, surrounded by presents. Gasping and wiggling in her aunt's arms, Ella wanted down so she could inspect the gifts, find the biggest ones and hope that they belonged to her.
"Ella, remember what I said, we are having breakfast before we open presents…" Rachel had come from the kitchen, making sure her daughter hadn't started to rip at the wrapping paper. She smiled over at Peter, who swept Ella from the floor and into his arms, falling back against the couch, laughing as Ella tickled him where he was no doubt not ticklish at all. "He's a sweetheart…" Rachel's voice found Olivia's ears and she just rolled her eyes, Rachel always had to say something about Peter to her. "Good morning Walter, Merry Christmas…" Olivia was thankful for Walter's sudden appearance, getting away from Rachel was a must.
After getting their reply from Walter, they watched as he shuffled over to the couch where Peter was now tickling Ella, laughing maniacally as he did so. The TV was switched on to the Muppets Christmas Special that Walter and Ella hadn't stopped talking about the night before, poor Peter had been caught up with the excitement of it finally being on and Ella made sure to snuggle into his lap as they watched the movie, before Peter placed a kiss on Ella's forehead and smiling as she turned to look at him, giving him a kiss on the cheek back.
Moving back to the kitchen, Olivia hoped that Rachel would drop anything and everything to do with Peter but she knew her sister better than that. As Olivia started making the blueberry pancakes that Peter had shown her how to make months before, Rachel stepped into the kitchen, "So…tell me again why we stayed here last night and are having Christmas here, at Peter's house…" Olivia didn't have to look up to know that her sister was leaning against the fridge, her arms crossed and a smirk forming on her face. "Rach, I told you…it was just easier, Peter wanted to see you both again, Walter wanted to as well, and it was easier than coming over in the morning, that way its not a rush. Having breakfast is a good idea because we then have the rest of the afternoon to play with gifts and relax, no running around or stressing…"
Olivia continued with her cooking, ignoring the sounds her sister was making until she spoke, "You sure that's it? You sure we aren't going to have Easter and Birthdays and visits here from now on?" She knew what Rachel was getting at and she also knew that she was going to let up until she talked about it. Olivia also knew that if Rachel didn't get what she needed from her sister she would go to Peter asking the same questions, and that was the last thing she needed. Sighing, Olivia dropped her shoulders, "He has asked me to move in here with him and Walter, a few times before, but I have always avoided the question. He asked again this morning before we got up and I wanna say yes but I just…" She dropped the whisker and looked at her sister.
"Rachel, you know me…and I know it's Peter but still. Look at the house we grew up in, look at how we grew up. You're luck you were always too young to remember what he did, but I do and it has stuck with me ever since. 'I love you's' have never been a good thing in our family. I know Peter isn't like that and he would never be like that but you have to admit it's hard…" she rubbed a hand over her face, sighing as she did so, closing her eyes. Not realising that a hand made contact with her arm until Olivia opened her eyes, she found Rachel standing in front of her. "Olivia, you love him, he loves you. It's that simple. I think after everything that has happened, to you, to him and with both of you, you should take this chance, you deserve it, and you both deserve it. Anyway, you will have me and Ella here to help you out…"
Olivia snapped her head up at the end of Rachel's sentence, watching her smile. "What?" Her brow furrowed waiting for her sister to continue, "…we wanted to make it a surprise for Christmas, we are moving here, permanently…" Olivia's face lit up as she hugged her sister, thankful to know that they would be around even more. "Wow…what did I miss?" Peter's suave voice entered the room as he stood watching the two sister embrace, no doubt his mind finding naughty thoughts within moments. "Nothing at all Bishop, get your mind out of the gutter before I leave you laying in one…" Olivia smiled and turned back to the whisking laughing as she glanced over her shoulder to see Peter dropping his and huffing like an annoyed child, clearly no matter the man, their minds would run the same course when seeing two girls hug.
"Anyway…how long till breakfast? What's a guy got to do to get a good home-cooked meal around here?" He walked over to Olivia, placing his arms around her waist and kissing her shoulder, ignoring that fact that Rachel was still there, squeezing the oranges for the juice. "Don't you mean who do you have to do?" It wasn't until her voice met his ears did he look towards her, raising an eyebrow before turning back to Olivia, smirking to himself. He started to nibble at her earlobe, eventually moving down towards the skin that joined her shoulders to her neck, feeling her shiver in his arms. Biting down slightly, he felt her knees buckle slightly but stopped when Rachel huffed, "Get a room!" before leaving the knife on the chopping board and leaving them alone. Olivia turned to look at Peter how was laughing, "That was mean Peter…" he just shrugged against her back before moving to the now empty table, chopping the rest of the oranges before squeezing them for the juice.
As breakfast was finishing up, Peter rose from his seat and whispered in Ella's ear before she looked over at Walter and they both sprinted from their seats into the lounge room. "Don't worry about this, lets go and do presents… I have heaps of time this afternoon to clean up…" Not letting the girls protest, Peter made sure Olivia and Rachel made their way to the lounge as well, finding Walter and now two and a half year old Ella sitting cross legged in front of the tree. "Alright, everyone back from the tree! Santa is here!" Peter came around the corner moments later wearing a Santa hat that had everyone laughing. Pulling Ella onto his lap, Peter picked up the first present he could, reading the name and smiling. Whispering again in Ella's ear, she smiled and called for her 'uncle' Walter. Handing him the present Peter saying it was from him, he found that inside the wrapping was an old hard to find vinyl Violet Sedan Chair record.
Presents continued, a spa day for Rachel worth almost $200 from both Peter and Olivia, a book for Walter from Olivia, Ella gave her aunt, uncles and mum a hug and a kiss for Christmas, everyone thinking it was the best present ever. Ella's big box was next, opening it she found it was from Aunt Liv and Uncle Peter, inside the box was a brand new pair of ice skates. Another hug was given to them both as she excitedly wanted to put them on, not realising that weren't sharp and she couldn't go for a skate just yet, for someone her age she could skate pretty well. Olivia handed Peter his present next, it was small barely the size of his palm. Opening the box he found an old worn silver half dollar sitting face up.
Looking over at Olivia smiled, "I found it when I was going through my clothes at Northwestern, I realised that it must have come from the jumper you had given me once that I never returned, needless to say the jumper was thrown out but I couldn't bring myself to throw the coin away." Realising it was his lucky coin he had lost years ago, the replacement one he had was never right, he placed a hearty kiss on her lips, loving her even more for thinking that she might have had a chance to give it back to him one day. She laughed as he pulled away, placing another kiss on her cheek and forehead. Reaching for the small box, she pulled out a piece of paper that had been folded up underneath the coin before handing it to him. "Every time I hear this, it reminds me of you…you made me smile when you didn't even know me…I feel we became friends that day." Looking down at the paper his smile grew more.
Well this hotel bar's hangover whiskey's gone dry
The barkeeper's wigs crooked and she's giving me the eye
Well I might have said yeah
But I laughed so hard I think I died
"I love you so much…" he kissed her again, only moving away this time when the squirming Ella pushed them apart, wanting to finish up the last present that was sitting under the tree. Reaching for it, Peter grabbed it first, kissing Ella on the cheek before telling her to go off to her mum, which she did instantaneously. Sitting in front of the tree, Peter noticed that Olivia had moved closer to him their knees touching while the other around them chatted and were caught up in their own worlds. She looked down at the small package that he placed in her hands, unsure of what it could be that he had gotten for her. A little unsure, she unwrapped the paper slowly, finding an album inside. Turning it over it was a light green on the outside but when she opened it she found a photo of herself and Peter from when they were younger, at high school. "Peter…?" She looked up at him a little confused, turning the pages over she found more photos of herself and him when they were younger, photos of her and Rachel, her and her aunt and her and her dog as well as her and Charlie. They were all dated, years ago before they graduated.
"I asked Charlie about any photos he had of you because I still had a few, I wanted to make this for you. I guess it's kinda like a time capsual. Photos of you and us and the best things in your life. Some of then came from Charlie though, most were mine but these were the things that got me through much of my time away, just looking at you, remembering the good times." He watched as she continued to turn the pages, more photos of her and her sister and then Charlie, she had grown up though, gotten older but they were still of her. Finally she found more photos of her and Peter, small notes written at the side, small memories and comments. Looking up at him she smiled, "Thank you so much Peter, it's amazing…" She leaned towards him kissing him deeply as she did. As she pulled away she looked over his face, taking in the love she saw there. Sighing, with a small smile, she turned to the rest of the group.
"Everyone I have something to say…" Olivia's voice called them all to attention as she moved herself so she was sitting on Peter's lap by the roaring fire, he was holding her close. "…I would like to say that Rachel and Ella are moving to Boston permanently and would like to say that they will be moving into my old apartment." Everyone sat shocked at Olivia, confused at what she was saying. "Liv, we never…" Rachel died off as she spoke, realising what Olivia was saying, Rachel and Ella would move into her old apartment and she would move in with Peter and Walter. "…and I will be moving in here with Peter…" she turned to the side to look at Peter whose face look as though he had been slapped before bringing her in for a deep kiss that had everyone clapping and Walter calling out for grandchildren!
Pulling back Olivia blushed deeply, Peter leaning into whisper in her ear, "You sure you want to live with him?" He motioned toward Walter who was now holding Ella, smiling. She turned back to Peter and whispered in reply, "You really think you can live without him?" Shrugging and smiling, Peter pulled her in for another deep kiss, she had finally agreed to move in with him.
The rest of their day was spent watching movies, and playing music, laughing and talking until Olivia and Ella both curled up on the couch together, asleep, they really were a family and there was nothing that would ever change that, no matter what happened he was never going to lose her again.
The day was just like any other, the sun finally showing its face, almost six months after Christmas, warming hers as she walked across the parking lot of Harvard University, noticing Peter's car sitting at the other side of the car park, no doubt he had been there early thanks to Walter and something crazy he had probably come up with during the night. Smiling to herself, she realised that things had gotten better, after everything that had happened when joining Fringe Division, from saving herself when she was kidnapped to stopping Loeb from blowing up half of Boston, the work she did was not as bad as she could have imagined it could have been, she was starting to get a sense of gratitude from the work they did, albeit that no one ever said it or heard about what they did, she knew that everything they were doing was directly helping someone and their families, a simple pleasure, Olivia was happy to take away from the work she did.
Finding herself at the lab doors after a short walk down the halls and corridors, Olivia pushed her way into the lab, letting the old door groan as she did. Glancing around she found that each of the occupants of the lab were at their own devices, all of which completely ignorant to Olivia arriving, she didn't mind though, there was no case that needed to be solved and they were not in the middle of something horrible, so she was happy just to observe her family doing whatever they felt like, not having the stress of murder and death on their hands and minds. She found Walter first, his head down bent over a beaker that Olivia couldn't really tell whether it was an experiment or just making something to eat, either way she really didn't want to know what he was doing.
Astrid was not far from him, her fingers tapping away at the laptop she had in front of her, once or twice glancing up at Walter making sure he hadn't burned himself, smiling before she was back at her work. Astrid had become a very important part of Fringe Division and also their lives, she loved Walter like her own father, always caring for him and mothering him, making sure he had his coat or his equipment bag, food or just someone to talk to. She always said that she liked doing it and so neither Olivia or Peter were one to question, they often got time alone together thanks to her, Olivia had made sure that Astrid received a very nice bonus for her Christmas present that year.
Stepping further into the lab, the soft, sweet sound of the piano hit her ears and she smiled, she couldn't believe how just hearing him playing the piano could turn her on so much or just make her bad day better or just make her feel good. Thankfully with the lab full the latter was happening, she smiled, happy to have the music running through her mind, it calmed her. Walking to the back of the lab where the piano was now housed, she watched as Peter's fingers glided over the keys, hitting each one with precision and with purpose, his back muscles tensing as his hands moved up and down the keys. With his back to her, Olivia took a moment to take him in, the cream pullover tucked into his jeans, the arms rolled up to his elbows as he always did, he was just everything she could have asked for, and he loved her.
Not wanting to disturb him by touching his shoulder or arm, Olivia walked around the front side of the piano so she could see his face, the rest of his body hidden by the top of the baby grand that had been brought in for Walter's pleasure. Leaning over on to the top of it, her hands outstretched over the closed lid so she could feel the vibrations of the strings, Olivia let the music wash over her, closing her eyes to the sound, swaying gently. She could feel Peter watching her, his smile growing as he did, knowing she recognised the song he had so flawlessly switched to, Piano Man filling the room. Opening her eyes slowly, Olivia found him staring at her, his face mirroring how she was feeling, happy and complete. Watching as his eyes flickered back down to the keys, his head moved in time with his playing, no doubt imagining a voice singing the words that came with this song.
She watched him for a few minutes, noticing his concentration on the music hadn't changed, he was still completely captivated by what he was doing, and she loved to watch him play. As she closed her eyes once more, Olivia let one of her hands slip from the piano lid and out of Peter's view, resting on her stomach, she knew in that moment, as long as they were together, that the three of them were going to be ok.
Any final thoughts? :D
A final thank you to everyone and I would like to let you know that I do have some small fics in the works as well as a few bigger ones…so I will be posting more things I just need a little break :D