Hi there. Unlike the Bad Robot people I couldn't leave our favorite couple in misery for the next several weeks.

So here's a new fic. If you want to read something totally P/O fluffy, this isn't it, but I offer you something realistic that I hope will hold you over more comfortably

until the TV series returns on January 21st. All mistakes are mine. I do NOT own anything related to Bad Robot, FOX , or Fringe.

If you want fast updates, please review. I'm busy too but I enjoy writing for you all as you know. I could get into daily updates if you ask for them.

This takes place four weeks after "Marionette."

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same-Chapter 1

The air was getting heavier by the minute with the typical New England pre-snow dampness as Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop moved away from the latest crime scene in Milton, the second in the last eight months. Unlike the last one there were no amnesic victims here, just two sets of cojoined dead people. The small office building reeked of a Newton-esque attempt to exchange it for one of theirs that got botched. Newton hadn't been heard from for awhile, and all at the Fringe Division feared he was still out there somewhere. Peter, Olivia, Astrid, Walter, and Broyles all assumed Walternate was whipping his people into sharpening their crossover skills with this latest exercise.

The work was done and the crime scene activity was winding down. After a brief , work-realted conversation Olivia and Peter said goodbye and headed to their respective vehicles parked side by side. Peter stopped and eyed Olivia as she unlocked her black SUV. He waited until she looked up and he had her attention. "Merry Christmas Eve, 'Livia," he boomed and gave her a sad smile that didn't make it to his eyes.

Olivia Dunham noticed and nodded toward Peter, returning a similar smile. "You too, Peter. Wish the same to Walter for me."

Peter Bishop nodded in reply, swallowing erratically. He turned toward the Vista Cruiser. Weeks ago he had envisioned a totally different Christmas for himself and for her. A happy Christmas with laughter and celebration and love. But thanks to the other Olivia that was all shot to hell, and it would be just he and the man he called 'father.' He looked forward to drowning himself in a huge amount of Walter's homemade eggnog later that day. A concoction Walter boasted last year contained a myriad of added chemicals for their enjoyment. Suddenly his ears picked up the repeated sound of Olivia's engine not turning over. Fantastic, he mumbled under his breath.

Peter closed the driver's door and walked back over to Olivia, noticing the snow flurries picking up intensity. He could hear her gently swearing as he got closer.

"Pop the hood. I think it's your battery," Peter commanded her gently.

Olivia readily obeyed, hitting the hood release with her gloved hand. Anything to get out of here faster, she said to herself. In 10 seconds Peter confirmed his diagnosis and stated the situation to her proudly.

"It's your battery. I'll drive you to get a new one. It's no big deal. I'm pretty sure Astrid and Walter haven't gotten back to Cambridge yet."

Olivia remained eerily quiet and just nodded her head. She followed Peter, who was carrying her dead battery, back to the station wagon. Peter set the battery on the floor behind him and jumped in. The Vista Cruiser started on the first try and they headed off onto the ramp for Route 95 South.

Peter broke the deathly silence. "There's gotta be an auto store off one of these exists."

"What happened to your GPS?" Olivia snapped back, noticing its absence from the dashboard.

"Walter accidentally broke it. Again. I-I haven't had a chance to fix it this week."

The silence returned engulfing them again. Olivia's stomach suddenly growled loudly enough that they could both hear it.

"When was the last time you ate?" Peter asked her emphatically.

"To be honest, I don't remember." She was tired. Too tired to play games with him. She knew where this was going but was too tired to come up with an answer that would lead elsewhere.

Peter laughed quietly. "That's what I thought. Let's go grab something to eat quickly, and then get you a new battery. You in the mood for anything in particular?"

"Food," she replied somewhat exasperatedly. All she wanted to do was go home and away from Peter Bishop. It had been 4 weeks since her return but she could still picture him periodically in various sexual positions with the other Olivia. Although it hurt less every day, it still dragged her mood downward.

"Understood. Quick it is." Peter increased the speed of the station wagon and concentrated on finding a decent restaurant.

Ten minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of a cute little silver diner just off the highway.

They both looked at the swirling snow as they got out, reflecting on how the weather people had gotten it wrong again. The snow was supposed to start that night after dark. Not present a viable threat before noon. And it wasn't just flurrying. The snow was flying thick and fast like in a proper wintry snowglobe. Peter held the diner's front door open for Olivia as he stared at the sky. Little did they know what was in store for them both in the hours ahead.

Please Review! I'll try to be fast.