MIT: Making It Through

Spoilers: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3(Olivia, The Box, The Plateau, Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep, Amber 31422, 6955 kHz, The Abducted, Entrada, Marionette).

Disclaimer: If I owned Fringe...Olivia would have made it home with Peter in Over There Part 2 instead of this insanity.

The journey started with a shirt and ended with a shirt, but not just any shirt...a shirt that told a story that was far too strange but full of emotions that could confuse anyone. That shirt was grey and had red lettering on in spelling out three letters: M.I.T. and that shirt began a journey that would change how one woman and one man saw each other.

Olivia sat beside her washer crying, just letting the tears fall. Eventually every tear she had was gone and they dried up, she got up and resumed her task of washing clothes. However bending down she picked up the shirt that she had discarded...Peter's MIT shirt, even as the clothes in the washer had been washed, she could still smell his scent on the clothes as if stained into the fabric.

She stood looking at it and took it back to the bedroom, ready to discard it with all the other clothes but as she began, Olivia couldn't throw the shirt in the black garbage bags...it just remained in her hand the entire time.

Eventually she placed it in her gym bag to take to the lab and leave it with Walter to give to Peter, knowing the elderly Bishop would understand why.

Two weeks later while cleaning out her gym bag, Olivia came across the shirt that she had placed in the bag to give to Peter...she still hadn't, having forgot it was in the bag in the first place. It had been a week since she'd told him she didn't want to be with him and looking back, it tore out her heart having said that to him because it was a lie.

Curling up on her new bed, bought the week before after her case and her compensation money came in, the FBI gave her a check for five thousand as 'hazard pay' but Olivia eventually found out it was Broyles who insisted on giving her the check. She bought new clothes, a new bed, new books and placed the rest away for future needs.

Olivia closed her eyes, holding the shirt close to her...her only comfort at that moment.

Three months passed and they were on a case, it was out of town in Los Angeles and Olivia was reviewing information on the case when a knock came on her door. She knew it was probably Peter, coming with a late night epiphany or something case related.

They hadn't spoken about anything person, besides Ella and Rachel or Walter, since that night so long ago. It was work related, an occasional 'how are you' and of course his favorite 'want to grab a drink' but she always politely declined the drinks. Truth was, she didn't drink anymore...that part of her alternate had rubbed off on her...the smell of alcohol made her nauseous.

Getting up, she went to the door and opened it to find Peter holding a flash drive, he looked at her and his brow closed in together as if in shock about something. "What did you find?"

He looked at her and then came out of his stupor, "oh, I found something on the security video, you'll want to see it."

"Come in."

She shut the door after him and turned to find him already at her computer bringing up the security video.

"I found something you might find interesting, anyways...once we get this information to my security guys at Massive Dynamic or the FBI, which ever you want to use, we maybe able to catch this guy." He turned the computer to her, "just watch it for the slightest details."

She did and noticed what he had, "it lopes."

"Yep, so who do you want to send it to?"

Olivia sat down, "which one will get it done faster, can Massive Dynamic do it in under twelve hours?"

"They can get it done in ten minutes, all I have to do is light a fire under their asses and believe me, they don't like me running security although technically it is my job...Walter had Nina step in as his de facto CEO and so she gave me the task of overhauling the entire security system since your alternate had a keycard. Speaking of which, I have to get you one."

"Okay do it and let me know what you get in the morning at breakfast and don't forget to check on Walter."

Peter nodded and stood, drive in hand. "Get some rest Olivia, you need it."

He walked to the door and turned as he opened it to leave. She smiled at him, "goodnight Peter."

"Nice shirt by the way." The door closed after him and Olivia looked down and saw she was wearing his MIT shirt as she had begun doing just to sleep, it was huge on her so it was if he was holding her. She'd forgotten she was wearing the thing and instantly she understood his momentary stupor at the door. Anyone would find it confusing that the woman you're in love with but doesn't want to be with you is wearing your shirt.

After texting the results of Peter's find to Broyles, she crawled into bed and went to sleep.

Two weeks later Peter looked up from looking through files in the office to find Olivia in the doorway, in her hand was his MIT shirt, he'd know it anywhere. He wondered if she was going to give it back as it seemed to be something she actually wore.

"Do I get that back?"

Olivia looked down at the shirt and picked at the gray material, "it no longer smells like you." Her voice was a whisper and she laid the shirt down before retreating from the office, Peter noticed she seemed hesitant to put it down but did so anyways.

A week after, upon going through her bag upon returning home, Olivia found Peter's MIT shirt rolled up and note held to it by a rubber band.

The only comfort I can give you right now, just bring it back when it fades again. -Peter

She undid the rubber band and pulled the shirt to her face, the smell of Peter was on it again and stronger because it seemed he hadn't washed it for her. Olivia smiled, he must have noticed her hesitance to let go of the shirt when she gave it to him.

That night she slept better then she had in a week, she had Peter's arms around her again, figuratively speaking of course.

Six months passed and only twice had she brought the shirt to him and he'd given it back, each time with a note or just handing it back to her in the lab, kissing her head as he left. They found a routine, an even ground and their friendship was back on track...she'd finally worked up the courage to just go sit at the bar with him while he drank and talk or play card tricks but the whole time she didn't touch the alcohol.

Then he got shot, of course it wasn't life injuring but Olivia began to question what she had said ten months before about not wanting to be with him. She'd rode with him to the hospital in the ambulance, holding his hand as they tried to stop the bleeding and the entire time she had stared at him, his eyes meeting hers. In a final attempt to make it known that he would survive, she pulled an old saying out of the past.

"You'll get through this Peter or so help me I'll have Walter bring you back from the dead and kill you all over again, I can't loose you...you belong with me."

His nod was soft as it hurt to move but she got a nod and a small confirmation, "I belong no where else but with you." After that he squeezed her hand before falling unconscious from blood loss.

He recovered and was quite surprised when Olivia asked if they wanted to get dinner.

"In what form?" He looked at her as he buttoned his shirt, she'd come to pick him up after the hospital, there was no need to explain what his question meant and he knew she knew it.

"You never did take me on that date you wanted to take me on and a new Indian place opened up not but a few blocks from here."

Peter chuckled and grabbed his bag, "you're driving, I'm buying...fair enough Sweetheart?"

"Call me Sweetheart again, I'd really like that." This time a smirk crossed her face instead of anger.

They went on a date and then Olivia took Peter home, he kissed her cheek and said he'd see her when she came to pick him up to go to Massive Dynamic the next morning, to get his wound worked on and repair all damage.

A week after going on their date, Olivia was the one to get shot and when Peter came to visit her in the hospital found her tired from not sleeping. "Hey." He kissed her forehead and smiled, "didn't sleep last night?"

"They gave me something but it didn't work too well."

Peter chuckled and looked at her, "I have the solution for you." He placed her bag on the bed and dug inside, removing the MIT shirt. "This should help."

Olivia accepted the shirt and then looked at Peter, a smile on her face. "Thank you."

"Anything for you baby, anything." He kissed her head again and was surprised when Olivia pulled him into a hug, she smiled and he smiled at her.

Peter came by later that evening and walked into the room to find Olivia asleep, soundly and without issue. His shirt, her shirt now, laid out over her.

"She couldn't sleep last night but the minute that shirt appeared," Olivia's nurse looked at him, "well she's been out since. Is there something special about the shirt?"

Peter shook his head, "it was mine, I don't understand the significance of it either but she stole it ten months ago and since then I haven't gotten it back."

If it meant Olivia actually slept, Peter never wanted it back either...he hoped to understand the significance of it one day but for now Olivia's recovery mattered.

It was two months later, over a year since her return and Olivia was herself again. Peter and her had been dating for two months, working on their relationship as they worked on cases.

Laughter rang through the house, it was Christmas morning and Olivia was staying over at the Bishop's for Christmas. Olivia laid under Peter's onslaught of tickles as he tickled her, both laughing.

"Peter...please stop."

He stopped and looked down at her, she'd come to wake him up and he'd pulled her down in surprise, beginning to tickle her. Olivia smiled and he leaned down, kissing her and Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck deepening it.

When air was needed, both parted and Peter combed Olivia's hair back, smiling at her. Olivia's hand cupped his cheek and pulled him down for another kiss.

His hand went under the shirt she had on and rested on her side, feeling the heated skin there. "What is with you and this shirt?" Peter looked at her, "I have to know, every time I turn around you have it on."

"It was all I had of you after we had our falling out, it helped me to sleep and soon it became a necessity to sleep. Its big on me so it feels like I'm in your arms, that you're holding me while I sleep."

Peter looked down at her, "is that why you're always giving it back after two or three months, because it no longer smells like me and you need it to sleep?"

"You keep my nightmares away and I don't want to remember over there."

Finally understanding, Peter smiled and leaned down to kiss her. "I'll hold you anytime you need me to."

Six months later Peter sat on his bed working when Olivia exited the bathroom in a black tank top and shorts. He found it strange, it was the first time since they began sharing a bed two months back that she had not worn the MIT shirt.

"What happened, you're not wearing your shirt." Peter looked at her as she crawled into bed and turned to him.

"I have you to hold me, I don't need to wear it anymore unless you're not there."

He placed the work away and pulled her into his arms, "I'll always be here."

Eight months and he was feeling ready to propose...they'd been through hell together, betrayals, affairs, lies and everything else that would break everyone apart and yet they remained strong.

"I love you." He looked down at her and she smiled, staring back at him.

"I love you too."

He reached over and turned out the light, closing his eyes as Olivia curled into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Peter wondered if the MIT shirt would ever surface again but he doubted it as Olivia was in his arms and he'd keep here there.

It did surface four years later in an unique way, Peter woke to whispers and found his wife talking to their little girl. The three year old was recovering from having a bad dream.

"But what if they come back?"

Olivia smiled, "I have just the thing," she moved to the hope chest that laid at the end of the bed and opened it, pulling out a plastic bag. Peter watched as she removed the old MIT shirt that had long been forgotten. "A long time ago when I couldn't sleep, I wore Daddy's shirt...you can cuddle with it."

The three year old nodded and took the grey shirt, holding her arms out for Olivia to take her. Peter got out of bed and waited by his daughter's bedroom door, watching as Olivia tucked the toddler into bed, the old shirt still in good condition, laid across their daughter threatening to engulf her due to its bigger size.

"Goodnight Mommy."

"Goodnight Elizabeth."

Olivia found Peter waiting and pulled him into the master bedroom, smiling as she did. "I never thought I'd see that thing again...so you gave it to Lizzie to sleep, just like you used to sleep with it?"

"Yep, tradition now."

Thirty years later, Olivia was putting her granddaughter to bed when she noticed a shirt on the girl's bed and picked it up to find it was the MIT shirt she had long ago used to get to sleep. "Ollie, where did you get this?"

"Mommy gave it to me, she said it was Grandpa's and that you used to sleep with it...she said it helped you sleep and it helped her sleep, keeping away the bad dreams. I asked if I could use it and she said yes, no bad dreams Grandma."

Olivia chuckled, wondering how a single shirt could help three generations when it had nearly almost prevented the last two from being born. In the end, she figured that MIT didn't stand for Massachusetts Institute of Technology but instead Making It Through and that shirt had helped her make it through.

"Tell me a story Grandma."

Olivia smiled, "long ago there was a magical shirt that could do amazing things..."

She sat there and made up a story about the shirt, unaware that the story and shirt would be passed on for a few more generations...never loosing its ability to help a child sleep or keep away bad dreams.

A/N: I really think seeing Peter's shirt was the breaking point in Marionette...I think that is what really broke the floodgates. I thought about how it could play in and came up with this.