Letters from Home

Spoilers: All Seasons

Disclaimer: Really? JJ Abrams owns Fringe and its not like I just won the Fringe Lottery.

Sometimes you don't know what you had till you've lost it.

He looked at Broyles as the man stood in the lab with Amy Jessup by his side, Peter noted that Walter and Astrid were there but Olivia wasn't. He didn't need to be told, he knew she had left Fringe Division.

"Just one question," Broyles looked at him in surprise, he had yet to say anything. "Where she's at, is she safer there?"

"Yes."

Peter nodded, "good...I guess we should get to work, Amy I could use your help with the paperwork while Walter and Astrid continue with the body."

They all seemed to understand and nothing was said, it was Walter who asked a week later why she left.

"Peter?" Walter looked at him over dinner, "why did Olivia leave?"

The answer was simple and he knew it so he told the truth, tried of lies. "I broke her heart Walter and she's had her heart broken too many times...this time there wasn't any fixing it."

"Oh, do you miss her?"

"Every day but I know she's probably doing better where she's at. I could ask but I don't want to know...I just want her to be happy and she'll find some happiness if I don't interfere."

The letters started to arrive a month after she left, they were only addressed to him...no one else and most just contained a sentence.

Peter,

I'm okay, don't forget to help Walter with the Christmas tree so it doesn't fall like last year.

Olivia.

Other times there was a paragraph telling him what she was seeing where she was at but she never told him where...the letters never had a return address and different postage stamps.

Peter,

The sun rose today on the river and I thought back to that day we sat on the bench talking about faith and life after Lisa Donavon went home. I miss that bench, the ones where I'm at aren't as comfortable and sometimes I can still feel the mist of the river when the wind blows. I got news from Ella today and I know you'll be proud, she won first place at the science fair with her project on...wait for it: Mechanical Physics, good for a fourth grader. I hope Christmas was good...I hope you got the journal I sent...I know your old one has seen better days.

Olivia

He found that every week a letter appeared and sometimes it contained a random piece of information and other times it contained a memory. She spoke about her new partner, a woman she called Macy and admitted she was horrible at being by the book.

It was six months after the first letter arrived that he got an address in the mail, a P.O. Box and she encouraged him to write her back...having missed his voice even on paper. She admitted she did call Broyles for regular updates...just to make sure her family was doing okay without her.

He didn't forget her birthday, sending a card signed from everyone but he never said who it was for and no one asked...he said it was better that way. A small gift card to Ann Taylor for a new suit as he knew she probably need a new one.

All he got was a simple letter in the mail but this time a picture of her...she was with a group of agents at a bar and she was actually smiling. On the back was a simple message that made him laugh when he read it.

Guess who won the drinking game?

He put that picture in his journal, the one that still had a poem written in it from Christmas that he read when he wanted to imagine her voice.

I still think of you everyday and the pain never really goes away.

Life is calm and tranquil here but I find myself without peers.

I find myself remembering when you looked at me as if I was the world.

I want one day to come home and find we both have healed and now I make a deal.

The day you can explain what I asked so long ago, I shall listen closely.

I know you hurt but so do I, I just need to know I have your eye.

My love is not gone but locked up tight, to get the key you must fight.

Tell me what sets up apart, why you left me in the dark.

I wait with baited breathe to hear and I long for the day you are near.

I shall never forget how you saved me- Olivia

He'd written so many times what set them apart but each time it came back non-sense so he stopped after two months.

It was funny, how for a solid year and forty-eight letters later he was able to send the truth off to her. It was simple and clear and so perfect in explaination he knew.

Olivia,

I just wanted to believe I was the one that put that smile on your face. I wanted to believe that I was holding you close and making you change. I wanted to believe that I made you laugh for no reason. I wanted to be the one who didn't change you but made the hauntedness go away.

I'm sorry and no matter how many times I say those words, they are never enough. They say you don't know what you had until you lost it and I lost the only woman I wanted to spend my life with and all because of selfishness.

Take care of yourself Olivia and just do me one favor, find someone that can make you smile and laugh for no reason. Who can hold you and remind you that you don't have to take on the world alone. Find someone who will hold you when you get scared those few times and tell you its alright to be scared.

I once belonged with you and I treasure those memories.

Always,

Peter

Peter noticed that the letters stopped and he was okay with that, he understood and he managed to smile when he looked in the mail box the next week to not find her letter or the week after that. He knew she had moved on when a month passed and no letters came.

Life continued in the freaky world of Fringe Division and it was fun after a year to see Amy still vomiting at the sight of some things. That was till she didn't show up for two days straight and Peter wondered till the lab door opened one day while they were cleaning and he was met by the sight of a certain blonde hair agent.

"Broyles called, we got a case." She smiled and looked at him, he just stared till she said something that made him laugh. "Are you coming or not Bishop?"

"Walter get your coat, you'll never believe this but we got a different agent."

"A different agent? After Olivia and Agent Jessup I do hope it is a male." Walter came out of the office and looked at Olivia, "Olivia!"

He bound over and hugged her, she chuckled and hugged him back. "Its good too see you too Walter but you need to get your coat, we have a case and if we get there in time I maybe able to get you to ride in the ambulance back here."

Peter chuckled, his father was appeased and out the door in seconds, he however took a cautious step towards her. "So..."

She gave him a smile, one he had missed for an entire year but found himself happy to have again.

"I already have someone who makes me laugh and smile." She stood a closer step towards him. "He reminds me that I can be scared and that I'm not doing this alone. He happens to be a real genius but is an ass at times." She took another step towards him and smiled, "I want that chance with you...if you're willing to accept me back."

Peter nodded and looked at her, "I never..."

She put a finger to his lips and she shook her head, "that's in the past and I want the future."

He placed a hand on her cheek and leaned in, kissing her passionately. Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled when air because necessary. "Did anyone tell you that you have a way with words?" Peter looked at her and she smiled.

"Once or twice."

"Oh my God!" They both turned to find Astrid in the doorway, "you're back."

Olivia looked at Peter as she spoke, " yes, I'm home."

A/N: Just another 'how would Olivia heal?' and the idea of her transfering out without saying anything came to mind. Just another one shot.