The drive home was quiet and each time Peter attempted to talk to Olivia, she ignored him. Sitting outside her building, he turned off the car and turned to her.
"Liv…" he touched her arm, "baby look at me."
"I'm turning into her."
He shook his head, "who, who are you turning into?"
"She can be dangerous and doesn't live within the limits of the law at times, but then again that world is falling apart. The memories, I forget things at times…blackouts, I've done things and haven't realized it. I'm scared and I'm never scared…Serena looked at me yesterday and asked where her Olive is, that I should go back to my own world. She knows, I scared her…"
Peter touched her chin and pulled her to look at him, "why didn't you tell me?"
"I was scared you'd run…now with the baby, I…"
"No baby," he touched her face with the back of his hand, "I love you Olivia Dunham, I'll take whatever you give me. This baby, unexpected yes but wanted…when I found the tests I had a million thoughts about how we would take care of it. How would it look? Who would it be more like? Boy or girl, what to name it…I couldn't stop smiling at the thought of a little girl with your hair and eyes…an exact copy of you. That would be perfect, but also if it's a boy…I get to do what Walter never did with me. Science experiments instead of tea parties, baseball instead of ballet…I want this baby and I want you and Serena if she's part of us…I saw the petition for adoption paperwork on your desk."
"What if I change, I'll revert back to her and I wouldn't remember."
He chuckled and looked at her, "I'm a part of you Olivia and you couldn't forget me if you tried. You held on once and you'll do it again. First thing tomorrow we'll go to Massive Dynamic and have them check on the baby and see if there's a way to remove those memories."
Olivia nodded, "I…"
"Shh," he put a finger to her lips, "not till you're ready, I won't force that from you. When you're ready to say that, do but not until then. Now, I have to go check on Walter and go back to the FBI, I'll be by to check on you later."
She nodded and looked at him, "thank you."
Peter leaned over and kissed her, "always baby, always."
The next day they sat in Dr. Katie Myers office, she was the new biomedical engineer at Massive Dynamic. She walked in and looked at them, Peter took Olivia's hand and held it as Myers sat down.
"Well I've got good news and bad news, however I can safely say the memories of your alternate can be removed from your conscious mind. Let's start with bad news, we can attempt the procedure but it would be risky with being pregnant. However, the good news is…the miscarriage rate is 10%."
Olivia looked at her, "how is that good news?"
"Well Olivia you're different…as you know Natural Cortexiphan Children are resilient, as you've seen with Serena. I reviewed Mary Carson's medical records, she was in a car crash that should have killed her and Serena…she was only six weeks. I spoke with the doctor and he said he'd never seen anything like it, she was expected to miscarry 100%...no chance. It seems NCCs are able to protect themselves by creating a small bubble around the womb as with your child.
"I had to use a new Cortexiphan canceling system with the ultrasound…it was developed because of some issues with Cortexiphan with the subjects. In your case, 10% is zero…you have no chance of miscarriage. In fact, your baby is completely safe from everything that could harm it, well perhaps alcohol but you're safe to work in the field so no desk work. I'll fax Agent Broyles the report whenever you decide to tell him."
Peter looked at her, "how long does the procedure take and how long is recovery?"
"The procedure is about two hours with prep and recovery is about two days, one day full medically induced coma to let the brain relax and a day of observation. Now, we can do it today but I suggest waiting about two days and thinking it over."
Olivia shook her head, "I don't have two days, the blackouts are continuing…four in the past twenty four hours. Peter witnessed two and well…"
"Okay, we'll get you prepared. Peter do mind waiting elsewhere and we'll page for you when she's about to go in?"
They stood and Peter looked at Olivia, "you sure?"
"Pick up Serena and spend time with her, it will help…tell her you're getting Olive back."
Peter nodded and kissed her head, "I love you no matter how you are…I can learn to love something new."
They called him an hour later and he found her outside the OR, Myers and two other doctors with her. Peter took her hand and held it, she smiled. "Be here when I get out?"
"I'm not going anywhere, you chased me across universes…there isn't anywhere you can't find me. I'm stuck and it's worth it." He leaned down and kissed her, "I love you."
Olivia touched his cheek and smiled, "I love you too…I do, tell Serena I'll see her when I wake up in a day."
"I will baby." He let her hand go and watched as they wheeled her away, the doors closed and immediately agony set in.
Serena helped mellow the agony, Nina had a driver deliver Serena so he didn't have to leave. As soon as she saw him, she ran to him and he picked her up. "You get Olive back?"
"Yeah princess I'm getting her back for you." He kissed her brown curls and smiled, "why don't we go make her a card…hmm?"
"Yeah, I hungry…sandwich?"
He chuckled and nodded, "come on, we'll go get lunch."
The two hours passed quickly with the three year old with him, her birthday was coming up and she was telling him about the party she wanted…one Olivia had promised. She said all the children at the Experimental Campus were invited and he was laughing at the idea of ten children in a birthday party when Myers came in.
"Peter?"
Peter looked at Serena and smiled, "I have to go talk to her about Olive, you sit here and color."
He kissed her head and moved to Myers, who pulled him aside. "It went well but we won't know the full extent of success till she wakes up. That's going to be about a day so I've arranged for an apartment for you and the girl for the day, I suggest leaving after visiting Olivia and trying to let her rest because she'll be in a coma for a day…you don't need to sit here."
"Can I see her?"
"Yes you can but expect no response."
Twenty-four hours was nothing like he expected, his sanity only stayed intact because of Serena. The girl enjoyed the New York Zoo and Central Park, he enjoyed it with her and the next day he was holding the sleeping girl when visiting Olivia. They brought her out of the coma and it was another few hours of waiting but when she opened her eyes and saw him, smiling he finally breathed easier.
"Hey."
Peter gently placed Serena down on the bed beside Olivia, careful of her wires before kissing her and leaning his forehead against hers. "I never stopped worrying; it was hell…that's the only way to describe it. I love you, I love you so much baby." He kissed her head and looked at her.
"I had two reasons to get me through it…three reasons, I always wake up to you and that helps." She looked at Serena and moved to kiss the girl's head, the movement woke her and she stared at Olivia for a few moments. "Hey there baby girl."
"Olive!" She threw herself at Olivia, "it's you Olive, other Olive gone…gone, never come back. My Olive, I miss you."
Peter looked at them and realized that he wanted what was before him and he would never let his two, possibly three girls go…Olivia and Serena were his. He'd fight the courts to adopt her…he wanted her and he wanted Olivia, no one would change his mind.
Olivia looked at him as she held Serena and smiled, "it's good to be home."
"It's good to have you home."