SPOILERS SPOILERS DID I MENTION SPOILERS

[nolimitation]

You know I'd like to meet her as much as you'd like to have her in one of the places I'm in, but you and I both know the chances of that. Don't pester your friends about dragging her in - or any of the others, for that matter. The only thing you're going to achieve is annoying them.

...and you can stop laughing. Henrietta's a beautiful name.

Comments

[onlyoneof]

So.

How do you think I explained the name choice? Because I'm trying to prepare myself for that.

[nolimitation]

That's not a bad question. I would have expected Elizabeth, if you were really going to pull for any particular name... and I can't see letting you get away with not explaining at all.

[onlyoneof]

Elizabeth was the sensible choice, wasn't it? ... maybe Walter talked you into it, but that begs the question-- what did I tell Walter?

[nolimitation]

I think Walter would be so overjoyed at the whole thing that he might happily go along with whatever you asked, but... do you really want to go through your father on something like this?

[onlyoneof]

I think it beats explaining the name to you. Maybe.

...

Maybe I should stop saying things out loud.

[nolimitation]

I think some kind of filter might be a good idea, yes.

...I did like Henry, though. The cab driver who helped me on the other side, not... [ ...the nonexistant child she's actually named after? Yeah.

A headshake, and a tiny smile. ] This is weird even for us.

[onlyoneof]

A cab driver--?

...

Maybe we actually had this conversation. I mean, naming our daughter after the guy that saved your life is a much better choice than naming her after-- well. You know.

[nolimitation]

Maybe we did. I guess I should probably get around to telling you the whole story eventually, so... it might be best to just assume that's what happened, for now.

Henry's a good man - even if I did have to threaten him to get him to cooperate at first.

[onlyoneof]

I wonder if--

Maybe he kept an eye on the other Olivia.

[nolimitation]

Maybe. I told him I was going home to another universe, but... I think he always thought I was more than a little insane. Even if he did, though, I'm not sure if it's more than a coincidence. If he approached the other Olivia... The other side would have arrested him if they knew what he did for me.

[onlyoneof]

... isn't this conversation giving you a headache?

[nolimitation]

...strangely, no. And that fact alone is a little worrying, now that I think about it.

[onlyoneof]

... I guess we can assume this is officially more awkward for me than it is for you.

I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OUTCOME OF THIS JOURNAL, FYI. Enabler.

[fightthefuture]

[ ...Yeah, we're just going to stare a little for a moment. ]


...Hi.

I'M NOT SORRY. I WILL NEVER BE SORRY.

[nolimitation]

[ ...okay, Olivia was really not actually expecting to see her. Ever. Oh god it's her and Peter's baby and she's all grown up and she's beautiful and--

There's a slow smile, and Olivia is not tearing up. Nope. Totally not. Her voice is soft and almost gentle as she answers: ] Hello.

It's... Etta, right? You go by Etta?

YEAH I CAN'T BRING MYSELF TO BE SORRY EITHER.

[fightthefuture]

[ SHE IS SMILING. THIS IS GOOD. YES ETTA WAS IRRATIONALLY WORRIED ABOUT THAT SHUT UP IT'S HER MOM AND SHE'S NOT TEARING UP, EITHER, NOPE, NOT AT ALL.

Etta is smiling, too, though. ]

Yeah. It's... Really good to see you. Um, even though I know that there's all sorts of time travel sorts of things going on here, so I guess you might not have even had me yet, but it... it is.

[nolimitation]

No, we haven't. Peter and I haven't even talked about... [ She laughs softly and shakes her head. ] But that doesn't matter. I'm... so glad to have the chance to meet you like this.

...and I'm sorry that, for whatever reason, I wasn't there for you. I don't know what happened, but I know that I would have done anything not to leave you. [ WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT NO TEARS? YEAH, IT WAS A LIE. ]

[fightthefuture]

[ She bites her lip a little and smiles, nodding quickly. She really doesn't feel like an adult right now. ] I know. Something happened, I don't know what, but I... I remember enough to know that I was loved.

I've done okay. I work for Fringe Division. It... doesn't really do the same thing that it did back when you worked there, though. Still, I can do a lot of good there, so...

[ trying to blink back tears, yes definitely. And resisting the urge to fling herself at Olivia because that could be awkward. ]

[nolimitation]

I know. I'm proud of you - for everything you're doing. [ Except maybe that whole not checking for security systems when breaking and entering problem, because come on, Etta.

...okay, seriously. Pulling it together now, dragging the heel of her palm over her eyes to try to get rid of the lingering tears. A deep breath, and another smile. ]

Is it okay if I hug you?

[fightthefuture]

[ tiny, watery laugh ] Yes, absolutely. Yes.

[nolimitation]

[ And Olivia immediately steps forward and pulls her into a tight hug. It doesn't matter that this is beyond weird and she's not that much younger than Olivia and something went terribly wrong and this isn't at all the life she would've wanted for her child - she's her daughter. Olivia loves her already. ]

[fightthefuture]

[ And the fact that this woman who hasn't even conceived her is holding her like she's... well, her mother.

Etta is just going to cling as tight as she dares, and bury her face in Olivia's shoulder. She's dreamed of this moment (albeit a bit less time-travely) for years. ]

[ faintly, muffled ] I missed you.

[nolimitation]

[ So not letting go just yet. Olivia knows how this feels, after all, as well as anyone can - she did something similar with her own mother in the other universe. She strokes her hair, quietly comforting, and rests her cheek against Etta's head. ] I know. Believe me, I know.

[fightthefuture]

[ She's not going to move just yet. It's... a bit of a blow to her whole "badass self-sufficient" image, but who cares? It's her mother. ]

I never believed you died. It just didn't make sense. You and your team were the first. You were legendary.

[nolimitation]

[ Olivia laughs softly, and with maybe a touch of bitterness she tries to hold back. ]

I guess sometimes being legendary isn't enough.

[fightthefuture]

[ Excited ] But it was! We just have to find a way to get back, to get you out, and I'm sure P-- D--.

[ so awkward. She really isn't sure if she should call them Olivia and Peter or Mom and Dad. ] I'm sure we can do it.

[nolimitation]

[ Olivia releases her and moves back so she can look Etta in the face, surprised. After a moment, she smiles - and not entirely at Etta's awkwardness over what to call Peter. ]

If anyone can, it would be your father and your grandfather. And you.

[fightthefuture]

I'll give them all the help they need. There's a machine that Dr. Bishop had designed, and if he can build it... we might actually be able to take our home back. I will make sure he has a chance to do it.

[ DETERMINEDFACE. She is SO like her mother. ]

[nolimitation]

[ Oh, Etta. Olivia doesn't recognize that expression, but Peter definitely would.

As it is, Olivia's just going to frown in confusion. ] You mean... the Machine? The one on Liberty Island? Do you mean it was disassembled, or...?

[fightthefuture]

No, it was... There were blueprints, for a machine that could help us defeat them. The resistance found them, but no one we know could build it, so it was... kind of a lost cause. Except that now we've found Dr. Bishop and his team, and he says he can build it.