Fourth Time is the Charm - Part 4 by Xeen part 1 part2 part3 Fringe doesn’t belong to me though it would be fun. I’m borrowing the characters and I promise I will put them back in their box when I’m finished. Obviously, thanks to Star Trek, Stargate sg1, Harry Potter, Get Smart, Boston Legal, for being a constant inspiration! Note: New (lighter) chapter!! -o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- "What is it that you think you're doing Walter!?" said Peter in a forceful voice, barging inside the lab, Olivia in his trail. He sat his bags on the floor and rushed to Walter's side. Because of two floodlights and strings of fairy lights blinking joyfully, dripping from the ceiling and running along the walls, the room had never been so brightly illuminated. Christmas carols were playing softly in the background. "Peter! I'm glad you could come. What do you think?" Walter asked, extending his arms ecstatically, "Yes sure, I love what you've done with the place," Peter said with a smirk. "I'm making eggnog, it is almost ready." "And who are these lovely ladies Walter?" "Oh… yes, of course, I'm being rude, you will have to excuse me I have been very busy. Please meet Janet. And this is Samantha and Valerie. Oh, and Carolyn, sorry dear, I had forgotten about you." Peter went past them with a nod, dragging Walter along to Olivia's office, leaving a puzzled Olivia to deal with Walter's guests. He slammed the door behind them and turned to his father. "Ok Walter, listen carefully," he said in a menacing tone contrasting with Walter's happy face, "is there anything you don't understand within the boundaries of 'top secret facility' concept? Let me make it clear for you: this lab is not your property, it's US government property and what we do in here is like, say, for your eyes only kind of implied. I was not expecting you to plant signs outside for people to gather in here." "I did not plant signs Peter," the doctor objected matter-of-factly, "the ground is hard frozen." "Obviously you didn't. Forget it. What about this. You remember we talk of ONE lady friend, Walter, don't you?" "Yes, yes, we did. But Janet is my friend. Well, technically, she's my friend's daughter." "Oh, is she?" "Yes, and a MIT drop out, just like you are!" he pleaded. "I see… and Samantha over there?" said Peter, pointing at her through the glass wall, "she's your friend's daughter too?" "No, she would be Janet's friend." "And you're going to tell me she was awarded the Nobel Prize for her achievements in Mathematics last year?" "Peter! You should know that there is no such prize pertaining to the subject! Samantha is a quantum physicist." "I bet she is and I'm Santa Claus," Peter snarled. He let Walter out the room and they went back to the lab. "Oh, you brought gifts?" Walter said turning back to his son. "How thoughtful of you Peter… Olivia! here you are, you're enjoying the party?" "Ok that's it. I don't even want to know anything about the other two you invited. This party is officially over Walter. I'm calling this off as of… --right now," he hesitated, his attention diverted by something in the middle of the lab. "Wait a minute, what is THIS?" In three long strides, he was near the metallic pole. "Peter, I won't have time to fix our beverages properly if you keep interrupting me… This is a dance pole obviously. It is said to be a very good and tonic exercise." Walter caught the pole with one hand and swirled around it in a quick motion. "I read an article in Science about the benefits of exercising with a dance pole they seem to be far better than cardio training or even jogging." "Is it fringe benefits we're talking about here Walter? Well, as long as you don't intend to strip down or only to strip down when you're not alone, I can live with a dance pole in the lab." "And it is going to be very beneficial to Astrabad and Olivia." "I can't wait…" "Hello Walter," said Olivia in a gentle voice. "Olivia!" cheered Walter, planting a peck on her cheek. "You're going to help me with the eggnog." He took her by the elbow and was leading her to his bench when Peter stopped him. "Walter, one last thing," he leaned to Walter's ear and asked in a whisper. "Where are the… devices?" "You mean the nanite device?" The doctor's voice boomed inside the lab. Peter's frown went bigger. "Yes I know where they are. I took care of the devices in due time." "Like in throw them out to the garbage taking care of?" "Peter, don't be crazy; you should know that one cannot throw away such sensible piece of equipment along with domestic waste! No, no, of course," he lowered his voice with a conniving smile, "I placed them in a secrete place, not to worry." "This is getting better and better. I should have known this was a bad idea, a very, very bad idea to leave you on your own, Walter." "But I'm not alone, I'm with my friends." "What ever happened to the brunette we selected together online from the, err… catalogue?" "She was dumb, I'm sorry I have to confess that Peter, but she was really so dumb. I simply could not put up with her any longer, she was impossible to talk to, you see. And she voted for…" "No politics, Walter, no politics, please! So, first thing first. For the last time, where did you hide the devices?" "Didn't I tell you that already? I placed them inside a containment field." "A containment field? Like in a force field you mean?" "Indeed. Very good analogy Peter!" "You are aware this doesn't exist, aren't you, you're not a Star Trek fan, you're living in a hotel." "Of course it exists! In 1975, I posited that when matter…" "Ok, ok, not on Christmas eve please. I believe you. What do you plan on inventing next anyway? Teleportation? Cone of silence? Invisibility cloak?" "You read my notes?" "This is going to be fun to have this conversation eight or nine hours from now. No Walter, I did not read your notes. You're positive that there are in a safe place? It's all I want to know right now." "Absolutely safe, Peter, you have my word. By any chance, you did not bring any sake with you did you? Sake eggnog is my favourite." "Sorry Walter, no. Where did you find eggs by the way? Last time I checked we did not have any at the lab or at the hotel, for that matter." "Didn't I tell you that it would have been easier to get some hens to begin with…" "To keep Gene company?" "No, no! To have fresh eggs of course," he said, measuring something white in a test tube. "Therefore, I had to ask someone for eggs." "Someone? Astrid is gone to see her folks. Charlie Francis is in LA, sipping margaritas near a pool and enjoying himself, whom did you ask Walter? Tell me. Now!" Walter poured the white powder from the tube inside a large jar. "Agent Broyles. He was very helpful. He sent me everything I needed without any dither." "Everything?" "Yes, I always thought that it would be convenient to have a scanning electron microscope handy," stated Walter, sparkling generously cinnamon and nutmeg inside the jar. "I have the funny feeling you're not telling me everything Walter." "A new electric inoculating turntable." "And?" "A high-performance liquid chromatographer with tandem mass spectrometry detection." "Oh, that's a nice touch!" "Could you stir the preparation for me son. And don't ever stop, that's paramount to the success of that beverage. I will get some milk now," he walked away but turned round, changing his mind. "And Florence flasks." "What are planning to produce from your distillation experiments?" "Mmm… you're spoiling the surprise son, be patient." "I give up." Seemingly coming back to the surrounding reality of the place, he gave a look around and frowned again. "What have you done with Olivia?" "Your friend is chatting with mine," said Walter proudly. "They are not really scientists are they?" "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" -o- "He said it was his special recipe," she brushed the keyboard with her left hand. Walter played a light chord in arpeggios and smiled. "Yes, mine," he nodded, adding a few more chords. Valerie was leaning on the piano and swaying to the tempo. "He said it was his mother's recipe actually." "Mine, mine, she always used mine." He was playing softly now. "You see, the difference with my recipe, is that you have to add this special ingredient that makes all the difference." "Oh…" "I only perfected it, because the great François Vatel was the inventor. Genius, pure genius," he stroke the keyboard with Marc-Antoine Charpentier' Christmas Eve Midnight Mass Kyrie. "François Vatel?" "Vatel was the famous chef of a prince, during the reign of the Sun King. La Marquise de Sévigné speaks of him as the man who committed suicide because on a Friday, when the king was coming to dinner, the fish failed to arrive in time." He played some gloomy chords from the Christe. "You sure know how to strike a chord and charm a lady Walter," said Peter. Walter did not flinch at the double-entendre. "You'll be happy to hear that I put your –other, friends in a cab. They are en route to wherever they belong as we speak." "You made my recipe for her Peter? You must like her very much." "It is not your recipe. It is mum's." "It is only a technicality." "Here you go again." "No, I don't. Your mother was most certainly an excellent cook, but this recipe is mine." To prove his point, he improvised a variation of Night and Day. "Very good Walter, why don't you play some more of this for us?" "More Cole Porter? Excellent, excellent idea, Peter. What would you like to hear?" "I leave you the judge of that Walter. Olivia may I?" he said reaching out to her. She nodded and stood up, letting him hold her hand while he led her to a vacant spot in the lab. Valerie immediately took her place near Walter and cuddled against him. He was playing a very personal intro of Begin the Beguine. Olivia and Peter faced each other and began to dance to the music. TBC |
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