Rating: S for Sqeaky
Spoilers: Up to 3x02, The Box
Category: Friendship
Characters: Walter, Astrid
Author's notes: So, I've got a Big Bang that I really need to start cracking on, and--surprise, surprise!--I find myself writing one shots.  For another fandom no less.  Procrastination, thy name is Jessica.

“I am the sole shareholder of Massive Dynamic.”

Astrid looked from his stunned face back to the stocks literally worth billions of dollars in his hands before looking at him again. “Want to come in?” she offered.

“Do you have any chocolate pudding pops?”

“Of course,” she said, holding the door open for him.

She watched as he walked in, his hands unsure what to do with the stocks in his hands. Quickly, she closed the door and gently took the envelope and stocks from him. She slid the papers inside and put them down on the dining room table.

He walked into her kitchen and opened the freezer door.

“Have you told Peter yet?” she asked as he pulled out a pudding pop from the box.

His grip on the frozen treat faltered for a second. “I--I don’t know if I should. He’s still angry at me.” Walter looked at her. “When I tried talking to him, he said he wasn’t ready to talk to me. Perhaps it would be better if he didn’t know--”

“No, Walter,” Astrid said firmly. “You can’t keep something like this from him. He needs to know. Keeping this from him would just make things worse.”

“Maybe,” he said, as he unwrapped the chocolate popsicle, “you could tell him for me.”

She shook her head. “I can’t, Walter. It’s not my place,” she said, apologetic.

“I don’t see why he has to know in the first place! Nina can run Massive Dynamic just like she did when Billy was alive.” He slumped in her recliner. “Why did he have to burden me with this?”

Astrid knelt in front of him. “Walter, there is a war going on. That machine that the you on the other side wanted Peter to use would destroy our universe. Obviously William thought there is something you can do to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

He looked at her. “I don’t know what I should do first,” he admitted vulnerably.

“First, go talk to Peter. Then,” she said, standing up, “you start working at Massive Dynamic.”

“I don’t want to give up my lab.”

“I’m sure you won’t have to.”

“I don’t--that is--do you think?”

“What, Walter?”

“Do you think Agent Broyles will still need me as a consultant?”

“I’m sure he will. After all, the Fringe division is part of the FBI,” she replied.

“And if he does…You’ll still work with me, won’t you? Even if the lab gets moved to Massive Dynamic?” He smiled self-depreciatingly. “I’m afraid that my habits tend to turn most people away.”

“Of course, Walter,” she assured him. “Now, go tell Peter.”

He stood up, seemingly unaware of the chocolate dripping down his hand. “Yes, of course.”

“Wash your hands first,” instructed Astrid as she took away the ruined popsicle.

He nodded as he walked absently to the bathroom.

“How did you get here? A cab?” she called down the hall.

“Um, no, I walked,” came the reluctant answer.

Astrid shook her head in disbelief. Only Walter would walk down the streets of Boston with the stocks of Massive Dynamic in his hand.  She looked at him as he emerged from the hall. “Come on, Walter, I'll take you to Peter.”

"Do you think I could have another chocolate pudding pop for the ride? I promise it won't melt on the seat again."

"You better not.  Or I'm sending you the cleaning bill this time."