darker_london | Conflicted (Liz/Peter) (Reply)

Peter let himself into his childhood home as Hope ran past him out of it. "Er...bye!" He called to her and he chuckled as she simply waved at him over her shoulder and ducked into a taxi at the end of the long drive. Peter stepped into the two story entrance hall and he looked up to the second floor beyond the railing where the painting of Hope hung. The painting that Fiona had made Liz and Emma for their wedding... "Liz?" Peter called, shrugging off his jacket. The manor house was large, and it was possible she wouldn't hear him, especially if she was on the third floor, or out in the conservatory. As it happened, however, she was just off to the left in their father's old office.

"In here, Peter." Liz called and then she sneezed.

Peter walked into the office and he gave her a sympathetic look. The office was wall to wall, floor to ceiling books and a huge desk that no one ever touched. "Are you alright in here?"

"I'm deciding if I should turn this room in to something." Liz said, glancing around. "We made Margie's room into the music room, and I have to tell you, Hope and that piano are going to be the death of me."

Peter laughed, imagining sweet little tone-deaf Hope banging away on the family's baby grand. "I bet Tasha'd hop up there like a lounge singer and complete the act if you asked her." Peter winked. He knew why Liz had been so desperate to change their sister Margaret's room into something. When Margaret had been 14, she'd passed away from Leukemia in there. And three years later, Peter had found their mother hanging from the overhead beams. It was a room full of bad vibes and she'd wanted to brighten it up. The same was pretty true for this room too. Their father had spent hours in here going over his cases and drinking himself to death, rather than spending time with his family. "What were you thinking this room could be?"

"Oh I don't know. Something. Anything else." There were other rooms she could work on. The house was full of rooms she could fix up, change around...do anything with. There were only four people living there now. In a house that could easily house fourteen with vast amounts of space to spare. "It's so dreary in here. Oh! We could put a spa over there, and turn it in to a swinger's club! Mirror ball and everything!"

Peter snorted and then he put a hand over his nose as he turned red. "Er...yeah. Dad'd love that."

"Exactly the reason to do it!" Liz said, pulling herself up on to Klaus's desk because she know he would have hated that as well. "What's up, Peter?"

"What? Oh. Right. Why I'm here in the house I hate coming to. Ahem. I received a phone call earlier."

"Oh god who died?!" Liz said, sounding crushed.

"No! No one...Liz." Peter walked forward and he put a hand on her shoulder. "It was from Emma." And he felt his sister stiffen under his hand. "She asked me to help her talk to you and I felt like I was in third grade."

"She asked you to help her?! She's got a lot of nerve!" Liz said flatly.

"Well...yes. That's pretty much what I was thinking too, but then I drove over here and I had time to cool off...somewhat. She sounded sincere. Sincerely sorry about fucking up royally. She got Hope's letter."

Liz's lips curled into a smile at that. Her Hope certainly had a way with words. Especially words like 'asshat' and 'fuck off'. "Well...I don't know."

"No one's asking you to know, Liz." Peter said, pulling himself up beside his sister to sit on their father's desk. "Not right away. But I thought you should at least be aware that she rang. And that she seems to know she fucked up. Which is better than nothing, right?"

"Yes." Liz nodded. "I suppose it's better than nothing."

Peter wrapped his arm around Liz. "I'm sorry she put you in a shitty position..."

"She put me in the shittiest position. Do I stay angry like I want to and tell her to stay the hell away. If it were just me, Peter...that's what I would do." This was the second time Emma had caused her heartbreak and she didn't feel like giving Emma the opportunity for a third. It wasn't worth it. Liz was far too pragmatic for that. There were millions of other women out there and Liz didn't need someone so damned flighty. But maybe their children did. So should she keep Emma away for fear that her children would be hurt again, or let her back in because Zoe especially, desperately needed someone she'd lost to come back. "But it's not just me."

"No. But hey...Liz...you'll do the right thing." He smiled and he kissed her cheek. "You always do." She'd raised him from the age of 14, he would know. "In the meantime, let me make you coffee or something, okay?"

Liz smiled fondly at her little brother and then she slid off the desk. "Okay, Peter." She headed for the door. "OOh, we could put rubber all over the walls and use this room to take out anger and aggression by flinging ourselves at it!"

Peter blinked as he followed his sister. "I wish I knew you were kidding..."