darker_london | (Backdated) Re-invention (Peter, Liz) Rating: PG-13

Peter was sitting in the livingroom with his sister, who was reading the paper. Peter had decided to avoid the paper at all costs, at least until tomorrow. He had to sleep tonight if he was going to get anything done tomorrow. He could scan the papers for grisly deaths while he waited for Deirdre to finish her registrationy things. All things considered, he wasn't so thrilled about going back to the University of London.

The first time he'd ever set foot on campus, he'd met Katherine. And while she was certainly NOT going to be there, the memories would. They were going to the library to research and Peter was bound to remember how he and Katherine had snuck to the back and had sex in the stacks. Or the time in the student centre toilets. Or really...anywhere on campus they could be assured privacy. And even a few places they couldn't be assured privacy. That was what being with Katherine was like. No wonder she'd ended up pregnant. She didn't care to be careful all the time, in many uses of the word, and he was an ex-monk that didn't really know any better.

So many memories that were now tainted because of what she'd done to him, and still...Peter found himself wondering if he'd meet someone else. Clearly he wasn't interested in meeting some 18 year old co-ed fresh out of secondary school. The reasons he'd left Tuesday were still very much valid and someone that age didn't need the responsibilities that children required one to have, but where there was a university, there were people. And some were older. Some were lecturers and teachers, professors, librarians. Anyone.

Peter bit his lip and he turned to Liz. "Liz...am I...oh god. Erm...am I...Aauugh. Liz....am I-"

"Driving me crazy? Yes, Peter. Yes you are." She said, lowering her paper to give him a questioning look.

Peter blushed. "No. Well yes, I am sure I am doing that. I want to ask...am I...nice...to look at?" Peter had to force himself not to hide under the couch cushions.

Liz could tell this was going to be one of those Deep and Meaningful Sibling conversations so she put her paper down and she crossed the room to sit near Peter. "Of course you are! Peter....you had a woman steal your child because she wanted to be with you!"

Peter picked at the couch. "Yeah..I guess."

Liz sighed and she put a hand on Peter's knee. "What's wrong?"

"I feel so old and...I'm-I want to meet someone. Not NOW... eventually. But the...whole old thing..."

Liz raised her eyebrows. "I am 4 years older than you, Peter, and I started a relationship with Emma about a year ago. Love doesn't have a sell-by date. There are people that find love at- god...82!"

"I don't know how to date. Katherine practically dragged me into a relationship, with Tuesday...erm...well there were no dates really...and with Her, she came to me. If I wait for that to happen again, I'll be waiting a long time."

"Unless you fall in love with a postal worker." Liz said helpfully.

"Liz! Well..yes okay..but...help me!" Peter said desperately.

"Well at least you've gotten to the point where you WANT to date again...or...for the first time. That's good. You can't overthink it. And like you said, you can't sit here all the time expecting it to happen."

"I'm going to the library tomorrow. At the University. And I might go to the museum or the public library..."

"Ah so you want a cerebral woman!" Liz said, leaning back and smiling.

"I want a...cerebral..person?" Peter corrected, and then he readied himself for her reaction. But instead of squealing or jumping up and down or anything else, Liz just nodded.

"Fair enough. Person."

"Do you think...do I dress nice enough?" Peter asked quietly.

"Taking a moment to get over how adorable you are right now. Taking a moment. Yep. Another moment. Aaaaaand I'm done. You dress fine, Peter. You always look good."

Peter slumped down. "I don't want to look good. I want to look great. I want to look...I dunno. Dashing. In a cerebral way, of course."

"like James Bond meets Clark Kent?" Peter nodded and Liz checked the clock over the fireplace. 7:15. She grabbed Peter's hand. "Come on. There's a place near here that's open til nine." Peter gave her an odd look. "Well come ON, Peter!"

"Uh...okay...I'm coming!?"

Peter and Liz piled into Liz's car after Emma agreed to stay with the girls. They drove quickly to the shopping centre and they piled out again, Liz keeping a firm grip on Peter's hand. She led him into a shop that had a wide selection of men's clothes and she looked around at everything thoughfully while Peter hung near some shelves, adopting a look that was eerily similar to a frightened bunny rabbit. "Peter...you're never going to get anything if you hide over there." She said sensibly.

"I am SO not hiding!" Peter shot back. "I am...standing...in a relatively secluded section of the shop where no one can see me!"

"Would you like me to get you a dictionary so you can look up hiding?!" She retorted, carrying several things over to him. "Try these on. Go!"

"Didn't Deirdre and Renee just do this for Robert?!"

"Yes, but that was a tad different. You get nothing shiny. Besides, he's so much happier now. You will be too. GO!" She said, pushing against his shoulders. He disappeared and reappeared a few moments later in a silk shirt. Liz smiled. "It looks very good on you! But here. Leave a few buttons undone if you're just being casual and it says 'hey, I'm suave and...well...casual..'"

Peter smirked. "I feel like a dandy." Liz rolled her eyes. "Should I not...erm...should I get...a leather jacket?"

Liz's mouth fell open. "YOU want a leather jacket?"

"Yeah, like James Dean. I always wanted one. What, am I not...a leather jacket type?"

Liz bit her lip. "Uh...well...you can have whatever you want. Go try the other things on and I will go find you a leather jacket that will suit you. Something less rebelly and more...unrebelly, really."

Peter nodded and he went back into the changing room to try the rest of the things on. He ended up liking most of them, and he'd purchased them by the time Liz returned. "I do believe I managed to find you the one leather jacket that would suit you, but you'll have to try it on in the car park because it's late and we're being kicked out. You can just return it if you don't like it." But he did like it. And Liz was right, it did suit him, where most the the things he would have tried never would have.

Peter admired himself in the reflection in the car's window. "Look! Liz, look at me!"

"I am looking at you, you silly thing." Then she softened. "You look wonderful, Peter." She patted his cheek and smiled at him. "You really do. And I hope your leather jacket brings you lots of booty. Now get in the car, I'm sleepy."

Peter did as he was told.