Precious Illusions

One week earlier

As many times before when confronted with a suspicious angry opponent, Adelle De Witt sat back smiling, relishing that feeling of complete omnipotence.

'I've waited a long long time for this, Olivia,' She thinks to herself.

It was pure unadulterated fear she sensed emanating across the desk from Agent Dunham. Despite all her bravado, all her proclamations that "they" were coming to rescue her, that "they" were going to bring the dollhouse crashing to its knees, Olivia was afraid.

"I fear you've made a terrible mistake Agent Dunham."

She shook her head, smiling bravely. "I don't think so."

"Forgive me, Should I say, former Agent Dunham. I believe you are no longer gainfully employed by the FBI?"

"We've known each other a long time, Adelle. You can call me Olivia."

Present Day

Adelle De Witt kisses the little girl on the forehead as she tucks her into bed. Sleepily the little girl murmurs, 'I love you,' and it causes Adelle's breath catch in her throat.

The child had adjusted better than expected. At first, Adelle could not stand the constant tears and questions about 'Mommy'. It crossed her mind, more than once, that it would be easier for all concerned to simply imprint the child. But that over stepped a line Adelle wasn't even sure she still believed in. So she waited. And eventually the child had stopped asking about her so called 'mother'. She had accepted it when she was told "Mommy is gone. You have a new mommy now."

As she drifts into a restless sleep, she murmurs so softly that Adelle is almost certain she imagined it. Only that it is a name that the child often calls out in her sleep. The one person the child had never stopped asking about. "Aunty Liv."

One week earlier

"I'm not leaving here without my sister." Olivia demanded.

"Actually, You're not leaving at all, Former Agent Dunham."

"Going to turn me into one of your robots?" She asked.

"We call them 'actives', and their service is voluntary."

"Volunteers? Oh well that makes it alright then." Olivia replied sarcastically.

"The attic, however, is a non voluntary assignment."

"The attic? Is that supposed to scare me?"

"Yes, that is supposed to frighten the life out of you, Miss Dunham."

Present Day

Adelle quickly looks around her, ensuring she is alone, before she finds herself on her knees, unlocking the pod containing the latest addition to the dollhouse, 'India.'

There is something so alluring about the innocent stillness. Adelle touches her soft skin and India doesn't stir. She is sleeping so soundly. So peacefully. Like death.

"Olivia." She whispers under her breath the name that she would never allow herself to use to the other woman's face.

Adelle knows that with one order she could have "India" turned into anything she wanted her to be. Someone to fulfil her every need. It was the very corner stone the dollhouse was founded upon, meeting peoples needs. And yet, somehow, for the first time, that feels hollow. Feels utterly meaningless.

The thing she needed, the person she craved, was Olivia herself. The real true Olivia, nothing more, nothing less. Full of fire and passion. Afraid, defeated, and still refusing to tiptoe around her, not afraid to speak her mind. Adelle finds that refreshing, tantalising.

She leans forward, tracing her fingers across India's lips. She longs to kiss her, but reminds herself quickly that it's the real woman she longs for. Kissing "India" seems little better than kissing a corpse. And so she holds back.

She wants Olivia resurrected. Wants to touch the woman she had known so long ago. The woman she had come to know all over again through Ella's stories. The woman who had become larger than life in her own head. She had been surprised to find Olivia in the flesh just as vibrant and stunning as Ella's visions had promised.

"Aunt Liv is coming to get me." The child would tell her, day after day.

"I'm afraid not, sweetheart." Adelle would comfort the girl. Not believing for a second that Olivia could work it all out, that Olivia would ever find them.

One week earlier

"You kidnapped my sister." Olivia accused her angrily.

"Not true. Your sister came to me." Adelle answered calmly. She can see that this news has shocked Olivia. "That surprises you? I suppose you didn't know your sister half as well as you thought?"

"My niece. She is just a little girl." Olivia pleaded.

"Ella is well taken care of I assure you of that." Adelle answered defensively, as if she were deeply offended that Olivia would imply otherwise.

There was confusion written all over Olivia Dunham's face, and it made Adelle feel powerful. Carefully and deliberately, Adele let her eyes trail to the photograph taking pride of place on her desk. Hastily Agent Dunham reached over and took it in her hands.

Adelle Dewitt. Although you would be forgiven for not recognising her. There is something amiss- the radiant smile perhaps. Or the small girl adoringly draping her arms around Adelle's neck. Ella.

"What have you done to her? Erased her mind? Turned her into one of your slaves?" Olivia demanded angrily.

"On the contrary. Ella is perfectly fine. She asks about her Aunty Liv every day. Pity. What shall I tell the poor child now?"

With one last glance to the photograph, Olivia shakes her head dismissively, "It's a fake."

"Is it? Are you sure, Aunty Liv?"

Present Day

"Bring India to me." Adele instructs Topher first thing the next morning.

"Is there a new assignment, no one told me..." He protests

"I am telling you now." Adelle orders.

"I need time, she isn't ready..."

"You've misunderstood me, I am not asking you, I am telling you, bring her to me. Reinstate her own personality."

"What for?"

"Because I told you to." Adelle replies impatiently.

"This is very ill advised."

"I didn't ask for your advice. Just do it, and bring her to my office."

One week earlier

"What do you want from me?" Olivia asked.

Adelle laughed "What could I possibly want from you? I have everything I want, Everything you want."

"I don't think so." Olivia replied boldly, getting up from her chair. She gently placed the photograph of Ella face down on the desk before inching closer to where Adelle sat so calmly on the other side of the desk. Olivia already figured this was a war she could not win with words, with angry threats, with guns or sheer force. It was time for another tactic all together.

"You forget." Olivia began, as she perched herself sitting on Adelle's desktop only inches from the woman. "That I know you. I know everything about you."

"I highly doubt it." Adelle managed to answer cooly. If she was uncomfortable with Agent Dunham's proximity, she made no outward sign of it.

"You're not so different from the rest of us. All you want is for someone to touch you, to really touch you."

"Don't flatter yourself."

"You're an extremely lonely woman, Adelle."

For once, Adelle had no comeback, and all she could manage was to turn her head away.

"It's a shame." Olivia continued "To see someone so breathtakingly beautiful, all alone."

When Adelle turned her head back, Olivia's face was only inches from her own, and throwing all her common sense to the wind, Adelle allowed the other woman to kiss her, passionately.

Adelle doesn't remember a time that she ever felt more alive, more cherished. She only knows that she feels a sudden, insatiable need that only Olivia can fulfil.

Adelle doesn't know how far things would have gone if not for that incessant knocking on the door which drew her back into reality. Hastily she pushed Olivia aside, and beckoned for the security guards to enter.

"Take former agent Dunham and prepare her for the attic." She ordered

Adelle ignored the looks from her security personnel, the attic was rather an extreme punishment. Only she had no intention on following through with. It was for Olivia's benefit she said it. An unspoken message to Olivia 'I don't care about you, Olivia, not one little bit, and I don't care what you think about me.' Is what Adelle wanted the other woman to know.

Adelle turned her head away, refusing to meet Olivia's eyes, as Olivia's confident last words echoed in her ears "I'll see you soon Adelle."