Walter started his day waking up to being cuddled by Paige facing her. He still couldn't believe that he gets to have her love. Hell, he still couldn't believe he gets to have anyone's love outside of his sister's. He may not wanted to believe in love back then, but he realized now that love is real. Love has different forms and the first love he experienced was sisterly love. Next was fatherly love from Cabe which he thought he lost twice. Then, there was the platonic love he developed for Happy, Toby, and Sly. Finally, there is the love he has for Paige and her son. Out of all the types of love to experience, he never thought he'll feel romantic love and and be the giver of fatherly love even though Ralph wasn't biological. He doesn't believe in luck, but when considering how weird he is, the odds he believed that were so low happening for him anyway made him almost reconsider his stance on luck. Hell even fate...
So when he reluctantly rolled out of bed, he really wasn't expecting to find another source of love. He didn't even know this incoming one existed. He goes downstairs to find ferret Bueller being rather restless in his cage and quite the chatter box. Which Walter found peculiar. The sky was just getting brighter.
"You're up a bit early to be this excited." He said curiously. He let the ferret out thinking maybe it just felt a bit cramped in his cage, but as soon as he open it, it scurried off to the garage exit. It was jumping up and clawing the door. What in the world?
"What's the matter?" He said with a bit of concern. This was starting to become really odd. So he picked up Bueller to check the outside. He wasn't expecting to find a rather skinny, dirty, young dog or older puppy, a bully breed, curled up and shivering a little by the door. Stray dogs aren't common around here and when the do show up, it's never on his door step. At this time, Paige was apparent up because she walked up behind him. He barely had time to say anything before she somewhat squealed.
"Awwwww, a cute puppy. She doesn't look too well though. Wonder how she got here?" she says in a slightly sad voice.
Walter shrugs. "I found it here like this. It was Bueller who detected it first actually." At that moment, Happy and Toby showed up.
"What's this lovely gatheri- wait... is that a dog?" Toby suddenly says noticing what looks like a rather over sized black rat.
"Looks like it's been roaming for a while." Happy responds. Then, the dog looks up, finally noticing it's surrounded by people. It started to sniff the air and then get up. Then it started to whine.
"I see a wound on her hind leg." Paige exclaims. "We should help her. I can't stand his look right now."
"While I would volunteer my Harvard trained skills, I would suggest bringing it to the vet first to make sure it doesn't have rabies. It looks like a bite wound and we don't know what the other animal may have had." Toby says matter-of-fact like.
"I'll bring her." Walter piped up. The look on his lover's face may have been his motivation. She looked more upset than she was letting on. "I'll take care of her." He says in a lower tone trying to reassure. Paige. Walter was first to approach the dog. Cautiously he reached his back hand out. The dog stared for a good five seconds before another whine and did a limp sprint past his leg into his legs and to his surprise, leaned against him wagging her tail.
"She's friendly too..." Paige said quietly. It didn't go unnoticed by Walter. Her facial expression of longing didn't either. Does she want the dog? He decided to think on it later. He focused on helping the dog into the car on an old cloth and drove her to the vet. She seemed anxious about the ride, but otherwise ok. She still basically clung to him coming out of the van.
While they waited for a room. She leaned against him. She occasionally whined in discomfort. When they got a room, she clung to him more. He explained the situation. They ended up giving her a rabies vaccine after a bit of struggle. Walter did to the dog what he sometimes did for Paige when she was uncomfortable while whispering soothing words. That seemed to work. She got her legged wrapped in the same manner. After being billed for the treatment and a lab test, they made their way back.
Back at the garage, Sly and Cabe were informed of the situation. Sly was a bit disturbed due to his fear of germs, but Cabe was excited over the fact it was a bully breed and that if Walter didn't keep it, he will. At that moment, Walter returned, with the big puppy at his side. Slowly the big pup warmed up to everyone, but it mostly stayed near Walter even while Toby checked on it and did his on swab tests. Toby then came up with a concoction to bathe her with and gently got the grim off. All the while, Paige took notice of the dogs behavior. When Walter sat at his computer, so did the dog. She approached Walters desk.
"This gal seems to really like you Walter. It seems like she doesn't even want to leave your side." She said with a small smile on her face.
"Hmmmm." he responded.
" We should- I mean you should keep her." She tried to hide her true feelings of wanting a dog. She has always wanted one, but either finances or apartment rules kept her from ever getting one. Walter noticed her slip up that confirmed his earlier suspicions.
"I'm not sure if we should-"
"Oh is she a beauty. Please say you are keeping her."
"She looks pretty bad ass. Might be a good watch dog too.."
" Studies have shown that owning a dog is good for stress and mental health."
"But she'll dirty up the place."
Walter sighed at all of their responses. He didn't plan for this at all. "Fine." He reluctantly replied. "For now she stays..."
"Why not for good?" Paige asks. Walter again noted her small sad face.
"I'm still not sure how to go about this." He admitted.
"We'll be there to help." She said as a "please no" quietly escaped from Sly. "Come on. Please? She could be really good company for us. Bueller too..." Paige adds.
"Bueller gets a tons of attention as is."
"Just think about it... ok?" Paige said hopefully. Walter sighed and nodded.
That night Walter set up a spot for the dog to sleep, eat, and use the bathroom. He then went to bed himself. He was alone on this night. Paige had to be with Ralph. So he slept alone missing her presence. Or so he thought he slept alone. For when he woke, the found the dogs head on his stomach snoring. When did that happen? And is that why he actually slept well despite of Paige's presence lacking? As he pondered, the dog woke too. She looked at him, wagging her tail.
"You're not supposed to be here." He said, but the dog just scooted up further and nuzzled his "booty chin" as some people who teased him called it. The way the dog stared at him did something to him emotionally, though he couldn't identify what. He started to pet the dog. She licked his chin.
"Hey!" Walter exclaimed moving his chin, but the dog just continued to stare and wag her tail. She looked at him the same way Paige (and sometimes Ralph) did when they felt some form of affection for him. Walter sighed and made a small smile. His heart had room for more love apparently. Another type of love.
"Guess you will live here now." The dog suddenly got up excitedly and pulled the covers off and barked at him.
Oh boy, what did he get himself into.