So I'm trying to decide if all the Waige writers are working on writing what happened in the closet or if we're all waiting for someone else to do it. XD

I wanted my first publication once we actually have canon Waige to be some fluffy oneshot, but I was up until 4am last night rewatching and giffing (oops) and then got up at 8am, and now it's after 8pm, so...I'm really tired and coming up with a new story just won't happen until I've slept properly. But hopefully y'all will like this little update I have for you!


"Hey, Paige."

"Hey." Paige took in a breath. "I know it's been a couple of weeks since we talked...I've been...well, there was..." she cleared her throat. "Do you want to get lunch sometime? I'll buy."

"Oh, sure!" Linda's voice sounded genuinely pleased. "That sounds great. When were you thinking?"

"Maybe on Monday afternoon?" Paige suggested. "If you're free. Walter and I usually take a long lunch break on Mondays, but...well." As soon as she said that, she wondered why she gave that detail. Why would Linda want to be her cheap replacement for the person she missed so much?

"As long as all I have to do with you is eat lunch," Linda said, and Paige smiled when she realized she was making a joke. "Yes," Paige said with a little laugh. "You don't have to take me home afterward."

"Sorry I'm late!" Linda said as she rushed up to the booth. "Traffic was absolutely – "

"Horrible!" Paige said in agreement, nodding. "I know, I was stuck in it too." She gestured to the two glasses of water on the table. "Left one is yours."

"Thanks. So you've...you haven't been here long?"

"Just about five minutes."

"Oh good," she said. "I was kinda worrying that my joke on the phone the other day might have weirded you out or something. And then I felt really awkward and bad and almost cancelled and then I thought that maybe you would think that you'd somehow weirded me out and..."

The woman was the strangest combination of Walter and Sylvester. Paige held up a hand. "Linda!" She gave her a warm smile. "None of that. I swear."

"Oh good." Linda cringed. "I'm sorry. I get awkward."

"I live with awkward. I work with awkward. I can't even tell what's awkward nine times out of ten at this point so just try to keep that in mind."

Linda laughed. "Okay."

"How's...did your date ever try to contact you?"

"He sent me this really long Facebook message ranting about what a bitch I am, and then like ten minutes later, he messaged me a picture of his genitals."

"Oh." Paige wrinkled her nose as she reached for her water glass.. "Those guys are always great fun."

"Tell me about it." Linda shrugged. "So I replied with a picture of a bigger one."

Paige spit her water halfway across the table before she got a hand up to cover her mouth. Coughing, she took a napkin and started to wipe the table. "Sorry."

"No worries. I've actually dumped water on pretty much everyone I've ever eaten with, so maybe we just got the awkward water moment out of the way."

Paige laughed. "Happy to be of service."

Linda folded her arms on the table. "I assume you wanted to meet because I offered to listen if you needed to talk."

Yes. But isn't that using you? "I don't want to take advantage of that offer," Paige began.

"You're paying for my lunch. Seems like more of an even trade for me."

Paige gave a small smile. "Okay, well...I don't always know where Walter is. And that's hard. But whether I know where he's at or not, c – currently, it almost doesn't matter. Because time zones are so hard. Sometimes us Skyping, or talking on the phone...it means one of us goes without sleep, or wakes up in the middle of the night for some phone quickie...that was poorly phrased," she said when Linda's expression grew uncomfortable. "I mean we want to talk to each other but all we can time is a five minute, basic checking in conversation." She rested her head in her hands, her elbows on the table top.

"Are you guys ready to order?"

The waiter's chipper voice made Paige want to bash her head against the wall. But instead, she lifted it gently, ordered a house salad and cheese fries, and pressed her fingers into her temples as Linda placed her order. Paige caught that she was allergic to something. She didn't remember what less than five seconds later.

"So you're not talking to Walter as much," Linda said.

"Uh huh." Paige's arms folded on the table and she rested her chin on them. "I miss him so much. I'm sorry." She tipped her head to the side, closing her eyes. "You don't need to hear all of this."

"Paige." Paige waited, but there was silence, so she opened her eyes and looked back at Linda. The other woman continued. "Your team saved my life. And...and I like you guys. If I can help...maybe I can hope to one day even put a dent in what I owe you."

"I don't want you to spend time with me because you think that you owe it to me."

"Paige, just talk to me. And believe me when I tell you I don't mind listening."

Paige shrugged. "I mean, not much else to tell, I guess. It's just...it's been just over a month and it's so hard. I...Ralph's father, Drew, he was supposed to come home after the end of his season. Then he signed another contract. Then another. And when Tim went to Jordan, he ended up extending his time there and that's when we broke up. We didn't even survive the original time he was going to be there. And I'm...I guess I'm afraid that Walter will have to stay longer, too. That the world will need more saving that only he can manage and he'll be gone for..." she almost made the word longer by adding ever, but instead she opted for trailing off.

Linda cocked her head. "I don't know much about any of these situations," she said slowly, "but from what I can tell, there's a huge difference in this one with Walter than with Michael and Tim."

"Drew."

"Drew. Right." Linda shrugged. "Both of them were offered new or extended positions. And both of them thought that those positions were more appealing to them than you. If something crazy happens with the world and Walter has to...go to more places or whatever, I'm just assuming this is a security job, that's not him choosing something over you. That's like...it's like selling your family farm versus eminent domain coming in and not giving you a choice."

"I know what you're saying and I know that it makes sense. I just can't help but feel like if he tells me he has to stay even one day longer that it will feel like the worst thing in the world."


"Where's Paige at?" Cabe asked, pulling a sixth sandwich out of the bag. "I didn't see her when we took the orders but I got her the usual."

"She's out to lunch," Happy said. "With a friend."

"Paige has other friends?" Cabe said, then frowned. "That came out horribly. I'll put this sandwich in the fridge."

"I'll do it," Sylvester said. "I'm heading there to put this apple back, anyway."

"I hope Paige is having a good time," Allie said, unwrapping her sandwich. "The poor thing has been so...flat...lately."

"I'm glad she got out of the garage," Toby said. "I have to come up with more distraction methods because someone doesn't give us any cases."

"You guys have had three this past week," Cabe said. "Be grateful no one is trying to blow us up today." He took a bite of his sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. "You know, though," he admitted quietly, "I'm glad we don't have to worry about her for a few hours."

"Really?" Happy said. "You're always the...always present supportive...dad...type."

"Yeah, but I miss Walter too," Cabe said, wiping some mayonnaise from his lip. "We all do." He glanced at Sylvester as the mathematician rejoined the group. "But we don't want to fixate on our own feelings when she's around because this is a thousand times worse for her. With her history and all. But now that she's not here..."

The garage grew silent. Happy picked at her sandwich. Toby nodded slowly.

"Just three and a half more months," Sylvester said quietly.

"We can do this." Toby said firmly.

Happy nodded.

"Yeah we can," Cabe said. "But it's hard as hell."


Props if you caught the season one reference. Also props if you picked up on the foreshadowing, which is probably not what you think. ;)