I finally finally finally have a laptop! Updates will probably still come slower than they were before I started working again because I now have 40 less hours per week to write. But at least I have the tools to update fic again.

This chapter is a bit shorter than I envisioned but I stood up in a wedding yesterday and I wrote this from the hotel room this morning while I procrastinated about checking out. And I honestly think my initial draft on my old laptop was a tad wordy, so this slightly shorter version is probably better. Thanks as always for your patience while sticking by me.

Paige's ringtone jolted her out of a deep sleep.

She was briefly annoyed. She almost never slept well these days. There was a period in her life where she enjoyed having a bed to herself. She had more room, could sleep in the middle, and never had to worry about things like blanket hogging, kicking or being kicked, or waking up too hot due to shared body heat under the covers. And she still did like getting to sleep alone, occasionally, finding it extra relaxing.

A prolonged period of time without Walter next to her was anything but.

Paige grabbed for her phone, and her annoyance evaporated and was replaced by concern when she saw the number. Sitting up and turning on her bedside lamp, Paige put the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Paige. It's late. O – or early, rather. I'm sorry."

She hadn't answered the phone with his name because she had been terrified that it might not be him on the other end. Relief flooded through her. "Don't be sorry. I'm just glad you're okay."

There was a brief silence on the other end, then, "ah, you were afraid the late hour meant something had happened." She heard a sigh. "I'm sorry."

If he knew what time it was in Los Angeles when he called, something had to have happened. "Walter, what's the matter?"

She heard another sigh. "It's stupid."

"What's stupid?"

"So…I'm in a fairly safe area right now. Considering. And so I will go for walks in the town nearby for some fresh air and to clear my head, and all that. It helps my cognition remain where it needs to be." She heard him draw in a deep breath. "And I was out today…or…no, no, it's the same day for you, so yes, t – today…and…and you know there's…there's families in this town. Obviously. It being a town and all."

Paige cocked her head. "Uh huh."

"And it's been okay. And today I was walking and there was this couple, and they had a boy about Ralph's age."

A silence followed, and Paige, wondering if there was more to the story, waited a moment before asking "and?"

"I told you it's stupid."

"No," she said gently. "It's not stupid."

"I just…I just needed to hear your voice. I'm sorry."

"Walter, please don't be sorry." Not much time had passed since their fight and follow up heart – to – heart, but Paige had already noticed a difference, and it was one she welcomed. They were both more verbal about how they felt, and more conscious of timing. Walter had gotten much, much better at using his words in the time she'd known him, but she'd noticed yet another leap forward in the time since their phone call. She didn't care that it was three in the morning. She would listen to him like this anytime, anywhere.

"I woke you up."

"I don't care." She rolled onto her side, balancing the phone on her ear. "I know how you're feeling. Sometimes I'll be out and just see two people holding hands and I start missing you more. And Lord knows you've been so good about my phone calls at all hours."

"I just…I try to imagine…but I don't know what I want. I don't know if I want to be back in L.A. with you or if I want you two to be here with me because it is quite lovely and I know you'd love the town, but…but I just want us in the same space. Wherever that is."

"You're making the world a much safer place," Paige said, hoping her voice sounded soothing as she detected a hitch in his breathing that told her he was starting to lose control. "The greater good. You're doing such a good thing here, Walter. And I miss you terribly. I miss seeing your smile. And I miss your hand on my back while we work. I miss those eyes. I miss you standing close to me, and I miss your arms around me…" Her voice grew quieter, even though she was already speaking in a low tone and no one could overhear. "I miss your lips and your hands and falling asleep cuddled up to you. I miss everything. But it's not gone for good. And I just keep thinking about how I can't wait to see you again. It's only a matter of time."

"Mmmm." She heard Walter take another breath. "I miss that too. Everything you just said."

"You sound a little better."

"I feel a little better."

A small smile played on her lips. "Good."

"I suppose I should go. Lunch hour is almost over and you need to sleep."

"And you need to eat."

"Yes. I am."

"Good."

"I love you, Paige."

"I love you, Walter."

"I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Walter?" Paige blurted.

"Hmmm," she heard him reply, "yes?"

"Thank you for um…" she bit her lip. "I love hearing you say you love me and especially now, when we're apart. And you say it every time we talk. Even when we were fighting. You made sure. You made sure to say it before you hung up. And I…thank you for all of that."

"Paige," Walter said, his own voice dropping into something more intimate. "You shouldn't thank me for that."

"But you always make the effort to…"

"No. That's just it." Walter drew in a breath. "A thank you is for when someone put out an effort. And I know words are still hard for me sometimes. But not those. Telling you that I love you is the easiest part of any day."

"I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you since shortly after we met. And I've spent years trying to process how that should be handled. Perhaps it is something that's not supposed to be handled. Maybe it's something that just is.

A chapter in Walter's POV will be coming soon - not sure if it's the next chapter or a few down the line, depends on how the next bits shake out, but don't worry, we will be in his POV again soon.