Because of the medicine they had Walter on he was slipping from being loving one moment to almost irrational the next as they waited for the Dr to show up. "Why is he acting this way?" Paige finally asked out loud.
"It's the medicine they use to keep him out. It can also cause hallucinations as well." Ralph told her.
Dr Evans came running into the room, "Guys I am so sorry the nurse told me the pump had quit working. I'm sorry you had to experience this." She looked at Walter, "Mr. O'Brien, I'm Dr. Evans. I'm the plastic surgeon that took care of all your wounds. Has your family brought you up to speed on your condition?"
Walter and Paige both nodded.
"Are you willing to accept the risk if we remove the breathing tube?" Dr Evans asked.
They both nodded again.
The nurse came walking in with a small tray and set it up on Walter's shoulder as Dr Evans moved around by Walter's right shoulder and working together with the nurse they undid everything from the tube so all she had to do was deflate the balloon. "Okay Walter, I am going to count to three, I want you to take a deep breath and when I say three I want you to blow out as hard as you can while I remove the tube, okay?"
Walter nodded.
She picked up a small syringe like device and inserted it in to a small tube and twisted it and then drew back on the plunger emptying the balloon inside his throat.
"1," Walter took in a deep breath, "2, 3," Walter blew as hard as he could as she pulled the tube up and out of his throat and mouth and laid it on the towel the nurse had laying there for it.
Walter coughed and grimaced, "Take it easy, and just breathe for a bit. It's going to take a bit for everything to settle down inside your throat." Dr. Evans told him.
Walter couldn't wait and he turned and looking to Paige he moved his head back at her. Paige stepped around the nurse as he worked to untie Walter's hands. Walter looked into her face, "You're really here?" He said hoarsely with tears in his eyes.
Paige smiled and nodded, "Of course I am. I love you."
Walter smiled, "I love you. I didn't think I would ever see you again."
Tears filled her eyes, "I'm so sorry Walter."
Walter shook his head, "No, I'm sorry. I should have remembered how you felt about your Mom and the things she pulled on you. I shouldn't have hid anything from you. It's my fault. Will you forgive me?"
Paige smiled, "I already did Walter. I love you." Paige bent down and kissed him. Paige smiled, "I think you could use a little chap stick."
Walter tried to laughed and grimaced. With his arm free he reached up and caressed her face. He looked over at Ralph, "Hey buddy, I love you and I've missed you." He squeezed his hand.
Ralph stood there with tears in his eyes looking up at Walter, "I love you Dad and I've missed you too."
Walter looked to the foot of the bed and saw Cabe and Allie standing there and smiled, "Hey Cabe, I love you too"
Cabe smiled, "I love you son."
"Thank you Allie for being there for my Dad, I love you too." Walter told her.
Allie smiled, "It's been my pleasure and you're welcome. I love you too Walter."
Walter looked just past them and smiled, "My pictures."
They all turned to look, "Ralphy said he wanted you to wake up to them." Paige told him.
Walter smiled, "Thank you buddy."
Ralph just nodded.
"It's a little warm in here." Walter told them.
"That would be the infection in your body Mr. O'Brien." The Dr told him.
It took a little rearranging but they filled a plate for everyone. Cabe's beef fried rice and Paige's order of shrimp fried rice was used to increase everyone but Allie's portion and Ralph shared his plain fried rice with her. Paige sat beside Walter and she'd feed him a bite and then herself a couple of bites as it took him a few minutes to swallow. Ralph had run across the hall to the waiting room and got Walter a cold water to see if it would help with soothing the pain and discomfort in his throat.
Michael had left before Walter was done and reminded them if they needed him he'd be happy to come keep an eye on Walter.
Cabe and Allie left with Ralph after Walter finally finished his dinner. Paige kept touching his face and looking into his eyes. Walter was so happy. "If I'm asleep, let me never wake, if I'm awake, never let me sleep." Walter said to her.
Paige looked at him in amazement, "I didn't think you were paying attention when we watched that movie."
Walter just smiled and then Walter frowned, "How's Ted and Florence?"
Paige nearly spit her drink out. She looked up at Walter, "Well, Ted's doing better, he should be transferred to a rehab for his broken ankle and the gunshot wound to his shoulder in a couple of days. Florence seems like her evil self."
Walter smiled, "Good."
"You're not going to scold me for saying that about Florence?" Paige asked him. She'd feared to say it but if they were going to move forward, he had to know how she really felt.
Walter shook his head, "You have a right to feel how you feel and to express it how you need to. She hurt you too and I fully support your position, whatever it is."
"So if I say I want to press charges against her?" Paige asked with her brow raised.
"Then I'd tell you where to find all the evidence needed to prosecute her." Walter smiled at her as he ran his bandaged hand up and through her hair.
A tear cascaded down her cheek, "Thank you for your support and not trying to make me see any other side." Paige told him as she kissed him.
As she straightened back up, "You're not going to ask me about Collins?" Paige asked.
Walter shook his head, "He made his choice, and he never should have threatened you and Ralph. I would have let him live otherwise."
"You broke your code; you killed him to protect me? Even after all the horrible things I said? After walking out on you? After helping to start a company to compete against your company, you still did that to protect me?" Paige asked stunned.
Walter nodded, "I love you Paige and only you."
Paige stood up and reached over and hugged him gently. As she pulled back he kissed her and she leaned into the kiss and the kissed deepened as their mouths opened and their tongues battled. After several minutes Walter cleared his throat and Paige looked at him, "Maybe we should hold off for while." His cheeks blushed.
Paige looked at him puzzled at first and then she looked down and saw his hospital gown had a bit of a tent in it. She smiled a little wickedly. "Oh, I suppose. Though I'd imagine that after night meds we might be able to work something out." Paige teased him.
Walter smiled and held up his hands. "I said we might be able to work something out." Paige winked at him.
Walter's nurse was hesitant but at Walter's insistence he called the Dr and finally came back in and removed the catheter from him and gave him a urinal as he still couldn't be on his feet. Paige grinned at him as the nurse left.
Walter lay on his left side behind Paige, the clock on the wall said it was just past midnight. Her idea had worked quite well and he was quite happy about that. "Paige, what about Centipede Partners?"
Paige was deep asleep with a smile as if to say all was right in her world again. Walter smiled and closed his eyes with the scent of her shampoo in his nose. "If I am dreaming, let me never wake, if I am awake, let me never sleep." Walter said softly.
Walter slept the best he had since that horrible night at the Garage. Cabe startled both of them when he came in the next morning. "Sorry kids," Cabe grinned, "I didn't think you would still be asleep. I just stopped in on my way to Homeland to see if either of you needed anything?"
Walter hugged Paige tightly and shook his head no. Paige smiled and melted back against him. "I think I am good, though I will need to get to the Garage by 1 PM." She told them both.
"Why do you need to go to the Garage?" Walter asked with just a hinge of fear.
"The insurance adjuster is coming out to evaluate your car so I can get it out of the Garage and start looking for a replacement for you. Or do you want to do that yourself?" Paige asked.
Walter closed his eyes with a smile on his lips, "I don't think I will be driving much for a while so I am not worried with it. But if you want to do that, I trust your judgment."
"I probably should go pick up my car at some point so Cabe doesn't have to keep chauffeuring me around." Paige smiled at Cabe.
Cabe laughed, "Well to be honest I don't mind. But probably at some point Katharine is going to want me to actually start working again. Though protecting government assets might qualify as working."
"Oh, so you know Toby was remanded into custody. The judge might revisit bail though, now that Walt's awake." Cabe told Paige.
"Toby's in jail?" Walter asked looking over Paige's shoulder.
Cabe nodded, "$13k in unpaid traffic violations and he tried to force his way into your room impersonating as your personal physician."
Walter frowned.
"What's up son? I can see you are thinking something." Cabe asked as Paige turned her head trying to look back.
"Something about Toby, I can't really recall. Things are so fuzzy from that night at the warehouse." Walter told him.
"Speaking of which, we need to talk about you stealing my SUV, not to mention crashing it." Cabe told him with s slight smile on his lips.
"I'm sorry, I had to take it. I didn't mean to crash, I lost consciousness for a moment." Walter told him.
Paige turned over onto her back, "Why did you have to take it?"
Walter looked down at her perfect face, "I could feel my life slipping away. I knew Katharine and any medics wouldn't let me, but I had to get to you to apologize and to tell you I love you one last time. I knew you wouldn't answer my phone call."
Walter smiled with a tear, "I'm sorry I hurt you, Cabe and Ralph."
"What do you mean?" Paige asked confused.
"When I died, I could see you guys crying as Sara tried to get my heart beating again." Walter told her.
"You have a memory of that son?" Cabe asked with tears in his eyes.
Walter looked up and nodded, "It seemed like I was floating above all of you, I kept going up higher when Paige asked someone to restore the love of her life to her."
Paige had tears run down the side of her face as she reached up and ran her hand through his hair. "I felt some force push against me, pushing me down and then I was breathing again. It was very, odd." Walter told them.
Paige threw her left arm around Walter's neck and pulled him over and hugged him tightly as she cried. "It's okay now Paige, baby." Walter told her, testing the sound of calling her baby mimicking her own use of the term for him.
Paige kind of laughed, "Thank you." She told him.
Cabe decided he'd leave and give them some time alone, "I'll be back around 11:30 AM to pick you up Paige. That should give us enough time to get to the Garage."
Paige nodded as Walter asked, "You know, when you come back this afternoon, I could go for some fermented fish." He looked into her eyes and she laughed as Cabe laughed walking out of the room and closing their door behind him.
Paige finally looked up at Walter, "I probably better get a shower."
Walter smiled, "If I can't persuade you to stay a little longer."
Walter's new nurse enter the room and her eyes opened real big and started to go off on Paige even though Walter glared at her Paige simply reached for her purse on the table next to the bed and pulled a folded piece of paper out and handed it to her. She reached up and kissed Walter almost daring her to say something else.
"Well today is bath day so I'll be back in about ten minutes." The nurse told them as she handed back the folded letter.
Paige pointed at the computer, "Read Dr Evan's instructions." She never took her eyes off of Walter's face.
After reading the note the nurse huffed, "Fine, I'll still be back in a ten minutes with his morning meds."
Paige suppressed her laugh until the door closed behind the nurse. "I guess I should get up and get my shower and then I'll come out and give you your bath." She told him with a smile.
Walter's brow rose, "Why are you giving me a bath?"
Paige slipped out from under the cover and looked back at him and as she bent over and kissed him her hand grabbed him in a certain spot. "Because you are mine and no one else will touch you here." She told him very seriously.
Walter nodded, "You are the only one I want to touch me, anywhere."
Paige pulled a change of clothes from the over night bag she had and a couple of towels from the storage area just outside of the restroom. Blowing Walter a kiss she stepped in and started her shower.
Walter laid back and smiled as he heard the water run. A few moments later his nurse knocked and opened the door and moved on into the room. As she handed him a small container with some pills and a small glass of water, "It's not very courteous of you and your lady friend to be doing things like that."
Walter looked at her, "Cuddling in bed? If it bothers you that much, feel free to have another nurse care for me. I don't need your judgments."
The nurse huffed again as she left his room quickly. He heard Paige turn on her hair dryer and began blow drying her hair. Paige stepped out of the bathroom and put her things away and throwing the towels into the linen bag. She looked at Walter, "Ready for your bath?"
Walter smiled, "Sure, oh, do you know where my things are?"
Paige looked at him for a moment, "Well they gave me a small bag with your boxers in them."
Walter stared at her, "There wasn't a USB drive in my pants pocket?" He looked worried.
Paige shook her head, "No, but then your pants were left at my place. Sara had to remove them to see your legs. Cabe washed them."
Walter looked slightly anguished.
"Why? What's wrong baby?" Paige asked stepping up to him.
"Something in my mind, something important about the drive, I just can't remember what." Walter told her.