Hello everyone! As always thanks for the reviews. I love hearing from you and a special thanks to my regular reviewers (you know who you are) ;).
This chapter will be more of a build up for the next two chapters, so let's get started!
Chapter 37:
Suspicious Behavior
When the team got Walter back to the garage, he immediately drank a few pints of blood and went straight to his bed upstairs. He slept for a full twenty-four hours.
Walter awoke later the next day, and after a much welcomed shower, made his way, still groggy, down the stairs to the main room. He still felt slightly wiped from the events of the previous day, but overall a lot better.
He woke up extremely hungry, though, and he thought it best to address that as soon as possible. He opened his apartment fridge and found it empty of blood bags. He had finished them yesterday. He wasn't worried, since there were more downstairs.
As he started down the stairs he heard Tim's voice, along with Paige's, coming from the direction of the kitchen.
Walter approached and saw the two of them conversing over two cups of coffee at the break room table.
They seemed to be enjoying themselves. Paige was laughing and Tim leaned forward to take ahold of her hand.
Walter cleared his throat to indicate his presence.
"Oh, hello Walter! How are you feeling?" Paige asked him. She looked at him with genuine concern.
Tim also turned his way.
"Walter! I heard about what happened. You have no idea how glad I am Ralph is ok. Paige told me how you snuck in that warehouse and got all those kids out. That's beyond impressive."
Walter gave a short, impatient grunt in return as he made his way to the fridge. He would have to be discrete in grabbing what he needed from it with Tim around.
Tim turned his attentions back to Paige. "Hey, are you still interested in going away next weekend? I know we've only been on a couple dates, but the jazz festival will be something you won't want to miss, I promise."
Suddenly, Walter couldn't help it when that rolling, ugly feeling in his stomach caused his features to change. He fully realized he was losing control. He leaned against the refrigerator. From the angle, Paige would be able to see him, but Tim wouldn't be able to.
"Uhhh, Tim. Can I have a moment with Walter? He had a rough couple of days. I want to just speak with him for a second," Paige said, although stuttering over the first couple or words in surprise.
"Uh, ok. Sure. I'll be by your desk."
Walter heard Tim get up behind him and walk out of the room. Paige hurried up to him.
"Walter…you're worrying me," she whispered.
"I'll be ok, just…give me a second." Walter took a few deep, calming breaths and concentrated until he was able to return to human features.
Paige leaned in to whisper to him.
"What's going on with you? You never lose control like that," she accused, looking slightly worried about him.
Walter gave a small grunt. "I guess I'm just still on edge after yesterday. A few more days rest and I should be back to normal." He was lying, and he knew he was. It was so uncharacteristic of him to do so, but he felt admitting he was losing emotional control because of jealousy would be far more difficult to explain.
Paige continued to look at him with worry. It seemed she believed his explanation. For now. She placed a hand on his arm. "Ok, Walter. Just, be careful, ok? I'll keep Tim at my desk while you grab the blood. Go get some more rest."
He gave her a nod of acknowledgment before she turned around and went around the corner to try and give Walter a moment of privacy.
The second she was out of sight he quickly opened the refrigerator and opened a specific drawer on the bottom. He wasn't uncomfortable storing some of them in here. Claiming they were being used for some experiment wasn't far fetched if any prying eyes came upon them. He grabbed a blood bag from and closed the appliance door.
He should have taken it back upstairs, but for some reason he didn't. In some kind of uncharacteristic emotional frustration, he tore into it right there. He drained the bag quickly before throwing it away.
He turned towards the fridge and debated whether to take another bag.
"Hey, Walter."
Walter quickly turned around. Luckily his features were human, as Tim stood there at the entrance to the room. Walter narrowed his eyes at him. "Where's Paige?" he asked him.
"Oh, uh, she had to take a quick call. She said you needed some space to yourself, but, uh, wait, are you ok?"
Walter immediately went on guard. "What do you mean?" he asked quickly.
Tim walked a little closer and Walter unconsciously backed slightly away.
"There's just some blood on your shirt, it looks like," Tim said, pointing and Walter's collar.
Walter looked down. There were indeed a few large spots of blood where Tim was pointing. It seemed he had been careless when consuming the blood.
"I'm fine. Nosebleed," Walter answered shortly.
Tim seemed to study him for a moment before nodding and continuing with what he originally was going to say.
"Look, I wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be trying to be a part of this team. I know there was no way for me to know but I feel awful I wasn't here when to help during such an important time. I just want you to know that even know I'm trying to appeal the Navy's decision about my injury, I'm here to give one-hundred percent. So please, anytime, tell me how I can help."
Walter did hear Tim's words, but he felt his judgement being influenced by that rolling, ugly feeling in his stomach that he was trying to deny.
"Well," Walter answered, "the garage has become in a bit of disarray. You could start by maybe tidying up a bit, maybe do the dishes and take out the trash?"
Tim blinked at him, but, true to his word, he agreed to Walter's request.
"Ok. This place will look spick and span in no time," he said with a sigh.
"Is everything ok?" Paige just quickly cam around the corned, no doubt realizing Tim had not been where she left him. She gave Walter a quick look of apology from behind Tim's shoulder.
"Everything's fine," Walter answered her, still looking at Tim. "I think I just need more sleep."
Walter brushed past them without another word. He was still tired and irritable it seemed, and he honestly didn't know if it still was from exhaustion or…other reasons. He didn't want to accidentally reveal something he shouldn't to Tim.
More sleep did seem to help. He felt more himself the following day. Tim seemed a little colder towards him, though. He caught the former SEAL staring at him occasionally. Walter actually started feeling like he should try to work things out with him. Like Tim said, he was likely going to be around for a while, and Walter didn't want to discount a man who was hardworking and more than competent.
Every time Walter thought about doing so over the next few days, though, he would see Tim interacting with Paige, reminding him how close they were getting. He found his motivation disappeared each time.
It had been about a week since the warehouse, and Walter still was trying to figure out his feelings. Almost everyone else had gone home. Paige was still at the garage working on some paperwork. He was ready to go home so he said a quick "good night" in Paige's direction. After she said it in return, he made his way to his car, ready to drive to his apartment. Maybe some distance from the garage would give him some clarity.
He took his keys out and unlocked the door. Right as he did, he felt a sharp pain in the side of his neck. He hissed and reached up to pull a small dart from his skin. His initial confusion was soon overshadowed by a pain that spread from where the dart hit. Soon it felt like his blood was burning as he collapsed to the ground.
He felt consciousness leaving him as he laid there helpless on the ground. He had only one thought as darkness started to fill his vision.
"Paige…" he weakly said with his last remaining strength. He knew he was in trouble, yet she was his only thought. What if she was in danger, too?
His worries faded quickly, however, as he soon slipped into unconsciousness.
*****SVD*****
Paige was sitting at her desk, finishing some late work for the night. Walter had just left the garage. She was a little worried about him. Ever since the warehouse, he had seemed distant. She also was saddened that he and Tim were still not getting along, despite Tim's best efforts. Tim and she were getting closer, and she was worried that would only create more problems.
Deep down, she knew why Walter likely was still being hostile towards Tim, but she didn't want to think about it. She and Walter had decided any feelings between them should not be. There was nothing to do about it now.
Right?
"Paige…"
She was roused from her thoughts by Walter's voice speaking her name. She looked around the garage. She couldn't tell where it came from. Walter was nowhere to be seen. He had already left. His voice had sounded far away, or was it close? It almost sounded like it had been in her head.
Suddenly, she simply knew that Walter was in trouble, and she had to find him.
Uh oh...it seems Walter is in a bit of trouble.
