A/N Don't worry I'll be updating permission soon :) I'm not feeling great atm so I'm updating this one atm instead as I'm finding it the easier of the two to write. Please let me know what you think.

The next Morning

He felt old.

Walter glared at the frame as if his look alone would make it burst into flames- he wasn't even able to use it yet, so it just stayed there...mocking him. He even wasn't allowed to lay back yet- his lumbar puncture wasn't long ago and he had to wait a certain amount of time before he was allowed to lay down to go back to sleep- he'd been doing a lot of that recently.

There was no point him turning on the laptop right now. The brain fog had already began, making him confused about the silliest things, and concentrating too much just made the room spin. So he just sat there, miserably glaring at the frame, bored out of his mind. At least they'll be bringing out the drugs soon.

He thought about Ralph sadly, he hoped he wasn't worried. He missed his boy terribly. He wondered if he should ask his mother to update Paige so she could tell Ralph that he was poorly and would email when he was feeling a bit better. But he didn't want to worry Ralph, he'd been through enough recently, and he wasn't sure Paige would even tell him.

10 minutes Later

"Do you need any pain relief? Paracetamol? Zomorph?" The nurse asked holding the rest of Walter's medication in a little white paper cup. Walter grinned amused for the first time since he'd arrived "quite the jump there" he quipped. The nurse smiled back "Don't get too excited the Zomorph is only 20mg and its slow acting" she replied. "Ah! So I have to plan when I want my pain in advance-noted" Walter laughed.

When she finally walked away Walter frowned. He must be loosing the plot- he rarely engaged in small talk willingly and enjoyed it even less. Yet here he was smiling and joking with someone he barely knew. He swallowed the medicine grimacing slightly at the taste and downed the water.

Laying back now he was allowed to Walter watched the steroid drip attached to his canula. Just the other day he was considering ending it all-he'd come to Ireland to get away from those dark thoughts. Now he thinks he could just die from sheer boredom alone.

Is this how Megan felt?

Walter frowned as he considered how his Sister must've been feeling before escaping her nurses and getting drunk on the beach, just before her arrest. He thinks he understands now... Well not completely- he never understood the need for Alcohol.

An hour later

"How are you sweetheart?" His mum asked running her hand through his curls. Walter yawned in response before sitting up. He covered his eyes with a hand when he released he'd sat up too fast and the room began to spin. His dad squeezed his toes slightly in a weird show of affection "Are you OK boy?" He asked worriedly. "I'm fine" Walter replied before amending himself-Paige had taught him he should never say he's fine when he wasn't, she'd hated it in fact. He might have lost her but he wouldn't lose her lessons "No... I feel terrible" he said honestly. His mum nodded in understanding and lent over his bed to give him a hug. His parents then both took a seat either side of him and holding one of his hands each as Walter lay back again, closing his eyes but not sleeping this time.

A few minutes later his dad spoke "I filled Cabe in." He said "He's on his way. He's bringing Paige and your boy with him" Walter's eyes burst open, he let go of his parents hands and sat up fast and once again wished he hadn't, holding a hand over his eyes once more. He suddenly felt self conscious about his wild hair, sweaty body and catheter and started patting down his hair in a poor attempt to tidy it.

Louise laughed softly and adjusted his bed so he could lay back against it while sat up. "Don't worry sweetheart I'll sort you out" she said rising up to locate a thick cardboard bowl and a sink. Walter's face turned red with embarrassment- he couldn't even care for himself. His father for once seemed to understand what he was thinking without him even saying it. "Don't worry lad. No one thinks any less of you. We are all worried about you. But youve got to remember this isn't your fault." He insisted.

Louise returned a couple of minutes later. The warm soapy water sloshing around in the cardboard bowl, placing it down on the nearby chest of drawers before shuting the curtain around her son's bed. Sean bent down and pulled Walter's suitcase out from under the bed taking out toiletries and fresh clothes. Walter felt grateful but useless. Sean undid Walter's night shirt for him when his shaking hands struggled with the buttons and assisted him in removing his pyjama pants and putting fresh boxers and trousers on him. Louise shushed him as he went to wash himself giving his hand a gentle slap. "Don't be silly Walter. I'm your mother" she told him gently before cleaning him up. Walter was too tired to argue.

Once Walter was washed, dressed and his teeth were brushed Sean began to shave him, he smiled sadly as Walter drifted in and out of consciousness, the cocktail of drugs the hospital had him on taking affect. He snored softly as Louise styled his hair for him. Tears rolling down her eyes as she did so. When she'd finished she packed Walter's stuff back away nicely, disposed of the bowl of water then held her husband close, both crying as quietly as they could around their sleeping Son.

Which is how Cabe, Paige and Ralph found them.