A/N I must admit I've had half of this chapter done since this morning- I've never been so excited to get back to a story before. Let me know what you think.Thank you again for all the kind reviews xx

"Did ya hear? The O'Brien boy has come back with a major glow up. He's looking so finnee"

"Omg yes. But did you hear about the girl he's with though? Major tramp. Sleeping her way through his company. Proper gold digger apparently"

Paige curled into a ball behind the curtain of the dressing room she was in. She was already feeling a little delicate and now she'd discovered she was the gossip of the day. It felt like high school all over again. She began weeping softly.. unfortunately not soft enough.

"Miss? Miss? Are you OK?" Oh great one of the women had heard her. "I-I didn't sleep around and I'm not a gold digger. I l-love Walter" Paige cried out pathetically.

Paige covered her mouth with her hand in shock. She couldn't believe what she'd just done. Walter said everyone here knew everybody. Now it was going to come back to Louise that she was crying in the changing rooms like a child for sure. She could hear her now 'What will the neighbours think?' Paige cringed as the girls had a hastily whispered conversation. God knows what they are saying about her now.

Paige gasped as the curtains suddenly opened and the women let themselves in shutting them behind them. "We're sorry hon. We didn't know" one of them appologised before they both pulled her into a hug. Paige sniffled confused but greatful of the comfort. "Are you OK?" The other woman asked concerned. Paige understood- she mustve looked awful. Paige shook her head "No I'm not" she admitted "my ex destroyed all my stuff last night so I need to buy new clothes and I thought I could do this on my own but im feeling really low, the sizes are confusing me, and I can't even message Walter for comfort because my ex smashed up my phone" she weeped.

The women exchanged a look of suprise before taking Paige under their wing "babe that ex sounds toxic as hell. No wonder you're a mess." The older of the two said sympathetically. The other woman nodded in agreement "Come on" the other said. "You'll find nothing while you're feeling like crap. A cuppa tea will sort you out, then we'll look for some nice bits together yeah?" Paige smiled greatfully "thank you so much. That's so kind" as the older of the two gathered the clothes Paige had attempted to try on and placed them on the rail outside the changing room the younger of the two smirked as she shoulder bumped Paige "Sooo Walter O'Brien eh?" Paige laughed for the first time all day feeling more like her old self as she cheekily replied "well he's quite delicious" much to the girls delight.

Sean braced himself mentally. He didn't want Walter to get upset but he knew it was likely unavoidable at this point.

"I'm going to be honest it was pretty heated up there. I dunno what was said between that Tim and you or Tim and Cabe in the past but something Tim said got to me. He told me he didn't even know why I had your back when everyone knows I've never connected with you then he told me...then he told me... Walter why didn't you ever tell me about Baghdad?"

Walter looked at his dad like he'd never seen him before. His dad always seemed larger then life to him. But right now he looked vunerable. Like he exspected Walter to have a go at him over something he'd never known about. Walter could probably blame his Dad for a lot of things. But Baghdad wasn't one of them.

"We barely spoke" Walter sighed "and to be honest I didn't want people to know. It was hard enough having nightmares about it myself without worrying you and Mum and...to be honest I didn't want you thinking any less of me then you already do".

*Flashback*

"You must be a pretty shitty dad if he's replaced you with a man that tricked him into killing thousands of people as a child.. that Baghdad bombing years ago- that was Walter's software that murdered those people"

*End of Flashback*

Sean flinched as he remembered the cruel words Tim had spoken "Me and Cabe had a talk man-to-man after I punched him. I don't blame you...you had no idea... but I don't- I don't regret hitting him either" Sean admitted "But I don't think bad of you Son. I never really have- I just struggle to understand you sometimes...a lot of the time"

Walter tilted his head "I'm suprised Tim knew. But I don't blame you for hitting Cabe. I was angry enough when I found out that I could've done" Walter replied thoughtfully. "You're a good man Dad. I know you tried- we are just very...different".

Sean squeezed Walter's shoulder and smiled "That we are Son. But I will try harder- I promise. Now... how about I start now and have a word with your mother eh? See if I can't clear the air a bit?" Walter smiled feeling a little less stressed about the whole visit. "I'd appreciate that Dad. thank you"

And he meant it.