O'Brien Porch

Walter couldn't breathe. His heart thumped so strongly that he could swear he could hear it and he was fairly sure he was sweating. He was certain for a moment he was having a heart attack.

The Father had granted his request.

He could get Married at the family church...

And he was absolutely terrified.

What if he was a terrible Husband? An awful Father? A complete and utter failure.

With his EQ now in overdrive he trembled at the thought of all the things he could do wrong.

Sean chose that moment to enter the front door. He immediately became concerned with Walter's stranger-then-normal behaviour. "Are you alright?" He asked "Bad news?"

Walter gasped for breath for a moment before replying "n-no g-good actually" he replied almost trembling as he passed over the the letter. Sean glanced over the letter smiling as he read the confirmation that Walter could marry at the Church. He then looked back into Walter's scared eyes. "What the problem Son?" He asked confused. "What if I do it wrong?" Walter asked "What if I'm not a g-g-good enough Husband or Father?"

Sean smiled fondly at his Son. He was normally so self-assured, cocky even. But at the heart of it all it turned out his innermost fears were the same as everyone else's when facing Marriage. He patted him on the back and then faced Walter holding onto both of Walter's shoulders as he he replied to him. "The fact you are thinking that way is Completely normal Son...and it means you'll do good. OK?"

Walter nodded and breathed a sigh of relief greatful for his recently mended relationship with his father. Everything was coming together.

Across the ocean

Tim had had pleanty of time to brood over his situation. He'd come to the same conclusion a thousand times. There was only two things standing between him having Paige all to himself. Walter had to go...Ralph too. He sat muttering to himself as he sharpened his knife over and over. Soon everything would be coming up Tim.

The O'Brien Farm

Conner had been kicking a ball against a wall outside when Ralph approached him. Sensing the boy wanted to talk Conner picked the ball up and sat down against the wall patting the floor beside him.

"It's a bit weird" Ralph started "You fancying my dad". Conner shut his eyes ready for the boy to tell him what his brother had told him, but then the boy continued "I mean not that you're a man too- Mum has always said love comes in all forms...it's just... You were so mean to him growing up. What changed?"

Conner let go of a breath that he didn't know he was holding. Relieved the boy didn't think him unnatural. He looked up at the sky for a moment before answering. "I don't know. When he was a kid...well I can remember hating him but not really knowing why and yet when he arrived with your Mother all I could think about in that moment was how perfect he was" he replied smiling.

Ralph took it all in for a moment before replying "He's not perfect. It's one of the things I like about my dad- he doesn't pretend to be anything less then what he is. But he'll fight to the death for his Family and as weird as it sounds that's what he considers you now. Like a brother of sorts. The question is would you fight for him? For all of us?" Conner nodded in reply "Of course I would. Without a second thought"

Ralph took a deep breath and looked at Conner before reaching into his pocket and replying-

"Good... because I've received these texts"

A/N Please let me know what you think. what you think will happen next x much love to you all x