A/N: A little late but hey we got here! If it's a bit rough I apologize, I stayed up extra late after I got off work to complete it and wanted to publish it ASAP for y'all. I hope you enjoy the conclusion to this story and with this chapter published I'll mark it as complete as I may publish Walter's POV separately since it's longer than I thought it was. Honestly, I'm not sure but I'll let y'all know.

Little Girl Lost News: We got a date! March 14, 2022, is the return of Little Girl Lost and more updates will be coming! As of now I plan to do once-a-week updates and will hopefully move up to two as the story progresses.

Enjoy!

The Story of Fruit Punch and Fermented Fish

Chapter 3

"Hey, Walter." She answered quietly as he set the vase down on the bedside table and sat on the opposite chair on her side.

"H-how are you feeling?" He stuttered before he cleared his throat and nervously crossed his legs before uncrossing them and sat his folded arms on his lap. Paige for her part pretended not to notice or let the fact that she thought he was cute when he was nervous deter her from her anger.

"I'm feeling a lot better. Toby said he's going to keep me here for a few days of observation and then I'll be well enough to go home." She said cheerfully as she tried to ignore the awkwardness of the situation.

"That's good; the doctors will monitor the swelling as well as the possibility of blood clots, hemorrhaging, - "

"Yeah Walter, Toby filled me in on what they would be looking for. Most of which I hope they don't find." Paige interrupted as her mind raced with the medical terms and shook her head. "I'm just thankful that homeland will cover the bill thanks to insurance. This whole thing has been a kind of a nightmare." She confessed as she automatically brought her hand up to the wound and then slowly lowered it as Walter's eyes drifted to her head and she blushed. "T-Thank you for staying with me. You didn't have to do that." She muttered as he nodded.

"It's no problem, actually I think I should be thanking you. I know that, um, the situation is uh, well I know you probably didn't want to see me much less wanted me to be watchful over your first night in the hospital….awake at least." He stuttered as she nodded and pursed her lips.

"Why did you?" She asked as she looked at him and he blushed as he quickly looked away and cleared his throat.

"Um, well, I figured this might be the best time to talk just us and Toby mentioned that you were feeling overwhelmed and that you told him you couldn't rest unless you knew all the facts, something I know I quite well, I am myself unable to rest properly with a problem and I don't have all the variables too."

"Ah," Paige muttered as she swiped some hair behind her ear and licked her suddenly dry lips. "I did say that. I just… I know right now probably isn't the best time but….I feel I can think clearly and honestly, I don't want to rest unless this situation is put to rest too." Paige said as she waved her arms gesturing to both of them as she did so. "And so I guess we should just…. talk," Paige said as Walter slowly nodded his head.

"Do you want to go first or should I?" Walter offered, showing a great amount of empathy as Paige blinked and took in a sharp breath.

"Um, I – I don't know. I mean there was a lot I wanted to tell you and now it's as if I can't find the words." She admitted honestly as Walter inched his hand closer to hers and she tried not to let him notice that she noticed. Not that he didn't. Great now she wasn't making sense in her own mind.

"From what I gathered sometimes thoughts don't make sense and communication although its primary function is to clarify, doesn't always have to make sense at first if it helps with opening up communication. For instance, when Ralph showed me the photos you took of myself and F-Florence it was a picture of a kiss but, it wasn't a kiss. I mean yes, she did lean in, but I didn't kiss her Paige. I thought she was going to kiss me, and I leaned back but she was irritated by a string that was sticking out of my collar and we were invited to speak privately with Professor Carlyle and she didn't want me to be embarrassed." He said quickly as Paige simply stared soaking in all the information.

"What?" That was all she managed to speak before she shook her head and her heart raced. "You never kissed her?" She confirmed as Walter nodded his head but looked uncomfortable.

"I never kissed her. I would never betray you that way." Walter said adamantly as Paige's head spun (from the revelation not medically) and she sighed as she leaned back against the pillows and her hand inched closer to Walter's, so close their fingers almost touched. "Although Florence did kiss me by the end of the night." He admitted as Paige looked up sharply and pulled her hand away.

"What!" Paige shouted as Walter lifted his hands in defense and started speaking so fast Paige could barely keep up.

"When we arrived, Florence was drinking heavily, and by the time we left, she was severely inebriated and couldn't walk coherently. When I helped her inside my car she leaned in and kissed me but – but she became sick and threw up on my shoes shortly after!"

"Are you kidding me Walter?! When I asked you if she kissed you why didn't you start off with that?" Paige said angrily as Walter looked chagrined and looked down.

"I figured if I told you about the events in the order of occurrence, it would present the case of me being your boyfriend more concrete because I never did anything to betray you and I never would! You are too important for me to jeopardize!" Walter admitted fervently as Paige paused and she inched her hand closer to his (although hesitantly and she didn't even notice she was doing it.)

"Walter" Paige started as Walter sighed and held up his hands in surrender before slowly sitting back down and looking squarely at her.

"Paige before you begin, please if I could finish my case? Facts are all I know and if I were to lose you then I would be better off knowing I lost you of my own will than at the inaccurately presented facts of the evening. At least I could say that I did all I could." Walter asked as Paige bit her lip and although she didn't want to, she felt her shields lower at his open expression and she nodded her head. Putting a lid on her bubbling anger if only to hear his side.

"Thank you. I know that at times, if not all the time, I can be difficult to be with. I am not always able to, uh, express myself the way I want to, but I always know that you know me." Walter started as Paige raised her eyebrow and he continued. "I'm learning every day how to become better and be a good partner to you. One whom you can trust and never doubt that I would ever purposely betray your trust. I love you. I know I should have told you that I was taking Florence, but I figured that I would bring it up when I next saw you. Never did I think she would ever come onto me! Or – or confess that she liked Sylvester and tried to practice on me if she were to ever kiss him but she was drunk and I don't believe she was thinking properly." Walter continued as Paige shook her head.

"What? She likes Sly so she tried to practice on you. Are you seriously expecting me to believe that?" Paige asked astonished as that was either the weakest excuse she's ever heard, or she really needs to discuss boundaries and emotions with Florence. And Walter. And possibly Sly. And even Toby who she saw peeking through the window.

"Well, that was what happened so I would hope you would believe the truth," Walter mumbled as Paige laughed without humor and brought her hand up to her suddenly pounding head.

"So, you're saying that this was all a big understanding?" Paige asked as she tried to unravel the soap opera that her life has become and honestly what did she expect?

"Well yes. Although Florence did kiss me it was not filled with malintent, and I was able to prove it as well. Ralph even gave me his permission and Florence wanted to apologize for her error in judgment when you awoke but we realized it must not have been the best of times when you uh, um well." Walter stuttered as Paige looked at him.

"When I kicked you both out when I thought you cheated on me with her?" Paige asked plainly as Walter slowly nodded.

"Thought? You believe me?" Walter asked with hope in his eyes as Paige sighed and nodded her head. Although she was still pissed that Walter lied to her the idea that it was all a big misunderstanding over the issue of not understanding proper boundaries was, amazingly, more in line with their character than Walter purposely cheating. Plus, Ralph vouched for both, and the opinion that her son held weighed heavily in her decision.

"But I'm still angry with you Walter. Why did you purposely lie to me?" She asked as Walter sighed and shrugged.

"It was meant as a white lie; I was truly trying to practice empathy and wanted to spare you of a less than thrilling evening. You weren't excited about the lecture and I didn't want to make you do something that you weren't looking forward to." Walter said as Paige flinched and remembered that yes, she did try to teach the white lie concept although in hindsight…she would much rather get her feelings and pride hurt rather than her head. Literally.

"Yeah, I guess I was wrong to teach you that. Not that you weren't learning Walter." Paige backtracked as he looked ashamed, and Paige didn't want him to think that by adopting her lesson he was somehow wrong. Although the lying was wrong, with her insecurity she now knew needed she needed help with, and the vast miscommunication honesty was the best policy going forward.

"You were learning well but I was wrong to teach you that lying, in any form, was the right thing to do. Yes, a softer touch when saying the truth is needed but going forward let's not lie to each other. The truth is always the best way to approach things and as much as you learn from me Walter, I learn from you." Paige admitted as she reached out for his hand, and he grasped it strongly as he wrapped his fingers around hers and she smiled as she leaned forward to get closer to him.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted, it wasn't right, and it caused so much unneeded worry. I mean I haven't gotten drunk since Ralph and here I am hospitalized because I let myself get out of hand. What was wrong with me?" She asked as she leaned against the pillows and Walter got up and fluffed them for her as she smiled her thanks.

"You believed I betrayed your trust and with your history with Drew and such incriminating photos of myself and Florence you were hurt by someone you loved betraying you and not prioritizing the relationship so you turned to a numbing agent such as alcohol in a misplaced belief that it could make the pain easier to think through which in turn, made speech and thought process slower which caused you to slip and fall, hitting your head on the coffee table at such an able for bruising on your brain to occur and some swelling." Walter finished as Paige simply sat there with her mouth agape and Walter smiled awkwardly as she hurriedly sat back down.

"Yeah, something like that." Paige mumbled as she now caught the phrase 'someone she loved.' She back over to him as he was looking at the clock and his eyes moved with the handles, most likely making theorems in his head on the angles and movement rather the time. The fact that she knew that and even now…. still found it endearing and if she dared to think it…cute of him to do so. Earlier he mentioned that he would present the facts as he knew how as to not to lose her. Because he loved her.

Why would someone as brilliant as him…still love her? After she let her emotions get the better of her and she caused such a scene? She still loved him but what does this mean for their relationship going forward?

Well, she did say honestly was the best policy going forward. Time to find out how true that is.

"Walter?" She asked softly as he directed his attention toward her and suddenly, she felt so small as her throat became dry and she bunched her hands into the blankets. "Earlier you said something that I didn't understand," Paige said as Walter blinked.

"I assure you whatever I said, I can help explain. Was it the situation itself or perhaps the miscommunication between Florence, myself, and Sly? Although truthfully we're all still a little baffled by that truthfully so I'm not sure how much help I can be with clarifying that up but I can try my best especially since you were comatose for most of what happened and –"

"Walter!" Paige said interrupting his nervous rant as he looked at her and for a moment, he looked fearful as if this was the moment, he was dreading all this time and he was doing his best to stall the words that would eventually fall out of her mouth to his blunder. That this was the mistake he would evidently cause to make Paige finally realize all his mistakes, all his quirks were too much for her.

"How do you still love me?" She asked softly as he blinked once more and stood straight, confusion written all over his face.

"What?" He asked as he tried to comprehend the question and she sighed as she asked again and this time, he bunched his eyebrows together and simply said –

"Because you're everything to me," Walter said plainly as Paige smiled and felt tears against her eyes as she looked down and tried her hardest for him to not see her cry. It didn't work.

"Why would you ask something like that?" Walter asked as Paige bit her lip and heat spread throughout her body as her lungs felt heavy in her chest.

"Because…I don't understand it." Paige said slowly as her secret confession came out. "You are the smartest person I've ever met. You say such amazing things and I flipped out over a photo. A photo it turns out that wasn't even all true. I caused all this mess because I let my own emotions get the better of me. I guess the reason I was so hurt over what I thought was you cheating was….I never understood how you could be with me when there were clearly better women for you. I know you confessed to me that you were scared you weren't enough for me Walter, but the truth is….I'm not enough for you. Not smart enough or educated enough or even sane enough I guess for you to still love. I don't understand it. Not after everything." Paige said as she refused to meet him and her breathing picked up and the tears that prickled her eyes threatened to spill over as she quickly wiped them away before she felt Walter's hands-on hers.

"Paige I….I don't know what caused you to believe that but I want you to know that you have never been more wrong." Walter declared as Paige finally met his gaze, and his face was filled with determination.

"I wish I could say the right words to convince you not to think that way but enough time with you proved that I can't, so, instead I'll just have to say the facts." Walter declared as Paige looked on confused.

"Fact number one – You got into a Ferrari of a stranger you barely knew to save the lives of over a dozen other strangers on two planes. One of which you willing let one of those planes fly over your head to get software was desperately needed to save all those lives. That takes courage, skill, and a type of empathy that is not found among other normal if they possess it all." Walter said as she nodded and cracked a smile.

"Fact number two: You coached and guided a team of geniuses through years of frustration, missteps, and fallouts to a point where three of them had now married, two of which are preparing to be parents and one of which is hoping to be married again," Walter said as he blushed and Paige looked down thinking of Sly, Happy and Toby. "That takes a level of patience and kindness that is exemplary."

"Fact number three: You are raising an incredible boy, one of which will do amazing things one day with an IQ that even I don't fully understand. That is a strength that is rare to find, and all those traits combined in someone who is so gracious, kind, courageous, thoughtful, and loving…how could I not fall in love with you on day one?" Walter asked as Paige shook her head and scoffed as Walter pushed a strand of her hair away from her face and cupped her cheek.

"Yes, you are a bit over-emotional, moody, over-reactive at times" Walter confessed as Paige gawked but considering where they were she wasn't in any position to fight back, they were there because she did get over emotional and may have been over-reactive. Yeah, no he was entirely right. "But we all need that. I have too much head and you may have too much heart but combined….I've heard the fable of the blonde hair little girl who committed breaking and entering into humanoid bears home and damaged property until she found a bed that was most comfortable to support proper lumbar system." Walter summarized as Paige laughed.

"Do you mean Goldilocks and the three bears?" Paige asked as Walter nodded.

"Yes, how she wanted to find the perfect fit to offer lumbar support. You are my perfect fit Paige" Walter said as Paige sucked in a breath and looked back to him as he smiled softly. "You are my perfect fit. You always have been." Walter repeated as Paige leaned in and smiled as tears threatened to fall but before they did, she hugged him tightly before kissing a very surprised but not unwilling genius.

The kiss was sweet and longing and filled with apologies with promise for the future.

Especially since later that evening, Walter would show the proof that convinced Ralph of his innocence and how Paige said a very cheerful 'yes' to a sparkling diamond ring.

And yes, they did serve both fruit punch and fermented fish at the wedding.