Walter came through the doorway into Paige's room carrying the flowers he'd gotten her and his eyes immediately sought her eyes. His smile stretched across his face seeing her lying there sleeping. Happy was sitting next to Paige's bed reading one of her tech magazines.
"How has she been?" Walter whispered quietly as he moved across the room to the other side of Paige's bed. He was constantly keeping as much distance as possible between Happy and himself.
Happy nearly screamed she'd been reading and concentrating so hard she hadn't paid attention. She looked crossly at Walter.
"She's been fine, worried about you of course." Happy whispered back as she settled back down. "How was your appointment?"
Walter ignored her question as he finished moving to the other side of the bed and sat the flowers up on the nightstand on Paige's right side. He stood staring down at Paige, his eyes probing, noting every little thing about her.
"Did she not eat today? She looks like she lost weight." Walter asked as he frowned at Happy.
Happy rolled her eyes.
"Like you could tell she has lost any weight Walt. Give me a break." Happy told him.
"That wasn't a denial about her not eating today my Asian turtledove." Toby whispered as he came around the corner with the three pizzas they'd stopped and picked up.
"Why did Walter get here so long before you?" Happy whispered.
"Are you kidding me? He nearly sprinted the entire distance." Cabe complained in a whisper as he entered behind Toby.
Toby nodded.
"He didn't even wait for us at the elevator." Toby whispered as he kissed Happy.
"She barely ate her breakfast and so far she hasn't ordered lunch." Happy whispered as Toby sat the boxes down on the small table in the room.
Toby glanced at the read outs on the machine tracking Paige's vitals and then stepped to the computer and entered a password so he could review her records.
"Paige, love, I'm back." Walter finally said after he kissed her cheek.
Paige's eyes fluttered a bit and then slowly opened as she looked about sleepily. She saw Happy and then Cabe and saw Toby's back and finally she saw Walter and she smiled.
"Walter, my heart I'm so happy to see you. How was your appointment?" Paige asked as she reached out and took his hand in hers.
"That can wait. You were supposed to eat while I was gone." Walter told her.
"I'm fine my love." Paige told him even as she inched a finger at him.
Walter leaned in again and kissed her lips. As he pulled back Paige's eyes looked to his left and saw the three dozen red roses and smiled.
"Walter, you shouldn't have. Roses are so expensive and they don't last long enough after they are cut to justify the cost." Paige told him.
Walter reached over and pulled one out and tore a bit of the stem off and pushed it along the side of her head. It slipped past her hair and into the groove between her ear and head. Paige smiled at him.
"Thank you." Paige told him softly.
Walter nodded.
"Now how was your appointment?" Paige asked again.
Walter pointed at the pizza boxes.
"You eat two pieces and we can talk about that." Walter told her with a smile.
Paige rolled her eyes.
"Fine, I will, but only because you went to DeSano's for the pizza." Paige told him as Walter opened the first box and placed two slices on one of the paper plates they'd brought up the day after her surgery so they'd have them for eating in the room with her.
Paige looked over at Happy.
"Big mouth, you had to tell him I didn't eat lunch." Paige grinned.
"Are you kidding me? He walked up to the side of your bed and stared at you for a second and said you hadn't eaten because you'd lost weight." Happy complained.
Paige smiled at Walter.
"Now how could you possible know I hadn't eaten today Walter?" Paige asked as she took the plate from him.
Walter smiled at her.
"I've been calculating your body mass since we've found out you were pregnant and I haven't been wrong yet." Walter told her as he sat down on the edge of his chair and stared at her.
After Paige had eaten and talked with Walter and Toby about his appointment Toby was quick to fill them in on where she stood medically. Against her desire Toby said he concurred with her surgeon on keeping her in the hospital until at least Tuesday to ensure she was past any complications.
"After all, you don't want to risk yours and the baby's health right?" Toby decided to go with guilt to keep her doing what she needed to do to fully recover.
Paige sighed.
"Fine, but I really wanted to go with Walter for his appointments." Paige whined.
"Sorry, Sarah said she wanted at least two weeks of sessions with Walter before she even considers that request." Toby explained.
"We could get a different Dr., one that wouldn't have a problem with you being there with me." Walter suggested.
"Uh, no, you won't. Sarah is perfect for this. You won't do better than her. Trust me as I know the competition out there. Getting in to see her had to cost Cecil some serious points with her. You aren't throwing this away." Toby told him.
Walter started to complain.
"I said no Walter. You are going to see Sarah and that is the end of the conversation." Toby told him with authority.
Walter meekly nodded his agreement.
Paige's eyes narrowed as she took in the exchange.
"Walter, would you do me a favor please, go down and get me a tea from the commissary? The tea they have up here is awful." Paige smiled at him.
Walter nodded and was out of his chair and moving for the door almost before she finished her words.
"Hey hold up buddy, I need to grab something too." Toby called out as he trailed after him. Happy followed along after them.
Paige looked at Cabe and she saw Cabe swallow.
"What is going on with Walter? I didn't notice right away because of the anesthesia and yesterday I thought I just imagined it but clearly Walter isn't behaving quite like himself. He would never let Toby boss him around like that." Paige questioned.
Cabe slowly nodded.
"Yeah, it is something Doc told me while you were in surgery. I don't understand it all but Walter has been very tractable. When Walter goes anywhere either I or the Doc goes with him to ensure no one takes advantage of him or pushes him to decide on something more than he needs. Every other night I stay at the Garage and Toby and Happy stay the other nights. He's been a right mess." Cabe explained.
Paige frowned.
"Is this because of what I did to him with Happy?" Paige asked with fear.
Cabe teetered his hand.
"Mostly I guess it is about you having been hurt. It has to do with his feelings of having failed to protect you. But it all ties back into what happened with Happy if I understood the Doc correctly." Cabe explained as best he could.
Paige sighed even as she frowned after.
"Walter shouldn't feel like he failed to protect me. That wasn't his fault. I chose to save Happy." Paige complained.
Cabe nodded.
"I know kid but I think this is beyond the wisdom of Solomon so for me to wrap my brain around it is almost futile. Although the Doc said it is part of the Stockholm syndrome." Cabe told her as he sat down in the chair Happy left.
"Wait, Stockholm syndrome? Walter has that from what we did?" Paige asked confused.
"Apparently so." Cabe told her as he grabbed a slice of pizza. "Because he had a flashback from the words Toby used as he was trying to stall that Amy woman he wasn't able to get up to where you were and able to help and protect you. It is having a ripple effect on him now. But Doc said that should ease up after you get out of here."
"Well then I need to get out of here, now." Paige said as she looked for her remote to call the nurse.
"No sweetheart you don't. Walter is okay for now. Along with Ralph we're keeping him on the rails. What will help Walter the most, is you doing what you need to do most. Eat your meals and do only what the therapists want you to do. Do not try to rush any of this. It will be a lot worse for Walter if something happens to make things worse for you or the baby." Cabe warned.
"Damn it Cabe, I want to undo this so bad." Paige cried.
"I know sweetheart. But like you told Ralph that day, sometimes we have to live with the consequences of our decisions. Just do what you need to do to get well. And put on a little weight to appease the man." Cabe grinned.
Paige smiled through her tears.
"I can't believe he could tell I didn't really eat today." Paige half laughed.
"Emotions might still be a bit of a puzzle for him but when it comes to visual cues he is as sharp as always. It is probably part of that photographic memory of his." Cabe said as he finished off the slice of pizza.
Paige sighed and nodded.
"Probably." Paige said simply.
Tuesday:
Walter sat nervously waiting on Paige's Dr to come in and examine her to see if she could go home. He hadn't voiced it since everyone seemed to believe his nervousness was solely the result of wanting Paige back at the Garage and as much as that was true, what was also true was he feared her return. He only had his disturbing dream once since she was admitted into the hospital and he was ashamed he couldn't look past that dream to enjoy wanting Paige back fully.
Paige had sat talking with Cabe and Sylvester mostly while occasionally looking at Walter and asking questions to involve him in the conversation. After he failed to respond a second time to a question Paige finally looked at Cabe.
"Cabe, it is almost lunch time. I doubt the Dr. will come in before this afternoon. Would you and Sylvester mind going to get me a pizza from DeSano's?" Paige asked sweetly but pointedly looking at the door out of the room.
Cabe looked from Paige to Walter and nodded.
"Sounds like a plan, let's go Sly." Cabe said as he clapped Sylvester's shoulder.
Walter jerked at the sound and looked around frowning as he saw Cabe and Sylvester standing up.
"What's going on Cabe?" Walter asked as he stood up.
Cabe held out his hand gesturing for him to remain with Paige.
"Paige wants pizza for lunch since the Dr. seems to be taking his sweet time." Cabe told him.
Walter nodded even as he pulled out his wallet to get him money.
"Oh, don't worry with that Walter. It is my turn to buy lunch." Sylvester told him.
Walter frowned but slowly nodded as he watched them turn and leave the room, Cabe closed the door as he passed through.
Walter slowly put his wallet up with a puzzled expression on his face as he sat down.
"What's wrong my heart?" Paige asked him as she reached for his hand.
Walter almost jumped but he recovered quickly and reached out and took her hand in his.
"I'm not sure, it is just strange. Every time I have tried to pay for things everyone seems to want to pay for them." Walter told her.
Paige nodded.
"They are worried about you my love, as I am." Paige decided to go for directness.
Walter frowned even more.
"But you are the one that's hurt and in the hospital. Why aren't they worried about you?" Walter asked even as Paige squeezed his hand.
She smiled.
"They worry about that too, not as much as about you though. It isn't hard to see that something is bothering you Walter. Please tell me what is going on in that wonderful mind of yours?" Paige asked even as she kind of tugged on his hand.
Walter's cheeks redden at the thought of explaining what was going on.
"Walter, please, open and honest communications. Don't be embarrassed just help me to understand, please." Paige implored.
"I'm so sorry Paige, you know how much you mean to me, how much I want you back home. But for some reason since you've been here in the hospital that dream hasn't really bothered me. And I don't know what that means but it also scares me that when you do come home, will it come home with you?" Walter slowly explained.
Paige swallowed hard even as she felt a tear rise up in her eye and she reached up and dabbed it away.
"I understand my heart. What I did to you with Happy, what happened last Monday. It all had such a hard impact on you, not only what I allowed but encouraged and ultimately forced upon you. I wasn't thinking very well, even for a normal. As much as I would hate it, maybe I should go back to the condo for a few weeks. Give you some space." Paige said even as she felt more tears rise up.
Walter looked suitably upset at the idea instantly and shook his head repeatedly no.
"Paige, no, you are my heart. Whatever relief I might feel without that dream when you aren't home I'd feel a million times worse with you being somewhere else. I need you with me, beyond just wanting to be sure you are okay. I'm also ashamed because I wasn't able to push Toby's words aside and help you. You wouldn't have been hurt, especially as bad if I hadn't of frozen." Walter said as he stood up and reached across to caress Paige's cheek.
Paige smiled and puckered her lips and Walter smiled as he leaned in and kissed her.
Paige scooted to her right as much as she could and then rolled to her left side a bit. She scooted back the extra little space created that way. She pulled the extra pillows over and tucked them at various points before she patted the spot next to her.
Walter slowly nodded as he gave in to her demand. He kicked his shoes off and sat on the side of the bed before laying back and Paige smiled as she laid half over on top of him. She had to adjust her position and the pillows a few times until she finally found a position she was comfortable with for her ribs.
"I've really missed this with you. So how was your appointment today? Did Sarah have any recommendations? Has she said how she thought you were doing?" Paige asked since Walter hadn't been forth coming since Cabe brought him back.
Walter nodded.
Greetings! Hope this finds you all well! I tell you all these stories demanding writing time and you have almost caught up to me on HC here. Chapter 30 is done but I haven't even started on 31. So, hopefully not but if so, this might have to take a few days off after 30 if it doesn't start speaking louder. At least it isn't in a bad place if I have to wait a few days to update. WUTB is talking again and 2 of the 3 people I've given access to it are enjoying it so that is something, but I am not posting it until I can see the end of it. It is potentially another long fix-it story arc. Knight's Tale has been demanding time as well. Chpspics put a idea in my head I might have to use in the future too. lol
Railman - Yeah, poor Walter. Not counting WUTB I think this 2 story arc has really done the most damage to him. At least psychologically speaking. Though what Tim did to him in my Uncivil War series certainly had a lot of psychological trouble for him too. Yes, Toby has really embraced his role as friend again to Walter and if it wasn't for Cabe's threat to take him to the desert he'd probably be a bit more vocal about how he is feeling with Happy, and Paige. Cabe had the makings of a great Dad!
Marti - Thank you! Yep, I've been really pleased with Toby in this story. A bit irritated at him in WUTB though but he's at least trying.
Margaret - Yep, Walter is definitely fragile right now. Hopefully as the first 2 weeks of therapy complete he'll be somewhere closer to himself. Sarah says the 2 weeks is only to try and get Walter back on better footing. If successful she believes he'll be more his normal self in regards to how he acts and responds in normal situations. She's a bit worried about this Homeland work after hearing some of the details of what all they've had to do and what's happened in them. She's contemplating sending Homeland an official letter declaring Walter unsuitable at this time to assist in an emergency situation. Haven't heard from the Heart Echo but I expect it to be the same as last time, good to go! lol And hopefully not out! lol
Lucy - Indeed our poor boy is. I do love Sarah, she might not be the same genius level as our nerds but she'd give Richard and Einstein a run for the money. And she is definitely more professional than another Harvard trained Dr we know and love! lol
To the Adventure! -Tim
