The evening of the third day after Walter and Happy's talk, Mark arrived in Walter's room after work was finished. He kissed Megan's cheek and sat down beside her. Anthony climbed off his Dad's lap and into his Mom's arms.

"How's he been today?" Mark asked even as his eyes drifted across Walter's sleeping body and the machines tracking his vitals.

"Still the same. The doctor said tomorrow they are going to start weaning him down on the painkillers to see if he'll deal with the pain and not have to be knocked out so much. How's Happy?" Megan told him as she nuzzled her son.

Mark smiled as he nodded.

"She's a bit of a mess of course. She's happy she finally stood up for herself and ended it. But she's also in so much pain. I knew she loved Walter, but I never thought it was as deep as it is. She'll be a mess for some time to come. I don't know when she'll ever trust someone again." Mark told her as he hugged her with his one arm. "Have you eaten today?" Mark asked pointedly.

Megan chuckled.

"Just breakfast with you." Megan admitted as she relished the embrace of her husband and feeling her son in her arms.

Mark could see the pain in Megan's eyes with their son sitting on her leg so he reached over and grabbed him.

"Come here buddy. I know you missed her, but Mommy's legs are hurting." Mark told him as he pulled him back to his lap.

"I think I could endure it love." Megan smiled appreciatively at him.

"I'm sure you could, but after sitting on that scooter all day, I know it takes a toll on your legs." Mark told her.

Mark heard a muffled phone ring.

"Is that your phone?" Mark asked as she hadn't moved to get it.

"No, and I don't know where it is coming from. It has been ringing off and on for two hours now. I've pulled my phone out so many times. I just gave up." Megan explained.

"Did they ever give you Walter's phone?" Mark asked.

Megan closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Of course. I didn't even think of it. They'd brought it to me a few hours ago." Megan said as she opened her purse and dug down to the bottom and pulled Walter's phone up. She barely tapped the answer icon in time.

"It's about damn time you answered your phone Walter. I am so furious with you. You take me out on an amazing date and promise you were coming to see me. Even wanted a second date and then you go all silent on me? What is wrong with you?" Paige ranted before Megan could even say hello.

"I'm sorry?" Megan said, completely shocked.

"Oh my gawd." Paige said, shocked and embarrassed. "I'm so sorry I must have dialed the wrong number." Paige said as she went to hang up.

"Wait, is this Paige?" Megan asked.

Paige's eyebrow rose up in puzzlement.

"Yes, my name is Paige." Paige said slowly. "Who's this?" Paige was a little fearful, had Walter lied and this was his girlfriend, or wife?

"I'm Megan, Walter's sister." Megan told her.

"Oh my gosh, Megan I am so sorry. What a first impression I just made…Raving lunatic and jealous whacko in one minute." Paige groaned as she buried her face in her free hand. "It's just that I had such an amazing time with Walter last week and everything he said and did told me he did too but then he didn't come by like he promised and other than a late night text after our date I hadn't heard from him."

Megan swallowed even as she nodded.

"Well first, Walter is going to be okay and I'm sorry to have to tell you like this. But Walter's in the hospital." Megan started.

"What? What happened?" Paige panicked.

"Well apparently he had enjoyed your date so much he came over to where my husband and I live to tell us about it. But after he got out of his car he was attacked from behind. He was hurt pretty badly." Megan told her.

"Oh dear gawd no. What hospital? Is it okay if I come by?" Paige asked quickly as she considered what she'd have to do.

"He's in St Francis Medical Center. And of course you can come see him. I'm here from about nine am until six or so pm. But visiting hours are seven am until nine pm. So whenever you'd like to come." Megan smiled.

"Okay, well I'll have to get a sitter for my son, but I'll try to be there in an hour. If you can be there I'd like to meet you if that's okay." Paige explained.

"I'd love to meet you too. Walter's a little banged up but, our four year old son is okay with seeing Walter, if you want to bring your boy, I don't think it would be a problem. And that way you won't have to worry about a sitter." Megan told her.

"Oh, okay, well Ralph has some special needs. He might not handle the environment very well." Paige fretted.

"Okay, well that is no problem, you know best. I hope to see you soon." Megan said before hanging up.

"She has a son with special needs." Megan whispered into Mark's ear so their son wouldn't hear.

"Man, I hope Walter has changed, he could cause some serious damage if that is the case." Mark told her.

Megan nodded sadly.

"Well, he's really going to have to demonstrate it before he leaves the hospital, otherwise I'm going to tell Paige all about him. I'm not letting him do to her and her son what he's done to Happy, or any of the rest of his lovers." Megan told him.

Mark nodded.

"I'm proud of you." Mark told her.

"Look at all these missed calls and messages." Megan said looking at his phone. She tried to access them but the phone's security wouldn't let her without a passcode. "Figures he would have it locked so no one could access it."

"I can try and crack it tomorrow if you want." Mark told her.

"No, we shouldn't invade his privacy." Megan sighed while putting it away.

"Megan?" Paige said softly as she stepped into the room and saw a woman on a mobility scooter and a man next to her in a regular chair.

"Paige?" Megan smiled as she twisted to look back. "Please come on in. This is my husband Mark and our son Anthony." Megan told her.

"It's nice to meet you guys." Paige smiled and then grimaced seeing Walter lying there. "Oh Walter, you poor dear. Did they catch whoever did this? Were they after his car or money?" Paige asked as she shook both of their hands.

"No, they haven't caught the man and he didn't steal anything. All of Walter's jewelry was on him, his wallet, money, credit cards. His car was still out front of our place." Megan told her.

"One guy did all of that?" Paige felt sick.

Mark and Megan both nodded.

"Our security camera caught it all. It was like Walter wasn't paying attention when the guy hit him from behind. They are still trying to identify the guy." Megan explained.

"Oh Walter, I'm so sorry, I thought some really horrible things about you. I just couldn't imagine you treating me that way." Paige said as she gently ran her hand through his hair. "What is wrong with him? What's his prognosis?"

"Well, the most serious was the knife wound to his liver. But they got that taken care of and he's healing. But his left lower jaw was broken so he can't open his mouth. His left kidney is bruised, several bruised ribs. His right hand is broken, he clocked the guy pretty good at one point in the fight. That was when the guy pulled the knife out and stabbed him. Walter barely made it into the Garage as the guy ran away." Mark told her.

'Knife?' Paige thought with a sickening feeling. "Did he leave the knife behind by chance?" Paige asked.

"Yes, it was still stuck in his abdomen when I found him." Mark told her.

"Did it have a mother of pearl handle? Silver embossed decorations on it? Was he about 6 foot one? Dark hair, scruffy beard?" Paige asked fearfully.

Mark frowned as he looked at Megan.

"You seem to know the man, the knife was made in 1835. And that is a fairly close description." Mark told her.

"Oh Walter, I'm so sorry. It sounds like my ex, Drew Baker. He has scared some potential boyfriends away before, but nothing like this. He's never even approached one of them until the third date before. He walked out on me and my son when my son was two, so he could pursue his baseball dream. After being gone six years he came back about a year ago. And after I refused to take him back, he's been doing his best to make sure I can't have a real relationship. But, he's never attacked any of them before. Usually he just threatens them. I really liked Walter, I was hoping I'd finally found the right guy. I guess my rotten luck is just going to hurt others now too. I'm sorry Megan." Paige told her as she took Megan's hand in hers.

Megan smiled.

"It isn't your fault Paige, you didn't do this or set him up for it. And Walter wouldn't have backed down from him." Megan told her.

Paige smiled.

"You should have seen him over two weeks ago. A new customer at the diner I am a waitress at, came in and decided to grab my…" Paige paused looking at Anthony sitting there. "Well he grabbed me and Walter was right there defending me." Paige told them.

"That sounds like Walter." Megan smiled. 'He protects what he considers his.' She thought.

They talked for about a half hour when Anthony yawned.

"I suppose we better get going." Megan smiled. "Paige, it was so nice to meet you. I hope you'll come back to visit. They just recently turned his pain medicine down so hopefully he'll be awake then."

Paige nodded.

"Definitely, I should get going anyway. My car broke down and I had to take the bus." Paige nodded.

"Well we can give you a lift home." Megan smiled as she looked at Mark. "Right?"

"Of course we can. Do you know what is wrong with your car?" Mark asked.

"Oh that would be so sweet, but I don't want to impose on you. But it's just old and a piece of junk." Paige told him honestly.

"Nonsense, we'd be happy to take you home." Megan told her.

Next Morning:

"I can't believe you guys are doing this for me. Are you sure Megan?" Paige asked as they stood out front of her apartment.

"Absolutely. I don't use it that much anymore, since I can't take my mobility scooter in it. Walter had bought it for me a few years before I met Mark. I'd wanted a Lamborghini which he promised to get me, but, I have to admit, this Shelby Mustang is a sweet ride. By the time he had the money to buy the Lamborghini my condition made it unwise. Well the Mustang was probably unwise too, but…I couldn't resist. And while it is nine years old, our friend Happy has kept it in top running shape the last five years. It will serve you well." Megan told her as she held out the keys for her old car.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you of course, but that sounds so insignificant. You don't even know me." Paige told her with tears in her eyes.

"Hey, I know what it is like being a married Mother of a little boy. I can't imagine what you have to go through. If this helps you a little then that's what I want to do." Megan told her.

Paige hugged her as she took the keys from her.

"Thank you. Oh I called the police hotline after you dropped me off and told them I think my ex might have been the one to hurt Walter." Paige told her.

"Thank you Paige, we had thought about it, but we didn't want to be the ones to just decide to do that." Megan smiled.

"Well if the monster of the Abyss hasn't risen once again." Toby said with a voice dripping with venom.

"Oh great, I must have died and went to hell. Doc Quack is here." Walter smirked.

"I hate you." Toby told him.

"Tell me something I don't know, or something I care about." Walter told him.

"You're just a disgusting and revolting human being, a total waste of skin." Toby vented.

Walter smirked for a second and then coughed before he started laughing and grabbed his ribs.

"What's so funny?" Toby asked.

"That's like having a bacteria tell a protozoa it is a one cell organism." Walter tried hard to stifle his laugh. "But the difference, Toby, is I know I've been a horrible person. You continue to try and hype yourself as somehow better than you really are. Better than other people. But deep down you are just as disgusting as I was."

"You're insane, I don't treat people like you do. I'm a doctor, first do no harm." Toby spit at him.

"Really? You want to go there Toby? I'll just mention one name…Amy." Walter told him as he watched his face.

The color ran out of Toby's face.

"H-ho-how do you know?" Toby stuttered.

"Oh, the mighty, moral doctor doesn't seem to like that name huh? I told you before Toby, I know where you cross your i's and dot your t's. There isn't much about you that I don't know." Walter smiled. "The other difference is that I have changed."

"Yeah right. Only because Happy finally kicked you to the curb." Toby sneered.

"No Toby. But I am really proud she did that before I told her." Walter nodded.

Toby's eyes narrowed as Walter's markers were completely different. Even what someone else would have thought that he was threatening Toby with knowing so much about him, wasn't a threat, simply fact.

"What do you mean?" Toby asked as his bravado faded.

"I'd planned to tell her the next time I saw her that she was free, I was never going to bother her again." Walter explained.

"Yeah right." Toby scoffed.

"You don't have to believe me Toby. I know the truth. Do you know if Happy carried out my request though?" Walter asked.

"I guess not, I didn't know you asked her to do something." Toby said, clearly still puzzled.

"That's fine. What day is it?" Walter asked as he reached over and pulled his water cup over and sipped the water.

"It's umm, Friday." Toby told him.

"Oh man, Paige, she's going to be so mad. I better send her a text to let her know. Give her some peace of mind, so that she doesn't think I just blew her off." Walter said as his left hand rose up and felt around for a moment before he picked up his phone.

"You, you really have changed haven't you?" Toby asked as he watched him with one hand enter a message.

"Well, whether I changed or was changed I can't really say but I am different now." Walter smiled. "All of the self loathing and hate I use to have about myself, from the bombing, my parents, it is all gone. I no longer feel like I need to hurt or mess with someone else to make myself feel better." Walter told him as he finished the text and hit send.

"Bull poop." Toby said but without conviction. "I just want you to know, I will be seeking revenge against you."

Walter smiled.

"Well, I can't stop you Toby. So, take your best shot. My only advice is, make it count the first time. Because if I'm not dead as a result of it, I will bury you in so much pain, that your great-great-grandkids will feel it." Walter told him. "But, let it go and enjoy your life."

"Answer me one thing then." Toby asked as he stepped over and sat down beside Walter's bed.

"What's that?" Walter asked.

"How do I get Happy to take me seriously as a potential boyfriend?" Toby asked, leaning forward.

"Do you want my honest answer?" Walter asked.

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise." Toby complained.

"Time. Happy's taken the first step to recover. You don't want to be the first person she connects with, trust me." Walter told him.

"Why?" Toby frowned.

"Come on Doc, you are the psychologist, why do you think I said that?" Walter asked.

"Because whoever the person is, they will just be a rebound." Toby said softly.

"Exactly. I mean maybe it could work out for you, but if you really want a real relationship, give her space and time. Just be her friend, her real friend." Walter smiled and then raised his left hand. "But, if you hurt Happy, I'll make your life hell. She's been hurt enough and I still love her. I probably always will and I'll be extremely pissed."

"Walter O'Brien?" The detective asked as he entered the room.

Greetings! I hope this finds you all well!

Railman - Ahhh...that is an easy answer. Walter has been this force, this larger than life figure in her life for over 5 years. She'd seen him stare down everyone, he never blinked, he never faltered. She's never seen him consciously vulnerable. That night, she saw him exactly like everyone else, he wasn't unstoppable or invulnerable and she knew then that she had the power to end their relationship. Paige knows now! lol

Marti - Well, did Drew enter your thought? hehe Thank you! So glad you are enjoying it and that you can still see the side of them we all remember from the show!

LouBe - hehe I had worried maybe I lost ya! lol Falling behind happens, I'm still behind on Railman's and JerBr's stories. Slowly trying to get caught up. Hopefully before the New Year. I asked Paige and she just smiled with a hint of blush. She was indeed, very upset after 6 days...Did it match up to what you thought? lol Doesn't look like Toby this time and definitely if he had wielded a knife, he'd have most definitely have killed him...That question might come up next chapter. Nope, not Happy, definitely was a man in the video. See my response to Railman about Happy's change of heart! hehe

JerBr23 - Right? lol What is wrong with their luck? Just over 6 days over all and I think she understood...hehe Looks like Walter has changed. Did Drew enter your thoughts?

Susan - I wouldn't want to be that therapist! lol Well if we really liked what Walter did could we call him Dark Walter? lol Well hopefully by the time you get done with this chapter you will be at least 30% more in favor of Walter. Yep, Happy could use a good therapist for sure!

To the Adventure! -Tim