Paige walked past the inside window of the loft and paused briefly at the doorway into the area Walter sat. Her hand rapt gently against the doorframe.
"Hey." Paige said softly.
"Hey." Walter said as he looked up from the pad of paper before him.
"I…I wanted to thank you. What you did on that buoy." Paige kind of laughed as she walked into the room. "Was insane."
"I…I would have made it to the raft." Walter said as his eyes looked strangely lost and he swallowed.
"Oh, uh, don't think so." Paige looked amusedly incredulous. "And it's not really the point." Paige told him with humor to her voice.
"Well, it was the least I could do. I owed you." Walter told her.
"Owed me? For what?" Paige asked, confused.
"For, uh…for letting me sink or swim. See, at first, I was…I was mad at you…because I…I didn't understand why you would do that to me." Walter told her as his eyes took on a studious look.
"Mm-hmm." Paige moved up and sat on the arm of a chair in front of Walter.
"But then I realized that you did it for me. I've never had anyone who cared about my emotional development before, someone who'd try different things to help me. But you care. And, umm…Sometimes caring means tough love." Walter swallowed hard. "So I owed you, so I jumped in." Walter explained.
"An extreme way of paying off debts." Paige softly chuckled "But…I don't think you owed me. Walter, can I be honest?" Paige asked seriously.
"Mm, of course. You're the most honest person I know." Walter told her as he struggled with his thoughts.
"Okay. Here goes. I…I tried being mad at you for the whole Tim thing, and that just…Well, it felt crummy. So I have an idea. I'd…I'd like for us just to acknowledge that we're great friends, special friends, who care deeply about each other, the-the kind of friends who'd do anything for each other, including…risk their lives." Paige told him carefully.
"That's…That's accurate and logical. Yeah. I like it." Walter told her with a slight nervous smile.
"Great. Umm, we can put any recent tension behind us." Paige suggested while feeling a bit of fear if he'd agree or not.
"Agreed. Yeah." Walter said quickly.
Paige slapped her leg as she stood, a soft amused breath escaped from her mouth.
"So, friend…" Walter gave a nervous laugh. "Uh, what do you have planned for tonight?" Walter tried to be casual and failed. Anyone else not close to them could tell how much he loved her.
"I'm just gonna…like, Skype with Tim. You?" Paige asked, trying to sound ordinary.
"I w-worked up a list of clients that I've recently offended. I was gonna…try to, uh, apologize to them." Walter told her nervously.
"Mmmm." Paige said with an amused smile.
"Using the…the skills that you taught me." Walter added, clearly still nervous.
"Okay. You know what, um, I could, I could Skype with Tim tomorrow. How-how about we make those calls together, and I can help you through any rough spots?" Paige offered sincerely.
"I'd like that." Walter said but his eyes flashed his fear as Paige moved over and sat down beside him.
"Okay." Paige reached out for the papers.
"Yep." Walter said, still over compensating for his nerves.
"Thanks." Paige said, shocked by the size of the list
Walter and Paige had moved downstairs during one call so Walter could get some information for the client he was talking with.
"Walter, can we be completely honest here?" Paige asked after Walter hung up his phone after the call. The events of the day and now listening to him on the phone had convinced her of something she had to do.
"Uh, oh, y-yes, of course. I-I want nothing else but to be completely honest with you." Walter said suddenly feeling more nervous.
"G-Good, I'm glad to hear it. Because I…I need you to be completely honest with me. And the reason for that is my Mother and Drew." Paige told Walter as she looked deep into his eyes.
"I…understand. She did a lot of questionable things while you were growing up, not to mention the things she did here. And Drew's…umm…outside activities couldn't have inspired trust." Walter nodded.
"No, they did not. This probably won't make sense and…and it might take some time, some time to get to the point, so bear with me." Paige told him softly.
Walter nodded.
"You don't like psychology much…why is that?" Paige asked as she tried to figure out how to have this conversation with him.
Walter looked surprised as he blinked several times and then sat up straight.
"Well, I know from peoples' admissions, that…they have been helped through emotionally troubling issues with it, so it isn't that I…I don't believe it has potential. It is mainly because it is a soft science. Have you ever seen a doctor's license?" Walter asked.
Paige shook her head.
"Doctors are licensed to practice medicine. It means that on a broad spectrum if someone had all of these symptoms they'd try solution 'a' for the least deadliest condition…to see if the patient would get better. If they didn't, they would move on to another solution that fit the same symptoms but for a different condition. Unless there is a definitive test to prove what the person has. And then there is Toby who makes trusting psychology harder because of his emotional issues which causes him to act out against his patient." Walter told her.
"So, if Toby recommended that you not do something, you wouldn't listen to him?" Paige asked while showing her curiosity.
Walter shook his head.
"I'd listen but I would compare what he said to me to what I knew and felt. It seems every time I follow his advice, it usually has a bad outcome." Walter told her.
"Walter, I'm going to reiterate that I need you to tell me the truth about the things I'm asking about." Paige said again.
Walter frowned but nodded.
"I am, but I promise." Walter told her.
"No matter how hard it is?" Paige asked. "Because they won't be easy truths, but I need you to tell them anyway, regardless of anything else you think. I need to know the truth of how you feel about what I ask you." Paige told him after grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "And Walter, I…I am serious now, I need the truth of how you feel, not what you think is appropriate or expected, no matter what." She raised her other hand and placed it against his chest, over his heart and patted him gently there.
Walter could have sworn the heat had kicked on and was in the process of roasting him alive. He felt over warm, he felt light headed as his respirations increased. Walter swallowed but slowly nodded.
"Remember our first shared kiss, down here, by your desk?" Paige asked gently.
That event was never far from his mind and his mind instantly recalled that event and he immediately felt her lips against his. The sweet taste of her flesh, the firmness of her body as her hands first groped out at him. Each of them pulled the other closer, pressing their bodies tightly against each other.
Walter shivered which brought a smile of its own to Paige's lips.
"Yes." Walter said huskily.
"Good, did you mean what you said to me about it?" Paige stared hard into his eyes.
"Paige…I…I don't think…that is to say that this isn't a wise idea…Tim." Walter tried to say.
"Forget Tim. I told you, regardless of what you think, I want the truth." Paige demanded.
Walter struggled to look away from her but Paige's eyes had locked his eyes to hers. His hand rose up and ran down his face allowing him to blink.
"No." Walter said weakly.
"I didn't hear you." Paige told him.
"No." Walter said a bit firmer. "I deviated from my normal operation." Walter finished.
"Walter, you are not a machine or a robot. The fact that you can get nervous, upset, mad, jealous and irritated is just a small example of that. You don't have a normal operation. Behavior is the word you need to use." Paige told him.
Walter swallowed as he nodded.
"I…I deviated from my normal behavior." Walter told her.
"And you won't do that again…with me, right?" Paige asked.
Walter nodded.
"I won't de…deviate." Walter told her.
"So how did you really feel after we kissed?" Paige asked.
It felt like his head was swimming, he wanted out of this because of his promise. But he wanted to just let his mouth run off telling her everything.
"I was so overwhelmed. The pleasure of our kiss was above any I had ever felt before. I desired you unlike anyone or thing before. It was all I could do…to…" Walter froze.
"Lie." Paige finished.
Walter nodded.
"It was all I could do to lie to you and pull away from you, because I was so scared." Walter explained.
"I understand Walter and I forgive you for that lie, because I lied too. I was scared of the passion that I felt and felt from you. But I am not going to lie to you anymore either." Paige told him.
Walter nodded.
Paige slid her hand down Walter's chest and took his other hand in it.
"Walter I want you to know, I already know the truth of what I am going to ultimately ask, but I need you to be honest and tell me now. It's just you and me here. Neither of us is in a life or death situation, we're not incapacitated in anyway, our minds are clear and we know what is happening. Do you agree?" Paige asked.
Walter nodded.
"Not counting emotional issues." Walter said.
Paige smiled.
"Walter, what is your honest feeling about me?" Paige asked softly but with an edge that told him she was serious.
"But I told Tim…" Walter started.
Anger flashed across Paige's face, startling Walter.
"Fuck Tim." Paige told him harshly. "I said, what you feel, regardless of what you think."
Walter jerked at the word and heat from Paige.
"I…" Paige's phone rang and Walter paused as he looked to the desk they were by. "It's Tim."
"Walter, what did I just tell you?" Paige said without looking.
Walter swallowed hard.
"I love you Paige. And I have loved you since shortly after we met."
Paige smiled even as tears built up in her eyes.
"Walter, I love you too. I have been waiting for you to tell me for so long. Why did you give me the tickets to take Tim to Tahoe? Why haven't you told me? Why did I have to basically brow beat you into the truth?" Paige asked.
Walter at first had smiled at her declaration.
"I was nervous, I was about to ask you to go when your phone rang and Tim's name came up. So I chickened out. And then I promised Tim I'd stop interfering with your relationship after I told you I loved you." Walter told her.
Paige's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Walter puzzled. Had he remembered the rocket event?
"Wait, what? When did you tell me you loved me? When did you promise that to Tim?" Paige demanded.
"After Cabe brought Tim and Sly back from Bulgaria. Tim was furious with me because he heard me over the coms, after which he had threatened me. Don't you remember?" Walter watched Paige shake her head. "It, umm…happened after you and I escaped that missile strike on the building. Apparently where we had been on the sidewalk we were out of the area of electronic interference. As you walked away you must have walked back into it because I told you I went up to Tahoe to tell you that I love you. Everyone else heard me, but I guess now you didn't. I'd thought you didn't care, that you didn't love me back so you kept walking." Walter explained.
"Wait. You're telling me that you announced how you felt about me that day? That everyone else on the team heard and knew? And no one told me?" Paige demanded.
Walter nodded his head a bit scared.
"What the hell. Tim threatened you as well?" Paige's face contorted in anger as she swore then jumped up and began pacing.
Walter nodded even as his face took on a worried look as he watched. He slowly decided he should finish what he was saying.
"I promised Tim I wouldn't interfere anymore. And then Cabe told me that I was being selfish. That you deserved better than what I was capable of, because I was only half baked." Walter continued.
"Wait, I'm not through what you just said. And now you are saying that Cabe said what?" Paige demanded.
"He said: So, earlier today, Tim wanted to knock your head off. And I stood up for you, not because you're right, but because I care for you, and I know how bad it hurts to lose a woman you have feelings for."
"It hurts me to tell you this, but you like facts, so here it is. She deserves more than you're capable of giving her at this stage in your life. You're not fully formed yet. You're almost there, but you're half-baked. And for you to try to go to win the love of a woman like Paige before you're ready is selfish and wrong. And it's not fair to her." Walter repeated what Cabe had said.
Paige growled as anger flashed through her face again.
"What the hell? No one has a right to tell you that Walter, no one. And you can bet when I see Cabe again, he's getting an earful. No wonder this has been so screwed up. Damn it." Paige swore as she grabbed her head.
Walter decided to finish.
"Well as I was saying, because, like I told you on the raft. I know I can become too much for people. And I don't have a good track record with romance. I was caught between many rocks, my promise to Tim. My love for you and my fear of either being rejected again or worse. If I failed with you and I lost you as a friend as well I'd be devastated. And losing you means I'd lose Ralph, I'd probably fail the team and Scorpion would collapse without you. Because I'd be a mess and unable to function." Walter told her.
Paige shook her head as she tried to understand. She slowly stepped over and sat down facing Walter again.
"I am so beyond pissed Walter. Not at you." Paige tried to reassure him as she reached up and cupped his face in her hands. "Now I know, know just what has happened and why this has been so hard for you. Walter, I am a grown woman, I get to make the decisions for me. Whether it is how to raise my son, where I shop, what I wear or who I spend my time with. We only get one chance in this life. And as long as you are honest with someone, they can decide how to pursue life with you. Do you understand me?" Paige asked softly.
Walter nodded.
Greetings! I Hope this finds you all well! Welcome to Circles! hehe Sharknerdo had so much potential like so many episodes but they didn't capitalize on it. And this is my take of what should have happened when the director called "Print!" or whatever they yell when they have finally captured the last scene. Yesterday the muse spoke loudly and in just under 2 hours I wrote a chapter for Lady Knight, there should be another chapter for it, hopefully it will be done before this story is posted and I'll post it next if so.
LouBe - hehe No worries, timelines can become blurry sometimes...even I have to go back and refresh once in a while. Lord Walter and Happy arrived in Dusksong about a year after he became a knight, two weeks later they were outside the stream that separated where Scorpion Keep & Brightsong would be established. A few weeks later they were summoned to Harris. They had a number of adventures over the next 2 years before going to rescue the future temple Mistress and the caravan. They had been at Scorpion Keep 7 years when they rescued Sir Fredrick and his children as they journeyed to Harris. Of course 2 years later he met Paige and Ralph and now it has been about a year & a half since they met.
Pearliegirl - hehe No problems. During "A Knight Receives A Messenger" it comes to light that Sylvester knew a man living in Brightsong was actually a Necromancer. But he never revealed that fact because he still believed that necromancy was just like his magic. It was the intent of the wielder not the magic itself that was bad/evil. That act alone violated the tenets of Lord Walter's lands and would call for Sylvester to be banished on pain of death. Then that man betrayed his trust by trying to kill Lord Walter. Which made Sylvester a co-conspirator and was a death sentence. Lord Walter appealed to Athena for a lesser punishment and she granted his request. Megan was over-zealous in her defense of Sylvester after they found out Sylvester's punishment, to the point that Lord Walter judged her and included her in listening to the stories during their time at Harris. She won't have to listen to them in the other towns unlike Sylvester. Hope that helps!
To the Adventure! -Tim