Ch. 55
Laurie woke up early that morning, unable to sleep. She was surprised to find Walter dozing on the couch when she came out of her room. Concerned, she went to check on him, and as she leaned over him his eyes flew open. He did not seem to recognize her at first, as his eyebrows knitted with what looked like confusion.
"Walter," said Laurie, bending down to touch her hand to his face. He grabbed her hand as if he had been drowning and she had reached out to save him.
"Laurie," he said, in a raspy voice that belonged to neither Walter nor Rorschach, "Laurie, Laurie, Laurie."
"Are you all right?" asked Laurie, studying him closely. His eyes seemed alert and bright, and intense in a way that was unsettling.
"Yes," he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he seemed a little better, somehow. Looked less pale.
"Why are you sleeping on the couch? Is Dan bothering you?"
"No, had a nightmare." He laughed as he sat up. "I guess it must sound foolish, running out in the night like a child, as if I can't handle anything on my own."
"Not at all," Laurie said, and she sat down by his side.
Walter was looking into her eyes, and she was looking back. They gazed for a long moment, entranced.
"What are you going to do with me?" Walter asked, again in that odd voice.
Laurie opened her mouth to answer, but she found she really didn't know what to think of this query. She briefly wondered if she was dreaming.
"What do you mean, Walter?" she asked, finally.
"How long are you going to wait for me? Indefinitely? Or are you already sick of me?"
Laurie lowered her eyes.
"I'm not sick of you," she said. "You're not sick of me, are you?"
"No," said Walter, frowning. And he sounded normal again. "No, why would you think that?"
Laurie frowned, unable to really say why. She was afraid that he would agree with her in the end and that would be that. Instead she tentatively reached out and hugged Walter, worried that somehow he would feel different against her. He didn't. He was still strong and soft at the same time and brimming with the incredible warmth that always seemed to radiate off of him when she was near him. She almost sobbed with relief.
"I really miss you, you know that?" she told him. "I know that must sound nuts; we were cramped in a car for two days together, but I don't mean it like that."
Laurie paused, but Walter wasn't saying anything.
"I wish I could go with you," said Laurie, "Solve this with you. Be with you. I want to share everything with you, Walter. I don't want to be left out -- it gets lonely by myself."
Walter was silent, so Laurie finally pulled away to look at him after a while. His cheeks were pink, and his eyes looked warm and bright as he gazed at her.
"I'm very sorry, but..." Walter said pausing for a moment, and Laurie braced herself for rejection. "But, I thought you didn't want this."
"What?" Laurie asked, surprised. "What are you saying, Walter?"
"Agent Orange," he shrugged. "I thought you wouldn't understand it. Nobody does until they see what he is capable of."
"Then show me," Laurie said, grabbing his shoulders. "I won't break, you know. I'm not made of glass. I can handle anything Agent Orange can throw at me. We're partners, remember?"
"Yes." He was nodding, and a small smile began to appear on his lips. Laurie felt relieved. He was looking like his old self again.
"Let me help you, Walter," said Laurie. "I can't just be part of one of your lives -- otherwise, this isn't going to work out."
"Yes," he said again, and this time he looked relieved. "You don't mind at all?"
"Mind what?"
"Having to juggle both."
"Of course not," Laurie laughed. "That's how we met, remember? There was a time when you were two people to me, Walter. Don't forget that. I want both."
"You do." Walter wasn't asking a question, though it almost seemed it was intended as such. His eyes were full of emotion as they roamed over her facial features as if he couldn't get his fill of her.
"Yes," Laurie assured him, and held his face for a moment until he pressed forward and kissed her in a way that made her shudder.
"I love you, Laurie," he told her, and his eyes seemed to have been set ablaze. "I'm so glad... so thankful to have met you."
"Me too," Laurie said, wiping her eyes. "I love you too, Walter."
"You've been nothing but good to me," he said, stroking her cheek and looking at her as if admiring her.
"And you too."
"Don't lie. I make it difficult and you know it."
"Maybe sometimes," Laurie admitted.
Walter hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Just tell me," he said. "Just tell me what to do and I will do it. Just tell me when I'm doing wrong and I will correct it."
Laurie tried to protest, but he took her hands and put them to his chest..
"I would do anything for you," Walter said, as he kissed her fingers. "Give anything to you."
"Walter, I would too," Laurie was struggling to keep the tears from falling.
"I know," he was smiling at her, and his face looked quite honest and open to her that moment, almost shining. For a brief few seconds he looked like a little boy, innocent and full of unconditional love, and she couldn't help but cry then.
"Thank you," she told him, as she kissed first his mouth, then his chin, then his ear. His hands moved to the small of her back in a familiar gesture, and he drew her closer. They sat in each other's embrace for a long while, until Dan emerged suddenly from his room, causing Walter and Laurie to jump back.
"Hey," said Dan. "Were you waiting for me?"
"Uh, sure," said Laurie, laughing. "Breakfast, right?"
"Yeah. Where's Nelly?"
"I don't know," Laurie shrugged. "I was up pretty early, but he was already gone by then."
"Guess he went to meet up with the crime fighter guy huh?"
"I suppose so."
"Come on then," said Dan, gesturing with his head, "Let's go."
Dan led the way downstairs, Walter pausing for a moment to look at Laurie.
"We need to look into the case," he told her.
"Yes, I know," Laurie said, "But breakfast first, all right?"
"Yes," Walter agreed, but he was giving her that strange look again and pretty soon he was pushing her against the wall to kiss her.
Laurie was surprised, but she wasn't about to protest. She did remember Dan, however, and had to pull away for a moment, gasping for breath.
"Uh, what about Dan?" she asked.
They glanced over at the foot of the steps, and Dan was standing awkwardly with his hands in his pockets, looking politely to the side. Walter made a strange sound in his throat and turned to Laurie, then to Dan again.
"Go on without us," said Walter.
"Oh, uh, okay." Dan looked like he was sweating all of a sudden, and he wiped at his brow before he nodded a little too enthusiastically. "All right. I'll be downstairs... For a really long time. Okay?"
Dan ran down the stairs before Laurie could even argue. Walter was back to kissing her again, and she threw her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He was pressing into her, and Laurie gasped when Walter's hands went to her breasts.
"Walter," she exclaimed. "Are you...?"
"Do you want to?" he asked her. His eyes were gleaming again with that strange light and he looked intently at her.
"Well yes," Laurie laughed with surprise. "Just not out here."
"Right."
Walter took her hand and ushered them back into the room. He closed and locked the door behind them, then used the security chain. He pulled Laurie into her and Nelly's room and closed the door. Laurie glanced around, nervous that Nelly had managed to sneak into the room while they weren't looking. He hadn't. She turned to regard Walter, who was unbuttoning his shirt. Laurie stared, half in awe and half in shock. He tossed his shirt aside as if it offended him, then his under shirt in a similar fashion before he came closer to her. Laurie's heart started to pound with excitement. Certain that he would somehow change his mind, she started to shove him towards her bed as quickly as she could. She was planning on straddling him if she had to. Walter seemed to have a different opinion on how things would go, however. He grabbed her waist and maneuvered her onto the bed instead.
They sat side by side as they kissed, fumbling a little as Laurie helped Walter take off first her shirt, then her pants, leaving her in her underwear. Walter placed his hands on her waist again as he put her on her back and hovered over her as he simultaneously rid himself of his pants while leaving his mouth on hers. Laurie grabbed Walter by the shoulders and pulled him to her, shivering at the shock of skin meeting skin. Laurie's heart raced as she tried to enjoy the feel of Walter on her and at the same time trying to brace for everything suddenly ending abruptly and in disappointment once more. She lifted herself on her elbows to undo her top, sliding it down her arms and flinging it off to the side. Walter took care of the bottom without any prompting, then his own until they were both nude.
Laurie was blushing furiously and was glad to see that Walter's cheeks had also gone pink. Laurie let her eyes wander down from his face to his chest and his arms, smiling a little as she noticed how far the freckles spread on his body. Walter held himself over her, eyes looking into hers and he seemed to be silently mouthing words.
"What?" Laurie asked him, as her hands went to his face.
Walter shook his head and smiled. He let out a small breath before he leaned in to kiss first her mouth, then travelled downwards as he gave her a lingering kiss on each part of her body. Laurie felt a little self-conscious in her nakedness, and thought that maybe she was breathing too hard, but Walter didn't seem to mind. His hands explored her body tentatively at first, as if he were testing the surface of her skin, afraid that it would break somehow. He became increasingly assured with each passing moment, and Laurie had to grab the bed sheet in her hand when his fingers grazed her inner thigh.
Walter moved up to kiss her again, and Laurie allowed her own hands to trace patterns on first Walter's shoulders, then down towards his chest. Laurie briefly kissed his neck, noting the taste of salt on her lips and realizing that a fine sheen of sweat had formed on both their bodies. Walter shifted himself over her, and Laurie waited in anticipation. It was a little uncoordinated at first, as Walter had to try a few times before Laurie realized she had to move her hips into the correct position. Once properly situated, Walter seemed to have lost his breath and finally let go of it after a few seconds of being frozen in place on top of her. Walter finally moved against her, and Laurie felt her eyes close as she drew Walter to her, wanting to feel his chest against hers, and his hot mouth on hers as they made love.
Once they began to pick up speed, it didn't take long before Walter shuddered into her. Panting with the effort, they took a short rest before they eased into foreplay again. When they came together a second time, he was able to wait for her. Afterwards they lay in each other's arms, Laurie with her hand on Walter's chest, his heart still thundering under her palm; Walter's face buried in her hair. Walter moved his arm around her and pulled her closer to him and she could feel the pulse of his neck beneath her lips as he whispered in her ear.
Laurie drifted off to a lull between sleep and waking, Walter himself fast asleep next to her. Laurie couldn't help but bite her lip as her mind tried to catch up with what had happened. She turned to look at Walter's peaceful, sleeping form and smiled in relief. She stroked his hair briefly before she closed her eyes again, sighing. Her eyes flew open for a moment, as a nagging feeling overtook her, but she shook her head and settled back once more. In her mind she couldn't help but think they had forgotten something, but for the life of her she couldn't remember. All she knew was that she was unbelievably happy, and for now that was all that mattered.
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To be continued...
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Author's Note: Just in case nobody noticed, this fic just got turned to M for awkward sex. Yay! (Oh, wait, maybe I should have added this at the beginning. Oh, well! Walter tricked us all with this unexpected business!)