"Don't you dare come any closer!" Collins yelled frantically. He reached behind him and took out a gun which Walter could only suppose had been stuffed in his pants. "And don't apologize to me! It's too late for that!"
"What's happening?!" Sylvester shouted over the coms.
"He pulled a gun" Walter said, panic threatening to rise in his chest.
"Of course I did Sylvester. " Collins retorted. "Now will you please shut up? I'm trying to concentrate."
"Walter…." Paige said as a tear spilled down her cheek.
"Paige it's going to be alright" Walter said, trying to believe it.
Collins furrowed his brow and glared at Walter. "It's not going to be alright, and you know it. Tell me Walter! Tell me she doesn't mean anything to you. Tell me that it's not thoughts of this…this…normal that keep you awake at night."
Walter remained silent knowing Collins would perceive a lie.
"See! You're throwing your potential away. And I can't understand why Walter so try to explain."
"You can't understand." Walter said slowly. "Because you don't know her the way I do."
"Wrong answer!" Collins pulled Paige's head up to his and put the gun on her temple and loaded it. She winced again and let out a whimper. "You disappoint me."
"Collins! Don't do this!" Walter shouted, his voice going horse.
"It's your fault Walter. You could have prevented this if you had just decided to reach your potential. Now you'll lose us both."
"Walter…" Paige said, tears now streaming down her face. "Take care of Ralph for me?"
"No!" He shouted. It can't end like this. I was supposed to protect her.
All of a sudden a shot went off. It came from behind Walter's right shoulder and immediately both Paige and Collins went down. Walter's heart stopped.
"Paige!" He began to sprint toward the opening in the fence. "Paige!"
"What do you see Walter?" Happy yelled frantically in his ear.
"Both Collins and Paige are down. We need a helicopter!"
"Already on its way" Cabe said.
Walter reached them to discover they were both laying in a pool of blood. He blinked furiously as tears started forming. "Paige?" She looked up at him and furrowed her brow, obviously confused. "You're alive." He wiped tears from his eyes, unable to suppress his emotions and relief. "But the back of your head is bleeding. It's just a graze from the bullet." He helped her sit up and tore some fabric off his sleeve, carefully wrapping her head.
"What…what happened?"
"It was Homeland. They were going to take Collins out with a sniper but obviously couldn't get a good enough shot so they went for his hand." She turned her head to see but Walter put his hand up to block her view. "Don't look. It's pretty gruesome."
She nodded. "Ralph?"
"Safe. Cabe got an agent to take him to a secure location."
All of a sudden Collins woke up and started screaming. His hand was completely shattered by the bullet. Walter grabbed the gun Collins had been holding and pointed it at his chest.
"You're never going to hurt her again" Walter said firmly, the gun shaking. He felt Paige's hand on his own.
"Don't do it Walter. He isn't worth it."
"He almost killed you."
"I know. But killing him like this won't be good for you. Please don't." Walter paused for a moment and decided that however justified he felt in killing Collins, it wouldn't be worth the disappointment he would receive from Paige.
"Okay." He lowered the gun but then hit Collins over the head knocking him unconscious.
"Thank you." she whispered. As Walter carefully wiped Collin's splattered blood off Paige He felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. It would be so easy. But he resisted by turning his gaze away from her lips. More than ever Walter was convinced that the only way to keep her safe from himself and others was to let her go.
"Paige!" Happy called as she sprinted across the field and ducked through the hole in the fence. "Are you alright?" Walter was grateful for a distraction.
"I'm fine. Dizzy though…"
"Keep sitting up. Looks like you got grazed, but it's not too bad."
Walter heard the sound of a chopper overhead.
"Your ride is here" Happy said forcing a small smile. "We'll help you up." Paige tried to stand but collapsed into Walter's arms.
"I'm sorry." She murmured. "I'm just so dizzy."
"You don't need to apologize Paige" Walter said picking her up. She was so light and delicate. As Walter walked toward the chopper his senses were reeling. In addition to the adrenaline which had been pumping through his body for the past 3 hours he now held what was undoubtedly the most important thing to him. The thing he had nearly lost. Never again. She won't ever be hurt ever again.
"Walter O'Brian?" The medical tech asked as he jumped off of the helicopter.
"Yes."
"We're here to take Paige to a medical facility. Is the terrorist alive?"
"Yes, but he's unconscious." The man nodded to the other techs who quickly ran off to grab Collins. "You'll be safe at the hospital" Walter said looking at Paige.
She looked up at him. "Aren't you coming with me?"
"I…can't."
"We could take another-" the technician started to stay before Walter cut him off.
"No, I can't."
"Please don't leave me" She said choking on the words as he placed her in the helicopter.
"It'll be better this way."
"Please." But he had already turned around and walked away, not daring to look back as the helicopter lifted off.
"Why didn't you go with her?" Cabe asked coming up from the trail.
Walter suddenly felt tired and alone. I couldn't he thought.