Louise stayed and assisted Paige in stripping Walter and cleaning him up. They carefully got him off the vinyl tablecloth and under the covers until their clothes arrived.
"Sorry that this was a shock to you." Paige told Louise. "I tried to get Walter to be upfront about it, but he didn't want to appear weak."
Louise gave her a soft smile as she nodded.
"It's okay dear. He's just like his Father in that respect." Louise sighed. "When Sean first got sick, he didn't want anyone to know, kept trying to act like he was fine. Then one day at mass, when he tried to get on his knees he collapsed. He was extremely embarrassed about that."
"But really, it was the best thing that could have happened out of it." Louise said as a tear ran down her cheek. "Had he kept going he probably would have died a year or two ago. But his collapse in front of everyone forced him to be honest, and our neighbors all came up around us. They divided up the farm into sections and each of our neighbors took a section and we've stayed afloat because of it. Until we ended up leasing the land out." Louise said happily. "They put Sean in his place as he tried to refuse. They asked him what he would do if he was healthy and one of them was so sick. Sean and his pigheadedness."
"Sounds like something that would have to be said to Walter." Paige smiled.
"Ohhhh…" Walter moaned.
"Hey Lover." Paige smiled as she spoke softly. She reached out and stroked his cheek from the chair she sat in next to the bed. "Welcome back to the waking world."
"My head." Walter complained.
"I've got your pills right here, as soon as you're ready for them." Paige said as Walter's hand came up and gripped her hand.
"How long?" Walter asked quietly as he tried to open his eyes slightly.
"Not that long, just over forty minutes." Paige reached up with her other hand and ran it through his hair.
"Ralph?" Walter asked as his eyes opened a bit wider.
"He's fine." Paige nodded. "He was a little freaked at first. Everyone else is a little upset you hadn't let them know this was happening."
Walter nodded slightly.
"My pills, please." Walter said.
Paige smiled as she reached over and pulled the small container over. She placed it against his lips and Walter opened his mouth. She grabbed the small cup of ice water sitting there and brought it over next and slipped the straw into his mouth.
"Thank you." Walter said after swallowing. "You know, I really enjoy this time a bit. You always have such a wonderful aura around you as my brain recovers."
Paige smiled before she bent over and kissed him tenderly.
"My clothes?" Walter asked after they broke the kiss.
"Gerald has them in the wash." Paige smiled. "I've got a change here for you if you're ready."
"I probably should. So everyone knows I'm okay…and give them a chance to yell at me." Walter smiled.
"Well I'll let you on the condition that for the next hour you use this wheelchair." Paige told him.
"You drive a hard bargain, Ms Dineen." Walter told her with a smile.
"Hey, speaking of that." Paige said, still speaking quietly. "You know that I'm not pushing for us to get married right? I'm more than happy knowing what we mean to each other."
"Well I'm not holding back, as you know if I was to die or need an advocate or proxy, you are that person. What's mine is yours, I meant that when I first told you. I would love to be your husband." Walter told her seriously. "But I want it when you want it."
Paige smiled sweetly at him.
"I know my love. That's why those pills were actually poison." Paige winked.
Walter started laughing.
"Don't ever say something like that where others can hear it. They might think you were serious." Walter winked back as he pulled the cover off of himself.
Paige laughed but helped him to sit up before getting his clothes.
Paige stepped out of their room and left the door wide open.
"Good news everyone." Paige said as she stopped and looked back into the room.
Walter smiled at her as he wheeled himself out the door.
"Dad!" Ralph said and came running over.
Walter grinned as he picked him up and hugged him tightly.
"How are you feeling my boy?" Sean asked, his voice heavy with concern.
"All things considered, I'm fine and so grateful to be alive. My apologies for not being up front with everyone about my condition and scaring you when the episode happened." Walter told them. "They rarely happen and I didn't think I'd have one around everyone."
Sean smiled as he traveled the walkways of the resort on the mobility scooter Walter had gotten him to make getting around easier. It had been over a year since he had been outside in the sunlight for more than a few moments in between his home and a doctor's office or hospital. And this moment was a special treat as he had snuck out of the villa while everyone was out on the patio. Sean sat on a small lookout built for sightseeing the ocean and beach.
They'd been at the resort just over a week now and each day was better than the day before.
Walter had even convinced him to go fishing. And he was so thrilled. The resort had several people go with them to protect Walter, as well as Paige had grilled one of the nurses with them on the use of the drug in case Walter had a seizure out on the water. Their guide was a knowledgeable man and they ended up landing some very nice fish. Sean's favorite was a six foot sailfish he caught. After measuring the fish, they returned to the shore and the fish was taken to be prepared for that evening's meal.
The resort sent the measurements and photos of the sailfish to a company to have a replicant trophy made.
Sean frowned as he heard a shout that interrupted his memory of the fishing trip with Walter. He looked about and saw a woman walking out of a wooded area towards him. She looked friendly enough but he was still a little put off for the interruption.
"I'm sorry for disturbing your reverie." She said as she stopped and held out her hand.
"Sean." Sean gave her a brief smile as he reached out and shook her hand. The contrast between her much darker skin to his very pale white almost seemed comical to Sean.
"Abigail." She smiled at him. "You have cancer don't you Sean, and you're Catholic."
"Aye, I am and I do. How do you know?" Sean asked suspiciously.
"I've felt your spirit here on the island many times this week. I knew I had to find you. Do you mind if I pray for you?" Abigail asked.
"Prayer is the cornerstone of faith." Sean told her.
Abigail smiled before her hand sat gently on Sean's shoulder.
Sean felt almost like he was shocked by electricity as her hand touched him. He watched as her head jerked backwards and then he heard her speaking in a language he didn't understand. At first he wanted to stop her, but something made him decide to let it go. At one point, he watched as her other hand opened parallel to the ground and then he was surprised to see a bird that had been walking about the grounds fly up suddenly and landed in her hand.
Sean experienced a twisting in his gut over what was going on. The bird seemed to be content and just sat there in her hand. Sean listened to his trilling coo as he looked at him.
Finally Abigail stopped speaking as her head came back down to look at Sean.
"Live long Sean." She smiled as the bird flew down to the ground by where it had been.
Sean frowned hearing angry shouts.
Abigail turned to walk away as Sean watched the bird fall to the grass and didn't move.
Several minutes passed before they caught up to Sean.
"Are you okay Mr O'Brien?" several of the resort personnel asked as they ran up to him. Two of them ran past him, chasing in the direction that Abigail went.
"Aye, I'm fine. Why?" Sean asked.
"She's a local con artist. She comes around here trying to sucker our clients out of money." One of them spoke.
"No, she only asked if she could pray for me." Sean told them.
"Do you still have your wallet?" The man asked.
"Aye." Sean said as he pulled it out and showed them. "Her hand never left my shoulder. That bird over there had sat on her other hand."
One of the attendants walked over and gently nudged the bird with his toe but it was clear the bird was dead. He looked back and shook his head at the others.
"Well I realize as an adult you can do as you please, but I would strongly urge you to have one of your family with you at least when you come out. Or ask for an attendant to be around, just in case. Your son is well known and someone could try and take advantage of the situation with you. Your son called concerned because you had disappeared from the villa. We've been looking for you for about a half hour now." The man explained.
"I'm sorry for the worry. It wasn't intended. I just wanted to feel like I had some independence for a change." Sean explained.
The man nodded as he smiled at Sean.
"She gave us the slip again." The two men reported as they came back from the bushes.
They walked with Sean back to the villa.
"Dad, what were you thinking?" Megan said as they met inside the living room of the villa. "Couldn't you have at least taken one of the aides with you?"
"Look." Sean said forcefully. "I'm sorry you worried. But I've been confined to my bed for over three years. Wholly dependent on others. My son gave me a means to independence, brought me to this fine land to enjoy some time amongst all of you. I haven't felt this good in over twenty years. I needed some time on my own."
"Father." Walter said softly. "I get that, we all do. I promise you. But it is because of your condition we worry. All we would ever ask is that you take someone, whether it be one of us or one of the nurses. They could have walked behind you by one hundred feet or more if you wanted. Just in case an emergency came up, then you would have aid nearby. Now, what's this about some con artist that met with you?"
"I don't know why they called her a con artist. She seemed like a lovely woman of African descent. She even prayed over me." Sean smiled. "Came up and asked if I had cancer and if I was Catholic." Sean explained what happened.
"You don't remember what she said?" Walter frowned.
"Not a matter of what I remember, it was a language I didn't know." Sean shrugged.
"Can you recite any of the words?" Walter asked.
Sean thought for a moment before he haltingly spoke.
Walter frowned as his brilliant mind considered the words.
"Did she say…" Walter then spoke a phrase that seemed similar and Sean grinned as he nodded.
"Aye, in part that's what she said." Sean told them.
"Walter?" Paige asked.
"Depending on the exact dialect it could mean a couple of things, but given the situation, and the bird." Walter paused. "I believe she was saying you had acknowledged your failing, you were repentant and seeking to repair the harm you caused. And so your curse was lifted." Walter told Sean.
"My curse?" Sean frowned.
"In the mysticism according to her, your cancer was a curse brought on by the transgression." Walter explained.
"And the bird?" Sean asked.
Walter nodded.
"As a sacrifice, the bird consented to take the curse onto itself. Freeing you from the judgment of your transgression." Walter explained.
"Voodoo?" Paige asked.
"I wouldn't think so." Walter told her. "It might not even be a belief structure we've heard of, it might be a form of spiritualism."
"So does this mean Dad was cured?" Megan asked.
"You know how I feel about such things." Walter told her. "I believe in what we can measure and prove."
"But Dad said the bird died after leaving her hand. That has to mean something. You even said it." Megan told him.
"No, I just translated what was possibly said. I didn't give any credence to what was said. We'd have to wait for a blood test to tell us how Father is doing." Walter told her.
"Now, no arguing…" Louise said as she saw Megan winding up. "Walter gave us the information he could. We'll have to wait until we get home to get a proper report."
As they all sat down to their dinner that evening, a smorgasbord of seafood, Walter cleared his throat.
"Sadly as time does, we're getting close to the time we need to be back in California. If it weren't for the contracts we have starting in a few days, I'd just extend our time here. And with how long it will take to get you guys back to Ireland and then flying back to LA we'll have to leave in the morning."
Everyone sighed a bit at that thought.
"Well…" Sean started. "First, this holiday has been the best one we've ever had. So thank you again. But what about, what if we come back to LA with you guys? We could take an extended vacation. Let us see your homes and spend more time with our family. Would that be acceptable?" Sean's eyes never left Walter's as he spoke.
Louise gasped as she grabbed Sean's hand.
"If that is what you would like to do Father. I can message the pilot and let them know to change flight plans for tomorrow. I know I'd like for you to come home with us." Walter told him.
"That would be amazing." Megan said with a broad grin.
"Good, then it is settled." Sean grinned as he reached over and grabbed Walter's hand.
Walter pulled out his phone and sent a text to his pilots letting them know they were changing destinations to LA.
"Walter…" The resort manager bemoaned as they made their way to the helipad. "We're going to miss you. And it was a joy to have your family with us this visit. I hope to see you all back here soon."
"Thanks Jasper." Walter smiled. "I think we all had a wonderful time and as always, the staff and resort were wonderful."
"I'm so glad." Jasper smiled. "And don't forget, if you and Miss Paige decide to tie the knot, we'd be so honored to host the event for you."
"Well we're not sure a piece of paper is needed at this point, but if the day comes we do, I can almost guarantee we'll contact you. For a honeymoon if nothing else." Walter smiled at Paige as she nodded.
"All your medical staff and belongings should now be at the airport waiting on you guys." Jasper told them as they began to get Sean and Megan in the helicopters.
"Thanks Jasper. I'll let Allister know we had a wonderful time and everything was outstanding." Walter smiled as he extended his hand.
"Have a safe flight home Walter." Jasper said as he shook his hand.
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well! It is always a sad day when a story draws to a close. *sigh* But there is plans for another journey with "Dark Walter" in the future. Next Thursday, provided I have it done will be a short 3 or 4 chapter re-origination story for our favorite genius. I finally finished 2005 for "Callan" so when "Fix-tion" is finished I'll start posting it. Probably somewhere around February...depending on how "Fix-tion" goes.
LouBe - *grin* Glad you approve! lol Nope, no Connor or Thomas, they'd be in for a real world of hurt if they messed with this version of Walter, no doubt. lol Paige took it pretty low key. She was only fulfilling Walter's wishes and if anyone has a problem with that, she'd be happy to explain it to them. lol Of course her and Louise had a nice little talk over it all, so it is all good. Sean completely understood why Walter did it, after all, we found out he did it himself. Nope, not much time unconscious this time. lol hehe Finding out their real net worth definitely changed things for her.
Railman - Yup she has! lol As I told LouBe, learning just what their net worth is helped with that. Thankfully it was very short and they had a pretty good week together, now it is leading them back to LA together!
To the Adventure! -Tim