Paige couldn't say how long they stayed in that embrace, but far longer than would be considered normal. When Walter had finally pulled back, he had a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite describe, almost… peaceful, serene. A sort of calm encompassing him. A sureness about him. Trying to make sense of that given the situation was not something her emotions were capable of at the moment. Luckily, she didn't have to when he took her hand and with a youthful enthusiasm, grinned and spoke, his words ones that she committed to the far depths of her memory.

"Let me take you away from here, away from all of this. Just us."

So, she smiled, a pure whimsical smile, devoted to making her short time with him count, and squeezed his hand.

"I'll follow you anywhere, Walter O'Brien."

And she would. Anywhere.

He smiled, a smile she felt in her soul. He looked so handsome, dressed so casually. Walter was typically dressed in his button downs and slacks, so to see him in jeans, sneakers and a basic navy blue t-shirt, was unusual and so welcomed. She briefly wondered what her grandmother had thought seeing him dressed in such a way. The image in her mind made her happy. She was thankful for her own selection of jeans, tennis shoes, a white tank top layered with a gray button up left open and rolled up at the sleeves. Just a nice casual day out.

Hand-in-hand, they fled the Inn, passing by her grandparents hounding Leonard in the lobby, to which she didn't even acknowledge, saving all of her energy and attention for Walter, and together they drove off leaving a wake of dust behind them on the dirt road. Leaving her grandparents, and their frustrations and pain of the morning, behind.

Unlike the ride here, Paige kept her sunglasses off for this ride, no longer afraid of him seeing exactly what she had kept hidden for so long. Difficult being in a car, but she positioned herself sideways in the passenger seat, her head softly laying against the headrest, her eyes trained on the enigmatic man before her, soaking in every detail while she could, no attempts to hide her affection. The moments he would shift his eyes away from the unfamiliar roads and turn to look at her, his expression matched hers; vulnerable, loving, transfixed, longing. When his hand reached over to clasp hers, she felt her heart flutter in response, and held onto it as if it could be the last time she ever would. No walls between them. No hiding their feelings. Just them… being.

For as long as they could.

After about fifteen minutes of the most comfortable silence she'd ever experienced, he pulled up outside a small diner. But, exiting the car, he didn't walk toward it, rather leaving her at the car and walking in the opposite direction.

"Walt… I thought we were getting coffee, no? Food? I'm hungry! And desperately need caffeine." She put her sunglasses on, scanning the busy street in confusion, the bright California sun, and the remnants of a minor hangover, besting her. She needed coffee… and wine hangover food. Lots of carbs.

He was clearly looking for something, abandoning her on the sidewalk as he strolled down toward the corner, and she was lost as to whether to follow him. He was in Walter-mission mode, and like always, she knew he would explain once he was ready.

Hopefully that would be sooner rather than later.

"Ahh! Yes!" He stopped, looking pleased, then rushed back, taking her hand again. "Right over here! Come on!" She chuckled and allowed him to drag her the hundred feet or so down the road. "Okay, close your eyes." He instructed, stopping just shy of where he had been before rushing back to her. She raised an eyebrow at him. " Please?" She could never resist that face.

It made her sad. But she wouldn't feel that right now.

Living in the moment.

"Okay, okay!" She chuckled, closing her eyes.

With her eyes closed, she felt him move around her, to come behind her, then felt his arms wrap around her torso and she shuttered, especially when she felt the weight of his head and chin rest on her shoulder, felt the warmth of his breath next to her ear.

"No peeking." He teased, and the sensation of his whispered voice so close to her face sent chills down her spine as together they stepped forward. Her own breath was ragged, her hands covering his wrapped around her stomach, her back pressed firmly against him. How desperately she wanted to turn her head and kiss him.

He positioned her body just so, turning her slightly and she became disoriented.

"You're not setting me up to get hit by a car or something are you?" She teased back, lightheartedly, feeling oddly exposed with her eyes closed.

His lips pressed against her temple, firm, but gentle, reassuring, lingering for just a moment, ajd she could both feel and hear how he breathed in the scent of her hair. In a way that held so much trust and safety… comfort.

"I would never let anything happen to you."

He was saying so much more. She knew it.

It gave her hope that they would find a way.

She let one hand leave his burly arms and rise up, carefully seeking out his face without opening her eyes, coming to rest upon his cheek, meaningfully tracing over his brow line, cheek bone, jaw… his lips. A touch so tender and intimate, just for him, a touch that spike far more than her words ever could. The feel of him leaning into her touch made her swoon.

"I know."

He wanted to kiss her, to turn her jaw ever so lightly so he could capture her lips, tell her how much he loved her, but then her hand dropped back down, and he, as always, chickened out.

"Okay, I saw this online… and well, you appreciate the arts. So, um, open."

She wanted to keep them closed forever, stay in this moment of his arms around her, protecting her from the world. But, alas, the world was calling. Nervously, her lashes fluttered open, adjusting to the light, even through the amber tinted lenses covering her eyes.

"Oh wow!" Painted over the wall before her was an elaborate mural that looked like an elongated two cent postage stamp, the name FRESNO painted across in giant letters, each one adorned with detailed paintings within. "That's incredible!"

"There are apparently dozens of them painted all over the city. Figured we could get some coffee, breakfast, and go on a mission to try to find some? Get some photos for Ralph, of course. There's a couple of other places I want to take you to today, but they won't be open for a while. That is of course, if you're agreeable to that plan? You don't have to. We can do whatever you'd like…" She turned in his arms, a grin plastered to her face.

"A mission where no one is about to die, explode, or be blasted into space? I like it. This is great, Walter. I love it. Really. That sounds like a perfect way to spend the day."

His boyish grin of accomplishment made her knees weak.

"That is most excellent, then. Um, okay, um, how about a photo?" How she adored the way he was so squeamish in asking, like he was about to explode from anticipation.

"Definitely." Just behind them a couple was passing by, walking a small dog. "Um, excuse me, sorry to bother you. I was wondering if you'd mind snapping a quick photo for us?"

Walter was not expecting for others to be involved.

"Oh, of course! We have a collage of our pictures in front of all of the murals framed at home from when we first moved here!" The woman answered excitedly, and Walter handed her his phone with the camera app open, afraid to speak and ruin the moment with an awkward exchange. Faking it for her family was one thing, he knew the opponent, but general socializing with random strangers was a completely different ball game.

"Oh, what a great idea! We're going to try and find them all today!" Paige said, so excited and he couldn't stop the grin on his face watching her. This was exactly what he wanted for today. Seeing Paige happy, excited, appreciated, enjoying life. Not restless and anxious, being treated like vermin.

Paige took his hand and pulled him toward the mural, and to his delight, snuggled up close to his side wrapping one arm around his back, and the other on his chest, allowing him to put one around her shoulder and the other across his waist to grab her side lightsideThe close contact had yet to stop feeling electrified, and he wondered if that was something that would change in time.

"Okay!" The woman announced with a smile.

After one photo, Paige released her hand on his chest and threw it up above her in excitement, showcasing the mural behind her, while also kicking her foot up with a laugh, making him laugh at her being so openly silly, something he envied.

The woman rushed up, handing them the phone.

"I got a few. Have a blast looking for them today!"

"Thank you so much!" Paige waved to the woman's counterpart with the dog as the woman rejoined him. Turning to Walter, she smiled. "One more!" She held the camera out in selfie mode much like she had that morning with the sunrise, putting her head side by side with Walter's, positioning the camera to also see the mural behind them. "Cheese!"

"Alright. Coffee time. And food." He chuckled as she reviewed the pictures, laughing at his oh so Walter goofy smile.

--

An hour later, after French toast and copious amounts of coffee, small talk and plenty of stolen glances they had emerged from the diner, off on their journey to collect as many murals as they could. Walking through the quiet still early morning streets of Fresno, Walter having committed the locations of many of the murals to memory unbeknownst to Paige, he would laugh each time she would squeal, excitedly pat his arm or his chest, bouncing on her heels, having found one of the paintings believing it to be pure luck they had come upon it. Her beaming grin was worth the potential bruise he'd get from her excitement.

Each one, they would get a photo, or two, or three. Posing each time as anything but friends, and very much otherwise. Each new mural they discovered, he would admire her as she admired the artistry, the detail, the way it worked in the structure it was painted upon. She would painstakingly attempt to explain the artistry, the meaning to him, and he would painfully tease her more than he normally would, loving how passionate she would become trying to bust through his block head with something as abstract as street art. Paige didn't have dimples in the classic sense, not like Megan, but she had the slightest ones that would appear within her laugh lines when she gave off a frustrated laugh, pursing her lips in defeat. He loved it. He wanted to kiss them. Without her knowing, he had taken a few photos of her throughout the morning, capturing her in her element. Each time they departed back on their journey, he couldn't be sure if it was him or her initiating, but somehow their hands would always end up intertwined.

Holding her hand was rapidly becoming second nature.

"Fourteen! How many are there in total?" She asked as they left their current location.

Doing a quick Google search, Walter smirked.

"Fourteen."

"No way! That's it?! That's both… exciting and a little sad." She lifted her glasses to the top of her head, the late morning sun causing the blonde highlights in her light brown hair to glow, along with her dark eyes taking on the color of honey, reflecting the sun's excellence.

"Don't be sad. It's not over yet, my sweet. There's still plenty to do." The sly smirk on his lips gave her an odd sense of comfort that she couldn't grasp. Was he up to something? Maybe what she had seen and heard wasn't the whole story? Was that possible? No, she heard in plain as day. Wishful thinking would be her demise.

"You're right. It's not over. The day is just beginning."

"How about another coffee for the road? We passed a coffee shop down the block there. Sign said they have the best coffee in Fresno." Walter squeezed her hand, instinctively holding her body close to his as they walked in unison.

"Best coffee sounds like the best addition to the best morning. So are you going to tell me where we're going next?"

He wriggled his eyebrows, put on his sunglasses and smiled.

"Nope."

She smirked and nodded, leaning into the armsl she held.

"Alright mystery man. Take me away."