A/N: Okay which characters do we want to see more of? Backstories? A good old fashioned chicken fight out back? What are your theories on what Walter has planned? How about why Nana is such a nightmare in the first place? I love reading your thoughts. I have several sections/scenes already written, and the idea is all mapped out, so curious where your mind takes you when reading!

Thanks for sticking with this so loyally!

Xoxoxo

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"Walt? Would you mind zipping me?" She called out from the bathroom, breaking his concentration from his laptop screen, where he had been doing a deep dive for the last hour as Paige had been showering again and getting ready for the rehearsal dinner. He vastly underestimated how long it took women to get ready for a social event. So he had busied himself making sure things were set and ready to play a fun game of chess with Betty, thanks to a bit of friendly assistance from some friends in strategic positions. Hearing her voice call out to him in the otherwise silent room brought an instant smile to his lips, until he processed the words. Zipper? As in… her clothing?

Oh boy.

"Hmm? Oh, uh, yes, yes… of course."

Closing his laptop to ensure she didn't see what he was up to, he rubbed his suddenly very clammy palms on his pants, stood and walked toward the bathroom, just as she stepped out backwards, facing away from him. His eyes went instantly wide, an eyebrow quirked in both shock and excitement, and both his body and brain completely forgot how to function. Frozen. Or possibly stuck in quicksand.

Oh boy was right.

There before him, Paige stood, one hand pulling her hair off of her neck, exposing her very bare back. A black, shimmery materialed, long sleeved dress, unzipped and lose against her sides and open down to the small of her back, revealing so much flesh to him. Nothing but milky white flesh on full display to him, the full length of her spine, the slight divets in her flesh just beneath where the zipper came together, the way her muscles and shoulder blades shifted as she moved her hair. He would very much like to see the rest. All of it. The lower portion of the dress was short but no shorter than her usual mini skirts she wore around the garage, but unlike those, this was tight. Tight on her legs, her hips, her… gluteus maximus. Long, long tanned legs on full display, and simple black heels making her appear taller, leaner, more glamorous.

She hadn't even turned around yet and he was already ready to take her dress off.

No. No. Respect.

Though, she had told him he should try respecting a little… less. And just like when she told him that, he was very certain right now she was in no way wearing a bra.

"Uh, Walter? Um… the, uh… zipper?" She chuckled out, peeking back over her shoulder, catching his obvious gawking. "Oh, and there's a clasp at the top."

His eyes snapped up to her, knowing he had been caught.

"Hmm? Sorry." Bashfully, he apologized, stepping up to her with a hitch in his breath. Taking hold of the zipper with one hand, his other as if it had a life of its own, moved one resistant hair strand over her shoulder, and then slowly, tantalizingly, ran light like a feather down her back just aside her spine, enjoying watching the goosebumps form and the slight shudder of her body and sharp intake of breath she took in his wake. Finally, his hands met at the zipper, and carefully, and just as slowly, he pulled it up, feeling his breath rapid and his heart slamming against its confines in his chest. The hint of her perfume hitting his sinuses was sending him into a place he was absolutely certain was inappropriate and was definitely not respectful. He needed to put distance between them or he would be pushing her against that wall and letting his tongue and lips tell her all the things he was so afraid to speak. With the zipper reaching the top of the lower section, having only zipped a few inches that he could argue she was capable of having done herself, he moved to the top section, making quick work of the clasp on the narrow strip of fabric. Connecting the two sides, ensuring it was secure, he quickly snapped back several feet. With the zipper and clasp in place, her back was still greatly exposed, the zippered section of the dress only coming up to the top of her lower back, whereas the top section by her shoulders pulled together at the top of her back, leaving a large section open from where her arms fell at her sides straight across, and the entire length of her mid and upper back. This was going to be a long night trying not to touch her skin. Or kiss it. "Okay. Yup. Done. Excellent. I, um, have never… done that… before. So um…" Just as he thought his torture was over, she turned with an amused, wide grin across her face. "...oh… wow." The front of her dress, despite being long sleeved, with full shoulders, had a slim but deep plunging neckline, down to below her sternum, revealing just the slightest bit of the creases beneath her breasts. Sexy, yet elegant.

And he was sure he was having a heart attack.

She blushed at his overt admiration, putting a long dangly silver earring in, and moving her hair back into place, in more voluminous and deliberate curls than she typically wore, resting down loose upon her shoulders.

"Thank you, Walter. This one is a little tricky to do on my own."

"I am happy to help take it off later." The words were out before he could stop them and his eyes, panicked, snapped to her very intrigued ones. "I mean the zipper! The clasp! I will help… oh boy. I think it would be in both of our best interests if I just stop speaking now." He was so anxious and a lovely shade of red, as she chuckled, stepping past him, running her hand over his shoulder and around to his back as she did.

"Oh, I don't know Walter. I kind of like it. The uh, speaking. I am learning so much." She made no attempts to hide her myrth at his expense as she moved about the room. He followed her with his eyes, also noticing that her makeup was slightly heavier than usual, not over the top, but what he had heard referred to as smoky once. He loved her features no matter what she did, but it definitely suited her and made her eyes pop.

"You, uh, caught me a little off guard. It's just that… you, uh, look… absolutely stunning, Paige. I will undoubtedly have the most beautiful date for dinner."

Her cheeks flushed at his openness, and her heart twisted.

"Thank you, Walter." She took a moment to openly take in his own appearance, a black sleek and slim fitting suit, with that red tie she had picked out for him a few years ago of which she had to wonder if it was deliberate, paired with perfectly shined black dress shoes. He had gone for a haircut this week, and she had wondered if he had done so in preparation of coming to this with her, or if it was his standard schedule, but either way, it was neat and with how short he was keeping it these days, made him seem much taller, and made his shoulders stand out as far more muscular than when they had met and he had his straggely curls and appeared almost scrawny. She liked both versions of him, but he seemed more confident like this, with how he held himself. Though, she did enjoy her fantasies of running her fingers through his curls. He looked the picture perfect gentleman, ready for an entirely too fancy dinner. "You know, Walt, you really pull off the look of rich arrogance well. Very dapper. Very… GQ."

Very sexy. He looked very, very sexy and she would love nothing more than to grab him by that tie and jump his bones.

"At the risk of my IQ, may I ask what a GQ is?"

Yup, she would never, ever tire of that.

"Men's magazine? Fashion? Life? Travel? Really? Well, they put the sexiest men on the cover, always dressed so sleek. Very debonair. You could easily be the spring edition Walt. This… mmm. Yum."

She seductively looked him over, making him squirm in his shoes. Walter, very unaccustomed to being complimented on his looks, definitely being admired for them, had no idea how to take her remark, or her attention, other than to try to distract himself by reciting the periodic table in his head.

It didn't work.

Yum? Had she said yum? He had never heard anyone use that term in relation to himself.

"I see."

He did not see.

"Well, are you ready to turn some heads, eat some food we can't pronounce, and listen to Julia and Michael talk like their marriage is about love, and not at all about the business merger taking place?" She was putting the last of her things away, collecting her small black purse, and checking the mirror one last time. She knew it was a formal cocktail attire dinner, Julia had made that abundantly clear numerous times, but it wasn't until a few days ago that she had pulled this particular dress from the far reaches of her closet, knowing it was classy enough for the dinner, but just sultry enough to hopefully capture Walter's eyes, and she was so glad it had. She had bought it on a whim last year, hoping an event would come where it would be worn. Sure, she easily could have zippered the dress herself, being only a few inches at her lower back, and she, albeit awkwardly, would have been able to clasp it herself too, but where would the fun in that have been? Seeing Walter speechless and gawking was a sight she was most thankful for. With his IQ, she had no doubt he easily surmised she could have completed the task on her own as well, being somewhat surprised he didn't call her out on it. The old Walter would have. But the new Walter, he was too occupied with setting her skin ablaze with his touch that was definitely not necessary to secure her dress. Perhaps they were both a little guilty of playing the situation to their benefit.

"When you put it that way, I am ready to spend the evening with you."

Oh, he was good. Damn you Walter O'Brien.

He extended his arm for her to take, much like he had done years prior at the art benefit, and she couldn't be prouder if she tried for how far he had come since that night. Their first date. Accepting his arm, looping hers through and holding on with her hand, she took a quick glance around and nodded. As she turned, her eyes settled on their figurines they had gotten at the zoo. Walter had apparently taken them out and placed them on the dresser, side by side. They looked beautiful together. The wolf and the giraffe. The thought of him immediately setting out to display them together in the room brought a wistful smile to her lips. Yeah, she was ready to spend the evening with him, too.

"Alright. Let's do it."

--

The dinner, as they both anticipated, was a boasting of wealth and gluttony. Five long tables set out on the stone terrace, each holding some thirty people or so, just enough for the guests that were staying at the Inn. The tables adorned with perfectly pressed white linen table cloths, long rows of hurricane vases with white candles running down the centers, with numerous stems of evergreens and assorted white flowers protruding between the vases. Gold rimmed fine china settings, with gold utensils and white linen napkins tested atop, and a variety of crystal wine, champagne and water goblets completing each setting. A gift bag placed on every floral decorated wooden chair for each guest. The entire area was curtained off with fairy lights and greenery hanging from large, stained wood frames. Scattered throughout the terrace and surrounding area were more hurricane vases of varying sizes with candles flickering in the early evening light. The patio heaters were flaming, but positioned to be subtle against the decor. A large stone gas fire pit was lit with white Adirondack chairs encircling it, along with a table with every s'more fixing Paige had ever imagined and then some. Multiple waiters, dressed in their suits once again, were roaming handing out glasses of champagne or wine. It was beautiful, magical even.

"And this is just the rehearsal…" Paige whispered to Walter, holding her glass of champagne, but remembering her assurance to hold off on drinking again. She would drink her champagne, as would Walter, as it was customary, but then she would forego any further alcohol consumption for tonight.

" This… I don't even have the words." Walter added, in complete bewilderment of such lavish expense for a party. A pre party actually.

"Uh, yeah. I could put Ralph through college with what just this dinner costs." She chuckled as they walked around.

" And post grad."

"Well you know what they say…"

"Um, no, I'm afraid I don't."

His quizzical face forced a chuckle from her lips.

"Mo' money, mo' problems."

"Well, I'm not sure who they are, but I would have to agree with that sentiment."

Oh Walter.

"How about that walk before we can't escape?" She suggested, desperately wanting to prolong their time alone before everything fell apart.

"Certainly." Switching his champagne to his other hand, he held his arm out once more for her so they could walk together down the steps of the terrace.

There was so much comfort in holding onto his arm, allowing her head to fall on his shoulder. A peace in her soul that came from it.l, came from him, came from being together, being in this place. Getting about fifty feet from the terrace, falling into a comfortable rhythm, Paige was attempting to muster up her courage to tell him… anything… she wasn't exactly sure what yet, but mostly, to finally kiss him. No distraction, no interruption, no false pretenses.

"Y'know, Walter, I can't remember the last time I had such a fun day. I was so nervous to ask you to come with me here, but uh, I'm glad I did."

Except for her family threatening to take down his business and their relationship part, of course.

"Uh, yes. I had, perhaps, noticed your nerves. But, I'm glad you did, too. I don't think I need to tell you that having fun is something I do not partake in often, but maybe I should, as today was most enjoyable."

"Wait, you knew how nervous I was?"

"Paige, even with no EQ, it was pretty obvious. I found it… cute."

"Cute? Walter O'Brien did not just say cute." He just shrugged, simply the facts. "Well, you didn't seem nervous at all! Which just made me more nervous! I show up unannounced on your doorstep, a rambling mess, and basically force you into being my date for a weekend and you were just all ' sure, sounds fun.'" She did her best deep voice male impression, and he swallowed his laugh.

"It did sound fun. Though, I don't think I sound like that." Facts, just the facts. "You presented a strong case, it was logical."

"Being my date was logical?" She was teasing, but stopped her chuckle when he suddenly looked very serious, stopped his walking and turned to face her.

With all of his courage, he stepped slightly forward toward her, watching as she sucked in a sharp breath and her eyes flashed with… something.

"Dating you is the highest form of logic."

Facts, just the facts.

"Oh."

What.

She watched as his hand lifted and gently brushed some wind stricken hairs away from her face, his eyes fervently watching his own movements, with his knuckles softly trailing down the side of her face, tracing her jaw, her face leaning into his touch, to finally rest upon her chin.

This was it. She had been waiting… forever.

"Walter…" She whispered, unsure even why she did so. Just needing to claim his name, have his name, his entire being claim her, as his.

Slowly he was closing the distance, her eyes flicking between his, which were reflecting the low sun. Her own hands lifted instinctively to his chest, gripping the lapels of his blazer, forcing herself to not pull him forcefully to her.

"There you are!" The familiar voice shouted from behind them.

Teddy.

They both froze their movements… Again. Paige bit her lower lip and dropped her forehead to Walter's shoulder in defeat, disappointment, frustration, while he pursed his lips and rubbed her back, equally frustrated, and slightly amused.

"I give up." She mumbled against his shoulder making him chuckle, just as Teddy caught up to them.

"Hello, sir." Walter spoke, as Paige annoyingly turned her head to see her grandfather.

"Hey Papa. Excellent timing. Truly." Her aggravation oozing through her words, making Walter tighten his hold around her.

"Sorry sweetheart. But dinner is beginning. You know how Julia and Nana get. Best be making your way back, love."

Teddy, dressed to the bones again, this time in a dark gray suit as opposed to his navy blue one from the evening before, and sporting a bow tie rather than a long tie. He carried a whiskey glass of amber liquid and large ice cubes.

"Sure, Papa. Wouldn't want to piss off Nana. That would surely ruin her joyful, happy persona. We wouldn't want that."

They both, unknowingly of the other, questioned Teddy's actual involvement in Betty's threats. From what Walter had seen in his short time with the family, Teddy seemed to be rather down to earth, and seemed to genuinely care for Paige, as opposed to Betty. And Teddy had also seemed genuine in his approval of Walter, and enjoyment of their discussions together. Paige knew Teddy to be the only one of her family that had ever shown real interest in her life, whose concern came from a place of love, and not of resentment or disapproval. She cared quite deeply for the old man, and if he were actually involved in Betty's plan, she would be heartbroken.

"Now peanut, you look far to beautiful this evening to get into a scrappy battle of wits with your grandmother. Come on, come enjoy the ridiculous spread Harold insisted on, and try and enjoy the night."

The three began walking back toward the terrace, which was alive with people, and soft music playing.

"I was trying to enjoy it…" She muttered, barely a whisper, but Walter heard it, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, and placing a kiss, and a chuckle, to the side of her head as they walked.

"Ah, finally, now everyone is here, Leonard." Betty scoffed as they approached.

Leonard, dressed to impress in a suit he clearly reserved for the fancy parties, nodded to Betty, sending a wink to Paige and Walter, a sign of solidarity.

Oh, it was bound to be an eventful dinner for sure.