A/N: Saturday is just about complete! We're almost to Nana's deadline! What will happen?!
Sorry the chapters are taking a bit longer to get done, dance competition season is… well, hell. Pure chaos. But I promise I'm not abandoning it, and I appreciate your patience!!!
Xoxo
--
"So, Paige, I have to admit, I wasn't sure you actually wanted to come. Wanted… me… to come with you. Here. For the wedding." His voice was riddled with nerves and anxious energy.
"What? No. Why would you think that?" She flashed a truly puzzled expression at him, bewildered at why he would ever think such a thing. She was so excited he had come.
"Oh, the 500 or so times you offered me a way out, mostly. Plus, you did the same with Ralph, offering to cancel." He quipped, scooping a spoonful of ice cream from his bowl.
"Oh. Yeah. That." She chuckled, taking a lick of her ice cream cone, as they sat on top of the hood of his car, looking out at the city lights over a bluff. "I can't deny I was nervous, Walter. Very nervous. About being here, my family… but uh, mostly… well, you. Being alone with you, like this. A good nervous. But nervous all the same. And I was worried that you didn't actually want to come, but were just doing it out of obligation or sympathy or something." She bumped her shoulder into his, a shy smile gracing her lips. "But, no, Walter. I was, I am, very glad you came with me."
He slipped his fingers into her hand, interlacing them, a goofy grin of happiness dancing on his face.
"Yeah, me too." He chuckled. "Though, I did consider turning back at some of your music selections."
"You were just mad I didn't play Tchaikovsky! Sorry, Walt, but that is just not road trip jams."
"His work is revered as being some of the most romantic musical symphonies… I was trying to be… romantic."
She chuckled, only Walter.
"You were pretty romantic the entire ride. Even without Tchaikovsky, Walter."
"I… was?" He inquired, clearly confused, running the entire 3.5 hour drive through his head. "I was awkward, nervous and trying so hard to not hold your hand."
She chuckled, realizing that they had been fighting through the same urge the entire drive.
"Yeah, you probably don't realize it, but the most romantic thing you do… it's um, well, it's when I catch you staring at me and you quickly look away." Her cheeks flushed, embarrassed to admit how endearing she found that to be.
"That's… romantic?"
"To me, yeah. I love that you do that. Makes me feel, I don't know… special? Interesting? Like nothing else exists in those moments. You have an intensity about you when you look at me. I um, I really like it."
"Noted."
Why had she been so nervous to begin with for this weekend? Their time together had always shown she was safest with him. It's why she knew she had to discuss the elephant in the room. She was safe with him, and regardless of what happened tomorrow, she knew she should broach the subject. Clear the air.
"So, I uh, saw you talking to Nana tonight. Looked… intense. Everything… okay?" She could feel his entire body stiffen next to her, but his face masked any negative feelings and he gave her a sweet smile and kissed her temple.
"Everything's great. We were simply discussing what an amazing human you are, and how fortunate we both are to have you in our lives." He lied, she didn't need to know what Betty had said, how she viewed Paige, how she blamed Paige for Veronica's unfortunate life.
"You sure? Cause that… doesn't sound like Nana…" She could tell he was lying, was hoping he would tell her the truth, but Walter was a man of mystery, of conviction, and stubborn as a mule.
"I'm sure, Paige. There's nothing to worry over."
And yet, she was worried. Very worried.
Perhaps he had a reason that she didn't know, perhaps he did have something up his sleeve. But, he was not sharing, and that was apparent. She would have to accept that… for now.
Several minutes of companionable silence passed, reflecting on the day, the weekend, everything that led them to this point, together. All of the ways they came together after life pulled them apart.
"You know, Walter, when we were sitting on that makeshift raft in the middle of the ocean a few months ago, fighting off swarms of sharks…fighting each other. I really thought we were going to die out there. Even with everything we've survived, I thought for sure we would die that day." She spoke up, cutting through the silence.
"Uh, yes, I was, uh, not confident in our survival either, despite my assurances to the contrary." He scoffed, a guilty shrug playing on his shoulders.
"Well, I am glad we did. As I was swimming for that boat, and you were insanely swimming for the raft, all I could think about was you… well, and what it would feel like to have my bones crunched by a shark… but, mostly, how desperate I was for us both to make it. I knew that day that things had to change between us. The hostility, the awkwardness." He stared down to his shoes, listening intently. "I'm really glad it did. That we did. That we found a way to get back to the good. Does that make sense?"
"Yes. It does. I understand. I, too, am glad. Both that we are here now… and that we didn't have our bones crunched by sharks." Using his free arm, he slipped it around her back, pulling her close to his side. "I, uh, meant what I said that day. I'm a better man for knowing you, Paige."
She just hoped he'd continue being a better man without her. She would worry about him. She'd check in, but it wouldn't be the same. Standing, she moved to face him, positioning her body between his knees, brushing her fingers over his cheek, before looping her arms around his neck, careful not to get ice cream in his hair. Without hesitation, and with a loving smile tugging at his lips, he placed his ice cream down beside him, and lowered his hands to either side of her hips, looking deep into her eyes.
"Well, I should have said the same thing to you, that day. You've changed my entire world, Walter O'Brien. It's been… a wild ride."
There was a finality in her words, an almost sadness to them that he couldn't decipher, and it confused him. He was about to ask, inquire as to her meaning, her somnolence, the air about her that he had been picking up on all day, but before he could, her lips were gently brushing against his, in a warm, sweet kiss. She tasted of strawberry ice cream, and the future.
Her body inched in closer to his, kissing him softly, no heat as requested, just loving, slow kisses, making up for time lost, and all the time to come that would be lost when they had to say goodbye. His arms encircled her torso with his hands playing at the open space on her back, and her pelvis rested against his own, but still not heated, just intimate, as she tossed her ice cream cone to the side of the car so she could use her hands to delicately caress the back of his neck.
With each kiss, she could feel herself packing the moments into an ever enlarging suitcase, neatly arranging the emotional baggage she would carry with her for years to come. The memories, the feel of his skin, the warmth of his touch, the sweetness of his words, the protection in his embrace, the pain of having to say goodbye. The one that got away. This baggage was definitely going to be too big for the overhead compartment, and the bag check fees were going to be very expensive. But like most people, she would worry about how overfilled her suitcase was when she was leaving, sitting on it to attempt to close it. Not now. Now, she was going to kiss him, and touch him, and burn every sensation into her mind to hold onto for as long as she could. She was jealous of Walter's eidetic memory, he would be able to remember it all in ways she wouldn't.
"Let's get out of here." She whispered against his lips, feeling an overwhelming need to be alone with him. Not even sexually. Just with him, together, alone.
His fingers trailed up and down her sides, her skin so warm beneath his touch, his hands keeping her body close and touching his, as he gazed deep into her eyes. He was still in disbelief that this was real. That she was here before him, kissing him, that his hands were on her body and hers were on his, that they were actually starting what he had both hoped for and feared for so long. He wanted to capture it. Freeze this moment in time. The moment everything he had wished for came true, the moment he had finally gotten out of his own way. The moment that Paige Dineen was in his arms, kissing him.
"Okay, but first… I want to remember this." He paused, pulling his phone from his pocket.
"Walter, you have an eidetic memory. You don't actually need photos." She laughed, thinking of how she had just been thinking about his memory and being so envious of it.
"That is factual. Though, I could argue that my brain function is quite limited when you are this close to me…" His eyebrow shrugged at her and she smirked in response, rubbing her hands up the fronts of his thighs to drive his point home. "So, for your memory, then?" He offered, and looked so adorable, like a little boy eager for a treat at the store, pleading eyes and dopey smile.
"Oh, I definitely want to remember this night." She spun in his arms so she was resting her back against his chest, leaning against the car while still between his legs, resting her head in the crook of his jaw and shoulder. His free hand she took and wrapped around her abdomen, while his other held the phone out as far as he could to snap a picture of them. Happy. Loving. Smiling. Wrinkles at their eyes from where their smiles joined, and a genuine love between them. As he began to lower his arm, she raised it back up. "One more." And she turned her head up to kiss him, her hand on his jaw, lips locked and eyes closed and she could feel his hand tighten on her stomach holding her to him.
Click.
"Well, that's definitely one I will enjoy looking back on." He teased as he pulled back just a breath from her.
She'd be so thankful to have that photo in her emotional baggage suitcase. Something to keep her warm on those cold, lonely nights.
"Yeah, me too." She placed one more kiss on his lips before pulling away.
"Alright, my dear, now we can get out of here."
--
"Walter, I know we're sharing a room… a bed… and with this new… development…" She awkwardly started as they exited the car, hand-in-hand walking back into the Inn. It was late, but in the distance they could hear people out on the terrace, the echoing voices and subtle music of the party still taking place. She briefly wondered if anyone noticed they had left. But didn't much care. She had been kissing Walter, and that was far superior to a stuffy party.
She, physically, was desperate to give in, to unleash her carnal side on the man she had fantasized about for three years, but her emotional side kept telling her it would be wrong, that it would only hurt more, make that suitcase impossible to carry. To have him so completely, and lose him. She wasn't sure if she could handle it. Wasn't sure she was ready to take that jump.
"Paige. I have zero expectations. My only desire is to spend the night with you… uh, I mean, that innocently. As in… and… to spend the night… not to be confused with spending the night… oh boy…"
She laughed at his expense.
"Walter, it's okay. I know what you mean. I appreciate it."
"Sorry, I guess I'm a bit nervous to ruin this." His tone, even his words, had her once again questioning if he had something up his sleeve. Why would he be afraid of ruining something that was doomed to begin with?
"How about, to ease both of our nerves, we maybe watch a movie or something?"
He held the door open for her to walk through, and noted that the lobby area was void of people.
"Ahh, yes, that sounds like a good idea. Also, I believe you said that movie watching is a right of passage for having a sleepover."
"Yes. Yes it is. And then I can braid your hair and we can talk about all the cute boys at school."
"I may want to pass on the second part."
"Well, there's always making out with your friends…" She wiggled her eyebrows at him and it took a moment for him to process.
"Wait… you would have girl friends over and you would…" He froze on the staircase.
"How do you think we all learned to kiss boys, Walt?" She continued ahead of him up the stairs, laughing.
"Uhhh… I don't think I ever thought about it. But now I'm thinking about my sister and her friend Hannah…" His brows furrowed, trying to make sense of each time Megan would lock him out of her room when she had friends over and it would go quiet.
"Right of passage, Walter. Right of passage."
"Yeah, I never had that right of passage. I think I'm… okay… with that." She chuckled, taking the steps two at a time to catch up to her.
"Well, you're a great kisser even without it." She teased, stopping just outside their door to turn, pulling him by his shirt close to her, and recapturing his lips in a slightly heated kiss, leaning back against the door, allowing him to effectively pin her against it. His hands once again encircled her, as his hips pressed against hers and her hands fervently held him to her, running the length of his back.
"I thought you wanted to watch a movie." He muttered against her lips, now swollen and red. Confused by her intentions. He would respect her regardless, and was prepared for however she wanted the night to go, but was being cautious about making sure he wasn't misreading signals. Hell, most of the time he didn't even understand clear communication when it came to relationships, so signals were definitely a foreign language.
With a sigh, she slowed the kiss, resting her hands on his chest, and her forehead against his.
"I did. I do. But I really wanted to do that last night when we were at this door, and again this morning. So, you know, just needed to get it out of my system."
"Ahh, yes. I will refrain from sharing my thoughts of you at this door…" His cheeks were red, and he placed a slow kiss to her lips with a sheepish grin. "You uh, told me to be less respectful. My thoughts were definitely less."
"That I did." She grinned, raised eyebrows and an attaboy nod. "Well, alrighty then." Paige stepped somewhat to the side to allow Walter to unlock the door, but kept her hands on him, and her lips on his jaw and right by his ear, making him fumble with the keycard. "You know, Walt, if I didn't know better, I'd be really questioning your IQ when it comes to opening a door." She teased him letting her tongue run along the underside of his jaw, and he gave her a chastising look of disapproval.
"I am perfectly capable of opening a door. I am simply incapable of functioning when you are doing… that."
She laughed at his expense, breaking her hold on him, leaning back against the door, watching him intently, a sly smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, fiddling with his loosened tie.
He found it very, very distracting. Possibly more distracting than her tongue dancing on his skin. Because now he just missed the contact. He couldn't deny the effect she was having on him, and his desire to pull her into the room and use his own tongue all over her body, and feel her body squirm beneath his.
No. They were going to watch a movie.
To best control himself, he closed his eyes tight to block her out and focus as he reattempted the door lock, only making her laugh harder.
"Walter O'Brien, am I… distracting… you?"
He gulped.
"Y-yes."
He had no idea how he would ever be able to function around her now. Work was bound to be interesting.
The door unlocked, and he opened it, feeling her weight shift off of it as he held it open, refusing to open his eyes. Her body brushed seductively against his, her fingers tracing over his chest and neck, and finally, her lips just barely grazing his own, as she stepped into the room. Clearly enjoying torturing him.
But, no. He would be a gentleman. He would watch a movie.
And recite the periodic table.
And solve Diophantine's Equation in his head.
Whatever it took.
He stepped into the room, only to stop at seeing her with her back to him, as she pulled her hair to the side and front of her to reveal her full back to him again.
Hydrogen.
Helium.
Lithium.
Beryllium.
"I believe you had offered to take off my dress…" She played, taking a sultry glance over her shoulder at the deer in the headlights behind her.
Boron.
Carbon.
Nitrogen.
"Oxygen!" He all but shouted when she gave a look to him that broke him from his reverie.
"Oxygen?" She was confused, but thoroughly entertained as she turned to face him, stepping slowly into his space, with flirty eyes, fighting the urge to pounce on him.
"I, uh, was just thinking about the elements."
"Walter, are you reciting the periodic table in your head?!" She chuckled, running her hands up both of his arms.
"Maybe." He averted his eyes from her, trying to maintain his composure, his physical response to her proximity.
"To keep from thinking about… me?" She stepped even closer, their chests touching.
"Uh, also, um, yes." He still wouldn't make eye contact.
"Walter?" He finally looked down at her. "Do you want to take off my dress?" Her eyes were exploring his, looking for truth, doubts, answers to questions she wasn't even sure she was asking.
He swallowed hard.
"I, uh, um. I want you to be comfortable, and respected, and valued." He finally croaked out, his hands finding their way to her hips, willing them not to explore her body.
"You're a good man, Walter O'Brien." She whispered, placing a series of soft, lingering kisses to his lips. His hands were so light, methodical, efficient, and as she kissed him, one moved up to her neck and hair, and the other to her lower back. She smiled against his mouth as the neckline of her dress became suddenly loose, followed by the fabric around her hips. Walter O'Brien was nothing if not efficient.
"There." He whispered back, his thumb stroking her cheek, as his other explored her bare back. The feeling made her involuntarily shiver.
"Wow, if this genius thing doesn't work out for you, you could definitely pull off being a pickpocket." She teased, her arms wrapped tight around his torso. "Thank you."
"So, um, a movie, then?" He asked, still very nervous.
"A movie it is. I'm just going to get changed." She gave him one final kiss, before collecting her pajamas from the dresser and slipping into the bathroom.
"Oh boy." He muttered, a smile plastered to his face. This was bound to be an interesting night. Hastily, he removed his shoes, his tie, and his dress shirt, revealing his simple white t-shirt beneath. Nervous, suddenly, about removing his pants, worried he would be very unable to hide his reactions to her while wearing just his boxer briefs. But he hadn't brought any pajama pants. He could, he supposed, sleep in his slacks, but that, too, would be obvious. Either way he was doomed. He was completely unable to control his body around her, and he was certain she was already discerning that fact. Her pajamas weren't much better, he rationed, as he unbuckled his belt, and slipped his pants off. Piling all of his discarded clothing by his duffle bag.
He could hear her moving about the bathroom, and was all too aware that she was likely naked behind the door as she changed.
Fluorine.
Neon.
He meant it, he would respect her, and would wait as long as she wanted before crossing that line with each other, but that didn't mean he didn't want to cross that line with her. That he hadn't spent the last three years fantasizing about what it would be like to cross that line with her.
Sodium.
He wanted her in the worst way. In a way he had never wanted to be with anyone else. He wanted to connect with her, not just have a release with her. It baffled his brain and he imagined that was the difference between sex and sex with someone you love.
Silicon.
Phosphorus.
He heard the faucet, and knew she'd be out soon. He couldn't just be standing there next to the bed in his underwear when she emerged. Finding the television remote, he flipped on the TV, and scrolled through the channels absent-mindedly, half sitting, half leaning against the end of the bed.
The door handle clicked and, she appeared having removed her makeup, and donning her small, tight sleep shorts and tank top. Very tight. Very small. So much leg. So much… well, she was not wearing a bra.
Sulfur.
Chlorine.
Argon.
"Walter? You okay?" She chuckled, his eyes were on her, all of her, but his thumb hadn't stopped rapid-fire flipping through the channels, the TV flashing like a strobe light.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
"Hmm? Oh, yes. Um, fine. Yes. I am searching for a movie." He coughed to regain his composure and she smirked.
"I, uh, see that. Someone with a seizure disorder may see it only momentarily..." She chided, forcing him to quickly observe the TV and stop his movements.
Oh Walter.
She had been preparing herself while in the bathroom, to see him again in his boxers, but had wholly under prepared herself. At least he had a shirt on tonight. Though, she really wanted to rip it off of him. Possibly with her teeth. Having the freedom of kissing him, but trying to control doing more was very challenging. Knowing they were about to share a bed, where she would love nothing more than to be intimate with him, was a bit overwhelming. Her skin was sizzling with need for him, her brain in a fog, her heart beating entirely too fast, her legs shaky and desperately wanting to wrap around his waist.
No, no. They would watch a movie. Legs… to themselves.
His bare legs on display, so muscled and strong.
She needed to snap out of this. What was he reciting? If the periodic table. Right.
Hydrogen…
And then…
Crap.
She should have paid better attention in science class. Or any one of the billion times Walter and Ralph had told her how important the periodic table was to know.
"I uh, don't know many movies. This may be a better task for you?" He sheepishly held out the remote to her.
"Hmm? Oh, um, yeah… let's see what we can find…" She moved to mirror his position, accepting the remote, her long legs outstretched leaning against the end of the bed, crossed at her ankles, and her thigh and shoulder close enough to touch his. Their warmth intermingling. She could feel the goosebumps forming, despite feeling suddenly very hot. The fact that he was tightly clasping his hands together on his lap while inappropriately observing her legs so intensely was not lost on her. "Oh look, they have Fifty Shades of Grey…" She had to bite her lip as soon as she said it, internally laughing, trying to keep a straight face. If this was the one reference Walter understood, they would need to have a conversation.
"Oh, um, sure. Is it about gray matter? I'm not sure there are shades, though medical science is Toby's fortay, so I could be mistaken. But, whatever you want to watch is fine…" He was being so accommodating, and absolutely adorable, and she was very relieved he did not know anything about the red room.
"Um, Walter, it's basically a romantic film--"
"Well, you'd like that." He interjected.
"--about sex…" She watched the gears turning in his head, as if he was trying to find some stored away reference material to attach to this exchange. "Smut, Walt. Dirty dominant-submissive sex. Romanticized porno, Walter. Whips, cuffs, every other scene is a sex scene…"
His eyes went wide.
"...oh." His fingers were clasped so tightly, they were turning ghostly white from lack of circulation. "And you've see this film? You know what, don't answer that." She bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I, uh… maybe not the best selection then, for uh, tonight…" She couldn't hold her in her laughter any longer. He made it so easy.
"Relax Walter, I was just messing with you."
"Oh… Right." He was so tense. She was impossibly close to him, with so many points of contact. She had clearly put lotion on, and that's all he could smell. And she was talking about… smut films. He was not going to survive this night with her. "Maybe something a little more PG rated, perhaps?"
Maybe he could sleep in the bathtub.
"Well you can't get more PG than a Disney classic… how's The Little Mermaid sound? It was my favorite growing up!"
"Uh, absolutely. Whatever you'd like. I think it's probably a safe bet I have not seen this." He looked at the TV screen, the synopsis and a still from the film displayed. He was absolutely certain he had never seen any animated films, and definitely none about a red headed mermaid.
"Alight. I promise, no funny business, but um, could I ask that we watch it from bed?" She was nervous to ask, but truth be told, she was exhausted. She had learned long ago that her genius friends required much less sleep than she did, so that, coupled with her wine drinking the night before, and the endless adventures they'd embarked on all day, she was completely beat.
He looked back over their shoulders at the bed, then to her, nervous, but also knowing there was little other option in terms of seating, and he knew she must be tired. Even he felt a bit tired.
"Uh, yes. Of course. I'm just going to go brush my teeth."
She nodded to him, as he stood to walk to the bathroom, admiring the view as he did. She had a whole new appreciation for boxer briefs. So tight on his butt, and hugging his muscled thighs so nicely. She really wanted to grab his butt. Which made her wonder if Walter had ever had his hutt grabbed before. Shaking her head free of those thoughts, she grabbed her phone, texting Ralph quickly.
Had a great day here. Missing you. Hope you're behaving. Text me when Mrs Goldberg drops you at Sly's tomorrow. Be good. I love you so much! Xoxo Mom
Smiling, she closed out of her messaging app, and opened her gallery. Only a few of the photos from the day were from her phone, but she smiled at them all the same.
"Hey Walt, do you mind if I look through the pictures on your phone?" She called out toward the bathroom door. Within milliseconds he opened it, again with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth and she felt a pang of guilt at again disrupting his bedtime routine.
"Not at all." He muttered out around the obstruction in his mouth with a smile, before turning back to the bathroom, calling back behind him. "Send them to yourself if you'd like. My phone is in my pants from tonight."
She couldn't see his giant grin. Something about her wanting to look through the pictures, relive the day, the day with him, made him oddly euphoric.
He couldn't see her bewilderment. She'd never been with someone who would just openly allow her to look at their device. Not even Tim. Certainly not Drew. They were locked like Fort Knox. Walter trusted her, and was trustworthy. It made her both joyful and sad.
"Okay, thank you." She answered back, collecting his phone and trying not to pay any mind to the fact that she was holding his pants.
Quickly she opened his camera gallery, selected all of the photos and air dropped them to her phone, briefly looking through them on his phone as she did, stopping for an extra moment on a few, like dancing in the sprinkler, and his kissing her head with the giraffes. She was so thankful she had had this day with him. But then, she noticed that besides the trip photos, he only had six others on his device. Six. She was fairly certain she had about 20,000 easily. Nevermind her screenshots. Videos. But, Walter had precisely six.
He and Ralph after the science fair, Ralph holding his 1st place trophy and beaming beside his motor they had built together. She had taken that one. That was when he had told her he cared about her, and she realized she didn't want to leave.
The entire team together after a major case, celebrating at Kovelsky's, all crammed into a round booth, he and Paige tucked in close together toward the center. She smiled. She remembered how hard her heart was racing during that photo being taken, when he put his arm around her… as friends. Though, Happy was on his other side, and his arm was neatly tucked at his side, not around her.
The third was a photo of him and Megan together as children, a few cows behind them. Little Walter, maybe 8 years old, wild curls and those same cunning eyes, wearing his NASA sweater, a bit oversized, which Louise told her in Ireland she had knit for him, and he never took off. Megan, slightly older, but much taller, with her arm around his shoulder, so full of life, and obvious adoration of her brother, her hair long and curly, and those distinctive dimples on full display.
Ralph with the WWII rocket, high on a ladder, his sleeves rolled up, beaming with excitement, holding a wrench. She remembered receiving that photo when she had texted to check in on them, late on a Saturday night, worried they hadn't eaten. Walter had sent back that photo, and then told her they had just ordered burgers for delivery. Ralph so adored Walter right from the start, and the way Walter treated Ralph was nothing short of extraordinary.
The fifth was he and Megan at the beach, and she suspected it was not long before she passed, recognizing the beach as the one Walter would take her to in her final months. The same one they saved the young boy from the sink hole. She knew how much it meant to Walter to have had those days at the beach with her.
Finally, the last one, was one she had never seen before. It was of her and Walter, dancing together at the impromptu prom they had thrown for Happy's friend in the bubble. She had been so upset that night, and Walter, trying to be a good friend, had asked her to dance as just friends, and reluctantly, she had agreed. Being around him had been painful and confusing, knowing the main reason her relationship with Tim had failed was because of her feelings for Walter. But she had been so tired, so physically and emotionally drained from the day, that she had thrown caution and thought to the wind and had laid her head on Walter's shoulder as they danced, simply needing to feel comfort from her friend. It had made her feel tremendously better for those three minutes. Made her feel like everything would be okay. Would work out. But she didn't know anyone had taken a photo of them.
"Ralph took that one." She jumped, having not heard him exit the bathroom, feeling instantly guilty for having been looking through his phone. "I uh, was not being creepy and recording us..."
"Oh, no. I didn't think that. It's a beautiful photo of a beautiful moment, Walter. I can see why Ralph took it… But I wasn't… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been looking through your personal photos." Feeling embarrassed, and a bit ashamed, she handed him the phone.
"Paige, it's okay. I'm not upset. It's not like there's many to view." He shrugged, putting the phone on the charger she had set up on the dresser, but first sending that photo to her phone. She had looked so wistful looking at it, and he wondered if that moment, frozen in time, had been a similar feeling for her. For him, it had brought him comfort to be there for her, hope with how she had held tight to him and rested her head on his shoulder, and an overwhelming feeling of just loving her exactly as they were that night, not with expectations or hopes for more, just two friends, dancing, one offering comfort to the other who was sad. That was all.
"It may not be many, but it seems like some very special ones."
"Only the most special ones are worthy of the storage space." She smirked, remembering hearing his conversation with Cabe over the comms about not having music on his phone for the same reason.
"Dancing with me was worth your storage space? And there's two of Ralph in there."
"Dancing with you is always worth whatever cost. And yes, two of Ralph. Two of Megan. Two of… you. While, granted one of you, is also of the whole team... But, it serves a multitasking purpose."
She would never be able to wrap her head around the mystery that was Walter O'Brien. Closet romantic.
"Logical and efficient, and sweet. Very… you, Walter." She chuckled. "I'm honored that I made the worthy cut. That's… quite the privilege." It made her warm, knowing she was grouped with Megan, and Ralph. He truly loved her, she had no doubt. But it would only make her more sad later. She was packing this bag of emotional baggage, but so was he. The difference being that she could process emotion and he couldn't, not well anyway. Was he going to survive this? Or would he go back to throwing coffee mugs and tackling strangers? Burying himself in projects, forgetting to eat, falling down a rabbit hole that she had created? When they had been in that seed fault, she had called out his fear of being unable to solve a problem. This would surely drive him mad. The one problem he couldn't solve. He would be her one that got away, but suddenly she was realizing that the reverse was also true. It broke her heart to think about.
Silently, she walked up to where he was at the dresser, and surprising him, wrapped her arms around his torso from behind, hugging him close, laying her head against the strong muscles of his upper back, a silent tear escaping, going unchecked. As if sensing her turmoil, his hands on hers, he spun in her grasp, where she instantly buried her face in his chest, and he held her tight around her back.
"Hey, you okay?" He was worried, she seemed suddenly sad, and again he questioned the times throughout the day that she had seemed off. He may not be anywhere close to an expert in the matter of emotions, particularly female emotions, but it truly bothered him when Paige showed signs of being in pain.
She wiped her face quickly, feigning a smile, but not wanting to be released from his arms just yet.
"Yeah, I am. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just little tired, and it's been such an eventful day… I'm, uh… just letting my emotions get the best of me. I'm just really grateful to be here with you, Walter." She hesitated, but finally looked up to see his eyes. "For someone who doesn't like to be touched, Walter, you uh, sure do give some seriously amazing hugs. I'm a little surprised, to be honest, given that usually you hug like you're in a leper colony."
He didn't fully believe her explanation, but also knew that with Paige, she would eventually talk about what was going through her head, and almost always had a valid reason.
"With you, everything is different. Feels different." He answered simply, kissing her forehead and pulling her back in to hug her, comfort her, soothe her troubled mind, rubbing her back and hair. He wanted to tell her he loved her. Had loved her from the start. But feared that it was too soon, that he would scare her away. "How about that movie? If you're agreeable, I could, um, perhaps…" His body suddenly very tense, as he mustered up the courage. She looked up questioningly, clearly noticing his tension. "Well, um… if you'd like… if it would bring you, um, comfort that is, perhaps I could um, well, uh… hold… you…?"
He was fifty shades of red, and her heart beat solely for him in that moment.
"I would really, really love that." She leaned up on her toes to brush her lips against his, warm and soft, gentle and lingering, her arms tightly wound around his neck, holding onto him for dear life. Moments passed, and dropping back down on her feet, she pulled back some, rubbing her hands over his arms. "Alright Romeo, let's Netflix and Chill."
The look of unbridled joy on his face, mixed with confusion at her reference, made her momentarily forget the pain that would surely come later.
"Yes, let's chill the netflix."
She giggled, taking his hand to move to the bed, grabbing the remote on the way, pulling the covers down and climbing onto her designated side. Walter stood at her side, awkwardly tucking her in, making her giggle more, before moving back to shut off the main lights, leaving just one bedside lamp on at his side, and around to that side of the bed to also get in. Sliding toward the middle, he lifted his arm in invitation, and she gleefully obliged, sliding over to be tucked against his side. Both trying hard not to get too entwined. Walter sat slightly upright against the headboard, allowing Paige to rest her head in the crook of his shoulder, her arm draped across his chest, as his encircled her, coming to rest on the dip of her side just beneath the blanket, while the other held the hand on his chest. Shifting upward, she smiled at him.
"Today was… perfect. Truly the best day ever, Walter."
He didn't respond, just craned his neck down to kiss her sweetly, wanting desperately to intensify the kiss, but holding back. Particularly weary now that they were in bed together. Pulling away, he kissed the top of her head, lightly running his hand over her side.
She pressed play on the remote, and the tell-tale Disney intro began, as she shifted slightly to get fully comfortable, laying her head down in the center of Walter's chest. She could hear his heart beating, rapid at first, then evening out, providing her with the most beautiful lullaby for her tired soul. The tightening of his arms around her felt like the safest embrace she'd ever felt, warmer than any blanket, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest made for the most calming pillow she had ever rested on.
"They sing? They're singing mermaids?" Walter scoffed and she chuckled. "I suppose that makes sense, taking non existent creatures and making them sing… underwater… in perfect American accents."
"Just wait til you meet the squid woman witch and her singing eels!" She laughed into his chest, sleepily, snuggling in deep, her leg bending slightly with it resting atop his.
She was so comfortable, and warm, and safe.
For the next half hour, they made light quips about the film, before falling into comfortable silence, until Ariel was trying to explain she was the girl from the water without a voice, which Walter found to be quite frustrating.
"This is ridiculous. She can clearly read and write, having read and signed a binding contract. She could easily write him a note, there, movie over." He waited but she had no response, and when he peeked down, he quickly realized she was fast asleep. Probably for the best, she'd tease him for suddenly wanting Ariel and Prince Eric to work out. He blamed her. She had turned him into a hopeless romantic, a sappy fool, desperately wanting love to conquer all.
Kissing her head and lighting brushing away the hair from her face, he carefully leaned over to shut off the lamp, followed by the TV, and shifted down the mattress, hopeful not to disturb her, holding her close. With one final kiss to her head, he whispered into the darkness before succumbing to sleep himself.
"Goodnight Paige... I uh, I… love you."