A/N: Just a one-shot. Post series end. Hopefully a fix it ;)
I did use AI to assist with 2 things that occur in this story, but I don't want to give anything away. Let's just say, I'm tone deaf, and don't know a thing about music beyond playing the violin in 4th grade and I was so terrible, my band teacher told me I was unteachable, and maybe I should try the art club. So, hopefully you'll know.
Xoxo!
--
"Walter… this is a bad idea." Cabes gruff voice warned. Walter dismissed him however.
"I'm just going to make sure she has it in her calendar. That's all."
"Or, and here's a crazy idea… you could pick up this thing right here. It's called a phone and you could call her, and tell her… you know, and not hack her personal calendar." Cabe knew he was talking to a wall.
"There's no reason to call her if it's already in her calendar, and if not, I'll just put it in. This is the most efficient option." Walter proceeded typing away on his laptop.
"Or, you're just scared to talk to her."
"I am not scared. I just don't see the point. She doesn't want to talk to me, so this is the better option to respect her."
"Son, hacking your ex-girlfriend's personal calendar instead of just calling and telling her that her son's dentist called here with his appointment info… that's not efficient. That is cowardly… and illegal."
Walter, in typical Walter fashion, completely ignored Cabe's commentary.
"I'm in…"
"I'm telling you this is a bad idea."
"It's not on the calendar. I'm just going to add it in real quick."
"Even worse idea."
"And save…" Walter exited out of the details page, and though trying to avoid seeing any of her personal information, something caught his eye. "She's doing an open mic night?"
"Son, I'm telling you. You're playing with fire here."
"You're right." He closed out of the entire application, but couldn't stop thinking about the saved event for next Friday night.
Open Mic Night Debut! @ Echo Embar - 8pm
Paige had always been an incredibly talented singer, and he'd been fortunate enough to hear the most intimate of her singing, song writing, and musical stylings. She'd taught him to appreciate music in a way he'd never cared about before. When she'd discovered that he had written her that dreadful song, she had been so endeared, and from them he had worked harder to do more in the craft of it brought her such joy.
But then everything had fallen apart, and he had lost her. And for months, he had tried to find ways to talk to her, to try and reconcile. But, he'd failed to find the words, failed to have the courage.
But he truly missed listening to her sing. Perhaps, he could go, sit in the back, quietly, out of sight. She'd never even know.
Perhaps.
--
"Do I look alright? Oh god, what am I doing? This is crazy." Paige wrung her hands, pulled at her tight, and a bit too short black cocktail dress, nervously from the large table they sat at, front row at Echo Ember, a local watering hole for aspiring artists, each night hosting different types of live music, open mic nights, poetry slams.
"You look fantastic. Smokin hot. And everyone is going to love you!" Paige's dear friend Amy encouraged from next to her, sipping away on her mojito, as Happy, Toby, Sylvester and Cabe sat to her other side.
"You're gonna do amazing, sweetheart." Cabe nodded to her.
"If I could do stand up comedy, you can definitely handle this." Happy attempted in support.
"Hap, you sucked at stand up comedy. You're not funny."
Paige sighed. This was a mistake. She needed a drink.
"Excuse me." Getting up from the table, she made a beeline to the bar. Unbeknownst to her, she already had a hyper focused audience of one.
Staring at her from the back of the room, Walter sipped at his club soda, taking her in. She looked beautiful, and nervous, and breathtaking.
He smirked watching her taking a shot to calm her nerves.
Thirty minutes later, the announcer hit the stage.
"Hey, hey, hey! Welcome to Echo Ember! How's everyone doing tonight?!" The room erupted in loud cheers. "That's what I like to hear! We've got a full house here tonight, and have so many great artists ready to knock your socks off tonight! So just remember, please keep chatter to a minimum when an act is performing, no heckling, and uh, tip your servers!" The man looked over his clipboard, and Walter watched Paige try to steady her shaking leg at her table, talking with his former team and her friend Amy, whom he was sure didn't care for him much when they were together. "So, without further ado, let's get this party started with Matty!"
The acts played on, some great, some making him wish he had brought his ear buds so he could listen to another audio lecture.
Finally, her name was called, and he watched her table of supporters cheer as she walked up to the stage, and situated herself at the wooden piano.
He missed them all so much. Missed being a part of it. Of being a family.
But he missed her even more.
"Uh, hi. I'm Paige." He watched her face go from nervous to what he had to describe as sadness so quickly, he sat up straight, his interest, and protective nature, peaked. "Umm, so I wrote a song that I'd like to play for you tonight. It's about being in a love so strong that it scared you. Afraid that if the love can feel that amazing, when it eventually ends, how hard will it hurt. And because you're so afraid of the end, you sabotage it, and it ends, and then you spend every day regretting it for the rest of your life." He was shocked, feeling an odd sensation run through him. "I uh, I wrote it for someone pretty special, but he isn't here tonight, because I was a fool. So, uh, this is for him. It's called Foolish Heart."
His former teammates again cheered for her, and didn't seem surprised at all by her declaration, but he was. He was stunned, mesmerized, captivated… and suddenly hopeful.
"I met you in a diner, on a quiet day,
Sun shining bright, but I'd lost my way.
You saved the world with me by your side,
From that first moment, I felt alive.
You were the genius, they all admired,
I was the girl, both lost and inspired.
You loved me fiercely, gave me your heart,
But my fears tore us apart."
Her gentle at first tapping of the piano's keys, followed by her soft, but strong vocals brought an unfamiliar wetness to his eyes, as she confirmed his belief that it was about him.
"Now I'm standing here, with a foolish heart,
Tore us apart when I should've stayed.
You saved my life, took me on grand flights,
But I ran away, afraid of your light.
Now I miss you every night and day,
Wishing I had the strength to stay.
Please have faith that I'm right tonight,
I'm alone, living with the scars,
Of loving you with a foolish heart."
Her fingers danced rhythmically across the keys as she sang with so much raw emotion. At her echoing his words he'd spoken to her long ago, he stood, walking mindlessly, and slowly toward her. Snails pace movement, but drawn to her.
"We rode the wind, sailed across the seas,
You showed me wonders, set my spirit free.
From city streets to mountain peaks,
Every moment was more than I could speak.
Closets were where we'd hide from it all,
Now it's where I go, to cry alone and mourn.
I left you, thinking I'd be strong,
But now I see I was wrong all along."
About halfway toward the front he paused, staring at her, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Now I'm standing here, with a foolish heart,
Tore us apart when I should've stayed.
You saved my life, took me on grand flights,
But I ran away, afraid of your light.
Now I miss you every night and day,
Wishing I had the strength to stay.
Please have faith that I'm right tonight,
I'm alone, living with the scars,
Of loving you with a foolish heart."
He knew, suddenly, what he needed to do.
"If I could go back to that beach that night,
I'd never let go, I'd hold you tight.
And after the train derailed, I'd kiss you slow,
In that chaos, I'd let my love show.
I'd stay in every moment where we soared,
And never be afraid of wanting more."
Tears slipped from her eyes, falling unchecked, and his heart broke for her.
"But now it's too late, you're far away,
And I'm here alone, with nothing to say.
With a foolish heart, broken and bruised,
Knowing it was you I should have never refused."
Wiping her tears, she turned on the piano bench to view the audience who were all cheering.
"Thank you so much." Stepping down from the stage, the others all encircled her, praising her performance, and offering comfort and hugs.
Ten minutes later, they all turned to the stage, stunned, when the announcer said one particular name.
"So, we have a last minute first timer entry, but the guy was very insistent, so here's hoping he doesn't suck! Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Walter."
Paige choked on her drink as none other than Walter O'Brien stepped onto the stage, grabbing the supplied guitar.
"Oh my God." She managed to stutter out, eyes locked on her former lover, whom she'd just poured her heart out to.
"Uh, is this a not good moment? Cause I really don't know." Happy questioned, making the boys all nod in agreement at the confusion.
"Oh boy." Cabe mumbled, realizing Walter had learned of the event from Paige's calendar. He would plead the fifth if asked about it.
"I'm, hello. Uh, hi. I'm Walter. Walter O'Brien. And uh, I don't really do this at all. Ever. But, um, someone deserves to hear it, so uh, here goes. I guess its titled Colors and Equations."
Paige gulped as Walter locked eyes with her, and more was conveyed in one single look than four years of talking.
Strumming at the guitar, nervous, but skillful, he finally began to sing, making Paige's breath hitch in her throat. Not many people knew that Walter had a beautiful signing voice. It wasn't often he'd sing anything, not even hum a tune while working away, but for her he had. Often. And she had loved every moment of it, and had resigned herself to the idea she'd never hear it again.
"He was a man of numbers, formulas, and lines,
Living in his head, out of step with the times.
She was all colors, like a canvas come alive,
Turning the mundane into art with a sigh."
Instantly, the tears formed in her eyes at the sheer raw nature and vulnerability Walter was displaying.
"He watched her smile, brighter than the sun's warm light,
While he was stuck in his head, trying to get things right.
She showed him the world in ways he couldn't see,
For the first time in his life, he felt truly free--"
She swallowed hard as Amy rubbed her back, also tearing up. The others just sat in complete wonderment as to what the night had suddenly turned into.
"Love's not logical, it won't fit in a plan,
It's wild and uncertain, more than he could understand.
Once just a notion, 'til she came along,
Now she's gone and everything feels wrong."
"Wow. And here I thought 197 needed to see Oz about getting a heart… turns out it was just hiding behind his giant brain." Toby equipped, eyes wide.
"But he lost her, lost her to the waves he made,
With words unsaid and the choices he betrayed.
Now he sees the world in black and white,
And he'll miss her colors for the rest of his life.
Yeah, he'll miss her colors for the rest of his life."
Paige just sat, stock still, staring at him. Face dripping with tears, mascara undoubtedly running along the tracks, breath ragged and heart racing.
"She painted their dreams, wild and free,
While he tried to control what love should be.
She saw through his logic, beyond his careful lines,
But he let her slip away, while chasing borrowed time.
She gave him a family, a son to hold tight,
She filled up his world with both love and light.
But hurt her with silence, with logic too cold,
Chased after certainty, letting go of the gold.
So she left with her passion, her fire and art,
And now he's alone with his broken heart."
"Is this a fever dream?" Sylvester asked, genuinely. "Cause this feels like a fever dream."
"Love's not logical, it won't fit in a plan,
It's wild and uncertain, more than he could understand.
Once just a notion, 'til she came along,
Now she's gone and everything feels wrong.
But he lost her, lost her to the waves he made,
With words unsaid and the choices he betrayed.
Now he sees the world in black and white,
And he'll miss her colors for the rest of his life.
Yeah, he'll miss her colors for the rest of his life."
"Did we know Walter could play guitar?" Happy chimed in.
"Or sing." Cabe added.
"He'll try to write equations to make it alright,
But no formula will bring back the light.
He'd trade every truth, every certainty he's known,
For one more moment where she wasn't gone.
He'd give up his life, every code he's preserved,
Just to know her heart still beats in this curve."
"Hate to break it to you Hap, but this is better than your Friendly, Friendly Friends." Toby muttered to Happy, to which she slowly nodded in agreement.
"But he lost her, lost her to the waves he made,
With words unsaid and the choices he betrayed.
Now he sees the world in black and white,
And he'll miss her colors for the rest of his life.
Yeah, he'll miss her colors for the rest of his life."
Paige's hand came up to cover her mouth and nose, and wipe at her eyes, which was becoming hard to see out of.
Walter himself, had subtle tears shake loose from his eyes, dropping down onto his pant leg as he sat on the rickety stool. Quieting the guitar sounds into a soft melody, he sang his final outro.
"Now the world is quiet, his equations all wrong,
Living in a matrix where her voice is gone.
He'll carry the weight of the problem unsolved,
A genius in love, but a fool who dissolved.
And he'll miss her colors for eternity…
For eternity…"
The room broke out in a fierce applause, including his former teammates. But, not her. She just sat, unable to move. Unable to speak. Unable to breathe.
"Okay then. Um. Yeah. Don't forget the legal limits for driving after having consumed alcoholic beverages." Walter awkwardly muttered out, avoiding Paige's gaze, and returning the guitar to its stand.
In a rush, he brisket walked past Paige and her table of supporters, and straight to the back to exit the building. Paige went from unable to move, to running instantly, chasing after him.
"Walter! Wait!" It was no use the door shut behind him. Running faster, she slammed The door open with more force than she knew she had in her, and saw for the briefest moment, his body, before he disappeared around the corner of the building. "Walter! Walter please!"
Finally coming around the corner, she saw him, standing, facing away from her, still as can be, frozen to his spot. Catching up to him, about ten feet away, she panted from the mad dash.
"Walter…" She sighed. She hadn't thought this far ahead. "I, uh… that was beautiful, Walter."
"I should go. I'm sorry if I upset your evening." He continued toward his car, not once looking back.
"Did you mean it?" She yelled to him, making him stop again. "Did you mean what you said in there?"
"Did you?" He answered back, just loud enough that she heard him, but his voice sounding so small.
"Every word." She took a hesitant step forward. "I'm so sor--"
She didn't finish that sentence, because as she spoke he turned, and rushed the distance between them. With stealth she had never given him credit for, he wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her, drowning her words. Kissed her with a fire, a yearning, a song in and of itself.
And she kissed him back.
And as it turned out, they could sing one hell of a duet.
Several moments later, her forehead head resting against his, both riddled with smiles, her hands clutching to his shirt, and thought occurred to her.
"How are you even here?! How'd you know I would be here?"
"Uh, well, Ralph has a dentist appointment on Tuesday at 1pm."
