The smell of pizza filled the apartment, a warm contrast to the tension that still lingered from earlier. Paige had woken from her nap of nearly four hours, the exhaustion still evident in her eyes, though she had managed a small smile when she saw Ralph and Walter setting the table with paper plates, and noting how the entire apartment was back to as close to before the attack as possible, the crackers in the wall even covered with a fresh coating of spackle. Even the blood stained carpet was clean, but she wasn't going to ask how they managed that one. The day had been overwhelming, emotionally exhausting, but there was something grounding about the normalcy of ordering pizza, as though for a brief moment, they could pretend things were normal.

But even as they ate, Walter's mind was spinning. The letter, folded neatly in his pocket, weighed heavily on him. He had been thinking about it nonstop since he found it, turning over the words in his mind, trying to figure out how to approach Paige. He knew this wasn't the right time to push her, she had already been through so much, but the letter had changed everything. He couldn't pretend he didn't know now. And he didn't want to. He didn't want there to be secrets between them. Keeping secrets was what landed her in Tim's dangerous arms to begin with.

After they finished dinner, Ralph had retreated to his room, busying himself with a project Walter had given him to work on earlier in the day, though, Walter was sure that Ralph just needed a break from the stress of everything, needing to decompress in his own space. The apartment was quiet again, and Paige was sitting on the couch, absently running her fingers over the edge of her sleeve. She seemed lost in thought, her brow furrowed slightly as she stared at nothing in particular.

Walter stood nearby, his heart thudding painfully in his chest as he fingered the letter in his pocket. He wasn't sure how to bring it up, or even if he should. But he couldn't keep this between them, not when it had been so raw, so full of emotion. He took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and walked over to her.

"Uh, Paige?" He asked softly, his voice careful, unsure.

She looked up at him, her tired eyes softening slightly when she saw him, though there was still an underlying tension in her posture.

"Yeah?" She replied, her voice low.

Walter hesitated for a moment, his fingers nervously fumbling in his pocket as he slowly pulled out the letter. The second Paige saw it, her face paled slightly, and her breath hitched.

She definitely knew what it was.

"I… I uh, I found this." Walter began, his voice hushed, as he sat down next to her on the couch. "It was in a pile of things, under one of the bookshelves."

Paige's eyes flickered to the letter, her throat suddenly so dry. She swallowed hard, her mind racing as she stared at the piece of paper that held so much of what she had been hiding for years.

"I—I didn't know where it had gone." She murmured, her voice trembling slightly. "I thought he had taken it." Cautiously, she took the letter, her finger tracing over her scrawling of Walter's name. "Did you… Did you read it?" She couldn't look at him, her stomach doing flips as she remembered sitting in the very same spot on her couch writing that letter. Remembered the ink bleeding in a few places as her salty tears dropped onto the paper.

Walter looked at her, his heart aching at the vulnerability in her expression. He could see how nervous she was, how uncertain.

"I did." he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have. But when I found it… but still, I shouldn't have. And i just wanted you to know. So there aren't any secrets."

Paige shook her head, cutting him off gently.

"No, Walter… it's okay. I wrote it for you, after all. I just…" She trailed off, her gaze flicking to him briefly, before dropping back to the letter. "I didn't think you'd ever read it, especially under these circumstances."

"Yeah."

The room seemed to grow quieter as the weight of their unspoken feelings settled between them. Walter could feel the tension in the air, the way Paige seemed both scared and relieved that the letter was out in the open.

"I'm not sure where we stand, Walter." Paige admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. She finally met his eyes, her expression filled with uncertainty. "With everything that's happened, with the uh kiss… things are confusing right now. I don't know what any of it means. I'm not sure what I'm actually ready for."

Walter nodded, understanding the complexity of her feelings, feeling them too. He had been thinking about the kiss too, how natural it had felt, how right, but he didn't want to rush her. He knew she was dealing with so much, and the last thing he wanted to do was push her into something she wasn't ready for.

"I understand, Paige." Walter said softly, his voice steady. "Everything's been… a lot. I get that you need time to figure things out, heal. And I don't want to pressure you." He paused, his hand taking the letter and placing it on the table, before gingerly clasping her hand in his, his eyes searching hers. "I'm okay with going slow. As slow as you need. If you want this. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere."

Paige felt a surge of emotion rise in her chest at his words, a mixture of relief and affection. She had been so afraid that bringing this up, bringing the letter into the light, would complicate everything, make it harder to navigate the confusing feelings she had been trying to process. But hearing Walter say he was willing to wait, that he wasn't going to push her, made her heart ache in the best way.

"I don't know what to say." Paige whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I've been trying to figure everything out… trying to understand what I want, what I'm ready for. But it's hard when I'm still scared. I do want this, Walter. I just don't know that I'm ready to fully jump into it."

Walter nodded, his gaze soft but intense.

"You don't have to know everything right now. You've been through so much, Paige. It's okay to take your time. I just wanted you to know… that I'm here. For whatever you need. Even if it's just to sit here and be with you. I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to."

Paige's eyes welled with unshed tears, but this time they weren't from fear or sadness, they were from the overwhelming comfort of knowing she didn't have to do this alone. She didn't have to figure everything out right now, and Walter wasn't going to leave her. He was patient, kind, and willing to wait.

"I don't deserve you." Paige whispered, shaking her head as a tear slid down her cheek.

Walter reached out, gently brushing the tear away with his thumb over her yellow skin. His touch was soft, filled with affection.

"Yes, you do." He said quietly, his voice full of sincerity. "You deserve everything, Paige."

The closeness between them felt electric, and for a moment, Paige could feel the pull between them again, the same pull she had felt when they kissed. But this time, there was no urgency, no need to rush. It was just them, sitting together, navigating their feelings slowly, tenderly.

Walter held up the letter, his eyes searching hers.

"Can I ask… When you wrote this… did you mean it? Or was this a response to that days events? I uh, I'm sorry, I'm just new to… all of this, and… uh, processing.

Paige took a shaky breath, nodding as she looked down at her hands, her fingers twisting nervously.

"Every word." she whispered. "I've had feelings for you for so long, but I was always too scared to say anything. And then… when you were up there, in space, and I thought I might lose you… I couldn't deny it anymore."

Walter's heart ached at her words, but it was a good kind of ache, the kind that told him everything was finally falling into place. Slowly, but surely.

"I wish I'd known sooner." He said softly, his voice full of warmth. "But I'm glad I know now."

Paige looked up at him, her eyes soft, relaxed, the first time he'd see them that was in over two weeks.

"Me too." She let out a light chuckle. "I, uh, wish you could remember… then I could ask you if you meant it."

"Well, I don't remember, but I can say that when hallucinating to that extent, it's a lot like when someone is intoxicated, in that the inhibitions are no longer present and they speak things they'd normally be too afraid to say. So, while I cant say with one hundred percent certainty, I believe that yes, whatever I said to you, I meant."

She smiled, bumping his shoulder with hers playfully.

"Good, cause you owe me something called Baked Alaska. I'm told it's the most scientifically interesting dessert." She smirked, laying her head on his shoulder as he peered down at her questioningly.

They sat there for a long moment, the letter resting in front of them, their hands clasped together, as Walter encircled his other arm around her, holding her close. The air between them felt charged, but it was different now, calmer, more alive with hope. They weren't rushing into anything, but they weren't denying it anymore either. There was something real between them, something that had been growing for years. And now, it was out in the open.

Hours later, the apartment was still. The lights were dimmed, the remnants of dinner cleared away, and the stress of the day had faded into a kind of somber silence. Paige stood in the doorway to her bedroom, her hand resting lightly on the frame as she glanced over her shoulder at Walter. He was settling himself onto the couch, arranging a pillow and blanket, his movements slow and deliberate. He had insisted on staying, on making sure she felt safe, even though she had hesitated, feeling a mix of guilt and gratitude.

"Are you sure you'll be okay out here?" Paige asked softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Walter looked up from the couch and gave her a reassuring smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'll be fine." He said. "You just try to get some sleep."

Paige nodded, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her expression. She didn't want to admit it out loud, but she was nervous, scared even. Being back in this apartment after everything that had happened, after the attack, it made her feel vulnerable in ways she hadn't expected. The familiar shadows in the corners of the room now seemed to hold memories and monsters she didn't want to revisit.

Walter could see the fear in her eyes, though she was trying hard to hide it.

"I'll be right here, Paige." He added softly. "If you need anything. Anytime. I'm not going anywhere."

Paige gave him a small, appreciative smile, but it was clear that sleep wasn't going to come easily.

"Thank you, Walter." She whispered, lingering for a moment longer before stepping into her room. She closed the door behind her, but Walter could hear the soft click of the lock turning, a quiet reminder of the fear still controlling her.

He settled back onto the couch, pulling the blanket over himself as he stared up at the ceiling. The apartment was quiet, but his mind was far from calm. His thoughts were racing, replaying everything that had happened since Tim came back into their lives.

He closed his eyes, his mind wandering back to that day, two weeks ago, when Tim had stormed into the garage, demanding to know where Paige was. Walter's stomach twisted with guilt as he remembered the fury in Tim's eyes, the way he had accused them both, the way Walter had let him leave. At the time, he had believed Tim would go cool off, that his anger would dissipate, and he would return to reason. But he had been wrong.

I should have stopped him. I should have killed him on the spot. Walter thought bitterly, his jaw clenching in frustration. I should have known he was dangerous. I should've done something.

The what-ifs swirled in his mind, each one more painful than the last. What if he had confronted Tim that day? What if he hadn't let him leave? What if he had seen the signs, understood just how volatile Tim really was? Maybe if he had acted then, none of this would've happened. Paige wouldn't have been hurt, and Tim wouldn't be on the run now.

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. The image of Tim's angry face flashed in his mind, and Walter felt the coursing guilt settle deeper. He had let Tim walk out that day. He had let him go, and now Paige and Ralph were living in constant fear because of it.

I couldn't stop him then. How can I keep them safe now?

He doubted himself, doubted his ability to protect Paige and Ralph from someone like Tim. He knew how dangerous Tim was, his military training, the SEALs, his law enforcement background, but now, he was out there somewhere, a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Walter had spent the last two weeks doing everything he could to find him, to track him down, but nothing had worked. No leads, no sightings. Tim had vanished, leaving them all in this limbo of uncertainty. The ease in which he'd disappeared had led him to one grim conclusion, that this had been planned all along. Paige wasn't meant to survive that night. He was going to kill her and disappear. He hadn't expected her to survive. And now he was out there with unfinished business. Paige was still alive.

At least that's the only conclusion he'd come to. There were plenty of 'plot holes' as Cabe had put it, in that theory, such as Tim telling Paige not to go to the police, and giving Paige a chance to escape, but it was the only solid theory he had at the moment.

Walter clenched his fists under the blanket, his mind filled with frustration and regret. He had always prided himself on being able to solve problems, to think through solutions logically and methodically. But this, this wasn't a problem he could solve with an algorithm or a calculated plan. This was real, and it was terrifying. And for the first time in a long time, Walter felt powerless.

His thoughts drifted back to Paige, alone in her room, probably lying awake, too scared to sleep. He hated that she felt this way, so defenseless, so trapped by the fear Tim had instilled in her. She had been through so much, and Walter wanted nothing more than to protect her, to make her feel safe again. But how could he, when he couldn't even find the man responsible?

He sighed deeply, his eyes flicking toward Paige's door. He had promised her he would be there, that he wouldn't leave, but part of him wondered if that was enough. If he could really keep her safe. He wanted to believe he could, wanted to believe that being here, by her side, would make a difference. But the doubt gnawed at him, creeping in at the edges of his thoughts.

What if I can't? The question haunted him, lingering in the stillness of the room. What if Tim comes back? What if I fail them?

Walter closed his eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but the fear remained. He had to stay strong for Paige, for Ralph. He had to be the one to protect them, no matter what. But that responsibility felt heavier than anything he had ever faced.

His thoughts drifted back to the letter, the one Paige had written to him, confessing her feelings, her fears. To the way her words had made him feel, the way they had brought to light everything he had been afraid to acknowledge. He loved her. He had known it for a long time, but now, it was undeniable. And that love made everything feel even more urgent, more terrifying. Because if anything happened to her, if he failed her again… he didn't know if he could live with that. Paige and Ralph were counting on him, and he couldn't afford to fail them again.

With one last glance toward Paige's door, Walter closed his eyes and tried to sleep, though the racing of his thoughts made it nearly impossible.