A/N: Thank you all for letting me take some liberties with this story. I know in canon Paige never openly told Tim she loved him, but, they were together for quite a while, and he screamed to me at least, that he was fast tracking the relationship, so I have no doubt he would have said it to her, and given how badly she was trying to move on from Walter, and prove to herself, Walter, the team and her mother, that she was not in love with Walter, I can see her returning the sentiment, even if she wasn't fully invested in feeling that way. Especially since we all know she only agreed to date Tim because Walter was dating Linda. Also, I realized Chapter One was posted before I rewrote the rest, so clarifying now. Figure this all begins several weeks following the rocket incident, and the story will continue over the course of a few months. Hope this is helpful

Xoxo

That afternoon, the garage began to wind down as the very challenging day was finally coming to an end. Tim and Paige sat quietly at the table by the monitor tree, talking in low voices. Tim was packing up a few files, getting ready to head out for a meeting at Homeland with Cabe, as Paige was reviewing case logs for billing.

"I was thinking…" Tim said, leaning in closer to her, his voice low and warm. "Why don't I take us out for dinner tonight? You, me, and Ralph. We haven't had a chance to go out in a bit, and it would be nice to spend some time together."

Paige's smile brightened at the thought of a peaceful evening with Tim and Ralph offering a welcome distraction from the chaos that had been swirling around her all day.

"That sounds great." She quickly responded, nodding. "I think Ralph and I would love that."

Tim's eyes softened, and he reached across the table to squeeze her hand gently.

"Perfect. I'll make reservations at that Italian place you like? Just something low-key. We can relax."

Paige nodded, genuinely happy about the prospect of spending time with him and Ralph. She needed this, needed something easy to pull her focus away from the constant turmoil she felt whenever Walter was around. She just had to bleach her mind, she had to stop thinking about the man that drove her crazy. It couldn't be. It was too dangerous. At least that's what she told herself.

She needed to stop focusing on Walter O'Brien.

Tim was good for her. He would never hurt her. He was emotionally mature. Could communicate. Could meet her needs. Walter would hurt her. She knew that. Maybe not intentionally, but he was careless with her feelings, with anyone's feelings, and there was just no way that it could ever work out long term. They were too inherently different. It was too intense with him. That intensity would only hurt her in the end.

Giving in to anything with Walter, it would burn so hot while it could, but that fire would burn her, and leave her scarred forever.

But despite her best efforts, she couldn't ignore the urge she had to play with matches every time she glanced in Walter's direction, or when she could feel him looking at her.

He was at his desk, appearing to be staring intently at the tablet in his hands, but Paige could feel his eyes on her, burning hot, seering into her skin, igniting a flame deep in her belly that she had to forcibly shake away. She always could sense him. It was like an unspoken connection, invisible yet undeniable, luring her no matter how much she tried to ignore it.

He held such power over her mind, her body, and it was unlike anything she ever experienced. He'd held it since that first day she met him, but since acknowledging their feelings for one another, it was undeniable, and she couldn't seem to release herself from it.

Walter could hurt her so easily, he was doing it already, and he did it without even being with her. The hold he had on her, as enthralling as it felt, also felt like she was in a vise, and giving her heart to him was just asking for it to be crushed.

She caught his gaze for a fleeting second before he quickly looked away, pretending to focus on his work. But Paige saw the squaring in his shoulders, the way he tried to hide the fact that he was watching her. Her heart twisted with guilt, and she quickly turned back to Tim, determined not to let herself get caught up in the spell of conflicting emotions that had been consuming her all day.

Across the garage, Toby and Happy stood near the whiteboard, whispering to each other as they glanced over at Paige and Tim.

"Okay, I don't care what they say…" Toby murmured, his eyes narrowing as he watched the scene unfold. "Something is definitely going on between Paige and Walter. The tension in this place has been off the charts all day, but especially since we got back from lunch."

Happy crossed her arms, her expression skeptical but intrigued.

"No kidding. Paige looks like she's trying not to cry every time she's near Walt. She's working, but you can tell her mind's somewhere else. And Walter's been watching her all day, thinking no one's noticed."

Toby smirked.

"Oh, I've noticed. Believe me, I've noticed."

Happy tilted her head, glancing over at Sylvester, who sat at his station, trying to focus on his computer, being none too sly about his discomfort at their conversation.

"Sly…" She whispered, nudging him slightly. "You were here during lunch. Did something happen between Paige and Walter?"

Sylvester glanced up from his screen, clearly sensing the curious eyes on him. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, frowning.

"I'm not getting involved in whatever's going on between them… or any office gossip." He mumbled, shaking his head. "If they want to talk to us, they'll ask. Otherwise, I'm staying out of it."

Toby raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

"Oh, he knows something. That was a Classic Sly knowing something response!"

Happy snorted, a rare smirk tugging at her lips.

"You're right. He does do that all the time. What do you know Sly?"

Sylvester rolled his eyes and shifted his chair slightly away from them.

"Seriously, guys. I'm not getting involved in whatever drama is going on around here. I'm just focusing on my work. The last time things got tense like this I ended up fixing a radio for a plant named Michael in the woods. I'm not going there again." He paused, shuddering. "The woods are scary at night."

Toby leaned in, winking at Happy.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Sly's never going to make it as a reality show star. No drama. No interviews. Nothing to stir the pot. Other than apparently a plant… in a pot."

Happy chuckled quietly.

"He'd be gone by episode two."

Paige, still seated with Tim, could feel the subtle change in energy around her. The others were clearly whispering, but she couldn't make out their words. She glanced over her shoulder, catching Toby's eye for a brief second before he quickly turned away, pretending to be absorbed in his work.

Tim didn't seem to notice any of the whispers in the room, standing up, gathering the last of his things as he prepared to leave with Cabe.

"I'll meet you at the restaurant later." He said, giving her another quick smile. "It'll be good to catch up with Ralph. And we'll have some time with just the three of us."

Paige nodded, trying to focus on Tim and the calm, albeit predictable, future he offered.

"Yeah, it'll be nice." She agreed softly.

Tim leaned down, kissing her on the cheek before heading toward the door.

"I'll text you once I'm done with the meeting." He said, glancing at Cabe, who was already heading toward the exit. "See you tonight."

Paige watched him leave, her heart flooded with such contradictory emotions. She wanted to be fully present with Tim, to enjoy the normalcy he brought into her life. But every time she looked over at Walter, the complicated feelings she had been trying to suppress resurfaced, refusing to be ignored, and a part of her wanted to give in to that chaos.

To play with fire.

As Tim and Cabe disappeared out the door, Paige sighed softly, her eyes drifting toward Walter once more. He was still pretending to work, but she knew he had been watching their conversation, watching the way Tim kissed her cheek, and watching the way her heart wasn't entirely in it. She knew, despite his EQ challenges, that he saw her. Truly saw her. Past her own defenses, past her stoic front.

The quiet simmering between them was unbearable, and Paige didn't know how much longer she could keep pretending that everything was fine.

--

As the evening came to a close, the garage grew quiet, one by one the team left for the day. Paige was the last to pack up her things, her movements slow and deliberate as she shoved papers into her bag, she didn't know why she was the last one. Her tasks had been completed for a while, and yet, here she was pushing the clock, feigning busy work just to steal an uninterrupted, unguarded moment with Walter. It was so wrong, and she silently berated herself for it. The echo of footsteps leaving the garage faded into silence, and soon, it was just her and Walter.

He sat at his desk, still glued to his work, buddy on his computer, the exhaustion from the day of pretending hanging heavily in the air between them. Paige felt his presence, the unspoken words, the lure of desire like a thick fog. She knew she couldn't leave without saying something, but the awkwardness between them made her hesitant on what.

Gathering the last of her things, slinging her bag over her shoulder, she walked toward the door, her heels audibly clicking on the concrete floor, but she stopped just short of the rusty metal door. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to face him, her voice and eyes soft but sincere.

"Walter…" She started, her tone kind but heavy with unspoken emotions. "I… I hope you have a good night."

Walter didn't look up right away, his eyes still fixed on his screen as if it held the answer to some unsolvable equation. When he finally did glance up, his expression was solemn, sad even, and all he managed was a quick, curt nod.

Paige sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly as the door loomed ahead of her. This was why, she thought to herself. This was why she couldn't be with him. He's too emotionally closed off, too unavailable. She felt the familiar pang in her chest, the ache of something unspoken between them, and the frustration of knowing that no matter how much she wanted more, it would never be enough.

Just as she reached for the door handle, she heard his voice behind her.

"Paige, wait."

She stopped, her hand hovering over the door, and slowly turned around to face him. Walter stood up from his desk, his expression softer now, his posture less rigid than it had been all day. There was something vulnerable in the way he stood, something she wasn't used to seeing from him.

"I… I'm sorry." Walter said quietly, his voice sincere. "For the way I acted today."

Paige blinked, her brow furrowing slightly. She hadn't expected him to say anything, let alone an apology.

"You don't need to apologize, Walter." She said softly, unsure of where this was going.

"No, I do." He insisted, taking a step toward her. "I… I don't know how to be around you. I… I don't know how to act normal." He gave a small, self-deprecating smile. "I mean, I struggled with that before, but now… it's impossible."

Paige felt her heart twist as he spoke, his words hitting her harder than she expected. There was a raw honesty in his voice, something Walter rarely showed. Walter was always controlled, logical, and calculated. But now… he seemed almost human in his vulnerability.

"I didn't mean to upset you." Walter continued, his voice low. "Avoiding you… it seemed like the best option at the time, but… clearly, it wasn't." His hands fidgeted, stuffing them deep into his pockets for relief. "I'll uh, I'll do better tomorrow. I promise."

Paige stared at him, her heart caught between relief and something deeper, something she wasn't ready to admit to herself. She nodded slowly, unsure of what to say.

Walter shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "And… I'm sorry for interrupting your moment with Tim earlier. That… wasn't my intention. I'll… try to be more cognizant of my surroundings in the future."

Paige's lips parted in surprise, her chest tightening at the apology. Walter had never been one to acknowledge moments like that, let alone offer a genuine apology for intruding. It was a small gesture, but it meant more than she wanted to admit.

And showed that he was emotionally available, it was just kept under lock and key, and to her knowledge, she was the only one he ever opened the door for.

"Walter, it's--"

"No, really." Walter interrupted gently. "I mean it. I'm sorry for the way today went. I know I made things harder, and that wasn't fair to you." He paused, his eyes meeting hers for the first time in what felt like hours. "I hope you have a nice date with Tim tonight. You deserve to be happy."

His words lingered in the air, and for a moment, Paige didn't know how to respond. There was a sincerity in his voice that caught her off guard, a vulnerability that she hadn't expected from him. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the effort it took for him to say those words.

Paige swallowed, her throat tight.

"Thank you." she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "That… that means a lot."

Walter gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Paige nodded, her heart heavy as she turned and walked out the door, her thoughts a tangled mess of emotions she couldn't quite sort through. She had come to expect Walter to keep his distance, to maintain the emotional walls that separated them. But tonight, for the briefest of moments, she had seen something different, something real.

And it only made everything more complicated.

As she got into her car, she just sat there, letting quiet, solemn tears descend her cheeks, releasing the pain that had settled in her chest all day. But then, she wiped away those tears, and pulled away from the garage. Away from Walter.

To be with Tim.

Paige sat across from Tim in the softly lit Italian restaurant, her fork idly pushing around a piece of pasta on her plate. The ambiance was perfect with soft music playing in the background, candlelight flickering between them, and the rich aroma of garlic and olive oil wafting through the air. Tim was every bit the perfect gentleman, dressed sharply, smiling warmly as he spoke about his day, and she knew he was trying so hard to create the ideal night for her, to be the perfect man for her.

Everything on paper was perfect. It should be perfect.

But as Tim continued to talk, his voice soft and charming, Paige couldn't help but feel a corrosive emptiness in her chest. It wasn't that Tim wasn't a good man. He was. He was kind, attentive, and he adored Ralph. He had even spent a good portion of the evening asking Ralph about school, making jokes about their favorite superhero movies, and trying to bond with him. It should've melted her heart, and in a way, it did.

But it wasn't feeling like enough.

The food in front of her, artfully arranged and perfectly seasoned, might as well have been cardboard. She knew she should appreciate the effort, the thoughtfulness that had gone into the night, but all she could think about was how badly she prefer to be sitting across from Walter at Kovelsky's Diner, sharing a greasy burger with paper placemats and laminated menus, drinking soda out of plastic cups likely older than her, while he lectured her about the nutritional failings of her food choices. She could almost hear his voice in her head, his playful yet serious tone rattling off facts about saturated fats and sodium intake, all the while stealing her fries.

It didn't make sense.

This, this elegant, soothing restaurant, one of her favorites, this date with a man who truly cared about her and Ralph, should have her overjoyed, it's what she was supposed to want. Tim was everything she should want. But as she stared across the table at him, forcing a smile as he laughed at something Ralph said, all she could feel was the weight of her longing for something… someone else.

She imagined Walter sitting across from her, his brow furrowed as he tried to understand why anyone would willingly eat food that was so bad for them. She could almost see the way he would lean back in the booth, his fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the edge of a napkin as he launched into one of his educational monologues, while she teased him about loosening up. The ease of those moments, the way it felt so natural and right, played over and over in her mind.

"Everything okay?" Tim's voice broke through her thoughts, his eyes studying her with a hint of concern. "You seem a little distracted."

Paige blinked, shaking herself out of her reverie. She forced another smile, pushing away the ache in her chest.

"Yeah, sorry. Just… more tired than I thought, I guess."

Tim nodded, his expression softening as he reached across the table to squeeze her hand.

"You've had a lot on your plate lately. I get it."

She squeezed his hand back, guilt eating away at her insides. He didn't know. He couldn't know what was really on her mind, what she was struggling with. He was being so sweet, so understanding, and yet all she wanted in that moment was to be anywhere else. With someone else.

Because she was a horrible human being.

As the night wore on, the conversation at the table flowed, forcing herself to be engaged to some degree, if only to keep up appearances, but Paige couldn't stop her mind from drifting back to Walter. To the easy banter they shared, the quiet moments in the garage when they would work late into the night. No matter how hard she tried to force herself to stay present, to appreciate Tim's efforts, tonight her heart was somewhere else entirely.

When dinner finally ended and they were heading home, Paige couldn't shake the heavy feeling of disconnection that lingered between them. Tim was everything she should want. And she knew he was everything her life needed. But deep down, she knew the truth. Everything she wanted, everything she craved was sitting across town at a different table, at a different place, embodied in someone she could never seem to let go of.

And that realization terrified her.

She needed Tim.

But she wanted Walter.