Walter thundered down the stairs, spotting Paige sitting at her desk.
"Hmm. Your Department of Energy friend has got you doing paperwork, too?" he asked.
"Uh no, I took a little break, actually, I'm trying to get a jumpstart on all these 'Best Ma'am' responsibilities. Planning a stag party is a little out of my area of expertise, plus," Paige held up her bandaged hands, "this is not speeding up the process."
"Yes, I've also been cramming on best man research lately, all for nothing." Walter paused.
"I could lend you a hand, literally and metaphorically."
He started to grab a chair.
"Oh yeah, that sounds good. Perhaps I can help you prepare your 'Dude of Honor' stint? You've got a lot to put together."
Walter sank down beside Paige.
"Wedding partners in crime?"
They smiled at each other.
"Deal. May require a few late nights, and some weekends," Paige said.
"Whatever it takes. I do not need Happy Quinn mad at me."
Paige laughed.
"Well, let's get to work."
~
The two sat in a comfortable silence, reading the tasks needing to be completed on the wedding "to-do" list and jotting down ideas for the best men.
Every now and then, one of them would say something about the wedding or ask the other's opinion on something, but other than that, they remained quiet, lost in their own thoughts.
Walter was mostly thinking about Paige, about how if the wind had picked up any more, she wouldn't be sitting here beside him right now. Walter knew that she was okay, but it still frightened him to think about losing the woman he loved so much.
Paige was thinking about Walter, about the way he had looked at her earlier that day, as if she was the most important thing in the world. He had looked at her like that moments before, but she wasn't in danger now. So what did it mean?
Paige scooted her chair a little closer to Walter's, praying he didn't notice, but knowing him, he probably already knew she was going to do that.
Paige turned to face the genius, and smiled when she caught him gazing at her in the same way as before. She knew what it looked like now. Adoration.
"Whatcha thinkin' about?" she asked.
Walter snapped out of his daze.
"Oh, um, nothing," he answered.
Paige could tell that he was lying, but she didn't press.
But she didn't have to.
"I almost lost you today," he blurted.
Paige's eyebrows shot up.
"And Happy, of course," he quickly added.
"But you-I saw you dangling from that cable and I was scared. I was scared you were-you were gonna fall and then you'd be gone, like that. I wouldn't have had the chance-" He stopped himself.
