Jojo235

I actually liked Linda's character but wish they brought her in as a friend. I don't understand the whole speed dating and dating linda scenario. I mean he knows how paige feel about him and he clearly cares deeply for her so him going out with linda felt out of place.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I adore Linda. I've made her a fairly major character in several of my fics. She's my child.

FoxPhile

I think Walter's speed dating experiment was a form of avoidance. His feelings for Paige frighten and confuse him. He doesn't want to pursue them, because he's scared to death of what could happen, what he could lose. So what's the best way to avoid getting involved with Paige? Get involved with someone else. Walter is a genius, but not in this area. He doesn't understand that the much faster way to lose Paige and everything that goes with her is to continually deny and reject her.

KatFan89

Very true. Their failure to communicate is having dire consequences!

FoxPhile

It certainly is. It didn't begin with Walter's misbegotten attempt at dating, but that was certainly one big fat blow. I often wonder if Paige would have actually taken up with Tim if it weren't for Walter dating Linda.

WeBuiltThePyramids

See, I think that their open communication did shut down with the speed dating. Paige told him she had "complicated feelings" about the idea of him hitting on Stella in 2.06, but when she was asked if Walter speed dating bothered her, she said no - even though it clearly did. That was when they stopped being honest with each other and it led to everything else.

FoxPhile

I agree - that's when it pretty much shut down. But they'd been mis-communicating and being dishonest with each other for quite awhile before that - 2.06 being a great example. Their reactions to the kiss in 2.01 is another. Speed dating was just the final blow that closed the door. They have yet to recover from that. Other things have happened since that have put a padlock and deadbolt on that door. Sorry for the analogy taken to extremes.

WeBuiltThePyramids

To your other point in the previous post - considering Paige didn't decide to commit to Tim until the end of 3.01 when she found out about Walter changing the reservations (before that, she'd brought up at least once that she thought Walter was there for another reason and I think she'd have been receptive to him telling her how he feels there) and she very clearly wanted to go to Tahoe with him in 2.23 and even wanted Walter to tell her not to go in 2.24, I don't think she'd have even considered it in 2.22 if she hadn't thought Walter was with Linda.

FoxPhile

I think Walter's involvement with Linda weighed on her quite a bit. If he had stopped at the one date, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But from what we know, he took her on at least 3 or 4 dates. The fact that he really pursued it bugged her.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Yeah, definitely agree.