Agatha shows a confused Walter the patient box, inside are sources Walter used to write his novel. Seeing his old items, Walter begins partially remembering his past and flees to the King Edward Hotel. There he rips down the wallpaper of room 23 and discovers his past scribblings, the missing final chapter of the book, Chapter 23. Walter reads and remembers. Young Walter's mother killed herself which caused his father to do the same. Walter's father, an accountant, failed to leave a suicide note, only his notebook, containing the 23 enigma. In college Walter met Laura Tollins, who was aroused by danger. Tollins started flirting with her Tutor Kyle Flinch to mess with Walter and with Walter's numeral obsession returning, Tollins had an affair with Flinch and broke up with Walt via note but Walter 'deciphered' her message and was convinced she was in danger and that the number wanted to 'kill her'.