A/N Hey guys so this is just a One-Shot of what I feel like could have happened after Megan passed away. It's rated T for language. This has the potential to be expanded upon but I will leave that up to you but as far as I'm concerned right now it's just a one-shot. Anyway let me know what you think!
Down The Rabbit Hole We Go
Everyone knew that it was bound to happen, but no one expected her death to send him so far over the edge, as the team would call it, so far down the Rabbit Hole. The night Walter's parents left everyone decided to give Walter some space, but the sight that greeted them the next morning when they entered the garage was one that even shocked the geniuses. Every white board, and desk in the garage were placed in the center of the lower level of the garage in a circle. Every white board had various arithmetic equations scrolled out on them and every desk top was covered in papers, books, and different electronic devices. In the center of the 'circle' was none other than Walter O'Brian. He was running around the whole of the circle to different white boards and back over to stakes of papers or opened books, the whole time muttering to himself.
It just happened to be Happy and Toby to be the first ones to walk into the garage that day. Toby told Happy to call Paige and get her down to the garage ASAP while he went over to where Walter was and was going to try and asses how far down the hole he was.
"Hey Walt." Toby said. No response. "Walter, are you still with us on Earth?"
Nothing.
"Buddy, talk to me, at least show me some sign that you can hear me."
There was no response. Walter just continued to go back and forth erasing and writing.
"Doc, we've got a problem." Happy shouted as she came out of the kitchen where she had gone to make her call.
"A bigger one then Walt showing no sign that we exist?" Toby asked sarcastically.
"Remember how Paige was going to take Ralph to Portland? Yeah, she's in Portland." Happy said still holding the phone.
"Shit." Toby said out loud. "Are you still on the phone with her?"
"Yeah, here." Happy said walking over to him with the phone. He quickly took the phone from Happy.
"Paige?" Toby asked.
"Yeah, how bad is he?" Paige asked with no other greeting like she would have given.
"It's bad." Toby said, it wasn't going to do anyone any good if he sugarcoated anything. "How fast can you get back to LA?"
"I'm checking right now." Paige said. Toby could hear the faint clicking noise of the keys on a keyboard being pushed down furiously. There was about a fifteen second pause then Toby heard, "Damnit."
"What is it Paige?" Toby asked knowing full well it was going to be a while for their only hope to arrive.
"The next plane doesn't leave until 3 this afternoon and none of them are nonstop." Paige said. Toby could tell she was getting frantic.
"Okay, we can work with this." Toby said trying to figure something out. Then it came to him. "Paige, I'm going to have to hang up. I'll call you back after I talk to Cabe. He may be able to get you here long before 8 tonight."
"Okay, call me back quickly." Paige said then she heard her say something that he probably shouldn't have heard. "I know but Drew I have a dear friend and colleague that is in trouble and he needs help."
"Note to self-go back to hating the scumbag that is Drew." Toby thought to himself. He quickly hung up the phone and called Cabe. The whole time this was going on Walter was running around still muttering to himself. Toby couldn't even figure out what Walter was doing. Nothing seemed to connect in a logical manner. Just as Toby was trying to make out one of the pieces of papers that was now taped to a whiteboard Cabe answered the phone.
"What?" The man grumbled.
"We have a problem." Toby began.
Paige's POV
After Paige got off the phone with Toby the fight started with Drew.
"Paige you literally just got here." Drew said. Paige could tell he was trying to keep his temper down.
"I know but Drew I have a dear friend and colleague that is in trouble and he needs help." Paige said, luckily just before Paige got the call Ralph had gone to Drew's bedroom to play on his Xbox. "I know this isn't how you wanted the weekend to go but…"
Drew interrupted her before she could finish, "Damnit Paige, don't you work with a group of geniuses? Can't they figure out how to get O'Brian out of the bear cave?"
"Rabbit Hole and it doesn't matter if I work with geniuses, I'm a part of that team and they called me for a reason. I have to help them." Paige said trying to keep her cool.
"I'm sick of that group of freaks always getting in the way of me spending time with my son!" Drew spat. "We agreed this was my weekend with Ralph."
"Okay, let's get a few things straight," Paige began. She was no longer trying to stay calm. "First of all, don't you ever call them freaks again. If you haven't noticed Ralph is one of them and if you can't see how amazing he is then maybe I shouldn't allow you to see him. Second, the only one getting in the way of you knowing Ralph was and continues to be you. You left remember!"
"Seriously, every time you get backed into a corner, you always have to bring up me leaving… It happened get over it!" Drew was now standing in front of Paige but Paige wasn't backing down. "And I've never really understood your role at that freak shop…what are you a glorified babysitter?"
"God Drew do you ever think about the words you say or do you just say whatever comes to mind?" Paige couldn't believe how much of a jackass Drew could be. "You cannot blame me because you weren't man enough to stay by your family. God you're still the same jackass I met in collage."
Paige walked over to the sink in the kitchen. How had she ever loved Drew?
"I'm so fucking sick of you pulling this shit!" Drew screamed. Paige knew that Ralph had to be able to hear what was going on. As far as she was concerned this would be their last trip to Portland. "I want to be in my sons life but you make it so damn hard to connect with him because you can't fathom for one minute that Ralph might actually like me better than you. That I might be a better parent then you will ever be!" That was where he crossed the line.
Paige couldn't help but laugh humorlessly. "You honestly think you're a better parent then me? I don't remember you reading to him every night, or you rushing to the hospital when his fever spiked to 110 and he could barely breathe, or you sitting in on parent meetings at Ralph's school, I don't remember you comforting him when we were kicked out of our apartment two days before Christmas with nowhere to go despite the fact that I was working three jobs. Where were you for all of that Drew? I know where I was. And I'm pretty sure I know where you were. You were playing some stupid ass sport or you were in bed with some slut."
"You're just pissed because I found someone who knew how to use fucking birth control." Drew screamed. If Paige's jaw dropped any lower it would have been laying on the floor. She could not believe Drew had said that. Paige's mind just couldn't believe that he had just said that.
"Argent ass." Paige retorted shaking her head. "Now I'm going to go get my son. I hope you don't want to spend any more time with him because if this fight proved anything to me it's the fact that you don't want to be a father and I won't allow you to hurt Ralph any further."
Paige began to walk towards the stairs when she felt Drew's hand tighten around her wrist. Paige swung around and tried to puller her arm out of his grasp.
"Ouch Drew let go." Paige said trying to hide the pain that was coming from her wrist. Drew continued to tighten his hold on her.
"You're not taking my son away from me." Drew said in a deadly voice.
"Drew I swear to god if you don't let go of me right now I will make sure you never see Ralph again." Paige said trying to get her hand free.
"You're not taking him. It's my weekend. I don't care if you leave but Ralph is staying here." Drew said through gritted teeth.
"Like hell I'm leaving him here with you after what you just said and the way you're acting. Now let go of me." Paige almost screamed. The pain shooting from her wrist was now causing her eyes to water. Before Drew could respond there was a knock on his front door. Paige figured one of the neighbors must have heard them fighting.
"Hey Drew its Carl from next door, is everything okay in there?" Came a voice from the other side of the door.
"Everything's fine." Drew called in a very fake voice. "Sorry my ex and I are just having a disagreement. We'll keep it down."
"It doesn't sound like a disagreement it sound a bit more serous then that. How about you open the door so I can make sure everyone's okay?" Carl called again. Paige was beginning to like Carl.
"Everyone's fine." Drew said he still had Paige's wrist in his hand and gave her a glare that read if she said anything she would regret it.
"I think I should make sure of that myself." Carl called. "Paige, are you alright?"
Paige figured he must have heard her name while Drew was shouting. Before Paige could say anything Drew spoke up again.
"Seriously Carl, we're both fine." Paige could tell Drew was losing his cool with Carl.
"Drew I need to hear that from Paige." Carl still sounded calm. "I'm on duty right now so if I need to I will come through this door by force."
Paige had never been more grateful to know there was a cop in the area then she was right at that moment. Drew pulled Paige close to him. "You will tell him everything is fine." Drew whispered.
He then let go of her and walked over to the door to reveal Carl, who was indeed in a police officer uniform.
"Ma'am, are you alright." Carl asked stepping into the apartment uninvited.
"Yes, would you mind staying while I go get my son? We were just about to leave." Paige said trying to keep her voice even.
"Sure thing. Drew how about you and I go stand in your living room." Carl said. For some reason Drew complied and Paige ran up to grab Ralph.
"Come on baby. We need to get back to LA." Paige said trying to stay calm. She knew Ralph had heard the fight but she really didn't have time to explain anything. She'd explain later.
"Mom, what happened to your arm?" Ralph asked looking down at the bruises that were already beginning to form the shape of Drew's hand.
"We'll talk about that later, okay." Paige said smiling at her son to make sure he knew she was okay. Paige and Ralph then walked down the stairs to find Carl and Drew standing in the living room. "Thank you officer." Paige smiled at him. She grabbed her purse off of the coffee table and carried the suitcase that had hers and Ralph's things in them.
"Here let me grab that." The officer walked forward and took the suitcase from Paige. No doubt he noticed the bruises as well. He looked at with concern written all over his face but he didn't let it show in his voice. "Have a good rest of your day, Drew."
With that the officer, Paige, and Ralph walked out of Drew's apartment. As soon as they were in the elevator leading to the lobby of the apartment building Carl turned towards Paige.
"Ma'am I have to ask. Did Drew do that to you?" Carl knew the answer that was going to come but never got to hear it because that was right when Toby decided to call.
"I'm sorry I really need to take this." Paige said before answering the phone. "Hey how is he?"
"He's the same but I have good news." Toby said. "Cabe pulled some strings and there will be an officer named Carl that is going to take you to a privet airport and get you and Ralph on a jet that will bring you straight to LA."
Paige looked over at Carl who was smiling.
"Yeah, I just met Officer Carl, he's a nice guy." Paige said. "Aright I will call you when we get on the jet. Thank Cabe for me."
"Sure thing. Get here quickly." Toby said before hanging up.
They walked out of the elevator and out to a squad car.
"Let's get you two back home." Carl said and opened the back for Paige and Ralph to climb in. "Sorry I'd let you in the front but it's against the rules."
"It's alright." Paige said. Carl walked around to the driver's side door and in a matter of seconds his siren was blaring and they were off.
Toby's POV
Toby had just gotten off the phone with Paige. Now all he needed to do was wait. He knew that no one was going to get Walter out of the Rabbit Hole but Paige. Happy had tried different things that used to work in the past but this was different. This time was worse than any other time Toby had ever seen. He couldn't help but kick himself for not seeing that Walter was hurting enough to go this deep in the hole.
"Paige is on her way to the airport." Toby said walking over to sit on the couch with Happy. Cabe was sitting in Walter's office chair. "I sure hope he didn't take stuff out of our desks." Toby said watching as Walter went back and forth.
They spent the next two hours making sure that Walter didn't do anything stupid, then Toby got the call that Paige had landed and she was on her way as they spoke.
"She's almost here." Toby said. He spent the next ten minutes praying that Paige could bring Walter out of it.
Paige's POV
Their jet landed in LA at about 1pm and they immediately climbed into the waiting police van. Just like with Carl the officer up front immediately turned on the sirens and within seconds of closing her door they were off. She called Toby to let me know what was going on, and then spent the ten minute ride praying she could do something to help Walter.
The officer dropped them off right by the garage. Paige uttered a quick thank you and practically flew to the door to the garage with Ralph's hand in hers. She walked in to see exactly what Toby had described. She couldn't believe that that had happened in less than a 24 hour span of time.
"Paige," Toby said walking over to her. Paige could tell that he was not being his usual sarcastic jerk, he was being serous which worried Paige even more. "Wow, what happened to your wrist?"
Paige looked down to see her now completely black and blue wrist. "I might explain later, but not right now. What can I do to help?"
Toby went into explaining things that they had tried to do but didn't work. He explained that this time seemed different and that Walter was deeper in the hole then he had ever seen anyone go. After he finished explaining Paige decided what she needed to do.
"Can you please take Ralph back to the apartment? You and Happy." Paige asked. "Cabe, can you…"
But Paige didn't have to finish.
"You want to be alone. We can do that." Cabe said putting his hand on her shoulder. "Just bring our boy home."
"Come on Ralphy boy." Happy said. Paige handed Happy the key to her apartment. Soon she and Walter were the only ones standing in the garage.
"Here goes nothing." Paige thought to herself as she went over to the circle of desks and whiteboards. She found a gap in the circle that she assumed Walter used to get in as well. At first she just stood there watching him move from desk to desk, board to board.
She walked up to Walter after a few minutes of just standing there. He was staring at a book. She put her hand on his shoulder, "Walter." She said softly. "I'm right here." He didn't react, he just stared at his book. "I'm here for you Walter." Paige took her hand off his shoulder and put it on top of his hand that was on the desk. "Walter, will you look at me?" Paige asked knowing it probably wouldn't work. To Paige's surprise Walter moved his and enough that he could wrap his fingers around hers. He squeezed lightly but that was it. Paige took that as a good sign. She pulled her hand and made Walter face her. He had a vacant look in his eyes. It was like he was look straight through her, but she didn't let this deter her. She put her other hand on his cheek. He blinked the second her hand touched his face and she could have sworn she saw his eyes clear a little. "Walter, I'm right here. Let me help you." Paige said keeping her voice calm and smooth. Walter's eyes shifted to the hand on his cheek. When he saw the bruise on her wrist he froze, staring at the mark of Drew's hand. He lifted his free hand and grabbed her arm just below the bruise and pulled it down so he could examine the bruise better. To Paige's surprise he was now shacking. He studied the bruise for a few seconds and then looked at Paige and went back to the bruise.
"I'm okay." Paige assured him. He looked up at the sound of her voice as if that was the first time she had spoken. She gave him a smile to back up her words. Walter just shook his head. "Walt, I really am okay. It's just a bruise."
"Who?" Was all that Walter said. She knew exactly what he was asking.
"I'll tell you if you come sit on the couch with me." Paige said. She figured she was pushing her luck but Walter let go of her arm but kept her other hand in his and they walked over to the white board directly in front of the couch. He pushed it aside and went straight to the couch. Paige sat down and to her surprise Walter sat rather close to her.
"Who?" Walter asked again.
"Drew was the one that gave me the bruise." Paige answered. The mention of Drew caused Walters face to reveal his true feelings for the man. "Walter, Drew will never see Ralph again. I'm alright I promise."
"No," Walter said shaking his head. That time Paige was stumped. But before Paige could question him Walter spoke again. "No, it's not okay." Walter had a sense of anger in his voice.
Paige put her hand on Walter's shoulder. "You're right. It wasn't okay for him to do that but I'm not hurt." Paige smiled at him trying to calm him. Walter put his free hand on Paige's cheek, she really didn't expect that.
"I'm sorry." Walter said. He now had tears in his eyes.
"There's no reason for you to be sorry Walter." Paige said now more confused than ever. But that didn't stop Walter.
"Sorry, Sorry." Walter stammered he was no longer look at her. "I'm so sorry. I'm…I'm…"
"Hey, look at me." Paige took her free hand and placed it on his chin pushing slightly so he would look at her. "What are you sorry about?" Paige asked trying to take a different approach. She had a feeling it had nothing to do with her.
"I'm…" Walter stammered again. "I'm sorry Megan."
Paige's heart hurt when Walter's voice cracked at his sister's name.
"I couldn't save you." Walter was now fully crying. "I couldn't save her."
Walter broke. Paige immediately pulled Walter into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and she did the same.
"It's okay Walter." Paige assured him. "Everything will be alright."
Next Morning
Paige and Walter stayed in that position the rest of the night. At some point Walter had fallen asleep, but Paige was wide awake the whole time. She couldn't stop the tears from falling from her face. Seeing someone she loved hurt so much killed her. She didn't know how to help him deal with his sisters passing.
At some point Paige must have fallen asleep still holding Walter because the next thing she knew Ralph was tapping her on the shoulder. Paige's eyes flew open and she realized that Walter still had his arms around her. They were now leaning their sides on the back of the couch but they still had their arms around each other. Paige didn't want to pull apart for fear of waking Walter but to her surprise he was awake. Paige smiled at him and he smiled back. Paige brought one of her hands to Walter's cheek.
"Welcome back." Paige smiled at him.
"Thank you." Walter said. "You're amazing Paige."
Paige kissed him on the cheek and they pulled apart. Paige fully expect Toby to make some smartass comment but he never did, he just smiled and went over to clean off the desks so everyone could reclaim theirs. Paige smiled as Walter again before standing up.
"Oh my god." Paige turned around at the sound of Walter's voice.
"What is it?" Paige asked.
"Your wrist." Walter stood and gently took Paige's hand in his. "What the hell happened? I didn't do that did I?"
"No," Paige said quickly. "No Walter, you didn't."
"Who did?" Walter asked.
"We'll talk about this later, okay." Paige answered. She didn't expect him to not remember last night. But she guessed it made sense. "Go get cleaned up. I'll have some food read for you, okay?"
Walter looked at her questioningly and then nodded. "Okay."
Mini Epilogue
Walter didn't go back the Rabbit Hole for a long time after that. Every time he felt like he was about to he turned to his girlfriend for help, and Paige readily agreed to step in. Paige and Walter had an amazing relationship full of love and trust. After then incident with Drew, Ralph refused to ever see Drew again and no one but Drew was complaining about it. Drew tried to fight for custody but that's a different story for a different time. Life was good for the cyclone and they prayed it would stay that way for a long time.
Disclaimer I own nothing of Scorpion..
Please Review and let me know if you want it to continue or stay a one-shot! Always remember to Smile :D