WriterFreak001:

WeBuiltThePyramids and I were given the same prompt on Tumblr sooo this is my version! Be sure to check hers out if you haven't.

Title | Dating You

Fandom | Scorpion (CBS)

Description | Tumblr Request: "Fic prompt: Walter goes on another date with Linda after he finds out that Tim asked Paige out and she accepted, and they end up going to the same restaurant at the same night." (requested by walter-and-paige)

Rating| This fanfiction will be rated T.

POV | Third Person Omniscient

Disclaimer | While CBS owns Scorpion, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

Claimer | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something should be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

Dating You

Written by WriterFreak001

One-Shot

~ SCORPION ~

"Just be cool and act natural, and Paige won't suspect a thing," Linda hissed to Walter as the waiter led them to their table.

"Easier said than done," Walter mumbled while sitting down. "She's sure to notice, though."

"She might see you, but if you act like you're actually on a date," Linda muttered, "then she won't realize you're here, checking out your competition."

"I can't believe Toby called you and roped you into all of this," Walter groaned as Linda rolled her eyes.

"You crazy geniuses saved my life." Linda replied as she unfolded her napkin, "This is the least I can do to repay you. Besides, who else would have been a willing candidate?"

"True..., but...," Walter cocked an eyebrow, "I did have you almost blown up a few months ago... I thought you didn't want to be anywhere around me."

"Well... this isn't a real date, so... because your friend seemed desperate and because I felt like I should repay you for saving my life, I figured I could help out. Besides," she laughed, "it was either this or watching a movie with my cat."

Walter smiled a little. "So... I take it that means you haven't found anybody special yet?"

"Nope. Still waiting for Prince Charming," Linda quietly chuckled and took a sip from her water. "But I'm sure he's out there, somewhere. Who knows," she shrugged with another laugh, "if this Tim guy is yummy enough, I might just try and steal him."

"That's actually not a bad plan." Walter said way too quickly, causing Linda to almost snort as she took another sip of her water.

"Don't worry, Walter. If what you and Paige have is as special as Toby says, then I'm sure things will work out." Linda paused for a second and then added, "Looks like Paige just walked into the restaurant. No, don't look! If she sees you looking at her," Linda snapped, "she'll definitely know something's up. Just act surprised if she sees you."

Walter flexed his fingers as he forced himself to stare at the base of his water glass. He desperately wanted to see Paige, but Linda was right. He couldn't have his cover blown.

"She's coming our way. I don't think she's seen us yet, but you and I should engage in conversation so she thinks we're actually on a date." Linda, knowing Walter was too focused on something to initiate anything, began talking about her day at work. Walter, at the mention of computer issues, suddenly looked up and listened to the second half of Linda's reflection of work.

"So you said there were computer errors?"

"Yeah."

"What kind?"

"Not sure," Linda shrugged. "All the computers at work did some glitchy thing so we shut the system down and called the technician, but he's not due for another week due to other appointments so we have to do everything manually. It's a pain in the ass, but, whatever."

"No need," Walter said swiftly. "I can pop by sometime tomorrow and have the problem fixed in minutes. It seems like your system captured a virus, and that's why all of your computers aren't functioning properly. Just let me kno-"

"W-Walter? Linda?" Paige's voice was suddenly behind him, and he froze as Linda's eyes met Paige's. "What're you doing here? And together?"

Walter slowly turned around, but he had no idea what to say. He was too mesmerized by the sexy red gown Paige was wearing. Linda, noticing the way Walter was acting, stepped in to save the night. "I had another date tonight here, but my date cancelled so I called the only guy I knew," she gestured to Walter, "to help me not waste the $20 I had to spend reserving this table since my poor-excuse-of-a-date claimed he was, at the time, cash poor."

"Oh," Paige blinked as she glanced at Walter. "That was nice of you, I guess."

"A-After what I put her through a few months ago, I didn't want to let her down," Walter stammered as he forced the lie to fly out of his mouth. "It was, uh, the least I could do."

"I see," Paige replied with a hint of jealousy as Tim, who was quietly standing behind her, cleared his throat.

"Paige," Tim casually touched her bare shoulder, an action that did not go unnoticed by Walter, and said, "the waiter is waiting to show us to our table. We should go."

"Right. Of course." Paige nodded as she subtly shrugged his palm off of her - also an action which didn't go unnoticed by the genius and made him inwardly smirk. "Well," the woman glanced at Linda and then shared a quiet exchange with Walter, "Have fun." Paige started following Tim and stopped to say, "It was nice seeing you again, Linda."

"Likewise," the blonde grinned.

As Paige slowly caught up to Tim and the waiter, Linda leaned in and whispered, "Okay. I think she took the bait."

"I just hope it works," was all Walter said as he watched Paige, from a distance, sit down adjacent to Tim with the corner of their table separating them.

This night was going to be the death of Walter O'Brien.

~ SCORPION ~

"Is something on your mind?" Tim asked Paige as she stared into a mirror where she could see Walter slowly eating his favorite meal, fermented fish. "You seem... like you're in an entirely different world."

"Hm?" Paige blinked and looked at Tim. "Did you say something?"

"I said," he chuckled, "You seem very distant... like your mind is somewhere else."

"Oh. I do?"

Tim nodded.

"Sorry," Paige blushed. "It's just... I haven't been on a date with a guy in many years. This is a little new to me."

"Paige?" Tim looked at her sincerely. "Why did you say yes to me when I asked you out on a date?"

Paige lifted her eyebrows. "Why did I... say yes?"

"That is what I asked," Tim replied as he folded his arms in front of him.

"Well...," she drifted as she absentmindedly glanced at the mirror again where Walter was taking a sip of his water. He was talking to Linda, casually, when the waiter accidentally tripped and spilled a tray of drinks all over the man. She mindlessly giggled and bit her lip, completely unaware of Tim eyeing her suspiciously.

"Paige?"

"Huh? What did you say?"

Tim inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't think this is going to work out."

Paige, suddenly in panic, gazed at him with confusion. "Why? I thought we were having a great time."

Tim sighed. "I don't want to date someone who is in love with another man, and it's kind of obvious you have feelings for your boss, Walter. You can't stop watching him in the mirror, and anytime you look away, I catch him staring at you so... perhaps we should stay friends because I'm pretty positive there's only one guy you'd like to be dining with, right now, and he isn't me."

Paige, completely speechless, watched Tim stand up and pull out a wad of cash. "I'll see you tomorrow at work, Paige."

Paige froze as people stared at her while Tim walked out of the restaurant. She instantly whipped around and faced her plate of food, completely humiliated. Yes, she was still in love with Walter, but she knew she wasn't going to be able to shake her feelings for him off of her so quickly. Love never faded overnight. She thought she could try to move on with Tim... try to believe she could be happy without Walter O'Brien, but tonight made her realize just how much Walter O'Brien meant to her. And no man could ever steal her heart like he did.

As she blinked back her tears of humiliation, she quietly and dryly laughed to herself, whispering, "I'm such an idiot."

~ SCORPION ~

"You do realize she's going to notice if you keep staring at her, right?" Linda cocked an eyebrow as she, for the seventh time tonight, recaptured Walter's attention.

"Hm?"

Linda rolled her eyes and laughed. "Damn. Didn't realize just how smitten you were with her. You have it bad, O'Brien."

"So I hear," Walter mumbled, recalling all of the times Toby had pestered him about his feelings for Paige. "She's really amazing..."

"Out of... curiosity, did you have feelings for her when I asked you out that one time?"

"Yes," Walter answered honestly. "I've had feelings for her for quite a while now. However, because of Scorpion, we agreed to stay strictly professional so I had to, uh, suppress my feelings for her, and I'm sure she did the same for me... But," Walter scratched his head as he glanced down at his fermented fish, "recent events have... resurrected those feelings..."

"Recent events meaning Tim, correct?"

"He's one reason," Walter nodded. "Since I'm allowing Toby and Happy to date, I can't tell Paige and Tim not to date, and I hate not having that control anymore. It's frustrating."

"But you know," Linda sipped from her glass of wine, "since two of your coworkers are dating, nothing except your stubbornness is keeping you and Paige from dating... well, your stubbornness and Tim, that is."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Walter answered dryly as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm just saying... buck up the courage and ask her out! Obviously not now, but... she's made no commitments to Tim sooo talk to her tomorrow... or call her tonight... Wait. Don't call her. Go to her apartment and let her know you still feel strongly about her. If she still loves you, which, I'm pretty sure she still does, then she'll choose you over Tim. It's an almost guarantee."

"If that's the case, then why would she date him then?"

"Maybe because the man she loves is a stubborn ass," Linda shrugged, causing a small smile to color Walter's lips.

"Maybe."

Walter was just about to say something else when a waiter swiftly walking past them and accidentally tripped and sent several glasses of water flying towards the genius. The waiter, horrified, quickly picked up the empty glasses and apologized immensely, but Walter assured him everything was all right. It certainly wasn't the first time water had been splashed in his face while he was on a date. As the waiter scurried off to fetch the manager in order to compensate for the accident, Linda couldn't stop laughing.

"That seems to happen a lot, doesn't it?"

"More than you know."

"Hey," Linda cocked an eyebrow. "The last time was an accident."

"I know, but believe me, I've experienced worst."

"I can imagine," Linda laughed, but in seconds, it faded as she looked towards Paige and Tim. "Whoa."

"What?"

"See for yourself."

Walter turned towards Paige as Linda instructed and frowned. Tim was saying something to Paige as he stood up from his seat and tossed a wad of cash onto the table. He said something else to Paige and then started walking away. Walter stared at him as he passed by, and Tim frowned at him before swiftly leaving the restaurant. "What was that all about?"

"No clue, but," Linda gestured towards Paige, "you should go to her. She looks pretty upset."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Just go." Linda demanded, and Walter, strangely, obeyed. "Don't worry about me. My mom is picking me up, and, as a thank you for saving my life a few months ago, I'll pay for our dinner."

"Thanks," He said as he rose to his feet and slowly approached Paige. He quietly sat down in Tim's seat and silently watched her for a few minutes as he tried figuring out what he should say.

And then, almost inaudibly, he heard her faintly whisper, "I'm such an idiot."

Almost immediately, Walter said, "You're not an idiot."

Paige, alarmed, widened her eyes and snapped her attention to Walter as he watched her carefully. "W-Walter... I didn't hear you sit down."

"Paige," Walter bravely covered her hand with his and locked his fingers with hers, "You are not an idiot."

She let out an emotionless laugh. "What're you even doing here?"

Walter decided Paige didn't need to know the real reason he and Linda came to the restaurant so he said, "I saw Tim leave, and you looked upset. I don't like it when you're upset."

Paige inhaled a deep breath and nodded. "I know, Walter. And thank you," she smiled softly. "Thank you for coming to check up on me, but shouldn't you get back to Linda?"

"Linda was actually the one who encouraged me to come over here." Walter answered swiftly.

"Oh."

Walter, still unsure why Tim left, decided to speak what was on his mind. "For what it's worth," he gently squeezed her hand, "I think you're an amazing person, and if Tim - as much as I dislike him - can't see that, then... he doesn't deserve you."

Paige forced her smile a little wider and leaned forward. "Thanks, Walter, but... it's a little more complicated than that."

"What do you mean?"

Paige sighed and found Walter's eyes. "Tim left because he realized something tonight, and you know what," she let out a laugh, "I can't blame him. I would have left, too... Maybe not in the fashion that he did, making me have to find a way home, but... I still would have left if I were in his shoes."

Walter gazed intently at her and bravely asked, "W-what did he find out?"

Paige, with no reason to hide it from him anymore, blinked back her tears and sadly smiled, "That I'm," her voice cracked, "that I'm still in love with my boss."

Walter inhaled a deep breath as Paige's response pierced his brain, and his skin flushed as he tried to formulate a response.

Paige was faster though. "I know it's stupid. I know I'm an idiot for having these feelings... for still loving you, but I can't help it. The more I try to move on, the more deeply I fall, and I won't lie. It's starting to become painful because I know, no matter how much I love you, Walter, we can never be together because... because Scorpion takes precedence, and we agreed to remain professional, and... and... this whole thing just sucks!"

Walter, empowered by Paige's admission, suddenly and quickly exclaimed, "Go out with me." Paige's lips parted as her breath hitched. Walter, unsure if she had heard him correctly, squeezed her hand and smiled, "Paige. I want to date you."

"You do?" Paige almost seemed shocked as she stared at him with widened eyes.

Walter nodded eagerly. "I, too, have not been able to control my feelings around you and feel they have grown substantially since our first kiss. Perhaps... perhaps what I feel for you is love... I don't know. All I know is that I want to be the guy you and Ralph count on. I want to protect both of you and be there for the two of you in every way possible. And I...," he paused and looked at her lips before meeting her eyes again, "I don't like the idea of you dating anybody else... In spite of my recent attempts to repress my feelings for you, I really, really want to date you and be that guy for you. I know I'm not like Tim or Drew or any other normal guy out there, but you make me happy, and if my observations are correct, I make you happy too, and that's not me being an egotist. Making you happy makes me happy, and I don't want to lose that happiness I feel whenever I'm with you."

Paige grinned ear to ear as her eyes stung with happy tears. "You really mean all that?"

Walter nodded swiftly.

Paige, without warning, sprang towards him and captured his lips in a heated kiss, and Walter, in spite of the PDA, kissed her as passionately as she was kissing him. Eventually, Paige slowly pulled away and smiled stupidly as Walter slowly licked his lips.

"Wanna get out of here?" Paige nodded towards the front door, and Walter nodded swiftly.

"Good. Me too." Paige grinned as she rose to her feet and grabbed Walter's hand. "Come on." After they walked out of the restaurant and found Walter's Datsun, she added, "We can go back to my place. Ralph is spending the night at Cabe's so we'll have the apartment to ourselves."

Walter swallowed thickly. "Looking f-forward to it."

Paige beamed and kissed him deeply again.

"So am I."

…

As Linda watched Walter and Paige share a hot kiss at their table and then eventually walk out of the restaurant, hand in hand, she laughed quietly to herself, knowing Walter most likely won't be fixing her office's computers tomorrow. "I'll give them a day…," she shook her head and rolled her eyes, "and then I'll call."

~ SCORPION ~

WriterFreak001:

I had fun with this one. Hee hee. What did you think?

Be sure to check out Nicole's version if you haven't done so already! :)