Author's Note: This fic is part of a collaboration between WeBuiltThePyramids, WriterFreak001 and FoxPhile. Each Author has written two stories that, together, make up the collection. The stories are best read in order. You can find information on the next story in the series at the end of this chapter. Links to all the stories can be found on my profile page.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own /scorpion. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I make no profit and no infringement of copyrights is intended.

Chapter 3

Cabe walked up to where team Scorpion were gathered, sipping coffee and looking uncomfortable. Happy sat on her duffle bag. Despite her short stature, her knees were folded up nearly meeting her chin. Toby sprawled beside her, his legs stretched out across the floor, his head resting on his own duffle and his hat cocked down over his eyes. Sylvester paced back and forth, one hand planted on the side of his neck. Walter sat cross-legged on the floor, with Paige on his lap, her own legs stretched out in an effort to maintain modesty in her short skirt.

"Well, kiddos. It's official. All small aircraft are grounded. Only the really big jets are being allowed to take off in this storm, so that nice cushy corporate jet that was supposed to take us all back home isn't going anywhere for at least the next twenty-four hours. I haven't been able to get seats on any other flights so we're pretty well stuck here."

Cabe took a sip of his own coffee, allowing the chorus of groans to subside. "The good news is that the hotel still has three rooms available. Apparently, New York cabbies are a hardy bunch because there's a line of them outside the airport. Anyone who wants to should be able to get back into the city, despite the snow."

Toby bolted awake, grabbed his bag and helped Happy to her feet. "Well, what are we waiting for? Luxury accommodations await!"

"Hold up a minute there, Toby. You haven't heard the bad news yet."

Sly halted his pacing and walked quickly up to Cabe. "Bad news? I don't like it when you say 'Bad news'," he said.

Toby slowly lowered his duffle to the floor. He reached a hand over and Happy's met his.

Paige got up from her seat and Walter rose as well so the two could join the group gathered around Cabe.

"The bad news is," Cabe continued, "that neither Homeland nor the NYSE will spring for another night in a hotel. So we can either spend the rest of the day – and probably at least one night – here at the airport, or those who want to foot the bill can go back to the hotel until the jet is cleared to leave, or we can find another way out of here."

Toby and Happy looked at each other. "We're going for the hotel," Happy announced as she and Toby grabbed their bags and proceeded to follow a sign indicating the direction to the taxi stand.

"You might want to know that the hotel is going to run about three-fifty a night and the cab will be about fifty bucks each way!" Cabe called after them.

The pair paused. Turning around, Toby looked squarely at Scorpion's founder. "You two want to share a cab with us?" He asked.

Walter turned to look at Paige. He had no idea what was appropriate in this situation. While on the case, each team member had their own room at the hotel. Walter was nearly certain that either Happy's or Toby's room went unused, but he and Paige agreed before coming that sharing a room while on a case would broadcast information to the team that they were not ready to divulge. With only three rooms available, though, unless neither Sly nor Cabe planned to use one, Paige would have to share with someone. Given the other couple's eagerness, that person clearly would not be Happy.

Paige returned his look. She glanced at their waiting teammates, then turned back to Walter. She blinked once and gave a slight nod. Walter sighed in relief. She had understood his dilemma, and let him know it would be okay. They could share a room. Despite their so-far frustrated plans to advance their relationship to the next level, that wasn't something they had to do in this situation – regardless of what everyone on the team might assume.

When he had more time, Walter decided he needed to analyze how it was possible for Paige to communicate all of that without words. For now, though, he grabbed his duffle and helped Paige to get back into her coat. "Hold up you two," he called back as he and Paige moved to follow. "We're going along. I have no desire to spend the night on a cold airport floor."

"Not when you can spend it in the warm arms of a certain liaison!" Toby muttered.

"Inappropriate, Doc," Happy hissed.

Toby doubled over. "Oh, my spleen!"

"What? I didn't touch you!" Happy stared at him, then slapped the hat off his head.

"Force of habit," Toby retorted as he bent over to retrieve his hat. "I know you've promised not to hit me anymore, and I appreciate that you've kept that promise. But sometimes I still feel the impact of your love taps, psychosomatically."

"Paige!" Cabe called. "You need any help getting someone to look after Ralph?"

"No, but thanks, Cabe," Paige turned to answer. "Ralph is staying with a friend from school. I'll call the parents from the cab, but I'm sure they'll be okay keeping him an extra day."

"Okay. Let me know if you run into any snags."

Paige nodded, then turned back to catch up.

Cabe watched the foursome leave and turned to Sly. "So what do you say, Sly? Would you rather stay on a cold, hard, dirty airport floor or share a room with yours truly?"

"I am not a fan of shared living accommodations," Sly responded, looking around him at the scuffed flooring and bits of litter. "But in this instance I will make an exception."

"Good," Cabe said, hefting his own bag over his shoulder. "We can split the cost of the room and the cab. If you promise not to snore, I'll even spring for a pizza for dinner."

"I snore because I have a nasal condition. It's not something I can control."

Cabe grinned. "Then we'll get some extra pillows. If you sleep with your head raised, it might help. If not, I'll just put the pillows over your face."

Sly scrutinized Cabe's face as the two made their own way to the taxi stands. Cabe merely smiled. It was impossible to tell sometimes whether he was joking or deadly serious.

"I'm… sorry that this situation has um… led to Toby… and um… possibly the others drawing assumptions about our relationship."

Paige looked up from where she was unpacking the few things she would need for their overnight stay. It didn't take a genius to realize that the big King-sized bed was making Walter nervous. Despite their intention to begin a physical relationship, she wondered if their previous unsuccessful attempts were causing him increased anxiety. She knew that frustration and failure were things that disrupted Walter's usually logical thought processes and could cause him to regress. He was mortified when Ray caught them in the early stages of foreplay. Between the case with the New York Stock Exchange and other distractions, they hadn't really discussed the incident since then. It was entirely possible that Walter had changed his mind – that he needed more time.

"Walter," she sat on the side of the bed, setting aside the blouse and skirt she wanted to hang up so she could wear them the next day. She made sure there was room for him to sit beside her if he wanted to. "The rest of the team know we've been dating – that we're together – for weeks now. Whatever assumptions they want to draw about that, trust me, they drew them a long time ago. They don't need to know we spent the night together in a hotel room to think that we're having sex. But what they think doesn't dictate what we do, either."

"I realize that," Walter said as he slowly sat down. "I thought perhaps it would be less… distressing… to deal with if we… if we know the assumption isn't true… at least not yet."

"If you're embarrassed or… are having second thoughts…"

"What? Me? No!" Walter reached out and took Paige's hand. "I… I'm making… that is I thought perhaps you might find it awkward…" Walter took a deep breath. "Paige I… I still want very much to make love with you. I just don't want it to be something either of us has… any regrets about. So if you feel that it will be more embarrassing to face the rest of the team tomorrow if we actually… then I'm okay with waiting for a more suitable… and private… opportunity."

Paige laughed. "Oh Walter. Seriously? I'll happily face a bit of embarrassment if I can have the memory of our first time in a beautiful room like this one. I mean, your loft is nice, and I'd be happy to make love with you just about anywhere. But we have an opportunity here to make it really memorable. I don't think we should let anything interfere with that, as long as we're both ready."

"We're agreed, then." He leaned over and kissed her, lingering to deepen the kiss. It had been awhile since they last shared any intimacy at all, and he found he was hungry for it.

"I just…" Paige drew back.

"What?" Walter asked, confused. "Are you hungry? Do you want to get something to eat first? I know how much you've enjoyed the um… authentic New York fare…"

Paige chuckled and stood up from the bed, drawing Walter with her. "I'm not hungry, but I think that once we get into this big bed together," she winked, then went on, "we probably won't be leaving until morning."

Walter nodded, anticipating that the comfortable room, and the guarantee of relative privacy for several hours would lead to prolonged intimacies.

"If you don't mind," Paige continued, "this is my first time in New York, but we've been busy with the case every day, all day. I haven't had a chance to see anything that we haven't passed by in a car. I know it's snowing outside, but there are plenty of things to see that are really close to the hotel, so I'd like to see if maybe we could… see some of them."

"Oh… oh… all right," Walter agreed. "We're at the Waldorf-Astoria. Just a few blocks from here is Rockefeller Center. On the way we can pass by St. Patrick's Cathedral, which, although I don't ascribe to the religious significance, is still an outstanding example of American Gothic Revival architecture which you might enjoy. Then… of course… Fifth Avenue is famous for its um… shopping opportunities."

"Shopportunities?" Paige interrupted, giggling.

Walter paused in his litany of local attractions, then grinned. "Yes, I suppose so. Very witty."

"I don't need an itinerary, Walter. Let's just go out and walk around. I'm a California girl. I've hardly ever seen snow. Just walking in the snow will be fun for me!"

"Wow, Walter! I had no idea you knew how to do this." Paige gripped tightly to Walter's shoulders; his hands were on her waist. Her entire body was tense, but she knew she could trust him. "And you're so GOOD at it. You never cease to amaze me!"

"I know that you probably think of me more in terms of the capacity of my brain, but I do have some physical prowess as well, you know." Walter grinned as he continued to guide their movements.

"Yes, but – ice skating? That's probably the last sport I would think of you knowing, Walter. How did you learn?"

Walter glided effortlessly backwards as he guided Paige through a slow spin. "It was, actually, one of the few things my father and I were able to enjoy together. Ice skating isn't popular in Ireland and there are few rinks, but dad spent some time in Canada as a boy and learned to love it. So a few times a year, he packed up the family and we all drove to the nearest rink. I found I could make geometric shapes with my skates in the ice, working out theorems. So it was fun for me where most other sports weren't."

Paige shook her head, which temporarily threw off her balance. Walter helped steady her, then skated around to her side, taking one hand in his and wrapping the other arm around the back of her waist. "Try to sync your movements with mine. When I push off with my left, you push off with the same foot. We'll go slow." They continued around the rink, and before long they were gliding together in a slow, weaving pattern. Paige gripped Walter a bit tighter, then carefully laid her head on his shoulder. Dusk had fallen and the rink was aglow with lights. Snow had been falling all day and the flakes drifting past the lighted trees glittered like fairy dust. Paige knew that from now on, anytime she saw Rockefeller Center on the television, she would remember this moment.

"You know," she mused, "I've never really seen snow. I've been skiing on snow that's already on the ground, but I've never actually seen it fall before. It's really beautiful."

"I… I supposed it is, although the last time I saw snow Happy almost died."

"Oh. Right. I didn't go on that one."

"It was… I learned a lot on that trip. Some things I continued to… resist… for some time." Walter cleared his throat. "We should probably think about getting something to eat and getting back to the hotel," he suggested.

"I am getting hungry," Paige admitted. "I'm also freezing," she said, shivering. "This jacket was not made for a New York winter!"

Walter chuckled and began steering them towards the exit. "Well then, we should find a place to have dinner and then get back to the hotel." As they made their way to the benches where they could remove their skates, he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "Then I can help to warm you up," he whispered into her ear.

They sat down on the bench and Paige leaned over to whisper, "Why Walter! Did you just treat me to a suggestive innuendo?"

Walter dropped the skate he'd just removed and turned to look at her, confused. "Not that I'm aware of."

Paige shook her head, rolled her eyes, and began working on her own skates.

Paige couldn't help but wish she'd brought a sexy nightgown as she buttoned up her pajama top. They were nice pajamas. The silky material clung to her curves and the loose pants flowed as she walked. But they were still pajamas. They covered more of her than her usual business attire did. She undid the top button to expose a little more cleavage. Would it be too daring to walk out with the top completely unbuttoned? She decided it probably would. She still wasn't sure exactly where Walter's comfort zone was. It was probably best not to be too flirty.

It was a little odd that Walter insisted she change into her night clothes in the bathroom, while he changed in the room. Considering they would soon be taking everything off, it seemed counter to Walter's usual need for efficiency. Not that she wanted efficiency to be his top priority right now! She laughed quietly as she wondered just what constituted "efficient" sex. With luck, she would never find out. She preferred lazy, drawn-out, inefficient but very satisfying sex.

Her first surprise when they returned to the room was the chilled bottle of champagne waiting for them next to the rose-petal strewn bed. At first she thought it was a mistake until Walter blushingly refused to take any credit and admitted he'd called the hotel from the restaurant and simply asked the concierge what she could suggest to make the room more romantic. Somehow the genius didn't realize that the very fact that he bothered to call was romantic in itself.

Paige looked at herself in the mirror. She was stalling, and couldn't quite understand why. She could easily put it down to making sure she gave Walter plenty of time, but the reality was, she was nervous herself. She knew that Walter's past experiences had been uncomfortable and downright unpleasant for him. Despite his assurances, how could she know this would be any different? She had some experience with feeling pressured into sex through expectations or obligation. She certainly didn't want anything like that to taint their relationship.

"Come on, Dineen," she whispered to the mirror. "This is one of those times that you just have to trust that he's telling you the truth about how he feels. You want it. He wants it. Now stop stalling, get out there and get on with it!"

She threw open the door and walked out into the room. On impulse, she stopped and executed a little twirl. "It's not the sexiest thing I own, but I wasn't planning…" She stopped. "Walter, are you okay?"

Walter was sitting on one side of the enormous bed, propped up against the headboard, clutching one of the large, fluffy, white pillows to his chest. Paige couldn't tell if he was wearing anything behind the pillow. The covers were drawn up around his waist. The rose petals, which had been arranged in a heart shape, had been disturbed on his side of the bed and now resembled a broken heart. Paige's breath caught in her throat.

"You look… lovely," Walter replied. "I um… I'm fine. I wasn't um… prepared… sartorially speaking that is… for this either. But um… if you would care to join me?" Walter patted the bed next to him.

"Walter…" Paige moved closer to the bed, but stopped at the corner. "Walter, I really don't want you to feel like you have to do this. If you want to wait awhile…"

"Paige, please," Walter patted the bed again. "I am nervous, but I am also ready. Believe me, Paige, I am very, very ready." Walter clutched the pillow a bit tighter. "If I were any more ready, we'd be done already."

Walter attempted a smile, and Paige grinned. "More humor. I like it," she quipped.

"I'm not entirely sure that I was joking. It will be all right, Paige. That is… unless you're having second thoughts?"

"What? No!" Paige climbed on the bed. "It's just… it's just that, hiding behind that pillow you look a little bit like a medieval virgin bride sitting here waiting for the wedding night revels. Are you… are you shy, Walter?"

Paige shuffled her feet under the covers and scooted closer to Walter.

"I um… yes… I think I am. I've always been uncomfortable with… nudity. I know men are supposed to be able to appear – even in public – without a shirt. But it's always made me… I just don't like it. I don't know why. I'm just… somewhat self-conscious about my… chest. Please don't think it is any reflection on my feelings for you."

"Well, you know…" Paige started to stroke Walter's arm, and kissed his shoulder. The skin there was warm, and she kissed him again. "It's going to be pretty difficult for us to… you know… if you keep holding that pillow. If you're that uncomfortable, maybe you can put on a t-shirt. I promise to keep my eyes closed while you find one. Or we could turn out the lights."

"I… no. I'm sure I'll… adjust. We can hardly spend our lives making love with our clothes on. And I very much want to see you when we…"

Paige started to laugh until Walter turned to meet her lips with his own. She felt his arm glide across her waist, underneath her top, his fingers stroking the skin of her back. The pillow was now wedged between them, but it seemed to have slipped a notch.

Walter pulled back. "I suppose that's a bit unfair of me. I want to see you, but I won't let you see me. I will work on it. In the meantime, you should keep your top on as well."

Paige decided to try another approach. "Walter, would it be all right if I touch your… your chest? I can slide my hand under the pillow." She was dying to stroke her fingers through his light hairs and tease his nipples. He said he was self-conscious about her seeing his chest, but maybe he would be okay about her touching it? It was one of her favorite things to do in bed to get a man worked up, and if that was off-limits, she was going to have to exercise all her self-control to avoid it.

"I suppose that would be all right."

Paige slowly moved a hand up under the pillow. She fingered the short hairs she found, then leaned up to kiss his chin. Taking the hint, Walter tucked his head so that she could reach his mouth with hers. After a moment, she continued to slide her hand up his chest until she found the pebbly skin that surrounded his nipple. She stroked gently. The nipple quickly tightened into a taut nub, and Walter moaned in her mouth.

Walter moved his hand towards her front. Paige thought for sure that he would soon be returning the favor, except suddenly, his hand was gone. Then just as suddenly, the pillow was gone and Paige heard it crash into something. She hoped whatever it was wasn't breakable.

She felt his hand return and find its way up underneath her pajama top. She moaned a little herself in sheer anticipation. Before long he was stroking the side of one breast and circling her nipple with his thumb. She was about to pop the buttons on her top when a rattling noise came from the pile of things she'd dropped on the dresser.

"Oh crap!" She exclaimed. "It's my phone. I really should get it. It might be Ralph."

Walter lay back and opened his arms so that she could get up. She could swear she heard a small groan.

"Don't worry," she said, smiling back at him. "I'm sure it's just Ralph calling to say good night. We'll have all night, after I talk to him."

She scrambled up and grabbed the phone, quickly swiping to answer the call.

"Oh… oh hi, Cabe. I wasn't… expecting to hear from you tonight." Paige listened, her heart slowly sinking. She glanced back once at Walter, then turned back quickly, afraid he would instantly read the distress on her face. This was the third time! It should have been the charm, right?

"Okay, yes he's here. Yes, we will. In twenty minutes. We'll be there. Thanks, Cabe."

She slowly set the phone back down and turned. Walter was sitting back up in bed. He was holding another pillow, but it wasn't hiding his chest. He looked like he wanted to punch it.

"Cabe cannot possibly have a case for us!" He exclaimed.

"No," she sighed. "Not a case – a plane. He's found seats for all of us on a commercial flight back to LA. Apparently he had us on a waiting list and some large party just cancelled their trip because of the weather. He wants us all to meet him downstairs in twenty minutes. He's got a van to take us to the airport. We gotta get packed and dressed."

Paige sighed and moved over to the closet. Not thinking, she quickly stripped off the pajamas and grabbed the bra and panties she'd hung there where they'd be easy to find in the morning. She heard a quickly in-drawn breath and suddenly remembered Walter. She grabbed the top and held it over her chest while she turned. "Oh gosh, Walter. I'm so sorry. I'll… I'll go into the bathroom."

"No!" He shouted. "No. I think I better use the bathroom this time. I'm going to take a very, very quick shower."

Paige turned, keeping her barely covered front facing Walter as he got up and grabbed his own clothes and made his way to the bathroom. "I'll be dressed and ready to go as soon as you finish," she assured him.

Why hadn't she turned her damn phone off? She berated herself once Walter was safely behind a closed door and she could finish getting dressed. It was going to be a bit icky spending all night on a plane without taking a shower, but she didn't think Walter's need to shower was solely due to a desire for cleanliness, so she couldn't begrudge him.

Within moments, she was dressed and had thrown her things into her suitcase. She rummaged around the room and gathered the few things that Walter left out onto the bed, so that he could easily put them back in his bag. She was about to sit down on the bed to wait when she spied the scattered rose petals. She scooped up a handful, then turned, looking for Walter's duffle bag. Sprinting over to where it sat on the floor, she unzipped it quietly. Lifting up a pile of clothing, she dropped the petals into the bottom of the bag. Then she went back, grabbed another pile and tucked them into a side pocket of her own bag. It was silly, and it made her blush, but despite the frustrating ending, this day had been one of the most romantic of her life and she wanted a keepsake. She returned to the bed and sat down to wait.

Walter exited the bathroom, his hair dripping onto the back of the fresh shirt he was wearing. To Paige's astonishment, the shirt was unbuttoned. He walked up to her, and sat down next to her on the bed, taking her hand.

"Paige, I know this evening didn't turn out quite like we hoped, and we're both… we're both disappointed. But I want you to know that… as much as I want this… as much as I want… physical… intimacy… with you… what I want even more I already have. I love you Paige. Knowing that I can say that to you… and know what it means… that, to me, is the best thing."

Before Paige could think of a response Walter leaned over and kissed her, then got up and buttoned his shirt. He scooped up his clothes and tucked them into his bag, then fished his phone out of a side pocket and turned it on.

Paige stood to gather her own things, grabbing a bottle of complementary water. "Walter, I'm so sorry. I probably should have turned my phone off, too."

"No, Paige. You were right to leave it on. You have Ralph to think of and his welfare is too important to neglect… for any reason. Besides, if Cabe hadn't been able to get either of us on the phone, he might have come knocking on the door." He smiled sheepishly to convey just how embarrassing that would have been.

As they walked down the hall towards the elevator, Walter pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Message from Cabe?" Paige asked, and took a sip of her water.

"No…. no it's a text… from Toby. But I'm not sure what it means. It's composed of just three… icons."

"Oh? What icons?"

"It's a peach, a smiley face with its mouth wide open and an… eggplant."

Paige sputtered violently, spraying water down the hall.

Author's Note: Please continue on to the next story in this series, written by the wonderful WriterFreak001. Links to all the stories can be found on my profile page. Enjoy! NOTE: Not all chapters may appear while browsing due to their M rating.

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