Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Scorpion or anything related to Scorpion
*This was written before "Postcards From the Edge" was aired. This also contains WAY TOO MUCH EQ for Walter, but it contains all the emotions and feelings that we all wished the episode portrayed*
The large animal ran in front of the sports car at an alarming speed - no human, not even the smartest in the world, could process the movement fast enough to swerve safely around the obstacle. The driver tried to swerve, but knew he lost control at the first jerk of his steering wheel, and tried to counter his thoughtless turn, only to plunge over the edge of a cliff, smashing through the guardrail in the process. The first bounce of the car was body wrenching, but not doing enough damage to injure the person inside. The second bounce could be called a smash though, and the now mangled Lamborghini continued to roll down the mountain, only stopping on another ledge… tediously hanging over the edge. The driver of the car was hanging unconscious into his seat belt, having smashed his head against the steering wheel, with a twisted piece of metal impaling his arm from the driver side door. He wouldn't come to until day break.
"WHAT!?" Cabe answered his phone angrily, despite his attempt to sound calm, without looking at the caller ID. It was 5:48 in the morning, and he was not in the mood to civilly talk to anyone human until at least noon. Especially after last night, he needed to take a few days off. After trying to talk to Walter, only to be rejected, he had locked himself in his apartment and rented a movie that Walter and him had watched together after the case where he had gone and gotten himself injected with snake venom. It was silly, he knew, but a part of his heart had been torn out last night with Walter's rejection of him, and he felt as if he had lost his son, a second child. It hurt him so bad though he did not want to admit it. He had almost started crying at the crime scene yesterday, which was frankly embarrassing for a middle aged man. He had brought out a beer from the fridge to drink with the movie, ironically the beer he bought for Walter for when the genius payed him a visit, only to smash it against the wall moments after he returned to his family room, where the movie was playing. He screamed at himself as he stared at the gold liquid running down the wall. He screamed for his stupidity, for the lost trust, for the times they shared together, for his lost son.
"Cabe…" The voice on the other end was quiet and shaking. Definitely Sylvester. "Cabe, we need your help. We can't find Walter. He went out driving last night after Paige gave him her news, and never returned." Cabe's heart sped up at the thought of Walter racing last night. He absolutely hated it when Walter did that, which the genius knew. It was so reckless. Cabe slowly let his breath out and cursed Paige, as she was the one to tip Walter over the edge and made him run.
"I'll be right over." He said, but before he hung up, he heard a commotion on the other line of the phone. Muffled voices - definitely Happy. And then Toby's voice cutting across hers, rising in pitch. Oh no….
"CABE! Cabe Cabe oh man Cabe we found him! Happy got some satellite images and he crashed big time!" Cabe felt his breath catch in his throat. "He's over the edge of a cliff… man it doesn't look good Cabe. Meet us there - its around the road Puerta Sol's nasty turn by the cliff. Happy already called backup." And the call ended. Cabe wasted no time.
Cabe tried to hide his shaking hands as he stared over the edge of the cliff where the only person who he considered his family teetered dangerously. He walked back to the table and computer that Sly was typing away at, and sat down next to him. He put his head in his hands and just listened to the commotion around him.
"Walter, Walter, Walter pick up man! PICK UP!" Happy yelled into her cell phone. Toby on the other hand was calling Meghan, and was telling her to get down here.
"DAMN IT!" Happy screamed as her seventh call to Walter ended and went to voice mail. She was about to throw her phone into the ground when it rang…. She answered it with lightning speed.
"WALTER! Walter on man are you okay Walter speak to us!" She put the phone on speaker and ran the phone over to where the rest of the team was sitting. They all sat up rigidly as they heard Walter's weak voice on the other end of the call.
"Guys… Help me. I don't feel well." He murmured into the phone, and Cabe felt his heart go out to him.
Toby spoke next. "Hey Walter? Buddy? We're gonna call you back on video chat okay? Answer it, okay? You promise?" Walter made a weak sound of protest. "Walter, bud, it will only be 10 seconds okay? I promise. Now do you promise?"
"...yes." Toby quickly hung up the phone and hit dial on the iPad he had set up ready to be used. Walter's face popped up quickly, and everyone went dead silent.
"Guys help me!" He moaned, "Please! Oh god! Please it hurts! GOD!" A few tears slipped down Toby's face as he listened to his best friend moan in pain. Walter had saved his life multiple times, now he had to return the favor.
"Walter, point the phone where it hurts. Can you do that for me?" The picture started to shake as Walter picked up his hand from where it was resting. The screen was tilted downward, and the whole team gasped as they saw what the problem was. a whole scrap of metal was pinning Walter's arm to his side. Blood was everywhere, and looked as if an infection was starting to root, as the immediate area around the impalation was black and deep purple. Before anyone said anything else, Walter started to speak again.
"Guys, I'm so sorry." Walter choked out. Happy bit her fingers, trying to staunch her tears, while Sylvester sobbed openly. "I know I'm going to die, I'm not stupid." He nervously laughed. "Just… Just tell Paige that I... that I... I love her. And that I'm sorry she has to go, but that... that I understand that I'm dangerous." Toby looked down shaking his head and wiping his eyes. A sob broke through the tense silence - Walter was crying. The first emotion everyone had seen from Walter in a while. "I'm so sorry, God, so sorry! You all are my family!" It hurts, I'm sorry-" The car suddenly jerked and Walter screamed. The camera was focused on his face again, and Walters face was bright red, his eyes were scrunched in pain, tears streaming down his face, mouth open mid scream….
"Walter! Listen, son, we're going to get you out, I promise!"
"Cabe! Cabe oh God you're here! I thought… I thought you wouldn't come… 'cause of last night-"
"No Walter no don't think like that. I will always come to you no matter where you are, or what terms we're on." Another, heavier sob from the screen.
"Cabe I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry, I never wanted to… to push you away. I need you here! Always! And… and don't leave the team? Promise? No matter if I die or… or not. Okay?
Cabe nodded his head, freely letting tears course down his cheeks. "I promise bud, I promise. Please I need you too… hold on for me -" the car slid again, eliciting another scream from Walter. This one was longer though, and laced with strong sobs that no one ever thought they would hear from the genius with practically no EQ.
"Cabe wait I need to tell you…. I need… I need to say that… that I think of you as my dad." Cabe's knees buckled, and Toby grabbed the back of his suit jacket to keep him from collapsing. "I… I need… I love… I…."
"Walter, buddy, what's wrong? Walt look me straight in the eyes-" Toby never got a chance to finish, as Walter fell unconscious and dropped the phone. This time, it was the team's turn to scream.