I don't own Scorpion. I just wish I had a say on how some of the episodes turned out….
I hope you enjoy, these are going to be different endings to how the past few episodes. I felt there could have been so much development between the characters.
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Crazy Train- Or how the ending of the episode should have happened.
Walter was not in the mood for mindless chatter. The team had returned to the warehouse over an hour ago, and each member when their own direction. Toby went off with Cabe to practice his punch formations. Happy ran off to her secret meeting with Chet or Brad or whatever the man's name was, Walter didn't waste his memory on useless information like Happy's gentlemen callers. Sylvester was still at the hospital with Meghan but the pair was sending him constant texts offering advice ranging from what to do to help with his bruised face and ways to address his bruised ego. He maintained that it was impossible to bruise an ego since the was no way to physically bruise an ego. Meghan's brilliant idea was to go apologize to Paige, but Walter dismissed the idea because Paige took Ralph home immediately after they were cleared by the medics.
"Would you like some unsolicited advice?" Toby's voice broke his concentration.
"I have never solicited advice from you, so any advice will be exactly as you described, unsolicited." Walter responded walking away from the rocket and back to his desk. He dropped the wrench onto Happy's work table along the way.
"You know Happy will know you touched her stuff." Toby smirked thinking how the mechanic will blow a gasket.
"She only cares when you touch her stuff." Walter said and sank into his desk chair. "Now, was that the unsolicited advice because I have stuff to work on." He let his tablet fall onto his desktop unceremoniously and he absentmindedly ran his hand over his chin. He winced when it connected the bruised skin.
"No, that is not the advice but duly noted." Toby said taking a seat on the edge of the desk. He knew invading Walter's personal space was a sure way to set the resident megalomaniac off, but he needed to get a few verbal punches in before Mr. 197 stormed off. The existence of the team truly depended on the outcome of this situation. Toby hadn't been all that shocked when Paige stormed up to Walter in the subway tunnel and walloped him across the face. He had known for some time the feelings between the pair was flirting with something more than friendship. Paige was an emotional being, and she was simply displaying her over-emotional side.
"Then, please speak so I can move on with my day." Walter said shuffling some paperwork that was needing to be handed off to Paige for filing. He had finished his report for the last case, but had yet to hand it over. Toby smirked at the nervous twitch displayed by the team leader.
"I think you are making a mistake." Toby said simply.
"A mistake?" Walter asked, his tone frustrated. "A mistake listening to you? A mistake in my objectivity on the rocket design, I need you to be a bit more specific."
"You made a mistake today during the train episode." Toby explained. He watched the muscles in Walter's face spasm and squint ever so slightly. "I think you made a mistake handling the whole situation." He waved his arms about to encompass a large space. His gesticulation was for show.
"A mistake in saving a train full of people?" Walter asked. "A mistake in sacrificing myself so Paige and Ralph would be able to live another day, and have a future. I am sorry, but where is my mistake?"
"The mistake was how you handled the aftermath of the train debacle. You should have tried to comfort-"
Walter pounded his fist to the top of his desk. He pushed his desk chair away and stood up. "No." He snapped walking away from the desk and the team psychologist. "I sacrificed myself. I nearly died and the last thing I expected was a slap to the face. No I did not deserve-"
"What exactly did you think you deserved Walter?" Toby probed as he followed his boss with his eyes. The Irishman was pacing but stopped to ponder the question he was presented. What did he deserve? He bloody didn't deserve the slap. He didn't know what the proper protocol was for thanking someone for sacrificing their life for another, but he figured it was more than a slap. Maybe a hug. Quite possibly a kiss. On the cheek at the very least. Maybe a high-five or handshake.
But he was positive a slap did not pass his mind.
He never expected a slap.
"I-" Walter began. "I know that it should. I mean it probably-"
"Walter, do you even know what you want from Paige?" Toby asked his voice calm and evenly toned. Walter stopped looking at the ground and let his head raise to the man asking the question. Wanted? Of course he knew what he wanted. He has known for months. "Then what are you going to do about it?"
Walter nodded and walked to the desk to grab his wallet and keys. "Thanks." Walter muttered in a clipped tone but he pushed away from the depths of the warehouse and stepped out into the crisp air of the evening.
He was going to get what he wanted.
Paige.
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The drive to Paige and Ralph's apartment was a short ten minute drive from the ware house, but the drive that night seemed to be triple that amount thanks so traffic, red lights and he figured was a parade of some sort. His mind was racing and he had to quell the urge to jump the sidewalk and take out some pedestrians just to continue on his way.
Walter sidled his car into the vacant parking spot allotted to Paige's apartment. She had recently moved to a quieter neighborhood and her apartment complex had off street parking for their residents. Walter appreciated the ability to park his car and see that the personal liaison was home because her's was right next to his. He had also planned ahead and texted Ralph to make sure they were at home. The text messages were short and to the point. Walter didn't read into the context or subtext because Ralph was ten and he didn't know the ways of the mind games and miscommunication.
He quickly rushed up the stairs after punching in the entry code on the security door. Paige had given him the code in cases of emergency. Walter had asked Ralph to leave the door unlocked so he could enter the apartment undetected. The lights were dimmed and Walter glanced at the clock on the microwave. It was late and he figured that Paige was in bed.
He stopped in Ralph's room. The boy smiled at Walter motioning to the television. "Mom's in her room. I think she has been crying." The boy had paused his game to turn his attention to Walter. The genius nodded at Ralph, and he understood what Ralph was indicating. That he knew something was amiss between the two most important adults in his life, and he sided with his mom.
"I'm sorry for today buddy." Walter said taking a seat on the bed. "I want you to know that I made that decision thinking about your future. I wanted you safe." Ralph listened to the words, taking in the message.
"I understand, Walter." Ralph said and patted the genius's arm. They both lacked the emotional capacity to effectively display their emotions physically. Walter took the hint and wrapped his arm about the boy's shoulder.
"I needed to make you mom safe." Walter muttered and he felt the boy nod. "You and her." Walter choked on his words but stilled his words when he felt Ralph's thin arm reach about his back and squeeze. Ralph was comforting Walter. It made Walter's heart swell. Walter patted the boy's knee, and the Ralph leaned away. "Okay. I'm going to go make it better with your mother. Don't stay up too late." Walter mumurred and chuckled when he noticed the classic kid eye roll. Walter winked and shut the door to his bedroom tightly, to offer Ralph some protection with his game, and to offer some privacy for the conversation he was about to have with Paige.
He made the trek to Paige's bedroom in five steps. The apartment may have been in a better neighborhood but the layout and square footage was still small. It was the perfect size for the single mother and her young son, and Paige had been thrilled to afford the place without any assistance. Walter knew the layout from his frequent visits to the Dineen's apartment, but he had only been in her bedroom one other time, when the team helped move the family from one apartment to the other. Walter had been adamant in aiding the young family. That he wanted to make sure the foundation was sound, the walls were protected and that the door was secure. Walter had been in the bedroom grunting along with Toby, Cabe and Happy while they hauled Paige's mattress into place. Sylvester was sorting the kitchen's utensils into the most efficient drawers. So he knew where the bed was positioned in the room. He knew the distance from the door to the bed, and the various objects she would be able to reach if she thought he was an intruder. There was the alarm clock, an old model that had bells and you had to twist the knob on the back to set the alarm. There was a lamp but it was rather heavy and made with brass fixtures, it had the potential to leave a nasty mark. He guessed there was a smattering of texts, books and the odd cup, and maybe her cell phone. But he had to take the chance.
He was beginning to feel foolish standing outside her bedroom door. Walter didn't bother knocking and tried to silently twist the handle. He hoped she might be sleeping but he didn't want an excuse to not apologize. The door silently swung up and he heard the soft sound of crying. It nearly gutted him.
"Paige?" He called as he tread silently into the room. He had removed his shoes upon entering the house because it was one of Paige's rules, so his socked covered feet made little noise as he moved across the carpeted floor. "It's Walter."
There was no light in her room and her cries ceased when he identified himself. Her breathing wasn't level so he knew that she was forcing herself to be quiet. "Paige." He toed the carpet and felt his knees bump into the soft covering of her bedding. He knew she slept on the right side of the bed, so he went for the left side. To give her space, in case she felt the need to strike physically.
"Paige. Please." Walter said leaning further into the bed. "I came to apologize. For what happened today on the train, and to make things better between us-" He felt her weight on the bed shift as she rolled from her side onto her back, and he took this sign as a good sign. Paige was receptive to his words, so he paused to allow her to settle on to her back. "Look, emotions were running high at the train station today, and I know you didn't mean to hit me-"
Paige scoffed. The noise was foreign to his ears and caused Walter to shut up. "I did mean to hit you, and I would do it again, Walter." Paige said and reached to turn the bed side lamp and switched it on. The light illuminated her face and Walter had to still his hand from reaching forward to brush away the tear patterns staining her face. She must have gone to bed with her make up on. Paige forced herself into a sitting position, but moved closer to Mr. 197. There was the phantom gravitational pull between the pair, and they could do nothing to thwart it.
"I don't understand." Walter said. "I thought you told Ralph that it is never the right answer to hit someone, no matter what." Paige rolled her eyes.
"Walter, Ralph is ten and he is battling a school bully." Paige explained as if he was two. "He is not some man making stupid decisions. Do you know why I hit you?"
"I can only assume it had to do with the emotional stress you endured from the day's activities." Walter said shrugging looking down at his hands. His plan of attack was now destroyed. He had carefully planned a script in his head on his drive over to her apartment. He had a speech, and possible contingency plans if there was an interruption or tangent that might arise, but he didn't factor her into stating she wasn't sorry for hitting him.
"Sure, that is true." Paige said running a hand through her hair. "I meant to hit you, and I would do it again."
"You would?"
"Yes! Walter you are always thinking of the greater good and how everybody else needs saving, but I need you to be selfish for once and think about yourself." Paige said and hastily swiped her finger across her cheek to remove a tear. Walter let his hand reach out but Paige shook her head. He felt hurt from her rejection.
"I'm confused." Walter whispered as he lowered his hand back to the bed, but it fell beside her other hand. His fingertips grazing her own.
Paige swallowed, "Think about Ralph. Think about how important you are to him, and your friends. Think about how important you are to them." Paige had to swallow once more and blinked furiously to staunch the tears. "Think about. Think about how important you are to me." She didn't stop Walter's touch this time as his other hand cupped the side of her face and his brushed across her cheekbone.
"I think about you all the time." Walter breathed and brought his head forward and let his forehead rest against Paige. His hand trailed from her cheek but it was if his hand anchored him to her body, so his fingers came to rest about her neck. There was just a hairline distance between the pair.
"I hit you because you scared me." Paige's lip trembled and he felt them shake against his skin. "I was scared that I was going to lose you today. I saw you disappear into the blackness and it frightened me."
Walter closed the distance. He let his lips reassure Paige as he molded his lips into hers and then moving his free hand to her side. The kiss was short, but deep with meaning. He pulled back, "I am so sorry. Can you ever forgive me."
Paige nodded and pulled his face back to hers, since her hands had travelled to his shoulder and threaded with the hair on his head.
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It was hours later, when the sun began to creep into the open blinds of Paige's bedroom. Walter had slept over after their make-up session. Walter was relaxed into her pillow, and Paige was pillowed against his chest. He let his fingers brush softly against the silk of her pajama top that she changed into after they talked out the day's event. Well the talking happened between quite a few kisses and sweaty petting, but there was talking. He never quite got around to stating his concocted speech, but he was happy for that. Paige muttered his name in her sleep, and Walter chuckled.
"I didn't say this before, but I was frightened to." Walter whispered to the sleeping beauty in his arms. "That when your face disappeared into the blackness that I would never see you again."
He kissed her temple, pulled her form closer and tried to relax back into sleep. "I love you, Paige."