I do not own Scorpion or any of its affiliates
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"Paige? Did you hear what I said?" Drew placed his hand on her elbow. "I know it's a shock, but I think-"
"Don't" Paige cut him off before he had a chance to finish speaking.
"Paige? This is a good thing." Drew's eyes were pleading for her to understand that he was finally ready.
"Don't do this." It was clear her eyes were filling with tears, but Drew could not understand why she was upset.
"Tears of joy?" Drew asked. "Trust me. It'll be different this time. I'm ready."
"Drew!" At this point, Paige was letting several tears caress her cheeks as they fell down her face. "You're ready? Are you kidding me?"
Drew did not understand what was going on, he couldn't understand why Paige wasn't thrilled.
He placed his other hand on her elbow but she pulled away. Before he had a chance to say anything, Walter was by Paige's side.
"What is going on here?" His voice was stern. After he saw Paige's distressed body movements, he knew something was not right.
"It's none of your concern Walter." Drew spat out.
"None of my concern?" Walter was getting frustrated and everyone in the room could tell. "Last time I checked, I've spent more time with your son than you have."
Drew's face became red, as he was ready to become defensive.
On cue Sylvester guided Ralph, who appeared to be at his EQ capacity with the situation, upstairs so he could sleep in Walter's room.
Happy and Toby remained in the background just out of earshot, prepared to jump in if necessary.
"How dare you say that about my son."
"DNA doesn't make you a father." Walter stated with clear dictation. Scientifically, yes it did. But there was this feeling in the pit of Walter's stomach that had him believing fatherhood was more than just genetics.
"Stop it, please." Paige's small voice pierced through their conversation as both men looked at the teary eyed woman. "Walter, can you give us a minute?"
"Are you sure?" He asked, placing his hand where Drew's so recently was. The difference was that Paige leaned into his touch.
She nodded so Walter gave Drew one last glare before moving to stand beside Toby and Happy.
"Why are you acting like this?" Drew asked, "This is a good thing."
"A good thing? You were gone for seven years Drew. Our child has had seven years of memories without a dad! Do you realize how difficult that is? He has enough struggles in his life, and you never being around just added to it."
"Paige, I wasn't ready." He tilted his head away in shame before looking back into her eyes. "But I am now."
"You think I was ready? I was so young and then you just left. Night after night I told him you would come home until we both stopped believing it. I raised our child on my own." Paige hadn't realized it or thought about it in several years, but Drew had burnt her and the scar never went away.
Drew couldn't think of anything to say, so he just kept staring at her.
"You don't just get to call me up and waltz back into our lives. Not if you're going to repeat history."
"But I'm not repeating history." A glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes once more, "I want you both to come with me. We can be a family."
I have a family here, Paige thought to herself.
"Ralph and I have a life here, you can't just expect us to pick up and follow you on a whim."
"Paige, this is serious. This is my career, If you just moved-"
"Because you're life and career are always more important than mine?" She swiped another tear from her cheek.
"What?" He questioned.
"When you claimed it would be better for Ralph and I to settle down in L.A. and you left, you wanted to leave. You wanted the freedom of the road. You didn't want to be tied down to responsibility. That explains the blonde in Tahoe, right? You're life and your career have always come first to mine."
"Well yeah, you were a waitress."
Paige let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"Sorry," Drew continued, "But you couldn't expect me to give up my baseball career for that."
"And now?"
"Now what?"
"I'm not some useless waitress anymore-"
"Paige, that's not what I meant."
Paige ignored him as she continued to speak. Walter was standing with his legs slightly separated and his arms folded across his chest. This entire situation was making him very uncomfortable. More so, he couldn't stand seeing Paige so upset. Toby's eyebrows were raised and Happy sat with a stiff face while she observed the former couple.
"These people," She said motioning to the group behind her, "make a real difference and I help them. Equally important, they have helped Ralph, which you haven't for the past seven years."
"Is this about Walter?" Drew questioned her as his eyes continually made contact with Walter who was positioned in a defensive stance behind her.
"What?"
"He may be like our son, but I am his father and nothing can change that Paige. As much as you wish that someone else were, I am. And I am not giving up a relationship with my son because you want to run around pretending to be a part of this," He motioned to the room and people around him.
The words hit her like a brick. No air could enter her lungs and no words could pass her lips.
Drew put his hand to his forehead and took several deep breaths. "Look Paige, I'm sorry."
Without saying a word, Paige turned away from him and headed upstairs to where Ralph was. She hid her face as she tilted her head towards the wall, but Walter could tell she was crying.
As she walked up the stairs, Drew turned to follow her, but his arm was soon grabbed by Walter's hand.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
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