Due to popular demand I decided to make this more than just a one-shot. This chapter is more of a transitional chapter as I work my way into the storyline, so sorry if it's a little short. More will be coming by the end of the week. And thanks to everybody that read and reviewed chapter 1, your love is greatly appreciated. Well here's chapter 2, enjoy!
After spending six whole days at the hospital I was practically begging for my doctor to release me, but the rest of the team didn't share my views. All I wanted was to be at home resting in my own bed, with things back to normal, well as normal as they can get. It was on the seventh day of torture Walter week, when the doctor came in with the release paperwork. Paige helped me to finalize the paperwork and wheeled me out of the hospital and into Cabe's new government vehicle, a deal he made with Homeland when they reinstated him and placed him as the lead of Scorpion once again. Cabe came out of the driver's side and assisted me into the passenger's seat as Paige climbed into the back seat. The sun simmered right off of her perfectly olive skin, her beauty once again making my heart race. I wince as I pull the seat belt across my body, the strap places pressure on my still sore side. Thankfully Cabe and Paige didn't catch on to my discomfort, I'd had enough of their overprotective nature.
When we arrived at the garage everybody was downstairs, balloons decorated the ceiling and walls, streamers were scattered throughout the garage, and a large banner written in Ralph's handwriting welcomed me home. I smiled as I looked around at all my friends and family, and as much as I wanted to be downstairs and celebrate with them, I could feel my pain medications wearing off and the pain in my side returning full strength. As I wait for a perfect chance to slip upstairs to rest, I pull up a seat beside the rocket and help Ralph add in a part he and Happy had built. This rocket was taking much longer than I originally anticipated, but that was fine as long as Ralph was happy building it.
To my disappointment my sister wasn't here today, when I mentioned it to Sylvester he had said she wasn't feeling well enough to leave. This really bothered me, I had been trying my hardest to create a cure or a treatment for her disease and it just wasn't coming to me. No matter how hard I tried or how long I stayed in the lab nothing worked!
On the other hand, after a whole lot of tinkering Ralph and I were able to install the new part. Upon its installation the stripes on the side of the rocket began to glow a bright red, exciting Ralph. He was so excited he ran around the entire garage gathering people to come and see it.
This was the first time all week that someone other than me had the full attention of the team, using this distraction I ducked away. I made my way upstairs to my bedroom, walking in I feel relief rush over me. I make my way to the dresser and finding some clean clothes and a towel before jumping into the shower. When I come out I am startled at the sight of Paige laying on my bed, her arms wrapped around my pillow hugging it as she snores lightly. Her complexion is adorable, she's smiling in her sleep radiating of happiness and peacefulness. I approach slowly not wanting to wake her, I lift the blankets past her shoulders and tuck her in. My lips brush lightly on her forehead before I head downstairs. Guess I'll rest later, she deserves some quiet time much more than I do, and I know laying that close to her will tempt us to do more than just sleep.
"Hey son, glad to be back home?" Cabe asks, his signature coffee mug is placed in his right hand.
"Yeah, I prefer the garage over any place in the world. Here I know I'm surrounded by the people I care about." As I say this, I question where all of this emotion is coming from, before the accident I was barely able to communicate my feels now it comes much easier. Maybe it was another positive effect that Paige had on me, heart to heart conversations have been much easier for me. Not only have I been able to say what I'm feeling but I'm also able to pick up on the emotions that others are feelings, but that's still a work in progress. Anyway it's still a plus because now I'm insulting others all the time because I can understand where they are coming from on an emotional level. I thought that the team would question me about my newfound emotions, instead they embraced them, knowing that Paige is the greatest thing that could have happened to me.
"Where's Paige?" Toby asks.
"Upstairs, she's exhausted, this has been one long week for her, well for all of us." I respond.
"Well whose fault is that?" Happy jokes with a wink. The sound of laugher fills the garage, only to be interjected by piercing sound of a glass scattering scream. Before I'm able to pinpoint where the sound came from I hear Ralph murmur, "Mommy's dreams are back again."
I sprint up the stairs taking them two at a time, at the landing I swing the bedroom door open. I hear the others following closely behind me. On the bed I see Paige, her back is up against the headboard, her knees are tucked in close, and her head is dipped resting on her knees, her quiet cries echoing in the empty room. Cautiously I approach, sliding myself onto the bed beside her, I glide my arm behind her and gently rub her back trying to comfort her. Cabe enters behind me with his gun raised, sliding it back into its holster when he's sure nobody else is in the room. The rest of the gang follows.
"Paige, sweetie, tell me what happened," I whisper, her head is still lowered.
"Alright guys lets go back downstairs." Toby commands, sensing Paige's unease to open up in front of everybody.
"Paige…" worry overwhelms my voice.
She looks up at me after the team leaves, and says, "Nothing happened Walter, it was just a bad dream. I didn't realize how loud I screamed until you all came running in like bats out of hell." Tears are no longer in her eyes and she smiles, leading me to believe that she was okay, but her eyes darted away from mine when she said it was "just a bad dream." Ralph had said this had happened before, but why am I just hearing of it now, she always told me when something was bothering her. I sense that she's not telling me the whole truth, the sound of Ralph saying "again" ricochets in my head, repeating over and over again, as Paige falls back asleep in my arms.