A/N: Thank you to everyone who has continued to support this story and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Paige opened the door to the diner and reminisced about when she used to waitress there. Everything in her life had changed so much in the past few months. She smiled when she saw an empty seat. It was stool Ralph was sitting in the first time he and Walter talked. So much had changed for Ralph too, Paige thought to herself.
Her eyes searched until she saw Drew sitting in a booth by the large wall of windows. She made her way over to him.
Walter hit you hard. She thought to herself as she noticed the right side of his face still showed signs of purple and blue.
It had been a couple days since they had spoken. Paige needed time to think about what her next step would be.
"Where's Ralph?" Drew asked as he looked around. He had clearly assumed that the three of them would be having lunch.
"The two of need to talk."
"Where is he?" Drew asked, still focused on the absence of his son.
"He's with Toby, Happy, Sylvester and-" Not allowing her to finish, he cut in.
"He's with Walter?"
"Yes?" Paige replied, confused with the anger in his voice, "And the others."
"Great." He stated plainly, "Just great."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Paige questioned defensively. "Walter is the reason that you have been able to interact better with Ralph since you got back. Since when was his presence an issue."
"Walter is always around our son, Paige. We don't want him getting to close to Ralph, especially if they aren't going to be around each other for much longer. Speaking of, have you thought anymore about what I asked you?"
"I have and I was-"
"Good. I know that things were said on New Years, but I want to assure you that the offer is still open." He said smugly as he took a drink of water.
"Drew. Whether or not the door is open isn't the concern here."
He moved the cup away from his lips and placed it on the table with a near silent grunt.
"I know that you want to be a part of Ralph's life." She looked him in the eyes, "But Ralph's life is here in L.A."
Drew looked on edge, but at least he was listening to what she had to say.
"So I was thinking that instead of us leaving, you could stay here."
Drew didn't respond; he just looked frustrated and annoyed.
"What happened to be me 'being a good mother and whatever I decide is the right move'?"
"I've been so patient with you." He proceeded, "but you need to take a look at reality and realize what is truly the best for our son."
"I think that Scorpion is the best thing for our son."
"Paige, you don't listen." His head shook slightly from side to side. "This was always your problem," He mumbled under his breath.
"I do listen-"
"No, you don't. I want you to understand that," He placed his hand around hers, making Paige feel rather uncomfortable. "Baseball is a big thing for me, and our family. I have tried very hard to be patient with you… and you're strange friends. But enough is enough. It's time you open your eyes and allow us all to be a family again. Don't you want Ralph to have a family?"
Paige's eyes darted away from his.
"Yes, but-"
"Good then, it's settled." He took his hands off of hers and smiled as he leaned back into his seat, "You, Ralph and I are moving to Portland."
"No, we're not actually." Paige stated. "Ralph and I have a family here." She smiled as thoughts of the Scorpion team filled her mind.
"I am yours and Ralph's family." He cracked a smile and ran a hand through his hair. The way his head tilted to one side made Paige shift in her seat.
She never remembered him acting like this, but then again, maybe she never realized it was wrong.
"And if you believe that, then you will sacrifice baseball for your family." Paige stated as she stood up from the booth.
Before she had a chance to begin walking, she felt a tight grip on her lower arm. She spun around to see Drew mere feet away from her.
"Let me go." She asked as politely as her lips would allow.
"Sit back down Paige." He had a million dollar smile plastered on his face. It was a bit frightening how his face could look so innocent while his voice was as dark as it was. "We are not done talking here."
She could feel his grip tightening.
"I think we are. You either stay here, or you go to Portland alone. It's you're choice." She turned away from him and yanked her arm out of his grip.
As she walked away from him, Paige could feel her hands shaking ever so slightly as her heart raced.
"Why is Paige not back yet?" Walter asked himself as he glanced at his watch for the tenth time that minute.
"Relax," Happy said as she stood beside Ralph and Walter, "She'll be back soon."
"She's been gone for 31 minutes and 17 seconds Walter," Sylvester stated as he began to explain his calculations. "It takes 9 minutes and 3 seconds to get to the Diner on a day with average traffic, so times that by two to get the total distance travelled here and back, that's 18 minutes and 6 seconds, giving her only 13 minutes and 11 seconds to talk to Drew."
"And considering what happened on New Years," Toby cut in, "They probably need a lot more time to talk."
As Toby finished his sentence, the team's attention was pulled to the front door.
"I'm back." Paige exclaimed, less enthusiastically than usual.
"How was lunch?" Walter asked, even though he knew she didn't eat. He calculated the average time it takes to order, receive and eat a meal and came to the conclusion that no food was eaten by Paige.
"Good." She absentmindedly answered.
Walter inferred that because she obviously lied about eating lunch, that she didn't want to talk about whatever happened with Drew.
"How was you're afternoon Ralph? Did you have fun?" Once Paige's eyes saw Ralph, they lit up.
"Yeah." He replied with a grin.
Although Walter could never understand the concept of the maternal bond on a level beyond science, he knew it was real when he saw Paige with Ralph.
Sylvester went back to organizing his desk and Happy disappeared with Ralph to the garage.
Paige grabbed a ponytail from her purse and began pulling her hair back. Toby must have seen something because as her arms were in the air, he nervously spoke.
"Um, Paige?"
"Yeah?" She asked, confused why his tone was suddenly serious.
Walter's face stiffened as he set his eyes on whatever Toby was looking at.
"What?" She asked hastily, not wanting to be left in the dark on whatever they were panicking about. "What is it?"
"You're arm." Toby said simultaneously as Walter rapidly walked over to her.
Before she could look down, Walter already had his hands softly resting on her arm.
Walter doesn't like to partake in physical interactions with others, but he wanted to examine Paige's arm. He didn't understand why he was taking note of how soft her skin was when he was supposed to be examining the dark mark on her skin.
Paige noticed a bruise on her lower arm, that resembled the shape if a man's hand.
"Oh." She quickly inhaled, not realizing that Drew had left a mark on her arm.
Walter did not speak; he just stared at the bruise. Scenarios of what could have happened ran through his brain and he plotted what he would do if he ever saw Drew again.
"Guys, don't worry about it." She said as she too stared at the bruise.
"Don't worry about it?" Toby questioned with emphasis on the entire statement. It was clear they had already started worrying.
"Has he always been aggressive?" Walter asked in an interrogatory manner.
"No!" Paige replied. When they both stared at her with disbelief in their eyes, she continued to speak. "You think I would let my son around an abusive person?" Her voice was strong, yet hurt by their accusation.
Walter knew that Paige would never expose Ralph to aggression intentionally.
"Drew is not a violent person. He just has a temper. This is the first time anything like this has ever happened." She looked up from her bruise to see Walter. His face was plastered with concern. "I promise."
"She doesn't know does she?" Toby interjected.
"Know what?" Paige asked immediately.
Toby and Walter had a silent conversation between themselves. Paige knew they were keeping something from her and it made her nervous to think they knew something about Drew that was worth keeping to themselves.
"Know what?" Paige asked again, this time with a little less patience.
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