Chapter Seven: Paternal Instinct
A.N
Sorry for the lack of updates! My mock exams are coming up so this'll be the last one until Christmas break. Keep reading. Keep happy. Keep enjoying. R & R.
Lillian looked at her room happily, it was finally done. She'd gone with a white, pink and mint green theme. Her wallpaper was half mint green and white horizontal zig zags and half block pink and her carpet was white and soft. She loved her bed which had draws and cushions. After sitting on her bed for a minute she could hear the garage door slam open so went down to investigate.
Paige had just come in, and was holding a piece of paper. "I don't believe this!" she shouted marching across to where Walter was situated.
"What?"
"The school"
"What about it?"
"There is another teacher training day. Did you not get the letter?"
"Oh I did but I didn't read it I put it in the bin; it wasn't important."
"How can it not be? It's to do with your child. Oh never mind, I'm going to book a sitter, for next week. Hopefully we won't need her but who knows?"
A week later
It was late: very late. Walter was on the balcony stargazing and Toby was still in the garage however, and Lillian couldn't sleep so wondered down the stairs and sat on them. The phone rang, which Toby answered.
"Hello? No he's on the balcony. OK I'll tell him." Then he hang up. He looked up and saw Lillian sitting there.
"Hey Lill, you'd better go back to your room before Walter sees you out of bed. He'll think I let you down here and go berserk, at me though."
Lillian smiled and went back to bed. Two days later Lillian and Ralph were at the sitter's, earlier the team had been called on a case so off they went. They had managed to persuade her to take them to the park, not that they would play there, but it would give them more space to talk. When they arrived, they saw a man wearing a fedora sitting on a bench.
"Hey Isn't that Toby?" Ralph asked
"Yeah. From what I can see, he's upset." She said before turning her head to Felicity, her sitter. "Can we go speak to him?"
Felicity shook her head. "Absolutely not. You might think it is Toby but it might not be."
"Oh come on Fill. How about we go to him and see? If it's not him then we'll walk away if it is then we will speak to him."
Felicity sighed but nodded her head so they ran towards him, and when they found out it was Toby they spoke to him.
"Toby! Hello, fancy meeting you here." Lillian greeted
Toby looked up and smiled while Felicity caught up.
"Hey you two! Don't run off like that. Hello Mr. Cirtus, how are you?"
"Toby, please and it's Doctor Cirtus"
The sitter smiled "Of course sir, I mean Toby. I will be sitting on that bench, kids, come and get me when you've finished."
"Shouldn't you be helping with the case?" Ralph asked
"No"
"But you're apart of Scorpion!"
"That's just the thing. I'm not a part of Scorpion"
"What? OK, you'd better explain."
Two hours earlier
'Happy start working on the magnetic pulse machine. We'll need it soon. And Toby…" Walter started to order but was interrupted by the phone ringing.
"Megan? Is that you?"
"Oh, so you finally remembered that you have a sister?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Yesterday, you didn't turn up for my appointment, I thought you were on a case but I found out you weren't. "
"I thought your appointment was next week."
"It changed to yesterday, I phoned the day before that but Toby picked up. You're telling me he didn't tell you?"
"No" he glared at him "Toby didn't mention it, if he did I would have of course gone to it."
And with that Walter hang up before advancing towards Toby. Walter's face showed a deep flair of anger boiling up inside of him. Tony gulped, it was hard for Walter to show emotion so now that his face had a clear sign of being annoyed and angry at Toby, it must mean that Walter was ballistic and that didn't betide well for anyone especially Toby. He reached out and punched him square on the nose.
"You didn't tell me about Megan! She thought I had abounded her and that made her upset!" He yelled
"Hey, calm down kid" Cabe put in but Walter ignored him.
"Go away Toby, this is top secret and civilians can't watch; only members of Scorpion are allowed in here."
"I am though"
"Not anymore you idiot! You're fired! Get out of here."
"People tried arguing with him of course but there was no use, it never is once he's made up his mind. Walter's extremely stubborn like you Lillian." Toby explained after he'd finished his story.
"Did you forget?"
"Yeah I forgot. Long after you'd gone to bed I waited for him to come down but he never did. Eventually I had to go back my flat. The next day I meant to tell him but I forgot after all, she did call late."
"I'll speak to him"
"Thanks Lill but I know your father; he'd never change his mind about this." He grunted looking up at her. He took off his hat which surprised both Ralph and Lillian, as Toby was very attached to it and took it everywhere with him. In fact it was a well-known fact that he stored back-up hats, just in case.
"Yes, and I believe I know why. Think about it Tobes, ignoring me, Walter's the smartest and was before I came here. He's used to that and as he has the IQ that makes him think he's always right, because usually he is. That means, that when he is wrong, he won't listen to reason because…"
"Because no-one else, that he's met anyway, has a higher or the same, IQ as him." Finished of Ralph and Toby.
Lillian nodded before walking back to her sitter with Ralph but before they got to her, she turned to him.
"Pretend you've left your backpack at HQ yesterday."
"Why?"
"Because I am going back there and we need an excuse."
"Then, why do you pretend you lost something? It would make more sense because it's where you live."
"For the simple reason that she knows I have a photographic memory. It would not make sense if I said that I forgot"
"Fine what do you want me to say?"
Lillian smiled and explained her plan.
"Really Ralph, I said don't forget the backpack I specifically remember mentioning that." She grumbled walking towards Felicity.
"Yeah well sorry Lillian but not everyone has an IQ of 260 and a photographic memory." He retorted
Felicity got up to meet them
"Hey what's up?"
"Ralph's left his backpack at the garage the one with our tablets in. We need it for our project."
"Well, there's no need to get your knickers in a twist about it, that's a thing you British say isn't it? Well will go to the garage and pick it up, just don't argue, you two are normally the best of friends. Like siblings almost, surprising really as you haven't known each other long."
Felicity led them too the car leaving the pair to congratulate themselves on their acting before they buckled up and were driven towards the direction of the HQ. Once they got there, Ralph and Lillian left the car, Lillian telling the sitter she'd get the chargers while they hoped that Scorpion was there.
Luckily, the team had not left yet. So Lillian stormed in and marched right up to her dad. The whole team was there and they quite clearly were mad at Walter. From what she knew about that case, Toby was needed to find the perpetrator for the hacking of the ship SS Marine.
"Walter Patrick O'Brien you complete and utter imbecile! Whatever do you think you were doing? Firing Toby when he's the biggest asset to the case? You're being illogical Walter and you know it!" She yelled
Silence fell, no-one really stood up to Walter like that because of who he was – he always thought he was right.
"I beg your pardon? Lillian I fired Toby because he can't be trusted not that it's any business of yours."
"No, you fired him because he didn't tell him about Megan; your reason was purely emotional. You've been 'top dog' for too long. You had the highest IQ before I came and that makes you think that as you were the smartest, you were always right and when anyone tried to say otherwise you disagreed because no-one else had your IQ or better. However, no longer! I have a higher IQ then you: 260. That makes your argument null and void: you're wrong."
Walter listened to this, a nodded his head as she spoke.
"You're right Lillian. I was being illogical and I was wrong." He agreed
"Finally! We've been trying for the last half-hour to get him to see differently. Then you come in, speak for five minutes and he does just that. Well done Lill! Hey here's a new nickname – 260." Happy smiled
Lillian waved them goodbye and grabbed a black used bag so it didn't looked suspicious. For the rest of the day, Lillian and Ralph helped Felicity with her calculus homework. At exactly 7:30 the phone rang: it was Walter telling her that they had finished the case and as they were back it would be more 'efficient to send to kids back to the garage'. Felicity smiled at this and told him that she'd bring them around right away. Ralph and Lillian had told her that Walter used that word a lot and they were right: it was his favourite word.
In the car, Lillian turned to Ralph. "I can't wait for university to start."
"I was just thinking that myself." Ralph smiled. In that moment, Lillian knew that Felicity was right; Ralph was more like a brother to her. Ever since she meet Walter she felt an emotion that she never had before, an emotion, she thought she buried the minute she was born, an emotion that she thought was impossible to comprehend or experience. Belonging. Before Scorpion nobody understood her not even her 'brother' who was heartlessly ripped from her and plucked from the earth like an eyebrow.
"You two are in university? I can't say that I'm surprised. You're in 5th Grade but you helped be with my calculus homework. What university? What year? How long do you go there and when?
"Well, I go to Stanford, second year, Ralph goes to Caltech and he's in the first year. I go every two weeks, during the weekdays; I study online like Ralph, from 4-6. During the weekend, I go to uni, from 10 while 1. I haven't been to the campus yet as in the UK I did my courses online. I don't know about Ralph though."
"My schedule is the same." He replied
"Don't you get tried?"
"Not really. What you have to remember is that the stuff they're teaching, Lillian and I knew in nursery. So we basically have a day of relaxation."
"Wow, well babysitting you two certainly is interesting. Ok, hop out, we've arrived, I need to speak to your parents about when they'll be needing me next among other things" Felicity explained turning round to look at the two geniuses that were before her. She wanted to bring them in next week to talk to her class about her job. Hopefully, they would let them miss a few hours of school considering they already knew it all anyway!
So, closely followed by Felicity they made their way into the garage and after being meet by Walter and Paige, sat on the sofa while the adults – and Felicity, disappeared into the back for a chat. The rest of adults were originally working on their own projects before being asked by Walter to follow them as he wanted to show them something. Of course, this really interested Ralph and Lillian but they were told to stay where they were.
After a few minutes in silence, Ralph saw a pink A5 notebook poking out of Lillian's backpack. Smiling, he carefully removed it and held it in front of Lillian.
"What this then?" he asked
As soon as Lillian realised what he was holding, she leapt up to grab it, by Ralph pulled it away.
"Give it back!" She hissed trying to grab it but Ralph pulled it away again, agian and again.
"But what is it though?" He asked, moving the book away from Lillian every time she got near it.
"None of your business! Seriously Ralph I am not kidding, give it back!"
Ralph smiled and ran away from her.
"If you want it, you're going to have to catch me first!"
"I will catch you Ralph and it won't be pretty!"
So the two child geniuses chased each other around the garage, laughing, enjoying their 'argument'. Ralph ran past Happy's desk.
"Catch!" he shouted, chucking the notebook in the air. Lillian jumped up, bumping Happy's desk in the process. She flew onto the ground as the notebook fell into her hands. She stood up and held it triumphantly. Ralph's face was pale with concern. Lillian turned to see what he was looking at and that was troubling him so much; just in time to see Happy's hard-dive, which she's been working on for a month, crash to the floor and smash into smithereens.
"Do you think they heard that?" Ralph asked. The question was rhetorical but Lillian answered
"I should jolly well think they did!"
Within seconds Scorpion ran into the room. It was clear, that Felicity who wasn't there, had already left, which was probably for the best.
Before, anyone could ask what the loud crash was; Happy saw her project on the ground and Lillian standing near it and jumped to conclusions. She immediately started marching (as a mist of anger descended) towards Lillian who was muttering apologies. Happy wasn't listening but raised her hand quickly, sticking Lillian's check. The force, and surprise, balanced her and send her flying for the second time that day (all be it different circumstances) and falling to the ground, winding her. Tears appeared while time seemed to stop. Lillian could feel her check reddening and was sure that Happy's handprint was visible. She was right. Happy just froze in her spot, all the anger had diminished from her as she realised what she did.
"Happy!" Walter's voice resumed time like a remote. "How dare you hit my daughter‽ Never take your anger out on kids. If you ever, do that to Ralph or Lillian again I'll fire you."
Happy stormed out of the room and Walter went to follow her but was stopped by Paige who nodded in the direction of Lillian who was crying. Walter realised what she was saying and crouched down like she did.
"Are you ok Lill?"
"No, I'm of normal temperature. "
Walter, Sly, Ralph and Toby laughed at this. Paige and Cabe just looked confused making the four geniuses laugh even harder at their ignorance eventually they were in uncontrollable laughter, tears rolling their cheeks. Walter and Toby held each other supporting themselves to stop them rolling on the floor. Sly would've fell to the floor, if he hadn't been sitting in his chair. Lillian and Ralph clutched their sides
"Well you're clearly ok." Cabe said
"No really I am of normal temperature. Check it with a thermometer "
More laughter. Finally, it subsided and Walter sighed.
"I think I'm good Wall"
"Are you sure?"
"How about I have look at her?" Toby asked
Walter nodded "Yes, go with Toby Lill."
"Ok Wall." She replied before following Toby.
"I like that: Wall. May I call you that Walter?" Toby asked
"No."
After being given the all clear, Toby walked up to Walter.
"Did you mean what you said earlier when you said you'll fire Happy if it happens again?"
"Yes. How is she?"
"Who, Happy or Lillian?"
"I'm not even going to answer that."
"She's fine though she's upset again: she's crying."
Walter looked angry. "I am going to kill Happy."
"Don't" a soft voice pleaded. It was Lillian. "You're being illogical again. You never get angry or threaten to fire Happy when she loses her temper. You know that she finds it hard to keep it. Just like when you don't do that to Toby when he gambles or to Sly when he says he can't go to another country for the mission because it involves flying. We all have things to over-come, even you, as you seem to be unable to follow instructions. Scorpion helps us with that. This is the second time that you've fired or threatened to fire someone today. Careful or you'll have no team left."
"260 is right." Toby agreed "You're illogical."
Walter stayed silent. He was clearly thinking. Finally he said "Paige a word upstairs please. Toby that threat I made before about the intercom, still stands. I know where your hats are."
Everyone knew what he wanted to talk about so Paige didn't ask and Walter didn't beat about the bush.
"Was I illogical? Everything Lillian said was true. I fired Toby because he forgot something which is reasonable considering the time he learnt the information and I threatened to fire Happy when she lost her temper which she has done before so many times and I have never had a problem with it."
"No you weren't illogical. Toby hurt your sister and you were angry because you love her. Happy psychically hurt Lillian who is your daughter, and your paternal instinct kicked in. That natural feeling to want to protect your children – and other children as you extended the threat to Ralph." Paige explained but Walter knew she wasn't finished.
"However, you still need to show Happy that you're going to help her and be there for her because that's what being a friend's about. I suggest speaking to Happy, saying that you won't fire her if it happens again but if it keeps happening you will. Explain that we'll keep helping her with her temper but when she's around the kids, she needs to try and keep it."
"When should I talk to her?"
"When she returns."
Happy was already there when they walked down.
Lillian walked up to her "I am sorry Happy. I was an accident. Ralph and I were chasing each other and bumped into your desk."
"No I am sorry; I should have kept my temper."
Walter was beckoning her so Happy left Lillian and followed Walter. Somehow, Toby felt that the intercom would be best left alone.
"I am sorry Walt; I'll make it up to Lillian"
"I don't want you too. You made a mistake. I am not going to hold it against you. Lillian said I was being illogical by treating to fire you for losing your temper. Now, I know she was right and that I was acting on paternal instinct. So here's the deal:
I am not going to fire you if it happens again but I will if it keeps happening. We're going to give you more help with your temper and you're going to accept it but when you're around the kids try harder to keep it. We're going to move on. It's hard being a parent and I'm bound to make mistakes. It would be hypocritical for me to fire you for making one and since I changed my mind about Toby it would be unfair to not do the same."
"I understand is she ok now?"
"No she's normal temperature Toby checked" The pair laughed, and Happy laughed even more when Walter talked about what happened earlier.
When they came down laughing, everyone knew that all the problems were solved.
'Dear me' Paige thought 'We certainly have had our share of drama. Surely that's it for weeks'
But she was wrong it had only just started. The drama was going to get worse than ever before.
