Paige closed the door.

She debated not opening it again, because how dare he scare her into thinking he might get violent and then, when she retreated to the safety of her home, he show up there, too. But then she sighed, knowing that that was an overreaction. Just because she didn't know what he was like angry didn't mean he was dangerous. And his expression seemed…not soft, not really, but there was something that gave her the impression that he wasn't here to continue their fight.

She had only known him for a week or so, but she liked him, most of the time. She knew that going back to New York without a civil goodbye would feel wrong.

So she slid the chain back and opened the door again, this time far enough for him to come inside. "Yeah. Come in," she said, even though the come in was more of a mumble.

"Hi Walter," Ralph said, turning around on the couch. He didn't come over. Paige silently thanked him for understanding that it wasn't the time, choosing to believe that was why, and not that he was anxious as to how to behave after the events of earlier in the day.

"Hi Ralph," Walter said. He had taken his hands out of his pockets, but once inside the apartment, he shoved them back in as he turned to face her. "I, um…"

He was clearly uncomfortable, and Paige cleared her throat, looking around him. "Ralph, sweetie."

"Can I use your laptop?"

"Yeah, that's fine just…no new websites okay?"

"Mmm hmm." The boy took the computer from the chair, flashed a small smile in Walter's direction, then headed off toward his room.

"You wanna go sit?" Paige asked, gesturing vaguely toward the living area.

"Oh, oh, y – yeah, th – that sounds good." Walter nodded vigorously, seeming relieved. Paige gestured again, but when he didn't seem to realize that that motion meant after you, she headed toward the couch, letting him follow her lead. It made her think of a video she watched once, with Julie Andrews interviewing Maria Von Trapp. The older woman had told Andrews that she learned a lot of words for things while on the boat to America, and thinking it was the appropriate way to ask that someone else go into a room first, she once told a Bishop to scram. That story always made Paige giggle, and she was glad that she could cover her mouth to hide it from Walter, who likely would wonder what about their current situation was funny.

She sat down on one end of the couch, and Walter settled on the other end, their knees pointed toward each other. She bit her lip, wondering if she should start and, if so, what she should say.

"I'm here," Walter said after a moment, "because I…behaved badly. Earlier." He paused. "When we had our confrontation in the garage."

"I knew what you were referring to," Paige said, wanting to remain guarded but feeling herself softening right up at his words. He was apologizing. Walter O'Brien was apologizing. Even though she hadn't known him long, Paige knew how big that was.

Now she wasn't sure he would get through the entirety of what he had come to say without ruining it, but it was a step. And she was proud of him. Prouder than she realized she could be of someone who had been in her life less than a month. But that was the effect he had. It was like she felt everything more intensely around him. What she would normally think about for a moment or so, an oh, that's progress, was manifesting itself here as intense pride, and just a couple of hours ago she had been thinking that every thought of him, for the rest of her life, would make her feel nothing but anger.

Realistically that wouldn't have been the case, even if he wasn't here right now. He would always be the one who gave her the key to her child.

"Right, any…anyway," Walter stammered, wringing his hands and shifting his weight on the cushion. "I behaved badly. I said that already, didn't I? Oh…" he bit his lip, looking down.

"I'm far too outspoken," Paige said gently. She wasn't the one who needed to do the apologizing, but he was just so…it was so clear he had no idea how to do this. She wondered if he had ever apologized before. "It's one of my worst faults."

"No," Walter said, shaking his head, making eye contact with her again. "I wasn't…I wasn't entirely honest with you about why I wanted you to work here."

She cocked her head. "You mean the part about Ralph or the part about you wanting your company to be better?"

"Everything I have said to you about Ralph has been the complete truth," Walter said quickly, and she believed him because it was the only sentence he had said tonight that he hadn't tripped over and that had to mean that he felt it wholeheartedly. "I mean…you don't know this, but I…I had a sister."

Paige cleared her throat. "Oh?"

"Her name was Megan. Megan Colleen O'Brien. She died. Over a year ago, now. She was older than me. And she…she always sort of took care of me. As you might imagine or…or have noticed with your son, I…" he grunted. "I had a hard time growing up. She was always there for me. She was the only person I ever cared to spend time around. I actually looked forward to the times we spent together."

There was a silence. A long one. Paige didn't press.

Walter drew in a deep breath. "When she died, I…it was like there wasn't any meaning left in my life. Which didn't make sense, because my life's work is…to make the world better, that never ends. I suppose it scared me, how much my feelings for a human being could affect me. So I decided that it was best to never let myself feel again." He swallowed. "That wasn't right. I had created Scorpion as a safe haven and then I turned around and made it as cold as the rest of the world. And I was pushing them away because I did care about them, even though I told myself that that wasn't smart. So…so being strict and stern, it…it seemed like the only option. When I saw them today, they…they all seemed almost content. And I want to be content too. I don't…" he frowned, looking down at his hands again. "I don't know that I ever truly was. But I was somewhere better than the place I've been this past year. And I may have forgotten what that place is like." He looked up at her. "But I want to remember. I think it would be good if I do. But while I initially was just hoping having you around would shut Cabe up about us needing someone with good social skills to help us launch the company, and that you would just listen to what I had to say and we would go on as before…" he took in another deep breath, but this time it sounded like a shudder. He was nervous about whatever it was he was going to say next. Paige wanted to reach out and cover his hands with one of hers, but she had learned rather quickly that he usually recoiled at someone's touch. Walter frowned, as if annoyed with himself, then continued. "I don't think we can survive as a company. Without some change. I see now that we need it. But we can't….we can't do it without you, Paige."

She cocked her head to the side, feeling her heart rate pick up. "So…"

"So I would like you to stay," Walter said. He bit his lip. "But that's not…obviously not a demand or anyth…I'm asking you to stay. Paige."

She smiled, and she swore that when she did the corners of his mouth turned up, ever so slightly. She briefly wondered if he was smiling because this had gone well or if her smile had made him smile.

She - much less briefly - wondered why she had wondered that.

"Oh, yay!"

Paige was surprised to realize that the child like voice had come from Toby, and was even more surprised when the behaviorist bounced over and threw his arms around her, pinning her own arms to her sides.

"Paige!" Sylvester was the next to rush over, and he hugged her from her other side. Paige couldn't help but grin. "So does this mean you aren't leaving us?"

She had already told him that she still had a job, but his enthusiasm made her feel good. "Well, not yet, anyway," she said with a smile. New York would still call her back home before many months had passed, but as for now…

"So you're still here. Any jobs for us, or you just taking up another spot on the payroll?"

Paige sensed that was Happy's version of what Toby and Sylvester were doing. "Well," she said to the mechanic, "there's that one I had the preliminary paperwork done on that we can do later in the week."

"I'm about to go out to Kovelsky's and get lunch," Toby said, lifting his eyebrows at Paige. "One, do you want anything, and two, how are you just getting here now? We're halfway through the day already."

The truth was, Ralph had come back out of his bedroom to get the laptop charger and had seen Paige and Walter smiling at each other. One thing had led to another and the two geniuses had ended up spending hours playing Ralph's game. When she finally got the boy to sleep, it had been late, and with his need for a solid ten hours and the emotional exhaustion of the day, both of them had slept through multiple alarms. Thankfully, when she had texted Walter slightly afraid she'd blown her new chance, he had told her to take her time.

She realized he wasn't anywhere to be found. He must be out with Janice.

"Paige."

Or not. She lifted her eyebrows and smiled as the blonde woman walked toward her, a small smile on her face. "Hi. You must be Janice Keller."

"That would be right," she said with a nod. "We didn't get properly introduced yesterday."

"How was your drive?" Paige asked. It wasn't the question that she wanted to pose. Doesn't it bother you that you're dating a man who doesn't like you as much as you like him? Are you guys really going to get married just because? Is he just going to agree to it for the tax benefits? Is it true you guys don't have any intimacy?

"Oh, it was fine," Janice said. "I don't really like cars all that much. I'm more of a boat person, but it's much quicker to just hop in a car. More efficient, Walter would say."

"Yeah. For sure. Where is Walter, anyway?"

"He and Ray went out this morning."

"So they're really best friends?"

Janice gave a little laugh. "Oh goodness, no. I mean, Ray likes to think he's Walter's best friend. But Ray likes to think that he's most people's best friend. Walter didn't really know what to make of him at first, but Ray has grown on him. I think because he is just so different from everyone here."

"Because he's not a genius."

"Not a genius, very carefree, he's kind of a…he's like a criminal by hobby, almost. Never anything big, or serious, he's not violent. He just loiters, and sometimes eats a donut while shopping and then doesn't pay for it." She raised her eyebrows. "If you last around here, be prepared for a ton of puns relating to his name."

"What do you mean?" It really doesn't feel weird that you're only dating Walter because you want to and because he feels it makes him look better?

"Like when he leaves, he's probably going to say that he shall rayturn."

Paige giggled.

"Anyway." Janice cleared her throat. "I'm on my way to an interview. It was nice to officially meet you after everything I'd heard."

Paige nodded. "Yeah, you too." I get it, he can be sweet, and he cares about the world, and he really seems to have a lot of love to give, but…are you really happy with this arrangement? I couldn't be.

She watched Janice go. Her relief at still having a job in Los Angeles had briefly made her forget just how strange this place was.

P.S. if anyone wants to watch the clip Paige referenced in her head in the first part of this chapter, just go to YouTube and put "Julie Andrews Interviews Maria Von Trapp" and it's in part one, she starts talking about learning English around the 5:30 mark.