Author's note: Wow, thank you for all the great reviews on the last chapter. I'm overwhelmed by the positive response. I almost feel bad for what I'm going to do to you all in this one. Almost but not quite.

CHAPTER NINE

The ex-Navy SEAL never got the chance to finish his sentence as Walter jumped to his feet and launched himself at the other man, knocking his interloping ass to the floor.

Appreciating the fact he had the element of surprise on his side, Walter realized it wouldn't last for long. With that in mind, his fists flew at the man he had pinned to the floor. He tuned out Paige's frantic shouts and Tim's foul curses as he pummeled the other man.

He'd landed a particularly satisfying punch to the trainee's nose when suddenly everything flipped upside down and he was the one lying on his back on the hard concrete. With Tim's forearm pressed against his throat.

"What the hell, O'Brien," the intern said, his nose dripping blood.

"Stop! You're going to hurt him!" Walter struggled to breathe as Paige came up behind Tim and pounded on his back. "Get off of him!"

The weight lifted from his neck as Tim pushed upward. "What the hell?" the ex-SEAL asked again, standing over him with a puzzled look on his face.

Walter scrambled to his feet. "Get out," he snarled, "or I'm calling the police."

Tim's confused expression grew angry. "Hey asshole, you're the one who assaulted me," he countered. "I'm just trying to see if Paige is okay, she. . ."

"You want to know if she's okay?" Walter couldn't believe his ears. After what he'd done. . . "Of course she's not okay. You raped her, you son of a bitch."

Tim's mouth dropped open and Walter watched as the trainee's face visibly paled, the red blood trickling from his nose standing out in stark contrast. Then Tim turned to stare at Paige.

"You told him I raped you?" His voice was barely above a whisper and now it was Walter's turn to be bewildered. The intern seemed shocked by the accusation. He looked over at Paige, her complexion even whiter than Tim's, tears coursing down her cheeks once again.

The ex-SEAL spun around wildly, appearing to be on the verge of crying himself. "I didn't rape her." He sucked in a ragged breath. "It scared the hell out of me when I woke up and she was gone. She was kissing me. . . I thought she wanted it as much as I did. I would have stopped. . ." He wiped at his nose, blood smearing on the back of his hand.

Walter took a step toward Paige, who was hiding her face in her hands. "Is this true? It wasn't. . .? You let him. . .?" Choking back the bile rising in his throat at the thought of them engaged in sexual intercourse, he stared at her, hoping against hope she would deny it.

But she nodded.

"Get out!" he shouted as rage exploded inside him. "Both of you. Just get the fuck out. You're both off the team. . .you're both fired!" When neither of them move, he repeated himself, "Get out!"

Tim walked up to Paige, his face flushed with fury. "I'm done," he sneered. "That you would accuse me of. . .of raping you, just so you could be the victim in this twisted little game you've been playing, pitting me and Walter against each other so you can get some kind of perverted pleasure out of it."

Paige uncovered her eyes, seeing the disgust and hatred on the intern's face. "It's not like that at all," she began, "I'm sorry, Tim. . .I"

"Fuck your sorry," he interrupted with a growl. "And fuck you." He turned to Walter, whose expression closely matched the ex-SEAL's. "You can have the lying bitch. . .if you still want her. But just remember," he added, jabbing a finger toward Walter's chest. "I had her first."

With that, he stalked out of the garage, slamming the door behind him. Paige glanced over at the man left standing several feet away from her.

"Walter," she said quietly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

The genius was staring in her general direction but carefully avoiding looking her in the eye. "You made me feel sorry for you. You lied to me. You let him. . ." He drew in a deep breath. "I don't think I can . . .can trust you anymore."

"Walter, please. . ."

He cut off her words with a shake of his head. "You knew how I felt, yet you flaunted him in my face every chance you could." Running his hand through his hair, he continued in a monotone. "Maybe he's right, maybe you did enjoy setting us against each other. I don't know. . ."

She saw his throat spasm, knew he was close to shutting down, his emotions overwhelming him. "Now, get out," he said flatly. "I-I mean it. . .y-you're fired. I can't w-work with you after this."

"What about Ralph?"

His face crumpled, and he looked upward, pinching the bridge of his nose. The cracks in her heart widened from the sorrow radiating off of him as he resigned himself to losing the child he loved as his own.

"What about him?" he asked dejectedly, his shoulders slumping. "You've barely let me see him in the last few months. He probably won't even miss me." She flinched at the bitterness she heard in his voice. "Please, just go. I'll have Cabe bring you any personal items you leave behind along with your severance check."

He finally met her gaze, and she cringed again at the raw agony she saw in his eyes. Then reality punched her in the gut. He was serious. He'd fired her. He never wanted to see her again. Never wanted to see Ralph again. Tears poured down her face as she gulped desperately for air. Oh, God. What had she done? She moved toward him, extending her hand again. "Please, Walter. . ."

Spinning abruptly, he practically ran up the staircase and into his loft, where he firmly shut the door behind him. As the latch clicked into place, something broke inside her, panic spreading over her like a wave. Staggering over to her desk, she flopped down into her chair.

Oh, God, what was she going to do? She'd lost her job. And even worse, she'd lost the man she loved, the man who held her heart in his smart, capable hands. And, oh, God, how was she going to explain all this to Ralph? He worshiped Walter. He was going to be devastated, maybe even revert back to the way he'd been before. . . A sob tore through her at the thought.

Shakily she got to her feet, shoving as many of her belongings scattered on her desktop as she could into her purse. Then she had to fumble around for her keys, swearing when she couldn't find them. Her hand wrapped itself her phone and she yanked it out, coming to the conclusion she was in no shape to drive. Figuring he owed her, she used Tim's Lyft account again, calling for a car to take her home.

ooooo

Walter leaned his back against the loft door, listening as Paige moved around downstairs. Tipping his head backward, he closed his eyes as the ugly scene kept replaying in his mind. He knew he'd done the right thing. She'd lied to him. She'd willingly engaged in sexual intercourse with the interloper then claimed she'd been raped. She'd played with his emotions, knowing how hard it was for him to even admit he had them. He'd been right to fire her.

Then why did it feel so wrong? His stomach roiled and he knew he was about to be sick. Rushing into his kitchen, he dry heaved over the stainless steel sink. His throat burned and sweat rolled down his face as he heard a car's horn followed seconds later by the creaking of the downstairs door.

She was gone. For good. He would probably never see her again. Or Ralph. He bent over the sink again as the thought of never seeing the young genius again, the thought the boy would think he'd been abandoned yet again, made him retch until he almost passed out.

This was killing him. She was the first woman he had ever loved. And she would be the last. Ralph had been the son he'd now never have. Because if he survived losing them, he never wanted to go through anything this horrific again.

Using the dish towel to wipe off his face, he then took his cell from his pocket. The pull of the rabbit hole, of retreating into a world of logic and math and science, began to tug him downward. Into a world where he could pretend his heart wasn't broken, where his pain would recede into nothingness. But a trip down the hole would only delay the inevitable grief. He'd learned his lesson after Megan had died.

He needed a distraction before he succumbed to its allure. Punching a string of numbers into his phone, he then listened as it rang several times before being picked up.

"Hello?" The French accented voice purred into his ear.

"Uh, Simone? T-This is Walter. W-When does your flight leave?"

ooooo

Walter knew as the Interpol agent ushered him inside her hotel suite once again, his vague plan of sleeping with her for revenge would once again never work. It had been, and would be, foolish to even try. It was insane, to save himself for a woman he'd never see again, but he wanted no other.

"Are you all right?" Simone asked. He'd showered and changed his clothes before coming over. But he'd seen his face in the mirror as he'd shaved. He looked like shit.

"Yes," he lied. "I w-wanted to apologize again for last n-night. I'm sorry I-I, uh, disappointed you."

The agent sat down in a chair, indicating he should do the same. He obeyed, grateful for the excuse as his legs were trembling and he doubted they would have held him upright for much longer. "I have to admit I was quite disappointed. You are a passionate man, mon beau." Heat swept over him from his head to his toes at her words and he ducked his head for a second. Simone smiled indulgently. "Oh, so humble." She sighed. "The woman who is lucky enough to be your first. . . I envy her. I can only hope she will appreciate you as much as I would have."

She reached over and patted his leg. The contact startled him and he shifted away. "I'm-I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Not as much as I am." She cocked her head, scrutinizing him. "I sensed from your call you need a shoulder to cry on, so to speak. Am I right?"

"Yes," he answered truthfully this time. "I need another perspective. Mine is too emotional and I'm afraid. . .afraid of doing the wrong thing. Afraid I might have already done the w-wrong thing."

"Why don't I order some coffee and then you can tell me all about it?" suggested Simone. "Like I said, my flight isn't until this afternoon. I have a few hours to spare before I have to check out."

"Okay." He lifted his gaze just as a speculative gleam appeared in her eyes. She still wanted him. And he was still going to have to disappoint her. Maybe listening to the mess he'd made of his life would make her see the narrow escape she'd had.

After the coffee arrived, Walter told her everything; starting with the day he'd first met Paige to the final horrendous scene that morning. How he'd been a moron spouting that love didn't exist, when he'd first realized he had feelings for her, ones he didn't recognize until it was too late.

"She lead me to believe he'd r-raped her," he finally said, rubbing his hands over his face. "I fired her. I'll never see her. . .or Ralph again. But. . .I don't know if I can let them go. They both mean the world to me." He exhaled before adding, "But she. . .she lied to me, manipulated my emotions. I don't know if I can forgive her."

"Walter," Simone began, "if you love her, you can forgive her. If you want her, go get her."

"Easier said than done," he replied, shaking his head. "She doesn't want me. I can never be the man she wants me to be. The one I need to be for her."

"There is nothing wrong with you, mon beau. You are who you are. And if she can't accept that, maybe you are better off." The agent examined him again. "You know, from what you've said, she never told you he raped her. You just assumed he did. Maybe in her mind, she felt violated even though she didn't stop him. It's a fine line, Walter." Her face grew pensive. "I respected your right to say no. How would you have felt if I hadn't and pressured you to continue?"

"I. . .I would have. . . I would have regretted it. . .and hated myself," he acknowledged. "I'm sorry." He got to his feet and started pacing, dragging his hand through his hair. "I've totally screwed it up, haven't I? I'm an idiot."

"No, you're not. You just need to tell her what you've told me. It's obvious to me you love each other, but you're both afraid of losing the other. You can't be afraid to lose her if you never risk being together, Walter. Just talk to her."

"I will. Thanks." He came to halt. Maybe it was as simple as clearing the air between them. No more half-truths and downright lies, no more evasions. Using one of Toby's gambling analogies, just lay their cards on the table and let the chips fall where they may.

"You are welcome." Simone smiled at him as she stood, gliding her hand over the side of his face before kissing him on the cheek. "Be happy, Walter. And if your heart is ever free again, look me up."

His skin burned as he nodded, knowing it was a promise he'd never keep. His heart would never be free. Ever.

ooooo

Paige was curled up in her bed, where she'd spent most of the day crying until she couldn't cry anymore. Her eyes were gritty, her cheeks raw, and she was sick to her stomach.

And the sad part of it all. . . She was entirely to blame. She could have nipped this in the bud months ago. She could have gone to Walter, told him she loved him, told him she was willing to try if he was. But she hadn't. And now everything was a mess and it was all her fault.

A knock sounded on her front door. A quick glance at her alarm told her it was nearly ten-thirty. Dragging her arm over her face with a groan, she tried to block it out but the rapping continued and she could hear her muffled name through the thick wood.

Dammit, they were going to disturb her neighbors. Pushing herself up off the mattress, she ran her fingers through her hair. She knew she looked like shit. But she didn't care. The odds were split evenly, 50-50, on who was knocking on her door.

She laughed mirthless at the gambling reference. She knew who she wanted it to be. But the way her luck was running lately. . . With a sigh, she got to her feet and walked out of her bedroom, through the living room, not stopping until she reached the door to peer through the peep hole.