SCORPION - GRAVITY - CHAPTER 44

Soooo, a lot of reactions about Tim being a part of this story. I understand if you don't like the idea, I thought a lot about what part he would play in this, but as I said since the beginning, I want to keep this story close to canon somehow and above all to bring in every important character we had in Scorpion (so there are still some to come ;)).

Anyway, I don't plan having him for too long, and I'm hearing you, I will probably change a little the plot line I had planned for him, but he's still gonna be here for a few chapters. I know that the slow burn is really long here, but I think that what makes a relationship between two characters deep and truly interesting to watch/read is the journey that comes before. In some shows I watched, the ships were sometimes brought together too soon and I couldn't bring myself to really root for them, so that's why even though I've been frustrated a lot, I'm glad Scorpion's writers waited three seasons to make Waige happen. We all know where my story is going, and if I want to still have a lot of things to write after Walter and Paige are together, I need to build a good foundation. And again, I'm so thankful to all of you who may be frustrated by this story but who stick with me anyway to enjoy the ride. I still have a lot of things to give you and this story isn't ending anytime soon for me.

It had been a few weeks since Tim had first been introduces to the geniuses, and he even already had to go on a case with Walter. He was a smart guy for a normal, even if he was a little lost when Walter started to talk in scientific terms, he rapidly caught up with what was needed from him. He was very rapid and skilled in anything that needed physical strength, and if he could look like the type of guy that bullied Walter when he was in school, he turned out not to be that way. In fact Walter could almost have liked him, if it wasn't for one thing.

He was clearly hitting on Paige. That was so obvious that even a guy with absolutely no clue about social relations picked it up. He hadn't done anything to him, but when Walter walked out of his bedroom to find Paige laughing at one of Tim's joke, he wanted to punch him into his perfect teeth. Walter never used violence in his life, first because it was stupid and second because he was almost always the weakest one. But he couldn't lie, he had already wanted to hit a few people in his life and Tim was one of them.

The worst thing was that Paige wasn't doing anything about it. In a way he couldn't blame Tim for flirting with Paige, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and Walter would like to make Paige laugh at lame jokes if he had the guts, and a better sense of humour. And now that Paige even seemed to enjoy the young trainee's company, Walter felt useless and depressed. One time Walter saw him bringing her coffee, and he was a hundred per cent sure that she would refuse it, given that it was a simple black one, and that she liked it with extra sugar and the more important, with cinnamon. When she was staying with Walter, she even told him that she couldn't drink coffee without it's touch of cinnamon.

But she accepted the cup Tim handed him with a big smile and drank it. And Walter couldn't explain why but it made him want to throw up. Tim was even good with Ralph, he met him a few times and he was what you call a natural with kids. And Walter felt left aside by Paige these days, but he didn't do anything about it. He could have talked to her, make a move before Tim would steal her from him, but instead he just pretended that nothing was bothering him and focused on his work. He even wrapped up his mind around the idea that Paige could like another guy. He wanted what was best for her and if Drew was a total jerk, Tim was actually a good guy.

On Paige's side, things were quite difficult to manage. She was still looking for an apartment and she had visited some but either the price was too high, or the place was sold to another buyer with a 'more stable life'. She also started working again, Ralph being kept sometimes by Megan and Sylvester, sometimes by a very nice sitter she found, and occasionally by Walter when he didn't have too much work. She wasn't seeing the team too much these days since she was very busy and she used her free time to spend time with Ralph or sleep because she was exhausted. She didn't see Happy this much either because the girl didn't lie when she said she was almost never home.

There was also this new guy, Tim. Paige was getting along well with him, and despite how much she liked the geniuses, having normal discussions with a guy her age was always nice. He still made her uncomfortable sometimes, because she could feel he liked her and was making lame attempts to see if she was interested too but he was genuinely a good person so Paige let it go.

One day though, as she was at Walter's with the whole team to celebrate the success of a mission they had, Tim came to her, looking a little embarrassed.

« Hey Paige, can I talk to you for a second? »

« Sure, go ahead. »

« So you know, I could have died today and it made me realize that I should do this while I still have the time. »

Paige was looking at him with curiosity but didn't say anything.

« Okay here I go. I know that Ralph's father isn't in the picture anymore, Cabe told me. So I wondered if maybe… you'd like to go out with me sometimes? On a… date you know. Like a dinner, or even a drink? »

Paige wasn't exactly surprised by his offer. She just wished that it was someone else who had the guts to ask her out. Like some genius with curled hair.

« I… I don't think I can accept Tim, I'm truly sorry. »

« Oh. »

Paige could see the disappointment on his face and she felt bad, but she had her reasons.

« Can I ask you why? »

That was a tricky question.

« It's just that… I have a lot going on in my life so I'm not sure I want to date anyone at this point and… well other things you know. »

« I see. Is there someone else in you life I'm not aware of? »

« Oh no. I mean… that's hard to explain but… in a way yes. I hope we can still be friends though. »

Tim half smiled, looking at his feet.

« Sure, yeah friends sounds good. »

Luckily for Paige, who didn't know what to say anymore, Happy interrupted this moment.

« Hey Dineen, want a ride home? »

Paige didn't expect this proposition but rapidly accepted and a few minutes after saying goodbye to everyone, she was with Happy on her couch.

« So, SEAL guy asked you out didn't he? »

Paige was surprised by Happy's question but she also thought that it could maybe be an occasion for them to talk a little more, like friends.

« How do you know? »

« Are you really asking me that? Anyway, what did you say? »

« I… I said no. »

« Why? »

Paige wasn't sure if she wanted to reveal Happy the real reason she refused Tim's advances but then she thought that she could trust the girl. She wasn't the type to repeat everything to the others.

« Well, if he'd ask you, would you have said yes? »

« Of course no. But I would have said no to anyone because I'm not the type to date. But he is objectively good looking and not to dumb for a normal, I just thought he would have been your type. »

« You said yes to Toby. »

It was Happy's turn to look surprised.

« How do you know? He told you right? That idiot can't keep his mouth shut. »

Paige tried not to smile too much at this. Indeed Toby told her about how he went out with Happy once and about his feelings for her and the fact that Happy probably wasn't ready yet, but that he was willing to wait the time she needed for her. She found their relation so cute and hoped that it wouldn't take too long to the mechanist to realize what she could have.

« Anyway, the truth is you would have said no to Tim because you like someone else. »

« Okay so first of all I don't like anyone the way you think I do and second… are you confessing to me that you said no to him because you like Walter? »

Paige was sure that Happy would pick it up. In fact she was sure that she already picked it up and that this conversation was just a ruse to make her admit it.

« Maybe… »

« Ah finally! You two are such morons I mean how long are you going to stay like this instead of getting together? »

« Hey you have no right to tell me this considering you're still not with Toby. Besides it's not as easy as you make it sound. I mean have you seen Walter? He is harder to crack than any… software really hard to crack you could think of. »

« Not true. It might look like this but in fact Walter is as easy to read as an open book. You just have to look at the right pages. »

Paige wanted to ask more to Happy, about what she meant by this, and if she really thought that Walter and her could be a thing. She wanted to ask her about how was Walter before she met him, their teenage years together and all. But she couldn't have too much in one night.

« I'm exhausted, I'm going to bed now. Sleep well Dineen. »

Then Happy disappeared in her bedroom. And Paige didn't get much sleep this night, thinking about what the future was holding for her.