Thank you again for all the feedback. It really does mean a lot. The first part of this chapter is a familiar scene, altered only slightly. The second part is a long overdue conversation. Enjoy!

Chapter 20

Perfectly Human

Things were starting to look up when Cabe was reinstated to Homeland, and Scorpion was about to receive their first assignment since the accident.

With an upcoming mission and Cabe back in his liaison position, Walter also stepped back into his role as leader of Scorpion.

One thing was still weighing on Paige, however. Ever since she kissed him and admitted she had feelings, she couldn't stop thinking about him. He hadn't heard her, of course, being deep asleep, but that almost made it worse. After months of feeling like she had a burden weighing on her, she decided the only way she could get past it was admitting to Walter what had happened.

When she approached Walter he was upstairs, apparently trying to organize a very large amount of paperwork to some degree of success. He was balancing a large, almost two foot tall stack with one hand while sorting through a different spread of papers with the other. It seemed he was trying to locate some specific files for their upcoming mission. Paige strongly suspected he was using some of his superhuman abilities to keep the large pile so perfectly balanced without falling.

"Hello," she greeted. Walter looked up from the desk to look at her, still keeping the large pile where it was. His eyes did seem to brighten at her approach. She thought he looked so adorable when they did that.

Oh, boy, she thought to herself. This was already more difficult than she thought it was going to be.

"I just need a second, if that's ok?"

"Sure," he answered.

She finished walking up to him. She noticed in his hurry he hadn't even tied his tie around his neck.

"May I?" she asked, pointing at the loose tie.

He looked down. "Oh, yeah, sure."

She started tying the tie as he stood there patiently.

"I saw all the books on your desk," he started. "You've really embraced the added responsibility I've given you."

"Oh, um, yeah. Actually one of the books was saying how without open communication, ventures invariably fail. So the team has to be able to share ideas and feelings without judgement or fear of repercussions."

"Oh, yes," he agreed, still balancing about two feet of papers in his left hand. "Unadulterated information flow is always optimal."

"Good, uh, because I have some information, to well, flow."

"Uh, huh," he said, clearly waiting to see where this was going.

"It seems when you were exhausted and deep asleep at your desk after your stressful and life altering couple of days, I well, sort of kissed you."

Walter didn't seem to move an iota, but the perfectly balanced papers suddenly slid and went crashing to the floor. He continued to stand there, still as a statue, his mouth hanging open and with the dorkiest look of surprise she'd ever seen.

About as far from badass creature of the night as he could get.

Paige continued before she lost her momentum. She started pacing back and forth in front of his still motionless form.

"I've had time to think about why and I've realized you've helped me and Ralph a great deal-"

Walter suddenly came back to life, so to speak. "Ralph!" he exclaimed, interrupting her. "How is he doing? Is he-"

She interrupted him back, talking very quickly, "In Maine, visiting his father but I really need to stay on topic or I'll never get through this."

"Ok, sorry."

"It's okay. Okay, so this job puts us in intense situations where emotions run high and I really respect you and like you so much as a person and I think that those feelings got tangled up and confused so I-I…I kissed you." She said this without taking a breath and ended with a nervous laugh. "I think it's important there be no secrets."

"Open communication," he agreed far too quickly.

"Right! And I think we agree I don't really have those feelings, I may have thought I had but I don't want to risk Scorpion in any way and I know I'm rambling so I'll conclude by saying I think we should move forward as professional colleagues because that's what we are."

"Yeah, I mean, I appreciate your honesty. I agree we experienced a very, well, stressful, and unusual, first year on the job."

Walter had started gathering the large number of papers that had tumbled out of his hand. When they were reassembled they were not nearly as neat as when they started.

Paige was relieved he agreed with what she was saying. "So since we're practicing an open communication doctrine, is there anything you'd like to share?"

"Uh, no," was all he had to say, but his expression said far more. He was clearly trying to still process and understand what she just told him. As much as she wanted to accept his words of acceptance at face value, part of her job was to pick up on the subtle emotions Walter felt and try and explain them to him. She knew when he wasn't being truthful to others or with himself.

Not that she was being especially truthful with her own feelings.

Looking at his big, brown, intelligent, and now confused eyes, she couldn't help feeling she had just jumbled his world even more. She felt like she had just hugged, then kicked a puppy and it didn't understand what had just happened.

An extremely adorable, genius, sweet, caring, occasional blood-drinking, cute puppy.

Yeah…she was in trouble.

The extreme awkwardness was broken by Toby's admission of eavesdropping over their new office intercom. She didn't know whether to be extremely pissed or relieved. She settled on both.

****SVD****

The mission given to them by the new Homeland Director, Adriana Molina, was just like old times. It was a completely new situation, of course, like nothing they had ever handled, but it followed a familiar pattern. Getting an assignment, trying to complete it, things going wrong, realizing they didn't have all the information, then trying to overcome an even more complicated and constantly devolving situation.

No extra-human abilities were called for, and once Molina was able to afford them all the information after a rather terse conversation with the President, Scorpion was able to successfully stop a falling satellite.

Once the mission was over, Walter reflected on his and Paige's conversation right after their success. He admitted he had had feelings for her as well, but he agreed with her that the best course of action was to stay profession. Any relationship that was anything more would endanger Scorpion, and he didn't want that.

It was all completely true, but what he didn't say was he still wanted more than a friendship with her, no matter what the risk.

But she had said she didn't want that, hadn't she?

Then why did she seem disappointed when he agreed with her?

Somehow he felt part of the problem was he wasn't picking up some nuance of human emotion.

He could handle complex equations, computer code, and process data better than almost anyone alive. He was even starting to get a handle on being a vampire.

But human emotions and connections? He felt it would take something more powerful than even magic to get him to navigate the complexity he observed, but couldn't seem to grasp.

Luckily he had someone as smart, witty, caring, beautiful, and strong as Paige to continue to help him navigate the world of humans.

His thoughts paused, recognizing once again the attraction that kept drawing him to her.

How was he supposed to learn to connect with the emotions of the humans around him, when he had so much trouble understanding his own?

****SVD****

There was still one human Walter did have to, and want to, connect with again.

It was time to visit his sister.

Walter had spoken with her weekly on the phone, but it wasn't the same, even for someone like him.

Sylvester had spent a lot of time with her during Walter's "recovery". He was glad his sister had found company in Sylvester when he couldn't be there for her.

Walter had tried experiment after experiment. He was trying to prove Damon wrong regarding the effects his blood would have on someone with multiple sclerosis. All Walter did was confirm the theory.

The blood repaired any damage tissue from the multiple sclerosis temporarily, but when the blood wore off, the strengthened immune system would attack the myelin sheaths of the nerves even faster and more vigorously.

Each time he reapplied his blood to the sample the tissue would start healing, but the immune system would overtake it faster each time. There was no point in repeated administrations.

If he gave his blood to Megan, she would be healed for about a day, then likely die within twenty-four hours after the blood left her system.

The other option…Walter had given it consideration, but he found he didn't want that for her. He accepted what he was, but Megan was a bright beacon of humanity and example of living life to the fullest. He could not see her as a vampire. He didn't think she would want it either.

Walter arrived at the hospital where Megan now resided. She had a permanent room filled with her personal things to make her feel more at home. Sylvester agreed to meet him there. When he arrived he looked through the hospital room window. Sylvester was sitting by Megan's bedside with his back to the door and Walter. He was in a conversation with Megan, and she was laughing at something Sly had said. She reached over and placed her hand over Sly's as they continued their conversation.

Interesting. Walter knew, and accepted, that Sylvester and his sister were dating. He had expressed his concerns to Sylvester the day he was told. He was concerned about Sylvester and the pain he would feel when…

Walter didn't complete his line of thinking. Regardless, he saw in their body language now that it wasn't just dating. The two of them had gotten quite close while he had been staying low.

Megan glanced over Sly's shoulder and saw Walter standing in the window. Her eyes lit up with a light he had missed. It was the light of someone who didn't have long left to live, and was trying to burn brighter during the time it had left. He smiled at her as he felt a familiar warmth in his chest.

Love, he identified. That sensation was love.

He opened the door and before he could enter he felt a familiar resistance across his body, warning him he wouldn't be able to cross the threshold. It seemed even the laws of the supernatural were reminding him how permanent his sister's declining condition was. This was her home now.

"Walter," Megan continued smiling at him, then held her arms out. "Come here, bro. I've missed you so much."

His invitation received, Walter entered and walked around to the other side of her hospital bed and accepted her embrace. He then sat down next to her and took her hand.

She looked good today. She sat cross-legged atop her colorful bedspread and many of her personal belongings sat on the nightstand next to it. Since he last saw her she had applied much of her own personal touches to the room. He felt a tightness in his chest as he realized she had accepted she was never going move out of this place. Her braces were propped at the foot of the bed.

Still, the smile currently on her face hinted at none of the sad details of her life. She looked only happy to see him. "I know you've been telling me you were recovering well, but I admit part of me was afraid you were protecting me. But here you are! You look great! That's some healing power you have there!" she said jokingly.

Walter and Sylvester exchanged a brief glance at the irony of her statement.

She furrowed her brow as she studied him more closely. "I will say though, are you getting outside enough? You look a bit pale, and my god, Walter, your hands are freezing." She briefly let go of his hand to rub her own together before grasping it again.

"It's…really good to see you, Megan. I really missed you." Walter's voice broke slightly as he felt that warm feeling travel up. He felt his vision become slightly blurry.

No, he tried to order himself, frustrated. He needed to talk to her. There was a lot of information to go over. This uninvited emotion was interfering with his plans.

Megan was looking at him with concern, having noticed the tears that had suddenly appeared in his eyes.

"Are you ok, Walter? I've never seen you, well, emotional before."

"I'm not emotional," he argued even as he wiped the unwelcome tears from his eyes. "Just recently I've started to be able to connect with and feel the physical effects of my emotions to a greater degree."

Megan stared at him for a second, then started slowly nodding her head up and down. "Soooo…emotional." she repeated, pointing out his reiteration of exactly what she said.

"No, a nuisance. A distraction."

She took his hand in both of hers. Walter was looking down, trying to force away the unwelcome emotion so he could talk to his sister objectively. There was a lot of information to cover.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Sylvester said, standing up and making his way outside. "I'll be right outside if you need anything."

Walter and Megan were now alone. Brother and sister.

"Why did you start crying Walter?" she asked him.

"Because there was a momentary rush of endorphins that stimulated my lacrimal glands."

Megan gave him a small slap on the hand.

"No, dummy. Why, emotionally, did you start crying?"

Walter felt this line of questioning was inefficient and pointless. The feelings were a side effect, nothing more. He decided to humor his sister, nonetheless.

"I suppose, it was because I was pleased to see you. Also it has been some time since we've seen each other in person, so that was likely a factor as well."

Megan smiled at him. "You were happy. You cried because you were happy. How is something like that a nuisance?"

Walter didn't have an answer. He hadn't thought of it like that.

"I suppose I should consider that perspective."

Megan gave a small chuckle, but he felt her still studying him. "But that's not all, is it Walter? You look worried. Something's bothering you. What is it?"

Walter squeezed her hand a little harder. She always had been able to see right through him.

"Something happened to me, Megan, and I'm not talking about just the accident. I have a lot to tell you, and what I say is going to sound impossible. I just ask you let me finish my account before you comment. Just, please remember it's me who's talking to you, and when I'm done, if you must require proof of what I say, I'll be able to provide it."

Megan stared at him for a moment, analyzing his words and appearance. "Walter, you look scared, and that's scaring me."

Walter nodded in understanding. "I sincerely hope you're not scared of me when I'm done."

Walter then started his story before he lost his nerve. "It started after the car accident, when I was trapped on that cliff. I thought death was certain, but Cabe provided another option…"

As Walter began his tale to his sister, he just hoped this wouldn't take her from him. The MS might do that soon enough. He didn't want to lose her twice.

****SVD****

Sylvester watched Megan and Walter through the window. He couldn't read lips fluently, but he felt he was fairly proficient.

He watched as Walter began going over all of the events with Megan. Walter began with the crash and the rescue attempt. Megan looked slightly sick listening to that part. Most likely because up until now she had been spared the details of what Walter went through on that cliff.

She held Walter's hand tight and kept listening, apparently trying to comfort him as he recounted a very traumatic event.

Sylvester could tell when Walter started on the first supernatural details, and told her he had died after the second fall. Megan's expression become more incredulous and worried, and her breathing rate increased ever so slightly. Overall, she looked concerned, likely for Walter's mental well being.

Sylvester couldn't blame her. She had just seen her brother express emotion, and now he was telling her he had died on that cliff, come back to life. Right about now, he would be telling her he was a vampire. Judging from experience, sounding crazy would be an understatement.

To her credit, though, she honored Walter's request and didn't say a word.

Megan released Walters hand and sat back in her hospital bed when he started to recount the events with the gang members outside the garage. She was hearing Walter out, but Sylvester could tell she was struggling, and was deeply worried about her brother's sanity.

Sylvester noticed Walter's eyes were focused down, away from his sister's face as he spoke. He probably was afraid of seeing something he didn't like in her expression.

Walter seemed to finish his account, ending with many of the details of what he is now.

Then they waited.

No one moved for several minutes it seemed. Not Walter. Not Megan. Not Sylvester.

What was going to happen next?

Find out the next chapter! Some reviews always help motivate ;).