Walter sat in their living room of the loft with his laptop open. He was staring at the icon for his parents waiting for it to light up so he could call them. Paige walked in from the hallway that went back to their bedrooms and the bathroom and she smiled at the nervous expression on his face. She stepped up and turned before sitting next to him. "Do we need to talk about it before they get online?"

Walter smiled and shook his head. "Not really I suppose. I'm just running through all the probabilities of how this is going to go. If it was just Mother it wouldn't be an issue but Father is going to be a problem. Remember how Sly told us about the ruckus he made when he got to the hospital? I don't know one thing I have ever done that has pleased him." Walter drew in a deep breath and blew it out quickly as his nerves continued to cause the uneasiness in him.

Paige grinned as she leaned against his arm and bent her neck to lay her head on his shoulder. She reached down and took his left hand in hers. "All that really matters is us Walter, how we feel, how we continue, together forever. If he wants to be a jerk about anything just click to hang up. He can learn if he wants to be a part of our lives he will have to change his attitude."

Walter smiled as he squeezed her hands a bit. He drew in another breath as he saw their icon light up and he moved his finger up to click the mouse button. "Show time I suppose." He said as he pushed in the button. The screen flashed and then they heard a ringing noise and then the screen changed and they could see the living room Walter had grown up in with his parents sitting before the table where the laptop Walter had sent them a year ago rested.

Louise smiled with eyes glistening with extra tears. "Walter, my boy, how are you son?"

Walter smiled. "Mother, Father, I'm doing well now. How are you doing? Is the moisture condenser still working well?"

"We're well enough boy." Sean said in his gruffness. "Sylvester told us you both had made up. I'm glad to hear it."

Walter was surprised that hadn't been in any of the probabilities he had calculated. "Thank you Father. It is because of us being back together that prompted us to call to catch up with you."

Louise smiled got bigger. "You've set a date for the wedding? Or you want to use the family chapel here to get married in?"

Walter's face flushed in embarrassment as Paige laughed softly. "We haven't yet Mrs. O'Brien."

Louise smiled. "Paige, please call me Louise. Mrs. O'Brien sounds so old."

Paige smiled. "Thank you Louise." She looked to Walter who had withdrawn a bit grateful that Paige had taken over talking. She nudged him.

Walter swallowed as he looked back at the screen. "Mother, Father, this is going to come as a shock to you both. But you both do remember Paige's son Ralph?"

They both nodded even as their brows wrinkled as they puzzled what he might mean.

Walter inhaled deeply. "Umm, well as it turns out Ralph is actually my son, your grandson."

Walter felt like his heart stopped as the words tumbled out of his mouth and he sat not breathing waiting for their reactions.

Louise's smile returned to her face and then blossomed into a large grin. "Oh Walter, that is wonderful news. Isn't it Sean?"

Sean stood and walked out of camera view. Louise's eyes followed him. "Sean? Say something to our boy."

"Of all the irresponsible things you have ever done. How could you keep this from us? Are you that mad at us? Did we deprive you so much that you would hide this news from us?" Sean ranted as he stormed around their living room.

Paige spoke up. "Mr. O'Brien, no one was hiding this from you. We only learned the truth ourselves a few weeks ago. This really isn't easy for Walter and I would appreciate it if you would try to be more understanding until you know what happened and why this is just now coming up."

Louise smiled at the computer camera and nodded. "You heard Paige you old goat. Now get over here and sit down and listen for a change."

Sean glared at his wife and she glared right back. "Don't test me Sean Patrick O'Brien."

Walter grinned internally even though in the past he had always hated when his Mother used all three names of someone. They watched Louise's eyes as she followed Sean until he came over and sat down. He looked at the computer. "Okay boy, tell your tale then."

Walter coughed and then swallowed and began explaining how they came to find out about the possibility and he used broad strokes to cover what had happened fourteen years ago.

Louise had just sat there smiling. "Walter I am so happy about this. Not that you both had to experience what you did for Ralph to be here but I'm not sorry since it resulted in Ralph."

Paige and Walter both smiled. "Well there is a little more news Mother." Walter looked at Paige and Paige nodded.

"We found out about a week before we went to San Francisco that we are expecting another child." Paige told Walter's parents when he didn't continue.

Louise's hand came up to dab at her eyes with a Kleenex as they saw more tears glisten in her eyes. "Oh I am so happy to hear that. I'd honestly resolved myself to never having grandchildren when Megan had gotten so sick. I know it wasn't Walter's fault, but his aversion to being touched, just made me so sad because I didn't think he'd ever get past it long enough to actually form a relationship with a woman and become a Father."

Louise looked to Sean. "Sean? Don't you have anything to say?"

Sean looked up from his hands and they saw his eyes were red. "So if we come to visit to meet our grandson properly is there a place to stay or are we going to have to get a hotel room again?"

Walter and Paige both smiled as Louise laughed. "We'll work something out Father. I'd even be happy to split the cost of your trip so you can meet your grandson as grandparents."

Sean looked at Louise. "If I sell the northern herd we should have enough to visit in a couple of weeks and then again after the new little one is born."

Louise grinned before she hugged him and began crying tears of joy.

Sean looked up while hugging his wife. "Well it will probably take two weeks to get a buyer and another week or two to get the money. We'll give you a heads up as soon as I get a buyer. In the meantime make sure you call us again with our grandson there so we can see him."

Paige smiled with blurry eyes. "I'll make sure to send you an email tomorrow with all the pictures I have of Ralph."

Louise looked up and nodded. "Please do Paige. I'm sending all my love for all three, four of you. And however many come after."

Paige dabbed at her eyes as they ended the call. "Well that went a lot better than I had calculated." Walter told her.

Walter sat up that night pouring over the jobs they had already won and the ones they were really wanting to go after. He noted the ones Toby had said wouldn't be good for Happy while pregnant and he marked off several others not wanting to put on any extra stress on her. He pulled over the blueprints Happy had designed for the Loft changes. He couldn't think of anyway they could get them done in less than a month for his parents to get there. He sighed as he rubbed at his eyes.

Paige looked over from her book. "What's wrong baby?"

Walter looked over. "I was just modifying what jobs we'll go after for Happy and looking at the plans for what she drew up for the Loft. I don't see anyway we can get the Loft done up before Mother and Father come over."

Paige slipped her book mark into her book and set it aside. "Well then, you'll be off your restrictions in a few days. So we can move into the condo and your parents can stay here. It won't seem as bad since we'll be here all day anyway for work. We can come early and have breakfast and stay late and have dinner with them. Then go home to the condo around 10 pm."

Walter smiled at her. "That isn't a bad idea. I wish we could afford to shut down while they are here. But I don't want to dip into our savings. I suppose I could hack a bank."

Paige punched his arm playfully as she laughed. "Didn't you learn your lesson from Katherine?"

Walter grinned. "Point taken, but I didn't say I was going too."

Paige grinned as she kissed him. And she smiled as she felt his lips part and his tongue slipped out and brushed against her lips. She parted her lips and felt his tongue push past them and their tongues began caressing each other.

Paige began thinking even as Walter's hands began moving about her body. She'd never met a man more interested in what she wanted or needed than Walter. He might be a lot of work emotionally but his singular passion for her well being couldn't be matched let alone beat by anyone.

Paige pushed and Walter fell back on his back as she straddled him. She bent down and kissed him deeply even as his hands found their way to her ass and squeezed. Paige grinned as she kissed down his neck and then to his chest. Tonight she was going to blow his mind in her favorite way.

Walter stood in the airport lobby just outside the international arrival exit. Paige next to him with her arm linked around his and Ralph standing just in front of them. Even though things had been so amazing with his parents since they told them the truth about Ralph and Paige being pregnant he was still a bit anxious. He didn't have a good track record with his parents. His Mother had always tried to be there for him even though he could feel the distance between them because she couldn't connect to him. He remembered the pain in her face when he'd shy away from her wanting to touch or hug him. A look he had seen in Paige's face with Ralph five years ago.

But here they stood as a happy couple with a son and a little one on the way. He couldn't imagine being happier then he was right then but every time he thought of welcoming the child in Paige's womb into their home he knew he was going to be even happier and he reached up and brushed the tears from his eyes.

Paige smiled at him and hugged his arm tighter. "Getting emotional about your parents my love?"

Walter shook his head. "Just thinking about the day we get to welcome this one." He placed his other hand against her lower abdomen. "Into our home, I can only imagine how much happier I will be then."

Paige batted her eyes several times as tears of happiness flooded them and she swallowed several times and reached up and kissed Walter tenderly.

"Grandma, Grandpa!" Ralph called out suddenly breaking the moment between the young couple and they both looked back and saw Ralph run forward and hugged his Grandma and then his Grandpa.

Sean had to resist the urge to pick the young man up like one might pick up a small child. He'd instantly regretted not having been part of the young man's life sooner.

Louise hurriedly came up and for a split second seemed to try and decide who to hug first and Walter made the decision for her by stepping forward and hugging her tightly even as his skin crawled. He never wanted to see that look on her face again.

Paige smiled at the look of love and surprise on Louise's face as Walter hugged her tighter and longer. Sean smiled as he walked past his wife and son and stepped up to Paige. He held out his arms and Paige stepped in and they hugged. Sean kissed her cheek as he dropped his arms. "Welcome to the family Paige."

"Thank you Sean." Paige told him with affection.

Louise and Walter finally broke their hug and she hurried over and hugged Paige fiercely. "I'm so happy Paige. You don't know how much you mean to me and for the love you give to my son. I know he isn't easy but every time we talked on the computer I could see it in his eyes how much he loves you. I couldn't be more pleased."

Paige smiled as Louise's words entered into her ears as they continued to hug.

Walter looked at his Father uneasily. He had seemed very accepting and different on the computer but now in his presence Walter felt like he was ten again and about to get a scolding before a trip to the woodshed. Sean grinned at Walter. "Come on son, give your old man a hug."

Walter was startled to say the least but he still stepped up and the two men hugged. "Walter I am so proud of you son. I know I was a bit of a pig headed fool for most of your life and I am sorry. Please forgive me."

Walter almost began sobbing at the words. He never thought his Father would ever speak like that to him. He thought the closest he'd come would be through his relationship with Cabe. "Thank you Father. If you can forgive me I can forgive you."

Ralph stood there smiling watching his parents with his grandparents. He couldn't believe his fortune. Five years ago he was stuck in his life unable to explain to people how things were in his head. Constantly hearing his Mother told about these weird prognoses and given script after script for meds that only seemed to hinder his mind without giving him a voice and he had hated it. And then a seemingly random act brought a man into his life. A man who had seen himself in him and he took his Mother and him in and gave them a very different life. He kept hoping that one day Walter would make it through his problems as he helped him with his and ask his Mom out and they'd one day marry and they'd be a real family. And while they weren't married he now knew that Walter wasn't just acting like his Dad but was indeed his Dad biologically as well.

Greetings! I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the new year! Sadly this concludes "Secrets". I can't think of anything still hidden so I hope that means you can't think of anything either. I certainly hope this AU speaks again in the future, it has certainly become my favorite of my AUs. Being able to tie it indirectly with Pamz's "Arrhythmia" was a lot of fun.

Yea, I faded to black up there. Sorry, I thought about indulging it a little more but what with is happening in this other story "Happy", just a place holder title. I just decided to pass here. lol Happy's story really blew up on me in a big way. What was just going to be a 1 chapter M rated story has grown to be 4 chapters and will be at least 5 maybe 6 chapters when finished. And it is too much for an M rating. So I'm torn between pruning it down to 2 chapters and leaving it an M and then trying to figure out what to do with the rest of the story or posting it all here. "I Only Stat Facts" bent the hell out of my first rule sexually and "You Think Bat Poop Is Crazy" did it the same way with violence, and that is to never to take fanfiction further than the show could allow, this story completely obliterates it. Anyway enough talking about that!

Lady Knight will be the next story I will be posting. I'm wanting to take it at least to see Lady Paige enlist Lord Beyon's elite thieves to infiltrate King Merrick's Palace to get his travel schedule. By which point I am sure I will have worked out how I want to handle Happy's story.

2LawDog - I am so happy to have another writer of Scorpion stories! While I know some haven't warmed to the story idea, yet, I am hopeful they will. It is very enjoyable, the humor, playfulness, the imagery you use creates such a treat. I look forward to you continuing the story! And I am very happy you have enjoyed my stories. Thank you for your words concerning them! I think Paige and Happy are envious of you on that score!

Railman - Thank you! And wow...With all the travel restrictions Europe has as a whole, it really boggles my mind that these variants are showing up there. And it is scaring the crap out of me because as far as I can tell, the US doesn't have even half of the restrictions Europe has.

Marie - Yes, yes Walter will be a great Dad! At least in my stories! lol

Guest/Margaret? - I think my brain hates itself. I realized the other day I currently had 7 stories I was doing my best to keep straight inside there. This final at least knocks it down to 6. LOL

Lucy - Thanks! hehe Wish granted, but the cost is the completion of "Secrets". You should have listened to Walter and Lady Paige's advice about wishes! lol I know technically you didn't say "I wish", but hey, it is my right to rule how I want! hehe

Mtrizee - So glad to see you back! Glad you enjoyed it! Yep, I hope some time to get the original story finished and then find a place to share it!

To the Adventure! -Tim