Disclaimer: Scorpion and all its characters belong to someone else. Any similarities to other stories are unintentional.

Chapter One- Beginnings

Walter left the comfort of Cabe's SUV beside an old building and looked up at it, swallowing hard before glancing back at Cabe through the car window.

'You sure about this, son?' Cabe said 'I can come with you if you like?'

'No... it's OK. I'll be... I'll be fine. I can do this...'

Walter turned away and began walking to the building a few steps away. 'I can do this.' he reiterated, sighing and straightening his shoulders as if in preparation.

The door to the building was unlocked and after looking at the name sign on the door for a few seconds, Walter lightly knocked before entering. The room was in need of paint and smelt a bit of engine grease, tacos from the shop next door and worst of all, damp. There were three laptops open on a large central table, around which sat two people. A third was standing in front of a whiteboard and the fourth person was busy welding a short step away- the room was quite small.

Walter looked at the occupants, feeling unsure and looking like a little boy lost for a moment.

The people sitting at the table stopped what they were doing immediately, and sat with open mouths staring at the man who had just entered.

'W...Walter...' the woman stuttered.

'Hello, Paige.' Walter said.

Sylvester stopped writing his calculations on the board and turned in surprise, whilst Happy stripped her welding mask from her face.

'Well, look what the cat dragged in!' sniped Toby. 'Come to visit us know- it- all's?'

'Toby!' Paige admonished. 'Walter, wh... why are you here?'

'Guys, I just wanted, erm. I wanted... Nice place you have here...'

'It's wet and mouldy, worse than the garage,' Toby replied. 'Never thought that was possible...'

'Yeah, well er... nice and ... bright...' Walter gestured to the large windows.

'Is that what you really wanted to say?' Paige asked a bit confused.

'No. I er... I. Look, guys, as you know I'm not... I'm not good at expressing... '

'No kidding! It's been two months, so what made you come now. Need our help, I bet? Anyone? Ten dollars?' Toby said, looking around. Happy walked over to the table where Toby was and swiped his hat off.

'Hey! Just saying!'

'If you don't stop 'saying' I'll weld that hat to your head! Now give the guy a chance!' she said to her husband.

'Sorry. Continue...'

Walter took a gulp of air, trying to ignore the looks of hostility coming his way, and suddenly found his nerve. These were his friends- his family. He looked at each one of them, and they could see the softening of his eyes as he watched them. He lowered his head for a moment, took a breath and then continued, looking at each person with sincerity.

'OK. so I... I just want to apologise to each of you. I... I was wrong...'

Toby raised his eyebrows as he and Happy shared a glance. This was a turn up for the books... Walter O'Brien apologising!

Walter felt nervous and incredibly awkward. He suddenly wasn't at all sure of himself. He'd never admit to having those feelings, though. He'd always been so sure he was different from everyone else and had no emotive feelings at all, but looking at all the familiar faces staring at him now, he felt the emotion welling up through him. He silently repeated his morning mantra quietly to himself. 'I can do this...'

'Er... so, guys.' he began. He cleared his throat. 'I know- I know we parted on bad terms...'

'You're not kidding,' Toby began 'Ow!' he continued as Happy pinched him hard.

'Look, I just came to say I am sorry for my part in the... in it all. I know I have trouble expressing... I was wrong. OK? I... I truly thought I was telling you a white lie, like you taught me!' he said, looking Paige straight in the eyes.

Paige felt her heart flip. Those eyes! They melted straight through her and made her feel things she'd tried so hard to forget. 'I taught you how to tell a white lie to protect someone's feelings- not to blatantly lie to get out of a sticky situation!'

'Yeah, well I got... got a bit confused.' Walter stammered 'So... to continue- Sylvester, I shouldn't have said the things I did to you- I felt cornered and... and I just panicked and attacked verbally. I didn't have feelings for Florence, I swear I didn't. I was stunned when she said she had feelings for me.'

'Yet you had her join Scorpion!' Toby snarled. Paige touched his shoulder and Toby stepped back.

'I had to take her on- I had no other choice- I couldn't risk Scorpion not working, but... well she's gone now. I let her go.'

'You fired her?' Happy asked, glancing at Toby.

'Yes. It's taken me a while to process what happened but it's clear to me now. I don't want there to be this bad feeling between us.' His voice wavered. He couldn't continue. This was as much as he had in him.

'So what? You waltz in here and say sorry and we all come running back to Scorpion?'

'No... no that's not it. I couldn't connect with my parents, with anyone really apart from my sister.' Walter stopped and looked at them all with suspiciously watery eyes. 'The only people I can connect with is you- all of you!'

'You're scared of being alone? That it, O'Brien? Well I can relate to that.' Happy said quietly.

'Sort of. The point is I don't care if you've created Centipede. I just want you all in my life again. Just to speak to now and again.' He looked directly at Paige. 'And Ralph. I miss him so much.'

Paige felt tears welling up in her eyes. For Walter to come here and talk to them like this must have taken so much courage for him.

'I just want to tell you that I'm not facing imminent death, nor some hallucinogenic seed or suffering from hypoxia. I'm fully lucid. I just want to say I'm sorry, and ask you to please just keep in contact with me, any way you see fit, however or whenever you want. I know you may not feel the same, and maybe can't forgive me, so I'll leave it there.' His voice cracked as he looked at the still silent Sylvester.

'All the markers are there. 'Toby said. 'He's telling the truth, the dumb putz. But don't stop there 197...' Toby said...'you called us know-it-alls!'

A hint of a smile finally reached Walter's lips, remembering the entry in his phone contacts list. 'Yeah... er sorry about that.' he said finally, looking down at the floor.

'That's alright then!' Toby suddenly announced, grabbing Walter's hand and shaking it. 'Forgiven!'

Happy ran to Walter and uncharacteristically grabbed him into a hug.

'Oh! OK.' Walter grunted.

'Walter! That was very EQ of you.' Paige said. 'Apology accepted, thank you.'

'OK' was all that Walter could manage, sneaking a look at the silent Sylvester. 'Well, that's all I came to say.'

Walter turned away and started to walk towards the door. He turned again and looked at them all, his eyes hovering on Sylvester. Paige felt her heart would break as he looked like he wanted to say something more but couldn't get the words out.

He continued to the door, and as he reached it, Sylvester suddenly said 'Wait, Walter...' But it was too late. The door had quietly closed behind him with a soft click.

'Walter!' Sly cried again, dashing to the door in time to see the black SUV driving away. Sylvester felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

'It's OK, Sly, Walter's made the first move. It's a start. That must have been very difficult for him. Hopefully all the bad feeling can be repaired in time. We'll just have to wait and see.'

'Yes.' Sly said as he and Paige turned back to their office 'I hope so...'

To be continued...