Author's Note: I don't Scorpion or any of the characters. I was just disappointed with the ending of Season 4 and wanted to write something of my own. I'm also not a writer and haven't written fanfiction in years so please be kind.
Homeland Agent Cabe Gallo was worried. Ever since the team had split, Walter had been withdrawing more and more. He would mumble incoherent words staring into nothing while sometimes miming writing as though board, even going as far as to erase whatever it was that he had been "writing."
He was worried for this man. He thought of Walter as a son, and he was afraid Walter was going into the "rabbit hole" that Happy had spoken about before but more importantly he was worried that if Walter was headed down that path there would be no way to reach him and pull him back again.
He knew Florence noticed as well but after the debacle, well the young lady was afraid to talk about anything not related to a case with Walter. Afraid to draw Walter's anger and the kid had a lot of anger at first. However, now months later without the team, without Paige in particular, Walter just seemed lost.
Taking a fortifying breath Cabe opened the door to the garage, afraid of what state he might find Walter in.
Removing his sunglasses, he started looking around and listening for any signs of Walter. It was dark, hardly any light anywhere, but as he walked further in, he spotted a lamp on. The light illuminated the dark-haired young man Cabe was looking for but what surprised the agent was that Walter wasn't sitting at his desk but at Paige's, or what use to be her desk.
As he walked closer he could see Walter was writing something on a piece of paper before signing his name at the end. Walter dropped the pen before looking at the paper, almost quizzically as though the paper was a problem to be solved.
Cabe could admit to himself, seeing Walter like that was a relief, after all the kid seemed almost normal if not a bit unaware of his surroundings.
Cabe cleared his throat grabbing Walter's attention. Walter looked up, a bit dazed and startled before recognizing Cabe. Dropping the letter back on the desk, Walter tried to give Cabe a smile, though he was sure it was more of a grimace.
"Hey son," said Cabe, walking closer to the end of the desk and pulling a chair out. "What are you doing?"
Ignoring the question, Walter looked at Cabe and asked, "Do we have case?" He picked up the letter and started folding it carefully before placing it into an envelope. Cabe couldn't see the name on the envelope before Walter took it and stuffed it into a larger manila envelope that was already full.
Cabe shifted his gaze back to Walter's face and responded, "No, no case. Just wanted to check up on you, son. I've been worried."
Walter came to a pause processing Cabe's words but asked directly. "Why are you worried about me?"
Cabe hesitated for a moment, briefly thinking of how to handle this, after all Walter dealt in facts and since the team had left and after his anger well Walter appeared to be avoiding all emotions as much as possible. It broke his heart to see Walter revert to how he was years ago.
Leaning forward a bit closer and trying to catch the young man's eye, Cabe responded, "Ever since the Gettleman Pitch, a month ago, you've been…" here Cabe hesitated.
Walter's eyes widen, he hadn't realized how bad he had gotten, neither the agent or Flo had said anything, so he assumed he hadn't gone that far but know he knew, and he knew exactly what Cabe was referring to.
"I was going down the rabbit hole." Walter his brows furrowed, interrupted before Cabe could continue.
Cabe breathed a sign of relief, he was glad Walter understood so he nodded in agreement.
"Yes, I am aware. I'm… I'm sorry if I concerned you. I, I won't let it happen again, besides the problem has been solved so nothing more to worry about," Walter continued, fidgeting with the envelope, and shifting in his chair.
"That's, that's good, Walter," Cabe said, leaning back against his chair. "I wasn't sure I would be able to help you come back if you went too far and well," Cabe paused again for taking a deep breath. Walter liked facts and maybe by admitting to the genius it would help him realize how much Cabe had worried and cared. "I don't think I could handle losing another child."
Walter froze trying to process Cabe's words. He always knew Cabe thought of him as a surrogate son and for him, well, Cabe understood him better than his own father did, and Walter could admit to himself now that he cared for the agent too. He just wasn't sure how to handle these emotions, or he didn't want to handle the emotions. They hurt too much. Walter decided to ignore the feelings.
"I'm, I'm fine now. Nothing to worry about," Walter responded.
Knowing he wasn't going to get more from Walter regarding the situation Cabe decided to switch the topic slightly.
"So, what was the problem you solved? World peace?" the agent asked with a slight chuckle.
Walter looked up with a puzzled confusion on his face, making Cabe grin as he knew what was coming next.
"What? No, world peace will never be solved until all humans either lose emotions so as not to feel greed, anger, or any other numerous emotions or for humans to simply cease to exist. I predict..," Walter stopped having finally noticed Cabe's laughter.
"What, what's so funny?" Walter asked bewildered by Cabe's response to his analysis of world peace.
"I was joking with you son, I know you weren't thinking about world peace," Cabe answered, but turning serious again, "So, what were you solving?"
This time Walter was the one to hesitate and began fidgeting again. "I solved; I solved a math problem."
"A math problem? That's it?" Cabe was shocked but he supposed he shouldn't be after all the years having worked with Walter and the other geniuses.
Walter looked up and glared a bit. "It was an important problem. One that will solve everything. I just need to remove a; I just need to remove a variable, and everything will balance out again. Everything will be fine. It has be." Walter ran his hands through his hair agitatedly, causing his dark curls to stick up at crazy angles really giving him appearance of mad scientist.
Raising his hands in a mock surrender motion, Cabe locked eyes with Walter, trying to appease him. "Hey now, I didn't mean anything by it. You know this stuff goes above my head. I'm sure if it was that important to you then it must be big deal. Even life changing."
Walter dropped his head, running his hands through his hair again and over his face. He was acting defensive for no reason. It was inefficient and there were things to do. There was still some work to be done to fix, well to the fix "The Equation" as he was referring to it.
"No, I'm sorry Cabe. I'm a little on edge and I haven't been sleeping like I should as you know." Walter apologized, still not looking up.
Cabe sighed again, reaching up to place a hand on Walter's shoulder, ignoring the slight flitch and how stiff the kid became.
"It's alright, kid. How about we go get dinner, on me? Kovelsky's?" Cabe asked, standing and patting Walter on the shoulder?
Walter looked up and standing to match Cabe, started shaking his head. "No, no… I still have some work I need to finish up."
A little disappointed and knowing he couldn't push Walter further right now, he just nodded. "Try to get some sleep kid, alright?"
Walter nodded and Cabe turned to leave.
Before the homeland agent could make it to the door Walter called out. "Wait!"
Hearing the kid's rushed footsteps, Cabe turned around and waited for Walter to reach him.
"Change your mind?" Cabe asked a little hopeful.
"Yes, I mean no, not about dinner." Walter paused for a moment, and Cabe noticed the envelope in his hand.
"Need me to mail that for you or something?" Cabe asked.
Walter looked up and then down to the envelope in his hand and back to Cabe again.
"I, I need you to do me a favor." Walter stuttered.
"Sure, kid, anything." Cabe responded a bit surprised. Walter rarely asked for anything personal, and his curiosity was peaked.
"Can you deliver this to Cent, Centipede Part, Partners for me," stuttered Walter, his gaze firmly attached to the envelope in his hand.
Cabe was sure if a wind had blown through the garage at that exact moment he would have been blown away due to his shock. He was surprised but pleased the kid was making the first move, so he decided to try his luck a little. He had been wanting to get everyone in a room together and knock some sense into them all and bring them back together so maybe he could convince Walter to deliver it himself or at least come along.
"What's in it? What don't you deliver it yourself or come along with me? I'm sure it would be better coming from you directly?" Cabe probed.
Walter looked briefly scared or pained, Cabe couldn't quite tell before Walter's mask fell into place. Shaking his head, Walter held out the envelope for Cabe.
"No, no. I'm sure it would just make things worse." Walter seemed to stare into nothingness before shaking himself out of it and again thrusting out the envelope to Cabe again.
"These are some letters for, for everyone, and I think if I tried to deliver them in person they would just ignore or even destroy them." Walter stopped before giving a slight humorless chuckle. "I wouldn't put it past Happy to even light it on fire just to spite me."
Cabe had to agree on the Happy front, but felt the need to try once more, "Are you sure, kid? I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad."
Straightening up, Walter looked Cabe directly in the eyes. "I'm sure. If you could deliver this and make sure they don't destroy them, I would, I would really appreciate it."
Cabe could see the apprehension in Walter's eyes, and he determined right then and there that he would make sure every single one of those knuckleheads read each letter if it was the last thing he did.
With a softening smile, Cabe grabbed the envelope. "I'll take care of it, Walter, don't you worry."
Walter smiled back and gave a nod of thanks.
"Get some sleep kid, I'll see you on Monday, alright?" Cabe said as he turned to head out the door.
Behind him, he didn't see Walter frown nor realized that Walter had never responded back before the door closed, to consumed with thoughts of getting his little family of misfits back together. Cabe was determined that Walter's and his, he supposed, "Cyclone" would be whole again.