Happy looked at Paige as she sat behind the wheel of her car after they returned to their offices after the Gettleman bid.

"What's going on Paige?" Happy asked as the boys walked on into the office building.

"What?" Paige looked over suddenly.

"You're about four point three miles from here. I asked you what is going on?" Happy asked.

"Oh, well nothing really." Paige blushed a little. "Four point three miles from here? That's an odd reference. Most people just say a million miles."

"That's the distance from here to the Garage." Happy said with a knowing grin. She leaned back against her truck looking at her still in the car. "Nothing huh? All that blushing for nothing." Happy sighed.

"Happy!" Paige said embarrassed. "Well actually I was thinking of Walter to be honest. I know I was mad at him and at the time I thought I wanted out, but seeing him today." Paige sighed.

"Got your liver to quiver?" Happy grinned. "Man, I'm really starting to sound like the doc."

Paige blushed.

"Well, a little, but it got me thinking. What if I keep working with you guys but go back to dating Walter?" Paige asked.

Happy let out her breath.

"Wow." Happy said after inhaling. "Paige, your personal life is just that. Your personal life. Dumb and dumber would probably want you to stay away from him. But I get it. And if you are seeking permission, I say go for it." Happy told her.

Paige smiled as she got out of her car and set the alarm.

"Thank you Happy, I really appreciate it." Paige grinned.

Happy nodded and they walked on up and into the building.

"You aren't going to believe it." Toby called from over by Sylvester's desk as they walked in.

"Well if you don't tell us, then we'll never know so we can decide if we believe you." Happy grinned.

"I'm being serious damn it and I don't mean the two of you. I mean you specifically. The adoption place called. They turned us down." Toby sighed.

"Oh no, Happy, I'm so sorry." Paige told her quickly as her hand gripped Happy's hand.

"What? Why?" Happy demanded through her shock.

"They said if we hadn't changed jobs we would have been accepted. We don't have enough time here to qualify. Said if we wanted to reapply in two years we'd most likely be accepted." Toby said as he walked towards her.

"Damn it." Happy cried.

"I'm sorry guys. What if we went back to Scorpion?" Paige offered.

"That ain't happening and it wouldn't help anyway. They are looking for continuous employment for at least two years." Toby said as he hugged Happy to him.

"Well there is another option." Paige said softly.

"We're not kidnapping a kid." Toby told her as he looked at Paige.

"Gee thanks. I didn't realize you thought that little of me. No I meant surrogacy." Paige told them.

"You want to carry my baby?" Toby looked shocked.

"What? Gross, no. Besides, your swimmers are the problem. I was referring to Happy getting inseminated by a donor surrogacy." Paige shook her head and walked into her office.

Happy's head came up and she blinked several times.

"Gross? That's how little you think of me?" Toby complained.

"Yes, thinking of having your…stuff placed inside of me? Yes, gross." Paige told him.

"I didn't even think of that." Happy said as she followed behind Paige into Paige's office while ignoring their conversation. "Do you know anything about the process?"

Paige looked at her with Toby standing behind her at the door.

"Not a great deal. A friend of mine did it. Her husband wasn't able to get her pregnant." Paige told her.

Happy turned and looked at Toby.

"What do you think?" Happy asked.

"Well I wasn't too crazy about the idea personally. That's why I never brought it up before. But I suppose it is no different than adopting a child. Other than the child is part of you, instead of a complete stranger. But I'd like to talk a little more about it before we decide." Toby told her.

"Well of course we'd talk more. I wasn't talking about running out of here to a sperm bank right this minute." Happy told him.

Toby nodded and then jerked his head towards her workshop.

Happy nodded and followed along behind him.

Paige sighed and then thought about her conversation with Happy. There had been no calls while they were gone and her email was up to date. Paige nodded as she made up her mind to go talk to Walter. She grabbed up her purse and walked out of her office.

"Hey Sly, I'm taking the rest of the day. I'll see you tomorrow." Paige told him.

"Okay, have a good evening." Sylvester grinned.

"You too Sly." Paige told him and walked out.

Walter looked up at the door as it opened.

"One second Richard." Walter said and put the phone on hold just as Paige walked in the door. "Paige?" Walter said, shocked and confused even as his heart nearly leaped from his chest.

"Hey Walter, can we talk? Really talk? Please?" Paige asked as she walked towards him.

Walter was still shocked but he quickly unmuted the phone.

"Hey Richard, I'm going to have to call you back." Walter told him and hung up without waiting on his response. "What's going on Paige? Would you like some coffee?" Walter said as he stood and gestured to the kitchen.

"Sure, I'd like that. Thank you." Paige said as she smiled.

Walter moved quickly to the kitchen and started getting the coffee pot ready.

"Sorry, I haven't made any since I got back." Walter told her as she walked into the kitchen.

"That's fine Walter, I'm in no hurry. I took the rest of the day off." Paige told him.

"Would you like to sit? While it brews?" Walter gestured to the small table.

Paige smiled and nodded.

"How have you been?" Walter asked as they both settled into what had been their normal chairs. He was dying to talk about their relationship but Cabe had been counseling him the last two weeks, trying to get him to give her space and time.

"Well I've been a mix of emotions to be honest, Walter. Angry, disappointed, bitter, lonely, hurting." Paige told him softly.

Walter nodded.

"I've felt those too. Along with confusion, longing, shame. And some of those aren't directed at you." Walter told her not wanting to insult her.

Paige smiled before her hand reached out and she laid her hand on top of his.

"Walter, I know after what happened you are worried about offending me. I'm not going to be offended with you telling me the truth. But I've felt the longing a lot myself. I know I wasn't too friendly at the bid today. I'm sorry." Paige told him.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I got antagonistic. I just want to be clear that it wasn't directed towards you, but the gang. You didn't need that. It had just hurt even more seeing the name of the company. How is Ralph?" Walter told her.

Paige laughed.

"One day he is your champion and the next he is your executioner." Paige continued to chuckle and then she thought about what he said. "What about the name hurts you Walter?" Paige asked, confused.

"I don't blame him. He warned me before the wedding about having hurt you, he wanted to fight me even back then. Threatened me if I did it again. Well you probably don't know this, but centipedes are predators of scorpions. They hunt and kill them. So I know the guys chose it for that purpose. It was their silent declaration of wanting to kill my dream." Walter explained while looking down at their hands. He curled this thumb a little to hold her finger gently against his hand.

"Oh, no, really? I didn't know that Walter. No wonder that bothered you. Sylvester only said it was because centipedes are quick and agile. Had I known I would have fought against the idea. Well that wouldn't have worked, three against one unless Happy would have joined me." Paige said. "Do you really think that was what they were saying to you with the name?" Paige's other hand came up and she took his hand into both of hers.

Walter nodded.

"I didn't think you knew. No matter how mad you are at me, you aren't a cruel person. I'm just sorry I failed you and hurt you. Giving you more reason to distrust." Walter sighed as he got up to pour the coffee as the machine shut down.

Paige reluctantly let go of his hand.

"And yes, I am convinced that is what they are saying." Walter poured the coffee and added creamer.

"That really upsets me Walter. I had come over to talk with you about us, you and me. I was wanting to keep working at CP but I wanted to try and work through what happened between us and hopefully begin dating with you again." Paige told him as she watched him bring the cups over.

Walter looked surprised as he sat the cups down.

"I-I, I never thought I would hear you say that." Walter told her.

"I've done so much thinking about what happened between us Walter. And I just feel like if we weren't here together all the time that we could actually work better as a couple. I thought if I worked at CP and you worked at Scorpion then after work was over we'd be able to be the couple we both want to be." Paige told him. "But, I've got to talk to the guys now. Because if what you think is true, we either have to change the name or I won't keep working with them. I just don't know what I will do for work if they won't agree to a name change. Because I know I want to be back with you and I'm not sure it would be healthy to be working for you again. At least not as your liaison. I mean, I could do my other work, making the bids, bookkeeping and stuff. But always trying to intercede between you and everyone and then having to do that as your lover, it just got to be so overwhelming. I'm sorry."

Walter smiled and shook his head dismissing it.

"Don't worry about the name. And as I've told you before, I know I am too much for most people. And you have always been amazing in your working with me. I can almost imagine if you only had to put up with my shortcomings as a partner it would be easier for you. But I was actually talking to Richard about going to work for him. I don't see any way that I'm not going to default on that loan so the Garage and everything tied to Scorpion is going to be gone. The Gettleman and Beauchamp jobs were crucial to saving Scorpion. And you guys already said you got the Beauchamp and I know I didn't impress Gettleman so I am sure you got it too. I thought I could build up some funds with Richard for a while and then try again." Walter said before he sipped his coffee.

"Oh Walter. I'm sorry, I never wanted to damage your dream." Paige said as she reached across and laid her hand back on Walter's. "Where are you going to move too if you do that?"

Walter shrugged.

"I figured I'd put most of my stuff in storage and get one of those studios over in Compton." Walter said before another sip of his coffee.

"Walter, that's an even worse place than Ralph and I was staying in when you hired me." Paige said worriedly.

Walter shrugged.

"I don't really have a choice. If I am frugal enough with what I have, I will only have to stay there a month or two and then get something better after I get a couple of checks from Richard." Walter explained.

"But in the meantime you could be shot, stabbed, beaten and left for dead or in some other manner murdered." Paige said as she gripped his hand tighter.

"Well then, for everyone who has problems with me, they will find it is over. After all the years of abuse and insults I have never once felt like a failure. Even when they used my software to bomb Baghdad. But, here and now. All I feel like is a failure. I poured so much into those three and this is what I have to show for it. I get why you were hurt and mad. You had every right to be. But what did I do wrong with them? I brought them in from their miserable lives, gave them a place to grow and work. Limited how much trouble they got into. I agreed, and I admit I was reluctant, to give Happy and Toby a chance at being a couple and still working here. I supported them getting married, trying to start a family. I donated a small fortune to that purpose. And that act has put the final nail into Scorpion's coffin. I welcomed Sly in as my brother and overlooked how he went behind my back, first to date my sister and then married her. While his actions gave her what she wanted, it stopped me from saving her consciousness." Walter sighed instead of going on.

"Walter, that wouldn't end my problems. It would make mine so much worse. And Ralph would be devastated. Not to mention Cabe." Paige said with tears in her eyes.

"Well I wasn't talking about you three. While you have a problem with me it at least it sounds like, right now, you are willing to try and work it out with me. You had a reason to have a problem with me. That's different. Ralph would be okay as would Cabe, and you as well after some time. You know how to deal with grief. We got Ralph out of himself and with your guidance, your love and support, he's a far better man than I will be." Walter sighed.

"You mean you got Ralph out of himself. No one else devoted their time and energy to helping Ralph, like you did. And as I've thought about everything over the last two weeks, it is no wonder how this happened. You didn't understand white lies. And with how things have always happened in your relationships, it isn't a wonder you panicked about telling me the truth." Paige sighed. "I just wish I had taken time after it all came out. We could have worked through this so much better."

Walter gave her a brief smile as he squeezed her hand.

"Oh, if you would, let Happy know I'm sorry but her winch design was tied into that loan as well. So while I had planned to give it back to her, I won't have the rights to it when this is over." Walter said after a sip of coffee.

Greetings! I hope this finds you all well!

To the Adventure! -Tim