Paige quickly called the cell of the pilot that brought them out and relayed when they would be arriving and that they needed a way to transport Walter safely. The facility was only too happy to transfer Walter to their care and get him off of their books since he didn't have insurance. Toby ordered certain supplies to care for Walter from a local pharmacy and went with one of the team of agents to pick them up and would meet the rest of them on the plane.
They were slightly delayed while waiting on a final CT scan to be done on Walter before leaving. Once they received a call from Richard promising to pay the bill they got him through the CT quickly.
Happy reluctantly allowed Paige to ride with Walter in the ambulance to take him to the airfield as she rode with Cabe in the other Homeland SUV.
They found the plane was equipped with a bed and the crew had gotten it ready for Walter. There were also certain pieces of medical equipment such as IV poles and they'd set them up as well. Paige and Happy sat with Walter the whole flight. One of the flight attendants brought a razor and supplies up and gave them to Paige as she requested and she began by trimming Walter's beard before she began shaving him clean. She debated about the hair, she kind of liked it as it curled even more. She decided it could wait until after Walter was awake and in his right mind.
Happy was a bit untrusting of Toby since his actions at the facility and he found himself heavily scrutinized by her in everything he did. But he wisely refused to engage her over it.
Richard was waiting when the plane landed with a private ambulance he'd ordered to transport Walter. One look at Walter nearly broke the man. "Has he been conscious at all?" He asked with a shaken and wavering voice as he watched them load Walter onto the gurney.
Toby shook his head. "Not since we got to him. They've had him on a strong drug to help him sleep through most of the time as his body comes off of the narcotics the bastard was torturing him with."
Richard nodded. "Whatever you guys need for Walter you let me know. I'll cover it. I've already dealt with the facility he was at. Are you sure you want to care for him at the Garage?"
They all nodded. "He should be past any immediate medical needs so the Garage shouldn't be any different and we'll have more people around him to help take care of him and show him how much he is loved and missed."
Richard nodded as he watched them wheel Walter out. He touched Toby's arm before he left the plane. He waited until everyone was out. "Best guess, how is he really? Is he still going to be the genius we all know and love?"
Toby shook his head. "I won't begin to speculate on this without more tests and talking to him. I want to get a hair test done to get the best view of what drugs they used in the last few months. Wish I could get a complete list for however long it has been ongoing. He's got a lot of systemic damage and we're waiting on test results for STDs. The man claimed to have sold Walter to some men to use sexually. And I need to have a physical exam on him for that. Make sure there isn't any internal damage that the CT scan won't show, still haven't gotten the results from the CT scan I had done just before we left. I'll have to have him transported to a facility for that though."
Richard grimaced but nodded. He handed him a card for a home healthcare company and a hand written number. "I've already spoken with them. They are expecting your call tonight so they can come out and help evaluate and listen to whatever needs you want them to help with. Call them tonight and they'll be there first thing in the morning. If you need something to treat Walter, you have whoever it is to call this number. It is to my private accountant. She'll handle the cost. Otherwise keep the receipts and I'll get them reimbursed."
Toby took the card. "Thanks Richard. I better get going before my wife leaves me behind."
Richard grinned as he patted his arm. 'That's a remarkable change to the man, I wonder what prompted it?' Richard thought to himself as he watched Toby run down the steps of the plane and out to the ambulance to ride with Walter, and Paige.
They had the ambulance pull around to the back of the Garage while Cabe parked his SUV. Happy hadn't waited for him to even get close to being parked before she leapt out of the SUV and ran into the Garage to open the back door. Happy ran past Ralph, Sylvester and Florence without a word on her way.
Ralph didn't wait and ran after her. Ralph was almost shaking, waiting for them to back the ambulance up into the Garage. He stood in shock as they got Walter out of the ambulance and began moving him up the ramp to his bedroom.
When Sylvester knew they were coming he called a rental company to bring a bed out for him but before they got there Richard had a hospital bed delivered and set up. Sylvester went ahead and kept the bed and had it put up in the bedroom area in case whoever might stay wanted to sleep close by. Paige frowned as she saw the beds and he quickly explained and he saw her eyes tear up a little before she nodded.
As Walter was moved from the gurney to the bed Sylvester and Ralph both gasped seeing the bruises and marks all about his body. "W-w-what happened to h-h-him?" Sylvester stuttered out.
Paige shook her head as she wrapped her arms around Ralph's shoulders pulling him back tight against her. "Well as we understand it, Toby owed some guy a bunch of money and when he realized who Walter was he did this."
Sylvester spun around and stared at Toby. "Is she kidding me? This is the guy you said you owed fifty thousand to? You failed to mention that on the phone." His voice echoed in heat as anger flashed up deep within him. He was angrier now than he had ever been before.
"Sly, not now, please. Let's just do what we can to get settled in here. You can bust him in the mouth downstairs." Paige said quietly.
"Wait, all of that we see isn't what Dad did to himself but what someone did to get back at Toby? This is why we couldn't find Dad?" Ralph demanded.
Paige nodded. "Ralph, I know, it isn't a good thing but we need to focus on what we can do right now. It isn't going to help Walter if we fight amongst ourselves."
Ralph slowly nodded even as he looked at Toby. He finally looked back at his Mom. "Is-is Dad going to be okay?" Ralph asked as his emotions overtook him.
Paige shook her head. "Toby's not sure. He believes he will survive this though."
"Should we really trust him for something this important then?" Ralph said as he was becoming more belligerent.
"Ralph!" Paige exclaimed. "That is enough of that nonsense mister. You just heard what I said to Sylvester. We can't start fighting amongst ourselves."
"Yea, but that doesn't mean he is wrong." Cabe said, still upset that Toby couldn't be bothered to explain to them what he knew almost immediately when they saw Walter in New Jersey.
Toby blanched at both outbursts before he turned to look at them. "Look Cabe I know I screwed up, I let fear stop me from telling you guys what I knew when I saw the burn mark. I am very sorry about that. I never thought for a moment that Walter would go there or that Bigelow would connect any dots between us. I can't change what happened, but I can help Walter if you will just give me the chance."
"Thank you Toby." Paige said being diplomatic.
Cabe rolled his eyes and walked over and sat down in one of the chairs from the kitchen Sylvester moved into the room.
Ralph looked back at his Mom still hugging him. "Florence took me back to our place and I got you some extra clothes. I figured if you were bringing Walter back here you'd most likely want to stay here a bit more."
Paige smiled and kissed the back of his head. "Thank you Ralph, Florence, that was very sweet."
After Walter was situated in bed and the belligerence was mostly out of Ralph and Cabe, Toby pulled up his email and checked and closed his eyes after he read the report from the specialist he told them to send the CT scans to. Finally he looked at his friends, his family, the only family he cared about at any rate. "Guys, some good news, according to my friend, the CT scans show internally Walter is fine."
Everyone gave out a loud breath as some of their stress was released. Paige looked up at him. "There isn't a but coming is there?"
Toby smiled and shook his head. "So far nothing else is back. The STD study might take until tomorrow morning for the complete list. I'm going to keep him on the same dose of medicine to help him stay unconscious until the day after tomorrow. His body as well as everyone here can use the rest before things go sideways."
Happy looked up. "What makes you think they are going to go sideways?"
Toby shrugged. "This is Scorpion. Going sideways is kind of the expected normal you know?"
Everyone kind of chuckled.
Happy looked at Paige. "If you want to sleep in the bed over there I'll stay on the couch in the front room."
Paige frowned. "Walter destroyed it."
Sylvester nodded. "I paid the guys who brought the bed up here to bring up the one from downstairs too. Toby figured someone else might want to spend the night and sleep up here close by."
"I didn't even notice." Paige answered.
They heard Allie call out. "Hey guys. I know it is really late, but I've got food down here."
Cabe smiled and moved out of the room. He walked down the stairs and swept her up in his arms as he kissed her soundly.
Everyone but Paige and Happy came down and Ralph took the plates Allie made for them up stairs so they could eat while looking at Walter.
Happy finished the bite in her mouth before she looked at Paige. "You know, while I hope this doesn't upset you, I think in part we were right to be upset at what Walter had done. But I can't help feeling like we seriously betrayed him. To think what he has gone through because we couldn't get over something that wasn't anything more than two colleagues going to a function."
Paige sighed as she nodded, taking a bite of her food. As she swallowed she looked over. "I've been kicking myself over it since he disappeared. Part of me can't help but think he is either going to kick us all out of here or disappear again as soon as he recovers enough."
Happy let out a breath and nodded. "The same thought occurred to me. I don't want him to, but I also feel we need him to apologize to us too. I can't believe he chose to run off rather than to fight for what we had."
Paige frowned as she looked at her. "Isn't that what we did first? Granted we didn't go as far but still. We had each other and while Walter did have Cabe he had to have been hurting so much more. As far as I'm concerned Walter doesn't owe us an apology."
Happy slowly nodded. "That is true and if he really is fifteen emotionally, how much more that loss would have hurt him. I guess it makes more sense. How many times I ran away as a teen trying to get away from an unpleasant situation."
"God I wish I could take those words back." Paige gave Happy a wan smile as she reached over and gently rubbed her shoulder blade.
They both looked over as they heard Walter moan a bit. Paige sat her plate down as she moved over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Walter?" She said softly as she picked up his hand.
Happy had jumped up and ran out to the stairs. "Doc, get up here. Walter might be waking up."
Toby dropped his fork as he came up off his chair and ran for the stairs.
Happy came running into the room and saw Paige holding Walter's hand. "Walter, what are you feeling, are you okay?"
"Please, I'll be good. But I need my dose." Walter cried out.
Paige shook her head. "Walter, you are home now. Look at me, it's Paige."
Walter's eyes flashed open and looked at her. Or right through her, Paige felt. His tongue flicked out of his mouth. "My dose, I need my dose. I'll do it, I'll hack whatever you want me too but I gotta have it."
Happy sat on the other side and grabbed his other hand. "Walter, look at us. You are home, you are in the Garage. Our home, you won't be forced to do anything like that again."
Walter looked at her. "Then give me my dose, I need it." The look he gave her seemed almost demonic.
Toby came through the door and saw they were beginning to have to struggle with him. Right behind him Ralph ran through the doorway. Toby grabbed a wrapped syringe and ripped it open.
"Dad?" Ralph said in a soft voice bordering on fear.
Walter froze almost instantly. Slowly he looked over and saw Ralph. "This is the best dream yet." Walter said as Toby quickly connected the syringe to the IV and pushed the drug into the tube. Walter's eyes blinked several times before his eyes closed and his body relaxed.
Happy looked at Toby. "I thought you said he'd be out until the day after tomorrow?"
Toby nodded. "If they gave him what they claimed to have he should have been out until tomorrow morning when I would give him more. Clearly they didn't give him the full strength to save money knowing they were transferring him."
"What? How is that ethical?" Paige demanded as Ralph stepped on up and she wrapped an arm around him.
"It isn't. But some places will cut every corner they can get away with." Toby said as he checked Walter's vitals.
"I know it made me feel good but was it a good thing he recognized Ralph, even if he thought it was a dream?" Happy asked.
Toby nodded. "His voice snapped him right out of it. I think Ralph will be our key to getting him back."
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable using Ralph that way. Besides, he still has school and can't be here all the time." Paige said.
Toby nodded. "I wasn't suggesting that…we'll have a long road ahead of us. Speaking of which we've got a home healthcare company coming to go over things with us tomorrow morning at 8. Richard had it arranged before we got here. He told me anything we needed for Walter to let him know and he'd get it. He also took care of the facility Walter was at. Think we can convince him Walter needs a giant screen TV?" Toby grinned at Paige.
Paige shook her head. "That isn't even funny Toby. He's been so kind in all of this. I was surprised he didn't blame us after the split."
After they'd eaten Cabe took Sylvester and dropped him off on his way home while Allie made sure things were cleaned up and then drove herself home. Paige made up the bed and Happy the couch but then they both continued to sit up just watching Walter sleep.
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well! I guess in some ways it is good I'm posting this story now. 18 days later until the last chapter is posted. Tomorrow is the 2nd anniversary of Cathy's passing, which shortly after last year's I started this story, which might account for its darker nature.
Railman - Thank you! Glad you are enjoying it despite its darker nature. As for how dark...well...I probably shouldn't say. lol Keeps the suspense up either way. lol
Marti - I'd have been terribly disappointed had you guys saw it coming. lol Glad it is intriguing!
LouBe - hehe Protective pillows are good things, but I think you'll be okay here on out without it. That's not to say there won't be any surprises...hehe Yes, the phone call will be admissible in court. Looks like there is still a spark there between him and Ralph, so maybe things aren't as bad as we think?
JerBr23 - Right? I don't think he'll get a free pass anytime soon. But if he can stay human, I think he'll do better with them. Provided he makes it through the night with Sly, Cabe and Ralph. lol Paige is just trying to hang in there until they can find out how Walter is. Looks like the Ralph connection is a positive!
Guest - Thank you! hehe I will do my best, you do the same!
2LawDog - hehe Thank you! You know, I never really watched Miami Vice...But I was in the Navy for a lot of it so I missed the 1st 4 seasons.
Pearliegirl - hehe Well I'm glad it was worth it then! lol Thank you! I was born between the demise of Marilyn Monroe and JFK. I know 3 of you are older than I am, maybe you are the 4th. This story is 16 chapters long, 9 more chapters, so almost 3 more weeks. I feel you, sometimes I wish I could get back into writing every day so I can post everyday. But I can't. lol
Lucy - So glad you decided not to wait any longer! hehe
Marie Mac - Yep, I was torn, I didn't think it really rose to the level of a M rating but, I'd rather err on the side of caution than for someone getting into it that shouldn't. I know there are far worse things out there on the web, especially since this is covered in such broad strokes.
To the Adventure! -Tim
