Hope you're all staying safe out there, friends.
Paige and Ralph stood just outside of the airport's security checkpoint.
"I wish we could have spent more time together," Ralph said. "Though I guess you only came because of the disaster." His eyes widened. "I didn't mean…"
"I know you didn't, sweetheart," Paige said. "I always wish we could spend more time together. Please let us know if we can help at all."
"I've been thinking so hard," he said, "about how Scorpion could help. I'm at a loss. This is something I don't have an answer to. I know I've said this before, but I'm not used to not knowing how to fix something. I'll never be used to it. At least having an idea means I have something to work for, something to make or…or calculate…I'm scrambling here, and coming up with nothing."
"I want to say it's okay to not have all the answers," Paige said. "No human does. Not even the geniuses."
"And not even the smart ones like you," he said with a smile. "You know what Jessica told us? That the worst part about her brother going missing was not having the answers. Having to watch him get older in age progressions instead of in person, not knowing if he was still out there, older, or stuck in time. That haunts me. I can't get it out of my head."
"I can't even imagine," Paige said.
"I love you, Mom."
"I love you too, sweetheart." Paige slid her arm across Ralph's back – he was too tall to put it over his shoulders. "I miss you already."
"The rest of our family will be waiting for you the next time you see the doors of an airport," he said. "And remember. Whatever happens with you and Walter, I support you. One hundred percent."
"Thanks, Ralph," she said. They turned to each other and hugged, for a long time.
They exchanged I love yous again, and Paige headed for TSA.
She spotted Walter and Amber almost the same moment that Walter spotted her. He was holding Amber's hand, and he tugged at it gently to get her attention, then pointed. Amber broke into a big grin at the sight of Paige. "Mommy!"
"Hey, bee bee," Paige said, dropping down into a hunker when Walter let Amber go and the little girl ran toward her. Paige wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding her tightly against her. "Oh, sweetheart, I missed you so much."
"I missed you, Mommy," Amber said.
"Were you a good girl for Daddy?"
"I'm always good."
Paige chuckled. She was exhausted, but being with her youngest child again was rejuvenating. "It's so good to have you back in my arms, darling girl."
Paige struggled to her feet, pulling Amber to her hip, as Walter approached and took hold of her suitcase's handle. "Hey."
"Hey," she said, using her free arm to hug him.
He kissed her on the cheek. "Good to see you. Flight okay?"
"Yeah." She kept her arm across his back another moment. She couldn't tell if she was body tired or mind tired.
Amber had her head tucked against the crook of Paige's neck. "You ready to go home, sweetheart?"
"Sleepover," Amber said. She looked up at Paige with a grin on her face. "Sleepover! Sleepover!"
Paige gave Walter a questioning look. He shrugged. Paige rolled her eyes and cuddled her daughter again.
The drive home began quietly, once Amber rattled on about how her stuffed animals were having a baby. "Ambie," Walter said. "Do you want your music on?"
"They Can't Stop Us Now!" Amber said, the name of her favorite kids' album.
Paige turned the music on. "What do you say?" she asked.
"Thank you, Mama," Amber said.
"I heard there's been no advancement on the missing person case," Walter said in a low voice once the toddler was properly distracted.
"None at all," Paige said. "It's like she went into thin air."
"How are her friends handling it?"
"All of them want to help. They disagree on how is best. Some are on those websites trying to clarify what is and isn't factual information, which has helped some, but it has also lead to imposters. Some are giving interviews on podcasts – and of course, those vary in quality so much – and some are opposed to those podcasts profiting off of their pain and Meg's life."
"Wait. How are they profiting?"
"Sponsors. That kind of thing."
"Ah. Right." Walter drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "I keep thinking Scorpion would be able to help somehow, but…"
"Yeah. I just don't see how our skillset…I mean, she's not missing in the wilderness or in the desert. She…" Paige shrugged. "I haven't felt this helpless in a long time."
"I'm sorry," he said.
"It's not your fault."
They drove in silence for several more miles. "Any cases we're working on?" she asked.
"Toby and Cabe went to help the owner of a hotel figure out who has been stealing from the guest rooms," Walter said. "Was pretty easy considering, well, Toby. Then Happy and Toby and Sylvester had a job in Redondo Beach involving construction. Florence assisted remotely. She's been better, I think."
"Linda's group helping?"
"I haven't asked her too many questions."
"What about her and Sly?"
"They're still very awkward around each other."
"Ugh."
They spent the rest of the drive in silence.
Paige showered almost immediately once she arrived home, feeling some of the fatigue dissipate. She tried to push the worry about Meg and her son and his friends out of her mind. She wasn't there, anymore. Letting it take over her thoughts wouldn't help her right now. She needed to refocus on her family here.
She made Amber a snack, and noticed Walter eyeing the way she played with the cheese on her plate. Paige felt a twinge of annoyance. She didn't say anything.
As afternoon turned to evening, Amber started asking what time it was. "Why are you so obsessed with the time, silly girl?" Paige asked. Amber just giggled.
"Amber," Walter said, making a show of checking his watch the fourth or fifth time the girl asked. "It is going to be seven o'clock very soon."
Amber jumped up and ran to her room.
"Has she suddenly decided she wants to sleep a half an hour before her bedtime?" Paige asked. "What on Earth have you done to our daughter?"
Walter smiled.
Paige eyed him. "Are you trying to teach her to tell time? Walter, she's…"
There was a knocking at the door. Then more knocking. Harder knocking. Paige got up, eyes slightly widened in concern. She glanced at Walter, hurrying to the door and peering through the peep hole. She frowned. "Cabe and Allie." Opening the door, her confusion increased at their big smiles.
"This is a kidnapping!" Allie announced.
"Yes," Cabe said, showing her his badge. "My colleague and I demand the girl named Amber."
"Okay, your words and expressions are alarmingly contradictory," Paige said.
"I told you we're bad actors," Cabe said to Allie.
"And I told you if we tried to be scary she might take us seriously."
"Why would she think we suddenly went rogue and maliciously wanted to steal Amber?"
"Hello! She's confused," Paige said, gesturing to herself.
Cabe chuckled. "You look bright – eyed for someone who took a flight earlier today," Cabe commented, kissing Paige on the cheek.
"She definitely showered as soon as she got home," Allie said with a laugh.
"You all know how much I hate smelling like plane."
"That we do," Cabe said.
"So what's going on?" She asked.
"Well, we're here to pick Amber up for a little sleepover," Cabe said.
Amber bounded down the hall, her backpack awkwardly sliding down her arms. "Sleepover!"
"That's right, kiddo," Allie said. "You don't mind?"
"No. No, of course not." Amber was going to be going to bed within an hour anyway; Paige was thrilled to be reunited with her daughter, but she couldn't do that when the little girl was asleep. "You give me a hug, you hear me, Amber?"
She dropped down, squeezing the little girl tightly before standing up to let Walter hug her goodbye. "We'll see you tomorrow, Little Bit," he said.
"We'll get lunch this week, all of us?" Allie asked.
"Sounds good to me," Paige said.
"We'll bring her back around eight tomorrow," Cabe said. "That work?"
"Yeah. Yeah." Paige was still a bit surprised, but Amber had the biggest grin on her face. She'd clearly known in advance she was going to be 'kidnapped.'
When the door closed behind them, Paige turned, heading back toward the living room. She stopped when she saw Walter standing there, leaning against the wall, looking at her intently. "What?" She looked back toward the door. "What's this all about?"
"You. Us."
"I don't understand."
"I've been ignoring you," he said, stepping closer and reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "Or m – maybe not ignoring. But I haven't been attentive. I haven't been present. I haven't been the husband you deserve to have."
"Walter, you're…"
"No, please let me talk," he said. "I know that my head injuries have complicated things. I don't know what's going to happen with me down the road. But right now, I still have to be present. Because I still can be." His fingers stroked her cheek. "I can be, I need to be, and I want to be. And that starts tonight. Amber's spending the night with Cabe and Allie so you and I can be alone together, uninterrupted."
She knew he was about to kiss her, but she kissed him first, a soft, gentle kiss that he returned, moving his hand to cradle the back of her head. She curled his shirt around her fingers, deepening their kiss, whimpering quietly when he slid his arm around her waist. She was glad that she'd showered. She would especially hate to smell like plane right now.
Walter moved his lips to her neck, sliding his arms around her and holding her tightly to him. She let out a shuddery breath, closing her eyes, feeling the world start to spin around her.
"Wait," she said, putting her hand on his chest and pushing their bodies apart.
Walter's eyes searched hers, his head cocked ever so slightly.
Paige let out a deep breath. "Just…just before we, before anything happens…" she gave the tiniest of nods. "I love you."
A warm smile came over his face. "I love you too," he said, taking both of her hands. "So much more than I did the first time I told you."
She stepped closer again, tucking her head into his shoulder. It felt good to hug him. It felt good, him hugging her back. She'd missed this closeness. She felt half starved for it. For him.
She lifted her head, and he kissed her; she'd wanted him to; she put both hands on the side of his face and pressed her body against him. He took a step backward, half sitting, half propping himself up on the back of the couch. She moved with him, stepping in close, straddling his left leg to get as close as possible. He wrapped his arms around her waist, steadying her.
"Are you going to be okay?" She murmured. "Serious question." She kissed him again, on the mouth, then along the jaw, then on the cheek.
"Yes," he said. "I monitored my nutrition intake and made sure I got sleep, and I took some medicine to help with dizziness and blood flow." He smiled at her. "I'll be fine, I promise."
"Okay good," she said with a smile.
He straightened up, reaching for one of her hands. "Come on, Love. Let's go to bed."
