A/N: Early Update?

Enjoy!

Little Girl Lost

Chapter 21: What Happens in Vegas

Chapter Summary: Scorpion breaks into the club but finds more than they bargained for.

"What? I'm a single mom I'm never coming back here" Paige Dineen season 1 episode 4 Shorthanded

"I can't believe I'm back here," Paige said quietly with dread in her voice.

"What? Back in Vegas or back in that skintight one piece, you'd swear you'd never fit into after Ralph?" Tessa smirked as Paige rolled her eyes as she threw her suitcase on the bed.

"I meant back in Vegas. I've only been here twice in my life… and both were life-threatening and nerve-wracking." Paige sighed as she held up the offending piece of cloth and bit her lip. Memories once again came to her brain as she tried to erase the screaming and the loud pop of the gun. "Hopefully this will be the last time here," Paige muttered as she started rifling through her things and texted Cabe from her burner.

Kathrine Cooper was a woman of her word and after Cabe explained the situation plus given the 86ers reputation, logistical help and accommodation were provided as Cabe stayed behind in another location to guard Ralph (since that was the only option Paige was comfortable with) as the rest of them gathered here.

"How's Ralph" Tessa asked nonchalantly as she was setting up her costume and sat down to do her makeup, modifying her appearance as a precaution as Paige hummed.

"He's doing okay so far, Ralph is a tough kid," Paige murmured as she didn't want to admit that intense situations were becoming more normalized. "Radio silence until tomorrow and I'm anxious about not knowing what's going on," Paige admitted as Tessa snorted.

"The 86ers could care less for an old agent and a 13-year-old kid. They'll be fine, if I were you, I would be more anxious about us." Tessa buffed as Paige whirled around.

"Are you kidding me? I'm course I'm worried about us! I'm worried about my son, my team, you, me, mom! At least I'm feeling something. You've barely spoken a word since we got on the flight so excuse my anxiety, Tessa!" Paige yelled as Tessa rolled her eyes.

"Yelling won't make the situation better; it would just cause damage to my eardrums."

"Ugh! Your impossible you know that! You act as if this isn't a big deal. You were ranting and raving in the garage, threatening my team, and now that we're here your suddenly fine!" Paige ranted as Tessa calmly got up out of her chair and retrieved a gun from underneath the bed as she quickly unloaded it and tossed it to Paige.

Paige caught it as she grasped it firmly and Tessa got another gun from her dresser as she loaded it and looked to Paige. "This, Paige, this is what I'm used to. I admit I got overly emotional, but I didn't want you or Ralph involved. After everything you sacrificed, after everything I did to protect you both from them, you're here anyway. It was all for naught but you're here now and I can't change it, you can't change it, your scorpion can't change it so yes Paige…. I'm fine because how else am I supposed to be? Anything less could get us killed." Tessa explained as she shealed her gun in her bra before gesturing for Paige to do the same and tossed a cartridge at her. "I assume you remember how to load a gun?" Tessa asked tensely as Paige nodded her head.

The motions that were so familiar, foreign as she did so now, her hands clumsy loaded the gun and the weight felt heavy on her chest. Sighing she got into costume as she sat down at the vanity to do her makeup and Tessa glanced over before sighing and walking over before adjusting the gun on Paige as she squirmed. "There. Now it won't be noticed. I hope you can fire better than hiding it." Tessa griped as Paige glared.

"Honestly I don't know. It's been a while." Paige said as Tessa sighed and motioned for her hand to 'give it' and Paige compiled as Tessa unloaded it skillfully before tossing it to the bed as Paige's growing anger rolled in her stomach like waves.

"What is it Paige, spit it out now in case I get shot later," Tessa grumbled as Paige gasped.

"What the hell Tessa! Why would you say that?" Paige asked shooting up from her chair and marching over as she stood toe to toe with her sister.

"Because you obviously have something to say and you aren't for whatever reason and now would be the best time because later it's very likely that I would be shot," Tessa explained as Paige shook her head.

"You know what Tess: I get it that gangs and violence and guns and who knows what else has been 'your world' for a while now but what is bothering me is that it didn't have to be! You chose it!" Paige shouted as Tessa glowered and balled her fists.

"You know just as well as I did I didn't have a choice," Tessa said lowly as Paige laughed and shook her head.

"Yeah, that's not true. You did have a choice; you've always had a choice! You just decided to choose mom! To choose this life instead of me and Ralph" Paige shouted enraged as Tessa looked away.

"I don't want to get into this now Paige. It's impractical." Tessa said as Paige let out a gasp/laugh as she stared bewildered as Tessa stared straight on, unaffected as Paige finally let it all out.

No! What's impractical is that you are refusing to talk to me! Every time I try to talk to you, you – you shut down! I just want to talk to you! Why can't you talk to me?! If not now when? Huh? You say that you want my head clear right? Well, my head won't be clear until I get answers! Why didn't you come with me! Why did you stay behind? I got on the train and you – " Paige sniffled as she wiped away tears "You just watched. You just watched as I left. You didn't even try –" Paige gasped as she grabbed her chest as she couldn't breathe and Tessa's smooth expression cracked as her lips twitched on the word 'try.'

Tessa did try. She tried all she could, but she couldn't see a scenario where if she did follow Paige, they were both going to make it out alive.

Of course, Paige didn't know this and if Tessa had her way….she never would.

"Why didn't you come? You owe me that answer." Paige glared as Tessa blinked.

"I couldn't," Tessa whispered as she sat down on the bed and Paige shook her head in disbelief.

"I don't believe that. For years, every time I ask you that's the same response well, I don't buy it anymore! Why couldn't you!" Paige yelled as Tessa sniffed.

"Fine. You want the answer here it is. Here's as much as I can give you." Tessa declared as she took a deep breath. "You had your son. Your son came first. If I came with you Paige, followed you? Who would have followed me?" Tessa asked as Paige's blood ran cold.

"They were gone," Paige whispered as Tessa shook her head.

"Look where we are. I told you everyone was okay, and I was right. I'm always right. I made it to where everyone was okay." Tessa said as Paige's eyes widened and tears fell down her cheeks.

"You lied to me," Paige said as Tessa shook her head.

"No, I didn't. I told you that I took care of it and I did."

"No, you took care of me and my baby, of Mom and of Drew but what about you? You think this is okay for you!?" Paige yelled as she waved her hands around her and pointed at the gun as Tessa shrugged.

"Yes. I can get by just fine and I have. I've made my fortune, I've done what I can to protect you and up until now, I've succeeded. The only casualty was Drew but he made his bed, now he lies in it." Tessa said coldly as Paige shook her head.

"No. There's more to life than fine. There's happiness and security and family and love. You don't think that I was fine all this time? Yes, I suffered, we both have but….I missed my sister." Paige gasped out as she sniffled and wiped more tears away and Tessa took a sharp intake of air and willed for her own tears to be at bay as Paige slowly walked toward her.

"I missed you, Tess. Days would go by, and I would miss you and Dad so much it ached. I would watch Ralph and I had no idea he was a genius. It wasn't until I met Walter did it click. I would see him and see so much of you in him. He's so smart." Paige laughed as she swiped at her cheeks "and so witty. Headstrong and stubborn. You would love him." Paige said as Tessa said.

"I already do. I have."

"Yeah but – you weren't here. He had no idea you existed or that was what I tried to do because it was safer for him. But you – You weren't here. He doesn't know you. Ever since you came back sometimes, I feel I don't either." Paige confessed as Tessa thinned her lips.

"This was just how it was supposed to be. I had to protect you and this was the way how. There was no other way. They knew me. They saw my face. It would have been too dangerous otherwise. Plus once you were at Scorpion, I knew you would be safe."

"How did you know about that? I never told you, you just…knew." Paige asked as she was baffled when she first got the text but decided it was better if she didn't know at the time.

"I care about you Paige. I wanted to ensure your safety and I have ways of checking on you from time to time. I even spoke to mom after she went into hiding thanks to you." Tessa said as Paige's head snapped up.

"What do you have ways of checking up on me?" Paige asked just as there was a knock on the door.

"Another time," Tessa smirked as she opened the door as Happy and Florence both walked in, stony silence between them as they tossed their costumes on the bed and Paige got to work on their makeup.

Another time indeed.

"Coms in" Paige instructed as the girls stood outside the club. The cigarette smoke that wafted incoming from the door made Paige's stomach turn and the glowing neon sign that cast shadows on the sidewalk made her heart race.

It's been years since she returned to this entrance, and she hadn't missed it at all.

"Okay, your all set. The guys Toby spotted are just sitting down and I hacked the lists that you are the only ones showing up. Ralph, you have the cameras?" Walter asked and Paige's hands stopped shaking the moment she heard Walter's reassuring voice. That's right he was here with her. Well, not physically but a block away isn't that bad either.

"Got it," Ralph instructed as Paige took in a deep breath.

"Are you okay Mom?" Ralph asked over the coms and Happy shot her a glance as she nodded quickly.

"Yes, I'm okay. Just getting ready." Paige bluffed as Happy looked away but Florence's concerned gaze never left her.

"Okay, you all know what to do. Get in, get out. No funny business." Cabe called as Happy rolled her eyes. "They ready?" Cabe asked as Tessa smirked and winked.

"You're good. I got them drugged up. They didn't even see me." Tessa laughed quietly as Paige shook her head and opened the door. Everything from then on was a blur.

Paige could clearly remember the heat of the stage lights, the jeering laughter of the drunken men that Tessa had drugged. She remembered the pounding music and shimmy of her hips to distract them. She remembered the steps and lowered herself to the stage floor as Happy and Florence slipped off stage. She could remember the feel of their eyes on her as she dipped low, and their eyes followed the sparkles of her revealing outfit. She danced and swayed to the music as she heard Happy successfully breaking in and counted her breaths as Florence began the 15-second countdown.

She remembered the seconds until at the climax of her performance when she jumped from the chair and dipped low, she heard Happy's intake of breath and name that she would never forget.

"Mark Collins was kidnapped with Veronica."

A/N: Eh? Eh? Ayyy Mark is coming back y'all! I mean c'mon I can't NOT write a scorpion fix it fic without calling back as many references and characters from the show as possible? Sorry for the shorter chapter but the next one? Oooooooo it's a doozy. Maybe I'll even release it early? Please review and I'll see you next time!