Ralph shoved his phone back into his jacket pocket before he walked on into the building his class was in. He was sure of what was going on now and he'd hit his Dad with it when he picked him up. He wasn't going to be able to dodge him this time. His call and the hacking he had performed Monday morning uncovered that Toby had gone to the medical conference alone had made the picture clearer.

Toby's outburst when he goaded him about family proved that the problem lie somewhere with his Mom, Dad and Happy. He hadn't yet proved it to himself yet but clearly Happy had an affair with either his Mom or Dad. His thoughts were dark about what he'd do if his Dad had cheated on his Mom, they'd been darker but Toby's admission that it had nothing to do with his Dad and they weren't breaking up assuaged those thoughts. He kind of hated lying to his Dad about why he was up early but he thought his Dad not being honest about what was going on justified it.

But too part of him didn't think his Dad had cheated. He knew his Mom, and he knew her reactions in the past to someone cheating on her. And she was too loving of his Dad. She even defended his Dad to him so he was sure that his Dad hadn't done anything wrong. But then that meant his Mom had cheated with Happy and he couldn't understand why she would do that to his Dad and Toby. She knew what it felt like to be wronged in that regard. He sighed as he walked the long hall and entered the class room.


Cabe pulled into the drive of the two story home his Mother's Mother left him when she passed just after he transferred to the LA Homeland office. He smiled seeing Allie's car was already there. He parked next to her car in case she needed to get out before him. He walked tiredly towards the backdoor and he saw her wave from the kitchen window and he grinned and waved back.

He nearly ran up the steps just inside the back door of the old home and nearly swooped in behind Allie as she was cutting up the vegetables she was going to make into dinner for them. He wrapped his arms around her waist just like he always remembered his Grandpa doing to his Grandma or his Dad to his Mom. His head bent down as he nosed her pony tail she wore when cooking aside and kissed Allie tenderly on the nape of her neck.

"That's my handsome man." Allie said as she smiled into the feeling of love directed at her.

Cabe laughed. "Not as handsome as you are gorgeous."

Allie smiled bigger as she turned to face him. "Well, just for that, you are going to get a great big kiss."

Cabe grinned as their lips met. Allie grinned as she felt him press his tongue into her lips and she allowed them to part as their kiss deepened.

"Oh my, someone had a good day today." Allie teased as they broke their kiss.

Cabe laughed as he nodded.

"Is Paige any better or have they at least talked about what is going on yet?" Allie asked in concern.

Cabe made a face as he shook his head. "I swear I really want to spank them both."

Allie looked at him in concern as his head came up and his eyes looked out the window. She turned and saw Happy's truck parking behind her car and then Happy jumped out and was running barefoot towards the back door. "What on earth is going on now?" She asked even as Cabe moved to get to the back door.

Just before Happy reached the door Cabe pulled it open. "Happy?" Was all he got out as she flew into his arms and began crying, it was more like sobbing. Cabe's arms rose up and he hugged her tightly as he made little soft noises trying to comfort her.


As Happy slowly cried herself out Cabe felt her relax her arms about him and he relaxed his grip and pulled back a bit. "Are you okay? Is Toby?"

Happy shook and nodded her head almost at the same time.

Cabe frowned and gestured up the stairs. "Go to the front room, I'll be there in a moment."

Happy nodded as Cabe closed the door and he stepped up and looked at Allie. Allie just smiled. "Go take care of her Cabe. She needs you right now."

Cabe nodded and mouthed "Thank you" before he walked out to the front room.

Cabe saw Happy on his couch and he stepped over and sat down but forward in his recliner putting his elbows on his knees. "What's going on Happy? Is this got anything to do with what is going on with Paige?"

Happy looked up with shock on her face and he watched as a few tears ran down her face. "Please don't hate me Cabe."

Cabe shook his head. "I could never hate you Happy. Even after what happened when everything blew up in Scorpion and you walked out on Walter I never hated you. Tell me what is going on, what is causing Paige all of this stress and what brought you to my door in this state."

"I was stupid Cabe." Happy started and then the whole story poured out of her as tears continued to run down her face. She didn't withhold anything that happened. She told him everything including about the carwash and the restaurant and side of the road sexcapade Paige had initiated. "And now Paige is suffering so much because of something equally stupid. I'm trying to fix this between Toby and I but in so doing it is causing her pain and anguish."

Cabe's face was red but not about what happened between her and Paige but about dragging Walter into it, of Walter willingly going along with it after the fact and with what Toby had done to Happy Sunday. He stood abruptly and began pacing the floor as he tried to think, tried to breath, tried to gain some semblance of balance. He was a simple man, brought up in a simple Christian oriented family.

But love was love to Cabe. As long as you were responsible and all parties involved were legally consenting it didn't matter to him. Finally he nodded his head and he looked at Happy who half looked like she was expecting his head to explode at her. He smiled and held out his hand.

Happy jumped off his couch and ran into his arms again. "Let's go talk to your husband." Cabe finally said.

Happy slowly nodded and she turned and as she walked down the steps Cabe stepped into the kitchen and hugged Allie. "I suppose you heard all of that."

Allie nodded. "But not if you don't want me to have."

Cabe smiled as she used one of his favorite expressions. "I'm going to be a while I fear. This is a real mess."

Allie nodded. "It's okay Cabe. You got to take care of the kids. But, I've got an early day tomorrow so if you aren't here by 9:30, there won't be any extracurricular activities for you tonight."

Cabe laughed. "I'll do my best Ms. Jones."

Allie winked. "See you later Agent Gallo."

Cabe walked out and climbed into his SUV and he backed out and watched as Happy followed him.


Toby sat in his new rocking chair as he tried to guess the probabilities of where Happy went and how long she'd be gone. He was half tempted to call Sylvester but then he decided against it as he didn't want to tarnish Happy's image in his eyes. And in part he didn't want his pain broadcasted anymore than necessary either.

It had been a bit more than an hour and he wished he had put tracking software back on her phone but then remembered her phone was in the bedroom so it wouldn't have done any good. The longer it seemed to be taking the madder he was getting. He decided that if she'd gone to see Paige that was going to be it. He was walking out and not looking back. After all he had already debased himself and said she could talk to her. That should have been more than enough to ease the situation.

Suddenly he heard her truck pull back into the driveway and he jumped up and moved quickly to the door and threw it open only to be greeted by the sour disposition of one Agent Cabe Gallo, Homeland.

Toby stumbled backwards even as he began mouthing incoherent words. Cabe reached in and grabbed him to keep him from falling and getting hurt. He then turned and dragged him half crying and half begging for mercy. Cabe pulled him around in front of him and pushed him back into the recliner. "Just sit there and shut up Doc."

Cabe swore for a moment before Toby noticed Happy came in and closed the door. Cabe looked at Happy for a moment and then looked back at him again and pointed his finger at Toby. "If you EVER do anything even remotely like what you did to Happy Sunday you won't have to worry about anything again because I'll bury your ass in the desert. Is that clear?"

Toby nodded emphatically.


Cabe looked behind him and sat down on the coffee table and pulled off his sunglasses. "Okay. Doc, I get it, and you have my deepest sympathies over what has happened. You're an ass that's a given but you didn't deserve for this to happen to you. Happy told me everything that as happened and I will be leaving here to go to the Garage next. You've got a tough choice ahead of you. Now according to Happy you've made the decision to work through it, and if you want to work this out with her you've got to keep doing what you did yesterday and today. And I understand you also want to give her some room in regards to her newly developing relationship with Paige and I commend you for that."

"But everything else, all the name calling, and making her feel like crap needs to stop. She says you have a real issue with Walter over this and I don't blame you. But it also sounds like after the initial time he was goaded more or less into what followed. But still he should have been thinking with his IQ and not his pants. I'm going to tell Sly tomorrow that I'm taking him and Ralph to that new science exhibit downtown on Saturday. We'll be gone all day. I want you two to go see Walter and Paige. Give the ladies a chance to sort some things out as well as you and Walter. Can you agree to this?" Cabe asked him finally.

Toby slowly nodded.

Cabe shook his head. "I want this to be the last of it. I already know far too much about the sex lives of my kids. And I don't want to see this causing Scorpion to flame out again. You need to be on your best behavior when Ralph and Sylvester or anyone else for that matter is around. I do not want my girls' reputations being hurt by this. Can you agree to that?"

Toby nodded. "I don't really want Happy's hurt either and by extension Paige's."

Cabe smiled and patted his knee. "Good man. I'm not stupid Toby, I know this isn't going to be easy, and it won't be fixed over night. But you have got to do better, better than you have ever done before. Your relationship with Walter hasn't been a good one since sometime after he wrecked Elia's car on the cliff. So you have got to find a way to work with Walter to repair this. I don't even have to talk to him to know how much he is really bothered by what Happy and Paige dragged him into. And before you say a word, yes, they dragged him into this. So you remember that, you can be mad, but you got to try and work with him fairly."

Toby nodded.

Cabe pointed back at Happy. "Happy's told me there is some issue about some video and pictures that Paige made with her. Are you going to be okay about them? Because she's made it clear to me that she's not letting Paige delete it and that you know the reason why."

Toby shrugged. "I told Happy as long as she doesn't mind me being upset about them then we could agree to disagree on it."

"Alright then, I've said all I can say on this. I'd like to kick all of your asses over this but I don't want to spend the next month in an Epson salt bath." Cabe stood as Toby nodded.

Toby stood up and hugged him.

Cabe shook his head. "You kids are going to be the death of me yet."

Cabe stopped to hug Happy. "You might not want to talk to Paige to prove some kind of recommitment to Toby. But he gave you his okay to contact her. So I want you to at least send her a text or maybe even a short video clip of you telling her you are okay and safe and that you will see her Saturday morning. Sometime this evening, I don't want either of you going to bed tonight without you sending it and her seeing it. Okay? She doesn't need this stress and neither do you. Will you do that for me?"

Happy looked at Toby and saw him nod his head and she nodded as a tear ran down her face.

Cabe nodded and kissed her cheek and left. He climbed into his SUV and sighed before he took off.


Walter pulled up outside of the building at Caltech where Ralph's class was held and he sat waiting for him to come out. He ran his hand down his face. The upgrade had been a nightmare. The computer engineers the company employed had been idiots and he wasted a lot of time trying to explain why their original plan for the upgrade wouldn't work long term and why his was superior. Fortunately the head of the department had worked with Walter before and he kept a tight rein on the guys to keep Walter safe.

He pulled out his phone and called Paige. "Hey Love, how are you doing?"

Paige smiled. "I'm no worse at any rate my Love."

Walter smiled. "That is good at least. I might need a neck rub tonight. Those guys were idiots."

Paige smiled. "I think I can do that for you my Love. After all you have done for me it's the least I can do for you."

Walter enjoyed hearing her calling him love or to say she loved him. So he always tried to call her that or to say he loved her too as often as he could. He looked up and saw Ralph heading towards the car. "Well here comes Ralph now. Do you need me to stop and get you anything on the way home? I'm going to pick me up some fermented fish before we get there."

Paige smiled. "I wouldn't say no to a BLT with extra tomato. Oh and a large chocolate shake too please. Oh and some French fries, actually a double order of French fries. Tell Ralphy I love him. I love you Walter."

Walter grinned before he laughed. "I will and I love you too." Walter hung up his phone as the door opened and Ralph climbed into the car.


Greetings! Hope everyone is doing well! Walter has no clue about the woodchipper that just got into the car with him!

Lucy - Yep, Toby did some pretty horrible and in my opinion unforgiveable things. But Happy keeps telling me to wait and listen. Of course he is going to be busy cleaning up the mess of a Cabe sized shoe having been shoved up his arse for a while.

Franxine - Yup lots has been written. Currently working on chapter 24.

2LawDog - Right? Ralph is just so "out there". And poor Cabe. I can't imagine how his Dad brain is handling all of this. LOL

Susan - Cliffhangers, what can I say, I think there are a few more to come. lol Yep, from all accounts Ralph is doing very well and knows far more than we could have guessed. Smart and sneaky!

To the Adventure! -Tim