Happy and Toby walked into the Garage two mornings after Walter's two weeks of daily sessions with Sarah carrying a large gift wrapped box between them. Paige looked up from her desk as she heard the door.
"Uh guys, what is that?" Paige asked as they were making a beeline towards her desk.
"Well it is a present we got for you and Walter the Wednesday after Toby returned home. We've just had things going on that we kept forgetting to bring it over for you." Happy told her as they came to a stop sitting it on the floor beside Paige.
"Guys you didn't have to get us a present for anything. And especially not during that week, but thank you." Paige told them trying to smile without tears.
"Well I had told you we'd lend you that crib I'd gotten back the first time I thought I was pregnant but then after finding out I was pregnant I didn't want to part with it." Happy told her with a bit of flush to her cheeks.
Paige smiled fondly at her.
"Yep, she wanted to get you guys a new one and I wanted to let her know how serious I was about making up for what I had done to her that Sunday so I told her she could pick out any crib for you guys." Toby told her.
Paige smiled at Toby as a tear broke over the edge of her eyelid.
"That was so thoughtful of you both, thank you." Paige told them as she reached up with the back of her index finger and caught the tear.
"Well, we're not going to be standing here holding this up all day. Unwrap it." Happy told her grinning.
Paige smiled as she moved back and turned to face the box. She reached out and tore the wrapping paper off.
"Oh, maybe I should have waited for Walter to get back from dropping Ralph off at school." Paige fretted.
"It is too late now." Toby and Happy both said as they grabbed the ripped paper with a free hand each and ripped it back further.
Paige grinned and saw it was the same model.
"Guys, this is much too expensive." Paige told them.
Toby shook his head.
"No, I made a lot of money gambling that weekend I was at the medical conference so the cost is pretty negligible." Toby explained as he assisted Happy, while she finished unwrapping the crib.
"You want us to take it upstairs? I can get started putting it together while Walter isn't up there." Happy suggested.
Paige smiled and nodded.
"If you don't mind that would be great Happy. Thank you, thank you both so much." Paige told them.
"Well without Walt, we'd have never met, without you I might not have ever given Toby the chance. You've helped us both so much. It is the least we could do." Happy told her even as she picked up her end and then looked at Toby.
"Come on Fungus." Happy told him.
Toby grinned as he nodded and picked up his end and they took it up the ramp to the Loft.
"Thank you for calling me back Sarah. I've really appreciated all you've done to help Walter so far to get back from where he'd fallen because of me." Paige told Sarah.
"No, I understand what Toby told me about not being part of Walter's sessions for now. I do want to be more of an active role to help him though so anything you can recommend or suggest I really would appreciate it."
"No, Happy and I aren't doing anything with our relationship beyond as friends. We had a long talk about it one of the days at the hospital while Walter was with you. I'm not sure about that. We both love and care about the other and miss that aspect of our relationship but we're both so ashamed of what we did to Walter. We want to see Walter healed and then maybe we can talk about it after. No, Walter wants us to do what we want. My son's pretty adamant that we don't do anything. He doesn't think his Dad should be subjected to Happy beyond the normal work hours required."
"He's been a pretty strong force advocating for his Dad. No, that wouldn't work either. Walter had said that he didn't want me pursuing anything outside of the Garage for safety sake and while I'm sure he'd be okay with it being with Happy and at her place I just think it would be too much even if I wasn't injured."
"Well that is one of the things I needed to speak with you about too. Katherine Cooper really wants to get Walter off restricted work assignments. No, I don't think anything is going on right now but I think that is what is worrying her. Before Walter and I had broke up that time I don't think we'd gone more than a few weeks without some disaster going on that Homeland needed us."
"Oh he didn't mention our break up? Well it was a few months ago now and doesn't really have a lot to do with our current situation so I guess it isn't surprising. No, I understand. If you don't think he is ready for the added stress of an emergency. I'll let her know. Oh, I also wanted to mention I haven't received any invoices for Walter's sessions with you."
Paige frowned.
"No, Toby didn't tell me that. That was very kind of him. No I won't mention it to Walter. If Toby didn't want him knowing he was paying for the sessions. No, Walter can't hear me. He's gone to pick our son up. No I understand Sarah. I wouldn't be objectionable about coming in to see you for counseling over what I did to Walter. Sure, have your receptionist call me anytime. Have a great rest of your day." Paige said as she hung up and looked at Toby sitting on the couch reading.
Paige pushed back and carefully stood and walked slowly over towards him.
"Whoa, Paige, what are you doing?" Happy nearly yelled as she looked up from a project and came running over to walk with her.
"You're supposed to say something before you get up so one of us can be with you in case you need help." Happy admonished her.
Paige smiled even as Happy took her arm the last fifteen feet over to where Toby was now standing.
"I had to come over and thank you Toby. That was a very kind gesture on your part for Walter. I won't tell him, but I wanted to give you a hug." Paige told him as she held her arms out.
Toby stepped in and gently put his arms around her and let her hug him while his arms just barely touched her so as not to hurt her.
"You're welcome. But she wasn't supposed to tell you." Toby told her as he stepped back.
Paige frowned.
"She said you just didn't want her to tell Walter. She only said it because I told her I hadn't received any invoices for it." Paige told him even as Happy took her arm back in her hands.
"Let's get you back to your desk and Toby can come over and sit down in the other chair and talk to you if you want to converse about this." Happy told her seriously.
Paige smiled.
"Happy, I'm fine. I don't need another Walter trying to dictate my actions." Paige said even as she turned and began walking back over to her desk.
As Paige sat back down Happy gestured towards the kitchen. Toby nodded.
"Hey, I'm just going to grab a coffee real quick, would you like a fresh water Paige?" Toby asked.
Paige smiled.
"Thank you, I would." Paige told him even as she picked up the report on her desk and started going over it.
"I didn't know you were paying for Walter's therapy. Why didn't you tell me?" Happy looked at Toby as he poured a cup of coffee.
"It was supposed to be a private gesture that I made to make up for some of the heartache I caused Walter since the two of us started dating. I wasn't the best friend to him. And then of course for the horrible and wicked thoughts I had thought about him after that weekend. I seriously worried that in part what happened to you because of Amy was Karma for my ways. I want to be a better friend and I want to make up for whatever evil my thoughts and actions might have stirred up." Toby told her.
"You're serious, aren't you? I didn't think you believed in superstitious claptrap." Happy asked as she stepped up and slipped her arms over his shoulders.
Toby smiled setting his cup to the side and slipped his arms around her waist.
"I don't know if I would call Karma claptrap. More often then not it seems to be real." Toby told her before he kissed her.
"Cabe, thanks for coming in." Katherine told him as she pointed to the chair in front of her desk.
Cabe nodded even as he moved over and sat down.
"How's Walter doing?" Katherine cut to the chase.
"Well, he's doing better. I'd say he's back to who he was before Happy was kidnapped." Cabe answered her cautiously.
Katherine nodded.
"We've got a situation. One I would prefer to have Scorpion handling but he's still listed by Sarah for limited duty. I don't want to go over her head and just send Walter out into the field but I might have too." Katherine told him even as her eyes probed into Cabe's face.
"Well we're still kind of keeping him isolated from others to ensure that he isn't taken advantage by anyone." Cabe told her as he adjusted his position a bit uncomfortable with the discussion.
"Well Sarah as agreed to Toby making the call if we do a simple test first. She wants you to go into the Garage, tell them we need them on a case and when Walter tries to get involved she wants you to step on his neck firmly, insisting he stay at the Garage with Paige. If he reacts favorably then Toby can green light him to work this case to start." Katherine told him.
"Oh I don't know if I like the sound of that Katherine." Cabe told her as his fidgeting increased.
"I understand Cabe, but then we might have to cancel the contract with Scorpion. We need him and Happy on this. If he can't do it then we might have to go with one of their competitors. In which case, it would mean your reassignment." Katherine told him.
"Damn it." Cabe swore.
"Fine, I'll do it, what are the particulars? Does Toby already know what is going on?" Cabe swore.
Katherine nodded.
"Sarah should have already briefed him on what we're doing." Katherine told him before telling him what was happening.
"Okay gang, gather around Paige's desk. Homeland has a job for us, top priority." Cabe said as he moved in through the door.
Walter looked up even as everyone else did and they all stood and moved over. Cabe walked up and stood next to Walter.
"Sorry son, Katherine said you are out for this. Sarah hasn't released you from your limited restrictions." Cabe told him.
Walter frowned.
"Well surely I can stand in on the briefing, right?" Walter asked with a bit of hurt in his eyes.
"I just didn't want you getting your hopes up son." Cabe told him as he nodded.
"Meet Tungsten Sky." Cabe rolled out a map of a facility in the desert.
"Wait, isn't that the new top secret facility studying viability of terra forming the desert?" Walter asked as he looked up at Cabe.
"How the hell do you know about that?" Cabe demanded.
"The internet chat rooms, of course. That place is one of the worst kept secrets." Sylvester explained as if that was all there was to it.
Cabe sighed even as he looked at the smirk and giggle Paige let out.
"Anyway the place has been plagued with problems. We need our best systems analyst and engineer in there pronto. You've got to get the place under control quickly and safely." Cabe told them looking at Sylvester and Happy.
"Well if you want the best then you need Walter." Sylvester pointed to Walter.
"Fine then, our second best." Cabe said with exasperation.
"Wait, no offense to Sylvester, but Cabe, you need me on this." Walter told him.
Cabe nodded.
"I think we do kid but the powers that be said no. Not as long as you are on restricted duty. I'm sorry." Cabe told him.
They all heard Walter as he ground his teeth together and spun around and stormed to his desk and picked up his coffee mug and was about to chuck it when he stopped and set it down. He turned back around and shook his head.
"No, either I go on this or you'll have to find someone else. Scorpion won't go on this job period." Walter told him.
"Walter, I get it, but you are jeopardizing the Homeland contract by refusing." Cabe told him.
"Then the contract can be damned. I'm more than capable of doing this." Walter told him.
"What is your opinion Doc?" Cabe looked to Toby.
"I'd say Walter is ready for the field again." Toby told him nodding.
"Alright then, let's shake a leg and get going then. Sorry sweetheart, you'll have to stay here." Cabe said as he looked at Paige.
"No, Paige is coming with us. We got her wheelchair. The place is ADA compliant. I won't leave her behind." Walter told him.
"Alright, go get her chair and let's get in my SUV." Cabe told them.
"Oh, but who will stay with Ralph?" Paige fretted as Walter went to get the wheelchair.
"Kid, he's old enough to stay on his own for a few hours." Cabe told her gently.
"He can come with us. He'd love to see the place anyway. It would be good for him intellectually." Walter said as he brought the wheelchair over. "Ralph, get down here." Walter yelled up to the Loft.
"I could have just used the intercom Walter." Paige teased him.
Walter smiled and nodded as he helped her to transfer.
"What's going on Dad?" Ralph asked as he began moving down the stairs.
"We've got a job at Tungsten Sky to go to and I thought it would be of interest to you." Walter told him looking over his shoulder.
"Cool, I was just reading about it." Ralph said as he ran up and hugged his parents.
"Are you sure about this Doc?" Cabe asked quietly as they watched the family get ready.
"I'm perfectly sure Cabe." Toby told him.
Greetings! Hope everyone is well! Doing okay here. Haven't written 33 yet so, we'll see if we have something for Sunday or not. Yesterday was kind of a blah day, wrote a little on 4 different stories but not enough to be a chapter for any one of them. lol Monday I think I will start posting the next segment of Knight's Tale. Pretty sure the 5th chapter will be the end of it and I'm about 1/3 of the way done with that one.
Lucy - They will indeed be rich! LOL
Railman - Yep, Sarah's on top of her game. Paige isn't trying to get information she shouldn't have or that she should get from Walter. She just wants to be able to talk with Sarah to get her opinion on how Walter is doing from time to time as well as to see if there are things she can do to help him more.
Margaret - Thank you! And you are welcome! Hopefully it all keeps making sense.
To the Adventure! -Tim
