Disclaimer: Scorpion and all its characters belong to someone else. Any similarities to other stories are unintentional.

Chapter Seven- Regrets.

'Hey, Happy! I'm back!'

'So I see' Happy replied, not looking up from her welding, closing her laptop quickly.

'Soo... what're you doing?' Toby looked quizzically from Happy to the laptop.

'Just working on a project.'

'With SparkplugADAptor522... Ada Pearce?'

'Yep. You ready to roll? Paige wants to speak to us.'

'Yes. I wonder what's that about. We're not reforming Centipede, are we?'

'No way! But I have been thinking about Walt...'

'Me too. We were pretty hasty, you know. I feel pretty bad about it all. I mean we all knew 197 took Florence to that lecture. It was just because Florence said she had feelings for him, but she said all along that she hadn't. Pretty shady on her part.' Toby mused. 'Problem was Walter didn't really react to that little bombshell- but to be fair, he was being attacked from all sides...'

'Yeah, and we know he falls apart and becomes panicked and confused when confronted.'

'He did call us know-it-alls though!'

'True. Well, actually you do have a habit of analysing him a lot.'

'Agreed. That's because he's the one brain I can't crack, but I just had to keep trying- he's one messed up guy!'

They looked at each other for a moment, feeling regretful and a little guilty. 'Well, come on, let's see what Paige wants.'

'Yeah. I don't suppose it's a free meal!'

~OooO~

They arrived at Nemos diner, where Paige was waiting impatiently for them. The diner wasn't very busy, in fact there were only two others sat at the tables.

'Hello.' she simply said.

'Paige.' Toby acknowledged. 'What's this about? Ralph OK?'

'Yes, he's well. We're just waiting for Sylvester, so I'll get us some coffee and donuts while we wait.'

'Hmmm. Donuts!' Toby whispered to Happy, nudging her.

'Zip it, Homer!' Happy quipped, grabbing a donut and taking a bite when Paige finally arrived with their food and drinks.

'Well, as Sylvester's late, we'll make a start.' Paige said briskly.

'Sounds like my old school teacher.' Toby whispered.

'We've just received our pay check for the job we did a few months ago. It's a good amount.' Paige continued to excited whoops! of joy from Toby, making a snatch for the envelope. 'But...'

'And there it is!' Toby lamented, removing his hand.

'The last ... disaster... left us with a hefty bill. Without Homeland's backing- or funds, we're going to have to pay this check to Beauchamp as recompense, as well as selling a few things to make up the rest. I'm sorry guys, but the bank balance is looking pretty bad.'

'Well, I'm gonna eat my donuts before we can't afford to eat them too!' Toby said, grabbing two and stuffing as much in his mouth as possible, earning him a look of disgust from Happy.

'Not good!' Happy said. 'We need all the money we can get for our next try for a baby. This Centipede idea was a croc. We should never have left Scorpion.' she added aggressively.

'No one forced you, Happy! You and Toby left of your own accord. Sly had his own reasons for leaving and I... well I ... well, never mind. What's done is done and you guys made your own choices.'

'I know' Toby said 'I blame myself! Walter went from a steady four straight down to two on the Waltcon meter faster than Happy drives a car... dude was a dumpster fire! As a professional with a medical degree from Harvard I should have sat the guy down for a psych session instead of bailing on him...'

'Oh, really? You went to Harvard? You hardly ever mention it.' Paige sniped.

'Hey! Dineen! Back off! Yeah we were wrong in our part of it, but you humiliated the guy! Dumped him in front of everyone. Didn't you say something like you were 'exhausted' trying to convince yourself that he satisfied you?' Happy interjected.

Toby stopped mid- bite, looking from Paige to his wife and back again. Oh- oh, he thought. Women gonna fight and he's in the middle of it!

'Don't you think I've regretted that every single day! Don't you think I hate the way we treated Walter- the way I treated Walter! The way I started stupid Centipede- taking work away from Scorpion- Walter's life's work! Don't you think I regret not letting Ralph communicate with him anymore! I hate myself for doing all that. I hate...'

The husband and wife just sat in horror at Paige's outburst, especially when tears rolled down her face. Paige stopped herself mid- sentence. She hadn't meant to pour out all her feelings like that, especially not in the middle of the diner, where the customers could see! Luckily, the few customers they had in hadn't even turned a hair at her remarks. They were too busy with their own lives.

Paige took a shuddering breath. 'Well, it's too late for regrets now. Scorpion's doing OK, by all accounts, and Walter has Cabe and the backing of Homeland'

'Yeah and Florence.' Toby added.

'Well, I thought so... but maybe it's not the way it seems. Guys, the other day I saw Sylvester and Florence... together'

'So? They probably bumped into each other. It's not a surprise, really- we all live and work around here.'

'No, Toby. Together.' Paige said.

'She means together, together, dummy!' Happy said in surprise, catching on quickly.

'Waitress say what now?' Toby was dumbfounded. 'But he's the one...'

'Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late. Patty and I had some alderman stuff to go through. Hey Toby- Happy! What did I miss?' Sylvester said as he entered the diner, grabbing a donut with an 'ooh, donuts!' of pleasure, not noticing the tension as he arrived.

'You and the chemist?' Toby stated abruptly, not greeting Sylvester and going straight to the point bluntly. 'Are you joking?'

Sylvester stopped, donut in hand and had the grace to look embarrassed. 'Yeah, well we met at Kovelsky's...'

'That clears that up then. Canoodling over the Boysenberry's!'

Happy swiped Toby's head as Sylvester continued. 'She's not with Walter! He didn't have feelings for her, Paige.'

'Are you telling me, I broke up with Walter for nothing! I was supporting you! I... I said all those horrible things because of you!'

'No, P... Paige!' Sylvester stammered. 'I didn't make you say anything! I was mad at Walter because I liked Florence, and... and I... I thought he seduced her with his brain- made her have feelings for him! I was stupid, emotional, but you said those things on your own, Paige. I didn't ask you to! I didn't ask any of you to quit because of me'

Sylvester became very agitated as he faced Paige. He hated conflict with anyone, and the last time he faced off with someone was when he pushed Walter away. Walter who had never hurt a hair on his head! His brother who always had his back! Sylvester also looked like he was going to cry.

'Hey, calm down, pal.' Toby said, going up to Sylvester. 'You're hyperventilating.' Toby felt Sylvester's pulse. '130! Your pulse is racing like you just ran a marathon! Take slow breaths. Slowly... slowly, that's it.'

Paige flopped down on the nearest chair. 'You're right, Sylvester, I'm sorry. Toby, Happy, sorry! I'm just arguing with everyone! It's just... I've made a huge mistake. I've messed everything up. Everyone hates me now.'

'Ease up on yourself, waitress.' Happy said.

'No! Even Ralph hates me! He doesn't say it outright but he blames me for him not seeing you guys or Walter. He hardly speaks to me! Oh, I've made such a mess of things. It would serve me right if Walter did have another girlfriend!'

'Come on now, Paige. Get it together- you're the one that keeps us in check- the glue in team Scorpion. You can fix this. We can all fix this, we just need to think...'

They all gathered around the table in the diner, talking quietly into the night. There must be some way to repair this! By the time the two diners left, the only solution they'd arrived at was that Sylvester would ask Florence to speak to Cabe. Maybe tell him that she and Sly were together? Then take it from there- see what Cabe felt about Walter and the others meeting up and if Cabe thought Walter would be receptive to it.

They felt bad again- no one had reached out to Cabe either! He'd been like a father to all of them and they'd just cut him off because he chose Walter. Of course he would- Walter was special to him, and he'd tried hard to get them all to ease off Walter when, what Toby now referred to as 'the row,' was in full force.

'OK, so now that's decided... Sly, you old dog! Spill! You and Florence?' Toby said.

Sylvester went red to everyone's amusement. 'I really like her guys. She's not what she seemed back then. She's just like us- awkward and unable to express herself properly. She told me her words came out wrong that day- she meant she had developed feelings for Walter, but she knew he didn't feel that way and she was coping with it.'

He looked around the room at the team. Paige looked tight lipped and as if she didn't believe him. Happy was sitting with her eyebrows raised, a tiny smile curving at the corners of her mouth, and Toby just stared at him.

'We reconnected at Kovelsky's, and...'

'And? Come on, big guy. Details! Have you kissed her? Or even...'

'Zip it, doc. Stop embarrassing the guy?' Happy said.

'A gentleman never kisses and tells, Toby!' Sly said, puffing out his chest.

'Ooohhh! You have! You've seen each other's parts!'

'Toby! I swear, if you ever want to see me in that Feliz flamingo outfit again...'

'Copy that!' Toby finally said, admitting defeat. As the others began to pack up and get ready to leave, Sly smiled to himself, thinking to himself about last night...

To be continued...