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

Chapter Fifteen- Back Where They Belong

'Ah. Agent Gallo.' Mark Collins voice said as Cabe approached. He bowed slightly. 'We meet again. Glad to see you're a free man.'

'Walter doesn't want to see or speak to you.' Toby interjected.

'Toby's correct.' Cabe said 'He's not going to help you!'

'I'm just trying to help a friend. What's your problem? Where is Walter? I've got some new research that I'm sure he'll want to see.'

'I'm no genius, but I don't think...'

'That's perfectly clear for all to see. I don't really care what you think because you'll never understand the connection Walter and I have. None of you ever will. I want to speak to Walter. He'll tell you...'

Suddenly Paige appeared. 'Now you listen here! You think you can just come here and take Walter away from us into that... rabbit hole. Well, we won't allow it!'

'Ah! Miss Paige! How wonderful to see you again. So... you've come back- you've all come back! I think it's you who've come to take Walter away from me! We have plans... great plans that none of you can comprehend. You come crawling back to ruin it all again. Well, let's see what Walter thinks, shall we?'

Happy joined the group. 'You think you've won, don't you, Collins. Well, too late. We're back home where we belong and this time we're not going anywhere, except to kick you out of Walt's life- for good.'

'I don't know what's wrong with you people. You were the ones who left Walter- he's more like me than any of you, and together we can go to places you can't even dream about! Where's Walter? WALTER!' Collins yelled.

'Keep away from Walter or you'll be finding yourself in trouble with the law and locked up again. I can make a very serious charge against you that will stick and you'll be put away for years. ' Cabe intervened.

'You'd lie, Gallo? Make up some trumped up charge against me? My, my, Walter's a lucky boy to have people who would put their own career in danger to protect him. Why... why couldn't you all find room for me too?'

Sly and Florence suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs, Walter between them.

'There you are, Walter!' Collins laughed 'Tell them! Tell them how we're going to save your sister!'

'Mark...' Walter began.

Collins immediately realised that Walter was no longer under his control and on the edge of the rabbit hole. Walter had crossed the line, but it was the line back to sanity rather than further into the darkness as Collins had planned. Collins demeanour instantly changed - he was furious. They'd ruined his plans and broken his hold on Walter. He was sure it was that Curtis, again with his psychoanalysing and meddling!

Collins lunged at Toby, but Cabe intervened, flooring him with a right hook, then trained his revolver on the prone man.

Collins looked up at Walter from his place on the floor, wiping away a trickle of blood that ran down his nose.

'Last chance, Walter. If you want to see your sister alive again...'

'It's not going to happen, Mark.' Walter said sadly. 'You know we can't let it happen. I'd like nothing more than to have Megan back here, cured of MS, but the price is too high! Time travel, BBI- the world's not ready for that yet, and nor are you. I'm sorry, but it's over.'

'You've ruined everything!' Collins yelled, totally out of his mind. 'You think you're so clever, O'Brien but if these... these people hadn't interfered, you'd be where I wanted you- lost in your mind, alone and abandoned like you left me all those years ago! I'd be rich and powerful and you'd be nothing! NOTHING! Do you hear me, Walter! Well, too bad but you'll never see your sister again...nev...'

Collins tirade was cut short when he was grabbed roughly by Cabe. Collins tried to pull away and reach Walter, but Cabe had a tight hold on the struggling man. He handcuffed the now crazed Collins, who was shouting maniacally and had so easily slipped back into insanity. Cabe threw his weapon to Happy, who pointed it at Collins as Cabe held him with one hand holding onto the handcuffs, and the other gripping the scruff of the man's neck.

'Call for backup!' Cabe yelled. 'And warn the hospital!'

'I'll make the calls.' Toby said 'it's back to the hospital for you, Collins. You're completely mad!' he quickly spoke into his phone and announced, 'They'll be here in five minutes!'

'It's your fault, Walter! You did this to me!' Suddenly Collins' voice changed and got lighter and friendlier. 'I may be going back to the hospital, but I'll be out again one day. You haven't seen the last of me!' he laughed. 'They'll leave you again and then... well I'll be waiting. We'll work together again! See you back down the rabbit hole, Walter!'

As Cabe pulled Collins out to the now waiting agents, ready to take the crazed man away, Walter said 'I don't think so, Mark. This is where I belong -with my family.' He looked at the team around him, 'It's over for good.'

He watched as Cabe took Collins away and quietly added 'Bye, Mark.'

Walter suddenly found his knees giving way underneath him. Florence and Sylvester helped him to the couch, and the others and Paige fussed around him.

'Not quite as recovered as I thought?' Toby said, taking Walter's pulse.

'No... I'm fine. It's not that- I just... just realised what we nearly did- what I nearly did! We could have destroyed lives- or changed history forever! I don't understand how I could have been so...'

'Stupid? Megalomaniacal?' Toby provided.

'Taken in!' Walter finished. 'It all seemed so right, and exciting. Just thinking of Megan... Oh, I'm such a fool!'

'Hey, don't be so hard on yourself! It shows you're more human than you thought, Walter. We all make mistakes, and Collins obviously wanted to pay you back for having him committed.' Paige soothed.

'Emotional dumpster fire? Egotistical...' Toby continued, enjoying himself. 'Putz?'

The others laughed as Happy knocked Toby's hat off his head. With that, Bueller grabbed it in his mouth and ran off with it, Toby chasing the ferret yelling at it loudly as they darted around the garage.

Paige looked at the very dejected Walter who was looking down at his hands, and whispered 'Walter may I...' gesturing to him to move away from the others.

'Yep.' Walter looked nervous but followed. They both looked at each other and then away with a slight smile. Walter perched on the edge of a table and looked at her, wondering what she was going to say.

Paige took a deep breath 'OK, so I'm just gonna say it, so don't interrupt me or I won't get through,'

'OK'

'Walter, I said some mean things to you back then...'

'No... it wasn't your fault...'

Paige put her finger on his lips. 'Let me finish.'

'Sorry...' Paige looked at him, half in amusement, half exasperation. 'OK carry on.'

Paige sighed. 'I said some pretty mean things to you.' she repeated. 'Some of them were true, I mean you do go on about facts all of the time- about everything, where a more... emotional approach might be more... palatable. Like how the sea looks beautiful in the sun...'

'Instead of an oceanographic lecture.' Walter said. 'I get it.'

They laughed and relaxed a little, not feeling so awkward and uncomfortable.

'And you do have a habit of needing boyfriend lessons, I just wanted more spontaneity from you...'

'Like when I made that stupid tape?'

'Yes! That's it! You say it's stupid, I say it was perfect, from the heart.'

Walter seemed to be wrestling with his thoughts for a moment. 'I... I know you'd like all those things, but I just don't think like that, Paige' he explained. 'I'm not your... normal guy. I know I'm difficult and can't relate to humans. It was inevitable that we wouldn't last- m... maybe it was the best thing...'

'Oh!' Paige began, disappointed.

'But I want you to know, you and me...' he gestured with his hand 'It was erm... it was the best thing that ever happened to me. You all thought I wanted Florence, and yes...'

Paige looked up sharply.

'I did enjoy working with her on theorems on the whiteboard but, and I've got a big but...'

'But?' Paige prompted, smiling but trying to ignore the fact that Walter hadn't realised what he'd said.

'But how could I possibly... prefer her over you? Yes, she's presentable enough and has quite a high IQ, but it's like comparing an asteroid and a meteor.'

'It is?' Paige said, confused.

'Truth is... I...' Walter took a breath. 'I've been in love with you for years. It's been hard for me to process - then with Drew and Tim in the mix... but it's a fact, and I always state facts! I... I got confused with the whole 'white lie' thing, but didn't mean to hurt you. It's because I don't have feelings like that, that I can't always process it.'

'Walter. I think you have more feelings than you think, you just don't like to acknowledge, or know how to deal with them. I've seen how much you care for Ralph, and Megan. I've seen you put yourself in danger for others countless times. You've just got to learn how to voice those feelings.'

Walter thought carefully. Paige thought he looked like a little lost boy and her heart slipped a beat at the sight.

'Maybe ' he finally admitted. 'I know I've changed a little. Maybe I'm evolving, but I understand it's not good enough for you- for us. What was it... I emotionally equate to a 15 year old?'

'Walter! Don't use my words against me! Look, I've had a lot of time to think. Mainly when I've been crying in my bed at night!'

Walter looked dumbstruck 'I'm sorry.' he finally said 'I didn't want you to be unhappy.' he looked down at his hands again.

Paige grasped them, and held them in hers. 'No, no... that's not it. I'm trying to tell you that I've realised that opposites attract. You like one thing and I like another. We don't have to do the same things together all the time. You could go to your lectures and I could go to poetry or music evenings - we don't always have to drag the other along. As long as we're open and honest with each other.'

'You mean tell you if I go with Flo to a conference? '

'She'd tell you to say Florence,' Paige laughed 'but yes. Don't hide things from me. That breeds mistrust and paranoia.'

'Yes. I see that now.' Walter said.

'And I'd also have to be honest if I didn't want to go to some stuffy lecture. You see? But I would still want to do things with you, and not always with the IQ you. Sometimes I'd like an EQ Walter to enjoy the beauty of the moment, or the simplicity of a game of charades just for fun!'

'Does this mean?' Walter looked Paige fully in the eyes. She felt tingles all through her body, and it was all she could do to hold back and not dive on him there and then- to feel his lips on hers and his strong arms around her.

She swallowed and tried to drag her eyes away. 'Damn it,' she thought, 'I want him so bad right now!' She took a moment to compose herself, but Walter took it the wrong way.

'I'm... I'm sorry. I know that's not what you want. I don't want to pressure you into something you don't want. You've probably got a jock for a boyfriend now anyway.'

'Walter Patrick O'Brien! How can you suggest such a thing! I most certainly have not!'

'Oh. You haven't? No boyfriend, or just not a jock?'

'No boyfriend. Oh I've had offers- they just seemed pale in comparison with you. Have you...?'

'Me? No! I don't like boys, not that there's anything wrong with that. I just prefer... what?' Walter said confusing the question.

Paige laughed. 'No! A girlfriend, silly!'

'Oh. Sorry! No I haven't even been looking! Not many girls down the rabbit hole!'

'Good!' Paige said.

'Good?' Walter repeated, his heart beginning to race.

'Yes good!' Paige placed her hand on his leg, slowly moving it up towards his thigh.

'You... you want to t... try... to try again...?' Walter was hardly able to get the words out as he watched her fingers trailing up his leg.

'What do you think?' Paige whispered as her hand moved from his leg up to his chest, then to his face, tracing the contour of his chin.

She smiled as he let out an involuntary groan as she grasped a handful of his hair and pulled him to her.

'Paige!' Walter managed to stutter. 'We... we're in full view of...'

'Well, let's sort that out- I can't wait any longer. Mama's a little... pent up! But if you don't feel strong enough...'

'I'm fine now! Walter stuttered, an incredulous on his face. Who wants to think about anything else when Paige was standing there with that... look on her face that he knew so well! With a grin at the others sat in the garage, Paige grabbed Walter by his tie and pulled him up and dragged him up the stairs to the loft.

'Come on genius-boy!' she whispered 'time to nude up!'

The End.

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was a little 'me time' escape from the horrors of home learning and lockdown, and a hopefully a nicer end than season 4, if a little angsty along the way! Thank you so much to everyone that read my fic, and especially those that favourited, followed and reviewed. It's so nice of you! I really have appreciated your kind words which have kept me going! See you again soon! X