Chapter Four- It isn't healthy to pretend we're not hurting.(Quote from S1 E11)

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

I hope you like this chapter! I'm not a genius, nor a doctor, so please excuse my medical knowledge if it's a bit off. Its ff after all, so it's all in my head! Please be kind!

An awful sight met the team when they'd got to the garage. There was a fair amount of blood on the walls and floor. Walter lay in a heap where he'd fallen, and they could just about make out his rasping breaths. Toby dashed to his side. 'Don't give up on us now, pal.' he pleaded, testing Walter's pulse with two fingers on his neck. 'He's breathing, but he's lost a lot of blood. Pass me a towel, Paige.' he continued, trying to stem the flow of blood by putting pressure on the wound.

'Are... are Collins and his henchman still around?' Happy asked Cabe, who had immediately done a quick recce of the garage and surrounding area.

'It's all clear. They've gone.'

Happy breathed a sigh of relief, she was worried for her husband- Collins still had it in for him, she didn't think he'd ever stop blaming Toby for not getting him released at his competency hearing.

'Don't worry, I've called Homeland. He and that gorilla of his will soon be back where they belong- in jail. How is he?' he added, looking down at Walter, a crease furrowing across his brow. These kids, especially Walter, meant so much to him. He knew they'd eventually sort out their differences, he just didn't want it to be under these circumstances.

'Not good.' Toby stated, not realising he'd used Happy's favourite phrase, and receiving a frown from her. 'But at least he's breathing. From the look of him, though, he's all skin and bones. Doesn't look like he's had a good meal in weeks. Be harder to fight the injury if he's not got the strength. Where's that ambulance!'

Centipede looked at each other, guiltily. They knew they were responsible for Walter's state of health. Paige glanced away. She just couldn't bear it. Of course she still loved Walter. She was stubborn and hadn't wanted to admit it to the team. She'd publicly berated and dumped him, and she felt so bad about it. She'd started Centipede, and taken Walter's beloved Scorpion away from him. That was the worst thing she could have done to him, and she knew it. She just hadn't known how to fix it. So much for being the one that could teach them all how to be more human. She'd failed Walter spectacularly and now he was lying there not knowing that all of them with the exception of Sly were here. She'd been hurt and jealous and furious and the words had flown out of her mouth in a torrent. She and the others had hurt Walter so much, and it was all her fault- she had been the one who wasn't human.

She surreptitiously wiped away her tears, and swore softly to herself that if Walter survived, she would make it right. He probably wouldn't want her to get back with him again, but that was her fault and she'd have to live with it. She'd give him back his team and life's work and take whatever small part in his and their lives Walter would allow. She owed him that much, even if she had to become a waitress again.

'Ambulance is here!' Happy announced, standing at the entrance to the garage.

Walter was placed on the stretcher, a mask over his pale face. They couldn't see any sign of life except his chest rising and falling slightly.

'Sorry.' the paramedic stated 'Liability rules dictate only family can come aboard.'

'I am family.' Cabe announced. 'I'm his father.'

'OK, get in.'

Cabe climbed into the back of the ambulance and as it screamed away, sirens blazing, cutting through the night silence, the others looked at each other.

'Well, I guess we'd better go home now...' Toby began.

'No.' Happy said 'I'm going to the hospital. Walter's still my friend, even if I haven't been much of one lately.'

'Me too!' Toby agreed.

Paige took a deep breath, and smiled wryly. 'Me too.'

A voice joined them from the doorway of the garage. 'Me too.' said Sylvester. 'Walter's my brother. I'm coming too.'

With that they all dashed off into the night to make haste to get to the hospital where Walter had been taken.

~OooO~

Happy and Toby were snuggled up together on the chairs in the waiting room of the hospital, Happy's head resting on her husband's shoulder, chatting softly. Cabe was slouching on the chair next to them, head in hands, not responding to anyone and far away in his own thoughts. He blamed himself for Walter's state- he should have looked after the kid better and try to get the others to come back- at least to talk calmly together once everyone's anger had abated.

After Walter had disbanded Scorpion, Cabe had spent more time with Allie, when he should have been supporting Walter. Cabe and Allie had moved forward with their relationship, and Cabe had been so single- minded in his new found family that Walter had taken second place. He was as bad as the others, he thought. He should have checked that Walter was eating and sleeping and not going down what the others had called 'the rabbit hole'.

Sly and Paige were standing by the coffee machine, getting drinks for everyone. It was going to be a long night! They'd had their fair share of hospitals for one or another of them in the past, but Walter seemed to be especially prone to spending some time in the hospital. As upset as she was, Paige smiled wryly to herself- they might as well rent a room for him at this rate, she thought.

'Is this the O'Brien party?' a doctor's voice echoed through the waiting room.

Cabe dived up and nodded. The others gathered round as the doctor spoke. 'Well, you'll be pleased to hear that Mr O'Brien is comfortable and stable. He's obviously been attacked and we will need to contact the cops...'

'It's alright, doctor,' Cabe interjected, showing his badge 'I'm with Homeland. We know all about it!'

'Oh, that's OK then. Good. Well, as I was saying, Mr O'Brien is stable. The bullet was a clean wound- it went straight through without damaging any vital organs. He also has a mandible fracture of the jaw...'

'That's a break to the lower jaw.' Toby whispered to Paige.

'... where he had been hit with some force...'

'Ten- Ton's fist!' Toby interjected again. 'What?' he said as Happy punched him on the arm for interrupting.

'Toby, your ass better be a size 12 because that's the size shoe I'm wearing!' Cabe growled, silencing Toby.

'He just needs to rest so that the bones can heal. He also has some cracked ribs, but nothing too serious,' the doctor continued, ignoring the squabbling.

'Well, that's good, doctor.' Cabe sighed.

'Yes, however there is something I am very concerned about. Mr O'Brien appears to be very sleep deprived...'

'Yeah, he's a scientist... forgets to sleep!' Happy interjected.

'... and malnourished.' the doctor finished.

'and eat!' Happy said weakly.

'He also doesn't appear to be fighting very hard. We find that patients who have a lot to live for fight for their lives. Mr O'Brien seems to have shut down- given up. Although it's past visiting, perhaps you, as his family could sit with him- talk to him and encourage him to aid his recovery?'

'Of course, doctor.' Cabe answered 'We'll do everything we can.'

The doctor bowed her head at them in acknowledgement and left them alone after telling them where to find Walter's room. They all looked at each other in distress.

Paige hadn't said a word. She was distraught. Again she ran through that night. She knew Walter didn't know how to handle a heated argument, and with Sylvester, then her verbally attacking him, embarrassing him in front of everyone, it was no wonder the fight had got out of hand. She should have taken control and talked him down rather than say those hurtful words the way she had. She gave up all pretence, and burst into tears, finding Cabe's strong solid shoulder to weep into.

'It's all my fault.' she cried inconsolably. She resolutely lifted her head and wiped away the tears. 'I'm going to stay with him every minute until he's better!' she announced.

'We all will.' Cabe decided. 'We'll do it in shifts. One or two of us at a time. We won't leave his side. That way, we'll all be able to have periods for rest and food. We won't be any good to him if we get ill too. Paige- you and I will take the first shift...'

'Good idea, Cabe.' everyone agreed. 'Let's let him know he's not alone anymore.'

They all looked at Sylvester. 'I agree.' he simply said. 'Although it's not going to be easy. I mean, even if he can bring himself to speak to us, will he forgive us? He's very stubborn.'

'Well, we'll be stubborn too.' Toby said 'I'll psych the hell outta him, and he'll be fine. We all will, you'll see. It will all work out, Paige, I promise...'

To Be Continued...