3. Chapter: Awkward observations

When they arrived at the Homeland building, Emilia Burns, agent Baker's assistant, led them into her boss' office. There the team discussed briefly their progress.

"Our software is finished," Walter reported. "If anyone tries to sell or contribute the information online, we know it."

"And an automatic tracking process starts immediately to search for the location of the traitor," Sylvester added.

"Impressive," agent Baker stated who was a man in Cabe's age.

Cabe and agent Baker decided to introduce team Scorpion as what they were: Private contractors, who were working with Homeland to solve high risk problems. Their cover story was really simple as well: The newly founded task force would get some scenarios and members of Scorpion would accompany them to show them more effective or unconventional solutions.

During these training scenarios Cabe would work together with Baker's security personnel and his assistant, while Paige and Toby would collaborate with the medical and scientific staff, who supervised the whole project. All of them would try to gather evidence for potential suspects.

When everyone had put in their coms Cabe announced: "We are ready."

"Great, I'll accompany you downstairs where our training sessions are planned. You can meet everyone there and start your work." Clearly Baker wanted to solve this mess as fast as possible.

During the elevator ride Toby's inner tension built up again, but he tried to stay calm. Happy didn't look too relax either, but when they entered a big control center she casually bumped him into the side with her elbow and they smiled briefly at each other.

Then agent Baker introduced each member of the project and Happy felt thunderstruck when he pointed at her. The mechanical engineer didn't know what she expected Toby's ex-fiancé to look like, but when she actually saw her she realized one thing in particular: Amy wasn't like her at all.

The woman was taller than her, had straight, strawberry-blonde hair and a modern cut. She was wearing a silk blouse in some pastel pink color, a tight grey skirt, matching high heels and a little bit of make-up. Her whole appearance was professional, but classy at the same time and her personality seemed open and friendly.

Happy already assumed that it would be kind of weird to meet the woman he had been fond of for such a long time, but actually seeing her and realizing that they had nothing in common really irritated her. It confused her so much, so that she didn't even realize that Baker had formed teams and had sent them into different rooms.

Paige recognized that Happy had frozen and touched her shoulder. "Is everything alright?"

Before Happy could squeeze out some random excuse, she said: "I'm not like her at all."

The other woman smiled friendly. "Maybe that's the reason why he is into you and not her any more."

"Or he is just distracting himself from the woman he loved with me, her complete opposite," Happy mumbled to no one in particular, although Paige could hear her very well.

"No, Happy. That's unfair." Paige was a hundred percent sure that Toby was totally in love with his team mate no matter how much she was or wasn't like his ex. "He really likes you and you shouldn't compare yourself to her. Such thoughts always end badly."

"It doesn't matter," was all Happy responded before she followed the group she was assigned to.

Toby knew he was blowing it already. During the introduction he had been absent-minded, because he had tried to read Amy's micro expressions. On the one hand it was obvious that she was surprised to see him, but on the other hand she didn't seem too shocked. Maybe Quincy had told her that Toby was working with Homeland now.

When the task force members, Walter, Sylvester and Happy went into their rooms to solve their individually designed problems Toby positioned himself in front of some screens that showed him all participants at once. He knew Paige would handle Marcia Herolds while he would try to check on the other possible targets.

After some time someone touched his shoulder. Amy was standing besides him with a familiar smile. "Hey, I was surprised to see you," she said. "You look … good."

"Not like the gambling world class shrink you remember", he asked, before he recognized that it sounded kind of aggressive. So he added: "I was surprised to see you too."

"Look, … Toby," she started, but he interrupted her.

"Amy, we shouldn't discuss this right here." Toby was looking around, recognizing Paige who was observing him closely. "Maybe we could step out for a second and then concentrate on work?"

For an eternity they just stared at each other and Toby thought that she wouldn't want to talk to him, after all that had happened, but then her face signalized that she would accept his suggestion.

"Yeah, why not," she admitted and they left the control center. Amy led him to an empty bureau across the hall. Toby took out his com discretely and put it in his jacket. Then he adjusted his hat, like always when he felt really uncomfortable. When the door closed behind them it was kind of awkward. No one was talking at first and then they both started simultaneously:

"I just wanted to …"

"I want you to know …"

Both let out a tense laugh and looked at each other.

"Ladies first," Toby decided and made a small gesture with his right hand to signalize her, that she could start.

"I know you wanted to talk to me after we broke up, but I simply couldn't. You didn't understand that I needed space to think about you and me and Quincy. And I …" Amy's voice sounded calm and soothing like he remembered it, but something was different.

Toby did listen to her explanation closely and noted that it wasn't like he had expected it at all. She wasn't blaming him for his addiction or his messed up personality. In fact Amy apologized, because she hadn't been honest with him. And then he got it. She had fallen in love with Quincy long before their relationship had been officially wrecked down. While he had tried to build a steady life for the two of them, she had liked someone else. His attempts at being a good fiancé may have been poorly, but in the end he had tried.

When Amy ended her speech she waited for him to reciprocate, but he was silent. "Tobias, say something!"

He looked at her and Toby saw that she had told him the truth. He finally got that they had never meant to be together. All this years he had fooled himself and her as well. Without even knowing it! He was really relieved and laughed. "I appreciate your honesty and I accept your apology," he told her honestly. "I also want to apologize, because I was a wreck and I thought that being with you, a well-behaved, collected, smart and classy woman, would make me normal and stable as well, but I was completely wrong."

"What are you talking about," Amy wanted to now, but Toby shook his head.

"It doesn't matter any more," he realized. "I wish you all the best and I hope you have the life you dreamt of."

Amy looked rather confused and didn't know what to say, especially because Toby acted completely relieved and seemed happy.

Tobias M. Curtis was astonished. He was in one room with the woman he once thought he would spend the rest of his life with and she had recently told him that she betrayed him with his nemesis. All he felt was closure. After some rocky road behind him he knew that this chapter of his life was officially behind him. And the only thing he could think of at this very moment was a beautiful, strong-willed, smart and unpredictable mechanical engineer with tiny hamster hands. He swore to himself that he would snog her senseless as soon as he got a chance.

Toby had the biggest smile on his face when he heard a metallic click from the door behind him. He turned around and saw a red light blinking next to the security door. There also was a small screen near the door saying: "COMPLETE LOCKDOWN"

"Not good," Toby quoted the woman he thought of seconds ago.