Chapter 2.
"What happened to the decision chart you made yesterday?" Happy stood with her hands on her hips as she confronted Walter.
"I… I… I erased it," replied Walter. "It didn't help, the number of reasons for and against was the same."
"Just tell her!" hissed Sylvester. "I can't take any more of this!"
"But… but yesterday Toby said I shouldn't tell her," replied Walter with a dismissive shrug. He turned his back on his friends and marched off towards the kitchen.
"I didn't say that!" exclaimed Toby, storming after Walter.
"You did," replied Walter, spinning round to face Toby. "You said telling Paige about the lecture would hurt her."
"No, no, no, you can't pin this on me, pal," Toby responded, pointing an accusatory finger at Walter. "I said you had a conundrum to solve," he tried to explain. "I was trying to give you the tools to make an informed choice."
"But… but I can't…" replied Walter. His palms had started to sweat and he could feel the heat rising in his face. "I… I…" he stammered.
"I can't make your decision for you," said Toby. "But if it helps, I don't think you've got much choice now. Paige is freaking out. In fact, she might just be relieved to find out it's something so dumb after all."
"I… I don't want to hurt her," said Walter, his voice hitching. "It… it wasn't meant to be like this," he said. "I… I just didn't think."
"You never do, O'Brien," said Happy, pointedly. "Now she figures you're cheating on her."
"Ch… cheating?" repeated Walter, stunned. "With Florence?"
"No, with Sly's pal, Dyfog," retorted Toby.
"Er, it's Dyfrost," Sylvester pointed out. The others turned to glare at him. "Y'know," he continued, as beads of sweat began to form at his brow. "I think I lost… er… something outside. I'd better go look for it." Sylvester really couldn't take any more of the atmosphere, it was possibly the most uncomfortable he'd ever felt in the garage. Without another word he hurried out of the back door.
"I'll, um, I'll go check on Sly," said Happy. She was just as keen to leave. The whole situation had made her so angry and she hated feeling angry with Walter, but she couldn't seem to shake it.
"You see what you've done?" said Toby once his wife was out of earshot. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately. You used to care about us, you used to care about the team, but now it's all about you. You bagged yourself a girlfriend who's way outta your league and you have no idea how to deal with it, so you're treating her like your latest experiment!"
"That… that's not true," insisted Walter, his expression drawn. "I love Paige."
"Oh, I know you love her, Walt!" replied Toby, throwing his hands in the air. "I can see it in your eyes, every day, but then you go and do something really dumb like this and Paige doesn't know where she stands. When was the last time she stayed the night?"
Walter visibly recoiled at the question. "I… I…"
"C'mon," urged Toby. "I'm a doctor and a married man… and your friend. Answer the question."
"Um, last week… no, the week before - Tuesday, when Ralph and Sylvester went to that comic fair together," replied Walter, his face flushing red. "Toby, there's nothing wrong with… with our…" he trailed off.
"Sex life?" Toby finished his sentence for him. "If you say so, pal, but you guys should still be in the honeymoon phase. From where I'm standing you have a lot of work to do. Both of you. Paige is ready to take her share of the blame, but she needs the same from you, or there'll be no more bedroom action for you."
"When we're… intimate… everything else is…" Walter couldn't find the words.
"I get it," Toby answered. Fortunately for Walter, a genius behaviourist didn't need words. "But relationships are all about give and take," Toby continued. "You gotta lose that O'Brien stubborn streak. This ain't just about the lecture, now. You're heading for a total communication breakdown."
"Breakdown?" Walter slumped down in a chair. His head was spinning as he desperately tried to think of a way to change what had happened, but short of going back in time and not lying to Paige about the lecture being cancelled and then not taking Florence instead, he knew there was nothing he could do. "I didn't know any of this would happen," he said eventually. "This isn't what I wanted."
Toby pulled up a chair and sat across the table from Walter. "I know," he said gently. He knew he was tough on Walter sometimes, but he found his fellow genius' lack of progress so frustrating. Toby knew he didn't always show it, but he cared deeply about Walter and about Paige too and he knew they could be good together, but right now he was struggling to see their future together unless they both made the effort to change. Toby reached across the table and grasped Walter's forearm.
Walter instinctively moved to snatch his arm away, but then he locked his gaze with Toby and allowed the supportive gesture from his friend. He had never needed him more, he realised. He needed the team… his family. He needed Paige. Tears stung his eyes and he took a deep breath to regain control.
"She's the love of my life, Toby," he said Walter, his voice cracking with emotion. "I told her so last night."
"You did? Gotta say I'm impressed," replied Toby. "Maybe you have made some progress after all?"
"Alright," Walter said, suddenly. "Alright, I'll tell her. N… n… now."
"Right now?"
"Yes. Right now." Walter got to his feet, the tears in his eyes replaced with a look of determination.
"OK, but listen to me, Walt," said Toby, seriously. "Paige knows something's going on. Her psyche has convinced her that's it's something bad and I mean Twitter-offline-for-twelve-hours bad, so choose your words carefully. Speak from the heart. You'll have to chip off the ice first, of course."
"Is this supposed to be a pep talk?" asked Walter, screwing up his face. "Because it's not helping. I'm already… a little apprehensive as it is."
"And Walter O'Brien wins the Understatement of the Year award again!" Toby rolled his eyes.
"OK, OK, so I'm more than a little… nervous… I'm…" Walter trailed off and took a deep breath. "Toby, I… I don't want to lose her."
Toby expression softened. Walter was showing genuine fear markers and he couldn't help but have sympathy for him. Walter wouldn't be in this situation in the first place if Paige hadn't taught him that lying was acceptable in a relationship. Paige's intentions had been good, but she'd completely misjudged how Walter would interpret her words and now she was paying the price.
"You're not gonna lose her," Toby tried to reassure him. "Just tell her what happened, be honest with her. Tell her it meant nothing and apologise for keeping it from her for so long."
"You… you make it sound so simple," replied Walter, quietly.
Toby watched as Walter walked towards the stairs. "Don't screw this up, One Ninety Seven," he muttered under his breath.
Walter climbed the first few steps two at a time. His heart was pounding as he ran over what he planned to say in his mind. He hesitated a few steps from the top and completed the flight of stairs far more gingerly than he'd begun.
As he stepped into the loft he could see Paige on the bed. Her bandaged hands were at her sides and her breathing was light. Walter took a moment to calm his nerves. She looked contented - peaceful - and he drew comfort from her.
"Paige," he said softly, but she didn't answer him. He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. "Paige," he tried again. "I'm… I'm sorry to wake you, but… but I need to talk to you."
Paige murmured and her eyes briefly flickered open, before they drifted shut again.
Walter slipped his hand gently around hers. The bandaged palm reminded him of the incredible feat she had accomplished yesterday and he couldn't be more proud of her. "Paige?"
"Walter?" Paige's voice was croaky and her eyes opened again, this time for a moment longer before they closed again.
"Paige, I need to tell you something," said Walter. "And… and I need you to listen to me, don't say anything. Just let me finish, because I need you to understand how I… how I feel… about you… and you know how hard it is f… f… for me to express my feelings."
Walter paused for breath. His brow furrowed and he tenderly touched the side of Paige's face with his fingertips. "Paige? Are you awake?"
"Mmmm… I'm awake…" mumbled Paige and Walter released the breath he was holding.
"Good, good, because I… I've done something and… and I realise now that it w…was really stupid, but I promise you I didn't mean to hurt you," he said.
He got to his feet and began pacing across the loft.
"Remember the lecture that was cancelled? I lied to you, Paige, it wasn't cancelled. I knew you didn't really want to go so I thought I was doing the right thing. It was a white lie. You… you told me that white lies are used to spare someone's feelings. I wanted to spare your feelings, but I should have been honest with you. I'm sorry."
He stopped talking, half expecting Paige to speak, even though he had asked her not to say anything. "Paige? Did you hear me?" he asked.
"Mmmm… yes…" was her only response. It was enough for Walter, he couldn't face a conversation right now. He just wanted to say what he had to say. It had been weighing so heavily on him for such a long time that he thought if he didn't unburden himself now he might just crumble under the pressure.
Paige was clearly exhausted. Walter wanted to climb into bed with her, wrap his arms around her and fall asleep. He needed to feel close to her again, but first he owed it to her to tell her the truth - the whole truth. Then he would take whatever punishment came his way.
He took another deep breath. The white lie part had been the easy part. Paige wasn't really going to care too much that he lied about the lecture being cancelled. The issue was Florence. The issue was that he'd chosen to take someone else instead – another woman – and kept it from Paige, deliberately deceiving her over his whereabouts that evening. However honourable his intentions had been, he now realised what a huge mistake he'd made. He could feel his heart rate rising as he prepared to speak again.
"Paige, there's something else," he said. "I went to the lecture… with Florence. I didn't want to go alone and everyone else was busy, so… so I asked F… F… Florence. Happy saw us leave and jumped to conclusions, but she was wrong. I simply didn't want to waste the extra ticket. You have to know it meant nothing. It did not occur to me to tell you about it afterwards, I should have considered your feelings, but I didn't. I would never deliberately do anything to hurt you, but… but Toby and Happy have made me realise that my actions may have done exactly that. I will never lie to you again, never, I promise."
Walter sat down on the edge of the bed again. "Paige, you… you can speak now. Please forgive me. Please…" He trailed off and closed his eyes, waiting to hear the pain in her voice. Waiting for her to say she could never forgive him. Waiting.
Nothing.
"Paige?" Her eyes were closed again and Walter shook her shoulder gently. "Toby said we don't communicate well," he continued. "I know that's probably my fault, but I'm trying, Paige. I want to learn, you've taught me so much already. I'll try harder. I'm sorry I can't be who you want me to be, but I'm asking you to love me for who I am."
A surge of emotion threatened to overwhelm him as he spoke. The silence from Paige was deafening. He had been afraid of her response, but he had not expected her to shut down completely.
"Please," he begged. "I never expected to fall in love with you - with anyone - and it's completely overwhelming. I... I don't know how to process everything I feel. I don't know that I ever will, so if you need more from me then… if… if you need to leave, then I can't make you stay. But please, Paige, please don't leave me. I love you. I don't think I can survive in this world without you."
Paige turned her head and blinked deeply. "Walter… I…" She swallowed hard and lifted her head from the pillow. "What did you say?" she asked.
Walter's heart sank. Had she been asleep the whole time? "I… I thought you were awake…" He'd just poured his heart out to her, hadn't she heard him?
"Oh… um, I guess I couldn't keep my eyes open," replied Paige, squinting at him. "I think I was dreaming… about falling… from the plane. What were you talking about?"
She pushed herself up onto her elbows and saw the anguished look on Walter's face. Her blood ran cold - had Walter just admitted to an affair? With whom? She hadn't even considered who the other party might be yet. How could she have slept through something so important?
"Talk to me, Walter," she said, sitting upright and grasping his wrists tightly, oblivious to the pain in her injured palms. "Please… I can't take this anymore… I…"
"OK, geniuses, listen up!" It was Cabe's voice.
Walter broke away from Paige and ran to the top of the stairs, just as the door slammed behind Cabe. He leaned over the railings and watched the older man step into the garage, waving a manila casefile in the air. "This one's a hot one. Literally. Underground fire, lives are at stake, we need to mobilise. Where is everyone, Doc?"
"Sly and Hap are out back, I'll go get them," replied Toby and Walter saw him racing off to find the others.
Walter turned back to Paige, his emotions torn in two. He needed to talk to her - he desperately needed to talk to her - but now people could die if he didn't leave her. "Paige…" he said, swallowing hard.
"Walter…" Paige reached out to him, but she knew what he was going to do. What he had to do. "Go," she said. "You heard Cabe, lives are at stake."
Walter hesitated for another moment before nodding and running down the stairs, just as Toby returned with Happy and Sylvester.
"Oh, there you are, Son," said Cabe.
Walter acknowledged him with nothing more than a silent nod.
"Where's Paige?" asked Cabe with a frown.
"Upstairs, resting," replied Walter.
"She could co-ordinate from here?" suggested Toby. "Can't do much with her hands today anyway."
Cabe nodded in agreement. "The fire's out of control and there are eleven people trapped," he explained. "Get your gear, I'll fill you in on the way."
Toby glanced at Walter, his eyebrows raised in an inquiring gesture. All Walter could do was shake his head.
Toby's mouth fell open. "You didn't tell her?" he hissed as he grabbed his medical bag.
"I… I did," replied Walter, tucking his laptop under his arm. "But she… she was asleep. She didn't hear me."
"Man with the one ninety seven IQ can't tell if someone's asleep now?" exclaimed Toby, shaking his head in despair.
"I… I thought she was awake, she answered me," Walter tried to explain. "I… I just wanted to get the words out… I'm such an idiot." He gritted his teeth, he'd never felt as angry with himself as he did at that moment.
Happy appeared, holding three comms devices in her hands. "Here," she said and Toby and Walter took one each. "There's one for the waitress, too." She paused, looking from Walter to Toby and then back to Walter. "You didn't tell her, did you," she said in disbelief. She balled her hands into fists at her side and it took all her self-control not to throw one of them at Walter's jaw.
"I tried," said Walter, his eyes glistening with tears again. "I did, I tried."
"Move!" yelled Cabe from the doorway and Sylvester hurried across the garage to join him. Walter had nothing else to say to Toby, or Happy, so he ran after them.
"What are we gonna do?" Happy asked her husband.
Toby shrugged. "I'm out of ideas," he responded. "But I think Walt might just be able to do this. His timing sucks, that's all." He glanced up as Paige walked slowly down the stairs.
Happy saw her too. "I'll see you in the truck, Doc," she said handing Toby the extra comm. "You've got thirty seconds."
Toby nodded and walked over to meet Paige at the foot of the stairs. "Sleep well?" he asked.
"He tried to tell me something," she responded in a shaky voice. "He was going to tell me he's cheating on me, I just know it."
"He's not cheating on you," insisted Toby. "You have to trust me on this one. And he wants to fix things. Just hold on until we get back."
"How can you be so sure?" responded Paige.
Toby knew he had to leave - he had no more time to explain, no time to reassure Paige. He brushed the hair away from the side of her face and slipped the spare comm into her ear, knowing that she'd fumble to do it herself with her bandaged hands.
"We have a case," he said. "Scorpion needs you, Walter needs you."
He grasped her shoulders and looked into her eyes. He knew she could be strong, she'd demonstrated that yesterday as the sharp metal had sliced into her hands, but right now he didn't know if she had the strength to fight against her insecurities.
"Everything's gonna be OK," he said and he ran out to join the others.
Paige stood motionless as the door closed behind him. "I hope you're right, Toby," she whispered to herself. Tears started to fall down her cheeks as she realised she was alone. She couldn't shake the fear that it was a feeling she might have to get used to. "Walter… I didn't mean to push you away, I'm sorry I drove you to this," she said under her breath, knowing he couldn't hear her. "I love you."
THE END.
(A/N - I know it's not exactly a 'happy ever after' ending, but I always feel a little uncomfortable writing anything that doesn't fit in with canon. I thought this ending at least gives us some hope! And I trust the writers to give us a happy ever after on screen, one way or the other. Thank you for reading.)