WriterFreak001:

I'm baaaaaack! :)

I'll give this puppy a few more chapters and then finish up Model Behavior (which has one chapter left, btw) and then add to Poaching. Poaching doesn't have much longer left, either so once MB is done, my focus will only be on this story and Poaching. And I suspect Poaching will be completed before this AU fic, and once THAT is done, my attention will be solely on this fic with the exception of some one-shots here and there to add to The Waige Chronicles.

ENJOYYY!

The Scorpion

Written by WriterFreak001

Chapter 5:

Make It Count

~ SCORPION ~

Walter could barely recognize himself in the mirror as he stared at the penguin suit he was wearing. Never before had he ever worn such fine looking clothes, but he could get used to it if it meant spending more time with Paige. Though he knew she was technically engaged to another man, there was just something about her that drew him to her, and he couldn't stop thinking about her. She was dangerously beautiful, her laugh possessed a musical quality like bells chiming in the wind, and her smile. God, her smile. The way her smile colored her lips did crazy, unspeakable things to him, and he never wanted to stop seeing her smile. Ever. Paige Dineen was a stunning woman, and he enjoyed spending time with her. His sister was right. She was different than most first class ladies he's encountered, and he regretted not allowing Megan to arrange for them to meet sooner.

But she didn't need to know that.

"Son," Cabe crossed his arms and slowly approached the inventor, "whatever you do tonight," he picked up the jacket off of the bed and handed it to him, "don't let them know you're nervous. They're like leeches, they'll want to know everything about you so… if you want to make a strong first impression, don't try to flirt with Miss Dineen tonight. Her mother would throw you into the furnace if you show any interest in Paige."

"I don't," Walter had to chuckle, "I mean, I can't flirt. I'm genetically incapable."

Cabe rolled his eyes dramatically, "Yeah, yeah, and I'm a secret agent for a defense team in the states."

"I'm serious," Walter blinked at the middle-aged man. "I can't flirt. My mind," he tapped his temple, "is unique. I can calculate trajectories and memorize information in seconds, but when it comes to emotions… when it comes to superfluous things like flirting, I am absolutely clueless."

"It didn't seem that way an hour ago," Cabe mumbled, but Walter ignored him as he tried messing with the tie. "Here, let me," Cabe said as he swatted Walter's hands away and smoothed the bowtie underneath the lapels. "Don't feel bad about not being able to tie a tie. I still struggle with these damn things from time to time." He patted the center of the bow and grinned. "There you go."

"I'm surprised… it fits quite well."

"It's an old suit of mine. Don't really know why I still have it, but I lug it around everywhere in the off chance I'll be able to wear it again. Anyway, it suits you better. No pun intended. Paige will be pleased with how handsome you look, but just because you shine up like a new penny and might further impress a certain young woman, don't be getting ideas. If you want to live tonight, you best behave yourself."

"I'm an inventor," Walter scoffed as he centered his bowtie. "I think I can handle one night of scrutiny and arrogance."

"You say that now," Cabe chuckled as he slipped into his black jacket, "but just you wait until you meet Paige's mother, Ruth."

"I've already met Paige's fiancé, Drew; how bad can she be compared to him?" Walter cocked an eyebrow as he turned towards Cabe.

"Believe me," Cabe looped his bowtie slowly, "Drew's behavior is child's play compared to the ruthless Ruth Dineen." He paused and smirked, "Remember the cold stare she gave you?" Walter nodded, and Cabe patted him on the back. "That was just a warmup."

~ SCORPION ~

Paige sighed happily as she entered her bed chambers and bit her lip as she pushed her back against the door to close it. She never thought she could ever enjoy her stay on the Scorpion, but meeting Walter and talking to him and just… being with him… made her voyage all the more pleasant, and she absolutely couldn't wait to see him again at dinner. He was everything she wished Drew would be. He was attentive, he listened to her and made her feel important. He was very… real. He understood the world in ways she could never comprehend, and he didn't try to be someone he wasn't. He didn't try winning her affection, and she greatly admired him for his demeanor.

He respected her in ways Drew never did, and though she knew she had only just met the man, she couldn't stop thinking of him. His name, alone, made her smile, and the thought of spending more time with him made her anxious and breathless and happy all at the same time. She couldn't describe what she was feeling, but she didn't want it to stop.

"Do you need help dressing for the evening, Paige?"

Paige blinked and turned towards Megan, now noticing the remarkable similarities between her and her brother, Walter. "No. Wait! Actually, yes! Yes, I do."

Megan laughed and approached the scatterbrained woman. "Good day?"

"The greatest," Paige flashed a warm smile as she pushed away from the door and turned around for Megan to unhook her dress.

"Oh?" Megan grinned and bit her bottom lip as she unfastened Paige's dress. "And what made it so great?"

Paige's toes curled underneath her shoes, and she smiled even more. "I spent most of the day with your brother."

"Walter?"

Paige hummed. "Mhmm!"

"Did I miss something?" Megan laughed as she finished with the last hook and carefully slid the dress down Paige's shoulders. "How did you two meet?"

"I…," Paige inhaled a deep breath and decided she could trust Megan, "I was upset and was ready to end everything last night, but Walter… He… He saved me…. He talked me out of doing something absolutely horrible, and I looked for him today to thank him, again, for saving my life. Drew…," Paige grimaced at the very name, "He halfheartedly invited Walter to have dinner with us for saving me, and now we're all eating dinner together. It's strange… I'm a little nervous but also very excited to see him again. I want to see him again."

Megan beamed as Paige stepped out of her dress. She picked up the gown and left quickly to hang it up before returning to the obviously smitten woman.

Paige suddenly turned around with hands folded in front of her. "Please tell me everything you know about him!"

Megan chuckled and rolled her eyes playfully. "Wally is… different. He's brilliant beyond our imaginations, and who knows, he might be the smartest person in the world, but he's also the kindest, most generous, most loving brother anyone could have. Despite the fact that I'm the older sibling, he's watched out for me over the years, and I can never thank him enough. He's just too protective sometimes." Megan paused to fetch Paige's evening dress - a red-copper silky gown adorned with black lace and tiny jewels – before continuing. "I feel sorry for him sometimes, though."

"Oh?" Paige frowned as Megan gestured for her to step into her dress. "How so?"

Megan shrugged as she glided the dress over Paige's slender figure. "He's always burying his nose into his notebook where he writes down all of his invention ideas. I just wish he would get out of his head for a while and enjoy life, you know? When he's not diving into his research and his ideas, he's worrying about me. He needs to know that it's okay for him to be selfish every once in a while."

Paige folded her lips inward but couldn't suppress her grin. "I think I can help with that."

Megan blinked and gazed at that woman with curiosity. "Oh, really?"

Paige nodded as her cheeks flushed. "Today… We talked for hours. Not once did he bury his nose into his notebook or withdraw into himself. Maybe by having someone to talk to, you know, somebody whose company he enjoys, he'll crawl out of his shell a little bit more. I mean… I don't want him to stop with his inventions; I think they're quite fascinating, and it would be a shame for him to stop altogether, but I agree. Fresh air and allowing the mind to breathe is important."

Megan chuckled as she finished fastening Paige's dress around her bosom. "Maybe he'll actually listen this time. He hates being told what to do, but I think a woman's touch is exactly what he needs. I know my brother," Megan smoothed down Paige's gown. "He hardly speaks to anybody without reason. Because of who he is, he has a hard time, sometimes, maintaining interest and focus in a single conversation, so it definitely surprises me when you say the two of you have conversed almost all day. If anybody can keep Wally out of his head, then certainly you can."

Paige smiled. "I shall certainly try."

"So…," Megan couldn't help herself, "Do you like my brother?"

Paige licked her lips and smiled. "Very much so."

"Do you think he's handsome?"

Paige's grin grew to her ears. "Oh, absolutely."

~ SCORPION ~

Walter was surprisingly more confident than he thought he would be as he made his way to the First Class Entrance. Even though he was a nobody compared to everybody else beyond the double doors, no one looked down on him as he was politely greeted by the steward. Except for a select few, it seemed as though everyone else thought he was wealthy, and he had to thank Cabe for helping him look the part.

Walter took one step inside the First Class Entrance, and his eyes popped wide open. Everything was so elegant – a very different environment than Third Class. Overhead was an enormous glass dome with a crystal chandelier hanging from its center. The people around him were all dressed in suits and floor-length gowns, and while the women chattered amongst other women, the men, all of them pinning their arms against the smalls of their backs, were grouped together, talking quietly.

So he wouldn't stand out, Walter folded his right arm behind him but kept to himself as he continued to marvel at his surroundings.

Walter hovered over the railing of the First Class Grand Staircase and whistled. Six stories, from what he could tell, swept down to the lower levels of the Scorpion, and he was thoroughly impressed by the staircase's 0pulent architecture. Slowly, he descended the staircase to A deck, and as he passed First Class gentlemen, they greeted him with small nods, and, to be polite, he nodded back and leaned against the bottom railing as he waited for further instructions.

A few minutes pass when Drew, with Paige's mother on his arm, descend the stairs and pass Walter without recognizing him. Drew, just before the pair enter the dining saloon, gave the Irish inventor a slight nod, one gent to another, but Walter barely had time to return the gesture. Walter, hoping Paige was near, turned around slowly and drew in a sharp breath as the woman he had been waiting… yearning… desiring to see carefully descended the staircase. With one gloved hand on the railing, she gracefully stepped down to him, one foot at a time, but Walter, unable to move, was hypnotized by her beauty.

Paige extended her hand to him, and Walter, still imitating the gentlemen's stance, took it, gently kissing the back of her fingers. Paige flushed deeply and beamed noticeably, unable to take her eyes off of him.

"Cabe, uh, he g-gave me some tips to f-follow tonight," Walter stuttered, unsure why he felt the need to explain himself to her. One thing was for sure, though. Every ounce of confidence he felt entering the First Class Entrance completely deserted him the moment he saw Paige floating down the staircase.

"Cabe told you wisely," Paige pinned his fingers to her palm and gently squeezed them.

Walter mindlessly ran his thumb over her knuckles, and she blushed as he muttered, "You look stunning."

"Thank you," she bashfully grinned, "You look rather dashing yourself."

"Thanks," Walter chuckled, "I have Cabe to thank for that."

Paige giggled as she eagerly hooked her arm around his and guided him into the dining saloon where Drew and her mother were conversing amongst themselves. "Drew," Paige said casually as they approached them, "You remember Mr. O'Brien."

Drew, caught off guard, gave Walter a quick onceover and exclaimed, "O'Brien! I didn't recognize you!" He paused as he noticed Walter's posture, "Amazing! You could almost pass for a gentlemen."

"Don't be so crude, Drew," Paige said quietly. "He's dressed better than you on most days."

Drew, though obvious he didn't like Paige's smart comment, feigned laughter as Paige absentmindedly tugged Walter closer to her. She knew it was going to be brutal for Walter to be in a world he wasn't used to, but she was prepared for anything Drew, or anybody else, might throw his way.

"Paige! Watch your tongue!" Ruth snapped, but Drew touched her mother's shoulder to console her.

"No, it's quite all right." Drew forced a chuckle, "She's right. I do have a tendency to dress down every once in a while, but at least I don't dress like a beggar from Third Class."

Paige's mother nodded in agreement as Paige's victorious smile faltered. Walter, to her surprise, took a step towards Drew and said, "I bet you wouldn't even last a day in Third Class."

Drew shrugged nonchalantly. "Perhaps not, but," he chuckled loudly, "with money like mine, why would I ever need to visit that dreadful eyesore in the first place?"

Walter clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as Drew and Ruth turned from them. Paige immediately sensed Walter's anger and cupped his right fist inside her hands. "Hey," she whispered quietly, "Drew is ignorant and conceited. Over the years, I've learned to ignore mostly everything he's ever said. You can too." Paige paused and then added, "He's not worth your punch."

Walter, surprisingly calm, sighed quietly and nodded, knowing Paige was right. Paige slowly walked Walter in the opposite direction of Drew and nodded towards a couple several feet in front of them. She quietly pointed out several notables but paused when she heard Sir Cosmo, one of the said notables, call out to her fiancé as he looked at Paige like she was some sort of trophy.

"Baker, she is splendid."

Drew beamed. "Thank you."

Colonel Gracie, another man Paige had pointed out, laughed loudly and patted Drew's shoulder. "Drew's a lucky man. I know him well, and it can only be luck."

Paige's mother approached the men and hooked her arm around Drew's, wearing an amused grin on her lips. "How can you say that Colonel? Andrew Baker, III is a great catch."

Paige dramatically rolled her eyes and tugged Walter away from them, wanting to introduce him to John Jacob Astor, and his incredibly young wife, Madeleine. "J.J., Madeleine," Paige smiled with grace, "I'd like you to meet Walter O'Brien."

J.J. joyfully shook Walter's hand. "Good to meet you, Walter. Any relation to William X. O'Brien of the ISRP?"

"No," Walter shook his head, "O'Brien is a common name in Ireland. I'm related to Sean and Louise O'Brien of Callan, Ireland, near Kilkenny."

J.J. nodded even though he had never heard of them, and Madeleine appraised Walter before leaning towards Paige and whispering, "It's a pity we're both spoken for, isn't it?"

Paige flushed as Madeleine winked at her.

After a small conversation with the Astors, Paige escorted Walter to the dining table where Drew and her mother were already sitting. As dinner started, Walter was asked an overwhelming amount of questions, but he never faltered despite how nervous he was. For some reason, having Paige sitting next to him eased his mind greatly. But, the moment Paige's mother began her questioning, the kindness in the room quickly turned sour towards him.

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. O'Brien. I hear they're quite good on this ship."

"Mother!" Paige snapped immediately, but Walter squeezed her hand under the table and flashed a forced smile.

"The best I've ever seen, ma'am. Hardly any rats."

Drew noticed how close Walter and Paige were sitting and quickly added, "Mr. O'Brien is joining us from Third Class. He was of some assistance to my fiancée last night." Drew looked directly at Paige and then glared daggers at Walter, making the inventor slightly uncomfortable. He angled his body away from Paige and cleared his throat as he scooted ever so slightly away from her. Paige noticed the silent exchange between her new friend and her fiancé and frowned, wanting to scoot even closer to Walter just to spite Drew, but she didn't want to humiliate Walter in the process.

The waiter, after taking orders from everyone else, approached Walter and asked, "How do you take your caviar, sir?"

"Just a soupcon of lemon," Drew replied quickly before Walter could answer. "It improves the flavor with champagne."

Walter glanced up at the waiter and gave him a small smile. "No caviar for me, thanks." He cocked his head at Drew. "Never really liked it."

Paige quietly giggled at Walter's response, but her discretion did not go unnoticed by Drew, nor her mother.

"And where exactly do you live, Mr. O'Brien?"

"Well," Walter shrugged casually, "right now my address is the RMS Scorpion. After that, I plan to venture America and hope to invest my inventions in the industry."

"Inventions?" Drew cocked an eyebrow as Ruth appeared unimpressed.

Paige gently touched Walter's arm and said, "Walter aspires to be an inventor, Drew. He's brilliant, and his designs are quite good; I believe he will go far with them."

"And what if your designs are not well-liked?" Ruth patted her lips with her napkin as Paige glowered at her.

"Well, if I can't find an interested party, then I'll keep looking elsewhere," Walter replied with another shrug. "But for now, while I'm living on the Scorpion, surrounded by miles of water, I'm not going to worry about where I'm going to live or how I'm going to afford living in the States. I'm just going to focus on what's important to me."

"And what would that be, Mr. O'Brien?" Ruth sipped from her wine glass.

"Watching over my sister, making sure my buddy, Toby, doesn't get into trouble, and continue working with my designs when time permits it." Walter mumbled after taking a bite of his salad. He wanted to slip "keeping Paige company" into his response, but he decided to keep that piece of information to himself for now.

"If you have your doubts about your designs, then why bother trying to invest them? Wouldn't you rather use your time more wisely and do something you're used to doing like mucking out stalls or something?"

Walter forced a smile at Paige's ruthless mother and said, "I'll be honest, ma'am. Living a third class lifestyle isn't easy; sometimes I have enough for food, sometimes I don't. Any money I do get, whether it's from winning a hand at poker or working odd jobs for people who need assistance, goes to my sister and my parents who can't afford to leave Callan, Ireland. Living day to day, wondering if you'll have food on your plate the next, is hard. I'm not saying that it isn't, but regardless of how hard life can be, I've learned it's important to make each day count. And that's what I plan to do, ma'am," Walter paused and feigned another smile. "I plan to make each day count."

Cabe, who was sitting at the very end of the table, grinned and rose his glass. "Well said, Walter."

"Here, here," Colonel Gracie nodded as he, too, rose his glass respectfully.

Paige carefully lifted her wine glass off of the table and smiled at Walter, quietly saying, "To making it count."

Ruth scowled at her daughter and pressed Walter further. "How is it you have the means to travel, Mr. O'Brien?"

"I work my way from place to place," Walter replied with another shrug. "Tramp steamers and such…. I won my ticket on the Scorpion here in a good hand at poker." He met Paige's eyes and smiled slowly. "A very, very good hand."

Paige blushed and desperately needed a distraction to keep her mother from detecting her attraction to Walter. She noticed Mr. Patrick Quinn ignoring the conversation at hand, scrawling in his little notebook. She suddenly had an idea. "Mr. Quinn, what are you doing? I see you everywhere writing in this little book." Paige, highly intrigued, grabbed it and read what he had written: "Increased number of screws in hat hooks from 2 to 3." She turned to Mr. Quinn and cocked an eyebrow. "You build the biggest ship in the world, and this preoccupies you?!"

Patrick smiled sheepishly.

Bruce Ismay's mustache twitched upward. "He knows every rivet in her, don't you Patrick?"

"All three million of them," Patrick nodded as his daughter, Happy, rolled her eyes.

"His blood and soul are in the ship. She may be mine on paper, but in the eyes of God," Bruce Ismay smirked, "she belongs to Thomas Andrews."

Paige leaned towards Patrick and smiled warmly. "Your ship is a wonder, Mr. Quinn. Truly."

"Thank you, Paige." Patrick grinned, and Happy sighed as she pushed herself away from the table.

"Excuse me," she frowned deeply and clenched her fists, "I need to… powder my nose."

She left abruptly, and Paige suddenly sensed something off. She felt like she needed to apologize to Patrick Quinn's daughter. "Excuse me for a moment," Paige stood up, and everyone looked at her. "I'll be back momentarily." Swiftly, she followed Happy towards the restroom and found the small woman hovering over the sink, leaning on her fists. "Happy, correct?"

Happy turned towards Paige and frowned. "What do you want?"

"I feel as though I've upset you, and if I have, I'm incredibly sorry." Paige bit her lip lightly.

Happy sighed. "No, don't be sorry. It's not you that torques me off."

"Oh," Paige sighed with relief. "If you don't mind, why are you so upset?"

Happy leaned against the wall and shrugged. "My father didn't design the RMS Scorpion. I did."

Paige's eyes widened. "Oh, I didn't know."

"No one does…. Not really." Happy frowned and folded her arms across her chest. "Because it's apparently considered scandalous for a woman to work a man's job, my father told me to lie and pretend that he was the one who designed everything. He helped, sure, but I was the brains behind the Scorpion's design. The notes he was studying… Those are mine. He takes my notebook sometimes and studies my observations for show." Happy paused and sighed loudly. "I can't be mad at my father though; despite how annoying it is to watch him constantly take credit for my work, he's just trying to protect my reputation."

"Perhaps it's time everyone knows you were the one who designed this ship; it doesn't seem fair that your father, as nice as he is, is taking the credit." Paige slowly frowned.

Happy scoffed. "By the time women started riding bicycles – another scandalous image, I was designing Model T's for Henry Ford. No one but my father knows that though. Maybe someday, I'll actually be able to claim something that's my own, but for now, I think it's best to leave things be."

"Are you sure it's what you want?"

"No, I'm not sure, but we're women. Women hardly have any say on anything, so, other than grin and bear it, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Tell the truth."

"No." Happy shook her head slowly. "It's too late now. If anyone important found out about my father's deception, then he could be incarcerated. Killed, even. It's best, for now, to leave things as they are."

Paige sighed. "Suit yourself."

As Paige turned away from Happy, the mechanic's small voice stopped her. "So… is your friend-slash-boyfriend really an inventor?"

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Fine. Okay. I'll rephrase the question. Is your friend really an inventor?"

"Yes." Paige nodded with a smile. "You two should speak sometime. I'm sure, with minds like yours together, the two of you could invent something great."

Happy shrugged and gave Paige a small smile. "Maybe."

~ SCORPION ~

Both Paige and Happy returned to the dining saloon, and they took their seats as the waiter lifted everyone's plates off of the table. Paige leaned towards Walter and whispered, "Next, it'll be brandies in the Smoking Room."

Colonel Gracie immediately stood up and exclaimed, "Join me for a brandy, gentlemen?"

"Now they retreat into a cloud of smoke and congratulate each other on being masters of the universe," Paige muttered in a low tone, causing Walter to snort.

The colonel turned to Walter. "Joining us, O'Brien? You don't want to stay out here with the women, do you?"

Walter shook his head. "No thanks. I'm heading back."

Drew's lips curved to a smug grin. "Probably best. It'll be all business and politics, that sort of thing. Wouldn't interest you." Drew backed away with the other men and as he followed them out of the dining saloon, he turned to Walter and flashed an arrogant grin. "Good of you to come."

After Drew disappeared, Paige immediately turned to Walter. "Must you go?"

Walter nodded as he rose to his feet. "Time for me to check up on Toby and my sister." He leaned over and gently took her hand, and she quietly gasped as he slipped a tiny note into her palm. "Good night, Paige." He kissed the back of her hand again and grinned.

"Good night," she mumbled softly as he released her hand and turned to leave. Unaware of the evil stare Ruth was giving Walter, Paige slowly opened the note underneath the table and blushed furiously.

Make it count. Meet me at the clock.

~ SCORPION ~

WriterFreak001:

This chapter was going to be much longer, but I decided to end it here and continue with the next scene in the next chapter. ;)

Let me know what you think! :D