November 21st

Had a sleep over with Ralph. We built a castle using a tacky adhesion we made in Sylvester's lab. We made homemade pizza with Toby with ingredients we picked out at the local organic grocery. Paige's inhibitions were lowered due to Happy's instigation.

Paige slept next to me. She cuddles in her sleep.

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Walter was tapping away at his tablet when he felt the searching glare of Happy. He tried to ignore her at first because he figured it had to do with the quip he made at her personal appearance. He did not know that pointing out her hair looking like a beehive was rude. He refrained from mentioning the ecchymosis on her neck, which could have been the result of Toby or Peyton. Walter's money was on Toby. Happy had returned from her stock-car race outing, and the psychologist and the mechanic got into a fight. It ended with a slamming of a door, throwing of articles, and raised voices. Sylvester, who has a room right next to Toby's room, said he could heard the voices which turned into muffled moans.

So, Walter tried to pass off the unwelcoming feeling of her glare, he had already apologized to for his insincere comment at the direction of Paige. He was not going to indulged her whiny behavior.

She let out an exasperated breath. "Walter. I am trying to get your attention."

"Oh, Happy." He smiled at his friend. "What can I do for you?" He asked and he watched as her dark eyes roll about her head. Then she focused her razor glare on the genius.

"I want you to back me up on a social experiment with Paige." Happy smiled at the genius. Ever since these cute little social experiments began a few months ago at the behest of Paige, she had indulged Walter's demands. Happy may have mumbled under her breath, been stoic and sullen at the various requests, but she showed up and participated. So now it was pay back.

"What kind of social experiment?" Walter asked cautiously. He racked his brain with trying to remember what week they were in the month. Damn it for not keeping it on his phone.

"I want to have some female bonding time with Paige." Happy explained, trying to disguise her real plan. "I believe normal girls call them Ladies Night." Happy was talking about women with a normal IQ level. She was going to give him brief details, not including the high alcohol intake on these nights. Out. "Paige has been a single mom for so long, she deserves to have a night away from being a parent. Plus I have some, female issues I would like her opinion on." Happy looked down at her hands, putting on a show for her good friend to tug at his heart strings. Walter, usually, gave into Happy's demands if she pulled the innocence card.

"You know you can always talk to me." Walter said taking her hand and Happy shuffled. "But of course, I will support your social experiment."

She smiled and bounced away from his desk. Happy was almost ebullient. So it was only a few hours later when Paige returned from picking Ralph up from school. She had been distracted most of the day. Ralph rushed into the garage holding a progress report from his science teacher with glowing remarks. Walter gave the boy a high five, then fist bump and then they did a happy dance. He was finishing the last move when Paige's glance caught his eye. Walter ran his hand through Ralph's hair and told him to go show his report to Sylvester. It was the math genius that had helped Ralph with understanding his organic chemistry theories. The boy ran off, and Walter moved closer to Ralph's mom. His hand rested atop hers, running his finger across her wrist bringing her to take a step close to his body.

"Something wrong?" Walter asked knowing that she had been mulling something over most of the day. She had her distracted frown that wrinkled her forehead. He wanted to mention that keeping her muscles contracted could potentially cause a tension headache. But she had kept her distance. He respected her need for space, knowing that she would reach out when she needed assistance.

"Happy asked me to go out tonight." Paige stumbled over her words, she was concentrating on his fingers that were circling her wrist. Paige wanted snatch her hand away because his ministrations muddled her mind. It caused her to feel heat in her soul and ache in places that had been dormant for years.

"Yeah?" He asked, smiling a bit because she seemed to flush when his fingers danced along her skin and it caused horripilation on her arm. She blew out a frustrated breath. "Is there an issue?" Walter smiled when she struggled with an answer. He knew it could be meant towards their conversation or at her distracted state.

She went with the conversation, "I don't have anyone to watch Ralph. Drew is out of town on an away game." Walter dropped his fingers from her wrist, feeling a moment of loss.

"He could sleep over here." Walter offered. It was a Friday, and they had been discussing this idea for weeks now. Ralph would be more then comfortable on the couch, it pulled out, and they could stay up eating popcorn, playing video games, and partaking in experiments that needed longer then just a few hours. Her beautiful eyes snapped to his, and relief spread about her face. Walter smiled. "Is that a yes?"

Paige responded with a hug.

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So it was decided with a whoop and a holler from Ralph when they proposed the idea to a nine year old. It was the most outwardly display of excitement most the team had experience. Paige left work early to change into a different outfit more suitable for the night out. She returned at about seven wearing a pair of dark jeans, a white silk camisole top. She had a dark blazer to wear over top, and half of her hair was pulled back. Her makeup was light, but still beautiful. Paige stood at the top of the stairs holding out Ralph's overnight bag, explaining the different objects inside. Walter was trying to pay attention but he mostly was watching her mouth move, and the words hit a brick wall. He noticed she was wearing a feint smell of her perfume, which Walter wanted to move closer and smell. But that would be awkward.

"Walter." Paige said snapping her fingers before his face and he blinked a few times. "Are you listening?"

"No, I was distracted by you." Walter complimented and felt heat on his cheeks. She smiled and thanked him for his comment.

"Could you help me with a necklace?" Paige asked holding a silver chain with a silver feather pendent. He took the chain and Paige turned about holding her hair to the side. His fingers shook at the clasp trying to get the claw about the circle. He stepped closer, hovering close and letting his fingers touch the skin on her neck while he placed let the necklace go. Paige shivered, and step away. "Thanks, again." She squeezed his fingers and then went down the stairs to say good bye to Ralph and then meet up with Happy. Happy was dressed in dark jeans, a tight navy blue tank and a leather jacket. Toby had been hovering close by, but she ignored his attempts to be invited.

"Okay, well you boys be good." Paige said glancing at Walter who returned her demand with a playful smirk. She rolled her eyes. "Ralph, don't listen to a thing Toby tells you, and Sylvester is in charge." Happy stuck her tongue at Toby, and the two ladies left the garage taking an Uber to their plans.

"Well, now that they are gone." Toby said clapping his hands, "What sort of destruction should we get to first, our stomach cells, brain cells or hearing?" Ralph laughed and the boys set about their evening plans.

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Walter was sitting on the couch bed, next to the slumbering nine year old. Ralph had announced during dinner, of homemade pizza, that he was going to stay up all night. His mother never let him try, and the men encouraged his efforts. Ralph had sacked out about eleven, but Walter remained near him, he knew of the boy's night terrors from a text conversation with Paige a few weeks ago. She had asked him about his opinion on how to handle the most recent developments of her son's psychosis. He and Toby had explained that it was a response of his over-active imagination and his high IQ levels. His brain did not shut off like normal individuals so his brain would overstimulate and manifest into dreams. Walter had spent a bit of the night trying to engage the boy to mentally exhaust him so his slumber would be fitless and peaceful.

By the snores, Walter felt accomplished. It was nearing one in the morning. He had texted Paige through out the evening, and she would respond quickly, but after the last one, he was still waiting for her response. He sent her a picture of Ralph sleeping, and he knew she started to respond, but she never sent the text. He sent her a request to text him at the end of her night. Again, the text went unanswered.

It was the scraping of metal against the door lock that piqued his interest. Walter rushed down the stairs, wanting to see what was the source of the noise. He opened the door to find Happy and Paige holding on to each other as if each were supporting the other's weight. "Ladies?" He said stepping aside and holding open the door. Happy's eyes opened wide filled with happiness.

"WALT!" She exclaimed and Paige dissolved into giggles. An inside joke between the pair, and they rushed into and wrapped his arms about his torso. He put a finger to his mouth. "What?" The Asian whispered loudly. Happy stepped back but Paige remained.

"Ralph is asleep upstairs in the living." Walter said feeling Paige leaning harder to his side. He wrapped a hand about her waist. "The rest of the team is sleeping as well." Happy nodded and then moved further into the garage. "Did you guys have a good night?" Walter maneuvered Paige to follow Happy as she made her way to the kitchen. Happy was pretending to waltz to a song in her head.

"Yes,." Happy nodded. "We should do another shot."

"I don't think that is a good idea." Walter said feeling Paige shake her head against his shoulder. "I think you might want to drink some water?" Happy snorted in disgust. Walter wished Toby had been smart enough to stay awake. A drunk Happy was difficult to handle.

"Water is for babies." Happy snapped pulling a bottle of vodka from the freezer and setting about finding three shot glasses.

"Did you know your name is like water just missing an L." Paige prosed, which got Happy giggling. A noise not often heard by Walter. A light flipped on from down the hall. 'Oh thank goodness.' Walter thought. Toby came into kitchen rubbing his eyes, his pajama pants were hanging low on his hips and he was wearing his signature hat. Happy seemed distracted by the strip of skin showing from the end of his shirt and the top of his pants.

"Ladies?" Toby said moving into the kitchen and stretching his arms. "Are we having a nightcap?"

"Happy was." Walter said still holding onto to Paige. He moved her to the stool and put her hands on the counter. "Hold on, Toby, can I talk to you?" Happy eyes seemed to have darken within the twenty-seconds.

"Will you monitor the girls, I am going to go move Ralph to my room." Walter explained. "I don't want the girls to wake him up. Paige will sleep on the couch, and I can sleep on the floor."

"Sure. But hurry, you saw the look in Happy's eyes. I don't know how long I can hold her off." Toby said giving his eyebrows a waggle. Walter rolled eyes his, and set off to get the nine year old situated by picking him off the fold out coach bed, and tucking him into his bed. He grabbed the extra pillows and blankets from his bed, and shut the door. He made it back to the kitchen in time to see Happy and Toby taking a shot. Paige was still slumped over the counter, her head in her hands.

"And then we moved onto the long island teas." Happy recounted the drinks of the night. "Those were tasty. Paige had a couple of those." Walter put his hands on Paige's shoulder as she groaned at the memory. "Then there were the shots from the investment bankers!"

"They were so gross. Something of a snake bite." Paige blanched. "I should get going." She stood up and sat back down due to the spinning of the room. "Maybe, I should wait a moment." Happy laughed.

"No, Paige." Happy said. "We wanted to come back here and drink so more. Like the song goes, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots." Paige gagged in her mouth, and Walter rushed about the kitchen grabbing a bucket.

"Paige is going upstairs to sleep." Walter stated. But the Liaison ignored both friends. She stood up and bolted with drunken ease to the bathroom. The sounds of retching could be heard throughout the main floor. Happy chuckled.

"She tried her hardest to keep up with me." Happy smirked. "She doesn't know of my tolerance." Walter glared at his friend. Happy should have been more protective of Paige, or at least more careful. Anything could have happened. "She did reveal quite a bit." Walter glared at Toby, and the psychiatrist nodded in response.

"Alright, Happy." Toby interjected and put his hand on her hip. "Let's go to my room." Happy made a face before grabbing the hat off her head and allowed him to lead Happy out of the kitchen. Walter knocked on the bathroom door and he was answered with a moan. He opened the door to find Paige holding onto the toilet.

"Oh Paige." Walter sympathized and grabbed a washcloth and ran it under the tap. Wetting it just a bit and started to dab at her forehead to wipe the sweat from her brow. He put his arm about her waist and helped her stand. "Are you feeling better?" She nodded, and he assisted her from the bathroom. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and the bucket. Paige groaned at the steps, and Walter helped her practically carrying her up the stairs, and dropping her to the couch. Paige sat down on the couch and pouted.

"I just want to go to sleep." She said Ralph nodded but he got her to go through the paces of a night time routine. He was successful in getting her to brush her teeth, remove her makeup and switch into a pair of old track pants. He had turned his back when she went about changing from her jeans. Walter accompanied her from the bathroom to the living room.

"Okay, I need you to finish this bottle of water." Walter said sitting next to her on the mattress. "It will help with the hangover." Paige groaned, and started to take a sip. "I didn't know you would be drinking so much tonight."

Paige shrugged and giggled, "It was ladies night. Happy and I played a few games." Walter smiled at the closeness between the females of the Scorpion team. "It was a fun time." He watched as she sipped a bit more of the water bottle.

"What did you guys do?" Walter said shifting so the pair were seated next to each other, and he started playing with the skin about her wrist.

"Stop doing that." Paige said, and the anguish in her words caused Walter to look directly to her face. Her eyes were closed and she looked to be thinking, a thought frozen on her face. He stilled his finger's travel just locking her wrist in his fingers.

"Why?"

"I can't think when you do it." Paige confessed and she took the last sip of her water bottle. Dropping it to the floor. "Time for bed." She said flopping to the mattress pulling Walter so he was vertical with her body. He smiled at her confession, and rolled to his side. He removed his hand from her wrist and brought a hand to her face.

"Does this bother you." He whispered and Paige let out a breath.

"Walter. Go. To. Sleep." Paige sighed and he just chuckled rolling on to his back. He felt her fingers move from her side, and travel down his arm until she intertwined her fingers with his. "Thank you for taking care of me and Ralph."

He brought their intwined hands and kissed her knuckles. Thanking her silently because he could hear her breathing settle as she fell asleep. He listened to her breathing, and soon he crashed. Walter woke up the next morning, feeling an intense warmth about his body. He found Paige wrapped about him like creeping ivy. Walter could tell that the early light from the window that it was still quite early, so he placed a kiss in her hair and fell back asleep.

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Fin.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Ema