Two weeks later at Centipede Partners:
"Welcome to Centipede Partners. How can we help you?" Sylvester greeted the woman who just entered their office.
"Mr Dodd, it is nice to meet you. I'm Carol Bilbrey and I'm going to be your liaison to Scorpion Inc and to your clients." Carol introduced herself as Sylvester stepped up to meet her. "I understand you have a germ phobia so we'll skip the hand shake." She smiled at him.
"Please, call my Sylvester. I don't mind actually, as long as you understand I use hand sanitizer after. No disrespect intended." Sylvester smiled.
"Where are your partners, Sylvester?" Carol asked with a smile.
"Let's go to the conference room and I'll get them." Sylvester gestured to the hallway to her left.
"And this was Ms Dineen's office?" Carol pointed at the closed door just catty cornered from the door.
"Yes it was, everything should be in there for your use." Sylvester nodded.
Carol nodded and turned as Sylvester hurried in front and walked backwards facing her as they moved.
"Have you worked for Walter long?" Sylvester asked nervously.
"I've worked for Mr O'Brien since June as his HR manager. When he told me about needing to hire someone to take over the administration and coordination here I quickly put my hat in the ring. I'll be functioning in both roles for the foreseeable future." She told him.
Sylvester nodded as he gestured to the door on her right. As she moved into the room Sylvester stepped to the other door and looked in.
"Our new liaison is here." Sylvester told them.
Happy sighed as she set her tools down and walked out of the room while Toby took his time. Toby went down to the break room and got a cup of coffee and took a few minutes to pick a doughnut. Finally he entered the conference room after about ten minutes to find Carol had already been discussing things with the other two.
"Couldn't wait for me?" Toby asked sarcastically.
"If you had been courteous enough to have paused for a moment to say something first, maybe. But I don't put up with childishness. You want to be an eight year old and try to demonstrate some kind of rebellious attitude over something you agreed to, then you can suffer the consequences." Carol told him stiffly before looking at the other two.
"So in short, that is my role here and I'm looking forward to getting to know both of you better. As for you, Dr Curtis, I think I know all I need to know." Carol told them before she stood and left the room.
"What the hell?" Toby complained.
"What do you expect?" Happy told him as she stood and left the room.
"So what did I miss?" Toby asked Sylvester.
"If it was that important to you, you would have made an effort and not been a jerk." Sylvester told him as he stood up.
Toby sat there with his mouth half full of doughnut as Sylvester walked out of the room.
Carol looked up from the computer in Paige's old office as she began the process of sorting through all the emails.
"Is there something I can help you with Dr Curtis?" Carol asked before looking back at the screen.
"So you came here with a problem with me?" Toby asked.
"Not at all. I made sure that no one gave me any information about you guys so we could start off with a clean slate. Except for Sylvester's phobias. Paige felt I really needed to have an understanding about him. I was very excited and eager to meet you guys and begin working with you to turn things around." Carol told him.
"So why the attitude?" Toby asked as he sat down.
"You get the attitude you incite Dr Curtis. No matter the problem or problems that exist between you and Mr O'Brien they do not involve me. So you taking a position to try and throw a fit isn't appreciated. I have a job to do and I am not going to put up with your behavior. Respect is a two way street. If you continue to act thusly I promise you I can make your life hell." Carol told him as she stared back into his eyes.
Toby grinned.
"I'm a genius, you really think you can make my life hell?" Toby asked sarcastically.
Carol didn't bat an eye as she pulled a proposal letter from the printer and handed it to him.
Toby took it and looked at it and his eyes went wide.
"There ain't no way!" Toby shouted.
"Try me Dr Curtis. I'll put it to a vote with your two partners. I've a feeling they'd be happy getting a tax break for the company by donating your considerable set of skills as a psychologist and medical doctor to those less fortunate." Carol stared at him.
"Fine." Toby grumbled as he pushed the paper back over to her. "I apologize for my behavior."
"Thank you." Carol told him. "Now one of the weakest points in this company is technically you." Carol started.
"What? How can you say that?" Toby got upset.
"Dr Curtis." Carol snapped. "At least listen to what I have to say. Look at the bid sheets, do you see very many requests for things in your field of abilities?" Carol demanded.
"Well, no, not exactly." Toby sighed.
"My point exactly. Most of the company's jobs are in Happy's fields and by my estimations going over all that your company has done this year you are actually a detriment to her getting her work done, and quickly." Carol held up her hand to stop him. "If you think about it, Dr Curtis, you will see that you spend so much time with her while she is working and that slows her down. But, I've sent a proposal over to a friend at UCLA medical center. I'm going to negotiate a deal whereby you will supervise several interns here in the office. The two rooms that are vacant will be retrofitted into a medical exam room and a therapist office."
"You have got to be kidding me." Toby whined.
"No, I am quite serious. My goal is to hopefully get them to agree to two interns three days a week. They have a pilot program they are trying to get started outsourcing care and I believe it will help beef up your contribution to the company. Both with income and without delaying Happy's work." Carol told him as she pulled a sheet out that detailed the pilot program.
"So why is she Happy and I'm Dr Curtis?" Toby asked as he sighed.
"Because, I don't like your attitude. Grow up a bit and I'll reconsider it. I'll also use my connections to help assist in your adoption process if you need it." Carol told him.
Toby nodded and stood. He started to say something and then walked out of the office. He turned to go see Happy and then thought about what she said about him detracting her from getting work done. He knew it was true and he turned around and walked over to his couch by Sylvester's desk.
He sat thinking for a few minutes and then grabbed his clipboard as he stood back up. Toby stepped over to the two rooms she had talked about and opened them. He surveyed the room within each of them and began making notes. Adding what furnishings and equipment would be needed in each. He considered his couch and while he loved being right there by Sylvester at times, it would have to serve as a waiting point for patients. That would be problematic for Sylvester with his paranoia of germs.
Toby walked back around to Happy's workshop and didn't speak but walked in and over to a door in the north wall and opened it. It was the room she put her tool chests, with the most valuable tools in them, in, when they were going to be gone for more than just the night. It was certainly large enough to serve as an office space. They could put a separate door into the hallway so as not to disturb Happy. It was big enough for both him and Sylvester to have desks in.
As he stepped out he looked up at Happy who was kind of watching him out of the corner of her eye.
He smiled and walked over and kissed her cheek and left the room. He stopped outside of Carol's office and wrote a few more notes and then knocked on the open door.
"Dr Curtis, come on in." Carol said politely.
Toby stepped in and pulled the sheet off his clipboard.
"I gave your idea some thoughts and I made some notes that might help." Toby told her as he handed the sheet over.
Carol took it and leaned back in her chair and began reading it. Her left hand had absently picked up her pencil and pushed the eraser into the side of her chin as she thought it all over.
"Very interesting Dr Curtis. I greatly appreciate you taking this so seriously and being so thorough. Thank you." Carol smiled up at him.
"Just one question, how are we going to pay for all this?" Toby asked.
Carol pointed at the chairs in front of her desk and watched as Toby sat down.
"Mr O'Brien told me he is willing to pay for any changes I deem necessary to help things improve here." Carolo smiled.
"Interesting, and do you call him Mr O'Brien for the same reason you call me Dr Curtis?" Toby asked.
"No, I call him Mr O'Brien in a professional setting. When we're out of the office, like having a cookout on the roof or something then I call him Walter." Carol smiled. "But, I like the track you are on right now, Toby. So, keep it up and we won't have to go back to being all professional only. You are welcome to call me Carol." She said as she held out her hand.
Toby reached out and shook her hand and then left the office.
Paige sighed contentedly as she left the massage table and stepped over to the sauna. Walter had contracted an outside massage therapist for his employees but he paid her extra to come to the Garage to care for Paige per the schedule the Scorpion doctors had set up for her recovery. The last two weeks were totally transformative for her. Walter didn't spare any expense to help reverse the effects caused by the stress she was under because of the agreement he forced upon his former friends. She relished in the steam of the sauna as she thought over recent events. She kept trying to assuage Walter's guilt over what had happened to her.
She still wasn't happy over the whole Florence thing but she didn't want Walter feeling so bad about how she stressed over everything. She was quite happy with him now and she was getting over it slowly. Dr Evans was a miracle worker as far as she was concerned. She didn't pull any punches and she dug for the truth when she had to.
She got to sit with Carol and cover everything about Centipede so she'd be ready to take control over the geniuses. Paige was so proud of Walter when she found out the new deal he worked out for his former friends. She found Carol to be a kindred spirit. She was professional and fun and she didn't take any lip. She'd refused any input as to the nature of the other three geniuses. She didn't want to go into the situation with any perceived ideas of who they were or what they were like. At Walter's insistence she did let Paige give her a short briefing on Sylvester's impressive list of phobias.
Paige yawned and stretched as the timer went off in the sauna. She slipped the towel back around her body and secured it. She smiled seeing Walter waiting outside the sauna.
"You could have come in Walter, or called out. No sense in just standing out here waiting." Paige told him.
Walter smiled and shook his head.
"It isn't that pressing Paige. In an hour I've got to leave to go to Richard's for a job and I'll be gone until just after our normal dinner time probably. But Dr Evans said she felt that an actual trip out of the Garage would be a good thing for you. So if you are interested, you'd be welcome to come along. Allie said she'd be here in case Ralph needs anything after he gets home from school. Along with Cabe." Walter told her.
"I think I would like that, Walter. Would we have dinner after we get back?" Paige asked.
"Well if you are agreeable to it, Allie and Cabe will take care of dinner for Ralph and we could have dinner out for a change." Walter smiled.
"Oh." Paige grinned. "Like a date?" Paige teased.
"Exactly like a date." Walter nodded.
"An hour huh? Doesn't give me a lot of time to get ready." Paige teased.
"Well you look pretty perfect right now." Walter teased.
Paige laughed.
"Yeah right, like I'd let very many people see me like this." Paige said as she pulled her robe on.
"Well I wouldn't want others seeing you like that but, I am serious when I say you are just beautiful. I doubt it will take an hour for you to get ready." Walter stepped up and slipped his hands around her waist.
Paige stared up into his eyes. Her arms began rising up and as her hands went around Walter's neck her eyes closed. They kissed like they used to kiss for the first time since everything went to hell.
They both slowly reined in their passion and then giggled at each other.
"Looks like that still works between us." Paige grinned.
"I would say so." Walter smiled as his hands fell. His right hand took her left into it. They walked to the elevator and rode it up to the Loft. They shared a quick kiss and she let him move to the living room where Cabe was so she could get ready.
Paige breezed through her bedroom and opened the closet and stared at the outfits. She grabbed the dark, electric blue mini dress. It was one of Walter's favorites, hers too. It teased a hint of cleavage but with a bare back down to her waist, it didn't allow a bra. She grinned knowing that was one of the things Walter liked about it.
Walter sat talking to Cabe in the living room of the Loft while waiting on Paige to get ready.
"Are you sure about this son? It has only been two weeks." Cabe asked gently.
Walter nodded.
"Dr Evans said she felt we could begin a new dating life if we both wanted." Walter explained.
"Yeah, but you and Paige have always had a strong passion between you. Even if you did have your head up your arse about it for most of the time after hiring her." Cabe said pointedly.
Walter chuckled.
"Acknowledged. We do, and we shared a first real kiss and yes, our passion is still undeniable. But she means the world to me Cabe. We'll just have to do our best to not let passions get out of control." Walter told him.
Paige paused as she walked down the hallway. Thankful for the carpeting that masked the sound of her heels. She smiled listening to Walter.
"If I am honest, I am desperate to get back to who we were before. But I don't want to rush Paige. I want her to feel safe, strong and independent again. I don't want her to think she has to do anything because of how I'm taking care of her. This." Walter gestured. "This is just to show her how much she means to me."
"That's very sweet Walter, but I know how much I mean to you. It isn't in the things, it is in your demeanor, your words, your small physical gestures." Paige smiled as she stepped around the corner. She grinned noting both of their expressions as she stood there in that mini dress and heels. "We've still got some work to do, some distance and time to cover and heal from what we both did. But I believe we are on the right path and I love you so much. I'm so glad you did what you did with the non compete clause. It brought us back together even when I refused to try and get over what happened." Paige told him softly.
Walter had stood up the moment she came around the corner. He swallowed hard while nodding to everything she said. His heart was beating so fast. She remembered his favorite dress and wore it for him. He took a quick couple of steps and took her in his arms. She smiled and then their lips met.
Cabe chuckled as he stood.
"You kids better get going before Walter's late to his job. And remember, no distracted flying." Cabe laughed as he walked over to the door and stepped out onto the landing of the stairs.
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well!
Railman - Indeed it does look like their relationship is on the mend! hehe And how right you are about Toby, but it looks like he has turned a corner himself here...
2LawDog - hehe Definitely a step in the right direction huh?
Heleen - Thank you! So glad you are enjoying it! I know you've been busy but still miss seeing you around.
Lucy - So glad to see things have calmed and you have been on a terror catching up on stories! lol Glad you are enjoying everything. hehe Well so far that's where they are, in their own little subsidiary! lol
Margaret - Thank you! Glad you are enjoying it!
LouBe - lol Definitely not trying to get rid of you! Wouldn't that have been an interesting story point...AU 75 Paige dropping in and helping Walter to make this change? But I also like that he came to the realizations on his own as well. I always felt Walter had enough handholding in the show by the end and he needed to take the intuitive leap himself to transform. Hrmm...funny you should mention Paige and her noticing his Italian suits...Tune in for Wednesday chapter for more on that. And be prepared for a little more...steam. *wink*
To the Adventure! -Tim