Sorry for the delay! The plan was to have this posted before the finale, but I've been sick on and off these past few weeks and just didn't have the brain power to write.

I don't know when I'll be posting to FFN / AO3 again because I'm having some minor surgery tomorrow, and I don't know how I'll be feeling afterwards so this might be my last update for a few days (hopefully only a few days).

Keep in mind that this is different than how the last three episodes panned out. Initially, the start of this fic had a different time lapse than the actual series, but I've updated the other two chapters because it works better to have a month between the events of 3x22 and the start the fic rather than just one week.

Also, in this chapter, I hint the premise of my next multi-chapter after I've updated / completed my other WIPs. See if you can figure it out. ;)

Come Back

Written by WriterFreak001

Part 3

~ SCORPION ~

Not long after Paige had stormed away from him, Walter had marched off in the opposite direction, angry at himself for screwing everything up. If only he knew how to process the crap load of emotions he was feeling the day he had found out about space, then he and Paige wouldn't be in this mess.

First of all, yes, he had been humiliated beyond humiliation after remembering his time in space, but the humiliation was only temporary, and it died off hours after the discovery. But the pain and the anger he felt? Those didn't go away on their own. In order to assess the situation objectively, he had no choice but to suppress every EQ related thing Paige had ever taught him, and once he had done that, the solution to the ridding of his emotional turmoil was easy to determine.

He had to cut ties with the source.

And so he did.

But because he neglected to allow his emotions to resurface when he confronted Paige, the execution of his decision was poorly given, and his insensitivity sent Paige – and by extension, Ralph – running out the door. In that moment, though the fear of her being gone forever was still there, he felt nothing for her. He tried to stop her from running out because she was acting irrational. Her sudden teary response confused him and sent him into a three-day bender in trying to analyze her reaction, but when he couldn't figure it out, when he had been sent into a spiral of frustration after frustration, he began to seek comfort in science and math again.

And down into the rabbit hole he went for another three days until Happy stopped by to check on him. It took her almost two days to bring him out of it completely, and he had to beg her not to tell anybody about it – especially Paige. Luckily, for his sake, she kept her word.

When Cabe finally came around with cases, the case work seemed to have distracted Walter enough to keep him from going back under, but on the days the government didn't need Scorpion's assistance, he spent time emailing Richard Elia, asking for status updates on Paige. He knew he shouldn't have been all that nosey, but as his EQ slowly returned, he began to miss her terribly, and hearing about her… about how she was doing… what she was doing… how the job seemed to have been treating her… well, it helped with the distance.

Once, he even made it all the way to Elia's corporation building before chickening out, knowing she would probably throw a sharp desk object at him if she spotted him. But oh, how he wished he could just summon his courage to see her… and see Ralph. He desperately wanted to know how his former prodigy was doing.

And when he could finally feel everything again, when he realized just how much he needed her in his life, just how much she completed him… he remembered loving her, and now he couldn't stop. The love he felt for her was far more greater than it was when he pushed her off towards Tahoe with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

He wished he could take it all back; having her close to him was much preferable than the pain he was feeling without her. It didn't compare. Life without Paige was exponentially worse.

He found himself turned towards the ocean, his feet digging into the dry sand.

He inwardly cursed himself.

Paige was never coming back to him… and it was all his fault.

Stop being such a Debby downer. It's killing me here.

Walter blinked in confusion and shook away his thoughts. There's no way… absolutely no way… Impossible. But – just to make sure… the genius spun around quickly, not sure what he was expecting, but finding himself alone.

He exhaled softly and continued walking aimlessly.

Toby was right. If Walter didn't act quickly, Paige would be out of his life forever. Obviously, he frowned, obviously he didn't act soon enough, and once they were off this island, they would go their separate ways, and he would never see her nor Ralph again.

Honestly, if you're so convinced you're never going to see her again, then why are you standing here sulking instead of chasing after her? Does YOLO mean nothing to you? What about Carpe Diem? Oh, wait, I think you skipped that literature lesson.

The genius stopped dead in his tracks and racked his brain. Paige must have slapped him harder than he thought, because he swore he heard…. No! He shook his head again, refusing to believe what he was about to acknowledge. It was strictly impossible for –

Jeez, Walter. Stop thinking too hard. Just pretend you know what's happening and go with it. Just this once.

He exhaled loudly and muttered, "She's not really here. She's not really here."

Of course, I'm not, Lil Bro. I'm dead. Communication between the living and the dead is impossible. You know that. I know that. Stop thinking you're crazy, and just go with what's going on.

Walter brought his index fingers to his ears and tapped on his canals. What the heck was going on? Oh! "Obviously, you're not real; of course, you're not real. Why would I even think you were?" He chuckled to himself, and wondered if he had finally lost it, being on this goddamn island for far too long. "You must be some sort of figment of my subconscious manifested in my mind to help me assess my romantic life."

If that's what you think I am, go for it. No idea what you're talking about, but let's not go off on tangent. First of all, you suck at taking advice. I told you, what, a year ago, not to be afraid of love, and yet here you are…

"I'm a moron, yes I know. I discovered my feelings for Paige far later than everyone expected, but had she not started dating…, his teeth clenched, another person, we would not be in this predicament today!" Walter wanted to slam his fist into Tim's face for everything he was feeling.

And whose fault was that?

"Huh?"

From what the little birdies tell me, you had a chance to tell Paige how you felt when you presented jazz tickets to Paige. And what did you do?

Walter pursed his lips together, already knowing the answer. "Okay, fine. It was my fault for pushing her towards him, I get that, but… she had only been dating him for a few weeks when she found out about my feelings for her. Why didn't she break up with him? We… she and I… we share this connection. We always have, and I don't believe it for a second she doesn't feel the same way I do. I might be new to love, but… Schrodinger… and… and her eyes…. My eyes…. It all doesn't make sense. Why would she continue dating him? I understand Toby told her not to tell me the truth about space, but… but she could have still told me. Toby doesn't control her. No one controls her…. So why did she – of all people – left me in the dark?"

He could imagine his sister rolling her eyes dramatically. Walter, I understand your confusion, and you have a right to be confused, but… have you ever considered that the reason Paige agreed to keep the truth to herself was because she was afraid of it?

Walter frowned. "No. Why would she be?"

Based on Paige's reaction to everything up to this point; it's obvious she loves you. No question about it. But, if you remember, she's been burned before…, and if she allowed herself to accept your feelings from that night before you were ready to tell her, the chance of you denying those feelings while you were conscious would be higher. She obviously wasn't ready to take a risk with you yet, just as you weren't ready to take one with her….

Walter closed his eyes and let out a groan of frustration into his hands. "And yet, now she knows, and now she knows my feelings for her remain unchanged, but she still hates me. Granted, I did fire her in the worst of ways, but it's been over a month…. Surely, she should have gotten over it by now…."

Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn…. Walter, you're missing the point. Paige is not like you. She doesn't process emotion the same way, and you know that. Even the most EQ of people have difficulties processing matters of the heart. And she might have gotten over it, especially if she gave you a chance to apologize for being an ass towards her, but she might be struggling with a deeper issue. Something much larger than you firing her.

Walter froze. Mind Megan was saying the exact same thing Toby was earlier. He abandoned her… just like everyone else before him in her life, he abandoned her.

Bingo. But, that's only tip of the iceberg Walter. You're thinking too objectively. Try applying empathy into the equation. If you do that, you'll understand.

And then his thoughts went quiet. He closed his eyes and focused on his own memories of abandonment. His parents. His teachers. His extended family. Past friends. Past girlfriends (not that there were many). Different situations, but the same result. Each time someone pushed him away, called him names, thought he was weird, he could always remember thinking the same question over and over and over again. 'Is there something wrong with me?'

Walter's eyes snapped open.

He never ran so fast towards her in his life.

"How is she?" Walter inquired for the fifth time since he had carried Paige to Toby. "Why did she fall? Why are her cheeks flushed and her breathing ragged? Will she be okay? Is she okay? Does she need anything? W-when will she wake up?"

Toby handed a damp cloth to Ralph and politely asked the boy to wet it again. As Ralph raced off towards the water, Toby turned towards Walter to address his onslaught of questions. "Paige will be fine in the morning. She was very dehydrated, but she's going to be okay. I brought a few units of IV treatment with me just in case they were needed, so two units should be enough…. But she will need to stay here until both units are finished. Hopefully, by that time, she will need to urinate, and if she does, then that's a good sign. It means her body's able to retain the IV fluids naturally."

"Okay," Walter nodded swiftly, swallowing thickly. "Is there anything I can do?"

Toby smiled. "Just stay here with her. Keep checking her pulse every thirty minutes and let me know if there's a drastic change. Also, let me know when she wakes up. I'm going to search for another blanket. Until her body regulates, she might be extra cold tonight even with the fire lit. I'm going to have Cabe and Scottie fetch some fresh water from that spring deeper in the forest. When she's awake and the IV has finished its course, then she will need to drink lots of water to ensure her body is able to cycle it through naturally."

"Okay," was Walter's only response.

"Here's the rag, Toby!" Ralph exclaimed, the water from the cloth dripping onto Walter's shoulder. Toby turned to the side and wrung it out a little bit more before placing it on top of Paige's head. When the shrink got up to leave, Ralph sat down next to Walter.

"You really hurt my mom…."

"I know."

"But she hurt you too."

"Yes… she did."

Ralph was silent for a moment as he eyed his mentor holding his mother's hand. "Will she be okay?"

"In time, hopefully. Toby said she's just dehydrated and has given her IV treatment." Walter answered, yawning a little bit. He turned towards Ralph who was now watching his mother's face intently.

Another moment of silence passed.

"She loves you, you know?"

"I know," Walter nodded.

Ralph didn't need to state his next thought. Instead, he said, "Be sure to tell her you love her too."

Walter patted the boy's back gently. A smile colored his lips. "I will."

~ SCORPION ~

ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT!

Please let me know what you think about this chapter! :)