Walter sat there confused. After everything in the three weeks, part of him wanted to get up and run out of the restaurant. But his heart couldn't abandon Paige, especially now as she seemed sick. And he was slowly starting to believe her that she wanted to work through what happened, to come back together as a couple and he smiled. Before Cabe's words came back to him.

"You remember what they did son, they were family and they bailed on you. They took from you for years and then they up and left you. You keep that front and center of your thoughts moving forward." Cabe told him as they left the Gettleman bid, Walter recalled.

Walter's thoughts drifted back over what happened that day.

"Well I agree, they did Cabe, but Paige had a reason to walk out on me. I screwed up." Walter told him.

"Walter, you don't just walk out like that. If you meant something to her then she should have tried to talk with you about it. I know before today as much as I wanted to see them come back, I kept cautioning you against them. But after the way they acted inside the office. Don't do it, don't give in. You don't need them." Cabe argued with him outside of his SUV.

"Uh, maybe we should wait until we're back at the Garage." Florence spoke up as she looked about the parking lot.

"Shut up." Walter and Cabe told her in unison. Their anger at her role in what happened clearly showed in both of their faces.

"Look Cabe, I agree with you about the guys. They were ungrateful and used me for what they could get and then walked out on me. But I hurt Paige, however innocently. And it certainly didn't help things when Florence lied to her." Walter told him.

"I didn't lie." Florence told them.

"Yes you did." Cabe and Walter yelled at her again.

"Look Walt, son, for your own good, just stay away. I thought and I was right, you aren't emotionally ready for Paige. Though now I think maybe not the way I was thinking. Clearly you screwed up taking Florence to that lecture, I still owe you an asskicking for that. But either Paige is more emotionally immature than you or she didn't love you. Either way, your psyche doesn't need that. I know, you read her emails and listen to her voicemails and you think you should give her another chance. But for what purpose? To hurt you again?" Cabe asked. "You saw with your own eyes in there what she really felt. If any of those messages had been true, why didn't she try to talk with you?"

"We don't know why without asking her Cabe and I gave you another chance and then you turned around and hurt me again. Why shouldn't I give her another one?" Walter said hurt.

"What are you talking about?" Cabe frowned.

"I forgave you over the bombing…but you didn't tell me the full truth Cabe. You withheld that you knew three days before hand that they were going to use my software to bomb Baghdad. And I forgave you for that too finally." Walter told him defiantly.

"That isn't the same thing." Cabe told him.

"It is the same, you did something horrible to me Cabe and I still forgave it. Why are you trying to keep me apart from Paige?" Walter demanded.

"I'm not trying to keep you apart, I'm trying to make you see she just used you." Cabe said defensively.

"What, are you saying she didn't truly love me? That all her messages have been lies? To what purpose would any of that work for? You've heard her voice, her words, you think she is somehow trying to worm her way back into my life to do something shady?" Walter asked incredibly.

"I do." Florence piped in.

Walter and Cabe both glared at her.

"Just get in the SUV and quit interrupting." Cabe told her as he hit the remote lock.

Florence grumbled but climbed in.

"What, you think Paige just woke up and realized how much she really loves you and just has to have you back? The only reason they are beating you at jobs is because they are charging less than you are. They are just now starting to charge half of what Scorpion charges." Cabe swore.

"Are you spying on them Cabe?" Walter demanded.

"I am. You are a high value government asset, I have to know what threats are out there against you." Cabe told him. "But you didn't answer me. Do you really think Paige just woke up and realized how much she really loves you?"

"I don't think she ever stopped loving me." Walter said as he grew tired of the argument.

"Kid, are you kidding me? You heard the things she said to you. She called it an experiment." Cabe put his hand on Walter's neck. "I'm not trying to be a downer on you son. I want you to see the truth."

Walter's hand came up and knocked his hand away from his neck and glared at Cabe.

"She said that because of Collins and you damn well know that." Walter told him as he shoved Cabe away in anger.

Walter turned and began walking away.

"Where are you going son?" Cabe called out in surprise.

"Away from you. Go home and leave me alone." Walter yelled back at him.

Walter walked through the parking lot and looked back as he heard Cabe's SUV start. He watched as Cabe drove off and he sighed. He pulled out his phone to call for an uber when he saw Happy's truck and Paige's car. He thought for a moment and then moved back so he had a good view of the building and their cars. From where he was they wouldn't see him watching. After about a half hour the doors of the downstair's lobby opened and Centipede Partners came out.

As they left the building Toby and Sylvester began laughing and cutting up. Walter could clearly hear them making fun of him. First of how they beat him for another job and then for the stupid look on his face when he saw their shirts. Happy seemed pleased but wasn't celebrating like they were. Paige on the other hand looked miserable. She sighed several times in the short walk to her car. Her arms tight across her chest as she'd barked at them several times to stop acting like jerks but they ignored her. Sylvester stood on the passenger side of her car waiting for her to unlock the doors. But instead of hitting the remote she stuck her key in the driver's door and unlocked it.

"Since you are so happy at what happened, you can ride with the other two arses." Paige glared at him and got in her car.

He watched Sylvester stand there with confusion written across his face at what she was doing. And then Paige drove off leaving him standing there next to the spot. Happy frowned and opened her door. She stood up out of the cab.

"What the hell Sly?" Happy asked.

"I don't know, she seemed pissed because we were happy about winning the bid." Sylvester looked at her.

Happy shook her head.

"Well get in." Happy told him.

"Are you sure you're okay dear? You don't think something in the dressing was bad do you?" Mrs Kovelsky worriedly asked Paige as she escorted her back to Walter's booth.

"I don't see how Mrs Kovelsky. Walter said he feels fine. Right Walter?" Paige asked as they interrupted his thoughts.

Walter looked up and frowned before he nodded.

"Yes, I feel fine, sorry, I was just thinking of something else. Are you okay now?" Walter asked her with concern.

Paige smiled as she nodded and scooted back into the booth.

"I'm fine." Paige told them. "Seriously guys, I'm fine." Paige said again.

"Well, is there anything I can bring you?" Mrs Kovelsky asked.

"You know what I'd really like? A hot fudge sundae, oh and have you got any salted roasted peanuts? They would be delicious with the sundae." Paige grinned.

"I think so, I'll go see." Mrs Kovelsky smiled before walking away.

"Sorry we were interrupted." Paige smiled. "Thankfully Mrs Kovelsky had some mouthwash."

Walter smiled.

"Are you sure you only want some ice cream after getting sick?" Walter asked as he reached up and touched her forehead. "You don't feel like you have a fever."

"Oh, man, I fed you a bite after mine. I hope I don't have a stomach bug. I'd hate to make you sick." Paige fretted.

Walter smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not worried. If the bug attacked you it just means it had good taste." Walter told her.

Paige laughed as she shook her head.

"Besides, you seem to feel fine otherwise right? So I don't think it is a virus. Maybe nerves?" Walter suggested.

"Maybe. So how is Cabe doing?" Paige asked.

Walter shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Okay I guess. We got into it after the Gettlemen bid. And when I got back to the Garage later that day he was waiting with Florence and we got into it again. So I fired Florence and told Cabe to take a walk. I didn't mind his comments about the guys but I hated him trying to convince me not to trust you. I was having my own problems accepting your messages. I didn't need him trying to influence me over you." Walter told her.

"Cabe didn't want you talking to me?" Paige said as her face showed how completely surprised she was.

Walter nodded even as a tear ran down her face.

"I understood his points on the guys and I have no intentions of making up with them. But he knew how much I still loved you. I felt like you still loved me. Your messages always seemed to suggest it. I couldn't see any reason why you would keep trying to contact me if you weren't serious. You had a right to be mad at me. Had Sylvester just thought about things and not gotten so mad, I don't think you would have left and we could have worked it out right then. I mean if this was Callan, then I might think it was a ploy just to hurt me again. But I don't think you are that kind of person." Walter was interrupted as Paige grabbed him tightly as she pressed her lips into his. It was only a moment later that their lips opened and their tongues were speaking another language.

"Well, it seems like someone is feeling better." Mrs Kovelsky grinned as she sat the sundae down along with a small bowl of salted, roasted peanuts.

Paige broke the kiss giggling.

"Thanks Mrs Kovelsky." Paige told her.

Walter watched as Paige scooped up a number of peanuts and dropped them into the sundae. He watched as she cut into the fudge syrup covered ice cream and lifted up a scoop with several peanuts on it.

Paige smiled as she slipped the spoon into her mouth.

"What?" She said half muffled and giggled after pulling the spoon out of her mouth.

"I've missed this so much." Walter told her.

Paige smiled and reached over and caressed his cheek.

"I've missed you too Walter. Ralph's been after me to hurry up and come talk to you. I told him I wasn't doing it until you contacted me back. But after the nonsense yesterday I had to come see you. It bothered me so much how they were acting. I didn't want to force myself on you." Paige told him after another bite.

Walter chuckled as he pulled his phone out and pulled up his messages from Ralph and flipped through them before pulling up a video Ralph sent him. He held the phone out to Paige and she took it and hit play and started laughing as Ralph took video from a 3 stooges show. He took head shots from the other three geniuses and changed the palette colors to match the video and resized and animated them to replace the heads of the three stooges. Sylvester stood there doing Curly's little dancing wind up as Happy's Moe poked Toby's Larry in the eyes and then the arm of Happy's Moe swung around his shoulder and hit Sylvester's Curly on top of his head and knocked him to the ground.

"Oh that is too funny. He didn't show this to me." Paige laughed.

"He's given me some pretty funny shots at them. He's been making more and more memes of them." Walter explained as he put his phone up. "I think one of my favorites is where he's replaced some character called Kenny with Toby and all of Kenny's friends are crying all the time. "You killed Kenny."

Paige laughed.

"Well maybe we shouldn't laugh about that one so much." Paige smiled.

"Is the ice cream helping?" Walter asked as she ate her sixth bite.

"Well I haven't felt any nausea yet at any rate." Paige smiled as she offered him a bite.

Walter leaned over and she grinned as she slipped the spoon into his mouth. Her grin got bigger as Walter slipped his tongue around the ice cream before closing his mouth.

"Are you making a pass at me Mr O'Brien?" Paige grinned.

"Maybe Ms Dineen." Walter told her.

"Just what would my Daddy say about you? I just met you for a lunch date and you are making passes at me." Paige grinned as she leaned in and they shared a kiss.

"That he's lost his mind?" Tim said from behind them. "How can you stand to even be around her anymore Walter? Knowing how she uses everyone around her. Used her partners and then when she didn't like them taking control of their partnership back she ran from them right back to you. What's next? Going to work your way back to Richard Elia?" Tim laughed.

Walter growled but Paige put her hand on his.

"Don't respond Walter. We know the truth, he's just here hoping to cause problems since I'm not there anymore for him to insult." Paige told him.

"Wow, you really got him whipped don't you? I guess you really do know how to use your body. I mean you are a great kisser so I guess it only stands to reason." Tim chuckled.

"Sir, your table is this way." The hostess said as she stepped over to Tim.

"I think I'd like to sit with my friends." Tim said as he started to walk to the other side of the booth.

"No, you aren't welcome here Tim, so disappear." Paige told him.

"Sir, I must insist you come with me or leave the restaurant." The hostess demanded at Paige's words.

"Fine, the food here sucks anyway. Probably because of those rotten fish sticks you keep for Walter here." Tim sneered and walked away. "I'll be around." Tim said as he passed their side of the booth.

"Gawd, I can't believe this. Why did he have to come back?" Paige almost cried.

"More of Carlson's games. He's probably hoping to force Scorpion and Centipede out of business." Walter told her as he tried to calm down.

"Walter, I know we haven't really talked about things. I mean your words turned my heart gooey earlier, but I don't know if we're ready for our relationship to go completely back to where we were. I want to pursue it, spend time together, but I think we need to seek out some counseling if you want to get back together with me. But what Tim just said worries me. Would you mind coming to the condo and spending the night with us?" Paige asked while trying to cover for just how much fear she felt at his seeming threat.

"I would love to spend the night at the condo with you both." Walter told her.

"Thank you Walter." Paige leaned in and they kissed.

Greetings! I hope this finds you well!

JerBr23 - hehe Never know...could be. Toby deserves a world of hurt in this story...Sly...slightly less so but still a goodly amount.

Railman - Yep, this part (Grudges) of the story will have 9 chapters, well 10 if I finish what I've been working on the last 2 days. Not sure I can close it enough in 1 chapter, but...maybe?

Lucy - Indeed he is. LOL I think we need someone to write a fix it with Toby from the get go...waking up the day after Gettlemen and being all, we've screwed up and then working hard to bring everyone back together and make it all right again. I just don't see how it could happen from the stand point of how the show was writing Toby though. Donor was the best I could do I think. *sigh*

LouBe - Thank you! I was trying to be cruel! lol Man...yeah...I think everyone of mine have been "accidents". Paige or Walter need better birth control! LOL I'm so glad you enjoyed Kili! Martin did an amazing job and I don't know if I captured it as much as I think the amazing job he did just presented itself with what I wrote. lol I do want to do a follow up story to it at some point.

To the Adventure! -Tim