Here's chapter three. Thank you all for your kind words! I have one more chapter of this written, but I'm still trying to decide whether or not I want to continue this one through the rest of season three or not. Let me know what you think.
The title of this chapter comes from the song Carry It Well by Sam Fischer and Hana Effron.
Disclaimer: I do not own Scorpion or any of its characters.
Thankfully, Walter no longer has the question of his citizenship looming over his head. He leans back rubbing his temples. Even though, he should be celebrating he can't seem to find relief.
"You okay?" Paige interrupts his wistful thoughts.
"Just thinking." Sitting up as she comes to sit beside him on the couch.
"What about?" She looks at him. They've been on better terms recently, but this is the first time in a while Walter has been in her presence without his armor on. She missed it. She missed him. "You should be celebrating you've got citizenship and your investor. Everything seems to be coming up Walter."
He smiles at that last part letting out a little laugh. He seemed less burdened, but sad, "I wish I could have given the chip to Megan. I wish I would've had enough time to give this to her. I know it wouldn't have prolonged her life. But it could've made it better."
"Walter," She turns to face him, placing her hand on top of his, "you did everything you could for Megan. Now look at what all that work you did because of her brought. You're about to help so many people. Well, more people." The butterflies flutter her stomach when he looks at her. "She would be so proud of you."
"Thank you, Paige." God, she is beautiful. He missed her. No, he's not supposed to be having these thoughts about her. He just got them under control, he can't go back. But, it's been so long since they were together like this. Clearing his throat and pulling his hand from under hers, "Don't you have a dance to get ready for?" Good, keep her at arms length that will equals no feelings.
"Um, no. I got nervous about meeting his parents and decided against going tonight. Especially after a case like today." And I've been having conflicting feelings about you that I shouldn't be having. "We missed you out there today."
"Yeah, I miss being with the team." And you. "Luckily, I had Ralph today, it was nice to spend time with him. He's a great partner and Kaitlin helped with distracting Hart." Her smile tightened at the mention of Kaitlin's name.
"You two have been spending a lot of time together." Kaitlin's feeling have been very clear, but Paige is unclear of where Walter stands on his feelings for her.
"She's been a good person to bounce ideas off of." Part of her wants to push him for more information, but she notices him getting lost in thought.
"What's on your mind?"
He sighs and stands to move to the kitchen, "Tea?"
"Probably shouldn't, but thank you." She's not ready to be shut out. "Talk to me, Walt."
"We have to go to Ireland in a few days."
"Right. The memorial. At least you get to go home."
"It's not my home." She watches him stare at the kettle on the stove. "You know, Ralph is lucky."
She moves from the couch to the kitchen. They've already had enough emotional distance between them, she could at least close the physical distance, "What do you mean?"
"You have always tried your best to understand him, connect with him. That's why his the most well adjusted genius, I know. I never had that. Not with my parents. Megan tried to help fill the gap with me and my parents, but after a while, it was like they gave up." He pulls a mug out of the cupboard and pours the water on the tea bag. "You're a great mom."
"Thank you, Walter." There go the butterflies acting up again. "You should take some credit though. If it weren't for you I would probably still think he was challenged. You changed our lives, Walter." She bumps his shoulder with her own.
"Paige, you're smart. It might have taken a little longer, but you would have figured it out eventually." His words threw her for a loop. Since she's surrounded by geniuses all the time she doesn't expect one of them to think of her as smart.
"I like the way it all worked out." She smiles her eyes flutter from her shoes to him.
"Me too." His finally breaks eyes away from the tea to look at her. She magnetic. He fights the pull when her eyes shift from his eyes to his lips, and his soon follow, he feels his control starting to slip. She's with Tim. A voice whispers in his head. "I—I have some work I need to get done." He points to his office, taking steps back to put more distance between to two.
"Oh, okay. Well, I'll leave you to it." He caught the disappointment in her tone.
"But this was nice. Talking to you again." He offers her a smile.
"It has been nice. I've missed you."
"I've missed you too. Goodnight, Paige." He turns to his office.
"Goodnight, Walter." She stares at his retreating form before exiting the loft.
"Hello, is Walter around?" Paige blinks away the need to roll her eyes at the blonde.
"Hi, Kaitlin. Yes, he is." Paige hits the intercom button on her desk. "Hey Walt, Kaitlin is here." She hears his hurried footstep on the stairs. What could that mean? Is he excited to work or… is it… seeing her?
"Thanks Paige. Kaitlin, would you like some coffee before we get to work?" He gestures to the kitchen after being released from a hug.
"That sounds nice." Paige catches a glimpse of their backs. She starts digging into her purse for her headphones when she hears Kaitlin's giggles from the other room.
Walter leads Kaitlin to the loft, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "Paige, we'll be busy so if there's an emergency just come up."
"Oh okay." She almost looked sad. Walter shakes that thought out of his mind. He can't worry about her like this. He got too close the other night. All the progress he thought he'd made flew out the window the second she sat on the couch with him offering words of encouragement. What is wrong with me? A woman can be kind without hitting on a man. That's all Paige was doing. She was being nice. She always is. Don't be an idiot.
"I had fun the other day with you and Ralph." Kaitlin's words bring him out his berating thoughts. "You two are cute together."
Walter leads them to the couch and opens his laptop, "Yeah, it was fun. He's my buddy."
"You know, I wouldn't mind doing something like that again. Maybe just you and me next time... Like a date." Walter's head jerks from his laptop to her.
"I—um… think we should work."
I don't need to focus on romantic entanglements right now. Everyone has already told me, I'm not cut out for them. What's the point if it's just going to end in disaster.
"Oh, sorry. I, I don't want to make this awkward."
"No, it's just… I'm still kind of trying to get over someone. And I've, well I've written relationships off, at least for me. I'm not any good at them. From what I've been told by some friends, I wouldn't know how to… um… make someone feel loved. So I think it's best that we remain friends because I really have enjoyed working with you and I don't want to mess this up." He tries his best to fix whatever he possibly messed up.
"It's Paige, right?" His jaw drops at her guess, quickly shutting his mouth. "It's not hard to figure out. You both give each other these long looks when you think the other isn't looking."
Walter shakes his head in disagreement. "I don't think that is accurate. She's with Tim. She's moved on."
"i don't think so. And for what it's worth, I do think you're capable of love and whatever woman you decide to let in one day, I hope she knows how lucky she is." She grabs his hand from his keyboard.
"Thanks. I hope we can remain friends because I've very much enjoyed getting to know you. It's actually nice talking to someone who's not in Scorpion… Don't tell them I said that."
She giggles, "Your secrets safe with me."
After a few hours of working the two decide to call it a day. Walter escorts Kaitlin down to the garage, where they find the rest of Scorpion still at work. They all stop their progress on projects and paperwork watching the duo walk to the door. Kaitlin turns to face Walter when they get to the door and whispers, "I'm going to help you out. So don't freak out about this."
"What?" He whispers as Kaitlin stretches on her toes before Walter recognizes what she doing her lips brush against his cheek holding his head in place for a second longer then a platonic cheek kiss would be.
"Walk me to my car?" She raises her eyebrows in question.
"Uh, uh—sure." He opens the door for her then follows behind. As the door closes he hears a whistle from someone inside. If he had to guess, it's Toby or Cabe. "What was that for?" He ask when they reach her car, pointing to the garage door.
"Just proving a point." She smiles and opens the driver door.
"And that would be?"
"You're a genius, right? You'll figure it out."
"If this is a point your trying to make involving human behavior, I have to tell you that's not my forte. In fact, it's where I often fail."
"Paige has feelings for you Walter. You're not alone in it. Just because she's with another man doesn't mean she doesn't love you. It just means she's playing a game of denial. But hey, if you're ever ready to move on… you have my number. I'd be happy to go out with you."
Walter nods shutting her car door. "Have a good night."
"You too." He walks to the door before turning to watch her drive off. If he weren't fighting these feeling he has for Paige, he thinks that he would've really liked Kaitlin, but it wouldn't be fair to her to drag her into an already messy situation. With a sigh, he enters the garage.
"197, what was that?" Toby doesn't let him get two steps in before he's ready with questions.
"What was what?" Walter moves to his desk.
"That kiss." Toby points to the door.
"She was just saying goodbye." Walter picks up the papers on his desk. He glances at Paige, she must have put them here while he was in the loft. "Paige, are these the recent case files?"
"Mmm hmm." She doesn't look up from her desk.
"Walter, don't change the subject." Toby moves to his boss' desk.
"We're just friends. I think I heard it enough from the peanut gallery. I'm not built for relationships, Toby. So can we move on, please." Walter is tired and overwhelmed with his previous conversation with Kaitlin, so when he snaps, it surprised not just the team, but him as well. He grabs the papers and moves to the kitchen. "Thank you."
She couldn't help, but watch him leave. Where is this coming from? She's spent two and a half years trying to help Walter connect with people, but now there are people going around telling him he's no go at relationships. What the hell?
"What was that?" Paige looks around at the team.
"The outburst? Just Walter trying to get me to backoff." Toby shrugs.
"No, no, that wasn't Walter trying to get you to backoff. That was Walter being mad about something else."
"Paige, come on. Who's the shrink?"
"Toby, something else is going on." I'm going to get to the bottom of this. She watches her boss make a desk out of the kitchen table and running his hands through his hair.
It's been a few days since Walter's outburst. Everyone has been walking eggshells around the genius, well except for Ralph. "Hey, Walter." Ralph walks to his mentors desk, sitting in the chair he's claimed as his own.
"Hey buddy. Are you all packed up for your weekend with Happy and Toby?" Walter glances at the young boy's bag sitting on the couch.
"Yeah." Ralph stares at Walter a moment longer before breaking his silence. "I really liked partnering with you on the last case."
"Me too." He leans in to whisper in the young genius' ear. "Don't tell anyone, but you're my favorite partner."
Ralph smiles at him. "Partners forever?"
"Forever." Walter ruffles his hair.
Paige watches the two with a smile that slowly falls when a jealous feeling rises in her stomach. She couldn't believe she was jealous of her son, watching the them smile with ease. When Walter looks at her like that he quickly removes himself from the room, leaving her hurt and confused. She shakes her head to bring herself out of her thoughts, "Ready to go, Walter?"
"Yeah, yeah." Walter stands from his chair. "Hey Ralph, keep those two in line while we're gone." He pats the boy on the shoulder.
She wanted to sit with him on the plane. Knowing his nerves about returning to Ireland she wanted to comfort him, but Walter invited Tim. To say she and everyone else were shocked would be a complete understatement.
When Thomas and Connor started messing with Walter it took everything in her to not lay the asshats out herself. She could tell the two just wanted to embarrass him in front on her. When he walked off to the woods she just wanted to hug him. She started after him.
"Hey," Tim pulls on her arm to stop her. "I'll talk to him. It'll give you a break." She knows he means well, but the way he said it to her pissed her off. This wasn't about being the genius whisperer. She was being Walter's friend.
"No, it's okay. He needs a friend and you two are barely friendly." She started off in the direction she saw Walter go. Finding him skipping rocks was a surprise. "That's quite athletic of you."
"I'd hardly call this athletic. It's science." He glance at the woman he loves standing next to him before shifting his gaze out to the water again.
"Either way, you're pretty good at it." She bumps his shoulder with hers and looks at the water, "It's really beautiful."
"I would come here a lot when I needed to get away. I got a lot of practice skipping stones. It is one of two places I felt at peace." He picks up another stone.
"What's the other?" He looks down at her, meeting her eyes before throwing the stone.
You.
Silence fills the air. He looks back to the water. She sees the thinking face he wears when he's trying to figure out a problem. "Walter? What are you looking at?"
"Dead fish."
Cabe sits next to Walter on the plane ride home. Originally, his seat was next to Paige, until he asked Sly to swap with him. He isn't strong enough to sit next to her for hours and not get lost in a fantasy. There was a time Walter wouldn't have entertained daydreaming, but now… it's the only version they get to be together. Daydreaming while sitting next her her was a dangerous combination. Especially since he is trying to not feel these things about her.
"Son, can I ask why in the hell you ask Tim to come Ireland if you were just going to fight with him?" Cabe sits his bag on the table. It's just the two of them.
"Because I need him to be here to remind me." Walter scratches the back of his head.
"Remind you of what?"
"That she's with him." The look in Walter's eye broke Cabe's heart. He hates seeing him in pain.
"Why would you do that to yourself?"
He brings his hands to his eyes pushing in until he's seeing spots, "Every time we're alone together I forget... just for a moment, and then when I remember it comes crashing down. She chose him. If he's around, I don't forget." Walter puts his headphones on, signaling to the agent he was done with the conversation.
Walter didn't know how to help Paige. It wasn't exactly his place to anyway, but after she was there for him Ireland he felt he should do something. So he was happy when Toby followed her outside. He's better with feelings. He can take care of her. All that being said, he wasn't going to leave the nuclear reactor in the middle of LA. After listening to the mother and daughter bicker all day he couldn't help, but feel sorry for her mom. He knows how it feels wanting Paige Dineen to love you.
"My daughter is more than a top notch employee, isn't she?" Veronica's voice cuts through the thoughts running rampant in his head. Walter jerks his head down pretending to be busy, hoping he wasn't caught watching the liaison from the kitchen.
He sighs, it's not a secret to anyone. Except Paige. "Your daughter is an amazing woman," He looks to her mother, "and—and I'm completely crazy about her. But she's with Tim and I already messed with their relationship once. We've just started to get back to friends. I have to respect her choice even if it hurts like hell."
"Well, I could help you out." He sees a bit of Paige in her mother's smile.
"I don't want to manipulate her. I want her to choose me and not by default."
"I'm rooting for you, Walter." She pecks his cheek and leaves him in the kitchen with the plates.
"Hey, are you coming?" Paige walks meets him in the kitchen grabbing the cups her mom left behind.
"Yeah. But if I could say something?" His eyebrow knit together.
"Oh um, sure." She puts the cups back on the table.
"I know your relationship with your mother is, well, barely intact. But as someone who spent years with parents who didn't really try to foster a relationship with their son, I can't tell you what I wouldn't give for my parents to reach out. Your mom is here and yes, she's far from a normal parent and clearly been a disappointment. But she's here a-and she's trying. That's more than I could say for my parents. I mean, you've been working with me for a couple years now helping me change. Maybe she's trying to change too." He waits for her to respond, but she just stares at him. Scared he may have offended her, he breaks the silence, "I-I am sorry if I crossed a line. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm way off base, aren't I?"
"No, I'm just trying to figure out when you became insightful." She smirks at him, finally easing the anxiety in his brain yelling, 'you screwed up again'.
"We have to maintain relationships or they disappear, right?" He repeats her words from Ireland when they were laying the flowers by Megan's headstone. He watches her smirk grow into a smile.
"Now, where have I heard that before?" Paige leans against the table in the kitchen resting the cups on her hip.
"I don't know. I heard it from this really smart friend of mine. It helped me out in a difficult time. I'm just trying to pass on their words of wisdom." He sees her pupils dilate and she takes a quick breath. If he didn't know any better he'd think—
"We should get to dinner." She points to the table filled with the rest of the team, but stands still in front of him.
Walter nods, "Yeah, you're right." He leaves her in the kitchen. Feeling her eyes on the back of his head, he turns with a smile and waves her over to the rest of the group.
"I'm sorry about Steven. If I knew about his financial problems I never would've steered you towards him." Walter's hands are shaking from the news Richard just shared.
Holding his tongue is becoming increasingly more difficult. So Walter grits his teeth and takes a deep breath, "It's not your fault."
"It doesn't mean it's the end, Walt. This is just a setback. I'll reach out to more contacts see what we can dig up." Knowing Elia is determined to make the project a reality gives him hope.
"Thank you."
"I've got some business to take care of, but I'll call as soon as I have some news. Take care, Walter."
"You too, Richard." He replies defeatedly.
The phone call ends, "Son of bitch!" He throws his phone across the garage when Paige walks in from the kitchen popcorn in hand.
"Walter, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." He runs his fingers through his hair while falling into his desk chair.
"Really? I must have missed all the other times you've thrown your phone across a room yelling profanities." Sitting the bowl on her desk, Paige crosses the walkway in between their desk and rest on his desk, crossing her ankles. "What's going on?"
His shoulders drop with sigh, "Steven, my investor, fell through. He made some bad investments at a poker table and now he's broke."
"I'm so sorry Walter." She feels some tension release as she begins rub his shoulder in comfort.
"I finally had something go right and now I'm back to square one. I thought I could have this one thing. But of course, something else slips through my fingers." He stops, knowing if he continues his rant it will lead back to her.
"Well, what did Elia say?" She sits on her hands to avoid touching him again, like she so badly wants to.
"He's going to reach out to some other potential investors."
"Then it's not over Walter." She stand from her position on his desk.
He runs a hand down his face in defeat, "Right now, it feel like it is."
"Walter, you're brilliant and your research is a reflection of that. I know for a fact you will find another investor because someone, somewhere will see how amazing you—your work is." Warmth rises in his chest at the sight of her smile. "Right now, you just need something to take your mind off of it. Like that movie you found for me. Yeah?" She holds are hand out for him to take.
"Alright." He slaps his hand in hers and she pulls him out of the chair and into the makeshift movie theater. "Oh, your mom told me how much you like chocolate covered peanuts so I grabbed some while we were shopping for movie snacks." He runs back to the kitchen to grab the candies. When he returns he settles in next to her and passed her the salty sweet snack.
"Thanks, Walt. You didn't have to do that." She's stunned at the sweet gesture causing the warm and fuzzies to spread throughout her stomach.
"I know, but I wanted to." After pressing play on the remote, he glances to his left expecting her focus to be on the movie. Instead he met her eyes with a smile.
He's knows Paige's intensions were good when she suggest watching the film to take his mind off losing his funding, but ten minutes in he was bored and he back to stewing. What did he do to piss off the universe? Hasn't he lost enough already? He was lost in his thoughts during the rest of the movie. So when the lights were turned back on the sting from the brightness covered the scowl on his face.
"Walter?" Toby voice creeps in.
"Hm?"
"Your phone is ringing."
"Oh, thanks Toby." He picks his phone up dismissing himself from the group.
"What was the yelling earlier about?" Toby and Happy move the furniture back in place.
Paige picks up the trash from their snacks, "The funding for his microchip fell through."
"Oh man, that sucks." Happy pauses from moving the chairs back to the original place.
Toby adds, "You seemed to calm him down rather quickly considering the news."
"I just helped provide a distraction." Paige mindlessly wipes the crumbs left on the table into her hands before throwing them into the trash.
Toby raised his eyebrows at her answer, "Ms. Dineen, don't you still have a boyfriend? What, pray tell, did this distraction involve?"
"Get your head out of the gutter. I brought him in here to watch the movie, you perv."
"Guys, we need to go." Walter interrupts the trio, "There's a woman stuck in her car in the La Brea Tar Pits." They rush getting to the car.
They were standing around getting no where on a solution. Walter had enough, "I'm going in."
"What? Walter, no! You cannot go in there." Paige was the first to respond.
"Beth does not have enough time for us to stand around and talk about what to do. I'm going in; this is something I can control." Paige wants to beg him not to go in the tar, but she would be wasting her breath. Walter was determined.
After assembling his emersion suit they were waiting for Cabe and Tim to come back with a helmet. "So next movie night, Sci-fi or horror?" Paige ask him.
"Is this really what you-"
"Walter, I need to hear you say it." She begs him with her eyes.
"Sci-fi." He stares at her. He's used to the concern on her face when he's in danger, but there was something different added into the mix this time that he couldn't identify.
"Okay, please don't do anything stupid down there." She doesn't like that he won't reassure her that he'll make it out of this. "I'm serious, Walter. You are not allowed to die down there. Or I'll find someone to perform a seance just so I can kick your ass." She looks to his eyes for comfort, but she doesn't find any. He looks at her like he wants to say a possible goodbye.
"You're the boss." She smiles at his answer.
"Alright son, we've got a solution." Cabe brings the makeshift helmet over his head securing it in place. "Come back in one piece." Walter nods at the older man's request.
"Hey Paige." He turns to her. Truth be told he just wanted to have one more look at her. Considering his luck lately, he wasn't sure how this one would end. "See you soon." Not exactly the words he wanted to say, but it's the only thing he could think of that wouldn't rock the boat. Not waiting for a reply Walter heads straight for the tar pit.
"See you soon, Walter." She whispers to herself, while watching him enter the tar pit.
Coming up from the tar feels like a punch to the gut when the cool air rushes across his sweaty face and into his lungs. Paige drops to her knees in front of him to look at his hand after losing his glove to patch the hole in Beth's car. Toby tends to the blackened hand as Tim rushes to get a replacement glove and Cabe hunts down ingredients to make smelling salt. "I thought I told you not to do something stupid." Paige reminds Walter placing her hands to his cheeks so he would look at her as Toby patches him up.
"You know me, always coming up with dangerous last minute plans." He manages a smile to the worried mother. "How's Beth's husband?"
"Barely keeping it together. I don't think I would be any better if I were in his shoes." I am in his shoes. She can't exactly say that part out loud, not right now, not yet.
"Hey, we can do this." She believes him then she finds uncertainty in his eyes when she watches Happy attach the crane line to his belt. If she had time, she'd probably start having a panic attack watching Walter be lifted into the air and dropped into the tar, once again.
"Injecting the salts now." After waking Beth up Walter instructs her on the next steps, spray sunscreen, wrap your face in tape, and hold your breath. When he pulls her out of the car, hope springs in Paige's chest, but crashes as soon as she hears his screaming through the phone.
"It feels like I'm being ripped in half." She feels sick. "I'm disconnecting my cord and hooking Beth up now."
"Walter, no!" Her voice cuts through the phone too late because Beth has already reached the surface along with Walter oxygen tank. "Walter, what did you just do?"
"He has maybe two minutes of air." Sly's voice come from behind her.
"Walter, I know you're conserving air down there, but say something so we know you're alright." Fear strikes in her chest at the sight of him looking around, as calmly as he can, for a solution.
"Can't move. Feet stuck." He looked awful.
After a phone call from Ralph they had a plan to set the tar on fire. At any moment, she's going to be sick. Her nerves are officially shot for the month. She just wants him back on the surface so she can hug him, needing to just feel that he is alive. She's outside waiting for him to pop out of the tar like the monster from the movie they watched earlier. Flames burst from the tar and still no sign on Walter. Then a scream cuts through the silence, she knows that scream, she just heard that scream just a minute ago, coming from the phone.
"Walter? What's happening?" Sweat is rolling down her forehead from the stress. They finally spot him struggle to get to land.
"He's not going to make it." Cabe and Tim rush to the bridge holding out a stick for Walter to grab. His right hand finally reaches the stick and the two men pull him in.
"Walter! What's wrong?" She rushes to his side helping him pull the helmet off as he gasp for air between loud groans of pain.
"Oh, this is bad." Toby drops to his boss' side.
"What?" Her gaze falls back to his left hand. "What the hell happened?"
"The tar must have eaten through the glove. Then he got caught in a flame."
"How could that happen?"
"It must have been a different glove. I need some mineral oil over here now. This is got to be a really bad third degree burn if not a forth. We're going to need to get him to a hospital." Paige and Toby get him into the ambulance and demanding for the EMT to step on it. Cabe and the others are right behind them with Cabe's flashers turned on. "I need to check his lungs. Paige, take these scissors and cut his sleeve so I can see if this burn goes any higher." Toby starts ripping the back of the ambulance apart looking for a stethoscope. "Since the suit was compromised, some toxins could have leaked into his suit and that could be detrimental to his lungs."
She's trying to control the shaking in her hands by keeping her emotions in check. But every time she steals a glance to his face she's on the verge on breaking. "Hey." He grunts in pain taking her focus away from cutting the rest of his sleeve.
"Hey." She gives him a watery smile.
"It's going to be okay." Offering her reassurance in the midsts of chaos was very Walter-like.
"It'd better be." She half threatens her boss.
"Can't go saving th-the world half-baked." He smirks through the pain.
"Walter O'Brien, was that a joke?"
"Felt like you could use it." He stifles the groan with a deep breath.
"How very Toby of you." He was right. It calmed her nerves enough to finish up cutting his sleeve off.
"Yeah 197, don't go stealing my thing." He's trying his best to suppress a cough so Toby can listen to his breathing.
"You got it."
The waiting was torture for her. Tim was trying his best to offer her comfort, but all she wanted was to see her curly haired genius. After pacing for a solid 30 minutes she sits in one of the many matching chairs bouncing her leg up and down.
"Walter O'Brien." The doctor cuts though the crowd in the waiting room. Everyone stands to meet the woman clothed in dark purple scrubs. "We had to sedate him to debride the burn. He's going to need a skin graft in a few days. After doing a thorough check, we've decided to keep him for a few days to keep an eye on his lungs. He was dehydrated so we have him on an IV; we also have him on morphine for pain management and an antibiotic to fight any infection that may occur. He has suffered from 3rd degree burns to the hand. He got really lucky. If he had not gotten out of the tar pit when he did it would have been worse."
"Can we see him?" Paige ask
"You can. I'll have Anna, his nurse, take you to his room." The perky red head appears behind the doctor at the sound of her name. Paige is hot on the heels of their guide, eager to see the man who held her heart. She tries to take note of the route to his room, but the sterile white walls began to blend together with every turn they made. Her heart drops at the sight of him, he looked so frail when connected to all the machines providing him treatment. She takes his uninjured hand in hers while she makes herself comfortable in the chair next to his bed.
"The anesthesia should be wearing off soon, he'll be loopy from the drugs. Hopefully he won't be in too much pain." The nurse informed the rest of the group before exiting the room.
"Thank you." Cabe whispers to the young woman.
The sound of the heart monitor fills the room as everyone waits for Walter to wake up. Half an hour into waiting Paige reluctantly peels herself from her chair to call her mom. Tim follows behind her a few minutes later.
"Thank you." She lets a deep breath.
"Who was that?" He shuts the hospital door behind him.
"My mom. She's keeping Ralph tonight."
"I can give you a ride to your apartment if you want." She knows he means well, but she can't stop the 'you must be crazy if you think I'm leaving here tonight' look.
"Yeah, um, thank you, but I'm going to stay here tonight." She puts her phone back in her pocket.
"Paige, after a case like today, you really should go home and get some rest."
"Thanks for the advice, however, I'm going to stay here with my friend who nearly died today." Moving around him to go back to Walter's room.
He places a hand on her shoulder, he spins her around before she can turn the door knob. "You're no good to him if you're dead on your feet."
"You're not talking me out of this. I'm a grown woman and I make my own decisions." Leaving no room for discussion she leaves him in the hall to join her family in the next room.
"Where's Tim?" Happy ask when she sees the former waitress enter the room alone.
"I think he's gone home." She makes her way back to her seat pulling his good hand back into hers.
The silence in room is filled with the grunts from Walter waking up.
It's day three of Paige sitting in the hospital with Walter. He tried sending her away to work, but she wasn't going to let him do what he did after his car accident. She was done with being pushed away. Glancing at his peaceful sleeping form, she can't stop herself from running her fingers down his good arm. "Paige." She's caught, her eye travel to his face meeting his. "You should be at work."
"Well, I figured you could use my help here. After all, you did hire me to help you with people." She smirks before looking back to the book in her lap. They sit in silence for a while before the questions that she stored away crash to the front of her mind. "Walter?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Already taking advantage of your doped up boss, huh?" With his eyes closed she watches a grin grow.
"If you don't think…"
"No, it's okay. What's on your mind?"
"Well, I was wondering, I—I heard a conversation between you and Cabe that I wasn't supposed to," somehow even on all the painkillers he's on his anxiety still bubbles to the surface. What could she have heard? "but you said something that really bothered me. I just want to know… why do you think you're not a fully formed human?"
He doesn't respond right away, he can't even think straight. Hell, the man can't even run away right now. "Um, Paige I don't think I'm in the proper state of mind to have this conversation with you." It is not the answer she hoped for.
"Right, of course. Sorry I brought it up." She looks down at the book in her hands when a nurse comes in. He fiddles with Walter's IV administering more pain medication before leaving again. After twenty minutes of silence, Walter looks to Paige with glassy eyes.
"Paige?" Holding out his good hand.
She pulls his hand in hers, "Yeah?"
"Thank you for staying with me."
"Of course." She smiles.
"My mind is always at peace when you're near." She tries not to take that to heart. He's doped up on major pain meds, but when she gets a look at the serene smile he's sporting, her heart speeds up.
"I'll always be there for you Walter." He falls asleep with her hand in his, while she watches him. This is the first time in months he looked like he wasn't carrying the weight of the world. She wishes there was something she could do to bring back this Walter. He doesn't laugh like he used to, or make those lame jokes that somehow always brought a smile to her lips. He fingers curl tighter around her hand. She smiles, pulling her chair closer to his bed and leaning back to take a quick nap. All she wanted was to fix whatever was hurting him. Her eyes pop open at the sounds of his phone vibrating on his tray.
Kaitlin Freya: Hey, Elia told me about your accident. I hope your doing okay and I'm so sorry about Mr. Rice. Someone well pick up the project, I know it. Call me if you need to talk. xo.
She looks to Walter's sleeping form. The petty and jealous part of her wants to delete the message. Instead she sits the phone back on the tray. He deserves to be happy. Even if it's a blonde, shameless neurobiologist. Then again, he did say they were just friends. Walter wouldn't keep this a secret. Maybe it's time for her to have a talk with Tim. This isn't fair to him. She thought when they started this relationship that she would be able to move on, but clearly her experiment isn't working. When he gets back from his trip to San Francisco in a few weeks she will.
"Ralph, I need your help." A few weeks out of the hospital, Walter is currently one hand down. He wanted to get Paige's Christmas present finished, but without help there's no way it will happen.
"Yeah?" The young boy rushes to Walter's desk. Paige looks on the duo with curiosity.
"Let's go to the loft. I have a project I need your expertise with." He feels off balance without the use of his left hand. When they arrive in the loft Walter makes his way to the intercom to unplug it. Ensuring they have complete privacy. He leads Ralph to the pieces and parts he gathered for Paige's present. "I started building this for your mom before the accident," raising his hand to show the young boy, "it's supposed to be her Christmas present, but now that I am at half capacity I'm going to need your help finishing it. Are you up for it?"
Ralph's eyes grew big with excitement, "Absolutely." The boy looks forward to partnering with his role model again. When Walter and his mom were at odds many months ago he missed the older genius. Even though Walter pulled away from everyone else he always made time for Ralph, but the younger boy still felt the distance between everyone else.
"You know, Ralph, I never thanked you for saving my life. Sly told me you gave everyone the idea to burn the tar." Walter directs the younger genius on where to connect the wires.
"I'm happy you came out okay. Even if you are a little bruised up." Ralph pauses and looks up at his friend.
"Me too, buddy." He shakes his good hand through Ralph's hair.
"We should customize it so she doesn't have to set it up when you give it to her." Ralph suggests.
"Smartest one in the room." Walter shoots him a smile and nods.
She watched her son follow Walter up to the loft two hours ago. Wondering what is keeping the two, Paige makes her way up the stairs. Her curiosity is stifled by the heartwarming sight of two of her favorite people leaned over their current project. She has no idea what it is they're working on, but they looked adorable doing it. Knocking on the book shelf making her presence known, they both jerk their heads comically fast in her direction. She lets out a small laugh when they both stand to block her view of their project.
"What are you two up to?" Raising her eyebrows in suspicion, she leans attempting to get a better look at the electronics on the table.
"Nothing." They both answer with a high pitch tone.
"Really? Now why do I find that hard to believe." She laughs at their shared expression of shock at being caught.
Walter clears his throat, "Paige, as a friend, I'm insulted you wouldn't believe us."
"Uh huh. Ralph, go grab your bag, it's time to go home."
"But mom…" The young boy whines.
"Go get your stuff." She gives her best stern look to the younger boy than he drags his feet to the exit.
"Ralph, we can finish it tomorrow. If it's okay with your mom." Walter looks to the woman in question.
"Yes." She nods in approval. The young boy shoots down the stairs leaving the adults to laugh at his enthusiasm. Turning back Walter with a smile, "What do you have him working on?"
"Just a project I started. I need his help now that I only have use of one hand." He takes the sheets he uses to keep dust off his tech and hides the present. Nodding in acceptance of his answer she moves to island in his kitchen with Walter on her heels.
"Speaking of, what did the doctor have to say?"
"The skin graft is healing well. I'll be starting physical therapy soon."
"I thought they said you wouldn't need it." She turns to him with confusion written in to her features.
"They did, but after examining further some of the nerves were effected."
"What does that mean for recovery time?"
"I won't know until I start."
"You got really lucky, you know that right?" She reminds him for the sixth time this week.
"It wasn't luck. It was the brilliance of Ralph that saved me. That, and the threat of you kicking my ass." He adds the last part just to see her smile.
"Mom!" Ralph's voice carries from the garage to the loft.
"I've got to get him home." She laughs at her son.
"Yeah, of course. See you tomorrow." He walks her to the stairs.
"Goodnight, Walter." She meets her son at the exit of the garage before leaving, she steals a quick glance to the loft entrance, only to find Walter watching her leave, shooting him one last smile.
His phone ringing near the laptop breaks his gaze. Richard Elia is written on the small screen. "Hello."
"Walter, I found another investor. We're going to have to meet him in the New Year."
"That is excellent." Walter's smile grows bigger.
"There's a catch. We have to fly to Japan. We'll be there for two months."
"That's a long time." His smile falls, watching the door shut behind the mother and son. He didn't want to leave. Not when he's finally gotten used to this new friendship with Paige.
Elia sighs, "This is a big fish, Walt. We might not get another shot."
"Can I let you know?"
"I'll give you the week after Christmas." How was he going to tell the team?
I don't know why I just like the idea of a frustrated Walter throwing things and yelling profanities, but I do.
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