The garage was dimly lit, the glow from computer screens casting soft shadows over the room. The Scorpion team had been camped out in the garage ever since Paige attack, working tirelessly to locate him, trying every method and resource they had, calling in favors, wracking their impressive minds. The garage hummed with the quiet activity despite the late hour, each member of Scorpion focused on a screen or a device, working tirelessly to locate Tim. Two full days had passed since Paige filed charges, and yet, Tim was nowhere to be found. They had scoured every possible avenue, using every tool at their disposal, but he had vanished without a trace. It was maddening.
It was late, and Ralph was asleep in the corner, curled up on a makeshift bed they'd arranged with a blanket draped over him, his genius mind finally at rest, even if only for a while.
Cabe sat at the hightop table, his brow furrowed as he stared at his phone, waiting for updates from his contacts. Cabe had already frozen Tim's bank accounts, ensuring he couldn't access his money, but Tim had gone dark. His car hadn't been spotted by any traffic cameras, and even the alias Cabe had uncovered from his old Homeland connections was turning up blank. Tim knew how to hide, and that made him even more dangerous. Even with agents stationed at his parents and sisters homes, bus terminals, had his photo out at airports, wasn't enough to find him.
Happy was leaning against her workbench, her arms crossed, but every few minutes, her eyes would flick over to Paige, lingering on the bruises that were still starkly on her face, though the swelling had finally receded. She wasn't one for sentiment, but it was obvious that the sight of her friend in pain was eating at her. Happy's hands fidgeted, the urge to fix things, things she couldn't fix this time, clawing at her. On more than one occasion, she had started how they'd have been better off not taking the moral ground and letting Walter or Ralph kill him. The waiting for Tim to appear was taking its toll on everyone.
Happy had even hacked into city surveillance cameras, scanning the streets for any sight of Tim. Still, nothing.
"He knew we'd come after him." she muttered, frustration clear in her voice. "He's covering his tracks too well."
Walter had been running his own algorithms, triangulating any potential locations Tim could be hiding based on his past movements, but every lead came up short. It was a chess game, and Tim was moving pieces they couldn't see.
Still, Walter hadn't left Paige's side the entire time. Every moment she felt his presence, silent and unwavering, a quiet strength that she had come to rely on more than she ever thought possible. He didn't push her to talk or force her to confront her feelings before she was ready. Instead, he simply stayed with her, working tirelessly while making sure she knew he was there, always within arm's reach. There were moments when Paige would glance over at him, watching as his fingers flew over the keyboard, his mind racing through possibilities. Despite everything going on around them, she felt safe with him. Safer than she'd felt in days. Walter's calmness, his steadiness, was an anchoring to her in the storm that had been her life since Tim's attack. His focus, always intense, was entirely on her and Ralph's well-being. Paige knew he was determined to protect her, no matter the cost.
As they sat on the red sofa, Walter with his laptop balanced on his thighs, she found herself leaning slightly toward him, their arms brushing occasionally, a silent comfort in their proximity. Walter didn't say anything, but every time they touched, he'd glance over at her, his expression softening for just a moment, as if checking to make sure she was okay. It was in those moments, those silent exchanges, that Paige felt a warmth settle in her chest. She wasn't alone. Walter would sometimes pause his work, just for a second, to refill her coffee or offer her water, never needing to ask if she needed anything, he just knew. It wasn't something he would have done a few years ago, but their bond had deepened since then, grown stronger. And now, even in this terrible situation, Paige felt a sense of peace when she was with him.
She looked over at him now, watching him focus on a map of the city, his mind running through every possibility, and she could practically see the gears turning in his head. He hadn't rested much, and had given up his bed to her, refusing to allow her to take the couch, but he never complained. She knew he wouldn't, not when it came to her. The feeling of safety with Walter was more than just about physical protection. It was about trust. And she trusted him with her life.
Sylvester sat near his laptop, tapping his fingers anxiously on the desk. His eyes darted nervously between the screen and the others, unable to shake the overwhelming sense of dread. He had been scouring every corner of the internet, trying to find any trace of Tim, but his mind was cluttered with worst-case scenarios.
Sylvester had hacked into everything from public records to private databases, scanning for any sign of Tim's movements. He had pulled phone records, GPS logs, credit card transactions—anything that might give them a clue. But there was nothing. The silence was unsettling.
Sylvester's anxious tapping grew louder.
"I've hacked into Tim's old military records again. So much of it is redacted." He muttered nervously, his voice shaky. "But… nothing. No new activity. It's like he's just gone off-grid. What if we're missing something? What if--"
"We're not missing anything." Happy cut him off, her voice sharp but controlled. "We're watching everything. Traffic cams, bank records, even city surveillance. The moment he makes a mistake, we'll know."
"What if he's gone underground?" Sylvester mumbled, his voice shaking. "Or worse, what if he's planning something?"
"We'd know." Happy said bluntly, though her gaze softened when it met Paige's. "We're watching everything. If Tim so much as breathes wrong, we'll find him."
"He's a trained SEAL. He knows how to hide, and he knows how to plan, is all I'm saying." Sylvester added, but at Walter's sharp look, he resigned himself back to silence, going back to his laptop screen.
Toby sat off to the side, tapping a pen against his knee as he studied Paige. He had been watching her carefully, trying to gauge where her head was at. He could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the weight of the past few days bearing down on her. He had tried multiple times to get her to open up, to talk about what she was feeling, but he could tell she wasn't ready. Still, that didn't stop him from trying.
"Paige…" Toby said softly, his voice filled with concern. "You know that none of this is on you, right? What Tim did, what he's doing now, that's on him. Not you. You didn't cause this. And you're not alone."
Paige nodded, though her voice was barely a whisper.
"I know, Toby. Or at least I'm trying to believe that."
Toby leaned forward from his spot on the armchair, his eyes gentle.
"We're not just going to protect you physically, Paige. We're going to help you get through this mentally, too. You're part of this family. You're strong, but you don't have to carry this by yourself."
Walter shifted beside her, his hand brushing hers for a brief moment before pulling back. Paige felt a surge of gratitude for both men. She knew Toby was right, and yet, the guilt still lingered beneath the surface, hard to shake.
"I know." she whispered, though the doubt was clear in her voice. "It's just hard to stop thinking… maybe I could've done something. Maybe I could've stopped him before it got this far."
"Paige." Walter spoke up, his voice light, but sure. "You didn't do anything wrong. You trusted him, you wanted to see the best in him. And that's not something you should feel guilty for. Tim brought this on himself. You didn't put him in this position." Walter hadn't left her side since the night she'd arrived, beaten and bloody. He'd been constantly by her, quiet but present, a solid anchor amidst the storm she was facing. And despite all of the reassurances he offered her, he both felt the immensity of guilt she felt himself, as well as a debilitating fear that they hadn't found Tim yet.
They all sat in silence for a long moment, the weight of everything they had been through hanging heavily in the air. The team had made an unspoken decision to stay there, in the garage, until Tim was found. It wasn't something they had discussed explicitly, but they all knew. No one was leaving Paige until they knew she was safe.
Cabe glanced up from his phone, letting out a frustrated sigh.
"Tim's in the wind. No transactions, no sightings, nothing. I've got agents watching everything, but it's like he's just… disappeared."
Walter leaned back in the couch, rubbing his hands over his fatigued face, exhaustion clear on his features.
"He can't stay hidden forever. We'll find him." Walter said, his voice full of quiet determination. "No one can just vanish without a trace. Not even me. And he's not that smart. We just need to keep digging."
Happy looked back at her workbench, frustration simmering in her eyes.
"If I could get my hands on him..." she muttered, trailing off as she picked up a wrench, gripping it tightly.
Sylvester shivered at the thought.
"Maybe we should talk about what happens if--"
"No 'ifs,' Sly." Happy interrupted, her voice sharp. "We will find him."
"What if he… you know… offed himself? Would make sense why there's no movement." Sly once again added.
"No." Toby chimed. "As much as I'd love to see him six feet under, he's not the suicide type, at least not without taking Paige and Walter or with him." Both of them fearfully looked up at Toby. "Which we won't let happen, of course."
Paige shook her head, feeling another crushing headache coming on.
"Maybe it's just… over. Maybe we can't find him because he's given up. Moved on…" Paige offered hopefully, wanting so desperately for this all to be over.
"No, that wouldn't align with the psychological pattern of a narcissistic abuser. Toby's right." Walter stated plainly from behind his computer, before feeling eyes on him and realizing his robotic nature had once again taken hold. "But uh, that's a lovely thought?"
Paige shook her head at him, at least in a small way being humored by him, and found herself leaning closer to his side.
Toby looked at Paige again, his voice gentler now.
"It's not just about finding him, Paige. It's about you feeling safe again. And that's something we can help with. You don't have to do this alone."
Paige met his gaze, her eyes softening, but there was a shadow of uncertainty still lingering there.
"I'm trying, Toby." She said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "But it's hard when he's still out there. When I'm living like a burden on you all, taking over the garage with this, wearing Walter like a security blanket. When every noise I hear makes me think he's here, just lurking in the shadows… none of this is okay."
Walter placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch steady.
"You're right, it's not okay. But you don't have to be afraid, Paige. Though, I recognize saying that doesn't change the emotion itself. And you're not a burden." She gave him the lightest smile from her place on the red sofa beside his desk, of which he returned before hiding his face in his computer. "Besides, I like you wearing me like your security blanket."
Everyone smirked at that knowingly. Everyone could see the shift between them through all of this. Each of them letting go of the walls they had erected between them for so long, allowing them to just be free and present in the moments together. Nothing untoward, just silent acknowledgement of the comfort in being together.
The garage fell into another quiet pause, the team's collective exhaustion showing through. They had been running on adrenaline for two straight days, using every resource they had to try and locate Tim, but the waiting, the not knowing, was wearing them all down, putting everyone on a collective edge.
Paige glanced at Ralph, who was fast asleep, curled up under the old wool blanket. A small, sad smile flickered across her face.
"He's been so strong through all of this, Walter." She said softly. "He shouldn't have to be."
"He's strong because you're strong." Walter replied. "And he knows we'll protect both of you."
Paige nodded, though the burden of her fears still weighed heavily on her shoulders.
"I just want this to be over."
"It will be, sweetheart." Cabe said firmly, standing up. "We'll get him, Paige. We'll keep you and Ralph safe. No matter how long it takes."
The silence lingered as everyone retreated into their thoughts, the sound of typing and clicking filling the garage once more as they continued their work. They were all tired, worn thin by the constant vigilance, but no one was giving up. Paige watched them, feeling the weight of their determination pressing in around her. They had all put everything on hold for her, for her and Ralph. It was intensely overwhelming, but it was also extremely comforting. She wasn't alone. She had a team, no, a family, who would stand by her no matter what. And with Walter by her side, she knew, deep down, that somehow, they would get through this. Together.
As the night wore on, the team continued their work, hacking, tracing, and searching for any sign of Tim. But amidst all the chaos, Paige found herself leaning closer to Walter, feeling safe in his quiet presence. Despite everything, there was something in his steady gaze, in his gentle actions, that made her believe, even just for a moment, that things might be okay.
And for now, that was enough.