Chapter 8 - A Russian Foxtrot Submarine Named Scorpion

Paige hurried into the Garage with five minutes to spare before she and Cabe needed to leave for the Homeland symposium in Pasadena where they were presenting a session on working with civilian contractors. She had an unexpected companion in tow. Cabe looked Ralph up and down as Paige adjusted the bag on her shoulder with her laptop and visual aids more securely and swept the hair out of her eyes.

Paige looked at Cabe apologetically. "Sorry, I have him with me. It's a teacher prep day that I completely forgot about and Ralph's usual sitter is sick with the flu. I'm not sure who can watch him today." She swept her eyes hopefully around the Garage looking for the others.

Walter was at his desk shutting down his computer and packing his laptop into his backpack when Paige's gaze landed on him. "Walter, where is everyone? Are you available to watch Ralph today?"

Walter zipped the pack closed as he answered her questions. "Happy and Toby went to Las Vegas for a vintage motorcycle show and Sly has an appointment scheduled with an allergist in Bakersfield this afternoon. He waited six months to be seen by this so-called miracle worker. I dropped him off at the bus station early this morning. Normally I'd be more than happy to spend the day with Ralph, but I'm finishing up a private job for a quantum chip manufacturer working in their clean room today. No surprise visitors welcome, not even ten-year-old geniuses, with such sensitive proprietary technology on display. Wish I could help, but I'm already running a bit behind. Best of luck finding someone." Walter shrugged as he hurried past the stressed-out mother of said ten-year-old genius.

"I've never seen this place so empty. Everyone has somewhere else to be today of all days?" Paige moaned.

Cabe looked at his watch. "We've got to get moving, kiddo. We can't afford to be late for this. Scorpion needs to make a good impression at this shindig if we want to be taken seriously for bigger and better jobs with Homeland."

Paige nodded her understanding, but she had no idea what to do with her son. It's not as if she could leave him in the Garage alone all day. Could she?

"Mo-om," Ralph whined, "I'm a genius after all and practically grown up. I can watch myself," he suggested hopefully.

It was the whining that brought her back to her senses. "Nice try, mister. Does getting hopped up on sugar at Halloween while Happy was watching you ring any bells? That's not exactly making your case for your excessive genius maturity. The answer is definitely NO."

Ralph slumped his shoulders in defeat as Paige tapped her foot considering her limited options. She supposed she could bring Ralph with them to the symposium and set him in the front row of their presentation with a tablet. It wouldn't exactly scream professionalism, but sometimes a working mom had to do what a working mom had to do. Her decision made, Paige had just grabbed a tablet off of Walter's desk to shove into Ralph's backpack when Nathan finished making his way slowly down the stairs from Walter's loft, clearing his throat, and capturing Paige's attention. In her worry over finding a sitter, she had completely forgotten about the temporary Scorpion team member and hadn't even realized that he had been in the Garage during the entire conversation.

Once Nathan reached the main floor, he turned to Paige and spoke. "I know we haven't known each other that long, and I haven't watched Ralph even for a couple of hours, let alone the entire day before. But we have worked together for a while. You know me. I hope you think of me as trustworthy at this point. I babysat my little brother, Corey, plenty of times, and he seemed to turn out all right. You can call him if you want." Nathan held out his phone.

Paige thought about his suggestion even though she really didn't have the time. Nathan had been nothing but engaging with Ralph the times he had hung out with the team since he had joined them and the three of them had gotten a burger at Kovelski's a couple of times. The man was offering and it wasn't as if she had any other real options and Cabe was just about to have a meltdown, being late was something the senior Homeland agent just didn't deal well with even after all this time herding geniuses. Nathan already had his arm wrapped around Ralph's shoulders as he crouched down beside her son, despite the difficulty of getting into such a position and the pain it must have caused his still-healing knee, the two of them whispering conspiratorially.

Paige knew she was beaten, as both Ralph and Nathan looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "Please, Mom, Nathan knows about a decommissioned Russian submarine called Scorpion. It's a museum off the coast of Long Beach that we can visit. But what's even cooler is that he knows the people who run the museum and they let him see parts of the sub that regular people don't get to see when they take the tour. And he'll take me to see it." Ralph paused and looked to Nathan for reassurance. The Navy ensign nodded his encouragement to continue. "If it's okay with you." Ralph looked back at him again and Nathan gave him a thumbs up. Ralph beamed.

Nathan stood slowly to speak to Paige. "I hope it's all right if I take him down to the coast. I'll have him back to your place before dinner time." Paige looked at Cabe, whose forehead vein was throbbing alarmingly as he checked his watch for the fifth time in the last minute and a half. She knew they had to get going if they had any hope of being on time, then back at Nathan and Ralph, her decision made. "You have my number," she said sternly.

Nathan nodded.

"Hourly check-ins and have him back home no later than five. Ralph has a key. I shouldn't be too much later than that."

Ralph and Nathan exchanged conspiratorial smiles. "I will return him in the condition I received him and guard him with my life."

Paige knew he was teasing her, but she also sensed the thread of serious commitment underlying his flippant tone. Suddenly she trusted Nathan with her most precious possession, her son, and knew he would protect him with his life.

Paige gave Ralph a quick hug and double-checked the bag on her shoulder to make sure it still contained all her presentation materials. Finding everything in order, she turned to the older Homeland agent. "Okay, Cabe, crisis averted. Let's hit the road. At this point, we're only a few minutes behind schedule, which considering this is LA isn't half bad. Ralph, be good for Nathan and I'll see you tonight. Nathan, don't screw this up or you'll wish you'd never left your submarine."

Paige and Cabe left in a whirlwind, leaving Nathan and Ralph behind, Nathan staring stupidly after her.

Ralph watched Nathan carefully for a few moments before he spoke. "My mom tends to have that effect on men, Walter in particular. And now you, I guess."

Nathan dragged his attention back to Ralph. "Hmm? Oh, she's quite extraordinary." With one last lingering glance at the door Paige had just disappeared through, Nathan shook off his stupor and turned his attention to Ralph. "Let's get this adventure started. Did you have breakfast by chance this morning?"

The boy shook his head.

"Perfect, me neither, and I'm starving. I know this great little place where we can get a quick bite before we get going. Long Beach, here we come!"

Ralph giggled. "A Scorpion submarine! I can't wait! I bet even Walter didn't even know about it."

"Maybe next time we can invite him along." Nathan winked at Ralph.

"Cool! Next time!" Ralph crowed as the two hurried out the door to Nathan's truck parked outside.

The presentation at Homeland was a success and as Cabe was driving himself and Paige back to the Garage late in the afternoon Paige was flipping through today's messages and photos on her phone in wonder.

Not only were there hourly check-ins from Nathan, as promised, keeping her apprised of his and Ralph's activities during the day, but he sent photos of the two of them on the Scorpion submarine, having lunch, and goofing around on the beach. He also sent photos of an oceanographer friend of his giving Ralph a tour of her research vessel and its state-of-the-art equipment. Additionally, Ralph, in his excitement over the adventure of the day, had left his mom three voicemails thanking her for letting him spend the day with Nathan.

It was all an experience unlike any she had had before. Leaving him with Walter and the other geniuses of Scorpion in charge, she knew he would be loved and taken care of, in a rather haphazard fashion. But leaving him with Nathan had been like leaving him with an actual responsible adult. Paige liked that feeling more than she cared to admit.

Paige stared at the selfie of Ralph and Nathan smiling directly at the camera for much longer than she realized. It was only when Cabe cleared his throat indicating that they had arrived at the Garage and her car that she realized she hadn't even been looking at Ralph for some time. She had been studying Nathan's features with a little flutter in her stomach. "Oh, yeah, thanks for the ride, Cabe. It was a great day. See you tomorrow." Paige gathered her belongings and exited the SUV before he could say anything about the blush spreading across her cheeks.

The Homeland agent simply chuckled as he watched her unlock her car and quickly start the engine before he pulled out of the alley behind the Garage. He was old enough to know better than to get involved in anyone's love life, especially Walter's. But as much as he liked the Navy ensign, he was rooting for Walter and Paige. "Walt is going to find he's missed his chance if he waits too long. And that will be a darn shame." Cabe muttered to himself as he pulled into traffic, heading for home at last, to a TV dinner and an old movie on cable.

Paige hurried toward home, she had missed Ralph and was excited to see him, to hear about his day. Her rush certainly didn't have anything to do with a certain temporary Scorpion team member who was currently waiting at her condo as well with her son. She was attracted to Walter, she had been interested in him nearly from the first day that they met, but their relationship was complicated. He was complicated. He was smart, funny, handsome, and Ralph adored him. The trouble was that she was finding Nathan was all those things too. And she was willing to bet that a relationship with Nathan would be much easier than her and Walter's halting attempts at exploring their attraction. Nathan had already shown himself to be thoughtful and considerate based on today's communications just to keep her apprised of Ralph's activities.

Paige unlocked the door to the condo, already running through what she had in her refrigerator for a quick dinner for her and Ralph, wishing she had a little more money in her bank account because if she did, she would have just picked up a pizza on her way home. She was exhausted and really didn't feel like cooking.

Paige stepped through the door and immediately the delicious scent of garlic and tomato sauce of takeout from Miceli's, her favorite Italian restaurant, enveloped her senses.

"Mom!" Ralph wrapped her waist in a tight hug then grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the kitchen table. "Mom! Nathan wanted to surprise you with dinner from your favorite restaurant. So I told him about lasagna and garlic bread from Miceli's. I was so hungry, I wanted to eat as soon as we got the food, but Nathan insisted that we wait for you. I'm glad we didn't have to wait too long." Ralph sat down and started shoveling bread and pasta in his mouth, barely taking a breath while he kept talking. "Did you see the photos Nathan sent?"

Paige nodded, still in shock at seeing her table set and covered with her favorite dishes from her favorite restaurant.

"And Nathan even said I could leave you voicemails telling you about our day. Walter hates the ocean. I don't know why. I love studying the ocean and the animals that live in it. The ocean is one of Nathan's favorite things too. That's why he lives in a submarine. Or he used to. He took me to see an old Russian submarine that they turned into a museum. The submarine was so cool. And the oceanographer's boat was amazing. Nathan said that if you said it was okay and if you came with us, we could go out to sea and watch while Dr. Moss did her actual research. Can we?"

Paige nodded. "If Nathan and Dr. Moss are sure it's okay and we won't be in the way." She locked eyes with Nathan as he nodded almost as fervently as Ralph. A lock of long blond hair fell across his eye and it took every ounce of willpower Paige had not to reach over and push it back where it belonged. "Okay then. We'll find a day when Scorpion isn't busy saving the world and go out on the research boat."

Ralph had almost finished his dinner by the time Nathan handed Paige a serving of lasagna and garlic bread. "I'm sure you're famished after a long day."

Gratefully, Paige accepted the plate and fork and took a bite. She closed her eyes in pleasure. "Amazing. As usual. Thank you so much for dinner. And for taking care of Ralph for the day, for giving him such an adventure, and for keeping me updated. It's such a weight off my mind when I know what's going on with him, that he's safe and happy. Thank you." Without thinking Paige squeezed Nathan's hand.

Their eyes met and he held her glance. "It was truly my pleasure. If you need anything, anything at all, Paige…"

The moment he said her name, she felt the intensity between them rise to almost an unbearable level. She quickly pulled her hand back and put it in her lap as if it had been scalded and he looked away.

Nathan awkwardly cleared his throat. "You done with dinner, Ralph?"

Ralph nodded.

"How about a game or two of Battleship, then I'll make sure your homework is safely tucked into your backpack, after all, tomorrow's a school day. And to give your mom a break." He looked at Paige questioningly to make sure his plan met with her approval.

She nodded, then eyed both Ralph and Nathan with mock sternness, "I triple-checked the school calendar. Classes are in session tomorrow, so no late-night partying. Put your pajamas on first, and brush teeth. Then you two can play a game and if there's time, and you ask nicely, Nathan might even be convinced to read a chapter from The Coral Kingdom Quest before it's lights out."

Paige finished eating, and then cleaned up the kitchen, watching Nathan interact with her son the entire time. For years she had thought she'd never find anyone. Raising Ralph, and working two, sometimes three jobs to keep a roof over their heads had taken up all of her time and energy. At her lowest point, Scorpion had come crashing into her life, giving her hope for Ralph and the prospect of a better future.

And then there was Walter. Kind. Vulnerable. Complicated. Sexy as hell. She'd fallen hard for the man behind Scorpion's team of geniuses. But as hard as they seemed to try, they couldn't ever seem to get on the same page at the same time about their mutual attraction and Paige was feeling lonelier than ever and tired of spinning her wheels, getting nowhere fast.

She had seen glimpses of the way Nathan had looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking, but she hadn't been sure, not until tonight. Not until that moment when she had taken his hand without thinking. He was definitely interested. She hadn't even considered it until tonight.

Of course, she had noticed that he was good-looking and charming. She would have to have been blind not to have noticed. But there was something about how careful he was with Ralph, sending her hourly check-ins, sending those photos of the two of them being completely ridiculous, that told her more about him as a person, more than she had known before. And besides that, when was the last time a man had brought dinner for her? Let alone bring it without her asking?

Paige hadn't made up her mind about what to do about all these new thoughts about Nathan yet. One thing she did know was she was definitely in danger of losing her heart to the handsome naval officer whether she wanted to or not.