Chapter Text
Walter and Paige let Ralph stay up an extra hour just so they could all talk with Louise and Sean and connect a bit more as a family. Once that time expired Paige excused herself and left with Ralph.
Sean looked at Walter. "Okay boy, I've held my piece but I have to know one thing."
Walter's hand ran down his face as he waited for what he knew was coming. "What is that Father?"
"So you got this family now. When are you going to do the honorable thing?" Sean looked at him.
Louise gasped. "Sean, they just started dating. How can you ask such a thing? Give them some time."
Walter smiled. "Well of all the potential things you could ask that is the least offensive. But like Mother said, we've only just begun being together as a couple regardless of the change in circumstances. Of course I want this to work out. I want us to be a family forever. But you both know me. You know how hard it is to deal with me. And while Paige is completely different from anyone else I have ever tried to be with, that doesn't mean I won't screw up someday and push her away without meaning to."
"Well you do your best Walter. You put that wonderful lady and your son first, and not just before you, but your research and ideas too. You do that and you won't have to worry about pushing her away." Sean told him.
Walter nodded. "I will do my best Father."
Sean smiled. "I've got to get out to the barn but I am so happy Walter, so proud of you."
Louise hugged Sean for a moment. "We'll try to get out that way in a few weeks, maybe for Thanksgiving."
Walter smiled. "I think we would all like that Mother. Have a good day."
Paige stood at the opening of the hallway watching with a smile. As Walter clicked hang up on his laptop she walked over and sat down on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Did you really mean what you just said? You really want us to be a family forever?"
Walter smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I did. I've wanted this since I met you in that diner. I had always just thought it was because of how I saw you acting as I worked on the wireless there. How devoted you were to Ralph, how much care and compassion you had for your customers. Certainly you were physically beautiful, but now knowing the truth, I'm wondering if somehow something within me recognized you and connected with you. I also enjoyed the fact that you didn't let me intimidate you. You stood your ground and forced me to reconsider everything. You brilliantly aided Sly when he stood at the chalkboard as his OCD slowed him down from what we needed done. Overall you were just amazing."
Paige smiled as she kissed him. "I kind of understand what you mean. I really had no clue who you were but I jumped at the chance to quit my job, what we had grown to depend on to survive, at just the prospect for something better with a complete stranger. I had no clue if you really could live up to the promises you made and yet I felt completely comfortable and sure of it. And how scared I was when you were inside that building on one of our first cases and that bomb blew up. But I wasn't scared of what it meant for me employment wise. I was terrified of what it meant personally."
Walter grinned as he wrapped his arms tighter about her waist and buried his head between her breasts.
Normally Happy didn't care about the personal things about her friends but ever since Toby told her about Ralph not being Drew's son she was dying to actually talk with her about it. And several times she tried to engage Paige in small talk just hoping she might finally open up. But Paige proved to be very cagey and sidestepped around her each time. She either was not catching on to what Happy hinted at or was just choosing to ignore it. Though Happy wasn't sure if it was because she didn't realize it was what Happy wanted or if Paige just didn't want to bring it up.
At one point Happy hit Toby at lunch.
"Why are you hitting me? I haven't done anything wrong." Toby whined.
Happy glared at him as she complained. "You shouldn't have told me about Drew not being Ralph's father. It is driving me crazy because Paige won't talk to me about it.
Toby stared at her. "You forced me to tell you, remember? Don't blame me now."
Happy grunted.
Paige walked up to Walter's desk and smiled down at him.
Walter looked up as he felt her hand touch his shoulder and smiled back at her.
"I'm leaving to pick up Ralph now. Cabe said he wants to talk with the guys for a moment before we come in. He wants to lay down the law about being sensitive." Paige reminded him needlessly.
Walter nodded. "I remember." They kissed for a moment before Paige turned and left.
About a half hour later Cabe came out of the kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee and set it on Walter's desk after taking a drink. "Okay you three nerds. I want you over here by Walter's desk for a minute."
Sylvester and Happy stepped over first and Toby slowly brought up the rear. Sylvester looked at him. "Why did it take you so long?"
Toby looked at Sylvester. "He said nerds, you three were already over here. I just came because I didn't want to be left out."
Sylvester rolled his eyes as Happy slapped Toby's arm.
"Alright Dr. Snook, when Paige and Ralph get back they have something very important to tell us. But it is a bit sensitive and I won't have a problem putting my foot in your can if you get disrespectful." Cabe told them the whole time staring Toby in the eye.
"Hey, what's with the look? I was nothing but respectful with Paige yesterday." Toby complained.
Cabe continued to stare at him. "Well you keep being respectful, because if there is one person here that will go off the rails and that's you."
Toby nodded. "That is a fair point."
Everyone looked at Walter as he continued coding as Cabe spoke with them. Happy finally cleared her throat. "Okay Walt. What is going on? If there is something important to tell us why don't you go ahead and do it? Be Mr. Efficient like normal."
Walter looked up as he shook his head. "You'll just have to wait until Ralph and Paige get back." He looked at his watch. "It won't be too long now."
Happy grunted and flung herself down on the couch to wait. "This is killing me."
Sylvester looked at Toby speculatively. "You know something about this don't you?
Cabe glared at Toby. "Zip it Doc. You aren't spoiling anything."
Toby looked at Cabe. "Wait a minute. How do you know I know something? Unless Walter already told you, so just how do you know whatever it is, is sensitive?" Toby looked at Walter. "You told Cabe before you told us?"
Walter looked up and shook his head. "I haven't told anyone. This news isn't mine to share. You'll just have to wait."
"But you and Cabe already know, right?" Sylvester asked.
Walter nodded. "Paige told me all about it two weeks ago and she told Cabe the other day. Now if you don't mind, I still have some work to finish."
Sylvester walked over to the door and stood there looking out. He wasn't sure what the news was but his anxiety was about to go through the roof. Finally he saw Paige's car pull up across the street to the stop sign. He closed the door and ran over to his chair, the whole way he kept saying. "They're here. They're here."
Walter shook his head at Sylvester and then at Happy as she jumped up. "Finally, my gut is getting all twisted."
A few moments later the Garage door opened and Ralph strolled in carrying a bag followed by Paige. He stepped up to Happy as she was first and handed her a small gift wrapped box. And then he walked over to Toby and handed him one and then walked over and gave one to Sylvester before walking back over to Walter's desk and gave Cabe one and winked at him as Paige kissed Walter.
Ralph stepped over and sat down in Walter's lap. "Well, go ahead and open them." Ralph said impatiently.
Sylvester stared at Ralph sitting on Walter's lap. Something he had never done that he could recall.
While Happy was the first to start opening hers, Toby was the first to get his opened and he pulled out a cigar and stared at it and then at Ralph and back at the cigar and he saw the small blue band on it and read. "It's a boy."
Toby looked at Paige and Ralph with Walter and then back to the cigar. He looked over and saw Happy had one and so did Sylvester. "Okay, so what exactly is this supposed to mean? Ralph's surely not a Father."
Ralph rolled his eyes. "Look at the bottom."
They all looked at the bottom end of their cigar and saw a small white sticker and the words, "From Walter" written on it.
Toby looked up confused. "Wait, you both said you weren't pregnant and I read honesty markers from you both. So what is this?"
Ralph looked up at Walter. "I think you need to revoke their genius cards Dad."
All three geniuses looked at Ralph sharply. "Little insane genius said what now?" Toby asked incredibly.
Paige, Walter and Ralph all nodded their heads.
"Wait, wait, wait, you two only met a little over three years ago. How could Walter possibly be Ralph's Dad?" Happy asked.
Sylvester's eyes were opened wide. "I thought Drew was Ralph's Dad?"
"If you give us a few minutes we'll explain it." Walter told them. He looked down at Ralph. "Would you like to go up to the loft and start your homework while we go over this with them?"
Ralph nodded as he jumped up and grabbed his books before running up the steps. Paige turned and sat down on Walter's lap.
Toby grabbed a chair and slid over in it. "Oh I'm not missing this for anything."
Cabe looked at him. "Just remember what I told you about being sensitive."
Toby swallowed but nodded.
Paige looked at Walter and smiled for a moment. "Well as it turns out. Walter and I met thirteen years ago. Short version is Walter got mugged that day. Drew had upset me and I had been drinking."
"Paige found me on the way back to her apartment and got me inside my motel room and into my bed." Walter continued.
Paige nodded. "Walter had collapsed on top of me and because of the alcohol I passed out. At some point I felt Walter move and I thought it was Drew. And we ended up making love. After which I realized that something wasn't quite right. The alcohol was still messing with me but I finally saw it wasn't Drew and I was in that motel room. So I got up and got dressed and ran back to my apartment."
Toby nodded. "As someone who has over indulged a number of times I can understand that."
"So…so this is real. Ralph is really your son too?" Sylvester asked Walter incredibly.
Paige and Walter both nodded.
Happy looked up, her eyes were scrunched a bit more than normal. "So, how did you come to find out what happened? I mean if you were knocked out by muggers and you were drunk?"
Walter blushed a bit. "Well that would be my doing. The morning after we got back from the island, Paige asked me how I felt. Being honest with her about it, I had mentioned that even though I didn't really have a lot to compare it to, it still felt a bit familiar."
Paige nodded. "After thinking about it for a while I had to agree and I asked what could have caused it. Walter mentioned when he was mugged. It completely freaked me out and I asked when and he told me."
Walter nodded. "Paige touched my head in the spot where I had been hit that day which made me question how she could know that and she told me what happened."
Paige smiled. "We decided to get a paternity test done and got the results back the other day."
"So, why did you think I was going to be insensitive about this?" Toby asked, sitting there.
"Do melons and sausages ring any bells Doc?" Happy asked.
Toby started snickering. "At least he didn't burn his schmeckle this time. I knew I could get someone to fall for asking me that question."
Happy slapped the back of his head. "Anyway congratulations Walt, I'm happy for you. Don't mess this up or I'm going to kick your ass."
Sylvester and Toby both nodded. "Congratulations."
A few minutes later the door opened and a pizza delivery guy stepped in with four pizzas. Paige smiled as Toby jumped up and ran over to grab the pizzas.
Paige shook her head as she stood and walked over to sign his receipt. "Ralph, pizza is here."
Happy stepped over to Walter's desk and punched his arm. "Best friends for over five years and you couldn't bother to tell me what was going on?"
Walter smiled. "I understand. But it was a family decision. Ralph really wanted to tell you his way."
Happy frowned. "So the cigars weren't your idea? On second thought that makes sense. You would have just told us and in the same breath told us to go back to work."
Walter laughed. "That sounds like my style."
Happy nodded. "Well I meant what I said. Don't mess this up. She's been really good for you overall. You were a real mess after Collins. I can't even begin to consider the pile of mush you will be if you screw up and drive her away."
Walter nodded. "It is a big concern for me to Happy. My track record isn't very good."
Happy looked at him seriously. "Maybe you should consider counseling. Or even reading some relationship books, they might help you more. I know psychology isn't your thing, but the more you know."
Walter considered that for a few minutes when Paige stepped up. "What are you two discussing?"
Walter looked up with a smile. "Happy was giving me some advice on not screwing this up." Walter gestured back and forth between them.
Paige smiled. "Oh yea, anything you care to share?"
Walter smiled. "She recommended counseling and relationship books."
Paige grinned. "I'd love to see you do that considering your feelings on psychology."