BULLY FOR YOU

AN: And here's the exciting conclusion. Thanks to all who have stuck with this story through the looooong hiatuses in my writing. Enjoy!

oxoxoxoxoxo

"I assure you, I'm not in any immediate danger." Walter raised an eyebrow at the intruder.

"Whatever. The same way I wasn't in any danger from the bullies at work, right? Yet you still hacked the security feed and sent images of them setting up their stupid pranks to run on a loop on every computer in the office. Even our bosses'," Keilah snapped back.

Walter looked guilty. "It can't be traced back to me," he mumbled.

"No doubt. I still know it was you. Anyway…"

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Paige asked rudely.

Keilah pierced her with a gimlet glare. "I was getting to that before he…," she jerked her head in Walter's direction, "…interrupted me. I'm here to protect him from a bunch of bullies. I'm only returning the favor. I knew you jerks would come slithering back into his life again. You couldn't leave well enough alone."

Walter jumped in before things could escalate, "Keilah, stop it. These people really are my friends. We're simply attempting to work through our differences."

That statement seemed to set her off into a fit of sarcastic laughter.

Happy aimed an aggressive sneer in Walter's new friend's direction. "You want me to… escort her out, boss?"

Both Paige and Walter automatically answered at once. Her reply was, "Yes." His was, "No. That won't be necessary."

Toby stepped forward into the fray. He tilted his head to one side and narrowed his eyes in an evaluating manner. "What exactly is your problem with us? Hmm? Are you really being protective of Walt? Or are you here to make sure we don't take him away from you? Is that it? I'm guessing he's about the only friend you've got. Go ahead. Try to tell me I'm wrong."

"Hey. Don't speak to her like that," Walter said defensively.

"Alright, everyone. Hang on," Cabe intervened, "How 'bout we hear her out?"

There were grudging nods all around.

"As long as we can kick her out after," Happy muttered.

Keilah's chin went up. "I don't owe any of you anything. And neither does Walter. He started a company for people like you to have a place to fit in and reach your potential. He hired you," she jabbed a finger in Paige's face which was promptly slapped away, "to translate humans for him. He gave you all a chance and every one of you used him for a place to belong until you didn't need him any more. Then, even knowing how he struggles, you cut and run when he needed you to understand and help him. He's dealt with bullies his whole life. He created what he thought was a safe circle of friends and you turned out to be the worst bullies of all. You all constantly berated him and told him how stunted and awful he is even though none of you is perfect. Why the hell should he accept any of you back in his life? Why would he ever trust you not to turn on him again? Try to tell me I'm wrong!"

The room fell silent while she seethed and stared around at the circle of ashamed faces.

"Keilah. That's not precisely how it…" Walter tried.

"Yes it was," Sylvester replied, shamefaced. "We were your friends when we needed you. Then we left when you needed us. She's right."

"I know I'm too much for most people. I realize I'm not easy to take."

Paige lifted teary eyes to Walter's. "I should've done better. You would have come through for us if the situation was reversed. Even that awful time when you fired me? As bad as that hurt me, you made sure Ralph and I were provided for first. We had a place to go."

Toby interjected, "And that was a direct result of me telling Paige to keep what happened on the rocket a secret. Not my finest hour. I admit I haven't always been straightforward with my advice to you. Sometimes I enjoyed watching you flounder a little too much. Your oddball friend isn't wrong about me bullying you. All I can say in my defense is, I told myself I was helping you grow at the time."

"Look. It's okay. I'm okay. And I messed up a lot too. I've hurt all of you before. You don't throw out your family and start over just because they mess up, right?" Walter explained.

"But that's exactly what we did to you. We walked out on you. And you've never hurt any of us deliberately. I cringe when I think about the things I said to you. No matter how angry I was, I shouldn't have picked you apart in front of everyone that way. I can never say I'm sorry enough. And if you could find it in your heart to come back, to give us all another chance, I'll try to do better. Be more careful with what we have. I never stopped being in love with you. I needed to tell you that even if I realize you've moved on. I-I would be grateful if we could just go back to being a family again. My son needs you in his life... and I need you in mine. I'll do whatever it takes," Paige said, her tone turning pleading at the end.

"What if I wanted to dissolve Centipede and form Scorpion 3.0? A genius democracy where we all have fair stakes and share the responsibilities in the company?" Walter asked.

"I think that's doable," Paige turned hopeful eyes to her fellow Centipedes and they all gave enthusiastic nods and thumbs up.

"What if I wanted to bring someone on board? Someone else who's smart, but struggles to fit in and needs some patience and guidance in dealing with humans?" Walter aimed a significant look at Keilah.

Paige's gaze dropped to her toes. "I guess we couldn't split you up from your new girlfriend." She took a deep breath and added, "I guess I can help her learn…"

Keilah burst into laughter again. "Me and him? Are you joking? No way. We'd kill each other. But if you're asking, I'd love to join your team and give my 'good riddance' notice at the festering turd of a job I've got now. Plus, I could keep an eye on you guys and make sure you don't start pushing Walter around too much again."

"I guess it's settled then," Paige said with a slightly pained grimace she tried to pass off as a smile.

"Not quite," Walter contradicted. "What if I want you back? As-as my girlfriend? What if that was my final condition?"

Two months later...

"Uh, Paige?" Walter cleared his throat, "Could I have a quick word? In-in, uh, private?"

Paige gave him a melting smile. "Sure, my sweet little Wally-Pop."

Happy pretended to stick her finger down her throat. Keilah grabbed the nearest trash can and mimicked retching into it. The pair of lovebirds didn't appear to notice the nearly universal reaction to their cooing.

"I thought love-sick Walter was bad," Sylvester muttered under his breath as he watched the newly reunited couple make their way toward the kitchen area of the recently reacquired garage.

As the rest group observed their retreat, Paige slipped her hand into Walter's and pressed one cheek against his shoulder, hugging his arm tightly. He gazed down at her with a look that was both adoring and a little sheepish all at the same time.

When they were a sufficient distance away, without dropping hands, they turned to face one another.

"Is this private enough?" She teased and winked flirtatiously, "Or will we need the kind of privacy that requires a locked door?" Paige leaned in and whispered, "Or maybe some serious sound-proofing? You've gotten a lot louder when we've been intimate lately."

His eyes darted toward the rest of the team and he tugged on her fingers to turn her away from them. "Shhhh. I can't help the sounds I make when you do… that," he admonished even as he flushed in pleasure at the memory. "And Paige, uh, remember it's still office hours. As much as I would enjoy that kind of, um, privacy with you, we're in the middle of a tricky coding project. And-and I need to focus..."

When she gave him an exaggerated pout, he hastily added, "…For-for now. I'll make it up to you later. I promise."

"What's this all about then, Wally-Coddles?"

His eyes widened. "That."

"What?" Paige asked with a genuine frown of confusion on her face.

Walter cringed. "The nicknames. It's a new development. You called me, um, Walterrific in front of a client yesterday. And this morning you-you made a comment at the staff meeting that you hope you're 'worth your Walt'. Last week you patted me on-on… in front of Richard Elia. And when I asked you what you were doing, you told me you just felt the need for a little 'pinch of Walt'."

His girlfriend looked crestfallen. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Am I embarrassing you?" She winced.

"No. No," He was quick to assure her with a crooked smile. Then he whispered, "I like it." His eyes flitted around as if looking for spying equipment or co-workers.

Walter bent and kissed her gently on the forehead then pressed his brow to hers. "But I think we might need to tone it down around the others some. They seem to get nauseated when you do it. I don't want to test their patience too much after what we've been through. And maybe not in front of customers so much? If-if that's okay?"

Paige still looked rueful. "Sorry. I can't seem to help myself. I have all these feeling about you and this stuff comes tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop it."

"I understand. It was like that for me when we first got together. Remember? So, um, you express yourself however you want to. But maybe mostly when we're alone if-if that's alright. I want you to know I'm here for all of it. No matter what."

"That's such good news." Paige's expression turned back to tender adulation, "No one has ever taken me back like this, flaws and all and stuck around accepting all of me before. You've proven you really do love me. And I finally believe it. For real this time. You made me believe in us. For the first time in a long while, I really trust in someone. I trust you. Completely. You're my strong, trustworthy and, let's not forget sexy, Wonder Walt."

His smile went sappy. "And you're still my Little Asthma."

The eavesdropping team soon went back to independently working on the case. Because they knew from experience, once those two started kissing in earnest it would be a while before they came up for air.

And no one would have it any other way.