Summary: Part 3. Walter and Paige are undercover as a couple and he wishes A "5 Things" Fic collaboration by WeBuiltThePyramids, WriterFreak001 and FoxPhile. Cover art designed by WriterFreak001.

Author's Note: This fic is part of a collaboration between WeBuiltThePyramids, WriterFreak001 and FoxPhile, inspired by discussions on the Scorpion FanFiction thread on FanForum. Each Author has written two stories that, together, make up the collection. The stories are best read in order. You can find information on the next story in the series at the end of this chapter.

Walter had experienced change in his life before.

His sister getting sick. Moving to the United States. Purposefully changing his accent. Meeting Happy and realizing there were others, smart like him, unable to fit in like him.

None of those things compared to the changes that had been set into motion by Paige and Ralph. Ralph had made him want to be human, want to better himself. And Paige…

When she'd come into his life, it was like he'd been rebooted, no, like he'd gone through a software update that completely changed how he thought. It wasn't immediate, nor all at once, but Happy was right – he had been crazy about her since the day they met, and those feelings had only evolved into...

Into him wanting every damn cliché in the romance novels Megan used to make him read to her. He wanted to bring her flowers and see her face light up. He wanted to walk hand in hand with her in the light of the vanishing sun. He wanted to see how she looked against the backdrop of a dozen vacation spots. He wanted to stay in bed for an hour after waking up because she was still asleep on his chest and he wouldn't disturb her.

And here they were, on a couple's cruise – and a couple's cruise where even the staff had to be in relationships. If that wasn't some sappy, romantic cliché, Walter didn't know what was. He and Paige were the tech support – it had been easy to forge some credentials for her – and they were here to figure out who was sabotaging the equipment.

"But of course," the skipper had said, "this is a ship for lovers. Enjoy yourselves when you aren't working. We look forward to seeing you both at the party tonight."

He glanced at her. "Do you want to dance?"

It wasn't that he wanted to, although he'd be lying if he said he didn't. They really should dance – everyone else was dancing and they were standing off to the side. But Paige seemed completely disinterested, and at his suggestion she merely shrugged. "Alright."

"We don't have to."

"No, it's fine." She took his arm as they walked out onto the floor, easing into position.

Walter often thought back to the night they had danced for the first time, just a couple months after they met. He'd been startled at how dancing with her made him feel. He didn't know what it meant, but he did know that he didn't want it to end.

"The music is nice," he commented in a low voice, trying to make small talk. It wasn't what he wanted to say. He wished he had already told her how he felt. Then, they could enjoy the night.

If she knew how he felt, if they were already something, he could brush his lips against her cheek. He could mumble how beautiful she looked into her ear. He could pull her closer.

He couldn't say I love you for the first time tonight, no matter how romantic the setting, no matter how difficult it was not to just blurt it out. They were undercover. If he told her now, she'd only think he was putting on a show.

"You look very nice tonight," he said, in a tone of voice that he hoped didn't sound too overzealous.

She smiled – but it was a tired smile. "Thank you."

The bedroom was tiny – crew quarters – and Walter told Paige she could change first. "Thanks," she said flatly, sliding past him into the bathroom. Walter dropped his bag on the desk. The bed wasn't big. It wasn't even queen sized. Things were as awkward as ever between them and they'd have to sleep shoulder to shoulder. Paige wasn't going to like that.

And honestly, he wasn't thrilled about it either. The idea of sleeping so close to Paige was something that of itself wasn't upsetting at all to him. But in this context – a relationship that was nothing more than a façade, and when she was acting so indifferent to him – it was almost painful to think about. They'd be as close physically as they'd ever been for an extended period of time, yet emotionally, she seemed so far away.

Speaking of the bed…Walter shifted his weight. He always, always slept in the middle. But he'd never put much thought into the concept of a side of the bed. It was all the same. Should he ever have to have to sleep on one side or the other, he had never thought that it would matter to him where he'd end up. But now, with that very situation before him, he felt very strongly that he would not be able to sleep with himself on the left side – or the right side, as it appeared to him as he stood near the foot.

Paige walked out of the bathroom, intent on cramming her dress into her bag and going to sleep, and Walter set his jaw as she eased by him. She wasn't wearing anything that by itself was enticing – he'd seen pajamas like that sold at any department store for $19.99. But god damn.

She looked irresistible. Walter mentally kicked himself again for not having already told her how he felt about her. If he had, he could tell her how she looked to him now. He could cross the room and put his hands on her hips and lean down to kiss her.

He cleared his throat loudly, and Paige looked at him in confusion. Walter simply smiled – he couldn't dare tell her that she'd overheard an attempt to reset his brain to a setting that was more appropriate, because it was in very real danger of going down a one way street.

"Bathroom is free," she said, stating the obvious and gesturing to it.

He nodded, grabbing his own pajamas and slipping inside the tiny room, changing and splashing water on his face before returning to the bedroom.

Paige was laying on her side – on the left side. Walter's eyebrows ticked up a fraction. "You uh," he said, "you good with that side?"

"It's fine," she said again, just as disinterested in the conversation as they'd been all night.

We have compatible sides of the bed. Walter shook his head. "Well…" he walked around to his side, settling down on top of the covers. She was under them; him laying on top might give off some false sense of privacy.

This whole damn trip was about false senses.

The only thing real was the only thing he wasn't saying.

"Paige?"

"What."

"My brain won't power down. I'm going to go take a walk."

"Okay."

He wasn't expecting her to offer to walk with him, and if he was honest, he was glad she didn't. The longer they were here, the harder it was to be around her. He wanted to tell her – he wasn't scared – but it just wasn't the right time. He needed to get away from her, had to clear his head.

He ended up on the rear deck of the ship, and his phone buzzed, startling him. He didn't want to take a call…but he could never bring himself to ignore the person on the other end. "Hi, Ralph."

"Hi Walter. Is my mom asleep?"

"She wasn't when I left," he said. "But I'm not with her right now. She was laying down though."

"She didn't answer when I called her, that's why I asked," the boy said. "I just wanted to say goodnight to you guys."

"Did you have a good day?" Walter asked.

There was silence. "I guess. A little."

Walter knew how Paige's son usually sounded. Something was wrong. "Bud," he said, "what's going on with you?"

"Nothing," he said. "It's just…"

"What?" Walter hoped the boy would tell him. He wanted to be there for Ralph. He knew the bond he and Paige's son shared was special, unique, based on an understanding that most people couldn't possibly attain. And tonight, it'd be good to get his mind off of his feelings for Paige.

"I just…it was hard watching you and my mom today."

Of course this had to do with Paige. "Why was that?" Walter asked.

"I don't want to say."

"Ralph," he said, "you know you can tell me anything."

He heard the boy sigh. "When I was little, I always imagined us having a family. There was a man in those dreams. It used to be my father. Then for a while, he had no discernable face. But seeing you guys today…I can't stop thinking about those dreams. But you're there."

Walter felt something in his chest. "You…"

"I'm sorry," Ralph said. "You're my friend. It's inappropriate to imagine you that way."

"No, Ralph," Walter said quickly. "It's not. I uh…" he bit his lip, putting the phone between his ear and shoulder. "You guys have become family to me. And it's different than how it is with, say, Happy. Or Sly. You and your mom are…"

"The way you feel about my mom is different too?" Ralph's voice sounded hopeful.

Walter hesitated, then figured if there was anyone he could be completely honest with, it was this boy. "I'm in love with your mom, Ralph."

He was half expecting a that's gross from Ralph – after all, he was ten years old. Instead, the voice that came through the phone was hopeful. "Really?"

He couldn't help but smile – it felt good to say. "Yeah. I do."

"Like…like the way parents are supposed to?"

"You could say it like that," Walter said. He hadn't quiet realized just how much this would affect Ralph. What if he did finally tell Paige, and she was non-receptive to his words? Ralph would be crushed. "But you know, adults…things are complicated with adults."

"What's complicated about it?" Now Ralph sounded alost desperate. "You love her. And she loves you."

"Ralph," Walter said. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"She does love you."

She's not acting like it tonight. Walter withheld the words. He didn't blame her for being distant – he had already put her through a lot emotionally, even he knew that. And it wasn't fair to unload his emotional struggles on Ralph.

"I can't tell her tonight," Walter said. "We've been lying all afternoon. I can't tell her that I love her when we're pretending to be in a relationship. She won't think it's real."

Ralph was silent. "Walter, don't ruin things. The three of us have something really good. And I don't want it to stop."

"I know, buddy," Walter said. "Look, I'm gonna go get some sleep. You hang in there, okay?"

"Please tell her."

"I will," he said. "Eventually. It's just not the right time."

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