And here's the final chapter of The Cyclone Trap. I hope you guys all enjoyed this journey – and I hope you're still looking forward to updates on Season Five and A Conflict of Parallels. I know fewer people are reading now that the show is over, but I'm going to keep writing, finishing up the two I still have in progress as well as a new one I have in the works called Seven Dates. To paraphrase a lyric from Waitress, I'll stay here as long as you'll have me.

It was Florence's job to go let Walter and Paige out of the walk – in. She was lighter on her feet than any of the other adults, and "mom will recognize my footsteps." The chemist wasn't overly thrilled about the idea, despite her and Paige's newfound bond – or something like one, anyway – that came with both of them dealing with unplanned pregnancies.

Possibly, anyway.

"Go up and listen, hear if they're arguing. If not, move the dresser back into normal position – you can do that by yourself, right?"

Of course she could, Florence had told Patty. Unlike one of the people trapped in the closet, she focused on athletics.

"Cool. Then you tell them they're free. Don't open the door, because that may snap them out of talking if they're doing that. Just let them know they can come out when they want."

It was simple enough. But Florence stood at the top of the stairs, just down the hall from where Walter and Paige were trapped, anxious about the task because the last time she walked into a place where both of them were, the couple was mid break up and the team came apart. Of course, the team was already apart, so it wasn't like it could be worse…of course, she had thought that before, and life just kept surprising her.

She took a breath, steeling herself, and walked down the hall, being careful to tread lightly. Reaching the closet, she ducked down, getting between it and the door and bracing her back against it. Pushing back, the wardrobe rocked back into position, making less of a sound than she'd expected.

"Walter, Paige," she called out. "We're back, you're good."

"Just a minute!" came a muffled voice Florence recognized as Paige's.

"Maybe less," Walter's own muffled voice added.

Florence, frowned, opening her mouth to speak, then her eyes got wide and she closed it again, heading quickly down the hall and nimbly taking the stairs two at a time before rejoining the others in the living room. The four of them had rushed in ahead of Patty's grandparents, who insisted on inspecting the patch Florence had put onto the porch.

"Where are they?" Lidia asked, the others looking up from the couches.

"They're…" Florence pressed her lips together awkwardly. "They're coming." She cleared her throat, dropping her head and hurrying around the ottoman to sit beside Sylvester. "You're going to be nice, right?" She asked quietly.

He kissed her forehead. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes," he said. "I overreacted. I'm ready to apologize."

"Do you two have something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" Patty's grandfather asked.

"I, uh…" Sylvester stammered.

"No," Florence said bluntly.

"So," Lidia said after a long moment of silence, "kids, what were you two up to while we were gone?"

"Oh, just…hanging around," Patty said. "There's a dog down the street. We petted it."

"It was a nice dog," Ralph said.

"A super nice dog."

Florence had no idea how the two of them had apparently been plotting to reunite Walter and Paige for weeks without anyone finding them out. They weren't doing the best job of being casual.

"Oh, hey, Mom," Ralph said flashing a smile at the stairs. Florence looked up in unison with the others, seeing Paige walking down toward them, her hand on the rail. She was about halfway down when Walter appeared. Florence noticed Ralph's Adam's Apple bob.

"Hey, Ralph," Paige said. "Whew, that was a…harrowing hour."

"You guys managed to get stuck, huh?" Patty said.

"Wait, stuck?" Ed asked, frowning. "What's wrong with my closet?"

"Nothing," Walter said. "It's great. But you may need to move that chest thing away from the door."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Lidia said. "I think I read something about someone who died when something fell against a closet door."

Paige raised her eyebrows at Walter.

"That's awfully morbid, Lidia," Ed said.

"We're old, dear, if we don't have a healthy attitude about death…"

"Okay!" Patty clapped her hands together. "The important thing here is that nobody died."

"No," Walter said. "The important thing here, is that we're all here. Because…" he glanced at Paige, then walked around the couch where Patty's grandparents sat. "Sly?"

Sylvester stood up. "Walt, before you say anything…"

"No, let me say that…"

"I'm sorry, Walter," Sylvester blurted. "I shouldn't have accused you of trying to steal someone you didn't know I was in love with. And I should have considered Florence…realized it wasn't just up to us who she would be with. If anything I should have been angry about you cheating on Paige, because I thought that…"

Florence swatted his leg. He stopped and cleared his throat. "Uh, as evidenced by…that…I was in a messed up head space. And I'm sorry. You're my brother, okay? I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," he said, glancing back at Paige before his eyes rested on Ralph for a long moment. He turned back to the younger man. "I shouldn't have insulted your relationship with my sister. I was hurt and confused and felt like I was falling in slow motion and I took it out on you. With a cheap shot. It's…it's a regret I think I will always have."

Florence glanced over at Paige. She was watching the two men with a small smile on her face, her hands clasped in front of her. Almost as if she knew she was being looked at, her eyes flickered to Florence, who felt a rush of anxiety and nearly looked away. But then, Paige's smile widened – just slightly. Her eyes were warm. Florence smiled back, feeling a rush of relief. They were going to be okay. It didn't matter if she was having a baby or if Monday's test would come back negative. She and Paige had a chance to, finally, really be friends.

Walter was extending his hand to Sylvester, but the younger man shook his head, stepping forward and pulling Walter into a hug. Sylvester's back was to Florence, so she had a perfect view of Walter's smile as he hugged back.

"So…Mom?" Ralph asked, raising an eyebrow at Paige. Florence felt another rush of relief upon realizing he hadn't put her awkward answer earlier into context.

"Walter?" Paige asked, after a glance at her son.

Sylvester released the older man, who walked back around the couch and stood beside Paige. She smiled at him. "Ralph, Walter and I, now, I don't want to make you any promises here, but…"

Ralph rocketed off the couch and into both of them, causing all three to stagger. Paige recovered first, Walter a moment later, and they wrapped their arms tightly around him.

Lidia leaned over toward her husband. "I'm not sure what's happening."

"Shhh," Patty said, putting a finger to her lips. "I'll explain later."

"Don't shush me, Patty," Lidia said, frowning. She glanced at Walter and Paige again, then looked back at her granddaughter. "But yes, I want the Hot Toddy."

"The phrase is I want the tea, Grandma."

"Is that a phrase?" Sylvester asked Florence.

"No idea."

"Ed, let's give these folks some minutes to talk," Lidia said. "Let's go see where we can move that dresser to."

"So, you guys are back together?" Patty said to Walter and Paige once her grandparents were safely up the stairs, her voice sounding casual enough.

"Uh, yeah," Paige said, and Florence noted how warmly they looked at each other as they released Ralph. "We are."

"And you guys have made up," Ralph said, glancing between Walter and Sylvester.

Walter nodded. "Seems so."

"And those two are in a relationship," Patty said.

Florence felt Sylvester's arm slide around her waist. "Yes, we are," he said, tugging her closer.

"Is the team getting back together?" Ralph asked, looking up at the adults next to him.

"Uh…" Paige cleared her throat. "I mean, we have a lot to work through. Happy and Toby would have to agree, but…"

"We hope so," Walter said. He looked over at Sylvester. "I hope you will consider returning to the garage, Sly. I know I would love to have you, and I don't want to speak for Florence, but…"

"I'd consider it," she said, glancing at him with a smirk.

"Nothing is set in stone," Paige said. "But we're hopeful."

"Hopeful," Florence said. Hopeful. That word described an emotion that none of them had felt in too long.

"Yeah." Paige leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against Walter's neck. Ralph glanced at Patty, a knowing smirk on his face. She coughed, giving him a discreet thumbs up.

Sylvester leaned over, his lips near Florence's ear. "Good thing they had those kids working behind the scenes. They're so damn stubborn they never would have worked through this in a timely fashion on their own."

She smirked, turning to look at him. "I know, right?"

Hope you guys were satisfied with the wrap up! Remember authors love reviews – and to my fellow authors who I'm behind on, you guys are in my Friday night plans, because I tend to have more free time on the night shift at work than I do when I'm off.