Work Text:
Walter stood next to Ralph as they watched all the people move through the airport, "Their plane landed almost sixty minutes ago do you think there was a problem Dad?" Ralph asked.
Walter smiled; he dearly loved to hear Ralph call him Dad. "No, there was probably a delay in baggage claim." Walter answered.
Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth he heard his Mom, "Walter!"
Walter looked to his right and saw a hand sticking up out of the crowd moving towards them. "There they are Ralph," Walter said with a smile as he pointed.
"There's my boys," Sean O'Brien said in a booming voice as if he was in the middle of the pasture instead of thirty feet away in a crowded plane terminal.
Ralph exclaimed, "Grandpa!" He ran over and jumped into Sean's arms almost knocking him down. Sean just laughed and laughed as he hugged the young man.
Walter's Mother had passed on by and hugged her son, "My dear sweet boy, where's my daughter and granddaughter?"
Walter smiled and kissed her cheek, "We didn't want to risk exposing Megan to this environment, all these strangers moving through. It is the cold and flu season."
Louise smiled, "We or you?"
Walter smiled, "We, if Megan had been a boy Paige probably wouldn't have been so cautious but her first daughter, she's not taking a chance, trust me."
"Walter my boy," Sean said as he stepped on in and hugged his son and Ralph hugged his Grandmother.
"It's so good seeing you Dad, thank you both for coming." Walter smiled.
"Just tell me my beautiful daughter is waiting in the car with the wee one for us." Sean told him.
Walter shook his head, "They're at home. Cabe is waiting outside for us though." They began walking through the terminal for the exit, "We're going to put you guys in Megan's nursery if that's acceptable."
"As long as I don't have to sleep in her crib," Sean teased him.
"Oh that will be wonderful; I won't have to wait so long after waking up to see my babies." Louise told him as she hugged her husband's arm.
"You guys never said how long you'd be able to stay." Walter told them.
"Tobin promised to oversee the farm for two weeks so we got eleven days to spend with you." Sean told him.
"Walt, I was beginning to think the Scorpion curse followed you into the airport." Cabe greeted him as they emerged from the terminal.
"Sorry about that Cabe, some snag in baggage claim had our plane's luggage delayed." Sean told him as they shook hands.
"So is everyone at the Garage?" Louise asked.
"No Mom, just Paige, Megan and Allie, we decided to shut down Scorpion for six months to give us a nice long break from everyone else and just be a family together. We'd talked about nine months since Happy is due pretty soon but we're going to just scale back for three months when we reopen and just do programming jobs and give Happy and Toby time off." Walter said as Cabe drove them back to the Garage.
"Have you got enough saved back to take such a luxury?" Sean inquired.
Walter smiled, "We'll be fine Dad, I had it planned out well in advance but now after the bonus Richard Elia paid us for our work on his entanglement project we could take the next couple of years off. I hope you'd trust that I wouldn't risk my family if we couldn't afford it. And if he wins the NASA contract to put a colony on Mars we'll be receiving a much larger bonus."
Louise smiled, "That's my boy, taking care of his family." Walter returned her smile.
Sean looked at Walter, "Entanglement project? Now what in the blue devil is that?"
Cabe laughed, "I hear you Sean, the terms and science these guys come up with totally boggles my mind."
"It's a way of moving an object from one place to another without traveling the physical space. Such as instead of you and Mom having to fly here on a plane they could use this technology to send you from Ireland to here in less than three seconds of physical time." Walter told him.
"Saints preserve us. All those years growing up and all the fantastical ideas you came up with, are you saying you actually accomplished this?" Louise asked.
Walter nodded, "Well a Dr. Lana Michaels actually developed the protocols that allow an object to be sent but she was unable to figure out the problem with reentry. Scorpion was able to figure it out and got it to work so it is safe now."
"Dad, don't downplay your work. Grandpa, Grandma, Dad figured it out. He just wants the entire team to feel like they helped." Ralph told them.
"Ralph, Scorpion is a team, we all rise together or we sink together. No one person's contribution is more valuable than another's." Walter chided him.
"Son, the lad's right. If you figured it out then you take credit for it, at least privately with family. We're really proud of you. You've really learned to put your ego in check and value others, I'm impressed." Sean told him.
Cabe laughed, "Well yea, in comparison his ego is in check but trust me, the old Walter creeps out sometimes."
Everyone but Walter laughed.
As Cabe was parking the SUV Louise couldn't wait another second and before he stopped she fled the SUV and ran into the Garage. "Where's my daughter?" She cried out.
Walter stared out of the SUV, "MOM!"
Sean laughed, "Give it a rest son, she's been biting at the bit to get here and see our daughter and meet the wee one so bad. She had our bags packed two days after Megan was born. If it wasn't for the upkeep of the farm she would have dragged me away back then."
Paige stood up from her desk, "Mom!" Paige moved quickly towards Louise as she came up and hugged her fiercely.
"Oh my sweet daughter," Louise pressed her forehead against Paige's for a few moments with her eyes closed. "How are you? Is Walter treating you well?" Louise asked her with tears of joy in her eyes while holding Paige's cheeks between her hands and staring into her eyes.
Paige smiled with a tear in her eye, "He's been wonderful to me Mom, very supportive and attentive and trying to convince me I look just as good as I did before Megan."
Louise smiled and looked Paige up and down, "He's right, you look beautiful."
Paige laughed, "Well, my body is having a harder time recovering from Megan; I think I put on more weight with Megan because of how happy I've been with Walter. But I've taken to wearing a girdle to help temporarily."
Louise winked at her as she smiled, "Give yourself some time dear, it's only been a month. After Walter was born I think it took me a year to get back to where I felt comfortable in my own skin again. Thankfully Sean was very reassuring. Now where's our Megan?"
Paige smiled and held Louise's hand and walked back to her desk with her and Louise saw the bassinet on the other side of her desk where Walter could keep an eye on both of them and the small figure covered by a blanket inside and Paige saw the huge smile stretch across her face as she slowly walked on up. "Oh my wee one, you're even more beautiful in person." Louise told the sleeping Megan as she pulled the blanket back to get a better look. Louise looked back at Paige with a tear in her eye, "Is it okay dear?"
Paige nodded her head, "Of course it is, you are her Grandmother after all."
"Oh, maybe I should use some hand sanitizer first. All those people," she saw a bottle on Paige's desk and picked it up and squirted some out and rubbed it quickly into her hands and then carefully lifted Megan up and cradled her in her arms. "Hello Megan Happy O'Brien, I'm your Grand, welcome into the world my dear child."
"Are you happy with her name Mom?" Paige asked a little nervous as she bit her nails a little.
"Absolutely thrilled, Megan would be so happy, not just for the namesake but to see Walter so happy and so much in love and being loved back by you. If I could have a wish, it would have been for her to have lived at least long enough to have seen this moment." Louise said.
Allie came walking up to the front of the Garage, "I thought I heard someone else here. Good morning Louise."
Louise turned, "Good morning Allie, how are you?"
Allie smiled, "I'm doing good thanks and how are you and Sean? Did you have a good flight?"
"We're both well thank you. It wasn't a bad flight, just long and we had a surprise, somehow our seats were upgraded to business class without an additional charge. Kind of worried me thinking of our other flight with a bomb onboard," Louise told her while looking into Megan's face.
"There's me daughter," Sean yelled as he came through the door and saw Paige and he dropped the suitcases and ran up to her.
Paige laughed as she turned and embraced Sean as he picked her up in a big hug, "It's so good seeing you Dad, thank you for coming".
"Sean, now you lower your voice before you disturb the wee one or I'll make you regret it." Louise chastised him.
Allie moved over to Cabe as he stepped into the Garage with Ralph.
Sean laughed, "Ah girl, you ain't got to thank me for that." He kissed Paige's cheek, "You look marvelous girl." Sean told her.
Paige blushed, "Thanks Dad."
Walter stopped long enough to pick up his parent's suitcases and started walking towards the ramp to the loft.
"How's my boy been treating you? You tell me truly now, if he hasn't been treating you right I'll take him out back and thrash him good." Sean told her.
Walter looked at his Dad in disbelief as Paige laughed, "He's been absolutely wonderful Dad; he's been very attentive and supportive of Megan and me I promise you."
"Well if he ever slacks off, you let me know and I'll take care of it." Sean said pointing a finger at Walter and following him with it as Walter shook his head and continued to carry the bags upstairs.
Sean moved over quickly to Louise and Louise nodded towards Paige's desk and Sean saw the sanitizer and quickly used it on his hands as he looked down at Megan, "Aw me wee one," Sean reached out as Louise handed Megan over to him and he cradled her so gently in his strong arms, "Welcome into the world." Sean told Megan as she slept in his arms. "Guím gach rath agus saol fada ort, mo pháiste daor."
Paige marveled at Sean, "Dad, that sounded so beautiful, what does it mean?"
Louise looked at Paige, "It's a traditional O'Brien family blessing for a newborn it means, 'I wish you all success and long life, my dear child.'"
Very early Christmas morning Walter had snuck downstairs after everyone was asleep getting all the presents out and placing them around the tree he'd gotten as part of his surprise for them.
Sean had gotten up to use the restroom when he heard a noise downstairs and he grabbed up a chair from the dining room, 'Some thief dares to intrude on my family, like bloody hell, he'll soon regret that decision.' Sean thought when as he reached the bottom of the ramp he saw Walter placing presents around the tree, "Son? What are you doing down here by yourself at this hour?" Sean demanded.
Walter turned in shock at his voice and then stared at his Dad brandishing the dining room chair as a weapon. Finally he smiled, "Sorry Dad, just getting everything ready for in the morning. Still got a little more decorating to do, Paige really loves Christmas and I want this place to reek of it for her first Christmas as a family."
Sean's heart swelled with pride in his son, "Well then, let's get to work then, I can't let you do all this by yourself." He sat the chair down as Walter walked back and pulled out several dozen bags of all kinds of Christmas decorations and then brought out a number of cardboard pieces made up to look like Santa's workshop and various other buildings like a post office and stables for the reindeer. Sean was stunned trying to figure out how they'd get it all put together before the others were awake. "Wherever did you get these cardboard buildings?" Sean asked.
Walter nodded, "I went to the local art college and paid a number of students to make them for me."
"Why have you left this area blank? We should move some of this over to fill it boy." Sean told him.
Walter smiled and shook his head no as he gestured for his Dad to follow him as he walked to the Airstream and began pulling out life sized figures of the Nativity scene.
It was almost 7 AM when they had it all set up and Sean grinned looking at it all and put his arm around Walter's shoulders. "I think it was smart putting it back here under the ramp, it'll be a bigger surprise. I'm so proud of you boy."
Walter smiled with a small tear in his eye, "Thanks Dad, I think I got just enough time to get breakfast at least started before everyone starts waking up.
Paige sat in their bedroom nursing Megan, she'd been curious why Walter wasn't in bed with her but Megan had started crying and she had to care for her first. She smelled the bacon cooking and she smiled, "I think your Daddy wanted to surprise me with breakfast this morning. Thank you for letting me sleep through most of the night." Megan seemed intent on her breakfast as she suckled but there was a look in her eyes that told Paige she was considering her words.
Walter saw Ralph came out of his room excitedly and mentally he rehearsed not remembering the day and being surprised and in fear to pull off his surprise. Ralph looked at the six foot tree Walter had agreed to let them put up in the loft and didn't see any presents and he frowned and turned and walked into the kitchen. "Good morning Ralph," Walter greeted him and noticed the discontented look on his face. "Ralph, what's wrong son?" Walter asked in concern.
"I don't think I slept well." Ralph told him in disappointment and then Sean stepped up and gave him a big hug.
"Merry Christmas son," he told Ralph.
Ralph hugged him back, "Thank you, Merry Christmas Grandpa."
"Oh, that's right, sorry Ralph. Merry Christmas," Walter told him as he walked over and hugged him tightly.
Louise came out and was clearly disappointed when she didn't see Paige and Megan but she greeted the others with kisses and watched as Walter continued to cook for them.
Paige finally emerged from their bedroom with Megan and Louise nearly ran over and kissed them both and took Megan as Paige held her out. Paige looked back and saw the Christmas tree had no presents under it and turned an angry glare at Walter, "Walter, where are all the presents?"
Walter looked back shocked and frightened, and then he smacked the side of his head, "Oh Paige, Ralph, I am so sorry, I'm still not up on these holiday things like you are. Please forgive me, I completely forgot. They're still downstairs, look since there are so many and it would be inefficient for me to carry them all up here, let's eat and then we can go down as a family and open them? Okay?"
Ralph smiled in relief that somehow they hadn't forgotten Christmas entirely and he quickly nodded his head and sat down at the dining room table. Seeing Ralph's relief Paige begrudgingly gave in but as she gave Walter a kiss she whispered, "When we're alone, we're going to have a long talk about this and you are not going to be happy about it."
She watched with a little pleasure as Walter swallowed hard and nodded with his eyes wide in a little fear.
After they'd all eaten Walter put all the dishes into the sink and filled it with hot soapy water to let them soak while they went downstairs. Ralph nearly flew down the ramp but looked around at the couch and desks and over to the Airstream but didn't see any presents anywhere.
Paige was also looking disappointed as she got to the bottom of the ramp and she turned quickly with anger on her face as she stared at Walter and then slowly that anger melted as she saw something back under the ramp and she slowly walked back and saw the beautiful Santa village and the huge fifteen foot tree Walter had brought in and decorated and all the presents placed all around it. And she saw the life sized Nativity scene and tears ran down her face as she turned and grabbed hold of Walter and hugged him fiercely, "I think you will enjoy our talk later now."
Ralph ran over and hugged Walter as well realizing what a beautiful thing he had done for them.
Louise and Sean stood back holding Megan and enjoyed the sight of their family bonding together. Louise whispered, "Is this why you weren't in bed last night?"
Sean smiled and nodded as he whispered back, "I couldn't let Walter try and do all of that by himself last night. Still took all night with the two of us."
They all sat around and laughed and joked as the mess of all the wrapping paper and open boxes and gifts layed all about. "Was that everything?" Paige finally asked.
Walter nodded, "I don't think there was anything else."
"Wait, where was your presents Dad?" Ralph asked disappointingly.
Walter smiled, "Are you kidding? I got everything I could ever ask for. Your Mom, you, Megan, my parents. I am very pleased with my life, I won't be greedy."
Ralph shook his head, "No! You deserve to open something too." Ralph ran off towards the front of the Garage.
Walter started to stand and Paige put her hand on his, "Wait, just give him a moment, it'll be okay."
Walter looked at her puzzled but sat back down, after all she'd known Ralph far longer than he had. He heard the sound of like a desk drawer closing and then Ralph came running back around to them. Ralph held out a decoratively colored legal size envelope. "This is my present to you Dad, though really it's more for me. If that makes sense." Ralph told him.
Walter smiled and reached out for the envelope. He carefully opened it and inside he found adoption papers filled out with all their information so Walter could formally adopt Ralph as his son. A tear welled up in his eye, "I don't understand, what about Drew?"
Ralph shook his head with tears in his eyes. "When Drew was here after Megan was born Ralph and I had a long talk with him. Because Drew wasn't willing to put Ralph first in his life we demanded he sign over parental rights so you could legally become Ralph's father. If that is what you want." Paige told him.
"Are you kidding me?" Walter quickly pulled the pen out of his pocket he always kept there and signed the paper work. "You will always be my son." Walter reached out and Ralph jumped into his arms, "Thank you for my gift." Walter whispered.