so this would take place instead of what happened in the latest episode


A year flew by fast. Plenty of things happened-the wedding, crash landing on an island, Cabe's trial, the return of Mark Collins, an ex-fiancé, weekly near-death experiences, and, of course, the repeated pregnancy failures. It was a lot, things they'd all handled together, and overcame together. But none of it could wash away the memory of last year's pain. The second time Happy lost her father. One year later, on the dot, brought it all out again.

He saw the hurting in her eyes now. Hidden behind quasi~walls and multiple "I'm fine"s. Cabe pulled Toby aside and asked how she was holding up, He wanted to lie, wanted to say she was good so he could believe it himself. But he couldn't. And then another day came when the world needed saving and Scorpion needed a paycheck. Toby stayed back while Happy ventured out, more focused on her than the work he was supposed to do. He was worried over her being without him. She may have been able to kick serious ass on her own, but not when her head wasn't in the game. And Toby was the only one who could talk to his wife. Really talk to her. Everyone did manage to bring it up at least once, in their own way, but she didn't let them in. And since Toby was stuck in the garage, she could silence him with something as easy as taking her comm out.

Then the plane landed, they went back to the apartment, and she could predict his every move. If he exercised one of his typical tactics to get her talking, she'd shut him down immediately. After a few attempts, he could see that it was genuine unwillingness over general discomfort with him or the topic. And Toby let it go. He would always do his best until his best made her uncomfortable, because that meant it was time to stop.

They watched TV for a while, absentmindedly keeping their eyes glued to the cooking show reruns on screen. He gave her more tender forehead kisses than usual as they ate from the takeout boxes in silence. Happy let him hold her like a cracked piece of glass that would shatter if he moved. It caused their breathing to fall into synchronization, heartbeats humming a familiar harmonized tune.

It was when they were laying in bed, holding each other in the darkness, that she finally said something. He hadn't been expecting her to mention Patrick at all. If she wanted to get through the day like that, he needed to see her progress, and then he could accept it.

But here she was, voice soft and trickling with needles of pain. "Thank you," she whispered, "for letting me work it out myself."

"I'm your husband. It's my job to do what you need me to."

His arms were already circled around her loosely, but she wrapped her fingers over his wrists and gently tugged them tighter. Their bodies naturally curled up against each other atop the mattress. Toby's head switched from his pillow to hers, nestling behind her hair. "But I'm sorry I kept pushing you away."

He slipped a hand under her shirt, his shirt actually, but she wore it so much he smelled like her, and said, "No apologies necessary."

"Stop doing that. Just know I appreciate it, okay?"

He smiled. "Okay."

Obviously satisfied, Happy exhaled through her mouth. Her fingers met his against the skin of her stomach. She brushed her thumb over his forefinger. "I miss him."

Toby kissed the exposed section of her shoulder. "One year down, one to go."