"I, um, I know it's a lot to take in. And you can say no, because it's a lot of responsibility, and I know I kind of sprang it on you-"
"Guardian." Walter repeats, eyes flitting from the papers in his hands back up to Paige's face. "You want me to be Ralph's guardian."
"Just in case something happens to me in the field. I want to know someone will be there for him, someone who…knows him." She clarifies.
"Wouldn't Drew be next in line for custody? He must still have paternal rights, given that he's Ralph's father." He mutters, still trying to process the request. For maybe the first time ever, he wishes Toby was here to translate exactly what this means. Paige shifts on her feet, looking uncomfortable.
"I actually have primary legal custody, and he's been away so much, plus him and Ralph have never really connected. My lawyer's been bugging me about updating my will now that I actually have assets, and Ralph was going to-I don't know. I had to fill out some forms and I thought of you."
Walter doesn't know what to say. Part of him, the part that's been observing and cataloguing her behavior for the past year, knows this is a gesture. It's symbolic. Packed with meaning.
He just has no idea what that meaning is. Suddenly, the thing she's actually asking him to do sinks in.
"You're asking me to raise him."
"I-"
"In the event that you're killed on a case."
"Yes."
He stares at her.
"That doesn't seem practical," he finally says. It's her turn to blink at him.
"Oh, okay. That's fine. I know you're not big on kids, and it's huge, I shouldn't have asked. Just forget it." Her voice is strained, and though Walter may not have Toby's gift for reading people, he can tell that her smile is fake. She turns to leave.
"Wait," he finds himself saying, still clutching the documents. "I, um, it's not that I find the idea of raising Ralph unfavorable. I...care about him."
This time when Paige smiles it's genuine. She still looks a little hurt though.
"I know you do, Walter."
"I just meant that it's unpractical because I…can't imagine a scenario in which something happens to you and I'm not there too." He tries to explain. Her brow furrows.
"Sometimes we get split up," she says slowly, logically. "I got shot in Djibouti, and it made me realize that accidents happen. Even when we're careful, which let's be honest, we usually aren't. I love Ralph, and he is my most important thing, but this job is important too. So I just want to make sure he's taken care of."
"Do you feel unsafe doing this job?" Walter suddenly wants to know. It's not something he often thinks about, he's trained himself to focus on the greater good. But Paige is different. She feels more than he does. She worries more.
"Walter," she sighs softly. "It's not a safe job. Almost every case we work puts us in danger. I try to minimize the risk when I can, but there's a lot we can't control. I'm just being realistic."
"Realistic," he repeats. The idea of something happening to her, something bad enough that Ralph is left without a mother, suddenly makes his chest constrict, blood pressure ratcheting. He doesn't realize his hands are curling into fists until he hears the sound of paper crumpling, and looks down to see that he's mangled the documents into a ball. Paige's mouth opens, alarm on her face.
"Hey, are you alright?" Her hand comes down on his wrist, and he takes a deep breath, trying to suppress the unfamiliar rush of emotion.
"I'm fine." But he's not, even he knows that. And from the look on her face, he's not fooling Paige either.
"Is this about Ralph?" She wonders. "Or me?"
"I…um…" He isn't sure. His mind, usually so clear, is clouded with a fog of feeling. The sensation bothers him.
"Look, it was just a thought. Drew is more than capable of taking care of Ralph. Don't stress out about it, okay?"
He nods, but something's nagging at the back of his mind.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," he blurts out suddenly. She gawks at him.
"Aren't you supposed to be a genius? You know you can't make that promise."
She's right. He hates it. The thought makes him want to fire her and then lock both her and Ralph in a padded room somewhere. Which is illogical, but still somehow vastly more appealing than letting her continue to put herself in danger.
"It's just in case," she reminds him gently. "That's the whole point of a will. Just in case."
"I don't like to think about that," he admits. "Something happening to you."
"Trust me," she laughs, "neither do I."
He thinks about that for a moment, smoothing out the papers and staring at the wall of legal text on them.
"Fine."
"What?" Paige asks, staring at him.
"If anything happens to you, I'll be Ralphs legal guardian." The moment the words are out of his mouth, the idea sets like concrete. There's only one person in the world he's ever cared about more than the ten year-old, and she's dead. The idea of Paige being gone and her son being shipped across the country to grow up with a man who will never understand him is nothing short of unacceptable.
Still seemingly reeling, Paige frowns.
"Hey, you don't have to. You can take some time to think about it-"
"I don't need time to think. I've considered it, and I agree that it would be the best option."
"You do." She repeats, deadpan.
"Yes. Drew wouldn't be able to provide the kind of mental stimulation Ralph needs, let alone understand the emotional burden of being mentally enabled. Ralph would be miserable."
Her frown turns defensive.
"I wouldn't say miserable, but-" She trails off when Walter grabs a pen off of Sylvester's desk and begins flipping through the pages, initialing and signing at the X's. "Walter, are you sure?"
He nods without looking back up.
"I want it to be noted that this is not me agreeing with the idea that anything will happen to you, but, as you put it, just in case." He finishes, handing the stack back to her. She takes them slowly, looking a little dazed.
"Okay." She mumbles. He frowns.
"Is this not what you wanted?" He wonders, unsure of why she doesn't look happier. Or at least a little satisfied.
"Yeah, no. I mean yes, it is. I guess I just didn't think you would agree. Or that you'd need more time." She decides, glancing down at the documents. He shrugs.
"It's the logical decision."
"Right." She waves the papers at him, and turns to go. She makes it all the way to the door before he stops her again.
"Wait," he says, for the second time. She looks back. "What you said about Ralph, that he's…"
"My most important thing." She repeats. Walter ducks his head.
"I, uh…me too."
For a moment, she looks surprised. Then she doesn't. But the dazed look in her eyes has faded a little, replaced with something warm and inviting.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Walter."
"See you tomorrow," he echoes, watching as she turns and disappears through the door.
That night, when he gets home, he clears some of the old rocket parts from his office. The next time Paige is there dropping something off, there's a brand new twin bed where his desk used to be.