A/N: Any mistakes are my own; I wanted to upload Walter's POV and the events that led to Scorpion 2.0 More notes at the bottom!

Enjoy!

Little Girl Lost

Chapter 2

"Your Mom did that" – Sylvester Dodd, Season 1 Episode 1 Pilot

Walter O' Brian stared at the whiteboard in front of him.

The equation stared back, the numbers and symbols processing in his mind and as soon as he wrote it, he had the answer. He knew the answer and yet he just couldn't bring himself to write it down. The pen flicked between his fingers as he toyed with his dexterity and he glanced at Florence who was quickly (and efficiently) working on the compound that was needed on their next project.

A private client in Bali contacted them yesterday and paid a very handsome fee upfront if scorpion 2.0 could create a compound for his fishing marina to have their exotic fish be more fertile in the next three weeks. It was an endangered species, and the client wants to be able to have a profit margin big enough to sell these animals to zoos, clients, and anyone else who wanted a pretty fish. Walter agreed and within an hour he had the formulas needed to have the compound ready as Flo finished her end of the deal by creating a compound that they can spray in the water making fertility 200 times more likely.

Walter video chatted the gentleman two minutes ago to update the progress and with forty grand in his account, Walter sent out the formulas that the client could use to breed any type of fish he wanted. As soon as Flo was finished, she would send the chemicals to Bali and she would also have forty grand her own account. For a 2-hour job Scorpion, 2.0 managed to have over 80,000 dollars in their private accounts with an additional 20 grand coming.

Statically Scorpion 2.0 was doing better than the original Scorpion. Efficacity improved 60%, profit margins improved 70% (fewer team members equaled more money – simple math), shenanigans and tomfoolery dropped by over 80% (as the 20% remaining was left up to their team lunches and card games) and small cases with smaller paydays dropped by 90% as those cases were taken up by, dare he even say Scorpion's competition Centipede.

Of course, he wasn't so arrogant that he would argue that they weren't equal rivals – Centipede landed the Gettleman pitch and the Boisean jobs. Both were wanted by Scorpion and both were lost to Scorpion. According to Bentham's theory of equality which in turn takes some inspiration from the Aristotelian mentality that justice is served when two parties are truly equal and that they can counterbalance the one without harming the other.

Bentham then takes it a step further in the case that morally wrong and right happen by the intention of either party. If the intention is to harm and harm is done it is morally wrong and vice versa.

So, with this theory in mind, he cannot, logically, stay angry at Paige for her assessment (although he disagreed with that assessment, opinions are not facts) about his childish emotional quotient and his attempts to connect her need for emotional stimuli and his need for science and fact. It was a bridge that he attempted to build in his relationship experiment with Paige that failed. Experiments fail. That is a fact, without failure, there can be no successes. You cannot have success without failure. So, he would simply repeat this fact in his head until his chest stopped hurting and the sting of the memory of her teary eyes and blushing cheeks and how her head hung in defeat after Florence admitted to a fact.

It was only logical.

Reason and logic were the backbones of his psyche and the only sure thing he could cling to when the world didn't make sense.

And right now, a lot of the world didn't make sense.

He could admit that he was hurt by her words. He could admit that he, despite his best efforts, cried the moment he was left alone, and no one could see him at his most weakened, most vulnerable state.

He could admit that when he was finished with, as Paige called it, 'a emotional release' he called Cabe and asked him to come over for a chess game as the two men talked father to son. Walter asked how that could have happened and Cabe gave a big sigh and said that people are complicated. They say things out of anger and fear; like protective armor around them when they are wounded. Cabe went on to mention that he, truthfully, didn't know what was happening inside Paige or Sly's heads. He didn't know why Happy and Toby walked out that door. He didn't know why Flo would admit to the question that no doubt added fuel to an inferno.

Cabe didn't know and that, that scared Walter. He had a suspicion that Cabe knew the fear in Walter's heart. The old man was his father. He may not understand Walter's IQ but he, along with only one another, was the best at knowing what was going on inside his head.

That was why, the morning after the incident, Cabe walked in bright and early with donuts and coffee, Florence on his heels. He smiled and set it down on the communal table and purposely relaxed his stance as Walter's shoulders were tense, his eyes glued to the door as he hoped that he was wrong, just this one time he hoped he was wrong, that the others would come in. Their stony silence would be expected but not unwelcomed and then after a day Paige would join him in his loft, and they would talk. They would talk for a long time. They've had fights before. Big ones, small ones it didn't matter. The variables were all different, but the constant was the same. Like all methods, the one that Walter depended on the most was of course the scientific method. He applied to almost everything he did. It was habitual at this point.

His relationship with Paige was no different. After all, it was an experiment. They were two different people. Two different variables. They each brought their differences to the experiment. Whenever the procedure didn't seem to work, they always brought their constant: Communication.

They would talk, express themselves in the best way they knew how. Paige with her EQ and Walter with his IQ. It took them a while, but they eventually learned. They learned how to communicate with each other and thus, according to his theory – the equation was complete. As long as they talked, they could (in theory) handle any fight, any argument, and disagreement. The key was communication.

However, the one time the equation failed, it failed…hard.

He remembered as Paige angrily came down the stairs, expressing her concerns. He remembered how he tried to explain himself. He remembered how she, very factually, pointed out that he did indeed, not tell her that he went to the conference with Florence she had found out.

He also remembered that he tried his best to make the equation work. He just needed to communicate. They needed to talk. The theory could work. It always worked. Any variable, any difference it never failed.

The only variable he failed to include in that equation however was that both variables had to want to talk.

He realized that fact too late.

So, when he stood there, hoping to be wrong but proved right (he seemed he was always right) he never felt so wrong. The garage door closed with a loud bang and he flinched.

"It seemed that we are the only ones punctual to work today," Florence muttered as she scurried to her makeshift desk and started to unpack her various beakers and chemicals.

"What are you doing?" Walter asked dazed as he looked at Florence, so many emotions erupting in his stomach that he settled on the one that he could best process at that moment: confusion.

"I'm setting up for the Razor's edge park pitch. They wanted a pesticide that wouldn't cause harm to bees onsite but could still be effective toward eliminating the threat of birds." Florence stated as she looked to the floor before continuing "Paige informed us two days ago that the pitch would be today and that I had to have the pesticide ready to demonstrate." She bit her lip and held her chin high "I can understand you must have mixed feelings for me at the moment, however, if it's your wish to do the pitch alone with Cabe I can grant it as long as my compensation towards the project remains unchanged."

Walter just stood there, stumped as he quickly filed through her words and simultaneously looked through his own code of emotions. Mixed feelings? Of course, he had mixed feelings. As much as he hated himself for not telling Paige, he couldn't help the intense dislike for the blonde woman in front of him either. If she could have just been more tactful, could have been less factual… could have had more empathy this whole disaster could have been avoided.

Then he blinked as he parted his lips and sucked in a breath. She could have been more empathic, she could have used her EQ. However, as he stared at the nervous woman in front of him, her eyes held defense, knowledge of his answer, and at the back that he could barely catch it – hurt and confusion.

She was hurt. She would be hurt if he said he didn't want her there. She was also confused as to why she would be hurt.

She had EQ but for the first time in four years, he was around a genius who didn't have a developed enough EQ to fully understand what she said was hurtful to the conversation until it was too late.

The look in her eyes…. was the same look in his eyes four years ago when he came back to the loft and looked into his reflection before offering a position to Paige.

Fear, confusion, and non-understanding. This woman in front of him was learning EQ but another variable that he didn't calculate until it was too late – this woman didn't have the Paige patch. This woman didn't have the time around Paige, didn't have the opportunity or the sheer luck to be around Paige and learn how to develop a proper EQ.

Yes, he was angry at her, very angry actually, but he also felt pity for her. Was it right for him to be angry at her actions if she fully didn't understand the gravity of her words? Would it be right to punish her by refusing her help on the Razor's edge pitch for something he, himself was guilty of so many times before he had Paige's gentle guidance and eventual love?

His IQ was 197, he was the smartest in the room and of course, he had the answer and of course, he was always right, he knew the right answer as soon as he asked himself the question.

No – it wouldn't be right.

Here Walter O' Brian stood with a metaphorical crossroad in his path. If he could doit it, if he was strong enough to do it and smart enough to do it. This disaster, this damage that was done could be fixed. It could be patched. At least until he could come up with a better solution.

"No… I don't want you to leave. I understand that I'm not the only one with mixed emotions right now but, if you would let me, we can talk about it after the pitch. Florence you have the capabilities and intelligence that I don't. I can admit that and with the… the um, u-unexpected staff changes that occurred. Um, Scorpion's future is….questionable." Walter stopped as he frowned as the gravity of his words settled on him. He looked toward the confused chemist as he chose his next words carefully. "I would like to offer you a position on Scorpion." He said as Florence's eyebrows raised in shock.

"What? Could you r-repeat that?" Florence stuttered as he heard Cabe's low whistle.

"I would like to offer you a position on Scorpion. Now, please don't m-misunderstand." He was quick to clarify as he saw tiny bits of hope in her eyes "That this is not a response to your declaration last night. In fact, there would be no future… for us." He said softly as he stared at the table. "The experiment of inner work fraternization…failed." He mumbled as he looked back into her eyes and to his surprise, there was still hope but also a relief. "My feelings for Paige would complicate any romantic relationship that I would have in the near future. Adding to that… I don't think I would want a, um, romantic relationship in the future…w-with anyone." He mumbled as he took in a deep breath.

"Actually, this would serve as a deal. You and I can help each other. I admit I need help rebuilding my team, my company from the changes of last night and you….Florence you need help with your EQ. I won't lie and say that what you said to Paige and I did not upset me. In fact, I'm still quite angry at that but….I can understand why you did it. It was a fact; Paige asked a question – a question that unbeknownst to anyone here, had a factual answer. I know that your feelings for me may be confused right now. If your comfortable we can speak on it later since I know that you have told me in private that you had similar feelings for Sylvester." Walter added softly as she nodded, and a lone tear came to her eye.

"I can help you understand those feelings, at least to the best of my ability. I admit my EQ could be better, we can all improve our EQ after all." Walter grinned as he tried to put her at ease "But I am confident that I learned enough from Paige over the years to help you develop your EQ. You need a home too Florence and my mission has always been the same. Scorpion is a place for misfits to fit in. A home for those who don't or… emotionally can't make a home for themselves." Walter continued as he saw Florence think through his words.

"Your work and mine involve having to interact with people. Florence, I know that you wanted a friendship with my team, you wanted to have them as friends. You even admitted to me that you felt very lucky to have Paige as your friend because you didn't have…a lot and that you felt that you wanted a possible relationship with Sly but your fears for all of those relationships were the same. You admitted that you felt that your EQ may not be enough to have those types of relationships." Walter continued as Florence nodded once again.

"Yes. I did admit that. It's still true because it…it happened." Florence said quietly as the tear slid down her cheek and she hastily wiped it away.

"I know but we can fix it, maybe." Walter scrunched his eyebrows together as he looked at her. "I found an equation that works with human emotion and relationships. The constant is communication. Now it's not the usual or even factual equation but for brains like ours, it can work. I just had to learn it and I can teach you too." Walter smiled as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Florence you want friends, human relationships, and learn how to navigate them and I want to rebuild my cyclone. You can translate your mind to me and I – I can translate the world f- for you." Walter smiled as he remembered the very words, he uttered four years ago.

"I don't, I don't know what to say." Florence stuttered as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Say yes, we can work together both as colleagues and if you would like it as friends. Together, all of us" Walter said as he looked at Cabe who had a proud look on his face "Can be Scorpion 2.0. We can learn and grow and maybe, just maybe we can have our cyclone back in the process." Walter smiled as Florence thought through the offer.

After a moment; a very long, agonizing moment, Florence slowly lifted her head and nodded slowly. Walter smiled and held out his hand as Flo smiled softly back and shook it.

"Okay! Scorpion 2.0 is officially in business and first on the agenda is the Razor park pitch and second on the agenda once that is done – "Walter grinned as Florence took a few steps back and brought her arms around her middle. "We can talk about forgiveness and the concept of reading a room," Walter said uncomfortably as he grabbed a chair and started to work on the speech.

Flo nodded her head and got to work on her pesticide as Cabe stood in the corner and just sipped his coffee, observing as he did to his kids. He smiled as he took bold sips and thought to himself that Walter had evolved into something…more.

Cabe smiled again 2 months later as he entered the garage and saw Walter twiddling his pen and stared at the whiteboard and Flo was busying herself with her chemicals. Just as planned EQ lessons were going with some progress made. The equation that Walter stared so hard at was the equation of communication as he so put it and left the answer blank for Flo so she could take a look at it once she was finished with her setup. He smiled as he took a sip of his coffee and heard his phone buzzing and took it out to see the smiling picture of his other kid – another daughter that was, at least the last time he talked to her, crying in her office because her son was shutting down.

He took a deep breath before he walked outside and took a final look at Walter. Yes, he was always right that Walter could evolve and as he looked down to his phone and the missed calls from Paige, Happy, Toby, and Sly – he was confident that the others could evolve too.

A/N: So, chapter 2 is here and just to clarify Walter and Florence will not be dating or be anything other than friends in this story. Purely Waige and all of our other favorite couples. Also, the story's groundwork is being laid out but trust me this is not going to be the usual "fix-it fic" but all I ask is that y'all trust me and trust the process! Still trying to make an update schedule and write out more chapters so chapter 3 will be coming in the next two weeks!