A/N: I wish we had seen a bit more of Paige feeling insecure around the team, and her own uniqueness being celebrated. I feel like I would feel so ridiculous in that group and especially as early seasons Paige. I would have some serious inferiority issues. But, as I have always believed, Walter CAN relate to people, his issue is that people struggle to understand the ways in which he does, but he does get there. This idea popped into my head in the middle of the night last week, and had to be done.

Xoxo

The cool evening air swept over the Scorpion garage rooftop, carrying with it the faint sounds of the city below. Paige sat curled up on one of the old deck chairs, staring out into the twinkling lights. She pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders, her mind a whirlwind of self-doubt and frustration.

The past few weeks had been a parade of achievements for the team. Happy had designed a groundbreaking mechanical arm prototype that was already catching the attention of DARPA. Toby's psychology research paper on the neural pathways involved in high-risk decision-making had been published in a prestigious journal, with several universities taking note and sending requests for him to guest lecture. Sylvester had cracked a mathematical formula that had baffled the brightest minds for decades, gaining international recognition and award. And Walter, of course, had developed a revolutionary piece of custom coding software for Elia that promised to change the landscape of data encryption.

Paige knew she should be happy for them, proud, even. And she was. But as the celebrations rolled on, particularly tonight with an impromptu party, she couldn't shake the creeping feeling of inadequacy. She was just... there. No special contributions. No genius breakthroughs. A college degree that took nearly a decade to complete.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the rooftop door creaking open. Paige glanced over her shoulder to see Walter stepping out, his hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets.

"I thought I might find you up here." He said, his voice softer than usual. He walked over and sat down beside her, leaving a respectful amount of space. "You left the party rather abruptly."

Paige sighed, turning her gaze back to the city.

"Needed some air." She mumbled.

Walter tilted his head, studying her.

"You've been... quiet lately. Statistically speaking, your usual interactions with the team have decreased by 37% over the past week. Something's bothering you."

She let out a humorless laugh.

"Of course you'd quantify it."

"Yes." He replied matter-of-factly. "But the data also suggests I should ask what's wrong, rather than analyze further. So... what's wrong?"

Paige hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. Finally, she sighed and leaned back in her chair, her words spilling out before she could stop them.

"I just... feel stupid." She admitted, her voice tinged with shame. "I mean, look at all of you, Walter. Happy's designing tech for the military, Toby's getting published, Sylvester's solving problems that mathematicians have given up on, and you... well, you're you. And then there's me. No equations solved, no groundbreaking designs, no accolades. Nothing. I have nothing to speak of."

Walter frowned.

"That's not true--"

"Let me finish." She interrupted, holding up a hand. "I know I'm not a genius. I've always known that. I know I'm here on Scorpion because of Ralph, not because of me. I'm… I'm a waitress, Walter. And I know it's stupid to feel this way, but I can't help it. It's hard not to feel like I'm... useless." She looked down, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I don't even belong here."

Walter was silent for a moment, his eyes searching her face. Then, with the deliberate precision of someone about to present a thesis, he began to speak.

"Paige, do you know who Howard Gardner is?"

Paige blinked, thrown by the sudden shift.

"No, should I?"

"He's a developmental psychologist who proposed the Theory of Multiple Intelligences." Walter explained. She wiped her eyes, and shook her head. "It suggests that intelligence isn't a single, fixed entity but rather a spectrum of different types of intelligences. For example, linguistic intelligence pertains to language proficiency, while spatial intelligence relates to visualizing and manipulating objects in space. There are eight in total, though some theorists argue for more."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Okay... and how does this relate to me? I'm not a linguist."

"You--" Walter said firmly. "--are what Gardner would classify as a genius, yes, I said genius, in interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. In layman's terms, you excel at understanding and managing emotions, both your own and others'. You have an extraordinary ability to navigate relationships, empathize with people, and handle complex social dynamics. Those are skills that no IQ test measures, but they're just as critical as any algorithm or equation."

Paige opened her mouth to protest, but Walter cut her off.

"Think about it." He continued. "Who's the one who keeps the team from imploding during high-stress missions? Who's the one who knows exactly what to say to calm Toby when he's spiraling, or to motivate Sylvester when his anxiety takes over? Who's the one who taught me how to understand emotions and connect with people, something I thought was beyond me? Even Happy, somehow, you can through to. It's you, Paige. Always you."

She stared at him, speechless, as he pressed on.

"And it's not just interpersonal intelligence." he added. "You also have higher-than-average proficiency in linguistic intelligence. Perhaps not a linguist, but your communication skills are unmatched. Your spatial intelligence is evident in how you organize the office and prioritize tasks. Your logical-mathematical intelligence may not be at my level, but you're more adept at solving practical problems than anyone else here. Even your musical intelligence shines when you sing or hum absentmindedly while you work."

Paige felt a lump form in her throat, but she forced herself to respond.

"Walter, that's sweet, but let's be real. I'm not a genius like you guys."

Walter leaned closer, his expression uncharacteristically earnest. "Do you remember when I told you that Ralph recognized one of his own in me? Back when we first met?"

She nodded hesitantly.

"Well, I recognized one of my own in you that day, Paige." He said softly. "Not in the same way as Ralph, or Sly… but just as profoundly. You may not have the same type of genius as the rest of us, but that doesn't make it any less significant. Scorpion works because we're a team, and every member brings something unique to the table. Without you, we'd be brilliant individuals accomplishing nothing. Without you we were brilliant individuals accomplishing nothing. You're the glue that holds us together, the reason we function at all."

Paige felt tears welling up, but she brushed them away quickly.

"Walter..."

He reached out, hesitating for a moment before placing a hand on hers. "Your worth isn't determined by an IQ score or a list of achievements. It's in the way you make us better people, better teammates. You belong here, not because of Ralph, but because of you."

For a long moment, Paige couldn't speak. Finally, she managed a shaky laugh. "You know, for someone who claims to be bad at emotions, you're really good at this pep talk thing."

Walter gave her a small smile.

"Well, I had a good teacher."

She laughed again, this time with genuine warmth.

"Thanks, Walter. Really."

He nodded, standing up and offering her his hand.

"Come back downstairs. It's a team celebration. The team wouldn't have these successes without you."

Paige took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. As they headed back inside, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders, replaced by a renewed sense of belonging.

Walter might not have realized it, but in that moment, he'd given her the greatest achievement of all… a reminder of her own unique genius.