The Other Bones

The Walkers

When they arrived at the Walker house no one spoke. Cordell took Mia upstairs to the room she had taken when she was 13 and first started staying while Max was out of town. He tucked her into bed knowing that once he spoke to the rest of the family Stella would be in there to watch Mia all night. He had told Stella a hundred times it wasn't her job but she insisted that she wanted to look after Mia.

As Cordell walked back into the dining room he noticed the whole Walker family sitting around the table staring at the stairs. They'd been waiting for him. They wanted an update.

"She's okay" Cordell started earning a collective sigh of relief from the family. "Max rang her he knows about Booth"

"Obviously" Liam replied earning a glare from his older brother "What? They spend literally every day together"

"There's more" Cordell explained "he knows Booth knows Dr Brennan or as Mia knew her Joy Keenan and he told her to be careful" That stopped all of Liam's sarcastic comments. Max rarely contacted Mia and never called to warn her about things. He was planning something and it would involve Mia, Seeley Brennan or maybe all three. This was scary.

The Walker's stayed awake until well past midnight making a plan for how they would protect Mia and what they would tell Agent Booth. It was agreed Liam would stay with her tonight and August and Stella would be home tomorrow along with all the other Walkers to do something together as a family. Hoyt had suggested tattoos, something Max Keenan would struggle to get rid of if he found Mia. They had always thought he didn't know where she lived but now they weren't sure how much he knew. Cordell even agreed to Stella and August getting tattoos despite their young age.

As dawn broke Mia began pacing. The sun had woken her but she wasn't sure what to do next. Max Keenan could be watching her right now. She was scared for Booth and her sister. Her mind was racing so she left Liam sleeping on the bed and walked downstairs knowing full well that Bonham would be eating breakfast before going to care for the horses. As she reached the bottom step of the stairs she noticed exactly how the Walkers had left the dining room last night. She carefully collected the empty beer and whiskey bottles taking them out to the recycling. She walked across to the dog kennel getting Shadow, their German shepherd out of the kennel. No one would be able to touch her now. She settled on the deck facing the driveway watching the sun, the trees and the animals. It was the simple things she'd miss if Max ever found her.

"Morning sunshine" a voice said waking her from her slumber she blinked against the bright sunlight. She knew it was someone non-threatening because Shadow was still lying at her feet.

"Morning Bonham" she replied once she could see properly. He passed her a plate of pancakes and a mug of coffee. "Thank you" she replied with a smile before digging into the pancakes.

"You're going on an adventure in an hour" He smiled at her as Hoyt walked out of the house before settling by her side giving Bonham and thumbs up causing him to go back inside.

They sat in silence until Hoyt offered her a cigarette with a wink. He knew about her habit even if Seeley had no clue. They sat and smoked in silence. The Walkers had all accepted that she smoked when she was stressed and this definitely deserved a smoke.

Once the smoke and the pancakes were finished Hoyt and Mia went back inside before getting ready for the day. Even though all Mia did was sort her hair and swap her yoga pants. She was still not stable enough to change out of Booth's t-shirt and that was okay.

Mia, Hoyt, Stella, August and Cordell all headed into town together for whatever this mystery adventure was going to be. Mia was more than happy to sit there and watch the scenery pass until they came to a stop outside a tattoo shop. More specifically the tattoo shop that had done her others. They quickly exited the truck and walked into the shop. Cordell had finally explained that they were all getting matching cartoon dinosaurs and he was getting an E with angel wings for Emily written in her writing which Stella and August wanted too. Within three hours they all had the tattoos they wanted. Which was the exact moment Liam walked in with a smile.

"I couldn't miss out, could I?" he said with a smile getting a t rex tattooed on his wrist.

By the time they got home, they were all ready for a mid-afternoon nap. Getting tattooed had opened up a lot of emotions for all of them but they were all happy. Mia had a brachiosaurus on her wrist and a tattoo for Emily near the nook of her left elbow. It was perfect. No one could take this moment away from her. Or so she thought. Her phone rang just as she and Stella had sat down.