Between Limestone Ruins

Chapter Twenty

Hannah's emotional exit was not being handled well in the morgue.

"Why would you let her leave, Walker? She'd not safe without us, you know that!" Nora was doing her best to rip Walker a new one.

"Relax, Nora," Walker said. "She'll be back."

"Fuck no she won't, she's selfless to a fault and if she truly believes she's a danger to us then she's already bought the first train ticket out of here."

Doc was doing his best to ignore the younger cops screaming match by continuing his casting project.

"What the hell did you say to her?" Johnathan growled.

Walker was shocked to see the anger so evident on Johnathan's face. Johnathan laughed through most of Walker's bullshit; he called him out when he was being stupid but seemed incapable of anger. But as the other man stalked towards him, Walker realized Hannah had affected all of them. They all cared for her, and they were all going to protect her. Good.

"I told her to calm down and come back," Walker said simply.

"Oh, fuck you Walker, I'm going after her," Nora snapped.

"I can't let you do that," Walker said, blocking the exit once again.

"And why's that dickhead?" Johnathan sneered, backing Nora up.

"Because she needs time to breathe," Doc finally spoke up. "Alone." 

The other three froze to look at him. "Walker is right, she's a smart girl, and has clearly had a panic attack before. I think he's correct in assuming she only needed a moment to think clearly and will be back. The rational plan for her to stay alive is to stay with us. She knows that."

Walker thrust his pointer finger in Doc's direction. "Ha."

"If she dies," Nora snarled, "I'm blaming you." She tracked back to the remains to examine the other two sets.

"You better be right," Johnathan hissed through a clenched jaw. "That girl deserves our protection, man. I know you know that."

"I do," Walker said seriously.

"I need a walk," Johnathan insisted. He shouldered past Walker, trying to maintain his anger. Walker was different. They'd been friends since the original remains of this case had been found so many years ago. Late nights pouring over evidence and witness testimonies had turned to late night beers to take the edge off and a solid friendship. Johnathan had seen this case rip Alec apart time and time again.

It seemed like ever since Sammie pulled the photos of Hannah out of the remains, the case had effectively shattered Agent Walker. The case that ruined his life, flipped it upside-down and backwards 100-fold, in a way his friend had definitely not seen coming.

Hannah Morris had flipped this guy's life on axis.

Walker's hand grabbed Johnathan's forearm as he tried to slip through the door.

"I can't let anything happen to her." It was barely a whisper, and Johnathan wasn't entirely sure his buddy had actually spoke.

"I know man," the anger melted away. 

Walker was desperate. He got mean when he was desperate. Johnathan knew that. He also knew Walker had shut his feelings off long ago and was not enjoying their comeback.

"We'll keep her safe," Johnathan assured his friends. Walker's tight grip fell from Johnathan's arm.

"Thank you."