BONES AU - PART THREE "The Cannibal in Question"

CHAPTER FIVE

"The ancient Greek section translated the motto at the back of the vault door, 'will no one help the Widow's Son'." Scott said as they sat on the steps of the memorial. "Max was right. This killer's part of something bigger."

"Here's your coffee." Joe said with a slight yawn as he offered him one of the two cups. Scott kept talking.

"Sean Collins' violin was in there. I bet there are belongings from other murder victims too. We have to catalogue every item in that vault."

"Hot coffee?" Joe offered again.

"After we do the visual and microscopic examination of each human bone in the silver skeleton, we'll take samples and do an in-depth auxiological breakdown. We really have a lot to do..."

"Yea. Starting with coffee." Joe rolled his eyes and forced the cup into his hands.

"An isotope profile will allow us to narrow down possible geographical hits..." He starts to lift hot cup to his lips, but Joe abruptly covers his coffee cup with his hand just below Scott's lips.

"HeyHeyHey its hot! You're gonna burn yourself, there, Bones!"

Scott took a very small sip after he took his hand away and nodded. "Thanks."

"Listen, this whole serial-killer, its not gonna be our usual case." Joe shook his head.

"Why?"

"Why? Because its big and he's bad."

Scott scoffed. "I don't see the difference."

"Cause you have to slow down, right. Take a breath. You have to realize that this is not a sprint, its gonna be a marathon. Marathon, Bones, coming from the Greek meaning 'really really really long run'."

"Uh... That's not how the word marathon originated, Joe."

"Look, there's something else I gotta know, and it's important. We solid?"

"You and me?" Scott raised an eyebrow.

"No, not just you and me. Squints, too. Kirstie is back for good. Mitch and Max have their head back in the game. And Kevin, he's locked in."

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Because you and me, we're- we're the center."

Scott nodded. "And the center must hold."

"Right. So, we gonna hold?"

"Yea... We're gonna hold. We're the center." Scott smiled and drank his coffee. They sat there in silence for awhile until Joe laughed a little. Scott raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"Ha, I thought you were going to kiss my hand, is all..." Joe snorted.

"I did not kiss your hand. You put it over my coffee cup." Scott retorted with an amused look.

"Really? Huh. Because it sure felt like you kissed it." "No."

"No?"

"Nope." Scott grinned and looked over the pool as he finished his coffee.

***********************************************************************************************