Quickly edited so any mistakes are all mine!

Burnt orange leaves crunch beneath my hiking boots as I amble through the ever-beautiful Rock Creek Park. Most of the trees around me are bare; the gentle October breeze causing the remaining leaves to flutter to the ground. I pull my coat tighter around me, feeling the effects of the cool fall air. Ahead of me is Einstein, my sweet little pug who has trotted off to explore the surroundings. As I slowly follow him, the fresh air helps clear my mind, relaxing me after a stressful week at the lab. There had been a double homicide and, despite my superb expertise, leads had been few and far between. At first, just identifying the remains had been a challenge. They were so badly burnt and their skulls so badly smashed in, we'd struggled to find IDs. Even once we knew who the victims were, there didn't appear to be any links between them (different genders, different races, different ages, they weren't even from the same coast) making it even harder to narrow the suspect pool and bring the killer to justice.

Unsurprisingly, I was the one to piece the puzzle together. I discovered cause of death was a slash to the throat from a serrated blade. I'd made precise measurements to work out the length, width and spacing of the weapon that enabled us to find the exact knife, leading us to our killer. A deranged man by the name of Daley who'd bought the knife a block away from where the first attack took place and had made various threats on social media. According to the FBI, his wife had just left him for another man, taking his kids away from him and consequently pushing Daley over the edge. It was a crime of passion; he'd lashed out at the first people he saw and burnt them in his back garden in the hopes of obscuring evidence. Neighbours reportedly thought he was barbecuing. I shake my head as I continue along the trail. Burning flesh has a distinct aroma. How can these morons confuse that with a few beef burgers?

Honestly.

Anyway, it's over now and I'm free to enjoy my weekend in whatever way I please, which usually involves hiking in the morning then going home to play video games versus Hodgins.

Einstein loves these hikes almost as much as I do. Since my apartment doesn't really have any outdoor space - although there is a small park two minutes down the road - our weekend walks are extra special.

Speaking of, as I round a corner, my dog is no longer anywhere to be seen. A wave of fear rolls over me. He's the only close connection I have with another living being and I couldn't bare to lose him. I pick up the pace, sticking my pinkies in my mouth and whistling.

Einstein doesn't come running.

I search frantically for five minutes, looking in bushes, calling his name, even getting on all fours to help myself get in his mindset. The latter earns me a lot of weird looks and knitted brows from other hikers who pass. I don't care about them though; I only care about Einstein.

Suddenly I see a small girl crouched in the middle of the track, in front of my precious baby. Everything turns red, a fiery mist descending upon the scene before me.

That's my dog, not yours.

I march towards them, unbeknownst to her. The thief doesn't even pay attention to me until I snatch Einstein back into my arms and cuddle him tightly.

"It's OK, Einstein. I'm here now," I murmur, pressing a kiss to his crown. My eyes scan his body as I verify that he's all right, then they dart upwards to the small child. "You don't steal people's dogs, you know. Have your incompetent parents never disciplined you?"

Next thing I know, my worst nightmare comes true. The kid starts to cry. And I'm not talking crocodile tears, she is full on sobbing, her cheeks red and blotchy as the salty water streams down her face.

I'm not equipped to deal with this. While I am a polymath and intellectually superior to everybody else in the country, children - especially crying children - are not my forte. I don't know whether to comfort her or say something or leave her to it, so I remain frozen, paralysed on the spot.

Before I can react in any way, I hear pounding footsteps behind me and a familiar voice shouting "Christine!" over and over.

My blood runs cold as Agent Booth rushes past me and engulfs the sobbing girl in a tight embrace.

How had I not realised she was Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth's daughter?

I curse inwardly as my boss joins the party, worry written over her face as she parks their son's stroller beside her family and places a comforting hand on her little girl's back. Just as I'm wondering whether Einstein and I can make a break for it, the three of them turn to face me and I instantly realise I'm dead meat.

Agent Booth has never been fond of me. Our first meeting involved him aiming his gun at me, my superior intelligence and self-confidence clearly unnerves him and I know that accusing his daughter of cheating by changing her report card did not help our already tense relationship. But right now, with his jaw tight and his stare icy, he looks ready to fire a bullet through my brain.

I swallow the lump in my throat. I'm not ready to die - I haven't surpassed Dr. Brennan yet!

"Dr. Wells, what are you doing here?"

"Hiking," I reply, my voice strangled.

Booth's fierce eyes never leave mine. "You want to explain why my daughter is so distraught or do I need to rough you up a little first?"

I don't miss the way he cracks his knuckles and flexes his muscles, prepared to snap me in half. I decide taking the first option would be in my best interest. "Einstein ran off and when I eventually found him with your daughter, I rightfully told her off."

"Who's Einstein?" Dr. Brennan questions, furrowing her brow.

"My dog."

"You named your dog Einstein?"

"It's a fitting name for a pet with an owner as intelligent as myself," I say defensively.

"You can't be that intelligent if you think you have the right to tell off somebody else's child," Agent Booth argues.

"Did she do anything wrong?"

I glance at their daughter, her face buried in her father's broad shoulder, her mother drawing soothing circular patterns on her back. I have to confess that she looks sweet, innocent. "She was just petting him."

If anything, Booth becomes fiercer, his protective hold on his little girl tightening. "She did nothing wrong and you've made her cry like this?!"

I feel a shocking stab of guilt. "Yes."

"Unbelievable," Booth scoffs.

"In my defence, I didn't recognise her."

"So you thought you should chastise a stranger? The hell's wrong with you, Wells?"

I watch on helplessly as Agent Booth storms off to sit on a nearby bench. Dr. Brennan stays fixed in the same position, but her eyes swivel to me, her disappointment clear to see. She looks less like she wants to kill me than her husband, however, I don't doubt her ability to beat me to the ground for hurting her daughter.

"I'm so so-."

"Save it," she says, her tone low, protective. "You're an excellent scientist, Dr. Wells, and you have potential to have a great career. But that's all it is: potential. We've all attempted to improve your interpersonal skills and yet time and time again you let us down. I've given you so many chances because you're intelligent but, believe me, if you hurt my family one more time, your internship will be terminated with immediate effect. Understand?"

"Yes, I understand," I reply, certain that isn't just an empty threat. She really means it.

"Good. Christine loves animals and has been hankering after a family pet for months now. She was merely taking care of a lost animal. She didn't hurt him; she would never."

"I guess I was just worried he'd gone forever and saw red..."

She holds up her palm dismissively. "I don't care what your reasons were, all I care about is that my daughter is upset. Now, if you'll excuse me."

She shoves me out of her way and releases the brakes on their son's stroller, pushing him towards the rest of their family.

I realise what I must do.

Einstein still in my arms, I follow Dr. Brennan to the bench and stand in front of their daughter. I see Agent Booth roll his eyes at me but I steadfastly ignore him. I may not be the be the best people person in the world, however I know this is the right thing to do.

"Do you want to hold him?" I ask Christine.

Her eyes bug in surprise. "Really?"

"Absolutely. Do you want to?"

She nods, her whole face lighting up with glee as all traces of sadness fade away. Normally I don't like kids, yet even I have to admit her broad grin that shows off all her missing teeth is pretty adorable.

I hand Einstein over to her and she immediately snuggles him lovingly.

"He's cute, isn't he, Christine?" Agent Booth murmurs softly, scratching the backs of Einstein's ears.

"Very cute," she confirms, giggling as his tongue laps at her palm.

I glance at a smiling Dr. Brennan. She catches my eyes and mouths, "thank you."

I shrug casually. It's nothing because look how happy I've made their daughter. It feels nice to be responsible for that rather than being the one who pisses everybody else off all the time. I decide I need to finally make good on that bucket list Angela gave to me before Booth and Brennan's wedding and stop being such a douche. I know I have a long way to go to rectify my past mistakes and that acknowledging this is only the first small step, but I'm a highly motivated individual - one of the thousands of reasons I'm good at my job - and I truly believe I can change for the better.

If you read this, please, please leave a review. I need the Validation™.