Speechless.

Alex had spent as much time as he possibly could with Mickey over the past two weeks. He’d hardly spoken to Mia but he couldn’t get enough of his little niece, the perfect little wonder that lit up his world in a way he never knew a little girl could.

“Uncle Alex can we go get food?”

“Sure kid I just gotta get a few things.” Alex left Mickey on the couch for a moment to retrieve his wallet, cellphone, and set list for Matt. When he turned around Mickey was bouncing up and down and talking excitedly to Jack who had entered the bus while Alex had been in the back.

“Uncle Jack get food with us!” She beamed up at him and Alex smiled at her from a distance. In many ways Alex thought that Mickey gravitated toward Jack more than all the others because it was so easy for Jack to act like a little kid himself—an adult acting like a ten year old marveled Mickey.

“Okay!” Jack bounced up and down mocking the little girl. “What are we getting? Tofu? Veggie burgers?” He was teasing her and she knew it.

“No!” her face contorted in disgust. “They’re gross!” She declared.

“Then what are we gonna eat?”

“Pizza!” Mickey yelled bouncing up and down. “and French fries and onion rings.” She spun around on her heels and looked up at Alex with sparkling eyes. “Can we get ice cream and donuts too?!”

“Easy there small fry your mother might kill me for giving you all that.”

“She doesn’t have to know.” Mickey stated easily and the two men laughed at her.

“C’mon kid we’ll go see what they have.” Alex and Jack led her off the bus just as Mia, who had stayed away from Alex, was approaching the bus. She hesitated when she spotted them, her mouth open slightly as though to say something before she turned on her heels and walked away leaving Alex to watch her go, the smile sliding from his face.

“Jack go take her to get food.” Alex said, his eyes watching Mia’s retreating form. He didn’t wait for the bassist to respond as he jogged after the youngest Flyzik.

“Mia wait up!” He called after her. “Mia!”

She froze and turned around slowly, apprehension written in her eyes.

“Hey,” Alex said when he finally reached her.

“Hi,” She murmured quietly.

Alex realized how uncomfortable she was and he knew some part of her was fighting to disappear into the depths of tour, to just become another faceless dehydrated body.

“Listen Mia, I just wanted to tell you I’m not mad—not anymore.”

Curiosity and relief flickered into her eyes and apprehension still flickered in their depths. “You’re not?”

He shook his head before he glanced back to where Mickey and Jack had been. “How could I be,” He shrugged easily and it surprised Mia. “That little girl—she’s perfect Mia. I can’t help but love her. How could I be mad when without Logan I’d have no connection to her. I-I love her.”

Tears welled in Mia’s eyes. “You really aren’t mad?”

“No,” He smiled. “She’s family—you’re family. I don’t stay mad at family.”

A broken sob of relief worked its way up Mia’s throat and a hand flew to her lips to suppress it. Alex watched her for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and Mia broke down, her tears staining his t-shirt.

“I just—I don’t know what to say.” Mia sniffled.

“It’s alright.” Alex murmured, kissing her forehead. “Everything is alright.”

“Well not everything.” Mia wiped the tears from her eyes and Alex eyed her with confusion. “I told John, he won’t talk to me. He hates me now.”

“John doesn’t hate you.” Alex assured. “I know he doesn’t.”

“You didn’t see the way he looked at me.”

Doubt clouded the singer’s oaken eyes. “and you didn’t hear the way he’s talked about you.” He threw back. But then his lips pursed slightly; he knew John cared for Mia, maybe even loved her, but Alex also knew that it was hard for John, for anyone, to trek through all the muddy luggage that Miss. Flyzik brought with her. “It’s hard for him, Mia.” He squinted against the sun and ran a hand through his messy hair. “I don’t think it’s the fact that my brother his father of your child, I think it’s the fact that it’s just—well it’s honestly been a lot to process Mia, you can’t deny that. I think It’s easier to handle things when they don’t interweave themselves into your life in every way and I think you have with him.”

“I-I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“Yes,” Alex smirked. “You do. You’ve fixed yourself into his life, albeit no one ever heard him complain.”

Thoughts flooded Mia. Her mind wandering to the idea that John had a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his lips every time he talked about. Ideas of Mickey, John, and Mia together and being happy and just basking in the company of each other. Thoughts of letting someone in that much, to allow herself to be that vulnerable, vulnerable enough to be crushed. Her heart raced at the idea and she balked.

“Don’t,” she pursed her lips and shook her head. Alex gave her a curious look. “Don’t say shit when you don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t make it seem like everything is lovely, like for once in my life I can possibly be completely and totally happy—everything I ever wanted.” Alex watched her walls go up and the defensive edge straighten her back—suddenly he wasn’t looking at Mia, Matt’s sister, but Mia, the runaway street kid.

“Mia I-“

but she turned on her heels and ran across the open black top. Alex made to follow her but a tour van drove through his path and when it had gone Mia was gone and all he could see was a throng of flush dehydrated Warped Tour goers—usually he loved seeing them all but in that moment he regarded them all in annoyance as though they had purposely hid Mia from him.
Alex ran a hand through his hair again and cursed to himself. He should have known better, he thought, how could he have forgotten that no matter how bright things seemed to get that at the end of the day Mia would always be Mia and Mia always had to be handled with care